Detergent supply device

Abstract

A detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a case in which a laundry detergent and a fabric softener are stored; a case cover covering the upper surface of the case; a handle provided on the front surface of the case; and a remaining amount detection unit mounted on the rear surface of the case cover so as to detect the remaining amounts of the laundry detergent and the fabric softener, wherein the inside of the case is partitioned into a left space and a right space by a partition wall, any one of the left space and the right space is defined as a laundry detergent storage unit and the other one is defined as a fabric softener storage unit, and the residual amount detection unit comprises: a laundry detergent electrode mounted on the rear surface of the case corresponding to the rear side of the partition wall, and exposed to the laundry detergent storage unit; a fabric softener electrode exposed to the fabric softener storage unit; and a common electrode disposed between the laundry detergent electrode and the fabric softener electrode and exposed to each of the laundry detergent storage unit and the fabric softener storage unit.

Description

Detergent supply device

[0001] The present invention relates to a detergent supply device for a washing machine.

[0002] Typically, a washing machine includes a drum into which laundry is loaded, a tub for accommodating the drum, a driving means for rotating the drum, and a detergent supply device for supplying detergent.

[0003] The above detergent supply device stores powdered or liquid detergent, and recently, washing machines that can automatically supply the detergent stored in the detergent supply device into the drum have been released.

[0004] In the prior art 1 below, a detergent supply device is disclosed in which detergent and softener are stored in separate spaces, and a remaining amount detection unit capable of detecting the remaining amounts of detergent and softener stored in the storage space is disclosed.

[0005] In detail, the remaining amount detection unit is provided on the back of the space where the detergent is stored and on the back of the space where the softener is stored.

[0006] And, in the prior art 2 below, a structure of a pump for supplying detergent and softener stored in the detergent storage space and the softener storage space, respectively, into the inside of the drum is disclosed.

[0007] The above pumps are provided with a detergent pump for supplying detergent and a softener pump for supplying softener, respectively.

[0008] Conventionally, as disclosed in the above prior art 1, detection units for detecting the remaining amount of detergent and the remaining amount of softener are provided separately, which causes a problem of increasing manufacturing costs.

[0009] Prior Art 1: Korean Patent Publication No. 2021-0027090 (March 10, 2021)

[0010] Prior Art 2: Korean Patent Publication No. 2022-0159932 (December 5, 2022)

[0011] The present invention is proposed to improve the above problems.

[0012] In order to achieve the above object, a detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a case in which detergent and softener are stored; a case cover covering an upper surface of the case; a handle provided on a front surface of the case; and a residual amount detection unit mounted on a rear surface of the case cover to detect the residual amounts of the detergent and softener, wherein the interior of the case is partitioned into a left space and a right space by a partition wall, one of the left space and the right space is defined as a detergent storage portion, and the other is defined as a softener storage portion, and the residual amount detection unit is mounted on the rear surface of the case corresponding to the rear surface of the partition wall, and includes a detergent electrode exposed to the detergent storage portion, a softener electrode exposed to the softener storage portion, and a common electrode disposed between the detergent electrode and the softener electrode, and each exposed to the detergent storage portion and the softener storage portion.

[0013] The common electrode includes a detergent exposure surface exposed to the detergent storage unit and a softener exposure surface exposed to the softener storage unit.

[0014] The exposed surface of the above detergent electrode and the detergent exposed surface of the above common electrode are characterized in that they are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the front-back direction.

[0015] The exposed surface of the above-mentioned flexible electrode and the exposed surface of the above-mentioned flexible electrode are characterized in that they are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the front-back direction.

[0016] The case includes electrode exposure grooves that are sunken in on both sides of the partition wall to expose the exposed surface of the common electrode.

[0017] It is characterized in that the detergent exposure surface and the softener exposure surface of the common electrode are exposed on the back of the electrode exposure groove.

[0018] The upper surface of the above electrode exposure groove is characterized by being formed to slope downward as it goes toward the front of the case.

[0019] According to the detergent supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration, one detection unit can detect not only the remaining amount of detergent but also the remaining amount of softener, thereby reducing the number of detection units, and as a result, there is an effect of reducing the manufacturing cost of the detergent supply device.

[0020] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the detergent supply device.

[0022] Figure 3 is a front perspective view of a drawer constituting a detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the above drawer.

[0024] Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the case constituting the above drawer.

[0026] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a residual quantity detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the combined structure of a connection terminal portion and an electrode portion constituting a residual quantity detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the case cut along 9-9 of Figure 5.

[0029] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the case cut along line 10-10 of Figure 5.

[0030] Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of the case taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 6.

[0031] Hereinafter, a detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the detergent supply device.

[0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a detergent supply device (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing (11), a housing cover (12) covering the upper surface of the housing (11), and a drawer (20) accommodated inside the housing (11).

[0034] In detail, a cold water port (111) and a hot water port (112) are installed on the back surface of the housing (11), and water supply pipes extending from a cold water valve (not shown) and a hot water valve (not shown) are connected to the cold water port (111) and the hot water port (112), respectively.

[0035] In addition, a pump for supplying detergent and softener is mounted on the back of the housing (11), and the pump includes a detergent pump (13) and a softener pump (14). Inside the drawer (20), a space for filling detergent and a space for filling softener are formed to be partitioned, and the detergent pump (13) and the softener pump (14) are respectively connected to the space for filling detergent and the space for filling softener.

[0036] The detergent and softener pumped by the detergent pump (13) and the softener pump (14) are supplied to the bottom of the housing (11). In addition, the cold water and hot water supplied through the cold water port (111) and the hot water port (112) are supplied to the inside of the housing (11).

[0037] And, a washing water supply hole is formed at the bottom of the housing (11), and the washing water supply hole is connected to the tub of the washing machine, so that the detergent, fabric softener, hot water, and cold water supplied to the housing (11) pass through the tub and are supplied into the inside of the drum.

[0038] The above-mentioned detergent pump (13) and softener pump (14) may have the same structure as the pump disclosed in the above-mentioned prior art 2.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a drawer constituting a detergent supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the drawer.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, a drawer (20) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a case (21), a case cover (22) covering the upper surface of the case (21), a handle (23) provided on the front surface of the case (21), and a remaining amount detection unit (30) mounted on the back surface of the case (21).

[0041] In detail, a pump receiving portion (261) is coupled to the lower left and lower right sides of the back of the case (21). The pump receiving portion (261) includes a detergent pump receiving portion (261) and a fabric softener pump receiving portion (262). In addition, the detergent pump (13) is inserted into the detergent pump receiving portion (261), and the fabric softener pump (14) is inserted into the fabric softener pump receiving portion (262).

[0042] In addition, cap holes are formed on the left and right sides of the front end of the case cover (22), and a detergent cap (25) and a fabric softener cap (24) are respectively coupled to the cap holes. Screw threads are formed on the outer surface of the detergent cap (25) and the fabric softener cap (24) and the inner surface of the cap hole, so that a user can couple the detergent cap (25) and the fabric softener cap (24) to the case cover (22) or separate them from the case cover (22) by turning them.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a case constituting the drawer.

[0044] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the case (21) includes a front portion (211), a left side portion (212), a right side portion (213), a back portion (214), and a bottom portion (215), and the upper surface is open.

[0045] In detail, the interior of the case (21) is partitioned into a detergent storage section (2101) and a fabric softener storage section (2102) by a partition wall (216). In addition, a detergent pump hole (2141) is formed at the lower end of the rear surface (214) forming the rear surface of the detergent storage section (2101), and a fabric softener pump hole (2142) is formed at the lower end of the rear surface (214) forming the rear surface of the fabric softener storage section (2102).

[0046] The remaining amount detection unit (30) is mounted on the upper part of the rear surface (214) immediately behind the partition wall (216) to detect the amount of detergent and softener remaining in the detergent storage unit (2101) and the softener storage unit (2102).

[0047] The present invention is characterized in that a single remaining amount detection unit (30) can detect both the remaining amount of detergent and the remaining amount of softener. Hereinafter, the structure of the remaining amount detection unit (30) according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0048] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a residual quantity detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 7, a residual quantity detection unit (30) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a connection terminal portion (31), an electrode portion (33) extending from a front end of the connection terminal portion (31), and a bracket (32) that surrounds a portion of the electrode portion and a portion of the connection terminal portion (31).

[0050] In detail, an electrode sensor terminal that supports a plurality of electrodes constituting the electrode portion (33) and transmits an electric signal is installed inside the connection terminal portion (31).

[0051] In more detail, the bracket (32) includes a bracket body (321) that surrounds the connection terminal portion (31) and an electrode cover (322) that extends from the front end of the bracket body (321) and surrounds the electrode portion (33). The electrode cover (322) extends in a direction perpendicular to the bracket body (321).

[0052] In addition, the electrode cover (322) includes a main cover (3221), a sub-cover (3222) extending forward from the lower end of the main cover (3221), and a compartment cover (3223) protruding from the center of the front end of the server cover (3222).

[0053] In a state where the electrode portion (33) is connected to the connection terminal portion (31), the bracket (32) can be connected as a single body by insert injection.

[0054] FIG. 8 is a drawing showing the combined structure of a connection terminal portion and an electrode portion constituting a residual quantity detection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Referring to Fig. 8, the electrode portion (33) can be extended by being bent multiple times from the front end of the connection terminal portion (31).

[0056] In detail, the electrode part (33) includes a detergent electrode (331) coupled to one of the left and right sides of the front end of the connection terminal part (31), a softener electrode (332) coupled to the other of the left and right sides of the front end of the connection terminal part (31), and a common electrode (333) coupled to the center of the front end of the connection terminal part (31).

[0057] The detergent electrode (331), the softener electrode (332), and the common electrode (333) are each bent three times, and the lowermost portion is exposed without being shielded by the electrode cover (3222) to form an electrode surface. The electrode surface includes a detergent exposure surface (3311) defined on the front surface of the detergent electrode (331), a softener exposure surface (3321) defined on the front surface of the softener electrode (332), and a common exposure surface (3331) defined on the front surface of the common electrode (333).

[0058] In addition, a cut groove (3334) is formed in the center of the common exposure surface (3331), so that the common exposure surface (3331) is divided into a detergent exposure surface (3332) and a softener exposure surface (3333). The partition cover (3223) is positioned in the cut groove (3334), so that the common exposure surface (3331) is clearly divided into a detergent exposure surface (3332) and a softener exposure surface (3333).

[0059] Here, the detergent exposure surface (3311) defined on the lower front surface of the detergent electrode (331) may be defined as a first detergent exposure surface, and the detergent exposure surface (3332) defined on the common exposure surface (3331) may be defined as a second detergent exposure surface.

[0060] In addition, the softener exposure surface (3321) defined on the lower front surface of the softener electrode (332) can be defined as the first softener exposure surface, and the softener exposure surface (3333) defined on the common exposure surface (3331) can be defined as the second softener exposure surface.

[0061] In addition, when the first detergent exposure surface and the second detergent exposure surface are energized by detergent, it is determined that there is sufficient detergent, and when the water level drops and the energization state is released, it is determined that the remaining amount is insufficient, and an alarm signal is generated. This also applies to the softener exposure surface.

[0062] The common exposure surface (3331) is positioned at a point spaced a predetermined distance forward from the softener exposure surface (3321) and the detergent exposure surface (3311). Conventionally, the first and second detergent (or softener) exposure surfaces are arranged on the same vertical plane, so that a situation occurs where detergent (or softener) droplets exist between the two exposure surfaces. Accordingly, there have often been cases where the two exposure surfaces remain energized even when the detergent (or softener) level has fallen below a level requiring refilling. In order to prevent this problem, the electrode unit (33) according to the present invention is configured so that the first and second detergent (or softener) exposure surfaces are spaced a predetermined distance forward and backward, thereby preventing a false detection situation due to remaining detergent droplets from occurring.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the case cut along 9-9 of FIG. 5, FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the case cut along 10-10 of FIG. 5, and FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of the case cut along 11-11 of FIG. 6.

[0064] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, most of the electrode portion (333) is surrounded by the bracket (32) and is not exposed to the outside, and only the exposed surfaces (331, 332, 333) are exposed to the outside.

[0065] In detail, the electrode cover (322) can be formed as one body with the case (21) by insert injection molding into the back surface (214) of the case (21).

[0066] In addition, the common electrode (3331) portion is embedded inside the partition wall (216) and is exposed to the outside of the common exposed surface (3331).

[0067] In addition, electrode exposure grooves (217) are formed in a sunken manner on the left and right sides of the partition wall (216), so that the detergent exposure surface (3332) (second detergent exposure surface) is exposed to the detergent storage section (2101), and the softener exposure surface (3333) (second softener exposure surface) is exposed to the softener storage section (2102).

[0068] And, the detergent exposure surface (3311) (first detergent exposure surface) of the detergent electrode (331) is exposed to the detergent storage unit (2101), and the softener exposure surface (3321) (first softener exposure surface) of the softener electrode (332) is exposed to the softener storage unit (2102).

[0069] The common electrode (333) is provided on the partition wall (216), and the common exposed surface (3331) is divided into a detergent exposed surface (3332) and a softener exposed surface (3333) and is exposed to the detergent storage section (2101) and the softener storage section (2102), respectively, so that there is an advantage that two remaining amount detection units do not need to be mounted on each storage section.

[0070] In addition, since the first detergent exposure surface and the second detergent exposure surface, and the first softener exposure surface and the second softener exposure surface are spaced apart in the front-back direction, the false detection phenomenon can be fundamentally prevented.

[0071] The upper end of the electrode exposure groove (217) may be formed to slope downward at a predetermined angle (θ1) from the rear end to the front end. As a result, the droplets formed on the upper surface of the electrode exposure groove (217) do not flow down the wall surface where the electrode portion (33) is exposed, but flow down along the front surface of the electrode exposure groove (217), thereby preventing false detection.

[0072] Meanwhile, a groove (218) may be formed on the upper side of the electrode exposure hole (217). The groove (218) is bent in an 'ㄱ' shape and can be understood as a form in which horizontal grooves and vertical grooves are connected.

[0073] The bottom of the horizontal groove may be formed to slope downward at a predetermined angle (θ2) from the front end to the rear end, that is, toward the vertical groove. Then, the detergent or softener filled in the slimming groove (218) falls along the bottom of the horizontal groove to the bottom of the vertical groove, and the detergent or softener falling to the bottom of the vertical groove flows down along the partition wall to the bottom of the case (21).

Claims

1. Case for storing detergent and fabric softener; A case cover covering the upper surface of the case; a handle provided on the front of the case; and It includes a residual amount detection unit mounted on the rear of the case cover to detect the remaining amount of the detergent and softener, The interior of the above case is divided into a left space and a right space by a partition wall, One of the above left and right spaces is defined as a detergent storage compartment, and the other is defined as a fabric softener storage compartment, The above remaining amount detection unit, It is mounted on the rear side of the case corresponding to the rear side of the above partition wall, A detergent electrode exposed to the detergent storage compartment, A softener electrode exposed to the above softener storage unit, and A detergent supply device comprising a common electrode disposed between the detergent electrode and the softener electrode and exposed to the detergent storage section and the softener storage section, respectively.

2. In paragraph 1, The above common electrode is, The detergent exposure surface exposed to the detergent storage compartment above, A detergent supply device comprising a softener exposure surface exposed to the softener storage unit.

3. In paragraph 2, A detergent supply device characterized in that the exposed surface of the detergent electrode and the detergent exposed surface of the common electrode are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the front-back direction.

4. In paragraph 2, A detergent supply device characterized in that the exposed surface of the above-mentioned softener electrode and the exposed surface of the above-mentioned softener electrode are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the front-back direction.

5. In paragraph 2, The above case is, A detergent supply device including an electrode exposure groove that is sunken on both sides of the partition wall so that the exposed surface of the common electrode is exposed.

6. In paragraph 5, A detergent supply device characterized in that the detergent exposure surface and the softener exposure surface of the common electrode are exposed on the rear side of the electrode exposure groove.

7. In paragraph 6, A detergent supply device characterized in that the upper surface of the electrode exposure groove is formed to slope downward toward the front of the case.

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