Abstract:
Door assembly including a hook at one side of a cabinet for engagement with a door lock, rotating shafts at opposite sides of the hook, a door frame having an opening for pass through of the hook, a first supporting part on the door frame having a pass through hole for inserting one side of the rotating shaft, and a second supporting part on the door frame having an opened loading groove for loading the other side of the rotating shaft, thereby providing a door assembly which can be assembled readily, and permit more stable operation.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2003-0059146 filed on Aug. 26, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to door assemblies, and more particularly, to a door assembly with an improved hook holding structure.  
         [0004]     2. Background of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In general, the washing machines wash laundry by using chemical dissolution, and mechanical impact. Of the washing machines, a drum type washing machine has a washing capacity larger than a pulsator type washing machine owing to a drum lying in a horizontal position in the drum type washing machine. Moreover, the drum type washing machine causes almost no problem of laundry entangling.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a section of a related art drum type washing machine.  
         [0007]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the related art drum type washing machine is provided with a cabinet  1 , a tub, a drum  20 , and a motor. The cabinet  1  has the tub  2  provided therein, and the tub  2  has the cylindrical drum  20  provided therein.  
         [0008]     In the meantime, there is a door  100  rotatably mounted on a front of the cabinet  1 . The door  100  has one side coupled to the front of the cabinet  1  with a hinge. The door  100  has a hook part  200  at the other side for fastening to a locking part  40 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a related art door assembly.  
         [0010]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the door assembly is provided with a door frame  120 , a hook part  200 , and a door cover  110 . The door frame  120  of an annular form has a door glass ( 90  in  FIG. 1 ) on an inner side. The hook part  200  is provided at one side of the door frame  120  for fastening the door on the front of the cabinet. The door cover  110  is on a front of the door frame  120 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a diagram showing a related art hook assembly of the door assembly.  
         [0012]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the door assembly is provided with a door frame  120 , a hook  310 , a spring  330 , and supporters  210 . The door frame  120  has an opening  230  for pass through of the hook  310 , and the hook  310  has rotating shafts  320  at both sides. The spring  330  is fitted to the rotating shaft  320  for providing an elastic force. The spring  330  returns the hook  310  having turned in one direction for engagement with the door lock to an original position.  
         [0013]     The supporting parts  210  are spaced a distance away from each other, and projected from the door frame  120 , and have holes  220  for inserting the rotating shaft  320 .  
         [0014]     The related art door assembly is assembled according to the following process.  
         [0015]     After inserting the hook  310  in the opening  230  in the door frame  120 , one side of the rotating shaft  320  is inserted in the hole  220  of the supporting part  210 . Because a total length of both of the rotating shafts  320  is greater than a distance of the supporting parts  210 , the rotating shaft  320  is pushed in further along an insertion direction. In this instance, a space for inserting the other side of the rotating shaft  320  into the hole  220  in an opposite supporting part  210  is secured.  
         [0016]     Accordingly, once the other side of the rotating shaft  320  is inserted in the hole  220 , assembling of the door assembly is finished.  
         [0017]     However, there have been cases when it is difficult to push in the rotating shaft in one direction further due to assembly tolerances, and the like. That is, there have been cases when a formation of room required for inserting the other side of the rotating shaft is difficult due to interference of the hook with an edge of the opening in the door frame.  
         [0018]     Moreover, there have been cases when the rotating shaft breaks away from the hole when the hook of an assembled door assembly moves in left/right directions along the opening by an external force, such as vibration, or the like.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a door assembly that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0020]     An object of the present invention is to provide a door assembly which is securer, and of which assembly is more convenient.  
         [0021]     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
         [0022]     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the door assembly includes a hook at one side of a cabinet for engagement with a door lock, rotating shafts at opposite sides of the hook, a door frame having an opening for pass through of the hook, a first supporting part on the door frame having a pass through hole for inserting one side of the rotating shaft, and a second supporting part on the door frame having an opened loading groove for loading the other side of the rotating shaft.  
         [0023]     The door assembly further includes a door cover on a front of the door frame, and a restraint part extended from a back of the door cover to the opened part of the loading groove, for preventing breaking away of the rotating shafts. The restraint part includes an end having a groove for receiving the rotating shaft inserted in the loading groove.  
         [0024]     The loading groove is preferably a snapping groove for snap inserting of the rotating shaft. The opened part of the loading groove has a width smaller than a diameter of the rotating shaft. The door assembly further includes a third supporting part at an outer side of the second supporting part having a restraint pocket for inserting an end of the other side of the rotating shaft. The second supporting part is formed of an elastic material. The door assembly further includes a spring on an outside circumference of the rotating shaft for returning the hook and the rotating shaft to original positions when the hook and the rotating shaft rotate in one direction.  
         [0025]     The opening includes a pass through part for pass through of the hook, and a guide part at opposite sides of the pass through part for guiding left/right direction movement of the hook. The guide part has a width smaller than the pass through part.  
         [0026]     In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door assembly including a hook at one side of a cabinet for engagement with a door lock, rotating shafts at opposite sides of the hook, a door frame having an opening for pass through of the hook, a first supporting part on the door frame having a first loading groove for loading one side of the rotating shaft, and a second supporting part on the door frame having a second loading groove for loading the other side of the rotating shaft.  
         [0027]     The door assembly further includes a door cover in front of the door frame, and a restraint part extended from a back of the door cover to each of the loading grooves, for preventing breaking away of the rotating shafts.  
         [0028]     The restraint part includes an end having a groove for receiving the rotating shaft inserted in the loading groove. The loading groove is a snapping groove.  
         [0029]     The door assembly further includes a third supporting part at an outer side of the supporting part having a restraint pocket for inserting an end of the other side of the rotating shaft. The door assembly as claimed in claim  11 , further comprising a spring on an outside circumference of the rotating shaft for returning the hook and the rotating shaft to original positions when the hook and the rotating shaft rotate in one direction.  
         [0030]     In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a door assembly including a hook at one side of a cabinet for engagement with a door lock having rotating shafts at opposite sides thereof, a door frame having an opening for pass through of the hook, a first supporting part on the door frame having a pass through hole for inserting one side of the rotating shaft, a second supporting part on the door frame having a snapping groove for snap insertion of the other side of the rotating shaft, and a third supporting part at an outer side of the supporting part having a restraint pocket for inserting an end of the other side of the rotating shaft.  
         [0031]     The door assembly further includes a door cover in front of the door frame, and a restraint part extended from a back of the door cover to the snapping groove, for preventing breaking away of the rotating shafts snapped in the snapping groove.  
         [0032]     The opening includes a pass through part for pass through of the hook, and a guide part at opposite sides of the pass through part for guiding left/right direction movement of the hook. The door assembly further includes a spring on an outside circumference of the rotating shaft for returning the hook and the rotating shaft to original positions when the hook and the rotating shaft rotate in one direction.  
         [0033]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention claimed.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRITPION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0034]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention.  
         [0035]     In the drawings;  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a related art drum type washing machine;  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of a related art door;  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of an assembling structure of a related art door assembly;  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of an assembling structure of a door assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of a door assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0041]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of an assembling structure of a door assembly in accordance with other preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0042]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments, same parts will be given the same names and reference symbols, and repetitive description of which will be omitted.  
         [0043]     The door assembly of the present invention will be described, with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of an assembling structure of a door assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of a door assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the door assembly includes a hook  311 , a rotating shaft  321 , a door frame  120 , and a first supporting part  211 , and a second supporting part  241 . The hook  311  is projected so as to be engaged with a door lock at one side of the cabinet. For this, the door frame  120  has an opening at one side of the door frame  120  for pass of the hook  311 . Moreover, the hook  331  has a rotating shaft  321  extended in a lateral direction from opposite sides.  
         [0045]     The supporting parts  211 , and  241  are projected from the door frame  120  and spaced a distance from each other on opposite sides of the opening  231 .  
         [0046]     The first supporting part  211  has a pass through hole  221  for pass of one side of the rotating shaft  321   a , and the second supporting part  241  has a loading groove  251  having an opened upper side for loading the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b . The loading groove  251  has a form having cut away an upper part of the hole  221  in the first supporting part.  
         [0047]     According to this, one side of the rotating shaft  321   a  is inserted in the hole  221  of the first supporting part  211 , the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is loaded on the loading groove  251 . It is preferable that a center of curvature of the loading groove  251  and a center of the curvature of the rotating shaft  321  have the same height.  
         [0048]     In the meantime, the door cover ( 110  in  FIG. 1 ) is provided to a front of the door frame  120 , there is a retraining part  281  on a back of the door cover. For preventing breaking away of the rotating shaft  321  loaded on the loading groove  251 , the restraint part  281  is extended from the back of the door cover to the opened part of the loading groove  251 . That is, the restraint part  281  is extended vertically from the door cover to a position opposite to the loading groove  251 .  
         [0049]     In the meantime, the restraint part  28  includes an end having a projection  291  with a groove  291   a  for holding the rotating shaft  321  inserted in the loading groove  251 . The groove  291   a  is semicircular to receive the rotating shaft  321 .  
         [0050]     Therefore, one side of the rotating shaft  321   a  is inserted in the hole  221  and rotatably fixed thereto, and the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is loaded in the loading groove  251  and rotatably fixed by the restraint part  281 .  
         [0051]     In the meantime, there may be a simple plate at an end of the restraint part  281 . In this instance, the plate makes surface to surface contact with the rotating shaft  321 , and prevents the loading shaft from breaking away from the loading groove  251 .  
         [0052]     It is preferable that an opened part of the loading groove  251  is smaller than a diameter of the rotating shaft  321 . For an example, the loading groove  251  is a snapping groove into which the rotating shaft  321  snaps in. Upon placing the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  on the opened part of the snapping groove, and pressing the rotating shaft  321   b , the upper part of the second supporting part  241  is elastically deformed, and the rotating shaft  321  is inserted into the snapping groove  251 . According to this, not only the rotating shaft  321  is fitted easily, but also the rotating shaft  321  does not break away.  
         [0053]     In order for the elastic deformation at the time of insertion of the rotating shaft  321 , it is preferable that the second supporting part  241  is formed of an elastic material. In more detail, the second supporting part  241  is formed of a plastic or metal having an elasticity higher than a certain level.  
         [0054]     In the meantime, there is a third supporting part  261  at an outer side of the second supporting part  241 . The third supporting part  261  is formed stepwise down to an upper surface of the second supporting part  241 . The third supporting part  261  has a restraint pocket  271  for inserting an end of the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b . Accordingly, the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is inserted in the restraint pocket  271  for a certain distance, and held therein.  
         [0055]     There is a spring provided to both of the rotating shafts  321 . The spring provides an elastic force for returning the hook  311  and the rotating shaft  321  rotated to one direction to an original position. That is, when the door is closing, the hook  311  is inserted into the door lock and fastened thereto. In this instance, it is required that the hook  311  is brought into contact with the front of the door lock, rotates in one direction, and rotates in an opposite direction by the elastic force for hooking at the stopper. Therefore, the spring  331  is required to rotates the hook  311  in an opposite direction, again.  
         [0056]     In the meantime, the opening  231  has a pass through part  231   a , and a guide part  231   b . The hook  311  passes through the pass through part  231   a , and the guide part  231   b  is formed at opposite sides of the pass through part  231   a  for guiding left/right side movement of the hook  311 . The guide part  231   b  has a width smaller than the pass through part  231   a . For inserting the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  in the restraint pocket  271  in the third supporting part  261 , the hook  311  is movable in left/right directions following the guide part  231   b.    
         [0057]     After the door assembly is assembled, the hook  311  is placed on the pass through part  231   a . According to this, the hook  311  is caught at a stepped edge of the pass through part  231   a , and does not move to the guide part  231   b.    
         [0058]     An assembly process of the door assembly will be described in detail.  
         [0059]     After inserting the hook  311  into the opening  231  in the door frame  120 , one side of the rotating shaft  321   a  is inserted in the hole  221  in the first supporting part  211 .  
         [0060]     Then, the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is loaded on a loading groove  251  in the second supporting part  241 . If the loading groove  251  is a snapping groove, the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is placed on the upper side of the loading groove  251 , and snapped. In this instance, the opened part of the loading groove  251  is moved apart such that the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is inserted into the loading groove  251 .  
         [0061]     The opened part of the snapping groove has a width slightly greater then a diameter of the rotating shaft  321 , and the second supporting part  241  is formed of an elastic material.  
         [0062]     Then, if the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is pushed toward the third supporting part  261 , an end of the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b  is inserted into the restraint pocket  271 . The door cover having the restraint part  281  is mounted on the door frame  120 .  
         [0063]     In this instance, the end of the restraint part  281  is opposite to, and in contact with, the upper part of the loading groove  251 . According to this, the restraint part  281  prevents the rotating shaft  321  from breaking away from the loading groove  251 .  
         [0064]      FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of an assembling structure of a door assembly in accordance with other preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0065]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in the other embodiment, both of the supporting parts  411  and  241  have loading grooves. The door cover has restraint parts  481 , and  281  at opposite positions of the supporting parts  411 , and  241 .  
         [0066]     The rotating shafts  321  are loaded on the loading grooves  421 , and  251 , and restrained by the restraint parts  481 , and  281  respectively. There is a third supporting part at an outer side of the supporting part. The third supporting part has a restraint pocket  271  for inserting an end of the other side of the rotating shaft  321   b.    
         [0067]     An assembly process of the door assembly in accordance with other embodiment of the present invention will be described.  
         [0068]     After placing both of the rotating shafts  321  at opposite sides of the hook  311  on the loading grooves  421 , and  251  respectively, an end of the rotating shaft  321  is inserted into the restraint pocket  271 . It is preferable that the loading groove  251  is a snapping groove for snapping insert of the rotating shaft  321 . If the rotating shaft  321  is snap inserted, breaking away of the rotating shaft  321  from a regular position by vibration caused in the assembly process can be prevented.  
         [0069]     Then, the door cover is mounted on the front of the door frame  120 . In this instance, the restraint parts  481 , and  281  extended from the door cover restraint upper parts of the opposite supporting part  411 , and  241 . According to this, breaking away of the rotating shafts  321  from the loading grooves  421  and  251  are prevented.  
         [0070]     Both of the restraint parts  481 , and  281  include ends having grooves  491   a , and  291   a  for receiving the rotating shafts  321 , respectively. In this instance, a part of each of the rotating shafts  321  is received in the loading groove  421 , or  251 , and the other part of each of the rotating shafts  321  is received in the loading groove  421 , or  251  is received in the groove  491   a , or  291   a  in the restraint part  481 , or  281 . According to this, the rotating shafts  321  can be rotatably secured in the loading grooves  421 , and  251 , respectively.  
         [0071]     As has been described, the door assembly of the present invention has the following advantages.  
         [0072]     First, assembly is easy as the assembly can be done once the other side of the rotating shaft is loaded in the loading groove after one side of the rotating shaft is inserted into the supporting part.  
         [0073]     Second, if the loading groove is a snapping groove, breaking away of the rotating shafts from regular positions caused by vibration applied in the assembly process can be prevented. Accordingly, the assembly is easy because the rotating shaft keeps a regular position until the door cover is mounted.  
         [0074]     Third, the prevention of breaking away of the rotating shafts from the loading grooves owing to the restraint parts permits improvement of product reliability.  
         [0075]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.