Washing machine having buoyancy clutch

摘要

A washing machine including a tub, a spin basket rotatably mounted in the tub, a pulsator rotatably mounted in the spin basket and having a pulsator hub part extending downward from a center portion of the pulsator, a driving device to generate rotational force, a wash shaft to transmit the rotational force generated from the driving device to the pulsator, and a buoyancy clutch upwardly and downwardly movably mounted to the pulsator hub part and configured to move up and down by buoyancy. The buoyancy clutch is configured to rotate together with the pulsator. When the buoyancy clutch moves down, the spin basket is engaged with the buoyancy clutch and receives the rotational force.

主权项

1. A washing machine comprising:
a tub; a spin basket rotatably mounted in the tub; a pulsator rotatably mounted in the spin basket and having a pulsator hub part extending downward from a center portion of the pulsator; a driving device to generate rotational force; a wash shaft to transmit the rotational force generated from the driving device to the pulsator; and a buoyancy clutch upwardly and downwardly movably mounted to the pulsator hub part and configured to move up and down by buoyancy, wherein the buoyancy clutch is configured to rotate together with the pulsator, and when the buoyancy clutch moves down, the spin basket is engaged with the buoyancy clutch and receives the rotational force, the pulsator includes at least one guide rail formed longitudinally in a vertical direction at an outer surface of the pulsator hub part, and a receiving part which is opened downward to receive the buoyancy clutch therein, the buoyancy clutch includes a guide hole in which the pulsator hub part is inserted and at least one guide protrusion protruding from an inner surface of the guide hole and upwardly and downwardly movably engaged with the at least one guide rail , and plural protruding parts provided at positions corresponding to plural recesses of the receiving part, the pulsator hub part protrudes inside the receiving part, and the receiving part includes the plural recesses, each of which is defined by a bottom surface of each washing ribs of the pulsator.