KR20090069755A - Laundry treating machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothes treating device is provided to reduce the manufacturing cost by making the structure simple and to prevent the condensed water from staying on the floor of a clothes containing chamber. A clothes treating device comprises a cabinet(10), a steam provider, and a drainage unit(100). The cabinet has a clothes containing chamber. The steam provider supplies the steam to the clothes containing chamber. The drainage unit discharges the condensed water generated in the clothes containing chamber. The condensed water can be directly discharged out or collected at a tank through a drainpipe. The floor closer to the drainpipe the more inclined.

Description

Clothing processing equipment {LAUNDRY TREATING MACHINE}

The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus for supplying steam and hot air to clothes stored in a storage compartment to remove odors, wrinkles, and moisture remaining in the clothes.

The clothes treating apparatus means a device for supplying steam and hot air to clothes stored in a storage compartment inside a cabinet forming an external shape to remove odors, wrinkles, or moisture remaining in the clothes.

If the same clothing is worn more than once, odors, wrinkles, or moisture remain in the clothing. The smell and the like remaining in the clothing may be unpleasant for the user who tries to wear the same clothes again. In order to eliminate this, the user performs an unnecessary washing process of clothing, causing a problem of shortening the life of the clothing and increasing the cost required for the maintenance of the clothing.

In addition, wrinkles may remain even in clothes that have been dried after washing, and there is a problem that such clothes cannot be worn immediately. Therefore, the user must perform a separate ironing operation or the like.

In order to solve such a problem, a clothes treatment apparatus may be used to remove odors, wrinkles, or moisture remaining in clothes.

The clothes treating apparatus may use hot air or air to inject steam into clothes to remove odors, wrinkles, or moisture of the clothes stored therein, and to dry clothes containing moisture by the injected steam.

Exposing clothing to wind or hot air may have the effect of removing odors, wrinkles or moisture, but steam may be used to maximize the effect.

When steam is sprayed on the clothes stored in the clothes treatment apparatus, the fine water particles are combined with the odor particles remaining deep in the fiber tissue, and the water particles combined with the odor particles are separated from the clothes in the drying process and discharged. In this way, the odor remaining in the garment is removed.

When steam is supplied to the clothes stored in the clothes treating apparatus, wrinkles, etc. remaining in the clothes may be alleviated. Clothes supplied by steam are to reduce or eliminate wrinkles during drying.

Through such a process, odors, wrinkles, or moisture remaining in the clothes can be removed, and the user of the clothes can wear the clothes in a more comfortable state.

However, in the conventional clothes treating apparatus, condensed water is generated by condensation of steam supplied to a storage compartment in which clothes are stored, and the generated condensate water accumulates on the bottom surface of the storage compartment.

The present application not only can drain the condensate generated in the storage compartment in which the clothes are stored to the outside, but also provides a clothes treatment apparatus that can reduce the manufacturing cost by simplifying the structure for draining the condensate to the outside.

Clothing processing apparatus according to the present application includes a cabinet having a storage room for storing clothes; Steam supply device for supplying steam to the storage room; And a drainage unit for draining the condensate generated in the storage chamber to the outside.

Preferably, the drain portion may be made of a drain pipe provided to directly drain the condensed water to the outside, or to be drained to a separate drain box. In this case, the drain pipe is connected to a predetermined position of the bottom surface of the storage chamber, the bottom surface is preferably inclined toward the drain pipe.

On the other hand, the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present application may further include a hot air supply device for supplying hot air to the storage chamber, in this case, the drain portion is a first drain to drain the condensed water generated in the storage chamber to the hot air supply device And a second drainage part for allowing the condensate drained by the hot wind supply device and the condensate generated by the hot wind supply device to be drained to the outside through the first drainage part.

As such, when the condensed water generated in the storage chamber is drained to the hot air supply device, the condensed water generated in the storage chamber and the condensed water generated in the hot air supply apparatus can be drained out together using a single structure. Thus, the structure can be simplified.

The hot air supply device may include a heat pump including an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser for circulating refrigerant, a case including the evaporator and a condenser, or a case including a condensation unit for dehumidifying air discharged from the storage chamber. And, it may include a heater for heating the dehumidified air.

That is, the hot air supply device may be configured to heat the air using a heat pump, or to heat the air using a separate heater. Of course, a separate heater may be further used even when using a heat pump.

Preferably, the first drain portion may be made of a predetermined connection pipe connecting the bottom surface of the housing and the case. In this case, the bottom surface is formed to be inclined toward the connection pipe, or the connection pipe is preferably extended long downward to be spaced apart from the bottom surface of the case a predetermined distance.

The second drain portion may be a drain pipe connected to the lower portion of the case so that the condensed water is directly drained to the outside.

Preferably, the second drain portion may further include a connection pipe connected to the lower portion of the case, and a drain box connected to the connection pipe and detachably provided in the cabinet. More preferably, the second drainage part may further include a water collecting part connected to the connection pipe to collect the condensate drained from the case, and a pump for pumping the condensate water collected in the water collecting part to the sump.

On the other hand, the edge portion of the case is preferably formed to have a predetermined radius of curvature.

According to the clothes treating apparatus according to the present application, it is possible to drain the condensed water generated in the storage chamber in which the clothes are stored to the outside, it is possible to prevent the condensed water accumulated on the bottom surface of the storage chamber.

In addition, according to the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present application, the condensate generated in the storage compartment and the condensate generated in the hot air supply device can be drained to the outside using a single structure, the overall structure can be simplified, Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present application is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be embodied in other forms.

1 is a perspective view of a laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to FIG. 1, a clothes treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application includes a cabinet 10 having a storage compartment 11 in which clothes are stored, a door 20 opening and closing the storage compartment 11, and the It includes an electrical equipment chamber 30 is provided with a steam supply device (not shown) for supplying steam to the storage chamber (11). Here, the electrical equipment room 30 is preferably provided below the cabinet 10, that is, the lower portion of the storage chamber 11.

A steam generator (not shown) provided in the electric compartment 30 sprays steam to the storage chamber 11 through the steam injection unit 40 provided on the bottom surface of the storage chamber 11. In the present embodiment, the steam injection unit 40 is provided on the bottom surface of the storage chamber 11, but is not limited thereto. That is, the steam injection unit 40 may be provided on the upper or side portion of the cabinet 10. However, since steam has a property of rising upward, it is preferable to be provided on the bottom surface of the storage chamber 11 of the steam injection unit 40 as in the present embodiment.

In addition, the laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application preferably further includes a drainage part 100 for draining the condensate generated in the storage chamber 11 to the outside. Then, the condensed water may be drained to the outside by the drainage part 100, so that the condensed water does not accumulate on the bottom surface of the storage chamber 11.

The drainage part 100 may be provided as a predetermined drainage pipe, and the drainage pipe may be provided to drain the condensate directly to the outside or to drain it into a separate drain box (not shown).

Preferably, the drain portion 100 may be provided at a predetermined position on the bottom surface 12 of the storage chamber 11, and the bottom surface 12 may be provided to be inclined toward the drain portion 100. . Then, the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 may fall into the bottom surface 11 and smoothly flow into the drainage part 100 by the inclination.

On the other hand, the laundry treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application is provided in the electrical equipment room 30, a hot air supply device (not shown) for supplying hot air for drying the clothes stored in the storage chamber 11 It may further include. In this case, the clothes stored in the storage chamber 11 may be more effectively removed from the smell, wrinkles or moisture by the steam supplied from the steam supply device and the hot air supplied from the hot air supply device.

The hot air supply device heats the introduced air and supplies the supplied air to the storage chamber 11. The hot air supply device is preferably provided to dehumidify the introduced air and heat the dehumidified air to supply the storage chamber 11. This is because the hot air generated by heating the dry air is more effective for drying.

To this end, the hot air supply device may be formed of a heat pump including an evaporator, a compressor and a condenser in which a refrigerant circulates. In this case, the introduced air is condensed by heat exchange with the evaporator while passing through the evaporator, and the condensed and dried air may be heated by heat exchange with the condenser while passing through the condenser.

The hot air supply device may include a condenser that dehumidifies the introduced air and a heater that heats the dehumidified air. Of course, a separate heater may be further provided when the hot air supply device is formed of a heat pump.

On the other hand, the hot air supply device is made of a circulation type for dehumidifying the air discharged from the storage chamber 11, and supplies the dehumidified air back to the storage chamber 11, or discharged from the storage chamber 11 The air introduced from the outside air may be dehumidified, and the dehumidified air may be heated and supplied to the storage chamber 11. That is, the clothes treating apparatus according to the present application is applicable to both the circulation type and the exhaust type.

As described above, when the hot air supply device is provided to dehumidify and heat the introduced air, condensed water may be generated while the air introduced into the hot air supply device is dehumidified. Therefore, the clothes treating apparatus according to the present application may be further provided with a configuration for draining the condensate generated in the hot air supply device to the outside.

Preferably, the drainage part 100 may be provided so that the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and the condensed water generated in the hot air supply device may be collected and drained together. Then, the configuration for draining the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and the hot air supply device to the outside can be simplified.

Hereinafter, the electrical equipment room 30 and the drain 100 of the clothes treating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail. Hereinafter, a case in which the hot air supply device is formed of a heat pump and is circulated, the clothes treating apparatus according to the present application may be applied to a hot air supply device having an exhaust type or a separate condenser and a heater. .

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the interior of the electrical equipment room of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present application.

Referring to FIG. 2, a steam supply device 50 and a hot air supply device 60 are provided in the electric compartment 30.

The steam supply device 50 is to heat the water supplied to generate steam, and to supply the generated steam to the storage chamber 11, the steam supply device 50 on one side inside the electrical equipment chamber (30). A water supply source 51 for supplying water is provided. The water supply source 51 may be made of a water supply tank in which water may be stored, and the water supply source 51 may be detachably provided in the electric field seal 30. Of course, the water supply source 51 may be made of a water pipe.

On the other hand, the steam generating device 50 according to the present application can be used as long as the device capable of generating steam. For example, the steam supply device 50 may include a case (not shown) in which water supplied from the water supply source 51 is stored, a heater (not shown) for heating the water stored in the case, and generated It may include a steam supply pipe (not shown) for guiding the steam to the steam injection unit (40). Of course, a method of directly installing a heater around the water supply hose through which water passes, that is, heating the water without accommodating the water in a predetermined space may also be used.

The hot air supply device 60 is for supplying hot air to the storage chamber 11 to dry the clothes stored in the storage chamber 11, in the embodiment the hot air supply device 60 is a heater It is equipped with a pump.

Preferably, the hot air supply device 60 may be provided to form one module of the evaporator, the compressor and the condenser constituting the heat pump. That is, as shown in Figure 2, the evaporator (not shown) and the condenser (not shown) is provided in the case 61 is modularized, the compressor 62 is the case 61 so that the evaporator and the condenser and the refrigerant is circulated. It may be provided on the outside.

Here, the case 61 may be provided to perform the function of guiding the flow of air as well as modularizing the evaporator and the condenser. To this end, the case 61 may be provided with a suction duct 63 for sucking air in the storage chamber 11 and a blower duct 64 for blowing the dehumidified and heated air to the storage chamber 11. have.

That is, the air inside the storage chamber 11 is introduced into the suction duct 63 and dehumidified while passing through an evaporator (not shown) provided in the case 61, and the dehumidified air is inside the case 61. Heated while passing through a condenser (not shown) provided in the heated air may be supplied back to the storage chamber 11 through the blowing duct (64).

On the other hand, the case 61 may be further provided with a fan (not shown) for smoothing the flow of air, Figure 2 shows a blower duct 64 is formed integrally with the duct and the fan.

In another embodiment, the hot air supply device 60 may be provided in one case of a heat pump itself consisting of an evaporator, a condenser, and a compressor, or only an evaporator of the heat pump may be provided in the case.

However, as in the present embodiment, the hot air supply device 60 is preferably provided with only the compressor 62 separately, and the evaporator and the condenser are modularly provided in the case 61. When the heat pump itself is provided in one case, air is passed through the compressor 62, which is not preferable because the efficiency and stability of the compressor may be deteriorated. When only the evaporator is provided in the case, the evaporator is separately provided. Since it is necessary to install a condenser, it is not preferable because it is cumbersome in manufacturing.

On the other hand, as in the present embodiment, the hot air supply device 60 is not made of a heat pump, even if a separate condensation unit and a heater is used, it is preferable to further include a case provided with the condensation unit.

As described above, in the hot air supply device 60 according to the present embodiment, since the condensed water is generated in the process of dehumidifying the introduced air, a configuration for draining the condensed water is required.

Therefore, the clothes treating apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment may further include a drainage part 100 for draining the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and the condensed water generated in the hot air supply device 60 to the outside.

Hereinafter, the drainage part 100 according to the present application will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a cross section taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 2.

2 and 3, the drainage part 100 includes a first drainage part 110 for draining the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 to the hot air supply device 60, and the first drainage part. The condensate drained by the hot air supply device 60 and the condensed water generated by the hot air supply device 60 through the 110 may include a second drain 120 for draining to the outside.

As such, when the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 is drained to the hot air supply device 60, the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and the condensed water generated in the hot air supply device 60 are one. By using the structure of can be drained to the outside together, the structure can be simplified.

Preferably, the first drain 110 is a predetermined one side is connected to the bottom surface 12 of the storage chamber 11, the other side is connected to the case 61 of the hot air supply device (60). It may be made of a connection pipe (110). Therefore, the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and collected on the bottom surface 12 may be drained to the case 61 of the hot air supply device 60 through the connection pipe 110.

Here, the bottom surface 12 is preferably formed to be inclined downward toward the connection portion 110 is connected. Then, the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and collected on the bottom surface 12 may smoothly flow into the connection pipe 110.

In addition, the connection pipe 110 preferably extends downwards so as to be spaced apart from the bottom surface of the case 61 by a predetermined distance.

If the connecting pipe 110 extends only to a high portion of the case 61, the air flowing along the case 61 may be in contact with the condensed water drained through the connecting pipe 110. It is not preferable because dehumidification and heating effects may be impaired. In addition, when the condensed water drained through the connection pipe 110 touches the condenser and the evaporator provided in the case 61, the condenser and the evaporator smoothly exchange heat with air flowing along the case 61. It is not preferable because it does not occur, and thus dehumidification and heating effects of the air may be deteriorated.

On the other hand, the second drain portion 120 is generated in the storage chamber 11 and the condensate introduced into the case 61 through the first drain pipe 110 and the condensate generated from the hot air supply device 60 together It may be provided to be drained to the outside.

For example, the second drain portion 120 may be connected to a lower portion of the case 61 and may include a drain pipe for directly draining condensed water collected in the case 61 to the outside. That is, the second drain portion 120 may be formed of a predetermined drain pipe communicating with the outside. Therefore, the condensed water collected in the case 61 may be directly discharged to the outside.

However, if the second drain portion 120 is made of a separate drain pipe communicating with the outside as described above, the clothing treatment apparatus should be installed in a position that can communicate with the outside, or the drain pipe and the outside Since additional work is required to communicate, there is a limitation on the installation.

Therefore, the second drainage part 120 is detachably provided in the connection pipe 121 connected to the lower portion of the case 61 and the electrical equipment room 30, and connected to the connection pipe 121. It is preferable that the drain box 122 is included. Then, the user may separate the drain container 122 from the electrical equipment room 30 to drain the condensed water collected in the drain container 122 to the outside, and the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment may be installed anywhere. Can be.

Also in this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the second drainage part 120 is connected to the connecting pipe 121 and the water collecting part 123 to collect the condensate drained from the case 61. The pump 124 may further include a pump 124 pumping the condensed water collected in the water collecting unit 123 to the drain container 122.

Because, if the second drain portion 120 is made of only the connecting pipe 121 and the drain container 122, so that the condensate in the case 61 is introduced into the connecting pipe 121 and the drain container 122 In order to do so, the connection pipe 121 and the sump 122 should be installed at a lower position than the case 61, which is not preferable because of limitations in design. In general, because the various components are built in the electric room 30, it is because it is not easy to allow the drain box 122 to be installed at a lower position than the case 61. In addition, if the drain box 122 is installed in a lower position than the case 61, the user is inconvenient because the body must be leaned so much so as to separate the drain box 122 from the electrical equipment room (30).

However, as shown in FIG. 2, if the second drainage part 120 further includes a catchment part 123 and a pump 124 in addition to the connection pipe 121 and the sump 122, Since the 122 does not need to be installed at a lower position than the case 61, a design convenience of installing various devices in the electric compartment 30 can be provided. In addition, since the drain container 122 may be installed at a relatively high position, the user does not need to bow much to separate the drain container 122 from the electrical equipment room 30, which is convenient.

That is, in the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment, the second drainage part 120 may include a connection pipe 121, a collecting part 123, a pump 124, and a draining part 122.

Therefore, the condensed water in the case 61 is collected in the water collecting part 123 through the connection pipe 121, and the condensed water collected in the water collecting part 123 is discharged by the pump 124. The condensate pumped to the sump 122 may be finally drained to the outside by the user.

On the other hand, the operation of the pump 124 may be controlled to be operated when a predetermined time interval or when the condensed water is collected to the water collecting unit 123 to facilitate the pumping. This may be performed by a control unit (not shown) of the clothes treating apparatus.

In addition, as shown in Figure 3, the edge portion 65 of the case 61 is preferably formed to have a predetermined radius of curvature. Then, the condensed water in the case 61 may smoothly flow into the connection pipe 121.

If the edge portion 65 of the case 61 is formed flat, condensed water remains in the edge portion 65, and thus the condensed water does not flow smoothly into the connecting pipe 121. Not desirable

On the other hand, in the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is preferable that the electrical equipment room 30 is provided to be slidably under the cabinet 10. The water supply source 50 and the drain box 122 provided in the electrical equipment room 30 may be detachably provided. In this case, if the electrical equipment room 30 is slidably provided, the user may easily This is because the supply source 50 and the sump 122 can be detached.

In addition, although not shown in FIG. 2, a door (not shown) may be further included in the front surface of the electric compartment 30 to open the electric compartment 30. Then, the user can open and close the water supply source 50 and the sump 122 in the electric compartment 30 by opening the door.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 2 and schematically illustrates how condensate generated in the storage chamber 11 flows into the case 61 through the first drain 110. 4 is a view schematically illustrating that condensed water in the case 61 flows into the second drain 120.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a process of draining the condensate generated in the clothes treating apparatus according to the present embodiment to the outside through the drainage water 100 will be described in detail.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the condensed water generated in the storage compartment 11 in which clothes are stored flows to the bottom surface 12 of the storage chamber 11, and the condensed water flowing to the bottom surface 12 is The slant formed on the bottom surface 12 smoothly flows into the first drain 110.

In addition, the condensed water introduced into the first drain 110 flows to the bottom surface of the case 61 through the first drain 110 formed of a predetermined connection pipe 110.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4, the condensed water introduced into the case 61 through the first drain 110 and the condensate generated in the hot air supply device 60 and collected in the case 61 together with the second drain It is collected by the collecting unit 123 through the connecting pipe 121 of 120.

In addition, the condensed water collected by the water collecting part 123 is pumped into the drain container 122 by the pump 124, and the condensed water pumped into the drain container 122 is stored in the electrical equipment room by the user. By separating from 30 and draining to the outside, it is finally drained to the outside.

As described above, the clothes treating apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment may collect and drain the condensed water generated in the storage chamber 11 and the condensed water generated in the hot air supply device 50 to one place, thereby simplifying the structure. It works.

1 is a perspective view of a clothes treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application;

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the interior of the electrical equipment room of the laundry treatment apparatus according to the present application,

3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 2;

4 is a view schematically illustrating that condensate in a case flows into a second drainage part.

<Description of Signs of Major Parts of Drawings>

10 cabinet 11: storage room

12: storage room bottom surface 30: electrical equipment room

50: steam supply device 60: hot air supply device

61 case 100 drain

110: first drain portion 120: second drain portion

121: connector 122: water reservoir

123: water collecting part 124: pump

Claims (13)

A cabinet having a storage compartment for storing clothes; A steam supply device for supplying steam to the storage chamber; And And a drainage unit for draining the condensate generated in the storage chamber to the outside. The method of claim 1, The drainage part is a clothes processing apparatus, characterized in that the condensed water is provided to be directly drained to the outside, or the drain pipe is provided to be drained to a separate drain. The method of claim 2, The drainage pipe is connected to a predetermined position of the bottom surface of the storage compartment, characterized in that the bottom surface is inclined toward the drain pipe. The method of claim 1, Further comprising a hot air supply device for supplying hot air to the storage chamber, The drainage portion includes a first drainage unit configured to drain the condensed water generated in the storage chamber to the hot wind supply device, a condensate drained from the hot wind supply device through the first drainage unit, and a condensate water generated from the hot wind supply device. Garment treatment apparatus comprising a second drain to be drained to. The method of claim 4, wherein The hot air supply apparatus includes a heat pump including an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser through which a refrigerant circulates, and a case including the evaporator and the condenser. The method of claim 4, wherein The hot air supply apparatus includes a case having a condensation unit for dehumidifying air and a heater for heating the dehumidified air. The method according to claim 5 or 6, The first drain portion is a clothes processing apparatus, characterized in that the predetermined connection pipe connecting the bottom surface of the housing and the case. The method of claim 7, wherein The bottom surface of the clothes treating apparatus, characterized in that inclined toward the connecting pipe. The method of claim 7, wherein The connecting pipe is a clothes processing apparatus, characterized in that it extends downwardly long distance from the bottom surface of the case a predetermined distance. The method according to claim 5 or 6, The second drainage part is a clothes handling apparatus, characterized in that the drain pipe is connected to the lower portion of the case to drain directly to the outside. The method according to claim 5 or 6, The second drainage part comprises a connecting pipe connected to the lower portion of the case, and the clothes handling apparatus comprising a drain pipe connected to the connecting pipe and detachably provided in the cabinet. The method of claim 11, And the second drainage part is connected to the connection pipe and collects condensate drained from the case, and a pump for pumping the condensate collected in the catchment part into the sump. The method according to claim 5 or 6, The edge portion of the case is a clothing processing apparatus, characterized in that formed to have a predetermined radius of curvature.

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