Clothing treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clothing treatment apparatus comprising: a cabinet forming the exterior of the clothing treatment apparatus and provided with a door; a tub including a tub body for accommodating clothing and a tub opening in a front side thereof; a drum rotatably disposed within the tub and including a drum opening in a front side thereof; an air circulation duct including an air inlet communicating with an upper end of the tub opening, an air outlet communicating with the tub body, and a fan generating air flow inside the tub; and a guider that communicates with the air inlet and guides the air to the drum opening.

1 . An apparatus for treating laundry, the apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet forming an exterior and having a door;   a tub including a tub body receiving the laundry therein and a tub opening provided to a front side thereof;   a drum rotatably provided within the tub and including a drum opening provided to a front side thereof;   an air circulation duct including a first communicating portion communicating with the tub opening, a second communicating portion communicating with the tub body, and a fan generating an air flow within the tub; and   a guider communicating with the first communicating portion and guiding air to the drum opening.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the guider comprising:
 a first body including a guider inlet communicating with the first communicating portion; and   a second body communicating with the first body and changing a flow of air within the first body in a direction of the drum opening.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second body includes a guider outlet discharging air through the second body and wherein a cross-section of the guider outlet is positioned side by side with a cross-section of the drum opening. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional area of a connecting portion connecting the first body to the second body is smaller than that of the guider inlet. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a width of the first body gradually decreases toward the connecting portion from the guider inlet. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the guider outlet is smaller than that of a connecting portion connecting the first body to the second body. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a top-bottom height width of the second body gradually decreases toward the guider outlet from the connecting portion. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a right-left width of the second body gradually decreases toward the guider outlet from a spot at which the first body is connected to the second body. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the guider outlet is equal to or greater than 50% of the cross-sectional area of the guider inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a right-left width of the guider outlet is greater than a height width thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein an inner surface of the second body is curved. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first communicating portion is provided to a top end of the tub opening. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a gasket provided between the tub opening and the door to prevent leakage of wash water, wherein the first communicating portion is provided to the gasket. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second communicating portion is provided to an outer circumference of the tub. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first communicating portion and the second communicating portion are located in a diagonal direction with reference to a cross-section of the tub positioned side by side with a ground surface supporting the cabinet. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the guider outlet is equal to or greater than 50% of the cross-sectional area of the guider inlet. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a right-left width of the second body gradually decreases toward the guider outlet from a spot at which the first body is connected to the second body. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the guider outlet is equal to or greater than 50% of the cross-sectional area of the guider inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a right-left width of the second body gradually decreases toward the guider outlet from a spot at which the first body is connected to the second body 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the second communication portion is provided to an outer circumference of the tub.