Dryer

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a dryer having a cabinet, a drum provided inside the cabinet so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis, a rear support plate coupled to the rear of the drum to support the drum and the rear support plate having a hot air supplier configured to supply hot air toward an inner surface of the drum along a circumference of the drum, and a hot air duct configured to introduce air in a region adjacent to the rotation axis of the drum and to guide air to the hot air supplier through a heater disposed therein. With this structure, drying efficiency and stability can be improved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dryer comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum disposed to rotate about a rotation axis in the cabinet;   a rear support plate coupled to a rear of the drum to support the drum, the rear support plate including a hot air supplier formed to supply hot air toward an inner surface of the drum along a vicinity of a circumference of the drum;   a hot air duct coupled to a rear surface of the rear support plate to guide hot air to the hot air supplier, the hot air duct being configured to allow air to flow into an inside of the hot air duct in a region adjacent to the rotation axis of the drum; and   a heater mounted inside the hot air duct to heat air introduced into the inside of the hot air duct.   
     
     
         2 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air supplier comprises a plurality of hot air supply holes formed to penetrate through the rear support plate where the plurality of hot air supply holes are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         3 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air supplier is formed in an area outside a radius that is half a radius of the drum and is centered on the rotation axis of the drum. 
     
     
         4 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air supplier is formed to extend along a circumferential direction about the rotation axis of the drum. 
     
     
         5 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air supplier is formed symmetrically with respect to a vertical line along the rotation axis of the drum. 
     
     
         6 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air supplier is formed in a fan-shaped area having a predetermined central angle θ degree (180<θ<360) except for a part of the lower portion of the rear support plate. 
     
     
         7 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot air duct comprises a plurality of inlets into which air flows into the inside of the hot air duct, and at least a majority of the plurality of inlets are formed radially inward with respect to the rotation axis of the drum than the hot air supplier. 
     
     
         8 . The dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a heating element formed to extend along a circumferential direction about the rotation axis of the drum. 
     
     
         9 . The dryer according to  claim 8 , wherein the heating element has an arc shape having a central angle that is the same as that of the hot air supplier. 
     
     
         10 . The dryer according to  claim 8 , wherein the heating element has an arc shape having a radius smaller than a radius of the hot air supplier. 
     
     
         11 . A dryer comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum disposed rotatably about a rotation axis in the cabinet;   a rear support plate coupled to a rear of the drum to support the drum the rear support plate including a hot air supply hole to supply hot air into the drum; and   a heater provided at the rear of the rear support plate to heat the air,   wherein the heater comprises:
 a first heating element formed to extend along a circumferential direction about a predetermined center point, 
 a second heating element formed to extend along a circumferential direction about the center point the second heating element having a radius different from that of the first heating element, and 
 a heater housing configured to support the first heating element and the second heating element, and the heater housing provided with a heater through hole formed between the first heating element and the second heating element so as to allow air to pass therethrough. 
   
     
     
         12 . The dryer according to  claim 11 , wherein the heater housing comprises a front insulation plate and a rear insulation plate coupled to a rear surface of the front insulation plate, and the first heating element and the second heating element are inserted and coupled between the front insulation plate and the rear insulation plate. 
     
     
         13 . The dryer according to  claim 12 , wherein the heater housing comprises a heater support plate coupled to the front insulation plate and the rear insulation plate to support the front insulation plate and the rear insulation plate. 
     
     
         14 . The dryer according to  claim 13 , wherein the front insulation plate, the rear insulation plate, and the heater support plate each comprise a front heater through hole, a rear heater through hole, and a support plate through hole formed at positions corresponding to each other to form the heater through hole. 
     
     
         15 . The dryer according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the heater support plate comprises a coupling protrusion configured to be bendable, and   the front insulation plate and the rear insulation plate comprise coupling grooves formed to receive the coupling protrusion,   wherein the coupling protrusion is configured to be inserted into the coupling grooves and bent so that the front insulation plate, the rear insulation plate, and the heater support plate are coupled to each other.   
     
     
         16 . The dryer according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a hot air duct coupled to a rear surface of the rear support plate to guide hot air into the drum,   wherein the heater support plate is coupled to an inside of the hot air duct so that the heater is disposed inside the hot air duct.   
     
     
         17 . The dryer according to  claim 12 , wherein the first heating element and the second heating element comprise a corrugated part protruding toward the rear support plate so as to increase a heat transfer area. 
     
     
         18 . The dryer according to  claim 17 , wherein the front insulation plate has a passing hole through which the corrugated part passes, and
 the corrugated part is disposed between the rear support plate and the front insulation plate.   
     
     
         19 . A dryer comprising:
 a cabinet having a rear plate on which a vent hole is formed;   a drum rotatably installed in the cabinet;   a hot air duct provided behind the drum to guide hot air into the drum the hot air duct including a duct rear part parallel to the rear plate and formed with an inlet; and   a heater mounted inside the hot air duct to heat the air introduced into the hot air duct,   wherein the rear plate of the cabinet comprises a first shielding rib formed to extend obliquely from one end of the vent hole, and   the duct rear part of the hot air duct comprises a second shielding rib formed to extend obliquely from an end of the inlet in a direction different from a direction of the first shielding rib.   
     
     
         20 . The dryer according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the first shielding rib is disposed to extend along a forward and an upward direction from a lower end of the vent hole, and   the second shielding rib is disposed to extend along a rearward and an upward direction from a lower end of the inlet.