Clothing treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clothing treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet; a tub provided inside the cabinet and having a tub exhaust port through which air flows out and a tub supply port through which air flows in; a drum that is connected to and rotatably arranged inside the tub, and provides a space for accommodating clothing; and a drying module which is detachably provided in the cabinet and supplies air discharged from the drum back to the drum. The drying module includes: a first flow path part providing a flow path through which the air discharged from the tub exhaust port can circulate; and a heat exchange part for dehumidifying and heating the air that has flowed into the first flow path part. The first flow path part includes: an exhaust flow path for guiding, to the heat exchange part, the air discharged from the tub exhaust port; and a supply flow path for guiding, to the tub, the air that passes through the heat exchange part. The supply flow path includes: a supply duct providing a flow path through which the air that passes through the heat exchange part moves; and a supply flow path corrugated part for guiding the air to the tub supply port. The clothing treatment apparatus further includes a reinforcing ring which is provided in at least one of the supply duct or the tub supply port and prevents at least one of the supply duct or the tub supply port from being deformed.

Description

[Technical Field ]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a clothing treatment apparatus.[Background ]

[0002] In general, a clothing treatment apparatus performs an arbitrary course for treating laundry and may include a washing machine that performs a washing cycle and a dryer that performs a drying cycle.

[0003] Generally, washing machines and dryers may be provided separately. However, to overcome space constraints and increase user convenience, clothing treatment apparatuses capable of performing both washing and drying cycles simultaneously have emerged.

[0004] A conventional clothing treatment apparatus may be configured as a washing machine performing a washing cycle, including a cabinet, a tub for containing water, a drum that rotates while accommodating laundry, a driving unit fixed to the tub to rotate the drum, a support unit for supporting the tub, a water supply unit for supplying water to the tub, and a drainage unit for draining water from the tub.

[0005] Further, the conventional clothing treatment apparatus may further include a circulation unit that circulates air from the tub outside of the tub, and a heat exchange unit installed in the circulation unit to sequentially perform dehumidification and heating of the air. Accordingly, it may also be configured as a dryer that performs a drying cycle by supplying hot air to the tub.

[0006] In this way, the conventional clothing treatment apparatus has the advantage of being able to selectively perform washing and drying cycles according to a user's convenience by providing both the configurations of a washing machine and a dryer inside the cabinet.

[0007] However, in the case of commercial clothing treatment apparatuses, they are generally designed to process a larger amount of laundry than household clothing treatment apparatuses or to handle heavy items such as blankets.

[0008] Therefore, commercial clothing treatment apparatuses need a larger volume than household clothing treatment apparatuses to accommodate heavy and bulky laundry all at once.

[0009] Under these circumstances, if both washing and drying configurations are provided inside the cabinet of a commercial clothing treatment apparatus, a laundry capacity suitable for commercial use may not be secured due to a limited cabinet size, or conversely, if the cabinet limits are removed, the volume and weight become excessively large, making transport and installation difficult.

[0010] Therefore, for the commercial clothing treatment apparatuses, the coupling or arrangement between the washing device and the drying device has been one of important design considerations.

[0011] Along with this, in the case of a clothing treatment apparatus capable of performing a drying cycle, a duct through which air is movable is essentially required. Such a duct facilitates air circulation and heat exchange, enabling efficient drying.

[0012] However, the duct is generally manufactured using a blow molding method to have a hollow structure and is made of a plastic material such as polypropylene (PP) or expanded polypropylene (EPP) for reasons of durability, lightweight, chemical resistance, economy, and ease of processing.

[0013] While this material and manufacturing method are intended to increase the efficiency of air circulation and heat exchange, they may lead to stability issues caused by vibration or deformation issues caused by heated air. Consequently, the functional reliability of the duct is reduced or the overall performance of the device is adversely affected.[Summary ][Technical Problem ]

[0014] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothing treatment apparatus capable of performing both washing and drying cycles.

[0015] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothing treatment apparatus capable of securing an optimal laundry capacity within a limited space.

[0016] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothing treatment apparatus that minimizes duct stability issues caused by vibration.

[0017] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a clothing treatment apparatus that minimizes duct deformation caused by heated air.[Technical Solution ]

[0018] To achieve the above objects, a clothing treatment apparatus of the present disclosure may include a cabinet, a tub provided inside the cabinet and having a tub air exhaust unit through which air is discharged and a tub air supply unit through which air is introduced, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub and providing a space for accommodating laundry, and a drying module re-supplying air discharged from the drum back to the drum.

[0019] The drying module may include a first flow path unit providing a flow path through which the air discharged from the tub air exhaust unit is circulatable, and a heat exchange unit dehumidifying and heating air introduced into the first flow path unit.

[0020] The first flow path unit may include an air exhaust flow path guiding air discharged from the tub air exhaust unit to the heat exchange unit, and an air supply flow path guiding air that has passed through the heat exchange unit to the tub.

[0021] The air supply flow path may include a supply duct providing a flow path through which the air that has passed through the heat exchange unit moves, and an air supply flow path bellows guiding the air to the tub air supply unit, and The air supply flow path may further include a reinforcement ring provided on at least one of the air supply duct or the tub air supply unit and preventing at least one of the air supply duct or the tub air supply unit from being deformed by the heated air.

[0022] The reinforcement ring may include a first reinforcement ring provided on the supply duct and mounted on a first connection portion that connects the air supply duct to the air supply flow path bellows, and a second reinforcement ring provided on the tub air supply unit and mounted on a second connection portion that connects the tub air supply unit to the air supply flow path bellows.

[0023] The first reinforcement ring may be provided to be mounted in a first mounting groove recessed in an inner circumferential surface of the first connection portion, and the second reinforcement ring may be provided to be mounted in a second mounting groove recessed in an inner circumferential surface of the second connection portion.

[0024] A width of the first mounting groove may be equal to or greater than a width of the first reinforcement ring, and a width of the second mounting groove may be equal to or greater than a width of the second reinforcement ring.

[0025] The air supply flow path bellows may be provided as an elastic structure to mitigate vibration and noise.

[0026] The elastic structure may be a bellows structure.

[0027] The first connection portion and the second connection portion may overlap with at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows.

[0028] The first connection portion and the second connection portion may be accommodated in at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows.

[0029] The clothing treatment apparatus may further include a first fixing ring maintaining a connection state between the air supply flow path bellows and the air supply duct, and a second fixing ring maintaining a connection state between the air supply flow path bellows and the tub air supply unit. The first fixing ring may be provided to surround an outer circumferential surface of the air supply flow path bellows in which the first connection portion is accommodated, and the second fixing ring may be provided to surround an outer circumferential surface of the air supply flow path bellows in which the second connection portion is accommodated.

[0030] The first fixing ring may be provided at a position overlapping with at least a portion of a position where the first reinforcement ring is mounted, and the second fixing ring may be provided at a position overlapping with at least a portion of a position where the second reinforcement ring is mounted.

[0031] Each of the first fixing ring and the second fixing ring may include a ring-shaped band member having one side open, a coupling member installed at both ends of the band member and having a fastening portion formed therein to couple the band member, and a fastening member fastened to the fastening portion of the coupling member to couple the band member by tightening the band member.

[0032] The band member may be a steel band.

[0033] The fastening member may be a bolt and a nut.

[0034] The air exhaust flow path may further include a filter filtering air moving toward the heat exchange unit.

[0035] The drying module may further include a blowing fan causing the air to circulate along the first flow path unit.[Advantageous Effects ]

[0036] The present disclosure may provide a clothing treatment apparatus capable of performing both washing and drying cycles.

[0037] The present disclosure may provide a clothing treatment apparatus capable of securing an optimal laundry capacity within a limited space.

[0038] The present disclosure may provide a clothing treatment apparatus that minimizes duct stability issues caused by vibration.

[0039] The present disclosure may provide a clothing treatment apparatus that minimizes duct deformation caused by heated air.[Brief Description of Drawings ]

[0040] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary clothing treatment apparatus of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an exemplary accommodation unit. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary tub air supply unit. FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate an exemplary drying module. FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary flow path unit. FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate an exemplary connection relationship among an air supply duct, an air supply flow path bellows, and a tub air supply unit. [Best Mode ]

[0041] The configuration of an apparatus or a control method to be described below is only for describing an embodiment of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and the same reference numerals indicate the same components throughout the specification.

[0042] A singular expression includes plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present disclosure, terms such as "include," "comprise," or "have" are intended to specify the existence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the present disclosure. Therefore, unless specifically defined otherwise, they do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0043] Expressions representing relative or absolute arrangements such as "in a direction," "along a direction," "parallel," "perpendicularly," "at the center," "concentric," or "coaxial" not only strictly represent such arrangements but also represent a state in which there is a relative displacement with a tolerance or an angle or distance to the extent that the same function is obtained.

[0044] In addition, terms including ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" used in the present disclosure may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms, and the terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. Accordingly, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may also be referred to as a first component.

[0045] Further, terms such as "front," "rear," "on," "under," "side surface," "front end," "rear end," "top end," and "bottom end" used in the present disclosure are defined based on the drawings or defined based on components or the arrangement / placement state between components, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0046] A preferred embodiment of a clothing treatment apparatus and a control method thereof will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, a clothing treatment apparatus 100 may be configured to include a processing module (first processing device or washing module) 100a providing a space for washing or drying a target object such as laundry, and a drying module (second processing device or heat exchange module) 100b detachably coupled to the processing module (first processing device or washing module) 100a, for drying the target object placed in the processing module (first processing device or washing module) 100a.

[0048] The processing module 100a may be provided to include a cabinet 1, and the drying module 100b may be provided to include a case 6. The drying module 100b may be provided to be positioned on the processing module 100a. In this case, the exterior of the clothing treatment apparatus 100 may be formed by the cabinet 1 and the case 6.

[0049] The cabinet 1 may be provided to include a first front panel 11 forming a front surface of the processing module 100a, first side panels 12 connected to the first front panel 11 to form side surfaces of the processing module 100a, and a first rear panel 13 provided at a position facing the first front panel 11 to form a rear surface of the processing module 100a.

[0050] A control panel 112 for controlling the clothing treatment apparatus 100 may be provided on the first front panel 11. The control panel 112 may be configured to control only one of the processing module 100a and the drying module 100b or both the processing module 100a and the drying module 100b.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, the first front panel 11 may include a first panel body 113 and a second panel body 114. The first panel body 113 may be provided as a panel fixed to the processing module 100a and form a mounting space for the control panel 112, and the second panel body 114 may be provided as a panel detachable from the processing module 100a.

[0052] The first panel body 113 may be provided to include a cabinet through-hole 111 communicating with the inside of the processing module 100a, and the second panel body 114 may be provided at a position where at least some of components provided inside the processing module 100a are exposed to the outside of the processing module 100a.

[0053] FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the first panel body 113 is provided to form an upper area of the first front panel 11, and the second panel body 114 is provided to form a lower area of the first front panel 11.

[0054] The first side panels 12 may be provided to include a first left panel 121 forming a left side surface of the processing module 100a (a portion of a left side surface of the clothing treatment apparatus) and a first right panel 122 forming a right side surface of the processing module 100a (a portion of a right side surface of the clothing treatment apparatus).

[0055] The processing module 100a may be provided with a mounting space 15 in which the drying module 100b is fixed. The mounting space 15 may be provided as an open space formed on a top surface of the cabinet 1, and FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the mounting space 15 is formed at a top end of the first front panel 11, a top end of the first left panel 121, a top end of the first right panel 122, and a top end of the first rear panel 13.

[0056] The heights (H) of the first front panel 11 and the first rear panel 13 may be set higher than the heights of the first left panel 121 and the first right panel 122. Setting the heights of the first front panel 11 and the first rear panel 13 higher than those of the side panels 121 and 122 is advantageous not only for positioning and fixing the drying module 100b when mounting it in the mounting space 15, but also has the effect of reducing the overall height of the clothing treatment apparatus 100.

[0057] Additionally, when the height of the first front panel 11 is set higher than those of the side panels 121 and 122, it is possible to minimize the increase in height of the clothing treatment apparatus 100 while forming a space for installing other devices (such as a detergent storage) on the first front panel 11.

[0058] A first controller 19 for controlling at least one of the processing module 100a or the drying module 100b may be provided inside the cabinet 1. The first controller 19 may be provided to receive a control signal from an input unit of the control panel 112 or to transmit a control signal requesting the display of information to a display of the control panel 112, and may be fixed to the first rear panel 13.

[0059] An accommodation unit 2 forming a washing space and a drying space for a target object may be provided inside the cabinet 1. FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the accommodation unit 2 includes a tub 2a forming a space in which water is stored and a path through which air moves, and a drum 2b rotatably provided inside the tub to form a space in which a target object is accommodated.

[0060] The tub 2a may be provided to include a tub body 21 providing a space in which water is stored and fixed inside the cabinet 1 through a tub support unit 23.

[0061] The tub body 21 may be provided in a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The tub body 21 may be provided to include a tub front surface 21a provided in a direction facing the first front panel 11, a tub rear surface 21b provided in a direction facing the first rear panel 13, and a tub circumferential surface 21c connecting the front surface and the rear surface of the tub body.

[0062] The tub front surface 21a may be provided with an inlet 211 communicating with the interior of the drum 2b, and a mounting tube 212 provided in a shape surrounding the inlet 211 and protruding from the tub front surface 21a toward the cabinet through-hole 111.

[0063] In other words, the mounting tube 212 may be provided in a cylindrical shape protruding from the tub front surface 21a toward the first front panel 11, and the inlet 211 may be provided as a hole penetrating the tub front surface 21a while being positioned inside the mounting tube 212.

[0064] The mounting tube 212 may not only provide a mounting space for injectors 3a and 3b or a tub air supply unit 24, which will be described later, but also serve as a means for guiding a target object introduced into the drum 2b through the cabinet through-hole 111, to the inlet 211.

[0065] The inlet 211 may be opened and closed by a door 22 rotatably fixed to the tub front surface 21a. Referring to FIG. 2, since the door 22 is not rotatably fixed to the first front panel 11 but is rotatably fixed to the tub body 21, it is preferable that the cabinet through-hole 111 is provided in a size and position that do not interfere with rotation of the door 22 (rotation for opening or closing the inlet).

[0066] That is, when the inlet 211 is closed, the door 22 remains exposed to the outside of the cabinet 1 through the cabinet through-hole 111. However, when the inlet 211 is opened, the door 22 may rotate toward the outside of the cabinet 1 through the cabinet through-hole 111.

[0067] Referring to FIG. 3, a door mounting unit 224 may be provided on the tub 2a in order to fix the door 22 to the tub front surface 21a. The door mounting unit 224 may be provided to include a first mounting cover 225 fixed to the tub front surface 21a to surround the mounting tube 212, and a second mounting cover 226 fixed to the first mounting cover 225 and having a hinge 227 of the door mounted thereon. An inlet communication hole 228 may be provided in the door mounting unit 224 so that the inlet 211 is not blocked by the door mounting unit 224.

[0068] The tub 2a may be connected to the drying module 100b through the tub air supply unit 24 and a tub air exhaust unit 25. That is, the drying module 100b may be detachably connected to the tub air supply unit 24 and the tub air exhaust unit 25.

[0069] The tub air supply unit 24 may be provided to supply air into the tub body 21 through the mounting tube 212, and the tub air exhaust unit 25 may be provided to discharge air from the inside of the tub body 21 to the outside of the tub through the tub circumferential surface 21c.

[0070] The tub air supply unit 24 may be provided to include a first air supply hole 241 and a second air supply hole 242 provided in the mounting tube 212, and a distribution pipe 243 for guiding air to each of the air supply holes 241 and 242.

[0071] The first air supply hole 241 and the second air supply hole 242 may be provided to penetrate the mounting tube 212 and communicate with the inlet 211. The distribution pipe 243 may be provided to include a connection pipe 243a connected to the drying module 100b, a first branch pipe 243b for guiding a portion of air introduced into the connection pipe 243a to the first air supply hole 241, and a second branch pipe 243c for guiding another portion of the air introduced into the connection pipe 243a to the second air supply hole 242.

[0072] The connection pipe 243a may include a second connection portion 772a accommodated in an air supply flow path bellows 722 to be described later and connected to the drying module 100b.

[0073] To enable the clothing treatment apparatus 100 to wash or dry a large amount of target objects, it is necessary to design the volumes of the tub body 21 and the drum 2b to be large. Since the drum 2b should be supported by the tub rear surface 21b and be rotatable inside the tub body 21, the durability of the tub body 21 is important in order to design the drum 2b with a large volume. Therefore, the tub body 21 may be made of a metal material.

[0074] When the tub body 21 is made of a metal material, it is preferable that the mounting tube 212 is also made of a metal material. However, the distribution pipe 243 may be made of a material different from that of the mounting tube 212.

[0075] In this case, it may be advantageous in terms of cost and time to mold the distribution pipe 243 including the first branch pipe 243b and the second branch pipe 243c from a material such as plastic rather than metal. Accordingly, when the distribution pipe 243 and the mounting tube 212 are manufactured from different materials, the processing module 100a may further include a bracket 244 for connecting the distribution pipe 243 to the mounting tube 212.

[0076] The distribution pipe 243 may be provided as a flow path having a shape protruding from the mounting tube 212 toward the drying module 100b. A free end (a portion connected to the drying module) of the connection pipe 243a may be provided to be exposed to the outside of the processing module 100a through the mounting space 15 of the cabinet 1. In other words, the free end of the connection pipe 243a may be provided to be located at a point higher than the top end of the first front panel 11. This is to facilitate the coupling between the processing module 100a and the drying module 100b.

[0077] The tub air exhaust unit 25 may be provided as an exhaust pipe protruding from the tub circumferential surface 21c toward the drying module 100b. That is, the tub air exhaust unit 25 may be provided as an exhaust pipe protruding toward the mounting space 15 formed on the top surface of the processing module 100a.

[0078] A free end (a portion connected to the drying module) of the tub air exhaust unit 25 may be provided at a point higher than the top ends of the side panels 12, or at a point lower than the top ends of the side panels 12. The former has the effect of facilitating the coupling between the processing module 100a and the drying module 100b, while the latter has the effect of reducing the overall height of the clothing treatment apparatus 100.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, the door 22 may be provided to include a door frame 221 rotatably fixed to the hinge 227, a door frame through-hole 222 provided to penetrate the door frame 221, and a door window 223 fixed to the door frame 221 to close the door frame through-hole 222.

[0080] The door frame through-hole 222 may be provided at a position corresponding to the inlet 211 (a position communicating with the inlet), and the door window 223 may be made of a translucent material. In this case, the interior of the drum 2b may be checked from the outside of the processing module 100a.

[0081] The door window 223 may be provided to include a first window 223a fixed to the door frame 221 to be exposed to the outside through the cabinet through-hole 111, and a second window 223b fixed to the door frame 221 to be positioned inside the mounting tube 212.

[0082] The first window 223a may be located in the cabinet through-hole 111 and provided as glass forming a portion of the first front panel 11, and the second window 223b may be provided as glass protruding from the door frame 221 toward the inlet 211.

[0083] The tub body 21 may receive water through the water supply unit 4, and the water inside the tub body 21 may be discharged to the outside of the clothing treatment apparatus 100 through a drainage unit 28.

[0084] The drainage unit 28 may be provided to include a drainage pipe 281 for guiding water inside the tub body 21 to the outside of the cabinet 1. The drainage pipe 281 may have one end fixed to a lower space of the tub circumferential surface 21c (an area of the tub circumferential surface located below a horizontal line passing through the center of the inlet), and the other end provided as a hose penetrating the first rear panel 13.

[0085] The drainage pipe 281 may be provided to discharge water from the inside of the tub body 21 to the outside of the cabinet 1 using gravity, or to discharge water from the inside of the tub body 21 to the outside of the cabinet 1 through a drainage pump. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the former case, in which the drainage unit 28 may further include a drainage valve 282 for controlling the opening and closing of the drainage pipe 281 according to a control signal from the first controller 19.

[0086] The drainage unit 28 may further include a drainage filter for filtering water introduced into the drainage pipe 281, and the drainage filter may be provided to be detachable from the drainage pipe 281. When the second panel body 114 is separated from the processing module 100a, the drainage valve 282 and the drainage filter may be provided at positions exposed to the outside.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 5, the bracket 244 is a means for fixing the distribution pipe 243 to the mounting tube 212. The bracket 244 may include a coupling body 245 fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the mounting tube 212, a first communication hole 245a provided to penetrate the coupling body 245 to communicate with the first air supply hole 241 of the mounting tube 212, and a second communication hole 245b provided to penetrate the coupling body 245 to communicate with the second air supply hole 242 of the mounting tube 212.

[0088] The coupling body 245 may be made of a material different from the material of the tub body 21 (the material of the mounting tube) and fixed to the mounting tube 212 through a fastening means such as a bolt. However, the coupling body 245 may be made of the same material as the distribution pipe 243.

[0089] To reduce the inflow of foreign substances into the air supply holes 241 and 242, a plurality of bracket partition walls may be provided in the first communication hole 245a and the second communication hole 245b. The bracket partition walls may be provided along a width direction or height direction of each communication hole.

[0090] The bracket 244 may be provided with a first fastening pipe 246 connecting the first branch pipe 243b to the first communication hole 245a, and a second fastening pipe 247 connecting the second branch pipe 243c to the second communication hole 245b.

[0091] A cleaning unit mounting portion 248, where the first cleaning unit 3a is mounted, may be provided in a space between the first fastening pipe 246 and the second fastening pipe 247 in the coupling body 245. When the coupling body 245 is fixed to the mounting tube 212, the cleaning unit mounting portion 248 is provided to be positioned above a cleaning nozzle mounting hole 213 of the mounting tube 212.

[0092] The processing module 100a may be provided with a temperature sensor 219 for measuring a temperature. In this case, the coupling body 245 may be provided with a sensor mounting portion 249 where the temperature sensing sensor 219 is mounted, and the mounting tube 212 may be provided with a sensor mounting hole 218 communicating with the sensor mounting portion 249. The temperature sensor 219 fixed to the sensor mounting portion 249 may be positioned inside the mounting tube 212 through the sensor mounting hole 218.

[0093] The sensor mounting portion 249 may be provided to be positioned between the first fastening pipe 246 and the second fastening pipe 247.

[0094] The temperature sensor 219 may be provided to measure at least one of the temperature inside the drum body 26, the temperature of a target object inside the drum body 26, or the temperature of air supplied from the drying module 100b. In this case, an infrared temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the target object by detecting infrared rays emitted from the target object may be an example of the temperature sensing sensor 219.

[0095] To measure the temperature inside the drum body 26, the temperature of the target object, or the temperature of air supplied to the tub body 21, the temperature sensor 219 is preferably provided in an upper area of the mounting tube 212. Accordingly, the temperature sensor 219 may be located in a space between 10 degrees clockwise and 10 degrees counterclockwise with respect to an uppermost end of the mounting tube 212 on the circumferential surface of the mounting tube 212.

[0096] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the drying module 100b.

[0097] Referring to FIG. 6, the drying module 100b may be provided to include the case 6, flow path units 7 and 8 provided inside the case 6, and a heat exchange unit 9 provided in the flow path units 7 and 8 to remove moisture (dehumidify) from air or to heat the air.

[0098] The case 6 may include a support frame 61 mounted on the cabinet 1, side panels (second side panel) 65 fixed to the support frame 61 to form a side surface of the case 6, a rear panel (second rear panel) 64 fixed to the support frame 61 to form a rear surface of the case 6, and an upper panel 66 fixed to the support frame 61 to form a top surface of the case 6.

[0099] The second rear panel 64 may be provided with a panel air exhaust port 641 communicating the interior of the case 6 with the outside. Accordingly, air inside the case 6 may be discharged to the outside through the panel air exhaust port 641, and outside air may be introduced into the case 6.

[0100] A frame panel 62 may be provided on a front surface of the support frame 61. The frame panel 62 may be provided to form a space in which portions of the flow path units 7 and 8 are supported.

[0101] Further, the support frame 61 may be provided with a front panel (second front panel) 67 forming a front surface of the case 6. The second front panel 67 may be provided in a shape that surrounds the frame panel 62 so that the frame panel 62 is not exposed to the outside. In addition, the second front panel 67 may be rotatably fixed to the support frame 61 or the frame panel 62 to facilitate user access to the frame panel 62.

[0102] When the case 6 is mounted on the cabinet 1, bottom ends of the second side panels 65 may be connected to the top ends of the first side panels 12 of the processing module 100a, and a bottom end of the second rear panel 64 may be connected to the top end of the first rear panel 13. When the case 6 is mounted on the cabinet 1, the second front panel 67 may be provided to be positioned on the same plane as the first front panel 11.

[0103] To facilitate the coupling or separation of the drying module 100b to or from the processing module 100a, at least one of a free end (a portion connected to the air supply flow path bellows) of the tub air supply unit 24 or a free end (a portion connected to an air exhaust duct) of the tub air exhaust unit 25 may be provided to be located at a point higher than the top end of the cabinet 1.

[0104] FIG. 10 illustrates a case where the free end (the portion connected to the air supply flow path bellows) of the tub air supply unit 24 is located at a point higher than the top end of the cabinet 1.

[0105] When the top end of the first front panel 11 or the top end of the first rear panel 13 is provided to be located at a point higher (H1) than the top end of the first side panels 121 and 122, the free end of the tub air supply unit 24 may be provided to be located at a point higher than the top end of the first front panel 11 or the top end of the first rear panel 13.

[0106] As described above, this complementary coupling method has the effect of providing an intuitive attachment / detachment method so that a user may easily couple or separate the drying module 100b to or from the processing module 100a.

[0107] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 8, the support frame 61 may be provided to include a lower frame 611 detachably coupled in the mounting space 15 of the cabinet 1, an upper frame 617 positioned above the lower frame 611 and fixed to the upper panel 66, and a connection frame 618 connecting the frames 611 and 617.

[0108] A front surface of the support frame 61 may be closed by the frame panel 62, and both side surfaces of the support frame 61 may be closed by the second side panels 65. Additionally, a top surface of the support frame 61 may be closed by the upper panel 66, and a rear surface of the support frame 61 may be closed by the second rear panel 64.

[0109] As described above, the internal space of the cabinet 1 may communicate with the outside through the mounting space 15. To connect the internal space of the cabinet 1 and the internal space of the support frame 61, a communication space 612 communicating with the mounting space 15 may be provided on a bottom surface of the support frame 61.

[0110] The support frame 61 may be provided with a support panel 613 that divides the communication space 612 into an open surface and a closed surface. The closed surface refers to an area within the communication space 612 where the support panel 613 is located, and the open surface may be defined as an area within the communication space 612 where the support panel 613 is not located. Since the communication space 612 is provided to communicate with the mounting space 15, the mounting space 15 may also be viewed as being divided into an open surface and a closed surface by the support panel 613.

[0111] The interior of the support frame 61 may be divided into a front space 6a where the frame panel 62 is located and a rear space 6b where the second rear panel 64 is located, and the support panel 613 may be fixed to the lower frame 611 and positioned in the rear space 6b.

[0112] The support panel 613 may be fixed to the lower frame 611 and provided along a width direction (Y-axis direction) of the clothing treatment apparatus 100 or a longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the clothing treatment apparatus 100. FIG. 8 illustrates an example in which the support panel 613 is provided along the width direction of the clothing treatment apparatus 100.

[0113] The support panel 613 may be provided to include a support body 614 on which portions of the flow path units 7 and 8 or a portion of the heat exchange unit 9 is supported, and a fixing body 615 that fixes the support body 614 to the lower frame 611.

[0114] The support body 614 may be provided to be located at a point lower than the lower frame 611. That is, a lowermost end of the support body 614 may be provided to be located at a point lower than the bottom surface of the support frame 61 (the communication space or a lowermost end of the lower frame). When the case 6 is mounted on the cabinet 1, an edge of the bottom surface of the support frame 61 may be supported by the panels 11, 12, and 13 of the cabinet 1 forming the mounting space 15, and the support body 614 may be located inside the cabinet 1. In other words, when the case 6 is fixed to the cabinet 1, the support body 614 may be be located at a point lower than the top ends of the first side panels 12.

[0115] Since the support panel 613 is provided to support the flow path units 7 and 8 or the heat exchange unit 9, when the support body 614 is provided to be located at a point lower than the lower frame 611, an effect of reducing the overall height of the clothing treatment apparatus 100 may be expected.

[0116] The frame panel 62 may be provided to include a first panel through-hole 621, a second panel through-hole 622, and a third panel through-hole 623 that communicate the interior of the case 6 with the outside.

[0117] The first panel through-hole 621 may be provided to be opened and closed by a first panel door 624 rotatably fixed to the frame panel 62, and the second panel through-hole 622 may be provided to be opened and closed by a second panel door 626 rotatably fixed to the frame panel 62.

[0118] The first panel door 624 may be provided as a space where a second controller 63 for controlling the drying module 100b is mounted. In this case, the first panel through-hole 621 may be a controller withdrawal port that exposes the second controller 63 to the outside of the case 6.

[0119] The flow path units 7 and 8 may be provided with a filter for filtering air discharged from the tub body 21, and the second panel through-hole 622 may be a filter withdrawal port for withdrawing the filter to the outside of the case 6.

[0120] The third panel through-hole 623 may serve as a means (panel air supply port) for supplying air from the outside of the case 6 to the flow path units 7 and 8.

[0121] The flow path units 7 and 8 may be provided to include a first flow path unit 7 connected to the tub body 21 to form a flow path through which air may circulate, and a second flow path unit 8 forming a movement path for outside air.

[0122] Referring to FIG. 9, the first flow path unit 7 may be provided to include an air exhaust flow path 71 connected to the tub air exhaust unit 25, a air supply flow path 72 connected to the tub air supply unit 24, a heat exchange flow path 73 connected to the air exhaust flow path 71, and a blowing flow path 74 in which a fan for moving air is mounted and which connects the heat exchange flow path 73 and the air supply flow path 72.

[0123] The air exhaust flow path 71 may be provided as an air exhaust duct 711 detachably fixed to the tub air exhaust unit 25 of the processing module 100a. In order to reduce the transmission of vibration from the tub body 21 to the heat exchange flow path 73, an air exhaust flow path bellows 712 may be provided in at least a partial section of the air exhaust duct 711.

[0124] The air supply flow path 72 may be provided as an air supply duct 721 fixed to the blowing flow path 74 to provide a movement flow path for air discharged from the blowing flow path 74. In order to reduce the transmission of vibration from the tub body 21 to the air supply duct 721, the air supply flow path bellows 722 may be provided in at least a partial section of the air supply duct 721 or at one end of the air supply duct 721.

[0125] The heat exchange flow path 73 may be provided as a heat exchange duct 73b fixed to the support panel 613. The heat exchange duct 73b may be provided to include a first heat exchange duct 734 in which a first heat exchanger 91 provided in the heat exchange unit 9 is mounted, a second heat exchange duct 735 in which a second heat exchanger 92 provided in the heat exchange unit 9 is mounted, and a connection duct 736 connecting the heat exchange ducts 734 and 735.

[0126] The heat exchange duct 73b may be fixed to the bottom surface (the support body 614) of the support panel 613, or to a duct seating portion 616 provided on the support panel 613. The duct seating portion 616 is a means protruding from the support body 614 toward the heat exchange duct 73b to maintain a gap between a bottom surface of the heat exchange duct 73b and the support body 614.

[0127] As will be described later, since air introduced from the tub body 21 into the heat exchange duct 73b through the air exhaust duct 711 is condensed while passing through the first heat exchanger 91, condensed water may remain inside the heat exchange duct 73b. To discharge the condensed water remaining inside the heat exchange duct 73b, a condensed water discharge portion 75 may be provided in the drying module 100b, and provided in a space formed between a bottom surface of the heat exchange duct 73b and the support body 614 by the duct seating portion 616.

[0128] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate an example of a connection relationship among the air supply duct 721, the air supply flow path bellows 722, and the tub air supply unit 24 in the clothing treatment apparatus 100 of the present disclosure.

[0129] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the drying module 100b may include the first flow path unit 7 providing a flow path through which air discharged from the tub air exhaust unit 25 may circulate, and the heat exchange unit 9 for dehumidifying and heating air introduced into the first flow path unit 7, and the first flow path unit 7 may include the air exhaust flow path 71 for guiding air discharged from the tub air exhaust unit 25 to the heat exchange unit 9 and the air supply flow path 72 for guiding air that has passed through the heat exchange unit 9 to the tub 2a.

[0130] The air supply flow path 72 may include the air supply duct 721 providing a flow path through which air that has passed through the heat exchange unit 9 moves, and the air supply flow path bellows 722 for guiding the air to the tub air supply unit 24. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an example in which the air supply flow path bellows 722 is provided at one end of the air supply duct 721 to reduce the transmission of vibration from the tub body 21 to the air supply duct 721.

[0131] Accordingly, the air discharged from the tub 2a through the tub air exhaust unit 25 may be introduced into the drying module 100b through the air exhaust flow path 71 and move to the heat exchange unit 9, and air heated in the heat exchange unit 9 may be re-supplied into the tub 2a by sequentially passing through the air supply duct 721, the air supply flow path bellows 722, and the tub air supply unit 24.

[0132] The air supply duct 721 and the tub air supply unit 24 may be manufactured from a plastic material such as polypropylene (PP) or expanded polypropylene (EPP) for reasons such as durability, lightweight, chemical resistance, economy, and ease of processing.

[0133] The air supply duct 721 and the tub air supply unit 24 may be manufactured in a blow molding method. The blow molding process is one of the manufacturing methods for molding plastic, referring to a method in which plastic, made into a preform shape through heating, is inflated inside a mold using compressed air to be molded into a desired shape.

[0134] Since the air supply duct 721 and the tub air supply unit 24 have a structure that should accommodate an air flow and be manufactured in a hollow form with an empty interior, they may be efficiently manufactured by the blow molding method.

[0135] As such, the air supply duct 721 and the tub air supply unit 24, which are made of a plastic material such as polypropylene (PP) or expanded polypropylene (EPP) and manufactured in a hollow form through a blow molding method, have relatively low thermal stability and thus may be deformed by the air heated in the heat exchange unit 9.

[0136] Therefore, reinforcement rings 771 and 772 may further be included, which are provided on at least one of the air supply duct 721 or the tub air supply unit 24 to prevent at least one of the air supply duct 721 or the tub air supply unit 24 from being deformed by the heated air.

[0137] The reinforcement rings 771 and 772 may include a first reinforcement ring 771 provided on the air supply duct 721 and mounted on a first connection portion 771a that connects the air supply duct 721 to the air supply flow path bellows 722, and a second reinforcement ring 772 provided on the tub air supply unit 24 and mounted on a second connection portion 772a that connects the tub air supply unit 24 to the air supply flow path bellows 722.

[0138] The first reinforcement ring 771 may be provided to be mounted in a first mounting groove 771b recessed in an inner circumferential surface of the first connection portion 771a, and the second reinforcement ring 772 may be provided to be mounted in a second mounting groove 772b recessed in an inner circumferential surface of the second connection portion 772a.

[0139] A width of the first mounting groove 771b may be equal to or greater than a width of the first reinforcement ring 771, and a width of the second mounting groove 772b may be equal to or greater than a width of the second reinforcement ring 772.

[0140] As the first mounting groove 771b is formed to be recessed in the inner circumferential surface of the first connection portion 771a provided in the air supply duct 721, a step may be formed in the first connection portion 771a between the inner circumferential surface of the first connection portion 771a and the inner circumferential surface of the first mounting groove 771b.

[0141] The step may prevent the first reinforcement ring 771 from slipping out of the first mounting groove 771b and structurally support the first reinforcement ring 771. As a result, the first reinforcement ring 771 may maintain a more stable structure, more efficiently preventing the air supply duct 721 from being deformed by heated air.

[0142] Similarly, as the second mounting groove 772b is formed to be recessed in the inner circumferential surface of the second connection portion 772a provided in the tub air supply unit 24, a step may be formed in the second connection portion 772a between the inner circumferential surface of the second connection portion 772a and the inner circumferential surface of the second mounting groove 772b.

[0143] The step may prevent the second reinforcement ring 772 from slipping out of the second mounting groove 772b and structurally support the second reinforcement ring 772. As a result, the second reinforcement ring 772 may maintain a more stable structure, more efficiently preventing the tub air supply unit 24 from being deformed by heated air.

[0144] The air supply flow path bellows 722 may be provided as an elastic structure to mitigate vibration and noise generated while the drum 2b rotates.

[0145] Preferably, the elastic structure may be a bellows structure. A bellows structure refers to a pleated duct shape that provides elasticity and flexibility. Due to its elasticity and flexibility, it may be freely adjusted to fit a complex mechanical configuration, minimize installation space constraints, and respond well to vibration and pressure changes, thereby improving the overall stability and durability of the clothing treatment apparatus 100.

[0146] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the first connection portion 771a may overlap with at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows 722 to be connected to the air supply flow path bellows 722.

[0147] That is, the first connection portion 771a and the air supply flow path bellows 722 may be provided to have different diameters, so that a portion having a larger diameter may accommodate and connect to a portion having a smaller diameter.

[0148] In addition, the second connection portion 772a may overlap with at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows 722 to be connected to the air supply flow path bellows 722, and the second connection portion 772a and the air supply flow path bellows 722 may be provided to have different diameters so that a portion having a larger diameter may accommodate and connect to a portion having a smaller diameter.

[0149] For example, the diameters of the first connection portion 771a and the second connection portion 772a may be smaller than the diameter of the air supply flow path bellows 722, such that the first connection portion 771a and the second connection portion 772a may be connected to both ends of the air supply flow path bellows 722 while being accommodated in at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows 722.

[0150] A first fixing ring 781 for maintaining a connection state between the air supply flow path bellows 722 and the air supply duct 721, and a second fixing ring 782 for maintaining a connection state between the air supply flow path bellows 722 and the tub air supply unit 24 may further be provided.

[0151] The first fixing ring 781 may be provided to surround an outer circumferential surface of the air supply flow path bellows 722 in which the first connection portion 771a is accommodated, and the second fixing ring 782 may be provided to surround an outer circumferential surface of the air supply flow path bellows 722 in which the second connection portion 772a is accommodated.

[0152] The first fixing ring 781 may be provided at a position overlapping with at least a portion of a position where the first reinforcement ring 771 is mounted, and the second fixing ring 782 may be provided at a position overlapping with at least a portion of a position where the second reinforcement ring 772 is mounted.

[0153] That is, the first fixing ring 781 and the first reinforcement ring 771 may be provided to at least partially overlap with each other three-dimensionally, and the second fixing ring 782 and the second reinforcement ring 772 may also be provided to at least partially overlap with each other three-dimensionally

[0154] In other words, the inner circumferential surface of the first fixing ring 781 and the outer circumferential surface of the first reinforcement ring 771 may be provided to at least partially overlap with each other three-dimensionally in an indirect manner, and the inner circumferential surface of the second fixing ring 782 and the outer circumferential surface of the second reinforcement ring 772 may also be provided to at least partially overlap with each other three-dimensionally in an indirect manner,

[0155] Accordingly, the first reinforcement ring 771 may serve to maintain the shape of the air supply duct 721 and withstand pressure applied by the first fixing ring 781, and increase the internal rigidity of the air supply duct 721 and supporting shape maintenance thereof, thereby effectively preventing deformation of the air supply duct 721. The second reinforcement ring 772 may also serve to maintain the shape of the tub air supply unit 24 and withstand pressure applied by the second fixing ring 782, and increase the internal rigidity of the tub air supply unit 24 and support shape maintenance thereof, thereby effectively preventing deformation of the tub air supply unit 24.

[0156] Each of the first fixing ring 781 and the second fixing ring 782 may include a ring-shaped band member with one side open, a coupling member installed at both ends of the band member and having a fastening portion formed so that the band member is coupled, and a fastening member fastened to the fastening portion of the coupling member to couple the band member by tightening it.

[0157] However, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited thereto, and the first fixing ring 781 may be provided in various shapes as long as it may provide a structure for maintaining the connection state between the air supply flow path bellows 722 and the air supply duct 721. Similarly, the second fixing ring 782 may be provided in various shapes as long as it may provide a structure for maintaining the connection state between the air supply flow path bellows 722 and the tub air supply unit 24.

[0158] The band member may be provided as a steel band.

[0159] The fastening member may be provided as a bolt and a nut.

[0160] When air circulates through the drum 2b by communicating with the tub 2a via the first flow path unit 7, it may contain foreign substances such as lint originating from an object to be dried.

[0161] Since foreign substances such as the aforementioned lint may cause malfunctions while passing through various mechanical components within the clothing treatment apparatus 100 or contaminate external air if discharged outside, the air exhaust flow path 71 may further include a filter 733 for filtering air moving toward the heat exchange unit 9.

[0162] In addition, the drying module 100b may further include a blowing fan 74b that causes air to circulate along the first flow path unit 7.

[0163] As the present disclosure may be modified and implemented in various forms, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0164] Therefore, when a modified embodiment includes the components of the claims of the present disclosure, it should be regarded as belonging to the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A clothing treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet; a tub provided inside the cabinet and having a tub air exhaust unit through which air is discharged and a tub air supply unit through which air is introduced; a drum rotatably provided inside the tub and providing a space for accommodating laundry; and a drying module re-supplying air discharged from the drum back to the drum, wherein the drying module includes: a first flow path unit providing a flow path through which the air discharged from the tub air exhaust unit is circulatable; and a heat exchange unit dehumidifying and heating air introduced into the first flow path unit, wherein the first flow path unit includes: an air exhaust flow path guiding air discharged from the tub air exhaust unit to the heat exchange unit; and an air supply flow path guiding air that has passed through the heat exchange unit to the tub, wherein the air supply flow path includes: a supply duct providing a flow path through which the air that has passed through the heat exchange unit moves; and an air supply flow path bellows guiding the air to the tub air supply unit, and wherein the air supply flow path further includes a reinforcement ring provided on at least one of the air supply duct or the tub air supply unit and preventing at least one of the air supply duct or the tub air supply unit from being deformed by the heated air.

2. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement ring includes: a first reinforcement ring provided on the supply duct and mounted on a first connection portion that connects the air supply duct to the air supply flow path bellows; and a second reinforcement ring provided on the tub air supply unit and mounted on a second connection portion that connects the tub air supply unit to the air supply flow path bellows.

3. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first reinforcement ring is provided to be mounted in a first mounting groove recessed in an inner circumferential surface of the first connection portion, and wherein the second reinforcement ring is provided to be mounted in a second mounting groove recessed in an inner circumferential surface of the second connection portion.

4. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 3, wherein a width of the first mounting groove is equal to or greater than a width of the first reinforcement ring, and wherein a width of the second mounting groove is equal to or greater than a width of the second reinforcement ring.

5. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 3, wherein the air supply flow path bellows is provided as an elastic structure to mitigate vibration and noise.

6. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 5, wherein the elastic structure is a bellows structure.

7. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion overlap with at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows.

8. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion are accommodated in at least a portion of the air supply flow path bellows.

9. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first fixing ring maintaining a connection state between the air supply flow path bellows and the air supply duct, and a second fixing ring maintaining a connection state between the air supply flow path bellows and the tub air supply unit, wherein the first fixing ring is provided to surround an outer circumferential surface of the air supply flow path bellows in which the first connection portion is accommodated, and wherein the second fixing ring is provided to surround an outer circumferential surface of the air supply flow path bellows in which the second connection portion is accommodated.

10. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first fixing ring is provided at a position overlapping with at least a portion of a position where the first reinforcement ring is mounted, and wherein the second fixing ring is provided at a position overlapping with at least a portion of a position where the second reinforcement ring is mounted.

11. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the first fixing ring and the second fixing ring includes: a ring-shaped band member having one side open; a coupling member installed at both ends of the band member and having a fastening portion formed therein to couple the band member; and a fastening member fastened to the fastening portion of the coupling member to couple the band member by tightening the band member.

12. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 11, wherein the band member is a steel band.

13. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fastening member is a bolt and a nut.

14. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the air exhaust flow path further includes a filter filtering air moving toward the heat exchange unit.

15. The clothing treatment apparatus of claim 9, wherein the drying module further includes a blowing fan causing the air to circulate along the first flow path unit.

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