Washing machine with a bubble generator

• US 5,295,373 A
• Filed: 04/27/1993
• Issued: 03/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation (Dayou Holdings Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Daewoo Electronics (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Han, Jang-Sub, Min, Seung-Ki, Lim, Moo-Seang, Se, Soon-Chur, You, Hae-Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/053,014
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 68/183, 68/207, 68/134, 68/12.02, 68/12.05, 68/133, 134/102.1, 134/102.2, 134/184, 8/158, 8/159
• US Class Current: 68/12.05
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 17/06 by rotary impellers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 17/12 solely by gases, e.g. air or steam, introduced into the washing liquid

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a washing machine which comprises a bubble generator operable to supply a predetermined amount of air bubbles into the washer tub in a batchwise manner at such a time interval as to allow said amount of air bubbles supplied in a preceding batch to be substantially collapsed before a next supply of said air bubbles commences.

Claims

1. A washing machine which comprises:

a washer tub capable of containing a level of washing fluid;

a pulsator rotatably mounted on the bottom of said washer tub for creating a vortex flow within said washer tub;

means for causing said pulsator to rotate in a foward or reverse direction; and

means for supplying a predetermined amount of air bubbles into said washer tub in a batchwise manner at such a time interval as to allow said amount of air bubbles supplied in a given batch to be substantially collapsed before a next supply of said air bubbles commences, wherein said bubble supply means includes an air pump for producing a volume of pressurized air, a bubble generator associated with said air pump for converting the pressurized air into Said air bubbles, and means for controlling the operation of said air pump so that no air bubbles may be supplied until said amount of air bubbles supplied in a preceding batch is substantially collapsed.

2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:

means for generating a series of signals including a level signal indicative of the level of the washing fluid contained in the washer tub and a load signal indicative of the weight of the laundry articles contained in the washer tub;

microprocessor means responsive to the level and the load signals for selecting a predetermined amount of air bubbles and alternately generating an injection control signal for an injection time period wherein said predetermined amount of air bubbles is supplied into the washer tub and a collapsing control signal for a collapsing time period wherein said predetermined amount of air bubbles supplied into the washer tub is substantially collapsed; and

air pump drive means responsive to the injection control signal for energizing the air pump and responsive to the collapsing control signal for deenergizing the airpump.

3. A washing machine of claim 2, wherein said predetermined amount of air bubbles, y*, is determined by the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">y*=β

-α

x

wherein α

is a coefficient of bubble supply, β

is a reference bubble quantity with respect to a given volume of the washing fluid, and x is the weight of the laundry articles.

7. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein said bubble generator includes a casing having an inlet and an outlet ports, a porous member housed within said casing to provide an interface between the pressurized air and the washing fluid, a bubble orientation plate mounted on the outlet port of said casing, said plate having a plurality o±

bubble communication holes, and a flap valve for closing off said bubble communication holes when the bubble generator does not emit said air bubbles.

8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein said pulsator is provided with a plurality of axial through-holes pierced through the thickness of said pulsator and a plurality of radial grooves formed on the peripheral underside of said pulsator, and wherein said washer tub has on its side wall a bubble impinging surface for directing said air bubbles radially upward within said washer tub.

4. A washing machine of claim wherein said coefficient of bubble supply, α

, ranges from 0.55 to 0.68 and said reference bubble quantity, β

, is equal to one tenth of the volume of the washing fluid.

5. A washing machine of claim 4, wherein said collapsing time period is equal to or greater than the injection time period.

6. A washing machine of claim 4, wherein said generating means includes a switch station for generating the level signal and a load sensor for detecting the weight of the laundry articles to generate the load signal.