Recirculation pump system for a washing machine
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorDennis W. Hauch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A washing machine recirculation and draining system including two bottom drains in a wash tub, the drains connected by a tubing manifold having a reversible pump. A two-way valve opens one drain and closes a drain line during recirculation; the pump rotating in a first direction to pump wash water through a recirculation line. For draining, a second two-way valve opens the second drain and the first two-way valve closes the first drain and opens the drain line; the pump rotates in a second direction to drain the tub out through the drain line.
Claims15
A washing machine, comprising:
- a wash tub having first and second outlets at a bottom thereof;
- a reversible water pump;
- a manifold connecting said first and second outlets and having said reversible water pump in-line in said manifold;
- a drain line connected at a first end of said manifold and a recirculation line connected at a second end of said manifold, said recirculation line arranged to deliver water to said tub, said drain line arranged to dispose water from said tub, said pump in a first direction of operation, during a recirculation mode of operation, receiving water from said first outlet and pumping water through said recirculation line into said tub, and in a second direction of rotation taking suction from said second outlet and pumping water through said drain line;
- and
- a first two-way valve arranged at said first end of said manifold and operable to alternately open said first outlet, and close said first outlet while opening said drain line.
A recirculation/draining system for a washing machine comprising:
- a wash tub having first and second outlets at a bottom thereof;
- a manifold connecting said first and second outlets and having a reversible pump in-line in said manifold;
- a drain line connected at a first end of said manifold and a recirculation line connected at a second end of said manifold, said recirculation line arranged to deliver water to said tub, said drain line arranged to dispose water from said tub;
- a first two-way valve arranged at said first end of said manifold and operable to alternately open said first outlet and close said first outlet while opening said drain line;
- and
- a second two-way valve arranged to alternately close said second outlet while opening said recycle line and open said second outlet.
A method of operating a washing machine comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second outlets in a bottom of a wash tub of said washing machine;
- providing a manifold line connecting said first outlet to said second outlet and extending from said first and second outlets into a drain line and a recirculation line respectively;
- providing a first two-way valve for alternately closing said first outlet and closing said drain line respectively;
- providing a reversible pump within said manifold line;
- operating said reversible pump in a first direction to create a pressure differential in said manifold line to open said first outlet by opening said first two-way valve;
- recirculating wash water from said first outlet through said pump through said recirculation line into said tub;
- reversing said direction of operation of said pump to a second direction to create a pressure differential in said manifold, closing said first outlet and opening said drain line by moving said first two-way valve, moving water from said second outlet through said pump and out through said drain line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.