Drive unit of a laundry machine and laundry machine having the same, and a controlling method of the laundry machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10053812-B2
Application number	US-201715628483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a twin laundry machine, more particularly, to a twin laundry machine configured to control mutual motor operations of one or more laundry machines provided therein not to be overlapped with each other, in case the one or more laundry machines are put into operation to perform washing. The present disclosure also relates to a twin laundry machine of which a motor for driving a drum has an improved heat radiation function, more particularly, to a twin laundry machine which includes a sub-washing machine with a smaller size than a normal washing machine and frequent exposure to high temperature usage environments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A twin laundry machine comprising:
a first washing unit comprising a first tub, a first drum mounted in the first tub, and a first drive unit that penetrates the first tub and that is configured to drive a rotation of the first drum within the first tub; and
a second washing unit comprising a second tub, a second drum mounted in the second tub, and a second drive unit that penetrates the second tub and that is configured to drive a rotation of the second drum within the second tub,
wherein a diameter of the second drum is greater than a height of the second drum, and a second rotation axis of the second drum is perpendicular to a first rotation axis of the first drum,
wherein the second drive unit comprises:
a stator fixed to an outer surface of a bottom wall of the second tub;
a drum shaft that is connected to the second drum and that penetrates the second tub; and
a rotor coupled to the drum shaft and rotatably surrounding the stator, the rotor comprising a rotor frame; a magnet; and a connector configured to connect the rotor frame and the drum shaft, the rotor frame comprising:
a side frame portion configured to mount the magnet of the rotor; and
a bottom frame portion extending horizontally from a lower end of the side frame portion, the bottom frame portion comprising a plurality of external air inlet channels projecting upward from a bottom surface of the bottom frame portion toward the stator, each of the plurality of external air inlet channels comprising:
a first wall extending along a circumferential direction of the rotor frame at a first radial distance from a radial center of the bottom frame portion; and
a second wall extending from an upper end of the first wall toward the radial center of the bottom frame portion,
wherein the first wall, the second wall, and the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion define an opening of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels, the opening being configured to, in a state in which the rotor frame rotates, draw external air guided by each of the plurality of external air inlet channels into an interior of the rotor frame through the bottom frame portion.

2. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the second washing unit is separable from the first washing unit.

3. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the second tub and the second drum are vertically arranged in the second washing unit.

4. The twin laundry machine of claim 3 , wherein the second washing unit is arranged on a top portion of the first washing unit.

5. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the rotor of the second drive unit of the second washing unit comprises a hub that projects from the radial center of the bottom frame portion of the rotor frame of the second drive unit toward the drum shaft of the second drive unit, the hub comprising a horizontal surface opposite to the stator of the second drive unit and a first vertical surface opposite to the drum shaft of the second drive unit.

6. The twin laundry machine of claim 5 , wherein the connector of the rotor of the second drive unit is composed of a plastic material and is coupled to the drum shaft of the second drive unit to be coupled to the rotor frame of the second drive unit and fitted with the horizontal surface and the first vertical surface of the hub of the rotor.

7. The twin laundry machine of claim 5 , wherein the hub of the rotor of the second drive unit comprises a second vertical surface partially concentric with the first wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels and projected toward the stator.

8. The twin laundry machine of claim 5 , wherein the horizontal surface of the hub of the rotor of the second drive unit is a bottom portion of the rotor surrounding the drum shaft of the second drive unit.

9. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of external air inlet channels of the rotor frame of the second drive unit further comprises:
a third wall connected to the first wall and to the second wall, and that forms a leading side of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels with respect to a rotational direction of the rotor of the second drive unit,
wherein the opening of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels is formed on a lagging side of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels with respect to the rotational direction of the rotor, the lagging side being on an opposite side of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels as the leading side.

10. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the opening of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels is vertically formed with respect to the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion of the rotor of the second drive unit.

11. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the first wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels is vertically formed with respect to the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion of the rotor, and
at least a portion of the second wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels is horizontally formed with respect to the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion of the rotor.

12. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of external air inlet channels comprise a first air inlet channel, and
wherein the first wall, the second wall, and the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion define the opening of the first air inlet channel by:
the first wall defining a first vertical boundary of the opening of the first air inlet channel;
the second wall defining an upper horizontal boundary of the opening of the first air inlet channel, and
the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion defining a lower horizontal boundary of the opening of the first air inlet channel.

13. The twin laundry machine of claim 12 , wherein:
the plurality of external air inlet channels further comprises a second air inlet channel that is adjacent to the first air inlet channel, and an edge of a first wall of the second air inlet channel defines a second vertical boundary of the opening of the first air inlet channel.

14. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of external air inlet channels further comprises a fourth wall extending along the circumferential direction of the rotor frame at a second radial distance from the radial center of the bottom frame portion, the second radial distance being smaller than the first radial distance of the first wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels.

15. The twin laundry machine of claim 14 , wherein the fourth wall of the plurality of external air inlet channels is formed as a continuous wall that extends around the circumferential direction of the rotor frame.

16. The twin laundry machine of claim 14 , wherein the second wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels extends from the upper end of the first wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels to an upper end of the fourth wall in the radial direction of the rotor frame.

17. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the second wall of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels is angled relative to the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion of the rotor frame, and forms an inclined surface extending from an upper end of the opening of each of the plurality of external air inlet channels to the bottom surface of the bottom frame portion.

18. The twin laundry machine of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Hyeokdeok
• Ahn Byunghwan
• Son Kuyoung
• Bae Yonggyung

Classifications

• D06F29/00 Primary

  Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus · CPC title

• D06F31/00 Primary

  Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies · CPC title

• D06F37/304 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of electric motors · CPC title

• Y02B40/52

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• D06F2105/46

  Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting · CPC title