LAUNDRY TREATING APPARATUS

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus includes a treatment chamber, a laundry hanger, a laundry hanger support configured to support the laundry hanger, the laundry hanger support being configured to repeat a reciprocating motion, a driver that provides driving force to the laundry hanger support, a heat exchanger configured to remove moisture from air in the treatment chamber, a steam supply configured to generate and supply steam to the treatment chamber, and a controller configured to control the driver to control a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support. The controller is configured to operate the laundry hanger support (i) in a motion mode to maintain the frequency of the reciprocating motion a reference frequency and (ii) in another motion mode to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be greater than or equal to the reference frequency.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2023-0114578, filed on Aug. 30, 2023, and 10-2024-0003205, filed on Jan. 8, 2024, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treating apparatus.

BACKGROUND

A laundry treating apparatus may perform various tasks related to laundry such as washing, drying, deodorizing, removing wrinkles, and the like. The laundry treating apparatus may include a washing machine that washes the laundry, a drying machine that dries the wet laundry, and a refresher for removing odors or wrinkles from the laundry.

In some cases, a laundry treating apparatus may treat laundry by hanging the laundry inside a cabinet. For instance, the laundry treating apparatus may be a home appliance that refreshes or sterilizes the laundry by supplying hot air, cold air, steam, or the like to the laundry. The laundry treating apparatus may also be used for removing fine dust or drying the laundry that is wet in rain. Such laundry treating apparatus may be referred to by various terms such as a refresher, a styler, a laundry purifier, a laundry care machine, and the like.

In particular, to remove the fine dust, remove the wrinkles, and dry the laundry better, the laundry care machine may include a laundry hanger support that may shake the entire laundry. That is, the laundry hanger support where the laundry is hung may include a hanger module that may reciprocate in a certain direction.

In some cases, a hanger module may reciprocate, where a driver may reciprocate a hanger bar on which a laundry hanger where laundry is hung is suspended to remove wrinkles and remove dust adhering to the laundry.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes a laundry treating apparatus that may effectively treat laundry. The laundry treating apparatus can improve a wrinkle removal performance in a section of increasing a moisture content of laundry and removing wrinkles of the laundry. The laundry treating apparatus can improve drying uniformity of laundry when drying various types of laundry made of various materials in a section of reducing a moisture content of the laundry and drying the laundry. The laundry treating apparatus can improve drying uniformity of laundry and prevent damage to the laundry in a section of reducing a moisture content of the laundry and drying the laundry.

The present disclosure describes a frequency to effectively treat laundry in refreshing the laundry by vibrating the same.

According to one aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a laundry treating apparatus includes a treatment chamber where laundry hung on a laundry hanger are accommodated, a laundry hanger support located in the treatment chamber to support the laundry hanger, wherein the laundry hanger support repeats a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position, a driver that provides an driving force for the laundry hanger support to reciprocate, a moisture removal module that removes moisture from air in the treatment chamber, and a controller that controls the driver and controls a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support. The laundry treating apparatus is configured to operate in a first motion mode such that the frequency of the laundry hanger support is maintained at a reference frequency, and in a second motion mode such that the frequency of the laundry hanger varies in a frequency range equal to or lower than the reference frequency.

Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of the following features. For example, the second motion mode may operate in a cycle of reducing the moisture content of the laundry.

In some examples, the controller may be configured to control the driver to maintain the frequency of the reciprocating motion at a reference frequency that is selected from a frequency range, where the frequency range is predetermined based on a sample hung on the laundry hanger having (i) a first shape of a first waveform in a first state in which the sample is biased to a first side of the laundry hanger support and (ii) a second shape of a second waveform in a second state in which the sample is biased to a second side of the laundry hanger support, and the frequency range is defined based on overlap points of the first waveform and the second waveform.

In some examples, the sample may be a cotton fabric having a width of 20 cm and a length of 90 cm and having a weight in a range of 140 g/m² to 160 g/m².

In some examples, while the laundry hanger support reciprocates between the first position and the second position, the laundry hanger may reciprocate with one end and the other end thereof drawing an arc with respect to a central axis.

In some examples, the reference frequency may be selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

In some examples, the second motion mode may operate such that the frequency varies in a frequency range equal to or higher than a minimum frequency and equal to or lower than the reference frequency.

In some examples, the minimum frequency may be a frequency equal to or greater than 40% of the reference frequency.

In some examples, one period where the frequency varies in the second motion mode may be in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute.

In some examples, during the one period in the second motion mode, the frequency may vary among a first frequency equal to or higher than the minimum frequency, a second frequency higher than the first frequency, and a third frequency higher than the second frequency and equal to or lower than the reference frequency, and the one period may include a first section where the frequency varies from the first frequency to the third frequency during a first time period, and a second section where the frequency varies from the third frequency to the first frequency during a second time period shorter than the first time period.

In some examples, when a shape of the laundry when the laundry hung on the laundry hanger vibrate and are biased to one side is defined as a first waveform and a shape of the laundry when the laundry is biased to the other side is defined as a second waveform, in the second motion mode, a position of an overlap point of the first waveform and the second waveform may vary.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may perform a drying cycle of reducing a moisture content of the laundry as the moisture removal module operates to remove moisture from air in the treatment chamber, the laundry treating apparatus may provide a plurality of laundry treatment courses including the drying cycle, and the plurality of laundry treatment courses may include a first treatment course of operating the laundry hanger support in the first motion mode while the drying cycle is performed, and a second treatment course of operating the laundry hanger support in the second motion mode while the drying cycle is performed.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a steam supply portion that generates steam and supplies generated steam to the treatment chamber, the first treatment course may further include a steam cycle performed before the drying cycle is performed, wherein the steam cycle increases a moisture content by supplying steam to the laundry, and the laundry hanger support may move at a frequency higher than the reference frequency while the steam cycle is performed.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a third motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger support varies in a frequency range equal to or higher than the reference frequency, and the laundry hanger support may operate in the third motion mode while the steam cycle is performed in the first treatment course.

In some examples, one period where the frequency varies in the third motion mode may be in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute, during the one period in the third motion mode, the frequency may vary among a fourth frequency equal to or higher than the reference frequency, a fifth frequency higher than the fourth frequency, and a sixth frequency higher than the fifth frequency and equal to or lower than a maximum frequency, and the one period may include a first section where the frequency varies from the fourth frequency to the sixth frequency during a first time period, and a second section where the frequency varies from the sixth frequency to the fourth frequency during a second time period shorter than the first time period.

In some examples, an amplitude corresponding to a displacement based on the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support may be uniform in the first motion mode and the second motion mode.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a steam supply portion that generates steam and supplies generated steam to the treatment chamber, the laundry treating apparatus may include a steam cycle of increasing a moisture content of the laundry as the steam supply portion operates to supply steam to the laundry with steam supplied to the treatment chamber, and the laundry treating apparatus may operate the third motion mode after the steam supply portion by the steam supply portion is stopped.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a circulation fan that circulates air in the treatment chamber, and may operate the third motion mode while circulating air in the treatment chamber by operating the circulation fan.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a steam supply portion that generates steam and supplies generated steam to the treatment chamber, the laundry treating apparatus may include a steam cycle of increasing a moisture content of the laundry as the steam supply portion operates to supply steam to the laundry with steam supplied to the treatment chamber, and the laundry treating apparatus may operate a third motion mode while circulating air in the treatment chamber by operating the circulation fan after the steam supply portion by the steam supply portion is stopped.

The present disclosure provides a hanger module. The hanger module includes a laundry hanger support supporting a laundry hanger, wherein the laundry hanger support repeats a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position, a driver that provides an driving force for the laundry hanger support to reciprocate, and a controller that controls the driver and controls a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support, and the hanger module includes a first motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger support is maintained at a reference frequency, and a third motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger varies in a frequency range equal to or lower than the reference frequency.

In some examples, the hanger module may operate in the third motion mode of reducing the moisture content of the laundry.

In some examples, in the hanger module, in a behavior of a sample hung on the laundry hanger, a shape of the sample when the sample is biased to one side may be defined as a first waveform, a shape of the sample when the sample is biased to the other side may be defined as a second waveform, and the reference frequency may be selected from a frequency range where two overlap points of the first waveform and the second waveform occur.

In some examples, the sample may be a cotton fabric having a width of 20 cm and a length of 90 cm and having a weight in a range of 140 g/m² to 160 g/m².

In some examples, in the hanger module, while the laundry hanger support reciprocates between the first position and the second position, the laundry hanger may reciprocate with one end and the other end thereof drawing an arc with respect to a central axis.

In some examples, the reference frequency may be selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

In some examples, the third motion mode may operate such that the frequency varies in a frequency range equal to or higher than a minimum frequency and equal to or lower than the reference frequency.

In some examples, the minimum frequency may be a frequency equal to or greater than 40% of the reference frequency.

In some examples, one period where the frequency varies in the second motion mode may be in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute.

In some examples, during the one period in the second motion mode, the frequency may vary among a first frequency equal to or higher than the minimum frequency, a second frequency higher than the first frequency, and a third frequency higher than the second frequency and equal to or lower than the reference frequency, and the one period may include a first section where the frequency varies from the first frequency to the third frequency during a first time period, and a second section where the frequency varies from the third frequency to the first frequency during a second time period shorter than the first time period.

In some examples, when a shape of the laundry when the laundry hung on the laundry hanger vibrate and are biased to one side is defined as a first waveform and a shape of the laundry when the laundry is biased to the other side is defined as a second waveform, in the second motion mode, a position of an overlap point of the first waveform and the second waveform may vary.

According to one aspect of the subject matter described in this application, a laundry treating apparatus includes a treatment chamber configured to receive laundry, a laundry hanger configured to hang the laundry and to be accommodated in the treatment chamber, a laundry hanger support located in the treatment chamber and configured to support the laundry hanger, the laundry hanger support being configured to repeat a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position, a driver configured to provide driving force to the laundry hanger support, a moisture removal module configured to remove moisture from air in the treatment chamber, a steam supply configured to generate steam and to supply the steam to the treatment chamber, and a controller configured to control the driver to control a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support. The laundry treating apparatus is configured to perform a plurality of laundry treatment courses including at least one of (i) a steam cycle configured to increase a moisture content of the laundry based on operating the steam supply or (ii) a drying cycle configured to reduce the moisture content of the laundry. The controller is configured to, in a first motion mode, control the driver to maintain the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support at a reference frequency, and in another motion mode different from the first motion mode, control the driver to maintain to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support to be greater than or equal to the reference frequency.

Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of the following features. For example, the laundry hanger support is configured to operate in the another motion mode during the steam cycle. In some examples, the reference frequency is selected from a frequency range that is predetermined based on a sample hung on the laundry hanger having (i) a first shape of a first waveform in a first state in which the sample is biased to a first side of the laundry hanger support and (ii) a second shape of a second waveform in a second state in which the sample is biased to a second side of the laundry hanger support, where the frequency range is defined based on overlap points of the first waveform and the second waveform. For instance, the sample includes a piece of cotton fabric having a width of 20 cm and a length of 90 cm, the piece of cotton fabric having a weight in a range of 140 g/m² to 160 g/m².

In some examples, the laundry hanger is configured to, based on the laundry hanger support reciprocating between the first position and the second position, reciprocate ends of the laundry hanger along an arc with respect to a central axis of the laundry hanger. In some examples, the reference frequency is selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

In some implementations, the controller is configured to, in the another motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be (i) greater than or equal to the reference frequency and (ii) less than or equal to a maximum frequency. For example, the maximum frequency is defined based on the driver providing a maximum output to the laundry hanger support.

In some implementations, the controller is configured to, in the another motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion for a period in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute. In some examples, the controller is configured to, during the period in the another motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion among (i) a first frequency greater than or equal to the reference frequency, (ii) a second frequency greater than the first frequency, and (iii) a third frequency that is greater than or equal to the second frequency and less than or equal to a maximum frequency, where the period includes (i) a first section of a first time period and (ii) a second section of a second time period that is shorter than the first time period. The controller can be configured to, during the first section, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the first frequency to the third frequency for the first time period, and during the second section, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the third frequency to the first frequency for the second time period.

In some implementations, the laundry hanger support is configured to vary a shape of the laundry hung on the laundry hanger based on vibration of the laundry in response to the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support, the shape of the laundry defining (i) a first waveform in a first state in which the laundry is biased to a first side of the laundry hanger support and (ii) a second waveform in a second state in which the laundry is biased to a second side of the laundry hanger support, where a position of an overlap point of the first waveform and the second waveform varies in the another motion mode.

In some implementations, the plurality of laundry treatment courses include a first treatment course for operating the laundry hanger support in the another motion mode while the steam cycle is performed, and a second treatment course for operating the laundry hanger support at a frequency less than the reference frequency while the steam cycle is performed. In some examples, the first treatment course further includes the drying cycle to be performed after the steam cycle, and the laundry hanger support is configured to move at a frequency less than or equal to the reference frequency while the drying cycle is performed during the first treatment course.

In some implementations, the controller is configured to, in a second motion mode, control the driver to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be less than or equal to the reference frequency, where the controller is configured to operate the laundry hanger support in the second motion mode while the drying cycle is performed during the first treatment course. In some examples, the controller is configured to operate the laundry hanger support in the first motion mode, the second motion mode, a third motion mode, and a fourth motion mode, the fourth motion mode being the another motion mode. The controller can be configured to, in the fourth motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion among (i) a first frequency greater than or equal to the reference frequency, (ii) a second frequency greater than the first frequency, and (iii) a third frequency that is greater than or equal to the second frequency and less than or equal to a maximum frequency.

In some examples, the controller can be configured to, in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion for a period in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute, and during the period in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion among (i) a fourth frequency greater than or equal to the reference frequency, (ii) a fifth frequency greater than the fourth frequency, and (iii) a sixth frequency that is greater than the fifth frequency and less than or equal to the maximum frequency, where the period in the second motion mode includes (i) a first section of a first time period and (ii) a second section of a second time period that is shorter than the first time period. The controller can be configured to, during the first section of the period in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the fourth frequency to the sixth frequency for the first time period, and during the second section of the period in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the sixth frequency to the fourth frequency for the second time period.

In some implementations, the controller is configured to control the driver to maintain an amplitude of a displacement of the laundry hanger support based on the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support in the first motion mode, the second motion mode, and the fourth motion mode. In some examples, the controller is configured to, in the third motion mode, control the driver to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be less than or equal to the reference frequency.

According to another aspect, a hanger module includes a laundry hanger support configured to support a laundry hanger, the laundry hanger support being configured to repeat a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position, a driver configured to provide driving force to the laundry hanger support, and a controller configured to control the driver to control a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support, the controller being configured to operate the laundry hanger support in a first motion mode, a second motion mode, a third motion mode, and a fourth motion mode. The controller is configured to, in the first motion mode, maintain the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support at a reference frequency, and in the fourth motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support to be greater than or equal to the reference frequency.

Implementations according to this aspect can include one or more of the following features. For example, the reference frequency is selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm. In some examples, the controller is configured to, in at least one of the second motion mode or the third motion mode, control the driver to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be less than or equal to the reference frequency.

In some examples, the fourth motion mode may operate in a cycle of increasing the moisture content of the laundry.

In some examples, in a behavior of a sample hung on the laundry hanger, a shape of the sample when the sample is biased to one side may be defined as a first waveform, a shape of the sample when the sample is biased to the other side may be defined as a second waveform, and the reference frequency may be selected from a frequency range where two overlap points of the first waveform and the second waveform occur.

In some examples, the sample may be a cotton fabric having a width of 20 cm and a length of 90 cm and having a weight in a range of 140 g/m² to 160 g/m².

In some examples, while the laundry hanger support reciprocates between the first position and the second position, the laundry hanger may reciprocate with one end and the other end thereof drawing an arc with respect to a central axis.

In some examples, the reference frequency may be selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

In some examples, the fourth motion mode may operate such that the frequency varies in a frequency range equal to or higher than the reference frequency and equal to or lower than a maximum frequency.

In some examples, the maximum frequency may be a frequency generated by a maximum output of the driver.

In some examples, one period where the frequency varies in the fourth motion mode may be in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute.

In some examples, during the one period in the fourth motion mode, the frequency may vary among a first frequency equal to or higher than the reference frequency, a second frequency higher than the first frequency, and a third frequency equal to or higher than the second frequency and equal to or lower than a maximum frequency, and the one period may include a first section where the frequency varies from the first frequency to the third frequency during a first time period, and a second section where the frequency varies from the third frequency to the first frequency during a second time period shorter than the first time period.

In some examples, when a shape of the laundry when the laundry hung on the laundry hanger vibrate and are biased to one side is defined as a first waveform and a shape of the laundry when the laundry is biased to the other side is defined as a second waveform, in the fourth motion mode, a position of an overlap point of the first waveform and the second waveform may vary.

According to another aspect, a laundry treating apparatus includes a treatment chamber where laundry hung on a laundry hanger are accommodated, a laundry hanger support located in the treatment chamber to support the laundry hanger, wherein the laundry hanger support repeats a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position, a driver that provides an driving force for the laundry hanger support to reciprocate, a moisture removal module that removes moisture from air in the treatment chamber, a steam supply portion that generates steam and supplies generated steam to the treatment chamber, and a controller that controls the driver and controls a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support, the laundry treating apparatus performs a steam cycle of increasing a moisture content of the laundry as the steam supply portion operates to supply moisture to air in the treatment chamber, and a drying cycle of reducing the moisture content of the laundry as the heat exchanger operates, the laundry treating apparatus includes a first motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger support is maintained at a reference frequency, and a fourth motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger varies in a frequency range equal to or higher than the reference frequency, a plurality of laundry treatment courses including one or more of the steam cycle and the drying cycle are provided, a first treatment course, one of the plurality of laundry treatment courses, includes the steam cycle and the drying cycle performed after the steam cycle, and the first treatment course includes operating the laundry hanger support in the fourth motion mode while the steam cycle is performed, and operating the laundry hanger support in the first motion mode while the drying cycle is performed.

In some examples, in a behavior of a sample hung on the laundry hanger, a shape of the sample when the sample is biased to one side may be defined as a first waveform, a shape of the sample when the sample is biased to the other side may be defined as a second waveform, and the reference frequency may be selected from a frequency range where two overlap points of the first waveform and the second waveform occur.

In some examples, the sample may be a cotton fabric having a width of 20 cm and a length of 90 cm and having a weight in a range of 140 g/m² to 160 g/m².

In some examples, while the laundry hanger support reciprocates between the first position and the second position, the laundry hanger may reciprocate with one end and the other end thereof drawing an arc with respect to a central axis.

In some examples, the reference frequency may be selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

In some examples, the fourth motion mode may operate such that the frequency varies in a frequency range equal to or higher than the reference frequency and equal to or lower than a maximum frequency.

In some examples, the maximum frequency may be a frequency generated by a maximum output of the driver.

In some examples, one period where the frequency varies in the fourth motion mode may be in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute.

In some examples, during the one period in the fourth motion mode, the frequency may vary among a first frequency equal to or higher than the reference frequency, a second frequency higher than the first frequency, and a third frequency equal to or higher than the second frequency and equal to or lower than a maximum frequency, and the one period may include a first section where the frequency varies from the first frequency to the third frequency during a first time period, and a second section where the frequency varies from the third frequency to the first frequency during a second time period shorter than the first time period.

In some examples, when a shape of the laundry when the laundry hung on the laundry hanger vibrate and are biased to one side is defined as a first waveform and a shape of the laundry when the laundry is biased to the other side is defined as a second waveform, in the fourth motion mode, a position of an overlap point of the first waveform and the second waveform may vary.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a pre-steam cycle performed before the steam cycle is performed, wherein the pre-steam cycle performs an operation of dusting the laundry while the steam supply portion generates steam for the steam cycle, and a second motion mode operating to maintain the frequency of the laundry hanger support at a maximum frequency, and the first treatment course may operate the laundry hanger support in the second motion mode while the pre-steam cycle is performed.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a stay cycle performed after the steam cycle, wherein the stay cycle stops supplying steam and maintains the heat exchanger in a non-operating state, and the first treatment course may operate the laundry hanger support in the second motion mode while the pre-steam cycle is performed.

In some examples, a second treatment course, one of the plurality of laundry treatment courses, may include the steam cycle and the drying cycle performed after the steam cycle, and the second treatment course may include operating the laundry hanger support at a frequency lower than the reference frequency while the steam cycle is performed, and operating the laundry hanger support at a frequency lower than the reference frequency while the drying cycle is performed.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a third motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger support varies in a frequency range equal to or lower than the reference frequency, and the laundry hanger support may operate in the third motion mode while the drying cycle is performed in the second treatment course.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus may further include a third motion mode operating such that the frequency of the laundry hanger support varies in a frequency range equal to or lower than the reference frequency, and

a third treatment course, one of the plurality of laundry treatment courses, may include the drying cycle, and the laundry hanger support may operate in the third motion mode while the drying cycle is performed in the third treatment course.

In some examples, one period where the frequency varies in the third motion mode may be in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute, during the one period in the third motion mode, the frequency may vary among a fourth frequency equal to or higher than the reference frequency, a fifth frequency higher than the fourth frequency, and a sixth frequency higher than the fifth frequency and equal to or lower than a maximum frequency, and the one period may include a first section where the frequency varies from the fourth frequency to the sixth frequency during a first time period, and a second section where the frequency varies from the sixth frequency to the fourth frequency during a second time period shorter than the first time period.

In some examples, an amplitude corresponding to a displacement based on the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support may be uniform in the first motion mode, the fourth motion mode, a second motion mode, and the third motion mode.

In some implementations, the laundry may be effectively treated.

In some implementations, the great wrinkle removal performance may be obtained in the section of increasing the moisture content of the laundry and removing the wrinkles of the laundry.

In some implementations, the high drying uniformity of the laundry may be obtained when drying the various types of laundry made of the various materials in the section of reducing the moisture content of the laundry and drying the laundry.

In some implementations, the drying uniformity of the laundry may be improved, but the damage to the laundry may be minimized in the section of reducing the moisture content of the laundry and drying the laundry.

In some implementations, the laundry may be effectively treated in refreshing the laundry by vibrating the same.

Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects described above, and effects not mentioned may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the present document and the accompanying drawings to which the present disclosure pertains.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an outer appearance of a laundry treating apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example state in which a door 20 of the laundry treating apparatus is opened.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hanger module reciprocating a laundry hanger.

FIGS. 4A to 4C show an example operation scheme of the hanger module.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the hanger module.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the hanger module separated from an inner casing.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a coupled structure of a driver and a displacement generator.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the hanger module.

FIGS. 9A to 9B show an example operation scheme of the hanger module.

FIGS. 10A to 10C are additional diagrams illustrating an example process in which the reciprocating rotation converter rotates in the reciprocating manner.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a movement of the laundry hanger by the hanger module.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a hanger module.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show an example structure in which a support bar of the hanger module moves left and right.

FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a movement of the laundry hanger by the hanger module.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a range of frequency defined as a reference frequency, and an example of a record of a lateral behavior of a sample M.

FIG. 16 shows an example of the behavior of the sample M based on the frequency.

FIG. 17 shows example behaviors of a hemp sample, a cotton sample, and a silk sample as a result of being excited at a reference frequency.

FIG. 18 shows example behaviors of a hemp sample, a cotton sample, and a silk sample as a result of being excited at a low frequency that is equal to or lower than a reference frequency.

FIG. 19 is a chart showing an example of a frequency applied to laundry by the hanger modules.

FIG. 20 shows an example of six motion modes provided by the laundry treating apparatus.

FIG. 21 is a graph illustrating an example of frequency variation of a third motion mode.

FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating an example of frequency variation of a fourth motion mode.

FIG. 23 is a chart illustrating an example operation state of each component for each cycle.

FIG. 24 is a chart showing an example of a treatment course provided by the laundry treating apparatus and a motion mode of a hanger module for each cycle.

FIG. 25 is a chart showing an example of a treatment course of the laundry treating apparatus and a motion mode of a hanger module for each drying cycle.

FIG. 26 is an embodiment of a machine room of the laundry treating apparatus 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, one or more implementations of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. A configuration of a device or a method for controlling the same to be described below is only for describing an implementation of the present disclosure, not for limiting the scope of the present disclosure, and reference numerals used the same herein refer to the same components.

Specific terms used herein are only for convenience of description and are not used as a limitation of the illustrated embodiment.

For example, expressions indicating that things are in the same state, such as “same”, “equal”, “homogeneous”, and the like, not only indicate strictly the same state, but also indicate a state in which a tolerance or a difference in a degree to which the same function is obtained exists.

In addition, it will be understood that when a component is referred to as being ‘connected to’ or ‘coupled to’ another component herein, it may be directly connected to or coupled to the other component, or one or more intervening components may be present. On the other hand, it will be understood that when a component is referred to as being ‘directly connected to’ or ‘directly coupled to’ another component herein, there are no other intervening components.

It should be understood that the terms ‘comprises’, ‘comprising’, ‘includes’, and ‘including’ when used herein, specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described herein, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, or combinations thereof.

For example, expressions indicating a relative or absolute arrangement such as “in a certain direction”, “along a certain direction”, “parallel”, “orthogonal”, “central”, “concentric”, “coaxial”, or the like not only strictly indicate such arrangement, but also indicate a state in which a relative displacement is achieved with a tolerance, or an angle or a distance that achieves the same function.

In order to describe the present disclosure, the description below will be achieved on the basis of a spatial orthogonal coordinate system with an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis orthogonal to each other. Each axial direction (an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, or a Z-axis direction) means both directions in which each axis extends. Adding a ‘+’ sign in front of each axial direction (a +X-axis direction, a +Y-axis direction, or a +Z-axis direction) means a positive direction, which is one of the two directions in which each axis extends. Adding a ‘−’ sign in front of each axial direction (a −X-axis direction, a −Y-axis direction, or a −Z-axis direction) means a negative direction, which is the other of the two directions in which each axis extends.

Expressions referring to directions such as “front (+Y)/rear (−Y)/left (+X)/right (−X)/up (+Z)/down (−Z)” to be mentioned below are defined based on a XYZ coordinate axis. However, this is to describe the present disclosure such that the present disclosure may be clearly understood. In one example, each direction may be defined differently depending on the standard.

The use of terms such as ‘first, second, third’ in front of the components to be mentioned below is only to avoid confusion of the components referred to, and is independent of the order, importance, or master-slave relationship between the components. For example, an invention including only the second component without the first component may also be implemented.

Singular expressions used herein include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In addition, herein, the term ‘and/or’ includes a combination of a plurality of listed items or any of the plurality of listed items. Herein, ‘A or B’ may include ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘both A and B’.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a laundry treating apparatus 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the outer appearance of the laundry treating apparatus 1 will be described.

In some implementations, a cabinet 10 defines the outer appearance of the laundry treating apparatus 1. The cabinet 10 may have a height that is greater than a width (a width in a left and right direction) and a thickness (a width in a front and rear direction).

A door 20 is located at a front side of the laundry treating apparatus 1. The door 20 is coupled to the cabinet 10 from the front. In some examples, the door 20 is coupled to the cabinet 10. The door 20 may be provided as a hinged door. The door 20 may be hinge-coupled to the cabinet 10. The door 20 may pivot around the hinge

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the door 20 of the laundry treating apparatus 1 is opened. Referring to FIG. 2, the interior exposed to a user while the door 20 is opened will be described.

In some implementations, an inner casing 30 accommodates laundry therein and defines the treatment chamber 35, which is a space where the laundry is treated. The inner casing 30 is located inside the cabinet 10. A front side of the inner casing 30 is open to allow the laundry to be inserted, defining an opening. The opening of the inner casing 30 may be shielded by the door 20.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may have a machine room 40 in which various devices that may supply one or more of hot air and steam to the treatment chamber 35 or purify or dehumidify external air of the cabinet 10 are installed.

For example, the machine room 40 may be defined separately or partitioned from the inner casing 30. The machine room 40 may be in communication with the inner casing 30. The machine room 40 may be defined under the inner casing 30. The machine room 40 may be defined under the inner casing 30. As a result, when hot air and steam, which have small specific gravity, are supplied to the inner casing 30, hot air and steam may be naturally supplied to the laundry.

The processing chamber 35 and the machine compartment may be separated and partitioned by the inner case 30 of a floor portion 30a of the processing chamber 35. A plurality of openings may be formed in the wall of the inner case 30 defining the processing chamber 35 to communicate with the machine compartment. In the embodiment, the plurality of openings may be formed in the floor portion 30a. In the embodiment, air of the processing chamber 35 may move to the machine compartment through the openings, and one or more of hot air and steam generated in the machine compartment may move to the processing chamber 35. In the embodiment, a first opening 31, a second opening 33, and a third opening 32 may be formed in the inner case 30.

The first opening 31 is a passage through which air inside the inner case 30 flows toward the machine compartment. The first opening 31 communicates with a circulation duct 90. The second opening 33 is a passage through which air supplied from the machine compartment flows towards the inner case 30. The second opening 33 communicates with a circulation duct 90. The third opening 32 is a passage through which steam supplied from the machine compartment flows towards the inner case 30. The third opening 33 communicates with a steam supply 80.

The machine room 40 will be described in more detail with further reference to FIG. 26. The machine room 40 includes a circulation duct 90 that forms a circulation flow channel 91 that intakes air inside the inner casing 30 and discharges the air back to the inner casing 30. The machine room 40 is provided with a circulation fan 95 that causes air to flow through the circulation flow channel 91. Additionally, a heat exchanger 70 that is disposed on the circulation duct 90 to cool and condense the air and heat air may be included. The heat exchanger 70 is a moisture removal module. The machine room 40 may be equipped with a heat pump system including a compressor that is connected to the heat exchanger 70 and is able to compress a refrigerant that cools or heats air. In some examples, an exhaust apparatus using a heater, a zeolite apparatus, and the like may be applied as the moisture removal module.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 further includes a steam supply portion 80. The steam supply portion may be disposed in the machine room 40. The steam supply portion 80 may supply steam to the treatment chamber 35. The steam supply portion 80 may include a steam generator that generates steam from water. The laundry accommodated in the treatment chamber 35 may be deodorized, sterilized, and wrinkle-removed by being exposed to hot air and steam.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 can further include a plurality of tanks 50. For example, a water supply tank 51 and a drain tank 52 may be disposed at a front side of the machine room 40. The water supply tank 51 is a tank that stores water for generating steam. The water supply tank 51 is connected to the steam supply portion 80 in a fluid manner. Water stored in the water supply tank 51 may be supplied to the steam supply portion 80. The drain tank 52 collects water condensed in the circulation duct and the treatment chamber 35.

The water supply tank 51 and the drain tank 52 may be detachable. Accordingly, even when the laundry treating apparatus 1 is not installed near a water source or a drainage hole, the user may remove and transport the water supply tank 51 and the drain tank 52. In some examples, front surfaces of the water supply tank 51 and the drain tank 52 may be flush with each other. In some examples, each of the water supply tank 51 and the drain tank 52 may include a handle that is recessed rearward relative to a front surface of the inner casing 30.

The controller P may be disposed in the machine room 40. The controller P may also be disposed at the door 20. The controller P can control each electrical component of the laundry treating apparatus 1. Additionally, the controller P is able to receive user commands from the input unit and control each electrical component of the laundry treating apparatus 1 according to the commands. In an embodiment, the input unit may be disposed on the door 20. The input unit may also be a personal mobile device of the user that wirelessly interacts with the laundry treating apparatus 1.

Additionally, the machine room 40 may further include a drawer 53 that accommodates items or the like for managing the laundry. The drawer 53 may be extendable from the machine room 40. A space where the items such as an iron may be accommodated may be defined inside the drawer 53.

In some implementations, a laundry hanger support 700 (see FIG. 3) may hang the laundry in the treatment chamber 35 and be disposed at an upper portion of an inner surface of the inner casing 30. The laundry hanger support 700 may be fixed to a top surface of the inner casing 30.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a laundry hanger 900 that may hang the laundry in the treatment chamber 35. The laundry hanger 900 is a component that may hang the laundry in an unfolded state.

The laundry hanger 900 may be seated on the laundry hanger support 700. The laundry hanger 900 (see FIG. 3) may be supported on the laundry hanger support 700. The laundry hanger 900 may be detachable from the laundry hanger support 700. When the laundry is hung on the laundry hanger support 700, the laundry may be disposed suspended in air inside the treatment chamber 35.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 shakes the laundry hanger 900 to remove foreign substances, dust, and the like from the laundry hung on the laundry hanger 900. When the laundry treating apparatus 1 shakes the laundry, the foreign substances, the dust, and the like from the laundry may be shaken off, and wrinkles formed on the laundry may also be removed. To shake the laundry hanger 900, the laundry hanger support 700 may reciprocate in a width direction within the inner casing 30 or may reciprocate at a set angle around a rotation axis.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hanger module 100 of reciprocating the laundry hanger 900.

The hanger module 100 is disposed at an upper portion of the inner casing 30. The hanger module 100 may include a driver 200, a displacement generator 300, and a power transmitter 400.

The power transmitter 400 is a component that shakes the laundry hanger support 700. The laundry hanger support 700 may be disposed at a lower side of the power transmitter 400. When the power transmitter 400 moves, the laundry hanger support 700 moves. When the laundry hanger support 700 moves, the laundry hanger 900 mounted on the laundry hanger support 700 may shake, causing the effect of the laundry being shaken off.

The power transmitter 400 may include a plurality of power transmitters. The laundry hanger support 700 that is coupled to the power transmitter 400 may also include a plurality of laundry hanger supports.

The driver 200 provides power to move the power transmitter 400. The driver 200 may be exposed inside the inner casing 30 as long as it is able to transmit the power to the power transmitter 400. In some examples, as the driver 200 operates by receiving electric energy, the exposure of the driver to steam or hot air may be blocked. For example, the driver 200 may be disposed between the top surface of the inner casing 30 and the cabinet 10. Because the driver 200 is located outside the treatment chamber 35, it may not be exposed to steam or hot air.

The power transmitter 400 may be disposed to extend through the inner casing 30. The power transmitter 400 may extend through the top surface of the inner casing 30 and extend into the treatment chamber 35. An upper end of the power transmitter 400 is disposed upwardly of the top surface of the inner casing 30. A lower end of the power transmitter 400 is located in the treatment chamber 35. The power transmitter 400 may receive the power from the driver 200 and transmit the power to the laundry hanger support 700.

In some examples, the laundry treating apparatus 1 may further include a sealing member that may seal an area of the inner casing 30 through which the power transmitter 400 extends.

The sealing member may include a support bearing or the like that is coupled to a hole that allows the power transmitter 400 to extend therethrough at the inner casing 30 and a support 800 and rotatably supports the power transmitter 400. The sealing member may block air and steam supplied to the treatment chamber 35 from leaking.

The top surface of the inner casing 30 may support loads of the power transmitter 400 and the driver 200. The laundry move by being hung on the power transmitter 400, and the load of the driver 200 is relatively great. Accordingly, the support 800 may be further disposed on the top surface of the inner casing 30. The support 800 supports a load of the hanger module 100 such that the hanger module 100 may be installed stably.

The support 800 may be disposed on top of the inner casing 30. The support 800 may be supported by being coupled to the cabinet 10. The support 800 may be made of a metal material that is durable and difficult to deform.

The power transmitter 400 and the driver 200 may be seated on the support 800. The power transmitter 400 may extend through the support 800 and extend to the treatment chamber 35.

The driver 200 includes a motor that rotates a rotation shaft. The driver 200 may move the power transmitter 400 using power generated by the rotation of the rotation shaft.

It may be difficult to shake the power transmitter 400 with sufficient displacement merely by rotating the rotation shaft in place. In some examples, the hanger module 100 may further include the displacement generator 300. The displacement generator 300 is coupled to the rotation shaft rotated by the motor and generates sufficient displacement for the power transmitter 400 to move. The displacement generator 300 may be connected to or coupled to the driver 200. The displacement generator 300 may transmit the power of the driver 200 to the power transmitter 400. The displacement generator 300 may include an eccentric shaft that rotates along a trajectory larger than a diameter of the rotation shaft. Details will be described with reference to other drawings. The displacement generator 300 may be any component as long as it may generate a displacement that causes the power transmitter 400 to reciprocate over a certain range. A detailed structure thereof will be described later.

FIGS. 4A to 4C show an operation scheme of the hanger module 100.

The hanger module 100 may reciprocate the power transmitter 400.

The displacement generator 300 may directly move the power transmitter 400, but may also move the power transmitter 400 via an additional component. The hanger module 100 rotates the power transmitter 400 in a reciprocating manner. The power transmitter 400 may perform a reciprocating swing motion clockwise or counterclockwise in position, and the laundry hung on the power transmitter 400 may also perform the reciprocating swing motion clockwise or counterclockwise. The power transmitter 400 may rotate by the hanger module 100, but may not move while varying the position thereof to the left or right.

Even when the laundry vibrate inside the inner casing 30 because of the power transmitter 400, a movement of a center of gravity inside the inner casing 30 may be limited. Therefore, even when the hanger module 100 operates, vibration occurring inside the inner casing 30 may be drastically reduced and noise occurrence may be minimized.

The hanger module 100 may further include a reciprocating rotation converter 500 that converts continuous rotational energy generated by the driver 200 or the displacement generator 300 into a reciprocating rotation motion of the power transmitter 400.

The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may connect the displacement generator 300 and the power transmitter 400 to each other. The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may connect the displacement generator 300 and the power transmitter 400 to each other upwardly of the inner casing 30. The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may be prevented from being exposed to an accommodating space 21, thereby preventing the laundry from being damaged by the reciprocating rotation converter 500.

The hanger module 100 may rotate a plurality of power transmitters 400 integrally. The hanger module 100 may rotate the plurality of power transmitters 400 at the same time at the same angle. It may be advantageous in rotating all of the power transmitters 400 for the power generated by the driver 200 to be directly transmitted to the plurality of power transmitters 400. In some cases, where the driver 200 directly transmits the power to each of the power transmitters 400, a structure of connecting the driver 200 to all of the power transmitters 400 may become complicated. Additionally, when the driver 200 includes a plurality of drivers or there are a plurality of components in the driver 200 connecting all of the power transmitters 400, an excessive load may be applied to the inner casing 30 or the support 800. Additionally, inconvenience of having to control the plurality of drivers 200 may be caused. In addition, when the displacement generator 300 and the reciprocating rotation converter 500 are connected such that the power transmitted from the single driver 200 is transmitted to all of the power transmitters 400, an arrangement and structures of the displacement generator 300 and the reciprocating rotation converter 500 may become complicated, deteriorating reliability. Therefore, the hanger module 100 may be constructed such that the single driver 200 generates the power to rotate the plurality of power transmitters 400.

The hanger module 100 may be constructed such that the power generated by the driver 200 is transmitted to some power transmitters 400 or some reciprocating rotation converters 500 and the remaining power transmitters 400 or the remaining reciprocating rotation converters 500 receive the power secondarily. For example, the reciprocating rotation converter 500 may receive the power transmitted from the driver 200 or the displacement generator 300 and transmit the power to some power transmitters 400. In other words, the hanger module 100 may be constructed to centrally transmit the power generated by the driver 200 to the single reciprocating rotation converter 500, allowing a power transmission structure to be designed simply and power loss to be minimized.

The hanger module 100 transmits the power transmitted from the driver 200 to the single reciprocating rotation converter 500. The power transmitted from the driver 200 may rotate a specific power transmitter 400 connected to the reciprocating rotation converter 500. In addition, the hanger module 100 may further include a connector 600 to transmit the power transmitted to the specific power transmitter 400 to another power transmitter 400. For example, the connector 600 may connect the plurality of power transmitters 400 to each other. Accordingly, when the single power transmitter 400 rotates, the connector 600 may rotate all of the plurality of power transmitters 400.

Refer to FIG. 4A. When the driver 200 operates, the power transmitter 400 may be rotated to the right by the reciprocating rotation converter 500. In this regard, all of the power transmitters 400 connected to the connector 600 may also rotate to the right.

Refer to FIG. 4B. When the driver 200 operates further, the power transmitter 400 may be rotated to the left by the reciprocating rotation converter 500. In this regard, all of the power transmitters 400 connected to the connector 600 may also rotate to the left.

As such process is repeated, the power transmitter 400 may rotate left and right.

In this regard, the power transmitter 400 may be constructed to rotate left and right while fixed in position. The power transmitter 400 may be fixed to the support 800 such that there is no change in the position in all directions when rotating. The power transmitter 400 may be fixed such that the position thereof may not change in a vertical direction, a front and rear direction, and the width direction. In some examples, the power transmitter 400 may rotate left and right using the vertical direction or a height direction in which the power transmitter 400 extends as a rotation axis. As a result, when the driver 200 operates, the laundry hanger support 700 may perform the reciprocating swing motion left and right with the power transmitter 400 as a shaft thereof.

Refer to FIG. 4C. The laundry hanger 900 may include a hook 910 and a seating portion 920. The hook 910 is a component to be seated on the laundry hanger support 700. As the hook 910 is seated on the laundry hanger support 700, the laundry hanger 900 may be hung on the laundry hanger support 700.

The seating portion 920 is a component on which the laundry is seated. The seating portion 920 and the hook 910 are coupled to each other. An anti-slip portion 950 may be disposed on a surface of the seating portion 920 to prevent the laundry from slipping. The seating portion 920 may be symmetrical around the hook 910. The laundry hanger 900 may be hung on the laundry hanger support 700 such that a longitudinal direction of the seating portion 920 becomes the front and rear direction of the cabinet 10.

The power transmitter 400 may rotate in the reciprocating manner at a certain angle smaller than 360 degrees with a rotation center fixed. When the power transmitter 400 rotates to the left, the laundry hanger 900 may rotate a left side of the seating portion 920 to the left and a right side of the seating portion 920 to the right based on the hook 910. In this regard, an angle I at which the left side of the seating portion 920 rotates is equal to an angle (theta; θ) at which the right side of the seating portion 920 rotates. A distance that the left side of the seating portion 920 moves may be equal to a distance that the right side of the seating portion 920 moves.

The hanger module 100 may rotate the driver 200 at a higher RPM to reciprocate the power transmitter 400 at a higher frequency. The laundry treating apparatus 1 may freely adjust the RPM of the driver 200, thereby adjusting the operation frequency or an operation cycle of the power transmitter 400 to suit a course.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the hanger module 100.

The hanger module 100 may transmit the power of the driver 200 to only one of the plurality of power transmitters 400 and transmit the power transmitted to the specific power transmitter 400 to the remaining power transmitters 400 via the connector 600.

The displacement generator 300 or the reciprocating rotation converter 500 may centrally transmit the power generated by the single driver 200 to the single power transmitter 400. The connector 600 may transmit the power transmitted to the specific power transmitter 400 to all of the power transmitters 400. The connector 600 may be formed as a rigid body, so that a length thereof may not vary. The connector 600 may connect all of the power transmitters 400 to each other. All of the power transmitters 400 may rotate simultaneously in the same direction and at the same angle when the connector 600 moves. The hanger module 100 may move the plurality of power transmitters 400 at the same angle at the same time or simultaneously with the single driver 200.

The hanger module 100 may include the driver 200, the reciprocating rotation converter 500, and the connector 600. The driver 200 is fixed on the inner casing 30 and provides the power for the power transmitter 400 to move. The reciprocating rotation converter 500 includes a plurality of reciprocating rotation converters. The plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500 are coupled to the plurality of power transmitters 400, respectively. The reciprocating rotation converter 500 receives the power from the driver 200 and rotates such that a rotation direction thereof changes repeatedly. The connector 600 connects the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500 to each other.

The connector 600 may include a link bar. The link bar connects the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500 to each other and rotates the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500 integrally. The single connector 600 may be disposed. The connector 600 may connect all of the power transmitters 400 to each other. The connector 600 may be coupled to one of a front side and a rear side of the reciprocating rotation converter 500. One or more of the displacement generator 300 and the driver 200 may be coupled with the other of the front side and the rear side of the reciprocating rotation converter 500. One or more of the displacement generator 300 and the driver 200 may be disposed on the other of the front side and the rear side of the reciprocating rotation converter 500. The connector 600 and the driver 200 may not interfere.

The connector 600 may reciprocate in the width direction of the inner casing 30 and rotate the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500.

The driver 200 may include a motor 210, a transmitter 230, and a power shaft 240. The motor 210 rotates a rotation shaft 220. The power shaft 240 rotates together when the rotation shaft 220 rotates. The transmitter 230 connects the power shaft 240 with the rotation shaft 220 and transmits a rotational force of the rotation shaft 220 to the power shaft 240.

The motor 210 is fixed on the inner casing 30 and rotates the rotation shaft 220. The rotation shaft 220 rotates at a speed that is much higher than an appropriate cycle for rotating the power transmitter 400 in the reciprocating manner. When the RPM of the rotation shaft 220 is lowered considering the same, there is a risk that an output of the motor 210 may not be transmitted to the power transmitter 400. The transmitter 230 may transmit the output of the rotation shaft 220 as is to the power transmitter 400, but may transmit the same by lowering the RPM of the rotation shaft 220.

The transmitter 230 is connected to the rotation shaft 220 and rotates. The transmitter 230 may rotate with a diameter larger than that of the rotation shaft 220. The transmitter 230 may transmit a torque of the rotation shaft 220 while rotating with an RPM lower than the RPM of the rotation shaft 220.

The power shaft 240 may rotate by the transmitter 230. The power shaft 240 is disposed separately from the rotation shaft 220. The power shaft 240 is a component that directly transmits the power to the power transmitter 400.

The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may be coupled to the power transmitter 400 and be rotatable together with the power transmitter 400. The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may include a reciprocating lever 510. The reciprocating lever 510 is a component that is coupled to an upper portion of the power transmitter 400 and rotates the power transmitter 400. A rotation center of the reciprocating lever 510 may be coupled to a support shaft 410 (see FIG. 6) of the power transmitter 400. The reciprocating lever 510 may be formed in a rib or bar shape.

The reciprocating lever 510 may be coupled to an upper end of each of the plurality of power transmitters 400. Some reciprocating levers 510 may be connected to the transmitter 230 to receive the power from the motor 210. The reciprocating lever 510 may reciprocate at a certain angle when the transmitter 230 rotates by the motor 210. The power transmitter 400 may be coupled to the rotation center of the reciprocating lever 510 and rotate together with the reciprocating lever 510. A plurality of reciprocating levers 510 may be arranged to be connected to each other via the connector 600. The connector 600 may connect respective ends of the plurality of reciprocating levers 510 on one side to each other. When one of the plurality of reciprocating levers 510 rotates, the connector 600 moves, so that the plurality of reciprocating levers 510 may rotate simultaneously and at the same time.

The motor 210 may be supported on the support 800. The transmitter 230 may be supported on the support 800. The power transmitter 400 may be supported on the support 800. The reciprocating lever 510 may be supported on the support 800.

FIG. 6 shows the hanger module 100 separated from the inner casing 30.

The power transmitter 400 may extend downward from a location above the inner casing 30. The laundry hanger support 700 may be coupled to a lower portion of the power transmitter 400.

The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may be coupled to each of the power transmitter 400. The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may be coupled to an upper portion of the power transmitter 400 and may be easily connected to the driver 200.

The power transmitter 400 and the reciprocating rotation converter 500 may include the plurality of power transmitters and the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters, respectively, that are spaced by a certain distance apart from each other along the width direction of the inner casing 30.

The connector 600 connects the plurality of power transmitters 400 to each other or the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500 to each other. The connector 600 may rotate all of the plurality of power transmitters 400 or all of the plurality of reciprocating rotation converters 500 simultaneously.

The power transmitter 400 may include the support shaft 410. The support shaft 410 extends through the top surface of the inner casing 30 and is coupled to the reciprocating lever 510. The support shaft 410 may extend through the support 800 and be exposed upwardly of the support 800 or the inner casing 30.

The power transmitter 400 may include an auxiliary support 420 that is coupled to the support shaft 410 and exposed into the treatment chamber 35. The auxiliary support 420 may be formed in a bar shape. The laundry hanger support 700 may be coupled and fixed to a lower portion of the auxiliary support 420. The auxiliary support 420 may be fixed to the support shaft 410 and rotate together with the support shaft 410. When the support shaft 410 rotates by the reciprocating lever 510, the auxiliary support 420 may also rotate, allowing the laundry hanger support 700 to rotate left and right.

The reciprocating lever 510 may include a main lever 511 and an auxiliary lever 512. The main lever 511 receives the power directly from the driver 200 and rotates in a reciprocating manner. The auxiliary lever 512 receives the power from the main lever 511 via the connector 600. The single main lever 511 may be disposed. The auxiliary lever 512 may include a plurality of auxiliary levers.

In the driver 200, the motor 210 may include a vertical motor 211 and a vertical rotation shaft 221. The vertical motor 211 is coupled to the support 800. The vertical rotation shaft 221 is rotated by the vertical motor 211.

The transmitter 230 may include a power pulley 231, a transmission pulley 232, and a belt 233. The power pulley 231 is coupled to the vertical rotation shaft 221 and rotates together with the vertical rotation shaft 221. The transmission pulley 232 is coupled to the power shaft 240 and rotates the power shaft 240. The belt 233 connects a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the power pulley 231 and a portion of an outer circumferential surface the transmission pulley 232 to each other.

The transmitter 230 may further include a pulley support 234 that rotatably supports the power shaft 240 and the transmission pulley 232. The pulley support 234 may support the transmission pulley 232 to be disposed parallel to the power pulley 231. The pulley support 234 may be seated on the support 800.

The power shaft 240 may transmit the power transmitted from the rotation shaft 220 to one of both ends of the main lever 511.

FIG. 7 shows a coupled structure of a driver and a displacement generator. The displacement generator 300 may be coupled to the power shaft 240 to receive the power. The displacement generator 300 may be connected to the main lever 511 and may rotate the main lever 511 in the reciprocating manner around the support shaft 410. The displacement generator 300 may include an eccentric shaft 310 that is eccentrically coupled to the power shaft 240 and rotates at a certain radius based on a rotation center of the power shaft 240.

The transmission pulley 232 may be formed in a disk shape, and the power shaft 240 may be firmly coupled to an inner side of the transmission pulley 232. The power shaft 240 may include a shaft body 241 and a shaft boss 242. The shaft body 241 is coupled to the transmission pulley 232 and extends toward the main lever 511. The shaft boss 242 is coupled to an upper end of the shaft body 241 and fixed to the transmission pulley 232.

The pulley support 234 of the transmitter 230 may be seated on the support 800 and rotatably support the shaft body 241 and also support a load of the transmission pulley 232. The pulley support 234 may be made of metal.

The displacement generator 300 may include the eccentric shaft 310 that may rotate by being inserted into a main accommodating hole 5112 at an end of the power shaft 240. In some examples, the main accommodating hole 5112 is defined in a shape of a hole, but because it is sufficient as long as the power shaft 240 is able to be inserted thereinto and rotated, the main accommodating hole 5112 may be defined in a shape of a groove. The eccentric shaft 310 may rotate along a trajectory with a diameter larger than that of a central shaft of the power shaft 240.

A main body 5111 may be fixed by being coupled to the support shaft 410 that extends through the inner casing 30 or the support 800. The main body 5111 may have a rotation center coupled to the support shaft 410 and may have one end accommodating the eccentric shaft 310 therein. The power transmitter 400 may include the support shaft 410 and the auxiliary support 420 extending from the support shaft 410. The auxiliary support 420 may accommodate a portion of the support shaft 410 therein and be coupled to the support shaft 410.

The support 800 may seat a support bearing 530, which rotatably supports the support shaft 410, on a top surface thereof. The main body 5111 may be coupled onto the support bearing 530. It may support loads of the laundry hanger support 700 and the laundry hanger 900 transmitted to the power transmitter 400. In the power transmitter 400, the support shaft 410 supports a load of the auxiliary support 420. The support bearing 530 and the main lever 511 support the load of the support shaft 410. The support bearing 530 and the auxiliary lever 512 also support the load of the support shaft 410 coupled thereto. Loads of the support bearing 530 and the reciprocating lever 510 are supported on the support 800 via the support bearing 530. As a result, the support 800 may support a load of an entirety of the hanger module 100 and may be fixed to the cabinet 10.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded perspective view of the hanger module 100.

The power transmitter 400 may include the support shaft 410 and the auxiliary support 420. The support shaft 410 extends through the top surface of the inner casing 30 and is coupled to the reciprocating lever 510. The auxiliary support 420 is coupled to the support shaft 410 and disposed in the treatment chamber 35. The auxiliary support 420 is coupled with the laundry hanger 900 or the laundry hanger support 700, which is to hang the laundry.

The support shaft 410 may be formed in a cylindrical shape with a length greater than a diameter. The support shaft 410 may be easily rotated by the reciprocating lever 510. The support shaft 410 may have a diameter much smaller than that of the auxiliary support 420, so that the support shaft 410 may extend through the inner casing or the support 800 in a smaller area. Therefore, a possibility that hot air or steam supplied to the accommodating space leaks to a space above the inner casing 30 may be further reduced.

The auxiliary support 420 may have a cross-sectional area greater than that of the support shaft 410 and thus have a length greater than that of the support shaft 410. The auxiliary support 420 may secure rigidity and area size to rotate the laundry hanger support 700 and the laundry hanger 900 while supporting those.

The support 800 may include a support plate 810 through which the support shaft 410 extends and on which the driver 200 may be supported. support plate 810. The support plate 810 may be made of a metal plate to ensure rigidity and durability, and may extend in the direction in which the plurality of power transmitters 400 are arranged. The support 800 may include an extending body 812 extending upward from both ends of the support plate 810 to define a space where the driver 200 and the reciprocating rotation converter 500 are seated between the inner casing 30 and an upper portion of the cabinet 10, and a seating body 813 extending from the extending body 812 to be seated on a support frame 12.

The support 800 may include a shaft receiving portion 820 through which the support shaft 410 may extend.

The shaft receiving portion 820 may include a plurality of shaft receiving portions so as to be disposed at positions respectively corresponding to the positions where the power transmitters 400 are disposed, and the plurality of shaft receiving portions may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction of the support plate 810.

The support 800 may further include an auxiliary plate 880 coupled to a lower portion of the support plate 810. The auxiliary plate 880 may be made of resin and may accommodate a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the power transmitter 400 therein.

The auxiliary plate 880 may include a plurality of accommodating holes 882 that are defined under the support plate 810 and rotatably accommodate the power transmitters 400 therein, respectively, a plurality of extending steps 883 that respectively extend from the accommodating holes 882 to have a width greater than that of the accommodating hole 882, and a fixed plate 881 that extends from the extending steps 883, faces the support plate 810, and is able to be coupled to and fixed to the support plate 810.

The accommodating hole 882 may be defined at the upper end of the support shaft 410 or the auxiliary support 420 to prevent hot air or air from being discharged into the shaft receiving portion 820. The extending step 883 may serve to distribute a load or an impact transmitted to the auxiliary plate 880 and may serve to prevent collision or interference between the accommodating hole 882 and the laundry hanger 900.

The support 800 may further include a seating plate 860 mounted on top of the support plate 810.

The seating plate 860 may serve to support a bearing seated on the shaft receiving portion 820 and at the same time prevent the reciprocating lever 510 and the connector 600 from colliding with or rubbing against the support plate 810.

The seating plate 860 may include a seating board 861. The seating board 861 is seated on top of the support plate 810. A seating hole 862 that extends through the seating board 861 and is defined in an area corresponding to the shaft receiving portion 820 may be defined in the seating board 861.

The reciprocating lever 510 may include the main lever 511 that receives the power directly from the driver 200 and the auxiliary lever 512 that receives the power from the main lever 511 via the connector 600. The main lever 511 and the auxiliary lever 512 may be coupled to each support shaft 410 and rotate using the support shaft 410 as a rotation center thereof.

A link bar 610 may include a link body 611 and a connection hook 612. The link body 611 may be seated on the main lever 511 and the auxiliary lever 512 and may connect the main lever 511 and the auxiliary lever 512 to each other. The connection hook 612 may protrude from the link body 611 and may be rotatably disposed on the main lever 511 and the auxiliary lever 512. When the link bar 610 rotates left and right, the main lever 511 or the auxiliary lever 512 may rotate left and right in a reciprocating manner.

The reciprocating lever 510 may further include a link bearing 513. The link bearing 513 may include a plurality of link bearings. The link bearing 513 is coupled to one end of the main lever 511 and rotatably supports the connection hook 612. The link bearing 513 is coupled to one end of the auxiliary lever 512 and rotatably supports the connection hook 612.

The reciprocating rotation converter 500 may further include the support bearing 530 that may rotatably support the support shaft 410 or the reciprocating lever 510. The support bearing 530 may rotatably accommodate the support shaft 410 therein and may be seated in the shaft receiving portion 820. The reciprocating lever 510 may be disposed on the support bearing 530.

The support bearing 530 may include a plurality of stacked support bearings or may be formed as a ball bearing, an oilless bearing, or a bushing.

The seating plate 860 may support the support bearing 530, and may block hot air or moisture from being exposed via an outer circumferential surface of the support bearing 530. The auxiliary plate 880 may also be disposed under the support bearing 530 to block hot air or moisture from being exposed via the outer circumferential surface of the support bearing 530.

FIGS. 9A and 9B show an operation scheme of the hanger module 100.

The main lever 511 may include a main body 5111. The main body 5111 is coupled to the support shaft 410 and coupled to the link bar 610. The main body 5111 may include a main center hole 5115 that may be coupled to the support shaft 410 and may rotate the support shaft 410. The main body 5111 may extend from the main center hole 5115 to both sides. The main body 5111 may include a main accommodating hole 5112 that receives the power from the driver 200 at one end, and may include a main transmission hole 5113 onto which the link bar 610 is seated and coupled at the other end.

The auxiliary lever 512 may include an auxiliary body 5121 and an auxiliary center hole 5125. The auxiliary center hole 5125 is coupled to the support shaft 410. The auxiliary body 5121 is formed to extend from the auxiliary center hole 5125 to one side. The auxiliary body 5121 has an auxiliary transmission hole 5123 that is coupled to the link bar 610. The auxiliary body 5121 may have a length smaller than that of the main body 5111.

A distance from the main center hole 5115 to the main transmission hole 5113 may be set to be equal to a distance from the auxiliary center hole 5125 to the auxiliary transmission hole 5123. The link bar 610 may be seated on the auxiliary transmission hole 5123 and the main transmission hole 5113 and may connect the auxiliary lever 512 and the main lever 511 to each other.

Refer to FIG. 9B. The driver 200 may be constructed such that the power shaft 240 is inserted into the main accommodating hole 5112. As a result, the power shaft 240 may be directly rotated to rotate the main accommodating hole 5112 to the left and right.

The eccentric shaft 310 is accommodated in the main accommodating hole 5112. A diameter of the eccentric shaft 310 may be set smaller than a diameter or a width of the main accommodating hole 5112. Accordingly, the eccentric shaft 310 may be inserted into and supported in the main accommodating hole 5112. A certain radius at which the eccentric shaft 310 rotates may be set larger than the width or the diameter of the main accommodating hole 5112. As a result, when the eccentric shaft 310 rotates, the main accommodating hole 5112 may be pushed by the eccentric shaft 310 and may move left and right based on the main center hole 5115.

When the eccentric shaft 310 rotates in a specific direction, the main accommodating hole 5112 of the main body 5111 may also reciprocate along a certain direction, and as a result, the main center hole 5115 of the main body 5111 may also move in the same direction as the main accommodating hole 5112, and the main transmission hole 5113 may reciprocate in an opposite direction of the certain direction.

When the eccentric shaft 310 rotates, the support shaft 410 may rotate in the reciprocating manner along with the main center hole 5115, allowing the power transmitter 400 to rotate in the reciprocating manner, and the main transmission hole 5113 may also rotate in the reciprocating manner to reciprocate the link bar 610, allowing the auxiliary lever 512 to rotate in the reciprocating manner around the auxiliary center hole 5125 and the support shaft 410. The power transmitter 400 coupled to the auxiliary lever 512 may also rotate in the reciprocating manner.

The power transmitter 400 may have a thread along a circumference of an upper portion of the support shaft 410. The main transmission hole 5113 and the auxiliary center hole 5125 may be directly coupled and fixed to the support shaft 410 using the thread or the like.

The support shaft 410 of the power transmitter 400 may further include a transmission coupling portion 415 that extends through the main transmission hole 5113 and the auxiliary center hole 5125 and then is coupled to the thread of the support shaft 410 to fix the support shaft 410 to the main transmission hole 5113 and the auxiliary center hole 5125. Because of the transmission coupling portion 415, the support shaft 410 and the reciprocating lever 510 may coupled to each other and may rotate simultaneously.

FIGS. 10A to 10C are additional diagrams to illustrate a process in which the reciprocating rotation converter 500 rotates in the reciprocating manner.

As shown in FIG. 10B, the eccentric shaft 310 may be disposed at a position I and disposed at one end or a distal end of the main accommodating hole 5112. Thereafter, when the power shaft 240 rotates 90 degrees clockwise, because the eccentric shaft 310 is spaced by ½R apart from a rotation center of the power shaft 240, the eccentric shaft 310 may move by ½R to the right. The main center hole 5115 also moves to the right, and the main body 5111 rotates the support shaft 410 clockwise. Accordingly, the power transmitter 400 coupled to the main lever 511 rotates clockwise, and the laundry hanger support 700 coupled to the power transmitter 400 and the laundry hanger 900 hung on the laundry hanger support 700 also rotate clockwise. Accordingly, the laundry also rotate clockwise.

In one example, the main transmission hole 5113 moves in a direction opposite to that of the main accommodating hole 5112 around the support shaft 410 and moves to the left. Therefore, by moving the connector 600 to the left and moving all of the auxiliary levers 512 coupled to the connector 600 to the left, all of the power transmitters 400 coupled to the auxiliary levers 512 may be rotated clockwise.

Thereafter, when the eccentric shaft 310 rotates 90 degrees, it is disposed at a position III, and when the eccentric shaft 310 rotates 180 degrees, it is disposed at a position IV. In this process, the main center hole 5115 moves to the left again and then further to the left, and the main lever 511 moves counterclockwise. As a result, a state of the main lever 511 may be changed from (b) to (a). In this process, the power transmitter 400 coupled to the main lever 511 rotates clockwise, and the laundry hanger support 700 coupled to the power transmitter 400 and the laundry hanger 900 hung on the laundry hanger support 700 also rotate counterclockwise. Accordingly, the laundry also rotate counterclockwise.

In one example, the main transmission hole 5113 moves opposite to the main accommodating hole 5112 around the support shaft 410 and moves to the right. Therefore, by moving the connector 600 to the right and moving all of the auxiliary levers 512 coupled to the connector 600 to the left, all of the power transmitters 400 coupled to the auxiliary levers 512 may be rotated counterclockwise.

When the power shaft 240 continuously rotates clockwise, the eccentric shaft 310 may also rotate continuously and the above-described process may be repeated infinitely. When the power shaft 240 continuously rotates counterclockwise, the eccentric shaft 310 may also continuously rotate counterclockwise, and the above-described process may be repeated infinitely in a reverse order. As a result, the laundry may be shaken left and right around the support shaft 410 of the mounted power transmitter 400.

FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically expressing a movement of the laundry hanger 900 by the hanger module 100.

The hanger module 100 causes the laundry hanger 900 to reciprocate within a range of a set angle (theta) with a center 901 as a center O., the laundry hanger 900 may reciprocate from a first position P1 to a second position P2 and from the second position P2 to the first position P1. Because the laundry hanger 900 is hung on the laundry hanger support 700, a position of the laundry hanger support 700 (see FIGS. 4A to 4C), which positions the laundry hanger 900 at the first position P1, is referred to as the first position, and a position of the laundry hanger support 700, which positions the laundry hanger 900 at the second position P2, is referred to as the second position, displacements of the laundry hung on the laundry hanger 900 are different from each other at the center 901 and at an end 902, a minimum displacement may occur at the center 901, and the displacement at the center 901 may be Xmin. Xmin may be 0. A maximum displacement may occur at the end 902, and the displacement at the end may be Xmax. When moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the maximum displacement Xmax occurs at the end 902 of the laundry hanger 900. The minimum displacement Xmin occurs at the rotation center 901 of the laundry hanger. That is, while moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the displacement occurs differently depending on the position of the laundry hanger 900. Because a force transmitted to the laundry is proportional to an acceleration, a force transmitted from the end 902 is greater than a force transmitted from the center 901. Therefore, in some implementations, a displacement at a reference portion 903, which is a middle position between the end 902, which is a position where the maximum displacement occurs, and the center 901, which is the position where the minimum displacement occurs, is defined as a reference displacement Xref.

The force generated on the laundry may be mathematically defined as follows:

Force generated on laundry=m*Xref/t², where m: weight of laundry, Xref: reference displacement, t=time taken to move from P1 to P2.

FIG. 12 shows a hanger module 100′.

The hanger module 100′ may include a support bar 120′, a laundry hanger support 700′, and a driver 400′.

The driver 400′ may include a motor 451′ that is fixed above the support bar 120′ and rotates a rotation shaft 453′. The driver 400′ may include an eccentric shaft 455′ that is coupled to the rotation shaft 453′ and rotates in a trajectory larger than a rotation diameter of the rotation shaft 453′.

A reciprocation inducer 500′ that accommodates the eccentric shaft 455′ therein and receives the power may be installed at a center of the support bar 120′. The eccentric shaft 455′ may move along rotation of the rotation shaft 453′ and reciprocate the reciprocation inducer 500′ left and right while being coupled to the reciprocation inducer 500′. The eccentric shaft 455′ may rotate by being coupled to a distal end of a connecting shaft 452′ coupled to a distal end of the rotation shaft 453′.

FIGS. 13A and 13B show a structure in which the support bar 120′ of the hanger module 100′ moves left and right.

The reciprocation inducer 500′ may include a slit 541′ that is formed in a thickness direction of the support bar 120′ and accommodates the eccentric shaft 455′ therein.

Refer to FIG. 13A. The eccentric shaft 455′ may be inserted into the slit 541′ and rotate in an arc trajectory using a distance R from the rotation shaft 453′ as a radius. The support bar 120′ may be fixed so as to be moveable only in the left and right direction in the laundry treating apparatus 1, so that the support bar 120′ may not move forward or rearward.

Refer to FIG. 13B. When the eccentric shaft 455′ rotates 90 degrees to the right, the slit 541′ may move by R to the right along with the eccentric shaft 455′ because the eccentric shaft 455′ has moved by R to the right. As a result, the support bar 120′ moves to the right.

In such manner, when the eccentric shaft 455′ rotates 180 degrees to the left, the slit 541′ will move to the left, and the support bar 120′ will also move to the left. When rotation shaft 453′ rotates once, the support bar 120′ may reciprocate left and right once, and when the rotation shaft 453′ rotates continuously, the support bar 120′ will reciprocate left and right several times. The laundry hanger 900 may be hung on the laundry hanger support 700′. The laundry hung on the laundry hanger support 700′ may be excited left and right, causing foreign substances or dust to be removed.

FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically expressing a movement of the laundry hanger 900 by the hanger module 100′.

The hanger module 100′ allows the laundry hanger 900 to reciprocate from the first position P1 to the second position P2. The first position P1 is a position moved to the right from a reference position P0. The second position P2 is a position moved to the left from the reference position P0. The first position P1 is a maximum displacement in the right direction. The second position P2 is a maximum displacement in the left direction.

In some implementations, when moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2, the displacement of the laundry hanger 900 is uniform at all positions as X.

A force generated on the laundry may be mathematically defined as follows:

• • Force generated on laundry=m*X/t², where m: weight of laundry, X: displacement, t=time taken to move from P1 to P2.

Considering problems such as a space limitation of the laundry treating apparatus 1 and a collision between the laundry, the maximum displacement of the laundry hanger is limited. Therefore, Xmax, the maximum displacement of one implementation, and X, the maximum displacement of another implementation, may be substantially equal to each other. In some examples, Xmax and X may be in a range of 28 mm to 84 mm. In some examples, Xmax and X may be in a range of 50 mm to 60 mm.

Considering that the force transmitted to the laundry in the apparatus is Xref rather than Xmax, the hanger module 100 may be configured to move at a frequency higher than that of the hanger module 100′.

In some implementations, the laundry is treated by reciprocating the laundry hanger 900 from the first position P1 to the second position P2. A reciprocating speed may be defined in frequency. The frequency may be defined in rpm units. The rpm may be the number of reciprocations per minute, when the rotation shaft 220 of the motor 210 rotates once, the laundry hanger 900 may go from the first position P1 to the second position P2 and then return to the first position P1, so that an rpm of the motor 210 may be equal to that of the laundry hanger 900.

A controller P may control the rpm of the laundry hanger 900. In some examples, the controller P may control the rpm of the laundry hanger 900 by controlling a rotation speed of the motor. The laundry hanger 900 may exercise at a reference frequency. In some examples, the reference frequency may be defined based on a standard as described below. For example, the controller may include an electric circuit, a processor, or the like.

FIG. 15 is a diagram for illustrating a range of frequency defined to be a reference frequency, and shows a record of a lateral behavior of a sample M.

Refer to FIG. 15. The sample M is in a state of being hung on the laundry hanger 900 inside the laundry treating apparatus 1. The behavior of the sample M forms a waveform. The sample M is a cotton fabric, has a size of 20×90 cm (width×height), and has a weight of 151 g/m². At the reference frequency, in the waveform based on the behavior of the sample M, there are two overlap points: a first waveform W1 when the sample is biased to one side, and a second waveform W2 when the sample is biased to the other side. When the two overlap points occur, a sufficient amplitude of the laundry is secured, and thus a treatment efficiency is high. When there are three overlap points, the amplitude of the laundry is not greater than that in the case of two overlap points, but when the laundry is moistened, an excessive impact may be applied and deformation of the laundry may occur. In some examples of the present disclosure, the frequency in the range in which the number of overlap points of the two outermost waveforms formed based on the behavior of the sample M is 2 is defined as the reference frequency, the reference frequency is in a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

FIG. 16 shows the behavior of the sample M based on the frequency.

Refer to FIG. 16. as a position shifts from left to right, the sample M is moved at a higher frequency. A range in which the number of overlap points is 2 is defined as the reference frequency. At frequencies lower than the reference frequency, there is one overlap point. There may be no overlap at frequencies lower than the reference frequency. At frequencies higher than the reference frequency, there may be three overlap points, or more than three overlap points may occur.

FIG. 17 shows behaviors of a hemp sample, a cotton sample, and a silk sample as a result of being excited at a reference frequency.

Sizes of the respective samples are equal to each other as 20×90 cm (width×height). In an experimental example, when the cotton sample is excited at the reference frequency, two overlap points occur. When the hemp sample is excited at the same reference frequency, two overlap points occur. When the silk sample is excited at the same reference frequency, three overlap points occur.

FIG. 18 shows behaviors of a hemp sample, a cotton sample, and a silk sample as a result of being excited at a low frequency that is equal to or lower than a reference frequency.

In an experimental example, the low speed frequency is a frequency at which one overlap point occurs when the cotton sample is excited. When the hemp sample is excited at the same low frequency, 0 overlap points may occur. When the silk sample is excited at the same low frequency, two overlap points may occur.

As may be seen via the experimental examples of FIGS. 17 and 18, the better the drapability (flexibility) of fabric, the greater the number of overlap points at the same rpm. As the number of overlap points increases, a size of a formed antinode (a thick portion of the waveform) becomes smaller, and thus a degree to which a force is concentrated also changes.

In some implementations, the frequency of exciting the laundry may be variably controlled, and the laundry treatment efficiency may be increased via the variable frequency control. The frequency applied to the laundry by the hanger modules 100 and 100′ may be varied within a frequency range referenced via FIG. 19.

A first frequency, which is the lowest frequency, may be a frequency within a range in which at least one overlap point of the silk sample occurs. The first frequency may be equal to or greater than 40% of the reference frequency.

The reference frequency is named a fourth frequency.

A sixth frequency, which is the highest frequency, may be a frequency based on a maximum output of the motor. The maximum output of the motor may be set considering vibration of the motor itself and noise caused by the vibration of the laundry treating apparatus 1.

According to the hanger module 100, the first frequency may be 120 rpm, a second frequency may be 150 rpm, a third frequency may be 200 rpm, the fourth frequency may be 250 rpm, a fifth frequency may be 300 rpm, and the sixth frequency may be 350 rpm.

According to the hanger module 100′, the first frequency may be 80 rpm, the second frequency may be 110 rpm, the third frequency may be 150 rpm, the fourth frequency may be 180 rpm, the fifth frequency may be 210 rpm, and the sixth frequency may be 250 rpm.

In some implementations, the first frequency is 120 rpm and the sixth frequency is 350 rpm and thus a difference therebetween reaches 230 rpm, so that more precise laundry treatment may be available by varying the frequency because of the wide range of frequency, and a great laundry treatment performance may be expected.

With reference to FIG. 20, six motion modes provided by the laundry treating apparatus 1 will be described.

The motion mode is a control method in which the hanger module 100 excites the laundry. The respective motion modes excite the laundry using different frequencies.

A first motion mode is a mode of exciting the laundry at the fourth frequency, which is the reference frequency. While operating in the first motion mode, the frequency may not vary from the fourth frequency. The first motion mode is a reference mode that treats all laundry other than laundry for delicate care.

A second motion mode is a mode of exciting the laundry at the sixth frequency. While operating in the second motion mode, the frequency may not vary from the sixth frequency. The second motion mode is a mode of shaking the laundry at the maximum frequency using the maximum output of the motor to shake off dust from the laundry.

The third motion mode is a mode in which the frequency varies in a frequency range equal to or lower than the reference frequency. In some examples, the frequency may vary between the first frequency and the third frequency during one varying cycle. With further reference to FIG. 21, the third motion mode will be described. In the third motion mode, the frequency varies among the first frequency equal to or higher than the lowest frequency, the second frequency higher than the first frequency, and the third frequency higher than the second frequency and lower than the fourth frequency. The third motion mode may include a first section in which the frequency varies from the first frequency to the third frequency during a first time period (t0 to t2) and a second section in which the frequency varies from the third frequency to the first frequency during a second time period (t2 to t3) smaller than the first time period, during one period (t0 to t6: T1), which is one variable cycle. According to the third motion mode, when drying various laundry in a complex manner, wind may evenly pass through the laundry. In other words, the third motion mode may increase a drying efficiency of the laundry when applied to a section of reducing a moisture content of the laundry. In some examples, the hanger module 100 may operate in the third motion mode during a drying cycle. The varying cycle of the frequency may be set in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute. When the varying cycle is shorter than 20 seconds, intended vibration may not be transmitted to the laundry. When the varying cycle is longer than 1 minute, sufficient frequency variation may not occur within a limited cycle time. However, the frequency varying cycle may be changed depending on design specifications.

The fourth motion mode is a mode in which the frequency varies within a frequency range equal to or higher than the reference frequency. In some examples, the frequency may vary between the fourth frequency and the sixth frequency during one varying cycle. With further reference to FIG. 22, the fourth motion mode will be described. In the fourth motion mode, the frequency varies among a frequency (the fourth frequency in some examples) equal to or higher than the reference frequency, the fifth frequency higher than the fourth frequency, and a frequency (the sixth frequency in some examples) equal to or higher than the fifth frequency and equal to or lower than the sixth frequency. The fourth motion mode may include a first section in which the frequency varies from the fourth frequency to the sixth frequency during the first time period (t0 to t2) and a second section in which the frequency varies from the sixth frequency to the fourth frequency during the second time period (t2 to t3) smaller than the first time period, during one period (t0 to t6: T1), which is one variable cycle. According to the fourth motion mode, a wrinkle removal performance may be improved by changing the position of the overlap point based on the wave of the laundry. The fourth motion mode may be applied to a section for wrinkle removal. The fourth motion mode may be applied to a section in which the moisture content increases. When the fourth motion mode is applied, a uniform wrinkle removal performance may be achieved.

The fifth motion mode is a mode of exciting the laundry at the first frequency. While operating in the fifth motion mode, the frequency may not vary from the first frequency. The fifth motion mode is a mode of treating knitwear that tends to stretch and blouses that are vulnerable to damage. According to the fifth motion mode, the stretching of the knitwear may be prevented and a laundry hanger mark on the laundry may be prevented.

The sixth motion mode is a mode of exciting the laundry at the second frequency. While operating in the sixth motion mode, the frequency may not vary from the second frequency. The sixth motion mode provides a force for the disarranged laundry to return to an original position thereof. At an end of the cycle, the hanger module 100 may operate in the sixth motion mode.

FIG. 23 is a chart illustrating an operation state of each component for each cycle.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 may provide 5 cycles. The laundry treating apparatus 1 may include a pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), a pre-heat cycle (PreHeat), a steam cycle (Steam), a stay cycle (Stay), and a drying cycle (Drying).

The pre-steam cycle (PreSteam) is a cycle of heating water to generate steam. In the pre-steam cycle, the circulation fan operates (ON) while generating steam, allowing air inside the treatment chamber 35 to circulate. In this regard, the heat pump is left in a non-operating state (OFF).

The pre-heat cycle (Preheat) is a cycle of preheating the inside of the treatment chamber 35. In the pre-heat cycle, the heat pump operates (ON) to heat air inside the treatment chamber 35. Steam may be supplied to the treatment chamber 35 during the pre-heat cycle. During the pre-heat cycle, the circulation fan operates (ON), so that air inside the treatment chamber 35 may be circulated. The moisture content of the laundry may increase during the pre-heat cycle.

The steam cycle (Steam) is a cycle of increasing the moisture content of the laundry by supplying steam to the laundry. Steam may be supplied to the treatment chamber 35 during the steam cycle. During the steam cycle, the circulation fan operates (ON), so that air inside the treatment chamber 35 may be circulated. The moisture content of the laundry may increase during the steam cycle. In this regard, the heat pump is left in the non-operating state (OFF).

The stay cycle is a cycle of maintaining the moisture content of the laundry. No more steam is supplied during the stay cycle. During the stay cycle, the circulation fan operates (ON), so that air inside the treatment chamber 35 may be circulated. In this regard, the heat pump is left in the non-operating state (OFF). The stay cycle is a cycle that no longer supplies steam but does not operate to remove moisture with the moisture removal module. The moisture content of the laundry may be maintained during the stay cycle. During the stay cycle, the moisture content of the laundry may increase or decrease.

The drying cycle (Drying) is a cycle of drying the laundry. The heat pump operates during the drying cycle. The heat pump removes moisture from air in the treatment chamber 35. During the drying cycle, the circulation fan operates (ON), so that air inside the treatment chamber 35 may circulate. Moist air in the treatment chamber 35 circulates through the circulation duct by the circulation fan, and moisture is removed by the heat pump. During the drying cycle, the moisture content of the laundry decreases.

The laundry treating apparatus 1 provides various treatment courses. The treatment course is a combination of one or more of the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the pre-heat cycle (PreHeat), the steam cycle (Steam), the stay cycle (Stay), and the drying cycle (Drying).

While the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the pre-heat cycle (PreHeat), the steam cycle (Steam), the stay cycle (Stay), and the drying cycle (Drying) are in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ may operate in the first to sixth motion modes.

FIG. 24 is a chart showing an example of a treatment course provided by the laundry treating apparatus 1 and a motion mode of a hanger module for each cycle.

A standard styling course may sequentially perform the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the pre-heat cycle (PreHeat), the steam cycle (Steam), the stay cycle (Stay), and the drying cycle (Drying). While the pre-steam cycle is in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the second motion mode. While the pre-heat cycle is in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the fourth motion mode. While the steam cycle is in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the fourth motion mode. While the stay cycle is in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the second motion mode. While the drying cycle is in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the first motion mode. In some examples, according to the standard styling course, the wrinkles may be effectively removed because the laundry is excited in the fourth motion mode while the moisture content of the laundry increases.

A wool/knit styling course may sequentially perform the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the pre-heat cycle (PreHeat), the steam cycle (Steam), the stay cycle (Stay), and the drying cycle (Drying). While the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the pre-heat cycle (PreHeat), the steam cycle (Steam), and the stay cycle (Stay) are in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ do not operate. While the drying cycle is in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the fifth motion mode. In some examples, according to the wool/knit styling course, because the laundry is excited in the fifth motion mode while the moisture content thereof is decreasing, the damage such as the stretching of the laundry may be prevented.

A silk styling course may sequentially perform the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the steam cycle (Steam), the stay cycle (Stay), and the drying cycle (Drying). While the pre-steam cycle (PreSteam), the steam cycle (Steam), the stay cycle (Stay), and the drying cycle (Drying) are in progress, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the sixth motion mode. In some examples, according to the silk styling course, silk damage may be minimized while increasing a silk treatment efficiency.

In some implementations, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ may move at a frequency equal to or lower than the reference frequency in the stay cycle. For example, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ may operate in the third motion mode, the fifth motion mode, or the sixth motion mode of operating at the frequency equal to or lower than the reference frequency.

In some implementations, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ may operate in the third motion mode while the stay cycle (Stay) and/or the drying cycle (Drying) are in progress after the steam cycle. According to the third motion mode, when treating the various laundry in a complex manner, wind may evenly pass through the laundry. In other words, the third motion mode may increase the laundry treatment efficiency when applied while the circulation fan operates to circulate air. When operating in the third motion mode in the stay cycle (Stay), the moisture content of the laundry may be uniform. When operating in the third motion mode in the drying cycle (Drying), the drying efficiency of the laundry may be increased.

FIG. 25 is a chart showing an example of a treatment course of the laundry treating apparatus 1 and a motion mode of a hanger module for each drying cycle.

In a standard drying course, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the first motion mode when the drying cycle is in progress.

In a delicate low-temperature drying course, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the fifth motion mode when the drying cycle is in progress. In the delicate low-temperature drying course, the laundry vibrate at the lowest speed to minimize the damage to the laundry.

In a time drying course, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the sixth motion mode while the drying cycle is in progress. The time drying course is a course of reducing the damage to the laundry by vibrating the laundry at the frequency lower than the reference frequency, but increasing a treatment speed by vibrating the laundry at a frequency higher than that in the delicate low-temperature drying course. According to the sixth motion mode, the disarranged laundry may return to the original positions thereof and the laundry may be organized.

In a thick padded jacket drying course, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the fifth motion mode while the drying cycle is in progress. In the thick padded jacket drying course, the laundry may vibrate at the lowest speed to ensure that a padded jacket remains fluffy.

In a complex laundry drying course, the hanger modules 100 and 100′ operate in the third motion mode while the drying cycle is in progress. According to the complex laundry drying course, wind may evenly pass through the laundry, so that drying uniformity may be improved during the complex laundry drying.

In the first motion mode to the sixth motion mode, an amplitude corresponding to a displacement based on the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger supports 700 and 700′ is uniform. In some implementations, Xmin, Xmax, and Xref referred to in FIG. 11 are uniform at all of the first to sixth frequencies and are uniform in all of the first to sixth motion modes. In some implementations, X referred to in FIG. 14 is uniform at all of the first to sixth frequencies and is uniform in all of the first to sixth motion modes. As the amplitude is uniform, vibration noise of the laundry treating apparatus 1 may be relatively constant, and as the frequency may vary, the laundry treatment efficiency such as the wrinkle removal performance, a dusting performance, and a drying performance may be improved.

As the specific implementations have been illustrated herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the specific implementations shown may be replaced by any reconfiguration calculated to achieve the same purpose and that the disclosed present disclosure may be applied differently in other environments. In other words, the present application should be understood as covering any application or change to the disclosure of the present disclosure. Following claims are not intended to be limited to the scope of the disclosure with respect to the specific implementations herein. Therefore, when a modified implementation includes components of the claims of the present disclosure, it should be regarded as falling within the scope of the rights of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:

a treatment chamber configured to receive laundry;

a laundry hanger configured to hang the laundry and to be accommodated in the treatment chamber;

a laundry hanger support located in the treatment chamber and configured to support the laundry hanger, the laundry hanger support being configured to repeat a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position;

a driver configured to provide driving force to the laundry hanger support;

a moisture removal module configured to remove moisture from air in the treatment chamber;

a steam supply configured to generate steam and to supply the steam to the treatment chamber; and

a controller configured to control the driver to control a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support,

wherein the laundry treating apparatus is configured to perform a plurality of laundry treatment courses including at least one of (i) a steam cycle configured to increase a moisture content of the laundry based on operating the steam supply or (ii) a drying cycle configured to reduce the moisture content of the laundry,

wherein the controller is configured to: in a first motion mode, control the driver to maintain the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support at a reference frequency, and in another motion mode different from the first motion mode, control the driver to maintain to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support to be greater than or equal to the reference frequency.

2. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laundry hanger support is configured to operate in the another motion mode during the steam cycle.

3. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference frequency is selected from a frequency range that is predetermined based on a sample hung on the laundry hanger having (i) a first shape of a first waveform in a first state in which the sample is biased to a first side of the laundry hanger support and (ii) a second shape of a second waveform in a second state in which the sample is biased to a second side of the laundry hanger support, and

wherein the frequency range is defined based on overlap points of the first waveform and the second waveform.

4. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sample comprises a piece of cotton fabric having a width of 20 cm and a length of 90 cm, the piece of cotton fabric having a weight in a range of 140 g/m2 to 160 g/m2.

5. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laundry hanger is configured to, based on the laundry hanger support reciprocating between the first position and the second position, reciprocate ends of the laundry hanger along an arc with respect to a central axis of the laundry hanger.

6. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the reference frequency is selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

7. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, in the another motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be (i) greater than or equal to the reference frequency and (ii) less than or equal to a maximum frequency.

8. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 7, wherein the maximum frequency is defined based on the driver providing a maximum output to the laundry hanger support.

9. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, in the another motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion for a period in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute.

10. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to, during the period in the another motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion among (i) a first frequency greater than or equal to the reference frequency, (ii) a second frequency greater than the first frequency, and (iii) a third frequency that is greater than or equal to the second frequency and less than or equal to a maximum frequency,

wherein the period includes (i) a first section of a first time period and (ii) a second section of a second time period that is shorter than the first time period, and

wherein the controller is configured to: during the first section, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the first frequency to the third frequency for the first time period, and during the second section, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the third frequency to the first frequency for the second time period.

11. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laundry hanger support is configured to vary a shape of the laundry hung on the laundry hanger based on vibration of the laundry in response to the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support, the shape of the laundry defining (i) a first waveform in a first state in which the laundry is biased to a first side of the laundry hanger support and (ii) a second waveform in a second state in which the laundry is biased to a second side of the laundry hanger support, and

wherein a position of an overlap point of the first waveform and the second waveform varies in the another motion mode.

12. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of laundry treatment courses comprise:

a first treatment course for operating the laundry hanger support in the another motion mode while the steam cycle is performed; and

a second treatment course for operating the laundry hanger support at a frequency less than the reference frequency while the steam cycle is performed.

13. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first treatment course further comprises the drying cycle to be performed after the steam cycle, and

wherein the laundry hanger support is configured to move at a frequency less than or equal to the reference frequency while the drying cycle is performed during the first treatment course.

14. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to, in a second motion mode, control the driver to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be less than or equal to the reference frequency, and

wherein the controller is configured to operate the laundry hanger support in the second motion mode while the drying cycle is performed during the first treatment course.

15. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to operate the laundry hanger support in the first motion mode, the second motion mode, a third motion mode, and a fourth motion mode, the fourth motion mode being the another motion mode,

wherein the controller is configured to: in the fourth motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion among (i) a first frequency greater than or equal to the reference frequency, (ii) a second frequency greater than the first frequency, and (iii) a third frequency that is greater than or equal to the second frequency and less than or equal to a maximum frequency, in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion for a period in a range of 20 seconds to 1 minute, and during the period in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion among (i) a fourth frequency greater than or equal to the reference frequency, (ii) a fifth frequency greater than the fourth frequency, and (iii) a sixth frequency that is greater than the fifth frequency and less than or equal to the maximum frequency,

wherein the period in the second motion mode includes (i) a first section of a first time period and (ii) a second section of a second time period that is shorter than the first time period, and

wherein the controller is configured to: during the first section of the period in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the fourth frequency to the sixth frequency for the first time period, and during the second section of the period in the second motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion from the sixth frequency to the fourth frequency for the second time period.

16. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to control the driver to maintain an amplitude of a displacement of the laundry hanger support based on the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support in the first motion mode, the second motion mode, and the fourth motion mode.

17. The laundry treating apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to, in the third motion mode, control the driver to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be less than or equal to the reference frequency.

18. A hanger module comprising:

a laundry hanger support configured to support a laundry hanger, the laundry hanger support being configured to repeat a reciprocating motion between a first position and a second position;

a driver configured to provide driving force to the laundry hanger support; and

a controller configured to control the driver to control a frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support, the controller being configured to operate the laundry hanger support in a first motion mode, a second motion mode, a third motion mode, and a fourth motion mode,

wherein the controller is configured to: in the first motion mode, maintain the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support at a reference frequency, and in the fourth motion mode, vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion of the laundry hanger support to be greater than or equal to the reference frequency.

19. The hanger module of claim 18, wherein the reference frequency is selected from a range of 200 rpm to 250 rpm.

20. The hanger module of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to, in at least one of the second motion mode or the third motion mode, control the driver to vary the frequency of the reciprocating motion to be less than or equal to the reference frequency.