Washing machine having drain casing

Abstract

A washing machine filter having improved structures of a drain filter and a drain casing so that foreign substances are effectively eliminated from wash water, thereby making itless necessary to frequently clean the drain filter. The drain filter includes a filter member having filter holes and filter protrusions, and a hand lever rotatably connected to the front end of the filter member. The filter protrusions, having a length larger than the depth of the filter holes, are perpendicularly protruded upward from the surface of the filter member, and each of the filter holes has a hexagonal shape. The drain filter can be detachable from the drain casing through a filter entrance formed in the front surface of the drain casing. A guide plate can be positioned at the rear end of the filter member, and a guide protrusion corresponding to the guide plate can be formed at the filter entrance, thereby permitting alignment of the drain filter within the drain casing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-31439, filed May 4, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly to a washing machine having a drain casing, to which a drain filter with an improved structure for filtering wash water is included. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Generally, washing machines are apparatuses for washing laundry and operate by rotating a cylindrical drum containing wash water and laundry. Washing machines are divided into drum-type washing machines, in which a drum is horizontally arranged so that laundry is washed by lifting the laundry along an inner surface of the drum and then dropping the laundry when the drum is rotated on a horizontal axis in a reg...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] Therefore, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a washing machine, including an improved drain filter structure so that foreign substances contained in wash water are effectively caught by the drain filter, thereby removing the necessity of frequently having to clean the drain filter.

Problems solved by technology

Where the sizes of the filter holes are decreased, the foreign substances are more efficiently caught by the filter holes but the filter holes are more easily clogged by the foreign substances, thereby requiring the drain filter to be cleaned more frequently.

On the other hand, when the sizes of the filter holes are increased, the filter holes do not easily stop the foreign substances, thereby not requiring the drain filter to be cleaned frequently but damage the drain pump, as the foreign substances having passed through the filter holes clog the drain pump.

This causes the drain pump to operate inefficiently and potentially become damaged by the hard foreign substances.

Images