Washing machine pulsator with agitating wings

Abstract

Mechanism of agitating washing water during laundry in a washing machine. The washing machine includes a rotating plate at the bottom of the washing tub. One or more first wings protrude from the rotating plate. Each first wing has at least one recessed surface areas and protruding peripherals outside the recessed surface area. One or more second wings with a different geometric configuration from the first wings protrude from the rotating plate. When rotating, the first wings and the second wings are operable to cause the washing water to flow in substantially different directions, which advantageously contribute to reduce clothes entanglement. The first wings and the second wings are alternately disposed on the rotating plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a rotating plate disposed at a bottom of a washing tub;   one or more first wings protruding from the rotating plate and configured to agitate washing water when the rotating plate rotates, wherein each first wing comprises a recessed surface area; and   one or more second wings protruding from the rotating plate and configured to agitate the washing water when the rotating plate rotates, wherein each second wing has a different geometric configuration from the first wing.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed surface area of the first wing is located approximately at a center of an upper surface of the first wing, and wherein the first wing further comprises additional recessed surface areas. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first wing further comprises a protruding peripheral portions outside said recessed surface area. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating plate further comprises an impeller accommodating portion formed at a center of the rotating plate, and further comprising an impeller coupled to the impeller accommodating portion. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more first wings and the one or more second wings are alternately disposed on the rotating plate. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first wing and the recessed surface area are increasingly wider along a radial distance from a center of the rotating plate. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the protruding peripheral portion protrudes increasingly lower from the rotating plate along a radial distance from a center of the rotating plate. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein the second wing protrudes increasingly higher from the rotating plate along a radial distance from the center of the rotating plate. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the first wing and the second wing respectively comprise non-linear crest lines. 
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 6 , wherein the first wing occupies a larger area on the rotating plate than the second wing. 
     
     
         11 . A method of washing laundry by rotating a rotating plate at a bottom of a washing tub, the method comprises:
 generating a first water flow in washing water contained in the washing tub by rotating one or more first wings protruding from the rotating plate, wherein each first wing comprises one or more recessed surface portions; and   generating a second water flow in the washing water by rotating one or more second wings protruding from the rotating plate, wherein the second water flow is in a direction different from the first water flow.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 generating a third water flow by rotating an impeller disposed at a center of the rotating plate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the third water flow is operable to inhibit a water current from being concentrated at the center of the washing tub during rotation of the rotating plate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first water flow is in a rotational direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second water flow is in an approximately upward direction with reference to the washing tub.