AU9705598A

AU9705598A - Leg structure for drum washing machine

Info

Publication number: AU9705598A
Application number: AU97055/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Han Ki Cho; Ho Cheol Kwon; Yang Hwan No; Jong A. Park; Hong Shik Yun
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 1997-12-11
Filing date: 1998-12-10
Publication date: 1999-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-12-10
Also published as: KR19990049041A; DE19856991C2; CN1099493C; AU759189B2; KR100271737B1; DE19856991A1; CN1219622A

Description

I'AWUI1 2W1 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD

PATENT

Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: LEG STRUCTURE FOR DRUM WASHING MACHINE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us

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LEG STRUCTURE FOR DRUM WASHING

MACHINE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum washing machine, and more particularly to a leg structure for a drum washing machine that prevents a base unit of the washing machine from being damaged by an external load and firmly fixes a leg unit by connecting a metallic bracket to a leg-connected portion.

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2. Description of the Conventional Art Fig. 1 schematically illustrates structure of a conventional drum washing machine. As shown therein, the drum washing machine is provided with a cabinet a synthetic-resin base unit 20 fixed to a bottom of the cabinet 10 and a legheight control unit 30 coupled to front-side corners of the base unit In such drum washing machine, the leg-height control unit 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. A flange 21 of the base unit 20 is fixed to a portion 11 of the cabinet 10 by a bolt 40, and a bore 22 is formed at one side of the base unit the bore 22 receiving a screw 51 of a leg unit 50. Predetermined space which receives a hold nut 60 is provided under the bore 22 of the base unit 20, and the screw 51 of the leg unit 50 penetrates the bore 22 by being inserted into the hold nut 60, such vertical movement adjusting the height of the washing machine.

Further, a lock nut 70 which fixes the height of the machine adjusted by the rotation of the leg unit 50 is disposed at a lower side of the hold nut 60 and coupled with the screw 51 of the leg unit 50. A numeral 80 denotes a damper.

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To adjust the height of the conventional washing machine, after unfastening the lock nut 70, the user adjusts the height of the leg unit 50 by turning and upward and downward moving it, and then, to prevent the leg unit 50 from being loosened, fixes the leg unit 50 by fastening the lock nut When operating the washing machine, the vibration of a tub for washing clothes is travelled to the leg unit of the washing machine through the dampers Here, the height of the leg unit 50 of the washing machine is adjusted and then the lock nut 70 is fastened to fix the leg unit 50. However, if the lock nut 70 is not properly fastened, the fastening of the leg unit 50 of the machine is loosened by the vibration and thus more severe vibration occurs, which results in damage of the product. Further, since the hold nut 60 which requires the expensive manufacture cost should be provided to adjust the height of the leg unit 50 of the washing machine, the price of the product is unavoidably increased. Also, while moving or installing the drum washing machine, when impact is applied to the leg unit 50 of the washing machine, the flange 21 of the base unit 20 which is fixed to the portion 11 of the cabinet 10 by the bolt 40 is damaged and thus the washing machine is not securely supported. Therefore, the base unit 20 should be changed to new one which requires extra costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a leg structure for a drum washing machine which obviates the problems and disadvantages due to the conventional art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a leg structure for a drum washing machine that prevents a base unit from being damaged by an external load and firmly fixes a leg unit of the washing machine by connecting the base unit and a cabinet to a metallic bracket to reinforce the strength of the connecting portion.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a leg structure for a drum washing machine includes a cabinet having a bent portion at a lower part thereof; a base unit disposed at a side portion of the cabinet, one side of the base unit having a leg-fastening hole and the other side thereof having a screw-fastening hole; a bracket having one side of the bracket coupled with the bent portion by a screw, the other side coupled with the screw-fastening hole of the base unit by another screw and a predetermined portion having a bolt hole; and a leg unit having a bolt unit which penetrates the bolt hole of the bracket and coupled with the legfastening hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front view schematically illustrating a conventional drum washing machine; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a leg-height control unit of the conventional drum washing machine;

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Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a leg structure for a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a leg structure for a washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a leg structure for a washing machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6A is a horizontal cross-sectional diagram illustrating a leg fastening hole provided in a base unit according to the present invention; Fig. 6B is a horizontal cross-sectional diagram illustrating another type of the leg fastening hole of Fig. 6A; and Figs. 7A through 7C are horizontal cross-sectional diagrams illustrating various types of the leg fastening hole provided at the base unit according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

As shown in Fig. 3, a leg structure for a drum washing machine according to the present invention is provided with a cabinet 100, a base unit 200 and a metallic bracket 300, the cabinet 100 and the base unit 200 being fixed by screws 400 to the bracket 300. A side portion of the bracket 300 is fixed to a bent portion 101 of the cabinet 100 by the screw 400, while the other side portion thereof is fixed to a screw fastening hole 201 formed at the base unit 200 by the other screw 400, and a guide portion 301 having a bolt hole 302 therein is protrudingly formed at a predetermined portion of the bracket 300, the bolt hole 302 receiving a bolt unit 501 of a leg unit 500 of the washing machine. Further, a guide groove 202 to which the guide portion 301 of the bracket 300 is fitted is provided at the base unit 200, and in the center portion of the guide groove 202 there is formed a leg-fastening hole 203 having a bolt thread at an inner wall thereof by which the bolt unit 501 of the leg unit 500 which penetrates the bolt hole 302 of the bracket 300 is prevented from being loosened. Here, it is noted that the leg-fastening hole 203 is formed slightly smaller that a diameter of the bolt hole 302 of the bracket 300 or of the bolt unit 501 to firmly and pressingly support the bolt unit 501 of the leg unit 500. Accordingly, the leg unit 500 of the washing machine downward and upward moves while penetrating the bolt hole 302 of the bracket 300 and being coupled with the bolt thread formed at the leg-fastening hole 203 of the base unit, and thereby the height of the washing machine can be adjusted.

While, as shown in Fig. 4, as another type of the fastening hole 203 in Fig.

3, a taper-type fastening hole 203a may be formed, so that the bolt unit 501 of the leg unit 500 is guided and pressingly coupled thereto. In addition, a guide slant unit 204, as shown in Fig. 5, is formed at an approach to the leg-fastening hole 203, so that the bolt unit 501 of the leg unit 500 is easily inserted thereto and firmly supported by the guide slant unit 204. Also, the leg-fastening hole 203 may have a cross-section to be formed in a serrated type, as shown in Fig. 6A, or in an inclinedserrated type, as shown in Fig. 6B. Further, the cross-section of the hole 203 may be possibly shaped in polygonal figures over at least a pentagon, as shown in Figs.

7A through 7C. Here, it is noted that the height of the leg unit is adjusted by turning the leg unit 500 of the washing machine to thereby upward and downward move the leg unit 500. In other words, since the diameter of the leg-fastening hole 203 of the base unit 200 is formed slightly smaller than that of the bolt unit 501 of the leg unit 500, the leg-fastening hole 203 of the base unit 200 which is made of synthetic resin firmly supports an outer circumferential surface of the bolt unit 501, for thus preventing the bolt unit 501 from being loosened. With such operation, the user can adjust the height of the leg unit as desired, and thus the balance of the washing machine can be maintained.

As described above, since the cabinet and the base unit to which the leg unit of the washing machine is fitted are fixed by the metallic bracket, the leg structure for the drum washing machine obtains stronger reinforcement effect and the height of the leg unit adjusted by the locking operation of the leg-fastening hole formed at the base unit can be constantly maintained. Therefore, the vibration and noise generated by the washing machine can be reduced.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the leg structure for the drum washing machine of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

"Comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or ccmponents but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Claims

1. A leg structure for a drum washing machine, comprising: a cabinet having a bent portion at a lower part thereof; a base unit disposed at a side portion of the cabinet, one side of the base unit having a leg-fastening hole and the other side thereof having a screw-fastening hole; a bracket having one side of the bracket coupled with the bent portion by a screw, the other side coupled with the screw-fastening hole of the base unit by another screw and a predetermined portion having a bolt hole; and a leg unit having a bolt unit which penetrates the bolt hole of the bracket and coupled with the leg-fastening hole.

2. The leg structure according to claim 1, wherein a guide portion having the bolt hole therein is protrudingly formed at a predetermined portion in the bracket and a guide groove to which the guide portion is guided and fitted is provided at the leg-fastening hole of at the base unit.

3. The leg structure according to claim 1, wherein the leg-fastening hole of the base unit is formed smaller than the diameter of the bolt unit to thereby pressingly support the bolt unit of the leg unit.

4. The leg structure according to claim 1, wherein the leg-fastening hole of the base unit is formed in a taper hole to pressingly receive the bolt unit of the leg unit, The leg structure according to claim 1, wherein the leg-fastening hole has a cross-section which is formed in a serrated type.

6. The leg structure according to claim 1, wherein the leg-fastening hole has a cross-section which is formed in an inclined-serrated type.

7. The leg structure according to claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the leg-fastening hole is shaped in polygonal figures over at least a pentagon. DATED this 10th day of December

1998. LG ELECTRONICS INC. WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN. VIC. 3122.