KR102568205B1 - Clothes treating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a drum configured to accommodate an object to be treated; an air circulation passage connected to the front opening of the drum and the rear opening of the drum to form a path through which air discharged from the front opening of the drum passes through the heat exchanger and flows into the rear opening of the drum; a base installed below the drum and formed to provide a mounting space for parts constituting the air circulation passage and the heat exchanger; a circulation fan installed at a downstream side of the heat exchanger based on the flow of air in the air circulation passage and generating a suction force to suck air in the air circulation passage and supply the air to the drum; a water collector forming a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area at the base to collect condensed water formed from air circulating through the drum; and formed in the water collecting part to prevent external air from flowing into the air circulation passage through the water collecting part by the suction force of the circulation fan, and to form a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area in the water collecting part to collect the condensed water. contains traps that

Description

Clothes processing device {CLOTHES TREATING APPARATUS}

The present invention relates to a laundry treatment device having a structure capable of suppressing dew condensation inside.

The clothes processing device refers to all devices that manage or treat clothes, such as washing, drying, or removing wrinkles, such as clothes or bedding in a home or a laundromat. The clothes handling device includes a washing machine, a dryer, a washer/dryer, a refresher, an iron, a steamer, and the like.

A washing machine is a device used to wash clothes or bedding. A dryer is a device that removes moisture from clothes or bedding to dry them. A washer and dryer is a device that combines washing and drying functions. A refresher is a device for refreshing clothes, such as removing odors and dust from clothes or treating them to prevent static electricity generation. An iron is a device for removing unnecessary wrinkles from clothes or creating necessary wrinkles for clothes. A steamer is a device that sterilizes clothes using high-temperature steam without contact with a heating plate or delicately removes unnecessary wrinkles from clothes.

Among them, the dryer evaporates moisture contained in the object to be treated by supplying hot air to the object to be treated, such as clothes or bedding put into the drum (or tub). The moisture of the object to be treated is evaporated in the drum, and the air exiting the drum retains the moisture of the object to be treated, and becomes a high temperature and high humidity state. At this time, the type of dryer is classified into a condensation type and an exhaust type according to the method of processing the high temperature and high humidity air.

The condensation type dryer condenses moisture contained in the hot and humid air through heat exchange while circulating the hot and humid air without discharging it to the outside. In contrast, exhaust type dryers directly discharge hot and humid air to the outside. There is a structural difference between the condensation type dryer in that it has a structure for treating condensed water, and the exhaust type dryer has a structure for exhausting air.

The condensation type dryer may include a heater system generating Joule heat to condense moisture through a heat exchange process or a heat pump system using a refrigerant. Regardless of which heat exchange system the dryer is equipped with, the heat exchange efficiency affects the power consumption or performance of the dryer.

For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0127816 (November 25, 2013), which is a prior patent document, discloses a condensation dryer equipped with a heat pump system. The prior patent document mentions that it is necessary to suppress air leakage in order to improve heat exchange efficiency. In addition, the prior patent document suggests a U-trap as a configuration for suppressing air leakage. The U trap is a structure that prevents air from leaking to the bottom of the evaporator due to accumulated condensate.

However, the above configuration alone is not sufficient to improve the heat exchange efficiency. In particular, when the configuration of the heat exchange system or the configuration of the flow path is changed, a suitable structure is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treatment apparatus in which an air flow mechanism for circulating air through a drum is improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to propose a clothes treatment apparatus having a structure that prevents a decrease in efficiency of a heat exchange system caused by an improvement in an air flow mechanism.

The present invention proposes a laundry treatment apparatus having a trap blocking the intake of external air to solve the problem that external air is sucked into the air circulation passage by rotation of the circulation fan and the efficiency of the heat exchange system is lowered due to the air. It is to do.

An object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a trap that does not lose its air blocking function even with strong suction power of a circulation fan.

An object of the present invention is to propose a trap having a structure for not losing the function of a water level sensor installed in a water collector.

The present invention is to propose a structure capable of preventing breakage of a trap.

A laundry treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a drum configured to accommodate an object to be treated; an air circulation passage connected to the drum; a circulation fan installed at a downstream side of the heat exchanger in the air circulation passage and generating a suction force to suck in air from the air circulation passage and supply the air to the drum; a water collector formed on the lower side of the drum to collect condensed water; and a trap forming a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area in the water collecting part so as to collect condensed water.

The air circulation passage is connected to the front opening of the drum and the rear opening of the drum to form a path through which air discharged from the front opening of the drum passes through the heat exchanger and flows into the rear opening of the drum.

The laundry treatment apparatus includes a base, and the base is installed below the drum and is formed to provide a mounting space for parts constituting the air circulation passage and the heat exchanger.

The circulation fan is installed on the downstream side of the heat exchanger based on the flow of air in the air circulation passage.

The collecting part forms a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area in the base to collect condensed water formed from air circulating through the drum.

The trap is formed in the collecting part to prevent external air from flowing into the air circulation passage through the collecting part by the suction force of the circulation fan.

The laundry handling apparatus further includes a cover formed to cover the water collecting portion, and the trap includes: an upwardly protruding rib protruding from a bottom surface of the trap toward the cover and having an upper end spaced apart from the cover; and a downwardly protruding rib protruding from the cover toward the bottom surface of the trap and having a lower end spaced apart from the bottom surface of the trap.

One of the upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the other one.

The upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib have a shape corresponding to the side surface of a cylinder, and are disposed while forming concentric circles of different sizes.

The upwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the downwardly protruding rib, and has a larger area at the second position of the passage than the area at the first position of the passage formed in the trap, wherein the first position is the downwardly protruding rib. Corresponds to the hollow part of the rib, the area at the first position is calculated as the cross-sectional area of the hollow part, the second position corresponds to between the bottom surface of the trap and the lower end of the downwardly protruding rib, and the second position The area in is calculated as the area of the side surface of the imaginary cylinder whose height is the separation distance between the bottom surface of the hollow part and the downwardly protruding rib.

At least one of the upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib is provided in plurality.

The upwardly protruding ribs and the downwardly protruding ribs are provided in plurality, and are alternately disposed along a direction away from the center of the concentric circles.

The upwardly protruding rib may include a first upwardly protruding rib; and a second upwardly protruding rib having a diameter greater than that of the first upwardly protruding rib, wherein the downwardly protruding rib comprises: a first downwardly protruding rib having a diameter smaller than that of the first upwardly protruding rib; and a second downwardly protruding rib having a diameter larger than that of the first upwardly protruding rib and smaller than that of the second upwardly protruding rib, wherein the first upwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the first downwardly protruding rib, 2 downward protruding ribs are formed to surround the first upwardly protruding rib, and the second upwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the second downwardly protruding rib.

The clothes handling apparatus further includes a water pump installed in the water collecting part, and a portion opposite to the water pump with respect to the trap among side surfaces of the water collecting part is an outermost part of the upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib. formed by being placed.

The laundry treatment device further includes a stepped portion protruding upward from a boundary between the bottom surface of the water collecting portion and the trap to form a step difference with the bottom surface of the water collecting portion.

The laundry treatment device further includes a stepped portion protruding upward from a boundary between the bottom surface of the water collecting portion and the trap to form a step difference with the bottom surface of the water collecting portion, and the stepped portion is disposed at an outermost portion of the downward protruding ribs. .

The clothes handling device further includes a water pump mounted on the water collecting unit to transport the condensed water collected in the water collecting unit, and the water pump has wings rotatably disposed toward a bottom surface of the water collecting unit. , The upper end of the stepped portion has a lower height than the lower end of the wing.

The cover is formed to cover the water pump.

The cover may include a trap cover portion formed to face the trap from an upper side of the trap; and a hose connection portion protruding upward from the downward protruding rib through the trap cover portion and upward of the cover, wherein the laundry treatment device is connected to the water pump and is configured to receive condensed water transported by the water pump. a bucket of water; a water container support frame formed to support the water container and to receive condensed water overflowing from the water container; and a return hose connected to the water container support frame and the hose connection part to return condensed water overflowing from the water container to the water container support frame to the water collector.

The return hose has an inclination of a tangent line greater than 0 in an entire section of the return hose with respect to the ground where the laundry treatment device is installed to prevent condensed water from accumulating therein.

The base includes a breakage prevention rib formed around the trap, the breakage prevention rib protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the base, and a lower end of the breakage prevention rib is disposed lower than the bottom surface of the trap.

The breakage prevention rib is formed to surround the trap.

According to the present invention, since the circulation fan sucks hot dry air from the downstream side of the heat exchanger and supplies it to the drum, it is possible to supply more powerful hot air to the drum than when the circulation fan is disposed upstream of the heat exchanger.

According to the present invention, it is possible to block the suction force of the circulation fan from reaching external air with a trap, and thus the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger can be improved.

According to the present invention, malfunction of the trap due to freezing in winter can be prevented.

According to the present invention, since the trap has a zigzag flow path structure repeated in the vertical direction, it is possible to maintain the external air blocking effect even with strong suction power of the circulation fan.

The trap of the present invention not only blocks the inflow of outside air, but also prevents the suction force of the water pump from causing malfunction of the water level sensor installed in the water collector.

According to the present invention, the breakage of the trap can be prevented by the breakage prevention rib.

1 is a conceptual diagram of a laundry treatment device related to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a side view of a drum and an air circulation passage.
3 is a perspective view of a base and components mounted on the base.
4 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000. Referring to FIG.
5 is a plan view of the base.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the trap along line AA of FIG. 5 .
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the trap taken along line BB of FIG. 5 .
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the trap taken along line CC of FIG. 5 .

Hereinafter, a laundry treatment apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the same or similar reference numerals are assigned to the same or similar components even in different embodiments, and the description is replaced with the first description. Singular expressions used herein include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In this specification, when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, but there may be other elements in the middle. It should be understood that it may be On the other hand, when an element is referred to as “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another element, it should be understood that no other element exists in the middle.

1 is a conceptual diagram of a laundry treatment apparatus 1000 related to an embodiment of the present invention.

The cabinet 1010 forms the exterior of the laundry handling device 1000 . A plurality of plates constituting the front part, the rear part, the left and right side parts, the upper surface part, and the lower surface part of the laundry handling apparatus 1000 are combined with each other to form the cabinet 1010 . Each plate can be named a combination of the names location and cover. For example, a plate forming the front part of the laundry treating apparatus 1000 is a front cover, a plate forming a rear part of the laundry treating apparatus 1000 is a rear cover, and a plate forming a side part of the laundry treating apparatus 1000 is a side cover. can be named as A front opening 1011 is formed at the front of the cabinet 1010 so that an object to be treated can be introduced into the drum 1030 .

The door 1020 is formed to open and close the front opening 1011 . The door 1020 may be rotatably connected to the cabinet 1010 by a hinge (not shown). The door 1020 may be formed of a partially transparent material. Therefore, even when the door 1020 is closed, the inside of the drum 1030 may be visually exposed through the transparent material.

The drum 1030 is rotatably installed inside the cabinet 1010 . The drum 1030 is formed in a cylindrical shape to accommodate an object to be treated. The drum 1030 is disposed to be tilted toward the front and rear directions of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 so as to receive an object to be treated through the front opening 1011 . An irregularity may be formed along the circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the drum 1030 .

An opening is formed in the drum 1030 that opens toward the front and rear of the laundry treatment device 1000 . An object to be treated may be introduced into the drum 1030 through the front side opening. Hot dry air may be supplied to the inside of the drum 1030 through the rear side opening.

The drum 1030 is rotatably supported by a front supporter 1040 , a rear supporter 1050 and a roller 1060 . The front supporter 1040 is disposed under the front of the drum 1030, and the rear supporter 1050 is disposed behind the drum 1030.

The front supporter 1040 and the rear supporter 1050 may be connected to the cabinet 1010 by fastening a connecting member 1013 or the like. For example, the cabinet 1010 may include pillars 1012 extending vertically at positions adjacent to both corners of the front supporter 1040 . A portion of the connecting member 1013 may be disposed to face the front supporter 1040, and another portion of the connecting member 1013 may be bent several times from the portion to surround the pillar 1012. When the screw passes through the connecting member 1013 and the front supporter 1040 and is fastened, the connecting member 1013 and the front supporter 1040 are connected. Likewise, when the screw is fastened through the connecting member 1013 and the pillar 1012, the connecting member 1013 and the pillar 1012 are connected. In addition to screws, various types of connection mechanisms may be applied.

The rollers 1060 may be installed on the front supporter 1040 and the rear supporter 1050, respectively. The roller 1060 is disposed directly below the drum 1030 and is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the drum 1030 . The roller 1060 is rotatably formed, and an elastic member such as rubber is coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the roller 1060 . The roller 1060 rotates in a direction opposite to that of the drum 1030 .

Heat pump cycle devices 1100 that change the temperature and humidity of air to be supplied to the drum 1030 may be installed below the drum 1030 . Here, the lower side of the drum 1030 means the lower side of the space between the outer circumferential surface of the drum 1030 and the inner circumferential surface of the cabinet 1010 . The heat pump cycle devices 1100 refer to devices that configure a cycle to sequentially evaporate-compress-condensate-expand the refrigerant. When the heat pump cycle devices 1100 operate, the air is heated and dried while sequentially exchanging heat with the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 .

The inlet duct 1210 and the outlet duct 1220 form a flow path for circulating hot dry air formed by the heat pump cycle devices 1100 to the drum 1030 . The inlet duct 1210 is disposed at the rear of the drum 1030, and air dried at a high temperature by the heat pump cycle devices 1100 is supplied to the drum 1030 through the inlet duct 1210. The outlet duct 1220 is disposed below the front of the drum 1030, and the air drying the object to be treated is recovered again through the outlet duct 1220.

A filter 1070 is disposed between the front supporter 1040 and the outlet duct 1220. The upper part of the filter 1070 is mounted on a filter mount (not shown) provided in the front supporter 1040, and the lower part of the filter 1070 is inserted into the outlet duct 1220. Dust or lint generated while the object to be treated is dried by the hot dry air is filtered by the filter 1070.

The connection duct 1230 and the circulation fan cover 1330 are disposed between the inlet duct 1210 and the outlet duct 1220.

The inlet of the connection duct 1230 is connected to the outlet duct 1220. The connection duct 1230 is formed to surround the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 corresponding to heat exchangers among the heat pump cycle devices 1100 . The outlet of the connection duct 1230 is connected to the circulation fan cover 1330.

The inlet of the circulation fan cover 1330 is connected to the outlet of the connection duct 1230. The circulation fan cover 1330 is formed to accommodate a circulation fan therein. The outlet of the circulation fan cover 1330 is connected to the inlet duct 1210.

A base 1310 is installed below the drum 1030 and the heat pump cycle devices 1100 . The base 1310 refers to a molded body supporting various components of the laundry treatment device 1000, including the heat pump cycle devices 1100, from a lower side.

The base cover 1320 is installed between the base 1310 and the drum 1030. The base cover 1320 is formed to cover the heat pump cycle devices 1100 mounted on the base 1310 . When the sidewall of the base 1310 and the base cover 1320 are coupled, an air circulation passage is formed. Some of the heat pump cycle devices 1100 are installed in the air circulation passage.

The water container 1410 is disposed on the upper left or upper right side of the drum 1030. Here, the upper left side or upper right side of the drum 1030 means the upper left side or upper right side in the space between the outer circumferential surface of the drum 1030 and the inner circumferential surface of the cabinet 1010 . In FIG. 1, the water container 1410 is shown as being disposed on the upper left side of the drum 1030. Condensed water is collected in the water container 1410 .

When the air drying the object to be treated is recovered through the outlet duct 1220 and exchanges heat with the evaporator 1110, condensed water is generated. More specifically, when the temperature of the air is lowered by heat exchange in the evaporator 1110, the amount of saturated water vapor that the air can contain is reduced. Since the air recovered through the outlet duct 1220 contains moisture exceeding the amount of saturated water vapor, condensation water is inevitably generated.

A water pump 1440 (see FIG. 3 ) is installed inside the laundry treatment device 1000 . The water pump 1440 raises the condensed water up to the water container 1410 . The condensed water is collected in the water container 1410 .

The water bottle cover 1420 may be disposed at one corner of the front portion of the laundry treatment device 1000 to correspond to the location of the water bottle 1410 . The water bottle cover 1420 is formed to be gripped by hand and is disposed on the front surface of the laundry treatment device 1000 . When the water bottle cover 1420 is pulled to empty the condensed water collected in the water bottle 1410, the water bottle 1410 is withdrawn from the water bottle support frame 1430 together with the water bottle cover 1420.

The water bottle support frame 1430 is formed to support the water bottle 1410 inside the cabinet 1010 . The water bottle support frame 1430 extends along the insertion or withdrawal direction of the water bottle 1410 to guide insertion or withdrawal of the water bottle 1410 .

The input/output panel 1500 may be disposed next to the water bottle cover 1420 . The input/output panel 1500 may include an input unit 1510 for receiving a selection of a laundry treatment course from a user and an output unit 1520 for visually displaying an operating state of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 . The input unit 1510 may be formed as a jog dial, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The output unit 1520 may be formed to visually display the operating state of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000, and the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 may have a separate component for audible display in addition to the visual display.

The controller 1600 controls the operation of the laundry treatment device 1000 based on a user's input applied through the input unit 1510 . The controller 1600 may include a printed circuit board and elements mounted on the printed circuit board. When a user selects a laundry treatment course through the input unit 1510 and inputs a control command such as operation of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000, the controller 1600 controls the operation of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 according to a preset algorithm. do.

The printed circuit board constituting the control unit 1600 and elements mounted on the printed circuit board may be disposed on the upper left side or upper right side of the drum 1030 . In FIG. 1, the printed circuit board is shown as being disposed on the upper right side of the drum 1030, which is opposite to the water container 1410, on the upper side of the drum 1030. Condensate is collected in the water tank 1410, air containing moisture flows in the heat pump cycle devices 1100 and the ducts 1210, 1220, and 1230, and electrical products such as printed circuit boards and elements Considering the vulnerability to water, it is preferable that the printed circuit board and the elements be spaced as far away from the water tank 1410 or the heat pump cycle devices 1100 as possible.

The heat dissipation fan 1730 is mounted adjacent to the printed circuit board. For example, the heat dissipation fan 1730 may be installed on top of the printed circuit board. In addition, the heat dissipation fan 1730 may be installed to face a cooling fin (not shown) of the printed circuit board.

The heat dissipation fan 1730 generates wind to cool the printed circuit board or cooling fins mounted on the printed circuit board. The heat dissipation fan 1730 may generate wind in a direction from above to the bottom of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 . The heat dissipation fan 1730 may be configured as an axial flow fan that generates wind in the direction of a rotating shaft. Circulation flow may be formed in the annular space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 by the heat dissipation fan 1730 .

The internal space of the cabinet 1010 may be divided into a first space (I) and a second space (II) based on the drum 1030 . The first space (I) is a cylindrical space surrounded by the drum 1030 and corresponds to a space accommodating an object to be treated such as clothes. The second space (II) is an annular space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030, and corresponds to a space in which electric parts and appliance structures of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 are installed. The space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 means the second space (II).

When the cylindrical drum 1030 is installed inside the cabinet 1010 having a shape close to a hexahedron as a whole, the area between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 where electric parts or mechanical structures can be installed is a clothes handling device ( 1000) may be referred to as four outer corners of the drum 1030 when viewed from the front.

The evaporator 1110 corresponding to the heat exchanger, the condenser 1130, and the connection duct 1230 surrounding the heat exchanger are installed eccentrically to one side from the bottom of the drum 1030 and occupy one of the four corners. The compressor 1120, the drum motor 1800, the blowing fan 1820, etc. are eccentrically installed from the bottom to the other side of the drum 1030 and occupy the other of the four corners. The printed circuit board constituting the control unit 1600 is installed eccentrically to one side above the drum 1030 and occupies another one of the four corners. The bucket 1410 is installed eccentrically to the other side on top of the drum 1030 and occupies the last one of the four corners.

Due to this arrangement, the blowing fan 1820, the connection duct 1230, the printed circuit board constituting the control unit 1600, and the water tank 1410 do not overlap each other in the front-back direction of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000. In addition, such an arrangement provides conditions for maximizing the size of the drum 1030 within the limited cabinet 1010 by efficiently utilizing the internal space of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 .

In particular, the present invention relates to a clothes handling apparatus 1000 having a drum of a larger size than before. For example, the cross-sectional area of the drum 1030, which can be calculated as the area of a circle, may be 330,000 to 360,000 mm 2 .

Hereinafter, the drum 1030 and the air circulation passage will be described.

2 is a side view of the drum 1030 and the air circulation passage. In FIG. 2 , the left side corresponds to the front (F) of the drum 1030, and the right side corresponds to the rear side (R) of the drum 1030.

In order to dry clothes or the like (objects to be treated) put into the drum 1030, a process of supplying high-temperature dry air to the inside of the drum 1030, recovering the air that dried the clothes, and removing moisture from the air is repeated. shall. In order to repeat this process in the condensation dryer, air must continuously circulate through the drum 1030. Circulation of air is performed through the drum 1030 and the air circulation passage.

The air circulation passage is connected to the front opening of the drum 1030 and the rear opening of the drum. The air circulation passage forms a path through which air discharged from the front opening of the drum 1030 passes through the heat exchanger and flows into the rear opening of the drum.

The air circulation passage is formed by the inlet duct 1210, the outlet duct 1220, the connection duct 1230 disposed between the inlet duct 1210 and the outlet duct 1220, and the circulation fan cover 1330. Each of the inlet duct 1210, the outlet duct 1220, the connection duct 1230, and the circulation fan cover 1330 may be formed by combining a plurality of members.

Based on the flow of air, the inlet duct 1210, the drum 1030, the outlet duct 1220, the connection duct 1230, and the circulation fan cover 1330 are sequentially connected, and the circulation fan cover 1330 is again It is connected to the inlet duct 1210 to form a closed flow path.

The inlet duct 1210 extends from the connection duct 1230 to the rear surface of the rear supporter 1050 . The rear surface of the rear supporter 1050 refers to a surface facing the rear of the laundry handling device 1000 . Since the drum 1030 and the connection duct 1230 are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, the inlet duct 1210 is directed toward the rear of the drum 1030 from the connection duct 1230 disposed under the drum 1030. It may have a structure extending in the vertical direction.

The inlet duct 1210 is coupled to the rear surface of the rear supporter 1050. A hole is formed on the rear surface of the rear supporter 1050 . Therefore, high-temperature dry air is supplied from the inlet duct 1210 to the inside of the drum 1030 through a hole formed in the rear supporter 1050 .

The outlet duct 1220 is disposed under the front supporter 1040. Since a front side opening for inputting an object to be treated must be formed in front of the drum 1030, the outlet duct 1220 is disposed under the front of the drum 1030.

The outlet duct 1220 extends from the front supporter 1040 to the connection duct 1230. The outlet duct 1220 may also extend in the vertical direction like the inlet duct 1210, but the outlet duct 1220 has a shorter vertical extension length than the inlet duct 1210. Air that has dried the object to be treated in the drum 1030 is returned to the connection duct 1230 through the outlet duct 1220 .

An evaporator 1110 and a condenser 1130 corresponding to heat exchangers among the heat pump cycle devices 1100 are installed inside the connection duct 1230 . A circulation fan 1710 for supplying hot dry air to the inlet duct 1210 is also installed inside the connection duct 1230. An evaporator 1110 is disposed upstream of the condenser 1130 based on air flow, and a circulation fan 1710 is disposed downstream of the condenser 1130 .

The circulation fan 1710 generates a suction force to suck air in the air circulation passage and supply the air to the drum. The circulation fan 1710 generates wind in a direction in which suction from the condenser 1130 is supplied to the inlet duct 1210. The circulation fan 1710 is installed inside the circulation fan cover 1330. The inlet of the circulation fan cover 1330 is connected to the connection duct 1230, and the outlet is connected to the inlet of the inlet duct 1210.

Next, components under the drum 1030 will be described.

3 is a perspective view of a base 1310 and components mounted on the base 1310 . In FIG. 3 , F indicates the front of the laundry treatment device 1000 and R indicates the rear of the laundry treatment device 1000 . 4 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000. Referring to FIG.

The base 1310 is formed to support mechanical elements of the laundry treatment device 1000, including the heat pump cycle devices 1100. For the mounting of mechanical elements, the base 1310 forms a plurality of mounting parts 1313. The mounting portion 1313 refers to an area provided for mounting mechanical elements. Each of the mounting parts 1313 may be partitioned from each other by steps of the base 1310 . Hereinafter, components will be described in a counterclockwise direction based on the connection duct 1230 .

Unlike the drum 1030 being disposed in the center of the laundry handling apparatus 1000 in the left-right direction, the air circulation passage is disposed eccentrically to the left or right side of the drum 1030 . In FIG. 3 , the air circulation passage is illustrated as being disposed on the lower right side of the drum 1030 . The eccentric arrangement of the air circulation passage is for efficient drying of the object to be treated and efficient arrangement of parts.

The inlet portion 1231 of the connection duct 1230 is disposed below the outlet duct 1220 and is connected to the outlet duct 1220 . The inlet portion 1231 of the connection duct 1230 is formed to guide air along with the outlet duct 1220 in a direction inclined toward the lower left or lower right. For example, in FIG. 3, the inlet portion 1231 of the connection duct 1230 becomes narrower as it goes downward. In particular, the left side of the inlet portion 1231 extends in a direction inclined toward the lower right side. If the air circulation passage is disposed on the lower left side of the drum 1030, the right side of the inlet portion 1231 will be inclined to the lower left side.

An evaporator 1110, a condenser 1130, and a circulation fan 1710 are sequentially disposed on the downstream side of the inlet part 1231 based on the flow of air. When the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 is viewed from the front, a condenser 1130 is disposed behind the evaporator 1110, and a circulation fan 1710 is disposed behind the condenser 1130. The evaporator 1110 , the condenser 1130 , and the circulation fan 1710 are mounted on respective mounting parts 1313 provided on the base 1310 .

A base cover 1320 may be installed on the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 . The base cover 1320 may be composed of a single member or multiple members. When the base cover 1320 is formed of a plurality of members, the base cover 1320 may include a front base cover 1321 and a rear base cover 1322.

The base cover 1320 is formed to cover the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 . A base cover 1320 may be coupled to a step or sidewall of the base 1310 formed on the left and right sides of the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 to form a part of the connection duct 1230.

The circulation fan 1710 is covered by the base 1310 and the circulation fan cover 1330 . An outlet portion 1331 of the circulation fan cover 1330 is formed on the upper side of the circulation fan 1710 . The outlet portion 1313 is connected to the inlet duct 1210. The hot dry air generated by the heat pump cycle devices 1100 is supplied to the drum 1030 through the inlet duct 1210 .

The circulation fan 1710 is disposed at the rearmost part of the cabinet 1010. The air circulation passage is disposed on the downstream side of the condenser 1130 based on the flow of air.

The circulation fan 1710 may be configured as a centrifugal fan. The centrifugal fan is formed to suck air in an axial direction and blow it in a radial direction. When the rotation shaft of the circulation fan 1710 is disposed to extend toward the condenser 1130, the condenser 1130 is disposed in the direction in which the circulation fan 1710 extends along the rotation shaft.

The circulation fan 1710 sucks hot dry air from the condenser 1130 . The high-temperature dry air sucked by the circulation fan 1710 is blown out through the outlet 1331 of the circulation fan cover 1330 formed on the upper side of the circulation fan 1710 . The centrifugal fan forms a strong air volume and high wind speed based on a stronger suction power than an axial fan.

A water pump 1440 is installed on one side of the condenser 1130 (or one side of the circulation fan 1710 ). The water pump 1440 is formed to transport the collected condensed water to the water collector 1315 where the water pump 1440 is installed.

The base 1310 is formed to drain condensed water generated during the operation of the heat pump cycle devices 1100 to a water collector where the water pump 1440 is installed. For example, condensate may be generated on the bottom surface of the heat exchanger mounting part 1311 where the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 are installed, and the bottom surface of the mounting part 1313 allows the condensed water to flow to the water collector 1315. It may be inclined, or the height of the partition wall 1312 around the water collector 1315 may be partially low.

The cover 1340 is formed to cover the water collector 1315 . The cover 1340 forms an upper wall of the water collector 1315 . The cover 1340 may be formed to cover the water pump 1440. A hose connection part 1343 may be formed in the cover 1340 .

Condensed water collected in the water collector due to the structure of the base 1310 may be transferred to the water container 1410 by the water pump 1440 . In addition, the condensed water may be transported by the water pump 1440 and used for cleaning the evaporator 1110 or the condenser 1130.

The water pump 1440 is connected to the control valve 1470 by a hose 1451. When the water pump 1440 operates, the condensed water collected in the water collector 1315 is transferred to the control valve 1470. The control valve 1470 is formed to distribute the condensate transported by the water pump 1440 to several hoses 1451 , 1452 , and 1453 .

The hoses 1451, 1452, and 1453 connected to the control valve 1470 may be made of a flexible material. Each of the hoses 1451, 1452, and 1453 may be referred to as a condensed water supply hose in the sense of supplying condensed water. For convenience of description, each of the hoses 1451, 1452, and 1453 is described by adding an ordinal number.

The first hose 1452 is connected to the control valve 1470 and the water tank 1410 . The first hose 1452 is not directly connected to the water bottle 1410, but is connected to the water bottle 1410 through the top of the water bottle support frame 1430. An upper portion of the water bottle support frame 1430 is formed with a hole facing the hole formed in the water bottle 1410 . When the water bottle 1410 is inserted into the water bottle support frame 1430, the two holes face each other. A sealing member may be coupled between the two holes or around the two holes.

When the condensed water transported by the water pump 1440 flows into the first hose 1452 by the operation of the control valve 1470, the condensed water flows into the water container 1410 along the first hose 1452. The condensed water is temporarily stored in the water container 1410 until the user empties the water container 1410.

The second hose 1453 is connected to the control valve 1470 and the condensate injection unit 1461. The condensate spraying unit 1461 is formed to spray condensed water on the surface of the evaporator 1110 or the condenser 1130 . Dust or foreign substances may adhere to the surfaces of the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 as the operating time of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 accumulates. Since dust or foreign matter causes a decrease in heat exchange efficiency between the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130, it needs to be quickly removed.

When the condensed water is supplied to the condensate spraying unit 1461 through the second hose 1453, the condensed water spraying unit 1461 injects the supplied condensed water to the evaporator 1110 or the condenser 1130. To this end, the injection port of the condensate injection unit 1461 is disposed toward the evaporator 1110 or the condenser 1130. When the condensed water is injected into the evaporator 1110 or the condenser 1130 through the injection port, dust or foreign substances may be removed from the evaporator 1110 or the condenser 1130 .

The second hose 1453 and the condensate spraying unit 1461 may be provided in plural to spray the condensed water over a wide area. The fixing pin 1462 is formed to fix the condensate injection unit 1461 to the base cover 1321 or 1322.

The clothes handling device 1000 includes a return hose 1454. The return hose 1454 is connected to the hose connection part 1343 of the water bottle support frame 1430 and the cover 1340.

The condensed water transported to the water tank 1410 by the water pump 1440 is temporarily stored in the water tank 1410 . However, when the amount of condensed water is greater than the capacity of the water container 1410, the condensed water flowing into the water container 1410 may overflow into the water container support frame 1430. The water container support frame 1430 is formed to accommodate condensed water overflowing from the water container 1410 . In particular, the bottom of the water container support frame 1430 has a blocked structure except for a portion connected to the return hose 1454 to prevent overflowing condensed water from flowing into the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 .

A hole is formed at a portion of the water container support frame 1430 connected to the return hose 1454, and through this hole, condensed water flows into the return hose 1454 and along the return hose 1454 to the water collector 1315. can be recovered The bottom of the water container support frame 1430 may have an inclined structure to collect condensed water in the hole.

Meanwhile, a compressor 1120 and a compressor cooling fan 1720 for cooling the compressor 1120 may be installed on one side of the water pump 1440 . The compressor 1120 is one element constituting the heat pump cycle devices 1100, but since it does not directly exchange heat with air, it does not need to be installed in the air circulation path. Rather, if the compressor 1120 is installed in the air circulation passage, it may obstruct the flow of air. Therefore, the compressor 1120 is preferably installed outside the air circulation passage as shown in FIG. 3 .

The compressor cooling fan 1720 blows toward the compressor 1120 or blows air from the compressor 1120. When the temperature of the compressor 1120 is lowered by the compressor cooling fan 1720, the compression efficiency is improved.

A gas-liquid separator 1140 is installed upstream of the compressor 1120 based on the flow of the refrigerant. The gas-liquid separator 1140 separates the two-phase refrigerant flowing into the compressor 1120 into a gas phase and a liquid phase so that only the gas phase flows into the compressor 1120 . This is because the liquid phase causes a failure of the compressor 1120 and reduces efficiency.

The refrigerant evaporates (liquid phase -> gas phase) while absorbing heat in the evaporator 1110, and becomes a low-temperature, low-pressure gas state and is sucked into the compressor 1120. When the gas-liquid separator 1140 is installed upstream of the compressor 1120, the refrigerant may pass through the gas-liquid separator 1140 before being introduced into the compressor 1120. In the compressor 1120, the gaseous refrigerant is compressed to become a high-temperature and high-pressure state and flows to the condenser 1130. In the condenser 1130, the refrigerant is liquefied while releasing heat. The liquefied high-pressure refrigerant is depressurized in an expander (not shown). Low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator 1110.

The hot dry air is supplied to the drum 1030 through the inlet duct 1210 to dry the object to be treated. The hot dry air evaporates moisture from the object to be treated and becomes hot and humid air. The high-temperature and high-humidity air is recovered through the outlet duct 1220 and receives the heat of the refrigerant through the evaporator 1110 to become low-temperature air. As the temperature of the air decreases, the amount of saturated water vapor in the air decreases, and the vapor contained in the air condenses. Subsequently, the low-temperature dry air receives the heat of the refrigerant through the evaporator 1110, and becomes high-temperature dry air and is supplied to the drum 1030 again.

The drum motor 1800 is installed in front of the compressor 1120. The drum motor 1800 has an output shaft protruding in both directions. In this specification, a portion of the output shaft protruding to one side of the drum motor 1800 is referred to as a first output shaft, and another portion of the output shaft protruding to the other side of the drum motor 1800 is referred to as a second output shaft. However, since the first output shaft and the second output shaft are one rotation shaft, they rotate in the same direction and at the same speed.

The first output shaft and the second output shaft are exposed in opposite directions. It can be seen that the first output shaft is disposed toward the rear of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 and the second output shaft is disposed toward the front of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 .

A pulley 1810 is installed to be rotated by the first output shaft. When the drum motor 1800 is driven to rotate the first output shaft, the pulley 1810 also rotates along with the first output shaft in the opposite rotational direction of the first output shaft. For example, the pulley 1810 may rotate in engagement with the first output shaft.

A drum belt (not shown) is coupled to the pulley 1810, and the driving force of the drum motor 1800 is transmitted to the drum 1030 through the drum belt. The drum 1030 is rotated by the driving force of the drum motor 1800 transmitted through the pulley 1810 and the drum belt. The rotational speed of the drum 1030 is controlled by the pulley 1810. Since the drum belt is not directly connected to the first rotational shaft, the rotational speed of the drum 1030 does not necessarily coincide with the rotational speed of the first output shaft.

A blowing fan 1820 is installed on the second output shaft. The blowing fan 1820 is composed of an axial fan that blows wind from the rear of the laundry treatment device 1000 to the front.

The blowing fan 1820 generates wind in a direction in which air is sucked from the drum motor 1800 . The direction in which air is sucked from the drum motor 1800 refers to a direction from the first output shaft to the second output shaft. The drum motor 1800 may be cooled by a blowing fan 1820 . Since the blowing fan 1820 is directly connected to the second output shaft, the rotational speed of the blowing fan 1820 coincides with the rotational speed of the second output shaft.

The blowing fan 1820 includes a hub 1821 and a plurality of vanes 1822 . The hub 1821 is directly connected to the second output shaft of the drum motor 1800. A plurality of vanes 1822 protrude from the outer circumferential surface of the hub 1821 . The plurality of vanes 1822 have the same shape as each other and are inclined with respect to the second output shaft to generate wind in the direction of sucking in air.

The plurality of vanes 1822 are provided in odd numbers. The number of vanes 1822 affects the vibration generated by the blowing fan 1820. If the number of vanes 1822 is an even number, a resonance phenomenon occurs and vibration increases. On the other hand, if the number of vanes 1822 is an odd number, vibration is reduced compared to the case where the number of vanes 1822 is even. It can be seen in FIG. 3 that the number of vanes 1822 is five.

Although the sealing of the drum 1030 may not be perfect, when the blowing fan 1820 rotates, it is possible to suppress condensation due to the incomplete sealing of the drum 1030 . For example, it is difficult to completely exclude the discharge of hot and humid air into the space between the inner circumferential surface of the drum 1030 and the inner circumferential surface of the cabinet 1010 . In particular, when the air leaked from the drum 1030 remains stagnant, it causes dew condensation.

However, since the blowing fan 1820 causes convection, congestion of air leaked from the drum 1030 is suppressed and dew condensation is suppressed. The air leaked from the drum 1030 is exhausted while continuously flowing by the blowing fan 1820 .

Having two output shafts in one drum motor 1800 has many advantages in terms of improving power consumption of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 . Basically, compared to the case where a drum motor for rotating the drum 1030 and a drum motor for rotating the blowing fan 1820 are respectively provided, power consumption is reduced by half.

In particular, the time at which rotation of the blowing fan 1820 is required is the same as the time at which the drum 1030 rotates. This is because hot dry air is supplied to the drum 1030 while the drum 1030 rotates, and hot and humid air may leak from the drum 1030 . Therefore, a situation in which power is consumed unnecessarily by rotating only the blowing fan 1820 in a state in which rotation of the drum 1030 is unnecessary does not occur.

The drum motor 1800 and the blowing fan 1820 are installed in the second space (II). Also in the second space, the drum motor 1800 and the blowing fan 1820 are installed outside the duct. The outside of the duct refers to a space between the cabinet 1010 and the connection duct 1320. A space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 may be divided into an inside and an outside of the connection duct 1320 . Air supplied to the drum 1030 or discharged from the drum 1030 flows into the connection duct 1320 .

Considering the wind direction of the blowing fan 1820, it should be distinguished from a structure that cools the drum motor 1800 by sucking in outside air through the front of the cabinet 1010. First, when cooling the drum motor 1800 by sucking outside air, a hole must be formed in the front of the cabinet 1010, and wind must be formed in a direction in which the outside air is sucked through the hole.

However, the blowing fan 1820 of the present invention is not for cooling the drum motor 1800, but for suppressing dew condensation occurring in the space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030. Accordingly, the front of the blowing fan 1820 should be blocked by the front part of the cabinet 1010 that is spaced apart from the blowing fan 1820 . If a hole is formed in the front portion of the cabinet 1010, the wind generated by the blowing fan 1820 escapes to the outside of the cabinet 1010 through the hole, so the effect of preventing condensation through convection is reduced.

The rear cover 1014 is disposed at the rearmost side of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 and forms a rear appearance of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 . In this sense, the rear cover 1014 corresponds to the rear wall of the laundry handling device 1000 or the rear wall of the cabinet 1010 . Meanwhile, a front portion of the cabinet 1010 located on the opposite side of the rear cover 1014 may be referred to as a front cover.

The rear cover 1014 includes a rear cover base portion 1014a, a rear protrusion 1014b, a connection portion 1014c, a ventilation hole 1014d, an exhaust hole 1014e, a bracket 1014f, a water bottle insertion hole 1014g, and a protective cover combination. includes section 1014h. Hereinafter, these configurations will be described in turn.

The rear cover base portion 1014a has a flat plate shape.

The rear projecting portion 1014b protrudes from the rear cover base portion 1014a toward the rear of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000. The rear protrusion 1014b is formed at a position facing the inlet duct 1210 to secure an installation area for the inlet duct 1210.

The connection portion 1014c extends from the edge of the rear protrusion 1014b toward the rear cover base portion 1014a, and connects the edge of the rear protrusion 1014b and the rear cover base portion 1014a.

A plurality of ventilation holes 1014d may be formed in one area of the rear protrusion 1014b. A plurality of vents 1014d may be formed at positions facing the inlet duct 1210 . The plurality of vents 1014d may have a shape opening toward an inclined direction. The plurality of ventilation holes 1014d induce passive entry and exit of air into a space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 to discharge hot and humid air to the outside of the laundry treatment device 1000 .

An exhaust port 1014e and a water bottle insertion port 1014g are formed above the rear cover base portion 1014a. The exhaust port 1014e and the water bottle insertion port 1014g may be formed on opposite sides of each other. For example, referring to the drawing, the exhaust port 1014e is formed on the right side and the water bottle insertion port 1014g is formed on the left side. The positions of the exhaust port 1014e and the water bottle insertion hole 1014g may be interchanged, and in this case, the positions of the water bottle 1410 and the printed circuit board constituting the control unit 1600 should be interchanged.

If the ventilation hole 1014d is for inducing the passive entry and exit of air, the exhaust hole 1014e is related to an exhaust fan (not shown) for actively discharging air. To actively discharge air, a bracket 1014f is installed around the exhaust port 1014e, and an exhaust fan is installed on the bracket 1014f.

The bracket 1014f has a shape protruding from the circumference of the exhaust port 1014e toward the exhaust port 1014e. It may be formed on the left and right sides of the exhaust port 1014e of the bracket 1014f, respectively.

The exhaust fan is mounted on the bracket 1014f and is disposed to face the exhaust port 1014e. Therefore, the position of the exhaust fan is determined according to the position of the exhaust port 1014e, and may be disposed on the upper left side or upper right side of the drum 1030. It can be understood that the rear cover base portion 1014a corresponds to the inner rear wall of the cabinet 1010 and the exhaust fan is mounted on the inner rear wall of the cabinet 1010 .

The exhaust fan generates wind to discharge air existing in the space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 to the outside of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 . The space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 means the second space (II) between the inner circumferential surface of the cabinet 1010 and the outer circumferential surface of the drum 1030. The exhaust fan may be composed of an axial flow fan that generates wind in a direction of a rotating shaft. The exhaust fan blows air toward the exhaust port 1014e (a direction in which air existing in the space between the cabinet 1010 and the drum 1030 is sucked in and discharged through the exhaust port 1014e).

The water bottle insertion hole 1014g is formed to pass the ends of the water bottle 1410 and the water bottle support frame 1430. Here, the end of the water bottle 1410 refers to the opposite side of the water bottle cover 1420 . The size of the bucket 1410 that can be accommodated in the bucket support frame 1430 is limited. If the end of the water bottle 1410 can pass through the water bottle insertion hole 1014g formed in the rear cover 1014, the length of the water bottle 1410 can be increased by that much. Here, the length of the water container 1410 means the length of the laundry treatment device 1000 in the front-back direction.

A protective cover coupling portion 1014h is formed below the rear base portion 1014a. A protective cover 1080 is coupled around the protective cover coupling portion 1014h. When maintenance of the compressor 1120 or the drum motor 1800 is required, the operator can operate the compressor 1120 or the drum motor 1800 simply by opening the protective cover 1080 without disassembling the clothes handling device 1000. ) can be accessed.

It has been described above that the internal space of the cabinet 1010 is partitioned into a first space (I) and a second space (II) by the drum 1030 . The above-described heat pump cycle devices 1100 are installed in the second space (II). A connection duct 1230 is installed in the second space (II), and among the heat pump cycle devices 1100, the evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 corresponding to heat exchangers are installed inside the connection duct 1230. do. Accordingly, the connection duct 1230 is formed to surround the heat exchanger and is connected to the drum 1030 to form an air circulation passage between the heat exchanger and the drum 1030 .

The exhaust fan is installed in the second space (II). Also in the second space (II), the exhaust fan is installed outside the duct. Here, the outside of the duct means the outside of the connection duct 1230. It has been described above that not only the exhaust fan, but also the drum motor 1800 and the blowing fan 1820 are installed outside the connection duct 1230 in the second space II. The blowing fan 1820 and the exhaust fan installed outside the connection duct 1230 circulate and exhaust the wet air leaked from the connection duct 1230 or the drum 1030 to the second space (II) to suppress condensation is to do

The air volume and size of the exhaust fan are closely related to the size of the drum 1030. In particular, it should be considered that one of the important functions of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 is to dry an object to be treated, such as clothing, using hot air. This is because if the exhaust effect by the exhaust fan is too strong, the temperature inside the cabinet 1010 may decrease, and the drying effect of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 may decrease. Accordingly, the air volume and size of the exhaust fan 1740 should be set within a range capable of suppressing condensation without excessively reducing the drying effect of the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 .

Hereinafter, the base and the water collector formed on the base will be described.

5 is a plan view of base 1310 . 5 may be understood as showing a view of the base 1310 from the position of the drum 1030 .

The base 1310 is formed to provide a mounting space for parts constituting the air circulation passage and the heat exchanger. A plurality of mounting parts 1311 , 1313 , 1317 , and 1318 are provided on the base 1310 . The mounting parts 1311, 1313, 1317, and 1318 refer to areas provided to install various parts of the laundry treatment device.

A partition wall 1312 is formed at a boundary between the mounting parts 1311 , 1313 , 1317 , and 1318 to partition the mounting parts 1311 , 1313 , 1317 , and 1318 . The partition wall 1312 protrudes from the periphery of each mounting portion 1311 , 1313 , 1317 , and 1318 . The partition wall 1312 forms side walls of the mounting parts 1311, 1313, 1317, and 1318.

Each of the mounting parts 1311, 1313, 1317, and 1318 may be classified according to a component installed in a corresponding area. For example, a heat exchanger mounting portion 1311, a drum motor mounting portion 1313, a circulation fan mounting portion 1317, and a compressor mounting portion 1318 are formed on the base 1310. Positions of the mounting parts 1311, 1313, 1317, and 1318 may vary as needed.

The heat exchanger mounting part 1311 may be formed on the right side of the base 1310. An evaporator 1110 and a condenser 1130 may be installed in the heat exchanger mounting part 1311 . A circulation fan mounting portion 1317 is formed behind the heat exchanger mounting portion 1311 .

A protruding wall 1311a may be formed on the heat exchanger mounting portion 1311 to partition an installation location of the evaporator 1110 and an installation location of the condenser 1130 . The protruding wall 1311a protrudes from the side wall of the heat exchanger mounting portion 1311 and extends in the vertical direction. The evaporator 1110 and the condenser 1130 may be supported on the protruding wall 1311a.

A circulation fan (for supplying hot dry air to the drum 1030) is mounted on the circulation fan mounting portion 1317. A circulation fan cover 1330 is mounted on the circulation fan mounting portion 1317 to cover the circulation fan 1710. The circulation fan mounting part 1317 is connected to the heat exchanger mounting part 1311, and the condensed water generated in the circulation fan mounting part 1317 is collected in the heat exchanger mounting part 1311.

The drum motor mounting portion 1313 is formed on the left side of the base 1310. A drum motor 1800 is installed in the drum motor mounting part 1313 . A drum motor 1800 for rotating the drum 1030 is mounted on the drum motor mount 1313 . A compressor mounting portion 1318 is formed behind the drum motor mounting portion 1313. The compressor 1120 is mounted on the compressor mounting portion 1318. The compressor mounting part 1318 may have a shape for absorbing vibration of the compressor 1120 .

The water collector 1315 forms a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area in the base 1310 to collect condensed water. Condensate is formed from the air circulating through the drum 1030. After the air circulating in the drum 1030 exchanges heat with the heat exchangers 1110 and 1130, condensed water falls to the bottom of the heat exchanger mounting part 1311. A connection passage part 1316 is formed between the heat exchanger mounting part 1311 and the water collecting part 1315 .

The connection passage part 1316 means a configuration in which the partition wall 1312 between the heat exchanger mounting part 1311 and the water collector 1315 has a height substantially equal to or lower than that of the heat exchanger mounting part 1311 . Alternatively, the connection flow path portion 1316 may have a configuration having a slope that gradually decreases in height from the heat exchanger mounting portion 1311 toward the water collector 1315 .

The heat exchanger mounting part 1311 and the water collecting part 1315 are partitioned by a partition wall 1312, but the partition wall is not partially formed in an area corresponding to the connection passage part 1316. Accordingly, the condensed water that has fallen into the heat exchanger mounting unit 1311 can be collected in the water collecting unit 1315 only by gravity.

In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to prevent the suction force of the circulation fan 1710 from reaching the outside air. As a troubleshooting configuration, consider configuring the return hose 1454 in a U-shape to allow water to pool therein. However, if water is accumulated in the return hose 1454, freezing occurs in winter, resulting in a bigger problem in that condensed water overflowing from the water container 1410 is not recovered to the water collector 1315.

Therefore, the return hose 1454 preferably has a preset tangential slope to prevent condensate from pooling therein. Here, the slope of the preset tangent line means having a slope of the tangent line greater than 0 in all sections with respect to the ground on which the laundry treatment device 1000 is installed. In addition, the entire section means between both ends of the return hose 1454.

In order for the return hose 1454 to have a U-shape, at least one point with zero inclination with respect to the ground must exist. Therefore, having a slope of the tangent line greater than 0 in the entire section of the return hose 1454 means that the return hose 1454 has an inclined I-shape.

In addition, even if freezing occurs, the present invention proposes the trap 1350 of the water collector 1315 as a structure in which the suction force of the circulation fan 1710 can be blocked without any problem in the recovery of condensed water.

A detailed structure of the trap 1350 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 .

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of trap 1350 along line A-A of FIG. 5 . FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of trap 1350 along line B-B of FIG. 5 . FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of trap 1350 along line C-C of FIG. 5 .

A water pump 1440 is installed in the water collector 1315 , and a trap 1350 is formed in the water collector 1315 . The trap 1350 is a component for preventing intake of outside air.

Since the water bottle 1410 can be withdrawn from the cabinet 1010, the inner space of the water bottle support frame 1430 is not isolated from the outside of the laundry treatment device 1000. The water container support frame 1430 is connected to the water collecting part 1315 by a return hose 1454, and the water collecting part 1315 connects to the circulation fan mounting part 1317 through the connection flow path part 1316 and the heat exchanger mounting part 1311. connected to Therefore, when the suction force is generated by the circulation fan 1710 in the structure without the trap 1350, the suction force is generated through the heat exchanger mounting part 1311, the connection passage part 1316, the water collecting part 1315, and the return hose 1454. , through the water bottle support frame 1430 and the water bottle cover 1420, it extends to the outside air. In addition, external air may flow into the air circulation passage by suction force generated by the circulation fan 1710 .

When outside air is introduced into the air circulation passage, the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger is reduced. In particular, when the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 is installed in a cold or humid environment, low-temperature and high-humidity outside air may flow in, resulting in a significant decrease in heat exchange efficiency.

In addition, when outside air is introduced into the air circulation path, a water level sensor (not shown) may have poor detection and drainage problems. Since condensed water is generated in the heat exchangers 1110 and 1130 while the laundry treatment apparatus 1000 is operating, condensed water always exists in the water collector 1315 . Also, condensed water that is not collected in the water collector 1315 remains in the heat exchanger mounting part 1311 and the connection flow path part 1316 . At this time, when the circulation fan 1710 operates to generate a strong suction force, the surface of the condensed water present in the water collecting part 1315, the heat exchanger mounting part 1311, and the connection flow path part 1316 is shaken.

A water level sensor for detecting the level of the condensed water may be installed in the base 1310. When the surface of the condensed water is fluctuated by the circulation fan 1710, the water level sensor may interfere with precise measurement. In addition, drainage of the water collecting unit 1315 may be controlled based on the level of condensed water detected by a water level sensor, but fluctuations in the surface of the condensed water due to inflow of outside air act as a factor obstructing drainage control.

A trap 1350 is formed in the water collector 1315 . The trap 1350 is a component for collecting condensed water in the water collector 1315 . The trap 1350 forms a bottom surface 1353 that is lower than the surrounding area in the water collector 1315 to collect condensate. When the trap 1350 forms a lower bottom surface than other parts in the water collecting part 1315, condensed water always accumulates in the trap 1350. Here, the trap 1350 and the bottom surface 1353 refer to the inner bottom surface of the base 1310 on which the trap 1350 is formed. It may be distinguished from an outer bottom surface, and the outer bottom surface may be referred to as a bottom surface 1354.

If the trap 1350 simply forms the bottom surface 1353 lower than the surroundings, the effect of blocking the inflow of outside air may be insufficient. In particular, when the suction power of the circulation fan 1710 is very strong, there is a concern that the air blocking effect of the condensed water collected in the trap 1350 may not function. The trap 1350 has ribs 1341, 1342, 1351, and 1352 to have a sufficient external air inflow blocking effect.

A trap 1350 is formed by a base 1310, a cover 1340, and ribs 1341, 1342, 1351, and 1352.

The base 1310 and the cover 1340 provide a space in which the water collector 1315 and the trap 1350 are formed. The base 1310 forms the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350. The cover 1340 is formed to cover the water pump 1440 and the trap 1350, and is coupled to the water collector 1315. The base 1310 forms the bottom of the trap 1350 and the cover 1340 forms the top of the trap 1350.

The cover 1340 includes a water pump cover part 1340b covering the water pump 1440 and a trap cover part 1340a covering the trap 1350 . A hose connection part 1343 is formed on the water pump cover part 1340b.

The hose connection part 1343 protrudes upward from the downwardly protruding rib 1341 to be described later through the trap cover part 1340a and to the upper side of the cover 1340. The return hose 1454 is connected to the hose connection part 1343.

The upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 protrude toward the cover 1340 from the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 . The upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 have upper ends spaced apart from the cover 1340 . Accordingly, the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 protrude only from the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 until they reach the cover 1340 . Upper ends of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 are open.

Next, the downward protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 protrude from the cover 1340 toward the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 . The downward protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 have lower ends spaced apart from the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 . Accordingly, the downward protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 protrude only from the cover 1340 until they reach the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350. The lower ends of the downward protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 are open.

The upwardly projecting ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly projecting ribs 1341 and 1342 project from different circumferences of concentric circles. For example, the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 are arranged to form concentric circles of different sizes. Accordingly, the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 have shapes corresponding to the side surfaces of the cylinder.

One of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 is formed to surround the other one. For example, the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 may be arranged to surround the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 at a position spaced apart from the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342, or vice versa.

Concentric circles here do not mean precise concentric circles in the mathematical sense. There may be some error in consideration of the deviation of the manufacturing process.

In more detail, describing the structure of the trap 1350 shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 , at least one of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 may be provided in plurality. At least one is a concept including all of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342, and both the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342. 6 to 8 show a configuration in which a plurality of upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 are provided.

The upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 may be alternately disposed along a direction away from concentricity. For example, when any one of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 is provided in plurality, the downwardly protruding rib 1342 is disposed around the upwardly protruding rib 1351, An upwardly protruding rib 1352 may be further disposed around the downwardly protruding rib 1342 . Conversely, it is also possible that the upwardly protruding rib 1351 is disposed around the downwardly protruding rib 1341, and the downwardly protruding rib 1342 is again disposed around the upwardly protruding rib 1351.

When both the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 are provided in plurality, it may be necessary to distinguish the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 from each other, and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 may be separated from each other. A distinction may be necessary between them. In order to distinguish the two upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 from each other, the one having a relatively small diameter may be referred to as the first upwardly protruding rib 1351, and the one having a relatively large diameter may be referred to as the second upwardly protruding rib 1352. . Similarly, in order to distinguish the two downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 from each other, the one having a relatively small diameter may be referred to as the first downwardly protruding rib 1341, and the one having a relatively large diameter may be referred to as the second downwardly protruding rib 1342. there is.

In this case, the first upwardly protruding rib 1351, the second upwardly protruding rib 1352, the first downwardly protruding rib 1341, and the second downwardly protruding rib 1342 may be formed in different sizes. In addition, the first upwardly protruding rib 1351, the second upwardly protruding rib 1352, the first downwardly protruding rib 1341, and the second downwardly protruding rib 1342 may form concentric circles having different sizes.

When the first upwardly protruding rib 1351, the second upwardly protruding rib 1352, the first downwardly protruding rib 1341, and the second downwardly protruding rib 1342 are arranged in order of size from smallest to largest, the first downwardly protruding rib 1341, the first upwardly projecting rib 1351, the second downwardly projecting rib 1342, and the second upwardly projecting rib 1352. The first downwardly protruding rib 1341 is disposed at the innermost side, and the first upwardly protruding rib 1351 is formed to surround the first downwardly protruding rib 1341 . The second downward protruding rib 1342 is formed to surround the first upwardly protruding rib 1351 . The second upwardly protruding rib 1352 is formed to surround the second downwardly protruding rib 1342 .

Due to the structure and arrangement of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342, a concentric flow path is formed in the trap 1350, and cross-sections of the flow path are shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 As shown, it has a zigzag shape in the vertical direction.

The plurality of upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 are related to the suction force of the circulation fan 1710. When the circulation fan 1710 operates, the suction force of the circulation fan 1710 applies to the trap 1350. However, if the suction force of the circulation fan 1710 is greater than the pressure that can be blocked by the trap 1350, external air is introduced by the circulation fan 1710 despite the presence of the trap 1350.

When a plurality of upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 are provided, the zigzag flow path becomes complicated, and accordingly, the performance of the trap 1350 is increased. The increase in the performance of the trap 1350 means that the wind pressure capable of blocking the trap 1350 increases. It is preferable that the zigzag shape is formed in multiple stages within an allowable range of free space in the base 1310 .

In order to secure the performance of the trap 1350, a stepped portion 1360 may be formed in the trap 1350. The stepped portion 1360 protrudes upward from the boundary between the bottom surface of the water collecting portion 1315 and the trap 1350 . The stepped portion 1360 may be formed such that the outermost one 1352 of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the water collecting portion 1315 .

The upper end of the stepped portion 1360 is disposed at a higher position than the water collecting portion 1315 to form a step with the bottom surface of the water collecting portion 1315 . Since the stepped portion 1360 is formed at the boundary between the water collecting portion 1315 and the trap 1350, the condensate flowing from the heat exchanger mounting portion 1311 to the water collecting portion 1315 does not directly flow into the trap 1350. The condensed water accumulates in the trap 1350 only when the water level is higher than that of the stepped portion 1360 .

The height of the step 1360 affects the performance of the trap 1350. As the height of the stepped portion 1360 increases, the amount of condensed water accumulated in the trap 1350 increases. The amount and level of condensed water collected in the trap 1350 are factors that determine the performance of the trap 1350. Therefore, as the height of the stepped portion 1360 increases, the amount of condensed water accumulated in the trap 1350 increases, and the performance of the trap 1350 also increases.

However, the height of the stepped portion 1360 should be lower than that of the wing (blade) 1441 of the water pump 1440. The wings 1441 of the water pump 1440 are rotatably disposed toward the bottom surface of the water collecting part 1315 to transport the condensed water collected on the bottom surface of the water collecting part 1315 . The blades 1441 of the water pump 1440 rotate and generate a vortex to transport the condensed water.

If the upper end of the stepped portion 1360 is disposed at a higher position than the lower end of the wing 1441, the rotating wing 1441 by the operation of the water pump 1440 also affects the condensate accumulated in the trap 1350. . If the condensed water collected in the trap 1350 is shaken by the blades 1441 of the water pump 1440, performance degradation of the water level sensor or the like is caused. In order to prevent this phenomenon from occurring, the upper end of the stepped portion 1360 should be disposed at a position lower than the lower end of the wing 1441 . In FIG. 7 , the height difference between the wings 1441 and the stepped portion 1360 is indicated as D1.

In addition, in order to ensure the air blocking performance of the trap 1350, the area of the passage must be carefully set. Here, the area of the passage is related to the inner diameter and length of the innermost one of the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 of the trap 1350 (1341), in the first position. The area at the second position should be greater than the area.

In FIG. 8 , the first position corresponds to the hollow part of the first downwardly protruding rib 1341 . The area at the first position is calculated from the cross-sectional area of the hollow part. For example, when r is the inner radius of the hollow of the first downwardly protruding rib 1341, the cross-sectional area of the hollow is calculated by a formula for calculating the area of a circle (A1 = πr ² ).

The second position is between the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 and the lower end of the first downwardly protruding rib 1341. The area at the second position is based on a formula for calculating the area of the side surface of a virtual cylinder in which the height is the distance between the bottom surface of the cross section of the hollow part and the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 and the first downward protruding rib 1341. is calculated by If the surface corresponding to A1 in FIG. 8 is referred to as the base, the radius of the base is r. And when the distance between the bottom surface 1353 of the trap 1350 and the lower end of the first downward protruding rib 1341 is h, the area of the side surface of the cylinder is A2 = 2πr × h, which corresponds to the product of the circumference and the height. is calculated by

When comparing the above two areas, it is preferable that A1<A2. As the value of A2 increases, the performance of the trap 1350 increases. More preferably, A2 may be twice or more than A1. Under the condition A1<A2, the external air blocking effect of the trap 1350 increases.

Meanwhile, among the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 and the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342, the outermost one 1352 forms a side surface of the water collector 1315. Here, the side of the water collector 1315 does not mean all the sides of the water collector 1315, but means the opposite side of the water pump 1440 with respect to the trap 1350. Referring to FIG. 7 , it can be seen that the second upwardly protruding rib 1352 forms a side surface of the water collector 1315 . For example, the side surface of the water collector 1315 is formed by the extension of the outermost second upwardly protruding rib 1352 .

If the second upwardly protruding rib 1352 and the side surface of the water collecting part 1315 are separately provided at positions spaced apart from each other, the bottom surface of the water collecting part 1315 will completely surround the trap 1350 . Therefore, in order for the suction force of the water pump 1440 to reach the rear of the trap 1350, a flow path must be formed around the trap 1350. Since the passage around the trap 1350 causes the diameter of the trap 1350 to be reduced, performance of the trap 1350 may be deteriorated. On the other hand, if the side surface of the water collector 1315 is formed by the upwardly protruding ribs 1351 and 1352 or the downwardly protruding ribs 1341 and 1342 as in the present invention, the passage around the trap 1350 is unnecessary.

Meanwhile, the base 1310 includes a breakage prevention rib 1370 to prevent breakage of the trap 1350 . The breakage prevention rib 1370 protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the base 1310 . The bottom surface of the base 1310 means an outer bottom surface of the base 1310 .

The lower end of the breakage prevention rib 1370 is disposed at a position lower than the bottom surface 1354 of the trap 1350 . The bottom surface 1354 of the trap 1350 means an outer bottom surface of the trap 1350 . The lower end of the breakage prevention rib 1370 should be placed at a position lower than the bottom face 1354 of the trap 1350 so that external impact is blocked by the breakage prevention rib 1370 before being applied to the bottom face 1354 of the trap 1350. It can be. 6 and 7, the height difference between the bottom surface 1354 of the trap 1350 and the breakage prevention rib 1370 is indicated by D2.

The breakage prevention rib 1370 may be formed to surround the trap 1350 . The breakage prevention rib 1370 may form a concentric circle with the outer circumferential surface of the trap 1350 . The breakage prevention rib 1370 may surround the trap 1350 at a position spaced apart from the trap 1350 . It is preferable that the breakage prevention rib 1370 is not formed on either side of the trap 1350 and surrounds the trap 1350 . In this way, the damage prevention rib 1370 can protect the trap 1350 from impact sources approaching the trap 1350 from all sides.

The lower end of the breakage prevention rib 1370 is disposed at a higher position than the lower end 1380 of the base 1310 . If the lower end of the breakage prevention rib 1370 is higher than the lower end of the base 1310 , breakage of the breakage prevention rib 1370 may be prevented when the base 1310 is seated in the cabinet 1010 . In FIG. 7 , a height difference between the breakage prevention rib 1370 and the lower end 1380 of the base 1310 is indicated by D3.

The clothes handling apparatus described above is not limited to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments, and all or part of each embodiment may be selectively combined so that various modifications may be made in the above embodiments.

Claims (17)

a drum configured to accommodate an object to be treated;
an air circulation passage connected to the front opening of the drum and the rear opening of the drum to form a path through which air discharged from the front opening of the drum passes through the heat exchanger and flows into the rear opening of the drum;
a base installed below the drum and formed to provide a mounting space for parts constituting the air circulation passage and the heat exchanger;
a circulation fan installed at a downstream side of the heat exchanger based on the flow of air in the air circulation passage and generating a suction force to suck air in the air circulation passage and supply the air to the drum;
a water collector forming a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area at the base to collect condensed water formed from air circulating through the drum;
a cover formed to cover the water collector; and
Formed in the water collecting part to prevent outside air from flowing into the air circulation passage through the water collecting part by the suction force of the circulation fan, and forming a bottom surface lower than the surrounding area in the water collecting part to collect the condensed water contain traps,
The trap is
an upwardly protruding rib protruding from the bottom surface of the trap toward the cover and having an upper end spaced apart from the cover; and
and a downwardly protruding rib protruding from the cover toward the bottom surface of the trap and having a lower end spaced apart from the bottom surface of the trap. delete According to claim 1,
Wherein one of the upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the other. According to claim 1,
The upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib have a shape corresponding to the side surface of a cylinder and are disposed while forming concentric circles of different sizes. According to claim 4,
The upwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the downwardly protruding rib,
The area at the second location of the flow path is larger than the area at the first location of the flow path formed in the trap,
The first position corresponds to the hollow part of the downwardly protruding rib, and the area at the first position is calculated as the cross-sectional area of the hollow part,
The second position is between the bottom surface of the trap and the lower end of the downwardly protruding rib, and the area at the second position is the bottom surface of the cross section of the hollow part and the distance between the bottom surface of the trap and the downwardly protruding rib. A clothes handling device characterized in that it is calculated by the area of the side of a virtual cylinder with the height as the distance. According to claim 4,
At least one of the upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib is provided in plurality. According to claim 4,
The upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib are provided in plurality, and are alternately disposed along a direction away from the center of the concentric circle. According to claim 4,
The upward protruding rib,
a first upwardly protruding rib; and
A second upwardly projecting rib having a larger diameter than the first upwardly projecting rib;
The downward protruding rib,
a first downwardly protruding rib having a diameter smaller than that of the first upwardly protruding rib; and
a second downwardly projecting rib having a diameter larger than the first upwardly projecting rib and smaller than the second upwardly projecting rib;
The first upwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the first downwardly protruding rib, the second downwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the first upwardly protruding rib, and the second upwardly protruding rib is formed to surround the second downwardly protruding rib. A clothes handling device characterized in that it is formed to surround the rib. According to claim 1,
The clothes handling device further includes a water pump installed in the water collecting unit,
The clothes handling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of side surfaces of the collecting part opposite to the water pump with respect to the trap is formed by being disposed at an outermost part of the upwardly protruding rib and the downwardly protruding rib. According to claim 1,
The laundry treatment apparatus may further include a step portion protruding upward from a boundary between the bottom surface of the water collecting portion and the trap to form a step difference with the bottom surface of the water collecting portion. According to claim 1,
The clothes handling device further includes a stepped portion protruding upward from a boundary between the bottom surface of the collecting portion and the trap to form a step difference with the bottom surface of the collecting portion,
Wherein the stepped portion is formed by being disposed at an outermost part of the downward protruding ribs. According to claim 11,
The clothes handling device further includes a water pump mounted on the water collecting unit to transfer the condensed water collected in the water collecting unit,
The water pump has wings rotatably disposed toward the bottom surface of the water collecting unit,
Clothes handling apparatus, characterized in that the upper end of the stepped portion has a lower height than the lower end of the wing. According to claim 12,
Wherein the cover is formed to cover the water pump. According to claim 12,
the cover,
a trap cover portion formed from an upper side of the trap to face the trap; and
A hose connection portion protruding upward from the downwardly protruding rib through the trap cover portion and to the upper side of the cover;
The clothes handling device,
a water container connected to the water pump and formed to accommodate the condensate transported by the water pump;
a water container support frame formed to support the water container and to receive condensed water overflowing from the water container; and
and a return hose connected to the water container support frame and the hose connection part to return the condensed water overflowing from the water container to the water container support frame to the water collector. According to claim 14,
The return hose has a slope of a tangent line greater than 0 in an entire section of the return hose with respect to the ground on which the laundry treatment device is installed to prevent condensed water from accumulating therein. According to claim 1,
The base has a breakage prevention rib formed around the trap,
The breakage prevention rib protrudes downward from the bottom surface of the base, and the lower end of the breakage prevention rib is disposed at a position lower than the bottom surface of the trap. According to claim 16,
The breakage prevention rib is a clothes handling device, characterized in that formed to surround the trap.

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