DISHWASHER AND SOUND-INSULATION MEMBER THEREFOR

• US 20080236637A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Tae Hee, PYO, Joon Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,867,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/115R
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4209 Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation

Abstract

A dishwasher is provided which can reduce the discharge of noise produced by the dishwasher, thereby preventing a user from being upset due to the noise and achieving not only a comfortable use environment but also an improvement in productivity. With the dishwasher, it is possible to prevent the noise, caused during operation of the dishwasher, from being discharged from a lower side of a door, by use of a sound-insulation member with a simplified configuration. In the manufacture of the dishwasher, improved assembly productivity can be accomplished.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein;

a door openably attached to the case;

a base on which the case is supported; and

a single sound-insulation member that substantially prevents noise discharge between a lower end of the door and a front frame of the case, through a front side of the base, and between the base and the floor.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a flexible material.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a front cover mounted on the front side of the base.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the single sound-insulation member further substantially prevents sound from leaking out from spaces formed between side edges of the front cover and the base.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a vertically extending portion, a horizontally extending portion that extends from vertically extending portion, and a curved front portion that extends from the horizontally extending portion.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5, further comprising a sound absorbing member mounted on the vertically-extending portion.

7. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the single sound-insulation member is positioned between the front cover and the base.

8. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a sound absorbing member provided between the single sound-insulation member and the base.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8, wherein the sound-absorbing member is made of a porous sound-absorbing material.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a sound absorbing member attached to the single sound-insulating member.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein the sound-absorbing member is made of a porous sound-absorbing material.

12. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein a lower end of the door is positioned from the base by a predetermined space and the single sound-insulation member extends along a length of the space and along a vertical length of the base to the floor.

13. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member is coupled to the base by one of fasteners, welding, or press-fitting.

14. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the door includes a fixing recess for receiving a distal end of the single sound-insulation member and a press member that secures the distal end in the fixing recess.

15. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member includes an air hole.

16. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member is formed by double injection molding such that a portion is made of a hard material and a portion is made of a soft material.

17. A method of reducing discharge of noise from a dishwasher, the dishwasher comprising a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein, a door openably attached to the case, and a base on which the case is supported, the method comprising:

providing a single sound-insulation member; and

extending the single sound-insulation member from a lower end of the door along a horizontal length between the lower end of the door and the base and along a vertical length of the base so as to substantially prevent noise discharge between a lower end of the door and a front frame of the case, through a front side of the base, and between the base and the floor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a flexible material.

19. The dishwasher of claim 17, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a vertically extending portion, a horizontally extending portion that extends from vertically extending portion, and a curved front portion that extends from the horizontally extending portion.

20. The dishwasher of claim 17, further comprising positioning the single sound-insulation member between a front cover of the base and the base.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a sound absorbing member attached to the single sound-insulating member.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising attaching the single sound-insulation member to the base by one of fasteners, welding, or press-fitting.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the single sound-insulation member with an air hole.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming the single sound-insulation member by double injection molding such that a portion is made of a hard material and a portion is made of a soft material.

25. A dishwasher, comprising:

a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein;

a door openably attached to the case;

a base on which the case is supported;

a front cover mounted on a front side of the base; and

a single sound-insulation member that substantially prevents noise discharge between a lower end of the door and a front frame of the case, through a front side of the base, and from spaces formed between side edges of the front cover and the base.

26. A dishwasher, comprising:

a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein;

a door openably attached to the case;

a base on which the case is supported;

a front cover mounted on a front side of the base; and

a single sound-insulation member that substantially prevents noise discharge through a front side of the base, between the base and the floor, and from spaces formed between side edges of a front cover and the base.