Washing machine

• US 20040000177A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Maeng, Chang-Jae
• Granted Patent: US 7,219,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/17R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents

Abstract

A washing machine having a detergent supply device which is easily installed in a cabinet of the washing machine, and is not exposed to the outside of the cabinet. The detergent supply device includes a detergent container and a handle, and is seated in a reception chamber defined at an upper portion of the cabinet. Locking slots are formed on side mounting parts of the handle, and locking projections are provided on opposite sidewalls of the reception chamber, so as to have the locking projections be inserted into the locking slots where the handle is downwardly rotated. A cover is hinged to an upper portion of the reception chamber so as not to expose the detergent supply device to the outside. At least one hook is provided on a front end of the cover, and at least one hook hole is formed on a front portion of the reception chamber to engage with the hook, so as to have the cover openably cover the upper portion of the reception chamber.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet which defines an appearance of the washing machine;

a detergent supply device which is removably installed in the cabinet; and

a reception chamber which is defined at an upper portion of the cabinet to receive the detergent supply device, wherein the detergent supply device comprises;

a detergent container to contain detergent therein, and

a handle which is mounted on an upper portion of the detergent container, and selectively locks and releases the detergent supply device to and from the reception chamber in response to the handle being rotated.

2. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reception chamber has a depth corresponding to a height of the detergent supply device so as to have the detergent supply device not be projected from the cabinet where the detergent supply device is seated in the reception chamber.

3. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the handle comprises:

two side mounting parts which rotatably mount the handle to the detergent container and removably lock the handle to the cabinet; and

a connection part which integrally connects the two side mounting parts to each other into a single structure.

4. The washing machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

the handle includes hinge holes which are provided on the corresponding side mounting parts, and

the detergent container includes hinge shafts which are outwardly projected from an upper portion of corresponding opposite sidewalls of the detergent container, so as to be inserted into the respective hinge holes and rotatably mount the handle to the detergent container.

5. The washing machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the handle further includes locking slots which are formed on the corresponding side mounting parts, at corresponding positions adjacent to the respective hinge holes, and are provided with an opening which is downwardly opened where the handle is upwardly rotated, and

the reception chamber includes locking projections which are provided on the corresponding opposite sidewalls of the reception chamber, and are inserted into the locking slots through the openings to lock the detergent supply device to the reception chamber in response to the detergent container being seated in the reception chamber and the handle being downwardly rotated.

6. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detergent container has at least one sidewall thereof which is downwardly and inwardly inclined, so as to allow the detergent to easily flow to a bottom of the detergent container.

7. The washing machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein the at least one sidewall of the detergent container has an angle in a range from 45°

to 55°

with respect to a horizontal support surface of the detergent container.

8. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reception chamber includes a cover which is installed on an upper portion of the reception chamber to open and close the reception chamber, so as to cover the detergent supply device received in the reception chamber.

9. The washing machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein the cover is hinged to a rear portion of the reception chamber so as to be rotated upward and downward.

10. The washing machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the cover includes at least one hook which is provided on a front end of the cover, and

the reception chamber further includes at least one hook hole which is formed on a front portion of the reception chamber to engage with the hook, so as to have the cover openably cover an open top portion of the reception chamber.

11. The washing machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein the cover comprises the same material and has the same color as those of the cabinet.

12. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device further comprises a detergent feeding part which is provided at a lower portion of the detergent container, and includes an automatic detergent feeding unit which automatically feeds the detergent to the washing machine.

13. The washing machine as set forth in claim 12, wherein:

the detergent feeding part has a tubular shape and is open at first and second ends thereof, and

the automatic detergent feeding unit comprises;

a feed screw which is set in the detergent feeding part and rotates to feed the detergent to the second end of the detergent feeding part;

a detergent feeding motor which is provided at a position adjacent to the first end of the detergent feeding part and drives the feed screw;

a cap which is provided at the second end of the detergent feeding part; and

a cap drive motor which selectively opens and closes the cap.

14. The washing machine as set forth in claim 13, wherein:

the cap is connected to the cap drive motor and biased to normally close the second end of the detergent feeding part, and

the detergent feeding motor and the cap driving motor are fixedly installed in the cabinet and do not disengage the cabinet in response to removal of the detergent supply device from the cabinet.

15. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device is made of a crystalline resign material which prevents the detergent from solidifying.

16. The washing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein the detergent supply device further comprises an upper member having an opening and removably mounted on an open top of the detergent container.

17. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet which defines an appearance of the washing machine;

a wash tub to receive laundry therein; and

a detergent supply device which is removably installed in the cabinet, and comprises;

a detergent container to contain detergent therein, and

a handle which is mounted on an upper portion of the detergent container, and selectively locks and releases the detergent supply device to and from the cabinet in response to the handle being rotated.

18. The washing machine as set forth in claim 17, wherein the detergent supply device is installed within the cabinet so as not to be exposed to the outside of the cabinet.

19. The washing machine as set forth in claim 17, wherein the detergent supply device further comprises an automatic detergent feeding unit which aerates and automatically feeds the detergent to the wash tub.

20. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet which defines an appearance of the washing machine;

a wash tub to receive laundry therein;

an automatic detergent supply device which is removably installed within the cabinet, and automatically feeds detergent received therein to the wash tub; and

a handle which is mounted on an upper portion of the detergent container, and selectively locks and releases the detergent supply device to and from the cabinet in response to the handle being rotated.

21. A detergent supply device for use in a washing machine having a cabinet which defines an appearance of the washing machine, a wash tub to receive laundry therein, and a reception chamber which is defined in the cabinet to receive the detergent supply device therein, comprising:

a detergent container to contain detergent therein, and

a handle which is mounted on an upper portion of the detergent container, and selectively locks and releases the detergent supply device to and from the cabinet in response to the handle being rotated.

22. The detergent supply device for use in a washing machine as set forth in claim 21, wherein the detergent supply device is installed within the reception chamber of the cabinet so as not to be exposed to the outside of the cabinet.

23. The detergent supply device for use in a washing machine as set forth in claim 21, wherein the detergent supply device further comprises an automatic detergent feeding unit which aerates and automatically feeds the detergent to the wash tub.