Patent Publication Number: US-2022220660-A1

Title: Clothing treatment apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, and more particularly, to a laundry treating apparatus for securing a flow path of a lint filter of the laundry treating apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In general, a laundry treating apparatus is an apparatus capable of performing a function of washing laundry or drying the laundry that has been washed, or performing the both functions. 
     In addition, recently, a laundry treating apparatus equipped with a steam generating apparatus to have a refreshing function, such as wrinkle removal, odor removal, static electricity removal, and the like of the laundry, or a sterilization function has been developed. 
     For example, a drum-type dryer that dries the laundry that has been washed, a cabinet-type dryer that hangs the laundry to dry, a refresher that refreshes the laundry by supplying hot air to the laundry, and the like have been developed. 
     Among the laundry treating apparatuses, the refresher, the dryer, or the like has a heat source supply to heat air to supply the hot air to the laundry. Such heat source supply includes a gas heater that heats the air by burning gas using a heat source, an electric heater that heats the air by an electric resistance, a heat pump that heats the air using a heat pump that circulates a refrigerant through a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, and the like. Recently, a heat pump having an advantage of excellent energy efficiency has been actively developed. 
     In one example, a laundry treating apparatus applying the heat pump has a drum, a driving motor, the compressor, the evaporator, the condenser, and the like inside a cabinet. The drum provides a cylindrical accommodating space to accommodate and dry the laundry, and a space occupied by the drum of a total space inside the cabinet is much larger than a space occupied by another component. For example, an outer circumference (a radius) of the drum extends from a top to a bottom of the cabinet as well as to left and right sides of the cabinet. 
     The compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve, and the evaporator constituting a heat pump cycle are disposed using the remaining spaces except for the space occupied by the drum. The remaining spaces except for the space occupied by the drum may be spaces on the left and right sides of the cabinet. 
     For example, the evaporator and the condenser may be placed in a front and rear direction in a space on one side of the cabinet, and the compressor with relatively large volume and size may be placed in a corner space on the other side of the cabinet. 
     In the case of the laundry treating apparatus using the heat pump according to the prior art as described above, moisture of humid air passing through the evaporator is condensed on a surface of the evaporator based on an operation of the heat pump, and condensed water condensed on the surface of the evaporator is collected by an own weight and drained separately. 
     In one example, the air used for drying an object to be dried in the laundry treating apparatus as described above contains lint generated from the laundry. Such lint may be filtered by a lint filter installed on a flow path of air discharged from the drum. 
     However, in the related art, after a drying cycle is completed, a user had to take out the lint filter and remove the lint every time. In addition, there was a problem that, when the lint filter is not cleaned for a long time, an air volume is reduced to lower a drying efficiency. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     The present disclosure is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is to provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of securing a flow path of air by washing a lint filter that filters lint contained in the air. 
     The present disclosure is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is to provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of securing a flow path of air by removing lint filtered from a lint filter using condensed water condensed in an evaporator. 
     Technical Solutions 
     It is preferable that a laundry treating apparatus for achieving the above purpose includes a heat pump equipped with an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, and applying heat to air circulating in a drum, an air flow path for defining a flow path such that the air is circulated therein after passing through the drum, a lint filter disposed on the air flow path for collecting lint contained in the air, and a condensed water collector for collecting condensed water generated in the evaporator and supplying the collected condensed water to the lint filter, and the condensed water supplied from the condensed water collector is supplied to an upper portion of the lint filter to move lint collected in the lint filter to a lower portion of the lint filter. 
     It is preferable that the condensed water collector includes a condensed water drainage flow path having a condensed water pump for flowing the condensed water, a first branch flow path branching from the condensed water drainage flow path to guide the condensed water to a condensed water tank, a second branch flow path branching from the condensed water drainage flow path to guide the condensed water to the lint filter, and a branch valve disposed on the condensed water drainage flow path to selectively supply the condensed water to the first branch flow path or the second branch flow path. 
     It is preferable that the air flow path includes a suction flow path in communication with a front surface of the drum, wherein the air of the drum is introduced into the suction flow path, a filter mounting portion disposed in the suction flow path, wherein the lint filter is installed in the filter mounting portion, and an exhaust flow path in communication with a rear surface of the drum to exhaust air that has passed through the heat pump to the drum. 
     It is preferable that the lint filter includes a first housing for forming one surface of the lint filter, a second housing for forming the other surface of the lint filter, and a hinge for connecting one edge of the first housing and one edge of the second housing to each other. 
     It is preferable that the first housing and the second housing are formed in a shape symmetric to each other. 
     It is preferable that a handle for withdrawing the lint filter is formed on at least one of the first housing and the second housing. 
     It is preferable that the first housing includes an inlet defined at a top of the first housing such that the air of the drum flows into the first housing, and a filter located below the inlet, wherein the lint contained in the air flowed into the inlet is collected in the filter and then is discharged from the filter. 
     It is preferable that the laundry treating apparatus further includes a condensed water connection portion formed on one side of the inlet, wherein the second branch flow path is connected to the condensed water connection portion, and a condensed water flowing step for guiding the condensed water supplied through the condensed water connection portion and flowing inside the inlet to flow down to the filter. 
     It is preferable that the condensed water connection portion is formed on each of both sides of the inlet, and the condensed water flowing step is formed in a curved shape with a concave central portion. 
     It is preferable that multiple condensed water distribution protrusions spaced apart from each other at a predetermined spacing are formed at a longitudinal end of the condensed water flowing step such that the condensed water flowing along the condensed water flowing step flows evenly to the filter. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     According to the laundry treating apparatus of the present disclosure, the flow path of the air may be secured by washing the lint filter that filters the lint contained in the air. 
     In addition, according to the laundry treating apparatus of the present disclosure, the flow path of the air may be secured by removing the lint filtered from the lint filter using the condensed water condensed in the evaporator. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a laundry treating apparatus using a heat pump according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified diagram showing a configuration of a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view showing an installation state of a lint filter in a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a lint filter of a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a lint filter according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view showing a distribution portion of a lint filter according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     Hereinafter, a laundry treating apparatus related to the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. In the present specification, the same/similar reference numerals are assigned to the same/similar components even in different embodiments, and the description is replaced with the first description. As used herein, the singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     The present disclosure may be applied to a laundry treating apparatus having a drying function or a washing machine combined with a dryer, and a laundry treating apparatus having a refresh function and a sterilization function by having a steam supply apparatus. In addition, the present disclosure may be applied to a drum-type dryer and a cabinet-type dryer. 
     Hereinafter, a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a laundry treating apparatus using a heat pump according to the present disclosure, and  FIG. 2  is a simplified diagram showing a configuration of a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 2 , a laundry treating apparatus  100  according to the present disclosure is an example of a drum-type dryer, and is able to include a cabinet  110 , a drum  130 , a driver (not shown), a blowing fan  170 , and a heat pump  160 . Air of the drum  130  is connected to the heat pump  160  by an air flow path  150 . 
     In this connection, the cabinet  110  may form an appearance of a product, and at the same time, include a door  112  constructed at a front surface thereof for inputting laundry, and a base  114  on which an internal component of the laundry treating apparatus  100  is installed. 
     In one example, the drum  130  may rotate about a rotation shaft directed in a horizontal direction or in a direction inclined at a certain angle inside the cabinet. In one example, the drum  130  may have a hollow cylindrical shape, and provide an accommodation space for drying the laundry, which is an object to be dried, put thereinto. 
     The drum  130  is formed in a cylindrical shape with open front and rear surfaces. The drum  130  has a front support  132  that rotatably supports the drum  130  at the front surface thereof. In addition, the drum  130  has a rear support  133  that rotatably supports the drum  130  at the rear surface thereof. 
     Additionally, a front roller  142  and a rear roller  143  in a form of a roller for rotatably supporting the drum  130  may be additionally disposed beneath the front and rear surfaces of the drum  130 , respectively. That is, the front support  132  and the rear support  133  block the front and rear surfaces of the drum  130  to define the drying space for the object to be dried, and at the same time, support front and rear ends of the drum  130 , respectively. 
     In one example, the front support  132  has an inlet  132   b  defined therein to put the object to be dried into the drum  130 , and the inlet is selectively opened and closed by the door  112 . In addition, an air outlet  132   a  to which the air flow path  150  to be described later is connected is positioned at a lower portion of the front support  132 . The air outlet  132   a  is defined to be in communication with a suction flow path  151  of the air flow path  150  to be described later. 
     In addition, the rear support  133  has an air inlet  133   a  defined therein composed of a plurality of through-holes in order to supply air into the drum  130 . The air inlet  133   a  is defined to be in communication with an exhaust flow path  152  of the air flow path  150  to be described later. 
     In this connection, in order to efficiently dry the laundry, which is the object to be dried, a lifter  131   a  for tumbling the input laundry may be further disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the drum  130 . 
     In addition, the driver may provide a rotation force using a motor (not shown), an output shaft of the motor and the drum  130  may be connected to each other by power transmission means such as a belt or the like, and the rotation force of the motor may be transmitted to the drum  130  to rotate the drum  130 . 
     In addition, the air flow path  150  may be connected to the drum  130  to form a closed loop for air circulation. For example, the air flow path  150  may be formed in a form of a duct. The suction flow path  151  for discharging air is defined beneath the front support  132  of the drum  130 , and the exhaust flow path  152  for supplying air is defined beneath the rear support  133  of the drum  130 . 
     In one example, the blowing fan  170  may be installed inside the air flow path  150  extending from the suction flow path  151  to an evaporator  161  of the heat pump  160 , or inside the air flow path  150  extending from a condenser  16  of the heat pump  160  to the exhaust flow path  152 . 
     In this connection, the blowing fan  170  may be driven by a separate fan motor, may apply power to air to pass through the drum  130 , and may circulate air discharged from the drum  130  back to the drum  130 . 
     In addition, a filter mounting portion  151   a  in which a lint filter  200  for filtering lint in the circulating air is installed is formed in the suction flow path  151 . The lint filter  200  may collect the lint contained in the air as the air sucked from the drum  130  to the suction flow path passes therethrough. 
     In one example, in the case of the lint filter  200  of the present disclosure, a flow path of the air passing through the lint filter  200  may be secured by removing, from a filter  219  of the lint filter  200 , the lint collected using condensed water generated from the evaporator  161  of the heat pump  160 . This will be described in detail after a description of the heat pump. 
     Therefore, the laundry (also referred to as ‘cloth’) evaporates moisture by hot air supplied into the drum  130 , and the air passing through the drum  130  is discharged from the drum  130  with the moisture evaporated from the laundry. The hot and humid air discharged from the drum  130  is circulated to the drum  130  after being heated by receiving heat from the heat pump  160  while flowing along the air flow path  150 . 
     In one example, the heat pump  160  is constructed to include the evaporator  161 , a compressor  163 , the condenser  16 , and an expansion valve  164 . The heat pump  160  may use a refrigerant as a working fluid. The refrigerant flows along a refrigerant pipe  165 , and the refrigerant pipe  165  forms a closed loop for circulation of the refrigerant. The evaporator  161 , the compressor  163 , the condenser  16 , and the expansion valve  164  are connected to each other by the refrigerant pipe  165 , so that the refrigerant sequentially passes through the evaporator  161 , the compressor  163 , the condenser  16 , and the expansion valve  164 . 
     In this connection, the evaporator  161  is installed in the air flow path  150  to be in communication with a drum outlet, and performs heat exchange between the air discharged from the drum outlet and the refrigerant to recover heat of the air discharged from the drum  130  without discarding the heat out of the dryer. 
     In addition, the condenser  16  is installed in the air flow path  150  to be in communication with a drum inlet, and performs heat exchange between the air that has passed through the evaporator  161  and the refrigerant to radiate heat of the refrigerant absorbed in the evaporator  161  to the air to be introduced into the drum  130 . 
     In one example, the evaporator  161  and the condenser  16  may be installed inside the air flow path  150 . The evaporator  161  may be connected to the drum outlet, and the condenser  16  may be connected to the drum inlet. 
     Because the hot and humid air discharged from the drum  130  has a higher temperature than the refrigerant of the evaporator  161 , as the air loses the heat to the refrigerant of the evaporator  161  while passing through the evaporator  161 , the air is condensed to generate the condensed water. 
     Accordingly, the hot and humid air may be dehumidified by the evaporator  161 , the condensed water may be collected through a condensed water collector  154  disposed beneath the evaporator  161 , and the collected condensed water may be collected into a condensed water tank  158  and discarded, or may be supplied to the lint filter  200  and used to remove the lint collected by the lint filter  200 . 
     The heat of the air absorbed by the evaporator  161  is transferred to the condenser  16  through the refrigerant. The compressor  163  is located between the evaporator  161  and the condenser  16  to transfer the heat from the evaporator  161  (a low heat portion) to the condenser  16  (a high heat portion). 
     In one example, the evaporator  161  and the condenser  16  may be a fin &amp; tube type heat exchanger. The fin &amp; tube type is in a form in which a number of fins of a flat plate shape are attached to a hollow tube. As the refrigerant flows along an interior of the tube and the air passes through the multiple fins attached to the tube, the refrigerant and the air may exchange heat with each other. In this connection, the fins are used to expand a heat exchange area between the air and the refrigerant. 
     The compressor  163  compresses the refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator  161  to make a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant, and transfers the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant to the condenser  16  along the refrigerant pipe  165 . The compressor  163  may be an inverter type compressor  163  that may vary a frequency to control a discharge amount of the refrigerant. 
     The expansion valve  164  is installed on the refrigerant pipe  165  extending from the condenser  16  to the evaporator  161 , expands the refrigerant condensed in the condenser  16  to make a low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant, and transfers the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant to the evaporator  161 . 
     When describing a flow path of the refrigerant according to the configuration as described above, the refrigerant flows into the compressor  163  in a gaseous state and becomes the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant by the compression of the compressor  163 . The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant flows into the condenser  16  and becomes to be in a liquid state from the gaseous state as the heat is released to the air in the condenser  16 . 
     Subsequently, the refrigerant in the liquid state flows into the expansion valve  164  and becomes the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant by a wire drawing effect of the expansion valve  164  (or including a capillary tube or the like). The low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant in the liquid state flows into the evaporator  161  and absorbs the heat from the air in the evaporator  161  to be evaporated from the liquid state to the gaseous state. 
     As such, the heat pump  160  provides the heat to the air circulated to the drum  130  while repeatedly circulating the refrigerant to the compressor  163 →the condenser  16 →the expansion valve  164 →the evaporator  161 . 
     In one example, the condensed water generated in the evaporator  161  in the above-described process is collected in the condensed water collector  154  located below the evaporator  161 . The condensed water collector  154  is positioned beneath the evaporator  161  and the condenser  16  and is formed such that the condensed water falling from the evaporator  161  is collected therein. 
     In addition, the condensed water collected in the condensed water collector  154  may be supplied to the condensed water tank  158  or the lint filter  200  through a condensed water drainage flow path  155 . The condensed water drainage flow path  155  may further include a condensed water pump  156  for draining the condensed water. 
     In addition, on a discharge side of the condensed water pump  156 , a first branch flow path  157   a  and a second branch flow path  157   b  for guiding the condensed water flowed by the condensed water pump  156  to the condensed water tank  158  or the lint filter  200  may be disposed. 
     In this connection, a branch valve  159  for selectively supplying the condensed water flowing from an outlet of the condensed water pump  156  to the first branch flow path  157   a  or the second branch flow path  157   b  is disposed between the first branch flow path  157   a  and the second branch flow path  157   b.    
     In one example, the laundry treating apparatus  100  includes the lint filter  200  for filtering the lint generated during the drying of the laundry. The lint filter  200  may be installed by being inserted into the filter mounting portion  151   a  located at the lower portion of the front support  132  of the drum. 
     In this connection, when a drying cycle continues, foreign substances such as the lint are deposited on the lint filter  200 . When the lint filter  200  is not cleaned for a long time, a flow amount of air passing through the lint filter  200  may decrease due to the collected lint, and thus, a drying efficiency may be reduced. Therefore, there was a hassle in that a user has to take out the lint filter and remove the lint each time after use of the laundry treating apparatus is completed. 
     To solve such problem, in the present disclosure, the lint filter  200  that may improve convenience of the user and secure a flow rate of the air by supplying the condensed water to the lint filter  200  to remove the lint collected in the lint filter  200  from the filter by the condensed water and collect the removed lint in a lower portion of the lint filter  200  is provided. 
     Hereinafter, an installation state of the lint filter will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view showing an installation state of a lint filter in a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure,  FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a lint filter of a laundry treating apparatus according to the present disclosure,  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a lint filter according to the present disclosure, and  FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view showing a distribution portion of a lint filter according to the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 to 4 , the lint filter  200  is constructed to be inserted and mounted in the filter mounting portion  151   a  of the suction flow path  151  in communication with the air outlet  132   a  of the front support  132 , and has a first housing  210  and a second housing  220  connected to each other by foldable hinges  230  at lower ends thereof. 
     In such lint filter  200 , the air is introduced into the lint filter  200  by a combination of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 , and the lint contained in the air is trapped in an inner space defined by the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 . 
     Such first housing  210  and second housing  220  may be formed to be symmetric to each other around the hinge. There may be some differences depending on a shape of the filter mounting portion  151   a  in which the lint filter  200  is installed and an inflow direction of air, but the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  may be formed in similar shapes. 
     In addition, a handle  214  for removing the lint filter  200  from the filter mounting portion  151   a  may be further formed on at least one of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 . 
     In one example, an inlet  211  through which the air that has dried the object to be dried in the drum  130  is introduced is defined on top of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 , and a filter frame  218  to which the filter  219  is fixed is formed below the inlet  211 . 
     In this connection, the filter frame  218  may be formed below the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 , and may have a lower outer shape of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  and an inner shape of a lattice form such that the filter  219  in a form of a mesh is located therein. 
     In this connection, each inlet  211  has multiple through-holes  212  and multiple inflow guides  213  defined therein. the air may be introduced into the lint filter  200  by the through-holes  212  and the inflow guides  213 . 
     In one example, the through-holes  212  and the inflow guides  213  may be formed in a grid shape of a relatively small size in order to prevent the object to be dried inside the drum  130  from being introduced thereinto. 
     The air is introduced into such lint filter  200  through the inlet  211  defined at the top of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 , and the lint contained in the air is collected while the air is passing through the filter  219  formed beneath the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 . 
     In addition, when the lint is collected inside the lint filter  200 , top surfaces of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  may be opened and the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  may be pivoted around the hinge  230 , so that the line collected inside the lint filter  200  may be removed. 
     In one example, as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 6 , a condensed water connection portion  215  to which the second branch flow path  157   a  of the condensed water collector  154  is connected is formed at an upper portion of an external surface on each of both sides of each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 , and a condensed water flowing step  16  is formed at an upper portion of an inner surface or each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  such that the condensed water is introduced into the condensed water connection portion  215  and flows. 
     In this connection, the condensed water flowing step  16  may be formed in a curved shape with a concave central portion such that the condensed water introduced from both sides of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  flows down to a central portion inside the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  along the inner surfaces of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 . 
     In addition, at a longitudinal end of the condensed water flowing step  16  of each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 , multiple condensed water distribution protrusions  217  spaced apart from each other at a predetermined spacing are formed such that the condensed water flowing along the condensed water flowing step  16  may flow evenly from the inner surface of each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  to the filter  219 . 
     Therefore, while flowing down to the central portion of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  along the curved shape of the condensed water flowing step  16 , the condensed water introduced along the condensed water flowing step  16  of each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  may flow down to a front surface of the filter  219  by flowing down to a space between the condensed water distribution protrusions  217  formed on each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220 . 
     In the lint filter  200  according to the present disclosure as described above, when the condensed water is supplied through the condensed water connection portion  215  disposed on each of the first housing  210  and the second housing  220  of the lint filter  200 , the supplied condensed water flows along the condensed water flowing step  16 . 
     In one example, the condensed water flowing along the condensed water flowing step  16  is discharged through the space between the multiple condensed water distribution protrusions  217  formed on the condensed water flowing step  16  and flows evenly toward the filter  219 , and the condensed water flowing down to the filter  219  flows down to a lower portion of the lint filter  200  along a surface of the filter  219  along with the lint while wetting the lint collected in the filter  219 . 
     In this connection, the condensed water flowing down with the lint to the lower portion of the lint filter  200  is drained through the filter  219  at the lower portion of the lint filter  200 , and the lint moved with the condensed water remains at the lower portion of the filter  200 . 
     Accordingly, as the lint of the filter  219  of the lint filter  200  is removed and moved downward, the flow path of the air passing through the filter  219  may be secured. 
     According to the present disclosure as described above, it is possible to secure the air flow path of the lint filter  200  by supplying the condensed water to the lint filter  200  that filters the lint contained in the air to remove the lint collected in the filter  219  and collecting the removed lint at the lower portion of the lint filter  200 . 
     As described above, although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail, a person with ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs will be able to implement the present disclosure in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure defined in the appended claims. Therefore, future changes in the embodiments of the present disclosure will not be able to deviate from the description of the present disclosure. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     Included in the detailed description of the present disclosure.