Drum washing machine having foldable door

• US 7,614,263 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Young Il, Kim, Dong Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin; Joseph L
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSTERHOUT, BENJAMIN LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/247,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20060086151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 681/39, 681/96, 68/24, 681/47, 68/122.6, 68/58, 68/93, 681/40, 815/9
• US Class Current: 68/196
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/02 Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges

Abstract

A drum washing machine having a foldable door includes a cabinet having an opening formed at a front wall of the cabinet, the foldable door provided at the front wall of the cabinet to open or close the opening, and which is separated into frames that fold when the foldable door is opened, and an opening/closing guide mechanism connected between the foldable door and the cabinet to guide the foldable door when the foldable door is being opened or closed.

Claims

1. A drum washing machine, comprising:

a cabinet having an opening at a front wall of the cabinet;

a folding door disposed at the front wall of the cabinet to open or close the opening, and separated into a plurality of frames configured to fold when the door is opened; and

an opening/closing guide mechanism connected between the folding door and the cabinet, configured to guide the folding door when the folding door is being opened or closed,

wherein the plurality of frames of the folding door include an upper frame and a lower frame connected to each other by at least one foldable hinge, and a door window disposed on the upper frame,

wherein the folding door can be folded along a generally horizontal axis while moving downwardly when opening the folding door, and

wherein the door window is container-shaped and has a convex structure configured to protrude into the opening of the cabinet.

2. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the folding door includes a laundry container in the upper frame of the folding door and configured to contain laundry when the folding door is open.

3. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the door window has a generally circular shape,

wherein a plurality of generally and semi-circular recesses are formed at a lower side of the upper frame and an upper side of the lower frame, respectively, and

wherein the door window is installed to the semi-circular recesses of the upper frame.

4. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing guide mechanism includes a vertical guide mechanism configured to guide an upper end of the folding door vertically along an outer surface of a front cover of the cabinet, and a plurality of door hinges configured to hingably connect a lower end of the lower frame to the cabinet.

5. The drum washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the vertical guide mechanism includes at least first and second vertical guides respectively mounted to first and second opposite side ends of the cabinet extending generally vertically, and at least first and second pairs of guide couplers, each protruding from an associated side portion of the folding door and configured to move vertically along an associated one of the first or second vertical guides.

6. The drum washing machine according to claim 5, wherein each of the guide couplers includes a roller configured to move rollingly along the associated one of the first or second vertical guides.

7. A drum washing machine, comprising:

a cabinet having an opening at a front wall of the cabinet;

a folding door disposed at the front wall of the cabinet to open or close the opening, and separated into a plurality of frames configured to fold when the door is opened; and

an opening/closing guide mechanism connected between the folding door and the cabinet, configured to guide the folding door when the folding door is being opened or closed,

wherein the plurality of frames of the folding door include an upper frame and a lower frame connected to each other by at least one foldable hinge, and a door window disposed on the upper frame,

wherein the folding door can be folded along a generally horizontal axis while moving downwardly when opening the folding door,

wherein the opening/closing guide mechanism includes a vertical guide mechanism configured to guide an upper end of the folding door vertically along an outer surface of a front cover of the cabinet, and a plurality of door hinges configured to hingably connect a lower end of the lower frame to the cabinet, and

wherein each of the door hinges includes a supporting rod extending generally vertically from a lower end of the folding door.