Drum type washing machine

Abstract

A drum type washing machine is provided, in which vibration is efficiently attenuated, by a maximum capacity within a size-fixed cabinet is provided, and by which a user does not bend over or sit down to load laundry into the washing machine. The drum type washing machine includes a cabinet forming an exterior of the drum type washing machine, a tub fixed within the cabinet, the tub having a laundry loading entrance at an outer circumference of the tub, a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum having an opening on a lateral side of the drum to communicate with the laundry loading entrance of the tub, a motor assembly provided next to one side of the drum to rotate the drum, and a suspension assembly provided to support a weight of the drum and attenuate vibration of the drum.

1. A drum type washing machine comprising:
 a cabinet forming an exterior of the drum type washing machine; 
 a tub fixed within the cabinet, the tub defining a space where water for washing laundry is held and having a laundry loading entrance at an outer circumference of the tub; 
 a drum rotatably provided within the space of the tub, the drum having an opening on a lateral circumferential side thereof to communicate with the laundry loading entrance of the tub; 
 a motor assembly provided next to one side of the drum to rotate the drum the motor assembly including a rotational shaft connected to the drum; 
 a plate through which the rotational shaft passes, the plate covering part of the space of the tub; 
 a gasket connected between the tub and the plate, the gasket covering part of the space of the tub therebetween; and 
 a suspension assembly provided to support a weight of the drum and attenuate vibration of the drum. 
 
     
     
       2. The drum type washing machine of  claim 1 , the motor assembly comprising:
 a motor generating a rotational force; and 
 a bearing housing rotatably supporting the rotational shaft, and the suspension assembly comprising: 
 at least one damper bracket extending from the bearing housing; and 
 an attenuating part provided between the at least one damper bracket and the cabinet to support the drum via the at least one damper bracket. 
 
     
     
       3. The drum type washing machine of  claim 2 , the attenuating part comprising a pair of main dampers provided to support the weight of the drum and attenuate vertical vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       4. The drum type washing machine of  claim 3 , the attenuating part further comprising a sub-damper provided to attenuate horizontal vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       5. The drum type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one damper bracket is configured to be bent toward a front side of the tub from a center of the bearing housing and wherein one end of the sub-damper is joined to an end portion of the at least one damper bracket. 
     
     
       6. The drum type washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the sub-damper is connected to both of the at least one damper bracket and the cabinet. 
     
     
       7. The drum type washing machine of  claim 3 , the attenuating part further comprising an elastic member connecting the bearing housing on a topside of the cabinet. 
     
     
       8. The drum type washing machine of  claim 3 , the at least two main dampers, each comprising:
 a cylinder; 
 a piston provided to reciprocate within the cylinder according to a motion of the drum to attenuate the vibration of the drum; and 
 a spring configured to elastically support the piston. 
 
     
     
       9. The drum type washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein a frictional member is provided to an outer circumference of the piston to attenuate the vibration by making a frictional movement against an inner circumference of the cylinder according to a motion of the piston. 
     
     
       10. The drum type washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein each of the at least two main dampers is connected to the corresponding damper bracket. 
     
     
       11. The drum type washing machine of  claim 2 , the attenuating part comprising at least three dampers provided to support the weight of the drum and attenuate vertical vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       12. The drum type washing machine of  claim 11 , the attenuating part comprising:
 at least two main dampers provided to support the weight of the drum; and 
 at least one rear damper provided to prevent the drum from inclining to one side. 
 
     
     
       13. The drum type washing machine of  claim 12 , wherein the rear damper is configured to prevent the drum from inclining to a front or rear side of the drum. 
     
     
       14. The drum type washing machine of  claim 12 , the at least one damper bracket comprising a rear damper bracket configured to extend from the bearing housing to a center of a lower outer circumference of the tub to be joined to the at least one rear damper. 
     
     
       15. The drum type washing machine of  claim 14 , wherein each of the at least two main dampers is connected to the corresponding main damper bracket and wherein the rear damper is hinged to the rear damper bracket. 
     
     
       16. The drum type washing machine of  claim 12 , the at least two main dampers, each comprising:
 a cylinder; 
 a piston provided to reciprocate within the cylinder according to a motion of the drum to attenuate the vibration of the drum; and 
 a spring configured to support the piston and have an elastic force when the piston enters the cylinder. 
 
     
     
       17. The drum type washing machine of  claim 12 , the rear damper comprising:
 a cylinder; 
 a piston provided to reciprocate within the cylinder according to a motion of the drum to attenuate the vibration of the drum; and 
 a spring configured to support the piston and have an elastic force when the piston is pulled out of the cylinder. 
 
     
     
       18. The drum type washing machine of  claim 11 , further comprising a sub-damper provided to attenuate horizontal vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       19. A drum type washing machine comprising:
 a cabinet forming an exterior of the drum type washing machine; 
 a tub fixed within the cabinet, the tub having a laundry loading entrance at an outer circumference of the tub; 
 a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum having an opening on a lateral circumferential side of the drum to communicate with the laundry loading entrance of the tub; 
 a motor assembly provided next to one side of the drum to rotate the drum, the motor assembly including a rotational shaft connected to the drum and a bearing housing to rotatably support the rotational shaft; and 
 a suspension assembly provided to support a weight of the drum and attenuate vibration of the drum, wherein the suspension assembly includes at least one damper bracket which is configured to be bent toward a front side of the tub from the bearing housing and a damper which is connected to the at least one damper bracket. 
 
     
     
       20. A drum type washing machine comprising:
 a cabinet forming an exterior of the drum type washing machine; 
 a tub fixed within the cabinet, the tub having a laundry loading entrance at an outer circumference of the tub; 
 a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum having an opening on a lateral circumferential side of the drum to communicate with the laundry loading entrance of the tub; 
 a motor assembly provided next to one side of the drum to rotate the drum, the motor assembly including a rotational shaft connected to the drum and a bearing housing to rotatably support the rotational shaft; and 
 a suspension assembly provided to support a weight of the drum and attenuate vibration of the drum, the suspension assembly comprising at least two damper brackets and at least two dampers, wherein each of the at least two damper brackets extends from the bearing housing to an outside of each lower side of an outer circumference of the tub, and is bent toward a front side of the drum, and extends to a prescribed length, and the two dampers are connected to the two damper brackets, respectively. 
 
     
     
       21. The drum type washing machine of claim 1, wherein the suspension assembly comprises a first bracket, the first bracket comprising a first bracket portion attached to the plate and extending in a radial direction of the rotational shaft, and a second bracket portion connected to the first bracket portion and extending in a rotational axis direction of the drum. 
     
     
       22. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the first bracket portion comprises an end bent in the rotational axis direction and connected to the second bracket portion. 
     
     
       23. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension assembly comprises a main damper connected to an end of the second bracket portion that supports the weight of the drum and attenuate a vertical vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       24. The drum type washing machine of claim 23, wherein the suspension assembly further comprises a sub-damper that attenuates a horizontal vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       25. The drum type washing machine of claim 24, wherein the sub-damper is connected to the second bracket portion. 
     
     
       26. The drum type washing machine of claim 24, wherein the sub-damper is hinged at both ends thereof. 
     
     
       27. The drum type washing machine of claim 23, wherein the suspension assembly further comprises an elastic member that connects the bearing housing to a top side of the cabinet. 
     
     
       28. The drum type washing machine of claim 23, wherein the main damper comprises:
 a cylinder;   a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder according to a motion of the drum to attenuate the vibration of the drum; and   a spring configured to elastically support the piston.   
     
     
       29. The drum type washing machine of claim 28, wherein a frictional member is provided at an outer circumference of the piston that attenuates the vibration by making a frictional contact with an inner circumference of the cylinder according to a motion of the piston. 
     
     
       30. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, further comprising a second damper bracket, the second damper bracket comprising a third bracket portion attached to the bearing housing and extending in a radial direction of the shaft, and a forth bracket portion connected to the third bracket portion and extending in the rotational axis direction of the drum. 
     
     
       31. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension assembly comprises at least three dampers that support the weight of the drum and attenuate a vertical vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       32. The drum type washing machine of claim 31, wherein the at least three dampers comprises:
 at least two main dampers that support the weight of the drum; and   at least one rear damper that prevents the drum from inclining to one side.   
     
     
       33. The drum type washing machine of claim 32, wherein the suspension assembly further comprises a rear damper bracket configured to extend from the bearing housing to a center of a lower outer circumference of the tub to be joined to the at least one rear damper. 
     
     
       34. The drum type washing machine of claim 33, wherein each of the at least two main dampers is connected to the corresponding main damper bracket and wherein the rear damper is hinged to the rear damper bracket. 
     
     
       35. The drum type washing machine of claim 32, wherein the at least two main dampers each comprise:
 a cylinder;   a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder according to a motion of the drum to attenuate the vibration of the drum; and   a spring configured to support the piston and have an elastic force when the piston enters the cylinder.   
     
     
       36. The drum type washing machine of claim 32, wherein the rear damper comprises:
 a cylinder;   a piston that reciprocates within the cylinder according to a motion of the drum to attenuate the vibration of the drum; and   a spring configured to support the piston and have an elastic force when the piston is pulled out of the cylinder.   
     
     
       37. The drum type washing machine of claim 31, wherein the rear damper is configured to prevent the drum from inclining toward a front side or a rear side thereof. 
     
     
       38. The drum type washing machine of claim 31, wherein the suspension assembly further comprises a sub-damper that attenuates a horizontal vibration of the drum. 
     
     
       39. The drum type washing machine of claim 1, wherein the suspension assembly includes at least one bracket bent toward a front side of the tub from the plate and at least one damper connected to the at least one bracket, and wherein the at least one bracket extends in a rotational axis direction of the tub. 
     
     
       40. The drum type washing machine of claim 1, wherein the suspension assembly comprises at least two brackets and at least two dampers, wherein each of the at least two brackets extends form the plate to an outside of each lower side of an outer circumference of the tub, is bent toward a front side of the drum, and extends a predetermined length, and wherein the two dampers are connected to the two brackets, respectively.