DRUM TYPE WASHING MACHINE

• US 20120006076A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: CHANG, Jae Won
• Application Number:
  US13/241,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20120006076A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/140
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/24 Spin speed; Drum movements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/48 Drum speed
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/62 Stopping or disabling machine operation
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/08 Control circuits or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/04 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/10 Doors; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/206 Mounting of motor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/22 in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/26 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/263 assembled from at least two elements connected to each other; Connecting or sealing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/268 for suspension devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/269 for the bearing of the rotary receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/302 Automatic drum positioning
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/304 Arrangements or adaptations of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/42 Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door

Abstract

A drum type washing machine has a cabinet forming an outer appearance of the washing machine, a tub fixed inside the cabinet for storing the washing water, a drum disposed in the tub and having both side surfaces supported by the cabinet to be rotatable and an inlet through which laundries come in/go out on a circumferential surface thereof, and a driving motor fixed on one side surface of the drum to rotate the drum. Washing capacity can be increased while maintaining the entire size of the washing machine by increasing a diameter of the drum without increasing the size of the cabinet, and the entire size of the washing machine can be compacted by minimizing the installation space of the driving motor.

Claims

1. A laundry machine, comprising:

a tub configured to hold water therein;

a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, the drum having a drum inlet in a circumferential surface thereof;

a door that opens and closes the drum inlet;

a rotational shaft connected to the drum;

a motor co-axially connected to the rotational shaft;

a supporting plate that rotatably supports the rotational shaft and the motor; and

a supporting device attached to the supporting plate and configured to reduce vibration of the drum.

2. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the supporting device is connected to the supporting plate at a location radially outside of the motor.

3. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the supporting plate has an extended portion that extends beyond the motor in a radial direction, and wherein the supporting device is attached to the extended portion of the supporting plate.

4. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the extended portion is bent to be further spaced away from the drum.

5. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein the supporting device is connected to a portion of the supporting plate which is further spaced from the drum by the bending.

6. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein the motor is arranged radially inside the bent portion of the supporting plate.

7. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the supporting plate has a recessed portion and the motor is mounted to or in the recessed portion.

8. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a flexible material that seals a gap between the supporting plate and the tub.

9. The laundry machine of claim 8, wherein the flexible material is arranged radially outside of the motor.

10. The laundry machine of claim 9, wherein a drum-facing surface of the supporting plate is spaced farther from the drum at a radially outer portion thereof than at a center portion thereof.

11. The laundry machine of claim 9, wherein a portion of the flexible material connected to the supporting plate is spaced farther from the drum than a center portion of the supporting plate.

12. The laundry machine of claim 9, wherein the flexible material is connected to the extended portion.

13. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein a drum-facing surface of the extended portion is inclined in a radially outward direction.

14. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the supporting device is connected to the supporting plate under the shaft.

15. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the supporting device comprises a couple of suspensions symmetrically arranged with respect to the shaft.

16. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the supporting device is connected to the supporting plate over the shaft.

17. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the supporting device is connected to the supporting plate over and under the shaft.

18. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the tub is fixed to or integrally formed with a cabinet.

19. The drum type washing machine of claim 1, wherein the supporting device comprises a plurality of dampers arranged at both opposite lateral sides of the drum in a rotational axis direction.

20. The drum type washing machine of claim 1, wherein the supporting device comprises a plurality of supporting rods that extend in a rotational axis direction of the drum or in a direction of a center weight of an assembly including the drum, the supporting plate, and the motor.

21. A laundry machine, comprising:

a tub configured to hold water therein;

a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, the drum having a drum inlet in a circumferential surface thereof;

a door that opens and closes the drum inlet;

a rotational shaft connected to the drum;

a motor co-axially connected to the rotational shaft;

a supporting plate that rotatably supports the rotational shaft and the motor; and

a supporter attached to the supporting plate.

22. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the supporter comprises a plurality of dampers arranged at both opposite lateral sides of the drum in a rotational axis direction.

23. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the supporter comprises a plurality of supporting rods that extend in a rotational axis direction of the drum or in a direction of a center weight of an assembly including the drum, the supporting plate, and the motor.