Drum washing machine with detergent supply device

Abstract

A drum washing machine having a detergent supply device supplying water containing detergent to a washing tub. The detergent supply device is integrally formed with a door of the washing machine. The detergent supply device is provided with a discharge unit discharging detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub when the level of the water supplied to the detergent supply device reaches a designated value. The discharge unit delays the discharge of the washing water supplied to the detergent supply device by a siphon, thus improving the solubility of the detergent.

1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a main body provided with an opening;   a washing tub installed in the main body;   a door opening and closing the opening;   a detergent supply device supplying detergent to the washing tub and including a discharge unit to discharge the detergent; and   a water supply device supplying water to the detergent supply device,   wherein the detergent supply device is formed in the door and the discharge unit discharges the detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub when a level of the water supplied to the detergent supply device reaches a designated value.   
   
   
       2 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent supply device is integrally formed with the door. 
   
   
       3 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge unit includes a siphon which supplies the detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub. 
   
   
       4 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent supply device is formed in an upper portion of a rear surface of the door. 
   
   
       5 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the detergent supply device is depressed in the door to a designated depth when an upper portion of the detergent supply device is opened so as to contain the detergent. 
   
   
       6 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge unit includes a siphon tube formed through a bottom of the detergent supply device to communicate with an outside, and a siphon cap put on the siphon tube to form a siphon channel. 
   
   
       7 . The washing machine according to  claim 6 , further comprising a detergent indicator formed on the siphon cap indicating a proper amount of the detergent to be put into the detergent supply device. 
   
   
       8 . The washing machine according to  claim 6 , further comprising an inclined guide portion that is formed in the door below the detergent supply device, the inclined guide portion guiding the detergent, dissolved in the water that is supplied from the siphon tube, to the washing tub. 
   
   
       9 . The washing machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the upper portion of the detergent supply device includes an outlet of a water supply pipe of the water supply device located thereon. 
   
   
       10 . The washing machine according to  claim 9 , further comprising an elastic bellows having a cylindrical shape interposed between an opening of the main body and an opening of the washing tub, wherein the outlet of the water supply pipe is connected to an upper portion of the bellows. 
   
   
       11 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the door is made of a transparent material so that a user can see the inside of the main body. 
   
   
       12 . A washing machine comprising:
 a main body provided with an opening;   a washing tub installed in the main body;   a door opening and closing the opening;   a detergent supply device to dissolve a plurality of detergents in water and supply the detergents dissolved in the water to the washing tub, the detergent supply device including:
 a plurality of divided chambers divided from each other so that each one of the detergents is received in a respective one of the divided chambers, and 
 a siphon; and 
   a water supply device supplying the water to the detergent supply device,   wherein the detergent supply device is formed integrally with the door, and at least one chamber supplies one of the detergents to dissolve in the water to the washing tub by the siphon.   
   
   
       13 . The washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the detergent supply device is depressed in the door to a designated depth when an upper portion of the detergent supply device is opened to contain the detergents. 
   
   
       14 . The washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the chamber, which supplies the detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub by the siphon, includes a siphon tube formed through a bottom of the chamber to communicate with an outside and a siphon cap to be put on the siphon tube to form a siphon channel. 
   
   
       15 . The washing machine according to  claim 13 , further comprising a chamber lid, provided with a hole, to close the opened upper portion of the detergent supply device, the chamber lid being connected to the detergent supply device. 
   
   
       16 . The washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the chamber lid is connected to one of the chambers to supply the detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub by the siphon. 
   
   
       17 . The washing machine according to  claim 14 , further comprising an inclined guide portion formed in the door below the detergent supply device, the inclined guide portion guiding the detergent, which is dissolved in the water in the detergent supply device, to the washing tub. 
   
   
       18 . The washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the door is made of a transparent material so that a user can see an inside of the main body. 
   
   
       19 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a door;   a washing tub; and   a detergent supply device formed in the door and supplying a detergent, the detergent supply device including a discharge unit discharging detergent dissolved in water to the washing tub when a level of the water supplied to the detergent supply device reaches a designated value.   
   
   
       20 . A detergent supply device used with a washing machine having a window and a washing tub, comprising:
 a discharge unit; and   an inclined guide portion formed in the window of the washing machine,   wherein detergent supplied in the detergent supply device and dissolved in water supplied to the detergent supply device is siphoned through the discharge unit to the inclined guide portion to supply the detergent dissolved in the water to the washing tub of the washing machine.   
   
   
       21 . The detergent supply device according to  claim 20 , wherein a width of the inclined guide portion decreases from an upper end of the guide portion to a lower end of the guide portion, such that a speed of a current of the water with the dissolved detergent flowing along the guide portion increases. 
   
   
       22 . The detergent supply device according to  claim 20 , further comprising a plurality of detergent chambers partitioned from each other, wherein the discharge unit is disposed within at least a first of the detergent chambers and the inclined guide portion is formed adjacent to the discharge unit. 
   
   
       23 . The detergent supply device according to  claim 22 , further comprising a flow delay unit disposed within at least a second of the detergent chambers and a discharge hole formed through a rear surface of the second of the detergent chambers, the flow delay unit installed in front of the discharge hole and delaying a discharge of the water through the discharge hole. 
   
   
       24 . The detergent supply device according to  claim 22 , further comprising a chamber lid provided with a hole, the chamber lid covering an opened upper portion of one of the detergent chambers.