Laundry treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9279211-B2
Application number	US-201414163823-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 25, 2013
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus may include a cabinet defining an external appearance of the apparatus, the cabinet having a laundry opening, a laundry accommodation module provided within the cabinet to receive laundry introduced through the laundry opening, a suction duct into which interior air from the laundry accommodation module may be introduced, a discharge duct from which the air is discharged into the laundry accommodation module, a connection duct connecting the suction duct and the discharge duct to each other, a heat exchanger provided in the connection duct, and a blower provided between the heat exchanger and the discharge duct to circulate the interior air of the laundry accommodation module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry treatment apparatus, comprising:
a cabinet having a laundry opening;
a laundry receiving device having a cylindrical shape provided in the cabinet and configured to receive laundry therein through the laundry opening;
a circulation passage that circulates air through the laundry receiving device, including a suction duct that guides interior air from the laundry receiving device into the circulation passage, a discharge duct that discharges air from the air circulation passage back into the laundry receiving device, and a connection duct that connects the suction duct and the discharge duct;
a heat exchanger provided in the connection duct; and
a blower provided between the heat exchanger and the discharge duct to circulate the interior air of the laundry receiving device through the circulation passage, wherein the heat exchanger includes:
an evaporator provided in the connection duct to dehumidify air;
a condenser provided in the connection duct to heat air received from the evaporator; and
a compressor provided at an outside of the connection duct and connected to the evaporator and the condenser by a refrigerant pipe, wherein the circulation passage is fixed to an upper portion of a circumferential surface of the laundry receiving device and extends in a diagonal direction across the upper portion of the laundry receiving device, and wherein the compressor is provided above the laundry receiving device, in a space between the circulation passage and the cabinet.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation passage guides the air from a rear region of the laundry receiving device to a front region of the laundry receiving device facing the laundry opening formed in the cabinet.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the suction duct is connected to a rear portion of the laundry receiving device, and the discharge duct is connected to a front portion of the laundry receiving device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the suction duct and the discharge duct are fixed to the upper portion of the circumferential surface of the laundry receiving device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the laundry receiving device includes:
a cylindrical tub provided in the cabinet and having a tub opening facing the laundry opening formed in the cabinet;
a drum rotatably provided in the tub and configured to receive laundry introduced through the tub opening; and
a gasket that connects the tub opening and the laundry opening so as to prevent leakage of wash water from the tub.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the suction duct is fixed to an upper portion of a circumferential surface of the tub, and the discharge duct is fixed to the gasket.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the suction duct and the gasket are vibration insulating members.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the suction duct is formed by bellows.

9. A laundry treatment apparatus, comprising:
a cabinet having a laundry opening;
a laundry receiving device having a cylindrical shape provided in the cabinet and configured to receive laundry therein through the laundry opening in the cabinet;
a circulation passage fixed to an upper portion of a circumferential surface of the laundry receiving device to guide air discharged from the laundry receiving device and to resupply the air back into the laundry receiving device;
a heat exchanger provided in the circulation passage; and
a blower configured to circulate interior air through the laundry receiving device, wherein the heat exchanger includes:
an evaporator provided in the circulation passage to dehumidify air;
a condenser provided in the circulation passage to heat air received from the evaporator; and
a compressor provided at an outside of the circulation passage that connects the evaporator and the condenser by a refrigerant pipe, wherein the circulation passage is configured to provide vibration insulation for the heat exchanger and the laundry receiving device and extends in a diagonal direction across the upper portion of the laundry receiving device, and wherein the compressor is provided above the laundry receiving device, in a space between the circulation passage and the cabinet.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the laundry receiving device includes:
a cylindrical tub provided in the cabinet and having a tub opening facing the laundry opening formed in the cabinet;
a drum rotatably provided in the tub and configured to receive laundry therein through the tub opening; and
a gasket that connects the tub opening and the laundry opening so as to prevent leakage of wash water from the tub.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the circulation passage includes:
a suction duct fixed to an upper circumferential surface of the tub, wherein the suction duct guides interior air from the tub into the circulation passage;
a discharge duct fixed to the gasket, wherein the discharge duct discharges air from the circulation passage back into the laundry receiving device; and
a connection duct connecting the suction duct and the discharge duct, wherein the heat exchanger is provided in the connection duct.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the suction duct and the gasket provide vibration insulation.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the suction duct is formed by bellows.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further including a filter configured to filter the air discharged from the laundry receiving device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the connection duct includes a filter guide configured to guide movement of the filter.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the filter guide is located above the laundry receiving device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the blower is provided between the heat exchanger and the discharge duct.

18. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further including a filter configured to filter the air discharged from the laundry receiving device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the circulation passage includes a filter guide configured to guide movement of the filter.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the filter guide is located above the laundry receiving device.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Youngsuk
• Han Injae
• Kim Hyojun
• Hong Sangwook

Classifications

• D06F2103/36

  Flow or velocity · CPC title

• D06F2103/34

  Humidity · CPC title

• D06F2105/46

  Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting · CPC title

• D06F2103/50

  related to heat pumps, e.g. pressure or flow rate · CPC title

• D06F2105/26

  Heat pumps · CPC title