Wall-mounted washing machine

Abstract

A wall-mounted washing machine including a rear panel for coupling the washing machine to a wall surface, a tub configured to store washing water and supported by the wall surface through the rear panel, a drum rotatably installed inside the tub and configured to accommodate washing objects, a tub front panel coupled to a front surface of the tub, and a drying device coupled to an outer surface of the tub and configured to dry the washing objects. The drying device can communicate air with the tub front panel and the tub.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wall-mounted washing machine comprising:
 a rear panel operable to be affixed to a wall surface;   a tub configured to store washing water and supported by the rear panel;   a drum rotatably installed inside the tub and configured to accommodate washing objects;   a tub front panel coupled to a front surface of the tub; and   a drying device coupled to an outer surface of the tub and configured to dry the washing objects,   wherein the drying device is configured to communicate air with the tub front panel and the tub.   
     
     
         2 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drying device is further configured to communicate air with a front upper portion of the tub front panel and a rear lower portion of the tub. 
     
     
         3 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drying device comprises:
 a fan coupled to an upper portion of the tub and configured to propel air;   a hot air supply duct coupled to the fan and configured to supply air into the tub;   a drying heater disposed inside the hot air supply duct and configured to heat air contained in the hot air supply duct; and   a hot air discharge duct coupled to the tub and configured to guide air passing through the tub toward the fan.   
     
     
         4 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein an end portion of the hot air supply duct is disposed on a side of the tub front panel and is coupled to a front upper portion of the tub front panel, and wherein an end portion of the hot air discharge duct is disposed on a side of the tub and is coupled to a rear lower portion of the tub. 
     
     
         5 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the drying device further comprises a hot air introduction port configured to introduce air exiting from the hot air supply duct, and wherein further the hot air introduction port is disposed in a front upper portion of the tub front panel. 
     
     
         6 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein a hot air discharge port, for discharging air exiting from the drum, is formed in the rear lower portion of the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the drying device further comprises a condensing water introduction port configured to introduce condensing water, and wherein further the condensing water introduction port is disposed on a side of the hot air discharge duct. 
     
     
         8 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein condensing water introduced through the condensing water introduction port is operable to remove moisture from air passing through the hot air discharge duct. 
     
     
         9 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein the drying heater is operable to heat air contained in the hot air supply duct, and wherein further the fan is configured to propel air exiting from the hot air supply duct into the tub through the tub front panel. 
     
     
         10 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein condensing water is operable to dehumidify air contained in the hot air discharge duct, and wherein the hot air discharge duct is configured to supply air exiting from the tub back to the fan. 
     
     
         11 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rear panel comprises at least one vent hole for air to pass through the rear panel. 
     
     
         12 . The wall-mounted washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rear panel comprises a plurality of ribs disposed on a rear surface of the rear panel, and wherein further end portions of the plurality of ribs comprise cut-away portions forming air circulation grooves. 
     
     
         13 . A wall-mounted washing machine comprising:
 a rear panel configured to be affixed to a wall surface;   a tub configured to store washing water and supported by the wall surface through the rear panel;   a tub front panel coupled to a front surface of the tub; and   a drying device coupled to an outer surface of the tub and configured to dry washing objects,   wherein the drying device is configured to supply an air flow into the tub through the tub front panel and to draw an air flow through a side surface of the tub.   
     
     
         14 . The washing machine of  claim 13 , wherein the drying device comprises:
 a fan coupled to an upper portion of the tub and configured to propel air;   a hot air supply duct coupled to the fan and configured to supply an air flow into the tub;   a drying heater disposed inside the hot air supply duct and configured to heat air contained in the hot air supply duct; and   a hot air discharge duct coupled to the tub and configured to guide air passing through the tub toward the fan,   wherein the hot air supply duct is configured to guide an air flow into the tub through a hot air introduction port,   wherein the hot air introduction port is disposed in a front upper portion of the tub front panel, and   wherein a hot air discharge port is disposed in a rear lower portion of the tub and configured to discharge an air flow from the tub.