Washing machine and outer tub supporting structure thereof

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a washing machine which minimizes the number of dampers and effectively prevents vibration, and an outer tub supporting structure thereof. The washing machine includes a housing forming an external appearance of the washing machine, an outer tub provided in the housing to store water, an inner tub rotatably mounted within the outer tub, a driving device including a rotary shaft passing through the outer tub and connected to the inner tub to rotate the inner tub, a bearing surrounding the rotary shaft and fixed to the outer tub to prevent rotation of the outer tub during rotation of the rotary shaft, a bearing housing formed on the outer tub such that the bearing is mounted within the bearing housing, and a damping unit provided with a first end supporting the bearing housing and a second end fixed to the washing machine housing to reduce vibration of the outer tub.

1 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a washing machine housing forming an external appearance of the washing machine;   an outer tub provided in the housing to store water;   an inner tub rotatably mounted within the outer tub;   a driving device including a rotary shaft passing through the outer tub and connected to the inner tub to rotate the inner tub;   a bearing housing formed on the outer tub;   a bearing surrounding the rotary shaft and mounted within the bearing housing, the bearing being fixed to the outer tub to prevent rotation of the outer tub during rotation of the rotary shaft; and   a damping unit provided with a first end supporting the bearing housing and a second end fixed to the washing machine housing to reduce vibration of the outer tub.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of support members connected to an outer diameter part of the outer tub. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the damping unit includes a damper member, and a first bracket to fix a first end of the damper member to the bearing housing. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the damping unit further includes an elastic member provided between the damper member and the first bracket to damp vibration. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the damping unit further includes a second bracket to fix a second end of the damper member to a bottom surface of the washing machine housing. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the damping unit is closer to a front surface of the washing machine housing than the second end of the damping unit. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the first bracket is mounted directly to the bearing housing to fix the first end of the damper member directly to the bearing housing. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the outer tub includes a support part on which the first bracket is mounted. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving device includes a driving motor fixed to an outer diameter part of the outer tub, and a power transmission member to transmit rotary force of the driving motor to the rotary shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the damping unit further includes an anti-vibration member provided between the first bracket and the damper member. 
     
     
         11 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a first washing unit including a first outer tub, and a first inner tub rotatably provided within the first outer tub; and   a second washing unit mounted on an upper part of the first washing unit, the second washing unit including a second outer tub provided with a bearing housing at the center of a rear surface thereof and a bearing mounted within the bearing housing, and a damping device to reduce vibration of the second outer tub, the damping device including a damping unit provided with a first end supporting the bearing housing and a second end supported by the upper part of the first washing unit.   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the damping device includes a pair of support members mounted at opposite positions of an outer diameter part of the second outer tub. 
     
     
         13 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the damping unit includes a damper member, and a first bracket to fix a first end of the damper member to the bearing housing. 
     
     
         14 . The washing machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the damping unit further includes an anti-vibration member provided between the first bracket and the damper member. 
     
     
         15 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the first end of the damping unit is closer to a front surface of the second washing unit than the second end of the damping unit. 
     
     
         16 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the second end of the damping unit is connected to any one of a lower surface of the second washing unit and an upper surface of the first washing unit. 
     
     
         17 . The washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the first washing unit further includes a pair of first dampers supporting a front portion of the outer tub, and a pair of second dampers supporting a rear portion of the outer tub so as to support the first outer tub. 
     
     
         18 . An outer tub supporting structure of a washing machine to damp vibration of an outer tub in which an inner tub is rotatably provided, the outer tub supporting structure comprising:
 a pair of support members fixed to an outer circumferential surface of a front portion of the outer tub; and   a damping unit provided with one end connected to a bearing housing formed on a rear surface of the outer tub.   
     
     
         19 . The outer tub supporting structure according to  claim 18 , wherein the other end of the damping unit is arranged on a bottom surface of a housing of the washing machine on a line extended vertically downwardly from the center of the outer tub in the axial direction of the outer tub. 
     
     
         20 . The outer tub supporting structure according to  claim 19 , wherein the damping unit is tilted such that a first end of the damping unit connected to the bearing housing is closer to a front surface of the washing machine housing than the other end of the damping unit. 
     
     
         21 . A washing machine, comprising:
 an outer tub to store water;   an inner tub rotatably mounted within the outer tub to wash laundry;   a rotary shaft passing through the outer tub and connected to the inner tub to rotate the inner tub upon receiving a driving force;   a bearing housing formed on the outer tub and configured to receive a bearing surrounding the rotary shaft; and   a damping device directly supporting the bearing housing.   
     
     
         22 . A damping device for a washing machine including a bearing housing surrounding a rotary shaft passing through an outer tub at a rear surface of the outer tub and connected to an inner tub disposed within the outer tub, the damping device comprising:
 a damping unit directly supporting the bearing housing at the rear surface of the outer tub.   
     
     
         23 . The damping device according to  claim 22 , wherein the damping unit includes a damper member and a bracket, and the washing machine includes a support part at the outer tub adjacent to the bearing housing, one end of the damper member being fixed to the bearing housing at the support part with the bracket. 
     
     
         24 . The damping device according to  claim 22 , wherein the damping unit includes a damper member and a bracket, one end of the damper member being fixed directly to the bearing housing with the bracket.