CLOTHING TREATMENT DEVICE

BACKGROUND
1. Field

Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to a clothing treatment device.

2. Description of Related Art

A clothing treatment device, such as a dryer or clothing care device, may perform the function of drying clothes (or objects for drying).

Depending on the type of heat source for drying, these clothing treatment devices may be divided into a heater type, a heat pump type, or a hybrid type that uses both a heater and a heat pump.

With increase in drying capacity, clothing treatment devices are being equipped with a larger-capacity heat pump.

SUMMARY

Aspects of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the present embodiments.

Various embodiments of the disclosure may enhance energy consumption used in the heat pump using condensate generated or produced in the evaporator of the heat pump.

According to an embodiment, a dryer includes a main body; a drum inside the main body to receive an object for drying; a heat pump configured to supply hot and dry air to the drum, and including an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser, wherein the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser are configured to circulate a refrigerant through the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser; a condensate tank configured to store condensate generated by the evaporator; and a connection pipe between the condenser and the evaporator, with at least a portion of the connection pipe being in the condensate tank, wherein the dryer is configured so that refrigerant that has been heat-exchanged with external air in the condenser, and discharged from the condenser, then passes through the connection pipe so as to additionally exchange heat with the condensate in the condensate tank while passing through the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank.

According to an embodiment, the dryer may further include a sensor configured to sense a water level in the condensate tank; and a drain pump configured to discharge the condensate in the condensate tank to an outside of the condensate tank.

According to an embodiment, the dryer may be configured so that the drain pump is not operated when the water level in the condensate tank is less than a preset water level, and the drain pump is operated when the water level in the condensate tank is greater than the preset water level.

According to an embodiment, the preset water level may be a water level set so that the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank is submerged in the condensate.

According to an embodiment, the portion of the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank may be configured in a tortuous pattern.

According to an embodiment, the dryer may further include a water supply device configured to supply water to the condensate tank.

According to an embodiment, the dryer may further include a controller configured to control the water supply device to supply water to the condensate tank when a water level in the condensate tank is less than a preset water level.

According to an embodiment, the connection pipe may include a first pipe including the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank, and a second pipe configured to bypass the first pipe. The condenser may include a refrigerant outlet. The dryer may further include a three-way valve connected to the refrigerant outlet of the condenser and configured to pass the refrigerant discharged from the condenser to the first pipe or the second pipe.

According to an embodiment, the dryer may further include a controller configured to control the three-way valve.

According to an embodiment, the controller may be configured to control the three-way valve so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser is passed to the first pipe when a water level in the condensate tank is greater than a preset water level, and control the three-way valve so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser is passed to the second pipe when the water level in the condensate tank is less than the preset water level.

According to an embodiment, the controller may be configured to control the three-way valve so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser is passed to the second pipe when a preset time has not elapsed after a drying cycle of a clothing treatment device starts, and control the three-way valve so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser is passed to the first pipe when the preset time has elapsed.

According to an embodiment, a refrigerant movement path of the second pipe may be shorter than a refrigerant movement path of the first pipe.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the second pipe may not be in the condensate tank.

According to an embodiment, the refrigerant passing through the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank may be cooled by exchanging heat with the condensate in the condensate tank.

According to an embodiment, the dryer may increase efficiency of the heat pump by using the condensate to additionally cool the refrigerant discharged from the condenser.

According to an embodiment, a clothing care device includes a main body including an inner space in which clothes are mountable or receivable; a heat pump configured to supply hot and dry air to the inner space, and including an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser, wherein the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser are configured to circulate a refrigerant through the evaporator, the compressor, and the condenser; a condensate tank configured to store condensate generated by the evaporator; and a connection pipe between the condenser and the evaporator, with at least a portion of the connection pipe being in the condensate tank, wherein the clothing care device is configured so that refrigerant that has been heat-exchanged with external air in the condenser, and discharged from the condenser, then passes through the connection pipe so as to additionally exchange heat with the condensate in the condensate tank while passing through the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank.

According to an embodiment, the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank may be configured in a tortuous pattern.

According to an embodiment, the connection pipe may include a first pipe including the at least a portion of the connection pipe in the condensate tank, and a second pipe configured to bypass the first pipe. The condenser may include a refrigerant outlet. The clothing care device may further include a three-way valve connected to the refrigerant outlet of the condenser and configured to pass the refrigerant discharged from the condenser to the first pipe or the second pipe.

According to an embodiment, the clothing care device may further include a controller configured to control the three-way valve so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser is passed to the first pipe when a water level in the condensate tank is greater than a preset water level, and control the three-way valve so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser is passed to the second pipe when the water level in the condensate tank is less than the preset water level.

According to an embodiment, a refrigerant movement path of the second pipe may be shorter than a refrigerant movement path of the first pipe.

According to various embodiments proposed in the disclosure, the clothing treatment device may additionally cool the refrigerant using the condensate by adding a refrigerant pipe structure capable of heat exchange between condensate and the refrigerant. Further, the temperature of the condensate increases as the condensate exchanges heat with the refrigerant, thereby reducing the amount of heat loss from the heat pump caused by the condensate stored around the heat pump.

Effects achievable in example embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, but other effects not mentioned may be apparently derived and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments of the disclosure pertain, from the following description. In other words, unintended effects in practicing embodiments of the disclosure may also be derived by one of ordinary skill in the art from example embodiments of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior of a clothing treatment device implemented as a dryer according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a clothing treatment device implemented as a dryer according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior of a clothing treatment device implemented as a clothing care device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a clothing treatment device implemented as a clothing care device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating a flow of a refrigerant and a flow of air in a clothing treatment device according to an embodiment;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views specifically illustrating some components of a heat pump according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a control block diagram illustrating a clothing treatment device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view schematically illustrating a flow of a refrigerant and a flow of air in a clothing treatment device according to another embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a control block diagram illustrating a clothing treatment device according to another embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a three-way valve using an operation time of a drying cycle, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a three-way valve using a water level of condensate, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a three-way valve using a temperature of a refrigerant, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for adjusting a water level by supplying water in a condensate tank, according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a clothing treatment device using a temperature of a refrigerant and a water level of a condensate tank, according to an embodiment.

Reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in the following description, and specific examples that may be practiced are shown as examples within the drawings. Other examples may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the various examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of various embodiments of the disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the various embodiments described can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings but are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of the disclosure is provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes reference to one or more of such surfaces.

It should be appreciated that the blocks in each flowchart and combinations of the flowcharts may be performed by one or more computer programs which include instructions. The entirety of the one or more computer programs may be stored in a single memory device or the one or more computer programs may be divided with different portions stored in different multiple memory devices.

Any of the functions or operations described herein can be processed by one processor or a combination of processors. The one processor or the combination of processors is circuitry performing processing and includes circuitry like an application processor (AP, e.g. a central processing unit (CPU)), a communication processor (CP, e.g., a modem), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a neural processing unit (NPU) (e.g., an artificial intelligence (AI) chip), a Wi-Fi chip, a Bluetooth® chip, a global positioning system (GPS) chip, a near field communication (NFC) chip, connectivity chips, a sensor controller, a touch controller, a finger-print sensor controller, a display driver integrated circuit (IC), an audio CODEC chip, a universal serial bus (USB) controller, a camera controller, an image processing IC, a microprocessor unit (MPU), a system on chip (SoC), an IC, or the like.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior of a clothing treatment device implemented as a dryer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a clothing treatment device implemented as a dryer according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a dryer 100 may include a main body 110, a drum 120, a door 130, a control panel 140, an air circulation flow path 150, a driver 160, or a heat pump 170.

According to an embodiment, the main body 110 may be disposed to receive components such as the drum 120 or the heat pump 170 therein. The main body 110 may have, e.g., a hexahedral shape, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The main body 110 may include an upper frame 110a, a lower frame 110b, a front frame 110c, a rear frame 110d, a left frame 110e, and a right frame (not shown). An opening may be formed in the front frame 110c, and the door 130 may be disposed at a portion corresponding to the opening. Here, at least two of the upper frame 110a, the lower frame 110b, the front frame 110c, the rear frame 110d, the left frame 110e, or the right frame may be integrally formed, or each of them may be separately manufactured and assembled. Further, each of the upper frame 110a, the lower frame 110b, the front frame 110c, the rear frame 110d, the left frame 110e, or the right frame may be press-molded with an iron plate material or injection-molded with a resin material.

According to an embodiment, the door 130 may be coupled to a hinge rotably fixed to the front frame 110c. For example, at least a portion of the door 130 may be formed of a transparent material to provide view of the inside. The door 130 may be opened and closed to put or withdraw the laundry (e.g., object for drying including clothes) into or from the drum 120 positioned inside the main body. For example, the door 130 may be locked by a locking device (not shown) so as to prevent opening while the dryer 100 is driven (e.g., in operation).

According to an embodiment, the door 130 may include a door frame 131 or a glass member 132. The glass member 132 may be formed of, e.g., a transparent tempered glass material to see through to the inside the drum 120. The glass member 132 may protrude toward the inside of the drum 120 to prevent the laundry (e.g., clothes) from being unbalanced toward the door 130 when the dryer 100 is driven.

According to an embodiment, the drum 120 may have a cylindrical shape, and an opening 120a may be formed on one side thereof. Specifically, the drum 120 may have a cylindrical shape disposed horizontally in the main body 110, and the opening 120a may be formed in a front portion of the drum 120. The opened portion may be disposed at a position corresponding to the door 130. The laundry (e.g., clothes) may be put or placed into the drum 120 through the opening 120a of the drum 120 or withdrawn (e.g., taken out) from the inside of the drum 120. The drum 120 may be provided to be rotatable by receiving power from the driver 160.

According to an embodiment, the drum 120 may include a plurality of lifters 121 disposed inside to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction. For example, the lifter 121 may lift (e.g., move) the laundry (e.g., clothes) while the drum 120 is rotating so that the laundry (e.g., clothes) repeatedly rises and falls, thereby evenly drying sides of the laundry (e.g., clothes).

According to an embodiment, the control panel 140 may include an input unit 141 or a display unit 142. For example, the input unit 141 may be configured to obtain a user input for controlling the dryer 100. The input unit 141 may include, e.g., a power button for turning on/off the power of the dryer 100 or an operation button for setting a drying operation of the dryer 100. The power button or the operation button may be, e.g., a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, or a touch switch, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. Alternatively, the input unit 141 may include an input device in the form of a jog shuttle that may be gripped and rotated by a user as illustrated in FIG. 1. The display unit 142 may display, e.g., drying setting or drying operation information in response to a user input. The display unit 142 may include, e.g., various types of display panels such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a light emitting diode (QLED), a micro LED, or the like, and may be implemented as a touch screen by providing a touch pad on a front side (e.g., surface) thereof, but the disclosure is not limited to a specific type of display.

According to an embodiment, the air circulation flow path 150 may include an inflow flow path 151, a connection flow path 152, and a discharge flow path 153. When the dryer 100 operates, hot and humid air may be introduced into the inlet flow path 151 to dry the laundry (e.g., clothes) introduced into the drum 120, and high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air may be discharged into the discharge flow path 153. The hot and humid air introduced through the inlet flow path 151 may be heated and dehumidified by the heat pump 170 while passing through the connection flow path 152 to be converted into high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air.

According to an embodiment, the inlet flow path 151 may be formed by the inlet duct 111. The inlet duct 111 may be positioned, e.g., at a lower front portion of the drum 120. In other words, the inlet duct 111 may be disposed adjacent to the front frame 110c of the main body 110 but is not limited thereto. For example, a filter member 112 may further be disposed to the inlet duct 111. The air introduced into the inlet flow path 151 through the inlet 151a inside the drum 120 may include foreign substances (e.g., lint or dust). These foreign substances may be filtered by the filter member 112 when the air is introduced into the inlet flow path 151.

According to an embodiment, the connection flow path 152 may be disposed under the drum 120. The air filtered by the filter member 112 may pass through the inlet flow path 151 and enter the connection flow path 152. Air may be heated and dehumidified by the heat pump 170 while passing through the connection flow path 152. The process of heating and dehumidifying air by the heat pump 170 is described below.

According to an embodiment, the discharge flow path 153 may be formed by the discharge duct 113. The discharge duct 113 may be positioned, e.g., behind the drum 120. In other words, the discharge duct 113 may be disposed adjacent to the rear frame 110d of the main body 110 but is not limited thereto. The discharge duct 113 may be connected to, e.g., the rear surface of the drum 120. Accordingly, high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air passing through the discharge flow path 153 may be discharged to the outlet 153a, positioned on the rear surface of the drum 120, to dry the laundry (e.g., clothes) in the drum 120.

According to an embodiment, the driver 160 may include a driving motor 161, a pulley 162, a driving belt 163, or a blower device 164. The driver 160 may form a flow of air in the air circulation flow path 150 by, e.g., rotating the drum 120 or using the blower device 164. The illustrated driver 160 is provided so that one driving motor 161 rotates the drum 120 and the blower device 164 at the same time, but this is merely an example, and a plurality of driving motors may be provided to independently rotate the drum 120 and the blower device 164.

According to an embodiment, the driving motor 161 may be provided to transfer rotational power to the pulley 162 and the blower device 164. The driving motor 161 may be disposed inside the main body 110. The driving motor 161 may be disposed, e.g., under the drum 120.

According to an embodiment, the driving belt 163 may be connected to the pulley 162 and may be partially disposed to surround (e.g., encompass) the outer circumferential surface of the drum 120. In other words, the driving belt 163 may rotate the drum 120 by transferring the rotational power of the pulley 162 to the drum 120. The drum 120 may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise based on the driving (e.g., operation) of the driving motor 161.

According to an embodiment, the blower device 164 may receive rotational power from the driving motor 161. The blower device 164 may be provided to allow air to circulate inside by forming a flow of air in the air circulation flow path 150. The blower device 164 may be disposed, e.g., in the connection flow path 152, but is not limited thereto. The blower device 164 may be disposed, e.g., adjacent to the inlet flow path 151. Alternatively, the blower device 164 may be disposed at a portion where the inlet flow path 151 and the connection flow path 152 are connected. Therefore, air in the drum 120 may be effectively introduced into the inflow flow path 151 by the rotation of the blower device 164.

According to an embodiment, the heat pump 170 may include an evaporator 171, a compressor, a condenser 173, and an expansion valve. The evaporator 171, the compressor, the condenser 173, or the expansion valve may be disposed under the drum 120. The heat pump 170 may be disposed, as a detachable module, in the main body 110. In the heat pump 170, a component including an evaporator 171, where heat exchange between air and refrigerant occurs, and a compressor may be referred to as a heat exchanger.

According to an embodiment, the evaporator 171 may be provided to evaporate a refrigerant that has become a liquid (or in a liquid state) at a low temperature and a low pressure while passing through the expansion valve. As the liquid refrigerant is evaporated, heat exchange proceeds between the evaporator 171 and the surrounding gas. The air flowing through the connection flow path 152 passes through the evaporator 171 first, and the evaporator 171 may absorb latent heat of the air while evaporating the liquid refrigerant. The moisture contained in the air may be condensed by the air, in which latent heat is absorbed, as the temperature decreases.

According to an embodiment, moisture condensed while passing through the evaporator 171 may be received as condensate in a condensate tank (e.g., the condensate tank 550 of FIG. 5). Moisture received in the condensate tank 550 may be used to additionally cool the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 173. Details are described below.

According to an embodiment, the compressor may be provided to compress the gaseous refrigerant received from the evaporator 171. The compressor may compress the gaseous refrigerant into a high temperature and high-pressure state. Specifically, the compressor may receive electrical energy from the outside and compress the gaseous refrigerant at high temperature and high pressure using a rotational force such as from an electric motor. Alternatively, the compressor may compress the refrigerant through the reciprocation of the piston, but the disclosure is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, the condenser 173 may condense the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant received from the compressor. The condenser 173 may dissipate heat generated or produced while condensing the refrigerant to the outside of the condenser 173. The gas, that has passed through the evaporator 171 in the connection flow path 152 and has become a low-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) state, may be in a high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) state due to heat dissipation of the condenser 173 while passing through the condenser 173. In other words, while the air in the high-temperature and high-humidity state passes through the connection flow path 152, the air may be converted to be in the high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) state by the evaporator 171 and the condenser 173 and discharged into the drum 120 through the discharge flow path 153. The condensed refrigerant may move back to the evaporator 171 and circulate inside the heat pump 170.

According to an embodiment, the heat pump 170 may further include a refrigerant temperature sensor. The refrigerant temperature sensor may be disposed, e.g., on a path through which the refrigerant passes. As an example, the refrigerant temperature sensor may be disposed to measure the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 173. However, without limitations thereto, the refrigerant temperature sensor may be disposed in a path between the compressor and the condenser 173 to measure the temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor.

According to an embodiment, the dryer 100 may further include a heater 180 disposed inside the air circulation flow path 150. The heater 180 may be positioned, e.g., on the discharge flow path 153. In particular, the heater 180 may be disposed on a downstream of (e.g., below) the evaporator 171 and the condenser 173. Accordingly, the heater 180 may additionally heat the air passing through the heat pump 170. The heater 180 may further heat the air by assisting the condenser 173, thereby increasing the temperature of the air supplied to the drum 120 more rapidly.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior of a clothing treatment device implemented as a clothing care device according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a clothing treatment device implemented as a clothing care device according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3, a clothing care device 300, according to an embodiment, may include a main body 310 or a door 320.

According to various embodiments, the clothing care device 300 may remove or sterilize foreign substances or odors attached to the clothes. Further, the clothing care device 300 may automatically perform wrinkle removal, foreign matter removal, or the like upon receiving instructions through button operation or the like corresponding to the type or material of the clothes.

According to an embodiment, the main body 310 may have a substantially hexahedral shape with one open side (e.g., surface). The front side (e.g., surface) of the main body 310 may be opened, e.g., by the door 320. An opening 310a may be formed in the front side (e.g., surface) of the main body 310.

According to an embodiment, the main body 310 may form a first inner space 3121 in which clothes may be mounted or received and treated. The front side (e.g., surface) of the first inner space 3121 may be opened by, e.g., the door 320. For example, at least a portion of the opening 310a of the main body 310 may be a front side (e.g., surface) of the first inner space 3121.

According to an embodiment, the door 320 may be provided to open and close the opening 310a of the main body 310. The door 320 may be coupled to the main body 310 by a device or component, such as e.g., a hinge or a link. The first inner space 3121 may be opened and closed by using the door 320. Although not shown, an operation unit (not shown) composed of an input device, such as a button or a touch screen, may be disposed on the front side (e.g., surface) of the door 320.

Referring to FIG. 4, the clothing care device 300, according to an embodiment, may include a main body 310, a door 320, an air conditioner 350, a humidifier 360, a blower 370, or a filter assembly 380.

According to an embodiment, the main body 310 may include an outer housing 311 or an inner housing 312. The outer housing 311 or the inner housing 312 may be supported by a frame to maintain its shape.

According to an embodiment, the door 320 may further include a discharge flow path 3130 for discharging air of the first inner space 3121 to the outside. The discharge flow path 3130 may be connected to, e.g., a discharge slit 316a, to be described below, in a state in which the door 320 is closed.

According to an embodiment, a second inner space 3111 or a third inner space 3112 may be formed between the outer housing 311 and the inner housing 312. The second inner space 3111, e.g., may be positioned at a lower portion of the inner housing 312. In other words, the second inner space 3111 may be positioned at a lower portion of the first inner space 3121. For example, components, such as the air conditioner 350 or the humidifier 360, may be disposed in the second inner space 3111. The third inner space 3112, e.g., may be positioned to surround a portion of the upper portion and a portion of the side portion of the inner housing 312. For example, components, such as the blower 370, may be disposed in the third inner space 3112.

According to an embodiment, the inner housing 312 may form a first inner space 3121. The first inner space 3121 may form a space by, e.g., an upper surface 312a, a lower surface 312b, a left surface 312c, a right surface 312d, and a rear surface 312e. The front side (e.g., surface) of the first inner space 3121 may be opened and closed by the door 320. A discharge bracket 316, installed at a position corresponding to the discharge flow path 3130 of the door 320, may be disposed at an upper end of the opening 310a of the main body 310. The discharge bracket 316 may include, e.g., a plurality of discharge slits 316a disposed to correspond to the discharge flow path 3130 of the door 320.

According to an embodiment, the clothing care device 300 may further include a drain container 341 or a water supply container 342. The drain container 341 or the water supply container 342 may be disposed to be detachable from the main body 310. The drain container 341 or the water supply container 342 may be disposed, e.g., at a lower portion of the first inner space 3121. The drain container 341 or the water supply container 342 may be disposed to be visible from the outside, e.g., when the door 320 is opened.

The drain container 341 may be provided to facilitate condensate treatment by, e.g., the heat pump 352 of the air conditioner 350. The water supply container 342 may be provided to store, e.g., water required for generating steam in the humidifier 360. The drain container 341 and the water supply container 342 are not necessarily configured separately but may be configured as an integral container that serves as both the drain container 341 and the water supply container 342 described above.

According to an embodiment, the condensate water generated or produced by the heat pump 352 may be received in a condensate tank (e.g., the condensate tank 550 of FIG. 5), to be described below, before being discharged to the drain container 341. The condensate may be received in the condensate tank 550 and used to cool the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 3522 of the heat pump 352. Details are described below.

According to an embodiment, the air conditioner 350 may include a heat pump 352, a first duct 355, or a first fan 356. The air conditioner 350 may be provided to dehumidify or heat, e.g., air in the first inner space 3121. The air conditioner 350 may be disposed to supply hot air to, e.g., the first inner space 3121. The air conditioner 350 may be disposed, e.g., in the second inner space 3111.

According to an embodiment, the heat pump 352 may include an evaporator 3521, a condenser 3522, or a compressor 3523. The refrigerant may circulate through the evaporator 3521, the condenser 3522, and the compressor 3523. The refrigerant may be, e.g., a gas, but is not limited thereto. The heat pump 352 may be disposed, as a detachable module, in the main body 310. In the heat pump 352, a component, including an evaporator 3521 where heat exchange between air and refrigerant occurs and a condenser 3522, may be referred to as a heat exchanger.

In the evaporator 3521, the refrigerant may absorb latent heat of the surrounding air while evaporating, condensing moisture in the air. The condensate may move to the drain container 341. Accordingly, the air, introduced through the first inlet 357, may be dehumidified while passing through the evaporator 3521. The refrigerant evaporated in the evaporator 3521 may be compressed at a low pressure in the compressor 3523 and moved to the condenser 3522. The low-pressure refrigerant moved to the condenser 3522 may heat the surrounding air by emitting latent heat toward the surrounding air. Accordingly, the air passing through the evaporator 3521 may be heated in the condenser 3522 and then discharged through the first outlet 358. In summary, as the evaporator 3521 and the condenser 3522 perform a heat exchange function, the air passing through the heat pump 352 by the first fan 356 may be dehumidified or heated sequentially through the evaporator 3521 and the condenser 3522.

According to an embodiment, the first duct 355 may be disposed to connect the heat pump 352 and the first fan 356. The first duct 355 may include, e.g., a first flow path 3551 disposed to allow air introduced from the first inner space 3121 to be discharged to the first inner space 3121 through the first fan 356 and the heat pump 352.

Air in the first inner space 3121 may be introduced into the first flow path 3551 through the first inlet 357. The first inlet 357 may be disposed, e.g., in the lower surface 312b of the inner housing 312. Specifically, the first inlet 357 may be disposed in front of the lower surface 312b, but is not limited thereto.

The air dehumidified or heated by the heat pump 352 may be discharged to the first inner space 3121 through the first outlet 358. The first outlet 358 may be positioned, e.g., in the lower surface 312b of the inner housing 312. The first outlet 358 may be provided so that, e.g., the discharged air is inclined (e.g., sloped) and raised along the direction of the opening 310a, but is not limited thereto. In other words, the first outlet 358 may be disposed to discharge air in a direction inclined (e.g., sloped) upward from the lower surface 312b of the inner housing 312. Accordingly, the air discharged from the first outlet 358 may be directed toward the front upper portion of the first inner space 3121 and then descend to be sucked (e.g., flowed) into the first inlet 357 disposed in front of the lower surface 312b of the inner housing 312.

According to an embodiment, the first fan 356 may generate wind power for circulating air in the first inner space 3121. For example, the first fan 356 may suck (e.g., intake) air in the first inner space 3121 from the first inlet 357 and introduce the sucked air into the first duct 355 and may discharge the air introduced into the first duct 355 from the first outlet 358 to the first inner space 3121.

According to an embodiment, the humidifier 360 may include a steam generator 361, a steam supply pipe 362, or a steam injector 363. The humidifier 360 may be provided to generate steam using water supplied from the water supply container 342 and then discharge the steam to the steam outlet 364 via the steam supply pipe 362 and the steam injector 363. The steam outlet 364 may be positioned above, e.g., the first outlet 358. Alternatively, the steam outlet 364 may be positioned at a lower portion of the rear surface 312e of the inner housing 312. The steam discharged from the steam outlet 364 may flow from the first outlet 358 to the upper portion of the first inner space 3121, together with the air moved and discharged by the first fan 356.

According to an embodiment, the clothing care device 300 may include an air circulation flow path 354. The air circulation flow path 354 may include a first inlet 357, a first flow path 3551, and a first outlet 358. The first inlet 357, the first flow path 3551 and the first outlet 358 may be sequentially connected in the air circulation flow path 354. The hot and humid air of the first inner space 3121 may be introduced through the first inlet 357. The introduced air may be heated and dehumidified by the heat pump while passing through the first flow path 3551 to be converted into high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air. Air converted into high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air may be discharged to the first outlet 358.

According to an embodiment, the steam generator 361 may generate steam using water supplied from the water supply container 342. The steam generator 361 may generate high-temperature steam by heating water using, e.g., a heater disposed therein.

The steam supply pipe 362 may be disposed to guide, e.g., steam generated or produced by the steam generator 361 to the steam injector 363. The steam injector 363 may be disposed at a lower portion of the rear surface 312e of the inner housing 312.

According to an embodiment, the humidifier 360 may further include a water supply pump (not shown). The water supply pump may be disposed, e.g., between the water supply container 342 and the steam generator 361, to move water stored in the water supply container 342 to the steam generator 361.

According to an embodiment, the blower 370 may include a second duct 371 or a second fan 372. The blower 370 may be disposed, e.g., in the third inner space 3112.

According to an embodiment, the second duct 371 may be provided to allow air to circulate (e.g., flow) between the first inner space 3121 and the blower 370 through the second inlet 373 and the second outlet 374. In other words, one end of the second duct 371 may be connected to the second inlet 373, and the other end of the second duct 371 may be connected to the second outlet 374. The second duct 371 may include, e.g., a second flow path 3711 through which air circulates. Here, the second inlet 373 may be positioned at an upper portion of the rear surface 312e of the inner housing 312 but is not limited thereto. Here, the second outlet 374 may be positioned in the upper surface 312a of the inner housing 312 but is not limited thereto.

According to an embodiment, the second fan 372 may be disposed in the second duct 371. The second fan 372 may be operated to generate wind power so that the air flows from the second inlet 373 to the second outlet 374. If the second fan 372 is operated, the air introduced from the second inlet 373 passes through the second fan 372 and is discharged to the second outlet 374. Air may be discharged downward perpendicular to the upper side (e.g., surface) of the inner housing 312, but is not limited thereto. Further, the air discharged from the second outlet 374 may pass through the supporting device 325 and flow to the holding member 330. Accordingly, the clothing care device 300 may remove dust or odor of the clothes over the holding member 330 using the air discharged from the second outlet 374.

According to an embodiment, the filter assembly 380 may be disposed at an upper portion of the rear surface 312e of the inner housing 312. The filter assembly 380 may be disposed, e.g., at a portion where the first inner space 3121 and the second flow path 3711 are connected. In other words, the filter assembly 380 may be disposed in the second inlet 373. The filter assembly 380 may be disposed to filter (e.g., remove), e.g., dust, before air in the first inner space 3121 is introduced into the blower 370.

According to an embodiment, the clothing care device 300 may further include a supporting device 325 or a holding member 330. The supporting device 325 may be disposed, e.g., on the upper surface 312a of the inner housing 312. Specifically, the supporting device 325 may be disposed adjacent to the second outlet 374. The supporting device 325 may be disposed to support, e.g., a plurality of holding members 330. The plurality of holding members 330 may be disposed to be detachable from the supporting device 325.

According to an embodiment, the holding members 330 may include at least two types of holding members. The holding members 330 may include, e.g., a first holding member disposed to hold a top or a second holding member disposed to hold a bottom. If necessary, the first holding member or the second holding member may be hanged (e.g., attached or secured) on the supporting device 325.

According to an embodiment, the holding member 330 may be disposed to allow air to flow therein. At least one air hole may be formed in the holding member 330 to provide the air flow from the second outlet 374 to the clothes. The air hole may be formed, e.g., at an upper end of the holding member 330, but is not limited thereto, and may be formed in various sizes at various positions to widely inject air to clothes. As the air from the second outlet 374 passes through the holding member 330, dust or foreign substances on the clothes may be removed.

In the case of the filter assembly 380 disposed in the clothing care device 300, if air, including dust or foreign substances, passes through the filter assembly 380 and flows into the blower 370, the air may intensively pass through the upper area (or dust concentration area) Z of the filter assembly 380 and flow into the blower 370. In other words, most of the air in the first inner space 3121 may pass through the upper area Z of the filter assembly 380 and flow into the blower 370. The size and position of the illustrated upper area Z are exemplary and may vary depending on the placement position of the filter assembly 380 or the placement position or specification of the blower 370 in the clothing care device 300.

FIG. 5 is a view schematically illustrating a flow of a refrigerant and a flow of air in a clothing treatment device according to an embodiment.

The clothing treatment device 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 may be included in a clothing treatment device such as the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. Hereinafter, overlapping descriptions regarding those described above are omitted from the description.

Referring to FIG. 5, the clothing treatment device 500 may include a receiving unit 510 (e.g., the drum 120 of FIG. 2 or the first inner space 3121 of FIG. 4), an air circulation flow path 520 (e.g., the air circulation flow path 150 of FIG. 2 or the air circulation flow path 354 of FIG. 4), and a blower device 530 (e.g., the blower device 164 of FIG. 2 or the blower device 370 of FIG. 4). The receiving unit 510 may be referred to as a receiving space, a washing chamber, a washing container, or a chamber. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the receiving unit 510 may include all forms in which an inner space is formed to receive clothes (or laundry). The air in the receiving unit 510 may circulate along the air circulation flow path 520. For example, the hot and humid air in the receiving unit 510 may be dehumidified through the heat pump 540 through the air circulation flow path 520, converted into the hot and low-humidity (or dry) air, and introduced back into the receiving unit 510. The air may pass through the heat pump 540 along the air circulation flow path 520 to exchange heat with the refrigerant.

According to an example, the clothing treatment device 500 may include a heat pump 540 (e.g., the heat pump 170 of FIG. 2 or the heat pump 352 of FIG. 4). According to an example, the heat pump 540 may include an evaporator 541, a compressor 542, and a condenser 543. For example, the heat pump 540 may be configured to cool the air discharged from the receiving unit 510 to form condensate, and then heat the cooled air again.

The high-temperature and humid air, discharged from the receiving unit 510, may be converted into low-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air while passing through the evaporator 541. The humid air passes through the evaporator 541 and condenses while being cooled, and condensate may be generated or produced by condensation. The condensate may be stored in the condensate tank 550 described below. Low-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air may be converted into high-temperature and low-humidity (or dry) air while passing through the condenser 543.

The refrigerant may sequentially pass through the evaporator 541, the compressor 542, the condenser 543, and the expansion valve 545 through a refrigerant flow path 546.

According to an example, the clothing treatment device 500 may include a connection pipe 544. The connection pipe 544 may be disposed between the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541. For example, the connection pipe 544 may be disposed downstream (e.g., below) of the condenser 543 on the refrigerant flow path 546. For example, the connection pipe 544 may be disposed adjacent to a refrigerant outlet 5431 of the condenser 543. For example, the connection pipe 544 may be disposed upstream of the evaporator 541 on the refrigerant flow path 546. The refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 may pass through the connection pipe 544.

According to an example, the connection pipe 544 may include a first pipe 5441. The first pipe 5441 may be disposed adjacent to the condenser 543. The first pipe 5441 may be disposed between the evaporator 541 and the condenser 543. The first pipe 5441 may be disposed, e.g., between the expansion valve 545 and the condenser 543. When the refrigerant circulates, the refrigerant may pass through the condenser 543 and then flow into the first pipe 5441.

According to an example, at least a portion of the first pipe 5441 may be disposed to be submerged in water (or condensate) in the condensate tank 550. The first pipe 5441 may be disposed to be received in the condensate tank 550. As the first pipe 5441 is disposed in the condensate tank 550, the refrigerant passing through the first pipe 5441 may exchange heat with water (or condensate) stored in the condensate tank 550. The refrigerant, heat-exchanged with the external air while passing through the condenser 543, may be configured to additionally exchange heat with the condensate in the condensate tank 550 while passing through the first pipe 5441.

According to an example, the first pipe 5441 may refer to a portion received in the condensate tank 550 in the connection pipe 544. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and a separate pipe component disposed to be received in the condensate tank 550 may be configured to be separately coupled.

According to an example, the heat pump 540 may be configured to allow or provide the refrigerant to sequentially circulate through the evaporator 541, the compressor 542, the condenser 543, and the first pipe 5441.

According to an example, the clothing treatment device 500 may include a condensate tank 550. The condensate tank 550 may be a part (e.g., component) for storing or receiving condensate. The condensate tank 550 may be configured to be detachable from, e.g., the clothing treatment device 500. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the condensate tank 550 may be, e.g., a part of the inner space forming the clothing treatment device 500. The condensate tank 550 may be integrally formed with, e.g., a frame (e.g., the frame 110 of FIG. 2) or a main body (e.g., the main body 310 of FIG. 4). The condensate tank 550 may be disposed, e.g., below a portion where the evaporator 541 and/or the condenser 543 is disposed. The condensate tank 550 may be referred to as a water tank.

The condensate tank 550 may be configured to receive water directly supplied from the outside as well as water condensed by the heat pump 540. If at least a portion of the first pipe 5441 is submerged in water of the condensate tank 550, the refrigerant passing through the first pipe 5441 may exchange heat with the water in the condensate tank 550.

According to an example, the refrigerant may be further cooled by the water in the condensate tank 550 while passing through the first pipe 5441. For example, the temperature of the condensate in the condensate tank 550 may be about 25 degrees. If the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543 is higher than the temperature of the condensate, the refrigerant may be cooled by the condensate while passing through the first pipe 5441. The refrigerant may be cooled while passing through the condenser 543, but the refrigerant may be additionally cooled by providing a new structure for exchanging heat with water in the condensate tank 550.

For example, if the first pipe 5441 is configured to be disposed between the compressor 542 and the condenser 543 to exchange heat with condensate, not only the temperature of the refrigerant decreases but also the pressure decreases, and thus the heat exchange efficiency of the heat pump 540 may decrease. Accordingly, the disclosure may implement a configuration that only leads to reduction in temperature while maintaining pressure as the refrigerant exchanges heat with condensate by disposing the first pipe 5441 between the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541.

If the refrigerant is additionally cooled, drying efficiency of the clothing treatment device 500 may be increased without increasing the capacity of the heat pump 540. Further, if the refrigerant is cooled while passing through the first pipe 5441, water (or condensate) in the condensate tank 550 may be heated, and thus the temperature in the condensate tank 550 may be increased. Conventionally, heat loss due to the temperature of the condensate occurs in the condensate tank 550 disposed around the heat pump 540. As in the embodiment of the disclosure, the heat loss of the heat pump 540 may be minimized (e.g., decreased) by heating the inside of the condensate tank 550 by adding the first pipe 5441.

According to an example, the clothing treatment device 500 may further include a drain pump 591. The drain pump 591 may be configured to discharge water (or condensate) in the condensate tank 550. The clothing treatment device 500 may adjust the water level in the condensate tank 550 using the drain pump 591.

According to an example, although not shown, the clothing treatment device 500 may further include a water supply device (not shown) for supplying water to the condensate tank 550. The water supply device may be controlled by a controller (e.g., the controller 561 of FIG. 7) to be described below. The controller 561 may supply water to the condensate tank 550 using the water supply device when the water level in the condensate tank 550 is less than the predetermined water level. Here, the preset water level may refer to a water level enough to submerge at least a portion of the first pipe 5441.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views specifically illustrating some components of a heat pump according to an embodiment.

The structure illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B may be included in the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. FIGS. 6A and 6B primarily illustrate the evaporator 541, the condenser 543, and the connection pipe 544 among the components of the heat pump 540 for convenience of description.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the heat pump 540 may include an evaporator 541, a condenser 543, and a connection pipe 544. The connection pipe 544 may be disposed between the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541. The connection pipe 544 may be configured to connect the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541.

According to an example, the connection pipe 544 may include a first pipe 5441. The first pipe 5441 may be disposed below the evaporator 541 or the condenser 543. As the condensate generated or produced from the air passing through the evaporator 541 falls (e.g., moves) downward (e.g., toward the ground) effected by gravity, although not shown, the condensate tank 550 for receiving the condensate may be disposed below the evaporator 541 or the condenser 543. At least a portion of the first pipe 5441 may be disposed to be received in the condensate tank 550.

According to an example, the first pipe 5441 may be formed of a zigzagged or wavy pipe. Such a configuration of the first pipe 5441 may be referred to as tortuous herein. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and it may be configured in various shapes for elongating the pipe received in the condensate tank 550 to allow the refrigerant, passing through the first pipe 5441, to exchange heat with the condensate for a sufficient time.

FIG. 7 is a control block diagram illustrating a clothing treatment device according to an embodiment.

The control block diagram illustrated in FIG. 7 may be included in a clothing treatment device, such as a dryer (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or a clothing care device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3).

Referring to FIG. 7, a clothing treatment device 500 according to an embodiment may include at least one of an input unit 570, a sensor unit 580, a communication unit 563, a controller 561, memory 562, a blower device 530, a drain pump 591, a display unit 592, or a speaker 593. Hereinafter, descriptions of the components described above may be used to omit further descriptions of the same components.

According to an embodiment, the sensor unit 580 may include, but is not limited to, a refrigerant temperature sensor 581, a water level sensor 582, or a door sensor 583. The refrigerant temperature sensor 581 may be a sensor disposed to measure the temperature of the refrigerant. The refrigerant temperature sensor 581 may be disposed at a specific portion to measure the temperature of the refrigerant at the corresponding position. According to an example, the refrigerant temperature sensor 581 may be disposed in the condenser 543 to measure the temperature (or average temperature) of the condenser 543.

The water level sensor 582 may be disposed to determine or identify the water level of the condensate tank (e.g., the condensate tank 550 of FIG. 5). For example, as the drying cycle of the clothing treatment device 500 proceeds, condensate may be generated (or produced) and received in the condensate tank 550 so that the water level of the condensate tank 550 may vary. For example, the controller 561 may determine how much the first pipe 5441 disposed in the condensate tank 550 is submerged according to the water level of the condensate tank 550. The door sensor 583 may be provided to determine whether the door is closed (e.g., the door 130 of FIG. 2 or the door 320 of FIG. 4) before the controller 561 performs an operation.

According to an embodiment, the communication unit 563 may include one or more modules that enable wireless communication between the clothing treatment device 500 and a wireless communication system, between the clothing treatment device 500 and another device, or between the clothing treatment device 500 and an external server. According to an embodiment, the communication unit 563 may include one or more modules connecting the clothing treatment device 500 to one or more networks. According to an embodiment, the communication unit 563 may include at least one of a mobile communication module, a wireless Internet module, a short-range communication module, or a location information module.

For example, the mobile communication module may transmit/receive a wireless signal to/from at least one of a base station, an external terminal, or a server on a mobile communication network established according to technical standards or communication methods for mobile communication. The wireless signals may include, e.g., voice call signals, video call signals, or other various types of data according to transmission/reception of text/multimedia messages.

The wireless Internet module may be, but is not limited to, e.g., wireless local area network (WLAN), Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi Direct, Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Wireless Broadband (WiBro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A), or 5G. Data may be transmitted and received according to at least one wireless Internet technology in the scope encompassing Internet technologies even not enumerated above.

The short-range communication module may be intended for, e.g., short-range communication and may support short-range communication using at least one of Bluetooth, radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), ZigBee, near-field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, or wireless universal serial bus (USB) technology. The short-range communication module may support, e.g., wireless communication between the clothing treatment device 500 and a wireless communication system, between the clothing treatment device 500 and another device, or between the clothing treatment device 500 and a network in which the other device is positioned through a short-range wireless communication network. Here, the wireless local area network may be a wireless personal area network.

The location information module may be, e.g., a global positioning system (GPS) module or a Wi-Fi module as a module for obtaining the location of the clothing treatment device 500. If the clothing treatment device 500 utilizes the GPS module, the clothing treatment device 500 may receive information about the location of the clothing treatment device 500 using a signal transmitted from the GPS satellite. If the clothing treatment device 500 utilizes the Wi-Fi module, the clothing treatment device 500 may receive information about the location of the clothing treatment device 500 based on information about a wireless access point (AP) that transmits and receives a wireless signal to and from the Wi-Fi module.

According to an embodiment, the controller 561 may control the overall operation of the clothing treatment device 500. To that end, the controller 561 may include one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a communication processor (CP). The controller 561 may be, e.g., a microcontroller (MCU).

The controller 561 may control hardware or software components connected to the controller 561 by driving, e.g., an operating system or an application program, and may perform various data processing and operations. Further, the controller 561 may load (e.g., store) and process (e.g., execute) a command or data received from at least one of other components in a volatile memory, and store various data in a non-volatile memory.

The controller 561 may control the drying cycle using, e.g., a signal received from the input unit 570 or the communication unit 563. The controller 561 may receive operation information about the clothing treatment device 500 from the sensor unit 580 and control feedback. For example, the controller 561 may receive information about the refrigerant temperature of the condenser 543 from the refrigerant temperature sensor 581 to control circulation (e.g., flow) of the refrigerant. For example, the controller 561 may receive information about the water level of the condensate tank 550 from the water level sensor 582 and control the operation of the drain pump 591. For example, if the water level in the condensate tank 550 is less than a preset water level, the controller 561 may control the drain pump 591 not to operate. For example, if the water level in the condensate tank 550 is greater than or equal to the predetermined water level, the controller 561 may control the drain pump 591 to operate. For example, the controller 561 may operate the blower device 530 to circulate air in the receiving unit (e.g., the drum 120 of FIG. 2 or the first inner space 3121 of FIG. 4).

For example, the controller 561 may transmit information about the clothing treatment device 500 to another device communicatively connected to the clothing treatment device 500. For example, the controller 561 may transmit information about the water level of the condensate tank 550 to another device using the communication unit 563. For example, the controller 561 may transmit information about the temperature of the condenser 543 to another device using the communication unit 563. For example, the controller 561 may transmit information about the operation state of the drain pump 591 to another device using the communication unit 563.

According to an embodiment, the memory 562 may store data supporting various functions of the clothing treatment device 500. The memory 562 may store, e.g., a plurality of application programs or applications used in the clothing treatment device 500, data and instructions for operating the clothing treatment device 500. At least some of these applications may be downloaded from an external server through wireless communication. Further, at least some of the application programs may be stored in the memory 562 from the time of shipping to perform default functions of the clothing treatment device 500. For example, the application program may be stored in the memory 562 and driven to perform an operation (or function) of the clothing treatment device 500 by the controller 561. According to an embodiment, the memory 562 may be included as a part of the controller 561.

According to an embodiment, the clothing treatment device 500 may further include a speaker 593. The speaker 593 may be disposed to audibly provide, e.g., information for guiding a user input or information related to the ongoing cycle (e.g., treatment cycle or course in operation).

FIG. 8 is a view schematically illustrating a flow of a refrigerant and a flow of air in a clothing treatment device according to another embodiment.

The clothing treatment device 800 illustrated in FIG. 8 may be included in a clothing treatment device such as the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3.

The same reference numbers are used to denote substantially the same components as those of the clothing treatment device 500 of FIG. 5, among the components of the clothing treatment device 800 of FIG. 8, and the description focuses primarily on components different from those of the clothing treatment device 500 of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 8, the clothing treatment device 800 may include a heat pump 810. According to an example, the heat pump 810 may include a connection pipe 811 and a three-way valve 813.

According to an example, the connection pipe 811 may be disposed between the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541. For example, the connection pipe 811 may be disposed downstream of (e.g. below) the condenser 543 on the refrigerant flow path 546. For example, the connection pipe 811 may be disposed upstream of (e.g., above) the evaporator 541 on the refrigerant flow path 546. The refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 may pass through the connection pipe 811.

According to an example, the connection pipe 811 may include a first pipe 8111 and a second pipe 8112.

According to an example, the first pipe 8111 may be disposed between the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541. For example, the first pipe 8111 may be disposed downstream of the condenser 543 on the refrigerant flow path 546. For example, the first pipe 8111 may be disposed upstream of the evaporator 541 on the refrigerant flow path 546. The refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 may selectively pass through the first pipe 8111.

According to an example, at least a portion of the first pipe 8111 may be disposed to be submerged in water (or condensate) in the condensate tank 550. The first pipe 8111 may be disposed to be received in the condensate tank 550. As the first pipe 8111 is disposed in the condensate tank 550, the refrigerant passing through the first pipe 8111 may exchange heat with water (or condensate) stored in the condensate tank 550. The refrigerant heat-exchanged with the external air while passing through the condenser 543 may be configured to additionally exchange heat with the condensate in the condensate tank 550 while passing through the first pipe 8111.

According to an example, the first pipe 8111 may refer to a portion received in the condensate tank 550 in the connection pipe 544. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and a separate pipe component disposed to be received in the condensate tank 550 may be configured to be separately coupled.

According to an example, the second pipe 8112 may be disposed between the condenser 543 and the evaporator 541. For example, the second pipe 8112 may be disposed downstream of the condenser 543 on the refrigerant flow path 546. For example, the second pipe 8112 may be disposed upstream of the evaporator 541 on the refrigerant flow path 546. The refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 may selectively pass through the second pipe 8112. The second pipe 8112 may not be received in the condensate tank 550. For example, the second pipe 8112 may be configured to bypass the condensate tank 550. The shape of the second pipe 8112 may be straight or curved. Unlike the first pipe 8111, the second pipe 8112 may be a pipe provided to shorten the path of the refrigerant moving from the condenser 543 to the evaporator 541.

According to an example, the three-way valve 813 may be configured to adjust the movement path of the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543. The three-way valve 813 may be configured to adjust the opening and closing of the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 to pass through one of the first pipe 8111 or the second pipe 8112, which is described below. The three-way valve 813 may be disposed to be directly connected to the refrigerant outlet of the condenser 543.

According to an example, the first pipe 8111 may be formed to be longer than the second pipe 8112. For example, the movement path of the refrigerant, passing through the first pipe 8111, may be longer than the movement path of the refrigerant passing through the second pipe 8112. The time for which the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111 and reaches the evaporator 541 may be longer than the time for which the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 and reaches the evaporator 541. Accordingly, if the refrigerant moves (e.g., flows) through the second pipe 8112 rather than the first pipe 8111, the refrigerant circulation path may be shortened.

FIG. 9 is a control block diagram illustrating a clothing treatment device according to another embodiment.

The control block diagram illustrated in FIG. 9 may be included in a clothing treatment device, such as a dryer (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or a clothing care device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3).

The same reference numbers are used to denote substantially the same components as those of the control block diagram of FIG. 7, among the components of the control block diagram of FIG. 9, and the description focuses primarily on components added as compared with FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 9, the clothing treatment device 800 may include a three-way valve 813. The controller 840 (e.g., the controller 561 of FIG. 7) may be configured to control opening and closing of the three-way valve 813. The controller 840 may control the opening and closing of the three-way valve 813 to selectively allow the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 to flow to one of the first pipe (e.g., the first pipe 8111 of FIG. 8) or the second pipe (e.g., the second pipe 8112 of FIG. 8).

According to an example, the controller 840 may control opening and closing of the three-way valve 813 using the water level sensor 582. If the controller 840 detects that the water level in the condensate tank 550 is less than the predetermined water level using the water level sensor 582, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 is directed to the second pipe 8112. Here, the predetermined water level may be a water level set so that at least a portion of the first pipe 8111 is submerged in condensate. If the controller 840 detects (e.g., determines) that the water level in the condensate tank 550 is equal to or greater than the predetermined water level using the water level sensor 582, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant discharged from the condenser 543 is directed to the first pipe 8111. If the water level in the condensate tank 550 is less than the predetermined water level, the controller 840 may move the refrigerant to the second pipe 8112 as it is difficult to sufficiently exchange heat between the first pipe 8111 and the condensate. If the water level in the condensate tank 550 allows at least a portion of the first pipe 8111 to be submerged so that the refrigerant passing through the first pipe 8111 may sufficiently exchange heat with the condensate, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 to flow the refrigerant to the first pipe 8111.

According to an example, the controller 840 may control the opening and closing of the three-way valve 813 by using the start time of the drying cycle. For example, if the drying cycle for drying the clothes (e.g., laundry) starts operation in the dryer (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) or the clothing care device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3), the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 based on calculating the start time from a preset time. For example, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 before the preset time. For example, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111 after the preset time. The preset time may refer to a time during which a sufficient amount of condensate to cover at least a portion of the first pipe 8111 fills the condensate tank 550 as the drying cycle proceeds. The preset time may vary depending on the performance of the heat pump 810.

According to an example, the controller 840 may control the opening and closing of the three-way valve 813 using the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543. The controller 840 may measure the temperature (or average temperature) of the condenser 543 using the refrigerant temperature sensor 581. If the temperature of the condenser 543 is less than a preset temperature, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant flows to the second pipe 8112. If the temperature of the condenser 543 is greater than or equal to the preset temperature, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant flows to the first pipe 8111. If the temperature of the condenser 543 is less than the preset temperature, even if the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111, there is a small temperature difference from the condensate, and thus sufficient heat exchange is not performed. Therefore, the refrigerant circulation path may be shortened by opening the second pipe 8112.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a three-way valve using an operation time of a drying cycle, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart overall applicable to the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. The following description focuses primarily on a method for controlling the heat pump 810 to which a three-way valve (e.g., the three-way valve 813 of FIG. 8) is applied.

Referring to FIG. 10, the controller (e.g., the controller 840 of FIG. 9) may start a drying cycle by operating the heat pump 810 and the blower device 530 (1010). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the controller 840 may additionally operate other components to start the drying cycle.

When the drying cycle starts, the controller 840 may calculate the operation time of the drying cycle (1020). For example, the controller 840 may calculate how much time has elapsed (or passed) since the start of the drying cycle.

The controller 840 may determine whether the operation time (e.g., duration of operation) exceeds a preset time (e.g., predetermined duration) (1030). The controller 840 may determine whether the operation time exceeds the preset time based on the operation time calculated in operation 1020. Here, the preset time may refer to a time taken until the water level of the condensate contained in the condensate tank 550 covers the first pipe 8111 during the drying cycle. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the preset time may be set to various values.

If the operation time exceeds the preset time, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111 (1040). If the operation time exceeds the preset time, the refrigerant may exchange heat with the condensate to obtain an additional refrigerant cooling effect. Therefore, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant flows to the first pipe 8111.

If the controller 840 determines that the operation time does not exceed the preset time, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 (1050). If the operation time does not exceed the preset time, the refrigerant is not sufficient to exchange heat with the condensate, and thus the three-way valve 813 may be controlled to move (e.g., flow) the refrigerant to the second pipe 8112 having a short movement path.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a three-way valve using a water level of condensate, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart overall applicable to the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. The following description focuses primarily on a method for controlling the heat pump 810 to which a three-way valve (e.g., the three-way valve 813 of FIG. 8) is applied.

Referring to FIG. 11, the controller (e.g., the controller 840 of FIG. 9) may start a drying cycle by operating the heat pump 810 and the blower device 530 (1110). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the controller 840 may additionally operate other components to start the drying cycle.

The controller 840 may measure the water level of the condensate tank 550 using the water level sensor 582 (1120). The water level sensor 582 may be disposed in the condensate tank 550. For example, the controller 840 may estimate (e.g., determine) the amount of condensate contained in the condensate tank 550 using the water level sensor 582.

The controller 840 may determine whether the water level of the condensate tank 550 is greater than or equal to a preset water level (1130). The controller 840 may determine whether the water level of the condensate tank 550 is greater than or equal to the preset water level based on the water level measured in operation 1120. Here, the preset water level may be enough to cover at least a portion of the first pipe 8111. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the preset water level may be set to various values.

If the controller 840 determines that the water level of the condensate tank 550 is equal to or greater than the preset water level, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111 (1140). If the water level of the condensate tank 550 is greater than or equal to the preset water level, the refrigerant may exchange heat with the condensate to obtain an additional refrigerant cooling effect. Therefore, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant flows to the first pipe 8111.

If the controller 840 determines that the water level of the condensate tank 550 is less than the preset water level, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 (1150). If the water level of the condensate tank 550 is less than the preset water level, the refrigerant is not sufficient to exchange heat with the condensate, and thus the three-way valve 813 may be controlled to move the refrigerant to the second pipe 8112 having a short movement path.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a three-way valve using a temperature of a refrigerant, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart overall applicable to the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. The following description focuses primarily on a method for controlling the heat pump 810 to which a three-way valve (e.g., the three-way valve 813 of FIG. 8) is applied.

Referring to FIG. 12, the controller (e.g., the controller 840 of FIG. 9) may start a drying cycle by operating the heat pump 810 and the blower device 530 (1210). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the controller 840 may additionally operate other components to start the drying cycle.

The controller 840 may measure the temperature of the refrigerant using the refrigerant temperature sensor 581 (1220). The controller 840 may measure the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543 using the refrigerant temperature sensor 581. In this case, the temperature of the refrigerant may be an average temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543 or the temperature of the refrigerant at a middle point (e.g., section) of the condenser 543. FIG. 12 illustrates that the controller 840 measures the temperature of the refrigerant between operation 1210 and operation 1230, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The controller 840 may measure the temperature of the refrigerant periodically or aperiodically.

The controller 840 may determine whether the temperature of the refrigerant is greater than or equal to a preset temperature (1230). Here, the temperature of the refrigerant may be the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543. Here, the preset temperature may be higher than the water received in the condensate tank 550. For example, the preset temperature may be 40 degrees or more. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the preset temperature may be set to various values.

If the controller 840 determines that the temperature of the refrigerant is greater than or equal to the preset temperature, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111 (1240). If the temperature of the refrigerant is equal to or higher than the preset temperature, the refrigerant may exchange heat with the condensate to obtain an additional refrigerant cooling effect, and thus the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant flows to the first pipe 8111.

If the controller 840 determines that the temperature of the refrigerant is less than the preset temperature, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 (1250). If the temperature of the refrigerant is less than the preset temperature, since the refrigerant is not sufficient to exchange heat with the condensate, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 to move the refrigerant to the second pipe 8112 having a short movement path.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for adjusting a water level by supplying water in a condensate tank, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart overall applicable to the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. The control method for FIG. 13 may be applied to the clothing treatment device 500 of FIG. 5 or the clothing treatment device 800 of FIG. 8.

Hereinafter, a control method based on a state in which a water supply device (not shown) for supplying water to a condensate tank (e.g., the condensate tank 550 of FIG. 5) is additionally configured in the clothing treatment device (500 or 800) is described. In FIG. 13, a control method for raising the water level of the condensate tank 550 within a relatively short time at the beginning of the drying cycle is described.

Referring to FIG. 13, a controller (e.g., the controller 561 of FIG. 7 or the controller 840 of FIG. 9) may start a drying cycle by operating a heat pump (e.g., the heat pump 540 of FIG. 5 or the heat pump 810 of FIG. 8) and a blower device (e.g., the blower device 530 of FIG. 5) (1310). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the controller (561 or 840) may additionally operate other components to start the drying cycle.

The controller (561 or 840) may measure the water level of the condensate tank 550 using the water level sensor 582 (1320). The water level sensor 582 may be disposed in the condensate tank 550. For example, the controller (561 or 840) may estimate the amount of condensate contained in the condensate tank 550 using the water level sensor 582. Unlike shown, the controller (561 or 840) may be configured to measure the water level of the condensate tank 550 at any time without limitations in the order of operation.

The controller (561 or 840) may perform control to turn on (e.g., start) the operation of the water supply device and turn off (e.g., stop) the operation of the drain pump 591 (1330). The condensate alone may take a long time to raise the water level of the condensate tank 550 to a preset water level. Here, the preset water level may be a water level enough to cover at least a portion of the first pipe (544 or 8111). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the preset water level may be set to various values. In the disclosure, a separate water supply device (not shown) may be provided to rapidly increase the water level in the condensate tank 550 in the initial operation of the drying cycle. The controller (561 or 840) may operate the water supply device to supply water into the condensate tank 550. The controller (561 or 840) may control to stop the operation of the drain pump 591 not to discharge water from the condensate tank 550.

The controller (561 or 840) may determine whether the water level of the condensate tank 550 is greater than or equal to a preset water level (1340). The controller (561 or 840) may determine whether the water level of the condensate tank 550 is greater or equal to the preset water level based on the water level measured in operation 1320. If the controller (561 or 840) determines that the water level of the condensate tank 550 is not greater than or equal to the preset water level, the controller (561 or 840) may perform operation 1330 again.

If the controller (561 or 840) determines that the water level of the condensate tank 550 is equal to or greater than the preset water level, the controller (561 or 840) may perform control to stop the operation of the water supply device (1350). The controller (561 or 840) may operate the drain pump 591 to discharge a portion of the water contained in the condensate tank 550. After operation 1350, water may be supplied into the condensate tank 550 by condensate generated or produced during the drying cycle.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a clothing treatment device using a temperature of a refrigerant and a water level of a condensate tank, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart overall applicable to the clothing treatment device (e.g., the dryer 100 of FIG. 1) of FIG. 1 or the clothing treatment device (e.g., the clothing care device 300 of FIG. 3) of FIG. 3. The control method for FIG. 14 may be applied to the clothing treatment device 500 of FIG. 5 or the clothing treatment device 800 of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 14, a controller (e.g., the controller 561 of FIG. 7 or the controller 840 of FIG. 9) may start a drying cycle by operating a heat pump (e.g., the heat pump 540 of FIG. 5 or the heat pump 810 of FIG. 8) and a blower device (e.g., the blower device 530 of FIG. 5) (1410). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the controller (561 or 840) may additionally operate other components to start the drying cycle.

The controller 840 may measure the temperature of the refrigerant using the refrigerant temperature sensor 581 and measure the water level of the condensate tank 550 using the water level sensor 582 (1420). The controller 840 may measure the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543 using the refrigerant temperature sensor 581. In this case, the temperature of the refrigerant may be an average temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543 or the temperature of the refrigerant at a middle point (e.g., section) of the condenser 543. FIG. 14 illustrates that the controller 840 measures the temperature of the refrigerant between operation 1410 and operation 1430, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The controller 840 may measure the temperature of the refrigerant periodically or aperiodically. The water level sensor 582 may be disposed in the condensate tank 550. For example, the controller (561 or 840) may estimate (e.g., determine) the amount of condensate contained in the condensate tank 550 using the water level sensor 582. Although not shown, the controller (561 or 840) may be configured to periodically or aperiodically measure the water level of the condensate tank 550 at any time without limitations to the order of operation.

The controller 840 may determine whether the temperature of the refrigerant is greater than or equal to a preset temperature (1430). Here, the temperature of the refrigerant may be the temperature of the refrigerant passing through the condenser 543. Here, the preset temperature may be higher than the water received in the condensate tank 550. For example, the preset temperature may be 40 degrees or more. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the preset temperature may be set to various values.

If the controller 840 determines that the temperature of the refrigerant is less than the preset temperature, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 (1450). If the temperature of the refrigerant is less than the preset temperature, since the refrigerant is not sufficient to exchange heat with the condensate, the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 to move the refrigerant to the second pipe 8112 having a short movement path.

In operation 1430, if the controller 840 determines that the temperature of the refrigerant is equal to or higher than the preset temperature, the controller 561 or 840 may determine whether the water level of the condensate tank 550 is equal to or higher than the preset water level (1440). The controller 561 or 840 may determine whether the water level of the condensate tank 550 is greater than or equal to the preset water level based on the water level measured in operation 1420.

If the controller (561 or 840) determines that the water level of the condensate tank 550 is less than the preset water level, the controller (561 or 840) may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the second pipe 8112 (1470).

The controller (561 or 840) may perform control to turn on (e.g., start) the operation of the water supply device and turn off (e.g., stop) the operation of the drain pump 591 (1480). Since the condensate alone may take a long time to raise the water level of the condensate tank 550 to a preset water level, a water supply device may be used. Here, the preset water level may be a water level enough to cover at least a portion of the first pipe (544 or 811). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the preset water level may be set to various values. The controller (561 or 840) may operate the water supply device to supply water into the condensate tank 550. The controller (561 or 840) may control to stop the operation of the drain pump 591 not to discharge water from the condensate tank 550.

Operation 1470 and operation 1480 are not necessarily performed in the order illustrated in FIG. 14, and the order may be changed.

In operation 1440, if it is determined that the water level of the condensate tank 550 is equal to or greater than the preset water level, the controller (561 or 840) may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant passes through the first pipe 8111 (1460). If the temperature of the refrigerant is equal to or higher than the preset temperature, the refrigerant may exchange heat with the condensate to obtain an additional refrigerant cooling effect, and thus the controller 840 may control the three-way valve 813 so that the refrigerant flows to the first pipe 8111.

The terms used in the disclosure are used merely to describe specific embodiments but are not intended as limiting the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” “at least one of A or B,” “A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” and “at least one of A, B, or C,” may include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, the term ‘and/or’ should be understood as encompassing any and all possible combinations by one or more of the enumerated items. As used herein, the terms “include,” “have,” and “comprise” are used merely to designate the presence of the feature, component, part, or a combination thereof described herein, but use of the term does not exclude the likelihood of presence or adding one or more other features, components, parts, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the terms “first” and “second” may modify various components regardless of importance and/or order and are used to distinguish a component from another without limiting the components.

As used herein, the terms “configured to” may be interchangeably used with the terms “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of” depending on circumstances. The term “configured to” does not essentially mean “specifically designed in hardware to.” Rather, the term “configured to” may mean that a device can perform an operation together with another device or parts. For example, a ‘device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C’ may be a dedicated device to perform the corresponding operation or may mean a general-purpose device capable of various operations including the corresponding operation.

Meanwhile, the terms “upper side”, “lower side”, and “front and rear directions” used in the disclosure are defined with respect to the drawings, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

In the disclosure, the above-described description has been made mainly of specific embodiments, but the disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments but should rather be appreciated as covering all various modifications, equivalents, and/or substitutes of various embodiments.

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	PCT/KR2024/008459	Jun 2024	WO
Child	18758886		US

CLOTHING TREATMENT DEVICE

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