Washing machine with improved drive structure for rotatable tub and agitator
US5737944A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 11, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
- CPC primaryD06F37/40
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A washing machine includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the outer tub, an agitator mounted in the rotatable tub, a hollow tub shaft transmitting a rotating force to the rotatable tub, an agitator shaft inserted in the tub shaft for transmitting a rotating force to the agitator and having a lower end, an electric motor including a stator concentric with the agitator shaft and a rotor mounted on the lower end of the agitator shaft, a clutch for changing between a first mode in which the tub shaft is operatively coupled to the agitator shaft in a dehydration step so that the motor rotor, the agitator shaft and the tub shaft are rotated together and a second mode in which the tub shaft is decoupled from the agitator shaft in a wash step so that the tub shaft is prevented from being rotated with the motor rotor and the agitator shaft, and a mechanism housing mounted on an outer bottom of the outer tub. The tub shaft, the agitator shaft, the motor and the clutch are mounted on the mechanism housing to be composed into an integral mechanism unit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.