Drain mechanism for a washing machine

Abstract

The application relates to a drainage mechanism of a washing machine, which realizes the lifting function of a driving block on a washing shaft by controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the washing shaft to drive the reciprocating movement of the driving block, is applied to the inner drum drainage system of the washing machine, and enables the inner drum to realize the function of draining water out of the drum only by the rotation of the washing shaft to drive the closure of a drainage cover without an additional control unit. Compared with the existing drainage system, the drainage mechanism has the advantages of simple structure, high reliability and convenient control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a drainage mechanism, and more particularly to a drainage mechanism for a washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] Washing machines are among the most frequently used appliances in daily life. Existing washing machines are mainly all-in-one washing and spin-drying machines, such as the one with publication number "CN217149629U" and titled "Floating Clutch and Washing Machine." In this type of washing machine, the washing and spin-drying functions are controlled separately by the rotation of the washing shaft and the spin-drying shaft. Drainage is achieved by opening and closing a drain pump to expel water from the tub. In this type of washing machine, the spin-drying shaft is mounted on the washing shaft and connected by a corresponding mechanism. This structure is not only relatively complex, costly, and difficult to maintain, but also requires an additional control unit to control both the spin-drying and washing shafts, making the control program relatively complex. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a drainage mechanism for a washing machine that is simple in structure, easy to maintain, low in cost, and easy to control.

[0004] The drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention includes a base, an inner tub above the base, a mounting hole in the middle of the bottom wall of the inner tub, a mounting plate connected to the bottom wall of the inner tub at the mounting hole, a washing shaft below the mounting plate, the top end of the washing shaft passing through the mounting plate and extending into the inner tub, a connecting flange in the middle of the mounting plate, the connecting flange including a bottom connecting plate fixed to the mounting plate and a connecting pipe with its bottom end fixed to the bottom connecting plate, a drive block movable up and down inside the connecting pipe, a threaded rod threadedly engaged with the drive block on the washing shaft, a drain control pipe at the top of the connecting pipe, and a drain control pipe fixed on the side wall of the drain control pipe above the drive block. The control ring has a top limiter above it, which is fitted onto the smooth rod at the top of the washing shaft. A drain cover is fitted around the outside of the drain control pipe, with the top of the drain cover fixed to the drain control pipe and the bottom of the drain cover having an annular outer edge. A locking plate is provided on the mounting plate, and an elastic element that can press the annular outer edge against the surface of the mounting plate is provided between the locking plate and the annular outer edge. A drain hole is provided on the mounting plate inside the drain cover, and a sealing plug that matches the drain hole is provided on the bottom surface of the annular outer edge. Retractable waterproof pipes are provided between the drain control pipe and the top limiter, and between the drain control pipe and the bottom connecting plate.

[0005] The drain mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention drives the threaded rod to rotate through the washing shaft, thereby enabling the drive block that is threadedly engaged with it to move up and down inside the connecting pipe. When the drive block contacts the control ring above it, the drive block can lift the drain control pipe through the control ring, so that the control pipe drives the drain cover to rise, thereby opening the drain hole on the surface of the mounting plate below it, so that the water in the inner tub can be discharged through the drain hole.

[0006] The setup of components such as the drive block, control ring, and drain cover enables the drainage mechanism to achieve washing and drainage functions through a single washing shaft. Compared to solutions using a spin-drying shaft and a washing shaft, its structure is simpler, its cost is lower, and it does not require an additional control module. The control program is also relatively simple.

[0007] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, the mounting plate has a positioning flange in the middle that is adapted to the bottom connecting plate, and the bottom connecting plate is sleeved on the positioning flange.

[0008] The positioning flange enables the bottom connecting plate to be positioned, while also preventing sewage from leaking through the through hole in the middle of the mounting plate.

[0009] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, a supporting flange is provided on the outer wall of the drainage control pipe, and an annular inner edge is provided at the top of the drainage cover, the annular inner edge being fixedly connected to the supporting flange.

[0010] The support flange and the annular inner edge allow the drainage control pipe to raise and lower the drainage cover via the support flange and the annular inner edge.

[0011] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, the waterproof pipe is a corrugated pipe, the waterproof pipe between the drainage control pipe and the top limiter is the upper waterproof pipe, the waterproof pipe between the drainage control pipe and the bottom connecting plate is the lower waterproof pipe, the top end of the upper waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the top limiter, the bottom end of the upper waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the top of the drainage control pipe, the top end of the lower waterproof pipe is located below the support flange and connected to the drainage control pipe, and the bottom end of the lower waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the bottom connecting plate.

[0012] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, an oil seal sleeve is provided between the top limiter and the washing shaft.

[0013] The oil seal sleeve not only achieves the sealing function, but also reduces the friction between the top smooth rod of the threaded rod and the top limiter.

[0014] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, the surface of the mounting plate is provided with a connecting post, the bottom end of the connecting post is fixed to the mounting plate, the top end of the connecting post passes through a perforation on the annular outer edge surface, and the locking plate is fixed to the top end of the connecting post.

[0015] The connecting column enables the installation of the locking plate, while also limiting and guiding the drainage cover.

[0016] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, the elastic element is a compression spring, which is sleeved on the connecting column. The top end of the compression spring contacts the locking plate, and the bottom end of the compression spring contacts the annular outer edge.

[0017] The compression spring allows the annular outer edge to be pressed against the surface of the mounting plate.

[0018] Furthermore, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention, a return spring is also provided inside the connecting pipe, located below the drive block. The return spring is sleeved on the outside of the washing shaft, with its top end contacting the drive block and its bottom end contacting the bottom connecting plate.

[0019] When the drive block descends from the threaded rod to the smooth rod at its bottom under the drive of the washing shaft, the return spring can lift it up to the threaded connection on the threaded rod, thereby realizing the reset function of the drive block. The connecting tube is slidably fitted with the drive block, and its inner wall can be provided with a guide bar adapted to the drive block, or it can be set as a non-circular connecting tube to guide the drive block and prevent it from rotating.

[0020] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, the following describes the embodiments of the present invention in detail. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a front view of the washing machine's drainage mechanism, where the upper part of the inner tub is not shown;

[0022] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A 3D view of the drainage mechanism of a washing machine;

[0023] Figure 3 It is a component diagram that includes parts such as mounting plates and drainage covers;

[0024] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Disassembly diagram of the components;

[0025] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the component;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the inner drainage mechanism of a washing machine, with the inner tub shown as a partial view.

[0027] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Enlarged view of components such as the drainage cover within the dashed box;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of components such as drainage covers from another angle.

[0029] In the diagram, 1 is the inner tub, 2 is the mounting hole, 3 is the mounting plate, 4 is the washing shaft, 5 is the bottom connecting plate, 6 is the connecting pipe, 7 is the drive block, 8 is the threaded rod, 9 is the drain control pipe, 10 is the control ring, 11 is the top limiter, 12 is the drain cover, 13 is the annular outer edge, 14 is the locking plate, 15 is the elastic element, 16 is the waterproof pipe, 17 is the positioning flange, 18 is the support flange, 19 is the annular inner edge, 20 is the upper waterproof pipe, 21 is the lower waterproof pipe, 22 is the connecting column, 23 is the return spring, 25 is the sealing plug, 26 is the drain hole, and 27 is the oil seal sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0031] See Figures 1 to 8 The drainage mechanism of the washing machine in this embodiment includes a base (not shown in the figure), an inner tub 1 above the base, a mounting hole 2 in the middle of the bottom wall of the inner tub, a mounting plate 3 connected to the bottom wall of the inner tub at the mounting hole, a washing shaft 4 below the mounting plate, the top end of the washing shaft passing through the mounting plate and extending into the inner tub, a connecting flange in the middle of the mounting plate, the connecting flange including a bottom connecting plate 5 fixed to the mounting plate, a connecting pipe 6 with its bottom end fixed to the bottom connecting plate, a drive block 7 that can move up and down inside the connecting pipe, a threaded rod 8 that is threadedly engaged with the drive block on the washing shaft, a drain control pipe 9 at the top end of the connecting pipe, and a drive block 7 located on the side wall of the drain control pipe. A control ring 10 is located above the moving block. A top limiter 11 is provided above the control ring. The top limiter is fitted onto the smooth rod at the top of the washing shaft. A drain cover 12 is also fitted on the outside of the drain control pipe. The top of the drain cover is fixed to the drain control pipe. An annular outer edge 13 is provided at the bottom of the drain cover. A locking plate 14 is provided on the mounting plate. An elastic element 15 that can press the annular outer edge against the surface of the mounting plate is provided between the locking plate and the annular outer edge. A drain hole 26 is provided on the mounting plate inside the drain cover. A sealing plug 25 that matches the drain hole is provided on the bottom surface of the annular outer edge. Retractable waterproof pipes 16 are provided between the drain control pipe and the top limiter, and between the drain control pipe and the bottom connecting plate.

[0032] The drain mechanism of the washing machine of the present invention drives the threaded rod to rotate through the washing shaft, thereby enabling the drive block that is threadedly engaged with it to move up and down inside the connecting pipe. When the drive block contacts the control ring above it, the drive block can lift the drain control pipe through the control ring, so that the control pipe drives the drain cover to rise, thereby opening the drain hole on the surface of the mounting plate below it, so that the water in the inner tub can be discharged through the drain hole.

[0033] The setup of components such as the drive block, control ring, and drain cover enables the drainage mechanism to achieve washing and drainage functions through a single washing shaft. Compared to solutions using a spin-drying shaft and a washing shaft, its structure is simpler, its cost is lower, and it does not require an additional control module. The control program is also relatively simple.

[0034] The following is a detailed explanation of how the drainage mechanism of this washing machine works.

[0035] During washing, the washing shaft rotates in both directions under the drive of the motor, which drives the impeller at its top to rotate in the inner tub, thereby washing the clothes inside.

[0036] At this time, the annular outer edge at the bottom of the drain cover is pressed tightly against the mounting plate by the elastic element, and the water in the inner tank cannot be discharged through the water supply and drainage holes on the mounting plate.

[0037] When the washing shaft rotates, the drive block moves up and down inside the connecting pipe under the drive of the threaded rod. At this time, the drive block separates from the control ring.

[0038] When drainage is needed, the washing machine shaft rotates a predetermined angle, causing the threaded rod to drive the drive block to rise until it contacts the control ring. The washing machine shaft then continues to rotate, and the drive block, driven by the threaded rod, lifts the control ring, thereby causing the drain control pipe connected to the control ring to rise.

[0039] Because the top of the drain cover is connected to the drain control pipe, as the drain control pipe rises, the drain cover overcomes the elastic force of the elastic element and moves upward until the drain hole at the bottom of the drain cover is opened. Water in the inner tank can then be drained through the drain hole.

[0040] After the sewage is completely discharged, the drive block returns to its original position under the drive of the washing shaft and the threaded rod. At the same time, the drain cover is reset under the elastic force of the elastic element, thereby closing the drain hole below it.

[0041] As can be seen from the above description, the drainage mechanism realizes the opening and closing of the drain cover through components such as the washing shaft, drive block, and control ring, thereby achieving the purpose of switching the washing and drainage programs with a single washing shaft.

[0042] The waterproof pipe is used to prevent sewage from leaking through the drainage control pipe and connecting pipe. It has a certain degree of flexibility to meet the lifting and lowering requirements of the drainage control pipe and drainage cover.

[0043] The base is used to install components such as the motor. It is connected to the washing machine casing, and the bottom end of the washing shaft is connected to the output shaft of the internal motor. Its specific structure is conventional technology and will not be described in detail.

[0044] Preferably, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine in this embodiment, the mounting plate has a positioning flange 17 in the middle that is adapted to the bottom connecting plate, and the bottom connecting plate is fitted onto the positioning flange.

[0045] The positioning flange enables the bottom connecting plate to be positioned, while also preventing sewage from leaking through the through hole in the middle of the mounting plate.

[0046] Specifically, the bottom connecting plate has a sidewall around its perimeter, which fits onto the positioning flange during installation to position the bottom connecting plate. The mounting plate and the bottom connecting plate have a through hole in their center, through which the top end of the washing shaft passes and connects to the drive block inside the connecting tube.

[0047] Preferably, in the drain mechanism of the washing machine of this embodiment, a supporting flange 18 is provided on the outer wall of the drain control pipe, and an annular inner edge 19 is provided at the top of the drain cover, and the annular inner edge is fixedly connected to the supporting flange.

[0048] The support flange and the annular inner edge allow the drainage control pipe to raise and lower the drainage cover via the support flange and the annular inner edge.

[0049] Preferably, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine in this embodiment, the waterproof pipe is a corrugated pipe, the waterproof pipe between the drainage control pipe and the top limiter is the upper waterproof pipe 20, and the waterproof pipe between the drainage control pipe and the bottom connecting plate is the lower waterproof pipe 21. The top end of the upper waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the top limiter, the bottom end of the upper waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the top of the drainage control pipe, the top end of the lower waterproof pipe is located below the support flange and connected to the drainage control pipe, and the bottom end of the lower waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the bottom connecting plate.

[0050] Preferably, in this embodiment, the drain mechanism of the washing machine has an oil seal sleeve 27 between the top limiter and the washing shaft.

[0051] The oil seal sleeve not only achieves the sealing function, but also reduces the friction between the top smooth rod of the threaded rod and the top limiter.

[0052] In this embodiment, the threaded rod is tubular and is fitted onto the top of the washing shaft. The oil seal sleeve is located above the threaded rod and has a sealing ring on its inner wall to prevent sewage from entering the interior of the waterproof pipe.

[0053] Preferably, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine in this embodiment, the surface of the mounting plate is provided with a connecting post 22, the bottom end of the connecting post is fixed to the mounting plate, the top end of the connecting post passes through the perforation on the annular outer edge surface, and the locking plate is fixed to the top end of the connecting post.

[0054] The connecting column enables the installation of the locking plate, while also limiting and guiding the drainage cover.

[0055] Preferably, in the drainage mechanism of the washing machine in this embodiment, the elastic element is a compression spring, which is sleeved on the connecting column. The top end of the compression spring contacts the locking plate, and the bottom end of the compression spring contacts the annular outer edge.

[0056] The compression spring allows the annular outer edge to be pressed against the surface of the mounting plate.

[0057] Preferably, in this embodiment, the drain mechanism of the washing machine also includes a return spring 23 located below the drive block inside the connecting pipe. The return spring is sleeved on the outside of the washing shaft, with its top end contacting the drive block and its bottom end contacting the bottom connecting plate.

[0058] When the drive block descends from the threaded rod to the smooth rod at its bottom under the drive of the washing shaft, the return spring can lift it up to the threaded connection on the threaded rod, thereby realizing the reset function of the drive block. The connecting tube is slidably fitted with the drive block, and its inner wall can be provided with a guide bar adapted to the drive block, or it can be set as a non-circular connecting tube to guide the drive block and prevent it from rotating.

[0059] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, used to assist those skilled in the art in implementing the corresponding technical solutions, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several equivalent improvements and modifications can be made based on the technical solutions of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes the embodiments as described above, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This descriptive method is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions of each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A drainage mechanism for a washing machine, comprising a base, an inner tub (1) above the base, a mounting hole (2) in the middle of the bottom wall of the inner tub, a mounting plate (3) connected to the bottom wall of the inner tub at the mounting hole, and a washing shaft (4) below the mounting plate, the top end of the washing shaft passing through the mounting plate and extending into the inner tub, characterized in that: The mounting plate has a connecting flange in the middle, which includes a bottom connecting plate (5) fixed to the mounting plate and a connecting pipe (6) fixed at the bottom end to the bottom connecting plate. A drive block (7) that can move up and down is provided inside the connecting pipe. A threaded rod (8) that is threadedly engaged with the drive block is provided on the washing shaft. A drain control pipe (9) is provided at the top of the connecting pipe. A control ring (10) located above the drive block is fixed on the side wall of the drain control pipe. A top limiter (11) is provided above the control ring. The top limiter is fitted onto the smooth rod at the top of the washing shaft. The outer side of the drain control pipe also... A drain cover (12) is fitted on the drain cover. The top of the drain cover is fixedly connected to the drain control pipe. The bottom of the drain cover is provided with an annular outer edge (13). The mounting plate is provided with a locking plate (14). An elastic element (15) that can press the annular outer edge against the surface of the mounting plate is provided between the locking plate and the annular outer edge. The mounting plate is provided with a drain hole (26) located inside the drain cover. A sealing plug (25) that matches the drain hole is provided on the bottom surface of the annular outer edge. A retractable waterproof pipe (16) is provided between the drain control pipe and the top limiter, and between the drain control pipe and the bottom connecting plate. During washing, the washing shaft rotates forward and backward under the drive of the motor. When the washing shaft rotates, the drive block moves up and down inside the connecting tube under the drive of the threaded rod. At this time, the drive block separates from the control ring. When drainage is needed, the washing shaft rotates at a predetermined angle so that the threaded rod drives the drive block to rise and contact the control ring; thereafter the washing shaft continues to rotate, and the drive block, driven by the threaded rod, lifts the control ring, thereby driving the drain control pipe connected to the control ring to rise.

2. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting plate has a positioning flange (17) in the middle that is adapted to the bottom connecting plate, and the bottom connecting plate is fitted onto the positioning flange.

3. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer wall of the drainage control pipe is provided with a support flange (18), and the top of the drainage cover is provided with an annular inner edge (19), which is fixedly connected to the support flange.

4. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The waterproof pipe is a corrugated pipe. The waterproof pipe between the drainage control pipe and the top limiter is the upper waterproof pipe (20), and the waterproof pipe between the drainage control pipe and the bottom connecting plate is the lower waterproof pipe (21). The top end of the upper waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the top limiter, and the bottom end of the upper waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the top of the drainage control pipe. The top end of the lower waterproof pipe is located below the support flange and connected to the drainage control pipe. The bottom end of the lower waterproof pipe is fixedly connected to the bottom connecting plate.

5. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: An oil seal sleeve (27) is provided between the top limiter and the washing shaft.

6. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting plate has a connecting post (22) on its surface. The bottom end of the connecting post is fixed to the mounting plate, and the top end of the connecting post passes through a perforation on the annular outer edge surface. The locking plate is fixed to the top end of the connecting post.

7. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The elastic element is a compression spring, which is sleeved on the connecting post. The top end of the compression spring contacts the locking plate, and the bottom end of the compression spring contacts the annular outer edge.

8. The drainage mechanism of the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting tube is also equipped with a reset spring (23) located below the drive block. The reset spring is sleeved on the outside of the washing shaft. The top end of the reset spring contacts the drive block, and the bottom end of the reset spring contacts the bottom connecting plate.

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