Washing machine

• US 9,803,311 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Junghwan, Kim, On, Son, Nerry, Jeon, Hoil, Um, Yeji
• Primary Examiner(s): BARR, MICHAEL E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shahinian, Levon J
• Application Number:
  US14/241,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20140190220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 68 1218, 68 17 R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/026 the powder or tablets being added directly, e.g. without the need of a flushing liquid

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine including a cabinet (110) which forms an exterior appearance of the washing machine, a tub (120) provided to the cabinet (110), a drum (130) rotatably provided to the tub, and a detergent dispenser (200) positioned on an upper side of the cabinet (110), the detergent.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet which forms an exterior appearance of the washing machine, the cabinet having an upper plate having an opening to exposes detergent dispenser;

a tub provided to the cabinet;

a drum rotatably provided to the tub; and

the detergent dispenser provided in a lower side of the opening of the upper plate of the cabinet, the detergent dispenser having a powder detergent introduction portion for introduction of powder detergent, and a liquid detergent portion which enables selective supply of one of the powder detergent and the liquid detergent by exposing or covering the powder detergent introduction portion,

wherein the detergent dispenser includes;

a dispenser housing secured to an inside of the cabinet to be in communication with the tub;

a detergent introduction tray having the powder detergent introduction portion formed therein, the detergent introduction tray detachably seated on the dispenser housing; and

cover hinge coupled to one side of the detergent introduction tray to open and close the detergent introduction tray and provided within a portion of the upper plate so as to form a portion of an upper surface of the upper plate,

wherein the liquid detergent tray slidably moves to/from the powder detergent introduction portion to expose/cover the powder detergent introduction portion, selectively, and wherein the dispenser housing further includes a space portion formed therein so as to provide a space the liquid detergent tray can move thereto when the liquid detergent tray slidably moves from the powder detergent introduction portion.

2. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detergent dispenser includes:

one pair of grooves extended to both sides of an outside of the liquid detergent tray parallel to a moving direction of the liquid detergent tray, and

one pair of rails extended to both sides of an inside of the powder detergent introduction portion and the space portion to seat the grooves thereon, respectively.

3. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid detergent portion tray has a container shape with one opened upper side having a valve provided to a bottom thereof for discharging the liquid detergent introduced thereto by siphon.

4. The washing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the liquid detergent tray has a bottom sloped downward to the valve.

5. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detergent introduction tray further includes:

a fiber softener introduction portion for introduction of fiber softener, and

a supplementary detergent introduction portion for introduction of supplementary detergent.

6. The washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fiber softener introduction portion further includes a fiber softener tank detachably or slidably seated thereon.

7. The washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the supplementary detergent introduction portion further includes a supplementary detergent tank detachably or slidably seated thereon.

8. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid detergent tray rotates with respect to the powder detergent introduction portion to expose/cover the powder detergent introduction portion, selectively.

9. The washing machine as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a rotatable frame rotatably provided to the detergent introduction tray to mount and rotate the liquid detergent tray and to expose the powder detergent introduction portion, selectively.

10. The washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the detergent introduction tray further includes a fiber softener introduction portion for introduction of the fiber softener, and the rotatable frame further includes a fiber softener tank to expose the fiber softener introduction portion, selectively.

11. The washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the detergent introduction tray further includes a supplementary detergent introduction portion, and the rotatable frame further includes a supplementary detergent tank to expose the supplementary detergent introduction portion, selectively.

12. The washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the liquid detergent tray includes a fastening portion formed on an outside circumference thereof to place the liquid detergent tray on the rotatable frame.

13. The washing machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the liquid detergent tray includes a cap for introduction of the liquid detergent, and the liquid detergent tray has a top portion formed to have a recessed portion recessed as much as a height of the cap.

14. The washing machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the liquid detergent tray further includes a valve provided to a bottom thereof to discharge, the liquid detergent introduced thereto by siphon.

15. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispenser housing has a detergent supply hole connected to the tub, and the dispenser housing and the powder detergent introduction portion are sloped downward to the detergent supply hole.

16. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powder detergent introduction portion includes a water supplier to supply water to dissolve the powder detergent and improve fluidity of the powder detergent.