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;   a drum rotatably disposed in the tub;   a shaft connected to the drum;   a bearing housing that rotatably supports the shaft;   a motor that rotates the shaft; and   a suspension connected to the bearing housing, the suspension comprising a plurality of supporters substantially vertically disposed and spaced away from each other a predetermined distance in a direction that a rotational axis of the drum extends, and a supporter substantially inclined in the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends.   
     
     
       22. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein one of the plurality of supporters is provided under the rotational axis of the drum and the other of the plurality of supporters is provided over the rotational axis. 
     
     
       23. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the plurality of supporters comprises a plurality of dampers substantially vertically disposed under the rotational axis. 
     
     
       24. The drum type washing machine of claim 23, wherein the plurality of dampers is provided at both lateral sides of the rotational axis. 
     
     
       25. The drum type washing machine of claim 24, wherein the plurality of dampers is symmetrically disposed with respect to the rotational axis. 
     
     
       26. The drum type washing machine of claim 23, wherein the plurality of dampers comprises a plurality of spring dampers. 
     
     
       27. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension comprises a spring provided over the rotational axis. 
     
     
       28. The drum type washing machine of claim 27, wherein the spring is provided at a center position spaced away from the drum in the rotational axis direction. 
     
     
       29. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, wherein the suspension comprises a damper bracket that extends in the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends. 
     
     
       30. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, further comprising a gasket that seals an opening of the tub and allows the bearing housing to move relatively to the tub. 
     
     
       31. The drum type washing machine of claim 30, further comprising a tub bracket through which the shaft passes, wherein the gasket is connected between the tub and the tub bracket. 
     
     
       32. The drum type washing machine of claim 21, further comprising a cabinet, wherein the tub is fixed to the cabinet. 
     
     
       33. A drum type washing machine, comprising:
 a tub configured to hold water therein;   a drum rotatably disposed in the tub;   a shaft connected to the drum;   a bearing housing that rotatably supports the shaft;   a motor that rotates the shaft; and   a suspension assembly connected to the bearing housing that reduces vibration of the drum, the suspension assembly comprising a plurality of supporting devices substantially vertically disposed and spaced away from each other a predetermined distance in a direction that a rotational axis of the drum extends, wherein the plurality of supporting devices comprises two supporting devices provided at both lateral sides of the drum, and a supporting device provided at a center of the drum.   
     
     
       34. The drum type washing machine of claim 33, wherein one of the plurality of supporting devices is provided under the rotational axis of the drum and the other of the plurality of supporting devices is provided over the rotational axis. 
     
     
       35. The drum type washing machine of claim 33, wherein the plurality of supporting devices comprises a plurality of dampers substantially vertically disposed under the rotational axis. 
     
     
       36. The drum type washing machine of claim 35, wherein the plurality of dampers is provided at both lateral sides of the rotational axis. 
     
     
       37. The drum type washing machine of claim 36, wherein the plurality of dampers is symmetrically disposed with respect to the rotational axis. 
     
     
       38. The drum type washing machine of claim 33, wherein the plurality of dampers comprises a plurality of spring dampers. 
     
     
       39. The drum type washing machine of claim 33, wherein the plurality of supporting devices comprises three dampers substantially vertically disposed and the suspension assembly further comprises two dampers which are inclined. 
     
     
       40. The drum type washing machine of claim 39, wherein the inclined dampers are inclined in the direction that the rotational axis of the drum extends.