APPLIANCE HAVING NOISE REDUCTION DEVICE

• US 20130298585A1
• Filed: 05/09/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Byoungsoo Je
• Inventors: JE, Byoungsoo
• Granted Patent: US 9,299,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/238.7
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4209 Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/00 Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/24 Means for preventing or suppressing noise
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/245 using resonance
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/002 Devices for damping, suppressing, obstructing or conducting sound in acoustic devices G10K1/06 - G10K1/10 take precedence; for electro-mechanical transducers for communication H04R3/002
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/172 using resonance effects

Abstract

An appliance is provided including a noise reduction device to reduce noise generated within a main body of the appliance. The noise reduction device may include a sound absorbing plate having a plurality of sound absorbing holes and a resonance member, one side of which is open and having a hollow portion, so that noise generated by a drive of the appliance passes through the noise reduction device, in order to efficiently reduce noise in the appliance and achieve an increase of internal capacity, a decrease in weight, and a reduction in manufacturing costs for the appliance.

Claims

1. An appliance, comprising:

a cabinet that defines an external appearance thereof;

a drive provided within the cabinet to drive the appliance; and

a noise reduction device to reduce noise generated by the drive, wherein the noise reduction device comprises;

a resonance member, at least one side of which is an open and including a hollow portion formed therein; and

a sound absorbing plate coupled to the at least one open side, the sound absorbing plate having a plurality of sound absorbing holes.

2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the noise reduction device is provided at one side of the cabinet.

3. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the noise reduction device is mounted fully within the cabinet.

4. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the noise reduction device replaces a portion of the cabinet, and one surface of the resonance member is exposed to the outside of the cabinet.

5. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the noise reduction device is mounted to contact an inner side surface of the cabinet.

6. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the sound absorbing plate is disposed inward of the cabinet.

7. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the sound absorbing plate is airtightly fastened to the at least one open side of the resonance member.

8. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the sound absorbing plate has a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 2 mm.

9. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sound absorbing holes has a diameter of approximately 0.05 mm to approximately 1 mm.

10. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the resonance member has a rectangular shape.

11. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one side of the resonance member includes a concaved portion.

12. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the resonance member and the sound absorbing member are integrally formed.

13. The appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tub provided within the cabinet to define an object receiving space;

a rack provided in the tub to fix an object;

a spraying arm provided at a lower portion of the rack to spray washing water toward the object; and

a sump that receives the washing water supplied to the spraying arm, wherein the drive comprises at least one of a washing water spraying pump provided within the cabinet to supply the washing water to the spraying arm, and a drainage pump to discharge the washing water recovered after washing.

14. The appliance according to claim 15, further comprising:

a door provided in the cabinet to open and close the object receiving space, wherein the noise reduction device is provided in a concave portion formed at a lower side of the door.

15. The appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clothes receiving space provided within the cabinet to receive clothes; and

a door to open and close the clothes receiving space.

16. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the clothes receiving space comprises a drum, and wherein the drive comprises a drive motor to rotate the drum.

17. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the drive comprises an air blowing fan to supply hot air into the clothes receiving space.

18. The appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a food receiving space provided within the cabinet to receive food therein, wherein the drive comprises at least one of a cooling device to cool an internal temperature of the food receiving space and an air blowing fan to supply heat-exchanged cold air into the food receiving space.

19. The appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

an outdoor device comprising a compressor to compress a refrigerant, a four-way valve to adjust a circulation path of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger supplied with the refrigerant compressed by the compressor and that exchanges heat with outdoor air, and an outdoor fan to forcibly blow air to the outdoor heat exchanger;

an indoor device comprising an indoor heat exchanger that heat exchanges with indoor air, and an indoor fan that discharges the indoor air to the outside again after the indoor air is introduced from the outside and passes through the indoor heat exchanger; and

a decompression device interposed between one side of the indoor heat exchanger and one side of the outdoor heat exchanger, wherein the drive comprises at least one of the outdoor heat exchanger, the outdoor fan, the indoor heat exchanger, or the indoor fan.