초록 ▼

This invention consists of a floating clutch for two concentric shafts. This is achieved by means of a movable body transmitting energy from one shaft to the other via cogs that engage or disengage vertically depending on the presence of fluid; torque of the inner shaft is transmitted to the coupler

This invention consists of a floating clutch for two concentric shafts. This is achieved by means of a movable body transmitting energy from one shaft to the other via cogs that engage or disengage vertically depending on the presence of fluid; torque of the inner shaft is transmitted to the coupler and from the coupler to the movable body, and in turn, to the fixed cog, and then to the outer shaft, when it is in the clutch position. The invention also consists of a group of chambers and peripheral walls that allow the assembly to operate in optimal conditions, avoiding malfunctions, breakdowns and unhealthy conditions by preventing the buildup of fluff, scale, fibers, sediments, dirt or undesired objects hampering the correct operation of the invention and of a home-type washing machine.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A clutch arrangement for an automatic washing machine including a cabinet, an engine, two concentric shafts in communication with the engine for producing power output, a fluid reservoir tub, a basket to hold objects to be washed, and an agitator comprising a lower conical flap, the clutch arrang

1. A clutch arrangement for an automatic washing machine including a cabinet, an engine, two concentric shafts in communication with the engine for producing power output, a fluid reservoir tub, a basket to hold objects to be washed, and an agitator comprising a lower conical flap, the clutch arrangement comprising: two concentric drive shafts that pass vertically through a bottom of the fluid reservoir tub, the basket being assembled around an outer shaft of the two concentric shafts at a center of a bottom of the basket, and the agitator being attached to a coupler, the coupler being attached to an inner shaft of the two concentric shafts;a fixed cog disposed over an exterior periphery of the outer shaft at a position sufficiently high above the bottom of the tub to limit obstruction of the fixed cog by fluid-borne foreign objects;a movable body movable vertically over the two concentric shafts, according to a level of fluid present in the tub to clutch and declutch on the fixed cog, the movable body being vertically disposed inside the coupler as far as the level of the fluid present in the tub allows;the movable body comprising guides for engaging inside the coupler for allowing the movable body and the coupler to spin in unison, the guides being a limit to a vertical ascending movement distance of the movable body, the movable body comprising an inner cog for engaging and disengaging the fixed cog, depending on the movable body's vertical position in relation to the two concentric shafts, the movable body comprising at least one flotation chamber;an air chamber arranged to provide a dry condition to the inner cog and the fixed cog when the fluid reservoir tub is filled with the fluid, the air chamber defined in part by the coupler and at least a portion of the flap of the agitator above at least one level orifice in the agitator, the at least one level orifice disposed below the fixed cog, and delimited in a lower part of the air chamber by the at least one level orifice in the agitator, wherein inside the air chamber the inner cog of the movable body clutches and declutches on the fixed cog in the dry condition; anda lifting chamber formed by at least a portion of a lower part of the lower conical flap of the agitator below the at least one level orifice, and delimited in an upper part of the lifting chamber by the at least one level orifice, wherein in an agitation mode the lifting chamber becomes flooded with the fluid so that the flotation chamber of the floating assembly becomes submerged in the fluid and thereby gains lift;wherein a rotational energy of the inner shaft is transmitted to the coupler, then to the movable body and, in turn, to the fixed cog when the movable body is in a clutch position, and wherein relative movement between the inner shaft and the outer shaft is provided when the movable body is not in the clutch position. 2. The clutch arrangement of claim 1, wherein the movable body is further configured for moving vertically depending on the level of fluid in the tub so as to engage the inner cog of the movable body with the fixed cog disposed on the outer shaft when the tub is substantially empty of fluid to enable a spin drying mode of operation and to disengage the inner cog of the movable body from the fixed cog when there is a desired level of washing fluid in the tub to enable an agitation mode of operation. 3. The clutch arrangement of claim 1, wherein the agitator further comprises a first peripheral inner wall circumferentially formed inside the flap of the agitator and outside of the movable body for keeping a desired dynamic level of liquid present between the lifting chamber and the air chamber during an agitation operation, so as to limit intrusion of fluid into the air chamber and in a space between the coupler and the movable body. 4. The clutch arrangement of claim 3, wherein the agitator further comprises a second peripheral wall circumferentially formed inside the flap of the agitator below the first peripheral wall and having a greater diameter than the first peripheral wall for reducing fluid currents generated during the agitation operation and limiting fluid-borne objects from lodging between the movable body and the agitator. 5. The clutch arrangement of claim 1, wherein the agitator further comprises at least one peripheral internal wall that protrude downwards from an inside surface of the flap of the agitator and outside of the movable body to a distance sufficient for protecting the flotation chamber of the floating member when the member is at its highest position, wherein the peripheral wall is disposed within the lifting chamber. 6. An automatic washing machine comprising the clutch arrangement of claim 1. 7. A clutch arrangement for an automatic washing machine including a cabinet, an engine, a fluid reservoir tub, a basket to hold objects to be washed, an agitator comprising a flap, two concentric drive shafts comprising an inner shaft extending from an outer shaft proximate end, both shafts being able to rotate independently from each other, the clutch arrangement comprising: a bell coupler disposed at an inner shaft distal end, the bell coupler comprising an annular outer housing and at least one chamber in the bell coupler parallel to the inner shaft and disposed between the annular outer housing and the inner shaft;a fixed cog disposed at an outer shaft distal end on the exterior surface of the outer shaft, wherein the outer shaft distal end is disposed between an inner shaft proximate end and the inner shaft distal end, wherein the fixed cog comprises a plurality of radially-extending spaced-apart toothed protrusions disposed at an outer diameter of the fixed cog;a movable body between the bell coupler and the fixed cog, the movable body having an axially elongated hollow structure positioned in correspondence with the at least one chamber in the bell coupler, the axially elongated hollow structure configured to movably fit into the at least one chamber in the bell coupler to engage the bell coupler and provide a mechanical connection to rotate together with the bell coupler for transmitting rotational energy to the outer shaft by engaging the movable body to the fixed cog, wherein the movable body includes an inner cog defining a plurality of toothed slots, wherein the moveable body engages the fixed cog by way of the toothed slots of the inner cog receiving the radially-extending toothed protrusions disposed on the fixed cog when the movable body is positioned at a proximate end of a movable body range of motion, wherein the movable body comprises at least one flotation chamber and is responsive to a level of fluid present in the tub to clutch and declutch onto the fixed cog;an air chamber arranged to provide a dry condition to the inner cog and the fixed cog when the fluid reservoir tub is filled with the fluid, the air chamber defined in part by the bell coupler and at least a portion of the flap of the agitator above at least one level orifice in the agitator, the at least one level orifice disposed below the fixed cog, and delimited in a lower part of the air chamber by the at least one level orifice in the agitator, wherein inside the air chamber the inner cog of the movable body clutches and declutches on the fixed cog in the dry condition; anda lifting chamber formed by at least a portion of a lower part of the flap of the agitator below the at least one level orifice, and delimited in an upper part of the lifting chamber by the at least one level orifice, wherein in an agitation mode the lifting chamber becomes flooded with the fluid so that the flotation chamber of the floating assembly becomes submerged in the fluid and thereby gains lift. 8. A floating clutch arrangement for an automatic washing machine comprising: an inner drive shaft;an outer drive shaft concentrically disposed around the inner drive shaft;a fluid reservoir tub receiving respective end portions of the inner shaft and outer shaft vertically therein,a fixed clutch element mounted on the outer drive shaft;an agitator disposed in the tub comprising a level controlling orifice through the agitator at a level controlling orifice location below the fixed clutch element;a bell coupler disposed in the agitator and connecting the agitator to the inner shaft;a movable clutch element axially movable over the inner drive shaft for selectively engaging the fixed clutch element to pass a torque from the inner shaft to the outer shaft;a floating element attached to the movable clutch element and responsive to a presence of a fluid in a flotation chamber, the flotation chamber defined in part by at least a portion of an interior surface of the agitator disposed below the level controlling orifice, the level controlling orifice location chosen to keep a level of fluid in the flotation chamber sufficiently below a position of the fixed clutch element to maintain a dry condition around the fixed clutch element and the moveable clutch element independently of a level of fluid in the fluid reservoir tub,wherein the fixed clutch element and moveable clutch element are disposed in an air chamber arranged to provide the dry condition to the fixed clutch and the movable clutch when the fluid reservoir tub is filled with the fluid, the air chamber defined in part by the bell coupler and at least a portion of an interior surface of the agitator above the level controlling orifice, anda lifting chamber formed by at least a portion of the interior surface of the agitator below the level controlling orifice, and delimited in an upper part of the lifting chamber by the level controlling orifice, wherein in an agitation mode the lifting chamber becomes flooded with the fluid so that the flotation chamber becomes submerged in the fluid and causes the floating element to gain lift.