Laundry treatment apparatus

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a circulation flow channel, which is divided into a first branch flow channel and a second branch flow channel so as to circulate air in a treatment chamber, a condenser disposed in the first branch flow channel, a heat radiation part for heating flowing air that has passed through the condenser, and a heat absorption part disposed in the second branch flow channel, wherein the heat radiation part and the heat absorption part constitute a thermoelectric heat pump device.

1 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a treatment chamber for containing clothes therein;   a circulation flow channel for guiding flowing air so as to circulate the flowing air through the treatment chamber;   a blower disposed in the circulation flow channel so as to forcibly blow the air;   a heater for heating the air before the flowing air is supplied into the treatment chamber; and   a thermoelectric heat pump device for exchanging heat with the flowing air before the flowing air is heated by the heater,   wherein the circulation flow channel includes a first branch flow channel and a second branch flow channel, which are connected to each other in parallel so as to divide the flowing air into a first flowing air branch and a second flowing air branch, and which guide the first flowing air branch and the second flowing air branch, respectively,   wherein the laundry treatment apparatus further comprises a condenser disposed in the first branch flow channel so as to condense moisture contained in the first flowing air branch,   wherein the thermoelectric heat pump device comprises:   a heat radiation part disposed in the first branch flow channel so as to heat the first flowing air branch, which has passed through the condenser;   a heat absorption part disposed in the second branch flow channel so as to cool the second flowing air branch; and   a thermoelectric pump unit for transferring heat from the heat absorption part to the heat radiation part, and   wherein the circulation flow channel further includes a converging flow channel in which the first branch flow channel and the second branch flow channel are joined with each other such that the first flowing air branch, which has passed through the heat radiation part, and the second flowing air branch, which has passed through the heat absorption part, meet each other and the mixed flowing air is guided toward the heater.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric pump unit comprises:
 a Peltier element; and   a heat radiation surface and a heat absorption surface, which are disposed on respective sides of the Peltier element,   wherein the heat radiation part receives heat from the heat radiation surface, and the heat absorption part transfers heat to the heat absorption surface.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the heat radiation part and the heat absorption part includes thermal conductive ribs. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the laundry treatment apparatus includes a refrigerant heat pump constituted by the condenser. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treatment chamber is rotatable. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the condenser includes a cooling fan, which is disposed outside the circulation flow channel so as to cool the first branch flow channel. 
     
     
         7 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a treatment chamber for containing clothes therein;   a circulation flow channel for guiding flowing air so as to circulate the flowing air through the treatment chamber;   a blower disposed in the circulation flow channel so as to forcibly blow the air;   a condenser for condensing moisture contained in flowing air discharged from the chamber;   a heater for heating the air before the flowing air is supplied into the treatment chamber; and   a thermoelectric heat pump device for transferring heat from a heat absorption part to a heat radiation part,   wherein the circulation flow channel includes a first branch flow channel and a second branch flow channel, which are connected to each other in parallel, so as to divide the flowing air at an upstream side about the condenser and to guide the divided flowing airs, separately,   wherein the condenser is disposed in the first branch flow channel, wherein the heat radiation part exchanges heat with flowing air guided through the first branch flow channel;   wherein the heat absorption part exchanges heat with flowing air guided through the second branch flow channel; and   wherein the first branch flow channel and the second branch flow channel are joined with each other at an upstream side about the heater.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the thermoelectric pump unit comprises:
 a Peltier element; and   a heat radiation surface and a heat absorption surface, which are disposed on respective sides of the Peltier element,   wherein the heat radiation part receives heat from the heat radiation surface, and the heat absorption part transfers heat to the heat absorption surface.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the heat radiation part and the heat absorption part includes thermal conductive ribs. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the laundry treatment apparatus includes a refrigerant heat pump constituted by the condenser.