Washing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611581-B2
Application number	US-201414503890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A washing machine which comprises a fixing unit configured to fix an auxiliary laundry tub located in a rotary tub. The washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub disposed in the cabinet to store wash water, a rotary tub installed in the tub to be rotatable, a balancer coupled to an upper portion of the rotary tub to offset an unbalanced load of the rotary tub, an auxiliary laundry tub disposed in the rotary tub to be removably coupled to the balancer, and a fixing unit installed at the auxiliary laundry tub to be coupled to the balancer and to restrict up and down movement of the auxiliary laundry tub when the rotary tub is operated. Therefore, since the auxiliary laundry tub and the balancer may be stably coupled with each other, the auxiliary laundry tub is prevented from be separated during a washing process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A washing machine, comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub disposed in the cabinet to store wash water;
a rotary tub installed in the tub to be rotatable;
a balancer coupled to an upper portion of the rotary tub to offset an unbalanced load of the rotary tub, the balancer comprising at least one coupling groove formed along an inner circumferential surface of the balancer and at least one fixing groove formed along the inner circumferential surface of the balancer to be opposite to the at least one coupling groove;
an auxiliary laundry tub disposed in the rotary tub to be removably coupled to the balancer; and
a fixing unit installed at the auxiliary laundry tub to be coupled to the balancer and to restrict up and down movement of the auxiliary laundry tub when the rotary tub is operated, the fixing unit comprising:
a fixing member comprising at least one fixing protrusion formed to be inserted into the at least one fixing groove of the balancer, and
an operation member connected to the fixing member and configured to separate the at least one fixing protrusion of the fixing member from the at least one fixing groove of the balancer,

wherein the fixing member is configured to be rotated as the operation member is rotated.

2. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit comprises at least one coupling protrusion formed along an outer circumferential surface of the auxiliary laundry tub, and the at least one coupling protrusion is inserted into the at least one coupling groove of the balancer.

3. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary laundry tub comprises a frame portion configured to radially protrude from an upper surface of the auxiliary laundry tub and form the at least one coupling protrusion, and at least one installation hole is provided at the frame portion.

4. The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein a first supporting part configured to be rotatably coupled with the operation member is formed at an upper surface of the frame portion, and a second supporting part configured to be rotatably coupled with the fixing member is formed at a lower surface of the frame portion.

5. The washing machine of claim 4 , wherein the first supporting part and the second supporting part are disposed adjacent to the installation hole, and the fixing unit comprises a connection member configured to pass through the installation hole and connect the operation member and the fixing member.

6. The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the connection member comprises at least one link device.

7. The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the connection member comprises a first link configured to be connected with the operation member, a third link configured to be connected with the fixing member, and a second link configured to connect the first link and the third link.

8. The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the connection member is moved as the operation member is rotated around the first supporting part, and the fixing member is rotated around the second supporting part as the connection member is moved, such that the at least one fixing protrusion is coupled into and separated from the at least one fixing groove.

9. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fixing protrusion comprises a hook structure formed at one end thereof and is inserted into the at least one fixing groove, and the at least one fixing groove comprises an internal groove corresponding to the hook structure.

10. The washing machine of claim 8 , wherein the fixing member comprises a fixing rotational shaft configured to be rotatably coupled to the second supporting part, at least one elastic member is installed at the fixing rotational shaft, and the at least one elastic member provides an elastic force to the fixing member such that the fixing member is returned to an original state after the fixing member is rotated.

11. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one coupling groove and the at least one fixing groove are formed along the inner circumferential surface of the balancer in a predetermined ratio, and the at least one coupling protrusion and the at least one fixing protrusion are formed to correspond to the predetermined ratio, such that the at least one coupling protrusion is inserted into the at least one coupling groove and the at least one fixing protrusion is inserted into the at least one fixing groove.

12. The washing machine of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect whether the at least one fixing protrusion is settled into the at least one fixing groove.

13. The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is installed at the operation member.

14. The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit is configured to couple the auxiliary laundry tub and the balancer with each other, such that the auxiliary laundry tub is prevented from being separated from the balancer during a washing process.

15. The washing machine of claim 10 , wherein when an external force rotates the fixing rotational shaft, the elastic member receives a compressing force, and when the external force is removed, the fixing member is returned to the original state by an elastic force of the elastic member.

16. The washing machine of claim 15 , wherein when the external force is removed, the operation member is settled on an upper surface of a frame portion of the auxiliary laundry tub, and the at least one fixing protrusion is rotated and inserted into the at least one fixing groove.

17. A washing machine, comprising:
a cabinet;
a tub disposed in the cabinet to store wash water;
a rotary tub installed in the tub to be rotatable;
a balancer provided at an upper side of the rotary tub to offset an unbalanced load of the rotary tub;
an auxiliary laundry tub disposed in the rotary tub and coupled to the balancer to be rotatable together with the rotary tub; and
a fixing unit comprising:
an operation member installed at the auxiliary laundry tub to be rotatable,
at least one coupling protrusion configured to be inserted into the balancer from an upper side of the balancer, and
a fixing member configured to be rotated as the operation member is rotated, and including at least one fixing protrusion configured to be inserted into at least one fixing groove of the balancer from a lower side of the balancer.

18. The washing machine of claim 17 , wherein the balancer further comprises at least one coupling groove into which the at least one coupling protrusion is inserted, and the at least one coupling groove and the at least one fixing groove are formed in an inner circumferential surface of the balancer.

19. The washing machine of claim 18 , wherein the at least one coupling groove is formed in a downward concave shape, the at least one fixing groove is located under the at least one coupling groove and is formed to have an upward concave shape, and the at least one coupling groove and the at least one fixing groove are formed along the inner circumferential surface of the balancer in a predetermined ratio.

20. The washing machine of claim 17 , wherein the auxiliary laundry tub is coupled to the balancer so that the at least one coupling protrusion is inserted into the at least one coupling groove, the at least one fixing protrusion is rotated and inserted into the at least one fixing groove, and thus the auxiliary laundry tub is fixed to the balancer.

21. A washing machine, comprising:
a tub;
a rotary tub located in the tub;
an auxiliary laund

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Dong Pil
• Kim Tai Eun
• Pyo Sang Yeon

Classifications

• D06F17/06

  by rotary impellers · CPC title

• D06F37/24 Primary

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

• D06F37/267

  Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups (D06F37/206 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F31/00 Primary

  Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies · CPC title

• D06F37/20

  Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations · CPC title