LAUNDRY TREATING APPARATUS

Abstract

Disclosed is a laundry treating apparatus including a cabinet, a tub, a drum, and an air circulator that is disposed on the tub and circulates air inside the tub, wherein the air circulator includes a circulation flow channel, a heat exchanger, and a filter member located, wherein the filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto, wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered, wherein the filter member is located forward of the inlet and is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.

Description

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2023-0114168, filed on Aug. 30, 2023, and 10-2024-0012711, filed on Jan. 26, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus, and more particularly, to a laundry treating apparatus that may dry laundry.

Discussion of the Related Art

A laundry treating apparatus is an apparatus that may perform various treatment courses for treating laundry, such as a washing course that puts clothes, bedding, and the like (hereinafter, referred to as the laundry) into a drum and removes contaminants from the laundry or a drying course that removes moisture present in the laundry.

The laundry treating apparatus may perform the drying course of the laundry via various principles. For example, the laundry treating apparatus may perform the drying course using a scheme of providing high-temperature air to an accommodating portion in which the laundry is accommodated to evaporate moisture in the laundry.

Additionally, the laundry treating apparatus may include an air treater for providing high-temperature air, and the air treater may raise a temperature of air in various schemes. For example, the air treater may raise the temperature of air using a heater or the like that is heated by consuming electric power or may raise the temperature of air using a heat pump system that uses heat generated by compressing a fluid such as a refrigerant.

In one example, the air treater may be of a discharge type that supplies air introduced from the outside of a cabinet to the accommodating portion and discharges air in the accommodating portion to the outside of the cabinet or of a circulation type that circulates air in the accommodating portion and treats air to have a high temperature and to be dried.

In the case of the circulation-type air treater, considering that the laundry is located at a lower portion of the accommodating portion and air does not flow smoothly, air may be discharged or introduced at an upper portion of the accommodating portion.

In addition, considering the fact that a flow efficiency of air is the highest at an inlet of the accommodating portion for the laundry to be input, air in the accommodating portion may be discharged from a rear side of the accommodating portion and may be introduced via a front side of the accommodating portion, that is, the inlet of the accommodating portion.

In one example, the circulation-type air treater may include a filter for removing lint or the like in air to suppress the lint or the like removed from the laundry and contained in air from accumulating in an air heating means, obstructing an air flow, and lowering a heat exchange efficiency.

The filter corresponds to a flow resistance of air, and therefore, increasing a flow area size of air in the filter and increasing a foreign substance storage capacity of the filter to improve ease of use and filter performance are important tasks in the circulation-type air treater.

Related document JP 6321870 B2 discloses a laundry treating apparatus that heats circulating air using the heat pump system and includes the filter to remove foreign substances from circulating air.

In the laundry treating apparatus, a heat pump system is located under the accommodating portion, and air that has passed through the heat pump system flows along the upper portion of the accommodating portion and is supplied into the accommodating portion.

However, in the laundry treating apparatus, the heat pump system is located in a lower portion of the cabinet, so that an air flow path or a refrigerant flow path for supplying heated air into the accommodating portion via the upper portion of the accommodating portion is excessively increased.

In addition, space securement and case of placement are deteriorated in relationships between various components disposed in the lower portion of the cabinet, resulting in design and manufacturing difficulties.

For example, when the laundry treating apparatus is developed to be able to perform not only the drying course but also the washing course, various components such as a support of a tub for storing water therein and a drainage for discharging water should be disposed in the lower portion of the cabinet. Accordingly, a size or a location of a space that the heat pump system may occupy is greatly limited.

Furthermore, the filter of the laundry treating apparatus needs to be disposed at least upstream of the heat pump system, and accordingly, the filter disposed between air discharged from the rear side of the accommodating portion and the heat pump system has no choice but to be disposed to be biased to a rear side of an entirety of the cabinet. As a result, accessibility for replacement or cleaning of the filter is greatly reduced.

Therefore, minimizing the air flow path to reduce unnecessary space consumption and the air flow resistance, and furthermore, effectively improving a performance of the filter while improving the accessibility and the convenience of use of the user are important tasks in the present technical field.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may minimize an air flow path and may efficiently treat air.

Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may improve accessibility and convenience of use of a user for a filter member that removes foreign substances in air.

Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus in which a filter member is disposed in a front portion of a cabinet to improve ease of access of a user.

Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus that may improve fluidity of air and improve convenience of use by effectively increasing a filtering area size of a filter member.

Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure are to provide a laundry treating apparatus in which a filter member is detachable via a top surface of a cabinet to facilitate insertion (introduction) and withdrawal of the high-capacity filter member.

A laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a drum for accommodating laundry therein, and includes an air circulator for providing high-temperature dry air into the drum.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, both the air circulator and a refrigerant circulator are disposed on a tub, so that a detergent supply, a drainage, a tub support, and the like may be efficiently disposed under the tub where it is difficult to secure a space.

As a filter member, which is disposed in the air circulator, is disposed in a front side of a cabinet, a user may conveniently access the filter member, thereby improving convenience of use.

Additionally, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member has a plurality of filter surfaces and a filter space, thereby improving a flow performance of air and improving a filter performance.

Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member is extended upwardly of the cabinet via a top panel, so that even when a spatial filter member is disposed in the air circulator, insertion and withdrawal of the spatial filter member may be conveniently performed.

Such an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet, a tub that is disposed inside the cabinet and accommodates water therein, a drum that is rotatably disposed inside the tub and accommodates laundry therein, and an air circulator that is disposed on the tub and circulates air inside the tub.

The air circulator includes a circulation flow channel, a heat exchanger, and a filter member. The circulation flow channel includes an inlet located on the tub and allowing air to be introduced from the tub, and an outlet located forward of the inlet and allowing air to be discharged into the tub.

The heat exchanger is disposed on the circulation flow channel, is located forward of the inlet, and performs heat exchange between air and a refrigerant. The filter member is located between the inlet of the circulation flow channel and the heat exchanger to filter foreign substances in air.

The filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto, and at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered.

The filter member is located at a location forward of the inlet and is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.

The cabinet may include a top panel defining the top surface of the cabinet, and the top panel may include a filter inlet defined therein, wherein the filter member is inserted into the filter inlet.

The filter member may be inserted into the filter inlet and form the top surface of the cabinet together with the top panel. The filter member may have the filter surfaces formed on at least two surfaces.

The filter member may include an inlet surface allowing air to be introduced into the filter space, a first filter surface facing the heat exchanger and allowing air to pass therethrough and be filtered, and a second filter surface connected to the filter inlet surface and allowing air to pass therethrough and be filtered.

The filter member may be aligned with the heat exchanger along a width direction of the cabinet.

The air circulator may further include an air fan located between the air circulator and the cabinet and aligned with the heat exchanger along a width direction of the cabinet. The air fan may discharge air at a location forward of a drum inlet defined in the drum.

The circulation flow channel may include a first flow channel extending forward from the inlet, and a second flow channel extending from the first flow channel along a width direction of the cabinet. The filter member may be disposed at a connection portion of the first flow channel and the second flow channel.

The air circulator may include a filter chamber where the filter member is mounted, and a heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted, and a length of the filter chamber in a direction from the inlet toward the cabinet may be set to be greater than a width of a front surface of the heat exchanger in the direction from the inlet toward the cabinet.

The air circulator may include an air treater constituting a portion of the circulation flow channel and including the filter member and the heat exchanger.

The air treater may include a mounting base, wherein the filter member and the heat exchanger are mounted inside the mounting base together. The mounting base may include a filter chamber where the filter member is mounted, and a heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted, and the filter chamber and the heat exchange chamber may be connected to each other to share one surface with each other.

The filter member may be located in one side of the mounting base in a width direction of the cabinet, and the heat exchanger may be located in the other side of the mounting base in the width direction.

The mounting base may have an open top surface to include a mounting space where the filter member and the heat exchanger are accommodated, and the filter member may be insertable into or withdrawable from the mounting space via the open top surface of the mounting base.

The air treater may further include a heat exchange cover coupled to the mounting base to cover a portion of the open top surface of the mounting base, and the heat exchanger may be located under the heat exchange cover.

The mounting base may include a filter chamber where the filter member is mounted, and the circulation flow channel may include an inflow pipe extending forward from the inlet and connected to the filter chamber.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a compressor that is located on the tub, is connected to the heat exchanger, and compresses the refrigerant, and the filter member may be located forward of the compressor.

A rear end of the filter member may be located forward of a front end of the compressor. A refrigerant flow channel including the heat exchanger and the compressor and allowing the refrigerant to circulate therethrough may be located entirely on the tub.

The heat exchanger may be located forward of the compressor and aligned with the filter member along a width direction of the cabinet. The inlet of the circulation flow channel may be located on one side of the compressor in a width direction of the cabinet.

The circulation flow channel may include a first flow channel extending forward from the inlet, and a second flow channel extending from the first flow channel along a width direction of the cabinet, the first flow channel may be located on one side of the compressor in the width direction of the cabinet, and the second flow channel may be located forward of the compressor.

The air circulator may include a mounting base where the heat exchanger and the compressor are mounted, the mounting base may include a heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted, and a compressor chamber located rearward of the heat exchange chamber and where the compressor is mounted, and the heat exchange chamber and the compressor chamber may be integrally molded.

The tub may define a width direction-center line passing through a center of the tub and parallel to a width direction of the cabinet, and the filter member may be located forward of the width direction-center line.

The tub may include a front divided tub including a tub inlet open toward a front surface of the cabinet and a front portion of a circumferential surface of the tub, and a rear divided tub including a rear surface of the tub facing a rear surface of the cabinet, and a rear portion of the circumferential surface of the tub.

The inlet of the circulation flow channel may be defined on the rear divided tub, and the filter member may be disposed on the front divided tub. A rear end of the filter member may be located forward of a coupling line of the front divided tub and the rear divided tub.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a compressor that is located on the tub, is connected to the heat exchanger, and compresses the refrigerant, the heat exchanger may be disposed on the front divided tub, and the compressor may be disposed on the rear divided tub.

The tub may define a front and rear direction-center line parallel to a front and rear direction of the cabinet and passing through a center of the tub, and the front and rear direction-center line may cross the filter member. The front and rear direction-center line may cross the inlet.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a steam generator that is located on the tub and generates steam, and the steam generator may be located on one side of the air circulator in a width direction of the cabinet or may be located on one side of the circulation flow channel in the width direction of the cabinet.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a steam generator that is located on the tub, is located on one side of the circulation flow channel in a width direction of the cabinet, and generates steam, and the filter member may be located forward of the steam generator.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a control module that is located on the tub, is located on one side of the circulation flow channel in a width direction of the cabinet, and controls the air circulator, and the control module may be located on one side of the filter member in the width direction of the cabinet.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a detergent supply that is located on the tub and supplies detergent into the tub, and the detergent supply may be located on one side of the air circulator in a width direction of the cabinet.

A rear end of the filter member may be located forward of a rear end of the detergent supply. At least a portion of the inlet may be located under the detergent supply.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include an additional treating apparatus including an additional cabinet located under the cabinet and an additional drum that is disposed inside the additional cabinet and accommodates laundry therein, and the cabinet may be disposed on the additional cabinet.

The laundry treating apparatus may further include a detergent supply that is located under the tub, is connected to the tub, and supplies detergent into the tub. The laundry treating apparatus may further include a manipulation panel disposed on a front surface of the cabinet and manipulated by a user to generate a command signal of the user. The manipulation panel may be located forward of the filter member.

A laundry inlet may be defined in a front surface of the cabinet, the tub may include a tub inlet facing the laundry inlet, a tub gasket sealing a space between the laundry inlet and the tub inlet may be disposed inside the cabinet, and the outlet of the circulation flow channel may be connected to the tub gasket.

In one example, a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet, a tub that is disposed inside the cabinet and accommodates water therein, a drum that is rotatably disposed inside the tub and accommodates laundry therein, and an air circulator that is disposed on the tub and circulates air inside the tub.

The air circulator includes a circulation flow channel located on the tub and discharging air introduced from the tub back into the tub, a compressor that is located on the tub and compresses a refrigerant for exchanging heat with air in the circulation flow channel, and a filter member disposed in the circulation flow channel to filter foreign substances in air.

The filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto, at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered, and the filter member is located at a location forward of the compressor and is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.

In one example, a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet, a tub that is disposed inside the cabinet and accommodates water therein, a drum that is rotatably disposed inside the tub and accommodates laundry therein, and an air circulator that is disposed on the tub and circulates air inside the tub.

The air circulator includes a circulation flow channel located on the tub and discharging air introduced from the tub back into the tub, and an air treater that is connected to the circulation flow channel and performs heat exchange between air and a refrigerant,

The air treater includes a filter member that filters foreign substances in air, and the tub includes a front divided tub including a front portion of a circumferential surface of the tub and a rear divided tub including a rear portion of the circumferential surface of the tub.

The filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto, and at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered.

The filter member is located at a location forward of a coupling line of the front divided tub and the rear divided tub, and is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.

A center of the filter member in a front and rear direction of the cabinet is located at a location forward of the coupling line of the front divided tub and the rear divided tub, and the filter member is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via the top surface of the cabinet.

The embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus that may minimize the air flow path and may efficiently treat air.

Additionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus that may improve the accessibility and the convenience of use of the user for the filter member that removes the foreign substances in air.

Additionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus in which the filter member is disposed in the front portion of the cabinet to improve the case of access of the user.

Additionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus that may improve the fluidity of air and improve the convenience of use by effectively increasing the filtering area size of the filter member.

Additionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure may provide the laundry treating apparatus in which the filter member is detachable via the top surface of the cabinet to facilitate the introduction (insertion) and the withdrawal of the high-capacity filter member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a laundry treating apparatus stacked on an additional treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a laundry treating apparatus separated from an additional treating apparatus in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view showing the inside of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an air circulator of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows an air circulator disposed in an upper portion of a cabinet in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a fixing portion for fixing an air circulator in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of an air circulator mounted in a cabinet in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an air circulator in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 shows an air circulator connected to a tub with a cabinet removed in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing cross-sections of a detergent supply and an additional treating apparatus disposed under a tub in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 shows a flow direction of air based on an air circulator in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a top view of an air circulator disposed on a tub in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an inlet of an air circulator in FIG. 13 moved away from a compressor.

FIG. 15 is a side view of an air circulator shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a front view of an air circulator shown in FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a filter member separated from a cabinet via a top panel in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a filter member of a laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail such that those skilled in the art may easily practice them.

However, the present disclosure may be implemented in several different forms and may not be limited to the embodiments described herein. Further, to clearly illustrate the present disclosure in the drawings, parts unrelated to the description are omitted, and similar drawing numerals are assigned to similar parts throughout the present document.

In the present document, redundant descriptions of the same components will be omitted.

Further, in the present document, when a component is referred to as being ‘connected’ to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected to each other, but there may be another component therebetween. On the other hand, in the present document, when a component is referred to as being ‘directly connected’ to another component, it should be understood that there is no other component therebetween.

Additionally, the terms used herein are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

Further, as used herein, singular expressions may include plural expressions, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In addition, in the present document, it should be understood that terms such as ‘include’ or ‘have’ are only intended to indicate the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, and do not preclude the presence or addition of other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Further, in the present document, the term ‘and/or’ includes a combination of a plurality of listed items or any of the plurality of listed items. As used herein, ‘A or B’ may include ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘both A and B’.

FIG. 1 shows a laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure disposed on an additional treating apparatus 2.

The laundry treating apparatus (first treating apparatus) 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be disposed to be vertically stacked with the additional treating apparatus (second treating apparatus) 2. For example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a cabinet (first cabinet) 10 forming an outer appearance thereof, and the cabinet 10 may be disposed on top of the additional treating apparatus 2.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a washing process or a drying process for laundry accommodated inside the cabinet 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the additional treating apparatus 2 may wash or dry laundry accommodated inside an additional drum (second drum) 4 independently of the laundry treating apparatus 1.

The additional treating apparatus 2 may include an additional cabinet (second cabinet) 3 located beneath the cabinet 10 and the additional drum 4 disposed inside the additional cabinet 3 to accommodate the laundry therein. The cabinet 10 may be disposed on top of the additional cabinet 3.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be defined to include the additional treating apparatus 2. For example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be defined as an entirety including the cabinet 10 and the additional cabinet 3.

Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, a treating apparatus disposed in a stacked form on top of the additional treating apparatus 2 will be described as the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure separated from the additional treating apparatus 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be used together with or independently of the additional treating apparatus 2.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 may have a bottom surface positioned on top of a top surface of the additional cabinet 3 of the additional treating apparatus 2, and the bottom surface may have a leg that is to support a load by being positioned on the ground or on the top surface of the additional cabinet 3.

The additional treating apparatus 2 may also include a leg seating portion for seating the leg of the laundry treating apparatus 1 on the top surface of the additional cabinet 3.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 may be of a front loader type in which a door 17 and a laundry inlet are formed at a front surface thereof, and the additional treating apparatus 2 may be of a pedestal type in which a drawer 5 is disposed inside the additional cabinet 3 forming an outer appearance thereof.

The drawer 5 may be inserted into or withdrawable from the additional cabinet 3 via an open front surface of the additional cabinet 3. The drawer 5 may include the additional drum 4 to accommodate the laundry therein, and may include an additional detergent compartment 6 to store detergent used in the washing process therein.

FIG. 3 shows the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, excluding the additional treating apparatus 2.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 includes the cabinet 10 described above. The cabinet 10 may be formed by coupling a plurality of panels to each other, and may form the outer appearance of the laundry treating apparatus 1. A space in which various components may be disposed may be defined inside the cabinet 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cabinet 10 may include a front panel 11 forming the front surface of the laundry treating apparatus 1, a rear panel 12 forming a rear surface, a pair of side panels 13 forming both side surfaces, a top panel 14 forming the top surface, and a base panel 15 forming the bottom surface.

A laundry inlet 16 may be defined in the front surface of the cabinet 10. The laundry inlet 16 may be defined in the front panel 11. The front panel 11 may have the door 17 for opening and closing the laundry inlet 16. The door 17 may be pivotably disposed on the front panel 11 to open and close the laundry inlet 16 depending on a pivoting state.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front panel 11 may include a manipulation panel 65 that provides various information to a user or receives a command by being manipulated by the user. The manipulation panel 65 may include a display 66 for outputting a screen, and the display 66 may be exposed to the outside from the front panel 11.

The display 66 may allow input of the user command on the screen. For example, the display 66 is able to sense a touch by the user. Accordingly, the display 66 may be defined as a control panel for the user to manipulate the laundry treating apparatus 1.

A withdrawal cover 18 and a detergent supply 90 may be disposed at a bottom of the front panel 11. The bottom of the front panel 11 may be a portion of the front panel 11 including a lower end of the front panel 11 or may be a component separate from the front panel 11, for example, a front surface of the base panel 15.

The withdrawal cover 18 may be disposed to cover and shield, from the outside, a component that may be withdrawn from the inside of the cabinet 10 to the outside (an apparatus or a component that may be withdrawn from the cabinet). The user may open the withdrawal cover 18 to expose the component to be withdrawn to the outside, or close the withdrawal cover 18 to shield the component to be withdrawn from the outside.

The component to be withdrawn may be set in various ways as needed. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, to remove residual water present in a drainage 50, which will be described later, a residual water pipe extending from the drainage 50, a drain filter disposed in a drain pump 51 of the drainage 50, or the like may be the withdrawable component.

The detergent supply 90 may be disposed at a lower portion of the cabinet 10 such that at least a portion thereof may be extendable forwardly of the cabinet 10. For example, the detergent supply 90 may include a detergent casing fixed inside the cabinet 10 and a detergent storage that is inserted into or withdrawn from the detergent casing along a front and rear direction X.

However, a location of the detergent supply 90 is not necessarily limited to the lower portion of the cabinet 10. When necessary, the detergent supply 90 may be disposed at an upper portion of the cabinet 10 as will be described later.

The detergent supply 90 may be formed as an automatic detergent supply apparatus or a manual detergent supply apparatus. The automatic detergent supply apparatus refers to an apparatus that may supply a set amount of detergent to the tub via a detergent pump, and the manual detergent supply apparatus refers to an apparatus that may supply the detergent, which was put into a storage space, to the tub when water is supplied to the tub via the water supply pipe 42. The manual detergent supply apparatus may be composed of a housing disposed inside the cabinet, a housing drawer that provides a space for storing the detergent and is extendable from the housing to the outside of the cabinet, and a detergent supply pipe connecting the housing with the tub.

In one example, the top panel 14 may form the top surface of the cabinet 10. Additionally, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the top panel 14 may include a filter inlet 402 into which a filter member 400, which will be described later, is inserted.

The filter member 400 may filter foreign substances in air of an air circulator 100 disposed in the laundry treating apparatus 1, as will be described later. The filter member 400 may be inserted into the filter inlet 402 to form the top surface of the cabinet 10 together with the top panel 14.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

For reference, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform one of the washing process and the drying process described above or may perform both.

For convenience of description, a following description will be based on a structure of the laundry treating apparatus 1, which may perform both the washing process and the drying process. However, when necessary, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be changed to a component that may perform one of the washing process and the drying process.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a tub 30. The tub 30 may be disposed inside the cabinet 10 and contain water therein.

The tub 30 may have a substantially cylindrical shape, and may have a space for storing water defined therein. A central axis of the tub 30 may be approximately parallel to the front and rear direction X, or the tub 30 may be installed to be inclined such that a front surface thereof is located at a higher vertical level than a rear surface thereof.

The tub 30 may include a tub inlet 31 facing the laundry inlet 16. The front surface of the tub 30 facing the front panel 11 of the cabinet 10 may have the tub inlet 31 facing the laundry inlet 16 of the cabinet 10.

The laundry put into the cabinet 10 via the laundry inlet 16 may be put into the tub 30 via the tub inlet 31. A tub gasket 37 to prevent leakage of the laundry and water may be disposed between the front surface of the tub 30 and the front panel 11.

In one example, the tub 30 may be formed by coupling a plurality of divided components to each other. For example, the tub 30 may be formed by coupling a front divided tub 32 and a rear divided tub 33 to each other.

The front divided tub 32 may include a front portion of the tub 30. The front divided tub 32 may include the tub inlet 31 that opens toward the front surface of the cabinet 10 and a front portion of a circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30.

The rear divided tub 33 may include a rear portion of the tub 30. The rear divided tub 33 may include the rear surface of the tub 30 facing the rear surface of the cabinet 10 and a rear portion of the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30.

The circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30 may be formed by coupling the front divided tub 32 and the rear divided tub 33 to each other. A portion located at a front side of the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30 may belong to the front divided tub 32, and a remaining portion located at a rear side of the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30 may belong to the rear divided tub 33.

Accordingly, a coupling line 34 where the front divided tub 32 and the rear divided tub 33 are coupled may be located on the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30. The coupling line 34 may extend along a circumferential direction of the tub 30. The coupling line 34 may be located on the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30 and may have a ring shape.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 includes a drum 20. The drum 20 may be defined as an accommodating portion of the laundry where the laundry is directly accommodated. The drum 20 may be rotatably disposed inside the tub 30 and may accommodate the laundry therein.

A drum inlet 21 facing the tub inlet 31 and the laundry inlet 16 may be defined in a front surface of the drum 20. The laundry put into the cabinet 10 via the laundry inlet 16 may pass through the tub inlet 31 and the drum inlet 21 and may be accommodated inside the drum 20.

The drum 20 may have an approximately cylindrical shape, and a central axis thereof may be approximately parallel to the central axis of the tub 30. A plurality of holes may be defined in a circumferential surface of the drum 20 such that water contained within the tub 30 may be provided into the drum 20.

A rear surface of the drum 20 may face the rear surface of the tub 30, and may be coupled with a driver 60. The driver 60 may provide a rotational force to the drum 20 via a driving shaft coupled to the rear surface of the drum 20. The driver 60 may be fixed to the rear surface of the tub 30 or the rear surface of the cabinet 10, and may be coupled to the rear surface of the drum 20 via the driving shaft.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a water supply 40. The water supply 40 may be connected to a water supply source present outside the laundry treating apparatus 1 to supply water into the cabinet 10.

The water supply 40 may include a water supply pipe 42 for allowing water flowing toward the tub 30 to flow and a water supply valve 41 for regulating the flow of water. The number of water supply pipes 42 and the number of water supply valves 41 may vary depending on need.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 may include the drainage 50. The drainage 50 may be connected to the tub 30 and may discharge water contained in the tub 30 to the outside of the cabinet 10.

The drainage 50 may be disposed under the tub 30, and may include a drain pipe 52 that forms a flow path for water discharged from the tub 30 and the drain pump 51 for discharging water from the tub 30.

A manipulation module 67 constituting the manipulation panel 65 described above may be disposed at the rear of the display 66 described above. The display 66 may be operated by being connected to the manipulation module 67 at a location in front of the manipulation module 67. The manipulation module 67 may be equipped with a display control board to control the display 66.

A tub support 36 to support the tub 30 may be disposed inside the cabinet 10. The tub support 36 may extend from the tub 30 toward the base panel 15 described above and may support a load of the tub 30 with respect to the base panel 15.

In one example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the air circulator 100 for performing the drying process of the laundry.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the air circulator 100 may be disposed on the tub 30, so that air inside the tub 30 may circulate.

Air inside the tub 30 or the drum 20 may be discharged to the outside of the tub 30 and introduced into the air circulator 100, and the air circulator 100 may heat and dehumidify air and then allow air to be introduced back into the tub 30 or the drum 20.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the air circulator 100 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Air inside the tub 30 may be circulated via the air circulator 100. Air discharged from the tub 30 may be introduced into the air circulator 100, and air discharged from the air circulator 100 may be introduced back into the tub 30.

The air circulator 100 may include a circulation flow channel 110 through which air in the tub 30 circulates. The circulation flow channel 110 may include an inlet 111 located on the tub 30 and through which air is introduced from the tub 30, and an outlet 112 located ahead of the inlet 111 to discharge air into the tub 30.

The inlet 111 may introduce air discharged from the tub 30 into the circulation flow channel 110, and the outlet 112 may discharge air inside the circulation flow channel 110 into the tub 30.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the circulation flow channel 110 may include a first flow channel 115 and a second flow channel 116. The first flow channel 115 may extend forward from the inlet 111. The second flow channel 116 may extend from the first flow channel 115 along a width direction of the cabinet 10 (a Y-axis direction).

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the circulation flow channel 110 may be disposed on the tub 30 inside the cabinet 10. Accordingly, an arrangement space for components disposed under the tub 30, such as the drainage 50, the tub support 36, and the detergent supply 90, may be effectively secured under the tub 30.

In one example, the air circulator 100 may perform various treatment processes such as heating or dehumidifying circulating air, and may include various components therefor. However, in consideration of a spatial limitation of the air circulator 100 disposed on the tub 30 inside the cabinet 10, the circulation flow channel 110 may include the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 extending in different directions.

That is, the circulation flow channel 110 may extend in a scheme of being curved or bent at a connection portion where the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 are connected to each other. Accordingly, a space where the components for the air flow and treatment may be arranged may be effectively secured in an upper space of the cabinet 10.

The air circulator 100 may include the filter member 400 to filter the foreign substances such as lint in air discharged from the tub 30. The filter member 400 may be disposed in the circulation flow channel 110 and may filter the foreign substances in air.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member 400 may be disposed at the connection portion of the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116. Therefore, air flowing through the first flow channel 115 may be filtered while passing through the filter member 400, and then be introduced into the second flow channel 116.

The first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 may have the different extension directions. Accordingly, turbulence may increase while air flows from the first flow channel 115 to the second flow channel 116, which may have a detrimental effect on a flow performance of air.

Because the filter member 400 may also act as a resistance to the flow of air, the turbulence of air passing through the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 may be aggravated by the filter member 400. Accordingly, when the filter member 400 and the connection portion (a connection space between the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116) are disposed to be spaced apart from each other, a plurality of sections that reduce the flow performance of air are formed, which may be disadvantageous for reducing the turbulence of air.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may unify sections where a flow resistance of air is increased as the filter member 400 is disposed at the connection portion of the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116, thereby effectively reducing the air flow performance degradation throughout the air circulator 100.

The air circulator 100 may include an air treater 300 that may heat and dehumidify air. The air treater 300 may correspond to at least a portion of the second flow channel 116. The air treater 300 may form a portion of the circulation flow channel 110 and may include the filter member 400 and a heat exchanger 210.

The heat exchanger 210 of the air treater 300 may be constructed such that heat in air and heat of a refrigerant are exchanged. The heat exchanger 210 may take heat from air and condense moisture in air, or may supply heat to air to heat air.

The filter member 400 may be disposed upstream of the heat exchanger 210 in the circulation flow channel 110 to suppress the foreign substances in air from accumulating in the heat exchanger 210. The air treater 300 may include a mounting base 310 for the heat exchanger 210 and the like to be mounted.

The air circulator 100 may include at least a portion of a refrigerant circulator 200 that absorbs heat or releases heat by circulating the refrigerant. The refrigerant circulator 200 may include the heat exchanger 210 described above, a compressor 220 for compressing the refrigerant, and the like.

At least a portion of the refrigerant circulator 200 may correspond to a portion of the air circulator 100. For example, at least a portion of the refrigerant circulation unit 200 may be located in the circulation flow channel 110 of the air circulator 100.

At least a portion of the refrigerant circulator 200, for example, the heat exchanger 210 of the refrigerant circulator 200, may be mounted in the mounting base 310 of the air treater 300. The filter member 400 described above may also be mounted in the mounting base 310. That is, the filter member 400 and the heat exchanger 210 may be mounted together inside the mounting base 310.

FIG. 6 shows the air circulator 100 disposed in the upper portion of the cabinet 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the refrigerant circulator 200 as well as the air circulator 100 may be entirely located on the tub 30. Air in the tub 30 may be discharged toward the air circulator 100 from the rear side of the tub 30, for example, the rear divided tub 33 of the tub 30, and air in the air circulator 100 may be introduced into the tub 30 via the tub inlet 31 or the tub gasket 37 disposed at the front side of the tub 30, for example, the front divided tub 32.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the laundry may be accommodated inside the drum 20 that is installed inside the tub 30. In this case, the circumferential surface of the drum 20 or the like may act as a resistance when air introduced into the tub 30 from the outside of the tub 30 flows into the drum 20.

For example, when air in the tub 30 is discharged to the air circulator 100 via the tub inlet 31, air in the air circulator 100 needs to be introduced into the tub 30 from the rear side of the tub 30 because of an arrangement of the components.

In this case, aside from the discharge of air inside the tub 30, air introduced into the tub 30 is not able to flow into the drum 20 because the circumferential surface of the drum 20 acts as a high level resistance, and is able to flow between the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30 and the circumferential surface of the drum 20.

In other words, a situation in which high-temperature dry air provided from the air circulator 100 is not delivered to the laundry inside the drum 20 may occur.

For air in the air circulator 100 to be easily delivered into the drum 20, an embodiment of the present disclosure may inject air in the air circulator 100 toward the tub inlet 31 in communication with the drum inlet 21. By allowing air inside the tub 30 to be discharged from the rear side of the tub 30, at least high-temperature dry air in the air circulator 100 may be completely delivered into the drum 20.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, air may flow from a front side to a rear side inside the tub 30 or the drum 20. The inlet 111 disposed in the air circulator 100 may be located at the rear side of the tub 30, and the outlet 112 of air may be located at the front side of the tub 30, for example, on the tub gasket 37.

Additionally, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member 400 may be separated upwardly of the cabinet 10 via the filter inlet 402 formed in the top panel 14 of the cabinet 10. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member 400 may have a three-dimensional structure having a filter space 401 defined and a plurality of filter surfaces 420 as will be described later to increase a storage capacity for the foreign substances, improve a filter efficiency, and improve the flow performance of air.

The filter member 400 requires management by the user, such as removal of the collected foreign substances, and accordingly, it is necessary to ensure case of use in separating and coupling the filter member 400.

However, as described above, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may include the manipulation panel 65, and the manipulation panel 65 may be disposed at a front portion of the front panel 11, for example, upward of the door 17, in consideration of the case of use.

That is, the manipulation panel 65 including the display 66 and the manipulation module 67 may be located in front of the filter member 400. When the filter member 400 having the three-dimensional structure is to be extended via the front panel 11, an area size corresponding to a volume of the filter member 400 needs to be secured at the upper portion of the front panel 11, but it may be difficult to secure the volume of the filter member 400 or an opening for extending the filter member 400 when considering the manipulation panel 65 or the like.

Accordingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure may form the filter inlet 402 in the top panel 14 through which the filter member 400 is inserted or withdrawn, and may insert or withdraw the filter member 400 via the top panel 14 in a height direction Z of the cabinet 10, so that the user may conveniently introduce or withdraw the filter member 400 again without structural interference in a relationship with the manipulation panel 65 or the like even when the volume of the filter member 400 is increased.

FIG. 7 shows a fixing portion for fixing the air circulator 100 in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the air circulator 100 may be located on the tub 30 and fixed to the cabinet 10. To fix the air circulator 100, a fixing portion coupled to the cabinet 10 and the air circulator 100 may be disposed.

The fixing portion may include a plurality of fixing portions. For example, the fixing portion may include a front fixing portion 315 located in front of the air circulator 100 and an upper fixing portion 316 located on the air circulator 100.

The fixing portion may be coupled with the mounting base 310 of the air treater 300 disposed in the air circulator 100. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a load of the mounting base 310 where the heat exchanger 210, the compressor 220, the filter member 400, and the like may be disposed may be supported and fixed by the fixing portion.

The front fixing portion 315 may be coupled to the cabinet 10 at a location in front of the air circulator 100. The front fixing portion 315 may extend along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) and may have a plate shape. The front fixing portion 315 may be fixed by being coupled to the front panel 11 or by having both ends coupled to the side panels 13.

The air circulator 100 may be coupled to the front fixing portion 315. For example, the air circulator 100 may include a base coupling portion 319a that protrudes forward from the mounting base 310. The base coupling portion 319a may protrude forward from a filter chamber 320 or a heat exchange chamber 330, which will be described later. The base coupling portion 319a may be inserted into the front fixing portion 315.

The upper fixing portion 316 may be coupled to the cabinet 10 on the air circulator 100. The upper fixing portion 316 may extend along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) and may have a plate shape. The upper fixing portion 316 may be fixed by being coupled to the top panel 14 or by having both ends coupled to the side panels 13.

The air circulator 100 may be coupled to the upper fixing portion 316. For example, the air circulator 100 may include a base coupling portion 319b that protrudes upward from the mounting base 310. The base coupling portion 319b may protrude upward from a compressor chamber 340. The base coupling portion 319b may be inserted into the upper fixing portion 316.

Additionally, the air circulator 100 may be directly coupled to the cabinet 10 excluding the fixing portion. For example, the air circulator 100 may be fixed at a front side by the front fixing portion 315, at an upper side by the upper fixing portion 316, and at a rear side by being directly coupled to the rear panel 12 of the cabinet 10.

The air circulator 100 may include a base coupling portion 319c that protrudes rearward from the mounting base 310. The base coupling portion 319c may protrude rearward from the compressor chamber 340 and may be inserted into the rear panel 12.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may stably fix the air circulator 100 including the refrigerant circulator 200 in the upper portion of the cabinet 10 via the plurality of base coupling portions 319a, 319b, and 319c and/or the plurality of fixing portions disposed on the air circulator 100.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the components disposed in the air circulator 100 disposed in the upper portion of the cabinet 10.

Specifically, the air circulator 100 may include the circulation flow channel 110 through which air circulates, and the circulation flow channel 110 may include the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116. The first flow channel 115 may extend approximately along the front and rear direction (an X-axis direction).

The first flow channel 115 may include the inlet 111 connected to the tub 30 and into which air is introduced from the tub 30, and may include an inflow pipe 101 extending forward from the inlet 111. Air introduced via the inlet 111 may flow forward along the inflow pipe 101.

The inlet 111 may be disposed at one end of the inflow pipe 101, and the other end of the inflow pipe 101 may be coupled to the mounting base 310. Accordingly, air flowing along the inflow pipe 101 may flow along the inside of the mounting base 310.

The mounting base 310 may form at least a portion of the second flow channel 116 extending approximately along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). Air introduced into the mounting base 310 via the inflow pipe 101 may flow along the inside of the mounting base 310 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

The above-described air treater 300 may be defined by the mounting base 310. For example, the heat exchanger 210 or the like for treating air may be mounted in the mounting base 310.

The heat exchanger 210 may be disposed on the circulation flow channel 110 and may be located forward of the inlet 111, and the heat exchange between air and the refrigerant may be achieved. The heat exchanger 210 may be a portion of the refrigerant circulator 200 described above.

The heat exchanger 210 may include a plurality of heat exchangers, and the plurality of heat exchangers 210 may include a first heat exchanger 211 and a second heat exchanger 212. An embodiment of the present disclosure may perform a dehumidifying process of removing moisture from air and/or a heating process of heating air via the plurality of heat exchangers 210.

In one example, the above-described filter member 400 may be located in one side of the mounting base 310 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction), and the heat exchanger 210 may be located in the other side of the mounting base 310 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction).

For example, the filter member 400 may be disposed in front of the inflow pipe 101, and the heat exchanger 210 may be located on one side of the filter member 400 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction). A space where the filter member 400 is disposed in the mounting base 310 may correspond to the connection portion of the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116.

The filter member 400 and the heat exchanger 210 may be aligned along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). In the circulation flow channel 110, the heat exchanger 210 is located downstream of the filter member 400, so that air from which the foreign substances are filtered may pass through the heat exchanger 210 via the filter member 400. Air passing through the heat exchanger 210 may be treated to have a high temperature and to be dried and may be introduced back into the tub 30.

The refrigerant circulator 200 may further include the compressor 220. The compressor 220 may be installed in the compressor chamber 340 disposed in the mounting base 310. The compressor 220 may be located on the tub 30, may be connected to the heat exchanger 210, and may compress the refrigerant.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the air circulator 100. With reference to FIG. 9, each component of the air circulator 100 will be described in detail as follows.

The air circulator 100 may include the inflow pipe 101. The inflow pipe 101 may form at least a portion of the first flow channel 115 of the circulation flow channel 110. The one end of the inflow pipe 101 may include the inlet 111 connected to the tub 30, and the other end of the inflow pipe 101 may be connected to the mounting base 310.

The inflow pipe 101 may extend forward from the inlet 111. Air discharged from the tub 30 may be introduced into the inflow pipe 101 via the inlet 111, and air flowing along the inflow pipe 101 may be delivered to the mounting base 310.

The above-described filter member 400 and heat exchanger 210 may be mounted in the mounting base 310. The mounting base 310 may include a mounting space 311 where the filter member 400 and the heat exchanger 210 are mounted. A top surface of the mounting space 311 may be open.

The filter member 400 and the heat exchanger 210 may be accommodated in the mounting space 311. The mounting space 311 may include a filter mounting space 312 in which the filter member 400 is mounted and a heat exchanger mounting space 313 in which the heat exchanger 210 is mounted.

The mounting base 310 may include the filter chamber 320 in which the filter member 400 is mounted. The filter chamber 320 may include the filter mounting space 312. The filter member 400 may be disposed inside the filter chamber 320.

The filter chamber 320 may correspond to the connection portion of the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 described above. The inflow pipe 101 and the filter chamber 320 may together form the first flow channel 115. The filter chamber 320 may include a chamber inlet 321 to which the inflow pipe 101 is connected.

The chamber inlet 321 may be formed on one surface of the filter chamber 320. The chamber inlet 321 may be formed on a rear surface of the filter chamber 320. The filter chamber 320 may be located in front of the inflow pipe 101.

The filter member 400 disposed in the filter mounting space 312 of the filter chamber 320 may include therein the filter space 401 in which air to be filtered is accommodated. The filter member 400 may have an inlet surface 410 defined in one surface thereof facing the chamber inlet 321 for air to be introduced into the filter space 401.

For example, a rear surface of the filter member 400 facing the chamber inlet 321 may be open to define the inlet surface 410. Air introduced into the filter chamber 320 via the chamber inlet 321 may be delivered to the filter space 401 inside the filter member 400 via the inlet surface 410 of the filter member 400.

The filter chamber 320 may surround the filter space 401, and the filter surface 420 may be disposed on at least some of a plurality of surfaces defining the filter space 401. The foreign substances may be filtered as air in the filter space 401 passes through the filter surface 420.

The mounting base 310 may include the heat exchange chamber 330 in which the heat exchanger 210 is mounted. The heat exchanger mounting space 313 may be defined inside the heat exchange chamber 330, and the heat exchange chamber 330 may be located in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) with respect to the filter chamber 320.

The filter chamber 320 and the heat exchange chamber 330 may together form at least a portion of the second flow channel 116. The mounting space 311 may correspond to at least a portion of the second flow channel 116 described above. The mounting space 311 may extend along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

The filter chamber 320 may be located on one side of the heat exchange chamber 330 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction), and the heat exchange chamber 330 may be located on the other side of the filter chamber 320 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction). The filter chamber 320 may include a chamber outlet 322 through which filtered air is discharged from the filter chamber 320.

Air discharged from the filter chamber 320 via the chamber outlet 322 of the filter chamber 320 may be introduced into the heat exchanger mounting space 313 of the heat exchange chamber 330. In the mounting base 310, the filter chamber 320 and the heat exchange chamber 330 may be separated from each other or the filter chamber 320 and the heat exchange chamber 330 may be integrally molded.

In this case, the filter chamber 320 and the heat exchange chamber 330 may be connected to each other to share one surface with each other. For example, one side surface of the heat exchange chamber 330 may correspond to one side surface of the filter chamber 320.

The chamber outlet 322 may be defined in one surface shared by the filter chamber 320 and the heat exchange chamber 330. The chamber outlet 322 may be defined in a form of a hole in the one surface, or may be defined as the one surface is opened.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter chamber 320 and the heat exchange chamber 330 may be disposed to share the open surface with each other, and the open surface may correspond to the chamber outlet 322 of the filter chamber 320. Accordingly, air filtered via the filter member 400 may flow toward the heat exchanger 210 along the open surface.

The heat exchanger 210 may include a refrigerant pipe 201 through which the refrigerant flows. The refrigerant pipe 201 may be in contact with air passing through the heat exchanger 210, and the heat exchange may occur between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 201 and air.

The heat exchanger 210 may include the plurality of heat exchangers. The plurality of heat exchangers 210 may include the first heat exchanger 211 and the second heat exchanger 212 described above. The first heat exchanger 211 and the second heat exchanger 212 may be disposed together in the heat exchange chamber 330. The filter chamber 320, the first heat exchanger 211, and the second heat exchanger 212 may be disposed along the width direction (the Y-axis direction).

Air introduced into the heat exchange chamber 330 from the filter chamber 320 may pass through the first heat exchanger 211 and then through the second heat exchanger 212. The first heat exchanger 211 may absorb heat of air via the refrigerant, and the second heat exchanger 212 may supply heat to air via the refrigerant.

Air that has passed through the first heat exchanger 211 may lose heat and cause moisture in air to condense. Accordingly, moisture from air may be removed. In other words, the dehumidification process of air may be performed via the first heat exchanger 211. A condensate outlet 332 to discharge condensate generated from the first heat exchanger 211 may be disposed in the mounting base 310 or the heat exchange chamber 330.

The heat exchange chamber 330 may include a base outlet 314 through which air that has introduced from the filter chamber 320 and passed through the heat exchanger 210 is discharged. The base outlet 314 may be defined in a surface opposite to the one surface where the chamber outlet 322 of the filter chamber 320 is defined. The base outlet 314 may be defined in a form of a hole in the opposing surface or may be defined as the opposing surface is opened.

The base outlet 314 may be a means through which air in the mounting base 310 is discharged. For example, air may be introduced into the mounting base 310 via the chamber inlet 321 of the filter chamber 320, and air may be discharged from the mounting base 310 via the base outlet 314 of the heat exchange chamber 330.

Air introduced into the mounting base 310 may be introduced along a first direction, and air discharged from the mounting base 310 may be discharged along a second direction. The first direction and the second direction may intersect each other, the first direction may be the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10 (the X-axis direction), and the second direction may be the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

The air circulator 100 may include an air fan 120 for flowing air. As the air fan 120 operates, air in the circulation flow channel 110 may flow. The air fan 120 may be coupled to the mounting base 310. The air fan 120 may form the second flow channel 116 of the circulation flow channel 110 together with the mounting base 310.

The air fan 120 may be in communication with the base outlet 314 of the mounting base 310. The air fan 120 may be coupled to the mounting base 310 and may be in communication with the inside of the tub 30. The air fan 120 may allow the inside of the mounting base 310 and the inside of the tub 30 to be in communication with each other. The air fan 120 may include the outlet 112 coupled to the tub gasket 37. The outlet 112 may be a means for discharging air from the air circulator 100.

Air discharged via the base outlet 314 of the mounting base 310 may flow by the air fan 120 and be re-introduced into the tub 30. Air flowing along the circulation flow channel 110 of the air circulator 100 may be introduced into the tub 30 by passing through the tub gasket 37 via the outlet 112 disposed in the air fan 120. The air fan 120 may be disposed to discharge air at a location forward of the drum inlet 21.

In one example, the air treater 300 may include a heat exchange cover 331. The heat exchange cover 331 may be coupled to the mounting base 310 to cover a portion of the open top surface of the mounting base 310.

The heat exchange cover 331 may be disposed to cover the open top surface of the heat exchange chamber 330. The heat exchange cover 331 may be located on the heat exchanger mounting space 313. The heat exchanger 210 may be located under the heat exchange cover 331.

The open top surface of the heat exchange chamber 330 may be covered by the heat exchange cover 331, and an open top surface of the filter chamber 320 may be maintained in an open state. That is, the heat exchange cover 331 may be positioned to cover the top surface of the heat exchange chamber 330 and open the top surface of the filter chamber 320.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member 400 may be inserted into or withdrawn from the mounting space 311 via the open top surface of the mounting base 310. The filter member 400 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 or inserted back into the cabinet 10 via the open top surface of the filter chamber 320.

A top surface of the filter member 400 may correspond to the top surface of the filter chamber 320. The filter member 400 may be withdrawn out of the cabinet 10 or inserted into the cabinet 10 along the height direction of the cabinet 10 (the Z-axis direction) via the filter inlet 402 disposed in the top panel 14 of the cabinet 10.

In one example, the mounting base 310 may include the compressor chamber 340. The compressor chamber 340 may be located rearward of the heat exchange chamber 330, and the compressor 220 may be installed in the compressor chamber 340. The compressor chamber 340 may be molded separately from the heat exchange chamber 330 and then coupled thereto, or the heat exchange chamber 330 and the compressor chamber 340 may be molded integrally.

The compressor chamber 340 may extend rearward from the heat exchange chamber 330. The compressor 220 may be installed in the compressor chamber 340 such that a longitudinal direction thereof is approximately parallel to the ground. The compressor 220 may compress the refrigerant, and the refrigerant whose temperature has risen while being compressed may be delivered to the heat exchanger 210.

For example, the refrigerant compressed via the compressor 220 may become in a high temperature and high pressure state and may be delivered to the second heat exchanger 212. Accordingly, the second heat exchanger 212 may transfer the heat of the high-temperature refrigerant to air to raise the temperature of air.

The refrigerant of the second heat exchanger 212 may be delivered to the first heat exchanger 211 via a pressure regulator 230. The pressure regulator 230 may connect the first heat exchanger 211 with the second heat exchanger 212 and may regulate a pressure of the refrigerant.

For example, the pressure regulator 230 may lower the pressure of the refrigerant delivered from the second heat exchanger 212, thereby lowering the temperature of the refrigerant or causing a phase change in the refrigerant. The refrigerant that has passed through the pressure regulator 230 may be delivered to the first heat exchanger 211, and the first heat exchanger 211 may condense moisture in air while the refrigerant absorbs the heat from air.

The compressor chamber 340 may include a compressor fixing portion 341 for fixing the compressor 220. The compressor fixing portion 341 may be installed on the compressor chamber 340 to fix the compressor 220 and suppress vibration or the like.

Additionally, the mounting base 310 may include a compressor cooler 342 to cool the compressor 220. The compressor cooler 342 may cool the compressor 220 by providing unheated air to the compressor 220 using a fan.

The refrigerant circulator 200 may include the compressor 220, the first heat exchanger 211, the second heat exchanger 212, the pressure regulator 230, and the like, the heating and the cooling of the refrigerant may be achieved via a refrigerant flow channel through which the refrigerant circulates, and the heating or the cooling of air may be performed via the heat exchange between the refrigerant and air.

FIG. 10 shows the air circulator 100 located on the tub 30 with the cabinet 10 removed.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the air circulator 100 may be positioned entirely on the tub 30. Additionally, the refrigerant flow channel including the heat exchanger 210 and the compressor 220 and through which the refrigerant circulates may be located entirely on the tub 30.

Various components may be disposed in a lower portion of the space defined inside the cabinet 10. For example, the drainage 50, the detergent supply 90, the tub support 36, and the like may be disposed in the lower portion of the cabinet 10.

Such various components may be disposed on the base panel 15, and therefore, when the air circulator 100, which includes the refrigerant circulator 200 and dehumidifies and heats air to circulate air, is disposed in the lower portion of the cabinet 10, significant spatial constraints may act.

For example, when designing the air circulator 10036 in the lower portion of the cabinet 10 in consideration of the drainage 50 or the tub support, a size and a capacity of the compressor 220 for compressing the refrigerant are inevitably reduced, and a size and a performance of the heat exchanger 210 for the heat exchange with air are also inevitably reduced.

Furthermore, when the air circulator 100 is disposed in the lower portion of the cabinet 10, that is, in a space under the tub 30, where the multiple components are distributed, there is a high possibility that the various components included in the air circulator 100 will be distributed, and accordingly, the refrigerant flow channel as well as the air flow channel may become complicated and a negative impact may act on the flow performance of air.

In addition, in the drying process, air supplied into the tub 30 is easy to flow along an upper portion of the tub 30 because of an influence of the high temperature, and further, a reservoir space of water for drainage or the like is disposed in the lower portion of the tub 30, which is disadvantageous in terms of fluidity of air, so that it may be advantageous for air to circulate via the upper portion of the tub 30.

Therefore, placing the air circulator 100 including the refrigerant circulator 200 in the lower space of the cabinet 10 (a lower area of an interior space of the cabinet) may be disadvantageous not only in terms of the space constraints but also in terms of the air fluidity. Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the air circulator 100 including the refrigerant circulator 200 may be disposed entirely in the upper space of the cabinet 10 (an upper area of the interior space of the cabinet).

For reference, when the compressor 220, which has a potential to generate the vibration, in the refrigerant circulator 200 is disposed in the lower space of the cabinet 10, it may be advantageous to reduce the vibration. However, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be disposed on top of the additional treating apparatus 2 as well as on the ground, as described above. In this case, even when the compressor 220 is disposed in the lower space of the cabinet 10, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be at a certain vertical level from the ground because of the additional treating apparatus 2, so that the disadvantages (the spatial restrictions and the worsening of the air fluidity) may be greater than the effect of reducing the vibration.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the present disclosure may strengthen a fixing force of the compressor 220 and minimize the vibration caused by the compressor 220 as the compressor chamber 340, the compressor fixing portion 341, and the like of the mounting base 310 for stably fixing the compressor 220 are disposed even when the compressor 220 is disposed on the tub 30.

For reference, a case in which some components of the air circulator 100 are disposed on the tub 30 and the rest are disposed under the tub 30, for example, a case in which the air circulation flow channel 110 is disposed on the tub 30 and the refrigerant circulator 200, for example, the compressor 220 or the heat exchanger 210, is disposed under the tub 30 may be considered.

However, in this case, at least a portion of the circulation flow channel 110 of air needs to eventually pass through the refrigerant circulator 200, for example, the heat exchanger 210, and thus a length of the refrigerant flow channel is increased or a length of the circulation flow channel 110 of air is increased, which is inefficient in the air flow and the refrigerant flow and is able to actually result in unnecessary consumption of the interior space of the cabinet 10.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may efficiently use the interior space of the cabinet 10 and may be advantageous in the air flow and the refrigerant flow as the air circulator 100 including the refrigerant circulator 200 is entirely disposed on the tub 30.

FIG. 11 shows delivering detergent to the aforementioned additional treating apparatus 2 via the detergent supply 90 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the detergent supply 90 may be located under the tub 30 and may be connected to the tub 30 to supply the detergent into the tub 30. In one example, the cabinet 10 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be disposed on the additional cabinet 3 of the additional treating apparatus 2.

In this case, the detergent supply 90 may deliver the detergent to the additional detergent compartment 6 of the additional treating apparatus 2 by passing through the base panel 15. In the additional treating apparatus 2, the drawer 5 in which the additional drum 4 and the additional detergent compartment 6 are installed may be inserted into the additional cabinet 3, and the detergent supply 90 may supply the detergent into the additional detergent compartment 6 while the drawer 5 is inserted.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the detergent supply 90 is disposed under the tub 30, so that even when the user does not separately supply the detergent to the additional detergent compartment 6 of the additional treating apparatus 2, the detergent may be supplied to the additional treating apparatus 2 via the detergent supply 90.

However, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited as above. For example, the detergent supply 90 may not deliver the detergent to the additional treating apparatus 2 even when being disposed under the tub 30, and the detergent supply 90 may be disposed on the tub 30 and may be located in the upper space of the cabinet 10 together with the air circulator 100.

FIG. 12 shows a flow direction of air flowing in the air circulator 100 indicated by an arrow.

As described above, in the drying process, it may be advantageous for air inside the tub 30 to be introduced or discharged via the upper portion of the tub 30 because of the influence of the high temperature and shape characteristics of the inside of the tub 30.

In addition, as described above, in the process in which air is introduced into the tub 30, the circumferential surface of the drum 20 may obstruct the flow of air flowing into the drum 20, and accordingly, it may be advantageous for at least air introduced into the tub 30 to be introduced into the tub 30 via the tub inlet 31 defined in the front surface of the tub 30.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the inlet 111 of the air circulator 100 through which air in the tub 30 is introduced into the circulation flow channel 110 may be located on the tub 30. For example, the inlet 111 may be allow air to be introduced via the circumferential surface 35 of the tub 30 along the height direction of the cabinet 10 (the Z-axis direction).

The inlet 111 may be disposed at a rear side of the tub 30. For example, the inlet 111 may be disposed on the rear divided tub 33 of the tub 30. Air inside the tub 30 may be discharged from the tub 30 at the rear side of the tub 30.

The inflow pipe 101 of the air circulator 100 may include the inlet 111 and may extend forward from the inlet 111. However, the extension direction of the inflow pipe 101 does not necessarily have to coincide with the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10 (the X-axis direction), and when necessary, the extension direction of the inflow pipe 101 may be at an angle with respect to the front and rear direction (the X-axis direction).

The inlet 111 may be disposed at one end of the inflow pipe 101, and the other end of the inflow pipe 101 may be located forward of the inlet 111 and may be coupled to the mounting base 310. Portions of interior spaces of the inflow pipe 101 and the mounting base 310 may form the first flow channel 115.

Air discharged from tub 30 may flow from the rear side to the front side of the tub 30 along the first flow channel 115.

In one example, the air circulator 100 may include various components such as the inlet 111 through which air is introduced, the outlet 112 through which air is discharged, a path for air to flow, and the heat exchanger 210 for adjusting the temperature of air.

Accordingly, designing the air circulator 100 to be approximately parallel to the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10 (the X-axis direction) like the first flow channel 115 may be disadvantageous when considering a length in the front and rear direction (the X-axis direction) of the cabinet 10.

Considering the same, the air circulator 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may efficiently utilize the limited space on the tub 30 as the first flow channel 115 extending approximately along the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10 (the X-axis direction) and the second flow channel 116 extending in a direction different from that of the first flow channel 115, for example, approximately along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

In the circulation flow channel 110 of the air circulator 100 corresponding to a flow path of air, the first flow channel 115 may extend approximately along the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10 (the X-axis direction), and the second flow channel 116 may extend approximately along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the circulation flow channel 110 may be formed to be bent at a front side of the cabinet 10.

At least a portion of the second flow channel 116 may be formed by the space defined inside the mounting base 310. Air introduced into the mounting base 310 may flow approximately in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) along the space defined inside the mounting base 310.

Air discharged from the mounting base 310 may flow toward the inside of the tub 30 by the air fan 120. Inside the cabinet 10, the tub gasket 37 that seals a space between the laundry inlet 16 and the tub inlet 31 may be disposed, and the outlet 112 of the circulation flow channel 110 may be connected to the tub gasket 37.

The outlet 112 may be defined by the air fan 120. One side of the air fan 120 may be coupled to the mounting base 310, and the other side of the air fan 120 may be coupled to the tub gasket 37. The other side of the air fan 120 may correspond to the outlet 112 of the circulation flow channel 110.

As shown in FIG. 13, when defining a straight line passing through a center of the tub 30 and parallel to the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10 (the X-axis direction) as a center line XL, the outlet 112 of the circulation flow channel 110 may be spaced apart from the front and rear direction-center line XL in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

For example, the water supply pipe 42 for supplying water into the tub 30 may be connected to or other components may be disposed in an area adjacent to the front and rear direction-center line XL of an upper portion of the tub gasket 37.

Accordingly, the outlet 112 of the air fan 120 may be coupled to the tub gasket 37 at a location spaced apart from an uppermost end of the tub gasket 37 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

The laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the above-described filter member 400, and the filter member 400 may be located between the inlet 111 of the circulation flow channel 110 and the heat exchanger 210 to filter the foreign substances in air.

The filter member 400 may be located forward of the inlet 111. Accordingly, the inlet 111 for introducing air into the air circulator 100 may be disposed at the rear side of the tub 30, and air from the rear side of the tub 30 may be discharged and re-introduced into the front side of the tub 30.

Additionally, the filter member 400 requires management by the user because of functional characteristics thereof. For example, the user needs to clean the filter member 400 or remove the foreign substances or the like collected in the filter member 400.

In other words, for the filter member 400, accessibility of the user may be an important issue. An embodiment of the present disclosure may allow the user to conveniently manage the filter member 400 by placing the filter member 400 at the front side.

In one example, the filter member 400 may have a three-dimensional shape with a volume and may include the filter space 401 defined therein. The filter member 400 may have various shapes, such as a rectangular or cylindrical shape, depending on need.

Even when the filter member 400 having the predetermined volume as described above is disposed at the front side on the tub 30 in consideration of case of use, it may be difficult to insert and withdraw the filter member 400 via the front panel 11.

For example, the above-described display 66 may be disposed on the upper portion of the front panel 11 for case of use thereof, and therefore, when the filter member 400 disposed at the rear of the display 66 includes the filter space 401 and includes the plurality of filter surfaces 420 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it may be difficult to define a hole or the like of a size corresponding to the filter member 400 in the upper portion of the front panel 11.

The manipulation panel 65 may include the display 66, may be disposed on the front surface of the cabinet 10, and may be manipulated by the user to generate a command signal from the user. The manipulation panel 65 may be disposed approximately at an upper center of the front panel 11. The manipulation panel 65 may be located in front of the filter member 400.

Accordingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure may allow the filter member 400 to be inserted into or withdrawn from the circulation flow channel 110 via the top surface of the cabinet 10 while having the three-dimensional shape having the filter space 401 and the at least one filter surface 420, so that the withdrawal and the introduction of the filter member 400 may be conveniently performed.

The filter member 400 may be aligned with the heat exchanger 210 along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). Air in the circulation flow channel 110 may flow along the width direction Y to sequentially pass through the filter member 400 and the heat exchanger 210.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat exchanger 210 may also be disposed in the front side of the cabinet 10 such that the filter member 400 may be disposed in the front side of the cabinet 10. Based on the flow of air, the filter member 400 may be located upstream of the heat exchanger 210, and accordingly, the filter member 400 and the heat exchanger 210 may be aligned along the width direction (the Y-axis direction).

A length of the filter chamber 320 in the front and rear direction of the cabinet (the X-axis direction) may be set greater than a width of a front surface of the heat exchanger (a surface of an evaporator facing the filter chamber) in the front and rear direction of the cabinet (a direction from the inlet toward the cabinet).

The compressor 220 described above may be located on the tub 30, may be connected to the heat exchanger 210, and may compress the refrigerant. The compressor 220 may be a vibrating body that generates vibration, and therefore, placing the compressor 220 at the front side inside the cabinet 10 may be disadvantageous in suppressing the vibration transmitted to the user.

Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the compressor 220 may be disposed in a rear area of the interior space of the cabinet 10, and the heat exchanger 210 and the filter member 400 may be disposed forward of the compressor 220.

The circulation flow channel 110 of the air circulator 100 may include the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116, the first flow channel 115 may extend forward from the inlet 111, and the second flow channel 116 may extend from the first flow channel 115 along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

The first flow channel 115 may be located on one side of the compressor 220 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). The second flow channel 116 may be located in front of the compressor 220. The rear panel 12 may be disposed at the rear of the compressor 220, the first flow channel 115 may be located on one side of the compressor 220 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction), the side panel 13 may be located on the other side of the compressor 220 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction), and the second flow channel 116 may be located in front of the compressor 220.

The inlet 111 of the circulation flow channel 110 may be located on one side of the compressor 220 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). The inlet 111 may be disposed rearward of a front end of the compressor 220.

The filter member 400 may be located forward of the compressor 220. The filter member 400 may be located in front of the inlet 111 and may be located forward of the compressor 220.

Accordingly, the filter member 400 may be located at the front side inside the cabinet 10 to improve the convenience of use, and the compressor 220 may be disposed at the rear side to minimize the transmission of the vibration or the like to the user. A rear end of the filter member 400 may be located forward of the front end of the compressor 220.

In one example, when a straight line passing through the center of the tub 30 and parallel to the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) is defined as a width direction-center line YL, the filter member 400 may be located forward of the width direction-center line YL. The rear end of the filter member 400 may be located forward of the width direction-center line YL. Additionally, a center of the filter member 400 may be located forward of the width direction-center line YL.

The inlet 111 of the circulation flow channel 110 may be disposed on the rear divided tub 33 of the tub 30. That is, the inlet 111 may be coupled to the rear divided tub 33, so that air existing in the rear divided tub 33 may be discharged from the tub 30 toward the air circulator 100.

The filter member 400 may be disposed on the front divided tub 32. For example, the filter chamber 320 into which the filter member 400 is inserted may be located on the front divided tub 32. The heat exchange chamber 330 may also be located on the front divided tub 32.

The heat exchanger 210 may be disposed on the front divided tub 32. The compressor 220 may be disposed on the rear divided tub 33. The heat exchanger 210 may be located forward of the compressor 220.

The filter member 400 may be located forward of the coupling line 34 that occurs as the front divided tub 32 and the rear divided tub 33 are coupled to each other. The rear end of the filter member 400 may be located forward of the coupling line 34. A center of the filter member 400 in the front and rear direction may be located forward of the coupling line 34.

The filter member 400 may be inserted into or withdrawn from the circulation flow channel 110 via the filter inlet 402 of the top panel 14 located at a position forward of the coupling line 34.

The front and rear direction-center line XL may be positioned to cross the filter member 400. That is, a portion of the filter member 400 may be located on the front and rear direction-center line XL. As the filter member 400 is disposed approximately at a center of the top panel 14, an unnecessary increase in the length of the circulation flow channel 110 may be prevented and convenience of use may be improved.

The front and rear direction-center line XL may be positioned to cross the inlet 111. The inlet 111 may be disposed at the rear of the filter member 400, and may be located on the front and rear direction-center line XL together with the filter member 400.

The filter member 400 may be located forward of the inflow pipe 101 of the air circulator 100. The filter member 400 may be located forward of the compressor 220 or the pressure regulator 230 of the refrigerant circulator 200. The filter member 400, the heat exchanger 210, and the air fan 120 may be arranged approximately along the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction).

The air circulator 100 may be entirely disposed to be biased to one side or the other side in the width direction (the Y-axis direction) in the upper space of the cabinet 10. For example, a space in which components other than the air circulator 100 may be disposed may be secured at one side in the width direction of the air circulator 100 (the Y-axis direction) in the upper space of the cabinet 10 located on the tub 30.

In other words, various components other than the air circulator 100 may be disposed in the upper space of the cabinet 10 located on the tub 30. For example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a steam generator 80.

The steam generator 80 may be located on the tub 30 and on one side of the circulation flow channel 110 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) and may generate steam. The steam generator 80 may generate steam to be provided into the tub 30 during the washing process or the drying process.

The steam generator 80 may be located on one side of the air circulator 100 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction). The filter member 400 may be located forward of the steam generator 80. That is, the steam generator 80 may be located rearward of the filter member 400.

In one example, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may further include a control module 70. The control module 70 may be located on the tub 30 and on one side of the circulation flow channel 110 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction) and may control the air circulator 100.

The control module 70 may control various components and may include a control board for controlling the various components. For example, the control module 70 may be connected in a signal manner to at least one of the steam generator 80, the compressor 220, the air fan 120, the manipulation panel 65, and the driver 60 described above to issue a control command.

The control module 70 may be located on one side of the air circulator 100 in the width direction (the Y-axis direction). The control module 70 may be located on one side of the filter member 400 in the width direction of the cabinet 10 (the Y-axis direction). The control module 70 may be located in front of the steam generator 80 described above.

In one example, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the inlet 111 may be constructed to allow air to be introduced at the rear side of the tub 30. However, the inlet 111 may not be necessarily disposed at the rear of the filter member 400, and the location of the inlet 111 may be changed along the width direction (the Y-axis direction) as needed.

FIGS. 14 to 16 show the inlet 111 being moved in the width direction Y from a space at the rear of the filter member 400 in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a top view showing the inlet 111 in the air circulator 100 in FIG. 13 moved away from the compressor 220 along the width direction Y, FIG. 15 shows the inlet 111 in FIG. 14 viewed in the width direction Y, and FIG. 16 is a front view of the inlet 111 in FIG. 14.

Referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the inlet 111 of the air circulator 100 may be disposed rearward of the filter member 400, but the location thereof along the width direction Y may vary.

For example, the inlet 111 may be located on one side in the width direction Y of the compressor 220. When a distance between the inlet 111 and the compressor 220 increases, the inlet 111 may be disposed to be biased to one side in the width direction Y within the cabinet 10, and the compressor 220 may be disposed to be biased to the other side in the width direction Y within the cabinet 10.

When the inlet 111 is located on the front and rear direction-center line XL of the tub 30, a space limitation between an upper end of the tub 30 and the top panel 14 may be maximized, so that a height at which the inlet 111 may protrude from the tub 30 may be limited.

However, as described above, when the inlet 111 is spaced apart from the front and rear direction-center line XL along the width direction Y, a separation distance in the height direction Z between the top panel 14 and the tub 30 may increase because of a nature of the cylindrical shape of the tub 30. Therefore, an amount that the inlet 111 protrudes upward from the tub 30 may be increased, so the design constraints of the inlet 111 may be cased.

In addition, a degree of formation of turbulence in air flowing in the connection portion between the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 may be lowered by allowing bending angles of the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 described above to be obtuse.

In addition, even when the amount that the inlet 111 protrudes upward from the tub 30 does not increase, the separation distance in the height direction Z between the inlet 111 and the top panel 14 increases, which may be advantageous in securing a space where other components may be disposed.

For example, the detergent supply 90 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be disposed under the tub 30 as described above, but may be disposed on the tub 30.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the detergent supply 90 may be located on the tub 30 and may supply the detergent into the tub 30. The detergent supply 90 may be located on one side in the width direction Y of the cabinet 10 with respect to the air circulator 100.

In one example, the detergent supply 90 may be constructed to store the detergent required in the washing process in advance, and increasing a detergent storage capacity of the detergent supply 90 may be advantageous in improving the case of use of the laundry treating apparatus 1.

That is, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the detergent supply 90 is located on the tub 30, the detergent supply 90 may be located on one side in the width direction Y of the air circulator 100, and there may be limitations in increasing a volume in the width direction Y considering the relationship with the air circulator 100. Therefore, increasing the length in the front and rear direction X of the detergent supply 90 may be advantageous in increasing a detergent capacity of the detergent supply 90.

In this case, as described above, at least a portion of the inlet 111, which is disposed to be biased toward one side in the width direction Y on the tub 30, may be located under the detergent supply 90. As the inlet 111 is disposed to be biased toward one side in the width direction Y within the cabinet 10, an increase in the protrusion amount of the inlet 111, securement of the space for the detergent supply 90 to be disposed between the inlet 111 and the top panel 14, and bending level alleviation of the first flow channel 115 and the second flow channel 116 may be achieved.

Additionally, even when the detergent supply 90 is disposed on the tub 30, the filter member 400 may be disposed forward of the detergent supply 90. For example, a rear end of the filter member 400 may be located forward of a rear end of the detergent supply 90. Accordingly, the purpose of improving the convenience of use via the forward placement of the filter member 400 may be achieved. A steam generator may be disposed in the space where the detergent supply 90 is located.

FIG. 17 shows the filter member 400 extended from the inside of the cabinet 10 to the outside via the top panel 14 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The top panel 14 may include the filter inlet 402 into which the filter member 400 is inserted. The filter inlet 402 may be located on the filter chamber 320. The filter inlet 402 may be disposed to correspond to the open top surface of the filter chamber 320.

When the filter member 400 is inserted into the filter chamber 320, the top surface of the filter member 400 may correspond to the top surface that closes the filter chamber 320, and may form the top surface of the cabinet 10 together with the top panel 14.

That is, the top surface of the filter member 400 may form a portion of the top surface of the cabinet 10 and may be located on the same plane as the top panel 14. Accordingly, even when the filter inlet 402 is formed in the top panel 14, a sense of unity in the outer appearance may be given to the user.

An embodiment of the present disclosure may increase the volume of the filter member 400 to improve the air fluidity, improve the filter performance, and improve a foreign substance collection capacity, and further may conveniently withdraw and insert the filter member 400 while placing the filter inlet 402 at the front side regardless of the manipulation panel 65 of the front panel 11 as the filter member 400 is withdrawn or inserted in the height direction of the cabinet 10 (the Z-axis direction) via the filter inlet 402 located at the front side of the top panel 14.

FIG. 18 shows the filter member 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (a) in FIG. 18 is a rear perspective view of the filter member 400, and (b) in FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of the filter member 400.

Referring to FIG. 18, the filter member 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the filter space 401 described above. Air introduced into the filter space 401 may be air introduced into the filter chamber 320 via the chamber inlet 321 of the filter chamber 320. That is, air introduced into the filter space 401 may be air before the filtering.

The filter member 400 may have the three-dimensional shape with the plurality of surfaces. For example, the filter member 400 may correspond to a hexahedron, and the filter space 401 may be defined inside the hexahedron.

At least one surface of the filter member 400 may form the filter surface 420 through which air in the filter space 401 passes toward the outside of the filter member 400 and is filtered. That is, at least one of the plurality of surfaces present in the filter member 400 may include the filter surface 420 through which air passes.

Air accommodated in the filter space 401 of the filter member 400 may pass through the filter surface 420 and flow to the outside of the filter member 400. In this process, the foreign substances in air may be filtered by the filter surface 420, and the foreign substances filtered by the filter surface 420 may remain in the filter space 401 and air may flow along the circulation flow channel 110.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the filter member 400 may have at least two filter surfaces 420. That is, the filter surfaces 420 may be formed in at least two surfaces of the filter member 400.

Specifically, the top surface of the filter member 400 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 10 via the filter inlet 402 of the top panel 14, as described above. The top surface of the filter member 400 may correspond to a cover surface 440 for the filter chamber 320.

The cover surface 440 may form the top surface of the cabinet 10 together with the top panel 14, and may include a handle 441 for the user to grip. The handle 441 may include a groove into which the user may place a hand thereof.

The inlet surface 410 for air to be introduced into the filter space 401 may be defined in the rear surface of the filter member 400. That is, the rear surface of the filter member 400 may be the inlet surface 410 through which air is introduced into the filter member 400 from the outside of the filter member 400.

The inlet surface 410 may be defined as a hole is defined in the rear surface of the filter member 400 or as the rear surface is entirely opened. The inlet surface 410 may face the filter inlet 111 through which air is introduced of the filter chamber 320. Accordingly, air delivered to the filter inlet 111 along the inflow pipe 101 may be introduced into the filter space 401 via the inlet surface 410.

The filter member 400 may have the plurality of filter surfaces 420 as described above. The filter surface 420 may include a net for filtering the foreign substances and allowing air to pass therethrough, and a frame for maintaining a shape of the net and securing rigidity.

A bottom surface of the filter member 400 may correspond to a first filter surface 421 of the plurality of filter surfaces 420. Air in the filter space 401 may pass through the first filter surface 421 corresponding to the bottom surface of the filter member 400 and flow toward the chamber outlet 322 of the filter chamber 320 described above.

One of both side surfaces of the filter member 400 may correspond to a second filter surface 422 of the plurality of filter surfaces 420. The second filter surface 422 may be one surface facing the chamber outlet 322 of the filter chamber 320. The filter member 400 may be disposed such that the second filter surface 422 faces the heat exchanger 210. The second filter surface 422 may face the heat exchanger 210 and allows air to pass therethrough and be filtered.

Air in the filter space 401 may pass through the second filter surface 422 and flow toward the filter outlet 112 facing the second filter surface 422. The filter member 400 may effectively increase a filtering area size by allowing air present in the filter space 401 to flow through the first filter surface 421 and the second filter surface 422.

The other of both side surfaces of the filter member 400 may correspond to a third filter surface 423 of the plurality of filter surfaces 420. The third filter surface 423 may be an opposite surface of the second filter surface 422. The third filter surface 423 may be a surface facing one side in the width direction (the Y-axis direction) of the filter member 400.

The filter member 400 may have at least one filter surface 420 among the first filter surface 421, the second filter surface 422, and the third filter surface 423. Each filter surface 420 may be spaced apart from an inner surface of the filter chamber 320 to secure a space for air to flow.

The space between the inner surface of the filter chamber 320 and the filter member 400 may be in communication with the chamber outlet 322 of the filter chamber 320. Accordingly, air filtered via the plurality of filter surfaces 420 may be delivered to the heat exchange chamber 330, and the filter member 400 may effectively increase the filtering area size via the plurality of filter surfaces 420.

In one example, a front surface of the filter member 400 may correspond to a fixed surface 430 that is detachably fixed to the filter chamber 320. The fixed surface 430 may be detachably coupled to a facing surface among the inner surfaces of the filter chamber 320 to fix the filter member 400.

There may be various schemes by which the fixing surface 430 is fixed to the filter chamber 320. For example, the fixing surface 430 may be maintained secured to the filter chamber 320 via a hook, a protrusion, and the like. The user may separate the filter member 400 by lifting the filter member 400 upward such that the fixing surface 430 is separated from the filter chamber 320.

Although the present disclosure is shown and described in relation to the specific embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be improved and changed in various ways without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure provided by the following patent claims.

Claims

1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet;a tub disposed inside the cabinet and configured to accommodate water therein;a drum rotatably disposed inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein; andan air circulator disposed on the tub and configured to circulate air inside the tub,wherein the air circulator includes: a circulation flow channel including an inlet located on the tub and allowing air to be introduced from the tub, and an outlet located forward of the inlet and allowing air to be discharged into the tub;a heat exchanger disposed on the circulation flow channel, located forward of the inlet, and configured to perform heat exchange between air and a refrigerant; anda filter member located between the inlet of the circulation flow channel and the heat exchanger to filter foreign substances in air,wherein the filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto,wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered,wherein the filter member is located at a location forward of the inlet and is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.

2. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes a top panel defining the top surface of the cabinet, wherein the top panel includes a filter inlet defined therein, wherein the filter member is inserted into the filter inlet.

3. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the filter member is inserted into the filter inlet and forms the top surface of the cabinet together with the top panel.

4. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter member has the filter surfaces formed on at least two surfaces.

5. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter member includes: an inlet surface allowing air to be introduced into the filter space;a first filter surface facing the heat exchanger and allowing air to pass therethrough and be filtered; anda second filter surface connected to the filter inlet surface and allowing air to pass therethrough and be filtered.

6. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter member is aligned with the heat exchanger along a width direction of the cabinet.

7. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air circulator further includes an air fan located between the air circulator and the cabinet and aligned with the heat exchanger along a width direction of the cabinet.

8. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the air fan discharges air at a location forward of a drum inlet defined in the drum.

9. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circulation flow channel includes: a first flow channel extending forward from the inlet; anda second flow channel extending from the first flow channel along a width direction of the cabinet,wherein the filter member is disposed at a connection portion of the first flow channel and the second flow channel.

10. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air circulator includes a filter chamber where the filter member is mounted; and a heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted, wherein a length of the filter chamber in a direction from the inlet toward the cabinet is set to be greater than a width of a front surface of the heat exchanger in the direction from the inlet toward the cabinet.

11. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air circulator includes an air treater constituting a portion of the circulation flow channel and including the filter member and the heat exchanger, wherein the air treater includes a mounting base, wherein the filter member and the heat exchanger are mounted inside the mounting base together.

12. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mounting base includes: a filter chamber where the filter member is mounted; anda heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted,wherein the filter chamber and the heat exchange chamber are connected to each other to share one surface with each other.

13. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 11, wherein the filter member is located in one side of the mounting base in a width direction of the cabinet, and the heat exchanger is located in the other side of the mounting base in the width direction.

14. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mounting base has an open top surface to include a mounting space where the filter member and the heat exchanger are accommodated, wherein the filter member is insertable into or withdrawable from the mounting space via the open top surface of the mounting base.

15. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a compressor located on the tub, connected to the heat exchanger, and configured to compress the refrigerant, wherein the filter member is located forward of the compressor.

16. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein a refrigerant flow channel including the heat exchanger and the compressor and allowing the refrigerant to circulate therethrough is located entirely on the tub.

17. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heat exchanger is located forward of the compressor and aligned with the filter member along a width direction of the cabinet.

18. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the inlet of the circulation flow channel is located on one side of the compressor in a width direction of the cabinet.

19. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the circulation flow channel includes: a first flow channel extending forward from the inlet; anda second flow channel extending from the first flow channel along a width direction of the cabinet,wherein the first flow channel is located on one side of the compressor in the width direction of the cabinet,wherein the second flow channel is located forward of the compressor.

20. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the air circulator includes a mounting base where the heat exchanger and the compressor are mounted, wherein the mounting base includes: a heat exchange chamber where the heat exchanger is mounted; anda compressor chamber located rearward of the heat exchange chamber and where the compressor is mounted,wherein the heat exchange chamber and the compressor chamber are integrally molded.

21. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tub defines a width direction-center line passing through a center of the tub and parallel to a width direction of the cabinet, and the filter member is located forward of the width direction-center line.

22. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tub includes: a front divided tub including a tub inlet open toward a front surface of the cabinet and a front portion of a circumferential surface of the tub; anda rear divided tub including a rear surface of the tub facing a rear surface of the cabinet, and a rear portion of the circumferential surface of the tub,wherein the inlet of the circulation flow channel is defined on the rear divided tub,wherein the filter member is disposed on the front divided tub.

23. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 22, wherein a rear end of the filter member is located forward of a coupling line of the front divided tub and the rear divided tub.

24. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a compressor located on the tub, connected to the heat exchanger, and configured to compress the refrigerant, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed on the front divided tub,wherein the compressor is disposed on the rear divided tub.

25. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tub defines a front and rear direction-center line parallel to a front and rear direction of the cabinet and passing through a center of the tub, wherein the front and rear direction-center line crosses the filter member.

26. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 25, wherein the front and rear direction-center line crosses the inlet.

27. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a steam generator located on the tub and configured to generate steam, wherein the steam generator is located on one side of the air circulator in a width direction of the cabinet or is located on one side of the circulation flow channel in the width direction of the cabinet.

28. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control module located on the tub, located on one side of the circulation flow channel in a width direction of the cabinet, and configured to control the air circulator, wherein the control module is located on one side of the filter member in the width direction of the cabinet.

29. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detergent supply located on the tub and configured to supply detergent into the tub, wherein the detergent supply is located on one side of the air circulator in a width direction of the cabinet.

30. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 29, wherein a rear end of the filter member is located forward of a rear end of the detergent supply.

31. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the inlet is located under the detergent supply.

32. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an additional treating apparatus including an additional cabinet located under the cabinet and an additional drum disposed inside the additional cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry therein, wherein the cabinet is disposed on the additional cabinet.

33. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detergent supply located under the tub, connected to the tub, and configured to supply detergent into the tub.

34. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a manipulation panel disposed on a front surface of the cabinet and manipulated by a user to generate a command signal of the user, wherein the manipulation panel is located forward of the filter member.

35. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein a laundry inlet is defined in a front surface of the cabinet, wherein the tub includes a tub inlet facing the laundry inlet,wherein a tub gasket sealing a space between the laundry inlet and the tub inlet is disposed inside the cabinet,wherein the outlet of the circulation flow channel is connected to the tub gasket.

36. A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet;a tub disposed inside the cabinet and configured to accommodate water therein;a drum rotatably disposed inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein; andan air circulator disposed on the tub and configured to circulate air inside the tub,wherein the air circulator includes: a circulation flow channel located on the tub and discharging air introduced from the tub back into the tub;a compressor located on the tub and configured to compress a refrigerant for exchanging heat with air in the circulation flow channel; anda filter member disposed in the circulation flow channel to filter foreign substances in air,wherein the filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto,wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered,wherein the filter member is located at a location forward of the compressor and is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.

37. A laundry treating apparatus comprising: a cabinet;a tub disposed inside the cabinet and configured to accommodate water therein;a drum rotatably disposed inside the tub and configured to accommodate laundry therein; andan air circulator disposed on the tub and configured to circulate air inside the tub,wherein the air circulator includes: a circulation flow channel located on the tub and discharging air introduced from the tub back into the tub; andan air treater connected to the circulation flow channel and configured to perform heat exchange between air and a refrigerant,wherein the air treater includes a filter member configured to filter foreign substances in air,wherein the tub includes a front divided tub including a front portion of a circumferential surface of the tub and a rear divided tub including a rear portion of the circumferential surface of the tub,wherein the filter member includes a filter space allowing air to be introduced thereinto,wherein at least one surface of the filter member forms a filter surface allowing air in the filter space to pass therethrough toward the outside of the filter member and be filtered,wherein a center of the filter member is located at a location forward of a coupling line of the front divided tub and the rear divided tub, and the filter member is insertable into or withdrawable from the circulation flow channel via a top surface of the cabinet.