MEASURING VESSEL AND LAUNDRY TREATMENT APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a measuring vessel and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.

Various types of measuring vessels capable of measuring liquid or powder detergents have been used. However, conventional measuring vessels are configured to have a structure in which a measuring scale is formed on the surface of a measuring vessel for storing detergent and a user determines a necessary amount of detergent using the scale after the user supplies a predetermined amount of detergent into the measuring vessel irrespective of the kind of the detergent.

When a larger amount of detergent than required is supplied into the measuring vessel, therefore, it is necessary to remove the extra detergent from the measuring vessel, which is inconvenient. Meanwhile, in a case in which the measuring vessel is introduced into a washing machine without removing the extra detergent from the measuring vessel even though a larger amount of detergent than required is supplied into the measuring vessel, the detergent is unnecessarily wasted.

An object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies in a measuring vessel that is capable of measuring the maximum amount of two or more different kinds of detergent at the time of treating a predetermined reference amount of laundry and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.

Another object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies in a measuring vessel that is capable of preventing a user from using an excessive amount of detergent at the time of treating a reference amount of laundry and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.

These objects are achieved with a measuring vessel according to claim 1 and a laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 12.

The object of the present invention can be achieved by providing a measuring vessel including two or more separate storage spaces and having a W shape when viewed in section. "When viewed in section" refers to a view from the side, i.e. a section taken along a vertical plane.

The measuring vessel may include a first body, a first through hole formed through the first body, a second body located in the first through hole, a second through hole formed through the second body, a first connection unit for interconnecting the first body and the second body to define a first storage space between the first through hole and the outer circumferential surface of the second body, and a second connection unit for closing one surface of the second through hole to define a second storage space.

The first storage space and the second storage space may have different volumes.

One selected from between the first storage space and the second storage space may be configured to measure the amount of a powder detergent, and the other selected from between the first storage space and the second storage space may be configured to measure the amount of a liquid detergent.

The first connection unit may be configured to connect a lower end of the first body and a lower end of the second body to each other, and the second connection unit may be fixed to the upper end of the second body.

The distance from the first connection unit to the second connection unit may be shorter than the distance from the first connection unit to the upper end of the first body. In this case, the first storage space may be configured to store a liquid detergent, and the second storage space may be configured to store a powder detergent.

The sectional shape of the second connection unit may have a single radius of curvature.

The measuring vessel may further include a first indication unit provided at one selected from the upper part and the lower part of the outer circumferential surface of the first body for indicating a detergent measurable through the first storage space and a second indication unit provided at the other selected from the upper part and the lower part of the outer circumferential surface of the first body for indicating a detergent measurable through the second storage space.

One selected from between the first indication unit and the second indication unit, located at the lower part of the outer circumferential surface of the first body, may be configured as a letter or a symbol readable when the first body is located such that the second connection unit faces a ground.

The measuring vessel may further include at least one selected from between a first measuring unit for indicating the volume of a detergent stored in the first storage space and a second measuring unit for indicating the volume of a detergent stored in the second storage space.

The second measuring unit may be configured as a letter or a symbol readable when the first body is located such that the second connection unit faces a ground.

In another aspect of the present invention, provided herein is a laundry treatment apparatus including a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet for receiving wash water, a drum provided in the tub for providing a laundry receiving space, and a measuring vessel configured to be introduced into the drum, wherein the measuring vessel includes a first body configured to be introduced into the drum, a first through hole formed through the first body, a second body located in the first through hole, a second through hole formed through the second body, a first connection unit for interconnecting the first body and the second body to define a first storage space between the first through hole and the outer circumferential surface of the second body, and a second connection unit for closing one surface of the second through hole to define a second storage space.

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the effect of providing a measuring vessel that is capable of measuring the maximum amount of two or more different kinds of detergents at the time of treating a predetermined reference amount of laundry and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.

In addition, the present invention has the effect of providing a measuring vessel that is capable of preventing a user from using an excessive amount of detergent at the time of treating a reference amount of laundry and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention.

In the drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a measuring vessel according to the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the measuring vessel according to the present invention; and
• FIG. 3 is a view showing an embodiment of a laundry treatment apparatus according to the present invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted herein that these embodiments are only for illustrative purposes and the protection scope of the invention is not limited thereto. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout this specification to refer to the same or like parts.

A measuring vessel according to the present invention is characterized in that the measuring vessel includes at least two storage spaces for storing detergents (for example, a liquid detergent and a powder detergent to be measured) and in that introduction ports of the respective storage spaces, through which detergents are discharged or supplied, are not located on the same plane. In other words, the introduction ports are located on different planes.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a measuring vessel 100 according to the present invention. The measuring vessel 100 according to this embodiment may include two separate storage spaces S1 and S2, and the measuring vessel 100 may be configured to have a W shape when viewed in section. "When viewed in section" refers to a view from the side, i.e. a section taken along a vertical plane.

That is, the measuring vessel 100 according to the present invention may include a first storage unit 1 having a first storage space S1 for storing a detergent and a second storage unit 3 having a second storage space S2 for storing a detergent, the second storage space S2 being separated from the first storage space S1.

The first storage space S1 or the second storage space S2 may be configured to measure the amount of a powder detergent, and the other of the first storage space S1 or the second storage space S2 may be configured to measure the amount of a liquid detergent. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the first storage space S1 is configured to measure the amount of a liquid detergent, and the second storage space S2 is configured to measure the amount of a powder detergent.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first storage unit 1 includes a first body 11 forming the external appearance of the measuring vessel and a first through hole 13 formed through the first body 11, and the second storage unit 3 includes a second body 31 located in the first through hole 13 and a second through hole 33 formed through the second body 31.

An upper open surface 133 and a lower open surface 135 are formed at the upper surface and the lower surface of the first body 11, respectively, by the first through hole 13, and a second upper open surface 333 and a second lower open surface 335 are formed at the upper surface and the lower surface of the second body 31, respectively, by the second through hole 33.

Since the second upper open surface 333, provided at the second body 31, is closed by a second connection unit 35, the second storage space S2 is defined by the second body 31 and the second connection unit 35. Consequently, a user may supply a detergent into the second storage space S2, or may discharge the detergent from the second storage space S2, through the second lower open surface 335.

The sectional shape of the second connection unit 35 may have a single radius of curvature. Alternatively, the sectional shape of the second connection unit 35 may have two radii of curvature.

The sectional shape of the second connection unit 35 having one radius of curvature means that the sectional shape of the second connection unit 35 may be a hemispherical.

The sectional shape of the second connection unit 35 having two radii of curvature means that at least two sections of the second connection unit 35 have different radii of curvature. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second connection unit 35 includes a flat part having an infinite radius of curvature and a curved part, provided at the edge of the flat part, having a predetermined radius of curvature.

Meanwhile, the lower end of the first body 11 and the lower end of the second body 31 are connected to each other via a first connection unit 15.

Since the lower open surface 135, formed at the lower surface of the first body 11 by the first through hole 13, is closed by the first connection unit 15 and the second storage unit 3, the first storage space S1, which stores a detergent, is defined between the first through hole 13 and the second body 31. Consequently, the user may supply a detergent into the first storage space S1, or may discharge the detergent from the first storage space S1, through the upper open surface 133.

In a case in which the first storage space S1 is configured to store a liquid detergent and the second storage space S2 is configured to store a powder detergent, the distance H1 from the lowest point of the first connection unit 15 to the highest point of the second connection unit 35 may be shorter than the distance H2 from the lowest point of the first connection unit 15 to the upper end of the first body 11.

In a case in which the highest point of the second connection unit 35 is lower than the upper end of the first body 11 when the measuring vessel 100 is located such that the first connection unit 15 faces the ground, it is possible to minimize the detergent supplied into the first storage space S1 from being discharged from the first storage space S1 when measuring the amount of the liquid detergent.

Meanwhile, the upper open surface 133 and the second lower open surface 335 may be provided on different planes. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the upper open surface 133 is provided at the upper surface of the measuring vessel 100, and the second lower open surface 335 is provided at the bottom surface of the measuring vessel 100.

The upper open surface 133 and the second lower open surface 335 are provided at opposite surfaces of the measuring vessel 100 in order to maximize the volume of the first storage space S1 and the volume of the second storage space S2 and, in addition, to minimize the size of the measuring vessel 100.

The first storage space S1 and the second storage space S2 may have the same volume. Alternatively, the first storage space S1 and the second storage space S2 may have different volumes.

In a case in which the volume of the first storage space S1 is set to the maximum amount of a first detergent necessary to treat (for example, wash, rinse, or dry) a predetermined reference amount of laundry and the volume of the second storage space S2 is set to the maximum amount of a second detergent (i.e. a detergent different in kind from the first detergent) necessary to treat the reference amount of laundry, it is not necessary to provide an additional measuring unit (for example, a scale) for enabling the user to recognize the amount of the detergent at the respective storage spaces S1 and S2.

According to the present invention, therefore, it is possible to provide a single measuring vessel that is capable of determining the maximum amount of two kinds of detergents necessary to treat a reference amount of laundry and, in addition, to minimize the volume of the measuring vessel.

Furthermore, in the measuring vessel 100 according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the user from excessively using the detergent at the time of treating the reference amount of laundry.

Meanwhile, the user may use the measuring vessel 100 according to the present invention in order to treat less than the reference amount of laundry. In this case, the measuring vessel 100 according to the present invention may further include at least one selected from between a first measuring unit 131 for enabling the user to determine the amount of the detergent stored in the first storage space S1 and a second measuring unit 311 for enabling the user to determine the amount of the detergent stored in the second storage space S3.

The first measuring unit 131 may be configured as a letter or a symbol that is readable when the first body 1 is located such that the second lower open surface 335 faces the ground, and the second measuring unit 331 may be configured as a letter or a symbol that is readable when the first body 1 is located such that the second connection unit 35 faces the ground.

Meanwhile, in a case in which the volumes of the first storage space S1 and the second storage space S3 are different from each other (i.e. the maximum amounts of detergents that can be measured through the respective storage spaces are different from each other), it is necessary to provide members for enabling the user to recognize the kind of the detergent the maximum amount of which can be determined through the respective storage spaces S1 and S2.

According to the present invention, it is possible to enable the user to recognize through which storage space S1 or S2 the maximum amount of each detergent necessary to treat the reference amount of laundry can be determined using a first indication unit 111 and a second indication unit 113 provided at the outer circumferential surface of the first body 11.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which the maximum amount of the liquid detergent can be checked through the first storage space S1 at the time of treating the reference amount of laundry and the maximum amount of the powder detergent can be checked through the second storage space S2 at the time of treating the reference amount of laundry.

However, since the upper open surface 133, through which the first storage space S1 communicate with the outside of the measuring vessel 100, is formed at the upper surface of the measuring vessel 100, and the second lower open surface 335, through which the second storage space S2 communicate with the outside of the measuring vessel 100, is formed at the lower surface of the measuring vessel 100, the second indication unit 113 may be indicated in a state in which the second indication unit 113 is turned over.

That is, the first indication unit 111 may be configured as a letter or a symbol that is readable when the first body 1 is located such that the second lower open surface 335 faces the ground, and the second indication unit 113 may be configured as a letter or a symbol that is readable when the first body 1 is located such that the second connection unit 35 faces the ground.

Meanwhile, the measuring vessel according to the present invention may be introduced into a laundry treatment apparatus having a laundry receiving space.

In addition, the present invention provides a laundry treatment apparatus 200, in which the measuring vessel 100 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the laundry treatment apparatus 200 according to the present invention may include a cabinet 4 forming the external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus 200, a tub 5 provided in the cabinet 4 for receiving wash water, a drum 6 rotatably provided in the tub 5 for providing a laundry receiving space, and a measuring vessel 100 configured to be introduced into the drum 6.

The cabinet 4 includes a door 42 for opening and closing an introduction port 41. Wash water is supplied to the tub 5 through a water supply unit 45 provided in the cabinet 4, and the wash water in the tub 5 is discharged out of the cabinet 4 through a drainage unit 46 provided in the cabinet 4.

The tub 5 may be provided with a tub introduction port, which communicates with the introduction port 41, and the drum 6 may be provided with a drum introduction port, which communicates with the tub introduction port. Meanwhile, the drum 6 may be rotated in the tub 5 by a driving unit 7.

The structure of the measuring vessel 100 was described in detail with reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The laundry treatment apparatus 200 including the measuring vessel 100 is operated as follows. Laundry is introduced into the drum 6 together with the measuring vessel 100. Subsequently, wash water is supplied to the tub 5 through the water supply unit 45, and the drum 6 is rotated by the driving unit 7 to wash the laundry. After washing of the laundry is completed, the wash water is drained through the drainage unit 46.

The present invention provides a measuring vessel that is capable of measuring the maximum amount of two or more different kinds of detergents at the time of treating a predetermined reference amount of laundry and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.

In addition, the present invention provides a measuring vessel that is capable of preventing a user from using an excessive amount of detergent at the time of treating a reference amount of laundry and a laundry treatment apparatus having the same.