Apparatus for treating laundry

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for treating laundry, including: a cabinet including a base panel, a support panel, and a fixing panel; a drum including a cylindrical drum body, a front cover, a rear cover, and a drum inlet; a support panel perforation; a drum connecting body; a driving part including a stator, a rotor, and a power transmission part; a first front support part provided to at least one of the base panel or the support panel to set a movable range of the drum inlet in a width direction of the support body and a movable range of the drum inlet toward the base panel; and a second front support part provided to the support panel to set a movable range of the drum inlet in a direction away from the base panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a device for processing clothing. Background Technology

[0002] Clothing handling equipment refers to a washing machine for washing clothes (e.g., washing or drying objects), a dryer for drying clothes, or a device that can simultaneously wash and dry clothes.

[0003] A washing machine typically consists of a tub that stores water, a washing drum housed inside the tub for storing clothes, and a drive unit (or washing drive unit) that rotates the washing drum. A dryer typically consists of a drying drum that stores clothes, a drive unit (or drying drive unit) that drives the drying drum, and a heat exchanger that removes moisture from the clothes by supplying air to the drying drum.

[0004] The washing drive unit typically consists of a stator fixed to the tub to form a rotating magnetic field, a rotor that rotates by the rotating magnetic field, and a rotating shaft that passes through the tub to connect the washing drum and the rotor together. On the other hand, the drying drive unit typically consists of a motor, a pulley (impeller) fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor, and a belt (or power transmission component) that connects the rotational motion of the pulley to the drying drum.

[0005] The washing drive unit is constructed such that a rotating shaft connects the washing drum and the rotor together. To wash or spin-dry clothes, the washing drive unit needs to control the rotational speed (revolutions per minute) of the washing drum or change its direction of rotation. If the motor's rotating shaft is configured to directly connect the washing drum and the rotor, then the speed and direction of rotation of the washing drum can be easily controlled.

[0006] On the other hand, drying drive components in related technologies are typically constructed such that a power transmission component, such as a belt, connects the drying drum to the rotating shaft of the motor. Since it is unlikely that a dryer needs to maintain a high rotational speed of the drying drum or change its rotation direction, the drying drum can be rotated using a power transmission component such as a belt. However, if the rotational speed and direction of the drying drum can be changed, the dryer is expected to shorten drying time and improve drying performance because the movement of clothes within the drum can be controlled.

[0007] Some washing machines in the related technology are equipped with a drive component (e.g., a reducer and a motor) that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0071426). In washing machines in the related technology equipped with a reducer and a motor, the stator of the motor and the reducer are respectively fixed to a tub. In other words, the stator of the washing machine in the related technology is not directly fixed to the reducer, but fixed to the tub (i.e., the oscillation width of the stator and the oscillation width of the reducer can be different from each other). With the drive component of the above structure, it is not easy to maintain the concentricity between the input shaft connected to the rotor and the output shaft connected to the drum when the tub and drum vibrate, nor is it easy to maintain the space between the stator and the rotor.

[0008] Some garment processing devices capable of drying clothes are equipped with a supply path for supplying air to the drum. However, the supply path of these technologies is configured to concentrate the air discharge into a designated area of ​​the drum, rather than supplying air evenly throughout the drum.

[0009] A related dryer (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0106034) has a power transmission component (such as a belt) configured to connect the circumferential surface of the drying drum to the rotating shaft of a motor. The dryer consists of a cylindrical drum body having an open front side and an open rear side, a first support member rotatably supporting the front side of the drum body, a second support member rotatably supporting the rear side of the drum body, and a belt connecting the circumferential surface of the drum body to the rotating shaft of the motor.

[0010] In the dryer constructed as described above, a belt drives a motor to rotate the drum body. To ensure the belt rotates the drum body without slipping, it requires considerable tension. While a belt with sufficient tension minimizes slippage during motor rotation, a drawback is that the drum body may deform due to the belt tension during rotation. If the drum body deforms due to the belt, clothing inside may become trapped in the space between the first support member and the front side of the drum body, or in the space between the second support member and the rear side of the drum body.

[0011] Therefore, although the drum body can rotate without slipping, if clothes get stuck in the space between the support components and the drum body, the motor needs to be configured to output high torque to keep the drum body rotating.

[0012] On the other hand, there exists a related technology dryer comprising a hollow cylindrical drum body, a front cover forming the front side of the drum body, a rear cover forming the rear side of the drum body, a rotating shaft rotatably fixed to the rear side of the cabinet, and a belt connecting the circumferential surface of the drum body to the rotating shaft of the motor. Because the dryer with the above-described structure avoids deformation of the drum body during drum rotation, it solves the problem of drum rotation being interrupted by clothing. However, a drawback remains in order to control the drum's rotation speed to increase or rapidly change its direction of rotation: a motor capable of high torque output must be included. Summary of the Invention

[0013] Technical issues

[0014] One technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device including a drive component configured to reduce the rotational speed of a rotor and transmit it to a drum, so as to form a concentric axis between the rotational center of the rotor and the rotational center of the drum.

[0015] Another technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device that minimizes the size of the driving components.

[0016] Another technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device that can minimize the concentration of airflow supplied to the drum in a designated area of ​​the drum (reducing drying time).

[0017] Another technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device having a cooling flow path for cooling the stator.

[0018] Another technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device that minimizes the deformation of the roller during rotation and facilitates the use of a low-torque drive component to change the roller's rotation speed and direction of rotation.

[0019] Another technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device that minimizes the back-and-forth vibration of a roller.

[0020] Another technical objective of this application is to provide a garment processing device that minimizes the up-and-down vibration of a roller.

[0021] The technical tasks available from this invention are not limited to those described above. Furthermore, other unmentioned technical tasks can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0022] Technical solution

[0023] Other advantages, objects, and features of various embodiments of the display device will be set forth in this disclosure and in the accompanying drawings. These aspects will also be understood by those skilled in the art based on this disclosure.

[0024] To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purposes embodied and broadly described herein, an apparatus for processing clothing according to an embodiment of this disclosure may include: a housing including a base panel, a support panel fixed to the base panel, and a fixing panel fixed to the base panel in a manner facing the support panel; a roller located within the housing, the roller including a cylindrical roller body having an open front side and an open rear side, a front cover fixed to the front side of the roller body, a rear cover fixed to the rear side of the roller body, and a roller inlet penetrating the front cover; and a support panel perforation penetrating the support panel to connect with the roller inlet. The device includes: an inlet connection; a roller connecting body disposed on a support panel to perforate the support panel to the roller inlet; a drive component including a stator forming a rotation field, a rotor rotating through the rotation field, and a power transmission component fixed to a fixed panel to transmit the rotational motion of the rotor to the roller; a first front support component disposed on at least one of a base panel or a support panel to define the movable range of the roller inlet along the width direction of the support body and the movable range of the roller inlet toward the base panel; and a second front support component disposed on the support panel to define the movable range of the roller inlet in the direction away from the base panel.

[0025] The first front support member may be configured to support the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the front cover below the horizontal line passing through the rotation center of the roller, or the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the roller body below the horizontal line. The second front support member may be configured to support the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the front cover above the horizontal line, or the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the roller body above the horizontal line.

[0026] The second front support component may include: a front support frame fixed to a fixed panel; and a support damper fixed to the front support frame to contact the circumferential surface of the front cover.

[0027] The second front support component may include: a front support frame fixed to a fixed panel; and a support damper fixed to the front support frame so as to be spaced apart from the circumferential surface of the front cover.

[0028] The support damper may include: a first damper fixed to the front support frame; and a second damper fixed to the first damper and formed of a material having a different elastic coefficient than the first damper.

[0029] The second damper can be formed of felt, and the first damper can be formed of rubber.

[0030] The device may also include a connecting damper, which is fixed to the free end of the roller connecting body by being configured in a ring shape to connect the lower end of the roller connecting body to the edge of the roller inlet.

[0031] The connecting damper can be formed from felt.

[0032] The second front support component may include: a front support frame fixed to a support panel; and a front roller rotatably fixed to the front support frame so that its circumferential surface can contact the circumferential surface of the front cover.

[0033] The second front support component may include: a front support frame fixed to a support panel; and a front roller rotatably fixed to the front support frame so that its circumferential surface can be spaced apart from the circumferential surface of the front cover.

[0034] The first front support component may include a first roller and a second roller rotatably fixed to a support panel, and the first roller and the second roller may be respectively positioned at points symmetrical about a vertical line passing through the center of rotation of the roller.

[0035] The angle between the straight line connecting the rotation center of the first roller to the center of the second front support member and the straight line connecting the rotation center of the second roller to the center of the second front support member can be set to 30 to 50 degrees.

[0036] In another aspect of this disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, an apparatus for processing clothing according to another embodiment of this disclosure may include: a housing including a base panel, a support panel fixed to the base panel, and a fixed panel fixed to the base panel in a manner oriented toward the support panel; a roller located within the housing, the roller including a cylindrical roller body having an open front side and an open rear side, a front cover fixed to the front side of the roller body, a rear cover fixed to the rear side of the roller body, and a roller inlet penetrating the front cover; a support panel perforation penetrating the support panel to communicate with the roller inlet; a roller connecting body disposed to the support panel to connect the support panel perforation and the roller inlet; a drive component including a stator forming a rotational field, a rotor rotating through the rotational field, and a power transmission component fixed to the fixed panel to transmit the rotational motion of the rotor to the roller; and a rear support component disposed to at least one of the base panel or the fixed panel to set at least one of a movable range of the rear cover toward the fixed panel or a movable range of the rear cover toward the base panel.

[0037] In another aspect of this disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, an apparatus for processing clothing according to another embodiment of this disclosure may include: a housing including a base panel, a support panel fixed to the base panel, and a fixing panel fixed to the base panel in a manner oriented toward the support panel; a roller located within the housing, the roller including a cylindrical roller body having an open front side and an open rear side, a front cover fixed to the front side of the roller body, a rear cover fixed to the rear side of the roller body, and a roller inlet penetrating the front cover; a support panel perforation penetrating the support panel to communicate with the roller inlet; a roller connecting body disposed to the support panel to connect the support panel perforation and the roller inlet; a drive component including a stator forming a rotational field, a rotor rotating through the rotational field, and a power transmission component fixed to the fixing panel to transmit the rotational motion of the rotor to the roller; a front support component disposed to at least one of the base panel or the support panel to rotatably support the roller; and a rear support component disposed to at least one of the base panel or the support panel to define at least one of a movable range of the rear cover toward the fixing panel or a movable range of the rear cover toward the base panel.

[0038] The rear support component may include: a rear support frame fixed to a base panel or a fixed panel; a first base surface fixed to the rear support frame and located in the space between the rear cover and the fixed panel to set the movable range of the rear cover toward the fixed panel; and a second base surface fixed to the rear support frame and located in the space between the rear cover and the base panel to set the movable range of the rear cover toward the base panel.

[0039] The first base surface and the second base surface may be configured to contact the back cover or be located at points spaced apart from the back cover.

[0040] The rear support component may include: a rear support frame fixed to a base panel or a fixed panel; and a rear roller rotatably fixed to the rear support frame.

[0041] The device may also include a roller receiving recess configured as an annular recess formed by bending the rear cover toward the front cover to provide space for receiving the circumferential surface of the rear roller therein.

[0042] Further applicability of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below. However, it should be understood that while the detailed description and specific embodiments illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, they are given by way of illustration only, and various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing detailed description.

[0043] Advantages of the invention

[0044] Therefore, embodiments of the present invention provide various effects and / or features of mobile terminals.

[0045] First, this disclosure provides a garment processing device including a drive component configured to reduce the rotational speed of a rotor and transmit it to a drum so as to form a concentric axis between the rotational center of the rotor and the rotational center of the drum.

[0046] Secondly, this disclosure provides a garment processing device that minimizes the size of the drive components.

[0047] Third, this disclosure provides a garment processing apparatus that can minimize the concentration of airflow supplied to the drum in a designated area of ​​the drum (reducing drying time).

[0048] Fourth, this disclosure provides a garment processing device, which is provided with a cooling flow path for cooling the stator.

[0049] Fifth, this disclosure provides a garment processing device that minimizes the deformation of the roller during rotation and facilitates the use of a low-torque drive component to change the roller's rotational speed and direction of rotation.

[0050] Sixth, this disclosure provides a garment processing device that can minimize the back-and-forth vibration of the drum.

[0051] Seventh, this disclosure provides a garment processing device that can minimize the up-and-down vibration of the drum.

[0052] The effects obtainable from this disclosure are not limited to those described above. Furthermore, other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0053] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a view showing an example of a garment processing device.

[0054] Figure 3 This is a view showing an example of a drive component.

[0055] Figures 4 to 6 and Figure 9 This is a view illustrating an embodiment of the power transmission component.

[0056] Figure 7 This is a view showing an example of a supplied component.

[0057] Figure 8 This is a view showing an example of a cooling flow path.

[0058] Figure 10 This is a view showing an example of a support panel.

[0059] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a view showing an example of the front support component.

[0060] Figure 13 This is a view showing an example of the rear support component. Detailed Implementation

[0061] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail, with examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the control methods for the elements or devices described below are merely illustrative of embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit its scope. Where possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar components.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a view showing an example of a garment processing apparatus 100. The garment processing apparatus 100 may include: a housing 1; a drum 2 rotatably disposed within the housing 1 to provide space for storing garments (e.g., laundry or dry clothes); a supply unit 3 for removing moisture from the garments by supplying dry, hot air (e.g., air at a temperature higher than room temperature, air with a dryness higher than indoor air, etc.); and a drive unit D for rotating the drum.

[0063] The housing 1 includes: a front panel 11 forming the front side of the garment handling device; and a base panel 17 forming the bottom side of the garment handling device. An inlet 111 communicating with the roller 2 may be formed in the front panel 11 and configured to be closed by a door 113.

[0064] A control panel 115 is mounted on the front panel 11. An input unit 116 that receives control commands from the user and a display unit 117 that outputs information such as user-selectable control commands can be mounted on the control panel 115. The input unit 116 may include: a power request unit that requests power to the garment handling device 100; a program input unit that allows the user to select a desired program; and an execution request unit that requests the start of the user-selected program.

[0065] Roller 2 can be constructed as a hollow cylinder. Figure 1 An example is shown where the roller 2 includes: a roller body 21, which is cylindrical and has an open front side and an open rear side; a front cover 22, forming the front side of the roller body 21; and a rear cover 23, forming the rear side of the roller body 21. A roller inlet is provided to the front cover 22, enabling communication between the interior and exterior of the roller body 21.

[0066] The roller body 21 may also include a lifter 26. The lifter 26 may be constructed such that a board extending from the front cover 22 to the rear cover 23 protrudes from the roller body 21 toward the rotation center of the roller 2 (i.e., protrudes from the circumferential surface of the roller toward the rotation center of the roller).

[0067] When the garment processing device 100 is configured only as a device for drying garments, the roller 2 may not be provided with a roller perforation that is constructed to penetrate the roller body 21 so that the inside of the roller communicates with the outside of the roller.

[0068] The roller 2 can be rotatably fixed to at least one of the first body support member 12 and the second body support member 15. Figure 1 An example is shown in which the rear cover 23 is rotatably fixed to the second body support member 15 via the drive member D, and the front cover 22 is rotatably connected to the first body support member 12.

[0069] The first body support component 12 may include a support panel 121, which is located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22 by being fixed to the housing 1. Figure 1 An example is shown in which the support panel 121 is fixed to the base panel 17 and located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22. In this case, the rear side of the front panel 11 (i.e., the side facing the support panel) can be fixed to the support panel 121, and the bottom end can be fixed to the base panel 17.

[0070] The support panel 121 may include: a support panel through-hole 122; a roller connecting body 123 connecting the support panel through-hole 122 and the roller inlet 221; and a panel connecting body 126 connecting the support panel through-hole 122 and the inlet 111 to each other. The support panel through-hole 122 is a means that allows the inlet 111 and the roller inlet 221 to communicate with each other in a manner configured to penetrate the support panel 121.

[0071] The roller connection body 123 may include a tube fixed to the rear side of the support panel 121 (i.e., the side facing the roller inlet in the space provided by the support panel). One end of the roller connection body 123 may be configured to surround the support panel through-hole 122, while the free end of the roller connection body 123 may be configured to support the front cover 22. In other words, the free end of the roller connection body 123 may be configured to be inserted into the roller inlet 221 or to contact the free end of the front cover 22 forming the roller inlet 221.

[0072] Figure 1An example is shown in which the free end of the roller connecting body 123 contacts the free end of the front cover 22. In this case, an annular damper 124 (i.e., a connecting damper) can be provided to the roller connecting body 123. The connecting damper 124 is a device designed to minimize the risk of the roller inlet 221 separating from the roller connecting body 123 when the roller 2 rotates or vibrates (e.g., the risk of air leakage from the roller into the housing).

[0073] The connection damper 124 can be formed in a compressible material (e.g., a material whose volume can be increased / decreased by an external force). In this case, the connection damper 124 can be configured to maintain a compressed state between the free end of the roller connection body 123 and the edge of the roller inlet 221 (i.e., the free end of the front cover) (configured to maintain a compressed state by the rear support member described below). This is to minimize the separation of the roller inlet 221 from the roller connection body 123 when the roller 2 vibrates between the support panel 121 and the fixed panel 131. A felt made of compressed fibers can be an example of a connection damper 124.

[0074] The panel connection body 126 may include a tube fixed to the front side of the support panel 121 (e.g., the side of the space provided by the support panel facing the front panel). One end of the panel connection body 126 may be configured to surround the support panel perforation 122, while the other end of the panel connection body 126 may be configured to connect to the inlet 111. Thus, clothing supplied to the inlet 111 can move to the roller body 21 through the panel connection body 126, the support panel perforation 122, the roller connection body 123, and the roller inlet 221.

[0075] The second body support component 15 may include a fixing panel 151, which is fixed to the housing 1 so as to be located at a position spaced apart from the rear cover 23. Figure 1 An example is shown in which the fixing panel 151 is fixed to the base panel 17 to form the rear side of the garment handling device 100 (i.e., the rear side of the housing).

[0076] like Figure 2 As shown, a drive component mounting recess 153 (providing space for mounting the drive component D therein) can be provided to the mounting panel 151. The drive component mounting recess 153 may include a recess constructed such that the mounting panel 151 is bent inward toward the rear cover 23 of the roller. A mounting panel through-hole 155, penetrating the rotation axis of the roller 2, is provided to the mounting panel 151 and may be located in the drive component mounting recess 153.

[0077] As described above, if the roller 2 includes a roller body 21, a front cover 22 fixed to the roller body 21, and a rear cover 23 fixed to the roller body 21, the rigidity of the roller is increased compared to the structure in which the open front and open rear sides of the roller body 21 are rotatably connected to the support panel 121 and the fixed panel 151, respectively. If the rigidity of the roller is increased, the deformation of the roller body 21 during rotation can be minimized, thereby minimizing the problem of clothing getting stuck in the space between the roller body and the support panel or between the roller body and the fixed panel due to the deformation of the roller body 21 (i.e., the load on the drive components can be minimized).

[0078] A roller outlet (or first outlet) 128 may be provided to a support panel 121, and a panel outlet (or second outlet) 157 and an inlet 158 ​​may be provided to a fixed panel 151. The first outlet 128 may include a hole through a panel connecting body 126.

[0079] The inlet 158 ​​can be constructed in such a way that a plurality of perforations configured to penetrate the fixing panel 151 are configured to surround the drive component mounting recess 153 (for example, the plurality of said perforations may be configured as a ring surrounding the drive component mounting recess).

[0080] like Figure 1 As shown, the supply component 3 may include: an exhaust pipe 31 connecting the first outlet 128 and the second outlet 157 to each other; a supply pipe 32 guiding the air discharged through the second outlet 157 to the inlet 158; and a heat exchange component 34 disposed in the exhaust pipe 31 to sequentially perform air dehumidification and heating. A filter 129 filtering the air moving from the roller 2 to the exhaust pipe 31 may be disposed in the first outlet 128.

[0081] The discharge pipe 31 may include: a first pipe 311 connected to a first outlet 128; a second pipe 312 connected to a second outlet 157; and a third pipe 313 connecting the first pipe 311 and the second pipe 312 together. The third pipe 313 may be fixed to the base panel 17.

[0082] The heat exchange component 34 may include various devices capable of dehumidifying and heating the air flowing into the discharge duct 31. Figure 1 An example is shown in which heat exchange component 34 includes a heat pump and a fan 349.

[0083] In particular, Figure 1The heat exchange component 34 shown includes: a first heat exchanger (e.g., a heat-absorbing component) 341, which removes moisture from the air flowing into the discharge pipe 31; a second heat exchanger (e.g., a heat-heating component) 343, which is disposed in the discharge pipe 31 to heat the air that has passed through the heat-absorbing component 341; and a fan 359, which moves the air discharged from the drum 2 through the heat-absorbing component and the heat-heating component in sequence to the supply pipe 32. Figure 1 An example is shown in which the fan 349 is located between the heating element 343 and the second pipe 312.

[0084] The heat-absorbing component 341 and the heating component 343 are arranged sequentially along the direction of air movement and are connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe 348 to form a refrigerant circulation path. The refrigerant moves along the refrigerant pipe 348 via a compressor 345 located outside the discharge pipe 31, and a pressure regulator 347 that adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant moving from the heating component 343 to the heat-absorbing component 341 can be provided on the refrigerant pipe 348.

[0085] The heat-absorbing component 341 is a device for cooling air (e.g., evaporating refrigerant) by transferring the heat of the air flowing into the discharge pipe 31 to the refrigerant, and the heating component 343 is a device for heating air (e.g., condensing refrigerant) by transferring the heat of the refrigerant that has passed through the compressor 345 to the air.

[0086] like Figure 2 As shown, the supply conduit 32 is a device that guides air discharged through the second outlet 157 to the inlet 158 ​​by being fixed to the fixed panel 151.

[0087] When the inlet 158 ​​includes a plurality of perforations arranged in a ring, the supply conduit 32 may include: a conduit body 321, fixed to the mounting panel 151 and forming a flow path that connects the second outlet 157 to the inlet 158; and a rotor receiving member 322 configured to penetrate the conduit body 321. The supply conduit 32, including the conduit body 321 and the rotor receiving member 322, forms a generally ring-shaped flow path, and the drive member D, fixed to the drive member mounting recess 153, is exposed to the outside of the supply conduit 32 through the rotor receiving member 322.

[0088] In order to supply air supplied to the housing 1 through the inlet 158 ​​to the roller 2, an air inlet 233 configured to penetrate the rear cover 23 can be provided to the roller 2, and a flow path forming component 159 that guides the air discharged from the inlet 158 ​​to the air inlet 233 can be provided to the fixed panel 151.

[0089] The air inlet 233 may be configured to form a ring through multiple holes in the rear cover 23, the ring surrounding the rotation center of the roller 2. The flow path forming member 159 may include a tube, one end of which (e.g., the end fixed to the fixed panel) surrounds the inlet 158, and the other end (e.g., the end in contact with the roller) surrounds the air inlet 233. To minimize the impact of vibrations generated during the rotation of the roller 2 transmitted to the fixed panel 151, the flow path forming member 159 may be formed of a highly elastic material (e.g., rubber).

[0090] The radius (or inner or outer diameter) of the ring formed by the air inlet 233 can be set to be equal to or greater than half the radius of the rear cover 23. Thus, air moving through the air inlet 233 to the roller can move along the circumferential surface of the roller.

[0091] When the air inlet 233 is constructed as described above, if the supply component 3 is controlled to supply air when the drum rotates at a speed that triggers a centrifugal force of more than 1G (when the clothes are rotated and stick tightly to the circumferential surface of the drum), the garment processing equipment can reduce the drying time.

[0092] As shown in the figure, the supply component 3 may include: a discharge pipe connecting the first outlet 128 and the second outlet 157 to each other; a supply pipe supplying external air (e.g., air inside or outside the housing) to the roller 2; and a heat exchange component heating the air flowing into the supply pipe.

[0093] To sense the dryness of the clothes placed inside the drum 2, the garment handling apparatus 100 may also include a sensing element 13. The sensing element 13 may be configured to measure dryness by measuring the resistance when in contact with the clothes, by measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 2, or by measuring the temperature of the refrigerant circulating along the refrigerant pipe 348.

[0094] Figure 2 An example is shown in which the sensing element 13 is configured to measure the resistance of the clothing. Figure 2 The sensing component 13 shown may include a first electrode 131 and a second electrode 133 fixed to the support panel 121. The first electrode 131 and the second electrode 133 need to be spaced apart from each other when fixed to the support panel 121. The first electrode 131 and the second electrode 133 may be fixed in a space below a horizontal line that passes through the center of the inlet 111 and is located within the space provided by the support panel 121. In this case, if the clothing is placed below the horizontal line passing through the center of rotation of the roller 2 (e.g., if the clothing is at the lowest point of the roller), the first electrode 131 and the second electrode 133 can easily come into contact with the clothing.

[0095] If the dryness of the clothing increases, the amount of moisture remaining in the clothing will decrease. If the dryness increases, the magnitude of the current sensed by the sensing element 13 may decrease. Therefore, the controller (not shown) can estimate the dryness of the clothing by monitoring the magnitude of the current transmitted from the sensing element.

[0096] If the clothes are not very dry, the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 2 will be low. If the dryness is high, the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 2 will be high. Therefore, the sensing element 13 can be configured to sense the temperature of the air discharged from the drum. Figure 1 As shown, the sensing component 13 may include a temperature sensor 135 (e.g., an air temperature detection sensor) disposed on the exhaust duct 31.

[0097] Since the temperature of the refrigerant in the circulating refrigerant pipe varies depending on the dryness of the clothing, the sensing component 13 may include a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the refrigerant moving along the refrigerant pipe (e.g., the temperature of the refrigerant moving from the heat-absorbing component to the compressor, the temperature of the refrigerant moving from the compressor to the heating component, etc.). Figure 1 An example is shown in which the sensing component 13 includes a temperature sensor (refrigerant temperature detection sensor) 137 that senses the temperature of the refrigerant moving from the compressor 345 to the heating component 343.

[0098] The sensing component 13 may include at least two of the following: a pair of electrodes 131 and 133 for measuring the resistance of the garment; a temperature sensor 135 for measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the drum; and a temperature sensor 137 for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant.

[0099] The drive component D may include: a motor 5 located at the drive component mounting recess 153; and a power transmission component 6 fixed to the fixed panel 151 to transmit the power generated by the motor 5 to the roller 2.

[0100] To minimize the impact of deformation of the fixed panel 151 due to the weight of the drive component D and the external forces generated by operating the drive component D, the drive component bracket 4 provides space for securing at least one of the motor 5 and the power transmission component 6 thereon, and can be disposed in the drive component mounting recess 153. That is, the power transmission component 6 can be secured to the drive component bracket 4, and the motor 5 can be secured to at least one of the power transmission component 6 and the drive component bracket 4. The drive component bracket 4 may include an annular metal (e.g., a metal with greater rigidity than the fixed panel) that is secured to the drive component mounting recess 153.

[0101] like Figure 3 As shown, the motor 5 may include a stator 51 that forms a rotating magnetic field and a rotor 52 that rotates through the rotating magnetic field.

[0102] The stator 51 may include: a core 511 fixed to the drive component bracket 4 or the power transmission component 6; a core through hole 512 configured to penetrate the core; and an electromagnet (e.g., a coil) 513 disposed at equal intervals on the circumferential surface of the core 511.

[0103] The rotor 52 may include: a rotor body 52a, which is disc-shaped; a rotor circumferential surface 52b, which is tubular and fixed to the rotor body; and a plurality of permanent magnets 525, which are fixed to the rotor circumferential surface. The permanent magnets 525 are fixed to the rotor circumferential surface 52b in such a way that the N pole and the S pole are alternately exposed.

[0104] The power transmission component 6 may include: a housing 61, which is hollow cylindrical and fixed to a fixed panel 151; a ring gear 62, which is fixed to the inside of the housing; a first shaft (i.e., input shaft) 63, one end of which is fixed to the rotor body 52a and the other end of which is located inside the housing 61; a drive gear 631, which is located inside the housing 61 by being fixed to the first shaft 63; a driven gear 677, which connects the drive gear 631 and the ring gear 62; a cage 67, which rotates inside the housing 61 by the driven gear; and a second shaft 65, one end of which is fixed to the rear cover 23 and the other end of which is fixed to the cage 67.

[0105] To minimize the risk of deformation of the rotor body 52a due to the first shaft 63, the first shaft 63 can be fixed to the rotor body 52a via the fixing panel 524.

[0106] The second shaft 65 can preferably be configured to form a concentric axis with the first shaft 63. If the second shaft 65 and the first shaft 63 are configured to form a concentric axis, then the vibration generated from the power transmission component 6 can be minimized when the roller 2 rotates.

[0107] The housing 61 is preferably configured to be located in the core perforation 512 by being fixed to the mounting panel 151 via the drive component bracket 4. This is to minimize the volume of the drive component D by placing the housing 61 within the core perforation 512.

[0108] The housing 61 may include: a first housing 61a, which is cylindrical and has an open side facing the fixed panel 151; and a second housing 61b, which is cylindrical and has an open side facing the first housing, so as to close the open side of the first housing by coupling with the first housing 61a.

[0109] A first shaft support member 611 and a first shaft through hole 612 penetrating the first shaft support member 611 can be disposed on the first housing 61a. A first shaft 63 penetrates the first housing 61a by being inserted into the first shaft through hole 612, and a first shaft bearing 613 rotatably fixing the first shaft 63 to the first housing 61a can be disposed on the first shaft support member 611.

[0110] like Figure 4 As shown, the first shaft support component 611 may include a tube protruding from the first housing 61a toward the rotor body 52a, or a tube protruding from the first housing 61a toward the second housing 61b.

[0111] If the first shaft support member 611 includes a tube protruding from the first housing 61a toward the second housing 61b (e.g., a tube protruding from the first housing toward the center of the housing), it has the effect of minimizing the volume of the housing 61 (i.e., minimizing the volume of the drive member, minimizing the volume of the garment handling device).

[0112] A second shaft support member 616 and a second shaft through hole 617 penetrating the second shaft support member 616 can be provided to the second housing 61b. A second shaft 65 penetrates the second housing 61b through the second shaft through hole 617, and a second shaft bearing 618 that rotatably fixes the second shaft 65 to the second housing 61b can be provided to the second shaft support member 616.

[0113] The second shaft support member 616 may include a tube (e.g., a tube protruding toward the rear cover of the roller) protruding from the second housing 61b toward the through hole 155 in the fixed panel.

[0114] The first shaft bearing 613 may include a first shaft first bearing 613a and a first shaft second bearing 613b, and the second shaft bearing 618 may include a second shaft first bearing 618a and a second shaft second bearing 618b arranged along the length direction of the second shaft 65.

[0115] If the first shaft bearing includes two or more bearings 613a and 613b, and the second shaft bearing includes two or more bearings 618a and 618b, this can minimize the effect of the first shaft 63 and the second shaft 65 becoming eccentric when the rotor 52 rotates (vibration generated from the drive components can be minimized).

[0116] Since several bearings need to be installed along the rotation axis, the volume of the drive component D with multiple bearings inevitably increases. Therefore, in the garment processing device 100 with housing 1, it is difficult to design a rotation axis supported by multiple bearings within a limited volume. However, in the garment processing device 100 described above, the volume of the drive component can be minimized by the structure of the housing 61 located in the core perforation of the stator, the tube structure of the first shaft support component 611 protruding towards the center of the housing, etc., thereby increasing the number of bearings 613 and 618.

[0117] To minimize the volume of housing 61, the diameter of the first housing 61a can be set to be different from the diameter of the second housing 61b. In other words, the diameter of the first housing 61a can be set to be smaller or larger than the diameter of the second housing 61b.

[0118] The ring gear 62 may include: a ring gear body; a ring gear body through-hole configured to penetrate the ring gear body; and gear teeth disposed along the inner circumferential surface of the ring gear body (e.g., the circumferential surface forming the ring gear body through-hole).

[0119] The ring gear 62 can be fixed to the smaller diameter of the first housing 61a and the second housing 61b. As shown, if the diameter of the first housing 61a is set to be smaller than the diameter of the second housing 61b, the ring gear 62 can be fixed to the circumferential surface of the first housing 61a.

[0120] like Figure 3 As shown, the cage 67 may include: a base 671 located inside the housing 61; a connecting shaft rotatably fixed to the base 671 by the driven gear 677; and a base cover 673, which is annular and fixed to one end of the connecting shaft 675.

[0121] The second shaft 65 can be configured to connect the base 671 to the rear cover 23 of the roller by inserting it into the fixing panel through hole 155. In order to prevent the rear cover 23 from being damaged by the rotation of the second shaft 65, a shaft bracket 651 fixed to one end of the second shaft 65 can be provided to the rear cover 23.

[0122] like Figure 2As shown, to minimize the impact of the increased roller volume due to the shaft bracket 651, a shaft bracket mounting recess 231 can be provided to the rear cover 23, the shaft bracket mounting recess having the shaft bracket 651 fixed thereto. The shaft bracket mounting recess 231 can be configured such that the rear cover 23 is bent away from the fixed panel 151. Preferably, the shaft bracket mounting recess 231 is located at the same position as the drive component mounting recess 153, and the diameter of the shaft bracket mounting recess 231 is set to be larger than the diameter of the drive component mounting recess 153. This is to minimize the risk of the rear cover 23 colliding with the drive component mounting recess 153 when the roller 2 rotates.

[0123] Driven gear 677 may include multiple gears spaced apart from each other at the same angle. Figure 3 An example is shown in which the driven gear 677 and the connecting shaft 675 are constructed with three gears spaced 120 degrees apart and three shafts spaced 120 degrees apart.

[0124] Each driven gear 677 may include: a first body 677a, rotatably fixed to a base 6761 via a connecting shaft 675; a first gear 677b, disposed on the circumferential surface of the first body 677a to mesh with a drive gear 631; a second body 677c, fixed to the first body 677a, and having a diameter smaller than that of the first body; and a second gear 677d, disposed on the circumferential surface of the second body 677c to mesh with a ring gear 62.

[0125] like Figure 4 As shown, the drive gear 631, fixed to the free end of the first shaft 63, can be located in the space formed between the driven gears to connect with each of the first gears 677b. The free end of the first shaft support member 611 can penetrate the base cover 673 by inserting it into the base cover through hole 674 formed in the center of the base cover 673. Such a structure (i.e., the structure of the first shaft support member and the base cover) is characterized by minimizing the volume of the housing (i.e., minimizing the volume of the drive member).

[0126] To seal the mounting panel perforation 155 (i.e., to prevent air supplied to the roller from leaking out of the housing), the sealing member 41 may also be provided to the drive component bracket 4 or the mounting panel 151. If the drive component bracket 4 is configured to be annular and surround the mounting panel perforation 155, and the housing 61 is fixed to the drive component bracket 4 to be located in the core perforation 512, the sealing member 41 may be configured to seal the space formed between the drive component bracket 4 and the second housing 61b.

[0127] In addition to the stator 51 being fixed to the housing 61, Figure 5 The drive component D shown is... Figure 4 The drive component D shown has the same structure. In other words, Figure 4 The stator 51 of the drive component D shown is fixed to the fixed panel 151 via the drive component bracket 4, and Figure 5 The stator 51 of the drive component D shown is fixed to the fixed panel 151 via the housing 61 of the power transmission component.

[0128] like Figure 3 As shown, if the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61, the core support 515 can be disposed to the core 511, and the core mounting member 619 can be disposed to the housing 61. The core 511 can be fixed to the housing 61 via a core fastening member 517 that fixes the core support 515 to the core mounting member 619. The core mounting member 619 may include a protrusion projecting along the diametrical direction of the second housing 61b toward a circumferential surface away from the second housing 61b.

[0129] The operation of the drive component D constructed above is described below. For example... Figure 6 As shown, if the rotor 52 rotates clockwise, the first shaft 63 and the drive gear 631 will also rotate clockwise.

[0130] If the drive gear 631 rotates clockwise, the driven gear 677 will rotate counterclockwise via the first gear 677b. If the first gear 677b rotates counterclockwise, the second gear 677d will also rotate counterclockwise. Since the ring gear 62 is fixed to the fixed panel 15, if the second gear 677d rotates counterclockwise, the base 671 and the second shaft 65 will rotate clockwise. Since the roller 2 and the base 671 are connected together via the second shaft 65, the roller 2 will rotate in the same direction as the rotor 52.

[0131] If the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61, it is advantageous in maintaining the concentricity of the first shaft 63 and the second shaft 65, as well as the space between the stator and the rotor. Suppose that the stator 51 is not fixed to the housing 61, but rather to the fixed panel 151. In this case, the vibrations of the roller 2 and the fixed panel 151 will be transmitted to the second shaft 65, and the vibrations of the fixed panel 151 will be transmitted to the first shaft 63. If the vibrations of the roller 2 and the fixed panel 151 differ in amplitude, it may be difficult to maintain the ideal level of space and concentricity between the first and second shafts, as well as the ideal level of space between the stator coil 513 and the rotor permanent magnet 525. However, if the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61, the same vibrations are transmitted from the outside to each of the first and second shafts, thus solving the aforementioned problems.

[0132] As shown in the figure, the diameter of the first gear 677b can be set to be larger than the diameter of the drive gear 631. The diameter of the second gear 677d can be set to be larger than the diameter of the drive gear 631 and smaller than the diameter of the first gear 677b. The diameter of the second gear 677d can also be set to be equal to the diameter of the drive gear 631 [not shown in the figure].

[0133] If the first gear, the second gear, and the drive gear are arranged as described above, the drive component D can rotate the drum 2 at a speed lower than that of the rotor 52. That is, the drive component D can function as a speed reducer.

[0134] As described above, a plurality of annularly arranged perforations 158a and 158b can be provided on the rear cover 23 of the roller. Figure 7 As shown, the flow path guide 324 can uniformly supply the air discharged from the second outlet 157 into the perforation, and can also be provided to the garment processing device 100.

[0135] Because air moves towards the side with less flow resistance, if the garment handling device 100 does not include a flow guide 324, the amount of air moving clockwise within the pipe body 321 that has already flowed into the pipe body 321 through the second outlet 157 tends to differ from the amount moving counterclockwise within the pipe body 321. For example, if the amount of air moving clockwise within the pipe body 321 is greater than the amount moving counterclockwise within the pipe body 321, more air is supplied to the perforation 158a located to the left of the reference line L, while less air is supplied to the perforation 158b located to the right of the reference line L.

[0136] The aforementioned imbalance in air supply can lead to an imbalance in the air supplied to the clothes inside the drum 2. That is, if the amount of air supplied varies depending on the position of the clothes, it may result in problems such as increased drying time, or one garment being over-dried while another is not.

[0137] The above problem can be solved if the amount of air moving clockwise within the pipe body 321 is equal to or similar to the amount of air moving counterclockwise within the pipe body 321.

[0138] The flow path guide 324 can be configured to include a first slope and a second slope. The first slope guides a portion of the air discharged from the second outlet 157 to the left side of the reference line L, and the second slope guides the remaining air to the right side of the reference line L. Therefore, through the flow path guide 324, a portion of the air flowing into the pipe body 321 will move to the perforation 158a located to the left side of the reference line L, while the remaining air will move to the perforation 158a located to the right side of the reference line L.

[0139] The reference line L can be set as a straight line passing through the center of the rotor receiving component 322 and the center of the second outlet 157. Unlike the attached figures, the reference line L can be set as a straight line passing through one point in the rotor receiving component 322 and one point in the second outlet 157.

[0140] In addition, a protruding wall 323 that divides the interior of the pipe body 321 into two spaces may also be provided to the supply pipe 32. The protruding wall 323 may include a protrusion that protrudes from the pipe body 321 toward the fixing panel 151, or a protrusion that protrudes from the fixing panel 151 toward the pipe body 321. Figure 7 The diagram shows the protruding wall 323 protruding from the pipe body 321 toward the fixed panel 151.

[0141] The free end of the protruding wall 323 may be configured to contact the fixed panel 151 or not contact the fixed panel 151. Figure 7 This shows the case where the free end of the protruding wall 323 is not in contact with the fixed panel 151.

[0142] Preferably, the protruding wall 323 is positioned such that the number of perforations 158a on the left side of the reference line L is equal to the number of perforations 158a on the right side of the reference line L. If the reference line L is set such that the number of perforations is bisected, the protruding wall 323 will be configured to be located on the reference line L.

[0143] Regarding the garment processing device 100 with the above-described structure, since the pipe body 321 is configured to surround the motor 5 (because the motor is located inside the rotor receiving component), the motor 5 may overheat.

[0144] To effectively cool the motor 5 (e.g., the stator), a cooling flow path 35 can be further provided in the garment handling equipment 100. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the cooling flow path 35 may include: a pipe cover 355, fixed to the pipe body 321 to close the rotor receiving component 322; an inlet flow path 351, disposed to the pipe body 321 to supply external air to the rotor receiving component 322; and an outlet flow path 353, disposed to the pipe body 321 to guide the air in the rotor receiving component 322 to the outside of the rotor receiving component 322.

[0145] Each of the inlet flow path 351 and the outlet flow path 353 may be configured as a recess formed in a manner that is concavely bent towards the top side of the pipe body 321. If the outlet flow path 353 is configured as a recess formed in a manner that is bent towards the fixed panel 151 towards the top side of the pipe body 321, then the protruding wall 323 may be formed by a designated portion of the pipe body 321 protruding towards the fixed panel 151 to form the outlet flow path 353.

[0146] When the rotor 52 rotates, external air will flow into the rotor receiving component 322 through the inlet flow path 351, and the air in the rotor receiving component 322 can be discharged from the rotor receiving component 322 through the outlet flow path 353.

[0147] To facilitate the discharge of air flowing into the inlet flow path 351 through the outlet flow path 353 (i.e., to facilitate effective cooling of the motor), blades 523 may be disposed on the rotor 52. Blades 523 may include plates protruding from the rotor body 52a toward the pipe cover 355.

[0148] Blade 523 may comprise a single plate or multiple plates. In any case, blade 523 is preferably configured to be parallel to the diametrical direction of rotor body 52a. If blade 523 comprises a plate parallel to the diametrical direction of rotor body, it can function as an impeller that forces air to move.

[0149] To more effectively dissipate the heat generated from the stator 51 to the rotor receiving component 322, the rotor 52 may also include a rotor perforation 521 configured to penetrate the rotor body 52a. The rotor perforation 521 may be configured such that a plurality of holes are arranged to form a ring surrounding the first shaft 63.

[0150] The rotor perforation 521 can be configured as a slit, the length of which in the diametrical direction of the rotor body 52a is greater than its length in the circumferential direction of the rotor body 52a. In this case, the blade 523 can be fixed to the edge of the rotor perforation 521 that is parallel to the diametrical direction of the rotor body 52a.

[0151] To facilitate the dissipation of heat generated from the stator 51 to the rotor receiving component 322, a guide flow path 357 may also be provided in the drive component mounting recess 153. The guide flow path 357 is a device for guiding air in the drive component mounting recess 153 to the outlet flow path 353.

[0152] To more effectively promote the cooling of motor 5, the inlet flow path 351, the rotation center of rotor 52, and the outlet flow path 353 can be set on a single straight line. Figure 7 An example is shown where the inlet flow path 351, the rotation center of the rotor 52, the guide flow path 357, and the outlet flow path 353 are set on the reference line L.

[0153] Figure 4 and Figure 5The power transmission component 6 shown can be configured in one way, in which the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 moves sequentially in the direction of the rotor 52 toward the direction of the drum 2 (i.e., a structure in which kinetic energy is transmitted in the forward direction); or in another way, in which the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 moves forward, backward and forward from the direction of the rotor toward the direction of the drum (i.e., a structure that includes a process of transmitting kinetic energy in the reverse direction).

[0154] Figure 9 (a) shows an example of a power transmission component in a structure in which the kinetic energy of the rotor is transmitted forward. Figure 9 (b) shows an example of a power transmission component in a structure in which the kinetic energy of the rotor is transmitted in the forward, backward and forward directions.

[0155] Figure 9 The driven gear 677 in (a) may include: a first body 677a rotatably fixed to a base 671; a first gear 677b disposed on the circumferential surface of the first body 677a to mesh with a drive gear 631; a second body 677c protruding from the first body 677a toward a direction having a roller 2 located therein; and a second gear 677d disposed on the circumferential surface of the second body to mesh with a ring gear 62. In this case, the first gear 677b may be located between the first housing 61a and the ring gear 62, while the second gear 677d may be located between the first gear 677b and one side of the second housing 61b. An example is shown in the figure where the first gear 677b is located in the space provided by the first housing 61a, and the second gear 677d is located in the space provided by the second housing 61b.

[0156] about Figure 9 (a) shows the power transmission component. The kinetic energy of the rotor 52 is transmitted via the first shaft 63 as the kinetic energy of the drive gear 631. The kinetic energy of the drive gear 631 is transmitted to the first gear 677b and the second gear 677d. The kinetic energy of the second gear 677d is transmitted to the base 671 and the second shaft 65. Since the above-mentioned kinetic energy transmission occurs sequentially from the rotor 52 toward the roller 2, therefore... Figure 9 (a) can be defined as a forward power transmission structure.

[0157] on the other hand, Figure 9(b) The driven gear 677 may include: a first body 677a rotatably fixed to a base 671; a first gear 677b disposed on the circumferential surface of the first body 677a to mesh with a drive gear 631; a second body 677c protruding from the first body 677a toward a direction having a rotor 52 located therein; and a second gear 677d disposed on the circumferential surface of the second body to mesh with a ring gear 62. In this case, the first gear 677b may be located between the base 671 and the ring gear 62, while the second gear 677d may be located between the first gear 677b and one side of the first housing 61a. An example is shown in the figure where the first gear 677b is located in the space provided by the second housing 61b, and the second gear 677d is located in the space provided by the first housing 61a.

[0158] about Figure 9 (b) shows the power transmission component, in which the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 is transmitted via the first shaft 63 to the drive gear 631, and the kinetic energy of the drive gear 631 is transmitted to the first gear 677b [transmission of kinetic energy in the forward direction]. The kinetic energy of the first gear 677b is transmitted to the second gear 677d, which is not located in the direction of the roller, but in the direction of the rotor. Therefore, the kinetic energy of the first gear 677b is transmitted in the rearward direction. Subsequently, the kinetic energy of the second gear 677d is transmitted to the second shaft 65 via the base 671. Since the base 671 is located between the first gear 677b and the second housing 61b, the kinetic energy of the second gear 677d is transmitted forward to the second shaft 65.

[0159] exist Figure 9 In the power transmission component of (a), the second body 677c is configured as a cylinder protruding from the first body 677a toward the second housing 61b. On the other hand, in Figure 9 In the power transmission component of (b), the second body 677c is configured as a cylinder protruding from the first body 677a toward the first housing 61a. Therefore, due to Figure 9 (b) The driven gear 677 can form a space between the second gear 677d into which the free end of the first shaft support member 611 is inserted. Figure 9 (b) The volume of the power transmission component 6 can be configured to be smaller than Figure 9 (b) The volume of the power transmission components.

[0160] In addition, Figure 9 In case (b), if at least one of the plurality of bearings 613a and 613b that constitute the first shaft bearing 613 is disposed in the first shaft through hole 612 so as to be located in the space formed by the second gear 677d, the volume of the power transmission component 6 will be further reduced.

[0161] In some implementations, in order to minimize the size of the power transmission component D, Figure 9 (a) or Figure 9 (b) The power transmission component 6 shown can be configured such that at least one region of the first housing 61a is inserted into the core perforation 512.

[0162] like Figure 1 As shown, in the garment processing apparatus 100 constructed as described above, although the rear cover 23 of the roller remains connected to the fixed panel 15 via the drive member D, the front cover 22 of the roller remains in contact with the roller connecting body 123 of the support panel via the connecting damper 124. Therefore, if the roller 2 moves toward the rear side of the garment processing apparatus (along the X-axis direction), it is possible for the front cover 22 to separate from the roller connecting body 123.

[0163] If the front cover 22 is separated from the roller connecting body 123, the roller inlet 221 will be separated from the support panel perforation 122 (causing the air supplied to the roller to leak from the roller), resulting in problems such as energy waste, increased drying time, and reduced drying efficiency.

[0164] If the front cover 22 separates from the roller connecting body 123, the clothes may get stuck in the space between the front cover and the roller connecting body, thus subjecting the motor to a heavy load.

[0165] To address the aforementioned issues, the garment handling apparatus 100 may further include at least one of front support members 7 and 8 supporting the front cover 22 and a rear support member 9 supporting the rear cover 23. Figure 1 An example of a garment handling device 100 including both front support sections 7 and 8 and a rear support section 9 is shown.

[0166] The front support members 7 and 8 can be configured to minimize the effects of the front cover 22 moving along the height direction (e.g., the Z-axis direction) and width direction (e.g., the Y-axis direction) of the support panel 121, and the rear support member 9 can be configured to minimize the effects of the rear cover 23 moving away from the support panel 121 (e.g., the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction).

[0167] like Figure 10 As shown, the front support component may include: a first front support component 7, which supports the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 in the region below the horizontal line H passing through the rotation center of the roller; and a second front support component 8, which supports the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 in the region above the horizontal line H.

[0168] The first front support member 7, which is disposed in at least one of the base panel 17 and the support panel 121, is a device for setting the range in which the roller inlet 221 can move along the width direction (+Y axis direction, -Y axis direction) of the support body 121 and the range in which the roller inlet 221 can move toward the direction in which the base panel 17 is located (-Z axis direction).

[0169] The first front support member 7 may include: a first roller 71, rotatably fixed to the support panel 121 via a first roller shaft 711; and a second roller 73, rotatably fixed to the support panel 121 via a second roller shaft 731.

[0170] In order to minimize the load applied to each of the rollers 711 and 731, the positions of the first roller 71 and the second roller 73 are preferably set as points symmetrical to each other with respect to the vertical line V passing through the center of rotation of the rollers.

[0171] Furthermore, in order to minimize the impact of the roller vibration transmitted to the housing through rollers 71 and 73, each of rollers 71 and 73 may be configured to contact the circumferential surface of the front cover when the roller generates vibrations exceeding a preset reference displacement (e.g., each roller may be configured to remain spaced apart from the front cover).

[0172] The second front support member 8, which is provided to the support panel 121, is a device for setting the range within which the roller inlet 221 can move in a direction (+Z) away from the base panel 17. Figure 11 As shown, the second front support component 8 may include: a front support frame 81, which is located at a point higher than the front cover 22 by being fixed to the support panel 121; and support dampers 83 and 85, which are fixed to the front support frame 81 to restrict the movement of the front cover 22 along the height direction of the support body 121.

[0173] To secure the front support bracket 81, a support member mounting recess that is concavely curved toward the support panel 121 away from the front cover 22 can be provided to the support panel 121, a groove 125a can be provided to the mounting recess 125, and a fastening member 811 can be provided to the front support bracket 81 so as to be inserted into the groove 125a.

[0174] like Figure 12 As shown in (a), the support damper may include: a first damper 83, fixed to the front support frame 81; and a second damper 85, fixed to the first damper 83, to support the circumferential surface of the front cover 22.

[0175] In order for the support dampers 83 and 85 to effectively reduce the vibration of the roller 2, the first damper 83 can be formed of a material with a higher elastic modulus than the second damper 85. That is, the second damper 85 can be provided with the same felt as the connecting damper 124, while the first damper 83 can be provided with rubber or the like.

[0176] As described above, the connecting damper 124 is fixed to the damper mounting recess 123a and can be configured to remain pressed by the front cover 22 in the direction of the support panel 121. The damper mounting recess 123a is annularly disposed at the free end of the roller connecting body 123. This is to minimize the effect of the edges of the roller connecting body 123 and the roller inlet 221 separating from each other.

[0177] Figure 12 (b) shows another embodiment of the second front support member 8. The second front support member 8 of this embodiment may include a front roller 87, which is rotatably fixed to the front support frame 81 via a roller shaft 871 to support the circumferential surface of the front cover 22.

[0178] Unlike the accompanying drawings, the first front support member 7 may be configured to support the circumferential surface of the roller body 21 instead of the circumferential surface of the front cover 22. In this case, each of the rollers 71 and 73 may be configured to support the region of the circumferential surface of the roller body 21 located below the horizontal line H. If each of the rollers 71 and 73 supports the circumferential surface of the roller body (or the circumferential surface of the front cover), it means both 'each of the rollers 71 and 73 is configured to contact the circumferential surface of the roller body' and 'each of the rollers 71 and 73 is spaced apart to contact the roller body when vibrations above a reference displacement are generated by the roller'.

[0179] Similarly, the second front support member 8 can be configured to support the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the roller body 21 above the horizontal line H. That is, the second damper 85 can be configured to support the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the roller body 21 above the horizontal line H, and the front roller 87 can be configured to support the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the roller body 21 above the horizontal line H.

[0180] If the second damper 85 and the front roller 87 support the circumferential surface of the drum body (or the circumferential surface of the front cover), it means that it includes both 'the second damper 85 or the front roller 87 is configured to contact the circumferential surface of the drum body' and 'the second damper 85 or the front roller 87 is spaced apart to contact the drum body when the drum body generates vibrations exceeding the reference displacement'.

[0181] like Figure 10As shown, if the space between the first roller 71 and the second roller 73 becomes narrower (i.e., if each of the first roller and the second roller is set closer to the lowest point of the front cover), then the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 is very likely to deviate from the space formed by the first roller 71, the second roller 73 and the second front support member 8.

[0182] To stably support the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 (i.e., improve the durability of the roller shafts) while preventing a rapid increase in the load acting on the roller shafts 711 and 731, the angle A3 formed between the vertical line V and the line connecting the rotation centers 711 / 713 of each roller and the rotation center C of the drum is preferably set to less than 60 degrees. This is because if the angle A3 between the vertical line V and the line connecting the rotation centers 711 / 731 of the rollers and the rotation center C of the drum exceeds 60 degrees, the external force applied to the roller shafts 711 / 731 will increase rapidly.

[0183] For example, the angle A3 of the roller shaft relative to the vertical line can be set to 50 to 52 degrees, while the angle A4 formed by the straight line connecting the shaft 711 / 731 of each roller to the rotation center C of the roller relative to the horizontal line connecting the shafts of the two rollers to each other can be set to 40 to 38 degrees.

[0184] Furthermore, the angle A1 between the line L1 connecting the rotation center 711 of the first roller and the center of the second front support 8, and the line L2 connecting the rotation center 731 of the second roller and the center of the second front support 8, can be set to 30 to 50 degrees. In this case, the angle A2 formed by the horizontal line L3 connecting the rotation centers 711 and 731 of the two rollers to each other, and the straight lines L1 / L2 connecting the rotation centers 711 / 731 of each roller with the center of the second front support 8, will be 65 to 75 degrees.

[0185] In some embodiments, the gap G1 between the uppermost end of each of the first roller 71 and the second roller 73 and the lowermost end of the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 can preferably be set to be greater than the gap G2 between the second front support member 8 and the uppermost end of the circumferential surface of the front cover 22. That is, the gap G3 between the circumferential surface of the roller and the circumferential surface of the front cover is preferably set to be less than the gap G2 between the second front support member 8 and the uppermost end of the circumferential surface of the front cover.

[0186] Therefore, when the drum vibrates, if the two rollers 71 and 73 can limit the drum's vibration earlier than the second front support member 8, the effect of the drum's rotation center vibrating along the width direction (i.e., the Y-axis direction) of the support body 121 can be minimized. When the drum rotates while receiving clothing inside, vibration will occur. Regarding this drum vibration, the vibration in the direction facing the bottom of the support body (i.e., the -Z-axis direction) and the vibration in the width direction (i.e., the Y-axis direction) facing the support body are generally greater than the vibration in the direction facing the top of the support body (+Z-axis direction). Therefore, if the first front support member 7 and the second front support member 8 are constructed as described above, the vibration generated in the initial stage of the drum's rotation can be effectively reduced.

[0187] Figure 13 An example of the rear support member 9 is shown. As described above, the rear support member 9 is a device for at least one of the range in which the rear cover 23 can move toward the fixed panel 151 and the range in which the rear cover 23 can move toward the base panel 17.

[0188] although Figure 13 (a) and Figure 13 (b) The rear support member 9 shown is depicted as being fixed to the discharge pipe 31, but the rear support member 9 may be fixed to the base panel 17, the fixed panel 12, or both the base panel and the fixed panel. For clarity and convenience, the following description will be based on the case where the rear support member 9 is fixed to the discharge pipe 31.

[0189] Figure 13 (a) The rear support member 9 includes: a rear support frame 91 fixed to the discharge pipe 31; and a seat member 93 disposed on the rear support frame 91 to limit at least one of rearward displacement caused by the rear cover 23 moving toward the fixed panel 151 and downward displacement caused by the rear cover 23 moving toward the base panel 17.

[0190] The seat component 93 may be configured to support the connecting surface of the rear cover 23. In this case, the seat component 93 is preferably configured to correspond to the shape of the connecting component 97 of the rear cover 23 and the roller body 21.

[0191] That is, if the connecting part 97 of the rear cover 23 and the roller body 21 is formed by stitching (i.e., an assembly method that connects the roller body and the rear cover by folding one end of the roller body and the edge of the rear cover together), an L-shaped edge will be formed in the connecting part 97. The seat part 93 may include: a first seat surface 931, fixed to the rear support frame 91 and extending along the height direction of the roller (+Z-axis direction); and a second seat surface, extending from the rear support frame 91 toward the direction in which the support panel is located (-Z-axis direction). The first seat surface 931 may be configured to limit rearward displacement by the space between the rear surface of the connecting part 97 (i.e., the surface facing the fixed panel) and the fixed panel 151, while the second seat surface 933 may be configured to limit downward displacement by the space between the bottom end of the connecting part 97 and the base panel 17.

[0192] The first seat surface 931 may be configured to remain in contact with the connecting member 97. Alternatively, the first seat surface 931 may be configured to contact the connecting member 97 only when a displacement exceeding a preset reference rearward displacement occurs in the roller.

[0193] Similarly, the second seat surface 933 may be configured to remain in contact with the connecting member 97. Alternatively, the second seat surface 933 may be configured to contact the connecting member 97 only when a displacement exceeding a preset reference downward displacement occurs in the roller.

[0194] If the rear cover 23 and the seat component 93 are configured to contact each other, the seat component 93 may include felt to reduce friction acting on the roller (i.e., reduce the load on the motor).

[0195] Figure 13 (b) The rear support component 9 includes: a rear support frame 91 fixed to the discharge pipe 31; and a rear roller 95 rotatably fixed to the rear support frame 91 to contact the rear cover 23. The rear roller 95 is rotatably fixed to the free end of the rear support frame 91 via a roller shaft 951.

[0196] The roller receiving recess 235 provides space for a portion of the rear roller 95 to be inserted and can be disposed on the rear cover 23. The roller receiving recess 235 may include a recess configured such that the surface of the rear cover 23 is curved toward the front cover 22. The roller receiving recess 235 may be configured to form a circle surrounding the center of the rear cover 23 (i.e., the rotation center of the roller).

[0197] The rear roller 95 may be configured to remain in contact with the rear cover 23. Alternatively, the rear roller 95 may be configured to contact the rear cover 23 only when a downward displacement exceeding a preset reference occurs in the roller.

[0198] The aforementioned front support components 7 and 8 and rear support component 9 can minimize the impact of the movement of the roller inlet 221 in directions separate from the roller connecting body (e.g., -X-axis direction, +Z-axis direction, -Z-axis direction). Therefore, the garment handling device 100 can minimize the problems of air leakage supplied to the roller and garments getting stuck between the roller and the support panel 121.

[0199] If the problem of clothes getting stuck between the drum and the support panel can be minimized, it means that the load on the drive components can be minimized, which means that the drum's speed and direction of rotation can be controlled by a motor that generates small torque.

[0200] Although the above-described garment processing equipment 100 is based on the case of including a circulating type drying system, it is also applicable to exhaust type drying systems. A circulating type drying system refers to a drying system that sequentially dehumidifies and heats the air discharged from the drum 2, and then resupplyes dry, hot air to the drum. An exhaust type drying system refers to a drying system that heats external air, supplies the heated air to the drum 2 for heat exchange, and then discharges the air discharged from the drum 2 to the outside of the casing 1.

[0201] When the garment processing equipment is configured as an exhaust-type drying system, the supply component 3 may include: an exhaust pipe connecting the first outlet 128 and the second outlet 157 to each other; a supply pipe supplying external air (e.g., air inside or outside the housing) to the roller 2; and a heat exchange component heating the air that has flowed into the supply pipe.

[0202] Although the above-described garment processing equipment 100 is based on the case of including a circulating type drying system, it is also applicable to exhaust type drying systems. A circulating type drying system refers to a drying system that sequentially dehumidifies and heats the air discharged from the drum 2, and then resupplyes dry, hot air to the drum. An exhaust type drying system refers to a drying system that heats external air, supplies the heated air to the drum 2 for heat exchange, and then discharges the air discharged from the drum 2 to the outside of the casing 1.

[0203] When the garment processing equipment is configured as an exhaust-type drying system, the supply component 3 may include: an exhaust pipe that connects the first outlet 128 and the second outlet 157 to each other; supplying external air (e.g., air inside or outside the housing) to the roller 2; and a heat exchange component that heats the air that has flowed into the supply pipe.

[0204] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit and essential characteristics. Therefore, the above embodiments should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects. The scope of this disclosure should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all variations falling within the equivalent scope of this disclosure are included within its scope.

Claims

1. A dryer, comprising: The casing includes: Base panel; Support panel, fixed to the base panel; and The fixing panel is fixed to the base panel in a manner that faces the support panel. A roller, located within the housing, the roller comprising: The cylindrical roller body has an open front side and an open rear side; The front cover is fixed to the front side of the roller body; The rear cover is fixed to the rear side of the roller body; and The roller inlet penetrates the front cover; The support panel is perforated to penetrate the support panel and communicate with the roller inlet; A roller connecting body is disposed on the support panel to perforate the support panel and connect it to the roller inlet; Drive components, including: The stator forms a rotating field; The rotor rotates through the rotating field; and A power transmission component is fixed to the fixed panel to transmit the rotational motion of the rotor to the drum; A first front support member is disposed on at least one of the base panel or the support panel to define the movable range of the roller inlet along the width direction of the support body and the movable range of the roller inlet toward the base panel; and A second front support member is disposed on the support panel to set the movable range of the roller inlet in the direction away from the base panel.

2. The dryer according to claim 1, wherein, The first front support member is configured to support a region of the circumferential surface of the front cover located below a horizontal line passing through the rotation center of the roller, or a region of the circumferential surface of the roller body located below the horizontal line, and wherein the second front support member is configured to support a region of the circumferential surface of the front cover located above the horizontal line, or a region of the circumferential surface of the roller body located above the horizontal line.

3. The dryer according to claim 2, wherein, The second front support component includes: Front support frame, fixed to the fixed panel; and A support damper is fixed to the front support frame to contact the circumferential surface of the front cover.

4. The dryer according to claim 2, wherein, The second front support component includes: Front support frame, fixed to the fixed panel; and A support damper is fixed to the front support frame so as to be spaced apart from the circumferential surface of the front cover.

5. The dryer according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The support damper includes: A first damper, fixed to the front support frame; and The second damper is fixed to the first damper and is formed of a material having a different elastic coefficient than the first damper.

6. The dryer according to claim 5, wherein, The second damper is formed of felt, and the first damper is formed of rubber.

7. The dryer according to claim 5, further comprising: A connecting damper is fixed to the free end of the roller connecting body by being constructed in a ring shape, thereby connecting the free end of the roller connecting body to the edge of the roller inlet.

8. The dryer according to claim 7, wherein, The connection damper is formed of felt.

9. The dryer according to claim 2, wherein, The second front support component includes: Front support frame, fixed to the support panel; and The front roller is rotatably fixed to the front support frame so that its circumferential surface can contact the circumferential surface of the front cover.

10. The dryer according to claim 2, wherein, The second front support component includes: Front support frame, fixed to the support panel; and The front roller is rotatably fixed to the front support frame so that its circumferential surface can be spaced apart from the circumferential surface of the front cover.

11. The dryer according to claim 2, wherein, The first front support member includes a first roller and a second roller rotatably fixed to the support panel, wherein the first roller and the second roller are respectively disposed at points symmetrical about a vertical line passing through the center of rotation of the roller.

12. An apparatus for processing clothing, comprising: The casing includes: Base panel; Support panel, fixed to the base panel; and A fixing panel is fixed to the base panel in a manner that faces the support panel; A roller, located within the housing, the roller comprising: The cylindrical roller body has an open front side and an open rear side; The front cover is fixed to the front side of the roller body; The rear cover is fixed to the rear side of the roller body; and The roller inlet penetrates the front cover; The support panel is perforated to penetrate the support panel and communicate with the roller inlet; The roller connecting body is disposed on the support panel to connect the support panel through hole and the roller inlet; Drive components, including: The stator forms a rotating field; The rotor rotates through the rotating field; and A power transmission component is fixed to the fixed panel to transmit the rotational motion of the rotor to the drum; A front support member, disposed on at least one of the base panel or the fixed panel, to rotatably support the roller; and A rear support component is disposed on at least one of the base panel or the support panel to define at least one of the movable range of the rear cover toward the fixed panel or the movable range of the rear cover toward the base panel. The drive component is located on the rear side of the roller, and the power transmission component is connected to the rear cover.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein, The rear support component includes: The rear support frame is fixed to the base panel or the fixed panel; The first base surface is fixed to the rear support frame and located in the space between the rear cover and the fixed panel to define the movable range of the rear cover toward the fixed panel; and The second base surface is fixed to the rear support frame and located in the space between the rear cover and the base panel to set the movable range of the rear cover toward the base panel.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein, The first base surface and the second base surface are configured to contact the rear cover or be located at points spaced apart from the rear cover.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein, The rear support component includes: The rear support frame is fixed to the base panel or the fixed panel; and The rear roller is rotatably fixed to the rear support frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: The roller receiving recess is configured as an annular recess formed by bending the rear cover toward the front cover to provide space for receiving the circumferential surface of the rear roller therein.

Images