Washing machine
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A washing machine comprising:
- a cabinet open at an upper portion;
a top cover coupled to the upper portion of the cabinet and including an opening for loading and unloading laundry therethrough;
a lid assembly rotatably coupled to the top cover to open and close the opening;
a first hinge unit connecting the lid assembly with the top cover and reducing a speed of closing the lid assembly; and
a second hinge unit coupling the lid assembly with the top cover,wherein the second hinge unit includes a fluid which is compressed as the lid assembly rotates so that a rotation speed of the lid assembly is reduced by a repulsive action of the compressed fluid,wherein the first hinge unit includes;
an elastic member; and
a cam unit configured to deform the elastic member as the lid assembly rotates and to convert a restoring force exerted from the deformed elastic member to a rotational force, andwherein an elastic modulus of the elastic member is determined so as to provide a sum of a repulsive force of the second hinge unit during the repulsive action and a torque generated in the cam unit by pushing of the elastic member to be lower than a torque caused by the load of the lid assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A washing machine comprising a cabinet open at an upper portion, a top cover coupled to the upper portion of the cabinet and including an opening for loading and unloading laundry therethrough, a lid assembly rotatably coupled to the top cover to open and close the opening, and a first hinge unit connecting the lid assembly with the top cover and reducing a speed of closing the lid assembly is provided. In the washing machine, the closing speed of the lid assembly is reduced to mitigate shock between the lid assembly and the top cover.
19 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A washing machine comprising:
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a cabinet open at an upper portion; a top cover coupled to the upper portion of the cabinet and including an opening for loading and unloading laundry therethrough; a lid assembly rotatably coupled to the top cover to open and close the opening; a first hinge unit connecting the lid assembly with the top cover and reducing a speed of closing the lid assembly; and a second hinge unit coupling the lid assembly with the top cover, wherein the second hinge unit includes a fluid which is compressed as the lid assembly rotates so that a rotation speed of the lid assembly is reduced by a repulsive action of the compressed fluid, wherein the first hinge unit includes; an elastic member; and a cam unit configured to deform the elastic member as the lid assembly rotates and to convert a restoring force exerted from the deformed elastic member to a rotational force, and wherein an elastic modulus of the elastic member is determined so as to provide a sum of a repulsive force of the second hinge unit during the repulsive action and a torque generated in the cam unit by pushing of the elastic member to be lower than a torque caused by the load of the lid assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A washing machine comprising:
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a cabinet open at an upper portion; a top cover coupled to the upper portion of the cabinet and including an opening for loading and unloading laundry therethrough; a lid assembly rotatably coupled to the top cover to open and close the opening; and a first hinge unit connecting the lid assembly with the top cover, wherein the first hinge unit controls the lid assembly to be closed without external force in a first section as a closing speed of the lid assembly is reduced, and to be opened without external force in a second section including an open angle of 90 degrees or less, wherein the first hinge unit includes; an elastic member; and a cam unit configured to deform the elastic member as the lid assembly rotates and to convert a restoring force exerted from the deformed elastic member to a rotational force, wherein the cam unit includes; a shaft connected to the top cover; a rotational cam rotating together with the lid assembly; and a reciprocating cam connected to the shaft so that rotation thereof is restricted and deforming the elastic member as moved along the shaft by the rotational cam, and wherein an elastic modulus of the elastic member is determined, such that, when the lid assembly is present in the first section, a torque generated in the rotational cam by pushing of the reciprocating cam is lower than a torque caused by the load of the lid assembly, and, when the lid assembly is present in the second section, a torque generated in the rotational cam by pushing of the reciprocating cam is higher than a torque caused by the load of the lid assembly. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A washing machine comprising:
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a cabinet open at an upper portion; a top cover coupled to the upper portion of the cabinet and including an opening for loading and unloading laundry therethrough; a lid assembly rotatably coupled to the top cover to open and close the opening; and a first hinge unit connecting the lid assembly with the top cover, wherein when the lid assembly rotates for closing, the first hinge unit reduces a rotating speed of the lid assembly in a first section, and increases a rotating speed of the lid assembly in a third section after the first section is passed, wherein the first hinge unit includes; an elastic member deformed as the lid assembly rotates; and a cam unit configured to convert a restoring force of the deformed elastic member to a rotational force and to generate a torque in a direction of opening the lid assembly in the first section and a torque in a direction of closing the lid assembly in the third section, wherein the cam unit includes; a shaft connected to the top cover; a rotational cam rotating together with the lid assembly; and a reciprocating cam connected to the shaft so that rotation thereof is restricted and deforming the elastic member as moved by the rotational cam along the shaft, and wherein the elastic member modifies the direction of the torque generated in the rotational cam by the reciprocating cam by at least once relaxation of the elastic member and at least once contraction of the elastic member while the lid assembly is moved from a fully opened state to a fully closed state. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification