Clothing processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clothing treatment device including a drum having a drum body that provides a space for receiving clothing, 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 insertion port that penetrates the front cover, 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, a first output shaft having one end that penetrates the fixed panel and the other end located inside the housing, a second output shaft fixed to the rear cover, a joint that connects the first output shaft and the second output shaft, and a power transmission unit located inside the housing and having a gear unit that transmits the rotational motion of the input shaft to the first output shaft, a stator fixed to the fixed panel or the housing and forming a rotating field, and a rotor to which one end of the input shaft is fixed and rotates by the rotating magnetic field, the joint connecting the first output shaft and the second output shaft so that the drum can vibrate in the radial direction of the drum body.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A clothing treatment apparatus is a general term for a washing machine that washes clothing (objects to be washed or dried), a dryer that dries clothing, and an apparatus capable of performing both washing and drying of clothing.

[0003] A washing machine is generally provided with a tub in which water is stored, a washing drum provided inside the tub for receiving clothing, and a drive unit (washing drive unit) for rotating the washing drum. A dryer is generally provided with a drying drum for receiving clothing, a drive unit (drying drive unit) for rotating the drying drum, and a heat exchange unit for supplying air to the drying drum to remove moisture from the clothing.

[0004] The washing drive unit is generally provided with a stator fixed to the tub for forming a rotating magnetic field, a rotor rotated by the rotating magnetic field, and a rotating shaft passing through the tub and connecting the washing drum and the rotor. The drying drive unit is generally provided with a motor, a pulley fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor, and a belt (power transmission unit) for connecting the rotational movement 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. For washing and dehydrating clothing, it is necessary for the washing drive unit to control the rotation speed of the washing drum high or change the rotation direction of the washing drum. However, when the rotating shaft of the motor is directly connected to the washing drum and the rotor, there is an effect that the rotation speed and rotation direction of the washing drum can be easily controlled.

[0006] On the one hand, in the conventional drying drive unit, it is common for a power transmission unit such as a belt to connect the rotation shafts of the drying drum and the motor. This is because the dryer has little need to maintain a high rotation speed of the drying drum or change the rotation direction of the drying drum, so the drying drum can be rotated by a power transmission unit such as a belt. However, if the rotation speed and rotation direction of the drying drum can be changed, the movement of the clothes inside the drying drum can be controlled, so it is expected that the drying time can be shortened and the drying performance can be improved in the dryer as well.

[0007] Among conventional dryers, there are some equipped with a drying drive unit in which a rotor and a drying drum are connected to a speed reducer (power transmission unit) (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0065931). This drying drive unit is provided such that the input shaft connected to the rotor and the output shaft connected to the drying drum form the same axis, and it is expected to shorten the drying time and improve the drying performance. However, it is difficult to assemble the drying drum and the output shaft of the speed reducer. When assembling the drying drum and the output shaft, there is a disadvantage that the durability of the speed reducer and the drying drum decreases (damage to the bolts provided in the speed reducer, damage to the output shaft, damage to the drying drum, etc.).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0065931

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] An object of the present invention is to solve the problem of providing a clothing treatment apparatus capable of minimizing a decrease in the durability of a power transmission unit.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to solve the problem of providing a clothing treatment apparatus in which the assembly of the output shaft of the power transmission unit and the drum is easy.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The present invention provides a laundry treating apparatus including a drum body that provides a space for receiving laundry, a front cover that forms a front surface of the drum body, a rear cover that forms a rear surface of the drum body, a drum having a drum inlet that penetrates the front cover, a fixed panel provided at a position spaced apart 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, a first output shaft having one end penetrating the fixed panel and the other end located inside the housing, a second output shaft fixed to the rear cover, a joint that connects the first output shaft and the second output shaft, and a power transmission unit located inside the housing and including a gear unit that transmits a rotational movement of the input shaft to the first output shaft, a stator fixed to the fixed panel or the housing and forming a rotating field, and a rotor having one end fixed to the input shaft and rotating by the rotating field.

[0012] The joint is provided to connect the first output shaft and the second output shaft such that the drum can vibrate along the radial direction of the drum body.

[0013] The joint includes a first fixing body to which the first output shaft is connected, a second fixing body to which the second output shaft is connected, a joint body located between the first fixing body and the second fixing body, a joint first shaft that rotatably couples the first fixing body and the joint body, and a joint second shaft that rotatably couples the second fixing body and the joint body and is orthogonal to the joint first shaft.

[0014] The laundry treating apparatus includes a rear cover through hole provided to penetrate the rear cover, a shaft fastening part fixed to the rear cover and closing the rear cover through hole, a fastening part through hole provided to penetrate the shaft fastening part and into which one end of the second output shaft is inserted, and a nut that is coupled to one end of the second output shaft inserted into the fastening part through hole and fixes the second output shaft to the shaft fastening part.

[0015] The shaft fastening part includes a first fastening body fixed to the rear cover, a second fastening body located inside the drum and provided with the fastening part through hole, and a connecting body that connects the first fastening body and the second fastening body and is inserted into the rear cover through hole.

[0016] The diameter of the connecting body is set to decrease from the first fastening body toward the second fastening body.

[0017] The second output shaft includes a fastening shaft connected to the joint, a fixing shaft extending from the fastening shaft and inserted into the fastening portion through-hole, and a thread provided on the circumferential surface of the fixing shaft to which the nut is coupled.

[0018] The clothing treatment apparatus further includes a fastening portion cover that is located inside the drum, closes the rear cover through-hole, and prevents the shaft fastening portion from being exposed inside the drum.

[0019] The clothing treatment apparatus includes a cover through-hole provided so as to penetrate the fastening portion cover, a fastening groove provided at the center of the fixing shaft, and a bolt that is inserted into the cover through-hole, fixed to the fastening groove, and fixes the fastening portion cover to the fixing shaft.

[0020] The stator is fixed to the housing.

[0021] The gear unit includes a ring-shaped ring gear fixed to the housing, a driving gear fixed to the input shaft and located inside the housing, a cage fixed to the first output shaft and rotatable inside the housing, and a driven gear rotatably fixed to the cage and connecting the driving gear and the ring gear.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] The present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus capable of minimizing a decrease in durability of the speed reducer.

[0023] Further, the present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus in which assembly of the output shaft of the speed reducer and the drum is easy.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the clothing treatment apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an example of a clothing treatment apparatus 100, which includes a cabinet 1 and a drum 2 rotatably provided inside the cabinet and providing a space for receiving clothing (an object to be washed or dried). As shown in FIG. 2, a drying section 3 for supplying hot drying 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 is provided inside the cabinet 1.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the cabinet 1 includes a front panel 11 forming the front surface of the clothing treatment apparatus and a base panel 17 forming the bottom surface of the clothing treatment apparatus. The front panel 11 is provided with an inlet 111 communicating with the drum 2, and the inlet 111 is provided to be closed by a door 113.

[0028] The front panel 11 is provided with a control panel 115, and the control panel 115 is provided with an input section for inputting a control command from the user and a display section for outputting information such as control commands selectable by the user. The input section includes a power supply request section for requesting power supply to the clothing treatment apparatus, a course input section for enabling the user to select a desired course from a plurality of courses, and an execution request section for requesting the start of the course selected by the user.

[0029] The interior of the drum 2 is provided as a hollow cylinder. As shown in FIG. 3, the drum 2 includes a cylindrical drum body 21 with open front and rear surfaces, a front cover 22 forming the front surface of the drum body 21, and a rear cover 23 forming the rear surface of the drum body 21.

[0030] The front cover 22 is provided with a drum inlet 221 for communicating the interior of the drum body 21 with the outside, and the rear cover 23 is provided with an air inlet 233 for allowing outside air to flow into the drum body 21.

[0031] The drum body 21 is further provided with a lifter 24. The lifter 24 is a means for causing the clothing to repeatedly rise and fall inside the drum. The lifter 24 is provided by a plate extending from the front cover 22 toward the rear cover 23 and protruding from the drum body 21 toward the rotation center of the drum (protruding from the circumferential surface of the drum toward the rotation center of the drum).

[0032] When the clothing treatment apparatus 100 is provided as an apparatus for only drying clothing, the drum 2 may not be provided with a drum through-hole penetrating the drum body 21 for communicating the interior of the drum with the outside of the drum.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the above-described drum 2 is rotatably fixed to at least one of the main body first support portion 12 and the main body second support portion 15. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the rear cover 23 is rotatably fixed to the main body second support portion 15 via a power transmission portion 6 described later, and the front cover 22 is rotatably connected to the main body first support portion 12.

[0034] The main body first support portion 12 is fixed to the cabinet 1 and is provided as a support panel 121 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. In this case, the rear surface (the surface facing the support panel) of the front panel 11 is fixed to the support panel 121, and the lower end is fixed to the base panel 17.

[0035] The support panel 121 is provided to include a support panel through hole 122, a drum connecting body 123 that connects the support panel through hole 122 and the drum inlet 221, and a panel connecting body 125 that connects the support panel through hole 122 and the inlet 111. The support panel through hole 122 is provided to penetrate the support panel 121 and is a means for communicating the inlet 111 and the drum inlet 221.

[0036] The drum connecting body 123 is provided as a pipe fixed to the rear surface of the support panel 121 (the surface facing the drum inlet among the spaces provided by the support panel). One end of the drum connecting body 123 is provided to surround the support panel through hole 122, and the free end of the drum connecting body 123 is provided to support the front cover 22. That is, the free end of the drum connecting body 123 may be inserted into the drum inlet 221 or may be provided to contact the free end (the edge of the drum inlet) of the front cover 22 that forms the drum inlet 221. FIG. 4 shows an example where the free end of the drum connecting body 123 contacts the free end of the front cover 22.

[0037] The panel connecting body 125 is provided as a pipe fixed to the front surface of the support panel 121 (the surface facing the front panel among the spaces provided by the support panel). One end of the panel connecting body 125 is provided to surround the support panel through hole 122, and the other end of the panel connecting body 125 is provided to be connected to the inlet 111. Therefore, the clothes supplied to the inlet 111 move to the drum body 21 via the panel connecting body 125, the support panel through hole 122, the drum connecting body 123, and the drum inlet 221.

[0038] The support panel 121 is provided with an exhaust port 126 for discharging 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 foreign substances from the air moving from the drum 2 to the exhaust port 126.

[0039] The support panel 121 may further be provided with a drum support portion 128 for preventing the drum 2 from sagging. The drum support portion is fixed to the support panel 121 and is provided as a roller that rotatably supports the drum 2. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the drum support portion 128 is provided to support the front cover 22, but the drum support portion 128 may be provided to support the circumferential surface of the drum body 21.

[0040] The main body second support portion 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 (the rear surface of the cabinet) of the clothing treatment apparatus 100.

[0041] The fixed panel 151 is provided with a drive unit mounting groove 152 that provides a space for mounting the motor 5. The drive unit mounting groove 152 is provided as a groove that is recessed and bent toward the rear cover 23 of the drum in the fixed panel 151. The fixed panel 151 is provided with a fixed panel through hole 153 through which a shaft (output shaft) for rotating the drum 2 passes, and the fixed panel through hole 153 is located inside the drive unit mounting groove 152.

[0042] As described above, when the drum 2 is composed of a drum body 21, a front cover 22 fixed to the drum body, and a rear cover 23 fixed to the drum body, the rigidity of the drum is higher than that of a structure in which the opened front and rear surfaces of the drum body 21 are rotatably connected to the support panel 121 and the fixed panel 151, respectively. When the rigidity of the drum is increased, deformation of the drum body 21 during rotation of the drum can be minimized, which can minimize the problem that clothing is 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 is deformed (the load on the motor can be minimized).

[0043] As shown in FIG. 4, the drying unit 3 is provided to include an exhaust passage 31 connected to the exhaust port 126, a supply passage 32 that guides air supplied from the exhaust passage 31 to the drum body 21, and a heat exchange unit 34 provided inside the exhaust passage 31 that sequentially dehumidifies and heats the air.

[0044] The exhaust passage 31 is provided to include 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 that connects the first duct 311 and the second duct 312. The third duct 313 is fixed to the base panel 17.

[0045] The heat exchange unit 34 can be provided as various devices as long as it can sequentially dehumidify and heat the air flowing into the exhaust passage 31. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the heat exchange unit 34 is provided as a heat pump. That is, the heat exchange unit 34 includes a first heat exchanger (heat absorption unit) 341 that removes moisture from the air flowing into the exhaust passage 31, a second heat exchanger (heat generation unit) 343 provided inside the exhaust passage 31 that heats the air that has passed through the heat absorption unit 341, and a fan 349 that moves the air discharged from the drum 2 to the supply duct 32 after the air has sequentially passed through the heat absorption unit and the heat generation unit.

[0046] The heat absorption part 341 and the heat generation part 343 are sequentially arranged along the air movement direction and are connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe 348 that forms a refrigerant circulation flow path. The refrigerant moves along the refrigerant pipe 348 by a compressor 345 located outside the exhaust flow path 31, and the refrigerant pipe 348 is provided with a pressure regulator 347 for adjusting the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 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 that forms a movement path of the air discharged from the second duct 312, a first flow path forming part 323 that guides the air inside the supply duct 321 to the air inlet 233, and a second flow path forming part 324.

[0048] The supply duct 321 is provided so as to form a flow path (the movement path of the air) by bending the fixed panel 151 in a direction away from the rear cover 23. Further, the supply duct 321 is provided in a ring shape surrounding the drive part mounting groove 152, and the discharge port of the second duct 312 is provided so as to be connected to the circumferential surface of the supply duct 321.

[0049] The first flow path forming part 323 is provided so as to surround the outer circumferential surface of the ring formed by the air inlet 233 (the circumferential surface having the longer diameter among the two circumferential surfaces of the ring), and the second flow path forming part 324 is provided so as to surround the inner circumferential surface of the ring formed by the air inlet 233 (the circumferential surface having the shorter diameter among the two circumferential surfaces of the ring).

[0050] The first flow path forming part 323 and the second flow path forming part 324 may be fixed to the rear cover 23 or may be fixed to the supply duct 321. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the flow path forming parts 323 and 324 are fixed to the rear cover 23.

[0051] In the case of FIG. 5, the free end of the first flow path forming portion 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 portion 324 is provided so as to surround the inner circumferential surface of the flow path formed by the supply duct 321. The first flow path forming portion 323 and the second flow path forming portion 324 are made of rubber, felt, or the like.

[0052] The motor 5 that generates the power required for the rotation of the drum 2 includes a stator 51 that is located in the drive unit mounting groove 152 and forms a rotating field, and a rotor 52 that rotates by the rotating field. The rotational movement of the rotor 52 is transmitted to the drum 2 via the power transmission unit 6 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.

[0053] When the stator 51 is fixed to the power transmission unit 6, it has an advantageous effect in maintaining the coaxiality of the input shaft 64 and the output shaft 65 provided in the power transmission unit 6 (when the drum rotates, the vibration of the clothing processing apparatus can be minimized, and the decrease in the durability of the power transmission unit can be minimized).

[0054] In order to prevent the motor 5 located in the drive unit mounting groove 512 from being exposed to the outside (by preventing the motor from being exposed to the external environment, it is for improving the durability of the motor and preventing safety accidents), the fixed 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 minimize the heat escaping from the outside of the supply duct 321 and to prevent possible safety accidents that may occur when the body comes into contact with the supply duct 321.

[0055] The stator 51 is provided with 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, an insulator 512 for insulating the core and the support rods, and a coil 514 provided so as to surround the support rods 513.

[0056] 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 for receiving the stator 51, and a plurality of permanent magnets 523 fixed to the rotor circumferential surface 522 so that the N poles and the S poles are alternately exposed.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows an example of a power transmission unit 6 that connects the rotor 52 and the rear cover 23 of the drum.

[0058] The power transmission unit 6 includes a housing H fixed to the 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 upper 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 configured to transmit the rotational movement of the input shaft 64 to the output shaft 65.

[0059] One end of the input shaft 64 is fixed to the rotor 52 and the other end is provided as a shaft located inside the housing H. One end of the output shaft 65 is fixed to the rear cover 23 and the other end is provided as a shaft 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.

[0060] The housing H is preferably provided so as to be fixed to the fixed panel 151 and located in a space (the external space of the cabinet) separated from the space (the internal space of the cabinet) where the drum 2 is located. This is to improve the durability of the power transmission unit 6 by minimizing the transmission of heat inside the cabinet (the heat released from the drum and the drying unit) to the inside of the housing H.

[0061] 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.

[0062] The output shaft 65 is inserted into the fixed panel through hole 153 and connected to the rear cover 23. The rear cover 23 is provided with a shaft fastening portion 25 to which the output shaft 65 is fixed. This is to disperse the stress acting on the center of the rear cover 23 when the output shaft 65 rotates. The specific structure of the shaft fastening portion 25 will be described later.

[0063] To minimize the 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.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 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 for connecting the housing H and the transmission bracket 61. The transmission bracket 61 may be made of the same material as the fixed panel 151, or may be made of a material having a higher strength than the strength of the fixed panel 151.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 6, the housing H is provided in a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, 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.

[0066] The housing body 62 is provided to form a receiving space 621 to which the gear portion G is attached. The receiving space 621 is provided to be formed via a housing base portion 62a to which the input shaft 64 is fixed and a housing circumferential surface 62b extending from the edge of the housing base portion 62a toward the housing cover 63.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 7, the housing body 62 is provided with an input shaft support portion 625 extending from the housing base portion 62a toward the rotor 52. The input shaft support portion 625 is provided as a pipe surrounding an input shaft through hole 626 penetrating the housing body 62.

[0068] 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 and 629. The input shaft bearings 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.

[0069] The housing cover 63 may have any shape as long as it can open and close an open hole provided in the housing body 62. 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 to be fixed to the housing body 62 via a cover fixing plate 623 provided on the housing circumferential surface 62b.

[0070] The housing cover 63 is provided to penetrate the cover body 631 and includes a pipe-shaped output shaft support portion 635 extending from the cover body 631 toward the fixing panel 151 and surrounding the output shaft through hole 632.

[0071] The output shaft support portion 635 is provided with output shaft bearings 638 and 639 for rotatably fixing the output shaft 65 to the output shaft through hole 632.

[0072] The output shaft bearing is provided to be fixed to the output shaft support portion 635 and include a first output shaft bearing 638 and a second output shaft bearing 639 located inside the output shaft through hole 631.

[0073] The housing cover 63 is provided with a mounting portion 637 to which the stator 51 is fixed. A plurality of mounting portions 637 are provided along the circumferential surface of the cover body 631, and the stator 51 is fixed to the housing H by bolts connecting the insulator 512 and the mounting portion 637.

[0074] As described above, the housing H is fixed to the fixed panel 151 by the housing fastening portion 612, the stator 51 is fixed to the housing H by the mounting portion 637, and the rotor 52 is fixed to the housing H by the input shaft 64. Since the stator 51 and the rotor 52 vibrate together with the housing H, the above-described clothing processing apparatus can minimize the reduction in the coaxiality of the input shaft 64 and the output shaft 65.

[0075] The gear portion G is provided to include a ring gear 66 fixed to the housing circumferential surface 62b and located in the receiving space 621, a driving gear 69 fixed to the input shaft 64 and located inside the receiving space 621, a cage 67 located inside the receiving space 622 and having the other end of the output shaft 65 fixed thereto, and a driven gear 68 rotatably fixed to the cage 67 and connecting the driving gear 69 and the ring gear 66.

[0076] The ring gear 66 is provided to include a gear body 661 fixed to the housing circumferential surface 62b, a gear body through hole 663 provided to penetrate the gear body, and gear teeth 665 provided along the inner circumferential surface of the gear body.

[0077] The cage 67 is located inside the gear body through-hole 663, includes a first base 671 where one end of the output shaft 65 is fixed, a second base 672 located inside the gear body through-hole 663 and having a base through-hole 673 in the center, and a connecting shaft 675 that connects the first base and the second base and forms 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 according to whether the cage 67 rotates or not.

[0078] The driven gear 68 is provided with a plurality of gears rotatably fixed to the connecting shaft 675. In the drawings, an example is shown in which the driven gear is composed of a first driven gear 681, a second driven gear 682, and a third driven gear 683.

[0079] The input shaft 64 is inserted into the base through-hole 673, forms a coaxial relationship with the output shaft 65, and the teeth of the gear provided on the driving gear 69 are located in the space formed between the driven gears and mesh with the teeth of the driven gears 682, 682, 683.

[0080] 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 driving gear 69 rotates by the input shaft 64, the driven gears 681, 682, 683 that mesh with the driving gear 69 also rotate. Since the driven gears 681, 682, 683 are in a meshed state 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.

[0081] In the clothing treatment apparatus 100 having the above-described structure, when the rotor 52 rotates, the drum 2 vibrates along the radial direction of the drum body 21. The vibration of the drum 2 is transmitted to the output shaft bearings 638, 639, the cage 67, the driven gear 68, the driving gear 69, and the ring gear 66 by the output shaft 65. Therefore, the vibration of the drum 2 becomes a factor that reduces the durability of the power transmission unit 6.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 8, in order to minimize the reduction in durability of the power transmission unit 6, the output shaft 65 includes a first output shaft 65a having one end located outside the housing and the other end fixed to the cage 67, a second output shaft 65b fixed to the rear cover 23, and a joint 65c that connects the first output shaft 65a and the second output shaft 65b.

[0083] The joint 65c is a means for connecting the first output shaft 65a and the second output shaft 65b so that the drum 2 can vibrate along the radial direction of the drum body 21.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 6, the joint 65c includes a first fixing body 655 to which the first output shaft 65a is connected, a second fixing body 656 to which the second output shaft 65b is connected, a joint body 657 located between the first fixing body 655 and the second fixing body 656, a joint first shaft 658 that rotatably connects the first fixing body 655 and the joint body 657, and a joint second shaft 659 that rotatably connects the second fixing body 656 and the joint body 657. In this case, the joint second shaft 659 is provided so as to be orthogonal to the joint first shaft 658.

[0085] In the above-described clothing treatment apparatus 100, the front surface (front cover) of the drum is supported by the drum support portion 128, and the rear surface (rear cover) of the drum is connected to the first output shaft 65a by the joint 65c. When the first output shaft 65a and the second output shaft 65b are connected by the joint 65c having the above-described structure, even if sagging occurs in the drum due to clothing (even if the alignment between the rotation center of the drum and the output shaft is displaced), the drum 2 can rotate at a constant speed, and the vibration of the drum 2 can be minimized.

[0086] Further, since the vibration of the drum 2 can be minimized from being transmitted to the output shaft 65, the clothing treatment apparatus 100 having the above-described structure can minimize the reduction in durability of the power transmission unit 6.

[0087] As described above, when the output shaft 65 rotates, in order to disperse the stress acting on the center of the rear cover 23 (in order to minimize the reduction in the durability of the rear cover), the output shaft 65 is connected to the rear cover 23 of the drum by the shaft fastening portion 25.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 8, the rear cover 23 is provided with a rear cover through hole 231, and the shaft fastening portion 25 includes a first fastening body 251 fixed to the rear cover 23, a connecting body 255 extending from the first fastening body 251 and inserted into the rear cover through hole 231, and a second fastening body 252 fixed to the connecting body 255 and located inside the drum 2. The second fastening body 252 is provided with a fastening portion through hole 253 into which the output shaft 65 is inserted.

[0089] In this case, the second output shaft 65b is provided to include a fastening shaft 651 connected to the joint 65c and a fixing shaft 652 extending from the fastening shaft 651 and inserted into the fastening portion through hole 253.

[0090] The circumferential surface of the fixing shaft 652 is provided with a thread 653 (see FIG. 6) to which the nut 256 is fastened. The nut 256 is coupled to one end 652 of the second output shaft that has passed through the fastening portion through hole 253 to fix the second output shaft 65b to the shaft fastening portion 25.

[0091] The assembly of the drum 2 and the output shaft 65 proceeds through the process of fixing the fixed panel 151 to which the power transmission portion 6 is attached to the base panel 17, the process of inserting the second output shaft 65b into the fastening portion through hole 253, the process of fixing the support panel 121 to the base panel 17 and fixing the position of the front cover 22, and the process of coupling the second output shaft 65b and the shaft fastening portion 25 via the nut 256.

[0092] Before fixing the support panel 121 to the base panel 17, the second output shaft 65b remains inserted into the fastening portion through-hole 253, but the front cover 22 is not supported by the drum support portion 128. However, the second output shaft 65b is merely inserted into the fastening portion through-hole 253, and since the output shaft 65 is provided with a joint 65c, the front cover 22 can be temporarily seated on the upper surface of the exhaust passage 31, the base 17, etc. Therefore, when assembling the drum 2 and the output shaft 65, the clothing treatment apparatus minimizes the transmission of the load of the drum 2 to the output shaft 65, thereby minimizing the reduction in the durability of the power transmission unit 6 (damage to the output shaft bearing, damage to the cage, damage to the ring gear, etc.).

[0093] The diameter of the connecting body 255 is provided so as to decrease from the first fastening body 251 toward the second fastening body 252. When the shape of the connecting body 255 is provided as described above, the fixed shaft 652 is guided to the fastening portion through-hole 253 along the surface of the connecting body 255. Therefore, the clothing treatment apparatus 100 can shorten the time for fixing the output shaft 65 to the shaft fastening portion 25.

[0094] In order to prevent the above-described shaft fastening portion 25 from being exposed inside the drum 2, the drum 2 is further provided with a fastening portion cover 27. As shown in FIG. 9, the fastening portion cover 27 may have any shape as long as it closes the rear cover through-hole 231 and can prevent the exposure of the shaft fastening portion 25. The fastening portion cover 27 is inserted into the cover through-hole 271 and fixed to the second output shaft 65 by a bolt 273 fixed to the fastening groove 654 of the fixed shaft 652.

[0095] The above-described clothing treatment apparatus can be implemented in various forms, and the scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

Claims

1. A drum providing a space for storing clothes therein, a front cover forming the front surface of the drum body, a rear cover forming the rear surface of the drum body, and a drum having a drum inlet formed to penetrate the front cover; A fixed panel spaced apart 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, a first output shaft having one end formed to penetrate the fixed panel and the other end located inside the housing, a second output shaft fixed to the rear cover, a joint connecting the first output shaft to the second output shaft, and a gear unit located inside the housing and configured to transmit the rotational movement of the input shaft to the first output shaft; A stator fixed to the fixed panel or the housing to form a rotating magnetic field; A rotor fixed to one end of the input shaft and rotated by the rotating magnetic field, including; The joint connects the first output shaft to the second output shaft such that the drum can vibrate in the radial direction of the drum body; The stator is fixed to the housing, a clothes processing apparatus.

2. The joint is A first fixing body to which the first output shaft is connected; A second fixing body to which the second output shaft is connected; A joint body located between the first fixing body and the second fixing body; A joint first shaft rotatably coupling the first fixing body to the joint body; A joint second shaft rotatably coupling the second fixing body to the joint body and orthogonal to the joint first shaft, the clothes processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. A rear cover through-hole formed to penetrate the rear cover; A shaft fastening part fixed to the rear cover to close the rear cover through-hole; A fastening part through-hole formed to penetrate the shaft fastening part and into which one end of the second output shaft is inserted; A nut coupled to one end of the second output shaft inserted into the fastening part through-hole and configured to fix the second output shaft to the shaft fastening part, further comprising the clothes processing apparatus according to Claim 2.

4. The shaft fastening part is A first fastening body fixed to the rear cover; A second fastening body located inside the drum and having the fastening part through-hole; The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 3, comprising a connecting body that connects the first fastening body to the second fastening body and is inserted into the rear cover through-hole.

5. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the diameter of the connecting body is set to decrease from the first fastening body toward the second fastening body.

6. The second output shaft is a fastening shaft connected to the joint, is a fixed shaft extending from the fastening shaft and inserted into the fastening portion through-hole, and has a thread provided on the circumferential surface of the fixed shaft to which the nut is coupled. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a fastening portion cover configured to be located inside the drum to close the rear cover through-hole and prevent the shaft fastening portion from being exposed inside the drum.

8. a cover through-hole formed to penetrate the fastening portion cover, a fastening groove provided at the center of the fixed shaft, and a bolt inserted into the cover through-hole, fixed to the fastening groove, and configured to fix the fastening portion cover to the fixed shaft. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The gear portion is a ring-shaped ring gear fixed to the housing, is a driving gear fixed to the input shaft and located inside the housing, is a cage fixed to the first output shaft and rotatable inside the housing, and has a driven gear rotatably fixed to the cage and connecting the driving gear and the ring gear. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 1.

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