EP4603634A1

EP4603634A1 - Laundry treating apparatus and control method therefor

Info

Publication number: EP4603634A1
Application number: EP23892081.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Youngsoo Kim; Doohyun Kim; Junhee Lee; Gyudae LEE
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2022-11-18
Filing date: 2023-11-17
Publication date: 2025-08-20
Also published as: WO2024107019A1; KR20240073506A; EP4603634A4; KR102834317B1; CN120202334A

Abstract

The present application relates to a laundry treating apparatus comprising: a drum providing a space in which laundry is accommodated; a circulation passage providing a passage for guiding air discharged from the drum to the drum; a heat exchange unit comprising a circulation fan which moves air along the circulation passage, a first heat exchanger which dehumidifies the air moving along the circulation passage, and a second heat exchanger which heats the air that has passed through the first heat exchanger; a support unit which comprises a support body supporting the bottom of the first heat exchanger and a support hole formed to pass through the support body, and which divides the circulation passage into a mounting space where the heat exchange unit is disposed and a drainage space where condensed water generated in the first heat exchanger is discharged through the support hole; a water collection unit provided outside the circulation passage, communicating with the drainage space, and having a storage unit for storing condensed water discharged into the drainage space; and a residual water removal unit which sprays air into the drainage space such that the condensed water flowing into the drainage space moves to the water collection unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

The present application relates to a laundry treating apparatus and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.

[Background]

A laundry treating apparatus is a general term for apparatuses capable of washing washable items (objects-to-be-washed) represented by laundry, drying dryable items (objects-to-be-dried), and washing and drying the objects.
An existing laundry treating apparatus capable of drying has a structure including a drum that provides a space for accommodating the laundry, a circulation flow channel that guides air discharged from the drum to the drum, a fan that moves air along the circulation flow channel, and a heat exchange assembly that sequentially performs dehumidification and heating of air introduced into the circulation flow channel (Publication No. 10-2021-0063873 ).
The heat exchange assembly disposed in the above-described structure includes a first heat exchanger that cools air inside the circulation flow channel and a second heat exchanger that heats air that has passed through the first heat exchanger. Air discharged from the drum is condensed while passing through the first heat exchanger, so that a water collector for collecting condensate and a drainage flow channel for guiding condensate to the water collector are disposed under the first heat exchanger inside or outside the circulation flow channel.
In addition, in the above-described structure, the drainage flow channel is in communication with the water collector disposed outside the circulation flow channel. That is, in the above-described structure, when condensate generated in the first heat exchanger falls into the drainage flow channel, the fallen condensate moves along the drainage flow channel and flows into the water collector to be stored in the water collector. In the above-described structure, the drainage flow channel has a structure of being inclined toward the water collector to allow the condensate to move to the water collector or a structure of transporting the condensate to the water collector via a support hole when a water level of the condensate discharged into the drainage flow channel rises.
However, in the above-described structure, when the drainage flow channel is not inclined or when an amount of condensate discharged into the drainage flow channel is small, condensate remains in a drainage space as it is. That is, in the above-described structure, the transport of condensate in the drainage flow channel depends only on the amount of condensate or an angle of inclination of the drainage flow channel. Therefore, a certain amount of condensate (residual water) always remains in the drainage flow channel because of an attractive force between the condensate and the drainage flow channel.
As such, in the above-described structure, when condensate (residual water) remains in the drainage flow channel, various contaminants such as mold or bacteria may accumulate over time, contaminating the entire circulation flow channel. When the heat exchange assembly is operated while the circulation flow channel is contaminated, the contaminants remaining inside the circulation flow channel are introduced into the drum by a fan, causing bad smell or contamination of the object-to-be-washed.

[Summary]

[Technical Problem]

The present application is intended to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may minimize condensate (residual water) remaining inside a circulation flow channel, and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application is intended to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may transfer condensate remaining in a drainage flow channel to a storage outside a circulation flow channel, and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application is intended to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may transfer condensate (residual water) remaining in a drainage flow channel to a water collector via a residual water remover that sprays compressed air into a drainage space, and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application is intended to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may adjust a flow channel cross-sectional area of a support body communication hole allowing a first heat exchanger and a drainage space to be in communication with each other as a flow channel regulator is disposed in a support supporting the first heat exchanger, and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application is intended to provide a laundry treating apparatus including a guide assembly that guides air introduced into a circulation flow channel to a lower area of a first heat exchanger, and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application is intended to provide a laundry treating apparatus that separates condensate accumulated on a lower area of a first heat exchanger from the first heat exchanger, transfers the condensate to a drainage flow channel, and transfers the condensate transferred to the drainage flow channel to a storage to minimize the condensate remaining inside a circulation flow channel, and a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.

[Technical Solutions]

The present application provides a laundry treating apparatus including a drum constructed to provide a space where laundry is accommodated, a circulation flow channel constructed to provide a passage for guiding air discharged from the drum to the drum, a heat exchange assembly including a circulation fan that moves air along the circulation flow channel, a first heat exchanger that dehumidifies air moving along the circulation flow channel, and a second heat exchanger that heats air that has passed through the first heat exchanger, a support including a support body supporting a lower portion of the first heat exchanger and a support hole defined through the support body, wherein the support divides the circulation flow channel into a mounting space where the heat exchange assembly is placed and a drainage space where condensate generated in the first heat exchanger is discharged via the support hole, a water collector disposed outside the circulation flow channel and in communication with the drainage space, wherein the water collector has a storage where condensate discharged to the drainage space is stored, and a residual water remover that sprays air into the drainage space such that condensate introduced into the drainage space moves to the water collector.
The residual water remover may include an air sprayer that sprays air into the drainage space via one or more nozzles directed toward the drainage space, and an air supplier that supplies air to the air sprayer.
The air sprayer may include a nozzle body providing a space where air is able to flow therein, an air nozzle disposed on one surface of the nozzle body facing the drainage space to spray air introduced into the nozzle body into the drainage space, and an air inlet disposed on the nozzle body, wherein the air inlet has an air inlet hole allowing the nozzle body and the air supplier to be in communication with each other.
The air supplier may include an air motor that discharges air, and an air connecting portion having one side in communication with the air motor and an opposite side in communication with the air inlet, wherein the air connecting portion guides air discharged from the air motor to the nozzle body.
The air nozzle may be disposed on a front surface of the nozzle body, and the air supplier may be in communication with the air inlet formed on a rear surface of the nozzle body facing the front surface of the nozzle body.
The air nozzle may be composed of a plurality of cleaning nozzles arranged on the front surface of the nozzle body in parallel with each other at a predetermined spacing along a width direction of the nozzle body, and diameters of the plurality of cleaning nozzles may become smaller in a direction away from the air inlet hole along the width direction of the nozzle body.
The air inlet hole may be defined close to one side of the nozzle body spaced farther away from the water collector based on a width direction of the nozzle body among both sides of the rear surface of the nozzle body, and a plurality of cleaning nozzles may include a first nozzle disposed closest to a center of the air inlet hole based on the width direction of the nozzle body, a third nozzle disposed farthest from the center of the air inlet hole based on the width direction of the nozzle body, and a second nozzle disposed between the first nozzle and the third nozzle.
The first nozzle may have a diameter greater than diameters of the second nozzle and the third nozzle, and the second nozzle may have the diameter greater than the diameter of the third nozzle.
A center of the first nozzle may be located on the same line as the center of the air inlet hole.
The residual water remover may further include an air cover coupled to the air sprayer and the air supplier from above, and the air cover may include a body cover coupled to the air nozzle and the air supplier from above to at least partially cover a top surface of the air nozzle and a top surface of the air supplier, and a flow channel cover coupled to the body cover from above and constructed to guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel.
The flow channel cover may include at least one curved surface so as to stably guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a flow channel regulator disposed in the support so as to be able to adjust a flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole, wherein the flow channel regulator adjusts an amount of air passing through the drainage space.
The flow channel regulator may include a drainage rib including a plurality of rotatable rib bodies constructed to be rotatable to cover at least a portion of the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole, a link connected to the drainage rib such that the plurality of rotatable rib bodies rotate integrally, and a flow channel driver that provides power to the link such that the drainage rib rotates.
The flow channel regulator may be constructed to have a plurality of alignments, and the plurality of alignments may include a maximum flow channel mode where the rib bodies are disposed vertically with respect to the support body so that the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole is maximized, and a minimum flow channel mode where the rib bodies are disposed parallel to the support body so that the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole is minimized.
The drainage rib may have the plurality of rotatable rib bodies arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined spacing in a front and rear direction of the support body and elongated in a width direction of the support body, and a height of one side surface disposed farther from the storage among both side surfaces in the width direction of the rib body may be smaller than a height of an opposite side surface of the rib body.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include a drainage flow channel disposed along a front and rear direction of the drainage space in the drainage space, wherein the drainage flow channel provides a space where condensate discharged to the drainage space is moveable, and a drainage port allowing the drainage flow channel and the storage to be in communication with each other such that condensate moving in the drainage flow channel is introduced into the storage, and the drainage flow channel may have a rear surface inclined to guide condensate to the drainage port.
The rear surface of the drainage flow channel may include a flat surface disposed in parallel with a front surface of the drainage flow channel, and a curved surface extending with a first curvature in a forward direction of the drainage flow channel from one side located farther away from the drainage port among both sides of the flat surface.
The support may further include an extension body extending from the support body to the second heat exchanger, the extension body may include a guide slit allowing the mounting space and the drainage space to be in communication with each other between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and the guide slit may be elongated in the extension body along a width direction of the drainage space, wherein a flow channel cross-sectional area at one side thereof disposed farther away from the drainage port in the width direction of the drainage space among both sides thereof in the width direction may be smaller than a flow channel cross-sectional area at an opposite side thereof.
The guide slit may include a first slit defined at one side of the extension body farther away from the drainage port among both sides of the extension body in the width direction, a third slit defined at an opposite side of the extension body, and a second slit defined to connect the first slit with the third slit, and a flow channel cross-sectional area of the first slit may be smaller than a flow channel cross-sectional area of the third slit.
The first slit may extend with a second curvature from the second slit, and the first curvature and the second curvature may correspond to each other.
The present application provides a method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a drum constructed to provide a space where laundry is accommodated, a circulation flow channel constructed to provide a passage for guiding air discharged from the drum to the drum, a heat exchange assembly including a circulation fan that moves air along the circulation flow channel, a first heat exchanger that dehumidifies air moving along the circulation flow channel, and a second heat exchanger that heats air that has passed through the first heat exchanger, a support constructed to divide the circulation flow channel into a mounting space where the heat exchange assembly is placed and a drainage space where condensate generated in the first heat exchanger is discharged, a water collector in communication with the drainage space and including a storage where condensate discharged to the drainage space is stored, a guide assembly that guides air introduced into the circulation flow channel to a lower area of the first heat exchanger, a residual water remover that sprays compressed air into the drainage space such that condensate introduced into the drainage space is forcibly transferred to the water collector, and a flow channel regulator that is disposed in the support and adjusts an amount of air passing through the drainage space, the method including a drying step of operating the circulation fan and opening the guide assembly to remove moisture from the laundry accommodated in the drum, a first residual water removal step of operating the circulation fan and closing the guide assembly to allow air introduced into the circulation flow channel to pass through the lower area of the first heat exchanger, thereby separating condensate from the lower area of the first heat exchanger, and a second residual water removal step of stopping the circulation fan, operating the residual water remover, and operating the flow channel regulator to transport condensate discharged to the drainage space to the storage.

[Advantageous Effects]

The present application provides the laundry treating apparatus that may minimize condensate (residual water) remaining inside the circulation flow channel, and the method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application provides the laundry treating apparatus that may transfer condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel to the storage outside the circulation flow channel, and the method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application provides the laundry treating apparatus that may transfer condensate (residual water) remaining in the drainage flow channel to the water collector via the residual water remover that sprays compressed air into the drainage space, and the method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application provides the laundry treating apparatus that may adjust the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support body communication hole allowing the first heat exchanger and the drainage space to be in communication with each other as the flow channel regulator is disposed in the support supporting the first heat exchanger, and the method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application provides the laundry treating apparatus including the guide assembly that guides air introduced into the circulation flow channel to the lower area of the first heat exchanger, and the method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.
The present application provides the laundry treating apparatus that separates condensate accumulated on the lower area of the first heat exchanger from the first heat exchanger, transfers the condensate to the drainage flow channel, and transfers the condensate transferred to the drainage flow channel to the storage to minimize the condensate remaining inside the circulation flow channel, and the method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus.

[Brief Description of the Drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are an example of a laundry treating apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a laundry treating apparatus.
FIG. 4 is an example of a circulation flow channel.
FIG. 5 is an example of a circulation flow channel equipped with a flow channel regulator and a residual water remover.
FIG. 6 is an example of a support, a flow channel regulator, a storage, and a residual water remover.
FIG. 7 is an example of a support, a flow channel regulator, and a residual water remover disposed in a circulation flow channel.
FIG. 8 is an example of a residual water remover.
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a residual water remover.
FIG. 10 is an example of a support and a flow channel regulator.
FIG. 11 is an example of a flow channel regulator.
FIG. 12 is an example showing an operation of a flow channel regulator.
FIG. 13 is an example of a drainage flow channel, a support, and a residual water remover.
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a movement of air in a drainage flow channel.
FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a movement of air based on operation of a flow channel regulator and a residual water remover.
FIG. 16 is an example of a guide assembly.
FIG. 17 is an example showing an operation of a guide assembly.
FIG. 18 is an embodiment of a control method in which a residual water removal step is performed.
FIG. 19 is another embodiment of a control method in which a residual water removal step is performed.

[Best Mode]

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. A configuration or a control method of an apparatus to be described below is only for describing embodiments of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Further, reference numerals used in the same manner throughout the present document represent the same components.
A specific term used in the present document is only for convenience of description and is not used as a limitation of the illustrated embodiment.
To describe the present disclosure, the description will be made based on a spatial rectangular coordinate system by an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis orthogonal to each other. Each axial direction (an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis direction) means both directions in which each axis extends. Attachment of a '+' sign before each axial direction (a +X-axis direction, a +Y-axis direction, and a +Z-axis direction) means a positive direction that is one of both directions in which each axis extends. Attachment of a "-" sign before each axial direction (a -X-axis direction, a -Y-axis direction, and a -Z-axis direction) means a negative direction that is the other one of both directions in which each axis extends.
Expressions referring to directions such as "front (+X)/rear (-X)/left (+Y)/right (-Y)/up (+Z)/down (-Z)" to be described below are defined along the XYZ coordinate axes, but are intended to describe the present disclosure such that the present disclosure may be clearly understood, and each direction may be defined differently depending on a reference.
Use of terms in which expressions such as 'first, second, and third' are attached before components to be mentioned below is only to avoid confusion of the components referred to, and is irrelevant to an order, an importance, or a master-slave relationship between the components. For example, an invention including only the second component without the first component may be implemented.
A singular expression used in the present document includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a laundry treating apparatus and a method for controlling the same will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are an example of a laundry treating apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, a laundry treating apparatus 100 may include a cabinet 1. Inside the cabinet 1, a drum (accommodating portion) 17 that is disposed inside the cabinet 1 and accommodates an object-to-be-washed (hereinafter, laundry) therein, and a circulation flow channel 2 and a heat exchange assembly 3 that remove moisture from the laundry in the accommodating portion 17 may be disposed.
The cabinet 1 may include a front surface 11 located at a front side of the laundry treating apparatus 100, a rear surface 12 located at a rear side of the laundry treating apparatus 100, and a base 13 forming a bottom surface of the laundry treating apparatus 100.
A control panel (not shown) may be disposed on the front surface 11. The control panel may include a display 114 that displays control commands selectable by a user and an input unit 113 that allows the user to select the control commands displayed on the display 114.
Referring to FIG. 2, a cabinet inlet 111 for insertion and withdrawal of the laundry may be defined in the front surface 11, and the cabinet inlet 111 may be closed by a door 115 that is pivotably fixed to the front surface 11. The user may accommodate the laundry in the drum 17 via the inlet 111 that is exposed when the door 115 is opened.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a laundry treating apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 3, the accommodating portion may be defined as the drum (accommodating portion) 17 that is rotatably disposed inside the cabinet 1. The drum 17 may be equipped as a cylindrical drum body 171 whose front surface and rear surface are open.
To rotatably support the drum body 171, the cabinet 1 may include a front panel 14 that rotatably supports the front surface of the drum body 171 and a rear panel 15 that rotatably supports the rear surface of the drum body 171.
The front panel 14 may include a front panel body 141 fixed to the front surface 11 or the cabinet 1, a drum inlet 142 defined to extend through the front panel body, and a drum exhaust hole 143 that discharges air inside the drum body 171 to the circulation flow channel 2.
The drum inlet 142 may be connected to the cabinet inlet 111. Accordingly, when the door 115 opens the cabinet inlet 111, the user may put the laundry into the drum body 171 or withdraw the laundry out of the drum body 171 via the cabinet inlet 111 and the drum inlet 142.
To filter air discharged from the drum body 171, the drum exhaust hole 143 may include a filter detachable from the front panel body 141.
The rear panel 15 may include a rear panel body 151 fixed to the rear surface 12 or the cabinet 1, and a drum supply hole 152 defined to extend through the rear panel body 151.
The drum body 171 may be rotatable by a driver 18 disposed inside the cabinet 1. The driver 18 may be composed of a drum motor 181 fixed to the base 13, and a belt 182 connecting a rotation shaft of the drum motor with a circumferential surface of the drum body 171.
To agitate the laundry inside the drum body 171, a lifter 172 may be further disposed inside the drum body 171. The lifter 172 may be equipped as a board protruding from the circumferential surface of the drum body 171 toward a center of rotation of the drum body.
FIG. 4 is an example of a circulation flow channel.
Referring to FIG. 4, the circulation flow channel 2 may include a first duct (exhaust duct) 21 connected to the drum exhaust hole 143, a second duct (supply duct) 22 connected to the drum supply hole 152, and a third duct (connecting duct) 23 connecting the first duct 21 with the second duct 22. The connecting duct 23 may be fixed to the base 13.
The first duct 21 may provide a passage through which air inside the drum 17 is exhausted to the connecting duct 23 when a circulation fan 36 to be described later is operated. That is, the first duct 11 may allow the drum 17 and the connecting duct 23 to be in communication with each other, and when the circulation fan 36 is operated, air inside the drum 17 may be introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 via the first duct 21.
The second duct 22 may provide a passage through which air moving inside the third duct (connecting duct) 23 may be supplied to the drum 17 when the circulation fan 36 is operated. The second duct 22 may allow the drum 17 and the connecting duct 23 to be in communication with each other, and when the circulation fan 36 is operated, air inside the connecting duct 23 may be supplied to the drum 17 via the second duct 22.
The heat exchange assembly 3 may be disposed in the third duct (connecting duct) 23. Air introduced into the connecting duct 23 via the first duct 21 from the drum 17 may pass through the heat exchange assembly 3 disposed in the connecting duct 23 and be supplied to the drum 17 again via the third duct 23.
In addition, air introduced into the connecting duct 23 may undergo condensation and heating processes while passing through the heat exchange assembly 3, condensate generated in these processes may be separately collected in a water collector via a drainage flow channel to be described later, and air from which condensate has been removed may be supplied to the drum 17 again. The connecting duct 23 may include a duct body 231 fixed to the base 13 and a duct cover 232 forming a top surface of the duct body.
The heat exchange assembly 3 may include the circulation fan 36 that moves air along the circulation flow channel 2, and a heat pump 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 that sequentially performs the dehumidification and the heating of air moving along the circulation flow channel 2.
The circulation fan 36 may include a fan impeller 361 that is located inside the circulation flow channel 2, and a fan motor 362 that is located outside the circulation flow channel 2 and rotates the fan impeller 361.
The heat pump may include a refrigerant pipe 33 that forms a flow channel through which a refrigerant circulates, a compressor 34 that causes the refrigerant to move along the refrigerant pipe 33, a first heat exchanger 31 that is fixed to the refrigerant pipe 33 and transfers heat of air introduced into the connecting duct 23 to the refrigerant, a second heat exchanger 32 that is fixed to the refrigerant pipe 33 and transfers heat of the refrigerant to air that has passed through the first heat exchanger 31, and an adjustment valve 35 that adjusts a pressure of the refrigerant.
The first heat exchanger 31 may be positioned further away from the circulation fan 36 than the second heat exchanger 32. When the circulation fan 36 is operated, air may move in a direction of the first duct 21, the connecting duct 23, and the second duct 22. In this case, air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may first pass through the first heat exchanger 31. In other words, based on the movement of air inside the circulation flow channel, the first heat exchanger 31 is positioned upstream of the second heat exchanger 32, so that air introduced into the connecting duct 23 may first pass through the first heat exchanger 31.
The first heat exchanger 31 may be an evaporator in the heat pump. The first heat exchanger 31 may absorb heat from the surroundings and condense air passing through the first heat exchanger 31. Air passing through the first heat exchanger 31 may discharge condensate while condensing. Air that has passed through the first heat exchanger 31 may be introduced into the second heat exchanger 32 in a state where moisture (condensate) is removed. The second heat exchanger may be equipped as a condenser in the heat pump, and air that has passed through the second heat exchanger 32 will be heated.
In addition, the circulation flow channel 2 may include a support 4 that supports a bottom surface of the first heat exchanger 31. The support 4 may divide the inside of the connecting duct 23 into a mounting space 233 where the first heat exchanger 31 is located and a drainage space 235 that guides condensate to the outside of the circulation flow channel.
Here, the term "divide" may be used to mean that a first space (mounting space) 233 and a second space (drainage space) 235 are functionally separated from each other, and may not be necessarily limited to the meaning of physically separating or blocking them from each other. The reason for dividing the circulation flow channel into the mounting space and the drainage space as such may be to functionally place the heat exchange assembly 3 in the mounting space such that air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 passes through the heat exchange assembly 3 and is then supplied to the drum 17 again, and to provide a passage in the drainage flow channel for removing condensate discharged from air that has passed through the heat exchange assembly 3 from the circulation flow channel 2 separately from air.
As shown in FIG. 6, the support 4 may include a support body 41 that supports the first heat exchanger 31 and an extension body 42 that extends from the support body 41 in a direction in which the second heat exchanger 32 is located.
As shown in FIG. 7, the support body 41 may have a support hole 411 to discharge condensate generated in the first heat exchanger 31 to the drainage space 235. Condensate generated while passing through the first heat exchanger 31 may be discharged to the drainage space 235 via the support hole 411.
The extension body 42 may have a guide slit 421 that allows air introduced into the drainage space 235 to move to the mounting space 233 from a space between the first heat exchanger 31 and the second heat exchanger 32. Air introduced into the drainage space 235 may move to the mounting space 233 via the guide slit 421 in communication with the extension body 42.
The mounting space 233 may include a first mounting portion 233a in which the first heat exchanger 31 is mounted, a second mounting portion 233b in which the second heat exchanger 32 is mounted, and a third mounting portion 233c in which the circulation fan 36 is accommodated. Air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may be supplied to the drum 17 again while passing through the heat exchange assembly 3 in the mounting space.
The drainage space 235 is located under the mounting space 233, and a drainage flow channel 236 is disposed in the drainage space 235. The drainage flow channel 236 may be a passage through which condensate moves. Condensate discharged from air passing through the first heat exchanger 31 may be discharged into the drainage space 235 via the support hole 411. Condensate discharged into the drainage space 235 may be movable in the drainage space 235 along the drainage flow channel 236.
The drainage flow channel 236 may have a drainage port 237. The drainage port 237 may be located downstream based on the flow direction of air. The drainage port 237 is a means for allowing the drainage space 235 and the drainage flow channel 236 to be in communication with a storage 61 located outside the circulation flow channel 2. The storage 61 may be equipped as a space where condensate is collected. That is, condensate discharged to the drainage space 235 may move along the drainage flow channel 236 and be collected in the storage 61 via the drainage port 237.
In addition, for natural drainage of condensate (for condensate to move from the drainage flow channel 236 to the storage 61 by gravity), a bottom surface of the storage 61 may be positioned at a lower point than the drainage port 236, and the drainage flow channel 236 may be equipped as an inclined surface downwardly inclined toward the drainage port 237.
The laundry treating apparatus having the above-described structure is constructed to remove condensate discharged to the drainage space 235 via the inclination of the drainage space 236, the vertical level difference between the drainage flow channel 236 and the storage 61, and the vertical level of the drainage port 237.
However, because of a limited space inside the cabinet 1, there is a limit to making the inclination of the drainage flow channel 236 or the vertical level difference between the storage 61 and the drain 237 great. Therefore, the laundry treating apparatus having the above-described structure may have a problem in which condensate does not move from the drainage flow channel 236 to the drainage port 237 but remains. Remaining condensate (residual water) may be subjected to contamination such as occurrence of mold over time by various contamination sources, and when condensate becomes contaminated, the circulation flow channel 2 may also become contaminated together. Therefore, it is necessary to remove or minimize condensate inside the circulation flow channel 2 by transferring condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 to the storage 61 via the drainage port 237.
FIG. 5 is an example of a circulation flow channel equipped with a flow channel regulator and a residual water remover.
Referring to FIG. 5, to minimize the problem of condensate remaining in the drainage space 235 as described above, the laundry treating apparatus 100 may include a flow channel regulator 5 that is disposed in the support 4 and is able to adjust a flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411. In addition, to minimize the problem as described above, the laundry treating apparatus 100 may include a residual water remover 7 that is disposed at a front side of the circulation flow channel 2 and sprays compressed air toward the drainage space 235.
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the flow channel regulator 5 is disposed in the support 4 and is able to adjust the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411. As will be described later, the flow channel regulator 5 further includes a drainage rib 51 having a plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511, a link 53 connecting the plurality of rib bodies 511 to each other to be operated integrally, and a flow channel driver 55 that provides power to the drainage rib 51 or the link 53 to rotate (vary) the drainage rib 51. The drainage rib 51 is able to adjust the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 511 by varying an angle thereof based on the support 4. Specific structure and operating principle of the flow channel regulator 5 will be described later.
As shown in FIG. 7, the residual water remover 7 includes an air supplier 73 that generates compressed air and an air sprayer 71 that receives compressed air from the air supplier 73 and sprays the same.
The residual water remover 7 is constructed to spray air, preferably, compressed air. The residual water remover 7 may be disposed in the circulation flow channel 2 to spray compressed air from a front side of the drainage space 235 toward a rear side of the drainage space 235.
Here, a front side of the circulation flow channel 2 may mean a space adjacent to the first duct 21 into which the air is introduced, and a rear side of the circulation flow channel 2 may mean a space adjacent to the second duct 22 through which the air is discharged. Specific structure and operating principle of the residual water remover will be described later.
FIGS. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating a support, a flow channel regulator, a storage, and a residual water remover. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the support, the flow channel regulator, and the residual water remover disassembled from the circulation flow channel.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 together, the water collector 6 where condensate generated when condensing air passing through the first heat exchanger 31 is stored may be disposed on the base 13.
The water collector 6 may include the storage 61 that is disposed on the base 13 and stores condensate therein, and a cover 62 that closes an open top surface of the storage body. Because the drainage port 237 is disposed on a circumferential surface of the storage body 61, the storage body 61 is in communication with the inside of the circulation flow channel 2 via the drainage port 237.
The water collector 6 may be located outside the circulation flow channel 2. In this case, the water collector 6 may be connected to the drainage space 235 via the drainage port 237 disposed to extend through the connecting duct 23. It is preferable that the drainage flow channel 236 is disposed on the bottom surface of the connecting duct 23 and guides condensate to the drainage port 237.
Condensate stored in the water collector 6 may be discharged to a drainage tank via a drainage (not shown) including a drainage pump. The drainage tank may be located at a higher point than the water collector 6. The drainage tank is withdrawable from the cabinet 1.
As shown in FIG. 3, the drainage tank is withdrawable from the cabinet 1 and provides a space in which condensate is stored. A withdrawal hole 112 for extension and retraction of a drawer 81 may be defined in the front surface 11 of the cabinet, and a tank housing 16 that provides a space in which the drainage tank is accommodated may be disposed inside the cabinet 1.
Condensate discharged from the water collector 6 via the drainage may move to the tank housing 16 via a supply pipe 72, and condensate discharged from the supply pipe 72 may move to the drainage tank. The user may remove condensate stored inside the drainage tank by withdrawing the drainage tank from the front surface 11.
In one example, as shown in FIG. 7, the support 4 may further include a fastener 43 and 44 that fixes the support body 41 and the extension body 42 to the connecting duct 23. A fastening protrusion 43 protrudes from both side surfaces of the support body 41, and a fastening groove 44 is defined in the connecting duct 23 to accommodate the fastening protrusion 43 therein. The fastening groove 44 may be disposed in the first mounting space.
The support 4 is mounted in the connecting duct 23 within the circulation flow channel 2 by inserting the fastening protrusion 43 into the fastening groove 44. Accordingly, the support 4 is able to support the first heat exchanger 31 mounted in the first mounting space 233a.
The residual water remover 7 may be mounted in an air mounting space 23a defined at a front side of the connecting duct 23. The air mounting space 23a may be defined at a front side of the circulation flow channel 2 so as to be positioned upstream based on air introduced into the circulation flow channel. That is, the air mounting space 23a may be defined at the front side (+Z-axis direction) of the circulation flow channel 2. The residual water remover 7 is disposed such that the air sprayer 71 sprays air toward the rear side of the circulation flow channel 2 (a rear side of the drainage space) in the air mounting space 23a.
Condensate discharged via the drainage flow channel 236 may move along the drainage flow channel 236 to the rear side of the drainage space 235 by compressed air of the air sprayer 71 and then be introduced into the storage 61 via the drainage port 237.
FIG. 8 is an example of a residual water remover. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a residual water remover.
Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 together, the residual water remover 7 may include the air sprayer 71 that sprays air, the air supplier 73 that supplies air to the air sprayer 71, and an air cover 75 that surrounds at least a portion of the air sprayer 71 and the air supplier 73.
The air sprayer 71 is constructed to spray supplied compressed air. The air sprayer 71 may include a nozzle body 711 having a cavity defined inside to allow air to move, an air nozzle 713 that sprays air introduced into the nozzle body, and an air inlet 715 formed on the nozzle body to allow the air to be introduced.
The nozzle body 711 may include a front surface 7111 and a rear surface 7112 facing the front surface 7111. The front surface 7111 may be directed toward the rear side of the drainage space 235. That is, the air nozzle 713 is disposed on the front surface 7111 and sprays compressed air toward the drainage space 235.
In addition, the front surface 7111 may be formed in a round shape (formed with a curved surface). This is to avoid interfering with the flow of air introduced into the circulation flow channel, because the residual water remover 7 is disposed in the air mounting portion 23a.
The rear surface 7112 of the nozzle body 711 may face the air supplier 73, which will be described later. The rear surface 7112 may be disposed to face the front side of the circulation flow channel 2.
The rear surface 7112 of the nozzle body 711 may have the air inlet 715, which will be described later, so that compressed air generated from the air supplier 73 may be introduced.
The front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711 includes a fastening groove 712 defined at a location corresponding to a fastening cover groove 7511a, which will be described later. The fastening groove 712 may include a first fastening groove 712a, a second fastening groove 712b, and a third fastening groove 712c defined along a width direction of the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711. The fastening cover groove 7511a and the fastening groove 712 may be coupled to each other via a fastening member such as a bolt or a nut, or may be coupled to each other in a form such as fitting coupling. However, it is preferable that the coupling of the fastening groove 712 and the fastening cover groove 7511a does not affect the air spray of the air nozzle 713.
The air nozzle 713 may include one or more air nozzles. The air nozzle 713 may be equipped as multiple nozzles extending through the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711 are arranged along the width direction of the nozzle body 711. That is, the air nozzle 713 may include a first nozzle 713a, a second nozzle 713b, and a third nozzle 713c arranged along the width direction of the nozzle body 711 (based on a width direction of the circulation flow channel). The third nozzle 713c may be disposed closest to the drainage port 237 based on the width direction of the nozzle body 711.
The air nozzle 713 may be disposed adjacent to a bottom surface of the nozzle body 711 on the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711. Alternatively, the air nozzle 713 may be formed at a corner where the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711 and the bottom surface of the nozzle body 711 meet each other. When the air nozzle 713 is formed as such, air discharged from the nozzle body 711 will easily move to the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 along a bottom surface of the drainage flow channel 236.
That is, to more efficiently transport condensate remaining on the bottom of the drainage flow channel 236 toward the drainage port 237, it is preferable that the air nozzle 711 is also disposed at a point close to the bottom of the drainage flow channel 236 on the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711. In one example, as long as the air nozzle 713 is disposed on the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711, there is no need to limit a structure of the air nozzle to the above-described shape, location, or the like.
The air inlet 715 may be disposed at a location facing the air nozzle 713 on the nozzle body 711. More specifically, the air inlet 715 may be disposed on the rear surface 7112 of the nozzle body 711. The air inlet 715 supplies compressed air to the nozzle body 711 via an inlet hole 715a.
The air inlet 715 may protrude outward from the rear surface 7112 of the nozzle body 711. When the air inlet is constructed as such, the air inlet 715 may be inserted into an air connecting portion 731 to be described later, thereby preventing compressed air from leaking outward (improving a fastening strength between the air supplier and the air inlet).
That is, the air inlet 715 may not only be a component that couples the air supplier 73 with the nozzle body 711, but may also be a component that supplies compressed air generated in the air supplier 73 to the nozzle body 711.
In addition, it is preferable that the air inlet 715 is disposed on a surface facing the air nozzle 713. When the air inlet 715 is not disposed as such, air introduced via the air inlet 715 will hit one surface of the nozzle body 711 where the air nozzle 713 is not disposed and then will move to the air nozzle 713. When air hits one surface of the nozzle body 711, a vortical flow may occur inside the nozzle body 711, which may cause a pressure of compressed air to decrease.
The air supplier 73 includes the air connecting portion 731 that is in communication with the air inlet 715 and an air generator 733 that discharges compressed air to the air connecting portion 731.
The air connecting portion 731 has one side in communication with the nozzle body 711 via the air inlet 715 and the other side connected to the air generator 733, so that compressed air may be introduced into the nozzle body 711. The air connecting portion 731 may include an air discharge hole 731a that is in communication with the air inlet hole 715a. When the air inlet 715 is inserted into and coupled to one side of the air connecting portion 731, a diameter of the air discharge hole 731a is equal to or greater than a diameter of the air inlet 715 and is set greater than the air inlet hole 715a.
The air generator 733 may generate compressed air or form an airflow that moves external air in one direction. The air generator 733 may suck external air of the air generator 733, compress the same, and then discharge the same to the air connecting portion 731. The air generator 733 may be composed of an impeller (not shown), an impeller shaft (not shown), and a motor that rotates the impeller shaft.
Here, compressed air may be defined as air having a pressure higher than that of air existing inside the circulation flow channel 2. The air generator 733 may be equipped as a means for moving external air to the air connecting portion 731 such that the pressure of air increases while passing through the air inlet hole 715a and the air nozzle 713. The air generator 733 is not limited to the structure or form described above as long as it is able to supply air to the air connecting portion 731.
The air cover 75 includes a body cover 751 that surrounds at least a portion of the air sprayer 71 and the air supplier 73, and a guide cover 753 that is coupled to the body cover 751 and provides a movement path for air introduced into the circulation flow channel.
The body cover 751 may include a first cover 7511 that surrounds at least a portion of the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711, and a second cover 7513 that is disposed at the rear of the first cover 7511 and surrounds at least a portion of the air supplier 713. The body cover 751 may protect the air sprayer 71 and the air supplier 75 from an external impact, air, or moisture. In addition, release of the coupling between the air sprayer 71 and the air supplier 73 may be prevented.
The first cover 7511 may surround at least a portion of a top surface and the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711. When the front surface 7111 of the nozzle cover 711 is rounded such that a length in a front and rear direction of a lower end thereof is greater than a length in the front and rear direction of an upper end thereof, the first cover 7511 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the roundness of the front surface 7111. With such a shape, a resistance to flowing air may be reduced and the vortical flow phenomenon may be reduced via the front surface 7111, thereby facilitating the air movement within the circulation flow channel 2.
The first cover 7511 may include the fastening cover groove 7511a that is in communication with the fastening groove 712. The number of fastening cover grooves 7511a is preferably the same as the number of fastening grooves 712, but as shown in FIG. 9, the number of fastening cover grooves 7511a may be smaller than the number of fastening grooves 712.
As will be described later, when a diameter of the first nozzle 713a is great, first fastening groove 712a may be defined to be small or omitted. In this regard, when the first fastening groove 712a is small or absent, the cover fastening groove 7511a may be fastened to the nozzle body 711 via the second fastening groove 712b and the third fastening groove 712c.
The second cover 7513 extends rearward from the first cover 7511. The second cover 7513 is disposed to cover at least a portion of the air supplier 73 or at least a portion of the air sprayer 71 and the air supplier 73. The second cover 7513 may prevent the air generator 733 and the air connecting portion 731 from being disconnected and support the components.
The second cover 7513 includes a top surface 7514 and a side surface 7515 that extends in a width direction from the top surface 7514 and forms a side surface. A top hole 7513a may be defined in the top surface 7514 in consideration of a volume of the air generator 733. This allows for a compact configuration while utilizing a limited space.
In addition, the top hole 7513a may be defined in consideration of a size of the air generator 733. That is, the air generator 733 may be fitted into the top hole 7513a (enhancing a fastening force and reducing a vibration of the air generator).
The guide cover 753 may be coupled to an upper portion of the body cover 751 and guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 toward the front side of the circulation flow channel 2. The guide cover may be inclined so as to minimize the vortical flow caused by friction with air and may have one or more curved surfaces.
The guide cover 753 may be formed in a streamlined shape so as to minimize interference with air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2. The guide cover 753 includes a first curved surface 7533 that is coupled to the top surface 7514 of the body cover 751 and extends upward and a second curved surface 7531 that has a curvature different from that of the first curved surface and extends upward.
The second curved surface 7531 may be disposed at an upper area of the guide cover 753. That is, the second curved surface 7531 may be a component of the residual water remover 7that air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 first comes into contact with. Accordingly, the second curved surface 7531 may be rounded downward to minimize the friction with introduced air.
The first curved surface 7533 may extend downward from a lower end of the second curved surface 7531 and may be rounded opposite to the second curved surface 7531. That is, the first curved surface 7533 may be formed in the shape rounded upward so as to guide air guided via the second curved surface 7531 toward the front side of the circulation flow channel 2.
In addition, the first curved surface 7533 may include a cover chamfer 7533a at one side based on the width direction. The cover chamfer 7533a may minimize interference with surrounding components when the residual water remover 7 is mounted in the front side 23a of the connecting duct.
Air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may gradually change the movement direction thereof toward the front side of the circulation flow channel 2 via the second curved surface 7531, the first curved surface 7533, and the first cover 7511. That is, the air cover 75 may prevent the interference, the vortical flow phenomenon, and the like that may occur as the air sprayer 71 and the air supplier 73 are disposed in the circulation flow channel 2.
FIG. 10 is an example of a support and a flow channel regulator.
Referring to FIG. 10, the support 4 may include multiple support holes 411 extending through the support body 41. The support 4 may include a partition body 412 that is disposed lengthwise along a width direction of the support body 41 and separates the support holes 411 from each other.
The partition body 412 may be equipped as a wall that separates the multiple support holes 411 from each other. The first heat exchanger 31 may be seated on a top surface of the partition body 412. In addition, the partition body 412 may support at least one side of a rib body 511 to be described later. As will be described later, when the rib body 511 rotates, the partition body 412 may also function as a stopper that prevents the rib body 511 from rotating by an angle equal to or greater than a predetermined angle.
In addition, the support body 41 may include a rib groove 41a into which a shaft protrusion 513a of a rib shaft 513 to be described later is inserted. The rib groove 41a may be defined at one side or both sides of the support body 41.
In addition, the support 4 may include the guide slit 421 that is elongated in a width direction in the extension body 42. The guide slit 421 may be inclined or rounded from one end of the support body 41 (one end of the support body located far from the drainage port) toward the other end of the support body 41 (one end of the support body located close to the drainage port).
The flow channel regulator 5 may be disposed in the support body 41. The flow channel regulator 5 may include the drainage rib (rib portion) 51, and the drainage rib 51 may include the rib body 511 that is able to adjust the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411, and the rib shaft 513 that forms a center of rotation of the rib body.
The rib body 511 may be constructed such that the shaft protrusion 513a constituting one end of the rib shaft 513 is accommodated in the rib groove 41a. Because the rib body 511 is rotatable based on the shaft protrusion 513a, the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411 may be adjusted.
FIG. 11 is an example of a flow channel regulator.
Referring to FIG. 11, the drainage rib 51 may be composed of the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511. The flow channel regulator 5 may include the link 53 that connects the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 to each other such that the plurality of rib bodies 511 rotate simultaneously, and the flow channel driver 55 that provides the power to rotate the link 53. The flow channel driver 55 may rotate the drainage rib 51.
The drainage rib 51 may include the rib body 511 that is elongated along a width direction of the support hole 411 and the rib shaft 513 that forms a center of rotation of the rib body 511.
The rib body 511 may be elongated along the width direction of the support hole 411, and a link shaft 511a may be disposed at one end of the rib body 511. The number of rib bodies 511 may be the same as the number of support holes 411. The link shaft 511a may be coupled to the link 53 to be described later.
In addition, a height h1 of one side of the rib body 511 where the link shaft 511a is disposed may be set smaller than a height h2 of the other side of the rib body 511. Because a diameter of the first nozzle 713a may be greater than those of other nozzles, by decreasing the height h1 of one side of the rib body 511 close to the first nozzle 713a, air discharged from the first nozzle 713a may be prevented from being excessively introduced into the mounting space 233.
In response thereto, the partition body 412 may have a length in the front and rear direction of one side greater than a length in the front and rear direction of the other side. Accordingly, the drainage rib 51 may minimize the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411 in a third flow channel mode (where the rib body 511 is horizontally arranged parallel to the support body 41) to be described later.
The rib shaft 513 may be disposed at an upper end of the rib body 511. The rib shaft 513 may have the shaft protrusion 513a constituting one end thereof that may be inserted into the rib groove 41a.
In addition, the shaft protrusion 513a of the rib shaft 513 may be connected to a connector 551 of the flow channel driver 55 to be described later and constitute a driving shaft with which the drainage rib 51 is rotatable. The shaft protrusion 513a of the rib shaft that is not connected to the connector 551 (the rib shaft not directly connected to the flow channel driver) may constitute a driven shaft that provides a shaft with which the rib body 511 is rotatable. In addition, the link shaft 511a may protrude to one side from a center in a height direction of the rib body 511. Specific details thereof will be described later.
In addition, the rib shaft 513 may include an auxiliary protrusion 513b disposed at the other end of the rib body 511. The auxiliary protrusion 513b is inserted into the rib groove 41a and is rotatable. Because the flow channel driver 55 is not directly connected to the auxiliary protrusion 513b, all of the auxiliary protrusions 513b may be constituted f as driven shafts.
That is, the rib body 511 is rotatable as the shaft protrusion 513a at one end and the auxiliary protrusion 513b at the other end are inserted into the rib grooves 41a. Accordingly, a load applied to the rib body 511 may be reduced, thereby preventing the rib body 511 from being bent or broken.
The link 53 may connect the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 to each other such that the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 may rotate integrally. The link 53 includes a link body 531 elongated along respective one sides of the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511, and a link protrusion 533 having a link hole (not shown) into which the link shaft 511a may be inserted.
The link body 531 is elongated along the front and rear direction on one side of the drainage rib 51. The link body 531 may connect the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 respectively inserted into the plurality of link protrusions 533 to each other.
The link protrusion 533 protrudes from the link body 531, and the link protrusion 533 includes the link hole (not shown) into which the link shaft 511a is inserted. The number of link protrusions 533 may be the same as the number of rib bodies 511. A spacing between the rib bodies 511 may be determined by a spacing at which the link protrusions 533 are arranged. Spacings between the plurality of link protrusions 533 may be uniform such that spacings between the rib bodies 511 are uniform.
The flow channel driver 55 may be connected to one of the shaft protrusions 513a of the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 to provide the power required for the rotation of the drainage rib 51. The flow channel driver 55 may preferably be equipped as a motor having a rotation shaft. The flow channel driver 55 may be connected to one shaft protrusion 513a via the connector 551.
The connector 551 may connect the rotation shaft (not shown) of the flow channel driver 55 and the shaft protrusion 513a to each other. In addition, the connector 551 may space the drainage rib 51 and the flow channel driver 55 apart by a predetermined spacing such that the link body 531 may be disposed between the drainage rib 51 and the flow channel driver 55.
FIG. 12 is an example showing an operation of a flow channel regulator. (a) in FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a first flow channel mode (maximum flow channel mode), (b) in FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a second flow channel mode, and (c) in FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the third flow channel mode (minimum flow channel mode).
Referring to (a), (b), and (c) in FIG. 12 together, the flow channel regulator 5 may be configured in a plurality of modes capable of adjusting the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411.
The flow channel regulator 5 may control the rib body 511 such that the rib body 511 rotates in a range of 0 to 180 degrees with respect to the support 4. More preferably, to prevent interference between the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 and the partition member 412, the rib body 511 may rotate in a range of 0 to 90 degrees. In addition, the flow channel regulator 5 is able to adjust the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411 via the two shafts (the link shaft 511a and the rib shaft 513a).
More specifically, when one rib shaft (shaft protrusion) 513 is rotated by the flow channel driver 55, the plurality of rotatable rib bodies 511 connected to each other by the link 53 will rotate around the respective shaft protrusions 513a thereof. Based on the drawing, when the rib body 511 rotates clockwise, the link 53 moves to an upper left side. When the above shaft protrusion 513a rotates clockwise inside the rib groove 41a, the link protrusion 533 may rotate counterclockwise by the link shaft 511a.
Referring to (a) in FIG. 12, the rib body 511 is aligned vertically based on the support hole 411. In this regard, the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411 may be maximized. The alignment of the drainage rib 51 in this manner is defined as the first flow channel mode.
As will be described later, when it is necessary for condensate discharged from the first heat exchanger 31 to be discharged to the drainage flow channel (in a drying step or the like), the flow channel regulator 5 may be aligned in the first flow channel mode. Accordingly, condensate discharged from the first heat exchanger 31 disposed on the rib body 511 may be smoothly drained to the drainage flow channel disposed under the rib body 511.
(b) in FIG. 12 shows that the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the second flow channel mode. The second flow channel mode is a mode in which the rib body 511 is aligned between the first flow channel mode and the third flow channel mode described later. In the second flow channel mode, the rib body 511 may rotate in a range of 40 to 70 degrees with respect to the support hole 411 or the support body 41. The rib body 511 being aligned at a predetermined angle in this manner is defined as the second flow channel mode.
As will be described later, when the second flow channel mode is executed, the residual water remover 7 may spray compressed air. When the residual water remover 7 sprays compressed air in the second flow channel mode, compressed air may pass through an area under the first heat exchanger along the rib body 511. That is, when the residual water remover 7 is operated while the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the second flow channel mode, not only may residual water in the drainage flow channel 236 be removed, but also condensate remaining at a bottom of the first heat exchanger and on the drainage rib 51 may be removed.
(c) in FIG. 12 shows that the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the third flow channel mode. The third flow channel mode is a mode in which the rib body 511 is aligned in parallel with the support hole 411 or the support body 41. When the rib body 511 is aligned in the third flow channel mode, the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411 may be minimized. The mode in which the rib body 511 is aligned such that the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411 is minimized (the mode in which the rib body is aligned horizontally with the support body) is defined as the third flow channel mode.
As will be described later, when the residual water remover 7 is operated in the third flow channel mode, compressed air is intensively sprayed into the drainage space 235, so that a pressure of air sprayed into the drainage flow channel 236 increases. Accordingly, condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 may be more effectively transferred to the drainage port 237.
in FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flow of air introduced into the circulation flow channel when the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the first flow channel mode, (b) in FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flow of compressed air sprayed from the residual water remover 7 when the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the second flow channel mode, and (c) in FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a flow of compressed air sprayed from the residual water remover 7 when the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the third flow channel mode.
Referring to (a) in FIG. 13, when the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the first flow channel mode, the drainage rib 51 is aligned nearly vertically with respect to the support 4 (in parallel to a communication direction of the support hole 411). (a) in FIG. 13 may be a schematic diagram of the drying step to be described later.
When the heat exchange assembly 3 is operated, the circulation fan 36 operates and air is introduced into the circulation flow channel 2. Air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 is introduced into the first heat exchanger 31 via a front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 and discharged rearward of the first heat exchanger 31 via a rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31. Air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 discharges condensate while passing through the first heat exchanger 31. In other words, when the heat exchange assembly 3 is operated, condensate may be generated in the first heat exchanger 31.
Condensate generated in the first heat exchanger 31 accumulates on the first heat exchanger 31 and moves downward by its own weight, and when the amount of generated condensate increases, drops downward from the first heat exchanger 31. Condensate falling from the bottom of the first heat exchanger 31 moves to the drainage flow channel 236 via the support hole 411 of the support 4.
In this regard, the flow channel regulator 5 may effectively drain condensate discharged from the first heat exchanger 31 to the drainage flow channel 236 by maximizing the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole 411. That is, to smoothly drain condensate generated in the first heat exchanger 31 to the drainage flow channel 236, the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the first flow channel mode.
Referring to (b) in FIG. 13, it is a schematic diagram showing the residual water remover 7 operating in the state in which the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the second flow channel mode. It may be seen that a portion of compressed air sprayed from the residual water remover 7 moves along the drainage flow channel 236 to the drainage port 237, and the remainder moves along the rib body 51 to the mounting space 233 where the first heat exchanger 31 is located. (b) in FIG. 13 may be an embodiment of a second residual water removal step to be described later.
Compressed air moving in a direction of the drainage port 237 transports condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 to the drainage port 237, so that condensate is stored in the storage 61.
Compressed air moving along the drainage rib 51 to the mounting space 233 may separate condensate remaining on the drainage rib 51 and the bottom of the first heat exchanger 31 from the drainage rib and the first heat exchanger. Therefore, when the residual water remover 7 operates in the second flow channel mode, condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 or accumulated on the drainage rib 51 and the bottom of the first heat exchanger 31 may be easily removed.
(c) in FIG. 13 shows an air movement path when the residual water remover 7 is operated while the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the third flow channel mode. It may be seen that compressed air sprayed from the residual water remover 7 moves to the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 along the drainage flow channel 236. (c) in FIG. 13 may be another embodiment of the second residual water removal step to be described later.
Because the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in the third flow channel mode, compressed air discharged from the residual water remover 7 is intensively sprayed into the drainage space 235. Because compressed air sprayed into the drainage space 235 moves rearward (in a -Z-axis direction) along the drainage flow channel 236, condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 will move to the storage 61 via the drainage port 237.
FIG. 14 is an example of a drainage flow channel, a support, and a residual water remover, and FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a movement of air based on operation of a flow channel regulator and a residual water remover.
Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, the residual water remover 7 may be disposed at a predetermined spacing in front of the support 4 (in a +Z-axis direction). As described above, the air nozzle 713 of the residual water remover 7 is elongated on the front surface 7111 along the width direction of the nozzle body 711. In this regard, a diameter of the air nozzle 713 may vary depending on a location of the air inlet 715 such that compressed air may be discharged at a uniform pressure in the width direction.
The first nozzle 713a may be disposed closest to the air inlet hole 715a of the air inlet 715 compared to other nozzles 713b and 713c. In this case, as shown in FIG. 15, a diameter D1 of the first nozzle 713a may be greater than a diameter D2 of the second nozzle 713b and a diameter D3 of the third nozzle 713c, and the diameter D2 of the second nozzle 713b may be greater than the diameter D3 of the third nozzle 713c.
The reason why the diameter becomes smaller the farther away the nozzle is disposed from the air inlet hole 715a in the width direction is to ensure that compressed air sprayed via the plurality of nozzles is sprayed evenly in the width direction of the drainage flow channel 236. When compressed air is discharged unevenly, condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 may not be able to be transported evenly or a dead zone where condensate remains may occur in the drainage flow channel 236.
Because the first nozzle 713a is a portion that compressed air introduced via the air inlet hole 715a first approaches, when the diameter D1 is great, the movement of compressed air inside the nozzle body 711 becomes stable. In addition, a pressure or a discharge amount of air discharged via the first nozzle 713a may become uniform with a pressure or a discharge amount of air discharged via the third nozzle 713c.
On the contrary, when the diameter D1 of the first nozzle 713a is the smallest and the diameter D3 of the third nozzle 713c is the greatest, the amount of compressed air discharged via the third nozzle 713c, which is disposed far away, decreases. That is, when the D1 is smaller than the D3, the pressure of compressed air discharged via the first nozzle 713a becomes greater than the pressure of compressed air discharged via the third nozzle 713c, so that air may not be discharged uniformly in the width direction but may be discharged unevenly.
That is, the air nozzle 713 may evenly spray compressed air in the width direction into the drainage flow channel 236 while being disposed on the front surface 7111 of the nozzle body 711 in parallel with the width direction.
In addition, a center of the air inlet hole 715a may coincide with the first nozzle 713. Accordingly, compressed air introduced into the nozzle body 711 may be discharged directly to the first nozzle 713a, thereby reducing an amount of air hitting the wall. In addition, a diameter D4 of the air inlet hole 715a may be greater than the diameter D1 of the first nozzle 713a. Accordingly, compressed air may be stably introduced into the third nozzle 713c, which is positioned far from the air inlet hole 715a.
In one example, the guide slit 421 is defined in the extension body 42. The guide slit 421 provides a flow channel through which air introduced into the drainage space 235 or compressed air may be introduced into the mounting space 233. The guide slit 421 may be constructed such that, based on both sides thereof in the width direction, a flow channel cross-sectional area V1 at one side farther away from the drainage port 237 is narrower than a flow channel cross-sectional area V2 at the other side.
As such, because of the difference in the flow channel cross-sectional area, one side of the guide slit 421 may have a higher air pressure, and the other side of the guide slit 421 may have an air pressure lower than the that of one side of the guide slit 421.
That is, because of a difference in the flow channel cross-sectional area (V2-V1) between one side and the other side of the guide slit 421, a difference in the air pressure occurs between one side and the other side of the guide slit 421. Accordingly, air passing through the guide slit 421 may flow from one side of the guide slit 421 to the other side of the guide slit 421.
In addition, the guide slit 421 may have a second curvature Rb at a location corresponding to a first curvature Ra, which will be described later, so as to include a curve.
The guide slit 421 may include a first slit defined far from the drainage port 237 in the width direction in the extension body 42, a third slit defined close to the drainage port 237 in the width direction in the extension body 42, and a second slit that is elongated between the first slit and the third slit.
As shown in FIG. 14, a first slit 421a forms one side of the guide slit 421. That is, the flow channel cross-sectional area V1 of one side of the guide slit 421 is the flow channel cross-sectional area V1 of one side of the first slit 421a.
The first slit 421a may have the second curvature Rb. Specifically, the first slit 421a may extend forward (in the +Z-axis direction) from one side of a second slit 421b, which will be described later, with the second curvature Rb.
In addition, the first slit 421a may be constructed such that the flow channel cross-sectional area V1 of one side thereof is narrower than a flow channel cross-sectional area of the other side thereof. Accordingly, as described above, the pressure difference of air may occur, so that air may flow from one side to the other side of the guide slit 421.
The second slit 421b may connect the other side of the first slit 421a with one side of a third slit 421c, which will be described later. Sizes of the flow channel cross-sectional areas of one side and the other side of the second slit 421b may be the same as each other, and a length in the width direction of the second slit 421b may be greater than that of the first slit 421a or the third slit 421c.
In addition, the second slit 421b may be bent forward at a predetermined angle from one side of the third slit 421c and may be extended to the first slit 421a. Accordingly, the entire guide slit 421 may be gently sloped.
The third slit 421c forms the other side of the guide slit 421. That is, the flow channel cross-sectional area V2 of the other side of the guide slit 421 may be set as the flow channel cross-sectional area V2 of the other side of the third slit 423.
Accordingly, the guide slit 421, more specifically, the first slit 421a, the second slit 421b, and the third slit 421c of the guide slit 421, may induce the pressure difference via the difference in the flow channel cross-sectional area. Because of such a pressure difference in the width direction, air or compressed air passing through the guide slit 421 may move from one side to the other side.
As shown in FIG. 15, the drainage flow channel 236 may include a curved surface 236a that extends rearward from one side far from the drainage port 237 among both sides, and a flat surface 236b that forms a rear surface disposed at the rear (in the -Z-axis direction) of the drainage flow channel 236, but extends from the other side of the curved surface 236a to the drainage port 237.
The curved surface 236a may extend from one side of the flat surface 236b, which will be described below, and may extend forward with the first curvature Ra. The curved surface 236a may guide compressed air uniformly sprayed in the width direction via the air nozzle 713 to the drainage port 237. In addition, a blind spot may be reduced at a corner far from the drainage port 237 where condensate is likely to remain.
The flat surface 236b may have one side extending from the other side of the curved surface 236a, and the other side connected to the drainage port 237. The flat surface 236b may be equipped as a rear surface of the drainage flow channel 236. The flat surface 236b is disposed in the width direction, so that the movement of condensate and air, whose flow direction is curved via the curved surface 236a, may be guided to the drainage port 237.
As described above, when compressed air is sprayed in the width direction from the front side to the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 via the residual water remover 7, condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 is transported to the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 by the compressed air. At the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236, an air flow to the drainage port 237 may occur because of the pressure difference occurring by the flow channel cross-sectional area difference V2-V1 of the guide slit 421.
In addition, because of the first curvature Ra at the curved surface 236a of the drainage flow channel 236, air that has moved to the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 may move toward the drainage port 237 along the flat surface 236b.
In other words, the transport of condensate to the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 may be induced by the residual water remover 7, and the transport of condensate from the rear side of the drainage flow channel 236 to the drainage port 237 may be induced by the guide slit 421, or/and the curved surface 236a and the flat surface 236b. Accordingly, condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel 236 may be smoothly transported to the drainage port 237.
Referring to FIG. 16, the laundry treating apparatus 100 may further include a guide assembly 9 that is able to adjust the flow channel cross-sectional areas of the front surface 311 and the rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31. The guide assembly 9 may guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 to lower areas 311b and 312b of the first heat exchanger 31, so that condensate accumulated on the lower areas of the first heat exchanger 31 may be smoothly transferred to the drainage space 235.
In one example, the front surface 311 and the rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31 may be divided into upper areas 311a and 312a and the lower areas 311b and 312b, respectively. The upper areas 311a and 312a of the first heat exchanger 31 may mean areas from an uppermost end to a midpoint in a height direction of the first heat exchanger 31. The lower areas 311b and 312b of the first heat exchanger 31 may mean areas from a lowermost end to the midpoint in the height direction of the first heat exchanger 31.
In other words, the upper areas 311a and 312a of the first heat exchanger 31 may mean areas within a range of 0% exclusive to 50% inclusive of a vertical dimension from the uppermost end of the first heat exchanger 31. The lower areas 311b and 312b of the first heat exchanger may mean areas within a range of 50% exclusive to 100% inclusive of the vertical dimension from the uppermost end of the first heat exchanger 32.
As described above, the guide assembly 9 may adjust an open area of the first heat exchanger 31 or the flow channel cross-sectional area of the mounting space 233 to concentrate or guide the flow of air introduced into or that has passed through the first heat exchanger 31.
The guide assembly 9 may cover the first heat exchanger 31 such that air introduced into the circulation flow channel passes through only at least a partial area of the first heat exchanger 31 (60% to 90%). That is, the guide assembly 9 may cover the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 and the rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31 such that only at least a portion of the lower areas 311b and 312b of the first heat exchanger is opened.
The guide assembly 9 may include a first guide 91 disposed in front of the first heat exchanger 31, a second guide 92 disposed at the rear of the first heat exchanger 31, and a guide driver 93 that provides power such that the first and second guides 92 may pivot. The first guide 91 and the second guide 92 may be pivotable by the guide driver 93 about a first shaft 91a and a second shaft 92a, respectively. The first guide 91 and the second guide 92 may pivot simultaneously by a single motor and a connection belt (not shown), or may pivot simultaneously or independently by including a first motor 931 and a second motor 932, respectively.
The first guide 91 is disposed in front of the first heat exchanger 31 and is able to adjust the flow channel cross-sectional area in front of the first heat exchanger 31. That is, the first guide 91 may adjust a flow channel cross-sectional area of a portion of the mounting space 233 in front of the first heat exchanger 31 into which air is introduced from the front (or a front cross-sectional area or a front open area of the first heat exchanger 31).
The first guide 91 may include a first induction body 911 that covers at least a portion of the front surface of the first heat exchanger 31.
Here, covering only means that air introduced into the circulation flow channel is prevented from being directly introduced into the first heat exchanger 31, but does not mean that the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 is physically sealed or blocked. When air is introduced into the first heat exchanger 31 via the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31, the first guide 91 may at least partially cover the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 by the first induction body 911.
In one example, the guide assembly 9 may include a plurality of guide modes capable of adjusting the flow channel cross-sectional area of the first heat exchanger 31. This will be described later.
in FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a movement of air when a guide assembly is open, and (b) in FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a movement of air when the guide assembly is closed.
Referring to (a) in FIG. 17, the guide assembly 9 may be aligned in an open state, i.e., a first guide mode. (a) in FIG. 17 may be an alignment of the guide assembly 9 in the drying step to be described later.
The first guide mode means a mode in which the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 and the rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31 are not covered by the guide assembly 9 such that air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may pass through the first heat exchanger 31.
That is, the first guide mode means a state in which both the first guide 91 and the second guide 92 are open without covering the first heat exchanger 31 (or minimally covering them).
In this regard, when the heat exchange assembly 3 is operated, air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may be introduced into the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 and discharged to the rear surface 312. Accordingly, heat exchange between the first heat exchanger 31 and air may be actively performed. That is, it may be seen that air introduced into the circulation flow channel in the state where the guide assembly 9 is aligned in the first mode (in the state where the guide assembly is open) passes through the first heat exchanger 31 and the second heat exchanger 32 in sequence.
(b) in FIG. 17 shows a second guide mode in which the guide assembly 9 is closed. The mode in (b) in FIG. 17 may be an alignment of the guide assembly 9 in a first residual water removal step to be described later.
The second guide mode may be a mode in which the guide assembly 9 is disposed to cover the front surface 311 and the rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31 such that air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may be guided to the lower areas of the first heat exchanger 31.
That is, a state in which both the first guide 91 and the second guide 92 are pivoted to cover the first heat exchanger 31 may be referred to as the second guide mode or the closed state of the guide assembly 9. In this regard, at least portions of the lower areas 311b and 312b of the first heat exchanger 31 may be opened.
In other words, the open state of the guide assembly 9 in the present document may mean that the first guide 91 or the second guide 92 is aligned in the first guide mode such that the first heat exchanger 31 is not covered and thus air is able to freely flow through the first heat exchanger 31. The closed state of the guide assembly 9 may mean that the first guide 91 or the second guide 92 is aligned in the second guide mode of covering the front surface 311 and the rear surface 312 of the first heat exchanger 31 such that only at least a portion of the first heat exchanger 31 is opened.
In addition, in the second guide mode, the first guide 91 may cover the front surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31 such that only at least a portion of a front lower area of the first heat exchanger 31 is opened or exposed, and the second guide 92 may cover the entire rear surface 311 of the first heat exchanger 31. The reason why the second guide 92 covers the entire rear surface of the first heat exchanger 31 is to prevent air that has passed through the first heat exchanger 31 from supplying condensate to the second heat exchanger 32.
In one example, when the first guide 91 and the second guide 92 are operated independently, the plurality of modes may include a third guide mode in which the guides are aligned such that the front surface of the first heat exchanger 31 is covered and the rear surface thereof is open, and a fourth guide mode in which the guides are aligned such that the front surface of the first heat exchanger 31 is open and the rear surface thereof is covered. That is, in the third guide mode, the first guide 91 is closed and the second guide 92 is open. In the fourth guide mode, the first guide 91 is open and the second guide 92 is closed.
Referring to (a) and (b) in FIG. 17 together, the flow of air inside the circulation flow channel based on the alignment of the guide assembly 9 will be described.
Referring to (a) in FIG. 17, it may be seen that air introduced into the circulation flow channel in the state where the guide assembly 9 is aligned in the first guide mode passes through the first heat exchanger 31 and the second heat exchanger 32 in sequence. The movement of air introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 and the movement of condensate generated in the first heat exchanger 31 while the heat exchange assembly 3 is in operation have been described above.
Referring to (b) in FIG. 17, air introduced into the circulation flow channel in the state where the guide assembly 9 is aligned in the second guide mode is introduced into the first heat exchanger 31 via the front surface of the first heat exchanger 31, more preferably, the front lower area of the first heat exchanger 31. Air introduced into the first heat exchanger 31 is introduced into the drainage space via a support body through-hole together with condensate, because the rear surface of the first heat exchanger 31 is completely covered by the second guide 92 as described above.
That is, when the circulation fan is operated in the second mode, air is guided to move in a direction of the circulation flow channel in the lower area of the first heat exchanger 31. Guided air may separate condensate (residual water) accumulated on the lower area of the first heat exchanger 31 from the first heat exchanger and move the condensate to the drainage space.
In this regard, the flow channel regulator 5 may be aligned in the first flow channel mode or the second flow channel mode such that the condensate may move to the drainage space 235.
FIG. 18 is an embodiment of a control method in which a residual water removal step is performed, and FIG. 19 is another embodiment of a control method in which a residual water removal step is performed.
Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19 together, a method for controlling the laundry treating apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a drying step of removing moisture from the laundry stored in the drum 17 and a residual water removal step of transporting or removing condensate generated after the drying step to the drainage port 237.
In the drying step, the heat exchange assembly 3 and the circulation fan 36 are operated. When the circulation fan 36 is operated, air inside the drum 17 is introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 via the first duct 21, passes through the heat exchange assembly 3, and is then supplied back to the drum 17 via the second duct 22.
In the drying step, to maximize a surface area of air moving inside the circulation flow channel 2 coming into contact with the first heat exchanger 31, the guide assembly 9 is aligned in the first guide mode. That is, because the guide assembly 9 is open, a cross-sectional area of a flow channel guiding air to the first heat exchanger 31 may be maximized. In addition, in the drying step, for condensate generated in the first heat exchanger 31 to be smoothly drained to the drainage space 235, the flow channel regulator 5 may be aligned in the first flow channel mode or the second flow channel mode.
Via the drying step, air containing moisture introduced into the circulation flow channel 2 may be dehumidified and heated while passing through the heat exchange assembly 3 and be resupplied to the drum 17.
The residual water removal step is a step of removing condensate generated in the drying step or transferring the same to the drainage port 237. The residual water removal step includes the first residual water removal step of transferring condensate remaining in the first heat exchanger 31 to the drainage space 235 or removing the same, and the second residual water removal step of transferring condensate remaining in the drainage space to the drainage port 237 or removing the same.
The first residual water removal step may be performed after the drying step. In the first residual water removal step, the circulation fan 36 may be operated, and the guide assembly 9 may be in the second guide mode. In this regard, the drainage pump (not shown) may be operated to transfer remaining condensate from the storage 61 to the storage tank. In this regard, the flow channel regulator 5 may stop operating and maintain the state of being aligned in the first flow channel mode or the second flow channel mode as in the drying step. In the first residual water removal step, the residual water remover 7 may not operate.
In the first residual water removal step, air introduced into the circulation flow channel passes intensively through the lower area of the first heat exchanger by the guide assembly 9. Accordingly, condensate generated in the first heat exchanger may be transferred to the drainage space 236 in the drying step.
The second residual water removal step may be performed after the drying step or after the first residual water removal step. In the second residual water removal step, the circulation fan 36 stops operating. In the second residual water removal step, the flow channel regulator 5 may be aligned in the second flow channel mode or the third flow channel mode. That is, the flow channel regulator 5 being operated means that the flow channel regulator 5 is aligned in a flow channel mode other than the first flow channel mode. In addition, the residual water remover 7 may be operated to spray compressed air into the drainage space 236. Accordingly, condensate transferred to the drainage flow channel may be transferred to the storage 61 via the drainage port 237 in the first residual water removal step.
The principle of smoothly transporting condensate remaining in the drainage flow channel to the drainage port 237 has been described. In this regard, the drainage pump may be operated to discharge condensate introduced into the storage 61 to the drainage tank.
In one example, the guide assembly 9 may be aligned in the open state, i.e., in the first guide mode, as shown in the drawing, so that air introduced into the mounting space by the residual water remover 7 may move rearward of the first heat exchanger 31. Alternatively, the guide assembly 9 may be aligned in the closed state, i.e., in the second guide mode, so as to prevent air introduced into the mounting space by the residual water remover 7 from moving to the second heat exchanger 32.
The second residual water removal step may be a step unrelated to the operation of the guide assembly 9 as long as the flow channel regulator 5 and the residual water remover 7 are operated after the drying step or the first residual water removal step to remove condensate inside the circulation flow channel 236.
The structure and the control method of the laundry treating apparatus described above are examples of the present disclosure, and are able to be implemented in various modified forms, so that the scope of the rights thereof is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Therefore, when a modified embodiment includes a component of claims of the present disclosure, it should be considered to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a drum constructed to provide a space where laundry is accommodated;

a circulation flow channel constructed to provide a passage for guiding air discharged from the drum to the drum;

a heat exchange assembly including a circulation fan configured to move air along the circulation flow channel, a first heat exchanger configured to dehumidify air moving along the circulation flow channel, and a second heat exchanger configured to heat air that has passed through the first heat exchanger;

a support including a support body supporting a lower portion of the first heat exchanger and a support hole defined through the support body, wherein the support divides the circulation flow channel into a mounting space where the heat exchange assembly is placed and a drainage space where condensate generated in the first heat exchanger is discharged via the support hole;

a water collector disposed outside the circulation flow channel and in communication with the drainage space, wherein the water collector has a storage where condensate discharged to the drainage space is stored; and

a residual water remover configured to spray air into the drainage space such that condensate introduced into the drainage space moves to the water collector.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual water remover includes:
an air sprayer configured to spray air into the drainage space via one or more nozzles directed toward the drainage space; and

an air supplier configured to supply air to the air sprayer.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the air sprayer includes:
a nozzle body providing a space where air is able to flow therein;

an air nozzle disposed on one surface of the nozzle body facing the drainage space to spray air introduced into the nozzle body into the drainage space; and

an air inlet disposed on the nozzle body, wherein the air inlet has an air inlet hole allowing the nozzle body and the air supplier to be in communication with each other.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the air supplier includes:
an air motor configured to discharge air; and

an air connecting portion having one side in communication with the air motor and an opposite side in communication with the air inlet, wherein the air connecting portion guides air discharged from the air motor to the nozzle body.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 4, wherein the air nozzle is disposed on a front surface of the nozzle body,
wherein the air supplier is in communication with the air inlet formed on a rear surface of the nozzle body facing the front surface of the nozzle body.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the air nozzle is composed of a plurality of cleaning nozzles arranged on the front surface of the nozzle body in parallel with each other at a predetermined spacing along a width direction of the nozzle body,
wherein diameters of the plurality of cleaning nozzles become smaller in a direction away from the air inlet hole along the width direction of the nozzle body.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the air inlet hole is defined close to one side of the nozzle body spaced farther away from the water collector based on a width direction of the nozzle body among both sides of the rear surface of the nozzle body,
wherein a plurality of cleaning nozzles include a first nozzle disposed closest to a center of the air inlet hole based on the width direction of the nozzle body, a third nozzle disposed farthest from the center of the air inlet hole based on the width direction of the nozzle body, and a second nozzle disposed between the first nozzle and the third nozzle.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first nozzle has a diameter greater than diameters of the second nozzle and the third nozzle,
wherein the second nozzle has the diameter greater than the diameter of the third nozzle.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 8, wherein a center of the first nozzle is located on the same line as the center of the air inlet hole.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the residual water remover further includes an air cover coupled to the air sprayer and the air supplier from above,
wherein the air cover includes:
a body cover coupled to the air nozzle and the air supplier from above to at least partially cover a top surface of the air nozzle and a top surface of the air supplier; and

a flow channel cover coupled to the body cover from above and constructed to guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 10, wherein the flow channel cover includes at least one curved surface so as to stably guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a flow channel regulator disposed in the support so as to be able to adjust a flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole, wherein the flow channel regulator is configured to adjust an amount of air passing through the drainage space.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 12, wherein the flow channel regulator includes:
a drainage rib including a plurality of rotatable rib bodies constructed to be rotatable to cover at least a portion of the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole;

a link connected to the drainage rib such that the plurality of rotatable rib bodies rotate integrally; and

a flow channel driver configured to provide power to the link such that the drainage rib rotates.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13, wherein the flow channel regulator is constructed to have a plurality of alignments,
wherein the plurality of alignments include:
a maximum flow channel mode where the rib bodies are disposed vertically with respect to the support body so that the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole is maximized; and

a minimum flow channel mode where the rib bodies are disposed parallel to the support body so that the flow channel cross-sectional area of the support hole is minimized.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13, wherein the drainage rib has the plurality of rotatable rib bodies arranged to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined spacing in a front and rear direction of the support body and elongated in a width direction of the support body,
wherein a height of one side surface disposed farther from the storage among both side surfaces in the width direction of the rib body is smaller than a height of an opposite side surface of the rib body.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a drainage flow channel disposed along a front and rear direction of the drainage space in the drainage space, wherein the drainage flow channel provides a space where condensate discharged to the drainage space is moveable; and

a drainage port allowing the drainage flow channel and the storage to be in communication with each other such that condensate moving in the drainage flow channel is introduced into the storage,

wherein the drainage flow channel has a rear surface inclined to guide condensate to the drainage port.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 16, wherein the rear surface of the drainage flow channel includes:
a flat surface disposed in parallel with a front surface of the drainage flow channel; and

a curved surface extending with a first curvature in a forward direction of the drainage flow channel from one side located farther away from the drainage port among both sides of the flat surface.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 17, wherein the support further includes an extension body extending from the support body to the second heat exchanger,
wherein the extension body includes a guide slit allowing the mounting space and the drainage space to be in communication with each other between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger,

wherein the guide slit is elongated in the extension body along a width direction of the drainage space, wherein a flow channel cross-sectional area at one side thereof disposed farther away from the drainage port in the width direction of the drainage space among both sides thereof in the width direction is smaller than a flow channel cross-sectional area at an opposite side thereof.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 18, wherein the guide slit includes:
a first slit defined at one side of the extension body farther away from the drainage port among both sides of the extension body in the width direction;

a third slit defined at an opposite side of the extension body; and

a second slit defined to connect the first slit with the third slit,

wherein a flow channel cross-sectional area of the first slit is smaller than a flow channel cross-sectional area of the third slit.
The laundry treating apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first slit extends with a second curvature from the second slit,
wherein the first curvature and the second curvature correspond to each other.
A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus including a drum constructed to provide a space where laundry is accommodated, a circulation flow channel constructed to provide a passage for guiding air discharged from the drum to the drum, a heat exchange assembly including a circulation fan configured to move air along the circulation flow channel, a first heat exchanger configured to dehumidify air moving along the circulation flow channel, and a second heat exchanger configured to heat air that has passed through the first heat exchanger, a support constructed to divide the circulation flow channel into a mounting space where the heat exchange assembly is placed and a drainage space where condensate generated in the first heat exchanger is discharged, a water collector in communication with the drainage space and including a storage where condensate discharged to the drainage space is stored, a guide assembly configured to guide air introduced into the circulation flow channel to a lower area of the first heat exchanger, a residual water remover configured to spray compressed air into the drainage space such that condensate introduced into the drainage space is forcibly transferred to the water collector, and a flow channel regulator disposed in the support and configured to adjust an amount of air passing through the drainage space, the method comprising:
a drying step of operating the circulation fan and opening the guide assembly to remove moisture from the laundry accommodated in the drum;

a first residual water removal step of operating the circulation fan and closing the guide assembly to allow air introduced into the circulation flow channel to pass through the lower area of the first heat exchanger, thereby separating condensate from the lower area of the first heat exchanger; and

a second residual water removal step of stopping the circulation fan, operating the residual water remover, and operating the flow channel regulator to transport condensate discharged to the drainage space to the storage.