WO2020015982A1

WO2020015982A1 - An integrated spray head

Info

Publication number: WO2020015982A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/067359
Authority: WO
Inventors: Furkan BAYAV; Fatih KASAP; Yusuf Koc; Nevin AKKAS
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2018-07-19
Filing date: 2019-06-28
Publication date: 2020-01-23

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated spray head integrated to a jet nozzle, for mounting to a drum provided in washing machines and washer-dryers, comprising in its most basic form, at least one water line conveying water, whose one end is connected to the jet nozzle, having at least one chamber connected to the other end of the water line, positioned so as to face into the drum, at least one blade consisting of a plurality of flaps, shaped as a propeller positioned in the chamber, at least one shaft connected to the center of the blade, at least one gear mechanism connected to the shaft, at least one water outlet chamber to cover a surface of the gear mechanism and the chamber, at least one opening provided on a circular line on the water outlet chamber, and a nozzle positioned so as to fit on each one of the openings in the water outlet chamber, reciprocating movable upwards and downwards by the rotational motion provided by the gear mechanism. The water chamber therefore rotates in association with the rotational motion of the gear mechanism, which is preferably a sun gear mechanism, and tilts the nozzles in radial direction.

Description

AN INTEGRATED SPRAY HEAD

The present invention relates to an integrated spray head for integrating to a jet nozzle provided in horizontal drum washing machines and washer-dryers.

In horizontal drum washing machines and washer-dryers, a jet pump is activated and water descending below the tub is pumped back into the drum, in given time intervals throughout main washing and rinsing steps. The washing process is thus performed by passing the same water through textiles multiple times. Using a jet pump significantly saves water. When the washing process is completed and the discharging process of water is to be performed, the discharge pump activates, enabling performing the discharging process of water from the machine. In current washing machines and washer-dryers, jetting and discharging processes are enabled by a centrifugal pump with one inlet and two outlets, provided below the tub. In this pressurizing method, the pump operates respectively with two separate blade-motor groups. A jet nozzle provided on the bellows of a washing machine brings many advantages. The primary advantages are enabling a better detergent dissolving and an additional mechanical effect, and washing performance is consequently enhanced. A jet nozzle currently being used in washing machines has a point effect on a textile passing across thereof. The scanned area on a textile should be increased to enhance mechanical effect. Scanned area may be increased by electromechanical nozzles but using such nozzles incur additional costs. In addition, this may cause safety problems due to contact with water.

State of the art patent document no. EP2808435 mentions a jet nozzle device provided in the bellows of a washing machine. The jet nozzle transmits washing water back into the machine by means of a pump. In this design, a gasket is used to keep the nozzle fixed in the desired direction. The nozzle line is configured to transmit washing water back into the machine. In this design, a gasket is used to keep the nozzle fixed in the desired direction. This prevents the nozzle apparatus from changing direction and facilitates connecting the nozzle. Said patent document mentions a method related to changing and fixing the direction of jet nozzle.

State of the art patent document no. US2014137609 mentions a jetting nozzle placed on the upper portion of a top-load washing machine. The outlet portion of the jetting nozzle is angularly designed. It is mentioned that this enables increasing spray angle. Increasing of spray angle is noted to enhance washing performance. Said patent document mentions that spray angle is increased by giving the outlet portion of the jet nozzle a funnel-like shape.

State of the art patent document no. US2015033478 discloses a spiral nozzle design activating during turbo washing. The spiral nozzle is not activated during normal washing step. The spiral nozzle does not allow spray formation and water leaves the nozzle in a twisting manner (rotatingly) without disrupting its nuclear structure. Said patent document mentions that the fluid leaving the nozzle exits in a twisting manner due to the spiral structure of the jet nozzle and that the jet nozzle is activated during turbo washing.

The aim of the present invention is to realize an integrated spray head enabling increasing the scanned area on textiles and enhancing mechanical effect by being integrated on a jet nozzle provided in horizontal drum washing machines and washer-dryers.

Another aim of the present invention is to realize an integrated spray head enabling cleaning textile materials by consuming less water and in a shorter duration in horizontal drum washing machines and washer-dryers.

The integrated spray head integrated to a jet nozzle provided in horizontal drum washing machines and washer-dryers, and for being mounted on the drum, comprises in its most basic form

at least one water line conveying water, whose one end is connected to the jet nozzle,
at least one chamber connected to the other end of the water line, positioned so as to be oriented towards into the drum,
at least one blade consisting of a plurality of flaps, shaped as a propeller positioned in the chamber,
at least one shaft connected to the center of the blade,
at least one gear mechanism connected to the shaft,
at least one inner sun gear connected to the shaft,
at least one planet carrier engaging the inner sun gear,
at least one planet gear connecting the inner sun gear and engaging the planet carrier,
at least one outer sun gear to which the planet gear engages,
at least one water outlet chamber to cover a surface of the gear mechanism and the chamber,
at least one opening provided on a circular line on the water outlet chamber, and
nozzles positioned so as to fit on each opening in the water outlet chamber, reciprocating movable upwards and downwards by the rotational motion provided by the gear mechanism,
two cavities provided in the water outlet chamber so as to be opposite each other on the circular line around the opening,
two pins provided opposite each other on the nozzle, enabling supporting the nozzle by fitting on the cavities,
a guide in which the outer sun gear fits, having two concentric rings, enabling the nozzles to be supported from below by the nozzles abutting on the gap between two rings upon being placed in the water outlet chamber, and
a wave-shaped diverter provided on a portion of at least one of the rings, enabling the nozzle to be periodically tilted in a direction perpendicular to the periphery of the circle on the axis of the pins by contacting the nozzle from below upon the guide rotating about itself by means of the outer sun gear.
at least one water outlet chamber to cover a surface of the gear mechanism and the chamber.

In horizontal drum washing machines and washer-dryers provided with the integrated spray head of the invention, the jet pump is activated in given time intervals throughout main washing and rinsing steps, and water descending below the tub is conveyed back into the drum by a water line connected to the jet pump. A preferably cylindrical chamber is mounted to an end of the water line. The chamber is positioned on the drum so as to face into the drum. At least one propeller-shaped blade is positioned in the chamber. The water introduced into the chamber first contacts the flaps of the blade and enables the blade to rotate about its central axis. A shaft is connected to the center of the blade, and the shaft is rotatably movable about its axis by the rotational motion provided by the blade. A gear mechanism is connected to the shaft. The gear mechanism is connected to a water outlet chamber covering an end of the chamber. The water outlet chamber rotates in association with the rotational motion of the gear mechanism. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gear mechanism is a sun gear mechanism. An inner sun gear is connected to the shaft, The inner sun gear moves rotationally together with the shaft. A planet carrier engages the inner sun gear. A planet gear engages the planet carrier and the planet gear rotates by being engaged by the inner sun gear. The planet carrier is concentric with the inner sun gear but is rotationally driven by the planet gear independently of the inner sun gear. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, three planet gears engage the inner sun gear. The planet gears engage the outer sun gear and enable the outer sun gear to move rotationally.

A water outlet chamber is provided, covering a surface of the gear mechanism and the chamber. An opening (x71) is disposed on a circular line on the water outlet chamber. In the water outlet chamber, nozzles are disposed so as to fit on each opening (x71). Two cavities are provided in the water outlet chamber so as to be opposite each other on the circular line about the opening. Two pins are provided opposite each other on the nozzle, enabling supporting the nozzle by fitting on the cavities. A guide in which the outer sun gear fits, has two concentric rings and enables the nozzles to be supported from below by the nozzle abutting on the gap between two rings upon being placed in the water outlet chamber. The guide rotates by means of the outer sun gear. The integrated spray head comprises a wave-shaped diverter provided on a portion of one of the rings, enabling the nozzle to be periodically tilted in a direction perpendicular to the periphery of the circle on the axis of the pins by contacting the nozzle from below upon the guide rotating about itself.

The integrated spray head of the invention is placed in washing machines or washer-dryers such that the water outlet of the nozzles provided in the chamber connected to the water line and in the water outlet chamber, are disposed within the drum. The nozzles are placed on the openings (x71) and the pins on the nozzles fit into the cavities provided around the openings (x71) on the inner surface of the water outlet chamber. The nozzle is thus supported and enabled to move about the axis of the pins, thereby enabling the nozzle to be pivoted and tilted in radial direction. The guide is formed by joining two concentric rings from at least two points so as not to inhibit passage of the water transmitted to the nozzles. The area in between the rings is spaced so as to allow passage of water therethrough. The guide is fitted into the water outlet chamber so as to support the nozzles from below. Water enters the nozzle from below. A wave-shaped diverter is provided on a portion of at least one of the rings. The diverter may be shaped as a sinus wave disposed on a circle forming the ring in a direction perpendicular to the radius direction, i.e. along at least a portion of the ring in tangential direction. The diverter moves by the guide rotating about itself by means of the outer sun gear connected to the guide, and periodically applies a thrust force to the nozzle from below. The base point of the diverter applies the thrust force to the nozzle, and its vertex does not contact the nozzle allowing it to recover its initial position, in other words, the trough of the wave is the portion of the diverter contacting the nozzle. When the diverter is at its peak/vertex point below the nozzle, the nozzle returns to its initial/previous position in which it is perpendicular to the water outlet chamber plane, by means of the water transmitted to the nozzle having a high pressure and flow rate. When the base point of the diverter applies a thrust force to the nozzle again, the nozzle tilts in radial direction. The nozzle is thus periodically tilted as long as the guide rotates about itself.

The blades rotated by the water coming from the water line, rotate the gear mechanism, and in turn the gear mechanism rotates the outer sun gear disposed on the inner surface of the guide. The revolutions of the periodical motion of the nozzle is determined by the rotational speed of the guide about itself. In order to be able to periodically tilt/pivot the nozzle, it is sufficient to have on the ring a diverter having a wave with one depression and one peak/vertex thereon, and the rotation of the guide about itself enables the diverter to alternately coincide with the nozzle from below. The nozzle is thus tilted or pivoted in an axis perpendicular to the periphery of the circular line, in other terms in radial direction. By this, when water is enabled to be ejected through the nozzle, the direction of water can be changed without a pressure drop, and water ejected from the nozzle enables increasing scanned area of the textiles in the drum and enhancing the mechanical effect by means of the continuous periodical motion of the nozzles. In other terms, the diverter intermittently applies a thrusting force to the nozzles from below particularly in radial direction by rotation of the guide about itself, and enables the nozzles to be pivoted by being supported by the cavities of the pins. In this manner, as long as the guide rotates about itself, the nozzles reciprocate in a given trajectory, spraying water to varying points in the drum.

In an embodiment of the invention, the diverter is designed such that at least one portion thereof on the ring has a phase difference with respect to the remaining portion. For example, if there is 180 degrees phase difference between the diverter on one half of the ring and the diverter on the other half, when the wave below a nozzle is at its peak/vertex, then the wave below the diametrically opposite nozzle would be at its trough, whereby bringing one of the diametrically opposite nozzles to a tilted position when the other is in its initial/previous position. This embodiment enables a plurality of nozzles provided on the integrated spray head to be tilted in the same direction concurrently or at separate times. The movement of the nozzles can be controlled in a desired manner by means of the embodiment in which a phase difference is created between the diverters provided on the ring.

In another embodiment of the invention, the diverter is disposed on the ring with smaller radius, and enables tilting/pivoting the nozzle inwards the circle. By disposal of the diverter on the guide's ring with smaller radius, the trough portion of the wave applies an outwards thrusting force to the nozzle from below. Thus, by means of the nozzle being rotatable about the axis of the pin while being pushed outwards from below, the upper portion of the nozzle, i.e. the side where water is ejected, is tilted inwards the circle in radial direction.

In another embodiment of the invention, the diverter is disposed on the ring with larger radius, and enables tilting/pivoting the nozzle outwards the circle. By disposal of the diverter on the guide's ring with larger radius, the trough portion of the wave applies an inwards thrusting force to the nozzle from below. Thus, by means of the nozzle being rotatable about the axis of the pin while being pushed inwards from below, the upper portion of the nozzle, i.e. the side where water is ejected, is tilted outwards the circle in radial direction.

In another embodiment of the invention, the diverter enables the nozzle to be tilted so as to scan an angle of 90 degrees. The scanning angle of the nozzle is its angle with respect to the vertical axis. The tilting angle of the nozzle can be changed by changing the size of the diverter, i.e. the amplitude of the wave. Larger the size of the diverter, the more the nozzle is tilted. The nozzle is tilted both inwards and outwards thanks to the diverter disposed on both the inner ring with smaller radius and the outer ring with larger radius, thereby enabling the nozzle to scan an angle of 90 degrees thanks to the guide's structure.

In the integrated spray head of the invention, the diverter is enabled to periodically tilt the nozzles by means of the diverter provided on the rings forming the guide, and the guide rotating about itself by means of the blade. The nozzles are thus enabled to spray water in a drum in varying angles without changing the amount, pressure and the flow rate of the water transmitted to the nozzles, thereby eliminating the need to consume more water for an effective washing, and maximizing washing efficiency by reducing water consumption.

Claims

An integrated spray head integrated to a jet nozzle provided in washing machines and washer-dryers, comprising in its most basic form, at least one water line conveying water, whose one end is connected to the jet nozzle for mounting to a drum , characterized by at least one chamber connected to the other end of the water line , positioned so as to face into the drum , at least one blade consisting of a plurality of flaps, shaped as a propeller positioned in the chamber , at least one shaft connected to the center of the blade , at least one gear mechanism connected to the shaft , at least one water outlet chamber to cover a surface of the gear mechanism and the chamber, at least one opening provided on a circular line on the water outlet chamber , and a nozzle positioned so as to fit on each one of the openings in the water outlet chamber , reciprocating movable upwards and downwards by the rotational motion provided by the gear mechanism .
An integrated spray head according to claim 1, characterized by a lock mechanism comprising in its most basic form:

- at least one inner sun gear connected to the shaft ,

- at least one planet carrier engaging the inner sun gear ,

- at least one planet gear engaging the planet carrier ,

- at least one outer sun gear to which the planet gear engages,

- at least one water outlet chamber engaging the outer sun gear , and

- at least one water outlet port leading to the water outlet chamber .
An integrated spray head according to claims 1 to 2, characterized by a water outlet chamber comprising in its most basic form:

- at least one opening provided on a circular line,

- a nozzle disposed so as to fit on an opening ,

- two cavities provided in the water outlet chamber so as to be opposite each other on the circular line about the opening ,

- two pins provided opposite each other on the nozzle , enabling supporting the nozzle by resting on the cavities ,

- a guide in which the outer sun gear fits, having two coaxial rings , enabling the nozzles to be supported from below by abutting on the gap between two rings upon being placed in the water outlet chamber, and

- a wave-shaped diverter provided on a portion of at least one of the rings , enabling the nozzle to be periodically tilted in a direction perpendicular to the periphery of the circle on the axis of the pins by contacting the nozzle from below upon the guide rotating about itself by means of the outer sun gear .
An integrated spray head according to claim 3, characterized by the diverter designed such that at least a portion thereof on the ring has a phase difference with respect to its other portion.
An integrated spray head according to claims 3 to 4, characterized by the diverter provided on the ring with smaller radius, enabling tilting the nozzle inwards the circle.
An integrated spray head according to claim 5, characterized by the diverter provided on the ring with larger radius, enabling tilting the nozzle outwards the circle.
An integrated spray head according to claims 3 to 4, characterized by the diverter enabling tilting the nozzle such that it scans an angle of 90 degrees.