WO2025135450A1 - Clothing treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothing treatment apparatus of the present invention comprises: a cabinet; a drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet and accommodating clothing; a duct module including a circulation fan provided inside the cabinet to move air discharged from the drum; and a drying module provided separately from the cabinet and having a heat exchanger for dehumidifying and heating air moved from the duct module and supplying the dehumidified and heated air to the drum, wherein the duct module includes: a duct body that connects an intake portion through which air from the drum is sucked in and an exhaust portion through which air having passed through the intake portion is discharged to the drying module, thereby forming a path for guiding air sucked in from the drum to the drying module; and a fan receiving unit, provided inside the duct body, that accommodates a circulation fan and forms a path for guiding air having passed through the intake portion to the exhaust portion, wherein the fan receiving part includes: an inlet through which air having passed through the intake portion flows in; an outlet through which air having passed through the inlet portion is discharged toward the exhaust portion; and a fan receiving body that is provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provides a space in which the circulation fan is accommodated, wherein the fan receiving body is made of a foamed material.

Description

Garment treatment device

The present invention relates to a clothing treatment device. More specifically, it relates to a commercial dryer capable of performing drying processes such as sterilization, wrinkle removal, deodorization, and drying of clothing by supplying steam or hot air to the clothing.

In general, a garment treatment device performs any course of processing garments, and may include a dryer that performs a drying process.

In the case of commercial dryers, bulky and heavy clothing such as bedding can be loaded in a wet state compared to household dryers, and they can be equipped to perform more drying cycles to dry a large amount of clothing.

Accordingly, commercial dryers need to be designed to be much larger in volume and to supply a greater amount of hot air than household dryers, so that they can quickly dry a large amount of clothing.

When equipped with a drying module with a heat pump installed at the bottom of the cabinet like a conventional home dryer and a duct module with a blower fan, there was a limit to increasing the flow rate of hot air.

To address this, commercial dryers have recently appeared in which the drying module is installed at the rear of the cabinet to increase the flow rate of hot air.

The above commercial dryer is equipped with a duct module at the bottom of the cabinet and a drying module at the rear of the cabinet. Air passing through the drying module is supplied to the rear of the drum, and air discharged from the front of the drum moves back to the drying module through the duct module. Accordingly, the drying module is equipped with an evaporator at the bottom and a condenser at the top.

Since commercial dryers are mostly large-capacity, the output of the circulation fan that circulates the air is bound to be large, so they can be more susceptible to noise than household dryers. However, the duct module including the circulation fan of a conventional commercial dryer is composed of several press parts, and is vulnerable to leakage and radiated noise. Therefore, reducing the noise generated from the duct module is an important task for commercial dryers.

The present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a clothes treatment device that reduces the noise of a duct module having a fan receiving portion that receives a circulation fan.

The present invention aims to provide a clothes treatment device that reduces noise by manufacturing the fan receiving part as an integral part.

The present invention aims to provide a clothes treatment device that reduces noise by manufacturing a fan receiving portion using a foam material.

The present invention aims to provide a clothes treatment device that reduces noise by increasing the thickness of a fan receiving portion.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a clothing treatment device having a duct module including a fan receiving section manufactured integrally using a foam material.

The clothes treatment device of the present invention may include a cabinet, a drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet and accommodating clothes, a duct module including a circulation fan provided inside the cabinet and configured to move air discharged from the drum, a drying module provided separately from the cabinet and configured to have a heat exchanger for dehumidifying and heating air moved from the duct module and supplying the same to the drum, the duct module may include a duct body connecting an intake portion through which air from the drum is sucked in and an exhaust portion through which air passing through the intake portion is discharged to the drying module to form a path for guiding air sucked in from the drum to the drying module, and a fan receiving portion provided inside the duct body and accommodating the circulation fan to form a path for guiding air passing through the intake portion to the exhaust portion, and the fan receiving portion may include an inlet through which air passing through the intake portion is introduced, an outlet through which air passing through the inlet is discharged toward the exhaust portion, and a fan receiving body provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provide a space in which the circulation fan is received, and the fan receiving body is made of a foamed material. Can be.

The fan receiving body of the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be formed as an integral body.

The fan receiving body of the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be formed with a thickness of 5T or more.

The foam material of the garment treatment device of the present invention may be an EPP material.

The fan receiving body of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a fan housing that extends rearwardly from the inlet and provides a receiving space for receiving the circulation fan, and a fan flow body that extends from the fan housing and forms a flow path that guides air passing through the circulation fan to the outlet.

The fan euro body of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided to be thicker than the fan housing.

The fan receiving portion of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a connecting portion that forms a path to connect the outlet and the discharge portion to guide air passing through the outlet to the discharge portion.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may have a discharge area larger than the outlet area.

The inlet of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided adjacent to one side of the duct body, and the outlet may be provided adjacent to the other side of the duct body.

The inlet of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be positioned in front of the outlet.

The fan receiving body of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a fan fixing part provided at the rear of the fan housing to support the load of the circulation fan.

The fan fixing part of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be made of a material having stronger rigidity than the foam material.

The present invention has the effect of reducing noise of a duct module having a fan receiving portion that accommodates a circulation fan.

The present invention has the effect of reducing noise by manufacturing the fan receiving part as an integral part.

The present invention has the effect of reducing noise by manufacturing the fan receiving part with a foam material.

The present invention has the effect of reducing noise by increasing the thickness of the fan receiving portion.

Figure 1 illustrates the appearance of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a cabinet of a clothing treatment device of the present invention and a drying module detachably coupled to the cabinet.

Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates a duct module equipped with a circulation fan of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 5 illustrates the separation of the circulation fan from the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the rear and interior of the drying module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the mechanism of the auxiliary heat exchanger of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 9 illustrates the cabinet of the garment treatment device of the present invention and the drum removed from the cabinet.

Figure 10 illustrates the rear of the cabinet of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 11 illustrates the rear side of the drum of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 12 illustrates the appearance of the cabinet of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 13 illustrates a state in which the front panel of the cabinet of the clothing treatment device of the present invention is removed.

Figure 14 illustrates a sealing portion that seals the housing and front panel of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 15 illustrates the air flow path passing through the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 16 illustrates a side view of the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 17 illustrates the front of the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Figure 18 illustrates the rear side of the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Meanwhile, the configuration of the device or the control method to be described below is only for explaining an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the rights of the present invention, and reference numerals used identically throughout the specification represent identical components.

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may be equipped with a dryer capable of performing any drying cycle to remove moisture from clothing.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a cabinet (110) that accommodates a drum (150) capable of accommodating clothing, a drying module (20) capable of supplying at least one of heated air (hot air) and steam to the cabinet (110), and a duct module (30) that provides a path through which air inside the cabinet (110) can be discharged to the drying module (20) or the outside.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention can be equipped with a commercial dryer. Accordingly, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be installed in an environment where a large number of users perform the drying process repeatedly, or in an environment where a large amount of clothing such as blankets or bedding must be dried, compared to a household dryer. Accordingly, the clothing treatment device of the present invention must be equipped to accommodate a larger amount of clothing than a household dryer, and must be equipped to supply more hot air than a household dryer to perform the drying process quickly.

To this end, the clothes treatment device of the present invention needs to have a cabinet (110) with a larger volume than a configuration for accommodating clothes in a home dryer, the drying module (20) needs to have a larger volume than a drying module of a home dryer in order to generate a large amount of hot air, and the duct module (30) needs to have a larger volume than a duct module of a home dryer in order to allow a sufficient amount of air to move.

Accordingly, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided such that at least one of the drying module (20) and the duct module (30) is arranged in a separate configuration from the cabinet (110) and is detachably coupled to the cabinet (110).

As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can sufficiently expand the volume of the cabinet (110) without being restricted by the installation space of the drying module (20) or the duct module (30). Accordingly, the cabinet (110) can be equipped to accommodate a large amount of clothing without difficulty.

In addition, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can sufficiently expand the volume of the drying module (20) without being restricted by the installation space of the cabinet (110) or the duct module (30). Accordingly, the drying module (20) can also increase the volume of the heat supply unit that heats air or generates steam, so that it can be equipped to generate sufficient hot air capable of drying a large amount of clothing or sufficient steam capable of sterilizing and disinfecting a large amount of clothing.

In addition, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can sufficiently expand the volume of the duct module (30) without being restricted by the installation space of the cabinet (110) or the drying module (20). Accordingly, the duct module (30) can secure a path for moving a sufficient amount of air to the expanded cabinet (110) and the drying module (20), and a large-capacity filter described later can also be stably installed.

If the above cabinet (110) is provided with an opening through which clothes are put in, the drying module (20) and the duct module (30) may be provided so as to communicate with the cabinet (110) at a position that does not interfere with the opening.

When the opening of the above cabinet (110) is positioned at the front, the drying module (20) may be positioned at any one of the top, bottom, both sides, or rear of the cabinet (110), and the duct module (30) may be positioned at any one of the top, bottom, both sides, or rear of the cabinet (110) at a position that does not interfere with the drying module (20).

For example, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can place the drying module (20) at the rear of the cabinet (110).

Accordingly, the volume of the drying module (20) can be expanded to be larger than when the drying module (20) is arranged at the top and bottom of the cabinet (110), thereby maximizing the heating or heat exchange performance. In addition, since the drying module (20) is arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110) rather than being provided at the side of the cabinet (110), the overall width of the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be reduced, thereby allowing the clothing treatment device of the present invention to be easily arranged in a limited space in multiple units. In addition, since the drying module (20) is arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110), the flow direction in which the hot air is discharged can be made to match the flow direction inside the cabinet (110), thereby reducing the overall flow resistance.

Meanwhile, the duct module (30) can be placed on either the upper or lower side of the cabinet (110). This allows the overall width of the garment treatment device of the present invention to be reduced compared to when placed on the side of the cabinet (110).

The above duct module (30) can be placed at the bottom of the cabinet (110). As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can position the opening of the cabinet (110) higher from the ground, and the user can easily take out and put in a large amount of clothing through the opening.

Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the configuration of the clothing treatment device of the present invention is provided in a detachable manner.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may be manufactured such that at least one of the cabinet (110), drying module (20), and duct module (30) is separated from the other and detachably coupled to allow air to pass through.

In general, the drying module (20) is installed with heavy components for heating air or supplying steam, and may be relatively heavier than the cabinet (110) or duct module (30). In addition, the drying module (20) may have more electrical components than the internal components of the cabinet (110) or duct module (30), and thus may require more frequent maintenance.

To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be designed so that the drying module (20) can be detachably attached to the cabinet (110). Accordingly, the drying module (20) can be transported separately from the cabinet (110) to easily install the clothing treatment device of the present invention, and if there is a problem with the electrical components of the drying module (20), it can be replaced separately from the cabinet (110), and some parts of the drying module (20) can be replaced by separating it from the bulky cabinet (110), making maintenance work easier.

Meanwhile, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided with the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) as one unit. As a result, the connection between the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) is strengthened, so that the possibility of air discharged from the drum (150) leaking to the outside can be blocked.

In addition, even if strong vibration occurs in the cabinet (110) due to the movement of a large amount of clothing, the cabinet (110) can be prevented from being arbitrarily separated from the duct module (30). The duct module (30) can be placed inside the cabinet (110) and manufactured and transported at the same time.

This is only an example, and the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) may be provided as separate modules and may be provided so as to be detachable from each other.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of the internal structure of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention is equipped with an exhaust type, and the drying module (20) and the drum (150) are arranged to communicate with each other, and the drum (150) and the duct module (30) are arranged to communicate with each other. However, the drying module (20) and the duct module (30) may be arranged so as not to communicate with each other.

As shown, when the garment treatment device of the present invention is arranged in a circulating manner, the drum (150), the duct module (30), and the drying module (20) can be arranged so that air is communicated with each other. Accordingly, the garment treatment device of the present invention can be installed without difficulty regardless of whether the indoor space is connected to the outdoors as long as the installation space is secured.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a cabinet (110) having an exterior and an opening, a door (120) for opening and closing the opening, and a drum (150) rotatably provided inside the cabinet (110) to receive clothing input through the opening.

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a driving unit (160) that rotates the drum (150). Accordingly, clothing received in the drum (150) may be dried by being exposed to hot air supplied to the drum (150) during the process of rising and falling inside the drum (150) due to the rotation of the drum (150).

The above driving unit (160) can be placed in the cabinet (110).

Accordingly, the drum (150) and all components for rotating the drum (150) can be installed in the cabinet (110) itself, and can be maintained independently of the components of the duct module (30) or the drying module (20). In addition, since the entire configuration of the driving unit (160) is installed independently of the duct module (30), the duct module (30) omits a component for the driving unit (160) to pass through or be installed, so that the sealing performance of the duct module (30) can be enhanced.

The above duct module (30) may include a duct body (310) positioned lower than the drum (150) to receive air discharged from the drum (150), a circulation fan (330) positioned at the rear of the duct body (310) to move the air, and a fan receiving portion (320) that provides a space in which the circulation fan (330) is installed.

The above duct body (310) may be provided so that the outer surface is completely sealed to prevent air from leaking to the outside, except for air flowing in from the drum (150).

The above duct body (310) may be provided in any shape as long as it can allow air discharged from the drum (150) to flow into the upper portion and transmit the air to the rear.

For example, the duct body (310) may be provided in a case shape that is positioned at the bottom of the cabinet (110) to support the cabinet (110) and is shielded on all sides.

Alternatively, the duct body (310) may be provided in a configuration in which a rectangular solid frame, etc., which is arranged inside the cabinet (110) and supports the components inside the cabinet (110), is combined with a plate, etc., which shields the inside. For example, the duct module (30) may be installed inside the cabinet (110). The drum (150) and the duct module (30) may be provided to share a single cabinet (110). The duct module (30) may be installed inside the cabinet (110) that forms the exterior, or the duct module (30) may be installed at the bottom of the cabinet after the cabinet (110) is manufactured. As a result, hot air or steam may be prevented from leaking between the drum (150) and the duct module (30), installation and transportation may be facilitated, and aesthetics may be enhanced.

The above fan receiving portion (320) may be coupled to the duct body (310) or supported inside the duct body (320) to receive the circulation fan (330).

The fan receiving portion (320) may be positioned further rearward than in front of the duct body (310) to secure a space into which air discharged from the front of the drum (150) may be introduced. In addition, the fan receiving portion (320) may be positioned close to or in close contact with the drying module (20) to form a path for delivering the air to the drying module (20).

The above duct module (30) may further include a filter unit (350) positioned in front of the fan receiving unit (320) to filter foreign substances flowing into the circulation fan (330).

The above filter unit (350) is provided in front of the fan receiving unit (320) with a length corresponding to the width of the duct body (310) so as to be able to filter foreign substances discharged from a large amount of clothing without difficulty.

The filter unit (350) may be provided detachably from the duct body (310) so that accumulated foreign substances can be easily removed. The duct body (310) may include an extraction unit (314) through which the filter unit (350) is extracted, and the extraction unit (314) may be placed at the front of the duct body (310). Accordingly, a user can check the status of the filter (350) and clean it without being limited by the configuration of the drying module (20) or the door (120).

The above drying module (20) may be arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110) to supply hot air and steam to the inside of the cabinet (110).

The above drying module (20) may be arranged so that the front lower part faces the duct module (30) and the front upper part faces the back surface of the cabinet (110) or the drum (150).

The above drying module (20) may include a case (210) placed at the rear of the cabinet (110) and a heat exchange unit (240) placed inside the case (210) to dehumidify and heat the air.

The case (210) may be provided at a height that can face the entire back surface of the drum (150) from the bottom of the duct module (30). The width of the case (210) may be provided to correspond to the width of the cabinet (110) or may be provided to be smaller. Accordingly, if there is a space where the cabinet (110) can be installed, the case (210) can also be installed without a problem.

The front-back thickness of the case (210) may be made smaller than the front-back thickness of the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30). Accordingly, the volume of the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be designed to be compact.

The drying module (20) may further include a duct (220) disposed inside the case (210) to guide air discharged from the duct module (30) back to the drum (150). At least a portion of the heat exchanger (240) may be disposed inside the duct (220).

The above-mentioned euro duct (220) may be provided to extend in the height direction of the cabinet (110) or the case (210) to receive air discharged from the duct module (30) and guide it to the rear surface of the drum (150).

Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of a duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

It may include a duct body (310) that connects an intake part (316) through which air from the drum (150) is sucked in and an exhaust part (317) through which air passing through the intake part is discharged to the drying module, thereby forming a path for guiding air sucked in from the drum to the drying module, and a fan receiving part (320) that receives a circulation fan (330) that is arranged at the rear inside the duct body and forms a negative pressure, thereby forming a path for guiding air passing through the intake part (316) to the exhaust part (317).

The fan receiving portion (320) may include an inlet (3215) through which air passing through the suction portion (316) is introduced, an outlet (3216) through which air passing through the inlet is discharged toward the discharge portion (317), and a fan receiving body (321) that is provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provides a space in which the circulation fan is received. The inlet may be provided to be located in front of the outlet.

The above fan receiving body (321) may include a fan housing (320) that extends rearward from the inlet (3215) and provides a receiving space for receiving the circulation fan (330), and a fan flow body (3213) that extends from the fan housing and forms a flow path that guides air passing through the circulation fan to the outlet (3216).

The above duct body (310) may be provided to provide a space for air discharged from the drum (150) to move inside. The above duct body (310) may be provided in a case shape, or may be provided in a form in which a combination of frames forming a rectangular solid is provided and the frames are shielded with a plate.

The above duct body (310) may be provided with a high-strength metal material to support the cabinet (110).

The fan receiving portion (320) may be mounted on the duct body (310). The fan receiving portion (320) may be positioned at the rear of the duct body (310) and may be positioned at the rear of the filter portion (350).

The fan receiving portion (320) may form a path that takes in air from the front and discharges it from the rear. The front of the fan receiving portion (320) may further include a fan fixing portion (340) that fixes the circulation fan (330) to the fan receiving portion (320). Accordingly, even if the front of the fan receiving portion (320) is opened to a greater diameter than the circulation fan (330), the fan fixing portion (340) can prevent the circulation fan (330) from being separated from the fan receiving portion (320) and protect the circulation fan (330) from external impact or foreign substances.

The above circulation fan (330) may be arranged to be offset to either the left or right side of the duct body (310) or the fan receiving portion (320). As a result, the area of the vortex or dead zone where air does not flow can be reduced compared to when the circulation fan (330) is arranged in the center of the duct body (310) or the fan receiving portion (320).

The above duct module (30) may further include a partition panel (313) that is arranged in front of the fan receiving portion (320) in the duct body (310) and partitions the duct body (310) in the front-rear direction.

The above partition panel (313) may be provided to shield a portion of the open portion of the fan receiving portion (320), and may fix the fan receiving portion (320) to the duct body (310). However, in order to facilitate the integral production of the fan receiving body, at least a portion of the front surface of the fan duct body may be opened. For example, an open surface extending from an upper portion of the inlet (3215) may be formed.

The above protective panel (333) can be fixedly connected to the partition panel (313). The protective panel (333) is positioned to face the circulation fan (330), and an area facing the center of the circulation fan (330) can be penetrated to serve as an inlet for air to flow into the fan receiving portion (320).

Figure 5 illustrates an example of installing a circulation fan in the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5(a), the duct body (310) of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a first body including an outlet including an opening at the front, an intake portion at the upper surface, and forming a path for air passing through the intake portion, and a second body disposed at the rear of the first body, including an exhaust portion at the rear, and forming a path for guiding air passing through the first body to the exhaust portion. Meanwhile, the first body and the second body may be formed integrally, or may be manufactured separately and then combined.

The above first body (311) can be supported by having the filter unit (350) installed thereon.

The above second body (312) may be provided to support the load of the fan receiving portion (320) and the circulation fan (330).

The fan receiving portion (320) may include an inlet (3215) through which air passing through the suction portion (316) is introduced, an outlet (3216) through which air passing through the inlet is discharged toward the discharge portion (317), and a fan receiving body (321) that is provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provides a space in which the circulation fan (330) is received.

It may include a space in which the above circulation fan (330) is installed, a fan receiving body (321) into which air introduced into the duct body (310) is sucked, and a connecting portion (322) that extends to the rear of the fan receiving body (321) or is positioned at the rear of the fan receiving body (321) to form a path for delivering air discharged by the circulation fan (330) to the drying module (20).

The fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) may be provided with a material that can be manufactured using a foaming method. Accordingly, even if the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) are provided with a complex structure to form a flow path inside, they can be manufactured to have a thicker thickness than when manufactured using a metal material or resin series. As a result, even if the circulation fan (330) is provided to be large enough to generate a large flow rate, the fan receiving portion (320) itself can absorb noise, and the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) can also secure durability against high flow rates, and the overall weight of the fan receiving portion (320) can be greatly reduced.

In addition, materials that can be manufactured using the foaming method generally have very low electrical conductivity. Accordingly, even if the fan receiving portion (320) has a large volume and high-temperature hot air moves inside, the heat loss rate can be significantly reduced compared to when manufactured using metal or resin materials.

The fan receiving body (321) may have an open surface formed in the front through which air flows in. The fan receiving body (321) may have a space formed on one side for accommodating the circulation fan (330), and a path formed on the other side for guiding the air supplied from the circulation fan (330) in the width direction of the duct body (310).

The above partition panel (313) may be coupled to the front of the fan receiving body (321) to shield a portion of the open surface of the fan receiving body (321) except for the protective panel (333).

The above connecting portion (322) may be positioned at the rear side of the other side of the fan receiving body (321) and may extend to the front of the drying module (20). The connecting portion (322) may have a path formed therein through which air moves, and may have an exhaust port (3222) provided at the rear through which air is discharged.

The above-mentioned connecting portion (322) is provided separately from the fan receiving body (321) and can be fixed by being joined to the rear of the fan receiving body (321) through a force-fit method or a fastening member, etc. Accordingly, even if the extension directions of the flow paths formed inside the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) are different from each other, the product can be manufactured without difficulty using a foaming method.

The above circulation fan (330) may include an impeller (331) that generates power to move air and a fan motor (332) coupled to the impeller (331) to rotate the impeller (331).

Referring to Fig. 5(b), the circulation fan (330) may be supported by being coupled to at least one of the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322). In this case, if the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) are made of a material capable of foam molding rather than a metal or resin series, the rigidity for supporting the circulation fan (330) may be insufficient.

To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a fan fixing part (340) that is coupled to the fan receiving part (320) and fixes the installation position of the circulation fan (330).

The above fan fixing part (340) may be made of a material having higher strength than the foam material.

For example, the fan fixing part (340) may include a fixing plate (341) made of a metal plate shape that can be fixed by being fixed by being fixed upward by being fixed to the second body (312).

The impeller (331) may be placed in front of the fixed plate (341) and placed inside the fan receiving portion (320), and the fan motor (332) may be placed in the rear of the fixed plate (341) and placed outside the fan receiving portion (320).

The above fixed plate (341) may further include a through hole through which the fan motor (332) may pass. Accordingly, the circulation fan (330) may be coupled to the fixed plate (341) by having the fixed plate (341) inserted into the through hole.

The above fan fixing unit (340) may further include a fixing plate (342) that is positioned between the fan motor (332) and the impeller (331) and coupled to the fixing plate. The fixing plate (342) may be provided to shield a through hole formed in the fixing plate (341) and may fix the circulation fan (330) to the fixing plate (341).

Figure 6 illustrates the drying module (20) of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 6 (a), the drying module (20) may include a case (210) arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30). The case (210) may be arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110).

The above case (210) may be provided in a rectangular solid shape, and its height may be provided to be equal to or smaller than the overall height of the cabinet (110).

Referring to FIG. 6(b), the case (210) may include a flow path duct (220) that forms a flow path for supplying air from the duct module (30) to the drum (150), and an auxiliary flow path part (230) that is arranged on one side of the flow path duct (220) and forms a flow path for communicating the case (210) with external air. The flow path duct (220) and the auxiliary flow path part (230) may be arranged to be separated from each other so that air therebetween does not move to each other.

A plurality of heat exchange units for dehumidifying and heating air may be installed inside the above-mentioned duct (220), and electrical components such as a compressor that supplies refrigerant for heat exchange with air to the above-mentioned heat exchange units may be installed in the above-mentioned auxiliary duct (230).

The above heat exchange unit (240) may include an evaporator (241) provided inside the duct (220) to dehumidify air moving from the duct module (30), and a condenser (242) provided above the evaporator to heat air passing through the evaporator.

The above-mentioned duct (220) may be provided so as to communicate with the duct module (30) and the housing (140) or drum (150) of the cabinet (110) on the inside of the case (210), thereby forming a duct through which the air of the drum (150) circulates.

The above-mentioned euro duct (220) can be formed to extend in the height direction within the case (210).

The above auxiliary flow path (230) can be placed on one side of the flow path (220).

The above auxiliary flow path (230) may be provided with a height corresponding to the height of the flow path duct (220), but may be provided with a width smaller than the width of the flow path duct (220). As a result, the amount of fluid flowing in the flow path duct (220) can be secured.

The above auxiliary flow path (230) may be provided so as to be separated from the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) and communicate only with the outside air. As a result, the auxiliary flow path (230) may be prevented from being heated by hot air or exposed to foreign substances discharged from the drum (150). As a result, electrical components may be installed inside the auxiliary flow path (230) and operate stably.

The above-mentioned euro duct (220) may be provided in the shape of a duct placed inside the case (210) so that air can flow.

However, in order to simplify the configuration of the drying module (20) and reduce the weight of the drying module (20), the euro duct (220) may be automatically formed due to the configuration of the case (210). For example, the euro duct (220) may be automatically formed through the arrangement of the front plate forming the front of the case (210), the rear plate (212), the partition plate (217), and the side plate (211).

The above auxiliary flow path (230) can be automatically formed through the arrangement of the front plate, auxiliary plate (214), partition plate (217), and side plate (211).

The above auxiliary plate (214) may have multiple penetration holes installed in the height direction so that it can communicate with the outside air.

Referring again to FIG. 6(a), the case (210) may include a side plate (211) forming both sides and a rear plate (212) coupled to the side plate (211) to form the rear of the case (210).

The rear plate (212) may be provided to form the back surface of the duct (220) and block the duct (220) from being exposed to the outside. In this case, the case (210) may further include an auxiliary plate (214) that is arranged on one side of the rear plate (212) to form the back surface of the auxiliary flow path (230) and block the auxiliary flow path (230) from being exposed to the outside.

The above auxiliary plate (214) and the above rear plate (212) can form the back surface of the case.

The case (210) may further include a detachable plate (213) that is detachably provided on the rear panel (212) to expose the internal heat exchange unit (240) to the outside. Accordingly, the heat exchange unit can be cleaned or the heat exchange unit can be repaired or replaced by detaching only the detachable plate (213) from the rear plate (212) without detaching the entire rear plate (212) from the case (210).

The rear plate (212) may be provided with a back surface through which the heat exchanger is installed, and the detachable plate (213) may be detachably coupled to the through-hole area of the rear plate (212).

Figure 7 illustrates an example of the internal configuration of the drying module.

Fig. 7(a) illustrates the internal configuration of the case (210) in the drying module from the rear, and Fig. 16(b) illustrates the internal configuration of the case (210) in the drying module from the front.

Referring to Fig. 7(a), the drying module (20) may include a heat exchanger (240) that is installed inside the case (210) and dehumidifies and heats air supplied from the duct module (30) to generate hot air.

The above heat exchange unit (240) may include an evaporator (241) that is arranged in the duct (220) and cools the air supplied from the duct module (20), and a condenser (242) that heats the air that has passed through the evaporator (241).

The above evaporator (241) and the condenser (242) can be placed inside the duct (220) and can be placed in a vertical direction in the duct (220). The condenser (242) can be placed above and spaced apart from the evaporator (241).

The heat exchange unit (240) may further include a compressor (243) that receives refrigerant from the evaporator (241), heats it, and transfers it to the condenser (242), and an expansion valve (244) that expands the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser (242) to reduce the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant. The compressor (243) and the expansion valve (244) may be arranged inside the auxiliary flow path (230) and may be separated from the flow path duct (220).

The above heat exchange unit (240) may further include an auxiliary heat exchanger (245) connected to the condenser (241) and the evaporator (242) to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the outside air, and a switching valve (246) that selects whether the refrigerant delivered from the condenser (241) is to be supplied to either the expansion valve (244) or the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

The above auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the switching valve (246) can also be placed inside the auxiliary flow path (230) and separated from the flow path duct (220).

The above auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the switching valve (246) may be placed above the compressor (243), and the compressor (243) may be mounted on the bottom surface of the auxiliary flow path (230).

The above auxiliary heat exchanger (230) may further include an auxiliary fan (231) that induces external air to come into contact with the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

The above auxiliary fan (231) can be placed above the auxiliary heat exchanger (245). Accordingly, when the auxiliary fan (231) is driven, the outside air can cool the compressor (243) in the process of reaching the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

The drying module (20) may further include a control panel (232) that provides a command to perform a drying process by controlling at least one of the auxiliary fan (231), the compressor (243), the expansion valve (244), and the switching valve (246). The control panel (232) may be installed in the auxiliary flow path (230) to prevent exposure to hot air passing through the flow path duct (220). The control panel (232) may be arranged in a plate shape facing either the front or the rear of the auxiliary flow path (230). As a result, when the auxiliary fan (231) is driven, the control panel (232) may also be cooled by the outside air, and the control panel (232) may be prevented from interfering with the movement of the outside air supplied from the auxiliary flow path (230) to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

The above auxiliary flow path (230) may further include an auxiliary partition plate (233) that blocks air passing through the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) from accessing the control panel (232). The auxiliary partition plate (233) may be arranged between the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the control panel (232) and may extend to an area where the auxiliary fan (231) is arranged.

Referring to Fig. 7(b), the front plate forming the front of the euro duct (230) may be placed in front of the euro duct (230) and spaced apart from the front of the auxiliary flow path (230).

Alternatively, the case (210) may further include an additional plate that connects the partition plate (218) and the side plate (218) at the rear of the front plate to form the front of the euro duct (230).

The following description is based on an embodiment equipped with the above-described additional plate, but the same can be applied to an embodiment equipped with only the above-described front plate.

The above additional plate may be provided with an inlet (215) into which air passing through the duct module (30) is introduced at the lower portion of the euro duct (220), and a supply portion (216) positioned above the inlet (215) and through which air passing through the condenser (242) is discharged.

The above inlet (215) may be positioned at a position facing the fan receiving portion (220) at the bottom of the evaporator (241), and the supply portion (216) may be positioned at a position facing the rear body (152) of the drum (150) or the interior of the housing (140) on the rear panel (114) of the cabinet (110).

Accordingly, the air discharged from the discharge port (3222) of the connection portion (322) is introduced by the inlet portion (215), rises by the power of the circulation fan (330), passes through the evaporator (241) and the condenser (242) sequentially, is dehumidified and heated, and is discharged to the supply portion (216) to be discharged into the housing (140) and the drum (150).

The above evaporator (241) can cool the air and condense moisture, and the condensed water can fall from the evaporator (241) and be collected on the bottom surface of the duct (220).

The above drying module (20) may include a drainage unit (250) that communicates with the bottom surface of the euro duct (220) to discharge the condensate. That is, the drainage unit may be provided inside the case.

The above drainage unit (250) may include a drainage body (251) arranged on the bottom surface of the duct (220) to collect water, and a drainage pipe (254) extending from the lower portion of the drainage body (251) to the outside of the case (210) to discharge water. Due to the drainage unit (250), water condensed in the duct (220) may be prevented from evaporating again and flowing back into the drum (150), and the inside of the duct (220) may be prevented from rotting.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure in which an auxiliary heat exchanger of the clothing treatment device of the present invention is installed.

Figure 8 illustrates a state in which the switching valve (246) uses the auxiliary heat exchanger as an evaporator, but the switching valve (246) can change the flow path state to a state in which the auxiliary heat exchanger is used as a condenser.

Using the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) as an evaporator may correspond to a state in which the refrigerant passing through the condenser (242) passes through the switching valve (246) and the expansion valve (244) and is then guided to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245), and using the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) as a condenser may correspond to a state in which the refrigerant passing through the condenser (242) passes through the switching valve (246) and is then guided directly to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

Since the clothing treatment device of the present invention is equipped with a commercial dryer, it is necessary to quickly dry a large amount of clothing. To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may consider increasing the cross-sectional area (241) of the evaporator to supply hot air quickly from the beginning of the drying cycle and increasing the cross-sectional area of the condenser (242) to supply high-temperature hot air in the middle and end of the drying cycle.

However, if the area of the evaporator and the condenser is increased excessively, a problem may arise in which the volume of the drying module (20) is excessively increased.

In addition, if the area of the evaporator increases, it may initially help heat the compressor (243), but if the compressor (243) is operating normally, an excessive amount of heat may be supplied to the compressor (243), causing the compressor (243) to overheat.

In addition, if the area of the condenser is increased, it may help to quickly supply sufficient hot air at the beginning of the drying process, but if the compressor (243) operates normally, excessive heat may be supplied to the inside of the drum (150), which may damage clothing, and the temperature may uniformly rise throughout the circulating flow path, which may cause a problem in which the coefficient of performance decreases.

To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention additionally arranges the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the switching valve (246), so that the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) can be converted into an evaporator (241) and a condenser (242) as needed.

For example, at the beginning of the drying process, the control panel (280) can control the switching valve (246) to control the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) to be used as the evaporator (241). Specifically, the switching valve (245) can guide the refrigerant delivered from the condenser (242) to the expansion valve (244), and the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve (244) can pass through the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and then flow into the evaporator (241).

In this process, the refrigerant can absorb heat from the outside air in the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and then flow back into the evaporator (241) to absorb heat from the air flowing through the duct forming part (220). As a result, the energy of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor (243) increases further, so that the time for the compressor (243) to operate normally and increase the pressure of the refrigerant can be shortened.

When the compressor (243) operates normally, such as in the middle or end of the drying cycle, the control panel (280) can control the switching valve (246) to control the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) to be used as the condenser (242). Specifically, the switching valve (245) can guide the refrigerant delivered from the condenser (242) directly to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245), and the refrigerant passing through the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) can pass through the expansion valve (244) and then flow into the evaporator (241).

In this process, the refrigerant is heated by discharging heat from the condenser (242) to the air flowing through the duct (220), and then moves to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) to discharge some of the remaining heat back to the outside air. As a result, the refrigerant can be introduced into the evaporator (241) while passing through the expansion valve (244) with a significantly reduced enthalpy and having a sufficient temperature and pressure. As a result, the heat exchanger (240) can be prevented from being overheated, and the temperature difference between the evaporator (241) and the condenser (242) can be secured to be larger, thereby preventing the coefficient of performance from being lowered.

Figure 9 illustrates an embodiment of the drum structure of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

The above cabinet (110) may further include a housing (140) that is accommodated inside the cabinet (110) and accommodates the drum (150).

The above housing (140) may be provided in a case shape with the front open to accommodate the drum (150).

The housing (140) may be configured to have an open rear end. For example, the housing (140) may be composed of a bottom surface (141), two side surfaces (142), and an upper surface (143).

The rear surface of the housing (140) can serve as an inlet for air to flow into the drying module (20). In addition, a through hole formed through the bottom surface (141) of the housing (140) can be formed as a communication port (1411) for discharging the air to the duct module (30). That is, the communication port (1411) can communicate with the suction port (316) formed in the duct module (30).

The above-mentioned communication hole (1411) may be provided in the shape of a slit that penetrates the bottom surface (141) longer in the width direction than in the front-back direction.

The above drum (150) can be inserted from the front of the housing (140) and connected to the rear support member (172) connected to the rear panel (114).

The above drum (150) may include a drum body (151) having a cylindrical shape and providing a space for accommodating clothing.

The above drum (150) may further include a front body (153) that is coupled to the front of the drum body (151) to maintain the shape of the drum body (151) and prevent the clothing from being randomly discharged from the drum body (151).

The above front body (153) is provided in a ring shape and can form an inlet (1531) in the center through which the clothing is inserted.

The above drum (150) may include a lifter (156) coupled to the inner surface of the drum body (151) to elevate the clothing, and may further include a drum back surface coupled to the rear of the drum body (151) and fixed to the rear support member (172).

The above drum (150) may further include an exhaust hole (154) through which hot air can move by penetrating the drum body (151).

The above discharge holes (154) may be provided in multiple numbers along the circumference of the drum body (151). Meanwhile, the discharge holes (154) may be arranged further forward than backward of the drum body (151). As a result, the hot air introduced into the drum body (151) may move as far as possible to the front of the drum body (151), thereby drying more clothes.

The above-mentioned communication port (1411) may be arranged to be more forward than rearward of the bottom surface (141). The above-mentioned discharge hole (154) may be arranged in an area facing the communication port (1411). The above-mentioned discharge hole (154) may be formed to be much longer than the width of the communication port (1411) in the front-rear direction. However, the above-mentioned discharge hole (154) may be arranged to be more forward than rearward of the drum body (151) so that at least a portion of it may overlap the communication port (1411) in the height direction. As a result, the air introduced into the drum body (151) may be discharged while moving as close to the communication port (1411) as possible.

Meanwhile, the discharge hole (154) and the communication port (1411) can serve as a path for moving air, and the discharge hole (154) can be provided with a length corresponding to the diameter of the drum (150), and the communication port (1411) can be provided with a width corresponding to the width of the bottom surface (141). As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can omit a separate duct structure that is arranged in front of the drum (150) and guides the air discharged from the drum (150) to the duct module (30), and can prevent the length of the cabinet (110) in the front-back direction from being excessively expanded while also maximizing the length of the drum (150), thereby sufficiently securing a drying capacity suitable for a commercial dryer.

Figure 10 illustrates an example of the rear structure of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

The above cabinet (110) may further include a rear support member (172) that rotatably supports the drum (150).

The above rear support member (172) can form a center of rotation around which the drum (150) rotates and can serve as a rotation axis of the drum (150).

The above rear support member (172) can be fixed by being joined to the rear panel (114) forming the rear of the cabinet (110).

The above rear panel (114) can be fixed by being joined to the side panels (113) of the cabinet (110) and the rear surface of the housing (140).

The above rear support member (172) may include a rotation shaft (1721) coupled to the rear rotation center of the drum (150) and a bracket (1722) that secures the rotation shaft (1721) to the rear panel (114).

The above sealing portion (180) may further include a rear sealer (182) that seals between the rear surface of the drum (150) and the rear panel (114).

The above bracket (1722) is fixed to the inner surface of the rear panel (114) and may be made of a metal material that is stronger or thicker than the rear panel (114). The above rotational shaft (1721) may be provided such that one end is rotatably coupled to the bracket (1722) and the other end is coupled to the drum (150) so as to rotate integrally with the drum (150).

The above-mentioned rotation shaft (1721) serves to rotatably support the drum (150), and the power to directly rotate the drum (150) can be provided by the driving unit (160). As a result, the configuration of a separate driving unit (160) between the rear of the drum (150) and the rear panel (114) is omitted, so that the volume of the drum (150) can be further secured, and the gap between the drying module (20) and the drum (150) can be further reduced.

The driving unit (160) may be arranged closer to the rear of the drum (150) than to the front. Specifically, the cabinet (110) may include a front panel (111) arranged in front of the drum (150) and side panels (113) extending rearward from both sides of the front panel (111), and the driving unit (160) may be arranged closer to the rear panel (114) than to the front panel (111). As a result, it is possible to prevent the driving unit (160) from interfering with a discharge hole provided in the drum (150) described below.

Meanwhile, the rear of the duct module (30) provided at the lower portion of the drum (150) may include a fan housing (3212) that accommodates the circulation fan (330), a fan motor (332) provided at the rear of the fan housing that provides power to rotate an impeller that generates a flow of fluid while rotating, and an exhaust port (3222) through which air passing through the fan housing and the outlet is discharged to the drying module (20).

Figure 11 illustrates an example of a drum rear structure of a garment treatment device of the present invention.

The drum (150) may include a rear body (152) that is coupled to the rear of the drum body (150) to form the back surface of the drum (150). The rear body (152) may be provided in a disc shape and may be coupled to the rear peripheral surface of the drum body (150).

The above rear body (152) prevents the clothing from coming off the rear of the drum (150) and allows the drum (150) to rotate around the rotation axis (1721).

The above rear body (152) may be provided to face the outlet through which hot air is discharged from the drying module (20).

The above drum (150) may include a plurality of inlet holes (155) that penetrate the rear body (152) and inject the hot air into the interior of the drum body (151).

The rear body (152) may have a connecting portion (157) positioned in the center facing the rotation axis (1721) and forming the center of rotation of the drum. The inlet hole (155) may be positioned between the inner surface of the rear body (152) and the outer surface of the connecting portion (157).

The rear body (152) may further include a plurality of radial ribs extending from the connecting portion (157) toward the inner surface of the rear body (152), and the inlet hole (155) may be formed between the radial ribs. The rigidity of the rear body (152) may be further reinforced through the radial ribs.

The above inlet hole (155) can be formed in an area sunken into the drum body (151) from the inner surface of the rear body (152). The lifter (156) can be fixed by having its rear end joined to the front surface of the inner surface of the rear body (152) and one end joined to the back surface of the front body (153).

The above drum (150) may further include at least one of a bushing portion (158) that reinforces the rigidity of the above coupling portion (157) and a shaft coupling portion (159) that is coupled to the bushing portion (158) and fixes the rotation shaft (1721).

The above bushing part (158) is made of a material that is thicker than the above coupling part (157) or has higher strength than the above coupling part (157) so as to stably support the above rotational shaft (1721).

The above-mentioned shaft coupling portion (159) may be provided in a disk shape that is coupled to the free end of the rotation shaft (1721) and has a diameter much larger than the diameter of the rotation shaft (1721). The shaft coupling portion (159) is coupled to the bushing portion (158) with a larger area than the rotation shaft (1721), so that even if an excessive load is applied to the rotation shaft (1721), the rotation shaft (1721) can be prevented from being detached or separated from the drum (150).

The above-mentioned shaft coupling part (159) may also be provided with a material that is thicker than the above-mentioned coupling part (157) or has higher strength than the above-mentioned coupling part (157). The diameter of the above-mentioned shaft coupling part (159) may be provided to be smaller than the diameter of the above-mentioned bushing part (158).

Due to the above bushing portion (158) and the shaft coupling portion (159), the rear body (152) can be made of a relatively thin and light material, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the drum (150) and lowering the rotational moment for rotating the drum (150), thereby lowering the load on the driving portion (160).

The above rear body (152) can be folded rearward from the inner surface to secure an area or space where the rear sealer (182) can be installed.

The rear sealer (182) may be provided to surround the outermost surface of the inlet hole (155) and may be arranged along the inner surface of the rear body (152). The entire area of the outlet of the drying module (20) may be arranged within the rear sealer (182), and the rear sealer (182) may guide all of the supplied hot air to the inlet hole (155).

Figure 12 illustrates an example of the front configuration of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

When the above duct module (30) is installed inside the cabinet (110), the cabinet (110) may further include a cover panel (112) provided to shield the front of the duct body (310).

The above cover panel (112) can be arranged parallel to the front panel (111) and can be provided with a width corresponding to the width of the front panel (111).

The height of the cover panel (112) may be provided to be smaller than the height of the front panel (111), and may be provided to be smaller than the width of the cover panel (112).

The above front panel (111) may be provided with a height longer than its width.

The above cabinet (110) may further include a control panel (190) for receiving a command to control the garment treatment device of the present invention or displaying the status of the garment treatment device of the present invention on the upper part of the front panel (111).

The cabinet (110) may further include a payment device that is placed on one side of the control panel (190) to receive payment. The payment device may be equipped with any payment method that can process payment by inserting coins or communicating with a card, smartphone, etc.

The front panel (111) may be provided with an opening (1111) that connects the drum (150) to the outside. The cabinet (110) may further include a door (120) that opens and closes the opening (1111), and the door (120) may be rotatably coupled to the front panel (111) or rotatably coupled by a hinge joint (130) coupled to the inner surface of the cabinet (110) to open and close the opening (1111).

Figure 13 illustrates an embodiment of the internal configuration of the clothing treatment device of the present invention viewed from the front.

The above cabinet (110) can have a reinforcing frame (115) for fixing the side panel (113) placed at least on one of the front and rear of the side panel (113).

The above front panel (111) can be fixed by being joined to the reinforcing frame (115).

A rotatable drum (150) may be placed inside the cabinet (110). The drum (150) may have an inlet (1531) placed in front that communicates with the opening (1111).

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may further include a housing (140) accommodated inside the cabinet (110) and accommodating the drum (150).

In general, in the case of a household dryer, the drum (150) is provided in a cylindrical shape without a through hole formed on the circumference, and a support plate that rotatably supports the drum (150) is formed on the front and rear of the drum, and a duct through which the air communicates with a duct module (30), etc., can be installed on the support plate.

However, in the case of commercial dryers, the diameter and length of the drum (150) are much larger than those of a home dryer, and it is highly likely that a larger volume of clothes will be placed inside the drum (150) than in a home dryer.

Moreover, when a large amount of clothing is wet in the drum (150), the weight inside the drum (150) is much greater than that of a household dryer, so it is difficult to stably support the drum (150) with a resin-based support plate generally applied to a household dryer.

In addition, in order to dry a large amount of clothing accommodated in the drum (150), sufficient flow rate must be secured, but a duct through which the corresponding flow rate can pass cannot be installed with a resin-based support plate generally applied to household dryers, and even if the duct can be installed, the length of the front and rear of the cabinet (110) may become excessively long, which may cause a problem.

To improve this, the garment treatment device of the present invention can accommodate the drum (150) through the housing (140) and stably support the drum (150) through the lower surface.

The above housing (140) may be made of a metal material to stably support the support member (170) that supports the drum (150), and may be provided to have a thickness thicker than the cabinet (110).

In addition, the housing (140) is provided with a larger cross-sectional area than the drum (150) and is provided in a duct shape capable of moving air, thereby ensuring the maximum flow rate of hot air supplied to the inside of the drum (150).

In addition, the housing (140) is provided to receive air from the drying module (20) through the rear and guide the air to the duct module (30) from the front, so that the formation of a separate duct in the front or front panel (111) of the drum (150) can be omitted.

Specifically, the housing (140) may be provided with a communication port (1411) on the bottom surface that supports at least a portion of the load of the drum (150) to discharge air introduced into the housing (140) to the duct module (30). The width of the communication port may be expanded to the maximum width of the bottom surface of the housing, and the width of the communication port in the front-back direction may be sufficiently expanded in the front-back direction of the bottom surface of the housing. As a result, since the area of the communication port is secured, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may supply sufficient air to the housing (140).

In addition, the drum (150) is provided with a discharge hole on a portion of the circumference so that even if the drum (150) is extended in length to the front panel (111), air inside the drum (150) can be easily discharged through the ventilation hole. As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can secure a sufficient amount of air flow to dry a large amount of clothing as a commercial dryer.

Specifically, the housing (140) can be placed between the cabinet (110) and the drum (130) to form a path through which air moves.

The above housing (140) is provided to accommodate the drum (150) and may be provided in a duct shape to prevent hot air supplied to the drum (150) from leaking out of the cabinet (110).

The housing (140) may be provided so that the front and rear of the drum (150) are open, but the circumferential direction of the drum (150) is shielded.

The housing (140) may be provided so that the rear can communicate with the drying module (20) and the front can contact the front panel (111). As a result, hot air supplied from the drying module (20) can be guided to the front of the drum (150).

In addition, the housing (140) may be provided to communicate with the duct module (30). In order for the hot air supplied from the drying module (20) to sufficiently travel to the front of the drum (150), the housing (140) and the duct module (30) may be provided to communicate at a position closer to the front panel than the rear panel of the cabinet (110).

The cabinet (110) may further include a support member (170) that rotatably supports the drum (150) inside. As a result, the drum (150) can rotate stably inside the cabinet (110) without vibration or positional change exceeding a reference value while holding heavy or large amounts of clothing.

The housing (140) can be supported by having at least a portion of the support member (170) secured thereto. To this end, the housing (140) can be secured and fixed to the upper portion of the duct module (30).

The above support member (170) may be placed on the bottom surface of the housing (140) and the outer surface of the drum (150), and may also be placed on the lower portions of both sides of the drum (150).

The above housing (140) may be provided with a different shape from the drum (150) as long as it can accommodate the drum (150) and guide hot air to the front of the drum (150).

For example, the drum (150) may have a circular cross-section in the diametric direction, but the housing (140) may have a polygonal cross-section in the height direction.

The above hinge joint (130) can be fixed by being joined to the housing (140).

The above hinge joint (130) can be coupled to both sides of the housing (140) and can be coupled to the inner surface of the housing (140) so that the coupling between the housing (140) and the side panel (113) of the cabinet is not hindered.

The above housing (140) may be made of a metal material and may be provided to support the support member (170) and the hinge joint member (130).

Meanwhile, the housing (140) can support the driving unit (160) outside the housing (140).

Figure 14 illustrates an example of a sealing structure of a clothing treatment device of the present invention.

The housing (140) may be provided so that the front is open so that the drum (150) can be easily installed or replaced inside the housing (140).

The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a sealing portion (180) provided in the housing (140) to prevent hot air or steam supplied from the drying module (20) from leaking out of the cabinet (110).

Specifically, the sealing portion (180) may include the front sealer (181) coupled to the housing (140).

The above front sealer (181) may be provided to seal between the front surface of the housing (140) and the inner surface of the front panel (111).

The front sealer (181) may be coupled along the perimeter of the front surface of the housing (140). The front sealer (181) may be provided as an elastic member that is coupled and fixed to the end of the front surface of the housing (140).

The above front sealer (181) may be provided so as to be in contact with the inner surface of the front panel (111).

The area of the front surface of the housing (140) may be provided to be larger than the diameter of the drum (150) and the diameter of the opening (1111). Accordingly, the front sealer (181) may be placed outside the opening (1111) and the drum (150).

In addition, since the housing (140) is a fixed configuration inside the cabinet (110), the front sealer (181) can be maintained in a fixed state when it is coupled to the housing (140). Accordingly, the front sealer (181) can exhibit higher sealing performance than that coupled to a moving object such as a drum.

Meanwhile, since the front sealer (181) is arranged along the front perimeter of the housing (140), the support member (170) and the hinge joint member (130), etc., can be arranged on the inner side of the front sealer (181).

The above duct module (30) can be placed outside the front sealer (181).

Due to the above front sealer (181), the interior of the housing (140) is communicated with the drying module (20) so that hot air can move, but the hot air can be prevented from leaking between the exterior of the housing (140) and the interior of the cabinet (110).

Figure 15 illustrates the air flow path in the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

The fan receiving portion (320) can form a flow path inside the duct body (310). That is, air sucked into the suction portion (316) can flow into the fan receiving body (321) through the inlet (3215), move to the connection portion (322) through the outlet (3216), and flow into the drying module (20) through the discharge portion (317).

Accordingly, the flow path inside the duct body can be changed depending on the arrangement of the inlet (3215) and the outlet (3216).

Depending on the euro, there may be a difference in the amount of load applied to the circulation fan (330), which can induce efficient movement of the fluid.

Accordingly, the fan receiving portion (320) of the present invention can place the circulation fan (330) and the inlet on one side of the duct body, and place the outlet and the discharge port on the other side of the duct body. As a result, the length of the flow path can be increased in a limited space, thereby preventing the circulation fan from being overloaded and ensuring smooth flow of the fluid.

If a complex path such as the above is formed, the frequency of contact between air and the fan receiving body (321) increases, which may increase the frequency of noise generation. Therefore, in order to reduce noise, the fan receiving body may be manufactured from a foam material that absorbs noise, and may be manufactured with a thickness of 5T or more.

Since the foam material can be molded under low pressure, a molded product with a large projected area can be molded using a molding machine with low molding force. That is, the fan receiving body (321) can be manufactured as an integral part. As a result, air leakage due to a gap existing in the joint can be minimized, and noise generated inside the fan receiving body can be minimized from leaking to the outside.

The above foam material may be EPP (Expanded Polypropylene), EPS, PVC, urethane, etc., and any material that has excellent sound absorption and insulation and can be used to manufacture the fan receiving body (321) as an integral part may be used.

Figure 16 illustrates a side view of the duct body where the fan receiving portion is located.

The above duct body (310) may be provided with a first body (311) positioned at the front and a second body extending rearward from the first body.

The first body is provided with the filter part (350) detachably mounted on the bottom surface, and the suction part (316) is provided at the front upper portion at a position corresponding to the communication port (1411) so as to communicate with the housing (140). In addition, openings are provided at the front and rear so that the filter part (350) and the fan receiving part (320) mounted on the second body can be withdrawn. Meanwhile, the openings can be opened and closed by the cover panel (112). As a result, maintenance of the filter part and the fan receiving part can be facilitated.

Meanwhile, the second body (312) may be provided at the rear of the first body (311). The second body may be provided integrally by extending from the first body, or may be manufactured separately and combined with the first body.

The second body (312) can be removably mounted on the bottom surface of the fan receiving portion (320). Accordingly, the fan receiving portion is provided behind the filter portion (350), and thus, air passing through the fan receiving portion can be air from which foreign substances have been removed by the filter portion. As a result, the risk of foreign substances accumulating in the circulation fan (330) and causing damage can be reduced.

The impeller (331) is provided inside the fan housing (3212), and the fan motor (332) that rotates the impeller may be provided at the rear of the fan housing corresponding to the impeller, and the inlet and the circulation fan (330) may be provided to face each other. As a result, air introduced through the suction portion (316) may be smoothly introduced into the fan receiving body.

Figure 17 illustrates the front view of the fan receiving unit.

Air passing through the above suction portion (316) can pass through the inlet (3215) by the negative pressure formed by the circulation fan (330) accommodated in the fan housing (3212), pass through the fan housing (3212), along the fan body (3213), through the outlet (3216), through the discharge port (3222) guided by the connection portion (332), and pass through the inlet portion (215) to the drying module (20).

The above fan housing (3212) may be provided in a shape corresponding to the impeller (331). As a result, friction caused by the flow formed by the rotation of the impeller can be minimized, thereby reducing noise and improving the durability of the fan receiving portion.

Meanwhile, since the pressure of the air discharged from the impeller (331) is the greatest among the fan receiving parts, the thickness of the fan body (3213), which the air discharged from the impeller comes into contact with first, may be provided to be thicker than the thickness of the fan housing (3212). For example, the fan body may be manufactured to be 15T or thicker. As a result, damage caused by the pressure can be prevented and noise can be reduced.

In addition, the fan euro body (3213) may be provided so that the flow path is formed at a higher position than the rotation axis of the circulation fan (330). That is, the fan euro body may be provided so as to protrude upward more than the lower surface of the inlet (3215, see FIG. 15). That is, air passing through the circulation fan may move upward and be guided to the outlet (3216, see FIG. 15).

In this way, the speed can be increased by reducing the area of the euro, and air can be smoothly supplied to the drum (150) located above the duct module (30).

Meanwhile, at least a portion of the front surface of the fan body (3213) can be opened.

The open surface of the above fan body (3213) may be provided to extend from the inlet. Accordingly, it may be easy to manufacture the fan body as an integral body by foam molding.

Figure 18 illustrates the rear side of the fan receiving section.

Air introduced into the fan receiving body (321) passes through the outlet (3216) and moves to the connecting portion (322), and the connecting portion (322) can guide the air to pass through the discharge portion (317) and the inlet portion (215), and the air that passes through the inlet portion can be introduced into the drying module (20).

The above-mentioned connecting portion (322) may be manufactured separately from and combined with the fan euro body (3213), or may be manufactured integrally with the fan euro body. By manufacturing it integrally, air leakage can be prevented, but manufacturing may be difficult. In addition, the connecting portion may also be provided with a foamed material, and when provided with a foamed material, it may be manufactured with a thickness of 5T or more.

Meanwhile, the fan receiving body (321) may be made of a foam material. As a result, vibration may occur when the circulation fan (330) is driven, which may damage the fan receiving body or cause the circulation fan to detach from the fan housing (3212). Accordingly, the fixed plate (341) may be fixed to the second body and made of a material having higher rigidity than the foam material to support the circulation fan (330) and the fan receiving portion.

By fixing the fan receiving portion (320) and the circulation fan (330) by the fixing plate (341), vibration during operation of the circulation fan can be reduced, thereby reducing noise, and the circulation fan can be prevented from being arbitrarily separated from the fan housing.

The present invention may be implemented in various modified forms, and the scope of the rights is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, if a modified embodiment includes an element of the claims of the present invention, it should be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (19)

cabinet; A drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet and containing clothing; A duct module including a circulation fan provided inside the cabinet to move air discharged from the drum; A drying module equipped with a heat exchanger that is separately provided from the above cabinet and dehumidifies and heats air moved from the above duct module and supplies it to the drum; The above duct module A duct body that connects an intake port through which air from the drum is sucked in and an exhaust port through which air passing through the intake port is discharged to the drying module, thereby forming a path that guides air sucked in from the drum to the drying module; It includes a fan receiving section which is provided inside the duct body and which houses the circulation fan to form a path that guides air passing through the intake section to the exhaust section; The above fan receiving section An inlet through which air passing through the above suction unit flows in; An outlet through which air passing through the above inlet is discharged toward the above exhaust port; A fan receiving body is provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provides a space in which the circulation fan is received; A clothing treatment device characterized in that the fan receiving body is made of a foam material. In the first paragraph, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the fan receiving body is formed as an integral body. In the first paragraph, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the fan receiving body is formed with a thickness of 5T or more. In the first paragraph, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the above foam material is EPP material. In the first paragraph, The above fan-accommodating body A fan housing extending rearwardly from the above inlet and providing a receiving space for accommodating the above circulation fan; A clothes treatment device characterized by including a fan duct body extending from the fan housing and forming a duct that guides air passing through the circulation fan to the outlet. In paragraph 5, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the fan euro body is thicker than the fan housing. In the first paragraph, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the fan euro body is provided so that the euro is formed at a position higher than the rotation axis of the circulation fan. In paragraph 5, A garment treatment device characterized in that the fan body includes a front opening surface provided so that at least a portion of the front surface is open. In Article 8, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the front opening surface is provided smaller than the inlet. In Article 8, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the front opening surface is provided to extend from the inlet. In the first paragraph, The above fan receiving section A clothing treatment device characterized by including a connecting part that forms a path by connecting the outlet and the discharge part to guide air passing through the outlet to the discharge part. In Article 11, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the above connecting part is made of a foam material. In Article 11, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the fan receiving body and the connecting part are formed integrally. In Article 11, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the above connecting part is made of a foam material, and the fan receiving body and the connecting part are formed integrally. In the first paragraph, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the area of the discharge portion is wider than that of the outlet. In the first paragraph, The above inlet is provided adjacent to one side of the above duct body, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the above outlet is provided adjacent to the other side of the duct body. In the first paragraph, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the inlet is positioned in front of the outlet. In paragraph 5, The above fan-accommodating body A clothing treatment device characterized by including a fan fixing part provided at the rear of the fan housing and configured to support the load of the circulation fan. In Article 18, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the fan fixing part is made of a material having stronger rigidity than the foam material.

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