Washing machine

A washing machine comprises a casing, a top cover installed on an upper surface of the casing, a door installed at the top cover, through which laundry is accommodated into the casing, and a tub installed in the casing, wherein the door is connected to the top cover by a hinge assembly or a damper assembly provided thereat. The hinge assembly includes a first hinge portion, and a second hinge portion having a torsion spring therein. The damper assembly includes a first damper portion, a second damper portion, and a ring member having a round shape and fitted into an outer circumferential surface of the second damper portion. Accordingly, even when the door has a heavy weight due to its material of a reinforcing glass, the hinge assembly or the damper assembly can endure the weight of the door. This may prevent noise or impact occurring when the door is closed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a washing machine, and particularly, to a washing machine having a hinge assembly or a damper assembly capable of reducing noise or vibration due to collision occurring between a door and a top cover when the door is opened or closed.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, a washing machine for washing or drying laundry such as clothes is largely divided into two types according to a rotation shaft of a drum. A washing machine having a vertical rotation shaft is called as top loading washing machine, whereas a washing machine having a horizontal rotation shaft is called as front loading washing machine or drum washer.

The washing machine is provided with a door through which laundry is accommodated therein. The door is mounted to a casing or a top cover of the washing machine by a hinge. The hinge for the conventional washing machine has a complicated structure, and has a difficulty in being detachably mounted to the washing machine.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

1. Technical Problem

In the case of the top loading washing machine, the hinge does not sufficiently attenuate an impact occurring when the door is upwardly opened or closed. This may cause noise, or may badly influence on the durability of the washing machine. Especially, when the door has a heavy weight due to its material of a reinforcing glass, the hinge does not endure the weight of the door thus not to attenuate an impact occurring when the door is closed. Besides, in the case of that the door is fabricated to have a thin thickness for a large washing machine, the hinge has a limitation to have a sufficient strength.

2. Technical Solution

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine having a damping means capable of reducing an impact occurring when a door in a closing operation collides with a top cover, and capable of reducing noise.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine having a damping means applicable even when a door is fabricated to have a thin thickness.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a washing machine, comprising: a casing; a top cover installed on an upper surface of the casing; a door installed at the top cover, through which laundry is accommodated into the casing; and a tub installed in the casing, wherein the door is connected to the top cover by a hinge assembly or a damper assembly provided thereat.

Accordingly, even when the door has a heavy weight due to its material of a reinforcing glass, the hinge assembly or the damper assembly can endure the weight of the door. This may prevent noise or impact occurring when the door is closed or opened.

The hinge assembly is composed of a first hinge portion, and a second hinge portion having a torsion spring therein. The first hinge portion is insertion-fixed to the top cover, and the second hinge portion is inserted into the door. And, the door can perform a relative rotation with respect to the second hinge portion.

The second hinge portion is preferably formed in a cylindrical shape having a cavity therein. Spring fixing holes and slots are penetratingly formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second hinge portion. The slots are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second hinge portion with constant intervals therebetween in a circumferential direction.

End portions of a torsion spring are inserted into the spring fixing hole and the slot of the second hinge portion, respectively. One end of the torsion spring having been inserted to the slot is extending from the slot, and moves along the slot. However, another end of the torsion spring having been inserted into the spring fixing hole is fixed. One end of the torsion spring having been inserted into the slot performs a sliding motion along the slot when the door is opened and closed. When the door is opened, one end of the torsion spring having been inserted into the slot is located at one end of the slot. However, when the door is closed, said one end of the torsion spring is located at another end of the slot.

Here, the slot is formed to have a length corresponding to an opened state and a closed state of the door, respectively. One end of the slot may serve as a stopper to determine an opened degree of the door. More concretely, another end of the torsion spring positioned at another end of the slot moves along the slot when the door starts to be opened. And, when the door is completely opened, one end of the torsion spring is positioned at one end of the slot, thereby serving as a stopper that prevents the door from being opened.

When one end of the torsion spring is positioned at one end of the slot, the torsion spring is in an equilibrium state. However, the torsion spring may perform a damping operation by generating a torque when the door is closed, thereby having a controllable damping force.

The torsion spring is formed in one or more in number, and each of the spring fixing hole and the slot is also formed in one or more in number. Preferably, one torsion spring is inserted into one spring fixing hole and one slot. When the door is formed to have a thin thickness, the torsion spring mounted to the door has a limited size. Accordingly, an elastic force of the torsion spring may not be sufficient enough to damp an impact of the door. In this case, the torsion spring may obtain a sufficient elastic force by being implemented in plurality.

The washing machine is provided with a damper assembly having a first damper portion, and a second damper portion inserted into the door. And, an accommodating portion for accommodating the second damper portion therein is formed at the door.

Since not only the hinge assembly but also the damper assembly are provided, noise or impact occurring when the door having a heavy weight is closed may be effectively prevented by using a damping force from the damper assembly. Preferably, the second damper portion has a circular sectional surface, whereas the first damper portion has a polygonal sectional surface.

As well as the first damper portion and the second damper portion, the damper assembly further includes a ring member having a round shape and fitted into an outer circumferential surface of the second damper portion. In this case, the door is provided with an accommodating portion for accommodating therein the second damper portion and the ring member.

Under these configurations, the ring member is forcibly-fitted into the accommodating portion of the door. And, a part for generating a damping force by contacting the accommodating portion of the door may have an increased diameter owing to the ring member. This may allow a larger damping force to be obtained.

Preferably, the second damper portion has a circular or polygonal sectional surface, and a central portion of the ring member has a circular or polygonal sectional surface in correspondence to the sectional shape of the second damper portion. And, the ring member preferably has a circular outer circumference.

A coupling force between the ring member and the second damper may be increased, by fitting the ring member formed to have a polygonal sectional surface into the second damper portion formed to have a polygonal sectional surface. Preferably, the ring member is provided in one or more in number, and is formed of polyurethane or rubber for a sufficient damping force.

Preferably, the first damper portion of the damper assembly is inserted into the top cover, whereas the second damper portion is inserted into the door.

More preferably, each of the hinge assembly and the damper assembly is provided in plurality in number, and the plurality of hinge assemblies and damper assemblies are coupled to one another on the same shaft.

This structure is implemented in order to obtain a larger damping force, by combing the hinge assemblies with the damper assemblies when the torsion spring of the hinge assembly has a small elastic force. Here, the plurality of hinge assemblies and damper assemblies may be serially connected to one another.

For instance, may be constructed a combination of ‘hinge assembly-damper assembly-hinge assembly’ or a combination of ‘damper assembly-hinge assembly-damper assembly’.

Advantageous Effects

The washing machine of the present invention has the following advantages.

Since the door is connected to the top cover by the hinge assembly and the damper assembly, may be reduced an impact and noise occurring when the door in a closing operation collides with the top cover. Furthermore, the hinge assembly and the damper assembly can be attached to the door even when the door is formed of a thin material. Accordingly, when the door is formed of a heavy and thin material, the hinge assembly and the damper assembly may attenuate an impact more effectively.

MODE FOR THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a perspective view schematically showing a washing machine according to the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, a washing machine100of the present invention comprises a casing110, a top cover120installed on an upper surface of the casing110; a door140installed at the top cover120, through which laundry is introduced into the casing110; and a tub (not shown) installed in the casing110for accommodating laundry therein, wherein the door140is connected to the top cover120by a hinge assembly or a damper assembly provided thereat.

A control panel130for selecting an operation mode, etc. of the washing machine is protruding from an upper rear portion of the casing110. The control panel130may be formed at an upper front portion of the casing110. The door140shown inFIG. 1has an entirely flat shape. However, the door140may be configured to have a structure that a middle portion thereof is folded when being opened. The door140may be formed of an opaque homogeneous material, or a transparent material that is capable of allowing a user to view a laundry state inside the washing machine. For a sufficient strength, the door140is formed of a reinforcing glass. In order to prevent the door140from having a heavy weight, and to obtain a space for mounting the hinge assembly200or the damper assembly300, a molding material is preferably applied to a part where the hinge assembly200or the damper assembly300is mounted. That is, the door140according to one embodiment of the present invention is formed of a mixture between a reinforcing glass and a molding material.

The door140is mounted to the top cover120by the hinge assembly200or the damper assembly300. Occasionally, the door140may be mounted to the casing110of the washing machine100.

FIGS. 2 to 4are perspective views showing the hinge assembly200. The hinge assembly200is composed of a first hinge portion210and a second hinge portion220. The second hinge portion220is provided with a torsion spring230therein. The first hinge portion210is insertion-fixed to the top cover120, and the second hinge portion220is rotatably inserted into the door140. That is, the door140can perform a relative rotation with respect to the second hinge portion220.

The first hinge portion210insertion-fixed to the top cover120preferably has a rectangular sectional surface. However, the first hinge portion210may have various sectional surfaces. Preferably, the second hinge portion220is formed in a cylindrical shape having a cavity therein. The torsion spring230is inserted into the cavity of the second hinge portion220. Spring fixing holes222and slots221for locating the torsion springs230inserted into the second hinge portion220are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second hinge portion220.

The spring fixing holes222and the slots221are penetratingly formed on an outer circumferential surface of the second hinge portion220from the cavity. And, the slots221serving as main components of the hinge assembly are formed on the outer circumferential surface with constant intervals therebetween. Each of the slots221is formed to have a width a little larger than an outer diameter of the torsion spring230, thereby facilitating motion of the torsion spring230inserted thereinto.

Referring toFIG. 4, one end231of the torsion spring230is long protruding. More concretely, one end231of the torsion spring230, which is long protruding out, is inserted into the slot221of the second hinge portion220. And, another end232of the torsion spring230is insertion-fixed to the spring fixing hole222. Here, the torsion spring230is fixed to the spring fixing hole222as another end thereof is a little protruding from the spring fixing hole222.

The one end231of the torsion spring230inserted into the slot221penetrates the slot221thus to be insertion-fixed to the door140. Accordingly, the one end231of the torsion spring230is integrally rotated with the door140. Under these configurations, when the door140rotates centering around a hinge shaft by being opened and closed, the one end231of the torsion spring230moves along the slot221formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second hinge portion220.

More specifically, when the door140is completely opened, the one end231of the torsion spring230is positioned at one end of the slot221(refer toFIG. 3). However, when the door140is completely closed, the one end231of the torsion spring230is positioned at another end of the slot221. That is, the torsion spring230protruding from the slot221has its one end231moved along the slot221when the door140is opened. If the door140is completely opened, the one end231of the torsion spring230is positioned at one end of the slot221, thus not to be moved any longer.

Since one end of the slot221serves as a stopper that determines an opened position of the door140, the washing machine of the present invention does not require an additional stopper for the door.

Under a state that the door140is completely opened, the torsion spring230connected to the door140is configured to be in an equilibrium state. Accordingly, as the door is closed by being rotated, the torsion spring230generates a torque due to its elastic repulsive force. As the torque is transmitted to the door, the door has a damping force. The torsion spring230connected to the door140may be configured to generate a large torque when the door140is completely opened. In this case, the torsion spring230may generate a much larger torque as the door140is closed. Owing to this torque, a damping operation may occur.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the torsion spring230is preferably formed in plurality in number, and each of the spring fixing hole222and the slot221is also formed in plurality in number. Accordingly, one torsion spring230is inserted into one spring fixing hole and one slot.

As the torsion spring230is implemented in plurality in number, a sufficient elastic force may be provided even if the torsion spring230has a small diameter. More concretely, the door140formed of a thin material may have a limited number of the torsion springs230inserted thereinto. Accordingly, one torsion spring230may be inserted into the door140thus not to generate a sufficient elastic force. In this case, a plurality of the torsion springs230are serially attached to the door140, thereby providing a large elastic force.

Referring to a part of ‘B’ ofFIG. 1, the door140of the washing machine according to the present invention may be connected to the top cover120by the damper assembly300.FIG. 5is a detailed view of the part ‘B’ ofFIG. 1, which shows the damper assembly300.

The damper assembly300is composed of a first damper portion310, and a second damper portion320. The second damper portion320is inserted into the door140. And, an accommodating portion for accommodating the second damper portion320therein is formed at the door140. The second damper portion320has a circular or polygonal sectional surface, and the first damper portion310has a polygonal sectional surface.

The first damper portion310is insertion-fixed to the top cover120, and the second damper portion320is forcibly-fitted into the accommodating portion of the door140. Under these configurations, when the door140is opened and closed by being rotated based on the damper assembly300, the first damper portion310insertion-fixed to the top cover120is not rotated, and the second damper portion320connected to the first damper portion310is not rotated, either. This may result in a frictional force for preventing rotation of the door140between the second damper portion320and the accommodating portion of the door140. Due to a damping force resulting from the frictional force, the door140has a low rotation speed when being opened and closed. This may reduce an impact or noise occurring when the door is closed.

The damping force may be controlled by selecting a proper material of the second damper portion320so that a proper frictional force can be generated between the second damper portion320and the accommodating portion of the door140, or by controlling a degree that the second damper portion320is forcibly-fitted into the accommodating portion of the door140.

As well as the first damper portion310and the second damper portion320, the damper assembly300may further include a ring member330having a round shape and fitted into an outer circumferential surface of the second damper portion320. In this case, the door140is provided with an accommodating portion for accommodating therein the second damper portion320and the ring member330.

In the case that the second damper portion320further includes the ring member330, a damping force required to control the speed of the door140being opened and closed results from a frictional force between the ring member330and the accommodating portion of the door140contacting the ring member330. By increasing an outer diameter of the ring member330, a large damping force may be obtained. Furthermore, as the ring member330is provided in plurality in number, a sufficient damping force may be obtained.

In the above descriptions, both the second damper portion320and the ring member330are formed to have round sectional surfaces. However, it may be constructed that the ring member330has a circular sectional surface, whereas the second damper portion320has a polygonal sectional surface. That is, the second damper portion320has a circular or polygonal sectional surface, and a central portion of the ring member330fitted into the second damper portion320has a circular or polygonal sectional surface in correspondence to the sectional shape of the second damper portion320. And, the ring member330preferably has a circular outer circumference. Preferably, the ring member330is formed of polyurethane or rubber, thereby sufficiently obtaining a frictional force between the accommodating portion of the door140and the ring member330.

FIG. 6is a perspective view showing a coupled state between a hinge assembly and a damper assembly.

Referring toFIG. 6according to another embodiment of the present invention, each of the hinge assembly200and the damper assembly300may be provided in plurality in number, and the plurality of hinge assemblies200and damper assemblies300may be serially coupled one another on the same shaft.

FIG. 7is a perspective view showing a state that two hinge assemblies are coupled to each other with a damper assembly interposed therebetween, andFIG. 8is a perspective view showing a state that two damper assemblies are coupled to each other with a hinge assembly interposed therebetween.

Here, various combinations rather than the structures shown inFIGS. 7 and 8may be implemented. The hinge assemblies200and the damper assemblies300may be variously combined to one another on the same shaft, thus to be mounted to a connection part between the door140and the top cover120of the washing machine100.

Furthermore, the hinge assembly200and the damper assembly300may be provided to obtain a sufficient damping force required to attenuate an impact occurring when the door140is closed.