Laundry treatment apparatus

• US 9,708,748 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Seo, Jinwoo, Kim, Wooseong, Lee, Jihong
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TATE-SIMS, CRISTI J
• Application Number:
  US14/725,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20150368850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 23/04 and rotating or oscillating about a vertical axis
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/12 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a cabinet, a drawer with a drawer body and a drawer panel, an accommodation unit in the drawer body and defining a space for receiving washing water, a discharge unit for discharging washing water from the accommodation unit to the outside of the accommodation unit, a water discharge channel for guiding discharged washing water in the discharge unit to the outside of the cabinet, and a residual water discharge unit that provides an alternative path for discharging washing water in the discharge unit to the outside of the cabinet, wherein at least a portion of the residual water discharge unit is exposed to and accessible from the outside of the cabinet based on the drawer body being withdrawn from the cabinet, and wherein the entire residual water discharge unit is covered by the cabinet based on the drawer body being retracted within the cabinet.

Claims

1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:

a cabinet having an open surface;

a drawer comprising;

a drawer body provided in the cabinet and configured to be retracted out of the cabinet through the open surface, and

a drawer panel provided at the drawer body and configured to close the open surface based on the drawer body being retracted within the cabinet;

an accommodation unit provided within the drawer body and defining a space for receiving washing water, the accommodation unit comprising;

a tub provided in the drawer body and configured to receive washing water, and

a drum rotatably provided in the tub;

a discharge unit configured to discharge washing water from the tub to the outside of the tub;

a water discharge channel configured to guide discharged washing water from the discharge unit to the outside of the cabinet; and

a residual water discharge unit configured to provide an alternative path for discharging washing water in the discharge unit to the outside of the cabinet, wherein at least a portion of the residual water discharge unit is exposed to and accessible from the outside of the cabinet based on the drawer body being withdrawn from the cabinet, and wherein the entire residual water discharge unit is covered by the cabinet based on the drawer body being retracted within the cabinet.

2. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water discharge channel is inclined such that washing water in the water discharge channel moves back toward the discharge unit based on the discharge unit being turned off.

3. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the residual water discharge unit includes a residual water discharge tube communicating with the discharge unit and extending toward the drawer panel from the discharge unit.

4. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the residual water discharge tube has a free end detachably provided at the drawer.

5. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the free end of the residual water discharge tube includes an opening and closing device that is configured to open and close the residual water discharge tube.

6. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a fixed body provided at the drawer, the fixed body including a receiving portion for receiving the residual water discharge tube to thereby releasably attach a free end of the residual water discharge tube to the drawer.

7. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fixed body defines a through hole for receiving the residual water discharge tube.

8. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the fixed body is positioned closer to a front side of the drawer than a rear side of the drawer.

9. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a water discharge tube support provided at the drawer body and configured to support the residual water discharge tube such that the residual water discharge tube does not contact an inner surface of the cabinet.

10. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drawer body includes an introduction opening, and wherein the accommodation unit comprises:

a tub cover defining a tub introduction port that provides a passage from the introduction opening to the drum,

wherein the fixed body is positioned along a side surface of the drawer body at a location between the drawer panel and a portion of the introduction opening closest to the drawer panel.

11. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge unit comprises:

a housing fixed to the drawer body and configured to communicate with the tub, the housing defining a space for receiving washing water;

a first housing water discharge part that provides a fluidic connection between the housing and the water discharge channel;

a second housing water discharge part that provides a fluidic connection between the housing and the residual water discharge unit; and

an impeller configured to transfer washing water in the housing to the water discharge channel.

12. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a guider including a first body rotatably coupled to the cabinet, and a second body rotatably coupled to the first body and the drawer body to connect the first body to the drawer body,

wherein the water discharge channel is provided at the guider.

13. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the water discharge channel comprises:

a second channel provided at the first body;

a first water discharge pipe providing a fluidic connection between the second channel and the first housing water discharge part; and

a second water discharge pipe configured to guide washing water in the second channel to the outside of the cabinet.

14. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first water discharge pipe is inclined such that washing water remaining in the first water discharge pipe is recovered to the first housing water discharge part based on the impeller being turned off.

15. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the first housing water discharge part is inclined such that washing water remaining in the first water discharge pipe is recovered to the first housing water discharge part based on the impeller being turned off.

16. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a supply unit connected to a water supply source;

a first channel provided at the first body;

a connecting pipe providing a fluidic connection between the first channel and the supply unit; and

a water supply pipe supported by the second body and configured to guide washing water in the first channel to the tub.

17. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a first valve connected to a first water supply source;

a second valve connected to the second water supply source and configured to supply washing water of a temperature different from that of the first water supply source;

a first channel provided in the first body;

a first connecting pipe providing a fluidic connection between the first channel and the first valve;

a second connecting pipe providing a fluidic connection between the first channel and the second valve; and

a water supply pipe supported by the second body and configured to guide washing water in the first channel to the tub.

18. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:

a cabinet having an open surface;

a drawer comprising;

a drawer body provided in the cabinet and configured to be retracted out of the cabinet through the open surface, and

a drawer panel provided at the drawer body and configured to close the open surface based on the drawer body being retracted within the cabinet;

an accommodation unit provided within the drawer body and defining a space for receiving washing water;

a discharge unit configured to discharge washing water from the accommodation unit to the outside of the accommodation unit;

a water discharge channel configured to guide discharged washing water from the discharge unit to the outside of the cabinet, wherein the water discharge channel is inclined such that washing water in the water discharge channel moves back toward the discharge unit based on the discharge unit being turned off; and

a residual water discharge unit configured to provide an alternative path for discharging washing water in the discharge unit to the outside of the cabinet, wherein at least a portion of the residual water discharge unit is exposed to and accessible from the outside of the cabinet based on the drawer body being withdrawn from the cabinet, and wherein the entire residual water discharge unit is covered by the cabinet based on the drawer body being retracted within the cabinet.

19. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the residual water discharge unit includes a residual water discharge tube communicating with the discharge unit and extending toward the drawer panel from the discharge unit.

20. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the discharge unit comprises:

a housing fixed to the drawer body and configured to communicate with the accommodation unit, the housing defining a space for receiving washing water;

a first housing water discharge part that provides a fluidic connection between the housing and the water discharge channel;

a second housing water discharge part that provides a fluidic connection between the housing and the residual water discharge unit; and

an impeller configured to transfer washing water in the housing to the water discharge channel.