WASHING MACHINE

Abstract

A washing machine is disclosed. A water supply structure includes a water current guiding unit for supplying water, which is to be supplied into an inner tub after passing through a detergent dispenser, toward a wall side of the inner tub. Accordingly, when a rinsing operation is performed after spin-drying, water cannot be supplied to a central portion of the inner tub but be supplied to the wall side of the inner tub, so that although the laundry gathers on the wall of the inner tub, water can be sufficiently supplied to the laundry to effectively remove a remaining detergent from the laundry.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a washing machine capable of effectively removing a detergent possibly remaining at the laundry which are placed on the wall of an inner tub by enabling water supplied in a rinsing process following spin-drying to fall toward the wall of the inner tub, not toward the middle portion of the inner tub, by including a water supply structure with a water current guiding unit for providing water, which is supplied to the inner tub after passing through a detergent dispenser, to the side of the wall of the inner tub.

2. Description of the Related Art

The washing machine, mainly using a motor as main power, performs washing, rinsing and spin-drying processes by using interaction between a detergent and water to remove stains and clean laundry. The washing machine generally a mechanical part that transfers energy to the motor, the power unit, and the laundry, a controller that controls the washing processes, a water supply unit and a draining unit that supply and drain water.

The washing machine is divided into a cylinder type (drum type) washing machine, an agitator type washing machine, a pulsator type washing machine depending on the washing method.

The agitator type washing machine performs washing by rotating an agitator in the shape of blade formed at the center of a washing tub horizontally, and the pulsator type washing machine performs washing by using the current of water generated by rotating a disk-type pulsator. The cylinder type washing machine performs washing such that water, a detergent and the laundry are put in to a drum having a plurality of protrusions and rotated at a low speed to allow the laundry to be lifted and dropped by means of the protrusions to thus be washed by the corresponding impact.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a water supply structure of the related art washing machine.

With reference to FIG. 1, the general washing machine 10 includes a casing 11, an outer tub 17 accommodated in the casing 11, an inner tub 18 accommodated in the outer tub 17, and a suspension 19 having one end connected to an inner circumferential surface of an upper side of the casing 11 and the other end connected with an outer circumferential surface of a lower side of the outer tub 17 to support the outer tub 17.

In addition, the general washing machine 10 includes a door 14 formed at an upper portion of the washing machine 10 and opening and closing an opening of the inner tub 18 and the outer tub 17, a water supply valve 16 formed at one side of the casing 11 and supplying washing water to the inner tub 18 and the outer tub 17, and a detergent dispenser 13 and a detergent dispenser housing 12 provided at a lower side of the water supply valve 16 and supplying a detergent.

The detergent dispenser housing 12 is formed at a top cover 20 formed at an upper end of the casing 11. An outer tub cover 17a is formed at an upper end of the outer tub 17 and covers an auto-balancer (not shown) formed at an upper end of the inner tub 18.

A water current spreading unit 17b is formed at a lower side of an outlet of the detergent dispenser 13 to increase a dropping range of water supplied to the inner tub 18 or the outer tub 17. The water current spreading unit 17b is formed at one side of the outer tub cover 17a.

The water supply value 16 is connected with an end of a water supply hose 15 connected with a water pipe of tap water and supplies washing water to the interior of the detergent dispenser housing 12. Supplied into the detergent dispenser housing 12, the washing water sufficiently dissolves a detergent put in the detergent dispenser 13 and then supplied to the inner tub 18 and the outer tub 17.

In the related art washing machine constructed as shown in FIG. 1, the laundry is put on the wall of the inner tub 18 in the process of spin-drying, and water (W) supplied for rinsing after spin-drying falls to the middle of the inner tub 18 by the water current spreading unit 17b as indicated by arrows in FIG. 1.

Thus, because water supplied for performing rinsing after spin-drying is not provided to the wall side of the inner tub 18 where the laundry is placed but falls to the middle portion of the inner tub 18 where there is not much laundry, a problem arises in that water can hardly contact with the laundry so the detergent remaining in the laundry cannot be sufficiently removed.

In addition, before the rinsing operation after spin-drying, a user should personally collect the laundry from the wall side of the inner tub to the middle portion of the inner tub, making the user cumbersome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, in order to address the above matters the various features described herein have been conceived. One aspect of the exemplary embodiments is to provide a washing machine capable of allowing a sufficient amount of water to be directly supplied via a detergent dispenser to an inner wall side of an inner tub when the laundry is placed at the inner wall side of an inner tub.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of sufficiently removing a detergent remaining in the laundry placed on an inner wall side of an inner tub by constantly supplying water toward the inner wall side of the inner tub during a rinsing operation after performing spin-drying.

This specification provides a washing machine including: a casing forming an external appearance; a top cover formed at an upper portion of the casing; a door that opens and closes an input hole formed on the top cover; an outer tub installed within the casing; an inner tub rotatably installed within the outer tub; a detergent dispenser formed at the top cover; and a water current guiding unit that guides water outputted from the detergent dispenser toward the wall of the inner tub.

The water current guiding unit may be formed at an outlet of the detergent dispenser.

With such a structure, although the laundry is placed on the wall of the inner tub in the washing, rinsing and spin-drying processes, water can be directly supplied to the laundry sufficiently, and thus, the detergent remaining in the laundry can be effectively washed out.

The water current guiding unit may be formed at the detergent dispenser or at the top cover where the detergent dispenser is mounted, or at the outer cover mounted at the upper end of the outer tub. That is, the water current guiding unit can be formed at various positions and may be integrally formed with the components where the water current guiding unit is formed.

The water current guiding unit may be formed to be inclined toward the wall of the inner tub. In this case, the water current guiding unit may be inclined such that it can supply water to a certain position or at a certain angle regardless of water pressure of the supplied water.

The width of the water current guiding unit may be larger than or the same as that of the outlet of the detergent dispenser. Namely, when viewed from the front side, the width of the water current guiding unit is larger than or at least the same as that of the outlet of the water detergent dispense, whereby water that would fall directly to the middle portion of the inner tub may be reduced when supplied through the detergent dispenser.

The water current guiding unit may be formed at a front side of water in terms of its water proceeding direction when the water is outputted from the detergent dispenser, whereby the proceeding direction of water supplied through the detergent dispenser can be changed so as to be supplied toward the wall of the inner tub.

This specification also provides a washing machine including: a casing forming an external appearance; a top cover formed at an upper portion of the casing; a door that opens and closes an input hole formed on the top cover; an outer tub installed within the casing; an inner tub rotatably installed within the outer tub; a detergent dispenser formed at the top cover; and a water current guiding unit that guides water outputted from the detergent dispenser toward the wall of the inner tub, wherein the water current guiding unit allows water to be supplied to a certain position regardless of water pressure of water outputted from the detergent dispenser.

The water current guiding unit may be formed at a front side of water in terms of its proceeding direction when the water is outputted from the detergent dispenser.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a water supply structure of the related art washing machine;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view schematically showing a washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a water current guiding unit applied to the washing machine in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically showing a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion ‘A’ in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a detergent dispenser in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a water supply structure including a water current guiding unit applied to the washing machine according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The washing machine according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In describing the present invention, if a detailed explanation for a related known function or construction is considered to unnecessarily divert the gist of the present invention, such explanation has been omitted but would be understood by those skilled in the art.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view schematically showing a washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a water current guiding unit applied to the washing machine in FIG. 2. With reference to FIG. 2, a washing machine having a water supply structure according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a casing 110 that forms an external appearance; a top cover 111 formed at an upper portion of the casing 110, a door 140 that opens and closes an input hole 112 formed on the top cover 111 for allowing the laundry to be received therethrough, an outer tub 170 installed within the casing 110, an inner tub 180 rotatably installed within the outer tub 170, a detergent dispenser 130 formed at the top cover 111, a water current guiding unit 120 that guides water outputted from the detergent dispenser 130 toward the wall of the inner tub 180.

An auto-balancer 200 is formed at an upper edge portion of the inner tub 180 to allow the inner tub 180 to be balanced, and washing blades 220 are rotatably installed on the bottom of the inner tub 180 and forms a rotatable water current.

Suspensions 190 support the outer tub 170 such that the outer tub 170 is suspended within the casing 110 and include dampers 210 formed at their ends to absorb vibration of the outer tub 170. A driving unit 230 is provided at a lower side of the outer tub 170 and provides rotational force to the inner tub 180 and the washing blades 220.

A control panel includes a controller 160 provided at a front side of an upper end of the casing 110 and controlling an operation of the washing machine 100.

A water supply valve 160 is provided at one side of the casing 110 and supplies cold water or hot water into the inner tub 180 or the outer tub 170 according to a control signal of the controller 260. A detergent dispenser housing 135 is provided at a lower side of the water supply valve 160 and accommodates a detergent dispenser 130. The water supply valve 160 is provided with hot water or cold water from a water supply hose 150 connected with the washing machine 100.

Legs 240 are formed on a lower surface of the casing 110 to allow the washing machine 100 to be mounted horizontally with the ground.

An annular outer tub cover 171 is formed at an upper end of the outer tub 170 and covers the auto-balancer 200.

A water current guiding unit 120 is formed at the lower cover 170 positioned below an outlet of the detergent dispenser 130 and guides water outputted from the detergent dispenser 130 toward the wall of the inner tub 180.

Here, the water current guiding unit 120 may be formed at the outlet of the detergent dispenser 130. Namely, in order to change the direction of a flow of water outputted through the detergent dispenser 130, it would be more effective to form the water current guiding unit 120 at the side of the outlet of the detergent dispenser 130.

Reference letter ‘C’ in FIG. 2 denotes the laundry.

The water current guiding unit 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

As shown In FIG. 3, the water current guiding unit 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed at an upper end of the outer tub 170, specifically, at the annular outer cover 171 that covers the auto-balancer 200.

The water current guiding unit 120 has the opposite slope each other. Namely, the outer cover 171 is sloped to the rotational center of the inner tub 180 from the edge portions of the inner tub 180, while the water current guiding unit 120 is sloped to the edge portions of the inner tub 180 from the rotational center of the inner tub 180 (See FIG. 2). Namely, the water current guiding unit 120 is sloped to the wall of the inner tub 180

The water current guiding unit 120 includes a water current changing unit 121 with which water outputted from the detergent dispenser 130 first collides and a water supply hole 122 that supplies water, whose direction has been changed by the water current changing unit 121, toward the wall surface of the inner tub 180. Because the water current guiding unit 120 or the water current changing unit 121 is formed at a front side of a direction in which water is outputted from the detergent dispenser 130, so that the water current guiding unit 120 or the water current changing unit 121 may change the flow of water toward the wall surface of the inner tub 180.

In this case, preferably, the water supply hole 122 is positioned on the same straight line as the wall surface of the inner tub 180.

The width L1 of the water current guiding unit 120 should be larger than or at least the same as the width of the outlet of the detergent dispenser 1380. If the width L1 of the water current guiding unit 120 is shorter than the width of the outlet of the detergent dispenser 130, the amount of water that drops to the central portion of the inner tub 180 after colliding with the outer cover 171 would increase. Thus, with this problem considered, the width L1 of the water current guiding unit 120 needs to be larger than or the same as the width of the outlet of the detergent dispenser 130.

Here, an inclination degree or the material of the water current guiding unit 120 may be determined considering the fact that water should be supplied at a certain angle or to a certain position no matter how strong the water pressure of water supplied after passing through the detergent dispenser 130 is. Namely, the water current guiding unit 120 should supply water to a certain position regardless of the water pressure of the water outputted from the detergent dispenser 130.

The water current guiding unit 120 and the outer cover 171 may be integrally formed. In this case, preferably, the water current guiding unit 120 and the outer cover 171 are formed as an injection molded product.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically showing a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion ‘A’ in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a detergent dispenser in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a water current guiding unit 123 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed at a detergent dispenser 131.

The detergent dispenser 131 is detachably installed in the housing 135, and includes the water current guiding unit 123 formed at the side of an outlet 131a externally discharging water supplied by the water supply hose 150 and the water supply valve 160.

The water current guiding unit 123 may be integrally formed together with the detergent dispenser 131 and may be formed as a separate component and combined. When the water current guiding unit 123 and the detergent dispenser 131 are formed as an integral one body, the both units can be formed as an injection molded product. The water current guiding unit 123 is inclined toward the wall of the inner tub 180 to guide water, which is discharged through the outlet 131a of the detergent dispenser 131, toward the wall of the inner tub 180, formed at a front side of the direction of the flow of the water discharged from the detergent dispenser 131.

In this case, a sufficient gap should be provided between the water current guiding unit 123 and the outlet 131a of the detergent dispenser 131. With such gap, the amount of supplied water would be reduced and the detergent dispenser housing 135 or the top cover 111 and the detergent dispenser 131 would collide when the detergent dispenser 131 is mounted.

The water or detergent water (See ‘W’ in FIG. 4) which has passed through the detergent dispenser 131 can be supplied to the laundry positioned near the wall surface of the inner tub 181 by the water current guiding unit 123 (See the arrow in FIG. 4).

Here, like the water current guiding unit 120 according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, preferably, the water current guiding unit 123 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has a width larger than or the same as that of the outlet of the detergent dispenser 131.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the detergent dispenser 131 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is viewed from a lower side, the water current guiding unit 123 has a curved portion. Here, in order to effectively send water, which has passed through the detergent dispenser 131, to the interior of the inner tub 180, the end of the water current guiding unit 123 should have the same shape as that of the inner tub 180, and accordingly, the water current guiding unit 123 has the curved portion.

Water and detergent water supply holes 133a and 133b are formed at the detergent dispenser 123, and first guide portions 135 and 136 are protrusively formed around the supply holes 133a and 133b in order to guide water or detergent water, which has passed through the supply holes 133a and 133b, toward the water current guiding unit 123.

The second guide portions 134 may be additionally formed to guide water or detergent water, which flows toward the water current guiding unit 123 by the first guide portions 135 and 136, to one position.

The second guide portions 134 serve to guide flowing water or detergent water, so they are preferably formed at both sides of the supply holes 133a formed at the outermost portions. Namely, the second guide portions 134 may be formed only at the outer side of the supply holes 133a formed at the outermost portions and may not be formed over the supply hole 133b formed at the central portion.

In this manner, the first guide portions 135 and 136 and the second guide portion 134 can be formed to maximize the function of the water current guiding unit 123.

With reference to FIG. 7, a water current guiding unit 124 according to a still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed at the top cover 113. Here, a detergent dispenser 132 has the same structure as that of the detergent dispenser 130 shown in FIG. 2.

The water current guiding unit 124 includes a water current changing unit 125 with which water outputted from an outlet 132a of the detergent dispenser 132 first collides and a water supply hole 126 that supplies water, which has collided with the water current changing unit 125, toward the wail surface of the inner tub 180.

Here, the water current changing unit 125 is positioned at a front side of the direction in which water supplied through the detergent dispenser 132 flows, and sloped toward the wall surface of the inner tub 180. The water, which has been changed in its proceeding direction by the water current changing unit 125, passes through the water supply hole 126 and then is supplied toward the wall surface of the inner tub 180. Preferably, the water supply hole 126 is positioned on the same straight line as the wall surface of the inner tub 180.

Preferably, the water current guiding unit 124 is formed with a width which is larger than or the same as that of the detergent dispenser 132.

The operation of the washing machine 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.

First, a user may put a detergent in the detergent dispenser 130 and presses an operation button provided at the controller 160 to allow cold water or hot water to be sprayed from the water supply hose 150.

The cold water or hot water sprayed from the water supply hose 150 passes through the water supply valve 160 and the detergent dispenser housing 135, is discharged to the detergent dispenser 130, and then mixed with a detergent stored in the detergent dispenser 130 to form washing water.

The weight of the laundry collected at the interior of the inner tub 180 is sensed by the controller 260 to adjust the amount of washing water supplied into the inner tub 180. When the washing water is filled in the inner tub 180, the driving unit 230 operates. As the driving unit 230 operates, the inner tub 180 and the washing blades 220 are rotated, and accordingly, a rotational water current is formed in the washing water filled in the inner tub 180. When the washing operation is completed, the washing blades 220 is stopped from rotating and the inner tub 180 is rotated to remove the washing water from the laundry according to centrifugal force.

As shown in FIG. 2, the laundry (C) which has gathered on the inner wall of the inner tub 180 owing to the centrifugal force in the spin-drying process still remains at the wall surface of the inner tub 180.

In this state, when a rinsing operation is performed, water (W), which has been supplied through the detergent dispenser 130, can first collide with the water current changing unit 121 of the water current guiding unit 120 formed at the outer cover 171 and then immediately supplied to the laundry (C) gathered at the wall side of the inner tub 180 through the water supply hole 122 (See the arrow in FIG. 2).

This water supply principle can be applied in the same manner when the water current guiding unit as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 is used.

Accordingly, because water is directly supplied to the laundry (C), detergent remaining at the laundry can be more effectively removed, and thus, the rinsing performance can be improved.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a casing forming an external appearance;

a top cover formed at an upper portion of the casing;

a door that opens and closes an input hole formed on the top cover;

an outer tub installed within the casing;

an inner tub rotatably installed within the outer tub;

a detergent dispenser formed at the top cover; and

a water current guiding unit that guides water outputted from the detergent dispenser toward the wall of the inner tub.

2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water current guiding unit is formed at an outer tub cover mounted at an upper end of the outer tub.

3. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the water current guiding unit comprises:

a water current changing unit to which water discharged from the detergent dispenser first collides; and

a water supply hole that supplies water, whose direction has been changed by the water current changing unit, toward the wall surface of the inner tub.

4. The washing machine of claim 3, wherein the water current changing unit is sloped toward the wall of the inner tub and the outer tub cover is sloped toward a rotational center of the inner tub.

5. The washing machine of claim 3, wherein the water supply hole is positioned at the same straight line as the wall surface of the inner tub.

6. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the width of the water current guiding unit is greater than or the same as the width of an outlet of the detergent dispenser.

7. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water current guiding unit is formed at the top cover.

8. The washing machine of claim 7, wherein the water current guiding unit comprises:

a water current changing unit to which water discharged from the detergent dispenser first collides; and

a water supply hole that supplies water, whose direction has been changed by the water current changing unit, to the wall surface of the inner tub.

9. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the water current changing unit is sloped toward the wall of the inner tub.

10. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the water supply hole is positioned at the same straight line as the wall surface of the inner tub.

11. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water current guiding unit is formed at the detergent dispenser.

12. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein a lower portion of the detergent dispenser comprises:

a supply hole that discharges water; and

a guide unit that guides water that has passed through the supply hole toward the water current guiding unit.

13. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the guide unit comprises:

a first guide portion protrusively formed around the supply hole; and

a second guide portion that guides water, which flows toward the water current guiding unit by the first guide portion, to one position.

14. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein the water current guiding unit is sloped toward the wall of the inner tub.

15. The washing machine of claim 11, the water current guiding unit is positioned at the same straight line as the wall surface of the inner tub.

16. The washing machine of claim 11, wherein the width of the water current guiding unit is greater than or the same as the width of the outlet of the detergent dispenser.

17. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water current guiding unit guides water to a certain position regardless of the pressure of the water discharged from the detergent dispenser.

18. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water current guiding unit is formed at a front side of a proceeding direction of water discharged from the detergent dispenser.