Patent Publication Number: US-7581412-B2

Title: Tilted drum type washing machine

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Korean Application(s) No. 10-2002-0075315 filed on Nov. 29, 2002, which is/are hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a tilted drum type washing machine, which provides an improved inner structure enabling to prevent a lip at a gasket from being contacted with a drum. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   Generally, the laundry, water, and detergent are put in drum and tub obliquely installed in a tilted drum type washing machine. The drum is then rotated to lift the laundry up by protrusions to perform washing using the shock energy of the laundry falling down and a frictional force thereof. 
   Such a tilted drum type washing machine avoids causing damage to the laundry and prevents the laundry from being entangled. Moreover, compared to a general drum type washing machine, the tilted drum type washing machine includes the drum that is installed slant so as to be convenient in putting the laundry in the drum. 
   A construction of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a related art is explained by referring to the attached drawing as follows. 
     FIG. 1  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a related art. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , in a tilted drum type washing machine according to a related art, a cabinet  2  made of a metal-based material forms an exterior. An entrance  3  is formed at a front side of the cabinet  2 , and a door  4  is installed at the entrance  3  to open/close. 
   A tub  14  is installed slant in the cabinet  2  to hold water. A spring  15  and a damper  16  are installed between the tub  14  and the cabinet  2 . The spring and  15  damper  16  attenuate vibrations transferred to the tub  14  while the washing machine operates. 
   A drum  12  in which the laundry and detergent are put is rotatably installed in the tub  14 . A rotational shaft  18  coupled to a motor  17  is installed in rear of the drum  12  to transfer a driving force to the drum  12 . 
   Meanwhile, a gasket  20  formed of such an elastic material as rubber is installed between the door  4  and the tub  14 . The gasket  20  alleviates a shock generated from a rotation of the drum  12  as well as makes the door  4  airtight to prevent the water from leaking. 
   And, a lip  25  protruding toward a space between the tub  14  and the drum  12  is formed on an inner circumference of the gasket  20 . The lip  25  is built in one body of the gasket  20  and prevents particles from being stuck in the space between the tub  14  and the drum  12 . 
   However, in the related art tilted drum type washing machine, since the gasket is installed slant as well as the tub and drum, the lip comes into drooping inward according to a long time use of the washing machine. 
   Thus, drooping inward, the lip is brought contact with the rotating drum to result in a failure of the washing machine. Moreover, the drooping lip is easily worn out to reduce its endurance. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a tilted drum type washing machine that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention, which has been devised to solve the foregoing problem, lies in providing a tilted drum type washing machine, which prevents a lip from drooping to enhance a product reliance. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from a practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the subject matter particularly pointed out in the specification and claims hereof as well as in the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these objects and other advantages in accordance with the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a tilted drum type washing machine including a cabinet having an entrance at a front side for inputting/outputting a laundry, a door opening/closing the entrance, a tub installed slant in the cabinet to hold water, a drum in the tub to hold a detergent and the water, a gasket between the door and the tub, the gasket bringing the door airtight to prevent the water from leaking outside, a lip on an inner circumference of the gasket to prevent particles from being put in a space between the tub and the drum, and a support member preventing the lip from drooping to prevent an interruption between the lip and the drum. 
   In this case, the support member includes a reinforcement rib formed on an inner circumference of the tub to support an inner lateral side of the lip. And, the reinforcement rib can be plurally formed to leave a predetermined interval from each other. 
   And, the reinforcement rib is formed to leave a predetermined distance from the inner lateral side of the lip or can be built in one body of the tub. 
   Meanwhile, the support member may include a protrusion formed on an inner lateral side of the lip to be contacted with the tub. The protrusion is formed at a tip of the lip or may be plurally formed to leave a predetermined interval from each other. 
   Moreover, the protrusion is formed to leave a predetermined distance from the tub or may be built in one body of the lip. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing explanation and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and illustrative 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 schematic cross-sectional view of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a related art; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a magnified view of a portion ‘A’ in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a magnified view of a portion ‘B’ in  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, like elements are indicated using the same or similar reference designations where possible. 
     FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , in a tilted drum type washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, a cabinet  52  having an opening  53  at a front side forms an exterior. The opening  53  is to put in/out a laundry, and a door  68  rotatably installed at the cabinet  52  to open/close the opening  53 . 
   A tub  64  is installed slant in the cabinet  52  to hold water therein, and a drum  62  in which the laundry and detergent are put is rotatably installed in the tub  56 . 
   A plurality of lifts  63  are installed on an inside of the drum  62  to pull up the laundry to a predetermined height to fall. A rotational shaft  67  coupled with a motor  66  is installed in rear of the drum  62  to transfer a driving force to the drum  62 . In this case, the rotational shaft  67  penetrates a rear side of the tub  64 . 
   A spring  65   a  is installed between an upper side of the tub  64  and an inner topside of the cabinet  52  to support to suspend the tub  64 . 
   And, a damper  65   a  is installed between a lower side of the tub  64  and an inner bottom side of the cabinet  62  to absorb to alleviate a vibration of the tub  64  which is generated from a rotation of the drum  62  on dewatering. 
   A control panel  57  for controlling an operation of the tilted drum type washing machine is installed on a top of the cabinet  52 . And, a drain pump  69  and a drain hose  69   a  are installed under the tub  64  to discharge the water. 
   Meanwhile, a gasket  70  formed of such an elastic material as rubber is installed between the door  68  and the tub  64 . The gasket  70  absorbs a shock transferred to the tub  64  when the drum  62  rotates as well as prevents the water from leaking through the door  68 . 
   For this, one end of the gasket  20  is coupled to the tub  64  and the other end is coupled to the cabinet  52 . 
   Specifically, the gasket  70 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , includes a first plane portion  71 , a second plane portion  74 , and a bending portion  73  connecting the first plane portion  71  to the second plane portion  74 . 
   The first plane portion  71  is coupled to the cabinet  52  and has a coupling hook  78  at its tip. The coupling hook  78  is hooked on a coupling groove  72  formed at a circumference of the opening  53  of the cabinet  52 , and adheres closely to the door  68  to prevent the water from leaking when the door  68  is closed. 
   The second plane portion  74  is coupled to the tub  64 , and the bending portion  73  is curved between the first and second plane portions  71  and  74  to attenuate the vibration transferred to the tub  64  more effectively. 
   Moreover, a clamp (not shown in the drawing) is preferably installed on outsides of the first and second plane portions  71  and  74  to securely couple the gasket  70  to the cabinet and tub  52  and  64 . 
   Meanwhile, a lip  75  is formed on an inner circumference of the gasket  70  to protrude toward a space between the tub  64  and the drum  62 . The lip  75  is built in one body of the gasket  70  to prevent particles from being put in the space between the tub  64  and the drum  62 . 
   The tilted drum type washing machine according to the present invention includes a support member preventing the lip  75  from drooping to prevent a contact between the lip  75  and the drum  62 . 
   In the tilted drum type washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the support member, as shown in  FIG. 3 , includes a reinforcement rib  77  installed on an inner circumference of the tub  64  to support an inner lateral side of the lip  75 . 
   The reinforcement rib  77  may be singly formed long along the inner circumference of the tub  64 . Instead, a plurality of reinforcement ribs can be formed to leave a predetermined interval from each other. 
   The reinforcement rib  77  is formed to be contacted with the inner lateral side of the lip  75 . Of course, the reinforcement rib  77  can be formed to leave a predetermined distance from the inner lateral side of the lip  75  to prevent the lip  75  from drooping over a predetermined angle. 
   And, the reinforcement rib  77  is preferably built in one body of the tub  64 . 
     FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a tilted drum type washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 5  is a magnified view of a portion ‘B’ in  FIG. 4 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a gasket  70  formed of such an elastic material as rubber is installed between the door  68  and the tub  64 . The gasket  70  absorbs a shock transferred to the tub  64  when the drum  62  rotates as well as prevents the water from leaking through the door  68 . 
   For this, one end of the gasket  20  is coupled to the tub  64  and the other end is coupled to the cabinet  52 . 
   Specifically, the gasket  70 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , includes a first plane portion  71 , a second plane portion  74 , and a bending portion  73  connecting the first plane portion  71  to the second plane portion  74 . 
   A detailed description of the above-constructed gasket  70  is as good as that of the first embodiment of the present invention, thereby being skipped in the following. 
   Meanwhile, a lip  75  is formed on an inner circumference of the gasket  70  to protrude toward a space between the tub  64  and the drum  62 . The lip  75  is built in one body of the gasket  70  to prevent particles from being put in the space between the tub  64  and the drum  62 . 
   The tilted drum type washing machine according to the present invention includes a support member preventing the lip  75  from drooping to prevent an interruption between the lip  75  and the drum  62 . 
   In the tilted drum type washing machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the support member, as shown in  FIG. 5 , includes a protrusion  79  formed on an inner circumference of the tub  64  to be contacted with an inner lateral side of the lip  75 . 
   The protrusion  79  may be formed at a central portion or tip of the inner lateral side of the lip  75 . The protrusion  79  may be singly formed long along the inner circumference of the tub  64 . Instead, a plurality of protrusions can be formed to leave a predetermined interval from each other thereon. 
   The protrusion  79  can be formed to leave a predetermined distance from the tub  75 . In case that the protrusion  79  is formed to leave the predetermined distance from the tub  75 , the protrusion  79  is brought contact with the tub  64  to prevent the lip  75  from drooping when the lip  75  droops inward. 
   And, the protrusion  79  is preferably built in one body of the lip  75 . 
   Accordingly, the tilted drum type washing machine according to the present invention has the following effects or advantages. 
   First of all, the present invention includes the support member preventing the lip from drooping inward. The support member prevents the interruption between the lip and the drum, thereby preventing the lip from being worn out. 
   Secondly, the present invention enables to maintain the shape of the lip uniformly to enhance a product reliance. 
   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 invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.