Washing machine for auto-added washing agent by negative pressure and controlling method thereof

• US 9,340,918 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier Group Corporation (Haier Group Company), Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co., Ltd. (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier Group Corporation (Haier Group Company), Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co., Ltd. (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Lv, Peishi, Xu, Sheng, Yang, Lin, Li, Wenwei, Yang, Xuguang, Gao, Qiuying
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELL, SPENCER E
• Application Number:
  US13/512,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20120240344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4427 entrained in the water supply line by a pressure drop, e.g. resulting from a Venturi throat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4463 Multi-dose dispensing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/449 Metering controlling devices A47L15/4229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A washing machine for automatically adding the detergent by negative pressure comprises a water inlet, a detergent container and a tub. A main inflow waterway and a rinse waterway are provided between the water inlet and the tub. A dosing container which communicates with the detergent container is provided between the rinse waterway and the tub. A venturi tube is provided in the main inflow waterway. Due to venturi effect, the main inflow water stream becomes narrower and the water inflowing velocity is accelerated, so that a relative vacuum area which communicates with the dosing container is formed at the rear side of the venturi tube outlet, negative pressure is generated in the dosing container, and the detergent in the detergent container.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a water inlet, a detergent container and a tub,

wherein, two water inflowing water passages which are respectively a main inflow waterway and a rinse waterway are set between the water inlet and the tub,

a dosing container which communicates with the detergent container is arranged between the rinse waterway and the tub,

a venturi tube by which a negative pressure is generated during passage of a water stream is arranged in the main inflow waterway,

a branch pipe which communicates with the dosing container is arranged at the rear side of the outlet of the venturi tube, and

the detergent in the detergent container is pumped into the dosing container by the negative pressure generated during feeding water from the main inflow waterway into the tub, and then is diluted and supplied into the tub by the inflowing water from the rinse waterway to the dosing container, wherein,

a main inlet valve is arranged between the main inflow waterway and the water inlet,

a rinse water valve is arranged between the rinse waterway and the water inlet,

a wash control valve is set between the rinse water valve and the dosing container,

a sealing control valve for sealing a connection is arranged at the connection between the dosing container and the branch pipe, and

a water intake control valve is arranged between the dosing container and the tub.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

a one-way valve configuration is set between the rinse water valve, and the wash control valve.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

the detergent container is at least one in quantity, and each detergent container is filled with liquid detergent, liquid softener, liquid disinfectant, or other liquid for washing,

passages with the same quantity as that of the detergent container are arranged between the rinse water valve and the dosing container, and between the detergent container and the dosing container,

the wash control valve is set on each passage, and

the wash control valve simultaneously controls a communication among the passages and a seal between the corresponding dosing container and the detergent container, and simultaneously controls a closure of the passages and a communication between the corresponding dosing container and the detergent container.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein,

the wash control valve comprises an electromagnet generating drive and magnetic ball valves encapsulated with rubber,

after the electromagnet is electrified, the magnetic ball valves are absorbed to close the passage between the rinse water valve and the dosing container and open the passage between the dosing container and the detergent container, or

after the electromagnet is powered off, the inflow water from the rinse waterway impacts the magnetic ball valves, so that the passage between the rinse water valve and the dosing container is opened and the passage between the dosing container and the detergent container is closed, and

the sealing control valve and the water intake control valve are a buoyancy ball valve or a solenoid valve.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

the dosing container communicates with the detergent containers containing different types of detergents respectively,

a detergent control valve is set at a connection between the detergent container and the dosing container, and

the wash control valve between the rinse water valve and the dosing container is set at the connection of the dosing container.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein,

the wash control valve and the detergent control valve are both solenoid valves,

the sealing control valve and the water intake control valve are buoyancy ball valves or solenoid valves.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

the detergent container is a detergent box fixed on the washing machine or a detergent container set on the outside of the washing machine, and

the detergent container hermetically communicates with the dosing container.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein, inflow water from the main inflow waterway and the rinse waterway flows into the tub via the same water inlet box.

9. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

two probes for detecting whether there is detergent are arranged in the detergent container, among which, one is located at a side of a lower portion of the detergent container and inward inserted from the side, the other is located at a side of a lower portion of the container and inserted inward from the side, or located at an upper side of an upper portion of the container and inserted from the upper to the lower, and

the two probes do not touch each other at their upper or lower portions.

10. A method for automatically adding a detergent in the washing machine in claim 1 by negative pressure, in which water is supplied into the tub through the main inflow waterway and the detergent is supplied into the tub through the rinse waterway, wherein,

the detergent in the detergent container is pumped into the dosing container by a negative pressure generated by the water stream of the main inflow waterway during the supply of water in the main inflow waterway, and

then the detergent is diluted and supplied into the tub by inflow water from the rinse waterway into the dosing container, to automatically add the desired quantity of detergent by one or more times of repeated feeding.

11. The method for automatically adding the detergent by negative pressure according to claim 10, wherein,

the amount of the detergent to be added is calculated according to a quantity of clothes in the tub, texture, dirtiness, inflow water temperature, and/or water quality, and the number of times of extraction of the detergent into the dosing container by the negative pressure of the water stream is calculated.

12. The method for automatically adding the detergent by negative pressure according to claim 10, wherein,

the venturi tube is arranged in the main inflow waterway,

the water stream becomes narrower and the inflow velocity is accelerated by utilizing the venturi effect, so that a relative vacuum area which communicates with the dosing container is formed at the rear side of the outlet of the venturi tube, and

the detergent in the detergent container which communicates with the dosing container is pumped into the dosing container by a negative pressure generated in the dosing container.

13. The method for automatically adding the detergent by negative pressure according to claim 10, wherein,

before water is supplied from the main inflow waterway, the dosing container is separated from the rinse waterway and the tub, and the dosing container communicates with the main inflow waterway and the detergent container,

after the detergent is pumped into the dosing container at a set rate by the negative pressure during water supply in the main inflow waterway, the dosing container is separated from the main inflow waterway, and

water begins to be supplied from the rinse waterway, a passage between the dosing container and the rinse waterway and the tub is opened, and a passage between the dosing container and the detergent container is closed, so that the detergent is diluted and rushed into the tub.

14. The method for automatically adding the detergent by negative pressure according to claim 13, wherein,

a common control valve is commonly used for controlling between the dosing container and the rinse waterway, between the dosing container and the detergent container,

the dosing container communicates with the detergent container when the dosing container is separated from the rinse waterway, and

otherwise, the dosing container is separated from the detergent container when the dosing container communicates with the rinse waterway.

15. The method for automatically adding the detergent by negative pressure according to claim 14, wherein,

after the total amount of the detergent meets the pre-set volume for washing by repeatedly pumping the detergent into the dosing container by the negative pressure, as well as by diluting and rushing the detergent into the tub through the rinse waterway, water from the rinse waterway and the main inflow waterway is simultaneously supplied until the washing water in the tub reaches a pre-set water level, and

inflowing water is then stopped.

16. A control method for the washing machine in claim 1, wherein,

the amount of the detergent to be added is automatically calculated by the washing machine according to a quantity of clothes in the tub, texture, dirtiness, inflow water temperature, and/or water quality, as well as the selected wash procedures and the types of the detergent, after the washing machine is powered on,

the times of extraction of the detergent are derived according to the volume of the dosing container,

the detergent is automatically pumped into the dosing container by the negative pressure generated by the inflow water flowing in the venturi tube during the supply of water from the main inflow waterway,

the detergent is diluted and supplied into the tub by inflow water from the rinse waterway to the dosing container, and

the action for automatically adding the detergent on a quantitative basis is realized by one or more repeated dosings.

17. The control method according to claim 16, wherein,

time to fully fill the dosing container with the detergent is mainly determined by the flow of the inflow water in the main inflow waterway and the volume of the dosing container,

time for an inflow water reaching the set water level is calculated according to the flow of the inflow water in the main inflow waterway,

the maximum times of automatically adding the detergent are derived for each course of water inflow, and

if the time for inflow water in the main inflow waterway cannot meet the time for adding the required detergent, the user is reminded to manually add detergent, select common or concentrated detergent according to types of the detergent, or select repeated wash.

18. The control method according to claim 16, wherein,

when the detergent is required to be added each time, water is at first supplied from the main inflow waterway,

the dosing container is automatically separated from the main inflow waterway after the detergent is pumped into and fully fills the dosing container by negative pressure;

and

after the dosing container is fully filled, the main inflow waterway is closed, and water inflow from the rinse waterway takes place, the passage between the dosing container and the rinse waterway and the tub is opened, at the same time, the passage between the dosing container and the detergent container is closed, so that the detergent is diluted and supplied into the tub.

19. The control method according to claim 18, wherein,

the main inflow waterway and the rinse waterway are closed, and the dosing container is emptied, after the detergent in the dosing container is diluted and supplied into the tub each time, and

time for emptying is determined according to the volume of the dosing container.

20. The control method according to claim 19, wherein,

water is supplied by both the main inflow waterway and the rinse waterway, when water inflow on the condition of without the detergent addition or after the detergent has already been completed.

21. The control method according to claim 20, wherein, the specific steps for automatically adding the detergent in the wash course are the following:

First step, detecting clothes, and judging the number of times for adding the detergent;

Second step, starting to inflood water from the main inflow waterway;

Third step, pumping the detergent into the dosing container;

Fourth step, closing the main inflow waterway and opening the rinse waterway, diluting and rushing the detergent into the tub;

Fifth step, closing the rinse waterway, and emptying the dosing container;

Sixth step, judging whether it is required to add the detergent once again, if yes, turning to the second step, or otherwise, going to the next step;

Seventh step, judging whether the preset water level is reached, if yes, going to the ninth step, or otherwise, going to the next step;

Eighth step, inflooding water from both the main inflow waterway and the rinse waterway until the preset water level is reached;

Ninth step, closing the main inflow waterway and the rinse waterway, and executing wash; and

Tenth step, judging whether repeated wash is required at the end of the wash, if yes, turning to the second step, or otherwise, going to rinse after wash finishes.

22. The control method according to claim 20, wherein, the specific steps for automatically adding softener in the rinse course are the following:

First step, starting rinse;

Second step, judging whether to add softener, if yes, going to the next step, or otherwise, going to the eighth step;

Third step, starting to inflood water from the main inflow waterway, and pumping the softener into the dosing container;

Fourth step, closing the main inflow waterway and opening the rinse waterway, diluting and rushing the softener into the tub;

Fifth step, closing the rinse waterway and emptying the dosing container;

Sixth step, judging whether it is required to add the softener once again, if yes, turning to the third step, or otherwise, going to the next step;

Seventh step, judging whether the preset water level is reached, if yes, turning to the ninth step, or otherwise, going to the next step;

Eighth step, inflooding water from both the main flow waterway and the rinse waterway until the preset water level is reached;

Ninth step, closing the main flow waterway and the rinse waterway, and executing rinse; and

Tenth step, finishing the rinse, and executing rushing for the dosing container before water is drained.