Detergent supply apparatus of washing machine

Abstract

A detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine, which prevents water, which is not discharged from a detergent tub through a siphon unit, from overflowing the detergent tub and being discharged to the outside of the washing machine. The siphon unit includes a siphon pipe formed on a bottom of a chamber of the detergent supply apparatus, and a cover member installed above the siphon pipe. The cover member includes a siphon cap surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the siphon pipe so that a siphon channel is provided between the siphon pipe and the siphon cap, and a bypass channel for circulating water overflowing the siphon channel to the siphon channel.

1 . A detergent supply apparatus of a washing machine comprising a detergent tub having a plurality of chambers and a siphon unit installed in at least one of a plurality of the chambers, wherein the siphon unit comprises: 
 a siphon pipe formed on a bottom of the chamber; and    a cover member installed above the siphon pipe, and comprising a siphon cap surrounding an outer circumferential surface of the siphon pipe so that a siphon channel is provided between the siphon pipe and the siphon cap, and a bypass channel for circulating water overflowing the siphon channel, to the siphon channel.    
   
   
       2 . The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the cover member further comprises an upper plate, a lower plate, and a front plate connecting the upper plate and the lower plate so that a rear surface of the cover member is opened, and the bypass channel is provided between the upper plate and the lower plate.  
   
   
       3 . The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the siphon cap is downwardly extended from a rear end of the lower plate, and at least one bypass hole connected with the bypass channel is formed through a front portion of the lower plate such that a liquid, which is not discharged to the siphon pipe, is supplied to the bypass channel through the bypass hole and is circulated to the siphon pipe through the opened rear surface of the cover member.  
   
   
       4 . The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the cover member further comprises a barrier extended from the lower plate between the siphon cap and the bypass hole towards the bottom of the chamber so as to prevent the sudden overflowing of the liquid.  
   
   
       5 . The detergent supply apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the cover member further comprises an indicator extended downwardly from the front plate such that the indicator is separated from a bottom of the chamber by a designated interval, to thereby restrict a maximum supply amount of a detergent solution or a rinsing solution.  
   
   
       6 . A detergent supply apparatus comprising: 
 a detergent tub having a plurality of chambers; and    a siphon unit installed in at least one chamber and comprising a pipe formed on a bottom of the chamber, and a cover member installed above the pipe, such that a first portion of the cover member covers an outer surface of the pipe, to thereby form a siphon channel, and a second portion of the cover member includes a bypass channel for circulating water overflowing the siphon channel back to the siphon channel.    
   
   
       7 . The detergent supply apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the cover member comprises an indicator extended downwardly from a front end of the cover member, to indicate a height of the water.  
   
   
       8 . The detergent supply apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the cover member further comprises a bypass hole to circulate the water overflowing the siphon channel to the bypass channel.  
   
   
       9 . The detergent supply apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein cover member further comprises a barrier positioned a predetermined distance from the first portion of the cover member covering the pipe, such that the barrier prevents an overflow of water towards the pipe.  
   
   
       10 . The detergent supply apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the cover member further comprises a protrusion formed at an upper portion thereof, to allow the cover member to be attached to and detached from the pipe.  
   
   
       11 . The detergent supply apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the pipe comprises a plurality of ribs protruded outwardly from a lower end of the pipe, such that the ribs contact with the first portion of the cover member when the cover member is attached to the pipe.  
   
   
       12 . A detergent supply apparatus comprising: 
 a siphon unit formed in a channel of the detergent supply apparatus and comprising:    a pipe installed at a bottom of the channel to supply water and detergent therethrough, and    a cover member formed above the pipe, to circulate water therethrough, and to cover the pipe,    wherein the siphon unit redirects water overflowing the pipe, back to the pipe