Washing machine

• US 7,096,695 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kang, Jeong Hoon, Jung, Youn Su, Park, Myeong Seok, Kim, Jong Seok, No, Yang Hwan, Cho, Han Ki, Ha, Young Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L.
• Application Number:
  US10/272,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 68/24, 68/58, 681/42, 366/220, 366/228, 366/232, 366/234
• US Class Current: 68/58
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/06 Ribs, lifters, or rubbing means forming part of the receptacle

Abstract

Washing machines having improved frictional forces with laundry. Those machines include a cabinet with a door, a tub inside for retaining wash water, and an internal vessel, inside the tub that is coupled with a motor that rotates the internal vessel. A friction member inside the internal vessel rubs against laundry. The frictional member includes a friction enhancer, such as a spherical structure or a freely rotating ball, that enhances laundry friction during washing and reduces adhesion of laundry after a dehydration cycle.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a cabinet;

a tub inside the cabinet for retaining wash water;

a drum inside the tub for holding and selectively moving laundry;

a friction member mounted on the inside of the drum for generating a water current in response to drum movement, and

friction enhancers rotatably supported within the friction member and protruding from the friction member into the drum;

wherein the friction member contacts laundry when the drum moves such that a friction force is established between the friction member and the laundry; and

wherein the friction enhancers increase the friction force between the friction member and the laundry.

2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the friction enhancers include a washing ball.

3. The washing machine of claim 2, wherein the washing ball rotates.

4. The washing machine of claim 3, wherein the tub is slanted such that the front is higher than the rear.

5. The washing machine of claim 4, wherein the lifter increases in height from the front to the rear.

6. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein the friction enhancers include washing protrusions that protrude into the drum.

7. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein the friction enhancers include a plurality of washing balls that rotate by laundry friction.

8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the friction enhancers are hemispherical.

9. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the friction enhancers include a plurality of drain holes.

10. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the friction member is a lifter.

11. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein the lifter includes a plurality of drain holes.

12. The washing machine of claim 10, wherein the lifter includes:

a lifter body coupled with the drum and having washing ball insertion holes for retaining washing balls partially within the lifter; and

a ball support within the lifter body for supporting washing balls such that the washing balls can rotate.

13. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein a diameter of each washing ball is greater than a diameter of the washing ball insertion holes.

14. The washing machine of claim 13, wherein a washing ball includes an auxiliary protrusion.

15. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the ball support is coupled to the lifter body.

16. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the ball support includes a support cover having a plurality of support recesses for supporting washing balls.

17. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the ball support includes support protrusions inside the lifter body and adjacent the washing ball insertion holes, wherein the support protrusions support the washing balls.

18. The washing machine of claim 17, wherein a washing ball is located between pairs of support protrusions.

19. The washing machine of claim 18, wherein a holding sill is formed by ends of a pair of support protrusions.

20. The washing machine of claim 19, wherein a washing ball is supported by a rotational shaft, and wherein the rotational shaft is supported by the holding sill.

21. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the rotational shaft penetrates through a washing ball.

22. The washing machine of claim 20, wherein the rotational shaft extends from a washing ball.

23. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the ball support includes a ball housing within the lifter body, wherein the ball housing includes support recesses that support washing balls.

24. The washing machine of claim 23, wherein locking slots are formed at a coupling face of the lifter body, wherein matching locking protrusions are formed at a coupling face of the ball housing, and wherein the locking slots and the locking protrusions are mated.

25. The washing machine of claim 24, wherein the locking slots have rectangle cross-sections and wherein the locking protrusions have a ‘

T’

cross-section.

26. The washing machine of claim 23, wherein the ball housing has a stepped shape.

27. The washing machine of claim 12, further including a plurality of drain holes through the lifter.

28. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the lifter body has a streamlined shape with convex portions.

29. The washing machine of claim 12, wherein the lifter body comprises:

a curved surface having washing ball insertion holes, wherein the curved surface has a greater height toward a rear of the drum;

a friction part having a curved surface that follows the contour of a rear corner of the drum; and

a locking part for retaining the lifter body to the drum.

30. The washing machine of claim 29, wherein a bracket and a finishing member are inserted into the locking part, and wherein a fastener couples the finishing member and the bracket to the drum such that the lifter is coupled to the drum.

31. The washing machine of claim 1, further including a drive member for moving the drum.

32. The washing machine of claim 31, further including a drive shaft coupling the drive member to the drum.

33. The washing machine of claim 31, wherein the drum rotates along a horizontal axis.

34. A washing machine, comprising:

a cabinet;

a vessel inside the cabinet holding and selectively moving laundry;

a motor for moving the vessel;

a friction member mounted on the inside of the vessel for generating a water current in response to vessel movement, and

friction enhancers rotatably supported within the frictional member and protruding from the friction member into the vessel;

wherein the frictional member contacts laundry when the vessel moves such that a friction force is established between the friction member and the laundry; and

wherein the friction enhancers increase the friction force between the friction member and the laundry.

35. The washing machine of claim 34, wherein the friction member is a lifter.

36. The washing machine of claim 35, wherein the friction enhancers include a rotating washing ball.

37. The washing machine of claim 36, wherein the friction enhancers include a plurality of drain holes.

38. The washing machine of claim 36, wherein the lifter includes a plurality of drain holes.

39. The washing machine of claim 34, wherein the friction member is a pulsator.

40. The washing machine of claim 39, wherein the friction enhancers include a rotating washing ball.