Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11028515-B2
Application number	US-201815913617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 6, 2017
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a washing machine provided with a pulsator. The washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet to store washing water, a drum rotatably provided in the tub, a pulsator configured to be rotatable independently of the drum and a flange shaft configured to transmit a rotational force to the drum. The drum includes a cylindrical portion configured to form a side surface of the drum, and a rear cover disposed in one side of the cylindrical portion while being disposed in the outside of the pulsator, and seated in the flange shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub provided in the cabinet to store washing water;
a drum rotatably provided in the tub about a rotation axis, the drum comprising a cylindrical portion configured to form a side surface of the drum;
a pulsator configured to be rotatable about the rotation axis independently of the drum and having a radius equal to a distance from the rotation axis to an outer edge of the pulsator; and
a flange shaft mounted to the cylindrical portion of the drum and configured to transmit a rotational force to the drum, including a seating groove located at a radius of the flange shaft outside of the radius of the pulsator,
wherein the drum comprises a rear cover disposed in one side of the cylindrical portion, the rear cover comprising a seating flange on an innermost circumferential surface of the rear cover disposed outside of the radius of the pulsator and seated in the seating groove.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the ear cover comprises a drum rear surface configured to form a rear surface of the drum, and
the seating flange is bent from the drum rear surface to be seated in the seating groove.

3. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein:
the flange shaft comprises:
a flange body coupled to a shaft configured to transmit power from a drive device,
a plurality of blades extended radially from the flange body, and
a seating member configured to connect the plurality of blades to each other, and the seating flange is seated in at least one of the plurality of blades and the seating member.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the seating groove is formed in at least one of the plurality of blades and the seating member and into which the seating flange is inserted.

5. The washing machine of claim 4 , wherein:
the seating groove comprises:
a first seating groove formed in the plurality of blades, and
a second seating groove formed in the seating member, and

the first and second seating groove are formed in a circular shape with respect to a center of rotation of the drum.

6. The washing machine of claim 4 , wherein the seating flange comprises an insertion rib formed to have a greater thickness than a body of the seating flange and configured to be inserted into the seating groove.

7. The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the insertion rib is formed by a hemming structure in which an end portion of the seating flange is folded.

8. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the seating member connects the plurality of blades to each other and supports the plurality of blades in a circumferential direction.

9. The washing machine of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of blades and the seating member are integrally formed.

10. The washing machine of claim 8 , wherein the seating member is formed in a ring shape and detachable from the plurality of blades.

11. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the seating flange comprises a seating rib formed such that an end portion of the seating flange is bent so as to be in contact with the flange shaft.

12. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the seating flange forms a separation space with an outer circumferential surface of the pulsator to be disposed to face the outer circumferential surface of the pulsator.

13. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein:
the drum rear surface comprises:
a first drum rear surface extended from the cylindrical portion, and
a second drum rear surface protruded from the first drum rear surface toward a front side of the drum to be connected to the seating flange, and

the second drum rear surface disposed in parallel with a front surface of the pulsator.

14. The washing machine of claim 1 wherein:
the flange shaft comprises a flange protrusion protruded toward a rear surface of the pulsator, and
the pulsator comprises a pulsator groove configured to allow the flange protrusion to be inserted thereto.

15. The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the flange protrusion and the pulsator groove are formed in a circular shape.

16. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub provided in the cabinet to store washing water;
a drum having a cylindrical portion and a rear cover provided in one side of the cylindrical portion and configured to be rotatably provided in the tub about a rotation axis;
a pulsator configured to be rotatable about the rotation axis independently of the drum, having a radius equal to a distance from the rotation axis to an outer edge of the pulsator, and configured to be surrounded by an inner circumferential surface of the rear cover; and
a flange shaft mounted to the cylindrical portion of the drum to transmit a rotational force to the drum in a rear side of the pulsator, including a seating groove located at a radius of the flange shaft outside of the radius of the pulsator, and configured to allow the rear cover to be inserted into the seating groove,
wherein the rear cover comprises a seating flange on an innermost circumferential surface of the rear cover disposed outside of the radius of the pulsator and seated in the seating groove.

17. The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein:
the rear cover comprises a drum rear surface configured to form a rear surface of the drum, and
the seating flange is bent from the drum rear surface to be inserted into the seating groove.

18. The washing machine of claim 17 , wherein:
the flange shaft comprises:
a flange body coupled to a shaft configured to transmit power from a drive device,
a plurality of blades extended radially from the flange body, and
a seating member configured to connect the plurality of blades to each other, and the seating flange is seated in at least one of the plurality of blades and the seating member.

19. The washing machine of claim 18 , wherein the seating groove formed in at least one of the plurality of blades and the seating member and is configured to allow the seating flange to be inserted thereto.

20. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub provided in the cabinet to store washing water;
a drum configured to be rotatably provided in the tub with respect to a rotation shaft, and provided with a cylindrical portion, and a rear cover provided in a rear side of the cylindrical portion and extended toward the rotation shaft;
a pulsator configured to be rotatable independently of the drum about the rotation shaft in the drum, having a radius equal to a distance from the rotation shaft to an outer edge of the pulsator, and disposed in an inner side of the rear cover; and
a flange shaft provided with a seating groove located at a radius of the flange shaft outside of the radius of the pulsator to which the rear cover is inserted, the flange shaft mounted to the cylindrical portion of the drum and configured to transmit a rotational force to the drum,
wherein the rear cover comprises a seating flange on an innermost circumferential surface of the rear cover disposed outside of the radius of the pulsator and seated in the seating groove.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jin Ho
• Choi Han Kyu

Classifications

• D06F17/10

  Impellers · CPC title

• D06F37/40 Primary

  for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} · CPC title

• D06F37/22

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

• D06F37/06

  Ribs, lifters, or rubbing means forming part of the receptacle · CPC title

• D06F17/06 Primary

  by rotary impellers · CPC title