The present invention relates to the technical field of washing machines and, in particular, to a washing machine comprising a housing with a bottom cover, and a hydraulic flushing system, comprising a first pump motor and a second pump motor and at least one wash liquid duct.

A washing machine of this generic type is disclosed in US 2012/0090362 A1.

A modern washing machine comprises a hydraulic system with wash water ducts and at least one pump to evacuate the water from tub to the outside through flexible hoses once the laundry has been cleaned or rinsed. Many washing machines also incorporate an "Aquastop" tray or wastewater collection tray having the shape of and constituting a bottom cover that is fixed to the frame, thereby defining a lower limit of a space inside the frame wherein the tub may be contained, possibly in a swinging fashion as in a laundry washer. To the "Aquastop" tray is connected an electrical wastewater detector device with a float element that, when the wastewater exceeds a certain level, sends a signal to a shutoff valve arranged in the water supply hose that is connected to the external tap to stop the supply of water to the washing machine.

Washing machines with this type of hydraulic system are prone to a number of drawbacks when the utilizing the interior space, the access to elements such as the pump used for draining water from the wash tub, installation of the hydraulic system hoses in the factory, and access to the pump and various of these when repairs made.

Document EP 2 447 405 A1 discloses a washing machine comprising a recovery tank separate from the wash tank and suitable for containing a portion of recovered liquid, recycling means that introduce, during one of the steps of the washing program, the portion of recovered liquid from the recovery tank into the wash tank, and recovering means that, after at least one wash cycle step, convey a potion of liquid used during the wash cycle from the wash tank into the recovery tank.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art detailed above.

With this object and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a washing machine as defined in the independent claim attached. Developments and embodiments of the invention are defined in dependent claims attached as well as in the subsequent disclosure and the Figures of the drawing attached.

Accordingly there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a washing machine comprising a housing with a bottom cover, and a hydraulic flushing system, comprising a first pump motor and a second pump motor and at least one wash liquid duct. Further, at least a part of at least one hydraulic element selected from the at least one wash liquid duct and the first and the second pump motor is integrated into the bottom cover.

The integration of the hydraulic elements in the bottom cover enables a reduction in assembly time for the hydraulic elements of the hydraulic washing system, such as pumps and hoses, since the positioning and interconnection of same are predetermined by the location of these hydraulics elements in the bottom cover. It is also possible to achieve a better utilization of the available space in the washing machine interior with which one can opt for a greater compactness and/or better arrangement of the hydraulic elements, compared to conventional washing machines. Moreover, the invention also provides design flexibility to be able to arrange the pump or pumps or water circulation duct connection or connections conveniently, for example, by reducing the risk of incorrect assembly or allowing easy and rapid accessibility for assembly/disassembly.

At least part of the bottom cover can be manufactured by injection molding separately from a top and a bottom, then joined later, preferably by welding, most preferably ultrasonic welding. Alternatively, the bottom cover can be manufactured by blow molding.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention at least a portion of at least one wash liquid duct is integrated into the bottom cover.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention at least one of the pumps arranged in the bottom cover comprises a part of the pump motor housing that is at least partially integrated into the bottom cover, which reduces the transmission of noise and vibrations generated by the pump or pumps.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the bottom cover also comprises a wastewater collection tray, which is preferably integrated into the bottom cover, and which can be formed in the bottom cover during the molding process of the same.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention the washing machine comprises a frame and the bottom cover closes a bottom of the frame and, preferably, is at least partially detachable.

This embodiment of the system allows access to the interior of the appliance, particularly to the pump or pumps, without dismantling the oscillating group (tub, drum, and drive motor), which is especially useful in frames formed into a U (closed in the rear), even if the appliance must be leaned back. To fix the cover to the frame, any releasable fixing method such as a clipping ("press fit") or screwing, can be used. Preferably, an airtight fixing is provided when the bottom cover incorporates an Aquastop tray.

According to a further development this embodiment, at least a portion of the bottom cover can be hinged, and the bottom cover can be a one-piece cover or a two-piece cover comprising an exterior framework that is fixed to the bottom of the frame and a closing plate that is connected hingeably to the exterior framework.

When the bottom cover is a one-piece cover, it can comprise a hinge by means of being articulated to the bottom of the washing machine frame or to an element arranged at the bottom of the frame.

In turn, when the bottom cover is a two-piece cover, the exterior framework is firmly joined to the bottom of the frame, while the closing plate is articulated to the outer frame or to another element arranged on the bottom of the washing machine by means of a hinge, such that the closing plate is capable of swinging with respect to the exterior framework.

In either case, the hinge is preferably designed to provide freedom of downward movement once a lock is released to move the cover in the top-down direction. Blocking can be accomplished, for example, by means of a series of grooves and fins at the hinge articulation that cooperate in a tongue-in-groove manner.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic system of the washing machine comprises at least one additional hydraulic element selected from among a wash water reservoir arranged in the bottom cover and a single wash tub arranged in the housing.

In accordance with a development of this embodiment the hydraulic system comprises at least one wash water reservoir having a minimum capacity of 50%, and preferably 75%, of the total volume of water used in a washing cycle.

In this regard it is noted that the capability of such a wash water reservoir depends on the internal space available within the washing machine. For example, there are washing machines having wash tubs with a capacity of approximately 50 liters of water that use approximately 15 liters of water in a wash cycle. In this case, the capacity of the wash water reservoir is at least 7.5 liters, preferably 11.25 liters.

In accordance with yet a further embodiment of the invention the wash liquid duct is hydraulically connected to the wash water reservoir and/or wash tub. Likewise, the pump can be hydraulically connected to the wash water reservoir and/or wash tub.

In still another embodiment of the invention the tub, one or more wash water reservoirs, one or more pumps, and one or more wash liquid ducts can form part of a wash liquid reuse circuit.

Aspects and embodiments of the invention are described below in detail with reference to the Figures of the drawing attached. In particular,

• Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a washing machine;
• Figure 2 is an exploded view of the housing of the washing machine illustrated in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line A-A shown in Figure 1, and shows a first embodiment;
• Figure 4 is another sectional view along the line A-A shown in Figure 1, and shows a second embodiment;
• Figure 5 is a detailed view in rear perspective of a bottom cover provided with a wastewater collection tray that is installed in the wash water reservoir;
• Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the bottom cover shown in Figure 5, with the wastewater collection tray, but without the wash water reservoir;
• Figure 7 is a rear perspective view corresponding to Figure 5, but with the wastewater collection tray in the open position
• Figures 8A to 8C are side elevational views showing stages of the opening of the wastewater collection tray of the bottom cover shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 9 is a front perspective view of the bottom cover shown in Figure 5
• Figure 10 is a top view of the bottom cover shown in Figure 5 floor
• Figure 11 is a sectional view along line A-A shown in Figure 10.
• Figure 12 is a sectional view along line B-B shown in Figure 10.
• Figure 13 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the hydraulic system of the washing machine; and
• Figure 14 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the hydraulic system of the washing machine.

The washing machine 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a housing formed by a frame 20 in a U with a rear wall 25 joined to two side walls 27, a bottom cover 21 installed on the bottom of frame 20, a top cover 22 installed on the top of frame 20, as well was a front panel 23 with a mouth 23a and a control panel 24 in which the controls are installed and which enables access to the detergent compartment 1 installed on the front of frame 20.

The rear wall 25 of the frame 20 has an access cut-out 25a that is closed by a removable rear closing cap 26, and through which the interior of the washing machine 1 is accessible.

The bottom cover 21 comprises a central portion in the form of a wastewater collection tray 44. The upper surface of the wastewater collection tray 44 is tilted toward the drain 44a in which is mounted an essentially conventional wastewater sensing device 45.

The washing machine is provided with a wash water reservoir 30 comprising two opposing side parts and joined by a rear part.

In the embodiment of the washing machine 1 shown in Figure 2, in the lower side parts of the side walls 27 of the housing 20 are provided two supports 31 for the wash water reservoir that serve to support which the opposing side parts of the wash water reservoir 30, which is installed above the bottom cover 21 (see Figure 3), while in the embodiment of the washing machine 1 of Figure 4 the wash water reservoir 30 is installed on the upper surface of the bottom cover 21 which in turn is bolted to the bottom of housing 20.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, inside the washing machine 1 is an essentially conventional oscillating unit comprising a wash tub 2 in which rotates a wash drum 3 comprising a driven pulley 6 connected to a drive motor 4 by means of a fan belt 5. The drive motor 4 is arranged between the sides and the rear of the housing 20.

The wash tub 2 is connected with the housing 20 on top by means of two retaining springs 9 anchored in internal flanges provided above on the opposing sides of the side walls of the housing 20, and below through dampers 7 articulated with respect to the damper supports 32. The supports 32 are installed on the reinforcements 32a joined to the respective side parts of the wash water reservoir 30.

The bottom cover 21 comprises an exterior framework 21a bolted to the bottom of the frame 20 and a closing plate 21b that closes the interior void of the exterior framework 21a and is removably fixed to the exterior framework 21a by means of a removable fixing means.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the bottom cover 21 is articulated at its front to the wash water reservoir 30 by means of a hinge 33, while in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 it is bolted to a strip of the inner periphery the exterior framework 21a.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a practical embodiment of the invention in which the bottom cover 21 comprises an exterior framework 21a, for example, made of sheet metal, above which is installed a wash water reservoir 30, and a hinged closing plate 21b, for example, made of a plastic material, which incorporates a wastewater collection tray 44 with a drain 44a of the type previously described with reference to Figure 2, and in which is arranged the wastewater detection device (not shown in Figures 13, 14), also as previously described with reference to Figure 2.

The wash water reservoir 30 is installed on a support arranged at the bottom as shown schematically in Figure 3.

In the closing plate 21b is arranged a first pump 40 intended for pumping wash liquid coming from the wash water reservoir 30 into the detergent compartment 10 (see Figure 1) as well as a second pump 41 intended to evacuate water from the wash tub 2.

The closing plate 21b is articulated at its front to the wash water reservoir 30 by a hinge 33 that comprises each of two pins 33a that emerge horizontally from respective inner sides of the two side parts of the wash water reservoir 30, and each rotation bushing 33b at the free ends of the respective vertical projections 33c that emerge from the upper surface of the closing plate 21b. The hinge 33 provides freedom of downward movement once a lock is released when the hinged plate 21b moves in the top-down direction. The locking is realized by means of a series of complementary grooves and fins in the hinge pins 33a and the rotation bushing 33b that forming the articulation of the hinge 33, and that work together in a tongue-and-groove manner. The downward movement of the hinged closing plate 21b allows access to the interior of the washing machine, in particular to the pumps 40, 41, without needing to dismantle the tub 2 and the drum 3.

From the rear, the bottom cover 21 is joined to the bottom of the frame by means of a fixing screw 34 comprising a first lug 21c emerging horizontally from the rear edge of the closing plate 21b and a second lug 21d emerging horizontally from the rear edge of the exterior framework 21a in a position complementary to that of the first lug 21c. The first lug 21c has a vertical hole and the second lug has an internal thread 21d aligned with the vertical borehole such that a fixing screw 34a that passes through the vertical borehole of the first lug 21c can be screwed into the inner threads of the second lug 21d. For fixing the closing plate 21b to the exterior framework 21a, there is further provided an essentially conventional clipping fixing means 37 comprising, for example, vertically emerging nipples on the sides of the surface of the closing plate 21b which fit together elastically in the complementary retaining bushing of the exterior framework 21a.

For attachment to the frame, the exterior framework 21a comprises on the one hand a clipping fixing means 35 in the form of nipples that, for example, elastically fit into complementary apertures (not shown in the figures) at the bottom of the frame. On the other hand, the exterior framework 21a has through holes 36 in the opposing side strips, through which pass fixing screws (not shown in the figures) that screw into complementary holes provided in the bottom of the frame (not shown in the Figures).

Figures 8A to 8C show the stages of opening the closing plate 21b with respect to the external framework 21a. Thus, when the closing plate 21b is fixed to the exterior framework 21a as shown in Figure 8A, the fixing screw 34a is unscrewed and then the closing plate 21b moves downward in a horizontal position against the resistance offered by the clipping fixing means 37 previously described with reference to Figures 5-7, to reach the position shown in Figure 8B. Then, the closing plate 21b rotates on the hinge 33 and swings relative to the exterior framework 21a, as shown in Figure 8C.

Figures 9 to 12 show in more detail some of the characteristics of the closing plate 21b described above with reference to Figures 5 to 7 and 8A to 8C.

As can be seen, the connection from fluid inlet 46 of the first pump 40 is connected to a connector 30a provided on the inner side of one of the sides of the wash water reservoir 30 through a wash water outlet hose 48 that extends above the upper surface of the closing plate 21b while the outlet from the first pump 40 is connected to a first outlet connection 47 by means of a first wash liquid duct 42 integrated into the closing plate 21b. The first connection from the output connection 47 is connected to the detergent compartment by means of a resupply hose 50 (see Figures 12 and 13).

The inlet connection 46 of the second pump 41 is connected to the wash tub 2 by means of a drain hose 49, while the outlet of the second pump 41 is connected to a second wash liquid duct 42 that has a second outlet connection 47 connected to an evacuation hose 51 (see Figures 12 and 13) that communicates with the drain from the washing machine 1.

Figure 12 shows that the first wash liquid duct 42 is formed in the same body of the closing plate 21b that can be achieved, for example, in the molding of the closing plate 21b. Each of the pumps 40, 41 comprises a housing 43 partially integrated into the closing plate 21a. The wash liquid enters the interior of the housing 43 through the inlet connection 46 and is discharged under pressure through the outlet from the pump 40, 41 to the wash liquid duct 42. This structure is equally applicable to the second wash liquid duct.

Figure 13 shows a first embodiment of the hydraulic system of the washing machine. According to this embodiment, fresh water is supplied to the system by introducing it into the detergent compartment and leading it through a water supply hose 52 in the wash tub 2, and from there through the transfer duct 53 to the wash water reservoir 30 until there is enough water in wash tub 2 and the wash water reservoir 30 is full, after which the fresh water supply to the detergent compartment 10 is closed and the three-way valve 55 arranged in the outlet of wash tub 2 is closed. When, after a wash cycle, it is necessary required to partially or completely evacuate the dirty wash liquid from tub 2, the three-way valve 55 is opened so that the dirty wash liquid can flow through the second wash water duct 42 to the drain hose 49, and the second pump 41 is operated to pump the dirty wash liquid through the discharge hose 51 to evacuate through the drain (not shown in the figures) of the washing machine 1, and the three-way valve 55 is closed.

When, after the evacuation of the wash liquid, continuing with a new wash cycle that requires the addition of wash water, the first pump 40 is operated to pump wash water from the wash water reservoir 30 through the wash water outlet hose 48, the first wash liquid duct 42 and the first hose 50 to the detergent compartment 10, from where it passes through the water supply hose 52 to the wash tub 2. After the wash tub 2 has been evacuated after a wash cycle, this can be done when all the wash water has been used, or only a portion thereof.

Likewise, instead of draining the wash water from wash tub 2 through the drain hose 49, one can choose, when it is desired to reuse some or all of the used wash water that is evacuated from wash tub 2, for example, such as water for soaking, this used wash water can be transferred to the wash water reservoir 30 by closing the access to the drain hose 49 by means of valve 55 and opening access to the transfer hose 53, such that the used wash water is transferred into the wash water reservoir 30 and, from there, by operating the first pump 40, can be brought through the wash water outlet hose 48, the first wash liquid duct 42 and the resupply hose 50 to the detergent compartment 10, from where it is recirculated, optionally being mixed with more fresh water and/or more detergent, to wash tub 2 via water supply hose 52. In this way, the tub 2, the wash water reservoir 30, the first pump 40, and the wash liquid duct 42 are part of a wash liquid recirculation circuit.

The second embodiment of the hydraulic system of the washing machine shown in Figure 14 differs from the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 13 in that the wash tub 2 is not in hydraulic communication with the wash water reservoir 30 such that the valve 55 arranged at the outlet of the wash tub 2 is only two-way.

As in the first embodiment of the hydraulic system, after a wash cycle, when it is necessary required to partially or completely evacuate the dirty wash liquid from tub 2, the two-way valve 55 is opened so that the dirty wash liquid can flow through the second wash water duct 42 to the drain hose 49, and the second pump 41 is operated to pump the dirty wash liquid through the discharge hose 51 to evacuate through the drain (not shown in the figures) of the washing machine 1, and the two-way valve 55 is closed.

Moreover, fresh water can be supplied to the system by introducing it into the detergent compartment and leading it through the water supply hose 52 into the wash tub 2, and/or the wash water reservoir 30. When, after the evacuation of the wash liquid, continuing with a new wash cycle that requires the addition of wash water, the first pump 40 is operated to pump wash water from the wash water reservoir 30 through the wash water outlet hose 48, the first wash liquid duct 42 and the first hose 50 to the detergent compartment 10, from where it passes through the water supply hose 52 to the wash tub 2.

1

Washing machine

2

Wash tub

3

Rotating drum

4

Drive motor

5

Fan belt

6

Belt pulley

7

Damper

9

Spring

10

Detergent compartment

20

Frame

21

Bottom cover

21a

External framework

21b

Closing plate

21c

First lug

21d

Second lug

22

Top cover

23

Front panel

24

Control panel

25

Rear wall

25a

Access cut-out

26

Rear closure cover

27

Side wall

30

Wash water reservoir

30a

Connector from the wash water reservoir

31

Wash reservoir support

32

Damper support

32a

Reinforcement

33

Hinge for reservoir hinged cover

33a

Hinge pin

33b

Rotation bushing

34

Fastening screw from the bottom cover to the exterior framework

34a

Fastening screw

35

Fastening by clipping from the exterior framework to the frame

36

Through hole for the screw from the exterior framework to the frame

37

Fastening by clipping from the bottom cover to the exterior framework

40

First pump motor

41

Second pump motor

42

Wash liquid duct

43

Pump motor housing

44

Wastewater collection tray

44a

Drain

45

Wastewater detector device

46

Inlet connection to the pump motor

47

Outlet connection to the pump motor

48

Wash water outlet hose

49

Tub drain hose

50

Resupply hose

51

Discharge hose

52

Water drain hose

53

Transfer hose

54

Additional water drain hose

55

Valve