Abstract:
A door assembly includes a hook hole, a door having a hook shaft to be placed in the hook hole, and a holder between the hook hole and the hook shaft for maintaining the door to be in a state the door is opened by a predetermined gap, wherein the holder includes a first holder to be engaged with the door and a second holder to be engaged with hook hole, wherein the second holder includes a hook member for placing in, and holding the hook hole. The assembly, for example, prevents a tub of a washing machine from being enclosed when the washing machine is not in operation.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Patent Korean Application No. 10-2008-0005260, filed on Jan. 17, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to washing machines, and more particularly, to a door assembly for a washing machine which prevents a tub from being enclosed when the washing machine is not in operation. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     A drum type washing machine is a home appliance for washing laundry by using friction between the laundry and a drum rotating by driving force from a motor in a state detergent, washing water and the laundry are introduced to the drum. The drum type washing machine is advantageous in that almost no laundry damage takes place, and the laundry does not entangle. 
     In the meantime, the drum type washing machine is provided with a tub which is a water holding tank mounted in a cabinet, and the drum rotatably mounted in the tub. The drum type washing machine is also provided with a door mounted to the cabinet for introduction/taking out laundry to/from the drum. 
     Since the detergent, the washing water, and the laundry escapes from the drum and makes surroundings unclean if the door is opened in the middle of washing, the door is required to be maintained in a fastened state to the cabinet. Accordingly, the door has a hook assembly at one side, and the cabinet has a door lock for fastening the hook assembly thereto. 
     Therefore, for using the washing machine, the user opens the door, introduces the laundry to the drum, closes the door, and carries out the washing. Then, after the washing is finished, the user opens the door, takes the laundry out of the drum, and dries the laundry. 
     In the meantime, in many cases, the user maintains the door in a closed state after the washing is finished. If the door is left closed even when the drum type washing machine is not in use, harmful fungi or the like are likely to grow in the tub by water remained in the tub. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a door assembly for a washing machine that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a door assembly for a washing machine, which is maintained in an opened state when the washing machine is not in use for preventing harmful fungi and the like from growing in a tub. 
     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become 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 may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a door assembly includes a hook hole for maintaining a closed state of a door, a door having a hook shaft to be placed in the hook hole, and a holder between the hook hole and the hook shaft for maintaining the door to be in a state the door is opened by a predetermined gap. 
     The holder includes a first holder to be engaged with the door, and a second holder to be engaged with the hook hole. 
     The first holder includes a hook recess for placing the hook shaft therein for holding the door. 
     The second holder includes a hook member for placing in, and holding the hook hole. 
     The hook member has a shape the same with the hook shaft. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a door assembly for a washing machine includes a cabinet having a hook hole for maintaining a closed state of a door, a tub mounted in the cabinet, a door having a hook shaft to be placed in the hook hole for opening/closing the tub, and a holder between the door and the cabinet for making a predetermined space between the door and the cabinet when the door is closed. 
     The holder includes a first holder to be engaged with the door, and a second holder to be engaged with the cabinet. 
     The first holder includes a hook recess for placing in, and holding the hook shaft. 
     The second holder includes a hook member for placing in, and holding the hook hole. 
     The hook member has a shape the same with the hook shaft. 
     The cabinet is formed of a magnetic material, and the second holder includes a magnetic member for holding the cabinet with magnetic force. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       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. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a washing machine having a door assembly of the present invention applied thereto. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a section of the washing machine in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a hook assembly applied to the door assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a diagram showing a holder in a door assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a diagram showing a holder in a door assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a washing machine having a door assembly of the present invention applied thereto, and  FIG. 2  illustrates a section of the washing machine in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the a washing machine having a door assembly of the present invention applied thereto includes a cabinet  110  which forms an exterior of the washing machine, a tub  120  mounted in the cabinet  110  for holding washing water, a drum  130  rotatably mounted in the tub  120 , and a motor  145  for rotating the drum  130 . 
     The cabinet  110  has a body  111  which forms sides, a rear, and a bottom thereof, a front plate  112  which forms a front thereof, and a top plate  113  which is fastened to a top of the body  111  to form a top of the body  111 . 
     The front plate  112 , a front of the cabinet  110 , has a laundry opening  112   a  for introduction of the laundry, closable with a door  115  rotatably mounted to the cabinet  110 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the tub  120  is suspended from the cabinet  110  with springs  121 , and supported on a friction damper  122  fixed to a bottom of the cabinet, such that vibration from the drum  130  caused by high speed rotation is attenuated. 
     The drum  130  has lifters  131  on an inside surface for lifting the laundry in the drum  130  to a predetermined height. The drum has a plurality of pass through holes  132  in an inside surface for enabling the washing water to escape from the drum  130  in a washing course, such as spinning. 
     Mounted on an upper side of the tub  120 , there are a water supply hose  140  for supplying the washing water to the tub  120  from an external water supply source, a water supply valve  141  mounted to the water supply hose  140  for controlling inlet/outlet of the washing water, and a detergent supply device  142  having detergent stored therein for introduction of the washing water being supplied through the water supply hose  140  to the tub  120  together with the detergent. 
     Under the tub  120 , there may be a drain hose ( 124 ) and a drain pump (not shown) for draining the washing water used in the washing and rinsing to an outside of the washing machine. 
     The motor  145  is mounted in rear of the tub  120 , and fixed to the drum  130  through a rotating shaft  146 , for rotating the drum  130 . 
     In the meantime, if the door  115  opens in the middle of the washing course, it is liable that the detergent, the washing water, and the laundry escapes from the drum and makes surroundings unclean. In order to prevent this from taking place, the door  115  has a hook assembly  150  at one side, and the cabinet  110  has a door lock  160  with a hook hole  161  for holding the hook assembly  150 . 
     However, if a mode of use of the drum type washing machine having above system is reviewed, the user opens the door, introduces the laundry to the drum, closes the door, and carries out washing. Then, after the washing is finished, the user opens the door, takes the laundry out of the drum, and dries the laundry. However, in a case the user maintains the door in a closed state after finish of the washing, harmful fungi or the like are likely to grow in the tub by water remained in the tub, and if the door is left open, the door is liable to sag by gravity. 
     A door assembly of the present invention which can solve above problem will be described. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a hook assembly applied to the door assembly of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the hook assembly  150  includes a hook shaft  151  for placing in and holding the door lock  160 , a rotation shaft  152  rotatably fixed to the door  115  such that the hook shaft  151  can rotate, and an elastic member  153  for supporting the hook shaft  151  elastically such that the hook shaft  151  snaps with the door lock  160 . 
     Accordingly, if the user closes the door  115 , since the hook shaft  151  of the hook assembly  150  is placed in and holds the hook hole  161 , the door  115  can maintain a state in which the laundry opening  112   a  in the front plate  112  is closed. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a diagram showing a holder in a door assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the holder  200  in the door assembly is devised to be placed between the door  115  and the cabinet  110  for maintaining a predetermined gap between the door  115  and the cabinet  110 . 
     In order to make the holder  200  to be placed between the door  115  and the cabinet  110 , the holder  200  includes a first holder  210  for engaging with the door  115  and a second holder  220  for engaging with the cabinet  110 . 
     The first holder  210  has a hook recess  211  for receiving and holding the hook shaft  151 . Therefore, as the hook shaft  151  is placed in the hook recess  211 , the holder  200  holds the hook shaft  151 . 
     The second holder  220  has a hook member  221  with a shape the same with the hook shaft  151 . Therefore, if the user closes the door  115  in a state the holder  200  holds the hook shaft  151 , the hook member  221  is placed in the hook hole  161  in the cabinet  110 , thereby making the door  115  fastened to the cabinet  110 . 
     In this case, since there is the holder  200  positioned between the door  115  and the cabinet  110 , maintaining the door  115  and the cabinet  110  to be spaced a predetermined distance away from each other, ventilation can be made through the gap between the door  115  and the cabinet  110 . Eventually, the door assembly for a washing machine of the present invention can prevent foreign matters, such as fungi or the like, from growing in the tub  120 . Moreover, even if the door is left open, sagging of the door by gravity can be prevented. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a diagram showing a holder in a door assembly in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , though the holder  200  of the embodiment is the same with the holder  200  of the foregoing embodiment, the holder  200  of the embodiment is different from the holder  200  of the foregoing embodiment in that the holder  200  of the embodiment includes a second holder  220  having a magnet member  222 . 
     As the hook shaft  151  is placed in the hook recess  211 , the holder  200  holds the hook assembly  150 . If the user closes the door  115  in a state the holder  200  holds the hook shaft  151 , the magnet member  222  holds the cabinet  110  of metal by magnetic force, thereby making the door  115  to be held by the cabinet  110 . 
     Therefore, the door  115  and the cabinet  110  are maintained to be spaced a predetermined distance away from each other. Eventually, ventilation can be made through the gap between the door  115  and the cabinet  110 , enabling to prevent the foreign matters, such as fungi or the like, from growing in the tub  120 . 
     As has been described, the door assembly for a washing machine of the present invention has the following advantage. 
     The holder  200  between the door  115  and the cabinet  200  forms a gap good for ventilation even if the user closes the door  115  to the cabinet  110 , thereby permitting to maintain a state in which the door  115  and the cabinet  110  are spaced a predetermined distance away from each other even if the washing machine is not in use, allowing to prevent harmful matters, such as fungi or the like, from growing in the tub  120 , as well as offensive odor from generating. 
     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 inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.