Auxiliary washing machine and laundry treatment apparatus using the same

• US 9,670,609 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Dongwon, Lee, Dongsoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Karla
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYALEW, TINSAE B
• Application Number:
  US14/037,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20140196507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 68140, 68 17 R, 68 27, 68 13 R, 68 231, 68 1206, 68196, 68 233, 68 28, 8137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/00 Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 31/00 Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/245 Damping vibrations by displacing, supplying or ejecting a material, e.g. liquid, into or from counterbalancing pockets
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/125 Supporting arrangements for the casing, e.g. rollers or legs

Abstract

Provided is a washing machine which may include a cabinet that defines an accommodation space, a washing device configured to be withdrawn from the accommodation space of the cabinet, and a front panel provided in front of the washing device that defines a front external appearance of the auxiliary washing machine. The washing device may include a drawer configured to be slidably inserted or withdrawn from the accommodation space of the cabinet, the drawer including a tub for wash water, a rotating drum assembly provided in the drawer, the rotating drum assembly having a drum and a rotating shaft connected to the drum and extending through the tub, and a motor provided below the drawer and connected to the rotating shaft to rotate the drum.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet that defines an accommodation space;

a washing device configured to be withdrawn from the accommodation space of the cabinet; and

a front panel provided in front of the washing device that defines a front external appearance of the washing machine,

wherein the washing device includes;

a drawer configured to be slidably inserted or withdrawn from the accommodation space of the cabinet, the drawer including a drawer body corresponding to the accommodation space of the cabinet, a tub placed within the drawer body such that wash water is stored in the tub, a bottom portion defining a bottom surface of the tub and the bottom portion having a center aperture, and three or more upper brackets that extend from the drawer body;

a rotating drum assembly provided in the drawer, the rotating drum assembly having a drum and a rotating shaft connected to the drum and extending through the tub;

a rotatable device provided in the aperture and configured such that the rotating shaft penetrates the rotatable device;

a bearing housing mounted to a lower side of the rotatable device to rotatably support the rotating shaft and the bearing housing separates the rotating shaft from the drawer in terms of vibration, and the bearing housing including three or more lower brackets that extend radially from a body of the bearing housing at positions corresponding to respective upper brackets;

a gasket provided between the bottom portion and the rotatable device and configured to seal a gap between the bottom portion and the rotatable device while allowing the rotatable device to move relative to the bottom portion;

a motor provided below the bearing housing and connected to the rotating shaft to rotate the drum, and

a suspension assembly provided between the lower brackets and the upper brackets to support the rotating drum in a floated state separated from the tub.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the drawer body has a rectangular shape that corresponds to the accommodation space, and the tub has a cylindrical shape.

3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein an outer circumferential surface of the tub contacts an inner surface of the drawer body.

4. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein a prescribed space is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the tub and each corner of the drawer body.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein a drain region is formed in the prescribed space and configured to drain the wash water stored in the tub.

6. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein a controller is provided in the prescribed space, the controller configured to control the washing machine.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the drawer body and the tub are integrally formed with each other.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a drain sump is provided at the bottom portion of the tub to drain the wash water stored in the tub, the drain sump being indented in the bottom surface of the tub.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein the bottom portion is inclined toward the drain sump.

10. The washing machine according to claim 8, wherein the drain sump includes a heater to heat the wash water stored in the tub.

11. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the lower brackets include a bracket coupling portion that extends from the bearing housing and an extension portion coupled to each of the bracket coupling portions, and wherein the suspension assembly includes a support bar having an upper end rotatably coupled to the upper bracket and a lower end rotatably connected to the extension portion of the lower bracket.

12. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the upper brackets include a first upper bracket provided in front of the drawer body and second and third upper brackets provided in rear regions of the drawer body.

13. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein lateral rails are provided at both lateral surfaces of the drawer and configured to guide insertion and withdrawal of the drawer relative to the cabinet while supporting a vertical load and limiting vertical vibration of the drawer.

14. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein a lower rail is provided at a lower surface of the drawer and configured to guide insertion and withdrawal of the drawer relative to the cabinet while limiting horizontal vibration of the drawer.

15. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a water supply/drain device is provided in an extendable manner between the cabinet and the drawer to enable supply/discharge of wash water into and from the tub.

16. The washing machine according to claim 15, wherein the water supply/drain device includes

a first link having one end rotatably coupled to a rear surface of the cabinet and configured to pivot relative to the rear surface,

a second link having one end rotatably coupled to a rear surface of the drawer and the other end rotatably coupled to the first link, the second link configured to pivot relative to the drawer and the first link;

and

a flexible water supply pipe and a flexible drainpipe provided through the first link and the second link.

17. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the drum assembly includes a pulsator rotatably provided at an inner bottom surface of the tub.

18. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the drum assembly is mounted to the drawer to be movable relative to the drawer to dampen vibration.

19. The washing machine according to claim 1, further including a main washing machine and an auxiliary washing machine, wherein the auxiliary washing machine includes the drawer, the washing device, and the motor, the auxiliary washing machine being provided adjacent to the main washing machine.

20. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:

a main washing machine configured to treat laundry; and

an auxiliary washing machine provided at one side of the main washing machine,

wherein the auxiliary washing machine includes;

a frame that defines an accommodation space;

a drawer slidably attached to the frame in the accommodation space, the drawer having a drawer body corresponding to the accommodation space and a tub placed within the drawer body such that wash water is stored in the tub, a bottom portion defining a bottom surface of the tub and the bottom portion having a center aperture, and three or more upper brackets that extend from the drawer body;

a rotating drum assembly provided in the drawer, the rotating drum assembly having a rotating shaft that penetrates the drawer to rotate a drum;

a rotatable device provided in the aperture and configured such that the rotating shaft penetrates the rotatable device;

a bearing housing mounted to a lower side of the rotatable device to rotatably support the rotating shaft and the bearing housing separates the rotating shaft from the drawer in terms of vibration, and the bearing housing including three or more lower brackets that extend radially from a body of the bearing housing at positions corresponding to respective upper brackets;

a gasket provided between the bottom portion and the rotatable device and configured to seal a gap between the bottom portion and the rotatable device while allowing the rotatable device to move relative to the bottom portion;

a motor provided below the bearing housing and connected to the rotating shaft to rotate the drum;

a suspension assembly provided between the lower brackets and the upper brackets to support the rotating drum in a floated state separated from the tub; and

a front panel provided in front of the drawer, the front panel defining a front external appearance of the auxiliary washing machine.

21. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 20, further including a cabinet provided around the main washing machine and the auxiliary washing machine, the cabinet including a partition that separates an installation space for the main washing machine from an installation space for the auxiliary washing machine.

22. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the main washing machine includes a first cabinet that defines an external appearance of the main washing machine, and the auxiliary washing machine includes a second cabinet that defines an external appearance of the auxiliary washing machine, the second cabinet configured to support the first cabinet.