Tumbling And Liquid Flowing Patents (Class 68/58)
  • Patent number: 7565823
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a frictional damper, especially for cylinder washing machines with spin cycle, having a housing (2) and a movable plunger (4) which is arranged in the housing (2) parallel to the housing longitudinal axis, is led out of the housing (2) and is provided with at least one window (6) at its end located in the housing (2), at least one mounting part (7), movable longitudinally relative to the plunger (4), for mounting a friction lining (8, 9) and at least one amplitude-dependent impact element (15, 16) for braking the movement of the mounting part (7) being provided in the window (6), this frictional damper being characterized in that the impact element (15, 16) is arranged between an inner surface (20, 21) of the window (6) and an outer surface (18, 19) of the mounting part (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: AWECO Appliance Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerold Dillmann, Kurt Wallerstorfer, Ba Loc Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7533548
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drum type washing machine comprising: a cabinet for forming an appearance; a tub fixed to an inner side of the cabinet and for storing washing water; a drum rotatably arranged in the tub for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a driving motor positioned at a rear side of the drum for generating a driving force by which the drum is rotated. The washing machine can increase washing capacity with maintaining an entire size thereof by increasing a diameter of the drum without increasing a size of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jae-Won Chang
  • Patent number: 7530244
    Abstract: A drum type washing machine includes a housing; a water tub unit accommodated in the housing; a vibration damper, a lower portion thereof being fixed at a base portion of the housing; and a displacement detecting unit for detecting displacement of the water tub unit, the displacement detecting unit being disposed between the water tub unit and the base portion of the housing. The vibration damper supports the water tub unit at a position closer to a front side of the housing than the center of gravity of the water tub unit, and the displacement detecting unit is positioned closer to a rear side of the housing than the vibration damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Inuzuka, Tsuyoshi Fukuda, Takashi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7520147
    Abstract: Anchorage device for fastening a counterweight to a washing machine tub comprising: an hollow shell (1) in which a concrete ballast mass (2) is adapted to be poured, said shell (1) being provided with fastening housings (3), and threaded fastening means (4) adapted to cooperate with the fastening housings (3) in order to secure the shell (1) to a washing machine tub (5). The fastening housings (3) comprise expansion cavities (6) shaped so as to define an equivalent diameter (7), the threaded fastening means (4) comprise a head (8) integrally provided with a flange adapted to engage the tub (5) and a shank adapted to be screwed into the expansion cavities (6), said shank comprising a self-tapping thread portion (9) having a crest diameter (10) and a root diameter (11) and a not-threaded pin portion (12) having a pin portion diameter (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventor: Fabio Poloni
  • Patent number: 7490495
    Abstract: A drum washing machine includes a cabinet with an opening formed at a front wall of the cabinet to allow laundry to be put into or taken out of the cabinet, a door to open or close the opening of the cabinet, an opening/closing guide mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door to guide the door downwardly when opening the door such that a front surface of the door is directed upwardly when the door is fully opened, and to guide the door upwardly when closing the door, and an automatic opening/closing mechanism to automatically move the door vertically, and thus, to automatically open/close the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Won Kim
  • Patent number: 7490496
    Abstract: A drum washing machine has a cabinet including an opening formed at a front wall of the cabinet to allow laundry to be put into or taken out of the cabinet, a door to open or close the opening of the cabinet, and an opening/closing guide mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door to guide the door downwardly when opening the door such that a front surface of the door is upwardly directed, and to guide the door upwardly moved when closing the door such that the door is vertically openable and closable. The door of the drum washing machine can be easily opened even where the washing machine is installed in a limited space. The door can also be used as a laundry holder in an opened state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Won Kim, Jae Won Chang
  • Patent number: 7454930
    Abstract: A drum-type washing machine is provided, by which a rotational speed of a drum is stably and accurately controlled during washing and dewatering by adopting a simple induction motor and a set of unidirectional bearings acing as a clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hee Tae Lim
  • Patent number: 7441423
    Abstract: Structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a drum mounted inside of the tub, a shaft connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, a front bearing and a rear bearing mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the front bearing, a rotor composing the motor together with the rotor, and coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor to compose the motor together with the rotor, a connector serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing and fixed to the rotor, for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the shaft, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing, thereby reducing noise,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Kyum Kim, Ho Cheol Kwon, Jong A Park, Kang Mo Choi
  • Patent number: 7441422
    Abstract: Drum type washing machine with a rotatable baffle including a tub fitted in a cabinet, a drum in a tub to be rotatable as rotation force is received from a motor part, and the baffle fitted in the drum to be rotatable in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of the drum, thereby enhancing a washing efficiency because the baffle increases a friction to the laundry as the baffle and the drum rotate in opposite directions, and improving a laundry drying performance because spun laundry is taken off from an inside surface of the drum before drying the laundry, and preventing formation of wrinkles on dried laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seung-Bong Choi
  • Patent number: 7430885
    Abstract: A drum type washing machine includes a housing, a rotary drum, a water tub accommodating the rotary drum therein, a door for opening and closing a housing opening for allowing laundry to be loaded into or unloaded from the rotary drum therethrough, a water tub opening communicating with the housing opening, a rotary drum opening communicating with the housing opening and the water tub opening; and an elastic connection member for connecting the housing opening and water tub opening, and having a portion that makes a pressurized contact with the door when the door is closed. A center of the housing opening is displaced upward with respect to a center of the rotary drum opening, and an angle of inclination of the housing opening with respect to a vertical plane is set to be greater than that of the rotary drum opening with respect to the vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Maeda, Hiroshi Kajihara, Kazunori Maeda, Tadashi Inuzuka
  • Patent number: 7428832
    Abstract: A drum washing machine having improved dehydrating performance is disclosed. The drum washing machine includes a tub with an opened front side, a drum rotatably provided in the tub, and an overflow controller provided in the tub, preventing water from flowing to the front of the tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jong A Park
  • Patent number: 7398662
    Abstract: A gasket and drum washing machine using the same. The washing machine includes a cabinet having a first opening through which a laundry is put in the cabinet, a tub installed in the cabinet to have a second opening corresponding to the first opening, a drum installed in the tub to have a third opening corresponding to the second opening, and a gasket for preventing leakage of water. The gasket includes a leakage preventing part having one end connected to a rim of the first opening and the other end connected to a rim of the second opening to prevent water leakage, a deformation preventing part connected to the leakage preventing part, and a laundry-stuck preventing part provided on an inner circumference of the leakage preventing part to prevent the laundry from being stuck between the second and third openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Kyum Kim, Ho Cheol Kwon, Kang Mo Choi
  • Patent number: 7380422
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drum type washing machine, by which washing performance is increased as well as laundry damage and water pollution are reduced. The present invention includes a tub provided in a cabinet to hold water, a drum rotatably installed in the tub, at least one or more ceramics, and at least one or more ceramic receivers provided on an inside of the drum to hold the ceramic therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Kyum Kim, Ho Cheol Kwon, Kang Mo Choi
  • Patent number: 7305857
    Abstract: Structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a drum mounted inside of the tub, a shaft connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, a front bearing and a rear bearing mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the front bearing, a rotor composing the motor together with the rotor, and coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor to compose the motor together with the rotor, a connector serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing and fixed to the rotor, for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the shaft, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing, thereby reducing noise,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Kyum Kim, Ho Cheol Kwon, Jong A Park, Kang Mo Choi
  • Patent number: 7299665
    Abstract: A drum-type washing machine, having a plurality of lifts installed on an inner circumferential surface of a drum, enables improved washing performance by providing friction plates on the inclined sides of each lift to increase a frictional force between the lift and laundry. Each lift includes a pair of inclined sides, disposed in opposition to each other to form a shape having a regular trapezoidal cross-section, for lifting laundry; and a pair of friction plates, consisting of a pair of opposing surfaces respectively provided on each inclined side and having a multitude of protuberances formed on both faces, to increase a frictional force with respect to the laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Woong Kim, Soo Young Oh, Hyun Seok Seo, Tae Hee Lee, Joon Woo Kim, Kyung Chul Woo
  • Patent number: 7263735
    Abstract: A washing machine control method includes executing a dewatering step. The method accelerates a motor to rotate a drum according to a predetermined rate in response to the dewatering execution step. The method detects if the predetermined rate exceeds a first value but is less than a second value, and whether a state of vibration exists with respect to the drum rotated according to the predetermined rate; and stops the motor if the detected state of vibration exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Kweon Son
  • Patent number: 7197783
    Abstract: An appliance having a driving mechanism is provided, the appliance (10) comprising two rotatable portions (32, 34) which are rotatable by the driving mechanism (50) about an axis (40). The driving mechanism (50) comprises a gearbox (60) having an input gear (116), two output gears (240, 304) and a locking mechanism (250, 252, 318) movable between a first position and a second position. The arrangement is such that, when the locking mechanism (250, 252, 318) is in the first position and the input gear (116) is driven, both output gears (240, 304) rotate in the same direction and, when the locking mechanism (250, 252, 318) is in the second position and the input gear (116) is driven, the output gears (240, 304) rotate in opposite directions. The arrangement of the axis (40) is horizontal or substantially horizontal. The invention is particularly suitable for use in a front-loading washing machine (10) having a drum (30) comprising two rotatable portions (32, 34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Matthew Charles Edward Wilson, Simon Paul Wells, Geoffrey Michael Burlington
  • Patent number: 7178368
    Abstract: The washing machine comprises a rotating drum (4) formed by two complementary portions, a first one (6) of which is connected to driving means (10, 11), while the other one (7) is rotatably free with respect to the first one (6), by which it is driven rotatably due to the effect of the movement induced by the clothes that are agitated when said first portion (6) of the drum is rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventor: Piero Durazzani
  • Patent number: 7155942
    Abstract: A cement balance weight for a drum type washing machine and its manufacturing method. The balance weight includes a housing having a predetermined inner space and an opening for cement injection. The housing includes coupling features that assist coupling the balance weight with a tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Gyu Cho, Sam Je Park, Song Kue Yoo, Sun Woo Kim, Il Rok Heo
  • Patent number: 7146669
    Abstract: A method of rinsing a wash load in a washing machine having a perforated drum which is rotatable about an axis and capable of receiving the wash load and having a water inlet which is capable of introducing water to the interior of the rotatable drum includes the steps of rotating the drum about the axis at a first rotational speed sufficient to retain the wash load stationary with respect to the rotating drum; introducing rinse water into the interior of the rotating drum via the inlet so that the rinse water is sprayed from the inlet onto the wash load, the volume of rinse water so introduced being less than the volume required to saturate the wash load; and increasing the speed of rotation of the drum to a second rotational speed sufficient to spin a significant proportion of the rinse water out of the wash load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Stefan Tadeusz Orszulik
  • Patent number: 7114355
    Abstract: Structure of driving unit in a drum type washing machine including a tub mounted inside of a cabinet, a drum mounted inside of the tub, a shaft connected to the drum mounted inside of the tub for transmission of a driving force from a motor to the drum, a front bearing and a rear bearing mounted on an outer circumference of the shaft at opposite end portions thereof respectively, a bearing housing built in a central portion of a rear wall of the tub for supporting the front bearing, a rotor composing the motor together with the rotor, and coupled to the rear end portion of the shaft, a stator fixed to the tub rear wall inward of the rotor to compose the motor together with the rotor, a connector serration coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft in front of the rear bearing and fixed to the rotor, for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the shaft, and a bearing bracket fixed to the rear wall of the tub to cover an outside of the rotor and support the rear bearing, thereby reducing noise,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Kyum Kim, Ho Cheol Kwon, Jong A Park, Kang Mo Choi
  • Patent number: 7096695
    Abstract: Washing machines having improved frictional forces with laundry. Those machines include a cabinet with a door, a tub inside for retaining wash water, and an internal vessel, inside the tub that is coupled with a motor that rotates the internal vessel. A friction member inside the internal vessel rubs against laundry. The frictional member includes a friction enhancer, such as a spherical structure or a freely rotating ball, that enhances laundry friction during washing and reduces adhesion of laundry after a dehydration cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Hwan No, Han Ki Cho, Myeong Seok Park, Young Hoon Ha, Jong Seok Kim, Jeong Hoon Kang, Youn Su Jung
  • Patent number: 7097715
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to cleaning systems, and more specifically to substrate cleaning systems, such as textile cleaning systems, utilizing an organic cleaning solvent and a pressurized fluid solvent. However, unlike conventional cleaning systems, a conventional drying cycle is not necessary. Particularly, the present invention provides a process for cleaning substrates by cleaning the substrates with an organic solvent in absence of liquid carbon dioxide, and removing the organic solvent from the substrates using a pressurized fluid solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: R. R. Street Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy L. Racette, Gene R. Damaso, James E. Schulte
  • Patent number: 7089620
    Abstract: A method for washing laundry and a wash path for laundry in bath change and/or counterflow operation, in which the laundry to be washed when passing through said wash path moves through different treatment zones with chambers 1 to 16, wherein the individual baths are composed of fresh water and waste water of other baths, wherein the waste water of at least one bath without intermediate storage and directly is at least partly supplied to another bath, and wherein no waste water is intermediately stored in the water circulation during washing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Senkingwerk GmbH
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Alexander Stoll
  • Patent number: 7082793
    Abstract: A cylinder washing machine includes a front-loading cylinder, the shell of which is provided with holes and is surrounded by a container. The cylinder washing machine includes a cycle for spin-drying the laundry contained in the cylinder. To prevent water that has already been spun out of the laundry from being transported back to the interior space of the cylinder during spin-drying, precautions are taken to prevent substantially any air from flowing from the container through the interior space of the cylinder and back to the container during spin-drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Eckehard Reinwald, Ingo Schulze, Stephan Sommer
  • Patent number: 7078003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the transfer between a solid matter and a liquid, comprising an outer drum and a perforated inner drum, means for commonly rotating the drums, and means situated inside the inner drum for moving the solid matter. In between the two drums, a number of troughs are formed which, during the rotation of the drums, bring up liquid and pour it out higher up through the inner drum. Along the front rim of each trough, the drum is provided with a drain opening, opposite to which means are provided for preventing, when the drain opening, during the rotation of the drums, is at the bottom, the penetration of solid matter through said opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: De Smet Engineering naamloze vennootschap
    Inventors: Jean Baie, Fédérico Lopez, Etienne Le Clef
  • Patent number: 7076975
    Abstract: In a washing machine with a drive apparatus and a suds container on whose rear wall the drive apparatus is disposed, an isolation layer is provided between stator cores of the motor and a stator supporting part or a supporting element to suppress discharge currents that occur during high-frequency conversion in the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: BSH und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Heyder, Jörg Skrippek
  • Patent number: 7066187
    Abstract: A machine for treating bulk material of industrial volume parts, having a treatment drum which is arranged with a horizontal axis and can be driven in both directions of rotation around the axis, the treatment drum comprises a permanently open co-axial inlet aperture and a permanently open co-axial discharge aperture, the treatment drum comprises a set of worm-like inner blades which extend at least as far as the discharge aperture and which, in the first direction of rotation of the treatment drum, reposition the bulk material in the drum and, in the second direction of rotation of the treatment drum, convey the bulk material through the discharge aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Inventors: Alois Müller, Martin Müller
  • Patent number: 7021089
    Abstract: A laundry appliance such as a washing machine includes an outer housing and a drum rotatably mounted therein. The drum has an inner wall and an outer wall separate from the inner wall, the inner and outer walls being perforated to allow washing liquid to flow into and out of the drum via the perforations. The area of the perforations per unit area of the outer wall is greater than the area of the perforations per unit area of the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Dyson Limited
    Inventor: David Ions
  • Patent number: 7021087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and/or systems for applying treatment fluid to a plurality of fabric articles in a fabric treatment apparatus. The present invention is also directed to an apparatus capable of carrying out such methods and/or systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Paul Amaat Raymond Gerald France, Linda Carol McWilliams, Thomas Brian Norris, Michael Jason Ullom
  • Patent number: 6935143
    Abstract: A laundry drum is configured for high-speed spinning of damp linen. The drum has a rotating drum shell, which is curved from a thin-walled material strip to form a cylinder. The parallel end edges of the material strip contact to form a joint line. So that the drum may resist drum speeds higher than 1500 rpm, the end edges have a slot-shaped teething. The teeth and of the teething engage into the respective tooth gaps of the opposite end edge, so that the base lines of the tooth gaps meet to form an at least approximately straight line. The teeth are fitted into the non-toothed zone of the end edge outside of the drum above the material strip, each tooth being firmly secured to the respective non-toothed zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Nitsche
  • Patent number: 6868573
    Abstract: The washing machine has a drum, which rotates inside a fixed suds container about an axis that rises toward the loading opening. Scooping devices mounted on the drum scoop suds onto the laundry with a scooping power that depends on the direction of rotation of the drum. In the scooping direction, the scooping devices uniformly wet the articles to be washed with the suds. During the wet treatment phase the drum is operated in alternating directions of rotation and with a speed that changes according to the direction of rotation for a respectively limited duration that can be varied in both directions of rotation. During the entire wet treatment phase the drum is driven in the scooping direction with equal time intervals and with uniform setpoint speed. The speed and the duration of the time intervals vary counter to the scooping direction along a wetting phase, a washing phase, and a rinsing phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Marianne Röhl, Detlef Uszkureit
  • Patent number: 6843079
    Abstract: A laundry appliance comprises a drum for receiving articles to be laundered, the drum comprising at least two rotatable drum portions and a drive capable of operating the drum in a plurality of different drum modes. The drum modes include a mode in which the rotatable drum portions are driven so as to cause relative rotation between them. A controller (100) controls the appliance to perform a plurality of different wash programs, each wash program having an associated drum mode. Each wash program comprises a sequence of stages, with a drum mode being associated with each stage. The drum modes can differ in respect of (a) use (or non-use) of relative rotation between the drum portions (b) the ratio of time that the drum portions rotate compared to the time that they are at rest, and (c) the speed at which the drum portions are rotated. The intensity of a wash program can be varied, inter alia, by varying the length of the wash stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Dyson Limited
    Inventor: Malcolm John Hird
  • Publication number: 20040261469
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a damper for washing machines. The damper comprises a cylinder and a piston interactively coupled to each other in a state wherein the cylinder is connected to a tub and the piston is connected to a base, a first friction member provided around the piston for generating a frictional force when the piston moves inside the cylinder, a slider coupled to the piston inside the cylinder so as to move together with the piston if the piston moves beyond a predetermined displacement range, and a second friction member provided around the slider for generating a frictional force when the slider moves inside the cylinder. The damper configured as stated above generates different damping forces according to the vibration degrees of the tub, thereby effectively attenuating the vibration of the tub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Seung Chul Park, Si Moon Jeon, Gwan Ryong Park, Jae Hyun Kim
  • Publication number: 20040244440
    Abstract: The washing machine comprises a rotating drum (4) formed by two complementary portions, a first one (6) of which is connected to driving means (10, 11), while the other one (7) is rotatably free with respect to the first one (6), by which it is driven rotatably due to the effect of the movement induced by the clothes that are agitated when said first portion (6) of the drum is rotating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Piero Durazzani
  • Publication number: 20040244435
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a door locking unit which has a simple construction and is smoothly and reliably operated. The door-locking unit includes a handle which is supported by a first hinge unit, a latch which is supported by a second hinge unit, and an elastic unit which provides an elastic force to the latch. By a rotation of the handle and the elastic force of the elastic unit, the latch is rotated. The handle includes first and second lever parts which are integrated with each other to be rotated around the first hinge unit. The latch includes third and fourth lever parts which are integrated with each other. The third lever part is rotated around the second hinge unit, and is in contact with the second lever part. The fourth lever part is placed toward an interior of the cabinet. Thus, when the first lever part of the handle is pulled, the second lever part pushes the third lever part, compressing the elastic unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jin-Doo Kim
  • Publication number: 20040244436
    Abstract: Disclosed is a damper mounting structure for a washing machine. The damper mounting structure includes a damper positioned between a tub and a cabinet for supporting the tub, a mounting bracket connected to the damper, and a buffering member provided between the mounting bracket and the cabinet for absorbing oscillation, thus minimizing the transmission of oscillation of the tub during the operation of the washing machine and allowing the washing machine to be operated in a quiet state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Gwan Ryong Park, Seung Chul Park
  • Publication number: 20040237603
    Abstract: A spray type drum washing machine including a tub mounted in a cabinet, and adapted to contain wash water therein, a circulation line connected between a portion of the tub and another portion of the tub to circulate wash water through the tub, a pump installed at the circulation line, and adapted to forcibly feed wash water through the circulation line for the circulation of the wash water through the tub, and an atomizing device provided at the circulation line, and adapted to atomize the wash water fed through the circulation line, whereby the wash water to circulate through the tub is supplied in an atomized state into the tub. The wash water can rapidly permeate clothes contained in the drum, so that it can more effectively come into contact with contaminants attached to the clothes. As a result, it is possible to achieve an enhancement in washing and rinsing performances while reducing the consumption of wash water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Jin Woong Kim, Kyung Chul Woo, Soo Young Oh, Si Moon Jeon
  • Publication number: 20040226107
    Abstract: The washing machine has a drum, which rotates inside a fixed suds container about an axis that rises toward the loading opening. Scooping devices mounted on the drum scoop suds onto the laundry with a scooping power that depends on the direction of rotation of the drum. In the scooping direction, the scooping devices uniformly wet the articles to be washed with the suds. During the wet treatment phase the drum is operated in alternating directions of rotation and with a speed that changes according to the direction of rotation for a respectively limited duration that can be varied in both directions of rotation. During the entire wet treatment phase the drum is driven in the scooping direction with equal time intervals and with uniform setpoint speed. The speed and the duration of the time intervals vary counter to the scooping direction along a wetting phase, a washing phase, and a rinsing phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Marianne Rohl, Detlef Uszkureit
  • Publication number: 20040226321
    Abstract: A variable damping type damper and a washing machine having the same comprise: a cylinder of which one side is provided with a receiving space having a certain depth and another side thereof is coupled to the cabinet or the tub; a rod of which one side is relative-movably inserted into the receiving space of the cylinder and another side thereof is coupled to the cabinet or the tub; a guide bar provided at an end portion of the rod; a variable volume frictional means expanded and contracted in itself by a difference of flow amount introduced/exhausted into/from an inner space by being coupled to the guide bar, and adhered/detached to/from an inner circumferential surface of the receiving space of the cylinder; a volume type slider performing a relative movement with the variable volume frictional means by being slidably inserted into the guide bar, for causing fluid flow inside the variable volume frictional means; and a frictional member fixedly coupled to the volume type slider for generating a frictional f
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Gwan-Ryong Park, Jae-Hyun Kim, Seung-Chul Park
  • Publication number: 20040226320
    Abstract: A laundry washing machine (1) has a cabinet (2) inferiorly delimited by a respective bottom (F) in which a recess (17) is formed. The recess (17) is open towards the exterior of the cabinet (2) in two directions, substantially orthogonal to each other (X, Y).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: MERLONI ELETTRODOMESTICI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Dino Bongini
  • Publication number: 20040216500
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, devices and kits for the timed dispensing of laundry additive materials into the drum during a cycle of a multiple cycle fabric laundering operation. To bring about such dispensing of additives, a housing structure device having multiple chambers is placed within the drum of an automatic washing machine, a unit dose insert package, containing laundry additives in at least one compartment of the insert, is placed within the housing structure, and the machine is run through the several stages of its laundering cycle. A piercing element is provided to open the compartment of the insert in the laundering cycle to dispense contents of this compartment into the washing machine drum as rinse additive materials. The contents move from the insert to the first chamber of the housing structure device by centrifugal force arising during the first spin cycle of the laundering operation. The centrifugal force also holds the contents within the first chamber until cessation of the spin cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Yousef Georges Aouad
  • Publication number: 20040200245
    Abstract: An improved washing machine is provided with a water delivery system formed into the lid for delivering water to various additive compartments. A detergent compartment is formed in the lid, and the water delivery system includes outlet holes for flushing detergent from the detergent compartment. A bleach compartment and a fabric softener compartment are provided in the cabinet, with the water delivery system having outlets for flushing bleach and fabric softener from these compartments. The water delivery system also includes a plurality of shower holes for providing a wet down shower to laundry in the drum of the washing machine. Water traps are formed in the water delivery system so as to prevent accidental spilling of water onto a user or into the drum when the lid is raised from a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: Maytag Corporation
    Inventors: Francis C. Cheo, Douglas R. DeJong, Lisa J. Hood, Brett C. Oleson, Dennis L. Purtilo
  • Publication number: 20040194514
    Abstract: A drum-type washing machine includes a ventilation apparatus providing an air passage for an inner space of a tub to communicate with an external atmosphere. The ventilation apparatus employs a bubble dissipation device for preventing bubbles generated in a tub from reaching a ventilating bellows and being discharged from a cabinet of the washing machine. The ventilation apparatus includes a ventilating duct formed at an upper part of the tub; a ventilating bellows, one end of which is coupled to an exterior surface of the cabinet and the other end of which is connected to the ventilating duct, to allow a passage of air in the tub to the external atmosphere; and a bubble dissipation device, vertically installed along the air passage of the ventilation apparatus, for preventing bubbles generated in the tub from being discharged from the cabinet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Yang Hwan No, Jong Seok Kim, Han Ki Cho, Yeon Su Jung, Jung Hoon Kang, Young Hoon Ha, Myung Sik Park
  • Patent number: 6796150
    Abstract: A continuous washing machines (10) for industrial use having an inner drum (11), which can be driven in circulation, and an outer drum (22), which partially encloses said inner drum, with the outer drum (22) being formed from outer-drum sections (24) which are sealed in relation to the inner drum (11), in which the end sides (25) of the cylindrically designed outer-drum sections (24) are assigned seals (33, 24) which are fastened on the outside of the end regions of the casing of the outer-drum sections (24) by tension straps (45) such that the outer-drum sections (24) need not be specific configurations in the end regions and the seals (33, 34) can be adjusted simply by being displaced on cylindrical end regions of the outer-drum sections (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Pharmagg Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Bringewatt, Falk F. Mehrmann
  • Publication number: 20040168481
    Abstract: An automatic front-loading washing machine with drying capability including a cabinet, a drum, a heater with a blower and air conduit, a condensation device and a sink with connection means for water and waste line, which all are assembled in one integrated unit. It looks like a vanity with a built-in laundry machine and could be installed in any bathroom having standard provision for sink connection. It could also replace any existing standard sink giving customer a laundry capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Boris Usherovich, Michael Jemal, Shariff Kan, Ilya Mosionzhnik
  • Publication number: 20040163429
    Abstract: A dual-motor drum-type washing machine achieves a dual-drum motion effect using pair of separately dedicated motors, i.e., a washing motor and a dewatering motor, which are controlled to perform washing and dewatering, respectively, instead of controlling a single motor commonly used for both operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventor: Hee Tae Lim
  • Publication number: 20040163423
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a motor and a washing machine with the same mounted therein. The motor includes a rotor cup having cooling-holes and lower blades formed at the bottom part thereof. The cooling-holes and lower blades are arranged such that each of the cooling-holes and lower blades is at a prescribed angle to the radial direction of the rotor cup so that the volume of blown air is increased, and thus a blowing force is also increased. The rotor cup is provided at the lower part of the circumference thereof with vents for allowing the air introduced into the inside of the rotor cup to be discharged to the outside therethrough. The rotor is provided at the upper side thereof with backward type upper blades so that the upper part of the motor is separately cooled, whereby cooling efficiency of the motor is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Dong Won Kim, Hee Tae Lim, Sang Wook Hong
  • Publication number: 20040163427
    Abstract: The water circulation system of a drum-type washing machine uses one motor to drive both the circulation and drain pumps. The drum-type washing machine includes a motor having a shaft, the motor enabling forward and reverse rotation of the shaft; a circulation pump, installed on the shaft of the motor, for circulating water by a rotational operation of the motor, the circulating pump moving a first fluid from a water circulation inlet to a water circulation outlet by a centrifugal force; and a drain pump, installed on the shaft of the motor, for draining water by a rotational operation of the motor, the drain pump moving a second fluid from a drain inlet to a drain outlet by a frictional force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Soo Young Oh, Hyun Seok Seo, Joon Woo Kim, Kyung Chul Woo, Si Moon Jeon, Jin Woong Kim, Tae Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 6776015
    Abstract: A laundry machine drum has a sheet material skin including an arrangement of a plurality of perforations therethrough. Each of one or more of the perforations includes a shear cut in the sheet material. The sheet is deformed in the region of the shear cut such that the edge of the sheet material of one side of the shear cut is offset from the edge of the sheet material of the other side of the shear cut over at least some of the length of the shear cut. An opening is formed between the offset edges. The apparent area of the opening is greater when viewed from at least one direction substantially parallel to the general plane of the drum skin in the region of the perforation than when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the drum skin in the region of the perforation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Limited
    Inventors: Neville David Seagar, Alex David Salisbury