Clothes treatment equipment

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device includes: a drum including a drum body, a front cover, and a rear cover; a fixed panel; a motor including a stator for forming a rotary magnetic field, and a rotating rotor; a hollow cylindrical housing; a ring gear fixed in the housing; a first shaft in which one end is fixed to the rotor and the other end is positioned in the housing; a main gear fixed to the first shaft and positioned in the housing; a second shaft which penetrates the fixed panel, in which one end is fixed to the rear cover and the other end is positioned in the housing, and which forms a concentric axis with the first shaft; a base which is positioned in the housing and to which the other end of the second shaft is fixed; and a driven gear including a first body rotatably fixed to the base, a first gear provided on a circular columnar surface of the first body, and connected to the main gear, a second body fixed to the first body and having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the first body, and a second gear provided on a circular columnar surface of the second body, and connected to the ring gear.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

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

[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 placed, and a drive unit (washing drive unit) that rotates the washing drum, while a dryer includes a drying drum in which clothes are placed, 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] In general, 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 movement of the pulley to the drying drum.

[0005] The washing drive unit connects the washing drum and rotor with the motor's rotating shaft. To wash or spin-dry clothes, the washing drive unit needs to control the washing drum's rotation speed or change the direction of rotation. If the motor's rotating shaft directly connects the washing drum and rotor, the washing drum's rotation speed and direction can be easily controlled.

[0006] On the other hand, 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 dryers do not need to maintain a high rotation speed of the dryer drum or change the rotation direction of the dryer drum, so it is acceptable to rotate the dryer drum using a power transmission unit such as a belt. However, if the rotation speed and rotation direction of the dryer drum could be changed, the movement of clothes inside the dryer drum could be controlled, which is expected to shorten the drying time and improve the drying performance of the dryer.

[0007] Conventionally, there have been washing machines 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 reducer and motor, the stator of the motor and the reducer are fixed to the tub, respectively. That is, the stator in conventional washing machines is fixed to the tub, not directly to the reducer (a structure in which the vibration amplitude of the stator and the vibration amplitude of the reducer may differ). With a drive unit of the above structure, it is difficult to maintain the concentricity of the input shaft connected to the rotor and the output shaft connected to the drum, and to maintain the gap between the stator and the rotor, when the tub and drum vibrate.

[0008] In addition, some conventional clothing processing devices capable of drying clothes are equipped with a supply flow path that supplies air to the drum, but conventional supply flow paths are not able to supply air evenly inside the drum, and are designed to concentrate and discharge air into a certain area of ​​the drum.

[0009] A conventional dryer (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0106034) in which a power transmission unit such as a belt connects the cylindrical surface of the drying drum to the rotating shaft of the motor includes a cylindrical drum body with open front and rear sides, a first support part that rotatably supports the front side of the drum body, a second support part that rotatably supports the rear side of the drum body, and a belt that connects the cylindrical surface of the drum body to the rotating shaft of the motor.

[0010] In this type of dryer, a belt rotates the drum body using a motor, but the belt requires high tension to rotate the drum body without slipping. A belt with high tension can minimize slippage when the motor rotates, but has the disadvantage of causing the drum body to deform due to the belt tension during rotation. If the drum body is deformed by the belt, clothes inside the drum body may become trapped in the space between the first support part and the front surface of the drum body or the space between the second support part and the rear surface of the drum body.

[0011] As a result, the motor must output a high torque to rotate the drum body without the belt slipping and to keep the drum body rotating when clothes are caught in the space between the support and the drum body.

[0012] Meanwhile, conventional dryers include a hollow cylindrical drum body, a front cover that forms the front surface of the drum body, a rear cover that forms the rear surface of the drum body, a rotating shaft that rotatably fixes the rear cover to the rear surface of the cabinet, and a belt that connects the cylindrical surface of the drum body to the rotating shaft of the motor. Dryers with this structure do not have the problem of clothes interfering with the rotation of the drum because the drum body does not deform during rotation, but they still have the disadvantage of requiring a motor that outputs high torque to control the drum rotation speed and quickly change the direction of rotation of the drum. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] The object of this application is to provide a clothing treatment device that has a drive unit that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum, and in which the rotation center of the rotor and the rotation center of the drum form a concentric axis.

[0014] Another object of the present application is to provide a clothes treating device that minimizes the volume of the drive unit.

[0015] Another object of the present application is to provide a clothes treating device that minimizes the concentration of airflow supplied to the drum in a certain area of ​​the drum (reducing drying time).

[0016] Another object of the present application is to provide a clothing treatment device having a cooling passage for cooling the stator.

[0017] Another problem solved by this application is to provide a clothing treatment device that not only minimizes deformation of the drum during rotation, but also allows for easy change of the drum rotation speed and direction even with a low-torque drive unit.

[0018] Another object of the present application is to provide a clothes treating device that minimizes vibrations of the drum in the front-to-back direction.

[0019] Another object of the present application is to provide a clothes treating device that minimizes vertical vibration of the drum.

[0020] The technical problems that can be solved by the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems that have not been mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0021] Further advantages, objects, and features of various embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the disclosure and accompanying drawings, and such aspects can be understood by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of this specification.

[0022] This application discloses a drum including 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 insertion port that passes through the front cover and communicates with the inside of the drum body, a fixed panel that is provided at a position separated from the rear cover, a hollow cylindrical housing that is fixed to the fixed panel, and a rotating magnetic field (rotating magnetic field) that is fixed to either the fixed panel or the housing. a link gear fixed in a housing; a first shaft having one end fixed to the rotor and the other end located in the housing; a driving gear fixed to the first shaft and located in the housing; a second shaft passing through a fixed panel, having one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end located in the housing, forming an axis concentric with the first shaft; a base located in the housing and to which the other end of the second shaft is fixed; a first body rotatably fixed to the base; a first gear provided on a cylindrical 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 provided with a second gear provided on a cylindrical surface of the second body and coupled to the link gear.

[0023] The diameter of the first gear is set to be longer than the diameter of the main driving gear, and the diameter of the second gear is set to be longer than the diameter of the main driving gear but shorter than the diameter of the first gear.

[0024] The diameter of the first gear is set to be longer than the diameter of the main driving gear, and the diameter of the second gear is set to be the same as the diameter of the main driving gear.

[0025] The housing includes a second housing fixed to the fixed panel and rotatably supporting the second shaft, and a first housing fixed to the second housing and rotatably supporting the first shaft.

[0026] The diameter of the cylindrical surface of the second housing is set smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical surface of the first housing, and the link gear is fixed to the cylindrical surface of the first housing.

[0027] The diameter of the cylindrical surface of the second housing is set smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical surface of the first housing, and the link gear is fixed to the cylindrical surface of the second housing.

[0028] The stator includes a core fixed to either the fixed panel or the housing, and a core through-hole passing through the core, with at least a partial area of ​​the housing being located inside the core through-hole.

[0029] The clothing processing device further includes a first shaft support portion protruding from the first housing toward the second housing, a first shaft through-hole through which the first shaft is inserted through the first shaft support portion, and a first shaft bearing that rotatably fixes the first shaft to the first shaft support portion.

[0030] The clothing processing device further includes a connecting shaft fixed to the base to form a rotation shaft of the driven gear, a base cover fixed to the connecting shaft to form a space in which the driven gear is accommodated, and a base cover through-hole that penetrates the base cover, and the free end of the first shaft support portion penetrates the base cover through-hole.

[0031] The first shaft bearing includes a first shaft first bearing and a first shaft second bearing provided along the longitudinal direction of the first shaft.

[0032] The clothing treatment device further includes a second shaft bearing that rotatably secures the second shaft to the second housing.

[0033] The second shaft bearing includes a second shaft first bearing and a second shaft second bearing provided along the longitudinal direction of the second shaft.

[0034] The clothing treatment device further includes a front panel having an input port and a door for opening and closing the input port, a support panel located between the front panel and the front cover, a support panel through-hole that penetrates the support panel, a drum connecting body that connects the support panel through-hole to the drum input port, a panel connecting body that connects the support panel through-hole to the input port, a first exhaust port that penetrates the panel connecting body, a second exhaust port that penetrates the fixed panel, an exhaust duct that connects the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port, a supply duct that supplies outside air to the drum, and a heat exchanger that heats the outside air that flows into the supply duct.

[0035] The clothing disposal device further includes a front panel having an input port and a door for opening and closing the input port, a support panel located between the front panel and the front cover, a support panel through-hole penetrating the support panel, a drum connecting body connecting the support panel through-hole to the drum input port, a panel connecting body connecting the support panel through-hole to the input port, a first exhaust port penetrating the panel connecting body, a second exhaust port penetrating the fixed panel, an exhaust duct connecting the first exhaust port and the second exhaust port, a heat exchanger that dehumidifies and heats air moving along the exhaust duct, a supply port penetrating the fixed panel, a supply duct that guides air discharged from the second exhaust port to the supply port, an air inlet having a number of holes arranged in a ring shape that penetrates the rear cover, and a flow path forming portion formed in a ring shape surrounding the air inlet and fixed to the fixed panel, and that guides air discharged from the supply port to the air inlet.

[0036] The clothing treatment device further includes a link-shaped damper that is provided at the free end of the drum connecting body or the drum inlet and connects the free end of the drum connecting body and the edge of the drum inlet.

[0037] The damper is made of felt.

[0038] The clothing processing device further includes a drive unit mounting groove formed by the fixed panel being curved concavely toward the rear panel, a fixed panel through-hole provided in the drive unit mounting groove and through which the second shaft passes, and a drive unit bracket fixed to the drive unit mounting groove and to which the housing and stator are fixed.

[0039] The clothing treatment device further includes a sealing portion provided on the drive unit bracket or the fixed panel to seal the through-hole of the fixed panel.

[0040] This application relates to a motor including a drum that provides a space for storing clothes, a fixed panel provided at a position separated from the drum, a hollow housing fixed to the fixed panel, a stator fixed to either the fixed panel or the housing to form a rotating magnetic field, and a rotor that rotates due to the rotating magnetic field, a link gear fixed within the housing, a first shaft having one end fixed to the rotor and the other end located within the housing, a drive gear fixed to the first shaft and located within the housing, and a drive gear that passes through the fixed panel and has one end fixed to the drum and the other end located within the housing, and a drive gear that passes through the fixed panel and has one end fixed to the drum and the other end located within the housing, and a drive gear that passes through the first shaft a second shaft 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 driven gear provided on the base and connecting the drive gear and the link gear, the driven gear being rotatably fixed to the base, two or more first bodies, a first gear provided on the cylindrical surface of each first body and connected to the drive gear, a second body protruding from each first body in a direction where the rotor is located and having a diameter smaller than that of the first body, and a second gear provided on the cylindrical surface of each second body and connected to the link gear.

[0041] The first gear is located between the base and the link gear, and the second gear is located between the first gear and one surface of the housing that is located in a direction toward the rotor.

[0042] The housing includes a second housing fixed to the fixed panel and rotatably supporting the second shaft, and a first housing fixed to the second housing and rotatably supporting the first shaft, and a link gear fixed thereto, the first gear being located in a space formed by the second housing, and the second gear being located in a space formed by the first housing.

[0043] The diameter of the first housing is set smaller than the diameter of the second housing.

[0044] The stator includes a core fixed to the housing, a core through-hole penetrating the core, and a coil provided on the cylindrical surface of the core, and at least a partial area of ​​the first housing is inserted into the core through-hole.

[0045] The clothing processing device further includes a first shaft support portion extending toward a space formed between the plurality of second gears of the first housing, a first shaft through-hole through which the first shaft is inserted through the first shaft support portion, and a first shaft bearing provided in the first shaft support portion to rotatably fix the first shaft to the first shaft support portion.

[0046] The first shaft bearing includes a first shaft first bearing and a second shaft bearing provided along the longitudinal direction of the first shaft, and either the first shaft first bearing or the second shaft bearing is located in a space formed between the second body.

[0047] This application provides a clothing treatment device including a drum that provides a space for storing clothing, a fixed panel located at a position spaced from the rear surface of the drum, a hollow housing fixed to the fixed panel, a core fixed to the housing, a core through-hole that passes through the core and provides a space for the housing to be stored, a coil provided on the cylindrical surface of the core to form a rotating magnetic field, and a motor having a rotor that rotates by the rotating magnetic field, 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 link gear fixed to the housing and located within the housing, a base rotatably provided within the housing, a second shaft having one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end fixed to the base, forming an axis concentric with the first shaft, and a driven gear rotatably provided on the base and connecting the driving gear and the link gear.

[0048] The housing includes a first housing located within the core through-hole, rotatably supporting the first shaft, and having an open surface facing the fixed panel, and a second housing fixed to the fixed panel, rotatably supporting the second shaft, and to which the first housing is fixed.

[0049] At least a portion of the second housing is located within the core through hole.

[0050] The clothing treatment device further includes a core mounting portion provided in the second housing to which the core is fixed.

[0051] The core mounting portion protrudes from the cylindrical surface of the second housing along the diameter direction of the core through-hole.

[0052] The clothing processing device includes a core bracket provided on the core, and a core fastening portion that fastens the core bracket, the first housing, and the second housing.

[0053] The clothing processing device further includes a first shaft support portion protruding from the first housing toward the second housing, a first shaft through-hole through which the first shaft is inserted through the first shaft support portion, and a first shaft bearing that rotatably fixes the first shaft to the first shaft support portion.

[0054] The first shaft bearing includes a first shaft first bearing and a first shaft second bearing fixed at positions spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the first shaft.

[0055] The clothing processing device further includes a second shaft support portion provided in the second housing, a second shaft through-hole through which the second shaft is inserted through the second shaft support portion, and a second shaft bearing that rotatably fixes the second shaft to the second shaft support portion.

[0056] The second shaft bearing includes a second shaft first bearing and a second shaft second bearing fixed at positions spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the second shaft.

[0057] The clothing processing device further includes a fixed panel through-hole that penetrates the fixed panel, and the second shaft support portion protrudes from the second housing in the insertion direction into the fixed panel through-hole.

[0058] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, as preferred embodiments of the present invention, are illustrative only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. [Effects of the Invention]

[0059] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide various advantages and / or features, such as:

[0060] According to this application, a clothing treatment device can be provided that has a drive unit that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum, and whose rotation center is concentric with that of the rotor and the drum.

[0061] Furthermore, according to this application, it is possible to provide a clothes treating device that minimizes the volume of the drive unit.

[0062] Furthermore, according to this application, it is possible to provide a clothes treating device that minimizes the concentration of the air flow supplied to the drum in a certain area of ​​the drum (reducing drying time).

[0063] Furthermore, according to this application, a clothing treatment device can be provided that includes a cooling passage for cooling the stator.

[0064] In addition, this application provides a clothing treatment device that not only minimizes deformation of the drum during rotation, but also makes it easy to change the drum rotation speed and rotation direction even with a low-torque drive unit.

[0065] Furthermore, this application provides a clothes treating device that minimizes vibrations of the drum in the front-to-back direction.

[0066] Furthermore, this application provides a laundry treatment device that minimizes vertical vibration of the drum.

[0067] It should be noted that the effects obtained by the present disclosure are not limited to the above effects, and other effects not mentioned above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0068] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a clothing processing device. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a clothing processing device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a driving unit. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a power transmission unit. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a power transmission unit. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a power transmission unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a supply unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cooling channel. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a power transmission unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a support panel. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a front support portion. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a front support portion. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a rear support portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0069]

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The control methods of elements or devices described below are merely illustrative of embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.

[0070] 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 and provides a space for storing clothing (items to be washed or dried), a supply unit 3 that supplies high-temperature dry air (air at a temperature higher than room temperature, air with a drier degree 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.

[0071] The cabinet 1 includes a front panel 11 that forms the front surface of the laundry treatment device and a base panel 17 that forms the bottom surface of the laundry treatment device. The front panel 11 is provided with an input port 111 that communicates with the drum 2, and the input port 111 is closed by a door 113.

[0072] The front panel 11 is provided with a control panel 115, which includes an input unit 116 for inputting user control commands and a display unit 117 for displaying information such as user-selectable control commands. The input unit 116 includes a power supply request unit for requesting power supply to the laundry 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.

[0073] The drum 2 is hollow and cylindrical. Figure 1 shows, as an example, a case in which the drum 2 is made up of a cylindrical drum body 21 with 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 opening 221 that connects the inside and outside of the drum body 21.

[0074] The drum body 21 further includes a lifter 26. The lifter 26 is provided by a board extending from the front cover 22 toward the rear cover 23 and protruding from the drum body 21 toward the center of rotation of the drum 2 (from the cylindrical surface of the drum toward the center of rotation of the drum).

[0075] When the laundry processing device 100 is a device for drying laundry only, the drum 2 does not need to have a drum through-hole that penetrates the drum body 21 to communicate the inside of the drum with the outside of the drum.

[0076] The drum 2 is rotatably fixed to either the first body support part 12 or the second body support part 15, but Figure 1 shows as an example a case where 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.

[0077] The body first support part 12 is fixed to the cabinet 1 and is composed of a support panel 121 located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22. Figure 1 shows, as an example, a case where 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.

[0078] 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 inlet 221, and a panel connecting body 126 that connects the support panel through-hole 122 and the inlet 111. The support panel through-hole 122 is a means that penetrates the support panel 121 and connects the inlet 111 and the drum inlet 221.

[0079] The drum connecting body 123 is a pipe fixed to the rear surface of the support panel 121 (the surface facing the drum inlet in the space provided by the support panel). One end of the drum 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 inlet 221 or is provided to contact the free end of the front cover 22 that forms the drum inlet 221.

[0080] 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.

[0081] The connecting 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 connecting damper 124 maintains a compressed state between the free end of the drum connecting body 123 and the edge of the drum inlet 221 (the free end of the front cover) (the compressed state is maintained by a rear support part, which will be described later). When the drum 2 vibrates between the support panel 121 and the fixed panel 151, this is intended to minimize separation of the drum inlet 221 from the drum connecting body 123. One example of the connecting damper 124 is felt, which is made by compressing fibers.

[0082] The panel connecting body 126 is 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.

[0083] 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 laundry treatment device 100 (the rear surface of the cabinet).

[0084] As shown in Figure 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 that curves concavely in the fixed panel 151 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.

[0085] 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 compared to a structure in which the open 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 drum has higher strength, deformation of the drum body 21 during rotation of the drum can be minimized, thereby minimizing the problem of clothes getting caught in the space between the drum body and the support panel or the space between the drum body and the fixed panel when the drum body 21 is deformed (the load on the drive unit can be minimized).

[0086] The support panel 121 is provided with a drum exhaust port (first exhaust port) 128, and the fixed panel 151 is provided with a panel exhaust port (second exhaust port) 157 and a supply port 158. The first exhaust port 128 is a hole that penetrates the panel connecting body 126.

[0087] The supply port 158 ​​is arranged so that a large number of through holes penetrating the fixed panel 151 surround the drive unit mounting groove 153 (the large number of through holes form a link surrounding the drive unit mounting groove).

[0088] 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 that guides the air discharged through the second exhaust port 157 to the supply port 158, and a heat exchanger 34 that is provided in the exhaust duct to sequentially dehumidify and heat the air. The first exhaust port 128 is provided with a filter 129 that filters the air moving from the drum 2 to the exhaust duct 31.

[0089] 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.

[0090] 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.

[0091] 1 includes a first heat exchanger (heat absorption part) 341 that removes moisture from the air that has flowed into the exhaust duct 31, a second heat exchanger (heat generation part) 343 that is provided in the exhaust duct 31 and heats the air that has passed through the heat absorption part 341, and a fan 359 that moves the air discharged from the drum 2 through the heat absorption part and the heat generation part in that order and then to the supply duct 32. In FIG. 1, as an example, the case where the fan 349 is located between the heat generation part 343 and the second duct 312 is shown.

[0092] 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 refrigerant circulation path. 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 adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant moving from the heat generating part 343 to the heat absorbing part 341.

[0093] The heat absorption unit 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 unit 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.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 2, the supply duct 32 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 and serves to guide the air discharged through the second exhaust port 157 to the supply port 158 ​​.

[0095] When the supply port 158 ​​is made up of a number of through holes arranged in a link shape, the supply duct 32 includes a duct body 321 fixed to the fixing panel 151 to form a flow path connecting the second exhaust port 157 and the supply port 158, and a rotor receiving portion 322 passing through the duct body 321. The supply duct 32 including the duct body 321 and the rotor receiving portion 322 forms a substantially link-shaped flow path, and the drive unit (D) fixed to the drive unit mounting groove 153 is exposed to the outside of the supply duct 32 through the rotor receiving portion 322.

[0096] An air inlet 233 penetrating the rear cover 23 is provided in the drum 2 so that air supplied into the cabinet 1 through 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.

[0097] The air inlet 233 is arranged such that a number of holes passing through the rear cover 23 form a link surrounding the rotation center of the drum 2. One end of the flow path forming part 159 (the end fixed to the fixed panel) surrounds the supply port 158, and the other end (the end in contact with the drum) consists of a pipe 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 highly elastic material (such as rubber).

[0098] The radius of the link formed by the air inlet 233 (the inner or outer diameter of the link) is set to at least half the radius of the rear cover 23. This allows the air moving into the drum through the air inlet 233 to move along the cylindrical surface of the drum.

[0099] As described above, when the air inlet 233 is provided and the supply section 3 is controlled to supply air when the drum rotates at a rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of 1 G or more (when the clothes rotate in close contact with the cylindrical surface of the drum), the clothes processing device can shorten the drying time.

[0100] Unlike the illustration, the supply section 3 includes an exhaust duct connecting the first exhaust port 128 and the second exhaust port 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 that flows into the supply duct.

[0101] The clothing treatment device 100 further includes a sensor 13 for sensing the dryness of the clothing placed in the drum 2. The sensor 13 can measure the dryness by measuring the electrical resistance when the clothing comes into contact with the sensor 13, by measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 2, or by measuring the temperature of the refrigerant circulating along the refrigerant pipe 348.

[0102] 2 shows an example in which the sensing unit 13 is configured to measure the electrical resistance of the clothes. The sensing unit 13 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a first electrode 131 and a second electrode 133 fixed to the support panel 121. The first electrode 131 and the second electrode 133 are fixed to the support panel 121 and maintained spaced apart from each other. The first electrode 131 and the second electrode 133 are fixed in the space provided by the support panel 121 below a horizontal line passing through the center of the input opening 111. In this case, the two electrodes 131 and 133 can easily come into contact with the clothes when they are located below a horizontal line passing through the center of rotation of the drum 2 (when the clothes are located at the lowest point of the drum).

[0103] As the dryness of the clothes increases, the amount of moisture remaining in the clothes decreases, and the higher the dryness, the smaller the current magnitude detected by the sensor 13. Therefore, the control unit (not shown) can estimate the dryness of the clothes by monitoring the current magnitude flowing through the sensor.

[0104] When the dryness of the clothes is low, the temperature of the air discharged from the drum 2 becomes low, and as the dryness increases, the temperature of the air discharged from the drum becomes high. Therefore, the sensor 13 is provided to sense the temperature of the air discharged from the drum. As shown in Figure 1, the sensor 13 is made up of a temperature sensor 135 (air temperature sensor) provided in the exhaust duct 31.

[0105] Since the temperature of the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant pipe changes depending on the dryness of the clothes, the sensing unit 13 is made up of a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the refrigerant moving along the refrigerant pipe (such as the temperature of the refrigerant moving from the heat absorbing unit to the compressor, or the temperature of the refrigerant moving from the compressor to the heat generating unit). Figure 1 shows an example in which the sensing unit 13 is made up of a temperature sensor 137 (refrigerant temperature sensor) that senses the temperature of the refrigerant moving from the compressor 345 to the heat generating unit 343.

[0106] The sensing unit 13 includes at least two of two electrodes 131 and 133 for measuring the electrical resistance of the clothes, a temperature sensor 135 for measuring the temperature of the air discharged from the drum, and a temperature sensor 137 for measuring the temperature of the refrigerant.

[0107] 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.

[0108] 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 with greater strength than the fixing panel) fixed to the driving unit mounting groove 153.

[0109] 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.

[0110] 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 that penetrates the core, and electromagnets 513 and coils that are arranged at equal intervals on the cylindrical surface of the core 511.

[0111] The rotor 52 includes a disk-shaped rotor body 52a, a pipe-shaped rotor cylindrical surface 52b fixed to the rotor body, and a number of permanent magnets 525 fixed to the rotor cylindrical surface 52b. The permanent magnets 525 are fixed to the rotor cylindrical surface 52b so that their north and south poles are alternately exposed.

[0112] The power transmission unit 6 is hollow and cylindrical, and includes a housing 61 fixed to the fixed panel 151, a link 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 link gear 62, a cage 67 which 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.

[0113] 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 .

[0114] 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.

[0115] The housing 61 is preferably 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.

[0116] 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, which is connected to the first housing 61a and closes the open surface of the first housing.

[0117] 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.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 4, the first shaft support portion 611 is made of a pipe that protrudes from the first housing 61a toward the rotor body 52a, or from the first housing 61a toward the second housing 61b.

[0119] If the first shaft support portion 611 consists of a pipe protruding from the first housing 61a toward the second housing 61b (a pipe protruding from the first housing toward the center of the housing), it has the effect of minimizing the volume of the housing 61 (the effect of minimizing the volume of the drive unit and the volume of the clothing processing device).

[0120] 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.

[0121] The second shaft support portion 616 is made 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).

[0122] The first shaft bearing 613 includes a first shaft first bearing 613a and a first shaft second bearing 613b arranged along the longitudinal 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 arranged along the longitudinal direction of the second shaft 65.

[0123] If the first and second shaft bearings each consist of two or more bearings 613a, 613b, 618a, 618b, it is possible to minimize the misalignment of the first and second shafts 63, 65 when the rotor 52 rotates (it is possible to minimize the vibration generated in the drive unit).

[0124] 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 a clothing treatment device 100 having a cabinet 1 with limited volume so that multiple bearings support the rotation shaft. However, the above-mentioned clothing treatment 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 allowing the number of bearings 613, 618 to be increased.

[0125] 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.

[0126] 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 the inner cylindrical surface of the link gear body (the cylindrical surface forming the link gear body through-hole).

[0127] The link gear 62 is fixed to the housing with the 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 set smaller than the diameter of the second housing 61b, the link gear 62 is fixed to the cylindrical surface of the first housing 61a.

[0128] 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.

[0129] The second shaft 65 is inserted into the fixing panel through-hole 155 to connect the base 671 and the rear cover 23 of the drum. 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 to which one end of the second shaft 65 is fixed.

[0130] As shown in Figure 2, in order to minimize an increase in drum volume 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 curves in the direction in which the rear cover 23 moves away from the fixed panel 151. The axle bracket mounting groove 231 is provided in the same position as the driver mounting groove 153, and it is desirable that the diameter of the axle bracket mounting groove 231 be larger than the diameter of the driver mounting groove 153. This is to minimize the risk of the rear cover 23 colliding with the driver mounting groove 153 when the drum 2 rotates.

[0131] The driven gear 677 is made up of multiple gears spaced apart by the same angle, but FIG. 3 shows an example in which the driven gear 677 and the connecting shaft 675 are made up of three gears and shafts spaced apart by 120°.

[0132] 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 cylindrical 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 cylindrical surface of the second body 677c and coupled to the link gear 62.

[0133] 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. 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).

[0134] In order to seal the fixed panel through-hole 155 (to prevent the air supplied to the drum from leaking outside the cabinet), a sealing portion 41 is further provided on the driver bracket 4 or the fixed panel 151. When the driver bracket 4 is in the form of a link surrounding the fixed panel through-hole 155 and the housing 61 is fixed to the driver bracket 4 so as to be positioned in the core through-hole 512, the sealing portion 41 seals the space formed between the driver bracket 4 and the second housing 61b.

[0135] The drive unit (D) shown in Fig. 5 has the same structure as the drive unit (D) shown in Fig. 4, except that the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61. That is, in the drive unit (D) of Fig. 4, the stator 51 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 via the drive unit bracket 4, whereas in the drive unit (D) of Fig. 5, the stator 51 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 via the housing 61 of the power transmission unit.

[0136] 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 formed of a protrusion that protrudes in a direction away from the cylindrical surface of the second housing 61b along the diameter direction of the second housing 61b.

[0137] The operation of the driving part (D) having the above-mentioned structure will be described below. As shown in Figure 6, when the rotor 52 rotates clockwise, the first shaft 63 and the main driving gear 631 also rotate clockwise.

[0138] When the driving gear 631 rotates clockwise, the driven gear 677 rotates counterclockwise due to the first gear 677b. When the first gear 677b rotates counterclockwise, the second gear 677d also rotates counterclockwise. Because 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. Because 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.

[0139] 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 spacing between the stator and the rotor. Assume that the stator 51 is fixed to the fixed panel 151 rather than the housing 61. In this case, vibrations of the drum 2 and the fixed panel 151 are transmitted to the second shaft 65, and vibrations of the fixed panel 151 are transmitted to the first shaft 63. If the vibration amplitude of the drum 2 differs from that of the fixed panel 151, it becomes difficult to maintain the desired spacing and concentricity between the first and second shafts, and the spacing between the stator coil 513 and the rotor permanent magnet 525. However, when the stator 51 is fixed to the housing 61, the vibrations transmitted from the outside to the first and second shafts are the same, thereby solving the above-mentioned problems.

[0140] As shown, the diameter of first gear 677b is set to be longer than the diameter of main driving gear 631, and the diameter of second gear 677d is set to be longer than the diameter of main driving gear 631 but shorter than the diameter of first gear 677b. Although not shown, the diameter of second gear 677d may be set to be the same as the diameter of main driving gear 631.

[0141] When the first gear, the second gear and the main driving gear are provided as described above, the driving part (D) rotates the drum 2 at a rotation speed lower than that of the rotor 52. That is, the driving part (D) also functions as a reducer.

[0142] As described above, a number of through holes 158a, 158b arranged in a linked manner are formed in the rear cover 23 of the drum. As shown in Fig. 7, the clothing treatment device 100 is further provided with a flow path guide 324 that uniformly supplies air discharged from the second exhaust port 157 to the through holes.

[0143] Since air moves in the direction of lower flow resistance, in the case of a clothing treatment device 100 that does not have a flow path guide 324, the amount of air that flows into the duct body 321 through the second exhaust port 157 tends to differ between the amount that moves clockwise and the amount that moves counterclockwise within the duct body 321. For example, if the amount of air moving clockwise within the duct body 321 is greater than the amount of air moving counterclockwise within the duct body 321, a large amount of air is supplied to the through-hole 158a located to the left of the reference line (L), while a small amount of air is supplied to the through-hole 158b located to the right of the reference line (L).

[0144] The above-mentioned imbalance in the amount of air supplied causes an imbalance in the amount of air supplied to the clothes in the drum 2. In other words, the amount of air supplied varies depending on the position of the clothes, which can cause problems such as an increase in drying time, some clothes being over-dried, and some clothes not being dried at all.

[0145] The above problem can be solved by maintaining the amount of air moving through the duct body 321 in the clockwise direction similar or equal to the amount of air moving through the duct body in the counterclockwise direction.

[0146] The flow path guide 324 includes a first inclined surface that guides a portion of the air discharged from the second exhaust port 157 to the left of the reference line (L), and a second inclined surface that guides the remainder of the air discharged from the second exhaust port 157 to the right of the reference line (L). Therefore, a portion of the air that has flowed into the duct body 321 due to the flow path guide 324 moves to the through hole 158a located on the left side of the reference line (L), and the remainder moves to the through hole 158b located on the right side of the reference line (L).

[0147] The reference line (L) is set as a straight line passing through the center of the rotor accommodating portion 322 and the center of the second exhaust port 157. Unlike the illustration, the reference line (L) may be set as a straight line passing through a point in the rotor accommodating portion 322 and a point in the second exhaust port 157.

[0148] Furthermore, the supply duct 32 is provided with a protruding wall 323 that divides the inside of the duct body 321 into two spaces. The protruding wall 323 is a protrusion that protrudes from the duct body 321 toward the fixed panel 151, or from the fixed panel 151 toward the duct body 321. Figure 7 shows the case where the protruding wall 323 protrudes from the duct body 321 toward the fixed panel 151.

[0149] The free end of the protruding wall 323 is formed so as to contact or not contact the fixed panel 151. Figure 7 shows a case where the free end of the protruding wall 323 and the fixed panel 151 do not contact each other.

[0150] It is desirable that the protruding wall 323 be provided at a position where the number of through holes 158a located to the left of the reference line (L) is equal to the number of through holes 158b located to the right of the reference line. When the reference line (L) is provided so as to divide the number of through holes into two, the protruding wall 323 is configured to be located on the reference line (L).

[0151] In the clothing treatment device 100 having the above-described structure, the duct body 321 surrounds the motor 5 (the motor is located inside the rotor housing), so there is a possibility that the motor 5 may overheat.

[0152] For effective cooling of the motor 5 (for cooling the stator), the clothing processing device 100 is further provided with a cooling passage 35. As shown in Fig. 8, the cooling passage 35 includes a duct cover 355 fixed to the duct body 321 to close the rotor accommodating portion 322, a supply passage 351 provided in the duct body 321 to supply outside air to the rotor accommodating portion 322, and an exhaust passage 353 provided in the duct body 321 to guide the air inside the rotor accommodating portion 322 to the outside of the rotor accommodating portion 322.

[0153] The supply flow path 351 and the exhaust flow path 353 are formed as grooves curved concavely on the upper surface of the duct body 321. When the exhaust flow path 353 is formed as a groove curved on the upper surface of the duct body 321 toward the fixed panel 151, the protruding wall 323 is formed by a part of the duct body 321 protruding from the fixed panel 151 to form the exhaust flow path 353.

[0154] When rotor 52 rotates, outside air flows into rotor accommodating portion 322 through supply flow path 351 , and the air inside rotor accommodating portion 322 is discharged to the outside of rotor accommodating portion 322 through exhaust flow path 353 .

[0155] In order to make it easier for the air that has flowed into the supply passage 351 to be discharged through the exhaust passage 353 (for effective cooling of the motor), vanes 523 are further provided on the rotor 52. The vanes 523 are boards that protrude from the rotor body 52a toward the duct cover 355.

[0156] The vane 523 may consist of one plate or multiple plates. In either case, the vane 523 is preferably provided parallel to the diameter of the rotor body 52a. When the vane 523 consists of plates parallel to the diameter of the rotor body, it can function as an impeller to forcibly move air.

[0157] The rotor 52 further includes rotor through-holes 521 that penetrate the rotor body 52a so that heat generated in the stator 51 can be more effectively dissipated to the rotor accommodating portion 322. The rotor through-holes 521 are arranged such that a number of holes form a link surrounding the first shaft 63.

[0158] The rotor through-hole 521 is formed as a slit whose length in the diameter direction of the rotor body 52a is set longer than its length in the circumferential direction of the rotor body 52a. In this case, the vanes 523 are fixed to the edge of the rotor through-hole 521 that is parallel to the diameter direction of the rotor body 52a.

[0159] In order to easily dissipate heat generated in the stator 51 to the rotor accommodating portion 322, the drive unit mounting groove 153 is further provided with a guide passage 357. The guide passage 357 is a means for guiding the air in the drive unit mounting groove 153 to the exhaust passage 353.

[0160] In order to more effectively cool the motor 5, the supply passage 351, the center of rotation of the rotor 52, and the exhaust passage 353 are arranged on a straight line. Figure 7 shows an example in which the supply passage 351, the center of rotation of the rotor 52, the guide passage 357, and the exhaust passage 353 are arranged on a reference line (L).

[0161] The power transmission unit 6 shown in Figures 4 and 5 has a structure in which the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 moves sequentially from the direction in which the rotor 52 is located to the direction in which the drum 2 is located (a structure in which kinetic energy is transmitted in a forward direction), or a structure in which the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 moves forward, backward, and forward again from the direction in which the rotor 52 is located to the direction in which the drum 2 is located (a structure including a process in which kinetic energy is transmitted in a backward direction).

[0162] FIG. 9(a) shows an example of a power transmission unit having a structure in which the kinetic energy of the rotor is transmitted in the forward direction, and FIG. 9(b) shows an example of a power transmission unit in which the kinetic energy of the rotor is transmitted in the forward direction, reverse direction, and forward direction.

[0163] 9(a) includes a first body 677a rotatably fixed to a base 671, a first gear 677b provided on the cylindrical surface of the first body 677a and coupled to the driving gear 631, a second body 677c protruding from the first body 677a toward the drum 2, and a second gear 677d provided on the cylindrical surface of the second body and coupled to the link gear 62. In this case, the first gear 677b is located between the first housing 61a and the link gear 62, and the second gear 677d is located between the first gear 677b and one surface of the second housing 61b. The drawings show, as an example, a case where the first gear 677b is located in the space provided by the first housing 61a, and the second gear 677d is located in the space provided by the second housing 61b.

[0164] In the power transmission section of Figure 9(a), the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 is transmitted by the first shaft 63 as kinetic energy of the driving gear 631, the kinetic energy of the driving gear 631 is transmitted to the first gear 677b and the second gear 677d, and the kinetic energy of the second gear 677d is transmitted to the base 671 and the second shaft 65. Since this transfer of kinetic energy is sequential from the rotor 52 to the drum 2, Figure 9(a) is defined as a forward power transmission structure.

[0165] 9(b) includes a first body 677a rotatably fixed to the base 671, a first gear 677b provided on the cylindrical surface of the first body 677a and coupled to the driving gear 631, a second body 677c protruding from the first body 677a toward the rotor 52, and a second gear 677d provided on the cylindrical surface of the second body and coupled to the link gear 62. In this case, the first gear 677b is located between the base 671 and the link gear 62, and the second gear 677d is located between the first gear 677b and one surface of the first housing 61a. The drawings show, as an example, a case where the first gear 677b is located in a space provided by the second housing 61b, and the second gear 677d is located in a space provided by the first housing 61a.

[0166] In the power transmission section of FIG. 9(b), the kinetic energy of the rotor 52 is transmitted by the first shaft 63 as kinetic energy to the driving gear 631, and the kinetic energy of the driving gear 631 is transmitted to the first gear 677b (forward transmission of kinetic energy). The kinetic energy of the first gear 677b is transmitted to the second gear 677d, but the second gear 677d is arranged in the direction of the rotor, not the direction of the drum. Therefore, the kinetic energy of the first gear 677b is transmitted in the reverse direction. The kinetic energy of the second gear 677d is then transmitted to the second shaft 65 via the base 671. However, because the base 671 is located between the first gear 677b and the second housing 61b, the kinetic energy of the second gear 677d is transmitted to the second shaft 65 in the forward direction.

[0167] 9(a), the second body 677c is formed as a cylinder protruding from the first body 677a toward the second housing 61b, whereas the power transmission unit of FIG. 9(b) is formed as a cylinder protruding from the first body toward the first housing 61a. Therefore, the driven gear 677 of FIG. 9(b) can form a space between the second gear 677d into which the free end of the first shaft support portion 611 is inserted, so the volume of the power transmission unit 61 of FIG. 9(b) is smaller than the volume of the power transmission unit of FIG. 9(a).

[0168] Furthermore, in the case of Figure 9(b), if any of the multiple bearings 613a, 613b that make up the first shaft bearing 613 is provided in the first shaft through hole 612 so as to be positioned in the space formed by the second gear 677d, the volume of the power transmission unit 6 can be further reduced.

[0169] Meanwhile, in order to minimize the volume of the driving part (D), the power transmission part 6 provided in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) has at least a partial area of ​​the first housing 61a inserted into the core through-hole 512.

[0170] As shown in Figure 1, in the clothing treatment device 100 having the above-described structure, 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 toward the rear of the clothing treatment device (in the X-axis direction) due to vibration, the front cover 22 may be separated from the drum connecting body 123.

[0171] 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.

[0172] Also, when the front cover 22 is separated from the drum connecting body 123, the clothes are caught in the space between the front cover and the drum connecting body, which causes a large load on the motor.

[0173] To solve this problem, the clothing treatment device 100 further includes either front support parts 7 and 8 that support the front cover 22 or a rear support part 9 that supports the rear cover 23. Figure 1 shows, as an example, a clothing treatment device 100 that includes both the front support parts 7 and 8 and the rear support part 9.

[0174] The front support parts 7 and 8 are arranged to minimize movement of the front cover 22 along the height direction (Z-axis direction) and width direction (Y-axis direction) of the support panel 121, 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).

[0175] As shown in Figure 10, the front support part includes a first front support part 7 that supports the area of ​​the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22 that is located below the horizontal line (H) that passes through the center of rotation of the drum, and a second front support part 8 that supports the area of ​​the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22 that is located above the horizontal line (H).

[0176] The front first support part 7 is provided on either the base panel 17 or the support panel 121 and is a means for setting the range in which the drum insertion opening 221 can move along the width direction (+Y, -Y axis direction) of the support body 121 and the range in which the drum insertion opening 221 can move toward the direction in which the base panel 17 is located (-Z axis direction).

[0177] The front first support portion 7 includes a first roller 71 rotatably fixed to the support panel 121 via a first roller shaft 711 , and a second roller 73 rotatably fixed to the support panel 121 via a second roller shaft 731 .

[0178] In order to minimize the load input to the shafts 711 and 731 of the respective rollers, it is desirable that the first roller 71 and the second roller 73 are positioned symmetrically with respect to a vertical line (V) passing through the center of rotation of the drum.

[0179] In addition, in order to minimize the transmission of drum vibration to the cabinet via rollers 71 and 73, each roller 71 and 73 is arranged to come into contact with the cylindrical surface of the front cover when vibrations exceeding a predetermined reference displacement occur in the drum (each roller remains spaced apart from the front cover).

[0180] The front second support part 8 is provided on the support panel 121 and is a means for setting the range within which the drum insertion opening 221 can move in the direction (+Z) away from the base panel 17. As shown in Fig. 11, the front second support part 8 includes a front support frame 81 fixed to the support panel 121 and positioned higher than the front cover 22, and support dampers 83 and 85 fixed to the front support frame 81 and restricting movement of the front cover 22 along the height direction of the support body 121.

[0181] To secure the front support frame 81, the support panel 121 is provided with a support portion mounting groove 125 that is concavely curved in the direction in which the support panel 121 moves away from the front cover 22, and the mounting groove 125 is provided with a slot 125a, and the front support frame 81 is provided with a fastening portion 811 that is inserted into the slot 125a.

[0182] As shown in FIG. 12( a ), the support damper includes a first damper 83 fixed to the front support frame 81 and a second damper 85 fixed to the first damper 83 and capable of supporting the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22 .

[0183] In order for the support dampers 83 and 85 to effectively reduce vibrations of the drum 2, the first damper 83 is made of a material having a larger elastic modulus than the second damper 85. That is, the second damper 85 is made of the same felt as the connecting damper 124, and the first damper 83 is made of rubber or the like.

[0184] As described above, the connecting damper 124 is fixed to the damper mounting groove 123a formed in a link shape at the free end of the drum connecting body 123, and is kept pressed toward the support panel 121 by the front cover 22. This minimizes separation between the drum connecting body 123 and the edge of the drum inlet 221.

[0185] 12(b) shows another embodiment of the front second support part 8. The front second support part 8 according to this embodiment is made up of a front roller 87 that is rotatably fixed to the front support frame 81 via a roller shaft 871 and can support the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22.

[0186] Unlike the illustration, the first front support part 7 supports the cylindrical surface of the drum body 21, not the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22. In this case, each roller 71, 73 supports the area of ​​the cylindrical surface of the drum body 21 that is located below the horizontal line (H). When we say that each roller 71, 73 supports the cylindrical surface of the drum body (or the cylindrical surface of the front cover), we mean both cases where each roller 71, 73 contacts the cylindrical surface of the drum body, and where it is separated so as to contact the drum body when vibrations exceeding the reference displacement occur in the drum.

[0187] Similarly, the front second support part 8 also supports the area located above the horizontal line (H) of the cylindrical surface of the drum body 21. That is, the second damper 85 supports the area located above the horizontal line (H) of the cylindrical surface of the drum body 21, and the front roller 87 is provided to support the area located above the horizontal line (H) of the cylindrical surface of the drum body 21.

[0188] The second damper 85 and the front roller 87 supporting the cylindrical surface of the drum body (or the cylindrical surface of the front cover) means that the second damper 85 and the front roller 87 come into contact with the cylindrical surface of the drum body, and that they are spaced apart so as to come into contact with the drum body when vibrations greater than the reference displacement occur in the drum.

[0189] As shown in Figure 10, the narrower the distance between the first roller 71 and the second roller 73 (the closer the first roller and the second roller are positioned to the lowest point of the front cover), the greater the possibility that the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22 will come out of the space formed by the first roller 71, the second roller 73 and the front second support part 8.

[0190] To stably support the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22 while preventing a sudden increase in the load acting on the shafts 711, 731 of the rollers (to improve the durability of the roller shafts), it is desirable to set the angle (A3) formed by the line connecting the rotation center 711, 731 of each roller to the rotation center C of the drum and the vertical line (V) to be less than 60°. This is because if the angle (A3) of the line connecting the rotation center 711, 731 of the rollers to the vertical line (V) exceeds 60°, the external force input to the shafts 711, 731 of the rollers will increase suddenly.

[0191] For example, the angle (A3) of the roller axis relative to the vertical line is set to 50° to 52°, and the angle (A4) formed by the straight line connecting each roller axis 711, 731 with the drum rotation center (C) relative to the horizontal line connecting the two roller axes is set to 40° to 38°.

[0192] Furthermore, the angle (A1) between the line (L1) connecting the rotation center 711 of the first roller to the center of the front second support part 8 and the line (L2) connecting the rotation center 731 of the second roller to the center of the front second support part 8 is set to 30° to 50°. In this case, the angle (A2) formed by the horizontal line (L3) connecting the rotation centers 711, 731 of the two rollers and the lines (L1, L2) connecting the rotation centers 711, 731 of each roller to the center of the front second support part 8 forms an angle of 65° to 75°.

[0193] Meanwhile, it is desirable that the distance (G1) between the top ends of the first and second rollers 71, 73 and the bottom end of the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22 is longer than the distance (G2) between the second front support part 8 and the top end of the cylindrical surface of the front cover 22. In other words, it is desirable that the distance (G3) between the cylindrical surface of the rollers and the cylindrical surface of the front cover be set shorter than the distance (G2) between the second front support part 8 and the top end of the cylindrical surface of the front cover.

[0194] When the drum vibrates, the two rollers 71 and 73 limit the vibration of the drum ahead of the front second support part 8, thereby minimizing vibration of the center of rotation of the drum along the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the support body 121. When the drum rotates with clothes loaded, vibrations generated in the drum toward the bottom end of the support body (-Z-axis direction) and the width direction of the support body (Y-axis direction) are often greater than vibrations toward the top end of the support body (+Z-axis direction). Therefore, when the front first support part 7 and the front second support part 8 are arranged as described above, vibrations generated at the beginning of the drum rotation can be effectively reduced.

[0195] 13 is a diagram showing an example of the rear support part 9. As described above, the rear support part 9 is a means for setting either the range in which the rear cover 23 can move toward the fixed panel 151 or the range in which the rear cover 23 can move toward the base panel 17.

[0196] 13(a) and 13(b), the rear support part 9 is fixed to the exhaust duct 31, but the rear support part 9 may be fixed to the base panel 17, the fixing panel 12, or the base panel and the fixing panel. For convenience, the following description will be based on the case where the rear support part 9 is fixed to the exhaust duct 31.

[0197] The rear support portion 9 in Figure 13(a) includes a rear support frame 91 fixed to the exhaust duct 31, and a seat portion 93 provided on the rear support frame 91 to limit either the rear displacement in which the rear cover 23 moves toward the fixed panel 151 or the downward displacement in which the rear cover 23 moves toward the base panel 17.

[0198] The seat portion 93 supports the joint surface between the drum body 21 and the rear cover 23. In this case, it is desirable that the seat portion 93 be provided in accordance with the shape of the joint portion 97 between the drum body 21 and the rear cover 23.

[0199] That is, when the joint 97 between the drum body 21 and the rear cover 23 is formed by seaming (an assembly method in which one end of the drum body and the edge of the rear cover are folded together to join the drum body and the rear cover), an L-shaped corner is formed at the joint 97. The seat portion 93 is fixed to the rear support frame 91 and includes a first seat surface 931 extending along the drum height direction (+Z-axis direction), and a second seat surface 933 extending from the rear support frame 91 toward the support panel (-X-axis direction). The first seat surface 931 is located in the space between the rear surface of the joint 97 (the surface facing the fixed panel) and the fixed panel 151 to limit rearward displacement, and the second seat surface 933 is located in the space between the bottom end of the joint 97 and the base panel 17 to limit downward displacement.

[0200] The first seat surface 931 may be maintained in contact with the connecting portion 97, or may be brought into contact with the connecting portion 97 only when the drum is displaced rearward by a predetermined reference displacement or more.

[0201] Similarly, the second seat surface 933 may maintain contact with the connecting portion 97, or may contact the connecting portion 97 only when the drum is displaced downward by a predetermined reference displacement or more.

[0202] When the rear cover 23 and the seat portion 93 are provided so as to come into contact with each other, the seat portion 93 is made of felt in order to reduce the frictional force acting on the drum (to reduce the load on the motor).

[0203] 13(b) includes a rear support frame 91 fixed to the exhaust duct 31 and a rear roller 95 rotatably fixed to the rear support frame 91 and in contact with the rear cover 23. The rear roller 95 is rotatably fixed to the free end of the rear support frame 91 via a roller shaft 951.

[0204] The rear cover 23 is further provided with a roller receiving groove 235 that provides a space for inserting a part of the rear roller 95. The roller receiving groove 235 is a groove in which the surface of the rear cover 23 curves toward the front cover 22. The roller receiving groove 235 forms a circle surrounding the center of the rear cover 23 (the rotation center of the drum).

[0205] The rear roller 95 may be kept in contact with the rear cover 23, or may be brought into contact with the rear cover 23 only when the drum is displaced rearward by a predetermined reference displacement or more.

[0206] The above-mentioned front support parts 7 and 8 and rear support part 9 can minimize movement of the drum inlet 221 in the direction (-X axis direction, +Z axis direction, -Z axis direction) in which it separates from the drum connecting body 123. Therefore, the garment treatment device 100 can minimize leakage of air supplied to the drum and minimize the problem of garments being caught between the drum and the support panel 121.

[0207] Minimizing the problem of clothes getting caught between the drum and the support panel means minimizing the load on the drive, which means that the speed and direction of rotation of the drum can be controlled by a motor that produces a small torque.

[0208] Although the above-mentioned clothing treatment device 100 has been described based on the case where it is equipped with a circulation type drying system, this clothing treatment device 100 can also be applied to an exhaust type drying system. A circulation type 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 type drying system is a drying method that heats outside air and supplies it to the drum 2, and after heat exchange is complete, exhausts the air discharged from the drum 2 to the outside of the cabinet 1.

[0209] 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 that flows into the supply duct.

[0210] Although the above-mentioned clothing treatment device 100 has been described based on the case where it is equipped with a circulation type drying system, this clothing treatment device 100 can also be applied to an exhaust type drying system. A circulation type 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 type drying system is a drying method that heats outside air and supplies it to the drum 2, and after heat exchange is complete, exhausts the air discharged from the drum 2 to the outside of the cabinet 1.

[0211] 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 that flows into the supply duct.

[0212] 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 characteristics of the present disclosure. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the scope of the present disclosure that fall within the equivalent range are embraced within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A device for processing clothes, comprising: Cabinet (1), a drum (2) rotatably mounted within the cabinet to provide a space for storing clothes; a motor (5) arranged to generate power for rotating the drum; a power transmission unit (6) provided to transmit the power to the drum, The motor (5) includes a stator (51) in which a rotating magnetic field is generated and a rotor (52) that rotates due to the rotating magnetic field, The power transmission unit (6) a first shaft (63) fixed to the rotor; a second shaft (65) fixed to the drum; a housing (61) provided to rotatably support the first shaft and the second shaft; a driven gear (677) located within the housing and coupled to the first shaft for rotation; a cage (67) to which the second shaft (65) is fixed and which is rotated by the driven gear (677); a first shaft bearing (613) provided in the housing for rotatably supporting the first shaft; The driven gear (677) a first gear (677b) coupled to the first shaft; a second gear (677d) having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the first gear; The second gear (677d) is disposed on the first gear toward the direction in which the rotor (52) is located, The apparatus, wherein the first shaft bearing (613) is arranged to at least partially overlap the second gear (677d) in the radial direction of the first shaft (63).

2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a center of rotation of the first axial bearing (613) and an axis of rotation of the second gear (677d) are spaced apart from each other in the radial direction and are arranged parallel to each other.

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the housing (61) includes a first shaft support (611) extending toward the space formed between the second gears.

4. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first axial bearing (613) is rotatably fixed to the first axial support (611).

5. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first axial support (611) comprises an extension recessed axially inward from the housing (61).

6. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first axial bearing (613) comprises two or more bearings (613a, 613b) disposed along the length of the extension.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one of the two or more bearings (613a, 613b) is located in a space formed between the second gears (677d).

8. The housing (61) a first housing (61 a) that is provided to rotatably support the first shaft (63) and that accommodates the second gear (677 d); a second housing (61 b) that is provided to rotatably support the second shaft (65) and that houses the first gear (677 b); 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first housing (61a) is set to be smaller than the diameter of the second housing (61b).

9. The stator (51) is fixed to the first housing (61a), 9. The device according to claim 8, wherein at least one partial region of the first housing (61a) is located on the stator (51).

10. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the housing (61) further includes a mounting portion extending on the second housing (61b) for securing the stator.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second gear is disposed inside the stator.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first axial bearing is disposed inside the stator.

13. Further comprising a link gear (62) fixed inside the housing (61); The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the link gear is adapted to couple to the second gear (677d).

14. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the link gear (62) is spaced apart from the first gear (677b).

15. The housing (61) includes a second shaft support portion (613) for rotatably supporting the second shaft (65), and a second shaft bearing (618) for rotatably fixing the second shaft (65) to the second shaft support portion (613), 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second shaft bearing (618) comprises two or more bearings (618a, 618b) disposed along the length of the second shaft (65).

16. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first shaft bearing (613) is disposed between the first shaft (63) and the second gear (677d).

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