A filter for household appliances

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filter (1) comprising a body (2) which has a base (3) and side walls (13); a filtering member (6) which is provided on the side walls (13) of the body (2) and which filters the water; a first bearing (109 which extends perpendicular to the plane of the base (3); a lid (4) which is provided at the ceiling of the body (2); a second bearing (11) which extends perpendicular to the plane of the lid (4), which is connected to the water source at one end and which opens into the filter (1) at the other end, and which is positioned on the same axis as the first bearing (10); an actuation member (9) which is in the form of a worm screw, which extends along the horizontal axis between the base (3) and the lid (4), which is borne on the first and second bearings (10 and 11) and which rotates around this axis; a scraper (7) which is disposed on the actuation member (9) and which enables the waste on the filtering member (6) to be scraped and transported as the edges thereof contact the filtering member (6); a receptacle (5) which is provided behind the lid (4) and wherein the waste carried by the scraper (7) is collected; and at least two openings (12) which are disposed along the actuation member (9) and which enable the water taken into the actuation member (9) through the second bearing (11) to be carried out.

Description

[0001] A FILTER FOR HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

[0002] The present invention relates to a microfiber filter used in household appliances which use water.

[0003] The large volume occupied by filters used in the household appliances makes the use thereof in limited volumes difficult. Especially in small household appliances, various challenges are encountered in placing the filters in the body. Moreover, cleaning the microfiber filter is very difficult for the user and the cleaning process takes a very long time. Furthermore, using a filter which is not suitable for the water flow in the household appliance prevents the water flow from being distributed evenly in the filter and prevents the filter from working efficiently.

[0004] In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP4115966, a mechanism is disclosed, which sweeps the filter surface by sweeping the same by means of a worm screw.

[0005] Another document in the state of the art is the German Patent Application No. DEI 02022207949. This document discloses the cleaning of the filter surface by means of a sweeper.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of an effective filter used in the household appliances which use water.

[0007] The filter realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a body which has a base and side walls; a filtering member which is provided on the side walls of the body and which filters the water; a first bearing which extends perpendicular to the plane of the base; a lid which is provided at the ceiling of the body; a second bearing which extends perpendicular to the plane of the lid, which is connected to the water source at one end and which opens into the filter at the other end, and which is positioned on the same axis as the first bearing; an actuation member which is in the form of a worm screw, which extends along the horizontal axis between the base and the lid, which is borne on the first and second bearings and which rotates around this axis; a scraper which is disposed on the actuation member and which enables the waste on the filtering member to be scraped and transported as the edges thereof contact the filtering member; a receptacle which is provided behind the lid and wherein the waste carried by the scraper is collected; and at least two openings which are disposed along the actuation member and which enable the water taken into the actuation member through the second bearing to be carried out.

[0008] By means of the present invention, the water taken through the second bearing is enabled to be distributed homogeneously in the filter. Thus, the water to be filtered is distributed homogeneously in the filter through a plurality of openings on the actuation member. Consequently, the effectiveness and performance of the filter are improved. Moreover, by delaying the clogging of the filter, the filter is enabled to be used for a longer period of time without user intervention.

[0009] The actuation member is used both to move the scraper thereon and to ensure water entry into the filter. By means of the plurality of openings on the actuation member, the water is directed to the entire filter more homogeneously and efficiently than the case where the water enters the filter through a single point.

[0010] The lid holds all components of the filter together and also enables the forming of a closed area like a receptacle where the accumulated waste is collected.

[0011] The scraper enables microfiber and similar waste particles accumulated on the filter surface to be swept away as a result of the rotation of the actuation member. By turning the actuation member clockwise or counterclockwise, the scraper moves back and forth on the actuation member.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the filter comprises a sealing member which is disposed all around the edges of the scraper, which contacts the filtering members from the inside of the filter and which enables the surfaces of all filtering members to be scraped.

[0013] In the embodiment of the present invention, by rotating the actuation member, the sealing member attached to the edges of the scraper moves linearly in the filter from the base to the lid while contacting the filtering member. During this movement, the waste particles retained by the filtering member is scraped off the filtering member by the scraper and carried and swept towards the lid. By means of the sealing member, microfiber and similar waste particles on the surface of the filtering member are effectively swept away during the scraping process. The water is taken into the actuation member through the second bearing and hence into the filter. The water flowing in the actuation member passes through the openings in the wall of the actuation member to be distributed into the filter. Thus, by means of both the scraper and the water distributed by the actuation member, waste particles are scraped off the filtering member, swept towards the lid and collected in the receptacle. Afterwards, the lid is opened by the user, the waste accumulated in the receptacle is cleaned and the filter is made ready for reuse.

[0014] By means of the present invention, a simpler filter is realized. Moreover, the filtering efficiency is increased while ensuring that the surface of the filtering members remain clean for a longer time. Furthermore, by means of the receptacle wherein the waste cleaned off the surfaces of the filtering members and turned into lumps is collected, the filter can be easily cleaned without the user being required to contact the waste.

[0015] A filter realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0016] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of a filter.

[0017] Figure 2 - is the exploded view of the filter.

[0018] Figure 3 - is the sideways cross-sectional view of the filter.

[0019] Figure 4 - is the sideways view of the filter when the scraper is in the position A.

[0020] Figure 5 - is the sideways view of the filter when the scraper is in the position B.

[0021] Figure 6 - is the sideways view of the lid and the receptacle when the waste particles are collected.

[0022] Figure 7 -is the sideways view of the lid and the receptacle when the waste particles are cleaned.

[0023] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows.

[0024] 1. Filter 2. Body

[0025] 3. Base

[0026] 4. Lid

[0027] 5. Receptacle

[0028] 6. Filtering member

[0029] 7. Scraper

[0030] 8. Sealing member

[0031] 9. Actuation member

[0032] 10. First bearing

[0033] 11. Second bearing

[0034] 12. Opening

[0035] 13. Side wall

[0036] 14. Wall

[0037] 15. Step

[0038] The filter (1) comprises a body (2) which has a base (3) and side walls (13); a filtering member (6) which is provided on the side walls (13) of the body (2) and which filters the water; a first bearing (109 which extends perpendicular to the plane of the base (3); a lid (4) which is provided at the ceiling of the body (2); a second bearing (11) which extends perpendicular to the plane of the lid (4), which is connected to the water source at one end and which opens into the filter (1) at the other end, and which is positioned on the same axis as the first bearing (10); an actuation member (9) which is in the form of a worm screw, which extends along the horizontal axis between the base (3) and the lid (4), which is borne on the first and second bearings (10 and 11) and which rotates around this axis; a scraper (7) which is disposed on the actuation member (9) and which enables the waste on the filtering member (6) to be scraped and transported as the edges thereof contact the filtering member (6); a receptacle (5) which is provided behind the lid (4) and wherein the waste carried by the scraper (7) is collected; and at least two openings (12) which are disposed along the actuation member (9) and which enable the water taken into the actuation member (9) through the second bearing (11) to be carried out (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

[0039] By means of the present invention, the water taken through the second bearing (11) is enabled to be distributed homogeneously in the filter (1). Thus, the water to be filtered is distributed homogeneously in the filter (1) through a plurality of openings (12) on the actuation member (9). Consequently, the effectiveness and performance of the filter (1) are improved. Moreover, by delaying the clogging of the filter (1), the filter (1) is enabled to be used for a longer period of time without user intervention.

[0040] The actuation member (9) is in the form of a hollow cylinder. By means of the plurality of openings (12) on the actuation member (9), the water is directed to the entire filter (1) more homogeneously and efficiently than the case where the water enters the filter (1) through a single point (Figure 3).

[0041] The opening (12) is in the form of a quadrilateral with rounded corners. The filter (1) comprises four openings (12) which are arranged in a row in an aligned manner with a certain distance therebetween. There is a radial distance at a certain angle between each row of four openings (12). The width of the openings (12) is configured so as not to prevent the actuation member (9) from functioning as a worm screw.

[0042] The body (2) is cylindrical. The filter (1) comprises a plurality of windows on the side walls (13). Each window is covered with the filtering member (6). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the window is quadrilateral.

[0043] The base (3) is circular and covers the base of the body (2). The first bearing (10) extends on the base (3) so as to be perpendicular to the base (3), and the end of the actuation member (9) is attached to said first bearing (10). The actuation member (9) rotates around the first bearing (10).

[0044] The lid (4) and the receptacle (5) are circular. The receptacle (5) is formed on the side of the lid (4) facing the inside of the filter (1). The filter (1) further comprises a wall (14) which surrounds the receptacle (5). In the embodiment of the present invention, the scraper (7), which moves towards the lid (4), pushes the waste particles collected and swept into the receptacle (5), and the scraper (7) enters the receptacle (5). The actuation member (9) passes through the center of the lid (4) and the receptacle (5). The lid (4) holds all components of the filter (1) together and also enables the forming of a closed area like a receptacle (5) where the accumulated waste is collected.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present invention, the second bearing (11) passes through the center of the lid (4) and the receptacle (5) and extends into the filter (1) so as to be on the same axis as the first bearing (10). One end of the second bearing (11) opens outside the filter (1) and the other end opens into the filter (1) towards the center of the actuation member (9). The end of the actuation member (9) is attached to the second bearing (11) and rotates on the first and second bearings (10 and 11) around the rotation axis on said first and second bearings (10 and 11).

[0046] The scraper (7) is circular and enables microfiber and similar waste particles accumulated on the surfaces of the filtering members (6) to be swept away as a result of the rotation of the actuation member (9). By turning the actuation member (9) clockwise or counterclockwise, the scraper (7) moves back and forth on the actuation member (9).

[0047] In an embodiment of the present invention, the filter (1) comprises a sealing member (8) which is disposed all around the edges of the scraper (7), which contacts the filtering members (6) from the inside of the filter (1) and which enables the surfaces of all the filtering members (6) to be scraped. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealing member (8) is a gasket.

[0048] In another embodiment of the present invention, the filter (1) comprises a step (15) which forms the base of the receptacle (5) on the side of the actuation member (9) inside the receptacle (5). When the actuation member (9) is separated from the lid (4), the step (15) moves away from the lid (4) and receptacle (5) together with the actuation member (9).

[0049] In another embodiment of the present invention, the lid (4), the receptacle (5) and the actuation member (9) form a single piece. In the embodiment of the present invention, the filter (1) is used in a laundry washing machine, a laundry drying machine, a laundry washing / drying machine or a dishwasher.

[0050] In the embodiment of the present invention, by rotating the actuation member (9), the sealing member (8) attached to the edges of the scraper (7) moves linearly in the filter (1) from the base (3) to the lid (4) while contacting the filtering member (6). During this movement, the waste particles retained by the filtering member (6) is scraped off the filtering member (6) by the scraper (7) and carried and swept towards the lid (4). By means of the sealing member (8), microfiber and similar waste particles on the surface of the filtering member (6) are effectively swept away during the scraping process (Figure 4 and Figure 5). The water is taken into the actuation member (9) through the second bearing (11) and hence into the filter (1). The water flowing in the actuation member (9) passes through the openings (12) in the wall of the actuation member (9) to be distributed into the filter (1). Thus, by means of both the scraper (7) and the water distributed by the actuation member (9), waste particles are scraped off the filtering member (6), swept towards the lid (4), collected in the receptacle (5), and bear against the step (15). In this case, the waste particles swept towards the receptacle (5) by the scraper (7) are compressed in the receptacle (5) between the scraper (7) and the step (15). Afterwards, as the lid (4) is opened by the user, the step (15) and the actuation member (9) move away from the base of the receptacle (5) and the waste particles accumulated in the receptacle (5) and compressed by the step (15) are cleaned and the filter (1) is made ready for reuse (Figure 6 and Figure 7).

[0051] By means of the present invention, a simpler filter (1) is realized. Moreover, the filtering efficiency is increased while ensuring that the surface of the filtering members (6) remain clean for a longer time. Furthermore, by means of the receptacle (5) wherein the waste cleaned off the surfaces of the filtering members (6) and turned into lumps is collected, the filter (1) can be easily cleaned without the user being required to contact the waste.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A filter (1) comprising a body (2) which has a base (3) and side walls (13); a filtering member (6) which is provided on the side walls (13) of the body (2) and which filters the water; a first bearing (109 which extends perpendicular to the plane of the base (3); a lid (4) which is provided at the ceiling of the body (2); a second bearing (11) which extends perpendicular to the plane of the lid (4), which is connected to the water source at one end and which opens into the filter (1) at the other end, and which is positioned on the same axis as the first bearing (10) and an actuation member (9) which is in the form of a worm screw, which extends along the horizontal axis between the base (3) and the lid (4), which is borne on the first and second bearings (10 and 11) and which rotates around this axis, characterized by a scraper (7) which is disposed on the actuation member (9) and which enables the waste on the filtering member (6) to be scraped and transported as the edges thereof contact the filtering member (6); a receptacle (5) which is provided behind the lid (4) and wherein the waste carried by the scraper (7) is collected; and at least two openings (12) which are disposed along the actuation member (9) and which enable the water taken into the actuation member (9) through the second bearing (11) to be carried out.

2. A filter (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the actuation member (9) which is in the form of a hollow cylinder.

3. A filter (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the opening (12) which is in the form of a quadrilateral with rounded comers.

4. A filter (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 3, characterized by four openings (12) which are arranged in a row in an aligned manner with a certain distance therebetween.

5. A filter (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the body (2) which is cylindrical.

6. A filter (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a plurality of windows which are provided on the side walls (13) and each of which is covered with the filtering member (6).

7. A filter (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the base (3) which is circular and which covers the base of the body (2).

8. A filter (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the receptacle (5) which is circular, which is formed on the side of the lid (4) facing the inside of the filter (1) and which comprises a wall (14) surrounding the receptacle (5).

9. A filter (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the scraper (7) which is cylindrical.

10. A filter (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 9, characterized by a sealing member (8) which is disposed all around the edges of the scraper (7), which contacts the filtering members (6) from the inside of the filter (1) and which enables the surfaces of all the filtering members (6) to be scraped.

11. A filter (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a step (15) which forms the base of the receptacle (5) on the side of the actuation member (9) inside the receptacle (5).

12. A filter (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the lid (4), the receptacle (5) and the actuation member (9) which form a single piece.

13. A filter (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by being used in a laundry washing machine, a laundry drying machine, a laundry washing / drying machine or a dishwasher.

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