Drum-type washing machine with water level sensing unit

Abstract

A drum-type washing machine having a water level sensing unit prevents a water level sensing hose from being damaged or broken, which allows a water level to be precisely detected. Further, the drum-type washing machine prevents the water level sensing hose from being clogged with impurities. The drum-type washing machine includes a water tub to contain water therein, and the water level sensing unit to detect a level of the water contained in the water tub. The water level sensing unit includes the water level sensing hose to communicate with the water tub, and a water level sensor to detect a pressure in the water level sensing hose and the level of the water contained in the water tub. The water level sensing hose is mounted to be spaced apart from the water tub.

1 . A drum-type washing machine, comprising: 
 a water tub to contain water therein;    a water level sensing unit to detect a level of the water contained in the water tub; and    a drain pump to drain the water from the water tub, wherein the water level sensing unit is coupled to a predetermined portion of the drain pump.    
   
   
       2 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the water level sensing unit comprises: 
 a water level sensing hose coupled to the predetermined portion of the drain pump to communicate with the water tub; and    a water level sensor to detect a pressure in the water level sensing hose and the level of the water contained in the water tub.    
   
   
       3 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the drain pump comprising a suction pipe, and the water level sensing hose is coupled to the suction pipe of the drain pump.  
   
   
       4 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein a lower portion of the water level sensing hose comprises a larger diameter than an upper portion of the water level sensing hose.  
   
   
       5 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein 
 the water level sensing hose comprises:    a large-diameter part provided on the lower portion of the water level sensing hose; and    a small-diameter part provided between the large-diameter part of the water level sensing hose and the water level sensor.    
   
   
       6 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein the large-diameter part comprises a length of approximately 10 cm or more.  
   
   
       7 . A drum-type washing machine, comprising: 
 a cabinet;    a water tub located in the cabinet to contain water therein;    a holding unit mounted to a predetermined portion of the cabinet, and communicating with the water tub; and    a water level sensing unit to detect a level of the water contained in the water tub and comprising: 
 a water level sensing hose coupled to a predetermined portion of the holding unit to communicate with the water tub; and  
 a water level sensor to detect a pressure in the water level sensing hose and the level of the water contained in the water tub.  
   
   
   
       8 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the holding unit comprises a drain pump to drain the water from the water tub.  
   
   
       9 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the drain pump comprises a suction pipe, wherein the water level sensing hose is coupled to the suction pipe.  
   
   
       10 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the water level sensing unit is coupled to the predetermined portion of the holding unit to prevent the water level sensing hose from being damaged due to vibration during an operation of the drum-type washing machine.  
   
   
       11 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the drain pump is mounted to a bottom of the cabinet to drain water from the water tub.  
   
   
       12 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 11 , further comprising a suction pipe provided on a predetermined portion of the drain pump to draw the water from the water tub to the drain pump, and a discharging pipe provided on a predetermined portion of the drain pump to discharge the water from the drain pump.  
   
   
       13 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a first drain pipe which connects the water drain hole of the water tub to the suction pipe; and    a second drain pipe connected at a first end thereof to the discharging pipe, and extended at a second end thereof to an outside of the cabinet.    
   
   
       14 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein a pressure of compressed air which acts on a water surface of the large-diameter part causes the water surface of the large-diameter part to be lower than a water surface of the water tub.  
   
   
       15 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 14 , wherein the large-diameter part comprises a predetermined length to prevent the water of the large-diameter part from reaching the small-diameter part as the water level of the water tub reaches a maximum level, to prevent a malfunction of the water level sensing unit.  
   
   
       16 . The drum-type washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the water level sensor is included on an upper end of the water level sensing hose.