Washing machine
Disclosed herein is a washing machine including a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet, a rotating tub rotatably provided in the tub, a shaft connected to rotate the rotating tub, a motor configured to rotate the shaft and including a rotor and a stator, a drip pan disposed at a lower end of the cabinet, and a friction member mounted on a lower end of the shaft and configured to contact with at least one surface of the drip pan, wherein the friction member includes a first portion secured to the shaft, a second portion connected to the first portion and having a curved surface in contact with the at least one surface of the drip pan.
1 . A washing machine, comprising:
a cabinet including a bottom plate;
a tub provided in the cabinet;
a rotating tub rotatably provided in the tub;
a shaft connected to rotate the rotating tub;
a motor configured to rotate the shaft, the motor including a rotor and a stator;
a drip pan separate from the cabinet, the drip pan disposed around a lower end of the cabinet; and
a friction member mounted on a lower end of the shaft and configured to contact with at least one surface of the drip pan;
wherein the friction member includes:
a first portion secured to the shaft, and
a second portion connected to the first portion and having a curved surface in contact with the at least one surface of the drip pan.
2 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first portion is secured to a coupling portion having—a first length at the lower end of the shaft, and
a height of the first portion corresponds to the first length.
3 . The washing machine of claim 2 , wherein:
the second portion extends downwardly from the first portion, and
a height of the second portion forms a gap between the second portion and the at least one surface of the drip pan.
4 . The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the second portion has a hemispherical shape.
5 . The washing machine of claim 4 , wherein the second portion further includes a contact point provided on at least a portion of the curved surface and formed by point contact with the at least one surface of the drip pan.
6 . The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the second portion extends downwardly from the first portion, and further includes a rotatable ball.
7 . The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the contact point is formed by contact between the rotatable ball and the one surface of the drip pan.
8 . The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein a height ratio of the first portion and the second portion is 1:1.5.
9 . The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the drip pan includes:
a body provided corresponding to a lower portion of the cabinet to receive water falling from the cabinet; and
an edge portion extending upwardly of an edge portion of the body;
wherein the body is inclined upwardly from the edge portion toward a center thereof.
10 . The washing machine of claim 9 , wherein the body is elastically supported in a vertical direction to be deformable.
11 . The washing machine of claim 10 , wherein the body includes:
a first area in contact with the friction member, and
a second area as a remaining area of the body except for the first area.
12 . The washing machine of claim 11 , wherein the first area is a different height than the second area.
13 . The washing machine of claim 12 , wherein:
the first area is formed at a position lower than the second area by a second length, and
the second length is less than a height of the second portion.
14 . The washing machine of claim 13 , wherein the second length is equal to or less than a height of the first portion.
15 . A washing machine including:
a cabinet forming an exterior of the washing machine, the cabinet including a bottom plate;
a drip pan separate from the cabinet, the drip pan disposed around a lower end of the cabinet;
a tub provided within the cabinet;
a rotating tub configured to rotate within the tub;
a shaft connected to rotate the rotating tub;
a motor configured to rotate the shaft and including a rotor and a stator; and
a friction member including a curved surface in contact with a surface of the drip pan.
16 . The washing machine of claim 15 , wherein the friction member includes:
a first portion secured to a lower end of the shaft, and
a second portion connected to the first portion and having the curved surface in contact with the surface of the drip pan.
17 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein:
the first portion is provided to be secured to a coupling portion formed at a first length 11 at the lower end of the shaft, and
a height h 1 of the first portion corresponds to the first length.
18 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein:
the second portion extends downwardly from the first portion, and
a height h 2 of the second portion form a gap between the second portion and the surface of the drip pan.
19 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein the second portion has a hemispherical shape.
20 . The washing machine of claim 16 , wherein the second portion extends downwardly from the first portion and further include a ball which is rotatable.