Laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828719-B2
Application number	US-201514689207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2015
Priority date	Apr 17, 2014
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus is described. The laundry treating apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The laundry treating apparatus further includes a light guide that includes an inner wall and an outer wall and ribs located between the inner wall and the outer wall, the ribs defining cells that are configured to accommodate the plurality of LEDs. The laundry treating apparatus further includes a window that is configured to allow light emitted from the plurality of LEDs to pass through. Each rib includes a ridge portion that decreases in thickness toward the window and is pointed toward the window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB);
a light guide that includes an inner wall and an outer wall and ribs located between the inner wall and the outer wall, the ribs defining cells that are configured to accommodate the plurality of LEDs; and
a window that is configured to allow light emitted from the plurality of LEDs to pass through,
wherein each rib in a first portion of the ribs includes a ridge portion that decreases in thickness toward the window and is pointed toward the window, and
wherein each rib in a second portion of the ribs is configured to reduce a transmission of the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs to an area above the rib in the second portion of the ribs.

2. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each rib includes an inclined portion that increases in thickness as a distance from the window increases.

3. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each ridge portion has a triangular cross-section.

4. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein ends of the ridge portions are located in a same plane as ends of the inner and outer walls.

5. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the window includes an annular light transmission portion on an exterior of the laundry treating apparatus.

6. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs are evenly spaced apart.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs are configured to reflect the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs outside the window.

8. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inclined portion of each rib is configured to reflect the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs outside the window.

9. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB);
a light guide that includes an inner wall and an outer wall and ribs located between the inner wall and the outer wall, the ribs defining cells that are configured to accommodate the plurality of LEDs; and
a window that is configured to allow light emitted from the plurality of LEDs to pass through,
wherein a first group of the ribs include a ridge portion that decreases in thickness toward the window and is pointed toward the window, and
wherein a second group of the ribs have a constant thickness.

10. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first group of the ribs each include an inclined portion that increases in thickness as a distance from the window increases.

11. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein each ridge portion has a triangular cross-section.

12. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein ends of the ridge portions are located in a same plane as an end of at least one of the inner and outer walls.

13. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:
the plurality of LEDs include one or more LEDs that are configured to radiate light to a course indicating region of the window and one or more LEDs that are configured to radiate light to a region of the window other than the course indicating region, and
the first group of the ribs define cells accommodating the one or more LEDs that are configured to radiate light to the course indicating region of the window.

14. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:
the plurality of LEDs are arranged in a circular pattern, and
the first group of the ribs define cells that are configured to accommodate LEDs that are located at an upper or lower portion of the circular pattern.

15. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the window includes an annular light transmission on an exterior of the laundry treating apparatus.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yang Jinho
• Lee Jongsung
• Kang Hocheol

Classifications

• H01H19/025 Primary

  Light-emitting indicators · CPC title

• H01H2219/06

  Reflector · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• H01H2219/0622

  only an illuminated ring around keys · CPC title

• G02B6/0001

  specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00) · CPC title