Drum type washing machine

Abstract

A drum type washing machine including axially-extending lifters arranged around an inner peripheral surface of a rotating tub which is upwardly inclined to allow easy laundry loading and unloading operations. The lifters each have a width gradually reducing as it extends from its rear end to its front end. Each lifter includes water spray holes at a top portion thereof. The water spray holes are longitudinally arranged in rows at the top portion of the lifter, and corresponding water spray holes in respective rows are laterally aligned. A width-enlarged portion is provided at a front end of each lifter so that wash water is effectively sprayed through the water spray holes at the front end portion of the lifter arranged at a relatively high level. Opposite side surfaces of each lifter have a planar or curved surface structure.

1 . A drum type washing machine comprising: 
 a housing;    a rotating tub rotatably positioned in the housing; and    at least one lifter on an inner peripheral surface of the rotating tub extending axially along the rotating tub, the lifter having, at a rear end portion thereof, a width larger than another width at a front end portion thereof.    
   
   
       2 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotating tub is upwardly inclined toward a front wall of the housing at an inclination angle, and the lifter has a width gradually decreasing as the lifter extends from the rear end thereof to the front end thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifter includes, at a top portion thereof, a plurality of water spray holes which downwardly spray wash water raised by the lifter.  
   
   
       4 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the water spray holes are longitudinally arranged in a plurality of rows at the top portion of the lifter, and corresponding water spray holes in respective rows are laterally aligned.  
   
   
       5 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifter includes, at a front end thereof, a width-enlarged portion.  
   
   
       6 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the width-enlarged portion has a plurality of water spray holes which spray a relatively large amount of wash water at the front end of the lifter which is higher than a rear portion of the lifter.  
   
   
       7 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifter has opposing planar side surfaces.  
   
   
       8 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifter has opposing curved side surfaces.  
   
   
       9 . A drum type washing machine comprising: 
 a housing;    a rotating tub rotatably positioned in the housing and upwardly inclined toward a front wall of the housing at an inclination angle;    a drive motor arranged in a rear of the rotating tub, adapted to rotate the, rotating tub; and    at least one lifter on an inner peripheral surface of the rotating tub extending axially along the rotating tub,    wherein the rotating tub has, at the rear thereof, an inner peripheral surface area, on which laundry is positioned, smaller than that at a front thereof.    
   
   
       10 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the lifter has, at a rear thereof, a width larger than that at a front thereof, and 
 wherein the inner peripheral surface area of the rotating tub at the rear thereof is smaller than that at the front thereof.    
   
   
       11 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the lifter includes a plurality of water spray holes which downwardly spray wash water raised by the lifter, 
 wherein the water spray holes are positioned at a top of the lifter.    
   
   
       12 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the lifter includes, at the front thereof, a width-enlarged portion having more water spray holes than the rear of the lifter.  
   
   
       13 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the inclination angle is between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees.  
   
   
       14 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 another lifter,    wherein the lifters are positioned around the rotating tub such that the lifters are circumferentially spaced uniformly apart from one another.    
   
   
       15 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the lifter has a constant height extending from a first end to a second end of the rotating tub.  
   
   
       16 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein an area between adjacent lifters is greater at a first end of the rotating tub than at a second end of the rotating tub.  
   
   
       17 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the lifter at the rear portion imparts a force moving laundry toward the front portion of the lifter as the rotating tub rotates.  
   
   
       18 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 11 , wherein the lifter includes a hollow structure open at an end facing an outer peripheral surface of the rotating tub and which receives wash water.  
   
   
       19 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the lifter is open at the end facing the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tub and in communication with openings formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tub.  
   
   
       20 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 18 , wherein wash water introduced into the lifter is sprayed through the water spray holes.  
   
   
       21 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein a density of the water spray holes is greater in the width-enlarged portion than a remainder of the lifter.  
   
   
       22 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the rear portion having a larger width than the front portion includes a greater number of water spray holes.  
   
   
       23 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 22 , wherein wash water is sprayed evenly throughout a length of the lifter.  
   
   
       24 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the lifter includes at least two opposing side surfaces along a length of the lifter, the side surfaces having a smooth, curved shape.  
   
   
       25 . The drum type washing machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the width of the width-enlarged portion is approximately equal to a width of the rear end portion of the lifter.