Hinge assembly for a washing machine
A washing machine having a structure to electrically connect electronic parts inside a door of the washing machine to different electronic parts inside a cabinet of the washing machine. The washing machine includes: the cabinet which is equipped with a first electronic part therein, the cabinet having an opening to put in laundry; the door which is equipped with a second electronic part therein and is configured to open or close the opening of the cabinet; a hinge assembly configured to pivotally connect the door with the cabinet; and a wire configured to be inserted through the hinge assembly to electrically connect the electronic parts of the cabinet and the electronic parts of the door.
1 . A washing machine comprising:
a cabinet equipped with a first electronic part therein and having an opening;
a door equipped with a second electronic part therein and configured to open or close the opening;
a hinge assembly comprising a link unit disposed between the cabinet and the door to allow the door to pivot relative to the cabinet;
a link unit cover detachably coupled to the link unit;
a wire configured to electrically connect the first electronic part and the second electronic part; and
a protective member coupled to the link unit cover,
wherein the link unit comprises a wire guide concavely formed in an end of the link unit in a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the door and a wire inlet formed in a side of the wire guide for the wire to be inserted into the wire guide,
the link unit cover comprises a first portion that extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the door to cover the wire guide and a second portion that protrudes in the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the door from a terminal end of the first portion to form a wire outlet through which the wire exits the wire guide and enters the protective member,
at least a portion of the wire exits the wire guide in the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the door through the wire outlet, and
the protective member is coupled to the wire outlet while enclosing the wire to prevent snapping of the wire.
2 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the link unit cover forms a portion of an exterior of the link unit.
3 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein the link unit cover includes couplers formed at an end of the link unit cover to attach the link unit cover to the link unit.
4 . The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the link unit cover is attached to the link unit by the couplers to cover the wire guide.
5 . The washing machine of claim 3 , wherein the couplers include a first coupler and a second coupler facing each other.
6 . The washing machine of claim 5 , wherein the first coupler includes a first fixing hole formed to be coupled with an inner wall of the link unit.
7 . The washing machine of claim 6 , wherein the second coupler includes a second fixing hole formed to be coupled with an outer wall of the link unit.
8 . The washing machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the hinge assembly comprises a first bracket coupled to the cabinet and a second bracket coupled to the door, and
the link unit is configured to pivotally connect the first bracket and the second bracket.