IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,771,676
Granted Patent B2
US 9,771,676 · App. 15/340,828 · Granted Sep 26, 2017

Front-loading washing machine

Inventors: Mingde Huang (Wuxi, CN); Yusheng Tang (Wuxi, CN); Kyunghag Kim (Wuxi, CN)
Assignee: WUXI LITTLE SWAN CO., LTD.
D06F37/302D06F33/02D06F37/04D06F37/10D06F37/26D06F37/267D06F39/083D06F39/085D06F39/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,771,676
App. No.
15/340,828
Granted
Sep 26, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a front-loading washing machine including a cabinet, having a from panel, in which the front panel is provided with an opening; a tub having an access port for loading and unloading laundry, 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 to the tub. The front-loading washing machine according to embodiments of the present disclosure has advantages of user-friendliness, little abrasion clothes and water conservation.

Claims (11)

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 laundry, 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 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, wherein the driving mechanism is provided in the cabinet and coupled with the tub; and

a midway clothes-adding button, and a controller communicating with the midway clothes-adding button, the driving mechanism, and the door unit;

wherein the controller is configured to control the driving mechanism to drive the tub to rotate between a washing-state position and a clothes-adding position and the door unit between a locked state and an unlocked state according to: an instruction of the midway clothes-adding button, a washing cycle stage, and a water level in the drum.

2. The front-loading washing machine according to claim 1 , 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 with the tub, and a support frame disposed to the cabinet and having a spindle hole, the transverse shaft rotating in the spindle hole of the support frame.

3. The front-loading washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the controller judges which one of a washing stage, a rinsing stage and a spinning stage the front-loading washing machine stays in when receiving the instruction of the midway clothes-adding button; if the front-loading washing machine is in the washing stage, it is allowable to add clothes, and if the front-loading washing machine is in the rinsing stage or the spinning stage, it is unallowable to add clothes.

4. The front-loading washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the controller judges whether the water level in the drum is higher than a pre-determined door-opening water level when it is allowable to add clothes; when the water level in the drum is higher than the pre-determined door-opening water level, the drum is controlled to drain, and when the water level in the drum is lower than the pre-determined door-opening water level, the driving mechanism is controlled to implement a clothes-adding action.

5. The front-loading washing machine according to claim 4 , wherein when the controller controls the driving mechanism to implement the clothes-adding action, the driving mechanism drives the access port to move upwards and the door unit is unlocked; and when the clothes-adding action to the drum is finished, the door unit is locked, the driving mechanism drives the access port to move downwards, and the washing stage continues.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: WUXI LITTLE SWAN COMPANY LIMITED
To: WUXI LITTLE SWAN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051057/0152 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2016
From: HUANG, MINGDE; TANG, YUSHENG; KIM, KYUNGHAG
To: WUXI LITTLE SWAN CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 040707/0039 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 2016 1 0060717 · Jan 28, 2016 · national
CN 2016 2 0089031 U · Jan 28, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170218546A1 · Aug 3, 2017