Patent Publication Number: US-11649582-B2

Title: Laundry dryer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0026953, filed on Mar. 4, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a laundry dryer, and more particularly, capable of reducing a load of a supply pump to supply water to a steam unit and maintaining smooth water supply by forming an intake hole in a storage tank for storing water for steam generation and maintaining an internal air pressure of the storage tank and an external air pressure equally when water is supplied to the steam unit through the supply pump. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A laundry dryer removes the moisture from damp laundry to be dried by supplying hot air into a drum while the laundry to be dried such as clothes or bedding is put into a rotating drum. 
     The hot air supplied into the drum is generated by combustion heat using electric resistance heat or gaseous fuel, or by a condenser constituting a heat pump cycle, and the hot air thus generated is supplied to the inside of the drum by a circulation fan. 
     The moisture of the laundry to be dried is evaporated from the drum, and the air vented from the drum retains the moisture of the object to be dried, resulting in a high temperature and high humidity state. The type of dryer is classified into a condenser type and a vented type according to a method of treating the hot and humid air. 
     The condenser type laundry dryer does not discharge hot and humid air to an outside, but condenses the moisture contained in the hot and humid air through heat exchange while circulating inside the dryer. In contrast, the vented type laundry dryer directly discharges the hot and humid air to the outside. The condenser type laundry dryer has a structure for treating condensed water, and the vented type laundry dryer has a structure for venting air. 
     On the other hand, in recent years, in order to improve the drying efficiency of laundry, or for sterilization of laundry to be dried and sterilization of the drum itself, a laundry dryer having a means for spraying steam into the drum has been developed. 
     The steam jet type laundry dryer is configured to receive water for steam generation directly from an external water supply source or from a storage tank installed inside the laundry dryer. 
     In the case of using a storage tank to supply water to a steam unit, when the water stored in the storage tank is exhausted, a user separates the storage tank from the laundry dryer, recharges the water and installs the storage tank in the laundry dryer again. Accordingly, the water replenishment for the steam product is made. 
     In this regard, Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0056500 proposes a cartridge-type internal storage tank including a lower housing having a water storage space therein and an upper housing detachably attached to the lower housing. 
     However, in the configuration disclosed in the literature, since the upper housing is detachably attached to the lower housing, the internal storage space is not completely sealed, so that there is a problem of a high possibility of leakage between the lower housing and the upper housing by the vibration generated when a drum rotates or in the process of transporting the internal water storage tank in a state in which water is replenished from an outside. 
     In addition, since separate intake holes are not provided in the upper housing and the lower housing, the air pressure inside the water storage tank gradually decreases when the water inside the water storage tank is forcibly supplied to the steam unit through a pump. 
     As a result, the load of the pump required for forcibly supplying water is gradually increased, making it difficult to smoothly supply water to the steam unit, thereby causing a problem in that the entire steam supplying process may be delayed. 
     (Patent document 0001) Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0056500 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention has been conceived to solve the above-described problems, and provides a laundry dryer with a significantly lowered possibility of leakage between a tank body and a tank cover by fastening the tank cover constituting a storage tank for storing water to be supplied to a steam unit to the tank body in a fusion method. 
     In addition, the present invention provides a laundry dryer capable of reducing the load of a supply pump to supply water to a steam unit and maintaining smooth water supply by forming an intake hole on the upper side surface of a storage tank and maintaining an internal air pressure of the storage tank and an external air pressure equally when water is supplied to the steam unit through the supply pump. 
     According to the present invention, a laundry dryer may include a cabinet forming an outer body, a drum rotatably supported inside the cabinet and supplied with hot air and steam therein, a steam unit placed inside the cabinet and to generate the steam, a storage tank placed inside the cabinet and to include a storage space for storing water to be supplied to the steam unit therein and a tank housing placed inside the cabinet and to accommodate the storage tank. An intake hole for communicating the storage space and an external space of the storage tank may be formed on a front upper side surface of the storage tank based on a state in which the storage tank is accommodated in the tank housing. 
     In addition, the laundry dryer may further include a supply pump placed between the steam unit and the storage tank and to transfer water stored in the storage tank to the steam unit. The air from the external space may be sucked into the storage space through the intake hole when the supply pump is operated. 
     In addition, the storage tank may include a box-shaped tank body with an open upper side surface and having the storage space therein, a tank cover coupled to the open upper side surface of the tank body and a decorative cover attached to an upper side surface of the tank cover and placed to at least partially cover the upper side surface of the tank cover. The intake hole may include a first intake hole extending through the decorative cover and a second intake hole extending through the tank cover. 
     In addition, the storage tank further may include a handle unit having a first concave surface formed by concave from the tank cover toward the storage space, and a second concave surface formed by concave from the decorative cover toward the first concave surface. The first concave surface may be formed close to a front edge of the tank cover and the second concave surface may be formed close to a front edge of the decorative cover so that a front side of the storage tank can be gripped. 
     In addition, the first intake hole may be formed between the front edge of the decorative cover and the second concave surface, and the second intake hole may be formed between the first concave surface and a side edge of the tank cover and at a position close to the front edge of the tank cover. 
     In addition, a user can hold the handle unit to separate the storage tank from the tank housing. The first intake hole and the second intake hole may be positioned higher than the second concave surface in the direction of gravity in a state in which the tank housing is separated and the handle is gripped. 
     In addition, the front edge and side edge of the tank cover may be fused to the upper end of the tank body to form a fused portion, and the second intake hole may be configured to be formed to avoid the fusion portion. 
     In addition, the first intake hole may include a first inlet formed on an upper side surface of the decorative cover and a first outlet formed on a lower side surface of the decorative cover. The second intake hole may include a second inlet formed on the upper side surface of the tank cover and a second outlet formed on a lower side surface of the tank cover. The first outlet and the second inlet may be directly connected so that the first outlet and the second inlet overlap at least partially. 
     In addition, the first outlet and the second inlet may be all overlapped. 
     In addition, the first outlet and the second inlet may be each having a circular shape having the same diameter. 
     In addition, the first outlet and the second inlet each may have a circular shape having a different diameter, and a diameter of the first outlet may be smaller than a diameter of the second inlet. 
     In addition, the tank cover may include a cylindric-shaped first engaging protrusion having a shape surrounding the second inlet and protruding from the upper side surface of the tank cover toward the first outlet. The decorative cover may include a ring-shaped second engaging protrusion having a shape surrounding the first outlet and protruding from the lower side surface of the decorative cover toward the second inlet. When the decorative cover is attached to the tank cover, the cylindric-shaped first engaging protrusion may be inserted into an inside of the ring-shaped second engaging protrusion. 
     In addition, an outer circumferential surface of the cylindric-shaped first engaging protrusion and an inner circumferential surface of the ring-shaped second engaging protrusion may be in close contact with each other over a circumferential direction. 
     In addition, the storage tank may further include an intake valve to open and close the second outlet of the second intake hole. 
     In addition, the intake valve may include a reed valve body having one end that becomes a fixed end attached to the lower side surface of the tank cover and the other end that becomes a free end to open and close the second outlet. When the supply pump is operated, the free end of the reed valve body may be separated from the first outlet by an air pressure difference between the storage space and the external space. 
     In addition, the first intake hole may include a first inlet formed on an upper side surface of the decorative cover and a first outlet formed on a lower side surface of the decorative cover. The second intake hole may include a second inlet formed on the upper side surface of the tank cover and a second outlet formed on a lower side surface of the tank cover. The first outlet and the second inlet may do not overlap each other. 
     In addition, the tank cover may further include an insertion boss protruding from the upper side surface of the tank cover to be inserted into an inside of the first intake hole. The decorative cover may further include a plurality of guide ribs protruding from an inner circumferential surface of the first intake hole toward the inside of the first intake hole and extending linearly from the first inlet to the first outlet. 
     In addition, each of the first inlet and the first outlet may have a circular shape having a different diameter, and the first inlet may have a smaller diameter than that of the first outlet. 
     In addition, the inner circumferential surface of the first intake hole may have a truncated cone shape in which a cross-sectional area gradually expands while proceeding from the first inlet to the first outlet. 
     In addition, the tank cover may further include a blocking wall portion extending from the upper side surface of the tank cover toward the lower side surface of the decorative cover so as to surround the second inlet of the second intake hole and the insertion boss. An upper surface of the blocking wall portion may be in close contact with the lower side surface of the decorative cover while surrounding the first outlet of the first intake hole. 
     The laundry dryer according to the present invention can remarkably reduce the possibility of leakage of water between a tank body and a tank cover by fastening the tank cover constituting a storage tank for storing the water to be supplied to a steam unit to the tank body in a fusion method. 
     In addition, the laundry dryer according to the present invention can reduce the load of a supply pump to supply water to a steam unit and maintain smooth water supply by forming an intake hole on the upper side surface of a storage tank and maintaining an internal air pressure of the storage tank and an external air pressure equally when water is supplied to the steam unit through the supply pump. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram showing a basic configuration of a laundry dryer according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional view of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a storage tank is separated from a tank housing in a laundry dryer according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a storage tank of the laundry dryer according to the present invention. 
         FIG.  5    is an exploded perspective view of  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  6    is a partially enlarged view showing the configuration of an intake hole according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional perspective view of  FIG.  6   . 
         FIG.  8    is a partially enlarged view showing a configuration of an intake hole according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional perspective view of  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  10    is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a configuration of an intake hole according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In the present invention, various modifications may be made and various embodiments may be provided, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. This is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific embodiment, and should be construed as including all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     In describing the present invention, terms such as first and second may be used to describe various elements, but the elements may not be limited by terms. The terms are only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be referred to as a first component. 
     The term “and/or” includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any of a plurality of related described items. 
     When a component is referred to as being “connected” or “contacted” to another component, it may be understood that it may be directly connected or contacted to the other component, but other components may exist in the middle. On the other hand, when a component is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly contacted” to another component, it may be understood that there is no other component in the middle. 
     The terms used in the present application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     In the present application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate the existence of features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts or a combination thereof described in the specification, and it may be understood that the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features or numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, is not preliminarily excluded. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein including technical or scientific terms may have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms as defined in a commonly used dictionary may be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related technology, and unless explicitly defined in this application, it may not be interpreted as an ideal or excessively formal meaning. 
     In addition, the following embodiments are provided to more completely describe to those with average knowledge in the art, and the shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for clearer explanation. 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram showing a basic configuration of a laundry dryer according to the present invention, and  FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional view of  FIG.  1   . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , a cabinet  10  forming an outer body of a laundry dryer  1  may include a front panel  11  constituting a front surface, a rear panel  12  constituting a rear surface, a pair of side panels  14  constituting side surfaces and an upper panel  13  constituting an upper surface of the laundry dryer  1 . 
     The front panel  11  may be provided with an inlet  111  configured to communicate with a drum  20 , which will be described later, and a door  112  rotatably coupled to the cabinet  10  to open and close the inlet  111 . 
     A control panel  117  may be provided on the front panel  11 . 
     The control panel  117  may be installed with an input unit  118  to receive a control command from a user, a display unit  119  to display information such as a control command selectable by a user and a main control unit (not shown) to control an operation command of the laundry dryer  1 . 
     Meanwhile, the input unit  118  may be configured to include a power supply request unit to request power supply to the laundry dryer, a course input unit to allow a user to select a desired course among a plurality of courses and an execution request unit to request the start of the course selected by the user, and the like. 
     The display unit  119  may be configured to include at least one of a display panel to display characters and/or figures and a speaker to output an audio signal and a sound. A user can easily identify a current operation status and a remaining time by using the output information of the display unit  119 . 
     The cabinet may include the drum  20  which is rotatably provided inside the cabinet  10  and provides a space for accommodating clothes, a duct unit  30  forming a flow path for resupplying the air discharged from the drum  20  to the drum  20  and a heat exchange unit  40  which dehumidifies and heats the air introduced into the duct unit  30  and then resupplies it to the drum  20 . 
     The drum  20  may include a cylindrical drum body  21  with an open front surface. A first support unit  22  rotatably supporting the front surface of the drum body  21  and a second support unit  23  rotatably supporting the rear surface of the drum body  21  may be provided inside the cabinet  10 . 
     The first support unit  22  may be configured to include a first fixing body  22   a  fixed to the inside of the cabinet  10 , a drum inlet  22   b  passing through the first fixing body  22   a  and communicating the inlet  111  and the inside of the drum body  21  and a first support body  22   c  provided in the first fixing body  22   a  and inserted into the front surface of the drum body  21 . 
     The first support unit  22  may be configured to further include a connection body  22   d  connecting the inlet  111  and the drum inlet  22   b . As shown, the connection body  22   d  may be provided in a pipe shape extending from the drum inlet  22   b  toward the inlet  111 . In addition, the connection body  22   d  may be provided with an air outlet  22   e  communicating with the duct unit  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the air outlet  22   e  may be a passage that allows the internal air of the drum body  21  to move to the duct unit  30 , and include a through hole penetrating the connection body  22   d.    
     The second support unit  23  may be configured to include a second fixing body  23   a  fixed inside the cabinet  10  and a second support body  23   b  provided on the second fixing body  23   a  and inserted into the rear surface of the drum body  21 . 
     The second support unit  23  may be provided with an air inlet  23   c  penetrating the second fixing body  23   a  and communicating the inside of the drum body  21  with the inside of the cabinet  10 . 
     In this case, the duct unit  30  may be configured to connect the air outlet  22   e  and the air inlet  23   c.    
     The drum body  21  in a cylindrical shape may rotate by various types of a driving unit  50 . 
     For example, the driving unit  50  according to one embodiment, as shown in  FIG.  2   , may include a motor  51  fixed inside the cabinet  10 , a pulley  52  rotated by the motor  51  and a belt  53  connecting the circumferential surface of the pulley  52  and the circumferential surface of the drum body  21 . 
     In this case, the first support unit  22  may be provided with a first roller R 1  rotatably supporting the circumferential surface of the drum body  21 , and the second support unit  23  may be provided with a second roller R 2  rotatably supporting the circumferential surface of the drum body  21 . 
     However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a direct driven driving unit in which the motor  51  is directly connected to the drum to rotate the drum without passing through a pulley and a belt may also be applicable, which naturally falls within the scope of the present invention. For convenience, the following description will be made based on the illustrated embodiment of the driving unit  50 . 
     The duct unit  30  may include an exhaust duct  31  connected to the air outlet  22   e , a supply duct  32  connected to the air inlet  23   c  and a connection duct  33  connecting the exhaust duct  31  and the supply duct  32  and having the heat exchange unit  40  installed inside therein. 
     The heat exchange unit  40  may be provided with various devices capable of sequentially performing dehumidification and heating of the air introduced into the duct unit  30 . For example, the heat exchange unit  40  may be provided as a heat pump system. 
     As a heat pump system, the heat exchange unit  40  may include a circulation fan  43  to move air along the duct unit  30 , a first heat exchanger (a heat absorbing unit)  41  to perform dehumidifying function by lowering the humidity of the air introduced into the duct unit  30  and a second heat exchanger (a heating unit)  42  provided inside the duct unit  30  to heat the air that has passed through the first heat exchanger  41 . 
     The circulation fan  43  may be configured to include an impeller  43   a  provided in the duct unit  30  and an impeller motor  43   b  to rotate the impeller  43   a.    
     The impeller  43   a  may be installed at any position among the exhaust duct  31 , the connection duct  33  and the supply duct  32 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG.  2   , the impeller  43   a  is provided on the connection duct  32 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. For convenience hereinafter, it is described the embodiment in which the impeller  43   a  is provided in the connection duct  32 . 
     The heat absorbing unit  41  and the heating unit  42  may be sequentially arranged along the direction from the exhaust duct  31  to the supply duct  32  in the connection duct  33 , and connected to each other through a refrigerant pipe  44  forming a circulation flow path of the refrigerant. 
     The heat absorbing unit  41  may cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant by transferring the heat of the air introduced into the exhaust duct  31  to the refrigerant. 
     The heating unit  42  may heat the air and condense the refrigerant by transferring the heat of the refrigerant passing through a compressor  45  to the air. 
     In this case, when the moisture contained in the air passes through the heat absorbing unit  41 , it moves along the surface of the heat absorbing unit  41  and collects on the bottom surface of the connection duct  33 . 
     As described above, a configuration already known in the art may be adopted as the configuration of the heat exchange unit  40  of the heat pump system having the heat absorbing unit  41  and the heating unit  42 , and detailed configurations related thereto will be omitted. 
     On the other hand, in order to collect the condensed water that is condensed from the air passing through the heat absorbing unit  41  and collected on the bottom surface of the connection duct  33 , the laundry dryer  1  according to the present invention may be provided with a water collecting unit  60 . 
     The condensed water condensed in the heat absorbing unit  41  may be first collected in the water collecting unit  60  and then secondly collected in the water storage unit  70 . The water collecting unit  60  may be located inside the connection duct  33  as shown, or may be separately provided in a space spaced apart from the connection duct  33 . 
     The condensed water first collected through the water collecting unit  60  may be supplied to the water storage unit  70  through the condensate water supply pipe  61 . In this case, the condensate water supply pipe  61  may be provided with a condensate pump  62  to smoothly discharge the condensed water. 
     The water storage unit  70  may be configured to include a water storage tank  72  provided to be withdrawn from one side of the front panel  11  to an outside. The water storage tank  72  may be configured to collect the condensed water delivered from the water collecting unit  60 , which will be described later. 
     A user can remove the condensed water by drawing out the water storage tank  72  from the cabinet  10  and then mount it in the cabinet  10  again. Accordingly, the laundry dryer according to the present invention may be disposed at any place where a sewer or the like is not installed. 
     In more detail, the water storage unit  70  may be configured to include the water storage tank  72  detachably provided in the cabinet  10  to provide a space for storing water and an inlet  72   a  provided to pass through the water storage tank  72  to introduce the water discharged from condensate water supply pipe  61  into the water storage tank  72 . 
     The water storage tank  72  may be provided as a drawer-type tank drawn out from the cabinet  10 . In this case, the front panel  11  of the cabinet may be provided with a reservoir mounting hole into which the water storage tank  72  is inserted. 
     A panel  71  may be fixed to the front surface of the water storage tank  72 , and the panel  71  may be provided to form a part of the front panel  11  by detachably coupling it to the reservoir mounting hole. 
     The panel  71  may further include a groove portion  71   a  into which a user&#39;s hand is inserted and gripped. In this case, the panel  71  may also serve as a handle for drawing the water storage tank  72  out of the cabinet or inserting it into the cabinet. 
     The inlet  72   a  may be formed to receive the condensed water discharged from a condensate nozzle  63  fixed to the cabinet  10 . The condensate nozzle  63  may be fixed to the upper panel  13  of the cabinet  10  so that the water storage tank  72  is positioned above the inlet  72   a  when the water storage tank  72  is inserted into the cabinet  10 . 
     A user can dispose of the water inside the water storage tank  72  by turning or tilting the water storage tank  72  toward the direction in which the inlet  72   a  is located after withdrawing the water storage tank  72  from the cabinet  10 . A communication hole  72   b  may be further provided to penetrate the upper surface of the water storage tank  72  so that the water inside the water storage tank  72  can be easily discharged through the inlet  72   a.    
     In addition, the laundry dryer  1  according to the present invention may include a first filter unit F 1  and a second filter unit F 2  as a means for removing foreign substances such as lint or dust generated during the drying process of laundry such as clothes. 
     The first filter unit F 1  may be provided in the exhaust duct  31  to primarily filter foreign substances contained in the air discharged from the drum  20 . 
     The second filter unit F 2  may be placed downstream of the first filter unit F 1  in the flow direction of the air so that the foreign substances contained in the air passing through the first filter unit F 1  can be secondarily filtered. In more detail, as shown, the second filter unit F 2  may be preferably placed on the upstream side of the first heat exchanger  41  in the connection duct  33 . This can prevent the foreign substance contained in the air from accumulating in the first heat exchanger  41  acting as a heat absorbing unit and contaminating the first heat exchanger  41  or causing performance degradation. 
     As for the detailed configuration of the first filter unit F 1  and the second filter unit F 2 , any means known in the art can be applied, so a description of the detailed configuration will be omitted. 
     Meanwhile, the laundry dryer  1  according to the present invention may further include a water supply unit  80  having an internal water supply unit  81  and an external water supply unit  82  and a steam unit  90  to generate steam by receiving water from the water supply unit  80 . 
     The steam unit  90  may be provided to generate steam by receiving fresh water instead of condensed water. The steam unit  90  may be provided to generate steam by heating water, using ultrasonic waves, or vaporizing. 
     The steam unit  90  may be controlled to supply steam to the inside of the drum body  21  by receiving water from the internal water supply unit  81  as well as the external water supply unit  82  as needed. 
     The external water supply unit  82  may include a direct water valve  82   a  adjacent to the rear panel  13  or fixed to the rear panel  13 , and a direct water pipe  82   b  to supply the water delivered from the direct water valve  82   a  to the steam unit  90 . 
     The direct water valve  82   a  may be provided to be coupled to an external water supply source. For example, the direct water valve  82   a  may be coupled to a water supply pipe (not shown) extending to the rear surface of the cabinet. Accordingly, the steam unit  90  may be configured to receive water directly through the direct water valve  82   a.    
     Therefore, even if the internal water supply unit  81  is omitted or water is not stored in the internal water supply unit  81 , the steam unit  90  can receive water for steam generation through the direct water valve  82   a  when necessary. 
     The direct water valve  82   a  may be directly controlled by a steam control unit  100 . 
     The steam control unit  100  may be installed on the control panel  117 , but may be provided as a separate control panel to prevent overloading of the control panel  117  and not increase manufacturing cost, as shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     In this case, the steam control unit  100  may be provided adjacent to the steam unit  90 . The steam control unit  100  may be provided on the side panel  14  on which the steam unit  90  is installed to reduce the length of a control line or the like connected to the steam unit  90 . 
     On the other hand, the steam unit  90  may be preferably installed adjacent to the direct water valve  82   a . Accordingly, it is possible to prevent unnecessary residual water from remaining in the direct water pipe  82   b , and water can be immediately supplied when necessary. 
     Meanwhile, the internal water supply unit  81  may be configured to include a storage tank  810  to store water, a supply pump  820  to receive water from the storage tank  810  and to deliver water to the steam unit  90  and a tank housing  830  to provide spaces for accommodating the storage tank  810  and the supply pump  820 . 
     A tank withdrawal hole  131  may be formed in an area of the upper panel  13  corresponding to the portion where the storage tank  810  is installed in the tank housing  830 . 
     Since the storage tank  810  is smaller in volume than the water storage tank  72  of the water storage unit  70 , it may be easily drawn out. Accordingly, the storage tank  810  may be provided to be withdrawn from the upper panel  13  upward. As a result, since the storage tank  810  and the water storage unit  70  are drawn in different directions from each other, a user can be less likely to get confused. 
     The upper panel  13  may be provided with a withdrawal cover  132  provided to shield the tank withdrawal hole  131  to prevent the storage tank  810  from being arbitrarily withdrawn. 
     The withdrawal cover  132  may include a panel coupling unit  133  provided to be coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the tank withdrawal hole  131 . The panel coupling unit  133  may be provided extending from one side of the withdrawal cover  132  so as to rotatably couple the withdrawal cover  132  to the upper panel  13 . The panel coupling unit  133  and the upper panel  13  may be coupled and provided in a hinge coupling manner. 
     On the other hand, the withdrawal cover  132  may be provided with a panel handle  134  on the surface that can be gripped by a user, and the panel handle  134  may be composed of a groove formed concave toward the lower portion of the withdrawal cover  132 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the tank housing  830  may accommodate both a storage tank  810  and a supply pump  820  supplying the water stored in the storage tank  810 . 
     Thus, the tank housing  830  may be divided into a tank receiving unit  832  accommodating the storage tank  810  and a pump receiving unit  833  accommodating the supply pump  820 , and the tank receiving unit  832  and the pump receiving unit  833  may be divided using a partition wall  831 . 
     Even if water leaks from the storage tank  810  through the partition wall  831 , the leaked water can be blocked from moving to the pump receiving unit  833  in which the supply pump  820  driven by electricity is accommodated, and the accident due to a short circuit and the failure of the supply pump  820  can be prevented. 
     The partition wall  831  may be configured to extend through the connection pipe  850  connecting the supply unit  817  of the storage tank  810  and the supply pump  820 . 
     The tank housing  830  may be fixed and supported inside the laundry dryer through a support bar  840 . One end and the other end of the support bar  840  have a structure that can be fixed to a frame and the internal structure of the laundry dryer or to the cabinet  10 . 
     In addition, one side of the tank housing  830  may be coupled between the one end and the other end of the support bar  840 . 
     Meanwhile, a floater sensor SF, which will be described later, may be fixed to the other side of the tank housing  830 . The floater sensor SF may measure the water level inside the storage tank  810  and transmit the sensed water level to the above-described main control unit, and the main control unit may notify a user of a water replenishment alarm through a display unit  119 . 
     When a user opens the withdrawal cover  132  described above in order to replenish water, the storage tank  810  may be exposed to an outside. 
     In this case, a user can separate the storage tank  810  from the tank housing  830  by simply griping and pulling a handle unit  816  formed on the front upper side surface of the storage tank  810  (in a direction toward the front panel of the cabinet) based on the state in which the storage tank  810  is accommodated in the tank housing  830  (in a flat state). 
     For easy separation of the storage tank  810 , as shown in  FIG.  3   , the front lower portion of the storage tank  810  may be formed as a convex downward curved surface having a predetermined curvature, and the curved surface corresponding to the curved surface of the storage tank  810  may be formed on the tank housing  830 . 
     After the storage tank  810  is detached, when a user grips the handle unit  816  and moves to a position for replenishing water, the handle unit  816  of the storage tank  810 , as shown at the top of  FIG.  3   , may be in the upward direction. That is, it becomes a standing state by rotating 90 degrees based on the state in which the storage tank  810  is accommodated in the tank housing  830 . 
     On the other hand, a user can open a water supply cap  814  in a state in which the storage tank  810  is laid down in the same manner as the state accommodated in the tank housing  830  and supply water to the internal storage space S of the storage tank  810 , and then, close the water supply cap  814  again and complete water replenishment. 
     The coupling of the storage tank  810  may be performed in the reverse order of the separation process described above. 
       FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a storage tank  810  of the laundry dryer according to the present invention and  FIG.  5    is an exploded perspective view of  FIG.  4   . 
     Hereinafter, a detailed configuration of the storage tank  810  will be described with reference to  FIGS.  4  and  5   . 
     As described above, the storage tank  810  may store water to be supplied to the steam unit  90  in an airtight manner. 
     The storage tank  810  may include a tank body  811  having a storage space S formed therein and a tank cover  812  coupled to the open upper side surface of the tank body  811 . 
     The tank body  811  may be configured to include a main body portion  811   a  in a box shape having an open upper side surface to store water therein, and a closed front surface  811   a   1 , rear surface  811   a   2 , first side surface  811   a   3 , second side surface  811   a   4  and lower side surface  811   a   5 . The tank body  811  may be manufactured by a plastic injection method in consideration of sealing properties, processability and light weight of the storage space S. 
     As described above, the front surface  811   a   1  of the main body portion  811   a  may be formed to have a convex downward curved surface with a predetermined curvature in order to easily separate the storage tank  810  from the tank housing  830 . The first side surface  811   a   3 , the second side surface  811   a   4  and the rear surface  811   a   2  may be formed in a simple planar structure. 
     A floater  815  may be placed at a position adjacent to either the first side surface  811   a   3  or the second side surface  811   a   4  in the storage tank  810  to measure the level of stored water. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates an embodiment in which the floater  815  is placed in a position adjacent to the second side surface  811   a   4 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. However, for the purpose of convenience, the following description will be made based on an embodiment in which the floater  815  is placed at a position adjacent to the second side surface  811   a   4 . 
     The floater  815  may include a body portion  815   a  made of a material having a lower density than water so that the position in the vertical direction can be moved according to the water level. 
     As shown, since the tank body  811  has a height (a height in Z direction) is significantly shorter than a length (a length in Y direction) or a width (a width in X direction) based on the state accommodated in the tank housing  830 , it is preferable that the floater  815  for measuring the water level is configured to have the height significantly shorter than the length or width. 
     A magnet M may be embedded inside the center side of the floater  815  so that the water level can be measured in a manner that detects changes in magnetic force or magnetism. 
     Meanwhile, as described above, the floater sensor SF for detecting a change in position of the magnet M provided in the floater  815  may be attached on the other side of the tank housing  830 . 
     Since any means capable of detecting a change in magnetic force or magnetism is applicable as the floater sensor SF, a detailed description of the configuration will be omitted. 
     At a position adjacent to the second side surface  811   a   4  of the tank body  811  in which the floater  815  is disposed, a floater case  811   b  and a guide bar  811   c  may be formed as a means for preventing separation of the floater  815  and guiding the movement in the vertical direction (Z direction). 
     The floater case  811   b  may have a U-shape, as shown, and be configured to have a shape protruding from the lower side surface  811   a   5  of the main body portion  811   a  of the tank body  811 . It may be formed and attached separately from the main body portion  811   a  or injection molded integrally with the main body portion  811   a.    
     The U-shaped floater case  811   b  and the second side surface  811   a   4  of the tank body  811  together may guide the movement of the floater  815  in the vertical direction (Z direction) in a manner that surrounds the outer surface of the floater  815  and form a space that prevents the floater  815  from being separated. 
     On the other hand, the floater case  811   b  may be spaced apart from the second side surface  811   a   4  of the tank body  811  at a predetermined interval, so that the accommodation space defined by the floater case  811   b  and the second side surface  811   a   4  of the tank body  811  can communicate with the outer space of the floater case  811   b.    
     In addition, a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending linearly in the vertical direction (Z direction) may be formed on the inner surface of the floater case  811   b  toward the floater  815 , so that the frictional force can be reduced by minimizing the contact area with the floater  815 , while reinforcing the rigidity of the floater case  811   b.    
     In addition, a plurality of the bottom ribs  811   d  may be further installed on the lower side surface  811   a   5  of the tank body  811  inside the space defined by the floater case  811   b  and the second side surface  811   a   4  of the tank body  811 , so that the contact area with the floater  815  can be minimized and the lowermost position of the floater  815  can be defined. 
     The highest position of the floater  815  can be defined by the stopper  812   d  formed on the tank cover  812  to be described later. 
     On the other hand, the guide bar  811   c  may guide the movement of the floater  815  together with the floater case  811   b , and, like the floater case  811   b , be formed and attached separately from the main body portion  811   a  or integrally injection molded with the main body portion  811   a  of the tank body  811 . 
     Specifically, as shown, it is configured to as a pair of pillars, preferably cylinders, extending upwardly (Z direction) from the lower side surface  811   a   5  of the tank body  811 . 
     The guide bar  811   c  composed of a pair of cylinders may be inserted into a pair of through holes formed in the floater  815  to guide the movement of the floater  815  and to prevent the departure of the floater  815 . 
     On the other hand, a supply unit  817  may be installed on the rear surface  811   a   2  of the main body portion  811   a  of the tank body  811 . 
     The supply unit  817  may deliver the water stored in the storage space S of the tank body  811  to the outside of the tank body  811 , and include a check valve penetrating the rear surface  811   a   2  of the tank body  811  and a water supply pipe having a shape that is bent in an L-shape toward the lower side surface  811   a   5  of the main body portion  811   a  of the tank body  811  from the check valve. 
     The check valve may be connected in a fitting manner with the connection pipe  850  of the tank housing  830  described above, and regulate the internal flow path so that water is supplied from the water supply pipe to the connection pipe  850  only when connected to the connection pipe  850 . 
     As for the configuration of the check valve and the water supply pipe, a means already known in the art can be applied, and a detailed description of the configuration will be omitted. 
     The tank cover  812  may be coupled to the open upper side surface of the tank body  811  and cover the upper side surface of the tank body  811  to form a storage space S therein together with the tank body  811 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the tank cover  812  may have a rectangular flat plate  812   a  having an approximately uniform thickness, and a first concave surface  812   b  formed close to the front edge  812   a   1  of the flat plate  812   a.    
     As described, the present invention is directed to preventing the water leakage between the tank body  811  and the tank cover  812 . 
     In order to achieve the prevent the water leakage, the circumferential surface including a front edge  812   a   1 , side edge  812   a   2  and rear edge of the tank cover  812  and the upper end portion  811   a   6  of the tank body  811  may be coupled to each other in a fusion bonding to form a fusion portion  818  (See  FIG.  7   ). 
     In this way, since all the contact surfaces of the tank cover  812  and the tank body  811  are combined in a fusion manner, the possibility of water leakage between the tank cover  812  and the tank body  811  is significantly lowered compared to a conventional art. 
     In order to increase the fusion strength and reduce the possibility of leakage, the upper end portion  811   a   6  of the tank body  811  and the circumferential surface of the tank cover  812  forming the fusion surface may be formed as a stepped surface. (See  FIG.  7   ) 
     The tank cover  812  can be manufactured by a plastic injection method like the tank body  811  in order to be easily fused with the tank body  811 , and the fusion can be made by using any method already known in the art such as thermal fusion, ultrasonic fusion, etc. 
     The first concave surface  812   b  may be a configuration for forming the handle unit  816  together with a second concave surface  813   b  of a decorative cover  813  to be described later. 
     The first concave surface  812   b  may be configured as an inclined curved surface that is convex downward so as to have a depth enough to be easily gripped by a user, and has the shape of a curved surface that is entirely blocked. 
     Meanwhile, a water supply hole  812   c  may be formed between the first concave surface  812   b  and the rear edge. 
     A water supply cap  814  may be detachably fastened to the water supply hole  812   c . A user can separate the water supply cap  814  from the water supply hole  812   c  by rotating the water supply cap  814  in the locked state in the release direction. In the state where the water supply cap  814  is separated, water can be replenished. 
     In the water supply hole  812   c , a step portion  812   e  extending toward the inside of the tank body  811  may be installed as a structure for fastening the water supply cap  814  to be detachable and improving the sealing performance of the water supply cap  814 . 
     As for the configuration of the detachable structure between the water supply hole  812   c  and the water supply cap  814 , a means already known in the art can be applied, and a detailed description of the configuration will be omitted. 
     Meanwhile, the step portion  812   e  extending toward the inside of the tank body  811  may also act as a means for visually recognizing the maximum storage capacity of the storage tank  810  to a user. 
     Thus, while a user separates the water supply cap  814  to replenish water, it acts as a means to visually inform the user that water cannot be added any more when the water level reaches the bottom of the step portion  812   e . A visual means such as a character or a leader line may be further added to the step portion  812   e  as a means for informing the maximum water level and maximum capacity limitation. 
     On the other hand, a stopper  812   d  for defining the top position of the floater  815  described above may be formed on the lower side surface  812   a   4  of the flat plate  812   a  of the tank cover  812 . 
     As shown, the stopper  812   d  may be configured in a columnar shape protruding and extending toward the upper side surface of the floater  815  from the lower side surface  812   a   4  of the flat plate  812   a  of the tank cover  812 . 
     The column shaped stopper  812   d  may be manufactured separately from the tank cover  812  and attached to the tank cover  812 , or may be integrally formed and manufactured during the injection molding of the flat plate  812   a.    
     Meanwhile, a second intake hole  812   h  extending through the flat plate  812   a  between the first concave surface  812   b  and the side edge  812   a   2  may be formed at a position close to the front edge  812   a   1  of the tank cover  812 . 
     The second intake hole  812   h  may act as an intake hole for forming an air flow path by communicating the storage space S of the storage tank  810  and an external space together with a first intake hole  813   h  to be described later. 
     The second intake hole  812   h  may be formed at a position avoiding the above-described fusion portion  818  so as to form an unblocked air flow path. 
     The detailed configurations of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  will be described later with reference to  FIGS.  6  to  10   . 
     On the other hand, the storage tank  810  of the laundry dryer according to the present invention may further include a decorative cover  813  attached to the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  and to at least partially cover the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812 . 
     As an example,  FIGS.  4  and  5    illustrate a decorative cover  813  covering all of the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812 , but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the configuration of the decorative cover  813  covering a part of the upper side surface  812   a   3  belongs to the scope of the present invention. For convenience, the following description will be made with respect to the configuration of the decorative cover  813  covering the entire upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812 . 
     The decorative cover  813  may be manufactured by injection molding in the same manner as the tank body  811  and the tank cover  812 . It may be attached to the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  to protect the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  and to improve user convenience by forming the handle unit  816  together with the first concave surface  812   b  of the tank cover  812  described above. 
     For enhancing such convenience function, a second concave surface  813   b  in the form of a convex downward curved surface at a position corresponding to the above described first concave surface  812   b  may be provided on a flat plate  813   a  of the decorative cover  813 . 
     The second concave surface  813   b  may be formed to have a shape corresponding to the first concave surface  812   b  only partially. Therefore, the second concave surface  813   b  may function as a space in which a finger can enter when a user is gripping it, and the portion between a front edge  813   a   1  of the flat plate  813   a  and the second concave surface  813   b , as a portion where the concave surface is not formed, may function as a grip unit through which the user&#39;s finger can be caught. 
     The decorative cover  813  may be configured to be detachably fastened to the tank body  811 . To this end, the decorative cover  813  may include an edge portion  813   d  extending from the front edge  813   a   1 , side edge  813   a   2  and rear edge of the flat plate  813   a  toward the tank body  811 . 
     In addition, a plurality of locking protrusions  811   e  that fits to the edge portion  813   d  of the decorative cover  813  may be formed on the upper end portion  811   a   6  of the tank body  811  that is a position corresponding to the edge portion  813   d  during fastening. 
     On the other hand, a through hole  813   c  having a shape corresponding to the water supply hole  812   c  of the tank cover  812  may be formed between the second concave surface  813   b  and the rear edge of the flat plate  813   a  and at a position corresponding to the water supply hole  812   c  of the tank cover  812 . 
     In addition, a first intake hole  813   h  extending through the upper surface  813   a   3  may be formed between the second concave surface  813   b  and the front edge  813   a   1  and at a position close to the front edge  813   a   1  of the decorative cover  813 . 
     The first intake hole  813   h  may act as an intake hole for forming an air flow path by communicating the storage space S of the storage tank  810  with an external space, together with the second intake hole  812   h  as described above. 
       FIGS.  6  and  7    are the detailed configurations of the intake hole according to a first embodiment. 
     The first embodiment of an intake hole including a first intake hole  813   h  and a second intake hole  812   h  will be described with reference to  FIGS.  6  and  7   . 
     As described above, the present invention is directed to reducing the load of the supply pump  820  and maintaining smooth water supply by maintaining the internal air pressure of the storage tank  810  and an external air pressure the same when the water stored in the storage tank  810  is supplied to the steam unit  90  by using the supply pump  820 . 
     This is achieved by an intake hole including the first intake hole  813   h  provided in the decorative cover  813  and the second intake hole  812   h  provided in the tank cover  812 . 
     That is, a continuous air flow path F that fluidly connects the storage space S and an external space may be formed by using the first intake hole  813   h  extending through the upper side surface  813   a   3  and the lower side surface  813   a   4  of the decorative cover  813 , and the second intake hole  812   h  extending through the upper side surface  812   a   3  and the lower side surface  812   a   4  of the tank cover  812 . Thus, an external air can be introduced into the storage space S through the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  in response to the flow rate of the water supplied to the steam unit  90  during the operation of supply pump  820 . 
     Therefore, even if the water in the storage space S decreases, the internal air pressure of the storage space S is prevented from being lowered, and the internal air pressure of the storage space S and the external air pressure can be maintained equally. 
     However, the water stored in the storage space S does not limit the formation positions of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h , and there is a possibility of leakage through them. 
     To prevent leakage, as described above, the first intake hole  813   h  may be formed between the front edge  813   a   1  and the second concave surface  813   b  of the decorative cover  813 , and the second intake hole  812   h  may be formed between the first concave surface  812   b  and the side edge  812   a   2  of the tank cover  812  and at a position close to the front edge  812   a   1  of the tank cover  812 . 
     As such, the formation positions of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  may be higher than the highest water level of water stored therein even when the storage tank  810  is accommodated in the tank housing  830 , and they may be higher than the highest water level or the second concave surface  813   b  even in a state in which the storage tank  810  is gripped and moved by the user (a standing state). Thus, no water leakage occurs through the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  even in the state of in which the storage tank  810  is accommodated and in a standing state. 
     As described above, since the decorative cover  813  and the tank cover  812  are manufactured by injection molding, the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  may be processed as a cylindrical through hole vertically penetrating through the flat plate  813   a  of the decorative cover  813  and a cylindrical through hole vertically penetrating through the flat plate  812   a  of the tank cover  812 , respectively, in considering the ease of molding and manufacturing cost. 
     The first intake hole  813   h  in a cylindrical shape may include a first inlet  813   h   1  and a first outlet  813   h   2  in a circular shape, and the second intake hole  812   h  in a cylindrical shape may include a second inlet  812   h   1  and a second outlet  812   h   2  in a circular shape. 
     In this case, the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  may be directly connected to at least partially overlap, so that the air flow path F including the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  can be simplified. 
       FIG.  7    illustrates an embodiment in which the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  each have the same diameter, and are entirely overlapped, but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     For example, the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  may have different diameters from each other. 
     In more detail, the diameter of the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  may be smaller than the diameter of the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h . As such, when that the first outlet  813   h   2  is formed to be smaller than the second inlet  812   h   1 , the water droplets flowing out through the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  due to the fluctuation of the water surface in the storage space S can be minimized. 
     The splashing of water due to the swaying of the water surface inside the storage tank  810  is mainly occurred in a situation in which water is replenished at the maximum capacity and is held and moved by a user or in a situation in which water is replenished at the maximum capacity, and the user mounds the storage tank  810  on the tank housing  830 . 
     As water splashes occur, water droplets may be leaked to the outside of the storage tank  810  through the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h , alternatively, water may be leaked to the gap G between the decorative cover  813  and the tank cover  812 . 
     In order to prevent water from leaking into the gap G between the decorative cover  813  and the tank cover  812 , a cylindric-shaped first engaging protrusion  812   f  having a shape surrounding the second inlet  812   h   1  and protruding toward the first outlet  813   h   2  may be formed on the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812 , and a ring-shaped second engaging protrusion  813   f  having a shape surrounding the first outlet  813   h   2  and protruding toward the second inlet  812   h   1  on the lower side surface of the decorative cover  813 . 
     In this case, when the decorative cover  813  is attached to the tank cover  812 , the first engaging protrusion  812   f  may be inserted into the second engaging protrusion  813   f , and the outer circumferential surface of the first engaging protrusion  812   f  and the inner circumferential surfaces of the second engaging projections  813   f  may be configured to be in close contact with each other over the circumferential direction. 
     Since the circumference of the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h , which are directly connected, may be sealed through the first engaging projection  812   f  and the second engaging protrusion  813   f , the water leakage due to splashing of water into the gap G formed outside the first engaging protrusion  812   f  and the second engaging protrusion  813   f  may be fundamentally blocked. 
       FIGS.  8  and  9    illustrate the detailed configurations of an intake hole according to a second embodiment. 
     The second embodiment of the intake hole including the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  is described with reference to  FIGS.  8  and  9   . 
     The illustrated second embodiment may further include an intake valve  812   v  for opening and closing the second outlet  812   h   2  of the second intake hole  812   h , unlike the first embodiment. 
     In more detail, the intake valve  812   v  may include a reed valve body  812   v   1  and a fixing part  812   v   2  that is fixed to the tank body  811  and supports the reed valve body  812   v   1 . 
     In the reed valve body  812   v   1 , one end may become a fixed end attached to and supported on the lower side surface  812   a   4  of the tank cover  812  through the fixing part  812   v   2 , and the other end may become a free end to open and close the second intake hole  812   h  of the second outlet  812   h   2 . 
     The reed valve body  812   v   1  may have a thin film shape having a predetermined elasticity. When the reed valve body  812   v   1  is installed on the lower side surface  812   a   4  of the tank cover  812 , it may have a shape-holding force for maintaining a close contact with the lower side surface  812   a   4  of the tank cover  812  as a whole, so that the one end may block the second outlet  812   h   2  of the second intake hole  812   h.    
     Therefore, even if water splash occurs in a situation in which the storage tank  810  is gripped and moved by a user or in a situation in which the storage tank  810  is mounted in the tank housing  830  by the user after refilling water, the leakage of water droplets through the second intake hole  812   h  may be fundamentally blocked by the reed valve body  812   v   1 . 
     On the other hand, after the storage tank  810  is mounted in the tank housing  830 , when the supply pump  820  is operated to supply water inside the storage tank  810 , the internal air pressure of the storage space S may be lower than the external air pressure. Due to this air pressure difference, the other end of the reed valve body  812   v   1  may be bent downward, and the second outlet  812   h   2  of the second intake hole  812   h  may be opened. 
     At the same time as the second outlet  812   h   2  is opened, the air flow path F may be opened so that external air can be introduced in response to the water supply amount of the supply pump  820 . 
     The other end of the reed valve body  812   v   1  may be connected to the fixing part  812   v   2  to be fixed to the tank cover  812 . The reed valve body  812   v   1  may be manufactured separately and attached to the fixing part  812   v   2 , or may be manufactured integrally with the fixing part  812   v   2  as shown. 
     The tank cover  812  may be provided with a fixing hole  812   e  through which the fixing part  812   v   2  of the intake valve  812   v  extends. 
     As shown, the fixing part  812   v   2  may include a body portion extending through the fixing hole  812   e , and a head portion formed at one end of the body portion. 
     The other end of the body portion may be connected to the other end of the reed valve body  812   v   1 . The outer diameter of the body portion of the fixing part  812   v   2  may be formed larger than the inner diameter of the fixing hole  812   e . Thus, since the body portion remains connected to the reed valve body  812   v   1 , the separation of the reed valve body  812   v   1  in a vertical direction can be effectively prevented after it is the fixing hole  812   e.    
     On the other hand, although not shown, in the second embodiment, since water leakage into the gap G due to water splashing through the intake valve  812   v  can be fundamentally blocked at the source, the sealing structure such as the first engaging protrusion  812   f  and the second engagement protrusion  813   f  according to the first embodiment may be omitted. 
     Accordingly, the structures of the tank cover  812  and the decorative cover  813  according to the second embodiment may be further simplified compared to the first embodiment. 
       FIG.  10    shows a detailed configuration of an intake hole according to a third embodiment. 
     The third embodiment of the intake hole including the first intake hole  813   h  and the second intake hole  812   h  is described with reference to  FIG.  10   . 
     In the illustrated third embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  may be formed to be spaced apart from each other so that overlapping portions do not occur. 
     That is, as shown, the direction of the air flow path F can be changed between the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h.    
     With this configuration, the air that has passed through the first inlet  813   h   1  of the first intake hole  813   h  may pass through the first outlet  813   h   2 , and the flow path may be switched at least once, and then, it may enter into the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h . However, on the contrary, due to the occurrence of water splashing described above, the water droplets passing through the second outlet  812   h   2  and the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  may not reach the first outlet  813   h   2  of the second intake hole  812   h  and collides with the lower side surface  813   a   4  of the decorative cover  813 . 
     Accordingly, it can significantly reduce the possibility that the water droplets generated by the occurrence of water splashes pass through the first intake hole  813   h  and leak to an outside. 
     Meanwhile, an insertion boss  813   g  protruding from the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  and to be inserted into the first intake hole  813   h  may be formed on the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812 . 
     The insertion boss  813   g  may be integrally formed on the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  as shown, and the outer shape may be configured to have a cylindrical shape corresponding to the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the first intake hole  813   h.    
     Further, a plurality of guide ribs  813   r  protruding toward the inside of the second intake hole  812   h  may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first intake hole  813   h.    
     The plurality of guide ribs  813   r  may be processed to have a shape extending linearly from the first inlet  813   h   1  of the first intake hole  813   h  to the second outlet  812   h   2  in consideration of formability. 
     The configuration of the insertion boss  813   g  and the guide rib  813   r  can additionally block a path through which water droplets generated by the above-described splashing of water can pass. 
     Therefore, the likelihood that water droplets generated by the occurrence of water splash pass through the first intake hole  813   h  and leak to the outside can be further reduced with the blocking structure in which the insertion boss  813   g  and the guide rib  813   r  are formed. 
     Meanwhile, as shown, the first inlet  813   h   1  and the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  may have different diameters to each other, preferably the first inlet  813   h   1  may have a smaller diameter than that of the first outlet  813   h   2 . 
     In this case, the first intake hole  813   h  may be configured to have a truncated cone shape in which a cross-sectional area gradually expands while proceeding from the first inlet  813   h   1  to the first outlet  813   h   2 . 
     This can make a margin so that the insertion boss  813   g  can easily enter into the first outlet  813   h   2  of the first intake hole  813   h  when the decorative cover  813  is fastened. 
     In this case, the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  may be further provided with a blocking wall portion  812   w  extending from the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812  to the lower side surface of the decorative cover  813  so as to surround the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  and the insertion boss  813   g.    
     As shown, when the decorative cover  813  is fastened, the upper surface of the blocking wall portion  812   w  may be in close contact with the lower side surface of the decorative cover  813 , so that the inner space of the blocking wall portion  812   w  may be completely blocked from the outside of the blocking wall portion  812   w    
     By the configuration of the blocking wall portion  812   w , the water droplets generated by water splashing can pass through the second inlet  812   h   1  of the second intake hole  812   h  and be blocked to leak to the gap between the decorative cover  813  and the tank cover  812 . 
     In the other hand, in the third embodiment shown in  FIG.  10   , the blocking wall portion  812   w  is illustrated to be integrally formed on the upper side surface  812   a   3  of the tank cover  812 , but this is only exemplary, and conversely, another embodiment in which the blocking wall portion  812   w  is formed on the lower side surface of the decorative cover  813  will also naturally belong to the scope of the present invention. 
     As such, it will be appreciated that the technical configuration of the present invention described above can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention by those skilled in the art. 
     Therefore, the embodiments described above are to be understood as illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims to be described later rather than the detailed description described above, and the meaning and scope of the claims and all changes or modified forms derived from the equivalent concept should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Explanation of reference numerals 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                   1: laundry dryer 
                  20: drum 
               
               
                   
                  30: driving unit 
                  40: heat exchange unit 
               
               
                   
                  50: driving unit 
                  60: water collecting unit 
               
               
                   
                  70: water storage unit 
                  80: water supply unit 
               
               
                   
                  81: internal water supply unit 
                 810: storage tank 
               
               
                   
                 811: tank body 
                 812: tank cover 
               
               
                   
                 813: decorative cover 
                 816: handle unit 
               
               
                   
                 813h: first intake hole 
                 812h: second intake hole 
               
               
                   
                 820: supply pump 
                 830: tank housing 
               
               
                   
                  90: steam unit 
                 100: steam control unit