Laundry dryer

• US 8,595,955 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Bae, Sang Hun, Choi, Chul Jin, Kim, Dong Hyun, Son, Young Bok
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCORMACK, JOHN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/309,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 34/60, 34/82, 344/11, 342/61, 343/90, 344/09, 34595-597, 346/03, 346/07, 341/98, 342/75, 34/10, 222/386, 222/95, 222/105, 137/147, 137/282, 137/565.11, 239/88, 239/215, 239/349, 239/360, 417/36, 417/37, 417/39, 417/44.2, 417/235, 417/315, 417/425, 68/5.R, 68/120.5, 68/120.7, 68/121.8, 68/122.1, 681/71, 681/75
• US Class Current: 34/603
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2815 Through liquid trap seal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2904 Siphon inlet movable to and from seat

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer. The laundry dryer has a drum rotatably provided to a cabinet, a hot air heater heating air to supply hot air to the drum, a steam generator selectively supplying steam to the drum, and a water supply source provided to one side of the cabinet. And, the water supply source has an accommodating part for storing water supplied to the steam generator and a water supply means for supplying the water within the accommodating part to the steam generator.

Claims

1. A laundry dryer comprising:

a drum rotatably provided to a cabinet;

a hot air heater for heating air to supply hot air to the drum;

a steam generator selectively supplying steam to the drum; and

a water supply source provided to one side of the cabinet, the water supply source comprising;

an accommodating part having a space for storing water supplied to the steam generator; and

a water supply means for supplying the water within the accommodating part to the steam generator, the water supply means comprising a pressurizing part for supplying the water within the accommodating part to the steam generator by pressurizing the water,

the pressurizing part comprising;

a pressurizing member moving along an open one side of the accommodating part to pressurize the water stored in the accommodating part in a vertical direction; and

a sealing member provided along a surface of the pressurizing member, and

further comprising an injection hole provided at the pressurizing member for injecting the water into the space for storing water and a cap for opening and closing the injection hole,

wherein the injection hole perforates through the pressurizing member, and

wherein the water is supplied into the space through the injection hole.

11. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the accommodating part comprises an expandable/contractible bellows part to have a space for storing the water therein, wherein the pressurizing part is provided to one end of the bellows part.

12. The laundry dryer of claim 11, further comprising:

an injection hole provided to the pressurizing part to inject the water into the bellows part; and

a supply passage connected to the injection hole.

13. The laundry dryer of claim 12, further comprising a cap for opening and closing the injection hole.

14. The laundry dryer of claim 12, further comprising a packing part configured to be rotatably moved to open and close the injection hole.

15. The laundry dryer of claim 12, further comprising a sealing member sealing the supply passage if the bellows part is contracted by the pressurizing part.

16. The laundry dryer of claim 15, further comprising a cover for covering the pressurizing part and the bellows part if the bellows part is contracted by the pressurizing part, wherein the sealing member is provided to a bottom of the cover.

17. The laundry dryer of claim 12, further comprising:

a water supply hose connecting the bellows part and the steam generator together; and

a backward-flowing preventing means provided to the water supply hose.

18. The laundry dryer of claim 12, further comprising:

a first damper provided along the supply passage; and

a second damper provided between the bellows part and the steam generator.

19. The laundry dryer of claim 12, further comprising a filter provided along the supply passage.

20. The laundry dryer of claim 1, the water supply means comprising the accommodating part rotatably provided to the steam generator to supply the water to the steam generator by a water column difference.

21. The laundry dryer of claim 20, wherein the accommodating part is rotatably in a vertical direction.

22. The laundry dryer of claim 21, wherein a connecting portion for connecting the accommodating part and the steam generator comprises a rotatable flexible member.

23. The laundry dryer of claim 21, the accommodating part comprising:

a water supply port for supplying the water to the steam generator; and

damper turning on/off the water supply port.

24. The laundry dryer of claim 23, wherein the damper is fixed to an inside of the accommodating part adjacent to the water supply port, wherein the damper turns on the water supply port if the accommodating part is rotatably turned to rise, and wherein the damper turns off the water supply port if the accommodating part is lowered.

25. The laundry dryer of claim 21, further comprising an auxiliary cover provided to the cabinet corresponding the accommodating part.

26. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the water supply source is provided to a drawer capable of being pulled out or pushed in the cabinet.

27. The laundry dryer of claim 26, wherein the drawer is provided to a front side of the cabinet.

2. A laundry dryer comprising:

a drum rotatably provided to a cabinet;

a hot air heater for heating air to supply hot air to the drum;

a steam generator selectively supplying steam to the drum; and

a water supply source provided to one side of the cabinet, the water supply source comprising;

an accommodating part having a space, which is formed by an upper surface, lower surface and side surface, for storing water supplied to the steam generator,

the accommodating part comprising;

an injection hole through which the water is injected into the space for storing water; and

a cap for opening and closing the injection hole; and

a water supply means for supplying the water within the accommodating part to the steam generator, the water supply means comprising a pressurizing part for supplying the water within the accommodating part to the steam generator by pressurizing the water,

the pressurizing part comprising;

a pressurizing member moving toward the side surface along an open one side of the accommodating part to pressurize the water stored in the accommodating part; and

a sealing member provided along a surface of the pressurizing member,

wherein the injection hole is provided at the upper surface of the accommodating part.

3. The laundry dryer of claim 2, the pressurizing part further comprising a handle provided to one side of the pressurizing member.

4. The laundry dryer of claim 2, further comprising:

a water supply hose connecting the accommodating part and the steam generator together; and

a backward-flowing preventing means provided to the water supply hose.

5. The laundry dryer of claim 4, wherein the backward-flowing preventing means comprises a check valve.

6. The laundry dryer of claim 2, wherein the pressurizing member moves from the open one side of the accommodating part in a horizontal direction.

7. The laundry dryer of claim 2, further comprising a moving means for moving the pressurizing member.

8. The laundry dryer of claim 7, the moving means comprising:

a horizontal bar connected to the pressurizing member to make a horizontal movement; and

a rotatable member connected to one end of the horizontal bar to be rotatably installed.

9. The laundry dryer of claim 8, wherein the rotatable member is rotatably moved between a pressurizing position where the pressurizing member pressurizes the water and a releasing position where the pressurizing member does not pressurize the water.

10. The laundry dryer of claim 9, the moving means further comprising an elastic member for applying an elastic force to the releasing position if the rotatable member is rotatably moved to the pressurizing position.