Holder assembly of drain hose and washing machine using the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a holder assembly of a drain hose and washing machine using the same, by which assembly of a drain hose extending outside a washing machine cabinet is facilitated and water is smoothly discharged outside. In a washing machine including a tub holding a laundry and water, a cabinet having the tub provided inside, and a drain hose for discharging the water in the tub outside the cabinet, the present invention includes a drain hose holder having an entrance end extending inside the cabinet to be bent inward to facilitate the drain hose to be inserted wherein the drain hose penetrates the drain hose holder to be guided downward and a fixing hole at a lateral side of the cabinet to fix the inserted drain hose holder fixed thereto.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a washing machine including a tub holding a laundry and water, a cabinet having the tub provided inside, and a drain hose for discharging the water in the tub outside the cabinet, a holder assembly of a drain hose, comprising: 
 a drain hose holder having an entrance end extending inside the cabinet to be bent inward to facilitate the drain hose to be inserted wherein the drain hose penetrates the drain hose holder to be guided downward; and    a fixing hole at a lateral side of the cabinet to fix the inserted drain hose holder fixed thereto.    
     
     
         2 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , the drain hose holder comprising: 
 a guide part having the entrance end at one end and penetrating the fixing hole to be provided inside the cabinet; and    a locking part having an oval opening vertically provided at a central portion, the locking part provided at the other end of the guide part to be built in one body of the guide part, the locking part locking to fix the guide part to the fixing hole.    
     
     
         3 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , the guide part further comprising a hose loading part having one side extending in winding along an edge of a lower semi-oval of the opening of the locking part in directions of an inside of the cabinet and a vertical axis of the opening and the other side built in one body of the entrance end extending to be bent toward the inside of the cabinet wherein a vertical cross-section of the hose loading part has a secondary-curved shape.  
     
     
         4 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , the entrance of the guide part comprising: 
 both lateral sides extending in parallel from the locking part; and    a semi-circular bending side connecting ends of the lateral sides.    
     
     
         5 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a horizontal cross-section of the entrance end of the guide part is semi-oval.  
     
     
         6 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , the locking part comprising: 
 an outer support body supporting an outer rim of the fixing hole;    a central support body having the opening at a center and inserted in the fixing hole to support the fixing hole in a center direction; and    an inner support body supporting the inside of the cabinet where the fixing hole is formed.    
     
     
         7 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , the inner support body comprising: 
 an upper support body formed at an upper end of the central support body to be firstly inserted inside the cabinet via the opening in assembling the drain hose holder; and    at least one lower support body provided at the opening of the hose loading part to have a slant wedge shape of which inside direction of the cabinet is lowered.    
     
     
         8 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the lower support body is provided to each side of the hose loading part.  
     
     
         9 . The holder assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , the outer support body further comprising an exit fixing part extending in winding outside the cabinet along an edge of an upper semi-oval of the opening in the direction of the vertical axis of the opening.  
     
     
         10 . A washing machine comprising: 
 a tub holding water;    a drum installed in the tub, the drum holding a laundry;    a motor rotating the drum;    a cabinet having the tub and the motor provided inside;    a drain hose extending outside the cabinet from the tub to discharge the water in the tub outside the cabinet; and    a drain hose holder having an entrance end extending inside the cabinet to be bent inward to facilitate the drain hose to be inserted wherein the drain hose penetrates the drain hose holder to be guided downward.    
     
     
         11 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the cabinet comprises a fixing hole at a lateral side of the cabinet to fix the inserted drain hose holder fixed thereto.  
     
     
         12 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 11 , the drain hose holder comprising: 
 a guide part having the entrance end at one end and penetrating the fixing hole to be provided inside the cabinet; and    a locking part having an oval opening vertically provided at a central portion, the locking part provided at the other end of the guide part to be built in one body of the guide part, the locking part locking to fix the guide part to the fixing hole.    
     
     
         13 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 12 , the guide part further comprising a hose loading part having one side extending in winding along an edge of a lower semi-oval of the opening of the locking part in directions of an inside of the cabinet and a vertical axis of the opening and the other side built in one body of the entrance end extending to be bent toward the inside of the cabinet wherein a vertical cross-section of the hose loading part has a secondary-curved shape.  
     
     
         14 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , the entrance of the guide part comprising: 
 both lateral sides extending in parallel from the locking part; and    a semi-circular bending side connecting ends of the lateral sides.    
     
     
         15 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein a horizontal cross-section of the entrance end of the guide part is semi-oval.  
     
     
         16 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 12 , the locking part comprising: 
 an outer support body supporting an outer rim of the fixing hole;    a central support body having the opening at a center and inserted in the fixing hole to support the fixing hole in a center direction; and    an inner support body supporting the inside of the cabinet where the fixing hole is formed.    
     
     
         17 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 16 , the inner support body comprising: 
 an upper support body formed at an upper end of the central support body to be firstly inserted inside the cabinet via the opening in assembling the drain hose holder; and    at least one lower support body provided at the opening of the hose loading part to have a slant wedge shape of which inside direction of the cabinet is lowered.    
     
     
         18 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the lower support body is provided to each side of the hose loading part.  
     
     
         19 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 16 , the outer support body further comprising an exit fixing part extending in winding outside the cabinet along an edge of an upper semi-oval of the opening in the direction of the vertical axis of the opening.