Washing machine
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsDongcheol Kim, Youngjong Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pump includes: a pump housing having an inflow port, a first discharge port, and a second discharge port; a pump motor for providing a rotational force; and an impeller disposed in the pump housing and configured to pump water introduced through the inflow port. A planetary gear train includes a carrier connected to a rotary shaft of the pump motor, a sun gear connected to the impeller, a pinion gear rotatably installed in the carrier and engaged with the sun gear, and a ring gear engaged with the pinion gear. A rotatable valve disc is couple with the ring gear in the pump housing, and configured to close the first discharge port and open the second discharge port in a first rotation position, and open the first discharge port and close the second discharge port in a second rotation position.
Claims18
A pump comprising:
- a pump housing, the pump housing including an inflow port, a first discharge port, and a second discharge port;
- a pump motor configured to generate a rotational force;
- an impeller disposed in the pump housing and configured to pump water introduced through the inflow port;
- a planetary gear train comprising:
- a carrier connected to a rotary shaft of the pump motor,
- a sun gear connected to the impeller,
- a pinion gear rotatably installed in the carrier and engaged with the sun gear, and
- a ring gear engaged with the pinion gear;
- and
- a rotatable valve disc coupled with the ring gear in the pump housing, wherein the valve disc is configured to close the first discharge port and open the second discharge port in a first rotation position, and open the first discharge port and close the second discharge port in a second rotation position.
A washing machine comprising:
- a water storage tank containing water;
- a washing tub rotatably installed in the water storage tank;
- and
- a pump for selectively pumping water discharged from the water storage tank to a drain pipe or a circulation pipe,
- wherein the pump comprises:
- a pump housing, the pump housing including an inflow port through which water discharged from the water storage tank is introduced, a first discharge port through which water is discharged to the drain pipe, and a second discharge port through which water is discharged to the circulation pipe;
- an impeller rotatably mounted in the pump housing;
- a pump motor configured for providing a rotational force;
- a planetary gear train comprising:
- a carrier connected to a rotary shaft of the pump motor,
- a sun gear connected to the impeller,
- a pinion gear rotatably installed in the carrier and engaged with the sun gear, and
- a ring gear engaged with the pinion gear;
- and
- a rotatable valve disc coupled with the ring gear in the pump housing, wherein the valve disc is configured to close the first discharge port and open the second discharge port in a first rotation position, and open the first discharge port and close the second discharge port in a second rotation position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.