Laundry machine

• US 8,387,419 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• 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): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): KO, JASON Y
• Application Number:
  US12/432,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 defining a space therein;

a first laundry treatment space provided in the cabinet;

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

a second laundry treatment space provided in the cabinet;

a drawer provided in the second laundry treatment space, the drawer being 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 including a housing and a fan, configured to supply air from the first laundry treatment space to the drawer independent of the operation of the drum,

wherein the partition includes a recess portion and the air supply unit is located in the recess portion, and the recess portion collects water falling onto the partition,

wherein the partition has a first side and a second side, the first side being exposed to the first laundry treatment space, and the second side being exposed to the second laundry treatment space, and

wherein the partition includes an aperture therein, and the air supply unit includes an air outlet directly connected to the aperture and the air is directly supplied to inside of the drawer through the aperture in the partition.

2. 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.

3. The laundry machine of claim 2, wherein the partition extends between the first sidewall and the second sidewall.

4. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the drawer substantially occupies an entirety of the second laundry treatment space.

5. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the air supply unit is configured to supply the air into the second laundry treatment space without passing through the drum.

6. 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.