Garment processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9670613-B2
Application number	US-201414654738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2014
Priority date	Jan 25, 2013
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a garment processing apparatus comprising: a hot-air supply unit having a circulation flow path for directing the air drawn out from the interior of a garment receiving unit into the interior of the garment receiving unit, a heat exchange unit provided to the circulation flow path, for condensing and heating the air introduced into the circulation flow path, and a blower for circulating the air in the interior of the garment receiving unit through the circulation flow path; and a dryness detection unit having a flow rate detection means for measuring the amount of condensate water formed in the heat exchange unit, and a control section for determining the amount of moisture contained in the laundry on the basis of the flow rate data provided by the flow rate detection means.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A garment processing apparatus comprising:
a cabinet defining an external appearance of the apparatus, the cabinet having a laundry opening;
a laundry accommodation unit placed within the cabinet and configured to store laundry introduced through the laundry opening;
a hot air supply unit including a circulation path arranged in an upper portion of the laundry accommodation unit so as to guide air discharged from the laundry accommodation unit and resupply the air into the laundry accommodation unit, a heat exchanger installed to the circulation path to implement condensation and heating of the air introduced into the circulation path, and a blower configured to circulate interior air of the laundry accommodation unit through the circulation path; and
a drain unit installed to a bottom of the laundry accommodation unit for discharge of wash water stored in the laundry accommodation unit; and
a dryness sensing unit including a condensed water pipe installed to connect the circulation path and the drain unit to each other so as to discharge condensed water generated in the heat exchanger to outside of the circulation path, a flow rate sensing device configured to measure a quantity of condensed water generated in the heat exchanger and a controller configured to determine a quantity of moisture contained in laundry based on flow rate data provided by the flow rate sensing device.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the quantity of moisture contained in the laundry by comparing the quantity of condensed water generated in the heat exchanger per unit time with a predetermined reference value.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the quantity of moisture contained in the laundry by comparing a total quantity of condensed water generated in the heat exchanger with a predetermined reference value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the laundry accommodation unit includes a tub placed within the cabinet and configured to store wash water therein, and a drum rotatably placed within the tub and configured to store the laundry introduced through the laundry opening, and wherein the circulation path is configured such that interior air of the tub is discharged into the circulation path and then is resupplied into the tub.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger includes:
an evaporator configured to cool air introduced into the circulation path via evaporation of refrigerant, the evaporator being located in the circulation path;
a condenser configured to heat the air passed through the evaporator via condensation of the refrigerant, the condenser being located in the circulation path; and
a compressor installed at the outside of the circulation path to enable circulation of the refrigerant through the evaporator and the condenser.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a wherein the drain unit including includes a drain pump and a drain pipe configured to guide wash water stored in the tub to the drain pump,
wherein a condensed water pipe is installed to connect the circulation path and the drain pipe to each other.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein one end of the condensed water pipe connected to the circulation path is located between the evaporator and the condenser.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the circulation path includes:
a suction duct fixed at a rear portion of a circumferential surface of the tub, through which the interior air of the tub is discharged;
a connection duct installed to connect the suction duct and the blower to each other, the evaporator and the condenser being fixed to the connection duct between the suction duct and the blower; and
a discharge duct configured to supply the air discharged from the blower into the tub, the discharge duct being fixed to a front surface of the tub facing the laundry opening.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the connection duct includes a sump provided below the evaporator such that condensed water generated in the evaporator is stored in the sump, and
wherein the condensed water pipe is configured to discharge the condensed water stored in the sump to the outside of the connection duct.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the sump is defined by a plurality of support ribs protruding from the connection duct to support the bottom of the evaporator.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the dryness sensing unit further includes a condensed water storage container in which the condensed water discharged from the condensed water pipe is stored, and
wherein the flow rate sensing device includes a water level sensor configured to measure a level of condensed water stored in the condensed water storage container.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the connection duct has a through-hole, through which condensed water generated in the evaporator is discharged to an outside of the connection duct, and
wherein the condensed water storage container is coupled to the connection duct to store condensed water discharged from the through-hole.

13. A control method of a garment processing apparatus, the garment processing apparatus comprising a laundry accommodation unit in which laundry is stored, a circulation path arranged in an upper portion of the laundry accommodation unit so as to guide air discharged from the laundry accommodation unit and resupply the air into the laundry accommodation unit, a heat exchanger installed to the circulation path to implement condensation and heating of the air introduced into the circulation path, a blower configured to circulate interior air of the laundry accommodation unit through the circulation path, a drain unit installed to a bottom of the laundry accommodation unit for discharge of wash water stored in the laundry accommodation unit, a condensed water pipe installed to connect the circulation path and the drain unit to each other so as to discharge condensed water generated in the heat exchanger to outside of the circulation path, and a flow rate sensing device configured to measure a quantity of condensed water generated in the heat exchanger, the control method comprising:
operating the heat exchanger and the blower;
measuring the quantity of condensed water generated in the heat exchanger via the flow rate sensing device; and
stopping operation of the heat exchanger and the blower based on a result of comparing flow rate data provided by the flow rate sensing device with a predetermined reference value.

14. The control method according to claim 13 , wherein stopping operation of the heat exchanger and the blower is conducted when generation quantity of condensed water per unit time, measured by the flow rate sensing device, is equal to or less than the predetermined reference value.

15. The control method according to claim 13 , wherein stopping operation of the heat exchanger and the blower is conducted when a total quantity of condensed water generated in the heat exchanger, measured by the flow rate sensing device, is equal to or greater than the predetermined reference value.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ko Cheolsoo
• Kim Woore

Classifications

• D06F2105/26

  Heat pumps · CPC title

• D06F2103/08

  Humidity · CPC title

• D06F2103/50

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

• D06F58/203

  Laundry conditioning arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/206

  Heat pump arrangements · CPC title