Drum type washing machine with laundry drying function

Abstract

Drum type washing machine having a laundry drying function including a tub for receiving hot air through a front, and discharging the hot air through a rear, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, a drying duct connected to a hot air inlet hole in the tub for guiding the hot air to a hot air inlet side of the tub, a heater for producing the hot air, and a fan for forced circulation of the hot air to a drum side, and a condensing duct for removing moisture from the hot air from the hot air outlet hole in a lower portion of the rear of the tub, thereby improving a drying efficiency and a drying performance.

1 . A drum type washing machine having a laundry drying function comprising: 
 a tub for receiving hot air through a front, and discharging the hot air through a rear;    a drum rotatably mounted in the tub;    a drying duct connected to a hot air inlet hole in the tub for guiding the hot air to a hot air inlet side of the tub;    a heater for producing the hot air, and a fan for forced circulation of the hot air to a drum side; and    a condensing duct for removing moisture from the hot air from the hot air outlet hole in a lower portion of the rear of the tub.    
   
   
       2 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hot air inlet hole is formed in an upper portion of a front of the tub, and the hot air outlet hole is formed in the lower portion of the rear of the tub.  
   
   
       3 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the drum includes hot air pass through holes in a front of the drum for introduction of the hot air passed through the hot air inlet hole into an inside of the drum.  
   
   
       4 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tub is a plastic injection molding.  
   
   
       5 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drying duct is fixedly secured to an outside of the tub.  
   
   
       6 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drying duct is fixedly secured to the cabinet.  
   
   
       7 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a flexible gasket between the drying duct and the hot air inlet hole in the tub.  
   
   
       8 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heater and/or the fan are mounted in the drying duct.  
   
   
       9 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising heat dissipation fins on an upper surface of the drying duct for preventing the upper surface from overheating.  
   
   
       10 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of hot air pass through holes in the front of the drum arranged in a radial shape.  
   
   
       11 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the hot air pass through holes in the front of the drum are arranged in concentric circles in a circumferential direction, and in a line in a radial direction.  
   
   
       12 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the hot air pass through holes in the front of the drum are arranged in concentric circles in a circumferential direction, and in a zigzag shape in a radial direction.  
   
   
       13 . A drum type washing machine having a laundry drying function comprising: 
 a substantially cylindrical tub having a hot air inlet hole in an upper portion of a front, and a hot air outlet hole in a lower portion of a rear;    a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, the drum having hot air pass through holes in a front thereof for introduction of the hot air passed through the hot air inlet hole in the tub into an inside of the drum;    a drying duct connected to a hot air inlet hole in the tub for guiding the hot air to a hot air inlet side of the tub;    a heater for producing the hot air, and a fan for forced circulation of the hot air to a drum side; and    a condensing duct for removing moisture from the hot air from the hot air outlet hole in a lower portion of the rear of the tub.    
   
   
       14 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the tub is a plastic injection molding.  
   
   
       15 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the drum is formed of stainless steel.  
   
   
       16 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the drying duct is fixedly secured to an outside of the tub.  
   
   
       17 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the drying duct is fixedly secured to the cabinet.  
   
   
       18 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising a flexible gasket between the drying duct and the hot air inlet in the tub.  
   
   
       19 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the heater and/or the fan are mounted in the drying duct.  
   
   
       20 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the hot air pass through holes in the front of the drum are arranged in a radial shape.  
   
   
       21 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the hot air pass through holes in the front of the drum are arranged in concentric circles in a circumferential direction, and in a line in a radial direction.  
   
   
       22 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the hot air pass through holes in the front of the drum are arranged in concentric circles in a circumferential direction, and in a zigzag shape in a radial direction.  
   
   
       23 . The drum type washing machine as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the tub includes a plurality of hot air inlet holes and a plurality of hot air outlet holes, the drying duct connected to the hot air inlet holes in the tub includes a plurality of branches at an outlet side thereof, and the condensing duct connected to the hot air outlet holes in the tub includes a plurality of branches at an inlet side thereof, so that the branched outlet side of the drying duct and branched inlet side of the condensing duct are connected to the hot air inlet holes in the tub and the hot air outlet holes in the tub, respectively.  
   
   
       24 . A drum type washing machine having a laundry drying function comprising: 
 a substantially cylindrical tub having a hot air inlet hole in an upper portion of a front, and a hot air outlet hole in a lower portion of a rear;    a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, the drum having hot air pass through holes in a front thereof for introduction of the hot air passed through the hot air inlet hole in the tub into an inside of the drum;    a BLDC motor mounted in rear of the tub, the BLDC motor being directly coupled to the drum;    a drying duct connected to a hot air inlet hole in the tub for guiding the hot air to a hot air inlet side of the tub;    a heater for producing the hot air, and a fan for forced circulation of the hot air to a drum side; and    a condensing duct for removing moisture from the hot air from the hot air outlet hole in a lower portion of the rear of the tub.