Laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348299-A1
Application number	US-201615231336-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The laundry treating apparatus includes a door to open and close the introduction port about a first rotational or a second rotational axis which is different from first rotational axis. A first switching unit is provided in the door to allow rotation of door about the first rotational axis, and a second switching unit is provided in the door to allow rotation of the door about the second rotational axis. A lock fixes a position of at least one of the first switching unit or second switching unit when the door opens the introduction port. As can be appreciated, the mechanism used for the laundry apparatus may be applicable to other home appliances or non-home appliances where two different rotational axes may be needed to open and close a door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a cabinet having a front panel having an introduction port; a chamber provided in the cabinet to receive laundry introduced through the introduction port; a door configured to open and close the introduction port selectively about one of a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being different from the first rotational axis; a first switching unit provided at the door, and based on movement thereof, the first switching unit is configured to couple the door to the front panel to be rotatable about the first rotational axis; a second switching unit provided at the door, and based on movement thereof, the second switching unit is configured to couple the door to the front panel to be rotatable about the second rotational axis, wherein the second switching unit is configured to couple the door to the front panel when the first switching unit uncouples the door from the front panel; a first receiving unit configured to provide a space to install the first switching unit and the second switching unit; a second receiving unit configured to provide a space into which a user's finger can be inserted, the second receiving unit being separated from the first receiving unit; a body rotation shaft rotatably coupled to the door; a handle body provided inside the second receiving unit and fixed to the body rotation shaft; and a push unit that is fixed to the body rotation shaft to be located inside the first receiving unit, wherein the push unit makes the first switching unit move when the handle body rotates.

2 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the handle body is configured to be rotatable to a direction where the door is opened.

3 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the door comprises an outer frame that forms an outer circumferential surface of the door and an inner frame coupled to the outer frame to face the front panel, wherein the handle body is configured to be rotatable to the outer frame.

4 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a partition wall to separate the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit, wherein the body rotation shaft is provided in the partition wall.

5 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a lock configured to fix a position of at least one of the first switching unit or the second switching unit when the door is opened.

6 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first or second switching unit includes a first fastening unit and a second fastening unit spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in a direction in which the first or second switching unit moves such that the lock can be selectively and detachably coupled thereto.

7 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the lock further comprises a fixing unit configured to be moveable in a thickness direction of the door so that the fixing unit can be detachably coupled to one of the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit.

8 . The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the lock further comprises:
a lock body provided in the door to be movable in the thickness direction of the door; a body support unit arranged between the lock body and the door to elastically support the lock body; a body push unit extending through the door to be exposed from the door, wherein the body push unit is adapted to be pressed by the front panel when the door is closed so as to move the lock body away from the first or second switching unit; and a body flange extending from the lock body such that the fixing unit is supported by the body flange.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kang Incheol
• Park Soowon
• Lee Hyuntae

Classifications

• D06F39/14 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/28

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/10 Primary

  Doors; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F29/00 Primary

  Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus · CPC title