Patent ID: 12227892

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments described in the present specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only examples of embodiments of the present disclosure, and various modifications may be made at the time of filing of the present disclosure to replace the embodiments and drawings of the present specification.

Like reference numbers or signs in the various drawings of the application represent parts or components that perform substantially the same functions.

The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments and are not intended to restrict and/or to limit the present disclosure. For example, the singular expressions herein may include plural expressions, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, the terms “comprises” and “has” are intended to indicate that there are features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts, or combinations thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component. The term “and/or” includes any combination of a plurality of related items or any one of a plurality of related items.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to providing a washing machine capable of blocking water from penetrating into a door-lock when a user sprays the water into the washing machine to clean an exterior of the washing machine.

Further, various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to providing a washing machine capable of preventing the occurrence of safety accidents such as fire due to penetration of moisture into a door-lock.

A washing machine according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may prevent the occurrence of safety accidents, such as fire, by blocking water introduced into the washing machine from the outside from penetrating into a door-lock.

Further, a washing machine according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may block the penetration of water into the door-lock simply by providing a sealing member at an upper end of a cover member without a separate device, so that the washing machine can have a further simple structure and the manufacturing cost can be lowered.

FIG.1is a perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.2is an exploded perspective view in which a door of the washing machine ofFIG.1is separated from a cabinet,FIG.3is a perspective view illustrating a front panel, a cover member, and a sealing member of the washing machine ofFIG.1,FIG.4is an enlarged perspective view of the cover member and the sealing member ofFIG.3, andFIG.5is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B′ ofFIG.4.

Referring toFIGS.1to3, the washing machine1includes a cabinet10forming a washing space5therein, a tub (not shown) to store washing water or rinsing water to be used in a washing process or a rinsing process, and a driving motor (not shown) to rotate the drum (not shown). The washing space5inside the cabinet may be formed by the tub and the drum.

The cabinet10includes an upper panel10a, a front panel10b, a rear panel10c, and a side panel10dconstituting an upper, front, rear and side surfaces of the cabinet, respectively.

A control panel80including input parts81aand81bto receive an operation command of the washing machine1from a user and a display part83to display operation information of the washing machine1is provided at an upper portion of the front panel10b.

In the center of the front panel10bbelow the control panel80, a laundry inlet11for putting laundry into the drum30is provided, and a door100provided to open and close the laundry inlet11is hinged to the front panel10b.

The door100is provided to correspond to the laundry inlet11, and may be provided rotatably with respect to the cabinet10. The door100may include a door frame112and a door glass130.

The door frame112is configured in a substantially annular shape, but may also be configured in a substantially rectangular shape.

The door glass130may be formed of a transparent material so that the inside of the drum may be seen from the outside of the washing machine even when the door100closes the laundry inlet11. The door glass130may be disposed to convexly protrude from the door frame112toward the inside of the cabinet10. Through this configuration, the door glass130may be inserted into the laundry inlet11when the door100is closed.

A hinge114is provided around the laundry inlet11so that the door100may rotate with respect to the cabinet10, so that the hinge114is coupled to a hinge coupling part115formed on one side of the door100. A hook116is provided on the other side of the door frame112, and a door-lock S including a hook accommodating portion118corresponding to the hook116is provided on the front panel10b, so that the door100may be maintained in a state of closing the laundry inlet11.

That is, the door-lock S is coupled to a rear surface of the door100by allowing the hook116, which is provided on the rear surface of the door100, to be accommodated in the hook accommodating portion118when the door100closes the laundry inlet11, thereby maintaining the door100in a closed state. In other words, as the hook116is inserted into a main body of the door-lock S to be fixed to the main body of the door-lock S, the door frame112may be maintained in a state of closing the laundry inlet11.

When the user sprays water from the outside of the washing machine1toward the front panel10bto clean an exterior of the washing machine1, the water may be introduced into the washing machine1through a gap between the front panel10band the control panel80. Also, when the user sprays water toward the upper panel10aor the side panel10dof the washing machine1, the water may be introduced into the washing machine1. As such, as the user sprays water toward the washing machine1, the water introduced into the washing machine1may fall and penetrate into the door-lock S, and when the water penetrates through the door-lock S, safety accidents such as fire may occur.

Therefore, in order to prevent the occurrence of safety accidents, as illustrated inFIG.3, the washing machine1may further include a cover member200and a sealing member300to prevent water from penetrating into the door-lock S.

The cover member200is mounted on a rear surface10b-1of the front panel10bto serve to cover the door-lock S. In this case, the cover member200may include an upper surface271, a lower surface (not shown), a front surface (not shown), a rear surface275, and opposite side surfaces277and279to cover the door-lock S.

The upper surface271of the cover member200may be formed above the door-lock S to cover an upper portion of the door-lock S. Accordingly, when water introduced into the inside of the washing machine1from the outside falls from above the door-lock S, moisture does not penetrate into the door-lock S.

The front surface273of the cover member200, which is a surface facing the rear surface of the front panel10b, may cover only a portion of a front portion of the door-lock S. This is to allow the hook accommodating portion118formed on the front portion of the door-lock S to penetrate the front panel10bsuch that the hook116provided on the rear surface of the door100may be coupled to the hook accommodating portion118.

The lower surface, the rear surface275, and the opposite side surfaces277and279of the cover member200may cover a lower portion, a rear portion, and opposite side portions of the door-lock S, respectively.

As such, the cover member200may be mounted on the rear surface of the front panel10bto cover the door-lock S so that moisture does not penetrate into the door-lock S.

However, as the cover member200is mounted on the rear surface of the front panel10b, there is a possibility that water penetrates into a gap between the cover member200and the front panel10band is introduced into the door-lock S. That is, water may be introduced into a gap between an upper flange210on the upper surface271of the cover member200, which is a portion facing the rear surface of the front panel10b, and the front panel10b.

Accordingly, as the sealing member300is provided on the upper flange210of the cover member200to seal the gap between the rear surface of the front panel10band the upper flange210of the cover member200, the sealing member300serves to block water from entering the door-lock S by penetrating into the gap between the cover member200and the front panel10b.

More specifically, the upper flange210formed on the upper surface of the cover member200, which is a portion facing the rear surface of the front panel10b, may have a shape corresponding to the rear surface of the front panel10b. For example, as illustrated inFIGS.3and4, when a step190having a donut shape is formed on the rear surface10b-1of the front panel10b, the upper flange210may include a concave portion192to correspond to the step190.

The sealing member300may be configured to include an elastic material. For example, the sealing member300may be made of a material including at least one of rubber, sponge, and silicon.

The sealing member300may include a body310coupled to the upper flange210, and a lip320integrally formed with the body310.

The body310may be provided on the upper flange210of the cover member200to face the rear surface10b-1of the front panel10b. In addition, the body310may be formed in a shape corresponding to the upper flange210to be coupled to the upper flange210. For example, when the upper flange210of the cover member200includes the concave portion192, the upper flange210may have a shape including a first bent portion330corresponding to the concave portion192. Accordingly, the first bent portion330may be formed in a shape corresponding to the step190to be in close contact with the step190.

The body310may be provided to have a thickness of 1 mm.

The lip320may be provided to be inclined upward from the body310to form a predetermined angle with respect to the body310. That is, the lip320may be bent upward from the body310in a state in which the body310is coupled to a first side210to form a first angle θ1with respect to the body310. In this case, the first angle may be formed within a range of 120 degrees to 135 degrees. The lip320may be provided to have a thickness of 1 mm.

As such, when the cover member200is mounted on the front panel10bin a state in which the sealing member300is coupled to the cover member200, the lip320may be deformed to form a second angle θ2that is smaller than the first angle θ1with respect to the body310as the lip320comes into contact with the front panel10bin a state of being formed at a first angle θ1. At the same time, the lip320may be in close contact with the rear surface of the front panel10bby including an elastic material, and thus the lip320may more effectively seal the gap between the rear surface of the front panel10band the cover member200.

The lip320may include a second bent portion333to be in close contact with the step190like the body310in a state of being coupled to the body310as described above.

The second bent portion333may include a protrusion335in which a portion thereof protrudes toward an end of the step190, that is, an end of the concave portion192, and thus the second bent portion333may be effectively in close contact with the end of the step190.

As described above, as the gap between the rear surface of the front panel10band the cover member200is sealed by the sealing member300, when water is introduced into the washing machine1from the outside, water may be prevented from falling from an upper end201of the cover member200and being introduced into the door-lock S located at a lower portion of the cover member200.

The sealing member300may be insert-injected onto the upper end201of the cover member200through a conventional insert injection molding apparatus. Accordingly, because the sealing member300is integrally formed with the cover member200when provided on the upper end201of the cover member200not to form a gap between the sealing member300and the cover member200, the inflow of water between the sealing member300and the cover member200may be blocked, and thus, the penetration of water into the door-lock S may be blocked more effectively.

FIG.6is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cover member and a sealing member of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.7is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cover member and a sealing member of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.6, a sealing member301may be further easily coupled to the cover member200through a conventional adhesive. That is, when an adhesive surface400is formed on the upper flange210of the cover member200by the adhesive, the body310may be adhered to the adhesive surface400.

Alternatively, referring toFIG.7, a sealing member302may be fitted to the upper flange210of the cover member200. That is, a coupling groove212formed to be concave downward may be provided on the upper flange210, and a lower portion of the body310may be formed in a shape corresponding to the coupling groove212to be coupled to the coupling groove212. Thus, the sealing member302may be fixed to the upper flange210more stably.

FIG.8is a perspective view illustrating a cover member and a sealing member of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

As illustrated inFIG.8, a sealing member303of a washing machine2may be provided to seal a gap between at least one of the opposite side surfaces277and279of the cover member200and the rear surface of the front panel10b.

That is, as illustrated in the drawing, the sealing member303may be provided to seal a gap between the second side surface279of the first and second side surfaces277and279of the cover member200and the rear surface of the front panel10b. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the sealing member303may be provided to seal a gap between the first side surface277and the rear surface of the front panel10b, and may be provided on each of the first side surface277and the second side surface279to seal both the gap between the first side surface277and the rear surface of the front panel10band the gap between the second side surface277and the rear surface of the front panel10b.

A lower flange220provided to face the rear surface of the front panel10bmay be formed on one side of the first side surface277or the second side surface279of the cover member200. As the sealing member303is coupled to the lower flange220, the sealing member303may prevent water from penetrating into a gap between the lower flange220and the rear surface of the front panel10b.

In this case, the sealing member303may be insert-injected onto the lower flange220of the cover member200through a conventional insert injection molding apparatus, or alternatively, may be adhered to the lower flange220through an adhesive, and may be fitted into the lower flange220by being inserted into a coupling groove (not shown) formed on the lower flange220.

Further, although not illustrated in the drawing, the sealing member303may be provided on both the upper flange210and the lower flange220of the cover member200to seal both the gap between the upper flange210and the front panel10band the gap between the lower flange220and the front panel10b.

As described above, when water is introduced into the washing machine1as the user sprays water toward the exterior of the washing machine1to clean the exterior of the washing machine1, the washing machine1of the present disclosure may fundamentally block the inflow of water into the door-lock S, thereby preventing safety accidents such as fire due to contact between water and the door-lock S.

FIG.9is a perspective view illustrating a cover member, an auxiliary cover, and a door-lock of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.10is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ ofFIG.9,FIG.11is a perspective view illustrating the cover member and the auxiliary cover ofFIG.7,FIG.12is an enlarged view illustrating a part ‘C’ ofFIG.11,FIG.13is a perspective view of the cover member and the auxiliary cover ofFIG.7viewed from a different angle, andFIG.14is an enlarged view illustrating a part ‘D’ ofFIG.13.

Referring toFIGS.9and10, the washing machine1further includes an auxiliary cover500coupled to the cover member200.

The auxiliary cover500may be connected to one side surface of the cover member200. The auxiliary cover500may be provided to be foldable with respect to the cover member200. The auxiliary cover500may be provided to be folded or unfolded with respect to the cover member200.

The cover member200and the auxiliary cover500may be manufactured by injection molding to enable mass production, thereby reducing production costs. The cover member200and the auxiliary cover500may be provided integrally.

The door-lock S may be positioned inside the cover member200in a state in which the auxiliary cover500is unfolded with respect to the cover member200, and when the door-lock S is positioned, the auxiliary cover500may be folded with respect to the cover member200to prevent from the water fallen from the upper end of the cover member200into being introduced into the door-lock S.

The auxiliary cover500may be positioned inside the cover member200when a connection part510, which will be described later, is folded, to be positioned below the upper end of the cover member200. Accordingly, the water fallen to the cover member200through the gap between the front panel10band the control panel80is blocked from the flow by the auxiliary cover500, so that the water may not be introduced into the door-lock S. That is, the water flowed along the upper end of the cover member200may not penetrate into the door-lock S by an upper end of the auxiliary cover500.

More specifically, the auxiliary cover500may include the connection part510provided to be foldable on one side surface of the cover member200, and an auxiliary part550connected to the connection part510to block the penetration of water into the door-lock when the connection part510is folded.

The connection part510may be coupled to the one side surface279of the cover member200as illustrated in the drawing, or alternatively, to the other side surface277of the cover member200. However, when a portion of the other side surface277of the cover member200is cut to accommodate the door-lock S as illustrated in the drawing, it may be appropriate for the connection part510to be coupled to the one side surface277of the cover member200to ensure structural stability.

Referring toFIGS.11and12, the connection part510includes a bent portion514provided on one side and first and second extension portions516and517provided on opposite sides of the bent portion514.

The bent portion514is provided between the first extension portion516and the second extension portion517, the first extension portion516is connected to a side surface579of the cover member200, and the second extension portion517is connected to the auxiliary part550.

The bent portion514may have a thickness smaller than a thickness of each of the first and second extension portions516and517. Thus, the connection part510may be more easily folded around the bent portion514, and in a state in which the connection part510is folded around the bent portion514, the auxiliary cover500may be positioned below the upper end of the cover member200to block water from penetrating into the door-lock S.

The bent portion514may include a groove515. The groove515may be provided on one surface511of the connection part510. The groove515may be provided in a U-shape or a V-shape. The connection part510may be folded to face the rear surface of the cover member200around the groove515from a state of being unfolded with respect to the cover member200as illustrated inFIG.11.

Referring back toFIGS.9and10, the auxiliary part550includes an upper plate551and a front plate553extending from one end of the upper plate551. When the auxiliary cover500is folded, the upper plate551may be positioned to face the upper surface271of the cover member200, and the front plate553may be positioned to face the front panel10b.

The upper plate551may be provided to cover an upper end of the door-lock S. The upper plate551may be provided to be inclined upward toward the rear surface of the cover member200. Thus, the water fallen from the upper surface271of the cover member200may move to the front plate553along the upper surface plate551.

A protrusion570protruding toward a front surface of the front plate553to prevent from the water flowed along the upper plate551to fall may be provided at an end of the front plate553.

As illustrated inFIG.10, the water flowed along the upper surface of the cover member200by falling to the cover member200through the gap between the front panel10band the control panel80may fall to the upper plate551of the auxiliary part550, and the water fallen to the upper plate551may move to the protrusion560of the front plate553along the upper plate551. As the upper plate551covers the upper end of the door-lock S and the protrusion560is formed to protrude from the end of the front plate553, even when water falls from the protrusion560, the water may not penetrate into the door-lock S.

Referring toFIGS.13and14, the washing machine may further include a rib590to connect the other surface512of the connection part510and the side surface279of the cover member200. The rib590may be provided to connect from the side surface of the cover member200to a position at the other surface512of the connection part510, which corresponds to the groove515provided on the connection part510. Thus, the rib590may serve to not only assist the connection part510to be easily folded around the groove515, but also serve to reinforce the strength of the connection part510. The present disclosure exemplifies that three of the ribs590are provided, but the number of ribs590is not limited thereto.

Referring back toFIGS.9and11, the auxiliary part550may further include a hook member570connected to the front plate553. The hook member570is coupled to a protrusion (not shown) provided on the other side surface277of the cover member200when the connection part510is folded, so that the auxiliary cover500may be fixed to the cover member200.

FIG.15is a perspective view illustrating a cover member and an auxiliary cover of a washing machine according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.16is a plan view of the cover member and the auxiliary cover ofFIG.15viewed from above.

Referring toFIGS.15and16, the connection part510may include a bent portion580having a semicircle or arc shape, and first and second extension portions581and582connected to opposite ends of the bent portion580.

The bent portion580is provided between the first extension portion581and the second extension portion582, the first extension portion581is connected to the side surface579of the cover member200, and the second extension portion582is connected to the auxiliary part550.

When the connection part510is folded to be positioned below the upper end of the cover member200, the connection part510may be folded around the bent portion580. In this case, as the connection part510is folded around the bent portion580having a semicircle or arc shape, the connection part510may be prevented from being deformed or broken by being bent.

The embodiments disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings have been described above. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.