Clothing processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a clothing processing apparatus comprising: a cabinet provided with a front panel having an injection port and a rear panel having a supply port through which air is supplied; an accommodation chamber fixed to the cabinet and communicating with the injection port and the supply port; an exhaust chamber provided in the cabinet to discharge air discharged from the accommodation chamber to the outside of the cabinet; a drum provided with a drum body rotatably provided inside the accommodation chamber to store an object to be processed, a drum injection port provided through the front surface of the drum body to communicate with the injection port, a drum supply port provided through the drum body to guide air supplied through the supply port into the drum body, and a drum exhaust port through which air in the drum body is discharged to the accommodation chamber; and a driving part provided with a motor fixed to the accommodation chamber or the cabinet and positioned at a point higher than the drum body in the outer space of the accommodation chamber, and a belt penetrating the accommodation chamber to connect the circumferential surface of the drum body and a rotary shaft of the motor.

Description

Garment processing equipment

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

[0002] A clothing treatment device is a general term for a washing machine that washes laundry items, a dryer that dries laundry items, and a device that can perform both washing and drying of items to be treated (laundry items, drying items).

[0003] The heat exchanger equipped in a conventional dryer is a means for supplying dry air to a space (drum) where the subject matter is accommodated. The heat exchanger equipped in an exhaust type dryer is equipped with a duct that supplies outside air to the drum and a heater that heats the air introduced through the duct, and the heat exchanger equipped in a circulation type dryer is equipped with a circulation path that resupplies air withdrawn from the drum to the drum, a heat absorber that is equipped inside the circulation path to remove moisture (dehumidify) from the air, and a heater that heats the air that has passed through the heat absorber.

[0004] Because commercial dryers can handle large and heavy items and perform a high number of drying cycles, the heat exchangers in commercial dryers need to be designed differently from those in household dryers. In other words, the capacity and output of the heat exchanger in a commercial dryer need to be greater than those in a household dryer.

[0005] Since a dryer equipped with a heat pump as a heat exchanger must be configured so that air moving along a circulation path exchanges heat with a refrigerant, the dryer requires a fan that causes air drawn from a drum to pass through a heat absorber and heater of the heat pump and then move to the drum, and a control unit that controls the heat pump so that the refrigerant circulates through the heat absorber and heater.

[0006] A dryer equipped with a heat exchanger having a large capacity or output is advantageous in that the amount of air moved by the fan increases, but increasing the amount of air moved by the fan may cause a problem in that the noise generated by the fan increases.

[0007] In addition, since a dryer equipped with a heat exchanger having a large capacity or output places a large load on the control unit, if the control unit cannot be effectively cooled, a phenomenon in which the drying efficiency is reduced may occur.

[0008] Meanwhile, conventional dryers rotate a drum containing the material to effectively exchange heat between the material and the air, supplying drying air to the drum. Because the drums in commercial dryers can be larger and heavier than those in household dryers, commercial dryers require a drive unit designed to effectively rotate these heavy, bulky drums.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a garment treatment device having a structure advantageous in maintaining the tension of a belt provided to rotate a drum containing a treatment object.

[0010] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a garment treatment device capable of maintaining the tension of a belt even when the drum vibrates.

[0011] In addition, the present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a garment treatment device having a means for maintaining the tension of a belt when the rotation direction of the drum is changed.

[0012] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a clothing treatment device capable of preventing air supplied to a treatment target from leaking through a space where a belt is installed.

[0013] In addition, the present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a clothing treatment device capable of effective cooling of a heat exchange unit or a control unit.

[0014] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a clothing treatment device capable of reducing noise generated from a fan for cooling a heat exchanger or a control unit.

[0015] The present invention provides a garment treatment device comprising: a cabinet having a front panel having an inlet and a rear panel having a supply inlet through which air is supplied; a receiving chamber fixed to the cabinet and communicating with the inlet and the supply inlet; an exhaust chamber provided in the cabinet for discharging air discharged from the receiving chamber to the outside of the cabinet; a drum body rotatably provided inside the receiving chamber for storing a processing object, a drum inlet provided on the front surface of the drum body and communicating with the inlet, a drum supply inlet provided in the drum body for guiding air supplied from the supply inlet into the inside of the drum body, and a drum exhaust inlet for discharging air inside the drum body to the receiving chamber; and a driving unit having a motor fixed to the receiving chamber or the cabinet and positioned at a point higher than the drum body in the external space of the receiving chamber, and a belt penetrating the receiving chamber and connecting a circumferential surface of the drum body and a rotational shaft of the motor.

[0016] The above motor is fixed to the cabinet or the receiving chamber so as to be able to move within a preset section, thereby maintaining a gap between the drum body and the motor when the drum body vibrates.

[0017] The above motor may be provided to be able to move along an arc-shaped trajectory when the drum body vibrates.

[0018] The above clothing treatment device may include a support body fixed to the receiving chamber or the cabinet so as to be positioned in an external space of the receiving chamber; a connecting body rotatably fixed to the support body via a body rotation axis and having the motor fixed at a point spaced apart from the body rotation axis; and an elastic force providing unit that provides elastic force to the connecting body so as to maintain a gap between the motor and the drum body.

[0019] The above clothing treatment device may further include a tension maintenance unit provided on the rotational axis of the motor to adjust the tension of the belt when the rotational direction of the drum body changes.

[0020] The tension maintaining unit may include a tension body freely rotatably connected to the rotational axis of the motor; a main pulley fixed to the rotational axis of the motor and supporting an inner surface of the belt; a first pulley rotatably fixed to the tension body and supporting an outer surface of the belt, the first pulley being located on one of the left and right sides of the main pulley; and a second pulley rotatably fixed to the tension body and supporting an outer surface of the belt, the second pulley being located on the other of the left and right sides of the main pulley.

[0021] The above-mentioned driving pulley, the first pulley, and the second pulley may be provided in a space provided by the tension body that faces the direction in which the motor is located.

[0022] The above clothing treatment device further includes a support body fixed to the receiving chamber or the cabinet and positioned outside the receiving chamber; and a connecting body rotatably fixed to the support body and to which the motor is fixed; wherein the main pulley, the first pulley, and the second pulley may be positioned between the tension body and the support body.

[0023] The rotation center of the above-mentioned main pulley, the rotation center of the above-mentioned first pulley, and the rotation center of the above-mentioned second pulley can be arranged to form a triangle.

[0024] The above clothing treatment device may further include a path forming unit that forms a path along which the motor can move along the arc-shaped trajectory.

[0025] The above path forming part may be provided as a slit that penetrates the support body and provides a path along which the rotational axis of the motor moves.

[0026] The drum supply port may be provided on the rear surface of the drum body, and the drum exhaust port may be provided on the circumferential surface of the drum body.

[0027] The above clothing treatment device further includes a chamber communication hole that connects the receiving chamber and the exhaust chamber to discharge air inside the receiving chamber to the exhaust chamber; at least a portion of the chamber communication hole may be located inside a space formed by the drum exhaust port being projected onto one surface of the receiving chamber where the chamber communication hole is formed.

[0028] The circumference of the drum body may be provided with a front circumference connected to the front surface of the drum and a rear circumference connected to the rear surface of the drum, and the belt may be provided to support the rear circumference.

[0029] The above clothing treatment device may further include a chamber penetration hole provided on the upper surface of the receiving chamber and through which the belt passes.

[0030] The upper surface of the receiving chamber may include a reference plane positioned higher than the top of the drum body; and an inclined plane provided to slope downward from an edge of the reference plane toward a circumference of the drum body, thereby forming a space in which the motor is mounted between a corner of the cabinet and the receiving chamber.

[0031] The above clothing treatment device may further include a chamber penetration hole provided on the inclined surface through which the belt passes.

[0032] A portion of the edge of the above chamber penetration hole may be provided to be located at the boundary between the reference plane and the inclined plane.

[0033] The above garment treatment device may further include a pipe-shaped guide path having one end contacting the rear panel to surround the supply port and the other end contacting the rear surface of the drum body to surround the drum supply port; and a chamber sealer provided in the front panel or the receiving chamber to seal the space between the front panel and the front surface of the receiving chamber.

[0034] The present invention provides a garment treatment device having a structure advantageous in maintaining the tension of a belt provided for rotating a drum containing a treatment object.

[0035] In addition, the present invention provides a garment treatment device capable of maintaining the tension of a belt even when the drum vibrates.

[0036] In addition, the present invention provides a garment treatment device having a means for maintaining the tension of a belt when the rotation direction of the drum is changed.

[0037] In addition, the present invention provides a clothing treatment device capable of preventing air supplied to a treatment target from leaking through a space in which a belt is installed.

[0038] In addition, the present invention provides a clothing treatment device capable of effectively cooling a heat exchange unit or a control unit.

[0039] In addition, the present invention provides a clothing treatment device capable of reducing noise generated from a fan for cooling a heat exchange unit or a control unit.

[0040] Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate an example of a garment treatment device comprising a first treatment device and a second treatment device.

[0041] Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate examples of a receiving section, an exhaust section, and a drum provided in the first processing device.

[0042] Figures 7, 8, and 9 illustrate examples of driving units.

[0043] Figure 10 illustrates an example of a sealing portion.

[0044] Figures 11 and 12 illustrate examples of tension maintaining units.

[0045] Figures 13, 14, and 15 illustrate examples of a second processing device.

[0046] Figures 16 and 17 illustrate an example of the operation of a heat exchanger.

[0047] Figure 18 illustrates an example of a noise reduction unit.

[0048] Fig. 19 illustrates another embodiment of a noise reduction unit.

[0049] The configuration or control method of the device described below is only for explaining an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and reference numbers used identically throughout the specification represent identical components.

[0050] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprise," "include," or "have" are intended to indicate the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, and therefore, unless specifically defined, do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0051] Expressions indicating relative or absolute arrangements, such as "in which direction", "along which direction", "parallel", "perpendicularly", "centered", "concentric" or "coaxial", not only strictly indicate such arrangements, but also indicate a state of relative displacement with an angle or distance such that tolerance or the same function is obtained.

[0052] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., used herein may be used to describe various components; however, these components are not limited by these terms, and these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another. Accordingly, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may also be referred to as a first component.

[0053] In addition, terms such as “front,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “side,” “front end,” “rear end,” “top,” and “bottom” used in this specification are defined based on the drawings or defined based on the configuration or arrangement / arrangement state between configurations, and the shape and position of each configuration are not limited by these terms.

[0054] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a garment treatment device and its control method will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a clothing treatment device (100) may be provided to include a first treatment device (100a, clothing treatment module, treatment unit, drying body) that provides a space for accommodating a treatment object (clothing, etc.) and a space for heat exchange between the treatment object and air, and a second treatment device (100b, air treatment module, drying module, heat exchange module) that supplies air to the treatment object by heat-exchanging air with a refrigerant after heat exchange with the treatment object.

[0056] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the second processing device (100b) can be detachably fixed to one side of the first processing device (100a), and the air supplied to the first processing device (100a) through the second processing device (100b) can be high-temperature dry air (air having a temperature higher than room temperature and a humidity lower than the humidity of air at room temperature).

[0057] The above first treatment device (100a) may be provided to include a cabinet (1, first cabinet), a drum (4) provided inside the first cabinet to accommodate a treatment target, and an exhaust unit (3, first exhaust unit) that guides air discharged from the drum to the second treatment device (100b) (to the outside of the first treatment device).

[0058] The above first cabinet (1) may be provided to include a front panel (11, first front panel) having an inlet (111), and a rear panel (12, first rear panel) providing a space in which the second processing device (100b) is mounted.

[0059] The front panel (11) may be provided with a door (113) for opening and closing the inlet (111), and the rear panel (12) may be provided with a supply port (121) connected to the chamber discharge hole (652) of the second processing device (100b) and an exhaust port (123) connected to the chamber inlet hole (651) of the second processing device.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 3, a receiving portion (2) providing a space for receiving the drum (4) may be provided inside the first cabinet (1), and the drum (4) may be rotatably fixed inside a receiving chamber (21) provided in the receiving portion (2).

[0061] The front surface of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided to be closed by the first front panel (11), and the rear surface of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided to be closed by the first rear panel (12). The front surface (front open surface) of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided in a shape that surrounds the inlet (111), and the rear surface (rear open surface) of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided in a shape that surrounds the supply port. Therefore, the inlet (111) and the supply port provided in the first rear panel (12) may be viewed as being connected to each other through the receiving chamber (21).

[0062] As illustrated in Fig. 4, the receiving chamber (21) may be provided to include an upper surface (22), a lower surface (23, bottom surface), a first side surface (24), and a second side surface (25). The upper surface (22) may be provided to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the first cabinet (1), the first side surface (24) may be provided to contact the first side surface of the first cabinet (1), and the second side surface (25) may be provided to contact the second side surface of the first cabinet (1). Furthermore, the first side surface of the first cabinet (1) may be fixed to the first side surface (24) of the receiving portion, and the second side surface of the first cabinet (1) may be fixed to the second side surface (25) of the receiving portion.

[0063] In order to prevent air introduced into the receiving chamber (21) through the supply port (121) from leaking into the space formed between the front surface of the receiving chamber (21) and the first front panel (11), a chamber sealer (261) may be provided on the front surface of the receiving chamber (21).

[0064] The upper surface (22) of the above-described receiving chamber may be provided to include a reference surface (224), a first inclined surface (221) that slopes downward from the edge of the reference surface toward the upper end of the first side surface (24), and a second inclined surface (222) that slopes downward from the edge of the reference surface toward the upper end of the second side surface (25). The reference surface may be provided as a horizontal surface or an inclined surface, etc. Unlike what is shown in the drawing, the upper surface (22) may be provided to include only one of the two inclined surfaces.

[0065] When the inclined surfaces (221, 222) are provided on the upper surface (22), the space between the drum (4) and the receiving chamber (21) can be reduced, so that the air discharged from the drum (4) to the receiving chamber (21) can be quickly moved to the first exhaust section (3).

[0066] In addition, when the inclined surfaces (221, 222) are provided on the upper surface (22), a space can be formed to install a driving unit (5) required to rotate the drum (4) or a coin box required for a commercial clothing treatment device at the upper corner of the first cabinet (1), thereby easily reducing the volume of the first cabinet (1). For example, the driving unit (5) can be positioned in the space formed by the first inclined surface (221), and the coin box (payment means mounting portion) can be positioned in the space formed by the second inclined surface (222).

[0067] The above first exhaust section (3) may be provided to include an exhaust chamber (31, first exhaust chamber) forming a space separated from the receiving chamber (21), an exhaust duct (34) guiding air introduced into the first exhaust chamber (31) to the second processing device (100b), and an exhaust fan (35, first exhaust fan) provided inside the exhaust duct.

[0068] The first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided inside the first cabinet (1) so as to be positioned at the lower portion of the receiving chamber (21), and may be connected to the receiving chamber (21) through a chamber communication hole (32) provided to penetrate the lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber (penetrating the upper surface of the first exhaust chamber).

[0069] One side of the first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided to be opened and closed by an exhaust cover (33). FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the exhaust cover (33) is provided to open and close an open surface formed in front of the first exhaust chamber (31).

[0070] The exhaust cover (33) may be provided as a detachable panel on the first cabinet (1), or may be provided as a panel with one end rotatably fixed to the first cabinet (1). The exhaust cover (33) may be provided to form the front surface of the first processing device (100a) together with the first front panel (11).

[0071] In order to filter the air introduced into the first exhaust chamber (31), a filter (36) may be provided inside the first exhaust chamber (31). In order to increase the filtration amount, the filter (36) may be fixed at an angle inside the first exhaust chamber (31). That is, the filter (36) may be fixed to the first exhaust chamber (31) so that the upper end is closer to the exhaust cover (33) than the lower end (see FIG. 3), or the lower end may be fixed so that the lower end is closer to the exhaust cover (33) than the upper end (see FIG. 6). Unlike as shown in the drawing, the filter (36) may also be provided in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the first exhaust chamber (31).

[0072] The above drum (4) may be provided as a drum body (41) that is rotatably installed inside the receiving chamber (21) and stores the processing target.

[0073] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the drum body (41) is provided in a cylindrical shape with an empty interior, and a drum support member (45) that supports a lower circumferential surface of the drum body (41) (a circumferential surface of the drum body located below a horizontal line passing through the center of rotation of the drum body) may be provided in the receiving chamber (21). The drum support member (45) may be provided as a roller that is rotatably fixed inside the receiving chamber (21), and may be provided at each corner where the lower surface (23) and both sides (24, 25) of the receiving chamber (21) meet.

[0074] In the case of a garment treatment device in which the drum support (45) is positioned outside the receiving chamber (21), the receiving portion (2) must be provided with a hole through which the drum support (45) passes. However, in this case, there is a disadvantage in that the air supplied to the receiving chamber (21) is likely to leak into the first cabinet (1) (reduction in heat exchange efficiency). However, if the drum support (45) is provided inside the receiving chamber (21) as illustrated in the drawing, the above-described problem can be prevented.

[0075] As illustrated in Fig. 4, a drum inlet (413) communicating with the inlet (111) may be provided on the front surface (drum front surface, 411) of the drum body (41). Accordingly, objects to be processed, such as clothing, introduced into the inlet (111) can move into the drum body (41) through the drum inlet (413).

[0076] A lifter (415) may be provided inside the drum body (41). The lifter (415) may be provided as a board that protrudes from the circumference of the drum body (41) toward the center of rotation of the drum body. The lifter (415) has the effect of promoting heat exchange between the treatment object and air by causing the treatment object to drop or roll inside the drum body (41) when the drum body (41) rotates.

[0077] As illustrated in Fig. 5, a drum rotation shaft (44) may be provided on the rear surface (412) of the drum body. Accordingly, the circumference of the drum body (41) may be supported on the lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber via the drum support member (45), and the rear surface (412) of the drum body may be rotatably supported on the first rear panel (12) via the drum rotation shaft (44).

[0078] A drum supply port (42) that guides air supplied from the supply port (121) into the interior of the drum body (41) may be provided on the rear surface (412) of the drum body. The drum rotation axis (44) may be provided at the center of the rear surface (412) of the drum body, and the drum supply port (42) may be provided with a plurality of drum penetration holes arranged to surround the drum rotation axis (44).

[0079] Air introduced into the drum body (41) through the drum supply port (42) can be discharged to the receiving chamber (21) through the drum exhaust port (43). The circumference of the drum body (41) can be divided into a front circumference (416) connected to the drum front surface (411) and a rear circumference (417) connected to the drum rear surface (412), and the drum exhaust port (43) can be provided as a plurality of through holes provided in the front circumference (416).

[0080] As shown in Fig. 4, in order to facilitate the movement of air discharged from the drum exhaust port (43) to the exhaust chamber (31) (to improve drying efficiency), it is preferable that at least a portion of the chamber communication hole (32) be provided so that the drum exhaust port (43) is positioned within a space projected on the lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber.

[0081] The lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber and the upper surface of the first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided as the same surface. That is, the receiving chamber (21) and the first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided as spaces separated from each other through the lower surface (23). In this case, the chamber communication hole (32) may be provided as a hole penetrating the lower surface (23).

[0082] To ensure that the air supplied through the supply port (121) flows directly into the drum body (41) (to improve drying efficiency), a guide path (122) may be further provided inside the receiving chamber (21).

[0083] The above guide passage (122) may be provided in a pipe shape such that one end contacts the first rear panel (12) to surround the supply port (121), and the other end contacts the rear surface (412) of the drum body to surround the entire drum supply port (42). The guide passage (122) may be provided to be fixed to the first rear panel (12), or may be provided to be fixed to the rear surface (412) of the drum body. Fig. 4 illustrates an example in which the guide passage (122) is fixed to a guide bracket (124) provided to the first rear panel (12). The guide bracket (124) may be provided by arranging a plurality of brackets to surround the supply port (121).

[0084] As shown in Fig. 6, when the first exhaust fan (35) operates, the air inside the drum body (41) moves from the receiving chamber (21) to the first exhaust chamber (31) through the drum exhaust port (43) and the chamber communication hole (32), and the air inside the first exhaust chamber (31) is supplied to the second treatment device (100b) through the exhaust duct (34) and the discharge port (123).

[0085] The air supplied to the second treatment device (100b) through the chamber inlet hole (651) is dehumidified and heated by the heat exchange unit (7), and the air that has passed through the heat exchange unit (7) is discharged from the second treatment device (100b) through the chamber discharge hole (652). The air discharged from the chamber discharge hole (652) will move into the drum body (41) through the supply port (121), the guide path (122), and the drum supply port (42) and exchange heat with the treatment target.

[0086] The air that has completed heat exchange inside the drum body (41) moves to the first exhaust chamber (31) through the drum exhaust port (43) and the chamber communication hole (32), and the air inside the first exhaust chamber (31) moves to the chamber inlet hole (651) through the filter (36) and the exhaust duct (34).

[0087] The above driving unit (5) may be provided to include a motor (51) and a belt (512) connecting the rotational shaft (driving shaft, 511) of the motor and the circumference of the drum body (41). The belt (512) may be provided to connect the rear circumference (417) of the drum body and the driving shaft (511).

[0088] The above motor (51) is characterized in that it is fixed to the receiving chamber (21) or the first cabinet (1) and is positioned at a point higher than the drum body (41) in the external space of the receiving chamber (21). When the motor (51) is fixed so that the driving shaft (511) is positioned at a point higher than the uppermost end of the drum body (41), the tension of the belt (512) will be maintained by the weight of the drum body (41).

[0089] When the drum body (41) rotates by the motor (51), vibration may occur in the drum body (41), and the tension applied to the belt (512) when the drum body (41) vibrates may change. If the tension of the belt (512) becomes smaller than the set force, it is difficult to rotate the drum body (41) at a desired speed, and if the tension of the belt (512) becomes larger than the set amount, the durability of the driving unit (5) including the belt (512) may be reduced. However, if the position of the motor (51) is set as described above, the garment treatment device (100) can effectively maintain the tension of the belt (512) even when the drum body (41) vibrates, and thus problems caused by changes in tension may be reduced.

[0090] If the weight of the drum body (41) can be used to maintain the tension of the belt (512), the height of the motor (51) or the height of the drive shaft (511) may be positioned at a point lower than the top of the drum body (41), unlike that shown in the drawing.

[0091] The motor (51) may be fixed to the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber, and the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber may be provided with a chamber penetration hole (223) through which the belt (512) is inserted into the receiving chamber (21). Fig. 7 illustrates an example in which the motor (51) is fixed to the first inclined surface (221). In this case, the chamber penetration hole (223) may be provided in the first inclined surface (221). The inside of the receiving chamber (21) communicates with the inside of the first cabinet (1) (the outside of the receiving chamber) by the chamber penetration hole (223).

[0092] The chamber penetration hole (223) may be provided in a shape that is in contact with the boundary (225) between the reference plane (224) and the first inclined plane (221), or may be provided in a shape that is not in contact with the boundary (225). FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which a portion of the edge of the chamber penetration hole (223) is in contact with the boundary (225). In this case, the straight line connecting the drum rotation shaft (44) and the drive shaft (511) will be closer to a vertical line, which will be more advantageous in maintaining the tension of the belt (512).

[0093] In order to maintain the tension of the belt (512) even when the drum body (41) vibrates, the motor (51) is preferably provided so as to be able to maintain the gap between the drum body (41) and the drive shaft (511) when the drum body (41) vibrates. That is, the motor (51) is preferably provided so as to be able to move within a preset section. Fig. 8 illustrates an example in which the motor (51) is able to move along an arc-shaped trajectory when the drum body (41) vibrates.

[0094] The first cabinet (1) or the receiving chamber (21) may be provided with a motor support (52, 54) for fixing the motor (51).

[0095] The above motor support may be provided to include a support body (52) fixed to the upper surface of the first cabinet (1) or the receiving chamber (21) so as to be positioned in the external space of the receiving chamber (21), and a connecting body (54) that is rotatably fixed to the support body and supports the motor (51).

[0096] The above support body (52) may be provided to include a first support body (521) and a second support body (522) that are fixed to the upper surface (22) and positioned outside the receiving chamber (21). A body rotation axis (541) forming a center of rotation may be provided at one end of the connection body (54), and a mounting portion (543) to which the motor (51) is fixed may be provided at the other end of the connection body. The body rotation axis (541) may be rotatably fixed to at least one of the two support bodies (521, 522).

[0097] The bottom surface of the first support body (521) may be provided in a shape corresponding to the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber. That is, when the upper surface of the receiving chamber is provided with a reference surface (224) and inclined surfaces (221, 222), the bottom surface of the first support body (521) may be provided to include a reference surface contact portion (521a) that contacts the reference surface, a first inclined surface contact portion (521b) that contacts the first inclined surface, and a second inclined surface contact portion (521c) that contacts the second inclined surface.

[0098] Meanwhile, in order to increase the strength of the first cabinet (1), both sides (5211, 5212) of the first support body (521) may be provided to contact two sides of the first cabinet (1). Furthermore, the first side of the first cabinet may be fixed to one side (5212) of the first support body, and the second side of the second cabinet may be fixed to the other side (5211) of the first support body.

[0099] The above clothing treatment device may be equipped with a first control unit (18) for controlling the first treatment device (100a), and a control unit mounting unit (19) to which the first control unit (18) is fixed may be fixed to the first support panel (521).

[0100] In order to form a space for installing the above-mentioned connecting body (54), the second support body (522) may be fixed at a point spaced apart from the first support body (521). The shape of the second support body (522) may be provided in the same manner as the first support body (521), or may be provided in a different shape.

[0101] In order to maintain the gap between the first support body (521) and the second support body (522) and to firmly support the body rotation axis (541) (to firmly support the connecting body), the support body (52) may further be provided with a third support body (523, shaft support body) that connects the first support body (521) and the second support body (522).

[0102] In this case, the body rotation axis (541) is provided to penetrate through the first support body (521), the bent portions (523a, 523b) formed at both ends of the third support body (523), and the second support body (522), and one end of the connecting body (54) can be fixed to the body rotation axis (541) and positioned between the first bent portion (523a) and the second bent portion (523b).

[0103] The above connecting body (54) may be positioned at the center of the two support bodies (521, 522), or may be fixed to be positioned at a point close to one of the two support bodies. Considering the ease of installation and repair, it is preferable that the connecting body (54) be positioned close to either the first support body (521) or the second support body (522). If the connecting body (54) is positioned at a point close to the first support body (521), a space will be formed between the two bending portions (523a, 523b) so that the connecting body (54) can move toward the second support body (522) (see FIG. 9).

[0104] In order to prevent the driving shaft (511) from interfering with the support body (52) when the motor (51) vibrates together with the drum body (41) and to reduce the change in tension of the belt (512) by providing a movement path of the driving shaft (511) when the drum body (41) vibrates, the driving unit (5) may be provided with a path forming unit (524) and an elastic force providing unit (542).

[0105] FIG. 8 illustrates an example in which a path forming part (542) is provided to guide the driving shaft (511) to move along the same trajectory (arc-shaped trajectory) as the movement trajectory of the motor. The path forming part (524) may be provided as a slit that penetrates the first support body (521). The slit may be provided as an arc whose radius is the length from the body rotation axis (541) to the driving shaft (511), and may be provided to extend from the inside of the first support body (521) to the upper end of the first support body (521).

[0106] The elastic force providing unit (542) may be provided to provide elastic force to the connecting body (54) so ​​that the gap between the motor (51) and the drum body (41) is maintained. The elastic force providing unit (542) may be provided as a tension spring (a spring that provides a force to pull the mounting part away from the receiving chamber) or as a compression spring (a spring that provides a force to push the mounting part away from the receiving chamber).

[0107] When equipped with a compression spring, the elastic force providing part (542) may have one end fixed to the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber and the other end fixed to the mounting part (543). When equipped with a tension spring, the elastic force providing part (542) may have one end fixed to the mounting part (543) and the other end fixed to the support body (52). When the elastic force providing part (542) is equipped with a tension spring, a spring fastening part (525) may be equipped at the upper end of the first support body (521). Considering the ease of assembly or repair, it is preferable that the elastic force providing part (542) be equipped with a tension spring.

[0108] Meanwhile, in order to prevent twisting of the processing object, the rotation direction of the drum body (41) needs to be changed, and when the rotation direction of the drum body (41) is changed, a large change may occur in the tension of the belt (512).

[0109] In order to reduce the change in tension due to the change in the rotation direction of the drum body (41), the garment treatment device (100) may further be provided with a tension maintenance unit (56).

[0110] The tension maintaining unit (56) may be provided to include a tension body (561) freely rotatably connected to the driving shaft (511), a main pulley (563) fixed to the driving shaft (511) and supporting the inner surface (512b) of the belt (512), and a first pulley (564) and a second pulley (565) rotatably fixed to the tension body (561) and supporting the outer surface (512a) of the belt.

[0111] That the above driving shaft (511) is freely rotatably fixed to the tension body (561) means that the driving shaft (511) is fixed to the tension body (561) via a bearing (562). Therefore, the tension body (561) can rotate around the driving shaft (511) regardless of whether the driving shaft (511) rotates.

[0112] The first pulley (564) may be located on one of the left and right sides of the main pulley (563), and the second pulley (565) may be located on the other of the left and right sides of the main pulley (563).

[0113] The rotation center of the above-mentioned main pulley (563), the rotation center of the above-mentioned first pulley (564), and the rotation center of the above-mentioned second pulley (565) may be arranged in a straight line, or may be arranged to form a triangle as shown in FIG. 9.

[0114] The above-described driving pulley (563), the first pulley (564), and the second pulley (565) may be provided on a surface of the space provided by the tension body (561) that faces the direction in which the first support body (521) is located (the direction in which the motor is located). That is, the above-described driving pulley (563), the first pulley (564), and the second pulley (565) may be provided to be located in a space formed between the tension body (561) and the first support body (521).

[0115] Since the driving unit (5) of the above-described structure has the belt (512) penetrate the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber through the chamber penetration hole (223), air inside the receiving chamber (21) may leak into the first cabinet (1) through the chamber penetration hole (223) (resulting in problems of reduced drying efficiency and increased drying time).

[0116] To prevent the above-described problem, the clothing treatment device (100) may further include a sealing portion (28) that blocks air from leaking from the receiving chamber (21) through the chamber penetration hole (223).

[0117] The above sealing portion (28) may be provided to include a through hole cover (281) that is coupled to the receiving chamber (21) and the first support body (521) to prevent air from leaking through the chamber through hole (223), and a slit cover (285) that prevents air from leaking through the path forming portion (524).

[0118] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the through hole cover (281) may be provided to include a sealing chamber (282) forming a closed space, a first open hole (283) provided on one side of the sealing chamber (282) and closed by the first support body (521), and a second open hole (284) provided on the other side of the sealing chamber (282) and surrounding the chamber through hole (223).

[0119] The first opening hole (283) may be provided as an open surface formed in the through hole cover (281) so that one side (such as a side) of the sealing chamber (282) is exposed, or may be provided as a hole that penetrates one side of the through hole cover (281) and communicates with the sealing chamber (282). In the latter case, the first opening hole (283) may be provided as an arc-shaped hole or slit having a shape that does not interfere with the slit (524) provided in the first support body (a shape that does not impede the movement of the driving shaft).

[0120] The second opening hole (284) may be provided as an open surface formed in the through hole cover (281) so that one surface (such as the bottom surface) of the sealing chamber (282) is exposed, or may be provided as a hole having a shape that penetrates one surface of the through hole cover (281) and surrounds the sealing chamber (282).

[0121] The above-described through-hole cover (281) may be fixed to the first inclined surface (221) and may be fixed between the corner of the first cabinet (1) and the receiving chamber (21). In this case, the height of the through-hole cover (281) (height of the sealing chamber) will increase as it gets farther from the boundary (225) between the reference surface (224) and the first inclined surface (221).

[0122] The height of the sealing chamber (282) is set so that the height (H1) on the side farther from the boundary (225) is higher than the height (H2) on the side closer to the boundary, taking into account the movement of the driving shaft (511) and the tension maintaining unit (56) when the drum body (41) rotates. That is, when the height of the sealing chamber (282) is set so that the side farther from the boundary (225) is higher, the movement of the tension maintaining unit (56) can be prevented from being interfered with by the through-hole cover (281) when the drum body (41) vibrates.

[0123] As shown in Fig. 9, the slit cover (285) is provided in a shape that can close the path forming portion (524) and can be fixed to at least one of the connecting body (54) and the motor (51).

[0124] The above slit cover (285) may be provided to include a cover body (286) that is fixed to the mounting portion (543) of the connecting body and contacts the first support body (521), and a cover penetration hole (287) provided in the cover body (286) and through which the driving shaft (511) passes.

[0125] In order to prevent the slit (524) from opening even when the connecting body (54) moves, it is preferable that the length of the cover body (286) be set to be longer than the length of the slit (524). In addition, it is preferable that the range of motion (rotation angle, movement range of the motor, movement range of the drive shaft) of the connecting body (54) be set to a range in which the slit (524) is not opened by the cover body (286).

[0126] The cover body (286) may be provided with a base (286a) in which the cover penetration hole (287) is formed, an upper extension body (286b) extending upward from the base, and a lower extension body (286c) extending downward from the base. The length of the upper extension body and the length of the lower extension body may be set to be the same, or one of the two extension bodies may be set to be longer than the other. Fig. 9 illustrates an example in which the length of the upper extension body (286b) is set to be longer than the length of the lower extension body (286c).

[0127] As more and more processing objects are fed into the drum body (41), the weight of the drum body (41) increases, and as the weight of the drum body (41) increases, the motor (51) will move toward the upper surface of the receiving chamber (21). In this situation, when the drum body (41) rotates, the motor (51) will move more frequently toward the receiving chamber (21) than away from the receiving chamber (21). Therefore, if the length of the upper extension body (286b) is set longer than the length of the lower extension body (286c), it will be advantageous to maintain the sealing of the slit (524).

[0128] The above cover body (286) can be fixed to the mounting portion (543) via a fastening portion (289). The fastening portion (289) can be provided with a plurality of hooks arranged along the edge of the base (286a), and the hooks can be detachably fastened to the mounting portion (543).

[0129] The cover body (286) may be positioned inside the through-hole cover (281) or may be positioned outside the through-hole cover (281). That is, the cover body (286) may be positioned inside the sealing chamber (282) or may be positioned outside the sealing chamber (282). FIG. 10 illustrates an example in which the cover body (286) is positioned outside the sealing chamber (282).

[0130] As shown in Fig. 8, in order to prevent air inside the sealing chamber (282) from leaking to the outside through the path forming portion (542) and the cover penetration hole (287), the sealing portion (28) may further include a penetration hole sealer (288) that is fixed to the mounting portion (543) and closes the cover penetration hole (287).

[0131] The above fastening portion (289) is provided to be fastened to the edge of the through-hole sealer (288), and the through-hole sealer (288) may be provided to close the cover through-hole (287).

[0132] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the above-described motor (51) can be controlled in rotation speed and direction by the control unit (first control unit, 18) of the first processing device, and can maintain the tension of the belt (512) by reciprocating along an arc-shaped trajectory through the connecting body (54), belt (512), and elastic force providing unit (542) when the drum body (41) vibrates.

[0133] In order to secure a moving space for the motor (51), it is preferable that the motor (51) be installed so as not to go beyond the space formed on the upper portion of the first inclined surface (221). That is, it is preferable that the motor (51) be installed at a position that does not go beyond the diameter of the drum body (41).

[0134] In order to secure a movement space of the mounting portion (543) provided in the above connecting body (54) (to secure a movement space of the motor rotation axis), the slit (524) may be provided so as to be located at a point closer to the second side (25) of the receiving chamber than the boundary (225) between the reference plane and the first inclined plane (at the edge of the first inclined plane located on the opposite side of the boundary). That is, the slit (524) may be provided so as to be located at a point farther from the body rotation axis (541) based on the boundary (225).

[0135] In addition, in order to effectively support the connecting body (54), the elastic force providing portion (542) may also be positioned closer to the edge (edge ​​connected to the second side) of the first inclined surface (221) than the boundary (225). FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which the elastic force providing portion (542) is positioned between the slit (524) and the edge of the first inclined surface (221) located on the opposite side of the boundary (225).

[0136] Meanwhile, the above-described driving unit (5) can minimize the change in tension of the belt (512) even when the rotation direction of the drum body (41) is changed, as shown in FIG. 12 (a) and FIG. 12 (b).

[0137] That is, when the drum body (41) that rotates counterclockwise (Fig. 12 (a)) is rotated clockwise (Fig. 12 (b)), an imbalance may temporarily occur between the force acting on the belt (512) that contacts the second pulley (565) and the force acting on the belt (512) that contacts the first pulley (564). However, the garment treatment device (100) can change the positions of the pulleys (564, 565) while the tension body (561) rotates (rotates from A to B direction) around the drive shaft (511), thereby maintaining the tension of the belt (512).

[0138] As illustrated in Fig. 13, the second processing device (100b) may be provided to include a cabinet (6, second cabinet) detachably fixed to the rear surface (12, first rear panel) of the first processing device (100a), and a heat exchange unit (7) provided inside the second cabinet (6).

[0139] The second cabinet (6) may be provided to include a base panel (63) forming the bottom surface of the second processing device, a front panel (61, second front panel) provided on a surface facing the first rear panel (12) and forming one side of the second processing device, a rear panel (62, second rear panel) forming the other side of the second processing device, and an upper panel (64) forming the upper surface of the second processing device.

[0140] Inside the second cabinet (6), a first heat exchange chamber (65, first chamber), a second heat exchange chamber (66, second chamber) provided as a space separated from the first heat exchange chamber (66), and a third heat exchange chamber (67, third chamber) separated from the first heat exchange chamber (66) and connected to the second heat exchange chamber (66) may be provided.

[0141] The first heat exchange chamber (65) is provided with a flow path (first flow path) that forms an air movement path parallel to the height direction (Y-axis direction) of the second treatment device (100b), and the second heat exchange chamber (66) and the third heat exchange chamber (67) are connected to each other and can be provided with one flow path (second flow path) that allows air to move along the height direction of the second treatment device.

[0142] It is preferable that the first and second euros are formed as independent euros, and FIG. 13 illustrates an example in which the two euros are formed through a partition wall (613) that divides the interior of the second cabinet (6).

[0143] As illustrated in FIG. 14, the first heat exchange chamber (65) receives air discharged from the first treatment device (100a) through the chamber inlet hole (651), and air inside the first heat exchange chamber (65) can be supplied to the first treatment device (100a) through the chamber discharge hole (652).

[0144] The chamber inlet hole (651) may be positioned downstream of the first flow path, and the chamber discharge hole (652) may be positioned upstream of the first flow path.

[0145] The heat exchange unit (7) is provided inside the first heat exchange chamber (65), and since the air heated by the heat exchange unit (7) has a property of rising, if the chamber inlet hole (651) and the chamber discharge hole (652) are respectively arranged at the lower and upper portions of the first flow path with the heat exchange unit in between, air can be supplied to the first treatment device (100a) more effectively.

[0146] The second rear panel (62) may be provided to include a chamber first rear panel (621) forming the rear surface of the first flow path (the flow path formed by the first heat exchange chamber), and a chamber second rear panel (622) forming the rear surface of the second flow path (the flow path formed by the second heat exchange chamber and the third heat exchange chamber).

[0147] The second treatment device (100b) may be equipped with an exhaust unit (9, second exhaust unit). The second exhaust unit (9) is a means for moving air along the second flow path, and the second exhaust unit (9) may be equipped to include an exhaust chamber (91, second exhaust chamber) connected to the outside of the second cabinet (6).

[0148] The second exhaust chamber (91) is a passage connected to the second heat exchange chamber (66), and may be provided to be positioned above the first heat exchange chamber (65) and the second heat exchange chamber (66) as shown in the drawing. Unlike as shown in the drawing, the second exhaust chamber (91) may be provided to be positioned only above the first heat exchange chamber (65) or only above the second heat exchange chamber (66).

[0149] The second exhaust chamber (91) may be formed by the upper surfaces of the first heat exchange chamber (65) and the second heat exchange chamber (66), the rear panel (12, first rear panel) of the first treatment device, the two side panels (611, 612) of the second cabinet, the chamber panel (914), and the upper panel (64). Unlike what is shown in the drawing, the first rear panel (12) may be replaced with the second front panel (61), and the chamber panel (914) may be replaced with the second rear panel (62).

[0150] As shown in Fig. 15, the second exhaust chamber (91) can communicate with the second heat exchange chamber (66) through the first communication hole (912) and with the outside of the second cabinet (6) through the second communication hole (913).

[0151] The first communication hole (912) may be provided to penetrate the upper surface (bottom surface of the second exhaust chamber) of the second heat exchange chamber (66), and the second communication hole (913) may be provided to penetrate the chamber panel (914).

[0152] The second processing device (100b) may be equipped with a fan (92, second exhaust fan) that moves air from the second heat exchange chamber (66) into the second exhaust chamber (91).

[0153] The second exhaust fan (92) may be provided to include a housing (921, fan housing) fixed to the second exhaust chamber (91), a housing inlet (922) connecting the housing to the first communication hole (912), a housing outlet (923) for discharging air inside the housing, and an impeller (924) provided inside the housing. The impeller (924) may be provided to rotate by a fan motor (925) fixed to the outside of the housing (921).

[0154] Meanwhile, the second treatment device (100b) may further be provided with a supply chamber (68) for supplying air to the second heat exchange chamber (66). The supply chamber (68) may be provided as a path for supplying air to the second heat exchange chamber (66) when the second exhaust fan (92) is in operation.

[0155] As illustrated in Fig. 15 (b), the third heat exchange chamber (67), the second heat exchange chamber (66), and the second exhaust chamber (91) may be provided in a structure in which they are sequentially stacked along the height direction (Y-axis direction) of the first heat exchange chamber (65). That is, the second heat exchange chamber (66) may be positioned above the third heat exchange chamber (67), and the second exhaust chamber (91) may be positioned above the second heat exchange chamber (66).

[0156] Meanwhile, the supply chamber (68) may be positioned at the same or similar height as the second heat exchange chamber (66). That is, the second heat exchange chamber (66) and the supply chamber (68) may be arranged side by side along a direction (X-axis direction or Y-axis direction) orthogonal to the direction of movement of air moving from the third heat exchange chamber (66) toward the second exhaust fan (92).

[0157] FIG. 15 (b) illustrates an example in which the second heat exchange chamber (66) and the supply chamber (68) are arranged side by side along the depth direction (Z-axis direction) of the third heat exchange chamber (67) and are positioned above the third heat exchange chamber (67). In this case, the supply chamber (68) may be positioned above the rear space of the third heat exchange chamber (67), and the second heat exchange chamber (66) may be positioned above the front space of the third heat exchange chamber (67).

[0158] Although not shown in the drawing, the second heat exchange chamber (66) and the supply chamber (68) may be arranged side by side along the width direction (X-axis direction) of the third heat exchange chamber (67).

[0159] The second heat exchange chamber (66) will form a second passage that receives air from the third heat exchange chamber (67), and the supply chamber (68) will form a third passage that supplies air supplied from the third heat exchange chamber (67) to the second heat exchange chamber (66). In this case, the chamber second rear panel (622) will form the rear surface of the third passage.

[0160] The second rear panel (622) of the chamber may be provided with a first outside air supply port (623) for supplying air to the third heat exchange chamber (67) and a second outside air supply port (624) for supplying air to the supply chamber (68). Accordingly, air outside the second cabinet (6) may be introduced into the third heat exchange chamber (67) through the first outside air supply port (623), some of the air inside the third heat exchange chamber (67) may move to the second exhaust chamber (91) through the second heat exchange chamber (66), and the remainder of the air inside the third heat exchange chamber (67) may move to the second heat exchange chamber (66) through the supply chamber (68). That is, the supply chamber (68) may be supplied with air through the third heat exchange chamber (67) and the second outside air supply port (624).

[0161] The above heat exchange unit (7) may be provided to include a refrigerant passage (76) forming a refrigerant circulation passage, a first heat exchanger (71) fixed to the refrigerant passage (76) and positioned inside a first heat exchange chamber (65) to absorb heat from air, a second heat exchanger (72) fixed to the refrigerant passage (76) and positioned inside the first heat exchange chamber (65) to release heat to air passing through the first heat exchanger (71), a third heat exchanger (73) fixed to the refrigerant passage (76) and positioned inside the second heat exchange chamber (66), a compressor (74) located inside the third heat exchange chamber (67) to move the refrigerant along the refrigerant passage (76), and a passage change unit (75) capable of changing the direction of the refrigerant supplied to the third heat exchanger (73).

[0162] The first heat exchanger (71) is a means (evaporator, or heat absorber) that absorbs heat from the air introduced into the first heat exchange chamber (65), evaporates the refrigerant, and removes water vapor contained in the air (condenses the water vapor). The second heat exchanger (72) is a means (condenser, or heat generator) that releases heat to the air that has passed through the first heat exchanger, condenses the refrigerant, and heats the air.

[0163] The first heat exchanger (71) is preferably positioned below the second heat exchanger (72) and inclined downward toward the bottom surface of the first heat exchange chamber (65). Since water vapor contained in the air is condensed while passing through the first heat exchanger (71), it often remains on the surface of the first heat exchanger (71). Therefore, when the first heat exchanger (71) is fixed to the first heat exchange chamber (65) in an inclined structure, it is easy to remove the condensed water from the surface of the first heat exchanger (71).

[0164] In addition, when the first heat exchanger (71) is fixed to the first heat exchange chamber (65) in an inclined structure, the first heat exchanger (71) having a larger area than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat exchange chamber (65) can be mounted, and through this, the air and the first heat exchanger (71) have the effect of more effectively exchanging heat with the air.

[0165] In order to remove the condensate falling from the first heat exchanger (71), a drainage portion may be provided on the bottom surface of the first heat exchange chamber (65). The drainage portion may include a collection chamber (654) provided on the bottom surface of the first heat exchange chamber (65) to provide a space for storing condensate, and a drain pipe (655) for discharging the condensate in the collection chamber (654) to the outside of the second cabinet (6).

[0166] The above clothing treatment device (100) can prevent hygiene problems caused by condensate remaining on the bottom surface of the first heat exchange chamber (65) through the drainage unit or problems caused by the condensate evaporating and flowing into the drum body (41).

[0167] The third heat exchanger (73) may perform the same function (heat absorption function) as the first heat exchanger, or may perform the same function (heat generation function) as the second heat exchanger. The function of the third heat exchanger (73) can be switched in various ways, and Fig. 16 illustrates an example of a case where the function is switched through the flow path switching unit (75).

[0168] As illustrated in FIG. 16, the refrigerant conversion unit (75) may be provided to include a valve body (751) that provides a space for storing refrigerant, a refrigerant inlet (752) that introduces refrigerant into the valve body, a first connection pipe (753) that connects the inside of the valve body (751) with the outside, a second connection pipe (754) that connects the inside of the valve body (751) with the outside, a third connection pipe (755) that connects the inside of the valve body (751) with the outside, and a conversion valve (756) that is movably provided within the valve body to connect two of the three connection pipes to each other.

[0169] The above switching valve (756) may be provided to reciprocate between a first point and a second point that are preset. At the first point, the switching valve (756) may be provided to connect the second connecting pipe (754) and the third connecting pipe (755) (the refrigerant inlet is connected to the first connecting pipe), and at the second point, the switching valve (756) may be provided to connect the first connecting pipe (753) and the second connecting pipe (754) (the refrigerant inlet is connected to the third connecting pipe).

[0170] In this case, the refrigerant passage (76) includes a first refrigerant pipe (761) that guides the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (74) to the second heat exchanger (72), a second refrigerant pipe (762) that guides the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger (72) (refrigerant that has completed heat exchange with air in the second heat exchanger) to the refrigerant inlet (752), and a third refrigerant pipe (763) that guides the refrigerant discharged from the first connection pipe (753) to the third heat exchanger (73). A control valve (77) that controls the pressure of the refrigerant may be provided in the third refrigerant pipe (763).

[0171] In addition, the refrigerant passage (76) may be provided to include a fourth refrigerant pipe (764) that guides the refrigerant that has passed through the third heat exchanger (73) to the third connecting pipe (755), a fifth refrigerant pipe (765) that guides the refrigerant discharged from the second connecting pipe (754) to the first heat exchanger (71), and a sixth refrigerant pipe (766) that guides the refrigerant that has passed through the first heat exchanger (71) to the compressor (74).

[0172] By means of the above-mentioned euro conversion unit (75), the third heat exchanger (73) can be supplied with refrigerant that has passed through the control valve (77), or can be supplied with refrigerant that has not passed through the control valve (77).

[0173] The process of removing moisture from the treatment target (drying process) can proceed more quickly as the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air passing through the first heat exchanger (71) and the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air passing through the second heat exchanger (72) increase. If the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat exchanger (71) and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat exchanger (72) are designed to be large in order to increase the amount of heat exchange, the problem of the overall volume of the second treatment device (100b) increasing due to the increase in the volume of the heat exchange unit (7) may occur, and in some cases, the problem of the compressor overheating may occur.

[0174] The above heat exchange unit (7) can switch the function of the third heat exchanger (73) between the heat absorption function and the heat generation function through the above-mentioned flow conversion unit (75). Therefore, the heat exchange unit (7) can supply high-temperature dry air to the first treatment device (100a) more quickly and effectively by setting the function of the third heat exchanger (73) to either the heat absorption function or the heat generation function in a specific section during the execution of the drying cycle divided into the preheating section, the constant rate section, and the deceleration section.

[0175] The above preheating period is defined as a period in which the dryness hardly changes and the temperature of the clothing increases, the above constant drying rate period is defined as a period in which the dryness rapidly increases (the moisture content rapidly decreases) and the temperature of the clothing hardly changes, and the above falling drying rate period can be defined as a period in which the dryness hardly changes and the temperature of the clothing increases.

[0176] At the beginning of the drying cycle (preheating section), the temperature of the air discharged from the drum body (41) (the temperature of the air flowing into the first heat exchange chamber) is low. Therefore, at the beginning of the drying cycle, the temperature of the air supplied to the drum body (41) can be increased only by increasing the amount of energy absorbed by the refrigerant (heat absorption), thereby shortening the time required to enter the constant rate section (shortening the time required to proceed with the preheating section).

[0177] Figure 16 illustrates a case where the switching valve (756) is located at the first point. In this case, the switching valve (756) can guide the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger (72) to the control valve (77), and the refrigerant that has passed through the control valve (77) will pass through the third heat exchanger (73) and then be supplied to the first heat exchanger (71) via the valve body (751).

[0178] Accordingly, when the second exhaust fan (92) is in operation, the refrigerant passing through the third heat exchanger (73) can absorb heat energy from the air moving along the second flow path (the second heat exchange chamber and the third heat exchange chamber). Accordingly, the heat exchange unit (7) can shorten the execution time (drying time) of the drying cycle by shortening the execution time of the preheating section.

[0179] In the case of a heat exchange unit (7) not equipped with the third heat exchanger (73), in order to increase the amount of heat absorbed at the beginning of the drying cycle, the rotational speed (operating frequency) of the compressor (74) must be increased, so vibration or noise of the compressor at the beginning of the drying cycle may be a problem. However, the heat exchange unit (7) equipped with the present invention can prevent such problems.

[0180] Meanwhile, in the latter half of the drying cycle (after the latter half of the constant rate section, or the above-described deceleration section), the temperature of the air discharged from the drum body (41) is high, so the amount of energy absorbed by the refrigerant increases. Therefore, in the latter half of the drying cycle, the heat absorbed by the refrigerant must be quickly released to bring forward the end point of the drying cycle and stably control the heat exchanger (7) (to prevent overheating of the compressor, etc.).

[0181] Figure 17 illustrates a case where the switching valve (756) is located at the second point. In this case, the switching valve (756) guides the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger (72) to the third heat exchanger (73), and the refrigerant that has passed through the third heat exchanger will be supplied to the first heat exchanger (71) via the control valve (77) and the valve body (751).

[0182] Therefore, when the exhaust fan (35) is operated, the second heat exchanger (72) can release heat to the air moving along the first heat exchange chamber (65), and when the second exhaust fan (92) is operated, the third heat exchanger (73) can release heat to the air moving along the second flow path. Therefore, the heat exchange unit (7) can effectively release heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the latter part of the drying cycle, thereby shortening the drying time and preventing overheating of the compressor.

[0183] As illustrated in Fig. 15, the heat exchange unit (7) described above can be controlled by a control unit (8, second control unit), and the second control unit (8) can be provided in the supply chamber (68).

[0184] The second control unit (8) may be provided to include a board fixing plate (81) located inside the supply chamber (68), a circuit board (83) fixed to the board fixing plate (81), and a control circuit provided on the circuit board (83) to control the heat exchange unit (7).

[0185] The above board fixing plate (81) can be fixed to one side of the supply chamber (68) or one side of the second heat exchange chamber. FIG. 15 (b) illustrates an example in which the board fixing plate (81) is fixed to one side (mounting surface, 661) of the second heat exchange chamber. The mounting surface (661) can be provided as a partition wall that separates the second heat exchange chamber (66) and the supply chamber (68).

[0186] The control circuit provided on the circuit board (83) may be provided as a circuit capable of controlling at least one of the compressor (74) and the control valve (77), and an example thereof may be an inverter circuit or inverter driver that controls the rotational speed (operating frequency) of the compressor (74).

[0187] For cooling the control circuit, the second control unit (8) may be provided with a cooling unit (84). The cooling unit (84) may be provided with a plurality of cooling fins that are fixed to the circuit board (83) and connected to the control circuit. That is, the cooling unit (84) may be provided by arranging a plurality of cooling fins parallel to the height direction (Y-axis direction) of the second heat exchange chamber (66) so as to be spaced apart along the width direction (X-axis direction) of the second heat exchange chamber (66).

[0188] The cooling unit (84) may be provided to cool the control circuit using at least one of air moving along the second heat exchange chamber (66) and air moving along the supply chamber (68).

[0189] To this end, the mounting surface (661) may be provided with a chamber supply port (662) connecting the supply chamber (68) and the second heat exchange chamber (66), and the cooling unit (84) may be provided to be positioned at the chamber supply port (662). The chamber supply port (662) may be a through hole provided to penetrate the mounting surface (661) and may be provided to be positioned between the third heat exchanger (73) and the second exhaust fan (92).

[0190] The concept that the cooling unit (84) is located in the chamber supply port (662) includes both the case where at least a portion of the cooling unit (84) is inserted into the chamber supply port (662) and located inside the second heat exchange chamber (66), and the case where the cooling unit (84) is located outside the second heat exchange chamber (66) so as not to be inserted into the chamber supply port (662) (located inside the supply chamber).

[0191] When the cooling unit (84) is located outside the second heat exchange chamber (66), at least a portion of the cooling unit (84) may be provided at the same height as the chamber supply port (662). In addition, when the cooling unit (84) is located outside the second heat exchange chamber (66), all or a portion of the cooling unit (84) may be provided so that the chamber supply port (662) is located inside a space projected on the circuit board (83).

[0192] Meanwhile, when the cooling unit (84) is equipped with a plurality of cooling fins, the plurality of cooling fins may be positioned inside the supply chamber (68) (outside the second heat exchange chamber) and may be provided to contact the mounting surface (661). In this case, the chamber supply port (662) will be divided into a plurality of through holes with the left and right edges closed by the cooling fins and the upper and lower edges open.

[0193] When the second exhaust fan (92) is in operation, outside air is introduced into the third heat exchange chamber (67) through the first outside air supply port (623) and into the supply chamber (68) through the second outside air supply port (624).

[0194] Some of the air inside the third heat exchange chamber (67) may move to the second exhaust chamber (91) through the third heat exchanger (73), and the remainder of the air in the third heat exchange chamber (67) may be supplied to the supply chamber (68). Accordingly, the supply chamber (68) may be supplied with outside air through the third heat exchange chamber (67) and the second outside air supply port (624).

[0195] Meanwhile, in order to reduce the possibility of foreign substances, including water, being supplied to the circuit board (83), it is preferable that the second external air supply port (624) be provided at a location that does not expose the circuit board (83) to the outside. That is, the second external air supply port (624) may be provided at a point lower than the circuit board (83), and it is preferable that it be provided at a point spaced apart from the left edge or the right edge of the circuit board (83).

[0196] The air inside the supply chamber (68) is introduced into the second heat exchange chamber (66) through the chamber supply port (662). Therefore, the cooling unit (84) can be cooled by the air that moves along the second heat exchange chamber (66) after completing heat exchange with the third heat exchanger (73) or by the air that is supplied to the second heat exchange chamber (66) through the supply chamber (68).

[0197] Meanwhile, while the second exhaust fan (92) is operating, outside air will be supplied to the compressor (74) provided in the third heat exchange chamber (67), so the present invention can simultaneously perform heat exchange between air and the third heat exchanger (73), cooling of the compressor (74), and the control circuit through the second exhaust fan (92).

[0198] In order to achieve the above-described effect, it is preferable that the compressor (74), the third heat exchanger (73), and the second exhaust fan (92) are sequentially provided along the height direction of the first heat exchange chamber (65). That is, it is preferable that the third heat exchanger (73) is positioned at a higher point than the compressor (74), and the second exhaust fan (92) is positioned at a higher point than the third heat exchanger (73).

[0199] To facilitate the supply of air from the third heat exchange chamber (67) to the second heat exchange chamber (66) through the chamber supply port (662) (to facilitate heat exchange of the cooling unit), the clothing treatment device (100) may further be provided with a flow path forming part (821, 822).

[0200] Fig. 14 illustrates an example in which the above-described flow path forming part (821, 822) is provided on the board fixing plate (81). The flow path forming part of Fig. 14 not only provides a space in which the cooling part (84) is positioned between the chamber supply port (662) and the board fixing plate (81), but is also characterized in that it can guide air inside the supply chamber (68) to the chamber supply port (662).

[0201] The above-mentioned euro-forming portion may be provided with a first spacer (821) and a second spacer (822) provided on opposite ends of the board fixing plate (81) to maintain a gap between the board fixing plate (81) and the mounting surface (661). The first spacer (821) and the second spacer (822) may be provided as a board extending along the height direction of the second heat exchange chamber (66).

[0202] The above-described clothing treatment device (100) may generate noise or vibration when the second exhaust fan (92) operates. To reduce noise caused by the second exhaust fan (92), a noise reduction unit (93) may be provided in the second exhaust chamber (91).

[0203] The above noise reduction unit (93) may be provided between the second exhaust fan (92) and the second communication hole (913) and may be provided as a space or device that lowers the pressure of air discharged from the second exhaust fan (92).

[0204] Fig. 18 (a) illustrates an example in which the noise reduction unit (93) is provided as a space formed by spacing out the housing discharge port (923) of the second exhaust fan (92) and the second communication hole (913).

[0205] Fig. 18 (b) illustrates an example of a noise reduction unit (93) that reduces noise of the second exhaust fan by setting the direction of movement (F1) of air discharged from the second exhaust fan (92) differently from the direction of movement (F2) of air discharged from the second exhaust chamber (91) through the second communication hole (913).

[0206] The angle (C) formed by the direction of movement (F1) of air discharged from the housing outlet (923) of the second exhaust fan and the direction of movement (F2) of air discharged through the second communication hole (913) may be provided to form 50 to 90 degrees.

[0207] In the case of the noise reduction part (93) that reduces noise by leaving a space between the housing discharge port (923) and the second communication hole (913), it was confirmed that the noise of the second exhaust fan can be reduced most effectively when the angle (C) is approximately 90 degrees.

[0208] Meanwhile, if the angle (C) is greater than 90 degrees, there may be a disadvantage that it takes a long time for the air inside the second exhaust chamber (91) to be discharged through the second communication hole (913), and if the angle (C) is less than 50 degrees, the exhaust time can be shortened, but it has been confirmed that the effect of reducing noise is not as great as when the angle (C) is large.

[0209] Fig. 19 illustrates another embodiment of the noise reduction unit (93). The noise reduction unit (93) according to this embodiment is characterized in that it includes a first reduction unit passage (931) connected to the housing outlet (923), and a second reduction unit passage (932) connected to the first reduction unit passage (931) and having a passage cross-sectional area larger than the passage cross-sectional area of ​​the first reduction unit passage.

[0210] The direction of movement (F3) of air discharged to the second exhaust chamber (91) through the first reduction section passage (931) and the second reduction section passage (932) may be arranged to be orthogonal to the direction of movement (F2) of air discharged through the second communication hole (913).

[0211] Unlike what is shown in the drawing, only one of the first reduction section passage (931) and the second reduction section passage (932) may be provided to guide air in a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement (F2) of air discharged through the second communication hole (913).

[0212] Furthermore, in order to shorten the time for the air discharged from the second exhaust fan (92) to the second exhaust chamber (91) to be discharged to the outside, the noise reduction unit (93) may further include a third reduction unit passage (933) that guides the air discharged from the second reduction unit passage (932) to the second communication hole (913). The third reduction unit passage (933) may be provided with any structure as long as it is a structure capable of guiding the discharge port (934) of the second reduction unit passage to the second communication hole (913).

[0213] Considering the noise reduction of the second exhaust fan (92), it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the third reduction section passage (933) be set to be greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the first reduction section passage (931). Although not shown in the drawing, the cross-sectional area of ​​the third reduction section passage (933) may be set to be greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the second reduction section passage (932).

[0214] Since the above-described clothing treatment device and control method relate to an example of the present invention, the scope of the present invention cannot be limited to the above-described structure or control method.

Claims

1. A cabinet having a front panel with an inlet and a rear panel with an air supply port; A receiving chamber fixed to the above cabinet and communicating with the above inlet and the above supply port; An exhaust chamber provided in the cabinet for discharging air discharged from the receiving chamber to the outside of the cabinet; A drum having a drum body rotatably provided inside the receiving chamber to store a processing target, a drum inlet provided on the front surface of the drum body and communicating with the inlet, a drum supply port provided in the drum body to guide air supplied from the supply port into the inside of the drum body, and a drum exhaust port for discharging air inside the drum body to the receiving chamber; and A garment treatment device characterized by including a motor fixed to the receiving chamber or the cabinet and positioned at a point higher than the drum body in the external space of the receiving chamber, and a driving unit provided with a belt that penetrates the receiving chamber and connects the circumference of the drum body and the rotational axis of the motor.

2. In paragraph 1, A garment treatment device characterized in that the motor is fixed to the cabinet or the receiving chamber so as to be able to move within a preset section, and the gap between the drum body and the motor can be maintained when the drum body vibrates.

3. In paragraph 1, A garment treatment device characterized in that the motor is capable of moving along an arc-shaped trajectory when the drum body vibrates.

4. In paragraph 3, A support body fixed to the receiving chamber or the cabinet so as to be positioned in the external space of the receiving chamber; A connecting body that is rotatably fixed to the support body through the body rotation axis and to which the motor is fixed at a point spaced apart from the body rotation axis; and A garment treatment device characterized by including an elastic force providing unit that provides elastic force to the connecting body so that the gap between the motor and the drum body is maintained.

5. In paragraph 3, A garment treatment device characterized by further comprising a tension maintenance unit provided on the rotational axis of the motor to adjust the tension of the belt when the rotational direction of the drum body changes.

6. In paragraph 5, The above tension maintenance part is, A tension body freely rotatably connected to the rotation shaft of the above motor; A drive pulley fixed to the rotation shaft of the above motor and supporting the inner surface of the above belt; A first pulley rotatably fixed to the tension body to support the outer surface of the belt and located on one of the left and right sides of the driving pulley; and A garment treatment device characterized by including a second pulley that is rotatably fixed to the tension body and supports the outer surface of the belt, and is located on the other side of the left and right sides of the main pulley.

7. In paragraph 6, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that the above-mentioned driving pulley, the first pulley, and the second pulley are provided in a space provided by the tension body facing the direction in which the motor is located.

8. In paragraph 6, A support body fixed to the receiving chamber or the cabinet and positioned outside the receiving chamber; and It further includes a connecting body that is rotatably fixed to the above support body and to which the motor is fixed; A clothing treatment device characterized in that the above-mentioned driving pulley, the first pulley, and the second pulley are positioned between the tension body and the support body.

9. In paragraph 6, A clothing treatment device characterized in that the center of rotation of the above-mentioned main pulley, the center of rotation of the above-mentioned first pulley, and the center of rotation of the above-mentioned second pulley are arranged to form a triangle.

10. In paragraph 3, A garment treatment device characterized in that it further includes a path forming unit in which the motor forms a path that can move along the arc-shaped trajectory.

11. In paragraph 10, A garment treatment device characterized in that the path forming portion is provided with a slit that penetrates the support body and provides a path along which the rotational axis of the motor moves.

12. In paragraph 1, A garment treatment device, characterized in that the drum supply port is provided on the rear surface of the drum body, and the drum exhaust port is provided on the circumferential surface of the drum body.

13. In paragraph 12, It further includes a chamber communication hole that connects the receiving chamber and the exhaust chamber to discharge air inside the receiving chamber to the exhaust chamber; A clothing treatment device, characterized in that at least a portion of the chamber communication hole is located within a space formed by the drum exhaust port being projected onto one side of the receiving chamber in which the chamber communication hole is formed.

14. In paragraph 12, The circumference of the above drum body is provided with a front circumference connected to the front surface of the drum and a rear circumference connected to the rear surface of the drum, A garment treatment device characterized in that the belt is provided to support the rear circumferential surface.

15. In paragraph 12, A garment treatment device characterized by further comprising a chamber penetration hole provided on the upper surface of the receiving chamber and through which the belt passes.

16. In paragraph 12, The upper surface of the above-mentioned receiving chamber is, A reference plane positioned higher than the top of the drum body; and A garment treatment device characterized by including an inclined surface which is provided so as to be inclined downward from the edge of the reference surface toward the circumference of the drum body, thereby forming a space in which the motor is mounted between the edge of the cabinet and the receiving chamber.

17. In paragraph 16, A garment treatment device further characterized by including a chamber penetration hole provided on the inclined surface and through which the belt passes.

18. In paragraph 17, A clothing treatment device, characterized in that a portion of the edge of the chamber penetration hole is located at the boundary between the reference plane and the inclined plane.

19. In paragraph 12, A pipe-shaped guide path, one end of which contacts the rear panel to surround the supply port, and the other end of which contacts the rear surface of the drum body to surround the drum supply port; and A garment treatment device characterized by further comprising a chamber sealer provided in the front panel or the receiving chamber to seal the space between the front panel and the front surface of the receiving chamber.

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