Drum washing machine

Abstract

A drum washing machine provided with a wash water sensor mounted at a drain hose to easily measure the amount of the detergent contained in the wash water therein, the drum washing machine a cabinet, a tub disposed at an inside the cabinet to accommodate water, a drain pump disposed at a lower portion of the tub to pump the wash water at an inside the tub, a first drain hose configured to connect the tub to the drain pump, such that the wash water at an inside the tub is introduced to the drain pump, a second drain hose configured to connect the drain pump to an outside the cabinet, and a wash water sensor configured to sense the amount of the detergent contained in the wash water drained from the tub, and mounted at the first drain hose.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drum washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed at an inside the cabinet to accommodate wash water;   a drain pump disposed at a lower portion of the tub to pump the wash water at an inside the tub;   a first drain hose configured to connect the tub to the drain pump, such that the wash water at an inside the tub is introduced to the drain pump;   a second drain hose configured to connect the drain pump to an outside the cabinet; and   a wash water sensor configured to sense the amount of the detergent contained in the wash water drained from the tub, and mounted at the first drain hose.   
     
     
         2 . The drum washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first drain hose comprises a settling hole in which the wash water sensor is settled. 
     
     
         3 . The drum washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first drain hose comprises a split part branching from the first drain hose. 
     
     
         4 . The drum washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the first drain hose further comprises a settling hole formed at one end portion of the split part, and configured such that the wash water sensor is settled in the settling hole. 
     
     
         5 . The drum washing machine of  claim 4 , further comprising a fixation apparatus configured to surround an outer circumferential surface of the split part, in which the wash water sensor is settled, such that the wash water sensor and the split part are closely attached and fixed to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The drum washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein the fixation apparatus comprises a clamp. 
     
     
         7 . The drum washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein the fixation apparatus comprises a cable tie. 
     
     
         8 . The drum washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the wash water sensor comprises a body, and a sensing part protrudedly formed from the body to measure the amount of the detergent contained in the wash water. 
     
     
         9 . The drum washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the wash water sensor further comprises a position determining protrusion protrudedly formed from a side surface of the body in an outward radial direction. 
     
     
         10 . The drum washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the first drain hose further comprises a position determining groove formed on an inner side of the split part, such that the position determining groove corresponds to the position determining protrusion. 
     
     
         11 . The drum washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the first drain hose and the split part are integrally formed with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The drum washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the wash water sensor is insertedly mounted on the split part, such that the sensing part is disposed at an inside the first drain hose. 
     
     
         13 . The drum washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the wash water sensor comprises a turbidity sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The drum washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the wash water sensor comprises an electrode sensor. 
     
     
         15 . A drum washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed at an inside the cabinet to accommodate wash water;   a drain hose connected to the tub to guide the wash water at an inside the tub to an outside the cabinet; and   a wash water sensor to sense the amount of the detergent contained in the wash water,   wherein the drain hose comprises:   a main line to guide the wash water; and   a split line branching from the main line, and   wherein the wash water sensor is insertedly mounted on the split line.   
     
     
         16 . The drum washing machine of  claim 15 , further comprising a fixation apparatus installed to surround a circumference of the split line, such that the split line and the wash water sensor are closely attached to each other, and thus one end portion of the split line is sealed. 
     
     
         17 . The drum washing machine of  claim 15 , wherein the wash water sensor comprises a body, and a sensing part protrudedly formed from the body to measure the amount of the detergent of the wash water. 
     
     
         18 . The drum washing machine of  claim 17 , wherein the wash water sensor further comprises a position determining protrusion protrudedly formed from a side surface of the body, and the split line further comprises a position determining groove formed as one end portion of the split line is slit at a position corresponding to the position determining protrusion. 
     
     
         19 . The drum washing machine of  claim 17 , wherein the wash water sensor is mounted at the split line, such that the sensing part is disposed at an inside the main line. 
     
     
         20 . The drum washing machine of  claim 15 , wherein the split line is separately formed from the main line, and is coupled to the main line. 
     
     
         21 . The drum washing machine of  claim 15 , wherein the split line is integrally formed with the main line. 
     
     
         22 . The drum washing machine of  claim 10 , wherein the position determining groove is formed on the inner side of the split part in a carved manner. 
     
     
         23 . A drum washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed at an inside the cabinet to accommodate wash water;   a drain hose connected to the tub to guide the wash water at an inside the tub to an outside the cabinet;   a split part mounted at the drain hose; and   a wash water sensor insertedly mounted to the split part to sense the amount of the detergent contained in the wash water.