Front-loading washing machine

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a front-loading washing machine including a cabinet having a front panel, in which the front panel is provided with an opening; a tub having an access port for loading and unloading clothes, in which the tub is disposed in the cabinet and configured in such a manner that the access port is capable of being moved up and down in the opening; a rotatable drum disposed in the tub; a door unit mounted to the tub and configured to cover the access port; and a driving mechanism configured to drive the tub to rotate, in which the driving mechanism is provided in the cabinet and coupled with the tub. The front-loading washing machine according to embodiments of the present disclosure has advantages of being convenient to use, low abrasion of clothes and water saving.

1 . A front-loading washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet having a front panel, wherein the front panel is provided with an opening;   a tub having an access port for loading and unloading clothes, wherein the tub is disposed in the cabinet and configured in such a manner that the access port is capable of being moved up and down in the opening;   a drum disposed in the tub;   a door unit mounted to the tub and configured to cover the access port; and   a driving mechanism configured to drive the tub to rotate, wherein the driving mechanism is provided in the cabinet and coupled with the tub, a motion range of the access port in the opening is configured in such a manner that an included angle between a central axis of the access port and a horizontal plane ranges from 0° to 90°, wherein the driving mechanism comprises: a longitudinal pushrod disposed at a front side of the tub; a transverse shaft disposed at a rear side of the tub and coupled to the tub; and a support frame disposed in the cabinet and having a hole, the transverse shaft is configured to rotate in the hole of the support frame;   wherein the support frame comprises two longitudinal brackets and a transverse bracket, the two longitudinal brackets are spaced apart from each other, the transverse bracket has two ends connected with the two longitudinal brackets respectively, and the longitudinal pushrod is mounted on the transverse bracket.   
     
     
         2 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving mechanism is configured to drive the access port to move up and down between a washing position and a non-washing position in the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 2 , wherein when the access port is located at the non-washing position, the access port is driven to move close to an upper edge of the front panel, and when the access port is located at the washing position, the access port is driven to move close to a lower edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         4 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving mechanism is configured to drive the access port to move upwards to close to an upper edge of the front panel and move downwards to close to a lower edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the tub is provided with a spherical hood located in the cabinet and close to the front panel, the door unit is mounted to the spherical hood, and the front panel has an internal surface configured to be spherical to match an external surface of the spherical hood. 
     
     
         9 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the external surface of the spherical hood is spaced apart from the internal surface of the front panel. 
     
     
         10 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the external surface of the spherical hood and the internal surface of the front panel keep a constant distance from each other when the access port moves up and down in the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The front-loading washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein center of the sphere of the spherical hood and a middle point of a central axis of the transverse shaft coincide.