Patent ID: 7322127

Claim:
A dryer, comprising: a housing; a drum rotatably installed in the housing; a heating apparatus for supplying hot air to the drum; a door configured to open and close an entrance formed in the housing for putting a laundry item in the drum; and an apparatus configured to releasably engage the door and the housing, comprising; a hook provided at one side of the door of the dryer, the hook having a hanging portion at one end; a latch body provided on the housing in the vicinity of the entrance, wherein the hanging portion is configured to be inserted into the latch body; a pair of holders positioned in the latch body so as to confront each other, wherein the pair of holders is configured to engage and hold the hanging portion when the door is closed, and to release the hanging portion when the door is opened, and wherein each of the pair of holders is configured to translate longitudinally within the latch body so as to engage or disengage the hanging portion; a pair of springs provided at a rear of the holders, respectively; and a pair of support members provided on the latch body, wherein each support member is configured to support a rear portion of one of the springs so that the springs remain stable as the holders move.