The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 25, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2000
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
An automatic washing machine includes a water tub having a bottom with a through hole, a rotating tub rotatably mounted in the water tub, an electric motor including a rotor and mounted on an underside of the water tub, a hollow tub shaft rotatably mounted on the bottom of the water tub so as to extend through the hole of the water tub, the tub shaft having an upper end connected to the rotating tub and a lower end with an outer circumferential face formed with a sliding guide, a boss mounted on a central portion of the rotor so as to be located below the tub shaft, the boss including an upper portion formed with an annular connecting portion having a diameter larger than a diameter of the tub shaft, an agitator shaft rotatably mounted inside the tub shaft and having an upper end connected to the agitator and a lower end connected to the boss, a cylindrical clutch having an inner circumferential face formed with an annular engaging portion engaging the sliding guide, the clutch being fitted with the lower end of the tub shaft so as to be moved vertically along the sliding guide, the clutch being connected to the connecting portion of the boss when assuming a predetermined lower position, the clutch being released from connection with the connecting portion of the boss when assuming a predetermined upper position, and a lift for moving the clutch vertically.