Domestic appliance with a steam unit constructed as a module

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a domestic appliance, especially to a dryer for textiles or a washing machine.

[0002] Domestic appliances are well known in the state of the art. It is known to wash and to dry textiles by them. Dryers usually use a condensation process or a wet exhausting air process.

[0003] It has been found that the quality of the treatment of textiles can be improved by using steam which is applied to the textiles. This applies especially for washing machines and for dryers. By doing so unwanted odours can be removed. Also a beneficial steam treatment of the textiles can occur. For this purpose water steam, particularly hot or superheated water steam is fed into the treatment area, which is usually a drum which contains the textiles. For this the washing machine or the dryer needs to have a steam unit.

[0004] EP 1 441 060, EP 1 600 545, US2006/016020, EP1 655 408, US2005/034489 disclose a domestic appliance having a steam unit for producing water steam which is fed to a treatment area.

[0005] A problem is that the supply of a domestic appliance with the possibility to apply steam to the textiles is often quite complex. The system has to be supplied with the different elements so that the production of steam can take place in a controlled manner. Also the steam producing device needs different peripheral elements.

[0006] Usually, the different elements of a steam producing appliance have to be mounted into the domestic appliance. This takes not only time but demands also a certain logistic effort. Consequently, the equipment of steam producing devices in domestic appliances is very costly, especially when it comes to the assembly of the different components which are required for the steam system.

[0007] Another problem is that the place for putting the different components of the steam system must be carefully defined when a domestic appliance is designed. This also leads to high costs because it has to be done for each single type of domestic appliance.

[0008] Therefore, in addition the logistics to make sure that all relevant types of domestic appliances can be supplied with the required components become quite extensive.

[0009] Another problem is that it is quite costly to maintain or to repair domestic appliances with steam producing systems. The disassembly and the assembly of broken components takes a quite long time which leads to comparatively high costs for the assembler.

[0010] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to propose a domestic appliance, especially a home dryer or a washing machine, which allows an improved assembly of the components which are required for equipping the appliance with the steam producing system. Also, it is desired that the service effort is decreased to save costs in connection with the maintenance of the appliance. Furthermore, the costs for logistics are aimed to be reduced. Especially a solution is sought which facilitates the supply of the required components for equipping the appliance with the steam system.

[0011] This object is achieved by a domestic appliance according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments are mentioned in the dependent claims.

[0012] According to claim 1 the invention is characterized in that the domestic appliance has a steam unit for producing water steam, especially hot or superheated steam, which is fed to a treatment area, especially to a drum, wherein the steam unit is constructed as a module.

I. e. the invention suggests to design a steam producing system as a module which contains at least the most essential elements for steam production. Preferably, the modular steam unit comprises a steam generator. Also it can comprise a pump. Furthermore, a water reservoir, a safety device and/or an electronic controlling device can be arranged in the steam module.

[0013] Beneficially, the modular steam unit comprises an electric wrap connection device. This device can be connected with a controlling device of the appliance. With this design it is very easy to mount or to dismount the steam unit in the domestic appliance by using wrap connection means.

[0014] For mechanically placement of the steam unit in the domestic appliance it can be mounted in the appliance by means of quick release fastener elements. Those quick release fastener elements can comprise snap connection means. Furthermore this connection means can comprise receiving means that fit into holes in the module. The module in this case is set on the receiving means via a vertical movement and affixed by an additional horizontal movement, whereby a horizontal groove in the receiving means slides into a corresponding recess in the module.

[0015] An easy mounting and dismounting can be reached when the components of the steam unit are arranged on a base plate. Furthermore, the domestic appliance can comprise at least one reception slot and/or receiving means for guiding and receiving the base plate. With this feature the whole steam unit can be mounted into the appliance very easily. Preferably the receiving means are made of temperature resistant materials, especially plastics. The material should be resistant to temperatures at least over 200°C.

[0016] Furthermore, the steam unit can be arranged in a side region within the appliance. Also the location for the steam unit can be in an upper or a lower region within the appliance. Also an arrangement of the steam unit in the basement region / on the basement of the domestic appliance is possible.

[0017] The domestic appliance can be a dryer for textiles, particularly a condensation type dryer.

[0018] The proposed concept is also very useful for washing machines, particularly domestic washing machines.

[0019] In case of a dryer or a washing machine the module is preferably arranged between a side panel of the dryer and the drum of the appliance.

[0020] Preferably, the steam unit is designed as a retrofit kit. So easy retrofitting of existing domestic appliances becomes possible.

[0021] According to the invention the domestic appliance, especially the dryer, has an additional steam functionality, especially a hot steam or superheated steam functionality. Due to the modular design of the steam unit which has to be integrated into the appliance assembly and disassembly becomes very easy and cheap. It can be mounted very quickly by using quick release means for carrying the steam unit. Furthermore, it is easily possible to retrofit the steam unit in an existing appliance.

[0022] Not only assembly/disassembly becomes very easy when employing the invention, also the design of the domestic appliance becomes very universal. The diversity of components which are necessary is reduced in spite of an increasing variety of types of domestic appliances.

[0023] In the drawings an embodiment of the invention is depicted.

FIG 1

shows schematically an example of a home dryer according to the invention in the front elevation,

FIG 2

shows schematically a top view of the module placed within the dryer shown in FIG 1,

FIG 3

shows another example of a home dryer according to the invention, and

FIG 4

shows in an magnification a part of FIG 3 that shows the steam unit module.

[0024] In FIG 1 a domestic appliance 1 in the form of a home dryer for drying textiles is shown wherein the drying of the textiles occurs in a well known manner. The textiles (not depicted) are placed in a drum 3, which is generally a treatment area. The drum 3 is closed by a door 20. Here, the dryer 1 is designed as a dryer of the condensation type. I. e. is has a condensate reservoir 16 in which water is collected which is extracted from the wet textiles.

[0025] To improve the quality of the treatment of the textiles a steam process is carried out in the dryer 1. Steam, i. e. hot or superheated steam, is applied to the textiles in the drum 3 of the dryer 1. For this a modular steam unit 2 for the production of the steam is arranged within the dryer 1. A water reservoir 6 to supply the steam unit is placed in a side region 13 of the dryer 1, in an upper region 14, close to a side panel 17 of the dryer 1 and between the side panel 17 and the condensate reservoir 16. The condensate reservoir 16 is arranged as part of a drawer (not depicted) that could be removed from the dryer 1 to empty it. A front panel 21 of this drawer can be seen in FIG 1. This front panel 21 additionally covers at least a part of the water reservoir 6.

[0026] The steam unit 2 is designed as a compact and modular element. Therefore, the whole steam unit 2 can be assembled or disassembled into or from the dryer 1.

[0027] As can be seen from FIG 1 the steam unit 2 is arranged in the left part, i. e. in the side region 13, of the dryer in a lower region 15, especially between the drum 3 and a side panel 17 of the dryer 1. It is also possible to locate the steam unit 2 in an upper region 14 of the appliance 1.

[0028] Details of the steam unit 2 become apparent from FIG 2. As can be seen here, the steam unit 2 comprises different components, i. e. a steam generator 4, which is supplied with water from the water reservoir 6 by means of a pump 5, which is also arranged within the steam unit 2. Steam generator 4 and pump 5 are fixed on a base plate 11 which is received in receiving means 12 arranged at the dryer 1, which are shown only schematically. It can be seen that this receiving means 12 fit into holes 22 in the base plate 11. The base plate 11 is set on the receiving means 12 via a vertical movement and affixed by an additional horizontal movement, whereby a horizontal groove (not depicted) in the receiving means 12 slides into a corresponding recess 23 in the base plate 11.

[0029] Alternatively different quick releasing means can be provided, which make sure that the base plate 11 carrying the different parts of the steam unit 2 is firmly located in the domestic appliance 1.

[0030] Furthermore, the water reservoir 6 can be arranged as additional part of the modular steam unit 2 (not depicted), e.g. by arranging it on the top of the steam generator 4 and/or the pump 5.

[0031] The steam produced by the steam generator 4 is supplied via a steam tube 18 to an outlet nozzle 19 and into the drum 3. Furthermore, it is only depicted schematically that the steam unit 2 has also a safety device 7 and an electronic controlling device 8. Furthermore, an electric wrap connection device 9 is arranged to establish the electrical connection with the controlling device 10 of the dryer 1 (see FIG 1). One part 9' of the electric wrap connection device 9 is fixed on the base plate 11 and another part 9" of the electric wrap connection device 9 can be connected with the domestic appliance 1. When inserting the base plate 11 into the domestic device 1 by sliding it in horizontal direction, the electrical connection is achieved automatically, as the two parts 9' and 9" come into contact. Alternatively it is possible to use plug connector and socket as electric wrap connection device. In this case the electrical connection between steam unit and controlling device of the dryer can be done by just connecting the connector with the socket.

[0032] The water reservoir 6 allows the storage and the supply of clean and decontaminated water for the steam production. As shown in FIG 1, it is designed in that way that it becomes very small to use a free space between the condensate reservoir 16 and the side panel 17.

[0033] The different components can be fixed on the base plate 11 using several bolts which are arranged on the base plate, e. g. four bolts, which are connected with the components to arrange them firmly to the base plate 11.

[0034] FIG 3 shows another example of a home dryer 1 according to the invention. The side panel is removed, therefore the arrangement of the water reservoir 6 and the steam unit module 2 in the dryer 1 can be seen. FIG 4 shows in a magnification of FIG 3 the arrangement of the steam unit 2. The steam generator 4, the pump 5, the base plate 11 and the receiving means 12 arranged at the dryer 1 to receive the base plate 11 can be seen.

Reference Numerals

[0035] 

1

Domestic appliance

2

Steam unit

3

Treatment area (drum)

4

Steam generator

5

Pump

6

Water reservoir

7

Safety device

8

Electronic controlling device

9, 9', 9"

Electric wrap connection device

10

Controlling device

11

Base plate

12

Receiving means

13

Side region

14

Upper region

15

Lower region

16

condensate reservoir

17

Side panel

18

Steam tube

19

Outlet nozzle

20

Door

21

Front Panel

22

Hole

23

Recess

Claims

1. Domestic appliance (1), wherein the appliance has a steam unit (2) for producing water steam, especially superheated steam, which is fed to a treatment area (3), especially to a drum, characterised in that the steam unit (2) is constructed as a module and the modular steam unit (2) comprises a steam generator (4) and a pump (5) which are mounted on a base plate (11).

2. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the modular steam unit (2) comprises a water reservoir (6).

3. Domestic appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the modular steam unit (2) comprises an electronic controlling device (8).

4. Domestic appliance according to at least one of claims 1 till 3, characterized in that the modular steam unit (2) comprises an electric wrap connection device (9, 9' 9").

5. Domestic appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the electric wrap connection device (9") is connected with a controlling device (10) of the appliance (1).

6. Domestic appliance according to at least one of claims 1 till 5, characterized in that the steam unit (2) is mounted in the appliance (1) by means of quick release fastener elements.

7. Domestic appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that quick release fastener elements comprise snap connection means.

8. Domestic appliance according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises at least one reception slot and/or receiving means (12) for guiding and receiving the base plate (11).

9. Domestic appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that the receiving means (12) are made of temperature resistant materials, especially plastics.

10. Domestic appliance according to at least one of claims 1 till 9, characterized in that the steam unit (2) is arranged:

- in a side region (13) within the appliance (1), or

- in an upper region (14) within the appliance (1), or

- in a lower region (15) within the appliance (1).

11. Domestic appliance according to at least one of claims 1 till 10, characterized in that it is a dryer for textiles, preferably a condensation type dryer.

12. Domestic appliance according to at least one of claims 1 till 10, characterized in that it is a washing machine.

Ansprüche

1. Haushaltsgerät (1), wobei das Gerät eine Dampfeinheit (2) zur Produktion von Wasserdampf umfasst, insbesondere von Heißdampf, der einem Behandlungsbereich (3), insbesondere einer Trommel, zugeführt wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Dampfeinheit (2) als Modul konstruiert ist und die modulare Dampfeinheit (2) einen Dampfgenerator (4) und eine Pumpe (5) umfasst, die auf einer Basisplatte (11) montiert sind.

2. Haushaltsgerät gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die modulare Dampfeinheit (2) einen Wassertank (6) umfasst.

3. Haushaltsgerät gemäß Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die modulare Dampfeinheit (2) eine elektronische Steuerungsvorrichtung (8) umfasst.

4. Haushaltsgerät gemäß wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1-3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die modulare Dampfeinheit (2) eine elektrische Steckkontaktvorrichtung (9, 9', 9") umfasst.

5. Haushaltsgerät gemäß Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die elektrische Steckkontaktvorrichtung (9'') mit einer Steuerungsvorrichtung (10) des Geräts (1) verbunden ist.

6. Haushaltsgerät gemäß wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1-5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Dampfeinheit (2) im Gerät (1) mit Hilfe von Schnellspanner-Befestigungselementen montiert ist.

7. Haushaltsgerät gemäß Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Schnellspanner-Befestigungselemente Schnappverbindungsmittel umfassen.

8. Haushaltsgerät gemäß einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es wenigstens einen Empfangsschlitz und/oder Aufnahmemittel (12) zum Führen und Aufnehmen der Basisplatte (11) umfasst.

9. Haushaltsgerät gemäß Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Aufnahmemittel (12) aus temperaturbeständigen Materialien, insbesondere Kunststoffen, gefertigt ist.

10. Haushaltsgerät gemäß wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1-9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Dampfeinheit (2) angeordnet ist:

- in einem Seitenbereich (13) innerhalb des Geräts (1), oder

- in einem oberen Bereich (14) innerhalb des Geräts (1), oder

- in einem unteren Bereich (15) innerhalb des Geräts (1).

11. Haushaltsgerät gemäß wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1-10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es sich um einen Trockner für Textilien, vorzugsweise um einen Kondensationstrockner handelt.

12. Haushaltsgerät gemäß wenigstens einem der Ansprüche 1-10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es sich um eine Waschmaschine handelt.

Revendications

1. Appareil électroménager (1), dans lequel l'appareil comporte une unité de vapeur (2) pour produire de la vapeur d'eau, spécialement de la vapeur surchauffée, qui est délivrée à une zone de traitement (3), spécialement à un tambour, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de vapeur (2) est construite comme un module et l'unité de vapeur modulaire (2) comprend un générateur de vapeur (4) et une pompe (5) qui sont montés sur une plaque de base (11).

2. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de vapeur modulaire (2) comprend un réservoir d'eau (6).

3. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de vapeur modulaire (2) comprend un dispositif de commande électronique (8).

4. Appareil électroménager selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de vapeur modulaire (2) comprend un dispositif de connexion de bouclage électrique (9, 9', 9").

5. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de connexion de bouclage électrique (9") est connecté à un dispositif de commande (10) de l'appareil (1).

6. Appareil électroménager selon au moins l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de vapeur (2) est montée dans l'appareil (1) au moyen d'éléments de fixation rapide.

7. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de fixation rapide comprennent des moyens de connexion à emboîtement.

8. Appareil électroménager selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend au moins une fente de réception et/ou des moyens de réception (12) pour guider et recevoir la plaque de base (11).

9. Appareil électroménager selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que les moyens de réception (12) sont constitués de matériaux résistant à la température, spécialement des plastiques.

10. Appareil électroménager selon au moins l'une des revendications 1 à 9, caractérisé en ce que l'unité de vapeur (2) est agencée :

- dans une région latérale (13) à l'intérieur de l'appareil (1), ou

- dans une région supérieure (14) à l'intérieur de l'appareil (1), ou

- dans une région inférieure (15) à l'intérieur de l'appareil (1).

11. Appareil électroménager selon au moins l'une des revendications 1 à 10, caractérisé en ce qu'il s'agit d'un sécheur pour textiles, de préférence un sécheur de type à condensation.

12. Appareil électroménager selon au moins l'une des revendications 1 à 10, caractérisé en ce qu'il s'agit d'une machine à laver.

Drawing