Laundry treatment machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060069-B2
Application number	US-201314063110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2013
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A laundry treatment machine is provided. The laundry treatment machine may include a top cover, a control panel, a lid assembly, and a lid handle. The top cover may be disposed over a cabinet and have a laundry loading hole. The control panel may be disposed at a front upper side of the top cover. The lid assembly may be disposed over the top cover at a rear side of the control panel and open/close the laundry loading hole. The lid handle may protrude in a forward direction from a front surface of the lid assembly and protrude in an upward direction with respect to a top surface of the lid assembly to form a gap such that a hand of a user may enter the gap between the lid handle and the control panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treatment machine, comprising:
a top cover provided over a cabinet and having a laundry loading hole;
a control panel provided at a front upper side of the top cover;
a lid assembly provided over the top cover at a rear side of the control panel to open and close the laundry loading hole; and
a lid handle that protrudes in a forward direction from the lid assembly to form a gap between the lid handle and the control panel configured to receive a hand of a user when the user grips the lid handle that protrudes in the forward direction,
wherein a leakage preventing portion provided at the gap to prevent moisture or heat from leaking from the laundry loading hole, wherein the leakage preventing portion protrudes in a forward direction from a lower portion of the lid assembly, wherein a space is formed between the upper surface of the leakage preventing portion and the lower surface of the lid handle that protrudes in the forward direction, wherein a rear portion of the control panel is disposed at a lower front side of the space, wherein an upper front side of the space is open when the lid assembly closes the laundry loading hole,
wherein the lid handle includes:
a protruding portion that protrudes in the forward direction from a front portion of the lid assembly,
a stepped portion that is downwardly stepped from the protruding portion and extends in a rearward direction so as to be fitted under the front portion of the lid assembly, and
a coupling portion that is coupled to the lid assembly.

2. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the lid handle is formed to incline upwardly with respect to the top surface of the lid assembly at a front side of the lid assembly.

3. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the lid handle has a curved shape.

4. The laundry treatment machine of claim 3 , wherein a cross-section of the lid handle has an inflection point.

5. The laundry treatment machine of claim 4 , wherein the lid handle includes a first curved portion, and a second curved portion that extends from the first curved portion.

6. The laundry treatment machine of claim 5 , wherein the first curved portion and the second curved portion are connected to each other at the inflection point.

7. The laundry treatment machine of claim 6 , wherein the first curved portion is convex and the second curved portion is concave.

8. The laundry treatment machine of claim 7 , wherein a first radius of curvature of the first curved portion is the same as a second radius of curvature of the second curved portion.

9. The laundry treatment machine of claim 7 , wherein a first radius of curvature of the first curved portion is different than a second radius of curvature of the second curved portion.

10. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the lid handle extends longitudinally in a widthwise direction of the lid assembly, and wherein a forward protruding length of the lid handle increases as the lid handle extends from lateral sides to a central side thereof, forming a rounded shape.

11. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the coupling portion is coupled to a front lower portion of the lid assembly by a hook.

12. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the lid assembly includes an upper lid panel that defines an upper exterior thereof and a lower lid panel coupled to a lower side of the upper lid panel to define a lower exterior thereof.

13. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein a front end portion of the leakage preventing portion is seated in the stepped portion.

14. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the leakage preventing portion is configured to open the front portion of the laundry loading hole when the lid assembly opens the laundry loading hole.

15. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the leakage preventing portion is configured to close the front portion of the laundry loading hole when the lid assembly closes the laundry loading hole.

16. The laundry treatment machine of claim 12 , wherein the leakage preventing portion includes a rib that extends from the lower lid panel into the gap between the lid handle and the control panel.

17. The laundry treatment machine of claim 1 , wherein the lid handle extends from a first end to a second end, wherein the lid handle includes a first point between the first end and the second end, the first point of the lid handle being adjacent to an end of the front portion of the lid assembly, and the stepped portion of the lid handle to extend from the first point of the lid handle to the first end of the lid handle.

18. A laundry treatment machine, comprising:
a top cover provided over a cabinet and having a laundry loading hole;
a control panel provided at a front upper side of the top cover;
a lid assembly provided over the top cover at a rear side of the control panel to open and close the laundry loading hole, and
a lid handle that protrudes in a forward direction from the lid assembly to form a gap between the lid handle and the control panel configured to receive a hand of a user when the user grips the lid handle that protrudes in the forward direction,
wherein a leakage preventing portion provided at the gap to prevent moisture or heat from leaking from the laundry loading hole, wherein the leakage preventing portion protrudes in a forward direction from a lower portion of the lid assembly wherein a space is formed between the upper surface of the leakage preventing portion and the lower surface of the lid handle that protrudes in the forward direction, wherein a rear portion of the control panel is disposed at a lower front side of the space, wherein an upper front side of the space is open when the lid assembly closes the laundry loading hole,
wherein the lid handle that protrudes in the forward direction includes a hook coupling portion, wherein the hook coupling portion includes a rib that protrudes downward from a main portion of the lid handle, and a hook that protrudes in a backward direction from the rib,
wherein the hook coupling portion further includes a hook hole formed at or in a lower portion of the lid assembly to be coupled to the hook that protrudes in the backward direction from the rib.

19. The laundry treatment machine of claim 18 , wherein the hook hole is formed in a coupling portion that extends upward from a lower lid panel of the lid assembly.

20. The laundry treatment machine of claim 19 , wherein the coupling portion includes a stopping portion that limits movement of the rib.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Park Youngbae
• Kim Jimaeng

Classifications

• D06F39/14 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/42 Primary

  Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door · CPC title

• D06F37/28

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title

• E05Y2900/312

  for washing machines or laundry dryers · CPC title

• D06F37/18

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title