Gasket assembly for dishwasher and door assembly using the same

• US 20050257816A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• 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: Kim, Kyung Lae
• Application Number:
  US10/959,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20050257816A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/200
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4263 Door sealing arrangements

Abstract

A gasket assembly for preventing washing water from being leaked between a door and a tub, and a door assembly provided with the gasket assembly. The gasket assembly includes a rigid bracket, both ends to which hinge frames provided at both lower sides of a door liner are fixed; and a flexible gasket, integrally extended from the bracket and in tight contact with a lower inner surface of a tub, for preventing washing water and from escaping from the tub and from reducing noise levels external to the tub.

Claims

1. A gasket assembly of a dishwasher, comprising:

a rigid bracket, both ends to which hinge frames provided at both lower sides of a door liner are fixed; and

a flexible gasket, integrally extended from the bracket and in tight contact with a lower inner surface of a tub, for preventing washing water and from escaping from the tub and from reducing noise levels external to the tub.

2. The gasket assembly of claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises:

a vertical upper part connected with the respective hinge frames; and

a lower part integrally extended from a lower side of the upper part and connected with a lower end of the door liner.

3. The gasket assembly of claim 2, wherein the lower part is in tight contact with a lower side of the door liner.

4. The gasket assembly of claim 2, wherein the gasket is integrally extended from a front side of the lower part.

5. The gasket assembly of claim 1, wherein the gasket has a distal end curved upwardly to make contact with a lower front inner surface of the tub.

6. The gasket assembly of claim 1, wherein the door liner comprises a lower end, received in a lower inner surface of the tub, the door liner having a recess formed at a front side of the lower end such that the lower end of the bracket can be inserted and fixed to the door liner.

7. A door assembly of a dishwasher, comprising:

a door liner disposed at a front side of the door assembly;

a pair of hinge frames respectively coupled to both lower sides of the door liner and rotating with respect to a hinge shaft;

a bracket having both ends fixed to the hinge frames and allowing the hinge frames to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval; and

a gasket, integrally extended from a lower side of the bracket and in tight contact with a lower inner surface of the tub, for preventing washing water and from escaping from the tub and from reducing noise levels external to the tub.

8. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the bracket comprises:

an upper part connected with the respective hinge frames and disposed vertically in front of the door line; and

a lower part integrally extended from a lower side of the upper part and connected with a lower end of the door liner.

9. The door assembly of claim 8, wherein the lower part is in tight contact with a lower side of the door liner.

10. The door assembly of claim 8, wherein the gasket is integrally extended from a front side of the lower part.

11. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the door liner comprises a lip for receiving and fixing a lower end of the bracket, wherein a recess is formed at a lower front side of the door liner and in tight contact with a lower side of the bracket.

12. The door assembly of claim 11, wherein the recess is formed by a sloped surface disposed at a lower front side of the door liner, and a lip extension extended forward from a lower side of the sloped surface, the door liner having a thickness decreasing toward a lower end of the door liner.

13. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the hinge frame comprises:

a first fixing part coupled to a lower side of the door liner; and

a second fixing part extending from the first fixing part, spaced apart by a predetermined distance from a front side of the door liner, and to which one end of the bracket is fixed, wherein an opening is provided at a lower side of the hinge frame and into which the hinge shaft is inserted.

14. The door assembly of claim 13, wherein the hinge frame further comprises a hook extended rearward from a lower side of the hinge frame, to be connected with one end of an elastic member whose other end is connected to the tub.

15. The door assembly of claim 7, further comprising an elastic member, which is disposed between a lower side of the tub and the hinge frame, to expand and contract as the hinge frame rotates.

16. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the gasket has a distal end curved upwardly to make contact with a lower front inner surface of the tub.

17. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the bracket is formed of a hard synthetic resin.

18. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the gasket is formed of a soft synthetic resin.

19. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein the bracket and gasket are integrally formed by injecting a hard synthetic resin and a soft synthetic resin into a single mold.