Drum washing machine with detergent supply device

Abstract

A drum washing machine having a detergent supply device supplying water containing detergent to a washing tub. The detergent supply device is integrally formed with a door of the washing machine. The detergent supply device is provided with a discharge unit discharging detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub when the level of the water supplied to the detergent supply device reaches a designated value. The discharge unit delays the discharge of the washing water supplied to the detergent supply device by a siphon, thus improving the solubility of the detergent.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2006-0033700, filed Apr. 13, 2006, 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 drum washing machine, and more particularly, to a detergent supply device to supply detergent dissolved in water to the inside of a washing tub.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus that washes laundry by rotating a washing tub using a motor when water and a detergent are supplied to the washing tub in which laundry is placed. The washing machine includes a detergent supply device installed at a designated side of a main body for supplying detergent together with the supply of water to the washing tub.[0006]Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-9847 discloses a drum washing machine having ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]Therefore, an aspect of the invention is to provide a drum washing machine in which the structure of a detergent supply device is simplified, thus being easily manufactured and reducing the production cost of the washing machine.

[0015]A further aspect of the invention is to provide a drum washing machine that reduces the size of the body of the machine and has an aesthetically-improved external appearance.

[0016]Another aspect of the invention is to provide a drum washing machine that allows a user to see the supply of water into a tub when the water is initially supplied during a washing operation.

[0017]Yet another aspect of the invention is to provide a drum washing machine, which delays the discharge of water supplied to a detergent supply device, so as to improve the solubility of the detergent and to supply only the detergent dissolved in the water to the tub, thus improving the washing capacity of the washing machine.

Problems solved by technology

First, the detergent supply device is installed in an upper portion of the main body far away from the washing tub. Thus, the detergent supply device requires the connection pipe to supply the detergent to dissolve in the water to the inside of the washing tub and the detergent container slidably inserted into and removed from the main body. Accordingly, the detergent supply device has a complicated structure and requires an increased number of components, thus causing a difficulty in manufacturing the washing machine and increasing the production cost of the washing machine.

Second, since the washing machine has an increased size due to space occupied by the detergent supply device, space to install the washing machine is limited. Further, as the detergent container is provided with a hand grip depressed in the front surface thereof so as to slidably insert the detergent container into and remove the detergent from the main body, the hand grip may aesthetically deteriorate the external appearance of the washing machine.

Finally, since the detergent container is installed in the housing of the washing machine, the washing machine may be operated under the condition that a user does not put a detergent into the detergent container, and the user cannot check whether the total amount of the detergent put into the detergent container is supplied to the inside of the washing tub during operation of the washing machine.

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