The present invention relates to a laundry dryer comprising a UV light source.

It is aimed to eliminate viruses and bacteria on the laundry while the same is treated and dried in laundry dryers. Additionally, UV light sources are used to eliminate viruses and bacteria on the laundry in the laundry dryers. The virus and bacteria elimination capacity of the UV light is directly proportional to the intensity of the UV light applied. The laundry loaded into the drum is not homogeneously distributed in the drum during the drying process. During the drying process, the laundry gathers at an area close to the door at the front side of the drum due to the rotational movement of the drum. In the laundry dryers, the UV light sources are generally disposed on the front bearing which rotatably supports the drum or on the door which provides access into the drum. The rays emitted by the UV light sources are not homogeneously distributed into the drum. Cylindrical reflectors are used in order to enable the UV light source to more efficiently emit rays into the drum. However, it is not possible to direct the light to the regions where the laundry is highly concentrated during the drying process by means of the cylindrical reflectors.

In the state of the art Patent Application No. CN106245294, a laundry dryer is disclosed, comprising a UV light source.

In the state of the art European Patent Application No. EP3449947, a laundry dryer is disclosed, comprising a UV light source.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry dryer with improved sterilization performance.

The laundry dryer of the present invention comprises a body; a drum which is disposed in the body; a housing which is provided in the body and of which at least one surface faces the inside of the drum; and a UV light source which is disposed in the housing and which emits UV rays into the drum. The housing is disposed on the front bearing or the door so as to be positioned at the upper half of the opening allowing access into the drum. The laundry dryer of the present invention further comprises a reflector which is disposed in the housing, which reflects the UV rays emitted by the UV light source into the drum, and which has a cylindrical surface and a parabolic surface. The reflector is in the form of an asymmetrical C which partially covers the UV light source from above and below starting from the rear side of the UV light source. The upper side of the reflector is in the form of a plate having a parabolic surface. The lower side of the reflector is in the form of a plate having a cylindrical surface. The reflector is disposed into the housing so as not to cover the front of the UV light source. In a version of the present invention, the reflector is manufactured from Teflon material with high reflection performance.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the reflector has the cylindrical surface in the form of the lateral surface of a quarter cylinder, and the parabolic surface in the form of a half parabolic plate. The parabolic surface is formed by taking the half of a parabolic plate with respect to the axis of symmetry. The widths and the thicknesses of the parabolic surface and the cylindrical surface are the same.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer comprises a holder which enables the reflector to be fixed into the housing. In a preferred version of the present invention, by means of the holder placed into a recess formed on the reflector, the reflector is fixed into the housing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer comprises a glass which almost completely covers the surface of the housing facing the drum. The housing is covered by means of the glass. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the glass is manufactured from soda barium material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer comprises a frame which peripherally supports the glass so as to fix the glass to the surface of the housing facing the drum. By fixing the frame to the housing from one end, the glass is squeezed between the housing and the frame.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer comprises a sealing member which is disposed between the frame and the glass. The sealing member, which is manufactured from a flexible material, absorbs the pressure exerted by the frame onto the glass so as to prevent the glass from breaking due to a force which may be applied onto the frame.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer comprises an additional sealing member which is disposed between the frame and the housing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the UV light source emits UV rays in the UV-C wavelength. The UV-C rays damages the DNA of bacteria and RNA of viruses so as to eliminate them.

By means of the present invention, a laundry dryer is realized, wherein the UV rays are more efficiently dispersed into the drum by means of a reflector having a cylindrical surface and a parabolic surface.

The advantages of the laundry dryer of the present invention will be disclosed with the detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying figure, where:

Figure 1 - is the schematic view of the laundry dryer in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 - is the schematic view of the housing in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 - is the schematic view of the reflector and the UV light source in an embodiment of the present invention;

The following numerals are referred to in the description of the present invention:

1. Laundry dryer

2. Body

3. Drum

4. Housing

5. UV light source

6. Cylindrical surface 7. Parabolic surface

8. Reflector

9. Holder

10. Glass

11. Frame

12. Sealing member

13. Additional sealing member

The laundry dryer (1) comprises a body (2); a drum (3) which is placed into the body (2) and wherein the laundry is loaded; a housing (4) which is provided in the body (2) and of which at least a part faces the interior of the drum (3); and a UV light source (5) which is disposed in the housing (4) and which emits UV light into the drum (3). The housing (4) is disposed on the front bearing which rotatably supports the drum (3) or the door which allows access into the drum (3). By placing the UV light source (5) into the housing (4), the laundry in the drum (3) is sterilized by means of UV rays.

The laundry dryer (1) of the present invention further comprises a reflector (8) which is disposed in the housing (4), which reflects the UV rays emitted by the UV light source (5) into the drum (3), and which has a cylindrical surface (6) and a parabolic surface (7). The reflector (8) is disposed into the housing (4) so as not to cover the surface of the housing (4) facing the drum (3). At least a part of the cylindrical surface (6) extends towards the lower side of the UV light source (5). Thus, the UV rays emitted by the UV light source (5) towards the lower and rear side of the housing (4) at an angle so as not to be directly sent into the drum (3) are reflected from the cylindrical surface (6) to be sent into the drum (3). At least a part of the parabolic surface (7) is positioned in the housing (4) so as to cover the upper side of the UV light source (5). Thus, the rays emitted upwards by the UV light source (5) hit the parabolic surface (7) of the reflector (8) so as to be directed towards the lower parts of the drum (3). The distance between the UV light source (5) and the parabolic surface (7) is smaller than the distance between the former and the cylindrical surface (6). Thus, the rays emitted by the UV light source (5) towards the upper parts of the housing (4) are reflected towards the front side of the drum (3) close to the door. The length of the parabolic surface (7) is greater than that of the cylindrical surface (6). Thus, the UV rays emitted by the UV light source (5) towards the upper parts of the drum (3) are mostly reflected towards the lower parts of the drum (3). Moreover, some of the UV rays to be reflected from the cylindrical surface (6) are enabled to be also reflected from the parabolic surface (7), thus increasing the amount of UV rays to be sent to the lower parts of the drum (3). In a preferred version of the present invention, the reflector (8) is an aluminum plate.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the reflector (8) comprises the cylindrical surface (6) in the form of the lateral surface of a quarter cylinder, and the parabolic surface (7) in the form of a half parabola, adjacent to the cylindrical surface (6). The parabolic surface (7) is half of a parabola with respect to the axis of symmetry passing by the apex. The cylindrical surface (6) starts after the apex of the parabolic surface (7). The cylindrical surface (6) is the lateral surface of a quarter cylinder. The radius of the cylindrical surface (6) is greater than the distance between the parabolic surface (7) and the axis of symmetry thereof.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises at least one holder (9) which is disposed in the housing (4) and which enables the reflector (8) to be fixed into the housing (4). The holder (9) is in the form of a protrusion into the housing (4), and contacts the reflector (8) so as to prevent the reflector (8) from moving due to mechanical effects. In the preferred version of the present invention, the reflector (8) is squeezed between two holders (9) disposed at the upper and lower parts of the housing (4) such that the reflector (8) is fixed in the housing (4).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a glass (10) which covers the surface of the housing (4) facing the drum (3) and which is manufactured from a material which allows UV light transmittance. Thus, the UV light source (5) is protected against external mechanical factors. In a version of the present invention, the glass (10) is manufactured from quartz material which allows the passage of UV rays.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a frame (11) which is fixed to the housing (4) from at least one end and which peripherally supports the glass (10) so as to enable the glass (10) to be fixed to the housing (4). By being squeezed between the housing (4) and the frame (11), the glass (10) is fixed onto the surface of the housing (4) facing the drum (3).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a sealing member (12) which is disposed between the frame (11) and the glass (10). The UV light source (5) comprises chemical substances such as mercury, which are harmful to human body. By means of the sealing member (12), said chemical substances which may be released due to the breaking of the UV light source (5) are prevented from leaking into the drum (3) and enabled to stay in the housing (4).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises an additional sealing member (13) which is disposed between the frame (11) and the housing (4). Thus, the moisture on the laundry is prevented from reaching to the interior of the housing (4) or to electronic components disposed at the rear side of the housing (4).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises a UV light source (5) suitable for emitting UV-C light. The UV-C rays have a shorter wavelength than the UV-A or UV-B rays, and have a higher absorption effect. Thus, the bacteria and virus elimination capacity is higher than other rays.

By means of the present invention, a laundry dryer (1) is realized, wherein a higher amount of UV rays is enabled to be sent to the parts of the drum close to the door where the laundry is highly concentrated by means of the reflector (8) having a cylindrical surface (6) and a parabolic section (7) such that the sterilization performance thereof is improved.