Washing machine system and washing method

• US 9,689,104 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jong Min, Kim, Young Ho, Chang, Jae Won, Kim, Jae Hyun, Lee, Sang Hoon, Kim, Chang Oh
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US14/052,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20140041418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 68 17 R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence

Abstract

A system including an enclosure of a washing machine, a drum within the enclosure, a mixing unit, within the enclosure but separate from the drum and in fluid communication with the drum, a water supply unit coupled to the mixing unit, a reservoir having a conduit fluidly coupled to the mixing unit, and a container connecting assembly configured to fix a spout of a container to the reservoir. An apparatus including a reservoir, external to a washing machine, to receive a liquid wash aid, a container connecting assembly coupled to the reservoir and configured to fix a spout of a container containing liquid wash aid to the reservoir, a flexible conduit to pass liquid wash aid from the reservoir to the washing machine, and a wash aid control unit connected to the flexible conduit and adapted to meter a flow of liquid wash aid from the reservoir to the washing machine.

Claims

1. A system, comprising;

an enclosure;

a drum housed within the enclosure;

a supply module provided on a top surface of the enclosure and receiving a container, containing a liquid wash aid, on a top surface thereof;

a reservoir coupled to an underside of the supply module to receive the liquid wash aid;

a container connecting assembly provided on the top surface of the supply module to fix a spout of the container to the reservoir;

a flexible conduit to pass the liquid wash aid from the reservoir to the enclosure;

a wash aid control unit provided in the supply module and connected to the flexible conduit to control a flow of the liquid wash aid from the reservoir to the enclosure;

a concentration selection unit to select a concentration of the liquid wash aid; and

an interface disposed on a rear of the enclosure,

wherein the container connecting assembly depresses a mechanically operated valve of the wash aid container such that the liquid wash aid in the wash aid container is supplied to the reservoir,

wherein the wash aid control unit controls an amount of liquid wash aid supplied from the reservoir to the enclosure according to the concentration selected by the concentration selection unit, and

wherein the flexible conduit extends out from the rear of the supply module, and wherein the interface connects or disconnects to the flexible conduit or from the enclosure.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mixing unit, housed within the enclosure, separate from the drum, and in fluid communication with the drum; and

a water supply unit coupled to the mixing unit,

wherein the flexible conduit is connected to the mixing unit.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a hinge assembly configured to couple the supply module to the enclosure so that the supply module can be tilted with respect to the top surface of the enclosure; and

a support unit rotatably coupled to an underside of the supply module and configured to support the supply module in the tilted state.