Dishwasher and sound-insulation member therefor

• US 7,867,340 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Pyo, Joon Ho, Lee, Tae Hee
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US11/862,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20080236637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 134/200
• US Class Current: 134/25.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4209 Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation

Abstract

A dishwasher is provided which can reduce the discharge of noise produced by the dishwasher, thereby preventing a user from being upset due to the noise and achieving not only a comfortable use environment but also an improvement in productivity. With the dishwasher, it is possible to prevent the noise, caused during operation of the dishwasher, from being discharged from a lower side of a door, by use of a sound-insulation member with a simplified configuration. In the manufacture of the dishwasher, improved assembly productivity can be accomplished.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein;

a door openably attached to the case;

a base on which the case is supported;

a front cover mounted on a front side of the base; and

a single sound-insulation member that substantially prevents noise discharge between a lower end of the door and a front frame of the case, through the front cover of the base, and between the base and the floor, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a vertically extending portion, a horizontally extending portion that extends from vertically extending portion, and a curved front portion that extends from the horizontally extending portion.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a flexible material.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member further substantially prevents sound from leaking out from spaces formed between side edges of the front cover and the base.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1 further comprising a sound absorbing member mounted on the vertically-extending portion.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member is positioned between the front cover and the base.

6. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a sound absorbing member provided between the single sound-insulation member and the base.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the sound-absorbing member is made of a porous sound-absorbing material.

8. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a sound absorbing member attached to the single sound-insulating member.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8, wherein the sound-absorbing member is made of a porous sound-absorbing material.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein a lower end of the door is positioned from the base by a predetermined space and the single sound-insulation member extends along a length of the space and along a vertical length of the base to the floor.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member is coupled to the base by one of fasteners, welding, or press-fitting.

12. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the door includes a fixing recess for receiving a distal end of the single sound-insulation member and a press member that secures the distal end in the fixing recess.

13. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member includes an air hole.

14. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the single sound-insulation member is formed by double injection molding such that a portion is made of a hard material and a portion is made of a soft material.

15. A method of reducing discharge of noise from a dishwasher, the dishwasher comprising a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein, a door openably attached to the case, a base on which the case is supported, and a front cover mounted on a front side of the base, the method comprising:

providing a single sound-insulation member; and

extending the single sound-insulation member from a lower end of the door along a horizontal length between the lower end of the door and the front cover of the base and along a vertical length of the base so as to substantially prevent noise discharge between a lower end of the door and a front frame of the case, through a front side of the base, and between the front cover of the base and a floor, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a vertically extending portion, a horizontally extending portion that extends from vertically extending portion, and a curved front portion that extends from the horizontally extending portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a flexible material.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning the single sound-insulation member between the front cover of the base and the base.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a sound absorbing member attached to the single sound-insulating member.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising attaching the single sound-insulation member to the base by one of fasteners, welding, or press-fitting.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the single sound-insulation member with an air hole.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising forming the single sound-insulation member by double injection molding such that a portion is made of a hard material and a portion is made of a soft material.

22. A dishwasher, comprising:

a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein;

a door openably attached to the case;

a base on which the case is supported;

a front cover mounted on a front side of the base; and

a single sound-insulation member that substantially prevents noise discharge between a lower end of the door and a front frame of the case, through a front side of the base, and from spaces formed between side edges of the front cover and the base wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a vertically extending portion, a horizontally extending portion that extends from vertically extending portion, and a curved front portion that extends from the horizontally extending portion.

23. A dishwasher, comprising:

a case having a dishwashing space disposed therein;

a door openably attached to the case;

a base on which the case is supported;

a front cover mounted on a front side of the base; and

a single sound-insulation member that substantially prevents noise discharge through a front side of the front cover of the base, between the front cover of the base and the floor, and from spaces formed between side edges of a front cover and the front cover of the base, wherein the single sound-insulation member comprises a vertically extending portion, a horizontally extending portion that extends from vertically extending portion, and a curved front portion that extends from the horizontally extending portion.