US 12,331,450 B2
Clothes processing apparatus
Hyuksoo Lee, Seoul (KR); Soowon Park, Seoul (KR); Kwangjo Lee, Seoul (KR); Manseok Lee, Seoul (KR); Woohee Kang, Seoul (KR); Seonghwan Kim, Seoul (KR); Ingeon Lee, Seoul (KR); and Haeyoon Je, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/053,659
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed May 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/KR2019/005476
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 6, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/216631, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0052699 (KR), filed on May 8, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0052700 (KR), filed on May 8, 2018; application No. 10-2018-0052708 (KR), filed on May 8, 2018; and application No. 10-2018-0052740 (KR), filed on May 8, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0230788 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. D06F 58/04 (2006.01); D06F 58/06 (2006.01); D06F 58/20 (2006.01); D06F 58/22 (2006.01); D06F 58/24 (2006.01); D06F 58/26 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 58/04 (2013.01) [D06F 58/06 (2013.01); D06F 58/20 (2013.01); D06F 58/206 (2013.01); D06F 58/22 (2013.01); D06F 58/26 (2013.01); D06F 58/24 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A clothes processing apparatus, comprising:
a drum configured to receive clothes therein, the drum defining a front opening and a rear opening;
a front supporter that supports a front side of the drum and defines a supporter opening in communication with the front opening of the drum;
a rear supporter that supports a rear side of the drum and defines vent holes in communication with the rear opening of the drum;
a base cabinet that is disposed below the drum;
a drum motor that is mounted on the base cabinet and configured to rotate drum;
a first flow path that is configured to guide air discharged from the front opening of the drum and extends downward to a front side of the base cabinet;
a second flow path that extends from the first flow path toward a rear side of the base cabinet and is configured to guide air heated therein by heat exchange;
a third flow path that connects the second flow path to the vent holes of the rear supporter and extends upward from the base cabinet;
a circulation fan accommodating portion that is opened at a rear surface of the third flow path facing the second flow path;
a circulation fan that is disposed in the circulation fan accommodating portion, wherein an inner surface of the circulation fan accommodating portion faces an outer surface of the circulation fan;
a condenser that is disposed in the base cabinet and arranged forward relative to the circulation fan accommodating portion;
a cover member that is coupled to the rear surface of the third flow path and covers the circulation fan, the cover member having a plate shape; and
a drive motor that is mounted on a rear surface of the cover member and configured to rotate the circulation fan, the drive motor being provided separately from the drum motor and spaced apart from the drum motor,
wherein the circulation fan accommodating portion comprises a condensate water drain path that is defined at a position lower than a center of rotation of the circulation fan and that is recessed downward from the inner surface of the circulation fan accommodating portion, the condensate water drain path extending in a front-rear direction toward the condenser, and
wherein the condensate water drain path comprises:
a side groove that extends in the front-rear direction toward the condenser, and
a communication hole that fluidly connects a front of the side groove with the second flow path and that is configured to guide water from the side groove to a bottom of the condenser.