DISCHARGE/RECIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

Abstract

The present invention relates to a discharge/recirculation system (1) for electric household appliances, comprising: a single pump assembly (10); which is selectively configurable to pump water from an intake path (7) either to a discharge path (8a) leading to the drains or to said recirculation path leading (8b) leading back to the washing chamber.

Claims

1. A discharge/recirculation system for electric household appliances, comprising: a pump assembly; an intake path departing from a washing chamber of an electric household appliance and leading to said pump assembly; a discharge path departing from said pump assembly and leading to a discharge port; a recirculation path departing from said pump assembly and leading back into said washing chamber; wherein said pump assembly is selectively configurable to pump water from said intake path either to said discharge path or to said recirculation path.

2. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 1, comprising a valve arrangement configured to switch the delivery of the pump assembly between said discharge path and said recirculation path.

3. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 2, wherein said valve arrangement comprises a single 3-way valve having a common inlet port connected to a delivery of said pump assembly and two alternative outlet ports connected to said discharge path and to said recirculation path.

4. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 2, wherein said valve arrangement comprises a first 2-way valve and a second 2-way valve respectively intercepting said discharge path and said recirculation path, and configured so that said first 2-way valve is closed if the second 2-way valve is open, and that said second 2-way valve is closed if the first 2-way valve is open.

5. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 2, wherein said valve arrangement is integrated into said pump assembly.

6. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit configured to control said valve arrangement so that the pump assembly is connected to said recirculation path during a washing cycle condition of the electric household appliance, and that said pump assembly is connected to said discharge path during a discharge cycle condition of the electric household appliance; said washing cycle condition being alternative to said discharge cycle condition.

7. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 1, wherein said pump assembly comprises an electric motor; an impeller driven by said electric motor and a volute chamber wherein said impeller rotates.

8. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 7, wherein said volute chamber has an intake opening in fluid communication with the intake path, a first delivery opening connected to said discharge path and a second delivery opening connected to said recirculation path; said discharge/recirculation system further comprising a valve arrangement configured to switch the delivery of the pump assembly between said discharge path and said recirculation path.

9. The discharge/recirculation system according to claim 7, wherein said pump assembly further comprises an inlet chamber, in fluid communication with said intake path and upstream said volute chamber, wherein said intake opening connects said inlet chamber to said volute chamber, said intake opening being provided with a mechanical filter; said pump assembly further comprising a removable watertight inspection cap closing said inlet chamber opposite to said mechanical filter.

10. An electric household appliance, comprising a washing chamber for temporarily housing at least one article to be washed, a water intake port connectable to a water distribution network and in fluid communication with said washing chamber and a discharge port connectable to a drainage network; said electric household appliance comprising a discharge/recirculation system according to claim 1, wherein said intake path connects the washing chamber to the intake of the pump assembly, said recirculation path connects the delivery of the pump assembly back to said washing chamber and said discharge path connects said delivery of the pump assembly to the discharge port.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a scheme of a discharge/recirculation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a scheme of a discharge/recirculation system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a pump assembly comprised in both the discharge/recirculation systems of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the pump assembly of FIG. 3;

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a side view, sectioned along a plane A-A, of the pump assembly of FIG. 3;

[0030] FIG. 6 shows a side view, sectioned along a plane C-C, of the pump assembly of FIG. 3;

[0031] FIG. 7 shows a scheme of a discharge/recirculation system according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a pump assembly comprised in the discharge/recirculation system of FIG. 7;

[0033] FIG. 9 shows a side view of the pump assembly of FIG. 8;

[0034] FIG. 10 shows a plan view of the pump assembly of FIG. 8;

[0035] FIG. 11 shows a side view, sectioned along a plane A-A, of the pump assembly of FIG. 10;

[0036] FIG. 12 shows a side view, sectioned along a plane C-C, of the pump assembly of FIG. 10;

[0037] FIG. 13 shows a side view, sectioned along a plane D-D, of the pump assembly of FIG. 10;

[0038] FIG. 14 shows a scheme of a discharge/recirculation system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a pump assembly included in the discharge/recirculation system of FIG. 14;

[0040] FIG. 16 shows a side view of the pump assembly of FIG. 15;

[0041] FIG. 17 shows a scheme of a discharge/recirculation system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] FIG. 18 shows a perspective view of a pump assembly included in the discharge/recirculation system of FIG. 17;

[0043] FIG. 19 shows a side view of the pump assembly of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] With reference to the above-described figures, five alternative embodiments of a discharge/recirculation system according to the present invention are respectively designated with reference number 1, 1, 1, 1, 1.

[0045] Although use of the device in related applications may be envisaged, the above-mentioned system is specifically designed for use in electric household appliances, in particular domestic or industrial laundry washing machines.

[0046] Indeed, the embodiments herein described apply to a washing machine comprising a washing chamber or tub 9, wherein article of clothing are temporarily housed for washing purpose, a water intake port 5 connected to a water distribution network and connected to said washing chamber 9 through a water supply path 4, and a discharge port 6 connectable to the drains.

[0047] The washing machine also comprises a discharge path 8a leading to the discharge port 6 for draining dirty water coming from the washing chamber 9 during a discharge cycle, and a recirculation path 8b leading to the washing chamber 9 allowing the recirculation of the water coming from the washing chamber 9 back to said washing chamber 9 during a washing cycle.

[0048] The discharge/recirculation system 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 according to the present invention comprises a single pump assembly 10, 10, 10, 10 and a valve arrangement.

[0049] Said valve arrangement is configured to switch the delivery of the pump assembly 10, 10, 10, 10 between the discharge path 8a during a discharge cycle and the recirculation path 8b during a washing cycle. Said switching is controlled by a control unit 50; in the embodiments herein described the control unit 50 is a local control unit of the pump assembly 10, 10, 10, 10. Alternatively the valve arrangement of the discharge/recirculation system 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 could be controlled by the main control unit (motherboard) of the washing machine.

[0050] With reference to FIG. 1, a first specific embodiment of the discharge/recirculation system according to the present invention is identified with reference number 1.

[0051] In said embodiment, the valve arrangement is composed by a single 3-way valve 30 having an inlet port connected to a delivery opening 13 of the pump assembly 10 and two alternative outlet ports respectively connected to the discharge path 8a and to the recirculation path 8b. The control unit 50 allows the commutation of the valve 30 between to two alternative configurations connecting the pump assembly 10 respectively to the discharge path 8a and to the recirculation path 8b.

[0052] The pump assembly 10 adopted in said discharge/recirculation system is specifically shown in FIGS. 3-6.

[0053] The pump assembly 10 comprises a single phase permanent-magnet electric motor 15 driving an impeller 14 about a rotor axis. A volute chamber, attached to the body of the electric motor 15, houses the impeller 14; and laterally opens in a delivery opening 13.

[0054] An inlet chamber 20 axially extends the volute chamber along the direction of the rotor axis. An inlet opening 21, laterally opening on the inlet chamber 20, is connected to the washing chamber 9 via an intake path 7. The inlet chamber 20 and the volute chamber communicate through an axial intake opening 12, at which a mechanical filter 16 is provided. A removable watertight inspection cap 22, opposite to the mechanical filter 16 closes the inlet chamber 20.

[0055] Alternative embodiments of the discharge/recirculation system according to the invention are described in the following. In the description of these embodiments, same or functionally similar features or elements are identified with the same reference numbers previously adopted. In the absence of any indication to the contrary, the previous description applies, mutatis mutandis, to similar elements in the alternative embodiments.

[0056] With reference to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the discharge/recirculation system according to the present invention is identified with reference number 1.

[0057] The second embodiment employs the same pump assembly 10 previously described with reference to the first embodiment. However, instead of a single valve, the valve arrangement comprises a first 2-way valve 30 and a second 2-way valve 30.

[0058] The delivery opening 13 of the pump assembly 10 is connected to a common portion 8 shared by both the discharge path 8a and the recirculation 8b path. The two paths bifurcate at a juncture downstream the delivery opening 13. The first 2-way valve 30 is located alongside the discharge path 8a downstream the common path 8, and the second 2-way valve 30 is located alongside the recirculation path 8b downstream the common path 8.

[0059] The control unit 50 controls both the first 2-way valve 30 and the second 2-way valve 30, in such a way as to open either the one or the other valve. Depending on which of the two valves is set open, the water flow coming from the pump assembly 10 will be either discharged through the discharge path 8a or sent back to the tub through the recirculation path 8b.

[0060] With reference to FIG. 7, a third embodiment of the discharge/recirculation system according to the present invention is identified with reference number 1.

[0061] Said third embodiment differs from the second embodiment only in that the pump assembly 10, shown in FIGS. 8-13, has a second delivery opening 13 also opening on the lateral wall of the volute chamber alongside the first delivery opening 13. The discharge path 8a and the recirculation path 8b respectively leave from said first delivery opening 13 and second delivery opening 13.

[0062] With reference to FIG. 14, a fourth embodiment of the discharge/recirculation system according to the present invention is identified with reference number 1.

[0063] This embodiment resembles the first embodiment in that the valve arrangement comprises a single 3-way valve 30; however, in the present case the valve is integrated into the pump assembly 10, shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, and partially housed within the pump casing.

[0064] The integrated 3-way valve 30 has an inlet port in flow communication with intake opening 12 of the pump assembly 10 and two alternative outlet ports connected respectively to the first delivery opening 13 and to the second delivery opening 13.

[0065] With reference to FIG. 17, a fifth embodiment of the discharge/recirculation system according to the present invention is identified with reference number 1.

[0066] This embodiment resembles the second embodiment in that the valve arrangement comprises a first 2-way valve 30 and a second 2-way valve 30; however, the valves are directly integrated into the pump assembly 10, shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.

[0067] In particular, the valves directly intercept a duct portion within the fittings of the first and second delivery openings 13, 13.

[0068] Note that, in the fourth and fifth embodiment of the discharge/recirculation system 1, 1, the whole system comprising the pump assembly 10, 10 and the valve arrangement is conveniently integrated into a single unit, which can advantageously be installed in a single step.

[0069] Obviously a person skilled in the art can apply numerous modifications and variations to the devices described above to meet with specific and contingent needs; these would, nevertheless all fall within the scope of protection of the invention as described in the following claims.