Bracket for washing machine and washing machine having the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a bracket for a washing machine for providing related parts at a tub, including a body provided at the tub in the washing machine, and a coupling member having a nut member unseparably provided at the body, or a coupling member for evenly loading weight of the tub on the body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Applications No. P2003-46023, filed on Jul. 8, 2003, and No. P2003-51344, filed on Jul. 25, 2003 which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a washer, and more particularly, to a bracket assembly for attaching various parts to a tub of the washer.

[0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art

[0005] In general, a washer is an apparatus for washing laundry by using machinery impact and a chemical action. The washer generally has a drum provided therein. The tub stores preliminary wash water, and the drum is supplied with wash water and detergent from the tub for washing laundry therein. Therefore, the laundry is washed by machinery impact as well as chemical action of the wash water and detergent. Various parts are applied to the tub for supplementing a stable operation. For example, a damper and a suspension spring are elastically supports the tub. A balance weight performs a role of solving weight imbalance generated by the laundry at the tub and a drum assembly. The parts are provided at the tub by using a predetermined bracket.

[0006] The damper and the balance weight are strongly coupled with the bracket by using a coupling member such as a bolt, for which the bracket includes a nut member coupled with the coupling member. However, it is normal that the nut member is separately fabricated and assembled to a body of the bracket. Accordingly, the work efficiency is actually lowered in installing the damper and the balance weight because it takes a long time to fix the nut member. During operation of the washing machine, when excessive weight is loaded on the damper and the balance weight, the nut member can be separated, and the damper and the balance weight can be separated from the tub. Therefore, the tub can be directly damaged, and the separated nut member and the balance weight may damage other parts of the washing machine.

[0007] In general, the bracket for the suspension spring is formed in an angled form, i.e., "L" form, and the spring is hooked over the bracket. In other words, a horizontal member of the bracket formed in the angled form is fixed to the tub, and a perpendicular member of the bracket is coupled with an end of the spring. However, since the perpendicular member of the bracket formed in the angled form is positioned at a side of the horizontal member, the weight is loaded on a side of the bracket. Therefore, owing to a large weight or fatigue loaded on the bracket, the bracket can be separated from the tub, and the tub can be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a bracket for a washing machine and washing machine having the same that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a bracket for a washing machine for easily and strongly providing related part at the tub.

[0010] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

[0011] To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the bracket for a washing machine includes a body provided at a tub in a washing machine for supporting parts provided at the tub, and a nut member coupled with a predetermined coupling member for fixing the parts to the body, and unseparably provided at the body.

[0012] Preferably, the nut member and the body are formed as a single body, and the parts become a damper for supporting the tub or a balance weight for correcting weight imbalance of the tub.

[0013] In more detail, the body includes a pass through hole for passing the coupling member, the nut member is provided at the pass through hole and the body includes an extension member extended from the body, and fixed to the tub.

[0014] The nut member is also extended from the body to a predetermined length, and includes a helix formed in a spiral form.

[0015] Meanwhile, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a bracket for a washing machine, the bracket including a body provided at the tub in the washing machine for supporting parts provided at the tub, and a linker provided at the body, coupled with a spring provided at a housing of the washing machine so as to make the tub to be elastically hanged, and evenly loading weight of a hanged tub on the body.

[0016] The linker is, preferably, provided on a central portion of the body. The linker includes a plate member extended upward from the body, and preferably, is made by bending a part of the body upward. The linker also includes a pass through hole over which an end of the spring is hooked.

[0017] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings;

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a cutaway view of a washing machine in accordance with the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a local perspective view of a balance weight of a washing machine in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a balance weight of a washing machine in accordance with the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates a local perspective view of a bracket for a damper in accordance with the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a bracket for a damper in accordance with the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 6 illustrates a local perspective view of a bracket for a spring in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a washing machine in accordance with the present invention. With reference to the drawing, the washing machine in accordance with the present invention will be described. Although the illustrated washing machine is a front loading type washing machine, it is almost the same as a top loading type washing machine except that the tub 20 and the drum 30 are laid. Accordingly, although the present invention is described with reference to a front loading type washing machine for a brief description, it can also be applied to a top loading type washing machine.

[0027] As illustrated, the washing machine in accordance with the present invention includes a housing 10, a tub 20 and drum 30 provided in the housing 10.

[0028] The housing 10 is designed to have various parts therein, and to protect the parts. On a front surface of the housing 10, a door is provided for opening and closing an inlet coupled with the drum 30, and a gasket 12 is provided between the inlet and the tub 20 for preventing wash water from being leaked. A control panel 13 is provided on an upper part of the housing 10. A user directs an operation of the washing machine by using the control panel 13, and puts the laundry into, or takes out the laundry from the drum 30 through the door. The tub 20 stores preliminary wash water for constantly supplying the wash water to the drum 30 during washing. In a center of a bottom surface of the tub 30, a pass through hole is formed, and a driving axis 42 coupled with the drum 30 is provided through the pass through hole. The drum 30 receives the laundry, and is rotatably provided in the tub 20. The drum 30 includes a plurality of pass through holes so as to make the wash water flow in from the tub 20. A plurality of baffles (or lifter) 31 is attached on an inner surface of the drum 30 for mixing the laundry well. Meanwhile, a driving member 40 provided at the tub 20 provides power for rotating the drum. The driving member 40 includes a motor 41, the drum 30, and a driving axis 42 coupled with the motor 41. The motor, in more detail, includes a stator 41a fixed to the bottom surface of the tub 20, and a rotor 41b rotatably provided surrounding the stator 41a. As illustrated, because the rotor 41b is directly coupled with the driving axis 42, the power of the motor 41 is directly transformed to the drum 30 through the driving axis 42 without any loss. Accordingly, the driving member 40 is very advantageous in aspects of efficiency, noise, and vibration. In the mean time, the driving member 40 may include conventional driving mechanism including the drum 30, pulleys provided at the motor, and a belt coupling the pulleys to each other.

[0029] The tub includes various parts such as a balance weight 21, a damper 22, and a suspension spring 23, for a stable operation in the washing machine.

[0030] First, the balance weight 21 performs a role of correcting weight imbalance occurred from its own weight, and caused by the laundry and wash water stored in the drum 30. The damper 22 elastically supports the tub 20 and the drum 30, and absorbs vibration generated from the tub 20 and the drum 30 during operation of the washing machine. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the balance weight 21 is provided on a front portion and an outer circumferential surface of the tub 30 by using the bracket, and the damper 22 is provided at a lower part of the outer circumferential surface of the tub 30 by using the same. Since the balance weight 21 weighs heavily, and the damper 222 supports not only the weight of the tub 20 and the drum 30 but also the weight of the laundry, the damper 22 is strongly fixed to the bracket, respectively, by using the coupling member. The balance weight 21 and brackets for the damper 22 are illustrated in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5.

[0031] FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrate the balance weight 21 and the bracket for the balance weight provided at the front portion of the tub 20. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the bracket 100 for the balance weight includes a body 110 provided at the tub 20, and a nut member 120 provided at the body 110 as a whole. The body 110 is basically configured to support the balance weight 21, and thus the balance weight 21 is laid on the body 110. In more detail, the body 110 is generally formed in a hemispherical shell, and includes a smooth surface 111 on which the balance weight 21 is laid, so as to stably support the balance weight 21. The body 110 includes a pass through hole 112 for passing the coupling member 21b, and the though hole 112 is formed on the body 110, precisely on a center of the smooth surface 111. The body 110 includes an extension member 113 for fixing the tub 30. The extension member 113, as illustrated, practically includes a flange extended from a circumference of the body 110, and fixed to the tub 20 by a rivet. The nut member 120 is coupled with the coupling member 21b for fixing the balance weight 21 to the body 110. As aforementioned, when the nut member 120 is separated from the body 110 during washing, caused are damages on the various parts and trouble of the washing machine. For this reason, the nut member 120 is basically configured to be unseparable from the body 100 in the present invention. In more detail, the nut member 120 and the body are provided as a single body such that the nut member 120 is not separated from the body 110. Actually, the body 110 and the nut member 120 can be fabricated as a single body by a fabricating method such as an injection molding. The nut member 120 is continuously formed at the pass through hole 112 so as to be coupled with the coupling member 21b passed through the pass through hole 112. The nut member 120 is formed on the body 110, precisely in the middle of the smooth surface 112, together with the pass through hole 112 such that the coupling member 21b stably fixes the balance weight 21 laid to the body 110. It is desirable that the nut member is extended from the body 110 to a predetermined length so as to be stably coupled with the coupling member 21b. Precisely, the nut member 120 is extended downward from the body 110 toward the tub 20.

[0032] A screw is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the nut member 120. For a stronger coupling, it is desirable that the screw is extended to an inner circumferential surface of an adjacent pass through hole 112 as illustrated. In this case, a bolt is actually coupled with the nut member 120 as the coupling member 21b.

[0033] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bracket 200 for the damper 22, similar to the bracket 100 for balance weight, includes a body 210 provided at the tub, and a nut member 220 provided on the body 210. A part of the damper 22 is inserted into the body 210 such that the body 210 stably supports the damper 22. In more detail, the body 210 includes a first and second flanges 211a and 211b provided on the tub 20. The first and second flanges 211a and 211b are arranged to face each other, and are separated a predetermined interval for inserting a part of the damper 22. The body 210 includes a pass through hole 212 for passing the coupling member 22b, and the pass through hole 212 is provided at the first and second flanges, respectively. A leg 213 is provided at the body 210 for fixing the bracket 200 to the tub 30, and the bracket 200 is strongly fixed to the tub 20 by the rivet. The nut member 220 is coupled with the coupling member 22b for fixing the damper 22 to the body 210. Accordingly, a screw extendable to the inner circumferential surface of an adjacent pass through hole 212 is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the nut member 220, and a bolt 22b being a coupling member is coupled with the nut member 220.

[0034] The nut member 220 is unseparably provided at the body 210, and thus the nut member 220 and the body 210 are formed as a single body by an injection molding. The nut member 220 is provided one of either of the first and second flanges 211a and 211b, and continuously provided at the pass through hole 212 to be coupled with the coupling member 22b passed through the pass through hole 212. It is desirable that the nut member 220 is extended outward from the body 110, i.e., one of the first and second flanges 211a and 211b, to a predetermined length so as to be stably coupled with the coupling member 21b.

[0035] A process for installing the balance weight 21 and the damper 22 by using the brackets 100 and 200 will be described in more detail as follows.

[0036] First, in a case of the balance weight 21, the balance weight 21 is laid on the smooth surface 111 of the body 110, and a coupling hole 21a of the balance weight 21 is lined up with the pass through hole 112 and the nut member 120 such that the balance weight is fixed to the bracket 100. Then the bolt 21b being the coupling member is coupled with the nut member 120 through the coupling hole 21a such that the balance weight 21 is fixed to the bracket 100. In a case of the damper 22, an end of the damper 22 is first inserted between the first and the second flanges 211a and 211b, and the coupling hole 22b of the damper 22 is lined up with the pass through hole 212 and the nut member 220. Then the bolt 22b is inserted into the pass through hole 212 and the coupling hole 22a, and the damper 22 is coupled with the nut member 220 so as to be fixed to the bracket 200. In each case, because the but member 121 and 220 are formed as a single body, the process, conventionally required, of fixing the nut members 121 and 220 to the body is unnecessary. Therefore, the balance weight 21 and the damper 22 may be easily fixed to the bracket 100 and 200 without an unnecessary process. Even if overweight is loaded on the damper 22 and the balance weight 21, the nut members 120 and 220 are not separated from the bodies 110 and 220, thereby preventing the tub and related parts from being damaged, and furthermore the washing machine from being damaged.

[0037] The suspension spring 23 elastically supports the tub 20 as the same as the damper 22. The damper 22 is provided at a lower part of the tub 20 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the spring 23 is provided at an upper part of the tub 20 so as to be able to elastically support the tub 20 by using the bracket 300. FIG. 6 illustrates the spring bracket 300 in detail.

[0038] The bracket 300 includes a body 310, and a linker 320 provided at the body 310. The body 310 generally includes a plate member, and fixed to the tub 20 by means of welding (a welding point 310a). The linker 320 is coupled with the spring 23 such that the spring is elastically hanged on the spring 23. Accordingly, the weight of the tub 20 is first loaded on the body 310 fixed to the tub 20, then transformed to the spring 23 through the linker 320. However, although the spring is transformed absorbing the applied weight loaded thereon, i.e., the weight of the tub 20, the linker 320 fixed to the spring 23 adds a predetermined amount of a thrust of a predetermined size in proportion to the weight of the tub, to the body 310. When the thrust, i.e., weight is concentrated on a particular point of the body 310, the welding point 310a of the body 310 is broken and separated from the tub 310 by fatigue or an instant large weight. For this reason, the linker 320 is configured to add the weight of the tub 20, i.e., the thrust corresponding to the weight, to the body 310 evenly. Particularly, the trust corresponding to the position, i.e., a point of trusting, on the coupling member 310, is important in evenly adding the weight (thrust) to the body 310. Therefore, it is desirable that the linker 320 is provided on a central portion of the body 320 as illustrated. In more detail, the linker 320 is formed in a plate form as the same as the body 310, and extended upward from the body 310 so as to be easily coupled with the spring 23. The linker 320 may be separately fabricated and then fixed to the body 310 by welding or the coupling member. However, as illustrated, it is desirable that a part of the body 320 is bent upward. The bent linker 320 is easily fabricated without lowering total strength of the bracket 300, thereby lowering the cost of production by saving a material. The linker 320 includes a pass through hole 320a, and an end 23a of the spring is caught by the pass through hole 320a.

[0039] When the spring 23 is installed at the tub 20 by using the bracket 300, a first end of the spring 23 is provided at the housing 10. Then a second end of the spring 23 is inserted into the pass through hole 320a and coupled with the linker 320. Accordingly, the tub 20 is hanged on the spring 23, and the spring 23 absorbs vibration and impact of the tub 20 generated during the operation of the washing machine together with the damper 22. In this case, because the weight of the tub 20 is evenly dispersed, the body 310 is not partially stressed. Therefore, even if unexpected excessive weight is loaded on the bracket 300, a binding member (welding point 310a) is not damaged, and furthermore, the bracket 320 is not separated from tub 20.

[0040] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A bracket for a washing machine, comprising: a body provided at a tub in the washing machine for supporting parts provided at the tub; and a nut member coupled with a predetermined coupling member for fixing the part to the body, and unseparably provided at the body.

2. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nut member and the body are formed as a single body.

3. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parts are a damper for supporting the tub, or a balance weight for controlling weight imbalance of the tub.

4. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a pass through hole for passing the coupling member, and the nut member is provided at the though hole.

5. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body comprises an extension member extended from the body and fixed to the tub.

6. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nut member is extended from the body to a predetermined length.

7. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nut member comprises a helix formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof.

8. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling member is a bolt.

9. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the balance weight is laid on the body.

10. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body is formed in a semispherical shell form.

11. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body comprises a smooth surface on which the balance weight is laid.

12. The bracket for a washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nut member is provided on a central portion of the body.

13. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nut member is extended from the body to a predetermined length.

14. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body comprises a flange extended from an outer circumference thereof, and fixed to the tub.

15. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the damper is inserted into the body.

16. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the body comprises first and second flanges arranged on the tub, respectively, and spaced a predetermined distance.

17. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the nut member is provided at either of the first flange or the second flange.

18. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the nut member is extended outward from the body.

19. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the body comprises a leg extended therefrom and fixed to the tub.

20. A washing machine comprising: a housing; a tub provided in the housing for storing preliminary wash water; a drum receiving laundry, and rotatably provided in the tub; and a bracket including a body provided in the washing machine for supporting parts provided at the tub, and a nut member coupled with a coupling member for fixing the parts to the body and unseparably provided at the body.

21. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the nut member and the body are formed as a single body.

22. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the parts is a damper for supporting the tub, or a balance weight for controlling weight imbalance of the tub.

23. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the body comprises a pass through hole for passing the coupling member, and the nut member is provided at the though hole.

24. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the body comprises an extension member extended from the body and fixed to the tub.

25. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the nut member is extended from the body to a predetermined length.

26. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the nut member comprises a helix formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof.

27. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the coupling member is a bolt.

28. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the balance weight is laid on the body.

29. The washing machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the body is formed in a semispherical shell form.

30. The washing machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the body comprises a smooth surface on which the balance weight is laid.

31. The washing machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the nut member is provided on a central portion of the body.

32. The washing machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the nut member is extended form the body toward the tub for a predetermined length.

33. The washing machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein the body comprises a flange extended from an outer circumferential surface thereof, and fixed to the tub.

34. The washing machine as claimed in claim 20, wherein the damper is inserted into the body.

35. The washing machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein the body comprises first and second flanges provided on the tub, respectively, and spaced a predetermined distance such that a part of the damper is inserted therein.

36. The washing machine as claimed in claim 35, wherein the nut member is provided at either one of the first flange or the second flange.

37. The washing machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein the nut member is extended outward from the body.

38. The washing machine as claimed in claim 34, wherein the body comprises legs extended from the body and fixed to the tub.

39. A bracket for a washing machine, comprising: a body provided on a tub in the washing machine; and a coupling member provided at the body, coupled with a spring provided at a housing of the washing machine so as to make the tub elastically be hanged thereon, and evenly loading weight of a hanged tub on the body.

40. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 39, wherein the coupling member is provided on a central portion of the body.

41. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 39, wherein the coupling member comprises a plate member extended upward from the body.

42. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 39, wherein the coupling member is formed from bending a part of the body upward.

43. The bracket for the washing machine as claimed in claim 39, wherein the coupling member comprises a pass through hole over which the end of the spring is hooked.

44. A washing machine comprising: a housing; a tub provided in the housing for storing preliminary wash water; a drum receiving laundry, and rotatably provided in the tub; a spring provided in the housing, and over which the tub is elastically hanged; and a bracket provided at the tub, and coupled with the spring so as to evenly disperse weight of a hanged tub thereon.

45. The washing machine as claimed in claim 44, wherein the bracket is configured to be coupled with the spring at a center thereof.

46. The washing machine as claimed in claim 44, wherein the bracket comprises a coupling member provided on a central portion thereof, and coupled with the spring.

47. The washing machine as claimed in claim 46, wherein the coupling member comprises a plate member extended upward form the bracket.

48. The washing machine as claimed in claim 46, wherein the coupling member is configured from bending a part of the bracket upward.

49. The washing machine as claimed in claim 46, wherein the coupling member comprises a though hole over which an end of the spring is hooked.