Clothes treatment apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a clothes treatment apparatus enabling clothes or bedding accommodated therein to be dried, and having a drying function for an external space. The clothes treatment apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a drum which is provided in a cabinet, and which has a front surface facing an input hole of the cabinet; a suction duct disposed below the front surface of the drum so that air flows therein; a circulation path connected to the suction duct so as to guide air flow; an inflow duct for connecting the circulation path and the drum so as to cause the air to reflow to the drum; a circulation fan for forming air flow between the suction duct and the inflow duct; a heat exchange part provided on the circulation path so as to exchange heat with the air; a door provided at the cabinet so as to open/close the input hole; and a dehumidification kit provided on the input hole while the door is open, so as to separate, from each other, movement paths for the air discharged from the drum through the input hole and the air flowing into the suction duct through the input hole.

1 . A clothes treatment apparatus comprising:
 a drum installed in a cabinet and having a front surface which faces an introduction opening of the cabinet;   a suction duct which is disposed below the front surface of the drum and into which air is introduced;   a circulation channel connected to the suction duct to guide the flow of air;   an inlet duct connecting the circulation channel to the drum to reintroduce air into the drum;   a circulation fan configured to generate the flow of air between the suction duct and the inlet duct;   a heat exchange part installed on the circulation channel to exchange heat with air;   a door installed on the cabinet to open and close the introduction opening; and   a dehumidification kit installed on the introduction opening while the door is open, to separate movement paths for air discharged from the drum through the introduction opening and air introduced into the suction duct through the introduction opening.   
     
     
         2 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a filter part installed between the introduction opening and the suction duct to capture foreign matter in air,
 wherein the dehumidification kit is detachably installed to cover the top surface of the filter part.   
     
     
         3 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the dehumidification kit comprises:
 a first body part protruding toward the front side of the introduction opening; and   a second body part protruding toward the rear side of the introduction opening so as to cover the top surface of the filter part.   
     
     
         4 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first body part is formed with a protrusion length that is relatively longer than that of the second body part. 
     
     
         5 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the dehumidification kit further comprises a holder part disposed on the outer surface of the first body part and capable of holding the door in an open state. 
     
     
         6 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the holder part is configured to be attachable to the door by magnetic force. 
     
     
         7 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the door is configured to maintain an opening angle of 20° when being held by the holder part. 
     
     
         8 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidification kit is shaped to comprise a curved surface such that an installation surface coming into contact with the introduction opening corresponds to the shape of the introduction opening. 
     
     
         9 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the dehumidification kit comprises an inwardly protruding inner rib formed the installation surface coming into contact with the introduction opening. 
     
     
         10 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein a handle is formed on the top surface of the humidification kit. 
     
     
         11 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dehumidification kit has a contact terminal electrically connectable to the cabinet while the dehumidification kit is installed on the introduction opening. 
     
     
         12 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the contact terminal of the dehumidification kit is formed is formed to be electrically connectable to multiple points on the cabinet. 
     
     
         13 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the contact terminal of the dehumidification kit is made of an elastically deformable material. 
     
     
         14 . A clothes treatment apparatus comprising:
 a drum installed in a cabinet and having a front surface which faces an introduction opening of the cabinet;   a suction duct which is disposed below the front surface of the drum and into which air is introduced;   a circulation channel connected to the suction duct to guide the flow of air;   an inlet duct connecting the circulation channel to the drum to reintroduce air into the drum;   a circulation fan configured to generate the flow of air between the suction duct and the inlet duct;   a heat exchange part installed on the circulation channel to exchange heat with air;   a dehumidification kit installed on the introduction opening to separate movement paths for air discharged from the drum through the introduction opening and air introduced into the suction duct through the introduction opening; and   a control part configured to control operation of the drum and the circulation fan, based on whether the dehumidification kit is installed.   
     
     
         15 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the cabinet is equipped with an electrode sensor capable of detecting a value of resistance generated during current flow,
 the dehumidification kit is equipped with a contact terminal capable of contacting the electrode sensor while the dehumidification kit is installed on the introduction opening, and   the control part is configured to determine whether the dehumidification kit is installed, based on a change in the resistance value depending on whether the electrode sensor is in contact with the contact terminal.   
     
     
         16 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the control part is configured to control the operation of the drum to stop when the dehumidification kit is determined to have been installed. 
     
     
         17 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the control part is configured to control a load of the circulation fan to lower when the dehumidification kit is determined to have been installed. 
     
     
         18 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a door installed on the cabinet to open and close the introduction opening,
 wherein the control part is configured to control the door to be unlocked when the dehumidification kit is determined to have been installed.   
     
     
         19 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a filter part installed between the introduction opening and the suction duct to capture foreign matter in air,
 wherein the dehumidification kit is detachably installed to cover the top surface of the filter part.   
     
     
         20 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the dehumidification kit comprises:
 a first body part protruding toward the front side of the introduction opening; and   a second body part protruding toward the rear side of the introduction opening so as to cover the top surface of the filter part.   
     
     
         21 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the dehumidification kit further comprises a holder part disposed on the outer surface of the first body part and capable of holding the door in an open state. 
     
     
         22 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the holder part is configured to be attachable to the door by magnetic force. 
     
     
         23 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cabinet is equipped with multiple electrode sensors spaced apart from each other, and
 the contact terminal of the dehumidification kit is configured to be connectable to the multiple electrode sensors.   
     
     
         24 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the contact terminal of the dehumidification kit is made of an elastically deformable material. 
     
     
         25 . The clothes treatment apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the contact terminal is configured to have both ends fixed on the inner surface of the dehumidification kit, and a central part protruding into the dehumidification kit.