Washing machine and method for assembling the same

• US 20050257577A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lyu, Jae Cheol
• Application Number:
  US11/036,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20050257577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/12.230
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming

Abstract

Provided is a washing machine including: a console including at least one hole and provided at a predetermined portion of the washing machine; a control panel provided at a rear of the console, for controlling and displaying operation state of the washing machine; and a decoration panel including at least one protrusion formed at a rear surface of the decoration panel radiation and fixedly inserted into the hole of the console such that the decoration panel is coupled with a front surface of the console.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a console including at least one hole and provided at a predetermined portion of the washing machine;

a control panel provided at a rear of the console, for controlling and displaying operation state of the washing machine; and

a decoration panel including at least one protrusion provided at a rear surface of the decoration panel radiation and fixedly inserted into the hole of the console such that the decoration panel is coupled with a front surface of the console.

2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the protrusion inserted into the hole has one end bent and fixed.

3. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the decoration panel is made of metal material and the protrusion is formed integrally with the decoration panel.

4. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the decoration panel has an opening formed at a center portion thereof and communicating with the control panel and an extending portion formed outside the opening and outwardly protruded.

5. The washing machine of claim 4, wherein the protrusion is provided at an end of the extending portion.

6. The washing machine of claim 4, wherein the console has a groove formed at a front thereof, through which the extending portion is inserted.

7. The washing machine of claim 6, wherein the hole is formed inside the groove.

8. The washing machine of claim 6, further comprising a sealing member disposed between the extending portion and the groove.

9. The washing machine of claim 4, wherein the extending portion is continuously provided along a circumference of the opening.

10. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the decoration panel comprises:

a first bent portion bent backward from an upper edge;

a second bent portion bent downward from the first bent portion; and

an upper fixing protrusion protruded downward from the second bent portion.

11. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein the console has an upper fixing hole formed at an upper portion of the console and through which the upper fixing protrusion is inserted.

12. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a length greater than a depth of the hole.

13. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a corner processed in a round shape.

14. A washing machine comprising:

a console including at least one hole and at least one groove and disposed at a predetermined portion of the washing machine;

a control panel provided at a rear of the console, for controlling and displaying operation state of the washing machine;

at least one extending portion protruded backward to be inserted into the groove; and

a decoration panel having at least one protrusion provided at the extending portion such that an end of the protrusion is inserted into and fixed in the hole.

15. A method for manufacturing a washing machine, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting an upper fixing protrusion formed at a decoration panel into an upper fixing hole formed at a console, and rotating the decoration panel by a predetermined angle to load the decoration panel into an upper surface of the console;

inserting a protrusion formed at a rear surface of the decoration panel into a hole formed at the console;

bending and fixing an end of the protrusion inserted into the hole; and

assembling the console fixedly coupled with the decoration panel at a predetermined portion of the washing machine.