Laundry machine

• US 8,250,885 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Dong Joo, Son, Young Bok, Lim, Jae Yoen, Cho, Ki Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US12/432,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/191, 68/20, 723/796
• US Class Current: 68/3.R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/005 the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 31/00 Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies

Abstract

A laundry machine includes a cabinet and a partition wall dividing an inner space of the cabinet into a first space for main laundry treatment and a second space for auxiliary laundry treatment. An air supply unit is provided outside of the second space and supplies a downward airflow into the second space.

Claims

1. A laundry machine, comprising:

a cabinet, the cabinet defining a first laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein and a second laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein;

a partition located within the cabinet, the partition being provided between the first laundry treatment space and the second laundry treatment space; and

an air supply unit configured to supply air to the second laundry treatment space,

wherein the partition includes an aperture through which the air is supplied to the second laundry treatment space,

wherein a central portion of the partition includes a recess in an upper side of the partition, and a lower side of the partition includes an upwardly extended portion surrounding the central portion, and

wherein the upwardly extended portion includes an inclined portion configured to redirect airflow inwardly toward the central portion, and downwardly away from the partition.

2. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the air supply unit is provided in the first laundry treatment space.

3. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each of the first and second sidewalls extending continuously and uninterrupted from the first laundry treatment space to the second laundry treatment space.

4. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a drawer provided in the second laundry treatment space, the drawer being configured to receive laundry therein.

5. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein a gap is provided between the partition and the drawer to permit air to passtherethrough.

6. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein the drawer comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, the bottom wall and the sidewalls defining an enclosed space having an open top side.

7. The laundry machine of claim 6, wherein the bottom wall and the plurality of sidewalls are configured to prevent air from passing therethrough.

8. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein the drawer comprises a bottom wall having a width and depth, and a plurality of sidewalls having a height, wherein the height is less than the width and less than the depth.

9. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the first laundry treatment space comprises a laundry washing apparatus.

10. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the first laundry treatment space comprises a laundry drying apparatus.

11. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a pair of first sidewalls at opposing sides of the first laundry treatment space, and a pair of second sidewalls at opposing sides of the second laundry treatment space, the pair of first sidewalls being contiguous with the pair of second sidewalls.

12. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the partition has a first side being exposed to the first laundry treatment space and a second side being exposed to the second laundry treatment space.

13. A laundry machine, comprising:

a cabinet, the cabinet defining a first laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein and a second laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein;

a drum provided in the first laundry treatment space;

a partition located within the cabinet, the partition being provided between the first laundry treatment space and the second laundry treatment space; and

an air supply unit configured to supply air to the second laundry treatment space, wherein the air supply unit is configured to provide the air into the second laundry treatment space without passing through the drum.

14. A laundry machine, comprising:

a cabinet, the cabinet defining a first laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein and a second laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein;

a partition located within the cabinet, the partition being provided between the first laundry treatment space and the second laundry treatment space;

an air supply unit configured to supply air to the second laundry treatment space;

a drum provided in the first laundry treatment space, the drum being configured to receive laundry therein; and

a drawer provided in the second laundry treatment space, the drawer being configured to receive laundry therein,

wherein the air supply unit is provided in the first laundry treatment space.

15. The laundry machine of claim 14, wherein the partition has a first side being exposed to the first laundry treatment space and a second side being exposed to the second laundry treatment space,

wherein the partition includes an aperture;

wherein the air supply unit is provided at the first side of the partition,

wherein the air supply unit is connected to the aperture, and

wherein the air is supplied into the second laundry treatment space through the aperture.

16. The laundry machine of claim 15, wherein a central portion of the partition includes a recess at the first side of the partition, and the second side of the partition includes an upwardly extended portion surrounding the central portion, and

wherein the upwardly extended portion includes an inclined portion configured to redirect airflow inwardly toward the central portion, and downwardly away from the partition and toward the drawer.