Washing machine

A washing machine, comprising:

• a washing tub provided to accommodate laundry therein;
• a dehydration shaft configured to rotate the washing tub, the dehydration shaft having a hollow portion therein;
• a pulsator rotatably disposed in the washing tub;
• a drive shaft passing through the hollow portion of the dehydration shaft, the drive shaft configured to rotate the pulsator;
• a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic field when a current is applied to the solenoid;
• a clutch lifted along the dehydration shaft from a lower side of the solenoid when the current is applied to the solenoid, the clutch being configured to selectively transmit rotation of the drive shaft to the dehydration shaft, the clutch being movable along the dehydration shaft between a first position and a second position, the dehydration shaft being connected to the drive shaft when the clutch is in the first position, and the dehydration shaft being disconnected from the drive shaft when the clutch is in the second position;
• a bearing configured to rotatably support the dehydration shaft, the bearing being located at an upper side of the solenoid;
• and
• a bearing housing configured to receive the bearing and the solenoid therein, the bearing housing comprising a ferromagnetic material, the bearing housing including a cylindrical portion surrounding an outer circumference of the bearing and an outer circumference of the solenoid,
• wherein the solenoid is located in an area defined by the cylindrical portion, and
• wherein an inner diameter of a second section of the cylindrical portion surrounding the outer circumference of the solenoid is smaller than an inner diameter of a first section of the cylindrical portion surrounding the outer circumference of the bearing.

A washing machine, comprising:

• a cabinet;
• an outer tub located in the cabinet, the outer tub being provided to accommodate wash water therein;
• an inner tub located in the outer tub, the inner tub being provided to accommodate laundry therein;
• an outer shaft configured to rotate the inner tub, the outer shaft having a hollow portion therein;
• a pulsator rotatably disposed in the inner tub;
• an inner shaft passing through the hollow portion of the outer shaft, the inner shaft configured to rotate the pulsator;
• a clutch lifted along the dehydration shaft from the lower side of the solenoid when a current is applied to the solenoid, the clutch being configured to selectively transmit rotation of the inner shaft to the outer shaft;
• a solenoid configured to generate a magnetic field when the current is applied to the solenoid;
• a bearing configured to rotatably support the outer shaft, the bearing being located at an upper side of the solenoid;
• and
• a bearing housing configured to receive the bearing and the solenoid therein, the bearing housing comprising a ferromagnetic material, the bearing housing including a cylindrical portion, the cylindrical portion including:
• a first fixing core surrounding an outer periphery of the bearing and contacting the outer circumference of the bearing;
• and
• a second fixing core extended downward from the first fixing core, the second fixing core surrounding an outer periphery of the solenoid to fix an arrangement of the solenoid, and
• wherein the clutch comprises:
• a clutch coupler movable along the outer shaft between a first position and a second position, the outer shaft being connected to the inner shaft when the clutch coupler is in the first position, and the outer shaft being disconnected from the inner shaft when the clutch coupler is in the second position, and
• an armature fixed to the clutch coupler, the armature being movable by the solenoid to thereby move the clutch coupler from the first position to the second position, the armature comprising:
• a core base located below the second fixing core, the core base extending outward from the clutch coupler;
• and
• a core outer portion extending upward from an outer periphery of the core base,
• wherein an uppermost end of the core outer portion moves alongside an outer periphery of the first fixing core as the clutch coupler moves from the first position to the second position.