Detergent dispenser for a washing machine

• US 9,834,880 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2017
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jo, Mingyu, Kim, Dongwon
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADHLAKHA, RITA P
• Application Number:
  US15/584,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20170233935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/022 in a liquid state D06F39/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/08 Liquid supply or discharge arrangements supply of soap or other washing agents D06F39/02
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs

Abstract

A washing machine includes a cabinet including an upper cover forming the rear portion of the upper surface of the cabinet, a tub provided within the cabinet, a drum rotatably provided within the tub, a detergent dispenser located above the front portion of the tub and exposed by the upper cover, and a dispenser cover opening and closing the upper surface of the detergent dispenser exposed by the upper cover and formed in front of the upper cover.

Claims

1. A laundry apparatus comprising:

a cabinet comprising;

a front surface comprising a door and a control panel mounted above the door;

a top surface comprising an upper cover that forms a rear portion of the top surface and a dispenser cover that forms a front portion of the top surface;

two side covers that form respective side surfaces of the cabinet; and

a rear cover that forms a rear surface of the cabinet;

a tub provided inside the cabinet, the tub being configured to store water and communicate with the door;

a drum rotatably provided inside the tub, the drum being configured to store laundry input through the door; and

a detergent dispenser provided below the front portion of the top surface, the detergent dispenser being configured to communicate with the tub,

wherein the dispenser cover is configured to rotate about the two side covers of the cabinet to open the front portion of the top surface, and the detergent dispenser is exposed when the dispenser cover is in an open position,

wherein the detergent dispenser comprises;

a first detergent part to communicate with the tub, and

a second detergent part to communicate with the tub,

wherein the detergent dispenser extends across the entire front portion of the top surface and there is a separation between the first detergent part and the second detergent part such that the first detergent part is disposed below a first side of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet and the second detergent part is disposed below a second side of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet,

wherein the top surface includes a single boundary line dividing the top surface, the rear portion of the top surface based on the single boundary line is formed by the upper cover, and the front portion of the upper surface based on the single boundary line is formed by the dispenser cover.

2. The laundry apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top surface further comprises a pair of side panels, the pair of side panels being respectively disposed between the upper cover and the both side covers, and respectively disposed between the dispenser cover and the both side covers.

3. The laundry apparatus of claim 2, wherein a front edge of the dispenser door forms a front edge of the top surface of the cabinet, and an upper edge of the control panel forms an upper edge of the front surface of the cabinet.

4. The laundry apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a connection surface extending from the front edge of the dispenser door to the upper edge of the control panel.

5. The laundry apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control panel is mounted at the upper end of the front surface.

6. The laundry apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation is provided by a spacer.

7. The laundry apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first detergent part and the second detergent part are visible to the outside of the cabinet when the dispenser cover is in the open position.

8. The laundry apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first detergent part comprises a first lid having a first inclined part that is downwardly inclined toward a first input hole formed in the first lid, and

wherein the second detergent part comprises a second lid having a second inclined part that is downwardly inclined toward a second input hole formed in the second lid.

9. The laundry apparatus of claim 6, wherein the dispenser cover comprises:

a dispenser door configured to open and close the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet; and

a hinge connecting the dispenser door with the cabinet.

10. The laundry apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a first water supply line to supply water to the first detergent part;

a second water supply line to supply water to the second detergent part.

11. The laundry apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a hot water supply line to supply hot water to the first detergent part.

12. The laundry apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a single connecting line to supply water provided by an outside water source to both the first supply line and the second supply line.

13. The laundry apparatus of claim 10, wherein

the first detergent part comprises:

a first collector to communicate with the tub and guide the water supplied by the first water supply line to the tub,

a first lid to form a top surface of the first collector, and

a first input hole formed in the first lid and disposed below the first side of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet; and

the second detergent part comprises;

a second collector to communicate with the tub and guide water supplied by the second water supply line to the tub,

a second lid to form a top surface of the second collector, and

a second input hole formed in the second lid and located below the second side of the front portion of the upper surface of the cabinet.

14. The laundry apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second detergent part further comprises:

a box disposed below the second lid and above the second collector, the box being configured to store a detergent supplied through the second input hole and the water supplied by the second water supply line; and

a siphon provided at a bottom surface of the box to direct the detergent and the water into the second collector.

15. The laundry apparatus of claim 14, wherein the detergent comprises at least one of liquid detergent, a powder detergent, a subsidiary detergent, a bleaching agent, and a fabric softener.

16. The laundry apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a flow path unit that comprises:

a first flow channel to guide water supplied by the first water supply line to the first collector;

a second flow channel to guide water supplied by the second water supply line to the second collector; and

a third flow channel to guide water supplied by a third water supply line to the first collector.

17. The laundry apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a third input hole formed in one of the first lid and the second lid,

wherein the first input hole is a liquid/powder detergent hole to receive a liquid/powder detergent,

wherein the second input hole is a bleaching agent input hole to receive a bleaching agent, and

wherein the third input hole is a fabric softener input hole to receive a fabric softener.

18. The laundry apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first side of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet is a corner of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet, and the second side of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet is another corner of the front portion of the top surface of the cabinet.