Detergent supply apparatus of washing machine

• US 7,481,082 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Jung Hoon, Kim, Jong Min, No, Yang Hwan, Cho, Han Ki, Kang, Dong Hoon, Jang, Ho Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin; Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US11/104,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20050241347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 134/93, 134/99.2, 134/100.1, 134/200, 68/17.R, 682/07
• US Class Current: 68/17.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine, which installs a liquid detergent container in a powdered detergent chamber of a detergent container. The liquid detergent container makes it possible to mix and supply liquid detergent and water, which allows liquid detergent to be conveniently placed in, moreover, decoloration and discoloration of laundry to be prevented.

Claims

1. A washing machine, comprising:

a cabinet;

a tub installed in the cabinet;

a drum rotatably set in the tub;

a housing installed in the cabinet;

a detergent box including a powdered detergent container, said detergent box inserted into the housing;

a controllable water supply; and

a dispenser having a water supply passage connected to the controllable water supply and having water supply holes configured to supply water into the detergent box, said dispenser covering a top surface of the housing,

wherein at least one liquid detergent box is detachably provided in the powdered detergent container,

wherein detergent box is configured to be slidably inserted from a front face of the washing machine to a position in the housing under the water supply holes of the dispenser, and

wherein a plurality of side protrusions are formed at an upper portion of at least one side wall of the liquid detergent box such that an opening, through which water overflowed from the liquid detergent box passes downward, is formed between the side wall of the liquid detergent box and a side wall of the detergent box.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the powdered detergent container is partitioned into a main detergent container and a preliminary detergent container, the main and preliminary detergent containers arranged side-by-side in a direction orthogonal to the detergent box insertion direction, wherein the at least one liquid detergent box includes a first liquid detergent box detachably provided in the main detergent container, and a second liquid detergent box detachably provided in the preliminary detergent container, the second liquid detergent box being smaller than the first liquid detergent box.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a first and second internal liquid detergent siphon tube projected within the first and second liquid detergent boxes, respectively; and

a first and second liquid detergent siphon cover connected to the first and second internal liquid detergent siphon tubes, respectively, and provided over the respective first and second liquid detergent boxes.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the first and second liquid detergent siphon covers comprises:

a corresponding external liquid detergent siphon tube aligned with the corresponding internal liquid detergent siphon tube,

a corresponding display part configured to display an input quantity of liquid detergent, and

a corresponding straight part configured to restrict a rotation of the corresponding liquid detergent siphon cover.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein an upper end of each of the first and second liquid detergent boxes is set lower than an upper end of the powdered detergent container.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a bottom of each of the first and second liquid detergent boxes is inclined downward at a predetermined angle toward the corresponding internal liquid detergent siphon tube.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the first and second liquid detergent boxes further comprises:

a corresponding bottom projection separating a bottom of the powdered detergent container and a bottom of the corresponding liquid detergent box.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, each bottom projection comprising:

a tip confronting the bottom of the powdered detergent container tilted at a predetermined angle.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second liquid detergent boxes further comprises:

a lateral side projection separating a sidewall of the powdered detergent container and a lateral side of the liquid detergent box.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a bleach container behind the powdered detergent container in the apparatus insertion direction, the bleach container configured to leave a gap from a bottom of the powdered detergent container, the bleach container configured to operate in conjunction with the controllable water supply to supply a bleach and water, the controllable water supply being a multi-chamber water supply, the bleach container configured to be positioned under a bleach portion of the multi-chamber water supply when the apparatus is installed in the washing machine.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a bleach siphon tube provided within the bleach container;

a first hook provided on an outside portion of the bleach container; and

a bleach siphon cover having an external bleach siphon tube aligned with the bleach siphon tube and a first hook hole confronting the first hook provided over the bleach container.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a first supply hole provided in the bleach siphon cover and configured to allow the bleach and/or water to pass through.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a softening agent container behind the powdered detergent container in the apparatus insertion direction, the bleach container configured to leave a predetermined gap from a bottom of the powdered detergent container, the softening agent container configured to operate in conjunction with the controllable water supply to supply a softening agent and water, the softening agent container configured to be positioned under a softening agent portion of the multi-chamber water supply when the apparatus is installed in the washing machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a softening agent siphon tube provided within the softening agent container;

a second hook provided on an outside portion of the softening agent container; and

a softening agent siphon cover provided over the softening agent container and having an external softening agent siphon tube aligned with the softening agent siphon tube and a second hook hole confronting the second hook.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a second supply hole provided in the softening agent siphon cover and configured to allow the softening agent and/or water to pass through.