KR101934732B1 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising a cabinet having an open upper portion, a top cover coupled to an upper portion of the cabinet and having a laundry access hole for allowing laundry to be taken in and out from the upper side, a rib rotatably coupled to the top cover, And a first hinge unit for automatically closing the lid assembly in the first section and automatically opening the lid assembly in the second section so that the rotation speed of the lid assembly can be effectively controlled.

Description

[0001] Washing machine [0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a laundry processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a laundry processing apparatus that improves operability and ease of use by controlling the opening and closing speed of a lid assembly.

Generally, a laundry processing apparatus separates contaminants from clothing, bedding, and the like (hereinafter referred to as "laundry") by using physical action such as chemical decomposition of water and detergent and friction between water and laundry A washing machine, a drying device for dehydrating and drying the wet laundry, a refresher for preventing laundry allergy by spraying heated steam to the laundry, and a refresher for washing the laundry easily, Device.

Such a washing machine usually performs a washing process while sequentially performing a washing process, a rinsing process, and a dewatering process, and it is possible to perform only a predetermined process in the above-described processes according to a user's selection, Washing is done by the washing method.

A conventional washing machine includes a main body for washing laundry and a door coupled to the main body so as to rotate. When the door is closed, the main body strongly collides with the main body, thereby adversely affecting the durability of the product. There is a problem in that the weight of the door is increased and therefore the force for opening the door is large and the usability is low.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a laundry processing apparatus in which a lid assembly is automatically closed in a first section and automatically opened in a second section.

The laundry processing apparatus of the present invention includes a cabinet having an open upper portion, a top cover coupled to an upper portion of the cabinet and having a laundry access hole for allowing laundry to be taken in and out from the upper side, And a first hinge unit that automatically closes the lid assembly in the first section and automatically opens the lid assembly in the second section.

In the laundry processing apparatus of the present invention, the lid assembly is automatically closed at a certain angle or less, thereby improving the ease of use.

Further, in the laundry processing apparatus of the present invention, the lid assembly is automatically opened at a predetermined angle or more, thereby improving the ease of use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention, and the manner of achieving them, will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings for explaining a clothes processing apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a laundry processing apparatus W according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a side sectional view of the laundry processing apparatus W shown in Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of the laundry processing apparatus W shown in FIG. Figure 4 is a side view of the portion shown in Figure 3; 5 is a perspective view illustrating the top cover 200, the lid assembly 100, the first hinge portion 300a, and the second hinge portion 300b. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the lid assembly 100. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the first hinge portion 300a shown in FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the first hinge portion 300a shown in Fig.

1 to 8, the laundry processing apparatus W includes a cabinet 10 having an open upper portion, a laundry inlet / outlet hole h provided at an upper portion of the cabinet 10, A lid assembly 100 rotatably coupled to the top cover 200 to open and close the laundry access hole h and an interface to allow the user to operate the laundry processing apparatus W. [ And a control panel 400 provided.

In the cabinet 10, the outer tub 30 is suspended through the support member 20, and the outer tub 30 is filled with the washing water. The inner tank 35 is rotatably disposed inside the outer tank 30. [ A damper 25 is provided at the lower end of the support member 20 to buffer the shaking of the outer tank 30 due to the vibration generated when the inner tank 35 rotates. A pulsator 40 is provided on the bottom of the inner tank 35 And is rotatably provided. The contamination of the laundry can be effectively removed by the water flow action formed by the friction action between the pulsator 40 and the laundry contained in the inner tank 35 and the rotation of the pulsator 40.

A plurality of water holes (36) are formed in the inner tank (35) so that the washing water can flow between the inner tank (35) and the outer tank (30). On the lower side of the outer tank 30, there is provided a motor 50 serving as driving means for rotating the inner tank 35 and the pulsator 40. The rotation of the inner tub 35 and / or the pulsator 40 is performed via the rotary shaft 55 rotated by the motor 50.

A clutch (not shown) for engaging the inner shaft 35 and / or the pulsator 40 with the rotary shaft 55 to selectively rotate either the inner tub 35 and the pulsator 40 . The inner tub 35 and the pulsator 40 can be rotated at the same time or only the inner tub 35 can be rotated or only the pulsator 40 can be rotated according to the operation of the clutch.

The top cover 200 is provided with a detergent box 60 in which detergent is received and is connected to an external water source such as a domestic faucet or the like to supply wash water to the detergent box 60, And a water supply valve (75) for interrupting the washing water flowing through the hose (70). When the water supply valve 75 is opened and the washing water is supplied from the external water source, the supplied washing water flows into the detergent box 60 and mixed with the detergent contained in the detergent box 60 to be supplied into the inner tank 35.

A drainage hose 80 for draining the washing water in the outer tub 30 to the outside is provided at the lower end of the outer tub 30, a drainage control valve 85 for interrupting the washing water flowing out through the drainage hose 80, A drain pump 86 for pumping the water outward is provided.

The lid assembly 100 is rotatably coupled to the top cover 200 so that the user can open and close the laundry access hole h. At this time, in order to easily open the lid assembly 100, it is preferable that the front end of the lid assembly 100 protrudes forward from the top cover 200 in a state where the lid assembly 100 is closed.

The lead assembly 100 includes a lead upper frame 110, a lead inner 120, a transparent portion 130, a lead lower frame 140, and a decoy panel 150.

The lead lower frame 140 forms a lower side outer appearance of the lead assembly 100 and the lead inner 120 forms the upper side frame of the lead upper frame 110, The rigidity of the lead assembly 100 is improved to prevent deformation and fix the transparent part 130. [

The lead upper frame 110 and the lead lower frame 140 are opened at the center so that the laundry can be observed from outside. The lead inner 120 extends along the rim of the lid assembly 100 and surrounds and fixes the transparent portion 130 so that the transparent portion 130 can be positioned at the opened central portion.

The lead inner 120 may be integrally formed with the lead assembly 100 and extend along the rim of the lead assembly 100, but a plurality of leads may be provided as in the present embodiment.

6, four lead inners 120 are provided at each corner of the lead assembly 100, and each lead inner 120 is connected to four corners of the transparent portion 130, .

The lead inner parts 120 are inserted between the lead upper frame 110 and the lead lower frame 140 in a state surrounding the transparent part 130. [ The lead inner 130 is disposed between the transparent portion 130 and the lead upper frame 110 so that the lead portion 130 can be fixed without being shaken. It is preferable to form an appropriate level of tolerance.

Particularly, the lead inner 130 may be formed of a plastic injection material so as to have a somewhat elasticity. In this case, the transparent portion 130 inserted in the inner side may be tightly caught in the lead upper frame 110 by a force acting in the outward direction The overall rigidity of the lid assembly 100 is improved, and the transparent portion 130 is fixed without shaking.

The transparent portion 130 is a kind of observation window formed of a transparent material so as to be able to observe the inside of the laundry processing apparatus W through the opened central portion of the lid assembly 100. When the user operates the laundry processing state in the inner tank 35 And can be realized as a transparent glass or tempered glass so as to ensure sufficient strength against external force and sufficient hardness against scratches.

The decor panel 150 has a top coupled to the front end of the lead top frame 110 and a bottom end coupled to the lead bottom frame 140 to form a handle that the user grasps to operate the lead assembly 100. The coupling strength between the lead upper frame 110 and the lead lower frame 140 is reinforced by the decorative panel 150 so that the joining structure of the lead upper frame 110 and the lead lower frame 140 is hidden from the outside Thereby improving overall beauty.

The first hinge unit 300a connects the lid assembly 100 and the top cover 200 and decelerates the closing speed of the lid assembly 100 in a certain period in which the lid assembly 100 is closed.

 The first hinge unit 300a includes a resilient member 330a and a cam member 320a that elastically deforms the elastic member 330a when the lid assembly 100 rotates and converts the restoring force applied from the deformed elastic member 330a into rotational force. .

The elastic member 330a may be formed of various kinds of members capable of generating an elastic force or a restoring force while being deformed according to the rotation of the lead assembly 100. The elastic member 330a may be appropriately selected according to characteristics of the installed position and structure There will be. In this embodiment, a spring 330a that is compressed on the rotary shaft when the lid assembly 100 is rotated is disclosed.

The first hinge portion 300a may be provided in any one of the lid assembly 100 and the top cover 200. The top cover 200 may have a first hinge portion 300a It may be difficult to secure a sufficient space for mounting the lead assembly 100 in the lead assembly 100.

The first hinge portion 300a may be fastened to the lead assembly 100 in various structures. In the present embodiment, the lead hinge portion 300a may be fastened to the lead inner portion 120 inserted between the lead upper frame 110 and the lead lower frame 140, As shown in Fig.

The lid assembly 100 is rotatably coupled to the top cover 200 by a first hinge portion 300a provided on one side and a second hinge portion 300b provided on the other side. The first hinge unit 300a generates a torque in a direction in which the lid assembly 100 is opened in a certain period in which the lid assembly 100 rotates. Accordingly, when the lid assembly 100 is closed, the closing speed of the lid assembly 100 is reduced in the certain period, and when the lid assembly 100 is opened, the lid assembly 100 is moved It can be opened easily.

The second hinge portion 300b serves to decelerate the rotation speed of the lead assembly 100 and can be variously implemented by using the hydraulic pressure or using the restoring tendency of the coil spring. In this embodiment, the second hinge unit using the hydraulic pressure is applied, but it is not necessarily limited thereto, and it is also possible to apply a hinge apparatus that decelerates various known rotational speeds.

The second hinge portion 300b disclosed in this embodiment includes a rotating wing (not shown) filled with fluid and interlocked with the lid assembly 100 and rotating in the fluid. During rotation of the lid assembly 100, the rotational speed of the lid assembly 100 is decelerated by a repulsive action, such as resistance and pressure, applied to the rotary vane from the filled fluid.

On the other hand, the first hinge portion 300a and the second hinge portion 300b are coaxially aligned on the rotational axis of the lid assembly 100.

The cam device included in the first hinge unit 300a converts the rotational motion generated during the operation of the lead assembly 100 into a linear reciprocating motion so that the elastic member 330a is elastically deformed by the converted linear reciprocating motion do.

The first hinge portion 300a is inserted into the lead inner 120 and is inserted into the first hinge housing 310a by a fastening member such as a screw or bolt 399. The first hinge housing 310a, And a first hinge housing cover 390 coupled to the first hinge housing cover 310a.

Fastening arms 314a and 392a are formed extending from each of the first hinge housing 310a and the first hinge housing cover 390. The fastening arms 314a and 392a are coupled to each other with screws Or the like.

The first hinge housing 310a has a surface 316a formed in a concavo-convex shape to be engaged with the first hinge housing cover 390. The first hinge housing 310a has a first hinge portion 300a, The protrusions 311a, 312a, and 313a are formed. The lead inner 120 is formed with grooves into which the protrusions 311a 312a 313a are inserted and the protrusions 311a 312a 313a are inserted into the grooves so that the first hinge portion 300a is inserted into the lead, It is not idle in the inner 120.

A fastening member such as a screw or bolt penetrates through the lead upper frame 110 and is fastened to the fastening holes 315a formed in the fastening arms 314a and 392a in a state where the first hinge portion 310 is inserted into the lead inner 120. [ ) 393a so that the lead assembly 100 and the first hinge portion 300a are integrally rotated.

The cam device of the first hinge unit 300a includes a rotation cam 380a that rotates in conjunction with the lead assembly 100 and a reciprocating cam that is engaged with the rotation cam 380a and reciprocates along the shaft 350a 360a. The shaft 350a protrudes from the first housing cover 390 and is fastened to the shaft bracket 240 provided on the top cover 200. [

The shaft 350a is rotated by the shaft bracket 240. To this end, a shaft 351a is formed on the shaft 350a along the longitudinal direction and a shaft 351a is formed on the shaft bracket 240 A shaft support hole 243 formed in a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the shaft 350a is formed.

The reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a are formed in a shape corresponding to each other, and each end portion is formed to be inclined along the circumferential direction so that the height of the end surface to be engaged with each other is gradually changed. Hereinafter, the end surface where the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a are engaged with each other is defined as a converting surface m, because it serves to convert the turning motion into a linear reciprocating motion, Is defined as a conversion line (s). However, it is not necessary that the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a are necessarily formed in the same shape, and the other one of the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a The shape will be sufficient. When the lead assembly 100 rotates, the conversion surface m of the rotation cam 380a slides and rotates along the end surface of the reciprocating cam 360a, receives a force from the end surface of the reciprocating cam 360a, the direction of the force is changed by the inclination of the curve m, and torque is generated. Therefore, the end face of the reciprocating cam 360a is defined as the acting face since it is a face that applies a force to the converting face m of the rotating cam 380a.

On the other hand, the moving distance of the reciprocating cam 360a is set in accordance with the rotating angle of the rotating cam 380a. To this end, the rotating cam 380a includes a converting surface m formed obliquely to the surface abutting the reciprocating cam 360a . It is preferable that the inclination of the conversion surface m is set in consideration of the moving distance of the reciprocating cam 360a and the moving distance of the reciprocating cam 360a is the length at which the spring 330a is compressed. The inclination of the first hinge portion 300a is closely related to the torque acting by the first hinge portion 300a. Therefore, the inclination of the conversion surface m must be properly formed so that the lid assembly 100 automatically closes in the first section and opens automatically in the second section.

 In the present embodiment, the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a are formed to have the same shape at their ends (that is, the working surface of the reciprocating cam and the converting surface of the rotating cam are formed in the same shape) The conversion surface m formed on the rotation cam 380a and the conversion line s will be mainly described.

The first hinge unit 300a includes a washer 320a inserted between the spring 330a and the first hinge housing 310a, a bush 340a fastened to the shaft 350a, And a bush 370a inserted in the shaft 390 to support the shaft 350a.

As the rotary cam 380a rotates, the reciprocating cam 360a linearly reciprocates while being inserted into the shaft 350a, and the spring 330a is compressed or elastically compressed by reciprocating the reciprocating cam 360a. At this time, the shaft 350a is provided with a latching jaw 352a for limiting the reciprocating distance of the reciprocating cam 360a.

9A shows a structure in which the shaft bracket 240 is fastened to the bottom surface of the top cover 200 to fix the shaft 350b (see FIG. 5) connected to the second hinge portion 300b so as not to rotate . FIG. 9B is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the shaft bracket 240 shown in FIG. 9A.

9A, 9B, and 10, a shaft bracket 240 for supporting a shaft 350b to be coupled to the second hinge portion 300b is fixed to the bottom surface of the top cover 200. As shown in FIG. The shaft bracket 240 may be provided on the side where the first hinge portion 300a is installed to support the shaft 350a of the first hinge portion 300a.

9A, 9B and 10 show a shaft bracket 240 for supporting a shaft 351b fastened to the second hinge portion 300b. However, the shaft 350a of the first hinge portion 300a is supported The shaft bracket 240 will be described as supporting the shaft 350a of the first hinge portion 300a.

The shaft bracket 240 supports the shaft 350a of the first hinge portion 300a at two points. That is, the shaft bracket 240 is formed with a first support portion 241 and a second support portion 242 spaced apart from the first support portion 241 so as to support the shaft 350a at two points.

The first support portion 241 and the second support portion 242 are formed with a shaft support hole 243 for supporting the shaft 350a. The shaft support hole 243 is formed in the same shape as that formed in the first support portion 241 and the second support portion 242.

Since the shaft 350a is supported at two points by the shaft bracket 240, even if force is transmitted to the shaft 350a when the lid assembly 100 is rotated, the shaft 350a is supported by the two shaft support holes 243 so that the shaft 350a is stably supported without shaking, and the operational feeling of the lid assembly 100 can be improved.

On the other hand, the shaft 350a is formed so as to have a machined surface value 351a cut substantially flat along the axial direction so as not to be rotated in a state where the shaft 350a is inserted into the shaft support hole 243, 350a. However, since the shaft 350a can be provided not to rotate, a structure for preventing the rotation of the shaft 350a may be variously modified by those skilled in the art.

A bush 246 is inserted into the shaft bracket 240. The bush 246 is preferably made of a somewhat viscous material such as plastic and is a cushioning member sandwiched between the shaft 350a and the shaft bracket 240. The shaft 350a and the shaft bracket 240 And serves to prevent wear due to friction between them. The shaft bracket 240 is formed with a fastening hole 245 to which the bush 246 is fastened.

11 is a side view for explaining the rotational motion of the lid assembly 100. As shown in Fig. 12 shows a profile in which the rotation cam 380a of the first hinge portion 300a is deployed. Fig. 13 shows the relationship between the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a when the lid assembly 100 is at the position A in Fig. Fig. 14 shows the relationship between the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a when the lid assembly 100 is in a position between B and D in Fig. Fig. 15 shows the relationship between the reciprocating cam 360a and the rotating cam 380a when the lid assembly 100 is in the D position in Fig.

First, a process of opening the lid assembly 100 will be described.

Referring to FIG. 11, the first hinge portion 300a is configured to allow the user to open the lid assembly 100 with a small force. When the lid assembly 100 rotates between B and D, . More specifically, the rotation cam 380a of the first hinge portion 300a has a profile as shown in Fig. When the point P (see Figs. 13 to 15) of the reciprocating cam 360a is located in a section from Pb to Pd, the reciprocating cam 360a is rotated by the restoring force of the compressed spring 330a, And the force applied in the axial direction is converted into a rotational force by the inclination formed on the rotation cam 380a. Thus, a torque is generated in a direction of opening the lid assembly 100, and the user can open the lid assembly 100 with a small force.

Here, the total torque T acting on the lid assembly 100 is determined by the torque Tg acting on the self-weight of the lead assembly 100, the torque Ts acting on the first hinge 300a, The sum of the torque Td acting by the second hinge portion 300b and the sum of the torque Td acting on the first hinge portion 300b and the torque Td acting on the second hinge portion 300b. An additional external force is required in order to open the lid assembly 100.

On the other hand, in the case of the second section where the lead assembly 100 is located between C and D, T = Tg-Ts-Td <0, and the lead assembly 100 is automatically opened. T > 0 means torque acting in the direction in which the lid assembly 100 is closed, and T < 0 means torque acting in the direction in which the lid assembly 100 is opened.

Since T > 0 in the first section from position A to C, an external force by the user is further required to open the lead assembly 100, and T < 0 in the second section from C to D, The lead assembly 100 is automatically rotated until it reaches the position of D. Particularly, in the section from B to C of the first section divided by the position C, an external force must be applied to open the lead assembly 100. At this time, however, the torque Ts acting in the direction of opening the lead assembly 100 The lead assembly 100 can be opened with a small force. In the second section, the lid assembly 100 is automatically opened without any external force.

A process of closing the lid assembly 100 will be described.

In the state D in which the lead assembly 100 is open, the user applies a force to the position C, and in the first section from the position C to the position A, T > 0 so that the lead assembly 100 is closed In the direction of rotation. At this time, in the section from C to B in the first section, the torque Ts (Td) acts in the direction in which the lead assembly 100 is opened by the first hinge portion 300a and the second hinge portion 300b The rotation speed of the lead assembly 100 is controlled to be decelerated. On the other hand, since the point P is located on the sloping S1 opposite to S2 in the third section from the point when the lead assembly 100 passes the position B, that is, from the point B to the point A, And the torque acts in a direction in which the lid assembly 100 is closed, thereby improving the locking force of the lid assembly 100 (T > 0)

In short, when the lead assembly 100 is closed, the rotational speed of the lead assembly 100 is controlled to be decelerated by the Ts and Td values acting in the direction in which the lead assembly 100 is opened in the section from C to B, In the third section from B to A, since Ts tilts in the direction in which the lead assembly 100 is closed by the inclination of S1, the closing speed is increased and the locking force is improved.

At this time, the opening angle of the lead assembly 100 in which the direction of the Ts acting on the lid assembly 100 is changed (hereinafter, the opening angle is expressed by an angle measured in a direction in which the lid assembly 100 is closed, ) The opening angle is an angle at which the rotational speed of the lid assembly 100 starts to be controlled to be accelerated, and is hereinafter defined as an accelerated closing reference angle. In the present embodiment, the acceleration closing reference angle is set to 10, but is not limited thereto.

The torque capacity of the first hinge unit 300a and the torque capacity of the second hinge unit 300b and the torque capacity of the lead assembly 100 ) Should be considered together.

The respective torque values generated by the first hinge portion 300a and the second hinge portion 300b vary within a certain range according to the degree of compression of the elastic member and the fluid that are different from each other as the lead assembly 100 rotates . Here, the range of the torque that can be generated by the hinge portions 300a and 300b is defined as the torque capacity.

The torque capacity of the first hinge portion 300a and the torque capacity of the second hinge portion 300b may have various ratios.

When the ratio of the torque capacity of the first hinge portion 300a to the torque capacity of the second hinge portion 300b is 8: 2, since Ts> Td, the range of the second section in which the lead assembly 100 is automatically opened Can be secured. For example, at the ratio of 8: 2, the lead assembly 100 can be automatically opened from an opening angle of 80 degrees or more.

When the ratio of the torque capacity of the first hinge portion 300a to the torque capacity of the second hinge portion 300b is 7: 3, the difference between Ts and Td is relatively smaller than the ratio of 8: 2 described above Therefore, the range of the second section becomes narrower while the range of the first section becomes broader. For example, the lid assembly 100 is automatically opened from an opening angle of 85 degrees or more, and automatically closed below 85 degrees.

Similarly, when the ratio of the torque capacity of the first hinge portion 300a to the torque capacity of the second hinge portion 300b is 6: 4, the range of the second section becomes narrower than the case of 7: 3 described above, The range of the first section is widened. For example, the lid assembly 100 is automatically opened at an opening angle of 90 degrees or more and automatically closed at an opening angle of 90 degrees or more.

However, if the weight of the lid assembly 100 is varied, the lid assembly 100 may be moved in a different direction from the lid assembly 100. However, if the weight of the lid assembly 100 is different from that of the lid assembly 100, The torque value Tg due to the own weight of the first and second sections will be different. Thus, depending on the weight of the lid assembly 100, it may be possible to operate the lid assembly 100 at a ratio of 7: 3 or a ratio of 6: 4, as in the ratio of 8: 2 described above.

The first hinge portion 300a and the second hinge portion 300b may be formed so that the torque capacity ratio of each of the first hinge portion 300a and the second hinge portion 300b may have an appropriate value depending on the weight of the lid assembly 100 300b may be designed so that the lead assembly 100 is automatically closed and automatically opened in the first and second sections.

For example, under the assumption that the lid assembly 100 automatically closes at an opening angle range of 0 to 80 degrees and automatically opens at an opening angle range of 80 to 110 degrees, when the weight of the lid assembly 100 is W1 The ratio of the first hinge portion 300a to the second hinge portion 300b may be designed to be 6: 4. At this time, if the lid assembly 100 is replaced with a weight W2 larger than W1, the torque due to the weight of the lid assembly 100 will increase, so that the lid assembly 100 is automatically opened It is necessary to increase the torque capacity of the first hinge portion 300a. In this case, the torque capacity ratio between the first hinge portion 300a and the second hinge portion 300b is set to 7: 3 or 8: 2 .

In summary, the torque capacity of the first hinge portion 300a, the torque capacity of the second hinge portion 300b, and the weight of the lid assembly 100 will determine the range of the first section and the second section, The first hinge unit 300a and the second hinge unit 300b are designed so that the ratio of the torque capacities of the first hinge unit 300a and the second hinge unit 300b is appropriately determined according to the weight of the first hinge unit 300 and the second hinge unit 300, So that the lead assembly 100 can be automatically opened / closed in the predetermined first and second sections.

In consideration of the weight of the conventional lead assembly 100, it is not easy to design the first hinge portion 300a having an appropriate torque capacity, and it is generally known that the lead assembly 100 is automatically closed within a range of 60 opening angles or less to be. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the usability of the lid assembly 100 by automatically closing the lid assembly 100 at an opening angle of 60 or more. Preferably, the first section includes an opening angle of 60 to 80 degrees.

Also, it is preferable that the second section includes an opening angle of 80 to 90 so that the second section can be automatically opened even at 90 opening angles or less.

The laundry processing apparatus W according to an embodiment of the present invention automatically closes or automatically opens the lid assembly 100 with respect to the position C. [ Therefore, the opening angle (80 degrees in this embodiment) when the lid assembly 100 is at the position C is defined as an automatic opening reference angle based on the opening process of the lid assembly 100, 100) is defined as an auto-closing reference angle based on the closing process.

The accelerated closing reference angle and the automatic opening / closing reference angle should be appropriately set in consideration of ease of use and durability of the product. At this time, the self weight of the lid assembly 100 can be adjusted by the first hinge 300a The range of the generated torque Ts and the range of the torque Td generated by the second hinge portion 300b should be considered.

11, the automatic opening / closing reference angle is an angle of about 80 degrees when the lead assembly 100 is in the C position, and P in Fig. 12 is located at Pc.

The torque Ts acting on the first hinge portion 300a and the torque Td acting on the second hinge portion 300b are set so that the torque Tg generated by the load of the lead assembly 100 , Ts preferably has a relatively larger value than Td, and in particular, in order for the lead assembly 100 to automatically open in the second section from position C to D, Ts And Td must have a proper ratio, and in this embodiment, Ts: Td has a ratio of approximately 8: 2.

Based on the above description, the section S1 in the profile shown in FIG. 12 is defined as an acceleration closing control section since it is an acceleration section for improving the closing force of the lid assembly 100, and the inclination of the section S1 is an acceleration closing control slope S2 is defined as a closing speed deceleration control section, and the inclination of the section S2 is defined as a closing speed deceleration control inclination. In the S3 section, Since the lead assembly 100 is automatically opened without requiring an external force to be applied when the lid assembly 100 is opened, it is defined as an automatic open section, and the slope of the section S3 is defined as an automatic open control slope.

In this embodiment, the conversion line S of the rotation cam 380a is formed in a straight line, but it is not limited to this, and it may be formed of a curved line. The conversion surface m is formed so as to have various gradients in the section of S2 so that the degree of deceleration during the closing of the lead assembly 100 is changed or the conversion surface m is changed so as to have various gradients in the section S3 So that the speed of the lead assembly 100 can be varied within a range where the lead assembly 100 is automatically opened.

On the other hand, it is also possible to form the rotation cam 360a except for S1, and in this case, the lead assembly 100 will be decelerated to be controlled until it is completely closed at an angle less than the auto-open reference angle. In any case, the lead assembly 100 can automatically open / close without external force applied by the user on the basis of the automatic opening / closing reference angle, and the closing speed in a certain section or whole section of the closed section is controlled by the deceleration control Will be.

16 is a graph showing torque values applied to the lid assembly 100 to which the second hinge unit 300b is not attached according to the rotation angle. 11 and 16, when the opening angle of the lid assembly 100 is gradually increased while the second hinge unit 300b is not mounted, the lid assembly 100 has a weight of the lid assembly 100, The torque Tg by the first hinge portion 300a and the torque Ts by the first hinge portion 300a are applied. In the section from the opening angle of 50 to 110 degrees (the angle when the lid assembly 100 is fully opened), Tg acts in the direction in which the lid assembly 100 is closed, and Ts is the direction in which the lid assembly 100 is opened Lt; / RTI &gt; At this point, Tg-Ts becomes -7.1 kgf · cm at the point reaching 80 degrees.

The lead assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is rotated in a direction in which the lead assembly 100 is closed at an angle of about 80 or less even when there is no external force applied by the user, The torque of the lid assembly 100 in the closing direction is made to be a minimum in the direction of opening at 80 degrees or less and the torque acting in the direction of opening at 80 degrees or more is at the maximum value, It is preferable that the deceleration control is performed when the rotation is closed, and the acceleration control is performed when the rotation is performed.

To this end, a second hinge portion 300b may be mounted on one side of the lead assembly 100, and a second hinge portion 300b may be adapted to generate a torque of an appropriate size to satisfy the above conditions. For example, at 80 degrees, Td must have a positive value (e.g., +6 kgf.cm) smaller than a negative value (direction in which the lid assembly 100 is closed) or less than +7.1 kgf.cm The total torque T acting thereon becomes negative so that the lead assembly 100 can be automatically opened at 80 degrees or more.

Therefore, the second hinge portion 360b, which is applied to the embodiment of the present invention, is mounted on the lead assembly 100 at a predetermined angle (the above-mentioned automatic opening / closing reference angle, 80 degrees in this embodiment) It is required to be able to generate a torque of a condition that can be automatically opened or closed.

17 is an exploded perspective view showing a first hinge portion 300a 'according to another embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the same or similar components as those of the first hinge portion 300a in the above-described embodiment of the present invention will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 17, the first hinge portion 300a 'according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a cam device having a structure different from that of the first hinge portion 300a in the above-described embodiment. The cam device includes a fixed cam 380a 'fixed to rotate by a shaft 350a', a conversion cam 360a 'that reciprocates linearly while rotating in engagement with the fixed cam 380a' 360a '). &Lt; / RTI &gt; The conversion cam 360a 'is formed with a plurality of fixing protrusions 361a' along the outer circumferential surface thereof, so that the rotation of the first hinge housing 310a ' Is inserted into the sliding groove 317a 'formed along the inner circumferential surface and integrally rotated together with the first hinge portion 300a', and is guided along the sliding groove 317a '. At this time, springs 320a 'and 330a' are inserted between the conversion cam 360a 'and the housing 310a'.

The operation of the hinge portion 300a 'will be described.

When the lid assembly 100 is rotated, the conversion cam 360a 'rotates together, and the shape of the inclined end portions 381a' and 362a 'formed in the fixed cam 380a' and the conversion cam 360a ' So that the conversion cam 360a 'is rotated and reciprocated linearly.

When the lid assembly 100 is rotated in a closed state, the conversion cam 360a 'is moved to gradually slide inside the housing 310a', so that the springs 330a 'and 330b' are compressed. Conversely, when the lid assembly 100 is rotated to open, the conversion cam 360a 'moves gradually from the inside of the housing 310a' to move out of the housing 310a ', so that the compressed state of the spring 330a' ) Is restored.

The reciprocating cam 360a which is coupled to the shaft 350a so that the rotation is restrained and reciprocates by the rotation of the rotation cam 380a, And the spring 330a compressed or elastically compressed by the reciprocating cam 360a, the torque Ts acts on the lid assembly 100, whereas in the present embodiment, the fixed cam 380a ' , A conversion cam 360a 'that rotates in conjunction with the lead assembly 100 and performs a linear reciprocating motion by a force applied by the fixed cam 380a', and a conversion cam 360a 'that is compressed or discharged by the conversion cam 360a' And differs from the above-described embodiment in that the lid assembly 100 is torqued by the structure including the springs 330a 'and 330b'.

Particularly, in the present embodiment, two first and second springs 330a 'and 330b' are applied, and the first and second springs 330a 'and 330b' These are different. The second spring 330b 'is shorter in diameter and length than the first spring 330a' and is inserted into the first spring 330a '. Due to the double spring structure, the lead assembly 100 is decelerated under the influence of the first spring 330a 'during a certain period of the closing process, and after the lapse of the predetermined period, the first spring 330a' and the second spring 330b ' ).

In order to decelerate the lead assembly 100, the lead assembly 100 is further provided with a second spring 330b 'in the first spring 330a' because the torque due to its own weight gradually increases in the process of closing the lead assembly 100, The first spring 330a 'and the second spring 330b' are moved from the first spring 330a 'to the second spring 330b' after the first spring 330a 'is gradually compressed to reach the length of the second spring 330b' 'Are compressed together to effectively decelerate the lead assembly 100.

The operation of the lid assembly 100 in the state where the first hinge portion 300a 'in the present embodiment is fastened to the lid assembly 100 is the same as or similar to that in the above embodiment, .

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and the equivalents thereof are included in the scope of the present invention Should be interpreted.

1 is a perspective view of a laundry processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the laundry processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a partial perspective view of the laundry processing apparatus shown in FIG.

Figure 4 is a side view of the portion shown in Figure 3;

5 is a perspective view showing the top cover, the lid assembly, the hinge portion, and the second hinge portion.

6 is an exploded perspective view of the lid assembly.

7 is a perspective view showing the hinge unit shown in Fig.

8 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge portion shown in Fig.

9A shows a structure in which a shaft bracket is fastened to a lower surface of a top cover to fix a shaft connected to a second hinge portion so as not to rotate.

FIG. 9B is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the shaft bracket shown in Figure 9a.

11 is a side view for explaining the rotational motion of the lid assembly.

12 shows a profile in which the rotation cam of the hinge portion is developed.

Fig. 13 shows the relationship between the reciprocating cam and the rotating cam when the lid assembly is in the position A in Fig.

Fig. 14 shows the relationship between the reciprocating cam and the rotating cam when the lid assembly is in the position between B and C in Fig. 11. Fig.

Figure 15 shows the relationship between the reciprocating cam and the rotating cam when the lid assembly is in the D position in Figure 11;

16 is a graph showing torque values applied to the lid assembly to which the second hinge unit is not attached, according to the rotation angle.

17 is an exploded perspective view showing a first hinge portion 300a 'according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (16)

A cabinet with an open top; A top cover coupled to an upper portion of the cabinet and having a laundry access hole for allowing laundry to be taken in and out from the upper side; A lid assembly rotatably coupled to the top cover and opening and closing the laundry access hole; The lid assembly rotatably connecting the lid assembly to the top cover and being actuated in a direction in which the lid assembly is opened during a predetermined interval in the process of closing the lid assembly, A first hinge portion that applies a torque in a direction in which the lid assembly is closed in a section where the lid assembly is further rotated until the lid assembly is closed beyond the set interval; And A second hinge that is disposed on the opposite side of the first hinge portion with respect to the lid assembly and has a rotary vane that rotates in conjunction with the lid assembly in the fluid to decelerate the rotational speed in the opening direction of the lid assembly; &Lt; / RTI &gt; The first hinge unit includes: Elastic member; And And a cam device for elastically deforming the elastic member when the lid assembly rotates and converting the restoring force applied from the deformed elastic member to a rotational force to apply a torque, The lead assembly includes: Wherein the opening angle of the lid assembly is automatically opened at a predetermined automatic opening reference angle of less than 90 degrees. The method according to claim 1, The cam device comprises: A shaft connected to the top cover; A rotating cam rotated together with the lid assembly; And The rotation of which is constrained by the shaft, the rotation cam being moved along the shaft by a pushing force and deforming the elastic member, The rotation cam Wherein the first hinge portion pushes the reciprocating cam when a torque is applied in a direction in which the lid assembly is opened and the second hinge portion pushes the reciprocating cam when a torque acts in a direction in which the lid assembly is closed, Contrary to the inclined laundry processing equipment. 3. The method of claim 2, The rotation cam Wherein the conversion surface that is in contact with the reciprocating cam extends along a circumferential direction about the shaft, and the surfaces pushing the reciprocating cam each have an inclination along the circumferential direction on the conversion surface. The method according to claim 1, The first hinge unit includes: Wherein the torque acts in a direction in which the lid assembly is closed in a section where the opening angle of the lid assembly is 10 degrees or less. delete The method according to claim 1, Wherein the automatic opening reference angle is 80 degrees. delete The method according to claim 1, Wherein the ratio of the torque capacity of the first hinge portion to the torque capacity of the second hinge portion is 8: 2. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the ratio of the torque capacity of the first hinge portion to the torque capacity of the second hinge portion is 7: 3. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the ratio of the torque capacity of the first hinge portion to the torque capacity of the second hinge portion is 6: 4. delete delete delete delete delete delete

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