# US 2014/0150277 A1 · Laundry machine having a drying function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150277 A1 - Document ID: US20140150277A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,908 - Filed: 2014-02-06 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-28 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Ig Geun KWON; Sangwook HONG; Youngsuk KIM; Hyunseok SEO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150277A1 ## CPC - 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 29/005: {the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance} - D06F 58/22: Lint collecting arrangements - D06F 58/26: Heating arrangements, e.g. gas heating equipment (D06F58/18 takes precedence) - F26B 21/003: {Air or gas filters} - D06F 37/22: in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis - D06F 37/267: {Tubs specially adapted for mounting thereto components or devices not provided for in preceding subgroups (D06F37/206 takes precedence)} - D06F 39/088: {Liquid supply arrangements} - D06F 39/12: Casings; Tubs - D06F 58/04: Details (controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00) - D06F 58/24: Condensing arrangements - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a laundry machine having a drying function for drying an object to be dried, especially clothes. In the laundry machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, lint and the like that may be contained in the hot air are removed by the filter, whereby the lint and the like can be prevented from being piled on the duct. Also, the filter is placed in a way that it is exposed into the tub, whereby the filter can be cleaned automatically while it is being driven. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A combo washer dryer, comprising: a drum to receive objects to be dried; a heater and a fan to generate hot air; an condensing device to provide a space to receive the drum, the condensing device comprising a hot air inlet and a hot air outlet, wherein an outer circumference of the condensing device heat exchanges with external air through natural convection and air introduced through the hot air inlet is condensed at an inner circumference of the condensing device; a duct to guide the hot air to the hot air inlet; a filter assembly to filter the hot air discharged through the hot air outlet to the duct; and a filter cleaning device to supply cleaning water to the filter assembly, wherein the filter cleaning device comprises: a water supply hose to supply wash water to the tub; and a branch hose that diverges from the water supply hose to supply cleaning water to the filter assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The combo washer dryer according to claim 1, wherein the condensing device comprises a tub to receive the drum, and wherein the tub is configured such that an outer circumference of the tub heat exchanges with external air through natural convection and air introduced into the tub through the hot air inlet is condensed at an inner circumference of the tub. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The combo washer dryer according to claim 2, wherein the hot air outlet is provided at an upper circumference of the tub such that the hot air outlet protrudes at a position spaced from a perpendicular line passing through a central axis formed in a longitudinal direction of the tub by a predetermined distance, wherein the duct is located above the tub to guide air having passed through the filter assembly to the hot air inlet, and wherein a fan is provided in the duct, the fan driving air having passed through the filter assembly such that the air is introduced to a center of rotation and is then discharged in a radial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The combo washer dryer according to claim 3, wherein the filter assembly comprises: a filter housing provided between the hot air outlet and the duct; a filter to filter air introduced into the filter housing; and a cleaning water dispersion device provided at the filter housing to disperse cleaning water supplied from the branch hose over the filter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The combo washer dryer according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning water dispersion device comprises a collision face provided at the filter housing, and wherein the branch hose supplies cleaning water to the collision face. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The combo washer dryer according to claim 5, wherein the collision face is integrally provided at or on the filter housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The combo washer dryer according to claim 6, wherein the collision face comprises a bar shaped rib. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The combo washer dryer according to claim 6, wherein the bar shaped rib is formed at a central portion of the filter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The combo washer dryer according to claim 4, wherein the water supply hose supplies wash water to the tub via a detergent box that stores detergent, and wherein the branch hose is connected to the hot air outlet to supply cleaning water to the filter assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The combo washer dryer according to claim 4, wherein the branch hose supplies the cleaning water to a side opposite to a side of the filter facing the tub. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The combo washer dryer according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning water dispersion device comprises an injection body to inject the cleaning water supplied from the filter cleaning device to the filter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The combo washer dryer according to claim 11, wherein the injection body injects the cleaning water from a side of the filter onto the filter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The combo washer dryer according to claim 11, wherein the injection body comprises a shower nozzle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The combo washer dryer according to claim 1, wherein the hot air inlet, the hot air outlet, the filter assembly, and the duct are arranged such that hot air supplied through the hot air inlet is circulated via the drum, the tub, the hot air outlet, the filter, and the duct. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The combo washer dryer according to claim 1, further comprising a valve to control opening and closing of the branch hose. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The combo washer dryer according to claim 15, wherein the valve is provided at a connection between the water supply hose and the branch hose. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The combo washer dryer according to claim 15, wherein the valve supplies cleaning water to the filter assembly when wash water is supplied to the tub through the water supply hose. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The combo washer dryer according to claim 1, wherein the branch hose supplies cleaning water to the filter assembly in at least one selected from a washing cycle or a rinsing cycle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The combo washer dryer according to claim 1, wherein the branch hose supplies cleaning water to the filter assembly during rotation of the drum. ### Claim 20 A combo washer dryer, comprising: a drum to receive objects to be dried; a heater and a fan to generate hot air; an condensing device to provide a space to receive the drum, the condensing device comprising a hot air inlet and a hot air outlet, wherein an outer circumference of the condensing device heat exchanges with external air through natural convection and air introduced through the hot air inlet being condensed at an inner circumference of the condensing device; a duct to guide the hot air to the hot air inlet; a filter assembly to filter the hot air discharged from the hot air outlet to the duct; and a filter cleaning device to supply cleaning water to the filter assembly when wash water is supplied to the condensing device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The combo washer dryer according to claim 20, wherein the condensing device comprises a tub to receive the drum, and wherein the tub is configured such that an outer circumference of the tub heat exchanges with external air through natural convection and air introduced into the tub through the hot air inlet is condensed at an inner circumference of the tub. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The combo washer dryer according to claim 21, wherein the hot air outlet is provided at an upper circumference of the tub such that the hot air outlet protrudes at a position spaced from a perpendicular line passing through a central axis formed in a longitudinal direction of the tub by a predetermined distance, wherein the duct is located above the tub to guide air having passed through the filter assembly to the hot air inlet, and wherein a fan is provided in the duct, the fan driving air having passed through the filter assembly such that the air is introduced to a center of rotation and is then discharged in a radial direction. ### Claim 23 (depends on 2) The combo washer dryer according to claim 2, wherein the filter assembly comprises: a filter housing provided between the hot air outlet and the duct; a filter to filter air introduced into the filter housing; and a cleaning water dispersion device provided at the filter housing to disperse cleaning water supplied from the filter cleaning device over the filter. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The combo washer dryer according to claim 23, wherein the cleaning water dispersion device comprises a collision face provided at the filter housing, and wherein the filter cleaning device supplies cleaning water to the collision face when wash water is supplied to the tub.