Laundry treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022205161-A1
Application number	US-202117562600-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2021
Priority date	Dec 24, 2020
Publication date	Jun 30, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes: a tub, a drum provided in the tub, an agitator provided in the drum, a driver coupled to the tub and providing power for rotating at least one of the drum or the agitator, and a clutch unit provided between the driver and the agitator and transmitting the power to at least one of the drum or the agitator. The clutch unit includes: a gear unit rotating based on being engaged with the driver, a rotary shaft coupled to the gear unit and rotating the agitator, a housing coupled to the drum and accommodating the gear unit and the rotary shaft, a coupler reciprocating between the housing and the driver and rotating the housing, a moving unit including the coupler therein to reciprocate the coupler, and an actuator reciprocating the moving unit, where at least a portion of the actuator is disposed in the driver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
a tub configured to receive water; a drum that is rotatably provided in the tub and that is configured to receive laundry; an agitator that is rotatably provided in the drum and that is configured to move the laundry; a driver that is coupled to the tub and that is configured to provide power for rotating at least one of the drum or the agitator; and a clutch unit that is provided between the driver and the agitator and that is configured to transmit the power from the driver to at least one of the drum or the agitator, wherein the clutch unit includes:
a gear unit configured to rotate based on being engaged with the driver,
a rotary shaft that is coupled to the gear unit and that is configured to rotate the agitator,
a housing that is coupled to the drum and that accommodates the gear unit and the rotary shaft,
a coupler that is configured to reciprocate between the housing and the driver and that is configured to rotate the housing,
a moving unit that includes the coupler therein to reciprocate the coupler, and
an actuator configured to reciprocate the moving unit,
wherein at least a portion of the actuator is disposed in the driver.

2 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
at least a portion of the actuator overlaps the driver in a direction of the rotary shaft.

3 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driver includes:
a stator that is coupled to the tub and that is configured to generate a rotating magnetic field, a rotor configured to be rotated by the stator, and a drive shaft configured to rotate with the rotor so as to rotate the gear unit, wherein at least a portion of the actuator is disposed in the stator.

4 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the stator includes:
a core coupled to the tub and through which the drive shaft passes, and a fixing rib that radially extends from an outer circumferential surface of the core and that has a coil wound thereon, wherein at least a portion of the actuator is disposed in the core.

5 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor unit configured to determine whether the coupler or the moving unit is elevated, wherein the sensor unit is disposed in the driver.

6 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the driver includes:
a stator that is coupled to the tub and that is configured to generate a rotating magnetic field, a rotor configured to be rotated by the stator, and a drive shaft configured to rotate with the rotor so as to rotate the gear unit, wherein at least a portion of the sensor unit is disposed in the stator.

7 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the stator includes:
a core coupled to the tub and through which the drive shaft to passes, and a fixing rib that radially extends from an outer circumferential surface of the core and that has a coil wound thereon, wherein the sensor unit is disposed in the core.

8 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:
the moving unit or the coupler is disposed in the core, and the sensor unit is configured to sense a position or height of either the moving unit or the coupler.

9 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:
the sensor unit is disposed to be spaced apart from the actuator.

10 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a case that is disposed in the driver and that accommodates the moving unit to be reciprocated, wherein the actuator is disposed in the case.

11 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the case includes:
a receiving body that is disposed in the driver and that accommodates the moving unit or the coupler, and a first installation unit that is disposed at an outside of the receiving body and that is coupled to the actuator.

12 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a sensor unit configured to sense whether the coupler or the moving unit is elevated, wherein the case further includes:
a second installation unit that is disposed at an outside of the receiving body and that accommodates the sensor unit.

13 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein:
the first installation unit and the second installation unit are spaced apart from each other.

14 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the driver includes:
a stator that is coupled to the tub and that is configured to generate a rotating magnetic field, a rotor configured to be rotated by the stator, and a drive shaft configured to rotate together with the rotor so as to rotate the gear unit, wherein the receiving body, the first installation unit, and the second installation unit are disposed in the stator.

15 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the stator includes:
a core coupled to the tub and through which the drive shaft passes, and a fixing rib that radially extends from an outer circumferential surface of the core and that has a coil wound thereon, wherein the receiving body, the first installation unit, and the second installation unit are disposed in the core.

16 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the case includes:
a plurality of coupling units that extend from the receiving body toward an inner circumferential surface of the core and that couples the receiving body to an inside of the core, wherein the first installation unit and the second installation unit are disposed between an inner circumferential surface of the core and the plurality of coupling units.

17 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of coupling units include:
a first coupling unit extending from the receiving body toward the inner circumferential surface of the core, a second coupling unit that is spaced apart from the first coupling unit within the receiving body and that extends to the inner circumferential surface of the core, and a third coupling unit that is spaced apart from the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit within the receiving body and that extends to the inner circumferential surface of the core, wherein the first installation unit and the second installation unit are disposed between the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit.

18 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of coupling units include:
a first coupling unit extending from the receiving body toward the inner circumferential surface of the core, a second coupling unit that is spaced apart from the first coupling unit within the receiving body and that extends to the inner circumferential surface of the core, and a third coupling unit that is spaced apart from the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit within the receiving body and that extends to the inner circumferential surface of the core, wherein:
the first installation unit is disposed between the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit, and
the second installation unit is disposed between the second coupling unit and the third coupling unit.

19 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of coupling units include:
a first coupling unit extending from the receiving body towa

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Woo Seyoung
• Pyo Joonho
• Park Jeongyeon
• Choi Byungjae

Classifications

• D06F37/40 Primary

  for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} · CPC title

• D06F37/30 Primary

  Driving arrangements  (control circuits or arrangements D06F34/08) · CPC title

• H02K1/22

  Rotating parts of the magnetic circuit · CPC title

• H02K7/003

  Couplings; Details of shafts (means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28) · CPC title

• H02K11/20

  for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching (rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33) · CPC title