Detergent supply device and laundry treatment apparatus having the same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a detergent supply device including a drawer including a body having a storage portion configured to store detergent, and a discharge valve provided in the body to discharge the detergent out of the storage portion, a housing including a first chamber allowing the body to be withdrawably accommodated therein, a second chamber connected to the first chamber through a connecting flow passage, and a chamber discharge portion configured to discharge a material from the first chamber, a pump fixed to the housing to be connected to the discharge valve when the body is inserted into the first chamber, a first flow passage providing a path for movement of water along a direction orthogonal to a withdrawal direction of the body to supply water to the first chamber, and a second flow passage branching from the first flow passage to supply water to the second chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A detergent supply device comprising:
 a drawer comprising:   a body having a storage portion configured to store detergent; and   a discharge valve provided in the body and configured to discharge the detergent out of the storage portion;   a housing comprising:   a first chamber allowing the body to be withdrawably accommodated therein;   a second chamber defining a space separated from the first chamber and connected to the first chamber through a connecting flow passage; and   a chamber discharge portion configured to discharge a material inside the first chamber to an outside of the first chamber;   a pump fixed to the housing, the pump being configured to be connected to the discharge valve to move the detergent from the storage portion into the second chamber when the body is inserted into the first chamber;   a first flow passage providing a path for movement of water along a direction orthogonal to a withdrawal direction of the body to supply water to the first chamber; and   a second flow passage branching from the first flow passage to supply water to the second chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The detergent supply device of  claim 1 , wherein the second flow passage is configured to re-supply water not supplied to the second chamber to the first flow passage. 
     
     
         3 . The detergent supply device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of first outlets configured to discharge water inside the first flow passage to the first chamber, the first outlets being positioned on one side of the connecting flow passage; and   a plurality of second outlets configured to discharge the water inside the first flow passage into the first chamber, the second outlets being positioned on an opposite side of the connecting flow passage.   
     
     
         4 . The detergent supply device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first flow passage body fixed to the housing, the first flow passage body defining a top surface of the first chamber and providing a space to define the first flow passage; and   a second flow passage body fixed to the first flow passage body, the second flow passage body dividing an inside of the second chamber into an upper space and a lower space and providing a space to define the second flow passage.   
     
     
         5 . The detergent supply device of  claim 4 , wherein a bottom surface of the first flow passage is positioned at a higher point than a bottom surface of the second flow passage. 
     
     
         6 . The detergent supply device of  claim 4 , wherein the second flow passage comprises:
 a second flow passage outlet formed through the second flow passage body to connect the upper space and the lower space;   a first branch flow passage provided in the second flow passage body and connected to the first flow passage, the first branch flow passage extending from the first flow passage toward the second chamber; and   a second branch flow passage provided in the second flow passage body to connect the first branch flow passage and the second flow passage outlet, the second branch flow passage extending toward the first flow passage.   
     
     
         7 . The detergent supply device of  claim 6 , wherein a bottom surface of the first flow passage is positioned at a higher point than a bottom surface of the first branch flow passage,
 wherein the bottom surface of the first branch flow passage is positioned at a higher point than the second flow passage outlet.   
     
     
         8 . The detergent supply device of  claim 6 , wherein the second branch flow passage is inclined down toward the second flow passage outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The detergent supply device of  claim 6 , wherein the second branch flow passage connects the first branch flow passage to the second chamber to allow water not supplied to the second chamber through the second flow passage outlet to be re-supplied to the first flow passage. 
     
     
         10 . The detergent supply device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a first guide provided in the second flow passage body to define the first branch flow passage and the second branch flow passage; and   a second guide positioned between the first flow passage and the second flow passage outlet to form a boundary between the first flow passage and the second branch flow passage.   
     
     
         11 . The detergent supply device of  claim 10 , wherein the second guide comprises a wall protruding from a bottom surface of the second branch flow passage to a point higher than a bottom surface of the first flow passage. 
     
     
         12 . The detergent supply device of  claim 10 , wherein the second guide comprises a wall protruding from the second branch flow passage,
 wherein a free end of the wall is positioned between a bottom surface of the first flow passage and an upper end of the first guide.   
     
     
         13 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a tub comprising:   a tub body providing a space to store water; and   a tub inlet formed through one surface side of the tub body in a penetrating manner;   a drum rotatably disposed in the tub to store laundry;   a drawer comprising:   a body;   a storage portion provided in the body to provide a space to store a detergent; and   a discharge valve configured to discharge a detergent from the storage portion;   a housing positioned at a higher point than the tub inlet, the housing comprising:   a first chamber allowing the body to be withdrawably accommodated therein;   a second chamber defining a space separated from the first chamber and connected to the first chamber through a connecting flow passage; and   a pump fixed to the housing, the pump being configured to be connected to the discharge valve to move the detergent from the storage portion into the second chamber when the body is inserted into the first chamber;   a first flow passage providing a path for movement of water along a direction orthogonal to a withdrawal direction of the body to discharge water into the first chamber; and   a second flow passage branching from the first flow passage to supply water to the second chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second flow passage is configured to re-supply water not supplied to the second chamber to the first flow passage. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of first outlets configured to discharge water inside the first flow passage to the first chamber, the first outlets being positioned on one side of the connecting flow passage; and   a plurality of second outlets configured to discharge the water inside the first flow passage into the first chamber, the second outlets being positioned on an opposite side of the connecting flow passage.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first flow passage body fixed to the housing to define a top surface of the first chamber, the first flow passage body providing a space to define the first flow passage; and   a second flow passage body fixed to the first flow passage body to divide an inside of the second chamber into an upper space and a lower space, the second flow passage providing a space to define the second flow passage.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a bottom surface of the first flow passage is positioned at a higher point than a bottom surface of the second flow passage. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the second flow passage comprises:
 a second flow passage outlet formed through the second flow passage body to connect the upper space and the lower space;   a first branch flow passage provided in the second flow passage body and connected to the first flow passage, the first branch flow passage extending from the first flow passage toward the second chamber; and   a second branch flow passage provided in the second flow passage body to connect the first branch flow passage and the second flow passage outlet, the second branch flow passage extending toward the first flow passage.   
     
     
         19 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a bottom surface of the first flow passage is positioned at a higher point than a bottom surface of the first branch flow passage,
 wherein the bottom surface of the first branch flow passage is positioned at a higher point than the second flow passage outlet.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry treatment apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the second branch flow passage connects the first branch flow passage to the second chamber to allow water not supplied to the second chamber through the second flow passage outlet to be re-supplied to the first flow passage.