Washing machine

• US 20050022565A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Hye Sun, Shin, Soo Hee
• Application Number:
  US10/899,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022565A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/24
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/06 Ribs, lifters, or rubbing means forming part of the receptacle

Abstract

The present invention provides a washing machine, by which washing and dewatering capabilities are enhanced. The present invention includes a housing, a tub provided within the housing to reserve water therein, a drum rotatably provided within the tub to perform washing on a laundry therein, and at least one lifter projected on an inner circumference of the drum at a first predetermined height to lift the laundry to fall from a second predetermined height wherein the laundry is prevented from being stuck between one side of the at least one lifter and the drum.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a housing;

a tub provided within the housing to reserve water therein;

a drum rotatably provided within the tub to perform washing on a laundry therein; and

at least one lifter projected on an inner circumference of the drum at a first predetermined height to lift the laundry to fall from a second predetermined height wherein the laundry is prevented from being stuck between one side of the at least one lifter and the drum.

2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter prevents the laundry from accessing to a gap between the lateral side of the lifter and the inner circumference of the drum.

3. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter isolates a gap between the lateral side of the lifter and the inner circumference of the drum from an inner space of the drum.

4. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter is configured to cover a gap between the lateral side of the lifter and the inner circumference of the drum.

5. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter is configured to fill up a gap between the lateral side of the lifter and the inner circumference of the drum.

6. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter is configured to increase a contact area with the laundry.

7. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises an extension extending from one of both lateral sides along the inner circumference of the drum.

8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises extensions extending from both lateral sides along the inner circumference of the drum, respectively.

9. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises an extension extending from one of both lateral sides in a main rotational direction of the drum.

10. The washing machine of claim 9, wherein the main rotational direction of the drum is a rotational direction during dewatering.

11. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension is shorter than the at least one lifter.

12. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein an upper end of the extension is lower than an upper end of the lifter.

13. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein an upper end of the extension is located at a half of a height of the lifter.

14. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein a lower end of the extension is contacted with the inner circumference of the drum.

15. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension comprises at least one hole communicating with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum to have the water flow in via the extension.

16. The washing machine of claim 15, wherein an entrance of the hole is configured not to be contacted with the laundry.

17. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension is configured to increase a contact area with the laundry.

18. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension is configured to protrude in part.

19. The washing machine of claim 18, wherein the extension comprises at least one hole between protrusions of the extension to communicate with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum.

20. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension comprises tops and bottoms alternatively arranged on an upper end of the extension in a length direction of the extension.

21. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension comprises an upper end having a wave shape.

22. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the extension comprises a plurality of holes formed in the bottoms to communicate with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum.

23. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension comprises at least one rib extending on an upper end of the extension in a length direction of the extension.

24. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension comprises a plurality of ribs extending in parallel on an upper end of the extension in a length direction of the extension.

25. The washing machine of claim 24, wherein the extension comprises holes between a plurality of the ribs to communicate with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum.

26. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein the extension comprises a plurality of projections on an upper end of the extension to leave a predetermined interval from each other.

27. The washing machine of claim 26, wherein the extension comprises holes between a plurality of the projections to communicate with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum.

28. The washing machine of claim 8, wherein a groove extends between the extension and the at least one lifter in a length direction of the extension or the at least one lifter.

29. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter is configured to have the laundry slide thereon.

30. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises at least one or more rotational bodies rotatably installed to be contacted with the laundry.

31. The washing machine of claim 30, wherein the at least one rotational body is a ball.

32. The washing machine of claim 30, wherein a plurality of rotational bodies are arranged along an upper end of the at least one lifter.

33. The washing machine of claim 30, wherein the at least one lifter comprises at least one recess receiving the at least one rotational body therein to prevent the at least one rotational body from being separated from the at least one lifter.

34. The washing machine of claim 30, wherein the at least one lifter further comprises a plate installed on a surface of the at least one lifter to hold the at least one rotational body to prevent the at least one rotational body from being separated from the at least one lifter.

35. The washing machine of claim 34, wherein the plate comprises at least one hole having a size smaller than that of the at least one rotational body to have the at least one rotational body fitted therein.

36. The washing machine of claim 34, wherein the plate is installed not to be projected from the at least one lifter.

37. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises at least one hole communicating with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum to have the water flow in via the at least one lifter.

38. The washing machine of claim 30, wherein the at least one lifter comprises a plurality of holes between the rotational bodies to communicate with at least one or more perforated holes of the drum.

39. The washing machine of claim 38, wherein a plurality of the holes are arranged in a row between the rotational bodies.

40. The washing machine of claim 38, wherein a plurality of the holes are diagonally arranged in each space between the rotational bodies.

41. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one lifter comprises tops and bottoms formed on at least one lateral side to be alternately arranged in a length direction of the at least one lifter.

42. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein at least one lateral side of the at least one lifter is wave-shaped.