Laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020248366-A1
Application number	US-202016778270-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 1, 2019
Publication date	Aug 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus includes: a drum and a lifter that is disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the drum and that is configured to rotate with the drum. The lifter includes a lifter frame coupled to the drum and a frame cover that covers the lifter frame. The lifter frame includes: a frame base coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the drum; a frame upper plate spaced apart from the frame base in a direction toward an inside of the drum; a frame sidewall that connects the frame upper plate to the frame base; and a spacer that protrudes from the frame upper plate toward an inner surface of the frame cover and that allows the inner surface of the frame cover to be spaced apart from the frame upper plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a drum configured to receive laundry and to rotate about a rotation axis that extends in a front-rear direction of the laundry treating apparatus; and a lifter that is disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the drum and that is configured to rotate about the rotation axis based on rotation of the drum, the lifter comprising a lifter frame coupled to the drum and a frame cover that covers the lifter frame, wherein the lifter frame comprises:
a frame base coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the drum,
a frame upper plate spaced apart from the frame base in a direction toward an inside of the drum,
a frame sidewall that connects the frame upper plate to the frame base, and
a spacer that protrudes from the frame upper plate toward an inner surface of the frame cover and that allows the inner surface of the frame cover to be spaced apart from the frame upper plate.

2 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame cover comprises a cover upper plate having an inner surface facing the frame upper plate, and
wherein the spacer is spaced apart from the inner surface of the cover upper plate.

3 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame cover comprises a cover upper plate having an inner surface facing the frame upper plate, and
wherein the spacer is in contact with the inner surface of the cover upper plate.

4 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drum defines at least one water flow inlet hole in a region covered by the frame cover.

5 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the frame cover comprises a cover upper plate that faces the frame upper plate; the frame cover defines at least one water flow discharge hole in the cover upper plate, the at least one water flow discharge hole being configured to discharge, into the drum, washing water in the lifter received through the water flow inlet hole; and the spacer allows the cover upper plate to be spaced apart from the frame upper plate.

6 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one water flow inlet hole is positioned inside the lifter frame, and
wherein the lifter frame defines at least one water flow through-hole that is in communication with an inside of the lifter frame and an outside of the lifter frame.

7 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one water flow discharge hole comprises a plurality of water flow discharge holes that are spaced apart from one another and arranged along a longitudinal direction of the cover upper plate, and
wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of spacers, each of the plurality of spacers being positioned between the plurality of water flow discharge holes.

8 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame cover comprises a dome disposed at a position corresponding to the spacer, the dome defining a concave portion that is recessed from the inner surface of the frame cover and that faces the spacer, and
wherein at least a part of the spacer is positioned in the concave portion of the dome.

9 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the spacer is spaced apart from the concave portion of the dome.

10 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the spacer is in contact with the concave portion of the dome.

11 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein an outer surface of the dome is convex relative to an upper surface of the frame cover.

12 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the dome comprises a plurality of domes that are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the lifter, and
wherein the spacer comprises a plurality of spacers that are respectively disposed at positions corresponding to the plurality of domes.

13 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of domes comprise:
a first dome that defines a first concave portion recessed from the inner surface of the frame cover, the first dome having a first depth with respect to the inner surface of the frame cover; and a second dome that defines a second concave portion recessed from the inner surface of the frame cover, the second dome having a second depth less than the first depth with respect to the inner surface of the frame cover, and wherein the plurality of spacers comprise:
a first spacer disposed at a position corresponding to the first dome, the first spacer having a first height, and
a second spacer disposed at a position corresponding to the second dome, the second spacer having a second height less than the first height.

14 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the firs dome comprises a pair of first domes that are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the lifter, and
wherein the second dome is disposed between the pair of first domes.

15 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the frame cover defines water flow discharge holes between the plurality of domes.

16 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises:
a vertical rib that extends in a longitudinal direction of the lifter frame; and a horizontal rib that crosses the vertical rib.

17 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
a distance between an upper surface of the spacer and the frame upper plate increases as the vertical rib and the horizontal rib extend from ends thereof to an intersection portion between the vertical rib and the horizontal rib; the intersection portion between the vertical rib and the horizontal rib is an outermost portion of the spacer relative to the frame upper plate; and the intersection portion is spaced apart from the inner surface of the frame cover.

18 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:
a distance between an upper surface of the spacer and the frame upper plate increases as the vertical rib and the horizontal rib extend from ends thereof to an intersection portion between the vertical rib and the horizontal rib; the intersection portion between the vertical rib and the horizontal rib is an outermost portion of the spacer relative to the frame upper plate; and the intersection portion is in contact with the inner surface of the frame cover.

19 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame cover is made of metal.

20 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the lifter frame is made of synthetic resin.

21 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame base defines a seating groove that receives a lower end of the frame cover.

22 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the frame cover comprises a coupling tab disposed at the lower end of the frame cover, and
wherein the lifter frame defines a tab binding port in the seating groove, the tab binding port receiving the coupling tab.

23 . The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lifter comprises:
a plurality of front lifters disposed at a front portion of the drum and arranged along a circumferential direction of the drum; and a plurality of rear lifters disposed at rear sides of the plurality of front lifters and arranged along the circumferential direction of the drum.

24 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a tub configured to receive washing water; a drum disposed in the tub

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Kil Ryong
• Kim Jun Young
• Lee Hong Min

Classifications

• D06F37/22

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

• D06F37/065 Primary

  ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid · CPC title

• D06F37/06 Primary

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

• D06F37/04

  adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis · CPC title

• D06F21/10 Primary

  about an inclined axis · CPC title