Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10316449-B2
Application number	US-201615559620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine which comprises: a cabinet having a first insertion hole; a tub provided in the cabinet and having a second insertion hole aligned with the first insertion hole; a cabinet door provided to the cabinet, for opening and closing the first insertion hole; a tub door provided to the tub, for opening and closing the second insertion hole; a hinge unit for elastically supporting the tub door in the opening direction of the second insertion hole; and an antifriction member provided on one surface among the surfaces where the tub door and the cabinet door face each other, for preventing a direct friction between the tub door and the cabinet door. Accordingly, the present invention prevents the vibration and noise from the tub from being transmitted to the cabinet and may increase the capacity of the tub. In addition, when opened and closed, the cabinet door for opening and closing the cabinet and the tub door for opening and closing the tub operate in association with each other, thereby being capable of giving convenience to a user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising
a cabinet comprising a front cabinet part having a first insertion hole defined at a front side of the front cabinet part;
a tub provided in the cabinet, the tub having a second insertion hole aligned with the first insertion hole;
a cabinet door rotatably attached to the cabinet and configured to rotate about a first axis to open or close the first insertion hole;
a cabinet door lock provided on the front cabinet part, the cabinet door lock configured to maintain a locked state of the cabinet door;
a tub door rotatably attached to the tub and configured to rotate about a second axis different from the first axis and parallel to the first axis to open or close the second insertion hole;
a tub door lock provided at a front side of the tub, the tub door lock configured to maintain a locked state of the tub door;
an unlocking unit provided in the cabinet door, the unlocking unit configured to unlock the cabinet door and control unlocking of the tub door;
a hinge unit for elastically supporting the tub door in an opening direction of the second insertion hole;
a tub door lock releaser provided in the cabinet, the tub door lock releaser configured to unlock the tub door based on an operation of the unlocking unit; and
an anti-friction member provided between an outer side of the tub door and an inner side of the cabinet door, the anti-friction member configured to reduce friction between the tub door and the cabinet door.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the unlocking unit includes:
a release lever provided in a grip portion of the cabinet door; and
a release switch for sensing opening of the cabinet door in accordance with an operation of the release lever,
wherein the tub door lock releaser is further configured to release the tub door lock in accordance with sensing of the release switch.

3. The washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the cabinet door is fixed to the hinge unit to have a rotational shaft spaced apart from the hinge unit.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the cabinet door is opened by interworking with the tub door as the tub door is opened.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4 , wherein the anti-friction member pressurizes the cabinet door to open the first insertion hole as the tub door is opened.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5 , wherein the tub door is closed by interworking with the cabinet door as the cabinet door is closed.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6 , wherein the cabinet door pressurizes the anti-friction member to close the first insertion hole as the cabinet door is closed.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7 , wherein the anti-friction member includes a pressurizing roller provided at the outer side of the tub door, the pressurizing roller configured to apply pressure to the inner side of the cabinet door.

9. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the tub door lock switches the tub door to the locked state as the cabinet door is rotated in a closing direction.

10. The washing machine according to claim 9 , wherein the tub door lock switches the tub door to the locked state after the cabinet door is switched to the locked state by the cabinet door lock.

11. The washing machine according to claim 10 , wherein the cabinet door lock moves the cabinet door to be spaced apart from the tub door after the tub door is switched to the locking state.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jo Mingyu
• Park Seungchul
• Kim Dongwon

Classifications

• D06F37/22 Primary

  in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F39/14

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/28 Primary

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/10 Primary

  Doors; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• E05Y2900/312

  for washing machines or laundry dryers · CPC title