Steam generator and laundry dryer having the same and controlling method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9663894-B2
Application number	US-8469406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2006
Priority date	Nov 10, 2005
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A water supply device for a drying machine and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The water supply device includes a common hose having one end connected to at least one water supply source, a drying machine water supply hose having one end connected to the common hose and the other end connected to a steam generator of the drying machine, and a washing machine water supply hose having one end connected to the common hose and the other end connected to a washing machine. With the provision of the water supply device, the drying machine has the effects of preventing wrinkles, creases, or the like from being generated in an object to be dried, such as clothes, and the like, or eliminating wrinkles, creases, or the like in clothes, and the like.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laundry dryer comprising:
a door;
a drum which contains objects to be dried;
a heater which makes high-temperature air by heating the air;
a hot air supply duct which supplies the hot air generated by the heater or unheated air into the drum;
a blower which sucks air inside the drum;
a front supporter formed with a first opening which communicates the drum with the outside of the laundry dryer, the first opening being selectively opened and closed by the door;
a rear supporter formed with a second opening which has a plurality of through holes, the hot air supply duct being connected to the second opening through which the hot air or the unheated air is supplied into the drum and the drum being rotatably mounted between the front supporter and the rear supporter; and
a steam generator including:
a steam generating part which makes steam;
a plurality of steam supply parts which are connected to the steam generating part; and
a plurality of steam injection parts, one provided at a front end of each of the steam supply parts to inject the steam directly into the drum,
wherein one steam injection part is positioned adjacent to the second opening, inside the drum and at a rear end of the drum so that the steam is directly injected into the drum,
wherein another steam injection part is positioned adjacent the first opening, inside the drum and at a front end of the drum, and
wherein each steam injection part is directed toward the nearest opening.

2. The laundry dryer according to claim 1 ,
wherein the one steam injection part is formed in a divergent-convergent duct shape,
wherein the steam supply part is tangentially connected to the one steam injection part, perpendicular to the one steam injection direction,
wherein the steam is injected from the convergent portion of the one steam injection part,
wherein the one steam injection part further includes a discharge hole, in the divergent portion, to discharge water which condenses from steam within the one steam injection part.

3. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the one steam injection part is positioned at an horizontally upper portion of the drum.

4. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the one steam injection part is positioned at a horizontally middle portion of the drum.

5. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the front end of the one steam injection part is disposed to be directed toward a center of the drum.

6. The laundry dryer according to 2 , wherein the steam generating part is positioned at the front end of the drum.

7. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the one steam injection part is positioned at a horizontally middle of the drum, and the steam generating part is positioned at a side of the drum.

8. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the steam generating part is positioned at an upper portion of the drum.

9. The laundry dryer according to claim 8 , wherein the steam generating part is positioned at a side of the drum.

10. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the steam supply part is connected to the divergent portion of the one steam injection part.

11. The laundry dryer according to claim 10 , wherein the steam supply part is tangentially connected to the divergent portion of the one steam injection part.

12. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the divergent-convergent duct shape steam injection part has a conical shape.

13. The laundry dryer according to claim 12 , wherein the one steam injection part has a divergent portion which is formed with a discharge hole through which condensed water is discharged.

14. The laundry dryer according to claim 13 , wherein the one steam injection part has an injection hole, and wherein the discharge hole is disposed at a position lower than the injection hole.

15. The laundry dryer according to claim 2 , wherein the one steam generator supplies the steam to the objects to be dried contained in the drum in a hot air non-supply state.

16. A method of controlling a laundry dryer, the laundry dryer including
a door;
a drum which contains objects to be dried;
a heater which makes high-temperature air by heating the air;
a hot air supply duct which supplies the hot air generated by the heater or unheated air into the drum;
a blower which sucks air inside the drum;
a front supporter formed with a first opening which communicates the drum with the outside of the laundry dryer, the first opening being selectively opened and closed by the door;
a rear supporter formed with a second opening which has a plurality of through holes, the hot air supply duct being connected to the second opening through which the hot air or the unheated air is supplied into the drum and the drum being rotatably mounted between the front supporter and the rear supporter; and
a steam generator including:
a steam generating part which makes steam;
a plurality of steam supply parts which are connected to the steam generating part; and
a plurality of steam injection parts, one provided at a front end of each of the steam supply parts to inject the steam directly into the drum,
wherein one steam injection part is positioned adjacent to the second opening, inside the drum and at a rear end of the drum so that the steam is directly injected into the drum,
wherein another steam injection part is positioned adjacent the first opening, inside the drum and at a front end of the drum, and

wherein each steam injection part is directed toward the nearest opening,
the method comprising:
dampening the objects to be dried so that the objects to be dried have a predetermined moisture absorption by supplying the steam, wherein the dampening step includes, agitating the objects to be dried and operating the blower intermittently to discharge condensed water or high-moisture air out of the drum; and
drying the objects to be dried which have absorbed moisture by operating the heater and the blower to supply the hot air into the drum.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the objects to be dried are agitated intermittently.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the dampening step includes:
dampening the objects to be dried in a hot air non-supply state.

Assignees

• Kim Young Soo
• Yang Dae Bong
• Choi Chul Jin
• Yoo Jung
• Wi Jae Hyuk
• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Young Soo
• Yang Dae Bong
• Choi Chul Jin
• Yoo Jung
• Wi Jae Hyuk

Classifications

• D06F58/203 Primary

  Laundry conditioning arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/26 Primary

  Heating arrangements, e.g. gas heating equipment (D06F58/18 takes precedence) · CPC title