LAUNDRY TREATING APPARATUS

• US 20130047680A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hoil Jeon, Jonghee Han, Junghwan Lee, Kyungah Lee, Nerry Son, On Kim, Wookjun Chung, Yeji Um, Yoonsang Kim
• Inventors: HAN, Jonghee, JEON, Hoil, LEE, Junghwan, SEONG, Jaeseok, UM, Yeji, SON, Nerry, KIM, Yoonsang, KIM, On, CHUNG, Wookjun, LEE, Kyungah
• Granted Patent: US 9,388,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/5.C
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/00 Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/20 General details of domestic laundry dryers D06F59/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/00 Laundry systems or arrangements of apparatus or machines; Mobile laundries D06F31/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/002 Baskets or bags specially adapted for holding or transporting laundry; Supports therefor

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first device to perform a first laundry treating operation and a second device to perform a second laundry treating operation. The first device has a first space to receive laundry through a first opening and the second device has a second space to receive laundry through a second opening. A controller controls the first and second devices to perform the first and second laundry treating operations respectively. The first device is coupled over the first device, and the first and second laundry treating operations are both washing operations or the first and second laundry treating operations are both drying operations.

Claims

1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:

a first treating device comprising a cabinet provided with an opening to load and unload laundry there through and a first space positioned in the cabinet to treat the laundry loaded through the opening;

a support part providing a storage space and supporting the first treating device; and

a second treating device provided underneath the support part, the second treating device comprising a second space to treat laundry,

wherein the support part is integrally formed with the first treating device.

2. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the cabinet in which the opening is provided comprises an inclined part projected in a direction getting far from a front surface of the support part.

3. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the inclined part comprises,

a first inclined surface inclined toward the direction getting far from the front surface of the support part, the first inclined surface in which the opening is provided;

and

a second inclined surface extended from the first inclined surface, the second inclined surface inclined toward the front surface of the support part.

4. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the front surface of the support part is extended from the second inclined surface to form a flat surface parallel to a front surface of the second treating device.

5. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a door provided in the first inclined surface to open and close the opening,

wherein the door is tilted at a first angle with respect a line perpendicular to the ground.

6. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

at least one detergent introduction part provided in a lower portion of the opening to supply detergent to the first space.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one detergent introduction part has an inclination angle that is larger than the first angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the ground.

8. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the door opens and closes the opening and the at least one detergent introduction part.

9. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a steam generator supplying steam to the first space; and

a water element introduction part provided in a lower portion of the opening to supply a water element to the steam generator.

10. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the door opens and closes the opening and the water element introduction part.

11. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first space comprises,

a tub holding wash water, in communication with the opening;

and

a drum rotatably provided in the tub, in communication with the opening, and

the lowest height of the tub is the half of the height of the laundry treating apparatus or larger than the height of the laundry treating apparatus.

12. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second treating device comprises,

a housing provided under the support part, the housing defining an exterior appearance of the second treating device;

and

a drawer movable from and into the housing, the drawer in which the second space is formed, and

an inclined surface inclined downward along a direction of the drawer moved into the housing is provided in a top of the drawer, and

the housing further comprises a drawer cover closing the tub by contacting with the inclined surface of the drawer.

13. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second space is provided with wash water and a tub holding laundry, and

a gasket is provided in an outer circumferential surface of a top of the tub to contact the drawer cover when the drawer is moved into the housing.

14. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a pulsator provided in the tub to form water currents,

wherein a recess part recessed a predetermined depth is provided in a bottom surface of the tub to collect wash water.

15. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a drainage pipe in communication with the recess part to drain the wash water remaining in the tub outside the second treating device; and

a cover provided in the recess part and having a plurality of drainage holes formed therein, wherein the cover is spaced apart a predetermined height from a bottom surface of the recess part.

16. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second treating device comprises,

a housing provided under the support part, the housing defining an exterior appearance of the second treating device;

a drawer movable from the housing, the drawer in which the second space is formed; and

a drying rack fixed to a surface of the second space to be unfolded to the other surface of the second space or to be folded to the surface of the second space.

17. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the drying rack comprises a plurality of plate-shaped members and a hinge rotatably connecting the plate-shaped members with each other, and

one of the plate-shaped members is rotated in the opposite direction to a neighboring one.

18. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the plate-shaped members are connected with each other by the hinge to form crests and troughs when the drying rack is unfolded in the second space.

19. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the plate-shaped members are formed in a shape for the crests and troughs to form a curved surface with a predetermined curvature when the drying rack is unfolded in the second space.

20. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the length of a horizontal side of each plate-shaped member that is defined as a side in parallel to the hinge is smaller than the width of the second space, and

the length of a vertical side of each plate-shaped member that is defined as a side perpendicular to the hinge is smaller than the depth of the second space.