Patent Publication Number: US-7591154-B2

Title: Drum type washing machine and vapor generator thereof

Description:
This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No. 10-2003-0056225 filed in KOREA on Aug. 13, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine and a vapor generator thereof, and more particularly, to a drum type washing machine capable of automatically generating vapor by using a water level detecting sensor and capable of injecting wash water into a drum by injecting the generated vapor in the drum with a high pressure or by using a high vapor pressure and a vapor generator thereof. 
   2. Description of the Conventional Art 
     FIG. 1  is a schematic section view showing a drum type washing machine in accordance with the conventional art. 
   As shown, the conventional drum type washing machine  10  comprises: a cabinet  11  for forming an appearance; a tub  12  arranged in the cabinet for storing wash water; a drum  13  rotatably arranged in the tub  12  for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a driving motor  14  arranged at a rear side of the tub  12  and connected to a rotation shaft  13   a  of the drum  13 . 
   However, in the drum type washing machine, a device for forcibly circulating wash water is not installed thus to consume a large quantity of water for laundry, and a sterilizer is not installed thus not to be able to sterilize laundry. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drum type washing machine capable of efficiently washing laundry with a small quantity of water by forcibly circulating wash water inside of a drum by using vapor generated from a vapor generator and capable of perform a sterilization function. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a vapor generator of a drum type washing machine for automatically generating vapor by detecting a water level by a water level detecting sensor. 
   To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a drum type washing machine comprising: a drum rotatably installed in a cabinet; a driving motor installed at one side of the cabinet for rotating the drum; a vapor generator installed at one side of the cabinet for generating vapor; a diverging pipe installed at an upper side of the drum for supplying vapor generated from the vapor generator to inside of the drum; a first connection hose for connecting the vapor generator and the diverging pipe; a drain pipe installed at a lower side of the drum for draining wash water inside of the drum; a second connection hose for connecting the drain pipe and the diverging pipe; and a circulation pump installed between the second connection hose and the drain pipe for circulating wash water drained from the drum. 
   A vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to the present invention comprises: a case provided with a space portion for storing water therein, a water supplying portion for supplying water at one side thereof, and a vapor exhaustion portion for exhausting vapor at another side thereof; a water level detecting means installed at the case for detecting a level of water stored in the case; and a heater installed in the case for heating water stored in the case. 
   A vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to the present invention comprises: a case provided with a space portion for storing water therein, a water supplying portion for supplying water at one side of an upper portion thereof, a vapor storing portion for storing vapor at another side of the upper portion thereof, and a vapor exhaustion portion for exhausting vapor at the vapor storing portion; a water level detecting means installed at the case for detecting a level of water stored in the case; a heater installed in the case for heating water stored in the case; and a diaphragm formed at an inner upper surface of the case. 
   The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic section view showing a drum type washing machine in accordance with the conventional art; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a drum type washing machine according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a cut perspective view of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an extracted main part showing a water level detecting sensor of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a front view showing a detecting rod of the water level detecting sensor; and 
       FIG. 7  is longitudinal section view of a vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
   A vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to the present invention will be explained hereinafter. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a drum type washing machine according to the present invention. 
   As shown, the drum type washing machine  100  comprises: a cabinet  101  for forming an appearance; a tub  102  arranged in the cabinet  101  for storing wash water; a drum  103  rotatably arranged in the tub  102  for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a driving motor (not shown) installed at one side of the cabinet  101  for rotating the drum  102 ; a vapor generator  200  installed at one side of the cabinet  101  for generating vapor; a diverging pipe  105  installed at an upper side of the drum  103  for supplying vapor generated from the vapor generator  200  to inside of the drum  103 ; a first connection hose  106  for connecting the vapor generator  200  and the diverging pipe  105 ; a drain pipe  107  installed at a lower side of the drum  103  for draining wash water inside of the drum  103 ; a second connection hose  108  for connecting the drain pipe  107  and the diverging pipe  105 ; and a circulation pump  109  installed between the second connection hose  108  and the drain pipe  107  for circulating wash water drained from the drum  103  into the diverging pipe  105 . An injection nozzle  105   a  for injecting vapor with a high pressure is formed at an end of the diverging pipe, and a detergent box B is installed at an upper portion of the cabinet  101 . 
   A first water supplying pipe  101   a  is connected to the vapor generator  200 , and a second water supplying pipe  101   b  is connected to the detergent box B. 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is a cut perspective view of  FIG. 3 .
     As shown, the vapor generator according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a case provided with a space portion for storing water therein, a water supplying portion for supplying water at one side thereof, and a vapor exhaustion portion for exhausting vapor at another side thereof; a water level detecting means installed at the case for detecting a level of water stored in the case; and a heater installed in the case for heating water stored in the case.   
   A vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to the present invention comprises: a case  210  provided with a space portion S for storing water therein, a water supplying portion  211   a  for supplying water at one side thereof, and a vapor exhaustion portion  212   a  of a pipe shape for exhausting vapor at another side thereof; a water level detecting sensor  220  installed at the case  210  for detecting a level of water stored in the case  210 ; and a heater  230  installed in the case  210  for heating water stored in the case  210 . 
   The case  210  is composed of a lower case  211  where the heater  230  is installed, an upper case  212  coupled to the lower case  211 , a watertight member  213  interposed between the lower case  211  and the upper case  212 , and a case coupling means for coupling the lower case  211  and the upper case  212 . 
   The case coupling means is composed of a lower flange portion  214   a  formed at an outer circumferential surface of the lower case  211  and having a plurality of bolt holes H, an upper flange portion  214   b  formed at an outer circumferential surface of the upper case  212  and having a plurality of bolt holes H, and a bolt  214   c  coupled to the bolt hole H. 
   The lower case  211  and the upper case  212  are coupled to each other by a heat bonding or a supersonic bonding method. 
   The heater  230  is composed of a heat transmitting pipe  231  arranged at a bottom surface of the lower case  211 , and a connector  232  installed at both ends of the heat transmitting pipe  231  to be connected to an external power source (not shown). 
   A vapor storing groove  211   b  for storing vapor generated by the heater  230  is formed at a position corresponding to the vapor exhaustion portion  212   a  at an inner surface of the upper case  212 . 
   A diaphragm  215  for preventing water inside of the lower and upper cases  211  and  212  from being introduced into the vapor exhaustion portion  212   a  is formed at the inner surface of the upper case  212 , and a plurality of slots  215   a  are formed at the diaphragm  215  in a longitudinal direction. 
   The water level detecting sensor  220  is composed of a body  221  coupled to an upper portion of the upper case  212 , three detecting rods  222 ,  223 , and  224  installed at the body  221  with 120° in a longitudinal direction, and a diaphragm  225  having longitudinal slots  225   a  installed at a lower portion of the body  221  for covering the detecting rods  222 ,  223 , and  224 . 
   A surface of water inside of the cases  211  and  212  can be shaken by vibration generated when vapor stored in the vapor storing groove  211   b  is exhausted with a high pressure through the vapor exhaustion portion  212   a , so that the water level detecting sensor  220  can not accurately measure a water level. Accordingly, it is preferable that the water level detecting sensor  220  and the vapor exhaustion portion  212   a  are positioned to be separated from each other as much as possible. 
   It is supposed that the longest rod among the detecting rods  222 ,  223 , and  224  is the first detecting rod  222 , a middle rod is the second detecting rod  223 , and the shortest rod is the third detecting rod  224 . 
   According to this, a water supply time point inside of the cases  211  and  212  and an ‘on’ time point of the heater  230  are detected by the first and third detecting rods  222  and  224 , and an ‘off’ time point of the heater  230  is detected by the first and second detecting rods  222  and  223 . 
   A mounting bracket  216  for coupling the cases  211  and  212  to the cabinet  101  by a bolt is formed at one side of the cases  211  and  212 . 
     FIG. 7  is longitudinal section view of a vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
   As shown, the vapor generator of a drum type washing machine according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: a case  310  provided with a space portion S for storing water therein, a water supplying portion  311   a  for supplying water at one side of an upper portion thereof, a vapor storing portion  311   b  for storing vapor at another side of the upper portion thereof, and a vapor exhaustion portion  311   c  for exhausting vapor at the vapor storing portion  311   b ; a water level detecting sensor (not shown) installed at the case  310  for detecting a level of water stored in the case  310 ; a heater  330  installed in the case  310  for heating water stored in the case  310 ; and a diaphragm  340  formed at an inner upper surface of the case  310 . 
   The case  310  is composed of a lower case  311  and an upper case  312 , and the diaphragm  340  introduces vapor generated by the heater  330  into the vapor storing portion  311   b.    
   Hereinafter, the drum type washing machine provided with the vapor generator according to the present invention will be explained with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
   When a user puts laundry in the drum  103  and powers-on, a quantity of laundry is detected by the sensor (not shown) installed in the cabinet  101  and the second water supplying pipe  101   b  is opened thus to supply water in the tub  102 . 
   At the same time, the driving motor (not shown) is operated thus to rotate the drum  103 , and the circulation pump  109  circulates water for a preset time through the drain pipe  107 , the second connection hose  108 , and the diverging pipe  105  in order to dissolve detergent. 
   After the water circulation, the vapor generator  200  is operated thus to supply vapor into the drum  103  through the first connection hose  106  and the diverging pipe  105 , and the supplied vapor is injected into the drum  103  with a high pressure through the nozzle  105   a . The vapor injected with a high pressure sterilizes laundry. 
   The vapor generator  200  can be operated by the user&#39;s selection even when water circulation is being performed. By operation of the vapor generator  200 , vapor is supplied through the first connection hose  106  and the diverging pipe  105 . At this time, wash water introduced into the diverging pipe  105  through the second connection hose  108  is injected with a high pressure into the drum  103  with supplied vapor by the circulation pump  109 . Accordingly as wash water is injected into the drum  103  with a high pressure with vapor, laundry can be easily soaked even with a small quantity of water thus to enhance washing efficiency. 
   Hereinafter, operation of the vapor generator of a drum type washing machine will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 3 to 6 . 
   Water is always stored in the case  210 , and the water is converted into vapor by the heater  230  and then stored in the vapor storing portion  211   b . The stored vapor is exhausted to outside of the case  210  through the vapor exhaustion portion  212   a  when it reaches or exceeds a certain pressure. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , the detecting rod of the water level detecting sensor  222  is composed of the first detecting rod  222 , the second detecting rod  223 , and the third detecting rod  224 . A water supply time point inside of the case  210  an ‘on’ time point (a driving time point) of the heater  230  are detected by the first and third detecting rods  222  and  224 , and an ‘off’ time point (a driving stopping time point) of the heater  230  is detected by the first and second detecting rods  222  and  223 . 
   That is, water is supplied into the case  210  only until a water level becomes h 1 , and subsequently, the water supply is shielded. Under the state that water is always stored in the case  210 , when the user selects a vapor using mode button, the heater  230  of the vapor generator is heated thus to convert water into vapor. 
   At this time, the heater  230  is continuously operated until the water level becomes h 2 , and subsequently, the water supply is automatically stopped. 
   Said series of operation is repeatedly performed thus to automatically supply water into the case  210  or shield, and the heater  230  is automatically operated thus to generate vapor. 
   As aforementioned, in the present invention, laundry can be sterilized by using vapor generated by the vapor generator, and wash water where detergent is dissolved can fast soak laundry by using an injection pressure of vapor, thereby efficiently washing laundry with a small quantity of water. 
   As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.