Wall-Mounted Washing Machine and Installation Method

• US 20190330783A1
• Filed: 04/18/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation (Dayou Holdings Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation (Dayou Holdings Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: BAE, Sang Ill
• Application Number:
  US16/388,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20190330783A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/001 Arrangements for transporting, moving, or setting washing machines; Protective arrangements for use during transport transport in general B65
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00

Abstract

A wall-mounted washing machine and a method of installing a washing machine on a wall are disclosed. The wall-mounted washing machine may include a cabinet having an external shape; a rear panel configured to be mounted on a wall; a tub supported by the rear panel and configured to contain wash water; a front panel having an opening over the tub; a rotatable drum in the tub; and a distance sensor. The distance sensor may be at an upper portion or section or a lower portion or section of the washing machine.

Claims

1. A washing machine, comprising:

a cabinet having an external shape;

a rear panel configured to be mounted on a wall;

a tub supported by the rear panel and configured to contain wash water;

a front panel having an opening over the tub;

a rotatable drum in the tub, and

a distance sensor.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising an accommodation groove in a surface of the cabinet and having a preset height, length or depth, and the distance sensor is in the accommodation groove.

3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the accommodation groove is in a lower portion or section of the wall-mounted washing machine.

4. The washing machine according to claim 2, further comprising a window having a transmittance in the accommodation groove.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the transmittance is an optical transmittance.

6. The washing machine according to claim 2, comprising two distance sensors spaced apart from each other by a preset distance.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the two distance sensors are spaced apart from each other in or along a width direction of the washing machine.

8. The washing machine according to claim 6, further comprising a control unit configured to sense an abnormal installation state when a difference between distances sensed by the two distance sensors exceeds a preset range or threshold.

9. The washing machine according to claim 6, further comprising a control unit configured to sense when a difference between a current difference between distances from the two distance sensors and an initial difference value exceeds a preset range or threshold.

10. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit configured to compare an initial distance from the distance sensor and a current distance from the distance sensor, and determine whether the current distance value differs from the initial distance value.

11. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to sense when the current distance value exceeds a preset value.

12. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor is at an upper position or section of the washing machine.

13. The washing machine according to claim 12, comprising two distance sensors spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, and the washing machine further comprises a control unit configured to sense an abnormal installation state when a difference between distances sensed by the two distance sensors exceeds a preset range or threshold.

14. The washing machine according to claim 12, comprising two distance sensors spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, and the washing machine further comprises a control unit configured to sense when a difference between a current difference value between distances from the two distance sensors and an initial difference value exceeds a preset range or threshold.

15. The washing machine according to claim 12, further comprising a control unit configured to compare an initial distance from the distance sensor and a current distance from the distance sensor, and determine whether the current distance value differs from the initial distance value or exceeds a preset value.

16. A method of installing a washing machine on a wall, wherein:

the wall-mounted washing machine comprises;

a cabinet having an external shape;

a rear panel configured to be mounted on the wall;

a tub supported by the rear panel and configured to contain wash water;

a front panel having an opening over the tub;

a rotatable drum in the tub;

a distance sensor; and

a reflection panel; and

the method comprises installing the reflection panel above or below the wall-mounted washing machine by a preset distance, such that the reflection panel faces the distance sensor.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the washing machine is configured to compare an initial distance value from the distance sensor and a current distance value from the distance sensor, and sense when the current distance value differs from the initial distance value or exceeds a preset value.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the washing machine comprises two distance sensors spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, and the wall-mounted washing machine is configured to sense an abnormal installation state when a difference between distances sensed by the two distance sensors exceeds a preset range or threshold.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the washing machine comprises two distance sensors spaced apart from each other by a preset distance, and the wall-mounted washing machine is configured to sense when a difference between a current difference value from the two distance sensors and an initial difference value exceeds a preset range or threshold.