Laundry machine

Abstract

A laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet; a tub rotatably disposed inside the cabinet; and a detergent supply device provided in the cabinet and supplying detergent to the tub, wherein the detergent supply device comprises: a housing fixedly mounted to the cabinet and connected to a water supply device; a drawer withdrawably mounted in the housing and having a receiving portion recessed downward for receiving detergent; a mixing member rotatably disposed in the receiving portion for mixing the detergent in the receiving portion; and a flow path member coupled to an upper surface of the housing and forming a flow path for supplying water from the water supply device to the drawer, wherein the mixing member includes: a rotation axis; a plurality of blades extending radially from an outer surface of the rotation axis; wherein the flow path member includes: a rotating path formed at a point spaced radially apart from the rotation axis, and having a rotating nozzle on a front surface thereof for discharging washing water to a front surface of the blades, in order to rotate the blades; and a cleaning path formed on the opposite side of the rotating path with respect to the rotating axis, and including a washing nozzle on a front surface thereof for discharging washing water to a rear surface of the blades, in order to clean the blades.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub rotatably disposed inside the cabinet; and   a detergent supply device provided in the cabinet and supplying detergent to the tub,   wherein the detergent supply device comprises:   a housing fixedly mounted to the cabinet and connected to a water supply device;   a drawer withdrawably mounted in the housing and having a receiving portion recessed downward for receiving detergent;   a mixing member rotatably disposed in the receiving portion for mixing the detergent in the receiving portion; and   a flow path member coupled to an upper surface of the housing and forming a flow path for supplying water from the water supply device to the drawer,   wherein the mixing member includes:   a rotation axis;   a plurality of blades extending radially from an outer surface of the rotation axis;   wherein the flow path member includes:   a rotating path formed at a point spaced radially apart from the rotation axis, and having a rotating nozzle on a front surface thereof for discharging washing water to a front surface of the blades, in order to rotate the blades; and   a cleaning path formed on the opposite side of the rotating path with respect to the rotating axis, and including a washing nozzle on a front surface thereof for discharging washing water to a rear surface of the blades, in order to clean the blades.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the rotating path and the cleaning path is configured to extend downward from a bottom surface of the flow path member, and has a bottom which is formed to be inclined downward from the rear end to the front end. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the rotating nozzle and the washing nozzle are formed at a front lower end of the rotating path and a front lower end of the cleaning path, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry machine according to  claim 3 , wherein a width or an opening area of the rotating nozzle is larger than a width or an opening area of the washing nozzle. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the shortest distance from the rotation axis to a surface extending in the front-rear direction of the flow path member through a center of the rotating path is longer than the shortest distance from the rotation axis to a surface extending in the front-rear direction of the flow path member through a center of the cleaning path. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry machine according to  claim 5 , wherein a first surface passing through a front surface of the rotating path and a second surface passing through a front surface of the cleaning path are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval,
 and wherein a third surface passing through the center of the rotation axis and parallel to the first and second surfaces is closer to the first surface than to the second surface.   
     
     
         7 . The laundry machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the rotating nozzle and the washing nozzle are positioned at a point higher than an upper end of the blade. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the blade is formed to slope at a predetermined angle in the rotational direction of the blade from the lower end to the upper end. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry machine according to  claim 8 , wherein a first vertical plane passing through the rotating nozzle is closer to a third vertical plane than to a second plane, the second vertical plane being parallel to the first vertical plane and passing through an upper end of the blade located in front of the rotating nozzle, and the third vertical plane being parallel to the first vertical plane and passing through a lower end of the blade. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry machine according to  claim 8 , wherein a first vertical plane passing through the washing nozzle is closer to a third vertical plane than to a second vertical plane, the second vertical plane being parallel to the first vertical plane and passing through a lower end of the blade located in front of the washing nozzle, and the third vertical plane being parallel to the first vertical plane and passing through an upper end of the blade. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the flow path member includes:
 an upper part where the rotating path and the cleaning path are formed,   a rear part perpendicular to the upper part, and   a corner part connecting a rear end of the upper part and an upper end of the rear part, and being rounded with a predetermined curvature,   wherein a distribution path is formed between an upper side of the corner portion and the upper and rear surfaces of the housing.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the rotating path and the cleaning path extend from a front end of the distribution path toward a front end of the upper part. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the flow path member further comprises a discharge path,
 wherein the discharge path is formed at any point of the upper part, between the rotating path and the cleaning path, and extends from the front end of the distribution path toward the front end of the upper part.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the discharge path is formed at a point closer to the cleaning path than the rotating path. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the discharge path includes:
 a main portion extending forward from the distribution path with a predetermined width; and   an extended portion extending from a front end of the main portion.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the rotation axis is positioned on a line that passes through a center of the main portion and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the upper part. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry machine according to  claim 15 , wherein a shower hole is formed through the upper part that defines the discharge path,
 and wherein the shower hole includes:   a plurality of main shower holes formed in the main portion and the extended portion, and   a plurality of extended shower holes formed along an edge of the extended portion.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the front surface of the receiving portion is formed with a predetermined curvature, and
 wherein the plurality of extended shower holes are spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals along the edge of the receiving portion.   
     
     
         19 . The laundry machine according to  claim 13 , wherein a water supply port including a hot water port and a cold water port is formed in a rear surface of the housing,
 wherein the water supply port communicates with distribution path,   and wherein the flow path member further comprises a distribution rib which is formed on the upper surface of the corner part corresponding to the distribution path, to divide the washing water supplied from the water supply port to flow into the discharge path, the rotating path, and the cleaning path.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry machine according to  claim 19 , wherein the distribution rib comprises at least one of:
 a distribution rib for the cleaning path extending from the rear end of the corner part to the front end of the distribution path between an inlet of the cleaning path and an inlet of the discharge path, or   a distribution rib for the rotating path extending from any point between the rear end and the front end of the corner part to the front end of the distribution path between an inlet of the rotating path and the inlet of the discharge path.