Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a laundry dryer. The laundry treating apparatus includes a water supply connector for connecting an internal water supply pipe, a direct water pipe, and a water supply inlet pipe with each other. The water supply connector may include a connector main body and a connector backflow-preventing valve that is coupled into the connector main body to prevent water from flowing back toward an supply assembly, thereby preventing the water from flowing back to a water source and improving assembleability by mounting a check valve by only assembling a connector with a pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet that defines an external appearance of the laundry treating apparatus;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the cabinet and configured to receive laundry;   a duct assembly configured to supply air to the duct and to guide air discharged from the drum;   a circulating fan configured to cause air to flow in the duct assembly;   a heat exchanger assembly disposed in the duct assembly and configured to exchange heat with the air in the duct assembly;   a steam generating assembly comprising a steam generator configured to generate steam, the steam generating assembly being configured to supply the steam into the drum; and   a supply assembly configured to supply water for generating the steam by the steam generator, the supply assembly comprising:
 a first supply assembly comprising a storage tank configured to store water therein, and an internal water supply pipe configured to supply the water stored in the storage tank to the steam generator, 
 a second supply assembly comprising a direct water pipe configured to receive water from an external water source and to supply the water to the steam generator, 
 a water supply inlet pipe configured to receive the water from the first supply assembly or the water from the second supply assembly and to supply the water to the steam generator, and 
 a water supply connector that connects each of the internal water supply pipe and the direct water pipe to the water supply inlet pipe, wherein the water supply connector comprises: 
 a connector main body that defines a flow channel in communication with the internal water supply pipe, the direct water pipe, and the water supply inlet pipe, and 
 a connector backflow-preventing valve coupled to the connector main body and configured to block backflow of water in the flow channel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the connector main body comprises:
 an outlet coupled to the water supply inlet pipe and configured to discharge the water to the water supply inlet pipe;   an internal water supply inlet that is coupled to the internal water supply pipe and in communication with the outlet, the internal water supply inlet being configured to receive the water through the internal water supply pipe; and   a direct water inlet that is coupled to the direct water pipe and in communication with the outlet, the direct water inlet being configured to receive the water through the direct water pipe, and   wherein the connector backflow-preventing valve is inserted into and coupled to the direct water inlet.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein an inner diameter of the direct water inlet is greater than an inner diameter of the outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein an outer diameter of the direct water inlet is greater than an outer diameter of the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the connector main body further comprises a guide protrusion that protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the direct water inlet, the guide protrusion being disposed at an insertion position of the connector backflow-preventing valve. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the connector main body further comprises a direction indicating protrusion that protrudes from the guide protrusion and has a triangular column shape. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the connector backflow-preventing valve comprises:
 a valve body inserted into and coupled to the direct water inlet; and   a valve outlet that extends from a first end of the valve body inside the connector main body and is configured to discharge the water introduced from the direct water pipe to the flow channel, and   wherein the valve outlet is configured to block the backflow, into the valve body, of the water introduced through the internal water supply pipe or the water discharged to the water supply inlet pipe.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a diameter of the valve outlet is less than a diameter of the valve body. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the connector backflow-preventing valve further comprises a coupling support hook that extends radially outward from a second end of the valve body and is supported on the connector main body. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the connector backflow-preventing valve further comprises a coupling protrusion that protrudes from and extends along an outer circumferential surface of the valve body, and
 wherein the coupling support hook is disposed outside the connector main body, and the coupling protrusion is disposed inside the connector main body and in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the connector main body.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the connector backflow-preventing valve further comprises a coupling protrusion that protrudes from and extends along an outer circumferential surface of the valve body, the coupling protrusion being in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the connector main body. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supply assembly further comprises a direct water check valve disposed at the direct water pipe and configured to block the backflow of the water discharged from the direct water pipe. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supply assembly further comprises an internal water supply check valve disposed at the internal water supply pipe configured to block the backflow of the water discharged from the internal water supply pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein an inner diameter of the valve body is equal to an inner diameter of the outlet. 
     
     
         15 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet that defines an external appearance of the laundry treating apparatus;   a drum rotatably disposed inside the cabinet and configured to receive laundry;   a duct assembly configured to supply air to the drum and to guide air discharged from the drum;   a circulating fan configured to cause air to flow in the duct assembly;   a heat exchanger assembly disposed in the duct assembly and configured to exchange heat with the air in the duct assembly;   a steam generating assembly comprising a steam generator configured to generate steam, the steam generating assembly being configured to supply the steam into the drum;   a supply assembly configured to supply water for generating the steam by the steam generator, the supply assembly comprising:
 a first supply assembly comprising a storage tank configured to store water, and an internal water supply pipe configured to supply the water stored in the storage tank to the steam generator, 
 a second supply assembly comprising a direct water pipe configured to receive water from an external water source and to supply the water to the steam generator, 
 a water supply inlet pipe configured to receive the water from the first supply assembly or the water from the second supply assembly and to supply the water to the steam generator, and 
 a water supply connector that connects each of the internal water supply pipe and the direct water pipe to the water supply inlet pipe; and 
   a check valve assembly comprising at least one check valve disposed at the direct water pipe or the internal water supply pipe, the at least one check valve being configured to block backflow of the water supplied to the water supply inlet pipe.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the check valve assembly comprises:
 a connecting holder that connects at least two pipes among the internal water supply pipe, the direct water pipe, and the water supply inlet pipe to each other; and   a backflow-preventing valve inserted into and coupled to the connecting holder.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the connecting holder comprises:
 a holder main body that has a cylindrical shape, the holder main body having an axial end inserted into at least one of the internal water supply pipe, the direct water pipe, or the water supply inlet pipe; and   a guide protrusion that protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the holder main body, the guide protrusion indicating an assembly direction and an assembly position of the connecting holder.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the connecting holder comprises a holder main body that has a cylindrical shape, the holder main body having:
 a first axial end that is inserted into one of the internal water supply pipe, the direct water pipe, or the water supply inlet pipe, and   a second axial end that is inserted into another of the internal water supply pipe, the direct water pipe, or the water supply inlet pipe.   
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the connecting holder further comprises a guide protrusion that protrudes from an outer circumferential surface of the holder main body, the guide protrusion indicating an assembly direction and an assembly position of the connecting holder, and
 wherein the guide protrusion is disposed outside the internal water supply pipe, the direct water pipe, and the water supply inlet pipe.   
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the check valve assembly comprises:
 a first direct water check valve disposed at the direct water pipe and configured to block the backflow of the water discharged from the direct water pipe; and   a second direct water check valve disposed between the first direct water check valve and the water supply connector.