Abstract:
A drum type washing machine is provided. The drum type washing machine may include a cabinet, a tub fixed to an inner side of the cabinet, a drum rotatably arranged in the tub, and a driving motor positioned at a rear side of the drum for generating a driving force that rotates the drum. The washing machine may also include a supporting plate to rotatably support a rotational shaft extending between the motor and the drum, and a plurality of supporters connected between the supporting plate and the cabinet. Such an arrangement may increase washing capacity by increasing a diameter of the drum without increasing an external size of the cabinet.

Description:
The present application is a 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/985,389 filed on Jan. 6, 2011, which is a 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/639,872 filed on Dec. 16, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,930,910 B2, which is a 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/267,457 filed Nov. 7, 2008, currently pending, which is a 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/461,451 filed Jun. 16, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,548 B2, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 85521/2002, filed Dec. 27, 2002, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine, and more particularly, to a drum type washing machine which can maximize a capacity of a drum without changing an entire size of a washing machine. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
       FIG. 1  is a side sectional view showing a drum type washing machine in accordance with the conventional art,  FIG. 2  is a front sectional view showing the drum type washing machine in accordance with the conventional art. 
     The conventional drum type washing machine comprises: a cabinet  102  for forming an appearance; a tub  104  arranged in the cabinet  102  for storing washing water; a drum  106  rotatably arranged in the tub  104  for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a driving motor  110  positioned at a rear side of the tub  104  and connected to the drum  106  by a driving shaft  108  thus for rotating the drum  106 . 
     An inlet  112  for inputting or outputting the laundry is formed at the front side of the cabinet  102 , and a door  114  for opening and closing the inlet  112  is formed at the front side of the inlet  112 . 
     The tub  104  of a cylindrical shape is provided with an opening  116  at the front side thereof thus to be connected to the inlet  112  of the cabinet  102 , and a balance weight  118  for maintaining a balance of the tub  104  and reducing vibration are respectively formed at both sides of the tub  104 . 
     Herein, a diameter of the tub  104  is installed to be less than a width of the cabinet  102  by approximately 30-40 mm with consideration of a maximum vibration amount thereof so as to prevent from being contacted to the cabinet  102  at the time of the dehydration. 
     The drum  106  is a cylindrical shape of which one side is opened so that the laundry can be inputted, and has a diameter installed to be less than that of the tub  104  by approximately 15-20 mm in order to prevent interference with the tub  104  since the drum is rotated in the tub  104 . 
     A plurality of supporting springs  120  are installed between the upper portion of the tub  104  and the upper inner wall of the cabinet  102 , and a plurality of dampers  122  are installed between the lower portion of the tub  104  and the lower inner wall of the cabinet  102 , thereby supporting the tub  104  with buffering. 
     A gasket  124  is formed between the inlet  112  of the cabinet  102  and the opening  116  of the tub  104  so as to prevent washing water stored in the tub  104  from being leaked to a space between the tub  104  and the cabinet  102 . Also, a supporting plate  126  for mounting the driving motor  110  is installed at the rear side of the tub  104 . 
     The driving motor  110  is fixed to a rear surface of the supporting plate  126 , and the driving shaft  108  of the driving motor  110  is fixed to a lower surface of the drum  106 , thereby generating a driving force by which the drum  106  is rotated. 
     In the conventional drum type washing machine, the diameter of the tub  104  is installed to be less than the width of the cabinet  102  with consideration of the maximum vibration amount so as to prevent from being contacted to the cabinet  102 , and the diameter of drum  106  is also installed to be less than that of the tub  104  in order to prevent interference with the tub  104  since the drum is rotated in the tub  104 . According to this, so as to increase the diameter of the drum  106  which determines a washing capacity, a size of the cabinet  102  has to be increased. 
     Also, since the gasket  124  for preventing washing water from being leaked is installed between the inlet  112  of the cabinet  102  and the opening  116  of the tub  104 , a length of the drum  106  is decreased as the installed length of the gasket  124 . According to this, it was difficult to increase the capacity of the drum  106 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drum type washing machine which can increase a washing capacity without changing an entire size thereof, in which a cabinet and a tub is formed integrally and thus a diameter of a drum can be increased without increasing a size of the cabinet. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a drum type washing machine which can increase a washing capacity by increasing a length of a drum without increasing a length of a cabinet, in which the cabinet and a tub are formed integrally and thus a location of a gasket is changed. 
     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 drum type washing machine comprising: a cabinet for forming an appearance; a tub fixed to an inner side of the cabinet and for storing washing water; a drum rotatably arranged in the tub for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a driving motor positioned at the rear side of the drum for generating a driving force by which the drum is rotated. 
     The tub is a cylindrical shape, and a front surface thereof is fixed to a front inner wall of the cabinet. 
     Both sides of the tub are fixed to both sides inner wall of the cabinet. 
     A supporting plate for mounting the driving motor is located at the rear side of the tub, and a gasket hermetically connects the supporting plate and the rear side of the tub, in which the gasket is formed as a bellows and has one side fixed to the rear side of the tub and another side fixed to an outer circumference surface of the supporting plate. 
     A supporting unit for supporting an assembly composed of the drum, the driving motor, and the supporting plate with buffering is installed between the supporting plate and the cabinet. 
     The supporting unit comprises: a plurality of upper supporting rods connected to an upper side of the supporting plate towards an orthogonal direction and having a predetermined length; buffering springs connected between the upper supporting rods and an upper inner wall of the cabinet for buffering; a plurality of lower supporting rods connected to a lower side of the supporting plate towards an orthogonal direction and having a predetermined length; and dampers connected between the lower supporting rods and a lower inner wall of the cabinet for absorbing vibration. 
     The drum is provided with a liquid balancer at a circumference of an inlet thereof for maintaining a balance when the drum is rotated. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       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 specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a side sectional view showing a drum type washing machine in accordance with the conventional art; 
         FIG. 2  is a front sectional view showing the drum type washing machine in accordance with the conventional art; 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectional view showing a drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front sectional view showing the drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a lateral view showing a state that a casing of the drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention is cut; 
         FIG. 6  is a front sectional view of a drum type washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a front sectional view showing a drum type washing machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a longitudinal sectional view of the drum type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a rear sectional view showing the drum type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 3  is a side sectional view showing a drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is a front sectional view showing the drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     The drum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet  2  for forming an appearance of a washing machine; a tub  4  formed integrally with the cabinet  2  and for storing washing water; a drum  6  rotatably arranged in the tub  4  for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a driving motor  8  positioned at the rear side of the drum  6  for generating a driving force by which the drum  6  is rotated. 
     The cabinet  2  is rectangular parallelepiped, and an inlet  20  for inputting and outputting laundry is formed at the front side of the cabinet  2  and a door  10  for opening and closing the inlet  20  is formed at the inlet  20 . 
     The tub  4  is formed as a cylinder shape having a predetermined diameter in the cabinet  2 , and the front side of the tub  4  is fixed to the front inner wall of the cabinet  2  or integrally formed at the front inner wall of the cabinet  2 . Both sides of the tub  4  are contacted to both sides inner wall of the cabinet  2  or integrally formed with both sides inner wall of the cabinet  2  thus to be prolonged. 
     Herein, since both sides of the tub  4  are contacted to both sides inner wall of the cabinet  2 , a diameter of the tub  4  can be increased. 
     Also, the supporting plate  12  is positioned at the rear side of the tub  4  and the gasket  14  is installed between the supporting plate  12  and the rear side of the tub  4 , thereby preventing washing water filled in the tub  4  from being leaked. 
     The gasket  14  is formed as a bellows of a cylinder shape and has one side fixed to the rear side of the tub  4  and another side fixed to an outer circumference surface of the supporting plate  12 . 
     The supporting plate  12  is formed as a disc shape, the driving motor  8  is fixed to the rear surface thereof, and a rotation shaft  16  for transmitting a rotation force of the driving motor  8  to the drum  6  is rotatably supported by the supporting plate  12 . Also, a supporting unit for supporting the drum  6  with buffering is installed between the supporting plate  12  and the inner wall of the cabinet  2 . 
     The supporting unit comprises: a plurality of upper supporting rods  22  connected to an upper side of the supporting plate  12  and having a predetermined length; buffering springs  24  connected between the upper supporting rods  22  and an upper inner wall of the cabinet  2  for buffering; a plurality of lower supporting rods  26  connected to a lower side of the supporting plate  12  and having a predetermined length; and dampers  28  connected between the lower supporting rods  26  and a lower inner wall of the cabinet  2  for absorbing vibration. 
     Herein, the buffering springs  24  and the dampers  28  are installed at a center of gravity of an assembly composed of the drum  6 , the supporting plate  12 , and the driving motor  8 . That is, the upper and lower supporting rods  22  and  26  are prolonged from the supporting plate  12  to the center of gravity of the assembly, the buffering springs  24  are connected between an end portion of the upper supporting rod  22  and the upper inner wall of the cabinet  2 , and the dampers  28  are connected between an end portion of the lower supporting rod  26  and the lower inner wall of the cabinet  2 , thereby supporting the drum  6  at the center of gravity. 
     A diameter of the drum  6  is installed in a range that the drum  6  is not contacted to the tub  4  even when the drum  6  generates maximum vibration in order to prevent interference with the tub  4  at the time of being rotated in the tub  4 . 
     Operations of the drum type washing machine according to the present invention are as follows. 
     If the laundry is inputted into the drum  6  and a power switch is turned on, washing water is introduced into the tub  6 . At this time, the front side of the tub  6  is fixed to the cabinet  2  and the gasket  14  is connected between the rear side of the tub  6  and the supporting plate  12 , thereby preventing the washing water introduced into the tub  6  from being leaked outwardly. 
     If the introduction of the washing water is completed, the driving motor  8  mounted at the rear side of the supporting plate  12  is driven, and the drum  6  connected with the driving motor  8  by the rotation shaft  16  is rotated, thereby performing washing and dehydration operations. At this time, the assembly composed of the drum  6 , the driving motor, and the supporting plate  12  is supported by the buffering springs  24  and the dampers  28  mounted between the supporting plate  12  and the inner wall of the cabinet  20 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front sectional view of a drum type washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     The drum type washing machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention has the same construction and operation as that of the first to embodiment except a shape of the tub. 
     That is, the tub  40  according to the second embodiment has a straight line portion  42  with a predetermined length at both sides thereof. The straight line portion  42  is fixed to the inner wall of both sides of the cabinet  2 , or integrally formed at the wall surface of both sides of the cabinet  2 . 
     Like this, since the tub  40  according to the second embodiment has both sides fixed to the cabinet  2  as a straight line form, the diameter of the tub  40  can be increased. Accordingly, the diameter of the drum  6  arranged in the tub  40  can be more increased. 
       FIG. 7  is a front sectional view showing a drum type washing machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 8  is a longitudinal sectional view of the drum type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 9  is a rear sectional view showing the drum type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
     The drum type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet  2  for forming an appearance of a washing machine; a tub  50  formed integrally with the cabinet  2  and for storing washing water; a drum  6  rotatably arranged in the tub  50  for washing and dehydrating laundry; and a supporting unit positioned at the rear side of the tub  50  and arranged between the supporting plate  12  to which the driving motor  8  is fixed and the cabinet  2  for supporting the drum  6  with buffering. 
     The tub  50  is composed of a first partition wall  52  fixed to the upper front inner wall and both sides inner wall of the cabinet  2 ; and a second partition wall  54  integrally fixed to the lower front inner wall and both sides inner wall of the cabinet  2 . 
     The first partition wall  52  of a flat plate shape is formed at the upper side of the cabinet  2  in a state that the front side and both sides are integrally formed at the inner wall of the cabinet  2  or fixed thereto. Also, the second partition wall  54  of a semi-circle shape is formed at the lower side of the cabinet  2  in a state that the front side and both sides are integrally formed at the inner wall of the cabinet  2  or fixed thereto. 
     The supporting unit comprises: a plurality of upper supporting rods  56  connected to the upper side of the supporting plate  12  and having a predetermined length; buffering springs  58  connected between the upper supporting rods  56  and the upper inner wall of the cabinet  2  for buffering; a plurality of lower supporting rods  60  connected to the lower side of the supporting plate  12  and having a predetermined length; and dampers  62  connected between the lower supporting rods  60  and the lower inner wall of the cabinet  2  for absorbing vibration. 
     Herein, the upper supporting rods  56  are bent to be connected to the upper side of the supporting plate  12  and positioned at the upper side of the first partition wall  52 , and the buffering springs  58  are connected to the end portion of the upper supporting rods  56 . Also, the lower supporting rods  60  are bent to be connected to the lower side of the supporting plate  12  and positioned at the lower side of the second partition wall  54 , and the dampers  62  are connected to the end portion of the lower supporting rods  56 . 
     In the drum type washing machine according to the present invention, a size of the drum can be maximized by fixing the tub in the cabinet, thereby increasing washing capacity of the drum without increasing a size of the cabinet. 
     Also, since the front surface of the tub is integrally formed at the inner wall of the cabinet and the gasket is installed between the rear surface of the tub and the supporting plate, a length of the drum can be increased and thus the washing capacity of the drum can be increased. 
     As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.