Clothing processing equipment

Abstract

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

Description

Technical Field

[0006]

[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 (washing target or drying target), 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 other hand, conventional drying drive units generally have a structure in which a power transmission unit such as a belt connects the drying drum and the motor's rotating shaft. This is because dryers do not require a high rotational speed for the drying drum or a change in the direction of rotation, so the drying drum can be rotated by a power transmission unit such as a belt. However, if the rotational speed and direction of the drying drum can be changed, the movement of clothes inside the drying drum can be controlled, which can lead to shorter drying times and improved drying performance in dryers.

[0007] Some conventional dryers are equipped with a drying drive unit in which the rotor and drying drum are connected to a reduction gear (power transmission unit) (Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2020-0065931). In this drying drive unit, the input shaft connected to the rotor and the output shaft connected to the drying drum are arranged to form a coaxial structure, which is expected to shorten drying time and improve drying performance.

[0008] As mentioned above, the dryer allows for various control of the drying drum's rotation speed, as well as changes in its rotation direction. However, this may reduce the durability of the drying drum, which has a fixed rotation axis, and the panels that support the drying drum.

[0009] Furthermore, in the dryer with the aforementioned structure, the vibration of the drum is transmitted to the reduction gear and the fixed panel to which the reduction gear is fixed. Therefore, there is a risk that the durability of the reduction gear and the fixed panel may decrease when the drum vibrates.

[0010] Furthermore, while lubricating oil is stored inside the reduction gear of the aforementioned dryer, if the drying drum rotates around a rotation axis horizontal to the ground, the joint surface of the housing is located on the circumferential surface of the reduction gear housing, and there is a risk that the lubricating oil may leak to the outside through this joint surface. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a garment processing device that minimizes the decrease in durability of the gearbox and the fixed panel to which the gearbox is fixed.

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a garment processing device that minimizes the risk of lubricating oil leakage from a gearbox having an output shaft parallel to the ground or an output shaft inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees to the ground.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a garment processing apparatus that reduces the rotational speed of the rotor and transmits it to the drum, while being advantageous in maintaining concentricity between the rotational center of the rotor and the rotational center of the drum. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention provides a garment processing apparatus comprising: a cylindrical drum body with two open sides facing each other; a front cover provided to close one open side of the drum body and forming the front surface of the drum body; a rear cover provided to close the other open side of the drum body and forming the rear surface of the drum body; and a drum input port that penetrates the front cover and communicates with the inside of the drum body; a fixed panel provided at a position spaced apart from the rear cover; a housing fixed to the fixed panel; an input shaft with one end located outside the housing and the other end located inside the housing; an output shaft that penetrates the fixed panel and has one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end located inside the housing; a power transmission unit located inside the housing and equipped with a gear section that transmits the rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft; and a motor that is fixed to the fixed panel or housing and forms a rotating magnetic field, and has a rotor that is fixed to one end of the input shaft and rotates by the rotating magnetic field.

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

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

[0017] The garment processing apparatus further includes a fixed panel that is bent toward or toward the direction in which the rear cover is located, and a ring-shaped panel bend that surrounds the output shaft.

[0018] The panel bend is configured such that the fixed panel bends toward the direction in which the rear cover is located, and the housing is configured to be located inside the panel bend.

[0019] The garment processing apparatus further includes a drum bending section in which a rear cover is bent toward the direction in which the front cover is located or the direction in which the fixed panel is located, and an output shaft is fixed.

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

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

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

[0023] The input and output axes form concentric axes and are positioned parallel to the ground.

[0024] The input and output shafts form a concentric axis, and are positioned at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the ground.

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

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

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

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] The present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus capable of minimizing a decrease in durability of a speed reducer and a decrease in durability of a fixed panel to which the speed reducer is fixed.

[0029] Further, the present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus capable of minimizing the risk of lubricating oil leakage from a speed reducer having an output shaft parallel to the ground or inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the ground.

[0030] Further, the present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus that decelerates the rotational speed of a rotor and transmits it to a drum, and is advantageous for maintaining concentricity between the rotational center of the rotor and the rotational center of the drum.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031] [Figure 1] An example of a garment processing device is shown.

[0032] [Figure 2] An example of the cabinet structure and support panel is shown.

[0033] [Figure 3] Here is an example of a drum.

[0034] [Figure 4] An example of a dry area is shown.

[0035] [Figure 5] An example of a fixed panel is shown.

[0036] [Figure 6-7] An example of a power transmission section is shown.

[0037] [Figure 8] An example of the coupling structure for the power transmission unit, fixed panel, and drum is shown.

[0038] [Figure 9-10] This shows the structure of the drum.

[0039] [Figure 11] An example of an oil leak prevention device is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0040] The following describes in detail an embodiment of the garment processing device, with reference to the attached drawings.

[0041] Figure 1 shows an example of a garment processing apparatus 100, which includes a cabinet 1 and a drum 2 rotatably mounted inside the cabinet, providing a space for receiving garments (items to be washed or dried). As shown in Figure 2, the cabinet 1 is equipped with a drying unit 3 that supplies high-temperature dry air (air at a temperature higher than ambient temperature, air with a dryness level higher than that of room air) to the drum 2 to remove moisture from the garments.

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

[0043] The front panel 11 is equipped with a control panel 115, which includes an input unit for receiving control commands from the user, and a display unit for outputting information such as control commands that the user can select. The input unit includes a power supply request unit for requesting power supply to the garment processing device, a course input unit for allowing the user to select a course from among several courses, and an execution request unit for requesting the start of the course selected by the user.

[0044] The drum 2 is provided as a hollow cylindrical structure. As shown in Figure 3, the drum 2 includes a cylindrical drum body 21 with open front and rear surfaces, a front cover 22 fixed to the drum body 21 and closing the front surface (forming the front surface of the drum), and a rear cover 23 fixed to the drum body 21 and closing the rear surface (forming the rear surface of the drum).

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

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

[0047] If the garment processing device 100 is provided solely for drying clothes, the drum 2 does not need to have a drum through-hole that penetrates the drum body 21 in order to connect the inside of the drum to the outside of the drum.

[0048] On the other hand, if the garment processing device 100 is provided as a device for drying and washing clothes, the cabinet is provided with a tub for storing water, and the drum is rotatably mounted inside the tub. In this case, the drum body needs to be provided with a drum through-hole that connects the tub and the inside of the drum.

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

[0050] The main body first support section 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 fixed to the base panel 17 so as to be located between the front panel 11 and the front cover 22.

[0051] The support panel 121 is provided to include a support panel through hole 122, a drum connector 123 connecting the support panel through hole 122 and the drum inlet 221, and a panel connector 125 connecting the support panel through hole 122 and the inlet 111. The support panel through hole 122 is provided to pass through the support panel 121 and is a means for connecting the inlet 111 and the drum inlet 221.

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

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

[0054] The support panel 121 is equipped 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 can have any structure as long as it is capable of filtering foreign matter from the air moving from the drum 2 to the exhaust port 126.

[0055] The support panel 121 is further provided with a drum support section 128 to prevent the drum 2 from sagging. The drum support section is fixed to the support panel 121 and is provided as a roller that rotatably supports the drum 2. The drum support section 128 is provided to support the portion of the drum located below the horizontal line passing through the center of the drum input opening.

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

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

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

[0059] As mentioned above, when the drum 2 consists 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 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 rigidity of the drum is higher, the deformation of the drum body 21 during drum rotation can be minimized, which minimizes the problem of clothing getting caught in the space between the drum body and the support panel, and between the drum body and the fixed panel, when the drum body 21 deforms (and thus minimizes the load on the motor).

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

[0061] 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 connecting the first duct 311 and the second duct 312. The third duct 313 is fixed to the base panel 17.

[0062] 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, but Figure 4 shows an example in which the heat exchange unit 34 is provided as a heat pump. Specifically, 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 heating 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 through the heat absorption unit and the heat heating unit in sequence to the supply duct 32.

[0063] The heat-absorbing section 341 and the heat-generating section 343 are arranged sequentially 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 is moved along the refrigerant pipe 348 by a compressor 345 located outside the exhaust passage 31, and the refrigerant pipe 348 is equipped with a pressure regulator 347 that adjusts the refrigerant pressure.

[0064] As shown in Figure 5, the air inlet 233 provided in the rear cover 23 of the drum is provided by having multiple holes arranged around the center of the rear cover 23 (the rotation center of the drum). In this case, the supply channel 32 is provided in the fixed panel 151 and includes a supply duct 321 that forms a path for the air discharged from the second duct 312, a first channel forming section 323 and a second channel forming section 324 that guide the air inside the supply duct 321 to the air inlet 233.

[0065] The supply duct 321 is configured such that the fixed panel 151 is bent away from the rear cover 23 to form a flow path (a path for air movement). The supply duct 321 is also configured in a ring shape surrounding the bent panel portion 152, and the outlet of the second duct 312 is configured to be connected to the circumferential surface of the supply duct 321.

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

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

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

[0069] The motor 5, which generates the power necessary for the rotation of the drum 2, is equipped with a stator 51 located at the panel bend 152 and forming a rotating field, and a rotor 52 that rotates due to the rotating field. The rotational motion of the rotor 52 is transmitted to the drum 2 via a 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.

[0070] To prevent the motor 5 located at the panel bend 152 from being exposed to the outside (to improve the motor's durability and prevent accidents by preventing the motor from being exposed to the external environment), the fixed panel 151 is further equipped 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 also prevents the supply duct 321 from being exposed to the outside (a shape that surrounds the supply duct). This is not only to minimize the amount of heat escaping from the supply duct 321 to the outside, but also to prevent accidents that could occur when a person comes into contact with the supply duct 321.

[0071] The stator 51 is configured to include a ring-shaped core 511 with a through hole (core through hole) in the center, a plurality of support rods 513 projecting radially from the outer circumferential surface of the core 511, an insulator 512 that insulates the core and the support rods, and a coil 514 arranged to surround the support rods 513.

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

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

[0074] 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 top surface of the housing H (the surface facing the direction in which the fixed panel is located), and a gear unit G provided inside the housing that transmits the rotational motion of the input shaft 64 to the output shaft 65.

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

[0076] It is preferable that the housing H is fixed to the fixed panel 151 and located in a space (external space of the cabinet) that is separated from the space where the drum 2 is located (internal space of the cabinet). This is to improve the durability of the power transmission unit 6 by minimizing the transfer of heat from inside the cabinet (heat released from the drum and drying unit) into the housing H.

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

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

[0079] The shaft fastening portion 25 is provided in the drum bent portion 235 provided in the rear cover 23. The drum bent portion 235 is provided as a groove in which the rear cover 23 is bent toward the front cover 22, but it is preferable that it is provided so as to form a ring surrounding the output shaft 65. The aforementioned drum bent portion 235 can reduce the transmission of vibrations of the rear cover 23 to the output shaft 65.

[0080] The panel bending portion 152 provided on the fixed panel 151 minimizes the transmission of vibrations of the housing H to other areas of the fixed panel 151. Therefore, the garment processing apparatus 100 equipped with the drum bending portion 235 and the panel bending portion 152 minimizes the transmission of drum vibrations to the power transmission portion 6 (improving the durability of the drum, fixed panel, and power transmission portion).

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

[0082] As shown in Figure 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 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 it may be made of a material having a higher strength than the fixed panel 151.

[0083] As shown in Figure 6, the housing H is provided as a hollow cylindrical structure, and includes a housing body 62 having an open hole on the side facing the fixed body 151, and a housing cover 63 fixed to the housing body 62 and closing the open hole.

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

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

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

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

[0088] The housing cover 63 is provided with an output shaft through-hole 632 that penetrates the cover body 631, and includes a pipe-shaped output shaft support portion 635 that extends from the cover body 631 toward the fixed panel 151 but surrounds the output shaft through-hole 632.

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

[0090] The output shaft bearings are 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.

[0091] The edge of the cover body 631 is provided with a mounting portion 637 to which the stator 51 is fixed. In this case, the stator 51 is fixed to the housing H by bolts that connect the insulator 512 and the mounting portion 637.

[0092] The gear section G includes a ring gear 66 fixed to the circumferential surface 62b of the housing 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 to which the other end of the output shaft 65 is fixed, and a driven gear 68 rotatably fixed to the cage 67 and connecting the driving gear 69 and the ring gear 66.

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

[0094] The cage 67 is configured to include a first base 671 located inside the gear body through-hole 663 to which 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 its center, and a connecting shaft 675 that connects the first base and the second base and forms the axis of rotation of the driven gear 68. Since the output shaft 65 is fixed to the first base 671, whether or not the output shaft 65 rotates is determined by whether or not the cage 67 rotates.

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

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

[0097] To distribute the stress acting on the center of the rear cover 23 when the output shaft 65 rotates (and 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 via the shaft fastening portion 25.

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

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

[0100] To prevent the aforementioned shaft fastening portion 25 from being exposed inside the drum 2, the garment processing device 100 is further provided with a fastening portion cover 27. The fastening portion cover 27 can be of any shape as long as it closes the rear cover through hole 231 and prevents the shaft fastening portion 25 from being exposed.

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

[0102] To facilitate the connection between the output shaft 65 and the shaft fastening portion 25, the output shaft 65 is further provided with a washer 653. The washer 653 is provided with a diameter longer than the diameter of the free end of the output shaft 65 (one end of the output shaft where the screw threads are formed), and has a washer through hole 654 in its center into which the free end of the output shaft 65 is inserted.

[0103] The washer 653 ensures that the rear cover 23 of the drum and the output shaft 65 are assembled at a right angle (improving ease of assembly), and also reduces the risk of the nut 252 separating from the threads 651 due to vibration.

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

[0105] In the garment processing apparatus 100 having the structure described above, vibrations are transmitted to the power transmission unit 6 and the fixed panel 151 when the drum 2 rotates. This is because, when the drum rotates, the garments repeatedly rise and fall inside the drum, and the vibrations generated in the drum are transmitted to the gear unit G and the housing H via the output shaft 65, and the vibrations of the housing H are transmitted to the fixed panel 151.

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

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

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

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

[0110] On the other hand, the front cover 22 has a drum loading port 221, and therefore has lower rigidity compared to the drum body 21 and the rear cover 23. To compensate for this, the thickness t3 of the front cover 22 is set to be the thickest of the drum 2. This is also the case when the front cover 22 is supported by the drum support part 128 mentioned above.

[0111] However, if the circumferential surface of the front cover 22 is supported by the drum support portion 128, the possibility of deformation occurring in the front cover 22 is low, so it is preferable to set the thickness t3 of the rear cover 23 to be the thickest among the drums 2. This is because the rear cover 23 needs to transmit the force supplied from the output shaft 65 to the drum body 21. When the thickness t3 of the rear cover is set to be the thickest, it can even be expected that the transmission of vibrations of the drum body 21 to the output shaft 65 will be minimized.

[0112] Referring to Figure 10, the vibrations generated from inside the drum 2 are first reduced by the thinnest drum body 21. Vibrations that the drum body 21 cannot absorb are absorbed by the rear cover 23, which is thicker than the drum body 21, and vibrations that the rear cover 23 cannot absorb are transmitted to the housing H of the power transmission unit 6 via the output shaft 65.

[0113] Since the housing H is fixed to the fixed panel 151, and the fixed panel 151 absorbs some of the vibrations transmitted to the housing H, the garment processing device with the above-described structure can minimize the transmission of vibrations inside the drum 2 to the gear section G located inside the housing H.

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

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

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

[0117] To prevent the lubricating oil inside the receiving space 621 from leaking to the outside of the housing H, the power transmission unit 6 is further provided with an oil leak prevention unit 7.

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

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

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

[0121] Contrary to the drawing, if the input shaft bearing and the output shaft bearing are each provided by only one bearing, it is preferable that the first sealing portion 71 be positioned between the input shaft bearing and the free end F1 of the input shaft support, and the second sealing portion 72 be positioned between the output shaft bearing and the free end F2 of the output shaft support.

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

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

[0124] In contrast, the third sealing portion 73 is provided with a ring-shaped sealing projection 731 projecting from one of the cover body 631 and the cover fixing plate 623 toward the other, and a sealing groove 732 provided in the remaining of the cover body 631 and the cover fixing plate 623, which receives the sealing projection 731. In the drawings, the sealing projection 731 is provided on the cover body 631 and the sealing groove 732 is provided on the cover fixing plate 623. The sealing projection 731 and the sealing groove 732 are provided to be joined by heat fusion.

[0125] Although not shown in the diagram, there are two or more sealing protrusions 731 and sealing grooves 732. Specifically, the sealing protrusion 731 includes a first ring-shaped protrusion centered on the output shaft through-hole 632, and a second ring-shaped protrusion centered on the output shaft through-hole 632 but with a diameter longer than the diameter of the first protrusion, and the sealing groove 732 includes a first groove that receives the first protrusion and a second groove that receives the second protrusion.

[0126] Furthermore, the third sealing portion 73 is provided to include a sealing projection 731, a sealing groove 732, and a gasket 733. In this case, the gasket 733 may be provided so as to surround the sealing projection 731, or the sealing projection 731 may be provided so as to surround the gasket 733.

[0127] The first sealing portion 71 and the second sealing portion 72 may be made of a different material than the housing H. In this case, the thermal deformation rate of the sealing portions 71 and 72 will be different from that of the housing H, and therefore, the possibility that the sealing portions 71 and 72 may separate from the housing H cannot be ruled out.

[0128] To prevent the first sealing portion 71 and the second sealing portion 72 from separating from the housing H, the garment processing apparatus 100 is further provided with sealer fixing portions 74 and 75.

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

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

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

[0132] The above-described embodiment was explained based on a garment processing apparatus 100 in which the drum 2 rotates around an axis parallel to the ground. However, the structure of the drum 2 and the oil leak prevention unit 7 described above can also be applied when the drum's axis is inclined with respect to the ground. That is, as shown in Figure 9, the drum 2 and the oil leak prevention unit 7 described above can also be applied when the straight line connecting the input shaft and the output shaft is inclined at an angle A2 of less than 90 degrees with respect to the ground.

[0133] The garment processing apparatus described above can be implemented in various forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

Claims

1. A drum comprising a drum body for receiving clothes, 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 input opening that penetrates the front cover and communicates with the inside of the drum body, A fixed panel is provided at a position separated from the aforementioned rear cover, A housing fixed to the aforementioned fixed panel, an input shaft with one end located outside the housing and the other end located inside the housing, an output shaft that penetrates the fixed panel, with one end fixed to the rear cover and the other end located inside the housing, and a power transmission unit located inside the housing that includes a gear section for transmitting the rotational motion of the input shaft to the output shaft, A motor comprising a stator fixed to the aforementioned fixed panel or housing and forming a rotating magnetic field, and a rotor to which one end of the input shaft is fixed and which rotates due to the rotating magnetic field, It includes an oil leak prevention unit that prevents the lubricating oil supplied to the gear section from being discharged from the housing, Multiple oil leak prevention units are arranged in separate areas that are isolated from each other. The output shaft is tilted at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the ground. The gear section includes a ring gear fixed to the housing, a driving gear fixed to the input shaft, a cage fixed to the output shaft, and a driven gear fixed to the cage and connecting the driving gear and the ring gear. When the rotor rotates, the input shaft rotates. When the driving gear rotates on the input shaft, the driven gear meshed with the driving gear rotates. When the driven gear rotates, the cage, the output shaft, and the drum fixed to the output shaft rotate. The housing includes a housing base having an input shaft through-hole through which the input shaft passes; an input shaft support portion provided on the housing base and surrounding the input shaft through-hole; a housing circumferential surface extending from the edge of the housing base toward the fixed panel and forming a receiving space to which the gear portion is mounted; a cover body fixed to the housing circumferential surface and closing the receiving space; an output shaft through-hole provided so as to pass through the cover body and into which the output shaft is inserted; and an output shaft support portion protruding from the cover body toward the fixed panel and surrounding the output shaft through-hole. The oil leakage prevention section includes a first sealing section that seals the space between the input shaft support section and the input shaft, a second sealing section that seals the space between the output shaft support section and the output shaft, and a third sealing section that seals the space between the circumferential surface of the housing and the cover body. A garment processing apparatus comprising: a first sealing portion being a ring-shaped gasket fixed inside the input shaft support portion; a second sealing portion being a ring-shaped gasket fixed inside the output shaft support portion; and a third sealing portion being a ring-shaped gasket.

2. The present invention further includes a cover fixing plate provided on the circumferential surface of the housing, extending in a direction away from the circumferential surface of the housing along the radial direction of the input shaft through hole, and to which the cover body is fixed, The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third sealing portion is provided as a ring-shaped gasket located between the cover body and the cover fixing plate.

3. The housing further includes a cover fixing plate provided on the circumferential surface of the housing, extending in a direction away from the circumferential surface of the housing along the radial direction of the input shaft through hole, and to which the cover body is fixed, The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third sealing portion includes a ring-shaped sealing projection protruding from the cover body toward the cover fixing plate, and a ring-shaped sealing groove provided in the cover fixing plate for receiving the sealing projection.

4. The sealing projection includes a ring-shaped first projection centered on the output shaft through-hole, and a ring-shaped second projection centered on the output shaft through-hole but having a diameter longer than the diameter of the first projection. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sealing groove includes a first groove for receiving the first projection and a second groove for receiving the second projection.

5. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the sealing projection and the sealing groove are joined by heat fusion.

6. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the third sealing portion is provided in the shape of a ring surrounding the sealing projection and further includes a gasket located between the cover body and the cover fixing plate.

7. The input shaft bearing is further fixed inside the input shaft support portion and rotatably fixes the input shaft to the input shaft support portion, The garment processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first sealing portion is provided so as to be located between the input shaft bearing and the free end of the input shaft support portion.

8. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a first fixing portion provided in the input shaft support portion for preventing the first sealing portion from being pulled out from the input shaft through hole.

9. The output shaft bearing is further fixed inside the output shaft support portion and rotatably fixes the output shaft to the output shaft support portion, The garment processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second sealing portion is provided so as to be located between the output shaft bearing and the free end of the output shaft support portion.

10. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a second fixing portion provided in the output shaft support portion for preventing the second sealing portion from being pulled out from the output shaft through hole.

11. A first input shaft bearing is fixed inside the input shaft support portion and rotatably fixes the input shaft to the input shaft support portion, The input shaft is fixed inside the input shaft support portion, rotatably fixing the input shaft to the input shaft support portion, and further includes an input shaft second bearing located between the input shaft first bearing and the free end of the input shaft support portion. The garment processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first sealing portion is provided so as to be located between the first input shaft bearing and the second input shaft bearing, or between the second input shaft bearing and the free end of the input shaft support portion.

12. A first output shaft bearing is fixed inside the output shaft support portion and rotatably fixes the output shaft to the output shaft support portion, The output shaft is fixed inside the output shaft support portion, rotatably fixing the output shaft to the output shaft support portion, and further includes an output shaft second bearing located between the first output shaft bearing and the free end of the output shaft support portion. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second sealing portion is provided so as to be located between the first output shaft bearing and the second output shaft bearing, or between the second output shaft bearing and the free end of the output shaft support portion.

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