Washing machine

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a washing machine having an improved structure to electrically connect electronic parts inside the door to electronic parts inside the cabinet. The washing machine includes a cabinet equipped with a first electronic part therein and having an opening to put in laundry, a door equipped with a second electronic part therein and configured to open or close the opening, a hinge assembly configured to pivotally combine the door with the cabinet and a wire configured to pass the hinge assembly to electrically connect the first electronic part and the second electronic part.

1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a cabinet equipped with a first electronic part therein and having an opening to put in laundry;   a door equipped with a second electronic part therein and configured to open or close the opening;   a hinge assembly configured to pivotally combine the door with the cabinet; and   a wire configured to pass the hinge assembly to electrically connect the first electronic part and the second electronic part.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the wire is configured to penetrate the hinge assembly to connect the first electronic part and the second electronic part. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the door further comprises a back plane facing the opening and having a through hole, and   a first end of the wire is connected to the second electronic part, and   a second end of the wire is connected to the first electronic part after passing the through hole and the hinge assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hinge assembly comprises:
 a first bracket coupled to the cabinet; 
 a second bracket coupled to the door; and 
 a link unit configured to pivotally connect the first bracket and the second bracket, 
   the wire is configured to pass through the link unit to connect the first electronic part and the second electronic part.   
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the link unit comprises a wire guide recessed along a side of the link unit for the wire to be inserted thereto. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein the link unit further comprises a link unit cover detachably coupled to the wire guide to prevent foreign materials from being brought into the wire guide. 
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the link unit cover has a recessed part formed on one side, and   the recessed part is configured to form a wire receiver to receive the wire with the wire guide once the link unit cover is coupled to the wire guide.   
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the door further comprises a back plane facing the opening and having a through hole, and   the link unit further comprises a wire inlet located adjacent to the second bracket for the wire to be inserted to the wire guide after passing the through hole.   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the link unit cover is coupled to the wire guide such that a portion of the wire guide adjacent to the second bracket is opened, and   the wire inlet is formed in the opened portion of the wire guide.   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the link unit further comprises a wire outlet formed on a side of the link unit cover adjacent to the first bracket and provided to pull out the wire inserted to the wire guide. 
     
     
         11 . The washing machine of  claim 10 , further comprising a protective member coupled to at least one of the wire inlet and the wire outlet while enclosing the wire to prevent snapping of the wire. 
     
     
         12 . The washing machine of  claim 11 , wherein the protective member has an elastic material. 
     
     
         13 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the door has a laundry inlet formed thereon to communicate with the opening, and
 further comprising a secondary door installed to open or close the laundry inlet.   
     
     
         14 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the second electronic part comprises at least one of:
 an open/close detection sensor configured to detect whether the secondary door is opened or closed, and   a door lock switch configured to control whether to lock the secondary door.   
     
     
         15 . The washing machine of  claim 4 , wherein the hinge assembly comprises:
 a first shaft configured to connect the first bracket and a first end of the link unit; and   a second shaft configured to connect the second bracket and a second end of the link unit.