Laundry treating apparatus

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Application No. 10-2013-0083997 filed on Jul. 17, 2013, whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0002] 1. Field

[0003] This relates to a laundry treating apparatus.

[0004] 2. Background

[0005] A laundry treating apparatus may perform various operations such as, for example, washing, drying, deodorization, wrinkle removal, and the like related to laundry. Such a laundry treating apparatus may include a washer that washes laundry, a dryer that dries wet laundry, and a refresher that deodorizes laundry or removes wrinkles from the laundry.

[0011] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted herein that construction of an apparatus, which will hereinafter be described, and a control method of the apparatus are given only for illustrative purposes and embodiments are not limited thereto. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[0012] A laundry treating apparatus may be capable of washing, drying, and deodorizing laundry and removing wrinkles from the laundry, but may still utilize a drum to receive laundry and a driving device to rotate the drum, with deodorization of laundry or removal of wrinkles from the laundry performed during rotation of the drum. If the laundry is placed in the drum while it is still wrinkled/not straightened, deodorization of laundry and/or removal of wrinkles from the laundry may be adversely affected. Furthermore, such a laundry treating apparatus does not include a device which may form a crease in a laundry item, requiring further treatment by, for example, an iron, after completion of washing or drying.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, a laundry treating apparatus 100 as embodied and broadly described herein may include a cabinet 1, a laundry receiving device 3 provided in the cabinet 1, a supply device to supply at least one of air or moisture to the laundry receiving device 3, and a presser 9 provided in the laundry receiving device 3.

[0014] The laundry receiving device 3 forms a receiving space 31 defined in the cabinet 1 to receive laundry. The receiving space 31 may be opened and closed by a door 11 provided at the cabinet 1.

[0015] A laundry support device to support laundry items may be provided in the cabinet 1. The laundry support device may include a laundry support bar 51 (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘first laundry support bar’) provided in the receiving space 31 and a laundry support bar 53 (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘second laundry support bar’) provided at the door 11.

[0016] The first laundry support bar 51 may extend in a width direction of the receiving space 31 (a width direction of the door) or in a depth direction of the receiving space 31. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the first laundry support bar 51 extends in the width direction of the receiving space 31.

[0017] In this case, laundry may be supported by the first laundry support bar 51 via engagement with a hook H provided on a hanger 200 on which laundry items are received. Alternatively, the laundry may be directly supported by the first laundry support bar 51, without the hanger 200. In any case, the laundry items may be spread in the receiving space 31 for treatment.

[0018] The second laundry support bar 53 provided at the door 11 may also keep the laundry in a spread state by supporting the hook H of the hanger 200. Alternatively, the second laundry support bar 53 may extend in the width direction of the door 11 such that the laundry may be directly supported by the second laundry support bar 53 without the hanger 200.

[0019] A machinery compartment 7 may be provided in the cabinet 1, isolated from the receiving space 31. The supply device may be provided in the machinery compartment 7.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the machinery compartment 7 may be disposed under the receiving space 31, and may be opened and closed by a machinery compartment door 74. In a case in which air or moisture to be supplied to the receiving space 31 by the supply device is heated air or steam, the heated air or the steam may be uniformly supplied into the receiving space 31 without an additional blower. The supply device may include at least one of an air supply device 71 to supply air (heated air or unheated air) to the receiving space 31 and/or a moisture supply device 72 to supply moisture (steam or mist) to the receiving space 31.

[0021] Hereinafter, a description will be provided of a laundry treating apparatus 100, as embodied and broadly described herein, based on a case in which the supply device includes both the air supply device 71 and the moisture supply device 72 and the air supply device 71 supplies heated air to the receiving space 31 and the moisture supply unit 72 supplies steam to the receiving space 31, simply for convenience of description.

[0022] The air supply device 71 may include a circulation duct 711 to circulate air in the receiving space 31, a heat exchanger 713 to exchange heat with air flowing along the circulation duct 711, and a blower 715 to blow air along the circulation duct 711 and into the receiving space 31.

[0023] The circulation duct 711 communicates with the interior of the receiving space 31 through an air discharge port 35 and an air suction port 36 provided in the receiving space 31. The air discharge port 35 and the air suction port 36 may be formed through the bottom of the receiving space 31 such that the receiving space 31 may communicate with the machinery compartment 7 through the air discharge port 35 and the air suction port 36. In a case in which one end of the circulation duct 711 provided in the machinery compartment 7 is connected to the air suction port 36 and the other end of the circulation duct 711 is connected to the air discharge port 35, the circulation duct 711 may communicate with the interior of the receiving space 31.

[0024] The heat exchanger 713 may dehumidify and heat air introduced into the circulation duct 711. In FIGS. 3A-3B, a heat pump is provided as an example of the heat exchanger 713. In a case in which the heat exchanger 713 is a heat pump, the heat exchanger 713 may include an evaporator E provided in the circulation duct 711, a condenser C disposed inside the circulation duct 711, and a compressor P and an expansion device Ex disposed outside the circulation duct 711. The evaporator E, the compressor P, the condenser C, and the expansion device Ex may be connected to one another via a refrigerant pipe 714.

[0025] The compressor P may compress a refrigerant to a high pressure such that the refrigerant may be circulated along the refrigerant pipe 714. The evaporator E may absorb heat from air in the circulation duct 711 to evaporate the refrigerant. The condenser C may discharge heat to air in the circulation duct 711 to condense the refrigerant.

[0026] The blower 715 may be disposed in the circulation duct 711 to circulate air in the receiving space 31 through the circulation duct 711. The blower 715 may be disposed between the condenser C and the air discharge port 35.

[0027] When the blower 715 is driven, air in the circulation duct 711 moves into the receiving space 31 through the air discharge port 35 and air in the receiving space 31 moves into the circulation duct 711 through the air suction port 36. The air introduced into the circulation duct 711 through the air suction port 36 is cooled while passing though the evaporator E. The air having passed through the evaporator E is heated while passing through the condenser C.

[0028] When the air is cooled while passing through the evaporator E, moisture is removed from the air (dehumidification) and the moisture (condensed water) removed from the air remains on the surface of the evaporator E or in the circulation duct 711.

[0029] In a case in which the condensed water remains in the circulation duct 711, heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger 713 is lowered. For this reason, the laundry treating apparatus 100 may include a drainage device to remove the condensed water produced by the evaporator E.

[0030] The drainage device may include a drainage tank 745 detachably provided at the machinery compartment door 74 and a drainage pipe 747 and a drainage pump 749 to supply condensed water in the circulation duct 711 to the drainage tank 745.

[0031] The shape of the drainage tank 745 is not particularly restricted so long as the drainage tank 745 provides a space to store liquid. For example, the drainage tank 745 may include a drainage tank lid 7451 to discharge liquid stored in drainage tank 745 and an inlet port 7453 to which the drainage pipe 747 is detachably connected.

[0032] A check valve may be provided in the inlet port 7453 such that the drainage pipe 747 is separated from the inlet port 7453 when the machinery compartment door 74 opens the machinery compartment 7, and the drainage pipe 747 is inserted into the inlet port 7453 when the machinery compartment door 74 closes the machinery compartment 7. Water in the drainage tank 745 may also be prevented from leaking out of the drainage tank 745 when the drainage tank 745 is separated from the machinery compartment door 74.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2B, the moisture supply device 72 may include a storage device 721 provided in the machinery compartment 7, a heater 725 provided in the storage device 721, and a moisture supply pipe 727 to connect the storage device 721 to a moisture discharge port 37.

[0034] The storage device 721 may store water, the heater 725 may heat water stored in the storage device 721 to convert the water into steam, and the moisture supply pipe 727 may guide steam from the storage device 721 to the receiving space 31. Consequently, the heater 725 may be provided adjacent to the bottom of the storage device 721 and the moisture supply pipe 727 may be disposed at the top (or the uppermost end) of the storage device 721.

[0035] Water is supplied to the storage device 721 through a water supply device. The water supply device may include a water supply tank 743 detachably provided at the machinery compartment door 74.

[0036] The storage device 721 may also include a connection pipe 723, which is connected to the water supply tank 743 when the machinery compartment door 74 closes the machinery compartment 7 and is separated from the water supply tank 743 when the machinery compartment door 74 opens the machinery compartment 7.

[0037] The shape of the water supply tank 743 is not particularly restricted as long as the water supply tank 743 is capable of storing liquid. For example, the water supply tank 743 may include a water supply tank lid 7431 to supply liquid into the water supply tank 743, an outlet port 7433 into which the connection pipe 723 is inserted, and a check valve 7435 provided in the outlet port 7433.

[0038] The water supply tank 743 may be detachably provided at the machinery compartment door 74, taking into consideration a case in which the laundry treating apparatus 100 according to the current embodiment is installed remotely from a water supply source.

[0039] That is, in a case in which the laundry treating apparatus 100 is provided adjacent to the water supply source, the storage device 721 may receive water from the water supply source when necessary. On the other hand, in a case in which the laundry treating apparatus 100 is installed remotely from the water supply source, water cannot be directly supplied, so the water supply tank 743 may provide for a supply of water to the moisture supply device 72.

[0040] Rather than supplying heated water or steam into a drum during rotation of the drum to deodorize laundry or remove wrinkles from the laundry, the laundry treating apparatus 100 according to embodiments as broadly described herein supplies heated water or steam into the receiving space 31 while keeping laundry in a straight, spread out manner in the receiving space 31, thereby preventing the laundry from being wrinkled after the supply of steam or heated water is completed.

[0041] The presser 9 shown in FIG. 1 may fix a crease in laundry received in the receiving space using steam and heated water supplied to the receiving space 31.

[0042] The presser 9 may be provided at any position in the receiving space 31 as long as the steam and/or the heated water supplied into the receiving space 31 can be supplied to laundry. FIG. 1 shows a case in which the presser 9 is provided at the inner circumferential surface of the door 11 (the surface of the door forming one surface of the receiving space 31) by way of example.

[0043] The presser 9 may include a support device 91 provided at the inner circumferential surface of the door 11 to support laundry and a compression device 93 rotatably provided at the support device 91 or the door 11 to compress the laundry supported by the support device 91.

[0044] The compression device 93 may include a body 931 rotatably coupled the inner circumferential surface of the door 11 or the support device 91 and a mesh 937 provided at the body 931 to guide the steam or the heated water introduced into the receiving space 31 to the laundry supported by the support device 91.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a case in which the body 931 is coupled to the door 11 by a body hinge 933 provided at an inner peripheral surface of the door 11. An end of the body 931 opposite the hinged end may be detachably fixed to the inner surface of the door 11 by attaching and detaching device 971 and 973.

[0046] The attaching and detaching devices 971 and 973 may include a protrusion 971 provided at one of the door 11 or the body 931 and a receiving groove 973 provided at the other of the door 11 or the body 931 such that each protrusion 971 may be detachably coupled into a corresponding receiving groove 973.

[0047] The body 931 may include a body through hole 935 allowing the support device 91 communicate with the receiving space 31. The mesh 937 may be provided in the body through hole 935, which is formed through the body 931.

[0048] The support device 91 may include a support plate fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the door 11, received in a presser receiving groove 13 depressed in the inner surface of the door 11.

[0049] The support plate may include a first support plate 911 and a second support plate 913 spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance although in certain embodiments the support plate may be a single plate or board.

[0050] The support device 91 includes the first support plate 911 and the second support plate 913 such that a seam of a laundry item supported on this support device 91 may be positioned in a space S defined between the first support plate 911 and the second support plate 913 to prevent unnecessary wrinkles from being formed on the laundry due to the seam when the laundry is compressed toward the support device 91 by the compression device 93.

[0051] The first support plate 911 and the second support plate 913 may include through holes 917 formed through the respective support plates 911 and 913. The surfaces of the respective support plates 911 and 913 may be spaced apart from the surface of the presser receiving groove 13 by a predetermined distance. As a result, heated air or steam supplied through the mesh 937 may pass through the laundry supported by the respective support plates 911 and 913 and then be discharged into the receiving space 31.

[0052] The support device 91 may also include an elastic member 915 to fix the respective support plates 911 and 913 to the presser receiving groove 13 such that the laundry supported by the respective support plates 911 and 913 may come into tight contact with the body 931 of the compression device 93 in a state in which the respective support plates 911 and 913 are spaced apart from the surface of the presser receiving groove 13 by the predetermined distance.

[0053] In a case in which the support device 91 includes both the first support plate 911 and the second support plate 913, the elastic member 915 may include a first elastic body 9151 to connect the first support plate 911 to the presser receiving groove 13 and a second elastic body 9153 to connect the second support plate 913 to the presser receiving groove 13.

[0054] The shape of the elastic member 915 is not particularly restricted as long as the elastic member 915 is capable of performing this function. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the elastic member 915 have a board or plate shape, by way of example.

[0055] That is, the elastic member 915 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B may be a leaf spring formed by bending opposite ends of a metal plate toward the middle of the metal plate, by way of example. In this case, the middle of the leaf spring is fixed to the presser receiving groove 13 and the free ends of the leaf spring are fixed to the respective support plates 911 and 913.

[0056] Fixing grooves 919, into which the free ends of the leaf spring are inserted, may be further provided at the rear surfaces of the respective support plates 911 and 913 facing the presser receiving groove 13 such that the elastic member 915 may be easily coupled to the support plates 911 and 913.

[0057] The presser 9 having the above-described structure may be operated as shown in FIG. 4.

[0058] A user may fix a laundry item, such as trousers, having a crease preformed thereon, on a hanger and connect a hook of the hanger to the second laundry support bar 53 provided at the door 11 to position the laundry at the support device 91. The user may adjust the position of the laundry such that a sewing line SL, or seam, of the laundry is positioned in the space S defined between the first support plate 911 and the second support plate 913.

[0059] After the laundry is supported by the support device 91, the user rotates the body 931 of the compression device 93 toward the support unit 91 such that the protrusion(s) 971 provided at the door 11 are inserted into the receiving grooves 973 provided at the body 931 to fix the body 93 to the door 11.

[0060] In a case in which the laundry has a crease preformed thereon, the user may adjust the position of the laundry such that the crease may be compressed at interfaces between the body 931 and the respective support plates 911 and 913. In a case in which the user wishes to form a new crease on the laundry although the laundry has no crease preformed thereon, the user may position the laundry at the interfaces between the body 931 and the respective support plates 911 and 913 such that the crease can be formed at a desired position.

[0061] After the body 931 of the compression device 93 is fixed to the door 11 by the attaching and detaching device 971 and 973, the user closes the door 11 to close the receiving space 31 and then operates at least one of the air supply device 71 or the moisture supply device 72. Heated air or steam supplied into the receiving space 31 through the air supply device 71 or the moisture supply device 72 is supplied to the laundry through the mesh 937 provided at the compression device 93. The heated air or steam supplied to the laundry moves to the receiving space 31 via the presser receiving groove 13 through the through holes 917 provided at the respective support plates 911 and 913.

[0062] When the heated air or steam is supplied to the laundry fixed by the presser 9, wrinkles are removed from the laundry and the crease of the laundry positioned at an interface between the support device 91 and the compression device 93 may be set.

[0063] Consequently, a laundry treating apparatus 100, as embodied and broadly described herein, may form a crease on laundry as well as deodorize the laundry and remove wrinkles from the laundry.

[0064] In certain embodiments, the compression device 93 may further include a compression plate to more easily form the crease of the laundry positioned at the interface between the support device 91 and the compression device 93. The compression plate may include a first compression plate 938 and a second compression plate 939 fixed to the body 931 and extending in a longitudinal direction of the laundry. The edge of the first compression plate 938 may be, for example, parallel to that of the first support plate 911 and the edge of the second support plate 913 may be, for example, parallel to that of the second compression plate 939.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the presser 9 may also include a fixing device 95 rotatably provided at the door 11 to more easily fix the position of the laundry supported by the support device 91. The fixing device 95 may include a fixing plate 951 formed in the shape of a bar or a board and a fixing plate hinge 953 to rotatably fix the fixing plate 951 to the inner surface of the door 11. In a case in which the second laundry support bar 53 is provided above the support device 91, the fixing device 95 may be positioned under the support device 91.

[0066] FIG. 5A is a top view of a presser 9 provided in the laundry treating apparatus 100 according to another embodiment as broadly described herein. The presser 9 shown in FIG. 5A includes an elastic member provided at a compression device 93 is different from that of the elastic member provided at the presser shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0067] More specifically, the presser 9 according to this embodiment also includes a support device 91 provided in the presser receiving groove 13 and a compression device 93 rotatably provided at the door 11 to compress laundry toward the support device 91. The support device 91 includes a first support plate 911 and a second support plate 913 provided in the presser receiving groove 13, spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance S.

[0068] The compression device 93 may include a body 931 rotatably provided at the inner surface of the door 11, a body through hole 935 formed through the body 931, and a mesh 937 fixed in the body through hole 935.

[0069] The compression device 93 may also include a first compression plate 938 supported at the body 931 by a first elastic body 9151 and a second compression plate 939 supported at the body 931 by a second elastic body 9153. In this case, the first compression plate 938 and the second compression plate 939 may further include through holes 917 formed through the respective compression plates 938 and 939 such that steam or heated air supplied through the mesh 937 may flow to the support device 91.

[0070] A presser 9 shown in 5B has essentially the same basic structure as the presser 9 shown in FIG. 5A. However, in the presser 9 shown in FIG. 5B, a first compression plate 938 and a second compression plate 939 are connected to a body 931 via a link structure.

[0071] That is, the first compression plate 938 may be connected to the body 931 via a first link 9155 and the second compression plate 939 may be connected to the body 931 via a second link 9157.

[0072] In certain embodiments, elastic bodies, such as springs, may also be provided at interfaces between the respective links 9155 and 9157 and the respective compression plates 938 and 939, and at interfaces between the respective links 9155 and 9157 and the body 931, such that the respective links 9155 and 9157 may return to initial positions thereof when the body 931 is separated from a support device 91.

[0073] The respective compression plates 938 and 939 may be connected to the body 931 via the respective links 9155 and 9157 to prevent wrinkles from being formed on laundry due to the respective compression plates 938 and 939 when the body 931 is rotated toward the support device 91.

[0074] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 or 5A, the respective compression plates 938 and 939 may move in the width direction of the door 11 when the body 931 is coupled to the respective support plates 911 and 913. In a case in which the body 931 is coupled to the respective support plates 911 and 913, unnecessary wrinkles or creases may be formed on the laundry.

[0075] In the presser shown in FIG. 5B, on the other hand, the respective compression plates 938 and 939 only move toward the surface of the body 931 when the body 931 is coupled to the respective support plates 911 and 913. As a result, wrinkles or creases are prevented from being formed on the laundry due to respective compression plates 938 and 939. To this end, the respective links 9155 and 9157 may be provided between the respective compression plates 938 and 939 and the body 931, inclined at a predetermined angle to connect the respective compression plates 938 and 939 to the body 931.

[0076] A laundry treating apparatus is provided that is capable of easily drying, deodorizing, and sterilizing laundry and easily removing wrinkles from the laundry.

[0077] A laundry apparatus, as embodied and broadly described herein, may include a cabinet having a receiving space to receive laundry, a supply unit to supply at least one selected from between air and moisture into the receiving space, and a presser including a support unit provided in the receiving space to support the laundry and a compression unit to compress the laundry supported by the support unit to form a crease on the laundry.

[0078] The support unit may be fixed to an inner circumferential surface of the receiving space, and the compression unit may be rotatably provided at the inner circumferential surface of the receiving space.

[0079] The laundry treating apparatus may also include a door rotatably provided at the cabinet to open and close the receiving space, wherein the presser may be provided at an inner circumferential surface of the door facing the receiving space.

[0080] The support unit may be fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the door, and the compression unit may be rotatably fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the door.

[0081] The compression unit may include a body rotatably fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the door to compress the laundry support by the support unit, and a body through hole formed through the body.

[0082] The compression unit may also include a mesh provided in the body through hole.

[0083] The compression unit may also include a compression plate provided at the body to compress the crease of the laundry toward the support unit.

[0084] The compression plate may also include a first compression plate and a second compression plate fixed to the body while being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

[0085] The door may also include a presser receiving groove depressed in an inner circumferential portion thereof, and the support unit may include a support plate disposed in the presser receiving groove.

[0086] The support unit may also include an elastic member provided in the presser receiving groove to elastically support the support plate.

[0087] The support plate may include a first support plate disposed in the presser receiving groove to support the laundry in a longitudinal direction and a second support plate disposed in the presser receiving groove to support the laundry in the longitudinal direction, the second support plate being spaced apart from the first support plate by a predetermined distance, and the elastic member may include a first elastic body to support the first support plate and a second elastic body to support the second support plate.

[0088] The first support plate and the second support plate may also include through holes formed through the respective support plates, and the first support plate and the second support plate may be spaced apart from the presser receiving groove by a predetermined distance due to the first elastic body and the second elastic body.

[0089] The door may also include a laundry support bar to which one end of the laundry is fixed, and the presser may further include a fixing unit to fix the other end of the laundry supported by the laundry support bar to the door.

[0090] The laundry support bar may be positioned above the support unit, and the fixing unit may be positioned under the support unit.

[0091] The laundry treating apparatus may also include a machinery compartment provided under the receiving space in a state in which the machinery compartment is isolated from the receiving space, wherein the supply unit may include an air supply unit provided in the machinery compartment to supply heated air to the receiving space and a moisture supply unit provided in the machinery compartment to supply steam to the receiving space.

[0092] Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

[0093] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.