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.

What is claimed is: 
     
       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. A drum type washing machine, comprising:
 a tub configured to hold water therein, wherein the tub is fixed to a cabinet;   a drum rotatably placed in the tub;   a shaft connected to the drum;   a bearing housing that rotatably supports the shaft;   a motor that rotates the shaft;   a gasket that seals an opening of the tub and allows the bearing housing to move relatively to the tub; and   a suspension connected to the bearing housing, the suspension comprising at least one bracket that extends in a lateral direction with respect to a direction that a rotational axis of the drum extends, and another bracket that connects the at least one bracket to the bearing housing, wherein the another bracket extends in the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends, and the at least one bracket is connected to the another bracket at a position opposite to the bearing housing with respect to the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends.   
     
     
       22. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension further comprises at least one damper connected to the laterally extending bracket. 
     
     
       23. The drum type washing machine of claim 22, wherein the at least one damper is connected to the laterally extending bracket at a position vertically aligned with the rotational axis. 
     
     
       24. The drum type washing machine of claim 22, wherein the at least one damper comprises a non-spring damper. 
     
     
       25. The drum type washing machine of claim 22, wherein the at least one damper is connected to the laterally extending bracket hingedly at both ends. 
     
     
       26. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the laterally extending bracket is configured to be positioned higher at a portion further spaced away from the rotational axis. 
     
     
       27. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the laterally extending bracket is configured to cross the rotational axis thereunder. 
     
     
       28. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the another bracket comprises a pair of brackets. 
     
     
       29. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension comprises a pair of dampers provided at both lateral sides with respect to the rotational axis, and the laterally extending bracket is arranged at a side of the pair of dampers opposite to the shaft. 
     
     
       30. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension further comprises a damper vertically provided at a position vertically aligned with the rotational axis. 
     
     
       31. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the laterally extending bracket is flat at both ends. 
     
     
       32. A drum type washing machine, comprising:
 a tub configured to hold water therein, wherein the tub is fixed to a cabinet;   a drum rotatably placed in the tub;   a shaft connected to the drum;   a bearing housing that rotatably supports the shaft;   a motor that rotates the shaft;   a gasket that seals an opening of the tub and allows the bearing housing to move relatively to the tub; and   a suspension assembly connected to the bearing housing that reduces vibration of the drum, the suspension assembly comprising at least one bracket that extends in a lateral direction with respect to a direction that a rotational axis of the drum extends and another bracket that connects the at least one bracket to the bearing housing, wherein the another bracket extends in the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends, and the at least one bracket is connected to the another bracket at a position opposite to the bearing housing with respect to the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends.   
     
     
       33. The drum type washing machine of claim 32, wherein the suspension assembly further comprises at least one damper connected to the laterally extending bracket.