# US 2021/0277571 A1 · 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 2021/0277571 A1 - Document ID: US20210277571A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/189,511 - Filed: 2021-03-02 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-06 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Sunghoon KIM; Jeongho KIM; Byung Jin LEE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277571A1 ## CPC - D06F 37/065: {ribs or lifters having means for circulating the washing liquid} - D06F 23/025: {with a rotatable imperforate tub} - D06F 39/06: Arrangements for preventing or destroying scum - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A laundry treating apparatus includes: a drum and a lifter that is disposed at an inner circumferential surface of the drum, that revolves, and that includes a frame cover and a lifter frame including (i) a frame base coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the drum and including a seating groove provided along a circumference of the frame base, (ii) a frame upper plate spaced apart from the frame base, and (iii) a frame sidewall connecting the frame upper plate to the frame base. The frame cover includes a cover upper plate and a cover sidewall having a lower end mounted on the seating groove to couple to the frame base and an upper end connected to the cover upper plate. A drain hole is defined at the seating groove and provides fluid communication between an upper surface and a lower surface of the frame base. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a drum configured to rotate about a rotation axis extending in a front-rear direction of the drum; and a lifter that is disposed at an inner circumferential surface of the drum and that is configured to, based on the drum rotating, revolve around the rotation axis, wherein the lifter comprises a lifter frame disposed at the inner circumferential surface of the drum and a frame cover that is coupled to the lifter frame and that protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the drum, wherein the lifter frame comprises (i) a frame base that is coupled to the inner circumferential surface of the drum and that includes a seating groove provided along a circumference of the frame base, (ii) a frame upper plate spaced apart from the frame base toward a center of the drum, and (iii) a frame sidewall connecting the frame upper plate to the frame base, wherein the frame cover comprises a cover upper plate having an inner surface that faces the frame upper plate and a cover sidewall having a lower end and an upper end, wherein the lower end of the cover sidewall is mounted on the seating groove to couple to the frame base, and the upper end of the cover sidewall is connected to the cover upper plate, and wherein a drain hole is defined at the seating groove and provides fluid communication between an upper surface and a lower surface of the frame base. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drain hole includes a plurality of drain holes defined at the seating groove in an intermittent manner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein a supporting rib is disposed at an inner bottom surface of the seating groove and protrudes to a height shorter than a depth of the seating groove such that a lower end portion of the cover sidewall is mounted on the supporting rib. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the supporting rib is provided between two adjacent drain holes of the plurality of drain holes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein: a coupling tab protrudes from a lower end portion of the frame cover, a tab binding port, into which the coupling tab is inserted based on the lifter frame being coupled to the frame cover, is defined inside the seating groove of the lifter frame, and a tab guide portion is provided at the frame sidewall, protrudes toward the tab binding port, and has a shape that includes an inclined surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein a stepped portion is defined at a bottom surface of the frame base at a portion in which the tab binding port is defined and has a shape corresponding to the coupling tab. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifter frame further comprises a spacer that is disposed at the frame upper plate, that protrudes toward an inner surface of the frame cover, that extends along a first direction, and that provides a space between the inner surface of the frame cover and the frame upper plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the spacer is configured to be spaced apart from the inner surface of the cover upper plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the spacer is configured to contact the inner surface of the cover upper plate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein a dome protrudes upward from the cover upper plate at a position corresponding to the spacer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifter frame is made of a synthetic resin material, and the frame cover is made of a metal material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifter comprises: a plurality of front lifters disposed along a circumferential direction of the drum; and a plurality of rear lifters disposed behind the front lifters along the circumferential direction of the drum. ### Claim 13 A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a washing tub configured to receive washing water; a drum configured to rotate about a rotation axis extending in a front-rear direction within the washing tub; and a lifter that is disposed at an inner circumferential surface of the drum and that is configured to, based on the drum rotating, revolve around the rotation axis, wherein the lifter comprises (i) a lifter frame disposed at the inner circumferential surface of the drum and (ii) a frame cover that is coupled to the lifter frame and that protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the drum, wherein a seating groove is provided at the lifter frame along a circumference of the lifter frame, wherein a lower end of the frame cover is mounted on the seating groove to couple to the lifter frame, and wherein a drain hole is defined at the seating groove and provides fluid communication between an upper surface and a lower surface of the circumference of the lifter frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13, wherein the drain hole includes a plurality of drain holes defined at the seating groove in an intermittent manner. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 14, wherein a supporting rib is disposed at an inner bottom surface of the seating groove and protrudes to a height shorter than a depth of the seating groove such that a lower end portion of the frame cover is mounted on the supporting rib. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the supporting rib is provided between two adjacent drain holes of the plurality of drain holes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13, wherein: a coupling tab protrudes from a lower end portion of the frame cover, a tab binding port, into which the coupling tab is inserted based on the lifter frame being coupled to the frame cover, is defined inside the seating groove of the lifter frame, and a tab guide portion is provided at an outer surface of the lifter frame, protrudes toward the tab binding port, and has a shape including an inclined surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 17, wherein a stepped portion is defined at a bottom surface of the lifter frame at a portion in which the tab binding port is defined and has a shape corresponding to the coupling tab. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13, wherein a spacer is provided at an upper surface of the lifter frame to protrude toward an inner surface of the frame cover and extend along a first direction, and provides a space between the inner surface of the frame cover and the upper surface of the lifter frame. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The laundry treating apparatus of claim 19, wherein a dome protrudes upward from the frame cover at a position corresponding to the spacer.