Drying chamber

Abstract

 A heat pump operated drying chamber, which comprises a first chamber part (1) for goods to be dried, a second chamber part (2) for the heat pump equipment and a rotatable drum (8) placed in the first chamber part (1) and in an easy way installed into and removed from chamber part (1), as let down on rolls (13),(14) installed in the chamber part, and drying air is conducted into drying drum (8) through free opening (17) arranged in the drum end and out from drum through holes in the other drum end.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a heat pump operated drying chamber, which comprises a first chamber part for goods to be dried, a second chamber part for the heat pump equipment including components and a rotatable drum placed in the first chamber part.

[0002] Previously known are drying cabinet drums in which the dampness from the goods to be dried in it and also the dampness, which gets off along with the circulating air flow from the cabinet, is condensed in a colder surface arranged in the process and removed as water. Then the dried air flow is heated and blasted anew to the goods to be dried. In these cabinets the cold surface is either a surface kept in room temperature or, for instance, a water cooled surface and heating of air is brought about by means of electric resistances, for instance, publications EP-1146161 and GB- 2002891.

[0003] The cooling and heating surfaces achieved into the drying cabinet by means of a heat pump are known from publication DE- 4212700. In the publication a solution is presented, where the drying process is carried out by means of the heat pump. The goods to be dried are put into the rotatable drum, through which the air flow is conducted. In the solution the drum is fixed in the cabinet and the other equipment is in the lower socket. By means of the equipment only goods put in the drum can be dried, whereby its use is restricted a little, since all textiles and garments cannot be dried in a rotating drum without causing damage to them or then the other goods in the drum cause damage to them.

[0004] By means of a drying chamber according to the invention the problems in connection with and connected to the drying drums and the drying chambers are surprisingly solved and an essential improvement of the construction of equipment and the comfort of use is achieved. The heat pump operated drying chamber according to the invention is characterized in that the drying drum placed in the drying part, can be easily installed and removed, as let down on rolls mounted in the chamber part, and the drying air is conducted in the drying drum through a free opening arranged in the end of the drum and off the drum through openings in the other end of the drum.

[0005] As a remarkable advantage of the invention is that by means of the easily detachable drum the drying chamber can be made larger for hang up of full-size garments. The relatively lightly constructed detachable drum of plastic can be used as laundry basket into which laundry is collected before moving into the washing machine. Into it can also washed and centrifuged laundry in turn be collected and it can be lifted with the laundry into the drying chamber. The drum is easily lifted into the chamber onto rolls in the chamber, so it can be lifted also with the laundry, or instance, with 10 kg in the drum. When the drum is slowly rotating during drying only less than 20 rotation per minute, the wear of textiles is minimal compared with traditional drying drums. The power consumption of the turning motor is then also very small. The advantage of the chamber is that at the same time with the drum drying can in the chamber upper part for drum drying unsuitable textiles be dried, which need, for instance, hanging up.

[0006] In the following the invention is disclosed with reference to the enclosed drawing, where

Figure 1 shows the drying chamber from the front with the door open.

Figure 2 shows the drying chamber from one side with the side wall removed.

Figure 3 shows the drying chamber from the front side with the door removed

Figure 4 shows the joint of the air tube of the shoeware dryer and the ventilator.

[0007] Figure 1 shows a drying chamber comprising a first chamber part 1 in the in the upper part of the construction and a second chamber part 2 in the in the lower part of the construction forrning the socket part. The first chamber has a rotatable drying drum 8, which is installed to be rolling on rolls I3. one roll 13 is at least is connected to the motor and driving. There is in drum 17 a free opening forwards for placing and removing laundry. In the lower part socket 2 there a compressor 3, a cooling radiator 4, heating radiator 6 and necessary components and adjusting means of the heat pump. The lower part has at least one air circulation blast 6, by means of which over the radiators 4 and 5o f the lower part the air is conducted to the chamber upper part 1. The air is at first circulated to cooling radiator 4, then to heating radiator 5. There is in the lower part also a water-collecting vessel 10.

[0008] Figure 2 shows the drying chamber from one side, whereby the conduction of air circulation from the lower part socket 2 to the cabinet upper part 1 is clarified. The partition wall 7 separates the lower socket 2 air space from the air space of the chamber upper part 1. In the solution according to the invention the circulation air is conducted as per figure 1 from the lower part output 15 according to the capsular door construction 9 so that the door construction works as air channel till the flow in the door has got up to the free opening 17 of the drum. There is in door 9 an opening 18 corresponding to output 15 and an opening 19 corresponding to opening 17 of drum 8, possibly also furnished with a packing so that with door 9 closed the air circulation comes from the door inside direct into the drum. From drum 8 the air circulation gets out through the openings in the drum other end. The air flow from the drum dries yet possible other textiles hanged up in the upper part. The air flow is conducted to return to the lower socket through opening 11. Air tubes for 16 drying of footwear are folded down, and through them no airflow gets out. In the chamber it is possible to dry garments on the drum 8 upper side, which, not hanged up, do not reach to the drum. The drum is from its back hold up by wheels 14. Drum 8 of figure 2 is furnished with holes on its perimeter, so that very wet laundry can, at first, be pressed against the bottom and water easily getting off the laundry can through holes 21 flow out from the drum. The water is conducted to the condense vessel 10. After suitable flowing time the heat drum drying is started.

[0009] Figure 3 shows a drying chamber with drum 8 removed. The air tubes 6 for drying of footwear are lifted up, whereby through them the air flow reaches the footwear, after the valve in the point of the folded tube has got open. When the drum is removed, in the chamber upper part full sized garments 20 can be placed by means of a coat hangers.

[0010] Figure 4 shows as example how air comes to drying tube 16 from tube 12 that comes from lower socket 2, when the tube is turned upwards. When the tube is turned to horizontal ,air cannot get from tube 12 into tube 16.

[0011] During drying the rotation of drum can be intermittent including dead times. In a certain advantageous way of rotation the direction of drum is changed in occasionally, which activates the motion of laundry in the drum, because the rotation is quite slow, under 20 rotations per minute, possible less than 10 rotations, and in occasionally, the drum is even stopped. The above presented way of rotation handles the laundry very carefully and is clearly better than the earlier ways of pump drying ways. Drying by means of heat pump keeps temperature in the chamber relative low for instance, about 30°C. The blast air is, however, in that temperature very dry, so the drying is very effective. Due to the low working temperature drum 8 can be made of plastic, for instance, with rotational mold casting, which is an advantageous way of manufacture. The drum keeps well its form in the temperatures in the device.

Claims

1. A heat pump operated drying chamber, which comprises a first chamber part (1) for goods to be dried, a second chamber part (2) for the heat pump equipment and a rotatable drum (8) placed in the first chamber part (1), characterized in that drying drum (8) is in an easy way installed into and removed from chamber part (1), as let down on rolls (13),(14) installed in the chamber part, and drying air is conducted into drying drum (8) through free opening (17) arranged in the drum end and out from drum through holes in the other drum end.

2. A drying chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that blast air is conducted into drum (8) using chamber door (9) as channel, in conducting the air flow to the door construction and from the door construction into chamber part (1) to opening (17) in the drum end.

3. A drying chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that chamber part (1) can be used with drum (8) removed, whereby garments can be hanged up in chamber part (1)

4. A drying chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that the drum (8) speed of rotation is under 20 rotations per minute.

5. A drying chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises footwear drying means, as air blast tubes (16)

Drawing