Description

A LAUNDRY DRYER

[0001] The present invention relates to a laundry dryer comprising a condenser.

[0002] In closed cycle laundry dryers, the condensers of which are cooled with air, the drying process is provided with the interaction between the cooling air and the cycle air that do not directly contact each other. The cycle air is heated by a heater (4') and directed into the drum (2'), dehumidify the laundry by contacting the damp laundry and is transferred to a condenser (3') to be dehumidified. Meanwhile, the cooling air is sent onto the condenser (3') by means of a fan (6') and thus, the moisture in the cycle air is provided to be condensed by the condenser (3') being cooled. After the cycle air is dehumidified on the condenser (3', it is heated by the heater (4') and sent to the drum (2') by being put again into the drying cycle with low relative humidity rate and at high temperature. This stage during which laundry is dried is called the drying stage (Figure 1).

[0003] After the drying stage is completed, the heater (4') is deactivated and the airing stage wherein the laundry is cooled by sending low temperature air to the drum (2') begins. During the airing stage, there is almost no moisture in the cycle air exiting the drum (2') since the laundry is dry. However, during the drying stage, while the cycle air is passing through the condenser (3') wherein the moisture is collected, the cycle air is loaded with moisture therein and carries it to the drum (2'). This causes the remoistening of the laundry during the airing stage. Thus, the laundry is detected as humid and this results in the starting of the heaters (4') by the reactivation of the drying stage (Figure 1). This causes disadvantage in efficiency, time and cost. In dryers comprising condenser, various embodiments are developed in order to improve the condensing efficiency and operating performance.

[0004] In the state of the art Japanese Patent Documents JP4156897 and

JP4232000, it is described that the heater is deactivated at the end of the drying stage and the cool air is sent to the laundry and accordingly effective drying process is provided.

[0005] In the state of the art Japanese Patent Document JP2000093698 a dryer PatXML 2/8

comprising a condenser which is bypassed or activated according to the ambient moisture is described.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry dryer the energy consumption and processing time of which is decreased and which is utilized in laundry drying.

[0007] The laundry dryer utilized in the laundry drying process and realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is explicated in the first claim and its other elements in the related claims.

[0008] The laundry dryer comprises a circulation channel, wherein the cycle air passes through during the drying stage and a heater, a drum wherein the laundry which will be dried is emplaced, a cycle fan which provides the air which exits the drum to proceed through the circulation channel, a condenser providing the dehumidification of the air which exits the cycle fan, all of which are disposed on the circulation channel respectively. The laundry dryer, furthermore, comprises a cooling fan which provides the transmission of cool air to the condenser for the condensing and dehumidification of the cycle air and a cooling channel which transmits the air absorbed by the cooling fan from the ambient to the condenser. The cooling channel and the circulation channel separate the cooling air and the cycle air which pass through therein.

[0009] The laundry dryer, furthermore, comprises an additional line providing the connection of the cooling air which exits the cooling fan to the circulation channel and a cooling valve which provides the transmission of the cooling air to the condenser by blocking the way between the cooling fan and the additional line during the drying state and which also provides the connection of the cooling air to the circulation channel by means of the additional line by closing the cooling channel during the airing stage.

[0010] The laundry dryer, furthermore, comprises a cycle valve which provides the cycle air exiting the drum during the drying stage to reach the condenser and which provides the cooling air exiting the drum during the airing stage to be released from an opening disposed on the circulation channel to the outside.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer comprises a PatXML 3/ ₈

condenser valve disposed, according to the direction of air flow, on the condenser exit, which provides the cycle air to proceed through the circulation channel during the drying stage and which prevents the cooling air from passing through the circulation channel during the airing stage.

[0012] By means of the present invention, the utilization of the cooling air taken from the ambient in the cooling of the condenser during the drying stage and in the drum during the airing stage is provided and advantage in drying time and energy consumption is provided with the deactivation of the condenser during the airing stage.

[0013] The model embodiments relating to a laundry dryer which is utilized during the drying process and which is realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:

[0014] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a laundry dryer in the prior art.

[0015] Figure 2 - is the schematic view of the laundry dryer of the present invention in the drying stage.

[0016] Figure 3 - is the schematic view of the laundry dryer of the present invention in the airing stage.

[0017] Figure 4 - is the schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Laundry dryer

2. Drum

3. Condenser

4. Heater

5. Cycle fan

6. Cooling fan

7. Additional line

8. Cooling valve

9. Cycle valve

10. Condenser valve

11. Circulation channel

12. Cooling channel

13. Opening PatXML 4/8

[0019] A laundry dryer (1) utilized in the drying process comprises

- a drum (2) wherein the laundry desired to be dried is emplaced,

- circulation channels (11) wherein the cycle air passes through

- a condenser (3) disposed in the circulation channel (11), providing the cycle air to be dehumidified by being condensed,

- a heater (4) disposed in the circulation channel (11), providing the dehumidified cycle air exiting the condenser (3) to be heated,

- at least one cycle fan (5) disposed in the circulation channel (11), providing the circulation of the cycle air,

- a cooling fan (6) providing the cooling air absorbed from the ambient to be blown onto the condenser (3) in order that the condenser (3) can be cooled and

- a cooling channel (12) which extends between the condenser (3) and the cooling fan (6) and wherein the cooling air passes through.

[0020] In the laundry dryer (1), the cycle air is sent to the drum (2) after being passed over the heater (6). The hot air dehumidifies the laundry in the drum (2) and exits the drum (2). The cycle fan (5) absorbs the air exiting the drum (2) and transmits it to the condenser (3). The cooling fan (6) which blows the cool air in the ambient to the condenser (3) provides that the moisture stays on the condenser (3) by cooling the humid and hot cycle air which passes through the condenser (3) and also provides that the cycle air exits the condenser in a dry state. While the cycle air proceeds through the circulation channel (11), the cooling air passes through the cooling channel (12) and these two air do not mix with each other. The cycle fan (5) completes the drying cycle by transmitting the dry cycle air exiting the condenser (3) to the heater (4) once again and then to the drum (2). The drying stage continues until the laundry is substantially dehumidified. In order to cool the laundry which is dry but hot after the drying stage, the cooling air in the ambient is sent to the drum (2) and the airing stage begins, thus the laundry is cooled.

[0021] The laundry dryer (1), furthermore, comprises

- an additional line (7) one end of which opens to the cooling fan (6) and the other end of which opens to the circulation channel (11), the end of PatXML 5/ ₈

which opening to the circulation channel (11) is connected after the condenser (3) according to the direction of air flow

- a cooling valve (8) which provides the air blown by the cooling fan (6) to be directed to the condenser (3) during the drying stage and to be directed to the drum (2) by means of the additional line (7) during the airing stage

- an opening (13) disposed after the drum (2) and before the condenser (3) on the circulation channel (11) according to the direction of air flow and

- a cycle valve (9) disposed on the circulation channel (11),which covers the opening (13) during the drying stage and which uncovers the opening (13) and covers the condenser (3) entrance during the airing stage (Figures 2 and 3).

[0022] The cooling valve (8) blocks the way between the cooling fan (6) and the additional line (7) during the drying stage and directs the air blown by the cooling fan (6) to the condenser (3). During the airing stage, the cooling valve (8) blocks the way between the cooling fan (6) and the condenser (3) and transmits the air blown by the cooling fan (6) to the circulation channel (11) by directing it to the additional line (7) (Figures 3 and 4). The cycle valve (9) enables the passage of the cycle air through the circulation channel (11) by closing the opening (13) and the completion of the cycle during the drying stage and, during the airing stage, closes the condenser (3) entrance and transfers the cool air exiting the drum (2) to the outside from the opening (13) (Figures 2 and 3). Thus, the air absorbed from the outside is provided to be sent to the drum (2) by passing through the circulation channel (11) and without passing through the condenser (3), that is without receiving the moisture collected inside the condenser (3) during the drying stage and the laundry is prevented from being exposed to moisture again. Thus, the laundry is cooled in a short time after being dried and the reactivation of the drying stage is not required. At this moment, during the airing stage, the heater (4) disposed in the circulation channel (11) is deactivated.

[0023] In an embodiment of the present invention, the laundry dryer (1) comprises PatXML _6/8

at least one condenser valve (10) disposed on the condenser (3) exit and on the circulation channel (11) according to the direction of air flow, which allows the cycle air to proceed by opening the circulation channel (11) during the drying stage and which closes the circulation channel (11) during the airing stage. The condenser valve (10) disconnects the condenser (3) from the circulation channel (11) during the airing stage, thus it is assured that the air blown by the cooling fan (6) proceeds through the circulation channel (11) without gravitating towards the condenser (3).

[0024] By means of the present invention, the air blown by the cooling fan (6) dehumidifies the cycle air by being directed to the condenser (3) during the drying stage by means of the cooling valve (8) and ventilates the laundry by being directed to the drum (2) during the airing stage. The air blown by the cooling fan (6) is evacuated from the opening (13) by means of the cycle valve (9) during the airing stage. Thus, the condenser (3) is deactivated during the airing stage and the moisture collected on the condenser (3) is prevented from being carried to the drum (2). As a result, the drying stage is realized with closed cycle, the airing stage with open cycle and an effective drying process is provided.

[0025] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and an expert in the technique can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.