EP3339499B1

EP3339499B1 - Laundry dryer equipped with a door assembly

Info

Publication number: EP3339499B1
Application number: EP16206192.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alberto Bison; Gabriele Londero; Marco Santarossa; Michela Gasparollo
Original assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Current assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Priority date: 2016-12-22
Filing date: 2016-12-22
Publication date: 2019-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 2036-12-22
Also published as: AU2017264979B2; CN108221317B; EP3339499A1; CN108221317A; AU2017264979A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer with an improved door assembly. In particular, the present invention relates to a rotary-drum home laundry dryer to which the following description refers purely by way of example without implying any loss of generality.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, laundry dryers include a casing within which a laundry drying rotary chamber, such as a drum, is located. The drum has a substantially cylindrical, tubular body having a front mouth for introduction of laundry into the drum. In the casing, more in particular in a front vertical wall of the same, an opening is provided, which gives access to the drying chamber through its mouth to load or unload the laundry before and after the drying cycle(s).
A door assembly, also called porthole, is rotatably fixed, for example hinged, to the casing and it is apt to open and close the mentioned opening.
Door assemblies of known types typically comprise an annular frame hinged to the casing and a closing element, typically a glass or a transparent plastic element, which closes the aperture defined by the annular frame.
When the door assembly is in its closed position, the rear side of the annular frame abuts against the front wall of the casing and the closing element is opportunely shaped as a cup-element so that a portion thereof extends inside the drum through the drum mouth.
The cup-element typically has a symmetric shape, for example a substantially spherical shape or a substantially cylindrical shape or a substantially conical frustum shape.
Door assembly for laundry dryer preferably belongs to systems which may be named "pull-to-open" door opening systems. A pull-to-open door assembly is opened by pulling the handle: when the pulling force exceeds a certain threshold, a hook, or similar element present either in the door frame or in the casing, disengages from a corresponding seat on the casing or the door assembly respectively in a known manner, via a release mechanism. The hook, the seat and the release mechanism form a locking device.
The door assembly is therefore opened by pulling it outwards with a pulling force sufficient to actuate the release mechanism and can then be closed by pushing the door assembly towards the inside of the drum so as to lock the locking device. Advantageously a door assembly of pull-to-open type can also be opened by pushing the door assembly from the inside of the drum.
The use of door assemblies according to the known technique, nevertheless, revealed some drawbacks.
A first drawback posed by the door assemblies of the known art lies in that the door may open during the drying cycle, in particular when the amount of laundry loaded into the drum is high and/or when the distribution of laundry within the drum is not appropriate and too much concentrated in the door region.
The laundry rotating inside the drum strikes the portion of the closing element of the door assembly which extends inside the same drum, typically the innermost portion of the glass. The force exerted by laundry against the closing element may exceed the threshold force needed to activate the release mechanism of the door lock, thereby causing the door opening.
If the doors opens during a drying process, laundry may inconveniently fall outside the laundry dryer directly on the floor.
Furthermore, the cycle is immediately interrupted after the control unit of the laundry dryer detects an aperture of the door assembly.
WO 2013/007507 A2 discloses a loading door for a laundry treatment machine, comprising a door frame and a decorative ring which is releasably connected to the door frame by means of corresponding connecting elements on the door frame and on the decorative ring. The connecting elements connectively engage with each other by rotating the decorative ring relative to the door frame, and at least one releasable securing element prevents further rotation if necessary. The decorative ring can be easily and effortlessly assembled and disassembled even by the operator or user in order to be able to easily change the hinge. For this purpose, the door frame has a first receptacle which is adapted to the dimensions of the securing element and into which the securing element can be inserted. Furthermore, the securing element is a hinge retainer that can be connected to the door frame.
The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks posed by the known door assemblies.
It is in particular an object of the invention to implement a laundry dryer equipped with a door assembly having an improved reliability compared to known laundry dryer.
A further object of the invention is to avoid undesired opening of the door assembly during the drying cycle.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The applicant has found that by providing a laundry dryer comprising a casing supporting a rotating drum having a front mouth adapted to receive laundry to be dried and a door assembly having a main longitudinal axis apt to open/close a door opening of the casing, the door assembly having a frame with a frame aperture and a closing element, apt to close the frame aperture, wherein the closing element comprises a cup-shaped surface having a rear side surface extending at least partly inside the drum and by providing the rear side surface with an innermost rear side portion towards the inner space of the drum which is completely located at the right side of a vertical reference plane containing the main longitudinal axis looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer when the main rotation direction is the clockwise direction or by providing the rear side surface with an innermost rear side portion which is completely located at the left side of a vertical reference plane containing the main longitudinal axis looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer when the main rotation direction is the counterclockwise direction, it is possible to overcome drawbacks of known techniques.
The present invention relates, therefore, to a laundry dryer comprising:

a casing supporting a drum adapted to receive laundry to be dried, the drum being housed in axially rotating manner inside the casing to rotate about a reference rotation axis in at least a main rotation direction, wherein the main rotation direction is the direction in which the drum rotates for the most part of the time during a drying cycle, said drum comprising a substantially cylindrical, tubular body having a front mouth for introduction of laundry into the drum;
a door opening defined in a vertical wall of the casing which is aligned with the front mouth of the drum:
a door assembly apt to open/close the door opening, the door assembly having a main longitudinal axis passing through the vertical wall when the door assembly is in its closed position, the door assembly comprising:
- a frame including a frame radially inner edge defining a frame aperture and comprising a rear surface apt to face the vertical wall when the door assembly is in its closed position;
- a closing element, apt to close the frame aperture, supported by the frame through an outer rim of the closing element, the closing element comprising a cup-shaped surface extending from the frame along the main longitudinal axis through the door opening and extending at least partly inside the drum through the drum front mouth when the door assembly is in its closed position, the cup-shaped surface comprising a rear side surface facing the inner space delimited by the drum and a lateral surface extending from the rear side surface up to the closing element outer rim along the main longitudinal axis;

the innermost rear side portion is completely located at the right side of a vertical reference plane containing the main longitudinal axis looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer when the main rotation direction is the clockwise direction; or
the innermost rear side portion is completely located at the left side of a vertical reference plane containing the main longitudinal axis looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer when the main rotation direction is the counterclockwise direction.

Preferably, the innermost rear side portion is the set of points, or the point, where the rear side surface intersects the reference plane.
The innermost rear side portion preferably comprises a single point, or a line or a plane surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second portion has a distance from the reference plane that increases while moving horizontally leftwards from the innermost rear side portion looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer when the main rotation direction is the clockwise direction.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the second portion has a distance from the reference plane that increases while moving horizontally rightwards from the innermost rear side portion looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer when the main rotation direction is the counterclockwise direction.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the innermost rear side portion is further located at the bottom side of the rear side surface looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer.
Preferably, the second portion has a distance from the reference plane that increases while moving upwardly from the innermost rear side portion. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second portion is a plane surface. Preferably, the second portion plane surface belong to a plane which intersects the reference plane to generate a line forming an angle of less than 90 degree with a horizontal plane.
Preferably, the second portion is shaped so that at least a plane tangent to a point thereof intersects the reference plane to generate a line forming an angle of less than 90 degree with a horizontal plane.
The laundry dryer preferably further comprises a latch device keeping the door assembly in its closed position.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch device comprises a latch and a latch retaining mechanism, the latch being connected to the door assembly and the latch retaining mechanism being connected to the casing or the latch being connected to the casing and the latch retaining mechanism being connected to the door assembly.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch device is configured so that, when the latch is locked to keep the door assembly in a closed position, a relative movement is allowed between the latch and the latch retaining mechanism device and hence a relative movement is allowed between the door assembly and the casing while keeping the door assembly in said closed position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a sealing gasket is interposed between the door assembly and the casing to guarantee an airtight coupling of the door assembly to the door opening when the door assembly is in said closed position and subjected to the relative movement.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the door assembly comprises a hinge device and a handle and the hinge device is located at the right of the vertical reference plane when looking frontally at the door assembly from outside.
Preferably, the handle is located at the left of the vertical reference plane looking frontally at the door assembly from outside.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch device is located at the left of the vertical reference plane looking frontally at the door assembly from outside.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the door assembly comprises a hinge device and a handle and the hinge device is located at the left of the vertical reference plane looking frontally at the door assembly from outside.
Preferably, the handle is located at the right of the vertical reference plane looking frontally at the door assembly from outside.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch device is located at the right of the vertical reference plane looking frontally at the door assembly from outside.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the door assembly is configured for being arranged so that an open position of the door assembly is obtained either by a left-swing movement or by a right-swing movement.
Preferably, the hinge device is attachable to the door assembly in a plurality of positions so as to reverse the opening direction of the door assembly.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frame comprises a rear frame and a front frame.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, either the front frame or the rear frame of the door assembly is mountable on the rear frame, or the front frame respectively, in a plurality of positions such that the opening direction of the door assembly may be reversed by rotating the front and/or the rear frame with respect to the closing element.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening direction of the door assembly is reversible by rotating the frame of 180° with respect to the closing element.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the closing element is sandwiched between the rear and the front frame.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the door assembly opening direction is reversible by rotating the rear frame with respect to the closing element.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the door assembly opening direction is reversible by rotating the rear frame of 180° with respect to the closing element.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch is released from the latch retaining mechanism upon application of a pulling releasing force to the door assembly which is greater than a threshold force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be highlighted in greater detail in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, provided with reference to the enclosed drawings. In the drawings, corresponding characteristics and/or components are identified by the same reference numbers. In such drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a laundry dryer equipped with a door assembly in an opened position realized according to the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the door assembly of figure 1 in a disassembled configuration;
Figure 3 shows a component of the door assembly of figure 2 isolated from the rest;
Figure 4 shows the component of figure 3 in a lateral left view;
Figure 5 shows a plan view of the element of figure 3;
Figure 6 shows a right view of the element of figure 5;
Figure 7 shows the element of Figure 4 sectioned along line VII°-VII°;
Figure 8 shows the element of Figure 4 sectioned along line VIII°-VIII°;
Figure 9 shows the element of Figure 6 sectioned along line IX°-IX°;
Figure 10 shows the element of Figure 6 sectioned along line X°-X°;
Figure 11 shows the element of Figure 6 sectioned along line XI°-XI°;
Figure 12 shows a further embodiment of Figure 3;
Figure 13 shows the element of Figure 12 sectioned along line XIII°-XIII°;
Figure 14 show a schematic front view of the preferred configuration of the door assembly of the invention according to previous Figures 1 to 11;
Figures 15-17 show schematic front views of different configurations of the door assembly of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1, reference number 1 indicates as a whole a rotary-drum laundry dryer which comprises: a preferably, though not necessarily, parallelepiped-shaped, outer boxlike casing 7 which is structured for resting on the floor and is provided with reciprocally-faced front and rear vertical walls 2a and 2b; a rotatable drum 3 structured for housing the laundry to be dried and which is located in axially rotating manner inside the outer casing 7, facing a door opening 4 formed on the front vertical wall 2a of the outer casing 7; and a door assembly 10, also called porthole, preferably hinged to the front vertical wall 2a of the casing 7 so to be able to rotate about a preferably, though not necessarily, vertically-oriented hinge axis H, or axis of opening H of the door assembly 10.
The door assembly 10 is adapted to alternatively open and close the door opening 4 of the dryer 1. The door assembly 10 preferably comprises a handle 50 operable by the user to open and close the door assembly 10.
Inside the casing 7, the laundry dryer 1 additionally comprises: an electrically-powered motor assembly (not shown) structured for driving into rotation the rotatable drum 3 about its reference rotation axis L; a hot-air generator (not shown) which is structured to circulate through the rotatable drum 3 a stream of hot air; and an electronic central control unit (not shown) which controls both the motor assembly and the hot-air generator, among other functions.
The motor assembly is preferably structured for driving the rotatable drum 3 in a first rotation direction and/or in a second rotation direction opposite the first rotation direction about its reference rotation axis L. For example, looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the laundry dryer 1, the rotatable drum 3 may be rotated in clockwise direction and/or in counterclockwise direction.
It is known that during a drying cycle the drum 3 may be rotated in the first direction only, for example only in clockwise direction or only in counterclockwise direction, or may be rotated alternatively in the first direction and in the second direction. Typically, the drum 3 is rotated in a first direction for the most part of the time during a drying cycle, while it is rotated in the second opposite/reverse direction for a short period to better keep items in the load from twisting and tangling and to help clothes dry more evenly and quickly. Hereafter, we will refer to "main rotation direction MD" as the direction between the first and the second direction in which the drum rotates for the most part of the time during a drying cycle.
The rotatable drum 3 preferably consists in a substantially cylindrical-shaped, tubular body 3 having a drum front mouth 13. The tubular body drum 3 preferably extends inside the casing 7 coaxial to the reference rotation axis L and preferably substantially aligned to the door opening 4 on the front vertical wall 2a of the casing 7.
The door assembly 10 can have two different operative positions or configurations: a closed position in which the door assembly 10 rests completely against the front vertical wall 2a to close the door opening 4 and providing a substantially airtight seal and an opened position in which it uncovers the front vertical wall 2a. In order to move the door assembly 10 from the closed to the opened position or vice-versa, handle 50 is used.
In addition to the above, a sealing gasket 9 is arranged around the door opening 4 of the front vertical wall 2a of the casing 7 to guarantee an airtight coupling of the door assembly 10 to the door opening 4 when the door assembly 10 is in its closed position.
In further preferred embodiments, the sealing gasket may be arranged at the door assembly side.
The laundry dryer 1 is preferably equipped with a latch device 17 comprising a latch 19 associated to the door assembly 10 and a latch retaining mechanism (not shown) associated to the casing 7, preferably to the front vertical wall 2a. The latch retaining mechanism preferably includes a mobile part which is configured to be movable between a retaining position, in which it engages the latch 19 so as to retain the door assembly 10 in the closed condition, and an opening position in which it releases the latch 19 so as to allow the opening of the door assembly 10. In an aspect thereof, the door assembly 10 according to the invention preferably belongs to a system which may be named "pull-to-open" door opening system: the door assembly 10 is opened by pulling it outwards by applying a force greater than a predetermined intensity (threshold force) and, analogously, it can be closed by pushing it towards the inside of the drum 3 with enough force.
A pull-to-open door assembly may be realized by providing the mobile part of the retaining mechanism that allows the releasing of the latch when a releasing force applied is greater than the threshold force.
Advantageously, the door assembly 10 can also be opened by pushing it with a force exceeding the threshold force from the inside of the drum 3.
In further preferred embodiments, the latch may be associated to the casing and the latch retaining mechanism may be associated to the door assembly.
In a further preferred embodiment, the latch device is configured so that, when the latch is locked to keep the door assembly in the closed position, a relative movement, or free play, between the latch and the latch retaining mechanism device, and hence between the door assembly and the casing, is allowed while keeping the door assembly in the closed position.
Preferably, in this case, the sealing gasket which is interposed between the door frame and the casing is configured to guarantee the airtight coupling of the door assembly to the door opening also when the door assembly is subjected to said relative movement. The sealing gasket is preferably elastic and advantageously seals the gap created by the relative movement between the door frame and the casing.
The door assembly 10 has a main longitudinal axis X passing through the vertical wall 2a when the door assembly 10 is in its closed position.
The main longitudinal axis X, when the door assembly 10 is in its closed position, is preferably parallel, or substantially coincident, to the reference rotation axis L of the drum 3.
The door assembly 10 preferably comprises a frame 12 and a closing element 14 supported by the frame 12.
The frame 12 preferably includes a frame radially inner edge 16 defining a frame aperture 18 and the closing element 14 is apt to close the frame aperture 18.
The closing element 14 is preferably at least partially transparent.
The closing element 14 is preferably made of plastic and even more preferably it is made of a transparent, or at least semi-transparent, plastic material. The closing element 14 can however be made of glass or other suitable material. In further preferred embodiment, nevertheless, the closing element may be non-transparent. Advantageously, the aperture 18 and the closing element 14 are defined so that a user can at least partially view the laundry when looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the laundry dryer 1, in particular when closing element 14 is at least partially transparent.
More preferably, the frame 12 comprises a rear frame 20 and a front frame 22 arranged on a front side 22a of the rear frame 20.
The rear frame 20 is defined as the portion of the door assembly 10, a side of which, called rear side 20b, is substantially in contact with, or immediately in front of, the casing 7 when the door assembly 10 is in the closed position, while the front frame 22 is defined as the portion of the door assembly 10 arranged outwardly when the door assembly 10 is closed onto casing 7, i.e. it faces a direction opposite to the casing 7.
The handle 50 is preferably integrally made with the front frame 22 and is preferably made by a radially projecting shaped portion of the same.
The rear frame 20 preferably comprises a rear frame inner edge 20c defining a rear aperture 26.
The front frame 22 preferably comprises an inner edge 22c defining a front aperture 28.
Rear and front frames 20, 22 are mounted so that the two apertures 26, 28 overlap, at least partially, and therefore apertures 26, 28 define the frame aperture 18 of the frame 12.
Preferably, rear and front frames 20, 22 are coaxial and/or concentric. Analogously, preferably, apertures 26, 28 are coaxial and/or concentric.
Preferably, rear and front frames 20, 22 and rear and front apertures 26, 28 of door assembly 10 have an arbitrary geometrical shape, for example can be substantially polygonal, such as rectangular, quadratic, triangular, or elliptic when a front view of the same is considered.
More preferably, rear and front frames 20, 22 and rear and front apertures 26, 28 are circular, or substantially circular.
The closing element 14 is preferably supported by the rear and front frames 20, 22. More preferably, at this purpose, the closing element 14 comprises an outer rim 30 sandwiched between rear and front frames 20, 22.
The outer rim 30 also preferably comprises protruding portions 36 that may be provided with elongated holes 36a. The protruding portions 36 can be received within respective seats formed in the rear frame 20 or the elongated holes 36a can be received in respective pins (not visible) formed on the rear frame 20 . This arrangement allows correct alignment/centering of the closing element 14 to the frame rear and front frames 20, 22 during assembling steps.
The rear frame 20 and the front frame 22 are coupled one to the other, preferably in a removable manner, by means of a fastening device 200.
The fastening device 200 preferably comprises coupling elements 121 and corresponding coupling counter-elements (not visible) formed in the front frame 22 and the rear frame 20, respectively.
In the depicted embodiment, said coupling elements 121 extend from the rear side 22b of the front frame 22 while said coupling counter-elements extend from the front side 20a of the rear frame 20.
Preferably, each coupling element 121 includes a protruding element. Preferably, the protruding element 121 includes a tubular sleeve having an open end. Preferably, each coupling counter-element includes a protruding element.
It is desired that the dimensions of the sleeves are such that the coupling elements 121 can be preferably inserted within the coupling counter-elements or vice-versa.
Fastening screws 25, some of them indicated in Figure 1, are preferably inserted from the rear surface 20b of rear frame 20 into the through-holes defined by coupling counter-elements and then screwed into the tubular sleeves of coupling elements 121 to fix the rear frame 20 to the front frame 22.
In different embodiments, the rear frame and the front frame are differently coupled one to the other, for example by gluing or welding.
The closing element 14 preferably has a cup-shaped surface 40 which extends from the frame 12 along the main longitudinal axis X through the door opening 4 and extending at least partly inside the drum 3 through the drum front mouth 13 when the door assembly 10 is in its closed position.
The cup-shaped surface 40 preferably comprises a rear side surface 42 facing the inner space delimited by the drum 3, when the door assembly 10 is in its closed position, and a lateral surface 44 extending from the rear side surface 42 up to the closing element outer rim 30 along the main longitudinal axis X.
The lateral surface 44 is preferably substantially conical frustum shaped.
The rear side surface 42 and the lateral surface 44 are preferably joined by a rounded transition 46.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated and described herewith, the lateral surface 44 preferably further comprises a substantially flat horizontal portion 44a which, when the door assembly 10 is in the closed operative position, is arranged above an air filter arrangement 55 of the laundry dryer 1, as illustrated in Figure 1.
The air filter arrangement 55 is preferably arranged downwardly in close proximity of the door opening 4 inside the casing 7.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the rear side surface 42 of the closing element 40 comprises an innermost rear side portion 80 and a second portion 82. The innermost rear side portion 80 is the innermost portion of the rear side surface 42 towards the inner space of the drum 4 along the main longitudinal axis X.
According to the invention, the second portion 82 of the rear side surface 42 is spaced apart from a reference plane, indicated as P in the figures, that is perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis X and that is tangent to the innermost rear side portion 80 of the rear side surface 42, as illustrated for example in Figures 3, 5 and 6.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures 1 to 11, the reference plane P is tangent to the innermost rear side portion 80 at a single tangent point TP.
The innermost rear side portion 80 of the rear side surface 42 coincides, therefore, to a single point, namely the tangent point TP.
In different embodiments, the innermost rear side portion may be differently shaped so that it may consist of multiple points, for example a straight line, a curved line, a mixtilinear line or a plane surface. In such a case, the reference plane is tangent to the innermost rear side portion at multiple points, for example at a straight line, a curved line, a mixtilinear line or a plane surface, respectively. A preferred alternative embodiment, better described later, wherein the innermost rear side portion of the rear side surface is a plane surface is shown in Figures 12 and 13.
It has to be noted that the innermost rear side portion 80 of the closing element 14 is the portion of the closing element 14 more prominent inside the drum 3 and also the portion of the closing element 14 first hit by the rotating laundry inside the drum 3.
The force direction of the laundry hitting the closing element 14 is defined by a first component parallel to the plane containing the frame 18 and a second component perpendicular to said plane, i.e. substantially parallel to the main longitudinal axis X of the door assembly 10. The second force component is the force that may cause undesired aperture of the door assembly 10 around the axis of opening H, considering that the latch device 17 is designed to be released by overcoming a predetermined force intensity, while the first force component has no sensible effects on the door assembly 10 being well supported by the hinge device 160 and/or the latch device 17.
According to the invention, any point of the second portion 82 is spaced apart from the reference plane P or, in other words, any point of the second portion 82 is at a given distance from the reference plane P.
Furthermore, according to the invention, the innermost rear side portion 80 is completely located at the right side of a vertical reference plane V containing the main longitudinal axis X looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1 when the main rotation direction MD is the clockwise direction or the innermost rear side portion 80 is completely located at the left side of a vertical reference plane V containing the main longitudinal axis X looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1 when the main rotation direction MD is the counterclockwise direction.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the main rotation direction MD is the clockwise direction looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1, i.e. according to the viewing direction indicated with "W" in the Figures.
According to the invention, therefore, the innermost rear side portion 80 of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures is completely located at the right side of the vertical reference plane V looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1. In particular, the tangent point TP is located at the right side of the vertical reference plane V looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated herewith, the second portion 82 is an inclined plane surface and has a distance from the reference plane P that increases while moving horizontally leftwards from the innermost rear side portion 80 looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the laundry dryer 1. The distance from the reference plane P, in particular, increases continuously while moving horizontally leftwards from the innermost rear side portion 80 looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the laundry dryer 1.
Such a feature is clearly perceived from Figure 5 by comparing the two distances D1 and D2 of two respective points of the second portion 82 from the reference plane P, wherein the distance increases from a lower distance D1 to a higher distance D2.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the innermost rear side portion 80 is further located at the bottom side of the rear side surface 42 looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1, as illustrated in particular in Figure 4.
In particular, the tangent point TP is located at the bottom side of the rear side surface 42 looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside of the dryer 1.
Furthermore, being the second portion 82 an inclined plane surface, the distance from the reference plane P has a distance that increases while moving upwardly from the innermost rear side portion 80. The distance from the reference plane P, in particular, increases continuously while moving upwardly from the innermost rear side portion 80.
Such a feature is clearly visible from Figure 6 by comparing the two distances D3 and D4 of two respective points of the second portion 82 from the reference plane P, wherein the distance increases from a lower distance D3 to a higher distance D4.
It should be noted that in different embodiments, nevertheless, the second portion of the rear side surface may be differently shaped, providing that any point thereof is spaced apart from the reference plane. The second portion 82 may therefore comprise any plane and/or curved portion, or a combination thereof. According to an aspect of the invention, the plane surface which constitutes the second portion 82 belongs to a plane P1 which intersects the reference plane P to generate a line IL forming an angle of less than 90 degree with a horizontal plane, as illustrated in Figure 3.
In general, when the second portion is not planar, and according to an aspect of the invention, a plane tangent to the second portion intersects the reference plane generating a line forming an angle of less than 90 degree with a horizontal plane. The door assembly 10 is preferably provided with an actuator 95 which interacts with a safety device of the dryer 1 (not illustrated), preferably fixed to the casing 7. The actuator 95 preferably comprises a fin rearwardly protruding from the frame 18, preferably protruding from the rear side 20b of the rear frame 20. The protruding fin 95 is apt to operate a switch of the safety device when the door assembly 10 is in the closed position. The safety device can therefore advantageously detect if the door assembly 10 is in the closed or in the opened position.
The protruding fin 95 is preferably arranged at the rear side 20b of the rear frame 20 in a vertical upward position.
A first seat 95a is preferably realized vertically upward at the rear side 20b of the rear frame 20 for the connection of the fin 95 thereto.
Furthermore, as illustrated in Figure 2, a second seat 95b is also preferably realized vertically downward at the rear side 20b of the rear frame 20. The second seat 95b is also apt for the connection of the fin 95 thereto. Use of the second seat 95b will be better described later.
As said above, the door assembly 10 is advantageously hinged and supported at the casing 7 of the dryer 1, preferably at the front vertical wall 2a of the casing 7. Door assembly 10, therefore, preferably comprises a hinge device 160 that is provided to pivot the door assembly 10 to the casing 7 so that it can be opened by rotating it about the axis of opening H of the door assembly 10.
Hinge device 160 may be any conventional hinge, preferably of the type that is not visible when the door assembly 10 is closed.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, the hinge device 160 preferably comprises a base portion 161 apt to be fixed to the front vertical wall 2a of the casing 7 (for example with screws) and two knuckles 162a, 162b extending from the base portion 161 which receive a pivot pin 163.
Knuckles 162a, 162b are advantageously received in the rear frame 20 of the door assembly 10.
Preferably, the rear frame 20 comprises two apertures 152a, 152b apt to receive knuckles 162a, 162b therethrough.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the hinge device 160 is preferably located at the right of the vertical reference plane V looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside, as schematically illustrated in Figure 14.
Preferably, the latch device 17 and the hinge device 160 are arranged at opposite side of the door assembly 10 and are preferably aligned along a center line C of the door assembly 10 substantially perpendicular to the axis of opening H of the door assembly 10.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the latch device 17 is preferably located at the left of the vertical reference plane V looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside.
Advantageously, reciprocal arrangement of the hinge device 160, the latch device 17 and the innermost rear side portion 80 when the main rotation direction is the clockwise direction MD looking frontally at the door assembly 10 allows to avoid undesired opening of the door assembly during the drying cycle.
In fact, said arrangement allows to reduce the second force component of the laundry hitting the closing element 14, as defined above, that may cause undesired aperture of the door assembly 10 around the axis of opening H, compared to door assembly having closing element of known type.
The point of application of second force, that corresponds substantially to the innermost rear side portion 80 location, is advantageously closer to the hinge device 160 than to the latch device 17 and therefore the opening action on the door assembly 10 exerted by laundry rotating within the drum 3, and hitting the closing element 14, during a drying process is highly reduced.
Advantageously, aperture of the door assembly 10 during the drying cycle, when the drum 3 is rotated, is avoided.
Preferably, also the handle 50 and the hinge device 160 are arranged at opposite side of the door assembly 10.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures, the handle 50 is therefore preferably located at the left of the vertical reference plane V looking frontally at the door assembly 10 from outside.
The handle 50 of the door assembly 10 illustrated and described herewith is preferably arranged offset with respect to the center line C, preferably at an upper position thereof.
Reciprocal arrangement of the handle 50 and of the hinge device 160 as described above, allows to obtain a right-swing configuration for the door assembly 10.
According to a further preferred aspect of the invention, the door assembly 10 of the invention allows reversibility of the same, i.e. the door assembly 10 may be reversed from a right-swing configuration to a left-swing configuration or vice-versa.
Furthermore, according to a further preferred aspect of the invention, the door assembly 10 of the invention allows positioning of the handle 50 in a plurality of positions with respect to the center line C of the door assembly 10.
Figures 14 and 15 illustrate two possible positions for the handle 50 in the right-swing configuration of the door assembly 10 (wherein Figure 14 shows the configuration of the preferred embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 11).
Figures 16 and 17 illustrate two possible positions for the handle 50 in the left-swing configuration of the door assembly 10.
In particular, Figure 14 shows the right-swing configuration of the door assembly 10 according to the preferred embodiment described above with the handle 50 arranged at an upper position with respect to the center line C.
Figure 15 shows the right-swing configuration of the door assembly 10 with the handle 50 arranged at a lower position with respect to the center line C.
Figure 16 shows the left-swing configuration of the door assembly 10 with the handle 50 arranged at an upper position with respect to the center line C.
Figure 17 shows the left-swing configuration of the door assembly 10 with the handle 50 arranged at a lower position with respect to the center line C.
Reversibility of the door assembly 10, from a right-swing configuration to a left-swing configuration or vice-versa, is preferably obtained by disassembling the door assembly 10 from the casing 7, preferably unscrewing screws of the hinge device 160, rotating the rear and front frames 20, 22 repositioning them in a position at 180° with respect to the original position while keeping the closing element 14 still and finally assembling the door assembly 10 to the casing 7, preferably screwing screws of the hinge device 160.
This can be appreciated, for example, by comparing Figure 14 or 15 to Figure 16 or 17.
Together with rotation of the rear and front frames 20, 22 when passing from a right-swing configuration to a left-swing configuration, the fin 95 is also moved to another fin seat. In particular, as can be appreciated by comparing Figure 14 or 15 to Figure 16 or 17, the fin 95 is disconnected from the first seat 95a at the rear side 20b of the rear frame 20 and connected to the second seat 95b, which is formed in the rear frame 20 in an opposite position relative to the first seat 95a. The position of the fin 95 relative to the machine casing 7 remains advantageously constant when passing from a right-swing configuration to a left-swing configuration. In this way, there is no necessity to change the position of the safety device, which is preferably fixed to the casing 7.
In further preferred embodiments, reversibility of the door assembly may be obtained by configuring the frame, preferably the rear frame, so that the hinge device may be attached thereto in a plurality of positions.
Positioning of the handle 50 in different positions is preferably obtained thanks to the fastening device 200 of the door assembly 10.
For example, considering the right-swing configuration, in order to change the position of the handle 50 as illustrated in Figure 14 (upper offset position) to the position of the handle 50 as illustrated in Figure 15 (lower offset position), the following steps are performed:

unscrewing the fastening screws 25 and releasing the front frame 22 from the rear frame 20;
rotating the front frame 22 with respect to the rear frame 20 from the original position (upper offset position) to the new position (lower offset position), preferably by rotating the front frame 22 counterclockwise of 90° with respect to the rear frame 20;
screwing the fastening screws 25 to connect the front frame 22 to the rear frame 20 in the new position (lower offset position).

Analogously, considering the left-swing configuration, in order to change the position of the handle 50 as illustrated in Figure 16 (upper offset position) to the position of the handle 50 of Figure 17 (lower offset position), the following steps are performed:

unscrewing the fastening screws 25 and releasing the front frame 22 from the rear frame 20;
rotating the front frame 22 with respect to the rear frame 20 from the original position (upper offset position) to the new position (lower offset position), preferably rotating the front frame 20 clockwise of 90° with respect to the rear frame 20;
screwing the fastening screws 25 to connect the front frame 22 to the rear frame 20 in the new position (lower offset position).

Tests carried out by the applicant have proved that locating the innermost rear side portion 80 at the right side of the rear side surface 42 of the cup-shaped surface 40 looking frontally at the door assembly 10 when the main rotation direction is the clockwise direction MD allows to overcome drawbacks of the known art.
Advantageously, said positioning of the innermost rear side portion 80 compared to the rotational direction MD of the drum 3 has proved to reduce the force component of the laundry striking the closing element 14 from inside of the drum 3 that may cause undesired aperture of the door assembly 10.
In fact, as said above, the innermost rear side portion 80 of the closing element 14 is the portion of the closing element 14 more prominent inside the drum 3 and also the portion of the closing element 14 first hit by the rotating laundry inside the drum 3 with a force defined by a first component parallel to the plane containing the frame 18 and a second component perpendicular to said plane. Tests carried out by the applicant have proved that the second force component in the door assembly 10 of the invention, which is the force that may cause undesired aperture of the door assembly 10 itself, is reduced compared to door assembly having closing element of known type.
The closing element of the invention, therefore, avoids aperture of the door assembly during the drying cycle when the drum is rotated.
Said advantage is more evident in configurations where the innermost rear side portion 80 is closer to the hinge device 160, such as the configurations illustrated in Figures 14 and 15 (wherein the configuration of Figure 14 corresponds to the first preferred embodiment above described with reference to Figures 1 to 11). In such configuration, in fact, not only the second force component is reduced in its intensity but also the point of application of such force is closer to the hinge device 160 than to the latch device 17, therefore the opening action on the door assembly 10 exerted by laundry rotating within the drum 3, and hitting the closing element 14, during a drying process is highly reduced.
Nevertheless, it has been proved that also configurations where the innermost rear side portion 80 is farther from to the hinge device 160, such as the configurations illustrated in Figures 14 and 15, avoids aperture of the door assembly 10 during the drying cycle when the drum is rotated. This is mainly due to the actual reduction of the second force component intensity. Advantageously, reliability of the laundry dryer compared to known laundry dryer is improved, avoiding undesired opening of the door assembly during the drying cycle.
It should be noted that the same advantages are reached by locating the innermost rear side portion at the left side of the rear side surface of the cup-shaped surface looking frontally at the door assembly when the main rotation direction is the counterclockwise direction.
Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a further embodiment of a closing element 14' for a door assembly according to the present invention.
In the drawings, corresponding characteristics and/or components previously described are identified by the same reference numbers.
The closing element 14' differs from the closing element 14 of the first preferred embodiment previously described with reference to Figures 1 to 11 in that the rear side surface 42' of the cup-shaped surface 40' comprises an innermost rear side portion 80' which consists of a plane surface perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis X of the door assembly.
In this embodiment, the reference plane P is tangent to the innermost rear side portion 80' at multiple points, namely at a plane surface that coincides with innermost rear side portion 80' itself.
It has thus been shown that the present invention allows all the set objects to be achieved. In particular, it makes possible to improve reliability of the laundry dryer compared to known laundry dryer, avoiding undesired opening of the door assembly during the drying cycle.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments shown in the figures, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described herein; on the contrary, further variants of the embodiments described herein fall within the scope of the present invention, which is defined in the claims.

Claims

A laundry dryer (1) comprising:
- a casing (7) supporting a drum (3) adapted to receive laundry to be dried, the drum (3) being housed in axially rotating manner inside the casing (7) to rotate about a reference rotation axis (L) in at least a main rotation direction (MD), wherein the main rotation direction (MD) is the direction in which the drum (3) rotates for the most part of the time during a drying cycle, said drum (3) comprising a substantially cylindrical, tubular body having a front mouth (13) for introduction of laundry into the drum (3);

- a door opening (4) defined in a vertical wall (2a) of the casing (7) which is aligned with the front mouth of the drum (3):

- a door assembly (10) apt to open/close the door opening (4), the door assembly (10) having a main longitudinal axis (X) passing through the vertical wall (2a) when the door assembly (10) is in its closed position, the door assembly (10) comprising:
- a frame (12, 20, 22) including a frame radially inner edge (16, 20c, 22c) defining a frame aperture (18, 26, 28) and comprising a rear surface (20b) apt to face the vertical wall (2a) when the door assembly (10) is in its closed position;

- a closing element (14; 14'), apt to close the frame aperture (18, 26, 28), supported by the frame (12, 20, 22) through an outer rim (30) of the closing element (14; 14'), the closing element (14; 14') comprising a cup-shaped surface (40; 40') extending from the frame (12, 20, 22) along the main longitudinal axis (X) through the door opening (4) and extending at least partly inside the drum (3) through the drum front mouth (13) when the door assembly (10) is in its closed position, the cup-shaped surface (40; 40') comprising a rear side surface (42; 42') facing the inner space delimited by the drum (3) and a lateral surface (44) extending from the rear side surface (42; 42') up to the closing element outer rim (30) along the main longitudinal axis (X);

wherein the rear side surface (42; 42') is shaped to comprise an innermost rear side portion (80; 80') towards the inner space of the drum (3) and a second portion (82; 82') which is spaced apart from a reference plane (P) that is perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis (X) and that is tangent to the innermost rear side portion (80; 80') when the door assembly (10) is in its closed position, characterised in that:
- the innermost rear side portion (80; 80') is completely located at the right side of a vertical reference plane (V) containing the main longitudinal axis (X) looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside of the laundry dryer (1) when the main rotation direction (MD) is the clockwise direction; or

- the innermost rear side portion (80; 80') is completely located at the left side of a vertical reference plane (V) containing the main longitudinal axis (X) looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside of the laundry dryer (1) when the main rotation direction (MD) is the counterclockwise direction.
The laundry dryer (1) according to claim 1, wherein the innermost rear side portion (80; 80') is the set of points, or the point, where the rear side surface (42; 42') intersects the reference plane (P).
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion (82; 82') has a distance from the reference plane (P) that increases while moving horizontally leftwards from the innermost rear side portion (80) looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside of the laundry dryer (1) when the main rotation direction (MD) is the clockwise direction or the second portion has a distance from the reference plane that increases while moving horizontally rightwards from the innermost rear side portion looking frontally at the door assembly from outside of the laundry dryer (1) when the main rotation direction is the counterclockwise direction.
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the innermost rear side portion (80; 80') is further located at the bottom side of the rear side surface (42; 42') looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside of the laundry dryer (1).
The laundry dryer (1) according to claim 4, wherein the second portion (82; 82') has a distance from the reference plane (P) that increases while moving upwardly from the innermost rear side portion (80; 80').
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion (82; 82') is a plane surface, said plane surface belonging to a plane (P1) which intersects the reference plane (P) to generate a line (IL) forming an angle of less than 90 degree with a horizontal plane.
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second portion (82; 82') is shaped so that at least a plane tangent to a point thereof intersects the reference plane (P) to generate a line forming an angle of less than 90 degree with a horizontal plane.
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein it further comprises a latch device (17) keeping the door assembly (10) in its closed position.
The laundry dryer (1) according to claim 8, wherein the latch device (17) comprises a latch (19) and a latch retaining mechanism and wherein the latch device (17) is configured so that, when the latch is locked to keep the door assembly (10) in a closed position, a relative movement is allowed between the latch (19) and the latch retaining mechanism device and hence a relative movement is allowed between the door assembly (10) and the casing (7) while keeping the door assembly (10) in said closed position.
The laundry dryer (1) according to claim 9, wherein a sealing gasket (9) is interposed between the door assembly (10) and the casing (7) to guarantee an airtight coupling of the door assembly (10) to the door opening (4) when the door assembly (10) is in said closed position and subjected to the relative movement.
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the door assembly (10) comprises a hinge device (160) and a handle (50), wherein the hinge device (160) is located at the right of the vertical reference plane (V) when looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside.
The laundry dryer (1) according to claim 11 when depending from claim 8, wherein the latch device (17) and the handle (50) are located at the left of the vertical reference plane (V) looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside.
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein the door assembly (10) comprises a hinge device (160) and a handle (50), wherein the hinge device (160) is located at the left of the vertical reference plane (V) and the handle (50) is located at the right of the vertical reference plane (V) looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside.
The laundry dryer (1) according to claim 13 when depending from claim 8, wherein the latch device (17) is located at the right of the vertical reference plane (V) looking frontally at the door assembly (10) from outside.
The laundry dryer (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the door assembly (10) is configured for being arranged so that an open position of the door assembly (10) is obtained either by a left-swing movement or by a right-swing movement.