Patent Application
20180230635
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a clothing processing device.
Generally, a clothing processing device or laundry treating apparatus is a concept including a washer for washing laundry (i.e., washing objects and drying objects), a dryer for drying clothes and a laundry machine for performing both washing and drying of clothes.
A conventional laundry treating apparatus is categorized into a front loading type which has a front opening to load laundry therein and a top loading type which has a top opening to load laundry therein.
Meanwhile, the amount of the treatable laundry in the conventional laundry treating apparatus is almost definite so that it may be restricted to reduce the volume of the laundry treating apparatus. The user who has two laundry treating apparatuses has to arrange the two apparatuses side by side with respect to the ground. That ends up a disadvantage of deteriorated efficiency the installation space.
To overcome the disadvantages, an object of the present invention is to address the above-noted and other problems and to provide a laundry treating apparatus including a plurality of laundry treating devices which are disposed vertically, with a function of laundry treating (e.g., laundry washing and laundry drying).
Another object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treating apparatus which facilitates a user's unloading process for clothes from a top one of the two laundry treating devices disposed vertically.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the embodiments, as embodied and broadly described herein, a laundry treating apparatus comprises a first cabinet; a first drum mounted in the first cabinet and configured to hold laundry or clothes therein; a first introduction opening provided in the first cabinet, in communication with the first drum; a first drum shaft configured to rotate the first drum; a second cabinet mounted underneath the first cabinet and supporting the first cabinet; and a drawer movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the second cabinet, wherein the first drum shaft is tilted an angle which is more than 0° and less than 90° with respect to a bottom surface of the first cabinet, and the first introduction opening is tilted upwardly toward a direction in which a drawer is drawn inwardly (downwardly toward a direction in which the drawer is drawn outwardly).
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a first drive unit configured to rotate the first drum shaft; and a control panel (a first control panel) provided in a front area with respect to the first introduction opening and comprising an input unit configured to allow a user to input a control signal which is necessary to operate the first drive unit.
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a first drive unit configured to rotate the first drum shaft; and a control panel (a first control panel) provided in a front area with respect to the first introduction opening and comprising an input unit configured to allow a user to input a control signal which is necessary to operate the first drive unit.
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a cover defining a top surface of the first cabinet and comprising the first introduction opening, wherein a distance from a bottom surface of the second cabinet to a rear surface of the cover is longer than a distance from the bottom surface of the second cabinet to a front surface of the cover.
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a first drum opening provided in the first drum and communicable with the first introduction opening, in parallel with the first introduction opening.
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a first drum opening provided in the drum and communicable with the first introduction opening, wherein a tilted angle of the first introduction opening with respect to the bottom surface of the first cabinet is larger than a tilted angle of the first drum opening with respect to the bottom surface of the first cabinet.
A side in parallel with a direction in which the drawer is drawn outwardly out of a cross section of the first cabinet may be longer than a side in parallel with a width direction of the drawer out of the cross section of the first cabinet.
The side in parallel with the direction in which the drawer is drawn outwardly out of the cross section of the first cabinet may be longer than a side in parallel with a direction in which the drawer is drawn outwardly out of a cross section of the second cabinet.
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a second tub mounted in the drawer and configured to hold wash water therein; and a second drum rotatably mounted in the second tub.
The laundry treating apparatus may further comprise a first tub mounted in the first cabinet and rotatably receiving the first drum.
Accordingly, the embodiments have following advantageous effects. According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The laundry treating apparatus includes a plurality of laundry treating devices which are disposed vertically, with a function of laundry treating (e.g., laundry washing and laundry drying).
Furthermore, the laundry treating apparatus is capable of facilitating a user's unloading process for clothes from a top one of the two laundry treating devices disposed vertically.
Description will now be given in detail according to exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components may be provided with the same reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated.
As shown in
As shown in
The first cabinet 11 may include a cover 111 which defines a top surface of the first treating device. A first introduction opening 113 for unloading the clothes held in the first drum; and a first control panel 112 configured to control the operation of the first treating device 1.
The first control panel 112 may include an input unit (112a, a first treating device input unit) configured to receive a user's input of a control command; a display unit (112b, a first treating device display unit) configured to display a process for identifying the input control command or executing the user's input control command. Accordingly, the user is able to transmit a required control signal for driving the first drive unit 17 via the first treating device input unit 112a.
The first introduction opening 113 is closable by a first treating device door (114, a first door) rotatably coupled to the first cabinet.
The first tub 12 may be formed in any shapes only if capable of storing the wash water therein. The first tub 12 may be supplied the wash water via a first water supply unit 181 and the wash water held in the first tub 12 may be drained outside the first tub 12 via a first drainage unit 183.
The first tub 12 may include a first tub body 121 having a cylindrical shape; and a first tub opening 123 provided in the first tub body and configured to communicate with the first introduction opening 113. The first tub body 121 may be fixedly mounted in the first cabinet 1 by a first tub support unit 125. A mechanism capable of absorbing or dampening the vibration generated in the first tub 12 may be provided as the first tub support unit 12.
The first drum 15 may include a first drum body 151 provided in the first tub 12 and configured to accommodate clothes. The first drum body 151 may be rotatable in the first tub body 121 by a first drive unit 17 so that it may be formed in a cylindrical shape.
A first drum opening 153 is provided in the first drum body 151 and the first drum opening 153 is in communication with the first tub opening 123 and the first introduction opening 113. A through-hole 155 may be provided in a circumferential surface of the first drum body 151 to supply the wash water held in the first tub body 121 to the inside of the first drum body 151.
The first drum opening 153 may be formed in any shapes only if capable of communicating the first tub opening 133 with the inside of the first drum body 151. FIG. shows that the first drum opening 153 is an open surface arranged in the top of the first drum body 151 as one example.
The first drum 15 mentioned above may be rotatable in the first tub 12 by the first drive unit 17. The first drive unit 17 may include a stator 171 fixed to an outer bottom surface of the first tub 12 to form a rotating magnetic field; and a rotor having the first drum shaft 157 fixed thereto and rotatable by the rotating magnetic field. The first drum shaft 157 may penetrate the bottom surface of the first tub 12 and connect the rotor 173 with the first drum body 151 with each other.
In case the first treating device 1 is the top loading type of which the first introduction opening 113 is located in a cover (111, a top surface of the first cabinet), it is preferred that the first drum shaft 157 is inclined a preset angle (A) with respect to the bottom surface of the first cabinet, which will be described later in detail.
The first treating device 1 having the structure mentioned above may wash clothes by rotating the first drum 15, using the first drive unit, after a first control unit (not shown, a first treating device control unit) controls the first water supply unit 181 to supply wash water to the first tub 12. Hence, the first control unit controls the first drainage unit 183 to drain the wash water outside the first tub and then the first drive unit 17 to rotate the first drum 15, only to dry-spin the clothes.
As shown in
A front through-hole 311 is provided in a front surface of the second cabinet 31, so that the drawer 32 may be movable from or into the second cabinet 31 through the front through-hole 311.
The drawer 32 includes a drawer body 321 having an open top surface; and a drawer cover 327 provided in the open top surface of the drawer body to define the top surface of the drawer body 321.
A drawer panel 323 may be provided in a front surface of the drawer body 321 and function as means for opening and closing the front through-hole 311 and as a handle for extracting or inserting the drawer 321 from or into the second cabinet 31.
A second control panel 325 may be provided in the drawer panel 323 and configured to control the operation of the second treating device 3. The second control panel 325 includes the means (a second treating device control unit) for controlling a second water supply unit, a second drainage unit and a second drive unit, which will be described later.
The second control panel 325 may include an input unit (325a, a second treating device input unit) for facilitating the user's input of a control command to the second treating device 3; and a display unit (325a, a second treating device display unit) configured to allow the user to confirm the control command input via the second treating device input unit 325a or notice an executing process of the user's input control command.
The drawer cover 327 may include a first through-hole 328 penetrating the drawer cover 327 to communicate the inside with the outside of the drawer body 321. The functions of the first through-hole 328 and the second through-hole 329 will be described later.
As shown in
In case the first treating device 1 and the second treating device 3 are provided as the devices for washing clothes, the volume of the second tub 34 could be set equal to that of the first tub 12 and it is preferred that the volume of the second tub is set smaller than that of the first tub 12.
When the first treating device 1 is mounted on the top of the second treating device 3, a diameter of the first tub may be almost equal to a diameter of the second tub. Under such a condition, it could be difficult for the user to load or unload the clothes into or from the first drum 15 through the too high first introduction opening 113 provided in the first treating device provided on the top of the second treating device of which the first and second tubs have the same volume.
Accordingly, when the first treating device 1 is mounted on the top of the second treating device 3, it is preferred that the volume of the second tub 34 is smaller than that of the first tub 13. More specifically, when the diameter of the first tub is equal or similar to that of the second tub, the height of the second tub may be smaller than that of the first tub.
A second tub introduction opening (345, the second introduction opening) is provided in the tub cover 343 to communicate the inside with the outside of the second tub body 341 and such the second tub is open and closed by the second treating device door (348, the second door).
The second introduction opening 345 is located under the first through-hole 328, so that the second door 348 is able to be rotated outside the drawer 32 through the first through-hole 328 provided in the drawer cover 25. Accordingly, the user is able to load clothes into the second tub 34 by opening the second door 348 after moving the drawer 32 outwardly from the second cabinet 31.
Meanwhile, a water inlet hole 347 connected to a water supply pipe 371 is further provided in the top surface of the second tub 34. The water supply pipe 371 may function as the means for connecting a water supply source with the water inlet hole 347. The water supply pipe 371 is inserted in the drawer via the second through-hole 329 provided in the drawer cover.
The second drum 35 may include a cylindrical second drum body 351; a second drum opening 353 provided in a top surface of the second drum body; and a plurality of through-holes 355 penetrating the second drum body 351.
The second drum opening 353 is located under the second introduction opening 345 and becomes the passage of the clothes toward the second drum body 351. The through-holes 355 become the passage of the wash water held in the second tub 34 into the second drum body 351.
The second drum body 351 may be rotatable by the second drive unit 36. The second drive unit 36 may include a stator 361 fixed to the second tub 34 and forming a rotating magnetic field; and a rotor 363 rotatable by the rotating magnetic field and having the second drum shaft 357 fixed thereto.
The second drum shaft 357 may penetrate the second tub 34 to connect the bottom surface of the second drum body 351 with the rotor 363. As shown in the drawing, the second drum shaft 357 may be provided to form a right angle with respect to the bottom surface of the second tub 34.
The second tub 34 is supplied wash water via the second water supply unit and has the wash water drained outside via the second drainage unit. The second water supply unit may include a water supply pipe 371 connecting a water supply source (not shown) with the water inlet hole 347; and a water supply valve 373 for opening and closing the water supply pipe 371 based on the control of the second control unit (not shown, the second treating device control unit).
The second drainage unit may include a drainage pipe 374 guiding the wash water from the second tub 34 outside the second cabinet 31; and a drainage pump 372 for draining the wash water held in the second tub 34 based on a control signal of the second treating device control unit.
Meanwhile, the drawer 32 provided in the second treating device 3 has to be extractable from the second cabinet 31 and it is preferred that the water supply pipe 371 and the drainage pipe 374 are manufactured in a shrinkable structure or made of made of an elastic material.
In accordance with the laundry treating apparatus of the embodiment having the structure mentioned above, the first treating device 1 is mounted on the top of the second treating device 3. Accordingly, it is a core factor for determining the use convenience of the present invention whether the user is able to unload the laundry held in the first drum 15 out of the first cabinet 11.
To facilitate the easy unloading of the laundry held in the first drum 15 out of the first cabinet 11, the first introduction opening 113 and the first drum opening 153 need to be lowered. For that, it is preferred that the first drum shaft 157 is inclined more than 0° and less than 90° and that the first introduction opening 113 is inclined upwardly toward a direction in which the drawer 32 is moved inwardly (or downwardly toward direction in which the drawer 32 is moved outwardly).
More specifically, the distance from the bottom surface of the second cabinet 31 to a front side of a circumferential surface of the first introduction opening 113 may be shorter than the distance from the bottom surface of the second cabinet 31 to a back side of the circumferential surface of the first introduction opening 113 and the first drum 13 may be tilted a preset angle (A).
The meaning of the first introduction opening 113 is inclined upwardly toward the direction in which the drawer 32 is drawn inwardly is that the first introduction opening 113 becomes higher toward the rear surface of the first cabinet 11.
For that, the distance (H1) from the bottom surface of the second cabinet 31 to the front surface of the cover 111 may be lower or shorter than the distance to the rear surface of the cover 11.
The first introduction opening 113, the first tub opening 123 and the first drum opening 153 may be provided in parallel with each other. In other words, the angles of the first introduction opening 113, the first tub opening 123 and the first drum opening 153 may be the same with respect to the ground or the bottom surface of the first cabinet 11.
Alternatively, the first tub opening 123 and the first drum opening 153 may be provided in parallel but the first introduction opening 113 may be provided at a different angle from the first tub opening 123.
More specifically, the angel (B3) of the first introduction opening 113 with respect to the bottom surface of the first cabinet 11 (the bottom surface of the second cabinet) may be smaller or larger than the angle (B1 or B2, the angle of the first drum opening) of the first tub opening 123 with respect to the bottom surface of the first cabinet 11.
When the angle (B1) of the first tub opening 123 with respect to the bottom surface of the first cabinet 11 is larger than the angle (B3) of the first introduction opening 113, the user is able to unload the laundry held in the first drum 15 out of the cabinet 11 easily.
Meanwhile, when the first drum 15 is tilted a preset angle (A) with respect to the bottom surface of the first tub 12, one of the width (W1) and height (W2) of the first cabinet cross section may be longer than the other one so as to increase the volume of the first drum 15.
When the length (W2) in parallel with X-axis of the first cabinet cross section is larger than the length (W1) in parallel with Y-axis, the length (W3) of the side in parallel with the direction in which the drawer 32 is extracted (X-axis) out of the second cabinet cross section may be smaller than the length of the side in parallel with the direction in which the drawer 32 is extracted out of the first cabinet cross section.
The first control panel 112 provided in the first cabinet 11 may be arranged in any areas of a front area, a rear area and a side area with respect to the first introduction opening 112. Considering that the first introduction opening 112 becomes higher toward the rear surface of the first cabinet 11, it is preferred that the first control panel 112 is located in the front area with respect to the first introduction opening 113.
As the present features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be considered broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds, are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2015-0110115 | Aug 2015 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2016/008515 | 8/2/2016 | WO | 00 |
