Patent ID: 12188173

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A configuration of an apparatus or a control method thereof, which will be described below, is intended to describe the embodiment of the present disclosure but is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

As shown inFIG.1, a laundry treating apparatus100of the present disclosure comprises a cabinet1forming an external appearance, and a first chamber111provided inside the cabinet, providing a space in which laundry is accommodated. As shown inFIG.2, a second chamber112forming a space spaced apart from the first chamber, positioned below the first chamber is provided inside the cabinet. Supply modules4and5for supplying at least one of water and the air to the first chamber111is provided inside the second chamber112.FIGS.2and3illustrate that the supply modules4and5are provided as an air supply module4for supplying the air to the first chamber111and a water supply module5for supplying water to the first chamber, as an example.

As shown inFIG.2, the cabinet1may be provided to include a cabinet body11provided with an inlet13on a front surface. In this case, the first chamber111is fixed to the cabinet body11and communicated with the inlet13, and the first chamber111and the second chamber112may be partitioned from each other by a first partition15for partitioning an inner space of the cabinet body11into an upper space and a lower space.

The cabinet body11may be provided with a tank seating portion114positioned below the first chamber111and in front of the second chamber112. The tank seating portion114may be partitioned from the first chamber111by the first partition15, and may be provided to form a space partitioned from the second chamber112through a second partition17.

The first partition15is provided with a first communication hole151and a second communication hole152, which communicate the first chamber111with the second chamber112.

The air supply module4may be provided to include a circulating duct41provided in the second chamber112, a heat exchanger43for executing dehumidification and heating of the air entering the circulating duct, and a water collecting module47for discharging condensed water generated from the heat exchanger43to the outside of the second chamber112.

The circulating duct may be provided to include an intake duct411connected to the first communication hole151, an exhaust duct412connected to the second communication hole152, and a connection duct414connecting the intake duct with the exhaust duct.

The circulating duct is provided with a fan45for allowing the air of the first chamber111to move to the intake duct, the connection duct and the exhaust duct in due order, andFIG.2illustrates that the fan45is provided in the connection duct414as an example.

The heat exchanger43may be provided in any device as far as it may dehumidify the air entering the intake duct411and heat the dehumidified air, andFIG.2illustrates that the heat exchanger43is provided as a heat pump as an example.

That is, the heat exchanger43ofFIG.2may be provided to include a refrigerant pipe438forming a circulating path of a refrigerant, a first heat exchanger431fixed to the refrigerant pipe and positioned inside the connection duct414, a second heat exchanger432fixed to the refrigerant pipe and positioned between the first heat exchanger431and the fan45, a compressor434circulating the refrigerant between the two heat exchangers431and432along the refrigerant pipe, and a pressure controller436for controlling a pressure of the refrigerant pipe. The compressor434and the pressure controller436may be positioned outside the circulating duct41.

The first heat exchanger431may be provided as an evaporator for cooling the air by transferring heat of the air entering the intake duct411to the refrigerant, and evaporating the refrigerant. In this case, water contained in the air will be collected in a bottom surface of the connection duct414by moving along a surface of the first heat exchanger431.

The second heat exchanger432may be provided as a condenser for heating the air and condensing the refrigerant by transferring heat of the refrigerant passing through the compressor434to the air passing through the first heat exchanger.

The water collecting module47may be provided to include a water collecting tank471provided in the tank seating portion114, providing a space in which water is stored, a water collecting tank through hole provided to pass through the water collecting tank471, a first discharge pipe478ainserted into the water collecting tank through hole, a second discharge pipe478bdischarging the condensed water discharged from the first heat exchanger431to the outside of the circulating duct, and a discharge pump478moving the condensed water discharged to the second discharge pipe478bto the first discharge pipe478a.

The water collecting tank471may detachably be provided in the tank seating portion114. In this case, a check valve476may be provided in the water collecting tank through hole. The check valve476is provided to allow the first discharge pipe478ato be inserted into the water collecting tank through hole and prevent the water inside the water collecting tank from being discharged through the water collecting tank through hole. Therefore, if the water collecting tank471is fixed to the tank seating portion114, a controller115may move the condensed water inside the circulating duct to the water collecting tank471through the discharge pump478.

A drainage hole472for discharging the condensed water stored in the water collecting tank471is provided on one surface of the water collecting tank471, andFIG.2illustrates that the drainage hole472is provided on an upper surface of the water collecting tank as an example. The drainage hole472may be opened or closed by a cover474detachably provided in the water collecting tank.

The water supply module5provided in the present disclosure may be provided to supply heated steam to the first chamber, or may be provided to supply steam (mist, etc.), which is not heated, to the first chamber.FIG.3illustrates that the water supply module5is provided to supply steam generated by heating water to the first chamber as an example.

That is, the water supply module5may be provided with a steam generator51provided in the second chamber112, generating steam, a spray module53discharging steam generated from the steam generator to the first chamber111, and a water supply module55supplying water to the steam generator.

The steam generator51may include a storage module511provided inside the second chamber112, providing a space in which water is stored, and a heater512provided to heat water inside the storage module511. The storage module511is provided with a water supply hole511athrough which water enters, and a steam discharge hole511bdischarging steam inside the storage module511.

The spray module53may be provided as a spray body fixed to a third communication hole154(seeFIG.1) provided to pass through the first partition15. In this case, the spray body may be connected to the steam discharge hole511bthrough a connection pipe532, and the steam inside the spray body may move to the first chamber111through a spray hole531passing through an upper surface of the spray body.

The water supply module55may be provided to include a supply tank551provided in the tank seating portion114, and a supply pump558supplying water stored in the supply tank551to the storage module511.

The supply tank551may detachably be provided in the tank seating portion114. In this case, the supply tank551is provided with a supply tank through hole provided to pass through the supply tank and a check valve556opening or closing the supply tank through hole, and the water supply module55may be provided to include a first supply pipe558ainserted into the supply tank through hole by passing through the second partition17, and a second supply pipe558bconnected to the water supply hole511a. In this case, the water entering the first supply pipe558awill be moved to the second supply pipe558bthrough the supply pump558.

The check valve556is provided to open the supply tank through hole only if the first supply pipe558ais inserted into the supply tank through hole. Therefore, if the supply tank551is fixed to the tank seating portion114, the controller115will supply water to the storage module511through the supply pump558.

A water supply hole552is provided on one surface of the supply tank551, andFIG.3illustrates that the water supply hole552is provided on the upper surface of the supply tank as an example. The water supply hole552may be opened or closed by a cover554detachably provided in the supply tank.

The controller115provided to control the air supply module4and the water supply module5may be provided in the second chamber112.

As shown inFIG.1, the laundry treating apparatus100of the present disclosure is provided with a support module6for fixing laundry into the first chamber111in a state that the laundry is unfolded. The support module6may be provided to include a support bar65for detachably supporting a hook H1of a hanger H, and first and second connection modules61and63for fixing both ends of the support bar65to the cabinet body11.

The first connection module61may be provided to connect the upper surface of the first chamber111with one end of the support bar65, and the second connection module63may be provided to connect the upper surface of the first chamber111with the other end of the support bar65. The support bar65may be provided with a hanger groove651in which the hanger hook H1is accommodated.

The support module6may further include a driving module67for allowing the support bar67to move along a width direction (X-axis direction) of the first chamber111.

The inlet13and the tank seating portion114may be provided to be opened or closed by a door2. That is, the door2is provided in a shape capable of closing both the inlet13and the tank seating portion114, and may rotatably be fixed to the cabinet body11through a first hinge213and a second hinge214.

As shown inFIG.4, the door2may include a first body21fixed to the cabinet body11through the first hinge213and the second hinge214, and a second body23fixed to the first body21, forming a front surface of the cabinet1.

A first groove211and a second groove212are provided at both sides of the first body21. The first groove211may be formed as a left side of the first body21is bent to be concave, and the second groove212may be formed as a right side of the first body21is bent to be concave.

If the first hinge213and the second hinge214are provided at a right side of the first door21(case ofFIG.4), a user may use the first groove211as a handle. Unlike this case, if the first hinge213and the second hinge214are provided at a left side of the first door21, the user may use the second groove212as a handle.

The first body21is provided with a control panel seating groove (third seating groove) to which the control panel3is fixed. The third seating groove215may be provided as a groove formed as a surface of the first body21is bent to be concave.

The control panel3may be provided with a display module31on which a control command is displayed, and input modules32,34and36to which the control command is input from a user. The input modules may be provided to include a first input module32to which a control command to supply a power to the controller115and the supply modules4and5is input, a second input module34to which a selection command of a course (treating stroke) provided in the laundry treating apparatus, and a third input module36to which a start command or a stop command of the selected course is input. The second body23may be provided with a transparent area231for exposing the display module31and the input modules32,34and36to the outside of the door2.

The door2is provided with a voice recognition module7for recognizing a voice generated by a user and transmitting a control command corresponding to the recognized voice to the controller115. The voice recognition module7may be fixed to the door2and provided to form any one of an upper surface of the door, a left side of the door, a right side of the door and a lower surface of the door.FIG.4illustrates that the voice recognition module7is provided to form the upper surface of the door as an example.

As shown inFIG.5, the voice recognition module7may include a seating body71forming the upper surface of the door2, a chamber forming module72forming an accommodating chamber721protruded from the seating body71, a microphone725fixed to the seating body71and positioned inside the accommodating chamber721to convert a user's voice into an electrical signal, and a communication hole722communicated with the accommodating chamber721by passing through the chamber forming module72. The communication hole722may be provided as two or more holes passing through the chamber forming module72.

As shown inFIG.4, a recognition module seating groove216(first seating groove) to which the seating body71is fixed may be provided on the upper surface of the first body21. The first seating groove216may be provided as a groove formed as the upper surface of the first body21is bent to be concave. In this case, the accommodating chamber721and the communication hole722should be provided to be positioned outside the first seating groove216. This is to allow a user's voice to be easily transferred to the microphone725.

As shown inFIG.5, a fastening rib711for fixing the seating body71to the first seating groove216is provide at both ends of the seating body71. The fastening rib711may be provided at both ends of the seating body71, wherein the both ends face each other, and a fastening hole through which a fastening member such as bolt passes may be provided in the fastening rib711.

Meanwhile, a printed circuit board (PCB) accommodating groove712for providing a space in which a PCB723is seated is provided on a lower surface of the seating body71. The PCB accommodating groove712may be provided as a groove formed as a lower surface of the seating body71is bent to be concave toward an upper surface on which the accommodating chamber721is positioned. The PCB accommodating groove712is communicated with the accommodating chamber721and provided to be positioned below the accommodating chamber721. Therefore, if the PCB723is fixed to the PCB accommodating groove712, the microphone725fixed to the PCB723may be positioned in the accommodating chamber721.

The voice recognition module7further includes an analyzer73fixed to the first body21, converting a voice transmitted from the microphone725into text or code and transmitting the converted text or code to the controller115. For fixture of the analyzer73, the first body21may further be provided with a second seating groove217. The second seating groove217may be provided as a grove formed as the surface of the first body21is bent to be concave, and may be positioned above the third seating groove215.

The laundry treating apparatus of the present disclosure may further comprise a sound generator81provided between the first body21and the second body23, generating a sound signal. The sound generator81is a means for generating a sound signal indicating the time when the microphone725starts recording, andFIG.4illustrates that the sound generator81is provided in the second seating groove217as an example.

If the analyzer73fails to convert the user's voice into text or code, the sound generator81may be provided to generate a sound signal indicating that voice recognition has been failed. Moreover, the sound generator81may be provided to generate a sound signal indicating that voice recognition has been successfully performed when the analyzer73completely converts the user's voice into text or code.

The second body23may be fixed to the front surface of the first body21through tapes251and253provided along an edge of the first body21. In this case, the tapes251and253are preferably provided to include tape through holes252and254for communicating a space formed between the first body21and the second body23with the outside of the door2. This is to allow the sound signal generated from the sound generator81to be transferred to the outside of the door2.

The tapes may be provided with first and second tapes251and253respectively provided at left and right edges of a surface headed for the second body23in the space provided by the first body21. In this case, the tape through holes are provided with a first tape through hole252provided to pass through the first tape251and a second tape through hole254provided to pass through the second tape253, and the sound generator81is preferably positioned between the first tape through hole252and the second tape through hole254.

The second seating groove217may further be provided with an alarm module83. The alarm module83is a means for generating a sound signal when a control command is input through the input modules32,34and36or when an error occurs while the selected control command is being executed. The alarm module83is preferably positioned between the first tape through hole252and the second tape through hole254.

The control panel3, the voice recognition module7, the sound generator81and the alarm module83are connected to the controller115through wires91and93. The wires are provide with a door wire91provided in the door2, and a controller wire93connected to the controller115. A first fastening module917is provided at a free end of the door wire91, and a second fastening module931detachably coupled to the first fastening module917is provided at a free end of the controller wire93.

The door wire91is comprised of a panel wire911provided in the control panel3, a recognition module wire912provided in the PCB723, a generator wire914provided in the sound generator81, and an alarm wire915provided in the alarm module83.

In order to prevent the wires91and93as well as the second seating groove217from being exposed to the outside of the door2through the second body23, an area except the transparent area231in the second body23is preferably provided as an opaque area.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present specification can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the specification. Thus, the above embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the specification should be determined by reasonable interpretation of the appended claims and all change which comes within the equivalent scope of the specification are included in the scope of the specification.