WO2009004021A1

WO2009004021A1 - A washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2009004021A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/058480
Authority: WO
Inventors: Emre Genc; Ilkin Tacan
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2007-07-02
Filing date: 2008-07-02
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2010-01-02

Abstract

The washing machine (1) of the present invention comprises a drum (2) wherein laundry (L) is emplaced, a door (3), a motor (4) for rotating the drum (2) and a button (5) for operating the motor (4) by the user thereby rotating said drum (2) by at least a half turn after the washing process is completed and the door (3) is closed.

Description

A WASHING MACHINE

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine.

[0002] In washing machines the washing algorithm generally ends when the spinning process is completed. When the washing process is completed, the door is opened by the user and the laundries in the drum are unloaded. However, during the spinning process, constituting the last part of the washing process, the drum is rotated very fast for performing the spinning process. Therefore, the laundry in the drum adhere to the drum wall with the centrifugal effect and may not separate from the drum wall even when the drum stops after the completion of the spinning process. While the user is unloading the clothes from the drum, small sized laundry like socks can be forgotten in the drum. The clothes forgotten in the drum may be washed again in the next washing process. If the forgotten laundry is colored, then the white clothes washed in the next washing process can be stained and damaged. Moreover, laundry can stay on the ribs in the drum and the user may not be aware of these.

[0003] In the state of the art Japanese Patent Applications No JP2000157781 and No JP2000167289, a washing machine is explained comprising a lamp that illuminates the drum when the door is opened so that clothes forgotten in the drum can be noticed by the user. In these embodiments, when the door is opened the user may not notice the clothes particularly left at the upper part of the drum even if the lamp is turned on.

[0004] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine wherein the laundry in the drum can be noticed easily by the user and is not forgotten at the end of the washing process.

[0005] The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a button for operating the motor and rotating the drum at least a half turn after the washing process is completed and the door is closed after unloading the laundry in the drum.

[0006] Rotating the drum by at least a half turn provides for the laundry adhering to the drum wall to be carried to the lower part of the drum wherein the user can notice. Consequently, rewashing of the laundry forgotten in the drum or washing of colored laundry together with the white laundry is prevented.

[0007] Rotating the drum 180° provides for the laundry adhering to the upper part of the drum wall to be carried to the lower part of the drum wherein the user can notice when the drum stops. At the same time the laundry forgotten at the bottom is carried to the top and falls down.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, when the user presses the button, the drum rotates a half turn to the right and a half turn to the left thereby making an agitation movement as in the washing process.

[0009] In another embodiment of the present invention, the drum rotates when the user presses the button and is stopped suddenly while rotating. In these embodiments, the laundry adhering to the drum wall can be effectively separated from the drum wall.

[0010] By means of the present invention, the laundry forgotten inside the drum after the washing process can be noticed by the user.

[0011] The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0012] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a washing machine.

[0013] Figure 2 - is the schematic view of a washing machine.

[0014] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Washing machine

2. Drum

3. Lid

4. Motor

5. Button

6. Sensor

[0015] The washing machine (1) of the present invention comprises a drum (2) wherein laundry (L) is emplaced, a motor (4) for rotating the drum (2) and a button (5) for operating the motor (4) by the user thereby rotating the drum (2) by at least a half turn after the washing process is completed and the door (3) is closed after at least some of the laundry (L) therein is unloaded. In this rotation process a new washing program does not start but the laundry (L) adhering to the drum (2) wall is noticed by the user.

[0016] Rotating the drum (2) preferably 180° after the laundry (L) is unloaded provides for the laundry (L) adhering to the drum (2) wall to be carried to the lower part of the drum (2) wherein the user can notice. Thus, the rewashing of laundry (L) forgotten in the drum (2) or the washing of colored laundry (L) together with the white laundry (L) is prevented (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

[0017] The last step of the washing algorithm is the spinning process and the laundry (L) rotating together with the drum (2) adhere to the drum (2) wall due to the centrifugal effect. When the spinning process is completed, the washing algorithm also ends and the drum (2) stops. When the door (3) is opened by the user, the laundry (L) is unloaded by the user. However, small sized laundry (L) like socks etc. adhering to the drum (2) wall can be forgotten. When the laundry (L) in the drum (2) is unloaded by the user, the drum (2) is rotated by at least a half turn. Rotating the drum (2) a half turn after the laundry (L) is unloaded provides for the upper part of the drum (2) to change places with the lower part. Thus when the drum (2) stops the laundry (L) remaining adhered to the wall and forgotten at the upper part of the drum (2) is carried to the lower part wherein the user can easily notice, and the laundry (L) forgotten at the lower part to be carried to the top and fall down and accordingly the user is enabled to notice the forgotten laundry (L).

[0018] The drum (2) is rotated after the laundry (L) is unloaded by closing the door (3). Thus, the drum (2), not rotating while the door (3) is open due to safety reasons, is made to rotate when the door (3) is closed for this purpose.

[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, the drum (2) is rotated by a half turn clockwise and a half turn counterclockwise by closing the door (3), after the washing process is completed and some of the laundry (L) in the drum (2) is unloaded. Consequently, the laundry (L) adhering to the drum (2) wall can separate from the drum (2) wall more effectively.

[0020] In another embodiment of the present invention, after the washing process is completed and the door (3) is closed by unloading some of the laundry (L) in the drum (2), the drum (2) is suddenly stopped while rotating. Consequently, the laundry (L) adhering to the drum (2) wall can separate from the drum (2) wall more effectively. [0021] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine

(1) comprises a sensor (6) that detects the forwards and backwards motion of the drum (2) while the laundry (L) in the drum (2) is being unloaded. The drum (2) is activated and rotates when this forwards and backwards motion is detected by the sensor (6).

[0022] By means of the present invention, the laundry (L) forgotten in the drum

(2) is noticed by the user and removed from the drum (2).

Claims

1. A washing machine (1) that comprises a drum (2) wherein laundry (L) is emplaced and a motor (4) for rotating the drum (2) and characterized by a button (5) for operating the motor (4) by the user thereby rotating the drum (2) by at least a half turn after the washing process is completed and the door (3) is closed by unloading some of the laundry (L) in the drum (2).

2. A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the drum (2) that is rotated a half turn clockwise and a half turn counterclockwise.

3. A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the drum (2) that is suddenly stopped while rotating.