DESCRIPTION:

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a cleaning element for cleaning a washing drum of a washing machine and an inside of a drum housing of a washing machine in which the washing drum is rotatable.

Background of the invention

A washing machine becomes contaminated during prolonged use by dirt that comes from the washed clothing and that adheres to the washing drum and the inside of the drum housing in which the washing drum can be rotated. A well-known way to clean the drum and drum housing is to add cleaning liquid to the detergent dosing unit of the washing machine and select and run a washing program. The cleaning liquid ends up in the washing water at the bottom of the drum housing through which the drum rotates. The disadvantage of this method is that the cleaning agent does not come into contact with the part of the drum housing that is above the water level. Because the drum housing is usually made of plastic, dirt adheres extra well to it.

Summary of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a cleaning element for cleaning the washing compartment of a washing machine, with which a better cleaning result is obtained than with known cleaning methods. To this end, the cleaning element according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises: a box that is provided with holes on at least one side, as well as cleaning liquid absorbing means contained in the box, and securing means for securing the cleaning element against the inside of the cylinder wall of the washing drum, wherein the securing means are configured such that the box with the side provided with holes is against or near the inside of the cylinder wall of the washing drum, and wherein the cleaning liquid absorbing means are configured such that during centrifugation absorbed cleaning liquid is ejected from the cleaning liquid absorbing means through the holes in the box.

By slinging the cleaning fluid out of the cleaning element during centrifugation, the cleaning fluid hits the inside of the drum wall and passes through the perforations in the cylinder wall of the drum, after which the cleaning fluid is swung against the inside of the drum housing where it can perform its cleaning effect. This thoroughly cleans also the inside of the drum housing.

The cleaning fluid absorbent means preferably comprises a sponge because it is inexpensive and has proper fluid retention and release characteristics.

In order to easily secure the cleaning element against the inside of the cylinder wall of the washing drum, the securing means preferably comprise magnets attached to the box. Because the washing drum of a washing machine is almost always made of steel, the cleaning element can be firmly and easily secured to it with magnets.

Instead of entering the drum housing and the washing drum via the detergent dosing unit, the cleaning liquid can also already be present in the absorbent means, so that no cleaning liquid has to be added to the detergent dosing unit.

An embodiment of the cleaning element according to the invention is characterized in that in addition to the side provided with holes, at least the opposite side of the box is also provided with holes. If the cleaning liquid ends up in the drum housing and washing drum via the detergent dosing unit, it can better get into the box if there are more holes in the box, preferably in the side opposite the cylinder wall. Even more, it is preferable that all sides of the box have holes.

The invention also relates to an assembly of a washing machine and at least one cleaning element, which washing machine comprises: a drum housing provided with an opening closed by a door for inserting and removing laundry, a washing drum that can be rotated in the drum housing and is provided with a perforated cylinder wall, a drive for rotating the washing drum, a detergent dosing unit, a control unit for controlling the drive of the washing drum and for controlling the detergent dosing unit according to pre-programmed washing programs, and selection means for selecting one of the washing programs.

With regard to this assembly, the invention is characterized in that characterized in that the cleaning element is a cleaning element according to any one of the preceding claims and is configured to be fitted against the inside of the cylinder wall of the washing drum.

Preferably, the assembly comprises two or more cleaning elements that are evenly distributed over the circumference against the inside of the cylinder wall of the washing drum.

The invention further relates to a method for cleaning a washing machine. With regard to this method, the invention is characterized in that cleaning liquid is placed in the detergent dosing unit or in the cleaning element or cleaning elements and the cleaning element is or cleaning elements are arranged against the inside of the cylinder wall of the washing drum, after which a washing program containing a centrifugation program is selected and executed.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be further elucidated below on the basis of drawings. These drawings show an embodiment of the washing machine and the cleaning element according to the present invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the washing machine according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the washing machine with the door open;

Figure 3 shows the drum housing and the washing drum with the drive of the washing machine in exploded view;

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the washing machine with three cleaning elements arranged therein;

Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the cleaning element according to the invention in perspective; and

Figure 6 shows the cleaning element in cross-section. Detailed description of the drawings

Figures 1 and 2 show a known washing machine. The washing machine 1 has a washing drum 3 that can be rotated in a drum housing 5 by a drive 11 that is connected to the washing drum 3. Figure 3 shows the drum housing 5 and the washing drum 3 with the drive 11 in an exploded view. The drum housing 5 is flexibly suspended (via springs (not shown)) in the housing 2 of the washing machine 1. The drum housing 5 is provided with an opening 9 closed by a door 7 for inserting and removing laundry. The cylinder wall 3a of the washing drum 3 is perforated to allow water to pass through during operation.

The washing machine 1 further has a detergent dosing unit 13 for introducing a detergent for cleaning the laundry. Cleaning liquid for cleaning the washing drum 3 and the drum housing 5 can also be introduced via this detergent dosing unit 13. The washing machine 1 is further provided with a control unit 15 for controlling the drive 11 of the washing drum 3 and for controlling the detergent dosing unit 13 according to pre-programmed washing programs, and the washing machine 1 is provided with selection means 17 for selecting one of the washing programs.

The washing drum 3 and the inside 5a of the drum housing 5 can be cleaned using cleaning elements 101 that have to be placed against the inside of the cylinder wall 3 a of the washing drum 3, see figure 4 in which the washing machine is shown in cross-section.

Figures 5 and 6 show an embodiment of the cleaning element according to the invention in perspective and cross-section respectively. The cleaning element 101 has a box 103 to which magnets 109 are attached with which the cleaning element 101 can be secured against the inside of the cylinder wall 3a of the washing drum 3. A side 103a of the box 103 is present at a short distance from the inside of the cylinder wall 3a of the washing drum 3 during use. At least this side 103a of the box 103 is provided with perforations 105 through which cleaning liquid (or water mixed with cleaning liquid) can flow into the box and can be thrown out of the box during centrifugation. In this embodiment, the opposite side 103b of the box 103 is also perforated to allow the cleaning liquid to flow in better and faster.

In the box 103 there is a sponge 107 for absorbing the cleaning liquid. When cleaning the washing drum 3 and the inside of the drum housing 5, cleaning liquid is poured into the drum housing 5 via the detergent dosing unit 13. This cleaning liquid is preferably concentrated and water is also placed in the drum housing 5 with which the cleaning liquid is mixed. The liquid level in the drum housing 5 is such that part of the washing drum 3 is below the liquid level. During the rotation of the washing drum 3 at low speed, the cleaning elements 101 alternately enter the cleaning liquid present in the drum housing 5, whereby the cleaning liquid can flow via the perforations 105 into the box 103 and be absorbed by the sponge 107. After the sponge 107 is well filled with cleaning liquid, the washing drum 3 is rotated faster (centrifuge program), whereby the cleaning liquid present in the sponge 107 is thrown out of the sponge 107 and thrown against the inside 5a of the drum housing 5 via the holes in the cylinder wall 3a where it can perform its cleaning effect on the inside 5a of the drum housing 5.

Although the present invention is elucidated above on the basis of the given drawings, it should be noted that this invention is not limited whatsoever to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiment shown in the drawings within the framework defined by the claims. The sponge can also be provided with (concentrated) cleaning liquid in advance, so that cleaning liquid does not have to be put into the washing machine via the detergent dosing unit. All sides of the box can also be provided with holes to allow water and cleaning fluid to flow in even better.