Patent Publication Number: US-8118379-B2

Title: Washing machine

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Utility Model Application No. 10-2008-0079616 filed on Aug. 13, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present invention relates to a support apparatus for a washing machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a support apparatus for a washing machine, which can be easily exchanged and height of which can be automatically adjusted. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, a washing machine is classified into a pulsator type washing machine or a drum type washing machine. As a pulsator or a drum rotates, vibration is generated in the washing machine, so that noise is generated. In particular, if the washing machine is unstably installed on the ground, much vibration and noise may occur when the pulsator or the drum rotates. 
     Legs are installed at the bottom of the washing machine. The legs support the washing machine in a state in which the washing machine is spaced apart from the floor or the ground. In order to minimize the vibration and noise of the washing machine, the legs must be stably secured on the ground. 
     However, since the ground may have an irregular surface, at least one of the legs may be spaced apart from the ground when the washing machine is installed on the ground. If the washing machine is unstably installed as described above, the washing machine may be severely vibrated while the washing cycle is being performed, thereby generating loud noise. 
     In order to solve the above problem, the legs are designed such that height of the legs can be adjusted. That is, the legs are screw-coupled to a base of the washing machine in such a manner that the user can adjust the height of the legs by rotating the legs. In this case, the user or the worker can securely install the legs on the ground by rotating the legs even if at least one of the legs is spaced apart from the ground. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a support apparatus for a washing machine, capable of adjusting height of the washing machine and having a damping function to reduce vibration of the washing machine. 
     Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a washing machine including a cabinet having a base, and a support apparatus to support the cabinet, wherein the support apparatus includes a first adjustment unit coupled to the base, in which a coupling position of the first adjustment unit relative to the base is adjustable, and a second adjustment unit that is movable relative to the first adjustment unit. 
     The first adjustment unit includes a guide member guiding the second adjustment unit. The second adjustment unit includes a foot member that slidably moves along the guide member, and a spring member that presses the foot member. The guide member has a first stopper and the foot member has a second stopper installed above the first stopper. The first stopper protrudes from an inner surface of the guide member and the second stopper protrudes from an outer surface of the foot member. The foot member includes a rubber member that makes contact with the ground. The second adjustment unit moves up and down in the first adjustment unit. 
     The washing machine further includes a friction member installed on one of the first and second adjustment units to make friction relative to another one of the first and second adjustment units. 
     The friction member includes felt material. The first adjustment unit includes a coupling member that is screw-coupled with the base. The coupling member has a male screw member and the base has a mount member formed with a female screw member corresponding to the male screw member. 
     The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a washing machine including a base defining a perforation hole formed in a longitudinal direction of the base, a coupling member coupled with the base and passing through the perforation hole, and a foot member elastically supported between the coupling member and a ground to move relative to the coupling member. 
     The base includes a mount member coupled with the coupling member. The mount member is screw-coupled with the coupling member. The washing machine further includes a guide member disposed between the coupling member and the foot member to guide the foot member. The washing machine further includes a friction member disposed between the guide member and the foot member. 
     As described above, according to the support apparatus for the washing machine of the present invention, the height of the support apparatus can be manually or automatically adjusted, so that the washing machine can be stably installed on the ground, thereby reducing vibration. 
     In addition, the support apparatus according to the present invention can be easily assembled with the washing machine and the user can easily exchange the support apparatus when the support apparatus is broken, so that usefulness of the washing machine can be improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a washing machine installed on the ground according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing a support apparatus installed on a base according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing a support apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view showing a support apparatus, which is being manually adjusted, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing a support apparatus, which is being automatically adjusted, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a washing machine installed on the ground according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the washing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a cabinet  10 , a water reservoir (not shown) installed in the cabinet  10 , and a drum  11  installed in the water reservoir. A lifter  12  is provided at an inner wall of the drum  11  in order to lift up and then drop down laundry while the drum  11  is rotating. 
     The cabinet  10  has a substantially hexahedral structure. The cabinet  10  is formed at the front center thereof with an opening  13  to allow the user to put laundry in the drum  11  or to take out the laundry from the drum  11 , and a door  14  is rotatably installed around the opening  13  to open or close the opening  13 . A control panel  15  is installed at a front upper portion of the cabinet  10  to notify the user of the operational state of the washing machine or to allow the user to control the operation of the washing machine. A plurality of support apparatuses  30  are installed along a peripheral portion of the bottom of a base  20  provided at a lower portion of the cabinet  10 . 
     The support apparatuses  30  are securely installed on the ground to stably support the washing machine. If the washing machine is unstably installed because at least one of the support apparatuses  30  is not securely installed on the ground, loud vibration and noise may occur while the drum  11  of the washing machine is rotating. To solve this problem, the support apparatuses  30  have damping functions to reduce vibration and noise and height of the support apparatuses  30  is adjustable such that the support apparatuses  30  can be stably secured to the ground. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing the support apparatus installed on the base according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view showing the support apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the support apparatus  30  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first adjustment unit  31  installed on the base  20 , and a second adjustment unit  40  coupled to the first adjustment unit  31 . The first adjustment unit  31  has a coupling member  32  coupled to the base  20  at an upper portion of the first adjustment unit  31 , and a guide member  33  guiding the second adjustment unit  40  at a lower portion of the first adjustment unit  31 . 
     The coupling member  32  has a cylindrical structure, in which an upper portion thereof is closed and a lower portion thereof is open. The coupling member  32  is screw-coupled to the base  20  by a male screw member  34  protruding upward from the coupling member  32 . 
     The base  20  has a mount member  24  coupled with the coupling member  32 . The mount member  24  is provided on one of a top surface  21  or a bottom surface  22  of the base  20  corresponding to a perforation hole  23  of the base  20 . In  FIG. 2 , the mount member  24  is integrally formed with the top surface of the base  20 . The mount member  24  is formed with a female screw member  25  into which the male screw member  34  is screw-coupled. As the male screw member  34  is screw-coupled into the female screw member  25 , the coupling member  32  of the first adjustment unit  31  is coupled with the mount member  24  of the base  20 . 
     Due to the above coupling structure, the coupling member  32  can move up and down along the base  20 . That is, since the male screw member  34  is screw-coupled with the female screw member  25 , if the user or the worker rotates the coupling member  32  in the forward direction or the reverse direction, the coupling member  32  moves up or down. Thus, the user can manually adjust the height of the support apparatus  30 . This will be described later in detail. 
     The guide member  33  has a cylindrical structure. A radius of the guide member  33  having the cylindrical structure is smaller than a radius of the coupling member  32 , so that the upper portion of the guide member  33  can be inserted into the lower portion of the coupling member  32 . That is, the outer portion of the guide member  33  is screw-coupled into the inner portion of the coupling member  32 . 
     The second adjustment unit  40  includes a foot member  41  inserted into the guide member  33 , and a spring member  42  elastically pressing the foot member  41  in the downward direction. The foot member  41  has a cylindrical structure, in which an upper portion thereof is open and a lower portion thereof is closed. Since a radius of the foot member  41  having the cylindrical structure is smaller than a radius of the guide member  33 , the foot member  41  can be inserted into the guide member  33  such that the foot member  41  can move up and down along the guide member  33 . A first stopper  35  protrudes from an inner lower portion of the guide member  33  and a second stopper  52  protrudes from an outer upper portion of the foot member  41  to prevent the foot member  41  from being separated from the guide member  33 . When the foot member  41  moves down along the guide member  33 , the second stopper  52  makes contact with the first stopper  35  so that the foot member  41  can be prevented from being separated from the guide member  33 . 
     A rubber member  53  is provided at an underside of the foot member  41 . The rubber member  53  increases friction relative to the ground, thereby preventing the foot member  41  from sliding on the ground. As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the foot member  41  supports the support apparatus  30  on the ground, the support apparatus  30  is prevented from sliding on the ground due to the rubber member  53 . 
     The spring member  42  is installed between the coupling member  32  and the foot member  41 . An upper portion of the spring member  42  is supported on the coupling member  32  and a lower portion of the spring member  42  is supported on the foot member  41 . The spring member  42  includes a compression coil spring. Such a spring member  42  applies elastic force to the coupling member  32  and the foot member  41  in the opposite direction. In particular, the spring member  42  pushes down the foot member  41  such that the foot member  41  can be securely placed on the ground. Due to the above action of the spring member  42 , the height of the support apparatus  30  can be automatically adjusted, which will be described later in detail. 
     As described above, the support apparatus  30  has the damping function. In order to realize the damping function, the support apparatus  30  includes a friction member  60  installed between the outer surface of the foot member  41  and the inner surface of the guide member  33 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the friction member  60  is installed on the outer surface of the foot member  41 , so that friction may occur between the friction member  60  and the guide member  33  as the foot member  41  moves up and down. That is, when the washing machine is vibrated, the foot member  41  moves relative to the guide member  33 . At this time, since the friction member  60  is provided between the guide member  33  and the foot member  41 , the relative movement between the guide member  33  and the foot member  41  can be reduced. In other words, the friction member  60  generates friction between the guide member  33  and the foot member  41  to provide the support apparatus  30  with the damping function. In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the friction member  60  can be installed on the guide member  33 . In this case, friction may occur between the friction member  60  and the foot member  41  as the foot member  41  moves up and down. Since frictional heat is transferred to the friction member  60  due to the friction between the friction member  60  and the foot member  41  (or the guide member  33 ), the friction member must include material having superior durability. The friction member  60  may include felt material having superior durability and heat-resistant characteristics. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , first and second seat protrusions  51  and  52  are formed in the foot member  41  to install the friction member  60  therebetween. The first and second seat protrusions  51  and  52  protrude from the outer surface of the foot member  41 . The second stopper  52  may serve as the second protrusion  52 . In addition, although not shown in the drawings, a groove having a predetermined depth can be formed in the foot member  41  or the guide member  33  to accommodate the friction member  60  in the groove. 
     Hereinafter, a method of assembling the support apparatus  30  and a method of coupling the support apparatus  30  to the washing machine will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the foot member  41  is inserted into the guide member  33  in a state in which the friction member  60  is fitted between the first and second seat protrusions  51  and  52 . If the second stopper  52  of the foot member  41  makes contact with the first stopper  35  of the guide member  33 , the foot member  41  is completely inserted into the guide member  33 . Then, the spring member  42  is installed in the foot member  41 . That is, the foot member  41  is installed in the guide member  33 , and the spring member  42  is installed in the foot member  41 . After that, the guide member  33  is coupled with the coupling member  32 . At this time, the guide member  33  is screw-coupled into the coupling member  32 , so that the coupling member  32  and the foot member  41  press the spring member  42 . That is, one end of the spring member  42  is supported on the coupling member  32  and the other end of the spring member  42  is supported on the foot member  41 , so that the assembling process for the support apparatus  30  is completed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , in the washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, the male screw member  34  is screw-coupled into the female screw member  25  from the lower portion of the perforation hole  23 . Thus, the coupling member  32  is coupled with the mount member  24 . Due to the above coupling structure, the support apparatus  30  can be easily coupled to the base  20 . Thus, according to the washing machine of the embodiment of the present invention, the user or the worker is not needed to install the support apparatus  30  to the base  20  of the washing machine in the internal space S of the washing machine. In other words, the user or the worker can easily assemble/disassemble the support apparatus  30  to the base  20  of the washing machine from the outside of the washing machine. Thus, when the support apparatus  30  is broken or defective, the user or the worker can easily exchange the support apparatus  30  with new one. This may maximize usefulness of the washing machine and improve user&#39;s satisfaction for the washing machine. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the coupling structure between the foot member  41  and the first adjustment unit  31  modified such that the foot member  41  can move relative to the first adjustment unit  31 , so the support apparatus  30  has the damping function and the height of the support apparatus  30  can be automatically adjusted. According to the related art, the first adjustment unit  31  is integrally formed with the foot member  41 , so that the first adjustment unit  31  moves together with the foot member  41 . Thus, the first adjustment unit  31  must move relative to the base  20  in order to provide the support apparatus  30  with the automatic height adjustment and damping functions. That is, according to the related art, an additional device is necessary to allow the first adjustment unit  31  to move relative to the base  20 , so that the user or the worker must fix the first adjustment unit  31  to the base  20  together with the additional device in the internal space S of the washing machine. However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the foot member  41  can move relative to the first adjustment unit  31 , so that the user or the worker can fix the first adjustment unit  31  to the base  20  of the washing machine from the outside of the washing machine. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view showing the support apparatus, which is being manually adjusted, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , when installing the washing machine according to the present invention such that the washing machine is spaced apart from the ground, the support apparatuses  30  are coupled to the base  20 . At this time, as shown in  FIG. 4 , if one of the support apparatuses  30  is spaced apart from the ground by predetermined height H, the user or the worker manually adjusts the support apparatus  30  such that the support apparatus  30  can be secured to the ground. That is, if the user or the worker rotates the first adjustment unit  31  of the support apparatus  30  in the forward direction or the reverse direction, the first adjustment unit  31  moves up or down. As the first adjustment unit  31  moves up or down, a gap between the first adjustment unit  31  and the base  20  may become enlarged or reduced. That is, the fixing position of the first adjustment unit  31  to the base  20  is changed. Therefore, if the support apparatus  30  is spaced apart from the ground as shown in  FIG. 4 , the user or the worker manually rotates the first adjustment unit  31  in the reverse direction. In this case, the first adjustment unit  31  is moved down, so that the support apparatus  30  can be secured to the ground. At this time, the fixing position of the first adjustment unit  31  to the base  20  is shifted upward. 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view showing the support apparatus, which is being automatically adjusted, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the support apparatus  30  according to an embodiment of the present invention, the spring member  42  presses the foot member  41  toward the ground. Thus, if the foot member  41  is spaced apart from the ground by small height h, the foot member  41  can be secured to the ground due to the pressing force of the spring member  42  applied to the foot member  41 . That is, the height of the support apparatus  30  is automatically adjusted even if the user or the worker does not additionally adjust the height of the support apparatus  30 . 
     If the foot member  41  is spaced apart from the ground by predetermined height H, the foot member  41  may not be secured to the ground even if the spring member  42  applies the pressing force to the foot member  41 . In this case, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the user or the worker manually rotates the first adjustment unit  31  in the forward direction or the reverse direction to secure the foot member to the ground. 
     Although few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.