Clothing treatment apparatus

Abstract

A clothing treatment apparatus includes a first cabinet forming the outer appearance, a first drum of a cylindrical shape having open front and rear surfaces, a second cabinet located under the first cabinet, a tub located in the second cabinet; a second drum located in the tub to be rotatable and accommodating clothing, a first air suction duct for sucking the air in the first drum, a second air suction duct for sucking the air in the tub, a connection duct connected to the first air suction duct and the second air suction duct and including a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the sucked air [a first exhaust duct for discharging the air, which has exchanged heat via the heat exchanger, to the first drum, and a second exhaust duct for discharging the air, which has exchanged heat via the heat exchanger, to the tub.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a first cabinet defining an upper outer appearance;   a first drum rotatably provided inside the first cabinet and having a cylindrical shape for accommodating laundry;   a second cabinet disposed below the first cabinet and defining an lower outer appearance;   a tub disposed inside the second cabinet;   a second drum rotatably provided inside the tub to accommodate laundry;   an intake flow path including a first intake duct for sucking air of the first drum and a second intake duct for sucking air of the tub;   an exhaust flow path including a first exhaust duct for discharging air to the first drum and a second exhaust duct for discharging air to the tub;   a connection duct configured to connect the intake flow path and the exhaust flow path;   a heat exchanger provided inside the connection duct and configured to exchange heat with air; and   a first filter part detachably provided inside the connection duct and configured to filter air flowing to the connection duct,   wherein a filter insertion hole is formed in a front of the laundry treating apparatus,   wherein a duct through hole communicating with the filter insertion hole is formed in the connection duct, and   wherein the first filter part is inserted into the connection duct through the filter insertion hole and the duct through hole.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first cabinet further comprises an upper front panel forming an upper front surface of the laundry treating apparatus, and
 wherein the filter insertion hole is formed in the upper front panel.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second cabinet further comprises a lower front panel forming a lower front surface of the laundry treating apparatus, and
 wherein the filter insertion hole is formed in the lower front panel.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first cabinet further comprises:
 a first front panel forming a front surface and a first entrance communicating with the first drum; and   a first door configured to open and close the first entrance, wherein the second cabinet further comprises:   a second front panel forming a front surface and a second entrance communicating with the second drum; and   a second door configured to open and close the second entrance, and wherein the filter insertion hole is located between the first door and the second door.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein further comprises a control panel placed between the first door and the second door,
 wherein the filter insertion hole is formed on one side of the control panel.   
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first filter part filters foreign substances before the air sucked by the first intake duct and the second intake duct passes through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust flow path further comprises an exhaust opening/closing unit configured to close the first exhaust duct and open the second exhaust duct or close the second exhaust duct and open the first exhaust duct. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the exhaust opening/closing unit comprises:
 a blocking part configured to selectively open/close the first exhaust duct or the second exhaust duct, and   an opening/closing driver configured to rotate the blocking part to open/close the first exhaust duct or the second exhaust duct.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the exhaust opening/closing unit is located at a rear of the heat exchanger with respect to a direction of air passing through the connection duct. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a blower fan configured to move the air between the first exhaust duct and the connection duct. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the intake flow path further comprises an intake opening/closing unit configured to close the first intake duct and open the second intake duct or close the second intake duct and open the first intake duct. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the intake opening/closing unit comprises:
 a first opening/closing unit configured to open and close the first intake duct, and   a second opening/closing unit configured to open and close the second intake duct.   
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first opening/closing unit comprises:
 a first blocker configured to open and close the first intake duct; and   a first opening/closing driver connected to the first blocker and configured to rotate the first blocker to open/close the first intake duct, and   wherein the second opening/closing unit comprises:
 a second blocker configured to open and close the second intake duct, and 
 a second opening/closing driver configured to rotate the second blocker to open/close the second intake duct. 
   
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the intake opening/closing unit is located upstream in a direction of air flow passing through the heat exchanger of the connection duct. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first filter part comprises a first filter is located inside the duct through hole and located between the intake opening/closing unit and the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein a front surface of a first frame is further provided with a handle for withdrawing the first filter part. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second cabinet is further provided with a filter door configured to shield the filter insertion hole. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first intake duct is further provided with a second filter part configured to filter air passing through the first intake duct. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the second filter part is located in front of the first filter part with respect to a flow path direction of air passing through the connection duct. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first cabinet is attachable to an upper surface of the second cabinet. 
     
     
         21 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first cabinet and the second cabinet are integrally formed.