Balancer and laundry treatment apparatus including the same

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a drum having an entrance formed in a top side to put laundry therethrough, a balancer provided to the drum to resolve unbalancing of the drum may include a recess part configured to reduce a top side of a space for storing liquid in the balancer. Accordingly, the center of gravity of the balancer can be lowered and a laundry receiving space can be increased.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A balancer disposed at a drum of a laundry treatment apparatus and configured to compensate unbalancing of the drum, the drum being configured to accommodate laundry and having a drum entrance defined at a top side of the drum and configured to receive the laundry therethrough, the balancer defining an inner space for accommodating liquid therein, the balancer comprising:
 a recess that is defined at a top side of the balancer to thereby reduce the inner space of the balancer.   
     
     
         2 . The balancer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a balancer housing that is coupled to the top side of the drum, the balancer housing defining a balancer perforated hole that is in communication with the drum entrance and configured to introduce the laundry therethrough to the drum entrance,   wherein the balancer housing further defines a circulation flow path therein that has a ring shape and that is configured to define a moving route of the liquid within the balancer housing, and   wherein the recess has a concave shape recessed from an outside of the balancer housing toward an inside of the circulation flow path, the recess being defined at a position vertically above a level of the liquid moving along the circulation flow path by a centrifugal force.   
     
     
         3 . The balancer of  claim 2 , wherein the balancer housing has:
 an outer surface that is located at an outermost side of the balancer housing and defines the recess;   an inner surface that is located at an innermost side of the balancer housing and surrounds the balancer perforated hole; and   a bottom surface that connects the outer surface of the balancer housing to the inner surface of the balancer housing, and   wherein the outer surface, the inner surface, and the bottom surface of the balancer housing are surfaces of an integral part corresponding to the balancer housing.   
     
     
         4 . The balancer of  claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the balancer housing comprises:
 a drum connecting part that is configured to be connected to the drum and extends in a height direction of the drum; and   a projected part that extends from the drum connecting part in the height direction of the drum, the projected part defining the outermost side of the balancer housing and being connected to the recess, and   wherein the recess, the projected part, and the drum connecting part are parts of the integral part.   
     
     
         5 . The balancer of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a partition that is disposed between the outer surface of the balancer housing and the inner surface of the balancer housing, the partition dividing the circulation flow path into (i) a first chamber located closer to the outer surface of the balancer housing than to the inner surface of the balancer housing and (ii) a second chamber located closer to the inner surface of the balancer housing than to the outer surface of the balancer housing.   
     
     
         6 . The balancer of  claim 5 , wherein the recess is recessed into the first chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The balancer of  claim 6 , wherein the circulation flow path comprises:
 a first circulation flow path that has a first ring shape and is defined within the first chamber, the first circulation flow path being configured to guide the liquid; and   a second circulation flow path that has a second ring shape and is defined within the second chamber, the second circulation flow path being configured to guide the liquid, and   wherein the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path are configured to independently guide the liquid based on rotation of the drum.   
     
     
         8 . The balancer of  claim 3 , wherein the recess comprises:
 a first recess extension part that extends from the outer surface of the balancer housing toward the inner surface of the balancer housing; and   a second recess extension part that extends from the first recess extension part in a height direction of the drum.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for treating laundry, comprising:
 a drawer cabinet;   a drawer body configured to be inserted into and withdrawn from the drawer cabinet;   a tub disposed in the drawer body and configured to receive water;   a drum comprising a drum body that is rotatably disposed in the tub and that is configured to accommodate the laundry, the drum defining a drum entrance configured to receive the laundry therethrough; and   a balancer that is connected to a top side of the drum body, that accommodates liquid therein, and that is configured to reduce vibration generated from rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
 a balancer housing that is coupled to the top side of the drum body, the balancer housing defining a balancer perforated hole that is in communication with the drum entrance and configured to introduce the laundry therethrough to the drum entrance, wherein the balancer housing further defines: 
 a circulation flow path that has a ring shape and is configured to define a moving route of the liquid within the balancer housing, and 
 a recess that has a concave shape recessed from a top portion of a side of the balancer housing toward the circulation flow path, the side of the balancer housing being configured to face the liquid based on rotation of the drum. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the balancer housing has:
 an outer surface that is located at an outermost side of the balancer housing and defines the recess;   an inner surface that is located at an innermost side of the balancer housing and surrounds the balancer perforated hole; and   a bottom surface that connects the outer surface of the balancer housing to the inner surface of the balancer housing, and   wherein the outer surface, the inner surface, and the bottom surface of the balancer housing are surfaces of an integral part corresponding to the balancer housing.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the outer surface of the balancer housing comprises:
 a drum connecting part that is connected to the drum and extends in a height direction of the drum; and   a projected part that extends from the drum connecting part in the height direction of the drum, the projected part defining the outermost side of the balancer housing and being connected to the recess, and   wherein the recess, the projected part, and the drum connecting part are parts of the integral part.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the balancer further comprises:
 a partition that is disposed between the outer surface of the balancer housing and the inner surface of the balancer housing, the partition dividing the circulation flow path into (i) a first chamber located closer to the outer surface of the balancer housing than to the inner surface of the balancer housing and (ii) a second chamber located closer to the inner surface of the balancer housing than to the outer surface of the balancer housing, and   wherein the recess is recessed into the first chamber.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the circulation flow path comprises:
 a first circulation flow path that has a first ring shape and is defined within the first chamber, the first circulation flow path being configured to guide the liquid; and   a second circulation flow path that has a second ring shape and is defined within the second chamber, the second circulation flow path being configured to guide the liquid, and   wherein the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path are configured to independently guide the liquid based on rotation of the drum.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the recess comprises:
 a first recess extension part that extends from the outer surface of the balancer housing toward the inner surface of the balancer housing; and   a second recess extension part that extends from the first recess extension part in a height direction of the drum.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for treating laundry, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub disposed in the cabinet and configured to receive water;   a drum comprising a drum body that is rotatably disposed in the tub and that is configured to accommodate the laundry, the drum defining a drum entrance configured to receive the laundry therethrough; and   a balancer that is disposed at a top side of the drum body, that accommodates liquid therein, and that is configured to reduce vibration generated from rotation of the drum, the balancer comprising:
 a balancer housing that is coupled to the top side of the drum body, the balancer housing defining a balancer perforated hole that is in communication with the drum entrance and configured to introduce the laundry therethrough to the drum entrance, wherein the balancer housing further defines: 
 a circulation flow path that has a ring shape and is configured to define a moving route of the liquid within the balancer housing, and 
 a recess that has a concave shape recessed from a top portion of a side of the balancer housing toward the circulation flow path, the side of the balancer housing being configured to face the liquid based on rotation of the drum. 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the balancer housing has:
 an outer surface that is located at an outermost side of the balancer housing and defines the recess;   an inner surface that is located at an innermost side of the balancer housing and surrounds the balancer perforated hole; and   a bottom surface that connects the outer surface of the balancer housing to the inner surface of the balancer housing, and   wherein the outer surface, the inner surface, and the bottom surface of the balancer housing are surfaces of an integral part corresponding to the balancer housing.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the outer surface of the balancer housing comprises:
 a drum connecting part that is connected to the drum and extends in a height direction of the drum; and   a projected part that extends from the drum connecting part in the height direction of the drum, the projected part defining the outermost side of the balancer housing and being connected to the recess, and   wherein the recess, the projected part, and the drum connecting part are parts of the integral part.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the balancer further comprises:
 a partition that is disposed between the outer surface of the balancer housing and the inner surface of the balancer housing, the partition dividing the circulation flow path into (i) a first chamber located closer to the outer surface of the balancer housing than to the inner surface of the balancer housing and (ii) a second chamber located closer to the inner surface of the balancer housing than to the outer surface of the balancer housing, and   wherein the recess is recessed into the first chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the circulation flow path comprises:
 a first circulation flow path that has a first ring shape and is defined within the first chamber, the first circulation flow path being configured to guide the liquid; and   a second circulation flow path that has a second ring shape and is defined within the second chamber, the second circulation flow path being configured to guide the liquid, and   wherein the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path are configured to independently guide the liquid based on rotation of the drum.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the recess comprises:
 a first recess extension part that extends from the outer surface of the balancer housing toward the inner surface of the balancer housing; and   a second recess extension part that extends from the first recess extension part in a height direction of the drum.