Washing machine

Details Washing machine Washing machine

2001-03-19

2002-09-10

Coe, Philip (Department: 1746)

Textiles: fluid treating apparatus

Machines

Liquid flowing

Reexamination Certificate

active

06446473

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to washing machines and, more particularly, to a washing machine with an inner tub designed to be linearly reciprocable along its vertical axis in addition to being rotatable on said vertical axis, thus preventing laundries from being twisted during the washing or rinsing process and improving the laundering effect of the washing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1
is a sectional view, showing the construction of a conventional washing machine with an upright washing tub.
As shown in the drawing, the conventional washing machine has an upright washing tub, concentrically suspended within a cabinet
104
. This cabinet
104
forms the profile of the washing machine, and is provided with an openable cover
102
at its top end, while the washing tub comprises an outer tub
106
and a perforated rotary inner tub
108
. The outer tub
106
is suspended within the cabinet
104
by a plurality of suspension arms
112
, and contains water therein during the washing or rinsing process, while the perforated inner tub
108
is concentrically set within the outer tub
106
, and is rotatable to wash or rinse the laundries contained therein. A drive motor
110
is installed at a position under the center of the bottom wall of the washing tub to rotate the inner tub
108
at a desired speed. The suspension arms
112
hold the outer tub
106
of the suspended washing tub within the cabinet
104
, and act as a means for absorbing undesirable shocks or vibrations during the operation of the washing machine.
In the drive motor
110
, a rotor
120
is integrated with a motor shaft
116
, while a stator
122
surrounds the rotor
120
such that a regular gap is formed between the rotor
120
and the stator
122
.
The motor shaft
116
integrally extends from the center of the rotor
120
, and passes through the center of the bottom wall of the outer tub
106
, with a bearing
118
set closely between the outer tub
106
and the motor shaft
116
to rotatably hold the shaft
116
relative to the outer tub
106
. The upper end of the motor shaft
116
, projected from the bottom wall of the outer tub
106
, is fixed to the center of the bottom wall of the inner tub
108
.
In the above-mentioned drive motor
110
, the rotor
120
is integrated with the motor shaft
116
, so that the shaft
116
holds the rotor
120
at a desired position. The stator
122
is fixedly set within a motor housing
126
, which is fixed to the bottom wall of the outer tub
106
.
When such a conventional washing machine is turned on, electric power is applied to the stator
122
of the drive motor
110
, and so a rotating magnetic field is formed in the motor
110
by the coil wound around the stator
122
, thus rotating the rotor
120
together with the motor shaft
116
. The inner tub
108
of the washing tube is thus rotated relative to the outer tub
106
by the motor shaft
116
, and forms active swirling currents of water within the inner tub
108
thus washing or rinsing the laundries. After a washing or rinsing process, water is discharged from the washing tub to the outside of the cabinet
104
through a drain hose. After the draining process, the washing machine typically performs a dewatering process to remove water together with detergent components from the laundries by rotating the inner tub
106
at a high speed.
However, such a conventional washing machine is problematic in that the inner tub of the washing tub is designed to only rotate on its vertical axis, and so the laundries are undesirably twisted during a washing or rinsing process. Another problem experienced in conventional washing machines with such a washing tub resides in that its rinsing and detergent dissolving performance is reduced, and so the washing machine does not accomplish the desired laundering effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine, of which the inner tub is designed to be linearly reciprocable along its vertical axis in addition to being rotatable on the vertical axis during a washing or rinsing process, and which thus forms vertical moving currents of water in addition to active swirling currents of water within the inner tub, thus preventing laundries from being twisted during the washing or rinsing process and which is thus improved in its overall laundering effect.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a washing machine, comprising: a cabinet forming the profile of the washing machine, and provided with an openable cover at its top end; a washing tub suspended within the cabinet, and consisting of an outer tub suspended within the cabinet and containing water therein during the washing or rinsing process, and a perforated inner tub set within the outer tub such that the inner tub is linearly reciprocable along its vertical axis in addition to being rotatable on the vertical axis, the inner tub containing laundries therein and washing or rinsing the laundries during the washing or rinsing process; and a drive unit used for rotating and vertically reciprocating the inner tub within a predetermined stroke.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1393641 (1921-10-01), Richardson
patent: 1737480 (1929-11-01), Troy
patent: 2101634 (1937-12-01), Aldridge
patent: 3512539 (1970-05-01), Hamilton
patent: 632065 (1936-07-01), None
patent: 949820 (1949-03-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Washing machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Washing machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Washing machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2857461