Clothes Processing Equipment

Abstract

the drum body has a cylindrical shape and both opposing surfaces are open; a front cover that is provided to close one of the open surfaces of the drum body and forms a front surface of the drum body; a rear cover that is provided to close the other open surface of the drum body and forms a rear surface of the drum body; and a drum input port that penetrates the front cover and communicates with the inside of the drum body; a fixed panel provided at a position separated from the rear cover; a housing fixed to the fixed panel; an input shaft having one end located outside the housing and the other end located inside the housing; an output shaft that penetrates the fixed panel, has one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end located inside the housing; a power transmission unit that is located inside the housing and has a gear unit that transmits the rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft; a stator that is fixed to the fixed panel or the housing and forms a rotating magnetic field; and a motor having a rotor to which one end of the input shaft is fixed and that rotates by the rotating magnetic field, the drum body, the rear cover, and the front cover being made of the same material, and the thickness of the drum body being set to be thinner than that of the rear cover and that of the front cover.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] A clothing processing device is a general term for a washing machine that washes clothing (items to be washed or dried), a dryer that dries clothing, and an apparatus that can both wash and dry clothing.

[0003] A washing machine is generally equipped with a tub in which water is stored, a washing drum inside the tub in which clothes are received, and a drive unit (washing drive unit) that rotates the washing drum, while a dryer is generally equipped with a drying drum in which clothes are received, a drive unit (drying drive unit) that rotates the drying drum, and a heat exchange unit that supplies air to the drying drum to remove moisture from the clothes.

[0004] The washing drive unit is generally configured to include a stator that is fixed to the tub and forms a rotating magnetic field, a rotor that rotates due to the rotating magnetic field, and a rotating shaft that passes through the tub and connects the washing drum and the rotor, while the drying drive unit is generally configured to include a motor, a pulley that is fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor, and a belt (power transmission unit) that connects the rotational motion of the pulley to the drying drum.

[0005] The washing drive unit is provided such that the rotating shaft of the motor connects the washing drum and the rotor. In order to wash and spin-dry the clothes, the washing drive unit needs to control the rotation speed of the washing drum to a high speed or change the rotation direction of the washing drum. If the rotating shaft of the motor is provided such that the rotating shaft directly connects the washing drum and the rotor, the rotation speed and rotation direction of the washing drum can be easily controlled.

[0006] Meanwhile, conventional dryer drive units generally have a structure in which a power transmission unit such as a belt connects the dryer drum to the rotating shaft of a motor. This is because a dryer does not have much need to maintain a high rotation speed of the dryer drum or change the rotation direction of the dryer drum, and the dryer drum may be rotated by a power transmission unit such as a belt. However, if the rotation speed and rotation direction of the dryer drum can be changed, the movement of the clothes inside the dryer drum can be controlled, and therefore, a shorter drying time and improved drying performance can be expected in the dryer.

[0007] Among conventional dryers, there is one equipped with a dryer drive unit that connects the rotor and dryer drum to a reducer (power transmission unit) (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0065931). This dryer drive unit is equipped with an input shaft connected to the rotor and an output shaft connected to the dryer drum that are coaxial, which is expected to reduce drying time and improve drying performance.

[0008] The above-mentioned dryer is capable of controlling not only the rotation speed of the drying drum in various ways but also changing the direction of rotation, which may reduce the durability of the drying drum to which the rotating shaft is fixed and the durability of the panel supporting the drying drum.

[0009] In addition, since the dryer having the above-mentioned structure is configured so that the vibration of the drum is transmitted to the reducer and the fixed panel to which the reducer is fixed, there is a risk that the durability of the reducer and the fixed panel will decrease when the drum vibrates.

[0010] In addition, lubricating oil is stored inside the reducer installed in the dryer described above, but in a structure in which the drying drum rotates around an axis that is horizontal to the ground, the joint surface of the housing is located on the circumferential surface of the reducer housing, and there is a risk that the lubricating oil will leak to the outside through this joint surface. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a clothes treatment device that can minimize deterioration in the durability of a reduction gear and a fixing panel to which the reduction gear is fixed.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothing treatment device that can minimize the risk of lubricating oil leaking from a reducer having an output shaft that is parallel to the ground or inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the ground.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a clothes treatment device that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor before transmitting it to the drum, while being advantageous in maintaining the concentricity between the center of rotation of the rotor and the center of rotation of the drum. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention provides a clothing treatment device including a cylindrical drum body having opposite open surfaces, a front cover arranged to close one open surface of the drum body and forming a front surface of the drum body, a rear cover arranged to close the other open surface of the drum body and forming a rear surface of the drum body, and a drum input port penetrating the front cover and communicating with the inside of the drum body, a fixed panel arranged at a position separated from the rear cover; a housing fixed to the fixed panel, an input shaft having one end located outside the housing and the other end located inside the housing, an output shaft penetrating the fixed panel, one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end located inside the housing, a power transmission unit located inside the housing and having a gear unit for transmitting the rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft, a stator fixed to the fixed panel or the housing and forming a rotating magnetic field, and a motor having a rotor to which one end of the input shaft is fixed and which rotates by the rotating magnetic field.

[0015] The drum body, the rear cover, and the front cover are made of the same material, and the thickness of the drum body is set to be thinner than the thickness of the rear cover and the thickness of the front cover.

[0016] The thickness of the fixed panel is set to be thicker than the thickness of the rear cover.

[0017] The garment processing device further includes a ring-shaped panel folding portion in which the fixed panel is folded toward the direction in which the rear cover is located or toward the direction away from the rear cover and surrounds the output shaft.

[0018] The panel folding portion is provided so that the fixed panel is folded toward the rear cover, and the housing is provided so as to be positioned inside the panel folding portion.

[0019] The garment treatment device further includes a drum folding section where the rear cover is folded toward the direction where the front cover is located or toward the direction where the fixed panel is located, and where the output shaft is fixed.

[0020] Of the thicknesses of the drum body, the rear cover, and the front cover, the thickness of the front cover is set to be the thickest.

[0021] Of the thickness of the drum body, the thickness of the rear cover, and the thickness of the front cover, the thickness of the rear cover is set to be the thickest.

[0022] The garment treatment device further includes a drum support portion that rotatably supports the circumferential surface of the front cover or the circumferential surface of the drum body.

[0023] The input shaft and the output shaft form a concentric shaft, and the input shaft and the output shaft are arranged parallel to the ground.

[0024] The input shaft and the output shaft form a concentric shaft, and the input shaft and the output shaft are inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the ground.

[0025] The housing further includes a housing base having an input shaft through hole through which the input shaft passes, an input shaft support portion provided on the housing base and surrounding the input shaft through hole, a housing circumferential surface extending from an edge of the housing base toward the fixed panel and forming a receiving space in which the gear unit is attached, a cover body fixed to the housing circumferential surface and closing the receiving space, an output shaft through hole provided to pass through the cover body and into which the output shaft is inserted, the output shaft support portion protruding from the cover body toward the fixed panel and surrounding the output shaft through hole, and an oil leakage prevention portion preventing lubricating oil supplied to the gear unit from being discharged from the receiving space.

[0026] The oil leakage prevention portion includes a first sealing portion that seals the space between the input shaft support portion and the input shaft, a second sealing portion that seals the space between the output shaft support portion and the output shaft, and a third sealing portion that seals the space between the housing circumferential surface and the cover body.

[0027] The clothing processing device further includes a cover fixing plate provided on the housing circumferential surface, extending in a direction away from the housing circumferential surface along the radial direction of the input shaft through hole, and to which the cover body is fixed, and the third sealing portion includes a ring-shaped sealing protrusion protruding from the cover body toward the cover fixing plate, and a ring-shaped receiving groove provided on the cover fixing plate and into which the sealing protrusion is received. Effect of the Invention

[0028] The present invention provides a clothes treatment device that can minimize deterioration in the durability of a reducer and a fixing panel to which the reducer is fixed.

[0029] The present invention also provides a clothes treatment device that can minimize the risk of lubricating oil leaking from a reducer having an output shaft parallel to the ground or an output shaft inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the ground.

[0030] The present invention also provides a clothes treating apparatus that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor before transmitting it to the drum, but is advantageous in maintaining the concentricity between the center of rotation of the rotor and the center of rotation of the drum. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 shows an example of a clothing treatment device.

[0032] [Diagram 2] 1 shows an example of a cabinet structure and support panels.

[0033] [Diagram 3] 1 shows an example of a drum.

[0034] [Figure 4] 2 shows an example of a drying section.

[0035] [Diagram 5] 1 shows an example of a fixed panel.

[0036] [Figure 6-7] 2 shows an example of a power transmission unit.

[0037] [Figure 8] 1 shows an example of a coupling structure of a power transmission unit, a fixed panel, and a drum.

[0038] [Figure 9-10] The structure of the drum is shown.

[0039] [Figure 11] 1 shows an example of an oil leakage prevention part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a clothes processing device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] Fig. 1 shows an example of a clothing processing device 100, which includes a cabinet 1 and a drum 2 that is rotatably provided inside the cabinet and provides a space for receiving clothing (items to be washed or dried). As shown in Fig. 2, the cabinet 1 includes a drying section 3 that supplies high-temperature dry air (air at a temperature higher than room temperature, air with a higher dryness than the dryness of indoor air) to the drum 2 to remove moisture from the clothing.

[0042] The cabinet 1 includes a front panel 11 that forms the front surface of the garment treatment device, and a base panel 17 that forms the bottom surface of the garment treatment device. The front panel 11 is provided with an input port 111 that communicates with the drum 2, and the input port 111 is provided so as to be closed by a door 113.

[0043] The front panel 11 is provided with a control panel 115, which includes an input unit for inputting control commands from a user and a display unit for outputting information such as user-selectable control commands. The input unit includes a power supply request unit for requesting power supply to the clothing processing device, a course input unit for allowing the user to select a desired course from a plurality of courses, and an execution request unit for requesting the start of the course selected by the user.

[0044] The drum 2 is provided in a hollow cylindrical shape. As shown in Fig. 3, the drum 2 includes a cylindrical drum body 21 with an open front and rear faces, a front cover 22 (forming the front face of the drum) that is fixed to the drum body 21 and closes the front face, and a rear cover 23 (forming the rear face of the drum) that is fixed to the drum body 21 and closes the rear face.

[0045] The front cover 22 is provided with a drum input port 221 that connects the inside of the drum body 21 with the outside, and the rear cover 23 is provided with an air inlet 233 that allows outside air to flow into the drum body 21.

[0046] The drum body 21 is further provided with a lifter 24. The lifter 24 is a means for allowing the clothes to repeatedly rise and fall inside the drum. The lifter 24 is provided by a board extending from the front cover 22 toward the rear cover 23 and protruding from the drum body 21 toward the center of rotation of the drum 2 (protruding from the circumferential surface of the drum toward the center of rotation of the drum).

[0047] When the clothing treatment device 100 is used only as a device for drying clothing, the drum 2 does not need to be provided with a drum through-hole that passes through the drum body 21 to connect the inside of the drum with the outside of the drum.

[0048] Meanwhile, when the laundry treatment device 100 is used as a laundry drying and washing device, a tub for storing water is provided inside the cabinet, and a drum is provided inside the tub so as to be rotatable. In this case, the drum body needs to have a drum through hole that connects the inside of the tub to the inside of the drum.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 4, the drum 2 described above is rotatably fixed to at least one of the main body first support part 12 and the main body second support part 15. Fig. 4 shows an example in which the rear cover 23 is rotatably fixed to the main body second support part 15 via the power transmission part 6 described later, and the front cover 22 is rotatably connected to the main body first support part 12.

[0050] The main body first support part 12 is provided as a support panel 121 fixed to the cabinet 1 and located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22. The support panel 121 is provided so as to be located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22 by being fixed to the base panel 17.

[0051] The support panel 121 is provided to include a support panel through hole 122, a drum connector 123 that connects the support panel through hole 122 and the drum input port 221, and a panel connector 125 that connects the support panel through hole 122 and the input port 111. The support panel through hole 122 is provided to penetrate the support panel 121, and is a means for communicating the input port 111 and the drum input port 221.

[0052] The drum connector 123 is provided as a pipe fixed to the rear surface of the support panel 121 (the surface facing the drum inlet in the space provided by the support panel). One end of the drum connector 123 is provided to surround the support panel through hole 122, and the free end of the drum connector 123 is provided to support the front cover 22. That is, the free end of the drum connector 123 may be inserted into the drum inlet 221, or may be provided to contact the free end of the front cover 22 that forms the drum inlet 221 (the edge of the drum inlet). FIG. 4 shows an example in which the free end of the drum connector 123 contacts the free end of the front cover 22.

[0053] The panel connector 125 is provided as a pipe fixed to the front surface of the support panel 121 (the surface facing the front panel in the space provided by the support panel). One end of the panel connector 125 is provided to surround the support panel through hole 122, and the other end of the panel connector 125 is provided to be connected to the input port 111. Therefore, the clothes supplied to the input port 111 move to the drum body 21 via the panel connector 125, the support panel through hole 122, the drum connector 123, and the drum input port 221.

[0054] The support panel 121 is provided with an exhaust port 126 that exhausts the air inside the drum 2 to the outside of the drum, and a filter 127 is detachably fixed to the exhaust port 126. The filter 127 may have any structure as long as it can filter out foreign matter from the air moving from the drum 2 to the exhaust port 126.

[0055] The support panel 121 is further provided with a drum support portion 128 for preventing sagging of the drum 2. The drum support portion is fixed to the support panel 121 and provided as a roller for rotatably supporting the drum 2. The drum support portion 128 is provided to support a region of the drum that is located below a horizontal line passing through the center of the drum insertion opening.

[0056] Although FIG. 4 shows that the drum support 128 is provided to support the front cover 22, the drum support 128 may be provided to support the circumferential surface of the drum body 21.

[0057] The second main body support part 15 is provided as a fixed panel 151 fixed to the cabinet 1 so as to be located at a point separated from the rear cover 23. Fig. 5 shows an example in which the fixed panel 151 is fixed to the base panel 17 and forms the rear surface of the garment processing device 100 (the rear surface of the cabinet).

[0058] The fixed panel 151 is provided with a panel bent portion 152 that provides a space for mounting the motor 5. The panel bent portion 152 is provided as a groove formed by bending the fixed panel 151 toward the direction in which the rear cover 23 of the drum is located. The fixed panel 151 is provided with a fixed panel through hole 153 through which a shaft (output shaft) that rotates the drum 2 passes, and the fixed panel through hole 153 is located inside the panel bent portion 152.

[0059] As described above, when the drum 2 is composed of the drum body 21, the front cover 22 fixed to the drum body, and the rear cover 23 fixed to the drum body, the drum has higher rigidity than a structure in which the open front and rear faces of the drum body 21 are rotatably connected to the support panel 121 and the fixed panel 151, respectively. When the drum has higher rigidity, deformation of the drum body 21 during drum rotation can be minimized, which can minimize the problem of clothes being caught in the space between the drum body and the support panel and the space between the drum body and the fixed panel during deformation of the drum body 21 (the load on the motor can be minimized).

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4, the drying unit 3 includes an exhaust passage 31 connected to the exhaust port 126, a supply passage 32 that guides the air supplied from the exhaust passage 31 to the drum body 21, and a heat exchanger 34 that is provided inside the exhaust passage 31 and sequentially dehumidifies and heats the air.

[0061] The exhaust passage 31 includes a first duct 311 connected to the exhaust port 126, a second duct 312 connected to the supply passage 32, and a third duct 313 connecting the first duct 311 and the second duct 312. The third duct 313 is fixed to the base panel 17.

[0062] 4 shows an example in which the heat exchanger 34 is a heat pump. That is, the heat exchanger 34 includes a first heat exchanger (heat absorption part) 341 that removes moisture from the air that is introduced into the exhaust passage 31, a second heat exchanger (heat generation part) 343 that is provided inside the exhaust passage 31 and heats the air that has passed through the heat absorption part 341, and a fan 349 that moves the air discharged from the drum 2 to the supply duct 32 after the air has passed through the heat absorption part and the heat generation part in sequence.

[0063] The heat absorbing part 341 and the heat generating part 343 are sequentially arranged along the direction of air movement and are connected to each other through a refrigerant pipe 348 that forms a circulation path of the refrigerant. The refrigerant moves along the refrigerant pipe 348 by a compressor 345 located outside the exhaust path 31, and the refrigerant pipe 348 is provided with a pressure regulator 347 that adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0064] 5, the air inlet 233 provided in the rear cover 23 of the drum is provided by arranging a plurality of holes so as to surround the center of the rear cover 23 (the rotation center of the drum). In this case, the supply flow path 32 is provided in the fixed panel 151 and includes a supply duct 321 forming a movement path of the air discharged from the second duct 312, a first flow path forming part 323 and a second flow path forming part 324 which guide the air inside the supply duct 321 to the air inlet 233.

[0065] The supply duct 321 is provided to form a flow path (air movement path) by bending the fixed panel 151 in a direction away from the rear cover 23. In addition, the supply duct 321 is provided in a ring shape surrounding the panel bending portion 152, and the outlet of the second duct 312 is provided to be connected to the circumferential surface of the supply duct 321.

[0066] The first flow path forming portion 323 is arranged to surround an outer circumferential surface of the ring formed by the air inlet 233 (the circumferential surface having the longer diameter of the two circumferential surfaces of the ring), and the second flow path forming portion 324 is arranged to surround an inner circumferential surface of the ring formed by the air inlet 233 (the circumferential surface having the shorter diameter of the two circumferential surfaces of the ring).

[0067] The first flow path forming portion 323 and the second flow path forming portion 324 may be fixed to the rear cover 23 or may be fixed to the supply duct 321, but FIG. 5 shows an example in which the flow path forming portions 323, 324 are fixed to the rear cover 23.

[0068] 5, the free end of the first flow path forming part 323 surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the flow path (ring-shaped flow path) formed by the supply duct 321, and the free end of the second flow path forming part 324 surrounds the inner circumferential surface of the flow path formed by the supply duct 321. The first flow path forming part 323 and the second flow path forming part 324 are made of rubber, felt, or the like.

[0069] The motor 5 that generates the power required to rotate the drum 2 includes a stator 51 that is located in the panel bent portion 152 and forms a rotating field, and a rotor 52 that rotates by the rotating field. The rotational motion of the rotor 52 is transmitted to the drum 2 via a power transmission unit 6 that is fixed to the fixed panel 151, and the stator 51 is fixed to at least one of the fixed panel 151 or the power transmission unit 6.

[0070] In order to prevent the motor 5 located at the panel bending portion 152 from being exposed to the outside (to improve the durability of the motor and prevent safety accidents by preventing the motor from being exposed to the external environment), the fixing panel 151 is further provided with a cover panel 19 that prevents the motor 5 from being exposed to the outside. In addition, the cover panel 19 is provided in a shape that can also prevent the supply duct 321 from being exposed to the outside (a shape that surrounds the supply duct). This is to not only minimize the loss of heat to the outside of the supply duct 321 but also to prevent safety accidents that may occur when the body comes into contact with the supply duct 321.

[0071] The stator 51 includes a ring-shaped core 511 having a through hole (core through hole) at the center, a plurality of support rods 513 protruding radially from the outer circumferential surface of the core 511, insulators 512 for insulating the core and the support rods, and coils 514 arranged to surround the support rods 513.

[0072] The rotor 52 includes a disk-shaped rotor body 521, a rotor circumferential surface 522 extending from the edge of the rotor body 521 toward the fixed panel 515 and forming a space in which the stator 51 is received, and a plurality of permanent magnets 523 fixed to the rotor circumferential surface 522 so that the north and south poles are exposed alternately.

[0073] FIG. 6 shows an example of a power transmission unit 6 connecting the rotor 52 and the rear cover 23 of the drum.

[0074] The power transmission unit 6 includes a housing H fixed to a fixed panel 151, an input shaft 64 rotatably fixed to the bottom surface of the housing H (the surface facing the direction in which the rotor is located), an output shaft 65 rotatably fixed to the top surface of the housing H (the surface facing the direction in which the fixed panel is located), and a gear unit G provided inside the housing and transmitting the rotational motion of the input shaft 64 to the output shaft 65.

[0075] The input shaft 64 is provided as a shaft having one end fixed to the rotor 52 and the other end located inside the housing H, and the output shaft 65 is provided as a shaft having one end fixed to the rear cover 23 and the other end located inside the housing H. The gear unit G is provided to connect one end of the input shaft 64 located inside the housing H and one end of the output shaft 65 located inside the housing.

[0076] The housing H is preferably fixed to the fixed panel 151 and located in a space (external space of the cabinet) separated from the space in which the drum 2 is located (internal space of the cabinet). This is to improve the durability of the power transmission unit 6 by minimizing the transfer of heat inside the cabinet (heat emitted from the drum or drying unit) to the inside of the housing H.

[0077] The input shaft 64 is coupled to the rotor body 521 via the shaft fixing portion 54. The shaft fixing portion 54 is provided to include a shaft fixing hole 543 to which one end of the input shaft 64 is fixed.

[0078] The output shaft 65 is inserted into the fixing panel through hole 153 and connected to the rear cover 23, and the rear cover 23 is provided with a shaft fastening portion 25 to which the output shaft 65 is fixed. This is to distribute the stress acting on the center of the rear cover 23 when the output shaft 65 rotates.

[0079] The shaft fastening portion 25 is provided at a drum bent portion 235 provided at the rear cover 23. The drum bent portion 235 is provided as a groove formed by bending the rear cover 23 toward the front cover 22, and is preferably provided so as to form a ring surrounding the output shaft 65. The above-mentioned drum bent portion 235 can reduce the transmission of vibration of the rear cover 23 to the output shaft 65.

[0080] The panel bending portion 152 provided on the fixed panel 151 can minimize the transmission of vibrations of the housing H to other areas of the fixed panel 151, so that the clothing processing device 100 provided with the drum bending portion 235 and the panel bending portion 152 can minimize the transmission of vibrations of the drum to the power transmission portion 6 (improving the durability of the drum, fixed panel, and power transmission portion).

[0081] In order to minimize deformation of the fixed panel 151 , the housing H is fixed to the fixed panel 151 via the transmission bracket 61 and the housing fastening portion 612 .

[0082] 5, the transmission bracket 61 is provided with a bracket through-hole 611 through which the output shaft 65 passes, and the housing fastening portion 612 is provided as a bolt that connects the housing H and the transmission bracket 61. The transmission bracket 61 may be made of the same material as the fixing panel 151, or may be made of a material having a strength higher than that of the fixing panel 151.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 6, the housing H is formed to have a hollow cylindrical shape, and includes a housing body 62 having an open hole on the surface facing the fixed body 151, and a housing cover 63 fixed to the housing body 62 and closing the open hole.

[0084] The housing body 62 is provided to form a receiving space 621 in which the gear portion G is attached. The receiving space 621 is provided to be formed via a housing base 62a to which the input shaft 64 is fixed and a housing circumferential surface 62b extending from an edge of the housing base 62a toward the housing cover 63.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 7, the housing body 62 has an input shaft support portion 625 extending from the housing base portion 62a toward the rotor 52, and the input shaft support portion 625 is provided as a pipe surrounding an input shaft through hole 626 that penetrates the housing body 62.

[0086] The input shaft 64 inserted into the input shaft through hole 626 is rotatably fixed to the input shaft support portion 625 via input shaft bearings 628, 629. The input shaft bearings are provided to include an input shaft first bearing 628 fixed to the input shaft support portion 625, and an input shaft second bearing 629 fixed inside the input shaft through hole 626 and positioned between the input shaft first bearing 628 and the rotor 52.

[0087] The housing cover 63 may have any shape as long as it can open and close the opening provided in the housing body 62, but Fig. 7 shows an example in which the housing cover 63 is provided as a disk-shaped cover body 631. The housing cover 63 is provided so as to be fixed to the housing body 62 via a cover fixing plate 623 provided on the housing circumferential surface 62b.

[0088] The housing cover 63 includes an output shaft through hole 632 formed to penetrate the cover body 631, and a pipe-shaped output shaft support portion 635 extending from the cover body 631 toward the fixed panel 151 and surrounding the output shaft through hole 632.

[0089] The output shaft support portion 635 is provided with output shaft bearings 638 and 639 that rotatably fix the output shaft 65 in the output shaft through hole 632 .

[0090] The output shaft bearing is fixed to the output shaft support portion 635 and is provided to include an output shaft first bearing 638 and an output shaft second bearing 639 located inside the output shaft through hole 631 .

[0091] An attachment portion 637 to which the stator 51 is fixed is provided on the edge of the cover body 631. In this case, the stator 51 is fixed to the housing H by a bolt that connects the insulator 512 and the attachment portion 637.

[0092] The gear section G is configured to include a ring gear 66 fixed to the housing circumferential surface 62b and positioned in the receiving space 621, a main gear 69 fixed to the input shaft 64 and positioned inside the receiving space 621, a cage 67 positioned inside the receiving space 622 and to which the other end of the output shaft 65 is fixed, and a driven gear 68 fixed rotatably to the cage 67 and connecting the main gear 69 and the ring gear 66.

[0093] The ring gear 66 includes a gear body 661 fixed to the housing circumferential surface 62b, a gear body through hole 663 extending through the gear body, and gear teeth 665 provided along the inner circumferential surface of the gear body.

[0094] The cage 67 is provided to include a first base 671 located inside the gear body through hole 663 and to which one end of the output shaft 65 is fixed, a second base 672 located inside the gear body through hole 663 and provided with a base through hole 673 in the center, and a connecting shaft 675 connecting the first base and the second base and forming the rotation shaft of the driven gear 68. Since the output shaft 65 is fixed to the first base 671, whether the output shaft 65 rotates or not is determined depending on whether the cage 67 rotates or not.

[0095] The driven gear 68 is made up of a plurality of gears rotatably fixed to the connecting shaft 675, and the drawing shows an example in which the driven gears are made up of a first driven gear 681, a second driven gear 682, and a third driven gear 683.

[0096] The input shaft 64 is inserted into the base through hole 673 and is coaxial with the output shaft 65 , and the gear teeth of the driving gear 69 are positioned in the space formed between the driven gears and mesh with the teeth of the driven gears 682 , 682 , 683 .

[0097] In order to distribute the stress acting on the center of the rear cover 23 when the output shaft 65 rotates (to minimize the deterioration of the durability of the rear cover), the output shaft 65 is connected to the rear cover 23 of the drum via a shaft fastening portion 25.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 8, the rear cover 23 is provided with a rear cover through hole 231 , and the shaft fastening portion 25 is located at a drum bent portion 235 of the rear cover 23 to close the rear cover through hole 231 .

[0099] The shaft fastening portion 25 is provided with a fastening portion through hole 251 into which the output shaft 65 is inserted. The output shaft 65 inserted into the fastening portion through hole 251 is fixed to the shaft fastening portion 25 by a nut 252. For this purpose, a screw thread 651 is provided on the circumferential surface of the output shaft.

[0100] In order to prevent the above-mentioned shaft fastening portion 25 from being exposed inside the drum 2, the clothing processing device 100 is further provided with a fastening portion cover 27. The fastening portion cover 27 may have any shape as long as it can close the rear cover through hole 231 and prevent the shaft fastening portion 25 from being exposed.

[0101] The fastening portion cover 27 is fixed to the output shaft 65 by a bolt 273. To this end, the fastening portion cover 27 is provided with a cover through hole 271 into which the bolt 273 is inserted, and one end of the output shaft 65 is provided with a fastening groove 652 into which the bolt is fastened.

[0102] In order to facilitate the connection between the output shaft 65 and the shaft fastening portion 25, the output shaft 65 is further provided with a washer 653. The washer 653 is provided to have a diameter larger than the diameter of the free end of the output shaft 65 (one end of the output shaft where the thread is formed), and is provided at the center with a washer through-hole 654 into which the free end of the output shaft 65 is inserted.

[0103] The washer 653 allows the drum rear cover 23 and output shaft 65 to be assembled at a right angle (improving assembly), and also serves to reduce the risk of the nut 252 becoming separated from the threads 651 due to vibration.

[0104] The operation process of the power transmission unit 6 described above is as follows. When the rotor 52 rotates, the input shaft 64 rotates. When the main gear 69 rotates by the input shaft 64, the driven gears 681, 682, 683 meshed with the main gear 69 also rotate. Since the driven gears 681, 682, 683 are in mesh with the ring gear 66 fixed to the housing body 62, when the driven gear 68 rotates, the cage 67 and the output shaft 65 rotate, and the drum 2 fixed to the output shaft 65 also rotates.

[0105] In the clothing processing device 100 having the above-described structure, vibrations are transmitted to the power transmission unit 6 and the fixed panel 151 when the drum 2 rotates. When the drum rotates, the clothing repeatedly rises and falls inside the drum, and the vibrations generated in the drum are transmitted to the gear unit G and the housing H via the output shaft 65, and the vibrations of the housing H are transmitted to the fixed panel 151.

[0106] In order to minimize deterioration in the durability of the power transmission section 6 including the gear section G and the durability of the fixed panel 151, the drum 2 is provided with a structure capable of absorbing some of the vibrations generated when clothes fall inside the drum.

[0107] As described above, the drum 2 is composed of the drum body 21, the front cover 22 and the rear cover 23. In this case, most of the clothes that fall due to the rotation of the drum collide with the drum body 21. Therefore, if the rigidity of the drum body 21 is set to be weaker than the rigidity of the front cover 22 and the rear cover 23, the drum body 21 absorbs part of the force generated when the clothes collide with the drum body.

[0108] FIG. 9 shows an example in which the rigidity of the drum body 21 can be reduced when the drum body 21, the front cover 22, and the rear cover 23 are made of the same material.

[0109] In this case, the thickness t1 of the drum body 21 is set to be thinner than the thickness t3 of the rear cover 23 and the thickness t2 of the front cover 22. When the thickness t1 of the drum body 21 is set to be thinner than the thicknesses t2 and t3 of the other two covers, the drum body 21 can absorb part of the force input to the drum 2 when the clothes fall. Therefore, the drum 2 having the structure of FIG. 9 can minimize the transmission of external force to the housing H and the fixed panel 151.

[0110] On the other hand, since the front cover 22 is provided with the drum insertion port 221, it has lower rigidity than the drum body 21 and the rear cover 23. To compensate for this, the thickness t3 of the front cover 22 is set to be the thickest among the parts of the drum 2. This is also true in the case where the front cover 22 is supported by the drum support part 128 described above.

[0111] However, in the case where the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 is supported by the drum support portion 128, it is preferable to set the thickness t3 of the rear cover 23 of the drum 2 to be the thickest since the possibility of deformation of the front cover 22 is low. This is because the rear cover 23 needs to transmit the force supplied from the output shaft 65 to the drum body 21. When the thickness t3 of the rear cover is set to be the thickest, it is possible to expect the effect of minimizing the transmission of vibration of the drum body 21 to the output shaft 65.

[0112] 10, vibrations generated inside the drum 2 are first attenuated by the drum body 21, which is the thinnest part. Any vibrations that cannot be absorbed by the drum body 21 are absorbed by the rear cover 23, which is thicker than the drum body 21. Any vibrations that cannot be absorbed by the rear cover 23 are transmitted to the housing H of the power transmission unit 6 via the output shaft 65.

[0113] Since the housing H is fixed to the fixed panel 151 and a portion of the vibration transmitted to the housing H is absorbed by the fixed panel 151, the clothing treatment device having the above-mentioned structure can minimize the transmission of vibrations inside the drum 2 to the gear part G provided inside the housing H.

[0114] On the other hand, since the housing H of the power transmission unit 6 is fixed to the panel folding portion 152, the clothing treatment device of the above-mentioned structure can also minimize the transmission of vibrations transmitted to the housing H via the output shaft 65 to other areas of the fixed panel 15.

[0115] Therefore, the clothing processing device 100 can minimize the problem of reduced durability of the power transmission unit 6 and the problem of reduced durability of the fixed panel 151 due to vibrations generated when the drum rotates.

[0116] The output shaft 65 and the input shaft 64 provided in the power transmission unit 6 form a concentric shaft, and the output shaft 65 and the input shaft 64 are provided parallel to the ground (the bottom surface of the space in which the cabinet is provided) A1. This means that the joint surface of the housing body 62 and the housing cover 63 is perpendicular to the ground, and due to this structural feature, there is a possibility that the lubricating oil supplied to the gear unit G will leak through the joint surface of the housing body 62 and the housing cover 63.

[0117] In order to prevent the lubricating oil in the receiving space 621 from leaking out of the housing H, the power transmission unit 6 is further provided with an oil leakage prevention unit 7.

[0118] 11 shows an embodiment of the oil leakage prevention unit 7. The oil leakage prevention unit 7 is provided to include a first sealing portion 71 that seals the space between the input shaft support portion 625 and the input shaft 64, a second sealing portion 72 that seals the space between the output shaft support portion 635 and the output shaft 65, and a third sealing portion 73 that seals the joint surface between the housing circumferential surface 62b and the cover body 631.

[0119] The first sealing portion 71 is provided as a ring-shaped gasket fixed inside the input shaft support portion 625. In this case, the first sealing portion 71 may be provided so as to be positioned between the input shaft first bearing 628 and the input shaft second bearing 629, or may be provided so as to be positioned between the input shaft second bearing 629 and the free end F1 of the input shaft support portion 625.

[0120] The second sealing portion 72 is provided as a ring-shaped gasket fixed inside the output shaft support portion 635. In this case, the second sealing portion 72 may be provided so as to be positioned between the output shaft first bearing 638 and the output shaft second bearing 639, or may be provided so as to be positioned between the output shaft second bearing 639 and the free end F2 of the output shaft support portion 635.

[0121] Unlike the drawings, when the input shaft bearing and the output shaft bearing each include only one bearing, it is preferable that the first sealing portion 71 is provided so as to be positioned between the input shaft bearing and the free end F1 of the input shaft support portion, and the second sealing portion 72 is provided so as to be positioned between the output shaft bearing and the free end F2 of the output shaft support portion.

[0122] The third sealing portion 73 may have various structures as long as it can seal the joint surface between the housing circumferential surface 62b and the cover body 631. In the housing H of Fig. 11, the cover body 631 is connected to the housing body 62 by the cover fixing plate 623. Therefore, it is preferable that the third sealing portion 73 is provided so as to seal the edge portions of the cover fixing plate 623 and the cover body 631 (the area in contact with the cover fixing plate).

[0123] As shown in the drawing, the third sealing portion 73 is provided as a ring-shaped gasket 733 located between the cover body 631 and the cover fixing plate 623 .

[0124] Differently from this, the third sealing portion 73 is provided to include a ring-shaped sealing protrusion 731 protruding from one of the cover body 631 and the cover fixing plate 623 toward the other, and a sealing groove 732 provided on the remaining one of the cover body 631 and the cover fixing plate 623 to receive the sealing protrusion 731. In the drawings, it is shown that the sealing protrusion 731 is provided on the cover body 631, and the sealing groove 732 is provided on the cover fixing plate 623. The sealing protrusion 731 and the sealing groove 732 are provided to be joined by thermal fusion.

[0125] Although not shown, the number of the sealing protrusions 731 and the sealing grooves 732 may be two or more. That is, the sealing protrusion 731 includes a ring-shaped first protrusion centered on the output shaft through hole 632 and a ring-shaped second protrusion centered on the output shaft through hole 632 but having a diameter longer than that of the first protrusion, and the sealing groove 732 includes a first groove into which the first protrusion is received and a second groove into which the second protrusion is received.

[0126] Further, the third sealing portion 73 is provided to include all of the sealing protrusion 731, the sealing groove 732, and the gasket 733. In this case, the gasket 733 may be provided to surround the sealing protrusion 731, or the sealing protrusion 731 may be provided to surround the gasket 733.

[0127] The first sealing portion 71 and the second sealing portion 72 may be made of a material different from that of the housing H. In this case, since the thermal deformation rate of the sealing portions 71 and 72 differs from that of the housing H, the possibility cannot be eliminated that the sealing portions 71 and 72 may be separated from the housing H depending on the circumstances.

[0128] In order to prevent the first sealing portion 71 and the second sealing portion 72 from being separated from the housing H, the clothing treatment device 100 is further provided with sealer fixing portions 74 and 75.

[0129] The sealer fixing portion is configured to include a first fixing portion 74 that prevents the first sealing portion 71 from being separated from the input shaft support portion 625, and a second fixing portion 75 that prevents the second sealing portion 72 from being separated from the output shaft support portion 635.

[0130] The first fixing portion 74 is provided as a protrusion or a ring-shaped rib protruding from the input shaft support portion 625 toward the center (the circumferential surface of the input shaft) of the input shaft through hole 626. In this case, a distance L1 from the circumferential surface of the input shaft support portion 625 to the free end of the first fixing portion 74 is set to be longer than the distance from the circumferential surface of the input shaft support portion 625 to the circumferential surface of the first sealing portion 71 and shorter than the distance from the circumferential surface of the input shaft support portion 625 to the circumferential surface of the input shaft 64.

[0131] Similarly, the second fixing portion 75 is provided as a protrusion or a ring-shaped rib protruding from the output shaft support portion 635 toward the center (the circumferential surface of the output shaft) of the output shaft through hole 632. In this case, the distance L2 from the circumferential surface of the output shaft support portion 635 to the free end of the second fixing portion 75 is set to be longer than the distance from the circumferential surface of the output shaft support portion 635 to the circumferential surface of the second sealing portion 72 and shorter than the distance from the circumferential surface of the output shaft support portion 635 to the circumferential surface of the output shaft 65.

[0132] The above-mentioned embodiment has been described based on the clothing processing device 100 in which the drum 2 rotates around an axis parallel to the ground, but the above-mentioned drum 2 structure and oil leakage prevention unit 7 can also be applied to a case in which the drum axis is inclined to the ground. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, the above-mentioned drum 2 and oil leakage prevention unit 7 can also be applied to a case in which the straight line connecting the input shaft and the output shaft is inclined at an angle A2 of less than 90 degrees to the ground.

[0133] The above-described clothing treatment device can be modified and embodied in various forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

Claims

1. a drum including a cylindrical drum body with opposing open sides, a front cover provided to close one open side of the drum body and form a front side of the drum body, a rear cover provided to close the other open side of the drum body and form a rear side of the drum body, and a drum insertion port penetrating the front cover and communicating with the inside of the drum body; a fixing panel provided at a position spaced apart from the rear cover; a housing fixed to the fixing panel; an input shaft having one end located outside the housing and the other end located inside the housing; an output shaft passing through the fixing panel, one end of which is fixed to the rear cover and the other end of which is located inside the housing; and a power transmission unit including a gear unit located inside the housing and transmitting a rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft; a motor including a stator fixed to the fixed panel or the housing and forming a rotating magnetic field, and a rotor to which one end of the input shaft is fixed and which rotates by the rotating magnetic field, A clothing processing device characterized in that the drum body, the rear cover, and the front cover are made of the same material, and the thickness of the drum body is set to be thinner than the thickness of the rear cover and the thickness of the front cover.

2. The clothing processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the fixing panel is set to be thicker than the thickness of the rear cover.

3. The clothing processing device according to claim 2 , further comprising a ring-shaped panel folding portion that is folded toward the rear cover or away from the rear cover and surrounds the output shaft.

4. The clothing treatment device according to claim 3, wherein the panel folding portion is configured to fold the fixed panel toward the rear cover, and the housing is positioned inside the panel folding portion.

5. The clothing treatment device according to claim 4, further comprising a drum bending portion where the rear cover is bent toward the direction where the front cover is located or the direction where the fixing panel is located, and where the output shaft is fixed.

6. A clothing processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the thickness of the front cover is set to be the thickest among the thicknesses of the drum body, the rear cover, and the front cover.

7. A clothing processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the thickness of the rear cover is set to be the thickest among the thicknesses of the drum body, the rear cover, and the front cover.

8. The clothing treatment device according to claim 6, further comprising a drum support portion that rotatably supports a circumferential surface of the front cover or a circumferential surface of the drum body.

9. The clothing treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the input shaft and the output shaft form a concentric shaft, and the input shaft and the output shaft are parallel to the ground.

10. The clothing treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the input shaft and the output shaft form a concentric shaft, and the input shaft and the output shaft are inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the ground.

11. The housing includes: a housing base having an input shaft through hole through which the input shaft passes; an input shaft support portion provided in the housing base and surrounding the input shaft through hole; a housing circumferential surface extending from an edge of the housing base toward the fixed panel and defining a receiving space in which the gear part is mounted; a cover body fixed to the circumferential surface of the housing and closing the receiving space; an output shaft through hole provided to pass through the cover body and into which the output shaft is inserted; an output shaft support portion that protrudes from the cover body toward the fixed panel and surrounds the output shaft through hole; The clothing treatment device according to claim 9, further comprising an oil leakage prevention unit that prevents the lubricating oil supplied to the gear unit from being discharged from the receiving space.

12. The oil leakage prevention unit includes: a first sealing portion that seals a space between the input shaft support portion and the input shaft; a second sealing portion that seals a space between the output shaft support portion and the output shaft; The clothing treatment device according to claim 11, further comprising a third sealing portion that seals a space between the housing circumferential surface and the cover body.

13. a cover fixing plate provided on the housing circumferential surface, extending in a radial direction of the input shaft through hole in a direction away from the housing circumferential surface, to which the cover body is fixed, The clothing processing device according to claim 12, characterized in that the third sealing portion is provided to include a ring-shaped sealing protrusion protruding from the cover body toward the cover fixing plate, and a ring-shaped receiving groove provided on the cover fixing plate into which the sealing protrusion is received.

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