CLEAN A FILTER ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer comprising a filter assembly having a cleaning device and to a method to clean such a filter assembly by means of the cleaning device.

Laundry dryers usually comprise filter systems for collecting fluff or lint which is detached from the laundry to be treated in the drying process. Typically, a prior art tumble dryer provides a filter system which is accessible for control and/or maintenance by opening a door of the tumble dryer. An air flow is provided inside the tumble dryer that enters the filter system. Fluff or lint (in general foreign substances) that is carried by the air flow from the laundry to be dried is filtered out by the filter system, such that air that leaves the filter system is substantially free from lint or fluff. Said air can be heated up again and conveyed to the laundry treatment chamber of the tumble dryer. Alternatively, the air can be vented outside the dryer.

If the accumulation of the foreign substance on the filter system becomes greater than a pre-set level, the foreign substance can interfere with the discharge of the air from the drum by reducing the circulation of air from to the drum; thus, the filter system in the dryer should be cleaned periodically.

The way in which the operation of cleaning of the filter is performed depends on the type of filter system used. For example, some dryer includes below the laundry loading/unloading door a plinth having a plinth door to be opened in order to reach the filter system and clean the same using a suitable tool, leaving the filter system in place. Alternatively, the filter system cleaning is carried out as the user separates the filter system from the dryer after finishing a drying cycle, removes the foreign substance from the filter system, and again mounts the filter system into the dryer. Further cleaning operations of known type provide for removing foreign substances through a fluid sprayed onto the fluffed filter system. The activation of the fluid spraying operation is generally automatic, i.e. activated by the laundry drying control unit algorithm. Such automatic filter cleaning operation requires the provision of complex arrangements in the dryer architecture which, however, always need a user to remove the washed-off fluff from the machine.

Filter cleaning carried out manually with an external tool or by removing completely the filter system is not only cumbersome but also generally not liked by the user, who

l tries to postpone it. Due to this, because the filter cleaning may not be carried out every time the dryer is operated, until the filter is cleaned, a failure to secure adequate air flow rate required for drying due to the foreign substance interfering with the air flow being discharged from the drum can be obtained, thereby reducing the overall efficiency of the drying machine and even causing the laundry not to be as dried as the user desires at the end of a drying cycle.

Further, in case the cleaning of the filter system requires an external tool, such as a brush, the latter can be lost or misplaced. In case the filter system needs to be removed from the laundry dryer in order to be cleaned, this may cause damages to the filter system itself in case of improper handling.

The goal of the present invention is therefore to render available a laundry dryer including a filter assembly and a method to clean a filter assembly in a laundry dryer in which the cleaning operations of the filter assembly are simplified with respect to the prior art of record.

Preferably, the cleaning of the filter assembly does not require additional tool(s) external to the dryer which needs to be stored away and retrieved at the time of cleaning.

Further, the act of cleaning is preferably relatively easy and quick.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method to clean a filter assembly in a laundry dryer, wherein the laundry dryer comprises: o a cabinet;

o a drum rotatably supported in the cabinet;

o a duct defining a flow passage for process air exiting the drum; o a filter assembly positioned at least partially in the duct so as to filter process air flowing therein; said filter assembly including :

^■ a frame;

■ a filter supported by the frame and defining a first filtering surface;

■ a cleaning device for cleaning the first filtering surface including a first and a second portions movable one with respect to the other; characterised by comprising : o moving the first and/or the second portion so that it wipes said first filtering surface in order to remove filtered material;

o bringing said first and said second portion in contact to each other so as to form a closed volume; and

o collecting said filtered material in said closed volume.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a laundry dryer comprising : o a cabinet;

o a drum rotatably supported in the cabinet;

o a duct defining a flow passage for process air exiting the drum;

o a filter assembly positioned at least partially in the duct so as to filter process air flowing therein;

o said filter assembly including:

• a frame;

• a filter supported by the frame and defining a first filtering surface;

• a cleaning device for cleaning the first filtering surface including a first and a second portions, any of them being movable from an open position in which the portions are separated from each other to a closed position in which the portions form a closed volume, wherein in the motion between said open to the closed position said first and/or second portions is apt to wipe said first filtering surface and filtered material is collected in said closed volume.

In the following, when relative terms such as "front", "back", "rear", "lateral", "top", "bottom", etc. are used, they refer to the normal operational position of the laundry dryer when in use, e.g. located on a floor which usually is (substantially) horizontal. Thus, a horizontal plane is a plane parallel to the floor where the dryer is located. The location of a loading/unloading door of the laundry dryer, usually used to load and unload laundry from the dryer and generally coupled to a front wall of the cabinet in order to access the drum, defines the "front" of the dryer itself. Given the horizontal plane on which the laundry is located, "top" and "bottom" - as their normal common meaning - refer to the position of an object along a vertical axis. The vertical axis is defined as an axis perpendicular to the horizontal plane, such as the floor.

With the terms "laundry dryer" or "dryer" both an appliance having drying functions only, or a combined washer-dryer appliance, which is capable of performing both washing and drying cycles, are meant. The dryer includes a cabinet or bearing structure, comprising preferably a basement, a front wall and a rear wall. The front and rear wall are preferably mounted on the basement, which is standing on a surface, such as the floor. The front wall may advantageously be provided with a through opening, at which a door is mounted to access the interior of the cabinet in order to locate or remove the laundry. Lateral walls connect the front and the rear wall to form, together with a top wall, a closed volume.

The basement rests on a floor and its vertical distance from the floor may be advantageously adjusted through regulating feet provided on the lower surface of the basement facing the floor.

The basement defines in turn a plinth region of the dryer. The plinth has a plinth inner volume, that is, the volume inside the cabinet delimited by the cabinet walls and located at the plinth region. The plinth may be perforated, or including a perforated element, so as to enable cooling air to be taken in and expelled, if needed. The plinth can be provided with portions for supporting operational components of the laundry dryer that are needed for carrying on a laundry drying process on laundry, such as air conduits, motors and so on.

The laundry dryer of the invention includes a drum, in which the load, e.g. clothes or other laundry, to be dried is placed. The drum further preferably includes a mantle defining a front end and a rear end, the front end facing the front wall of the cabinet, and preferably the opening therein realized and closed by the door for loading and unloading the laundry, and a rear end facing the rear wall of the cabinet.

The drum of the dryer of the invention may be closed drum, i.e. the rear end is closed by a back wall or a flange, which rotates as a single piece together with the mantle when the drum is driven into rotation. Alternatively, it can be an open drum, where the closure of the rear end of the drum is given by a back wall which is stationary, that is, it does not rotate with the drum and it is preferably integral to the cabinet. Thus, the back wall of the drum can be either attached to the drum and rotate with the same, or attached to the cabinet and be still.

Within the cabinet, the drum is rotatably mounted for rotating, preferably according to a substantially horizontal or tilted rotation axis. For example, at least one drum support assembly for rotatably supporting the drum in its rotation around this given rotation axis is provided for within the cabinet. The drum is fluidly connected to a duct defining a flow passage for process air exiting the drum. Indeed, relatively dry and warm process air flows on the laundry located in the drum so as to dry the same. The then humid cooler process air needs to be removed from the drum so that, for example, additional dry air can flow in.

The drum is part of a process air circuit, in particular a closed-loop circuit in case of a condensed dryer or an open circuit in case of a vented dryer, which in both cases includes a process air duct for channelling a stream of process air to dry the load. The process air duct may be connected with its two opposite ends to the drum. In this embodiment, hot dry air is fed into the drum, flowing over the laundry, and the resulting humid (and to a lower temperature cooled down) air exits the same. In case of a closed-loop drying air circuit, the humid air stream, rich in water vapour, is then fed into a humidity removal element and/or a hot air generator, such as a heat exchanger. The resulting cool dry air is then heated up before re-entering again in the drying chamber by means of a hot drying air generator, which can be for example a condenser of the heat pump system or an air/air exchanger, and the whole loop is repeated till the end of the drying cycle. Furthermore, the hot drying air generator may comprise an electrical or gas powered heating device. In a vented dryer, ambient air is taken into the dryer via an inlet duct, such air is heated up by a hot drying air generator, such as condenser of a heat pump system and/or an electrical or gas powered heating device, before entering the drum. Heated air flowing through and on humid laundry contained in the drum, removes humidity from laundry. Humid air stream exiting the drum may be optionally dehumidified by an evaporator of a heat pump system, or an air-air type heat exchanger as explained above, before being exhausted outside the dryer.

Preferably, the hot or drying air generator is located in a basement of the cabinet.

In an embodiment, the duct is guiding the process air from the drum. A section of the duct, preferably a front duct section, guides the process air coming out of the drum downwards towards the basement of the laundry dryer and deflects the process air flow from the downward direction to a horizontal direction. 'Downward' direction may include flow path sections that are vertical and/or (partially) inclined to the vertical or even partially horizontal - however with the net effect that in the channel section unit the process air is guided downward from a higher to a lower altitude level (in the normal operation orientation of the laundry treatment apparatus). Preferably the process air deflected to the horizontal flow direction is either vented to the outside or enters into the hot or drying air generator. In this latter case, then the process air then re-enters the drum, via for example a rear wall of the same, which can be perforated.

Further, preferably, the process air duct may include a fan to blow the process air flowing into the process air duct.

The process air duct is also provided with a filter assembly, which is arranged along the duct, before the vent in case of a vented dryer, so that fluff is not disposed to the outside, or upstream the hot or drying generator, in case of a condensed dryer, to prevent the fluff and/or lint particles from reaching and clogging up the generator and/or the fan.

Any filter assembly can be used in the present invention, as long as it includes a first filtering surface supported by a frame.

In the same way, the first filtering surface may have any shape, it may for example include a mesh or net having a proper size to block the typical fluff or particles generated by the laundry. As an example, the filter assembly may include a flat first filtering surface having a square shape. The filtering surface may be substantially vertical. Alternatively, the filtering surface may be tilted with respect to a vertical plane, or more than a filtering surface may be present. Further, the frame defines an inner frame volume. For example, the frame may have a box-like shape the walls of which surround an inner volume. The walls may be open or closed.

Alternatively, the filter assembly may include a substantially wedge-shaped filtering cartridge, which can be for example fitted in removable manner into an air-filtering cartridge seat realized on the annular frame that delimits the laundry loading/unloading opening on the front wall of the cabinet so as to cover/close the whole seat. In this case, the filtering surface may be tilted with respect to a vertical plane due to the wedge-shape of the cartridge.

Further, the frame of the filter assembly includes a cleaning device apt to clean the first filtering surface, where, as mentioned, fluff, particles, dust and other material may be present, filtered from the process air leaving the drum and entering the duct. This material is filtered by the first filtering surface of the filter assembly, which is preferably properly dimensioned and positioned into the duct so that substantially the whole dimension in cross section of the duct is covered by the filtering surface. In this way, most of the foreign material present in the process air is removed by the first filtering surface.

Due to the filtering action, the first filtering surface becomes with time covered by the filtered material which has been removed from the process air flowing in the duct. In order to maintain efficiency of the dryer, the collected material on the filtering surface needs to be periodically removed.

The means to remove such material from the first filtering surface include in the present invention the cleaning device, which comprises a first and a second portion, which are used to wipe the first filtering surface.

The movement which creates the wiping action is the movement to bring the first and second portion from an open position to a closed position. For example, the relative movement could be a rotation of the first portion with respect to the second portion, or a rotation of both portions around a common pivot point. The two portions start from a position where they are distant one from the other. The portions, or only one of them, is then moved onto the filtering surface in order to clean the same. The portions are movable from a first position wherein the two portions are far apart, to a second position wherein the two portions are in contact or in proximity to each other and form a closed volume therebetween. For example, the portions can be spun-like, or open-box like. During the movement from the first to the second position, the portions (or only one of them) wipe the first filtering surface and drag in their movement the filtered material present on it. The filtered material therefore reaches the volume which is formed when the two portions come into contact with each other and it is thus stored therein.

Preferably, the frame is box-like. More preferably, one surface of the box is the first filtering surface. Preferably, the portions rotate within the box with a common pivot point.

The first filtering surface is therefore easily cleaned by a simple movement, such as a rotation, of the two portions. This movement can be for example a rotation of both portions around a common pivot point or a rotation of one of the two portions towards the other. When the two portions come in proximity to each other, a volume is defined to collect the filtered material which was present in the first filtering surface.

At the end of each wiping action, the fluff or lint is thus collected between the two portions and can be for example discarded. There is no need of further throughout cleaning of the filter assembly. At each wiping action, the portions collect between them the filtered material from the first filtering surface, which can be immediately removed from the filter assembly.

The user does not need to touch the filtered material collected between the portions because it is gathered and kept within the two portions. A simplified and more pleasant cleaning of the filter assembly is possible.

The invention in the first or second aspect may contain one or more of the following characteristics.

Preferably, the method includes the step of manually moving said first and/or second portion so that it wipes said first filtering surface.

Preferably, the cleaning device is operated manually. Therefore, the movement of the first and/or second portion is induced by hand, for example by operating on a handle.

Preferably, the method comprises: o removing said cleaning device from said filter assembly in order to remove said filtered material from said closed volume.

Due to the fact that at the end of every wiping action the filtered material is gathered and accumulated within the two portions which form a closed volume, there is no possibility of performing a further wiping action without removing the filtered material from the aforementioned volume. Therefore, preferably the filtered material needs to be discarded, for example by removing the two portions from the filter assembly and throwing the filtered material away.

Preferably, the method comprises: o keeping said filter assembly at least partially in said duct while removing said cleaning device.

Only the cleaning device, that is, only the first and second portions, need to be removed from the filter assembly in order to remove the filtered material. Indeed, the closed volume where the filtered material is collected is formed by the combination of the first and second portion, preferably without any other element.

Preferably, said step of removing said cleaning device includes: o removing said cleaning device by pulling it along a substantially vertical direction.

Preferably, the removal of the filtered material from the cleaning device takes place at the end of every wiping action, that is, at the end of every movement or combination of movements during which the filtering surface is wiped and the filtered material is collected between the first and second portion. Due to the frequent cleaning of the first and second portions, preferably the removal of the first and second portion is simple and immediate. They can be removed for example simply pulling the two out of the remaining of the filter assembly, for example by an upwards movement.

Preferably, said step of removing said cleaning device includes:

o removing said cleaning device by pulling it along a direction forming an angle equal or lower than 45° with a horizontal direction.

Depending on the position of the filter assembly and the position of the first and second portions, the extraction of the first and second portions can take place in different manners. An angled extraction is feasible as well.

Preferably, the step of moving the first and/or the second portion so that it wipes said first filtering surface in order to remove filtered material includes: o moving the first and/or the second portion from a substantially horizontal position.

The initial position of the first and second portion, before the start of the wiping action, when the first and second portion are separated one from the other, is a position in which preferably the first and second portion are substantially horizontal. Even more preferably, in this position the portions are located at an upper portion of the filtering surface. In this way, they do not block the flow of process air through the filtering surface.

Preferably, said step of moving the first and/or the second portion so that it wipes said first filtering surface in order to remove filtered material includes: o keeping said first and/or second portion substantially completely housed within said filter assembly.

In order to avoid that the cleaning device may hinder the standard functioning of the dryer when operated, it is preferred that, outside the wiping action, the portions are completely housed within the filter assembly and thus they do not protrude from the same.

Preferably, the method includes:

o rotating said first portion with respect to said second portion.

More preferably, it includes the step of: o pivoting said first and second portions around the same pivoting axis so that both first and second portions wipes said first filtering surface.

In order to bring the first and the second portion close together, preferably they are rotated. Only a single portion can be rotated with respect to the other, or both portions may be rotated. In this latter case, they preferably share a pivot point. Even more preferably, the rotation is substantially symmetrical, that is, the movement of the first portion is symmetrical with respect to the movement of the second portion.

Preferably, said filter assembly includes a second filtering surface facing the first filtering surface, wherein said first and second portions are positioned between said first and second filtering surfaces and wherein the method includes wiping said first and said second filtering surfaces by means of said first and second portion during moving.

The first and second portion may wipe more than one surface during their movement. For example, they can wipe simultaneously two facing filtering surfaces.

Preferably, the method comprises the steps of: o providing said first and second portion of said cleaning device spaced apart of a given angle;

o moving said first and second portion one with respect to the other so that said angle is reduced to zero.

The formation of the closed volume to gather the filtered material is preferably obtained by opening and closing in a scissor-like manner the two portions.

Preferably, the method includes:

o spacing said first and second portion again by said given angle, after reducing said angle to zero.

More preferably, it includes: o keeping said first and second portion spaced of said given angle by means of an elastic force.

At the end of the wiping action, preferably the first and second portions are brought back to the original spaced-apart configuration. This return to the original configuration can be done manually, for example by the user's hand, or automatically, that is, by the elastic force of a spring which may be interposed between the two portions and which keeps the two apart unless a stronger force is applied, for example by the user, in order to push the two portions together.

Preferably, said cabinet includes a loading/unloading aperture to allow access to the drum and a loading/unloading door to close said loading/unloading aperture and wherein the method includes: o opening said loading/unloading door in order to access said filter assembly before wiping said first filtering surface.

Preferably, said cabinet includes a rotatable door and said filter assembly is attached to said rotatable door and wherein said method includes: o opening said rotatable door in order to access said filter assembly before wiping said first filtering surface.

There is the need to access the filter assembly and therefore, if located within the cabinet, means to access the filter assembly are preferably provided for. Two suitable preferred positions for the location of the filter assembly within the dryer are generally either at the loading/unloading aperture, where a seat can be formed, nd accessible by opening the loading/unloading door, or at the plinth, normally accessible by a rotatable door. The positions are chosen so that they are easily accessible by the user and there is enough room to house the filter assembly.

Preferably, said cabinet includes a rotatable door and said filter assembly is attached to said rotatable door and wherein said method includes: o opening said rotatable door in order to access said filter assembly before removing said cleaning device.

Aperture of the rotatable door therefore implies at least a partial removal of the filter assembly from the cabinet, because it follows the door to which it is attached in its opening movement. The filter assembly is thus moved in a better position for viewing and handling by the user. Reaching the filter assembly in order for example to clean the same is thus simplified.

Preferably, said filter assembly includes a second filtering surface facing the first filtering surface, wherein said first and/or second portion is positioned between said first and second filtering surfaces so as to move filtered material attached to said first and second filtering surfaces in the closed volume.

More preferably, said first and/or second portion includes a first wiping element in contact with said first filtering surface apt to wipe said first filtering surface a second wiping element in contact with said second filtering surface apt to wipe said second filtering surface.

The portions can be each a single solid element, or a plurality of elements. In this second case, a different element may wipe a different filtering surface. The movement of the elements belonging to the same portion may be the same or different.

Preferably, said cleaning device includes a manually operable handle connected to the first and/or second portion.

Preferably, the cleaning device is operated by hand, such as the hand of the user.

Preferably, said first and/or second portion are configured to rotate one relatively to the other to wipe said first filtering surface. More preferably, said first and second portion are joined by a pivot point.

Even more preferably, the pivot point is located in an upper portion of the frame, and/or a portion which is accessible by the hand of a user. In this way, the portions may be manually operated by the user.

Preferably, said first and second portions are arranged in said filter assembly axially symmetrical one with respect to the other.

For example, they can rotate around a pivot point formed in the middle of an upper portion of the frame.

Preferably, said cabinet includes a seat to house said filter assembly, said seat being positioned downstream said drum in the flowing direction of the process air and wherein said filter assembly is housed in said seat.

Preferably, said cleaning device is removable from said filter assembly to dispose said filtered material. Preferably, said first and/or second portion is air-permeable in a given direction.

Due to the fact that the filter assembly is housed at least partially in the duct where the process air flow is present, in order to have an efficient drying, the flow should not be "disturbed" too much by the filter assembly presence. In order to do so, avoidable blocks of the process air flow are minimized.

More preferably, said first and/or second portions includes an air permeable surface, said surface including any of: o a wall with perforations connecting the first and second wiping elements; o a plurality of ribs connecting said first and said second elements;

o a first and a second crosspiece connecting said first and second wiping elements at their respective first and second ends.

In order to realize a portion which is air permeable, several possibilities arise. For example, the portion may include perforations, or it may include ribs or crosspieces connecting the two wiping elements.

Preferably, the portion is air permeable in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the main flow of the process air. For example, the portion may be air permeable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane including the first filtering surface. The portion may be air permeable in a direction perpendicular to a plane defining the inlet of the wiper seat.

Preferably, said first and/or second portion in said open position extends along a substantially horizontal plane.

Preferably, said air permeable surface in said open position includes a surface which is substantially perpendicular to the process air flow.

Preferably, said filter assembly is removably housed in said seat.

A need to remove the filter assembly completely from the dryer, and not only the cleaning device, may arise in case of repair or throughout cleaning of the same.

Preferably, said cabinet includes a loading/unloading aperture to allow access to the drum and a loading/unloading door to close said aperture, an inlet of said seat being formed on a surface area delimiting said aperture. The filter assembly location may be a standard location of the filter according to the prior art, so that it can be reached opening the loading/unloading door of the dryer used to load or unload the laundry itself.

Preferably, said filter assembly has a shell-like structure and said first and second filtering surfaces are one facing the other.

The filter assembly can therefore be shaped in some parts as a "standard" filter to which the cleaning device is added. In this way, not all components of the filter assembly have to be customized for the laundry dryer of the invention, but some can be used also in other dryers.

Preferably, said shell-like structure is openable.

The repair and cleaning of the shell like structure is simplified.

Preferably, said filter assembly comprises the first filtering surface and a non-filtering surface facing the first filtering surface.

In this configuration, the filter assembly is defining a seat for the wiper between the first filtering surface and the non filtering surface, but one surface only, the filtering one, is subjected to the flow of process air in order to filter it.

Preferably, said cabinet includes a rotatable door and said filter assembly is attached to said rotatable door.

The filter assembly can be attached to a door, used for example to access a portion of the dryer different from the drum (which is accessible opening the loading/unloading door). By opening this further door, the filter assembly can be for example removed, or the cleaning device actuated in order to wipe the filtering surface, by means of the manually operable handle portion.

More preferably, said cabinet includes a loading/unloading aperture to allow access to the drum and a door to close said aperture, said rotatable door being located below said loading/unloading aperture.

More preferably, said rotatable door is a plinth door giving access to a plinth portion of the cabinet or a door accessible by opening said plinth door.

The plinth of the dryer advantageously comprises an openable plinth door, typically hinged at one side to the remaining of the cabinet, for enabling the access to the inner region of the cabinet and, in particular, to the heat exchanger, if present, or in order to empty the condense water collection tank, for cleaning the condensing system or generally for maintenance purposes.

Preferably, said rotatable door is hinged to a front wall of said cabinet defining a rotatable axis, said rotatable axis being substantially horizontal.

Preferably, said non-filtering surface is attached to said rotatable door.

Aperture of the door therefore implies at least a partial removal of the filter assembly from the cabinet, because it follows the door to which it is attached in its opening movement. The filter assembly is thus positioned in a better position for viewing and handling for the user. Reaching the filter assembly in order for example to clean the same is thus simplified.

Preferably, said filter assembly defines a portion of said duct for said process air.

When the filter assembly is located in the plinth region, it can be part of the duct itself. For example, the non-filtering surface may be a wall, or part of a wall, of the duct. The filter assembly is then used to guide and eventually bend the flow of process air.

More preferably, said non - filtering surface is a portion of a delimiting wall of said duct.

Preferably, said filter assembly includes a first and a second shell-like structure both having filtering surfaces, said second shell-like structure being inserted within the first shell-like structure. More preferably, said cleaning device is apt to wipe a filtering surface located in said first and/or second shell-like structure.

The cleaning device can be used to wipe any surface in a filter assembly.

Preferably, an elastic member is interposed between said first and second portion, so as to keep said first and second portion in said open position.

Further advantages of the present invention will be better understood with non- limiting reference to the appended drawings, where:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a laundry dryer realized according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of an air process duct in the dryer of the invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a laundry dryer of Fig. 1 in a partially disassembled configuration;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dryer of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 where the a wall of the cabinet has been removed;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the dryer of figure 1, 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the dryer of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the dryer of figure 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the dryer of figure 6 or 7 including the first embodiment of the filter assembly in a first configuration;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the dryer of figures 6 - 8 including the first embodiment of the filter assembly in a second configuration;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the dryer of figures 6 - 9 including the first embodiment of the filter assembly in a third configuration;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the filter assembly included in the dryer of figures 6 - 10 in the configuration of figure 8;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the filter assembly of figure 11 included in the dryer of figures 6 - 10 in the configuration of figure 9;

Fig. 13 a perspective view of the first embodiment of the filter assembly of figure 11 and 12 included in the dryer of figures 6 - 10 in the configuration of figure 10;

Figs. 14 - 17 are perspective views of a second embodiment of the filter assembly in different configurations;

Figs. 18 - 22 are perspective views of a third embodiment of the filter assembly in different configurations; and

Figs. 23 - 26 are perspective views of a third embodiment of the filter assembly in different configurations.

With initial reference to Fig. 1, a laundry dryer realized according to the present invention is globally indicated with 1. Laundry dryer 1 comprises an outer box cabinet 2, preferably but not necessarily parallelepiped- shaped, and a drying chamber, such as a drum 3 (visible only in figs. 3 - 4), for example having the shape of a hollow cylinder, for housing the laundry and in general the clothes and garments to be dried. The drum 3 is preferably rotatably fixed to the cabinet 2. Access to the drum 3 is achieved for example via a door 4, further referred also as the loading/unloading door, preferably hinged to cabinet 2, which can open and close a loading/unloading aperture 5 realized on the cabinet itself.

More in detail, cabinet 2 generally includes a front wall 20, a rear wall 21 and two sidewalls 25, all mounted on a basement 24. Preferably, the basement 24 is realized in plastic material. Preferably, basement 24 is molded via an injection molding process. Preferably, on the front wall 20, the door 4 is hinged so as to access the drum. The cabinet, with its walls, defines the volume of the laundry dryer 1. The basement 24 rests on a floor and its vertical distance from the floor may be advantageously adjusted through regulating feet (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the basement facing the floor. The dryer 1, and in particular basement 24, defines an horizontal plane (X,Y) which is substantially the plane of the ground on which the dryer 1 is situated, thus it is considered to be substantially horizontal, and a vertical direction Z perpendicular to the plane (X,Y).

Laundry dryer 1 also preferably comprises an electrical motor assembly (not shown) for rotating, on command, revolving drum 3 along its axis inside cabinet 2.

In the drum 3 of the laundry dryer 1, the load, e.g. clothes or other laundry, to be dried is placed via the door 4 provided on the front wall 20 of the cabinet. The drum preferably includes a mantle defining a front end 3a which is facing the front wall 20 of the casing and a rear end 3b facing the rear wall 21 of the casing (visible only in figure 15).

With now reference to the schematic view of figure 2, the drum 3 is fluidly connected to a duct defining a process air circuit 18 (depicted with a series of arrows in figure 2). The process air circuit 18 involves the circulation - first - of relatively dry and warm process air, inside the drum 3, on the laundry located therein so as do dry it and - second - of humid cooler process air, outside the drum 3. New dry and warm process air enters the drum 3 and the circuit is repeated until desired, preferably until the laundry is dried. When the humid process air exits the drum 3, it may be channeled in different ways, depending on the dryer type. If the dryer 1 is a condensed dryer, the circuit 18 of the process air is a closed-loop circuit and the humid process air leaving the drum 3 is first dried by passing through a humidity removal element and/or a hot air generator, such as a heat exchanger 19. The resulting cool dry air is then heated up by means of the hot air generator 19 before re-entering again the drum 3. Preferably, the hot air generator is a heat pump and the humid air is first passing through an evaporator where the water contained in it is removed and then it is heated in a condenser before returning into the drum 3.

If the dryer 1 is a vented dryer, the circuit of the process air is open, i.e. ambient air is taken into the drier, heated up and entered into the drum 3 while the humid process air leaving the drum 3 is exhausted outside the dryer 1. This open circuit is not depicted in the drawings.

Preferably, the hot or drying air generator (e.g. heat pump 19) is located in a basement 24 of the cabinet.

The duct forming the process air circuit 18 includes a first portion 18a having an inlet 16 connected with the front end 3a of the drum. This first portion 18a receives the air coming from the drum 3. The inlet 16 of the first portion 18a of the duct is located preferably at a surface 17 contouring a rim of loading/unloading aperture 5, as visible in fig. 3. Further, preferably, this first portion 18a of the duct is substantially vertical, that is, the process air flowing within the first portion 18a has the longest component of motion along a vertical axis. The process air coming from the drum 3 thus, flowing substantially horizontally, or having a motion with a longest horizontal component, needs to turn by substantially 90° at the loading/unloading aperture 5 so that it can flow within the first portion 18a of the duct via inlet 16. This situation is schematically depicted in fig. 2.

Further, the first portion 18a of the duct extends from the inlet 16 into the basement 24. The duct then preferably continues with a second portion 18b which extends in the basement 24 and runs substantially horizontally, or with a longer horizontal component, so that the process air, at the end of the first portion 18a, performs a further 90° bend to continue its flow.

The process air then either preferably passes through the rear end 3b into the interior side of the drum 3, so the circuit 18 is a closed loop circuit as depicted. There, the air absorbs moisture or humidity from the laundry and, thus, dries the laundry. Alternatively, the process air is directed outside the dryer 1 via a vent (not visible in the attached drawings).

The dryer 1 is adapted to provide circulation of air, preferably with variable temperature. The process air flow is preferably generated in a region below the basement, e.g. in the duct of the process air circuit 18, for example by means of a fan (not depicted in the drawings).

The duct defining the process air circuit 18 is also provided with a filter assembly, preferably situated in proximity of or at the front wall 20 of the cabinet 2, with the purpose of stopping the fluff and/or lint particles detached from the laundry during the drying process to reach undesired locations and flowing with the process air. For example, in a vented dryer, the filter assembly is situated upstream the vent such that the fluff and/or lint is stopped from reaching outside the dryer together with the humid process air leaving the drum 3 and being exhausted outside. In a condensed dryer, the filter assembly is situated upstream the hot or drying generator 19 for stopping the fluff and/or lint from reaching and clogging up said generator.

The duct 18 thus guides the process air leaving the drum 3 towards the filter assembly. The filter assembly is preferably arranged in such a way that the process air passes there through, reaches the end of the first portion 18a of the duct and flows within the second portion 18b, and advantageously reaches the region below the basement, where it is again sucked in by the fan.

Preferably, the filter assembly is arranged below the drum 3.

In the dryer of figure 3 - 5, at the rim surface 17 of loading/unloading aperture 5, and more preferably at the inlet 16 of the conduit 18, a seat 8 is formed. The seat extends from the surface 17 into the conduit 18 and it preferably extends downwards into the basement 24.

In the seat, a first embodiment of the filter assembly 80 is positioned. The filter assembly 80 can be inserted in a removable manner inside the seat 8. The filter assembly 80 includes an inlet 41 which is positioned substantially at the inlet 16 of the conduit 18, e.g. flush or in very close proximity to the rim surface 17.

The filter assembly 80 is shown in enlarged view and detached from the dryer 1 in figures 14 - 17. The filter assembly 80 includes includes a substantially wedge-shaped filtering cartridge. In detail, the filter assembly 80 includes a frame 31 which comprises a shell or cartridge 112. The shell 112 includes a first part 116 and a second part 118. The first part 116 and the second part 118 of the shell 112 are hinged to each other. For example, the two parts are connected via hinge 124.

The first part 116 and the second part 118 are both defining filtering surfaces. Preferably, the first and second parts are covered or coverable by a filtering net so as to form filtering surfaces. The filtering nets are not explicitly shown in Figs. 14 - 17. Each of the filtering nets extends within one plane.

For example, shell 112 includes two filtering surfaces, one per part. For example, the filtering surfaces may be formed by a perforated grid. One portion of the perforated grid may be an integrated part of the first part 116, forming a first filtering surface 32, while the other portion of the perforated grid may be an integrated part of the second part 118 forming a second filtering surface 32'. The portions of the perforated grid are arranged at the first and second outer parts 116 and 118, respectively, opposite to the outer hinge 124. In a closed state of the filter assembly 30', the two filtering surfaces 32, 32' are substantially parallel one to the other and facing each other. An inner volume 40 of the frame 31 is thus defined between the first ans second part 116, 118.

Preferably, the shell 112 is positioned inside the seat 8 so that the first and second filtering surface 32, 32' are substantially vertical.

The frame 31 defines an upper part, including inlet 41, and a lower part 42, being substantially vertically oriented.

In total, the filter assembly 80 includes two filtering surfaces 32, 32'.

Further, the filter assembly 80 includes a cleaning device 33 apt to clean the first and the second filtering surface 32, 32' of fluff or other materials deposited on it. The cleaning device 33 comprises a first and a second wiping portions 330, 331 to wipe the first and second filtering surface 32, 32'.

Preferably, the wiping portions are made of plastic material.

Each wiping portion 330, 331 defines a concave part 81, 82. The first and second concave part 81, 82 have preferably similar shape and they are so formed that, when first concave part 81 is in contact to second concave part 82, with their concavity facing each other, they form a closed volume 50.

Each concave part may be formed in any manner, for example, can include a portion of the surface of a sphere, and two concave parts form a complete hollow sphere, or a portion of a surface of a cylinder, so that the two concave parts joined together form a complete hollow cylinder, etc. In the depicted embodiment, each concave part includes a back surface 83, from which two side surfaces 84 and a bottom surface 85 depart, in order to form half of a hollow solid.

The wiping portions are preferably hinged together so as to define a common pivot point 332. The frame 31 is apt to house the first and the second wiping portions 330, 331 which are thus dimensioned so as to enter in the inner volume 40 of frame 31. The frame 31 further includes means to rotatably connect to the first and second wiping portions, so that the first and second wiping portions are free to rotate around the pivot point 332. For example, the first and second wiping portions may include protrusions, such as cylindrical protrusions 333, which can be inserted in respective indents 334 formed in the frame 31, so that the protrusions, due to their cylindrical shape, function as shafts and rotate within indents. The protrusions 333 are not fixed into the indents 334, but simply supported by them, so that the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can be removed from the frame 31 without difficulties. Preferably, indents 334 are formed in an upper portion of the frame 31, close to inlet 41. Preferably, the indents are formed symmetrically, e.g. on a symmetry axis of the frame 31, for example at the center of the upper part of the frame 31.

The two wiping portions 330 and 331 are movable from an open position, in which they are separated from each other, to a closed position, where the concave parts 81, 82 are in contact and form the closed volume 50.

The open position is represented in figure 14. This position is the position in which the wiping portions 330, 331 are positioned during normal functioning of the dryer 1. The two wiping portions 330, 331 are at the inlet 41 of the frame 31 and preferably, defined an extension axis along which they mainly extend, their extension axis is substantially following the upper portion of the frame 31. In figure 14, it can be seen that the first and second wiping portions in the open position substantially close the inlet 41. In order to allow the process air to enter into the filter assembly 80, preferably the wiping portions 330, 331 are air permeable. In order to obtain an air permeable wiping portion, the surface of the wiping portion 330, 331 which faces the inlet 41, in the depicted embodiment the back surface 83, is perforated, so that process air entering the inlet 16 of the conduit 18 can flow through the filter assembly 80.

The first and second wiping portions can then be moved in a second position, a closed position, depicted in figure 16. The intermediate position, where the two portions 330, 331 are getting closer but not yet touching is depicted in figure 15. In the closed position, the two portions 330, 331 are in contact with each other and the concave parts 81, 82 are forming the closed volume 50.

The movement between the open to the closed position defines the wiping action. In the movement, the side surfaces 84 of the two concave parts 81, 82 scratch against the first and second filtering surfaces 32, 32' defined in the shell 112 and thus remove the filtered material from the two filtering surfaces.

The filtered material is gathered and collected in the closed volume 50 defined between the concave parts 81, 82 and trapped therein.

The first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can be brought in a further additional operative position, the extracted position. This position is depicted in figure 17. This position is taken when the filtered material in the closed volume 50 is to be discarded. The first and second wiping portions, still in the closed position, can be removed from the frame 31, while the frame remains in the seat 8. The filtered material can be therefore thrown away.

The extraction takes place lifting the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 substantially vertically from the frame 31.

In figures 18 - 22 a second embodiment of the filter assembly 80' is shown, in the open position (figs. 18 and 19), intermediate position (figure 20), closed position (figure 21) and extracted position (figure 22). The difference between the first embodiment of the filter assembly 80 and the second embodiment 80' is the presence of handle 85. Each wiping portion 330, 331 preferably includes a handle, so that the two portions 330, 331 can be easily opened or closed. Figures 19 - 21 show only part 118 of shell 112, part 116 being removed in order to better show the positions of the wiping portions 330, 331. In figures 23 - 26, a third embodiment of the filter assembly 80" is shown, in the open position (fig. 23), intermediate position (figure 24), closed position (figure 25) and extracted position (figure 26). The difference between the second embodiment of the filter assembly 80' and the third embodiment 80" is in the way in which the two wiping portions 330, 331 move from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the extracted position. As visible in figures 24 and 25, one of the portions, portion 330, remains fixed, while only the other (331) of the two portions performs a rotation around the pivot point 332. The closed position is therefore not symmetrical with respect to the frame (e.g. the two portions 330, 331 in the closed position are not positioned in a central position of the first and second filtering surfaces 32, 32' as in the first and second embodiment of the filter assembly 80, 80'). Further, the extraction of the first and second wiping portions from the frame 31 is not along a vertical direction as in the previous embodiment, but along an angled direction, as depicted in figure 26. The extraction takes place along a direction closer to a horizontal direction than to a vertical one. Figures 19 - 21 show only part 118 of shell 112, part 116 being removed in order to better show the positions of the wiping portions 330, 331.

In all embodiments of the filter assembly 80, 80', 80", the portions 330, 331 may be forced to stay in the open position by a spring (not depicted in the drawings). A pressure needs to be applied in order to move the portions 330, 331 in the closed position.

The functioning of the dryer 1 is as follows.

During the drying cycles, the filter assembly 80, 80', 80" is positioned in the seat 8 and the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 are in the open position, extending substantially at the inlet 41 of frame 31.

Air in the process circuit can flow in duct 18 due to the air permeable surface 83 of the first and second wiping portions (back surface).

At the end of the drying cycle, the loading/unloading door 4 is opened and the seat 8 at the rim surface 17 is visible. The filter assembly 80, 80', 80" is reachable from the loading/unloading aperture 5. The first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can be manually moved from the open to the closed position, rotating the first and second portions scratching against the first and second filtering surfaces 32, 32' of frame 31. One portion or both portions may rotate around the common pivot point 332. In this way, the first and second filtering surfaces 32, 32' are cleaned and filtered material deposited in them ends up in the closed volume 50 formed by the two portions 330, 331 when in contact with each other.

Further, the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 are removed from the frame 31, extracting the portions 330, 331 from frame 31 with a movement, which may be vertical or inclined. In the removal, projections 332 leave indents 334. The fluff in the closed volume 50 can therefore be discarded.

Before another drying cycle can start, the wiping portions 330, 331 are re-inserted in frame 31 and the protrusions 333 positioned again in indents 334.

A different embodiment of the dryer, dryer 1', is now described with reference to figure 6 - 10. Characteristics identical to those of dryer 1 are indicated with the same reference number.

The basement 24 defines a plinth region 7 of the dryer 1'. The plinth region 7 defines a plinth inner volume, that is, the volume inside the cabinet 2 delimited by the cabinet walls and located at the plinth region 7. Preferably the plinth region 7 includes a perforated portion, for example it may include a perforated element 71 on the front wall 20, so as to enable cooling air to be taken in and/or expelled from/to the plinth inner volume, if needed. The plinth region 7 can be provided with portions and/or elements and/or components for supporting operational components of the laundry dryer 1' that are needed for carrying on a laundry drying process on laundry, such as air conduits, motors and so on.

Preferably, the cabinet 2 includes a plinth door 60, such as a rotatable door, to access the plinth inner volume. Preferably, the plinth door 60 is hinged to the cabinet 2 and its rotation axis is substantially horizontal. The plinth door 60 is preferably hinged at the front door 20 of the cabinet 2.

Upon opening the plinth door 60, a further door 61 - called first door 61 - is present. This first door 61 is accessible only opening the plinth door 60. Preferably this further door 61 is also rotatable along an axis which is substantially horizontal. The first door 61 is situated behind the plinth door 60, such that the plinth 7 is accessible by opening both doors. Further, plinth door 60 and first door 61 are located substantially below the loading/unloading aperture 5 and door 4. In the first portion 18a of duct 18, a filter assembly 90 is positioned. Filter assembly 90 is placed inside the plinth region 7.

In the example illustrated in the enclosed drawings of figs. 6 - 13, the filter assembly 90 is advantageously arranged below the drum 3. Preferably, the filter assembly 90 is contained for its majority within the plinth region 7. Further, the filter assembly 90 is arranged within the first portion 18a of the duct of the process air circuit 18, for example below the inlet 16 of the duct itself. The filter assembly 90 according to one embodiment of the invention is depicted in enlarged view in figs. 11 - 13 and includes a first filtering surface 32, in the present embodiment substantially flat, supported by a frame 31. Preferably, the filtering surface 32 is substantially vertical. The frame 31 is in this embodiment a box-like container which forms a part of the first portion 18a of the duct and the first filtering surface 32 is a side or wall of the box-like container. The box-like container 31 includes an inlet 41 for the process air, positioned on top of the frame, and surrounding walls which prevent the process air to leave the container with the exception of the wall having the first filtering surface 32. The filtering surface 32 is preferably substantially perpendicular to the inlet 41 of the box-like container. The process air therefore, entering the inlet 41 from above, is forced to perform a 90° turn to change direction from a downwards direction to a substantially horizontal direction and is apt to leave the box-like container via the filtering surface 32. The first filtering surface 32 separates the first portion 18a of the duct 18 and the second portion 18b of the duct, that is, the first filtering surface 32 puts in fluid communication the first portion 18a and second portion 18b of the duct 18.

Preferably, the inlet 41 is located at the top of the frame 31. A bottom part 42 is also defined, opposite to inlet 41. The bottom part 42 is not used as an outlet, on the contrary, the outlet from the filter assembly 30 is via the first filtering surface 32, as better detailed below.

The first filtering surface 32 may be in the form of a mesh or net having a proper size to block the typical fluff or particles generated by the laundry. The mesh or filter is not depicted in the drawing otherwise it would cover all other elements. Therefore, in the drawings, first filtering surface 32 appears "open", but it should be interpreted as covered by a net or a mesh, or any other structure apt to filter material flowing in the process air flowing in duct 18.

Preferably, the filtering surface 32 is positioned substantially vertically, or with a small tilt with respect to the vertical direction. The frame 31 thus defines an upper portion, which is the portion of the frame having the top most vertical position (i.e. the portion including the inlet 41).

In the filter assembly 80 of figs. 11 - 13 a single filtering surface 32 is present.

The frame 31 may also comprise a non-filtering surface 37 facing the first filtering surface 32. In this configuration, the frame 31 is defining an inner volume 40 between the first filtering surface 32 and the non-filtering surface 37, but one surface only, the filtering one, is subjected to the flow of process air in order to filter it. The non- filtering surface 37, in other words, in this embodiment, is a wall of the box-like container or frame 31 which is opposite and facing the first filtering surface 32 (which forms another wall of the box like container 31) and directs the flow of process air.

In this embodiment, the non-filtering surface 37 is attached to the first door 61. By opening this further first door 61, the filter assembly 30 can be, for example, rotated from a position where the first filtering surface is substantially vertical to a position where the first filtering surface is tilted with respect to a vertical plane. Further, rotation of the first door 61 causes rotation of the whole filtering assembly 30 which is attached to the door 61.

In this embodiment, therefore, the filtering surface 32 is substantially facing and even more preferably parallel to the first door 61 to which the non-filtering surface 37 is attached. Both first door 61 and filtering surface 32 are preferably vertical ,that is, they define substantially vertical planes or planes only slightly tilted with respect to a vertical plane. Between the two surfaces, i.e. non filtering surface 37 and filtering surface 32, the inner volume 40 is defined.

In a non-depicted embodiment, the first door 61 is not attached to the non-filtering surface 37. The filter assembly 90 may still be rotatable, for example with a rotation axis also parallel to the horizontal axis around which the plinth door 60 and the first door 61 rotates, however the rotations of the doors 60, 61 and of the filter assembly 30 are independent. Therefore, in order to move into a position in which the first filtering surface is tilted with respect to a vertical plane, in this non depicted embodiment the first door 61 is first rotated and then the filter assembly is rotated as well.

In all embodiments, rotation of the filter assembly, attached or not to the first door 61, implies that the filter assembly 90 reaches a tilted position where the inlet 41 of the frame is directed outwards, that is, the inlet 41 is facing the exterior of the cabinet 2.

Further, the filter assembly 90 includes a cleaning device 33 apt to clean the first filtering surface 32 of fluff or other materials deposited on it. The cleaning device 33 comprises a first and a second wiping portions 330, 331 to wipe the first filtering surface 32.

The wiping portions of this embodiment are realized as the wiping portions of the filter assembly 80, 80', 80" and thus not further detailed.

The wiping portions are preferably hinged together so as to define a common pivot point 332. The frame 31 is apt to house the first and the second wiping portions 330, 331 which are thus dimensioned so as to enter in the inner volume 40 of frame 41. The frame 31 further includes means to rotatably connect to the first and second wiping portions, so that the first and second wiping portions are free to rotate around the pivot point 332. For example, the first and second wiping portions may include recesses 334, such as cylindrical recesses, in which respective protrusions 333 formed in the frame can be inserted, such as cylindrical protrusions, so that the protrusions, due to their cylindrical shape, function as shafts and rotate within recesses. The protrusions 333 are not fixed into the recesses 334, but simply supported by them, so that the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can be removed from the frame 31 without difficulties. Preferably, protrusions 333 are formed in an upper portion of the frame 31, close to inlet 41. Preferably, the protrusions are formed symmetrically, e.g. on a symmetry axis of the frame 31, for example at the center of the upper part of the frame 31.

The two wiping portions 330 and 331 are movable from an open position, in which they are separated from each other (see figures 8 and 11), to a closed position (see figures 9 and 12), where the concave parts 81, 82 are in contact and form the closed volume 50.

The open position is represented in figure 11. This position is the position in which the wiping portions 330, 331 are positioned during normal functioning of the dryer 1'. The two wiping portions 330, 331 are at the inlet 41 of the frame 31 and preferably, defined an extension axis along which they mainly extend, their extension axis is substantially following the upper portion of the frame 31. In figure 11, it can be seen that they substantially close the inlet 41. In order to allow the process air to enter into the filter assembly 90, preferably the wiping portions 330, 331 are air permeable. In order to obtain an air permeable wiping portion, the surface of the wiping portion 330, 331 which faces the inlet 41, in the depicted embodiment the back surface 83, is perforated, so that process air entering the inlet 16 of the conduit 18 can flow through the filter assembly 80.

The first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can then be moved in a second position, a closed position, depicted in figure 12. In the closed position, the two portions 330, 331 are in contact with each other and the concave parts are forming the closed volume 50.

The movement between the open to the closed position defines the wiping action. In the movement, the side surfaces 84 of the first and second portions 330 and 331 scratch the first filtering surface and thus remove the filtered material from the surface 32.

The filtered material is gathered and collected in the closed volume 50 defined between the concave parts 81, 82 and trapped therein.

The first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can be brought in a further additional operative position, the extracted position. This position is depicted in figures 10 and 13. This position is taken when the filtered material in the closed volume 50 is to be discarded. The first and second wiping portions, still in the closed position, can be removed from the frame 31, while the frame remains in the seat 8. The filtered material can be therefore thrown away.

The extraction takes place lifting the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 substantially vertically from the frame 31.

The operation of the filter assembly 90 is as follows.

During the drying cycle, or outside a wiping action, the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 are positioned inside the frame 31, inserted in the same. They are in an open position, substantially at the inlet 41 of the frame 31. The whole assembly is located within the plinth inner volume and it forms a portion of the conduit 18. The first filtering surface 32 filters the flowing process air in circuit 18 and filtered material accumulates on it. The first filtering surface 32 is preferably substantially vertical of with a large vertical component. The first and second wiping portions 330, 331 are completely inserted within the frame 31. Preferably, the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 do not extend outside the frame 31 but they ate completely contained therein.

In this configuration, inlet 16 of the conduit 18 and inlet 41 of the filter assembly 90 are one below the other, being part of the same conduit.

At the end of a drying cycle, or every time there is a need of cleaning the first filtering surface 32 of the filter assembly from the filtered material which has accumulated during the drying cycle, the plinth door 60 is opened. The opening takes place preferably with a rotation of the plinth door 60 around a horizontal axis. This configuration is shown in figure 8. Behind the plinth door 60, the first door 61 is present. Attached to the first door, the filter assembly 90 is located. Alternatively, the filter assembly is freely rotatable around a horizontal axis.

Opening the first door 61, that is, preferably rotating the same around a horizontal axis, removes the assembly 90 from the inner volume of the plinth 7 and the inlet 41 of the frame 31 is oriented outwards (see figure 8).

In order to wipe the first filtering surface 32, the first and second wiping portions are actuated and brought into the closed position of figure 9. The actuation is performed for example by hand. The movement from the open to the closed position, e.g. rotations of the first and/or second wiping portions 330 , 331, causes a wiping of the first filtering surface 32.

The fluff and lint is thus collected in the closed volume 50 obtained in the closed position.

In addition, the first and second wiping portions 330, 331 can be removed from the frame 31, as shown in figure 10, in order to remove the fluff contained in the inner volume 50 and empty the same. The removal is performed by pulling the first and second portions 330, 331.

Before the dryer 1' can restart operation, the first and second portions 330, 331 needs to be reinserted in the frame 31 (in case it has been removed), the door 61 rotated again so that the filtering surface 32 is back to a vertical position, as well as the door 60 should close the plinth 7.