Clothes dryer

Abstract

Disclosed is a clothes dryer in which a cleaning structure of a heat exchanger is improved. The clothes dryer includes a main body, a drum rotatably provided in the main body, a heat pump including an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve to supply hot and dry air into the drum, a condensate tank configured to receive condensed water generated from the heat pump, and a spray member configured to spray the condensed water in the condensate tank to the evaporator. The spray member includes an inlet portion through which the condensed water is introduced and a spray portion having a guide surface provided such that the condensed water introduced through the inlet portion is uniformly sprayed to a surface of the evaporator. At least a portion of the guide surface includes a curved surface having a constant curvature.

1 . A clothes dryer comprising:
 a main body;   a drum rotatably provided in the main body;   a heat pump including an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve to supply hot and dry air into the drum;   a condensate tank configured to receive condensed water generated from the heat pump; and   a spray member configured to spray the condensed water of the condensate tank to the evaporator,   wherein the spray member comprises an inlet portion through which the condensed water is introduced and a spray portion having a guide surface provided such that the condensed water introduced through the inlet portion is uniformly sprayed to a surface of the evaporator, and   wherein at least a portion of the guide surface includes a curved surface having a constant curvature.   
     
     
         2 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet portion and the spray portion are integrally injection-molded with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide surface is bent vertically. 
     
     
         4 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide surface includes a plurality of protrusions and grooves formed to disperse the condensed water. 
     
     
         5 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the spray member includes a fastening portion configured to be fastened to a cooling tube of the evaporator. 
     
     
         6 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 5 , further comprising a frame provided around the spray portion, wherein the fastening portion is formed on the frame. 
     
     
         7 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 6 , wherein the fastening portion includes a connecting bracket provided on the frame, a coupling groove coupling with the evaporator, and a fixing protrusion formed in the coupling groove. 
     
     
         8 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , wherein the spray portion includes at least one guide rib formed to guide the condensed water. 
     
     
         9 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 2 , wherein the spray portion is installed to be movable. 
     
     
         10 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 9 , wherein the spray portion further includes a hinge portion. 
     
     
         11 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pump configured to pump the condensed water from the condensate tank. 
     
     
         12 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 11 , wherein the condensate tank includes a valve provided to supply a portion of the condensed water to the spray member and discharge a remaining portion of the condensed water to the outside of the main body. 
     
     
         13 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 11 , wherein the spray member is injection molded. 
     
     
         14 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first duct connected to the drum to supply outside air;   a second duct configured to discharge inside air of the drum; and   a blower provided in the second duct.   
     
     
         15 . The clothes dryer according to  claim 14 , further comprising a duct cover forming the second duct, wherein the spray member is connected to the duct cover.