CUCCO, Rossano (Antoniomerloni S.P.A. in A.S, 116 Via Vittorio Veneto, Fabriano, I-60044, IT)
| Washer-dryer (1) suitable for washing and drying linen, comprising a rotating drum (2) contained in a washing tub (3), wherein the drying is carried out by drying air and wherein the drying process takes place through a drying apparatus comprising a heat generator (8.1), a suction duct (8.2; 14) and a suction unit (8.3), and wherein the washing and rinsing water is drained from the bottom (3.3) of said tub (3) through a sleeve (4.h; 4), to flow through a water filter (11), a drainage pipe (6), a drainage pump (7) and finally, a U-shaped drainage pipe (6.1) characterised in that: - there are provided means for conveying and filtering the drying air (4.a, 15. a, 12, 14, 8.3; 4, 15.a, 12, 14, 8.3), comprising - a discharge sleeve (4.a; 4) from the bottom (3.3) of the tub (3), - guiding walls (15. a) towards an air filter (12), - a substantially ascending suction duct (14) positioned above said air filter (12), - said suction unit (8.3); and in that - said discharge sleeve (4. a, 4) and air filter (12) are arranged at a higher height than the water (16) that stagnates in the drainage pipe (6), in such position as to leave at least partly free the drying air flow along said same discharge sleeve (4.a; 4) and air filter (12) - whereas the same level (16) has such height as to form a hydraulic plug between said suction unit (8.3) and a U-shaped drainage pipe (6.1). Washer-dryer (1) according to the previous claim characterised in that there are further provided conveying means (14, 15.h, 15) for the water that can be fed into said suction duct (14) comprising - the same suction duct (14), - said guiding walls (15. a) towards said air filter (12), - guiding walls (15.h, 15) towards the discharge pipe (6) of the washing and rinsing water. 3. Washer-dryer (1) according to the previous claim characterised in that said air filter (12) is arranged in such position as to be accessible to the user for routine maintenance operations. 4. Washer-dryer (1) according to the previous claim characterised in that said position accessible to the user is at the front wall (1.1) of the same washer- dryer (1). 5. Washer-dryer (1) according to any previous claim characterised in that said walls (15. a) also guide the air to lapping the surface of the water stagnating at said level (16). 6. Washer-dryer (1) according to the previous claim characterised in that said surface of the water stagnating at said level (16) has a surface of at least 16 cm2. 7. Washer-dryer (1) according to any previous claim characterised in that said air filter (12), in operating conditions, is arranged so that its greater axis has horizontal lying. 8. Washer-dryer (1) according to any previous claim characterised in that said air filter (12) is provided with the same type of net used in known water filters (5). 9. Washer-dryer (1) according to any previous claim characterised in that said water (4.h) and air (4.a) discharge sleeves consist of a single discharge sleeve (4)ยท 10. Washer-dryer (1) according to the previous claim characterised in that said air (12) and water (11) filters are arranged in a single cartridge (18) removable by the user for routine maintenance. 11. Washer-dryer (1) according to the previous claim characterised in that said air (12) and water (11) filters are parts of a single filter (11/12) in turn part of the cylindrical walls of said cartridge (18). 12. Washer-dryer (1) according to at least claim 10 characterised in that said cartridge (18), in operating conditions - has substantially horizontal greater axis - has said air filter (12) above said water filter (11) - whereas the same water filter (11) is at least partly immersed below said water level (16) that stagnates so that the drying air may freely lap said water level (16). 13. Washer-dryer ( 1 ) according to any previous claim characterised in that any humidity condensing means (17) for the drying air are arranged along said suction duct (14). 14. Method for condensing the humidity present in the drying air in a washer dryer (1) according to at least claim 5 characterised in that it comprises the step of having said air lap the surface of the cold water stagnating at said level (16), said step being optionally followed by further condensing processes. |
DESCRIPTION
The object of the present invention is a washer dryer appliance for household linen.
More in particular, the object of the invention is an improved device for filtering the air used while drying the household linen.
The invention, therefore, relates to the field of household appliances, in particular to that of household washer dryer appliances.
As is known, washer dryer appliances are washing machines provided with an additional system for circulating the drying air that operates at the end of a washing, rinsing and spinning cycle so as to allow a complete and quick drying of the household linen.
The annexed figure 1 schematically shows a washer dryer appliance according to the prior art.
On the front wall 1.1 of the washer dryer appliance there is provided the loading port 1.2 for loading the household linen into the rotating drum 2 provided with holes 2.1 on the cylindrical wall thereof. Drum 2 is seated within tub 3. Underneath tub 3, a drainage sleeve 4 sends the water to be drained to a water filter 5 wherefrom the water goes to a drainage pipe 6 wherealong there is mounted the drainage pump 7 that sucks the water to be delivered to the U-shaped drainage terminal 6.1.
The water filter 5 is necessary because during the washing and spinning, some nap (also called "fluff or "lint" and indicated with letter F) inevitably comes off the household linen and would quickly clog drainage pipe and pump 6 and 7. The water filter 5 can be easily removed from the front wall 1.1 for a routine and easy periodical maintenance by the user.
The water filter 5 is contained or is a part, in general, of a cylindrical cartridge with bayonet coupling (or equivalent means, such as threaded caps, mechanical joints, etc.). As regards the drying means, the air used for this process is heated by a heat generator 8.1 (a burner or an electrical resistor) then enters into the drum 2 through some of the uppermost holes 2.1; it goes through the household linen; comes out of drum 2 through the lowermost holes 2.1 to enter into tub 3 wherefrom it comes out through an inlet 3.1. A suction duct 8.2 is fitted onto the latter, which rises upwards to a suction unit 8.3. Hence, the air goes to a condenser 9 where the air is dehumidified in various manners. The example in the figure shows the most used means, consisting of a water sprayer 9.1. Whatever the condensation means used, the condensed humidity (as well as the water sprayed by the optional sprayer 9.1) is guided along a condensation drainage pipe 9.2 to the drainage pipe 6 upstream of the drainage pump 7. As regards the dehumidified air, it may be entirely vented to the environment through the air vent 9.3 (in this case, it is an open circuit air circulation system) or recirculated towards the heat generator 8.1 according to a version not shown in fig. 1 (closed circuit circulation system) or, finally, only partly recirculated (mixed system).
The heat generator 8.1 is arranged in the top portion of the washer dryer appliance so that it may not be reached by the water.
All the means comprised in the drying apparatus just described that are located downstream of tub 3 with reference to the air flow direction, that is, inlet 3.1, suction duct 8.2, suction unit 8.3, condenser 9, condensation drainage pipe 9.2 and finally, air vent 9.3, for space reasons are arranged in the back portion of the washer dryer appliance, substantially behind tub 3.
Inlet 3.1, in particular, is arranged in the bottom portion of the back wall 3.2 of tub 3, in a position substantially diagonally opposite that of air inlet into the tub; in fact, if it were located on bottom 3.3 of tub 3 it would always be flooded with water, forming a so-called hydraulic cap that would make extracting the drying air difficult or impossible while it would be difficult to arrange it in the lower portion of the front wall 3.4 of tub 3 that is occupied by the front loading port 1.2.
While most of fluff F is collected into the water filter 5, it also comes off during the drying steps.
As the drying cycles are repeated, fluff F therefore also collects into the means of the drying apparatus downstream of tub 3. In particular, fluff F may clog the passage section of the suction duct 8.2, or collect onto the suction unit 8.3, reducing the efficiency thereof. The load losses for the drying air, which result from the laying of said fluff F, also correspond to an increase in the electric consumptions of suction unit 8.3, in the noise levels thereof (this last feature being not of secondary importance for a washer dryer appliance intended for household use), a decrease in the maximum capacity obtainable, as well as turbulences in the drying air that flows through the washer dryer appliance.
For the washer dryer appliances with closed or mixed air circulation, moreover, said lint may cause a fire when it contacts the heat generator.
In the so-called gas washer dryer appliances (reference shall be made to fig. 1), where the heat generator 8.1 is provided with a burner 8.1, said turbulences may lead to a flame instability (in the case of gas washer dryer appliances, drying air more correctly refers to a mixture of air and burnt gases; for convenience of description, anyway, in the following description reference shall be made to the expression "drying air").
Fluff F that goes beyond the suction unit 8.3 sooner or later, through the condensation drainage pipe 9.2 and also pushed by the water sprayer 9.1, may also reach the drainage pipe 6 and the drainage pump 7, clogging the last mentioned as well.
Since the prior art does not provide filters along the air ducts, this clogging cannot be eliminated but by accessing the back side of the washer dryer appliance, after having removed it from its position, having the clogged components removed and cleaned by the Technical Support Service.
In short, while the water filter 5 allows routine maintenance (that is, by the user), in the washer dryer appliance of the prior art the forming of fluff F also requires periodical extraordinary maintenance operations (that is, by the Technical Support Service).
Another drawback of the prior art is the excessive complexity of the means comprised in the drying apparatus downstream of tub 3; in particular, the need for the condensation drainage pipe 9.2.
Moreover, if cold running water is used for reducing the humidity (as in the case of sprayers 9.1), there is the further drawback, well known and felt, of consuming additional water compared to that required for washing.
Finally, if the condensing means are not said sprayers 9.1, it is known that their nozzles easily become clogged due to scaling, especially in the presence of hard water, or due to other impurities.
The only remedy known to date against these two last-mentioned drawbacks is the use of a heat pump dehumidifier; a very efficient but very expensive solution.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate at least a part of the drawbacks mentioned hereinabove.
In particular, the main object of the present invention is to provide a washer dryer appliance provided with air filtering means that may be accessed and inspected from the front wall of the washer dryer appliance.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a washer dryer appliance wherein the drying apparatus has high safety standards during the household linen drying cycles.
A further object, at least of some versions of the present invention, is to provide a washer dryer appliance the drying apparatus whereof has a simplified construction, with a reduced number of components and less expensive from the production point of view.
A further object, at least of some versions of the present invention, is to provide a washer dryer appliance wherein said filtering means may be cleaned according to the routine maintenance operations already usual for the user.
A further object, at least of some versions of the present invention, is to provide condensing means that are simplified compared to the prior art.
A further object, at least of some versions of the present invention, is to provide a washer dryer appliance wherein the water consumption for reducing the humidity of the drying air is substantially reduced or eliminated.
These objects and other advantageous results, as it will clearly appear, are achieved with a device according to the annexed main claims.
The features of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof, according to the patent claims and illustrated, by way of a non-limiting example, in the annexed drawings, wherein:
- figure 1 schematically shows a cutaway view of a washer dryer appliance according to a first possible embodiment of the prior art.
- figure 2 schematically shows a cutaway view of a washer dryer appliance according to a version of the invention wherein the heat generator that warms the drying air is provided with a gas burner.
- figure 3 schematically shows a cutaway view of an electrical washer dryer appliance according to another version of the invention; the figure then shows an alternative to the above heat generator that is provided with an electrical resistor.
- figure 4 shows a cutaway view of a detail of the washer dryer appliance of figure 2 and/or 3.
- figure 5 schematically shows an arrangement of the air and water filters according to the general teaching of the invention.
Of course, the air filtering means must be arranged substantially just downstream of the drying air outlet from tub 3 but in such position as to be accessible for inspection during a routine maintenance by the user; that is, they must be removable without moving the washer dryer appliance from its seat exactly as it is currently provided for the water filter 5 of the prior art.
It has been seen that keeping the current architecture of the washer dryer appliance drying means substantially unchanged, it is impossible to arrange a drying air filter along the ducts thereof downstream of tub 3 in a position easily accessible by the user for a routine maintenance of the same filter.
On the other hand, such easy access may be obtained, as shall be seen in detail in the description, by providing at least:
- a sleeve for extracting the drying air to be filtered from the bottom of tub 3 and connected to the drainage pipe of the washing and rinsing water for ensuring the drainage thereof,
- a suction duct, downstream of the air filter, substantially ascending in the direction of the drying air path for draining the water that may be present therein towards the drainage pipe of the washing and rinsing water.
As shall appear clearly, said requirements are compatible with the position the water filter must have so that both (air filter and water filter) may be arranged in a single cartridge. The features of the invention shall now be described with reference to figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. All the components of the washer dryer appliance 1 of the invention that are common to those of the washer dryer appliance according to the prior art of fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numeral and are not listed anymore except for a mention of those that are each time required. In the annexed figures, some components of the washer dryer appliance 1, such as the means for feeding and heating the washing water, the "motor unit" or the hanging means of tub 3 are not shown, as they are per se conventional.
According to the most general teachings of the invention, the drying air is extracted from bottom 3.3 of tub 3 through a sleeve 4.a, as already the washing and rinsing water is extracted from the same bottom 3.3 through a sleeve 4.h (reference shall be made to the diagram of fig. 5).
Advantageously but not necessarily, such extraction may take place through a single drainage sleeve 4 common to the water and to the drying air and hereinafter, reference shall always be made to such main version.
As per prior art, downstream of this drainage sleeve 4, the water is guided by suitable walls 15.h to cross a water filter 11 arranged lower than the bottom of tub 3.3 after which it reaches the drainage pipe 6, the drainage pump 7 and finally, the U-shaped drainage pipe 6.1.
Always as per prior art, at the end of any water drainage cycle some water intentionally stagnates into the drainage pipe 6 and/or in the drainage pump 7 and optionally upstream thereof up to such a level 16 as to form a hydraulic cap that prevents the propagation of smell from the U-shaped drainage terminal 6.1.
As regards the drying air, it is sucked by a suction unit 8.3 which may be similar to that of the prior art, reaches the drainage sleeve 4 from the heat generator 8.1 after having crossed drum 2 substantially as per prior art.
Once it has flown through the drainage sleeve 4, the air is guided by suitable walls 15.a to flow through an air filter 12, on top whereof it then enters a suction duct 14 free from counter slopes, that is, substantially ascending in the direction of the drying air path wherealong or at the end whereof it encounters the above suction unit 8.3.
As per the prior art, the extracted drying air can be entirely ejected (as shown in the figures) or totally or partly recirculated (not shown).
As regards the means for condensing and discharging the water condensed by the drying air, they depend on the possible versions, as shall be seen hereinafter.
Any water present in the suction duct 14, or by condensation of the drying air humidity or also because introduced by special condensing means 17 (reference shall be made, for example, to fig. 3), is drained towards the drainage pipe 6 since said suction duct 14 is positioned above the air filter 12 and is free from counter slopes and because once it has gone beyond the air filter 12, the water is then guided by suitable walls 15 into the drainage pipe 6.
The drainage sleeve 4, the air filter 12 and as a consequence, also the suction duct 14 are arranged in a sufficiently high position relative to said level 16 so that each time the drying cycle is active, the air passage is at least partly free, that is, free from hydraulic caps.
On the other hand, the hydraulic cap formed by level 16 in the drainage pipe 6 and/or in the drainage pump 7 and optionally upstream thereof prevents the suction unit 8.3 from sucking foul air from the U-shaped drainage pipe 6.1.
The teachings provided so far show how it is possible to provide a duct 4.a/4, 15.a, 14 which collects the drying air from bottom 3.3 of tub 3 rather than from its back wall 3.2. A consequence of this is that now it is possible to arrange the air filter in such position as to be accessible from the front wall 1.1 of the washer dryer appliance 1 so that it may be removed for a routine maintenance by the user.
An immediate consequence of the presence of the air filter 12 is that fluff F does not reach the air extraction means downstream of the same; in particular, fluff F cannot return to the heat generator 8.1 with the risk of fires, nor it can cause flame instability when the heat generator 8.1 is a burner 8.1.
As regards the condensing means 17 of the drying air humidity, according to one version they can now be arranged along the suction duct 14 (reference shall be made, for example, to fig. 3) wherefrom the condensation, as seen, spontaneously drops to the drainage pipe 6; the condensation drainage pipe 9.2, therefore, is not required anymore.
According to a possible version, however, the drying air that is extracted from the drainage sleeve 4 is guided by walls 15.a to lap the surface of the water stagnating at said level 16. Since the drying takes place at the end of the washing processes and in turn, these always end with cold water rinsing, the surface of the water stagnating at level 16 is always cold and thus subject to condensing, at least partly, the humidity contained in the drying air provided that the contact surface is sufficiently large.
Such teaching allows totally eliminating the water consumption required for condensation according to the prior art, if the lapped surface is sufficiently large.
According to another version, a first dehumidification process takes place by making the drying air lap said water surface at said level 16 while the process is completed by the above condensing means 17 arranged along the suction duct 14 so that, at least, the water consumption for dehumidification is significantly reduced.
It has been found that a 16 cm 2 surface already achieves satisfactory results.
Preferably, the air filter 12 is arranged so that its greater axis has horizontal lying.
Preferably, the air filter 12 is provided with the same type of net used in known water filters 5.
Preferably, also the water filter 11 is arranged so that its greater axis has horizontal lying. Preferably, also the water filter 11 is provided with the same type of net used in known water filters 5.
Preferably, both the air filter 12 and the water filter 11 are arranged in a single cartridge 18 similar to that used for the water filters 5 of the prior art, removable by the user for routine maintenance.
If the condensation of the drying air humidity is provided, at least partly, on the surface of the water stagnating up to said level 16, cartridge 18 is arranged, when in operating position
- with substantially horizontal greater axis;
- with the air filter 12 above the water filter 11;
- with the water filter 11 immersed at least partly below level 16 of the stagnating water. In fact, these are the conditions for the drying air to freely lap the surface of the stagnating water.
Preferably, said water 11 and air 12 filter of said cartridge 18 are parts of a single filter 11/12 that is part of the cylindrical walls of the same cartridge 18.
In conclusion, said cartridge 18 may be a single cylindrical cartridge accessible from the front wall 1.1 of the washer dryer appliance 1 for the routine maintenance operations and that allows the dual filtering of the washing water and of the drying air, extracted from tub 3 and introduced into said cartridge 18 through said drainage sleeve 4, by means, respectively:
- of the water filter 11 arranged on the bottom of cartridge 18 at said drainage pipe 6 of the washing and rinsing water
- of the air filter 12 arranged in the top portion of the same cartridge 18 at said suction duct 14.
In conclusion, using the teachings of the invention, what matters is where said cartridge 18 is arranged and to which ducts it is connected. This is a further advantage since the present invention implies adaptations of the washer dryer appliance of the prior art that are inexpensive and that do not modify the outer appearance nor the user's habits for routine maintenance.
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