Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10060070-B2
Application number	US-201615147190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2016
Priority date	May 8, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A washing machine includes a cabinet that defines a first introduction port. The washing machine further includes a tub that is located in the cabinet and that defines a second introduction port that is concentrically positioned relative to the first introduction port. The washing machine further includes a cabinet door that is connected to the cabinet, that is configured to open and close the first introduction port, and that includes a rotating shaft. The washing machine further includes a tub door that is connected to the tub, that is configured to open and close the second introduction port, and that includes at least one rotating shaft that is spaced apart from the rotating shaft of the cabinet door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet that defines a first introduction port;
a tub that is located in the cabinet and that defines a second introduction port that is concentrically positioned relative to the first introduction port;
a cabinet door that is connected to the cabinet, that is configured to open and close the first introduction port, and that includes a first hinge unit that includes a cabinet door rotating shaft; and
a tub door that is connected to the tub, that is configured to open and close the second introduction port, and that includes a second hinge unit that includes at least one tub door rotating shaft that is spaced apart from the cabinet door rotating shaft of the cabinet door,
wherein the second hinge unit comprises:
a stationary hinge link that is coupled to the tub; and
a rotational hinge link that includes a first portion that is rotatably coupled to the stationary hinge link and that includes a second portion that is rotatably coupled to the tub door, and
wherein the first portion of the rotational hinge link and the second portion of the rotational hinge link are configured to independently rotate, and
wherein the tub door and the cabinet rotate about (i) a first rotational axis using the first portion of the rotational hinge link and (ii) a second, different rotational axis using the second portion of the rotational hinge link.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating shaft of the first hinge is angled toward a rear of the washing machine between 1.5 and 3.5 degrees.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first hinge unit is located at a first side of the first introduction port, and the second hinge unit is located at a first side of a front surface of the tub.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the first hinge unit includes an upper rotating part and a lower rotating part that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, and the second hinge unit is located between the upper rotating part and the lower rotating part and is configured to support the tub door.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second hinge unit includes an elastic rotating shaft that is located on the first portion of the rotational hinge link and that is configured to elastically bias the rotational hinge link in a direction that the tub door opens.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5 , wherein:
the tub door is configured to open the second introduction port based on an elastic force of the elastic rotating shaft, and
the cabinet door is configured to open the first introduction port based on being pressurized by rotation of the tub door.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary hinge link includes an upper link and a lower link that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, and the rotational hinge link includes a first rotating part that is located between the upper link and the lower link and includes a second rotating part that is rotatably coupled to the tub door.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7 , wherein a portion of the rotational hinge link between the first rotating part and the second rotating part is curved in a direction that the tub door opens.

9. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein, based on the tub door rotating in a direction that the cabinet door closes the first introduction port and based on the tub door being pressurized by the cabinet door, the tub door is configured to close the second introduction port.

10. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover member that is connected to the tub and that is configured to cover a front surface of the tub that is exposed between the first introduction port and the second introduction port.

11. The washing machine according to claim 10 , wherein the cabinet includes a cabinet door lock that is configured to lock the cabinet door, and the tub includes a tub door lock that is configured to lock the tub door.

12. The washing machine according to claim 11 , further comprising a lock-releasing device that is configured to unlock the tub door lock by unlocking the cabinet door lock based on the cabinet door being opened.

13. The washing machine according to claim 12 , wherein the lock-releasing device comprises:
a release lever that is located at a handle of the cabinet door;
a release switch that is configured to detect an action of opening of the cabinet door in response to detecting an action of the release lever; and
a tub door lock releaser that is configured to unlock the tub door lock in response to detecting an action of the release switch.

14. The washing machine according to claim 13 , wherein the cover member includes a release button that is configured to release the tub door lock.

15. The washing machine according to claim 14 , wherein the tub door lock releaser includes a tensile cable that is configured to unlock the tub door lock, and the release button is configured to apply tensile force to the tensile cable and is configured to unlock the tub door lock.

16. The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of weight balancers that are configured to dampen vibrations that are transmitted to the tub.

17. The washing machine according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of weight balancers are equally spaced around the second introduction port.

18. The washing machine according to claim 17 , further comprising a cover member that is configured to conceal the plurality of weight balancers.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jo Mingyu
• Park Seungchul
• Kim Dongwon

Classifications

• D06F39/14 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/28 Primary

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title

• D06F39/12

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F37/42

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