Quiet water fill system

• US 5,878,603 A
• Filed: 03/19/1998
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Steenburgh, Dennis, Warren, Richard Edwin Jr., Heeden, Robert Arvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/044,059
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 134/57 D, 134/56 D, 134/58 D, 134/182, 134/186, 134/155, 134/201, 68/207, 68/208, 68/13 R, 68/205 R, 137/216.1, 137/247.41
• US Class Current: 68/207
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/08 Liquid supply or discharge arrangements supply of soap or other washing agents D06F39/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3222 With liquid seal in liquid flow line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4576 U-seals

Abstract

A quiet fill water system for a washing machine comprises a washing tub having an outer wall and an entry port disposed within the outer wall and a valve having a water inlet and a water outlet. A water reservoir is coupled to the outer wall, the water reservoir having a tube entry port, a cup-shaped bottom portion and a water outlet wherein the water outlet is mated with the outer wall entry port so as to provide fluid communication between the water reservoir and the washing tub. A capillary tube having a first end, a second end and a tip portion is disposed such that the first end is coupled to the water outlet of the valve and the second end is positioned within the tube entry port so that the tip portion is disposed within the cup-portion of the water reservoir at a lower position relative to the water outlet such that a quiescent reservoir of water is formed during a fill period so as to decrease the level of noise of the fill period.

Claims

1. A quiet fill water system for a washing machine comprising:

a washing tub having an outer wall and an entry port disposed within said outer wall;

a valve having a water inlet and a water outlet;

a water reservoir coupled to said outer wall, said water reservoir having a tube entry port, a cup-shaped bottom portion and a water flow port wherein said water flow port is mated with said outer wall entry port so as to provide fluid communication between said water reservoir and said washing tub; and

a capillary tube having a first end, a second end and a tip portion wherein said first end is coupled to said water outlet of said valve and said second end is positioned within said tube entry port so that said tip portion is disposed within said cup-portion of said water reservoir at a lower position relative to said water flow port such that a quiescent reservoir of water is formed during a fill period so as to decrease the level of noise of said fill period.

2. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said washing machine is a dishwasher.

3. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said washing machine is a clothes washing machine.

4. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said capillary tube has a diameter in the range between about 0.075 in. to about 0.170 in.

5. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said capillary tube has a length in the range between about 6 inches to about 24 inches.

6. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said water reservoir further comprises a contoured lip that extends from said water outlet into said washing tub so as to transition water flow therein.

7. A conventional washing machine having a washing tub having an outer wall and an entry port disposed within said outer wall, a valve having a water inlet and a water outlet and a fill hose connected at a first end to said water outlet of said valve and at a second end to said entry port of said outer wall;

the improvement comprising;

a water reservoir coupled to said outer wall, said water reservoir having a tube entry port, a cup-shaped bottom portion and a water flow port wherein said water flow port is mated with said outer wall entry port so as to provide fluid communication between said water reservoir and said washing tub; and

a capillary tube having a first end, a second end and a tip portion wherein said first end is coupled to said water outlet of said valve and said second end is positioned within said tube entry port so that said tip portion is disposed within said cup-portion of said water reservoir at a lower position relative to said water flow port such that a quiescent reservoir of water is formed during a fill period so as to decrease the level of noise of said fill period.

8. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said washing machine is a dishwasher.

9. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said washing machine is a clothes washing machine.

10. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said capillary tube has a diameter in the range between about 0.075 inches to about 0.170 inches.

11. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said capillary tube has a length in the range between about 6 inches to about 24 inches.

12. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said water reservoir further comprises a contoured lip that extends from said water outlet into said washing tub so as to transition water flow therein.

13. A quiet fill water system for a washing machine comprising:

a washing tub having an outer wall and an entry port disposed within said outer wall;

a valve having a water inlet and a water outlet;

a fill funnel coupled to said outer wall, said fill funnel having a straight tube portion, a curved bottom portion and a mounting nipple wherein said curved bottom portion is mated with said outer wall entry port so as to provide fluid communication between said fill funnel and said washing tub; and

a capillary tube having a first attachment socket, a second attachment socket and an interconnecting reduced diameter tubing wherein said first attachment socket is coupled to said water outlet of said valve and said second attachment socket is coupled to said mounting nipple of said fill funnel such that the sides of said second attachment socket pinch-in about said nipple creating a flow restriction that causes a quiescent reservoir of water to form within said second attachment socket during a fill period so as to decrease the level of noise of said fill period.

14. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the diameter of said attachment socket at an open-end is in the range between about 0.3125 inches to about 0.65 inches.

15. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the length of said attachment socket is in the range between about three inches to about 4 inches.

16. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the diameter of said reduced diameter tubing is in the range between about 0.075 inches to about 0.170 inches.

17. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the length of said reduced diameter tubing is in the range between about 6 inches to about 18 inches.

18. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the outside diameter of said mounting nipple is substantially equally sized with said inside diameter of said attachment socket.

19. A quiet fill water system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the outside diameter of said mounting nipple is in the range between about 0.03125 inches to about 0.065 inches larger than the inside diameter of said attachment socket.