Patent Application
20250025015
This application claims priority to and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0094781, filed on Jul. 20, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference as when fully set forth herein.
The present disclosure relates to a dish washer. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a dish washer in which a portion of a heater for regenerating a moisture absorbent is received in a heater receiving portion, and the remaining portion thereof is received in an air introduction space under a moisture absorbent receiving space, such that air flow sufficiently heated by the heater may flow into the air introduction space, thereby reducing a possibility of local variation in the regeneration of the moisture absorbent, and the moisture absorbent is directly heated by radiant heat of the heater received in the air introduction space to significantly improve heat emission efficiency and energy efficiency of the heater.
A dish washer is an apparatus that washes dishes and cooking utensils as washing targets stored therein by spraying washing water thereto. In this regard, the washing water may contain washing detergent.
A dish washer generally includes a washing tub having a washing space defined therein, a dish rack that accommodates therein a washing target inside the washing tub, a spraying arm that sprays the washing water into the dish rack, and a sump that stores therein water and supplies the washing water to the spraying arm.
Using this dish washer may allow a time and effort required to wash the dishes and other washing targets after a meal to be reduced, thereby contributing to user convenience.
Typically, the dish washer is configured to perform a washing cycle for washing a washing target, a rinsing cycle for rinsing a washing target, and a drying cycle for drying a washing target that has been washed and rinsed.
Recently, a dish washer equipped with a moisture-absorption device that may reduce a drying time of the washing target by absorbing moisture contained in the air discharged from the tub during the drying cycle and then re-supplying the air to the tub has been released.
In this regard, in European Patent No. 1833353 (Prior Art Document 001), a dish washer is disclosed that is equipped with a moisture absorbing device to remove water vapor contained in the air discharged from the tub during a drying process using a moisture absorbent and to supply the air from which the water vapor has been removed back to the tub.
The moisture absorbent that absorbs water vapor during a drying cycle undergoes a regeneration process after the drying cycle is completed in order to be reused. During the regeneration process, high-temperature dry air is supplied to the moisture absorbent, and the moisture absorbent discharges the absorbed water vapor into the high-temperature dry air.
In order to generate such high-temperature dry air, a heater and a blowing fan may operate during the regeneration process.
In the moisture absorbing device of the dish washer as disclosed in Prior Art Document 001, a heater used for regeneration of the moisture absorbent is entirely received in an air introduction space formed under the moisture absorbent, or is disposed entirely outside the air introduction space and in a fan housing upstream of the air introduction space at a position adjacent to a fan.
Prior art literature: Patent Document 001: European Patent No. 1833353
As mentioned above, in the moisture absorption device of the dish washer as disclosed in Prior Art Document 001, the heater used for regeneration of the moisture absorbent is entirely received in the air introduction space formed under the moisture absorbent, or is disposed entirely outside the air introduction space and in the fan housing upstream of the air introduction space at a position adjacent to the fan.
Therefore, as the heater of Prior Art Document 001 is placed entirely in the air introduction space, there is a risk that the heating efficiency of the air flow may be lowered in an area located downstream of the air introduction space. Accordingly, there is a high possibility that the air flow that is not sufficiently heated may be introduced into the moisture absorbent, thereby causing a problem in that local variation in the regeneration of the moisture absorbent is likely to occur.
Furthermore, since the heater of Prior Art Document 001 is positioned close to the fan and in the fan housing, there may be a problem that there is a high possibility of thermal damage to the fan and a fan motor due to the radiant heat from the heater.
Thus, the present disclosure was designed to solve the problems of the prior art. Thus, a first purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a dish washer in which a portion of a heater for regenerating a moisture absorbent is received in a heater receiving portion, and the remaining portion thereof is received in an air introduction space under a moisture absorbent receiving space, such that air flow sufficiently heated by the heater may flow into the air introduction space, thereby reducing a possibility of local variation in the regeneration of the moisture absorbent, and the moisture absorbent is directly heated by radiant heat of the heater received in the air introduction space to significantly improve heat emission efficiency and energy efficiency of the heater.
Further, a second purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a dish washer in which a tunnel-shaped air passage-defining portion is disposed on a bottom of a moisture absorbent holder and the heater is partially received in a space defined by the passage-defining portion, such that a moisture absorbent storage capacity of the holder may be significantly increased, and an area size of the moisture absorbent exposed to the radiant heat from the heater may be increased, thereby improving the regeneration efficiency of the moisture absorbent.
Furthermore, a third purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a dish washer in which air flow is discharged through an upper end surface and a side surface of the moisture absorbent holder, thereby maximizing a passage area size and a flow area size of the air flow, and thus minimizing flow resistance against the air flow.
Purposes of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned purpose. Other purposes and advantages of the present disclosure that are not mentioned may be understood based on following descriptions, and may be more clearly understood based on embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, it will be easily understood that the purposes and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized using means shown in the claims and combinations thereof.
One aspect of the present disclosure provides a dish washer comprising: a tub having a washing space defined therein and constructed to accommodate therein a dish; and a moisture-absorption and drying device configured to absorb moisture from air discharged from the tub and supply the moisture-free air to the tub, wherein the moisture-absorption and drying device includes: a blow fan configured to generate flow of the air; a moisture absorbent disposed downstream of the blow fan in a flow direction of the air flow; a heater disposed between the blow fan and the moisture absorbent in the flow direction of the air flow, wherein the heater is configured to heat the air flow to be supplied to the moisture absorbent; a housing including: a heater receiving portion having a heater receiving space defined therein, wherein the air flow having passed through the blow fan flows in the heater receiving space, and a heater is received in the heater receiving space; and a moisture absorbent receiving portion having a moisture absorbent receiving space defined therein, wherein the air flow having passed through the heater receiving space flows in the moisture absorbent receiving space, and the moisture absorbent is received in the moisture absorbent receiving space; and a moisture absorbent holder disposed in an inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion and constructed to store therein the moisture absorbent, wherein the heater is constructed to extend through the heater receiving portion such that at least a portion of the heater is received in the inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the moisture absorbent holder includes: a container-shaped main holder having a receiving space defined therein for receiving therein the moisture absorbent; and an air passage-defining portion protruding from a bottom surface of the main holder toward the receiving space, wherein the air passage-defining portion defines an air introduction space into which air flow having passed through the heater receiving portion is introduced, wherein the at least a portion of the heater received in the inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion is received in the air introduction space.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the at least a portion of the heater is received in the air introduction space so as to be spaced from the air passage-defining portion.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the air introduction space is defined between a bottom portion of the moisture absorbent receiving portion and the air passage-defining portion. In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the at least a portion of the heater is received in the air introduction space so as to be spaced from a bottom portion of the moisture absorbent receiving portion.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the heater includes a heater body extending in a U shape along a length direction from one end to the other end thereof and having a tube shape, wherein the heater main body has a bent portion formed by bending the other end toward the one end, wherein the bent portion of the heater main body is received in the air introduction space.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, a vertical dimension of the bent portion is smaller than a vertical dimension of the air passage-defining portion.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the air introduction space defined by the air passage-defining portion includes: a first portion whose an area size in a plan view thereof is kept constant as the first portion extends vertically; and a second portion communicating with the first portion and positioned downstream of the first portion in a flow direction of the air flow, wherein an area size in a plan view of the second portion gradually decreases as the second portion extends upwardly and vertically, wherein the at least the portion of the heater received in the air introduction space is received only in the first portion but is absent in the second portion.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, a cross-sectional shape of the first portion is rectangular.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, a cross-sectional shape of a portion of the air passage-defining portion defining the first portion is an inverted U-shape.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, a cross-sectional shape of a portion of the air passage-defining portion defining the first portion is a single arc shape with a single curvature or a combination of ares having different curvatures.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, a top surface of the air passage-defining portion is in contact with the moisture absorbent. In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, an entirety of the top surface of the air passage-defining portion is covered with the moisture absorbent.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the moisture-absorption and drying device includes: a cover disposed on top of the moisture absorbent holder and having an outlet defined therein through which air having flowed through the moisture absorbent is discharged, wherein a first space is defined between the cover and a top surface of the main holder. In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the first space acts as a first discharge flow path constructed to guide the air flow having passed through the top surface of the main holder toward the outlet.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the moisture absorbent holder further includes a cover plate coupled to an open top surface of the main holder and constructed to allow the air flow having passed through the moisture absorbent to pass therethrough, wherein the first space is defined between the cover plate and the cover.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the main holder includes an outer peripheral wall extending from the bottom surface toward the top surface thereof and constructed to allow the air flow having passed through the moisture absorbent to pass therethrough, wherein the outer peripheral wall is at least partially spaced from an inner surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion such that a second space is defined between the outer peripheral wall and the inner surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion. In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the second space serves as a second discharge flow path constructed to guide the air flow having passed through the outer peripheral wall toward the outlet.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, an area size in a plan view of the second discharge flow path is constant as the second discharge flow path extends vertically.
In accordance with some embodiments of the dish washer of the present disclosure, the second space is in air-communication with the first space.
According to the dish washer of the present disclosure, a portion of a heater for regenerating a moisture absorbent is received in a heater receiving portion, and the remaining portion thereof is received in an air introduction space under a moisture absorbent receiving space, such that air flow sufficiently heated by the heater may flow into the air introduction space, thereby reducing a possibility of local variation in the regeneration of the moisture absorbent, and the moisture absorbent is directly heated by radiant heat of the heater received in the air introduction space to significantly improve heat emission efficiency and energy efficiency of the heater.
Further, according to the dish washer of the present disclosure, a tunnel-shaped air passage-defining portion is disposed on a bottom of a moisture absorbent holder and the heater is partially received in a space defined by the passage-defining portion, such that a moisture absorbent storage capacity of the holder may be significantly increased, and an area size of the moisture absorbent exposed to the radiant heat from the heater may be increased, thereby improving the regeneration efficiency of the moisture absorbent.
Furthermore, according to the dish washer of the present disclosure, the air flow is discharged through an upper end surface and a side surface of the moisture absorbent holder, thereby maximizing a passage area size and a flow area size of the air flow, and thus minimizing flow resistance against the air flow.
In addition to the above-mentioned effects, the specific effects of the present disclosure as not mentioned will be described below along with the descriptions of the specific details for carrying out the present disclosure.
The above-mentioned purpose, features and advantages are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Accordingly, a person skilled in the art in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs will be able to easily implement the technical idea of the present disclosure. In describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that a detailed description of the known technology related to the present disclosure may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof is omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, identical reference numerals are used to indicate identical or similar components.
It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, and so on may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section described below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
The terminology used herein is directed to the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular constitutes “a” and “an” are intended to include the plural constitutes as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
It will also be understood that when a first element or layer is referred to as being present “on” a second element or layer, the first element may be disposed directly on the second element or may be disposed indirectly on the second element with a third element or layer being disposed between the first and second elements or layers. It will also be understood that when a first element or layer is referred to as being present “under” a second element or layer, the first element may be disposed directly under the second element or may be disposed indirectly under the second element with a third element or layer being disposed between the first and second elements or layers.
It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “connected to”, or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly connected to or coupled to another element or layer, or one or more intervening elements or layers therebetween may be present. In addition, it will also be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “between” two elements or layers, it may be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, or one or more intervening elements or layers therebetween may also be present.
It will be further understood that the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, and “including” when used in this specification, specify the presence of the stated features, integers, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, elements, components, and/or portions thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of associated listed items. Expression such as “at least one of” when preceding a list of elements may modify the entire list of elements and may not modify the individual elements of the list. In interpretation of numerical values, an error or tolerance therein may occur even when there is no explicit description thereof.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “under,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of explanation to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or in operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, when the device in the drawings may be turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” or “under” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below” and “under” may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented for example, rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations, and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.
As used herein, “A and/or B” means A, B or A and B, unless specifically stated otherwise. Expression such as “at least one of” when preceding a list of elements may modify the entirety of list of elements and may not modify the individual elements of the list. As used herein, “C to D” means C inclusive to D inclusive unless otherwise specified.
Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to drawings showing a configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Hereinafter, an overall structure of a dish washer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
As shown in
In this regard, the washing target received in the dish rack 50 may be, for example, dishes such as bowls, plates, spoons, and chopsticks, and other cooking utensils. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the washing target will be referred to as a dish.
The tub 20 may be formed in a box shape with an entirely open front surface, and have a configuration of a so-referred to as washing tub.
The washing space 21 may be defined inside the tub 20. The open front surface of the tub 20 may be opened/closing by the door 30.
The tub 20 may be formed via pressing of a metal plate resistant to high temperature and moisture, for example, a stainless steel plate.
Moreover, on an inner surface of the tub 20, a plurality of brackets may be disposed for the purpose of supporting and installing functional components such as the dish rack 50 and the water sprayer which will be described later thereon within the tub 20.
In one example, the driver 40 may include a sump 41 that stores therein washing water, a sump cover 42 that distinguishes the sump 41 from the tub 20, a water supply 43 that supplies washing water from an external source to the sump 41, a water discharger 44 that discharges the washing water of the sump 41 to an outside, and a washing pump 45 and a supply flow path 46 that supply the washing water of the sump 41 to the water sprayer.
The water supply 43 serves to supply washing water supplied from an external water supply source to the sump 41.
Although not shown, the water supply 43 may include a water jacket that stores therein the washing water supplied from the external water supply source, and a water softening device that softens the washing water stored in the water jacket.
The sump cover 42 may be disposed at a top of the sump 41 and may serve to distinguish the tub 20 and the sump 41 from each other. Moreover, the sump cover 42 may have a plurality of collecting holes defined therein for collecting washing water sprayed into the washing space 21 through the water sprayer into the sump 41.
That is, the washing water sprayed from the water sprayer toward the dish may fall down to a bottom of the washing space 21, and may be collected again through the sump cover 42 and into the sump 41.
The washing pump 45 may be disposed at a side or a bottom of the sump 41 and may serve to pressurize the washing water and supply the pressurized washing water to the water sprayer.
One end of the washing pump 45 may be connected to the sump 41 and the other end thereof may be connected to the supply flow path 46. The washing pump 45 may be equipped with an impeller 451 and a motor 453. When power is supplied to the motor 453, the impeller 451 may rotate, and thus the washing water in the sump 41 may be pressurized, and then may be supplied to the water sprayer through the supply flow path 46.
Although not shown, a wash water heater may be provided at the other end of the wash pump 45 to heat the wash water supplied during a wash cycle or a heat rinse cycle.
In one example, the supply flow path 46 may serve to selectively supply the washing water supplied from the washing pump 45 to the water sprayer.
For example, the supply flow path 46 may include a first supply flow path 461 connected to a lower spraying arm 61, and a second supply flow path 463 connected to an upper spraying arm 62 and a top nozzle 63. The supply flow path 46 may be provided with a supply flow path switching valve 465 that selectively opens/closes the supply flow paths 461 and 463.
In this regard, the supply flow path switching valve 465 may be controlled so that the supply flow paths 461 and 463 are opened sequentially or simultaneously.
In one example, the water sprayer may be constructed to spray the washing water to the dishes stored in the dish rack 50.
More specifically, the water sprayer may include the lower spraying arm 61 located under the tub 20 to spray the washing water to a lower rack 51, the upper spraying arm 62 located between the lower rack 51 and an upper rack 52 to spray the washing water to the lower rack 51 and the upper rack 52, and the top nozzle 63 located on top of the tub 20 to spray the washing water to a top rack 53 or the upper rack 52.
In particular, the lower spraying arm 61 and the upper spraying arm 62 may be rotatably disposed in the washing space 21 of the tub 20 and may spray the washing water toward the dish of the dish rack 50 while being rotating.
The lower spraying arm 61 may be rotatably supported on a top of the sump cover 42 so as to spray the washing water toward the lower rack 51 while being rotating and being disposed under the lower rack 51.
Moreover, the upper spraying arm 62 may be rotatably supported by a spraying arm holder 467 so as to spray the washing water on the dish while being rotating and being disposed between the lower rack 51 and the upper rack 52.
In one example, although not shown, in order to increase washing efficiency, additional means for diverting the washing water sprayed from the lower spraying arm 61 into an upward direction (diverting in a U-direction) may be provided at a lower surface 25 of the tub 20.
Since a configuration already known in the art may be applied to a detailed configuration of the water sprayer, description of a specific configuration of the water sprayer will be omitted below.
The dish rack 50 for storing the dish therein may be disposed in the washing space 21.
The dish rack 50 may be constructed to extend or retract from or into the inner space of the tub 20 through the open front surface of the tub 20.
For example, in
Each of the lower rack 51, the upper rack 52, and the top rack 53 may be constructed to extend or retract from or into the inner space of the tub 20 through the open front surface of the tub 20.
For this purpose, guide rails 54 may be respectively disposed on both opposing walls constituting an inner surface of the tub 20. By way of example, the guide rails 54 may include an upper rail 541, a lower rail 541, and a top rail 543.
Wheels may be disposed on a bottom of each of the lower rack 51, the upper rack 52, and the top rack 53. The user may extend the lower rack 51, the upper rack 52, and the top rack 53 from the inner space of the tub 20 through the open front surface of the tub 20 and may place the dishes thereon, or easily withdraw the dishes that have been washed out thereof.
The guide rail 54 may be embodied as a simple rail-type fixed guide rail to guide the extending or the retracting of the rack 50, or a telescopic guide rail capable of guiding the extending or the retracting of the rack 50 and at the same time, increasing an extension distance thereof as the rack 50 further extends from the inner space of the tub.
In one example, the door 30 is configured for opening/closing the open front surface of the tub 20 as described above.
A hinge (not shown) around which the door 30 is closed or opened may be provided at a bottom of the open front surface. Thus, the door 30 may pivot around the hinge as a pivot axis.
In this regard, a handle 31 for opening the door 30 and a control panel 32 for controlling the dish washer 1 may be disposed on a front surface or a top surface as an outer side surface of the door 30.
As shown, the control panel 32 disposed on the front surface of the door 30 may include a display 33 that visually displays information regarding a current operating status of the dish washer, etc., and a button unit 34 including a selection button through which a user's selection manipulation is input and a power button through which a user's manipulation for turning the dish washer on and off is input.
In one example, an inner side surface of the door 30 may constitute a front surface as one surface of the tub 20 when the door 30 has been closed, and may constitute a seat surface on which the lower rack 51 of the dish rack 50 is supported when the door 30 is fully opened.
For this purpose, when the door 30 is fully opened downwardly, the inner side surface of the door 30 may constitute a horizontal plane extending in the same direction as a direction in which the guide rail 54 guiding the displacement of the lower rack 51 extends.
In one example, although not shown, a washing detergent supply device to automatically supply washing detergent to the inner space of the tub 20 may be disposed on the inner side surface of the door 30.
In one example, under the tub 20, a moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be disposed which absorbs water vapor contained in the air discharged from the tub 20 during the drying cycle and then re-supplies the air back to the tub 20.
As shown, the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be configured to include an air intake duct 81 through which the air discharged from the tub 20 is sucked, a blower 82 that generates a flow of air, a heating unit 83 that heats the air sucked from the tub 20 and a moisture absorbent 85 that absorbs the water vapor contained in the air.
The lower surface 25 of the tub 20 may have an air supply hole 254 through which the air from which the water vapor has been removed using the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 is introduced into the inner space of the tub 20.
Moreover, as shown in
A detailed configuration of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 will be described later with reference to
Hereinafter, with reference to
First, as shown in
For example, the blower 82, the heater 83, and the housing 84 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be disposed adjacent to a rear surface 93 of the base 90, and may be arranged in a parallel manner to a length of the rear surface 93 of the base 90.
A position of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be selected in consideration of characteristics of the heating unit 83 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 which generates high heat of approximately 200° C. or higher in a moisture absorbent drying mode or a moisture absorbent regeneration mode. In other words, the position of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be selected as a position other than positions of electrical components that are relatively affected by the high heat.
In this way, the blower 82, the heater 83, and the housing 84 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be adjacent to the rear surface 93 of the base 90 and may be arranged in a parallel manner to a length of the rear surface 93 of the base 90. Thus, when the door 30 is fully opened downwardly, a weight balance state may be achieved to prevent the dish washer 1 from tilting due to a load of the door 30.
Moreover, as shown in
The air supplied through the air supply hole 254 may be evenly distributed to the washing space 21 of the tub 20 through the discharge guide 89 exposed to the washing space 21.
In order to effectively supply the air from which the moisture has been absorbed to the air supply hole 254 formed at this location, the housing 84 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 that accommodates therein the moisture absorbent 85 may be disposed close to the air supply hole 254 and under the air supply hole 254.
However, the position of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 is only an example. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. Alternatively, the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be located adjacent to a left side surface 94, a right side surface 95, or a front surface 92 rather than the rear surface 93 of the base 90. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. Hereinafter, the description will be based on an embodiment in which the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 is disposed adjacent to the rear surface 93 of the base 90 and extends in a parallel manner to the length of the rear surface 93 of the base 90.
In one example, as shown in
The location of this air intake hole 271 may be selected as a location spaced as far as possible from the air supply hole 254 formed in the lower surface 25 of the tub 20.
In this way, the air intake hole 271 may be positioned so as to be as far as possible from the air supply hole 254 and the discharge guide 89. Thus, a possibility at which the air that has passed through the air supply hole 254 and the discharge guide 89 re-flows directly into the air intake hole 271 without passing through the washing target may be significantly reduced.
Moreover, the air intake hole 271 may be located at a higher position in a vertical direction than that of the upper rail 542 constituting the guide rail 54, for example, may be positioned between the top rail 543 and the upper rail 542.
Therefore, the air intake hole 271 may be formed at a higher position in the vertical direction than that of the upper rack 52 mounted on the upper rail 542 and moving along the upper rail 542. Thus, air flow Fin the washing space 21 may be guided such that the air evenly flows through the lower rack 51 and the upper rack 52 and then flows into the air intake hole 271.
Moreover, as shown in
In this regard, as shown, a tub hole 118 may be formed in the water jacket 110 to communicate an internal space of the water jacket with the washing space 21 of the tub 20. A water jacket communication hole 272 may be defined in the right side surface 27 of the tub 20 in a corresponding manner to the tub hole 118.
The air intake hole 271 may be defined at a position other than a position of the water jacket 110 and may be formed at a higher position than that of the water jacket communication hole 272.
As shown, a grill cap 118a similar in shape to the grill cap 813 of the air intake hole 271 as described above may be coupled to the tub hole 118 to minimize inflow of the washing water and prevent inflow of foreign substances.
In one example, the grill cap 813 may be coupled to the air intake hole 271. Thus, the grill cap 813 may allow the washing water and foreign substances scattered from the inner space of the tub 20 from inflowing into the air intake duct 81 at a minimized level.
As will be described later, the grill cap 813 may flow through the air intake hole 271 and be coupled to an inlet 811a of the main duct 811 constituting the air intake duct 81.
As shown, the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be configured include the blower 82 that generates flow F of air sucked from the tub 20 and to be supplied to the inner space of the tub 20, the heating unit 83 including the heater 831 that heats air to be supplied to the absorbent 85, a plurality of moisture absorbents 85 disposed downstream of the blower 82 and the heating unit 83 in a flow direction of air and absorb moisture contained in the air, the housing 84 having a heater receiving space S1 in which the heating unit 83 is accommodated and a moisture absorbent receiving space S3 in which the moisture absorbent 85 is accommodated, and the air intake duct 81 connecting the air intake hole of the tub 20 and the blower 82 to each other.
The blower 82 may be disposed upstream of the heating unit 83 and the moisture absorbent 85 in the flow direction of the air flow F, and may be disposed downstream of the air intake duct 81 in the flow direction of the air flow F and may suck the air from the tub 20, and may generate the air flow F so that the sucked air may flow through the moisture absorbent 85.
A blow fan (not shown) and a blower motor (not shown) that generates a rotational driving force of the blow fan may be modularized together to form an assembly accommodated inside a fan housing 821.
The fan housing 821 may be fixed to a main housing 841 which will be described later via a connecting bracket 822.
As shown in
The fan connector 8221 may be provided in a circular plate shape corresponding to a shape of one side surface of the fan housing 821, and may be fastened to the fan housing 821 using fastening means such as a screw bolt while being in surface contact with one side surface of the fan housing 821.
The housing connector 8222 may extend substantially perpendicular to the extension direction of the fan connector 8221 and may be integrally connected to an outer edge of the fan connector 8221. Therefore, the housing connector 8222 and the fan connector 8221 may be coupled to each other to achieve an overall L-shape.
The housing connector 8222 may be provided in the shape of a rectangle plate with taking into account a shape of a front end of the main housing 841 where the inlet IN1 is formed, that is, a shape of a front end of a heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841, as described later. The housing connector 8222 may be fastened to the front end of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 using fastening means such as a screw bolt.
Moreover, a rectangle hole may extend through the housing connector 8222 and may have a shape corresponding to a shape of a discharge hole 8211 of the fan housing 821 and a shape of the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841.
The discharge hole 8211 of the fan housing 821 may extend through the rectangle hole formed in the housing connector 8222 and extend into the inlet IN1 of the main housing 841.
The bridge 8223 may have one end integrally connected to the fan connector 8221 and extend along a rotation axis of the blow fan and have the other end connected to the other side surface of the fan housing 821. In the other end of the bridge 8223, a fastening hole may be formed through which fastening means such as a screw bolt may pass. Therefore, a rigid fastening structure may be achieved in which the connecting bracket 822 is fastened to the other side surface of the fan housing 821 via the bridge 8223.
In one example, an auxiliary duct 812 constituting the air intake duct 81 may be coupled and fastened to the other side surface of the fan housing 821 where an intake hole is formed.
Moreover, as shown in
There is no limitation on a type of the blow fan applied to the moisture-absorption and drying device 80. However, in one example, a sirocco fan is preferable in consideration of constraints in terms of a position and a space where the blow fan is installed.
In the illustrated embodiment, when the sirocco fan is applied, air guided through the auxiliary duct 812 of the intake duct 81 may be introduced through the other side surface of the fan housing 821, that is, a rear surface thereof into the fan in a direction parallel to a rotation axis from a center of the sirocco fan, and then, the air may be accelerated radially and outwardly, and then may be discharged through the discharge hole 8211.
The accelerated and discharged air may generate the air flow F and may flow through the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 and be introduced into the inner space of the heater housing 832, which will be described later.
The heating unit 83 may be disposed between the blower 82 and the moisture absorbent 85 as described above in the flow direction of the air flow F, and may play a role in heating the air flow F to dry and regenerate the moisture absorbent 85 in the moisture absorbent drying mode or the moisture absorbent regeneration mode.
When the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 generates a high temperature air flow F in the moisture absorbent drying mode, power may be supplied to the heater 831 to heat the air flow F. When the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 generates a low-temperature air flow F in the moisture-absorption mode, the power supplied to the heater 831 may be cut off such that an operation of the heater 831 may be stopped.
In this regard, when the low-temperature air flow F is generated in the moisture-absorption mode, an operation of the blower motor may be maintained.
There is no limitation on the type of the heater 831 provided in the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, a tube-shaped sheath heater that has a relatively simple structure, has excellent heat generation efficiency, and is advantageous in preventing electric leakage due to the washing water flowing from the tub 20 may be selected.
In order to increase the heat exchange efficiency, a heater body 8311 of the heater 831 as the sheath heater may be directly exposed to the flow F of the air in an inner air passage of the heater housing 832, and may extend in a length direction of the heater housing 832 and may be bent multiple times to maximize a heat transfer area.
The heater body 8311 of the heater 831 may extend between the inlet IN1 formed at one end, i.e., the front end of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 and an outlet OUT1 formed at the other end, i.e., the rear end of the heater receiving portion 8411 thereof. Alternatively, as will be described later, a portion of the heater body 8311 of the heater 831 may extend through the outlet OUT1 of the heater receiving portion 8411 and an inlet IN2 of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 and then may extend into the air introduction space S2 formed under the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
In one example, the heater body 8311 may be disposed in the heater receiving portion 8411 such that a longitudinal direction thereof is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the heater receiving space S1 and the heater housing 832.
Thus, the heat exchange performance and heat exchange efficiency of the heater body 8311 may be improved compared to a case where the longitudinal direction of the heater body 8311 intersects the longitudinal direction of the heater receiving space S1.
Further, the heater body 8311 may be closer to the outlet OUT1 formed at the rear end of the heater receiving portion 8411 than to the inlet IN1 formed at the front end of the heater receiving portion 8411, and thus may be disposed in the heater receiving portion 8411 of the housing 841.
That is, a spacing between the front end of the heater body 8311 and the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411 may be larger than a spacing between the rear end of the heater body 8311 and the outlet OUT1 of the heater receiving portion 8411.
Thus, the heater body 8311 may be disposed at a position spaced as far away from the blower 82 as possible. Thus, a possibility of damage to the blow fan and the blower motor of the blower 82 due to radiant heat from the heater body 8311 may be minimized.
The heater body 8311 may extend such that one end and the other end thereof extend through the front surface of the heater housing 832 and the front surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841.
Moreover, a pair of terminals 8312 to receive power may be formed respectively at one end and the other end of the heater body 8311.
As shown, the pair of terminals 8312 may be fixedly installed onto the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 via a terminal fixing portion 8313.
In this regard, a front surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 may have a fixing slot 8411cl defined therein so that the terminal fixing portion 8313 may be fitted thereto in a sliding manner.
A slit-shaped groove extending in a sliding direction, that is, an up-down direction (U-D direction) may be formed on each of both opposing side surfaces of the terminal fixing portion 8313. While the terminal fixing portion 8313 slides upwardly, an edge of the fixing slot 8411cl may be inserted into the slit-shaped groove and fitted thereto.
In this way, a front end of the heater body 8311 may be fixed to and supported on the terminal fixing portion 8313.
A rear end of the heater body 8311 may be fixed and supported to a single heater racket 8314, as shown in
The heater tub racket 8314 may be made of a metal material in consideration of a function of the heater body 8311 which generates high temperature heat, and may be preferably made of a metal plate that is resistant to high temperature and moisture. For example, the heater tub racket 8314 may be manufactured by pressing a plate made of a stainless steel-based material.
In one example, the heater housing 832 may be formed in a hollow form with an empty inner space to define an air passage in which the heater body 8311 is disposed. The air passage defined in the heater housing 832 together with an air introduction space S2 formed in a lower portion of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may constitute a first flow channel.
As described above, the heater body 8311 may be disposed in an inner space of the heater housing 832 so that a longitudinal direction thereof is parallel to the flow direction of the air flow F. Accordingly, like the heater body 8311, the heater housing 832 may be disposed in the heater receiving space S1 of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 so that a longitudinal direction thereof is parallel to the flow direction of the air flow F.
In this regard, in a corresponding manner to a shape of the heater receiving space S1, the heater housing 832 may extend linearly toward the air introduction space S2 along the longitudinal direction of the heater receiving portion 8411.
However, a length of the heater housing 832 may be greater than a length of the heater body 8311 so as to accommodate an entirety of the heater body 8311 therein.
In this regard, each of the front end of the heater housing 832 corresponding to a upstream side and the rear end thereof corresponding to a downstream side in the flow direction of the air flow F may be entirely opened so that the air may flow therethrough.
In this way, in order that each of the front end and the rear end may have the open air passage defined therein in an easy manner, the heater housing 832 may be divided into a lower housing 8321 and an upper housing 8322 arranged in the up-down direction (U-D) direction.
However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, as shown in
The lower housing 8321 which constitutes a divided lower portion of the heater housing 832 constitutes a front surface, a rear surface, and a lower surface of the heater housing 832 in the illustrated state.
A passage slot 8321a may be formed in a U shape in a front surface 8321c of the lower housing 8321 so that the terminal 8312 of the heater body 8311 as described above may flow therethrough in a frontward direction.
A lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 which constitutes a bottom surface of the inner air passage may approximately parallel to a bottom surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841. As described later, the bottom surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 may extend parallel to a longitudinal direction of the heater receiving portion 8411. Thus, similarly, the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 may extend parallel to the longitudinal direction of the heater receiving portion 8411.
In this regard, a front edge of the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 may extend toward a lower end of the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411, while a rear edge of the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 may extend toward the outlet OUT1 of the heater receiving portion 8411.
In this regard, the rear edge of the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 may extend to a position beyond a front end of the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Therefore, the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 may have a bent shape corresponding to a shape of a corner at which the rear end of the bottom surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 and the front end of the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 meet each other.
More specifically, the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 may be configured to include a first surface 8321e1 extending linearly from the front edge to the lower end edge thereof so as to define a first crossing angle with respect to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, and a second surface 8321e2 that is bent from the first surface 8321e1 and extends parallel to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Therefore, an extension direction of a bottom surface of the first flow channel formed in an inner space of the heater housing 832 may be diverted at a position at which the second surface 8321e2 of the lower surface 8321e of the lower housing 8321 is bent from the first surface 8321e1.
In one example, the lower housing 8321 provides an air passage with a flow path area larger than a cross-sectional area of the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411.
To this end, as shown in
Due to the expansion section, the flow rate of the air flow F may be reduced while the air flow F flows through the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411, such that the heat exchange efficiency between the heater body 8311 and the air flow F may be improved.
In one example, the upper housing 8322 is coupled to the open upper surface of the lower housing 8321, and serves to define a top surface of the inner air passage by closing the upper surface of the lower housing 8321.
To this end, an upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322 may be formed to have a corresponding size to a size of the open upper surface of the lower housing 8321. Moreover, the upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322 may be approximately parallel to an upper surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841, which will be described later.
A front edge of the upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322 may extend toward an upper end of the inlet IN1 of the heater receiving portion 8411, while a rear edge of the upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322 may extend toward the outlet OUT1 of the heater receiving portion 8411.
In this regard, the rear edge of the upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322 may extend to an upper end of the outlet OUT1 of the heater receiving portion 8411.
Moreover, like the lower housing 8321, the upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322 may extend linearly from the front edge to the lower end edge thereof so as to define the first crossing angle relative to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Accordingly, a top surface of the first flow channel defined in an inner space of the heater housing 832 may extend linearly to the outlet OUT1 of the heater receiving portion 8411.
Moreover, a coupling surface 8322c bent downwardly may be formed at each of the front edge and the rear edge of the upper surface of the upper housing 8322.
When the upper housing 8322 and the lower housing 8321 are coupled to each other, these coupling surfaces 8322c may be in surface contact with a front surface 8321c and a rear surface 8321d of the lower housing 8321, respectively.
Thus, coupling and connection strength between the lower housing 8321 and the upper housing 8322 may be improved.
In one example, as shown in
For example, the thermostat 871 may be provided as a pair of thermostats, and the pair of thermostats 871 may be arranged in a longitudinal direction of the heater body 8311 so as to effectively detect local overheating of the heater body 8311.
In one example, the temperature sensing unit 87 may further include a thermistor 872 that detects a temperature of the air flow F. In one example, as shown in
An output signal of the temperature sensing unit 87 may be transmitted to a controller, and the controller may receive the output signal of the temperature sensing unit 87 and may determine whether the heater body 8311 is overheated and the temperature of the air flow F based on the output signal. When the overheating occurs, the controller may stop the operation of the heater body 8311 by cutting off the power supply to the heater body 8311.
In one example, a plurality of second bead forming portions 8322b that is convex in an upward direction may be formed on the upper surface 8322a of the upper housing 8322.
Due to the second bead forming portion 8321b, an isolation space may be formed between the first cover 881 disposed on top of the upper housing 8322 and the upper housing 8322 by a predefined spacing.
This isolation space may act as a thermally insulating air layer for the upper housing 8322, in a similar manner to the isolation space for the lower housing 8321 as described above.
In one example, with in consideration of the fact that the heater body 8311 which generates high temperature heat is disposed in the housing composed of the lower housing 8321 and the upper housing 8322, each of the lower housing 8321 and the upper housing 8322 may be made of a metal plate resistant to high temperature heat and moisture. For example, each of the lower housing 8321 and the upper housing 8322 may be formed by pressing a plate made of a stainless steel-based material and having an approximately uniform thickness.
The moisture absorbent 85 absorbs moisture contained in the flow of air discharged from the tub 20 and inhaled by the device 80 when the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 operates in the moisture-absorption mode. When the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 operates in the moisture absorbent drying mode, the moisture absorbent 85 discharges the absorbed moisture into the air flow F.
In other words, the moisture absorbent 85 may be made of a reversibly dehydratable material so as to absorb the moisture or discharge the absorbed moisture depending on an operating temperature range.
The reversibly dehydratable material may include any one of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, silica gel, alumina silica, or zeolite, or may be a composition having a combination of two or more selected therefrom.
In an example, the moisture absorbent 85 made of an alumina silica-based material including aluminum oxide and silicon oxide may be applied to the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 according to the present disclosure. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. However, following descriptions will be based on an example in which the alumina silica-based moisture absorbent 85 is employed.
In this way, the moisture absorbent 85 made of the alumina silica-based material may be provided in a form of particles with a predefined particle size so that a contact area with the air flow F may be secured as much as possible. Moreover, compared to the moisture absorbent made of pure aluminum oxide or silicon oxide, a moisture-absorption action of the moisture absorbent 85 made of the alumina silica-based material may be effective at a lower temperature range, and regeneration action may be effective at a lower temperature range.
However, while the air flow F may flow through a gap between the plurality of moisture absorbents 85 provided in the form of particles, the air flow F may contact the moisture absorbents 85 such that the moisture contained therein is absorbed into the moisture absorbents 85 or the air flow absorbs the moisture discharged from the moisture absorbents 85.
Therefore, the moisture absorbent 85 cannot help but act as flow resistance to the air flow F. The particle size of the moisture absorbent 85 may be selected such that a pore may be effectively formed between the particles to minimize such flow resistance, and optimal moisture-absorption efficiency may be secured.
For this purpose, the moisture absorbent 85 may have the particle size in a range of 2 mm to 6 mm.
In one example, the moisture absorbent 85 is disposed downstream of the blower 82 and the heating unit 83 in the flow direction of the air flow F.
More specifically, the moisture absorbent 85 may be accommodated in the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 of the main housing 841 positioned downstream of the blower 82 and the heater 83.
The moisture absorbent receiving space S3 may be defined by a moisture absorbent holder 86-1 disposed in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841.
As shown in
The first holder plate 861-1 and the second holder plate 862-1 may be formed in a plate shape so as to define the top surface and the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3, respectively.
More specifically, the first holder plate 861-1 may be configured to include an outer edge 8611-1 to maintain overall strength thereof, and a mesh 8612-1 that is formed in an inner space defined by the outer edge 8611-1 and allows air to flow therethrough.
Likewise, the second holder plate 862-1 may be configured to include an outer edge 8621-1 for maintaining overall strength thereof, and a mesh 8622-1 formed in an inner space defined by the outer edge 8621-1 and allows air to flow therethrough.
Thus, between the mesh 8612-1 of the first holder plate 861-1 and the mesh 8622-1 of the second holder plate 862-1, a second flow channel through which the air flow F may pass may be formed.
In this regard, in order to prevent the moisture absorbent 85 from leaving out of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3, a lattice size of each of the mesh 8612-1 of the first holder plate 861-1 and the mesh 8622-1 of the second holder plate 862-1 may be smaller than the particle size of the moisture absorbent 85.
In one example, the mesh 8622-1 of the second holder plate 862-1 may extend approximately parallel to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. The mesh 8612-1 of the first holder plate 861-1 may extend so as to define a predefined crossing angle with respect to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
More specifically, the mesh 8612-1 of the first holder plate 861-1 may include a first holding surface 8612a-1 defining a second crossing angle relative to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, and a second holding surface 8612b-1 defining a third crossing angle relative to the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
In one example, the housing 84 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 accommodates therein the above-described heating unit 83 and moisture absorbent 85, and may define therein the first flow channel of the air flow F having passed through the heater body 8311 and the second flow channel of the air flow F having passed through the moisture absorbent 85.
In one example, as shown in
First, the main housing 841 may include the heater receiving portion 8411 in which the heater receiving space S1 is formed, and the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 in which the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 is formed.
As shown, based on a state in which the device 80 is disposed on the base 90, the upper surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 may be entirely open and the heater receiving portion 8411 may have a hollow box shape having an overall hexahedral shape.
The heater housing 832 and the heater body 8311 may be inserted through the open upper surface of the heater receiving portion 8411.
The open upper surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 may be closed by coupling the first cover 881 which will be described later thereto after the placement and the assembly of the heating unit 83 has been completed. For this purpose, a fastening boss 8411g may be integrally formed with the front surface 8411c and the rear surface 8411d of the heater receiving portion 8411 as a position corresponding to a fastening boss 8812 of the first cover 881.
The heater receiving space S1 having a shape corresponding to the shape of the heater housing 832 may be formed in an inner space of the hollow heater receiving portion 8411.
In one example, based on the state in which the device 80 is disposed on the base 90, the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841 may have an entirely open upper surface, and may have a generally hexahedral hollow box.
The open upper surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may function as the outlet OUT2 through which the air having passed through the moisture absorbent 85 is discharged out.
The open upper surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may be closed by combining a second cover 882 which will be described later thereto after the placement of the moisture absorbent holder 86-1 as described above and the moisture absorbent 85 into the inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 has been completed.
For this purpose, a fastening boss 8412g may be integrally formed with each of a front surface, a rear surface, a right surface and a left surface of an outer peripheral surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 as a position corresponding to each of fastening bosses 8823 of the second cover 882.
In one example, the auxiliary housing 842 may be coupled to the main housing 841 so as to at least partially surround the outer surface of the main housing 841, and serves to thermally insulate the inner space of the main housing 841 from the outside.
As shown, the auxiliary housing 842 may be disposed to surround an outer peripheral surface and an outer bottom surface of the main housing 841.
In this regard, a gap may be formed at least locally between an inner surface of the auxiliary housing 842 and the outer peripheral surface and the outer bottom surface of the main housing 841.
Due to this gap, a thermally insulating air layer may be formed between the auxiliary housing 842 and the main housing 841 in a similar manner to the thermally insulating air layer formed between the heater housing 832 and the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 as described above.
Therefore, an amount of heat transfer from the inner space of the main housing 841 to the outside may be minimized. An internal temperature of the main housing 841 may be maintained in a temperature environment suitable for operation in the moisture-absorption mode or the moisture absorbent regeneration mode. Accordingly, power consumption may be minimized and the drying time of the washing target and the regeneration time of the moisture absorbent may be shortened.
The auxiliary housing 842 may be provided as divided structures arranged along the front and rear direction, as shown in
In one example, as described above, the open upper surface of the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 and the open upper surface of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may be closed by the cover 88.
As shown by way of example, in consideration of the shape of the main housing 841, the cover 88 may be configured to include a first cover 881 coupled to the heater receiving portion 8411 and a second cover 882 coupled to the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
The first cover 881 coupled to the heater receiving portion 8411 may be provided in a plate shape corresponding to the shape of the upper housing 8322 of the heater housing 832.
A pair of through holes 8811 may be formed in the first cover 881 to allow the aforementioned thermostat 871 to pass therethrough.
Moreover, a plurality of fastening bosses 8812 for fastening the main housing 841 and the auxiliary housing 842 to each other may be integrally formed with the outer edge of the first cover 881. A fastening means such as a screw bolt may extend through the fastening boss 8812, and may be screw-coupled to the fastening boss 8411g provided at the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 or the fastening boss 8421 provided at the auxiliary housing 842.
In a similar manner to the thermally insulating air layer defined between the lower housing 8321 of the heater housing 832 and the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841, a thermally insulating air layer may be formed between the first cover 881 and the upper housing 8322.
In one example, unlike the first cover 881, the second cover 882 coupled to the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may be formed to have a three-dimensional shape similar to an inverted funnel shape.
That is, the second cover 882 may be constructed to have an inverted funnel shape that is convex upwardly so that the air that has passed through the moisture absorbent 85 and the second holder plate 862-1 as described above may converge.
Therefore, as the second cover 882 is provided with a converging surface 8821 that is convex upwardly, a predefined space S4 may be formed between the second holder plate 862-1 which defines the top surface of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3, and the converging surface 8821 of the second cover 882. The space S4 constitutes a discharge flow path through which the air flow F that has passed through the moisture absorbent 85 is discharged. Because the discharge flow path continuously communicates with the second flow channel formed between the first and second holder plates 861-1 and 862-1, the discharge flow path may be referred to as a third flow channel.
An upper end of the inner converging surface 8821 of the second cover 882 may have an outlet defined therein through which the air having passed through the third flow channel as the discharge flow path is discharged.
A lower end of a connection duct 883 which guides the air flow F toward the lower surface 25 of the tub 20 may be integrally connected to the outlet.
Moreover, like the first cover 881, a plurality of fastening bosses 8823 for fastening the main housing 841 and the auxiliary housing 842 to each other may be formed integrally with the outer edge of the second cover 882. The fastening means such as the screw bolt may extend through the fastening boss 8823, and may be screw-coupled to the fastening boss 8412g provided at the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841 or the fastening boss 8421 provided at the auxiliary housing 842.
In one example, the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may further include the connection duct 883 which is connected to the outlet passing through the second cover 882 and which has an air passage defined therein.
As described above, the heater 83, the blower 82, and the moisture absorbent 85 are disposed under the lower surface 25 of the tub 20. The connection duct 883 serves to guide the air flow F discharged from the space S4 formed under the second cover 882 toward the air supply hole 254 formed in the lower surface 25 of the tub 20.
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, a duct body 8831 of the connection duct 883 may be constructed to have a shape to connect the air supply hole 254 of the tub 20 and the outlet of the heater housing 832 to each other so as to guide the air flow F.
For example, as shown in
In one example, as a means to improve fastening efficiency and prevent water leakage, a ring-shaped flange surface 8832 and a male screw member 8833 may be integrally formed with an outer peripheral surface of the duct body 8831.
The upper end of the duct body 8831 may extend upwardly (in the U-direction) through the lower surface 25 of the tub 20. The upper end of the duct body 8831 and the male screw member 8833 may at least partially extend through the lower surface 25 of the tub 20 and protrude toward the inner space of the tub 20.
A fastening nut (not shown) may be coupled to the male screw member 8833 extending through the inner space of the tub 20.
In fixing and fastening the duct body 8831, the upper end 8511 of the duct body 8831 may be fixed in an exposed state to the inner space of the tub 20 by screw-coupling the fastening nut to the male screw member 8833 in the inner space of the tub 20.
In one example, a discharge guide 89 that changes the discharge direction of the air flow F supplied through the connection duct 883 may be coupled to the upper end of the duct body 8831.
Through the discharge guide 89, a portion of the air flow F may be directed toward the lower surface 25 of the tub 20, while a portion of the air flow F may be directed toward the upper surface 24 of the tub 20.
In one example, the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may further include the air intake duct 81 which has a front end connected to the air intake hole of the tub 20, and has a rear end connected to the blower 82, and that serves to guide the air flow F discharged from the tub 20 through the air supply hole 254 to the blower 82 and the heater 83 to the moisture absorbent 85.
More specifically, as shown in
The main duct 811 may be disposed on the outside of the right side surface of the tub 20 and may be in close contact with the right side surface, and serves to guide the air flow F sucked through the air intake hole formed in the right side surface of the tub 20 to a position under the lower surface 25 of the tub 20.
To this end, as shown, the main duct 811 may be disposed so as to extend linearly as long as possible along the vertical direction between the upper end and the lower end. Thus, maximum condensation of moisture may occur inside the main duct 811.
Further, as shown in
The air flow F having passed through the air passage of the main duct 811 may be introduced into the blower 82 through the auxiliary duct 812, which will be described later. The air flow F having passed through the blower 82 may be introduced into the heater receiving space S1 of the heater receiving portion 8411 having the downward inclination.
In this way, the main duct 811 may be manufactured in a hollow shape so that the air passage through which the air flow F may flow is formed therein.
In order to easily implement the hollow shape and for convenience of manufacturing, as shown in
The first duct body 8111 may be formed in a shape of a hollow box with an open left side surface so that an inverted U-shaped air passage may be formed therein.
An inner space of the first duct body 8111 is maintained in a hollow state. Therefore, in the inner space of the first duct body 8111, a reinforcing rib 8113 extending along the extension direction of the air passage may be integrally disposed on the right side surface and may protrude from the right side surface to the left side surface.
The lower end of the first duct body 8111 may have one portion of an outlet-defining portion 8115 open downwardly and defining an outlet 811b. The air flows through the outlet 811b.
The second duct body 8112 is coupled to the open left side surface of the first duct body 8111 and serves to close the air passage formed in the first duct body 8111.
To this end, the second duct body 8112 may be provided in a plate shape corresponding to a shape of the open left side surface of the first duct body 8111.
An inlet-defining portion 8114 may be formed on the second duct body 8112. An inlet 811a having a shape and size corresponding to those of the air intake hole of the tub 20 may be defined by the inlet-defining portion 8114. In one example, the inlet-defining portion 8114 may be embodied as a rib in a ring shape corresponding to a shape of the air intake hole of the tub such that the rib may be inserted into the air intake hole. As described above, the grill cap 813 may be fastened to the inlet-defining portion 8114 defining the inlet 811a to minimize the inflow of the washing water and prevent the inflow of foreign substances.
The lower end of the second duct body 8112 may have the other portion of the outlet-defining portion 8115 open downwardly and defining the outlet 811b. That is, the first and second duct bodies 8111 and 8112 may be coupled to each other such that one portion and the other portion of the outlet-defining portion 8115 may be coupled to each other to define the outlet 811b.
The outlet-defining portion 8115 constituting the lower end of the first duct body 8111 and the lower end of the second duct body 8112 may be connected to the auxiliary duct 812 so as to be inserted into the inlet of the auxiliary duct 812, which will be described later. An airtight ring 814 made of an elastic material may be disposed between the outlet-defining portion 8115 of the main duct 811 and an inlet 812a of the auxiliary duct 812.
The auxiliary duct 812 may be disposed between the lower end of the main duct 811 and the blower 82, and serves to change the flow direction of the air flow having passed through the outlet 811b of the main duct 811 toward to the blower 82.
Like the main duct 811, an air passage through which the air flow F having passed through the main duct 811 may flow may be formed in an inner space of the auxiliary duct 812.
However, in order to change the flow direction of the air having passed through the main duct 811 toward the inlet of the fan housing 821 of the blower 82, an air passage extending in an approximately L shape may be formed in an inner space of the auxiliary duct 812.
Likewise, a shape of the auxiliary duct 812 may have an approximately L-shape corresponding to the shape of the air passage defined therein.
The inlet 812a through which the flow of air is introduced may be formed at one end of the L-shape, that is, at an upper end thereof, based on the state shown in the drawing. The outlet 812b may be formed at one end of the L-shape, that is, at a lower end thereof, based on the state shown in the drawing. That is, a vertical level of the outlet 812b of the auxiliary duct 812 may be lower than a vertical level of the inlet 812a thereof.
The inlet 812a of the auxiliary duct 812 may have a rectangular cross-section shape corresponding to a shape of the outlet 811b of the main duct 811. The outlet 812b of the auxiliary duct 812 may have a circular shape corresponding to a shape of a circular inlet disposed in the other side surface of the fan housing 821.
In one example, a bridge 8123 as a fastening means for the fan housing 821 may be provided around the outlet 812b of the auxiliary duct 812.
In a manner similar to the bridge 8223 of the aforementioned connecting bracket 822, one end of the bridge 8123 of the auxiliary duct 812 may be fixed to the top of the outlet 812b of the auxiliary duct 812, while the other end thereof may extend in a bar shape to one side surface of the fan housing 821.
A fastening hole through which a fastening means such as a screw bolt passes may be defined in the other end of the bridge 8123 of the auxiliary duct 812. The fastening means may flow through the fastening hole and be fixed to one side surface of the fan housing 821.
Hereinafter, with reference to
As described above, the moisture absorbent holder 86-1 according to the first embodiment is constructed to define the top surface and the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 and serve to prevent the moisture absorbent from being removed therefrom in the vertical direction.
In the first embodiment, both opposing side surfaces and front and back surfaces of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 may be defined by an outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Alternatively, the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 according to the second embodiment may be constructed so that the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 is defined in the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 itself, and the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 extends from or retracts into the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841.
Accordingly, the moisture absorbent 85 and the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 that stores therein the moisture absorbent 85 may be modularized with each other to form a storage space for storing therein the moisture absorbent 85 as defined separately from the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. Therefore, the assembly and maintainability of moisture-absorption and drying device 80 may be improved.
In order that the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 is defined in the moisture absorbent holder 86-2, the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 according to the second embodiment may be configured to include a main holder 861-2 having the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 defined therein, and a cover plate 862-2 that is coupled to a top of the main holder 861-2.
In a similar manner to the second holder plate 862-1 of the first embodiment, the cover plate 862-2 serves to define the top surface of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3. For this purpose, the cover plate 862-2 may be provided in a plate shape similar to that of the second holder plate 862-1.
As shown in
Thus, in a similar manner to the first embodiment, a predetermined space may be defined between the cover plate 862-2 and the converging surface of the second cover 882. The space may act as a discharge flow path of the air having passed through the moisture absorbent 85. In order to distinguish the second embodiment from the first embodiment, hereinafter, a spacing defined between the cover plate 862-2 and the second cover 882 is referred to as a first space S4-1, and the discharge flow path as the first space S4-1 is referred to as a first discharge flow path.
However, unlike the second holder plate 862-1 of the first embodiment, the cover plate 862-2 is not coupled to the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841, and may be removably coupled directly to an edge 8611-2 of an open top of the main holder 861-2 as shown in
In one example, the main holder 861-2 may be formed to have a shape of a hollow container with an overall open top surface so that the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 may be defined as a hollow space thereof.
As described above, the main holder 861-2 may be constructed to entirely retract into or extend from an inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841. Therefore, the main holder 861-2 may have an outer appearance shape corresponding to a shape of the inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
More specifically, a bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 which defines the bottom surface of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 may be formed to have a shape corresponding to that of a bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. Thus, the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 may be disposed on the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 in an entirely close contact with the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
As the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 and the lower end of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 extend further downwards to the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, this may achieve an effect of further increasing a vertical dimension of moisture absorbent receiving space S3, compared to the first embodiment.
In one example, because the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 entirely contacts the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 may be constructed such that the air flow does not pass through the bottom portion 8612-2. For this purpose, the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 may be provided in a form of a closed plate without a mesh.
As the bottom portion 8612-2 is provided in the form of the flat plate without the mesh, rigidity of the lower end of the main holder 861-2 may be strengthened.
In one example, the main holder 861-2 may have an outer peripheral wall 8613-2 that defines front and rear surfaces and both opposing side surfaces of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3.
As described above, the main holder 861-2 may be received entirely in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 so as to be retractable or extendable into or from the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. To this end, the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 may have an outer appearance shape corresponding to a shape of an inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
The outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 may be configured to include a mesh extending in the vertical direction from the bottom portion 8612-2 toward the upper end edge 8611-2.
In an example,
Furthermore, the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 has an outer appearance shape corresponding to the shape of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. The outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 may be at least partially spaced from the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Therefore, in a state in which the main holder 861-2 is received in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, a space may be defined between a portion of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and a portion of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. In order to distinguish this space from the above-described first space S4-1, hereinafter, the space formed between the portion of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and the portion of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 is referred to as a second space S4-2.
In the illustrated embodiment, the remaining portion except for the right side of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 is spaced entirely from the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Accordingly, the second space S4-2 may be formed between the remaining portion except the right side of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Therefore, the second space S4-2 may function as a second discharge flow path through which the air flow having passed through the moisture absorbent 85 flows.
In this regard, based on the state as shown, a front space formed between a front surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and a front surface of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, a left space formed between a left side of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and a left side of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, and a rear space formed between a rear surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and a rear surface of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may communicate with each other to constitute the second space S4-2.
Therefore, as shown in
As the second space S4-2 is formed between the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, the second discharge flow path through which the air flow having passed through the moisture absorbent 85 may flow may be additionally secured, compared to the first embodiment. Thus, the flow resistance of the air flow having passed through moisture absorbent 85 may be significantly reduced.
Furthermore, as shown in
Accordingly, a local variation in a flow rate in the second discharge flow path may be minimized, and the flow loss that may occur as the flow rate is concentrated on specific portion thereof may be minimized.
Furthermore, as shown in
Therefore, the air flow having passed through the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 may be guided by the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 so as to flow upwardly along the second space S4-2. The air flow having passed through the second space S4-2 may be introduced into the first space S4-1.
More specifically, a portion of the air flow (a solid line arrow) introduced into the inner moisture absorbent receiving space S3 of the main holder 861-2 may flow through the moisture absorbent 85 and the cover plate 862-2 and be discharged directly toward the first discharge flow path of the first space S4-1.
Furthermore, the remaining portion of the air flow (a solid line arrow) introduced into the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 of the main holder 861-2 may flow through the moisture absorbent 85 and then the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2 and be discharged toward the second discharge flow path embodied as the second space S4-2.
The air flow (a dotted line arrow) discharged to the second discharge flow path of the second space S4-2 is guided to flow upwardly by the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841, and merges with the air flow of the first discharge flow path at the upper end of the second space S4-2.
In this regard, as shown, a flow direction of the air flow immediately after having passed through the cover plate 862-2 and a flow direction of the air flow immediately after having passed through the upper end of the second space S4-2 after flowing along the second discharge flow path may have generally the same upward direction. That is, the air flow having passed through the second space S4-2 and the air flow having passed through the cover plate 862-2 may merge with each other in the first space S4-1 in a state in which the air flow having passed through the second space S4-2 and the air flow having passed through the cover plate 862-2 have substantially the same direction. Therefore, the flow loss that may occur as the air portions flow at different directions merge may be minimized.
In one example, the merged air flow in the first space S4-1 may be guided toward the outlet 8822 by the converging surface 8821 of the second cover 882, and may flow through the connection duct 883 and may be supplied to the washing space 21 of the tub 20 as described above.
In one example, the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an air passage-defining portion 8614-2 that defines the air introduction space S2 into which the air flow having passed through the heater receiving portion 8411 is introduced.
In the moisture absorbent holder 86-1 according to the first embodiment as described above, the first holder plate 861-1 is spaced from the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 in the upward direction. Thus, the inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 is partitioned into upper and lower spaces by the first holder plate 861-1, such that the air introduction space S2 may be defined between the first holder plate 861-1 and the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Alternatively, as described above, the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 of the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 according to the second embodiment is be in close contact with the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
Therefore, the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 may be provided as a means to define the air introduction space S2 so that the air flow having passed through the heater receiving portion 8411 may smoothly spread and flow into the inner moisture absorbent receiving space S3 of the main holder 861-2.
As shown in
In order to define the tunnel-shaped air introduction space S2, based on the state as shown, the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 may include a front wall 8614e-2 defining a front surface of the air introduction space S2, a rear wall 8614f-2 which defines a rear surface of the air introduction space S2, a left wall 8614b-2 defining a left side surface of the air introduction space S2, and a top wall 8614d-2 defining a top surface of the air introduction space S2.
The front wall 8614e-2 may be formed to have its lower end edge integrally connected to the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2, and its right edge integrally connected to a right side surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2. The left wall 8614b-2 may be integrally connected to a left edge of the top wall 8614d-2.
The front wall 8614e-2 is disposed at a position spaced inwardly from a front surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2. Therefore, a portion of the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 filled with the moisture absorbent 85 may be defined between the top wall 8614d-2 and the front surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2.
In one example, the rear wall 8614f-2 may be formed to have its bottom edge integrally connected to the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2, and its right edge integrally connected to a right side surface of to the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2. The left wall 8614b-2 may be integrally connected to the left edge of the top wall 8614d-2.
In this regard, the rear wall 8614f-2 may be opposite to the top wall 8614d-2 and may be spaced rearwardly from the top wall 8614d-2 by a predetermined spacing. The predetermined spacing between the top wall 8614d-2 and the rear wall 8614f-2 may define a width in a front-rear direction of the air introduction space S2.
The rear wall 8614f-2 is disposed at a position spaced inwardly from the rear surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2. Therefore, a portion of moisture absorbent receiving space S3 filled with the moisture absorbent 85 may be defined between the rear wall 8614f-2 and the rear surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of the main holder 861-2.
The top wall 8614d-2 may be formed to have a front edge integrally connected to the top wall 8614d-2, a rear edge integrally connected to the rear wall 8614f-2, and a right edge integrally connected to a right side surface of the outer peripheral wall 8613-2 of main holder 861-2. A top of the left wall 8614b-2 may be integrally connected to a left edge of the top wall 8614d-2.
The top wall 8614d-2 may be disposed at a position spaced upwardly from the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2, and may extend in approximately parallel to the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2. A spacing between the top wall 8614d-2 and the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2 may define a vertical dimension of the air introduction space S2.
In one example, the left wall 8614b-2 serves to define a left side surface of the air introduction space S2. Each of edges of the left wall 8614b-2 may be integrally connected to each of the top wall 8614d-2, the rear wall 8614f-2, the top wall 8614d-2, and the bottom portion 8612-2 of the main holder 861-2.
In this regard, the left wall 8614b-2 may be formed to have an inclined surface whose a vertical level gradually decreases as the left wall extends away from the heater receiving portion 8411. In this way, the left wall 8614b-2 is formed to have the inclined surface, such that an inflow area size of the air flow into the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 through the left wall 8614b-2 may be increased.
Therefore, due to the left wall 8614b-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2, the air introduction space S2 may be divided into a first portion whose an area size in a plan view is constant as the first portion extends vertically, and a second portion whose an area size in a plan view is gradually decreased as the first portion extends vertically and upwardly.
Each of the top wall 8614d-2, the rear wall 8614f-2, the top wall 8614d-2, and the left wall 8614b-2 may include a mesh having a lattice size sized such that the air flow introduced into the air introduction space S2 flows through the mesh into the moisture absorbent receiving space S3 whereas the moisture absorbent 85 cannot pass through the mesh.
In one example,
In one example, a right side surface 8614a-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 acting as an inlet to the air introduction space S2, and a bottom surface 8614c-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 defining a bottom of the air introduction space S2 may be formed to be entirely open.
In this way, the entirely open right side surface 8614a-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 may be positioned so as to communicate with the inlet IN2 defined in a right side surface of the outer peripheral wall 8412b of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. Therefore, the air flow having passed through the inlet IN2 of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may be immediately introduced into the right side surface 8614a-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2.
Therefore, in order to minimize the flow resistance against the air flow having passed through the inlet IN2 of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, an opening area size of the open right side surface 8614a-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 may be set to be larger than or at least equal to a cross-sectional area of the inlet IN2 of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
In one example, in a state in which the main holder 861-2 is disposed in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, the bottom surface 8614c-2 of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 which is in an entirely open state may be blocked by the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. Therefore, the bottom of the air introduction space S2 may be defined by the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
In one example, the heater body 8311 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure may be constructed to extend through the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 such that at least a portion thereof is received in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 of the main housing 841.
As described above, the heater body 8311 of the heater 831 is disposed in the inner space of the heater housing 832 and extends along the longitudinal direction of each of the heater receiving portion 8411 and the main housing 841 and the heater housing 832.
An entirety of the heater body 8311 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is disposed only in the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 and is disposed out of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412. Alternatively, the heater body 8311 of the moisture-absorption and drying device 80 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure may extend through the heater receiving portion 8411 of the main housing 841 so as to be at least partially received in the inner space of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
More specifically, as shown in
Therefore, because the heater body 8311 extends through the heater receiving portion 8411 such that the portion thereof is received into the air introduction space S2 formed in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, the heater body 8311 in accordance with the second embodiment may extend by a length larger than that in the first embodiment.
Because the heater body 8311 may extend by the larger length without changing a size of each of the heater receiving portion 8411 and the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, a higher heat emission may be secured, and thus a possibility at which insufficiently heated air flow is introduced into the moisture absorbent 85 may be significantly reduced.
Furthermore, because at least a portion of the heater body 8311 may be received into the air introduction space S2 defined in the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, a portion of the heat generated in the heater body 8311 may be directly transferred to the moisture absorbent 85 covering the top of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 in a form of radiant heat. Thus, heat emission efficiency of the heater body 8311 may be improved, and the regeneration time of the moisture absorbent 85 may be significantly reduced.
In this regard, as described above, the heater body 8311 may extend in the U-shape, that is, may be bent twice by 90 degrees to form two rows. The heater body 8311 according to the second embodiment may have a bent portion 8311a formed by bending a portion of the heater body 8311. The bent portion 8311a may be received in the space defined by the air passage-defining portion 8614-2.
Therefore, as shown in
However, since the bent portion 8311a of the heater body 8311 is disposed under the air passage-defining portion 8614-2, the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 and the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412 may be exposed to the radiant heat of the heater body 8311, thereby causing damage or deformation to or of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 and the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
In order to minimize the damage to and deformation of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 and the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, the bent portion 8311a of the heater body 8311 may be received in the air introduction space S2 so as to be spaced from the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 of the moisture absorbent holder 86-2 and the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412.
In order to maintain this spaced state, as shown in
Furthermore, for the same reason, a vertical dimension of the bent portion 8311a of the heater body 8311 may be smaller than a vertical dimension of the first portion of the air introduction space S2 defined by the air passage-defining portion 8614-2.
In order that the bent portion 8311a is receive in the air introduction space S2 in a state spaced from the bottom portion 8412a of the moisture absorbent receiving portion 8412, based on the state as shown, a left end of the bent portion 8311a of the heater body 8311 may be supported by the heat bracket 8314 as described above.
In one example, as shown in
In other words, the spacings between the bent portion 8311a of the heater body 8311 and the various positions of each of the top wall 8614d-2, the front wall 8614e-2, and the rear wall 8614f-2 may not be equal to each other, such that the radiant heat from the heater body 8311 may be concentrated on a specific position of each of the top wall 8614d-2, the front wall 8614e-2, and rear wall 8614f-2, resulting in a high possibility that local deformation or damage may occur in the air passage-defining portion 8614-2.
In order to prevent the local deformation of and damage to the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 due to the concentration of the radiant heat of the heater body 8311 on the local area thereof, as shown in
As the top wall 8614d-2 is formed as a curved portion as shown in
As shown in
In this way, at least one of the top wall 8614d-2, the front wall 8614e-2, and the rear wall 8614f-2 constituting the portion of the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 defining the first portion of the air introduction space S2 be curved in the convex manner in a direction away from the heater body 8311, such that the local deformation of or damage to the air passage-defining portion 8614-2 due to the concentration of the radiant heat of the heater body 8311 on the local area thereof may be prevented.
Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these embodiments, and may be modified in a various manner within the scope of the technical spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the embodiments as disclosed in the present disclosure are intended to describe rather than limit the technical idea of the present disclosure, and the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited by these embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are not restrictive but illustrative in all respects. In addition, even though an effect of a configuration of the present disclosure is not explicitly described in describing the embodiment of the present disclosure above, it is obvious that the predictable effect from the configuration should be recognized.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0094781 | Jul 2023 | KR | national |
