Patent ID: 6782722
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: D06F,Y10T

Abstract:
A drum washing machine having a drum for receiving the washing, the drum having an approximately horizontal axis of rotation, and opposing first and second end surfaces, the drum washing machine rotating the drum around the horizontal axis of rotation to spin-dry the washing disposed in the drum by centrifugal force, comprising:a first rotating shaft extending outward along the axis of rotation from the first end surface of said drum; a second rotating shaft extending outward along the axis of rotation from the second end surface of said drum; a drum rotating motor coupled to the first rotating shafts; a water storage balancer comprising a plurality of water storage tanks attached to the second end surface, on a side of said drum that is opposite of a side where said drum rotating motor is provided, said water storage tanks being formed on a circumference of said drum and being centered around the axis of rotation, an amount of water stored in each of the water storage tanks being adjusted so as to off set an eccentric load produced in said drum by an uneven distribution of the washing; and controller means for reducing the amount of water stored in selected ones of said water storage tanks located in a vicinity of a position of the eccentric load to correspond to a magnitude of the eccentric load, by rotating the drum rotating motor at a high rotational speed that is higher than a rotational speed at which centrifugal force exerted on the water stored in the water storage tank and gravity are in balance, and with the drum rotating motor being rotated at the high rotational speed, adding water to the water storage tanks so as to become almost full of water, and then rapidly decelerating the rotational speed for only a short time and at a timing corresponding to an angular position of the eccentric load so that the water stored in the selected ones of said water storage tanks spills therefrom to compensate for the eccentric load.