The present invention relates to a dryer and the control method thereof, wherein the wrinkle removal process is efficiently performed.

In the dryers, the wrinkle removal process takes place more effectively when applied on the wet laundry which is taken out of the washing machine. Therefore, water, vapor, etc., is delivered on the laundry in the dryer by means of a nozzle to remove the wrinkles in the laundry.

In state of the art embodiments, after the laundry is dried, the drum is rotated counterclockwise and cold vapor is applied on the laundry, and then the drying process is completed with low air flow.

In the state of the art, the water collected in the water tank is sent to the second water tank by means of the discharge pump by being guided by a two-way valve in order to deliver the water or vapor onto the laundry in the drum. After the second water tank is filled, the remaining water is discharged by the two-way valve. When the wrinkle removal step in the drying process starts, a second pump is activated and the water in the second water tank is delivered onto the laundry in the drum by means of the nozzle.

In this embodiment, a sufficient amount of water should be collected in the water tank. Various sensors are used to detect the amount of water accumulated therein. By means of the sensors, the desired amount of water is kept in the water tank, and when the amount of water increases, the pump is operated in a controlled manner such that the excess water is transmitted to the second water tank by being guided by the two-way valve. When the wrinkle removal step starts, the direction of the two-way valve is changed and the water is delivered to the drum by means of the nozzle.

Due to the AC pump used as the second pump in the state of the art, a nonflammable support plate is also required to be used. This causes an increase in costs. Moreover, in said state of the embodiment, it is necessary to remove the top plate and side panels of the dryer and the front wall in order to access the components. Therefore, since it is difficult to reach the components for maintenance in case of a malfunction, serviceability becomes difficult while service costs increase.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP2775027, a dryer is disclosed, wherein the water accumulated in the water tank is taken by means of the pump to be delivered into the drum through the nozzle.

In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2011128241, a dryer is disclosed, wherein hot vapor is delivered into the drum. In this document, some of the water condensed in the evaporator is collected in an additional water tank by means of a pump, and when vapor is desired to be delivered into the drum, vapor is created by means of a heater placed in the water tank and then guided into the drum.

In the state of the art International Patent Application No. W02020015914, a dryer is disclosed, wherein the condensate collected on the float side is directed into the drum.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a dryer wherein the wrinkle removal process is efficiently performed.

The dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a body; a drum which is disposed in the body; a receptacle which is positioned in the body and wherein water is collected; a pump which enables the water to be discharged or guided into the drum; a sensor which detects the water level in the receptacle; a guiding member which opens into the drum with one end and which opens into the discharge outlet at the other end; and a control unit which controls the pump and the guiding member depending on the data received from the sensor. In the embodiment of the present invention, the guiding member ensures that the water is delivered to the discharge outlet when the water level reaches the overflow limit, and the water in the receptacle is transferred to the drum in the wrinkle removal step.

Thus, by eliminating the need for using a three-way valve, a second AC pump and a second water receptacle, which are used additionally in the state of the art, the number of components is reduced and a complex system structure is eliminated. Since the AC pump used as the second pump is removed, the need for using a non- flammable support plate required due to the AC pump is also eliminated. Since the second water receptacle is removed, the need to fill this receptacle is also eliminated.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the guiding member has two outlets. The first outlet opens into the drum while the second outlet opens into the discharge channel.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the sensor in the receptacle wherein the condensate is collected detects two different water levels. At the first level, the information that the water required for the wrinkle removal step is collected, and at the second level, the water collected in the receptacle reaches the overflow level is transmitted to the control unit.

In the embodiment of the present invention, when the sensor detects the first level, the control unit is informed that the amount of water required for the wrinkle removal step is collected. In this case, during the wrinkle removal step, the pump is operated by the control unit and the guiding member is activated such that the first outlet is opened and the second outlet is closed. Thus, the water taken from the receptacle by the pump is transferred to the drum through the first outlet of the guiding member. When the sensor detects the second level, the information that the water collected in the receptacle has reached the limit level is transmitted to the control unit, and the pump and the guiding member are operated by the control unit such that the collected water is discharged. When the second level is detected by the sensor, the first outlet is closed while the second outlet is opened. Therefore, the water taken from the receptacle by the pump is discharged through the second outlet of the guiding member.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is a float sensor. The sensor disposed on the pump lid is connected to the control unit.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the dryer comprises an opening preferably on the rear wall and a pump lid which closes said opening. The pump, the guiding member and the sensor are positioned just behind the pump lid. Thus, in case of a malfunction, service can be provided only by opening the pump lid. By providing easier and faster access to the components to be serviced, service costs are reduced.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the dryer of the present invention comprises the steps of detecting the first and second water levels by the sensor, and opening the first outlet and transferring the water taken from the receptacle by the pump to the drum by operating the pump and the guiding member by the control unit when the first level is detected and during the wrinkle removal step. In addition to said embodiment, the method comprises the steps of operating the pump and opening the second outlet of the guiding member by the control unit when the sensor detects the second level, and discharging the water reaching the overflow point, which is the second level, in the receptacle.

A dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the detailed view of a pump, a guiding member and a sensor.

Figure 2 - is the view of dryer when the pump lid is closed.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Dryer

2. Body

3. Pump lid

4. Pump

5. Guiding member

6. Sensor

The dryer (1) of the present invention comprises a body (2); a drum which is disposed in the body (2); a receptacle which is positioned in the body (2) and wherein water is collected; a pump (4) which enables the water to be discharged or guided into the drum; a sensor (6) which detects the water level in the receptacle; a guiding member (5) which opens into the drum with one end and which opens into the discharge outlet at the other end; and a control unit which controls the pump (4) and the guiding member (5) depending on the data received from the sensor (6), and the guiding member (5) enables the water to be delivered to the discharge outlet when the water level reaches the overflow limit and enables the water in the receptacle to be delivered to the drum during the wrinkle removal step (Figure 1).

Thus, the number of components is reduced and a complex system structure is eliminated, and the wrinkle removal process is performed more effectively.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the dryer (1) comprises, on the guiding member (5), a first outlet opening into the drum and a second outlet opening to the discharge channel.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the sensor (6) in the receptacle wherein the condensate is collected detects two different water levels, and collects and transmits to the control unit the information that the water required for the wrinkle removal step in the first level is collected and that the water collected in the receptacle has reached the overflow level in the second level.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the sensor (6) detects the first level, the information that the amount of water required for the wrinkle removal step is collected in the receptacle is transmitted to the control unit. In this case, during the wrinkle removal step, the pump (4) is operated by the control unit and the guiding member (5) is activated such that the first outlet is opened and the second outlet is closed. Thus, the water taken from the receptacle by the pump (4) is transferred to the drum through the first outlet of the guiding member (5). When the sensor (6) detects the second level, the information that the water collected in the receptacle has reached the limit level is transmitted to the control unit, and the pump (4) is operated and the guiding member (5) is taken to the passive position by the control unit such that the first outlet is closed and the second outlet is opened. Therefore, the water taken from the receptacle by the pump (4) is discharged through the second outlet of the guiding member (5).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor (6) is a float sensor.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the dryer (1) comprises an opening preferably on the rear wall and a pump lid (3) which closes said opening. The pump (4), the guiding member (5) and the sensor (6) are positioned just behind the pump lid (3). Thus, in case of a malfunction, service can be provided only by opening the pump lid (3). By providing easier and faster access to the components to be serviced, service costs are reduced (Figure 2).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the control method of the dryer (1) of the present invention comprises the steps of detecting the first and second water levels by the sensor (6), and opening the first outlet and transferring the water taken from the receptacle by the pump (4) to the drum by operating the pump (4) and the guiding member (5) by the control unit when the first level is detected and during the wrinkle removal step. The method further comprises the steps of operating the pump (4) and opening the second outlet of the guiding member (5) by the control unit when the sensor (6) detects the second level, and discharging the water reaching the overflow point, which is the second level, in the receptacle.

By means of the present invention, the wrinkle removal process is efficiently performed and in case of a malfunction of the components of the dryer (1), the components can be quickly and easily accessed and serviced.