Wall-mounted washing machine

Abstract

A wall-mounted washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub disposed inside the cabinet, a tub front cover coupled to a front surface of the tub, a drum installed inside the tub, and a gasket in the tub front cover. The gasket includes a door contact portion inclined toward a front surface of the cabinet and configured to at least partially make contact with a door disposed on the front surface of the cabinet. The door contact portion is configured to assist in opening the door using a restoring force generated when at least a part of the door contact portion is bent rearward by the contact with the door.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wall-mounted washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed inside the cabinet;   a tub front cover coupled to a front surface of the tub;   a drum disposed inside the tub; and   a gasket in the tub front cover,   wherein the gasket includes a door contact portion inclined toward a front surface of the cabinet and is configured to at least partially make contact with a door installed on the front surface of the cabinet, and   wherein the door contact portion is configured to assist opening of the door using a restoring force generated when at least a part of the door contact portion is bent rearward by the contact with the door.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the gasket further includes a first extension portion extending rearward from an end of the door contact portion, a second extension portion extending radially outward of the tub front cover from an end of the first extension portion, and a third extension portion extending rearward from an end of the second extension portion, and
 wherein the door contact portion includes a connection section connected to the first extension portion and a contact section formed to protrude radially inward of the tub front cover from the connection section and configured to be bent rearward when making contact with the door.   
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the contact section is formed in a shape with a cross-sectional area that decreases as distance from the connection section increases. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the door contact portion further includes a recess formed in a depressed shape between the connection section and the contact section, and
 the contact section is configured to be bent rearward about the recess with respect to the connection section.   
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the door contact portion is formed to be inclined at an angle of more than 90 degrees and less than 100 degrees with respect to the first extension portion. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 2 , wherein the gasket further includes a fitting portion connected to the door contact portion and configured to be fitted with the tub front cover, and
 wherein the fitting portion includes a first section extending radially outward of the tub front cover from an end of the door contact portion, a second section extending rearward from an end of the first section, and a third section extending radially outward of the tub front cover from an end of the second section.   
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet includes a rear panel mounted on a wall surface and configured to support the tub, a cover portion coupled to the rear panel and that surrounds a peripheral surface of the tub, and a front panel installed in the cover portion, wherein the door is disposed in the front panel. 
     
     
         8 . A wall-mounted washing machine, comprising:
 a tub including a hollow portion;   a tub front cover coupled to a front surface of the tub;   a drum disposed inside the tub; and   a gasket in the tub front cover,   wherein the gasket includes a door contact portion inclined toward a front surface of a cabinet in which the tub is installed, and is configured to at least partially make contact with a door installed on the front surface of the cabinet, and   wherein the door contact portion includes a connection section connected to an inner surface and a contact section formed to protrude radially inward of the tub front cover from the connection section and configured to be bent rearward when making contact with the door, and   the door contact portion is configured to assist opening of the door using a restoring force generated when the contact section is bent by the door.   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the gasket further includes a first extension portion extending rearward from an end of the door contact portion, a second extension portion extending radially outward of the tub front cover from an end of the first extension portion, and a third extension portion extending rearward from an end of the second extension portion. 
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the contact section is formed with a cross-sectional area that decreases as distance from the connection section increases. 
     
     
         11 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the door contact portion further includes a recess formed in a depressed shape between the connection section and the contact section, and
 wherein the contact section is configured to be bent rearward about the recess with respect to the connection section.   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the door contact portion is formed to be inclined at an angle of more than 90 degrees and less than 100 degrees with respect to the first extension portion. 
     
     
         13 . The washing machine of  claim 9 , wherein the gasket further includes a fitting portion connected to the door contact portion and configured to be fitted with the tub front cover, and
 wherein the fitting portion includes a first section extending radially outward of the tub front cover from an end of the door contact portion, a second section extending rearward from an end of the first section, and a third section extending radially outward of the tub front cover from an end of the second section.