Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016273149-A1
Application number	US-201615048652-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 including a cabinet having a first introduction port, a tub, which is provided in the cabinet and which has a second introduction port that is concentrically positioned 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, which is attached to the cabinet to release a locked state of the cabinet door and the tub door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet having a first introduction port; a tub provided in the cabinet, the tub having a second introduction port that is concentrically positioned 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 attached to the cabinet to unlock a locked state of the cabinet door and the tub door.

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

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.

7 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the lock-releasing unit comprises:
a push button provided at the cabinet; a cabinet door lock releaser that is actuated by the push button to unlock the cabinet door lock; and a tub door lock releaser that is actuated by the push button to unlock the tub door lock.

8 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet door lock releaser is provided at the cabinet, and the tub door lock releaser is provided at the tub.

9 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tub door is hingedly attached to the tub, and the tub comprises 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 against the cabinet door.

11 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tub includes a tub door lock to lock the tub door, 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 comprises a cabinet door lock to keep the cabinet door in a locked state, and wherein 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 provided in the cabinet, the tub having a second introduction port that is concentrically positioned with respect to the first introduction port; a drum rotatably provided in the tub; 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 lock the cabinet door; a tub door lock provided at the tub to lock the tub door; and a lock-releasing unit attached to the cabinet to unlock the cabinet door and the tub door.

15 . The washing machine of claim 14 , wherein the lock-releasing unit comprises:
a push button provided at the cabinet; a cabinet door lock releaser that is actuated by the push button to unlock the cabinet door lock; and a tub door lock releaser that is actuated by the push button to unlock the tub door lock.

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

17 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein the cabinet door lock comprises:
a hook-engaging portion attached to the cabinet to lock the cabinet door; an elastic support that is elastically supported by the hook-engaging portion in an opening direction of the cabinet door; and a connector attached to the first tensile cable to unlock the cabinet door.

18 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein the tub door lock comprises:
a hook-engaging portion attached to the tub to lock the tub door; and a connector attached to the second tensile cable to unlock the tub door.

19 . 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.

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

• D06F37/22

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

• D06F39/14

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F2105/44

  Opening, closing or locking of doors · CPC title