# US 10,870,942 B2 · Washing machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,942 B2 - Document ID: US10870942B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/827,148 - Filed: 2017-11-30 - Published: 2018-06-28 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-23 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Baek Gyu Kwon; Dong-Won Kim; Do Yun Lee; Bo-Kyun Kim; Geon Ho Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870942B2 ## CPC - D06F 37/22: in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis - D06F 21/04: within an enclosing receptacle - D06F 21/08: within an enclosing receptacle - D06F 37/20: Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations - D06F 37/26: Casings; Tubs - D06F 31/00: Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies - D06F 39/12: Casings; Tubs - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A washing machine including a plurality of washers may include a fixing bracket coupled to a front of a first housing in which a first tub is disposed and a front of a second housing in which a second tub is disposed, to prevent the first housing and the second housing from being separated from each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A washing machine comprising: a first housing having an open top; a first tub disposed in the first housing of the washing machine; a second housing having an open bottom provided adjacent to the open top of the first housing; a second tub disposed in the second housing; a front cover provided to cover at least a portion of a front surface of the first housing and at least a portion of a front surface of the second housing; and a fixing bracket coupled to a front of the first housing and a front of the second housing to couple the first housing to the second housing, and configured to be coupled to a top end of the front cover. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the first tub includes a first opening in a front of the first tub, the first opening configured to receive laundry for the first tub, and the second tub includes a second opening in a top of the second tub, the second opening configured to receive laundry for the second tub. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the second housing further comprises: a lower frame configured to support the second tub, and an upper frame disposed on the lower frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The washing machine of claim 3, wherein the second housing further comprises a side cover provided to cover a side surface of the upper frame and a side surface of the lower frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The washing machine of claim 3, further comprising a suspending device configured to support the second tub on the lower frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The washing machine of claim 5, wherein the lower frame surrounds the second tub, and comprises a first supporter configured to support the suspending device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The washing machine of claim 6, wherein the second tub comprises a second supporter on which the suspending device is mountable, and wherein the suspending device is configured to connect the first supporter to the second supporter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a guide protrusion which protrudes upward from a top of the first housing; and a guide protrusion insertion portion disposed in a bottom of the second housing to receive the guide protrusion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a guide protrusion which protrudes downward from the second housing; and a guide protrusion insertion portion disposed in a top of the first housing to receive the guide protrusion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket is directly coupled to the top end of the front cover. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket comprises a guide protrusion configured to guide the front cover into a coupling position, and the front cover comprises a guide hole configured to receive the guide protrusion of the fixing bracket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket comprises a first coupler to which the front cover is fixable, and the front cover comprises a second coupler which is fixable to the fixing bracket. ### Claim 13 A washing machine comprising: a first housing configured to house a front-loading tub; a second housing disposed adjacent to the first housing and configured to house a top-loading tub; a front cover provided to cover at least a portion of a front surface of the first housing and at least a portion of a front surface of the second housing of the washing machine; and a fixing bracket coupled to a front of the first housing and a front of the second housing to couple the first housing to the second housing, and configured to be coupled to a top end of the front cover. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The washing machine of claim 13, wherein the fixing bracket is disposed inside the front cover. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The washing machine of claim 14, wherein a top end of the fixing bracket is directly coupled to the top end of the front cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The washing machine of claim 13, further comprising: a spring configured to support the front-loading tub to the first housing, wherein the spring is configured to connect an outer surface of the front-loading tub to a top of the first housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The washing machine of claim 13, wherein a height of athe top end of the front cover is higher than a height of a top end of the first housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The washing machine of claim 14, wherein the fixing bracket is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a length corresponding to a lateral width of the first housing and the second housing and a thickness corresponding to a thickness of the front cover, and has an open rear surface and an open bottom surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The washing machine of claim 13, further comprising: a drum disposed to be rotatable in the top-loading tub, and a driving motor configured to rotate the drum, wherein a height of the top end of the fixing bracket is equal to or higher than a height of a top end of the driving motor. ### Claim 20 A washing machine comprising: a front side; a top side; a bottom side; a first housing having a top opening facing the top side of the washing machine and a front opening facing the front side of the washing machine; a front-loading tub disposed in the first housing of the washing machine and having a front-loading tub opening corresponding to the front opening of the first housing; a second housing having a bottom opening facing the bottom side of the washing machine and a top opening facing the top side of the washing machine, the second housing provided above and coupled to the first housing such that the top opening of the first housing is provided adjacent to the bottom opening of the second housing; a top-loading tub disposed in the second housing of the washing machine and having a top-loading tub opening corresponding to the top opening of the second housing; a front cover provided to cover at least a portion of a front surface of the first housing and at least a portion of a front surface of the second housing; and a fixing bracket coupled to a front side of the first housing and a front side of the second housing to couple the first housing to the second housing, and configured to be coupled to a top end of the front cover.