Clothes processing apparatus

Abstract

A clothes processing apparatus includes a drum, a circulation flow path for circulating air from a frontal-side opening of the drum to a rear-side opening of the drum, and a base cabinet in a lower portion of the drum to provide a space for components. The base cabinet includes a base flow path part of the circulation flow path in which an evaporator, a condenser, and a circulation fan are disposed sequentially towards a rear of the base flow path part, a drum motor mounting part which is disposed at one side in front of the base flow path part, and in which a drum motor for generating a driving force for rotating the drum is mounted, and a compressor mounting part which is disposed at one side behind the base flow path part, and in which a compressor for generating compressed air for heat exchange is mounted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clothes processing apparatus, comprising:
 a drum having an opening defined at a front thereof;   a drum motor configured to rotate the drum;   a base cabinet disposed below the drum;   a base flow path that is provided at the base cabinet and defines a passage configured to circulate air discharged from the drum to the drum; and   a heat exchanger installed in the base flow path and configured to cool and heat the air,   wherein the base flow path comprises an exhaust port that is defined at an upper portion of the base flow path and configured to discharge the air, and   wherein the exhaust port is disposed further forward relative to a rear surface of the drum.   
     
     
         2 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the base flow path further comprises a duct connector coupled to the exhaust port to guide the air to the rear surface of the drum, and
 wherein at least partially of the duct connector is disposed further forward relative to the rear surface of the drum.   
     
     
         3 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the duct connector comprises an inlet portion connected to the exhaust port and receives the air, and
 wherein the inlet portion is disposed further forward relative to the rear surface of the drum.   
     
     
         4 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a rear cover disposed rearward relative to the rear surface of the drum,   wherein the inlet portion is disposed further forward relative to the rear cover.   
     
     
         5 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the base flow path further comprises an inlet duct configured to guide the air discharged from the exhaust port to the rear surface of the drum, and
 wherein the inlet duct is disposed further forward relative to the rear cover.   
     
     
         6 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rear cover disposed rearward relative to the rear surface of the drum,   wherein the base flow path further comprises a duct connector coupled to the exhaust port and configured to guide the air to the rear surface of the drum, and   wherein the duct connector is disposed further forward relative to the rear cover.   
     
     
         7 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the duct connector comprises an outlet portion configured to discharge the air toward the rear surface of the drum, and
 wherein the outlet portion is disposed further forward relative to rear cover.   
     
     
         8 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the rear cover further includes a recessed portion that is recessed rearwardly and accommodates at least a portion of the duct connector. 
     
     
         9 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the recessed portion accommodates at least a portion of the exhaust port. 
     
     
         10 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a circulation fan disposed below the exhaust port to move the air,   wherein the recessed portion accommodates at least a portion of the circulation fan.   
     
     
         11 . The clothes processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of the drum in the front-back direction is longer than a length of the base flow path in the front-back direction.