Patent Publication Number: US-2007113594-A1

Title: Laundry machine with screen displaying image data therein

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2005-0057844, 10-2005-0057845, 10-2005-0057846, 10-2005-0057847, 10-2005-0057848, and 10-2005-0057820, filed on Jun. 30, 2005 and expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a laundry machine, and more particularly, to a laundry machine having an image display device for displaying various images.  
      2. Discussion of the Related Art  
      Generally, laundry machines are grouped into a clothes washing machine for washing clothes and a dryer for drying wet laundry with hot air. The clothes washing machines are grouped into a pulsator type clothes washing machine in which a drum is vertically erected and a drum type clothes washing machine in which a drum lays down horizontally.  
      Here, since the drum of the drum type clothes washing machine lays down horizontally as described above, laundry put into the drum is repeatedly raised and dropped to be washed.  
       FIGS. 1 and 2  schematically illustrate a conventional drum type clothes washing machine as described above.  
      In more detail, the conventional drum type clothes washing machine includes a main body  10 , an outer tub  20  installed in the main body  10 , a drum  30  installed to rotate in the outer tub  20 , a driving device for driving the drum  30 , and a control panel  50  for manipulation.  
      Here, in a front side of the main body  10 , an opening  11  through which laundry is put, and a door  40  is installed at the surrounding of the opening  11  to open and close the opening.  
      The outer tub  20  is provided with a damper  21  installed at the lower sides of the outer circumference of the outer tub  20  and is supported in the main body  10 .  
      In this case, the drum  30  is installed to rotate in the outer tub  20  and has a plurality of through-holes  31  formed in the circumference thereof through which washing water is introduced and discharged.  
      The driving device includes a driving motor  71  for driving the drum  30  and a belt  72  for transmitting a driving force of the driving motor  71  to the drum  30 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , the control panel  50  displays operation controls and present operation state of various components.  
      The control panel  50  includes a washing manipulation unit  51  and a displaying window  52  for displaying the operation state.  
      In this case, the washing manipulation unit  51  includes a plurality of manipulation buttons  51   a  and a manipulation dial  51   b.    
      Moreover, the displaying window  52  is made of liquid crystal display or a plurality of light emitting diodes.  
      In the conventional drum type clothes washing machine as described above, laundry and a predetermined quantity of detergent are put into the drum  30 , and a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, and dehydrating cycle are automatically carried out according to control signals of a controller (not shown) for a predetermined time period to wash the laundry.  
      However, the displaying window  52  of the control panel  50  of the conventional drum type clothes washing machine displays only simple numbers or characters such as time and error messages due to the restriction of the size of the control panel  50 .  
      Due to this, through the conventional drum type clothes washing machine, various images (for example, TV, DVD, or the like) cannot be displayed.  
      Particularly, although recent home appliances provide various kinds of information to a user, since, in the conventional drum type clothes washing machine, the displaying window  52  has an extremely small area through which images are displayed, the displaying window cannot be used to provide various information and as a multimedia device.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, present invention is directed to an improved laundry 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 an improved laundry machine having a displaying device which can displays various moving images such as TV program, a movie, or the like.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved laundry machine in which a separate displaying device for displaying various images is prevented from damage due to being exposed to the exterior of the laundry machine.  
      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 laundry machine includes a main body and an image displaying device provided in the main body to display image data on a screen. The image displaying device includes a liquid crystal display or a plasma display panel.  
      Here, the laundry machine may further include a data receiver for receiving the image data from the exterior and providing the received image data to the image displaying device.  
      Preferably, the laundry machine further includes a data storage for storing the image data received from the data receiver.  
      The laundry machine preferably further include a disc player provided in the main body to reproduce image data recorded in a disc such as a compact disc, a digital versatile disc, or the like and to provide the reproduced image data to the image displaying device.  
      The image displaying device can display images such as TV programs, or various laundry-related image data provided by the manufacturer of the laundry machine.  
      Recently, as more various and outstanding functions of the laundry machine are developed, the operating method of operating the functions is more complicated. Although a user&#39;s written manual is provided together the laundry machine by a manufacturer, since the user&#39;s written manual is inconvenient to use, the user hardly uses the same. Due to this reason, the user cannot operate the laundry machine well even though the laundry machine is improved so that the user cannot utilize the functions of the laundry machine.  
      The user&#39;s written manual of the laundry machine is inconvenient to read and is not large enough to contain necessary information.  
      If the user&#39;s manual is not provided in the form of a book but of image data, the above-mentioned problem will be solved. The user can read the user&#39;s manual in front of the laundry machine through the image displaying device immediately.  
      If the manufacturer of the laundry machine provides the user&#39;s manual, regularly upgraded in a compact disc or a digital versatile disc, or the like, the updated information can be provided to the user periodically.  
      Preferably, the image displaying device may be folded in the main body. To this end, the image displaying device is connected to a folding device installed in the main body. The image displaying device is folded toward the main body by the folding device. For example, the folding device includes a hinge structure.  
      Here, the main body has a concave accommodator in which the image displaying device is folded and accommodated. Preferably, the depth of the concave accommodator is greater than the thickness of the image displaying device. Thus, when the image displaying device is folded and accommodated into the accommodator, the image displaying device is not exposed from the main body.  
      Preferably, the laundry machine further includes a spacer provided in the image displaying device or in the main body to space the image displaying device and the main body apart from each other when the image displaying device is folded to the main body. The spacer prevents the image displaying device from contacting the surface of the main body. Particularly, a screen of the image displaying device is weak so that it may malfunction when being pressed, and the spacer prevents this phenomenon.  
      Preferably, the spacer is made of buffering material such as a rubber in the form of a protrusion. The spacer may be in the form of a ring.  
      Preferably, the data receiver may include a tuner for receiving data via wireless line. The data receiver may include an antenna or an antenna terminal to be connected to an outdoor antenna installed outdoor.  
      Moreover, the data receiver may include a data input terminal through which data are inputted through a cable. The image data such as cable TV programs may be inputted through the data input terminal.  
      Meanwhile, the image displaying device receives data for operation of the laundry machine from the controller of the laundry machine to display the same. Thus, the image data and the operation data are selectively displayed on the screen. Here, the operation data contains data related to the operation of the laundry machine, for example, data for washing time or drying time, information data relating to washing and drying of laundry, data for washing conditions or drying conditions of laundry, or the like.  
      The image displaying device is connected to a rotation unit rotating in the direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the folding unit. The rotation unit adjusts an angle of the image displaying device so that a user can watch the screen of the image displaying device from any direction.  
      The image displaying device may be slid into the main body to be accommodated instead of the folding method. To this end, the main body includes an accommodator for providing a predetermined accommodating space and the image displaying device is slid in and out of the accommodator to be inserted and withdrawn into and from the accommodator.  
      Here, for the sliding of the image displaying device, the accommodator includes supporting recesses respectively formed in both walls of the accommodator, and the image displaying device is preferably connected to a moving unit sliding within the supporting recesses.  
      More preferably, the moving unit is rotated within the supporting recesses. Thus, the image displaying device is folded and unfolded. The image displaying device is completely withdrawn out and unfolded, and after the use, the image displaying device is folded to slide and to be accommodated in the accommodator.  
      More preferably, the image displaying device is connected to the rotation unit to adjust an angle of the screen.  
      Meanwhile, a sound outputting unit may be further provided in the main body to output sound with the display of the image data. The sound outputting unit may be a speaker.  
      As described above, the laundry machine of the present invention includes the image displaying device enabling a user to watch various contents and the sound outputting unit so that the user can conveniently utilize the laundry machine in various ways.  
      In other words, during the washing of laundry, the user can watch TV or various images or listen to radio.  
      Particularly, in the laundry machine of the present invention, the image displaying device is folded, the accommodator is formed in a side of the main body, the image displaying device is accommodated in the accommodator so that the image displaying device is prevented from damage as much as possible when the image displaying device is protruded from the laundry machine.  
      Particularly, in the laundry machine of the present invention, a spacer is further provided on facing sides of the image displaying device and the main body to prevent the screen from damage when the external shock is applied to the image displaying device.  
      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  is a side view illustrating an internal configuration of a conventional drum type clothes washing machine;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of the conventional drum type clothes washing machine;  
       FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating an internal configuration of a laundry machine according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are perspective views illustrating the withdrawal of an image displaying device, of the laundry machine according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, so as to be used;  
       FIGS. 6 and 7  are perspective views illustrating another installation of the image displaying device of the laundry machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating another laundry machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating still another laundry machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
      FIGS.  10  to  16  illustrate a laundry machine according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
      FIGS.  17  to  24  illustrate a laundry machine according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
      FIGS.  25  to  31  illustrate a laundry machine according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
      FIGS.  32  to  40  illustrate a laundry machine according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
      FIGS.  41  to  47  illustrate a laundry machine according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
      FIGS.  48  to  55  illustrate a laundry machine according to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of a laundry machine, examples of which are illustrated in FIGS.  3  to  55 .  
      FIGS.  3  to  9  illustrate a laundry machine according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      In more detail, the laundry machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main body  100 , an outer tub  200 , a drum  300 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a data transmitter  700 , and a controller  800 . The laundry machine is a drum type clothes washing machine.  
      Here, the main body  100  forms an external appearance of the washing machine and has an opening  110  formed in the front side thereof, and the outer tub  200  is supported in the main body  100 .  
      A door  120  is installed to a portion of the main body  100  where the opening  100  is formed to open and close the opening  100 .  
      The drum  300  is installed in the outer tub  200  to rotate and an opened side of the drum  300  is faced to the opening  110 .  
      The control panel  400  is provided at the front upper side of the main body  100  and displays the operation controls and the present operating state of various components of the washing machine.  
      The various components include a driving motor  310  for driving the drum  300  and various kinds of valves (not shown) such as a water-supplying valve, an exhaust valve, or the like.  
      The control panel  400  includes a washing manipulation unit  410  for operating the washing process and a display window  420  for displaying the operating state of the washing machine.  
      The washing manipulation unit  410  includes a plurality of manipulation buttons  411  and a manipulation dial  412 .  
      Moreover, the display window  420  includes a liquid crystal display or a plurality of light emitting diodes for displaying numbers, characters, or simple images.  
      The data receiver  500  is provided in the main body  100  and receives various content data.  
      The data receiver  500  preferably includes a tuner for receiving contents data such as TV programs, digital multimedia broadcasting program, radio broadcasting programs, or the like. The data receiver  500  preferably further includes a converter (not shown) for converting an analog signal into a digital signal.  
      Moreover, the data receiver  500  may receive another contents data from the exterior via various data cables (for example, RS-232C cable). To this end, although not shown in the drawings, the data receiver  500  may include connection terminals to which the cables are connected.  
      Moreover, although not shown in the drawings, the main body may include a disc player for reproducing various portable discs such as a digital versatile disc (DVD).  
      The contents data includes various image data and various audio data.  
      Moreover, the data receiver  500  preferably further includes a memory (not shown) capable of storing the contents data.  
      The above-mentioned data receiver  500 , although not shown in the drawings, may be provided in the control panel  400  or in the image displaying device  600 .  
      The image displaying device  600  includes a case  610  for forming an external appearance of the image displaying device and a screen  620  provided at a side of the case  610  to display images of the various types of the contents data.  
      The screen  620  is a liquid crystal display or a plasma display panel.  
      The image displaying device  600  is coupled to the main body  100  to be pivoted and folded to the surface of the main body  100  by the main body  100  and a hinge shaft  601 .  
      This is to prevent the image displaying device  600  from damage during the transportation of the washing machine and to minimize an undesired packaging space by folding the image displaying device  600  when the image displaying device  600  is not used.  
      Particularly, according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main body  100  has a concave accommodator  130  with a predetermined size formed in the upper front side of the main body  100 , and the image displaying device  600  is hinged to be accommodated in the accommodator  130 .  
      In other words, the image displaying device  600  is folded into the main body  100  so that the image displaying device  600  is rotated and erected to be exposed to the exterior of the accommodator  130  when using the image displaying device  600  and is rotated and folded back to be accommodated in the accommodator  130 .  
      This is to provide the maximum protection of the image displaying device from damage due to the exposure to the exterior of the main body  100 .  
      Particularly, in order to protect the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600 , when the image displaying device  600  is folded (when the image displaying device is accommodated in the accommodator), the screen  620  is preferably positioned on the bottom of the accommodator  130 . To this end, a hinged portion of the image displaying device  600  is positioned on a surface facing the inner surface of the accommodator  130 .  
      Thus, when the image displaying device  600  rotates forward, the image displaying device  600  is folded and accommodated in the accommodator  130 , and when the image displaying device  600  rotates backward, the image displaying device  600  is unfolded and exposed to the exterior of the accommodator  130 .  
      Naturally, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the image displaying device  600  may be structured such that the screen  620  is positioned on a surface opposite to a surface facing the inner surface of the accommodator  130  of the main body  100  when the image displaying device  600  is folded.  
      In this case, the hinged portion of the image displaying device  600  is preferably positioned at the front side of the accommodator  130 .  
      In this case, the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  may perform the function of the display window  420  of the control panel  400 .  
      The data transmitter  700  transmits the contents data of the data receiver  500  to the image displaying device  600 .  
      In this case, the data transmitter  700  transmits the contents data such as various images or audio data and may be preferably a flexible cable capable of being smoothly folded or unfolded when the image displaying device  600  rotates.  
      Particularly, the data transmitter  700 , although not depicted in the drawings, preferably penetrates the hinged portions of the accommodator  130  and the image displaying device  600  and is electrically connected to the image displaying device  600 . In other words, it is preferred that the data transmitter  700  is not exposed to the exterior.  
      Further, the controller  800  is provided in the main body  100 , and optionally controls the control panel  400 , the image displaying device  600 , and the data receiver  500 .  
      Meanwhile, the laundry machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a media manipulation unit  910  for manipulating the image displaying device  600 .  
      In this case, the media manipulation unit  910 , as shown in the accompanying drawings, is preferably provided in the control panel  400 , however, may be provided on the case  610  of the image displaying device  600  or the outer surface of the main body  100 .  
      The media manipulation unit  910  may include a plurality of manipulation buttons or manipulation knobs.  
      Moreover, at least one surface of the main body  100 , a sound outputting unit  920  for outputting audio data of the contents data received by the data receiver  500  is further provided. The sound outputting unit  920  may be a conventional speaker.  
      Naturally, the sound outputting unit  920  may be provided on the control panel  400  or on a side of the main body  100 .  
      Hereinafter, the provision of the contents data by the image displaying device  600  and the sound outputting unit  920  among the operating process of the laundry machine according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail as follows.  
      Firstly, an initial state is shown in  FIG. 4 .  
      In more detail, the image displaying device  600  is accommodated in the accommodator  130  of the main body  100  and is folded.  
      In this state, if a user desires to watch a specific image, the user withdraws the image displaying device  600  from the accommodator  130  of the main body  100 .  
      At this time, the image displaying device  600  rotates upwardly about the hinge shaft  601 , and due to this, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  is erected to be exposed to the exterior.  
      After this, when the user manipulates the media manipulation unit  910 , electric power is supplied to the image displaying device  600  by the control of the controller  800  so that the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  is turned on.  
      At this time, the data receiver  500  receives the contents data from the user or a broadcasting signal from the tuner, and provides the received contents data to the image displaying device  600  and the sound outputting unit  920  through the data transmitter  700 .  
      The contents data may be received from the user through RS-232C communication or a local wireless data communication such as Bluetooth technology. The contents data may be stored in the memory (not shown) of the data receiver  500  in advance.  
      By the above-mentioned process, the image data of the contents data is outputted from the image displaying device  600  and is displayed on the screen  620 , and the sound outputting unit  920  outputs the audio data of the contents data.  
      The accommodation of the image displaying device  600  is carried out reversely to the process of the manipulation carried out to use the image displaying device  600 .  
      In other words, when the user rotates the image displaying device  600  forward at a state of stopping the output of the contents data by the manipulation of the media manipulation unit  910 , the image displaying device  600  rotates downwardly about the hinge shaft  601  and is accommodated in the accommodator  130  of the main body  100 . Naturally, when the image displaying device  600  is rotated forwardly, the output of the contents data may be automatically stopped.  
      Meanwhile, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the image displaying device  600  may be provided at a side of the main body  100 , or at the front upper end of the main body  100  as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
      Moreover, the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  may be a touch panel to serve as the display window  420  or the washing manipulation unit  410  of the control panel  400 .  
      By doing so, the image displaying device  600  may receive the image data of the various contents data and various information related to the washing operation and may display the same.  
      In this case, preferably, a signal received by the image displaying device  600  is directly provided to the controller  800 .  
      FIGS.  10  to  16  illustrate a washing machine according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The washing machine according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 10 , includes a main body  100 , an outer tub  200 , a drum  300 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a folding unit  630 , a rotation unit  640 , a data transmitter  700 , and a controller  800 .  
      The description for the similar components of the washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention as those of the washing machine according to the previous preferred embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.  
      The folding unit  630  operates the image displaying device  600  to be selectively folded to or separated from the upper surface of the main body  100 .  
      The folding unit  630  folds the image displaying device  600  when the image displaying device  600  is not used to prevent the image displaying device  600  from damage during the transportation of the washing machine and to minimize a space for packaging the washing machine.  
      Moreover, according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the main body  100  has a concave accommodator  130  with a predetermined size formed in the upper front side of the main body  100 , and both ends of the image displaying device  600  are pivoted in the accommodator  130  such that the image displaying device  600  is selectively accommodated in the accommodator  130 . The folding unit  630  has a connector shaft coupled with the image displaying device  600 .  
      In this case, the depth of the accommodator  130  is sufficient to completely accommodate the image displaying device  600 , and the folding unit  630  serves as a conventional hinge in the accommodator  130 .  
      In other words, the image displaying device  600  is accommodated in the accommodator  630  so that the image displaying device  600  can be prevented from damage that could be generated when the image displaying device  600  protrudes to the exterior of the main body  100 .  
      Particularly, the folding unit  630  is preferably coupled with the front side of the inside of the accommodator  130 . This is to make the screen  620  be positioned at the front side of the main body  100  so as to minimize the viewing distance when the image displaying device  600  is withdrawn and exposed to the exterior.  
      The rotation unit  640  includes an end coupled with the connector shaft  633  of the folding unit  630  and an opposite end coupled with the lower side of the case  610  of the image displaying device  600 . The rotation unit  640  rotates the image displaying device  600  in the direction perpendicular to the rotation direction of the folding unit  630 .  
      At least one of the ends of the rotation unit  640  rotates in the direction perpendicular to the rotation direction of the folding unit  630 .  
      The rotation unit  640  rotates the image displaying device  600  as desired to satisfy the demand of the user desiring a variety of viewing angles.  
      Due to the rotation unit  640 , when to custody the image displaying device  600  (when the image displaying device is accommodated in the accommodator), the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  may be exposed to the exterior or hidden.  
      The reason for exposing the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  is to provide various information, which cannot be displayed on the display window  420  of the control panel  400 , to the image displaying device  600 . The reason for hiding the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  is to prevent the screen  620  from damage caused by the external shock when the washing machine is not used.  
      Like the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , the image displaying device  600  may be provided at a side of the main body  100 , or at the front upper end of the main body  100 .  
      FIGS.  17  to  24  illustrate a washing machine according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The washing machine according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 17 , includes a main body  100 , an accommodator  140 , an outer tub  200 , a drum  300 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a data transmitter  700 , and a controller  800 .  
      The description for the similar components of the washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention as those of the washing machine according to the previous preferred embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.  
      The image displaying device  600  penetrates a side of the main body  100  to be selectively accommodated in or withdrawn from the accommodator  140  and receives image data of various contents data to display the same.  
      The image displaying device  600  includes a case  610  for forming an external appearance and a screen  620  provided at a side of the case  610  to display the image. The case  610  is connected to a moving unit  650 .  
      The moving unit  650  is a component for selectively withdrawing the image displaying device  600  out of the accommodator  140 , and includes a connector shaft  633  integrally formed therewith to be connected to the case  610  and both ends being moved along the inner walls of the accommodator  140  of the main body  100 .  
      In this case, the accommodator  140  has supporting recesses  141  formed in the both inner walls thereof to support the movement of the moving unit  650 .  
      The configuration of supporting the movement of the moving unit  650  is not only using the supporting recesses  141 , but may use rails on which the moving unit  650  rolls.  
      Moreover, the moving unit  650  is preferably coupled into the supporting recesses  141  of the accommodator  140  to rotate in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction thereof.  
      This is enabled by forming both side ends of the moving unit  650  in a circular shape such as a hinge shaft and by forming a cut-off groove in the upper side of the entrance of the accommodator  140  cut off at a width sufficient for the image displaying device  600  to be erected.  
      A rotation unit  640  is further provided at a coupling portion between the moving unit  650  and the case  610  to make the screen  620  face the front side or the rear side of the main body  100 , or to rotate the screen  620  for the adjustment of a viewing angle of the screen  620 .  
      The rotation unit  650  includes both ends as rotation shafts respectively coupled with the connector shaft  633  of the moving unit  650  and the case  610 .  
      The rotation unit  640  rotates the image displaying device  600  as desired to satisfy the demand of the user desiring a variety of viewing angles.  
      Hereinafter, the provision of the contents data by the image displaying device  600  and the sound outputting unit  920  among the operating process of the washing machine according to the third preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail as follows.  
      Firstly, an initial state is shown in  FIGS. 17 and 18 .  
      In more detail, the image displaying device  600  is accommodated in the accommodator  130  of the main body  100 . Due to this, the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  is prevented from damage due to the external shock or the permeation of moisture.  
      In this state, if a user desires to watch a specific image, the user withdraws the image displaying device  600  from the accommodator  140  of the main body  100 .  
      At this time, both ends of the moving unit  650  move along the supporting recesses  141  respectively formed in the both walls of the accommodator  140  so that the image displaying device  600 , as shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , is withdrawn to the exterior of the main body  100 . At this time, the screen  620  of the image displaying unit  600  faces the lower side of the main body  100 .  
      After this, when the image displaying device  600  is upwardly erected, the moving unit  650  rotates and the image displaying unit  600  is erected and simultaneously the screen  620  faces forward.  
      Thus, the user can adjust the viewing angle by rotating the image displaying device  600  right or left as desired. If the image displaying device  600  rotates, the image displaying device rotates about the rotation unit  640  and the viewing angle thereof is adjusted.  
      Like the previous preferred embodiments of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 23 and 24 , the image displaying device  600  may be provided to be withdrawn through any one side or the upper side of the main body  100 .  
      FIGS.  25  to  31  illustrate a washing machine according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The washing machine includes a main body  100 , an outer tub  200 , a drum  300 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a folding unit  630 , a spacer  660 , a data transmitter  700 , and a controller  800 .  
      The description for the similar components of the washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention as those of the washing machine according to the previous preferred embodiments of the present invention will be omitted.  
      The spacer  660  is configured to space the image displaying device  600  and the main body  100  from each other when the image displaying device  600  and the main body  100  are overlapped with each other (at a stat of custody of the image displaying device  600 ).  
      The spacer  660  is provided at any one of overlapped sides of the image displaying device  600  and the main body  100  (that is, facing sides of the image displaying device and the accommodator).  
      The spacer  660  may be made of a solid material. However, since the image displaying device  600  may be damaged when a shock is applied to a corresponding portion, the spacer  660  is preferably made of buffering material such as a rubber or other flexible material.  
      Moreover, the spacer  660 , as shown in  FIG. 27 , is preferably one or more protrusions protruded from near the inner circumference of the accommodator  130  (a portion that the screen does not contact) toward the facing side (the circumference of the image displaying device).  
      Naturally, a plurality of spacers  660  may be formed along the outer circumference of the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600 .  
      A distance between the image displaying device  600  and the main body  100  spaced apart from each other by the spacer  660  is preferably a distance large enough to prevent the screen  620  and the main body  100  from directly contacting each other when a load within an allowable load is applied to the image displaying device  600 . The allowable load generally means a standard load insufficient to damage the washing machine.  
      The spacer  660 , as shown in  FIG. 28 , may have a ring-shape and be installed to the inner circumference of the accommodator  130  (a portion that the screen does not contact).  
      Like the previous preferred embodiments of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 30 and 31 , the image displaying device  600  may be provided at one side or the front upper end of the main body  100 .  
      FIGS.  32  to  40  illustrate a washing machine according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main body  100 , an outer tub  200 , a drum  300 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a rotation unit  630 , a lid  670 , a data transmitter  700 , and a controller  800 .  
      The description for the similar components of the washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention as those of the washing machine according to the previous preferred embodiments of the present invention will be omitted.  
      The lid  670  is provided at an opening of the accommodator  130  to selectively open and close the accommodator  130 .  
      The lid  670  is detachably provided to the main body  100  to open and close the accommodator  130 . However, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lid  670  is coupled with the main body  100  to pivot in the same direction as the withdrawing direction of the image displaying device  600 .  
      Particularly, when the lid  670  closes the accommodator  130 , the upper side (a side exposed to the exterior) of the lid  670  is level with the height of the upper side of the main body  100  or is lower than the upper side of the main body  100 .  
      This is to prevent the contact between the lid  670  and the image displaying device  600  accommodated in the accommodator  130  by preventing the lid  670  from falling down even when various things such as a laundry basket are placed on the corresponding side of the lid  670 .  
      FIGS.  41  to  47  illustrate a washing machine according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 41 , includes a main body  100 , an outer tub  200 , a drum  300 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a folding unit  631 , a folding driving unit  632 , a data transmitter  700 , and a controller  800 .  
      The folding driving unit  632  selectively rotates the folding unit  631  and is automatically driven by an electric control.  
      The folding driving unit  632  may include a first driving motor  632   b  directly coupled with the folding unit  631  by a shaft  632   a.    
      The first driving motor  632   b  is preferably fixed in a space hidden within the main body  100 . Particularly, the first driving motor  632   b  preferably rotates the image displaying device  600  within an angle range (about 90 degrees to 120 degrees) convenient to watch the image displaying device  600 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 44 , it is possible that a first gear  631   a  is formed on the end circumference of one side end of the folding unit  631  and the folding driving unit  632  includes a second gear  632   c  engaged with the first gear  631   a  of the folding unit  631  and a second driving motor  632   d  coupled with the second gear  632   c  and driven by an electric control.  
      Although not depicted in the drawings, it is also possible that the folding unit  631  is elastically rotated and the folding driving unit prevents the folding unit  631  from rotating until a specific manipulation is carried out.  
      As shown in  FIG. 45 , a rotation unit  641  is further provided between the image displaying unit  600  and the folding unit  631 . As described above, the rotation unit  641  rotates the image displaying unit  600  as desired to satisfy the demand of the user desiring a variety of viewing angles.  
      FIGS.  48  to  55  illustrate a washing machine according to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
      The washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main body  100 , an accommodator  140 , a control panel  400 , a data receiver  500 , an image displaying device  600 , a moving unit  651 , a slider  652 , and a data transmitter  700 .  
      The slider  652  is driven by an electric control and selectively moves the moving unit  651  in the accommodating direction (or in the withdrawing direction) of the image displaying device  600 .  
      The slider  652  may be variously structured. In this preferred embodiment, the slider  652  is an actuator  652   b  for moving a plunger  652   a  forward and backward.  
      In this case, both ends of the moving unit  651  penetrate both walls of the accommodator  140  to be exposed to the main body  100 , and the plunger  652   a  of the actuator  652   b  is coupled with the moving unit  651  exposed to the exterior of the accommodator  140 . An end of the plunger  652   a  surrounds the moving unit  651  so that the moving unit  651  can rotate.  
      Moreover, the washing machine according to this preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a folding driving unit  653  automatically rotated by an electric control even when the moving unit  651  does not carry out a command from the user. The structure of the folding driving unit  653  is shown in  FIG. 52 .  
      The folding driving unit  653  includes a third driving motor  653   b  coupled with the moving unit  651  by a shaft  653   a . The third driving motor  653   b  is preferably fixed to the plunger  652   a  of the slider  652  by a bracket  653   c.    
      Preferably, a rotation unit  641  is further provided to rotate the image displaying device  600  in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the image displaying device  600  being rotated by the moving unit  651 .  
      When the user manipulates the media manipulation unit  910  to watch media, the controller  800  controls the slider  652  such that the image displaying device  600  is withdrawn from the accommodator  140  of the main body  140 .  
      In other words, when the actuator  652   b  is driven by the controller  800 , the plunger  652   a  moves forward, and due to this, the moving unit  651  moves forward along the accommodator  140  and is withdrawn to the exterior of the main body  100 . At this time, the screen  620  of the image displaying device  600  faces the lower side of the main body  100 . This state is shown in  FIGS. 50 and 51 .  
      After this, the controller  800  controls the folding driving unit  653  to rotate the moving unit  651 . In other words, when the third driving motor  653   b  is rotated by the controller  800 , the moving unit  651  coupled with the third driving motor  653   b  by the shaft  653   a  rotates.  
      Due to this, the image displaying device  600 , as shown in  FIG. 53 , is erected and the screen  620  faces forward.  
      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.