Field of the invention

The solution according to embodiments of the present invention generally relates to household and/or professional laundry treating appliances configured for performing drying operations (e.g., laundry washing/drying machines and drying machines, hereinafter both referred to as “laundry drying appliances” or simply “laundry appliances” for the sake of conciseness).

Background of the invention

Laundry appliances (such as laundry washing/drying machines and drying machines) configured to dry laundry generally comprise a laundry chamber configured for housing a laundry load (including articles such as clothes and other textiles) and for causing drying air circulating therethrough to remove moisture from the laundry load.

A class of laundry appliances provides to dry the laundry load inside the laundry chamber by circulating drying air through the laundry chamber in a substantially closed air circuit. This air circuit provides that (damp) air leaving the laundry chamber is passed through a demoisturizing unit, where it is demoisturized, and then through a heating unit, where it is heated up to form dry and hot air that is then fed again inside the laundry chamber for evaporating moisture from the laundry load.

Laundry appliances are known whose operation is configured to be switched between a standard “laundry drying mode” directed to dry laundry inside the laundry chamber and an “ambient air dehumidification mode” directed to remove humidity from the room wherein the laundry drying appliance is located.

EP2684994 discloses a dryer having a dryer housing comprising a housing front face for supplying objects to a drying chamber, and a processing air channel for guiding processing air and located inside the housing. An exhaust air duct guides exhaust air from the chamber. The face comprises a recess region, where an adapter and another adapter are insertable into the recess region. A normal drying process of the objects in the chamber is carried out during utilization of the former adapter. A space containing the dryer is dehumidified during utilization of the latter adapter.

Summary of the Invention

The Applicant has found that the known laundry appliances capable of selectively drying laundry inside the laundry chamber or removing humidity from the room wherein the laundry drying appliance is located are affected by drawbacks.

For example, the solution disclosed in EP2684994 is not efficient, because of the increased complexity due to the requirement of using two different adapters to be selectively inserted in a dedicated recess area. In addition to the increased complexity, this solution is affected by the further disadvantage of forcing the user to find a place where storing either of the two adapters which is not in use.

The Applicant has faced the problem of devising a satisfactory solution able to overcome the above-discussed drawbacks.

In particular, one or more aspects of the solution according to specific embodiments of the invention are set out in the independent claims, with advantageous features of the same solution that are indicated in the dependent claims, with any advantageous feature provided with reference to a specific aspect of the solution according to an embodiment of the invention that applies mutatis mutandis to any other aspect thereof.

An aspect of the solution according to one or more embodiments of the invention relates to a laundry drying appliance.

The laundry appliance comprises a cabinet.

The laundry appliance further comprises a laundry chamber rotatably enclosed within the cabinet for containing laundry to be dried.

The laundry appliance further comprises a drying air flow system for passing said air through the laundry chamber, said drying air flow system comprising an air demoisturizing unit configured to demoisturize said air.

The laundry appliance further comprises a filter seat arranged within the drying flow system for removably receiving an air filter.

The air filter is movable from a first position wherein it is inserted into said filter seat to filter drying air leaving the laundry chamber, to a second position wherein it is removed from said filter seat and detached from the appliance and viceversa;

The laundry drying appliance is configured to operate in a laundry dryer mode when the air filter is in the first position, and in an ambient air dehumidification mode to dehumidify air in the ambient outside the cabinet when the air filter is said second position.

The laundry drying appliance further comprises a movable wall system arranged within said filter seat and operable, by moving said air filter from one to the other of said first and second positions, to configure the drying air flow system such that: when the filter is said first position, the drying air flow system is configured to circulate drying air in a substantially closed air circuit, through the laundry chamber and the air filter, and when the filter is said second position, the laundry chamber is put in fluid communication with the ambient outside the cabinet by means of an air introduction opening and an air exhausting opening provided by the movable wall system in the filter seat.

In this way, the switching between the laundry dryer operative mode and the ambient air dehumidification operative mode of the laundry appliance can be easily performed in a very efficient way. Indeed, the movable wall system is advantageously adapted to accordingly configure the drying air flow system of the laundry appliance by simply inserting or removing the air filter unit from the filter seat, without having to be forced to manage different dedicated adapters. Moreover, the proposed solution does not require the provision of a dedicated opening in the casing of the laundry appliance for accessing the drying air flow in order to change its configuration, because in the proposed solution said configuration can be easily performed by accessing the drying air flow through the filter seat.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said movable wall system is configured so that, when the air filter is in said second position, the operation of the movable wall system causes the volume of the filter seat to be split in:

- a first volume portion comprising said air introduction opening and guiding air from the ambient outside the cabinet to the laundry chamber, and

- a second volume portion comprising said air exhausting opening and guiding air from the laundry chamber to the ambient outside the cabinet substantially without mixing with air flowing in the first volume portion.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system comprises first and second wall members pivotally coupled to the filter seat and configured to be rotated between:

- a folded position, in which said first and second wall members are substantially kept toward a ceiling portion of the filter seat by the air filter when the air filter is in the first position, and

- an unfolded position, in which said first and second wall members hang from the ceiling portion and extend towards a floor portion of the filter seat, when the air filter is in the second position.

According to another embodiment, the movable wall system comprises first and second wall members pivotally coupled to the filter seat and configured to be rotated between:

- a folded position, in which said first and second wall members are substantially kept toward a floor portion of the filter seat by the air filter when the air filter is in the first position, and

- an unfolded position, in which said first and second wall members extend from the floor portion toward a ceiling portion of the filter seat, when the air filter is in the second position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the filter seat comprises a seat opening provided between said ceiling portion and said floor portion to receive the air filter therein.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second wall member of the movable wall system comprises said air introduction opening and air exhausting opening formed thereon to partly obstructing the seat opening when the air filter is in the second position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said first wall member and said second wall member are configured to be rotated from the unfolded position to the folded position when said air filter element is being inserted in the filter seat through said seat opening to reach said first position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said first wall member forms an angle comprised between 90° and 115° with respect to the ceiling portion of the filter seat when the first wall member is in the unfolded position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second wall member comprises a profiled member on a first face of the second wall member facing inside the filter seat when the second wall member is in the unfolded position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said profiled member is configured as a cam of a cam system comprising a follower provided as a profiled edge of the first wall member, so that the rotation of the second wall member toward the folded position causes a corresponding rotation of the first wall member toward the folded position.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said profiled member of said second wall member has a chamfered shape protruding from said first face of the second wall member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said profiled member of said second wall member has a shape substantially corresponding to an oblique triangular prism.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said second wall member comprises at least one elastic element biased in such a way that the second wall member is rotated from the folded position to the unfolded position when the filter element is being extracted from the filter seat.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said drying air flow system comprises an air heating unit configured to heat up air demoisturized by the demoisturizing unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said air demoisturizing unit comprises an evaporation unit and said air heating unit comprises a condenser unit, of a heat pump system.

According to an embodiment of the present invention said air demoisturizing unit comprises an evaporation unit and said air heating unit comprises a condenser unit, of a heat pump system which is designed for condensing an amount of moisture ranging from 8 liters/day to 12 liters/day from an ambient at 32°C and 80% of relative humidity. Said ‘day’ being intended as a time of 24 hours.

In a preferred embodiment said heat pump system is designed for condensing an amount of moisture ranging from 9 liters/day to 11 liters/day from an ambient at 32°C and 80% of relative humidity. Said ‘day’ being intended as a time of 24 hours. According to an embodiment of the present invention, said air demoisturizing unit comprises an air/air heat exchanger unit and said air heating unit comprises an heating resistor.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said air demoisturizing unit comprises an air/water exchanger unit and said air heating unit comprises an heating resistor.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said cabinet comprises sidewalls and a box-like structure acting as worktop arranged on the sidewalls so as to close the inner volume of the cabinet from above.

According to an embodiment of the present invention said air demoisturizing unit comprises an evaporation unit and said air heating unit comprises a condenser unit, of a heat pump system and the evaporation unit and/or the condenser unit is/are arranged within a volume of a box-like structure acting as worktop arranged on cabinet sidewalls so as to close the inner volume of the cabinet from above, said boxlike structure having an height ranging from 2 cm to 8 cm and a width and/or a length ranging from 45 cm to 65 cm.

In another embodiment of the present invention, said box-like structure is formed by walls having a thickness ranging from 0,1 cm to 1 cm.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said box-like structure comprising an air duct forming part of said drying air flow system, said filter seat being arranged within the air duct for removably receiving the air filter therein.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said box-like structure comprises:

- an upper wall defining said ceiling portion of the filter seat;

- a lower wall defining said floor portion of the filter seat.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a worktop configured to form the top wall of a laundry drying appliance cabinet by being arranged on sidewalls thereof so as to close the inner volume of the cabinet from above.

The worktop comprises: a box-like structure formed by an upper wall, a lower wall and a plurality of lateral walls arranged substantially perpendicularly to the upper and lower walls so as to form a worktop inner volume; an air duct arranged within said worktop inner volume and provided with an air demoisturizing unit configured to demoisturize air circulating within said air duct; an air inlet aperture for introducing air into said air duct, and an air outlet for exhausting air from said air duct; an air filter seat arranged in fluid communication with the air duct and adapted to receive an air filter therein; an air filter being movable from a first position wherein it is inserted into said filter seat to a second position wherein the air filter is removed from said filter seat and detached from the appliance, and viceversa

The worktop comprises a movable wall system arranged within said filter seat, said movable wall system being operable by moving the air filter from one to the other of said first and second positions to configure the air duct such that: a) when said air filter is in said first position: said air inlet aperture in put in fluid communication with said air outlet aperture by means of said air filter; air entering the air duct through said air inlet aperture is driven towards the air outlet aperture by means of said air duct, passing through said air filter; b) when said air filter is in said second position: said inlet aperture and said air outlet aperture are put in fluid communication with the ambient outside the worktop inner volume by means of an air introduction opening and an air exhausting opening provided by the movable wall system in the filter seat; air entering the air duct through said air inlet aperture is exhausted to the ambient outside the worktop inner volume through said air exhausting opening; said air outlet aperture is supplied with air coming from the ambient outside the worktop inner volume through said air introduction opening substantially without mixing with air entering the air duct through said air inlet aperture and being exhausted to the ambient outside the worktop inner volume through said air exhausting opening;

The proposed worktop comprising the movable wall system can be easily installed in a standard laundry drying appliance by simply replacing the old worktop with the proposed one. In this way, a standard laundry appliance can be enriched with the possibility of operating in an ambient air dehumidification operative mode without having to modify the component housed in the cabinet. According to an embodiment of the present invention, said air duct is further provided with an air heating unit configured to heat up air demoisturized by the demoisturizing unit.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said upper wall comprises a removable portion located at the movable wall system for accessing said movable wall system.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, said movable wall system is at least partially coupled to said removable portion of the upper wall.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method to operate a laundry drying appliance in a laundry dryer mode so as to dry laundry contained in the laundry chamber, or in an ambient air dehumidification mode to dehumidify air in the ambient outside the cabinet of the appliance.

The method comprises:

- providing the air filter in the first position thereby configuring the drying air flow system to circulate drying air, in a substantially closed air circuit, through the laundry chamber, or

- providing the air filter in the second position thereby putting the laundry chamber in fluid communication with the ambient outside the cabinet by means of the air introduction opening and the air exhausting opening provided by the movable wall system in the filter seat.

Brief description of the annexed drawings

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following description of some exemplary and non limitative embodiments thereof; for its better intelligibility, the following description should be read making reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a laundry appliance wherein concepts according to embodiments of the present invention can be applied;

Figure 2A conceptually shows how a drying air flow system of the laundry appliance of Figure 1 is configured when the laundry appliance is in a laundry dryer operative mode according to an embodiment of the present invention when;

Figure 2B conceptually shows how the drying air flow system of the laundry appliance of Figure 1 is configured when the laundry appliance is in an ambient air dehumidification operative mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 illustrate a ceiling portion of a filter seat of the laundry appliance provided with a movable wall system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4A is a perspective view of the filter seat of the laundry appliance showing the movable wall system in a folded position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4B is a perspective view of the filter seat of the laundry appliance showing the movable wall system in an unfolded position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 illustrates how an air filter unit and the movable wall system interacts according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 6A-6C are enlarged views of a wall member of the movable wall system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 7A-7C are perspective views of an exemplary worktop of the laundry appliance of Figure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a laundry appliance 100 wherein concepts according to embodiments of the present invention can be applied.

The laundry appliance 100 illustrated in Figure 1 is a laundry washing/drying machine configured to wash and dry laundry. However, it is understood that the concepts of the present invention may be applied to other kinds of laundry appliances capable of drying laundry, such as in case the laundry appliance 100 is a drying machine configured only to dry laundry.

The laundry appliance 100 comprises a cabinet 105, for example a substantially parallepiped- shaped cabinet 105, having a front wall 105(f), two side walls 105(s) (only one visible in Figure 1), and a bottom wall (not visible in Figure 1).

The cabinet 105 encloses an inner compartment housing a laundry chamber (not visible in Figure 1) for containing laundry to be treated (e.g., dried and/or washed) and accessible through an access door 108 (shown in closed configuration). According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry chamber is rotatably enclosed within the cabinet 105, so that it can rotate with respect to the latter for promoting tumbling of laundry. Preferably, the laundry chamber is a rotatable drum. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry chamber is a rotatable drum housed in a washing tub (not visible in the figures). In the embodiments of the invention in which the laundry appliance 100 is a drying machine configured only to dry laundry, the washing tub is not provided.

As will be described in detail in the following, the laundry appliance 100 comprises a drying air flow system for passing air through the laundry chamber.

The laundry appliance 100 comprises a box-like structure 109 acting as a (e.g., ready-to-mount) worktop (hereinafter simply referred to as “worktop”) arranged on the side walls 105(s) so as to close the inner volume of the cabinet 105 from above. The worktop 109 may be advantageously covered by a covering panel 110 for aesthetical purposes.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the drying air flow system for passing air through the laundry chamber is housed inside the worktop 109.

The laundry appliance 100 comprises a filter seat 111 configured for removably receiving a removable air filter unit 112. As it will be described in greater detail in the following, the air filter unit 112 is configured in such a way that, when it is inserted in the filter seat 111, (damp) air coming from the laundry chamber is expediently filtered from fluff.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the filter seat 111 is located at a front portion of the worktop 109.

Preferably, the laundry appliance 100 further comprises a drawer 115 for containing one or more laundry treatment agents (or, concisely, treatment agents), such as liquid and powder treatment agents including, but not limited to, washing detergents, rinsing detergents, bleaches and softeners. Advantageously, the drawer 115 is configured to slide into a drawer seat 118, preferably provided on a top part of the front wall 105(f) of the cabinet 105, between an extracted position and a retracted position (shown in Figure 1). In the embodiments of the invention in which the laundry appliance 100 is a drying machine configured only to dry laundry, the drawer 115 is not provided.

Preferably, the laundry appliance 100 further comprises a user interface 120, the user interface 120 being preferably provided on a top part of the front wall 105(f) of the cabinet 105.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry appliance 100 is configured to operate in two different operative modes, and particularly in:

- a laundry dryer operative mode, to dry laundry located in the laundry chamber, and

- an ambient air dehumidification operative mode, to dehumidify air in the ambient outside the cabinet 105.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operation of the laundry appliance 100 can be switched between the laundry dryer operative mode and the ambient air dehumidification operative mode based on the position of the air filter unit 112, particularly with respect to the filter seat 111.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the air filter unit 112 is in a first position wherein it is inserted into the filter seat 111, the laundry appliance 100 is configured to operate in the laundry dryer operative mode. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the air filter unit 112 is in a second position wherein it is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100, the laundry appliance 100 is configured to operate in the ambient air dehumidification operative mode.

Figure 2A conceptually shows how the drying air flow system of the laundry appliance 100 - identified with reference 204 - is configured according to an embodiment of the present invention when the laundry appliance 100 is in the laundry dryer operative mode, z.e., when the air filter unit 112 is inserted in the filter seat 111.

Figure 2B conceptually shows how the drying air flow system 204 is configured according to an embodiment of the present invention when the laundry appliance 100 is in the ambient air dehumidification operative mode, z.e., when the air filter unit 112 is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100.

When the laundry appliance 100 is in the laundry dryer operative mode, laundry to be dried is expected to be located inside the laundry chamber - the laundry chamber being identified in Figures 2A and 2B with reference 206. When instead the laundry appliance 100 is in the ambient air dehumidification operative mode, the laundry chamber 206 is expected to be empty.

By making reference to Figure 2A, when the laundry appliance 100 is in the laundry dryer operative mode, the drying air flow system 204 is configured to circulate drying air in a substantially closed air circuit through the laundry chamber 206 (containing laundry to be dried) and the air filter unit 112.

The air flow system 204 comprises a main air duct 210, a delivery air duct 212 and a return air duct 214.

The delivery air duct 212 is fluidly connected to an input opening IN(206) of the laundry chamber 206 for supplying it with drying air. The return air duct 214 is fluidly connected to an output opening OUT(206) of the laundry chamber 206 for taking moisture-laden air (damp air) derived from the laundry drying process. The main air duct 210 is provided between (and connecting) the delivery air duct 212 and the return air duct 214. The return air duct 214 is fluidly connected to an air inlet aperture IN(210) of the main air duct 210 for introducing in the main air duct 210 damp air coming from the laundry chamber 206. The delivery air duct 212 is fluidly connected to an air outlet aperture OUT(210) of the main air duct 210 for receiving drying air to be provided to the laundry chamber 206.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the main air duct 210 is comprised in the worktop 109.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the filter seat 111 is housed in the main air duct 210.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the filter seat 111 comprises between a filter seat ceiling portion and a filter seat floor portion a seat opening 216 configured to receive the air filter unit 112. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the air filter unit 112 is inserted in the filter seat 111, the filter unit 112 closes the seat opening 216, preventing a fluid communication between the inner volume of the filter seat 111 and the ambient outside the laundry appliance 100. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the air filter unit 112 is removed from the filter seat 111, the inner volume of the filter seat 111 is in fluid communication with the ambient outside the laundry appliance 100 through the seat opening 216.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the filter seat 111 comprises an air input IN(lll) for receiving air and an air output OUT(lll) for exhausting air. The air input IN(lll) and the air output OUT(lll) are in fluid communication with the inner volume of the filter seat 111. When the air filter unit 112 is inserted in the filter seat 111, air received from the air input IN(lll) is filtered so that fluff is trapped within the air filter unit 112 body. In this way, air exhausted through the air output OUT(lll) advantageously does not include (or at least includes a reduced amount) of said fluff.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air input IN(lll) is in fluid communication with the air inlet aperture IN(210) of the main air duct 210, in such a way to allow air coming from the laundry chamber 206 reaching the inner volume of the filter seat 111. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air input IN(lll) and the air inlet aperture IN(210) coincides.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air flow system 204 comprises an air demoisturizing unit 220 configured to demoisturize air. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the demoisturizing unit 220 is housed in the main air duct 210. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air demoisturizing unit 220 is arranged in the main air duct 210 downstream the filter seat 111. In this way, the demoisturizing unit 220 is configured to receive, and demosisturize, air exhausted from the air output OUT(lll).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air flow system 204 comprises an air heating unit 230 configured to heat up air. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air heating unit 230 is housed in the main air duct 210. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air heating unit 230 is downstream the air demoisturizing unit 220. In this way, the air heating unit 230 is configured to receive, and heat up, air that has been demoistured by the air demoisturizing unit 220.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air demoisturizing unit 220 comprises an evaporation unit and said air heating unit 230 comprises a condenser unit, of a heat pump system.

Said heat pump system further comprises a compressor, an expansion valve and a piping arrangement connected thereto so as to drive a refrigerant fluid through the evaporation unit and the condenser unit.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the air demoisturizing unit 220 comprises an air/air heat exchanger unit and the air heating unit 230 comprises a heating resistor.

In particular, said air/air heat exchanger unit may comprise a first path wherein a cooling air flow circulates and a second path, which has no fluid communication with the first path, wherein air exhausted from the air output OUT(lll) circulates. The cooling air flow can consist in a forced flow of air taken from the ambient surrounding the laundry drying appliance (100).

More in particular, the heating resistor can be an electric resistor.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the air demoisturizing unit 220 comprises an air/water exchanger unit and the air heating unit 230 comprises a heating resistor.

In particular, said air/water exchanger unit may comprise a water delivery device that provides for a cool surface in thermal contact with air exhausted from the air output OUT(lll).

More particularly, water provided to said air/water exchanger unit can be supplied by water mains which the laundry drying appliance (100) is fluidly connected to.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air flow system 204 comprises a motor-driven fan 240 configured to promote air circulation through the air flow system 204 and the laundry chamber 206 (and through the air filter unit 112 when inserted in the filter seat 111). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fan 240 is housed in the main air duct 210, for example between the air heating unit 230 and the air outlet aperture OUT(210). It is understood that the fan 240 may be provided in different positions of the main air duct 210 or generally of the air flow system 204, provided that it is arranged to promote air circulation through the air flow system 204 and the laundry chamber 206. In particular, the fan 240 may have its air inlet arranged at the air outlet aperture OUT(210) and its air outlet in fluid communication with the input opening IN (206) of the laundry chamber 206.

More in particular, the fan 240 may be a centrifugal fan.

More in particular, the heating resistor can be an electric resistor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a further filter element 250 is advantageously provided in the air flow system 204, such as inside the main air duct 210, for example between the air output OUT(lll) of the filter seat 111 and the air demoisturizing unit 220.

When the laundry appliance 100 is in the laundry dryer operative mode (Figure 2A), under fan 240 action, damp air leaving the laundry chamber 206 (/'.<?., air loaded with damp collected from the laundry inside the laundry chamber 206) flows through the return air duct 214 and reaches the main air duct 210 through the air inlet aperture IN(210). Such air enters the air filter unit 112 housed in the filter seat 111 through the air input IN(lll). Corresponding filtered air is exhausted from the air output OUT(lll) of the filter seat 111 and passes through the air demoisturizing unit 220, wherein it is cooled down and demoisturized. The demoisturized air is then passed through the air heating unit 230, wherein it is heated up. The resulting demoisturized and heated air leaves the main duct 210 through the air outlet aperture OUT(210), and reaches the laundry chamber 206 passing through the delivery air duct 212 and the input opening IN (206).

In this way, a substantially closed air circuit is defined, causing drying air circulate though the laundry chamber 206 and the air filter unit 112 so as laundry inside the laundry chamber is dried.

Advantageously, in order to compensate possible insufficient cooling capacity at the air demoisturizing unit 220 with respect to heating capacity at the air heating unit 230, which could result in dangerous overheating, a secondary air duct 254 may be provided to cause cooler ambient air be mixed with the drying air. For example, said secondary air duct 254 may be in fluid communication with the main air duct 210, for example between the fan 240 and the air outlet aperture OUT(210). In order to compensate for the additional air provided through the secondary air duct 254, the laundry chamber 206 may be provided with a secondary output opening OUT(S) configured to allow an amount of damp air within the laundry chamber 206 to be vented outside.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry appliance

100 further comprises a movable wall system 260 arranged within the filter seat 111 and operable, by moving the air filter unit 112 from a position wherein it is inserted into the filter seat 111 to a position wherein it is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100, and vice versa, to configure the drying air flow system 204.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system 260 is adapted to configure the drying air flow system 204 to circulate drying air in a substantially closed air circuit through the laundry chamber 206 and the air filter unit 112 when the air filter unit 112 is inserted into the filter seat 111 (as illustrated in Figure 2A).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system 260 is adapted to configure the drying air flow system 204 to put the laundry chamber 206 in fluid communication with the ambient outside the cabinet 105 by means of an air introduction opening IN(260) and an air exhausting opening OUT (260) provided by the movable wall system 260 when the air filter unit 112 is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100 (see Figure 2B).

By making reference to Figure 2B, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system 260 is configured to split the inner volume of the filter seat 111 in two volume portions when the air filter unit 112 is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100, and particularly in:

- a first volume portion 270 comprising said air introduction opening IN(260) and guiding air from the ambient outside the cabinet 105 to the laundry chamber 206, and

- a second volume portion 280 comprising said air exhausting opening OUT(260) and guiding air from the laundry chamber 206 to the ambient outside the cabinet 105 substantially without mixing with air flowing in the first volume portion 270.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the air filter unit 112 is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100, the air introduction opening IN(260) and the air exhausting opening OUT(260) are in fluid communication with the ambient outside the cabinet 105 through the seat opening 216.

When the laundry appliance 100 is in the ambient air dehumidification operative mode (Figure 2B), under fan 240 action, ambient air is sucked inside the first volume portion 270 of the filter seat 111 through the air introduction opening IN(260). This air is exhausted from the air output OUT(lll) of the filter seat 111 and enters the main air duct 210, passing through the air demoisturizing unit 220, wherein it is cooled down and demoisturized, and through the heating unit 230, wherein it is heated up. The resulting demoisturized and heated air leaves the main duct 210 through the air outlet aperture OUT(210), and reaches the laundry chamber 206 passing through the delivery air duct 212 and the input opening IN(206). Advantageously, the provision of a further filter element 250 in the air flow system 204, in addition to the air filter unit 112, allows air exhausted from the air output OUT(lll) to be filtered before reaching the air demoisturizing unit 220 and the heating unit 230.

When the laundry appliance 100 operates in the ambient air dehumidification operative mode no laundry is expected to be provided in the laundry chamber 206, therefore, air leaving the laundry chamber 206 from the output opening OUT(206) is dry air. Said dry air flows through the return air duct 214, and reaches - through the air inlet aperture IN(210) - the second volume portion 280 of the filter seat 111, and then is exhausted in the ambient outside the cabinet 105 through the air exhausting opening OUT(260).

In this way, the ambient where the laundry appliance 100 is located is efficiently dehumidified.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system 260 comprises wall members pivotally coupled to the filter seat 111. According to an embodiment of the present invention, said wall members are pivotally coupled to the ceiling portion of the filter seat 111.

In another embodiment, however, said wall members may be pivotally coupled to a floor portion 405 (See Figure 4A) of the filter seat 111.

By making reference to Figure 3, in which the ceiling portion of the filter seat 111 is identified with reference 305, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system 260 comprises a first wall member 310(1) and a second wall member 310(2) pivotally coupled to the ceiling portion 305 of the filter seat 111.

According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, the first wall member 310(1) is pivotally coupled to the ceiling portion 305 by means of two hinge elements 320, and the second wall member 310(2) is pivotally coupled to the ceiling portion 305 by means of further two hinge elements 325. It is understood that similar considerations apply in case the first wall member 310(1) and/or the second wall member 310(2) is/are pivotally coupled to the ceiling portion 305 with a different number of hinge elements or with a different kind of coupling elements. Moreover, the concepts of the present invention can be applied to cases in which the first wall member 310(1) and/or the second wall member 310(2) is/are coupled to a different portion of the filter seat 111, such as the floor portion or the side portions of the filter seat 111.

By making reference to Figures 4A and 4B, illustrating the filter seat 111 with the ceiling portion 305 removed, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first wall member 310(1) and the second wall member 310(2) are configured to be rotated between:

- a folded position (see Figure 4A), in which the first wall member 310(1) and the second wall member 310(2) are substantially kept toward the ceiling portion 305 of the filter seat 111 by the air filter unit 112 when the air filter unit 112 is in the first position (z.e., when it is inserted into the filter seat 111), and

- an unfolded position (see Figure 4B), in which the first wall member 310(1) and the second wall member 310(2) hang from the ceiling portion 305 of the filter seat 111 (as in Figure 3), and extend towards the floor portion (identified with reference 405) of the filter seat 111 when the air filter unit 112 is in the second position (z.e., when it is removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100).

It is underlined that although Figure 4A corresponds to the case in which the air filter unit 112 is located inside the filter seat 111 (z.e., when the air filter unit 112 is in the first position), the air filter unit 112 has not been depicted in said figure for the sake of clarity.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the air introduction opening IN(260) and the air exhausting opening OUT(260) are located on the second wall member 310(2).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, when the first wall member 310(1) and the second wall member 310(2) are in the unfolded position, the second wall member 310(2) is arranged to obstruct the seat opening 216. The obstruction of the seat opening 216 by the second wall member 310(2) when the latter is in the unfolded position is only partial, because air is advantageously allowed to pass through the air introduction opening IN(260) and the air exhausting opening OUT(260).

As illustrated in Figure 5, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the first wall member 310(1) and the second wall member 310(2) are configured to be rotated from the unfolded position to the folded position when the air filter unit 112 is being inserted in the filter seat 111 through the seat opening 216.

By making reference back to Figures 3, 4A and 4B, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a profiled member 510 is provided on the face of the second wall member 310(2) facing inside the filter seat 111 when the second wall member 310(2) is in the unfolded position (said face being identified in the figures with reference 520). According to an embodiment of the present invention, the profiled member 510 is configured as a cam of a cam system comprising a follower provided as a profiled edge (identified in the figures with reference 530) of the first wall member 310(1). In this way, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a rotation of the second wall member 310(2) toward the ceiling portion 305 (z.e., toward the folded position) caused by a push of the air filter unit 112 while being inserted in the filter seat 111 causes a corresponding rotation of the first wall member 310(1) toward the ceiling portion 305 (z.e., toward the folded position).

In an embodiment wherein the first wall member 310(1) and a second wall member 310(2) are pivotally coupled to a floor portion 405 of the filter seat 111, a rotation of the second wall member 310(2) toward the floor portion 405 (z.e., toward the folded position) caused by a push of the air filter unit 112 while being inserted in the filter seat 111 causes a corresponding rotation of the first wall member 310(1) toward the floor portion 405 (z.e., toward the folded position).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more elastic biasing elements are provided (in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 3, two biasing elements, identified with references 330(1) and 330(2)) and configured to cause the second wall member 310(2) to rotate from the folded position to the unfolded position when the air filter unit 112 is being extracted from the filter seat 111. For example, the biasing elements 330(1), 330(2) may be springs biased in such a way that the second wall member 310(2) is rotated from the folded position to the unfolded position when the air filter unit 112 is being extracted from the filter seat 111. Such configuration of one or more elastic biasing elements may be provided also in an embodiment wherein the first wall member 310(1) and a second wall member 310(2) are pivotally coupled to a floor portion 405 of the filter seat 111

Thanks to the proposed solution, the switching between the laundry dryer operative mode and the ambient air dehumidification operative mode of the laundry appliance 100 can be easily performed in a very efficient way. Indeed, the movable wall system 260 according to the embodiments of the present invention is advantageously adapted to accordingly configure the drying air flow system 204 of the laundry appliance 100 by simply switching the wall members 310(1) and 310(2) between the folded and unfolded positions, with said switching that is carried out by simply inserting or removing the air filter unit 112 from the filter seat 111.

Particularly, according to an embodiment of the present invention:

- if an user of the laundry machine 100 provides the air filter unit 112 in the first position (z.e., inside the filter seat 111), the drying air flow system 204 is configured to circulate drying air, in a substantially closed air circuit, through the laundry chamber 206, and

- if the user provides the air filter unit 112 in the second position (z.e., removed from the filter seat 111 and detached from the laundry appliance 100), the laundry chamber 206 is put in fluid communication with the ambient outside the cabinet 105 by means of the air introduction opening IN(260) and the air exhausting opening OUT(260) provided by the movable wall system 260.

Figure 6A is an enlarged plan view of the second wall member 310(2) according to an embodiment of the resent invention. Figure 6B is a sectional view of a portion of the second wall member 310(2) taken along the section line B-B of Figure 6A, and Figure 6C is a sectional view of the second wall member 310(2) taken along the section line C-C of Figure 6A.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the profiled member 510 of the second wall member 310(2) has a chamfered shape protruding from the face 520. The profiled member 510 is advantageously shaped to have a profile such to promote the mutual sliding between the profiled member 510 of the second wall member 310(2) and the profiled edge 530 of the first wall member 310(1) when the second wall member 310(2) moves. The movement of the second wall member 310(2) being caused by the air filter unit 112 when being inserted in the filter seat 111 for passing from the unfolded to the folded position, or by the biasing elements 330(1) and 330(2) when the air filter unit 112 is removed from the filter seat 111 for passing from the folded to the unfolded position.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the profiled member 510 has a shape substantially corresponding to an oblique triangular prism. However, similar considerations apply in case the profiled member 510 has a different shape, provided that it is suitable to promote the mutual sliding between the profiled member 510 of the second wall member 310(2) and the profiled edge 530 of the first wall member 310(1) when the second wall member 310(2) moves avoiding, or at least reducing, jamming occurrences.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first wall member 310(1), and particularly its size and position, is set in such a way that the first wall member 310(1) forms an angle a (visible in Figure 3) comprised between 90° and 115° with respect to the ceiling portion 305 when the first wall member 310(1) is in the unfolded position and preferably touches the floor portion 405 of the filter seat 111.

In order to avoid that the first wall member 310(1) and the second wall member 310(2) get jammed in the unfolded position, without being capable of switching to the folded position, the angle a may be advantageously set higher than 90°, so that the first wall member 310(1) is not perpendicular to the floor portion 405 of the filter seat 111 when in the unfolded position. For example, according to an embodiment of the present invention this is advantageously obtained by setting the height H of the first wall member 310(1), the length thereof perpendicular to its rotation axis, greater than the distance between the ceiling portion 305 and the floor portion 405 of the filter seat 111.

In the embodiments of the invention described above, a portion of the drying air flow system 204, and particularly the main air duct 210 and the filter seat 111, are housed in the volume enclosed by the box-like shaped worktop 109 (see Figures 1, 2A, 2B).

In order to show in greater detail the box-like shaped worktop 109 according to an embodiment of the present invention, reference will be now made to Figure 7A, which is a perspective view of an exemplary worktop 109 embodiment removed from the laundry appliance 100 and without the covering panel 110. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the worktop 109 defines a box-like structure formed by an upper wall 705, a lower wall 740 (visible in Figure 7B), and a plurality of lateral walls 708 arranged substantially perpendicularly to the upper wall 705 and to the lower wall 740 so as to form a worktop inner volume.

Figures 7B and 7C are perspective views of the worktop 109 - from behind and from front, respectively - without the upper wall 705 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the worktop 109 is shaped and sized so as to define the main air duct 210 and a number of housing sections adapted to house corresponding components of the air flow system 204 included in the main air duct 210.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the worktop 109 comprises a demoisturizing housing section 720 for housing the air demoisturizing unit 220 and a heating housing section 730 for housing the air heating unit 230 (see also Figures 2A and 2B).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ceiling portion 305 of the filter seat 111 is defined by a portion of the upper wall 705 of the worktop 109. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the floor portion 405 of the filter seat 111 is defined by a portion of the lower wall 740 of the worktop 109.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper wall 705 of the worktop 109 is advantageously provided with a removable portion, identified in Figure 7A with reference 750, located at, e.g., above, the movable wall system 260 for allowing an easy access to the movable wall system 260. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the movable wall system 260 is at least partially coupled to said removable portion 750 of the upper wall 705, in such a way to allow an extraction of the movable wall system 260 from the worktop 109. For example, the extraction of the movable wall system 260 from the worktop 109 may be carried out after having removed the covering panel 110 from the worktop 109, or after having removed a corresponding removable portion (not illustrated) of the covering panel 110 aligned with the removable portion 750 of the upper wall 705. It is understood that the concepts of the present invention can be directly applied in those cases in which (e.g., portions of) the main air duct 210 and/or the filter seat 111 are not housed inside the volume enclosed by the worktop 109, but rather they are located outside the worktop 109, such as for example in different positions within the cabinet 105 of the laundry appliance 100.

Naturally, in order to satisfy local and specific requirements, a person skilled in the art may apply to the solution described above many logical and/or physical modifications and alterations. More specifically, although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details as well as other embodiments are possible. In particular, different embodiments of the invention may even be practiced without the specific details set forth in the preceding description for providing a more thorough understanding thereof; on the contrary, well-known features may have been omitted or simplified in order not to encumber the description with unnecessary details.

Moreover, it is expressly intended that specific elements and/or method steps described in connection with any disclosed embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in other embodiments.