Auxiliary dryer and complex laundry machine including the same

Abstract

An auxiliary dryer and a complex laundry machine are disclosed, by which a laundry machine having a relatively large size can be conveniently operated to save energy in a manner of handling a small laundry and the like without out driving the laundry machine. The present invention includes a body having a laundry accommodating part for accommodating a laundry therein, a hot air supplying means provided within the body to supply hot air to the laundry accommodating part, and a safety means for preventing a safety accident from being caused to a user by the hot air supplying means.

1 . An auxiliary dryer comprising:
 a body having a laundry accommodating part for accommodating a laundry therein;   a hot air supplying means provided within the body to supply hot air to the laundry accommodating part; and   a safety means for preventing a safety accident from being caused to a user by the hot air supplying means.   
   
   
       2 . The auxiliary dryer of  claim 1 , the hot air supplying means comprising:
 a blower fan for blowing air; and   a heater for heating air.   
   
   
       3 . The auxiliary dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising a steam supplying means for injecting steam into the body. 
   
   
       4 . The auxiliary dryer of  claim 3 , further comprising a door provided to the body to enable the laundry accommodating part to selectively communicate with an external environment, wherein the safety means stops at least one of the hot air supplying means and the stem supplying means if the door is open. 
   
   
       5 . The auxiliary dryer of  claim 4 , the safety means comprising:
 a door open detecting means for detecting that the door is opened; and   a control unit stopping an operation of at least one of the hot air supplying means and the steam supplying means if the door open detecting means detects the door is opened.   
   
   
       6 . The auxiliary dryer of  claim 5 , the safety means further comprising a water level detecting means for detecting that a water level within the body is equal to or greater than a prescribed water level, wherein the control unit stops the operation of the at least one of the hot air supplying means and the steam supplying means if the water level detecting means detects that the water level within the body is equal to or greater than the prescribed water level. 
   
   
       7 . A complex laundry machine comprising:
 a laundry machine for performing washing or drying on a laundry accommodated herein; and   an auxiliary dryer configured smaller than a body of the laundry machine in volume and height, the auxiliary dryer comprising:
 a body having a laundry accommodating part for accommodating a laundry therein, the body assembled to the laundry machine; 
 a door provided to the body to enable the laundry accommodating part to selectively communicate with an external environment; 
 a hot air supplying means provided for supplying hot air to the laundry accommodating part; and 
 a safety means for preventing a safety accident from being caused to a user by the hot air supplying means. 
   
   
   
       8 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 7 , the auxiliary dryer further comprising a steam supplying means provided within the body to inject steam into the body. 
   
   
       9 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 8 , the safety means comprising:
 a door open detecting means for detecting that the door is opened; and   a control unit stopping an operation of at least one of the hot air supplying means and the steam supplying means if the door open detecting means detects the door is opened.   
   
   
       10 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 9 , the safety means further comprising a water level detecting means for detecting that a water level within the body is equal to or greater than a prescribed water level, wherein the control unit stops the operation of the at least one of the hot air supplying means and the steam supplying means if the water level detecting means detects that the water level within the body is equal to or greater than the prescribed water level. 
   
   
       11 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 7 , wherein the hot air supplying means is provided within either the laundry machine or the body of the auxiliary dryer. 
   
   
       12 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 7 , wherein the auxiliary dryer comprises a support supporting the laundry machine against a floor. 
   
   
       13 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 9 , further comprising a tank assembled to a lower part of the body to store water generated from the laundry accommodated in the laundry accommodating part. 
   
   
       14 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 13 , wherein a multitude of holes are provided to a bottom of the laundry accommodating part to enable the water generated from the laundry accommodated in the laundry accommodating part to be drained. 
   
   
       15 . The complex laundry machine of  claim 14 , the safety means further comprising a water level detecting means for detecting a water level within the tank, wherein the control unit stops the operation of the at least one of the hot air supplying means and the steam supplying means if the water level detecting means detects that the water level within the tank is equal to or greater than a prescribed water level.