Float-type clutch for automatic washing machine
First Claim
1. An automatic washing machine comprising:
- a hollow outer shaft vertically supported via bearing means on a stationary member to be rotated around a vertical axis thereof, the outer shaft having an upper end;
a rotatable tub for accommodating laundry therein, the rotatable tub having a central bottom coupled to the upper end of the outer shaft so as to be rotated by the outer shaft;
an inner shaft rotatably inserted in the outer shaft with bearing means interposed therebetween, the inner shaft having an upper end projecting from the upper end of the outer shaft;
an agitator coupled to the upper end of the inner shaft and disposed in the rotatable tub;
an electric motor disposed at a side of the stationary member for driving the inner shaft;
control means for controlling the motor;
(f) a first float chamber formed around a portion of the inner shaft projecting from the upper end of the outer shaft and communicating with the rotatable tub to be filled with water when the water is supplied to the rotatable tub in a wash step; and
a clutch float disposed in the first float chamber so as to be vertically movable along the inner shaft, the clutch float being movable relative to the rotatable tub, the clutch float being engaged with both of the outer and inner shafts to thereby couple the inner shaft to the outer shaft for transmission of rotation when assuming a first position where the clutch float is escaped from buoyancy, the clutch float being moved from the first position to a second position when subjected to buoyancy, thereby decoupling the inner shaft from the outer shaft.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic washing machine includes a clutch float having external gear teeth. The clutch float is located around a shaft which is driven by an electric motor and to which an agitator is secured. The clutch float couples the shaft to an inner rotatable tub when its external gear teeth are engaged with internal gear teeth at the inner tub side in a dehydration step. The clutch float moves upwardly in subjection to buoyancy when water is supplied into the inner tub in a wash step. The external gear teeth of the clutch float are disengaged from the internal gear teeth so that the shaft is decoupled from the inner tub. The washing machine further includes a rotation restricting float which moves upwardly in subjection to the buoyancy in the wash step to couple the inner tub to an outer stationary tub and which decouples the inner tub from the outer tub in the dehydration step. A device delivers a position signal indicative of the position of the clutch float which is vertically movable. Based on the position signal, a control device controls the drive motor. The drive motor is of an outer rotor type and a motor control circuit is disposed in its stator.
79 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An automatic washing machine comprising:
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a hollow outer shaft vertically supported via bearing means on a stationary member to be rotated around a vertical axis thereof, the outer shaft having an upper end; a rotatable tub for accommodating laundry therein, the rotatable tub having a central bottom coupled to the upper end of the outer shaft so as to be rotated by the outer shaft; an inner shaft rotatably inserted in the outer shaft with bearing means interposed therebetween, the inner shaft having an upper end projecting from the upper end of the outer shaft; an agitator coupled to the upper end of the inner shaft and disposed in the rotatable tub; an electric motor disposed at a side of the stationary member for driving the inner shaft; control means for controlling the motor; (f) a first float chamber formed around a portion of the inner shaft projecting from the upper end of the outer shaft and communicating with the rotatable tub to be filled with water when the water is supplied to the rotatable tub in a wash step; and a clutch float disposed in the first float chamber so as to be vertically movable along the inner shaft, the clutch float being movable relative to the rotatable tub, the clutch float being engaged with both of the outer and inner shafts to thereby couple the inner shaft to the outer shaft for transmission of rotation when assuming a first position where the clutch float is escaped from buoyancy, the clutch float being moved from the first position to a second position when subjected to buoyancy, thereby decoupling the inner shaft from the outer shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 23, 24, 25)
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9. An automatic washing machine comprising:
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a rotatable tub rotatably mounted and accommodating laundry therein; an agitator rotatably mounted in the rotatable tub for agitating the laundry; a shaft operatively associated with the agitator so that the agitator is driven; an electric motor driving the shaft; motor control means for controlling the motor; a second float chamber provided outside the rotatable tub and communicating with the interior of the rotatable tub so as to be filled with water when the water is supplied into the rotatable tub; and (g) a rotation restricting float disposed in the float chamber so as to be vertically movable in subjection to buoyancy, the rotation restricting float coupling the rotatable tub to a stationary member when moved in subjection to buoyancy to thereby assume a first position, thereby restricting free rotation of the rotatable tub, the rotation restricting float decoupling the rotatable tub from the stationary member when assuming a second position where the rotation restricting float is escaped from the buoyancy, thereby releasing the rotatable tub from a restricted state. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An automatic washing machine comprising:
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a rotatable tub rotatably mounted and accommodating laundry therein; an agitator rotatably mounted in the rotatable tub for agitating the laundry; a shaft operatively associated with the agitator so that the agitator is driven; an electric motor driving the shaft; motor control means for controlling the motor; a first float chamber formed around the shaft and communicating with an interior of the rotatable tub so as to be filled with water when the water is supplied into the rotatable tub; a clutch float disposed in the first float chamber so as to be vertically movable in subjection to buoyancy, the clutch float coupling the shaft to the rotatable tub when assuming a first position where the clutch float is escaped from the buoyancy, the clutch float moving from the first position to a second position when subjected to the buoyancy, thereby decoupling the shaft from the rotatable tub; a second float chamber provided outside the rotatable tub and communicating with the interior of the rotatable tub so as to be filled with water when the water is supplied into the rotatable tub; and a rotation restricting float disposed in the second float chamber so as to be vertically movable in subjection to buoyancy, the rotation restricting float coupling the rotatable tub to a stationary member when moved in subjection to buoyancy to thereby assume a third position, thereby restricting free rotation of the rotatable tub, the rotation restricting float decoupling the rotatable tub from the stationary member when assuming a fourth position where the rotation restricting float is escaped from the buoyancy, thereby releasing the rotatable tub from a restricted state.
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12. An automatic washing machine comprising:
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a stationary tub having a drain hole in a bottom thereof; a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the stationary tub for accommodating laundry therein, said rotatable tub having a bottom and an upper portion, the rotatable tub having a hole for drainage of water in the bottom thereof and dehydrating holes formed only in the upper portion thereof so that water therein is discharged through the dehydrating holes into the stationary tub by a centrifugal force due to high speed rotation thereof the rotatable tub; an agitator rotatably disposed in the rotatable tub for agitating the laundry; a shaft associated with the agitator to rotate the same; an electric motor driving the shaft; motor control means for controlling the motor; a water guide cover defining a water flow path between the hole formed in the bottom of the rotatable tub and the drain hole of the stationary tub; a first float chamber formed around the shaft and communicating with the water flow path defined by the water guide cover to be filled with water when the water is supplied to the rotatable tub in a wash step; and a clutch float disposed in the first float chamber so as to be vertically movable when subjected to buoyancy, the clutch float being movable relative to the rotatable tub, the clutch float coupling the shaft to the rotatable tub for transmission of rotation when assuming a first position where the clutch float is escaped from buoyancy, the clutch float being moved from the first position to a second position when subjected to the buoyancy, thereby decoupling the shaft from the rotatable tub.
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13. An automatic washing machine comprising:
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a rotatable tub rotatably mounted for accommodating laundry therein; an agitator rotatably disposed in the rotatable tub for agitating the laundry; a shaft associated with the agitator to rotate the latter; an electric motor driving the shaft; motor control means for controlling the motor; a first float chamber formed around the shaft and communicating with the interior of the rotatable tub to be filled with water when the water is supplied to the rotatable tub in a wash step; a clutch float disposed in the first float chamber so as to be vertically movable when subjected to buoyancy, the clutch float coupling the shaft to the rotatable tub for transmission of rotation when assuming a first position where the clutch float is escaped from buoyancy, the clutch float being moved from the first position to a second position when subjected to the buoyancy, thereby decoupling the shaft from the rotatable tub; and position determining means for determining as to which of the first or second position the clutch float assumes, thereby generating a position signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification