Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016273148-A1
Application number	US-201615048602-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A washing machine is disclosed. The washing machine includes a cabinet having a first introduction port, a tub, which is disposed in the cabinet and which has a second introduction port concentrically positioned with respect to the first introduction port, a cabinet door mounted on the cabinet so as to open and close the first introduction port, a tub door mounted on the tub so as to open and close the second introduction port, and a lock-releasing unit for releasing the locked state of the tub door when the cabinet door is opened.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet having a first introduction port; a tub, which is provided in the cabinet, the tub having a second introduction port that is a concentric position with respect to the first introduction port; a cabinet door attached to the cabinet to open and close the first introduction port; a tub door attached to the tub to open and close the second introduction port; and a lock-releasing unit to unlock the tub door when the cabinet door is opened.

2 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet door comprises a first hinge unit, and the tub door comprises a second hinge unit having a second hinge unit rotating shaft that is spaced apart from a first hinge unit rotating shaft of the first hinge unit.

3 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tub door is elastically biased in an opening direction of the second introduction port.

4 . The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the cabinet door is opened in conjunction with the tub door when the tub door is opened.

5 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tub door is closed in conjunction with the cabinet door when the cabinet door is closed.

6 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet comprises a cabinet door lock to lock the cabinet door, and the tub comprises a tub door lock to lock the tub door in a locked state.

7 . The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the lock-releasing unit comprises:
a release lever provided at a handle of the cabinet door; a lock release switch to detect when the cabinet door is opened in response to an actuation of the release lever; and a tub door lock releaser to unlock a tub door lock when the lock release switch detects that the cabinet door is opening.

8 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the lock-releasing unit comprises:
a release lever provided at a handle of the cabinet door; a lock release switch to detect an opening of the cabinet door in response to an actuation of the release lever; and a tub door lock to release a locked state of the tub door when the lock release switch detects that the cabinet door is opening.

9 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tub door is hingedly attached to the tub, and the tub includes a hinge unit to exert an elastic force in an opening direction of the second introduction port.

10 . The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the tub door includes a push roller provided on an outer surface of the tub door to push the cabinet door.

11 . The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the tub includes a tub door lock to keep the tub door in a locked state, and the tub door lock locks the tub door by rotation of the cabinet door in a closing direction.

12 . The washing machine of claim 11 , wherein the cabinet includes a cabinet door lock to keep the cabinet door in a locked state, and the tub door lock locks the tub door after the cabinet door is locked by the cabinet door lock.

13 . The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein the cabinet door lock moves the cabinet door so that the cabinet door is spaced apart from the tub door after the tub door is locked.

14 . A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet having a first introduction port; a tub, which is provided in the cabinet, the tub having a second introduction port that is in a concentric position with respect to the first introduction port; a drum, which is rotatably disposed in the tub, the drum having a space to hold laundry introduced through the first and second introduction ports; a cabinet door attached to the cabinet to open and close the first introduction port; a tub door attached to the tub to open and close the second introduction port; a cabinet door lock provided at the cabinet to keep the cabinet door in a locked state; a tub door lock provided at the tub to keep the tub door in a locked state; and a lock-releasing unit to release the locked state of the tub door when the cabinet door is opened.

15 . The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the lock-releasing unit comprises:
a release lever provided at a handle of the cabinet door; a lock release switch to detect an opening of the cabinet door in response to an actuation of the release lever; and a tub door lock releaser to release a locked state of a tub door lock when the lock release switch detects that the cabinet door is opened.

16 . The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the tub door lock is connected to the tub door lock releaser via a tensile cable.

17 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein the tub door lock releaser comprises a solenoid, which is actuated in response to a signal from the lock release switch, and a rotator, which is moved when the solenoid is activated, and the tensile cable is connected to the rotator to release the locked state of the tub door lock when the rotator is moved.

18 . The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the tub door is hingedly attached to the tub, and the tub includes a hinge unit to exert an elastic force in an opening direction of the second introduction port.

19 . The washing machine of claim 18 , wherein the tub door includes a push roller that is provided on an outer surface of the tub door to push the cabinet door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jo Mingyu
• Park Seungchul
• Kim Dongwon

Classifications

• D06F37/267

  Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups (D06F37/206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F37/28 Primary

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title

• D06F34/20

  Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors · CPC title

• D06F2105/44

  Opening, closing or locking of doors · CPC title

• D06F39/14

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title