US 12,486,606 B2
Washing machine
Jaehyun Kim, Seoul (KR); Kayeon Kim, Seoul (KR); Junghoon Lee, Seoul (KR); Myunghun Im, Seoul (KR); Kyungchul Woo, Seoul (KR); Seonhwa Yu, Seoul (KR); and Hwanjin Jung, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Mar. 6, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/596,908.
Application 18/596,908 is a continuation of application No. 17/272,077, granted, now 11,952,703, previously published as PCT/KR2019/010620, filed on Aug. 21, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0103078 (KR), filed on Aug. 30, 2018; and application No. 10-2019-0001970 (KR), filed on Jan. 7, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0209558 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D06F 37/06 (2006.01); D06F 37/04 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 37/06 (2013.01) [D06F 37/04 (2013.01); D06F 37/065 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A washing machine comprising:
a casing;
a washing tub disposed in the casing;
a drum that is rotatably disposed in the washing tub and that has an elongated cylindrical shape, the drum having an opening defined at a front end of the drum and configured to receive laundry;
a rear cover coupled to a rear end of the drum;
a motor configured to rotate the drum, the motor having a rotating shaft that is connected to the rear cover; and
a plurality of lifters that protrude from an inner circumferential surface of the drum and that are formed integrally with the drum, the plurality of lifters extending along a longitudinal direction of the drum,
wherein the plurality of lifters include:
a front lifter that is disposed closer to the opening than to the rear cover, and
a rear lifter that is disposed closer to the rear cover than to the opening and that is spaced apart from the front lifter,
wherein each of the front and rear lifters includes a front end, a rear end, and side ends connecting the front end and the rear end, and
wherein the drum defines a reinforcement groove between the front lifter and the rear lifter, the reinforcement groove extending from a first position corresponding to an outer edge of the front lifter to a second position corresponding to an outer edge of the rear lifter through an area between the front lifter and the rear lifter.