Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
Title of Invention: WASHING MACHINE AND METHOD OF
MANUFACTURING DOOR THEREOF
Technical Field
[11 Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a washing machine
having an
improved structure which enables simplification of a door manufacturing
process, and
thus an improved method of manufacturing a door thereof.
Background Art
[2] Washing machines are machines to wash laundry using electricity, and
are broadly
classified into a pulsator type and a drum type according to washing manners.
A drum
type washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub provided to accommodate wash
water
inside the cabinet, a drum rotatably installed inside the tub, a motor to
rotate the drum,
and a door to open and close an opening portion.
131 In a drum type washing machine, washing is performed via tumbling, and
a lifter to
lift and thereby tumble laundry is disposed within an inner container thereof.
[4] The door includes a door cover defining an external appearance
thereof, a glass
protruding inward of the washing machine, and a glass holder by which the
glass is
fixed.
[51 In recent times, decorations have begun to be added to the door cover,
in order to
enhance the design aesthetics of the door cover and to distinguish the door
cover from
the cabinet. For these decorations, post-processing such as color spraying,
chromium
plating, or bonding is conventionally carried out. However, these processes
generate
harmful wastewater and other environmental contaminants, and costs associated
with
such post-processing are prohibitive.
Disclosure of Invention
Technical Problem
[6] It is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a washing machine
including a
door, a door cover of which is formed by double injection molding.
171 Additional aspects of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the
description which
follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned
by
practice of the disclosure.
Solution to Problem
[81 In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a washing
machine includes
a cabinet defining an external appearance thereof and having an insertion
port, an outer
container arranged inside the cabinet and capable of accommodating wash water,
an
inner container arranged inside the outer container and capable of
accommodating
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laundry, and a door to open and close the insertion port, wherein the door
includes a
door cover including an opening arranged at the center thereof, a first
section which is
arranged outside the door cover and made of a transparent material such that
light
penetrates through the first section, and a second section which is arranged
inside the
first section to be concentric with the first section, made of an opaque
material to be
projected through the first section, and formed integrally with the first
section, the first
section includes a first area which is coupled with the second section such
that the
second section is capable of being projected onto the first section, and a
second area
which is not coupled with the second section, and the second area is located
farther
away from the center of the opening than the first area.
[91 The first section may include an oblique portion inclined by a
predetermined angle.
[10] At least one of the first and second sections may be formed with a
roughened portion
configured by alternately forming a protrusion portion protruding from a
surface of the
first or second section and a recessed portion recessed into the surface
thereof.
[11] A gap may be defined such that at least a portion of the first section
is spaced apart
from at least a portion of the second section with the gap being interposed
therebetween, so that light is scattered between the first section and the
second section.
[12] The washing machine may further include a glass holder coupled to the
rear of the
door cover.
[13] The washing machine may further include a glass coupled between the
door cover
and the glass holder.
[14] The first section may be made of at least one of PMMA (polymethyl
methacrylate)
and PC (polycarbonate).
[15] The second section may be made of an ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene
copolymer) resin.
[16] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a washing
machine
includes a cabinet defining an external appearance thereof and having an
insertion port,
an outer container arranged inside the cabinet and capable of accommodating
wash
water, an inner container arranged inside the outer container and capable of
accom-
modating laundry, and a door to open and close the insertion port, wherein the
door
includes a first section made of a transparent material in at least a portion
of a door
cover and a second section made of an opaque material in at least a portion of
the door
cover, the first section includes a first area which is coupled with the
second section
and a second area which is not coupled with the second section, and the second
area
appears a metallic color due to scattering of light.
[17] The first and second sections may be formed along an edge of the door
cover, the
first section may be located outside the door cover, and the second section
may be
located inside the first section.
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[18] A gap for scattering of light may be defined between the first section
and the second
section.
[19] The first section may include an oblique portion inclined inward of
the washing
machine by an angle of about 400 to 50 .
[20] The first section may further include a roughened portion which has a
protrusion
portion protruding from an inner surface of the first section and a recessed
portion
recessed outward of the door cover from the inner surface thereof.
[21] In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a washing
machine
includes a cabinet defining an external appearance thereof and having an
insertion port,
a tub arranged inside the cabinet and capable of accommodating wash water, a
drum
arranged inside the tub and capable of accommodating laundry, and a door to
open and
close the insertion port, wherein the door includes a first section which is
arranged in at
least a portion thereof, and a second section which is injection-molded
integrally with
the first section, and an oblique portion is disposed at one side of at least
one of the
first and second sections, and is provided so as to visually distinguish a
difference in
external appearance between the cabinet and a door cover due to a difference
in trans-
missivity of light generated by the oblique portion.
[22] The second section may be located inside the first section.
[23] The oblique portion may be formed to be inclined inward of the washing
machine.
[24] The washing machine may further include a recessed portion configured
such that at
least a portion of the cabinet with which the door comes into contact is
recessed inward
of the washing machine, and the recessed portion may come into contact with a
glass
holder.
[25] In accordance with a further aspect of the present disclosure, a
method of manu-
facturing a door of a washing machine includes performing primary injection
molding
of a first section through which incident light penetrates, and performing
secondary
injection molding of a second section located inside the first section and
configured
such that at least a portion of the second section is projected through the
first section.
[26] The first section may be made of a transparent material, and the
second section may
be made of a colored opaque material.
[27] The method may further include performing a cooling process for a
predetermined
time after the primary injection molding of the first section.
[28] The method may further include performing a cooling process for a
predetermined
time after the secondary injection molding of the second section.
[29] The first section may include an oblique portion inclined by a
predetermined angle.
[30] The first and second sections may be provided at a door cover coupled
outside a
door.
[31] The method may further include performing a process via which, after
the injection
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molding of the door cover, a glass is coupled to the door cover.
[32] The method may further include performing a process via which, after
the coupling
of the glass to the door cover, a glass holder is coupled to the glass in
order to fix the
glass.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[33] Manufacturing costs of the door may be reduced without the need for
post-
processing, and it may be possible to provide the eco-friendly washing machine
having
pleasing design aesthetics.
Brief Description of Drawings
[34] These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent and
more readily
appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in
conjunction
with the accompanying drawings of which:
[35] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to an
embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[36] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an opened state of a door of
the washing
machine according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;
[37] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine according to
the em-
bodiment of the present disclosure;
[38] FIG. 4A is a view illustrating the front of the door according to the
embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[39] FIG. 4B is a view illustrating the rear of a door cover according to
the embodiment
of the present disclosure;
[40] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the door according to the
embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[41] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the door cover according to the
embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[42] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;
[43] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[44] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[45] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;
[46] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a door according to yet
another em-
bodiment of the present disclosure;
[47] FIGS. 12A to 12C are views schematically illustrating a process via
which the door
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cover according to each of the embodiments of the present disclosure is
injection-
molded;
[48] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a knob according to the
embodiment of
the present disclosure;
[49] FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a glass holder according to a further
embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[50] FIG. 15 is a view illustrating a door cover according to the further
embodiment of the
present disclosure; and
[51] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of the
door cover and the
glass holder according to the further embodiment of the present disclosure.
Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention
[52] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present
disclosure,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Hereinafter, although a
drum
washing machine will be described by way of example, the present disclosure is
not
limited thereto.
[53] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to an
embodiment of
the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an opened
state of a
door of the washing machine according to the embodiment of the present
disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine according to the
embodiment
of the present disclosure.
[54] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the washing machine 1 includes a cabinet 10,
a tub 20
arranged inside the cabinet, a drum 30 rotatably arranged inside the tub 20,
and a
motor 40 to drive the drum 30.
[55] The cabinet 10 is formed, at a front portion thereof, with an
insertion port 11 through
which laundry may be inserted into the drum 30, and the insertion port 11 is
opened
and closed by a door 100 mounted to the front portion of the cabinet 10.
[56] A recessed portion 10a recessed inward of the washing machine 1 is
provided in at
least a portion of the cabinet 10 with which the door 100 comes into contact
when the
insertion port 11 is closed. The recessed portion 10a may be formed along an
edge
portion of the insertion port 11. In addition, the recessed portion 10a may be
provided
corresponding to a shape of the door 100, and thus since the door 100 is
coupled to the
recessed portion 10a at the time of being closed, elimination of a part of the
door 100
protruding from the surface of the cabinet 10 may be possible.
[57] The tub 20 is installed, at an upper portion thereof, with water
supply tubes 50 to
supply wash water to the tub 20. Each of the water supply tubes 50 is
connected, at one
side thereof, with a water supply valve 56 while being connected, at the other
side
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thereof, with a detergent box 52.
[58] The detergent box 52 is connected to the drum 30 through a connection
tube 54.
Water supplied through the water supply tube 50 is introduced into the drum 30
together with detergent via the detergent box 52.
[59] The tub 20 is supported by dampers D, and the dampers D connect an
inside bottom
surface of the cabinet 10 to an outer surface of the tub 20.
[60] The drum 30 includes a cylindrical portion 31, a front portion 33
disposed in the
front of the cylindrical portion 31, and a rear portion 35 disposed in the
rear of the
cylindrical portion 31.
[61] The front portion 33 is formed with an opening 33a for insertion of
laundry, and the
rear portion 35 is connected with a drive shaft 41 to which the motor 40
transmits
power.
[62] A plurality of through holes 37, through which wash water passes, are
formed around
the drum 30, and a plurality of lifters 39 are installed on an inner
peripheral surface of
the drum 30 so that, during rotation of the drum 30, laundry is tumbled
therewithin.
[63] The drive shaft 41 is disposed between the drum 30 and the motor 40.
One end of the
drive shaft 42 is connected to the rear portion 35 of the drum 30, and the
other end of
the drive shaft 41 extends outside a rear wall 21 of the tub 20.
[64] When the motor 40 drives the drive shaft 41, the drum 30 connected to
the drive
shaft 41 rotates about the drive shaft 41.
[65] The rear wall 21 of the tub 20 is provided with a bearing housing 60
to rotatably
support the drive shaft 41.
[66] The bearing housing 60 may be made of an aluminum alloy, and be
inserted into the
rear wall 21 of the tub 20 during injection molding of the tub 20.
[67] Bearings 61 are installed between the bearing housing 60 and the drive
shaft 41 so
that the drive shaft 41 may smoothly rotate.
[68] Below the tub 20, there are provided a drain pump 70 to discharge
water in the tub 20
to the outside of the washing machine 1, a connection hose 71 which connects
the tub
20 to the drain pump 70 such that water in the tub 20 may be introduced into
the drain
pump 70, and a drain hose 73 which guides water pumped by the drain pump 70 to
the
outside of the washing machine 1.
[69] The tub 20 may be provided with a drying unit 36 which dries air in
the tub 20 and
then supplies the dried air into the tub 20 again.
[70] The cabinet 10 is provided, at a front upper portion thereof, with a
display window
91 through which light emitted from a graphic display (not shown) penetrates
so that a
user may identify the penetrated light, and a control panel 90 including an
operation
portion 93 via which a user selects an option to control operation of the
washing
machine 1.
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[71] The graphic display (not shown) may be provided at the rear of the
control panel 90
such that a user may control operation of the washing machine 1 depending upon
the
option selected by the user.
[72] The control panel 90 may be provided with at least one knob 80. The
knob 80 may be
turned to adjust operation status or operation level.
[73] FIG. 4A is a view illustrating the front of the door according to the
embodiment of
the present disclosure. FIG. 4B is a view illustrating the rear of a door
cover according
to the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective
view of
the door according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.
[74] As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5, the door cover 110 has an opening 110a
at the
center thereof and includes a first section 111 and a second section 112. The
first
section 111 is configured such that incident light upon the door cover 110
penetrates
through the first section 111. The second section 112 is configured such that
at least a
portion of the second section 112 is projected onto the first section 111.
Accordingly,
the at least a portion of the second section 112 may be viewed through the
first section
111 from the outside. The first and second sections 111 and 112 are formed
along an
edge portion of the door cover 110. The first section 111 may be located
outside of the
door cover 110, and the second section 112 may be located inside the first
section 111.
In other words, the first and second sections 111 and 112 may be provided in a
concentric form.
[75] The door 100 may be provided, at one side thereof, with a grip portion
114 which
may be grasped by a user in order to open and close the door 100. In the
embodiment
of the present disclosure, the grip portion 114 may be formed by denting at
least a
portion of an inner edge portion of the door cover 110. The first section 111
may be
provided to surround the inner edge portion of the door cover 110 at which the
grip
portion 114 is located. The second section 112 is located inside the first
section 111, so
that the color and the material of the grip portion 114 are visible from the
outside.
[76] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first section 111 may
be made of a
transparent material, whereas the second section 112 may be made of an opaque
material. In particular, the second section 112 may be made of a colored
opaque
material. As an example, the first section 111 may be made of at least one of
plastics
such as PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) and PC (polycarbonate). The second
section 112 may be made of an ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer)
resin.
[77] The first and second sections 111 and 112 may be formed integrally by
double
injection molding. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first
section 111 is
primarily injection-molded and the second section 112 is secondarily injection-
molded.
Conversely, the second section 112 may be primarily injection-molded and the
first
section 111 may be secondarily injection-molded.
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[78] The rear of the door cover 110 is formed with injection holes 113
through which an
injection material is infused. In the embodiment of the present disclosure
shown in the
drawings, four injection holes 113 may be provided. These four injection holes
113 are
to be formed after the secondary injection molding and eight injection holes
may be
provided in total by adding additional injection holes after primary injection
molding.
[79] The rear of the door cover 110 may be provided with components for
connection of
the door cover 110 to a glass holder 120, as will be described later.
[80] As shown in FIG. 5, the door 100 includes a door cover 110 located at
the outermost
side thereof, a glass 130 protruding inward of the washing machine, and a
glass holder
120 coupled to the door cover 110 to support the glass 130.
[81] Although the door 100 is provided in a circular form according to the
embodiment,
the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The door cover 110 defines the
front of the
door 100, and the rear of the door cover 110 is provided with a component for
coupling
of the door cover 110 to the glass holder 120.
[82] In response to this, the front of the glass holder 120 is provided
with a component for
coupling of the door cover 110 to the glass holder 120. The glass holder 120
may come
into contact with the recessed portion of the cabinet 10 when the door 100 is
closed. In
addition, the glass holder 120 may be provided with a glass seating portion
126 which
couples the glass 130 to the glass holder 120. The glass 130 may be provided
with a
glass body 131 and a glass rib 132 which couples the glass 130 to the glass
holder 120.
[83] The glass holder 120 is disposed between the door cover 110 and the
glass 130, and
may include at least one hook groove 123 so as to be coupled to the door cover
110. In
addition, the glass holder 120 may be preliminarily provided with an
additional
coupling hole 125 coupled with a fastening member (not shown). Thus, the glass
holder 120 and the door cover 110 may also be coupled by the hook structure or
using
the fastening member (not shown). In addition, the glass holder 120 may be
provided a
rib structure 127 for reinforcement.
[84] One side of the glass holder 120 may be provided with a coupling
portion 121
coupled to a hinge unit 150 about which the door 100 may pivot. In addition,
the other
side of the glass holder 120 may be provided with a latch 160 to lock the door
100
when the door 100 closes the insertion port 11.
[85] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the door cover according to the
embodiment of the
present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled
state of the
door cover and the glass holder according to the embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[86] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the door cover 110 engages with the glass
holder 120.
The door cover 110 is integrally formed. The first section 111 made of a
transparent
material is located outside the door cover 110, and the second section 112
made of an
opaque material is located inside the first section 111. Referring to the
drawings, a
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coupling protrusion 115 of the door cover 110 is inserted into the coupling
hole 125 of
the glass holder 120 so that the door cover 110 is coupled to the glass holder
120.
However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the glass holder
120 and the
door cover 110 may also be coupled by the hook structure, as will be described
later.
[87] The first section 111 may include a first area 111a which is coupled
with the second
section 112 and a second area 111b which is not coupled with the second
section 112.
Since the first section 111 is made of a transparent material, the second area
111b,
which is not coupled with the second section 112, may be formed of a
transparent
material. In addition, since the first area 111a is coupled with the second
section 112
and the second section 112 is projected onto the first area 111a, a user may
view the
second section 112 projected onto the first section 111 from the outside. The
first and
second areas may be provided in a concentric form, and the first area may be
located at
the center of the concentric form. Since the second area 111b is not coupled
with the
second section 112 and thus incident light from the outside is scattered upon
the
second area 111b, the second area may appear a metallic color when viewed from
outside.
[88] The first section 111 may include an oblique portion 140 inclined by a
predetermined
angle. The oblique portion 140 is formed at an edge portion 141 of the first
section
111. An angle, by which the edge portion 141 is inclined with respect to a
vertical
surface of the door cover 110, is defined as "a". In the embodiment of the
present
disclosure, a may be set as an angle of from 40 to less than 50 . However,
the present
disclosure is not limited thereto, and a may be set as an angle of from
greater than 0
to less than 90 .
[89] The oblique portion 140 is also formed at a coupled surface 142
between the door
cover 110 and the glass holder 120. An angle, by which the coupled surface 142
is
inclined with respect to the vertical surface of the door cover 110, is
defined as 13". In
the embodiment of the present disclosure, 13 may be set as an angle of from 40
to less
than 50 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and p may be
set as an
angle of from greater than 0 to less than 90 .
[90] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a and p may be
asymmetrical with
respect to each other. The maximum thickness dl of the glass holder 120
coupled to
the oblique portion 140 may be less than 1 cm.
[91] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first section 111 is
made of a
transparent material and the oblique portion 140 is provided at the edge
portion 141 of
the first section 111, thereby generating a difference in refractive indexes
during pen-
etration of light. Accordingly, a boundary between the first area 111a and the
second
area 111b appears a metallic color due to the difference in refractive
indexes. That is,
the coupled surface 142 between the door cover 110 and the glass holder 120
appears a
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metallic color.
[92] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, when a user views the
washing machine
1 from the outside, a boundary between the cabinet 10 and the door 100 appears
a
metallic color. Accordingly, even when separate decorations are not added to
the door
100, it may be possible to distinguish the door 100 from the cabinet 10. In
addition,
when the grip portion 141 is located at the inside surface of the door 100
instead of the
outside surface thereof, the door 100 should be distinguishable from the
cabinet 10. In
this case, the door 100 may be distinguished from the cabinet 10 by the
simplified
process described hereinabove. Furthermore, the coupled surface 142 appears a
different color from that of the door cover 110 or the glass holder 120. To
this end,
however, the present disclosure does not use a different sort of plastic and
also does
not require post-processing after injection molding of the door cover 110.
Therefore, it
may be possible to provide a design effect and a reduction in manufacturing
costs
through process simplification.
Mode for the Invention
[93] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[94] Similarly to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the door cover 210
is provided
with a first section 211 and a second section 212 and the door cover 210 is
coupled to
the glass holder 220 through a coupling groove according to another embodiment
of
the present disclosure illustrated in FIG. 8.
[95] However, the embodiment of FIG. 8 differs in that the door cover 210
is not provided
with the oblique portion as shown in FIG. 7.
[96] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[97] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure
illustrated in
FIG. 9, a roughened portion 350 may be formed on at least one of a first
section 311
and a second section 312. The roughened portion 350 is provided by alternately
forming a protrusion portion 351 protruding from the surface of the first or
second
section 311 or 312 and a recessed portion 352 recessed into the surface
thereof.
[98] In accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure, the
roughened portion
350 is arranged on the inside surface of the first section 311. In other
words, the
roughened portion 350 may be provided at a boundary between the first section
311
and the second section 312, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
In ac-
cordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure, since the roughened
portion
350 is arranged on the inside surface of the first section 311 made of a
transparent
material, light projected onto the door cover 310 is rapidly changed in tone
due to the
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protrusion portion 351 and the recessed portion 352 of the roughened portion
350. Ac-
cordingly, a shape of the roughened portion 350 formed by the protrusion
portion 351
and the recessed portion 352 is noticeably rendered to the door cover 310. The
roughened portion 350 may be provided in various shapes, and thus the various
shapes
may be rendered to the door cover 310. In addition, when the second section
312 made
of an opaque material has a variety of colors, the second section 312 may
create new
pleasing design aesthetics together with the roughened portion 350.
[99] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a coupled state of a
door cover and a
glass holder according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[100] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure,
a gap 543 may
be defined such that at least a portion of a first section 511 is spaced apart
from at least
a portion of a second section 512 with the gap being interposed therebetween.
The gap
543 may be provided between an edge portion 541 of the first section 511 and a
coupled surface 542 of the second section 512.
[101] Since incident light from the outside of the door cover 510 is
scattered through the
gap 543, a boundary between the first section 511 and the second section 512
may
appear a metallic color. Although the gap 543 may be about 1 mm in width, the
present
disclosure is not limited thereto.
[102] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a door according to yet
another em-
bodiment of the present disclosure.
[103] As shown in FIG. 11, the door 600 includes a door cover 610, a glass
130, and a
glass holder 120, as described above. Since like reference numerals refer to
the above-
mentioned similar elements, no description will be given thereof.
[104] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present disclosure,
a first section
611 and a second section 612 of the door cover 610 may be respectively
provided as
separate members. Thus, the door cover 610 may be configured by coupling the
first
section 611 and the second section 612. The first and second sections 611 and
612 may
be coupled to each other by various methods. For example, the first and second
sections 611 and 612 may be fastened using a fastening member or be bonded via
ul-
trasonic fusion.
[105] FIGS. 12A to 12C are views schematically illustrating a process via
which the door
cover according to each of the embodiments of the present disclosure is
injection-
molded.
[106] FIGS. 12A to 12C illustrate a process via which the first section is
primarily
injection-molded and the second section is secondarily injection-molded.
Hereinafter,
an injection molding process will be described.
[107] As shown in FIG. 12A, a first injection mold 420 approaches and is
pressed against a
base mold 410 in order to injection-mold a shape of a primary injection
portion 413 as
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the first section. The primary injection portion 413, which is a space where
the first
section is molded, is formed at a part to which the base mold 410 and the
first injection
mold 420 approach each other. The first injection mold 420 is provided with a
primary
injection hole 414 through which a primary injection material is injected into
the
primary injection portion 413 in a primary injection direction F. The first
section is
formed by injecting the primary injection material through the primary
injection hole
414 to fill the primary injection portion 413.
[108] FIG. 12B illustrates a process via which the primary injection for
the first section is
completed and then a second injection mold 430 as a sealing mold is coupled to
the
base mold 410. When the primary injection is completed, the first injection
mold 420 is
removed and the second injection mold 430 approaches toward the base mold 410.
Since the primary injection is completed, the first section 211 as a primary
injected
product is injection-molded on the base mold 410.
[109] FIG. 12C illustrates a coupled state of the second injection mold 430
as the sealing
mold and the base mold 410. A secondary injection portion 415, which is a
space
where the second section is molded, is formed at a part to which the base mold
410 and
the second injection mold 430 approach each other. The second injection mold
430 is
provided with a secondary injection hole 416 through which a secondary
injection
material is injected into the secondary injection portion 415 in a secondary
injection
direction F. The second section is formed by injecting the secondary injection
material
through the secondary injection hole 416 to fill the secondary injection
portion 415.
[110] A mark of the secondary injection material injected through the
secondary injection
hole 416 may be viewed from the rear of the door cover 210. In accordance with
the
embodiment of the present disclosure illustrated in FIG. 4B, it may be
possible to view
four secondary injection holes 113 located at the rear of the door cover 210.
[111] The door cover molded via the first injection and the second
injection may undergo a
cooling process in order to prevent cracking due to surface temperature
variation of the
door cover.
[112] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the knob according to the
embodiment of
the present disclosure.
[113] As shown in FIG. 13, the knob 80 includes a knob cover 81, a knob
holder 82
disposed inside the knob cover 81, and a knob body 85 disposed inside the knob
holder
82.
[114] The knob cover 81 includes a first section 83 and a second section 84
which are
made of different materials, similar to the door cover according to the
embodiment of
the present disclosure. The first section 83 may be made of a transparent
material,
whereas the second section 84 may be made of an opaque material. As an
example, the
first section 83 may be made of at least one of plastics such as PMMA
(polymethyl
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methacrylate) and PC (polycarbonate). The second section 84 may be made of an
ABS
(acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer) resin. The first and second
sections 83 and
84 may be formed integrally by the above-mentioned injection molding process.
[115] FIG. 14 is a view illustrating a glass holder according to a further
embodiment of the
present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a view illustrating a door cover according to
the further
embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view
illustrating a
coupled state of the door cover and the glass holder according to the further
em-
bodiment of the present disclosure.
[116] As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the door cover 510 and the glass holder
520 may be
coupled to each other by a hook structure. One side of the glass holder 520
may be
provided with a coupling portion 521, and the other side of the glass holder
520 may
be provided with a latch reception portion 522.
[117] The glass holder 520 may include at least one hook coupling groove
524 so as to be
coupled to the door cover 510. A hook 517 of the door cover 510 may be coupled
to
the outside hook coupling groove 524 among the hook coupling grooves 524 shown
in
the drawing. The hook coupling groove 524 may be formed in at least a portion
of an
inner wall 523 of the glass holder 520.
[118] In addition, the glass holder 520 may be provided with at least one
coupling hole 525
to which a fastening member such as a screw may be fastened. However, the
coupling
hole 525 is an optional, non-essential component.
[119] Furthermore, a passage 527 may be arranged in at least a portion of a
bottom surface
of the glass holder 520 so as to be filled with a bonding material. Urethane
may be
used as the bonding material. The bonding material serves to enhance coupling
force
by filing a clearance between the glass holder 520 and the door cover 510.
[120] At least one hook 517 coupled to the hook coupling groove 524 may be
located at the
rear of the door cover 510.
[121] At least one hook 517 may be provided at the rear of the door cover
510 such that the
door cover is coupled to the glass holder 520. The hook 517 may be provided at
an
inner wall 511 of the door cover 510. In addition, the rear of the door cover
510 may
be provided with at least one coupling protrusion 515 protruding from a base
516
which is inserted into the associated coupling hole 525.
[122] The door cover 510 may be coupled to the glass holder 520 in such a
manner that the
hook 517 of the door cover 510 is coupled to the hook coupling groove 524 of
the
glass holder 520. The hook coupling groove 524 may have a smaller width than
at least
a portion of the hook 517. Accordingly, when the hook 517 is inserted into the
hook
coupling groove 524, interference occurs between the hook 517 and the inner
wall 523
of the glass holder 520 formed with the hook coupling groove 524. Therefore,
it may
be possible to enhance coupling force between the hook 517 and the hook
coupling
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groove 524.
[123] When the door cover 510 is coupled to the glass holder 520 using the
hook 517 and
the hook coupling groove 524, coupling using the fastening member such as the
screw
is not required. Thus, the coupling protrusion 515 of the door cover 510 and
the
coupling hole 525 of the glass holder 520 are provided as a preventative
measure
against damage to the hook 517 or the hook coupling groove 524.
[124] Conventionally, the coupling protrusion 515 is coupled to the
coupling hole 525 by a
fastening member (not shown) such as a screw, and ten fastening members (not
shown)
in total are required to enhance coupling force therebetween. However, in
accordance
with the embodiment of the present disclosure, the above fastening member (not
shown) is not required and thus an additional process due to the fastening
member is
not required. As a result, it may be possible to achieve a reduction in
manufacturing
costs and simplification of processes.
[125] As is apparent from the above description, manufacturing costs of a
door may be
reduced without the need for post-processing, and it may be possible to
provide an eco-
friendly washing machine having pleasing design aesthetics.
[126] Although a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown
and
described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes
may be made
in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention,
the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
