Laundry treatment apparatus

Abstract

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a drying chamber configured to receive laundry therein, a hanger support that includes a support body disposed in the drying chamber and configured to hang a hanger thereon, a rotating shaft that extends through the upper surface of the drying chamber toward the support body, a rotating arm coupled to an inner end of the rotating shaft and configured to rotate within the drying chamber, a converter disposed at the support body and configured to convert a rotational movement of the rotating arm into a reciprocating movement of the support body, a disc coupled to an outer end of the rotating shaft, a driver configured to rotate the disc, and a counterweight coupled to the disc and disposed at a position opposite to the rotating arm with respect to the rotating shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:
 a drying chamber configured to receive laundry therein;   a supply unit configured to supply at least one of air or moisture to the drying chamber;   a hanger support comprising:
 a support body disposed in the drying chamber and configured to hang a hanger thereon, 
 a first connecting body that connects a first side of the support body to an upper surface of the drying chamber, and 
 a second connecting body that connects a second side of the support body to the upper surface of the drying chamber; 
   a rotating shaft that extends through the upper surface of the drying chamber toward the support body, the rotating shaft having an inner end disposed inside the drying chamber and an outer end disposed outside the drying chamber;   a rotating arm coupled to the inner end of the rotating shaft and configured to rotate within the drying chamber based on rotation of the rotating shaft;   a converter disposed at the support body and configured to convert a rotational movement of the rotating arm into a reciprocating movement of the support body;   a disc coupled to the outer end of the rotating shaft;   a driver configured to rotate the disc; and   a counterweight coupled to the disc and disposed at a position opposite to the rotating arm with respect to the rotating shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the counterweight is fixed to an area of the disc such that the counterweight remains at the position opposite to the rotating arm with respect to the rotating shaft while the rotating arm and the disc rotate about the rotating shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the counterweight includes a mass body disposed at a first region of the disc opposite to the rotating arm with respect to the rotating shaft such that the first region of the disc is heavier than a second region of the disc corresponding to a position of the rotating arm. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the mass body has a shape corresponding to a sector of a circular shape, the mass body being coupled to one of an upper surface of the disc or a lower surface of the disc. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the mass body has a semicircular shape. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the mass body is coupled to a circumferential surface of the disc. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the converter comprises:
 a slot member coupled to the support body and located below the rotating arm, the slot member defining a slot that extends in a direction orthogonal to an extension direction of the support body; and   an engaging member having a first end coupled to the rotating arm and a second end inserted into the slot.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the slot member includes a circular plate that is coupled to the support body and defines the slot. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the engaging member includes a rod that protrudes from the rotating arm and is inserted into the slot. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a length of the slot is greater than or equal to a diameter of a rotational trajectory of the second end of the engaging member. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the second end of the engaging member is configured to move along the slot and push the slot member based on rotation of the rotating arm. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a motor and a drive gear configured to be rotated by the motor, and
 wherein the disc comprises a driven gear configured to be rotated by the drive gear.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the counterweight is located at an upper surface of the driven gear,
 wherein the upper surface of the driven gear has a first gear region and a second gear region with respect to a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven gear, and   wherein the rotating arm is located at a position corresponding to the first gear region, and the counterweight is located in the second gear region.   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the counterweight is located at a circumferential surface of the driven gear,
 wherein the circumferential surface of the driven gear has a first gear circumferential surface region and a second gear circumferential surface region with respect to a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven gear, and   wherein the rotating arm is located at a position corresponding to the first gear circumferential surface region, and the counterweight is located in the second gear circumferential surface region.   
     
     
         15 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a motor and a drive pulley configured to be rotated by the motor, and
 wherein the disc comprises a driven pulley connected to the drive pulley via a belt.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the counterweight is located at an upper surface of the driven pulley,
 wherein the upper surface of the driven pulley has a first pulley region and a second pulley region with respect to a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven pulley, and   wherein the rotating arm is located at a position corresponding to the first pulley region, and the counterweight is located in the second pulley region.   
     
     
         17 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the counterweight is located at a circumferential surface of the driven pulley,
 wherein the circumferential surface of the driven pulley has a first pulley circumferential surface region and a second pulley circumferential surface region with respect to a linear line that extends through a rotational axis of the driven pulley, and   wherein the rotating arm is located at a position corresponding to the first pulley circumferential surface region, and the counterweight is located in the second pulley circumferential surface region.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the converter is coupled to the support body and configured to move the support body along a horizontal plane based on rotation of the rotating arm. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a motor disposed at the upper surface of the drying chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry treatment apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cabinet that defines:
 the drying chamber;   a first chamber that is located below the drying chamber and accommodates the supply unit; and   a second chamber that is located above the drying chamber and receives the driver, the disc, and the counterweight, the rotating shaft extending from the second chamber to the drying chamber.