Drum assembly for washing machine

Abstract

A lifter is provided on a drum for lifting and dropping laundry in the drum during a rotation of the drum. The lifter slides and moves along an inner surface of the drum after passing through the inner surface so as to be engaged to the drum. At least one slot is provided on a circumference of the drum, and at least one hook is provided on the lifter for being engaged to the slot. Further, at least one projection is provided on the drum, and at least on rib is provided on the lifter. The projection and the rib are tightly engaged with each other so as to secure the lifter to the drum when the lifter completely slides and moves laterally.

1 . A drum assembly for washing machine comprising: 
 a drum accommodating laundry therein; and    at least one lifter provided on an inner surface of the drum, and lifting and dropping the laundry in the drum during a rotation of the drum, wherein the lifter slides on the inner surface of the drum after passing through a circumference of the drum so as to be engaged with the drum.    
   
   
       2 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drum comprises 
 a cylinder including a space accommodating the laundry therein;    a back mounted on a rear of the cylinder; and    a front cover mounted on a front of the cylinder, and having an opening which is opened and closed by a door.    
   
   
       3 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drum comprises at least one slot provided on the circumference of the drum, and the lifter comprises at least one hook put into the slot and moving along a longitudinal direction of the slot so as to be engaged with the slot when the lifter slides.  
   
   
       4 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the slot is configured to be elongated along a longitudinal direction of the drum.  
   
   
       5 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the slot is configured to hold a head of the hook after the head passes through the slot and laterally moves along the longitudinal direction of the slot.  
   
   
       6 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lifter comprises a hook including a neck extended from the lifter and a head formed on an end of the neck, and the drum comprises a slot including a wide portion allowing the head to pass through therein and a narrow portion narrower than the head and connected to the wide portion for receiving the neck when the lifter slides on the inner surface of the drum.  
   
   
       7 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the slot further comprises at least one rounded portion provided between the wide portion and the narrow portion, and smoothly guiding the hook put into the wide portion into the narrow portion.  
   
   
       8 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the rounded portion is provided on both sides of the narrow portion.  
   
   
       9 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the rounded portion is provided on one side of the narrow portion.  
   
   
       10 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the slot comprises a pair of slots arranged to have a predetermined distance therebetween.  
   
   
       11 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the pair of slots is configured to be formed that the hook put into each slot is bent with elasticity when the lifter is secured to the drum.  
   
   
       12 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the pair of slots is configured to be getting far away from each other along a sliding direction of the lifter.  
   
   
       13 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein each slot of the pair of slots includes an end accommodating each hook when the lifter is secured to the drum, further wherein a distance between the each end is longer than a distance between the each hook.  
   
   
       14 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drum comprises a projection extended from the drum and supporting the lifter so as to prevent the lifter from sliding backward after the lifter is secured to the drum.  
   
   
       15 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the lifter is configured to go over the projection when the lifter slides on the inner surface of the drum so as to be secured to the drum.  
   
   
       16 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the projection comprises a slope provided on an upper surface of the projection so that the lifter smoothly goes over the projection along on the slope when the lifter slides so as to be coupled to the drum.  
   
   
       17 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the drum comprises a cut away portion surrounding a portion of the projection, further wherein the projection is configured to be formed that the portion of the projection surrounding the cut away portion is bent toward an inside the drum.  
   
   
       18 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the projection is configured to be bent with a predetermined slope.  
   
   
       19 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the lifter comprises a protrusion extended from the lifter, wherein the protrusion is engaged with the projection so as to prevent the lifter from sliding backward after the lifter is secured to the drum.  
   
   
       20 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the lifter comprises 
 a recess provided on a lower portion of the lifter; and    a rib provided on the recess and reinforcing strength of the lifter, wherein the rib is engaged with the projection and secures the lifter to the drum when the lifter is coupled to the drum.    
   
   
       21 . The drum assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the drum further comprises at least one projection extended from the drum between the pair of slots, wherein the projection supports the lifter so as to prevent the lifter from sliding backward after the lifter is secured to the drum.