US 12,448,722 B2
Flow path switching unit for dryer and dryer including the same
Dongpil Seo, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/541,244.
Application 18/541,244 is a continuation of application No. PCT/KR2023/016637, filed on Oct. 25, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2022-0138625 (KR), filed on Oct. 25, 2022; and application No. 10-2022-0150976 (KR), filed on Nov. 11, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133112 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0229343 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D06F 58/10 (2006.01); D06F 58/04 (2006.01); D06F 58/22 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 58/10 (2013.01) [D06F 58/04 (2013.01); D06F 58/22 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flow path switching unit of a dryer configured to dry a drying material, the flow path switching unit comprising:
a body portion comprising a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface; and
a flow path guide dividing an internal space of the body portion to selectively form one of a first flow path of air for drying the drying material and a second flow path of air for dehumidifying outside air, according to an arrangement position of the body portion,
wherein, in a state where the body portion is arranged in the dryer at a first position, the flow path switching unit provides the first flow path to guide air from a drum of the dryer toward a heat exchanger of the dryer,
wherein, in a state where the body portion is arranged in the dryer at a second position, the flow path switching unit provides the second flow path to guide the outside air introduced from an outside of the dryer toward the heat exchanger and discharge the outside air which has been dehumidified after passing through the heat exchanger and the drum to the outside of the dryer, and
wherein, in the first position, the body portion is arranged so that the first surface is a top surface of the body portion and the second surface is a bottom surface of the body portion, and in the second position, the body portion is arranged so that the first surface is the bottom surface of the body portion and the second surface is the top surface of the body portion.