EP2334864B1 - Dryer having a lint filter and a cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dryer comprising a drying chamber for receiving a moist material and a process air guide for supplying process air into the drying chamber and for discharging process air from the drying chamber, which process air guide a heat source for heating the process air before it enters the drying chamber and a heat sink for cooling the process air after it leaves the drying chamber, and a first lint filter arranged between the drying chamber and the heat sink, to which a first cleaning device is assigned, wherein the first cleaning device comprises a collector for a liquid, a first flushing line connected to the collector in this first purge line located first control member, a connected to the first purge line first distributor for distributing funded by the first purge line liquid on the first lint filter and recording catching lint from the first lint filter, and having a first drain for draining the liquid with the captured lint from the first lint filter.

From the EP 1 669 487 A1 goes out a dryer, which is designed as a washer-dryer. This dryer comprises a drying chamber for receiving a moist material and an open process air duct for circulating process air through the drying chamber, which process air duct has a heat source for heating the process air before it enters the drying chamber and a first lint filter arranged behind the drying chamber, which first cleaning device wherein the first cleaning device is a water supply network, a first flushing line connected thereto, a first control element located in this first flushing line, a first distributor connected to the first flushing line for distributing liquid conveyed by the first flushing line to the first lint filter and for receiving trapped lint from the first lint filter, and a first drain for discharging the liquid with the captured lint from the first lint filter.

From the EP 1 669 487 A1 is also a dryer out, which is designed as a washer-dryer and which a drying chamber for receiving a moist material and a substantially closed process air duct for circulating process air through the drying chamber, which process air duct has a heat source for heating the process air before entering the drying chamber and a heat sink for cooling the process air after exiting the drying chamber.

From the EP 1 936 022 A1 a clothes dryer emerges which, for the purpose of picking up lint from a drying air leaving the drying process air stream by means of a corresponding distributor of condensate, which is obtained during the drying of laundry, forms a water film which must be penetrated by the process air flow. From this water film, the condensate loaded with fluff returns to a collector.

From the scriptures EP 1 788 140 A1 . EP 1 788 141 A2 and EP 1 788 142 A2 For example, a dryer for drying laundry by means of an air flow is known. In the dryer, a screen for filtering lint from an air flow in the process air guide is arranged in the region of a bearing plate, which screen forms a first lint filter. By means of a doctor blade, the lint collected in the process air duct on the screen is stripped off the screen fabric of the lint filter and stored in a container arranged adjacent to the doctor blade and to the screen. The squeegee and the container thus form together with other components a first cleaning device. However, the container is relatively small due to the space available in the area of the squeegee. It can be used to collect lint from about 7 to 10 drying processes. Since the lint is stored in the dry state, they occupy a relatively large volume. On the one hand, the accessibility to the collecting container is restricted in these dryers, and on the other hand, the collecting volume is limited by its arrangement in a space-limited zone of the dryer, resulting in a relatively frequent maintenance interval for disposal of the lint from the container. The dryer also has a heater as a heat source and an air-to-air heat exchanger as a heat sink in the process air duct.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a generic dryer in which the removal of lint from the lint filter by means of the first cleaning device is further improved and in which further enlarged intervals for disposal of the collected lint by a user are possible.

This object is achieved by a generic dryer, which has the features of the independent claim. Preferred developments emerge in particular from the dependent claims, and preferred combinations of further developments in particular from corresponding combinations of dependent claims.

The dryer according to the invention comprises a drying chamber for receiving a moist material and a process air duct for supplying process air into the drying chamber and for discharging process air from the drying chamber, wherein the process air duct is in particular a substantially closed process air duct for circulating process air through the drying chamber, which process air duct a heat source for heating the process air before it enters the drying chamber and a heat sink for cooling the process air after it leaves the drying chamber, and a first lint filter arranged between the drying chamber and the heat sink, to which a first cleaning device is assigned, the first cleaning device a collector for a liquid, a first flushing line connected to the collector, a first control element located in this first flushing line, one connected to the first flushing line The first distributor for distributing liquid conveyed through the first purge line to the first lint filter and for receiving trapped lint from the first lint filter, and a first discharge for discharging the liquid with the captured lint from the first lint filter is characterized in that first derivative is arranged to discharge the liquid to the collector, and that the first lint filter has a filter fabric attached to a carrier, wherein the filter fabric has at least one property from the group comprising the hydrophobic properties, dirt repellent and antibacterial properties.

Thus, according to the invention, the lint is rinsed off the first lint filter by rinsing it with a suitable liquid, which is preferably collected and collected in the dryer, and the lint is thus taken up by the liquid and removed therewith. This eliminates the previously unavoidable dry and dust-causing scrape the lint filter, and it eliminates the hitherto usual disposal of the dry lint. In contrast, the liquid causes the rinsed lint taken up by this and, collected in an additional filter and separated from the liquid, a relatively compact form moist clumps, which can be disposed of quite easily and without the formation of further dust.

According to the invention, the first lint filter has a filter fabric fastened on a carrier, wherein the filter fabric has at least one property from the group comprising the properties hydrophobicized, dirt-repellent and antibacterial. Particularly preferred is a filter fabric which is hydrophobed. All of these properties can be imparted to the filter fabric by a corresponding coating, wherein the coating can be formed in a conventional manner by impregnation or plasma coating.

In a preferred development of the dryer according to the invention, the first discharge has a second lint filter for collecting the lint taken up. The first lint filter captures the vast majority of all lint that occurs during a drying process in the dryer, and all of these fluff go into the rinse. The second lint filter can trap these lint, thus providing them separated from the liquid as a relatively compact, easily removable body for eventual disposal.

In a further preferred development of the dryer according to the invention, the collector of the heat sink for collecting condensate, which precipitates in the heat sink from the process air, assigned. The collector does not necessarily have to be in close proximity to the heat sink; According to practice known per se, the collector can be placed in particular from the dryer removable and placed on an easily accessible for an operator, spaced from the heat sink body of the dryer. Then the operator can remove the collector from the dryer after completion of the drying process and dispose of the condensate collected therein; In this context, it is also possible to dispose of the lint collected in the second lint filter (appropriately placed). In such a context, it is particularly preferred that a pumping line together with a condensate pump is provided in the corresponding dryer, which connects the heat sink with the collector. The pumping line may in particular start from a collecting tray placed on the heat sink, in which condensate is present collects, which has formed in the heat sink from the cooled process air stream and deposited on the heat sink and dripping from this. The drip tray can be an integral part of that part of the process air duct, in which the heat sink is placed.

The genres and designs of heat source and heat sink in the dryer according to the invention is not important in the first place; In principle, heat source and heat sink of any known type and design are conceivable and useful in connection with the invention. In particular, the heat source may be a heater operated electrically or by combustion of a suitable fuel such as oil and gas. In particular, the heat sink may be a heat exchanger operated with a suitable coolant, for example an air-to-air heat exchanger.

Particularly preferred is a development of the dryer according to the invention, in which the heat source and the heat sink of a heat pump are associated, which heat pump is arranged to pump heat from the heat sink to the heat source. It is preferred that the corresponding dryer has a second cleaning device which comprises a second flushing line connected to the collector, a second control element located in this second flushing line and a second distributor connected to the second flushing line for distributing liquid conveyed through the second flushing line to the second flushing line Has heat sink. In a equipped with a heat pump of any kind dryer heat that has been supplied to the process air by the heat source and discharged from the process air in the heat sink, the heat source and through this again the process air are supplied, resulting in a significant savings in energy for the Drying process in the dryer can be connected. In particular, when the heat pump is a thermoelectric heat pump or a heat pump of the compressor type, according to conventional practice, the heat sink must be permanently connected to other components of the heat pump and can not be removed from the dryer for cleaning like a conventional air-to-air heat exchanger , Then it is particularly favorable to assign the heat sink a second cleaning device by which the heat sink of lint that could not be caught by the first lint filter and have adhered to it to clean. If this second cleaning device works with liquid, then it can be combined in a particularly advantageous manner with the first cleaning device, as described here.

According to another preferred refinement, the dryer according to the invention is set up as a tumble dryer for drying a moist material, which is laundry. It is further preferred that the drying chamber is a rotatable drum.

It is also particularly preferred that the dryer according to the invention is designed as a domestic appliance.

Fig. 1

eine Skizze eines Hausgeräts, ausgestaltet als Wäschetrockner;

Fig. 2

einen ersten Flusenfilter nebst erstem Verteiler für Spülflüssigkeit;

Fig. 3

eine Teilansicht eines Wäschetrockners im Schnitt; und

Fig. 4

eine Teilansicht eines anderen Wäschetrockners im Schnitt.

Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawing. In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

a sketch of a household appliance, designed as a clothes dryer;

Fig. 2

a first lint filter together with first distributor for rinsing liquid;

Fig. 3

a partial view of a tumble dryer in section; and

Fig. 4

a partial view of another dryer in section.

As in FIG. 1 illustrated, the dryer 1, here a tumble dryer 1, designed as a rotatable drum drying chamber 2, which receives moist material 3, here laundry 3, for drying. For the in FIG. 1 1, a closed process air guide 4 is provided, in which driven by a fan 5, a process air flow circulates, which absorbs moisture from the laundry 3 and dissipates. In a heat source 6, the process air is heated before it enters the drying chamber 2. After the thus heated process air has flowed around due to the rotation of the drying chamber 2 in this surrounding laundry 3 while absorbing moisture, it leaves the drying chamber 2 and reaches a heat sink 7. There it is cooled so that the entrained moisture condenses out, precipitated as condensate in liquid form on the structures of the heat sink 7 and dripped into a collecting tray 8 arranged under this. From the collecting tray 8 such condensate passes through the pumping line 9, in which a condensate pump 10 is inserted, to a collector 11. This collector 11 is designed so that it is finished after completion of a drying process from the dryer. 1 can be removed to pour the liquid out of him and supply it to a suitable disposal.

Between the drying chamber 2 and the heat sink 7, a first lint filter 12 is arranged in the process air guide 4. This first lint filter 12 is necessary to lint, these are fine, dust-like fiber particles and the like, which entraises the flowing process air of the laundry 3, so that they do not reach the heat sink 7 and contaminate it. This is necessary above all because lint that precipitate on appropriately exposed surfaces of the heat sink 7, the thermal conductivity of the structures within the heat sink 7 can significantly deteriorate, so that the operation of the dryer 1 can be affected or even endangered. However, the presence of the first lint filter 12 in the process air guide 4 is not free of possible impairments, because even the first lint filter 12 is a significant flow obstacle in the process air 4, if it clogs in the course of a drying process with lint.

To avoid this impairment and also to provide a convenient way to remove the lint from the dryer 1, the first lint filter 12, a first cleaning device 13, 1, 15, 16, 17, associated with which the first lint filter 12 using the Can be freed of lint stored in the collector 11 condensate. For this purpose, a first purge line 13 is connected to the collector 11, which passes through a first control member 14 to a arranged on the first lint filter 12 first manifold 15, through which condensate can be distributed from the collector via the first lint filter 12, so that this condensate on the first lint filter 12 deposits lint and dissipates. Such loaded with lint condensate passes through a first discharge line 16 to a second lint filter 17, which catches the lint taken from the condensate, whereupon the condensate in turn the drip tray 8 flows to be transported from this by means of the condensate pump 10 back to the collector 11. In the second lint filter 17, the lint is a compact, moist lump, which can be relatively easily removed and disposed of the second lint filter 17. The condensate in the collector 11 remains reasonably free of lint, so that it can be used in a known manner instead of distilled water, for example for ironing laundry. In an alternative embodiment of the dryer 1, not shown, the collector 11 can be filled exclusively or additionally with fresh water taken from a domestic water supply. In this way it can be ensured that the collector 11 always contains the amount of liquid required for cleaning the lint filter 12.

The heat source 6 and the heat sink 7 are integrated in the present embodiment illustrated in a heat pump 6, 7, 20, 21, 22, in which heat, which is withdrawn from the process air in the heat sink 7, pumped to the heat source 6 and fed back there the process air becomes. The purpose of a closed refrigerant circuit 20, in which a refrigerant circulates. Under a refrigerant is under suitable conditions in terms of pressure and temperature reversibly vaporizable and condensable substance to understand. This substance may be present propane, carbon dioxide or a fluorinated hydrocarbon compound such as the known R134a, R152a, R407C and R410a - the latter two substances are mixtures of several fluorinated hydrocarbon compounds. In any case, the refrigerant passes in the refrigerant circuit 20 in liquid form to the heat sink 7, where it evaporates while absorbing heat from the process air also flowing through. A compressor 21 in the refrigerant circuit 20 compresses the evaporated refrigerant and delivers it to the heat source 6. There, the refrigerant liquefies by giving off heat to the process air flowing through. In liquid form, the refrigerant now flows in the refrigerant circuit 20 of a throttle 22, represented by a valve, a capillary or an orifice, to where it is expanded to a reduced pressure. In this form, it returns to the heat sink 7 to re-evaporate there. The refrigerant circuit 20 must be completely self-contained in order to ensure complete enclosure of the refrigerant over the expected service life of the dryer 1.

In practice, the first lint filter 12 is incapable of completely receiving the fluff entrained by the process air; It is always to be expected that a fraction of the lint, though extremely finely divided, passes through the lint filter 12 without being caught by it. These finely divided lint are then more or less completely settled in the heat sink 7, wherein the condensate occurring there, they to the corresponding exposed surfaces of the Heat sink 7 can adhere. These fluff can, if appropriate over a larger number of drying processes in the dryer 1 away, significantly affect the function of the heat sink 7. In the present case, it is aggravating that because of the required complete sealing of the refrigerant circuit 20, removal of the heat sink 7 from the dryer 1 is not possible for the purpose of cleaning. Therefore, the heat sink 7 is associated with a second cleaning device 23, 24, 25, with which also in the collector 11 collected condensate can be used to rinse the process air exposed surfaces of the heat sink 7 and remove the resulting lint. For this purpose, a second purge line 23 together with an inserted second control element 24 is assigned to the collector, which connects the collector 11 with a second distributor 25 placed on the heat sink 7. Via this second distributor 2, condensate passes from the collector 11 to the heat sink 7 and can rinse off the fluff deposited there. The condensate laden with such fluff drips off into the collecting tray 8 and is in turn fed to the collector 11 from there by means of the condensate pump 10. Since the first lint filter 12 catches the majority of all lint, the heat sink 7 is loaded only comparatively low, and the fluff deposited there are relatively finely divided. Accordingly, it is not to be feared that these fluff z. B. pumping line 9 or the condensate pump 10 or the further usability of the condensate collected in the collector 11 could affect.

The Kotrollorgane 14 and 24 are presently shown in each case as a simple valve 14 and 24. In a case that a relatively strong flow of the condensate is desired for the corresponding cleaning purpose, in addition to each such valve 14 and 24 may be provided a pump. Optionally, a single pump could be assigned to both valves 14 and 24, respectively.

In the dryer 1, a control device 26 is provided. This serves a user of the dryer 1 to select a program from among a variety of programs offered for the desired drying process, includes a display device to provide a user with necessary information, and controls all controllable components of the dryer 1. Corresponding control lines are shown in FIG FIG. 1 not shown for clarity.

FIG. 2 shows a first lint filter 12 which is constructed with a carrier 18 which carries a filter cloth 19. Along the arrow, the filter fabric 19 is flowed through by process air, wherein lint contained therein are deposited on the filter fabric 19. The filter fabric 19 consists of a surface-treated material which is water-repellent or dirt-repellent equipped. As a result, the cleaning action of the liquid which overflows the filter fabric 19, but without passing through it, is supported by the filter fabric 19 when the lint is picked up. Shown is also arranged on the first lint filter 12 manifold 15 from which the condensate used for rinsing can escape through a plurality of holes to overflow the filter fabric 19 and receive the lint deposited there. Moreover, it would be uncritical if a part of the liquid penetrate the filter fabric 19, since (see. FIG. 1 ) in the process air duct 4 on the lint filter 12, the heat sink 7 follows anyway, in which it comes to the precipitation of condensate from the process air flow and the possibly permeated liquid would be removed together with the condensate. In FIG. 2 circular holes are shown; Alternatively, instead of the holes, a correspondingly long slot or an arrangement of a plurality of successive elongated slots may be provided.

FIG. 3 shows a part of a dryer 1 as a sectional view. Shown is a section through a front-side end plate of the dryer 1, to which, see reference numeral 2, the drying chamber 2 is connected. The symbolized by black arrows process air exits from the top right from the drying chamber 2 and flows through the inclined relative to her first lint filter 12 in a direction vertically downwards to arrive after a deflection in a horizontal direction to the heat sink 7. From the only slightly visible first manifold 15 condensate flows as flushing water 28 on the inclined lint filter 12, where it absorbs deposited lint, and passes through a first discharge line 16 into a chamber which is formed by a removable flap 30 and a partition 29th In a lower region, the partition wall 29 is permeable so that the rinse water can pass through and to the drip tray 8, so that the lint remains in the lower region of the chamber. The chamber is removable, so that the lint can be disposed of.

The design of the in FIG. 4 shown dryer 1 largely corresponds to the embodiment according to FIG. 3 , however, behind the flap 30, a filter bag 31 is provided. This filter bag 31 is made of permeable paper or textile and absorbs the lint removed from the lint filter 12 by means of the rinsing water 28 lint. If the filter bag 31 has sufficiently filled with such lint, it can be removed by opening the flap 30. This allows the lint to be disposed of without having to be touched directly.

With the invention, a new possibility is created to dispose of the lint necessary in a dryer for laundry or the like so incurred that an impairment of any drying process is largely prevented, and wherein the lint are brought into a particularly suitable for disposal, compact form. This dryer is therefore characterized by a particular simplicity of use.

The invention can also be applied in a dryer which has an open process air duct 4, as is customary in so-called drier dryers, ie the process air is taken from the room air surrounding the dryer, the drying chamber 2 is supplied and the process air discharged from the drying chamber 2 is returned to the room air. Otherwise, this dryer also has the facilities covered by the dryer 1 shown above also.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1.

dryer

Second

drying chamber

Third

Wet good, laundry

4th

Process air supply

5th

fan

6th

heat source

7th

heat sink

8th.

drip tray

9th

pumping line

10th

condensate pump

11th

First cleaning device, collector

12th

First lint filter

13th

First cleaning device, first flushing line

14th

First cleaning device, first control device

15th

First cleaning device, first distributor

16th

First cleaning device, first discharge

17th

First cleaning device, second lint filter

18th

carrier

19th

filter cloth

20th

Refrigerant circulation

21st

compressor

22nd

throttle

23rd

Second purge line

24th

Second controlling body

25th

Second distributor

26th

control device

27th

process air

28th

dishwater

29th

partition wall

30th

flap

31st

filter bag

Claims (10)

1. Dryer (1) comprising a drying chamber (2) for accepting damp items (3) and a process air duct (4) for feeding process air into the drying chamber (2) and for extracting process air from the drying chamber (2), with said process air duct (4) having a heat source (6) for heating the process air before it enters the drying chamber (2) and a heat sink (7) for cooling the process air after it leaves the drying chamber (2) as well as a first lint filter (12) arranged between the drying chamber (2) and the heat sink (7) for catching lint from the process air, to which a first cleaning device (11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) is assigned,
   wherein the first cleaning device (11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) comprises an accumulator (11) for a liquid, a first rinsing line (13) connected to the accumulator (11), a first control organ (14) located in this first rinsing line (13) and a first distributor (15) connected to the first rinsing line (13) for distributing liquid conveyed through the first rinsing line (13) on the first lint filter (12) and for accepting lint caught by the first lint filter (12), a first drain line (16) for draining away the liquid with the accepted lint from the first lint filter (12), characterised in that the first drain line is configured to drain away the liquid to the accumulator (11), and that the first lint filter (8) has a filter material (19) attached to a carrier (18), wherein the filter material (19) has at least one property from the group comprising the properties hydrophobicised, contamination-repellent and antibacterial.
2. Dryer according to claim 1, in which the process air duct (4) is a substantially closed process air duct (4) for circulating process air through the drying chamber (2).
3. Dryer according to claim 1 or 2, in which the first drain line (16) has a second lint filter (17) for catching the accepted lint.
4. Dryer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the accumulator (11) is assigned to the heat sink (7) for catching condensate which falls from the process air in the heat sink (7).
5. Dryer according to claim 4, in which a pump line (9) along with the condensate pump (10) is provided which connects the heat sink (7) to the accumulator (11).
6. Dryer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the heat source (6) and the heat sink (7) belong to a heat pump (6, 7, 20, 21, 22), with said heat pump (6, 7, 20, 21, 22) being configured for pumping heat from the heat sink (7) to the heat source (6).
7. Dryer (1) according to claim 6, having a second cleaning device (23, 24, 25), which comprises a second rinsing line (23) connected to the accumulator (11), a second control organ (24) located in this second rinsing line (23) and a second distributor (25) connected to the second rinsing line (23) for distributing liquid conveyed through the second rinsing line (23) to the heat sink (7).
8. Dryer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which is configured as a tumble dryer for drying moist items (3), which are laundry (3).
9. Dryer (1) according to claim 8, in which the drying chamber (2) is a rotatable drum (2).
10. Dryer (1) according to one of claims 8 and 9 which is embodied as a household appliance (1).

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