Patent Publication Number: US-2012031151-A1

Title: Washing machine

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
     The present invention relates to a washing device. 
     BACKGROUND ART  
     In general, a drum type washing machine has a tub mounted in a cabinet which forms an exterior of the washing machine for accommodating washing water. Inside of the tub, there is a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for receiving laundry. Since the drum is rotated by a motor, and vibration of the drum is transmitted to the tub, springs, dampers, and balancers are provided to the washing machine for attenuating the vibration. 
     The tub is suspended from an inside of the cabinet with hanging springs, and the motor is mounted to a rear side of the tub for rotating the drum in the tub. That is, the motor mounted to the rear side of the tub connects the drum to the tub. 
     In the meantime, a related art drum type washing machine causes the vibration at the drum due to unbalance of weight of the laundry leaned to one side when the drum rotates at a high speed. As the vibration transmits from the drum to the tub, the tub also vibrates. 
     Consequently, in order to prevent the tub from hitting the cabinet due to vibration of the tub, an adequate gap between an outside circumferential surface of the tub and the cabinet is required. Therefore, as far as a size of the cabinet is not increased, a volume of the tub can not be increased. It is a recent trend that the consumers prefer a larger capacity of washing for the same size of cabinet. To meet such a user demand, a fixed tub type washing machine has been developed having a structure in which the tub is connected to the cabinet directly and the vibration does not transmit from the drum to the tub for increasing an effective volume. 
     DISCLOSURE  
     Technical Problem 
     To solve the problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine which can compensate a sagged portion of a drum for preventing a portion between a tub and the drum from exposing in a state the drum holds laundry. 
     Technical Solution 
     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a washing machine includes a tub for accommodating washing water, the tub having a laundry opening, a drum rotatably coupled in the tub for receiving laundry, the drum having an opening matched to the laundry opening; and a gasket having a blocking portion for blocking a portion of the laundry opening of the tub, asymmetrically. 
     The blocking portion blocks the laundry opening asymmetrically in up/down directions. 
     The blocking portion is formed to block a portion of an upper side of laundry opening of the tub. 
     The blocking portion is formed to make an upper most side of the opening in the drum is not visible from a front side of the tub. 
     The blocking portion is formed in a shape of a stream line along an inside circumferential surface of an opening side of the drum. 
     The gasket includes a door sealing portion for sealing a door which opens/closes the laundry opening in the tub, and the blocking portion is formed extended further from the door sealing portion inwardly in a radial direction. 
     The gasket includes a first fastening portion for placing a circumferential surface projected forward from a front of the tub therein, and a second fastening portion to be fastened to an inside surface of the tub. 
     The second fastening portion includes a tub fastening portion having a plurality of grooves for placing projections or hooks formed on an inside surface of the tub therein. 
     The washing machine further comprise a driving unit having a rotation shaft connected to the drum, a bearing housing for supporting the rotation shaft, and a motor for rotating the rotation shaft, and a suspension unit connected to the bearing housing for damping vibration of the drum. 
     The washing machine further comprise a driving unit having a rotation shaft connected to the drum, a bearing housing for supporting the rotation shaft, and a motor for rotating the rotation shaft, and a rear gasket for sealing a rear side of the tub to prevent water from leaking from the tub to the driving unit and enabling the driving unit to make movement relative to the tub. 
     The washing machine further comprise a suspension unit for supporting and damping the drum, and the tub is supported rigidly more than the drum is supported by the suspension unit. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     The present invention has following advantageous effects. 
     The washing machine of the present invention improves an esthetic appreciation of the washing machine as the washing machine can block exposure of a gap between the tub and the drum caused by sagging of the front of the drum in a state the drum holds the laundry to the maximum. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a section of a washing machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates perspective view of a door gasket mounted to the tub in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the door gasket in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a diagram showing a sagged state of the drum when the drum in  FIG. 1  is in operation, schematically; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a front view showing a relation between the door gasket and the drum in  FIG. 1  in a state the drum is empty; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a front view showing a relation between the door gasket and the drum in  FIG. 5  in a state the drum is sagged. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE  
     Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     The present invention will be described taking a tub fixed type washing machine having a front portion of the tub directly connected to a cabinet as one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a section of a washing machine in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  illustrates perspective view of a door gasket mounted to the tub in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the door gasket in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a diagram showing a sagged state of the drum when the drum in  FIG. 1  is in operation schematically,  FIG. 5  illustrates a front view showing a relation between the door gasket and the drum in  FIG. 1  in a state the drum is empty, and  FIG. 6  illustrates a front view showing a relation between the door gasket and the drum in  FIG. 5  in a state the drum is sagged. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the washing machine  1  includes a cabinet  10  which forms an exterior of the washing machine  1 , a tub  20  in the cabinet  10  directly connected thereto, a drum  30  rotatably mounted in the tub  20 , a motor  40  mounted in rear of the tub  20  for rotating the drum  30 , a bearing housing  28  which is a rear side of the tub  20  and supports a shaft  42  of the motor  40 , damping means  50  mounted between the bearing housing  28  and the tub  20  for sealing an inside of the tub  20  and damping vibration or impact transmitting from the motor  40  to the tub  20 , and a suspension assembly  60  for supporting the drum  30  and damping the vibration or impact transmitting to the bearing housing  28 . 
     The cabinet  10  has a door  12  mounted to a front  11  thereof for opening/closing an opening for introduction of the laundry into the drum, and a base  16  fixedly secured to an underside thereof. The cabinet  10  also may have a top bracket  73  at an upper side  13  for securing an elastic member  72  for suspending the bearing housing. 
     The tub  20  is directly fixed to an inside of the cabinet  10 . Preferably, the tub  20  and the cabinet  10  may be fixed as a side of the tub  20  facing the door  12  is fastened to an inside of the front  11  of the cabinet  10  with screws  25 . Of course, a side or a rear of the tub  20  may be fastened to the cabinet  10 . The tub also has a laundry opening  22  in a front matched to the opening in the cabinet  10  for introduction of the laundry to the drum  30 . 
     The bearing housing  28  is fixedly mounted to a rear side of the tub  20 . The bearing housing  28  has bearings (not shown) mounted thereto for smooth rotation of the motor shaft  42 , and the motor shaft  42  is supported on the bearings. 
     The damping means  50  dampens the vibration or impact transmitting from the drum  30  and the motor  40  to the tub  20  at the time of washing or spinning. Therefore, it is preferable that the damping means  50  is formed of an elastic material which contacts or relaxes against the vibration or the impact. 
     The motor  40  is coupled to a rear of the bearing housing  28 , and the motor shaft  42  is passed through the bearing housing  28  and fixedly secured to the rear side of the drum  30 . 
     The drum  30  is rotated by the motor shaft  42 , and has lifters  32  on an inside circumferential surface for moving the laundry. The drum  30  also has a balancer  34  in a front for balancing action to suppress vibration of the drum  30  at the time of spinning (though various kinds of balancers, such as a liquid balancer or ball balance, can be used, a liquid balancer is used for the embodiment of the present invention). 
     In the meantime, the suspension assembly  60  includes a damper bracket  62  coupled to the bearing housing  28 , and a damping unit coupled to the damper bracket  62  for supporting the bearing housing  28 . 
     The damping unit includes a maim damper  80  for supporting weight of the drum  30  and damping vertical direction vibration, and a sub-damper  90  for damping horizontal direction vibration of the drum  30 . 
     The drum  30  and the bearing housing  28  are lifted up and supported by the damping unit having the main damper  80  and the sub-damper  90 . 
     Thus, since the tub  20  is directly fixed to the cabinet  10 , and the vibration does not transmit from the drum  30  to the tub  20 , a diameter of the tub  20  can be made greater than the related art washing machine. Eventually, the washing machine of the present invention has an effect of expanding effective volumes of the tub  20  and the drum  30 . 
     Since the tub  20  is fixed to the cabinet  10 , if the vibration or impact is transmitted to the tub  20  fixed to the cabinet  10  as one body, not only the tub  20  itself shakes, but because weight of the cabinet  10  is added, increasing rigidity of the tub  20 , an effect of improving an overall vibration characteristic of the washing machine can be expected. 
     Moreover, since the drum  30  rotating thus is supported only on one side, the inside volume of the drum  30  can be expanded further than a type of the drum  30  which is supported on both sides. Accordingly, since a number of components can be reduced as many, improvement of productivity can be expected. 
     In the meantime, there is a predetermined gap between the drum  30  and the tub  20  such that the drum  30  is not brought into contact with the tub  20  when the drum  30  vibrates. However, if a foreign matter, such as a coin or a button, is placed between the tub  20  and drum  30 , the foreign matter is liable to make noise as the foreign matter hits the drum  30 . Therefore, it is necessary to have a structure for preventing the foreign matter from being placed between the tub  20  and the drum  30  for preventing the placement of the foreign matter and sealing between the tub  20  and the drum  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the drum  30  is supported on the damping unit having a main damper  80  and a sub-damper  90 . Therefore, if the laundry is introduced to the drum  30 , the drum  30  sags down by laundry weight. 
     Particularly, if the drum  30  sags down when the drum  30  holds the laundry or the washing water to the maximum, the gap between a top of the tub  20  and a top of the drum  30  becomes greater, also making possibility of introduction of the foreign matter thereto greater. 
     Moreover, the exposure of the gap between the top of the tub  20  and a top of the drum  30  to an outside of the washing machine, making parts positioned at an exposed portion visible to the user, impairs esthetic appreciation. 
     Therefore, the washing machine in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention prevents the foreign matter from entering between the tub  20  and the drum  30 . 
     Along with this, a door gasket  80  is applied to the washing machine of the present invention for compensating the gap between the top of the drum  30  and the tub  20  in a case the drum  30  sags down by the laundry weight (the compensation used herein means blocking of the gap between the top of the drum  30  and the tub  20 , will be defined as a word having the same meaning with blocking or covering, and will be used together). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the door gasket  80  is mounted along the laundry opening  22  in the tub  20  formed matched to the opening in the front of the cabinet  10 . That is, an outside surface of the door gasket  80  is in close contact with an inside surface of the laundry opening  22 . Therefore, it is preferable that the door gasket  80  has a adequate width such that the door gasket  80  is securely fastened to the inside surface of the laundry opening  22  of the tub  20 . The door gasket  80  may have a tub fastening portion  84  for improving fastening force to the tub  20 , additionally. Moreover, the door gasket  80  may have a water supply hose connection portion  86  for connection of a water supply hose (not shown) thereto, and a blocking portion  82  for compensating a sagged portion of the drum  30 , additionally. 
     The tub fastening portion  84  is formed at a top portion of a rear of the door gasket  80  projected upward from an outside circumference of the rear in a plate shape. The tub fastening portion  84  is placed in and fastened to a gasket fastening portion (not shown) in an upper side of the tub  20  with screws, or by forming a projection or a hook at least one inside surface of the tub fastening portion  84  and the tub and a recesses in the other one for placing on the projection or the hook. 
     The blocking portion  82  is formed at an upper portion of a front of the door gasket  80 , projected downward from an inside circumference of the front in a shape of a stream line. The blocking portion  82  covers the gap between the top of the laundry opening  22  of the tub  20  and the top of the drum  30  when the drum  30  holds the laundry and the washing water to the maximum. The blocking portion may be formed such that an upper side of the opening of the drum is not visible in at least a full load state. The full load state is a state in which the laundry is introduced to the washing machine as much as a maximum capacity. In general, the washing machine has a maximum allowable laundry capacity showing to consumers. For an example, a washing machine sold as an 11 kg class washing machine becomes fully loaded when 11 kg of laundry is introduced thereto. 
     That is, referring to  FIG. 4 , if the drum  30  holds the laundry and the washing water more than a certain weight, the front of the drum  30  sags down. This is because the drum  30  is mounted such that the front thereof is not fastened to the tub  20 , but has a degree of freedom in a state the front is spaced from the tub  20 , while only the rear thereof is supported on the bearing housing  50 . Therefore, if the drum  30  holds the laundry and the washing water more than a certain weight, the front of the drum  30  sags down. 
     In this instance, if there is no blocking portion  82  at the door gasket  80 , various components, such as a water supply structure at an upper side of an inside of the tub  20  can becomes visible to the user through the gap between an upper side of the laundry opening  22  of the tub  20  and the upper side of the drum  30 . 
     If the blocking portion  82  of the door gasket  80  compensates as much as the sagged portion of the drum  30 , the gap between the top of the laundry opening of the tub  20  and the top of the drum  30  is blocked. 
     Preferably, the blocking portion  82  may be formed to compensate as much as an area made visible between the top of the laundry opening of the tub  20  and the top of the drum  30  as the drum  30  sags down. 
     Accordingly, it is preferable that the blocking portion  82  has a width the same with a distance between a lowest point A of the drum  30  when the drum  30  holds no laundry and washing water in a state the drum  30  is stationary, and the lowest point B of the drum  30  when the drum  30  holds the laundry and the washing water to the maximum in a state the drum  30  is stationary. That is, the blocking portion  82  has a width as much as the sagged portion (from B to A) of the drum  30 . 
     Moreover, since the blocking portion  82  is formed such that the gap between the laundry opening  22  of the tub  20  and the blocking portion  82  has the shape of a stream line at the time the drum  30  is at the lowest point B, it is preferable that the blocking portion  82  is formed such that the blocking portion  82  is projected down from the inside circumference of the upper side of the door gasket  80 , with an edge thereof directing the drum  30  forms a stream line along an outside circumference of an upper side of the opening in the drum  30  in conformity with the shape of a stream line of the gap. 
     The washing machine of the present invention improves an esthetic appreciation of the washing machine as exposure between the tub and the drum caused by sagging of the front of the drum in a state the drum holds the laundry to the maximum is blocked. 
     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 the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.