Patent Application
20240426038
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0080892, filed on Jun. 23, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus capable of performing communication with an external device.
A laundry treating apparatus is an apparatus capable of performing various laundry treatment courses, such as a washing course for removing contamination from clothes, bedding, etc. (hereinafter referred to as laundry) introduced into a drum and a drying course for removing moisture from laundry.
A laundry treating apparatus may include a cabinet defining an external appearance thereof and a drum provided in the cabinet to accommodate laundry. In addition, in a case in which water is used in laundry treatment courses, a tub may be provided in the cabinet, and the drum may be mounted in the tub.
A laundry treating apparatus including a display part and a search part in order to provide a plurality of treatment courses to a user is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2014-0023986.
The user may operate the laundry treating apparatus using the search part or the like and may identify various treatment courses through the display part. The user may select one of the various treatment courses in order to treat laundry.
In addition, the laundry treating apparatus may include a controller connected to the display part and the search part. A plurality of wires may be connected to the controller in order to achieve electrical/communicative connection between the controller and various other components.
However, the arrangement and connection relationship of the plurality of wires connected to the controller are complicated, which may cause deterioration in efficiency of maintenance and repair and may make coupling between terminals for connection of the wires in a manufacturing process complicated and unstable.
The controller may be configured to be able to perform communication with an external device located outside the laundry treating apparatus.
In an example, the controller may include a communication part to perform communication with the external device. The communication part may exchange information with the external device using a wireless communication method such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
However, the communication part may be disposed in the cabinet, which may hinder transmission of a wireless signal from the outside of the laundry treating apparatus to the communication part in the wireless communication manner.
For example, if the cabinet is made of metal in order to secure sufficient rigidity, the blocking rate of the wireless signal by the cabinet may increase, and thus, the communication part may not perform smooth communication.
If transmission/reception of a wireless signal is not smoothly achieved in the communication part, the controller may not communicate with the external device and thus may not perform processes associated with the external device, leading to deterioration in usability.
Therefore, it is an important task in this technical field to develop a laundry treating apparatus in which structural complexity is minimized, a communication part provided in a cabinet is capable of effectively receiving a wireless signal transmitted from the outside of the cabinet, and wires for connection between components are stably disposed and coupled.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of effectively improving a wireless signal reception rate of a controller.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of minimizing the structure of an input part manipulated by a user and improving a wireless signal reception rate of a controller.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of improving the structural stability of a control module provided in an input/output part.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of ensuring efficient arrangement of a plurality of wires connected to the control module and stable coupling between terminals.
A laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an input/output part, and the input/output part includes a control module disposed in a cabinet. The control module may be provided with a communication part in order to receive a wireless signal transmitted from the outside, and the communication part may receive the wireless signal through an opening formed in the cabinet.
A storage part in which detergent is stored may be introduced into the cabinet through the opening, or a remaining water collection part for removing remaining water generated in the cabinet may be introduced into the cabinet through the opening.
The control module may be provided on an outer panel constituting the cabinet, and the opening may be formed in the outer panel so as to be adjacent to the control module. All openings disposed adjacent to the control module, except for the aforementioned opening, may be removed from the outer panel, so that the outer panel may shield the inside of the cabinet.
A module housing of the control module may include a terminal receiving portion to which a terminal of a wire connected to a controller may be secured. Terminals of control wires connected to a control board of the control module may be coupled to terminals of wires of components disposed outside the control module in a state of being secured to the terminal receiving portion.
The above-described laundry treating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet, a tub, a drum, a detergent part, and an input/output part.
The tub is provided in the cabinet and stores water. The drum is rotatably provided in the tub and accommodates laundry. The detergent part is provided in the cabinet and supplies detergent to the tub. The input/output part is provided at the cabinet to provide information to a user or receive a user command.
The cabinet may include an outer panel, and the outer panel may be provided with the input/output part and may include an opening disposed adjacent to the input/output part and allowing the inside of the cabinet and the outside of the cabinet to communicate with each other.
The detergent part may include a storage part introduced into the cabinet through the opening, the input/output part may include a control module provided in the cabinet and coupled to the outer panel, and the control module may be provided with a communicator configured to receive a wireless signal and disposed on the side of the control module facing the opening.
The outer panel may be made of metal, and the communicator may receive the wireless signal propagated to the inside of the cabinet through the opening. The outer panel may be made of a first material having a first blocking rate for the wireless signal.
The detergent part may include a panel case coupled to the outer panel so as to oppose the opening and made of a second material having a second blocking rate lower than the first blocking rate, and the communicator may be disposed so as to oppose the panel case.
The outer panel may be made of metal, and the panel case may be made of a polymer material.
The control module may include a module housing coupled to the outer panel and provided therein with a control board configured to control the input/output part, and the communicator may include a communication board disposed on the module housing so as to face the opening.
The communication board may be provided on the surface of the module housing facing the opening. The module housing may include a board fixing portion configured to allow the communication board to be fixed thereto in a state of being exposed toward the opening.
At least a portion of the communication board may protrude beyond the module housing and may be provided with a wire connection portion configured to allow a communication wire to be connected thereto.
The outer panel may form a front surface of the cabinet, the control module may be disposed at an upper portion of the outer panel so as to be adjacent to the opening in the width direction of the cabinet, and the wire connection portion of the communicator may protrude downward below the module housing.
The control module may include a module housing coupled to the outer panel and provided therein with a control board configured to control the input/output part, and the communicator may include a communication wire connected to a control wire led out from the control module outside the module housing.
The module housing may include a first terminal receiving portion configured to allow one of a terminal of the communication wire and a terminal of the control wire to be coupled and secured thereto, and the remaining one of the terminal of the communication wire and the terminal of the control wire may be coupled to the terminal secured to the first terminal receiving portion.
The first terminal receiving portion may be exposed to the outside of the module housing. The control wire may be provided in plural, and the plurality of control wires may include a first control wire, a second control wire, and a third control wire.
A terminal of the first control wire may be coupled to a terminal of the communication wire outside the module housing, and the second control wire and the third control wire may be coupled to each other outside the module housing.
The module housing may include a second terminal receiving portion configured to allow one of a terminal of the second control wire and a terminal of the third control wire to be coupled and secured thereto, and the remaining one of the terminal of the second control wire and the terminal of the third control wire may be coupled to the terminal secured to the second terminal receiving portion.
The control board may be provided in plural, and the plurality of control boards may include a first control board and a second control board. The first control wire and the second control wire may be led out from the first control board, and the third control wire may be lead out from the second control board.
The control module may include a display configured to output a screen, and the first control board may control the display and may be connected to the second control board via the second control wire and the third control wire.
The laundry treating apparatus may further include an inner module provided in the cabinet and communicatively connected to the control module, and the control wire may further include a fourth control wire connected to the inner module.
The module housing may include a wire guide portion configured to guide the position of the fourth control wire.
In the width direction of the cabinet, the opening may be disposed in a region of the outer panel located on one side of the input/output part, and a region of the outer panel located on the opposite side of the input/output part may shield the inside of the cabinet.
The outer panel may include a fixing protruding portion protruding to the inside of the cabinet, and the control module may include a module housing coupled to the fixing protruding portion to be secured to the outer panel.
The fixing protruding portion may be provided in plural, and the module housing may include a plurality of insertion coupling portions coupled to the plurality of fixing protruding portions. Some of the plurality of insertion coupling portions may be disposed outside the module housing, and the remaining ones of the plurality of insertion coupling portions may be disposed inside the module housing so as to penetrate the module housing.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the disclosure and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to make the description of the present disclosure thorough and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.
However, the present disclosure is not limited to aspects disclosed herein and may be implemented in various different forms. In the drawings, in order to clearly describe the present disclosure, descriptions of elements which are not related to the present disclosure are omitted, and the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals even when they are depicted in different drawings.
In the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, redundant description of the same elements will be omitted.
When an element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly connected to or coupled to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element, there may be no intervening elements present.
Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.
As used herein, singular forms may be intended to include plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Further, in the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the terms “comprising,” “including,” or “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.
Further, as used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. In the following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, “A or B” may include “A”, “B” or “both A and B”.
Referring to
The cabinet 10 may have any of various shapes as needed, such as a polyprismatic shape or a cylindrical shape. As shown in
If the cabinet 10 includes a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels may include at least some of a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, and a pair of side panels.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the cabinet 10 may include an outer panel 13, and the outer panel 13 may be any one of the front panel, the rear panel, the top panel, the bottom panel, and the pair of side panels.
The outer panel 13 refers to a panel of the cabinet 10 that is exposed to the outside, and may define one surface of the cabinet 10. For example, the outer panel 13 may be the front panel defining the front surface of the cabinet 10.
The outer panel 13 may include an input/output part 80 and an opening 18, and a detailed description of the input/output part 80 and the opening 18 will be given later.
The cabinet 10 may include a laundry introduction port 11 through which laundry is introduced into the cabinet 10. The laundry introduction port 11 may be an inlet formed in one surface of the cabinet 10 so as to allow a user to introduce laundry into the cabinet 10 therethrough.
The laundry introduction port 11 may be formed in the front panel or the top panel of the cabinet 10. That is, the embodiment of the present disclosure may take a front loading form in which the laundry introduction port 11 is formed in the front panel or a top loading form in which the laundry introduction port 11 is formed in the top panel.
Although the laundry treating apparatus 1 shown in
In addition, the cabinet 10 may be provided with a laundry door 12 to open or close the laundry introduction port 11. The laundry door 12 may be mounted to the cabinet 10 in various manners, so long as the laundry door 12 is capable of opening or closing the laundry introduction port 11. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in
The laundry door 12 may be rotated about the hinge to determine opening or closing of the laundry introduction port 11. For example, the laundry door 12 may be rotated away from the cabinet 10 about the hinge to open the laundry introduction port 11, or may be rotated so as to come into close contact with the cabinet 10 about the hinge to close the laundry introduction port 11.
In addition, the cabinet 10 may be provided with a door locking part to lock the laundry door 12. The door locking part may secure the laundry door 12 so that the laundry introduction port 11 is maintained in a closed state by the laundry door 12.
The embodiment of the present disclosure may include a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the door locking part to control the operational state of the door locking part, thereby controlling the closed state of the laundry door 12.
For example, the door locking part may be controlled by the controller to lock the laundry door 12 in a closed state so that the laundry door 12 in a closed state is not opened. If the locking state of the door locking part is released, the laundry door 12 may be automatically rotated to open the laundry introduction port 11 or may be freely manipulated by the user to be opened. The controller will be described later in more detail.
In addition, the cabinet 10 may be provided with an input/output part 80 configured to generate an input signal in response to manipulation by the user. The concrete structure of the input/output part 80 will be described later.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer panel 13 may include the input/output part 80 and the opening 18. In addition, the outer panel 13 may be provided with the above-described laundry introduction port 11. For example, the outer panel 13 may correspond to the front panel of the cabinet 10, and the input/output part 80 and the opening 18 may be located above the laundry introduction port 11.
The opening 18 may be formed so as to allow communication between the inside and the outside of the cabinet 10. The opening 18 may include a hole formed through the outer panel 13, and the inside and the outside of the cabinet 10 may communicate with each other through the hole.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening 18 may be disposed adjacent to the input/output part 80. The opening 18 and the input/output part 80 may be disposed side by side and may be aligned with each other in the width direction of the cabinet 10.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a detergent part 300, which will be described later. A storage part 310 of the detergent part 300 may be inserted into the cabinet 10 through the opening 18. A detailed description of the detergent part 300 will be given later.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure shown in
Referring to
The tub 30 may be disposed in the cabinet 10, may include a space defined therein to accommodate water, and may be formed in any of various shapes. The tub 30 may include a tub opening 31 formed in one surface thereof so as to face the laundry introduction port 11 in the cabinet 10.
In one example, the tub 30 may have a cylindrical shape in which a space is defined, and the tub opening 31 may be formed in the front surface of the tub 30 so as to face the laundry introduction port 11. Laundry introduced into the cabinet 10 through the laundry introduction port 11 may be introduced into the tub 30 through the tub opening 31.
The drum 20 may be provided in the tub 30. The drum 20 may be formed in any of various shapes, so long as the drum 20 includes a space defined therein. The drum 20 may be configured to be rotatable by a driving part 70.
The drum 20 may include a drum opening 21 formed in the surface thereof facing the tub opening 31. For example, the drum opening 21 may be formed in the front surface of the drum 20 so as to face the tub opening 31. The inside of the drum 20 may communicate with the outside through the drum opening 21, the tub opening 31, and the laundry introduction port 11.
Laundry put into the laundry introduction port 11 by the user may enter the drum 20 through the laundry introduction port 11, the tub opening 31, and the drum opening 21. The laundry introduction port 11, the tub opening 31, and the drum opening 21 may be aligned with each other in a direction parallel to a rotary shaft of the drum 20.
In the present disclosure, the drum 20 may be defined as an accommodation part because laundry is accommodated therein. That is, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the drum 20 or the accommodation part.
The drum 20 may have a circular section in order to easily rotate about the rotary shaft thereof. For example, the drum 20 may be formed in a cylindrical shape. In addition, the drum 20 may include a plurality of through-holes formed in the peripheral surface thereof.
Because the drum 20 is mounted in the tub 30 in which water is accommodated, the water in the tub 30 may enter the drum 20 through the through-holes in the drum 20, and thus may be provided to the laundry.
The rotary shaft of the drum 20 may be connected to the driving part 70 to receive rotational force. That is, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the driving part 70 to rotate the drum 20.
The driving part 70 may be provided outside the tub 30, and the rear surface of the drum 20 may be connected to the rotary shaft. The driving part 70 may be directly connected to the rotary shaft or may be indirectly connected to the rotary shaft via a belt or the like.
In addition, the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a water supply part 40. The water supply part 40 may be connected to an external water source provided outside the cabinet 10, such as a water supply of a city, to supply water to the inside of the cabinet 10.
The water supply part 40 may include a water supply valve to control flow of water. Water supplied from outside the cabinet 10 may flow along a water supply pipe to be directly supplied to the inside of the tub 30 or to be supplied to the detergent part 300.
The detergent part 300 may store detergent and may supply the detergent to the inside of the tub 30 or the drum 20. The detergent part 300 may supply the detergent to the inside of the tub 30 through a detergent pipe connected to the tub 30.
If the water supply pipe is connected to the detergent part 300, the detergent part 300 may supply the detergent to the inside of the tub 30 through the detergent pipe together with the water supplied through the water supply pipe.
In addition, the embodiment of the present disclosure may include a drain part 60. The controller may control the drain part 60 to perform a drain process in order to discharge the water in the tub 30 to the outside during the washing course or the like.
The drain part 60 may include a drain pipe connected to the tub 30 to guide the water in the tub 30 to the outside, a drain valve mounted in the drain pipe to control flow of the water, and a drain pump mounted in the drain pipe to generate flow of the water.
In addition, the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the controller. The controller may be communicatively connected to various components consuming power to control operation of the components. The controller may be divided into a plurality of parts as needed or may include various detailed components.
For example, the controller may functionally include a communicator 190 for communication with external or other components, which will be described later, a storage part for storage of information, and a calculation part for processing of information. In addition, the controller may include sub-controllers provided for respective components and a main controller communicatively connected to the sub-controllers to control the sub-controllers.
The detailed components of the controller divided according to the functions thereof or the components that are controlled thereby may be disposed so as to be spatially separated from each other, or at least some of the detailed components of the controller may be spatially or functionally integrated with each other as needed.
In one example, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller may include a control module 100 configured to control the input/output part 80 and an inner module 160 provided in the cabinet 10 and communicatively connected to the control module 100. The inner module 160 may be configured to control the driving part 70.
Alternatively, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to perform a course for drying laundry. In the laundry treating apparatus 1 configured to perform a laundry drying course, the above-described components for washing laundry, such as the tub 30 and the detergent part 300, may be omitted.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 for drying laundry may include the above-described drum 20, i.e., a laundry accommodation part. The laundry accommodation part may be rotatably provided in the cabinet 10. The driving part 70 may be located on one side of the cabinet 10 and may be connected to the drum 20 itself or the rotary shaft of the drum 20 to provide rotational force to the drum 20.
In addition, the cabinet 10 may be provided therein with an air regulator to provide hot dry air to laundry in the drum 20. The air regulator may be provided in any of various forms.
For example, the air regulator may be configured to consume electrical energy using a Peltier element or the like to heat air, may be configured to form an electromagnetic field to heat the drum 20 made of metal and thus to heat air, or may include a heat pump system using refrigerant to heat and dehumidify air.
The storage part 310 may store various types of fluids. The fluid may be detergent or water. The storage part 310 may be pulled out of or put into the cabinet 10 through the opening 18.
If the laundry treating apparatus 1 is configured to be able to wash laundry, the storage part 310 may store detergent as a component of the detergent part 300. The user may withdraw the storage part 310 to store detergent therein, and then may push the storage part 310 back into the cabinet 10.
If the laundry treating apparatus 1 is configured to be able to dry laundry, the storage part 310 may store water. The water in the storage part 310 may be condensed water generated during a laundry drying process.
In detail, condensed water generated during a laundry drying process, i.e., condensed water removed and collected from the laundry, may be stored in the storage part 310, and the user may separate the storage part 310 from the cabinet 10 to remove the condensed water. If the laundry treating apparatus 1 includes a steam generator, the water stored in the storage part 310 may be supplied to the steam generator to be used to generate steam.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to be able to perform both the washing course and the drying course.
For example, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include the water supply part 40, the tub 30, and the detergent part 300 in order to perform the laundry washing course and may further include the air regulator in order to perform the laundry drying course.
However, for convenience of description, the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described on the basis of the laundry treating apparatus 1 configured to be able to perform the laundry washing course.
That is, hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described on the basis of a structure in which the tub 30 and the detergent part 300 are provided in the cabinet 10 and the storage part 310 in which detergent is stored is pushed into or pulled out of the cabinet 10 through the opening 18 in the outer panel 13.
As shown in
The input/output part 80 may include an input part and/or an output part 90. The input part may generate an input signal in response to manipulation by the user, and the output part 90 may provide various types of information to the user in response to an output signal from the controller.
The input part and the output part 90 may be located together or may be provided separately and spaced apart from each other. Each of the input part and the output part 90 may be provided in plural, and the plurality of input parts and the plurality of output parts 90 may be located at various positions on the cabinet 10.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in
As described above, the input/output part 80 may be provided in the cabinet 10 to provide information to the user or to receive a command from the user. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the opening 18 and the input/output part 80 may be disposed adjacent to each other and may be disposed side by side in the width direction of the cabinet 10.
The input part may include a plurality of buttons and the output part 90. The output part 90 may include a display 95 configured to output a screen to provide visual information to the user and a screen frame configured to surround the display 95.
The output part 90 may be connected to the controller and may output a screen to provide necessary information to the user through the display 95. In addition, the output part 90 may further include a speaker to provide audible signals, e.g., various alarm sounds, to the user.
The input part may generate various input signals in response to manipulation by the user. For example, the input part may include at least one button configured to be physically manipulated by the user, a touch panel configured to detect user touch in response to contact with the user's hand or the like, and a microphone configured to receive a voice signal from the user.
For reference, in the present disclosure, the button includes a physical button configured to be physically changed by manipulation by the user and a touch button configured to generate an electrical signal in response to contact with the user's hand or the like. That is, in the present disclosure, various types of buttons may be provided in various shapes as needed.
The touch panel may be provided in the display 95 to detect user touch input onto the screen or may be provided outside the display 95 on the outer panel 13.
The input part may include a power button 81. If the power button 81 is operated, power may be applied to various components of the laundry treating apparatus 1.
The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be connected to an external power source, and power may be applied to some components. However, the remaining components may be maintained in a standby state or a sleep state, in which power is not applied thereto.
If the power button 81 is operated in the sleep state, power may also be applied to the remaining components, so that the remaining components may enter a power-on state or a wake-up state, in which the remaining components are ready to perform a laundry processing course.
The embodiment of the present disclosure may include a power standby part configured to receive power from an external power source at all times regardless of the standby state or the power-on state. If the power button 81 is operated in the sleep state, the power standby part may allow the application of power to the other components, such as the controller.
However, if necessary, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be configured such that all the components thereof enter either the power-off state or the power-on state without the power standby part.
The input part may include an execution button 82. The execution button 82 may be defined as a pause button. The embodiment of the present disclosure may perform various courses for treating laundry accommodated in the drum 20 under the control of the controller. The user may manipulate the execution button 82 to command execution or pause of the course.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the input part may further include, in addition to the power button 81 and the execution button 82, a screen button for manipulation of the screen output from the output part 90. The screen button may be disposed on the aforementioned screen frame.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a button-type input means, other than the power button 81, the execution button 82, the screen button, and the touch pad, may be removed from the input/output part 80. For example, an option control button for control of options of the course may be omitted from the input/output part 80.
Referring to
The control module 100 may be provided in the cabinet 10 to be coupled to the outer panel 13 and may control the display 95 of the output part 90. Here, the display 95 may be understood as a part of the control module 100.
The control module 100 may receive an input signal input through the input part and may control the output part 90 to output a screen or the like.
The output part 90 may include an output housing 91 in which the display 95 is accommodated. The output housing 91 may be disposed on the outer side of the outer panel 13 and may be connected to the control module 100.
As described above, the controller may include the control module 100 and the inner module 160, and the control module 100 may include a control board 150 connected to the input/output part 80. The control board 150 may include a first control board 151 connected to the display 95 and a second control board 153 disposed in the module housing 110 of the control module 100 to be connected to the first control board 151.
The first control board 151 and the display 95 connected to the first control board 151 may be accommodated in the output housing 91. An output base 94 may be provided in the output housing 91, and the display 95 may be seated on and secured to the output base 94.
For example, the display 95 may be disposed on one surface of the output base 94, and the first control board 151 may be disposed on the opposite surface of the output base 94 to be connected to the display 95. The touch pad for detection of user touch input onto the display 95 may be connected to the first control board 151.
The output part 90 may include an outer cover 93. The output housing 91 may include an open surface, and the outer cover 93 may cover the open surface of the output housing 91. The outer cover 93 may be coupled to the output housing 91 in a state in which the display 95, the output base 94, and the first control board 151 are accommodated in the output housing 91.
The outer cover 93 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 together with the outer panel 13, and the screen output from the display 95 may be provided to the user through the outer cover 93.
The control module 100 may include a module housing 110 disposed in the cabinet 10 and coupled to the outer panel 13, and the second control board 153 may be provided in the module housing 110. The second control board 153 may be communicatively connected to the output part 90 and the input part, and the first control board 151 and the second control board 153 may be connected to each other so as to exchange information with each other.
The user may store detergent in the storage part 310. The storage part 310 may include a space defined therein so as to store detergent. The detergent may be supplied to the inside of the tub 30 during the washing course. If necessary, the user may withdraw the storage part 310 through the opening 18 to wash the same or store detergent therein.
A handle portion 311 that is designed to be held by the user may be disposed at the portion of the storage part 310 that is exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10. The handle portion 311 may form the front surface of the cabinet 10 together with the outer panel 13.
The storage part 310 that is introduced into the cabinet 10 through the opening 18 may pass through the panel case 320. That is, the panel case 320 may be penetrated by the storage part 310. The panel case 320 may accommodate at least a portion of the storage part 310 introduced into the cabinet 10.
For example, the panel case 320 may be provided so as to accommodate the handle portion 311 of the storage part 310 completely introduced into the cabinet 10. That is, the panel case 320 may include a space defined therein so as to accommodate the handle portion 311 of the storage part 310.
The control module 100 may be coupled to the outer panel 13. The outer panel 13 may be provided with a fixing protruding portion 14 protruding toward the control module 100, which will be described later. The module housing 110 may include an insertion coupling portion 112 to which the fixing protruding portion 14 is coupled.
Each of the fixing protruding portion 14 and the insertion coupling portion 112 may be provided in plural. Some of the plurality of fixing protruding portions 14 may be disposed outside the module housing 110 of the control module 100, and the remaining ones thereof may be disposed in the module housing 110 so as to penetrate the module housing 110.
That is, some of the plurality of insertion coupling portions 112 may be provided so as to protrude to the outside of the module housing 110, and the remaining ones thereof may be provided so as to penetrate the module housing 110. A detailed description of the fixing protruding portion 14 and the insertion coupling portion 112 will be given later.
The control module 100 may include a communicator 190. The communicator 190 may be provided so as to communicate with an external device located outside the cabinet 10. The communicator 190 may be configured to receive a wireless signal propagated from the outside of the cabinet 10.
The external device may be disposed outside the laundry treating apparatus 1, and the controller may be configured to communicate with the external device through the communicator 190. The communicator 190 may communicate with the external device in a wireless manner.
For example, the communicator 190 may be configured to communicate with the external device using a wireless communication method such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The communicator 190 may be configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted from the external device for communication.
The external device may include various devices. For example, the external device may include a terminal such as a mobile phone or a computer provided to the user and may include a server configured to communicate with the terminal. In addition, the external device may include a communication device disposed outside the laundry treating apparatus 1 and configured to generate a wireless signal.
The communication device may generate a wireless signal containing information transmitted from the terminal or the server. The communicator 190 may receive a wireless signal generated in the communication device and may also generate a wireless signal to be transmitted to the communication device.
The communication device may receive a wireless signal transmitted from the communicator 190 and may provide the wireless signal to the server or the terminal.
The communicator 190 may be disposed on one side of the control module 100. The communicator 190 may be disposed on the side of the control module 100 that faces the opening 18. Accordingly, the communicator 190 may receive a wireless signal propagated to the inside of the cabinet 10 through the opening 18.
The outer panel 13 constituting the cabinet 10 may be made of a material containing various metals such as steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and tin in order to secure sufficient rigidity. However, these metals may disturb propagation of the wireless signal due to the compositional properties thereof.
Accordingly, the communicator 190 provided in the cabinet 10 may not smoothly receive a wireless signal propagated from the outside of the cabinet 10. However, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, because the communicator 190 configured to receive a wireless signal is disposed on the side of the control module 100 that faces the opening 18, smooth reception of a wireless signal through the opening 18 is possible.
In detail, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer panel 13 may have therein the opening 18 including a hole, and thus propagation of a wireless signal from the outside of the cabinet 10 to the inside of the cabinet 10 may be smoothly achieved through the opening 18 without being disturbed by the metallic components of the outer panel 13.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, because the communicator 190 configured to receive a wireless signal is disposed on the side of the control module 100 that faces the opening 18, a distance from the opening 18 may be minimized, and the communicator 190 may easily receive a wireless signal propagated through the opening 18.
The configuration of the input/output part 80 may be simplified in order to improve user convenience, i.e., to allow the user to simply and conveniently manipulate the same. For example, information about options of the course for treating laundry or buttons manipulated by the user may be simplified, and accordingly, open areas in the outer panel 13 may be minimized.
In other words, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer panel 13 may be formed such that, in the width direction of the cabinet 10, the opening 18 through which the inside and the outside of the cabinet 10 communicate with each other is disposed on one side of the input/output part 80 and an open area through which the inside and the outside of the cabinet 10 communicate with each other is not present on the opposite side of the input/output part 80.
That is, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, only the opening 18 may form an open area in the outer panel 13 at a position near the input/output part 80 provided with the communicator 190. In this way, although an open area in the outer panel 13 is minimized, the communicator 190 may receive a wireless signal through the opening 18 for introduction of the storage part 310, and thus, the embodiment of the present disclosure may implement not only simplification of the input/output part 80 but also a smooth communication environment.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the control module 100 may be disposed at an upper portion of the outer panel 13 so as to be adjacent to the opening 18 in the width direction of the cabinet 10. The communicator 190 may include a communication board 195 configured to receive a wireless signal, and the communication board 195 may be disposed on the surface of the module housing 110 that faces the opening 18.
Accordingly, a spacing distance between the opening 18 and the communicator 190 provided at the control module 100 may be minimized, and the wireless signal reception rate of the communicator 190 may be improved.
The outer panel 13 may be made of metal, and the panel case 320 may be provided at a position corresponding to the opening 18. That is, the communicator 190 may be disposed so as to face one surface of the panel case 320 in the width direction of the cabinet 10.
If the outer panel 13 is made of a first material having a first blocking rate for the wireless signal, the panel case 320 may be coupled to the outer panel 13 so as to oppose the opening 18 and may be made of a second material having a second blocking rate lower than the first blocking rate.
For example, the outer panel 13 may be made of metal, and the panel case 320 may be made of a polymer material. The polymer material has a low blocking rate for a wireless signal, so the wireless signal reception rate of the communicator 190 may be sufficiently improved.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the communicator 190 provided on the module housing 110 of the control module 100 may be located so as to oppose the panel case 320 coupled to the outer panel 13, thereby effectively receiving a wireless signal propagated from the outside of the cabinet 10 by the external device or the like and transmitting a wireless signal to the external device or the like.
Referring to
The control module 100 may include the module housing 110 coupled to the fixing protruding portion 14 and secured to the outer panel 13. As described above, some of the plurality of insertion coupling portions 112 may be disposed in the module housing 110 and may penetrate the module housing 110, and the remaining ones thereof may be disposed so as to protrude to the outside of the module housing 110.
For convenience of description, hereinafter, the insertion coupling portion 112 disposed in the module housing 110 will be referred to as an inner insertion coupling portion 1121, and the insertion coupling portion 112 disposed on the outer side of the module housing 110, i.e., on the periphery of the module housing 110, will be referred to as an outer insertion coupling portion 1122.
The inner insertion coupling portion 1121 may include a hole formed through the module housing 110, and the fixing protruding portion 14 protruding from the outer panel 13 may be inserted into the hole in the inner insertion coupling portion 1121. Accordingly, the fixing protruding portion 14 may be provided so as to penetrate the module housing 110.
The module housing 110 of the control module 100 may be coupled to the outer panel 13, and the control board 150 for controlling the input/output part 80 may be provided in the module housing 110. The input part, such as the power button 81 and the execution button 82 described above, and the output part 90 may be coupled to the control board 150.
The output part 90 may be configured such that the display 95 is accommodated in the output housing 91 outside the cabinet 10 and a knob 92 is provided around the output housing 91 so as to be rotatable relative to the output housing 91.
The knob 92 may be understood as a kind of input part. The controller including the first control board 151 and the second control board 153 may change selection objects displayed on the screen based on information about rotation of the knob 92.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, among the control boards 150, the second control board 153 may be accommodated in the module housing 110, and the first control board 151 may be accommodated in the output housing 91.
The communicator 190 may include a communication board 195 provided on the outer side of the module housing 110 so as to oppose the opening 18. The communication board 195 may be disposed so as to be exposed to the outside of the module housing 110.
Accordingly, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, a distance between the communication board 195 and the opening 18 may be minimized, and disturbance of reception of radio waves by the module housing 110 may be prevented.
The module housing 110 may include a board fixing portion 111 on which the communicator 190 is provided. The board fixing portion 111 may be exposed to the outside of the module housing 110 and may fix the communication board 195 of the communicator 190 in a state of exposing the same to the outside of the module housing 110. The board fixing portion 111 may be provided on the surface of the module housing 110 that faces the opening 18 or the panel case 320.
The control module 100 may include a plurality of control wires. The control wires may be connected to the control board 150 to serve as a signal transmission means of the control board 150. In the present disclosure, connection of the wires may be achieved by coupling between terminals provided at the wires.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of control wires provided at the control module 100 may include at least one of a first control wire 221, a second control wire 222, a third control wire 223, or a fourth control wire 224.
The fourth control wire 224 may be a means communicatively connecting the control board 150 provided in the module housing 110, e.g., the second control board 153, to the above-described inner module 160. The fourth control wire 224 may extend from the control board 150 in the module housing 110 toward the inner module 160.
The module housing 110 may include a wire guide portion 123 to guide the position of the fourth control wire 224. The wire guide portion 123 may have a hook shape including an open side. The fourth control wire 224 may extend from the control board 150 and may be located in the hook defined by the wire guide portion 123.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the control board 150 of the control module 100 may be provided in plural, and the plurality of control boards 150 may include the first control board 151 and the second control board 153. The first control board 151 may be accommodated in the output housing 91, and the second control board 153 may be accommodated in the module housing 110.
The module housing 110 may be provided in the cabinet 10, and at least a portion of the output housing 91 may be located outside the cabinet 10 and may penetrate the outer panel 13 to be connected or coupled to the module housing 110.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222 may be connected to the first control board 151 provided in the output housing 91. That is, the first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222 may be led out from the first control board 151.
The third control wire 223 may be connected to the second control board 153. That is, the third control wire 223 may be led out from the second control board 153.
The communicator 190 may include a communication wire 210 connected to the control wire led out from the control module 100 outside the module housing 110. The communicator 190 may receive a wireless signal and may transmit information to the controller through the communication wire 210.
The communicator 190 may exchange information with the control board 150 through the communication wire 210 and the control wire connected to each other. The communication wire 210 and the control wire may be connected to each other through coupling between terminals thereof.
The control wire connected to the communication wire 210 may be the first control wire 221 connected to the first control board 151 controlling the output part 90. Thus, information transmitted from the communicator 190 may be primarily transmitted to the first control board 151 through the first control wire 221.
As described above, the communicator 190 may be disposed on the outer side of the module housing 110. Thus, the terminal of the first control wire 221 and the terminal of the communication wire 210 may be coupled to each other outside the module housing 110.
The module housing 110 may include a first terminal receiving portion 121 to which any one of the terminal of the communication wire 210 and the terminal of the control wire is coupled and secured. For example, the terminal of the communication wire 210 or the terminal of the first control wire 221 may be received in the first terminal receiving portion 121.
That is, any one of the terminal of the communication wire 210 and the terminal of the control wire may be received in and secured to the first terminal receiving portion 121, and the other of the terminal of the communication wire 210 and the terminal of the control wire may be coupled to the terminal secured to the first terminal receiving portion 121.
Because the embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with the first terminal receiving portion 121 to which at least one of the terminal of the control wire or the terminal of the communication wire 210, which is freely changeable in position, is secured, the terminal of the control wire and the terminal of the communication wire 210 may be conveniently coupled to each other, and the wires may be easily organized.
In addition, as described above, coupling between the first control wire 221 and the communication wire 210 may be achieved outside the module housing 110. In consideration thereof, the first terminal receiving portion 121 may be exposed to the outside of the module housing 110.
For example, the first terminal receiving portion 121 may be provided on the peripheral surface of the module housing 110. The first terminal receiving portion 121 may be provided on the lower surface of the module housing 110.
The second control wire 222 may be led out from the first control board 151, and the third control wire 223 may be led out from the second control board 153. The first control board 151 may control the display 95 and may be connected to the second control board 153 via the second control wire 222 and the third control wire 223.
In detail, the first control board 151 may exchange information with the second control board 153 through the second control wire 222 and the third control wire 223. The communicator 190 may exchange information with the first control board 151 through the communication wire 210 and the first control wire 221.
That is, information about the wireless signal received by the communicator 190 may be transmitted to the second control board 153 via the first control board 151. The second control board 153, in which information of the first control board 151 and information of the communicator 190 are collected, may exchange information with the inner module 160 through the fourth control wire 224.
Similar to the communication wire 210 and the first control wire 221, the second control wire 222 and the third control wire 223 may be connected to each other through coupling between terminals thereof. The second control wire 222 and the third control wire 223 may be coupled to each other outside the module housing 110.
The module housing 110 may include a second terminal receiving portion 122 to which any one of the terminal of the second control wire 222 and the terminal of the third control wire 223 is coupled and secured, and the other of the terminal of the second control wire 222 and the terminal of the third control wire 223 may be coupled to the terminal secured to the second terminal receiving portion 122.
The output part 90 may include the output housing 91. The output base 94 to which the display 95 and the first control board 151 may be secured may be accommodated in the output housing 91. The display 95 and the first control board 151 may be accommodated in the output housing 91. The output housing 91 may include an open surface, and the outer cover 93 may be coupled to the open surface of the output housing 91.
The output housing 91 may include a hole formed therein so as to be open toward the inside of the cabinet 10. The first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222 described above may be led out toward the module housing 110 through the hole in the output housing 91.
The module housing 110 and the second control board 153 provided in the module housing 110 may include wire holes 113 formed therein at a position corresponding to the hole in the output housing 91 so that the first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222 pass therethrough.
Referring to
The communication wire 210 and the third control wire 223 may be received in and secured to the first terminal receiving portion 121 and the second terminal receiving portion 122 so as to be coupled to the other terminals, e.g., the aforementioned terminals of the first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222, outside the module housing 110.
In addition, the fourth control wire 224 may extend from the second control board 153, may pass through the aforementioned wire guide portion 123, and then may extend toward the inner module 160.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, because the communication wire 210, the third control wire 223, and the fourth control wire 224 are fixed in position by the first terminal receiving portion 121, the second terminal receiving portion 122, and the wire guide portion 123 before being coupled to the first control wire 221 or the second control wire 222, the wires may be more conveniently managed.
Further, even when the module housing 110 is coupled to the outer panel 13, the terminals of the communication wire 210 and the third control wire 223, which are coupled to the first terminal receiving portion 121 and the second terminal receiving portion 122 exposed to the outside of the module housing 110, may be secured so as to be casily coupled to the terminals of the first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222 provided outside the module housing 110.
For example, the outer panel 13 may be the front panel, the communication board 195 and the board fixing portion 111 may be disposed on the side surface of the module housing 110 that faces the panel case 320, and the lower end of the communication board 195 may protrude downward below the module housing 110.
Accordingly, the module housing 110 may be disposed adjacent to the upper end of the outer panel 13 without structural interference due to the communication board 195. As a result, placement of the module housing 110 at a high position may be efficiently achieved.
In addition, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, at least a portion of the communication board 195 may protrude beyond the module housing 110, and a wire connection portion 196, to which the communication wire 210 is connected, may be provided on the protruding portion of the communication board 195.
That is, the wire connection portion 196 of the communicator 190 may be located below the module housing 110. The lower end portion of the communication board 195 may protrude downward below the module housing 110 and may include the wire connection portion 196 to which the communication wire 210 is connected.
Because the lower end portion of the communication board 195 protrudes downward below the module housing 110 and is provided with the wire connection portion 196, a distance between the wire connection portion 196 and the first terminal receiving portion 121 disposed on the lower surface of the module housing 110 may be reduced, and thus unnecessary increase in the length of the communication wire 210 may be suppressed.
Referring to
The first terminal receiving portion 121, the second terminal receiving portion 122, and the wire guide portion 123 may be disposed on one surface of the module housing 110. If the outer panel 13 corresponds to the front panel, the first terminal receiving portion 121, the second terminal receiving portion 122, and the wire guide portion 123 may be disposed on the lower surface of the module housing 110.
The first terminal receiving portion 121, the second terminal receiving portion 122, and the wire guide portion 123 may protrude downward from the lower surface of the module housing 110 to be exposed to the outside of the module housing 110 and may be aligned side by side in the width direction of the cabinet 10.
The terminal receiving portion may include a terminal seating portion 126 on which one surface of the terminal disposed at an end portion of the communication wire 210 or the third control wire 223 is seated and supported. The terminal seating portion 126 may support the lower surface of the terminal. The terminal seating portion 126 may be provided at an end portion thereof with a hook protrusion to suppress movement of the terminal.
In addition, the terminal receiving portion may include a terminal fixing portion 125 disposed so as to oppose another surface of the terminal, e.g., a surface of the terminal opposite the surface thereof supported on the terminal seating portion 126, thereby preventing separation of the terminal disposed on the terminal seating portion 126.
The terminal seating portion 126 and the terminal fixing portion 125 may extend away from the module housing 110, and a space in which the terminal is received may be defined therebetween. The terminal seating portion 126 may extend backward while being spaced downward from the lower surface of the module housing 110, and the terminal fixing portion 125 may extend backward from the module housing 110 while being spaced upward from the terminal seating portion 126.
If the module housing 110 is coupled to the outer panel 13 while facing forward, the communication wire 210 and the third control wire 223 may be led out from the front side of the module housing 110 to the rear side of the module housing 110, and each of the terminals thereof may be received in a respective one of the terminal receiving portions.
The terminal may be seated on the terminal seating portion 126 of the terminal receiving portion, backward separation thereof may be prevented by the hook protrusion of the terminal seating portion 126, and upward separation thereof may be prevented by the terminal fixing portion 125.
The terminal received in the terminal receiving portion may be fixed in position and may be disposed to allow another terminal located at the rear thereof to be coupled thereto.
Referring to
In detail, the first control wire 221 may extend from the first control board 151, and the terminal thereof may be coupled to the terminal of the communication wire 210 received in the first terminal receiving portion 121 outside the module housing 110.
The second control wire 222 may extend from the first control board 151 or may branch from the first control wire 221, and the terminal thereof may be coupled to the terminal of the third control wire 223 received in the second terminal receiving portion 122.
Accordingly, information of the communication board 195 may be transmitted to the second control board 153 through the communication wire 210, the first control wire 221, the second control wire 222, and the third control wire 223. Information of the first control board 151 may be transmitted to the second control board 153 through the second control wire 222 and the third control wire 223. Information of the second control board 153 may be transmitted to the inner module 160 through the fourth control wire 224.
In the embodiment of the present disclosure, because the terminals of the communication wire 210 and the third control wire 223 are received in and secured to the first terminal receiving portion 121 and the second terminal receiving portion 122, respectively, before being coupled to the terminals of the first control wire 221 and the second control wire 222, coupling between the terminals of the wires may be conveniently achieved even in a state in which the module housing 110 is coupled to the outer panel 13.
As is apparent from the above description, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of effectively improving a wireless signal reception rate of a controller.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of minimizing the structure of an input part manipulated by a user and improving a wireless signal reception rate of a controller.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of improving the structural stability of a control module provided in an input/output part.
In addition, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a laundry treating apparatus capable of ensuring efficient arrangement of a plurality of wires connected to the control module and stable coupling between terminals.
The above description is merely illustrative of specific embodiments of the present disclosure, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0080892 | Jun 2023 | KR | national |
