Clothing treatment apparatus

Abstract

A clothing treatment apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a cabinet; a drum which is rotatably provided inside the cabinet and accommodates clothing; a duct module which is provided at the bottom of the drum and includes a circulation fan configured to move air discharged from the drum; and a drying module which is provided separately from the cabinet and configured to dehumidify and heat the air moved from the duct module and supply the dehumidified and heated air to the drum, wherein the drying module includes a flow path duct which forms a flow path for guiding the air discharged from the duct module to the drum, a heat exchange unit including an evaporator which is provided inside the flow path duct and configured to dehumidify the air moved from the duct module, and a condenser which is provided above the evaporator and configured to heat the air having passed through the evaporator, and a cleaning unit which is disposed below the evaporator and configured to spray water toward the evaporator.

Description

Garment processing equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a clothing treatment device. More specifically, it relates to a commercial dryer capable of performing drying processes, such as sterilizing, removing wrinkles, deodorizing, and drying, on clothing by supplying steam or hot air to the clothing.

[0002] In general, a garment treatment device performs any course of treating garments, and may include a dryer that performs a drying process.

[0003] In the case of commercial dryers, bulky and heavy clothing such as bedding can be loaded in a wet state compared to household dryers, and they can be equipped to perform more drying cycles to dry a large quantity of clothing.

[0004] Accordingly, commercial dryers need to be designed to be much larger in volume and to supply a greater amount of hot air than household dryers, so that they can quickly dry a large amount of clothes.

[0005] When equipped with a drying module with a heat pump at the bottom of the cabinet and a duct module with a blower fan, as in conventional home dryers, there was a limit to increasing the flow rate of hot air.

[0006] To address this, commercial dryers have recently emerged that have a drying module located at the rear of the cabinet to increase the flow rate of hot air.

[0007] The above commercial dryer features a duct module at the bottom of the cabinet and a drying module at the rear. Air passing through the drying module is supplied to the rear of the drum, and air exhausted from the front of the drum travels back to the drying module through the duct module. Accordingly, the drying module features an evaporator at the bottom and a condenser at the top.

[0008] Conventional commercial dryers have their evaporators located below the condenser, which presents a problem: foreign matter mixed with the circulating air accumulates in the evaporator. Furthermore, as drying capacity increases, the amount of foreign matter removed from clothes also increases, leading to a significant accumulation of foreign matter in the evaporator, degrading drying performance. Therefore, cleaning the evaporator becomes a critical task for commercial dryers.

[0009] The present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a clothing treatment device that increases the flow rate of hot air.

[0010] The present invention aims to provide a clothing treatment device that improves heat exchange performance by efficiently removing foreign substances accumulated in a drying module.

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a clothing treatment device that removes foreign substances by directly spraying water onto a drying module.

[0012] The present invention aims to provide a clothing treatment device that recovers or drains water directly sprayed onto a drying module.

[0013] The present invention aims to provide an efficient clothing treatment device that increases the capacity of collecting condensed water in an evaporator and drains it to the outside.

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention provides a clothing treatment device having a cleaning unit that sprays water onto the drying module to wash the drying module.

[0015] The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a cabinet, a drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet and accommodating clothing, a duct module including a circulation fan provided at a lower portion of the drum to move air discharged from the drum, a drying module provided separately from the cabinet to dehumidify and heat air moved from the duct module and supply the dehumidified and heated air to the drum, and the drying module may include a flow duct forming a flow path for guiding air discharged from the duct module to the drum, a heat exchange unit including an evaporator provided inside the flow duct to dehumidify air moved from the duct module, and a condenser provided above the evaporator to heat air passing through the evaporator, and a cleaning unit disposed below the evaporator to spray water toward the evaporator.

[0016] The evaporator of the clothing treatment device of the present invention is provided to be inclined, and the cleaning unit is positioned close to the top of the evaporator, and can spray water closer to the top than the bottom of the evaporator.

[0017] The evaporator of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided at an angle so that the upper end is positioned at the rear.

[0018] The cleaning unit of the clothing treatment device of the present invention can spray water so that the lower surface of the evaporator and the direction of water spray are inclined.

[0019] The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a water supply pipe connected to an external water supply source at one end and guiding water supplied from the water supply source into the inside of the water duct, and a water supply valve provided to open and close the water supply pipe, and the cleaning unit may include a spray nozzle connected to the other end of the water supply pipe and provided to spray water, and a nozzle frame supported on the inside of the water duct and provided to fix the spray nozzle.

[0020] The nozzle frame of the garment treatment device of the present invention can extend from one side of the euro duct to the other side and be coupled to both sides, and the spray nozzles can be arranged in multiple numbers spaced apart along the nozzle frame.

[0021] The nozzle frame of the garment treatment device of the present invention can be positioned between the upper and lower parts of the evaporator.

[0022] The nozzle frame of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be positioned lower than the bottom of the evaporator.

[0023] The drying module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a case that forms the exterior of the drying module and is provided to accommodate the duct, and a drainage unit that is provided inside the case and is positioned below the cleaning unit to collect water sprayed from the cleaning unit and discharge it to the outside.

[0024] The drainage part of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a drainage body forming the outer shape of the drainage part, a drainage surface formed on the upper surface of the drainage body to collect water, a drainage hole formed to penetrate the drainage surface and through which the collected water passes, and a drainage pipe extended from the drainage hole to the outside of the case to guide water passing through the drainage hole to the outside of the case.

[0025] The drain hole of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided between the front and rear of the drain surface, and the drain surface may be provided to be inclined so that the height thereof decreases as it extends toward the drain hole.

[0026] The above drain hole may be arranged closer to the front than the rear of the drain surface.

[0027] The present invention has the effect of increasing the flow rate of hot air.

[0028] The present invention has the effect of improving heat exchange performance by efficiently removing foreign substances accumulated in a drying module.

[0029] The present invention has the effect of efficiently removing foreign substances by directly spraying water onto a drying module.

[0030] The present invention has the effect of recovering or draining water directly sprayed onto the drying module.

[0031] The present invention has the effect of increasing the capacity of collecting condensed water in an evaporator and efficiently discharging it to the outside.

[0032] Figure 1 illustrates the appearance of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 2 illustrates a cabinet of the garment treatment device of the present invention and a drying module detachably coupled to the cabinet.

[0034] Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4 illustrates a duct module equipped with a circulation fan of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 5 illustrates the separation of the circulation fan from the duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0037] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the rear and interior of the drying module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the mechanism of the auxiliary heat exchanger of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 9 illustrates the cabinet of the garment treatment device of the present invention and the drum removed from the cabinet.

[0040] Figure 10 illustrates the rear of the cabinet of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 11 illustrates the rear side of the drum of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 12 illustrates the appearance of the cabinet of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 13 illustrates a state in which the front panel of the cabinet of the garment treatment device of the present invention is removed.

[0044] Fig. 14 illustrates a sealing portion that seals the housing and front panel of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 15 illustrates a cleaning unit provided in the drying module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0046] Fig. 16 illustrates water being sprayed from the cleaning unit of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 17 illustrates the drainage section of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0048] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The configuration and control methods of the devices described below are intended only to illustrate embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Reference numerals used throughout the specification represent identical components.

[0049] Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0050] The clothing treatment device of the present invention may be equipped with a dryer capable of performing any drying course to remove moisture from clothing.

[0051] The garment treatment device of the present invention may include a cabinet (110) that accommodates a drum (150) capable of accommodating garments, a drying module (20) capable of supplying at least one of heated air (hot air) and steam to the cabinet (110), and a duct module (30) that provides a path through which air inside the cabinet (110) can be discharged to the drying module (20) or the outside.

[0052] The garment treatment device of the present invention can be installed as a commercial dryer. Accordingly, the garment treatment device of the present invention can be deployed in environments where multiple users repeatedly perform the drying cycle, or where a large quantity of clothing, such as blankets or bedding, must be dried, compared to a household dryer. Therefore, the garment treatment device of the present invention must be equipped to accommodate a larger volume of clothing than a household dryer, and must be equipped to supply more hot air than a household dryer to quickly perform the drying cycle.

[0053] To this end, the clothes treatment device of the present invention needs to have a cabinet (110) that is larger in volume than a configuration for accommodating clothes in a home dryer, the drying module (20) needs to be larger in volume than a drying module of a home dryer to generate a large amount of hot air, and the duct module (30) needs to be larger than a duct module of a home dryer to allow sufficient flow to move.

[0054] Accordingly, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may be provided such that at least one of the drying module (20) and the duct module (30) is arranged in a separate configuration from the cabinet (110) and is detachably coupled to the cabinet (110).

[0055] As a result, the garment treatment device of the present invention can sufficiently expand the volume of the cabinet (110) without being restricted by the installation space of the drying module (20) or the duct module (30). Accordingly, the cabinet (110) can be equipped to accommodate a large quantity of garments without difficulty.

[0056] In addition, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can sufficiently expand the volume of the drying module (20) without being restricted by the installation space of the cabinet (110) or the duct module (30). Accordingly, the drying module (20) can also increase the volume of the heat supply unit that heats air or generates steam, so that it can be equipped to generate sufficient hot air to dry a large amount of clothing or sufficient steam to sterilize and disinfect a large amount of clothing.

[0057] In addition, the garment treatment device of the present invention can sufficiently expand the volume of the duct module (30) without being restricted by the installation space of the cabinet (110) or the drying module (20). Accordingly, the duct module (30) can secure a path for a sufficient amount of air to move to the expanded cabinet (110) and the drying module (20), and a large-capacity filter described later can also be stably installed.

[0058] If the above cabinet (110) is provided with an opening through which clothes are put in, the drying module (20) and the duct module (30) may be provided to communicate with the cabinet (110) at a position that does not interfere with the opening.

[0059] When the opening of the above cabinet (110) is positioned at the front, the drying module (20) may be positioned at any one of the top, bottom, both sides, and rear of the cabinet (110), and the duct module (30) may be positioned at any one of the top, bottom, both sides, and rear of the cabinet (110) at a position that does not interfere with the drying module (20).

[0060] For example, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can place the drying module (20) at the rear of the cabinet (110).

[0061] Accordingly, the volume of the drying module (20) can be expanded to a greater extent than when the drying module (20) is arranged at the top and bottom of the cabinet (110), thereby maximizing the heating or heat exchange performance. In addition, since the drying module (20) is arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110) rather than being provided at the side of the cabinet (110), the overall width of the garment treatment device of the present invention can be reduced, thereby allowing the garment treatment device of the present invention to be easily arranged in a plurality of units in a limited space. In addition, since the drying module (20) is arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110), the flow direction in which the hot air is discharged can be aligned with the flow direction inside the cabinet (110), thereby reducing the overall flow resistance.

[0062] Meanwhile, the duct module (30) may be placed on either the upper or lower portion of the cabinet (110). This allows the overall width of the garment treatment device of the present invention to be reduced compared to when it is placed on the side of the cabinet (110).

[0063] The above duct module (30) can be placed at the bottom of the cabinet (110). As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can position the opening of the cabinet (110) higher from the ground, and the user can easily take in and take out a large amount of clothing through the opening.

[0064] Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the configuration of the garment treatment device of the present invention is detachably provided.

[0065] The clothing treatment device of the present invention may be manufactured such that at least one of the cabinet (110), drying module (20), and duct module (30) is separated from the other and detachably coupled to allow air to flow through.

[0066] In general, the drying module (20) is equipped with heavy components for heating air or supplying steam, and may be relatively heavier than the cabinet (110) or duct module (30). In addition, the drying module (20) may have more electrical components installed than the internal components of the cabinet (110) or duct module (30), and thus may require more frequent maintenance.

[0067] To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can be designed so that the drying module (20) can be detachably attached to the cabinet (110). Accordingly, the drying module (20) can be transported separately from the cabinet (110) to easily install the clothing treatment device of the present invention, and if there is a problem with the electrical components of the drying module (20), it can be replaced separately from the cabinet (110), and some parts of the drying module (20) can be replaced by separating it from the bulky cabinet (110), thereby facilitating maintenance work.

[0068] Meanwhile, the garment treatment device of the present invention may be provided with the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) as an integral unit. As a result, the connection between the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) is strengthened, thereby preventing the possibility of air discharged from the drum (150) leaking to the outside.

[0069] In addition, even if strong vibration occurs in the cabinet (110) due to the movement of a large amount of clothing, the cabinet (110) can be prevented from being arbitrarily separated from the duct module (30). The duct module (30) can be placed inside the cabinet (110) and manufactured and transported at the same time.

[0070] This is only an example, and the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) may be provided as separate modules and may be provided so as to be detachable from each other.

[0071] Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of the internal structure of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0072] The clothing treatment device of the present invention is equipped with an exhaust type, and the drying module (20) and the drum (150) are arranged to communicate with each other, and the drum (150) and the duct module (30) are arranged to communicate with each other. However, the drying module (20) and the duct module (30) may be arranged so as not to communicate with each other.

[0073] As illustrated, when the garment treatment device of the present invention is arranged in a circulating manner, the drum (150), the duct module (30), and the drying module (20) can be arranged so that air flows through them. Accordingly, the garment treatment device of the present invention can be installed without difficulty, regardless of whether the indoor space is connected to the outdoors, as long as the installation space is secured.

[0074] The garment treatment device of the present invention may include a cabinet (110) having an exterior and an opening, a door (120) for opening and closing the opening, and a drum (150) rotatably provided inside the cabinet (110) to receive garments fed through the opening.

[0075] The garment treatment device of the present invention may include a driving unit (160) that rotates the drum (150). Accordingly, garments accommodated in the drum (150) may be exposed to hot air supplied to the drum (150) and dried while rising and falling within the drum (150) due to the rotation of the drum (150).

[0076] The above driving unit (160) can be placed in the cabinet (110).

[0077] Accordingly, the drum (150) and all components that rotate the drum (150) can be installed in the cabinet (110) itself, and can be maintained independently of the components of the duct module (30) or the drying module (20). In addition, since the entire configuration of the driving unit (160) is installed independently of the duct module (30), the duct module (30) omits a configuration for the driving unit (160) to pass through or be installed, so that the sealing performance of the duct module (30) can be enhanced.

[0078] The above duct module (30) may include a duct body (310) positioned lower than the drum (150) to receive air discharged from the drum (150), a circulation fan (330) positioned at the rear of the duct body (310) to move the air, and a fan receiving portion (320) that provides a space in which the circulation fan (330) is installed.

[0079] The above duct body (310) may be provided so that the outer surface is completely sealed to prevent air from leaking to the outside, except for air flowing in from the drum (150).

[0080] The above duct body (310) may be provided in any shape as long as it is provided so that air discharged from the drum (150) can be introduced at the top and the air can be delivered to the rear.

[0081] For example, the duct body (310) may be provided in the shape of a case that is positioned at the bottom of the cabinet (110) to support the cabinet (110) and is shielded on all sides.

[0082] Alternatively, the duct body (310) may be provided in a configuration in which a rectangular parallelepiped frame, etc., which is disposed inside the cabinet (110) and supports the internal components of the cabinet (110), is combined with a plate, etc., which shields the interior. For example, the duct module (30) may be installed inside the cabinet (110). The drum (150) and the duct module (30) may be provided to share a single cabinet (110). The duct module (30) may be installed inside the cabinet (110) that forms the exterior, or the duct module (30) may be installed at the bottom of the cabinet after the cabinet (110) is manufactured. This can prevent hot air or steam from leaking between the drum (150) and the duct module (30), facilitate installation and transportation, and enhance aesthetic appeal.

[0083] The fan receiving portion (320) may be coupled to the duct body (310) or may be provided to be supported inside the duct body (320) to receive the circulation fan (330).

[0084] The fan receiving portion (320) may be positioned rearward from the front of the duct body (310) to secure a space into which air discharged from the front of the drum (150) may be introduced. In addition, the fan receiving portion (320) may be positioned close to or in close contact with the drying module (20) to form a path for delivering the air to the drying module (20).

[0085] The above duct module (30) may further include a filter unit (350) that is positioned in front of the fan receiving unit (320) and filters foreign substances flowing into the circulation fan (330).

[0086] The above filter unit (350) is provided in front of the fan receiving unit (320) with a length corresponding to the width of the duct body (310) so as to be able to filter foreign substances discharged from a large amount of clothing without difficulty.

[0087] The filter unit (350) may be detachably provided on the duct body (310) so that accumulated foreign substances can be easily removed. The duct body (310) may include an entrance through which the filter unit (350) is introduced and withdrawn, and the entrance may be arranged at the front of the duct body (310). Accordingly, a user can check the status of the filter (350) and clean it without being limited by the configuration of the drying module (20) or the door (120).

[0088] The above drying module (20) may be arranged at the rear of the cabinet (110) to supply hot air and steam to the interior of the cabinet (110).

[0089] The above drying module (20) may be arranged so that the front lower part faces the duct module (30) and the front upper part faces the back surface of the cabinet (110) or the drum (150).

[0090] The above drying module (20) may include a case (210) placed at the rear of the cabinet (110) and a heat exchange unit (240) placed inside the case (210) to dehumidify and heat the air.

[0091] The case (210) may be provided at a height that allows it to face the entire back surface of the drum (150) from the bottom of the duct module (30). The width of the case (210) may be provided to correspond to the width of the cabinet (110) or may be provided to be smaller. Accordingly, the case (210) may be installed without any problem in any space where the cabinet (110) can be installed.

[0092] The front-to-back thickness of the case (210) may be set to be smaller than the front-to-back thickness of the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30). As a result, the volume of the garment treatment device of the present invention can be designed to be compact.

[0093] The drying module (20) may further include a duct (220) disposed inside the case (210) to guide air discharged from the duct module (30) back to the drum (150). At least a portion of the heat exchange unit (240) may be disposed inside the duct (220).

[0094] The above-mentioned euro duct (220) may be provided to extend in the height direction of the cabinet (110) or the case (210) to receive air discharged from the duct module (30) and guide it to the back surface of the drum (150).

[0095] Figure 4 illustrates an embodiment of a duct module of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0096] It may include a duct body (310) that connects an intake part (316) through which air of the drum (150) is sucked in and an exhaust part (317) through which air passing through the intake part is discharged to the drying module, thereby forming a path for guiding air sucked in from the drum to the drying module, and a fan receiving part (320) that receives a circulation fan (330) that is arranged at the rear inside the duct body and forms a negative pressure, thereby forming a path for guiding air passing through the intake part (316) to the exhaust part (317).

[0097] The fan receiving portion (320) may include an inlet (3215) through which air passing through the suction portion (316) is introduced, an outlet (3216) through which air passing through the inlet is discharged toward the discharge portion (317), and a fan receiving body (321) that is provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provides a space in which the circulation fan is accommodated.

[0098] The above duct body (310) may be provided to provide a space within which air discharged from the drum (150) moves. The above duct body (310) may be provided in a case shape, or may be provided in a form in which a combination of frames forming a rectangular parallelepiped is provided and the frames are shielded with a plate.

[0099] The above duct body (310) may be made of a high-strength metal material and may be provided to support the cabinet (110).

[0100] The fan receiving portion (320) may be mounted on the duct body (310). The fan receiving portion (320) may be positioned at the rear of the duct body (310) and may be positioned at the rear of the filter portion (350).

[0101] The fan receiving portion (320) may form a flow path that receives air from the front and discharges it from the rear. The fan receiving portion (320) may further include a fan fixing portion (340) at the front for fixing the circulation fan (330) to the fan receiving portion (320). Accordingly, even if the front of the fan receiving portion (320) is opened to a greater diameter than the circulation fan (330), the fan fixing portion (340) can prevent the circulation fan (330) from being separated from the fan receiving portion (320) and protect the circulation fan (330) from external impacts or foreign substances.

[0102] The above circulation fan (330) may be arranged to be offset to either the left or right side of the duct body (310) or the fan receiving portion (320). As a result, the area of ​​the vortex or dead zone where air does not flow can be reduced compared to when the circulation fan (330) is arranged in the center of the duct body (310) or the fan receiving portion (320).

[0103] The above duct module (30) may further include a partition panel (313) that is arranged in front of the fan receiving portion (320) in the duct body (310) and partitions the duct body (310) in the front-rear direction.

[0104] The above partition panel (313) may be provided to shield an area excluding the inlet area among the open areas of the fan receiving portion (320), and may fix the fan receiving portion (320) to the duct body (310).

[0105] The fan fixing part (340) can be fixed by being combined with the partition panel (313). The fan fixing part (340) is positioned to face the circulation fan (330), and an area facing the center of the circulation fan (330) can be penetrated to serve as an inlet for air to flow into the fan receiving part (320).

[0106] Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of installing a circulation fan of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0107] Referring to FIG. 5(a), the duct body (310) of the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a first body (311) forming a bottom surface, and a second body (312) positioned at the rear of the first body (311) to support the fan receiving portion (320).

[0108] The above first body (311) can be supported by the filter unit (350) being installed thereon.

[0109] The above second body (312) may be provided to support the load of the fan receiving portion (320) and the circulation fan (330).

[0110] The fan receiving portion (320) may include an inlet (3215) through which air passing through the suction portion (316) is introduced, an outlet (3216) through which air passing through the inlet is discharged toward the discharge portion (317), and a fan receiving body (321) that is provided to connect the inlet and the outlet and provides a space in which the circulation fan (330) is accommodated.

[0111] It may include a space in which the above circulation fan (330) is installed, a fan receiving body (321) into which air introduced into the duct body (310) is sucked, and a connecting part (322) that extends to the rear of the fan receiving body (321) or is positioned at the rear of the fan receiving body (321) to form a path for delivering air discharged by the circulation fan (330) to the drying module (20).

[0112] The fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) may be formed of a material that can be manufactured using a foaming method. Accordingly, even if the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) are formed with a complex structure to form a flow path therein, they can be manufactured to have a thicker thickness than when manufactured with a metal material or resin series. As a result, even if the circulation fan (330) is formed to be large enough to generate a large flow rate, the fan receiving portion (320) itself can absorb noise, the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) can also ensure durability against high flow rates, and the overall weight of the fan receiving portion (320) can be greatly reduced.

[0113] Additionally, materials that can be manufactured using the foaming method generally have very low thermal conductivity. Therefore, even if the fan housing (320) has a large volume and high-temperature hot air moves inside, the heat loss rate can be significantly reduced compared to when manufactured using metal or resin materials.

[0114] The fan receiving body (321) may have an open surface formed in the front through which air flows in. The fan receiving body (321) may have a space formed on one side for accommodating the circulation fan (330), and a path formed on the other side for guiding the air supplied from the circulation fan (330) in the width direction of the duct body (310).

[0115] The above partition panel (313) may be coupled to the front of the fan receiving body (321) to shield a portion of the open surface of the fan receiving body (321) excluding the protective panel.

[0116] The above connecting portion (322) may be positioned at the rear side of the fan receiving body (321) and may extend to the front of the drying module (20). The connecting portion (322) may have a path formed therein through which air moves, and may have an exhaust port provided on the rear surface through which air is discharged.

[0117] The above-mentioned connecting portion (322) is provided separately from the fan receiving body (321) and can be fixed by being joined to the rear of the fan receiving body (321) through a force-fit method or a fastening member, etc. Thus, even if the extension directions of the flow paths formed inside the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) are different from each other, the product can be manufactured without difficulty using a foaming method.

[0118] The above circulation fan (330) may include an impeller (331) that generates power to move air and a fan motor (332) coupled to the impeller (331) to rotate the impeller (331).

[0119] Referring to Fig. 5(b), the circulation fan (330) may be supported by being coupled to at least one of the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322). In this case, if the fan receiving body (321) and the connecting portion (322) are made of a material capable of foam molding rather than a metal or resin series, the rigidity for supporting the circulation fan (330) may be insufficient.

[0120] To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a fan fixing unit (340) that is coupled to the fan receiving unit (320) and fixes the installation position of the circulation fan (330).

[0121] The above fan fixing part (340) may be made of a material with higher strength than the foam material.

[0122] For example, the fan fixing part (340) may include a fixing plate (341) made of a metal plate shape that can be fixed by being fixed upward by being fixed to the second body (312).

[0123] The impeller (331) may be arranged in front of the fixed plate (341) and placed inside the fan receiving portion (320), and the fan motor (332) may be arranged in the rear of the fixed plate (341) and placed outside the fan receiving portion (320).

[0124] The above fixed plate (341) may further include a through hole through which the fan motor (332) may pass. Accordingly, the circulation fan (330) may be coupled to the fixed plate (341) by inserting the fixed plate (341) into the through hole.

[0125] The above fan fixing unit (340) may further include a fixing plate (342) that is positioned between the fan motor (332) and the impeller (331) and coupled to the fixing plate. The fixing plate (342) may be provided to shield the through hole and may fix the circulation fan (330) to the fixing plate (341).

[0126] Figure 6 illustrates the drying module (20) of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0127] Referring to Fig. 6 (a), the drying module (20) may include a case (210) positioned at the rear of the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30). The case (210) may be positioned at the rear of the cabinet (110).

[0128] The above case (210) may be provided in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and its height may be provided to be equal to or smaller than the entire height of the cabinet (110).

[0129] Referring to FIG. 6(b), the case (210) may include a flow path duct (220) that forms a flow path for supplying air from the duct module (30) to the drum (150), and an auxiliary flow path (230) that is arranged on one side of the flow path duct (220) and forms a flow path for communicating the case (210) with external air. The flow path duct (220) and the auxiliary flow path (230) may be arranged to be separated from each other so that air therebetween does not move with each other.

[0130] A plurality of heat exchange units for dehumidifying and heating air may be installed inside the above-mentioned duct (220), and electrical components such as a compressor that supplies refrigerant for heat exchange with air to the auxiliary duct (230) may be installed.

[0131] The above heat exchange unit (240) may include an evaporator (241) provided inside the duct (220) to dehumidify air moving from the duct module (30), and a condenser (242) provided above the evaporator to heat air passing through the evaporator.

[0132] The above-mentioned duct (220) may be provided so as to communicate with the duct module (30) and the housing (140) or drum (150) of the cabinet (110) on the inside of the case (210), thereby forming a duct through which the air of the drum (150) circulates.

[0133] The above-mentioned euro duct (220) can be formed to extend in the height direction inside the case (210).

[0134] The above auxiliary flow path (230) can be placed on one side of the flow path (220).

[0135] The above auxiliary flow path (230) may be provided with a height corresponding to the height of the flow path duct (220), but may be provided with a width smaller than the width of the flow path duct (220). As a result, the amount of flow in the flow path duct (220) can be secured.

[0136] The auxiliary flow path (230) may be provided so as to be separated from the cabinet (110) and the duct module (30) and communicate only with the outside air. Thus, the auxiliary flow path (230) may be prevented from being heated by hot air or exposed to foreign substances discharged from the drum (150). As a result, electrical components may be installed within the auxiliary flow path (230) and operate stably.

[0137] The above-mentioned euro duct (220) may be provided in the shape of a duct placed inside the case (210) so that air can flow.

[0138] However, in order to simplify the configuration of the drying module (20) and reduce the weight of the drying module (20), the euro duct (220) may be automatically formed due to the configuration of the case (210). For example, the euro duct (220) may be automatically formed through the arrangement of the front plate (219), the rear plate (212), the partition plate (217), and the side plate (211) forming the front of the case (210).

[0139] The above auxiliary flow path (230) can be automatically formed through the arrangement of the front plate (219), the auxiliary plate (214), the partition plate (217), and the side plate (211).

[0140] The above auxiliary plate (214) may have multiple penetration holes installed in the height direction so that it can communicate with the outside air.

[0141] Referring again to FIG. 6(a), the case (210) may include a side plate (211) forming both sides and a rear plate (212) coupled to the side plate (211) to form the rear of the case (210).

[0142] The rear plate (212) may be provided to form the back surface of the duct (220) and block the duct (220) from being exposed to the outside. In this case, the case (210) may further include an auxiliary plate (214) that is arranged on one side of the rear plate (212) to form the back surface of the auxiliary flow path (230) and block the auxiliary flow path (230) from being exposed to the outside.

[0143] The above auxiliary plate (214) and the above rear plate (212) can form the back surface of the case.

[0144] The case (210) may further include a detachable plate (213) that is detachably provided on the rear panel (212) to expose the internal heat exchange unit (240) to the outside. Accordingly, the heat exchange unit can be cleaned or repaired or replaced by detaching only the detachable plate (213) from the rear plate (212) without detaching the entire rear plate (212) from the case (210).

[0145] The rear plate (212) may be provided with a back surface through which the heat exchanger is installed, and the detachable plate (213) may be detachably coupled to the through-hole area of ​​the rear plate (212).

[0146] Figure 7 illustrates an example of the internal configuration of the drying module.

[0147] Fig. 7(a) illustrates the internal configuration of the case (210) in the drying module from the rear, and Fig. 16(b) illustrates the internal configuration of the case (210) in the drying module from the front.

[0148] Referring to Fig. 7(a), the drying module (20) may include a heat exchanger (240) that is installed inside the case (210) and dehumidifies and heats the air supplied from the duct module (30) to generate hot air.

[0149] The above heat exchange unit (240) may include an evaporator (241) that is arranged in the duct (220) and cools the air supplied from the duct module (20), and a condenser (242) that heats the air that has passed through the evaporator (241).

[0150] The above evaporator (241) and the condenser (242) can be placed inside the duct (220) and can be placed in a vertical direction in the duct (220). The condenser (242) can be placed above and spaced apart from the evaporator (241).

[0151] The heat exchange unit (240) may further include a compressor (243) that receives refrigerant from the evaporator (241), heats it, and transfers it to the condenser (242), and an expansion valve (244) that expands the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser (242) to reduce the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant. The compressor (243) and the expansion valve (244) may be arranged inside the auxiliary flow path (230) and may be separated from the flow path duct (220).

[0152] The above heat exchange unit (240) may further include an auxiliary heat exchanger (245) connected to the condenser (241) and the evaporator (242) to exchange heat between the refrigerant and the outside air, and a switching valve (246) that selects whether the refrigerant delivered from the condenser (241) is supplied to either the expansion valve (244) or the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

[0153] The above auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the switching valve (246) are also arranged inside the auxiliary flow path (230) and can be separated from the flow path duct (220).

[0154] The auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the switching valve (246) may be positioned above the compressor (243), and the compressor (243) may be mounted on the bottom surface of the auxiliary flow path (230).

[0155] The above auxiliary flow path (230) may further include an auxiliary fan (231) that induces external air to come into contact with the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

[0156] The auxiliary fan (231) may be positioned above the auxiliary heat exchanger (245). Thus, when the auxiliary fan (231) is driven, the outside air can cool the compressor (243) in the process of reaching the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

[0157] The drying module (20) may further include a control panel (232) that provides a command to perform a drying process by controlling one or more of the auxiliary fan (231), the compressor (243), the expansion valve (244), and the switching valve (246). The control panel (232) may be installed in the auxiliary flow path (230) to prevent exposure to hot air passing through the flow path duct (220). The control panel (232) may be arranged in a plate shape facing either the front or the rear of the auxiliary flow path (230). Accordingly, when the auxiliary fan (231) is driven, the control panel (232) may also be cooled by the outside air, and the control panel (232) may be prevented from interfering with the movement of the outside air supplied from the auxiliary flow path (230) to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245).

[0158] The auxiliary flow path (230) may further include an auxiliary partition plate (233) that blocks air passing through the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) from accessing the control panel (232). The auxiliary partition plate (233) may be arranged between the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the control panel (232) and may extend to an area where the auxiliary fan (231) is arranged.

[0159] Referring to Fig. 7(b), the front plate (219) forming the front of the euro duct (220) may be arranged in front of the euro duct (220) and spaced apart from the front of the auxiliary duct (230).

[0160] The above front plate (219) may be provided with an inlet portion (215) having a through surface to allow air passing through the duct module (30) to flow into the lower portion of the euro duct (220), and a supply portion (216) having a through surface located above the inlet portion (215) to discharge air passing through the condenser (242).

[0161] The above inlet (215) may be positioned at a position facing the fan receiving portion (320) at the bottom of the evaporator (241), and the supply portion (216) may be positioned at a position facing the rear body (152) of the drum (150) or the inside of the housing (140) on the rear panel (114) of the cabinet (110).

[0162] Accordingly, the air discharged from the outlet (3222) of the connection portion (322) is introduced by the inlet portion (215), rises by the power of the circulation fan (330), passes sequentially through the evaporator (241) and the condenser (242), is dehumidified and heated, and is discharged to the supply portion (216) to be discharged into the housing (140) and the drum (150).

[0163] Meanwhile, the evaporator (241) cools the air and condenses moisture, and the condensed water falls from the evaporator (241) and is collected on the bottom surface of the duct (220).

[0164] The above drying module (20) may include a drainage unit (250) that communicates with the bottom surface of the euro duct (220) to discharge the condensate. That is, the drainage unit may be provided inside the case.

[0165] The above drainage unit (250) may include a drainage body (251) disposed on the bottom surface of the flow duct (220) to collect water, and a drainage pipe (254) extending from the lower portion of the drainage body (251) to the outside of the case (210) to discharge water. The drainage unit (250) may prevent water condensed in the flow duct (220) from evaporating again and flowing back into the drum (150), and may prevent the inside of the flow duct (220) from rotting.

[0166] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the structure in which the auxiliary heat exchanger of the clothing treatment device of the present invention is installed.

[0167] Figure 8 illustrates a state in which the switching valve (246) uses the auxiliary heat exchanger as an evaporator, but the switching valve (246) can change the flow path state to a state in which the auxiliary heat exchanger is used as a condenser.

[0168] Using the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) as an evaporator may correspond to a state in which the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser (242) passes through the switching valve (246) and the expansion valve (244) and is then guided to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245), and using the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) as a condenser may correspond to a state in which the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser (242) is guided directly to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) through the switching valve (246).

[0169] Since the garment treatment device of the present invention is equipped with a commercial dryer, it is necessary to quickly dry a large quantity of garments. To this end, the garment treatment device of the present invention may consider increasing the cross-sectional area (241) of the evaporator to rapidly supply hot air from the beginning of the drying cycle, and increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the condenser (242) to supply high-temperature hot air in the middle and end of the drying cycle.

[0170] However, if the area of ​​the evaporator and the condenser is increased excessively, a problem may arise in which the volume of the drying module (20) is excessively increased.

[0171] In addition, if the area of ​​the evaporator is increased, it may initially help heat the compressor (243), but if the compressor (243) is operating normally, an excessive amount of heat may be supplied to the compressor (243), which may cause the compressor (243) to overheat.

[0172] In addition, if the area of ​​the condenser is increased, it may help to quickly supply sufficient hot air at the beginning of the drying process, but if the compressor (243) operates normally, excessive heat may be supplied to the inside of the drum (150), which may damage clothing, and the temperature may uniformly rise throughout the circulating flow path, which may cause a problem of a decrease in the coefficient of performance.

[0173] To this end, the clothing treatment device of the present invention additionally arranges the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and the switching valve (246), so that the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) can be converted into an evaporator (241) and a condenser (242) as needed.

[0174] For example, at the beginning of the drying process, the control panel (280) can control the switching valve (246) to control the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) to be used as the evaporator (241). Specifically, the switching valve (245) can guide the refrigerant delivered from the condenser (242) to the expansion valve (244), and the refrigerant passing through the expansion valve (244) can pass through the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and then flow into the evaporator (241).

[0175] In this process, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outside air in the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) and then flows back into the evaporator (241) to absorb heat from the air flowing through the flow path forming part (220). As a result, the energy of the refrigerant flowing into the compressor (243) increases further, so that the time it takes for the compressor (243) to operate normally and increase the pressure of the refrigerant can be shortened.

[0176] When the compressor (243) operates normally, such as in the middle or end of the drying cycle, the control panel (280) can control the switching valve (246) to control the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) to be used as the condenser (242). Specifically, the switching valve (245) can guide the refrigerant delivered from the condenser (242) directly to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245), and the refrigerant that has passed through the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) can pass through the expansion valve (244) and then flow into the evaporator (241).

[0177] In this process, the refrigerant is heated by discharging heat from the condenser (242) to the air flowing through the duct (220), and then moves to the auxiliary heat exchanger (245) to discharge some of the remaining heat back to the outside air. As a result, the refrigerant can be introduced into the evaporator (241) with a sufficient temperature and pressure while passing through the expansion valve (244) in a state where the enthalpy has dropped significantly. As a result, the heat exchanger (240) can be prevented from overheating, and the temperature difference between the evaporator (241) and the condenser (242) can be secured to be larger, thereby preventing the coefficient of performance from decreasing.

[0178] Figure 9 illustrates an embodiment of the drum structure of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0179] The cabinet (110) may further include a housing (140) that is accommodated inside the cabinet (110) and accommodates the drum (150).

[0180] The above housing (140) may be provided in a case shape with the front open to accommodate the drum (150).

[0181] The housing (140) may be configured to have an open rear end. For example, the housing (140) may be composed of a bottom surface (141), two sides (142), and an upper surface (143).

[0182] The rear surface of the housing (140) may serve as an inlet for air to flow into the drying module (20). In addition, a through hole formed through the bottom surface (141) of the housing (140) may serve as a communication port (1411) for discharging the air to the duct module (30). That is, the communication port (1411) may communicate with the intake port (316) formed in the duct module (30).

[0183] The above-mentioned communication hole (1411) may be provided in the shape of a slit that penetrates the bottom surface (141) longer in the width direction than in the front-back direction.

[0184] The above drum (150) can be inserted from the front of the housing (140) and coupled to the rear support member (172) coupled to the rear panel (114).

[0185] The above drum (150) may include a drum body (151) having a cylindrical shape and providing a space for accommodating clothing.

[0186] The drum (150) may further include a front body (153) that is coupled to the front of the drum body (151) to maintain the shape of the drum body (151) and prevent the clothing from being randomly discharged from the drum body (151).

[0187] The above front body (153) is provided in a ring shape and can form an inlet (1531) in the center through which the clothing is inserted.

[0188] The drum (150) may include a lifter (156) that is coupled to the inner surface of the drum body (151) to elevate the clothing, and may further include a drum back surface that is coupled to the rear of the drum body (151) and fixed to the rear support member (172).

[0189] The above drum (150) may further include an exhaust hole (154) through which hot air can move by penetrating the drum body (151).

[0190] The above discharge holes (154) may be provided in multiple numbers along the circumference of the drum body (151). Meanwhile, the discharge holes (154) may be positioned further forward than backward of the drum body (151). As a result, the hot air introduced into the drum body (151) can move as far as possible to the front of the drum body (151), thereby drying more clothes.

[0191] The above-mentioned communication port (1411) may be arranged to be more forward than rearward of the bottom surface (141). The discharge hole (154) may be arranged in an area facing the communication port (1411). The discharge hole (154) may be formed to be much longer than the width of the communication port (1411) in the front-back direction. However, the discharge hole (154) may be arranged to be more forward than rearward of the drum body (151) so that at least a portion of it may overlap with the communication port (1411) in the height direction. As a result, the air introduced into the drum body (151) may be discharged while moving as close to the communication port (1411) as possible.

[0192] Meanwhile, the discharge hole (154) and the communication port (1411) can serve as a path for moving air, and the discharge hole (154) can be provided with a length corresponding to the diameter of the drum (150), and the communication port (1411) can be provided with a width corresponding to the width of the bottom surface (141). As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can omit a separate duct structure that is arranged in front of the drum (150) and guides the air discharged from the drum (150) to the duct module (30), and can prevent the length of the cabinet (110) from being excessively expanded in the front-to-rear direction while also extending the length of the drum (150) as much as possible, thereby sufficiently securing a drying capacity suitable for a commercial dryer.

[0193] Figure 10 illustrates an example of the rear structure of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0194] The above cabinet (110) may further include a rear support member (172) that rotatably supports the drum (150).

[0195] The above rear support member (172) can form a center of rotation around which the drum (150) rotates and can serve as a rotation axis of the drum (150).

[0196] The above rear support member (172) can be fixed by being joined to the rear panel (114) forming the rear of the cabinet (110).

[0197] The above rear panel (114) can be fixed by being combined with the side panels (113) of the cabinet (110) and the rear surface of the housing (140).

[0198] The above rear support member (172) may include a rotation shaft (1721) coupled to the rear rotation center of the drum (150) and a bracket (1722) that fixes the rotation shaft (1721) to the rear panel (114).

[0199] The above sealing portion (180) may further include a rear sealer (182) that seals between the back surface of the drum (150) and the rear panel (114).

[0200] The above bracket (1722) is fixed to the inner surface of the rear panel (114) and may be made of a metal material that is stronger or thicker than the rear panel (114). The above rotational shaft (1721) may be provided such that one end is rotatably coupled to the bracket (1722) and the other end is coupled to the drum (150) so as to rotate integrally with the drum (150).

[0201] The above-mentioned rotation shaft (1721) serves to rotatably support the drum (150), and the power to directly rotate the drum (150) can be provided by the driving unit (160). As a result, the configuration of a separate driving unit (160) between the rear of the drum (150) and the rear panel (114) is omitted, thereby further securing the volume of the drum (150) and further reducing the gap between the drying module (20) and the drum (150).

[0202] The driving unit (160) may be arranged closer to the rear of the drum (150) than to the front. Specifically, the cabinet (110) may include a front panel (111) arranged in front of the drum (150) and side panels (113) extending rearward from both sides of the front panel (111), and the driving unit (160) may be arranged closer to the rear panel (114) than to the front panel (111). This prevents the driving unit (160) from interfering with a discharge hole provided in the drum (150) described below.

[0203] Figure 11 illustrates an embodiment of the rear drum structure of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0204] The drum (150) may include a rear body (152) that is coupled to the rear of the drum body (150) and forms the back surface of the drum (150). The rear body (152) may be formed in a circular shape and may be coupled to the rear peripheral surface of the drum body (150).

[0205] The rear body (152) prevents the clothing from being detached from the rear of the drum (150) and allows the drum (150) to rotate around the rotation axis (1721).

[0206] The above rear body (152) may be provided to face the outlet through which hot air is discharged from the drying module (20).

[0207] The drum (150) may include a plurality of inlet holes (155) that penetrate the rear body (152) and introduce the hot air into the drum body (151).

[0208] The rear body (152) may have a connecting portion (157) positioned at the center facing the rotation axis (1721) and forming the center of rotation of the drum. The inlet hole (155) may be positioned between the inner surface of the rear body (152) and the outer surface of the connecting portion (157).

[0209] The rear body (152) may further include a plurality of radial ribs extending from the connecting portion (157) toward the inner circumferential surface of the rear body (152), and the inlet hole (155) may be formed between the radial ribs. The rigidity of the rear body (152) may be further reinforced through the radial ribs.

[0210] The above inlet hole (155) can be formed in an area sunken into the drum body (151) on the inner surface of the rear body (152). The lifter (156) can be fixed by having its rear end joined to the front surface of the inner surface of the rear body (152) and one end joined to the back surface of the front body (153).

[0211] The above drum (150) may further include at least one of a bushing portion (158) that reinforces the rigidity of the above coupling portion (157) and a shaft coupling portion (159) that is coupled to the bushing portion (158) and fixes the rotation shaft (1721).

[0212] The above bushing part (158) is made of a material that is thicker than the above connecting part (157) or has higher strength than the above connecting part (157) so as to stably support the above rotating shaft (1721).

[0213] The above-mentioned shaft coupling portion (159) may be provided in a disk shape that is coupled to the free end of the rotation shaft (1721) and has a diameter much larger than the diameter of the rotation shaft (1721). The shaft coupling portion (159) is coupled to the bushing portion (158) with a larger area than the rotation shaft (1721), so that even if an excessive load is applied to the rotation shaft (1721), the rotation shaft (1721) can be prevented from being detached or separated from the drum (150).

[0214] The above-mentioned shaft coupling portion (159) may also be provided with a material that is thicker than the above-mentioned coupling portion (157) or has higher strength than the above-mentioned coupling portion (157). The diameter of the above-mentioned shaft coupling portion (159) may be provided to be smaller than the diameter of the above-mentioned bushing portion (158).

[0215] Because the rear body (152) can be made of a relatively thin and light material due to the above bushing portion (158) and the above shaft coupling portion (159), the manufacturing cost of the drum (150) can be reduced, and the rotational moment for rotating the drum (150) can be lowered, thereby reducing the load on the driving portion (160).

[0216] The above rear body (152) can be folded rearward from the inner surface to secure an area or space where the rear sealer (182) can be installed.

[0217] The rear sealer (182) may be provided to surround the outermost portion of the inlet hole (155) and may be arranged along the inner circumference of the rear body (152). The entire area of ​​the outlet of the drying module (20) may be arranged within the rear sealer (182), and the rear sealer (182) may guide all supplied hot air to the inlet hole (155).

[0218] Figure 12 illustrates an embodiment of the front configuration of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0219] When the duct module (30) is installed inside the cabinet (110), the cabinet (110) may further include a cover panel (112) provided to shield the front of the duct body (310).

[0220] The above cover panel (112) can be arranged parallel to the front panel (111) and can be provided with a width corresponding to the width of the front panel (111).

[0221] The height of the cover panel (112) may be provided to be smaller than the height of the front panel (111), and may be provided to be smaller than the width of the cover panel (112).

[0222] The above front panel (111) may be provided with a height longer than its width.

[0223] The above cabinet (110) may further include a control panel (190) on the upper part of the front panel (111) for receiving a command to control the garment treatment device of the present invention or for displaying the status of the garment treatment device of the present invention.

[0224] The cabinet (110) may further include a payment device placed on one side of the control panel (190) to receive payment. The payment device may be equipped with any payment method capable of processing payment by inserting coins, communicating with a card, smartphone, etc.

[0225] The front panel (111) may be provided with an opening (1111) that connects the drum (150) to the outside. The cabinet (110) may further include a door (120) that opens and closes the opening (1111), and the door (120) may be rotatably coupled to the front panel (111) or rotatably coupled by a hinge joint (130) coupled to the inside of the cabinet (110) to open and close the opening (1111).

[0226] Figure 13 illustrates an embodiment of the internal configuration of the garment treatment device of the present invention viewed from the front.

[0227] The above cabinet (110) can have a reinforcing frame (115) for fixing the side panel (113) placed at least on one of the front and rear of the side panel (113).

[0228] The above front panel (111) can be fixed by being combined with the above reinforcing frame (115).

[0229] A rotatable drum (150) may be placed inside the cabinet (110). The drum (150) may have an inlet (1531) positioned at the front that communicates with the opening (1111).

[0230] The garment treatment device of the present invention may further include a housing (140) accommodated inside the cabinet (110) and accommodating the drum (150).

[0231] In general, in the case of a household dryer, the drum (150) is provided in a cylindrical shape without a through hole formed on the circumference, and a support plate that rotatably supports the drum (150) is formed on the front and rear of the drum, and a duct through which the air is communicated with a duct module (30), etc., may be installed on the support plate.

[0232] However, in the case of a commercial dryer, the diameter and length of the drum (150) are much larger than those of a household dryer, and it is highly likely that a larger volume of clothes will be loaded into the drum (150) than in a household dryer.

[0233] Moreover, when a large amount of clothing is wet in the drum (150), the weight inside the drum (150) is much greater than that of a household dryer, so it is difficult to stably support the drum (150) with a resin-based support plate generally applied to a household dryer.

[0234] In addition, in order to dry a large amount of clothing accommodated in the drum (150), sufficient flow rate must be secured, but a duct through which the flow rate can pass cannot be installed with a resin-based support plate generally applied to home dryers, and even if the duct can be installed, the problem of the front and rear length of the cabinet (110) becoming excessively long may occur.

[0235] To improve this, the garment treatment device of the present invention can accommodate the drum (150) through the housing (140) and stably support the drum (150) through the lower surface.

[0236] The above housing (140) may be made of a metal material to stably support the support member (170) that supports the drum (150), and may be thicker than the cabinet (110).

[0237] In addition, the housing (140) is provided with a larger cross-sectional area than the drum (150) and is provided in a duct shape capable of moving air, so as to secure the maximum amount of hot air supplied to the inside of the drum (150).

[0238] In addition, the housing (140) is provided to receive air from the drying module (20) through the rear and guide the air to the duct module (30) from the front, thereby eliminating the need for a separate duct to be formed in the front or front panel (111) of the drum (150).

[0239] Specifically, the housing (140) may be provided with a ventilation opening on the bottom surface that supports at least a portion of the load of the drum (150) to discharge air introduced into the housing (140) to the duct module (30). The width of the ventilation opening may be expanded to the maximum extent to the width of the bottom surface of the housing, and the width of the ventilation opening in the front-back direction may be sufficiently expanded in the front-back direction of the bottom surface of the housing. As a result, by securing the area of ​​the ventilation opening, the garment treatment device of the present invention may supply sufficient air to the housing (140).

[0240] In addition, the drum (150) is provided with a discharge hole on a portion of its circumference, so that even if the drum (150) is extended in length to the front panel (111), the air inside the drum (150) can be easily discharged through the ventilation hole. As a result, the clothing treatment device of the present invention can secure a sufficient flow rate to dry a large amount of clothing as a commercial dryer.

[0241] Specifically, the housing (140) can be placed between the cabinet (110) and the drum (130) to form a path through which air moves.

[0242] The housing (140) may be provided in a duct shape to accommodate the drum (150) and prevent hot air supplied to the drum (150) from leaking out of the cabinet (110).

[0243] The housing (140) may be provided so that the front and rear of the drum (150) are open, but the circumferential direction of the drum (150) is shielded.

[0244] The housing (140) may be provided so that the rear can communicate with the drying module (20) and the front can contact the front panel (111). As a result, hot air supplied from the drying module (20) can be guided to the front of the drum (150).

[0245] In addition, the housing (140) may be provided to communicate with the duct module (30). In order for the hot air supplied from the drying module (20) to sufficiently travel to the front of the drum (150), the housing (140) and the duct module (30) may be provided to communicate at a position closer to the front panel than the rear panel of the cabinet (110).

[0246] The cabinet (110) may further include a support member (170) that rotatably supports the drum (150) within the cabinet. As a result, the drum (150) can rotate stably within the cabinet (110) without vibration or positional change exceeding a reference value while holding heavy or large quantities of clothing.

[0247] The housing (140) can be secured and supported by at least a portion of the support member (170). To this end, the housing (140) can be secured and fixed to the upper portion of the duct module (30).

[0248] The above support member (170) may be arranged on the bottom surface of the housing (140) and the outer circumferential surface of the drum (150), and may also be arranged on the lower sides of both sides of the drum (150).

[0249] The above housing (140) may be provided with a different shape from the drum (150) as long as it can accommodate the drum (150) and guide hot air to the front of the drum (150).

[0250] For example, the drum (150) may have a circular cross-section in the diametric direction, but the housing (140) may have a polygonal cross-section in the height direction.

[0251] The above hinge joint (130) can be fixed by being joined to the housing (140).

[0252] The above hinge joint (130) can be coupled to both sides of the housing (140), and can be coupled to the inner surface of the housing (140) so that the coupling between the housing (140) and the side panel (113) of the cabinet is not obstructed.

[0253] The above housing (140) may be made of a metal material and may be provided to support the support member (170) and the hinge joint member (130).

[0254] Meanwhile, the housing (140) can support the driving unit (160) from the outside of the housing (140).

[0255] Figure 14 illustrates an embodiment of a sealing structure of a clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0256] The housing (140) may be provided with an open front so that the drum (150) can be easily installed or replaced inside the housing (140).

[0257] The clothing treatment device of the present invention may include a sealing portion (180) provided in the housing (140) to prevent hot air or steam supplied from the drying module (20) from leaking out of the cabinet (110).

[0258] Specifically, the sealing portion (180) may include the front sealer (181) coupled to the housing (140).

[0259] The above front sealer (181) may be provided to seal between the front surface of the housing (140) and the inner surface of the front panel (111).

[0260] The front sealer (181) may be coupled along the perimeter of the front surface of the housing (140). The front sealer (181) may be provided as an elastic member that is coupled and fixed to the end of the front surface of the housing (140).

[0261] The above front sealer (181) may be provided so as to be in contact with the inner surface of the front panel (111).

[0262] The area of ​​the front surface of the housing (140) may be larger than the diameter of the drum (150) and the diameter of the opening (1111). Accordingly, the front sealer (181) may be positioned outside the opening (1111) and the drum (150).

[0263] In addition, since the housing (140) is a fixed configuration inside the cabinet (110), the front sealer (181) can be maintained in a fixed state when coupled to the housing (140). Accordingly, the front sealer (181) can exhibit higher sealing performance than when coupled to a moving object such as a drum.

[0264] Meanwhile, since the front sealer (181) is arranged along the front perimeter of the housing (140), the support member (170) and the hinge joint member (130) and other components can be arranged on the inside of the front sealer (181).

[0265] The above duct module (30) can be placed outside the front sealer (181).

[0266] Due to the above front sealer (181), the interior of the housing (140) is connected to the drying module (20) so that hot air can move, but the hot air can be prevented from leaking between the exterior of the housing (140) and the interior of the cabinet (110).

[0267] Figures 15(a) and 15(b) illustrate the drying module (20) of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0268] Referring to FIG. 15(a), the drying module (20) may include a case (210) forming an outer shape, a flow path duct (220) forming a flow path for guiding air discharged from the duct module (30) to the drum, a heat exchange unit (240) including an evaporator (241) provided inside the flow path duct and provided to dehumidify air moved from the duct module, and a condenser (242) provided above the evaporator and provided to heat air passing through the evaporator, and a cleaning unit (270) provided inside the flow path duct and provided to spray water toward the heat exchange unit.

[0269] The case (210) may include a front plate (219) including an inlet (215) through which air supplied from the duct module (30) passes and a supply portion (216) through which air passing through the duct (220) is discharged to the drum (150), a side plate (211) forming a side, a rear plate (212) forming a rear and including an opening, a detachable plate (213) detachably provided on the rear plate to open and close the opening of the rear plate, and an auxiliary plate forming the rear of the auxiliary heat exchanger.

[0270] The duct module (30) is provided at the bottom of the case (110), and the drying module (20) is provided at the rear of the case, so that air passing through the duct module can flow into the bottom of the drying module. Accordingly, the air flowing into the bottom of the drying module is air that has passed through the drum (150) and contains moisture, so an evaporator can be placed at the bottom of the drying module to remove moisture from the air.

[0271] In addition, since the drum (150) is provided on the upper part of the duct module (30), the condenser (242) that heats the air can be located above the evaporator in order to heat the dry air that has passed through the evaporator (241) and supply it to the drum.

[0272] That is, the moist air passing through the duct module (30) moves to the evaporator (241) located at the rear of the duct module and is dehumidified, and the air passing through the evaporator moves to the condenser (242) located at the upper part of the evaporator and is heated, and then moves to the drum (150) located at the front of the condenser. As a result, high-temperature dry air can be supplied to the drum.

[0273] Additionally, the condenser (242) may be installed vertically in the height direction. This increases the area of ​​air contacting the condenser, thereby increasing heat exchange efficiency. However, this is not limited to this, and the condenser may be inclined in the height direction, and may be installed so as to be inclined at a different angle from the evaporator (241).

[0274] In addition, the area of ​​the lower surface of the evaporator (241) may be provided to be wider than the area of ​​the lower surface of the condenser (241), the evaporator may be arranged to be inclined to increase the contact area with air, and the lower portion or at least a portion of the evaporator (241) may be arranged lower than the upper portion of the inlet portion (215). Accordingly, air passing through the inlet portion (215) in the duct module (30) can easily contact the evaporator, thereby increasing heat exchange efficiency.

[0275] Meanwhile, the drying module (20) may further include a cleaning unit (270) that can spray water onto the evaporator (241) to wash away foreign substances or remaining bacteria accumulated in the evaporator (241), and a water supply unit (260) that supplies water to the cleaning unit (270).

[0276] The above cleaning unit (270) may be positioned below the evaporator (241) and may be equipped to spray water toward the lower surface of the evaporator.

[0277] Meanwhile, the evaporator (241) may be arranged at an angle of incline. For example, the evaporator may be arranged at an angle of incline within a range of 40 to 50 degrees relative to the height direction. This not only increases the heat exchange area and thus the drying performance, but also induces the water sprayed from the cleaning unit (270) to move along the surface of the evaporator (241) and wash away foreign substances.

[0278] Additionally, the cleaning unit (270) may be positioned at a height between the top and bottom of the evaporator. That is, the cleaning unit may be positioned at a height that overlaps the evaporator. This allows the cleaning unit to be positioned closer to the top of the evaporator, making it easier to spray water toward the top of the evaporator.

[0279] For example, the evaporator (241) may have one end fixed to the rear plate (212) and the other end fixed to the front plate (219), and the one end fixed to the rear plate may be positioned at a lower position than the other fixed end of the front plate. In other words, it may be provided to be inclined so that the height increases from the rear to the front, and the cleaning unit (270) may be positioned closer to the front than the rear of the duct.

[0280] For example, the evaporator may be provided with a front end high and a rear end low where the inlet is provided, and the cleaning unit may be positioned in front of the lower end of the evaporator (the rear end of the duct) and in the rear of the inlet (215). That is, the cleaning unit may be positioned close to the top of the evaporator so as to spray water toward the top of the evaporator.

[0281] Accordingly, since the cleaning unit (270) is positioned in front of the case (210), the water sprayed by the cleaning unit can flow along the slope of the evaporator to clean it, thereby minimizing damage caused by water or foreign substances falling along the evaporator.

[0282] Additionally, the lower end of the evaporator (241) may be positioned lower than the upper end of the inlet (215), and may be positioned closer to the upper end than the lower end of the inlet. Accordingly, air passing through the inlet can directly contact the evaporator, thereby increasing heat exchange efficiency.

[0283] However, this is not limited to this, and the cleaning unit (270) may be installed at a slope so that the height increases toward the rear, and the cleaning unit (270) may be positioned at the rear. For convenience of explanation, the following description will be based on the upper end being positioned at the front.

[0284] Since the above evaporator (241) is inclined so that the front is high, water sprayed from the cleaning unit (270) flows along the slope and falls to the rear of the drain surface (252) together with foreign substances, and the water falling on the drain surface flows toward the drain hole and can be discharged to the outside through the drain pipe. The structure of the drain section will be described later.

[0285] Accordingly, the drainage unit (250) can discharge all of the water sprayed from the cleaning unit (270) and foreign substances separated from the evaporator (241) to the outside of the drying module (20). In addition, the drainage unit (250) may further include a filter (not shown) to prevent the drain pipe from being clogged by the foreign substances.

[0286] Meanwhile, the water supply unit (260) provided to supply water to the cleaning unit (270) may use water condensed in the evaporator (241), or may be provided to supply water directly from an external water source to the cleaning unit (270).

[0287] Accordingly, the water supply unit (260) may include a water supply valve (261) that communicates with an external water source, and a water supply pipe (262) that is connected from the water supply valve (261) to the cleaning unit (270) and supplies water to the cleaning unit (270).

[0288] The above control panel (280) may also be provided to control the water supply valve (261).

[0289] Meanwhile, the cleaning unit (270) may be provided with a nozzle frame (272) that is supported to connect the side plate (211) of the case (210) forming the duct (220) and the partition plate (217) and a spray nozzle (271) that receives water by being connected to the water supply pipe (262) and sprays water to the evaporator (241).

[0290] The above injection nozzle (271) can be fixed to the nozzle frame (272) by a fastening member.

[0291] Since the above injection nozzle (271) and the nozzle frame (272) are provided inside the above-mentioned flow duct (220), at least a portion of the above-mentioned water supply pipe (262) may be provided to penetrate from the outside into the inside of the above-mentioned flow duct. Accordingly, the rear plate (212) may be provided with a through-hole (not shown) through which the above-mentioned water supply pipe passes, and a sealing member (not shown) may be provided to prevent air from leaking to the outside through the through-hole.

[0292] The above nozzle frame (272) may be coupled to the front plate (219) of the case (210), but it may be easier to adjust the angle if it is supported on both sides (side plate and partition plate) of the euro duct (220).

[0293] In addition, the nozzle frame (272) may be positioned above the upper end of the inlet (215). As a result, air passing through the inlet does not interfere with the nozzle frame, thereby minimizing loss of the flow path and preventing damage to the cleaning unit (270) caused by air passing through the inlet.

[0294] The nozzle frame (272) may be supported at an angle with respect to the bottom surface of the case (210) so that the spray nozzle (271) sprays water toward the lower surface of the evaporator (241). For example, the spray nozzle may be arranged at an angle of 30 degrees with respect to the bottom surface, and the heat exchanger may be arranged at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the bottom surface, so that the angle between the evaporator and the spray nozzle may be 15 degrees. Accordingly, the water sprayed through the lower surface of the evaporator (241) and the spray nozzle is sprayed obliquely, so that foreign substances may be easily removed.

[0295] In addition, the nozzle frame (272) may be arranged to overlap the evaporator (242) and the case (210) in the height direction. That is, the height at which the nozzle frame is positioned may be between the top and bottom of the evaporator, and may be arranged closer to the rear than the front so as to be arranged at a position adjacent to the top of the evaporator. Accordingly, the gap between the cleaning unit (270) and the lower surface of the evaporator (242) is narrowed, so that the evaporator can be cleaned with a relatively low water pressure, and it may be easy to spray water to the top of the evaporator.

[0296] However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cleaning unit (270) may be positioned so as not to overlap with the evaporator (241) and the case (210) in the height direction. That is, the cleaning unit may be positioned so as to be spaced forward from the upper end of the evaporator. This minimizes foreign substances from falling and accumulating on the spray nozzle (271), thereby minimizing damage to the spray nozzle.

[0297] The above nozzle frame (272) may include a support to which the injection nozzle (271) is fixed and a joining plate joined to the euro duct (220).

[0298] The above support is provided to connect both sides of the euro duct (220), so that it can extend along the width direction of the evaporator (241). Accordingly, a plurality of the injection nozzles (271) can be provided along the width direction of the evaporator (241).

[0299] In addition, the above-mentioned joining plate can be joined to both sides of the above-mentioned euro duct (220) by a fastening member. Since the joining plate is provided to join the support and the injection nozzle (271) to the above-mentioned euro duct, the wider the area in contact with both sides of the above-mentioned euro duct (220), the more stably it can be supported.

[0300] Figure 16 illustrates the direction of water sprayed by the cleaning unit of the clothing treatment device of the present invention toward the lower surface of the evaporator.

[0301] The above cleaning unit (270) is positioned forward of the top of the evaporator (241) and can be positioned at a height between the top and bottom of the evaporator, and the spray nozzle (271) can be positioned to form an incline with the lower surface of the evaporator.

[0302] Accordingly, the spray nozzle (271) can spray water so as to form an incline with the lower surface of the evaporator (241).

[0303] That is, water can be sprayed not perpendicular to the lower surface of the evaporator but at an angle. This makes it easier to remove foreign substances attached to the evaporator compared to spraying vertically. For example, the evaporator may be provided at an angle of 45 degrees, and the spray nozzle may be provided at an angle of 30 degrees downward based on a plane parallel to the floor, such that the angle formed between the water sprayed from the spray nozzle and a line perpendicular to the lower surface of the evaporator (241) may be 15 degrees.

[0304] Meanwhile, since the water sprayed by the cleaning unit (270) flows along the slope of the evaporator (241), the cleaning unit can spray water closer to the top of the evaporator than the bottom. This makes it easy to clean the entire evaporator.

[0305] Figure 17 illustrates the drainage section of the clothing treatment device of the present invention.

[0306] As described above, water condensed through the evaporator (241) and water sprayed from the cleaning unit (270) can fall toward the drain unit (250).

[0307] The above drain hole (253) may be provided adjacent to the duct module (30) so as to be closer to the front than the rear. This may be because the injection nozzle (271) sprays water closer to the rear of the evaporator (241), so that the amount of water collected at the rear of the drainage section is greater, and thus a greater amount of water may be collected at the rear based on the drain hole. Accordingly, the flow path from the rear of the drain surface (252) to the drain pipe (254) can be formed longer, thereby increasing the capacity for receiving water and preventing water from overflowing.

[0308] In addition, the drain hole (253) may be provided at the lowest position on the drain surface (252), and the drain surface may be provided with an incline so that it becomes lower as it approaches the drain hole. That is, the drain surface may be provided in the shape of a funnel.

[0309] Therefore, since the length from the front to the drain hole (253) is shorter than the length from the rear to the drain hole, the forward slope can be made steeper than the rear slope.

[0310] In addition, the inclination of the drainage surface (252) can cause the air flowing in from the duct module (30) to be gently guided toward the evaporator.

[0311] The present invention may be implemented in various modified forms, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Therefore, if a modified embodiment includes elements of the claims of the present invention, it should be considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Cabinet; A drum rotatably provided inside the cabinet and containing clothing; A duct module including a circulation fan provided at the bottom of the drum and configured to move air discharged from the drum; It includes a drying module which is provided to dehumidify and heat the air moved from the above duct module and supply it to the drum; The above drying module A duct forming a path that guides air discharged from the above duct module to the drum; A heat exchanger including an evaporator provided inside the duct to dehumidify air moved from the duct module and a condenser provided above the evaporator to heat air passing through the evaporator; A clothes treatment device characterized by including a cleaning unit positioned below the evaporator and configured to spray water toward the evaporator.

2. In paragraph 1, The above evaporator is provided so as to be inclined in the height direction, A clothes treatment device, characterized in that the cleaning unit is positioned close to one end of the evaporator.

3. In paragraph 2, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the cleaning unit is positioned to overlap the evaporator in the height direction.

4. In paragraph 2, The above Euroduct An inlet into which air passing through the above duct module flows in; A supply section is disposed above the inlet section and the air passing through the heat exchange section is discharged to the drum; A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the lower part of the evaporator is positioned lower than the upper part of the inlet.

5. In paragraph 4, The above drying module is placed at the rear of the above duct module, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the above evaporator is inclined so that the upper part is positioned forward relative to the lower part.

6. In paragraph 5, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the cleaning unit is positioned closer to the top than the bottom of the inlet.

7. In paragraph 5, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the cleaning unit is positioned closer to the front than the rear of the euro duct.

8. In paragraph 5, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the cleaning unit is positioned forward of the lower part of the evaporator and rearward of the inlet.

9. In paragraph 5, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the cleaning member is positioned higher than the bottom of the evaporator and lower than the top of the inlet.

10. In paragraph 5, A clothes treatment device, characterized in that the cleaning unit is positioned closer to the inlet than to the bottom of the evaporator.

11. In paragraph 2, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the condenser is provided so as to be vertical in the height direction or so as to be inclined at a different angle from the evaporator.

12. In paragraph 2, A clothes treatment device characterized in that the above cleaning unit sprays water so that the lower surface of the evaporator and the direction of spraying water are inclined.

13. In paragraph 2, A water supply pipe which is connected to an external water source and guides water supplied from the water source into the interior of the duct; Including a water supply valve provided to open and close the above water supply pipe; The above cleaning lady A spray nozzle connected to the other end of the above water supply pipe and provided to spray water; A garment treatment device characterized by including a nozzle frame which is supported on the inner surface of the euro duct and is provided to fix the spray nozzle.

14. In paragraph 13, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the water supply valve is positioned at the top of the drying module.

15. In paragraph 13, The above nozzle frame extends from one side of the euro duct to the other side and is joined to both sides, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the above-mentioned injection nozzles are arranged in multiple numbers spaced apart along the nozzle frame.

16. In paragraph 13, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the nozzle frame is positioned between the top and bottom of the evaporator.

17. In paragraph 13, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the nozzle frame is located lower than the bottom of the evaporator.

18. In paragraph 1, The above drying module A case formed to form the exterior of the above drying module and provided to accommodate the above duct; A clothing treatment device characterized by including a drainage unit provided inside the case and positioned below the cleaning unit to collect water sprayed from the cleaning unit and discharge it to the outside.

19. In Article 18, The above drainage part A drainage body forming the outer shape of the above drainage section; A drainage surface provided to collect water by forming the upper surface of the above drainage body; A drainage hole provided to penetrate the above drainage surface and through which the collected water passes; A clothing treatment device characterized by including a drain pipe extending from the drain hole to the outside of the case and guiding water passing through the drain hole to the outside of the case.

20. In paragraph 19, The above drain hole is provided between the front and rear of the drain surface, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the drain surface is provided at an angle so that the height decreases as it approaches the drain hole.

21. In paragraph 19, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the drain hole is positioned closer to the front than the rear of the drain surface.

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