Abstract:
The present invention provides a dispenser which evenly dispenses washing water to a detergent container. Within the dispenser, a slit of a subsidiary water passage is configured in a rib located between an inlet water passage where washing water enters the dispenser and an end water passage distant from the inlet water passage by the farthest. Some quantity of washing water running the inlet water passage is diverged and moves to the end water passage where washing water has been insufficiently supplied. Hereby, washing water is equally scattered over the dispenser and drops into the detergent container. The dissolving power can be much more enhanced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Filed of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a dispenser of a detergent supply apparatus for a washing machine, more particularly, which is capable of dispensing washing water fed from a water supplier, by being widely scattered over a detergent container. With that, washing water and detergent can be efficiently mixed, and be supplied to a tub of the washing machine.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine based on the prior art, and  FIG. 2  shows a dispenser based on the prior art.  
         [0005]     The detergent supply apparatus of the washing machine comprises a detergent container  2  which stores detergent, a housing  1  mounted in a cabinet assembly  8 , and a dispenser  3  installed in a top portion of the housing  1  to dispense washing water supplied from a water supplier to the detergent container  2  (see  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0006]     The detergent container  2  which stores detergent, bleach or fabric softner is inserted into the housing  1  to move forward. Detergent, bleach or fabric softner in the detergent container  2  is diluted by washing water supplied from the dispenser  3 , and is supplied to a tub of the washing machine.  
         [0007]     The dispenser  3  comprises a top cover  5  and a bottom cover  4 . Those edges are assembled by melting bond. Washing water flowed in the dispenser  3  is supplied to the detergent container  2  through a plurality of holes  6  configured on the bottom cover  4  (see  FIG. 2 )  
         [0008]     A water passage  9  is configured in the bottom cover  4  due to an upwardly protruded rib  7  that helps washing water from the water supplier to be efficiently dispensed and be dropped toward the detergent container  2 . The water passage  9  is made to turn around several times, so as to take up much space of the bottom cover  4 .  
         [0009]     The water passage  9  includes an inlet water passage  10  where washing water enters the dispenser  3  and goes ahead without changing its direction, and a turning water passage  12  where washing water through the inlet water passage  10  changes its direction and flows.  
         [0010]     In case a plurality of turning water passages  12  are configured in the water passage  9 , if the pressure of washing water through the inlet water passage  10  is not that high, the water pressure gets lowered while washing water moves. It results that washing water does not smoothly flow up to an end water passage  14  situated in an end of the water passage  9 .  
         [0011]     After all, the conventional dispenser for the washing machine has a problem that washing water is not dispensed to the end water passage  14 , thus, detergent, fabric softner or bleach stored in the detergent container  2  does not get dissolved and diluted well.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     An aspect of the present invention fulfills the foregoing needs by providing a dispenser which widely scatters washing water over an overall detergent container.  
         [0013]     The dispenser for a washing machine having a detergent supply apparatus comprises a dispense chamber which has a plurality of holes on its bottom to supply washing water to the detergent container, and a main water passage which makes washing water entering the dispense chamber spread out the dispense chamber. The main water passage includes an inlet water passage where washing water flows into the dispense chamber and flows toward an end of the dispense chamber, a turning water passage where washing water converts its course, and an end water passage positioned in an end of the main water passage. A subsidiary water passage is configured in the inlet water passage, where some quantity of washing water flowing therein is delivered to another water passage.  
         [0014]     The subsidiary water passage is placed between the inlet water passage and the end water passage, or between the inlet water passage and the turning water passage.  
         [0015]     The main water passage is formed by a protruded rib and the subsidiary water passage, which means a slit, is formed as the rib is cut by predetermined distance.  
         [0016]     The slit is inclined along a direction of washing water running the inlet water passage.  
         [0017]     The dispense chamber includes a main dispense chamber which supplies washing water to a main detergent chamber, and a subsidiary dispense chamber which supplies washing water to a preliminary detergent chamber. The slit is only in the main detergent chamber.  
         [0018]     The slit is formed in the rib located between the inlet water passage and the turning water passage. A guide rib is formed in order that washing water through the slit flows to the turning water passage.  
         [0019]     The dispenser for the washing machine has the slit of the subsidiary water passage between the inlet water passage and the end water passage. Washing water through the slit is directly supplied throughout the main water passage, from the inlet water passage to the end water passage. Ultimately, washing water can be widely scattered over the detergent container. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a washing machine having a detergent supply apparatus, according to the prior art.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a dispenser, according to the prior art.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a drum-type washing machine having the dispenser of the detergent supply apparatus, according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the detergent supply apparatus having the dispenser, according to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser, according to the 1 st  embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a plane view of a bottom cover of the dispenser illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the dispenser, according to the 2 nd  embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows a drum-type washing machine having a dispenser of a detergent supply apparatus, according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  shows the detergent supply apparatus having the dispenser, according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 5  shows the dispenser, according to the 1 st  embodiment of the present invention. And,  FIG. 6  shows a bottom cover of the dispenser, according to the 1 st  embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0030]     As seen in  FIG. 3 , the drum-type washing machine having the dispenser based on the embodiment of the present invention comprises a cabinet assembly  20  which defines an outer appearance of the washing machine, a tub  30  provided in the cabinet assembly  20  to contain washing water, a drum  40  rotatably set in the tub  30 , a motor (not shown) connected to the drum  40  to drive the drum  40  rotating, and the detergent supply apparatus  50  installed in a top end of the cabinet assembly  20 .  
         [0031]     The cabinet assembly  20  includes a cabinet  22  which makes both sides and a rear of the drum-type washing machine, a front cover  24  mounted on a front of the cabinet  22 , and a top cover  26  mounted on a top of the cabinet  22 .  
         [0032]     A water supply valve  28  and a water supply hose  29  are set in an inner side of the cabinet  22 , so as to supply washing water to the detergent supply apparatus  50 .  
         [0033]     The detergent supply apparatus  50 , as referring to  FIG. 3  or  4 , comprises a housing  52  located in the cabinet  22 , the dispenser  60  located in a top of the housing  52  and connected to the water supply hose  29  to receive washing water, and a detergent container  54  movably set in the housing  52 .  
         [0034]     The detergent container  54  which stores detergent, fabric softner or bleach is partitioned into a main detergent storing section  541  for main washing, and a preliminary detergent storing section  542  for preliminary washing.  
         [0035]     Washing water got through the housing  52  is supplied to the tub  30  by a bellow hose  55 .  
         [0036]     The dispenser, as referring to  FIG. 4  or  5 , comprises a top cover  62  and a bottom cover  64 . The bottom cover  64  includes a tube  61  which meets the water supply hose  29 . As the top cover  62  and the bottom cover  64  are assembled by melting bond, washing water fed from the tube  61  does not outflow through a crack between those covers.  
         [0037]     A water passage is configured in at least one of the covers, where water through the tube  61  is dispersed over the detergent container  54  and is dropped. As an example, the water passage configured in the bottom cover  64  is described in the present invention.  
         [0038]     The structure of the water passage configured in the bottom cover  64  is described below.  
         [0039]     The bottom cover  64  is partitioned into a main dispense chamber D 1  which supplies washing water to the main detergent storing section  541 , and a preliminary dispense chamber D 2  which supplies washing water to the preliminary detergent storing section  542 . The main dispense chamber D 1  and the preliminary dispense chamber D 2  are segmented in the shape of a square by an upwardly protruded rib  90 . A plurality of holes  65  is perforated on the dispense chambers, which makes washing water fallen to the detergent chambers  541 ,  542 .  
         [0040]     The dispense chambers D 1 , D 2  include a main water passage  70  where washing water through the tube  61  is scattered over the overall dispense chambers D 1 , D 2  and flows, and a subsidiary water passage  80  located in an end of the main water passage  70 , where washing water is less supplied, to diverge washing water through the main water passage  70  and supply.  
         [0041]     The main water passage  70  includes an inlet water passage  72  where washing water supplied from the tube  61  flows in the dispense chambers D 1 , D 2  and flows forward, at least one turning water passage  74  where washing water moved along the main water passage  70  changes its course, and an end water passage  76  located in the end of the main water passage, where washing water passing through the turning water passage  74  arrives last.  
         [0042]     The main water passage  70  is configured by an upwardly protruded rib  78  on the bottom cover  64 .  
         [0043]     The subsidiary water passage  80  is configured by a slit as the rib  78  that provides the main water passage  70  is cut by predetermined distance, and is placed in the rib  78  that makes the inlet water passage  72  out of the main water passage  70 .  
         [0044]     The slit of the subsidiary water passage  80 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , is inclined toward a direction of washing water running the inlet water passage  72 . The slit penetrates the inlet water passage  72  and the end water passage  76 .  
         [0045]     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the subsidiary water passage may be configured in both ribs  781 ,  782  which make the inlet water passage  72 , facing each other like a slit  81 , or be configured in one end of the rib  782  like a slit  82 .  
         [0046]     The slit is only configured in the main dispense chamber D 1  having relatively long length of the main water passage  70 , and may not be configured in the subsidiary dispense chamber D 2  having relatively short length of the main water passage  70 .  
         [0047]     It is appreciated that the subsidiary water passage in the main dispense chamber D 1  may be optionally one slit  82  at a front portion of the inlet water passage  72 , or a couple of the slits  81  at a back portion of the inlet water passage, facing each other.  
         [0048]     One slit  82  prevents that washing water excessively flows out from the inlet water passage  72  to the end water passage  76 . A couple of slits  81  supply an equal amount of washing water to a top side and a bottom side of the end water passage  76 .  
         [0049]     A flowing process with respect to washing water based on the 1 st  embodiment of the present invention will be explained in greater detail, referring to  FIG. 3  or  6 .  
         [0050]     Washing water fed from the water supply valve  28  and the water supply hose  29  moves to the inlet water passage  72  through the tube  61  and flows therein. Then, some quantity of washing water transfers to the end water passage  76  by the subsidiary water passage  80 , on the way that washing water keeps straight through the inlet water passage  72 .  
         [0051]     Washing water which moves straight without diverging in the subsidiary water passage  80  changes its direction at an angle of 180 degrees by the turning water passage  74 . It flows to the end water passage  76  or another turning water passage  74 . Washing water got in the dispense chambers D 1 , D 2  runs along the water passage, and drops into the detergent container through the holes  65  on a bottom of the dispenser.  
         [0052]     Washing water flowed in the end water passage  76  through the subsidiary water passage  80  collides with washing water through the turning water passage  74 , and drops through the holes  65 .  
         [0053]      FIG. 7  shows the dispenser, according to the 2 nd  embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0054]     The subsidiary water passages  84 ,  85  based on the 2 nd  embodiment of the present invention make some quantity of washing water running the inlet water passage  72  supply to at least one of the turning water passages  92 ,  93 .  
         [0055]     The subsidiary water passages  84 ,  85  are configured in the rib  78  that makes the main water passage  72 , so as to diverge washing water running the inlet water passage  72  and flow to the 2 nd , 3 rd  turning water passages  92 ,  93 .  
         [0056]     The subsidiary water passages  84 ,  85  are formed with the slit in the same manner as the 1 st  embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0057]     A guide rib  783  is formed around the slit  85 , which makes washing water through the slit  85  flow in the 2 nd  turning water passage  92 , without directly flowing in the end water passage  76 .  
         [0058]     As described above, the present invention provides the dispenser having the main water passage  70  with a large quantity of washing water, and the slit of the subsidiary water passage  80  between space from the end water passage  76  or from the turning water passage  74  with a small quantity of washing water. The slit makes washing water running the main water passage diverged, and directly supplies to the end water passage  76  where washing water has not been sufficiently supplied. Washing water can be widely scattered over the bottom cover  64  of the dispenser.  
         [0059]     Washing water equally drops through the holes  65  on the bottom cover  64  of the dispenser. Detergent in the detergent container  54  can be quickly dissolved and the solubility can be improved.  
         [0060]     The subsidiary water passage  80  of the dispenser is inclined toward the direction of washing water. Washing water running the main water passage can be effectively diverged to the end water passage.  
         [0061]     While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.