Patent Abstract:
A novel washing machine and a novel method for washing clothes. Depending on the type of cloth to be washed, one of four washing modes is selected. A pulsator and a spin-dry tub rotate in various directions and speeds depending on the wash mode selected. Thus causes varying degree of agitation during the wash cycle. A power switching motor controls a brake and a clutch to cause the pulsator and the spin-dry tub to rotate depending on the wash mode selected. Thus, the pulsator and the spin-dry tub are capable of rotating either forward, backward, agitate in both directions, or not to rotate the tub at all depending on the wash mode selected.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from my application WASHING MACHINE AND THE WASHING CONTROL METHOD filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 19, 2000 and there duly assigned Serial No. 54981/2000. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fully automated washing machine, and more particularly to a washing machine and its washing method adapted to form a variety of water current according to power multi-switched by a power switching motor operated being separated from a drainage motor, thereby embodying a new washing method appropriate to cloths. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A water tub  1  according to the prior art includes, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a driving motor  3  formed at a bottom external side thereof for generating a driving force, and power transmission means  2  centrally formed at a bottom surface, a drainage hole  1   a  connected to a drainage hose  4  disposed at a predetermined distance from the power transmission means  2  for draining water in the water tub  1  and a drainage motor  6  arranged at a predetermined distance from the drainage hole  1   a  for controlling the drainage hole  1   a.    
     FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing for illustrating power transmission means  2  according to the prior art, where the means  2  is mounted with a pulley  12  at a lower tip end relative to periphery of a driving shaft  10 , with the pulley  12  coupled by a driving shaft coupling  14  at an upper side thereof, and the driving shaft coupling  14  is rotably provided thereon with a gear case  16 . 
     The gear case  16  is mounted at an upper periphery thereof with a rotable drum  18  and the drum  18  is equipped at an upper inner peripheral surface thereof with a driven shaft coupling  20 . The driven shaft coupling  20  is mounted thereon with a spin-dry tub  24  coupled by a plurality of bolts  22 . The spin-dry tub  24  is equipped thereon with a pulsator  28  via a bolt  26 , and is also arranged with a unidirectional clutch bearing  46  abraded by rotational direction of the gear case  16  to rotate the gear case to one direction. 
     At an upper periphery of the driving shaft coupling  14  and at a lower periphery end of the gear case  16  there is mounted a clutch spring  30  and the clutch spring  30  is peripherally formed with a clutch holder  32  while the clutch holder  32  is peripherally provided with a sleeve member  36  via a brake ring  34 . 
     The clutch spring  30  is connected at one tip end thereof to the gear case  16  while the clutch holder  32  is connected to the other tip end thereof. The sleeve member  36  is formed at one side thereof with a clutch lever  38 , while the clutch lever  38  and brake lever  40  are cooperatively moved by a connecting lever  42  connected to the drainage motor  6 . 
     The drainage motor  6  is installed at one side thereof with a connecting bracket  8  via a steel wire  8   a  for controlling the power transmission means  2  and opening and closing of a drainage hole  1   a.    
     The connecting bracket  8  is cooperated to the drainage motor  6  during its operation at a first step to activate the brake lever  40  connected to the connecting lever  42  at the power transmission means  2  and simultaneously open the drainage hole  1   a.    
     In the power transmission means  2  thus constructed, when the washing course is selected, the drainage motor becomes inoperated, while, simultaneously the driving shaft coupling  14 , driving shaft  10  and the pulsator  28  connected to the power line are rotated to form water current to water supplied to the spin-dry tub  24  and to agitate the laundry. 
     Meanwhile, when the spin-dry course is selected, the connected bracket  8  is pulled via the steel wire  8   a  connected to one side of the drainage motor  6  according to operation of the drainage motor at its first step while the connecting bracket  8  pulls a cap that has been blocking the drainage hole  1   a  with the connecting lever  42  connected to one side thereof, to thereby drain the water in the water tub  1  through the drainage hose  4  connected to the drainage hole  a.    
     In other words, the washing machine is disposed with a unidirectional brake band  44  formed at a periphery of the drum  18  for controlling the rotation of the spin-dry tub  24  in the water tub  1  and the pulsator  28 , a unidirectional clutch bearing  46  formed at a periphery of the gear case  16 , a clutch spring  30  for connecting and disconnecting the power between a washing axle line (by way of example, the driving shaft coupling connected to the driving shaft) and a spin-dry axle line (by way of example, the gear case), and the drainage motor  6  formed at a bottom side of the water tub  1  for controlling the operation of the unidirectional brake band  44  and the clutch spring  30  and opening and closing of the drainage hole  1   a.    
     However, there is a problem in the washing machine thus constructed according to the prior art in that the drum  18  is braked not to rotate to both directions by operations of the unidirectional brake band  44  and unidirectional clutch bearing  46  and the washing axle line is rotated while power with the spin-dry axle line is disconnected by unwinding operation of the clutch spring  30 , such that the pulsator  28  is rotated forward and backward while the spin-dry tub  24  is not rotated during the washing course to thereby prevent from making more than one kind of water current. 
     There is another problem in that the water current made by the pulsator  28  which is relatively strong cannot adequately cope with a variety of cloths, thereby damaging the cloths. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine adapted in clutch structure to have a power switching motor for controlling a brake band and a clutch spring in multi-stage and for determining water current embodiment and washing method. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a washing control method for embodying various water current according to the clutch structure and operation of drainage motor to cope with varying clothes and to make an adequate water current for protection of clothes thereby preventing in advance damage to the cloths. 
     In accordance with one object of the present invention, there is provided a fully automated washing machine, the washing machine comprising: 
     a spin-dry tub rotably disposed in a water tub and connected to a drum and a gear case via a power line; 
     a pulsator rotably disposed in the spin-dry tub and connected to a driving shaft coupling and a driving shaft via power line; 
     a brake band for braking and releasing the rotation of the drum; 
     a clutch spring for disconnecting and connecting the power of the driving shaft coupling and the gear case; and 
     power switching motor for controlling in multi-stage operations of clutch spring and the brake band. 
     In accordance with another object of the present invention, there is provided a washing method comprising: 
     a first washing mode wherein only a pulsator is repeated in forward and backward rotations while a power switching motor is inoperative; 
     a second washing mode wherein the pulsator and a spin-dry tub conversely repeat forward and backward rotations according to a first step control of the power switching motor; 
     a third washing mode therein the spin-dry tub and the pulsator repeat forward and backward rotation in one direction according to a second step control of the power switching motor; and 
     a fourth washing mode wherein the pulsator rotates in forward and backward rotations according to forward and backward rotations of a driving motor while the spin-dry tub repeats only forward rotation under the third washing mode. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a bottom view for illustrating relation among a driving motor, power transmission means, drainage motor and drainage hole according to the prior art; 
     FIG. 2 is a lateral sectional view for illustrating power transmission means according to the prior art; 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view for illustrating relation among a driving motor, power switching motor, drainage hole, and drainage motor installed at a water tub according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view for illustrating power transmission means according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view for illustrating a coupled state of brake part according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view for illustrating a clutch part according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 a  is a plan for illustrating a brake band wound on a drum according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 b  is a plan for illustrating a brake band unwound from a drum according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 a  is a plan for illustrating a clutch part winding a clutch spring according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 b  is a plan for illustrating a clutch part unwound from a clutch spring according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 a  is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a first water current according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 b  is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a second water current according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 c  is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a third water current according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 d  is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a fourth water current according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a washing flow chart according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Preferred embodiments regarding clutch structure of a washing machine and washing control method according to the clutch structure of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3, the washing machine according to the present invention is constituted by a driving motor  3  disposed at a bottom external side of a water tub  1  and power transmission means  100  centrally formed at a side of the bottom. 
     The power transmission means  100  is constituted at a predetermined location distanced therefrom by a drainage hole  1   a  connected to a drainage hose  4  for draining water in the water tub  1  and a drainage motor  6  for opening and closing the drainage hole  1   a . The power transmission means  100  is further constituted by a power switching motor  400  for controlling the power transmission means  100  at two stages via a connecting bracket  410 . 
     The power transmission means  100  includes, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a brake part  200  for controlling rotation of a drum  18  and a clutch part  300  for connecting and disconnecting power to a driving shaft coupling  14  connected to a washing axle line (by way of example, a driving shaft coupling connected to a driving shaft) and a spin-dry line (by way of example, gear case). 
     The brake part  200  includes, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a lever axle  210  perpendicularly coupled to one side between an upper housing  48  and a lower housing  50 , a brake lever  220  rotably coupled to a periphery of the lever axle  210  and a brake band  250  for encompassing a periphery surface of the drum and respectively hinged at both ends thereof by first and second hinge pins  230  and  240  distanced at two predetermined positions from rotary center of the brake lever  220 . 
     In other words, the lever axle  210  is coupled at an upper end thereof to a side relative to a margin of the upper housing  48  while a lower end of the lever axle  210  passes through one side relative to the margin of the lower housing  50  to protrude downwardly. 
     The brake lever  220  has a cross-sectional shape like “” in order to allow both tip ends of the brake band  250  to laterally penetrate at a predetermined depth. 
     The brake lever  220  is formed at upper/lower central position of one end thereof with an axle hole (not shown) for the lever axle  210  to freely and vertically pass therethrough. A first support hole (not shown) and a second hinge hole (not shown) are provided at front side and rear side for maintaining predetermined distance from a center of the axle hole (not shown) relative to the upper/lower surface of one end thereof to allow the first and second hinge pins  230  and  240  to be vertically inserted therethrough. 
     Furthermore, the clutch part  300  includes a clutch spring  310  spirally wound on a periphery at a border between the gear case  16  and the driving shaft coupling  14 , and upper sleeve  320 , lower sleeve  330 , clutch lever  340  and snap ring  360  each coupled to upper end and lower end of clutch spring  310  relative to periphery of the gear case  16 , as illustrated in FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 . 
     The clutch lever  340  is rotably coupled to a peripheral lower end of the lever axle  210  at the brake part  200  in order to rotate the upper and lower sleeve  320  and  330  in mutually opposite directions or to be detached from the upper and lower sleeves  320  and  330  during washing course, and the snap ring  360  is coupled to a lower tip end of the lever axle  210  in order to prevent the clutch lever  340  from being separated downwards after coupled to the lever axle  210 . 
     The upper and lower sleeves  320  and  330  are provided at upper/lower ends thereof with hitching holes  321  and  331  for hitching upper/lower tip ends of the clutch spring  310  to be hitched respectively and are peripherally formed with teeth  322  and  332  of gear for meshing the clutch lever  340 . The teeth  322  and  332  of the gear have the upper/lower sleeves  320  and  330 , each formed with teeth angles opposite therefrom. 
     The clutch lever  340  is formed at one side thereof with a coupling member  341  joining the lever axle  210  and is disposed at the other side thereof with a spanner part  342  for rotating the upper/lower sleeves  320  and  330  in mutually opposite directions or for detaching from the upper/lower sleeves  320  and  330 . 
     The spanner part  342  has a semi-circular shape and is integrally formed at upper/lower ends of an inner curvature thereof with first and second latches  347  and  348  for the teeth  322  of gear at the upper sleeve  320  to be coupled to or separated from the teeth  332  of gear at the lower sleeve  330 . 
     Now, operations of the driving motor  3 , power transmission means  100 , drainage motor  6  and power switching motor  400  according to the present invention thus constructed and control method thereof will be described. 
     When a washing course is selected, the drainage hole  1   a  formed at the bottom side of the water tub  1  is closed according to operation of the drainage motor  6  while the brake part  200  and the clutch part  300  are controlled by operation of the power switching motor  400 . 
     First, the drainage motor  6  closes the drainage hole  1   a  and the brake lever  220  of the brake part  200  is activated to an arrow direction as illustrated in FIG. 7 a  while the power switching motor  400  is inoperated in the first washing mode, pressing the brake band  250  to a peripheral surface of the drum  18 . 
     Furthermore, the clutch lever  340  is activated as illustrated in FIG. 8 a  to urge the first and second latches  347  and  348  of the clutch lever  340  to rotate the upper and lower sleeves  320  and  330  in mutually opposite directions, thereby enlarging an inner diameter of the clutch spring  310 , such that the drum  18  is braked of its force trying to rotate in both directions by force pulling both ends of the brake band  250  in mutually opposite directions, where the gear case  16  and the clutch spring  310  are forced to get into a non-rotational state, thereby causing the spin-dry tub  24  not to rotate as illustrated in FIG. 9 a,  and the pulsator  28  connected to a power line of driving shaft  10  repeats forward/backward rotations to form a first water current adequate for small grime (filthiness). 
     When the power switching motor  400  is activated at the first step while the drainage hole  1   a  is closed in the second washing mode, the brake lever  220  is operated clockwise to as much as a predetermined angle as shown in FIG. 7 b  by force pulled by the power switching motor  400 , where the brake band  250  is separated from the peripheral surface of the drum  18  to form a predetermined size of gap, thereby setting the drum  18  free. 
     The clutch lever  340  of the clutch part  300  enlarges the inner diameter of the clutch spring  310  as the first and second latches  347  and  348  at the clutch lever  340  rotate the upper/lower sleeves  320  and  330  in the mutually opposite directions as shown in FIG. 8 a  and as in the first washing mode. 
     At this time, the drum  18  is released of its contact with the brake band  250  by operation where both ends of the brake band  250  are widened in mutually opposite directions, thereby turning into a rotatable state, whereby the gear case  16  and the clutch spring  310 , although being released of power from the driving shaft  10 , are indirectly rotated by force of the drum  18  trying to rotate. 
     In other words, although the spin-dry tub  24  obtains an indirect turning effect according to frictional force between the water current and the clothes in the water tub  1  when the pulsator  28  is rotated, the spin-dry tub  24  is actually slower in rotating speed than the pulsator  28 , such that forward/backward rotations, which are opposite to those of the pulsator  28  as shown in FIG. 9 b,  are repeated to form a second water current which is powerful and adequate to dirtier clothes, quilt and the like. 
     When the power switching motor  400  is activated to a second step while the drainage hole  1   a  is closed in the third washing mode, the brake lever  220  is operated to a direction shown in FIG. 7 b  by force pulled by the power switching motor  400  to urge the brake band  250  to be detached from the peripheral surface of the drum  18  to as much as a predetermined distance while the clutch spring  310  disposed within the upper/lower sleeves  320  and  330  are shrunken in its inner diameter by inherent resilience to be wound on the external circumference at a border between the driving shaft coupling  14  and the gear case  16  and the drum  18 , gear case  16 , clutch spring  310 , driving shaft coupling  14  and driving shaft  10  are connected by one power line at the same time. 
     At this time, the drum  18  is released of its contact with the brake band  250  by operation where both ends of the brake band  250  are widened to mutually opposite directions, while the gear case  16  is electrically connected to the driving shaft  10  by the clutch spring  310  such that the spin-dry tub  24  and the pulsator  28  are simultaneously rotated only to forward direction each at the same speed to form a third weak water current for protection of clothes such as wool, lingerie and the like, as illustrated in FIG. 9 c.    
     When the power switching motor  400  is activated at the second step while the drainage hole  1   a  is closed in the fourth washing mode, the brake lever  220  and the clutch lever  340  are activated in the same fashion as in the third washing mode, setting the drum  18  rotatatively free and urging the gear case  16  to rotatively operate by receiving power from the driving shaft  10  via the clutch spring  310 . 
     When the driving motor  3  is driven in the forward and backward directions under the above-mentioned state, the pulsator  28  is also rotated in the forward/backward directions while the spin-dry tub  24  repeats rotations to the forward direction only as in FIG. 9 d.    
     In other words, the forward rotational direction of the pulsator  28  is the same direction where the clutch spring  310  is wound on the external circumference at the border between the driving shaft coupling  14  and the gear case  16 , such that, when the pulsator  28  is forwardly rotated, the spin-dry tub  24  connected to the gear case  16  and drum  18  via one power line is rotated in the same forward direction and at the same speed. 
     However, when the pulsator  28  is backwardly rotated, the clutch spring  310  wound on the external circumference at the border between the driving shaft coupling  14  and the gear case operated to an unwinding direction as in FIG. 8 b  to disconnect the power to the driving shaft  14  and the gear case  16 , such that, when the pulsator  28  is backwardly rotated, the spin-dry tub  24  cannot tag along in rotation with the pulsator  28  and spin-dry tub  24  is rotated only to one direction by inertia when the pulsator  28  is forwardly rotated. 
     Successively, the spin-dry tub  24  is forwardly rotated at the same speed and in the same direction when the pulsator  28  is forwardly rotated, and repeats the idling fuzzy course when the pulsator  28  is backwardly rotated, such that a fourth water current stronger than the water current in the third washing mode but weaker than the water current in the second washing mode can be formed. 
     Unlike the third washing mode, the fourth water current generates circulation or movement of cloths in the spin-dry tub  24  to increase washing efficiency by which damage to the clothes is decreased, such that the fourth water current is adequate to protection of cloths and washing of dirtier cloths. 
     Turning to FIG. 10, the washing control method thus operated according to the present invention includes steps (S 510 , S 520 , S 530 , S 540 ) for selecting one of a plurality of cloth or one of a plurality of washing courses, and steps (S 511 , S 521 , S 531 , S 541 ) for controlling a water current according to the selected cloth or selected washing course. 
     The water current control method thus established is stored in a microcomputer and is embodied by a course selected by a user, the method comprising: 
     a first water current control method wherein the pulsator, and not the spin-dry tub, rotates in forward/backward direction; 
     a second water current control method wherein a spin-dry tub repeats forward/backward rotations in opposite directions to those of the pulsator; 
     a third water current control method wherein the pulsator and the spin-dry tub rotates in forward direction only; and 
     a fourth water current control method wherein the second water current control is alternatively operated under the third water current control state. 
     By way of example, when a user selects a wool course (S 530 ), a water current corresponding thereto is controlled (S 531 ), and when a shirt course is selected (S 520 ), a washing control step is taken where the second water current is controlled (S 521 ). 
     As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in the washing machine and its washing method thus described according to the present invention in that the washing machine has adopted a clutch structure wherein a power switching motor for controlling a brake band and a clutch lever in multi-state is separately applied from a drainage motor, such that various kinds of water currents can be embodied according to the multi-control of the power switching motor and a washing method adequate to needs of cloth protection and coping with varying cloths can be provided to thereby enable to protect damage of cloths in advance.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3