Laundry treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11326294-B2
Application number	US-202016799047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a cabinet having an introduction/discharge opening, a drawer configured so as to be discharged from the cabinet through the introduction/discharge opening, a through-hole formed in an upper surface of the drawer, a tub that is located inside the drawer and that defines a space that is configured to receive water, an introduction aperture formed in an upper surface of the tub, the introduction aperture being located under the through-hole, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub for receiving laundry supplied to the introduction aperture, a door that is configured to open and close the introduction aperture, the door being coupled to one of the drawer or the tub, and a door sensing unit that is configured to determine whether the door is opened during a state in which the drawer is inserted into the cabinet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that defines an appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus;
a tub provided inside the cabinet and configured to receive water;
an introduction aperture defined at an upper surface of the tub;
a drum rotatably provided inside the tub and configured to receive laundry supplied to the introduction aperture;
a door spaced apart from the cabinet and positioned between the cabinet and the introduction aperture, the door being configured to open and close the introduction aperture; and
a sensor disposed above the door and configured to sense whether the door opens the introduction aperture.

2. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to be activated or deactivated based on the door being in an opened position.

3. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the cabinet defines an opening at a front,
wherein the laundry treatment apparatus further comprises a drawer that is withdrawable from the cabinet through the opening, and
wherein the tub is configured to be accommodated in the drawer.

4. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the door is coupled to one of the tub or the drawer.

5. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the tub further comprises a tub cover and the drawer further comprises a drawer cover, wherein the door is coupled to one of the tub cover or the drawer cover.

6. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a generator provided on the door and configured to activate the sensor when the door is in the opened position.

7. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a generator provided on the cabinet and configured to activate or deactivate the sensor when the door is in the opened position.

8. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is fixedly coupled to the cabinet, and the generator is rotatably coupled to the cabinet.

9. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 8 , the generator is configured to be rotated toward or away from the sensor in accordance with opening of the door.

10. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a base coupled to the cabinet, wherein the base is configured to seat the sensor and the generator.

11. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the generator further comprises a body rotatably coupled to the base.

12. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the body extends toward the door and is configured to rotate in accordance with the opening of the door.

13. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the base defines an upwardly recessed space, and a rotation end of the body is positioned in an upper portion of the upwardly recessed space.

14. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the body further comprises a contact portion provided at another end of the body extending outwardly.

15. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the body extends toward the sensor and is configured to rotate in accordance with the opening of the door.

16. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the base defines an upwardly recessed space, and a rotation end of the body is positioned in a lower portion of the upwardly recessed space.

17. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the base further comprises a body support portion that is configured to support the body in a position corresponding to a position of the sensor.

18. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the body support portion is inwardly protruded toward the upwardly recessed space.

19. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the body further comprises a projection protruding to the body support portion and being configured to be seated on the body support portion.

20. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the body further comprises a contact portion protruding outwardly.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jihong
• Gwon Hyeokjin
• Joo Hyojin

Classifications

• D06F37/18 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F34/28 Primary

  Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress · CPC title

• D06F2105/58

  Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user · CPC title

• D06F39/14

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/28

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title