Patent ID: 7607325

Claim:
A water flow distributor for a washing machine comprising: a rotating drive shaft having a first rotating axis; a distribution nozzle that rotates jointly with the drive shaft, the distribution nozzle having a second rotating axis coaxial to the first rotating axis and configured to divert the supply of water from a water supply to a plurality of compartments in the washing machine in accordance with its angular position; a hydraulic body that comprises an emptying pipe, a draining pipe having a first valve seating surface, and an exit pipe having a second valve seating surface; a valve body housed inside the hydraulic body, the valve body comprising first and second opposing sealing surfaces that at least in part define an elongate slot positioned between the sealing surfaces, the first sealing surface configured to be positioned in a first engagement position with the first valve seating surface to impede flow through the draining pipe, the second sealing surface configured to be positioned in a second engagement position with the second valve seating surface to impede water flow through the exit pipe; and an arm having a first end coupled to the rotating drive shaft and having a third rotating axis that is coaxial with the first rotating axis, the arm having a segment parallel to the third rotating axis that extends through the elongate slot of the valve body, rotation of the arm causing the segment to act upon the valve body to cause the valve body to oscillate between the first and second engagement positions.