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US 11,686,033 B2Granted
Laundry treating apparatus
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsBosun Chung, Doyoung Rhyu, Jong Min Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laundry treating apparatus includes a main body, a washing tub, and a suspension assembly. The suspension assembly includes a support rod, an elastic member, and a damper. The damper includes a cap, a housing, and a friction member. The friction member is disposed in both the cap and the housing, and is configured to press the support rod through the coupling of the female coupling portion and the male coupling portion.
Claims16
A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
- a main body that defines a receiving space therein;
- a washing tub disposed in the receiving space;
- and
- one or more suspension assemblies that couple the washing tub to the main body and are configured to support the washing tub on the main body,
- wherein the one or more suspension assemblies comprise:
- a support rod coupled to the main body,
- an elastic member that is arranged about the support rod and surrounds the support rod, and
- a damper disposed at an end of the elastic member and configured to move along a longitudinal direction of the support rod, the damper comprising:
- a cap that comprises a male coupling portion disposed at an outer surface of the cap, that defines a first through hole receiving the support rod, and that is configured to support the washing tub,
- a housing that has a cylindrical shape, that defines an opened top surface configured to receive the cap, and that comprises a female coupling portion disposed at an inner circumferential surface of the housing and configured to couple to the male coupling portion of the cap, the housing defining a second through hole receiving the support rod, and
- a friction member disposed in the cap and the housing, the friction member being configured to press the support rod based on coupling of the female coupling portion and the male coupling portion, and
- wherein the cap further comprises:
- a mount having an upper surface that is configured to support the washing tub and is curved or inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the support rod, wherein an outer diameter of the mount increases downward toward the housing, a support portion that defines a lower surface of the mount and contacts the end of the elastic member, and
- a pressing piece that defines the outer surface of the cap including the male coupling portion, the pressing piece comprising at least two pressure pieces that receive the friction member therebetween and are configured to, based on coupling of the male coupling portion and the female coupling portion, press the friction member toward the support rod by reducing a distance between the male coupling portion and the female coupling portion.
11 more elements
A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
- a main body that defines a receiving space therein;
- a washing tub disposed in the receiving space;
- and
- one or more suspension assemblies that couple the washing tub to the main body and are configured to support the washing tub on the main body,
- wherein the one or more suspension assemblies comprise:
- a support rod coupled to the main body,
- an elastic member that is arranged about the support rod and surrounds the support rod, and
- a damper disposed at an end of the elastic member and configured to move along a longitudinal direction of the support rod, the damper comprising:
- a cap that comprises a male coupling portion disposed at an outer surface of the cap, that defines a first through hole receiving the support rod, and that is configured to support the washing tub,
- a housing that has a cylindrical shape, that defines an opened top surface configured to receive the cap, and that comprises a female coupling portion disposed at an inner circumferential surface of the housing and configured to couple to the male coupling portion of the cap, the housing defining a second through hole receiving the support rod, and
- a friction member disposed in the cap and the housing, the friction member being configured to press the support rod based on coupling of the female coupling portion and the male coupling portion, and
- wherein the cap comprises:
- a mount having an upper surface that is configured to support the washing tub and is curved or inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the support rod, wherein an outer diameter of the mount increases downward toward the housing,
- a support portion that defines a lower surface of the mount and contacts the end of the elastic member, and
- a pressing piece that defines the outer surface of the cap including the male coupling portion, the pressing piece comprising at least two pressure pieces that define a pocket receiving the friction member therein and are configured to reduce a volume of the pocket based on coupling of the female coupling portion and the male coupling portion.
12 more elements
A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
- a main body that defines a receiving space therein;
- a washing tub disposed in the receiving space;
- and
- one or more suspension assemblies that couple the washing tub to the main body and are configured to support the washing tub on the main body,
- wherein the one or more suspension assemblies comprise:
- a support rod coupled to the main body,
- an elastic member that is arranged about the support rod and surrounds the support rod, and
- a damper disposed at an end of the elastic member and configured to move along a longitudinal direction of the support rod, the damper comprising:
- a cap comprising (i) a mount that supports the washing tub and (ii) a plurality of pressing pieces that face an outer circumference of the support rod, the support rod passing through a path defined between the plurality of pressing pieces,
- a housing through which the support rod passes, the housing being configured to press the plurality of pressing pieces toward the support rod based on coupling to the cap, and
- a friction portion that faces the plurality of pressing pieces and is configured to press the support rod by coming into contact with the support rod based on the housing coupling to the cap,
- wherein the friction portion further comprises:
- an uneven portion that protrudes or is recessed from a surface in contact with the support rod, and
- a friction reinforcement member that is disposed at a contact position between the uneven portion and the support rod and that is made of a material having a higher friction coefficient than the plurality of pressing pieces.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.