Washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine comprising a cabinet including an outer frame defining an appearance and an inner frame at least partially connected to an inner surface of the outer frame and a drum having a cylindrical shape and rotatably disposed in the inner frame. The inner frame includes a water flow disturbing part to disturb water flow generated in a space formed between the drum and the inner frame when the drum is rotated. The water flow disturbing part may have a shape that at least a portion of the inner frame protrudes outwardly along a periphery of the inner frame so that a length of at least one gap between an inner surface of the inner frame and an outer circumferential surface of the drum is different from a length of another gap. Accordingly, the drum may be stably rotated without collision with the frame in a dehydration process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a cabinet including an outer frame defining an appearance and an inner frame at least partially connected to an inner surface of the outer frame; and   a drum having a cylindrical shape and rotatably disposed in the inner frame, wherein the inner frame includes at least one water flow disturbing part to disturb water flow generated in a space formed between the drum and the inner frame when the drum is rotated, and   the water flow disturbing part has a shape that at least a portion of the inner frame protrudes outwardly along a periphery of the inner frame so that a length of at least one gap between an inner surface of the inner frame and an outer circumferential surface of the drum is different from a length of another gap.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the water flow disturbing part is provided at two or more portions of the inner frame along the periphery of the inner frame. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the water flow disturbing part includes at least one first water flow disturbing rib which protrudes from an inner surface of the water flow disturbing part toward the outer circumferential surface of the drum. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the first water flow disturbing rib includes at least one vertical rib which is formed longitudinally in an axial direction of the drum. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the first water flow disturbing rib includes at least one horizontal rib which is formed in a ring shape in a circumferential direction of the drum. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine according to  claim 4 , wherein the first water flow disturbing rib includes a connecting rib which connects the vertical rib to a bottom surface of the inner frame. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the water flow disturbing part includes at least one second water flow disturbing rib which has a shape that a portion of the water flow disturbing part protrudes inwardly and extends in an axial direction of the drum. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the water flow disturbing part includes a first slanted surface and a second slanted surface which are slanted with respect to the inner surface of the inner frame adjacent thereto in an outward direction of the inner frame. 
     
     
         9 . The washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein an angle of the first slanted surface with respect to the inner surface of the inner frame adjacent thereto and an angle of the second slanted surface with respect to the inner surface of the inner frame adjacent thereto are different from each other. 
     
     
         10 . The washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the water flow disturbing part includes at least one first water flow disturbing rib which protrudes from an inner surface of the water flow disturbing part toward the outer circumferential surface of the drum, and the first water flow disturbing rib is provided at at least one of the first slanted surface and the second slanted surface. 
     
     
         11 . The washing machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the water flow disturbing part includes a second water flow disturbing rib which has a shape that a portion of the water flow disturbing part protrudes inwardly and extends in an axial direction of the drum. 
     
     
         12 . A washing machine comprising:
 an outer frame;   an inner frame at least partially connected to an inner surface of the outer frame; and   a drum having a cylindrical shape and rotatably disposed in the inner frame, wherein   the inner frame includes at least one first portion defining a first gap with the drum, and at least one second portion defining a second gap with the drum in order to disturb water flow generated in the first gap, the second gap being larger than the first gap.   
     
     
         13 . The washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the second portion is provided at two or more portions of the inner frame along a periphery of the inner frame. 
     
     
         14 . The washing machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the second portion is arranged at an angle of approximately 90 degrees along the periphery of the inner frame. 
     
     
         15 . The washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the inner frame includes a third portion which is provided between the first portion and the second portion and slantedly connected to the first portion and the second portion. 
     
     
         16 . The washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the inner frame includes at least one rib which protrudes from an inner surface of the third portion toward an outer circumferential surface of the drum. 
     
     
         17 . The washing machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the rib includes at least one first rib which is formed longitudinally in an axial direction of the drum. 
     
     
         18 . The washing machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the rib includes at least one second rib which is formed in a ring shape in a circumferential direction of the drum. 
     
     
         19 . The washing machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the rib includes a third rib which connects the first rib to a bottom surface of the inner frame. 
     
     
         20 . The washing machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the second portion includes a first surface and a second surface which are stepped from each other. 
     
     
         21 . The washing machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the inner frame includes at least one edge portion which is provided between the second portion and the third portion, and bent toward the outer circumferential surface of the drum so that the second portion is depressed toward the outer circumferential surface of the drum. 
     
     
         22 . The washing machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one water flow disturbing part has a saw-tooth shape along the periphery of the inner frame. 
     
     
         23 . A washing machine comprising:
 an outer frame;   an irregular shaped inner frame at least partially connected to an inner surface of the outer frame; and   a drum rotatably disposed in the inner frame,   wherein a distance between a portion of the inner frame and the drum is different from a distance between another portion of the inner frame and the drum.