IP Library Granted Patent US 8,490,438
Granted Patent B2
US 8,490,438 · App. 12/700,176 · Granted Jul 23, 2013

Laundry treatment device

Inventors: Na Eun Kim (Seoul, KR); Cheol Soo Ko (Seoul, KR); Dong Soo Lee (Seoul, KR); Young Min Kim (Seoul, KR); Hea Kyung Yoo (Seoul, KR); Sung Ryong Kim (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,490,438
App. No.
12/700,176
Granted
Jul 23, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A laundry treatment device is provided which includes a first space for laundry treatment, a second space formed separate from the first space, and an air supply device provided in the second space, the air supply device supplying heated dry air to the first space.

Claims (20)

1. A laundry treatment device, comprising:

a first cabinet configured for laundry treatment therein;

a tub provided in the first cabinet;

a second cabinet formed integrally with the first cabinet, the second cabinet provided under the first cabinet;

a heated-dry-air supply device comprising a heat pump including an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve, the heated-dry-air supply device provided in the second cabinet and supplying heated dry air to the first cabinet; and

a circulation duct connecting the heated-dry-air supply device with the tub, wherein the second cabinet further comprises a drawer in which the heated-dry-air supply device is provided, wherein the first and second cabinets are opened partially and communicates with each other to connect the heated-dry-air supply device to the circulation duct, and wherein a connection portion between the circulation duct and the heat pump is a flexible tube which is extendable and extractible when the drawer is pulled out from the second cabinet.

2. The laundry treatment device of claim 1 , wherein an inner space of the second cabinet is accessible from outside of the laundry machine.

3. The laundry treatment device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, or a second side surface of the second cabinet comprises a detachable panel.

4. The laundry treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the air supply device is provided in a first inner space of the drawer.

5. The laundry treatment device of claim 4 , wherein the drawer further comprising a second inner space separated from the first inner space.

6. The laundry treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the circulation duct comprises an exhaust duct that connects the heat pump and an upper portion of a rear end of the tub and a supply duct that connects the heat pump and an upper portion of a front end of the tub.

7. The laundry treatment device of claim 6 , further comprising:

a dryness sensor that senses dryness of air flowing along the circulation duct.

8. The laundry treatment device of claim 7 , wherein the dryness sensor senses dryness of air discharged from the tub before the air is drawn into the heat pump.

9. The laundry treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the heat pump further comprises a filler that fills refrigerant into the heat pump and a discharge device that discharges refrigerant form the heat pump.

10. The laundry treatment device of claim 9 , wherein the filler is provided at a refrigerant pipe that connects the evaporator and the compressor and the discharge device is provided at a refrigerant pipe that connects the compressor and the condenser.

11. The laundry treatment device of claim 10 , wherein the filler and the discharge device comprise binary branching pipes, and valves branched from the binary branching pipes, respectively.

12. The laundry treatment device of claim 1 , wherein the second cabinet has an opening formed in an upper wall thereof through which the air supply device extends into an inner space of the first cabinet.

13. The laundry treatment device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a drum rotatable provided in the tub.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2010
From: KIM, NA EUN; KO, CHEOL SOO; LEE, DONG SOO; KIM, YOUNG MIN; YOO, HEA KYUNG; KIM, SUNG RYONG
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 024086/0108 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2009-0009375 · Feb 5, 2009 · national
KR 10-2009-0011335 · Feb 12, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100192639A1 · Aug 5, 2010