Laundry dryer comprising filter assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a clothes dryer. To this end, the laundry dryer may include: a main body including a drum arranged in the main body and a front panel in which a first opening for inputting an object to be dried into the drum is formed; a heat exchanger disposed in the base of the main body and through which air discharged from the drum travels to exchange heat; a discharge duct that guides air discharged from the drum into the base; and a filter assembly of a polyhedral shape having a width, a thickness, and a height, the filter assembly being formed to filter air discharged from the drum and traveling through the heat exchanger. The width may be greater than a diameter of an opening forming a first opening disposed in the front panel, and the thickness may be greater than a lateral width of a discharge port located at a starting point of the discharge duct.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to filters disposed in clothes dryers, and more particularly to clothes dryers including filter assemblies configured to reduce flow path resistance of dry air flowing inside. Background Technology

[0002] A clothes dryer is a household appliance used to dry wet clothes using hot and dry air.

[0003] Clothes dryers can be classified according to their power source as gas dryers and electric dryers, and according to how they handle the moisture absorbed from clothes as vented dryers and condenser dryers. Vented dryers exhaust humid air flowing into the drum to the outside through a long exhaust duct, while condenser dryers dry the humid air from the drum through a heat exchanger and return the dry air to the drum. The air circulating inside the clothes dryer through this series of processes can be called recirculated air.

[0004] In response to the drying process performed by the dryer, circulating air can travel through a rotating drum, and the circulating air can dry the clothes (also known as the items to be dried) placed in the drum. During this process, foreign objects such as dust or lint present in the items to be dried may travel along with the drying air.

[0005] A filter assembly positioned along the path from the drum outlet to the heat exchanger collects foreign matter that travels with the dry air. When foreign matter accumulates above a threshold level in the filter assembly, the air may not flow smoothly.

[0006] Furthermore, the flow of circulating air may not be smooth due to the structure of the circulating flow path (the flow path through which the circulating air discharged from the drum moves) or due to the structure of the filters installed in that path. In other words, the flow path resistance that interferes with the movement of circulating air may increase. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical problems to be solved

[0008] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a filter assembly can be proposed that minimizes flow path resistance by maximizing the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through which dry air travels.

[0009] Technical solution

[0010] A clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a body having a drum located inside the body and a front panel having a first opening leading to the drum, through which an object to be dried can be placed into the drum; a heat exchanger located on a base of the body, through which air discharged from the drum travels to exchange heat with the heat exchanger; an outlet duct for guiding the air discharged from the drum to the base; and a filter assembly having a polyhedral shape, the polyhedron having a width, a length, and a height, and an open side, and the filter assembly being configured such that air discharged from the drum and traveling through the heat exchanger is filtered by the filter assembly, wherein the width may be longer than the diameter of the first opening in the front panel, and the length may be longer than the horizontal length of an outlet located at the beginning of the outlet duct.

[0011] The top side of the filter assembly may be open, and the filter assembly may also include mesh members along a plurality of sides of the filter assembly other than the top side of the filter assembly, such that the plurality of sides include a surface formed by the mesh members.

[0012] The front surface of the filter assembly may be tilted at a first angle relative to the lower surface of the filter assembly, and the upper portion of the front surface may be tilted to be adjacent to the front panel compared to the lower portion of the front surface.

[0013] The rear surface of the filter assembly may be inclined at a second angle relative to the lower surface of the filter assembly, and the lower portion of the rear surface may be inclined to be adjacent to the front panel compared to the upper portion of the rear surface.

[0014] The first angle and the second angle can be from 90° to 180°.

[0015] The front panel may include a second opening and a cover, the filter assembly being movable through the second opening, the cover being configured to open and close the second opening.

[0016] The width of the second opening may be greater than or equal to the width of the filter assembly, and the height of the second opening may be greater than or equal to the height of the filter assembly.

[0017] The clothes dryer may further include a sealing member located between the second opening and the cover, the sealing member corresponding to the periphery of the second opening, and the sealing member being configured to seal the second opening in response to the closing of the cover.

[0018] The guide rail may be located on one side of the filter assembly, and the base cover may be located on the base, and the base cover may include a guide plate that supports the guide rail when the filter assembly is located on the base.

[0019] The guide rail can be located on the guide plate.

[0020] The filter assembly may include: a first filter, the first filter including a first mesh member; and a second filter, the second filter including a second mesh member, the second filter being able to be connected to the interior of the first filter, and the mesh size of the first mesh member being smaller than the mesh size of the second mesh member.

[0021] The filter assembly may include a third filter, the third filter including a third mesh member, and the third filter may be connected to the interior of the second filter, and the mesh size of the second mesh member may be smaller than the mesh size of the third mesh member.

[0022] The mesh size of the first mesh component can be 200 to 250 meshes, the mesh size of the second mesh component can be 150 to 200 meshes, and the mesh size of the third mesh component can be 110 to 150 meshes.

[0023] The clothes dryer may also include a circulating fan located on the base, and the circulating fan may be positioned on an inlet duct through which air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchanger travels before being introduced into the drum.

[0024] The filter assembly of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may have a polyhedral shape having a width, length, height, and an open side; and the filter assembly may include mesh members along a plurality of sides of the filter assembly other than the open side of the filter assembly, such that the plurality of sides include a surface formed by the mesh members, wherein the filter assembly may be configured to guide air discharged from the drum toward a heat exchanger in the base of the clothes dryer, and the width may be longer than the diameter of the opening in the front panel of the clothes dryer for the object to be dried to pass through, and the length may be longer than the horizontal length of the outlet located at the beginning of the outlet duct.

[0025] The opening side can be configured to face the direction along which air flows into the filter assembly when the filter assembly is placed between the outlet pipe and the heat exchanger.

[0026] At least one of the top and front sides of the filter assembly may be open.

[0027] The filter assembly may further include: a first filter, the first filter including a first mesh member; and a second filter, the second filter including a second mesh member, wherein the second filter may be connected to the interior of the first filter, and the mesh size of the first mesh member may be smaller than the mesh size of the second mesh member.

[0028] The filter assembly may further include a third filter, the third filter including a third mesh member, and the third filter may be connected to the interior of the second filter, and the mesh size of the second mesh member may be smaller than the mesh size of the third mesh member.

[0029] The mesh size of the first mesh component can be 200 to 250 meshes, the mesh size of the second mesh component can be 150 to 200 meshes, and the mesh size of the third mesh component can be 110 to 150 meshes.

[0030] Beneficial effects

[0031] The clothes dryer according to embodiments of the present disclosure can provide enhanced drying performance by minimizing the flow path resistance generated when the drying air flows.

[0032] Convenience of use can be increased by increasing the amount of foreign matter that can be collected by the filter assembly included in the clothes dryer according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] By providing attachment / removal functionality for the filter assembly included in the clothes dryer according to embodiments of the present disclosure, ease of filter cleaning can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the construction of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a view illustrating the heat circulation generated in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of the structure at the point where the filter assembly is located in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0038] Figure 5This is a front view of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0039] Figure 6 This is an exploded perspective view illustrating the main components of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 7a This is a perspective view illustrating a filter assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 7b This is a plan view illustrating a filter assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0042] Figure 7c This is a right-side view of a filter assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view illustrating a filter assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0044] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure in which a filter assembly is coupled to a base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] In conjunction with the description of the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to denote the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0046] In the following description, embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will enable those skilled in the art to readily practice the disclosure. However, the disclosure may be implemented in various other forms and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Throughout the specification and drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to refer to the same or similar elements. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, well-known functions and constructions are not described in the drawings and related descriptions.

[0047] In the following text, for ease of description, the terms "x-axis direction," "y-axis direction," and "z-axis direction" are defined. The "x-axis direction" can be defined as the direction when viewing the clothes dryer from the front (e.g., ...). Figure 1 The "x-axis direction" refers to the right-hand direction of the clothes dryer 1. In other words, the "x-axis direction" can be understood as the left-right direction of the clothes dryer 1. The "y-axis direction" can be defined as the front-to-back direction when viewing the clothes dryer 1 from the front side. In other words, the "y-axis direction" can be understood as the front-to-back direction of the clothes dryer 1. The "z-axis direction" can be defined as the height direction of the clothes dryer 1. In other words, the "z-axis direction" can be understood as the up-down direction of the clothes dryer 1. However, the shape and position of the components are not limited by these defined directions.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the construction of a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In other words, it can be understood that... Figure 2 Is Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken at a point parallel to the yz plane.

[0050] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The clothes dryer 1 may include a main body 10 and a drum 20 installed inside the main body 10. The main body 10 may include a frame 12, a top cover 11 covering the upper part of the frame 12, and a front panel 13 disposed on the front side of the frame 12.

[0051] According to an embodiment, the base 90 can be installed below the main body 10. The evaporator 71, condenser 72, and compressor (e.g., constituting the refrigerant cycle) can be mounted thereon. Figure 3 The compressor 73) and the expansion valve (e.g., Figure 3 An expansion valve 74 is mounted on a base 90, and a circulating fan 43 and a drive motor 31 may be provided. A base cover 92 may be attached to the upper part of the base 90 to cover the evaporator 71 and the condenser 72.

[0052] According to an embodiment, a door 14 for opening and closing the drum 20 can be provided on the front side of the main body 10. An opening 16 can be formed in the front panel 13 to allow the object to be dried to be placed into the drum 20, and the door 14 can be mounted in front of the opening 16. The opening 16 provided in the front panel 13 can be referred to as the first opening. The door 14 can be hinged to one side of the opening 16 to allow rotation. For example, a structure projecting along the y-axis can be provided on the rear surface of the door 14 to prevent the object to be dried and / or washing liquid from escaping through the opening 16 in response to the door 14 being closed. This structure can have a shape corresponding to, for example, the shape of the opening 16. A sealing member for sealing the opening 16 can be provided along the outer periphery of this structure.

[0053] According to an embodiment, the opening 16 can be implemented as an opening formed in the front side of the body 10. For example, the opening 16 can have a substantially circular or elliptical shape. For example, when the opening 16 has a substantially elliptical shape, the opening 16 can have a predetermined width in the x-axis direction. The maximum width of this predetermined width can be less than the maximum width of the roller 20 in the x-axis direction.

[0054] According to an embodiment, a water container 50 for recycling can be disposed on the front panel 13. The water container 50 for recycling can store condensate removed from a water tray (not shown) disposed in the base 90. The condensate in the water tray can be moved to the water container 50 for recycling by a drain pump (not shown) disposed in the water tray.

[0055] According to an embodiment, a handle that can be gripped by a user may be provided on the front side of the water container 50 for recycling. Furthermore, a display window 51 may be provided on the front side of the water container 50 for recycling. The display window 51 may be made of a transparent material, allowing the user to determine the amount of condensate collected inside the water container 50 for recycling. The user can check the display window 51 and, if necessary, remove the water container 50 for recycling to drain the condensate contained within it.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the front panel 13 may be provided with a rotary switch 17 for controlling the clothes dryer 1 and a display unit 15. The rotary switch 17 may be configured to be rotated by the user's grip and to select the mode of the clothes dryer 1. The display unit 15 may display the operating status of the clothes dryer 1 and the user's operating status.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the drum 20 for receiving the object to be dried can be rotatably mounted inside the main body 10. A plurality of lifters 21 are arranged inside the drum 20 along its circumferential direction. The lifters 21 can be configured to effectively dry the object by raising and lowering it.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the roller 20 can be rotated by a belt 33 connected to the outside of the roller 20. A drive motor 31 can be positioned on one side of the roller, and the drive motor 31 can be equipped with a pulley 32 that rotates by receiving the rotational force of the drive motor 31. The belt 33 can connect the pulley 32 and the roller 20 to transmit the power of the drive motor 31 to the roller 20.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the drum 20 may include an inlet 22 and an outlet 23 to allow air circulation. The inlet 22 may be positioned on the rear surface of the drum 20, and the outlet 23 may be positioned on the front side of the drum 20. Air drawn in from the rear through the inlet 22 can dry the object to be dried, and exits forward through the outlet 23.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 may include a heat pump 70 for drying air traveling through the drum 20 (e.g., Figure 3The heat pump 70 can be installed inside the main body 10. The heat pump 70 may include an evaporator 71, a condenser 72, a compressor 73, and an expansion valve 74. The evaporator 71 and the condenser 72 may be referred to as heat exchangers 71 and 72.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the clothes dryer 1 may include a circulating fan 43 mounted in the air travel path, such that the drum 20 and the drying unit are in communication with each other to circulate air. The circulating fan 43 may be mounted inside the main body 10 and may be mounted on the lower rear surface of the drum 20. Air may move along ducts 24 and 25 such that the air flowing via the circulating fan 43 is not discharged to the outside. The circulating fan 43 may be driven together with the drive motor 31 that drives the drum 20.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the pipe disposed in the path through which the air introduced into the roller 20 travels can be referred to as inlet pipe 24, and the pipe disposed in the path through which the air leaving the roller 20 travels can be referred to as outlet pipe 25. Inlet pipe 24 can be disposed behind the roller 20 and can communicate with the interior of the roller 20 via an inlet 22 formed in the roller 20. Outlet pipe 25 can be disposed in front of the roller 20 to guide the discharge of hot and humid air traveling through the interior of the roller 20.

[0063] According to an embodiment, when the clothes dryer 1 performs a drying operation, a closed flow path can be formed inside the main body 10. Here, the closed flow path can be understood as being formed as a movement path that allows air inside the drum 20 to circulate through the heat pump 70 and the air movement path of the drum 20 (see [reference]). Figure 2 (The arrow in the image). A closed flow path can be formed in such a way that air outside the main body 10 does not flow into the roller 20 or air inside the roller 20 does not flow out of the main body 10. In other words, the air flow can form a closed loop.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the air circulating inside the clothes dryer 1 can flow as follows: Air is discharged from the drum 20 through outlet 23. The discharged air flows along outlet duct 25 to heat exchangers 71 and 72. After passing through heat exchangers 71 and 72, the dried air can be guided along guide duct 26 to inlet duct 24. Here, guide duct 26 can be understood as a closed path through which the air moved by the circulating fan 43 reaches inlet duct 24. The air can move along inlet duct 24 and flow into the drum 20 through inlet 22. The air can circulate through a series of processes and dry the items to be dried.

[0065] Although not shown, the clothes dryer 1 may also include a heater (e.g., Figure 4The heater 75 heats the air traveling through the heat exchangers 71 and 72. By providing the heater 75 in the clothes dryer 1, the temperature of the air to be introduced into the drum 20 can be further increased. Therefore, the clothes dryer 1 can enhance the drying function of the items to be dried or provide a disinfection function for the items to be dried. The clothes dryer 1 including the heater 75 and the heat pump 70 can be referred to as a "hybrid drying device". The clothes dryer 1 described in this disclosure can be understood as either a "heat pump type drying device" that only includes the heat pump 70 or a "hybrid drying device" that includes both the heat pump 70 and the heater 75. For example, the heater 75 can be provided on the guide duct 26.

[0066] According to an embodiment, when air travels through the object to be dried, foreign objects such as lint may be included in the air. Since the air is not exhausted but circulates inside the clothes dryer 1, it is necessary to remove these foreign objects. Therefore, the clothes dryer 1 may include a filter assembly 100 for filtering the air. (Reference) Figure 4 Describe the flow of circulating air.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may have a polyhedral shape with an opening on one side. For example, the filter assembly 100 may have a substantially hexahedral shape with an opening on the top side. Since one side of the filter assembly 100 is open, foreign matter flowing with the air can be introduced into the open side and collected by a mesh member disposed inside the filter assembly 100.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 with an opening on one side may have a basket shape. For example, the outer surface of the basket-shaped filter assembly 100, excluding the opening side, may be implemented in various shapes. For example, the filter assembly 100 may have a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may include a frame forming the exterior of the filter assembly 100, and a mesh member disposed in the space formed by the frame (e.g., Figure 8 Mesh members 120, 140, and 160. Mesh members 120, 140, and 160 may be disposed on the outer surfaces of the filter assembly 100, excluding the open side surfaces. For example, mesh members 120, 140, and 160 may be disposed on the front, rear, two opposing side surfaces (e.g., left and right surfaces), and lower surfaces of the filter assembly 100.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may include a plurality of filters of different sizes (e.g., Figure 8The first to third filters 101, 102, and 103). Multiple filters 101, 102, and 103 can be connected inwardly from the opening side of the filter assembly 100. For this purpose, the outermost first filter (e.g., Figure 8 The first filter 101 can be relatively larger than the second filter 101. Figure 8 The second filter 102), and the second filter 102 may be relatively larger than the innermost third filter (e.g., Figure 8 The third filter 103). The outerer the mesh members 120, 140 and 160 are positioned in the plurality of filters, the smaller the mesh size of the mesh member can be. In other words, the outermost filters of the plurality of filters 101, 102 and 103 constituting the filter assembly 100 can filter out finer foreign objects.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 can be configured to be detachable from the base 90. For this purpose, a filter door 200 that can be opened and closed can be provided on the front side of the main body 10.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the filter door 200 may be positioned on the front side of the body 10 corresponding to the position where the filter assembly 100 is located. A hinge may be provided on one side of the filter door 200. The hinge provided on one side of the filter door 200 may be fixed to one side of the front side of the body 10 to allow the filter door 200 to rotate. For example, the filter door 200 may be mounted so as to be rotatable relative to the upper end, lower end, or either of the two opposite side ends of the filter door 200. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the filter door 200 may be configured to slide relative to the front side of the body 10. For this purpose, sliding members may be provided on the upper and lower sides of the filter door 200, and sliding guide members may be provided on the front side of the body 10 to allow the sliding members to slide.

[0073] According to an embodiment, an opening having a size substantially the same as the area of ​​the filter door 200 (e.g., Figure 5 A second opening 200a may be provided on the front side corresponding to the filter door 200. The opening 200a may be referred to as the second opening 200a. A user can open the filter door 200 to pull out or insert the filter assembly 100 through the second opening 200a. The second opening 200a may have a predetermined width w2 in the x-axis direction and a predetermined height t2 in the z-axis direction. The width w2 of the second opening 200a may be referred to as the second width w2, and the height t2 of the second opening 200a may be referred to as the second height t2. A predetermined relationship may exist between the second width w2 and the second height t2 and the width w and height t of the filter assembly 100. This will be referred to... Figure 5 Describe it.

[0074] According to an embodiment, a sealing member may be provided in the filter door 200 or the second opening 200a to seal the second opening 200a in response to the filter door 200 being closed. The sealing member may be provided, for example, along the edge of the filter door 200 or along the outer peripheral surface of the second opening 200a. Because of the sealing member, the second opening 200a can be sealed when the filter door 200 is closed, preventing materials such as recirculated air or foreign matter from being discharged to the outside.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the direction in which the filter assembly 100 will be installed can be determined by the direction of movement of the air circulating inside the clothes dryer 1. In other words, the direction in which the filter assembly 100 will be installed can be determined in order to collect foreign matter contained in the air passing through the opening side of the filter assembly 100. For example, in order to collect foreign matter contained in the air moving downward through the opening 16, the filter assembly 100 can be installed such that the opening surface of the filter assembly 100 can be positioned upward. For example, the filter assembly 100 can be installed such that the opening surface of the filter assembly 100 is positioned forward to collect foreign matter contained in the air moving in the y-axis direction as the air reaches the lower side of the base 90 through the opening 16.

[0076] For example, the front surface of the filter assembly 100 can be configured to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the front panel 13. In this case, the side surfaces of the filter assembly 100 can have a substantially trapezoidal shape. Because the front surface of the filter assembly 100 is inclined at a predetermined angle, the area of ​​air discharged from the roller 20 that contacts the filter assembly 100 can be increased. Due to this structure of the filter assembly 100, the flow path resistance generated when circulating air travels through the filter assembly 100 can be reduced.

[0077] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may extend a predetermined length in the x-axis direction. Hereinafter, the predetermined length by which the filter assembly 100 extends in the x-axis direction is referred to as the "width w of the filter assembly 100" (e.g., as shown in the image). Figure 5 (As shown). The filter assembly 100 may extend a predetermined length in the y-axis direction. Hereinafter, the predetermined length by which the filter assembly extends in the y-axis direction is referred to as "the length l of the filter assembly 100" (e.g., as shown). Figure 7c (As shown). The filter assembly 100 may extend a predetermined length in the z-axis direction. In the following text, the predetermined length by which the filter assembly 100 extends in the z-axis direction is referred to as the "height t of the filter assembly 100" (e.g., as shown). Figure 7c (As shown).

[0078] According to an embodiment, the width w, length l, and height t of the filter assembly 100 can be set within a predetermined range. The width w, length l, and height t of the filter assembly 100 can be set by taking into account the flow path resistance of air traveling through the filter assembly 100. The width w, length l, and height t of the filter assembly 100 can be set from the perspective of minimizing flow path resistance by maximizing the flow path area contacted by the air traveling through the filter assembly 100. Reference is made below. Figure 3 This will be described.

[0079] Figure 3 The illustration shows a clothes dryer (e.g., according to an embodiment) Figure 1 A view of the heat circulation generated in the clothes dryer 1).

[0080] refer to Figure 3 It can be understood that the arrows, represented by solid lines, indicate the flow of air circulating inside the clothes dryer 1, and the arrows, represented by dashed lines, indicate the flow of refrigerant circulating through the heat pump 70.

[0081] According to an embodiment, humid air discharged from the roller 20 can travel through the filter assembly 100. The air can be discharged into an opening 16 provided in the front surface of the roller 20, and can reach the filter assembly 100 through an outlet pipe 25 provided below the opening 16. Foreign matter flowing with the air can be collected by the filter assembly 100.

[0082] According to an embodiment, air traveling through the filter assembly 100 can be introduced into the heat pump 70. The air can travel through heat exchangers 71 and 72 included in the heat pump 70, while exchanging heat with the refrigerant circulating through the heat pump 70. The air discharged from the heat pump 70 can be understood as hot and dry air.

[0083] According to an embodiment, the heat pump 70 may include an evaporator 71 (e.g., Figure 2 Evaporator 71), condenser 72 (e.g., Figure 2 The condenser 72), compressor 73 and expansion valve 74 included in the heat pump 70 may be omitted. At least one of the evaporator 71, condenser 72, compressor 73 and expansion valve 74 included in the heat pump 70 may be omitted.

[0084] According to an embodiment, the refrigerant can be circulated while undergoing a series of phase changes consisting of compression-condensation-expansion-evaporation. The condenser 72 and evaporator 71 can be implemented as heat exchangers 71 and 72 capable of exchanging heat with the air.

[0085] According to an embodiment, compressor 73 compresses the refrigerant and discharges the refrigerant at a high temperature and high pressure, and the discharged refrigerant flows into condenser 72. Condenser 72 condenses the compressed refrigerant and dissipates heat to the surrounding environment through the condensation process. Furthermore, expansion device 74 expands the refrigerant condensed in condenser 72 at a high temperature and high pressure to a low pressure state. Evaporator 71 evaporates the expanded refrigerant and removes heat from the surrounding environment through the evaporation process.

[0086] According to an embodiment, the expansion device 74 can be implemented as an electronic expansion valve (EV, hereinafter referred to as an expansion valve). The expansion valve 74 can adjust the amount of refrigerant circulating by adjusting the opening degree by an electrical signal.

[0087] According to an embodiment, air traveling through the heat pump 70 can be introduced into the drum 20 by a circulating fan 43 through an inlet 24 disposed in the rear surface of the drum 20. The air can be heated while traveling through a heater 75. The heater 75 can be disposed between the circulating fan 43 and an inlet duct disposed behind the drum 20 (e.g., Figure 2 The heater 75 can further heat the dry air to be introduced into the drum 20 by the circulating fan 43. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and the clothes dryer 1 may not include the heater 75. In this case, the dry air can be introduced into the drum 20 by the circulating fan 43 through the inlet pipe 24.

[0088] According to an embodiment, the circulating fan 43 can be rotated by a drive motor 31. The rotating shaft of the circulating fan 43 can be rotated by receiving power from the drive motor 31. The drive motor 31 can transmit power to a belt 33 connected to the roller 20 (e.g., ...). Figure 2 The belt 33) is used to rotate the roller 20.

[0089] Figure 4 The illustration shows a filter assembly 100 disposed in a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure (e.g., Figure 1 A sectional view of the partial structure at point 1) where the clothes dryer is located. In other words, Figure 4 It can be understood as Figure 2 An enlarged sectional view of part A.

[0090] Figure 5 This is a front view of a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0091] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This can be understood as a view illustrating the components required to describe the width w and length l of the filter component 100. Therefore, some components can be omitted as needed.

[0092] According to an embodiment, when door 14 is closed, a closed flow path can be formed for discharging the recirculated air discharged from roller 20. For example, the closed flow path may include outlet 23 and outlet duct 25. The recirculated air discharged from roller 200 through the closed flow path can travel through filter assembly 100 and flow to heat exchangers 71 and 72 (e.g., Figure 2 Heat exchangers 71 and 72).

[0093] According to an embodiment, the grid member 29 may be disposed at the inlet of the outlet 23. The grid member 29 may be configured to prevent objects to be dried present inside the drum 20 from being transferred to the outlet pipe 25. The grid member 29 may include frame portions forming edges and grid portions of a mesh shape arranged at predetermined intervals. The frame portions of the grid member 29 may correspond to the shape of the outlet 23 for fixing to the outlet 23. The grid member 29 may be formed of synthetic resin or metal material.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the outlet 23 may have a predetermined width in the y-axis direction. The predetermined width of the cover may vary as the outlet pipe 25 extends in the downward direction (e.g., the -z-axis direction). For example, as the outlet pipe 25 extends downward, the width may narrow to a predetermined length, and then widen again at the point where the outlet pipe 25 connects to the base 90. Here, the width of the outlet 23 near the location where the grid member 29 is joined is defined as l1.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may be disposed on the base 90. A frame (e.g., forming the outer side of the filter assembly 100) is formed. Figure 7a The first frame 110 can be placed on a portion of the base cover 91 covering the upper part of the base 90. The portion of the base cover 91 on which the frame 110 is placed can be understood as a plate arranged substantially parallel to the xy plane. The portion of the base cover 91 can be referred to as the guide plate member 92. The filter assembly 100 can be placed on the plate member 92, or the filter assembly 100 can be fixed to the base 90 in such a way that the frame 110 of the filter assembly 100 is attached to the plate member 92.

[0096] For example, when frame 110 is connected to guide plate 92, the upper side of frame 110 (e.g., Figure 7a One side of the upper frame 110 (e.g., the upper frame located behind the upper frame 110) can be press-fitted to the guide plate 92, or the side can be positioned on the guide plate 92.

[0097] According to an embodiment, circulating air introduced from the upper side of the filter assembly 100 can travel through the upper surface of the opening of the filter assembly 100 and can travel through the front surface of the filter assembly 100 (e.g., Figure 7a or Figure 7b First surface F1), lower surface (e.g., Figure 7a or Figure 7b The fifth surface F5), side surfaces (e.g., Figure 7a or Figure 7b (left surface F3 and right surface F4) or rear surface (e.g., Figure 7a or Figure 7b The second surface F2) moves to the base 90. Circulating air can travel through the surface provided in the filter assembly 100 to move to the base 90, and foreign matter moving with the circulating air can be collected inside the filter assembly 100. Because the filter assembly 100 has a polyhedral shape with an open surface, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path in contact with the circulating air as it travels through the filter assembly 100 can be increased. Therefore, the flow path resistance generated when the circulating air flows can be reduced.

[0098] According to an embodiment, the width w and length l of the filter assembly 100 can be set to minimize flow path resistance. Here, the width w of the filter assembly 100 can be understood as the maximum length of the filter assembly 100 extending in the x-axis direction. For example, the width w can be understood as the frame positioned on the filter assembly 100 (e.g., Figure 7a The length l of the filter assembly 100 can be understood as the maximum length of the filter assembly 100 extending in the y-axis direction. For example, the length l can be understood as the vertical length of the first upper frame 112.

[0099] According to an embodiment, the length l of the filter assembly 100 can be set to be at least greater than or equal to the length l1 of the outlet duct 25 disposed below the outlet 23 through which the discharged recirculated air passes. The length l1 of the outlet duct 25 can be referred to as the first length. By setting the length l of the filter assembly 100 to be greater than or equal to the first length l1, a predetermined area of ​​contact between the recirculated air discharged from the outlet duct 25 and the filter assembly 100 can be ensured.

[0100] According to an embodiment, the length l of the filter assembly 100 can be set to be at least less than or equal to the length l2 from the front surface of the body 10 where the filter door 200 is located to the point where the evaporator 71 is located. The length from the front surface to the point where the evaporator 71 is located can be referred to as the second length l2. By setting the length l of the filter assembly 100 to be greater than or equal to the second length l2, the maximum length l of the filter assembly 100 can be ensured without interfering with the space where the evaporator 71 is located.

[0101] According to an embodiment, the width w of the filter assembly 100 can be at least greater than or equal to the width w1 of the opening 16 through which the circulating air discharged from the roller 20 passes. The width w1 of the opening 16 can be referred to as the first width w1. The first width w1 can be defined as the maximum radius that the opening 16 can have in the x-axis direction. By setting the width w of the filter assembly 100 to be greater than or equal to the first width w1, a predetermined area of ​​contact between the circulating air discharged from the outlet duct 25 and the filter assembly 100 can be ensured.

[0102] According to an embodiment, the width w of the filter assembly 100 can be at least less than or equal to the second width w2 of the second opening 200a. The height t of the filter assembly 100 can be at least less than or equal to the second height t2 of the second opening 200a. Because the width w of the filter assembly 100 is set to be less than or equal to the second width w2 and the height t of the filter assembly 100 is set to be less than or equal to the second height t2, the user can open the filter door 200 to easily pull out or pull in the filter assembly 100 through the second opening 200a. Therefore, the filter assembly 100 can be easily disassembled by the user, and the user can easily remove foreign objects collected in the filter assembly 100.

[0103] According to an embodiment, the shape of the guide plate 92 used to fix the filter assembly 100 can be changed to correspond to the length l, width w, and / or height t of the filter assembly 100.

[0104] According to an embodiment, when the base cover 91 extends in the xy-plane direction, a guide plate 92 can be provided. One side of the filter assembly 100 can be placed or fixed to one end of the guide plate 92.

[0105] According to an embodiment, the guide plate 92 can form a closed path through which air moving from the outlet pipe 25 to the base 90 travels through the filter assembly 100 and reaches the base 90. In other words, the guide plate 92 can prevent circulating air from reaching the base 90 from the outlet pipe 25 without passing through the filter assembly 100.

[0106] According to the embodiment, because the outlet pipe 25, guide plate 92, and base 90 form a closed flow path, the circulating air can move as follows: For example, the circulating air can travel through the outlet pipe 25 and filter assembly 100, and then flow to heat exchangers 71 and 72 disposed in the base 90. The circulating air can flow to the open side (upper side) of the filter assembly 100 and travel from the inside of the filter assembly 100 to the outside. For example, the circulating air can travel from the inside of the filter assembly 100 along the front surface F1 or rear surface F2, along the side surface, or along the lower surface F5, so as to be introduced into the heat exchangers 71 and 72.

[0107] Figure 6 The illustration shows a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure (e.g., Figure 1 Exploded perspective view of the main components of a clothes dryer 1). Figure 6 This can be understood as an exploded perspective view illustrating the movement path of the circulating air through the clothes dryer 1. The arrows, represented by thick solid lines, can be understood as schematically illustrating the movement path of the circulating air.

[0108] exist Figure 6 In this case, some components constituting the clothes dryer 1 (e.g., inlet pipe 24, outlet pipe 25 and circulating fan 43) can be omitted.

[0109] refer to Figure 6 Circulating air can be discharged from the drum 20 to move to the outlet 23 located at the lower end of the inlet (or first opening) 16. The grid member 29 can be located at the inlet of the outlet 23 to prevent the object to be dried from escaping.

[0110] According to an embodiment, recirculated air introduced from the upper side of outlet 23 can travel through outlet duct 25 and filter assembly 100 to enter base 90. Outlet duct 25, base 90, and base cover 91 can form a closed flow path. This closed flow path can be referred to as an "emission flow path." Therefore, recirculated air can enter base 90 from outlet duct 25 through filter assembly 100. The recirculated air entering base 90 can be heated and dried by heat exchangers 71 and 72, and can also be heated by a recirculating fan (e.g., at the rear end of base 90). Figure 2 The circulating fan 43) introduces circulating air into the drum 20. The circulating air may be heated by a heater (e.g., ...) before being introduced into the drum 20. Figure 3 Heater 75) for heating.

[0111] According to an embodiment, flow path resistance can be generated based on the area of ​​the cross-sectional region of the flow path through which the circulating air moves. A larger cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path results in lower flow path resistance, while a narrower cross-sectional area results in higher flow path resistance. Here, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path can be understood as the cross-sectional area of ​​a region located in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction along which the circulating air moves.

[0112] For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path from the outlet pipe 25 to the filter assembly 100 can be narrower than the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the filter assembly 100. Therefore, the flow path resistance of the circulating air can be reduced in the filter assembly 100.

[0113] Figure 7a This is a perspective view illustrating a filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0114] Figure 7b This is a plan view of a filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0115] Figure 7c This is a right-side view of a filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0116] refer to Figures 7a to 7c At least multiple filters (e.g., Figure 8 The first filter 101, the second filter 102, and the third filter 103 can be sequentially connected to form a filter assembly 100. The first filter to the third filter 101, 102, and 103 can be connected inwardly from the open surface of the filter assembly 100. In the following description, it will be assumed that the filter located on the outermost side of the filter assembly 100 is the first filter 101, and the filter located on the innermost side is the third filter 103. Therefore, it can be understood that the exterior of the filter assembly 100 is defined by the first filter 101. Thus, the shape of the filter assembly 100 is described based on the first filter 101.

[0117] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may have a polyhedral shape with an open surface. For example, the filter assembly 100 may have a hexahedral shape with an open surface. For example, the filter assembly 100 may have a basket shape with an open surface. Through the open surface, circulating air can be introduced into the filter assembly 100 and travel to the outside of the mesh members 120, 140, and 160 disposed on the fixed surface. Foreign matter moving with the circulating air can be collected in the filter assembly 100 by the mesh members 120, 140, and 160.

[0118] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may include a frame 110 forming the exterior, and mesh members 120, 140, and 160 disposed on the outer surface formed by the frame 110. The exterior formed by the filter assembly 100 may be determined by the shape of the frame 110.

[0119] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may have a substantially hexahedral shape formed by the frame 110. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and it may be implemented in various shapes having an open surface and a predetermined volume.

[0120] According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 100 may include a front surface F1, a rear surface F2, a left surface F3, a right surface F4, a lower surface F5, and an upper surface formed by the frame 110. The opening surface of the filter assembly 100 can be understood as the upper surface.

[0121] According to an embodiment, frame 110 may include: a second frame 112 disposed along the edge of the opening surface, and a first frame 111 connected to the second frame 112 to form the exterior of the filter assembly 100. The first frame 111 and the second frame 112 may be integrally formed into frame 110, or the first frame 111 and the second frame 110 may be joined to form frame 110. For example, when the first frame 111 and the second frame 112 are integrally formed into frame 110, the first frame 111 and the second frame 112 may be integrally injection molded from metal or plastic material. Alternatively, the first frame 111 and the second frame 112 may be separately injection molded, and the first frame 111 and the second frame 112 may be joined to form frame 110.

[0122] According to an embodiment, the first frame 111 may substantially form the exterior of the filter assembly 100. The front surface F1, rear surface F2, left surface F3, right surface F4, and lower surface F5 of the filter assembly 100 may be formed by the exterior of the first frame 111. A mesh member 120 may be disposed on the closed surface formed by the first frame 111. The mesh member 120 may be attached to the outer surface formed by the first frame 111. To support the mesh member 120, the first frame 111 may include a support frame extending in a predetermined direction (e.g., the height direction).

[0123] According to an embodiment, the mesh member 120 may include: a first mesh member 120a attached to the front surface F1, a second mesh member 120b attached to the rear surface F2, a third mesh member 120c attached to the left surface F3, a fourth mesh member 120d attached to the right surface F4, and a fifth mesh member attached to the lower surface F5. The first to fifth mesh members 120a, 120b, 120c, and 120d may have substantially the same material and mesh size.

[0124] According to an embodiment, the mesh member 120 may be formed of fabric, metal, or synthetic resin. The mesh member 120 may have a predetermined mesh size to collect foreign objects that move along with the circulating air traveling through the filter assembly 100.

[0125] According to an embodiment, the unit of size for the mesh cells constituting the mesh member 120 can be expressed as a "mesh". A "mesh" is a unit corresponding to the size of a particle that can travel through the mesh cells constituting the mesh member 120, and as the mesh increases, this can mean that the size of the particle that can travel through the mesh cell decreases. For example, 4 meshes can mean that the number of mesh cells included in an area of ​​1 inch (or 25.4 millimeters (mm)) × 1 inch is 4. 2 In other words, the maximum diameter of a particle that can travel through a 4-mesh mesh can be understood as 0.25 inches. For example, 100 mesh can mean that the number of mesh cells included in an area of ​​1 inch by 1 inch is 100. 2 In other words, the maximum diameter of a particle that can travel through a 100-mesh mesh can be understood as 0.01 inches.

[0126] According to an embodiment, when the mesh value of the mesh member 120 disposed in the outermost first filter 101 of the filter assembly 100 is defined as N1, the mesh value of the mesh member 160 disposed in the innermost third filter 103 of the filter assembly 100 is defined as N3, and the mesh value of the mesh member 140 disposed in the second filter 102 disposed between the first filter 101 and the third filter 103 is defined as N2, N1 to N3 can have the relationship N1≥N2≥N3. In other words, the filter located further out can be understood as having mesh members disposed in that filter with smaller mesh size (or denser mesh cells).

[0127] For example, the mesh size N1 of the first mesh member 120 can be 200 to 250 meshes. The mesh size N2 of the second mesh member 140 can be 150 to 200 meshes. The mesh size N3 of the third mesh member 160 can be 110 to 150 meshes. However, this disclosure is not limited to the described ranges, and the ranges of mesh sizes N1, N2, and N3 of the first to third mesh members 120, 140, and 160 can be determined by the material forming the mesh members, and the mesh members of the filters positioned further out can be configured to have smaller mesh sizes or denser mesh cells.

[0128] According to an embodiment, the second frame 112 may provide a connection between the filter assembly 100 and the guide plate 92, which is at least a portion of the base cover 91. The second frame 112 may include, for example, a second frame front end 115, a second frame rear end 116, a second frame left end 117, and a second frame right end 118.

[0129] For example, the second frame rear end 116 can be placed on the upper side of the guide plate 92.

[0130] For example, since the second frame rear end 116 and the guide plate 92 can be configured to correspond to each other in shape, the second frame rear end 116 and the guide plate 92 can hook onto each other or cooperate with each other.

[0131] According to an embodiment, at least one of the front surface F1 or the rear surface F2 of the filter assembly 100 can be configured to be inclined relative to the lower surface F5. (Reference) Figure 7c The auxiliary line extending from the lower surface F5 can be referred to as s1, the auxiliary line extending from the front surface F1 can be referred to as s2, and the auxiliary line extending from the rear surface F2 can be referred to as s3. For example, the auxiliary line s1 can be set to be substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the clothes dryer 1 (e.g., the lower surface of the base 90).

[0132] According to an embodiment, the front surface F1 can be set to be inclined at a first angle θ1 relative to the lower surface F5. The rear surface F2 can be set to be inclined at a second angle θ2 relative to the lower surface F5. The first angle θ1 and the second angle θ2 can be set as obtuse angles, for example, greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. Corresponding to the decrease in height along the -z-axis direction, the front surface F1 and the rear surface F2 can be inclined in the direction along which the area of ​​the opening surface narrows. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the circulating air flowing from the outlet pipe 25 to the lower side of the filter assembly 100 can be maximized. Although not shown, the left surface F3 and the right surface F4 can also be inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the lower surface F5.

[0133] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view illustrating a filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 It can be understood as an exploded perspective view of the multiple filters (e.g., first filter 101, second filter 102, and third filter 103) that constitute filter assembly 100.

[0134] refer to Figure 8A filter assembly 100 can be constructed by combining multiple filters 101, 102, and 103. The multiple filters 101, 102, and 103 may include, for example, a first filter 101, a second filter 102, and a third filter 103. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the multiple filters 101, 102, and 103 may also include additional filters as needed. Furthermore, aside from differences in size, Figure 8 The construction and external features included in the second filter 102 and the third filter 103 shown can be substantially similar to those of the first filter 101. Therefore, for Figures 7a to 7c The description of the first filter 101 can also be applied to the second filter 102 and the third filter 103.

[0135] According to an embodiment, in the filter assembly 100, a first filter 101 may be positioned on the outermost side, a second filter 102 may be connected to the interior of the first filter 101, and a third filter 103 may be connected to the interior of the second filter 105. The second filter 102 may be connected to the opening surface of the first filter 101, and the third filter 103 may be connected to the opening surface of the second filter 102.

[0136] According to an embodiment, the second filter 102 may include a frame 130 forming the exterior and a mesh member 140. The frame 130 may include: a second frame 132 disposed along the edge of the opening surface; and a first frame 131 connected to the second frame 132 to form the exterior of the second filter 102.

[0137] According to an embodiment, the first frame 131 can substantially form the exterior of the second filter 102. The front surface F1, rear surface F2, left surface F3, right surface F4, and lower surface F5 of the second filter 102 can be formed by the exterior of the first frame 131. The mesh member 140 can be disposed on the closed surface formed by the first frame 131.

[0138] According to an embodiment, the mesh member 140 may include: a first mesh member 140a attached to the front surface F1, a second mesh member 140b attached to the rear surface F2, a third mesh member 140c attached to the left surface F3, a fourth mesh member 140d attached to the right surface F4, and a fifth mesh member attached to the lower surface F5. The first to fifth mesh members 140a, 140b, 140c, and 140d may have substantially the same material and mesh size.

[0139] According to an embodiment, in the second frame 132, the second filter 102 can provide a connection between the first filter 101 and the second frame 112. The second frame 132 may include, for example, a second frame front end 135, a second frame rear end 136, a second frame left end 137, and a second frame right end 138. The lower side of the second frame 132 of the second filter 102 may be placed on the upper side of the edge formed by the second frame 112 of the first filter 101.

[0140] According to an embodiment, the third filter 103 may include a frame 150 forming the exterior and a mesh member 160. The frame 150 may include a second frame 152 disposed along the edge of the opening surface and a first frame 151 connected to the second frame 152 to form the exterior of the third filter 103.

[0141] According to an embodiment, the first frame 151 can substantially form the exterior of the third filter 103. The front surface F1, rear surface F2, left surface F3, right surface F4, and lower surface F5 of the second filter 102 can be formed from the exterior of the first frame 151. The mesh member 160 can be disposed on the closed surface formed by the first frame 151.

[0142] According to an embodiment, the mesh member 160 may include: a first mesh member 160a attached to the front surface F1, a second mesh member 160b attached to the rear surface F2, a third mesh member 160c attached to the left surface F3, a fourth mesh member 160d attached to the right surface F4, and a fifth mesh member 160e attached to the lower surface F5. The first to fifth mesh members 160a, 160b, 160c, 160d and 160e may have substantially the same material and mesh size.

[0143] According to an embodiment, in the second frame 152, the third filter 103 can provide a connection between the second filter 102 and the second frame 132. The second frame 152 may include, for example, a second frame front end 155, a second frame rear end 156, a second frame left end 157, and a second frame right end 158. The lower side of the second frame 152 of the third filter 103 may be placed on the upper side of the edge formed by the second frame 132 of the second filter 102.

[0144] According to an embodiment, the first to third filters 101, 102, and 103 constituting the filter assembly 100 can be detachably provided. Because the first to third filters 101, 102, and 103 are detachably provided, the user can easily clean the filter assembly 100.

[0145] According to an embodiment, the mesh size of the mesh member 120 included in the first filter 101, the mesh size of the mesh member 140 included in the second filter 102, and the mesh size of the mesh member 160 included in the third filter 103 may be different from each other. Hereinafter, for ease of description, the mesh member 120 included in the first filter 101 may be referred to as "#1 mesh member 120", the mesh member 140 included in the second filter 102 may be referred to as "#2 mesh member 140", and the mesh member 160 included in the third filter 103 may be referred to as "#3 mesh member 160".

[0146] According to an embodiment, the mesh size of the outermost #1 mesh member 120 can be the smallest, and the mesh size of the innermost #3 mesh member 160 can be the largest. In other words, the mesh members positioned further out can collect finer foreign objects. Therefore, the filter assembly 100, which includes multiple filters 101, 102, and 103, can sequentially collect foreign objects corresponding to the particles of the foreign objects. Furthermore, due to the multi-layered structure of the filter assembly 100, it can collect both foreign objects with relatively large particle sizes and foreign objects with relatively small particle sizes.

[0147] According to the embodiment, assuming that the mesh size of #1 mesh member 120 is set to N1 mesh, the mesh size of #2 mesh member 140 is set to N2 mesh, and the mesh size of #3 mesh member 160 is set to N3 mesh, then N1 to N3 can have the relationship N1≥N2≥N3.

[0148] For example, #3 mesh member 160 may have a mesh size of 110 meshes, #2 mesh member 140 may have a mesh size of 200 meshes, and #1 mesh member 120 may have a mesh size of 200 meshes. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the mesh sizes of mesh members 120, 140, and 160 may be set to have a denser mesh size in the direction in which the mesh members are positioned further outward.

[0149] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure in which the filter assembly 100 is coupled to the base 90 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 This can be understood as an extended embodiment, wherein the opening surface of the filter assembly 100 is disposed in front of the base 90.

[0150] refer to Figure 9 The filter assembly 100 can be coupled to a recess formed by the base 90 and the base cover 91. This recess can correspond, for example, to a frame formed by the filter assembly 100 (e.g., Figure 7a The first filter 101 is formed on the outside of the frame 110.

[0151] According to an embodiment, the front portion of the recess can be tilted at a predetermined angle so that the filter assembly 100 can be stably placed in the recess. For example, the front portion of the recess can be tilted such that the upper side is positioned relative to the lower side in the y-axis direction (e.g., the rear side).

[0152] According to the embodiment, because the filter assembly 100 is coupled to the recess, the flow path resistance of the circulating air flowing through the outlet duct 25 into the base 90 can be reduced. In other words, since no separate component is provided in the path from the outlet duct 25 to the filter assembly 100, the cross-sectional area of ​​the circulating air flow path can be relatively wide.

[0153] The clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a filter assembly 100 disposed on an outlet duct 25, the outlet duct 25 being configured such that dry air is discharged from the drum 20 and introduced into a heat exchanger 71 or 72 disposed on a base 90. The filter assembly 100 may be detachably coupled to the housing of the base 90. The filter assembly 100 may have a polyhedral shape having a predetermined width w, a predetermined length l, and a predetermined height t and having an open surface. The predetermined width w may be relatively longer than the diameter w1 of the opening 16 formed in the front housing 13. The predetermined length l may be relatively longer than the horizontal length l1 of the outlet 23 disposed at the beginning of the inlet duct 24.

[0154] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper surface of the filter assembly 100 may be open. Surfaces F1, F2, F3, F4 or F5 other than the upper surface may be closed by mesh members 120, 140 or 160.

[0155] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the front surface F1 of the filter assembly 100 may be inclined at a predetermined angle θ1 relative to the lower surface F5 of the filter assembly 100. In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper side of the front surface F1 may be inclined to be adjacent to the front panel 13 compared to the lower side of the front surface F1.

[0156] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the rear surface F2 of the filter assembly 100 may be inclined at a predetermined angle θ2 relative to the lower surface F5 of the filter assembly 100. In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lower side of the rear surface F2 may be inclined to be adjacent to the front panel 13 compared to the upper side of the rear surface F2.

[0157] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the predetermined angle θ1 or θ2 can be from 90° to 180°.

[0158] In a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the front panel 13 may include an opening 200a and a cover member 200 capable of opening and closing the opening 200a.

[0159] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the width w2 of the opening 200a may be relatively greater than or equal to the width w of the filter assembly. The height t2 of the opening 200a may be relatively greater than or equal to the height t of the filter assembly.

[0160] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover member 200 may include a sealing member disposed inside. The sealing member may be configured to correspond to the periphery of the opening 200a, and the sealing member may be configured to seal the opening in response to the closing of the cover member 200.

[0161] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a guide rail may be provided on one side of the filter assembly 100. The base cover 91 provided on the base 90 may include a guide plate 92 for supporting the guide rail when the filter assembly 100 is installed.

[0162] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail may be provided on the guide plate 92.

[0163] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail and the guide plate 92 can be engaged and fixed to each other.

[0164] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail and the guide plate 92 can press against each other.

[0165] In a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail may include hooks. The guide plate 92 may include holes at points corresponding to the hooks. The guide rail and the guide plate 92 may hook onto each other.

[0166] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter assembly 100 may include a first filter 101 and a second filter 102. The second filter 102 may be coupled to the interior of the first filter 101. The mesh size of the first mesh member 120 included in the first filter 101 may be relatively smaller than the mesh size of the second mesh member 140 included in the second filter 102.

[0167] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mesh size of the first mesh member 120 can be 200 to 250 meshes. The mesh size of the second mesh member 140 can be 150 to 200 meshes.

[0168] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter assembly 100 may include a third filter 103 coupled to the interior of the second filter 102. The mesh size of the second mesh member 140 may be relatively smaller than the mesh size of the third mesh member 160 included in the third filter 103.

[0169] In the clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mesh size of the third mesh member 160 can be from 110 mesh to 150 mesh.

[0170] The clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a circulating fan 43 disposed on a base 90. The circulating fan 43 may be positioned on an inlet duct 24 through which dry air travels via a heat exchanger 71 or 72 and is introduced into the drum 20.

[0171] The filter assembly 100 may be included in the clothes dryer 1 and has a predetermined width w, a predetermined length l, and a predetermined height t. The filter assembly 100 may be disposed in an outlet duct 25 extending from the outlet 23 of the drum 20 toward the heat exchanger 71 or 72. Surfaces F1, F2, F3, F4, or F5, other than the opening surface, may be closed by mesh members 120, 140, or 160. The predetermined width w may be relatively longer than the diameter w1 of the opening 16, and the predetermined length l may be relatively longer than the length l1 of the outlet 23.

[0172] In the filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening surface can be determined by taking into account the direction of dry air flow into the filter assembly 100.

[0173] In the filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, either the upper surface or the front surface of the filter assembly 100 may be open.

[0174] The filter assembly 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may further include a first filter 101 and a second filter 102. The second filter 102 may be coupled to the interior of the first filter 101. The mesh size of the first mesh member 120 included in the first filter 101 may be relatively smaller than the mesh size of the second mesh member 140 included in the second filter 102.

[0175] In the filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mesh size of the first mesh member 120 may be 200 to 250 meshes. The mesh size of the second mesh member 140 may be 150 to 200 meshes.

[0176] In a filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter assembly 100 may include a third filter 103 coupled to the interior of the second filter 102. The mesh size of the second mesh member 140 may be relatively smaller than the mesh size of the third mesh member 160 included in the third filter 103.

[0177] In the filter assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mesh size of the third mesh member 160 may be from 110 mesh to 150 mesh.

[0178] The terminology used herein is provided solely to describe some embodiments of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” and “the,” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of the phrases such as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C” can include all possible combinations of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase. As used herein, the term “and / or” should be understood to cover any and all possible combinations of one or more of the listed items. As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are used only to specify the presence of a feature, component, part, or combination thereof described herein, but the use of such terms does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, parts, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” can modify various components regardless of importance and / or order and are used to distinguish one component from another without limiting the components.

[0179] As used herein, depending on the context, the terms “constructed” and “configured” may be used interchangeably with the terms “suitable for,” “capable of,” “designed for,” “suitable for,” “manufactured as,” or “capable of.” The terms “constructed” and “configured” do not substantially imply “specifically designed in hardware.” Rather, the terms “constructed” and “configured” can mean that a device can operate in conjunction with another device or part thereof. For example, “a device constructed or configured (or set to) perform A, B, and C” can be a dedicated device for performing the corresponding operations, or it can represent a general-purpose device capable of performing various operations including the corresponding operations.

[0180] Meanwhile, the terms “upper side”, “lower side” and “front and rear direction” used in this disclosure are defined relative to the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0181] In this disclosure, specific embodiments have been described above, but this disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments, but should be understood to cover all kinds of modifications, equivalents and / or substitutions of various embodiments.

Claims

1. A clothes dryer (1), comprising: The main body (10) has a roller (20) located inside the main body (10) and a front panel (13) having a first opening (16) leading to the roller (20) through which the object to be dried can be placed into the roller (20); Heat exchangers (71, 72) are located on the base (90) of the main body (10), and air discharged from the drum (20) travels through the heat exchangers (71, 72) to exchange heat with the heat exchangers (71, 72); Outlet pipe (25), the outlet pipe being used to guide air discharged from the roller (20) to the base (90); and A filter assembly (100) having a polyhedral shape, the polyhedron having a width, length, and height, and an open side, and the filter assembly being configured such that air discharged from the roller (20) and traveling through the heat exchangers (71, 72) is filtered by the filter assembly (100). Wherein, the width is longer than the diameter of the first opening (16) in the front panel (13), and The length is longer than the horizontal length of the outlet (23) located at the starting point of the outlet pipe (25).

2. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The top side of the filter assembly (100) is open, and The filter assembly (100) further includes mesh members (120, 140, 160) along a plurality of sides of the filter assembly (100) other than the top side of the filter assembly (100), such that the plurality of sides include a surface formed by the mesh members (120, 140, 160).

3. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 2, wherein, The front surface (F1) of the filter assembly (100) is inclined at a first angle (θ1) relative to the lower surface (F5) of the filter assembly (100), and Compared to the lower part of the front surface (F1), the upper part of the front surface (F1) is tilted to be adjacent to the front panel (13).

4. The clothes dryer (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The rear surface (F2) of the filter assembly (100) is inclined at a second angle (θ2) relative to the lower surface (F5) of the filter assembly (100), and Compared to the upper part of the rear surface (F2), the lower part of the rear surface (F2) is tilted to be adjacent to the front panel (13).

5. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The first angle (θ1) and the second angle (θ2) are between 90° and 180°.

6. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The front panel (13) includes a second opening (200a) and a cover (200), the filter assembly (100) being movable through the second opening (200a), the cover (200) being configured to open and close the second opening (200a).

7. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The width (w2) of the second opening (200a) is greater than or equal to the width (w) of the filter assembly (100), and The height (t2) of the second opening (200a) is greater than or equal to the height (t) of the filter assembly (100).

8. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 6 further includes: A sealing member is located between the second opening (200a) and the cover (200), the sealing member corresponding to the periphery of the second opening (200a), and the sealing member is configured to seal the second opening (200a) in response to the closing of the cover.

9. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The guide rail is located on one side of the filter assembly (100), and A base cover (91) is located on the base (90), and the base cover (91) includes a guide plate (92) that supports the guide rail when the filter assembly (100) is located on the base (90).

10. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 9, wherein, The guide rail is located on the guide plate (92).

11. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The filter assembly (100) includes: A first filter (101), the first filter including a first mesh member (120); and The second filter (102) includes a second mesh member (140). The second filter (102) is connected to the interior of the first filter (101), and The mesh size of the first mesh member (120) is smaller than the mesh size of the second mesh member (140).

12. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 11, wherein, The filter assembly (100) includes a third filter (103), the third filter including a third mesh member (160), and the third filter (103) is coupled to the interior of the second filter (102). The mesh size of the second mesh member (140) is smaller than the mesh size of the third mesh member (160).

13. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 12, wherein, The first mesh component (120) has a mesh size of 200 to 250 mesh. The second mesh member (140) has a mesh size of 150 to 200 mesh, and The third mesh component (160) has a mesh size of 110 to 150 meshes.

14. The clothes dryer (1) according to claim 1 further includes a circulating fan (43) located on the base (90), and in, The circulating fan (43) is positioned on the inlet pipe (42), through which air that has exchanged heat with the heat exchangers (71, 72) travels before being introduced into the drum (20).

15. A filter assembly (100) for a clothes dryer (1), the filter assembly having a width, a length, a height, and an open side; and the filter assembly (100) comprising: Mesh members (120, 140, 160) are arranged along a plurality of sides of the filter assembly (100) other than the open side of the filter assembly (100), such that the plurality of sides include a surface formed by the mesh members (120, 140, 160). The filter assembly (100) is configured to guide air discharged from the drum (20) of the clothes dryer (1) toward a heat exchanger (71, 72) in the base (90) of the clothes dryer (1), and The width is longer than the diameter of the opening (16) in the front panel (13) of the clothes dryer (1) through which the object to be dried passes, and the length is longer than the horizontal length of the outlet (23) located at the beginning of the outlet pipe (25).

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