High-Pressure Steamer Module, and Clothing Treating Apparatus Including Same

The present disclosure relates to a high-pressure steamer module and a clothing treating apparatus including the same.

A steamer is a device to smooth and manage the creases of clothes by spraying vapor or steam generated when heating water at high temperatures on clothes. For the steamer to spray steam, steam and electric power are to be supplied to the steamer. Accordingly, the steamer may be provided with a cable for supplying electric power as well as a steam hose for supplying steam. In this case, storing the steamer requires a measure for storing the hose and the cable.

Existing automatic reel devices that store/use a hose or a cable in a reel form are merely developed and used for storing a hose transferring a single substance such as water, air, and steam or a cable transmitting electric power (Korean laid-open patent publication No. 10-2006-0128454 and Korean laid-open patent publication No. 10-2007-0076184), and a manual storing action is required for arranging a composite cable that is one line into which two or more types of hoses or cables together are combined (for example, a hose for transferring steam and a cable for transmitting electric power are combined).

The present disclosure provides an automatic reel of a composite cable into which a fluid transfer hose and a power line are combined. Resolving a problem in a composite cable of being twisted when unwinding or winding from or on a high-pressure steamer module may allow stable and automatic line arrangement of the composite cable, thereby enhancing user convenience.

The technical goals to be achieved in the present disclosure are not limited to the technical goals described above, and other technical goals may be inferred from the example embodiments below.

According to an example embodiment, a high-pressure steamer module may include a steamer, a composite cable of which one end is connected to the steamer and another end is connected to an external supply source, which is configured to carry high-pressure steam and electric power from the external supply source to the steamer, a reel on which the composite cable is wound, a case in which the steamer, the composite cable, and the reel are stored, a power shaft fitted in the reel to share a rotational axis with the reel and configured to transmit rotation power to the reel, and an actuator configured to rotate the power shaft to wind or unwind the composite cable on or from the reel.

In addition, the composite cable may include a first partial composite cable toward the steamer and a second partial composite cable toward the external supply source which are partitioned off based on a first point on the composite cable, and the reel may include a first storage part on which the first partial composite cable is wound and stored, a second storage part on which the second partial composite cable is wound and stored, and a guide part configured to fix the first point.

In addition, a first winding direction of the first partial composite cable and a second winding direction of the second partial composite cable may be identical, and the guide part may be configured to guide the composite cable to turn around at the first point.

In addition, the guide part may be provided on one side of a cable-seating surface of the reel to form a “U”-shaped path, and both ends of the path may be provided to face one direction perpendicular to a rotational axis of the reel.

In addition, the guide part may include a first guide wall formed in a first direction parallel to a rotational axis of the reel, a second guide wall formed to be perpendicular to the first direction, and a third guide wall formed to be perpendicular to the first direction and formed opposite to the second guide wall, and the first point may be positioned to be adjacent to the first guide wall, and the first partial composite cable may be guided to be bent along the first guide wall and the second guide wall and wound on the first storage part, and the second partial composite cable may be guided to be bent along the first guide wall and the third guide wall and wound on the second storage part.

In addition, the reel may further include an engaging part formed in a protrusion form on a cable-seating surface of the reel and a cover engaged with the engaging part and configured to cover a portion of the composite cable so that the composite cable is not left out of the cable-seating surface and the guide part.

In addition, the composite cable may include a first sheath that forms a path of high-pressure steam, a second sheath that forms a path of electric power transmission, and a third sheath that surrounds the first sheath and the second sheath, and the third sheath may be provided excluding an area where the composite cable turns around.

In addition, the case may include a partition wall configured to partition the case into a first space and a second space, and the first storage part may be positioned in the first space, and the second storage part may be positioned in the second space.

In addition, the case may further include a hollow, provided on an outer wall of the case, through which the second partial composite cable passes and a holder installed around the hollow and configured to limit movement in a length direction of the second partial composite cable for the second partial composite cable passing through the hollow not to additionally come out of the case or additionally go into the case.

In addition, the high-pressure steamer module may further include a steam generator module configured to generate high-pressure steam, and the steam generator module may include a frame and a cable passage, formed along a wall surface on an inner side of the frame, through which the composite cable passes.

In addition, the case may further include a fixed shaft of which opposite ends are fixed to a first side wall of the case and a second side wall of the case which is opposite to the first side wall of the case and a roller case configured to surround an outer circumferential surface of the fixed shaft and to be rotatable based on the fixed shaft, and the roller case may be configured to bend the composite cable in a circumferential direction of an outer circumferential surface of the roller case and change a winding direction of the composite cable.

In addition, the power shaft may include a cross-section in a polygonal shape.

In addition, the actuator may include a decelerator.

In addition, the high-pressure steamer module may further include a user input device configured to operate the actuator to wind or unwind the composite cable on or from the reel in response to a user input.

In addition, the user input device may be provided on a handle of the steamer.

According to an example embodiment, a clothing treating apparatus may include a cabinet of which a front is opened and inside which an accommodation space is formed, a door configured to open and close the cabinet, a cabinet partition wall configured to partition the accommodation space into a clothing accommodation space and a parts accommodation space, and a high-pressure steamer module positioned in the parts accommodation space.

In addition, the high-pressure steamer may include a steamer, a composite cable of which one end is connected to the steamer and another end is connected to an external supply source, which is configured to carry high-pressure steam and electric power from the external supply source to the steamer, a reel on which the composite cable is wound, a case in which the steamer, the composite cable, and the reel are stored, a power shaft fitted in the reel to share a rotational axis with the reel and configured to transmit rotation power to the reel, and an actuator configured to rotate the power shaft to wind or unwind the composite cable on or from the reel.

In addition, the high-pressure steamer module may further include a rail, and the case may be assembled on the rail to be movable along the rail, and the case may be guided by the rail to be suitable for entering and exiting the parts accommodation space.

In addition, the clothing treating apparatus may further include a hook at an upper portion of the front of the cabinet or an upper portion of an inner surface of the door in order for clothing to hang.

In addition, the clothing treating apparatus may further include a shelf inside the cabinet.

In addition, the parts accommodation space may be provided with a water supply part configured to store water to be provided as steam to the clothing accommodation space and a recovery part configured to recover steam from the clothing accommodation space to store.

Details of example embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to transfer fluid and electric power without cable segmentation.

Further, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to implement a reel structure with no change in a rotational axis angle of a fluid hose.

Further, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to configure a high-pressure steamer module without using a rotary joint.

Further, according to the present disclosure, it is possible for a user to wind or unwind a cable more conveniently by controlling winding and unwinding in a reel through a motor.

The effects to be obtained in the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned effects, and other effects not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the attached claims.

Example embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrative rather than limiting the present disclosure and those skilled in the art may design many alternative example embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Terms used in example embodiments are selected from currently widely used general terms when possible while considering the functions in the present disclosure. However, the terms may vary depending on the intention of one of ordinary skilled in the art, legal precedents, emergence of new technologies, and the like. Further, in certain cases, there may be terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning of the term will be described in detail in the corresponding description. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure are not to be construed simply as its designation but based on the meaning of the term and the overall context of the present disclosure.

A singular expression used herein includes both the singular and the plural unless clearly otherwise specified by context.

Throughout the specification, when a part is described as “comprising or including” a component or an operation, the part is not intended to necessarily include all the component or operation and not intended to exclude components or operations other than those described in the claims and the specification but may further include the component or the operation, unless otherwise stated.

In addition, while terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. used herein may be used to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by the terms including ordinal numbers. The terms are only used to distinguish one element from another in a part of the specification contextually. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element in one part of the specification, and conversely, a second element may be referred to as a first element in another part of the specification, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Terms such as “mechanism,” “element,” “means,” and “configuration” may be used broadly herein and are not limited to mechanical and physical configurations. The terms may include the meaning of a series of routines of software in association with a processor or the like.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the present disclosure (especially in the context of the claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural. Further, a recitation of ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range (unless otherwise indicated), and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. In addition, the operations of all methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The present disclosure is not limited to the described order of the operations. The use of any and all examples, or language (e.g., “for example” and the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the present disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure unless otherwise claimed. Those skilled in the art may add various modifications, combinations, and variations to example embodiments disclosed herein according to design conditions and factors and may implement other example embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims or the range of equivalents thereof.

Hereinafter, example embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For brevity of the specification and the drawings, various functional elements that are not related to understanding the present disclosure are omitted from the drawings. However, those skilled in the art may easily understand that various additional elements may be included as a part of specific example embodiments of the present disclosure so as to enable additional functions that are not specifically described in the present disclosure.

illustrates an example embodiment of a high-pressure steamer moduleaccording to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

In an example embodiment, the high-pressure steamer modulemay include a steamer. The steamermay include a handle that a user may hold by hand and a nozzle. The user may place the nozzle of the steamernear clothes or cloth while holding the handle of the steamerand manipulate the high-pressure steamer moduleso that high-pressure steam is sprayed onto the cloth.

In an example embodiment, the high-pressure steamer modulemay include a composite cableof which one end is connected to the steamerand another end is connected to an external supply source, which carries high-pressure steam and electric power from the external supply source to the steamer. The composite cablemay include a line transferring high-pressure steam (for example, a hose, a pipe, or the like) and a line transferring electric power (for example, a cable or the like).

In an example embodiment, the high-pressure steamer modulemay include a reelon which the composite cableis wound. In an example embodiment, the reelmay include a post provided in a rotational axis direction, and an outer peripheral surface of the post becomes a cable-seating surface. The composite cablemay be configured to be wound on the cable-seating surface. Specifically, the post of the reelmay be, in particular, a cylinder, and an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder may be the cable-seating surface. This has an advantage of winding a cable more smoothly than a post with a polygonal cross-section. In an example embodiment, the reelmay include a side wall configured in the form of a wall extending from the cable-seating surface in a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis of the reel. This has an advantage of not leaving the composite cablewound on the cable-seating surface out of the reel.

In an example embodiment, the high-pressure steamer modulemay include a casein which the steamer, the composite cable, and the reelare stored. Alternatively, the casemay also be configured to store the composite cableand the reelalone. The casemay be fabricated with hard materials such as plastic and metal and be fabricated to protect the steamer, the composite cable, or the reelstored in the caseagainst breakage.

In an example embodiment, the casemay include a partition wall that partitions the caseoff, and the steamermay be stored in one space among spaces within the casepartitioned off by the partition wall and the composite cableand the reelmay be stored in another space. This has an advantage in that a problem of the composite cablebeing twisted when the steameris stored in the same space as the composite cableor the reelmay be prevented.

In an example embodiment, the casemay include a structure to be coupled to another apparatus or module. For example, the casemay include a corresponding structure or an engaging part in order to be assembled on a rail of a steam generator module. In this case, there is an advantage in that a more close-packed structure may be formed as the caseis coupled to the steam generator module. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that a structure may be included where the casemay be coupled to other various apparatuses or modules, not limited to the steam generator module.

In an example embodiment, the high-pressure steamer modulemay further include the steam generator modulethat generates high-pressure steam. The steam generator modulemay include a frameand a steam generator. The steam generatormay heat water, generate high-pressure steam, and then supply high-pressure steam to the steamerthrough the composite cable. The framemay store an accessory or the like which may be included in the steam generator module. For example, the framemay store a high-pressure pump for carrying water. Further, in an example embodiment, the framemay include an engaging structure to be mutually assembled on the case. This, as described above, has an advantage in that a more close-packed structure may be formed as the caseis coupled to the frameof the steam generator module.

illustrates an example embodiment in which a composite cableis wound on a reelaccording to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. In an example embodiment, the composite cablemay include a first partial composite cabletoward a steamer and a second partial composite cabletoward an external supply source which are partitioned off based on a first pointon the composite cable. An end of the first partial composite cablemay be connected to the steamer. An end of the second partial composite cablemay be connected to the external supply source. Since the first pointis merely any position or area on the composite cable, the composite cableis not physically cut into the first partial composite cableand the second partial composite cablebased on the first point.

In an example embodiment, the reelmay include a first storage parton which the first partial composite cableis wound and stored, a second storage parton which the second partial composite cableis wound and stored, and a guide partwhich fixes the first point. The first storage partmay be configured to wind an entire or a portion of the first partial composite cable. When the first storage partrotates, the first partial composite cablemay be wound on the first storage partor unwound from the first storage part. Similarly, when the second storage partrotates, the second partial composite cablemay be wound on the second storage partor unwound from the second storage part.

In an example embodiment, the first storage partmay include a side wall configured in the form of a wall extending from a cable-seating surface of the first storage partin a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis of the reel. This has an advantage of not leaving the composite cablewound on the cable-seating surface out of the first storage part. In an example embodiment, the second storage partmay include a side wall configured in the form of a wall extending from a cable-seating surface of the second storage partin the direction perpendicular to the rotational axis of the reel. This has an advantage of not leaving the composite cablewound on the cable-seating surface out of the second storage part. The first storage partand the second storage partmay mutually share a side wall or may have separate side walls. The first storage partand the second storage partshown inhave separate side walls. This structure has an advantage of helping the first partial composite cableand the second partial composite cablenot intertwined with one another while wound on or unwound from the first storage partand the second storage part, respectively.