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Title:
IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINES
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/147009
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
Improvement of the self-cleaning filter for clothes washing machines, self-cleaning filter (1) developed for being installed on the conventional re-circulation (CR) and drainage (CD) circuit of the automatic washing machine (M); the self-cleaning filter (1) includes a triple access tubular body (5), more exactly of a nozzle (6) connected to the wash water (7) draining duct (CE) contained on the washing tub (8), a nozzle (9) connected to the wash water re-circulation (CR) piping (9a) and a nozzle (10) connected to the wash water extraction circuit piping (10a) through drainage (CD); inside the cylindrical sector (4) of the tubular body (5) is installed a flexible basket (2) supported by a rigid ring (3), and the basket is manufactured in thin mesh subject to threads and residues (FP) of reduced dimensions.

Inventors:
STREZELECKI BERNDSEN RODRIGO (BR)
Application Number:
PCT/BR2011/000156
Publication Date:
December 01, 2011
Filing Date:
May 26, 2011
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ELECTROLUX DO BRASIL SA (BR)
STREZELECKI BERNDSEN RODRIGO (BR)
International Classes:
B01D29/03
Foreign References:
US6402962B12002-06-11
US3772902A1973-11-20
US20100187190A12010-07-29
US3429444A1969-02-25
US3282427A1966-11-01
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
SOLMARK ASSESSORIA EM PROPRIEDADE INTELECTUAL LTDA. (Elaine Ribeiro doRua do Ouvidor, 121, 6° andar, Centro,Rio de Janeiro, CEP: -030, BR)
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Claims:
CLAIMS

1st) "IMPROVEMENT OF THE SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", self-cleaning filter (1) developed for being installed on the conventional re-circulation (CR) and drainage (CD) circuit of the automatic washing machine (M); characterized by the fact that the self-cleaning filter (1) includes a triple access tubular body (5), more exactly of a nozzle (6) connected to the wash water (7) draining duct (CE) contained on the washing tub (8), a nozzle (9) connected to the wash water re-circulation (CR) piping (9a) and a nozzle (10) connected to the wash water extraction circuit piping (10a) through drainage (CD); inside the cylinder sector (4) of the tubular body (5) is installed a flexible basket (2) supported by a rigid ring (3), and the basket is manufactured in thin mesh subject to threads and residues (FP) of reduced dimensions.

2nd) IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flexible basket (2) to be assembled on the cross-sectional direction with regards to the water outflow.

3rd) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claim 1 and in a preferential option, characterized by the rigid or semi-rigid ring (3) to be manufactured in plastic.

4th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claims 1 and 2 and in a preferential constructive option, characterized by the basket (2) to be manufactured in polyester mesh net.

5th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claim 1 and in preferential constructive assembly option, characterized by presenting the final portion of the drainage duct (CE) longitudinally located and adjacent to the tubular end of the tubular body (5) and perpendicularly to the rigid ring (3); said final portion provided with opening which area is necessarily smaller than the half of the rigid ring's area (3).

6th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE", according to prior claims and in a preferential constructive assembly option, characterized by filter (1) to be equipped with two electropumps (El) and (E2), each one installed in one end of the referred tubular body (5) and able to command, in alternated way, the passage of the water by the re-circulation (CR) duct (9a) or by the drainage (CD) duct (10a). 7th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claims 1 and 6, characterized by the fact that the activation of the electropump (El) concomitant with the disconnection of the electropump (E2) allows that the wash water flow (7) occurs in re-circulation (CR) direction by the piping (9a) being filtered by the flexible basket (2) retaining particles and threads (FP).

8th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINES", according to claims 1 and 6, characterized by the fact that the disconnection of the electropump (El) concomitant to the activation of the electropump (E2) allows that the flow of the wash water (7) occurs in drainage direction (CD) by the piping (10a); the water contained on the column formed by the piping (9a) is drained at drainage flow (CD), inverting the position of the flexible basket (2), releasing threads and particles retained on it.

9th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claims 1 to 5 and in a section option of alternative constructive assembly, characterized by the filter (1) to be coupled to a circulation system formed by a single electropump (B) and two directional valves (VI) and (V2) which acts in alternated and inverted way; both valves (VI) and (V2) they are submitted to an electric actuator (AT).

10th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claims 1 to 9, characterized by the activation of the electropump (B) draining the wash water (7) by a first directional valve (VI) which is found opened on the filter's direction (1), flowing which occurs through duct (CEl) and access nozzle (6) of the tubular body; the valve (V2) is disconnected; the wash water (7) surpasses the basket (2) on the duct's direction (9a) in re-circulation (RC) movement, retaining the particles and threads (FP).

11th) "IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR CLOTHES WASHING MACHINES", according to claims 1 and 9, characterized by the activation of the electropump (B) draining the wash water (7) from the directional valve (VI) which is kept opened towards the duct (10a) in drainage movement (CD) and closed towards the filter (1), valve (VI), valve (V2) is opened to the duct direction (10a) and opened on the communication with the duct (10) of the filter (1); the water contained on the filter (1), as well as on the duct (9a) is drained on the direction of the duct (10a), inverting the position of the flexible basket (2), releasing the threads and particles retained on it.

Description:
"IMPROVEMENT OF SELF-CLEANING FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINES".

Field of the invention

The present invention is about a self-cleaning filter for washing machines, preferentially of the domestic type, where, most specifically, the filter comprises a device applied on the re-circulation circuit and drainage of the wash washer, which main characteristics is that it's self- cleaning based on the washing machine operation itself, in other words, in automatic way, it retains the threads and residues of the wash when on the recirculation and about the extraction or water drainage, the filter is self- cleaning, not being necessary the intervention of the user or responsible technician at washed clothes and, at the same time,

Historic of the Invention

In a regular washing, the wash water contains a reasonable quantity of threads (generated from the action of the agitator's washing) and continuous detergent particles (due to the fact that many detergents contain particles which do not solve completely).

A great part of the clothes washing machines have means which promote the recirculation of water for the wash tank and, for such, the water is forced to pass by an own pipe. For forbidding that threads and detergent particles re-circulate around the rotation tub, the most used solution on the technique is the installation of a filter in some point of the piping or of the circuit formed between the outflow from the rotation tub and the return nozzle of the same water to the wash tank.

Analysis of the State of the Technique

Some conventional designs of the filter for thread retaining foresee the installation of the same at extreme nozzle of the recirculation duct, but, it's acknowledged that they become rapidly obstructed with a thin layer of thread, due to the elevated rate of re-circulated water flow and also to the big quantity of threads and other particles created during the wash, being necessary the periodical cleaning of the same by the user.

Some conventional models of filters are disposed close to the border of the wash tank, inside the water return tap, as it's possible to see on documents US 3960733, KR 20070015296 and US 2008196452, for example, and which act as meshes or retaining screens of threads, becoming visible to the user and, then, allowing the manual access of the same. However, these devices require the systematic intervention of the user or responsible person, being necessary to constantly clean it before the saturation because if it's not constantly cleaned, it can interfere on the good operation of the machine.

Other models of filters applied to the clothing washing machine comprise devices installed in compartments of difficult access by the user, which, by one hand have advantages over the aforementioned filters, once it avoids that less-skilled people intervene on the cleaning of the same; on the other hand, it requires, from time to time, that a maintenance technician is called for performing the cleaning or performing the exchange of the filter. These types of filters are often complexes devices, of high cost for the manufacturer, contributing for the high cost of the machine regarding the final consumer.

An example of this type of filter is the document US 2004129034, developed by the own claimant of the present request which aimed, at that time, presenting a filter of reduced complexity with regards to the existent ones. It's about an element of tubular body to be installed at the machine's re-circulation circuit and which foresees, at the interior of this cylinder body, a maze formed by multiple short and cross-sectional walls which free borders are arched and with multiple knurls adapted for retaining strange bodies or threads and it also helps dividing the air bubbles which are collected by the drain pump. Although this model's constructability is simpler than in traditional filters, because it's presented under the tubular body form, easily installed on the water circulation circuit, the device is not constituted yet on the ideal object, since the fins or walls are not flexible and they can block a big-sized element, such as a button or other, damaging the effectiveness of the water re-circulation.

Other models of filters are known as self-cleaners, because they use the wash water re-circulation and drainage circuit for retaining the threads and other residues when on the re-circulation and, when draining, the water retained on the circulation circuit, when returning, releases the threads and residues in direction to the discharge piping. Examples of self-cleaning filters, such as the ones described above, can be viewed at documents US 3727435 and US 3500011, which comprises rigid parts, of complex constructability and installation which, although they act independently from human action, in case of breach or saturation, they can interrupt the water re-circulation, damaging the wash and also damaging other components such as pump, motors and others.

The self-cleaning filter model n. US 5493745 is another example of rigid filter to be installed on wash machine with recirculation and drainage system, which includes two inferior drains in a wash tub and where drains are connected to a piping distributor which has a reversible pump and a filter installed, rigid cone shaped, conformed with multiple fins.

Other models of self-cleaning filters use rigid bodies with flexible plain blades, as it's the case of the document JP 2008014615 and US 3282427 which have, each one with their corresponding setting, a circular filter screen shaped thread filter, flexible (made of polyester). When one of the pumps operates, the thread is retained in one of the faces of the screen. When the other pump operates, the threads and residues are released routed to extraction (drainage) of the water. By the fact that the filter screen be assembled in plain shape, but loosed on the frame, the same is agitated back and forth for dislodging the threads retained on the screen.

Attentively observing each one of the aforementioned documents, it's possible to check the necessary complexity for that a turbulence in the screen shaped filters occurs, resulting on the commented cost increase for the manufacturer and, consequently, for the final user/consumer of the washing machine with self-cleaning filter.

Other disadvantages observed is on the fact of the self-cleaning filter under laminar screen, in case of saturation, does not allow the turbulence which would aid the threads release, being necessary technical assistance for cleaning or exchanging the same.

Summarized Description of the Invention

Thereby the proposal of the present invention will radically differ from the models found so far on the research performed by the claimant, because the self-cleaning filter of the present invention was developed for being installed on the conventional circuit of the automatic washing machine's re-circulation and drainage circuit, in other words, its constructive characteristics allow that the same is easily installed on the circuit, dismissing complexes assemblages and workforce.

The referred self-cleaning filter, now innovated, includes a triple access tubular body, in other words, it has a nozzle connected to the washing tub's flow duct, a duct connected to the wash water recirculation piping and another duct connected to the wash water drainage piping. Each re-circulation and drainage duct has an electropump which acts in alternated way, one to the other. A flexible basket is installed inside the tubular body, in cross-sectional form related to the longitudinal direction of the flow, flexible basket, this one supported by a rigid ring, preferentially manufactured in plastic. The basket is manufactured in thin mesh network, being possible retaining threads and residues of much reduced dimensions. Thus, the flexible basket of the self-cleaning filter in the direction of the operation flow of the water re-circulation, acting as a thread and residues retainer during the passage of the wash liquid and, in a second moment, it's moving in opposite direction, when the wash liquid goes in opposite direction, in other words, during the water drainage operation; in this drainage direction, the water found in the re-circulation duct returns to the tubular body of the filter, inverting the position of the basket's screen, completing the cleaning of the filter.

For keeping the basket in a good position and tight with regard to the water outflow, the basket's plastic ring is assembled between the re-circulation member and the drainage member of the tubular body of triple connection.

Besides, the filter has particular constructability for provoking a partial turbulence inside the tubular body, close to the flexible basket, for provoking a constant movement of the threads along the mesh for avoiding clogging the system during the re-circulation phase.

Summarized Description of the Drawings

For complementing the present description for obtaining a better comprehension of the characteristics of the present invention and according to a preferential practical performance of the same, follows the attached description, a set of drawings, where, as the example, although not limitating, represented the following:

Picture 1 illustrates, through schematic view, an automatic washing machine equipped with self-cleaning filter equipped with two extremes electropumps, where the illustrated actuation refers to the recirculation outflow with threads filtering obtained by the flexible basket;

Picture 2 shows, through other schematic view, similar to the previous one, the automatic washing machine equipped with self-cleaning filter now in drainage actuation, in other words, with wash water flow and automatic cleaning of the flexible basket;

Picture 3 represents an overview, in partial cutting, of a preferential construction of the filter, highlighting a tubular body of three connections, coupled to two electropumps and having and internal ring and flexible basket;

Picture 4 represents another perspective, exploded view, revealing the self-cleaning filter provided with ring and flexible basket placed between the re-circulation member and the drainage member of the tubular body;

Picture 5 shows the ring and the flexible basket of the self-cleaning filter in a front view;

Picture 6 and 7 show side views in longitudinal cutting of the filter, provided with tubular body of three connections provided with ring and basket, according to their functions of retaining threads and residues when on the water circulation and discharging such threads and residues when draining the water:

Picture 8 illustrates a constructive variation for the self-cleaning filter assembly, which passes to be associated to a single electropump and two directional valves, being that, in this illustration, the self-cleaning filter is found acting in re-circulation with the flexible basket in filtering position; and

Picture 9 shows, through other schematic view, similar to the previous one, the automatic washing machine equipped with self-cleaning filter, one single electropump and two directional valves acting on the water drainage and washing and, consequently, cleaning of the flexible basket;

Detailed Description of the Invention

According to the illustrations, the present invention refers to a self-cleaning filter (1) developed for being installed on the conventional circuit of re-circulation (CR) and drainage (CD) of the automatic washing machine (M).

According to the present invention, the self-cleaning filter (1) includes a triple access tubular body (5), in other words, provided with a nozzle (6) connected to the wash water outflow duct (CE) contained on the wash tub (8), a nozzle (9) connected to a wash water re-circulation (CR) piping (9a) and a nozzle (10) connected to the wash water extraction circuit piping (10a) through drainage (CD). Inside the cylindrical sector (4) of the tubular body (5), more specifically in cross-sectional direction related to the water outflow direction is installed in a flexible basket (2) supported by a rigid or semi-rigid ring (3), preferentially manufactured in plastic, and this basket manufactured in thin mesh net, such as polyester, subject to retaining threads and residues (FP) of reduced dimensions.

The filter (1), in first constructive and preferential option is equipped with two electropumps (El) and (E2), each one installed in one end of the tubular body (5) and susceptible to command, in alternated way, the passage of the wash water by the re-circulation (CR) duct (9a) or by the drainage (CD) duct (10a).

Thus, when on the re-circulation (CR) (picture 1), the electropump (El) is activated and the electropump (E2) is turned off, directing the wash water to the piping (9a), being filtered by the flexible basket (2), retaining particles and threads (FP).

When draining (CD) the wash water, the electropump (El) is turned off and the electropump is turned on, inverting the water flow, leading the same to the piping (10a). At this moment, the water contained on the column formed by the piping (9a) is drained to the drainage direction (CD), inverting the position of the flexible basket (2), releasing the retained threads and particles, allowing the cleaning of the basket for a new filtering step. During the re-circulation step (CR) a particular constructive characteristic of the filter (1) provokes a partial turbulence inside the tubular body (5), close to the flexible basket (2), for provoking the constant movement of the threads (FP) along its net avoiding the system's clogging. It occurs if the water inflow on the tubular body (5) is placed on the end, preferentially superior, of the body (5), according to picture 6, and the final cavity of the flow duct (CE) presents smaller area than the half of the circumference area of the ring (3).

In an alternative constructive option (pictures 8 and 9), the filter (1) is coupled to a circulation system formed by a single electropump (B) and two directional valves (VI) and (V2) which act alternatively and inversely, in other words, one closed and other opened. For such, when on the re-circulation (CR) movement, the alternative technical solution foresees that the electropump (B), dully assembled on the outflow duct (CE), foresees that a first directional valve (VI) is opened in the filter direction (1), communicating with this one through duct (CE1) and access nozzle (6) of the tubular body (5). At this moment, the valve (V2) is found closed and allowing that the wash water inflow the filter (1) passing by the basket (2) and circulating through the duct (9a) in re-circulation movement (CR).

When on the drainage movement (CD) (Picture 9), the solution intended as alternative foresees that, when activating the electropump (B), the valve (V2) is opened and the valve (VI) is closed when directed to the filter (1), but opened when directed to the bypass (10b), allowing that the wash water (7) reaches the outflow duct (10a). The fact of the valve (V2) is opened, all the water left on the filter (1), as well as on the duct (9a) is drained directed to the duct (10a), carrying out the basket (2) cleaning. Both valves (VI) and (V2) are submitted to an electric actuator (AT).

It's right that, when the present invention is applied, changes can be made in what concerns certain construction and shape details, without distancing from the main principles clearly substantiated on the claiming, understood that the employed terminology had a description purpose, not limitating.