WO2018103844A1

WO2018103844A1 - A washing machine and a method of operating a washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2018103844A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/080136
Authority: WO
Inventors: Betul OZYAY; Ilkan Erdem
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2016-12-07
Filing date: 2016-12-07
Publication date: 2018-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-07
Also published as: TR201715623A2

Abstract

A laundry washing machine (1) comprising: a cabinet (2) having a front aperture (3); a door (4) mounted on the cabinet (2) for closing the aperture (3); a tub (5) suspended in the cabinet (2) and a drum (6) rotatably placed inside the tub (5) and accessible through the aperture (3) for allowing loading and unloading laundry into and from the drum (6); a control unit programmed to control the operation of the washing machine (1); a user interface (7); a chamber (8) mounted in the cabinet (2) and fluidly connected to the tub (5) and a pump (9) mounted in the cabinet (2) and allowing the user to drain water (W) from the tub (5) to the chamber (8), whereby said pump (9) is activatable by the control unit upon receipt of an user input.

Description

A WASHING MACHINE AND A METHOD OF OPERATING A WASHING MACHINE

The present invention relates to a laundry washing machine, in particular to a front loading washing machine, and to a method of operating such washing machine. More in detail the present invention refers both to simple laundry washing machines, not having the drying function, and to combo washer dryers, i.e. laundry washing machines having also the drying function.

A front loading laundry washing machine generally comprises a cabinet with a front aperture closable by means of a door, an oscillating group suspended in the cabinet and having a tub and a drum rotatably placed inside the tub and accessible through the front aperture for allowing the user to load/unload the laundry to be washed into/from the drum. The drum is rotatable in the tub so that water and detergent held in a lower part of the tub are used for washing the laundry.

The washing machines generally available on the market comprise a locking mechanism which prevents the door from being opened by the user once the washing cycle has started, in order to avoid water spilling out of the tub. Because of it, when the user forgets to include a garment in the laundry load, he/she cannot introduce it in the drum once the washing program has been started.

In order to obviate such problem, in recent years washing machines have been developed which allow a later introduction of garments in the drum.

An example of such a washing machine is given in the European application n. EP 2930263 A1. The washing machine therein disclosed comprises a subsidiary door arranged on the upper portion of the door to be freely opened and closed independently of the door during a washing cycle. The subsidiary door however has relatively small dimensions so that it allows the user to introduce through it only small garments.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a laundry washing machine allowing the user to introduce in an easy and secure manner any garment that could normally be introduced in the drum through the front door, despite of its dimensions, also after a washing cycle has been started and without entailing waste of water. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of operating a washing machine to be applied by a user whenever a mistakenly forgotten garment should be added to the laundry load after the washing cycle has been started or when a garment mistakenly introduced in the drum should be removed.

These objectives have been achieved by the washing machine as defined in claim 1 and the operating method as defined in claim 14. Further achievements have been attained by the subject-matters respectively defined in the dependent claims.

In the washing machine of the present invention a temporary storage chamber is provided whereto water from the tub is sent once the user is willing to open the door after the washing cycle has been started. By drawing water from the tub to the chamber by means of a pump, the level of water contained in the tub is lowered below the bottom rim of the aperture on the cabinet so that the door that closes the aperture can be safely opened by the user.

In one embodiment the chamber is fluidly connected to the tub through a suction line and a delivery line and in a further embodiment a first check valve is provided on the delivery line to controllably allow passage of water from the chamber to the tub.

In a version of this embodiment, the delivery line comprises a syphon. In particular the chamber can be arranged above the tub, be connected to the detergent drawer and use the syphon of the detergent drawer to deliver water back to the tub.

In a different embodiment, the chamber is fluidly connected to the tub through a single suction/delivery line and the machine preferably comprises a valve arranged on the suction/delivery line selectively openable or closable by the control unit in order to allow or to interrupt the passage of water from/to the chamber to/from the tub.

In an embodiment, the washing machine comprises a sensor for detecting the water level in the tub and the locking means that locks the door in the closed position during the washing process are deactivated by the control unit once the amount of water drawn in the chamber is sufficient to lower the level of water in the tub below a security level, so as to avoid spilling of water when the user opens the door.

According to a further embodiment, the control unit is programmed to activate the pump if the water level in the tub sensed by the sensor is above a preset threshold level, i.e. above the security level. Differently, if the water level in the tub sensed by the sensor is below a preset threshold level, the control unit is programmed for directly deactivating the locking means, since the door can be safely opened without the risk of water spilling.

The present invention comprises also a method of operating the washing machine which envisages, upon the insertion of an add-garment input by the user, the activation of the pump for drawing water from the tub to the chamber and unlocking the door once the amount of water drawn from the tub is sufficient to allow a secure opening of the door, i.e. once the level of water in the tub has reached a preset security level.

Once the user has inserted/removed the desired garments, the door is locked again, the water collected in the chamber is delivered back to the tub and the suspended washing cycle is continued.

Additional advantages of the washing machine and of the operating method of the present invention will become more apparent with the detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic lateral view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention with the door removed.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are schematic lateral views of a washing machine according to three further embodiments of the present invention.

The following numerals are assigned to different parts demonstrated in the drawings:

1) Laundry washing machine

2) Cabinet

3) Aperture

4) Door

5) Tub

6) Drum

7) User interface

8) Chamber

9) Pump

10) Suction line

11) Delivery line

12) Detergent drawer

13) First check valve

14) Second check valve

15) Suction/delivery line

16) Valve

X) Rotation axis

W) Water

The present invention relates to a laundry washing machine 1 and in particular to a front load washing machine 1, with or without the drying function, which comprises a cabinet 2 with a front aperture 3, a door 4 mounted on the cabinet 2 for closing the aperture 3, a tub 5 suspended in the cabinet 2 and a drum 6 rotatably placed inside the tub 5 and accessible through the aperture 3 for allowing to load and unload the laundry into and from the drum 6. The washing machine 1 further comprises a detergent drawer 12, preferably arranged at the top front of the cabinet 2, above the tub 5, and accessible to the user in order to introduce the cleaning agents, such as detergent, softener etc., necessary for performing the cleaning cycle. The detergent drawer 12 is generally provided with a syphon for delivering one or more of the cleaning agents, mixed with water introduced in the detergent drawer from the mains, to the tub 5.

The drum 6 is rotatable in the tub 5 such that water and detergent held in a lower part of the tub 6 are typically used to perform washing of the laundry whereby dirt attached to the laundry is removed as a result of mechanical interaction of cloth items with each other and with the drum 6 surfaces. In order to perform the washing cycle the water is filled in the tub 5 till a predetermined height level which is above the lower rim of the aperture 3.

The washing machine 1 further comprises a control unit programmed to control the operation of the washing machine 1 and a user interface 7, which is provided on the cabinet 2 and connected to the control unit for allowing the user to select the washing program or, more in general, the operational parameters of the washing machine 1.

According to the present invention, the washing machine 1 further comprises a storage chamber 8 mounted in the cabinet 2 and fluidly connected to the tub 5 and a pump 9 mounted in the cabinet 2 and activatable by the control unit, upon receipt of an add-garment input by the user through the user interface 7, to drain water W from the tub 5 to the chamber 8. Obviously, depending on the stage of the washing cycle at which the user provides the add-garment input, the water W drawn to the chamber 8 might comprise also cleaning agents.

By draining water W from the tub 5 to the temporary storage chamber 8, the level of the water W inside the tub 5 is brought below the lower rim of the front aperture 3 to allow the user to open the door 4 and insert into the drum 6 the missing garments (or remove the desired garments from the drum) without the water spilling out through the aperture 3. This allows to use the same water that was initially input in the tub 5 for the continuation of the washing cycle, without entailing an increased water consumption and without altering the ratio between water and cleaning agents. Moreover, since the front door 4 is fully openable, there are no restrictions on the dimensions of the garments that can be inserted or removed once the washing cycle has already been started.

The user interface 7 may comprise a dedicated button or a touching command for allowing the user to provide the add-garment input. Differently the add-garment input could be provided by the user through a button or a touching command already available in the washing machine 1, such as for instance a pause button.

In a preferred embodiment, the volume of the chamber 8 is smaller than half of the volume of the tub 5 and preferably it has a volume substantially equivalent to one quarter of the volume of the tub 5.

According to an embodiment, the washing machine 1 further comprises a water level sensor for measuring the level of the water W inside the tub 5 and the control unit is programmed to activate the pump 9 only when the water level in the tub 5, measured by the sensor, is above a preset threshold level. This allows to activate the pump 9 only when it is actually necessary to avoid spilling of water out of the aperture 3 and not when the level of the water in the tub 5 is already enough low, i.e. safely below the lower rim of the aperture 3, to allow a secure opening of the door 4.

The washing machine 1 further comprises locking means activateable by the control unit for locking the door 4 in the closed position when the washing machine 1 is operated during the washing cycle and deactivateable by the control unit for allowing the user to open the door 4 when the washing cycle finished. According to an embodiment, the control unit is programmed to deactivate the pump 9 when the water W level in the tub 5, measured by the sensor, is below the preset threshold level and consequently to deactivate the locking means. In this manner the locking means prevents the opening of the door 4 before the water level in the tub 5 is below the lower rim of the aperture 3, avoiding possible water spilling.

In a further embodiment, the control unit is programmed to deactivate the locking means without activating the pump 9 when the water level in the tub 5, measured by the sensor, is below a preset threshold level. In this manner energy and time can be saved when operating the washing machine 1, since unnecessary activation of the pump 9 is avoided.

Preferably a certain level of water in the tub 5 is preset as a threshold level and the control unit is programmed to simply deactivate the locking means or to activate the pump 9 before deactivating the locking means, upon confronting the measured water level in the tub with the preset threshold level.

In an embodiment, the washing machine 1 comprises warning means, which can be acoustic or visual, for warning the user that the locking means have been deactivated. In this manner the user, upon giving an add-garment input through the user interface, knows when he/she can actually open the door 4 by being informed visually or acoustically by the washing machine 1.

According to an embodiment illustrated in the attached Figures 1, 2 and 4, the chamber 8 is arranged at the back of the cabinet 2, behind the tub 5. In this manner only the depth of the cabinet should be slightly adjusted in order to accommodate the chamber 8, without entailing a substantial modification of the overall dimensions of the cabinet 2.

In a preferred version of this embodiment, the chamber 8 is arranged so as to remain above the maximum level reachable by the water W in the tub 5. To this aim, the chamber 9 could be placed at a level above the rotation axis X of the drum 6, which substantially correspond to the central longitudinal axis of the tub 5, as for instance illustrated in Figure 2.

According to another embodiment, the chamber 8 is arranged above the tub 5, as illustrated in Figure 3. This allows to accomodate the chamber 8 in the available volume in the cabinet 2 above the tub 5, if necessary slightly increasing the overall height of the cabinet 2. Moreover, this embodiment allows to fluidly connect the chamber 8 to the tub 5 in different manners, as better specified below.

In an embodiment, illustrated in Figures 1-3, the chamber 8 is fluidly connected to the tub 5 through a suction line 10, through which water W is drawn from the tub 5, and a delivery line 11, through which water W is sent back to the tub 5. The pump 9 is preferably arranged on the suction line 10.

In a version of this embodiment, illustrated in Figure 1, the suction line 10 is connected to the top of the chamber 8 and the delivery line 11 is connected to the bottom of it. This allows to avoid the need of a further pump in order to send the water collected in the chamber 8 back to the tub 5.

In a different version of this embodiment, the delivery line 11 comprises a syphon.

In particular, according to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the suction line 10 is connected to the bottom of the chamber 8 and the delivery line 11 to the top of it, functioning as a syphon. Also this embodiment allows to avoid the need of a further pump in order to send the water collected in the chamber 8 back to the tub 5.

According to the further embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the chamber 8 is preferably arranged above the tub 5 and it is fluidly connected to the detergent drawer 12, with the delivery line 11 connecting the chamber 8 to the tub 5 through the detergent drawer 12. In this embodiment, the syphon of the delivery line 11 is the syphon of the detergent drawer 12. This embodiment provides a compact design and allows to diminish the number of extra components to be installed in the machine 1 by using components that are generally already available in the washing machine 1.

In an embodiment, the washing machine 1 comprises measuring means, connected to the control unit, for measuring the amount of water W drawn in the chamber 8 and the control unit is programmed to further activate the pump 9 for drawing more water W in the chamber 8 if the amount of water measured by the measuring means is lower than a preset threshold minimum amount for the correct functioning of the syphon. This ensures that the total amount of water drawn from the tub 5 is efficiently sent back to the tub 5 once the cleaning cycle can be restarted.

According to an embodiment, the washing machine 1 further comprises a first check valve 13, in particular an electromechanic valve, arranged on the delivery line 11 and openable by the control unit in order to allow passage of water from the chamber 8 to the tub 5. The presence of the first check valve 13 allows to avoid the water collected in the chamber 8 to indesiderably flow toward the tub 5.

In a further embodiment, the washing machine 1 comprises also a second check valve 14 provided on the suction line 10 in order to avoid water to flow back toward the tub 5 when the pump 9 is not functioning.

In a different embodiment, illustrated in Figure 4, the chamber 8 is fluidly connected to the tub 5 through a single suction/delivery line 15. This allows to reduce the number of components to be installed in the machine 1 and hence to reduce the overall cost of the machine 1.

In a version of this embodiment, the washing machine 1 further comprises a valve 16 arranged on the suction/delivery line 15 and selectively openable by the control unit in order to allow passage of water from/to the chamber 8 to/from the tub 5. This ensures that the water is sent back to the tub 5 only when desired.

It is an object of the present invention also a method of operating a laundry washing machine 1 as above described comprising locking means for locking the door 4 in the closed position. The method comprises, once the selected washing cycle and/or the operating parameters have been input by the user, locking the door 4 of the washing machine 1 in the closed position by means of the locking means and starting the washing cycle.

According to the present invention, once the user provides a predetermined add-garment input to the control unit through the user interface 7, the method comprises the further steps of suspending the washing cycle, activating the pump 9 for drawing an amount of water from the tub 5 to the chamber 8 and, once the water W level in the tub 5, measured by the water level sensor, has reached a level below a preset threshold level, deactivating the pump 9 and unlocking the door 4.

For instance, if the user is giving the add-garment input while the washing machine 1 is drawing water into the tub 6, the suspension of the washing cycle implies that the intake of water is also suspended.

In a version of the method, it is envisaged to measure the level of the water W in the tub 5 by means of a sensor and to compare the measured level of water with a preset threshold level. In this version of the method, the step of activating the pump 9 is performed only if the measured water level in the tub 5 is above the preset threshold level.

In a further version, the step of unlocking the door 4 is performed without the step of activating the pump 9 being performed, if the measured water level in the tub 5 is below a preset threshold level.

Preferably a threshold level value of water in the tub 5 is preset by the producer and the control unit, upon confronting the measured value with the preset value, either directly deactivates the locking means (if the sensed water level is below the threshold value) or activate the pump 9 and only afterward deactivates the locking means (if the sensed water level is above the threshold value). Obviously the control unit will be programmed in order to perform one of the two commands above in case the sensed water level is equal to the threshold level, according to the producer selection.

More in detail, the step of activating the pump 9 is performed by the control unit in the embodiments illustrated in Figure 1, 2 and 3, after the first check valve 13 is set so as to block the passage of water through the delivery line 11 from the chamber 8 to the tub 5 and the second check valve 14 is set so as to allow the passage of water through the suction line 10 from the tub 5 to the chamber 8. The step of activating the pump 9 is performed by the control unit in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 after the valve 16 is set so as to allow the passage of water from the tub 5 to the chamber 8 through the suction/delivery line 15.

Once the amount of water transferred to the chamber 8 is sufficient to bring the level of water W in the tub 5 below the threshold value, the pump 9 is stopped and, in the embodiments illustrated in Figure 1, 2 and 3, the second check valve 14 is set so as to block the passage of water through the suction line 10 from the chamber 8 back to the tub 5, and, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the valve 16 is set so as to block the passage of water from the chamber 8 back to the tub 5 through the suction/delivery line 15.

The door 4 is hence unlocked so that the user can open it and introduce the forgotten garments or remove the desired ones. After the door is closed again by the user, either automatically or by a predetermined input of the user through the user interface 7 to continue the interrupted washing program, the door 4 of the washing machine 1 is again locked in the closed position by means of the locking means, in particular activated by the control unit, and the water from the chamber 8 is sent back to the tub 5 before the washing cycle is restarted.

To this aim, in particular, in the embodiments illustrated in Figure 1, 2 and 3, the first check valve 13 is set so as to allow the passage of water through the delivery line 11 from the chamber 8 to the tub 5 and, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the valve 16 is set so as to allow the passage of water from the chamber 8 back to the tub 5 through the suction/delivery line 15.

In the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3, in case the amount of water drawn from the tub 5 in the chamber 8 and measured by the measuring means is lower than a preset threshold minimum amount for the correct functioning of the syphon, before delivering the water back to the tub 5 the pump 9 is reactivated in order to drain more water from the tub 5, or from the mains through the tub 5, to the chamber 8.

The washing machine 1 and the method of operating the washing machine 1 according to the invention allow therefore the user to introduce forgotten garments or remove mistakenly inserted garments into/from the drum of the washing machine in an easy and safe manner, without entailing any waste of water. Moreover, since the present invention allows the whole door 4 to be opened for performing the above mentioned actions, there are no specific limitations on the dimensions of the garment to be introduced/removed after the washing cycle has started and no greater effort is required to the user for introducing/removing such garments.

Claims

A laundry washing machine (1) comprising:

- a cabinet (2) having a front aperture (3);

- a door (4) mounted on the cabinet (2) for closing the aperture (3);

- a tub (5) placed in the cabinet (2) and a drum (6) rotatably placed inside the tub (5) and accessible through the aperture (3) for allowing loading and unloading laundry into and from the drum (6);

- a control unit programmed to control the operation of the washing machine (1);

- a user interface (7) connected to the control unit for allowing the user to select the operational parameters of the washing machine (1);

characterized in that it further comprises a chamber (8) mounted in the cabinet (2) and fluidly connected to the tub (5) and a pump (9) mounted in the cabinet (2) and activatable by the control unit, upon receipt of an add-garment input by the user through the user interface (7), to drain water (W) from the tub (5) to the chamber (8).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a water level sensor for measuring the level of the water (W) inside the tub (5), the control unit being programmed to activate the pump (9) only when the water level in the tub (5), measured by the sensor, is above a preset threshold level.
A laundry washing machine (1) as in Claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises locking means activateable by the control unit for locking the door (4) in the closed position and deactivateable by the control unit to allow the opening of the door (4), the control unit being programmed to deactivate the pump (9) when the water (W) level in the tub (5), measured by the sensor, is below the preset threshold level and consequently to deactivate the locking means.
A laundry washing machine (1) as in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (8) is fluidly connected to the tub (5) through a suction line (10) and a delivery line (11).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a first check valve (13) arranged on the delivery line (11) and openable by the control unit in order to allow passage of water from the chamber (8) to the tub (5).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the delivery line (11) comprises a syphon.
A laundry washing machine (1) as in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (8) is arranged above the maximum level reachable by the water (W) in the tub (5).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claim 7, characterized in that the chamber (8) is arranged above the tub (5).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises a detergent drawer (12) and the chamber (8) is fluidly connected to the detergent drawer (12).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claims 6 and 9, characterized in that the detergent drawer (12) comprises a syphon and the syphon of the delivery line (11) is the syphon of the detergent drawer (12).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claim 10, characterized in that it comprises measuring means, connected to the control unit, for measuring the amount of water drawn in the chamber (8), the control unit being programmed to further activate the pump (9) for drawing more water in the chamber (8) if the amount of water measured by the measuring means is lower than a preset threshold amount for the functioning of the syphon.
A laundry washing machine (1) as in any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the chamber (8) is fluidly connected to the tub (5) through a single suction/delivery line (15).
A laundry washing machine (1) as in claim 12, characterized in that it further comprises a valve (16) arranged on the suction/delivery line (15) and selectively openable by the control unit in order to allow passage of water from/to the chamber (8) to/from the tub (5).
A method of operating a laundry washing machine (1) according to any of the previous claims comprising locking means for locking the door (4) in the closed position, comprising:

- locking the door (4) of the washing machine (1) in the closed position by means of locking means;

- starting a washing cycle;

- providing a predetermined add-garment input to the control unit through the user interface (7);

- suspending the washing cycle;

- activating the pump (9) for drawing an amount of water from the tub (5) to the chamber (8); and

- unlocking the door (4).
A method of operating a laundry washing machine (1) as in Claim 14, further comprising:

- locking again the door (4);

- delivering the water collected in the chamber (8) back to the tub (5); and

- continuing the suspended washing cycle.