# US 11,306,428 B2 · Laundry treating apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,428 B2 - Document ID: US11306428B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/775,926 - Filed: 2020-01-29 - Published: 2020-08-06 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-01 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Kilryong Lee; Deukwon Lee; Yongdeok Kwon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306428B2 ## CPC - D06F 37/266: {Gaskets mounted between tub and casing around the loading opening} - D06F 39/14: Doors or covers; Securing means therefor - D06F 37/20: Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations - D06F 39/02: Devices for adding soap or other washing agents - D06F 39/088: {Liquid supply arrangements} - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A laundry treating apparatus include a first fixed body disposed along an circumferential surface of a tub laundry inlet; a second fixed body disposed along a circumferential surface of a cabinet laundry inlet; a first extending body extending from the first fixed body toward the second fixed body; a second extending body extending from the second fixed body toward the first fixed body. A free end of the second extending body is inserted into the first extending body. A connecting body is provided including a first connecting portion extending from the first extending body toward the second extending body; a second connecting portion extending from the second extending body toward the first extending body; and a third connecting portion connecting the first connecting portion with the second connecting portion. A spacer is provided to maintain a spacing between the connecting body and the second extending body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet defining a cabinet laundry inlet; a tub configured to receive water and defining a tub laundry inlet facing the cabinet laundry inlet; a drum rotatably disposed in the tub and configured to receive laundry therein; a first fixed body mounted to the tub and configured to at least partially surround the tub laundry inlet; a second fixed body mounted to the cabinet and configured to at least partially surround the cabinet laundry inlet; a first extending body including a first cylindrical elastic body extending from the first fixed body toward the second fixed body; a second extending body including a second cylindrical elastic body extending from the second fixed body toward the first fixed body, the second extending body having a free end configured to be inserted into the first extending body; a connecting body including: a first connecting portion including a first curved elastic portion extending from a free end of the first extending body toward the second extending body, a second connecting portion including a second curved elastic portion extending from the free end of the second extending body toward the first extending body, and a third connecting portion including an elastic portion connecting the first connecting portion to the second connecting portion; and one or more spacers configured to maintain a space between the connecting body and the second extending body, wherein the one or more spacers include an elastic body that connects the second connecting portion, the third connecting portion, and the second extending body with each other, and wherein the one or more spacers extend from the second connecting portion toward the first connecting portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more spacers are positioned vertically below a horizontal plane that includes a rotational axis of the drum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more spacers are sized to be smaller than or equal to a space between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the one or more spacers are sized to be smaller than the space between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion and greater than ½ of the space. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first fixed body, the second fixed body, the first extending body, the second extending body, the first connecting portion, the second connecting portion, the third connecting portion, or the one or more spacers is made of rubber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: an inflow pipe configured to be connected to the second extending body; a storage disposed in the cabinet and configured to store detergent therein; a detergent outlet configured to discharge the detergent from the storage; an outflow pipe configured to connect the detergent outlet and the inflow pipe; and a trap defining pipe configured to provide at least one of a P-trap, a U-trap, or an S-trap between the detergent outlet and the inflow pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a guide mounted to the second extending body and configured to guide liquid discharged from the inflow pipe toward the tub laundry inlet; a connecting channel configured to connect a storage space to the guide, the storage space defined by the connecting body and the first extending body; and a communication pipe configured to connect the storage space to the tub and permit for liquid inside the storage space to flow into the tub. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the connecting channel includes a groove defined in the second connecting portion and configured to guide water to move along a surface of the guide into the storage space. ### Claim 9 A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet defining a cabinet laundry inlet; a tub configured to receive water and defining a tub laundry inlet facing the cabinet laundry inlet; a drum rotatably disposed in the tub and configured to receive laundry therein; a first fixed body mounted to the tub and configured to at least partially surround the tub laundry inlet; a second fixed body mounted to the cabinet and configured to at least partially surround the cabinet laundry inlet; a first extending body including a first cylindrical elastic body extending from the first fixed body toward the second fixed body; a second extending body including a second cylindrical elastic body extending from the second fixed body toward the first fixed body, the second extending body having a free end configured to be inserted into the first extending body; a connecting body including: a first connecting portion including a first curved elastic portion extending from a free end of the first extending body toward the second extending body, a second connecting portion including a second curved elastic portion extending from the free end of the second extending body toward the first extending body, and a third connecting portion including an elastic portion connecting the first connecting portion to the second connecting portion; and one or more spacers configured to maintain a space between the connecting body and the second extending body, wherein the one or more spacers are positioned vertically below a horizontal plane that includes a rotational axis of the drum, and wherein the one or more spacers include: a first spacer positioned on a vertical plane including the rotational axis of the drum; a second spacer positioned at a first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the first spacer; and a third spacer positioned at a second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the first spacer, the second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the vertical plane, wherein the second spacer and the third spacer are symmetrically disposed with respect to the first spacer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more spacers further include: a plurality of fourth spacers positioned at the first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the second spacer, wherein the plurality of fourth spacers are spaced apart from each other; and a plurality of fifth spacers positioned at the second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the third spacer, wherein the plurality of fifth spacers are spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more spacers further include: three or more sixth spacers positioned at the first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the plurality of fourth spacers, wherein the three or more sixth spacer are spaced apart from each other; and three or more seventh spacers positioned at the second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the plurality of fifth spacers, wherein the three or more seventh spacers are spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a door configured to open and close the cabinet laundry inlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drum defines a drum laundry inlet facing the tub laundry inlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first extending body defines a first inner diameter, and the second extending body defines a second inner diameter being smaller than the first inner diameter. ### Claim 15 A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet defining a cabinet laundry inlet; a tub configured to receive water and defining a tub laundry inlet facing the cabinet laundry inlet; a drum rotatably disposed in the tub and configured to receive laundry therein; a first fixed body mounted to the tub and configured to at least partially surround the tub laundry inlet; a second fixed body mounted to the cabinet and configured to at least partially surround the cabinet laundry inlet; a first extending body extending from the first fixed body toward the second fixed body, the first extending body having a first end; a second extending body extending from the second fixed body toward the first fixed body, the second extending body having a second end configured to be inserted into the first extending body such that the first end of the first extending body surrounds the second extending body; an elastic connecting body configured to connect the first end of the first extending body with the second end of the second extending body; and one or more spacers configured to maintain a space between the connecting body and the second extending body, wherein the one or more spacers include: a first spacer positioned on a vertical plane including a rotational axis of the drum; a second spacer positioned at a first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the first spacer; and a third spacer positioned at a second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the first spacer, the second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the vertical plane, wherein the second spacer and the third spacer are symmetrically disposed with respect to the first spacer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more spacers are positioned vertically below a horizontal plane that includes a rotational axis of the drum. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first fixed body, the second fixed body, the first extending body, the second extending body, or the one or more spacers is made of rubber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more spacers further include: a plurality of fourth spacers positioned at the first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the second spacer, wherein the plurality of fourth spacers are spaced apart from each other; and a plurality of fifth spacers positioned at the second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the third spacer, wherein the plurality of fifth spacers are spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more spacers further include: three or more sixth spacers positioned at the first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the plurality of fourth spacers, wherein the three or more sixth spacer are spaced apart from each other; and three or more seventh spacers positioned at the second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the plurality of fifth spacers, wherein the three or more seventh spacers are spaced apart from each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more spacers include: a first spacer positioned on a vertical plane including a rotational axis of the drum; a second spacer positioned at a first side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the first spacer; and a third spacer positioned at a second side from the vertical plane and spaced apart from the first spacer, the second side being opposite to the first side with respect to the vertical plane, wherein the second spacer and the third spacer are symmetrically disposed with respect to the first spacer.