Laundry treatment apparatus with drawer locking unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954618-B2
Application number	US-201816186175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2018
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a drawer. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a cabinet that has an entrance opening and that is configured to receive the drawer through the entrance opening. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a drum that is located inside the drawer and that is configured to receive laundry. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a drum drive unit that is located inside the drawer and that is configured to rotate the drum. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a fastening mechanism that is configured to reciprocate in a first direction that is either up and down or left and right with respect to a front of the drawer. The laundry treatment apparatus further includes a transfer member that is configured to reciprocate in a second direction that is either up and down or left and right with respect to the front of the drawer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that has an entrance opening;
a drawer body that includes a first surface that is parallel to the entrance opening, a second surface that extends from a first end of the first surface, and a third surface that extends from a second end, opposite end of the first surface, wherein the cabinet is configured to receive the drawer body through the entrance opening;
a tub that is located inside the drawer body, that defines a space that is configured to store water, and that has a curved outer circumferential surface that is adjacent to the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface;
a drum that is located inside the tub, that is configured to rotate, and that is configured to receive laundry;
a first bent portion that protrudes from the first surface into a space that is between the second surface of the drawer body and the outer circumferential surface of the tub;
a second bent portion that protrudes from the first surface into a space that is between the third surface of the drawer body and the outer circumferential surface of the tub; and
a locking unit that is located on the first bent portion,
wherein the locking unit comprises:
a transfer member that is movably provided on the first bent portion to be reciprocated up and down with respect to the drawer body;
a first fastening member that is connected with the transfer member and configured to reciprocate left and right with respect to a front of the drawer body in response to the transfer member moving, and that is separably coupled to a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the cabinet that is parallel to the second surface of the drawer body; and
a second fastening member that is connected with the transfer member and configured to reciprocate left and right with respect to the front of the drawer body in response to the transfer member moving, and that is separably coupled to a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the cabinet that is parallel to the third surface.

2. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first fastening member comprises:
a first bar that is configured to reciprocate left and right with respect to the front of the drawer body in response to the transfer member moving;
a first coupling portion that connects the first bar to the transfer member; and
a first end that is separably coupled to the cabinet, and the second fastening member comprises:
a second bar configured to reciprocate left and right with respect to the front of the drawer body in response to the transfer member moving;
a second coupling portion that connects the second bar to the transfer member; and
a second end that is separably coupled to the cabinet.

3. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second bar comprises:
a bar body that is located on the second coupling portion and that is located on the first bent portion;
a separable coupling bar portion that is located on the second end and that is located on the second bent portion;
a connection body that is parallel to the first surface of the drawer body;
a first inclined portion that connects the bar body with the connection body and that is inclined toward the first bent portion; and
a second inclined portion that connects the separable coupling bar portion with the connection body and that is inclined toward the second bent portion.

4. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the transfer member comprises:
a transfer body that is configured to reciprocate up and down with respect to a front of the drawer body and that defines a first slot and a second slot,
wherein the first coupling portion is coupled to the first slot,
wherein the first slot is configured to guide movement of the first bar in a direction in which the first end is secured to the cabinet in response to the transfer body moving in a first direction,
wherein first slot is configured to guide movement of the first bar in a direction in which the first end is separated from the cabinet in response to the transfer body moving in a second direction,
wherein the second coupling portion is coupled to the second slot,
wherein the second slot is configured to guide movement of the second bar in a direction in which the second end is secured to the cabinet in response to the transfer body moving in the first direction, and
wherein the second slot is configured to guide movement of the second bar in a direction in which the second end is separated from the cabinet in response to the transfer body moving in the second direction.

5. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a motor that has a rotating shaft;
a body slot in the transfer body that is perpendicular to a reciprocating movement direction of the transfer body;
an arm that is connected to the rotating shaft; and
a slot connection portion that is located on the arm,
wherein the body slot is configured to receive the slot connection portion, and
wherein a length of the body slot is equal to or greater than a diameter of a movement path formed by the slot connection portion.

6. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a transfer body guide that is located on the first bent portion and that is configured to guide movement of the transfer body.

7. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a first receiving piece that is located in the cabinet, that separably couples the first end to the first receiving piece, and that is spaced apart from the entrance opening by a first prescribed distance; and
a second receiving piece that is located in the cabinet, that separably couples the second end to the second receiving piece, and that is spaced apart from the entrance opening by a second prescribed distance.

8. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a first guide that is located on the first surface and that is configured to guide movement of the second bar.

9. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a drawer panel that is connected to the drawer body and that is configured to open or close the entrance opening; and
a second guide that protrudes from the drawer panel toward the second bar and that is configured to maintain separation between the second bar and the first surface.

10. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a drawer panel that is connected to the drawer body and that is configured to open or close the entrance opening;
a third guide body that extends from the second surface toward the drawer panel;
a third guide body through-hole that is formed in the third guide body and that is configured to receive the first end;
a fourth guide body that extends from the third surface toward the drawer panel; and
a fourth guide body through-hole that is formed in the fourth guide body and that is configured to receive second end.

11. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a drawer panel that includes a panel front surface that is parallel to a surface of the cabinet that defines the entrance opening, that includes a first side surface that extends from a first end of the panel front surface toward the cabinet, that includes a second side surface that extends from a second, opposite end of the panel front surface toward the cabinet, and a panel upper surface that is located on a top of the panel front surface;
a drive unit that is configured to operate the transfer member; and
an unlocking unit that is located on one

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jihong
• Kim Wooseong
• Sim Inbo
• Lee Gunho
• Han Inhee

Classifications

• D06F39/14

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F58/20

  General details of domestic laundry dryers  (D06F59/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F39/12

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F58/10

  Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means · CPC title

• E05C9/045

  with inclined surfaces, e.g. spiral or helicoidal · CPC title