Damper assembly and washing machine using the same

Abstract

A damper assembly and a washing machine using the same are disclosed. The damper assembly includes a damper assembly includes a base plate, a body mounted with respect to the base plate, a damper, coupled between the base plate and the body, for attenuating a vibration generated in the body, and a damper coupler, the damper including a pair of first connectors, each first connector being integrally formed with one end of the damper and having at least one first through hole, a pair of second connectors integrally formed with each of the base plate and the body, respectively, and having at least one second through hole, and first and second pins for respectively fixing one of the first connectors into one of the second connectors, and wherein one of the at least one first through hole and the at least one second through hole has a flared mouth for guiding the insertion of the one of the first and second pins.

1 . A damper assembly, comprising: 
 a base plate;    a body mounted with respect to the base plate;    a damper, coupled between the base plate and the body, for attenuating a vibration generated in the body; and    a damper coupler comprising: 
 a pair of first connectors, each first connector being integrally formed with one end of the damper and having at least one first through hole;  
 a pair of second connectors integrally formed with each of the base plate and the body, respectively, and having at least one second through hole; and  
 first and second pins for respectively fixing one of the first connectors into one of the second connectors,  
   wherein one of the at least one first through hole and the at least one second through hole has a flared mouth for guiding the insertion of the one of the first and second pins.    
   
   
       2 . The damper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one though hole of each first connector is disposed for receiving one of the first and second pins, wherein the at least one second through hole of each second connector is disposed for receiving the one of the first and second pins, and wherein the first and second through holes are aligned to insert the one of the first and second pins.  
   
   
       3 . The damper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flared mouth of the at least one second through hole has a rounded surface.  
   
   
       4 . The damper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flared mouth of the at least one second through hole has a chamfered surface.  
   
   
       5 . The damper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each second connector has a side opening for inserting one of the first connectors.  
   
   
       6 . The damper assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the side opening of each second connector has a flared entrance for guiding the insertion of the one of the first connectors.  
   
   
       7 . The damper assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the flared entrance of the side opening of each second connector has a rounded surface.  
   
   
       8 . The damper assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the flared entrance of the side opening of each second connector has a chamfered surface.  
   
   
       9 . The damper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each second connector comprises a pair of supports, each of which are perpendicularly disposed with respect to an axis of the aligned through holes, for respectively supporting opposite sides of each first connector.  
   
   
       10 . The damper assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each support of the second connector comprises a boss connected to the base plate, the bosses respectively forming an entrance and an exit, wherein the one of the first and second pins is passed through the entrance and the exit to fix the one of the first connectors into the one of the second connectors.  
   
   
       11 . The damper assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the boss forming the entrance extends from the base plate and protrudes toward the insertion direction of the one of the first and second pins.  
   
   
       12 . The damper assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the boss forming the exit extends from the base plate and protrudes away from the insertion direction of the one of the first and second pins.  
   
   
       13 . A washing machine, comprising: 
 a cabinet;    a tub mounted in the cabinet; and    a damper, coupled via a damper coupler between the cabinet and the tub, for attenuating a vibration generated in the tub, wherein the damper coupler comprises: 
 a pair of first connectors, each first connector being integrally formed with one end of the damper;  
 a pair of second connectors integrally formed with the cabinet and the tub, respectively; and  
 first and second pins for respectively fixing one of the first connectors into one of the second connectors,  
   wherein each first connector has at least one first through hole for receiving one of the first and second pins, wherein each second connector has at least one second through hole for receiving the one of the first and second pins, wherein the first and second through holes are aligned to allow insertion of the one of the first and second pins, and wherein one of the at least one first through hole and the at least one second through hole has a flared mouth for guiding the insertion of the one of the first and second pins.    
   
   
       14 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the flared mouth of the at least one second through hole has a rounded surface.  
   
   
       15 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the flared mouth of the at least one second through hole has a chamfered surface.  
   
   
       16 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein each second connector has a side opening for inserting one of the first connectors.  
   
   
       17 . The washing machine of  claim 16 , wherein the side opening of each second connector has a flared entrance for guiding the insertion of the one of the first connectors.  
   
   
       18 . The washing machine of  claim 17 , wherein the flared entrance of the side opening of each second connector has a rounded surface.  
   
   
       19 . The washing machine of  claim 17 , wherein the flared entrance of the side opening of each second connector has a chamfered surface.  
   
   
       20 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein each second connector comprises a pair of supports, each of which are perpendicularly disposed with respect to an axis of the aligned through holes, for respectively supporting opposite sides of each first connector.  
   
   
       21 . The washing machine of  claim 20 , wherein each support of the second connector comprises a boss connected to the cabinet, the bosses respectively forming an entrance and an exit, wherein the one of the first and second pins is passed through the entrance and the exit to fix the one of the first connectors into the one of the second connectors.  
   
   
       22 . The washing machine of  claim 21 , wherein the boss forming the entrance extends from the cabinet and protrudes toward the insertion direction of the one of the first and second pins.  
   
   
       23 . The washing machine of  claim 21 , wherein the boss forming the exit extends from the cabinet and protrudes away from the insertion direction of the one of the first and second pins.