Laundry machine

Abstract

Disclosed is a laundry machine which treats laundry. A hearing housing ( 400 ) and suspensions ( 520, 510, 500 ) are separated from each other in the radial direction of a rotary shaft ( 351 ) as well as in the axial direction of the rotary shaft ( 351 ). A suspension unit includes radial brackets ( 431, 430 ) extended in the radial direction, and axial brackets ( 450, 440 ) extended in the axial direction.

1 . A laundry machine comprising:
 a tub to hold water;   a drum rotatably placed in the tub;   a drive assembly comprising a shaft connected to the drum, a bearing housing to rotatably support the shaft, and a motor to rotate the shaft; and   a suspension unit to reduce vibration of the drum, the suspension unit comprising a couple of axial brackets which extend in an axial direction of the shaft and of which one ends of respective inner sidewalls are further spaced away from each other than the other ends are.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the couple of axial brackets are placed with an angle to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the respective inner sidewalls have respective portions which are inclined towards respective outer sidewalls. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein respective lateral widths of the axial brackets are smaller at a portion more distant from the shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a spring damper or a simple damper is connected to each of the axial brackets. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein respective upper surfaces of the axial brackets are stepped. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each of the upper surfaces comprises three stepped surfaces and wherein a portion of the axial bracket having the lowest surface is connected to a bracket, a portion thereof having the middle surface connected to a simple damper, and a portion thereof having the highest surface connected to a spring damper. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each of the upper surfaces comprises three stepped surfaces and wherein a portion of the axial bracket having the lowest surface is connected to a bracket, a portion thereof having the middle surface connected to an inclined damper, and a portion thereof having the highest surface connected to a vertical damper. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the inclined damper is a simple damper and the vertical damper is a spring damper. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the middle surface has a cut-and-bent portion which is cut and bent downward and connected to the inclined damper. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each of the axial brackets has a stopper in front of an upper end of the vertical damper. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second moment of area of a cross section of each of the axial brackets about the vertical axis is greater than the second moment of area thereof about the lateral axis. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the axial brackets is made of a “U”-shaped channel. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tub comprises respective portions adjacent to the axial brackets where heights of ribs are changed to be low or no ribs are formed. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one ends of the axial brackets are higher than the other ends. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the suspension unit is attached to the bearing housing. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flexible material to prevent the water inside the tub from leaking toward the drive assembly and allow the drive assembly to move relatively to the tub.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tub is supported more rigidly than the drum is supported by the suspension unit.