Washing machine

• US 20030168087A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Inui, Hiroaki, Oyama, Makoto, Yura, Masaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,270,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/57D
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4221 Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms A47L15/0078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4223 Devices for water discharge, e.g. devices to prevent siphoning, non-return valves

Abstract

A washer includes a plurality of washing means for spraying washing water to an object to be washed from various directions of a washing tub and a washing water feeding means for feeding the washing water. The washing water is sequentially sprayed from respective washing means. Thus, the washing water can be sprayed to eating utensils from the various directions without increasing fed water, and a washing effect is improved. Speedy washing, energy saving, and water saving can be also achieved.

Claims

1. A washer comprising:

(a) a plurality of washing means for spraying washing water to an object to be washed from various directions, each of said plurality of washing means having a spray port, the washing water being sprayed from the spray port;

(b) washing water feeding means for feeding the washing water to said washing means; and

(c) controlling means for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding means;

wherein the washing water is sequentially fed to each of said plurality of washing means.

2. A washer according to claim 1 further comprising:

(d) a rack for holding the object to be washed;

(e) a washing tub for accommodating said rack, said washing tub having an opening; and

(f) a cover for opening or closing the opening in said washing tub.

3. A washer according to claim 2 further comprising:

(g) a passage for feeding/discharging the water (feeding/discharging passage) for coupling said washing water feeding means with said washing means; and

(h) water dividing means disposed in said feeding passage and having driving means.

4. A washer according to claim 3, wherein

said water dividing means comprises:

(1) an aqueduct for guiding the washing water pressurized by said washing water feeding means;

(2) a divided water output unit having a plurality of divided water discharge ports and said plurality of feeding/discharging passages, each of said feeding/discharging passages being coupled to each of the divided water discharge ports; and

(3) a rotary water dividing unit having a discharge port, wherein the rotary water dividing unit is rotatably disposed at a position facing the divided water output unit and is rotated by the driving means, and the discharge port discharges the washing water fed from the aqueduct;

each of said washing means is coupled to each of said feeding/discharging passages;

the discharge port and the plurality of divided water discharge ports are arranged so that, during the rotation of the rotary water dividing unit, the discharge port sequentially faces the respective divided water discharge ports to feed the washing water discharged from the discharge port sequentially to said respective passages; and

the washing water pressurized by said washing water feeding means flows through the aqueduct, is discharged from the discharge port in the rotating rotary water dividing unit, is fed sequentially to each of said plurality of feeding/discharging passages, is guided to each of said washing means, and is sprayed from each of said washing means.

5. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the discharge port comprises a plurality of discharge ports;

the rotary water dividing unit has a substantially cylindrical surface;

the plurality of discharge ports are formed in any part of the substantially cylindrical surface; and

the washing water discharged from the plurality of discharge ports is sprayed simultaneously from at least two of said plurality of washing means, and the washing water is sprayed sequentially by said washing means one after another.

6. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the driving means has a function of setting any rotation speed of the rotary water dividing unit;

and

the rotary water dividing unit rotates at the set rotation speed.

7. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the driving means has rotation angle detecting means for detecting a rotation angle of the rotary water dividing unit.

8. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the driving means forwardly and reversely rotates the rotary water dividing unit.

9. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the discharge port comprises a plurality of discharge ports;

the rotary water dividing unit has a substantially cylindrical surface; and

the plurality of discharge ports are formed in the substantially cylindrical surface of the rotary water dividing unit so that respective rotation tracks of the plurality of discharge ports are different from each other.

10. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the discharge port comprises a plurality of discharge ports;

the plurality of discharge ports are formed in the rotary water dividing unit; and

at least one of the plurality of discharge ports is formed in a surface substantially vertical to a rotating shaft of the rotary water dividing unit.

11. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the rotary water dividing unit has a rotating shaft;

and

the rotating shaft is disposed substantially horizontally.

12. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

said washing water feeding means comprises a washing pump having a washing pump discharge port;

the driving means has a driving shaft;

the driving shaft is disposed in a substantially identical direction to a flow direction of the washing water discharged from said washing water feeding means; and

the driving means is disposed on an opposite side against the washing pump discharge port with respect to the rotary water dividing unit.

13. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the divided water output unit has a divided water discharge port;

said washing water feeding means has a washing pump discharge port; and

the divided water discharge port is formed at a position higher than the washing pump discharge port.

14. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the rotary water dividing unit has at least one curved surface of a conical surface and a cylindrical surface having a rotating axis;

and

the discharge port is formed in the curved surface.

15. A washer according to claim 3, wherein

said water dividing means comprises:

(1) an aqueduct for guiding the washing water pressurized by said washing water feeding means;

(2) a divided water output unit having a plurality of divided water discharge ports and said plurality of feeding/discharging passages, each of said feeding/discharging passages being coupled to each of the divided water discharge ports; and

(3) a changeover unit for switching a flow passage of the washing water fed from the aqueduct, wherein the changeover unit has a rotary water dividing unit having a discharge port, the rotary water dividing unit is rotatably disposed at a position facing the divided water output unit and is rotated by the driving means, and the discharge port discharges the washing water guided from the aqueduct;

a cross section area of at least a first divided water discharge port of the plurality of divided water discharge ports and a passage cross section area of a first feeding/discharging passage communicating with the first divided water discharge port are larger than an opening area of the discharge port;

respectively,

the discharge port and the plurality of divided water discharge ports are formed so that, during rotation of the rotary water dividing unit, the discharge port sequentially faces the respective divided water discharge ports to feed the washing water discharged from the discharge port sequentially to the respective divided water discharge ports; and

the washing water pressurized by said washing water feeding means flows through the aqueduct, is discharged from the discharge port in the rotating rotary water dividing unit, is fed sequentially to each of said plurality of feeding/discharging passages, is guided to each of said washing means, and is sprayed from each of said washing means.

16. A washer according to claim 15,

wherein the opening of the first divided water discharge port has a rectangular or substantially elliptical shape circumferentially longer than a shape of the opening of the discharge port.

17. A washer according to claim 16,

wherein the first feeding/discharging passage is formed of a passage for changing the cross section area of the first divided water discharge port to a passage cross section area of a second feeding/discharging passage and a passage having a cross section area substantially identical to a passage cross section area of a second divided water discharge port.

18. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the rotary water dividing unit has the plurality of divided water discharge ports;

and

a circumferential direction length of the discharge port is substantially equal to or longer than a circular arc length between respective openings of adjacent divided water discharge ports.

19. A washer according to claim 4, wherein

the rotary water dividing unit has the plurality of divided water discharge ports;

and

a circumferential length of the discharge port is substantially equal to or longer than a sum of a circular arc length of the divided water discharge port lying at any position and a circular arc length between respective openings of adjacent divided water discharge ports.

20. A washer according to claim 3, wherein

said water dividing means comprises:

(1) an aqueduct for guiding the washing water pressurized by said washing water feeding means;

(2) a divided water output unit having a plurality of divided water discharge ports and said plurality of feeding/discharging passages, each of said feeding/discharging passages being coupled to each of the divided water discharge ports; and

(3) a changeover unit for switching a flow passage of the washing water fed from the aqueduct, wherein the changeover unit has a rotary water dividing unit having a plurality of discharge ports, the rotary water dividing unit is rotatably disposed at a position facing the divided water output unit and is rotated by the driving means, and the plurality of discharge ports discharge the washing water guided from the aqueduct;

the rotary water dividing unit and the divided water output unit are disposed so as to prevent all of the plurality of discharge ports from simultaneously communicating with the plurality of divided water discharge ports during an changeover operation of the changeover unit;

the discharge ports sequentially face the respective divided water discharge ports to feed the washing water discharged from the discharge ports sequentially to the respective divided water discharge ports when the rotary water dividing unit rotates; and

the washing water pressurized by said washing water feeding means flows through the aqueduct, is discharged from the discharge port in the rotating rotary water dividing unit, is fed sequentially to each of said plurality of feeding/discharging passages, is guided to each of said washing means, and is sprayed from each of said washing means.

21. A washer according to claim 20,

wherein an opening of at least one of the plurality of discharge ports has a rectangular or substantially elliptical shape circumferentially longer than shapes of the openings of the other discharge ports.

22. A washer according to claim 20,

wherein the plurality of discharge ports and the plurality of divided water discharge ports are formed in the rotary water dividing unit and the divided water output unit, respectively, so that the washing water is always discharged from one of said plurality of washing means.

23. A washer according to claim 20, wherein

an opening of at least a first divided water discharge port of the plurality of divided water discharge ports has a rectangular or substantially elliptical shape circumferentially longer than shapes of the openings of the other divided water discharge ports;

and

a first feeding/discharging passage communicating with the first divided water discharge port has a cross section area larger than cross section areas of the other feeding/discharging passages.

24. A washer according to claim 20,

wherein the divided water output unit has ones of the plurality of divided water discharge ports and passage varying means for varying passage cross sections of said feeding/discharging passages.

25. A washer according to claim 2 or claim 4,

wherein said controlling means controls an operating method so as to spray the washing water from any one of said plurality of washing means.

26. A washer according to claim 25, wherein

said water dividing means has rotational position detecting means;

and

said controlling means controls the operating method so as to spray the washing water from one of a substantially upper part and a substantially side part of said washing tub in closing of at least any rinsing process of a washing process.

27. A washer according to claim 25, wherein

said water dividing means has a function of controlling a feeding time of the washing water to each of said washing means;

and

said controlling means controls the operating method for spraying so that a spray time of each of said washing means is set to a predetermined time.

28. A washer according to claim 25,

wherein said controlling means controls the operating method so that a first spray time of each of said washing means in a primary washing process is longer than a second spray time of each of said washing means in a rinsing process.

29. A washer according to claim 25, wherein

said water dividing means feeds the washing water to a specific washing means of said plurality of washing means;

and

said controlling means controls the operating method so that the washing water is selectively sprayed to the object to be washed accommodated in a partial region of said rack.

30. A washer according to claim 25, wherein

said rack comprises a plurality of racks;

the object to be washed comprises a plurality of eating utensils having a substantially similar shape; and

the plurality of eating utensils are placed in the plurality of racks.

31. A washer according to claim 29,

wherein said controlling means controls an operating method in any washing process so that the washing water is sequentially sprayed from all of said plurality of washing means.

32. A washer according to claim 30,

wherein said controlling means controls an operating method in any washing process so that the washing water is sequentially sprayed from all of said plurality of washing means.

33. A washer according to claim 3 further comprising:

(g) function means,

wherein at least one of said feeding/discharging passages communicates with said function means other than said plurality of washing means.

34. A washer according to claim 4 further comprising:

(g) a draining passage for draining the washing water out of said washing tub,

wherein one of said plurality of feeding/discharging passages communicates with said draining passage.

35. A washer according to claim 33,

wherein said function means has foreign matter collecting means for collecting a foreign matter in the washing water.

36. A washer according to claim 2,

wherein at least one of said plurality of washing means sprays the washing water while turning.

37. A washer according to claim 2,

wherein said washing water feeding means is vertically disposed.

38. A washer according to claim 2 or claim 4 further comprising:

(i) blowing means for feeding air;

wherein said blowing means has a fan and an open/close valve;

the open/close valve has a function of switching between the washing water and the air; and

the air is sequentially fed from said plurality of washing means after switching of the open/close valve.

39. A washer according to claim 38, wherein

said washing water feeding means has a pump;

the pump has both a function of feeding the washing water and a function of feeding wind; and

the pump feeds the wind after switching of the open/close valve.

40. A washer according to claim 2 further comprising:

(h) water dividing means disposed between said washing water feeding means and said plurality of washing means;

wherein said water dividing means includes a rotary water dividing unit having a discharge port and a divided water output unit having a plurality of divided water discharge ports;

each of said plurality of washing means communicates with each of the divided water discharge ports;

the divided water output unit is engaged with the rotary water dividing unit so that the discharge port sequentially faces to and communicates with each of the divided water discharge ports when the rotary water dividing unit rotates; and

the washing water fed from said washing water feeding means is discharged from the discharge port in the rotating rotary water dividing unit, sequentially fed to each of the divided water discharge ports, guided to each of said washing means, and sprayed from each of said washing means.

41. A washer according to claim 4,

wherein the driving means controls the rotary water dividing unit so as to face an opening of the discharge port to openings of the divided water discharge ports in a process of feeding the washing water to said washing tub.

42. A washer according to claim 4,

wherein the driving means rotates the rotary water dividing unit in a process of feeding the washing water to said washing tub.

43. A washer according to claim 4,

wherein the driving means controls the rotary water dividing unit so as to face an opening of the discharge port to openings of the divided water discharge ports in a process of draining the washing water.

44. A washer according to claim 4,

wherein the driving means rotates the rotary water dividing unit in a process of draining the washing water.