LAUNDRY TREATMENT APPARATUS

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a tub configured to store water therein, a drum body rotatably provided in the tub to store laundry to be washed, a drum inlet through which the laundry is introduced into the drum body, an agitating body extending from a bottom surface of the drum body toward the drum inlet, and configured to be rotatable in the drum body, a chamber formed in the agitating body, an outlet configured to communicate with the chamber by penetrating the agitating body, a wash-water-flow forming portion provided in the agitating body, and configured to form a water flow in the drum body, and a discharge-water-flow forming portion provided in the chamber, and configured to form a water flow in the chamber.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2020-0137310, filed on Oct. 22, 2020, and 10-2021-0043231, filed on Apr. 2, 2021, which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Generally, a laundry treatment apparatus may refer to an apparatus for washing laundry, an apparatus for drying wet or washed laundry, and/or an apparatus for performing washing and drying of laundry.

A representative example from among various conventional laundry treatment apparatuses capable of washing laundry includes a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet to store water therein, a drum provided in the tub, an agitator provided in the drum, a drum rotary shaft provided to rotate the drum, an agitator rotary shaft provided to penetrate the drum rotary shaft and connected to both of the agitator and a rotor of the motor, and a clutch provided to interconnect the drum rotary shaft and the rotor.

The agitator is a means for increasing washing power by forming a water stream (or water flow) into the drum. Generally, the agitator is manufactured through injection molding. The agitator manufactured through injection molding is designed to have a hollow shaft structure in which a chamber is formed in the agitator, so that production costs and weight of the agitator can be reduced and load of a driver can also be reduced. However, the above-mentioned agitator formed in a hollow shaft shape has disadvantages in that either water stored in the tub or foreign materials such as lint or contaminants can be unavoidably introduced into the inside of the agitator during operation of the laundry treatment apparatus.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a laundry treatment apparatus that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus capable of minimizing the amount of foreign materials remaining in an agitator forming a water flow in a drum.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus capable of minimizing the amount of water introduced into the agitator, and forcibly discharging foreign materials and water introduced into the agitator to the outside of the agitator.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a laundry treatment apparatus may include a tub configured to store water therein, a drum body rotatably provided in the tub to store laundry to be washed, a drum inlet through which the laundry is introduced into the drum body, an agitating body extending from a bottom surface of the drum body toward the drum inlet, and configured to be rotatable in the drum body; a chamber formed in the agitating body, an outlet configured to communicate with the chamber by penetrating the agitating body, a wash-water-flow forming portion provided in the agitating body, and configured to form a water flow in the drum body, and a discharge-water-flow forming portion provided in the chamber, and configured to form a water flow in the chamber.

The discharge-water-flow forming portion may be provided with a plate formed to extend from an inner surface of the agitating body forming the chamber toward a center of rotation of the agitating body.

The outlet may be provided with a plurality of through-holes. The discharge-water-flow forming portion may be provided with a plurality of plates located in a space formed between one through-hole and another through-hole.

The discharge-water-flow forming portion may be provided with protrusions or plates, which are configured to extend from the center of rotation of the agitating body toward an inner surface of the agitating body forming the chamber, and are radially disposed about the center of rotation of the agitating body.

The outlet may include a first through-hole, a second through-hole, and a third through-hole that are spaced apart from each other by a spacing of 120° with respect to the center of rotation of the agitating body. The discharge-water-flow forming portion may include at least one of a first water-flow forming portion configured to protrude from an inner surface of the agitating body toward a center of rotation of the agitating body forming the chamber, and a second water-flow forming portion configured to protrude from the center of rotation of the agitating body toward the inner surface of the agitating body forming the chamber.

The first water-flow forming portion may include a first plate protruding from the inner surface of the agitating body forming the chamber toward the center of rotation of the agitating body, and configured to be disposed between the first through-hole and the second through-hole, a second plate disposed between the second through-hole and the third through-hole, and a third plate disposed between the third through-hole and the first through-hole.

The second water-flow forming portion may be provided with protrusions or plates, which are configured to extend from the center of rotation of the agitating body toward an inner surface of the agitating body forming the chamber, and are radially disposed about the center of rotation of the agitating body.

The laundry treatment apparatus may further include an inclined surface provided at a bottom surface of the chamber and configured to guide water stored in the chamber to the outlet.

The agitating body may include a first body formed in a disc shape, and a second body extending from the center of rotation of the first body toward the drum inlet, and formed in a bar shape in which the chamber and the outlet are disposed.

The wash-water-flow forming portion may be provided in at least one of the first body and the second body.

The wash-water-flow forming portion may include a first blade protruding from the first body toward the drum inlet, and configured to extend from the center of rotation of the first body toward an edge of the first body.

The wash-water-flow forming portion may include a second blade protruding from a circumferential surface of the second body toward a circumferential surface of the drum body, and formed to extend in a longitudinal direction of the second body.

The second blade may be fixed to the circumferential surface of the second body, and may be configured to form a spiral shape in the longitudinal direction of the second body.

When the first body rotates in any one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction, the second blade may be configured to form a flow of water moving upward from the bottom surface of the drum body toward the drum inlet. When the first body rotates in the other one of a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction, the second blade may be configured to form a flow of water moving downward from the drum inlet toward the bottom surface of the drum body.

The laundry treatment apparatus may further include a body through-hole configured to communicate with the chamber by penetrating a top surface of the second body, a cap connected to the body through-hole to close the chamber, and a sealing portion provided in at least one of the cap and the body through-hole, and formed to prevent air in the chamber from being discharged through the body through-hole.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present disclosure are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a laundry treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a driver included in the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of an agitator according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a discharge-water-flow forming portion included in the agitator according to the present disclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams illustrating a structure of an inclined surface provided in the agitator according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Meanwhile, elements or control method of apparatuses which will be described below are only intended to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to restrict the scope of the present disclosure. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIG. 1, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may include a cabinet 1, a tub 2 provided in the cabinet 1 to provide a space in which water is stored, a drum 3 rotatably provided in the tub 2 to provide a space in which laundry is stored, and an agitator 5 rotatably provided in the drum 3.

The cabinet 1 may form an external appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus 100, and an inlet 11 may be provided on one surface of the cabinet 1. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary case in which the inlet 11 is provided on a top surface of the cabinet 1, and the inlet 11 may be opened or closed by a door 13 rotatably fixed to the cabinet 1.

The cabinet 1 may include a control panel for enabling a user to input a control command to the laundry treatment apparatus 100 and displaying information related to control of the laundry treatment apparatus 100 thereon. The control panel may include a display unit for displaying information such as a user-selectable course, etc., a power switch for supplying power to the laundry treatment apparatus 100, and an input unit for selecting and executing the control command displayed on the display unit.

The tub 2 may include a tub body 21 provided in the cabinet 1 to store water therein, and a tub inlet 23 provided on a top surface of the tub body 21 to allow the inside of the tub body 21 to communicate with the outside of the tub body 21.

The tub body 21 may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and may be fixed to the cabinet 1 through the tub support 25. The tub inlet 23 may be disposed below the inlet 11.

The tub 2 may receive water through a water supply unit, and may discharge the water stored in the tub 2 to the outside of the cabinet 1 through a drain unit. The water supply unit may include a water supply pipe 41 connected to a water supply source, and a valve 42 for controlling opening or closing of the water supply pipe 41 according to a control signal of a controller. The water supply pipe 41 may be provided to supply water to the tub body 21 through the tub inlet 23, and may be connected to a water supply hole (not shown) provided to penetrate a top surface or a circumferential surface of the tub body 21. FIG. 1 illustrates one example of the water supply pipe 41 provided to supply water to the tub body 21 through the tub inlet 23.

The drain unit may include a pump 45, a first drain pipe 43 for guiding water stored in the tub body 21 to the pump 45, and a second drain pipe 47 for guiding water discharged from the pump 45 to the outside of the cabinet 1.

The drum 3 provided in the tub 2 may be implemented as a cylindrical drum body 31 that has a drum inlet 33 at a top surface thereof. Since the drum inlet 33 is disposed below the tub inlet 23, laundry put into the drum through the inlet 11 will be supplied to the drum body 31 through the tub inlet 23 and the drum inlet 33.

A plurality of drum through-holes 35 may be provided on the bottom surface and the circumferential surface of the drum body 31. The inner space of the drum body 31 may communicate with the inner space 21 of the tub body 21 through the drum through-holes 35.

The agitator 5 may be provided to rotate in the drum body 31, and may form a water flow in the drum body 31. A detailed structure of the agitator 5 will be described later.

The drum body 31 and the agitator 5 may rotate by a driver 6. The driver 6 may include a drum shaft 62 for rotating the drum body 31, an agitating shaft 64 for rotating the agitator 5, and a motor 61 for generating power required to rotate the two shafts 62 and 64.

Referring to FIG. 2, the driver 6 may be fixed to the tub 2 through a shaft support 27 that is fixed to the bottom surface of the tub body 21 and located outside the tub body 21. The motor 61 may include a stator 611 fixed to the shaft support 27 to form a rotating magnetic field upon receiving a current, and a rotor 612 rotated by the rotating magnetic field.

The drum shaft 62 may be provided to penetrate the bottom surface of the tub body 21 and the shaft support 27. One end of the drum shaft 62 may be fixed to the drum body 31, and the other end of the drum shaft 62 may be disposed between the shaft support 27 and the rotor 612.

A shaft through-hole 621 through which the agitating shaft passes may be located at the center of the drum shaft 62. The drum shaft 62 may be rotatably fixed to the bottom surface of the tub body 21 through a tub bearing, and may be rotatably fixed to the shaft support 27 through a shaft-support bearing. The drum shaft 62 may include a ring-shaped connection gear 622 disposed in the shaft through-hole 621.

The agitating shaft 64 may include a first shaft 641, a main gear (also called a driving gear) 643, a second shaft 642, a base 644, and a slave gear 645 (also called a driven gear) 621. One end of the first shaft 641 may be fixed to the rotor 612, and the other end of the first shaft 641 may be inserted into the shaft through-hole 621. The main gear 643 may be fixed to the first shaft 641. One end of the second shaft 642 may be fixed to the agitator 5, and the other end of the second shaft 642 may be inserted into the shaft through-hole 621. The base 644 may be provided in the shaft through-hole 621, and may enable the second shaft 642 to be fixed thereto. The slave gear 645 may be rotatably provided in the base 644, and may connect the main gear 643 to the connection gear 622. The slave gear 645 may include a first slave gear 645a, a second slave gear 645b, and a third slave gear 645c, which are spaced apart from each other at intervals of the same angle with respect to the main gear 643.

In the above-mentioned laundry treatment apparatus 100, the agitating shaft 64 rotates in the same direction as the rotor 612 during rotation of the rotor 612, so that the agitator 5 may rotate in the same direction as the rotor 612. Meanwhile, when the agitating shaft 64 rotates, rotational motion of the agitating shaft 64 is transmitted to the drum shaft 62 through the connection gear 622. As a result, when the rotor 612 rotates, the drum shaft 62 may rotate in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the rotor 612.

If the driver 6 includes a brake capable of restricting rotation of the drum shaft 62, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may allow the drum 3 to remain in a stationary state while simultaneously controlling the agitator 5 to rotate.

In order to enable the drum shaft 62 and the agitating shaft 64 to rotate in the same direction, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may further include a power transmission unit 7. The power transmission unit 7 is a means for controlling connection between the drum shaft 62 and the rotor 612. FIG. 2 illustrates one example of the power transmission unit 7.

The power transmission unit 7 is characterized in that it can move along a free end of the drum shaft 62. That is, the power transmission unit 7 shown in FIG. 2 may be provided on the circumferential surface of the drum shaft 62, and may be movable in a longitudinal direction (i.e., a height direction of the tub or a Y-axis direction) of the drum shaft 62.

A drum-shaft fastening portion (not shown) formed in a gear-teeth shape may be provided on the circumferential surface of the drum shaft 62, and a rotor fastening portion 613 may be provided in the rotor 612. FIG. 2 illustrates one example in which the power transmission unit 7 connects the drum-shaft fastening portion to the rotor fastening portion 613. FIG. 1 illustrates one example in which the power transmission unit 7 releases connection between the drum-shaft fastening portion and the rotor fastening portion 613.

When the rotor 612 rotates in the state of FIG. 2, the drum body 31 and the agitator 5 may rotate in the same direction. However, when the rotor 612 rotates in the state of FIG. 1, the agitator 5 may rotate in the same direction as the rotor 612 and the drum body 31 may rotate in the direction opposite to the rotor 612.

The power transmission unit 7 may be fixed to the shaft support 27 in the state of FIG. 1. In other words, the shaft support 27 may include a brake that is connected to the power transmission unit 7 to prevent rotation of the power transmission unit 7. In this case, when the rotor 612 rotates in the state of FIG. 1, whereas the agitator 5 rotates in the same direction as the rotor 612, the drum body 31 remains stationary.

Referring to FIG. 3, the agitator 5 may include an agitating body 51 configured to rotate by the second shaft 642, and a wash-water-flow forming portion 5b provided in the agitating body 5a to form a water flow in the drum body 31 during rotation thereof.

The agitating body 5a may include a first body 51 formed in a disc shape to which one end of the second shaft 642 is fixed, and a second body 52 formed in a bar shape extending from the center of rotation of the first body 51 toward the drum inlet 33. The second shaft 642 may be coupled to the first body 51 through a shaft fastening portion 511 provided at the center of the first body 51.

The wash-water-flow forming portion 5b may be provided in at least one of the first body 51 and the second body 52. FIG. 3 illustrates one example in which the wash-water-flow forming portion 5b is provided in each of the first body 51 and the second body 52. That is, the wash-water-flow forming portion 5b may include at least one first blade 55 provided in the first body 51, and at least one second blade 56 provided in the second body 52.

The first blade 55 may be provided with at least one protrusion protruding from a top surface of the first body 51 toward the edge of the first body 51 in a direction in which the center of rotation of the first body 51 is positioned.

The second blade 56 may be provided with at least one plate protruding from the circumferential surface of the second body 52 toward the circumferential surface of the drum body 31 in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the second body 52.

Further, in order to facilitate formation of a water flow (in order to increase washing power and rinsing power of laundry), the second blade 56 may be provided to form a spiral shape in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the second body 52.

When the first body 51 rotates clockwise, the second blade 56 shown in FIG. 3 may enable a flow of water moving upward from the bottom surface of the drum body 31 toward the drum inlet 33 to be formed in the drum body 31. When the first body 51 rotates counterclockwise, the second blade 56 may enable a flow of water moving downward from the drum inlet 33 toward the bottom surface of the drum body 31 to be formed in the drum body 31.

The second body 52 may be formed in a bar shape extending from the first body 51 toward the drum inlet 33. It may be preferable that the center of rotation of the second body 52 be the same as the center of rotation of the first body 51. As a result, the number of vibrations generated by rotation of the agitator 5 can be minimized.

The second body 52 may include a chamber 521 that is formed in the longitudinal direction (Y-axis direction) of the second body 52. The chamber 521 is a means for reducing the weight of the second body 52 to minimize power to be supplied to the driver 6 for rotation of the agitator 5.

The chamber 521 may be manufactured by injection molding. In this case, a body through-hole 522 for enabling the chamber 521 to communicate with the outside of the chamber 521 may be formed at the top surface of the second body 52. The body through-hole 522 may be closed by the cap 525.

Since there is a possibility of water supplied to the tub body 21 being unexpectedly introduced into the chamber 521, the circumferential surface of the second body 52 may include an outlet 57 for enabling foreign materials or water included in the chamber 521 to be discharged to the drum body 31. The outlet 57 may include a plurality of holes spaced apart from each other at intervals of the same angle with respect to the center of rotation of the first body 51.

On the other hand, despite the presence of the outlet 57, some of water and foreign materials (lint, etc.) introduced into the chamber 521 may remain in the chamber 521. In order to minimize the residual amount of water and foreign materials remaining in the chamber 521, there is a need for the agitator 5 to include either a means for minimizing the amount of water introduced into the chamber 521 or a means for forcibly moving water stored in the chamber 521 in the direction in which the outlet 57 is positioned.

As described above, whereas the chamber 521 remains closed through the cap 525, the cap 525 does not seal the body through-hole 522, so that a water level of water stored in the chamber 521 will be the same as a water level W1 of water stored in the tub body 21.

However, if the body through-hole 522 is sealed through a separate means or if the cap 525 enables the body through-hole 522 to be formed as a sealable structure, while water is supplied to the tub body 21, a water level W2 of water stored in the chamber 521 will be kept lower than the water level W1 of water stored in the tub body 21, as represented by W2<W1. This condition of W2<W1 indicating that the water level of water stored in the chamber 521 is kept lower than the water level of water stored in the tub body 21 may refer to a situation in which the amount of water and foreign materials introduced into the chamber 521 is minimized so that the residual amount of water and foreign materials remaining in the chamber 521 can also be minimized.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary case in which the body through-hole 522 is sealed through a sealing portion 523. The sealing portion 523 may be a ring-shaped elastic body formed of, for example, rubber or the like.

The cap 525 may include a cap body 5251 for closing the body through-hole 522, and a fastening body 5252 provided in the cap body 5251 to form a ring-shaped fastening groove 5253 in which a circumferential surface of the upper end of the second body 52 is inserted. In this case, the sealing portion 525 may be disposed in the fastening groove 5253.

In order to prevent air in the chamber 521 from being discharged through the body through-hole 522, a fastening ring 524 may further be provided at the circumferential surface of the upper end of the second body 52. The fastening ring 524 may be formed as a ring-shaped protrusion arranged along the circumferential surface of the second body 52. FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the fastening ring 524 includes a first fastening ring 5241 and a second fastening ring 5242 disposed below the first fastening ring.

When the cap 525 is coupled to the second body 52, the first fastening ring 5241 and the second fastening ring 5242 may be provided in the second body to be positioned in the fastening groove 5253. In this case, the sealing portion 526 may be located higher than the first fastening ring 5241, may be located between the first fastening ring 5241 and the second fastening ring 5242, and/or may be located lower than the second fastening ring 5242.

In order to discharge water and foreign materials introduced into the chamber 521 to the outside of the chamber 521 through the outlet 57, the chamber 521 may include a discharge-water-flow forming portion 5c. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a discharge-water-flow forming portion 5c capable of forming a water flow in the chamber 521 during rotation of the agitating body 5a.

The outlet 57 may be provided with one through-hole or a plurality of through-holes. Here, the plurality of through-holes may be disposed along the circumferential surface of the second body 52. FIG. 5 illustrates one example in which a first through-hole 571, a second through-hole 572, and a third through-hole 573 are spaced apart from each other at intervals of the same angle of 120° with respect to the center of rotation of the agitating body 5a.

In this case, the discharge-water-flow forming portion 5c may include at least one of a first water-flow forming portion 58 and a second water-flow forming portion 59. The first water-flow forming portion 58 may protrude from an inner surface 5d of the agitating body forming the chamber 521 toward the center of rotation of the agitating body 5a. The second water-flow forming portion 59 may protrude from the center of rotation of the agitating body 5a toward the inner surface 5d of the agitating body.

The first water-flow forming portion 58 may be provided with one or more plates extending from the inner surface 5d of the second body forming the chamber toward the center of rotation of the agitating body 5a. FIG. 5 illustrates one example in which the first water-flow forming portion 58 includes a first plate 581, a second plate 582, and a third plate 583, each of which protrudes from the inner surface 5d of the second body toward the center of rotation of the agitating body 5a.

As shown in FIG. 5(a), the first plate 581 may be disposed between the third through-hole 573 and the first through-hole 571, the second plate 582 may be disposed between the first through-hole 571 and the second through-hole 572, and the third plate 583 may be disposed between the second through-hole 572 and the third through-hole 573 (that is, the plate is located at the left side of the through-hole).

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the first plate 581 may be disposed between the first through-hole 571 and the second through-hole 572, the second plate 582 may be disposed between the second through-hole 572 and the third through-hole 573, and the third plate 583 may be disposed between the third through-hole 573 and the first through-hole 571 (that is, the plate is located at the right side of the through-hole). Further, as shown in FIG. 5(b), each of the plates 581, 582, and 583 may also be positioned at an intermediate point between one through-hole and the other through-hole.

The second water-flow forming portion 59 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions or plates. The plurality of protrusions or plates may extend from the center of rotation of the agitating body 5c toward the inner surface 5d of the second body, and may be radially disposed about the center of rotation of the agitating body 5c.

When the agitating body 5a rotates by the driver 6, the water flow may occur in the chamber 521 by the discharge-water-flow forming portion 5c. The water flow generated in the chamber 521 may be a flow of water that rotates in the same direction as the agitator, or may be a turbulent flow of water.

If the water flow of any shape occurs in the chamber 521, the residual amount of foreign materials remaining in the inner surface 5d forming the chamber 521 can be minimized, and water stored in the chamber 521 can flow into the outlet 57. Therefore, the possibility that water and foreign materials remain in the chamber 521 can be minimized.

In order to further reduce the possibility that water and foreign materials remain in the chamber 521, the agitator 5 may further include an inclined surface for guiding water stored in the chamber 521 to the outlet 57. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the inclined surface 513 may be configured in a manner that the bottom surface of the chamber 521 is inclined downward from the center point to the edge part of the bottom surface of the chamber 521.

In other words, the inclined surface 513 may be configured in a manner that one point H where the first water-flow forming portion 58 is disposed is located higher than the other point L where the outlet 57 is disposed. In FIGS. 6A and 6B, a first inclined surface 513a may be disposed between the first plate 581 and the first through-hole 571, a second inclined surface 513b may be disposed between the second plate 582 and the second through-hole 572, and a third inclined surface 513c may be disposed between the third plate 583 and the third through-hole 573.

The first inclined surface 513a may be configured in a manner that one point H1 where the first plate 581 is disposed is located higher than the other point L1 where the first through-hole 571 is disposed. The second inclined surface 513b may be configured in a manner that one point H2 where the second plate 582 is disposed is located higher than the other point L2 where the second through-hole 572 is disposed. The third inclined surface 513c may be configured in a manner that one point H3 where the third plate 583 is disposed is located higher than the other point L3 where the third through-hole 573 is disposed.

As is apparent from the above description, the laundry treatment apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can minimize the amount of foreign materials remaining in the agitator forming a water flow in the drum.

In addition, the laundry treatment apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can minimize the amount of water introduced into the agitator, and can forcibly discharge foreign materials and water introduced into the agitator to the outside of the agitator.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the disclosure. Thus, the above embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims and all change which comes within the equivalent scope of the disclosure are included in the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:

a tub configured to receive water;

a drum body rotatably disposed in the tub and configured to receive laundry, the drum body defining a drum inlet configured to introduce the laundry therethrough; and

an agitating body that extends upward from a bottom surface of the drum body toward the drum inlet and is configured to rotate in the drum body, the agitating body defining a chamber therein and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber,

wherein the agitating body comprises: a wash-water-flow forming portion configured to generate a water flow in the drum body, and a discharge-water-flow forming portion disposed in the chamber and configured to generate a water flow in the chamber.

2. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the agitating body defines the chamber, and

wherein the discharge-water-flow forming portion comprises a plate that extends from the inner surface of the agitating body toward a center of rotation of the agitating body.

3. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet comprises a plurality of through-holes, and

wherein the discharge-water-flow forming portion comprises a plurality of plates, each of the plurality of plates being located between one of the plurality of through-holes and another of the plurality of through-holes.

4. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge-water-flow forming portion comprises a plurality of protrusions or a plurality of plates, and

wherein the plurality of protrusions or the plurality of plates are arranged about a center of rotation of the agitating body and extend from the center of rotation of the agitating body toward an inner surface of the agitating body defining the chamber.

5. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet comprises a first through-hole, a second through-hole, and a third through-hole that are spaced apart from one another by 120° about a center of rotation of the agitating body, and

wherein the discharge-water-flow forming portion comprises a first water-flow forming portion that protrudes from an inner surface of the agitating body toward a center of rotation of the agitating body, the inner surface defining the chamber.

6. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the discharge-water-flow forming portion further comprises a second water-flow forming portion that protrudes from a central region of the agitating body toward the inner surface of the agitating body, the central region including the center of rotation of the agitating body.

7. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first water-flow forming portion comprises:

a first plate that protrudes from the inner surface of the agitating body toward the center of rotation of the agitating body, the first plate being disposed between the first through-hole and the second through-hole;

a second plate disposed between the second through-hole and the third through-hole; and

a third plate disposed between the third through-hole and the first through-hole.

8. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second water-flow forming portion comprises a plurality of protrusions or a plurality of plates, and

wherein the plurality of protrusions or the plurality of plates are arranged about the center of rotation of the agitating body and extend from the central region of the agitating body toward the inner surface of the agitating body.

9. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inclined surface disposed at a bottom portion of the chamber and configured to guide water in the chamber toward the outlet.

10. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the agitating body comprises:

a first body that is located at the bottom surface of the drum body, the first body having a disc shape; and

a second body having a bar shape that extends from a central region of the first body including a center of rotation of the agitating body toward the drum inlet, the second body defining the chamber and the outlet.

11. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the wash-water-flow forming portion is disposed at at least one of the first body or the second body.

12. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the wash-water-flow forming portion comprises a first blade that protrudes from the first body toward the drum inlet, the first blade radially extending from the central region of the first body toward an edge of the first body.

13. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the wash-water-flow forming portion further comprises a second blade that protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the second body toward an inner circumferential surface of the drum body, the second blade extending in a longitudinal direction of the second body.

14. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second blade is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the second body and has a spiral shape along the longitudinal direction of the second body.

15. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the second blade is configured to:

based on the first body rotating in one of a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction, generate an upward flow of water moving upward from the bottom surface of the drum body toward the drum inlet; and

based on the first body rotating in the other of the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction, generate a downward flow of water moving downward from the drum inlet toward the bottom surface of the drum body.

16. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the wash-water-flow forming portion comprises a blade that protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the second body toward an inner circumferential surface of the drum body, the blade having a spiral shape extending along a longitudinal direction of the second body.

17. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the agitating body further defines a body through-hole that passes through a top portion of the second body and that is in fluid communication with the chamber, and

wherein the laundry treatment apparatus further comprises: a cap that is located at the top portion of the second body and that covers the body through-hole and the chamber; and a sealing portion disposed at at least one of the cap or the top portion of the second body, the sealing portion being configured to restrict air from being discharged from the chamber through the body through-hole.

18. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the sealing portion is disposed between a top surface of the second body and a bottom surface of the cap.

19. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber extends through the agitating body, and

wherein the outlet comprises a plurality of through-holes that are defined at a bottom portion of the chamber and arranged about a center of rotation of the agitating body.

20. The laundry treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outlet is configured to discharge water or foreign substances in the chamber to the drum body.