Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a garment processing device, the garment processing device comprising: a housing for accommodating a roller and guiding air supplied toward the roller into a circulating flow path; and a sealing unit coupled to the housing and preventing air leakage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a garment processing apparatus. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a commercial dryer capable of performing a drying cycle for sterilizing, wrinkle-removing, deodorizing, drying, etc., of garments by supplying steam or hot air to them. Background Technology

[0002] Typically, garment processing equipment performs any process for processing garments and may include a dryer that performs a drying cycle.

[0003] In the case of commercial dryers, compared to household dryers, items such as large and heavy bedding can be placed in a wet state, and commercial dryers can be set to perform drying cycles for drying large quantities of clothing more frequently.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a commercial dryer that is much larger than a household dryer, designed to have a greater flow rate of hot air supplied to the commercial dryer, and capable of quickly drying large quantities of clothing.

[0005] Figure 1 This illustrates the basic structure of a traditional commercial dryer.

[0006] A conventional commercial dryer may include: a drum 1 that holds clothing; support plates 2 that can rotate to support the drum 1 from the front and rear; and a circulation duct 4 that connects the support plates 2 to each other and is disposed below the drum 1.

[0007] The support plate 2 may be provided with an internal pipe 3, which connects the interior of the roller 1 to the circulation pipe 4 at the front, and the heat exchange section for dehumidifying or heating the air discharged from the roller 1 to the internal pipe 3 is built into the circulation pipe 4.

[0008] However, in order to rotatably support the roller 1 while also including internal pipes 3, the support plate 2 needs to be manufactured into a slightly complex shape. Therefore, in conventional commercial dryers, the support plate 2 is usually made of materials such as resin rather than metal, as metal is very difficult to process due to its complex structure.

[0009] However, in commercial dryers, because heavy and bulky garments such as bedding are inserted into the drum 1 in a wet state, the total weight of the drum 1 inevitably becomes very heavy. In addition, the impact or vibration energy generated from the drum 1 when it rotates can become much more severe than in a typical household dryer.

[0010] In this state, using a support plate 2 made of resin, as in commercial dryers, not only makes it difficult to rotatably support the heavy roller 1, but also brings about fundamental problems, namely, the supporting force of support devices such as rollers cannot be guaranteed, and the rigidity or durability of the support plate 2 itself cannot be guaranteed.

[0011] Furthermore, in the case of commercial dryers, the length of the drum 1 needs to be longer than that of a household dryer in order to accommodate a large number of clothes. In this case, the pipe 3 located in a certain area of ​​the support plate 2 cannot handle the flow rate discharged from the drum 1, and due to the limitation of the installation area, there is a fundamental problem that the support plate 2 cannot be unreasonably thickened to ensure the area of ​​the pipe 3.

[0012] Figure 2 An example of a recently developed commercial dryer is shown.

[0013] In recent years, in order to solve Figure 1 The problem with commercial dryers has led to the development of commercial dryers in which the drum 1 has exhaust holes on its outer circumferential surface, through which hot air is discharged.

[0014] The commercial dryer also includes a housing 5, which is located inside the cabinet 2 and houses all the exhaust holes of the roller 1 to guide the movement of air.

[0015] The housing 5 is made entirely of metal and is capable of fully supporting vibrations or impacts generated from the roller 1. Therefore, support components that directly and rotatably support the roller 1 can be housed inside the housing 5. Since the housing 5 can rotatably support the roller 1, the support plate 2 and the like located in front of the roller 1 can be omitted.

[0016] Furthermore, since the housing 5 is configured to accommodate the outer circumferential surface of the roller 1 and communicate with the duct module 8 located below, even if not all the hot air supplied to the roller 1 is discharged to the front of the roller 1, it can be smoothly discharged through the side surface of the roller 1 and the housing 5. Therefore, since the roller 1 and the housing 5 act as the duct through which the hot air flows, there is an advantage that sufficient hot air flow can be circulated even when the volume of the roller 1 increases and a large number of clothes are inserted into it.

[0017] However, in such commercial dryers, the drive 6 for rotating the drum 1 is typically located below the drum 1. Since the drive 6 is designed to be heavier than the drive in a household dryer to rotate the large-capacity drum 1, the drive 6 needs to be installed in the duct module 8 to ensure stability.

[0018] As a result, in order to prevent interference with the belt connecting the driver 6 and the roller 1, the housing 5 has no choice but to expose the rear outer circumferential surface of the roller 1, which is vertically positioned directly above the driver 6. Furthermore, since it is difficult to reduce the gap between the driver 6 and the roller 1, there is a fundamental problem that it is impossible to design the housing 5 to have space for the belt to pass through.

[0019] Therefore, the following problems exist: the sealing force between the roller 1 and the rear panel 2a of the cabinet 2 is difficult to guarantee, and the sealing force between the inner circumferential surface of the shell 5 and the outer circumferential surface of the roller 1 is also difficult to guarantee.

[0020] In particular, since the housing 5 has no choice but to be spaced apart from the rear panel 2a, it is necessary to install a sealing member between the rear inner circumferential surface of the housing 5 and the outer circumferential surface of the roller 1 to prevent hot air from leaking rearward beyond the area where the exhaust hole is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the roller 1. Since the roller 1 vibrates not only in the vertical direction but also in the front-rear direction during rotation, the sealing member is usually attached to the outer circumferential surface of the roller 1 to ensure sealing performance. However, this has limitations; the sealing member attached to the vibrating roller 1 cannot guarantee a seal with the housing 5.

[0021] As a result, conventional commercial dryers have a structure with a very high possibility of hot air leakage to the drum 1, which inherently limits their drying performance.

[0022] Furthermore, since housing 5 is designed to avoid drive 6, there is a fundamental limitation that it is impossible to install drive 6 in housing 5. Summary of the Invention

[0023] Technical issues

[0024] One object of this disclosure is to provide a garment processing device that prevents leakage of hot air supplied to the drum and circulates the hot air.

[0025] One object of this disclosure is to provide a garment processing apparatus having a separate housing that houses an entire roller and directs hot air supplied to the roller.

[0026] One object of this disclosure is to provide a garment processing apparatus that ensures sealing performance by mounting a sealing member that prevents leakage of hot air flowing through the roller onto a non-rotating fixed component.

[0027] One object of this disclosure is to provide a garment handling apparatus that minimizes the gap between the roller and the drive to reduce the area through which the belt passes in the housing.

[0028] One object of this disclosure is to provide a garment processing apparatus that can mount a drive on a housing that houses a roller.

[0029] Technical solution

[0030] This disclosure provides a garment processing apparatus including a housing capable of housing an entire roller therein and directing hot air supplied to the roller from the rear to the front of the roller.

[0031] The housing is configured as a conduit extending from the rear to the front of the cabinet in which the roller is housed, and is configured to seal the cabinet separately from the roller.

[0032] The casing is designed to be sealed inside the cabinet to prevent hot air from leaking out of the cabinet.

[0033] The sealing portion, which is used to seal between the housing and the cabinet, is located outside the roller, spaced apart from the roller, and connected to fixed components such as the housing and the cabinet to ensure sealing performance.

[0034] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a garment processing apparatus comprising: a drying body including a cabinet and a roller, the cabinet having an opening therein through which garments are inserted, and the roller being disposed inside the cabinet to accommodate the garments; a drying module including a housing, a flow path forming portion, an evaporator, and a condenser, the housing being disposed behind the cabinet and configured to communicate with the cabinet, the flow path forming portion forming a flow path for guiding air discharged from the roller back into the roller, the evaporator being disposed inside the flow path forming portion to cool the air, and the condenser being configured to heat the air that has flowed through the evaporator; and a duct module including a duct body and a fan housing portion, the duct body being disposed below the roller and in front of the flow path forming portion, the air discharged from the roller flowing into the duct body, and a circulating fan for moving the air to the flow path forming portion being disposed in the fan housing portion.

[0035] The drying body may further include: a housing disposed in front of the housing or flow path forming portion and extending from the housing or flow path forming portion to an opening for housing the roller therein, and configured to form a flow path for guiding air discharged from the flow path forming portion to the duct body; and a sealing portion coupled to the cabinet or housing to prevent air discharged from the flow path forming portion from leaking out of the cabinet.

[0036] The cabinet may include a front panel and a rear panel, the front panel having an opening therein and being positioned at the front of the housing, and the rear panel being positioned at the front of the housing and partially communicating with the flow path.

[0037] The housing can extend from the front panel to the rear panel, and a sealing portion can be provided between the front panel and the housing.

[0038] The housing can be configured such that its front surface facing the front panel is open, and the sealing portion can extend along the circumference of the front surface of the housing and be coupled to and secured to the front surface.

[0039] The sealing element can be configured as an elastic member, which is attached to the front surface of the housing and pressed against the inner surface of the front panel.

[0040] The sealing portion may include a sealing body that extends along the entire circumference of the front surface of the housing and is coupled to the front surface.

[0041] The housing can be configured to have a shape different from that of the roller, and the seal can be configured to have a shape different from that of the roller.

[0042] The seal can be positioned outside the outer circumferential surface of the roller.

[0043] The drying body may also include a support portion disposed within the housing and rotatably supporting the roller, and a seal may be positioned outside the support portion.

[0044] The drying body may also include a door and a hinge connection, the door being used to open and close the opening, the hinge connection being fixed to the housing and supporting the door, and a seal being positioned outside the hinge connection.

[0045] The seal may protrude beyond the housing in the forward direction than the hinge connection portion so that it can be pressed against the inner surface of the front panel.

[0046] The drying unit may also include a control panel, which is connected to the front panel and configured to display status to the outside or receive commands from the user, and the control panel may be positioned outside the sealing body.

[0047] To achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a garment processing apparatus in which the drying body further includes a housing disposed inside a cabinet to house a roller therein, and disposed in front of a flow path forming portion to form a flow path for guiding air to the duct body.

[0048] The rear of the housing can be positioned further back than the rear surface of the roller.

[0049] The cabinet may include a front panel and a rear panel, the front panel having an opening therein, and the rear panel being located behind the front panel and partially communicating with the flow path.

[0050] The housing can be configured to extend from the front of the front surface of the roller to the front surface of the rear panel in order to accommodate the roller therein.

[0051] The housing can be formed such that its front surface facing the front panel is open.

[0052] The garment handling apparatus disclosed herein may also include a door for opening and closing an opening, and the door may be pivotally supported on one of two opposite side surfaces of the housing.

[0053] The drying body may also include a hinged connection portion connected to the inner surface of the housing, facing at least a portion of the roller, and pivotally securing the door.

[0054] The drying unit may also include a support portion for rotatably supporting the rollers inside the cabinet, and the support portion may be disposed inside the housing.

[0055] The support portion may include rollers, which are mounted on the bottom surface of the housing and support the lower part of the drum.

[0056] The housing can be configured to have a shape different from that of the roller.

[0057] The housing may include: a bottom surface disposed below the roller and supported by the pipe body; side plates extending from two opposite sides of the bottom surface to face two opposite sides of the roller and connecting the front panel and the rear panel to each other; and a top plate extending upward from the side plates to accommodate the roller therein.

[0058] The cabinet may also include a top panel that extends from the front panel to the rear panel, and the top panel may be configured to be spaced downward from the top panel.

[0059] The drying unit may include a drive that is positioned above and on the housing to rotate the roller, and the drive may be mounted on an upper plate.

[0060] The upper plate may include: two inclined plates that extend obliquely upward from two side plates toward the upper panel; and an extension plate that extends from the inclined plates to be parallel to the upper panel and connects the inclined plates to each other, and an actuator may be disposed on one of the inclined plates.

[0061] The cabinet may also include side panels, which are respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the shell and connect the front panel and the rear panel to each other, and the side panels can be attached to the side panels.

[0062] The bottom surface, side plates, and top plate can be made of metal and connected to each other by welding.

[0063] Beneficial effects

[0064] The garment processing device disclosed herein has the effect of preventing leakage of hot air supplied to the drum and circulating the hot air.

[0065] The garment handling apparatus disclosed herein has the effect of guiding the hot air supplied to the drum without leakage.

[0066] The garment processing apparatus disclosed herein has the effect of ensuring sealing performance by mounting a sealing member that prevents leakage of hot air flowing through the drum onto a non-rotating fixed part.

[0067] The garment processing apparatus disclosed herein has the effect of minimizing the gap between the roller and the drive.

[0068] The garment processing device disclosed herein has the effect of housing the drive unit within a cabinet in which the roller is housed. Attached Figure Description

[0069] Figure 1 This illustrates the basic structure of a traditional commercial dryer.

[0070] Figure 2 This example illustrates a recently developed commercial dryer.

[0071] Figure 3 An embodiment of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0072] Figure 4 An embodiment in which components of the garment processing device of this disclosure are provided detachably is illustrated.

[0073] Figure 5 An embodiment of the internal structure of the garment processing device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0074] Figure 6 An embodiment of the front configuration of the garment handling device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0075] Figure 7 An embodiment of the door structure of the garment handling device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0076] Figure 8 An embodiment of the front structure of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0077] Figure 9 An embodiment of the internal configuration of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure, as viewed from the front, is illustrated.

[0078] Figure 10 An embodiment of the sealing structure of the garment handling device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0079] Figure 11An embodiment relating to the arrangement of the drive unit of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0080] Figure 12 An embodiment of the rear structure of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0081] Figure 13 An embodiment of the roller structure of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0082] Figure 14 An embodiment of the rear roller structure of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0083] Figure 15 An embodiment of the piping module of the garment handling equipment of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0084] Figure 16 An embodiment of the installation of the circulating fan in the garment processing equipment of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0085] Figure 17 An embodiment of the external appearance of the drying module is illustrated.

[0086] Figure 18 An implementation of the internal configuration of the drying module is illustrated.

[0087] Figure 19 The structure of the auxiliary heat exchanger in which the clothing processing equipment of this disclosure is installed is illustrated schematically.

[0088] Figure 20 An embodiment of the air circulation scheme of the garment processing device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0089] Figure 21 An example of a specific implementation of the shell structure is shown.

[0090] Figure 22 The positional relationship between the housing and the roller is illustrated.

[0091] Figure 23 The location of the actuator and the shape of the housing in the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure are illustrated.

[0092] Figure 24 The degree of freedom for the shape of the housing to change depending on the position of the actuator is illustrated.

[0093] Figure 25 An embodiment of sealing the housing of the garment processing device disclosed herein is illustrated.

[0094] Figure 26 The positional relationship between the front seal and other components is illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0095] In the following, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Throughout this specification, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar components in different embodiments, and their description is replaced by the initial description. As used in this specification, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, when describing embodiments disclosed in this specification, detailed descriptions of related known art will be omitted where it is determined that such detailed descriptions might obscure the essence of the embodiments disclosed in this specification. It should also be noted that the drawings are provided only to facilitate a good understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical concepts disclosed in this specification should not be construed as being limited by the drawings.

[0096] Figure 1 An embodiment of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0097] The garment processing apparatus disclosed herein can be configured as a dryer capable of performing any drying process for removing moisture from garments.

[0098] The clothing processing apparatus disclosed herein may include: a drying body 10 capable of housing clothing therein; a drying module 20 capable of supplying at least one of heated air (hot air) and steam to the drying body 10; and a duct module 30 providing a flow path capable of discharging air from inside the drying body 10 to the drying module 20 or to the outside.

[0099] The garment processing device disclosed herein can be configured as a commercial dryer. Therefore, the garment processing device of this disclosure can be installed in environments where multiple users repeatedly perform drying cycles, or in environments where large quantities of garments, such as blankets and quilts, need to be dried. Therefore, compared to household dryers, the garment processing device of this disclosure needs to be configured to accommodate a larger volume of garments and needs to be configured to supply more hot air than household dryers in order to perform drying cycles more quickly.

[0100] Therefore, in the clothing processing device disclosed herein, the volume of the drying body 10 needs to be larger than the volume of the component that holds the clothing in a household dryer; the drying module 20 also needs to be configured to have a larger volume than the drying module of a household dryer in order to generate a large amount of hot air; and the duct module 30 also needs to be configured to be larger than the duct module of a household dryer so that there can be sufficient flow rate.

[0101] Therefore, in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, at least one of the drying module 20 and the duct module 30 can be arranged in a configuration separate from the drying body 10, and can be configured to be detachably connected to the drying body 10.

[0102] As a result, in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, the volume of the drying body 10 can be sufficiently expanded without being constrained by the installation space of the drying module 20 or the duct module 30. Consequently, the drying body 10 can be configured to accommodate a large number of garments without difficulty.

[0103] Furthermore, in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, the volume of the drying module 20 can be sufficiently expanded without being constrained by the installation space of the drying body 10 or the duct module 30. As a result, the volume of the heat supply unit for heating air or generating steam can also be increased, and the drying module 20 can be configured to generate sufficient hot air to dry a large quantity of garments or sufficient steam to sterilize and disinfect a large quantity of garments.

[0104] Furthermore, in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, the volume of the duct module 30 can be sufficiently enlarged without being constrained by the installation space of the drying body 10 or the drying module 20. As a result, the duct module 30 can ensure a flow path through which sufficient airflow flows between the enlarged drying body 10 and the drying module 20, and the large-capacity filter, described later, can also be stably installed.

[0105] When the drying body 10 has an opening through which clothing is inserted, the drying module 20 and the pipe module 30 can be configured to communicate with the drying body 10 while being positioned in a location that does not interfere with the opening.

[0106] When the opening of the drying body 10 is located at the front of the drying body 10, the drying module 20 can be located on the top, bottom, one of the two opposite sides, and the rear of the drying body 10, and the pipe module 30 can be located on the top, bottom, one of the two opposite sides, and the rear of the drying body 10 in a position that does not interfere with the drying module 20.

[0107] For example, in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, the drying module 20 may be disposed at the rear of the drying body 10.

[0108] As a result, compared to when the drying module 20 is located at the top or bottom of the drying body 10, the volume of the drying module 20 can be further increased, thereby maximizing the heating or heat exchange performance. Furthermore, compared to when the drying module 20 is located on the side of the drying body 10, its location at the rear of the drying body 10 allows for a reduction in the overall width of the garment processing equipment of this disclosure, and facilitates the easy installation of multiple garment processing devices within a limited space. Additionally, the location of the drying module 20 at the rear of the drying body 10 allows the direction of the flow path through which the hot air is discharged to be consistent with the direction of the flow path inside the drying body 10, thereby reducing overall flow path resistance.

[0109] The duct module 30 can be disposed on either the top or the bottom of the drying body 10. As a result, the overall width of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure can be reduced compared to when the duct module 30 is disposed on the side of the drying body 10.

[0110] The pipe module 30 can be positioned below the drying body 10. As a result, in the clothing processing apparatus of this disclosure, the opening of the drying body 10 can be further spaced upward from the ground, and the user can easily insert and remove large quantities of clothing through this opening.

[0111] In another example, the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure may also be configured in the same form as a household dryer, wherein the duct module 30 is disposed inside the cabinet 110, and the drying module 20 is installed inside the duct module 30. Hereinafter, the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is described based on the form provided as illustrated; however, the features associated with the configuration specified therein may be applied in an unmodified manner even when the garment handling apparatus is configured in the same form as a household dryer.

[0112] Figure 4 An embodiment in which components of the garment processing device of this disclosure are provided detachably is illustrated.

[0113] In the garment processing apparatus disclosed herein, at least one of the drying body 10, the drying module 20, and the pipe module 30 can be manufactured in a state separate from other components and can be detachably connected to other components in a manner that allows air communication between them.

[0114] Typically, the drying module 20 has heavy-duty components installed therein for heating air or supplying steam, and may be relatively heavier than the drying body 10 or the piping module 30. Additionally, compared to the internal components of the drying body 10 and the piping module 30, the drying module 20 may have more electrical / electronic components housed internally, and may require more frequent maintenance.

[0115] Therefore, in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, the drying module 20 can be designed to be detachably connected to the drying body 10. As a result, the drying module 20 can be transported separately from the drying body 10 to facilitate installation of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure. When electrical / electronic components of the drying module 20 malfunction, the drying module 20 can be replaced separately from the drying body 10. Furthermore, some components of the drying module 20 can be replaced after separation from the larger drying body 10, thereby facilitating maintenance.

[0116] The garment processing apparatus disclosed herein can also provide the drying body 10 and the duct module 30 as an integral unit. As a result, the connection between the drying body 10 and the duct module 30 is strengthened, and the possibility of air emitted from the drying body 10 leaking to the outside can be prevented.

[0117] Furthermore, even when strong vibrations occur within the drying unit 10 due to the movement of a large amount of clothing, the drying unit 10 and the piping module 30 can be prevented from arbitrarily separating. The drying unit 10 and the piping module 30 can be housed within a single cabinet and can be manufactured and transported simultaneously.

[0118] This is just one implementation, and the drying body 10 and the pipe module 30 can be configured as separate modules and can be configured to be detachably connected to each other.

[0119] Figure 5 An embodiment of the internal structure of the garment processing device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0120] The garment processing device disclosed herein can be configured as an exhaust type, wherein the drying module 20 and the drying body 10 are arranged to communicate with each other, and the drying body 10 and the duct module 30 are arranged to communicate with each other, while the drying module 20 and the duct module 30 are arranged not to communicate with each other.

[0121] As illustrated, when the garment processing equipment of this disclosure is configured as a circulation type, the drying unit 10, the duct module 30, and the drying module 20 can be arranged to allow air communication with each other. As a result, the garment processing equipment of this disclosure can be installed without difficulty, provided that installation space is available, regardless of whether the indoor space is connected to the outdoors.

[0122] The drying body 10 may include: a cabinet 110 forming the exterior and having an opening defined therein; a door 120 for opening and closing the opening; and a roller 150 rotatably disposed inside the cabinet 110 and configured to receive clothing inserted through the opening.

[0123] The garment processing apparatus disclosed herein may include a drive 160 for rotating a drum 150. As a result, garments contained in the drum 150 can be dried by being exposed to hot air supplied to the drum 150 as they rise and fall inside the drum 150 due to its rotation.

[0124] The driver 160 can be installed in the drying body 10.

[0125] As a result, all components for the rotating drum 150, as well as the drum 150 itself, can be installed in the drying body 10 and can be maintained independently of the components of the piping module 30 or the drying module 20. Furthermore, since all components of the drive 160 are installed independently of the piping module 30, the piping module 30 can be without components through which the drive 160 passes or is installed, thereby enhancing the sealing performance of the piping module 30.

[0126] The duct module 30 may include: a duct body 310 disposed below the roller 150 and capable of receiving air discharged from the roller 150; a circulating fan 330 disposed at the rear of the duct body 310 and configured to move air; and a fan housing portion 320 providing space for the circulating fan 330 to be mounted thereon.

[0127] The duct body 310 can be configured such that all outer surfaces are sealed to prevent air leakage to the outside, except for the portion through which air flows in from the roller 150.

[0128] The duct body 310 can be provided in any shape, as long as it is configured to receive air discharged from the roller 150 at the top and to deliver air to the rear.

[0129] For example, the pipe body 310 can be configured to be located on the bottom of the cabinet 110 to support the outer shell shape of the cabinet 110, wherein all surfaces are closed.

[0130] Alternatively, the pipe body 310 may include at least one of the following: a frame, such as a cuboid disposed inside the cabinet 110 to support internal components of the cabinet 110; and a plate connected to the frame.

[0131] For example, the dryer body 10 and the piping module 30 can be installed in a cabinet 110. The dryer body 10 and the piping module 30 can be configured to share a single cabinet 110. The dryer body 10 and the piping module 30 can be housed inside the cabinet 110, which forms the external appearance, or the piping module 30 can be installed below the dryer body 10 after it has been manufactured. As a result, leakage of hot air or steam between the dryer body 10 and the piping module 30 can be prevented, installation and transportation can be facilitated, and aesthetic appeal can be enhanced.

[0132] The fan housing 320 can be connected to the duct body 310 or supported inside the duct body 310 to house the circulating fan 330.

[0133] The fan housing 320 can be positioned behind the duct body 310 rather than in front of it to ensure that air discharged from the front of the roller 150 can flow into the space. Alternatively, the fan housing 320 can be positioned close to or in contact with the drying module 20 to form a flow path for delivering air to the drying module 20.

[0134] The duct module 30 may also include a filter unit 350 disposed in front of the fan housing portion 320 and configured to filter foreign objects flowing into the circulating fan 330.

[0135] The filter unit 350 can be positioned in front of the fan housing 320 and is configured to have a length corresponding to the width of the duct body 310, so as to filter foreign objects discharged from a large amount of clothing without difficulty.

[0136] The filter unit 350 can be configured to be detachably connected to the pipe body 310, allowing accumulated foreign matter to be easily removed. The pipe body 310 may include an inlet through which the filter unit 350 is inserted and withdrawn, and this inlet may be located at the front of the pipe body 310. As a result, the user can check the condition of the filter unit 350 and clean it without being restricted by components such as the drying module 20 or the door 120.

[0137] The drying module 20 can be located at the rear of the cabinet 110 to supply hot air and steam to the interior of the cabinet 110.

[0138] The drying module 20 can be configured such that its lower front faces the pipe module 30 and its upper front faces the rear surface of the drying body 10 or the roller 150.

[0139] The drying module 20 may include: a housing 210 disposed at the rear of the cabinet 110; and a heat exchange unit 240 disposed inside the housing 210 and configured to dehumidify and heat the air.

[0140] The housing 210 can be provided at a height that allows it to extend from the bottom of the pipe module 30 to the entire rear surface of the roller 150. The width of the housing 210 can be set to correspond to or be less than the width of the cabinet 110. As a result, the housing 210 can also be installed without problems, provided there is space available for the cabinet 110 to be installed.

[0141] The front-to-back thickness of the outer casing 210 can be determined to be smaller than the front-to-back thickness of the cabinet 110 and the pipe module 30. As a result, the volume of the garment handling equipment of this disclosure can be designed to be compact.

[0142] The drying module 20 may also include a flow path forming portion 220 disposed inside the housing 210 and configured to guide air discharged from the duct module 30 back to the drum 150. At least a portion of the components of the heat exchange unit 240 may be disposed inside the flow path forming portion 220.

[0143] The heat exchange unit 240 may include: an evaporator 241 mounted in the flow path forming portion 220; and a condenser 242 disposed above the evaporator 241. The garment processing apparatus of this disclosure may further include: a cleaning unit 270 configured to spray water onto the heat exchange unit 240 to clean it; and a water supply unit 260 configured to supply water to the cleaning unit 270. Detailed structures and functions of these components will be described later.

[0144] The flow path forming portion 220 may extend in the height direction of the cabinet 110 or the housing 210 and may be configured to receive air discharged from the duct module 30 and guide it to the rear surface of the roller 150.

[0145] Figure 6 An embodiment of the front configuration of the garment handling device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0146] The cabinet 110 that forms the external appearance of the drying body 10 may include: a front panel 111 disposed in front of the roller 150; and side panels 113 extending rearward from two opposite sides of the front panel 111.

[0147] When the pipe module 30 is installed inside the cabinet 110, the drying body 10 may also include a cover plate 112, which is configured to enclose the front of the pipe body 310.

[0148] The cover plate 112 may be coplanar with the front panel 111 and may be configured to have a width corresponding to the width of the front panel 111.

[0149] The height of the cover plate 112 can be determined to be less than the height of the front panel 111, and the width of the cover plate 112 can be determined to be less than the width of the cover plate 112.

[0150] The front panel 111 can be set to have a height greater than the width of the front panel 111.

[0151] The drying unit 10 may also include a control panel 190, which is located on top of the front panel 111 for receiving commands for controlling the garment processing equipment of the present disclosure or for displaying the status of the garment processing equipment of the present disclosure.

[0152] The drying unit 10 may also include a payment device disposed on one side of the control panel 190 for receiving payments. The payment device may be configured to accept coins or process payments via communication with cards, smartphones, etc.

[0153] The front panel 111 may be configured to have an opening 1111 defined therein, which allows the roller 150 to communicate with the outside. The drying body 10 may also include a door 120 for opening and closing the opening 1111, and the door 120 may be pivotally coupled to the front panel 111, or may be pivotally coupled to the front panel 111 via a hinge connection portion 130 disposed inside the cabinet 100 to open and close the opening 1111.

[0154] Figure 7 An embodiment of the door structure of the garment handling device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0155] Reference Figure 7 In (a), door 120 may include: an outer frame 121 configured to have an area larger than the opening 1111 and exposed to the outside; an inner frame 122 connected to the outer frame 121 and configured to open and close the opening 1111; and a hinge 125 disposed between the inner and outer frames and allowing door 120 to pivot relative to cabinet 110.

[0156] The inner frame 122 may include a door seal 124 that is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1111 to prevent hot air from escaping through the opening 1111. The door seal 124 may be configured to correspond to the shape of the opening 1111.

[0157] The inner frame 122 and the outer frame 121 may have a through hole defined at their center to visually expose the interior of the opening 1111, and the door 120 may also include glass 123 connected between the inner frame 122 and the outer frame 121, closing the through hole and allowing light to pass through it.

[0158] The inner frame 122 may be configured to have a protrusion on its inner circumferential surface such that at least a portion thereof is inserted into the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1111, and the door seal 124 may be configured as an elastic material connected to surround the circumference of the protrusion.

[0159] The inner frame 122 may also include a fixing portion 126, which is configured to be detachably connected to fasteners or the like provided in the front panel 111.

[0160] Door 120 may also include a handle 127, at least one of the outer surfaces of the inner frame 122 or the outer frame 121 being recessed inward so as to be gripped by the user's body.

[0161] Traditional hooks and hook fastening units can be applied to fixing parts 126 and fasteners.

[0162] However, the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure may not require a locking unit or similar device for locking the door 120 to the front panel 111 to prevent the door 120 from opening. As a result, the thickness of the front panel 111 and the door 120 can be reduced, and the length of the roller 120 can be further ensured, thereby further increasing the drying capacity.

[0163] Reference Figure 7 In (b), the outer frame 121 may include: an outer body 1211 that forms the external appearance, has a central opening extending through it, and exposes glass 123; a coupling protrusion 1213 disposed on the inner surface of the outer body 1211 and coupled to the inner frame 122; and a grounding protrusion 1212 that extends through the inner frame 122 to be able to contact the front panel 111.

[0164] The elastic material can be connected to the grounding protrusion 1212 so that the door 120 can be prevented from being damaged even when the door 120 collides with the front panel 111.

[0165] The grounding protrusion 1212 may include multiple grounding protrusions, and the connection protrusion 1213 may include multiple connection protrusions.

[0166] Figure 8 An embodiment of the front structure of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0167] The front panel 111 can be configured to have an opening 1111 defined therethrough, and the opening 1111 can be configured to have a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner surface of the door 120.

[0168] The front panel 111 may also include a hinge connection portion 130 on at least one of the two opposite sides of the opening 1111, to which the hinge 125 may be connected.

[0169] Multiple hinge connection portions 130 may be provided on one side of the opening 1111, spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

[0170] Furthermore, the hinge connection portion 130 can be provided on two opposite sides of the opening 1111. The door 120 can be connected to the hinge connection portion 130 provided on the left side of the opening 1111, or it can be connected to the hinge connection portion 130 provided on the right side of the opening 1111, as needed. As a result, in the garment handling device of this disclosure, the rotation direction of the door 120 in opening and closing the opening 1111 can be selectively determined according to the installation position of the cabinet 110.

[0171] The cover plate 112 can be provided in a removable manner at the bottom of the front panel 111 on the front surface of the pipe body 310.

[0172] The cover plate 112 can be rotatably attached at its bottom to the bottom of the pipe body 310 or the bottom plate of the cabinet 110, and its top can be detachably attached to the top of the pipe body 310 or the bottom of the front panel 111. As a result, the cover plate 112 can be prevented from being lost even when the pipe body 310 is opened.

[0173] The width of the pipe body 310 can be set to correspond to the width of the cabinet 110, so as to ensure a large flow rate. In addition, the front opening of the pipe body 310 can be set to correspond to the width of the pipe body 310, so that the filter unit 350 can be easily pulled out.

[0174] The filter unit 350 can be configured to allow air to pass through it, and can be configured in a plate shape.

[0175] The filter unit 350 can be arranged in the duct body 310 at an angle relative to its height. For example, the filter unit 350 can be configured such that its upper and lower surfaces are in close contact with the inner surface of the duct body 310, with the upper surface positioned in front of or behind the lower surface. As a result, the cross-sectional area through which air passes in the filter unit 350 is much larger than the front-to-back cross-sectional area of ​​the duct body 310, thereby maximizing filtration performance.

[0176] The filter unit 350 may include: a frame connected to the inner circumferential surface of the pipe body 310; and a mesh member that encloses the internal space of the frame, allowing air to pass through and filtering out foreign objects.

[0177] The filter unit 350 can be configured to be detachably connected to the pipe body 310 for being housed therein, and can be inserted into and removed from the front opening of the pipe body 310.

[0178] Figure 9 An embodiment of the internal configuration of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure, as viewed from the front, is illustrated.

[0179] The cabinet 110 may include a reinforcing frame 115 for securing the side panel 113 at one or more of the front and rear portions.

[0180] The front panel 111 can be connected to and fixed to the reinforcing frame 115.

[0181] A rotatable roller 150 may be disposed inside the cabinet 110. The roller 150 may have a clothing inlet 1531, which communicates with an opening 1111 disposed at its front.

[0182] The drying body 10 may also include a housing 140, which is housed inside the cabinet 110 and configured to house the roller 150 therein.

[0183] Typically, in the case of a household dryer, the drum 150 is configured as a cylindrical shape with no through holes in its circumferential surface. Support plates for rotatably supporting the drum are formed at the front and rear of the drum 150, and pipes communicating with the pipe module 30, etc., can be installed in the support plate.

[0184] However, in the case of commercial dryers, the diameter and length of the drum 150 are not only much larger than those of household dryers, but there is also a high probability that a larger capacity of clothing will be inserted into the drum 150.

[0185] Furthermore, when a large volume of wet clothes is contained in the drum 150, the weight inside the drum 150 is much greater than that of a household dryer, making it difficult to stably support the drum 150 using the resin-based support plates commonly used in household dryers.

[0186] In addition, to dry a large volume of clothes contained in the drum 150, sufficient flow rate must be ensured. However, using the resin-based support plate commonly used in household dryers, it is impossible to install a pipe through which this flow rate can pass. Even if a pipe could be installed, the front and back lengths of the cabinet 110 may become too long.

[0187] To address this issue, in the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure, the roller 150 can be housed by the housing 140 to stably support the roller 150 via the bottom surface.

[0188] The housing 140 may be made of metal to stably support the support portion 170 of the support roller 150, and may be set to be thicker than the cabinet 110.

[0189] Additionally, the housing 140 can be configured as a duct shape with a cross-sectional area larger than that of the roller 150 and capable of moving air, and can ensure the maximum flow rate of hot air supplied to the interior of the roller 150.

[0190] Alternatively, the housing 140 can be configured to receive air from the drying module 20 at the rear and guide air to the duct module 30 at the front, thus eliminating the need to form a separate duct at the front of the roller 150 or the front panel 111.

[0191] Specifically, the housing 140 may include a discharge port on at least a portion of its bottom surface supporting the load of the roller 150 for discharging air introduced into the housing 140 into the duct module 30. The width of the discharge port may be increased to the maximum width of the bottom surface of the housing, and the longitudinal width of the discharge port may be sufficiently increased in the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface of the housing. As a result, the area of ​​the discharge port is ensured so that the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure can supply sufficient air to the housing 140.

[0192] Additionally, the roller 150 can be configured to have a discharge port defined in a portion of its circumferential surface, allowing air inside the roller 150 to be easily discharged to the discharge port even when the roller 150 extends in length to the front panel 111. As a result, the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, as a commercial dryer, can ensure a sufficient flow rate for drying large quantities of garments.

[0193] Specifically, the housing 140 can be disposed between the cabinet 110 and the roller 150 to define the flow path through which the air flows.

[0194] The housing 140 can be configured to house the roller 150 therein, and can be configured in a pipe shape to prevent hot air supplied to the roller 150 from flowing out of the cabinet 110.

[0195] The housing 140 can be configured to open the front and rear of the roller 150 while closing the circumferential portion of the roller 150.

[0196] The rear of housing 140 can communicate with drying module 20, and its front can be configured to contact front panel 111. As a result, hot air supplied from drying module 20 can be directed to the front of roller 150.

[0197] Additionally, housing 140 can be configured to communicate with duct module 30. Housing 140 and duct module 30 can be configured to communicate with each other at a location closer to the front panel than closer to the rear panel of cabinet 110, so that hot air supplied from drying module 20 can move sufficiently to the front of roller 150.

[0198] The drying unit 10 may also include a support portion 170 that rotatably supports the roller 150 inside the cabinet 110. As a result, even when the roller 150 is heavy or contains a large amount of clothing, the roller 150 can rotate stably inside the cabinet 110 without any positional changes or vibrations exceeding a reference value.

[0199] At least a portion of the support portion 170 may be mounted on and supported by the housing 140. For this purpose, the housing 140 may be mounted on top of the pipe module 30 and secured to the top of the pipe module 30.

[0200] The support portion 170 can be disposed on the bottom surface of the housing 140 and the outer circumferential surface of the roller 150, and the support portion 170 can also be disposed on the two lower sides of the roller 150 respectively.

[0201] The housing 140 can be configured to have a different shape than the roller 150, as long as it can accommodate the roller 150 and direct hot air to the front of the roller 150.

[0202] For example, the roller 150 can be configured with a circular cross-section in the diameter direction, but the housing 140 can be configured with a polygonal cross-section in the height direction.

[0203] The hinge connection part 130 can be connected to and fixed to the housing 140.

[0204] The hinge connection portion 130 can be connected to each of the two opposite side surfaces of the housing 140 and can be connected to the inner surface of the housing 140, so that the connection between the housing 140 and the side panel 113 of the cabinet is not obstructed.

[0205] The housing 140 may be made of a metallic material to support the support portion 170 and the hinge connection portion 130.

[0206] The housing 140 can support the driver 160 externally.

[0207] The hinge connection part 130 is connected to and fixed to the inner surface of the housing 140.

[0208] Therefore, the hinge connection portion 130 is disposed between the roller 150 and the housing 140.

[0209] Furthermore, the door hinge 125 can be connected to and fixed to the front of the hinge connection portion 130, and the front panel 111 can also be fixed to the front of the hinge connection portion 130. The door hinge 125 can be located in front of the front panel 111 and connected to the hinge connection portion 130. As a result, when the hinge 125 is connected to the hinge connection portion 130, the front panel 111 can also be connected to and fixed to the hinge connection portion 130.

[0210] The hinge connection portion 130 may include two hinge connection portions arranged vertically on the inner surface of one side of the housing 140, and two hinge connection portions arranged vertically on the inner surface of the other side of the housing 140. A hinge 125 may be selectively connected to both the hinge connection portion 130 on one side and the hinge connection portion 130 on the other side. The hinge connection portions 130 may be located on one side of the housing 140, spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance between the hinges 125 connected thereto, and the hinge connection portions 130 may be located on the other side of the housing 140, also spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance between the hinges 125 connected thereto. As a result, the opening direction of the door 120 can be selectively changed.

[0211] The hinge connection portion 130 can be made of a different material than that of the cabinet body 110 and the housing 140. For example, the hinge connection portion 130 can be made of a material with greater rigidity than either the cabinet body 110 or the housing 140. As a result, even when the door 120 is set to bear a considerable load, the door 120 can be stably secured to the housing 140.

[0212] The hinge connection portion 130 may be spaced apart from both the top and bottom of the housing 140. The hinge connection portion 130 may be configured such that the length of the space between the hinge connection portion 130 and the bottom surface of the housing 140 is greater than the length of the space between the hinge connection portion 130 and the top of the side plate of the housing 140.

[0213] Figure 10 An embodiment of the sealing structure of the garment handling device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0214] The housing 140 can be configured with an open front, so that the roller 150 can be easily installed or replaced inside the housing 140.

[0215] The garment processing device disclosed herein may include a sealing portion 180 disposed on the drying body 10 to prevent hot air or steam supplied from the drying module 20 from leaking to the outside of the cabinet 110.

[0216] When the sealing portion 180 includes a front seal 181 at the front of the sealing housing 140, the front seal 181 can be coupled to and secured to at least one of the front panel 111 and the housing 140.

[0217] The front seal 181 can be configured to prevent hot air from leaking out of the front panel 111 and the housing 140.

[0218] The front seal 181 can be configured to correspond to the shape of the front surface of the housing 140 and can be positioned outside the roller 150.

[0219] The front seal 181 can be completely spaced apart from the front of the roller 150.

[0220] Since the sealing part 180 is not mounted on the roller 150, the friction of the front of the roller 150 by a separate component can be omitted. Therefore, the driving force of the drive 160 can be more fully concentrated on the rotating roller 150.

[0221] The configuration related to the sealing part will be described in detail below.

[0222] Figure 11 An embodiment relating to the arrangement of the drive unit of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0223] The drive 160 of the garment handling device disclosed herein can be mounted on top of and supported by the top of the housing 140. The housing 140 can be made of a metallic material to stably support the drive 160.

[0224] The driver 160 can be configured as a belt / pulley type to rotate the roller 150. Therefore, when the driver 160 is positioned above the roller 150, the belt wound around the outer circumferential surface of the roller 150 can also provide a force supporting the roller 150.

[0225] As a result, even when a large amount of clothing or heavy, wet clothing is inserted into the drum 150, the drum 150 can rotate stably inside the housing 140.

[0226] In addition, the tension of the belt connecting the drive 160 and the roller 150 can be stably maintained by the load of the roller 150 even over time.

[0227] Specifically, the drive 160 of the garment handling device of this disclosure may include: a drive motor 161 that provides power to rotate the roller 150; a belt 162 configured to rotate by the drive motor 161 and contact the outer circumferential surface of the roller 150; and fixing portions 163 and 164 for fixing the drive motor 161 to the top of the housing 140.

[0228] The fixing portions 163 and 164 may include: a front fixing portion 163 disposed in front of the drive motor 161 and mounted on the upper surface of the housing 140; and a rear fixing portion 164 disposed behind the drive motor 161 and configured to face the front fixing portion 163.

[0229] The front fixing part 163 and the rear fixing part 164 can also serve to fix the side panels 113 on the two opposite sides of the cabinet.

[0230] The drive 160 may further include a swing portion 165, which is coupled to the front fixed portion 163 and the rear fixed portion 164 and configured to support the drive motor 161. The swing portion 165 may be configured such that one side is coupled to the front fixed portion 163 and the rear fixed portion 164 for pivoting in the height direction, and the other side supports the drive motor 161. As a result, when the roller 150 vibrates during rotation or its position changes slightly, the swing portion 165 pivots accordingly to prevent excessive impact from being sent to the drive motor 161 and to prevent sudden changes in the tension of the belt 161.

[0231] The upper surface of housing 140 can be spaced downward from the top panel of the cabinet to ensure that drive 160 can be installed in the space therein.

[0232] That is, the bottom surface of the housing 140 and each of the two opposite side surfaces can be set to a flat plate shape, while the upper surface of the housing 140 can be set to a polygonal shape, such as a trapezoid.

[0233] For example, housing 140 can be configured such that, depending on the shape of roller 150, the vertical height of each of the two opposite sides is lower than the vertical height of the central portion, so as to ensure space between roller 150 and cabinet 110 in which drive 160 is installed.

[0234] The housing 140 may include an upper plate 143 disposed above the roller 150 and configured to support the driver 160.

[0235] The upper plate 143 may include two opposing inclined plates 1431, which extend upward and obliquely from two opposing side panels 113 of the cabinet 110 toward the top of the roller 150.

[0236] The tilt plate 1431 can be configured such that its vertical height decreases as the tilt plate extends from the center portion of the roller 150 toward the side panel 113 of the cabinet 110, so as to ensure that the drive 160 can be installed in the space at the top of each of the two opposite sides of the roller 150.

[0237] Additionally, the upper panel 143 may include an extension plate 1432 that extends between the tops of the two inclined plates 1431 and is positioned above the top of the roller 150 while maintaining a constant vertical height. The extension plate 1432 may be parallel to the upper panel 117 or the bottom surface 141 of the cabinet.

[0238] Each inclined plate 1431 and extension plate 1432 can be configured as a flat plate without bending. As a result, even when portions with different vertical heights are arranged on the upper plate 143, areas of residual stress concentration can be prevented in advance.

[0239] Thanks to the extension plate 1432, the tilt plate 1431 can be prevented from extending excessively or the top vertical height from becoming too high, and the front fixing part 163 and the rear fixing part 164 can be stably supported for left-right balance.

[0240] The inclined plate 1431 can be configured to extend from the two opposite ends of the extension plate 1432 toward the side panel 113, thereby reducing its height, and can be formed symmetrical about the extension plate 1432.

[0241] The housing 140 may further include: a bottom surface 141 supporting the support portion 170 and disposed above the pipe module 30; two opposing side plates 142 extending upward from two opposing sides of the bottom surface 141 and configured to face two opposing side panels 113 respectively and be fixed to the two opposing side panels 113; and an upper plate 143 configured to connect the two opposing side plates 142 to each other.

[0242] Figure 12 An embodiment of the rear structure of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0243] The drying module 10 may also include a rear support portion 172 on its rear surface for rotatably supporting the roller 150.

[0244] The rear support portion 172 can form the rotation center around which the roller 150 rotates, and can act as the rotation axis of the roller 150.

[0245] The rear support portion 172 can be connected to and fixed to the rear panel 114 that constitutes the rear surface of the cabinet 110.

[0246] The rear panel 114 can be connected to and fixed to the two opposite side panels 113 of the cabinet 110, and connected to and fixed to the rear surface of the housing 140.

[0247] The rear support portion 172 may include: a rotating shaft 1721 connected to the rotation center of the rear surface of the roller 150; and a bracket 1722 for securing the rotating shaft 1721 to the rear panel 114.

[0248] The sealing portion 180 may also include a rear seal 182 for sealing between the rear surface of the roller 150 and the rear panel 114.

[0249] The bracket 1722 can be fixed to the inner surface of the rear panel 114 and can be made of a metal material with greater rigidity or greater thickness than the rear panel 114. One end of the rotating shaft 1721 can be rotatably connected to the bracket 1722, and the other end can be connected to the roller 150 so as to rotate integrally with the roller 150.

[0250] The rotating shaft 1721 rotatably supports the roller 150, and the driver 160 provides the power to directly rotate the roller 150. As a result, the separate component of the driver 160 located between the rear of the roller 150 and the rear panel 114 can be omitted, which further ensures the volume of the roller 150 and allows for a further reduction in the distance between the drying module 20 and the roller 150.

[0251] The driver 160 can be positioned closer to the rear of the roller 150 rather than closer to its front. Specifically, the driver 160 can be positioned closer to the rear panel 114 rather than closer to the front panel 111. As a result, the driver 160 can be prevented from interfering with the discharge holes, which will be described later, provided in the roller 150.

[0252] Figure 13 An embodiment of the roller structure of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0253] The housing 140 can be configured as an outer shell shape with an open front portion to accommodate the roller 150.

[0254] The housing 140 may also be configured to have an opening at the rear. For example, the housing 140 may consist of a bottom surface 141, two opposing side plates 142, and a top plate 143.

[0255] The rear surface of housing 140 can be used as an inlet through which air flows from drying module 20. Additionally, a through-hole defining the bottom surface 141 of housing 140 can be configured as an outlet 1411 for discharging air to duct module 30.

[0256] The discharge port 1411 can be configured as a slit shape that extends through the bottom surface 141 to a greater extent in the width direction than in the front-rear direction.

[0257] The roller 150 can be inserted from the front of the housing 140 and connected to the rear support portion 172 connected to the rear panel 114.

[0258] The roller 150 may include a roller body 151, which is configured in a cylindrical shape and provides space therein for holding clothing.

[0259] The roller 150 may also include a front body 153, which is attached to the front surface of the roller body 151 to maintain the shape of the roller body 151 and prevent clothes from being discharged from the roller body 151 arbitrarily.

[0260] The front body 153 can be configured in a ring shape to define a garment inlet through which the garment is inserted at its center.

[0261] The roller 150 may include a lifter 157 connected to the inner circumferential surface of the roller body 151 and configured to lift and lower clothing, and may also include a rear body connected to the rear of the roller body 151 and fixed to the rear support portion 172.

[0262] The roller 150 may also include a discharge port 154 that defines a passage through the roller body 151 through which hot air can flow.

[0263] The discharge port 154 may include a plurality of discharge ports arranged along the circumference of the drum body 151. The discharge port 154 may be positioned closer to the front of the drum body 151 rather than closer to its rear. As a result, the hot air introduced into the drum body 151 can flow as far as possible to the front of the drum body 151 while drying more clothes.

[0264] The discharge port 1411 can be positioned closer to the front of the bottom surface 141 rather than closer to its rear. The discharge hole 154 can be positioned in the region facing the discharge port 1411. The discharge hole 154 can be arranged with a longitudinal length much greater than the longitudinal width of the discharge port 1411. However, at least some of the discharge holes 154 can be positioned closer to the front of the roller body 151 rather than closer to its rear, such that at least some of these discharge holes can overlap with the discharge port 1411 in the vertical direction. As a result, air introduced into the roller body 151 can be discharged while flowing as close as possible to the discharge port 1411.

[0265] The discharge port 154 and discharge outlet 1411 can serve as flow paths through which air flows; the discharge port 154 can be arranged with a length corresponding to the diameter of the roller 150, and the discharge outlet 1411 can be configured to have a width corresponding to the width of the bottom surface 141. As a result, the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure can be provided without a separate duct structure located in front of the roller 150 for guiding the air discharged from the roller 150 to the duct module 30, and can adequately ensure drying capacity suitable for commercial dryers by maximizing the length of the roller 150 while preventing excessive expansion of the front and rear length of the cabinet 110.

[0266] Figure 14 An embodiment of the rear roller structure of the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0267] The roller 150 may include a rear body 152, which is attached to the rear of the roller body 150 to form the rear surface of the roller 150. The rear body 152 may be disc-shaped and may be attached to the rear circumferential surface of the roller body 150.

[0268] The rear body 152 can prevent the clothes from separating from the rear part of the roller 150 and can make the roller 150 rotate around the rotation axis 1721.

[0269] The rear body 152 can be configured to face the outlet through which hot air is discharged from the drying module 20.

[0270] The roller 150 may include a plurality of inlet holes 155 defined for passing through the rear body 152 for introducing hot air into the interior of the roller body 151.

[0271] The connecting portion 157, which faces the rotating shaft 1721 and forms the rotation center of the roller, can be located at the center of the rear body 152. The inlet hole 155 can be located between the inner circumferential surface of the rear body 152 and the outer circumferential surface of the connecting portion 157.

[0272] The rear body 152 may also include a plurality of radial ribs extending from the connecting portion 157 toward the inner circumferential surface of the rear body 152, and inflow holes 155 may be formed between the radial ribs. The rigidity of the rear body 152 may be further enhanced by the radial ribs.

[0273] An inlet 155 may be formed in a region recessed from the inner circumferential surface of the rear body 152 toward the roller body 151. The lifter 156 may have its rear end connected to the front surface of the inner circumferential surface of the rear body 152, and one end connected to and fixed to the rear surface of the front body 153.

[0274] The roller 150 may also include at least one of the following: a bushing 158 for reinforcing the rigidity of the connecting portion 157; and a shaft connecting portion 159 connected to the bushing 158 and configured to fix the rotating shaft 1721.

[0275] The bushing 158 can be made of a material with greater thickness or higher strength than the connecting part 157 to stably support the rotating shaft 1721.

[0276] The shaft connection portion 159 can be connected to the free end of the rotating shaft 1721 and can be configured to have a disc shape with a diameter much larger than that of the rotating shaft 1721. The shaft connection portion 159 can be connected to the bushing 158 over a wider area than the rotating shaft 1721 to prevent the rotating shaft 1721 from separating or detaching from the roller 150 even when an excessive load is applied to the rotating shaft 1721.

[0277] The shaft connection portion 159 can also be made of a material with greater thickness or higher strength than the connection portion 157. The diameter of the shaft connection portion 159 can be determined to be smaller than the diameter of the bushing 158.

[0278] Because of the bushing 158 and the shaft connection portion 159, the rear body 152 can be made of a relatively thin and lightweight material, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the roller 150 and reducing the rotational torque used to rotate the roller 150, thus reducing the load on the drive 160.

[0279] The rear body 152 can be bent rearward from the inner circumferential surface to determine the area or space in which the rear seal 182 can be placed.

[0280] The rear seal 182 can be positioned around the outermost part of the inlet port 155 and can be disposed along the inner circumferential surface of the rear body 152. The outlet of the drying module 20 can be located entirely inside the rear seal 182, and the rear seal 182 can guide the supplied hot air entirely to the inlet port 155. Figure 15 An embodiment of the piping module of the garment handling equipment of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0281] The duct module 30 may include: a duct body 310 on which a filter unit 350 may be mounted; a fan housing 320 disposed behind the duct body 310 and configured to draw in air under negative pressure; and a blower fan 330 disposed on the fan housing 320 and configured to generate negative pressure.

[0282] The duct body 310 can be configured to provide an internal space through which air discharged from the housing 140 flows. The duct body 310 can be configured as a shell shape, or it can be configured as an assembly of frames forming a cuboid, wherein the frames are enclosed by plates.

[0283] The pipe body 310 can be made of high-strength metal material to support the drying body 10.

[0284] The fan housing 320 can be mounted on the duct body 310. The fan housing 320 can be located behind the duct body 310 and behind the filter unit 350.

[0285] The fan housing 320 can define a flow path for receiving air from the front and discharging it to the rear. The front of the fan housing 320 may also include a fan fixing unit 340 for securing the circulating fan 330 to the fan housing 320. As a result, even when the front of the fan housing 320 is open with a diameter larger than that of the circulating fan 330, the fan fixing unit 340 can prevent the circulating fan 330 from separating from the fan housing 320 and can protect the circulating fan 330 from external impacts or foreign objects.

[0286] The circulating fan 330 can be positioned closer to one of the left or right sides of the duct body 310 or the fan housing 320. As a result, the area of ​​the dead zone where eddies or air does not flow can be reduced compared to when the circulating fan 330 is positioned at the center of the duct body 310 or the fan housing 320.

[0287] The duct module 30 may also include a partition panel 313 disposed in front of the fan housing portion 320 in the duct body 310 and configured to divide the duct body 310 in the front-back direction.

[0288] The partition panel 313 can be configured to enclose the area of ​​the opening of the fan housing 320 except for the inlet area, and the fan housing 320 can be fixed to the duct body 310.

[0289] The fan mounting unit 340 can be connected to and fixed to the partition panel 313. The fan mounting unit 340 can be configured to face the circulating fan 330, and a region facing the center of the circulating fan 330 can be defined therethrough to serve as an inlet for air to flow into the fan housing portion 320.

[0290] Figure 16 An embodiment of the installation of the circulating fan in the garment processing equipment of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0291] The pipe body 310 of the garment processing device disclosed herein may include: a first body 311, which forms a bottom surface; and a second body 312, which is disposed behind the first body 311 and is configured to support the fan housing portion 320.

[0292] The filter unit 350 can be mounted on and supported by the first body 311.

[0293] The second body 312 can be configured to support the load of the fan housing 320 and the circulating fan 330.

[0294] Reference Figure 16 In (a), the fan housing portion 320 may include: a housing portion 321 having a space in which the circulating fan 330 is installed and air introduced into the duct body 310 is drawn into the space; and a connecting portion 322 extending rearward from the housing portion 321 or disposed behind the housing portion 321 and defining a flow path for delivering air discharged under the operation of the circulating fan 330 to the drying module 20.

[0295] The housing portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 can be made of a material that can be manufactured in a foam-like manner. As a result, the housing portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 can be configured with complex structures to define flow paths within them, yet can still be manufactured with a greater thickness than when made of metallic or resin-based materials. Consequently, even when the circulating fan 330 is configured to generate a large flow rate, the fan housing portion 320 itself can absorb noise, ensuring the durability of the housing portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 against high flow velocities, and the overall weight of the fan housing portion 320 can be significantly reduced.

[0296] Furthermore, materials that can be manufactured in a foam-like manner typically have very low thermal conductivity. Therefore, even when the fan housing 320 is configured to have a large volume and hot air flows within it, the heat loss rate can be significantly reduced compared to when it is manufactured from metal or resin-based materials.

[0297] The mounting portion 321 may have an open surface formed at its front, through which air flows in and out. The mounting portion 321 may have a space formed on one side for accommodating the circulating fan 330, and a flow path formed on the other side for guiding the air supplied from the circulating fan 330 in the width direction of the duct body 310.

[0298] The partition panel 313 can be attached to the front of the mounting portion 321 and is configured to close the portion of the opening surface of the mounting portion 321 except for the protective panel 333.

[0299] The connecting portion 322 may be located behind the other side of the mounting portion 321 and extend to the front of the drying module 20. The connecting portion 322 may have a flow path defined inside through which air flows, and may be configured to have an exhaust port on its rear surface through which air is discharged.

[0300] The connecting portion 322 can be provided separately from the mounting portion 321, and can be connected to and fixed to the rear of the mounting portion 321 by interference fit or via fastening members. As a result, even when the extension directions of the flow paths formed inside the mounting portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 are different from each other, the mounting portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 can be manufactured without difficulty by a foaming method.

[0301] The circulating fan 330 may include: an impeller 331 for generating power to move air; and a fan motor 332 coupled to the impeller 331 and configured to rotate the impeller 331.

[0302] Reference Figure 16 In (b), the circulating fan 330 can be coupled to and supported by at least one of the mounting portion 321 and the connecting portion 322. In this case, when the mounting portion 321 and the connecting portion 322 are made of a foam-moldable material instead of metal or resin-based material, the rigidity used to support the circulating fan 330 may be insufficient.

[0303] Therefore, the garment handling device disclosed herein may include a fan fixing unit 340, which is connected to the fan receiving portion 320 and is configured to fix the mounting position of the circulating fan 330.

[0304] The fan mounting unit 340 can be made of a material with higher strength than foam material.

[0305] For example, the fan mounting unit 340 may include a mounting plate 341, which is configured to be mounted on the second body 312 and extend upward to be fixed to the second body 312 in the shape of a metal plate.

[0306] The impeller 331 can be located in front of the fixed plate 341 and inside the fan housing 320, while the fan motor 332 can be located behind the fixed plate 342 and outside the fan housing 320.

[0307] The mounting plate 341 may also include a through hole through which the fan motor 332 can pass. As a result, the circulating fan 330 can be inserted into the through hole of the mounting plate 341 and connected to the mounting plate 341.

[0308] The fan mounting unit 340 may further include a mounting plate 342, which is disposed between the fan motor 332 and the impeller 331 and connected to the mounting plate. The mounting plate 342 may be configured to have a closed through hole, and the circulating fan 330 may be fixed to the mounting plate 341.

[0309] Figure 17 An embodiment of the external appearance of the drying module 20 is illustrated.

[0310] Reference Figure 17 In (a), the drying module 20 may include a housing 210 disposed behind the drying body 10 and the piping module 30. The housing 210 may be disposed behind the cabinet 110.

[0311] The outer casing 210 can be set to a cuboid shape, and its height can be equal to or less than the total height of the cabinet 110.

[0312] Reference Figure 17In (b), the housing 210 may include: a flow path forming portion 220 that forms a flow path for receiving air from the duct module 30 and supplying it to the drying body 10; and an auxiliary flow path portion 230 disposed on one side of the flow path forming portion 220 and serving as a flow path through which the interior of the housing 210 communicates with the external air. The flow path forming portion 220 and the auxiliary flow path portion 230 may be separated from each other so that air does not flow between them.

[0313] Multiple heat exchangers for dehumidifying and heating the air can be installed inside the flow path forming section 220, and electrical / electronic components such as compressors for supplying refrigerant to the heat exchangers for heat exchange with the air can be installed in the auxiliary flow path section 230.

[0314] The flow path forming portion 220 can be provided inside the housing 210 to communicate with the pipe module 30 and the housing 140 or roller 150 of the drying body 10, so as to form the flow path through which the air circulation of the roller 150 passes.

[0315] The flow path forming portion 220 can be formed inside the housing 210 to extend in the height direction.

[0316] The auxiliary flow path section 230 can be disposed on one side of the flow path forming section 220.

[0317] The auxiliary flow path portion 230 can be configured to have a height corresponding to the height of the flow path forming portion 220, but its width can be determined to be smaller than the width of the flow path forming portion 220. As a result, the flow rate through the flow path forming portion 220 can be ensured.

[0318] The auxiliary flow path section 230 can be separated from the drying body 10 and the duct module 30, and can be configured to communicate only with outside air. As a result, the auxiliary flow path section 230 can be prevented from being heated by hot air or exposed to foreign matter discharged from the drum 150. As a result, electrical / electronic components can be installed inside the auxiliary flow path section 230 for stable operation.

[0319] The flow path forming portion 220 can also be configured as a pipe shape located inside the housing 210, allowing air to flow within it.

[0320] However, in order to simplify the configuration of the drying module 20 and reduce its weight, the flow path forming portion 220 can also be automatically formed according to the structure of the housing 210. For example, the flow path forming portion 220 can be automatically formed via the arrangement of the front panel 219, rear panel 212, partition panel 218 and side panel 211 constituting the front of the housing 210.

[0321] The auxiliary flow path section 230 can be automatically formed by the arrangement of the front panel 219, auxiliary panel 214, partition panel 218 and side panel 211.

[0322] The auxiliary panel 214 may have multiple through holes arranged in the height direction to communicate with the outside air.

[0323] Refer again Figure 17 In (a), the housing 210 may include: a side panel 211 that forms two opposing side surfaces; and a rear panel 212 that is attached to the side panel 211 and forms the rear portion of the housing 210.

[0324] The rear panel 212 can be configured to form the rear surface of the flow path forming portion 220 and prevent the flow path forming portion 220 from being exposed to the outside. In this case, the housing 210 may also include an auxiliary panel 214 disposed on one side of the rear panel 212, forming the rear surface of the auxiliary flow path portion 230 and preventing the auxiliary flow path portion 230 from being exposed to the outside.

[0325] The auxiliary panel 214 and the rear panel 212 can form the rear surface of the housing.

[0326] The housing 210 may also include a removable panel 213, which is removably mounted on the rear panel 212 and configured to expose the internal heat exchanger to the outside. As a result, without having to separate the entire rear panel 212 from the housing 210, the removable panel 213 can be removed from the rear panel 212 to clean or repair and replace the heat exchanger.

[0327] The rear panel 212 can be configured to have an opening extending through its rear surface in the area where the heat exchanger is installed, and the removable panel 213 can be removably attached to the area of ​​the rear panel 212 corresponding to the opening.

[0328] Figure 18 An implementation of the internal configuration of the drying module is illustrated.

[0329] Figure 18 Image (a) illustrates the internal configuration of the housing 210 in the drying module from the rear, and Figure 18(b) illustrates the internal configuration of the housing 210 in the drying module from the front.

[0330] Reference Figure 18 In (a), the drying module 20 may include a heat exchange unit 240 disposed inside the housing 210 and configured to dehumidify and heat the air supplied from the duct module 30 to generate hot air.

[0331] The heat exchange unit 240 may include: an evaporator 241 disposed in the flow path forming portion 220 and configured to cool air supplied from the duct module 20; and a condenser 242 configured to heat the air that has flowed through the evaporator 241.

[0332] Evaporator 241 and condenser 242 can be disposed inside flow path forming portion 220 and can be arranged vertically inside flow path forming portion 220. Condenser 242 can be disposed above evaporator 241 and spaced apart from evaporator 241.

[0333] The heat exchange unit 240 may further include: a compressor 243 configured to receive refrigerant from the evaporator 241, heat the refrigerant, and deliver the heated refrigerant to the condenser 242; and an expansion valve 244 configured to expand the refrigerant that has flowed through the condenser 242 to reduce the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant. The compressor 243 and the expansion valve 244 may be disposed within the auxiliary flow path portion 230 and may be separable from the flow path forming portion 220.

[0334] The heat exchange unit 240 may further include: an auxiliary heat exchanger 245 connected to the condenser 241 and the evaporator 242 and configured to allow the refrigerant to exchange heat with the outside air; and a switching valve 246 for selecting whether the refrigerant supplied from the condenser 241 is supplied to the expansion valve 244 or to the auxiliary heat exchanger 245.

[0335] The auxiliary heat exchanger 245 and the switching valve 246 may also be located inside the auxiliary flow path section 230 and may be separated from the flow path forming section 220.

[0336] The auxiliary heat exchanger 245 and the switching valve 246 can be positioned above the compressor 243, and the compressor 243 can be mounted on the bottom surface of the auxiliary flow path section 230.

[0337] The auxiliary flow path section 230 may also include an auxiliary fan 231 for guiding external air into contact with the auxiliary heat exchanger 245.

[0338] An auxiliary fan 231 can be positioned above the auxiliary heat exchanger 245. As a result, when the auxiliary fan 231 operates, outside air can cool the compressor 243 as it reaches the auxiliary heat exchanger 245.

[0339] The drying module 20 may also include a control panel 232 for providing commands to control at least one of the auxiliary fan 231, compressor 243, expansion valve 244, and switching valve 246 to perform the drying cycle. The control panel 232 may be mounted in the auxiliary flow path section 230 to prevent exposure to hot air flowing through the flow path forming section 220. The control panel 232 may be arranged in a plate shape facing either the front or rear surface of the auxiliary flow path section 230. As a result, when the auxiliary fan 231 is operating, the control panel 232 can also be cooled along with the outside air, and the control panel 232 can prevent it from interfering with the flow of outside air supplied from the auxiliary flow path section 230 to the auxiliary heat exchanger 245.

[0340] The auxiliary flow path section 230 may further include an auxiliary partition 233 for preventing air flowing through the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 from approaching the control panel 232. The auxiliary partition 233 may be disposed between the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 and the control panel 232 and may extend to the area where the auxiliary fan 231 is located.

[0341] Reference Figure 18 In (b), the front panel 219 constituting the front surface of the defined flow path forming portion 230 may be disposed in front of the flow path forming portion 230 and spaced apart from the front of the auxiliary flow path portion 230.

[0342] Alternatively, the housing 210 may also include an additional panel 219 which, while positioned behind the front panel 219, connects the partition panel 218 and the side panel 211 to each other to form the front surface defining the flow path forming portion 230.

[0343] The following description is based on an embodiment in which an additional panel 219 is provided. However, this description can also be applied to an embodiment in which only a front panel 219 is provided.

[0344] The additional panel 219 may have: an air inlet 215 defined therein, which communicates with the bottom of the flow path forming portion 220, through which air that has flowed through the duct module 30 flows into the flow path forming portion 220; and an air outlet 216 defined therein, which is disposed above the air inlet 215, through which air that has flowed through the condenser 242 is discharged out of the flow path forming portion 220.

[0345] Air inlet 215 may be located below evaporator 241 and facing fan housing 220, and air outlet 216 may be located behind rear panel 114 of cabinet 110 and inside rear body 152 facing roller 150 or inside housing 140.

[0346] As a result, the air discharged from the discharge port 3222 of the connection portion 322 can flow into the flow path forming portion 220 through the air inlet 215, rise under the operation of the circulating fan 330, flow sequentially through the evaporator 241 and condenser 242 and thus be dehumidified and heated, and is discharged through the air outlet 216, and then discharged into the interior of the housing 140 and the drum 150.

[0347] Evaporator 241 can cool air and condense moisture, and the condensed water can fall from evaporator 241 and be collected on the bottom surface of the flow path forming portion 220.

[0348] The drying module 20 may include a drainage unit 250, which is connected to the bottom portion of the flow path forming portion 220 and is configured to discharge condensed water.

[0349] The drainage unit 250 may include: a drainage body 251 disposed on the bottom surface of the defined flow path forming portion 220 and configured to collect water; and a drainage pipe 254 disposed below the drainage body 251 and extending from the lower portion to the outside of the housing 210 and configured to discharge water. Due to the drainage unit 250, water condensed in the flow path forming portion 220 can be prevented from evaporating again and re-entering the roller 150, and internal deterioration of the flow path forming portion 220 can be prevented.

[0350] The drying module 20 may further include: a cleaning unit 270 configured to spray water onto the evaporator 241 to clean foreign matter accumulated on the evaporator 241 or residual bacteria remaining on the evaporator 241; and a water supply unit 260 configured to supply water to the cleaning unit 270.

[0351] The cleaning unit 270 can be positioned below the evaporator 241 to spray water toward the evaporator 241. In addition, the evaporator 241 can be extended at an angle, not only to increase the heat exchange area and improve drying performance, but also to guide the water sprayed onto it from the cleaning unit 270 to flow along the surface of the evaporator 241 to wash away foreign matter.

[0352] The drainage unit 250 can discharge the entire volume of water sprayed from the cleaning unit 270 and foreign matter separated from the evaporator 241 to the outside of the drying module 20.

[0353] The water supply unit 260 can use the water condensed in the evaporator 241.

[0354] Alternatively, the water supply unit 260 can be configured to receive water directly from an external water source and supply the water to the cleaning unit 270.

[0355] The water supply unit 260 may include: a water supply valve 261, which is connected to an external water source; and a water supply pipe 262, which extends from the water supply valve 261 to the cleaning unit 270 to supply water to the cleaning unit 270.

[0356] The control panel 280 can also be set to control the water supply valve 261.

[0357] Figure 19 The structure of the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 for installing the garment processing equipment of this disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0358] Figure 19 The example illustrates how switching valve 246 switches the flow path state so that auxiliary heat exchanger 245 acts as an evaporator; however, switching valve 246 can also switch the flow path state so that auxiliary heat exchanger 245 is used as a condenser.

[0359] Using the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 as an evaporator corresponds to the state where the refrigerant that has already flowed through the condenser 242 is guided through the switching valve 246, through the expansion valve 244, and then guided to the auxiliary heat exchanger 245. Using the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 as a condenser corresponds to the state where the refrigerant that has already flowed through the condenser 242 is guided through the switching valve 246 and directly guided to the auxiliary heat exchanger 245.

[0360] Since the garment processing equipment of this disclosure is configured as a commercial dryer, it is necessary to dry large quantities of garments quickly. To this end, the garment processing equipment of this disclosure may consider increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the evaporator 241 to rapidly supply hot air from the beginning of the drying cycle, and increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the condenser 242 to supply high-temperature hot air in the middle and end of the drying cycle.

[0361] However, an unreasonable increase in the area of ​​the evaporator and condenser may lead to an unreasonable increase in the volume of the drying module 20.

[0362] Additionally, increasing the evaporator area may help heat the compressor 243 earlier. However, when the compressor 243 is operating normally, it may overheat due to excessive heat being supplied to it.

[0363] Additionally, increasing the condenser area may help to quickly supply sufficient hot air in the early stages of the drying cycle. However, when the compressor 243 is operating normally, excessive heat may be supplied to the drum 150, damaging the clothes, and the temperature may rise uniformly throughout the circulation path, which could actually lead to a decrease in the coefficient of performance.

[0364] For this reason, in the garment processing apparatus disclosed herein, an auxiliary heat exchanger 245 and a switching valve 246 may be additionally provided, so that the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 can be switched as needed and used as an evaporator 241 or a condenser 242.

[0365] For example, at the start of the drying cycle, control panel 280 can control switching valve 246 to switch auxiliary heat exchanger 245 to be used as evaporator 241. Specifically, switching valve 246 can direct refrigerant supplied from condenser 242 to expansion valve 244, and the refrigerant that has flowed through expansion valve 244 can flow through auxiliary heat exchanger 245 and then into evaporator 241.

[0366] In this process, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outside air in the auxiliary heat exchanger 245, and then flows back into the evaporator 241 to absorb heat from the air flowing through the flow path forming section 220. As a result, the energy of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor 243 is further increased, and the time it takes for the compressor 243 to operate normally and increase the pressure of the refrigerant can be shortened.

[0367] When the compressor 243 is operating normally, such as during the middle or end of the drying cycle, the control panel 280 can control the switching valve 246 to switch the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 to be used as the condenser 242. Specifically, the switching valve 245 can directly guide the refrigerant supplied from the condenser 242 to the auxiliary heat exchanger 245, and the refrigerant that has flowed through the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 can flow through the expansion valve 244 and then into the evaporator 241.

[0368] In this process, the refrigerant dissipates heat from the condenser 242 to the air flowing through the flow path forming section 220 to heat the air, and then flows to the auxiliary heat exchanger 245 to dissipate a portion of the remaining heat back to the outside air. As a result, the refrigerant flows through the expansion valve 244 at a significantly reduced enthalpy, allowing the refrigerant to be changed to have sufficient temperature and pressure before flowing into the evaporator 241. Consequently, overheating of the heat exchange unit 240 can be prevented, and the temperature difference between the evaporator 241 and the condenser 242 can be further ensured to prevent a decrease in the coefficient of performance.

[0369] Figure 20 An embodiment of the air circulation scheme of the garment processing device of this disclosure is illustrated.

[0370] When a drying cycle is performed in the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure, the circulating fan 330 provided in the duct module 30 can be driven, and the compressor 243 of the drying module 20 can be driven.

[0371] In response to the circulation fan 330 being driven, the air contained in the drum 150 is discharged through the discharge port 157, and the discharged air can flow into the duct body 310 through the discharge port 1411.

[0372] Air flowing in through the duct body 310 can be filtered to remove foreign matter as it passes through the filter section 350, and can pass through the circulating fan 330 and then through the fan housing section 320.

[0373] Air that has passed through the fan housing 320 can be introduced through inlet 215 located in the housing 210 of the drying module 20 and can flow into the interior of the flow path forming section 220. Air supplied to the interior of the flow path forming section 220 can be dehumidified and heated by sequentially passing through the evaporator 241 and condenser 242 and simultaneously rising to the air outlet 216 located above inlet 215. Air that has passed through condenser 242 can be converted into high-temperature dry hot air and can flow into the interior of the drum 150 to dry the clothes contained inside. The above process can be repeated until the drying cycle is complete.

[0374] However, for the air circulation process to occur, the hot air supplied to the roller 150 must not leak to the outside of the cabinet 110. To this end, since the roller 150 has an inlet hole 155 at the rear and an outlet hole 154 at the front, the air introduced through the inlet hole 155 must move to the front of the roller 150 without stagnation or dispersion, and the air discharged from the outlet hole 154 must be directly guided into the interior of the duct body 310 without leakage.

[0375] The garment processing device disclosed herein can guide air introduced from inside the drying body 10 from the rear to the front of the roller 150 without stagnation or leakage through a housing 140 that houses the roller 150 and is disposed inside the cabinet 110, and can directly supply the air guided to the front of the roller 150 to the interior of the duct body 310.

[0376] Figure 21 An example of a specific implementation of the shell structure is shown.

[0377] Reference Figure 21 In (a), the housing 140 can be configured to extend from the front panel 111 of the cabinet 110 to the rear panel 114.

[0378] The housing 140 can be configured to extend from the rear panel 114 to the front panel 111 to direct air introduced from the rear panel 114 to the front panel 111.

[0379] The housing 140 can be configured as a duct that guides hot air supplied from the drying module to the front panel 111 without leaking to the top panel 117 or side panel 113 of the cabinet 110, and can house the roller 150 entirely therein.

[0380] When the roller 150 is housed in the housing 140, the roller 150 is prevented from being exposed to the outside before the door 120 is opened.

[0381] The front-to-back length of the housing 140 can correspond to a first length L1, which is the distance between the front panel 111 and the rear panel 114. The rear part of the housing 140 can contact the rear panel 114, and the front part of the housing 140 can contact the front panel 111. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air introduced into the housing 140 from leaking into the front panel 111 and the rear panel 114.

[0382] Since the housing 140 is configured to connect the rear panel 114 and the front panel 111, the housing 140 can form an area on the upper plate 143 where the drive 160 is disposed. Therefore, the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure can arrange the drive 160 for the rotating drum 150 above the drum 150 in the drying body 10.

[0383] Since housing 140 accommodates the entire roller 150, the entire inner surface of housing 140 can be configured to face the entire outer circumferential surface of roller body 151. Therefore, drive 160 can be housed within housing 140 and freely connects the belt 162 between the front and rear of roller body 151. Thus, not only can belt 162 be wound around roller body 151, but drive 160 can also be positioned on top of housing 140. Therefore, the sealing force between pipe module 30 and drying module 10 can be enhanced.

[0384] Reference Figure 21 In (b), the rear panel 114 may be formed with a supply hole 1141 that communicates with the air outlet 216 and receives hot air supplied from the drying module 20. The rear panel 114 may be disposed in front of the housing 210, and the supply hole 1141 may be in close contact with the air outlet 216.

[0385] The rear panel 114 and the front surface of the housing 210 can be disposed in surface contact with each other.

[0386] The area of ​​the supply hole 1141 can be set to be larger than the area of ​​the air outlet 216, so that the hot air discharged from the air outlet 216 can be directly guided into the interior of the supply hole 1141.

[0387] The supply hole 1141 and the roller inlet hole 155 can be positioned facing each other. The area of ​​the roller inlet hole 155 can be set to be larger than the area of ​​the supply hole 1141, so that air flowing in from the supply hole 1141 can flow into the roller inlet hole 155.

[0388] Air outlet 216, supply hole 1141 and inlet hole 155 can be arranged to completely overlap each other in the front-to-back direction.

[0389] Air outlet 216 and supply hole 1141 can be located above the rear support portion 172. Therefore, the supplied hot air can be directly supplied to the garments that rise to the top and then fall inside the drum 150.

[0390] The rear body 152 of the roller can be configured to be spaced apart from the rear panel 114 in the forward direction so as not to interfere with the rear panel 114 during rotation, and the inlet hole 155 provided in the rear body 152 can also be configured to be spaced apart from the supply hole 1141 in the forward direction. As a result, at least some of the hot air supplied from the supply hole 1141 may not be introduced into the inlet hole 155 and may move radially outward toward the rear body 152.

[0391] However, since the housing 140 is configured as a pipe shape extending from the rear panel 114 to the front panel 111, hot air can be trapped in the housing 140 and prevented from leaking to the outside of the drying body 10, even if the space between the rear body 152 and the rear panel 114 is at least partially unsealed.

[0392] In other words, even if some hot air leaks to the outside from between the rear body 152 and the rear panel 114, the hot air is captured in the housing 140 and guided back to the inlet hole 155, or moves to the front of the housing 140 and flows into the outlet hole 154 to dry clothes while heating the roller body 151.

[0393] Figure 22 The positional relationship between the housing and the roller is illustrated.

[0394] The housing 140 can be configured such that the front is fully open, and both the width and height of the housing 140 can be set to be greater than the diameter of the roller 150. Therefore, the roller 150 can be inserted from the front of the housing 140 and connected to the rear support portion 172.

[0395] The longitudinal length of the roller 150 can be set to a second length L2, which is less than the first length L1, where the first length L1 is the longitudinal length of the housing 140. The front of the housing 140 can be positioned in front of the inlet 1531 of the roller 150, and the rear of the housing 140 can be positioned behind the rear body of the roller 150. Hot air introduced from the rear of the housing 140 can be supplied to the entire roller 150.

[0396] The housing 140 may include: a bottom surface 141, which is disposed on the pipe module 30 and separates the interior of the pipe module 30 from the drying body 10; side plates 142, which extend upward from the bottom surface 141 and form two opposing side surfaces of the housing 140; and an upper plate 143, which is configured to connect the tops of the two opposing side plates 142 to each other.

[0397] The bottom surface 141, side panel 142 and top panel 143 can all be made of metal and can all be provided with the same first length L1 to extend from the rear panel 114 to the front panel 111.

[0398] The bottom surface 141, side plate 142, and top plate 143 can be made of metal plates and can be connected to each other in surface contact by welding or separate connecting members. Therefore, leakage of hot air supplied between the bottom surface 141, side plate 142, and top plate 143 can be prevented.

[0399] The rear panel 114 can be configured to enclose the rear of the housing 140, and the front panel 111 can be configured to enclose the front of the housing 140.

[0400] The outlet 1411 can be located in the bottom surface 141 closer to the front panel 111 rather than closer to the rear panel 114. The width of the outlet 1411 can be formed to be greater than the diameter of the roller 150, so that a large amount of hot air can flow smoothly into the pipe body 310.

[0401] The discharge port 154 can be located closer to the front of the drum body 151 than closer to the rear, and at least a portion of it can be positioned to face the discharge port 1411 in the height direction. Therefore, the drum 150 itself can constitute the flow path through which hot air moves and is discharged.

[0402] Furthermore, the front-to-back thickness of the discharge port 154 can be formed to be half or more of the thickness of the roller body 151. Therefore, even when a large flow of hot air is supplied to the roller 150, the hot air can be smoothly discharged into the discharge port 154 without stagnating inside the roller body 151, and can be supplied to the discharge outlet 1411.

[0403] The discharge hole 154 can be formed along the circumference of the roller body 151. Therefore, even when a portion of the discharge hole 154 is located at the bottom of the garment and is blocked, the remainder is open, allowing all hot air to be discharged to the outside of the roller body 151 and guided to the discharge port 1411.

[0404] As a result, the roller 150 itself can form a flow path that guides hot air from the inlet port 155 to the outlet port 154 while accommodating clothing. Therefore, in the drying body 10, the additional duct provided in front of the roller 150 to guide hot air to the duct module 30 can be omitted, and an unreasonable increase in the front-to-back thickness of the drying body 10 can be prevented. In addition, the length of the roller 150 can be ensured to be as long as possible between the front panel 111 and the rear panel 114, thereby ensuring drying capacity suitable for commercial dryers.

[0405] A discharge port 154 can be formed from the front of the roller body 151, allowing hot air to be guided all the way to the front end of the roller body 151. Furthermore, the front-to-back thickness of the discharge port 154 can be set to be longer than the front-to-back thickness of the discharge outlet 1411. At least a portion of the discharge port 154 can be located behind the discharge outlet 1411, thereby inducing the hot air supplied to the roller body 151 to be smoothly discharged into the discharge port 154 even when the flow rate is high. Therefore, even when bedding or a large amount of clothing is contained, the inflow and outflow of hot air into and out of the roller body 151 can be smooth.

[0406] The discharge port 1411 can be positioned in front of the discharge hole 154 to induce hot air to move as far as possible to the front of the roller body 151 before flowing into the duct module 30.

[0407] The rear seal 182 can be attached to the rear body 152 of the roller to prevent air flowing in from the supply hole 1141 from leaking to the outside of the roller 150 as much as possible.

[0408] Alternatively, the sealing portion 180 of the drying body 10 of this disclosure may further include an additional seal 183, which is coupled to the rear panel 114 to prevent air flowing in from the supply hole 1141 from leaking to the outside of the rear body 152.

[0409] The rear seal 182 can be configured in an annular shape and can be attached to the rear body 152 of the roller to surround the inlet hole 155.

[0410] The additional seal 183 can be attached to the rear panel 114 so as to contact the inner or outer surface of the rear seal 182. The additional seal 183 can be configured to surround the supply hole 1141.

[0411] The additional seal 183 can be arranged along the circumferential shape of the rear body 152 of the roller or the rear seal 182.

[0412] The additional seal 183 can be configured as a whole in an annular shape, or it can be configured as multiple pieces that are partially separated and arranged along the circumference of the rear body 152 of the roller or the rear seal 182.

[0413] The additional seal 183 can be configured to contact the inner or outer surface of the rear seal 182 to form a flow path through which hot air moves between the rear body 152 and the rear panel 114.

[0414] For example, the additional seal 183 can be configured to contact the inner surface of the rear seal 182, thereby preventing the rear seal 182 from curling inward.

[0415] The additional seal 183 may be made of an elastic material or a material such as felt so as not to interfere with the rotation of the roller 150.

[0416] Air flowing in from the supply hole 1141 can first be sealed by the rear seal 182 and the additional seal 183 to flow into the roller body 151, and then sealed by the housing 140 to prevent leakage out of the cabinet 110.

[0417] Alternatively, the rear seal 182 can be fixed to an additional seal 183, which is attached to the inner surface of the rear panel 114 and arranged along the circumference of the rear body 152 of the roller. That is, the rear seal 182 can be supported by the fixed rear panel 114 instead of being attached to the roller 150.

[0418] The supplementary seal 183 may be made of a harder material than the rear seal 182, such as a metal or resin. The supplementary seal 183 may be disposed along the outer circumferential surface of the inlet hole 155 to engage with the rear seal 182.

[0419] Therefore, it is possible to prevent air flowing in from the supply hole 1141 from leaking to the outside of the roller 150 as much as possible.

[0420] The additional seal 183 may include: a connecting portion connected to the rear panel 114; and a fixing portion bent radially outward from the connecting portion, to which the rear seal 182 is connected. In this case, the additional seals 183 may be provided in multiples and arranged in a curved manner, and may also be spaced apart along the outer circumferential surface of the inlet hole 155. Therefore, the fixing portions may be bent from the connecting portion as evenly as possible.

[0421] Since the housing 140 is configured to accommodate the entire outer circumferential surface of the roller 150, it may also include a cutout 146 configured to connect the driver 160 and the roller 150 to each other. The cutout 146 may be configured to communicate between a motor 161 disposed outside the housing 140 and a roller body 151 disposed inside the housing 140.

[0422] For example, cutout 146 can form a band 162 passing through the space in housing 140.

[0423] The cutout 146 can be formed as an extension through the upper plate 143 of the housing. Additionally, the cutout 146 can be positioned closer to the rear panel 114 than closer to the front panel 111. Therefore, the cutout 146 is positioned near the supply port 1141 and in a direction perpendicular to the direction of hot air movement, thereby preventing hot air discharged from the supply port 1141 from leaking toward the cutout 146.

[0424] The housing 140 may also include a shielding shell coupled to the cutout 146 to seal the cutout 146 while accommodating at least a portion of the driver 160 including the band 162.

[0425] The sealing portion 180 may also be configured to seal between the housing 140 and the rear panel 114. For example, the sealing portion 180 may also include an additional seal provided in a shape corresponding to the front seal 181 to seal between the housing 140 and the rear panel 114.

[0426] Since the rear panel 114 is a component on which the rear support portion 172 and other components are mounted and in close contact with the drying module 20, it needs to be secured very firmly. Therefore, the rear panel 114 can be connected to and secured to the housing 140.

[0427] For example, the rear end face of housing 140 can be joined to the front surface of rear panel 114 by welding or the like. Alternatively, a connecting member, such as a separate hinge structure, can be provided to connect the rear end face of housing 140 and the front surface of rear panel 114. The connecting member can be configured to connect the entire edge of the rear end face of housing 140 and the front surface of rear panel 114.

[0428] Therefore, the entire rear end face of the housing 140 can be in complete and tight contact with the rear panel 114, and the area of ​​the front surface of the rear panel 114 that contacts the rear end face of the housing 140 can be in complete and tight contact with the rear end face of the housing 140.

[0429] As a result, the rear panel 114 is fixed to the housing 140 to distribute the load of the roller 150 and can substantially prevent the hot air supplied to the housing 140 from leaking between the rear panel 114 and the housing 140.

[0430] Figure 23 The location of the actuator and the shape of the housing in the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure are illustrated, and their relationship is further illustrated. Figure 24 The degree of freedom for the shape of the housing to change depending on the position of the actuator is illustrated.

[0431] Reference Figure 23 Typically, because the drum 150 is designed for large capacity and a large volume of wet laundry is inserted into it, commercial dryers are equipped with a powerful drive 160. Therefore, due to the significant weight and size of the drive 160, commercial dryers typically position the drive 160 in region B below the drying body 10 to provide stable support. For example, the drive 160 may be located within the duct module 30, or it may be positioned overlapping the rear of the duct module 30 in the front-to-back direction.

[0432] However, when the drive 160 is set in zone B, the overall stability of the garment handling equipment increases, but the gap between the drive 160 and the roller 150 inevitably becomes larger.

[0433] As the gap between the driver 160 and the roller 150 increases, the distance between the outer circumferential surface of the roller 150 and the belt 162 connecting the driver 160 also inevitably increases.

[0434] In this state, when a housing 140 is additionally provided to accommodate the roller 150, the housing 140 has no choice but to set the width of the cut 146 to a first width D1 that is greater than the radius of the roller 150, so that the belt 162 can move without interference.

[0435] When the discharge port 1411 is already set in the housing 140, and the cutout 146 is set to have a width corresponding to the first width D1 and an area corresponding to the thickness of the strip, it is also difficult to install a shielding shell that shields the cutout 146, which may make it impossible to maintain the airtight performance of the housing 140.

[0436] Therefore, when the drive 160 is located in zone B in a commercial dryer, the housing 140 can be designed to avoid the area where the belt 162 is located. Thus, the housing 140 can be located only in the area of ​​the shielded discharge port 154, and can be installed while avoiding the area where the drive 160 is located.

[0437] In this configuration, since the vent 154 is located in front of the roller, the housing 140 only accommodates the front portion of the roller 150 to guide the air discharged from the vent 154 to the duct module 30, and the rear portion of the roller 150 becomes the area around which the belt 162 is wrapped, thus inevitably being exposed to the outside of the housing 140. Therefore, a fundamental problem arises: even when the housing 140 is in close contact with the front panel 113, it cannot extend to the rear panel 114.

[0438] In addition, since the housing 140 cannot seal the rear panel 114, the commercial dryer must be provided with a sealing part 180 that seals the entire space between the rear surface of the drum 150 and the supply hole 1141, as well as the entire space between the inner surface of the housing 140 and the exposed surface of the drum body 151, to prevent air discharged from the supply hole 1141 from leaking to the outside of the drum 150.

[0439] However, since the rear body 150, which is set to rotate, cannot make close contact with the rear panel 114, which is in a stationary state, hot air inevitably leaks to the outside of the roller 150, even when the sealing part 180 is provided between the rear body 150 and the supply hole 1141.

[0440] Reference Figure 24 In (a), since the space between the housing 140 and the exposed surface of the roller body 151 also needs to be sealed, the shape of the housing 140 is inevitably limited to a cylindrical shape like the roller body 151. In particular, the narrower the space between the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140 and the outer circumferential surface of the roller body 151, the better the sealing, so the diameter of the housing 140 is inevitably limited to the diameter of the roller 150.

[0441] For example, when the diameter of the roller 150 is set to a first diameter R1, the diameter of the housing 140 can be set to a second diameter R2 that is not much different from the first diameter R1. The second diameter R2 can be set to be significantly smaller than the width of the front panel 111.

[0442] Therefore, even when the housing 140 is made of a metallic material and formed into a cylinder, it must be provided with a relatively thin thickness, making it difficult to ensure sufficient rigidity. As a result, the housing 140 may not be able to be configured to support or mount additional components such as actuators on its outer surface.

[0443] Furthermore, as the drum 150 vibrates vertically, the distance between it and the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140 changes frequently. Therefore, the sealing portion 180 must be connected to the outer circumferential surface of the drum body 151 to seal the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140. However, since the drum body 151 rotates while vibrating, even when the sealing portion 180 is provided, hot air inevitably leaks between the inner circumferential surface of the housing 140 and the exposed surface of the drum body 151. Therefore, in the commercial dryer where the drive 160 is located in zone B, hot air loss inevitably occurs, and drying efficiency inevitably deteriorates.

[0444] Return to reference Figure 23 To overcome these problems, the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure is configured to install the drive 160 in area A, i.e., inside the drying body 10. As a result, the garment processing apparatus of this disclosure overcomes most of the disadvantages of commercial dryers where the drive 160 is installed in area B.

[0445] Specifically, the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure can further reduce the gap between the driver 160 and the roller 150, thus reducing the gap between the belts 162 connecting the outer circumferential surfaces of the driver 160 and the roller 150. Therefore, the width of the cut 146 in the housing 140 can be set to a second width D2 that is smaller than the first width D1, and the second width D2 can be set to be smaller than the radius of the roller 150. Therefore, even when the housing 140 is provided with a cut 146 having a second width D2, the airtightness of the interior of the housing 140 can be adequately maintained.

[0446] Therefore, housing 140 can be configured to accommodate roller 150 including the area where belt 162 is disposed. As a result, housing 140 can be designed to extend entirely from front panel 111 to rear panel 114.

[0447] Therefore, since the rear surface of the housing 140 is in close contact with the rear panel 114, hot air can be prevented from leaking to the outside of the housing 140 even when the rear panel 114 is not perfectly sealed to the rear body 152.

[0448] Reference Figure 24In (b), since the housing 140 can seal the front panel 111 and the rear panel 114 themselves independently of the roller 150, the diameter of the housing 140, etc., can be enlarged regardless of the diameter of the roller body 151. For example, even when the housing 140 is provided as a cylinder, it can be provided with a third diameter R3 that is much larger than the diameter R1 of the roller 150. The third diameter can correspond to the width of the front panel 111. (First shape)

[0449] However, since the housing 140 is configured to seal the interior of the cabinet 110, it does not need to be configured to seal the outer circumferential surface of the roller body 151.

[0450] Therefore, the housing 140 of the garment handling apparatus of this disclosure can be configured with a shape independent of the shape of the roller body 151. As a result, the housing 140 can be expanded to a polygonal shape with a width and height having a third diameter R3. (Second shape)

[0451] The housing 140 of the garment handling device of this disclosure can be manufactured by combining flat metal plates together, and the thickness of the metal plates can be made sufficient to house and support the actuator 160. Therefore, the housing 140 of the garment handling device of this disclosure can be configured such that the actuator 160 is positioned on top of it. The housing 140 can only allow the strap 162 to pass through the interior of the housing 140 through a cut 146 having a second width D2.

[0452] Therefore, to ensure sufficient space for mounting the drive 160, the housing 140 can be designed such that its height from the bottom surface to the top surface is less than the third diameter R3, thereby separating the top surface from the top panel 117 of the cabinet 110. (Third shape)

[0453] For example, the upper plate 143 of the housing 140 can be designed in a trapezoidal shape. The upper plate 143 may include: an extension plate 1432, which is configured to be downwardly spaced from the upper panel 117 of the cabinet 110; and an inclined plate 1431, which extends from both ends of the extension plate 1432 toward the side panel 142, thereby reducing the height. The space in which the actuator 160 is disposed may be formed between the upper plate 114 and the upper plate 143 of the housing 140.

[0454] The driver 160 can be supported by the tilting plate 1431.

[0455] Figure 25 An embodiment of sealing the housing of the garment processing device disclosed herein is illustrated.

[0456] The front seal 181 can be attached to at least one of the cabinet 110 and the housing 140. The front seal 181 can be configured to seal between the front surface of the housing 140 and the inner surface of the front panel 111.

[0457] The front seal 181 can be circumferentially connected along the front surface of the housing 140. The front seal 181 can be configured as an elastic member that is coupled to and fixed to the front end of the front surface of the housing 140.

[0458] The front seal 181 can be configured to contact or press against the inner surface of the front panel 111 when fixed to the housing 140.

[0459] The front seal 181 is configured to be fixed to the non-moving housing 140. Therefore, the front seal 181 can exhibit higher sealing performance than the rear seal 182, which is attached to a moving object such as a roller.

[0460] The front seal 181 can be configured as a polygonal shape connected along the front surface of the housing 140. Therefore, the area of ​​the front seal 181 can be set to be larger than the diameter of the roller 150 and the diameter of the opening 1111. Thus, the front seal 181 can be positioned outside the opening 1111 and the roller 150.

[0461] Furthermore, the front support portion 171 and the hinge connection portion 130 are connected to and fixed to the interior of the housing 140. Therefore, the support portion 170 and the hinge connection portion 130, etc., can be provided inside the front seal 181.

[0462] Since the pipe module 30 is a component located outside the housing 140, the pipe module 30 can be located outside the front seal 181.

[0463] The front seal 181 prevents hot air from leaking between the exterior of the housing 140 and the interior surface of the cabinet 110.

[0464] Specifically, the front seal 181 may include: a bottom seal 1811, which is connected to the front of the bottom surface 141 and in close contact with the front panel 111; a side seal 1812, which extends upward from both ends of the bottom seal 1811 and is connected to the front of the side panel 142 and in close contact with the front panel 111; and an upper seal 1813, which is connected to the upper ends of the side seals 1812 disposed on two opposite sides. The upper seal 1813 may be configured to correspond to the shape of the upper plate 143 of the housing 140.

[0465] The front support portion 171 can be disposed between the bottom seal 1811, the side seal 1812 and the outer circumferential surface of the roller 150.

[0466] The hinge connection portion 130 can be disposed between the inner side of the side seal 1812 and the outer circumferential surface of the roller 150.

[0467] The front panel 111 may have a contact area C, and the front seal 181 is in close contact with the contact area C.

[0468] The opening 1111 can be located inside the contact area C. Therefore, the opening 1111 can be located inside the front seal 181.

[0469] The front panel 111 may include a recessed portion 1112, which is disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the opening 1111 and recessed toward the roller 150. The recessed portion 1112 may be configured to correspond to the shape of the inner frame of the door 120. The opening 1111 may be defined to extend through the recessed portion 1112.

[0470] The recessed portion 1112 can be provided inside the contact area C. Therefore, the recessed portion 1112 can be provided inside the front seal 181.

[0471] A sensor unit 400 for sensing the state inside the roller 150 can be mounted on the rear surface of the recessed portion 1112. The sensor unit 400 can be disposed inside the contact area C. The sensor unit 400 can be disposed inside the front seal 181.

[0472] Therefore, the front seal 181 can deliver hot air to the sensor unit 400. As a result, the sensor unit 400 can sense the state inside the roller 150 without difficulty.

[0473] The sensor unit 400 may include: a first sensor 410 capable of sensing the temperature inside the roller 150; and a second sensor 420 capable of sensing the dryness level of the clothing. The first sensor 410 and the second sensor 420 may be disposed inside the front seal 181.

[0474] The control panel 190 can be positioned above the opening 1111. The control panel 190 can be positioned outside the contact area C and the front seal 181. As a result, hot air supplied to the interior of the housing 140 can be prevented from approaching the control panel 190, and overheating of the control panel 190 can be prevented.

[0475] Figure 26 The positional relationship between the front seal and other components is illustrated.

[0476] Door 120 is located in front of front panel 111 and is configured to open and close opening 111, and roller 150 is located behind door 120 and front panel 111.

[0477] The housing 140 is configured to accommodate the roller 150, and its front end extends from the rear panel 114 and can be positioned in front of the front body 151 corresponding to the front surface of the roller 150.

[0478] The side panel 113 or the top panel 117 can be disposed on the outside of the housing 140, with its front end disposed behind the front end of the housing 140.

[0479] The front panel 111 may include: a front plate 111a, in which an opening 1111 is formed; and a bending frame 111b, which bends rearward from at least one edge of the front plate 111a so as to be able to contact at least one of the front end of the top panel 117, the front end of the side panel 113, and the front end of the bottom surface 141.

[0480] The front panel 111a can be located in front of the front body 153, and the rear end of the bent frame 111b can be located behind the front end of the front body 153 or the housing 140.

[0481] The hinge connection portion 130 may have a rear portion that is connected to the inner wall of the housing 140, and a front portion that protrudes forward beyond the front end of the housing 140.

[0482] The front of the hinge connection portion 130 can be accommodated in the bent frame 111b and contact the rear surface of the front plate 111a.

[0483] The front seal 181 can be attached to the front end of the housing 140 and is configured to protrude further forward than the housing 140.

[0484] The front portion of the front seal 181 can be positioned further forward than the front portion of the hinge connection portion 130 before being pressed against the front panel 111a. Therefore, the front seal 181 can ensure the sealing performance between the front panel 111 and the housing 140.

[0485] The front seal 181 may include: a connecting end 181b, which is connected to the front end of the housing 140; and a sealing end 181a, which extends forward from the connecting end 181b and contacts the front panel 111.

[0486] The connecting end 181b can be configured to receive the front end of the housing 140. The front end of the housing 140 can be inserted into the connecting end 181b.

[0487] The connecting end 181b can be configured to support both the outer and inner surfaces of the housing 140. Therefore, the mounting position of the front seal 181 can be prevented from changing.

[0488] The sealing end 181a can be configured to have a closed curve in cross-section. Therefore, the sealing end 181a can be configured to be compressible over a certain length and have a restoring force. The sealing end 181a can be pressed against the front plate 111a.

[0489] The sealing end 181a can be located in front of the front body 153, the hinge connection portion 130, and the housing 140. Therefore, when the front panel 111 is positioned in front of the housing 140, the sealing end 181a can be pressed against the rear surface of the front panel 111. For example, the sealing end 181a can be pressed against the front panel 111a. Therefore, even if the distance between the front panel 111 and the housing 140 is uneven due to tolerances, the front seal 181 can completely seal the entire contact area C.

[0490] The front end of the hinge connection portion 130 may be configured to protrude further in the forward direction than the front end of the housing 140. Therefore, at least one of the door 120 and the front panel 111 may be connected to the hinge connection portion 130 without interfering with the housing 140.

[0491] This disclosure can be modified and implemented in various forms, and its scope of claim is not limited to the embodiments described above. Therefore, when modified embodiments include elements of the claims of this disclosure, they should be considered to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A garment processing device, the garment processing device comprising: A drying body, the drying body comprising: a cabinet having an opening defined in the cabinet through which clothing is inserted; and a roller disposed inside the cabinet to receive the clothing, the roller having a clothing inlet defined in the roller and communicating with the opening; A drying module, comprising: a flow path forming portion configured to form a flow path for guiding air discharged from the drum back to the drum; an evaporator disposed within the flow path forming portion to cool the air; and a condenser configured to heat the air that has flowed through the evaporator; and The duct module includes: a duct body into which air discharged from the drum is introduced; and a fan housing portion in which a circulating fan for moving the air to the flow path forming portion is disposed. The drying body includes a housing disposed inside the cabinet to house the roller. The housing is positioned in front of the flow path forming portion and forms a flow path for guiding the air to the duct body. The rear end of the housing is located behind the rear end of the roller. 2.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The cabinet includes: Front panel, the front panel having the opening defined in the front panel; and The rear panel is disposed behind the front panel and partially communicates with the flow path. The housing is configured to extend from a position in front of the front end of the roller to the front surface of the rear panel and to house the roller within the housing. 3.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The cabinet includes a front panel having an opening defined therein and positioned at the front of the housing. The housing is formed such that the front end of the housing facing the front panel is open. 4.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The cabinet includes: A front panel having the opening defined therein and disposed at the front of the housing; and A door, the door being used to open and close the opening, and The door is pivotally connected to the housing. 5.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The drying body also includes a hinged connection portion connected to the inner surface of the housing, facing at least a portion of the roller, and capable of pivotally securing the door. 6.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The drying body also includes a support portion for rotatably supporting the roller inside the cabinet. The support portion is disposed inside the housing. 7.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The support portion includes a roller, which is mounted on the bottom surface of the housing and supports the lower part of the drum. 8.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The housing is configured to have a different shape than the roller. 9.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The cabinet includes: Front panel, the front panel having the opening defined in the front panel; and The rear panel is disposed behind the front panel and partially communicates with the flow path. The housing includes: The bottom surface is disposed below the roller and supported by the pipe body; Side panels extending from both sides of the bottom surface and connecting the front panel and the rear panel outside the roller; and An upper plate extends upward from the side plate to accommodate the roller within the housing. 10.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, The cabinet also includes a top panel, which is disposed above the housing and extends from the front panel to the rear panel. The upper plate and the upper panel are spaced downwards. 11.The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, The drying body includes a drive, which is disposed in the housing to rotate the drum, and The driver is mounted on the upper plate.

12. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, The upper board includes: An inclined plate extending upward from the side plate toward the top panel; and An extension plate, the extension plate extending from the inclined plate parallel to the upper panel, and The driver is disposed on the inclined plate.

13. The garment processing equipment according to claim 9, wherein, The bottom surface, the side plates, and the top plate are made of metal and are connected to each other by welding.

14. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing portion connected to the cabinet or the housing to prevent air discharged from the flow path forming portion or flowing into the roller from leaking out of the cabinet.

15. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, The cabinet includes a front panel having an opening defined therein and positioned at the front of the housing. The sealing portion is disposed between the front panel and the housing.

16. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, The housing is configured such that the front end of the housing facing the front panel is open, and The sealing portion is circumferentially connected along the front end of the housing and is configured to be pressed against the rear surface of the front panel.

17. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, The housing is configured to have a shape different from that of the roller, and The sealing portion is configured to have a shape different from that of the roller.

18. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, The drying body also includes: A support portion, which is disposed in the housing and rotatably supports the roller; A door, the door being used to open and close the opening; and A hinge connection portion, which is fixed to the housing and supports the door, and The sealing portion is located outside at least one of the support portion and the hinge connection portion.

19. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein, The drying unit also includes a control panel, which is connected to the front panel and configured to display the status externally or receive commands from the user. The control panel is located outside the sealed portion.

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