Washing machine and drain pump thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a drain pump of a washing machine to reduce generation of noise. The drain pump includes a pump case in which a wash water inlet chamber and a drain pump chamber are defined, a wash water inlet port formed at the pump case, to allow wash water to be introduced into the wash water inlet chamber, a wash water outlet port formed at the pump case, to allow the wash water to be discharged from the drain pump chamber, a wash water suction port arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber, and an air discharge path arranged at a distance from the wash water suction port between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber to allow air inside the wash water inlet chamber to be discharged through the wash water outlet port.

1 . A drain pump of a washing machine, comprising:
 a pump case in which a wash water inlet chamber and a drain pump chamber are defined;   a wash water inlet port formed at the pump case, to allow wash water to be introduced into the wash water inlet chamber;   a wash water outlet port formed at the pump case, to allow the wash water to be discharged from the drain pump chamber;   a wash water suction port arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber; and   an air discharge path arranged at a predetermined distance from the wash water suction port between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber, to allow air inside the wash water inlet chamber to be discharged through the wash water outlet port.   
     
     
         2 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein a partition is arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber, and the wash water suction port and the air discharge path are formed at the partition. 
     
     
         3 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the air discharge path is located higher than the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         4 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the air discharge path has an exit communicating with the drain pump chamber, the exit being located at a radial outward position of an impeller placed in the drain pump chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional area of the air discharge path is smaller than a cross sectional area of the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         6 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the wash water inlet port is located higher than the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         7 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet port is connected to an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet chamber without a stepped portion. 
     
     
         8 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the wash water outlet port is located close to the air discharge path, to allow the air introduced into the drain pump chamber to be directly discharged through the wash water outlet port, rather than staying in the drain pump chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The drain pump according to  claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional area of the wash water outlet port is smaller than a cross sectional area of the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         10 . The drain pump according to  claim 2 , wherein the wash water suction port protrudes from the partition into the wash water inlet chamber. 
     
     
         11 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a body;   a tub placed in the body, in which wash water is stored;   a first drain pipe connected to the tub to allow the wash water to be discharged from the tub;   a second drain pipe to guide the wash water discharged from the tub to the outside of the body;   a pump case having a wash water inlet port connected to the first drain pipe and a wash water outlet port connected to the second drain pipe;   a wash water inlet chamber defined in the pump case, into which the wash water is introduced through the wash water inlet port;   a drain pump chamber defined in the pump case, in which an impeller is placed to discharge the wash water through the wash water discharge port;   a partition arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber;   a wash water suction port formed at the partition to allow the wash water of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber by suction force of the impeller, the wash water suction port protruding into the wash water inlet chamber; and   an air discharge path formed at the partition to allow the air of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber and subsequently, be discharged through the wash water outlet port, the air discharge path being located around the wash water suction port.   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the air discharge path is located higher than the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         13 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the air discharge path has an exit communicating with the drain pump chamber, the exit being located at a radial outward position of the impeller. 
     
     
         14 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein a cross sectional area of the air discharge path is smaller than a cross sectional area of the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         15 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the wash water inlet port is located higher than the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         16 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet port is connected to an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet chamber in a tangential direction. 
     
     
         17 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the wash water outlet port is located close to the air discharge path, to prevent the air introduced into the drain pump chamber from staying in the drain pump chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein a cross sectional area of the wash water outlet port is smaller than a cross sectional area of the wash water suction port. 
     
     
         19 . A drain pump of a washing machine, comprising:
 a pump case in which a wash water inlet chamber and a drain pump chamber are defined;   a wash water suction port arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber;   a wash water outlet port formed at the pump case to allow wash water to be discharged from the drain pump chamber; and   a wash water inlet port formed at the pump case to allow the wash water to be introduced into the wash water inlet chamber, the center of the wash water inlet port being located higher than the center of the pump case.   
     
     
         20 . The drain pump according to  claim 19 , wherein an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet port is connected to an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet chamber without a stepped portion. 
     
     
         21 . The drain pump according to  claim 19 , further comprising a partition arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber,
 wherein the wash water suction port is formed at the partition to allow the wash water of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber by suction force of an impeller, and   wherein the drain pump further comprises an air discharge path formed at the partition to allow air of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber and subsequently, be discharged through the wash water outlet port, the air discharge path being located around the wash water suction port.   
     
     
         22 . The drain pump according to  claim 21 , wherein the wash water suction port protrudes from the partition into the wash water inlet chamber. 
     
     
         23 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a body;   a tub placed in the body, in which wash water is stored;   a first drain pipe connected to the tub to allow the wash water to be discharged from the tub;   a second drain pipe to guide the wash water discharged from the tub to the outside of the body;   a pump case in which a wash water inlet chamber and a drain pump chamber are defined;   a wash water suction port arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber;   a wash water outlet port formed at the pump case to connect the drain pump chamber and the second drain pipe to each other; and   a wash water inlet port formed at the pump case to connect the first drain pipe and the wash water inlet chamber to each other, the center of the wash water inlet port being located higher than the center of the pump case.   
     
     
         24 . The washing machine according to  claim 23 , wherein an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet port is connected to an upper inner wall surface of the wash water inlet chamber in a tangential direction. 
     
     
         25 . The washing machine according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a partition arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber,   wherein the wash water suction port is formed at the partition to allow the wash water of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber by suction force of an impeller, and   wherein the washing machine further comprises an air discharge path formed at the partition to allow air of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber and subsequently, be discharged through the wash water outlet port, the air discharge path being located around the wash water suction port.   
     
     
         26 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a pump case in which a wash water inlet chamber and a drain pump chamber are defined:   a wash water suction port arranged between the wash water inlet chamber and the drain pump chamber;   a wash water inlet port formed at the pump case to receiving wash water; and   a wash water outlet port formed at the pump case to output the wash water to the washing machine;   an air discharge path formed between the wash water inlet chamber and the wash water outlet port to allow air of the wash water inlet chamber to be introduced into the drain pump chamber and subsequently, be discharged through the wash water outlet port, the air discharge path being located near the wash water suction port,   wherein the wash water suction port protrudes to the wash water inlet chamber.