GB2127045A

GB2127045A - Automatic drum washing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2127045A
Application number: GB08324577A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Thier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-09-14
Filing date: 1983-09-14
Publication date: 1984-04-04
Also published as: SE8304876D0; FR2532962B1; GB8324577D0; DE3234058C2; SE8304876L; IT8322849A0; IT1168724B; DE3234058A1; FR2532962A1; GB2127045B

Abstract

An automatic drum washing machine has a liquor outlet system, consisting of an outlet hose (9), pump (10) and outflow hose (11), connected to a first outlet opening (8) of a liquor container (4), and a return duct (14) connected to a second outlet opening (12), which is reached by the liquor on rotation of the machine drum (3) but is arranged higher than the first outlet opening (8). The return duct (14) communicates with the first outlet opening (8) externally of the container (4). To enable liquid washing agents or washing enhancers to be kept in supply for a larger number of washing or rinsing operations and to be feedable in small doses to the washing or rinsing operation, a supply duct (16) connects with the return duct (14) and is connected at the other end with a controllable outflow opening (17) of a supply container (18) for liquid washing agents or enhancers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Automatic drum washing machine The present invention relates to an automatic drum washing machine.

In a washing machine disclosed in German (Fed. Rep.) Utility Model No. 78 13 880, the machine is equipped with a chamber for the single use metering of liquid soft rinsing agent.

There remains a need for a washing machine with a capacity to store liquid washing agents or washing enhancers, for example a soft rinsing agent, in sufficient quantity for a larger number of washing or rinsing operations and feedable in small doses to the washing or rinsing operation.

Such a capacity should preferably be provided with the least possible costs.

According to the present invention there is provided an automatic drum washing machine comprising a washing solution container which houses a rotatable laundry drum and is provided with a first outlet connected to solution discharge means and with a second outlet which is arranged at a higher level than that of the first outlet to permit outflow from the container of washing solution entrained by the drum on rotation thereof and which is connected to a return duct for returning outflowing solution to the container by way of the first outlet, and an additive reservoir connected at a controllable outlet opening thereof to the return duct by way of a supply duct for the supply of metered quantities of an additive from the reservoir to the return duct.

A washing machine embodying the present invention can take advantage of the fact that equipment for addition of, for example, a washing agent to the solution is in any case present in the form of the return duct, which can effect a good distribution of the introduced agent in the solution. It is a particular advantage that the additive can be introduced into a liquid already present in the container and can be initially mixed with rinsing water in the return duct before coming into contact with laundry in the drum.On introduction of soft rinsing agent, this has the advantage, compared with the known individual metering and rinsing-in together with the freshly supplied rinsing water provided in the washing machine of German Utility Model No. 78 13 880, that individual laundry items are no longer saturated with soft rinsing agent of very high concentration while other laundry items receive virtually no such agent. Moreover, metering from a reservoir has the advantage that the additive quantities can be automatically selected to be different.

In addition, a high location of the reservoir is possible, which in turn permits the use of a simple control mechanism for the metering. Expensive metering pumps can therefore be avoided.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a schematic sectional elevation of an automatic drum washing machine embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a washing machine comprising a housing 1 with a cover 2. The laundry drum 3 of the washing machine is horizontally mounted within a liquor container 4. The container 4 has a charging opening 5 and a washing agent feed opening 6 at the top. Through the opening 6, individual quantities of powdered washing agent can be conducted, together with fresh water, in conventional manner from a rinsing-in bowl 7 and into the container 4.

An outlet opening 8, which is connected with a liquor outlet system, is provided at the lowest point of the container 4. The outlet system comprises an outlet hose 9, a pump 10 and an outflow hose 11, through which the liquid can be pumped out of the container 4 in known manner by way of the pump 10.

A diversion opening 12, which lies higher than the outlet opening 8 but which is reachable by the liquor on rotation of the drum, is also provided in the container 4. On rotation of the drum 3 in the arrow direction, the liquor is entrained to form a surge 13 which, on subsequent standstill of the drum, allows water from the drum to flow out through the opening 12. In that case, this water flows in the arrow direction through the duct 14, which is connected to a filter 15, and the outlet hose 9 through the outlet opening 8 and back into the container 4. This results in a good distribution of the washing agent rinsed in from the bowl 7.

In the water path of the duct 14, a metering duct 16 opens into this path and is connected to a controllable outflow opening 17 of a supply container 18 for liquid washing agents or enhancers.

A container for soft rinsing agent is concerned in the illustrated embodiment. The possible storage quantity may suffice for 30 to 50 soft rinsing doses.

A hose-squeezing valve 19, which is controllable automatically by a solenoid 20, is provided for controlling the outflow opening 17. The valve 19 can be actuated by, for example, a program control device (not shown) in the course of automatic run down of the program. In place of the hose-squeezing valve, other kinds of controllable outflow openings, such as slide, tappet valve, flap and so forth, are possible.

An outfall container 21, into which the dose of soft rinsing agent from the supply container 18 is introduced, is provided in the region of the opening of the duct 16 into the duct 14. Even before the liquor in the duct 14 is in movement, namely in a pause in the drum running or in a drum movement phase opposite to the rotational direction arrow, the soft rinsing agent dose in the container 21 can dissolve in the water so that its distribution in the subsequent return or diversion process is substantially facilitated.

The container 21 can possibly be connected integrally with the filter housing 1 5, or the filter housing 15 itself can serve as outfall container. It will be noted, however, that the dissolution of the washing agent or enhancer in the container 21 takes place the earlier and more completely, the closer the container 21 is to the level 22 of the liquor in the container 4. In this respect, the embodiment illustrated in the drawing is not optimum.

It will be apparent that different washing agents and enhancers needed for a complete washing and rinsing process can be stored within the machine in respective containers correspond ing to the supply container 18 and feedable to the duct 14 in correspondence with the illustrated metering equipment. A conventional washing agent rinsing-in bowl 7 and its feed opening 6 to the container 4 could thereby be dispensed with.

It would be of further advantage in this case that merely one electromagnetic valve would be required for the freshwater feed. Advantageously, the laundry could then be initially wetted by fresh water before washing agent is introduced into the liquid. The distribution of the washing agent within the liquid and the contact of the washing agent with the laundry would then be more uniform, so that the washing operation could be completed more rapidly.

The arrangement of the liquor outlet system and of the diversion duct with a filter and optionally also an outfall container can, of course, be different from that described in connection with the illustrated embodiment

Claims

Claims 1. An automatic drum washing machine comprising a washing solution container which houses a rotatable laundry and is provided with a first outlet connected to a solution discharge means and with a second outlet which is arranged at a higher level than that of the first outlet to permit outflow from the container of washing solution entrained by the drum on rotation thereof and which is connected to a return duct for returning outflowing solution to the container by way of the first outlet, and an additive reservoir connected at a controllable outlet opening thereof to the return duct by way of a supply duct for the supply of metered quantities of an additive from the reservoir to the return duct.
2. A washing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the supply duct comprises a hose closable by automatically actuable squeezing means arranged at the outlet opening of the reservoir.
3. A washing machine as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the supply duct includes a mixing chamber in the region of the connection of the supply duct to the return duct.
4. A washing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mixing chamber is connected to filter means arranged in the path of solution returned to the container by way of the first outlet.
5. An automatic drum washing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.