LAUNDRY TREATING MACHINE

• US 20130263630A1
• Filed: 04/05/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hong Namgoong, Jihong Lee, Kyuhwan Lee, Youngjin Doh
• Inventors: Doh, Youngjin, Lee, Jihong, Namgoong, Hong, Lee, Kyuhwan
• Granted Patent: US 9,797,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/20
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/081 using nozzles or suction devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/084 Nozzles placed on the filtrate side of the filtering element
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/79 by liquid process
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/005 Methods for washing, rinsing or spin-drying
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/04 adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/22 Lint collecting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/24 Condensing arrangements

Abstract

A laundry treating machine is provided. The laundry treating machine may include a tub to receive wash water, a drum rotatably provided in the tub, an air supply device to supply air to the tub, a lint filter to filter lint from the air circulated by the air supply device, a filter cleaning device to supply cleaning water to the lint filter to remove the lint from the lint filter, and a cooling water supply device to supply cooling water to an inner surface of the tub such that moisture contained in air is condensed at the inner surface of the tub.

Claims

1. A laundry machine, comprising:

a tub;

a drum rotatably provided in the tub;

an air supply device circulating air along an air circulation path to supply air to the tub;

a lint filter positioned in the air circulation path to filter lint from the air circulated by the air supply device;

a filter cleaning device supplying cleaning water to the lint filter to remove lint accumulated on the lint filter; and

a cooling water supply device supplying cooling water to an inner surface of the tub such that moisture contained in the circulated air is condensed at the inner surface of the tub.

2. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the air supply device is provided at an upper portion of the tub to collect air at an outer circumference of the tub and to supply air at a front of the tub.

3. The laundry machine of claim 2, wherein the air supply device comprises:

an air collection port extending through the outer circumference of the tub;

an air discharge port provided at a front of the tub;

a heating duct extending between the air collection port and the air discharge port; and

a fan provided above the air collection port, wherein air drawn from the tub through the air collection port and into heating duct by the fan is heated in the heating duct and supplied to the drum through the air discharge port.

4. The laundry machine of claim 2, wherein the cooling water supply device comprises:

a cooling water nozzle fixed to the tub and positioned so as to spray cooling water toward an inner rear surface of the tub; and

a cooling water line that supplies cooling water to the cooling water nozzle.

5. The laundry machine of claim 4, wherein the cooling water nozzle comprises:

a first end, to which the cooling water line is connected;

a second end, forming a nozzle through which cooling water is sprayed toward the inner rear surface of the tub; and

an intermediate section positioned between the first and second ends, by which the cooling water nozzle is coupled to the tub.

6. The laundry machine of claim 5, wherein the second end includes a deflection plate that deflects cooling water toward the inner rear surface of the tub.

7. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the filter cleaning device comprises:

a main body having a hollow portion, through which cleaning water flows; and

a spray device coupled to the main body, the spray device comprising;

a hollow central portion through which cleaning water flows;

a first end which is open to allow cleaning water from a cleaning water line to flow into the hollow central portion; and

a second end which is closed, the second end being opposite the first end.

8. The laundry machine of claim 7, wherein the filter cleaning device further comprises a fastening device having a first end connected to the cleaning water line and a second end extending from the main body or the spray device, the fastening device is in communication with the main body or the spray device to allow cleaning water to flow to the hollow central portion of the spray device.

9. The laundry machine of claim 8, wherein the fastening device extends through an outer wall of an air collection port of the air supply device, and wherein the fastening device comprises a fastening rib extending from an outer circumferential portion thereof to prevent leakage of cleaning water from the air collection port.

10. The laundry machine of claim 7, wherein the main body is formed in the shape of a long rod that extends into a portion of the air circulation path defined by the air collection port and does not interfere with the flow of air passing through the air collection port.

11. The laundry machine of claim 7, wherein the main body comprises a water leakage prevention protrusion positioned at an incline oriented toward the fastening device.

12. The laundry machine of claim 7, wherein the spray device comprises:

a plurality of first spray nozzles formed as protrusions arranged along opposite ends of the main body and each oriented at a respective predetermined angle with respect to the main body so as to spray cleaning water toward the lint filter at the respective predetermined angle; and

a plurality of second spray nozzles formed at an intermediate portion of the main body and between the plurality of first spray nozzles arranged along the opposite ends of the main body, wherein the plurality of second spray nozzles are oriented so as to spray cleaning water toward the lint filter in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the main body.

13. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of first spray nozzles has a spray hole extending through a protruded portion thereof at the respective spray angle so as to form a circumferential spray pattern directed toward the lint filter.

14. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein the plurality of first spray nozzles and the plurality of second spray nozzles are arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the spray device.

15. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a valve assembly, comprising:

a water supply valve controlling a supply of wash water to the tub;

a cleaning water valve controlling a supply of cleaning water to the filter cleaning device; and

a cooling water valve controlling a supply of cooling water to the cooling water supply device.

16. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a rear gasket provided at a rear wall of the tub to seal a rear part of the tub and prevent leakage of water from the tub to a drive motor coupled thereto, and to allow movement of the drive motor relative to the tub.

17. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a drive motor coupled to a bearing housing and directly connected to a rotary shaft coupled to the drum to rotate the drum.

18. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a suspension device elastically supporting the drum, wherein the tub is rigidly supported, separately from the drum, and the drum is elastically supported by the suspension device.

19. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a rotary shaft coupled to the drum;

a bearing housing rotatably supporting the rotary shaft;

a drive motor coupled to the rotary shaft to rotate the rotary shaft; and

a suspension device coupled to the bearing housing to absorb vibration of the drum.

20. The laundry machine of claim 1, further comprising a cabinet in which the tub and the drum are installed, wherein the tub is fixedly fastened to the cabinet.