Patent Description:
The present invention relates to a laundry treatment apparatus.

In general, a laundry treatment apparatus, being an apparatus for performing various operations associated with clothing, conceptually includes washing machines for washing clothes, dryers for drying wet clothes, and refreshers for removal of odor and wrinkles from the clothes.

One such conventional laundry treatment apparatus is designed to include a drum defining a space for receiving laundry therein, a drive unit configured to rotate the drum, and a supply unit configured to supply steam or hot air to the drum. However, because the above-mentioned laundry treatment apparatus is designed to supply steam or hot air to laundry during rotation of the drum (because the laundry in the drum is not in the state of being smoothed flat), there is a problem in which wrinkles remain in the laundry.

In order to solve the above problem, among conventional laundry treatment apparatuses, there is a laundry treatment apparatus which is designed to include a cabinet, a first chamber provided in the cabinet so as to define a space for receiving laundry therein, a second chamber provided in the cabinet so as to define a space isolated from the first chamber, a supply unit provided in the second chamber so as to supply steam or hot air to the first chamber, a support body provided in the first chamber so as to suspend the laundry in the first chamber, and a drive unit configured to move the support body in the first chamber (<CIT>).

The above conventional laundry treatment apparatus having the above-described structure is capable of solving the conventional problem (in which wrinkles remains in laundry) by agitating laundry that is in the state of being spread in the first chamber. However, the conventional laundry treatment apparatus exhibits a disadvantage in that there is the possibility of generation of vibration and noise due to the movement of the support body.

<CIT> relates to a structure for vibrating clothes in a clothes treatment apparatus.

<CIT> relates to a shaker assembly for a clothes drying cabinet.

An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus capable of removing wrinkles from objects to be dried, such as laundry.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus capable of minimizing vibration and noise.

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a laundry treatment apparatus including a drying chamber defining a space configured to receive laundry therein, a supply unit configured to supply at least one of air or moisture to the drying chamber, a support unit including a support body disposed in the drying chamber, a hanger being hung on the support body, a first connecting body connecting one end of the support body to an upper surface of the drying chamber, and a second connecting body connecting a remaining end of the support body to the upper surface of the drying chamber, a rotating shaft extending through the upper surface of the drying chamber, a rotating arm fixed to one end of the rotating shaft and configured to be rotated in the drying chamber, a conversion unit provided at the support body and configured to convert the rotational movement of the rotating arm into reciprocating movement of the support body, a disc-shaped driven unit fixed to a remaining end of the rotating shaft and positioned outside the drying chamber, a drive unit configured to provide force required for rotation of the driven unit, and a weight fixed to the driven unit and positioned in a direction opposite the direction in which the rotating arm extends from the rotating shaft.

The weight may include a mass body, which causes a region of the driven unit positioned in a direction opposite a direction in which the rotating arm extends to be heavier than a region of the driven unit positioned in the direction in which the rotating arm extends.

The weight may include a semicircular mass body or a sectorial mass body fixed to one of upper and lower surfaces of the driven unit.

The weight may include a mass body fixed on a circumferential surface of the driven unit.

The conversion unit includes a slot member fixed to the support body below the rotating arm and an engaging member fixed at one end thereof to the rotating arm and having a remaining end thereof inserted into the slot member, the slot member being formed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the support body moves.

The slot member has a length set to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the rotational orbit of the engaging member.

The drive unit may include a drive gear configured to be rotated by a motor, and the driven unit may include a driven gear configured to be rotated by the drive gear.

When an upper surface of the driven gear is divided into a first gear region, positioned in the direction in which the rotating arm extends, and a second gear region, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the rotating arm extends, based on a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven gear, the weight may be provided in the second gear region.

When a circumferential surface of the driven gear is divided into a first gear circumferential surface region, positioned in the direction in which the rotating arm extends, and a second gear circumferential surface region, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the rotating arm extends, based on a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven gear, the weight may be provided in the second gear circumferential surface region.

The drive unit may include a drive pulley configured to be rotated by a motor, and the driven unit includes a driven pulley connected to the drive pulley via a belt.

When an upper surface of the driven pulley is divided into a first pulley region, positioned in the direction in which the rotating arm extends, and a second pulley region, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the rotating arm extends, based on a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven pulley, the weight may be provided in the second pulley region.

When a circumferential surface of the driven pulley is divided into a first pulley circumferential surface region, positioned in the direction in which the rotating arm extends, and a second pulley circumferential surface region, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the rotating arm extends, based on a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven pulley, the weight may be provided in the second pulley circumferential surface region.

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Meanwhile, elements or control method of apparatuses which will be described below are only intended to describe the embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to restrict the scope of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the laundry treatment apparatus <NUM> according to the present disclosure may include a cabinet <NUM>, a drying chamber <NUM> defined in the cabinet <NUM> so as to provide a space for accommodating objects to be dried, such as laundry, therein, and a hanger support <NUM> provided in the drying chamber <NUM> so as to maintain the laundry in the spread-out state in the drying chamber <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the laundry treatment apparatus <NUM> may include a first chamber (a machine compartment) <NUM> positioned below the drying chamber <NUM> and a second chamber <NUM> positioned above the drying chamber <NUM>.

The first chamber <NUM> and the second chamber <NUM> may be provided inside the cabinet <NUM>, or may alternatively be provided outside the cabinet <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates an embodiment in which the first chamber <NUM> is provided below the drying chamber <NUM> inside the cabinet <NUM> and the second chamber <NUM> is provided above the drying chamber <NUM> inside the cabinet <NUM>. Each of the first chamber <NUM> and the second chamber <NUM> may be configured so as to define a closed space or a space having at least one surface thereof exposed to the outside.

One surface (the front surface) <NUM> of the cabinet <NUM> may be provided with a first communication opening <NUM> communicating with the drying chamber <NUM> and a second communication opening <NUM> (see <FIG>) communicating with the first chamber <NUM>. The front surface may be provided with a door <NUM>, and the door <NUM> may be configured so as to open and close both the first communication opening <NUM> and the second communication opening <NUM>.

The door <NUM> may be provided with a control panel <NUM>. The control panel <NUM> may include an input unit, to which control commands required for operation of the laundry treatment apparatus <NUM> are input, and a display unit configured to display the state of execution of control commands capable of being selected by a user and control commands actually selected by a user.

The first chamber <NUM> may be provided with supply units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, which are configured to supply at least one of air or moisture (steam, mist or the like) to the drying chamber <NUM>. The second communication opening <NUM> may be provided with a cover (the door of the machine compartment) <NUM> so as to prevent the supply units from being exposed to the outside (that is, to prevent accidents) when the door <NUM> is rotated so as to open the first communication opening <NUM>. The cover <NUM> may be removably coupled to the cabinet <NUM>, and may be configured to have any shape or structure capable of opening and closing the second communication opening <NUM>.

The drying chamber <NUM> may include a chamber front surface <NUM> having an introduction opening <NUM>, a chamber upper surface <NUM> fixed to the upper end of the chamber front surface and defining the upper surface of the drying chamber <NUM>, a chamber bottom surface <NUM> fixed to the lower end of the chamber front surface and defining the bottom surface of the drying chamber <NUM>, and a chamber rear surface <NUM> connecting the chamber upper surface to the chamber bottom surface and defining the rear surface of the drying chamber <NUM>.

The introduction opening <NUM> may be configured so as to communicate with the first communication opening <NUM>. Because the introduction opening <NUM> is exposed to the outside of the cabinet <NUM> when the door <NUM> is rotated so as to open the first communication opening <NUM>, it is possible for a user to put laundry into the drying chamber <NUM> through the introduction opening <NUM> or to take laundry out of the drying chamber <NUM>.

The chamber bottom surface <NUM> may serve as a wall (a partition wall) for isolating the drying chamber <NUM> from the first chamber <NUM>. The chamber bottom surface <NUM> may be provided with a discharge hole <NUM>, which allows the drying chamber <NUM> to communicate with the first chamber <NUM>, an air supply hole <NUM>, and a moisture supply hole <NUM>.

The discharge hole <NUM> may be a through hole, through which the air inside the drying chamber <NUM> is guided to the first chamber <NUM>, and the air supply hole <NUM> and the moisture supply hole <NUM> may be through holes, through which the air and moisture supplied from the supply units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> is guided to the drying chamber <NUM>.

The supply units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> may include at least one of the air supply unit <NUM> or the moisture supply unit <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates an embodiment in which the supply units include both the air supply unit <NUM> and the moisture supply unit <NUM>.

The air supply unit <NUM>, which is intended to supply air to the drying chamber <NUM>, may include a duct <NUM> connecting the discharge hole <NUM> with the air supply hole <NUM> and a fan <NUM> provided in the duct <NUM>.

When the air supply unit <NUM> is configured to supply heated air to the drying chamber <NUM>, the duct <NUM> may further be provided therein with a heat exchange unit <NUM>.

The heat exchange unit <NUM> may include a first heat exchanger (an evaporator) <NUM> configured to absorb heat from the air introduced into the duct <NUM> and to condense the air and a second heat exchanger (a condenser) <NUM> configured to supply heat to the air that has passed through the first heat exchanger <NUM> to thus heat the air. The first heat exchanger <NUM> and the second heat exchanger <NUM> may be connected to each other via a refrigerant pipe <NUM> constituting a circulation path for refrigerant. The refrigerant pipe <NUM> may be provided with a compressor <NUM> configured to compress the refrigerant and a pressure regulator <NUM> configured to regulate the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant pipe <NUM>.

The moisture supply unit <NUM> may include a storage <NUM> configured to store water therein, a heater <NUM> provided in the storage <NUM> so as to heat the water, and a supply pipe <NUM> configured to guide the steam in the storage <NUM> to the moisture supply hole <NUM>. The heater <NUM> may be constituted by an electric resistor, which generates heat upon supply of power thereto.

The storage <NUM> may receive water from a water supply unit <NUM> provided at the cover <NUM>. The water supply unit <NUM> may include a tank <NUM>, which is removably coupled to the cover <NUM> and stores water therein, a connecting pipe <NUM> connecting the tank <NUM> to the storage <NUM>, and a valve <NUM> configured to control opening and closing of the connecting pipe <NUM>.

The hanger support <NUM> maintains laundry in the spread-out state in the drying chamber <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the hanger support <NUM> may include a support body <NUM>, which is positioned in the drying chamber <NUM> and on which a hanger H1 is hung, and a drive unit D, configured to supply power required to move the support body <NUM> in the drying chamber <NUM>.

The support body <NUM> may be constituted by a bar parallel to the width direction (the Y-axis direction) of the drying chamber <NUM>. The upper surface of the support body <NUM> (which is the surface of the support body <NUM> that faces the chamber upper surface) may be provided with a plurality of reception grooves <NUM>, in which hooks H2 of hangers are received.

The support body <NUM> may be connected at one end thereof to the chamber upper surface <NUM> via a first connecting body <NUM> and at the other end thereof to the chamber upper surface <NUM> via a second connecting body <NUM>. In order to minimize a limitation on movement of the support body <NUM> due to the first and second connecting bodies <NUM> and <NUM> (in order to minimize the amount of power consumed by the drive unit), each of the first connecting body <NUM> and the second connecting body <NUM> is preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber.

The first connecting body <NUM> and the second connecting body <NUM> may be directly fixed to the chamber upper surface <NUM>, or may be fixed to a fixing member <NUM> provided in the second chamber <NUM>. When the first and second connecting bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are fixed to the fixing member <NUM> rather than being directly fixed to the chamber upper surface <NUM>, it is possible to reduce transmission of vibration to the drying chamber <NUM> during movement of the support body <NUM> (reciprocating movement of the support body <NUM> in a direction parallel to the Y-axis direction).

When the first and second connecting bodies <NUM> and <NUM> are fixed to the fixing member <NUM>, the chamber upper surface <NUM> may be provided with a first through hole <NUM>, through which the first connecting body <NUM> extends, and a second through hole <NUM>, through which the second connecting body <NUM> extends. In order to prevent the air or moisture, supplied to the drying chamber <NUM>, from being discharged to the second chamber <NUM>, each of the through holes <NUM> and <NUM> is preferably provided with a gasket. The gasket may be configured so as to have any of various shapes and structures, as long as the gasket is capable of closing the through hole.

The support body <NUM> may be moved in a reciprocating manner in the drying chamber <NUM> by means of the drive unit D. The term "reciprocating movement" used herein conceptually includes not only linear movement in which the support body <NUM> reciprocates in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction but also circular movement of the support body <NUM> in the X-Y plane.

The drive unit D may include a main drive unit <NUM> including a motor <NUM>, a driven unit <NUM> including a rotating shaft <NUM>, which is rotated by the power supplied from the main drive unit <NUM>, and a conversion unit <NUM> configured to convert the rotational movement of the rotating shaft <NUM> into the reciprocating movement of the support body <NUM>.

The motor <NUM> of the main drive unit <NUM> may be fixed to the fixing member <NUM> so as to be positioned in the second chamber <NUM>. A drive pulley <NUM> may be fixed to a rotating shaft (motor shaft) <NUM> of the motor <NUM>.

The rotating shaft <NUM> of the driven unit <NUM> may extend through the fixing member <NUM> and the chamber upper surface <NUM>. Specifically, the fixing member <NUM> may have formed therein a first fixing member through hole <NUM> through which the rotating shaft <NUM> extends, and the chamber upper surface <NUM> may have formed therein an upper surface through hole. The rotating shaft <NUM> may be inserted into the fist fixing member through hole <NUM> and the upper surface through hole such that one end of the rotating shaft <NUM> is positioned in the drying chamber <NUM> and the other end of the rotating shaft <NUM> is positioned in the second chamber <NUM>.

The driven unit <NUM> may include a driven pulley <NUM> and an arm <NUM>, which are fixed to the two ends of the rotating shaft <NUM>. The driven pulley <NUM> may be fixed to the end of the rotating shaft <NUM> that is positioned in the second chamber <NUM>, and the arm <NUM> may be fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft <NUM>, which is positioned in the drying chamber <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the arm <NUM> may be constituted by a bar which is fixed at one end (a fixed end) thereof to the rotating shaft <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the drive pulley <NUM> and the driven pulley <NUM> may be connected to each other via a belt <NUM>. Consequently, as illustrated in <FIG>, the free end of the arm <NUM>, which is fixed to the other end of the rotating shaft <NUM>, may be rotated in the drying chamber <NUM> during rotation of the rotating shaft <NUM>.

Unlike the embodiment shown in the drawings, the drive pulley <NUM> may be replaced with a drive gear, and the driven pulley <NUM> may be replaced with a driven gear. In this case, the drive gear and the driven gear may be engaged with each other (the structure eliminates the need for a belt).

The conversion unit <NUM> may include a slot member <NUM>, which is fixed to the support body <NUM> and is positioned below the arm <NUM> and an engaging member <NUM> which is fixed at one end thereof to the arm <NUM> and is inserted at the other end (the free end) thereof into the slot member <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the slot member <NUM> may be formed in a direction (the X-axis direction) perpendicular to the support body <NUM>. Here, the movement of the support body <NUM> may be determined by the length L of the slot member <NUM> and the diameter of the rotational orbit T, which is defined by rotation of the engaging member <NUM>.

In other words, when the length L of the slot member <NUM> is set to be equal to or greater than the rotational orbit T of the engaging member <NUM>, the support body <NUM> may be linearly reciprocated in the width direction (the Y-axis direction) of the drying chamber <NUM>. When the engaging member <NUM> is moved along the rotational orbit T, the slot member <NUM> may be subjected to the force F resulting from the force component A perpendicular to the slot member <NUM> and the force component B parallel to the slot member <NUM>. Here, when the length L of the slot member <NUM> is set to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the rotational orbit T, the support body <NUM> may be moved using only the force component A perpendicular to the slot member <NUM>, and may thus be linearly reciprocated in the Y-axis direction, as illustrated in <FIG>.

Meanwhile, when the length L of the slot member <NUM> is set to be less than the diameter of the rotational orbit T of the engaging member <NUM>, the support body <NUM> may reciprocate along an elliptical orbit in the X-Y plane during rotation of the arm <NUM>.

Unlike the embodiment shown in the drawings, the slot member <NUM> may be formed in a direction (the Y-axis direction) parallel to the support body <NUM>. In this case, when the length L of the slot member <NUM> is set to be equal to or greater than the diameter of the rotational orbit T of the engaging member <NUM>, the support body <NUM> may be linearly reciprocated in the depth direction (the X-axis direction) of the drying chamber <NUM> during rotation of the arm <NUM> (it is preferable that the positions of the connecting bodies and the through holes be changed). Meanwhile, when the length L of the slot member <NUM> is set to be less than the diameter of the rotational orbit T of the engaging unit <NUM>, the support body <NUM> may be reciprocated along an elliptical orbit in the X-Y plane during rotation of the arm <NUM>.

Because the laundry treatment apparatus <NUM>, which is constructed as described above, shakes the support body <NUM> during rotation of the rotating shaft <NUM>, it is possible to remove odorous particles and dust from the laundry received in the drying chamber <NUM>. Furthermore, when the support body <NUM> is shaken while air or moisture is supplied from the supply units <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, it is also possible to convey an effect of removing wrinkles from the laundry.

However, a laundry treatment apparatus <NUM> having only the above-described structure may cause a problem in which vibration of the drying chamber <NUM> increases when the period of reciprocation of the support body <NUM> is shortened. Accordingly, in order to minimize vibration of the drying chamber <NUM> due to the movement of the support body <NUM>, the support body may further be provided with a vibration controller <NUM>, configured to suppress vibration caused by the support body <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the vibration controller <NUM> may be embodied as a weight fixed to the driven unit <NUM> so as to be positioned in the direction (the +Y-axis direction) opposite the direction (the -Y-axis direction) in which the arm <NUM> extends from the rotating shaft <NUM>.

The weight may be embodied as a mass body, which causes a region R2 of the driven pulley <NUM>, positioned in the direction (the +Y-axis direction) opposite the direction (the -Y-axis direction) in which the arm <NUM> extends, to be heavier than the opposite region R1 of the driven pulley <NUM>, positioned in the direction (the -Y-axis direction) in which the arm <NUM> extends.

Specifically, when the upper surface of the driven pulley <NUM> is divided into the first pulley region R1, positioned in the direction in which the arm <NUM> extends, and the second pulley region R2, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the arm <NUM> extends, based on a linear line that extends through the rotational axis <NUM> of the driven pulley <NUM>, the weight may be provided in the second pulley region R2.

When the vibration controller <NUM> is provided at the driven pulley <NUM>, vibration generated during reciprocating movement of the support body <NUM> counteracts vibration generated during rotation of the weight (counteraction that cancels some of the vibration caused by the support body occurs). Because the maximum amplitude of vibration of the support body <NUM> decreases when vibration of the support body <NUM> counteracts vibration due to the weight, the laundry treatment apparatus <NUM> equipped with the vibration controller <NUM> is capable of minimizing vibration of the drying chamber <NUM> and the cabinet <NUM>.

The weight may be embodied as a semicircular or sectorial mass body fixed to one of the upper and lower surfaces of the driven pulley <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates an embodiment in which the weight is embodied as a semicircular mass body fixed to the upper surface of the driven pulley <NUM>.

Unlike the embodiment shown in the drawings, the weight may be embodied as a mass body fixed to the circumferential surface of the driven pulley <NUM>. In this case, among the circumferential surfaces of the driven pulley <NUM> (a first pulley circumferential region and a second pulley circumferential region), the weight may be embodied as a mass body fixed to a region defined by the periphery of the second pulley region R2 (the second pulley circumferential region).

Also in the case in which the drive unit <NUM> includes a drive gear and the driven unit <NUM> includes a driven gear, the weight must be fixed in the second region. In other words, when the upper surface of the driven gear is divided into a first gear region, positioned in the direction in which the arm extends, and a second gear region, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the arm extends, based on a linear line that extends through the rotational axis of the driven gear, the weight must be fixed in the second gear region.

Furthermore, when the circumferential surface of the driven gear is divided into a first gear circumferential region, positioned in the direction in which the arm extends, and a second gear circumferential region, positioned in the direction opposite the direction in which the arm extends, based on a linear line that extends through the rotational axis of the driven gear, the weight may also be provided in the second gear circumferential region.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, the present disclosure provides a laundry treatment apparatus capable of removing wrinkles from objects to be dried, such as laundry.

Furthermore, the present disclosure provides a laundry treatment apparatus capable of minimizing vibration and noise.

Claim 1:
A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
a drying chamber (<NUM>) defining a space configured to receive laundry therein;
a supply unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to supply at least one of air or moisture to the drying chamber (<NUM>);
a support unit including a support body (<NUM>) disposed in the drying chamber (<NUM>), a hanger (H1) being hung on the support body (<NUM>), a first connecting body (<NUM>) connecting one end of the support body (<NUM>) to an upper surface of the drying chamber (<NUM>), and a second connecting body (<NUM>) connecting a remaining end of the support body (<NUM>) to the upper surface of the drying chamber (<NUM>);
a rotating shaft (<NUM>) extending through the upper surface of the drying chamber (<NUM>);
a rotating arm fixed to one end of the rotating shaft (<NUM>) and configured to be rotated in the drying chamber (<NUM>);
a conversion unit (<NUM>) provided at the support body (<NUM>) and configured to convert rotational movement of the rotating arm into reciprocating movement of the support body (<NUM>);
a disc-shaped driven unit (<NUM>) fixed to a remaining end of the rotating shaft (<NUM>) and positioned outside the drying chamber (<NUM>);
a drive unit (D) configured to provide force required for rotation of the driven unit (<NUM>);
a weight (<NUM>) fixed to the driven unit (<NUM>) and positioned in a direction opposite a direction in which the rotating arm extends from the rotating shaft (<NUM>);
characterized in that
the conversion unit (<NUM>) includes a slot member (<NUM>) fixed to the support body (<NUM>) below the rotating arm and an engaging member (<NUM>) fixed at one end thereof to the rotating arm and inserted at a remaining end thereof into the slot member, the slot member (<NUM>) being formed in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the support body (<NUM>) moves; and
wherein the slot member (<NUM>) has a length set to be equal to or greater than a diameter of a rotational orbit of the engaging member (<NUM>).