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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to detergent supply apparatus.
More, specifically, the invention relates to a detergent supply apparatus
in which powdery detergent is stored. The detergent supply apparatus is
attached to a washing machine, and dispenses a proper amount of the
detergent into the washing machine.
2. Description of the prior art
Detergent supply apparatus for supplying powdery detergent to a washing
machine have been developed. However, a desirable detergent supply
apparatus has not been available previously.
An example of a detergent supply apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent
Application No. 50-152340 (Patent Publication No. 54-43827) filed Dec. 20,
1975, and entitled DETERGENT SUPPLY DEVICE CAPABLE OF SUPPLYING FIXED
AMOUNT FOR WASHING MACHINE. This prior art shows a detergent supply device
having a hopper compartment in which powdery detergent is stored. The
detergent supply device also includes a storage compartment in which the
detergent from the hopper compartment is stored temporarily. The storage
compartment receives a fixed amount of the detergent from the hopper
compartment, and then discharges all the detergent therein into the
washing machine in response to activation of the machine by a user. This
device may dispense a fixed amount of the powdery detergent into the
washing machine. However, since the powdery detergent in the hopper and
storage compartments is exposed to moisture and water vapor within the
washing machine, the powdery detergent is apt to cake during storage.
The above-described detergent supply device has no effective solution to
solve the problem described above.
Another example of a detergent supply apparatus is disclosed in Japanese
Patent Application No. 39-23280 (Patent Publication No. 42-18769) filed
Apr. 23, 1964, and entitled AUTOMATIC DETERGENT DISPENSER. In this prior
art, a screw member is used to act as a detergent convey mechanism. The
screw member is rotated by an impeller. The impeller is driven by the
water which is fed to the washing machine. Therefore, a proper amount of
detergent corresponding to the amount of water fed to the washing machine
may be supplied to the washing machine.
According to this prior art, the powdery detergent is agitated, and then is
broken down by the screw member during the conveyance by the screw member.
Thus, the detergent dispenser described above may supply the washing
machine with the powdery detergent more smoothly as compared with the
prior art previously described.
In this prior art, however, since there is a great possibility that a fair
amount of the detergent may adhere on the surface of the screw member, the
detergent dispenser also may not achieve a desirable result. Furthermore,
it is not easy to remove the detergent adhered on the surface of the screw
member because of the complicated configuration of the screw member.
Therefore, this result causes the detergent to further accumulate on the
surface of the screw member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to smoothly supply a powder
detergent from a detergent supply apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to easily remove the
detergent adhered on the inside of a detergent supply apparatus.
To accomplish the above objects, a detergent supply apparatus includes a
storage compartment for storing a powdery detergent, and a conveying
device driven by a driving device for conveying the detergent stored in
the storage compartment. The conveying device includes a coiled member
having a hollow inner portion where the detergent from the storage
compartment is temporarily stored, and an open end from which the
detergent is discharged.
The detergent supply appartus may include a stirring device positioned in
the storage compartment for stirring the detergent in the storage
compartment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is best understood with reference to accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a washing machine using one
embodiment of a detergent supply apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the
line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the
line III--III of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the detergent supply apparatus
shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows along the
line V--V of FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views of another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in
more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a
perspective view of a washing machine using the detergent supply apparatus
of one embodiment of the present invention. A washing machine 11 is
composed of an outer casing 13 and an upper cover 15 mounted on outer
casing 13. An operation panel 17 on which several kinds of operation keys
are provided is located on the front-most part of upper cover 15. An
access opening 20 is provided at the middle part of upper cover 15. The
rear-most portion of a lid 19 is hinged to access opening edges 20a and
20b to open and close access opening 20 of upper cover 15. Lid 19 alows a
user easy access to the inside of washing machine 11 through access
opening 20. A raised portion 21 is integrally formed at the rear-most part
of upper cover 15. A water level set knob 23 is rotatably provided at the
right side of raised portion 21 of upper cover 15.
A setting opening 25 is formed at the left side of raised portion 21 of
upper cover 15. A detergent supply apparatus 27 is positioned in setting
opening 25. Detergent supply apparatus 27 includes a storage body 29 and a
lid 31.
As can be seen in FIG. 2, opposite ends of a V-shaped supporting member 33
are connected to corresponding edges of raised portion 21 which defines
setting opening 25. Both side ends of V-shaped supporting member 33 open
along the elongated direction of raised portion 21.
The construction of detergent supply apparatus 27 will be described in more
detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
A hopper 35 is formed inside storage body 29. Each upper edge of side walls
35a, 35b, 35c and 35d of hopper 35 is integrally connected to a
corresponding side wall of storage body 29. Side walls 35a, 35b, 35c and
35d of hopper 35 are slanted inwardly, and extend downwardly toward the
bottom portion of hopper 35. In particular, side walls 35a and 35b
opposite to one another are formed to be fitted to corresponding walls of
V-shaped supporting member 33 when detergent supply apparatus 27 is
mounted on supporting member 33 through setting opening 25 of raised
portion 21.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, a feeding duct 37 is integrally formed at the
bottom portion of hopper 35 along the elongated direction of storage body
29. Feeding duct 37 includes open ends 37a and 37b, and the middle portion
thereof is communicated with hopper 35. Therefore, the powdery detergent
stored in storage body 29 may be disharged from one open end 37a of feding
duct 37 through hopper 35.
In FIG. 3, a left pawl member 39 projects outward from the bottom edge of
the left side wall of storage body 29. The bottom edge of the right side
wall of storage body right side wall to form an elastic operation konb 41.
A right pawl member 43 projects outward from the middle portion of
operation knob 41. When detergent supply apparatus 27 is set into V-shaped
supporting member 33 through setting opening 25 of raised portion 21, left
pawl member 30 is engaged with the left side aperture edge 21a of raised
portion 21, and right pawl member 43 is then engaged with the right side
aperture edge 21b of raised portion 21 for firmly fixing detergent supply
apparatus 27 to washing machine 11.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, a coiled member 45 is rotatably arranged in
feeding duct 37 along the extending direction of feeding duct 37 to act as
conveying means. A hollow body 45a is established by coiled memmber 45,
and thus, extends to both the ends of coiled member 45. Coiled member 45
has a predetermined pitch greater than the diameter of the wire of coiled
member 45. Coiled member 45, thereby, allows the detergent fed from hopper
35 to enter into hollow body 45a thereof through the interval pitch
described above.
One end of coiled member 45 extends to open end 37a of feeding duct 37. The
other end of coiled member 45 extends to the other open end 37b of feeding
duct 37, whereupon the other end of coiled member 45 is firmly connected
to one end 47a of a connecting shaft 47.
The other end 47b of connecting shaft 47 is firmly fixed to the body 49a of
a coupling member 49. A pair of U-shaped members 49b are integrally formed
to the body 49a of coupling member 49, as shown in FIG. 3.
A driving device 53 is attached to the left side inner wall 21c of raised
portion 21.
The U-shaped member pair 49b of coupling member 499 is operably engaged
with a coupling bar 51 perpendicularly fixed to driving shaft 53a of
driving device 53 when detergent supply apparatus 27 is mounted on
V-shaped supporting member 33 of raised portion 21.
In FIGS. 2 and 3, a stirring device 55 is rotatably arranged in storage
body 29 of detergent supply apparatus 27. Stirring device 55 includes a
disc plate 55a, a plurality of gear members 55b projecting from plate 55a
and two pairs of curved stirring blades 55c and 55d.
Gear members 55b radially project at regular intervals from disc plate 55a.
Each gear member 55b is formed such that it becomes gradually smaller in
width from disc plate 55a toward the projecting top 55e thereof. A pair of
opposing curved stirring blades 55c perpendicularly project from the one
surface of disc plate 55a. The other pair of opposing curved stirring
blades 55d also perpendicularly project from the other surface of disc
plate 55a, as shown in FIG. 2.
A pair of apertures 56 are formed in disc plate 55a, and are symmetrically
arranged with respect to the center of disc plate 55a. Those apertures 56
allow gear members 55b to be shaped accurately by a molding process.
A rotation axle 57 penetrates the center of disc plate 55a, and both ends
thereof are rotatably supported between opposite walls of storage body 29.
Under the construction described above, each gear member 55b has a proper
projecting length to engage, in sequence, with the wire of coiled member
45 when coiled member 45 is rotated by driving device 53 through coupling
member 49. Therefore, stirring device 55 is rotated when coiled member 45
rotates.
A lid 31 is hinged at the open end of storage body 29 of detergent supply
apparatus 27 to open and close the open end of storage body 29.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, a detergent receiving channel 61 is provided
under one open end 37a of feeding duct 37. Detergent receiving channel 61
receives the detergent discharged from open end 37a by coiled member 45.
As shown in FIG. 5, a water supply valve 63 is provided on one end 61a of
detergent receiving channel 61. A water supply opening 65 also is provided
on the other end 61b of detergent receiving channel 61. Detergent
receiving channel 61 declines from one end 61a where water supply valve 63
is provided toward the other end 61b where water supply opening 65 is
formed. Water from water supply valve 63 flows along detergent receiving
channel 61 to water supply opening 65. The water is discharged through
water supply opening 65 into a washing tub 67 which is rotatably provided
in washing machine 11. Therefore, the detergent on detergent receiving
channel 61 is discharged into washing tube 67 with water from water supply
valve 63, as described above.
The washing machine having the detergent supply apparatus described above
operates as follows.
Firstly, a user sets a desired washing course by operating corresponding
keys on operation panel 17. The user also sets an appropriate water level
corresponding to the amount of clothes to be washed in washing tub 67
through water level set knob 23.
When the user operates the start key on operation panel 17, driving device
53 is energized prior to the commencement of the washing operation.
Driving device 53 rotates coiled member 45 located in feeding duct 37 in
the spiral forwarding direction through coupling bar 51 and coupling
member 49.
The detergent in the hollow body of coiled member 45 is moved forward to
the one end 37a of feeding duct 37 upon the rotation of coiled member 45,
and then is discharged from the one end 37a of feeding duct 37 to
detergent receiving channel 61, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.
In this embodiment, water supply valve 63 is opened allowing water to flow
onto channel 61 before the detergent is discharged from one end 37a of
feeding duct 37. Therefore, the detergent discharged from feeding duct 37
is supplied to washing tube 67 with the water, as described above.
Furthermore, water supply valve 63 is closed at a predetermined time after
the discharge of the detergent is completed.
Since the operations of water supply valve 63 as described above prevent
the discharged detergent fromm adhering directly on the clothes in washing
tub 67, the discoloration of the clothes can be prevented. Also, detergent
accumulation or detergent adhesion on the surfce of detergent receiving
channel 61 may be prevented.
The detergent stored in storage body 29 is supplied to the hollow body of
coiled member 45 through hopper 35 and each pitch of spiral member 45 with
the discharge of the detergent from feeding duct 37.
It should be noted that the discharge amount of the detergent corresponds
to the water level set by water level set knob 23. The discharge amount of
the detergent may be modified by changing the period of operation of
driving device 53.
In this emboidment, the detergent stored in storage body 29 has been
stirred by stirring device 55 during the rotation of coiled member 45.
When coiled membmer 45 is rotated as described above, each gear member 55b
of stirring device 55 is operably engaged, in sequence, with the wire of
coiled member 45. Stirring device 55 is thereby rotated around rotation
axle 57, and stirs the detergent in storage body 29 by stirring blades 55c
and 55d. If detergent cakes exist in storage body 29, the detergent cakes
are crushed by stirring blades 55c and 55d, and the resultant powdery
detergent is fed to coiled member 45.
As can be seen in FIG. 4, detergent supply apparatus 27 is easily lifted
from washing machine 11, when the user wants to clean the apparatus.
First, right pawl member 43 is disengaged from right side aperture edge
21b of raised portion 21 by manually pressing operation knob 41. Detergent
supply apparatus 27 is rotated around the engagement point, as a rotation
center, between left pawl member 39 and left side aperture edge 21a of
raised portion 21 in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 4.
Furthermore, when detergent supply apparatus 27 is slightly moved in the
right hand direction, left pawl member 399 is disengaged from left side
aperture edge 21a of raised portiono 21. At this time, since U-shaped
member pairs 49a and 40b of coupling member 40 are disconnected from
coupling bar 51 of driving device 53, detergent supply apparatus 27 may be
lifted from setting opening 25.
According to one embodiment described above, since the coiled member is
used as deterent convey means, the detergent stored in the storage body of
detergent supply apparatus may be conveyed smoothly. The amount of the
detergent adhered on thes eurface of the coiled member is fairly small,
and no detergent becomes clogged in the coiled member as in the prior art.
This is because the hollow body of the coiled member extends along the
entire forward direction. Thus the contact area of coiled member 45 with
detergent is small. Furthermore, since the detergent in the hollow body of
the coiled member may be moved freely, if a caked detergent exists in the
hollow body, it may be conveyed with the rotation of the coiled member.
The rotation of the coiled member also causes the caked detergent to be
broken into finer particles. In thi case, if the coiled member is designed
such that the diameter thereof is larger than the pitch thereof, the caked
detergent fed through between the adjacent wires of the coiled member may
be conveyed readily in the hollow bod of the coiled member.
In addition, since the detergent stored in the storage body of detergent
supply apparatus is stirred by the stirring device, the detergent in the
storage body is less likely to become caked.
In this embodiment, since the contact area of the coiled member with
detergent is small, as described above, the conveying force of the coiled
member is smallerl tha that of the prior art. However, this problem is
easily overcome by increasing the rotation speed of the coiled member.
Furthermore, since a small amount of detergent is continuously conveyed by
the coiled member, and is discharged to the detergent receiving channel,
the discharged amount of detergent may be controlled easily. The small
amount of the detergent discharged from the feeding duct may rapidly
dissolve in the water fed from the water supply valve.
Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with
reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.
In this embodiment, a driven gear 71 is fixed at the other end 47b of
connecting shaft 47, instead of coupling member 49 as in the first
embodiment. A driving gear 73 also is fixed at the top of driving shaft
53a of driving device 53, instead of coupling bar 51 of the first
embodiment. Driving ngear 73 and driven gear 71 are operably engaged with
one another when detergent supply apparaus 27 is mouned on V-shaped
supporting member 33, as shown in FIG. 6.
A pair of depressed portions 75a and 75b are formed on raised portion 21 of
washing machine 11. Depressed portion 75a extends from the left side
aperture edge 21a of raised portion 21, and depressed portion 75b
similarly extends from the right side aperture edge 21b of raised portion
21. A pair of pivoted L-shaped members 77a and 77b are individually
positioned at the pair of depressed portions 75a and 75b, as shown in FIG.
6. A compressed spring 79a is positioned between left side depressed
portion 75a and one end of L-shaped member 77a. A hook 81a is formed at
the other end of L-shaped member 77a. Hook 81a is urged toward storage
body 29 of detergent supply apparatus 27 bys pring 79a. A depressionn 83a
corresponding to hook 81a of L-shaped member 77a is formed at the left
side surface 29a of storage body 29. Hook 81a is detachably engaged with
depression 83a when detergent supply apparatus 27 is mounted on V-shaped
supporting member 33.
Similarly, a compressed spring 79b is positioned between right side
depressed portion 75b and one end of L-shaped member 77b. A hook 81b is
formed at the other end of L-shaped member 77b. A depression 83b
corresponding to hook 81b is formed at the right side surface 29b of
storage body 20. Hook 81b also is engaged with depression 83b by spring
79b.
In this embodiment also, detergent supply apparatus 27 may be removed from
washing machine 11. When the ends of L-shaped members 77a and 77b are
pressed against springs 79a and 79b, hooks 81a and 81b are disengaged from
corresponding depressions 83a and 83b. Under this state, when detergent
supply apparatus 27 is slightly lifted from v-shaped supporting member 33,
driven gear 71 is disengaged from drivign gear 73, as shown in FIG. 7.
Detergent supply apparatus 27 is then slanted in the direction indicated
by arrow B, and may be removed from washing machine 11.
As can be understood from the above-described embodiment, the detergent
supply apparatus of the present invention may smoothly convey a powdery
detergent even if caked detergent is present herein, and may crush such
caked detergent. Furthermore, the detergent supply apparatus may easily be
cleaned by a liquid such a water.
In the embodiment described above, the detergent supply apparatus is
detachably mounted on the washing machine. However, the detergent supply
apparatus may be integrally formed with the washing machine. Furthermore,
the detergent supply apparatus of this invention may be applied not only
to washing machines but also to other washing apparatus, such as dish
washers, which use a powdery detergent.
The present invention has been described with respect to specific
embodiments. However, other embodiments based on the principles of the
present invention should be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Such embodiments are intended to be covered by the claims.
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