Drum assembly and washing machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a drum assembly and a washing machine. The drum assembly includes an outer drum; an inner drum, the inner drum being rotatably disposed within the outer drum, and the inner drum being provided with a locking mechanism; and lifting ribs, the lifting ribs being provided with a clamping member, the lifting rib cover being provided on the locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism having a locking state for locking the clamping member and an unlocking state for releasing the clamping member. The drum assembly and washing machine provided by the present invention utilize a driving mechanism to control the locking mechanism on the outside of the outer drum to lock or release the lifting ribs, thereby effectively overcoming the problem in the prior art of requiring the inner and outer drums to be disassembled to remove the lifting ribs, reducing the difficulty of disassembling and assembling the lifting ribs, and when the drum assembly is performing a washing operation, the locking mechanism can effectively lock the lifting ribs to the inner drum, preventing the lifting ribs from falling off during the washing and draining processes, thereby ensuring the reliability of the drum assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of washing devices, in particular to a drum assembly and a washing machine. Background Art

[0002] Most existing drum washing machines consist of an inner and outer drum. During washing, lifting ribs in the inner drum lift the clothes to a certain height, where they then fall to the bottom of the drum under gravity, simulating the effect of manually pounding the clothes. During the wash cycle, water first enters the outer drum and is stored between the inner and outer drums. Water then enters the inner drum through holes in the inner drum wall. The wash water contains laundry detergent, a primary component of which is a surfactant. These surfactants absorb stains from clothing and, due to their hydrophilic groups, dissolve and disperse them in the water. During the drainage phase, wastewater drains through the holes in the inner drum wall into the inner and outer drums, where it is then discharged by a drain pump. To ensure smooth drainage and dehydration, the lifting ribs are provided with through-holes. During the washing process, some dirt and lint from clothing can enter the lifting ribs through these holes and become hidden between the ribs and the inner drum, making it impossible to remove without removing the lifting ribs. However, most of the lifting ribs and inner tubes on the market are fastened by clips and screws, and the screws are driven from the outside of the inner tube to the inside. Therefore, if you want to remove the lifting ribs, you must separate the inner tube from the outer tube, making it difficult to disassemble and assemble the lifting ribs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the technical problem of difficulty in assembling and disassembling lifting ribs in the prior art, a drum assembly and a washing machine are provided which are convenient for disassembling lifting ribs.

[0004] A drum assembly, comprising:

[0005] outer cylinder;

[0006] an inner cylinder, the inner cylinder being rotatably disposed in the outer cylinder and provided with a locking mechanism;

[0007] A lifting rib, wherein a clamping piece is provided on the lifting rib, the lifting rib cover is provided on the locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism has a locking state for locking the clamping piece and an unlocking state for releasing the clamping piece;

[0008] A driving mechanism is provided on the outer cylinder, and the driving mechanism can drive the locking mechanism to switch between the locking state and the unlocking state.

[0009] The locking mechanism comprises:

[0010] an outer shell, the outer shell being arranged on the inner cylinder;

[0011] A ball, the ball being movably disposed in the housing, and the driving mechanism being capable of driving the ball to move;

[0012] Part of the clamping member is located in the housing, and when the locking mechanism is in a locked state, the ball is squeezed and fitted with the clamping member.

[0013] The locking mechanism further includes a reset mechanism, which is disposed in the housing and can keep the ball in a press fit with the clip.

[0014] The number of the balls is at least three, and all the balls are arranged in a ring shape around the clamping member. When the locking mechanism switches from the unlocking state to the locking state, the diameter of the ring gradually decreases.

[0015] The shell includes a tapered section, the diameter of which gradually decreases in a direction away from the outer cylinder. All the balls are movably arranged in the tapered section, and the ring shape of all the balls changes as the diameter of the tapered section changes.

[0016] The locking mechanism further includes an inner shell, which is movably disposed in the outer shell. The ball bearing is movably disposed on the inner shell, and the driving mechanism can drive the inner shell to move.

[0017] The driving mechanism includes a magnetic force generating mechanism, which is arranged on the outer cylinder. The magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generating mechanism can drive the locking mechanism to switch between the locking state and the unlocking state.

[0018] The outer shell is provided with a communication port; and / or the inner shell is provided with a communication port.

[0019] The locking mechanism further comprises a cover shell, which is detachably arranged on the inner cylinder, and the outer shell is arranged in the cover shell.

[0020] A washing machine comprises the above-mentioned drum assembly.

[0021] The drum assembly and washing machine provided by the present invention utilize a driving mechanism to control the locking mechanism on the outside of the outer drum to lock or release the lifting ribs, thereby effectively overcoming the problem in the prior art that the inner drum and outer drum need to be disassembled to remove the lifting ribs, reducing the difficulty of disassembling and assembling the lifting ribs, and when the drum assembly is performing a washing operation, the locking mechanism can effectively lock the lifting ribs on the inner drum, preventing the lifting ribs from falling off during the washing and draining processes, thereby ensuring the reliability of the drum assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1A schematic structural diagram of a roller assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 Another structural schematic diagram of a drum assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A local schematic diagram of point A;

[0025] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a drum assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 A three-dimensional diagram of a lifting rib provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] In the picture:

[0028] 1. Outer cylinder; 2. Inner cylinder; 3. Lifting rib; 31. Connector; 4. Driving mechanism; 51. Outer shell; 52. Ball bearing; 53. Tapering section; 54. Reset mechanism; 55. Inner shell; 56. Cover shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 5 The drum assembly shown includes: an outer cylinder 1; an inner cylinder 2, which is rotatably arranged in the outer cylinder 1, and a locking mechanism is provided on the inner cylinder 2; a lifting rib 3, which is provided with a clamping member 31, and the lifting rib 3 is covered on the locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism has a locking state for locking the clamping member 31 and an unlocking state for releasing the clamping member 31; a driving mechanism 4, which is arranged on the outer cylinder 1, and the driving mechanism 4 can drive the locking mechanism to switch between the locking state and the unlocking state.

[0031] When the lifting rib 3 needs to be disassembled, the user can control the locking mechanism to release the clamping member 31 through the driving mechanism 4 outside the outer tube 1, and then separate the lifting rib 3 from the inner tube 2 inside the inner tube 2 to complete the disassembly of the lifting rib 3.

[0032] When the lifting rib 3 needs to be installed, the user can directly install the clip 31 of the lifting rib 3 to the locking mechanism, and use the locking mechanism to lock the clip 31. At this time, the lifting rib 3 is also fixed to the set position of the inner tube 2, thereby completing the installation of the lifting rib 3.

[0033] In one embodiment, the locking mechanism includes: a housing 51, which is disposed on the inner cylinder 2; a ball 52, which is movably disposed within the housing 51 and can be driven to move by the drive mechanism 4; and a portion of the clip 31 located within the housing 51. When the locking mechanism is in the locked state, the ball 52 is pressed against the clip 31. The pressing force of the ball 52 on the clip 31 generates friction, which restricts the movement of the clip 31, thereby securing the lifting rib 3. When the lifting rib 3 needs to be removed, the ball 52 can be controlled to move and disengage the clip 31. The clip 31 is not affected by the friction and can move freely, allowing the lifting rib 3 to be directly removed.

[0034] Since the ball 52 rolls under the action of gravity, the ball 52 needs to continuously press the clamping member 31 to achieve continuous locking of the clamping member 31. To this end, the locking mechanism also includes a reset mechanism 54, which is disposed in the housing 51 and can keep the ball 52 pressed against the clamping member 31. In this case, the reset mechanism 54 can maintain the state in which the ball 52 presses against the clamping member 31, thereby eliminating the need for the driving mechanism 4 to constantly act on the ball 52. The reset force of the reset mechanism 54 alone can ensure the pressing force of the ball 52 against the clamping member 31.

[0035] Preferably, the number of balls 52 is at least three, all of which are arranged in an annular shape around the clamping member 31. When the locking mechanism switches from the unlocked state to the locked state, the diameter of the annular shape formed by all of the balls 52 gradually decreases. As the annular diameter decreases, the balls 52 gradually contact and squeeze the clamping member 31. The three balls 52 simultaneously apply a squeezing force to the clamping member 31. While ensuring that the friction force on the clamping member 31 is not affected, the combined squeezing force of the three balls 52 is zero, thus preventing the clamping member 31 from bending due to lateral squeezing force, and ensuring reliable assembly and disassembly of the lifting rib 3.

[0036] Optionally, the clamping member 31 is a cylindrical structure, which is integrally formed with the lifting rib. The three balls 52 can be tangentially fitted with the arc-shaped portions corresponding to the clamping member 31, thereby achieving extrusion of the clamping member 31.

[0037] The housing 51 includes a tapered section 53, the diameter of which gradually decreases as it moves away from the outer cylinder 1. The balls 52 are movably disposed within the tapered section 53, and the annular shape changes as the diameter of the tapered section 53 changes. The drive mechanism 4 and the reset mechanism 54 only need to provide the balls 52 with a force in the axial direction of the housing 51. The balls 52 can roll against the inner wall of the tapered section 53, gradually moving away from or closer to the clip 31 as the diameter of the tapered section 53 changes, thereby locking or releasing the clip 31.

[0038] To ensure controlled movement of the ball 52, the locking mechanism further includes an inner housing 55, which is movably disposed within the outer housing 51. The ball 52 is movably mounted on the inner housing 55, and the drive mechanism 4 is capable of driving the inner housing 55 to move. The inner housing 55 limits the movement path of the ball 52 and also transmits the force of the reset mechanism 54 to the ball 52, preventing direct contact between the ball 52 and the reset mechanism 54, which would otherwise be inconvenient.

[0039] Specifically, the inner shell 55 can enter or exit the tapered section 53, and a through hole for the ball 52 to move is provided on the side of the inner shell 55. Part of the clip 31 is located inside the inner shell 55. The ball 52 can enter the inner shell 55 under the extrusion of the tapered section 53 and squeeze the clip 31 located inside the inner shell 55.

[0040] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 4 includes a magnetic force generating mechanism disposed on the outer cylinder 1. The magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generating mechanism can drive the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state. In other words, the magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generating mechanism can drive the inner shell 55 to move toward the outer cylinder 1. The movement of the inner shell 55 drives the ball 52 to move. As the diameter of the tapered section 53 gradually increases, the squeezing force of the ball 52 on the clamping member 31 gradually decreases and eventually reaches zero, at which point the lifting rib 3 can be removed.

[0041] The inner shell 55 is made of a material that can be attracted by magnetic force, and the magnetic force of the magnetic force generating mechanism can absorb the inner shell 55 and drive the inner shell 55 to move.

[0042] Specifically, the magnetic force generating mechanism can be an electromagnet. When the electromagnet is energized, it generates magnetic force to attract the inner shell 55. When the electromagnet is de-energized, the reset mechanism 54 drives the inner shell 55 to move away from the outer tube 1, thereby completing the locking of the clamping member 31.

[0043] In order to facilitate the entry of the clamping member 31 into the interior of the locking mechanism, a communication port is provided on the outer shell 51 ; a communication port is provided on the inner shell 55 .

[0044] The connecting port can also discharge water that enters the locking mechanism out of the locking mechanism, thereby preventing the internal structure of the locking mechanism from being immersed in water for a long time and causing rust and damage, thereby ensuring the reliability of the locking mechanism.

[0045] The locking mechanism also includes a cover 56, which is detachably mounted on the inner tube 2. The outer shell 51 is housed within the cover 56. By increasing the size of the locking mechanism, it is easier to connect the locking mechanism to the inner tube 2, preventing the outer shell 51 from being too slender and easily damaged. Furthermore, a snap-fit structure is conveniently provided on the cover 56 for connecting with the inner tube 2, thus facilitating installation of the locking mechanism.

[0046] A washing machine comprises the above-mentioned drum assembly.

[0047] The above-described embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drum assembly, characterized in that: include: outer cylinder (1); An inner cylinder (2), the inner cylinder (2) being rotatably arranged in the outer cylinder (1), and a locking mechanism being provided on the inner cylinder (2); A lifting rib (3), wherein a clamping member (31) is provided on the lifting rib (3), the lifting rib (3) is covered on the locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism has a locking state for locking the clamping member (31) and an unlocking state for releasing the clamping member (31); A driving mechanism (4), the driving mechanism (4) being arranged on the outer cylinder (1), and the driving mechanism (4) being capable of driving the locking mechanism to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state; The locking mechanism comprises: An outer shell (51), the outer shell (51) being arranged on the inner cylinder (2); A ball (52), the ball (52) being movably disposed in the housing (51), and the driving mechanism (4) being capable of driving the ball (52) to move; Part of the clamping member (31) is located in the housing (51), and when the locking mechanism is in a locked state, the ball (52) is pressed and fitted with the clamping member (31); The number of the balls (52) is at least three, all of the balls (52) are annularly arranged around the clamping member (31), and when the locking mechanism switches from the unlocking state to the locking state, the diameter of the annular shape gradually decreases; The housing (51) includes a tapered section (53), the diameter of which gradually decreases in a direction away from the outer cylinder (1), and all the balls (52) are movably arranged in the tapered section (53), and the annular shape of all the balls (52) changes as the diameter of the tapered section (53) changes; The locking mechanism further comprises an inner shell (55), the inner shell (55) being movably disposed in the outer shell (51), the ball (52) being movably disposed on the inner shell (55), and the driving mechanism (4) being capable of driving the inner shell (55) to move; The inner shell (55) can enter or exit the tapered section (53), and a through hole for the ball (52) to move is provided on the side of the inner shell (55). Part of the clamping member (31) is located inside the inner shell (55). The ball (52) can enter the inner shell (55) under the extrusion of the tapered section (53) and squeeze the clamping member (31) located inside the inner shell (55).

2. The drum assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking mechanism further comprises a reset mechanism (54), the reset mechanism (54) being arranged in the housing (51), and the reset mechanism (54) being capable of keeping the ball (52) in press-fit with the clamping member (31).

3. The drum assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The driving mechanism (4) comprises a magnetic force generating mechanism, which is arranged on the outer cylinder (1). The magnetic force generated by the magnetic force generating mechanism can drive the locking mechanism to switch between the locking state and the unlocking state.

4. The drum assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The outer shell (51) is provided with a communication port; and / or the inner shell (55) is provided with a communication port.

5. The drum assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking mechanism further comprises a cover shell (56), wherein the cover shell (56) is detachably arranged on the inner cylinder (2), and the outer shell (51) is arranged inside the cover shell (56).

6. A washing machine, characterized in that: The drum assembly comprises the drum assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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