U.S. patent application number 14/413063 was filed with the patent office on 2015-11-05 for clothes treatment apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Ikuma FUKUI.
Application Number | 20150315736 14/413063 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51227716 |
Filed Date | 2015-11-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150315736 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FUKUI; Ikuma |
November 5, 2015 |
CLOTHES TREATMENT APPARATUS
Abstract
(EN) Disclosed is a clothes treatment apparatus (100) including
a cabinet (1) having an opening (11), a tub (2) having a tub
through-hole (27) and a tub aperture (21) communicating with the
opening (11), a drum (3) rotatably installed within the tub (2) and
configured to store laundry therein, the drum (3) having a drum
aperture communicating with the tub aperture (21), a drive unit (6)
having a rotating shaft (65) inserted into the tub through-hole
(27) to thereby be connected to the drum (3), the rotating shaft
(65) being movable in a radial direction inside the tub
through-hole (27), and a drive unit support device (71, 74, R, L)
configured to support the drive unit (6) such that the drive unit
(6) is movable in a radial direction with respect to the rear
surface of the tub (2).
Inventors: |
FUKUI; Ikuma;
(Gyeongsangnam-do, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LG ELECTRONICS INC. |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
51227716 |
Appl. No.: |
14/413063 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
July 10, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2013/006139 |
371 Date: |
January 6, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
68/140 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 37/269 20130101;
D06F 37/22 20130101; D06F 37/30 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D06F 37/22 20060101
D06F037/22; D06F 37/26 20060101 D06F037/26; D06F 37/30 20060101
D06F037/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 25, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0008502 |
Jan 25, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0008503 |
Claims
1. A clothes treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet having an
opening for insertion or removal of laundry; a tub having a tub
aperture perforated in a front surface of the tub to communicate
with the opening and a tub through-hole perforated in a rear
surface of the tub; a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the
drum being configured to store laundry therein and having a drum
aperture communicating with the tub aperture; a drive unit having a
rotating shaft inserted into the tub through-hole to thereby be
connected to the drum, the rotating shaft being movable in a radial
direction inside the tub through-hole; and a drive unit support
device configured to support the drive unit such that the drive
unit is movable in a radial direction with respect to the rear
surface of the tub.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit
support device supports the drive unit using at least any one of
attractive force or repulsive force between magnetic units, thereby
allowing the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the
tub.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit
support device includes: a bearing housing provided at the outside
of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing
housing, the bearing housing having a housing through-hole into
which the rotating shaft is inserted; a housing receptacle provided
at the rear surface of the tub, the housing receptacle defining an
accommodation space in which the bearing housing is accommodated; a
first magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of
the bearing housing; and a second magnetic unit provided at an
inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining
the accommodation space to exert repulsive force to the first
magnetic unit.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the bearing housing
has a cylindrical shape, wherein the accommodation space has a
cylindrical shape such that the bearing housing is accommodated in
the accommodation space, wherein the first magnetic unit includes a
bar-shaped permanent magnet provided at the outer circumferential
surface of the bearing housing, and wherein the second magnetic
unit includes a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from
one another by a predetermined distance at the inner
circumferential surface of the housing receptacle defining the
accommodation space.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a first
magnetic force amplification unit fixed to the outer
circumferential surface of the bearing housing, the first magnetic
force amplification unit being configured to support the first
magnetic unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the first
magnetic unit; and a second magnetic force amplification unit fixed
to the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle
defining the accommodation space, the second magnetic force
amplification unit being configured to support the second magnetic
unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the second magnetic
unit.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a
vibration attenuation unit fixed to the inner circumferential
surface of the housing receptacle defming the accommodation space,
the vibration attenuation unit being configured to elastically
support the second magnetic unit and the second magnetic force
amplification unit.
7. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a spacer
provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub
to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the
bearing housing.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a third
magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing; and a fourth
magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert
attractive force to the third magnetic unit.
9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit
support device includes: a bearing housing provided at the outside
of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing
housing, the bearing housing having a housing through-hole into
which the rotating shaft is inserted; a housing receptacle provided
at the rear surface of the tub, the housing receptacle defining an
accommodation space in which the bearing housing is accommodated; a
spacer provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of
the tub to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub
and the bearing housing; a third magnetic unit provided at the
bearing housing along the circumference of a virtual circle, the
center of which is equal to the center of the housing through-hole;
and a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub
along the circumference of a virtual circle, the center of which is
equal to the center of the tub through-hole, to exert repulsive
force to the third magnetic unit.
10. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a
magnetic bearing configured to rotatably support the rotating shaft
inside the housing through-hole using repulsive force between the
magnetic units, wherein the magnetic bearing includes: a rotating
shaft magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of
the rotating shaft; and a housing magnetic unit inserted in the
housing through-hole to exert repulsive force to the rotating shaft
magnetic unit.
11. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit
support device includes: a bearing housing provided at the outside
of the tub such that the drive unit is supported by the bearing
housing; a circumferential support portion provided within the tub
to allow the drum in being moved in a radial direction within the
tub via repulsive force between the magnetic units; and an axial
support portion provided at the outside of the tub to allow the
bearing housing to be moved in a radial direction with respect to
the rear surface of the tub via attractive force or repulsive force
between the magnetic units.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the
circumferential support portion includes: a first magnetic unit
provided at an inner circumferential surface of the tub; and a
second magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface
of the drum so as to receive repulsive force from the first
magnetic unit.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the axial support
portion includes: a spacer provided at the bearing housing or at
the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance between the rear
surface of the tub and the bearing housing; a third magnetic unit
provided at the bearing housing; and a fourth magnetic unit
provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert attractive force
to the third magnetic unit.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a
housing receptacle spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub by
a predetermined distance, the housing receptacle providing a space
in which the bearing housing is accommodated, wherein the spacer
includes: a first spacer rotatably provided at the bearing housing
to maintain a distance between the bearing housing and the rear
surface of the tub; and a second spacer rotatably provided at the
bearing housing to maintain a distance between the bearing housing
and the housing receptacle.
15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the bearing
housing includes a housing body spaced apart from the rear surface
of the tub by a predetermined distance such that the spacer is
fixed to the housing body, and a housing through-hole perforated in
the housing body such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the
housing through-hole, and wherein the drive unit includes a stator
fixed to the housing body and a rotor, to which the rotating shaft
is coupled, the rotor being rotated by electromagnetic interaction
with the stator.
16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the drive unit
support device further includes a magnetic force amplification unit
configured to increase attractive force between the third magnetic
unit and the fourth magnetic unit, and wherein the magnetic force
amplification unit includes a metal provided at the bearing housing
such that the third magnetic unit is fixed to the metal, and a
metal provided at the rear surface of the tub such that the fourth
magnetic unit is fixed to the metal.
17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein any one of the
third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit includes a
ring-shaped permanent magnet, and wherein the other one of the
third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit includes a
plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a
predetermined distance so as to define the same circumference as a
circumference of the ring-shaped permanent magnet.
18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit
support device includes: a circumferential support portion provided
within the tub to allow the drum to be moved in a radial direction
within the tub via repulsive force between magnetic units; and a
slider unit provided at the outside of the tub to couple the
bearing housing, to which the drive unit is fixed, to the rear
surface of the tub while allowing the bearing housing to be moved
in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the
tub.
19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the slider unit
includes: a slider body provided between the bearing housing and
the rear surface of the tub; a body through-hole perforated in the
slider body such that the rotating shaft is inserted into the body
through-hole, a diameter of the body through-hole being greater
than a diameter of the rotating shaft; a first guider configured to
couple the slider body to the rear surface of the tub such that the
slider body is reciprocally movable in any one direction of a width
direction and a height direction of the tub; and a second guider
configured to couple the bearing housing to the slider body such
that the bearing housing is reciprocally movable in the other
direction of the width direction and the height direction of the
tub.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a rear
gasket configured to connect the rear surface of the tub and the
bearing housing to each other.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a clothes treatment
apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A conventional clothes treatment apparatus includes a
cabinet defining an external appearance of the apparatus, a tub
placed within the cabinet, a drum rotatably installed within the
tub to wash laundry, and a motor, a rotating shaft of which
penetrates the tub and is coupled to the drum to rotate the
drum.
[0003] The tub is supported within the cabinet using springs and
dampers. The springs connect an inner ceiling surface of the
cabinet and an upper end of the tub to each other, and the dampers
connect an inner bottom surface of the cabinet and a lower end of
the tub to each other.
[0004] In particular, the dampers are coupled to both sides of the
lower end of the tub via hinges, which reduces vibration that would
otherwise be transmitted to the tub during rotation of the
drum.
[0005] More specifically, each damper includes a circular cylinder
connected to either side of the lower end of the tub via the hinge,
a cylindrical piston connected to the bottom surface of the cabinet
via a hinge, the piston being movably inserted into the cylinder,
and a damping pad attached to an outer circumferential surface of
the piston so as to come into frictional contact with an inner
circumferential surface of the cylinder.
[0006] However, the conventional clothes treatment apparatus is
limited as to reduction of vibration despite installation of the
dampers.
[0007] That is, the conventional clothes treatment apparatus is
configured in such a manner that vibration generated by the drum
and the motor is transmitted to the tub during rotation of the drum
because the rotating shaft of the motor fixed to a rear surface of
the tub penetrates the rear surface of the tub and is supported by
a bearing fixed to the tub. The vibration transmitted to the tub
may be transmitted to the cabinet, although such vibration is
reduced by the dampers and the springs. Vibration of the tub and
vibration of the cabinet caused by rotation of the drum may be
further increased if the drum is rotated in an unbalanced state in
which dynamic balance of the drum is broken.
[0008] Dynamic balance refers to a state in which centrifugal force
or centrifugal moment becomes zero about a rotating shaft during
rotation of a rotator. In the case of a rigid body, dynamic balance
is maintained if mass distribution about a rotating shaft is
constant.
[0009] Accordingly, in the clothes treatment apparatus, dynamic
balance may be understood as the case in which, when the drum in
which laundry is accommodated is rotated, mass distribution of the
laundry about the rotating shaft of the drum is within an allowable
range (i.e. understood as the case in which the drum is rotated and
vibrated within an allowable vibration range).
[0010] On the other hand, in the clothes treatment apparatus, a
state in which dynamic balance is broken (i.e. an unbalanced state)
is a state in which mass distribution of the laundry about the
rotating shaft of the drum is not constant during rotation of the
drum, which occurs when the laundry is not uniformly distributed
within the drum.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0011] One object of the present invention is to provide a clothes
treatment apparatus, which may reduce vibration and noise generated
during rotation of a drum.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
clothes treatment apparatus in which a bearing housing, by which a
drive unit used to rotate a drum is supported, levitates by
magnetic force at the outside of a tub, which may allow the drum to
be moved in a radial direction within the tub.
[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
clothes treatment apparatus in which a drum levitates within a tub
by magnetic force, which may reduce noise and vibration that would
otherwise be transmitted to the tub during rotation of the
drum.
[0014] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
clothes treatment apparatus, which may maximize the volume of a tub
placed within a cabinet that provides a limited space.
Technical Solution
[0015] The object of the present invention can be achieved by
providing a clothes treatment apparatus including a cabinet having
an opening for insertion or removal of laundry, a tub having a tub
aperture perforated in a front surface of the tub to communicate
with the opening and a tub through-hole perforated in a rear
surface of the tub, a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the
drum being configured to store laundry therein and having a drum
aperture communicating with the tub aperture, a drive unit having a
rotating shaft inserted into the tub through-hole to thereby be
connected to the drum, the rotating shaft being movable in a radial
direction inside the tub through-hole, and a drive unit support
device configured to support the drive unit such that the drive
unit is movable in a radial direction with respect to the rear
surface of the tub.
[0016] The drive unit support device may support the drive unit
using at least any one of attractive force or repulsive force
between magnetic units, thereby allowing the drum to be moved in a
radial direction within the tub.
[0017] The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing
provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is
supported by the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a
housing through-hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted, a
housing receptacle provided at the rear surface of the tub, the
housing receptacle defining an accommodation space in which the
bearing housing is accommodated, a first magnetic unit provided at
an outer circumferential surface of the bearing housing, and a
second magnetic unit provided at an inner circumferential surface
of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space to exert
repulsive force to the first magnetic unit.
[0018] The bearing housing may have a cylindrical shape, the
accommodation space may have a cylindrical shape such that the
bearing housing is accommodated in the accommodation space, the
first magnetic unit may include a bar-shaped permanent magnet
provided at the outer circumferential surface of the bearing
housing, and the second magnetic unit may include a plurality of
permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined
distance at the inner circumferential surface of the housing
receptacle defining the accommodation space.
[0019] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a first
magnetic force amplification unit fixed to the outer
circumferential surface of the bearing housing, the first magnetic
force amplification unit being configured to support the first
magnetic unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the first
magnetic unit, and a second magnetic force amplification unit fixed
to the inner circumferential surface of the housing receptacle
defining the accommodation space, the second magnetic force
amplification unit being configured to support the second magnetic
unit and serving to amplify magnetic force of the second magnetic
unit.
[0020] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a
vibration attenuation unit fixed to the inner circumferential
surface of the housing receptacle defining the accommodation space,
the vibration attenuation unit being configured to elastically
support the second magnetic unit and the second magnetic force
amplification unit.
[0021] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a spacer
provided at the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub
to maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub and the
bearing housing.
[0022] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a third
magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing, and a fourth
magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to exert
attractive force to the third magnetic unit.
[0023] The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing
provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is
supported by the bearing housing, the bearing housing having a
housing through-hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted, a
housing receptacle provided at the rear surface of the tub, the
housing receptacle defining an accommodation space in which the
bearing housing is accommodated, a spacer provided at the bearing
housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a distance
between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing housing, a
third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing along the
circumference of a virtual circle, the center of which is equal to
the center of the housing through-hole, and a fourth magnetic unit
provided at the rear surface of the tub along the circumference of
a virtual circle, the center of which is equal to the center of the
tub through-hole, to exert repulsive force to the third magnetic
unit.
[0024] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a
magnetic bearing configured to rotatably support the rotating shaft
inside the housing through-hole using repulsive force between the
magnetic units, and the magnetic bearing may include a rotating
shaft magnetic unit provided at an outer circumferential surface of
the rotating shaft, and a housing magnetic unit inserted in the
housing through-hole to exert repulsive force to the rotating shaft
magnetic unit.
[0025] The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing
provided at the outside of the tub such that the drive unit is
supported by the bearing housing, a circumferential support
structure provided within the tub to allow the drum in being moved
in a radial direction within the tub via repulsive force between
the magnetic units, and an axial support structure provided at the
outside of the tub to allow the bearing housing to be moved in a
radial direction with respect to the rear surface of the tub via
attractive force or repulsive force between the magnetic units.
[0026] The circumferential support structure may include a first
magnetic unit provided at an inner circumferential surface of the
tub, and a second magnetic unit provided at an outer
circumferential surface of the drum so as to receive repulsive
force from the first magnetic unit.
[0027] The axial support structure may include a spacer provided at
the bearing housing or at the rear surface of the tub to maintain a
distance between the rear surface of the tub and the bearing
housing, a third magnetic unit provided at the bearing housing, and
a fourth magnetic unit provided at the rear surface of the tub to
exert attractive force to the third magnetic unit.
[0028] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a
housing receptacle spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub by
a predetermined distance, the housing receptacle providing a space
in which the bearing housing is accommodated, and the spacer may
include a first spacer rotatably provided at the bearing housing to
maintain a distance between the bearing housing and the rear
surface of the tub, and a second spacer rotatably provided at the
bearing housing to maintain a distance between the bearing housing
and the housing receptacle.
[0029] The bearing housing may include a housing body spaced apart
from the rear surface of the tub by a predetermined distance such
that the spacer is fixed to the housing body, and a housing
through-hole perforated in the housing body such that the rotating
shaft is inserted into the housing through-hole, and the drive unit
may include a stator fixed to the housing body and a rotor, to
which the rotating shaft is coupled, the rotor being rotated by
electromagnetic interaction with the stator.
[0030] The drive unit support device may further include a magnetic
force amplification unit configured to increase attractive force
between the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit, and
the magnetic force amplification unit may include a metal provided
at the bearing housing such that the third magnetic unit is fixed
to the metal, and a metal provided at the rear surface of the tub
such that the fourth magnetic unit is fixed to the metal.
[0031] Any one of the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic
unit may include a ring-shaped permanent magnet, and the other one
of the third magnetic unit and the fourth magnetic unit may include
a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a
predetermined distance so as to define the same circumference as a
circumference of the ring-shaped permanent magnet.
[0032] The drive unit support device may include a circumferential
support structure provided within the tub to allow the drum to be
moved in a radial direction within the tub via repulsive force
between magnetic units, and a slider unit provided at the outside
of the tub to couple the bearing housing, to which the drive unit
is fixed, to the rear surface of the tub while allowing the bearing
housing to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear
surface of the tub.
[0033] The slider unit may include a slider body provided between
the bearing housing and the rear surface of the tub, a body
through-hole perforated in the slider body such that the rotating
shaft is inserted into the body through-hole, a diameter of the
body through-hole being greater than a diameter of the rotating
shaft, a first guider configured to couple the slider body to the
rear surface of the tub such that the slider body is reciprocally
movable in any one direction of a width direction and a height
direction of the tub, and a second guider configured to couple the
bearing housing to the slider body such that the bearing housing is
reciprocally movable in the other direction of the width direction
and the height direction of the tub.
[0034] The clothes treatment apparatus may further include a rear
gasket configured to connect the rear surface of the tub and the
bearing housing to each other.
Advantageous Effects
[0035] According to the present invention, it is possible to
provide a clothes treatment apparatus, which may reduce vibration
and noise generated during rotation of a drum.
[0036] Further, in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the
present invention, it is possible to allow a bearing housing, by
which a drive unit used to rotate the drum is supported, to
levitate by magnetic force at the outside of a tub, which may allow
the drum to be moved in a radial direction within the tub.
[0037] Furthermore, in the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention, as a result of levitating the drum within
the tub by magnetic force, it is possible to reduce noise and
vibration that would otherwise be transmitted to the tub during
rotation of the drum.
[0038] In addition, in the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention, it is possible to maximize the volume of the
tub placed within a cabinet that provides a limited space.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0039] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principle of the invention.
[0040] In the drawings:
[0041] FIG. 1 is a view showing one example of a clothes treatment
apparatus according to the present invention;
[0042] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG.
1;
[0043] FIG. 3 is a view showing a drive unit support device
provided in the clothes treatment apparatus according to the
present invention;
[0044] FIGS. 4 to 6 are views showing a configuration of a
circumferential support structure included in the drive unit
support device;
[0045] FIG. 7 is a view showing the magnitude of force (repulsive
force and attractive force) applied to a bearing housing by an
axial support structure as well as the circumferential support
structure included in the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention;
[0046] FIGS. 8 to 10 are views showing a magnetic bearing;
[0047] FIGS. 11, 12, and 16 are views showing another embodiment of
the clothes treatment apparatus according to the present
invention;
[0048] FIGS. 13 to 15 are views showing a configuration of a
circumferential support structure shown in FIG. 11;
[0049] FIG. 17 is a view showing a drive unit support device shown
in FIGS. 11; and
[0050] FIGS. 18 to 20 are views showing a slider unit.
BEST MODE
[0051] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0052] Note that a configuration and a control method of an
apparatus that will be described hereinafter are given only to
explain the embodiments of the present invention and the scope of
the present invention should not be limited to the following
description. The same reference numerals will be used throughout
the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
[0053] FIG. 1 shows a clothes treatment apparatus according to the
present invention. The clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the
present invention includes a cabinet 1 defining an external
appearance of the apparatus 100, a tub 2 placed within the cabinet
1, the tub 2 being configured to store wash water therein, a drum 3
rotatably installed within the tub 2, and a drive unit 6 to rotate
the drum 3.
[0054] The cabinet 1 has an opening 11, through which laundry is
inserted into the drum 3 or removed from the drum 3. The opening 11
is opened or closed by a door 13.
[0055] The tub 2 takes the form of an empty cylinder. The tub 2 has
a tub aperture 21 perforated in one surface thereof (i.e. a front
surface of the tub 2) to communicate with the opening 11 and a tub
through-hole 27 perforated in a rear surface thereof (i.e. a
surface of the tub 2 opposite to the front surface of the tub
2).
[0056] More specifically, the tub aperture 21 of the cylindrical
tub 2 is perforated in a surface of the tub 2 facing the door 13
for insertion/removal of laundry, and the tub through-hole 27 of
the cylindrical tub 2 is perforated in the rear surface of the tub
2 such that a rotating shaft 65 of the drive unit 6 is inserted
into the tub through-hole 27, the diameter of the tub through-hole
27 being greater than the diameter of the rotating shaft 65.
[0057] The diameter of the tub through-hole 27 may be set to
prevent the rotating shaft 65 from colliding with the tub
through-hole 27 even if the maximum displacement of the drum 3
(i.e. a displacement to cause an outer circumferential surface of
the drum 3 to come into contact with an inner circumferential
surface of the tub 2) occurs.
[0058] Likewise, the drum 3 may take the form of an empty cylinder.
The drum 3 has a drum aperture 31 perforated in a front surface
thereof to communicate with the tub aperture 21. As such, a user
may insert laundry into the drum 3 or discharge the laundry
accommodated in the drum 3 to the outside of the cabinet 1 via
opening or closing of the door 13.
[0059] The drum 3 has a plurality of drum through-holes 35
perforated in a. circumferential wall thereof. Accordingly, wash
water inside the tub 2 may move into the drum 3 through the drum
through-holes 35, and wash water inside the drum 3 may move from
the interior of the drum 3 into the tub 2 through the drum
through-holes 35.
[0060] In the case in which the clothes treatment apparatus 100 of
the present invention serves to wash laundry, the tub 2 is
configured to store wash water. However, in the case in which the
clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the present invention serves
only to dry laundry, the tub 2 may be omitted, or may not be
configured to store wash water.
[0061] The tub 2 may be fixed within the cabinet 1 using a tub
support device 4. The tub support device 4 may be configured to
support the tub 2 using repulsive force that is one example of
magnetic force.
[0062] More specifically, the tub support device 4 according to the
present invention may include an upper unit 42; 43; 44 having any
one magnetic pole among an N-pole and an S-pole, and a lower unit
45; 46; 47 having a magnetic pole equal to the magnetic pole of the
upper unit 42; 43; 44, and a cylinder 41 in which the upper unit
42; 43; 44 and the lower unit 45; 46; 47 are accommodated.
[0063] The upper unit includes an upper piston 42 placed within the
cylinder 41, an upper rod 43, one end of which is coupled to the
tub 2 and the other end of which is coupled to the upper piston 42,
and an upper coil 44 wound on the upper piston 42 or the upper rod
43 and placed within the cylinder 41, the upper coil 44 serving as
a component for magnetization of the upper piston 42 when current
is supplied thereto.
[0064] The lower unit includes a lower piston 45 placed within the
cylinder 41 so as to face the upper piston 42, a lower rod 46, one
end of which is coupled to the cabinet 1 and the other end of which
is coupled to the lower piston 45, and a lower coil 47 wound on the
lower piston 45 or the lower rod 46 and placed within the cylinder
41, the lower coil 47 serving as a component for magnetization of
the lower piston 45 upon receiving current.
[0065] In this case, the upper coil 44 and the lower coil 47 may
have equal magnetic poles. Accordingly, the tub 2 provided in the
present invention may be supported within the cabinet 1 by
repulsive force between the upper piston 42 magnetized by the upper
coil 44 and the lower piston 45 magnetized by the lower coil
47.
[0066] In the case of the clothes treatment apparatus 100 according
to the present invention, the tub 2 may be configured separately
from a vibration system, and therefore the tub support device 4
having the above-described configuration may not be essential.
Accordingly, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 1(b), the tub aperture 21
may be directly connected to the opening 11, and the tub support
device 4 may serve not to absorb vibration of the tub 2, but to
assist the outer circumferential surface of the tub 2 in being
simply supported by the bottom surface of the cabinet 1.
[0067] The drive unit 6 is supported by a drive unit support device
71; 74; R; L provided at the outside of the tub 2. The drive unit 6
may include the rotating shaft 65 inserted through the tub
through-hole 27 to thereby be coupled to the drum 3, a stator 63
fixed to the drive unit support device 7, and a rotor 61 coupled to
the rotating shaft 65, the rotor 61 being rotated via
electromagnetic interaction with the stator 63.
[0068] In this case, the diameter of the rotating shaft 65 may be
less than the diameter of the tub through-hole 27.
[0069] The drive unit support device may include a bearing housing
71 to which the drive unit 6 is coupled, a housing receptacle 74 in
which the bearing housing 71 is accommodated, and a housing support
structure (a housing support portion) R, L to assist the bearing
housing 71 in levitating by magnetic force within the housing
receptacle 74.
[0070] The bearing housing 71 may include a housing body 711, to
which the stator 63 is fixed, the housing body 711 being located at
the rear surface of the tub 2, a housing through-hole 713
perforated in the housing body 711 such that the rotating shaft 65
is inserted into the bearing through-hole 713, and a bearing 715
inserted into the housing through-hole 711 to rotatably support the
rotating shaft 65.
[0071] Accordingly, the rotating shaft 65 is inserted into the tub
through-hole 27 and the bearing 715 to connect the drum 3 and the
housing body 711 to each other, and the stator 63 is fixed to one
surface of the housing body 711. As such, the drive unit 6
according to the present invention is connected to the drum 3 via
the rotating shaft 65, but is not directly connected to the tub
2.
[0072] The housing receptacle 74 may have various shapes so long as
it can accommodate the bearing housing 71. FIG. 1 shows one example
of the housing receptacle 74 fixed to the rear surface of the tub
2.
[0073] The housing receptacle 74 includes a cylindrical receptacle
body 741 fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2, and an
accommodation space 743 defined in the receptacle body 741 such
that the bearing housing 71 is accommodated in the accommodation
space 743.
[0074] The housing body 711 and the accommodation space 743 may
have the same shape. FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of the
cylindrical housing body 711 and the cylindrical accommodation
space 743, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of
the housing body 711.
[0075] The housing receptacle 74 may further have a receptacle
through-hole 745 configured to communicate the accommodation space
743 with the outside of the accommodation space 743.
[0076] In this case, the diameter of the receptacle through-hole
745 may be greater than the diameter of the rotor 61 of the drive
unit 6. This serves to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the
drive unit 6 in a state in which the drive unit 6 is accommodated
in the housing receptacle 74.
[0077] Moreover, the diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745
may be set to prevent the rotor 61 from colliding with the
receptacle through-hole 745 even if the maximum displacement of the
drum 3 (i.e. a displacement to cause the outer circumferential
surface of the drum 3 to come into contact with the inner
circumferential surface of the tub 2) occurs.
[0078] The housing support structure R, L may serve not only to
allow the bearing housing 71 to levitate within the housing
receptacle 74 using magnetic force of magnetic units, but also to
allow the bearing housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction
within the housing receptacle 74.
[0079] That is, the housing support structure R, L may serve not
only to assist the drum 3 in levitating within the tub 2 by
attractive force or repulsive force between the magnetic units, but
also to allow the drum 3 to be moved in a radial direction within
the tub 2 (i.e. to allow the rotating shaft 65 to be moved in a
radial direction within the tub through-hole 27).
[0080] The housing support structure may include a circumferential
support structure (a circumferential support portion) R configured
to levitate the bearing housing 71 within the housing receptacle 74
using repulsive force between the magnetic units, and an axial
support structure (an axial support portion) L configured to
levitate the bearing housing 71 within the housing receptacle 74
using attractive force between the magnetic units.
[0081] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the circumferential support
structure R may include a first magnetic unit 73 provided at an
outer circumferential surface of the housing body 711, and a second
magnetic unit 75 provided at an inner circumferential surface of
the receptacle body 741 to exert repulsive force to the first
magnetic unit 73.
[0082] The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75
may have various shapes so long as they may levitate the bearing
housing 71 within the housing receptacle 74 using repulsive force.
FIG. 2 shows one example in which the first magnetic unit 73 and
the second magnetic unit 75 include permanent magnets each having a
first magnetic pole (N-pole) and a second magnetic pole
(S-pole).
[0083] Meanwhile, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 2, the first
magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may include
permanent magnets in the form of a bar. In this case, the first
magnetic unit 73 may be fixed to the outer circumferential surface
of the housing body 711, and the second magnetic unit 75 may be
fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body
741.
[0084] Although not shown in the drawings, at least one of the
first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 may include
a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a
predetermined distance.
[0085] That is, the first magnetic unit 73 may include a plurality
of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a
predetermined distance throughout the outer circumferential surface
of the housing body 711.
[0086] Likewise, the second magnetic unit 75 may include a
plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart from one another by a
predetermined distance throughout the inner circumferential surface
of the receptacle body 741.
[0087] Meanwhile, the second magnetic unit 75, as exemplarily shown
in FIG. 3, may be located within the housing receptacle 74, but may
be provided at the outside of the housing receptacle 74. In any
case, the second magnetic unit 75 and the first magnetic unit 73
may be arranged such that equal magnetic poles face each other.
[0088] Moreover, the circumferential support structure R according
to the present invention may further include a vibration
attenuation unit 753 configured to prevent the second magnetic unit
75 from vibrating by magnetic force generated by the first magnetic
unit 73 during movement of the bearing housing 71.
[0089] If the drum 3 vibrates, the bearing housing 71 vibrates.
This vibration of the bearing housing 71 may cause the first
magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 to be moved close
to each other.
[0090] If a distance between the first magnetic unit 73 and the
second magnetic unit 75 is reduced, repulsive force (strength of
magnetic force) between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second
magnetic unit 75 is increased, which may cause the tub 2 to vibrate
along with the bearing housing 71, resulting in generation of
noise.
[0091] However, in the clothes treatment apparatus 100 according to
the present invention, the second magnetic unit 75 is fixed in the
accommodation space 743 by the vibration attenuation unit 753,
which may prevent vibration of the bearing housing 71 from being
transmitted to the tub 2.
[0092] The vibration attenuation unit 753 may be placed in the
accommodation space 743 of the housing receptacle 74 and serve to
support the second magnetic unit 75.
[0093] The vibration attenuation unit 753 may be formed of various
materials suitable to elastically support the second magnetic unit
75.
[0094] Alternatively, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 4, the
circumferential support structure R according to the present
invention may further include magnetic force amplification units
735 and 755 to increase repulsive force between the first magnetic
unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.
[0095] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 5, it has been experimentally
determined that if a metal (high permeability material), such as
iron, is located at any one surface of an N-pole or an S-pole of
the permanent magnet, magnetic force of the magnetic pole where no
metal is located is increased.
[0096] More specifically, in the case of a bar-shaped permanent
magnet, magnetic force of the magnet having an N-pole and an S-pole
is within a range of 295 mT to 287 mT. On the other hand, if a
metal is located at the S-pole, it could be confirmed that magnetic
force of the N-pole is increased to 330 mT and magnetic force of
the S-pole is reduced to 97 mT.
[0097] Although the increase rate of magnetic force of the N-pole
is less than the increase rate of magnetic force in the case in
which two magnets are stacked one above another, it could be
confirmed that the above-described method is useful to increase
magnetic force of the N-pole of the single magnet.
[0098] On the other hand, in the case of a cylindrical magnet, if a
metal is located at an S-pole thereof, it could be confirmed that
magnetic force of an N-pole is increased from 463 mT to 500 mT and
magnetic force of the S-pole is reduced from 462 mT to 245 mT.
[0099] Accordingly, the magnetic force amplification units 735 and
755 of FIG. 4 serve to increase repulsive force between the first
magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 based on the
phenomenon as confirmed in FIG. 5.
[0100] The magnetic force amplification units may include a first
magnetic force amplification unit 735 provided at the first
magnetic unit 73 and a second magnetic force amplification unit 755
provided at the second magnetic unit 75.
[0101] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 4(a), the first magnetic force
amplification unit 735 may be a metal attached to the outer
circumferential surface of the housing body 711 to support the
first magnetic unit 73, and the second magnetic force amplification
unit 755 may be a metal attached to the inner circumferential
surface of the receptacle body 741 to support the second magnetic
unit 75.
[0102] With the above-described configuration, magnetic force of an
N-pole 731 of the first magnetic unit 73 as well as magnetic force
of an N-pole 751 of the second magnetic unit 75 will be increased.
This may ensure that the drum 3 according to the present invention
is more stably maintained at a levitated position within the tub
2.
[0103] Moreover, since magnetic force of an S-pole 732 of the first
magnetic unit 73 as well as magnetic force of an S-pole 752 of the
second magnetic unit 75 will be reduced by the magnetic force
amplification units 735 and 755, the magnetic force amplification
units 735 and 755 may serve to prevent malfunction of electronic
devices within the clothes treatment apparatus 100 owing to the
magnetic force provided by the first magnetic unit 73 and the
second magnetic unit 75.
[0104] The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75
may have the shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 4(b).
[0105] More specifically, the first magnetic unit 73 may be
inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the housing body
711, and the second magnetic unit 75 may be inserted into the inner
circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741. This serves to
minimize a distance between the receptacle body 741 and the housing
body 711, thereby minimizing increase in the volume of the drive
unit support device (i.e. the volume of the clothes treatment
apparatus 100).
[0106] In this case, the first magnetic force amplification unit
735 may be inserted into the housing body 711 to support the first
magnetic unit 73, and the second magnetic force amplification unit
755 may be inserted into the receptacle body 741 to support the
second magnetic unit 75.
[0107] As described above, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 is
configured in such a manner that the bearing housing 71 levitates
within the housing receptacle 74 by repulsive force between the
N-poles 731 and 751 of the first magnetic unit 73 and the second
magnetic unit 75 (in other words, in such a manner that the drum 3
levitates within the tub 2). However, it will be appreciated that
the bearing housing 71 may levitate within the housing receptacle
74 by repulsive force between the S-poles 732 and 752 of the first
magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75.
[0108] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the circumferential
support structure R according to the present invention. In the
present embodiment, the circumferential support structure R
includes both the vibration attenuation unit 753 and the magnetic
force amplification units 735 and 755.
[0109] In the present embodiment, the second magnetic unit 75
includes the vibration attenuation unit 753 and the second magnetic
force amplification unit 755, which are sequentially stacked from
the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle body 741,
whereas the first magnetic unit 73 may include only the first
magnetic force amplification unit 735.
[0110] In this case, the vibration attenuation unit 753 may be
fixed in the accommodation space 743 and serve to support the
second magnetic force amplification unit 755 and the second
magnetic unit 75.
[0111] Alternatively, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 6, the first
magnetic unit 73 may include a vibration attenuation unit and the
first magnetic force amplification unit 735. In this case, the
vibration attenuation unit may be fixed to the housing body 711,
and in turn the first magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be
fixed to the vibration attenuation unit to support the first
magnetic unit 73.
[0112] Next, the axial support structure L included in the housing
support structure, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3, may include a
third magnetic unit 77 provided at the bearing housing 71, a fourth
magnetic unit 78 provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 to exert
attractive force to the third magnetic unit 77, and a spacer 79 to
maintain a distance between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the
bearing housing 71.
[0113] Each of the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic
unit 78 may be a permanent magnet having a first magnetic pole
(N-pole) 771 or 781 and a second magnetic pole (S-pole) 772 or
782.
[0114] The third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78
are respectively provided at the bearing housing 71 and the rear
surface of the tub 2 such that opposing magnetic poles face each
other. Accordingly, even if the bearing housing 71 vibrates within
the housing receptacle 74 by vibration of the drum 3, the bearing
housing 71 may be maintained at a constant position by attractive
force between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic
unit 78.
[0115] The third magnetic unit 77 may be a circumferential
permanent magnet, the center of which is equal to the center of the
housing through-hole 713, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be a
circumferential permanent magnet, the center of which is equal to
the center of the tub through-hole 27.
[0116] At least one of the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth
magnetic unit 78 may include a plurality of permanent magnets
spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance.
[0117] For example, the third magnetic unit 77, as exemplarily
shown in FIG. 2, may include a plurality of permanent magnets,
which are inserted into the housing body 771 and are spaced apart
from one another by a predetermined distance, and the fourth
magnetic unit 78 may include a ring-shaped permanent magnet fixed
to the rear surface of the tub 2, the diameter of the fourth
magnetic unit 78 being greater than the diameter of the tub
through-hole 27.
[0118] In this case, the plurality of permanent magnets
constituting the third magnetic unit 77 may be fixed to the housing
body 711 and be arranged in a circumferential direction of the
fourth magnetic unit 78.
[0119] In addition, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 of the
present invention may further include a third magnetic force
amplification unit 775 fixed to the housing body 711 to support the
third magnetic unit 77, and a fourth magnetic force amplification
unit 785 fixed to the rear surface of the tub 2 to support the
fourth magnetic unit 78.
[0120] Functions and constituent materials of the third magnetic
force amplification unit 775 and the fourth magnetic force
amplification unit 785 may be equal to those of the first magnetic
force amplification unit 735 and the second magnetic force
amplification unit 755, and thus a detailed description thereof
will be omitted.
[0121] The third magnetic unit 77 may be inserted into a surface of
the housing body 711, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be
inserted into the rear surface of the tub 2. This serves to
minimize a distance between the housing body 711 and the rear
surface of the tub 2, thereby minimizing increase in the volume of
the clothes treatment apparatus 100.
[0122] In this case, the third magnetic force amplification unit
755 may be inserted into the housing body 711 to support the third
magnetic unit 77, and the fourth magnetic force amplification unit
785 may be inserted into the rear surface of the tub 2 to support
the fourth magnetic unit 78.
[0123] If the axial support structure L includes only the third
magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78, it may be
difficult to prevent the bearing housing 71 from interfering
rotation of the drum 3 because the bearing housing 71 comes into
contact with the rear surface of the tub 2.
[0124] The spacer 79 serves to solve the aforementioned
problem.
[0125] The spacer 79 may have various shapes so long as it may be
provided at any one of the rear surface of the tub 2 and the
housing body 711 and allow the housing body 711 to be moved in a
radial direction about the tub through-hole 27.
[0126] That is, the spacer 79 may be formed of fiber (e.g.,
non-woven fabric) containing lubricant oil, and may take the form
of a ball slider as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3.
[0127] The ball slider as exemplarily shown in FIG. 3 may include a
fixing body 791 fixed to the housing body 711 and a ball 793
rotatably provided at the fixing body 791 so as to come into
contact with the rear surface of the tub 2.
[0128] Alternatively, the fixing body 791 may be fixed to the rear
surface of the tub 2, and the ball 793 may come into contact with
the housing body 711.
[0129] The clothes treatment apparatus 100 having the
above-described configuration may prevent or minimize vibration of
the drum 3 from being transmitted to the tub 2 even if the drum 3
rotated by the drive unit 6 vibrates within the tub 2.
[0130] Referring to FIG. 7, the circumferential support structure R
tends to increase repulsive force as vibration of the drum 3 is
increased (in other words, a distance between the bottom of the
receptacle body 741 and the bottom of the housing body 711 is
reduced if the top of the receptacle body 741 and the top of the
housing body 711 is increased), and the axial support structure L
tends to reduce attractive force as vibration of the drum 3 is
increased.
[0131] Accordingly, magnetic force of the magnetic units 73 and 75
of the circumferential support structure R and magnetic force of
the magnetic units 77 and 78 of the axial support structure L may
be set to keep the constant sum of repulsive force applied to the
bearing housing 71 by the circumferential support structure R and
attractive force applied to the bearing housing 71 by the axial
support structure L.
[0132] In this case, if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2, as
exemplarily shown in FIG. 7(a), the sum of repulsive force provided
by the circumferential support structure R and attractive force
provided by the axial support structure L may be kept constant.
Therefore, the housing support structure R; L according to the
present invention may prevent or minimize vibration of the drum 3
within the tub 2 even if external force is applied to the drum
3.
[0133] Accordingly, the present invention may provide the clothes
treatment apparatus 100 to reduce vibration and noise generated
during rotation of the drum 3.
[0134] In addition, the present invention may realize a maximized
volume (i.e. maximized washing capacity) of the tub 2 that is
located within the cabinet 1 providing a limited space because
vibration of the drum 3 is not transmitted to the tub 2.
[0135] In the case of the above-described conventional clothes
treatment apparatus, it is essential to provide a space between the
tub and the cabinet for preventing collision between the tub and
the cabinet during rotation of the drum. On the other hand, the
clothes treatment apparatus 100 according to the present invention
may minimize vibration of the tub 2 or may separate the tub 2 from
a vibration system owing to the above-described configuration,
which may result in a maximized volume of the tub 2 located within
the cabinet 1 having a predetermined volume.
[0136] Hereinafter, another embodiment of the clothes treatment
apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 8.
[0137] As compared to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the clothes
treatment apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment has a
feature in that the bearing configured to support the rotating
shaft 65 is a magnetic bearing 72.
[0138] Accordingly, hereinafter, the present embodiment will be
described with regard to a configuration of the magnetic bearing
72.
[0139] The magnetic bearing 72 serves to rotatably support the
rotating shaft 65 penetrating the bearing housing 71 using
repulsive force between the magnetic units.
[0140] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 9(a), the magnetic bearing 72
may include a rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 attached to an outer
circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65, and a housing
magnetic unit 721 inserted in the housing through-hole 713 to exert
repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723.
[0141] The rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 may be a permanent
magnet having a first magnetic pole (N-pole) 7231 and a second
magnetic pole (S-pole) 7232, the permanent magnet being fixed to
the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65. In this
case, the housing magnetic unit 721 may be a permanent magnet
having a first magnetic pole (N-pole) 7211 and a second magnetic
pole (S-pole) 7212, the permanent magnet being inserted into the
housing through-hole 713.
[0142] Although FIG. 9(a) shows the magnetic bearing 72 to support
the rotating shaft 65 using repulsive force between the permanent
magnets, the magnetic bearing 72 may be configured to support the
rotating shaft 65 using attractive force between the magnetic units
in the form of the permanent magnets.
[0143] In a state in which the rotating shaft 65 is supported by
the bearing housing 71 with the magnetic bearing 72 interposed
therebetween, high-speed rotation of the drum 3 is possible as
compared to the case in which the rotating shaft 65 is supported by
a ball bearing. Moreover, it is possible to minimize vibration
generated during rotation of the drum 3 from being transmitted to
the bearing housing 71.
[0144] Alternatively, the magnetic bearing 72 may have a shape as
exemplarily shown in FIG. 9(b). The magnetic bearing 72 as
exemplarily shown in FIG. 9(b) has a feature of more stably
supporting the rotating shaft 65.
[0145] Referring to FIG. 9(b), the housing through-hole 713 is
defined by a first slope 7131, the diameter of which is increased
with decreasing distance toward the rear surface of the tub 2, a
second slope 7133, the diameter of which is increased with
increasing distance from the rear surface of the tub 2, and a
connecting portion 7134 connecting the first slope 7131 and the
second slope 7133 to each other, the connecting portion 7134 having
a constant diameter.
[0146] In this case, the housing magnetic unit 721 may be provided
at each of the first slope 7131 and the second slope 7133.
[0147] The rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 may include a permanent
magnet attached to the outer circumferential surface of the
rotating shaft 65 and having an inclination angle corresponding to
the first slope 7131, and a permanent magnet attached to the outer
circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 65 and having an
inclination angle corresponding to the second slope 7133.
[0148] In the case of the housing magnetic unit 721 as exemplarily
shown in FIG. 9(b), the size of the first magnetic pole 7211 that
exerts repulsive force to the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723 is
less than the size of the second magnetic pole 7212. Accordingly,
to increase the repulsive force between the housing magnetic unit
721 and the rotating shaft magnetic unit 723, the housing magnetic
unit 721 may have a shape as exemplarily shown in FIG. 10.
[0149] That is, the housing magnetic unit 721 may have a first
accommodation recess 7135 indented in the first slope 7131, and a
second accommodation recess 7137 indented in the second slope
7133.
[0150] The first accommodation recess 7135 is indented in a
direction perpendicular to the first slope 7131, and the second
accommodation recess 7137 is indented in a direction perpendicular
to the second slope 7133. With this configuration, the housing
magnetic unit 721 inserted into each of the accommodation recesses
7135 and 7137 may exert greater repulsive force to the rotating
shaft magnetic unit 723 because the size of the first magnetic pole
7211 is greater than the size of the second magnetic pole 7212.
[0151] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the clothes treatment
apparatus according to the present invention. The clothes treatment
apparatus of the present embodiment, designated by reference
numeral 200, includes the cabinet 1 defining an external appearance
of the apparatus 200, the tub 2 placed within the cabinet 1, the
tub 2 being configured to store wash water therein, the drum 3
rotatably placed within the tub 2, and the drive unit 6 to rotate
the drum 3.
[0152] The cabinet 1, the tub 2, the drum 3, and the drive unit 6
according to the present embodiment are equal to those of the
above-described embodiment of FIG. 1, and thus a detailed
description thereof will be omitted.
[0153] Although FIG. 11 shows the tub support device 4 to control
vibration of the tub 2 using magnetic repulsive force, the tub
support device 4 may have a shape as exemplarily shown in FIG.
1(b).
[0154] Likewise, the clothes treatment apparatus 200 according to
the present embodiment includes the drive unit support device 71;
74; R; L, which allows the drive unit 6 to be moved in a radial
direction about the tub through-hole 27 using repulsive force or
attractive force between the magnetic units.
[0155] The drive unit support device may include the bearing
housing 71 spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub 2 by a
predetermined distance, the stator 63 being fixed to the bearing
housing 71, the housing receptacle 74 defining the accommodation
space 743 in which the bearing housing 71 is accommodated, and the
housing support structure (the housing support portion) R; L that
allows the bearing housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction
within the accommodation space 743, thereby enabling radial
movement of the drum 3 and the drive unit 6.
[0156] The bearing housing 71 may include the housing body 711
spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub 2 by a predetermined
distance, and the housing through-hole 713 perforated in the
housing body 711 such that the rotating shaft 65 is inserted into
the housing through-hole 713.
[0157] The housing body 711 is not fixed within the cabinet 1, but
is provided at the outside of the tub 2 so as to be moved along
with the drum 3 during vibration of the drum 3. The stator 63 of
the drive unit 6 is fixed to one surface of the housing body 711,
and the spacer 79 is fixed to the other surface of the housing body
711.
[0158] The spacer 79 serves to maintain a distance between the rear
surface of the tub 2 and the bearing housing 71.
[0159] The bearing 715 may be inserted in the housing through-hole
713. The rotating shaft 65 inserted in the housing through-hole 713
is rotatably supported by the bearing 715.
[0160] The housing receptacle 74 includes the receptacle body 741
spaced apart from the rear surface of the tub 2 by a predetermined
distance, the receptacle body 741 defining the accommodation space
743. The receptacle body 741 may have the receptacle through-hole
745.
[0161] The diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 may be
greater than the diameter of the rotor 61. This serves to
facilitate assembly or disassembly of the drive unit 6.
[0162] The diameter of the receptacle through-hole 745 may be
greater than the maximum amplitude of the rotor 61 that vibrates
along with the drum 3 during rotation of the drum 3.
[0163] The housing support structure may include the
circumferential support structure (the circumferential support
portion) R to levitate the drum 3 within the tub 2, and the axial
support structure (the axial support portion) L to support the
housing body 711 so as to allow the drive unit 6 to be moved in a
radial direction about the tub through-hole 27.
[0164] The circumferential support structure R levitates the drum 3
within the tub 2 using repulsive force between the magnetic unit
provided at the tub 2 and the magnetic unit provided at the drum
3.
[0165] That is, the circumferential support structure R may include
the first magnetic unit 73 provided at the circumferential surface
of the tub 2 and the second magnetic unit 75 provided at the
circumferential surface of the drum 3.
[0166] The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75
may be permanent magnets. The first magnetic unit 73 may be a
permanent magnet having an N-pole and an S-pole, which may be
provided at an inner circumferential surface (T1, see FIG. 12) or
an outer circumferential surface TO of the tub 2. The second
magnetic unit 75 may be a permanent magnet having an N-pole and an
S-pole, which may be provided at an outer circumferential surface
DO or an inner circumferential surface D1 of the drum 3.
[0167] In this case, the first magnetic unit 73 and the second
magnetic unit 75 may be arranged such that equal magnetic poles
face each other to allow the drum 3 to levitate by repulsive force
between the two permanent magnets.
[0168] If the first magnetic unit 73, as exemplarily shown in FIG.
12, is discontinuously provided at the inner circumferential
surface of the tub 2, the second magnetic unit 75 may be
continuously provided at the outer circumferential surface of the
drum 3.
[0169] Alternatively, if the first magnetic unit 73 is continuously
provided at the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical
tub 2, the second magnetic unit 75 may be discontinuously provided
at the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3.
[0170] In the case in which the first magnetic unit 73 is
discontinuously provided at the inner circumferential surface of
the tub 2, the first magnetic unit 73 may include a plurality of
button-shaped (cylindrical) permanent magnets spaced apart from one
another by a predetermined distance at the inner circumferential
surface of the tub 2.
[0171] The first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75
according to the present invention may have a configuration as
exemplarily shown in FIGS. 13 to 15.
[0172] First, referring to FIG. 13, the first magnetic unit 73 may
be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the tub 2 (FIG.
13(a)), may be attached to the inner circumferential surface of the
tub (FIG. 13(b)), or may be inserted into the inner circumferential
surface of the tub 2 (FIG. 13(c)).
[0173] In this case, although the second magnetic unit 75 may be
attached to the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3, this
is not intended to eliminate the case in which the second magnetic
unit 75 is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the
drum 3, or the case in which the second magnetic unit 75 is
inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3.
[0174] In any case, the first magnetic unit 73 and the second
magnetic unit 75 may be arranged such that equal magnetic poles
face each other.
[0175] Likewise, the circumferential support structure R according
to the present invention may further include the vibration
attenuation unit 753.
[0176] The vibration attenuation unit 753 may be attached to the
first magnetic unit 73 so as to be located between the cabinet 1
and the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 13(a), or may be
attached to the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 so as to
support the first magnetic unit 73 as exemplarily shown in FIG.
13(b).
[0177] In the case in which the first magnetic unit 73 is inserted
into and fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 as
exemplarily shown in FIG. 13(c), the tub 2 may have an insertion
recess 25 indented in the inner circumferential surface thereof for
insertion of the first magnetic unit 73, and the vibration
attenuation unit 753 may be located in the insertion recess 25 so
as to support the first magnetic unit 73.
[0178] The clothes treatment apparatus 200 according to the present
invention may minimize transmission of vibration from the drum 3 to
the tub 2 owing to the vibration attenuation unit 753 interposed
between the tub 2 and the drum 3 (FIGS. 13(b) and 13(c)).
[0179] If the vibration attenuation unit 753 is interposed between
the cabinet 1 and the tub 2 (FIG. 13(a)), the vibration attenuation
unit 753 may serve to reduce noise and vibration caused when the
tub 2 collides with the cabinet 1.
[0180] FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the circumferential
support structure R according to the present invention. In the
present embodiment, the circumferential support structure R may
further include a magnetic force amplification unit.
[0181] As exemplarily shown in FIG. 14(a), the first magnetic force
amplification unit 735 may be fixed to the first magnetic unit 73
so as to be located between the cabinet 1 and the tub 2, and the
second magnetic force amplification unit 755 may be located between
the outer circumferential surface of the drum 3 and the second
magnetic unit 75.
[0182] The above-described configuration may increase the magnetic
force of the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 731 of the first magnetic
unit 73 and the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 751 of the second
magnetic unit 75. As a result, the drum 3 according to the present
invention may be more stably maintained at a levitated position
within the tub 2.
[0183] The second magnetic force amplification unit 755 reduces
magnetic force to be applied to the interior of the drum 3, which
may prevent any magnetic substances present in laundry from coming
into close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the
drum 3.
[0184] The magnetic force amplification unit may have a shape as
exemplarily shown in FIG. 14(b) or FIG. 14(c).
[0185] More specifically, the second magnetic force amplification
unit 755 may be attached to the outer circumferential surface of
the drum 3 to support the second magnetic unit 75. The first
magnetic force amplification unit 735 may be attached to the inner
circumferential surface of the tub 2 to support the first magnetic
unit 73, or may be located in the insertion recess 25 to support
the first magnetic unit 73.
[0186] Although the above-described circumferential support
structure R is configured to levitate the drum 3 within the tub 2
by repulsive force between the N-poles of the first magnetic unit
73 and the second magnetic unit 75, the drum 3 may levitate within
the tub 2 by repulsive force between the S-poles.
[0187] FIG. 15 shows a further embodiment of the circumferential
support structure R according to the present invention. In the
present embodiment, the circumferential support structure R may
include the vibration attenuation unit 753 as well as both the
magnetic force amplification units 735 and 755.
[0188] Although FIG. 15 shows the case in which only the first
magnetic unit 73 includes the magnetic force amplification unit 735
and the vibration attenuation unit 753, the second magnetic unit 75
may include both the magnetic force amplification unit 755 and a
vibration attenuation unit.
[0189] The axial support structure L serves to allow the bearing
housing 71 to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the
rear surface of the tub 2 by attractive force or repulsive force
between the magnetic units.
[0190] FIGS. 16 and 17 show one example in which the axial support
structure L includes the third magnetic unit 77 provided at the
housing body 711 and the fourth magnetic unit 78 provided at the
rear surface of the tub 2 to exert attractive force to the third
magnetic unit 77.
[0191] In this case, the third magnetic unit 77 may be a permanent
magnet having the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 771 and the second
magnetic pole (S-pole) 772, and the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be
a permanent magnet having the first magnetic pole (N-pole) 781 and
the second magnetic pole (S-pole) 782.
[0192] In this case, the fourth magnetic unit 78 may be a
disc-shaped or ring-shaped permanent magnet, and the third magnetic
unit 77 may include a plurality of permanent magnets spaced apart
from one another by a predetermined distance.
[0193] More specifically, the plurality of permanent magnets
constituting the third magnetic unit 77 may be fixed to the housing
body 711 so as to define the same circumference as a circumference
C of the fourth magnetic unit 78 (see FIG. 16).
[0194] Referring to FIG. 17, the third magnetic unit 77 may be
inserted into the housing body 711, and the fourth magnetic unit 78
may be inserted into the rear surface of the tub 2. Minimizing a
distance between the rear surface of the tub 2 and the housing body
711 may serve to prevent increase in the volume of the cabinet
1.
[0195] The spacer 79 may take the form of a ball slider provided at
the housing body 711 or the rear surface of the tub 2. The ball
slider may include the fixing body 791 fixed to the housing body
711 and the ball 793 rotatably coupled to the fixing body 791 so as
to come into contact with the rear surface of the tub 2.
[0196] Moreover, the drive unit support device may further include
the third magnetic force amplification unit 775 and the fourth
magnetic force amplification unit 785 to increase attractive force
between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit
78.
[0197] The third magnetic force amplification unit 775 may be
provided at the housing body 711 to support the third magnetic unit
77, and the fourth magnetic force amplification unit 785 may be
provided at the rear surface of the tub 2 to support the fourth
magnetic unit 78.
[0198] If the housing receptacle 74 is provided within the cabinet
1 to more stably support the bearing housing 71, the spacer may
include a first spacer 79 to maintain a distance between the rear
surface of the tub 2 and the housing body 711 and a second spacer
792 to maintain a distance between the housing body 711 and the
housing receptacle 74.
[0199] Moreover, the housing body 711 may be provided with a fifth
magnetic unit A and a fifth magnetic force amplification unit (not
shown), and the housing receptacle 74 may be provided with a sixth
magnetic unit B to exert attractive force to the fifth magnetic
unit A and a sixth magnetic force amplification unit (not
shown).
[0200] The clothes treatment apparatus 200 having the
above-described configuration may minimize transmission of
vibration from the drum 3 to the tub 2 owing to the circumferential
support structure R and the axial support structure L.
[0201] Referring to FIG. 11, the drum 3 is maintained at a
levitated position within the tub 2 by the first magnetic unit 73
and the second magnetic unit 75. The drive unit 6, which is fixed
to the bearing housing 71 and connected to the drum 3 via the
rotating shaft 65, is maintained at a levitated position within the
cabinet 1 (in the accommodation space 743) by the third magnetic
unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit 78.
[0202] If the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2 (in other words, if
the drum 3 is moved in a height direction or a width direction of
the tub 2), it is possible to prevent the drum 3 from colliding
with the inner circumferential surface of the tub 2 by repulsive
force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic
unit 75.
[0203] If the drum 3 vibrates, the drive unit 6 vibrates along with
the drum 3 because the rotating shaft 65 of the drive unit 6 is
connected to the drum 3.
[0204] However, the bearing housing 71 may maintain a constant
height from the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 by attractive force
between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth magnetic unit
78.
[0205] Accordingly, the drive unit 6 according to the present
invention may maintain a constant distance from the rear surface of
the tub 2 by the spacer 79 even if the drum 3 vibrates within the
tub 2, and may maintain a constant height from the bottom surface
of the cabinet 1 by the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth
magnetic unit 78.
[0206] In conclusion, the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention is configured in such a manner that
attractive force between the third magnetic unit 77 and the fourth
magnetic unit 78 as well as repulsive force between the first
magnetic unit 73 and the second magnetic unit 75 compensate for
vibration generated by the drum 3.
[0207] The diameter of the tub through-hole 27 and the diameter of
the receptacle through-hole 745 according to the present invention
are set to prevent the rotating shaft 65 and the rotor 61 from
colliding with the tub through-hole 27 and the receptacle
through-hole 745 respectively even if the maximum displacement of
the drum 3 (i.e. displacement causing collision between the drum 3
and the tub 2) occurs. In this way, it is possible to prevent
vibration of the drum 3 from being transmitted to the tub 2 by the
rotating shaft 65 even if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2.
[0208] Accordingly, the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention may achieve reduced vibration and noise
because vibration generated during rotation of the drum 3 is not
transmitted to the tub 2 through the rotating shaft 65.
[0209] In addition, the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention may minimize vibration of the tub 2, which
allows maximization of the volume of the tub 2 placed within the
cabinet 1 (i.e. maximized washing capacity) without increasing the
volume of the cabinet 1.
[0210] FIG. 18 shows a further embodiment of the clothes treatment
apparatus according to the present invention. The present
embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIG. 11 in terms of a
configuration of the drive unit support device.
[0211] Thus, the following description of the present embodiment
will be centered on the drive unit support device different from
that of the above-described embodiment of FIG. 11.
[0212] The drive unit support device according to the present
embodiment includes the bearing housing 71 provided at the outside
of the tub 2 and configured to support the drive unit 6, and a
slider unit 76; 77; 78 configured to fix the bearing housing 71 to
the rear surface of the tub 2 while allowing the bearing housing 71
to be moved in a radial direction with respect to the rear surface
of the tub 2.
[0213] The slider unit may include a slider body 76 located between
the rear surface of the tub 2 and the bearing housing 71, a first
guider 77 configured to fix the slider body 76 to the rear surface
of the tub 2, the first guider 77 serving to assist the slider body
76 in reciprocating in a first direction (any one direction among a
width direction and a height direction of the tub 2), and a second
guider 78 configured to fix the bearing housing 71 to the slider
body 76, the second guider 78 serving to assist the bearing housing
71 in reciprocating in a second direction (the other direction
among the width direction and the height direction of the tub
2).
[0214] The slider body 76 has a body through-hole 761, the diameter
of the body through-hole 761 being greater than the diameter of the
rotating shaft 65. Moreover, the diameter of the body through-hole
761 may be set to prevent the rotating shaft 65 from colliding with
the body through-hole 761 even if the maximum displacement of the
drum 3 occurs.
[0215] The first guider 77 may include a first rail 771 provided at
any one of the slider body 76 and the rear surface of the tub 2,
and a first rail groove 773 formed in the other one of the slider
body 76 and the rear surface of the tub 2 such that the first rail
771 is accommodated in the first rail groove 773.
[0216] In this case, the first rail 771 may be provided at the rear
surface of the tub 2 so as to extend in a width direction of the
tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 18, or may be provided at the
rear surface of the tub 2 so as to extend in a height direction of
the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 19.
[0217] The second guider 78 may include a second rail 781 provided
at any one of the slider body 76 and the bearing housing 71, and a
second rail groove 783 formed in the other one of the slider body
76 and the bearing housing 71 such that the second rail 781 is
accommodated in the second rail groove 783.
[0218] In this case, the second rail 781 may have a predetermined
inclination with respect to the first rail 771. FIGS. 18 and 19
show one example in which the first rail 771 and the second rail
781 intersect each other at a right angle.
[0219] In the case in which the first rail 771 extends in the width
direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 18, the slider
body 76 is supported by the first rail 771 inserted in the first
rail groove 773, which prevents the slider body 76 from being moved
toward the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 (i.e. moved downward of
the tub 2).
[0220] In addition, since the bearing housing 71 is supported by
the drum 3 via the rotating shaft 65 connected to the drum 3, it is
possible to prevent the bearing housing 71 from being moved toward
the bottom surface of the cabinet 1 owing to the circumferential
support structure (the circumferential support portion) R.
[0221] Alternatively, in the case in which the first rail 771
extends in the height direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown
in FIG. 19, the bearing housing 71, which is connected to the drum
3 via the rotating shaft 65, is maintained at a constant position
owing to the circumferential support structure R. Consequently, the
slider body 76, which is connected to the bearing housing 71 via
the second guider 78, may be kept at a constant position despite
gravity.
[0222] It will be appreciated that the first rail 771 arranged in
the width direction of the tub 2 as exemplarily shown in FIG. 18
may function to support the weight of the slider body 76, and
therefore the circumferential support structure R that exerts low
magnetic force may sufficiently support the drum 3 and the bearing
housing 71.
[0223] Alternatively, the clothes treatment apparatus according to
the present invention may further include a rear gasket (29, see
FIG. 19) configured to connect the rear surface of the tub 2 to the
bearing housing 71 or the slider body 76.
[0224] The tub through-hole 27 for insertion of the rotating shaft
65 is perforated in the rear surface of the tub 2. Accordingly, the
rear gasket 29 may serve not only to prevent wash water stored in
the tub 2 from leaking through the tub through-hole 27, but also to
maintain a constant position of the drive unit support device
provided at the rear surface of the tub 2.
[0225] The above-described first rail 771 and second rail 781, as
exemplarily shown in FIG. 20, may take the form of a cylindrical
bar.
[0226] In the clothes treatment apparatus having the
above-described configuration, the drum 3 remains levitated within
the tub 2 by the circumferential support structure R, whereas the
drive unit 6 fixed to the bearing housing 71 remains fixed to the
rear surface of the tub 2 by the slider unit.
[0227] Accordingly, even if the drum 3 vibrates within the tub 2
(in other words, if the drum 3 is moved in a width direction or a
height direction of the tub 2), it is possible to prevent the drum
3 from colliding with the inner circumferential surface of the tub
2 by repulsive force between the first magnetic unit 73 and the
second magnetic unit 75.
[0228] Meanwhile, if the drum 3 vibrates in a height direction of
the tub 2, the bearing housing 71 may be moved in the height
direction of the tub 2 by any one of the first guider 77 or the
second guider 78. If the drum 3 vibrates in a width direction of
the tub 2, the bearing housing 71 may be moved in the width
direction of the tub 2 by the other one of the first guider 77 or
the second guider 78.
[0229] The diameter of the tub through-hole 27 and the diameter of
the body through-hole 761 may be set to prevent the rotating shaft
65 from colliding with the tub through-hole 27 and the body
through-hole 761 respectively even if the maximum displacement of
the drum 3 (i.e. a displacement to cause collision between the drum
3 and the tub 2) occurs. As such, the clothes treatment apparatus
according to the present invention may prevent vibration generated
during rotation of the drum 3 from being transmitted to the tub 2
through the rotating shaft 65.
[0230] 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 invention. 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.
MODE FOR INVENTION
[0231] As described above, a related description has sufficiently
been discussed in the above "Best Mode" for implementation of the
present invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0232] As described above, the present invention may be wholly or
partially applied to a clothes treatment apparatus.
* * * * *