Laundry treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9938655-B2
Application number	US-201514725481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus is disclosed. A laundry treatment apparatus includes a cabinet, a drawer retractably provided in the cabinet and defining an introduction port, a tub body provided in the drawer, the tub body defining a space for receiving washing water and having an open upper surface, a drum rotatably provided in the tub body, the drum defining a space for receiving laundry and having an open upper surface, a tub cover defining a tub introduction port that provides a passage from the introduction port to the drum, the tub cover being coupled to the upper surface of the tub body, a door rotatably hinged to the tub cover and configured to open and close the tub introduction port, and a sealing unit that is configured to provide a seal between the door and the tub introduction port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet;
a drawer retractably provided in the cabinet and defining an introduction port;
a tub body provided in the drawer, the tub body defining a space for receiving washing water and having an open upper surface;
a drum rotatably provided in the tub body, the drum defining a space for receiving laundry and having an open upper surface;
a tub cover defining a tub introduction port that provides a passage from the introduction port to the drum, the tub cover being coupled to the open upper surface of the tub body;
a door rotatably hinged to the tub cover and configured to open and close the tub introduction port; and
a sealing unit that is configured to provide a seal between the door and the tub introduction port, wherein the sealing unit comprises:
a sealing body fixed to a lower surface of the door and configured, based on the door closing the tub introduction port, to be fitted into the tub introduction port;
a first protrusion including at least two protrusions that protrude radially outward from an outer circumferential surface of the sealing body toward an inner circumferential surface of the tub introduction port, each of the at least two protrusions having a length that, based on the door closing the tub introduction port, spans from the outer circumferential surface of the sealing body to the inner circumferential surface of the tub introduction port; and
a second protrusion protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the sealing body and configured to contact an upper surface of the tub cover, the second protrusion being configured to provide a seal between the lower surface of the door and the upper surface of the tub cover,
wherein, based on the door closing the tub introduction port, the second protrusion is located between the door and the upper surface of the tub cover and extends past the inner circumferential surface of the tub introduction port.

2. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an outer surface edge of the door is spaced apart from a corresponding inner surface edge of the introduction port of the drawer by a predetermined interval.

3. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an inclined portion provided at the tub cover and configured to guide washing water toward the open upper surface of the drum.

4. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tub cover comprises:
a cover body configured to be disposed at the open upper surface of the tub body;
a fitting rib protruding from the cover body and configured to be fitted within an inner surface of the tub body; and
an inclined portion provided at the fitting rib and configured to guide washing water toward the open upper surface of the drum.

5. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:
the tub body includes a fitting member that protrudes toward the tub cover, the fitting member surrounding the tub body and having a diameter that is larger than that of the fitting rib;
the tub cover defines a first fitting groove that is configured to receive the fitting member; and
the tub cover defines a second fitting groove that is positioned between the first fitting groove and the fitting rib and that is configured to receive an edge of the open upper surface of the tub body.

6. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the tub body includes a fitting member that protrudes toward the tub cover, the fitting member having a diameter that is larger or smaller than that of the open upper surface of the tub body;
the tub cover defines a first fitting groove that is configured to receive the fitting member; and
the tub cover defines a second fitting groove that is configured to receive an edge of the open upper surface of the tub body.

7. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the fitting member includes a first fitting member body protruding from a circumferential surface of the tub body, and a second fitting member body extending toward the tub cover from the first fitting member body and configured to be fitted within the first fitting groove,
and wherein the tub cover includes a fitting groove partition isolating the first fitting groove from the second fitting groove and that is configured to be fitted in a space defined between the second fitting member body and an outer surface of the tub body.

8. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tub cover defines a through hole that allows communication with the drum, and wherein the drawer defines a water supply opening that is configured to supply washing water to the through hole, the laundry treatment apparatus further comprising:
a guider including a first body rotatably coupled to the cabinet, and a second body rotatably coupled to the first body and the drawer to connect the first body to the drawer;
a supply unit connected to a water supply source; and
a water supply channel provided at the guider and to connect the supply unit to the water supply opening.

9. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the water supply channel comprises:
a first channel provided at the first body;
a connecting pipe connecting the first channel to the supply unit; and
a water supply pipe supported by the second body and configured to supply washing water from the first channel to the water supply opening.

10. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a discharge unit configured to discharge washing water in the tub body to the outside of the tub body;
a second channel provided at the first body;
a first water discharge pipe providing a fluidic connection between the second channel and the discharge unit; and
a second water discharge pipe configured to guide washing water from the second channel to the outside of the cabinet.

11. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a communication pipe providing a fluidic connection between the water supply pipe and at least one of the first water discharge pipe, the second channel, and the second water discharge pipe.

12. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second protrusion protrudes beyond the first protrusion in the radial direction.

13. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing body protrudes vertically downward toward the tub from the lower surface of the door.

14. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two protrusions are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Seo Jinwoo
• Lee Jihong

Classifications

• D06F39/006

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic

• D06F39/20

  Arrangements for water recovery · CPC title

• D06F39/12 Primary

  Casings; Tubs · CPC title

• D06F39/088

  Liquid supply arrangements · CPC title

• D06F39/083

  Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements · CPC title