KR20070105788A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A washing machine is provided to reduce electricity consumption and to reduce noise by inclining an internal surface of a dry duct wherein a first and a second duct are joined, and forming a cross section of a second duct to be smaller than that of the first duct. A washing machine comprises a condensing duct(116), a dry duct(112), and an inclined surface. The dry duct has a first duct(112a), and a second duct(112b). The one end of the condensing duce is communicated with the tub to allow air to be transferred from a tub. The first duct is communicated with the other end of the condensing duce to re-supply air to the tub. The second duct is extended from the first duct to the tub. The inclined surface is formed at an internal of the dry duct where the first and the second ducts are joined, to reduce flow resistance. The cross section of the second duct is smaller than that of the first duct.

Description

Washing machine {WASHING MACHINE}

1 is a view schematically showing a conventional drum washing machine.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the drying duct of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a view schematically showing a drum washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a view illustrating a drying duct of a drum washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: drum washing machine 112: drying duct

114: air outlet 115: temperature sensor

116: condensation duct 118: condenser

120: drying apparatus 121: blower

122: heater 130: drum

131: tub 152: drain pipe

112: drying duct 112a: first duct

112b: second duct

The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly to a washing machine that can improve the drying efficiency.

1 is a view schematically showing the structure of a washing machine according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the drying duct of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, a cabinet 1 forming an exterior, a tub 3 installed to be suspended by a spring inside the cabinet 1, and a laundry installed rotatably inside the tub 3 are laundry. A drum (4) for washing oil, a gasket (5) preventing leakage of wash water between the drum (4) and the tub (3), and a condensation duct (6) communicating with the tub (3) to remove moisture And a drying duct (7) communicating with the condensation duct (6) to create hot air, and a door (2) provided to be opened and closed at the inlet.

On the other hand, referring to Figure 2, the drying duct 7 and the first duct (7a) in communication with the other side of the condensation duct 6 so that the air transferred through the condensation duct 6 is supplied back to the drum (4) The second duct 7b extends from the first duct 7a to the drum 4 side. The first duct is provided with a heater 8 and a blower 9 to generate hot air.

The conventional drum washing machine configured as described above performs a washing stroke, a rinsing stroke, a dehydrating stroke, and a drying stroke. Hereinafter, the operation of the drying administration will be described.

 When the drying stroke starts, the power of the heater 8 and the blower 9 of the drying duct 7 is applied. The heater 8 causes the air in the drying duct 7 to become hot, and the hot air is accelerated by the blower 9 to generate hot air. The hot air flows from the first duct toward the second duct and hits the inner surface of the drying duct where the first duct 7a and the second duct 7b are coupled to flow into the tub 3 in the vertical direction. The hot air in the tub 3 heats the laundry to evaporate the moisture contained in the laundry. The evaporated water is discharged through the condensation duct 6 while being contained in the air, and at this time, water is removed from the water supply of the condensation duct 6 to remove moisture from the air. The air thus dried is introduced into the drying duct 7 and again becomes hot air and hits the inner surface of the drying duct to which the first duct 7a and the second duct 7b are combined to flow into the tub 3.

In this process, the hot air that hits the inner surface of the drying duct to which the first duct 7a and the second duct 7b are coupled is decelerated without reaching the existing speed. Since the decelerated hot air is hot air, the hot air is above the cold air in the tub 3 so that the flow rate flowing from the drying duct 7 into the tub 3 is reduced and flowed back to decrease the drying function of the laundry.

The fluid resistance, which is the cause of decelerating the hot air, increases as the angle between the inner surface of the drying duct and the direction of the hot wind becomes closer to the right angle, and decreases as it approaches horizontal. The inner surface of the conventional drying duct is perpendicular to the direction of the hot wind. It has a structure that maximizes fluid resistance. Therefore, the inner surface of the conventional drying duct has a problem of reducing the drying function of the laundry by reducing the flow rate flowing into the drum from the drying duct to the maximum fluid resistance.

The present invention has been made by the necessity as described above, and an object thereof is to provide a washing machine that maximizes the flow rate of the hot air flowing into the tub 3 by reducing the fluid resistance of the hot air.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can improve the drying efficiency.

 The washing machine according to the present invention includes: a condensation duct in which one side communicates with the tub so that air in the tub is transferred, and a first duct in communication with the other side of the condensation duct so that the air transferred through the condensation duct is supplied back to the tub; And a drying duct having a second duct extending from the first duct to the tub side, wherein an inclined surface is formed on an inner surface of the drying duct to which the first duct and the second duct are coupled. do.

The cross-sectional area of the second duct is preferably smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first duct.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described a preferred embodiment of the drum washing machine according to the present invention. For convenience of description, an embodiment of the present invention will be described taking a drum washing machine as an example. In this process, the thickness of the lines or the size of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of description. In addition, terms to be described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to the intention or convention of a user or an operator. Therefore, definitions of these terms should be made based on the contents throughout the specification.

 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a preferred embodiment of the washing machine according to the present invention, Figure 4 is a view showing a drying duct of the washing machine of FIG.

Referring to FIG. 3, the drum washing machine 100 includes a housing 111 forming an external shape, a tub 131 installed inside the housing 111, and a rotatable inside the tub 131. A drum 130 that functions, a motor 140 installed at the rear to rotate the drum 130, a drying device 120 for drying the laundry, and a condensation duct 116 in communication with the drying device to remove moisture. It is provided.

The upper side of the tub 131 is provided with a water supply port 105 for supplying washing water from the outside. The wash water supplied through the water inlet 105 is supplied into the tub 131 through the detergent container 106 in which detergent is stored. The lower side of the tub 131 is provided with a drain pump 151 and a drain pipe 152 to discharge the washing water after the washing process to the outside. The door 102 is installed in front of the drum washing machine 100 so that laundry can be put into or removed from the drum 130. Here, the front means the left side of FIG. 3, and the rear means the right side of FIG. 3.

Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of holes are formed on the circumferential surface and the rear surface of the drum 130 to allow washing water and air to flow. Air inside the drum 130 flows into the space between the drum 130 and the tub 131 through the hole formed in the drum 130.

In the drum washing machine 100 of the present invention, after the end of the washing according to the repeated washing and dehydration stroke, the drying apparatus 120 sprays warm air into the drum 130 to dry the laundry. That is, the drying apparatus 120 heats and circulates air to dry the laundry inside the drum 130.

The drying apparatus 120 includes a heater 122 that is a heating device for heating air, a blower 121 for circulating air heated by the heater 122, and heated air is moved into the tub 131. It is provided with a drying duct 112 for providing a passage, and an air discharge portion 114 is installed to communicate with the inside of the tub 131.

Referring to FIG. 4, the drying duct 112 includes a first duct 112a communicating with the condensation duct 116 and a second duct 112b extending to the drum 130. An inclined surface is formed on the inner surface of the drying duct 112 to which the first duct 112a and the second duct 112bB are coupled. Therefore, when the air in the drying duct 112 is heated by the heater 122 and is moved into the tub 131 by the blower 121 through the first duct 112a and the second duct 112b. To reduce the resistance, the flow rate flowing into the tub 131 increases, thereby increasing drying efficiency.

The cross sectional area of the second duct 112b is preferably smaller than that of the first duct 112a. When the first duct 112a and the second duct 112b have the above configuration, the speed of the hot air flowing into the tub 131 is increased. Fast hot air can be delivered to the inside of the tub 131 and penetrate every corner so that the cloth is easily dried.

On the other hand, in the drying process of the laundry described above to remove the moisture in the air to enable a smooth drying. Condensate is generated when high temperature air contacts low temperature objects. The condenser 118 is disposed between the blower 121 and the tub 131 to remove moisture from the heated air by using the same principle as described above.

That is, the condenser 118 flows the cooling water supplied through the water supply pipe 113 installed on the upper side of the drum washing machine 100 to the wall surface of the condensation duct 116 to relatively transfer the hot and humid air inside the condensation duct 116. The water vapor is condensed by contact with the wash water having a low temperature, thereby removing moisture inside the drum 130.

In this embodiment, the water supply port 105 for supplying the washing water to the tub 131 and the water supply pipe 113 for supplying the cooling water to the condensation duct 116 are separately installed. However, the water supply port 105 condenses using the water supply port 105. Cooling water may be supplied to the duct 116.

Since such a configuration is well known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, a detailed description of such a structure is omitted.

That is, the drum washing machine 100 according to the present embodiment supplies heated air from the drying duct 112 to the tub 131 to dry the laundry, and the air discharged from the tub 131 passes through the condensation duct 116. It meets the coolant and condenses into water. The condensed water is discharged to the outside through the drain pipe 152 through the lower portion of the tub 131.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible to those skilled in the art. Will understand. In addition, in the above embodiment, a drum washing machine has been described as an example, but this is merely exemplary, and the present invention may be applied to other washing machines. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the claims below.

As described above, the washing machine according to the present invention, unlike the conventional invention, by inclining the inner surface of the duct coupled to the first duct and the second duct, it is possible to improve the drying efficiency by increasing the flow rate flowing into the tub. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the second duct is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first duct, so that the speed of hot air is increased. Fast hot air is efficiently delivered into the drum and penetrates into every corner, making the fabric dry easily. As such, by improving the drying efficiency, it is possible to shorten the conventional drying time, thereby reducing the power consumption used during drying and reducing the financial burden by reducing the electricity use time of the consumer. In addition, when there is no inclination on the inner surface of the duct, the noise generated by the fluid resistance is reduced to increase the customer satisfaction.

Claims (2)

A condensation duct in which one side communicates with the tub so that air in the tub is transferred; And And a drying duct having a first duct communicating with the other side of the condensation duct and a second duct extending from the first duct to the tub side such that the air transferred through the condensation duct is supplied to the tub again. Washing machine, characterized in that the inclined surface is formed on the inner surface of the drying duct coupled to the first duct and the second duct to reduce air resistance. The method of claim 1, Washing machine, characterized in that the cross-sectional area of the second duct is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first duct.

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