(19)
(11) EP 1 199 396 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
28.05.2003 Bulletin 2003/22

(43) Date of publication A2:
24.04.2002 Bulletin 2002/17

(21) Application number: 01118817.4

(22) Date of filing: 10.08.2001
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: D06F 58/24, D06F 58/28
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 26.09.2000 DE 10047401

(71) Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Benton Harbor Michigan 49022 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Bollmann, Andreas
    V.Le G. Borghi 27, 21025 Comerio (IT)
  • Lange, Carsten
    V.Le G. Borghi 27, 21025 Comerio (IT)
  • Pöhler, Reinhold
    V.Le G. Borghi 27, 21025 Comerio (IT)

(74) Representative: Guerci, Alessandro 
Whirlpool Europe S.r.l. Patent Department Viale G. Borghi 27
21025 Comerio (VA)
21025 Comerio (VA) (IT)

   


(54) Clothes dryer with a condensation device


(57) The invention concerns a clothes dryer with a condensation device with a condensate collector that controls a switching device which monitors the presence of the condensate collector and its full level and emits a control signal to the control circuit of the clothes dryer. The operation reliability is improved with a simple switching device where a two-arm, spring-loaded operating lever (30) is pivoted in a base part (10) that receives the condensate collector (20), whereby the feeler arm (31) of the operating lever (30) rests under pretension against a sidewall (21) of the condensate collector (20) that can be vertically adjusted to a degree, and the switching arm (32) is connected to an actuator (41) of an electrical switch (40), whereby the inserted condensate collector (20) holds the operating lever (30) in an actuated position for the switch (40) by its sidewall until the condensate reaches a set level, and when the set level is exceeded, the condensate collector sinks (20) until the feeler arm (31) of the lock-and-release lever (30) swings over an abrupt shoulder in the sidewall (21) of the condensate collector (20) and assumes a locked position in which the switch (40) is switched off, and the clothes dryer cannot be started.






Search report