LAUNDRY TREATING APPARATUS

• US 20150059418A1
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Dongsoo, KIM, Dongwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,752,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/17.R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• 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 37/267 Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups D06F37/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/085 Arrangements or adaptations of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus may include a cabinet detachably provided on a first treating apparatus exhibiting a laundry treating apparatus and forming an external appearance of the laundry treating apparatus. A drawer may be provided to be withdrawn from the cabinet and an input hole may be formed thereon. A tub provided within the drawer body may store wash water. A detergent supply unit may be provided to be withdrawn from the drawer body toward a center of the input hole and provide a space for storing detergent. A water supply unit may supply wash water to the detergent supply unit to supply the detergent stored in the detergent supply unit to the tub body.

Claims

1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:

a first treating apparatus having a space to wash or dry laundry; and

a second treating apparatus detachably provided on the first treating apparatus,

wherein the second treating apparatus includes;

a cabinet detachably provided on the first treating apparatus, the cabinet to provide an external appearance of the second treating apparatus,

a drawer having a drawer body and an input hole, the drawer body to be withdrawn from the cabinet, and the input hole at an upper surface of the drawer body,

a tub having a tub body and a tub input hole, the tub body provided within the drawer body to store wash water, and the tub input hole provided at an upper surface of the tub body to communicate with the input hole,

a detergent supply unit to be withdrawn from the drawer body toward a center of the input hole, the detergent supply unit to provide a space for storing a detergent, and

a water supply unit for supplying wash water to the detergent supply unit to supply the detergent in the detergent supply unit to the tub body.

2. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the drawer includes channel communication parts formed through the upper surface of the drawer body to communicate with the detergent supply unit, and

the water supply unit includes an input hole cover and channels, the input hole cover being fixed to the cabinet to close the input hole when the drawer is within the cabinet, and the channel provided on the input hole cover to supply water to the channels, and the channels being detachably combined with the channel communication parts.

3. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drawer includes:

a support part to close a portion of the input hole and having the channel communication parts provided thereon; and

a reception part on the support part and under the channel communication parts, the reception part to receive the detergent supply unit so as to be withdrawn from the reception part, and the reception part to guide the detergent and wash water from the detergent supply unit to the tub body.

4. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the detergent supply unit includes:

a supply unit body to be withdrawn from the reception part; and

storage units within the supply unit body, the storage units for receiving wash water from the channel communication parts, and for discharging the wash water to the reception part of the drawer.

5. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tub includes:

a door support part to close a portion of the tub input hole;

a door on the door support part to open and close the tub input hole; and

an influx part on the door support part to allow the wash water and detergent from the reception part to be introduced into the tub body.

6. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the storage units include a first storage unit and a second storage unit on the supply unit body;

the channel communication parts include a first channel communication part for communicating with the first storage unit and a second channel communication part for communicating with the second storage unit; and

the channels include a first channel detachably combined with the first channel communication part and a second channel detachably combined with the second channel communication part.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the water supply unit includes a first water supply valve for selectively or simultaneously supplying wash water to the first channel and the second channel.

8. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the channel communication parts include a third channel communication part for communicating with the first storage unit, and

the channels include a third channel detachably combined with the third channel communication part for supplying heated wash water to the third channel communication part.

9. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detergent supply unit includes:

reception spaces provided on the supply unit body to store detergents;

covers provided on the reception spaces;

holes provided on the covers for introducing wash water supplied through the channel communication parts to the reception spaces;

discharge pipes extending from bottoms of the reception spaces toward the covers and discharging the detergents in the reception spaces to outside of the reception spaces; and

reception pipes extending from the covers toward the bottoms of the reception spaces so that the discharge pipes may be inserted into the reception pipes and guiding wash water, introduced into the reception spaces through the holes, to the discharge pipes.

10. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the storage units includes:

a detachable body detachably provided on the supply unit body for providing a space to store a detergent,

a cover on the detachable body,

a hole on the cover for introducing wash water supplied through one of the channel communication parts into the detachable body,

a discharge pipe extending from the bottom of the detachable body toward the cover for discharging the wash water in the detachable body to the supply unit body, and

a reception pipe extending from the cover toward the bottom of the detachable body so that the discharge pipe may be inserted into the reception pipe and guiding wash water, introduced into the detachable body through the hole, to the discharge pipe; and

the supply unit body includes a plurality of discharge holes communicating the reception part supporting the support unit body and the discharge pipe with each other.

11. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first sealing part to protrude from an outer circumferential surface of the input hole toward the input hole cover; and

a second sealing part to protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the input hole cover toward the input hole,

wherein the first sealing part and the second sealing part are combined to form a cylinder surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the input hole.

12. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the first sealing part at a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the input hole located in a withdrawal direction of the drawer; and

the second sealing part at a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the input hole cover located in the opposite direction to the withdrawal direction of the drawer.

13. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pump attached to an outer surface of the drawer body;

a tub connection pipe to guide wash water from the tub body to the pump;

a drain pipe unit to guide wash water from the pump to outside of the cabinet; and

a communication unit to selectively communicate the drain pipe unit with external air.

14. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a first frame rotatably attached to the cabinet, the first frame to guide the drain pipe unit to the communication unit;

a second frame rotatably attached to the drawer body, the second frame located below the first frame, and the second frame to guide the drain pipe unit to the pump; and

a frame rotary shaft rotatably connecting the first frame and the second frame and separating the first frame and the second frame by a designated distance.

15. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a cabinet connection shaft to rotatably attach the first frame to the communication unit fixed to the cabinet; and

a drawer rotary shaft to rotatably attach the second frame to the drawer body.

16. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:

a first treating apparatus to wash or dry laundry; and

a second treating apparatus at the first treating apparatus,

wherein the second treating apparatus includes;

a cabinet to provide an external appearance of the second treating apparatus,

a drawer having a drawer body and an input hole provided at an upper surface of the drawer body,

a tub at the drawer body, the tub having a tub body and a tub input hole provided at an upper surface of the tub body to communicate with the input hole,

a detergent supply unit to store detergent, the detergent supply unit to be withdrawn from the drawer body toward a center of the input hole, and

a water supply unit to supply wash water to the detergent supply unit.

17. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

the drawer includes channel communication parts to communicate with the detergent supply unit, and

the water supply unit includes an input hole cover and channels, the input hole cover being attached to the cabinet to close the input hole when the drawer is within the cabinet, and the channel on the input hole cover to supply water to the channels.

18. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the drawer includes:

a support part to close a portion of the input hole; and

a reception part on the support part, the reception part to receive the detergent supply unit, and the reception part to guide the detergent and wash water from the detergent supply unit to the tub body.

19. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the detergent supply unit includes:

a supply unit body to withdraw from the reception part; and

storage units at the supply unit body for receiving wash water from the channel communication parts.

20. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the tub includes:

a door support part to close a portion of the tub input hole;

a door on the door support part to open and close the tub input hole; and

an influx part on the door support part to allow the wash water and detergent from the reception part to be provided to the tub body.