Drum washing machine

Abstract

Disclosed is a drum washing machine, including a cabinet; a tub fillable with wash water; a drum receiving laundry; a motor at the rear of a lower portion of the tub and close to one side from a left and right center of the tub; one balancer affixed or coupled to a front surface of the tub so that the center of gravity thereof is biased toward an opposite side of the motor from the left and right center of the tub; a spring having one end affixed or coupled to the cabinet and the other end affixed or coupled to an upper surface of the tub to support the tub; and a damper having one end affixed or coupled to the cabinet and another end affixed or coupled to a lower surface of the tub.

1 . A drum washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub in the cabinet and fillable with wash water;   a rotatable drum in the tub and configured to receive laundry;   a motor at a rear lower portion of the tub, on a left or right side of the tub, and configured to generate power;   a motor pulley connected to the motor;   a drum pulley connected to the drum;   a belt around the motor pulley and the drum pulley so that the motor rotates the drum;   a balancer on or coupled to a front surface of the tub, so that a center of gravity thereof is biased toward the other of the left and right sides of the tub;   a spring having one end affixed or coupled to the cabinet and another end affixed or coupled to an upper surface of the tub to support the tub; and   a damper having one end affixed or coupled to the cabinet and the other end affixed or coupled to a lower surface of the tub.   
     
     
         2 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor is on the left side of the tub when facing a front of the drum washing machine, and the balancer is on the front surface of the tub so that the center of gravity thereof is biased to the right side of the tub when facing the front of the drum washing machine. 
     
     
         3 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the balancer includes:
 a horizontal part which is affixed or coupled to the lower portion of the front surface of the tub; and   a vertical part which is affixed or coupled to a right side of the front surface of the tub.   
     
     
         4 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the balancer has an L shape, a C shape, a U shape, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the horizontal part and the vertical part are integrally formed. 
     
     
         6 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the spring is affixed or coupled to the upper surface of the tub at the center of gravity of the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 6 , wherein a weight of the balancer is greater than a weight of the motor, and
 the spring is affixed or coupled to a front half of the upper surface of the tub.   
     
     
         8 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 7 , wherein the damper is affixed or coupled to a lower surface of the tub behind the spring. 
     
     
         9 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the damper is affixed or coupled to the lower surface of the tub at a center of the tub. 
     
     
         10 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the balancer comprises a single-piece unit having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion. 
     
     
         11 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein s the balancer has a horizontal surface that is horizontally parallel with a lower surface plate of the cabinet, and a vertical surface that is vertically parallel with a side plate of the cabinet. 
     
     
         12 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second spring. 
     
     
         13 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the spring is affixed or coupled to a right side location on the upper surface of the tub, and the second spring is affixed or coupled to a left side location on the upper surface of the tub, such that a midpoint of a line defined by the right and left side locations is aligned with the is center of gravity of the tub. 
     
     
         14 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the balancer has a weight that is greater than a weight of the motor, and each of the spring and the second spring is affixed or coupled to a front half of the upper surface of the tub. 
     
     
         15 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second damper. 
     
     
         16 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the damper and the second damper is affixed or coupled to a lower surface of the tub to the rear of the spring. 
     
     
         17 . The drum washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the damper and the second damper is affixed or coupled to the lower surface of the tub at a center of the tub.