Patent Abstract:
Disclosed is a washing machine. The washing machine comprises a tub; a drain hose discharging washing water stored in the tub to outside, in which a siphon brake hole is formed at one side of the drain hose; a backflow hose guiding the washing water drained through the siphon brake hole during the draining process, as one end of the backflow hose is connected to the siphon brake hole and the other end is directly/indirectly connected to the tub; and a switching element preventing the washing water back-flowed into the backflow hose from being flowed into the tub.

Full Description:
[0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0097936 (filed on Oct. 9, 2006), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    This document relates to a washing machine. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related art 
         [0005]    Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus for removing contaminants from laundry by using an emulsification function of detergent and a current caused by rotation of a pulsator or a drum in a state that the laundry is received in the pulsator or the drum together with washing water and detergent. 
         [0006]    In recent years, a drum washing machine, in which the laundry and the washing water are collided by lifting and dropping the laundry as a side of a drum is horizontally installed, acquires popularity. This drum washing machine is in the limelight among users, since it causes damage to the laundry as little as possible while providing excellent washing effects. 
         [0007]    A conventional drum washing machine includes a drum in which a laundry is received, a tub arranged in the drum to store washing water containing detergent, a driving motor driving the drum and a case forming a main body profile of the drum washing machine. 
         [0008]    Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional drum washing machine will be explained. 
         [0009]    First, once the washing machine is operated after the user puts the laundry into the drum, a washing process is performed as the laundry received in the drum and the washing water stored in the tub are collided by the rotation of the drum. And, after completing the washing process, a dehydrating process for removing the washing water or rinsing water from the laundry is performed as the drum is rotated at a high speed and a draining process is performed at the same time. After completing the dehydrating process, the user may take out the laundry to dry it or a drying process is further performed. 
         [0010]    Meanwhile, according to the conventional drum washing machine, a siphon brake hole is formed on one side of a drain hose to prevent a siphon phenomenon after finishing the draining process. 
         [0011]    In other words, the siphon brake hole is formed to prevent the siphon phenomenon which naturally drains the washing water even though the drain pump is temporally deactivated when the drain hose is disposed at a lower position than a drain pump. Further, the washing water, which backflows via the siphon brake hole, flows into a dispenser along a backflow hose. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    The present embodiment has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present embodiment to provide a washing machine designed to prevent washing water from being reflowed into a drum by blocking the washing water drained through a siphon brake hole from being flowed into a dispenser during the draining process. That is, an object of the present embodiment to provide a washing machine structure capable of obviating the problem in that a dehydrating effect is reduced as the washing water drained through the siphon brake hole is reflowed into the drum. 
         [0013]    In accordance with one aspect of the present embodiment, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a washing machine. The washing machine includes a tub; a drain hose discharging washing water stored in the tub to outside, in which a siphon brake hole is formed at one side of the drain hose; a backflow hose guiding the washing water drained through the siphon brake hole during the draining process, as one end of the backflow hose is connected to the siphon brake hole and the other end is directly/indirectly connected to the tub; and a switching element preventing the washing water back-flowed into the backflow hose from being flowed into the tub. 
         [0014]    In another aspect of the present embodiment, there is provided a washing machine. The washing machine includes a tub; a drum received in the tub; a dispenser connecting the tub and a water supply hose, in which detergent is provided; a drain pump draining washing water stored in the tub; a drain hose extended from the drain pump and provided with a siphon brake hole formed at its one side; a backflow hose extended from the siphon brake hole to the dispenser; and a switching element provided in an inner side of the backflow hose to open/close the hose depending on specific conditions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is an external perspective view showing a drum washing machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view showing a drum washing machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a system diagram showing a siphon brake device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples, but various variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention by adding, alternating and deleting another constituent. 
         [0019]    Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with a drum washing machine by way of example to explain an idea of the present invention. However, the idea of the present invention is not limited to the drum washing machine, but it embraces all kinds of washing machines including an upright washing machine. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows an external profile of a drum washing machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 2  shows a side of a drum washing machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the drum washing machine  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a case  100  forming external profile of the washing machine; a tub  300  installed inside the case  110  to store washing water and a front of the tub is opened; a drum  210  rotatably received inside the tub and a front of the drum is opened to put the laundry therein; a front cover  140  mounted on the front of the case  110  and provided with a laundry input opening  101 ; and a door  100  rotatably connected to one side of the front cover  140  to selectively open/close the laundry input opening  101 . 
         [0022]    In addition, the drum washing machine  10  further includes a driving motor  170  connected to the drum  210  through a driving shaft  171  in order to forcibly rotate the drum  210 ; a control panel  130  mounted on one side of the upper portion of the front cover  140  and provided with a plurality of buttons  131  to input operating condition of the washing machine; a dispenser  120  disposed at a side of the control panel  130  and drawably installed in the case  110 , and through which detergent and fabric softener are supplied; and a water supply valve  191  controlling the flow of washing water into the dispenser  120 . 
         [0023]    In addition, the drum washing machine  10  further includes a water supply pipe  192  connecting the water supply valve  191  with the dispenser  120  and transporting washing water, which is fed from the outside as the water supply valve  191  is opened, to the dispenser  120 ; and a bellows  121  connecting the dispenser  120  with the tub  300  and providing a water course which runs into the tub  300  with washing water and detergent are mixed together. 
         [0024]    In addition, the drum washing machine  10  further includes a damper  160  mounted on the lower portion of the tub  300  and damping the vibration generated as the drum  210  rotates; a drain pipe  180  connected to a bottom of the tub  300  in order to drain washing water stored in the tub  300 ; a drain pump  181  connected to the drain pipe  180  in order to forcibly drain washing water discharged from the drain pipe  180 ; and a drain hose  182  providing a water course which discharges washing water discharged from the drain pump  181  to the outside. 
         [0025]    Further, a siphon brake device  400  is provided between the drain hose  182  and the dispenser  120 , and further explanation of the siphon brake device  400  will be described later. 
         [0026]    In addition, the drum washing machine  10  further includes a drying fan  150  supplying outdoor air into the drum  210  during the drying process; a drying duct  153  connecting the drying fan  150  with the drum  210 ; a heater  151  heating the sucked outdoor air; a connecting pipe  202  discharging the high-temperature high-moisture air imbibed moisture from the inside of the drum  210  to the outside; and an exhaust duct  200  connected to the connecting pipe  202  and mounted on a side of the case  100 . 
         [0027]    Hereinafter, the operation of the drum washing machine with the above mentioned constituents will be explained. 
         [0028]    First, the user opens the door  100  and puts the laundry into the drum  210 . And, the user pushes a start button after inputting the operating condition through the buttons  131  provided in the control panel  130 . 
         [0029]    And then, the water supply valve is opened and therefore the washing water supplied through the water supply pipe  192  from the outside flows into the dispenser  120 . And, the washing water flowed into the dispenser  120  is mixed with the detergent stored inside the dispenser  120 . And, the washing water mixed with the detergent flows into the tub  300  through the bellows  121 . the washing water continues to flow therein until a predetermined level is reached. 
         [0030]    And, the water supply valve  191  is closed and the driving motor  170  starts to run when the washing water, which is to be flowed into the tub  300 , reaches the predetermined level. And, the drum  210  is rotated by the driving shaft  171  which rotates as the driving motor  170  rotates. The laundry inputted into the drum  210  collides with the washing water, since the laundry is lifted to the highest point and fallen as the drum  210  rotates. And, the contaminants stuck into the laundry are removed by the emulsification function of the washing water containing the detergent while colliding the washing water and the laundry. 
         [0031]    And, the draining process is started when the washing process is finished. In other words, the washing water contaminated during the washing process goes to the drain pump  181  through the drain pipe  180 . And, the washing water moved to the drain pump  181  is discharged out of the washing machine  10  via the drain hose  182  by driving the drain pump  181 . 
         [0032]    And, when the rinsing process starts after finishing the drain process, the water supply valve  191  is opened and therefore clean washing water flows into the drum  210  through the water supply pipe  192 , and thus, the rinsing process is progressed. 
         [0033]    And, when the rinsing process is completed, the dehydrating process which is to dehydrate water soaked into the laundry by rotating the drum  210  at high speed is progressed. Here, the water generated from the dehydrating process is drained by operating the drain pump, and the siphon brake device prevents some of the drained water from being reflowed into the drum. The siphon brake device will be described later. 
         [0034]    After that, electricity is applied to the heater  151  and therefore the air is heated to a high temperature when the drying process begins. And, the high-temperature low-moisture air is flowed into the tub  300  by rotating the drying fan  150 , and thus, the laundry in the tub  300  is dehydrated by the inflow dry air. And, the air, which is turned into the low-temperature high-moisture air as the laundry is dehydrated, is discharged out of the drum washing machine  10  through the exhaust duct  200 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows a system diagram of a siphon brake device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the siphon brake device  400  includes a siphon brake hole  402 ; a backflow hose  401  connecting the siphon brake hole  402  with a backflow hole  122  formed in the dispenser  120 ; and a switching element  403  opening/closing the backflow hole  122 . 
         [0037]    Particularly, one side of the dispenser  120  is connected to the water supply pipe  192 , detergent and fabric softener are stored in the dispenser to mix them with washing water flowed into the dispenser through the water supply pipe  192 . The washing water mixed with the detergent is flowed into the tub  300  through the bellows  121 . 
         [0038]    The lower portion of the tub  300  is connected to the drain pipe  180 , and the drain pipe  180  is connected to one side of the drain pump  181 . And, the other side of the drain pump  181  is connected to the drain hose  182  to drain the washing water, which is discharged from the drain pump  181 , out of the drum washing machine  10 . 
         [0039]    Meanwhile, a siphon brake hole  402  is formed in one side of the drain hose  182  to prevent a siphon phenomenon by inflowing air into the drain hose  182 . The siphon phenomenon, which drains washing water inside the tub  300  out of the drum washing machine  10  when the drain pump is stopped for a while, is prevented because air is flowed into the siphon brake hole  402 . 
         [0040]    And, the siphon brake hole  402  and the backflow hole  122  of the dispenser  120  are connected to each other by the backflow hose  401 . 
         [0041]    And, a switching element  403  for selectively opening/closing the backflow hole  122  is formed in one side of the backflow hole  122 . Particularly, the switching element  403  is closed by the high pressure washing water which is generated when the drain pump  181  operates. On the contrary, the switching element  403  is opened in case that the low pressure washing water is generated as the drain pump  181  is stopped. In other words, the switching element  403  is closed at a predetermined hydraulic pressure and more, and it is opened at a predetermined hydraulic pressure and less. 
         [0042]    This switching element  403  closes the backflow hole  122  when the drum washing machine  10  conducts the draining process, as it is operated by the high pressure washing water generated by the drain pump  181 . Therefore, it prevents the washing water drained out of the siphon brake hole  402  from being flowed into the dispenser  120 . Accordingly, the drainage performance of the drum washing machine  10  is improved. 
         [0043]    Here, the position of the switching element  403  is not restricted to one side of the backflow hole  121  in the dispenser  120 , but the switching element  403  may be formed in any selected point of the backflow hose  401  in order to selectively open/close the backflow hose  401 . Further, a check valve or an electromagnetic valve may be used as a switching element  403 . 
         [0044]    Hereinafter, the operation of the siphon brake device  400  will be explained. 
         [0045]    First, the washing water stored in the tub  300  is flowed into the drain pump  181  through the drain pipe  180  when the drum washing machine  10  begins the draining process. After that, the washing water runs through the drain hose  182  as the drain pump  181  operates. 
         [0046]    And, some of the washing water is flowed into the siphon brake hole  402  formed in the drain hose  403 . The drained washing water moves toward the dispenser  120  through the backflow hose  401 . 
         [0047]    At this time, the switching element  403  is operated by the high pressure washing water caused by the drain pump  181 , and thus, it closes the backflow hole  122 . Therefore, it prevents the washing water from being flowed into the dispenser  120 . Accordingly, the re-entry of the washing water toward the dispenser  120  is prevented, and the re-entry of the washing water drained through the drain hose  182  toward the tub  300  is prevented.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3