Door hinge of a laundry treating apparatus

• US 10,711,389 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kwon, Yongwoo, Yong, Seungji, Cheon, Kangwoon, Choi, Jaehoon, Park, Jungjin
• Primary Examiner(s): Adhlakha, Rita P
• Application Number:
  US15/340,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20170121898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/28 Doors; Security means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/304 Arrangements or adaptations of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/20 General details of domestic laundry dryers D06F59/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/06 Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/312 for washing machines

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus includes a body having a laundry introduction opening of a circular shape; a door configured to open and close the laundry introduction opening and having a display and a circular shape eccentric from the laundry introduction opening, and a hinge mounted to the body and configured to rotatably connect the door to the body, wherein the door is rotatably connected to the hinge at connection points asymmetric to each other based on a horizontal center line of the door.

Claims

1. A laundry treating apparatus, comprising:

a body having a laundry introduction opening of a circular shape;

a door configured to open or close the laundry introduction opening and having a display and a circular shape eccentric from the laundry introduction opening; and

a hinge mounted to the body and configured to rotatably connect the door to the body, wherein the door is rotatably connected to the hinge at connection points asymmetric to each other based on a horizontal center line of the door

wherein a center of the hinge is upward-biased based on a horizontal center line of the laundry introduction opening,

wherein the hinge and the door are rotatably connected to each other at a connection device, and wherein the connection device includes an upper connection part and a lower connection part formed to be asymmetric to each other based on the horizontal center line of the door, and

wherein a distance from the horizontal center line of the door to the upper connection part is longer than a distance from the horizontal center line of the door to the lower connection part,

wherein the hinge includes a base member coupled to the body and a connection member having a first connection part connected to the base member, and a second connection art to which the door is rotatably connected,

wherein the base member includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion protruding from the base member and rotatably connected to the first connection part, and

wherein the first protrusion is provided above the horizontal center line of the door and the second protrusion is provided below the horizontal center line of the door, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are asymmetric to each other based on the horizontal center line of the door.

2. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein a door accommodation space configured to accommodate therein the door when the door is closed, is formed at the body, and wherein through holes of the door accommodation space are formed to be asymmetric to each other based on the horizontal center line of the door.

3. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein a center line between regions of the hinge which are exposed to the door accommodation space via the through holes is disposed above a horizontal center line of the laundry introduction opening.

4. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge includes a mounting portion mounted to the body, and wherein the mounting portion is formed such that a width of a lower end region of the mounting portion is narrower than a width of an upper end region of the mounting portion.

5. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the mounting portion is formed such that a lower area of the mounting portion is smaller than an upper area of the mounting portion based on the horizontal center line of the door.

6. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mounting portion is formed such that its width is changed along one direction.

7. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein a length from the horizontal center line of the door to an upper end of the mounting portion is longer than a length from the horizontal center line of the door to a lower end of the mounting portion.

8. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein a first edge of the mounting portion forms a circular arc and a second edge of the mounting portion forms a straight line.

9. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein a surface of the mounting portion that is mounted to the body is inclined.

10. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first protrusion and a second protrusion protrude from the mounting portion, wherein the hinge is provided with a connection member, and wherein the connection member includes a first connection part connected between the first and second protrusions, and a second connection part to which the door is rotatably connected.

11. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second protrusion is provided with a guide groove, and wherein a guide protrusion inserted into the guide groove is arranged at the connection member.

12. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 11, wherein the connection member includes a first member and a second member, wherein a first end of the first member is rotatably connected to the first connection part, wherein a first end of the second member protrudes from a second end of the first member, and a second end of the second member is rotatably connected to the second connection part, and wherein the guide protrusion is installed at a connection part of the first and second members.

13. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 12, wherein the door is opened to a first angle by firstly-rotating about a first rotation center of the hinge as a shaft, and then is opened to a second angle by secondarily-rotating about a second rotation center of the hinge as a shaft, and wherein the first rotation center is eccentric from the second rotation center.

14. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein a width of the mounting portion becomes narrower toward the second protrusion from the first protrusion.

15. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 14, wherein the base member is mounted to the body in a state where an intermediate region between the first and second protrusions is provided above the horizontal center line of the laundry introduction opening.

16. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinge accommodates at least part of an electric wire to electrically connect the display to a controller provided at the body.

17. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection member includes a first member and a second member, wherein a first end of the first member is rotatably connected to the first connection part, and wherein a first end of the second member protrudes from a second end of the first member, and a second end of the second member is rotatably connected to the second connection part.

18. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second member forms a circular arc having the first connection part as the center of the second member.