Laundry treating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890495-B2
Application number	US-201515117951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2015
Priority date	Mar 21, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus comprising a cabinet including a laundry introduction port, a door to open and close the introduction port, a hinge unit configuring a first rotating axis and a second rotating axis, the hinge unit including a first shaft and a second shaft configuring the first rotating axis and a third shaft and a fourth shaft configuring the second rotating axis, and a rotating shaft shifting unit that rotatably fastens the door to any one of the first rotating axis and the second rotating axis, the rotating shaft shifting unit including a first shifting unit and a second shifting unit selectively and rotatably fastening the fourth shaft to the cabinet. The fourth shaft includes a protrusion protruding toward the second shifting unit, and a fourth side flat surface is formed on the protrusion and supports the second shifting unit by establishing surface contact with the second shifting unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:
a cabinet configuring an external feature and being provided with a laundry introduction port;
a door being aligned to open and close the introduction port;
a hinge unit configuring a first rotating axis rotating the door in a first rotating direction, and a second rotating axis rotating the door in a second rotating direction, the second rotating direction corresponding to a direction different from the first rotating direction, the hinge unit including a first shaft and a second shaft configuring the first rotating axis and a third shaft and a fourth shaft configuring the second rotating axis; and
a rotating shaft shifting unit configured to be capable of being moved so as to rotatably fasten the door to any one of the first rotating axis and the second rotating axis,
the rotating shaft shifting unit including a first shifting unit being extended along a width direction of the door and a second shifting unit being extended along a height direction of the door from one end of the first shifting unit and selectively and rotatably fastening the fourth shaft to the cabinet,
wherein the fourth shaft is provided with a protrusion protruding toward the second shifting unit, and wherein an end portion of the protrusion comes in contact with the second shifting unit, and
wherein a fourth side flat surface is formed on the protrusion provided on the fourth shaft, and the fourth side flat surface of the protrusion supports the second shifting unit by establishing surface contact with the second shifting unit.

2. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fourth shaft is formed to be extended from one side of a fourth shaft bracket, the fourth shaft bracket being installed on the door,
wherein the fourth shaft bracket is formed to envelop at least a portion of the second shifting unit,
wherein the cabinet includes a guidance groove configured to accommodate a free end part of the second shifting unit, and
wherein, when the door is rotated in the second rotating direction at a predetermined angle, at least a portion of the fourth shaft bracket is inserted in the guidance groove along with the free end part of the second shifting unit.

3. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fourth shaft is provided with a first side flat surface formed along a length direction of the fourth shaft and a second side flat surface formed to face into the first side flat surface.

4. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first side flat surface and the second side flat surface are formed to be parallel to one another.

5. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the cabinet is provided with a fourth shaft detachable part configured to accommodate the fourth shaft,
wherein an receiving groove is formed in the fourth shaft detachable part, the receiving groove being configured to accommodate the fourth shaft, and
wherein a width of an opening of the receiving groove is larger than a width between the first side flat surface and the second side flat surface.

6. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a stopper is formed on the fourth shaft detachable part, the stopper being configured to limit a rotating angle of the fourth shaft,
wherein a third side flat surface corresponding to the first side flat surface of the fourth shaft is formed on the stopper, and
wherein the first side flat surface establishes surface contact with the third side flat surface.

7. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second shifting unit is provided with a first side surface facing into the fourth shaft and a second side surface facing into the first side surface,
wherein the fourth shaft bracket is provided with an extended part configured to be extended along the second side surface of the second shifting unit, and
wherein, when the door is rotated in the second rotating direction at a predetermined angle, the extended part of the fourth shaft bracket is inserted in the guidance groove along with the free end part of the second shifting unit.

8. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7 , wherein, when the door is rotated in the second rotating direction at a predetermined angle, the second shifting unit is being supported on an edge of the guidance groove by the extended part of the fourth shaft bracket.

9. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the fourth shaft is connected to a hinge arm, the hinge arm being extended from the fourth shaft bracket.

10. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the fourth shaft bracket is provided with a bracket body and the hinge arm,
wherein the hinge arm is formed to be extended with an inclination from the bracket body and toward the fourth shaft detachable part, and
wherein the bracket body, the hinge arm, and the fourth shaft are formed as a single body.

11. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the hinge arm is configured of two arms each being spaced apart from one another at a predetermined distance, and
wherein the fourth shaft is provided between the two arms.

12. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lock configured to limit movements of the rotating shaft shifting unit.

13. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the rotating shaft shifting unit is provided with a first shifting unit being extended along a horizontal direction, and a second shifting unit being extended along a vertical direction from one end of the first shifting unit and selectively and rotatably fastening the fourth shaft to the cabinet, and
wherein the lock is configured to fix a position of at least any one of the first shifting unit and the second shifting unit.

14. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first coupling part and a second coupling part each being provided to be spaced apart from one another at a predetermined distance along a moving direction of the first shifting unit, or each being provided to be spaced apart from one another at a predetermined distance along a moving direction of the second shifting unit, and being detachably coupled to the lock, and
wherein, when the door opens the introduction port, the lock is coupled to any one of the first coupling part and the second coupling part, thereby fixing a position of at least any one of the first shifting unit and the second shifting unit.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Aram
• Kim Jaeseok
• Kang Incheol

Classifications

• D06F39/14 Primary

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F58/20

  General details of domestic laundry dryers  (D06F59/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F37/18

  Doors or covers; Securing means therefor · CPC title

• D06F37/42

  Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door · CPC title

• D06F37/28

  Doors; Security means therefor · CPC title