# US 11,898,300 B2 · Laundry processing apparatus

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- Number: US 11,898,300 B2
- Document ID: US11898300B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/739,481
- Filed: 2022-05-09
- Published: 2022-08-25
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-15
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Bae Yee Seok; Cheolu Choi; Hyun Sang Cho
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898300B2

## CPC

- D06F 58/22: Lint collecting arrangements
- D06F 58/26: Heating arrangements, e.g. gas heating equipment (D06F58/18 takes precedence)
- B08B 3/02: Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
- D06F 58/02: having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis
- D06F 25/00: Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air (control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00)
- D06F 58/04: Details (controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00)
- D06F 58/206: {Heat pump arrangements}
- D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A laundry processing apparatus include a washing unit provided in an installation space of a cabinet, which corresponds to an upper portion of a heat exchanger and has the installation space therein, to spray washing water to a front surface of an evaporator. The washing unit has a nozzle part provided at the upper portion of the heat exchanger in an inclined direction to guide the washing water toward the heat exchanger and a front guide part provided at an opposite side of the nozzle part while being space apart therefrom, with the front surface of the evaporator that is the heat exchanger interposed between the front guide part, guiding the washing water discharged from the nozzle part toward the front surface of the evaporator.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A laundry processing apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that defines an installation space therein;
a heat exchanger disposed in the installation space of the cabinet and configured to transfer heat of exhaust air generated from a heat-processing of laundry, the heat exchanger having a front surface configured to receive the exhaust air; and
a washing unit that is disposed inside the installation space of the cabinet, that is disposed at an upper portion of the heat exchanger, and that is configured to spray washing water to the front surface of the heat exchanger,
wherein the washing unit comprises:
a water tube configured to supply the washing water toward the heat exchanger,
a nozzle part that is disposed at the upper portion of the heat exchanger, that extends in an inclined direction with respect to an upper surface of the heat exchanger, and that is configured to guide the washing water toward the heat exchanger, the nozzle part having a first side connected to the water tube and a second side that extends toward the front surface of the heat exchanger,
a front guide part spaced apart from the nozzle part, the front guide part comprising a protruding end that extends toward the front surface of the heat exchanger and is configured to guide the washing water discharged from the nozzle part toward the front surface of the heat exchanger, wherein the front surface of the heat exchanger is disposed between the front guide part and the nozzle part, and
a front guide end protruding from the front guide part and having an end protruding to a position lower than an upper surface of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front guide end having a first length from the end of the front guide part and being spaced apart from the end of the nozzle part by a first distance, and
wherein a relative ratio of the first length with respect to the first distance is between 0.25 to 0.55.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front guide end extends from the end of the front guide part in a perpendicular direction with respect to the upper surface of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein a lower end of the front guide end is disposed vertically below the end of the nozzle part.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle part is connected to an outlet of the water tube.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the nozzle part comprises:
a base that extends from the outlet of the water tube toward the front surface of the heat exchanger, the base being inclined with respect to the upper surface of the heat exchanger, and
a cover that extends from the outlet of the water tube and is spaced apart from the base in an upward direction with respect to the base, and
wherein the nozzle part defines a nozzle space between the base and the cover.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the end of the nozzle part is spaced apart and retracted from the front surface of the heat exchanger in a direction toward the water tube.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the end of the nozzle part is spaced apart from an upper surface of the heat exchanger and disposed vertically above the heat exchanger in a direction of gravity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a virtual line extending from an upper surface of the end of the nozzle part passes through the front guide end.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the washing unit is configured to discharge the washing water through the base constituting the nozzle part, and
wherein a spray angle of the washing water sprayed in a direction away from the front surface of the heat exchanger is between 5° to 15° with respect to the front surface of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The laundry processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cabinet comprises a base cover that defines the installation space and that covers at least a part of the upper portion of the heat exchanger, and
wherein the washing unit is disposed at the base cover and faces the heat exchanger.

### Claim 12

A laundry processing apparatus comprising:
a cabinet that defines an installation space therein;
a heat exchanger disposed in the installation space of the cabinet and configured to transfer heat of exhaust air generated from a heat-processing of laundry, the heat exchanger having a front surface configured to receive the exhaust air;
a base cover that covers an upper portion of the heat exchanger;
a water tube configured to supply washing water toward the heat exchanger;
a nozzle part that is disposed at the base cover, that extends in an inclined direction with respect to an upper surface of the heat exchanger, and that is configured to guide the washing water toward the heat exchanger, the nozzle part having a first side connected to the water tube and a second side that extends toward the front surface of the heat exchanger;
a front guide part that is disposed at the base cover and spaced apart from the nozzle part, the front guide part comprising a protruding end that extends toward the front surface of the heat exchanger and is configured to guide the washing water discharged from the nozzle part toward the front surface of the heat exchanger, wherein the front surface of the heat exchanger is disposed between the front guide part and the nozzle part; and
a front guide end protruding from the front guide part and having an end protruding to a position lower than an upper surface of the heat exchanger.