U.S. patent application number 15/120004 was filed with the patent office on 2018-06-28 for laundry treating apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Mingyu JO, Sungmin KIM, Sangwook LEE, Seungchul PARK.
Application Number | 20180179686 15/120004 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57005251 |
Filed Date | 2018-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180179686 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JO; Mingyu ; et al. |
June 28, 2018 |
LAUNDRY TREATING APPARATUS
Abstract
Disclosed is a laundry treatment apparatus including a cabinet
defining an external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus,
a drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet, the drum being
configured to accommodate laundry therein, a drive unit configured
to generate torque required to rotate the drum, a power
transmission unit provided on one surface of the drum, the power
transmission unit being configured to transmit the torque generated
by the drive unit to the drum so as to rotate along with the drum,
and at least one balancer provided on an inner circumferential
surface of the drum. Water is selectively supplied into the
balancer so as to eliminate unbalance occurring in the drum.
Inventors: |
JO; Mingyu; (Seoul, KR)
; KIM; Sungmin; (Seoul, KR) ; LEE; Sangwook;
(Seoul, KR) ; PARK; Seungchul; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LG ELECTRONICS INC. |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
57005251 |
Appl. No.: |
15/120004 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
March 25, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR2016/003067 |
371 Date: |
August 18, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 37/065 20130101;
D06F 37/22 20130101; D06F 37/30 20130101; D06F 37/225 20130101;
D06F 37/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D06F 37/22 20060101
D06F037/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 1, 2015 |
KR |
10-2015-0046179 |
Claims
1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet defining an
external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus; a drum
rotatably provided inside the cabinet, the drum being configured to
accommodate laundry therein; a drive unit configured to generate
torque required to rotate the drum; a power transmission unit
provided on one surface of the drum, the power transmission unit
being configured to transmit the torque generated by the drive unit
to the drum so as to rotate along with the drum; and at least one
balancer provided on an inner circumferential surface of the drum,
wherein water is selectively supplied into the balancer so as to
eliminate unbalance occurring in the drum.
2. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the water supplied into the balancer is supplied to a front of the
balancer and is drained to a rear of the balancer.
3. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the balancer is provided in a longitudinal direction on the inner
circumferential surface of the drum.
4. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the balancer includes: a balancer body having a cavity therein; and
a plurality of partitions configured to form a plurality of
compartments inside the balancer body.
5. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the balancer is provided so as to communicate with the power
transmission unit.
6. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the water accommodated inside the balancer is drained through the
power transmission unit.
7. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising a balancer water supply unit configured to penetrate the
tub so as to be exposed between the tub and the drum, the balancer
water supply unit serving to supply water.
8. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the balancer includes: a water supply hole provided in a front end
of the balancer so as to provide a space required to supply water
into the balancer; and a drain hole provided in a rear end of the
balancer so as to provide a space required to drain the water
inside the balancer.
9. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the power transmission unit includes: a center portion to which a
shaft is mounted; and a plurality of extensions configured to
extend from the center portion in a radial direction of the drum,
wherein the at least one balancer includes a plurality of balancers
communicating with the extensions.
10. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
the extensions are provided in the same number as the
balancers.
11. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein
the balancer includes a drain hole provided in a rear end of the
balancer so as to provide a space required to drain water inside
the balancer, and wherein each of the extensions includes a drain
connector configured to communicate with the drain hole.
12. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11, wherein
the balancer further includes a protrusion configured to protrude
from the drain hole toward the power transmission unit, and wherein
the protrusion is inserted into the drain connector.
13. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11, wherein
the drum includes a drum drain hole configured to communicate with
the drain connector, and wherein the drum drain hole drains the
water, drained from the balancer, to an outside of the drum.
14. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11, further
comprising a drain duct provided inside each of the extensions, the
drain duct being configured to communicate with the drain connector
so as to form a flow path, through which the water drained from the
balancer is drained.
15. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 14, further
comprising an extension drain hole provided in a distal end of each
of the extensions, the extension drain hole being configured to
communicate with the drain duct, wherein the extension drain hole
communicates with a drum drain hole provided in the drum so that
the water inside the balancer is drained to an outside of the drum.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry treatment
apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A conventional laundry treatment apparatus includes a
cabinet defining the external appearance of the laundry treatment
apparatus, a tub installed inside the cabinet, a drum rotatably
installed inside the tub, the drum serving to wash laundry, a power
transmission unit installed to transmit torque to the drum in order
to rotate the drum, and a motor fixed to the power transmission
unit, the motor having a rotating shaft installed to penetrate the
tub.
[0003] The drum may fail to maintain dynamic balance due to the
position of the laundry contained in the drum, thus being
rotated.
[0004] Dynamic balance means the state in which centrifugal force
or a moment made by the centrifugal force when a rotator rotates
becomes zero with respect to a rotation axis. In the case of a
rigid body, dynamic balance is maintained when the distribution of
the mass is constant about a rotation axis.
[0005] Accordingly, the dynamic balance of the laundry treatment
apparatus may be understood as the case where, when the drum, in
which laundry is stored, rotates, the distribution of the mass of
the laundry is within an allowable range about the rotation axis of
the drum (i.e. the case where the drum rotates while vibrating
within an allowable range).
[0006] On the other hand, in the laundry treatment apparatus, the
state in which dynamic balance is broken (i.e. the unbalanced
state) is the state in which the distribution of the mass of the
laundry is not constant about the rotation axis of the drum while
the drum is rotating. This occurs when the laundry is not uniformly
distributed inside the drum.
[0007] When the drum rotates in the unbalanced state, the drum
vibrates, and the vibrations of the drum are transmitted to the tub
or the cabinet, causing noise.
[0008] The conventional laundry treatment apparatus includes a
balancing unit for eliminating the unbalance of the drum. A ball
balancer or fluid balancer in which a ball or fluid is provided
inside a housing, which is fixed to the drum, has been used as the
balancing unit of the conventional laundry treatment apparatus.
[0009] The ball balancer or fluid balancer included in the
conventional laundry treatment apparatus is configured to control
unbalance caused by laundry by the movement of the ball or fluid in
the direction opposite the direction in which the laundry that is
causing the unbalance is located, when the rotational path of the
drum fluctuates due to the laundry.
[0010] However, the control of unbalance described above is
available in a steady state in which the vibrations of the drum are
within a given range, but cannot anticipate great effects in the
transient vibration state in which the vibrations of the drum are
excessive.
[0011] In addition, the conventional balancing unit has difficulty
in rapidly (actively) eliminating the unbalance once the unbalance
has occurred.
[0012] In addition, although there is a method of rapidly supplying
water to the balancer in order to rapidly eliminate the unbalance,
this method has difficulty in efficiently draining the water
supplied to the balancer.
[0013] In addition, the method of supplying water to the balancer
in order to eliminate the unbalance requires the balancer to be
mounted to the drum. In this case, however, a space is formed
between the balancer and the drum, which makes it difficult to
efficiently supply water to the balancer.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0014] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a laundry
treatment apparatus that substantially obviates one or more
problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related
art.
[0015] One object of the present invention is to provide a laundry
treatment apparatus, which may actively and efficiently remove the
unbalance of a drum in the transient vibration state, which is an
unbalanced state of the drum in which laundry is not uniformly
distributed inside the drum.
[0016] In addition, another object of the present invention is to
provide a laundry treatment apparatus, which is configured to
efficiently drain water supplied into a balancer in order to
actively eliminate the unbalance of a drum.
Technical Solution
[0017] To achieve these objects and other advantages and in
accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and
broadly described herein, in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention, a laundry treatment apparatus includes a cabinet
defining an external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus,
a drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet, the drum being
configured to accommodate laundry therein, a drive unit configured
to generate torque required to rotate the drum, a power
transmission unit provided on one surface of the drum, the power
transmission unit being configured to transmit the torque generated
by the drive unit to the drum so as to rotate along with the drum,
and at least one balancer provided on an inner circumferential
surface of the drum, wherein water is selectively supplied into the
balancer so as to eliminate unbalance occurring in the drum.
[0018] The water supplied into the balancer may be supplied to a
front of the balancer and is drained to a rear of the balancer.
[0019] The balancer may be provided in a longitudinal direction on
the inner circumferential surface of the drum.
[0020] The balancer may protrude inward into the drum to a
prescribed height, thereby serving as a lifter configured to lift
the laundry inside the drum.
[0021] The balancer may include a balancer body having a cavity
therein, and a plurality of partitions configured to form a
plurality of compartments inside the balancer body.
[0022] The partitions may be provided perpendicular to a center
axis of the drum.
[0023] The balancer may be provided so as to communicate with the
power transmission unit.
[0024] The water accommodated inside the balancer may be drained
through the power transmission unit.
[0025] The laundry treatment apparatus may further include a
balancer water supply unit configured to penetrate the tub so as to
be exposed between the tub and the drum, the balancer water supply
unit serving to supply water.
[0026] The balancer may include a water supply hole provided in a
front end of the balancer so as to provide a space required to
supply water into the balancer, and a drain hole provided in a rear
end of the balancer so as to provide a space required to drain the
water inside the balancer.
[0027] The power transmission unit may include a center portion to
which a shaft is mounted, and a plurality of extensions configured
to extend from the center portion in a radial direction of the
drum, and the at least one balancer may include a plurality of
balancers communicating with the extensions.
[0028] The extensions may be provided in the same number as the
balancers.
[0029] The balancer may include a drain hole provided in a rear end
of the balancer so as to provide a space required to drain water
inside the balancer, and each of the extensions may include a drain
connector configured to communicate with the drain hole.
[0030] The balancer may further include a protrusion configured to
protrude from the drain hole toward the power transmission unit,
and the protrusion may be inserted into the drain connector.
[0031] The drum may include a drum drain hole configured to
communicate with the drain connector, and the drum drain hole may
drain the water, drained from the balancer, to an outside of the
drum.
[0032] The laundry treatment apparatus may further include a drain
duct provided inside each of the extensions, the drain duct being
configured to communicate with the drain connector so as to form a
flow path, through which the water drained from the balancer is
drained.
[0033] The laundry treatment apparatus may further include an
extension drain hole provided in a distal end of each of the
extensions, the extension drain hole being configured to
communicate with the drain duct, and the extension drain hole may
communicate with a drum drain hole provided in the drum so that the
water inside the balancer is drained to an outside of the drum.
Advantageous Effects
[0034] The present invention has the effect of providing a laundry
treatment apparatus, which may actively and efficiently remove the
unbalance of a drum in the transient vibration state, which is an
unbalanced state of the drum in which laundry is not uniformly
distributed inside the drum.
[0035] In addition, the present invention has the effect of
providing a laundry treatment apparatus, which is configured to
efficiently drain water supplied into a balancer in order to
actively eliminate the unbalance of a drum.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0036] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated
in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate
embodiment(s) of the present invention and together with the
description serve to explain the principle of the present
invention.
[0037] In the drawings:
[0038] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a laundry treatment apparatus
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a power transmission unit of
the laundry treatment apparatus in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the sequence of assembling a
drum, a balancer, and a power transmission unit of the laundry
treatment apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0041] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a balancer cover assembled
between the drum and the balancer of the laundry treatment
apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
BEST MODE
[0042] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0043] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein have the
same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the
art to which example embodiments belong. When the terms used herein
conflict with the general meaning thereof, the terms conform to
definitions used herein.
[0044] Meanwhile, the configuration of an apparatus or a control
method of the apparatus, which will be described below, are merely
given to describe the embodiments of the present invention, and are
not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The same
reference numerals used throughout the specification refer to the
same constituent elements.
[0045] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a laundry treatment apparatus
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0046] Examples of a laundry treatment apparatus include a washing
apparatus, which washes laundry, a drying apparatus, which dries
laundry, and a washing and drying apparatus, which performs both
washing and drying. When the laundry treatment apparatus is the
washing apparatus, the washing apparatus includes a tub 20, which
accommodates wash water. When the laundry treatment apparatus is
the drying apparatus, the drying apparatus does not include the tub
20.
[0047] Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the laundry
treatment apparatus of the present invention will be described as
being the washing apparatus having the tub 20. However, the laundry
treatment apparatus of the present invention is not limited only to
the washing apparatus, and may be any one of the drying apparatus,
which does not include the tub 20, and the washing and drying
apparatus.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, the laundry treatment apparatus in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention may include
a cabinet 10, which defines the external appearance of the laundry
treatment apparatus, a tub 20, which is provided inside the cabinet
10 and accommodates wash water therein, and a drum 30, which is
rotatably provided inside the tub 20 and accommodates laundry
therein.
[0049] The cabinet 10 includes a cabinet opening 15, which is
provided to enable the introduction or discharge of laundry, a door
11, which is pivotably mounted to one surface of the cabinet 10 and
is provided to open or close the cabinet opening 15, and a cabinet
bent portion 17, which is bent toward the inside of the cabinet 10
and provides a space in which the door 11 is mounted.
[0050] The tub 20 includes a tub opening 21, which is provided to
enable the introduction or discharge of laundry through the cabinet
10, a tub bent portion 23, which is bent toward the outside of the
tub 20, and a balancer water supply unit 25, which supplies water
to a balancer 36.
[0051] The cabinet bent portion 17 of the cabinet 10 may be bent
toward the tub 20, and the tub bent portion 23 of the tub 20 may be
bent toward the cabinet 10.
[0052] The laundry treatment apparatus in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention may further include a gasket 13
between the cabinet bent portion 17 and the tub bent portion 23, so
as to prevent vibrations generated during the rotation of the drum
30 from being transmitted to the cabinet 10 through the tub 20,
thus causing the generation of noise.
[0053] The balancer water supply unit 25 penetrates the tub 20, and
the distal end of the balancer water supply unit 25 is located in
the space between the tub 20 and the drum 30. The balancer water
supply unit 25 may supply water to the space between the tub 20 and
the drum 30.
[0054] The balancer water supply unit 25 is provided below the tub
opening 21. The balancer water supply unit 25 may be provided at
the same height as a water supply guide or a water supply hole,
which will be described below, or may be provided higher than the
water supply guide or the water supply hole. Alternatively, the
balancer water supply unit 25 is located closer to the center axis
of the drum 30 than the water supply guide or the water supply
hole. This is because, even if the water supplied from the balancer
water supply unit 25 performs a parabolic motion due to gravity
while moving to the water supply guide or the water supply hole,
the water may reach the water supply guide or the water supply
hole, thus being supplied to the balancer.
[0055] The balancer water supply unit 25 may include a first
balancer water supply unit 251 and a second balancer water supply
unit 253, which are provided at different heights in order to
supply water to different heights.
[0056] The laundry treatment apparatus in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention may include the balancer 36,
which serves to actively eliminate unbalance that is caused when
laundry collects at one side, and the balancer water supply unit
25, which ejects water to the balancer 36 in order to supply water
to the balancer 36 based on prescribed conditions.
[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the balancer water supply unit 25
may receive water from an external water source and supply the
water to the balancer 36. Alternatively, the balancer water supply
unit 25 may supply the wash water inside the laundry treatment
apparatus, rather than water from the external water source, to the
balancer 36.
[0058] The drum 30 may include a drum opening 31, which is provided
to enable the introduction or discharge of laundry, a plurality of
through-holes 32, which is formed in the circumferential surface of
the drum 30 to allow wash water accommodated inside the tub 20 to
be introduced into or discharged from the drum 30, a plurality of
balancers 36, which is provided to remove the unbalance of the drum
30 described above, water supply guides 33, 34 and 35, which is
provided to supply water to the balancers 36, and a power
transmission unit 37, which is mounted on one surface of the drum
30 in order to transmit torque, required to rotate the drum 30, to
the drum 30.
[0059] The balancers 36 may be placed inside the drum 30 so as to
be arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the drum 30,
and may protrude inward from the drum 30 to a prescribed
height.
[0060] The main purpose of the balancers 36 is to eliminate the
unbalance that occurs when laundry collects at one side when the
laundry is rotated inside the drum 30. In addition, the balancers
36 serve as lifters, which protrude inward from the drum 30 to a
prescribed height so as to lift the laundry inside the drum 30 as
the drum 30 rotates.
[0061] In addition, three or more balancers 36 may be provided on
the inner surface of the drum 30.
[0062] The balancers 36 are elongated in the longitudinal direction
of the drum 30.
[0063] Each of the balancers 36 may include a balancer body 3611,
which defines the external appearance of the balancer 36, and a
plurality of partitions 3612, which defines a plurality of
compartments within the balancer 36.
[0064] The balancer body 3611 includes a cavity to allow water to
move therein.
[0065] The partitions 3612 are oriented perpendicular to the center
axis of the drum 30, and are spaced apart from one another. As
such, the water supplied to the balancer 36 is temporarily stored
between the partitions 3612, thereby serving to remove the
unbalanced state of the drum 30.
[0066] The water supply guides 33, 34 and 35 may be provided to
guide the water ejected from the balancer water supply unit 25 to
the inside of the balancer 36.
[0067] Meanwhile, in the laundry treatment apparatus in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention, the balancer 36 may
include a single water supply hole 3613, or may include two or more
water supply holes 3623 and 3643.
[0068] In the case where the single water supply hole 3613 is
provided in the balancer 36, in order to allow the water ejected
from the balancer water supply unit 25 to be introduced into the
balancer 36, the present invention may include the first water
supply guide 33 provided above the water supply hole 3613 and the
second water supply guide 34 provided below the water supply hole
3613.
[0069] In another example, in the case where the two or more water
supply holes 3623 and 3643 are provided in the balancer 36, in
order to allow the water ejected from the balancer water supply
unit 25 to be introduced into the first water supply hole 3623 and
the second water supply hole 3643, the present invention may
include the first water supply guide 33 provided above the first
water supply hole 3623, the second water supply guide 34 provided
below the first water supply hole 3623 or above the second water
supply hole 3643, and the third water supply guide 35 provided
below the second water supply hole 3643.
[0070] In this case, the first water supply guide 33, the second
water supply guide 34, and the third water supply guide 35 may
extend forward from the balancer 36, and may be inclined relative
to the center of the drum 30.
[0071] Meanwhile, the water supply hole may be provided in a
balancer cover 3615, which will be described later, rather than
being provided in the balancer 36. The balancer cover 3615 may
include the single water supply hole 3613, or may include the two
water supply holes 3623 and 3643.
[0072] In the case where the single water supply hole 3613 is
provided in the balancer cover 3615, in order to allow the water
ejected from the balancer water supply unit 25 to be introduced
into the balancer 36, the present invention may include the first
water supply guide 33 provided above the water supply hole 3613 and
the second water supply guide 34 provided below the water supply
hole 3613.
[0073] In another example, in the case where the two or more water
supply holes 3623 and 3643 are provided in the balancer cover 3615,
in order to allow the water ejected from the balancer water supply
unit 25 to be introduced into the first water supply hole 3623 and
the second water supply hole 3643, the present invention may
include the first water supply guide 33 provided above the first
water supply hole 3623, the second water supply guide 34 provided
below the first water supply hole 3623 or above the second water
supply hole 3643, and the third water supply guide 35 provided
below the second water supply hole 3643.
[0074] In this case, the first water supply guide 33, the second
water supply guide 34, and the third water supply guide 35 may
extend forward from the balancer cover 3615, and may be inclined
relative to the center of the drum 30.
[0075] The power transmission unit 37 transmits torque generated in
a drive unit 70, which is installed to the rear surface of the tub
20, to the drum 30.
[0076] The power transmission unit 37 is mounted to the rear
surface of the drum 30 and is rotated along with the drum 30.
[0077] The reason why a shaft 73 of the drive unit 70 is not
directly fixed to the drum 30 is because, when the shaft 73 is
directly coupled to the drum 30 so as to rotate the drum 30, a load
is transmitted to the drum 30, which has the risk of causing
deformation or breakage of the drum 30.
[0078] The drive unit 70 may include a stator 711, which is fixed
to the rear surface of the tub 20 and generates a magnetic field, a
rotor 713, which generates torque by the magnetic field generated
by the stator 711, and the shaft 73, which connects the rotor 713
and the power transmission unit 37 to each other so as to transmit
the torque.
[0079] The power transmission unit 37 may include a center portion
370 to which the shaft 73 is mounted, and a plurality of extensions
371, which extend from the center portion 370 in the radial
direction of the drum 30.
[0080] The extensions 371 may be provided in the same number as the
balancers 36 provided on the drum 30. Although will be described
below, this serves to cause the water accommodated in the balancer
36 to be discharged outward from the drum 30 through the power
transmission unit 37. To this end, the power transmission unit 37
communicates with the balancers 36 provided on the inner surface of
the drum 30.
[0081] Meanwhile, the laundry treatment apparatus in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention may include a water
supply hose 40, which is provided to supply wash water to the tub
20, a water supply valve 41, which adjusts the amount of wash water
supplied to the tub 20, a drain hose 50, which is provided to drain
the wash water inside the tub 20, and a drain valve 51, which
adjusts the amount of wash water drained from the tub 20.
[0082] In addition, the laundry treatment apparatus in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention may further include a
vibration unit, in order to prevent vibrations, generated during
the rotation of the drum 30, from being transmitted to the cabinet
10 through the tub 20.
[0083] The vibration unit may include a first vibration member 61,
which is an elastic member, and a second vibration member 63, which
is a damper. The first vibration member 61 may be provided on the
upper surface of the tub 20, and the second vibration member 63 may
be provided on the lower surface of the tub 20.
[0084] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the power transmission unit of
the laundry treatment apparatus in accordance with one embodiment
of the present invention.
[0085] Referring to FIG. 2, as described above, the power
transmission unit 37 may include the center portion 370 and the
extensions 371 extending from the center portion 370 in the radial
direction of the drum 30, and the extensions 371 may be provided in
the same number as the balancers 36.
[0086] Each of the extensions 371 communicates with one end of a
corresponding one of the balancers 36. This serves to allow the
water accommodated inside the balancer 36 to be drained into the
tub 20 by passing through the extension 371 and the drum 30.
[0087] Meanwhile, the extension 371 includes an extension drain
hole 373 formed in the distal end thereof in order to drain the
water temporarily stored therein. In addition, the drum 30 includes
a drum drain hole (not illustrated), which communicates with the
extension drain hole 373. As such, the water accommodated in the
balancer 36 is drained and moves into the extension 371, and
successively moves to the tub 20 through the extension drain hole
373 and the drum drain hole (not illustrated).
[0088] In the case where three balancers 36 are provided, the
extensions 371 may include a first extension 3711, a second
extension 3713, and a third extension 3715, which are provided in
the same number as the balancers 36.
[0089] In addition, the first extension 3711, the second extension
3713, and the third extension 3715 communicate with one end of the
first balancer 361, one end of the second balancer 363, and one end
of the third balancer (not illustrated) respectively.
[0090] To this end, each of the first extension 3711, the second
extension 3713, and the third extension 3715 may include a first
drain connector 3721, a second drain connector 3723, or a third
drain connector (not illustrated) at the position at which the
corresponding extension communicates with one end of the first
balancer 361, the second balancer 363, or the third balancer (not
illustrated).
[0091] The first drain connector 3721, the second drain connector
3723, and the third drain connector (not illustrated) are provided
in the distal end of the first extension 3711, the distal end of
the second extension 3713, and the distal end of the third
extension 3715 respectively.
[0092] The balancer 36 includes a drain hole 3614 formed in the
distal end thereof so as to provide the space for the drainage of
water inside the balancer 36.
[0093] The drain hole 3614 communicates with the drain connector
3721 or 3723, such that the water inside the balancer 36 is drained
through the corresponding extension and the drum 30 by passing
through the drain hole 3614 and the drain connector 3721 or
3723.
[0094] Meanwhile, the balancer 36 may include a protrusion 3624
formed on the distal end thereof so as to protrude toward the drain
connector 3721 or 3723.
[0095] In other words, the protrusion 3624 extends from the drain
hole 3614 rearward of the drum 30.
[0096] The protrusion 3624 is provided at the position at which the
balancer 36 communicates with the drain connector 3721 or 3723.
[0097] The protrusion 3624 is configured so as to be inserted into
the drain connector 3721 or 3723. As such, the water inside the
balancer 36 may completely move to the drain connector 3721 or 3723
without leakage between the balancer 36 and the extension.
[0098] The drain connector 3721 or 3723 includes a stepped surface
374, which is inwardly indented to allow the protrusion 3624 to be
inserted thereinto. As such, once the protrusion 3624 has been
inserted into the drain connector 3721 or 3723, the stepped surface
374 surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the drain
connector 3721 or 3723, so as to prevent the leakage of water
inside the balancer 36.
[0099] Each of the extensions includes a drain duct 381 or 383
provided therein.
[0100] The drain duct 381 or 383 communicates with the
corresponding drain connector 3721 or 3723, and serves as a flow
path, through which the water inside the balancer 36 is drained
outward from the drum 30.
[0101] The drain duct 381 or 383 may be connected to the drain
connector 3721 or 3723, or may be integrally provided inside in the
extension. Alternatively, the drain duct 381 or 383 may be a
separate member configured to be inserted into the extension.
[0102] The drain duct 381 or 383 communicates with the extension
drain hole 373, such that the water temporarily stored in the drain
duct 381 or 383 is drained outward from the drum 30 through the
extension drain hole 373 and the drum drain hole (not
illustrated).
[0103] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the sequence of assembling the
drum, the balancer, and the power transmission unit of the laundry
treatment apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention, and FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a balancer
cover assembled between the drum and the balancer of the laundry
treatment apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0104] The balancer 36 may be assembled in the state in which the
drum 30 is assembled inside the tub 20, or before the drum 30 is
assembled inside the tub 20. Hereinafter, the assembly of the
balancer 36 in the state in which the drum 30 is assembled inside
the tub 20 will be described.
[0105] Referring to FIG. 3, the longitudinal length of the drum 30
may be greater than the longitudinal length of the balancer 36.
[0106] The longitudinal length of the drum 30 may be greater than
the longitudinal length of the balancer 36 by A+B.
[0107] First, the balancer 36 is seated on the inner surface of the
drum 30. Thereafter, the balancer 36 undergoes sliding in the
longitudinal direction of the drum 30 until the protrusion 3624 of
the balancer 36 communicates with the drain connector 3721 of the
power transmission unit 37.
[0108] Subsequently, in order to couple the drum 30 and the
balancer 36 to each other, the balancer 36 is fixed to the drum 30
using fastening members 365.
[0109] The fastening members 365 may be inserted from the outer
surface to the inner surface of the drum 30 so as to fix the
balancer 36 to the drum 30. On the other hand, the fastening
members 365 may be inserted from the inner surface to the outer
surface of the drum 30 so as to fix the balancer 36 to the drum 30.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, once the balancer 36 has been fixed to
the drum 30, the distance between the front surface of the drum 30
and one end of the balancer 36 may become A+B, which is the
difference between the longitudinal distance of the drum 30 and the
longitudinal distance of the balancer 36.
[0110] The laundry treatment apparatus in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention may include a balancer cover
3615, which is provided between the front surface of the drum 30
and one end of the balancer 36.
[0111] The balancer cover 3615 is configured such that the length
thereof is A+B. The balancer cover 3615 is assembled between the
front surface of the drum 30 and the balancer 36.
[0112] Accordingly, the balancer cover 3615 removes a gap between
one end of the balancer 36 and the front surface of the drum 30,
thereby allowing the water ejected from the balancer water supply
unit 25 to easily move into the balancer 36.
[0113] The balancer cover 3615 may include a water supply channel
3616 therein.
[0114] The water supply channel 3616 may communicate, at one side
thereof, with the balancer 36, and may communicate, at the other
side thereof, with a gap between the first water supply guide 33
and the second water supply guide 34.
[0115] The water supply channel 3616 provides a flow path, through
which the water supplied from the balancer water supply unit 25 may
move into the balancer 36 through the gap between the first water
supply guide 33 and the second water supply guide 34.
[0116] One end of the water supply channel 3616 communicates with
the water supply hole 3613, and the other end of the water supply
channel 3616 communicates with the inside of the balancer 36. As
such, the water supplied from the balancer water supply unit 25
moves through the water supply hole 3613, the water supply channel
3616, and the balancer 36.
[0117] Referring again to FIG. 1, when a plurality of water supply
holes 3613 is provided, the balancer cover 3615 may include a
plurality of water supply channels 3616.
[0118] The water supply channels 3616 may be provided in the same
number as the water supply holes 3613.
[0119] The water supply channel 3616 may be integrally formed with
the balancer cover 3615. Alternatively, after the balancer cover
3615 is assembled between the front surface of the drum 30 and the
balancer 36, the water supply channel 3616 may be inserted through
the water supply hole 3613 from the front side to the rear side of
the drum 30, and then may slide to the balancer 36 through the
inside of the balancer cover 3615 so as to be inserted into and
fixed to a fitting hole 366 formed in the balancer 36.
[0120] However, it is sufficient for the water supply channel 3616
to be provided inside the balancer cover 3615 and to provide a flow
path, through which the water ejected from the balancer water
supply unit 25 is capable of moving into the balancer 36.
[0121] As is apparent from the above description, the present
invention has the effect of providing a laundry treatment
apparatus, which may actively and efficiently remove the unbalance
of a drum in the transient vibration state, which is an unbalanced
state of the drum in which laundry is not uniformly distributed
inside the drum.
[0122] In addition, the present invention has the effect of
providing a laundry treatment apparatus, which is configured to
efficiently drain water supplied into a balancer in order to
actively eliminate the unbalance of the drum.
[0123] The above detailed description is given to exemplify the
present invention. In addition, the above description illustrates
and describes the exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
and the present invention may be used in various other
combinations, changes, and environments. That is, the present
invention may be changed or modified within the scope of the
concept of the present invention disclosed in this specification,
equivalents of the above disclosure, and/or the scope of technology
or knowledge of the art. The above embodiment has been described
with regard to the best mode to implement the technical idea of the
present invention, and various modifications required in the
concrete application fields and purposes of the present invention
are possible. Accordingly, the above detailed description of the
present invention is not intended to limit the present invention to
the disclosed embodiment. In addition, the accompanying claims
should be construed as including other embodiments.
MODE FOR INVENTION
[0124] As described above, a related description has sufficiently
been discussed in the above "Best Mode" for implementation of the
present invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0125] As described above, the present invention may be wholly or
partially applied to a laundry treatment apparatus.
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