EP3771768B1

EP3771768B1 - Clothes treatment apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP3771768B1
Application number: EP20188350.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Woosup Shin; Sungho Song
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2019-07-30
Filing date: 2020-07-29
Publication date: 2024-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2040-07-29
Also published as: CN112301689A; CN112301689B; WO2021020752A1; EP3771768A1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a clothes treatment apparatus, and, more particularly, to a clothes treatment apparatus that removes wrinkles from articles of clothing by applying compression or tension to the articles of clothing while exposing the clothing to steam.

Background Art

Clothes treatment apparatuses are designed to wash and dry clothes and to eliminate wrinkles in clothes, at home or at laundromats. Some classifications of clothes treatment apparatuses may include washers for washing clothes, dryers for drying clothes, washer/dryer combinations having both washing functions and drying functions, refreshers for refreshing clothes, and steamers for removing wrinkles in clothes.
A refresher is an apparatus that helps in keeping clothes comfortable and fresh. The refresher functions to dry clothes, supply fragrance to clothes, prevent the occurrence of static electricity in clothes, and remove some wrinkles from clothes.
A steamer is an apparatus that supplies steam to clothes in order to remove wrinkles from the clothes. Unlike a general iron, the steamer removes wrinkles from the clothes without directly applying heat to the clothes through conduction (i.e., a solid object directly touching the clothes).
A physical force, heat and steam (or moisture) are required to remove wrinkles of clothes. The Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1285890 discloses an apparatus for removing wrinkles by using a moving hanger. That is, after a hanger is hung on a clothes support called a moving hanger, vibration is applied to clothes by vertical reciprocation of the clothes support to remove dust, and steam and heat are applied to the clothes to remove wrinkles. However, this is a method based on self-weight and vibration of clothes, and has problems in that removal performance of wrinkles is varied depending on materials of clothes and wrinkles are not removed more completely than an iron that uses general steam or heat panel.
The US Patent Publication No. US 5 815 961 A discloses a method for removing wrinkles of clothes while expanding the clothes by inserting steam and heated air into an expansion type hanger after the clothes are hung on the hanger. However, a problem occurs in that an apparatus such as an expansion type hanger required to remove wrinkles occupies a very great volume.
The Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 10-2015-0009718 discloses a method for removing wrinkles of clothes by using a pressurizing panel for pressurizing the clothes and a fixed panel for supporting and fixing the clothes by applying physical compression to the clothes. However, problems occur in that there is limitation in the number of clothes that may be treated at once due to a size and a complicated structure of a pressurizing structure and there is limitation in a pressurizing force due to a spatial restriction. Also, a problem occurs in that wrinkles of bottom clothes such as second clothes may only be removed.
EP 2 826 911 A1 presents a laundry treating apparatus that includes a cabinet having a receiving space to receive laundry, a supply unit to supply at least one selected from between air and moisture into the receiving space, and a presser including a support unit provided in the receiving space to support the laundry and a compression unit to compress the laundry supported by the support unit to form a crease on the laundry.
KR 2012 0091799 A presents a clothing fixing device comprises a supporting plate, push plates, a connection part, a fixing unit, and an accommodation groove. The supporting plate supports a single-side of the clothing. The push plates press the other side of the clothing supported by the supporting plate. The connection part fixes the push plates on the supporting plate in order to be rotatable. The fixing unit selectively fixes the push plates on the supporting plate. The supporting plate includes the accommodating groove. The accommodating groove accepts seams included in the clothing.
WO 2019/194567 A1 , which constitutes prior art under Article 54(3) EPC, relates to a clothing treatment apparatus. The clothing treatment apparatus comprises: a cabinet; a first clothing treatment chamber for accommodating clothes in the cabinet; a machine chamber for supplying steam or air to the first clothing treatment chamber; and a door assembly for opening and closing an opening. The door assembly comprises: a first panel having a second clothing treatment chamber for treating clothes formed therein, the first panel being open at one side and being rotatably connected to the cabinet; a second panel for opening and closing the open one side of the first panel; and a partition plate, disposed between the first panel and the second panel, for applying pressure to each of the clothes placed on the first panel and the clothes placed on the second panel.

Disclosure

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to a clothes treatment apparatus that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitation and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus that may remove wrinkles of clothes by increasing a physical force in a limited space.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus that may remove wrinkles of top clothes and wrinkles of bottom clothes unlike the related art clothes treatment apparatus that removes only wrinkles of bottom clothes.
Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus that may iron bottom clothes or sleeve portions of top clothes by applying tension as well as compression to the clothes.
Further still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothes treatment apparatus that may apply tension or compression to clothes by simply modifying a physical configuration.
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.

Technical Solution

The present disclosure implements a clothes treatment apparatus that removes wrinkles of clothes by exposing the clothes to the heated air or steam after applying a physical force (tension or compression) to first clothes (top clothes) and second clothes (bottom clothes) through a panel assembly that may have a variety of configurations.
The present disclosure implements a clothes treatment apparatus that removes wrinkles of clothes by exposing the clothes to the heated air or steam after simultaneously hanging first clothes and second clothes on a hanger.
One or more of the objects are solved by the features of the independent claim. According to the invention, a clothes treatment apparatus comprises a cabinet having a first chamber for accommodating clothes and a second chamber for defining a machine room; a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet for opening and closing the same; and a wrinkle removal module comprising: a base panel mounted on an inner side of the door and a panel assembly including a first panel rotatably mounted to the inner side of the door or to the base panel, and a second panel rotatably coupled to the first panel. The clothes treatment apparatus further comprises a steam unit accommodated in the second chamber for supplying steam to the first chamber. Also, the clothes treatment apparatus may further include a blowing unit located in the second chamber and configured to circulate the air of the first chamber; and a heat pump unit located in the second chamber and configured to dehumidify and heat the circulating air.
A proximal side edge of the first panel is rotatably coupled to the inner side of the door or to the base panel and the second panel is rotatably coupled to a distal side edge of the first panel. The first panel and the second panel are rotatable into a first configuration for tensioning clothes, in which an acute angle is formed between the first panel and the second panel to apply tension to a piece of clothing hung on the first and second panels, and/ or into a second configuration, in which the first panel and the second panel are folded one on top of the other and rotated onto the base panel to apply compression to a piece of clothing arranged between the panel assembly and the base panel for removing wrinkles.
The inner side of the door, i.e. the door inside, may refer to a surface of the door facing the first chamber or a surface of the door arranged inside the cabinet or in the first chamber when the door is in a closed state. The clothes treatment apparatus according to the invention may be modified by any one of the following preferred features.
The panel assembly may be selectively modified to the first configuration of a triangular configuration forming an acute angle between the first panel and the second panel or the second configuration of a folded, overlapping configuration of the first and second panels, to apply tension to first clothes hung on the panel assembly in the first configuration, or is rotated toward the base panel in the second configuration to remove wrinkles of second clothes arranged between the panel assembly and the base panel by applying compression to the second clothes.
In the first configuration of the panel assembly, the first panel may be at an acute angle with respect to the base panel or the door. In the first configuration of the panel assembly, the second panel may be at an acute angle with respect to the first panel and attached to the inner side of the door or to the base panel. Thus, in the first configuration of the panel assembly, the first panel, the second panel and the base panel may form a triangle.
In the second configuration of the panel assembly, the second panel may be arranged between the first panel and the base panel. In other words, the first panel and the base panel may be arranged facing each other with the second panel inbetween. That is, in the second configuration of the panel assembly, the first panel, the second panel and the base panel may be arranged in parallel to each other.
The panel assembly may be rotated toward the base panel to form an acute angle between the first panel and the second panel in the first configuration and coupled to or engaged with the door inside.
The panel assembly may be arranged between the first panel and the base panel by rotation of the second panel with respect to the first panel in the second configuration. The second clothes may be arranged between the second panel and the base panel.
The panel assembly may further include a first hinge rotatably coupling the first panel to the door or the base panel, and/or a second hinge rotatably coupling the first panel with the second panel. That is, the panel assembly may include a first hinge rotatably coupling the first panel to the inner side of the door or to the base panel. The panel assembly may further include a second hinge rotatably coupling the second panel to the first panel. The first hinge and the second hinge may be provided at opposite edges of the first panel.
The clothes treatment apparatus may further comprise a catch assembly provided in the door, coupling the panel assembly with the door. That is, a catch assembly may be provided at the inner side of the door or at the base panel. The catch assembly may be configured to attach the second panel to the inner side of the door or to the base panel, in the first configuration. The catch assembly may be configured to attach the panel assembly, i.e. the first and second panels, to the inner side of the door or to the base panel.
The second hinge may include a hinge interlock coupling the panel assembly to the catch assembly in the second configuration. In other words, the second hinge may include a hinge interlock configured to engage with the catch assembly for attaching the panel assembly to the door.
The second panel may include an auxiliary interlock. The auxiliary interlock may be provided at a side edge, which is arranged to be farther away from the second hinge, in both side edges of the second panel, coupling the second panel to the catch assembly in the first configuration. That is, the auxiliary interlock may be provided at an edge of the second panel that is opposite to an edge of the second panel, at which the second hinge is disposed. The auxiliary interlock may be configured to engage with the catch assembly for attaching the second panel to the door.
The hinge interlock may include a hinge protrusion configured to be inserted into the catch assembly for engaging hinge interlock with the catch assembly. The hinge protrusion may be configured to be rotated together with the second panel and/or in an opposite direction than the second panel. If the second panel is rotated in a first rotation direction for modification of the panel assembly from the second configuration to the first configuration, the hinge protrusion may be rotated in an opposite direction of the first rotation direction and arranged in an opposite direction of a direction where the first clothes are hung.
Meanwhile, the first panel and the second panel may be rotatable into a third configuration, in which the first panel and the second panel are coplanar, e.g. for hanging clothes onto the first and second panels. That is, the panel assembly may be modified to a third configuration corresponding to an open, planar configuration in which the first panel and the second panel are rotated with respect to each other. Prior to modification to the first configuration, the first clothes may be hung on the panel assembly in the third configuration.
The panel assembly may hang the first clothes in the third configuration and then may be rotated toward the second clothes supported on the base panel to pressurize the base panel and, preferably simultaneously, remove wrinkles from the first clothes and the second clothes.
The panel assembly may further include a hanger for hanging clothes thereon.
The first panel may include a first partial hanger rotatably provided above the first panel, corresponding to a portion of the hanger. The second panel may include a second partial hanger rotatably provided above the second panel, corresponding to the other portion of the hanger.
Each of the first partial hanger and the second partial hanger may further include an extension portion that may be adjusted depending on a size of the clothes hung on the panel assembly.
Meanwhile, the clothes treatment apparatus may further comprise a clip for fixing clothes hung on the panel assembly. The clip may be arranged at an edge of the first and/or second panel opposite to an edge thereof along which the first and second panels are rotatably coupled to each other.
At least one upper clip may be arranged on at least one of the first panel and the second panel. The upper clip may extend to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction. That is, the clip may include an upper clip including an upper edge formed to be inclined in a width direction of the door, arranged above the first panel and the second panel. The upper clip may insert and fix a portion of the clothes hung on the panel assembly.
The clip may further include a lower clip arranged below the upper clip to fix some of the clothes hung on the panel assembly and arranged at the other side edge of both side edges of the first panel and the second panel. The first and second panels may be rotatably coupled with each other at one side edge of both side edges. The other side edge may be arranged in an opposite direction of the one side edge.
The lower clip may include a protruded type bump-out locking feature for maintaining an open state of the lower clip.
The lower clip may further include a biasing member for maintaining a state of clothes fixed by the lower clip. The biasing member may be made of a spring.
The lower clip may further include an anti-slip pad on a contact surface with the clothes to prevent slip of the clothes from occurring.
The clothes treatment apparatus may further comprise a tension clip for applying tension to an end portion of the first clothes or the second clothes. The tension clip may be mounted on the door, in particular on a lower portion of the inner side of the door. The tension clip may be configured to apply tension to sleeve portions of a first type of clothes, such as shirts, and to waist ends of a second type of clothes, such as pants.
The clothes treatment apparatus may further comprise an auxiliary pressurizing panel rotatably coupled to the door (in particular to the inner side thereof) or to the base panel and arranged between the panel assembly and the base panel. The auxiliary pressurizing panel may be configured to apply compression to clothes arranged between the auxiliary pressurizing panel and the base panel for removing wrinkles, e.g. to simultaneously remove wrinkles of the second clothes arranged between the auxiliary pressurizing panel and the base panel. The auxiliary pressurizing panel may include an auxiliary hole. The auxiliary hole may pass through the auxiliary pressurizing panel. The auxiliary hole may be arranged to face the catch assembly when the auxiliary pressurizing panel is positioned in parallel to the door.
The auxiliary pressurizing panel may include an auxiliary groove recessed in a length direction of the door to prevent a seam of the second clothes from being pressed.
The clothes treatment apparatus may further comprise at least one of: a first opening passing through the first panel in a thickness direction; a second opening passing through the second panel to correspond to the first opening in an folded, overlapping configuration of the first panel and the second panel; and an auxiliary opening passing through the auxiliary pressurizing panel in a thickness direction. The first opening and the second opening may form a middle opening of the panel assembly in the folded, overlapping configuration of the first panel and the second panel. The auxiliary opening may be provided at a position corresponding to the middle opening. This is to allow steam to be easily permeated into the first clothes and the second clothes if the first clothes and the second clothes are exposed to steam inside the first chamber.
The panel assembly may further include a third panel rotatably coupled to the second panel. The second panel and the auxiliary pressurizing panel may be arranged in parallel. The first panel, the second panel, the third panel and the auxiliary pressurizing panel may be arranged in a first configuration of a trapezoidal shape to apply tension to the first clothes.
The panel assembly may further include a third panel rotatably coupled to the second panel and a fourth panel rotatably coupled to the third panel. The first panel, the second panel, the third panel and the fourth panel may be arranged in a first configuration of a W shape but the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, the fourth panel and the base panel may selectively be modified to a second configuration of a pentagonal shape to remove wrinkles of the clothes hung on the panel assembly by varying the configuration depending on a width of the clothes.
The panel assembly may be provided detachably in the door or the base panel. The panel assembly may be detached for separate storage or may be stored inside the first chamber.
A length sum of the first panel and the second panel may be greater than an inner width of the first chamber. This is because that the first panel and the second panel may be modified for efficient use of a space.

Advantageous Effects

The clothes treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure may remove wrinkles of clothes by increasing a physical force in a limited space.
The clothes treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure may remove wrinkles of top clothes and wrinkles of bottom clothes unlike the related art clothes treatment apparatus that removes only wrinkles of bottom clothes.
The clothes treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure may iron bottom clothes or sleeve portions of top clothes by applying tension as well as compression to the clothes
The clothes treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure may apply tension or compression to clothes by simply modifying a physical configuration.
The clothes treatment apparatus according to the present disclosure may improve consumers' satisfaction.
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 illustrates a clothes treatment apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a device provided in a second chamber provided at a lower side of a clothes treatment apparatus;
FIG. 3(a) illustrates a panel assembly (bi-fold panel assembly) provided in a door of a clothes treatment apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, specifically a folded configuration of the panel assembly before clothes are hung on the panel assembly;
FIG. 3(b) illustrates a tensioning configuration after first clothes are hung on a panel assembly shown in FIG. 3(a);
FIG. 4(a) illustrates a panel assembly provided in a door of a clothes treatment apparatus according to one embodiment, specifically an opened configuration of the panel assembly before second clothes are pressurized;
FIG. 4(b) illustrates a panel assembly shown in FIG. 4a, which is rotated to pressurize second clothes and coupled to a base panel on a door;
FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) illustrate a coupled configuration (closed configuration) of a door and a panel assembly and an open, substantially coplanar configuration of a panel assembly according to one embodiment of a clothes treatment apparatus before clothes are hung on the panel assembly;
FIGS. 5(c) and 5(d) illustrate another example of a panel assembly;
FIG. 6(a) illustrates a rear surface of a clip shown in FIGS. 5(c) and 5(d);
FIG. 6(b) illustrates that clips provided in a panel assembly of FIG. 5(d) are opened;
FIG. 6(c) specifically illustrates one of clips shown in an opened configuration of FIG. 5(b);
FIG. 6(d) illustrates a rear surface of some of clips to specifically illustrate a nonslip pad;
FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) illustrate that tension is applied a panel assembly shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) after clothes are hung on the panel assembly;
FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are detailed views illustrating a hinge connection portion between panels by separately detaching an example of a panel assembly from a door of a clothes treatment apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 illustrates an example of an adjustable clothes hanger in a clothes treatment apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 10(a), 10(b), 10(c) and 10(d) illustrate a door and a panel assembly provided in a clothes treatment apparatus according to one embodiment and each step of time serially hanging clothes on the panel assembly and applying tension thereto;
FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are a perspective view and a plane view illustrating a panel assembly in a clothes treatment apparatus of FIG. 1 and a closed configuration of the panel assembly coupled to a door;
FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) are a perspective view and a plane view illustrating a panel assembly and a door in a clothes treatment apparatus of FIG. 1 to which tension is applied;
FIGS. 13(a), 13(b), 13(c) and 13(d) are perspective views and plane views illustrating an opened configuration of a panel assembly provided in a clothes treatment apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and arranged at the same height as a panel before clothes are hung on the panel assembly and an opened configuration of the panel assembly rotated to hang clothes thereon;
FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b) illustrate a closed configuration of a panel assembly arranged at the same height as that of an outer surface of a panel, having clips for fixing clothes to apply tension to the clothes;
FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) illustrate an enlarged section of a panel assembly provided in a door of a clothes treatment apparatus of FIG. 1 to illustrate biasing features of some clips for fixing clothes.
FIG. 16 illustrates a clothes treatment apparatus that further includes an auxiliary pressurizing panel for pressurizing second clothes (bottom clothes) between a panel assembly and a base panel;
FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b) illustrate that a panel assembly and an auxiliary pressurizing panel are exemplarily used when the auxiliary pressurizing panel is further provided; and
FIGS. 18(a) to 18(c) illustrate various embodiments of a panel assembly that includes a plurality of panels.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the 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. Meanwhile, elements or control method of apparatuses which will be described below are only intended to describe the embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to restrict the scope of the present invention.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
Specific terms used in this specification are provided for convenience of description and are not limited to exemplary embodiments. For example, the expressions "same", "being the same as" and "equivalent" indicating that objects are the same state strictly indicate a state that allowance or a difference in a level of obtaining same functions exists, as well as the same state.
In this specification, wrinkles mean those generated after wearing of clothes or washing or drying of clothes. The wrinkles mean that clothes are wrinkled while a user is wearing the clothes or not only mean pleat initially made for design or function but also mean wrinkles generated unintentionally by washing or drying of clothes. Therefore, the wrinkles mean those to be removed using a method such as ironing.
FIG. 1 illustrates a clothes treatment apparatus 1000 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. A second chamber 14 (machine room) provided at a lower side inside the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 exemplarily shown in FIG. 1 may include a device for generating heated air and steam.
The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 shown in FIG. 1 may include a cabinet 10 provided with a door 20 for opening or closing a front surface of the cabinet 10, wherein the cabinet 10 may form a processing chamber 12 (first chamber) opened on the front surface.
The cabinet 10 may be divided into an upper side and a lower side by a partition panel 11, and the first chamber 12 may be formed at an upper side inside the cabinet 10. However, the partition panel may mean a bottom surface 11 of the first chamber, and the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a cabinet 10 of which front surface is opened, a first chamber provided inside the cabinet 10, in which clothes are accommodated, a second chamber 14 formed to be spaced apart from the first chamber 12 below the first chamber 12, and a door 20 rotatably coupled to the cabinet 10, opening or closing the front surface. The first chamber 12 may be formed by plastic injection molding without a partition panel. First clothes such as top clothes and second clothes such as bottom clothes may be held in the first chamber 12. Heated air and/or steam generated by a device, which generates heated air and steam and is arranged inside the second chamber 14, may be discharged to the first chamber 12.
Clothes may be accommodated in the first chamber 12, and tension or compression may be applied to the clothes while the clothes are being exposed to the heated air and/or stream entering the first chamber 12. Therefore, the clothes accommodated in the first chamber 12 may be subjected to deodorization, refresh, sterilization, and removal of wrinkles of clothes. According to one embodiment of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000, a hanger support bar 13 may be arranged at an upper portion of the first chamber 12 and provided to support clothes hung on a hanger. Motion of the hanger support bar 13 in the first chamber 12 may be implemented by a driver (not shown), for example, a motor. Types of motions of the hanger support bar 13 may include vibration motion, up and down motion, and left and right motion, which vibrate the clothes while the clothes are being exposed to the heated air and/or steam. As a result, the motions may assist to remove wrinkles of the clothes.
An air supply port and a steam discharge port may be provided on the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber to form a path of the heated air and steam generated inside the second chamber 14 and send the heated air and/or steam to the first chamber 12. In some embodiments, the air supply port and the steam discharge port may be provided behind another panel, for example, the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber to form one smooth surface with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber, that is, a separate discharge panel. Alternatively, an area where the bottom surface of the first chamber 12 forming the space in which clothes are accommodated is coupled to the rear surface of the first chamber 12 may be provided to be inclined while forming a smooth surface. Also, an air suction port for sucking the air of the first chamber to circulate the air may be provided to be closer to the front surface of the cabinet than the air supply port on the bottom surface of the first chamber 12.
In some embodiments, a heat pump unit 60 may heat the air in a condenser through heat exchange with a refrigerant, and may supply the heated air to the first chamber 12 through a blowing unit 52. Instead, a heat pump cycle is used inversely, the heat pump may supply the cooled and conditioned air to the first chamber 12. In some embodiments, the heated air or cooled air supplied to the first chamber 12 may be used to treat clothes or other fabric products hung on a hanger supported in the hanger support bar 13.
A tank module 70 for storing water may be provided at a front side of the second chamber 14. The tank module 70 may include a water supply tank 72 for supplying water to a steam unit 58 (see FIG. 2) and a drainage tank 74 for collecting and storing condensed water generated in the first chamber 12. In some embodiments, a tank module frame 71 may be provided in front of an inlet duct 56 (see FIG. 2) communicated with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber. A tank arrangement space 73 is formed between the tank module frame 71 and the door 20. The tank module frame 71 may detach the outside from the inside of the second chamber 14. A tank support bar 75 may be included in the tank arrangement space 73 to cause interference with a tank support 79, and may prevent the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 from being detached from the tank arrangement space 73 in error. When the door 20 is opened or closed, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be prevented from being detached from the tank arrangement space 73 by the tank support bar 75. Preferably, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be taken out by a user.
The tank support bar 75, as shown in FIG. 1, may be provided on a front surface of the tank module frame 71 to be smoothly connected with a lower portion of a front surface of the drainage tank 74 and the water supply tank 72. At this time, the front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the front surface of the drainage tank 74 may partially be arranged on the tank support bar 75 and supported by the tank support bar 75. However, unlike this case, the tank support bar 75 may be bent on the front surface of the tank module frame 71 and thus provided in a protruded shape. In this case, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be coupled with the protruded tank support bar 75 and supported by the protruded tank support bar 75.
In any case, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be provided detachably from the tank module frame 71. However, unlike this case, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be coupled to each other in a single body and may simultaneously be provided detachably from the tank module frame 71. That is, the tank module 70 may simultaneously be detached from the tank module frame 71.
Although FIG. 1 illustrates that the rear surfaces of the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 are angled, each rear surface may be rounded at an upper side, and an upper portion of the tank module frame 71 corresponding to each rear surface may be rounded. Since a grip portion 78 is included in the upper portion of the front surface of each of the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74, if a user pulls the grip portion 78, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may detachably be provided by rotation based on a front lower end of the water supply tank 72 or a front lower end of the drainage tank 74. In other words, the water supply tank 72 or the drainage tank 74 may be rotated based on a point coupled with or supported in the tank support bar 75 and thus provided in or detached from the tank support bar 75. When the water supply tank 72 or the drainage tank 74 is provided or detached, to minimize interference, the rear upper side 7201 (see FIG. 16) of the water supply tank 72 or the rear upper side 7401 (see FIG. 16) of the drainage tank 74 may be provided to be rounded.
If the door 20 is closed, the door 20 may include a door panel 22 arranged toward the first chamber 12 on door 20, i.e. on the rear surface of the door 20, at least one hinge unit 24 for connecting the door 20 and the door panel 22 with the cabinet 10 by a hinge manner, a door gasket 26 provided in the door panel 22 by tight contact with an edge of the cabinet 10 to form a sealing between the door 20 and the cabinet 10, and door liners 82 and 84 provided in the door panel 22 to guide condensed water generated in the first chamber 12 to the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber when the door 20 is closed. In some embodiments, the door 20 has a structure that may open or close the first chamber 12 and the tank arrangement space 73 at the same time. In another embodiment, a plurality of doors may be provided in the cabinet 10 such that each door may open or close the first chamber 12 and the tank arrangement space 73. The door liners 82 and 84 may be provided to face the first chamber 12 if the door 20 is closed, and may include an upper linear part 82 and a lower liner part 84. The door liners may guide condensed water generated on their surfaces to a drainage grill formed at some of the partition panel 11. The door gasket 26 may be provided in the door panel 22 to surround the door panel 22. The sealing between the door 20 and the cabinet 10 may be made by the door gasket 26. The door gasket 26 may individually seal the first chamber 12 and the tank arrangement space 73.
The rear surface of the door 20 means the inner surface of the door toward the first chamber 12 when the door 20 is closed. The rear surface of the door 20 may be formed by the door panel 22.
When the user closes the door 20, the front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the front surface of the drainage tank 74 may face the door panel 22, and when the user opens the door 20, the front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the front surface of the drainage tank 74 may be exposed to the outside. Also, since each front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 includes a window, the user may immediately check a level of water stored in the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74.
Referring to FIG. 2, the blowing unit 52 for circulating the air of the first chamber 12, a steam unit 58 for supplying steam to the first chamber 12, a heat pump unit 60 for dehumidifying and heating the air of the first chamber 12, and a controller (not shown) for controlling the blowing unit 52, the steam unit 58 and the heat pump unit 60 may be arranged in the second chamber 14. The blowing fan 54 provided in the second chamber 14 may move the air of the first chamber 12 to the heat pump unit 60 provided in the second chamber 14 by forcibly sucking the air of the first chamber 12. The steam unit 58 may generate heat, convert water supplied from the water supply tank 72 to steam and then send the steam to the first chamber 12. The heat pump unit 60 provided in the second chamber 14 may include a compressor, a condenser (second heat exchanger), an evaporator (first heat exchanger), and an expansion valve, and may generate heated air or cooled air and then discharge the generated air to the first chamber 12.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the blowing unit 52 may include a blowing fan 54 and an inlet duct 56. The inlet duct 56 may be provided at the front side of the blowing fan 54, and the tank module frame 71 may be provided at the front side of the inlet duct 56. Therefore, the tank module frame 71 may detach the tank arrangement space 73 from the second chamber 14. The water supply tank 72 and the drainage bank 74, which are mounted in the tank module frame 71 may be arranged to be close to one side of both sides of the cabinet 10. For example, the water supply tank 72 may be arranged to be closer to a right side of the cabinet 10 than a left side of the cabinet 10 in the tank module frame 71. On the contrary, the drainage tank 74 may be arranged to be closer to the left side of the cabinet 10 than the right side of the cabinet 10 in the tank module frame 71.
The steam unit 58 may be arranged to be closer to the right side of the cabinet 10 than the left side of the cabinet in the second chamber 14 in the same manner as the water supply tank 72. This is to simplify a connection path through which water moves from the water supply tank 72 to the steam unit 58 by arranging the steam unit 58 at the rear side of the water supply tank 72.
If the water supply tank 72 is arranged to be closer to the left side of the cabinet 10 than the right side of the cabinet 10, the steam unit may be arranged to be closer to the left side of the cabinet 10 than the right side of the cabinet 10 correspondingly.
Also, the inlet duct 56 may include an inlet duct entrance 561 communicated with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber, sucking the air of the first chamber 12, and an inclined path may be formed at the inlet duct entrance 561. This is to move the condensed water generated in the first chamber 12 and the door 20 to a sump (not shown) provided at a lower portion inside the inlet duct along the inclined path by passing through the inlet duct entrance 561 communicated with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber.
The inlet duct 56 may be arranged at the front side of the blowing fan 54, and the steam unit 58 and the heat pump unit 60 may be arranged at the rear side of the blowing fan 54. The heat pump unit 60 may be supported by a supporter 65. The supporter 65 may be provided above a support base 15 that forms the bottom of the second chamber. Therefore, the supporter 65 may form a predetermined distance between the support base and the heat pump unit 60, and may provide a space for arranging the steam unit 58 in an inner space of the supporter 65.
The heat pump unit 60 may further include a housing 61 included in the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and an air discharge outlet 611 communicated with the air supply port provided in the first chamber 12 to discharge the air dehumidified and heated in the housing to the first chamber 12. A compressor (not shown) and an expansion valve (not shown) may be arranged outside the supporter 65 to circulate a refrigerant.
The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a multi-functional wrinkle removal module 100. If the door 20 is closed, the wrinkle removal module 100 may pressurize clothes or other fabric products in one of various types of configurations for implementing functions of the wrinkle removal module 100 while exposing the clothes or the other fabric products to the heated air, steam and/or dehumidified and cooled air. And/or, the wrinkle removal module 100 may apply tension or stretching to the clothes or the other fabric products in another type configuration for implementing other functions. The wrinkle removal module 100 may be arranged inside the first chamber 12 to remove wrinkles formed on the clothes or the other fabric products. Referring to the example shown in FIG. 1, since the wrinkle removal module 100 is provided on the rear surface of the door 20, that is, on the door panel 22, if the door 20 is closed, the wrinkle removal module 100 will be arranged inside the first chamber 12. The wrinkle removal module 100 may include a base panel 110 arranged in a length direction of the door along the rear surface of the door 20 or the door liners 82 and 84 to support clothes, and a panel assembly 140 connected to the door 20 or the base panel 110 by one or more hinges to be rotatably coupled with the base panel 110 or the door 20.
The base panel 110 may partially be spaced apart from the door 20. The condensed water formed on the rear surface of the door 20 may move to the lower liner part 84 through a gap formed between the base panel 110 and the door 20 along the door liners 82 and 84 due to steam flown from the second chamber 14 to the first chamber 12. The base panel 110 may partially be spaced apart from the door liners 82 and 84 to prevent water of the door liners 82 and 84 from being in contact with the clothes. In one embodiment, the base panel 110 may be provided in a plate shape having elastic characteristic or a segmented plate shape. The base panel 110 may include a fixed base portion 112 fixed to the door 20, and elastic base portions 115 and 116 extended from the fixed base portion 112 and more spaced apart from the door 20 than the fixed base portion 112. In one embodiment, the fixed base portion 112 is extended along a height direction of the door. The base panel 110 may further include a fastener 113 for coupling the fixed base portion 112 to the door 20 at upper and lower portions of the fixed base portion 112. In order to support clothes or other fabric products in a pressurizing step which will be described in FIG. 4(a), the elastic base portions 115 and 116 may include elastic surfaces which are flexible and deformable. The elastic base portions 115 and 116 may include the first elastic base portion 115 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in a direction (for example, left direction based on the fixed base portion) where the hinge unit 24 is arranged, and the second elastic base portion 116 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in an opposite direction (for example, right direction based on the fixed base portion) of the extended direction of the first elastic base portion. In one embodiment, the elastic base portions 115 and 116 elastically support clothes to uniformly contact the clothes where the clothes are being pressurized. The elastic base portions 115 and 116 may include the first elastic base portion 115 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in the left direction and the second elastic base portion 116 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in the right direction. If an external force is applied to the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116, the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116 may be deformed elastically in the direction of the door 20. If the external force applied to the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116 is removed, the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116 may return to their original states or positions.
The panel assembly 140 may include a first panel 202 (front panel) rotatably coupled to the rear surface of the door 20 along a proximal side edge coupled by one or more first hinges 272 (see FIG. 4(a)), and a second panel 204 (rear panel) rotatably coupled to the first panel 202 along a distal side edge, which is not coupled with the first hinge 272 in both side edges of the first panel 202, by one or more second hinges 232 and 242 (see FIG. 8(a)). In another embodiment, the second panel 204 may rotatably be coupled to the rear surface of the door 20 along the proximal side edge coupled with the first hinge 272 by the first hinge 272, and the first panel 202 may rotatably be coupled to the second panel 204 along the distal side edge of the second panel 204 by one or more second hinges 232 and 242. Pivotal connection between the first panel 202 or the second panel 204 and the door 20 and pivotal connection between both panels may be reconfigured in various types for performing various anti-wrinkle functions. For example, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated with respect to each other and arranged by substantially parallel and overlapping configuration to pressurize clothes. However, in another example, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated to be configured in the same coplanar configuration suitable for hanging and fixing clothes or other fabric products. In other example, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated with respect to each other to form substantially triangular configuration together with the base panel 110. In this specification, the triangular configuration refers to "tensioning configuration" after the door 20 is opened and the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 hang and fix clothes and other fabric products in open, substantially coplanar configuration.
In this specification, the proximal side edge means a left or right edge arranged at one side rotatably coupled to a previous panel for connection with the door 20 or the base panel 110, or the door 20 or the base panel 110 by a random joint member or a random connection member, and the distal side edge means an edge arranged at the other side which is not connected with the joint member or the connection member. For example, the proximal side edge of the first panel 202 means an edge to which the first hinge 272 is coupled, and the distal side edge of the first panel 202 means an edge to which the first hinge 272 is not coupled, that is, an edge arranged in parallel with the proximal side edge or arranged to be farther than the proximal side edge with respect to the first hinge 272. The proximal side edge of the second panel 204 rotatably connected to the first panel 202 means an edge rotatably coupled to the distal side edge of the first panel 202 or an edge provided with a hinge rotatably coupled to the first panel 202, and the distal side edge of the second panel 204 means an edge not the proximal side edge of both side edges. If a third panel 206 connected with the second panel 204 is further provided, a proximal side edge of the third panel 206 means an edge rotatably coupled with the second panel 204 which is a previous panel for connection with the door 20 or the base panel 110, and the other one of both side edges of the third panel 206 may be a distal side edge of the third panel 206.
Any one or both of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may include the pressurizing side plate 144, and may substantially be parallel with upper and lower connection panels 142 forming the pressurizing side plate 144, and a middle opening 145 may be formed between the upper and lower connection panels 142 and the pressurizing side plate 144. The upper and lower connection panels 142 may be made of an elastic material and deformed depending on load if load is applied thereto. In another embodiment, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be made of a rigid material having almost no deformation, whereas the base panel 110 may be formed of an elastic material. Alternatively, as described above, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be provided with a plurality of elastic base portions 115 and 116 that may be deformed if load is applied thereto. If both panels 202 and 204 of the panel assembly 140 are rotated with respect to the base panel 110 in folded, overlapping configuration to pressurize clothes, the pressurizing side plate 144 of the second panel 204 in the panel assembly 140 may be a pressurizing surface that applies compression to clothes or other fabric products hung along the base panel 110.
As described above, in another embodiment, the panel assembly 140 may be designed such that at least some panels and members constituting the panel assembly 140 are provided with a telescoping member and/or a slidable extension portion that may vary a total length and width of the panel assembly 140 and may be adjusted in accordance with a size. A separate sheet made of a flexible material may be installed in the base panel 110 and provided between the base panel 110 and the panel assembly 140. The sheet made of a flexible material may more uniformly pressurize clothes and other fabric products supported by the base panel 110 if the panel assembly 140 is rotated with respect to the base panel 110 to pressurize clothes. One or more second hinges 232 and 242 provided in the panel assembly 140 may include a hinge interlock. Also, one or more second hinges 232 and 242 may include a hinge protrusion 2701 protruded therefrom such that the panel assembly 140 having a folded, overlapping configuration is coupled with a catch assembly 248 provided in the door 20 to pressurize the base panel 110.
The wrinkle removal module 100 that includes the panel assembly 140 has been described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 15. FIG. 3(a) illustrates one embodiment of the panel assembly 140 rotatably coupled to the door 20 and configured in folded, overlapping configuration (second configuration). The first panel 202 and the second panel 204 (partially covered in FIG. 3(a) and arranged between the first panel 202 and the door 20) of the panel assembly 140 are overlapped with each other, and the panel assembly 140 is rotated to adjoin the base panel 110, whereby the second panel 204 adjoins the base panel 110. FIG. 3(b) illustrates "tensioning configuration" of some shown in FIG. 3(a), which is circular configuration (first configuration). The first panel 202 is rotated to form an acute angle, and clothes, for example, first clothes 205 are hung on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140. Although FIG. 3(b) illustrates that the first clothes 205 are hung on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, another types of clothes or fabric products, for example, jacket, sweater, vest, dress, etc. may be hung on the base panel 110 or the panel assembly 140 to be subjected to tension and/or compression from the first chamber 12 and to be exposed to heated air, steam or cooled and dehumidified air.
In this specification, top clothes will be referred to as, but not limited to, first clothes 205, for example, shirt, and bottom clothes will be referred to as, but not limited to, second clothes 105, for example, pants. The first clothes 205 may include various top clothes such as shirt, y-shirt, and sleeveless shirt, and the second clothes 105 may include various bottom clothes such as skirt, leggings, short pants, and pants.
In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the first panel 202 may include a first partial hanger 220 provided on an upper portion 212 of the first panel 202, and the second panel 204 may include a second partial hanger 222 provided on an upper portion 214 of the second panel 204. In another embodiment, the first panel 202 may include a second partial hanger, and the second panel 204 may include a first partial hanger 220. This may be varied depending on various folding and unfolding states. For example, in still another embodiment, unlike FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the first panel 202 rotatably provided at the right side of the door 20 not the left side of the door 20 along the proximal side edge and the second panel 204 rotatably provided along the distal side edge of the first panel 202 may be provided in the door 20. In further still another embodiment, if the panel assembly 140 is rotated to adjoin the base panel 110 provided in the door 20, the panel assembly 140 may be rotated to be folded and overlapped along the rear surface of the panel 202 such that the second panel 204 is arranged between the first panel 202 and the door 20.
The first panel 202 may include upper clips 252 and 254 provided along one side edge of the first panel 202, for example, along a proximal side edge of the first panel 202, and the second panel 204 may include clips 256 and 258 provided along one side edge of the second panel 204, for example, along a distal side edge of the second panel 204. The clips may be used to fix clothes or other fabric products along adjacent arrangement surfaces of the first panel and the second panel, and may be used to grip the clothes or the other fabric products when the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other to apply tension. The clips used to fix some of the clothes or the other fabric products may be replaced with other type elements, for example, a magnetic board, a hook-and-loop fastener, or other touch fasteners. The terms "clip" may mean elements that may temporarily fix the clothes or the other fabric products in the tensioning and pressurizing steps disclosed by the embodiments of the wrinkle removal module 100 disclosed through the specification, and may include the aforementioned elements or other type elements. In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 5(c), 5(d) and 6(b), the first panel 202 may include additional clips provided along the side edge of the first panel 202, for example, clips 253, 254 and 255, and the second panel 204 may include additional clips provided along the side edge of the second panel 204, for example, clips 257, 258 and 259. The clips provided along the side edges of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may apply tension to clothes fixed to the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 as each arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, on which clothes are hung, is rotated to be far away from each other. As the first panel 202 is rotated with respect to the second panel 204, tension may substantially be applied to a horizontal direction or opposite direction.
As the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other, tensioning configuration to clothes may be provided. While tension is being applied to some of the clothes, the panel assembly 140 may include a plurality of tension clips 262 and 264 to fix some of the clothes. Clothes arranged between the second panel 204 and the base panel 110 are supplied with a compression force as the panel assembly 140 presses the base panel 110, and may be supplied with tension by the tension clips 262 and 264. As illustrates in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the tension clips 262 and 264 may be provided to the lower portion of the door 20, or may be provided in another position inside the door 20, the panel assembly 140 or the cabinet 10. For example, FIG. 3(b) illustrates a modified type of the panel assembly 140 in tensioning configuration (first configuration) by rotating the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 after the first clothes 205 are hung on the arrangement surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 in open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, a right sleeve of the first clothes 205 crosses a left portion of the first clothes 205 and a left sleeve of the first clothes 205 crosses a right portion of the first clothes 205 and then ends of both sleeves are fixed by the tension clips 262 and 264. At this time, the upper clips 252 and 256 may be provided to be downwardly inclined to be far away from the second hinges 232 and 242 such that each sleeve easily crosses an opposite side. In another embodiment, the tension clips may be provided in a rewinding manner of an extension cable connected to a coil spring included in a base portion (not shown) connected to the tension clips 262 and 264. Therefore, after the base portion is fixed to another position inside the door 20, the panel assembly 140 or the cabinet 10, the tension clips of the cable rewinding manner may be used to switch a direction of tension applied to some of the clothes. In the same manner as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3(b), the base portion (not shown) of the tension clips 262 and 264 may be arranged along a lower direction of the distal side edge of the second panel 204 and a lower direction of the proximal side edge of the first panel 202. In the configuration of FIG. 3(b), each of the tension clips 262 and 264 may apply tension in a direction substantially parallel with a direction of a sleeve fixed by the tension clip.
The first configuration, the second configuration and the third configuration used in this specification are divided depending on the type of the first and second panels 202 and 204 included in the panel assembly 140. That is, the first configuration means a triangular configuration in which an angle between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 forms an acute angle. This means a configuration used to remove wrinkles by applying tension to the first clothes 205 or apply compression to the second clothes 105 while applying tension to the first clothes 205. The second configuration means folding or parallel overlapping configuration of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. The panel assembly 140 having the second configuration is used to remove wrinkles by applying compression to the second clothes 105 after the second clothes 105 are hung on the base panel 110. The third configuration means an open, substantially coplanar configuration of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. This is a configuration for hanging the first clothes 205 on the panel assembly 140 before tension is applied to the first clothes. Therefore, in this case, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may form a smooth and continuous plane such as one plane. Therefore, the third configuration may be a configuration for hanging clothes on the panel assembly 140 in a middle step of the first configuration and the second configuration. When a configuration is simply mentioned without mentioning one of the first configuration, the second configuration and the third configuration, the configuration corresponds to one of the first to third configurations unless separately mentioned in this specification.
The upper clips 252 and 256 for fixing the first clothes 205 may be provided to be inclined below (portion corresponding to underarm of a human body) a portion where a side of the first clothes 205 and a sleeve arranged at the side are connected with each other. For example, upper edges 2521 and 2561 may be downwardly inclined (angle of 30° to 60°) to be far away from the second hinges 232 and 242. This assists to cross respective sleeves in an opposite side while preventing wrinkles from being generated on the first clothes 205. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 3(b), if the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other to form an angle of 60° between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 and form tensioning configuration (first configuration), tension may be applied to each sleeve of the first clothes 205 together with the other portion of the first clothes through crossing of the respective sleeves. In another embodiment in which tension of the panel assembly 140 is applied, an angle between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 is 60° and the first and second panels 202 and 204 are rotated to form another angle which is varied depending on a width of the door 20, a width of an opening arranged on the front surface of the first chamber 12 and a size of clothes hung on the panel assembly 140.
FIG. 4(a) illustrates a panel assembly 140 rotated to be far away from the base panel 110 and a door 20 in which the second clothes 105 are hung on the base panel 110, as the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are arranged in a folded, overlapping configuration (second configuration). FIG. 4(b) illustrates that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are configured in a folded, overlapping configuration and rotated toward the base panel 110 to pressurize the second clothes 105. The other clothes or fabric products, for example, the second clothes, scarf, pillow cover, sheet, fabric decoration panel, floor mat, etc. are hung on the base panel 110 and then fixed to be pressurized using the panel assembly 140 to remove wrinkles, and the cabinet 10 is closed by the door 20 that includes the base panel 110 and the panel assembly 140 to arrange the clothes or fabric products inside the first chamber 12 and then expose the clothes or fabric products to the heated air, steam or dehumidified and cooled air.
In one embodiment of the panel assembly 140 illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the panel assembly 140 may be rotated to adjoin the base panel 110 to pressurize the clothes such as the second clothes 105 arranged between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110. The panel assembly 140 may rotatably be connected to the door 20, or may rotatably be connected to the side of the base panel 110 by one or more first hinges 272 provided along the proximal side edge of the first panel 202. In another embodiment, the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 may rotatably be connected to the door 20 by one or more first hinges provided along the proximal side edge of the second panel 204, or may directly be connected to the side of the base panel 110. The first panel 202 may rotatably be connected to the second panel 204 by one or more second hinges 232 and 242 provided along the distal side edge of the second panel 204. In this case, the first panel 202 or the second panel 204 may rotatably be connected to the right side of the door 20 without being rotatably connected to the left side of the door 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). In this embodiment, in the folded, overlapping configuration of the panel assembly 140, the first panel 202 may be rotated to be modified to an open planar configuration with respect to the second panel 204, and the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be an open, substantially coplanar configuration. In any embodiment described above, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 are overlapped with each other to face each other, and the pressurizing surface of the second panel 204 may be rotated to be close to the base panel 110 while the clothes such as the second clothes 105 are being pressurized between the second panel 204 and the base panel 110. The pressurizing surface of the second panel 204 means a surface for pressurizing the second clothes 105 in contact with the second clothes if the first panel and the second panel are arranged in a folded configuration. If the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are arranged in an open, substantially coplanar configuration, the pressurizing surface means a surface headed for the first chamber 12 from the second panel 204. That is, the pressurizing surface means a surface arranged in an opposite direction of the surface headed for the base panel 110.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), a clothes hanger 120 may be provided to hang clothes or other fabric products to be pressurized on the base panel 110 arranged on the door panel 22 of the door 20. The clothes hanger 120 may have various shapes to hang various types of clothes, for example, scarf, muffler, pillow cover and floor mat, in addition to the second clothes. The second clothes 105 may be hung on the clothes hanger 120 configured to rigidly fix a hem of the second clothes, such as sleeve ends. In one embodiment, the tension clips 262 and 264 may be arranged on the lower portion of the door panel 22, and may partially fix an opposite portion of the hem of the second clothes fixed by the clothes hanger 120, for example, a waistband portion. The tension clips 262 and 264 may weight clothes or may be connected through one or more biasing members. This is to apply tension to the clothes in a direction substantially parallel with an inseam of the second clothes while wrinkles of the second clothes are being removed by being exposed to the heated air, steam and/or dehumidified and cooled air inside the first chamber 12 after the second clothes are pressurized between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4(a), the base portion (not shown) of the tension clips 262 and 264 of a cable rewinding manner may be arranged at the lower portion of the base panel 110, whereby the tension clips 262 and 264 may apply a substantially vertical force to the second clothes 105. In the embodiment in which tension is applied to sleeves of the first clothes as described with reference to FIG. 3(b), the base portion of the tension clips 262 and 264 of a cable rewinding manner may be arranged at the side of the door 20 or the panel assembly 140, whereby a direction of the tension applied by the tension clips 262 and 264 may be switched to a lower side direction.
In order to pressurize the second clothes 105 between the base panel 110 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140, the panel assembly 140 may move to a pressurized position through rotation. In some embodiments, the second clothes 105 may uniformly be in tight-contact with the base panel 110 by an elastic force provided by the panel assembly 140. In another embodiment, the base panel 110 may be formed of one flexible and deformable panel. In still another embodiment, as described above, the base panel 110 may be formed of an assembly of a plurality of plates or segmented plates. When the second clothes are fixed to the base panel 110, a groove may be formed in some of the base panel 110, where the hem of the second clothes 105 is arranged. Therefore, while the second clothes 105 are being pressurized, interference between the base panel 110 and a sewing line of the second clothes 105 may be avoided, and a contact area between the base panel 110 and the second clothes 105 may be maximized. If the base panel 110 is pressurized by the panel assembly 140 while the second clothes are being pressurized, the base panel 110 may be rotated or twisted near the fastener 113 (see FIG. 1) as much as a preset angle. Therefore, the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 may uniformly be in contact with the base panel 110. In one embodiment, in a state that the second clothes 105 are arranged between the base panel 110 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140, if the panel assembly 140 is rotated from a left side, where the hinge units of the door are arranged, to a right side, the first elastic base portion 115 is first pressurized and then the second elastic base portion 116 is pressurized. In one embodiment, the elastic base portions 115 and 116 may elastically be deformed to the left side based on the fastener 113 as much as a preset angle. Therefore, a pressure applied by the second clothes is dispersed to the second clothes and uniformly applied thereto.
The panel assembly 140 which is one embodiment of the present disclosure may apply tension to the first clothes 205 and apply a compression to the second clothes 105. For example, after the door 20 is opened, rotated in an open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) and then the first clothes 205 are hung on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated with respect to each other for folded, overlapping configuration as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). When the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other to apply tension to the first clothes 205, since the clips for fixing the side of the first clothes allow motion of the first clothes 205 fixed between a front portion and a rear portion of each clip, even though the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 is arranged in a folded, overlapping configuration (second configuration), excessive tension to the first clothes 205 may be avoided. After the first clothes 205 are hung on along the arrangement surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 and fixed thereto, if the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated based on the second hinges 232 and 242 to have folded, overlapping configuration (second configuration), the panel assembly 140 may be rotated toward the base panel 110 to apply tension to the first clothes 205 and at the same apply compression to the second clothes 105.
FIG. 5(a) illustrates that the panel assembly 140 provided in the door 20 is arranged in folded configuration (second configuration) and rotated to adjoin the base panel 110 if the panel assembly 140 is not used. FIG. 5(b) illustrates that the panel assembly 140 illustrated in FIG. 5(a) is arranged in an open configuration, that is, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are arranged in a substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) and prepared to hang the first clothes 205. FIG. 5(c) illustrates that the door assembly 140 in which the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are arranged in a folded, overlapping configuration is detached from the door. Also, FIG. 5(c) illustrates more clips 252, 253, 254 and 255 provided along the proximal side edge of the first panel 202 than the clips of FIG. 5(a). FIG. 5(d) illustrates that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 illustrated in FIG. 5(c) are arranged in an open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration). Also, FIG. 5(d) illustrates clips 256, 257, 258 and 259 arranged along the distal side edge of the second panel 204. In one embodiment, the sizes of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be adjusted as illustrated in an arrow of FIG. 5(d) to accommodate various sizes of clothes or other fabric products. The first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may include a plurality of telescoping members that may be connected and engaged with each other, whereby the respective panels may be enlarged and downsized at different heights and different widths. In another embodiment, the panel assembly 140 may include a slidable extension portion overlapped in parallel with each of the sides of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 to adjust a length or width within an allowable limit in the cabinet 10 and the door 20 if necessary. In still another embodiment, the panel assembly 140 may be provided to be detached from the door 20 and/or the base panel 110, and when the panel assembly 140 is not used, the panel assembly 140 may be detached from the door 20 and/or the base panel 110, together with the clothes hung thereon if necessary, and then may be hung on the hanger support bar 13 of the cabinet 10.
In one embodiment, the upper clip 252 arranged in the first panel 202 may be provided along the proximal side edge of the first panel 202, and may be arranged in a portion where a left side (the side of the first panel 202 on which the first clothes are hung) of the first clothes and a sleeve arranged at the left side are connected with each other, to fix the first clothes. Similarly, the upper clip 256 arranged in the second panel 204 may be provided along the distal side edge of the second panel 204, and may be arranged in a portion where a right side of the first clothes and a sleeve arranged at the right side are connected with each other, to fix the first clothes. In one embodiment, the upper clips 252 and 256 have fixed sizes, and a gap exists between a front portion and a rear portion of the clip, whereby a portion of the first clothes, which will be supported by the clip, may be inserted into the gap. In another embodiment, each of the upper clips 252 and 256 may include a biasing member such as spring, and may overcome a force acting on one direction of the biasing member to take the front portions of the upper clips 252 and 256 out of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. Therefore, after some of the clothes is arranged between the upper clip 252 and the first panel 202 or between the other upper clip 256 and the second panel 204 provided in the portion where the left side of the first clothes and the left sleeve are connected with each other or the portion where the right side of the first clothes and the right sleeve are connected with each other, clothes in the corresponding portion may be fixed by the clips which are taken out. If the panel assembly 140 is arranged in a folded configuration (second configuration), the first panel 202 may include a recess for accommodating the upper clip 252 of the fixed size such that the upper clip 252 is not more protruded than the front surface of the first panel202. Similarly, the second panel 204 may include a recess for accommodating the upper clip 256. The recessed state of each of the upper clips 252 and 256 on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may make sure that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated in a folded, overlapping configuration to apply compression to the clothes such as the second clothes by maintaining panel surfaces of the same height in view of the sides of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204.
FIG. 6(a) illustrates a rear surface of a clip such as the upper clips 252 and 256 illustrated in FIGS. 5(c) and 5(d), and illustrates a reinforcing rib 251 formed along an inclined direction of the clip. Each of the lower clips 253, 254, 255, 257, 258 and 259 may include a reinforcing rib similar to the reinforcing rib 251 extended along the rear surface of the upper clips 252 and 256 of FIG. 6(a) to reinforce each lower clip and improve contact with clothes hung on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204.
FIG. 6(b) illustrates that the panel assembly 140 includes the lower clips 253, 254, 255, 257, 258 and 259 in an open configuration to hang the first clothes 205 thereon. As illustrated in FIGS. 5(c), 5(d) and 6(b), the first panel 202 may further include one or more lower clips 253, 254 and 255, and the second panel 204 may further include lower clips 257, 258 and 259. The lower clips 253, 254, 255, 257, 258 and 259 may be coupled with a side portion of the first clothes (or other clothes or fabric products) by hinge and spring, and when the panels are rotated with respect to each other to apply tension to the first clothes and thus assist removal of wrinkles, the first clothes may be fixed to its original position. The lower clips 253, 254 and 255 may be arranged at a positon near a left lower end of the first clothes to fix the first clothes. In order to support the first clothes in both a width direction of the door and a length direction of the door, the lower clip 253 may be arranged below a portion where a left sleeve of the first clothes and a left portion of a body portion of the first clothes are connected with each other to fix the first clothes, another lower clip 254 may be arranged below the lower clip 253 to fix the first clothes, and the other lower clip 255 may fix the first clothes at a left lower corner of the first clothes. Similarly, the lower clips 257, 258 and 259 may fix the first clothes to the original position at a position near a right lower end of the first clothes. In order to support the first clothes in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, the lower clip 257 may be arranged below a portion where a right sleeve of the first clothes and a right portion of the first clothes are connected with each other to fix the first clothes, another lower clip 258 may be arranged below the lower clip 257 to fix the first clothes, and the other lower clip 259 may fix the first clothes at a right lower corner of the first clothes. The lower clips 253, 254, 255, 257, 258 and 259 may include a biasing member such as spring. Since front portions of some lower clips 254 and 258 may be taken out of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 by overcoming a deviated force of biasing member, both side portions of the clothes may be inserted between the lower clips 253, 254 and 255 and the first panel 202 and between the lower clips 256, 257 and 258 and the second panel204, and when the clips which are taken out are released, the clips may fix the clothes in the corresponding portion.
As illustrated in FIG. 6(c), each of the clips 253, 254, 255, 257, 258 and 259 may include a bump-out locking feature 237 that temporarily maintains (or retains) an open state of a front portion 238 of each clip with respect to a rear portion 236 of each clip. The bump-out locking feature 237 may be a protruded type, and when a user applies a small amount of force to override the bump-out locking feature 237, a fixed state of the clip to some of clothes fixed between the front portion 238 and the rear portion 236 may be released and/or closed. In other words, if the user override the bump-out locking feature 237, even though a force of a spring acts on a direction closing the clip (fixing the first clothes), the front portion 238 of the clip may be rotated by the bump-out locking feature 237 and maintained in an open state. Unlike this, if the user overrides the bump-out locking feature 237 by applying a force to the front portion 238 again, the front portion may be rotated to close the clips 253, 254, 255, 257, 258 and 259 by the biasing member such as spring. Also, as illustrated in FIG. 6(d), if the panel assembly 140 is rotated for tensioning configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3(b), each of the clips 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258 and 259 may include one or more anti-slip pads 231 and 232 to prevent the first clothes from being detached from the clips or aligned in error. The anti-slip pads 231 and 233 may be formed of a rubber material or another gripping material.
FIG. 7(a) illustrates that the panel assembly 140 is provided in the door 20 in an open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) in which first clothes 205 hung on a first partial hanger 220 of the first panel 202 and a second partial hanger 222 of the second panel 204 and the first and second panels 202 and 204 are arranged on a substantially coplanar configuration. FIG. 7(b) illustrates that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 on which the first clothes are hung are rotated with respect to each other to be far away from the side of the panel in a substantially triangular configuration (first configuration) to form tensioning configuration. When the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other for triangular tensioning configuration of FIG. 7(b) from the open, substantially coplanar configuration of FIG. 7(a), an arrow of FIG. 7(b) indicates that tension applied to the first clothes 205 by clips 252 and 254 provided at the proximal side edge of the first panel 202 and clips 252 and 254 provided at the distal side edge of the second panel 204 is applied in a substantially horizontal direction.
FIG. 8(a) illustrates that second hinges 232 and 242 for rotatably coupling the first panel 202 with the second panel 204 in the panel assembly 140 are detached from each other to detach the first panel 202 from the second panel 204. FIG. 8(b) illustrates that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotatably coupled with each other by the second hinges 232 and 242 along the distal side edge 213 of the first panel 202 and the proximal side edge 215 of the second panel 204. The second hinge 242 may include a hinge interlock 270 at a middle position along a length direction. The first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may include a middle opening 145 formed to pass through both panels as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b). This is to allow heated air, steam or dehumidified and cooled air to reach clothes or other fabric products hung along the arrangement surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 while tension is being applied to the clothes or other fabric products and allow the heated air, steam or dehumidified and cooled air to reach the clothes hung on the base panel 110 and the door 20 of the cabinet 10 while applying compression to the clothes arranged between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110 while compression is being applied to the clothes or other fabric products.
FIG. 10 illustrates a half portion of a hanger of which angle and length may be adjusted, for example, a first partial hanger 220 or a second partial hanger 222. The partial hangers 220 and 222 may rotatably be coupled to corresponding upper portions 212, 214 (see FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b)) of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 by using a hanger hinge pin 221. The partial hangers 220 and 222 may include a hanger pad 223 to prevent slip from occurring between the first clothes and the hanger. The hanger pad 223 may be made of a rubber material. For example, each of the partial hangers 220 and 222 may adjust angle and length to accommodate a profile and a shape of different shoulders of clothes hung on the panel assembly 140. If the partial hangers 220 and 222 may be rotated based on the hanger hinge pin 221 in an arrow direction as illustrated in FIG. 9, the partial hangers 220 and 222 may include an extension portion (not shown) extended in an arrow direction together with the hanger pad 223. For another example, each of the partial hangers 220 and 222 may be provided detachably, and may be replaced with a hanger having different shapes, different sizes or different hanger arm angles to accommodate clothes of different types, shapes, fabrics or sizes.
FIGS. 10(a), 10(b), 10(c) and 10(d) illustrate the panel assembly 140 rotatably provided in the door 20 and the door 20 provided with an wrinkle removal module 100 that includes the base panel 110. FIGS. 10(a), 10(b), 10(c) and 10(d) time-sequentially illustrate a step of hanging and fixing the first clothes 205 on and to one surface of each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, a step of rotating the first panel 202 with respect to the second panel 204 to allow one surface of the first panel 202 on which the first clothes 205 are hung to be far away from the second panel204, and a step of inserting the panel assembly 140 arranged in a tensioning configuration into the cabinet and closing the door such that the first clothes 205 may be treated inside the first chamber 12.
In the time-sequential step for applying tension to the first clothes illustrated in FIGS. 10(a) to 10(d), the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 may be arranged in an open, substantially coplanar configuration, the partial hangers 220 and 222 may be rotated toward the front side from the recess provided in each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, and the first clothes 205 may be hung on the partial hangers 220 and 222 to fasten buttons. The various clips 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 262 and 264 may fix sides and sleeves of the first clothes, and the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated with respect to each other to have an angle of 60° or the aforementioned angle therebetween. After the first clothes 205 are hung on the panel assembly 140, the step of rotating the first panel 202 with respect to the second panel 204 substantially applies tension to the first clothes in a width direction of the door and a direction of a crossed and inclined sleeves. This is because that tension is greater than a size of a radius of the second hinges 232 and 242 for coupling the first panel 202 with the second panel 204. As the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other to be far away from the side of the panel on which the first clothes 205 are hung, the radius of the second hinges 232 and 242 increases a distance between outer edges of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. That is, a sum of a length of an arc of the second hinge based on the width of the first panel, the width of the second panel and a supplementary angle formed by the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 is greater than a shoulder width (or the other width except shoulder) of the first clothes. The various clips 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 262 and 264 prevent unwanted wrinkles from occurring by fixing the first clothes to the panel assembly 140 in the time-sequential step of applying tension to the first clothes.
FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are a perspective view and an enlarged sectional view illustrating the door 20 and the panel assembly 140 in a state that the panel assembly 140 is closed by the door 20 and coupled by a locking unit such as an extension latch. FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) are a perspective view and an enlarged plane view illustrating the panel assembly in a tensioning configuration. As illustrated in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), when the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are not used to remove wrinkles of the first clothes, for example, when the panel assembly 140 is used to pressurize the second clothes 105 that may be arranged between the second panel 204 and the base panel 110, parallel and overlapping configuration may be maintained. The hinge interlock 270 may include an extension latch feature, and is a hinge protrusion 2701 coupled with the catch assembly 248 on the door 20 when tension is not applied to the first clothes by using the panel assembly 140, or when the second clothes 105 are pressurized as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). As the hinge protrusion 2701 is coupled with the catch assembly 248, the panel assembly 140 may maintain a folded configuration with respect to the base panel 110.
As illustrated in FIG. 11(a), the parallel and overlapping configuration (second configuration) formed by the second panel 204 rotated with respect to the first panel 202 to adjoin the first panel 202 may be modified to an open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. In this embodiment, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated with respect to each other based on the middle hinges 232 and 242 in the open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) to hang and fix clothes or other fabric products along the arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. After the clothes or other fabric products are hung and fixed, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated with respect to each other to be far away from the arrangement surface and then may be modified to tensioning configuration to the clothes as illustrated in FIG. 12(a). An auxiliary interlock 246 arranged at the distal side edge of the second panel 204 may include a locking unit such as an extension latch for coupling with the catch assembly 248 when the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated for modification to tensioning configuration to the clothes as illustrated in FIG. 12(b). After the first clothes 205 or other clothes or other fabric products are hung on the panel assembly 140, when they are exposed to heated air, steam and/or dehumidified and cooled air and arranged in the first chamber 12 to remove wrinkles, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may maintain a substantially triangular tensioning configuration through coupling of the auxiliary interlock 246 and the catch assembly 248 as illustrated in FIG. 12. As the second panel 204 is rotated with respect to the first panel 202 in a first rotation direction from the open, coplanar configuration to a tensioning configuration of an acute angle of 60° between both panels illustrated in FIG. 12(b), the hinge interlock 270 may be rotated in an opposite direction of the first rotation. Therefore, the hinge protrusion 2701 of the hinge interlock 270 does not cause a contact with the clothes hung on the arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the arrangement surface of the second panel 205, whereby interference may not occur.
FIGS. 13(a), 13(b), 13(c) and 13(d) are perspective views and enlarged sectional views illustrating an example of the panel assembly 140 provided in the door 20 of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 in FIG. 1. FIGS. 13(a), 13(b), 13(c) and 13(d) illustrate a configuration before clothes are hung on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 and an open configuration when the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are outwardly rotated to hang the clothes. As illustrated in FIG. 13(a), sizes of the first partial hanger 220 and the second partial hanger 222 may be preset depending on an ideal size and an optimal fixed position for the first clothes 205 having a size corresponding to the ideal size.
When each of the partial hangers 220 and 222 is not used, each partial hanger may be formed on surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, and may be accommodated in the recess 207 corresponding to shapes of the partial hangers 220 and 222. As illustrated in FIGS. 13(a) to 13(d), the partial hangers 220 and 222 may respectively be provided on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 and taken out of each panel through rotation, and the first clothes may be hung on the partial hangers 220 and 222. Thickness of each partial hanger and a hinge structure may be determined considering a preferable total thickness of the panel assembly 140 and strength characteristic for supporting the first clothes treated inside the first chamber 12 and applying tension to the first clothes.
FIG. 14(a) illustrates an example of the first panel 202, the second panel 204, and upper clips 252 and 256 provided to have the same height as outer sides of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, fixing clothes to apply tension. FIG. 14(b) is an enlarged view of the upper clips 252 and 256 in the panel assembly 140 that includes the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 having the a folded, overlapping configuration. As illustrated in FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b), since each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 includes a recess (not shown) for accommodating each of the upper clips 252 and 256, the recess may be provided to correspond to an external appearance of the upper clips 252 and 256, whereby the outer side of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 or a height of the arrangement surface on which the first clothes are hung may be provided at a predetermined height or less even though the upper clips 252 and 256 are provided. Therefore, the pressurizing surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be provided at the predetermined height or less, whereby the surface for pressing the second clothes may be provided in a plane shape having no protrusion. Therefore, the pressurizing surface of the second panel 204 that pressurizes the second clothes may be provided in the form of a plane that may pressurize the second clothes in a first configuration, regardless of the upper clip.
FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) are enlarged views of a portion of the panel assembly that adjoins the door 20 of the clothes treatment apparatus in FIG. 1 in a folded, overlapping configuration of the second panel 204 with respect to the first panel 202. FIG. 15(a) illustrates clips 257 and 258 biased at a position closed at the same height as the pressurizing surface of the second panel 204 to apply pressure to the clothes hung on the base panel provided in the door 20, or illustrates clips 254 and 255 biased at a position closed at the same height as the arrangement surface of the first panel 202 when the panel assembly 140. FIG. 15(b) is an enlarged view illustrating that the clips 254 and 258 are biased.
A width of the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110 may be related with an inner width of the cabinet 10 and the first chamber 12. The panel assembly may hang clothes greater than the width of the first chamber 12 on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 when the door 20 opens the cabinet 10 and both panels are rotated based on the hinges 272, 232 and 242 to be extended with respect to the door 20 to form an open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration). After the clothes are provided in and fixed to the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, as illustrated in FIGS. 3(b), 7(b), 10(c), 10(d) and 12, both panels may be rotated with respect to each other in a substantially triangular configuration with the door 20 and the base panel 110 and then modified to a tensioning configuration (first configuration). In case of tensioning configuration, the panel assembly 140 forms a triangular configuration, and each side may be smaller than that of the opening provided in front of the cabinet, wherein a difference between these sizes corresponds to a gap between the panel assembly 140 and the cabinet 10 when the clothes are hung on the panel assembly 140 and thus the door 20 is closed in a tensioning configuration.
As illustrated in FIG. 10(d), the door 20 provided with the panel assembly 140 having a folded triangular tensioning configuration may be closed, whereby the clothes hung on the panel assembly 140 may be exposed to the heated air, steam and/or dehumidified and cooled air inside the first chamber 12. An inner angle between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be 60°, approximately, and the first panel 202, the second panel 204 and the base panel 110 may form a triangular configuration. The shapes of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be maintained by the auxiliary interlock 246 provided at the distal side edge of the second panel 204 coupled with the catch assembly 248.
As an embodiment for implements a replaceable function of the wrinkle removal module 100 and the panel assembly 140, the panel assembly 140 may be maintained to be coupled to the door in a folded configuration as illustrated in FIGS. 4(a), 4(b) and 11, and may be rotated to pressurize the second clothes arranged between the base panel 110 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140. The wrinkle removal module 100 having such a configuration may serve to pressurize the clothes or other fabric products hung between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110. Each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 may include a pressurizing side plate 144 provided to be substantially parallel with the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. The pressurizing side plate 144 may be formed by the upper and lower connection panels 142, which are substantially parallel with each other, and may form an middle opening 145 between the upper and lower connection panels 142.
FIGS. 3(a), 4(a) and 10(a) illustrate that the panel assembly 140 having a folded, overlapping configuration (second configuration) in which the second panel 204 is arranged to be overlapped with the first panel 202 behind the first panel 202 before tension is applied to the first clothes 205. FIGS. 4(b), 13(a) and 13(b) illustrates the panel assembly 140 having an open, substantially coplanar configuration (third configuration) prepared to apply tension to the first clothes 205. FIGS. 7(a), 10(b) and 13(b) illustrate the first clothes 205 hung on the arrangement surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140, having at least a portion which is fixed. FIGS. 7(b), 10(c) and 10(d) illustrate the first clothes 205 to which tension is applied, after the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated with respect to each other to be far away from the arrangement surfaces of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 and modified to have an inner angle of 60°.
As illustrated in FIGS. 3(b), 7(a), 7(b), 10(b) to 10(d), and 13(b), when the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are arranged in an open, substantially coplanar configuration, the first clothes are hung on the first partial hanger 220 of the first panel 202 and the second partial hanger 222 of the second panel 204, whereby the first clothes 205 may be hung on the panel assembly 140. The terms "substantially coplanar smooth configuration" used in this specification means that an arrangement surface extended and connected along outer circumferential surfaces of the second hinges 232 and 242 rotatably connecting both panels from an arrangement surface of one panel to an arrangement surface of the other panel arranged in the same direction as both panels of the panel assembly 140 are aligned on the almost same plane within a normal manufacture and assembly allowance. Some motion of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 while the first clothes 205 or other clothes are hung on the partial hangers 220 and 222 may be expected, and a deviation may be expected and allowance may be allowed in the coplanar and smooth configuration in which the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated based on the middle hinges 232 and 242. Also, the first clothes may fasten buttons to be prevented from slipped from the hanger.
The ordinary skilled person in the art may understand that various embodiments and modifications are in the panel assembly 140 of the wrinkle removal module 100 and the base panel 110 related to the panel assembly 140, which are disclosed in this specification and having one or more clothes treatment functions. Also, the ordinary skilled person may understand that the disclosed method and apparatus are not limited to a specific state of the disclosed panel. If other clothes or fabric products are suitable for pressurization or tension, in addition to the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140, additional panel may be included. Also, the hinge interlock 270, the auxiliary interlock 246 and the catch assembly 248 may be configured unlike the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. The interlocks 270 and 246 and the catch assembly 248 may maintain the aforementioned various types of configurations by being coupled to the door while both panels of the panel assembly 140 is applying tension or compression to the clothes.
FIG. 16 illustrates a clothes treatment apparatus that further includes an auxiliary pressurizing panel for pressurizing second clothes (bottom clothes) between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110.
The second chamber 14 (machine room) provided at a lower side inside the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 16 may include an apparatus for generating heated air and steam.
As illustrated in FIG. 16, the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a cabinet 10 provided with a front surface, a door 20 rotatably coupled to the cabinet 10, opening or closing the front surface of the cabinet 10, a first chamber 12 arranged inside the cabinet, accommodating clothes, a second chamber 14 arranged below the first chamber 12, forming a space spaced apart from the first chamber 12, a blowing unit 52 provided inside the second chamber 14, circulating the air of the first chamber 12, a heat pump unit 60 provided inside the second chamber, dehumidifying and heating the circulating air, a steam unit 58 provided inside the second chamber 14, supplying steam to the first chamber, a base panel 110 fixed to the door, a panel assembly 140 including a first panel 202 rotatably coupled to the door 20 or the base panel 110 and a second panel 204 rotatably coupled to the first panel 202, capable of deforming a configuration of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 through rotation of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, and an auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 rotatably coupled to the door 20 or the base panel 110 and arranged between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110.
The auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 has a smooth surface, and may be arranged between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110 to remove wrinkles of the second clothes 105 while pressurizing the second clothes 105 hung on and fixed to the base panel 110.
Therefore, tension may be applied to the first clothes 205 by the panel assembly 140 and at the same time the second clothes may be pressurized by the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 more stably than the second panel 204.
The cabinet may be provided with the door 20 for opening or closing the front surface of the cabinet 10, and may form a treatment chamber 12 (first chamber) having an opened front surface.
The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a cabinet 10 provided with an opened front surface, a first chamber 12 provided inside the cabinet 10, accommodating clothes, a second chamber 12 provided to be spaced apart from the first chamber 12 below the first chamber 12, and a door 20 rotatably coupled to the cabinet 10, opening or closing the front surface. First clothes such as top clothes or second clothes such as bottom clothes may be hung in the first chamber. The heated air and/or steam generated by an apparatus provided inside the second chamber 14, generating heated air and steam may be discharged to the first chamber 12.
The clothes may be accommodated in the first chamber 12, and tension or compression may be applied to the clothes while the clothes are being exposed to the heated air and/or steam entering the first chamber 12. Therefore, the clothes accommodated in the first chamber 12 may be subjected to deodorization, refresh, sterilization, and removal of wrinkles. According to an example of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000, the hanger support bar 13 may be arranged at an upper portion of the first chamber 12 and provided to support clothes hung on a hanger. Motion of the hanger support bar 13 in the first chamber 12 may be implemented by a driver (not shown), for example, a motor. Types of motions of the hanger support bar 13 may include vibration motion, up and down motion, and left and right motion, which vibrate the clothes while the clothes are being exposed to the heated air and/or steam. As a result, the motions may assist to remove wrinkles of the clothes.
An air supply port 1411 and a steam discharge port 1412 may be provided on the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber to form a path of the heated air and steam generated inside the second chamber 14 and send the heated air and/or steam to the first chamber 12. In some embodiments, the air supply port 1411 and the steam discharge port 1412 may be provided on a surface of an area where the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber and the rear surface of the first chamber meet. The area where the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber and the rear surface of the first chamber meet may form a smooth and inclined surface, and the air supply port 1411 and the steam discharge port 1412 may be provided on the inclined surface. Also, an air suction port 1413 for sucking the air of the first chamber 12 to circulate the air may be provided to be closer to the front surface of the cabinet than the air supply port 1411on the bottom surface of the first chamber12.
In some embodiments, the heat pump unit 60 may heat the air in a condenser through heat exchange with a refrigerant, and may supply the heated air to the first chamber 12 through the blowing unit 52. Instead, a heat pump cycle is used inversely, the heat pump may supply the cooled and conditioned air to the first chamber 12. In some embodiments, the heated air or cooled air supplied to the first chamber 12 may be used to treat clothes or other fabric products hung on a hanger supported in the hanger support bar 13.
A tank module 70 for storing water may be provided at a front side of the second chamber 14. The tank module 70 may include a water supply tank 72 for supplying water to a steam unit 58 (see FIG. 2) and a drainage tank 74 for collecting and storing condensed water generated in the first chamber 12. In some embodiments, a tank module frame 71 may be provided in front of an inlet duct 56 (see FIG. 2) communicated with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber. A tank arrangement space 73 is formed between the tank module frame 71 and the door 20. The tank module frame 71 may detach the outside from the inside of the second chamber 14. In other words, the tank module frame 71 may detach the tank arrangement space 73 where the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 are provided, from the second chamber.
In any case, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be provided detachably from the tank module frame 71. However, unlike this case, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be coupled to each other in a single body and may simultaneously be provided detachably from the tank module frame 71. That is, the tank module 70 may simultaneously be detached from the tank module frame 71.
FIG. 16 illustrates that the rear surfaces of the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may be rounded at an upper side, and an upper portion of the tank module frame 71 correspondings to each rear surface may be rounded, unlike the Fig. 2 illustrates that each rear surfaces of both tanks is angled. Since a grip portion 78 is included in the upper portion of the front surface of each of the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74, if a user pulls the grip portion 78, the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 may detachably be provided by rotation based on a front lower end of the water supply tank 72 or a front lower end of the drainage tank 74. In other words, the water supply tank 72 or the drainage tank 74 may be rotated based on a point coupled with or supported in the tank support bar 75 and thus provided in or detached from the tank support bar 75. When the water supply tank 72 or the drainage tank 74 is provided or detached, to minimize interference, the rear upper side 7201 of the water supply tank 72 or the rear upper side 7401 of the drainage tank 74 may be provided to be rounded.
If the door 20 is closed, the door 20 may include a door panel 22 arranged toward the first chamber 12 from the rear surface of the door 20 or the door 20, at least one hinge unit 24 for connecting the door 20 and the door panel 22 with the cabinet 10 by a hinge manner, a door gasket 26 provided in the door panel 22 by tight contact with an edge of the cabinet 10 to form a sealing between the door 20 and the cabinet 10, and door liners 82 and 84 provided in the door panel 22 to guide condensed water generated in the first chamber 12 to the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber when the door 20 is closed. In some embodiments, the door 20 has a structure that may open or close the first chamber 12 and the tank arrangement space 73 at the same time. In another embodiment, a plurality of doors may be provided in the cabinet 10 such that each door may open or close the first chamber 12 and the tank arrangement space 73. The door liners 82 and 84 may be provided to face the first chamber 12 if the door 20 is closed, and may include an upper linear part 82 and a lower liner part 84. The door liners may guide condensed water generated on their surfaces to a drainage grill formed at some of the partition panel 11. The door gasket 26 may be provided in the door panel 26 to surround the door panel 22. The sealing between the door 20 and the cabinet 10 may be made by the door gasket 26. The door gasket 26 may individually seal the first chamber 12 and the tank arrangement space 73.
In this case, the rear surface of the door 20 means the inner surface of the door toward the first chamber 12 when the door 20 is closed.
When the user closes the door 20, the front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the front surface of the drainage tank 74 may face the door panel 22, and when the user opens the door 20, the front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the front surface of the drainage tank 74 may be exposed to the outside. Also, since each front surface of the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74 includes a window, the user may immediately check a level of water stored in the water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74.
Referring to FIGS. 16 and 2, the blowing unit 52 may include a blowing fan 54 and an inlet duct 56. The inlet duct 56 may be provided at a front side of the blowing fan 54, and the tank module frame 71 may be provided at the front side of the inlet duct 56. Therefore, the tank module frame 71 may detach the tank arrangement space 73 from the second chamber 14. The water supply tank 72 and the drainage tank 74, which are mounted on the tank module frame 71, may be arranged to be close to one of both sides of the cabinet 10. For example, the water supply tank 72 may be arranged to be closer to a right side of the cabinet 10 than a left side of the cabinet 10 in the tank module frame 71. On the contrary, the drainage tank 74 may be arranged to be closer to the left side of the cabinet 10 than the right side of the cabinet 10 in the tank module frame 71.
The steam unit 58 may be arranged to be closer to the right side of the cabinet 10 than the left side of the cabinet in the second chamber 14 in the same manner as the water supply tank 72. This is to simplify a connection path through which water moves from the water supply tank 72 to the steam unit 58 by arranging the steam unit 58 at the rear side of the water supply tank 72.
If the water supply tank 72 is arranged to be closer to the left side of the cabinet 10 than the right side of the cabinet 10, the steam unit may be arranged to be closer to the left side of the cabinet 10 than the right side of the cabinet 10 correspondingly.
Also, the inlet duct 56 may include an inlet duct entrance 561 communicated with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber, sucking the air of the first chamber 12, and an inclined path may be formed at the inlet duct entrance 561. This is to move the condensed water generated in the first chamber 12 and the door 20 to a sump (not shown) provided at a lower portion inside the inlet duct along the inclined path by passing through the inlet duct entrance 561 communicated with the bottom surface 11 of the first chamber.
The inlet duct 56 may be arranged at the front side of the blowing fan 54, and the steam unit 58 and the heat pump unit 60 may be arranged at the rear side of the blowing fan 54. The heat pump unit 60 may be supported by a supporter 65. The supporter 65 may be provided above a support base 15 that forms the bottom of the second chamber. Therefore, the supporter 65 may form a predetermined distance between the support base and the heat pump unit 60, and may provide a space for arranging the steam unit 58 in an inner space of the supporter 65.
The heat pump unit 60 may further include a housing 61 included in the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and an air discharge outlet 611 communicated with the air supply port provided in the first chamber 12 to discharge the air dehumidified and heated in the housing to the first chamber 12. A compressor (not shown) and an expansion valve (not shown) may be arranged outside the supporter 65 to circulate a refrigerant.
The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a multi-functional wrinkle removal module 100. If the door 20 is closed, the wrinkle removal module 100 may pressurize clothes or other fabric products in one of the aforementioned configurations while exposing the clothes or the other fabric products to the heated air, steam and/or dehumidified and cooled air. And/or, the panel assembly 140 may apply tension or stretching to the clothes or the other fabric products in another type configuration for implementing other functions.
Referring to the example shown in FIG. 16, since the wrinkle removal module 100 is provided on the rear surface of the door 20, that is, the inner surface of the door or the door panel 22, if the door 20 is closed, the wrinkle removal module 100 will be arranged inside the first chamber 12. The wrinkle removal module 100 may include a base panel 110 arranged in a length direction of the door along the rear surface of the door 20 or the door liners 82 and 84 to support clothes, a panel assembly 140 connected to the door 20 or the base panel 110 by one or more hinges to be rotatably coupled with the door 20, and an auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 arranged between the base panel 110 and the panel assembly 140.
Therefore, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 arranged in a triangular configuration (first configuration) in which tension is applied to the first clothes 205 may be coupled with the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 and/or the base panel 110 to pressurize the second clothes 105 arranged between the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 and the base panel 110. Therefore, since the panel assembly 140 pressurizes the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 during coupling with the door in the first configuration, the panel assembly 140 may also pressurize the second clothes 105.
Unlike this case, the panel assembly 140 may pressurize only the second clothes 105 even in the second configuration in which the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are folded and overlapped. The first panel 202 of the panel assembly 140 and the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may rotatably be coupled to the door 20 or the side of the base panel 110 by the first hinge 272. The second panel 204 may rotatably be coupled to the first panel by the second hinges 232 and 242.
The first panel 202 may include a first opening 1451 that passes through the first panel 202 in a thickness direction to permeate steam to the second clothes 105, and a second opening 1452 that passes through the second panel 204 in a thickness direction to permeate steam to the second clothes 105.
Also, the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may include an auxiliary opening 165 that passes through the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 in a thickness direction to permeate steam to the second clothes.
Therefore, when the panel assembly 140 forms a first configuration, that is, a triangular configuration, even though the panel assembly 140 is coupled with the door 20, steam may be permeated into the second clothes 105 pressurized between the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 and the base panel 110 by the first opening 1451, the second opening 1452 and the auxiliary opening 165.
When the panel assembly 140 forms a second configuration, that is, a folded, overlapping configuration and the panel assembly 140 is coupled with the door 20, the first opening 1451 and the second opening 1452 may form a middle opening 145, and the auxiliary opening 165 may be provided in a position corresponding to the middle opening 145, whereby steam may be permeated into the second clothes 105 through the middle opening 145 and the auxiliary opening 165.
FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b) respectively illustrate a second configuration and a first configuration when the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 is provided. First of all, the base panel 110 supporting the second clothes is coupled with the door 20. In the same manner as FIG. 1, the base panel 110 may partially be spaced apart from the door 20. The condensed water formed on the rear surface of the door 20 may move to the lower liner part 84 through a gap formed between the base panel 110 and the door 20 along the door liners 82 and 84 due to steam flown from the second chamber 14 to the first chamber 12. Therefore, the base panel 110 may partially be spaced apart from the door liners 82 and 84 to prevent water of the door liners 82 and 84 from being in contact with the clothes. Also, an elastic force may be given to the base panel to always pressurize the clothes.
The base panel 110 may be provided in a plate shape having elastic characteristic or a segmented plate shape. The base panel 110 may include a fixed base portion 112 fixed to the door 20, and elastic base portions 115 and 116 extended from the fixed base portion 112 and more spaced apart from the door 20 than the fixed base portion 112. In one embodiment, the fixed base portion 112 is extended along a height direction of the door. The base panel 110 may further include a fastener 113 for coupling the fixed base portion 112 to the door 20 at upper and lower portions of the fixed base portion 112. In order to support clothes or other fabric products in a pressurizing step described in FIG. 4(a), the elastic base portions 115 and 116 may include elastic surfaces which are flexible and deformable. The elastic base portions 115 and 116 may include the first elastic base portion 115 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in a direction (for example, left direction based on the fixed base portion) where the hinge unit 24 is arranged, and the second elastic base portion 116 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in an opposite direction (for example, right direction based on the fixed base portion) of the extended direction of the first elastic base portion. In one embodiment, the elastic base portions 115 and 116 elastically support clothes to uniformly contact the clothes where the clothes are being pressurized. The elastic base portions 115 and 116 may include the first elastic base portion 115 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in the left direction and the second elastic base portion 116 extended from the fixed base portion 112 in the right direction. If an external force is applied to the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116, the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116 may be deformed elastically in the direction of the door 20. If the external force applied to the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116 is removed, the first elastic base portion 115 and the second elastic base portion 116 may return to their original states or positions.
The auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may further include a recessed auxiliary groove 167 recessed in the length direction of the door 20 to prevent a seam of the second clothes from being pressed. The auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may pressurize the second clothes without pressing a sewing line of the second clothes even though the second clothes 105 are pressurized.
As illustrated in FIG. 17(a), an auxiliary interlock 246 may be provided at one side edge, which is not connected with the second hinges 232 and 242, of both side edges of the second panel 204. Also, the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may further include an auxiliary hole 169, which passes through the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160, at a side coupled with the second panel, that is, a side portion arranged to be far away from the first hinge 272. As illustrated in FIG. 17(b), after the auxiliary interlock 246 is inserted into the auxiliary hole 169 in the first configuration, the auxiliary interlock 246 may be coupled to the catch assembly 248 provided in the door to maintain the first configuration. Therefore, tension may be applied to regions B and C where the first clothes are arranged, and compression may be applied to a region A where the second clothes are arranged.
The region A means an area between the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 and the base panel 110, and regions B and C become an area where a length of the second panel 204 and the first panel 202 and a length of an arc based on an acute angle Θ between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 and a radius of the middle hinge are added to each other. Since the length sum of the regions B and C is greater than a width of a body portion of the first clothes 205, tension may be applied to the first clothes 205.
Although FIG. 17 illustrates that the auxiliary hole 169 is provided in the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160, and the auxiliary interlock 246 is inserted into the auxiliary hole 169 and then coupled with the catch assembly 248, a fixed portion 159 may be provided in the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 as illustrated in FIG. 16, whereby the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may be coupled to the door 20 or the base panel 110 by the fixed portion. At this time, the auxiliary interlock 246 may be coupled to the catch assembly 248 provided in the door 20 regardless of the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160.
FIGS. 18 briefly illustrates various embodiments of the panel assembly 140 that includes a plurality of panels. In FIG. 18, a hinge for rotation coupling of each panel is briefly illustrated for description based on a configuration of each panel, and the interlock and the catch assembly will be omitted.
Referring to FIG. 18(a), the panel assembly 140 may further include a third panel 206 rotatably coupled to the second panel 204, and the second panel 204 and the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may be arranged in parallel, and the first panel 202, the second panel 204, the third panel 206 and the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may be arranged in a first configuration of a trapezoidal shape to apply tension to the first clothes 205.
If the first panel 202 rotatably coupled to the side of the door 20 or the base panel 110, the second panel 204 rotatably coupled to the first panel 202, and the third panel 206 rotatably coupled to the second panel 204 have a trapezoidal shape, since the trapezoidal shape is longer than the width of the body portion except the sleeves of the first clothes 205, tension may be applied to the first clothes 205. Since the panel assembly 140 includes the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160, the panel assembly 140 may apply compression to the second clothes 105 regardless of the configuration of the panels 202, 204 and 206. If the panel assembly 140 is not used to remove wrinkles of the first clothes 205, the panel assembly 140 may be detached and then stored outside or hung inside the first chamber 12 for storage. Alternatively, the other panels except the first panel, that is, the second panel and the third panel may be detached. Also, the first panel, the second panel and the third panel may be modified to a second configuration of a folded, overlapping configuration without detaching the panel assembly 140, whereby less space may be provided.
Referring to FIG. 18(b), the panel assembly 140 may further include a third panel 206 rotatably coupled to the second panel 204 and a fourth panel 208 rotatably coupled to the third panel 206, wherein the second panel 204 and the auxiliary pressurizing panel 160 may be arranged in parallel, and the first panel 202, the second panel 204, the third panel 206 and the fourth panel 208 may be arranged in a first configuration corresponding to alphabet W shape, whereby tension may be applied to the first clothes 205.
If the first panel 202 rotatably coupled to the side of the door 20 or the base panel 110, the second panel 204 rotatably coupled to the first panel 202, the third panel 206 rotatably coupled to the second panel 204, and the fourth panel 208 rotatably coupled to the third panel 206 have an alphabet W shape, partial sides of the second panel 204 and the third panel 206 will be in contact with the first clothes. Therefore, the first clothes may be in contact with the partial sides of the first panel 202, the fourth panel 208, the second panels 204 and the third panel, a hinge connecting the first panel 202 with the second panel 204, and a hinge connecting the third panel 206 with the fourth panel 208. Since tension has only to be applied to the first clothes, the second panel 204 and the third panel 206 does not need to be in contact with the clothes.
Also, if the first panel 202, the second panel 204, the third panel 206 and the fourth panel 208 have an alphabet W shape, a distance B from the auxiliary pressurizing panel to the hinge connecting the first panel 202 with the second panel 204 or the hinge connecting the third panel 206 with the fourth panel 208 and a distance A between the hinge connecting the first panel 202 with the second panel 204 and the hinge connecting the third panel 206 with the fourth panel 208 may be adjusted in the W shape. That is, since A is reduced if B is increased and A is increased if B is reduced, the W shape of the panel assembly 140 may be adjusted to be suitable for the width of the body portion of the first clothes 205.
If the body portion of the first clothes 205 cannot be adjusted even in the W shape, the first panel 202, the second panel 204, the third panel 206, the fourth panel 208 and the base panel 110, according to FIG. 18(c), may selectively be modified to a second configuration of a pentagonal shape, whereby tension may be applied to the first clothes hung on the panel assembly 140. Therefore, the first clothes of which body portion has a great width may remove wrinkles by using the second configuration of the pentagonal shape.
If the panel assembly 140 is not used to remove wrinkles of the first clothes 205, the panel assembly 140 may be detached and then stored outside or hung inside the first chamber 12 for storage. Alternatively, the other panels except the first panel, that is, the second panel, the third panel 206 and the fourth panel 208 may be detached. Also, the first panel, the second panel, the third panel 206 and the fourth panel 208 may be modified to a second configuration of a folded, overlapping configuration without detaching the panel assembly 140, whereby less space may be provided.
Unlike this case, in another embodiment of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000, the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a panel assembly 140 that includes a first panel rotatably coupled to the door or the base panel and at least one or more panels connected to the first panel, wherein both side edges of at least one or more panels are rotatably coupled to adjacent panels. The configuration of the first panel and at least one or more panels connected to the first panel in the panel assembly 140 may selectively be modified through rotation of each panel.
Meanwhile, the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may be provided to remove wrinkles from one or more suits of clothes in an individual state at the same time or different times.
The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 implemented and described in various manners in this specification may include a cabinet 10 that defines a first chamber 12, and a steam unit included in the cabinet, discharging steam into the first chamber 12.
The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a door 20 opening or closing the first chamber 12, and an wrinkle removal module 100 arranged on the rear surface of the door 20. The wrinkle removal module 100 may include a panel assembly 140 and a base panel 110, and compression may be applied to the second clothes 105 in the second configuration of the panel assembly 140 and tension may be applied to the first clothes 205 in the first configuration of the wrinkle removal module 100. Also, the wrinkle removal module 100 may apply compression to the second clothes 105 of a pair of clothes and at the same time apply tension to the first clothes 205 while exposing the pair of clothes to the heated air and/or steam inside the first chamber 12 of the cabinet. The clothes treatment apparatus 1000 implemented and widely described in this specification may include the cabinet 10 forming the first chamber 12, and a steam unit 58 included in the cabinet, discharging steam into the first chamber 12.
The wrinkle removal module 100 of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a plurality of panels, wherein the first panel of the plurality of panels may rotatably be supported in the door 20, and the second panel of the plurality of panels may rotatably be supported on the first panel 202. In one embodiment, the wrinkle removal module 100 may include a panel assembly 140 that includes a first panel 202 rotatably supported along a proximal side edge in the door of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 and a second panel 204 rotatably supported along a distal side edge of the first panel 202.
The first panel 202 of the panel assembly 140 may be a panel arranged to be far away from the base panel 110 fixed onto the door 20 of the cabinet 10, and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 may be a second panel 204 arranged between the first panel 202 and the base panel 110 when the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are arranged in a folded, overlapping configuration and rotated.
In some embodiments, the sizes of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be adjusted. This is because that the pressurizing side plate substantially parallel with both panels may be coupled with a slidable extension portion or a telescoping member. The telescoping member or the slidable extension portion may adjust a total length and width of the panel assembly to accommodate clothes of various sizes.
The first clothes 205 may be supported along one side or arrangement surface of each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. Each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may include one or more clips to fix some of the first clothes 205 such that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated to be far away from each other to apply tension to the first clothes 205.
The clips may include a front portion 238 that is pivotally connected and spring loaded toward a rear portion 236. Each of the clips may include a bump-out locking feature 237 that enables the front portion 238 to remain in open state during mounting of an article of clothes to the panels. The front portion 238 of a clip with the bump-out locking feature may be released and rotated so that it closes against the rear portion 236 to clamp on a portion of the article of clothes when a user applies a small amount of force to override the bump-out locking feature 237. An anti-slip pad made of a material such as rubber to fix clothes may be provided on one of the front portion 238 and the rear portion 236 of the clip or inner surfaces of both the front portion 238 and the rear portion 236.
If the door 20 is closed, the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may include a base panel 110 fixed onto and supported in the door 20 headed for the first chamber 12 of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000. The panel assembly 140 may rotatably be supported on the inner surface of the door 20 or directly at an edge portion of the base panel 110. The panel assembly 140 may be rotated to contact the base panel 110 and apply compression to the second clothes 105 arranged between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110.
The base panel 110 may be supported at a fixed position on the door 20, and the panel assembly 140 may include a first panel 202 rotatably supported on the door 20 and a second panel 204 rotatably supported on the first panel 202. The first panel 202 may be supported in the door 20 by one or more hinges along the proximal side edge of the first panel 202, and the second panel may be supported by one or more hinges 232 and 242 along the distal side edge of the first panel 202.
In some embodiment, the panel assembly 140 may be detached from the door 20 of the cabinet 10, whereby the panel assembly 140 may be hung on a hanger support bar provided inside the first chamber 12 of the cabinet 10. In another embodiment, the second panel 204 may only be detached from the first panel 202.
The first clothes 205 may be supported in each of partial hangers 220 and 222 provided in both panels along one surface or arrangement surface of the first panel and the second panel. If the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are rotated to be far away from each other, each panel may include at least one clip for fixing some of the first clothes to apply tension to the first clothes 205.
If the first clothes 205 are maintained to be unfolded, the first clothes 205 are wider than a width of the cabinet 10 and thus may not be suitable for the first chamber 12 of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000. For example, the cabinet 10 of the clothes treatment apparatus 1000 may be wide to accommodate a pair of second clothes but may not be wide to arrange the first clothes by unfolding the first clothes in a state that the first clothes fastens buttons when the first clothes are generally hung on a hanger.
If the door 20 of the cabinet 10 is opened, in a state that the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 is modified to a third configuration of a coplanar configuration, the first clothes 205 may be hung on one surface or arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. The first panel 202 may include a first partial hanger 220 rotatably supported on the first panel 202, capable of adjusting length and angle, and a second partial hanger 222 rotatably supported on the second panel 204, capable of adjusting length and angle. The first clothes 205 may be hung on the first partial hanger 220 and the second partial hanger 222 along one surface or arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. The first clothes may fasten buttons arranged along a symmetrical center shaft of the first clothes to arrange the first clothes at the center of the first partial hanger 220 and the second partial hanger 222 of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204.
The clips provided along the proximal side edge of the first panel 202 may fix the side portion of the first clothes, and one clip may fix a connection portion between a left sleeve of the first clothes and a left side of a body portion of the first clothes, and additional side clip may fix the first clothes along a lower left side of the first clothes below the left sleeve. Similarly, the clips provided along the distal side edge of the second panel 204 may fix the other side portion of the first clothes, and one clip may fix a connection portion between a right sleeve of the first clothes and a right side of the body portion of the first clothes, and additional side clip may fix the first clothes along a lower right side of the first clothes below the right sleeve.
If the first clothes are completely hung on one surface or arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 by the first partial hanger 220 and the second partial hanger 222, which are adjustable, and are fixed to an original position by the clip along both sides of the panel, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated to be far away from one side or arrangement surface based on one or more second hinges 232 and 242 and arranged in a tensioning configuration to have a predetermined inner angle between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. If the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 are rotated and arranged in a tensioning configuration of the second configuration to have an inner angle formed by both panels 202 and 204, the door 20 may be closed to arrange the first clothes 205 hung along one surface or arrangement surface of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, inside the first chamber 12.
In the rotating step considering a radius of the second hinges 232 and 242 for rotatably coupling the first panel 202 with the second panel 204, if a distance from the proximal side edge of the first panel 202 to the distal side edge of the second panel 204 is gradually increased, after the first clothes are hung on and fixed to both panels, the step of rotating the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140 may apply tension to the first clothes.
The first panel 202 of the panel assembly 140 may rotatably be supported in the door 20 by one or more first hinges 272 along the proximal side edge of the first panel 202, and the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may rotatably be connected with each other by one or more second hinges 232 and 242 along the distal side edge of the first panel 202 and the proximal side edge of the second panel 204. The second panel 204 may include an auxiliary interlock 246 at a distal side edge of the second panel 204, which is the other side edge opposite to one side edge where one or more second hinges 232 and 242 are arranged. The auxiliary interlock 246 may include an auxiliary protrusion 2461 coupled with the catch assembly 248 provided in the door to maintain the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 having a first configuration with an inner angle formed between the first panel 202 and the second panel 204, that is, tensioning configuration.
One or more second hinges 232 and 242 may include a hinge interlock 270 coupled with the catch assembly 248 to maintain a contact state between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110 while the second hinges are not being used or compression is being applied to the second clothes 105 arranged between the panel assembly 140 and the base panel 110. In other words, when the panel assembly 140 is in the folded configuration or substantially triangular configuration, the panel assembly 140 may maintain contact state with the base panel 110 using the hinge interlock 270 and the catch assembly 248.
The clip on the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may include one or more spring arrangement clips biased from an open position to a closed position to fix some of the first clothes 205. When the clip is in the closed position, the clip may be equal to or lower than the arrangement surface along one side of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. In this case, when the panel assembly 140 is in contact with the base panel 110 to pressurize the clothes hung on the base panel 110, the clip may not interfere with the smooth arrangement surface of the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140. The clip may include fixed upper clips 252 and 256, each of which includes upper edges 2521 and 2561 provided to be inclined in a width direction of the door. The fixed upper clips 252 and 256 may be coupled with one portion of the first clothes at the connection portion of each side of the body portion of the first clothes and the sleeve portion of the first clothes to fix some portion of the first clothes. One or more spring arrangement clips may fix the side edge portion of the first clothes below the sleeve portion of the first clothes.
A method for removing wrinkles from clothes may use the clothes treatment apparatus that includes various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this case, the clothes treatment apparatus includes a cabinet 10 forming a first chamber 12, a steam unit 58 accommodated in the cabinet 10 to supply steam to the first chamber 12, a door 20 opening or closing the first chamber 12, a base panel 110 fixed to a rear surface of the door 20, and an wrinkle removal module 100 rotatably fixed to the rear surface of the door 20. The method for removing wrinkles from clothes may include a step of applying tension to the first clothes 205 in a first configuration of the wrinkle removal module 100, and a step of applying compression to second clothes in a second configuration of the wrinkle removal module 100.
The wrinkle removal module 100 may include a panel assembly 140 that includes a first panel 202 rotatably supported in the door 20 and a second panel 204 rotatably supported on the first panel 202. Each of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may include at least one clip for fixing each portion of the first clothes 205. The method for removing wrinkles from clothes may include a step of supporting the first clothes 205 along one side of the first panel 202 and the second panel 204. The first clothes 205 may be supported in a height direction of the door along one side of the first panel 202 and the panel assembly 140, and the panel assembly 140 may be rotated until the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 are overlapped with each other substantially in parallel. Therefore, tension may be applied to the first clothes 205. The panel assembly 140 may be rotated with respect to the door 20 to partially pressurize the second clothes 105 between the second panel 204 and the base panel 110 by allowing the second panel 204 to adjoin the base panel 110. In another way, the first panel 202 and the second panel 204 may be rotated in a folded, overlapping configuration without clothes hung on the panel assembly 140. The hinge interlock 270 of the panel assembly 140 may be coupled with the catch assembly 248 on the door, and may maintain a state that the panel assembly 140 presses the base panel 110, to pressurize the second clothes 105 arranged between the second panel 204 and the base panel 110. The panel assembly 140 having a folded configuration and tensioning configuration to the first clothes 205 may apply compression to the second clothes 105 arranged between the base panel 110 and the second panel 204 of the panel assembly 140. Afterwards, if the door is closed, the first clothes 205 and the second clothes 105 may be accommodated in the first chamber 12, and may be exposed to the heated air and/or steam to remove wrinkles.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims

Claims

A clothes treatment apparatus comprising:
a cabinet (10) having a first chamber (12) for accommodating clothes and a second chamber (14) for defining a machine room;

a door (20) rotatably coupled to the cabinet (10) for opening and closing the same;

a steam unit (58) accommodated in the second chamber (14) for supplying steam to the first chamber (12); and

a wrinkle removal module (100) comprising:
a base panel (110) mounted on an inner side of the door (20); and

a panel assembly (140) including a first panel (202) rotatably mounted to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110), and

characterized in that the panel assembly (140) includes a second panel (204) rotatably coupled to the first panel (202);

wherein a proximal side edge of the first panel (202) is rotatably coupled to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110) and the second panel (204) is rotatably coupled to a distal side edge of the first panel (202); and

wherein the first panel (202) and the second panel (204) are rotatable into a first configuration for tensioning clothes, in which an acute angle is formed between the first panel (202) and the second panel (204) to apply tension to a piece of clothing hung on the first and second panels (202, 204), and/or into a second configuration, in which the first panel (202) and the second panel (204) are folded one on top of the other and rotated onto the base panel (110) to apply compression to a piece of clothing arranged between the panel assembly (140) and the base panel (110) for removing wrinkles.
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the first configuration, the first panel (202) is at an acute angle with respect to the base panel (110) or the door (20), and the second panel (204) is at an acute angle with respect to the first panel (202) and attached to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110), such that the first panel (202), the second panel (204) and the base panel (110) form a triangle; and/or
wherein in the second configuration, the second panel (204) is arranged between the first panel (202) and the base panel (110) and/or the first panel (202), the second panel (204) and the base panel (110) are arranged in parallel to each other.
The clothes treatment apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel assembly (140) further includes a first hinge (272) rotatably coupling the proximal side edge of the first panel (202) to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110), and a second hinge (232, 242) rotatably coupling the second panel (204) to the distal side edge of the first panel (202), so that the first hinge (272) and the second hinge (232, 242) are provided at opposite edges of the first panel (202).
The clothes treatment apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a catch assembly (248) provided at the inner side of the door (20) or at the base panel (110), the catch assembly (248) being configured to attach the second panel (204) to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110) and/or to attach the first and the second panels (202, 204) to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110).
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second hinge (232, 242) includes a hinge interlock (270) configured to engage with the catch assembly (248) for attaching the panel assembly (140) to the door (20).
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 4 or 5 when depending on claim 4, wherein the second panel (204) includes an auxiliary interlock (246) provided at an edge of the second panel (204) that is opposite to an edge of the second panel (204), at which the second hinge (232, 242) is disposed, the auxiliary interlock (246) being configured to engage with the catch assembly (248) for attaching the second panel (204) to the door (20).
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 5, wherein the hinge interlock includes a hinge protrusion (2701) configured to be inserted into the catch assembly (248) for engaging hinge interlock (270) with the catch assembly (248) and configured to be rotated together with the second panel (204) and in an opposite direction than the second panel (204).
The clothes treatment apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first panel (202) and the second panel (204) are rotatable into a third configuration, in which the first panel (202) and the second panel (204) are coplanar, for hanging clothes onto the first and second panels (202, 204).
The clothes treatment apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an auxiliary pressurizing panel (160) rotatably coupled to the inner side of the door (20) or to the base panel (110) and arranged between the panel assembly (140) and the base panel (110), the auxiliary pressurizing panel (160) being configured to apply compression to clothes arranged between the auxiliary pressurizing panel (160) and the base panel (110) for removing wrinkles.
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 9 when depending on claim 4, wherein the auxiliary pressurizing panel (160) includes an auxiliary hole (169), the auxiliary hole (169) facing the catch assembly (248) when the auxiliary pressurizing panel (160) is positioned in parallel to the door (20);
wherein the auxiliary interlock (246) is configured to be inserted into the auxiliary hole (169) in the first configuration, and the auxiliary interlock (246) is coupled to the catch assembly (248) provided in the door (20) to maintain the first configuration.
The clothes treatment apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one clip (252-258) for fixing clothes hung on the panel assembly (140).
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 11, wherein the clip includes at least one upper clip (252, 256) arranged on at least one of the first panel (202) and the second panel (204), wherein the upper clip (252, 256) extends to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction.
The clothes treatment apparatus of claim 11 or 12, wherein the clip is arranged at an edge of the first and/or second panel (202, 204) opposite to an edge thereof along which the first and second panels (202, 204) are rotatably coupled to each other.
The clothes treatment apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a tension clip (262, 264) mounted on the door (20) for applying tension to an end portion of the clothes.