IP Library Granted Patent US 10,844,973
Granted Patent B2
US 10,844,973 · App. 15/880,646 · Granted Nov 24, 2020

Liquid electromagnetic valve, method of manufacturing liquid electromagnetic valve, and washing machine

Inventors: Tomonori Uchiyama (Kawasaki, JP); Hidetake Hayashi (Kawasaki, JP); Masami Hattori (Kawasaki, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
F16K31/0655D06F35/002D06F39/08D06F39/088F16K1/385F16K31/408F16K47/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,844,973
App. No.
15/880,646
Granted
Nov 24, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid electromagnetic valve includes an inlet connected to an external liquid source; an outlet discharging liquid entering from the inlet; a flow path forming member having a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet formed thereto; an opening-closing member capable of opening and closing the flow path; a drive portion opening and closing the opening-closing member based on a control performed by an external element; and a minute bubble generator provided in the flow path and having plural narrowing portions for adding minute bubbles to a liquid passing through the flow path by narrowing the flow path in plural stages.

Claims (27)

1. A liquid electromagnetic valve comprising:

an inlet connected to an external liquid source;

an outlet discharging a liquid entering from the inlet;

a flow path forming member having a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet formed thereto;

an opening-closing member capable of opening and closing the flow path;

a drive portion opening and closing the opening-closing member based on a control performed by an external element; and

a minute bubble generator provided in the flow path and having plural narrowing portions for adding minute bubbles to a liquid passing through the flow path by narrowing the flow path in plural stages,

wherein the minute bubble generator includes:

a first narrowing portion that continuously reduces a cross sectional area of the flow path toward a downstream side of the flow path from an upstream side of the flow path; and

a second narrowing portion that is provided in a portion of the first narrowing portion having the smallest cross sectional area and that reduces the cross sectional area of the flow path to become locally smaller than the smallest cross sectional area of the first narrowing portion by dividing the flow path into plural regions by slits provided at a central portion of the flow path.

2. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 , wherein the first narrowing portion is formed integrally with the flow path forming member.

3. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 , wherein the second narrowing portion is a separate component from the flow path forming member and is provided inside the flow path forming member by being inserted into the flow path forming member.

4. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 , wherein the second narrowing portion is a separate component from the flow path forming member and is provided inside the flow path forming member by being insert molded to the flow path forming member.

5. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 , wherein the minute bubble generator is a separate component from the flow path forming member and is mounted to the flow path forming member by being press fitted to the flow path forming member.

6. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 , wherein the minute bubble generator is a separate component from the flow path forming member and the narrowing portions are formed integrally with a main body of the minute bubble generator.

7. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 , wherein the minute bubble generator is provided in an upstream side of the opening-closing member.

8. The liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 7 , further comprising a flow rate regulator that is provided in the upstream side of the opening-closing member and that makes adjustments in a flow rate of a liquid flowing through the flow path, wherein the minute bubble generator is provided integrally with the flow rate regulator.

9. A washing machine provided with the liquid electromagnetic valve according to claim 1 .

10. A washing machine comprising:

a water tub;

a water supplying case provided midway of a flow path for supplying water into the water tub from an external water source; and

a minute bubble generator provided in an upstream side of the water supplying case and located midway of the flow path, the minute bubble generator having plural narrowing portions for adding minute bubbles to water passing through the flow path by narrowing the flow path in plural stages,

wherein the minute bubble generator includes:

a first narrowing portion that continuously reduces a cross sectional area of the flow path toward a downstream side of the flow path from an upstream side of the flow path; and

a second narrowing portion that is provided in a portion of the first narrowing portion having the smallest cross sectional area and that reduces the cross sectional area of the flow path to become locally smaller than the smallest cross sectional area of the first narrowing portion by dividing the flow path into plural regions by slits provided at a central portion of the flow path.

11. The washing machine according to claim 10

wherein the narrowing portions are formed integrally molded with a main body of the minute bubble generator.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2026
From: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
To: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 075520/0170 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2018
From: UCHIYAMA, TOMONORI; HAYASHI, HIDETAKE; HATTORI, MASAMI
To: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044735/0516 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-149665 · Jul 29, 2015 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2016070004 · Jul 6, 2016
Related Publication 20180149284A1 · May 31, 2018