Patent ID: 8156769
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
1. An automatic washing machine, comprising: a frame; a wash basin container rotatably mounted within the frame, the wash basin container having a bottom and sidewalls extending up from said bottom; and a drive system for selectively rotatably driving said wash basin container, said drive system comprising: a drive shaft operably connected to said drive motor and also connected to said bottom of the wash basin container, to transmit a driving force of said motor for rotating the wash basin container, said drive shaft being further configured to also serve as a drain pipe for draining wash liquid from said wash basin container; said washing machine further comprising: a reservoir arranged at least partially about the sidewalls of the wash basin container; a liquid flow path being provided in fluid communication with an interior of said wash basin container so as to receive a flow of wash liquid from within the container, said flow path being configured to direct the wash liquid into said reservoir; and a reservoir drain for draining wash liquid from said reservoir, said reservoir drain comprising a plurality of flow channels extending from said reservoir along said sidewalls, and wherein said plurality of flow channels extend downwardly from said reservoir along said sidewalls to a central drain of said washing machine comprising said drain pipe.