Clothes dryer comprising filter assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a clothes dryer. To this end, the clothes dryer comprises: a main body comprising a drum arranged therein, and a front panel in which a first opening for injecting an object to be dried into the drum is formed; a heat exchanger which is arranged in a base of the main body and through which air discharged from the drum passes to exchange heat; a discharge duct which guides the air discharged from the drum into the base; and a filter assembly of a polyhedral shape having a width, a thickness, and a height, which is formed to filter the air discharged from the drum and passing through the heat exchanger. The width can be greater than the diameter of an opening forming the first opening arranged in the front panel, and the thickness may be greater than the transverse width of a discharge port that is located at the starting point of the discharge duct.

Description

Clothes dryer including filter assembly

[0001] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a filter provided in a clothes dryer, and relate to a clothes dryer including a filter assembly provided to reduce the flow resistance of drying air flowing therein.

[0002] A clothes dryer is a home appliance that dries wet laundry using high-temperature, dry air.

[0003] Clothes dryers are categorized into gas and electric dryers based on their power source, and exhaust and condensing dryers based on how they process the moisture absorbed from the items being dried. Exhaust dryers exhaust the humid air from the drum to the outdoors through a long exhaust duct, while condensing dryers remove moisture from the humid air flowing from the drum through a heat exchanger and return the dried air to the drum for circulation. The air that circulates through this series of processes within the clothes dryer can be referred to as circulated air.

[0004] As the dryer performs its drying cycle, circulating air passes through the rotating drum, and the circulating air can dry laundry (hereinafter referred to as "drying object") loaded into the drum. During this process, foreign substances such as dust or lint present on the drying object may flow along with the drying air.

[0005] A filter assembly installed along the path from the drum outlet to the heat exchanger can collect foreign substances flowing with the dry air. If foreign substances accumulate in the filter assembly beyond a critical level, air flow may not be smooth.

[0006] Additionally, the flow of circulating air may not be smooth due to the structure of the circulating flow path, which is the flow path for circulating air discharged from the drum to move, or the structure of the filter provided on the path. In other words, the resistance of the flow path, which impedes the movement of circulating air, may increase.

[0007] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a filter assembly can be proposed that minimizes flow resistance by maximizing the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through which dry air passes.

[0008] A clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a main body including a drum disposed therein and a front panel having a first opening formed therein for introducing an object to be dried into the drum, a heat exchanger disposed on a base of the main body through which air discharged from the drum passes to exchange heat, an exhaust duct guiding air discharged from the drum to the base, and a filter assembly having a polyhedral shape having a width, a height, and a height, and formed so that air discharged from the drum and passing through the heat exchanger is filtered. The width may be longer than a diameter of the first opening disposed on the front panel, and the width may be longer than a horizontal width of an exhaust port located at a starting point of the exhaust duct.

[0009] The upper side of the filter assembly is open, and the filter assembly may further include a mesh member arranged along each side of the filter assembly except for the upper side to form a surface.

[0010] The front of the filter assembly may be inclined at a first angle with respect to the lower surface of the filter assembly, and an upper portion of the front may be inclined to be adjacent to the front panel compared to a lower portion of the front.

[0011] The rear surface of the filter assembly may be inclined at a second angle with respect to the lower surface of the filter assembly, and a lower portion of the rear surface may be inclined to be adjacent to the front panel relative to an upper portion of the rear surface.

[0012] The first angle and the second angle may be between 90° and 180°.

[0013] The front panel may further include a second opening that allows the filter assembly to move and a cover member formed to be openable and closable for the second opening.

[0014] The width of the second opening may be greater than or equal to the width of the filter assembly, and the height of the second opening may be greater than or equal to the height of the filter assembly.

[0015] The device may further include a sealing member disposed between the second opening and the cover member, wherein the sealing member is provided to correspond to the circumference of the second opening, and may be formed to seal the second opening in response to the closing of the cover member.

[0016] A guide rail is arranged on one side of the filter assembly, and a base cover arranged on an upper side of the base may include a guide plate that supports the guide rail when the filter assembly is positioned on the base.

[0017] The above guide rail can be placed on the upper side of the above guide plate.

[0018] The filter assembly includes a first filter including a first mesh member and a second filter including a second mesh member, the second filter being coupled to the inside of the first filter, and a grid size of the first mesh member may be smaller than a grid size of the second mesh member.

[0019] The filter assembly includes a third filter coupled to the inside of the second filter and including a third mesh member, and the grid size of the second mesh member may be smaller than the grid size of the third mesh member.

[0020] The grid size of the first mesh member may be 200 Mesh to 250 Mesh, the grid size of the second mesh member may be 150 Mesh to 200 Mesh, and the grid size of the third mesh member may be 110 Mesh to 150 Mesh.

[0021] The above clothes dryer further includes a circulation fan arranged on the base, and the circulation fan can be positioned on an inlet duct through which the air that has undergone heat exchange by passing through the heat exchanger passes before being introduced into the drum (20).

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a filter assembly included in a clothes dryer, which has a width, a height, and an open end, may include a mesh member disposed along each side of the filter assembly except for the one side to form a surface. The filter assembly (100) may be formed to guide air discharged from a drum (20) included in the clothes dryer (1) toward a heat exchanger (71, 72) disposed inside a base (90) included in the clothes dryer (1). The width may be longer than the diameter of the first opening disposed in the front panel, and the width may be longer than the horizontal width of an exhaust port located at a starting point of the exhaust duct.

[0023] The above open side may be formed to face the flow direction of air flowing into the filter assembly when the filter assembly is placed between the exhaust duct and the heat exchanger.

[0024] At least one of the upper side and the front side of the filter assembly can be opened.

[0025] The filter assembly includes a first filter including a first mesh member and a second filter including a second mesh member, the second filter being coupled to the inside of the first filter, and a grid size of the first mesh member may be smaller than a grid size of the second mesh member.

[0026] The filter assembly includes a third filter coupled to the inside of the second filter and including a third mesh member, and the grid size of the second mesh member may be smaller than the grid size of the third mesh member.

[0027] The grid size of the first mesh member may be 200 Mesh to 250 Mesh, the grid size of the second mesh member may be 150 Mesh to 200 Mesh, and the grid size of the third mesh member may be 110 Mesh to 150 Mesh.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a clothes dryer can provide improved drying performance by minimizing the flow resistance that occurs when drying air flows.

[0029] A filter assembly included in a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can increase the capacity of collectable foreign substances, thereby enhancing user convenience.

[0030] By providing a detachable function of a filter assembly included in a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, ease of filter cleaning can be provided.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a heat cycle occurring in a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a configuration of a point where a filter assembly is provided in a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the front of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the main components of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a filter assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 7b is a plan view of a filter assembly viewed from above, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 7c is a side view of the filter assembly as viewed from the right, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a filter assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure in which a filter assembly is coupled to a base according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In connection with the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0044] In addition, for the convenience of explanation, the "x-axis direction", "y-axis direction", and "z-axis direction" are defined below. The "x-axis direction" can be defined as the right direction when looking at the front of a clothes dryer (e.g., the clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1). That is, the "x-axis direction" can be understood as the left-right direction of the clothes dryer (1). The "y-axis direction" can be defined as the front-to-rear direction when looking at the front of the clothes dryer (1). That is, the "y-axis direction" can be understood as the front-to-back direction of the clothes dryer (1). The "z-axis direction" can be defined as the height direction of the clothes dryer (1). That is, the "z-axis direction" can be understood as the up-down direction of the clothes dryer (1). However, the shape and position of the components are not limited by the directions defined above.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment.

[0046] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment. That is, Fig. 2 can be understood as illustrating a cross-sectional view taken parallel to the yz plane at a point in Fig. 1.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a clothes dryer (1) may include a main body (10) and a drum (20) installed inside the main body (10). The main body (10) may include a frame (12), a top cover (11) covering the upper portion of the frame (12), and a front panel (13) disposed on the front of the frame (12).

[0048] According to one embodiment, a base (90) may be mounted on the lower portion of the main body (10). An evaporator (71), a condenser (72), a compressor (e.g., a compressor (73) of FIG. 3), and an expansion valve (e.g., an expansion valve (74) of FIG. 3) that form a refrigerant cycle may be mounted on the base (90), and a circulation fan (43) and a driving motor (31) may be provided. A base cover (92) may be coupled to the upper portion of the base (90) so as to cover the evaporator (71) and the condenser (72).

[0049] According to one embodiment, a door (14) that can open and close a drum (20) may be provided on the front of the main body (10). An inlet (16) may be formed on the front panel (13) so that an object to be dried may be fed into the drum (20), and a door (14) may be installed in front of the inlet (16). The inlet (16) provided on the front panel (13) may be referred to as a first opening. The door (14) may be hinged to one side of the inlet (16) and may be provided to be rotatable. For example, in response to the closing of the door (14), a structure protruding in the y-axis direction may be provided on the rear of the door (14) so ​​that the object to be dried and / or the cleaning solution does not leak out through the inlet (16). The structure may have, for example, a shape corresponding to the shape of the inlet (16). A sealing member may be provided along the outer perimeter of the above structure to seal the inlet (16).

[0050] According to one embodiment, the inlet (16) may be implemented as an opening formed on the front surface of the main body (10). The inlet (16) may, for example, have a substantially circular or elliptical shape. For example, when the inlet (16) has a substantially elliptical shape, the inlet (16) may have a predetermined width in the x-axis direction. The maximum width among the predetermined widths may be smaller than the maximum width of the drum (20) in the x-axis direction.

[0051] According to one embodiment, a recovery water tank (50) may be provided on the upper portion of the front panel (13). The recovery water tank (50) can store condensate that has moved from a water receiving tank (not shown) provided on the base (90). The condensate in the water receiving tank can be moved to the recovery water tank (50) by a drain pump (not shown) provided in the water receiving tank.

[0052] According to one embodiment, a handle portion that a user can hold may be provided on the front of the retrieval water tank (50). In addition, an indicator window (51) may be provided on the front of the retrieval water tank (50). The indicator window (51) may be made of a transparent material so that the user can determine the amount of condensate collected inside the retrieval water tank (50). The user can check the indicator window (51) and, if necessary, withdraw the retrieval water tank (50) to drain the condensate contained in the retrieval water tank (50).

[0053] According to one embodiment, a rotary switch (17) and a display unit (15) for controlling a clothes dryer (1) may be provided on the front panel (13). The rotary switch (17) may be provided to rotate by the user's grip and to select a mode of the clothes dryer (1). The display unit (15) may display the operating status of the clothes dryer (1) and the user's operating status.

[0054] According to one embodiment, a drum (20) for receiving a drying object may be rotatably installed inside the main body (10). A plurality of lifters (21) are arranged inside the drum (20) along the circumference of the drum (20). The lifters (21) may be installed to raise and lower the drying object so that the drying object can be effectively dried.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the drum (20) can be rotated by a belt (33) coupled to the outside of the drum (20). A drive motor (31) may be positioned on one side of the drum, and a pulley (32) that rotates by receiving the rotational power of the drive motor (31) may be provided on the drive motor (31). The belt (33) can connect the pulley (32) and the drum (20) to transmit the power of the drive motor (31) to the drum (20).

[0056] According to one embodiment, the drum (20) may include an inlet (22) and an outlet (23) to allow air to circulate. The inlet (22) may be located at the rear of the drum (20), and the outlet (23) may be located at the front of the drum (20). Air sucked in from the rear through the inlet (22) may dry the object to be dried and may be discharged to the front through the outlet (23).

[0057] According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a heat pump (70) (e.g., the heat pump (70) of FIG. 3) that dries air passing through the drum (20). The heat pump may be installed inside the main body (10). The heat pump (70) may include an evaporator (71), a condenser (72), a compressor (73), and an expansion valve (74). The evaporator (71) and the condenser (72) may be referred to as heat exchangers (71, 72).

[0058] According to one embodiment, the clothes dryer (1) may include a circulation fan (43) installed on an air movement path so that the drum (20) and the drying unit are connected to each other and the air circulates. The circulation fan (43) may be installed inside the main body (10) and may be installed at the lower rear portion of the drum (20). The air may move along a duct (24, 25) so that the air flowing by the circulation fan (43) does not leak out to the outside. The circulation fan (43) may also be driven together with the driving motor (31) that drives the drum (20).

[0059] According to one embodiment, a duct provided in a path through which air flowing into the drum (20) passes may be referred to as an inlet duct (24), and a duct provided in a path through which air flowing out of the drum (20) passes may be referred to as an exhaust duct (25). The inlet duct (24) is arranged at the rear of the drum (20) and may be communicated with the interior of the drum (20) through an inlet port (22) formed in the drum (20). The exhaust duct (25) is arranged at the front of the drum (20) and may guide the exhaust of high-temperature, humid air that has passed through the interior of the drum (20).

[0060] According to one embodiment, while the clothes dryer (1) performs a drying operation, a closed flow path may be formed inside the main body (10). Here, the closed flow path may be understood as an air movement path (see arrows in FIG. 2) that allows air inside the drum (20) to circulate around the heat pump (70) and the drum (20). The closed flow path may be formed to prevent air outside the main body (10) from flowing into the drum (20) or air inside the drum (20) from flowing out to the outside of the main body (10). In other words, the air flow may form a closed loop.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the air circulating inside the clothes dryer (1) may flow as follows. The air is discharged from the inside of the drum (20) through the discharge port (23). The discharged air is introduced into the heat exchanger (71, 72) along the discharge duct (25). After passing through the heat exchanger (71, 72), the dried air may be guided to the inlet duct (24) along the guide duct (26). Here, the guide duct (26) may be understood as a closed path through which the air moved by the circulation fan (43) reaches the inlet duct (24). The air may move along the inlet duct (24) and be introduced into the inside of the drum (20) through the inlet port (22). The air may circulate through a series of processes to dry the object to be dried.

[0062] Although not shown, the clothes dryer (1) may further include a heater (e.g., heater (75) of FIG. 4) to heat the air passing through the heat exchangers (71, 72). By providing the heater (75) in the clothes dryer (1), the temperature of the drying air to be introduced into the drum (20) can be further increased. As a result, the clothes dryer (1) can improve the drying function for the object to be dried, or provide a sterilizing function for the object to be dried. The clothes dryer (1) equipped with a heater (75) and a heat pump (70) may be referred to as a “hybrid drying device.” The clothes dryer (1) described in this document may be understood as either a “heat pump drying device” equipped only with a heat pump (70) or a “hybrid drying device” equipped with a heat pump (70) and a heater (75). For example, the heater (75) may be disposed on the guide duct (26).

[0063] In one embodiment, foreign substances, such as lint, may be contained in the air as it passes through the drying object. Since the air is not discharged but circulates within the clothes dryer (1), removal of the foreign substances is necessary. Accordingly, the clothes dryer (1) may include a filter assembly (100) that filters the air. The flow of circulated air is described in FIG. 4.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may have the shape of a polyhedron with one side open. For example, the filter assembly (100) may have the shape of a hexahedron with an upper side open. Since one side of the filter assembly (100) is open, foreign substances flowing with air can flow into the open side and be collected by a mesh member provided on the inside of the filter assembly (100).

[0065] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) with one side open may have a basket shape. For example, the outer surface of the filter assembly (100) with the basket shape, excluding the open side, may be implemented in various shapes. For example, the filter assembly (100) may have a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may include a frame forming the exterior of the filter assembly (100) and a mesh member (e.g., mesh member (120, 140, 160) of FIG. 8) provided in a space formed by the frame. The mesh member (120, 140, 160) may be provided on an outer surface of the filter assembly (100) except for one open side. For example, the mesh member (120, 140, 160) may be provided on the front, rear, both sides (e.g., left side and right side), and bottom surface of the filter assembly (100).

[0067] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may include a plurality of filters of different sizes (e.g., the first to third filters (101, 102, 103) of FIG. 8). The plurality of filters (101, 102, 103) may be coupled inwardly from an open side of the filter assembly (100). To this end, the first filter (e.g., the first filter (101) of FIG. 8) located at the outermost side may be relatively larger than the second filter (e.g., the second filter (102) of FIG. 8), and the second filter (102) may be relatively larger than the third filter (e.g., the third filter (103) of FIG. 8) located at the innermost side. The mesh members (120, 140, 160) provided in the plurality of filters may have a smaller grid size as they are located further outward. In other words, among the plurality of filters (101, 102, 103) constituting the filter assembly (100), the filter located further outward may filter out finer-sized foreign substances.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may be provided to be detachable from the base (90). To this end, an openable filter door (200) may be provided on the front of the main body (10).

[0069] According to one embodiment, the filter door (200) may be positioned on the front side of the main body (10) corresponding to the position where the filter assembly (100) is provided. A hinge may be provided on one side of the filter door (200). The hinge provided on one side of the filter door (200) may be fixed to one side of the front side of the main body (10) so that the filter door (200) can rotate. For example, the filter door (200) may be installed so as to rotate based on any one of the upper side, the lower side, or both ends. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the filter door (200) may be provided in a manner that slides with respect to the front side of the main body (10). To this end, sliding members may be provided on the upper and lower sides of the filter door (200), and a sliding guide member may be provided on the front side of the main body (10) so that the sliding members slide.

[0070] According to one embodiment, an opening (e.g., a second opening (200a) of FIG. 5) having substantially the same size as an area of ​​the filter door (200) may be provided on the front surface corresponding to the filter door (200). The opening (200a) may be referred to as a second opening (200a). A user may open the filter door (200) to take out or introduce the filter assembly (100) through the second opening (200a). The second opening (200a) may have a predetermined width (w2) in the x-axis direction and a predetermined height (t2) in the z-axis direction. The width (w2) of the second opening (200a) may be referred to as a second width (w2), and the height (t2) of the second opening (200a) may be referred to as a second height (t2). The above second width (w2) and second height (t2) may have a predetermined relationship with the width (w) and height (t) of the filter assembly (100). In this regard, this is described in FIG. 5.

[0071] According to one embodiment, a sealing member may be provided in the filter door (200) or the second opening (200a) so that the second opening (200a) is sealed in response to the closing of the filter door (200). The sealing member may be provided, for example, along the edge of the filter door (200) or along the outer circumferential surface of the second opening (200a). By providing the sealing member, when the filter door (200) is closed, the second opening (200a) is sealed, so that substances such as circulated air or foreign substances may not leak out to the outside.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the direction in which the filter assembly (100) is to be installed may be determined by the direction of movement of air circulating inside the clothes dryer (1). That is, the direction in which the filter assembly (100) is to be installed may be determined in order to collect foreign substances contained in the air through the open side of the filter assembly (100). For example, in order to collect foreign substances contained in the air moving downward through the inlet (16), the filter assembly (100) may be installed so that the open side is positioned at the upper side. For example, in order to collect foreign substances contained in the air moving in the y-axis direction, which has reached the base (90) downward through the inlet (16), the filter assembly (100) may be installed so that the open side is positioned at the front side.

[0073] For example, the front of the filter assembly (100) may be arranged to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the front panel (13). In this case, the side surface of the filter assembly (100) may have a substantially trapezoidal shape. By inclining the front surface of the filter assembly (100) at a predetermined angle, the area of ​​the air discharged from the drum (20) that comes into contact with the filter assembly (100) can be increased. Due to the structure of the filter assembly (100), the flow resistance generated when the circulating air passes through the filter assembly (100) can be reduced.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) can be extended in the x-axis direction by a predetermined length. Hereinafter, the predetermined length by which the filter assembly (100) is extended in the x-axis direction will be referred to as the “width (w) of the filter assembly (100)” (e.g., the width in FIG. 5). The filter assembly (100) can be extended in the y-axis direction by a predetermined length. Hereinafter, the predetermined length by which the filter assembly (100) is extended in the y-axis direction will be referred to as the “width (l) of the filter assembly (100)” (e.g., the width in FIG. 7c). The filter assembly (100) can be extended in the z-axis direction by a predetermined length. Hereinafter, the predetermined length by which the filter assembly (100) is extended in the y-axis direction will be referred to as the “height (t) of the filter assembly (100)” (e.g., the height in FIG. 7c).

[0075] According to one embodiment, the width (w), the width (l), and the height (t) of the filter assembly (100) can be set within a predetermined range. The width (w), the width (l), and the height (t) of the filter assembly (100) can be set in consideration of the flow resistance of the air passing through the filter assembly (100). The width (w), the width (l), and the height (t) of the filter assembly (100) can be set from the viewpoint of maximizing the flow area that the air passing through the filter assembly (100) touches, thereby minimizing the flow resistance. In this regard, a description will be given below in FIG. 3.

[0076] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a heat cycle occurring in a clothes dryer (e.g., clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1) according to one embodiment.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 3, it can be understood that the arrows drawn in solid lines represent the flow of air circulating inside the clothes dryer (1), and the arrows drawn in dotted lines represent the flow of refrigerant circulating through the heat pump (70).

[0078] According to one embodiment, moist air discharged from the drum (20) can pass through the filter assembly (100). The air can be discharged through an inlet (16) provided at the front of the drum (20) and can reach the filter assembly (100) through an exhaust duct (25) provided at the lower side of the inlet (16). Foreign substances flowing with the air can be collected by the filter assembly (100).

[0079] According to one embodiment, air passing through the filter assembly (100) may be introduced into the heat pump (70). The air may pass through a heat exchanger (71, 72) included in the heat pump (70) and exchange heat with a refrigerant circulating through the heat pump (70). The air discharged from the heat pump (70) may be understood as high-temperature, dry air.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the heat pump (70) may include an evaporator (71) (e.g., the evaporator (71) of FIG. 2), a condenser (72) (e.g., the condenser (72) of FIG. 2), a compressor (73), and an expansion valve (74). At least one component of the evaporator (71), the condenser (72), the compressor (73), and the expansion valve (74) included in the heat pump (70) may be omitted.

[0081] In one embodiment, the refrigerant can circulate while undergoing a series of phase changes consisting of compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. The condenser (72) and the evaporator (71) can be implemented in the form of heat exchangers (71, 72) capable of exchanging heat with air.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the compressor (73) compresses the refrigerant to a high temperature and high pressure state and discharges the discharged refrigerant, and the discharged refrigerant flows into the condenser (72). The condenser (72) condenses the compressed refrigerant and can release heat to the surroundings through the condensation process. In addition, the expansion device (74) expands the refrigerant in the high temperature and high pressure state condensed in the condenser (72) to a low pressure state. The evaporator (71) evaporates the expanded refrigerant and can take away heat from the surroundings through the evaporation process.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the expansion device (74) may be implemented as an electronic expansion valve (EEV, hereinafter referred to as an expansion valve). The expansion valve (74) can control the amount of circulating refrigerant by controlling the opening amount through an electric signal.

[0084] According to one embodiment, air passing through the heat pump (70) may be introduced into the drum (20) through an inlet (24) provided at the rear of the drum (20) by a circulation fan (43). The air may be heated while passing through a heater (75). The heater (75) may be provided between the circulation fan (43) and an inlet duct (e.g., the inlet duct (24) of FIG. 2) provided at the rear of the drum (20). The heater (75) may additionally heat the dry air introduced into the drum (20) by the circulation fan (43). Not limited to what is illustrated, the clothes dryer (1) may not include a heater (75). In this case, the dry air may be introduced into the drum (20) through the inlet duct (24) by the circulation fan (43).

[0085] According to one embodiment, the circulation fan (43) can be rotated by a drive motor (31). The rotation shaft of the circulation fan (43) can rotate by receiving power from the drive motor (31). The drive motor (31) can rotate the drum (20) by transmitting power to a belt (33) (e.g., belt (33) of FIG. 2) connected to the drum (20).

[0086] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a configuration of a point where a filter assembly (100) is provided in a clothes dryer (e.g., clothes dryer (1) of FIG. 1) according to one embodiment. That is, FIG. 4 can be understood as an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A of FIG. 2.

[0087] FIG. 5 is a front view showing the front of a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment.

[0088] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be understood that the drawings illustrate the configurations necessary to explain the width (w) and width (l) of the filter assembly (100). Accordingly, some components may be omitted and illustrated as needed.

[0089] According to one embodiment, when the door (14) is closed, a closed path may be formed for circulating air discharged from the drum (20) to be discharged. For example, the closed path may include an exhaust port (23) and an exhaust duct (25). Through the closed path, the circulating air discharged from the drum (200) may pass through the filter assembly (100) and be introduced into the heat exchanger (71, 72) (e.g., the heat exchanger (71, 72) of FIG. 2).

[0090] According to one embodiment, a grill member (29) may be provided at the entrance of the discharge port (23). The grill member (29) may be provided to prevent the drying object existing inside the drum (20) from passing over to the discharge duct (25). The grill member (29) may include a frame portion forming a rim and grill portions in a grid shape arranged at predetermined intervals. The frame portion of the grill member (29) may correspond to the shape of the discharge port (23) so as to be fixed to the discharge port (23). The grill member (29) may be composed of a synthetic resin or a metal material.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the exhaust port (23) may have a predetermined width in the y-axis direction. The predetermined width may change as the exhaust duct (25) extends downward (e.g., in the -z-axis direction). For example, the width may narrow by a predetermined length as the exhaust duct (25) extends downward, and then widen again at a point where the exhaust duct (25) is connected to the base (90). Here, the width of the exhaust port (23) near where the grill member (29) is coupled will be defined as l1.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may be provided on a base (90). A frame (e.g., the first frame (110) of FIG. 7A) forming the outer side of the filter assembly (100) may be placed on a part of a base cover (91) covering an upper portion of the base (90). A part of the base cover (91) on which the frame (110) is placed may be understood as a plate that is arranged substantially parallel to the xy plane. A part of the base cover (91) may be referred to as a guide plate member (92). The filter assembly (100) may be placed on the plate member (92), or the filter assembly (100) may be fixed on the base (90) in such a way that the frame (110) of the filter assembly (100) is coupled with the plate member (92).

[0093] For example, when the frame (110) is coupled with the guide plate (92), one side (e.g., the upper frame (110) of FIG. 7) of the upper side of the frame (110) (e.g., the upper frame located at the rear of the upper frame (110)) may be coupled with the guide plate (92) in a fitting manner, or the one side may be placed over the guide plate (92).

[0094] According to one embodiment, circulating air flowing in from the upper side of the filter assembly (100) may pass through the open upper surface of the filter assembly (100) and pass through the front (e.g., the first surface (F1) of FIG. 7a or 7b), the lower surface (e.g., the fifth surface (F5) of FIG. 7a or 7b), the side (e.g., the left surface (F3) and the right surface (F4) of FIG. 7a or 7b)) or the rear surface (e.g., the second surface (F2) of FIG. 7a or 7b) of the filter assembly (100) to move to the base (90). As the circulating air passes through the surfaces provided in the filter assembly (100) and moves to the base (90), foreign substances moving with the circulating air may be captured inside the filter assembly (100). Since the filter assembly (100) has the shape of a polyhedron with one open side, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path that the circulating air encounters when passing through the filter assembly (100) can increase. As a result, the flow path resistance that occurs as the circulating air flows can be reduced.

[0095] According to one embodiment, in order to minimize the resistance of the filter, the width (w) and the width (l) of the filter assembly (100) may be set. Here, the width (w) of the filter assembly (100) may be understood as the maximum length of the filter assembly (100) extending in the x-axis direction. For example, the width (w) may be understood as the horizontal length of a frame (e.g., the first upper frame (112) of FIG. 7) located on the upper side of the filter assembly (100). The width (l) of the filter assembly (100) may be understood as the maximum length of the filter assembly (100) extending in the y-axis direction. For example, the width (l) may be understood as the vertical length of the first upper frame (112).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the width (l) of the filter assembly (100) may be set to be at least greater than or equal to the width (l1) of the exhaust duct (25) provided below the exhaust port (23) through which the circulating air is discharged. The width (l1) of the exhaust duct (25) may be referred to as a first length. By setting the width (l) of the filter assembly (100) to be greater than or equal to the first length (l1), a predetermined area in which the circulating air discharged from the exhaust duct (25) comes into contact with the filter assembly (100) may be secured.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the width (l) of the filter assembly (100) may be set to be at least smaller than or equal to the length (l2) from the front surface of the main body (10) provided with the filter door (200) to the point where the evaporator (71) is provided. The length from the front surface to the point where the evaporator (71) is provided may be referred to as a second length (l2). By setting the width (l) of the filter assembly (100) to be larger than or equal to the second length (l2), the width (l) of the filter assembly (100) can be secured to the maximum without interference with the space where the evaporator (71) is provided.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the width (w) of the filter assembly (100) may be at least greater than or equal to the width (w1) of the inlet (16) through which the circulating air is discharged from the drum (20). The width (w1) of the inlet (16) may be referred to as a first width (w1). The first width (w1) may be defined as the maximum radius that the inlet (16) may have in the x-axis direction. By setting the width (w) of the filter assembly (100) to be greater than or equal to the first width (w1), a predetermined area in which the circulating air discharged from the discharge duct (25) comes into contact with the filter assembly (100) may be secured.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the width (w) of the filter assembly (100) may be at least less than or equal to the second width (w2) of the second opening (200a). The height (t) of the filter assembly (100) may be at least less than or equal to the second height (t2) of the second opening (200a). Since the width (w) of the filter assembly (100) is set to be less than or equal to the second width (w2) and the height (t) of the filter assembly (100) is set to be less than or equal to the second height (t2), a user can easily withdraw or insert the filter assembly (100) through the second opening (200a) by opening the filter door (200). This provides the user with ease of attachment and detachment of the filter assembly (100), and the user can easily remove foreign substances collected in the filter assembly (100).

[0100] According to one embodiment, the shape of the guide plate (92) for fixing the filter assembly (100) can be changed corresponding to the width (l), width (w) and / or height (t) of the filter assembly (100).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the guide plate (92) may be provided such that the base cover (91) extends in the xy plane direction. One side of the filter assembly (100) may be placed on or fixed to one end of the guide plate (92).

[0102] According to one embodiment, the guide plate (92) can form a closed path for air moving from the exhaust duct (25) to the base (90) to pass through the filter assembly (100) and reach the base (90). That is, the guide plate (92) can prevent circulating air from reaching the base (90) from the exhaust duct (25) without passing through the filter assembly (100).

[0103] According to one embodiment, since the exhaust duct (25), the guide plate (92), and the base (90) form a closed path, the circulating air can move as follows. For example, the circulating air can pass through the exhaust duct (25), the filter assembly (100), and then flow into the heat exchanger (71, 72) provided on the base (90). The circulating air can flow into the open side (upper side) of the filter assembly (100) and pass from the inside to the outside of the filter assembly (100). For example, the circulating air can pass from the inside of the filter assembly (100) toward the front (F1) or rear (F2), pass toward the side, or pass toward the lower side (F5) and then flow into the heat exchanger (71, 72).

[0104] Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the main components of a clothes dryer (e.g., clothes dryer (1) of Fig. 1) according to one embodiment. Fig. 6 may be understood as an exploded perspective view illustrating the movement path of circulating air flowing through the clothes dryer (1). The arrows indicated by thick solid lines may be understood as schematically illustrating the movement path of the circulating air.

[0105] In Fig. 6, some components constituting the clothes dryer (1) (e.g., inlet duct (24) or outlet duct (25), circulation fan (43)) may be omitted.

[0106] Referring to Fig. 6, circulating air can be discharged from the drum (20) and moved to the discharge port (23) provided at the bottom of the inlet (or first opening) (16). A grill member (29) can be provided at the entrance of the discharge port (23) to prevent the drying object from leaking.

[0107] According to one embodiment, circulating air introduced from the upper side of the discharge port (23) may pass through the discharge duct (25) and the filter assembly (100) to enter the base (90). The discharge duct (25), the base (90), and the base cover (91) may form a closed path. The closed path may be referred to as a “discharge path.” Accordingly, the circulating air may enter the base (90) from the discharge duct (25) through the filter assembly (100). The circulating air that enters the base (90) may be dried at a high temperature by passing through the heat exchanger (71, 72), and the circulating air may be introduced into the drum (20) by a circulation fan (e.g., a circulation fan (43) of FIG. 2) provided at the rear end of the base (90). The circulating air may be heated by a heater (e.g., a heater (75) of FIG. 3) before being introduced into the drum (20).

[0108] In one embodiment, flow resistance may occur depending on the area of ​​the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through which the circulating air moves. The wider the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path, the lower the flow resistance. The narrower the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path, the higher the flow resistance. Here, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path may be understood as the cross-sectional area of ​​a region located substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the circulating air moves.

[0109] For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path from the exhaust duct (25) to the filter assembly (100) may be narrower than the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the filter assembly (100). Accordingly, the flow resistance of the circulating air may be reduced in the filter assembly (100).

[0110] FIG. 7a is a perspective view of a filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment.

[0111] FIG. 7b is a plan view of the filter assembly (100) viewed from above, according to one embodiment.

[0112] FIG. 7c is a side view of the filter assembly (100) viewed from the right side according to one embodiment.

[0113] Referring to FIGS. 7A to 7C, at least a plurality of filters (e.g., the first filter (101), the second filter (102), and the third filter (103) of FIG. 8) may be sequentially combined to form a filter assembly (100). The first to third filters (101, 102, 103) may be combined inwardly on an open surface of the filter assembly (100). Hereinafter, the filter located most outside of the filter assembly (100) will be assumed to be the first filter (101), and the filter located most inside will be assumed to be the third filter (103). Accordingly, it can be understood that the appearance of the filter assembly (100) is determined by the first filter (101). Therefore, the shape of the filter assembly (100) will be described with the first filter (101) as the center.

[0114] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may have a shape of a polyhedron with one side open. For example, the filter assembly (100) may have a shape of a hexahedron with one side open. For example, the filter assembly (100) may have a shape of a basket with one side open. Through the open side, circulating air may be introduced into the inside of the filter assembly (100) and may pass through the outside of the mesh members (120, 140, 160) provided on the fixed sides. Foreign substances moving together with the circulating air may be collected by the filter assembly (100) by the mesh members (120, 140, 160).

[0115] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may include a frame (110) forming an exterior and a mesh member (120, 140, 160) provided on an outer surface formed by the frame (110). The exterior formed by the filter assembly (100) may be determined by the shape of the frame (110).

[0116] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may have a substantially hexahedral shape due to the frame (110). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the filter assembly (100) may be implemented in various shapes with one side open and a predetermined volume.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may include a front side (F1), a rear side (F2), a left side (F3), a right side (F4), a lower side (F5), and an upper side by a frame (110). An open side of the filter assembly (100) may be understood as an upper side.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the frame (110) may include a second frame (112) provided along the edge of one open side and a first frame (111) connected to the second frame (112) to form the exterior of the filter assembly (100). The first frame (111) and the second frame (112) may integrally form the frame (110), or the first frame (111) and the second frame (110) may be combined to form the frame (110). For example, when the first frame (111) and the second frame (112) integrally form the frame (110), the first frame (111) and the second frame (112) may be integrally injection-molded using a metal or plastic material. Alternatively, the first frame (111) and the second frame (112) may be injection-molded separately and the first frame (111) and the second frame (112) may be combined to form the frame (110).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the first frame (111) may substantially form the exterior of the filter assembly (100). The front (F1), the rear (F2), the left side (F3), the right side (F4), and the lower side (F5) of the filter assembly (100) may be formed by the exterior of the first frame (111). A mesh member (120) may be provided on a closed surface formed by the first frame (111). The mesh member (120) may be attached to an outer surface formed by the first frame (111). In order to support the mesh member (120), the first frame (111) may include a support frame extending in a predetermined direction (e.g., in the height direction).

[0120] According to one embodiment, the mesh member (120) may include a first mesh member (120a) attached to the front side (F1), a second mesh member (120b) attached to the rear side (F2), a third mesh member (120c) attached to the left side (F3), a fourth mesh member (120d) attached to the right side (F4), and a fifth mesh member attached to the lower side (F5). The first to fifth mesh members (120a, 120b, 120c, 120d) may have substantially the same material and grid size.

[0121] According to one embodiment, the mesh member (120) may be composed of fabric, metal, or synthetic resin. The mesh member (120) has a predetermined grid size, thereby being able to collect foreign substances moving together with the circulating air passing through the filter assembly (100).

[0122] According to one embodiment, the unit size of the unit grid constituting the mesh member (120) may be expressed as Mesh. Mesh is a unit corresponding to the size of particles that can pass through the unit grid constituting the mesh member (120), and as the Mesh increases, it may mean that the size of particles that can pass through the unit grid decreases. For example, 4Mesh means that the number of grids included in an area of ​​1 inch (or 25.4 millimeters (mm)) x 1 inch is 4. 2 It can mean a game. In other words, the maximum diameter of a particle that can pass through a mesh member of 4Mesh can be understood as 0.25 inches. For example, 100Mesh means that the number of grids contained in an area of ​​1 inch x 1 inch is 100. 2 This can mean a game. In other words, the maximum particle diameter that can pass through a 100Mesh mesh member can be understood as 0.01 inches.

[0123] According to one embodiment, if the Mesh value of the mesh member (120) provided in the first filter (101) located at the outermost side of the filter assembly (100) is defined as N1, the Mesh value of the mesh member (160) provided in the third filter (103) located at the innermost side of the filter assembly (100) is defined as N3, and the Mesh value of the mesh member (140) provided in the second filter (102) located between the first filter (101) and the third filter (103) is defined as N2, then N1 to N3 may have a relationship of N1 ≥ N2 ≥ N3. That is, it can be understood that the mesh size of the mesh member provided in the filter becomes smaller (or the mesh becomes denser) as the filter is located at the outermost side.

[0124] For example, the Mesh value (N1) of the first mesh member (120) may be 200 to 250 Mesh. The Mesh value (N2) of the second mesh member (140) may be 150 to 200 Mesh. The Mesh value (N3) of the third mesh member (160) may be 110 to 150 Mesh. However, the present invention is not limited to the described range, and the range of Mesh values ​​(N1, N2, N3) of the first to third mesh members (120, 140, 160) may be determined by the material constituting the mesh member, and the mesh member of the filter located further outside may have a smaller grid size or may be provided to be denser.

[0125] According to one embodiment, the second frame (112) may provide coupling of the filter assembly (100) with a guide plate (92) that is at least a portion of the base cover (91). The second frame (112) may include, for example, a second frame front end (115), a second frame rear end (116), a second frame left end (117), and a second frame right end (118).

[0126] For example, the rear end of the second frame (116) can be placed on the upper side of the guide plate (92).

[0127] For example, the second frame rear end (116) and the guide plate (92) are provided in shapes corresponding to each other, so that the second frame rear end (116) and the guide plate (92) can be hook-joined or fitted-joined.

[0128] According to one embodiment, at least one of the front side (F1) or the rear side (F2) of the filter assembly (100) may be arranged to be inclined with respect to the lower side (F5). Referring to FIG. 7c, an auxiliary line extending from the lower side (F5) may be referred to as s1, an auxiliary line extending from the front side (F1) may be referred to as s2, and an auxiliary line extending from the rear side (F2) may be referred to as s3. For example, the auxiliary line s1 may be arranged to be substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the clothes dryer (1) (e.g., the lower surface of the base (90)).

[0129] According to one embodiment, the front surface (F1) may be arranged to be inclined at a first angle (θ1) with respect to the lower surface (F5). The rear surface (F2) may be arranged to be inclined at a second angle (θ2) with respect to the lower surface (F5). The first angle (θ1) and the second angle (θ2) may be set as obtuse angles that are, for example, greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. The front surface (F1) and the rear surface (F2) may be inclined in a direction in which the area of ​​an open surface becomes narrower in response to a decrease in height in the -z-axis direction. As a result, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the circulating air flowing into the lower side of the filter assembly (100) from the exhaust duct (25) may be maximized. Although not shown, the left surface (F3) and the right surface (F4) may also be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the lower surface (F5).

[0130] Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment. Fig. 8 can be understood as an exploded perspective view of a plurality of filters (e.g., a first filter (101), a second filter (102), and a third filter (103)) constituting the filter assembly (100).

[0131] Referring to FIG. 8, the filter assembly (100) may be configured by combining a plurality of filters (101, 102, 103). The plurality of filters (101, 102, 103) may include, for example, a first filter (101), a second filter (102), and a third filter (103). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the plurality of filters (101, 102, 103) may further include additional filters as needed. In addition, the configuration and appearance of the second filter (102) and the third filter (103) illustrated in FIG. 8 may be substantially similar to those of the first filter (101) except for differences in size. Therefore, the description of the first filter (101) in FIGS. 7A to 7C may also be applied to the second filter (102) and the third filter (103).

[0132] According to one embodiment, the filter assembly (100) may have a first filter (101) positioned at the outermost side, a second filter (102) coupled to the inner side of the first filter (101), and a third filter (103) coupled to the inner side of the second filter (105). The second filter (102) may be coupled to an open side of the first filter (101), and the third filter (103) may be coupled to an open side of the second filter (102).

[0133] According to one embodiment, the second filter (102) may include a frame (130) and a mesh member (140) forming an exterior. The frame (130) may include a second frame (132) provided along a border of an open side, and a first frame (131) connected to the second frame (132) to form an exterior of the second filter (102).

[0134] According to one embodiment, the first frame (131) can substantially form the exterior of the second filter (102). The front (F1), the rear (F2), the left side (F3), the right side (F4), and the lower side (F5) of the second filter (102) can be formed by the exterior of the first frame (131). A mesh member (140) can be provided on the closed surface formed by the first frame (131).

[0135] According to one embodiment, the mesh member (140) may include a first mesh member (140a) attached to the front side (F1), a second mesh member (140b) attached to the rear side (F2), a third mesh member (140c) attached to the left side (F3), a fourth mesh member (140d) attached to the right side (F4), and a fifth mesh member attached to the lower side (F5). The first to fifth mesh members (140a, 140b, 140c, 140d) may have substantially the same material and grid size.

[0136] In one embodiment, the second frame (132) may provide coupling of the second filter (102) with the second frame (112) of the first filter (101). The second frame (132) may include, for example, a second frame front end (135), a second frame rear end (136), a second frame left end (137), and a second frame right end (138). The lower side of the second frame (132) of the second filter (102) may be positioned above a border formed by the second frame (112) of the first filter (101).

[0137] According to one embodiment, the third filter (103) may include a frame (150) and a mesh member (160) forming an exterior. The frame (150) may include a second frame (152) provided along the edge of an open side, and a first frame (151) connected to the second frame (152) to form an exterior of the third filter (103).

[0138] According to one embodiment, the first frame (151) can substantially form the exterior of the third filter (103). The front (F1), the rear (F2), the left side (F3), the right side (F4), and the lower side (F5) of the second filter (102) can be formed by the exterior of the first frame (151). A mesh member (160) can be provided on the closed surface formed by the first frame (151).

[0139] According to one embodiment, the mesh member (160) may include a first mesh member (160a) attached to the front side (F1), a second mesh member (160b) attached to the rear side (F2), a third mesh member (160c) attached to the left side (F3), a fourth mesh member (160d) attached to the right side (F4), and a fifth mesh member (160e) attached to the lower side (F5). The first to fifth mesh members (140a, 140b, 140c, 140d, 160e) may have substantially the same material and grid size.

[0140] In one embodiment, the second frame (152) may provide coupling of the third filter (103) with the second frame (132) of the second filter (102). The second frame (152) may include, for example, a second frame front end (155), a second frame rear end (156), a second frame left end (157), and a second frame right end (158). The lower side of the second frame (152) of the third filter (103) may be positioned above a border formed by the second frame (132) of the second filter (102).

[0141] According to one embodiment, the first to third filters (101, 102, 103) constituting the filter assembly (100) may be provided to be detachable. By providing the first to third filters (101, 102, 103) to be detachable, the user can be provided with ease of cleaning the filter assembly (100).

[0142] According to one embodiment, the mesh sizes of the mesh member (120) included in the first filter (101), the mesh member (140) included in the second filter (102), and the mesh member (160) included in the third filter (103) may be different from each other. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the mesh member (120) included in the first filter (101) will be referred to as mesh member #1 (120), the mesh member (140) included in the second filter (102) will be referred to as mesh member #2 (140), and the mesh member (160) included in the third filter (103) will be referred to as mesh member #3 (160).

[0143] According to one embodiment, the mesh size constituting the outermost mesh member #1 (120) may be the smallest, and the mesh size constituting the innermost mesh member #3 (160) may be the largest. That is, the mesh member located further outward may be able to collect finer-sized foreign substances. Accordingly, the filter assembly (100) composed of a plurality of filters (101, 102, 103) may sequentially collect foreign substances corresponding to the particles of the foreign substances. In addition, due to the multi-layer structure of the filter assembly (100), the filter assembly (100) may collect foreign substances having relatively large particle sizes to foreign substances having relatively fine particle sizes.

[0144] According to one embodiment, assuming that the grid size of mesh member #1 (120) is set to N1 Mesh, the grid size of mesh member #2 (140) is set to N2 Mesh, and the grid size of mesh member #3 (160) is set to N3 Mesh, N1 to N3 may have a relationship of N1≥N2≥N3.

[0145] For example, mesh member #3 (160) may have a grid size of 110 mesh, mesh member #2 (140) may have a grid size of 200 mesh, and mesh member #1 (120) may have a grid size of 200 mesh. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the grid sizes of the mesh members (120, 140, 160) may be set in a direction in which the grid sizes of the mesh members provided in the filter located on the outside become finer.

[0146] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure in which a filter assembly (100) is coupled to a base (90) according to one embodiment. Fig. 9 may be understood as an expanded embodiment in which an open side of the filter assembly (100) is positioned in front of the base (90).

[0147] Referring to FIG. 9, the filter assembly (100) can be coupled to a recess formed by the base (90) and the base cover (91). The recess may correspond, for example, to an outer surface formed by the frame of the filter assembly (100) (e.g., the frame (110) of the first filter (101) of FIG. 7A).

[0148] In one embodiment, the front portion of the recessed portion may be inclined at a predetermined angle so that the filter assembly (100) can be stably placed in the recessed portion. For example, the front portion of the recessed portion may be inclined such that the upper portion is positioned relatively toward the y-axis (e.g., rearward) relative to the lower portion.

[0149] According to one embodiment, by combining the filter assembly (100) with the recessed portion, the flow resistance of the circulating air flowing into the base (90) through the exhaust duct (25) can be reduced. That is, since no separate component is arranged in the path from the exhaust duct (25) to the filter assembly (100), the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the circulating air can be relatively widened.

[0150] A clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a filter assembly (100) disposed on an exhaust duct (25) formed so that drying air is discharged from a drum (20) and introduced into a heat exchanger (71, 72) provided in a base (90). The filter assembly (100) may be detachably coupled to a housing of the base (90). The filter assembly (100) may have a shape of a polyhedron having a predetermined width (w), a predetermined width (l), and a predetermined height (t) and having one open side. The predetermined width (w) may be relatively longer than a diameter (w1) of an opening forming an inlet (16) provided in a front housing (13). The predetermined width (l) may be relatively longer than a horizontal width (l1) of an exhaust port (23) provided at a starting point of the inlet duct (24).

[0151] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper side of the filter assembly (100) is open, and the sides (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5) excluding the upper side can be closed by a mesh member (120, 140, 160).

[0152] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the front surface (F1) of the filter assembly (100) may be inclined at a predetermined angle (θ1) with respect to the lower surface (F5) of the filter assembly (100). The upper side of the front surface (F1) may be inclined so as to be adjacent to the front housing (13) compared to the lower side of the front surface (F1).

[0153] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the rear surface (F2) of the filter assembly (100) may be inclined at a predetermined angle (θ2) with respect to the lower surface (F5). The lower side of the rear surface (F2) may be inclined so as to be adjacent to the front housing (13) compared to the upper side of the rear surface (F2).

[0154] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the predetermined angle (θ1, θ2) may be 90° to 180°.

[0155] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the front housing (13) may include an opening (200a) and a cover member (200) capable of opening and closing the opening (200a).

[0156] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the width (w2) of the opening (200a) may be relatively greater than or equal to the width (w) of the filter assembly. The height (t2) of the opening (200a) may be relatively greater than or equal to the height (t) of the filter assembly.

[0157] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover member (200) may include a sealing member provided on the inside. The sealing member may be provided to correspond to the perimeter of the opening (200a) and may be arranged to seal the opening in response to the closing of the cover member (200).

[0158] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a guide rail may be provided on one side of the filter assembly (100). A base cover (91) positioned on the upper side of the base (90) may include a guide plate (92) for supporting the guide rail when the filter assembly (100) is mounted.

[0159] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail may be arranged on the upper side of the guide plate (92).

[0160] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail and the guide plate (92) can be interlocked and fixed.

[0161] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail and the guide plate (92) can be fitted together.

[0162] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide rail may include a hook. The guide plate (92) may include a hole at a point corresponding to the hook. The guide rail and the guide plate (92) may be hook-coupled.

[0163] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter assembly (100) may include a first filter (101) and a second filter (102). The second filter (102) may be coupled to the inside of the first filter (101). The grid size of the first mesh member (120) included in the first filter (101) may be relatively smaller than the grid size of the second mesh member (140) included in the second filter (102).

[0164] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the grid size of the first mesh member (120) may be 200 Mesh to 250 Mesh. The grid size of the second mesh member (140) may be 150 Mesh to 200 Mesh.

[0165] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter assembly (100) may include a third filter (103) coupled to the inside of the second filter (102). The grid size of the second mesh member (140) may be relatively smaller than the grid size of the third mesh member (160) included in the third filter (103).

[0166] In a clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the grid size of the third mesh member (160) may be 110 Mesh to 150 Mesh.

[0167] A clothes dryer (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a circulation fan (43) provided on a base (90). The circulation fan (43) may be positioned on an inlet duct (24) through which the drying air passes through a heat exchanger (71, 72) and is introduced into the drum (20).

[0168] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a filter assembly (100) included in a clothes dryer (1) and having a predetermined width (w), a predetermined width (l), and a predetermined height (t) may be provided in a discharge duct (25) extending from a discharge port (23) of a drum (20) toward a heat exchanger (71, 72), and surfaces (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5) except for one open surface may be closed with a mesh member (120, 140, 160). The predetermined width (w) may be relatively longer than a diameter (w1) of an opening forming an inlet (16), and the predetermined width (l) may be relatively longer than a horizontal width (l1) of the discharge port (23).

[0169] In a filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the open side may be determined by considering the direction of dry air flowing into the filter assembly (100).

[0170] In a filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, either the upper surface or the front surface of the filter assembly (100) can be opened.

[0171] A filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first filter (101) and a second filter (102), and the second filter (102) may be coupled to the inside of the first filter (101). The grid size of the first mesh member (120) included in the first filter (101) may be relatively smaller than the grid size of the second mesh member (140) included in the second filter (102).

[0172] In a filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the grid size of the first mesh member (120) may be 200 Mesh to 250 Mesh. The grid size of the second mesh member (140) may be 150 Mesh to 200 Mesh.

[0173] A filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a third filter (103) coupled to the inside of the second filter (102). The grid size of the second mesh member (140) may be relatively smaller than the grid size of the third mesh member (160) included in the third filter (103).

[0174] In a filter assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the grid size of the third mesh member (160) may be 110 Mesh to 150 Mesh.

[0175] The terminology used herein is merely used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For example, a singular element should be understood to include plural elements unless the context clearly indicates only a singular element. As used herein, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the listed items. The terms "include," "have," "comprise," and the like used in this disclosure are intended to specify only the presence of a feature, component, part, or combination thereof described in this disclosure, and the use of these terms does not exclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, components, parts, or combinations thereof. The expressions "first," "second," and the like used in this disclosure can modify various components regardless of order and / or importance, and are only used to distinguish one component from another, without limiting the components.

[0176] The expression "configured to" used in the present disclosure can be appropriately used interchangeably with, for example, "suitable for," "capable of," "designed to," "modified to," "made to," or "capable of." The term "configured to" may not necessarily mean only something "specially designed" in terms of hardware. Instead, in some situations, the expression "a device configured to" may mean that the device is "capable of" doing something together with other devices or components. For example, the phrase "a device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" may mean a dedicated device for performing the corresponding operations, or a general-purpose device that can perform various operations including the corresponding operations.

[0177] Meanwhile, the terms “upper side,” “lower side,” and “front-rear direction” used in the present disclosure are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0178] Although the foregoing description in this disclosure has focused on specific embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments, but rather encompasses various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the various embodiments.

Claims

1. In the clothes dryer (1), A main body (10) including a drum (20) arranged inside and a front panel (13) having a first opening (16) formed therein for introducing a drying object into the drum (20); A heat exchanger (71, 72) placed on the base (90) of the main body (10) and through which air discharged from the drum (20) passes to exchange heat; An exhaust duct (25) that guides air discharged from the drum (20) to the base (90); and It includes a filter assembly (100) having a polyhedral shape having a width, height, and depth, and formed so that air discharged from the drum and passing through the heat exchanger (71, 72) is filtered. The above width is longer than the diameter of the opening forming the first opening (16) arranged in the above front panel (13), The above width is longer than the horizontal width of the discharge port (23) located at the starting point of the discharge duct (25) in the dryer (1).

2. In paragraph 1, The upper side of the above filter assembly (100) is open, A dryer (1), wherein the filter assembly (100) further includes a mesh member (120, 140, 160) arranged along each side of the filter assembly (100) except for the upper side to form a surface.

3. In paragraph 2, The front surface (F1) of the filter assembly (100) is tilted at a first angle (θ1) with respect to the lower surface (F5) of the filter assembly (100). A dryer (1) in which the upper part of the front (F1) is inclined so as to be adjacent to the front panel (13) compared to the lower part of the front (F1).

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The rear surface (F2) of the filter assembly (100) is inclined at a second angle (θ2) with respect to the lower surface (F5) of the filter assembly (100). A dryer (1), wherein the lower portion of the rear surface (F2) is inclined so as to be adjacent to the front panel (13) compared to the upper portion of the rear surface (F2).

5. In paragraph 3 or 4, A dryer (1), wherein the first angle and the second angle (θ1, θ2) are 90° to 180°.

6. In paragraph 1, A dryer (1), wherein the front panel (13) further includes a second opening (200a) that allows the filter assembly (100) to move and a cover member (200) formed to be able to open and close the second opening (200a).

7. In paragraph 6, The width (w2) of the second opening (200a) is greater than or equal to the width (w) of the filter assembly (100), The height (t2) of the second opening (200a) is greater than or equal to the height (t) of the filter assembly (100), the dryer (1).

8. In paragraph 6, It further includes a sealing member arranged between the second opening (200a) and the cover member (200), A dryer (1), wherein the sealing member is formed to correspond to the circumference of the second opening (200a) and seal the second opening (200a) in response to the closing of the cover member (200).

9. In paragraph 1, A guide rail is arranged on one side of the above filter assembly (100), A dryer (1), wherein the base cover (91) positioned on the upper side of the base (90) includes a guide plate (92) that supports the guide rail when the filter assembly (100) is positioned on the base (90).

10. In paragraph 9, A dryer (1) in which the above guide rail is positioned on the upper side of the above guide plate (92).

11. In paragraph 1, The above filter assembly (100) includes a first filter (101) including a first mesh member (120) and a second filter (102) including a second mesh member (140). The second filter (102) is coupled to the inside of the first filter (101), A dryer (1) in which the grid size of the first mesh member (120) is smaller than the grid size of the second mesh member (140).

12. In paragraph 11, The above filter assembly (100) is coupled to the inside of the second filter (102) and includes a third filter (103) including a third mesh member (160). A dryer (1) in which the grid size of the second mesh member (140) is smaller than the grid size of the third mesh member (160).

13. In paragraph 12, The grid size of the first mesh member (120) is 200 to 250 mesh, The grid size of the second mesh member (140) is 150 to 200 mesh, A dryer (1) in which the grid size of the third mesh member (160) is 110 to 150 mesh.

14. In paragraph 1, Includes a circulation fan (43) placed on the base (90), The above circulation fan (43) is located on the inlet duct (24) through which the air that has undergone heat exchange by passing through the above heat exchanger (71, 72) passes before being fed into the drum (20), in the dryer (1).

15. In a filter assembly (100) included in a clothes dryer (1), having a width, width and height, and having one side open, It includes a mesh member (120, 140, 160) arranged along each side of the filter assembly (100) except for the one side to form a surface, The above filter assembly (100) is formed to guide air discharged from the drum (20) included in the clothes dryer (1) and directed to the heat exchanger (71, 72) placed inside the base (90) included in the clothes dryer (1). The above width is longer than the diameter of the opening (16) formed on the front panel (13) of the clothes dryer (1) and for inserting the drying object, and the above width is longer than the width of the discharge port (23) located at the starting point of the discharge duct (25), the filter assembly (100).

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