Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9428855-B2
Application number	US-201313849629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2013
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A washing machine having a structure capable of preventing moisture from being penetrated to the inside the control panel assembly while easily transmitting sound generated from the speaker, the washing machine including a cabinet, a control panel disposed on a front surface of the cabinet, a display unit installed on the control panel such that a front surface of the display unit is exposed to a front of the control panel, a speaker disposed at a rear of the control panel, and a speaker hole provided through the control panel so that sound being generated from the speaker is transmitted to outside the control panel, wherein the speaker hole is disposed to be spaced apart from the speaker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet;
a control panel disposed on a front surface of the cabinet;
a display unit installed on the control panel such that a front surface of the display unit is exposed through a front of the control panel;
a speaker housing installed behind the control panel;
a speaker mounted on the speaker housing; and
a shielding unit formed at a rear surface of the control panel to cover a rear of the speaker hole;
wherein the control panel comprises a speaker hole formed so that sound generated from the speaker is transmitted to outside the control panel, the speaker hole being disposed to be spaced apart from the speaker, and
wherein the speaker housing comprises a guide rib formed around an opening in the speaker housing while protruding between the speaker housing and the control panel the guide rib being configured so that sound from the speaker is transmitted toward the speaker hole formed through the control panel.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the shielding unit comprises at least one side shielding film protruding from the control panel to the rear of the control panel so as to block moisture from being introduced to the inside the control panel through the speaker hole.

3. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the side shielding film comprises a first-side shielding film and a second-side shielding film that are formed at both sides of the speaker hole, respectively.

4. The washing machine of clam 3 , wherein at least one of the first-side shielding film and the second-side shielding film is inclined such that the first-side shielding film and the second-side shielding film are adjacent to each other while coming together from the speaker to the speaker hole.

5. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the side shielding film is configured to guide the sound, which is generated from the speaker, to the speaker hole.

6. The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein the shielding unit further comprises a rear shielding film provided in parallel to the control panel so as to block the moisture from being introduced to the inside the control panel.

7. The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the rear shielding film is supported by the at least one side shielding film.

8. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the shielding unit comprises a drain hole that is formed while being open through a lower end of the shielding unit to discharge moisture that is input through the speaker hole.

9. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the speaker is mounted at a rear side of the speaker housing, and the speaker housing comprises the opening that is open through a part of the speaker housing.

10. The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the guide rib is provided adjacent to the opening.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises a display unit in a touch screen scheme.

12. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises a touch sensor.

13. A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet; and
a control panel assembly disposed on a front surface of the cabinet,
wherein the control panel assembly comprises
a control panel forming an external appearance of the control panel assembly, control panel comprising a speaker hole formed while being open through a part of the control panel;
a speaker housing disposed at a rear of the control panel;
a speaker mounted on the speaker housing;
a guide rib formed around an opening in the speaker housing while protruding between the speaker housing and the control panel; and
a shielding film formed between the speaker housing and the control panel, the shielding film being connected to the guide rib,
wherein the guide rib and the shielding film are configured to guide sound generated from the speaker toward the speaker hole formed through the control panel.

14. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the speaker hole is located at a position lower than a position of the speaker.

15. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the guide rib protrudes from a rear surface of the control panel.

16. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the guide rib protrudes from a front surface of the speaker housing.

17. The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the speaker housing comprises at least one fixing clip configured to fix the speaker to a rear surface of the speaker housing.

18. The washing machine of claim 17 , wherein the speaker comprises a fixing protrusion that is configured to be fixed to the fixing clip.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Nae Young

Classifications

• A47L15/4293

  Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels · CPC title

• D06F39/005 Primary

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F35/00

  Washing machines, apparatus, or methods not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• D06F34/34 Primary

  characterised by mounting or attachment features, e.g. detachable control panels or detachable display panels · CPC title

• D06F39/12

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title