Abstract:
A fluid stream wash load agitating system, comprising a vertical axis washing tub, a vertical axis washing basket coaxially placed within said tub, at least one fluid output positioned to remove water from said basket during said operation, and at least one first and at least one second high velocity fluid stream inputs around said basket and positioned to substantially agitate at least a portion of said wash load during said operation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to agitator-less washing machines and specifically to washing machines in which multiple high-pressure fluid streams agitate a wash load. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A typical vertical washing machine features a centrally oriented finned agitator that swings back and forth around a central axis so that the fins beat the washing articles in a first direction, then in a second opposite direction. The continued beating results in noticeable physical wear of the articles being cleaned. 
         [0003]    To reduce the contact between the wash load and the agitator and hence wear of the articles, one class of washing machines feature agitators that include water jets and are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,420,952: 4,419,870: 4,402,198 and 4,077,239. While water jet agitators increase article movement through the wash load, they do not significantly reduce the resultant wear on the articles. 
         [0004]    Washing machines without agitators that use a water jet to circulate the wash load are known: U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,710 teaches a single water jet affixed to, and dispensing water from, the periphery of the washing basket; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,821 teaches a single centrally located rotating water jet. 
         [0005]    The drawback of water jet agitating machines is that the singular water jet interacts with only a small portion of the wash load at any given time, thereby failing efficiently agitate the articles. Inefficient agitation results in inadequately cleaned articles. 
         [0006]    In spite of the tremendous need and advantage for an efficient agitator-less vertical washing machine that efficiently cleans articles, there is no washing machine devoid of the above limitations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention comprises a washing machine having multiple high velocity water streams positioned around a washing basket to agitate the wash load during a wash cycle. 
         [0008]    Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. 
         [0009]    There is thus provided, an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention comprising a fluid stream wash load agitating system, comprising a vertical axis washing tub and a vertical axis washing basket coaxially placed within the tub. The invention further comprises at least one fluid output positioned to remove water from the basket during the operation and at least one first and at least one second high velocity fluid stream inputs around the basket and positioned to substantially agitate at least a portion of the wash load during the operation. 
         [0010]    In an exemplary embodiment, the system above includes at least one first and at least one second high velocity fluid inputs each comprise at least two high pressure fluid nozzles. 
         [0011]    In a further exemplary embodiment, an axis passing through the at least one first and at least one second high velocity fluid input nozzles is substantially at least one of: vertical, between 0 and 45 degrees to a vertical axis, horizontal and between 0 and 45 degrees to a horizontal axis. 
         [0012]    Additionally, in further embodiments, the at least one first high velocity fluid input nozzle is positioned to provide a stream to an upper portion of a wash load during the operation and the at least one second high velocity fluid input nozzle is positioned to provide a stream to a lower portion of a wash load during the operation. 
         [0013]    In additional embodiments, the at least one first high velocity fluid input nozzle is independently controlled to operate only when an upper portion of the basket is filled with a wash load during the operation. 
         [0014]    Optionally, at least one first and at least one second high velocity fluid inputs provide pulsed streams of high pressure fluid. Alternatively, the at least one first fluid input and the at least one second input provide simultaneous pulsed streams to the wash load. 
         [0015]    In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one fluid output comprises at least two fluid outputs, including at least one first fluid output and at least one second fluid output. Optionally, the at least two fluid outputs output the fluid in pulses. 
         [0016]    In a further embodiment of the present invention, the at least one first fluid output is synchronized to output fluid pulses from the basket simultaneous to the input of the pulsed streams by the at least one first fluid input pulse and the at least one second fluid output is synchronized to output fluid pulses from the basket simultaneous to the input of the pulsed streams by the at least one second fluid input pulse. 
         [0017]    In further exemplary embodiments, the at least one first fluid input and the at least one second input provide sequential pulsed streams to the wash load. 
         [0018]    Optionally, the at least one first fluid output is synchronized to output fluid pulses from the basket simultaneous to the input of the pulsed streams by the at least one first fluid input pulse; and the at least one second fluid output is synchronized to output fluid pulses from the basket simultaneous to the input of the pulsed streams by the at least one second fluid input pulse. 
         [0019]    In an additional exemplary embodiment, at least one first fluid pump connected to the at least one fluid output and at least one second fluid pump connected to the at least two high velocity fluid inputs. 
         [0020]    Furthermore, the at least one first fluid pump and the at least one second fluid pump are operatively associated so as to provide recycling of fluid from the wash load during the operation. 
         [0021]    In an exemplary embodiment, the at least two fluid inputs are positioned to cause rotation of fluid in at least a portion of the wash load. Alternatively, the at least two fluid inputs are positioned to cause rotation of at least a portion of the wash load. 
         [0022]    Optionally, the at least two fluid inputs are positioned to cause centrifugally balanced rotation of at least a portion of the wash load. Additionally, the basket additionally rotates at during at least a portion of the operation. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The present invention, a washing machine having multiple water streams around the wash basket, is by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred method of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the methods of the invention may be embodied in practice. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a Wash basket having a fluid stream agitator system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are schematic representations of an embodiment of the fluid stream agitator shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a three dimensional schematic representation of the fluid stream agitator system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    In broad terms, the present invention relates to a fluid stream agitator system. The principles and operation of the system according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and accompanying descriptions. 
         [0028]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0029]    The principles, uses and implementations of the teachings of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying description, figures and examples, perusal of which allows one skilled in the art to implement the teachings of the present invention without undue effort or experimentation. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
         [0030]    Generally, the nomenclature used herein and the laboratory procedures utilized in the present invention include techniques from the fields of biology, engineering, material science, medicine and physics. Such techniques are thoroughly explained in the literature. 
         [0031]    Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. In addition, the descriptions, materials, methods and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. 
         [0032]    As used herein, the terms “comprising” and “including” or grammatical variants thereof are to be taken as specifying the stated features, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. This term encompasses the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”. 
         [0033]    The phrase “consisting essentially of” or grammatical variants thereof when used herein are to be taken as specifying the stated features, integers, steps or components but do not preclude the addition of one or more additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof but only if the additional features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, device or method. 
         [0034]    The term “method” refers to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the relevant arts. Implementation of the methods of the present invention involves performing or completing selected tasks or steps manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a vertical wash tube  196  coaxially disposed around a wash basket  190  including a fluid stream agitator system  100 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0036]    In System  100 , fluid  121  is delivered through input source  123  into a fluid input pump  110 , comprising a standard centrifugal or positive displacement pump. Pump  110  has input pipes  120  and  130  that send fluid  121  into a wash load  192 . Fluid  121  is removed from wash load  192  via two output pipes  220  and  230  via a standard centrifugal or positive displacement output pump  210  through output source  223 . A controller  102  controls input pump  110  and output pump  210 , for example by operating output pump only after fluid pumped into wash load  192  has reached a specified height. In a further exemplary embodiment, input pump  110  and output pump  120  are connected so that fluid  121  from basket  190  is continually recirculated during a wash cycle. 
         [0037]    In an exemplary embodiment, input pump  110  is connected to a fluid input pipe  120  having high pressure input nozzles,  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  that shoot high pressure streams of fluid  121 . Pump  110  is further connected to a fluid input pipe  130  having high pressure input nozzles,  132 ,  134 ,  136 , and  138  that similarly shoot high pressure streams of fluid  121 . 
         [0038]    In an exemplary embodiment, input nozzles,  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128  work simultaneously with input nozzles,  132 ,  134 ,  136 , and  138  to send streams passing into wash basket  190  and serve to agitate a wash  192  in basket  190  and cause rotation of wash  192  in a direction  194 . 
         [0039]    In a further exemplary embodiment, output pump  210 , via a fluid suction pipe  220  connected to suction outputs,  222 ,  224 ,  226 , and  228 ; and via a fluid suction pipe  230  connected to suction outputs,  232 ,  234 ,  236 , and  238  removes fluid  121  from basket  190 . 
         [0040]    In an exemplary embodiment, wash basket  190  is connected to belts and pulleys (not shown) that provide rotation to basket  190  during a wash cycle and/or during high-speed rotation and rotation of load  192  during evacuation of fluid  121 . 
         [0041]    During washing, optional rotation of basket  190  produces fluid  121  motion that results, in addition to agitation provided by fluid  121  from inputs  120  and  130  and outputs  220  and  230 , vertical motion, radial motion and/or circumferential motion of wash load  192 . 
         [0042]    In an exemplary embodiment, fluid  121  is optionally sprayed on the rotating wash load  192  during high speed centrifugal of basket  190  thereby helping rid the articles of soap during evacuation of fluid  121 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 2 , is a schematic representation of basket  190  shown in  FIG. 1 , during input of fluid  121 . 
         [0044]    In an exemplary embodiment, fluid  121  is introduced into wash load  192  with simultaneous and continuous streams from all input nozzles,  122  and  132 ;  124  and  134 ;  126  and  136 ; and  128  and  138 . Alternatively, fluid may be introduced into wash load  192  with simultaneous pulses of fluid  121  from all input nozzles,  122  and  132 ;  124  and  134 ;  126  and  136 ; and  128  and  138 . 
         [0045]    Alternatively, in sequential pulsing, a first pulse of fluid  121  is pulsed via input nozzles,  122 ,  124 ,  126 , and  128 , followed by a second, pulse of fluid  121  via input nozzles,  132 ,  134 ,  136  and  138 ; after which the pulse cycle is repeated. 
         [0046]    In alternative embodiments, for example where there three, rather than two input pipes  120  and  130 , and/or one or more pumps in addition to pump  110 , ( FIG. 1 ) sequential pulsing may provide a first pulse of fluid  121 , followed by a second pulse and then a third pulse, continually repeating three pulses of fluid  121  input during the washing cycle of wash load  192 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 3 , is a schematic representation of basket  190  shown in  FIG. 1 , during an exemplary embodiment of output of fluid  121 . 
         [0048]    In an exemplary embodiment, fluid  121  is removed from wash load  192  with simultaneous and continuous sucking from all suction outputs,  222  and  232 ;  224  and  234 ;  226  and  236 ; and  228  and  238 . Alternatively, in conjunction with simultaneous pulsing as explained above in relation to  FIG. 1 , fluid is removed from wash load  192  with simultaneous pulsed sucking of fluid  121  from all suction outputs,  222  and  232 ;  224  and  234 ;  226  and  236 ; and  228  and  238 . 
         [0049]    Alternatively, for example in conjunction with sequential pulsing as explained above in relation to  FIG. 1 , a first pulse of fluid  121  is sucked via output nozzles,  222 ,  224 ,  226 , and  228 , followed by a second, pulse of fluid  121  via output nozzles,  232 ,  234 ,  236  and  238 ; after which the pulse cycle is repeated. 
         [0050]    In alternative embodiments, for example where there three, rather than two output pipes  220  and  230 , and/or one or more pumps in addition to pump  210 , ( FIG. 1 ) sequential water removal may provide a first suction of fluid  121  through a first set of output suctions, followed by a suction pulse and then a third suction, continually repeating three suctions of fluid  121  removal during the washing cycle of wash load  192 . 
         [0051]    There are many physical arrangements of input nozzles and suction outputs and patterns of input pulsing and output suction, all of which are readily appreciated by those familiar with the art. 
         [0052]      FIG. 4  is a three dimensional schematic representation of an alternative embodiment fluid system  400  comprising multiple input pipes  420 ,  421 ,  422 ,  423 ,  424 ,  425 ,  426 , and  427 , each controlled by a corresponding controller;  420 ′,  421 ′,  422 ′,  423 ′,  424 ′,  425 ′,  426 ′, and  427 ′ that are connected to, for example, solenoids in conjunction with output pump  110 . Each input pipe includes six high-pressure nozzles  425 A,  425 B,  425 C,  425 D,  425 E, and  425 F, seen on input pipe  425 . 
         [0053]    In an exemplary embodiment, fluid  121  is dispensed simultaneously or sequentially via input pipes  420 ,  421 ,  422 ,  423 ,  424 ,  425 ,  426 , and  427 . Alternatively, the pattern of input can be varied so that pairs of pipes on opposite sides of basket  190  input fluid  121  simultaneously, for example paired pipes  420  and  424 , followed by paired pipes  421  and  425 ; followed by  422  and  426 ; and finally pipes  423  and  427  after which the cycle is repeated. 
         [0054]    Similarly, system  400  includes multiple output pipes  460 ,  461 ,  462 ,  463 ,  464 ,  465 ,  466 , and  467 , each controlled by a corresponding controller;  460 ′,  461 ′,  462 ′,  463 ′,  464 ′,  465 ′,  466 ′, and  467 ′ that are connected to, for example, solenoids in conjunction with output pump  210 . Each output pipe includes six output suctions  462 A,  462 B,  462 C,  462 D,  462 E,  462 F, seen on output pipe  462 . 
         [0055]    In an exemplary embodiment, fluid  121  is suctioned from basket  190  simultaneously or sequentially via output pipes  460 ,  461 ,  462 ,  463 ,  464 ,  465 ,  466 , and  467  or in alternate patterns. 
         [0056]    For example in conjunction with input of pipes  420  and  424 , output pipes  460  and  464  suction fluid  121 . As input pipes  421  and  425  input fluid  121 , pipes  461  and  465  suction fluid  121 , with the cycle continuing sequentially around basket  190 . 
         [0057]    The many arrangements by for dispensing fluid  121  and removing fluid, through input pipes  420 ,  421 ,  422 ,  423 ,  424 ,  425 ,  426 , and  427 ; and output pipes  460 ,  461 ,  462 ,  463 ,  464 ,  465 ,  466 , and  467  respectively, are well known to those familiar with the art. 
         [0058]    Washing systems  100  and  400  are optionally installed in additional where agitation by fluid  121 , without a mechanical agitator, is desired and with fluids other than water, i.e. dry cleaning with special dry cleaning fluids, or cleaning of mechanical parts with solvents, etc. The many applications of systems  100  and  400  will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art. 
         [0059]    While the invention has been shown and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, this is for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation. Variations and modifications of the specific embodiment herein shown and described will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All of these modifications are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent is not to be limited in scope and effect to the specific embodiment herein shown and described or in any other way that is inconsistent with the extent to which the progress in the art has been advanced by the invention. 
         [0060]    Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent to one ordinarily skilled in the art upon examination of the following examples, which are not intended to be limiting. Additionally, each of the various embodiments and aspects of the present invention as delineated hereinabove and as claimed in the claims section below finds experimental support in the following examples. 
         [0061]    It is expected that during the life of this patent many relevant delivery systems will be developed and the scope of the terms of the patent are intended to include all such new technologies a priori. 
         [0062]    As used herein the term “about” refers to ±10%. 
         [0063]    It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. 
         [0064]    Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention.