Patent application title: WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING LARGE DETERGENT CASE
Inventors:
Ju Dong Lee (Bupyeong-Gu, KR)
Assignees:
Daewoo Electronics Corporation
IPC8 Class: AD06F3500FI
USPC Class:
68 17 R
Class name: Machines combined with soap supply
Publication date: 2011-06-23
Patent application number: 20110146356
Abstract:
A washing machine is disclosed. The washing machine includes a detergent
receiving part, a supply pipe communicating with a water supply pipe and
supplying wash water, an on-off valve between the detergent receiving
part and the supply pipe, and a controller opening or closing the on-off
valve corresponding to a proceeding washing cycle to supply a preset
amount of detergent to the supply pipe.Claims:
1. A washing machine including a large detergent case, comprising: a
detergent receiving part; a supply pipe communicating with a water supply
pipe and supplying wash water; an on-off valve between the detergent
receiving part and the supply pipe; and a controller opening or closing
the on-off valve corresponding to a proceeding washing cycle to supply a
preset amount of detergent to the supply pipe.
2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the detergent receiving part comprises: a first receiving section receiving a liquid detergent; a second receiving section partitioned from the first receiving section and receiving a fabric softener; and a third receiving section partitioned from the second receiving section and receiving a bleaching agent.
3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the detergent receiving part has a hole formed in a bottom thereof and communicates with the supply pipe through a connection pipe, the connection pipe being connected at one end thereof with the hole and at the other end thereof with the supply pipe.
4. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein the on-off valve is provided to the connection pipe.
5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the on-off valve comprises three inlets communicating with the first, second and third receiving sections, respectively, and a single outlet communicating with the supply pipe.
6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein a connecting portion between the connection pipe and the supply pipe is located below the hole of the detergent receiving part.
7. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the detergent receiving part is provided at one side thereof with a single-dose detergent receiving section partitioned from the detergent receiving part and receiving a detergent, the wash water being supplied to the single-dose detergent receiving section through a direct water pipe communicating with the water supply pipe.
8. The washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the water supply pipe is provided with a flow path control valve allowing the water supply pipe to communicate with the supply pipe and the direct water pipe.
9. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein when the water supply pipe communicates with the supply pipe by operation of the flow path control valve, the water supply pipe is prevented from communicating with the direct water pipe.
10. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein when the water supply pipe communicates with the direct water pipe by operation of the flow path control valve, the water supply pipe is prevented from communicating with the supply pipe.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a washing machine and, more particularly, to a washing machine including a large detergent case which enables a plurality of washing operations by inputting a detergent once to the detergent case.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In general, a washing machine includes a tub disposed inside a cabinet and receiving wash water, a drum rotatably mounted inside the tub and receiving laundry, a drive unit disposed inside the tub and connected to the drum to rotate the drum, a water supply unit supplying the wash water into the tub, and a discharge unit discharging the wash water outside the cabinet after washing operation is completed.
[0005] The water supply unit includes a water supply pipe connected to a water source to guide wash water into the tub, a detergent case provided to the water supply pipe and receiving a detergent, and a valve provided to the water supply pipe and the detergent case to determine a supply passage of the wash water. With this configuration, when the washing machine starts to operate, the valve is opened to supply wash water from the water source, and the detergent dissolved in the wash water is supplied together with the wash water into the tub.
[0006] Since the detergent case is retractably provided to the cabinet, the detergent case is retracted outside the cabinet to provide a detergent to the detergent case before the washing operation.
[0007] In the conventional washing machine, a detergent receiving part of the detergent case communicates with the water supply pipe so that all of the detergent received in the detergent case is supplied to the tub when wash water is supplied to the detergent case. Thus, when the washing operation is completed, the detergent in the detergent case is completely consumed, so that it is necessary to resupply a detergent to the detergent case whenever a subsequent washing operation is initiated.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need to solve such problems of the conventional washing machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention is conceived to solve such problems of the related art, and an aspect of the invention is to provide a washing machine including a large detergent case which enables a plurality of washing operations by inputting a detergent once to the detergent case.
[0010] In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a washing machine having a large detergent case includes: a detergent receiving part; a supply pipe communicating with a water supply pipe and supplying wash water; an on-off valve between the detergent receiving part and the supply pipe; and a controller opening or closing the on-off valve corresponding to a proceeding washing cycle to supply a preset amount of detergent to the supply pipe.
[0011] The detergent receiving part may include a first receiving section receiving a liquid detergent, a second receiving section partitioned from the first receiving section and receiving a fabric softener, and a third receiving section partitioned from the second receiving section and receiving a bleaching agent.
[0012] The detergent receiving part may have a hole formed in a bottom thereof and may communicate with the supply pipe through a connection pipe. Here, the connection pipe is connected at one end thereof with the hole and at the other end thereof with the supply pipe.
[0013] The on-off valve may be provided to the connection pipe.
[0014] The on-off valve may include three inlets communicating with the first, second and third receiving sections, respectively, and a single outlet communicating with the supply pipe.
[0015] A connecting portion between the connection pipe and the supply pipe may be located below the hole of the detergent receiving part.
[0016] The detergent receiving part may be provided at one side thereof with a single-dose detergent receiving section partitioned from the detergent receiving part and receiving a detergent. Here, the wash water is supplied to the single-dose detergent receiving section through a direct water pipe communicating with the water supply pipe.
[0017] The water supply pipe may be provided with a flow path control valve allowing the water supply pipe to communicate with the supply pipe and the direct water pipe.
[0018] When the water supply pipe communicates with the supply pipe by operation of the flow path control valve, the water supply pipe may be prevented from communicating with the direct water pipe.
[0019] When the water supply pipe communicates with the direct water pipe by operation of the flow path control valve, the water supply pipe may be prevented from communicating with the supply pipe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a washing machine including a large detergent case in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a large detergent case of the washing machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the large detergent case of the washing machine in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3; and
[0025] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the washing machine including the large detergent case in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For descriptive convenience, a drum washing machine including a large detergent case will be described as one example. It should be noted that the drawings are not to precise scale and may be exaggerated in thickness of lines or sizes of components for descriptive convenience and clarity only. Furthermore, the terms as used herein are defined by taking functions of the invention into account and can be changed according to the custom or intention of users or operators. Therefore, definition of the terms should be made according to the overall disclosures set forth herein.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a washing machine including a large detergent case according to an embodiment of the invention includes a tub 2 disposed inside a cabinet 1 and receiving wash water, a drum 3 rotatably mounted inside the tub 2 and receiving laundry, a drive unit 4 disposed inside the cabinet 1 and connected to the drum 3 to rotate the drum 3, a water supply unit 10 supplying the wash water into the tub 2, and a discharge unit 7 discharging the wash water outside the cabinet 1 after the washing operation is completed.
[0028] Here, the water supply unit 10 includes a water supply pipe 30 connected to a water source to guide wash water into the tub 2, and a detergent case 20 communicating with the water supply pipe 30 and receiving a detergent.
[0029] In one embodiment, the large detergent case 20 includes a detergent receiving part 24, a supply pipe 34 bifurcated from the water supply pipe 30 and supplying wash water, an on-off valve 50 between the detergent receiving part 24 and the supply pipe 34, and a controller 80 opening or closing the on-off valve 50 corresponding to a proceeding washing cycle to supply a preset amount of detergent to the tub 2.
[0030] When the washing operation is started, the on-off valve 50 is open for a preset time in response to a signal from the controller 80 while wash water supplied from the water supply pipe 30 passes through the supply pipe 34, so that a preset amount of detergent flows into the supply pipe 34 and is supplied into the tub 2 together with the wash water.
[0031] Here, since all of the detergent received in the detergent receiving part 24 is not supplied to the tub 2, the detergent remains in a certain amount or more within the detergent receiving part 24 even after the washing operation is completed.
[0032] As a result, the washing operation can be performed again as described above without separately inputting the detergent to the detergent case.
[0033] When the detergent receiving part 24 has a predetermined size or more, it is possible to perform a plurality of washing operations by supplying the detergent once to the detergent case.
[0034] The detergent receiving part 24 includes a first receiving section 24a receiving a liquid detergent, a second receiving section 24b partitioned from the first receiving section 24a and receiving a fabric softener, and a third receiving section 24c partitioned from the second receiving section 24b and receiving a bleaching agent
[0035] The plural receiving sections of the detergent receiving part 24 are connected to the on-off valve 50 located under the detergent receiving part 24. The on-off valve 50 is composed of a three-opening valve, which has three inlets communicating with the first, second and third receiving sections 24a, 24b, 24c and a single outlet communicating with the supply pipe 34. As a result, according to whether the on-off valve 50 is open, the liquid detergent, fabric softener and bleaching agent respectively received in the first, second and third receiving sections 24a, 24b, 24c are sequentially injected into the supply pipe 34.
[0036] The detergent receiving part 24 has a hole 25 formed in the bottom of each of the receiving sections. That is, the first receiving section 24a is formed with a first hole 25a, the second receiving section 24b is formed with a second hole 25b, and the third receiving section 24c is formed with a third hole 25c. The hole 25 is coupled to a connection pipe 26 through which the detergent receiving part 24 communicates with the supply pipe 34.
[0037] The connection pipe 26 is composed of upper connection pipes 26a, 26b, 26c and a lower connection pipe 26d. Upper ends of the upper connection pipes 26a, 26b, 26c are connected to the first, second and third holes 25a, 25b, 25c, respectively, and a lower end of the lower connection pipe 26d is connected to the supply pipe 34. A connecting portion between the lower connection pipe 26d and the supply pipe 34 is located below the hole 25 of the detergent receiving part 24 to allow the detergent in the detergent receiving part 24 to be easily introduced into the supply pipe 34.
[0038] The connection pipe 26 is provided with the on-off valve 50. With reference to the on-off valve 50, upper portions of the connection pipe 26 are referred to as the upper connection pipes 26a, 26b, 26c and a lower portion thereof is referred to as the lower connection pipe 26d.
[0039] In one embodiment, in order to allow a user to input a detergent into the detergent case each time before the washing operation, the washing machine including the large detergent case further includes a single-dose detergent receiving section 22 located at one side of the detergent receiving part 24 to be partitioned therefrom and receiving a detergent, a direct water pipe 32 communicating at one thereof with the water supply pipe 30 and at the other end thereof with the single-dose detergent receiving section 22, a flow path control valve 40 provided to the water supply pipe 30, and a selection key 70 for manipulation of the flow path control valve 40.
[0040] When a user manipulates the selection key 70 to use the detergent in the single-dose detergent receiving section 22, the flow path control valve 40 is operated to allow wash water supplied along the water supply pipe 30 to be supplied into the single-dose detergent receiving section 22 through the direct water pipe 32. At this time, since the flow path control valve 40 allows the water supply pipe 30 to communicate with the direct water pipe 32, the water supply pipe 30 is prevented from communicating with the supply pipe 34. Accordingly, even in the case where wash water is supplied from the water supply pipe 30, the wash water is not supplied to the detergent receiving part 24 through the supply pipe 34. On the contrary, when a user manipulates the selection key 70 to use a detergent in the detergent receiving part 24, the flow path control valve 40 allows the water supply pipe 30 to communicate only with the supply pipe 34, so that the wash water supplied through the water supply pipe 30 is supplied only to the detergent receiving part 24.
[0041] The bottom surface of the single-dose detergent receiving section 22 is formed with a communication hole 23a, which is connected to a communication pipe 23, and the communication pipe 23 is connected to the supply pipe 34, so that wash water flowing into the single-dose detergent receiving section 22 is supplied together with the detergent therein to the tub 2 through the supply pipe 34. When supply of the detergent is completed, no detergent will remain in the single-dose detergent receiving section 22, so that it is necessary to supply the detergent again thereto for the next washing operation.
[0042] Therefore, the washing machine according to the embodiments can satisfy both a user preferring the use of a liquid detergent and a user preferring the use of a powder detergent.
[0043] Next, operation of the washing machine including the large detergent case according to the embodiment will be described.
[0044] First, when performing a washing operation using a liquid detergent, a user opens the detergent case 20 to provide the liquid detergent, fabric softener, and bleaching agent to the first, second and third receiving sections 24a, 24b, 24c, respectively, and then manipulates the selection key 70 to start the washing operation with the liquid detergent.
[0045] When the washing operation is started, wash water is supplied along the water supply pipe 30. Here, since the flow path control valve 40 allows the water supply pipe 30 to communicate with the supply pipe 34, the wash water flows into the tub 2 along the supply pipe 34.
[0046] Here, the on-off valve 50 is operated in response to a signal from the controller 80 such that the first receiving section 24a is open to supply the liquid detergent to the wash water supplied into the tub 2 during a pre-washing stage and a main washing stage. Since the on-off valve 50 is open for a preset period of time set by a manufacturer, a predetermined amount of liquid detergent will be supplied to laundry in the drum.
[0047] Further, during a rinsing cycle, the first receiving section 24a is closed and the second and third receiving sections 24b and 24c are open to supply the fabric softener and bleaching agent to washed laundry in the drum.
[0048] When the washing operation described above is completed, since the liquid detergent, fabric softener and bleaching agent remain in the detergent receiving part 24, it is not necessary to supply additional liquid detergent, fabric softener and bleaching agent to the detergent receiving part 24 for the next washing operation.
[0049] When a user wants to perform a washing operation using a powder detergent, the user opens the detergent case 20 before the washing operation and provides the powder detergent to the single-dose detergent receiving section 22. Then, when the washing operation is started, the flow path control valve 40 is operated in response to a signal from the controller 80. Here, the flow path control valve 40 allows the water supply pipe 30 to communicate with the direct water pipe 32 so that wash water is supplied into the single-dose detergent receiving section 22 through the direct water pipe 32. Then, the wash water dissolves the powder detergent in the single-dose detergent receiving section 22 and the dissolved detergent flows together with the wash water into the tub 2 through the supply pipe 34 via the communication pipe 23.
[0050] Then, the washing machine performs the washing operation as described above, and, when the washing operation is completed, no powder detergent will remain in the single-dose detergent receiving section 22. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the detergent to the detergent case for the next washing operation.
[0051] As such, the embodiment of the invention provides the washing machine including a large detergent case that enables a plurality of washing operations to be performed by inputting a detergent once to the detergent case and can satisfy a user who prefers a washing operation using a powder detergent.
[0052] According to the embodiment, the washing machine includes the on-off valve between the detergent receiving part and the supply pipe to allow a preset amount of detergent to be supplied to wash water supplied into the tub, so that the detergent in the receiving case can be divided into a plurality of doses and supplied to the wash water numerous times, thereby reducing the number of detergent input operations.
[0053] Although some embodiments have been provided to illustrate the invention in conjunction with the drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments are given by way of illustration only, and that various modifications and equivalent embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the description of the drum washing machine as provided herein is only one example of the invention, and the washing machine according to the invention can be applied to other products. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the accompanying claims.
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