Drum washing machine having vertically openable and linearly movable door

Abstract

A drum washing machine having a vertically openable and linearly movable door includes a cabinet having an opening formed at a front wall of the cabinet to allow laundry to be put in and removed from the opening, a door provided at the front wall of the cabinet to open or close the opening, a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door to allow the door to be opened while the door is moved downwardly, and to be closed while the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened, and a linear movement mechanism to allow the door to be linearly moved such that the door can be moved into the cabinet in an opened state. The door can be utilized as a laundry holder when the door is opened, and the door can be easily opened or closed while the laundry can be conveniently put into or removed from the washing machine by pushing the door into the cabinet, even where the washing machine is located in a narrow space.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY DOCUMENT

This application claims the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2004-0085420, filed with the Korean Patent Office on Oct. 25, 2004, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a drum washing machine having a structure for opening and/or closing a door of the drum washing machine, in which the drum washing machine further has a substantially vertically openable and linearly movable door which can be utilized as a laundry holder when the door is opened downwardly, and which can also be moved into a cabinet of the drum washing machine when the door is opened.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, for example, a conventional drum washing machine 4 is illustrated which includes a cabinet 1, in which a tub and a drum are installed, extending horizontally. An opening 3 is formed at a front wall of the cabinet 1 to communicate with the tub and drum. A door 5 is mounted to the cabinet 1 to open and close the opening 3.

The door 5 is hingably mounted by a hinge mechanism 7, at one side portion of the door 5, to a portion of the cabinet 1 corresponding to one side of the opening 3. A handle is provided at the other side portion of the door 5. In accordance with this structure, the door 5 is hingably movable when the user pulls the handle to open the opening 3 or pushes the handle to close the opening 3.

The door 5 includes an annular door rim 5a, and a door window 5b surrounded by the annular door rim 5a. The door window 5b is made of a transparent glass material, and has a convex structure protruding into the interior of the washing machine and which comes into contact with a gasket 9 mounted in the cabinet 1.

However, the above-mentioned conventional drum washing machine has a problem in that the door 5 cannot be fully opened where the washing machine 1 is installed in close contact with a wall W, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, because the door 5 opens horizontally about the axis of the hinge mechanism 7. When the door 5 is partially opened, the convex door window 5b is positioned toward the opening 3, so that there may be an inconvenience because the convex door window 5b may interfere with laundry when the laundry is put into or removed from the washing machine 1 through the opening 3.

After completion of a laundry washing cycle, the user typically takes the laundry out of the washing machine. In the process of taking the laundry out of the washing machine, however, the user may drop at least some of the laundry to the floor because the laundry is entangled. Such a situation occurs frequently. As such, there is inconvenience for the user because the dropped laundry must be washed again.

Also, upon completion of washing the laundry, the user typically proceeds to remove the laundry from the washing machine while storing the laundry temporarily in an additional container for later transport. Accordingly, there is inconvenience to the user at least because of the necessity of having the additional container for temporarily storing the laundry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in light of the above-discussed problems, among others, and it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a drum washing machine having a linearly movable and vertically openable door, which can be opened and/or closed by moving the door vertically, which can be utilized as a laundry holder when the door is open, and which can be moved toward an inside of the washing machine, if necessary, so that, even if where the washing machine is located in a narrow space, the door of the washing machine can be relatively easily opened and/or closed, and laundry can be conveniently put into or removed from the washing machine, thus enhancing the convenience of the drum washing machine for a user.

In accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects may be accomplished by a drum washing machine having a vertically openable and linearly movable door, the drum washing machine including a cabinet having an opening formed at a front Wall of the cabinet to allow laundry to be put in and/or removed from the opening, a door provided at the front wall of the cabinet to open and/or close the opening, a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door to allow the door to be opened when the door is moved downwardly, and to be closed while the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened, and a linear movement mechanism to allow the door to be moved linearly such that the door can be moved into the cabinet when the door is opened.

According to another aspect of the present invention, for example, a washing machine for washing at least one item may include a cabinet having an opening at a front wall of the cabinet to allow the item to be put into or removed from the opening, a door provided at the front wall of the cabinet to open and close the opening, the door being vertically openable and linearly movable, a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door, to allow the door to open when the door is moved downwardly, and/or to close when the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened, and a linear movement mechanism to allow the door to be moved linearly into the cabinet when the door is opened.

Further, the washing machine may further include a container-shaped portion to contain the item when the door is opened, and the door opening/closing mechanism may include a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door. The linear movement mechanism may include a movable base connected to the door opening/closing mechanism and located at a bottom surface of the cabinet such that the movable base is linearly moveable, and a movement guide provided between the cabinet and the movable base, to guide a linear movement of the movable base. The cabinet may also include a clean door to be opened when the door is forced into the cabinet, and which may be located at a lower portion of the front wall of the cabinet.

In such a washing machine, the door opening/closing mechanism may include a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door, and the linear movement mechanism may include an automatic opening/closing mechanism to allow the door to be automatically lifted. The cabinet may include an automatic movement mechanism to allow the door to be automatically linearly moved by movement of the automatic opening/closing mechanism.

In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, for example, a vertically openable and linearly movable door for opening or closing an opening at a front wall of a cabinet may include a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door, to allow the door to open when the door is moved downwardly and/or to close when the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened, and a linear movement mechanism to allow the door to be moved linearly into the cabinet when the door is opened.

In any of the aspects of the present invention noted above, although the washing machine or drum washing machine is exemplified to simplify discussion of certain features of the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited only to a washing machine for washing laundry, but also contemplates washing machines for washing any appropriate item, such as dishes and/or eating utensils, medical and/or scientific instruments (e.g., an autoclave), or any other item to be washed, for example. Further, the vertically openable and linearly movable door may also function with any sort of cabinet or other such approximately cubic container (such as a filing cabinet, computer case, clothes dresser, or coal hopper, for example), and is not necessarily limited to use with washing machines, for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will be more clearly understood in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a related art washing machine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the related art washing machine with an open door;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a drum washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating different positions of a door of the drum washing machine along a path of the door through which the door may move, as well as an enlarged view of a particular section of the drum washing machine;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the drum washing machine taken along the line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view illustrating different positions of the door of the drum washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, along a path through which the door may move linearly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the drum washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the door is closed;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the drum washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the door is partially opened;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the drum washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the door is fully opened and extended away from the drum washing machine;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the drum washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the door has been moved linearly into the drum washing machine;

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a drum washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating different positions of a door of the drum washing machine along a path through which the door may move, as well as an enlarged view of a particular section of the drum washing machine; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the drum washing machine, taken along the line B-B of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in further detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 3 through 5 show a drum washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 3 illustrates a door of the drum washing machine which is opened (indicated by a dotted line); FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 3; and FIG. 5 illustrates the door of the drum washing machine moving linearly (indicated by a dotted line).

Additionally, FIGS. 6 through 9 illustrate the door according to the first embodiment of the present invention as the door is opened and/or closed, and as the door moves linearly. For example, FIG. 6 shows the door in a closed state; FIG. 7 shows the door as the door is opened; FIG. 8 shows the opened door; and FIG. 9 shows the door moving linearly.

Referring to FIGS. 3 through 6, for example, the drum washing machine may include a vertically openable and linearly movable door in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, as well as a cabinet 10 to form an outer structure of the drum washing machine. An opening 11 may be provided at a front wall of the cabinet 10 to allow the laundry to be put into or removed from the drum washing machine.

Devices to perform a washing operation may be installed in the cabinet 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the drum washing machine may include a tub 23 to contain wash water and supported by a spring 21 and a damper 22 in the cabinet 10, a drum 25 arranged in the tub 23 to wash laundry while rotating, and a drive motor 27 to rotate the drum 25.

The opening 11 of the cabinet 10 may communicate with respective openings of the tub 23 and the drum 25 to allow laundry to be put into or removed from the drum 25. A gasket 29 may be interposed between the openings of the cabinet 10 and tub 23 to prevent washing water or the like from penetrating the interior of the cabinet 10 during washing.

The cabinet 10 may have a substantially hexahedral structure. As illustrated in FIG. 3, for example, the cabinet 10 may include a cabinet body 12 to form side walls and a rear wall of the cabinet 10, a base 13 to form a bottom wall of the cabinet 10, a top cover 14 to form a top wall of the cabinet 10, and a front cover 15 to form a front wall of the cabinet 10. The opening 11 may be formed at the front cover 15.

A control panel 17 may be arranged on a top portion of the front cover 15. The control panel 17 may include various operating switches to operate the washing machine, and a display device to display, for example, an operating condition of the washing machine and/or other salient information, such as, for example, the temperature of the wash water or the stage of the washing cycle. The control panel 17 may be arranged at a position other than the above-described position as appropriate. For example, the control panel 17 may be arranged on the top wall of the cabinet 10, such as, the top cover 14.

A clean door 19 may be provided at the cabinet body 12 or the base 13 below the front cover 15, which is opened when a door 30 of the washing machine, described below, enters an inner portion of the cabinet 10. Further features of clean door 19 are described below.

The door 30 may be provided at the front wall of the cabinet 10 to open or close the opening 11. For example, the front cover 15 may be coupled to the cabinet body 12 and the control panel 17 at a position further within the cabinet 10 than the control panel 17 and the clean door 19, such that, when the door 30 is closed, an outer surface 30a of the front door 30 is flush with outer surfaces of the clean door 19 and the control panel 17.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, for example, an annular opening rim 16 may be provided at a central portion of the front cover 15 to define the opening 11. The gasket 29 may be fitted in the opening rim 16.

The door 30 may have a substantially quadrangular shape similar to the shape of the front cover 15. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example, the door 30 may have a quadrangular plate-like structure, and may include a door frame 31 having a shape conforming to the shape of the outer surface of the front cover 15, and a container-shaped door window 35 having a convex structure which extends into the opening 11 of the cabinet 10 when the door 30 is closed, such that the door window 35 comes into close contact with the gasket 29.

The door frame 31 may have opposite side portions 32 each formed by bending a corresponding side end portion of the door frame 31 into a shape substantially similar to a letter “L”. The side portions 32 form opposite side walls of the door 30, respectively. A link opening/closing mechanism 40, which may further function as a door opening/closing mechanism, described below, may be connected to the opposite side portions 32.

The door window 35 may have a container structure which comes into contact with the gasket 29 when the door 30 is closed, and which can receive laundry when door 30 is open. The door window 35 may include an annular window rim 36 mounted to the door frame 31, and a container-shaped window 37 having a concave container structure to receive laundry. The container-shaped window 37 may be fitted in the window rim 36.

The window rim 36 may be made of a metal or synthetic resin material, for example, although any suitable material may alternatively be used. Also, the container-shaped window 37 may be made of a transparent material such as glass to allow the user to view the interior of the drum 25 through the container-shaped window 37.

One or more handles 39 may be provided on the door 30 to allow the user to open or close the door 30 while grasping the handles 39. The handles 39 may include two handles, such as an upper handle 39U and a lower handle 39D, at respective upper and lower portions of the door, although any suitable number of handles 39 may alternatively be provided.

When the door 30 is opened, for example, the outer surface 30a of the door 30 faces upwardly so that laundry removed from the drum 25 may be temporarily stored in the interior of the door 30 when taking laundry out of the drum 25. Accordingly, the door 30 opens while moving downwardly to a lower portion of the cabinet 10, and closes while moving upwardly to an upper portion of the cabinet 10.

For opening and/or closing the door 30 in such a manner, a door opening/closing mechanism of the drum washing machine may include links (such as, for example, a link opening/closing mechanism 40 as described below) connected between a movable base 61 and the door 30 at the opposite side portions of the door 30. The movable base 61 may include a linear movement mechanism 60, which allows the door 30 to be linearly moved such that the door can be moved into the cabinet 10 when the door is opened sufficiently (further features of which are described below).

The link opening/closing mechanism 40 may include at least two link members 41 and 45 respectively connected to each corresponding side portion of the door 30 as a four-link structure.

For example, the link opening/closing mechanism 40 may include a first link member 41 and a second link member 45 connected to the side portion 32 of the door 30 and the movable base 61 within the base 10, respectively. The first link member 41 may have opposite ends connected to the center of the side portion 32 and to a front portion of the movable base 61, respectively, and the second link member 45 may have opposite ends connected to a portion above the center of the side portion 32 and to a rear portion of the movable base 61, respectively.

The side portion 32 of the door 30 may be provided with door connecting shafts 42 and 46, to which the upper ends of the first and second link members 41 and 45 are respectively connected, and the movable base 61 may be provided with link brackets 43 and 47, to which the lower ends of the first and second link members 41 and 45 are respectively connected. Alternatively, for example, the link brackets 43 and 47 may have hinge shafts 44 and 48 to which the first and second link members 41 and 45 are respectively hingably connected.

As discussed above, linear movement mechanism 60 may include, for example, the movable base 61 installed to the base 13 of the cabinet 10, such that the movable base 61 can be moved linearly, with the two link members 41 and 45 connected to the base 13, and a movement guide provided between the base 13 and the movable base 61 for guiding a linear movement of the movable base 61.

The movement guide may include guide rails 65 installed at opposite sides of the movable base 61 on the base 13, respectively, and a plurality of rollers 63 provided at opposite sides of the movable base 61 to move along the guide rails 65, respectively.

Additionally, one or more movement restrictors 67 of the linear movement mechanism 60 may be provided to restrict the linear movement of the door, and to restrict the movable base 61 moving into the cabinet 10 when the door 30 is opened or closed.

Preferably, such movement restrictors 67 may protrude from each of the guide rails 65, such that the rollers 63 can move over the movement restrictors 67 when a force of at least a predetermined amount is applied to the door 30 or to the movable base 61.

The clean door 19 defining a lower portion of the front wall of the cabinet 10 may open when the door 30 is moved into the cabinet 10, and may have lower ends of opposite sides of the clean door 19 hingably connected to the cabinet 10 by a hinge shaft 20. Also, the hinge shaft 20 may preferably be provided with an elastic member (not shown) for urging the door 30 to return to an initial position when the door 30 is moved outside of the cabinet 10. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, when the door 30 is forced into the cabinet 10, the clean door 19 may be opened while rotating around the hinge shaft 20 by virtue of a force transmitted by an upper end of the door 30; and then, when the door is moved outside of the cabinet 10, the clean door 19 may automatically close the lower portion of the front wall of the cabinet 10 while rotating by virtue of a force from the elastic member.

Also, the front cover 15 and the clean door 19 forming the front wall of the cabinet 10 may be formed with elongated slits 15s and 19s in the longitudinal direction to form paths for the link members 41 and 45, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 6 through 9, for example.

Each of the slits 15s and 19s may be provided with a shield for preventing foreign matter from being introduced, while allowing each of the link members 41 and 45 to freely move along the slits 15s and 19s. The shields 50 may be made of, for example, a soft brush, a rubber member (not shown) bifurcated at both sides, or any other construction suitable for preventing foreign matter from entering while allowing movement along the slits 15s and 19s.

Additionally, a stopper 55 may be provided on the clean door 19 to stop the door 30 at the lower end of the slit 19s the door 30 is fully opened with a substantially horizontal orientation. The stopper 55 may alternatively be provided on any of various other components, such as (for example) connecting portions of the link members 41 and 45 of the door 30, the link brackets 43 and 47 of the cabinet 10, or the link members 41 and 45, so as to prevent the door 30 and the link members 41 and 45 from moving downwardly past a predetermined distance.

Several examples of operations of the drum washing machine having the vertically openable and linearly movable door according to the first embodiment of the invention are described below.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example, when the door 30 is pulled downwardly with the lower handle 39D in order to open the door 30 from a closed state, the upper end of the door 30 is moved to a lower position, and the lower end of the door 30 is moved forwardly away from the front of the washing machine along a substantially horizontal direction path, allowing the door to be completely opened as shown in FIG. 8.

For example, the door 30 connected to the movable base 61 via two pairs of link members 41 and 45 may be moved slopingly away from the front of the washing machine, as shown in FIG. 7, by virtue of a force applied by a user, and then opened while being moved downwardly until the door 30 is substantially horizontally aligned. At this time, the link members 41 and 45 may be hingably moved along the slits 15s and 19s formed on the front wall of the cabinet 10 until the link members 41 and 45 are latched to the stoppers 55 (as illustrated in FIG. 6, for example).

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, since the rollers 63 of the movable base 61 are latched to the movement restrictors 67, and thus cannot be moved, the door 30 can be stably opened and/or closed in a stable condition without the door 30 moving back and forth.

As described above, for example, the opened door 30 can be pushed into the cabinet 10, if necessary. When the door 30 is forced toward the cabinet 10 in the opened state as shown in FIG. 8, the movable base 61 connected to the door via the two pairs of link members 41 and 45 may be moved inward along the guide rails 65, and the door 30 may be moved into the cabinet 10 while pushing the clean door 19 into the cabinet 10 to allow the clean door 19 to rotate into the cabinet 10.

Accordingly, with the door 30 opened as shown in FIG. 9, for example, laundry can be put into or removed from the drum 25 through the opening 11 of the cabinet 10. Additionally, the laundry removed from the drum 25 can be stored within the container-shaped door window 35, if necessary.

When the door 30 is pulled out of the washing machine after having been moved into the cabinet 10, as described above, for example, in order to close the door 300 again, the door 30 may be moved once again to the outside of the cabinet 10 (as shown in FIG. 8, for example), and then, the clean door 19 may be automatically closed due to an elastic force of the elastic member (not shown).

Then, when the door 30 is pulled upwardly with the upper handle 39U, the door 30 may be moved upwardly along with the link members 41 and 45, and come into close contact with the front cover 15, thereby completely closing the drum washing machine.

A drum washing machine according to the second embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, for example, may be provided with an automatic opening/closing mechanism for automatically opening and closing the door 30, and an automatic movement mechanism for automatically moving the door back and forth with respect to the cabinet 10. Various features of the drum washing machine of the second embodiment may be substantially similar to any of the other embodiments described herein, where such features are not described specifically as pertaining to the second embodiment; alternatively, any other suitable implementations may be used, where valid.

For example, the automatic opening/closing mechanism may include an automatic door-opening button 71 and an automatic door-closing button 72 installed in the control panel 17 provided on the front wall of the cabinet, and a motor controller 74 installed inside the cabinet 10 to control operations of an electrically powered door-driving motor 75 for opening and/or closing the door 30 in response to actuation of the buttons 71 or 72 while applying an electrical power to the door-driving motor 75.

When installed on an upper side of a movable base 61, the door-driving motor 75 may be coupled to a lower end of the first link member 41, and can open or close the door 30 by hingably operating the first link member 41. Alternatively, the door-driving motor 75 may be installed on the second member 45.

For example, the automatic movement mechanism may include an automatic door-movement button 73 provided on the control panel 17, a motor controller 74 to send a control signal after receiving a signal from the automatic door-movement button 73, a movement-driving motor 77 electrically powered for moving the movable base 61 back and forth according to the signal from the motor controller 74, and a pinion 78 and a rack 62 for transmitting a driving force from the movement-driving motor 77.

When the installation space between the base 13 (of the drum washing machine 1) and the movable base 61 is narrow, the movement-driving motor 77 may be installed on an assistant base 13A coupled to a lower portion of the base 13.

In the drum washing machine according to the second embodiment of the invention as described above, for example, when automatically opening or closing the door 30 by actuating the automatic door-opening button 71 or the automatic door-closing button 72, the first link member 41 may be hingably operated according to the driving of the door driving motor 75, and the door 30 is then moved vertically along with the second link member 45, so that the door 30 can be automatically opened and/or closed while moving vertically.

Additionally, when the automatic door-movement button 73 is actuated, the movement-driving motor 77 may be activated, and thus automatically move the movable base 61, thereby allowing the door to move into the cabinet 10 or to emerge from the cabinet 10.

Accordingly, because the drum washing machine having the vertically openable and linearly movable door has the door connected to the cabinet via the door opening/closing mechanism, so that the door can open and/or close the washing machine while moving vertically, and in which the door can be moved into the cabinet when opened, various advantageous effects can be achieved—for example, the ability to use the door as a laundry holder when the door is open, and the ability to easily open and/or close the door while allowing the laundry to be conveniently put into or removed from the drum washing machine by pushing the door into the cabinet, even where the drum washing machine is located in a narrow space, thereby enhancing the convenience of the drum washing machine for the user.

Furthermore, in accordance with aspects of the present invention, the door of the drum washing machine can be automatically opened and/or closed while being moved linearly by an electric motor, thereby further enhancing the convenience for the user, for example.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those of skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and/or substitutions are possible, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is set forth in the accompanying claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A drum washing machine having a vertically openable and linearly movable door, comprising:

a cabinet having an opening at a front wall of the cabinet to allow laundry to be put into or removed from the opening;

a door provided at the front wall of the cabinet to open and close the opening;

a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door, configured to allow the door to open when the door is moved downwardly, and to close when the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened; and

a linear movement mechanism configured to allow the door to be moved linearly into the cabinet when the door is opened.

2. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the door has a container-shaped portion configured to contain the laundry when the door is opened.

3. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the door opening/closing mechanism comprises a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door.

4. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the linear movement mechanism comprises:

a movable base connected to the door opening/closing mechanism and located at a bottom surface of the cabinet such that the movable base is linearly moveable; and

a movement guide provided between the cabinet and the movable base, configured to guide a linear movement of the movable base.

5. The drum washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the door opening/closing mechanism comprises a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door, and

wherein the movable base includes at least first and second link brackets to which the first and second link members are respectively connected.

6. The drum washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the linear movement mechanism includes a movement restrictor configured to restrict a linear movement of the door.

7. The drum washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the movement restrictor restricts the movable base from moving into the cabinet when the door is opened or closed.

8. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a clean door configured to be opened when the door is forced into the cabinet and located at a lower portion of the front wall of the cabinet.

9. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the door opening/closing mechanism comprises a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door, and

wherein the linear movement mechanism includes an automatic opening/closing mechanism configured to allow the door to be automatically lifted or lowered by rotation of the link opening/closing mechanism.

10. The drum washing machine according to claim 9, wherein the automatic opening/closing mechanism comprises an electric motor configured to rotate the link opening/closing mechanism.

11. The drum washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes an automatic movement mechanism configured to allow the door to be automatically linearly moved by movement of the automatic opening/closing mechanism.

12. The drum washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the linear movement mechanism comprises a movable base connected to the door opening/closing mechanism and located at a bottom surface of the cabinet such that the movable base can be linearly moved, and

wherein the automatic movement mechanism includes an electric motor configured to move the movable base via a rack and pinion power transmission.

13. A washing machine for washing at least one item, comprising:

a cabinet having an opening at a front wall of the cabinet to allow the item to be put into or removed from the opening;

a door provided at the front wall of the cabinet to open and close the opening, the door being vertically openable and linearly movable;

a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door, configured to allow the door to open when the door is moved downwardly, and to close when the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened; and

a linear movement mechanism configured to allow the door to be moved linearly into the cabinet when the door is opened.

14. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the door has a container-shaped portion configured to contain the item when the door is opened.

15. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the door opening/closing mechanism comprises a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door.

16. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the linear movement mechanism comprises:

a movable base connected to the door opening/closing mechanism and located at a bottom surface of the cabinet such that the movable base is linearly moveable; and

a movement guide provided between the cabinet and the movable base, configured to guide a linear movement of the movable base.

17. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the cabinet includes a clean door configured to be opened when the door is forced into the cabinet and located at a lower portion of the front wall of the cabinet.

18. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the door opening/closing mechanism comprises a link opening/closing mechanism having at least first and second link members respectively connected to first and second side portions of the door, and

wherein the linear movement mechanism includes an automatic opening/closing mechanism configured to allow the door to be automatically lifted.

19. The washing machine according to claim 13, wherein the cabinet includes an automatic movement mechanism configured to allow the door to be automatically linearly moved by movement of the automatic opening/closing mechanism.

20. A vertically openable and linearly movable door for opening or closing an opening at a front wall of a cabinet, the door comprising:

a door opening/closing mechanism connected between the cabinet and the door, configured to allow the door to open when the door is moved downwardly, and to close when the door is moved upwardly, such that an outer surface of the door faces upwardly when the door is opened; and

a linear movement mechanism configured to allow the door to be moved linearly into the cabinet when the door is opened.