Textiles: fluid treating apparatus – Machines – Liquid supply or vapor supply to liquid
Patent
1998-09-14
1999-11-23
Coe, Philip R.
Textiles: fluid treating apparatus
Machines
Liquid supply or vapor supply to liquid
68208, D06F 3908
Patent
active
059879351
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a laundry washing machine, and more particularly a laundry washing machine equipped with a bottom valve for draining off wash and rinse liquid and having level sensing means for sensing of the liquid level in the machine.
In a laundry washing machine of the kind referred to present on the market the level sensing means comprises a pressure sensor, named pressostat, via a narrow conduit connected with an air volume enclosed in a chamber. The chamber, disposed in the bottom part of the washing machine, is connected to the interior of the tub such that the liquid column in the chamber reflects the liquid level in the machine.
In the machine referred to water is supplied from below via a channel connecting the outlet from the tub with the bottom valve. The chamber is disposed adjacent to said channel and, accordingly, the level sensing function is easily disturbed by the incoming water passing by. Moreover, the level sensing function can also be disturbed by liquid movements appearing during the normal operation of the machine.
In liquid level arrangements of the kind referred to the chamber must have a certain minimum height in order for the maximum liquid level to become safely detectable without the liquid reaching the area in the chamber where the conduit opens which leads to the pressure sensor. Otherwise, due to the fact that often the liquid is dirty soil particles could settle in that area completely putting the level sensing function out of order. Such a functional disorder can also appear due to a drip of water covering the entrance of the level sensing conduit.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to remedy the drawbacks indicated above and to provide a laundry washing machine in which the level sensing function has become more reliable as a result of incoming water and liquid movements in the machine, when in operation, not noticably influencing on the level sensing function.
According to the preamble of claim 1 the invention relates to a laundry washing machine comprising a tub rotatably supporting a wash drum containing laundry items, water supply means for supplying water to the tub, level sensing means for sensing of the liquid level in the tub, and liquid draining means for draining off wash and rinse liquid from the tub, said liquid draining means including a bottom valve with a valve housing and a movable valve member adapted to sealingly bear on an annular edge in the valve housing.
The object indicated is achieved in the washing machine defined in claim 1 by the level sensing means comprising a chamber annularly surrounding the annular edge, the upper part of said chamber being adapted to communicate with a pressure sensor and the bottom part of said chamber being adapted to communicate with the interior of the tub via at least one channel of a narrow cross-section, an elastic annular sealing member being provided which is adapted to close the annular chamber, by means of the movable valve member, when the bottom valve is closed.
Preferred embodiments are indicated in the sub-claims.
The invention will now be described in more detail in connection with an embodiment and with reference to the acompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 schematically shows a laundry washing machine having a bottom valve and level sensing means in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a detail view of the bottom valve in open position and showing also adjacent parts of the washing machine and a level sensing chamber provided adjacent to the bottom valve, and
FIG. 3 shows the detail view of FIG. 2, however, with the bottom valve in its closed position.
In FIG. 1 a standard laundry washing machine is shown having a cabinet 10 housing an outer drum or tub 11 serving as a container for wash liquid and at the same time enclosing a rotatably disposed inner drum 12 supporting the textile items to be washed and dewatered. Moreover, the machine is provided with water supplying means 13 adapted to supply water to the tub 11 via a detergent container 14 in order to supply, in this w
REFERENCES:
patent: 2443816 (1948-06-01), Davis, Jr.
patent: 3013765 (1961-12-01), Buss
patent: 3285038 (1966-11-01), Wolverton
patent: 4224811 (1980-09-01), Yamashita
patent: 5072473 (1991-12-01), Thuruta et al.
Aktiebolget Electrolux
Coe Philip R.
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