US 12,331,452 B2
Laundry treating apparatus
Yeeseok Bae, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics, Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG ELECTRONICS INC., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Feb. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/666,988.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0017558 (KR), filed on Feb. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0251766 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D06F 58/24 (2006.01); D06F 58/08 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 58/24 (2013.01) [D06F 58/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a cabinet having an opening defined at a front surface thereof;
a drum rotatably disposed in the cabinet, the drum having a laundry inlet defined at a front surface thereof and configured to introduce laundry into the drum;
a base that is disposed below the drum and defines a space configured to receive air from the drum and guide the air to the drum; and
a motor configured to rotate the drum,
wherein the base comprises:
an air circulating channel configured to fluidly communicate with the drum, the air circulating channel being configured to receive the air discharged from the drum and to guide the air to the drum,
a heat exchanger comprising (i) a first heat exchanger disposed inside the air circulating channel and configured to cool the air discharged from the drum and (ii) a second heat exchanger spaced apart from the first heat exchanger and configured to heat the air cooled by the first heat exchanger,
a water collector body that is disposed outside the air circulating channel and in fluid communication with the air circulating channel, the water collector body being configured to collect water condensed from the air in the first heat exchanger,
a cleaning water channel disposed above the air circulating channel and configured to receive the water from the water collector body and to discharge received water to the first heat exchanger,
a pump configured to move the water collected in the water collector body to the cleaning water channel,
a nozzle cover that covers the cleaning water channel, and
a channel switching valve connected to the pump and coupled to the nozzle cover, the channel switching valve being configured to selectively supply the water from the pump to the cleaning water channel, and
wherein the channel switching valve comprises:
a water receiving portion connected to the pump and configured to receive the water from the pump, and
a connective portion connected to the water receiving portion and configured to deliver the water from the water receiving portion to the cleaning water channel, the connective portion being integrally formed with the nozzle cover such that the water is delivered without leakage at the connective portion.