Textiles: fluid treating apparatus – Machines – Single tub and automatic sequential operation mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-22
2003-12-30
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Textiles: fluid treating apparatus
Machines
Single tub and automatic sequential operation mechanism
C068S0180FA, C068S023300, C068S01300A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06668599
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The applicant proposed a conventional washing machine in the Japanese laid open patent No. 11-137895. The disclosed conventional washing machine is illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 6
.
In these figures, a reference numeral “
31
” is a washing/dehydrating tank with a bottom, which is fixed to a first hollow cylindrical revolving axis
32
mounted for rotation in a bearing such that the journal
32
communicates with the washing/dehydrating tank
31
. A reference character “t” is protrusions formed on the inner wall of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
. A pulsator
34
is fitted to a second revolving conduit journal
33
arranged so as to rotate within and extending through the first cylindrical journal
32
. An annular drainage pipe
35
is co-axially arranged with the tank at the upper periphery of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
. A reference character “
35
a
” is an annular drainage opening connected to the annular drainage pipe
35
.
A reference numeral “
36
”, arranged on the inner wall of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
for being pushed toward the center of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
, is loosners for loosening the washing in the dehydrating tank. These loosners, in the form of bent rod paddles, are contacted to the above-mentioned inner wall by springs. A reference character “g” is rubber cushions for relieving colliding impacts of the loosners
36
to the inner wall.
The loosners
36
are pushed toward the center of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
against forces from the springs, in accordance with pushing movements of pushing rods
37
driven by a movement of a roller
38
. The roller is moved in accordance with a revolving movement of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
and it is arranged at a corner of the annular drainage pipe
35
. Consequently, the loosners
36
revolve around axes
36
a
attached to the inner wall of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
.
The annular drainage pipe
35
has the annular drainage opening
35
a
on its inner wall and a plurality of drainage openings
31
a
are arranged on the washing/dehydrating tank
31
at positions facing to the annular drainage opening
35
a.
On the upper side of the second cylindrical revolving axis
33
an opening
33
a
communicating with the washing/dehydrating tank
31
is formed and to the lower side of the second cylindrical revolving axis, a three-way branched pipe
39
is co-axially and rotatably connected.
The three-way branched pipe
39
is capable of forming an air discharge passage for leading dehumidified air from a dehumidifier
41
, forming a drainage passage for draining washing water from the washing/dehydrating tank
31
and forming a closed passage for stopping the washing water from flowing out of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
by diverting a diverting valve
40
.
In the above-mentioned conventional washing machine, the loosners
36
are positioned at standby positions from pushed positions and the three-way valve
40
of the three-way branched pipe
39
is diverted so as to form the closed passage before starting a washing operation. Then water is supplied to the washing/dehydrating tank
31
, a detergent is added, the washing is put into the tank and the pulsator
34
is revolved.
During a rinsing operation, the pulsator
34
is revolved as water is being supplied into the washing/dehydrating tank
31
. Water in the washing/dehydrating tank
31
is discharged via the drainage openings
31
a
to the annular drainage pipe
35
, wherefrom water is discharged to the outside via a drainage pipe
50
.
During a dehydrating operation, the three-way valve
40
of the three-way branched pipe
39
is diverted so as to form the drainage passage, the pulsator
34
is stopped and the washing/dehydrating tank
31
is revolved at a higher rate. In this operation, water in the washing/dehydrating tank
31
and included in the washing is moved upward along a slanted inner wall of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
by a centrifugal force and is discharged into the annular drainage pipe
35
via the drainage openings
31
a
and also is discharged from the drainage passage. Washing/rinsing water stayed in the second annular axis
33
and the three-way branched pipe
39
during the washing/rinsing operations is discharged from the drainage passage.
When the dehydrating operation is finished, the washing in the washing/dehydrating tank
31
is moved to and annularly pressed against the inner wall of the tank, and an air passage is already formed during the dehydrating operation at the center portion of the washing.
After finishing the dehydrating operation, the loosners
36
are pushed toward the center of the washing/dehydrating tank
31
so as to loosen the stuck washing to the inner wall. Thus, air passages are formed among the washing and between the washing and the washing/dehydrating tank
31
.
After the air discharge passage is secured by diverting the three-way valve
40
of the three-way branched pipe
39
, a humidifier
41
is put into operation. Air bearing humidity in the outer case and in the washing/dehydrating tank
31
is sucked and dehumidified by the dehumidifier
41
. The washing is dried by repeated cycles of the above-mentioned sucking and dehumidifying procedures. The drying operations and above-described loosening operations can be properly and repeatedly carried out.
However, there are still the following problems in the conventional washing machine.
The washing operation is carried out according to a sequence consisting of securing the closed passage by diverting the three-way valve
40
of the three-way branched pipe
39
, supplying water, adding the detergent and putting the washing into the washing/dehydrating tank
31
, consequently the washing is washed as earth/sand, waste thread, dust and the like are being stuck to the washing, when the washing bears the above-mentioned foreign substances.
Floating earth/sand, waste thread, dust and the like are removed to a certain extent when a large quantity of water is used, since overflowed water from the washing/dehydrating tank
31
is discharged to the annular drainage pipe
35
as water being supplied to the washing/dehydrating tank
31
and the pulsator
34
being revolved during the rinsing operation. However this rinsing operation is not enough to remove the above-mentioned foreign substances completely.
Consequently, the washing is dehumidified and dried without removing stuck earth/sand, waste thread, dust and the like to the washing completely. Remaining earth/sand, waste thread, dust and the like can be removed afterward, but a further troublesome work is required to remove them.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is carried out in view of the above-mentioned problems. The objective of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of removing stuck earth/sand, waste thread, dust and the like to the washing effectively by arranging the washing machine such that overflowed or rinsing water from a washing/dehydrating tank is led to a side pipe, where water is filtered and circulated to the washing/dehydrating tank by a pump arranged in middle of the side pipe when washing and rinsing operations are executed by revolving the washing/dehydrating tank.
The washing machine provided by the present invention comprises: a cylindrical washing/dehydrating tank with its diameter gradually increasing from its bottom to its upper portion, having a bottom fixed to a cylindrical revolving journal arranged as a communicating pipe being communicated to the tank; an annular drainage pipe co-axially arranged with the tank at an upper periphery of the washing/dehydrating tank; loosners for loosening the washing attached to the inner wall of the tank so as to be pushed toward the center of the washing/dehydrating tank; a pushing means for pushing lossners toward the center of the washing/dehydrating tank; a dehumidifier; an annular opening formed on the inner wall portion of the
Carella Byrne Bain Gilfillan Cecchi et al.
Olstein Eliot M.
Squire William
Stinson Frankie L.
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