CLOTHES DRYER

A clothes dryer comprises a main body, a drum including an entrance provided to allow an object to be dried to be placed in the drum, the drum being installed inside the main body, a drying unit installed inside the main body to dry air passing through the drum, a first filter arranged adjacent to the entrance of the drum to filter air discharged from the drum, a second filter arranged between the first filter and the drying unit so as to filter air passing through the first filter, and a third filter provided to filter air passing through the second filter.

BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates a clothes dryer.

Description of Related Art

A clothes dryer is a device that dries wet laundry with hot and dry air.

In general, the clothes dryer is classified into a gas dryer and an electric dryer according to a power source, and is classified into a vented dryer and a condenser dryer according to a method of removing moisture absorbed from an object to be dried.

The vented dryer discharges humid air from a drum to the outside through a long exhaust duct.

The condenser dryer uses a circulation method in which moisture in humid air flowing from a drum is removed through a heat exchanger and the dried air is transferred to the drum again. Because the flow of air forms a closed loop, it is difficult to use gas as a heat source and thus the electricity is used, which causes a relatively high maintenance cost. However, the air is circulated between an object to be dried in the drum and the heat exchanger, and thus the exhaust duct is not required, which causes the simple installation.

On the other hand, when wet clothes in the drum is dried, lint (fluff) is generated. The lint moves along a flow path together with the air and adheres to the heat exchanger inside the condenser dryer. In general, a filter for filtering out lint is installed in a flow path close to an inlet of the heat exchanger.

The lint accumulated on the filter may block the flow of the air. Accordingly, the heat exchange efficiency is lowered, and the performance of the dryer is eventually deteriorated. In order to prevent this, it is required to periodically clean the filter.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a clothes dryer including a main body, a drum including an entrance provided to allow an object to be dried to be placed in the drum, the drum being installed inside the main body, a drying unit installed inside the main body to dry air passing through the drum, a first filter arranged adjacent to the entrance of the drum to filter air discharged from the drum, a second filter arranged between the first filter and the drying unit so as to filter air passing through the first filter, and a third filter provided to filter air passing through the second filter.

The first filter may be formed with a metal thin film including a plurality of holes.

The plurality of holes may be formed by etching the metal thin film.

The clothes dryer may further include a front frame provided to form a part of a circulation path through which air circulates between the drum and the drying unit, wherein the first filter is mounted on the front frame.

The front frame may include a mounting member provided to support one surface of the first filter to allow the first filter to be mounted thereto, a side flange formed to extend from one side of the mounting member to fix one side of the first filter, and a bottom flange formed to extend from a lower portion of the mounting member to fix a bottom of the first filter and including an opening to form a part of the circulation path.

The second filter may be arranged on the bottom flange to cover the opening.

The clothes dryer may further include a fan drive including a blower fan arranged therein, the fan drive arranged below the front frame so that air flows to the opening.

The second filter may include a fixing frame including a grid-shaped rib, and a filter member fixed to the fixing frame.

The filter member may include a sponge material and be provided in a mesh shape.

The filter member may be formed with a metal thin film including a plurality of holes.

The plurality of holes may be formed by etching the metal thin film.

The filter member may be fixed to the fixing frame by a double-sided tape or an adhesive.

The filter member may be injection-molded integrally with the fixing frame.

The clothes dryer may further include a filter assembly to which the third filter is coupled, the filter assembly provided to form a part of the circulation path and connected to the drying unit.

The filter assembly may include a first side provided to face the fan drive, and formed to be open to allow air to be introduced from the fan drive, and a second side provided to face the drying unit and formed to be open to allow the air, which is introduced from the first side, to be guided to the drying unit.

The second side may further include a coupling member including a coupling groove provided to allow the third filter to be slidably coupled thereto.

The third filter may include a first filtering member including a mesh shape and a second filtering member including a mesh shape and removably coupled to the first filtering member.

The first filtering member may include an edge provided with at least one groove, and the second filtering member may include an edge provided with at least one protrusion corresponding to the at least one groove of the first filtering member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described in the disclosure and configurations shown in the drawings are merely examples of the embodiments of the disclosure, and may be modified in various different ways at the time of filing of the present application to replace the embodiments and drawings of the disclosure.

In addition, the same reference numerals or signs shown in the drawings of the disclosure indicate elements or components performing substantially the same function.

Also, the terms used herein are used to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit and/or restrict the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this disclosure, the terms “including”, “having”, and the like are used to specify features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more of the features, elements, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, but elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, without departing from the scope of the disclosure, a first element may be termed as a second element, and a second element may be termed as a first element.

The present disclosure is directed to providing a clothes dryer capable of forming a primary filter with a thin film including a plurality of holes so as to collect lint with a relatively small size and to increase an amount of air passing through the plurality of holes, thereby improving a drying efficiency.

Further, the present disclosure is directed to providing a clothes dryer capable of providing a secondary filter to cover an opening of a front frame so as to prevent a condition in which a fabric falls into a fan drive, which causes a damage in the fabric or a malfunction in the fan drive.

Further, the present disclosure is directed to providing a clothes dryer capable of forming a tertiary filter, which is coupled to a filter assembly, in a dual structure including a first filtering member and a second filtering member, thereby improving an efficiency of collecting dust and lint.

Further, the present disclosure is directed to providing a clothes dryer capable of providing a tertiary filter being coupled to a filter assembly in a sliding manner, thereby easily assembling the tertiary filter and the filter assembly, and thereby preventing abrasion and whitening of a portion in which the tertiary filter is coupled to the filter assembly.

A clothes dryer may form a primary filter with a thin film including a plurality of holes so as to collect lint with a relatively small size and to increase an amount of air passing through a plurality of holes, thereby improving a drying efficiency.

Further, a clothes dryer may provide a secondary filter to cover an opening of a front frame so as to prevent a condition in which a fabric falls into a fan drive, which causes a damage in the fabric or a malfunction in the fan drive.

Further, a clothes dryer may form a tertiary filter, which is coupled to a filter assembly, in a dual structure including a first filtering member and a second filtering member, thereby improving an efficiency of collecting dust and lint.

Further, a clothes dryer may provide a tertiary filter being coupled to a filter assembly in a sliding manner, thereby easily assembling the tertiary filter and the filter assembly, and thereby preventing abrasion and whitening of a portion in which the tertiary filter is coupled to the filter assembly.

The disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG. 1, a clothes dryer1may include a main body10and a drum20rotatably provided in the main body10.

The main body10may include an upper plate12, a left plate (not shown), a right plate (not shown), a front plate13, a rear plate11, and a base100. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the front plate13, the upper plate, the left plate, the right plate, etc. forming the main body10are separately provided and assembled to each other, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, at least a portion of the main body10, the front plate13, the upper plate, the left plate, the right plate, etc. may be integrally formed with each other.

An inlet13ais formed in the front plate13of the main body10to put or withdraw clothes, which are objects to be dried, into or from the drum20. The inlet13amay be opened and closed by a door. A control panel14configured to control an operation of the clothes dryer1may be provided on an upper portion of the main body10.

The drum20may be provided inside the main body10to accommodate the object to be dried. An entrance21may be formed on a front surface of the drum20to correspond to the inlet13a. The entrance21may also be opened and closed by the door. A plurality of lifters22may be arranged inside the drum20along a circumferential direction of the drum20. The lifter22raises and falls the object to be dried to allow the object to be dried to be effectively dried. A roller23provided to support the drum20to rotate smoothly may be provided on an outer circumferential surface of the drum20.

The clothes dryer1may include a drive device30configured to drive the drum20. The drive device30may include a drive motor31mounted on the base100. The drive motor31may include a pulley33and a belt34. The pulley33may be connected to a rotating shaft32connected to the drive motor31. In response to the rotation of the rotating shaft32by the drive motor31, the pulley33may also rotate together with the rotating shaft32. The belt34may connect the pulley33and the drum20so as to transmit the rotation of the pulley33to the drum20.

The clothes dryer1may circulate air to dry the object to be dried inside the drum20. The main body10may include a duct40provided to form a circulation path for removing humid air, which is in the drum20, from the drum20and for supplying dry air to the drum20.

The duct40may include an inlet duct41introducing the humid air inside the drum20into a drying unit70, an outlet duct43discharging hot air to the drum20, and a connection duct42connecting the inlet duct41and the outlet duct43.

A circulation path50through which air flows may be formed in the inside of the duct40. The circulation path50may include an inlet flow path51, a connection flow path52, and an outlet flow path53. The inlet flow path51may be formed by the inlet duct41provided to introduce air passing through the inside of the drum20. The connection flow path52may be connected to the outlet flow path53. The connection flow path52may be formed by the connection duct42connecting the inlet duct41and the outlet duct43. The outlet flow path53may be connected to the connection flow path52. The outlet flow path53may be formed by the outlet duct43discharging hot air to the drum20. The inlet duct41may be arranged in a lower portion of the front surface of the drum20. The outlet duct43may be arranged at the rear of the drum20. The connection duct42may be arranged below the drum20. The connection duct42may be installed on the base100.

The outlet duct43may be arranged at the rear of the drum20to allow high-temperature and low-humidity air to be supplied into the drum20through the outlet duct43. An object to be dried inside the drum20may be dried by the high-temperature and low-humidity air. The air, after drying the object to be dried, may be in a high-temperature and high-humidity state. The high-temperature and high-humidity air in the drum20may be discharged under the drum20through the inlet duct41.

A first filter61may be installed in the inlet duct41. The first filter61may filter out foreign substances such as lint and fluff contained in the air passing through the drum20. The air filtered by the first filter61may be discharged into the drum20through the connection duct42and the outlet duct43.

The high-temperature and high-humidity air inside the drum20is introduced into heat exchangers71and72along the inlet flow path51in the inlet duct41. Air, which is changed to a high-temperature and low-humidity state after passing through the heat exchangers71and72(refer toFIG. 2), may be discharged back into the drum20along the outlet flow path53in the outlet duct43and circulated. This circulation of air may be induced by a blower fan44installed on the inlet flow path51.

The clothes dryer1may include the blower fan44. The blower fan44may introduce high-temperature and high-humidity air of the drum20into the circulation path50and generate a circulation flow that discharges the high-temperature and low-humidity air passing through the heat exchangers71and72to the drum20. The blower fan44may be driven together by the drive motor31configured to drive the drum20, but is not limited thereto.

FIG. 2is an exploded-perspective view of a base of the clothes dryer ofFIG. 1.

As shown inFIG. 2, the clothes dryer1may include the base100. The base100may be arranged under the drum20to accommodate various components. The above-described heat exchangers71and72, the drive device30, and the blower fan44may be accommodated in the base100and mounted thereon.

The base100may include a body110and a cover130provided to form the flow path through which air flows. The cover130may cover the drying unit70and the blower fan44. A portion of the cover130may form the connection duct42. The circulation path50through which air flows may be formed inside the cover130.

The drying unit70may include an evaporator71, a condenser72, and a compressor73. The heat exchangers71and72may include the evaporator71and the condenser72. In addition, although not shown, the drying unit70may further include an expansion valve.

The high-temperature and high-humidity air discharged from the drum20is introduced into the heat exchangers71and72through the blower fan44. The high-temperature and high-humidity air may first pass through the evaporator71of the drying unit70. A refrigerant that expands due to pressure drop and absorbs heat may flow inside the evaporator71. The refrigerant absorbs heat while evaporating in the evaporator71, and the high-temperature and high-humidity air is cooled and loses moisture thereof so as to be a low-temperature and low-humidity air while passing through the evaporator71. That is, the high-temperature and high-humidity air discharged from the drum20is changed into low-temperature and low-humidity air while passing through the evaporator71.

The low-temperature and low-humidity air after passing through the evaporator71may pass through the condenser72. A refrigerant compressed and superheated by the compressor73may flow inside the condenser72. The superheated refrigerant releases heat while flowing through the condenser72, and the low-temperature and low-humidity air is heated and becomes high-temperature and low-humidity air while passing through the condenser72. That is, the low-temperature and low-humidity air after passing through the evaporator71is changed to high-temperature and low-humidity air while passing through the condenser72.

In response to the start of a drying operation, the drive motor31operates, and thus the drum20and a circulation fan operate. The circulation fan generates the air flow. As the air passes through the evaporator71and the condenser72, the air may be changed into high-temperature and low-humidity air and introduced into the drum20. The high-temperature and low-humidity air introduced into the drum20removes moisture of an object to be dried accommodated in the drum20so as to dry the object. At the same time, the air is changed into high-temperature and high-humidity air. The high-temperature and high-humidity air may be introduced back into the heat exchangers71and72along the inlet flow path51and then changed into high-temperature and low-humidity air. The high-temperature and low-humidity air may be discharged back to the drum20.

FIG. 3is a perspective view of a first filter provided under a drum of the clothes dryer ofFIG. 1,FIG. 4is a perspective view of a front frame, to which the first filter ofFIG. 3is mounted, and a second filter provided on a lower end of the front frame, andFIG. 5is an enlarged view of the first filter ofFIG. 3.

Referring toFIG. 3, the first filter61is located adjacent to the entrance21of the drum20. The first filter61may be located below the entrance21of the drum20, and filter the air discharged from the drum20.

ReferringFIG. 5, the first filter61may include a metal thin film. The first filter61may include a plurality of holes81through which air is filtered while passing therethrough.

It is appropriate that the plurality of holes81is formed with fine pores to collect finer dust, lint, and the like contained in the air. The plurality of holes81may be formed through an etching process using a fine metal mask (FMM), and accordingly, may be provided to have a diameter of a nano size.

The hole81on the metal thin film may be formed in a nano size so as to collect fine dust, lint, etc., and the hole81may be provided in plurality so as to increase an amount of air passing through the holes81, thereby improving the drying efficiency.

A fan drive is installed on an air movement path to allow the drum20and the drying unit70to communicate with each other so as to allow air to be circulated. The fan drive may include the drive device30and the blower fan44described above, and regulate the air movement. The fan drive serves to move the air discharged from the drum20to the drying unit70.

As illustrated above, the base100including the fan drive may be located below the first filter61. Air discharged from the drum20and passing through the first filter61may be moved downward toward the base100and introduced into the fan drive. An opening231is provided in a front frame200(refer toFIG. 4), to which the first filter61is mounted, to allow the air to flow into the base100. Accordingly, the air filtered by the first filter61passes through the opening231and moves to the inside of the fan drive, and moves to the drying unit70by the blower fan44.

Referring toFIG. 4, the front frame200forms a part of the circulation path, through which the drum20and the drying unit70communicate with each other to circulate air. Particularly, the front frame200to which the first filter61is mounted includes a mounting member210supporting one surface of the first filter61, a side flange220extending from one side the mounting member so as to fix one side of the first filter61, and a bottom flange230extending from a lower end of the mounting member210to fix a bottom of the first filter61.

The opening231is provided in the bottom flange230to form a part of the circulation path. The air passes through the opening231of the bottom flange and moves to the inside of the base100and then moves to the drying unit70.

On the other hand, when a user puts clothes into the drum20for drying the clothes or takes out clothes that have been dried from the drum20, the clothes may fall into the inside of the base100, in which the fan drive is installed, through the opening231. Accordingly, the clothes falling into the base100may cause a failure of the fan drive and the clothes may be damaged by the fan drive.

To prevent this, as shown inFIG. 4, a second filter62is provided on the bottom flange230to cover the opening231. The second filter62may be provided in a plate shape to cover the opening231. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the second filter62may be provided in various shapes to cover the opening231.

The second filter62may prevent clothes from moving to the inside of the base100by passing through the opening231, and further the second filter62may be positioned between the first filter61and the drying unit70so as to collect dust and lint contained in the air passing through the first filter61.

FIG. 6Ais a view of an example of the second filter ofFIG. 3,FIG. 6Bis an exploded-perspective view of the second filter ofFIG. 6A,FIG. 7Ais a view of another example of the second filter ofFIG. 3, andFIG. 7Bis an exploded-perspective view of the second filter ofFIG. 7A.

Particularly, the second filter62includes a fixing frame310and filter members320and340fixed to the fixed frame310.

The fixing frame310may include a grid-shaped rib311.

Referring toFIGS. 6A and 6B, a filter member320may include a sponge material and may be provided in a mesh shape.

Alternatively, referring toFIGS. 7A and 7B, a filter member340may include a metal material. For example, the filter member340may be formed of a metal thin film. The metal thin film may be formed of stainless steel such as carbon steel, aluminum, copper, Inconel, or an alloy thereof in order to prevent the formation of rust on the surface. According to the usage condition, a surface-treated material such as painting, tinning and galvanizing may be used and particularly, in the case of high temperature, the surface treatment may be performed with nickel, chromium, aluminum, and copper to improve durability. Based on the filter member340formed with the metal thin film, the plurality of holes82may be provided on the filter member340to filter the air. The plurality of holes82may be formed by etching the metal thin film using a fine metal mask.

The filter members320and340may be fixed to the fixing frame by a double-sided tape or an adhesive, or alternatively, the filter members320and340may be injection-molded integrally with the fixing frame310.

FIG. 8is a perspective view of the base ofFIG. 2when viewed from another angle,FIG. 9is a perspective view of a filter assembly of the base ofFIG. 8,FIG. 10is a perspective view of a third filter coupled to the filter assembly ofFIG. 9, andFIG. 11is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part ‘B’ of the third filter ofFIG. 10.

Referring toFIG. 8, as described above, air may pass through the second filter62and move to the inside of the base100, and the air introduced into a part adjacent to the fan drive inside the base100may first move to a filter assembly400of the base100before moving to the drying unit70.

That is, the filter assembly400may correspond to a component provided in the base100to connect the fan drives30and44and the drying unit70, and the filter assembly400may form a part of the circulation path in which the air moves from the fan drives30and44to the drying unit70.

Referring toFIG. 9, the filter assembly400may be formed in the form of case in which a space is provided.

Particularly, the filter assembly400may include a first side410provided to face the fan drives30and44and opened to allow air to be introduced from the fan drives30and44, and a second side420provided to face the drying unit70and opened to allow the air, which is introduced from the first side410, to be guided to the drying unit70.

Accordingly, the air adjacent to the fan drive may pass through the first side410and move to the inside of the filter assembly400, and then move to the drying unit70through the second side420. Therefore, the air may be dried in the drying unit70.

A third filter63may be coupled to the second side420to allow the air to be first filtered at the third filter63before moving to the drying unit70.

The second side420includes a coupling member422including a coupling groove423provided to allow the third filter63to be slidably coupled. The coupling groove423may be provided in a shape corresponding to opposite sides of the third filter63.

In a state in which the third filter63is coupled to the filter assembly400through a fixing member such as a hook, abrasion and whitening of the hook may occur. However, in the present disclosure, the opposite sides of the third filter63are coupled to or separated from the filter assembly400through sliding, thereby preventing abrasion and whitening of the third filter63. In addition, when the third filter63needs to be replaced, a user can easily separate the third filter63from the filter assembly400by sliding the third filter63.

Further, referring toFIGS. 10 and 11, the third filter63may include a first filtering member510including a mesh shape and a second filtering member520including a mesh shape and removably coupled to the first filtering member510. As described above, the third filter63includes a double structure including the first filtering member510and the second filtering member520, thereby improving the efficiency of collecting dust and lint contained in the air.

In addition, when one of the first filtering member510and the second filtering member520needs to be replaced, a user can separate and replace one of the first filtering member510and the second filtering member520, and if necessary, a user can selectively use one of the first filtering member510and the second filtering member520.

The first filtering member510may include an edge512provided with at least one groove511, and the second filtering member520may include an edge522provided with at least one protrusion521corresponding to the at least one groove511of the first filtering member510.

Accordingly, the first filtering member510and the second filtering member520may be easily coupled to each other by inserting the protrusion521of the second filtering member520into the groove511of the first filtering member510, and further the first filtering member510and the second filtering member520may be easily separated from each other.