Laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10443177-B2
Application number	US-201715671352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 8, 2016
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus comprising a tub; a drum mounted in the tub; a passage provided in the drum and configured to allow water to flow from a first portion of the drum to a second portion of the drum; an agitator rotatably provided in the drum and configured to agitate the water held in the drum; and a filter device configured to filter the water flowing through the passage, wherein the filter includes a body defining a storage space; an inlet configured to allow water into the body from the passage; a filter provided in the body and configured to filter foreign substances from the water drawn into the body and release the water into the drum; and a plurality of projections projected from the body and configured to hold the filtered foreign substances to the body, wherein a cross-sectional area of the projected unit is 25% to 50% of a cross sectional area of the body area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
a tub configured to hold water;
a drum provided in the tub, the drum being rotated around a vertical axis and configured to hold laundry;
a passage unit provided in an inner wall of the drum and configured to provide a flow passage of the water;
an agitator unit rotatably provided in the drum and configured to move at least a part of the water held in the drum to the passage unit when being rotated; and
a filter unit configured to filter the water flowing along the passage unit, wherein the filter unit comprises,
a body defining a storage space;
an inlet provided in a lower portion of the body and configured to inflow the water into the body from the passage unit;
a filter provided in the body positioned above the inlet and configured to filter foreign substances from the water introduced into the body and discharge the water to the drum; and
a projected unit projected from the body and configured to trap the foreign substances inside the body and arranged along a vertical direction of the body.

2. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the projected unit comprises a plurality of projections projected along one surface of the body wherein a cross-sectional area of the plurality of first projections is between 25% to 50% of a cross-sectional area of the body.

3. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the projections comprises,
a first projection provided along one surface of the body; and
a second projection spaced a preset distance apart from the first projection and alternatively arranged with the first projection not to be in the same line with the first projection, and the first projection and the second projection are projected sequentially.

4. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the projected unit comprises a plurality of ribs projected from the body and spaced a preset distance apart from each other.

5. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs is perpendicular to the water flow direction in the body.

6. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs is angled with respect to the water flow direction in the body.

7. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs is angled to direct the water toward either side of the body.

8. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body includes:
a base having a plate shape and provided parallel to the passage unit; and
a flange projected from each edge of the base and defining a water flow passage and a storage space for the foreign substances, and having the inlet portion penetrating there through, and the projected unit is projected from the base.

9. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the projected unit comprises a plurality of ribs projected from the body and spaced a preset distance from each other, wherein each of the plurality of ribs connect both ends of the flanges with each other.

10. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the projected unit comprises a plurality of ribs projected from the body and spaced a preset distance from each other, wherein the plurality of ribs includes:
a first rib angled from a central line of the base parallel to the water inflow direction toward a first flange on a first side of the base along the water flow direction in the body; and
a second rib inclined from the central line toward a second flange on a second side of the base along the water flow direction in the body.

11. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first rib and the second rib extend from the central line to the first flange and second flange, respectively, are connected to each other at the central line, and are spaced a preset distance from the first flange and second flange, respectively.

12. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first rib and the second rib are separated from each other by central line.

13. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the base further comprises a plurality of protrusions that protrude from the base, wherein the plurality of protrusions are provided closer to the inlet than the projected unit, and Wherein the plurality of protrusions prevent foreign substances from exiting through the inlet of the filter.

14. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the body further includes:
an outlet configured to discharge the water introduced into the body, wherein the outlet includes,
a first outlet penetrating at least one of the first flange or the second flange and configured to discharge the water into the drum in a tangential direction of drum rotation locus; and
a second outlet penetrating the base and configured to discharge the water into the drum in a radial direction of the drum rotation locus.

15. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second outlet is provided between the projected unit.

16. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a first body and a second body attached to the first body, the second body facing an inside of the drum, and wherein the filter is provided on only second body such that water flows from the storage space through the filter and into the drum.

17. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the body includes:
a first body detachably provided in the passage unit and including the base and the flanges; and
a second body rotatably coupled to the first body and forming an inner circumferential surface of the drum, wherein the filter is affixed to the second body.

18. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 17 , further including:
a cover fixed to a surface of the second body, wherein the cover is composed of a same material as the drum.

19. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 17 , further including:
a reverse-current preventing unit provided in one of the first body or the second body and configured to open and close the inlet, wherein reverse-current preventing unit is rotatable only toward an inside of the body.

20. A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
a tub configured to hold water;
a drum provided in the tub and configured to hold laundry;
a passage provided along a wall of the drum and configured to allow water to flow upwards from a bottom portion of the drum;
an agitator rotatably provided in the drum and configured to agitate the water in the drum; and
a filter installed along the passage, wherein the filter comprises:
a body defining a storage space;
an inlet through which the water from the bottom portion of the drum may be introduced into the body; and
a plurality of projections that extend from the body and are configured to trap the foreign substances inside the body.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Mincheol
• Kim Youngjong

Classifications

• D06F23/04

  and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis · CPC title

• D06F13/06

  wherein the agitator has both rotary, e.g. oscillating rotary, motion and axial motion · CPC title

• D06F37/145

  ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid · CPC title

• D06F37/26

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F37/065 Primary

  ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid · CPC title