Abstract:
The present invention relates to a detergent supply box of a drum washing machine which is not only mounted to implement an electronically stable device but also has a simple structure capable of improving the operational reliability thereof. The present invention provides a detergent supply box of a drum washing machine, the detergent supply box comprising: a fixed body ( 21 ) fixedly coupled to a washing machine body ( 11 ); a withdrawal body ( 22 ) detachably coupled to the fixed body ( 21 ); and an automatic pumping device ( 50 ) fixedly installed on the rear side of the fixed body ( 21 ).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a detergent supply container for drum washer, and more particularly to a detergent supply container for drum washer having a simple and electrically stable structure and operational reliability. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Generally, a drum washer is provided with a horizontal drum turning to rotate Laundry, and a detergent supply container is provided on one side of the upper part of the drum, which supplies the detergent to the drum. The detergent supply container is drawably installed in the washer body and its inner space is partitioned to contain the powder or liquid detergent and the rinse agent such as fabric softener to rinse the laundry separately, and the water flows through the detergent supply container mounted in the washer body to flush the detergent and the rinse agent into the drum. 
         [0003]    The conventional detergent supply container is made to fill a dose of detergent and rinse agent at each washing or to fill a lot amount of detergent and rinse agent at one time and dispense them automatically at each washing. On the latter case, the detergent supply container includes a pumping means to pump detergent and rinse agent, which is controlled by the controller provided in the washer body. And, the detergent supply container has electrical contacts for the pumping means to connect the controller electrically. Therefore, as the detergent supply container is drawn from or inserted into the washer body repeatedly, the electrical contacts of the detergent container connect and disconnect with the corresponding electrical contacts of washer body repeatedly, which may incur an electrical instability. Moreover, as the electrical contacts or the electrical parts of the detergent container are not waterproof from the flow of the liquid detergent or water, it is probable that the troubles or malfunctions of the electrical device may happen. And, the conventional detergent supply container has a problem that the airtightness or waterproof of the connecting part between the detergent supply container and the washer body deteriorates easily, so pumping operation of the detergent or rinse agent may become worse as the detergent supply container is repeatedly opened and close. 
       DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
       [0004]    The invention is suggested to solve the above mentioned problems, and the object of the invention is to provide a detergent supply container for drum washer which has a simple and electrically stable structure to minimize the operational error and enhance the operational reliability and user&#39;s convenience. 
       Technical Solution 
       [0005]    According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer which is detachably, attachable to the washer body  11  and supplies a detergent to the washer body  11 , wherein the detergent supply container comprises; 
         [0006]    A stationary body  21  fixed on the washer body  11  through which water flows in and out and has an accommodation space  23 , an inserting opening  24  on the front part of it, inlets  27 ,  28  on the upper part of it and the outlet  26  on the lower part of it; 
         [0007]    A drawable body  22  detachably engaged with the stationary body  21  through the inserting opening  24  and having a filling space  29  in which a liquid or powder detergent is poured and a detergent supply port  30  on the rear side wall of it; 
         [0008]    A pumping means  50  including a cylinder  51  mounted on the rear of the stationary body  21  outside the accommodation space  23  and having an a suction hole  52  on one side of it detachably engaged with the detergent supply port  30  and a detergent exhaust hole  54  on the other side of it communicating with the accommodation space  23  of the stationary body  21 , a piston  57  inside the cylinder  31  to suction and exhaust the detergent, and a driving motor  56  to drive the piston  57 ; and 
         [0009]    A tubular connector  39  provided at least on either the detergent supply port  30  or the suction hole  52  of the cylinder  51  and a packing member  40  sealing the tubular connector  39 . 
         [0010]    According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the packing member  40  has an end packing  41  enlarged radially on the front or base end of the connector  39  and plural packing fins  42  extending outward along the longitudinal direction of the connector  39  with some interval. 
         [0011]    According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein a separate liquid container  61  is detachably provided in the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22 , the liquid container  61  detachably provided in the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22 , the liquid container  61  having a liquid detergent filling portion  62  communicating with the detergent supply port  30  on one end of it, wherein the powder detergent is to be poured into the filling space  29  after the liquid container  61  is removed from the drawable body  22 . 
         [0012]    According to the other aspect of invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the drawable body  22  includes a floater  45  having a first magnet  46  and floating on the surface of liquid detergent in the filling space  29 , and the stationary body  22 , includes sensor having a second magnet  47  on one outer side of is magnetically coupled with the first magnet  46  of the floater  45  and electrically connected to the washer body  11 , wherein if the liquid detergent in the filling space  29  is exhausted, the first magnet  26  and the second magnet  47  are magnetically coupled so that the sensor operates. 
         [0013]    According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the stationary body  21  includes a body cap  25  covering the upper part of the accommodating space  23 , the body cap  25  includes a channel  25  a communicating with the inlets  27 ,  28 , and the channel  25  a has a hinged damper  70  to change the flow direction of the water by touching of the front end of the drawable body  22 . 
         [0014]    According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the stationary  21  includes a distribution plate  63  having a plural holes  64  to distribute water from the inlets  27 ,  28  on the filling space  29  in the drawable body  22 . 
         [0015]    According to the other aspect of the invention, there is provided a detergent supply container of a drum washer, wherein the drawable body  22  includes a cover plate  33  to cover the filling space  29 , and the cover plate  33  has a closable entrance  26  provided with a screen  48 . 
       Advantageous effect 
       [0016]    According to the invention, as the detergent supply container comprise a stationary body  21  fixed on the washer body  11  and the drawable body  22  detachably engaged with the stationary body  21  into which the detergent is poured, and the pumping means  50  having the electric contacts is provided on the stationary body  21  to pump the liquid detergent to the outside of the accommodation space  23  in which the drawable body  29  Is inserted, the liquid detergent in the drawable body  22  is pumped out by the pumping means  50  installed on the stationary body  21 , and the repeated drawing actions of the drawable body  22  may not incur the failure of the contacts of the detergent supply container. And, as the pumping means  50  having electrical contacts or electrical part is placed in the space partitioned from the drawable body  22 , the electrical reliability of the device is secured, and in spite of the flow of the liquid detergent or water, the electrical contacts and the electrical parts may be kept in waterproof condition and failure or malfunction of the drum washer could be prevented. 
         [0017]    Moreover, as the drawable body  22 , is provided with the tubular connector  39  extending on the detergent supply port  30  of the drawable body  22  and the packing member  40  on the outer surface of the tubular connector  39 , the packing member  40  comprising the end packing  41  and a plural packing fins  42 , the airtightness between the detergent supply port  30  of the drawable body  22  and the suction hole  52  of the pumping means  50 , which are repeatedly coupled and decoupled with each other, can be effectively kept, so that the pumping power of the pumping means  50  should not be lowered, and the reliability of the device can be enhanced. And, as the drawable body  22  is provided with a separate detachable liquid container  61  having the detergent supply port  30 , the powder detergent can be used by pouring it into the drawable body  22  and the liquid detergent can be used by pouring into the separate liquid container  61 , so that the various types of detergent can be conveniently used. 
         [0018]    And, as the drawable body  22  includes a floater  45  floating on the liquid detergent, which may be coupled with the sensor outside the stationary body  21 , it may easily detect the exhaustion of the liquid detergent so that the user can refill the detergent in time. 
         [0019]    And, as the stationary body  21  includes a distribution plate  63  to distribute water from the inlets  27 ,  28  on the filling space  29  on the drawable body  22 , the powder detergent in the drawable body  22  can be evenly and quickly washed out by the distribution plate  63 . 
         [0020]    And, as the drawable body  22  includes a cover plate  33  to cover the filling space  29 , and the cover plate  33  includes a closable entrance  36  having a screen  48 , in case of using powder detergent, the power detergent may be prevented from passing the screen  48  so that the user could easily notice whether a proper type of detergent is chosen. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of one embodiment according to the invention 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view showing operation of the above embodiment 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the above embodiment 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the above embodiment 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged section of part A of  FIG. 4   
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged section of part B of  FIG. 4   
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view according to another embodiment of the invention 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of installed state  FIG. 7   
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view according to another embodiment of the invention 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a sectional view showing operation of  FIG. 9   
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view showing other operation of  FIG. 9   
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 11  show various embodiments of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the invention is a detergent supply container  20  drawably provided on the upper and front part of a washer body  11  of a drum washer  10 , which comprises a stationary body  21  fixed on the washer body  11  and a drawable body  22  drawably inserted in the stationary body  21 . The stationary body  21  is in the shape of case having an accommodation space  23  and an inserting opening  24  on the front side of it, from which the drawable body  22  is drawn. A body cap  25  is engaged on the upper part of the stationary body  21  to cover the accommodation space  23 . A pumping means  50  is provided on the outside of the rear part of the stationary body  21  to pump a liquid detergent filled in the drawable body  22 . 
         [0033]    The pumping means  50  is electrically connected to the controller provided on the washer body  11 . As the pumping means  50  is placed in the separate position other than the accommodation space  23  of the stationary body  21  or the drawable body  22  through which washing water flows, the electrical contacts or other electrical parts around the pumping means  30  are prevented from contacting with the water or liquid detergent so that the failure or malfunction of the device due to the water or moisture can be effective prevented. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , the stationary body  21  includes a housing  21   a  forming an accommodation space  23  and a body cap  25  engaged with the upper part of the housing  21   a  to cover the accommodation space  23 . The housing  21   a  has an inserting opening  24  n one side of it and outlet  26  on the floor to exhaust the detergent together with the washing water. The floor of the housing  21   a  is inclined downward toward the outlet  26 . Inlets  27 ,  28  are formed on the rear part of the body cap  25  into which washing water supply line are connected. 
         [0035]    A cover panel  22   b  having a grip  22   c  is formed on the front end of the drawable body  22 , and a housing  22   a  forming a filling space  29  is provided on the rear side of the cover panel  22   b  into which the detergent is poured. The filling space  29  is enclosed and has a detergent supply port  30  extending from the rear part of it. Another filling space  31  is formed on one side of the filling space  29  in which a rinse agent such as a fabric softer is filled. A rinse agent supply port  32  extends from the rear side of the filling space  31  similarly to the detergent supply port  30 . Cover plates  33 , 34  are provided on the upper parts of each filling spaces  29 ,  31 , and an entrances  36  with hinged doors  35  are provided on one side of the cover plates  33 ,  34 , and an elastic engagement  27  is formed on one of the cover plates  33 ,  34  to be engaged with the lower surface of the body cap  25  of the stationary body  21 . 
         [0036]    A pumping means  50  is provided on the stationary body  21  and is coupled to the detergent supply port  30  and the rinse agent supply port  32 . A support  38  is formed on the rear part of the housing  21   a  of the stationary body  21 , and the pumping means  50  is installed on the support  38  outside the accommodation space  23 . The pumping means  50  includes plural pumping units corresponding to each filing spaces  29 ,  31  to pump out the liquid detergent and the rinse agent respectively. The pumping means  50  includes cylinders  51  and motors  56 , and each cylinder  51  has a suction hole  52  for includes cylinders  51  and motors  56 , and each cylinder  51  has a suction hole  52  for liquid detergent and an exhaust hole  54  for liquid detergent, and it also has the other suction hole  53  for rinse agent and the other exhaust hole  55  for rinse agent. 
         [0037]    The detailed construction and operation of the pumping means  50  are described below in reference with  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the suction holes  52 ,  53 , the detergent exhaust hole  54  and the rinse agent exhaust hole  53  of the cylinders  51  are formed to be opened toward the accommodation space  23 . The detergent supply port  30  and the rinse agent supply port  32  of the drawable body  22  are detachably engaged with the suction holes  52 ,  53  respectively, and the detergent exhaust hole  54  and the rinse agent exhaust hole  55  communicate with the accommodation space  23  directly. And the cylinders  51  include pistons  57  operated by the driving motor  56  to suction the liquid detergent or rinse agent. The cylinders  51  include operating chambers  51   a  housing the pistons  57  and filling chambers  51   b  to be filled by the liquid detergent and rinse agent. The piston  50  is connected by a link member  58  to the driving motor  56 , and the driving motor  56  has an eccentric axis and rotating of the driving motor  56  causes the reciprocal motion of the piston  57 . The structure and operation of the pumping means  50  are disclosed in Korean patent No. 10-1023918 and Korean patent laid-open No. 10-2013-0022792. 
         [0038]    In order to secure the reliable suction operation of the liquid detergent or rinse agent by the pumping means  50 , the airtightness of the connecting part between the stationary body  21  and the drawable body  22  is required. In particular, the detergent supply hole  30  and the rinse agent supply hole  32  of the drawable body  22  are repeatedly coupled and decoupled with the suction holes  452 ,  53  of the stationary body  21 , which may cause the leakage. To prevent the leakage of this part, the invention provides an airtight or waterproof structure as follows. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the detergent supply port  30  and rinse agent supply port  32  include tubular connectors  39  extending backward, which are coupled with the suction holes  52 ,  53  of the stationary body  21 . A tubular packing member  40  has an end packing  41  formed on the base end of it and enlarged radially to tightly contact the suction holes  52  or  53  and plural packing fins  42  extending outward along the longitudinal direction of it with some interval. The suction holes  52 ,  53  have shoulders  68  abutting with the end packing  41 . The distal ends of the packing fins  42  are elastically deformed to contact the inner surface of the suction dholes  52 ,  53  by multiple points. So, the packing member  40  as mentioned above can achieve multiple-pointed airtight or waterproof structure by the end packing  41  and the packing fins  42 . Accordingly, in spite of the repeated coupling and decoupling between the connector  39  and the suction holes  52 ,  53 , the deteriorating of the airtightness could be effectively prevented. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the drawable body  22  has a sensor to detect the level of the liquid detergent and rinse agent in the filling spaces  29 ,  31 . For this, a cage type guide  44  is installed uprightly on one side of the floor of the filling spaces  29 ,  31 , and a floater  45  is provided in the guide  44  so as to be floated by the liquid detergent and rinse agent. A first magnet  46  is attached on the bottom of the floater  45 . A sensor including a second magnet  47  is provided on the outer of the bottom of the stationary body  21  corresponding to the floater  45 . The sensor is electrically connected to the washer body  11 , so when the floater  45  is positioned on the floor of the filling space  29 ,  31 , then the first magnet  46  and the second magnet  47  are magnetically coupled to sense that the liquid detergent or rinse agent is exhausted. Accordingly, for example, as the detergent supply container of the invention has the capacity to contain the detergent of amount required at 10 to 30 times of washing and automatically pumps out a dose of the detergent and rinse agent at each time of washing, if the sensor detects the vacancy of the detergent or rinse agent, then notices this fact by an alarm provided on the washer body”, which may increase the user&#39;s conveniences. Moreover, the senor may be protected from contacting with the liquid detergent or washing water, so the failure or malfunction of the senor may be prevented. 
         [0041]    In addition to the above construction for supply of the liquid detergent, the invention also have a preferable construction to optionally supply the powder detergent as follows. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the drawable body  22  further includes a liquid container  61  detachably inserted in the filling space  29  of it, the liquid container  61  having a liquid filling portion  62 , a detergent supply port  30  on one side of it communicating with the filling portion  62 , a cover plate  33  and an entrance  36  with door  35  into which the liquid detergent is poured. 
         [0043]    In case of using a liquid detergent, the liquid container  61  is used by inserting it in the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22 , and in case of using a powder detergent, the liquid container  61  is removed from the drawable body  22 , and the powder detergent is poured into the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22 . The powder detergent is supplied into the washer drum, not by the pumping means  50 , but by flushing it with the inflowing water from the inlets  27 ,  28  of the stationary body  21 . 
         [0044]    The stationary body  21  further includes a distribution plate  63  with plural holes  64 , which distributes the water from the inlets  27 ,  28  on the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22  evenly. The distribution plate  63  forms a closed space below the body cap  25 , the distribution plate  63  may be fixed on the stationary body  21  or it may be removable engaged with the stationary body  21 . 
         [0045]    The body cap  25  may have plural ports forming the inlets  27 ,  28 , which are to supply washing water to the accommodation space  23  in the stationary body  21  directly or to the distribution plate  63 . A partition wall  65  is formed on the distribution plate  63  or to the side of the inlets  27 ,  28 , and an exit hole  66  is formed on one side of the partition wall  65  corresponding to the rinse agent exhaust hole  55 , through which some of the water supplied to the distribution plate  63  flows into the accommodation space  23 . 
         [0046]    The cover plate  33  has an entrance  36  which is closable by a hinged door  35  as mentioned above, and a screen  48  is placed on the entrance  36 . The screen  48  is to block the powder detergent when the user erroneously pours the powder detergent into the liquid container  61 , so that it cautions the user to use proper type detergent corresponding to the current construction of the detergent container. It is advantageous in that letters or logos expressing the proper type detergent are not difficult to be read or understood. 
         [0047]      FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  show another embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the body cap  25  has channels  25   a,    25   b  communicating with the inlet  27  above the distribution plates  63 . A hinged damper  70  is formed on the channels  25   a,    25   b  to change the direction of the flow of water from the inlet  27 . The channels  25   a,    25   b  is formed as L shape and includes a first channel  25   a  extending transversely at the front end of the drawable body  22  and a second channel  25   b  extending along the longitudinal direction of the filling portion  62  of the liquid container  61 . The hinged damper  70  is formed as L shape in section, which has a touch portion  71  extending downward and door portion  72  extending perpendicular to the touch portion  71 , and it is hinged on the distribution plate  63  elastically. 
         [0048]    In case of using a liquid detergent, as shown in  FIG. 10 , if the drawable body  22  is inserted into the stationary body  21 , the front end of the drawable body  22  pushes the touch portion  71  of the hinged damper  70  and the door portion  72  turns upright to prevent the water from flowing to the second channel  25   a,  so that the water cannot flow into the filling portion  61  of the drawable body  22 . For this, the body cap  25  and the distribution plate  63  may have shoulder  25   c  and  63   a  respectively to stop the door portion  72 . According to the structure as mentioned above, by inserting the drawable body  22  into the stationary body  21 , the hinged damper  70  is touched and rotated to close the channel  25   b  so that the liquid detergent may be prevented from being diluted or overflowed by the washing water. In case of using powder detergent, as shown in  FIG. 11 , as the liquid container  61  is removed from the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22  into stationary body  21 , so the channel  25   a,    25   b  are all opened, and washing water could flow onto the filling space  29  of the drawable body  22 , so the powder detergent could be flushed easily into the washer drum. 
         [0049]    The touch portion  71  of the hinged damper  70  preferably has a cutout  74  corresponding to the detergent supply port  30  of the drawable body  22 , which prevents the packing member  40  on the side of the supply port  30  from directly contacting with the hinged damper  70 , so the damages due to the repeated coupling and decoupling could be avoided. The above mentioned hinged damper  70  is advantageous in that it could selectively open and close the channels  25   a,    25   b  and change the flow direction of the washing water with simple structure and simple operation to achieve a desired function effectively. 
         [0050]    The part of numeral  49   a  is a partition formed on the accommodation space  23  of the stationary body  21  to form exhausting space for washing water when the drawable body  22  is inserted, and the part of numeral  49   b  is the other partition formed on the floor of the filling space  29 . The part of numeral  67  is a one way valve installed in the suction holes  52 ,  53 . Similar valves may be installed in the detergent exhaust hole  53  and the rinse agent exhaust hole  55 . Another part of numeral  69  is a connecting tube extending below and inside the filling spaces  29 ,  31  and communicating with the detergent supply port  30  and the rinse agent supply port  32 .