Clothes Processing Equipment

Abstract

This application discloses a drum having a drum body that provides a space for storing clothes, a front cover that forms the front surface of the drum body, a rear cover that forms the rear surface of the drum body, and a drum having a drum inlet that penetrates the front cover, a fixed panel located apart from the rear cover, a stator that is supported on the fixed panel and forms a rotating field, and a drive unit that includes a rotor that rotates by the rotating field to generate power required to rotate the drum, a panel exhaust port that penetrates the fixed panel, an exhaust duct that guides air discharged from the drum to the panel exhaust port, a fan that moves air along the exhaust duct, a heat exchange unit that includes a heat absorption part that dehumidifies air that has flowed into the exhaust duct and a heat generation part that heats air that has passed through the heat absorption part, a supply port that is configured so that a number of through holes that penetrate the fixed panel surround the stator, and an air inlet that penetrates the rear cover, one end of which is fixed to the fixed panel and the other end of which is fixed to the rear cover. a flow path forming portion provided adjacent to the fixed panel and connecting the supply port and the air inlet, a duct body fixed to the fixed panel and directing air discharged from the panel exhaust port to the supply port, and a supply duct having a rotor accommodating portion that penetrates the duct body and exposes the rotor to the outside of the duct body, wherein the number of through holes located above a horizontal line passing through the center of rotation of the rotor is set to be greater than the number of through holes located below the horizontal line, or the total area of ​​the through holes located above the horizontal line is set to be greater than the total area of ​​the through holes located below the horizontal line.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] A clothes processing device is a general term for washing machines that wash clothes (items to be washed or dried), dryers that dry clothes, and devices that both wash and dry clothes.

[0003] Generally, a washing machine includes a tub in which water is stored, a washing drum that is installed inside the tub and in which clothes are stored, and a drive unit (washing drive unit) that rotates the washing drum, while a dryer includes a drying drum in which clothes are stored, 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] Generally, the washing drive unit includes a stator fixed to the tub to form a rotating magnetic field, a rotor that rotates due to the rotating magnetic field, and a rotating shaft that passes through the tub to connect the washing drum and the rotor, while the drying drive unit includes a motor, a pulley 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 connects the washing drum and the rotor with the rotating shaft of the motor. In order to wash and spin the clothes, the washing drive unit needs to control the washing drum's rotation speed or change the direction of rotation of the washing drum. If the motor's rotating shaft directly connects the washing drum and the rotor, the washing drum's rotation speed and direction 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 there is little need to maintain a high rotation speed of the dryer drum or to change the rotation direction of the dryer drum in a dryer, so the dryer drum can 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 clothes inside the dryer drum can be controlled, and this is expected to shorten the drying time and improve the drying performance of the dryer.

[0007] Conventionally, there has been a washing machine equipped with a drive unit (reduction gear and motor) that reduces the rotation speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0071426). In conventional washing machines equipped with a reduction gear and motor, the stator of the motor and the reduction gear are fixed to the tub, respectively. That is, the stator in the conventional washing machine is not directly fixed to the reduction gear, but is fixed to the tub (the vibration amplitude of the stator and the vibration amplitude of the reduction gear may differ). With the drive unit of the above structure, it is not easy to maintain the concentricity of the input shaft connected to the rotor and the output shaft connected to the drum, and to maintain the distance between the stator and the rotor, when the tub and drum vibrate.

[0008] In addition, conventional clothing treatment devices capable of drying clothing are equipped with a supply flow path that supplies air to the drum, but in conventional supply flow paths, the amount of air supplied to the upper space of the drum may be less than the amount of air supplied to the lower space of the drum.

[0009] As the drum rotates, the clothes move from the lower space to the upper space of the drum and then fall or roll back down to the lower space. If more air is supplied to the upper space of the drum, the likelihood of the clothes coming into contact with each other can be increased. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The present application aims to provide a clothes treating device that facilitates heat exchange between the clothes and the air by providing more air to the upper region of the drum.

[0011] Another problem solved by this application is to provide a clothing processing device that has a drive unit that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum, with the center of rotation of the rotor and the center of rotation of the drum forming a concentric axis. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] This application relates to a drum having a drum body that provides a space for accommodating clothes, a front cover that forms a front surface of the drum body, a rear cover that forms a rear surface of the drum body, and a drum having a drum input port that penetrates the front cover, a fixed panel located apart from the rear cover, a stator that is supported by the fixed panel and forms a rotating field, and a drive unit that includes a rotor that rotates by the rotating field to generate power required to rotate the drum, a panel exhaust port that penetrates the fixed panel, an exhaust duct that guides air exhausted from the drum to the panel exhaust port, a fan that moves air along the exhaust duct, a heat exchange unit that includes a heat absorption part that dehumidifies air that has flowed into the exhaust duct and a heat generation part that heats air that has passed through the heat absorption part, a supply port that is configured so that a number of through holes that penetrate the fixed panel surround the stator, an air inlet that penetrates the rear cover, one end of which is fixed to the fixed panel and the other end of which is fixed to the rear cover, the supply duct including a flow path forming section provided in contact with the fixed panel and connecting the supply port and the air inlet, a duct body fixed to the fixed panel and directing air discharged from the panel exhaust port to the supply port, and a rotor accommodating section penetrating the duct body and exposing the rotor to the outside of the duct body, wherein the supply port is set so that the number of through holes located above a horizontal line passing through the center of rotation of the rotor is greater than the number of through holes located below the horizontal line, or the total area of ​​the through holes located above the horizontal line is greater than the total area of ​​the through holes located below the horizontal line.

[0013] The clothing treatment device further includes a partition that divides the duct body into a first flow path connected to a portion of the through hole and a second flow path connected to the remaining portion of the through hole, and the partition is located in the space above the horizontal line, spaced apart from a reference point passing through the center of the rotor accommodating portion and the center of the panel exhaust port in the direction toward which the panel exhaust port is located.

[0014] The first flow path forms a flow path that guides air in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the fan, and the second flow path forms a flow path that guides air in the same direction as the rotation direction of the fan, and the number of through holes to which air is supplied from the first flow path and the number of through holes to which air is supplied from the second flow path are set to be different.

[0015] The number of through-holes to which air is supplied from the first flow path is greater than the number of through-holes to which air is supplied from the second flow path.

[0016] The length of the first flow path is greater than the length of the second flow path.

[0017] The duct body includes an inner body fixed to the fixed panel to form a rotor accommodating portion, an outer body fixed to the fixed panel to surround the inner body, and a cover body connecting a free end of the inner body to a free end of the outer body, and the partition is provided on any of the inner body, the outer body, and the cover body.

[0018] The partition comprises a projection projecting from the cover body toward the fixed panel, the free end of the projection being connected to the fixed panel.

[0019] The partition comprises a projection projecting from the cover body toward the fixed panel, the free end of the projection not contacting the fixed panel.

[0020] The partition wall is formed of either a projection protruding from the inner body toward the outer body, or a projection protruding from the outer body toward the inner body.

[0021] The partition has a cover body with a curved surface that curves toward the fixed panel, and the free end of the curved surface is connected to the fixed panel.

[0022] The partition has a cover body with a curved surface that curves toward the fixed panel, and the free end of the curved surface does not contact the fixed panel.

[0023] The bent surface comprises a first inclined surface where the cover body slopes downward toward the fixed panel, and a second inclined surface where the cover body slopes downward toward the free end of the first inclined surface.

[0024] The clothing treatment device further includes a communication hole that penetrates the outer body, a connecting body that connects the communication hole to the panel through hole, and a guide that protrudes from the inner body toward the communication hole to direct a portion of the air discharged from the communication hole to a first flow path and the remainder to a second flow path.

[0025] The drive unit includes a housing fixed to the fixed panel and to which a stator is fixed, a ring gear fixed within the housing, a first shaft having one end fixed to the rotor and the other end located within the housing, a driving gear fixed to the first shaft and located within the housing, a second shaft penetrating the fixed panel, having one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end located within the housing, forming a concentric axis with the first shaft, a base located within the housing and to which the other end of the second shaft is fixed, a first body fixed rotatably to the base, a first gear provided on a circumferential surface of the first body and coupled to the driving gear, a second body fixed to the first body and having a diameter smaller than that of the first body, and a driven gear having a second gear provided on a circumferential surface of the second body and coupled to the ring gear.

[0026] The air inlets are arranged such that a number of holes penetrating the rear cover form a ring surrounding the center of rotation of the drum, and the radius of the ring formed by the air inlets is set to be at least half the radius of the rear cover. Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to this application, a clothes treating device can be provided that facilitates heat exchange between the clothes and the air by supplying more air to the upper region of the drum.

[0028] This application also makes it possible to provide a clothing processing device that has a drive unit that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum, with the center of rotation of the rotor and the center of rotation of the drum forming a concentric axis. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a clothing processing device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a clothing processing device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a drive unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a power transmission unit. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a power transmission unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a supply duct. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The control methods of the elements or devices described below are only for illustrating the embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Whenever possible, the same reference numbers are used in all drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an example of a clothing processing device 100, which includes a cabinet 1, a drum 2 that is rotatably mounted within the cabinet to provide a space for storing clothing (items to be washed or dried), a supply unit 3 that supplies high-temperature dry air (air that is at a temperature higher than room temperature and has a higher dryness than the dryness of indoor air) to the drum 2 to remove moisture from the clothing, and a drive unit (D) that rotates the drum.

[0032] The cabinet 1 includes a front panel 11 forming the front surface of the laundry treatment device, and a base panel 17 forming the bottom surface of the laundry treatment device. The front panel 11 is provided with an input port 111 communicating with the drum 2, and the input port 111 is closed by a door 113.

[0033] The front panel 11 is provided with a control panel 115, which includes an input unit 116 for inputting a user's control command and a display unit 117 for outputting information such as a user-selectable control command. The input unit 116 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 number of courses, and an execution request unit for requesting the start of the course selected by the user.

[0034] The drum 2 is a hollow cylinder. Figure 1 shows, as an example, a case in which the drum 2 is made up of a cylindrical drum body 21 with an open front and rear faces, a front cover 22 that forms the front face of the drum body 21, and a rear cover 23 that forms the rear face of the drum body 21. The front cover 22 is provided with a drum insertion port 221 that connects the inside and outside of the drum body 21.

[0035] The drum body 21 is further provided with a lifter 26. The lifter 26 is formed 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).

[0036] In the case where the laundry treatment device 100 is a device for drying laundry only, the drum 2 does not need to have a drum through-hole that passes through the drum body 21 to communicate between the inside of the drum and the outside of the drum.

[0037] The drum 2 is rotatably fixed to either the first body support part 12 or the second body support part 15. FIG. 1 shows, as an example, a case in which the rear cover 23 is rotatably fixed to the second body support part 15 via a drive part (D), and the front cover 22 is rotatably connected to the first body support part 12.

[0038] The body first support part 12 is composed of a support panel 121 that is fixed to the cabinet 1 and located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22. Fig. 1 shows, as an example, a case in which the support panel 121 is fixed to the base panel 17 and located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22. In this case, the rear surface of the front panel 11 (the surface facing the support panel) is fixed to the support panel 121, and the lower end is fixed to the base panel 17.

[0039] The support panel 121 includes a support panel through hole 122, a drum connecting body 123 that connects the support panel through hole 122 and the drum input port 221, and a panel connecting body 126 that connects the support panel through hole 122 and the input port 111. The support panel through hole 122 is a means that penetrates the support panel 121 and connects the input port 111 and the drum input port 221.

[0040] The drum connecting body 123 is a pipe fixed to the rear surface of the support panel 121 (the surface facing the drum input port in the space provided by the support panel). One end of the drum connecting body 123 surrounds the support panel through hole 122, and the free end of the drum connecting body 123 supports the front cover 22. That is, the free end of the drum connecting body 123 is inserted into the drum input port 221 or contacts the free end of the front cover 22 that forms the drum input port 221.

[0041] 1 shows an example in which the free end of the drum connecting body 123 contacts the free end of the front cover 22. In this case, a link-shaped damper 124 (connecting damper) is provided on the drum connecting body 123. The connecting damper 124 is a means for minimizing the risk of the drum inlet 221 being separated from the drum connecting body 123 (risk of air inside the drum leaking into the cabinet) when the drum 2 rotates or vibrates.

[0042] The connection damper 124 is made of a compressible material (a material whose volume can be increased or decreased by an external force). In this case, the connection damper 124 maintains a compressed state between the free end of the drum connection body 123 and the edge of the drum inlet 221 (the free end of the front cover) (the compressed state is maintained by the rear support part described later). When the drum 2 vibrates between the support panel 121 and the fixed panel 151, this is intended to minimize the separation of the drum inlet 221 from the drum connection body 123. One example of the connection damper 124 is felt made by compressing fibers.

[0043] The panel connecting body 126 is composed of 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 connecting body 126 surrounds the support panel through hole 122, and the other end of the panel connecting body 126 is connected to the input port 111. Therefore, clothes supplied to the input port 111 move to the drum body 21 via the panel connecting body 126, the support panel through hole 122, the drum connecting body 123, and the drum input port 221.

[0044] The second body support part 15 is composed of a fixed panel 151 fixed to the cabinet 1 so as to be located at a distance from the rear cover 23. In FIG. 1, as an example, the fixed panel 151 is fixed to the base panel 17 to form the rear surface of the clothing processing device 100 (the rear surface of the cabinet).

[0045] 2, the fixed panel 151 is provided with a drive unit mounting groove 153 that provides a space for mounting the drive unit (D). The drive unit mounting groove 153 is a groove formed by the fixed panel 151 curving concavely toward the rear cover 23 of the drum. The fixed panel 151 is provided with a fixed panel through hole 155 through which the rotation shaft of the drum 2 passes, and the fixed panel through hole 155 is located within the drive unit mounting groove 153.

[0046] 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 strength 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 strength, deformation of the drum body 21 during rotation of the drum can be minimized, thereby minimizing 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 when the drum body 21 deforms (the load on the drive unit can be minimized).

[0047] The support panel 121 is provided with a drum exhaust port (first exhaust port) 128 penetrating the panel connecting body 126 , and the fixed panel 151 is provided with a panel exhaust port (second exhaust port) 157 and a supply port 158 ​​.

[0048] The supply ports 158 are arranged such that a number of through holes penetrating the fixed panel 151 surround the drive unit mounting groove 153 (the multiple through holes form a ring surrounding the drive unit mounting groove).

[0049] 1, the supply unit 3 includes an exhaust duct 31 connecting the first exhaust port 128 and the second exhaust port 157, a supply duct 32 directing air discharged to the second exhaust port 157 to the supply port 158, and a heat exchanger 34 provided in the exhaust duct to sequentially dehumidify and heat the air. The first exhaust port 128 is provided with a filter 129 for filtering the air moving from the drum 2 to the exhaust duct 31.

[0050] The exhaust duct 31 includes a first duct 311 connected to the first exhaust port 128, a second duct 312 connected to the second exhaust port 157, 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.

[0051] The heat exchanger 34 is made up of various devices that sequentially dehumidify and heat the air that flows into the exhaust duct 31. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the heat exchanger 34 is made up of a heat pump and a fan 349.

[0052] 1 includes a first heat exchanger (heat absorbing part) 341 for removing moisture from the air flowing into the exhaust duct 31, a second heat exchanger (heat generating part) 343 provided in the exhaust duct 31 for heating the air that has passed through the heat absorbing part 341, and a fan 359 for moving the air discharged from the drum 2 to the supply duct 32 after passing through the heat absorbing part and the heat generating part in that order. In FIG. 1, a case in which the fan 349 is provided in the second duct 312 is shown as an example.

[0053] The heat absorbing part 341 and the heat generating part 343 are arranged in order along the direction of air movement, and are connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe 348 that forms a circulation path for the refrigerant. The refrigerant moves along the refrigerant pipe 348 by a compressor 345 located outside the exhaust duct 31, and the refrigerant pipe 348 is provided with a pressure regulator 347 that regulates the pressure of the refrigerant moving from the heat generating part 343 to the heat absorbing part 341.

[0054] The heat absorption section 341 is a means for cooling the air (evaporating the refrigerant) by transferring the heat of the air that has flowed into the exhaust duct 31 to the refrigerant, and the heat generation section 343 is a means for heating the air (condensing the refrigerant) by transferring the heat possessed by the refrigerant that has passed through the compressor 345 to the air.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2, the supply duct 32 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 and serves to guide the air discharged to the second exhaust port 157 to the supply port 158 ​​.

[0056] When the supply port 158 ​​is composed of a number of through holes arranged in a ring shape, the supply duct 32 includes a duct body 321 fixed to the fixed panel 151 to form a flow path connecting the second exhaust port 157 and the supply port 158, a rotor accommodating portion 322 penetrating the duct body 321, and a connecting body 323 connecting the second duct 312 and the duct body 321. The supply duct 32 including the duct body 321 and the rotor accommodating portion 322 forms a substantially link-shaped flow path, and the driving part (D) fixed to the driving part mounting groove 153 is exposed to the outside of the supply duct 32 by the rotor accommodating portion 322.

[0057] The duct body 321 includes an inner body 321a fixed to the fixed panel 151 to form the rotor accommodating portion 322, an outer body 321b fixed to the fixed panel 151 to surround the inner body 321a, and a cover body 321c connecting a free end of the inner body to a free end of the outer body. The connecting body 323 is connected to the duct body 321 via a communication hole 321d (see FIG. 6) penetrating the outer body 321b.

[0058] An air inlet 233 penetrating the rear cover 23 is provided in the drum 2 so that air supplied into the cabinet 1 via the supply port 158 ​​can be supplied to the drum 2, and a flow path forming portion 159 is provided in the fixed panel 151 to guide the air discharged from the supply port 158 ​​to the air inlet 233.

[0059] The air inlet 233 is arranged such that a number of holes penetrating the rear cover 23 form a ring surrounding the center of rotation of the drum 2. The flow path forming part 159 is made of a pipe having one end (the end fixed to the fixed panel) surrounding the supply port 158 ​​and the other end (the end in contact with the drum) surrounding the air inlet 233. In order to minimize the transmission of vibrations generated during rotation of the drum 2 to the fixed panel 151, the flow path forming part 159 is made of a material having high elasticity (such as rubber).

[0060] The radius of the ring formed by the air inlet 233 (the radius of the inner body or the radius of the outer body) is set to be equal to or greater than half the radius of the rear cover 23. This allows the air discharged into the drum through the air inlet 233 to move along the circumferential surface of the drum.

[0061] The driving unit (D) includes a motor 5 positioned in the driving unit mounting groove 153 and a power transmission unit 6 fixed to the fixed panel 151 for transmitting the power generated by the motor to the drum 2 .

[0062] In order to minimize deformation of the fixing panel 151 due to the weight of the driving unit (D) and external forces generated during operation of the driving unit (D), the driving unit mounting groove 153 is provided with a driving unit bracket 4 that provides a space to fix either the motor 5 or the power transmission unit 6. That is, the power transmission unit 6 is fixed to the driving unit bracket 4, and the motor 5 is fixed to either the power transmission unit 6 or the driving unit bracket 4. The driving unit bracket 4 is made of a link-shaped metal (metal having greater strength than the fixing panel) fixed to the driving unit mounting groove 153.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 3, the motor 5 includes a stator 51 that forms a rotating field, and a rotor 52 that rotates due to the rotating field.

[0064] The stator 51 includes a core 511 fixed to the drive unit bracket 4 or the power transmission unit 6, a core through-hole 512 penetrating the core, and electromagnets 513 (coils) arranged at equal intervals on the circumferential surface of the core 511.

[0065] The rotor 52 includes a disk-shaped rotor body 52a, a pipe-shaped rotor circumferential surface 52b fixed to the rotor body, and a number of permanent magnets 525 fixed to the rotor circumferential surface 52b. The permanent magnets 525 are fixed to the rotor circumferential surface 52b so that the N poles and S poles are alternately exposed.

[0066] The power transmission unit 6 is hollow cylindrical and includes a housing 61 fixed to the fixed panel 151, a ring gear 62 fixed within the housing, a first shaft 63 (input shaft) having one end fixed to the rotor body 52a and the other end located within the housing 61, a main gear 631 fixed to the first shaft 63 and located within the housing 61, a driven gear 677 connecting the main gear 631 and the ring gear 62, a cage 67 that rotates within the housing 61 by the driven gear, and a second shaft 65 (output shaft) having one end fixed to the rear cover 23 and the other end fixed to the cage 67.

[0067] In order to minimize the risk of deformation of the rotor body 52 a due to the first shaft 63 , the first shaft 63 is fixed to the rotor body 52 a via a fixing plate 524 .

[0068] It is preferable that the second shaft 65 is concentric with the first shaft 63. When the second shaft 65 and the first shaft 63 are concentric, vibrations generated in the power transmission unit 6 when the drum 2 rotates can be minimized.

[0069] It is preferable that the housing 61 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 via the drive unit bracket 4 and positioned in the core through hole 512. By positioning the housing 61 in the core through hole 512, the volume of the drive unit (D) can be minimized.

[0070] The housing 61 includes a cylindrical first housing 61a with an open surface facing the fixed panel 151, and a cylindrical second housing 61b with an open surface facing the first housing and connected to the first housing 61a to close the open surface of the first housing.

[0071] The first housing 61a is provided with a first shaft support portion 611 and a first shaft through hole 612 that penetrates the first shaft support portion 611. The first shaft 63 penetrates the first housing 61a by being inserted into the first shaft through hole 612, and the first shaft support portion 611 is provided with a first shaft bearing 613 that rotatably fixes the first shaft 63 to the first housing 61a.

[0072] 4, the first shaft support part 611 is made of a pipe protruding from the first housing 61a toward the second housing 61b. When the first shaft support part 611 is made of a pipe protruding from the first housing 61a toward the second housing 61b, the volume of the housing 61 can be minimized (the volume of the drive unit can be minimized, and the volume of the clothing treatment device can be minimized).

[0073] The second housing 61b is provided with a second shaft support portion 616 and a second shaft through hole 617 that penetrates the second shaft support portion 616. The second shaft 65 penetrates the second housing 61b through the second shaft through hole 617, and the second shaft support portion 616 is provided with a second shaft bearing 618 that rotatably fixes the second shaft 65 to the second housing 61b.

[0074] The second shaft support portion 616 is formed of a pipe that protrudes from the second housing 61b toward the fixed panel through-hole 155 (a pipe that protrudes toward the rear cover of the drum).

[0075] The first shaft bearing 613 includes a first shaft first bearing 613a and a first shaft second bearing 613b provided along the length direction of the first shaft 63, and the second shaft bearing 618 includes a second shaft first bearing 618a and a second shaft second bearing 618b provided along the length direction of the second shaft 65.

[0076] If the first shaft bearing and the second shaft bearing each consist of two or more bearings 613a, 613b, 618a, 618b, it is possible to minimize the misalignment of the first shaft 63 and the second shaft 65 when the rotor 52 rotates (it is possible to minimize the vibration generated in the driving part).

[0077] Since multiple bearings are arranged along the rotation shaft, the volume of the drive unit (D) equipped with multiple bearings is inevitably increased. Therefore, it is not easy to design multiple bearings to support the rotation shaft in a clothing processing device 100 having a cabinet 1 with a limited volume. However, the above-mentioned clothing processing device 100 minimizes the volume of the drive unit by using a structure in which the housing 61 is located in the core through-hole of the stator and a pipe structure in which the first shaft support part 611 protrudes toward the center of the housing, thereby making it possible to increase the number of bearings 613, 618.

[0078] In order to minimize the volume of the housing 61, the diameters of the first housing 61a and the second housing 61b are set to be different from each other. That is, the diameter of the first housing 61a is set to be smaller than the diameter of the second housing 61b or larger than the diameter of the second housing 61b.

[0079] The link gear 62 includes a link gear body, a link gear body through hole extending through the link gear body, and gear teeth provided along an inner circumferential surface of the link gear body (the circumferential surface that defines the link gear body through hole).

[0080] The link gear 62 is fixed to the housing having a smaller diameter out of the first housing 61a and the second housing 61b. As shown in the figure, when the diameter of the first housing 61a is smaller than the diameter of the second housing 61b, the link gear 62 is fixed to the circumferential surface of the first housing 61a.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 3, the cage 67 includes a base 671 located within the housing 61, a connecting shaft 675 that rotatably fixes a driven gear 677 to the base 671, and a link-shaped base cover 673 fixed to one end of the connecting shaft 675.

[0082] The second shaft 65 is inserted into the fixed panel through hole 155 to connect the base 671 and the rear cover 23 of the drum. In order to prevent the rear cover 23 from being damaged by the rotation of the second shaft 65, the rear cover 23 is provided with a shaft bracket 651 (see FIG. 2) to which one end of the second shaft 65 is fixed.

[0083] 2, in order to minimize an increase in the volume of the drum due to the axle bracket 651, the rear cover 23 is provided with an axle bracket mounting groove 231 to which the axle bracket 651 is fixed. The axle bracket mounting groove 231 is a groove that is curved in a direction in which the rear cover 23 moves away from the fixed panel 151. The axle bracket mounting groove 231 is provided at the same position as the drive unit mounting groove 153, and it is preferable that the diameter of the axle bracket mounting groove 231 is larger than the diameter of the drive unit mounting groove 153. This can minimize the risk that the rear cover 23 will collide with the drive unit mounting groove 153 when the drum 2 rotates.

[0084] The driven gear 677 is made up of multiple gears spaced apart at equal angles, and FIG. 3 shows, as an example, a case in which the driven gear 677 and the connecting shaft 675 are made up of three gears and shafts spaced apart by 120°.

[0085] Each driven gear 677 includes a first body 677a rotatably fixed to the base 671 via a connecting shaft 675, a first gear 677b provided on the circumferential surface of the first body 677a and coupled to the driving gear 631, a second body 677c fixed to the first body 677a and having a diameter smaller than that of the first body, and a second gear 677d provided on the circumferential surface of the second body 677c and coupled to the link gear 62.

[0086] 4, the driving gear 631 fixed to the free end of the first shaft 63 is located in the space formed between the driven gears so as to be connected to each of the first gears 677b. Also, the free end of the first shaft support part 611 is inserted into a base cover through hole 674 formed in the center of the base cover 673 and penetrates the base cover 673. This structure (the structure of the first shaft support part and the base cover) has the characteristic of minimizing the volume of the housing (minimizing the volume of the driving part).

[0087] In order to seal the fixed panel through-hole 155 (to prevent air supplied to the drum from leaking outside the cabinet), the actuator bracket 4 or the fixed panel 151 is further provided with a sealing part 41. When the actuator bracket 4 is in the form of a link surrounding the fixed panel through-hole 155, the housing 61 is fixed to the actuator bracket 4 and positioned within the core through-hole 512, and the core 511 is fixed to the housing, the sealing part 41 seals the space formed between the actuator bracket 4 and the second housing 61b.

[0088] 3, when the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61, the core 511 is provided with a core bracket 515, and the housing 61 is provided with a core mounting portion 619. The core 511 is fixed to the housing 61 via a core fastening portion 517 that fixes the core bracket 515 to the core mounting portion 619. The core mounting portion 619 is composed of a protrusion that protrudes in a direction away from the circumferential surface of the second housing 61b along the diameter direction of the second housing 61b.

[0089] The operation of the driving part (D) having the above-mentioned structure will be described below. As shown in Fig. 5, when the rotor 52 rotates clockwise, the first shaft 63 and the main driving gear 631 also rotate clockwise.

[0090] When the driving gear 631 rotates clockwise, the driven gear 677 rotates counterclockwise by the first gear 677b. When the first gear 677b rotates counterclockwise, the second gear 677d also rotates counterclockwise. Since the link gear 62 is fixed to the fixed panel 15, when the second gear 677d rotates counterclockwise, the base 671 and the second shaft 65 rotate clockwise. Since the drum 2 and the base 671 are connected by the second shaft 65, the drum 2 rotates in the same direction as the rotor 52.

[0091] When the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 1, it is advantageous to maintain the concentricity of the first shaft 63 and the second shaft 65 and the interval between the stator and the rotor. Assume that the stator 51 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 instead of the housing 61. In this case, the vibration of the drum and the vibration of the fixed panel 151 are transmitted to the second shaft 65, and the vibration of the fixed panel 151 is transmitted to the first shaft 63. This means that the vibration amplitude of the drum 2 and the vibration amplitude of the fixed panel 151 may differ, and in some cases, it may be difficult to maintain the interval and concentricity between the first shaft and the second shaft, and the interval between the coil 513 of the stator and the permanent magnet 525 of the rotor at a desired level. However, when the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61, the vibration transmitted from the outside to the first shaft and the second shaft is the same, so the above-mentioned problem can be solved.

[0092] As shown, the diameter of the first gear 677b is set to be longer than the diameter of the main driving gear 631, and the diameter of the second gear 677d is set to be longer than the diameter of the main driving gear 631 but shorter than the diameter of the first gear 677b. Although not shown, the diameter of the second gear 677d may be set to be the same as the diameter of the main driving gear 631.

[0093] As described above, when the first gear, the second gear and the main driving gear are provided, the driving part (D) rotates the drum 2 at a rotation speed lower than the rotation speed of the rotor 52. That is, the driving part (D) also functions as a reducer.

[0094] As described above, a large number of through holes 158a, 158b arranged in a link shape are formed in the fixed panel 151. As shown in Fig. 6, the number of through holes located above the horizontal line (H) passing through the rotation center of the rotor 52 is set to be greater than the number of through holes located below the horizontal line (H).

[0095] The air flowing into the supply duct 32 by the fan 349 moves faster the closer it is to the fan 349. As a result, the amount of air moving to the drum through the through-holes located below the horizontal line (H) (the through-holes closer to the fan) is greater than the amount of air moving to the drum through the through-holes located above the horizontal line (H). Therefore, by setting the number of through-holes located above the horizontal line (H) to be greater than the number of through-holes located below the horizontal line (H), the amount of air supplied to the upper space of the drum can be increased.

[0096] When the drum 2 rotates, the clothes move from the lower space to the upper space of the drum, and then drop or roll back into the lower space, but if more air is supplied to the upper space of the drum, the clothes are more likely to come into contact with the air, shortening the drying time. This effect can also be achieved by setting the total area of ​​the through holes 158a, 158b located above the horizontal line (H) to be larger than the total area of ​​the through holes located below the horizontal line (H).

[0097] The supply duct 32 further includes a partition 36 that divides the inside of the duct body 321 into a first flow path (F1) connected to one side 158a of the through hole and a second flow path (F2) connected to the other side 158b of the through hole.

[0098] The partition 36 is located in the space above the horizontal line (H), at a point (P) spaced from a reference point (L) passing through the center of the rotor accommodating portion 322 and the center of the panel exhaust port 157 in the direction in which the panel exhaust port 157 is located.

[0099] The amount of air supplied to the first flow path (F1) and the second flow path (F2) can be changed according to the rotation direction of the fan 349. That is, when the fan 349 rotates counterclockwise, the first flow path (F1) in Fig. 6 becomes a flow path that guides air in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the fan (the first flow path is a flow path that guides air in the clockwise direction), and the second flow path (F2) becomes a flow path that guides air in the same direction as the rotation direction of the fan (the second flow path is a flow path that guides air in the counterclockwise direction). In this case, the amount and speed of air supplied to the first flow path (F1) may be different from the amount and speed of air supplied to the second flow path (F2).

[0100] In order to maintain the same amount of air supplied to the drum through the first flow path (F1) and the second flow path (F2), it is preferable that the length of the first flow path (F1) and the length of the second flow path (F2) are different from each other. That is, it is preferable that the number of through holes 158a through which air is supplied from the first flow path (F1) is different from the number of through holes 158b through which air is supplied from the second flow path (F2). Figure 6 shows, as an example, a case in which the number of through holes 158a connected to the first flow path (F1) is greater than the number of through holes 158b connected to the second flow path (F2).

[0101] As shown in FIG. 6, the through hole 158a connected to the first flow path consists of multiple holes arranged from the partition wall 36 toward the second exhaust port 157, and the through hole 158b connected to the second flow path consists of one hole arranged in contact with or adjacent to the partition wall 36.

[0102] Unlike the drawing, the lower end of the through hole 158b connected to the second flow path is located above the horizontal line (H) and the upper end is located below the partition wall.

[0103] The partition 36 is formed of a curved surface where the cover body 321c is curved toward the fixed panel 151. The free end of the curved surface either contacts the fixed panel 151 (completely dividing the first and second flow paths) or maintains a state separated from the fixed panel 151. In order to prevent the speed of air moving through the first flow path (F1) and the speed of air moving through the second flow path (F2) from suddenly decreasing near the partition 36 (to prevent a decrease in the speed at which air is supplied to the drum), it is preferable that the partition 36 is provided to completely divide the two flow paths F1 and F2.

[0104] The bent surface includes a first inclined surface 361 where the cover body 321c is inclined downward toward the fixed panel 151, and a second inclined surface 362 where the cover body 321c is inclined downward toward the free end of the first inclined surface 361. When the bent surface includes the above-mentioned two inclined surfaces 361 and 362, it is possible to minimize the flow resistance generated when the air movement direction is changed toward the direction where the through holes 158a and 158b are located.

[0105] The duct body 321 further includes a guide 37 protruding from the inner body 321a toward the center of the communication hole 321d. The guide 37 serves to guide the air discharged from the communication hole 321d to the first flow path (F1) and the second flow path (F2), and minimizes flow path resistance that occurs when the air discharged from the communication hole 321d is separated into the respective flow paths F1 and F2.

[0106] Unlike the illustration, the partition 36 may be formed of a protrusion that connects the cover body 321c and the fixed panel 151. In this case, the free end of the protrusion may be connected to the fixed panel 151 or may be spaced apart from the fixed panel 151.

[0107] Furthermore, the partition 36 may be formed of either a protrusion protruding from the inner body 321a toward the outer body 321b, or a protrusion protruding from the outer body 321b toward the inner body 321a.

[0108] As shown in Fig. 1, the rear cover 23 of the drum remains connected to the fixed panel 15 via the drive unit (D), while the front cover 22 of the drum remains in contact with the drum connecting body 123 of the support panel via the connecting damper 124. Therefore, when the drum 2 moves to the rear (X-axis direction) of the garment processing device due to vibration, the front cover 22 may be separated from the drum connecting body 123.

[0109] When the front cover 22 is separated from the drum connecting body 123, the drum inlet 221 is separated from the support panel through hole 122 (air supplied to the drum leaks out of the drum), which causes problems such as energy waste, increased drying time and reduced drying efficiency.

[0110] Also, when the front cover 22 is separated from the drum connecting body 123, clothes may be trapped in the space between the front cover and the drum connecting body, which may cause a large load on the motor.

[0111] To solve this problem, the clothing treatment device 100 further includes either the front support parts 7, 8 for supporting the front cover 22 or the rear support part 9 for supporting the rear cover 23. FIG. 1 shows the clothing treatment device 100 including both the front support parts 7, 8 and the rear support part 9 as an example.

[0112] The front support parts 7 and 8 are arranged to minimize movement of the front cover 22 along the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the support panel 121 and the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the support panel, and the rear support part 9 is arranged to minimize movement of the front cover 22 along the direction away from the support panel 121 (X-axis direction and -Z-axis direction).

[0113] 2, the front support part includes a first front support part 7 that supports an area of ​​the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 that is located below a horizontal line (H) that passes through the center of rotation of the drum, and a second front support part 8 that supports an area of ​​the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 that is located above the horizontal line (H). The first front support part 7 includes a first roller 71 and a second roller 73 that are rotatably fixed to the support panel 121.

[0114] The rear support part 9 is a means for supporting the area of ​​the circumferential surface of the rear cover 23 that is located below a horizontal line (H) passing through the center of rotation of the drum, and is fixed to the base panel 17 or to the fixed panel 12, and may be fixed to both the base panel and the fixed panel.

[0115] The above-mentioned clothing processing device 100 has been described based on the case where it is equipped with a circulating drying system, but the clothing processing device 100 can also be applied to an exhaust drying system. A circulating drying system is a drying method that sequentially dehumidifies and heats the air discharged from the drum 2, and then resupplies the high-temperature dry air to the drum. An exhaust drying system is a drying method that heats outside air and supplies it to the drum 2, and exhausts the air discharged from the drum 2 to the outside of the cabinet 1 after the heat exchange is completed.

[0116] When the clothing processing device 100 is an exhaust-type drying system, the supply section 3 includes an exhaust duct connecting the first exhaust outlet 128 and the second exhaust outlet 157, a supply duct that supplies outside air (air inside the cabinet or air outside the cabinet) to the drum 2, and a heat exchange section that heats the air flowing into the supply duct.

[0117] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential features of the present disclosure. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the scope of the equivalents of the present disclosure are included in the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A drum including a drum body providing a space for receiving clothes and a rear cover forming a rear surface of the drum body; a fixed panel spaced apart from the rear cover; a driving unit including a stator supported by the fixed panel to form a rotating magnetic field, and a rotor that rotates by the rotating magnetic field to generate power required for rotating the drum; A panel exhaust port provided to penetrate the fixed panel; A fixed panel through hole (155) is disposed above the panel exhaust port and is provided to penetrate the fixed panel; an exhaust duct configured to direct air exhausted from the drum to the panel exhaust port; a heat exchange unit provided to include a fan for moving air along the exhaust duct, a heat absorption unit for dehumidifying the air flowing into the exhaust duct, and a heat generation unit for heating the air passing through the heat absorption unit; a supply port including a number of through holes penetrating the fixed panel and surrounding the fixed panel through hole; an air inlet formed through the rear cover; a flow passage forming portion having one end fixed to the fixed panel and the other end in contact with the rear cover, the flow passage forming portion being configured to interconnect the supply port and the air inlet; A supply duct including a duct body fixed to the fixed panel and directing air discharged from the panel exhaust port to the supply port, and a rotor accommodating portion formed to penetrate the duct body so that the rotor is exposed to the outside of the duct body, the rotor accommodating portion being positioned to face the fixed panel through hole; a guide (37) provided in the supply duct to guide the air supplied from the panel exhaust port from the panel exhaust port (157) to outside an area facing the center of the fixed panel through hole (155); A number of through holes are disposed both above the center of the fixed panel through hole and below the center of the fixed panel through hole to supply air from the supply duct to both the upper and lower parts of the drum body; the plurality of through holes disposed below the center of the fixed panel through hole are excluded from being formed in the area facing the center of the fixed panel through hole from the panel exhaust port; the number of through holes disposed above the center of the fixed panel through hole is greater than the number of other through holes disposed below the center of the fixed panel through hole; A clothing processing device, wherein the sum of the areas of the through holes located above the center of the fixed panel through holes is greater than the sum of the areas of the other through holes located below the center of the fixed panel through holes.

2. The duct body may further include a partition configured to divide an inside of the duct body into a first passage connected to some of the through holes and a second passage connected to the remaining through holes other than the some of the through holes, The clothing treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the partition is positioned symmetrically to the panel exhaust outlet or facing the panel exhaust outlet with respect to the center of the rotor.

3. The first flow path is configured to form a flow path for guiding air in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the fan, The second flow path is configured to form a flow path for guiding air in the same direction as the rotation direction of the fan, The clothing treatment device according to claim 2 , wherein the number of through holes formed to receive air from the first flow path is different from the number of through holes formed to receive air from the second flow path.

4. The duct body includes: an inner body secured to the fixed panel to define the rotor housing; an outer body secured to the fixed panel and surrounding the inner body; and a cover body configured to interconnect a free end of the inner body and a free end of the outer body; The clothing treatment device according to claim 2 , wherein the partition is provided in at least one of the inner body, the outer body and the cover body.

5. The clothing processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the partition is provided as a protrusion for interconnecting the cover body and the fixed panel.

6. The partition wall is provided as a protrusion protruding from the cover body toward the fixed panel, The clothing treatment device of claim 4 , wherein the free ends of the projections do not contact the fixed panel.

7. The clothing processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the partition is realized as one of a protrusion formed so as to protrude from the inner body toward the outer body and a protrusion formed so as to protrude from the outer body toward the inner body.

8. The partition wall is provided as a curved surface in which the cover body is curved toward the fixed panel, The clothing treatment device of claim 4 , wherein a free end of the curved surface is connected to the fixed panel.

9. The partition wall is provided as a curved surface in which the cover body is curved toward the fixed panel, The clothing treatment device of claim 4 , wherein the free end of the curved surface does not contact the fixed panel.

10. The curved surface is a first inclined surface on which the cover body is inclined downward toward the fixing panel; and The clothing treatment device of claim 9, wherein the cover body includes a second inclined surface that slopes downward toward a free end of the first inclined surface.

11. A communication hole formed to penetrate the outer body; a connecting body configured to connect the communication hole and the panel exhaust port to each other, The clothing processing device of claim 4, wherein the guide is configured to protrude from the inner body toward the communication hole so that a portion of the air discharged from the communication hole is guided to the first flow path and the remaining air other than the portion of the air is guided to the second flow path.

12. The drive unit is a housing fixed to the fixing panel to which the stator can be fixed; a ring gear fixed inside the housing; a first shaft having one end fixed to the rotor and the other end disposed within the housing; a main drive gear fixed to the first shaft and disposed within the housing; a second shaft, one end of which is fixed to the rear cover and the other end of which is disposed within the housing, formed to extend through the fixed panel, thereby forming a concentric axis with the first shaft; a base disposed within the housing such that the other end of the second shaft is fixed; A clothing processing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a first body rotatably fixed to the base, a first gear provided on the circumferential surface of the first body and connected to the driving gear, a second body fixed to the first body and having a smaller diameter than the first body, and a driven gear configured to include a second gear provided on the circumferential surface of the second body and connected to the ring gear.

13. A number of holes through the rear cover are formed in a ring around the center of the drum; The clothing processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a radius of a ring formed by the outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of through holes is set to at least 1 / 2 of a radius of the rear cover.

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