# US 12,180,638 B2 · Drum washing machine and fixing device for drum washing machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,638 B2 - Document ID: US12180638B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/692,431 - Filed: 2022-03-11 - Published: 2022-07-14 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-08 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hitoshi Minai; Takehiro Nakanishi; Minsu Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180638B2 ## CPC - D06F 37/04: adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis - D06F 37/06: Ribs, lifters, or rubbing means forming part of the receptacle - D06F 37/30: Driving arrangements (control circuits or arrangements D06F34/08) - D06F 37/40: for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} - D06F 39/08: Liquid supply or discharge arrangements (supply of soap or other washing agents D06F39/02) - D06F 95/00: Laundry systems or arrangements of apparatus or machines; Mobile laundries (D06F31/00 takes precedence) - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A drum washing machine capable of washing a helmet includes a pulsator installed on a bottom of a drum and configured to be rotatable independently of the drum. A fixing device is configured to detachably fix an object to be washed having a three-dimensional shape to an inner lower side of the drum. A processor is configured to control a water storage process for storing water in the tub in an amount, in which at least a part of the pulsator is submerged, and to control a pulsator to agitate the water inside the tub by rotating the pulsator in a state in which the drum is stopped to maintain a lower position of the object to be washed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drum washing machine comprising: a housing having an inlet on a front surface; a tub inside the housing; a drum having an opening corresponding to the inlet and configured to be rotatable inside the tub; a pulsator inside the drum, coupled to one side of the drum along a front and rear direction of the drum, and configured to be rotatable independent of the drum; a drum stopper configured to couple the drum to the tub so that the drum is locked; a holder configured to detachably hold an object to the drum; and a processor configured to control: an amount of water introduced into the tub for washing the object until a water level in the tub is located below a center of the pulsator, a rotation of the drum, a rotation of the pulsator, and the pulsator to agitate the water inside the tub while the drum is locked by the drum stopper based on the holder holding the object to maintain a position of the object in the tub. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drum washing machine of claim 1, wherein the drum stopper includes a pin that is insertable into a concave portion of the tub. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drum washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a motor configured to rotate the drum, wherein the rotation of the drum is stopped by electrically controlling the motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drum washing machine of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control the pulsator to rotate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drum washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a water circulation mechanism configured to circulate the water stored in the tub by spraying the water into the drum, and configured to be driven by the processor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drum washing machine of claim 1, wherein the holder is mountable on an inner circumferential surface of the drum, the holder provided to support the object to be washed to allow the object to be washed to be fixed to the lower inside of the drum. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The drum washing machine of claim 6, wherein the object to be washed is a helmet and the holder is configured to support the helmet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drum washing machine of claim 7, wherein the holder is configured to support the helmet having a through hole formed on opposite sides of the helmet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The drum washing machine of claim 8, wherein the holder includes: a first coupling member mountable to the inner circumferential surface of the drum; a second coupling member connected to the first coupling member; and a shaft portion provided to connect the first coupling member to the second coupling member and inserted into the through-hole so as to allow the helmet to be supported by the holder. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The drum washing machine of claim 9, wherein the first coupling member includes: a body connected to the second coupling member; a mounting plate mounted on an outer circumference of the body and provided to be elastically deformable; and a magnet provided along an edge of the mounting plate to allow the mounting plate to be pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the drum so as to allow the holder to be fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the drum. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drum washing machine of claim 1, further comprising: a water supply device configured to supply water to the tub; and a drainage device configured to discharge the water from the tub, wherein the processor is configured to control operations of the water supply device and the drainage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drum washing machine of claim 11, wherein the holder is coupled to a lower side of the drum to allow the object to be washed to be coupled to the lower inside of the drum. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The drum washing machine of claim 11, further comprising: the drum stopper includes a pin that is insertable into a concave portion of the tub. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The drum washing machine of claim 11, wherein the pulsator is coupled to one side of the drum along a front and rear direction of the drum, wherein the processor controls a water supply to the tub until a water level in the tub is located below a center of the pulsator. ### Claim 15 A drum washing machine comprising: a housing having an inlet on a front surface; a tub inside the housing; a drum having an opening corresponding to the inlet and configured to be rotatable inside the tub; a pulsator inside the drum, coupled to one side of the drum along a front and rear direction of the drum, and configured to be rotatable independent of the drum; a drum stopper configured to couple the drum to the tub, so that the drum is locked; and a processor configured to control: an amount of water introduced into the tub for washing an object until a water level in the tub is located below a center of the pulsator, a rotation of the drum, a rotation of the pulsator, and the pulsator to agitate the water inside the tub while the drum is locked by the drum stopper.