Tumble drier with drying cabinet

Abstract

 Tumble dryer comprising:
- a closed-loop air circuit adapted to circulate drying air through a rotatable drum (2), said closed-loop air circuit comprising the drum (2), blower means (3), an air-cooled condenser (4) adapted to remove moisture from the moisture-laden drying air exiting the drum (2), and heating means (5) provided downstream from the air-cooled condenser (4) to heat up the drying air to be sent again into the drum (2),
- an open-loop cooling-air circuit adapted to circulate through the air-cooled condenser (4) a stream of cooling air taken in from the outside ambient to cool the condenser, and to let out said stream of cooling air again into the outside ambient, the tumble dryer comprises a drying cabinet (6) adapted to accommodate garments to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out, and fluidly connected to the closed-loop drying-air circuit so that the latter is enabled to cause at least part of the drying air to flow from a section (7) of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, provided downstream from the heating means (5) and upstream to the drum (2), into the drying cabinet (6), circulate through the drying cabinet (6), exit the drying cabinet (6), and flow again either into the drum (2) or through the air-cooled condenser (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a tumble dryer.

[0002] Drum-type clothes dryers have a decisive advantage in that a great amount of clothes can be dried at a time, but share a number of disadvantages, such as the ones deriving from the tumbled clothes getting entangled so as to be exposed to wrinkling problems and even damages in repeated drying treatments. Therefore, drum-type tumble dryers are generally not suitable for drying delicate clothes, such as sweaters, shirts, undergarments and the like.

[0003] EP 1 146 161 discloses an accessory assembly comprising a cabinet that can be connected to an air exhaust port of a clothes dryer, so that the clothes placed in such cabinet can be treated by such air. In the case that the dryer to which such cabinet is connected is a condenser-type dryer, the flow of air entering the cabinet is hot and dry and can be used to dry delicate clothes contained in such cabinet. In the case that the dryer is an air-vented or exhaust-type dryer, the flow of air entering the cabinet is warm and very humid, i.e. moisture-laden, so that it can be used to refresh garments and remove wrinkles therefrom.

[0004] The air that flows through the cabinet is then exhausted into the outside ambient, where the tumble dryer and the cabinet are installed.

[0005] In this connection, it should however be noticed that - in both aforecited cases - the air being exhausted is humid. In fact, what a tumble dryer delivers to the cabinet is either moisture-laden process air exiting the drum of the dryer or hot and dry condenser-cooling air that, upon coming into contact with the garments to be dried or, anyway, treated in the cabinet, takes in the moisture it removes from the same garments, before being exhausted outside.

[0006] The moisture-laden air being exhausted into the room where both the tumble dryer and the cabinet are installed, tend to condense and, thus, form condensate that may damage and spoil objects, such as home furniture, equipment, furnishings and the like, standing or used in the same room. It is furthermore to be specially stressed that any excessive moisture content in the ambient air would make it uncomfortable for a user to stand or dwell in the room.

[0007] It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a drying apparatus, which is effective in doing away with the above-noted drawbacks of the cited prior art.

[0008] According to the present invention, this aim, along with further ones that will become apparent from the following disclosure, is reached in a drying apparatus that incorporates the features as defined and recited in the claims appended hereto.

[0009] Features and advantages of the present invention will anyway be more readily understood from the description that is given below by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a tumble dryer according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a tumble dryer according to another embodiment of the present invention, as provided with supporting means for shirts, sweaters and similar items;
• Figure 3 Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a tumble dryer similar to the one shown in Figure 2, as provided however with supporting means for trousers and similar items;
• Figure 4 is a schematical perspective view of the closed-loop air circuit of the tumble dryer and the delivery and return conduits connecting the closed-loop air circuit to the drying cabinet or apparatus for drying and/or smoothing-out, i.e. removing wrinkles from hollow-shaped garments and laundry articles;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the supporting means for knitted shirts and similar items;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of the supporting means for trousers and similar items.

[0010] With reference to the above-cited Figures, the clothes tumble dryer, as generally indicated with the reference numeral 1, comprises a closed-loop air circuit adapted to circulate drying air through a rotatable drum 2, such closed-loop air circuit including the drum 2, blower means 3, an air-cooled condenser 4 adapted to remove moisture from the moisture-laden drying air exiting the drum 2, and heating means 5 provided downstream from the air-cooled condenser 4 to heat up the drying air to be sent again into the drum 2.

[0011] The tumble dryer is provided with an open-loop cooling-air circuit adapted to circulate through the air-cooled condenser 4 a stream of cooling air taken in from the outside ambient to cool said condenser 4, and to let out said stream of cooling air again into the outside ambient.

[0012] Further, the tumble dryer comprises a drying cabinet 6 for accommodating garments to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out, which is fluidly connected to said closed-loop drying-air circuit of the tumble dryer, so that the latter is adapted to cause at least part of the drying air to flow from a section 7 of the closed-loop drying-air circuit - located downstream from the heating means 5 and upstream to the drum 2 - into the drying cabinet 6, circulate through such drying cabinet 6, exit the drying cabinet 6, and flow again into and through the drum 2 or the air-cooled condenser 4.

[0013] The tumble dryer comprises an outer casing 8 enclosing the component parts of the machine. Such outer casing 8 comprises a clothes loading/unloading port, as duly provided with a door assembly 9, for the clothes to be able to be introduced in and removed from the interior of the drum 2. The drum 2 is mounted inside the casing 8 for rotation about its central axis, as driven by a motor arranged to drive the drum 2.

[0014] Through the closed-loop drying-air circuit, the hot and moisture-laden drying air is caused to leave the rotating drum 2 and is conveyed towards the air-cooled condenser 4; then, the dehydrated drying air exiting the condenser 4 is sent back into the drum 2, upon having been duly heated up again, so as to remove additional moisture from the clothes being tumbled in the drum 2. The tumble dryer comprises appropriate blower means 3 adapted to cause the drying air to circulate inside and through the closed-loop drying-air circuit. Heating means 5 are provided downstream from the air-cooled condenser 4 to heat up the dehydrated drying air due to be sent back into the drum 2.

[0015] The open-loop cooling-air circuit is adapted to cause the cooling air to circulate through the air-cooled condenser 4, an air intake aperture and an air exhaust aperture fluidly connected with the air-cooled condenser 4, wherein the cooling air is taken in from the outside ambient, conveyed to and through the air-cooled condenser 4, and eventually blown back into the outside ambient again.

[0016] The air-cooled condenser 4, which is preferably an air-to-air heat exchanger, comprises a plurality of fluid passageways, along which the drying air is able to flow in view of having the moisture condensed and removed therefrom, and these fluid passageways are capable of being invested by, i.e. are exposed to the stream of cooling air flowing through the open-loop cooling-air circuit.

[0017] For example, the condenser 4 may comprise a first array of spaced-apart fluid passageways for the drying air and a second array of spaced-apart fluid passageways for the cooling air, which are arranged in an alternating relationship relative to said first array of fluid passageways, so that between two such adjacent fluid passageways for the drying air there is provided a fluid passageway for the cooling air.

[0018] The cooling air that flows along the second array of fluid passageways is adapted to brush, i.e. move in contact with the fluid passageways of the drying air, thereby cooling it down by convection so as to cause water vapour in the hot moisture-laden drying air to precipitate by condensation.

[0019] The drying cabinet 6 is comprised of a casing, the interior of which defines a chamber 10 adapted to receive and accommodate the garments due to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out.

[0020] Such drying cabinet 6 is located above the tumble dryer itself, as mounted upon the worktop of the latter. The drying cabinet 6 may be provided integrally, i.e. as a joint construction, with the tumble dryer, or it may be provided in the form of an add-on accessory to be removably attached on to the worktop of the tumble dryer when needed or required.

[0021] The drying cabinet 6 is provided with a door 11 enabling access to be gained into the chamber 10 for the garments to be introduced in or be removed from the interior of the drying cabinet. The garments themselves may be suspended there to support members properly provided in the chamber by means of coat hangers or the like.

[0022] The drying cabinet is connected to the closed-loop drying-air circuit via a delivery conduit 12, which is adapted to convey at least part of the drying-air flow towards the drying cabinet 6. This delivery conduit 12 is fluidly connected with a section 7 of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, which is located downstream from the heating means 5 and upstream to the drum 2.

[0023] Such section 7 of the closed-loop drying-air circuit comprises an outlet aperture 13 that is fluidly connected with the delivery conduit 12, so that part of the drying-air stream that has been heated up by the heating means 5 and is due to flow into and through the drum 2, is diverted and conveyed into the delivery conduit 12. In practice, the closed-loop drying-air circuit is arranged to cause part of the heated drying air to flow from the above-mentioned section 7 - located downstream from the heating means 5 and upstream of the drum 2 - into the delivery conduit 12.

[0024] The drying cabinet 6 further comprises an inflow opening 14, which is advantageously situated in an upper portion of the drying cabinet 6, and is fluidly connected with the delivery conduit 12 so as to enable the heated drying air to flow into and through the chamber 10 where the garments to be treated are placed.

[0025] An outflow opening 15 fluidly connected with a return conduit 16 is provided in a preferably lower portion of the drying cabinet 6 so as to enable the drying air to exit the drying cabinet 6 after having flown through the chamber 10.

[0026] Such return conduit 16 and the closed-loop drying-air circuit are fluidly connected with each other via an inlet aperture 17, through which the drying air exiting the drying cabinet 6 is conveyed back into the drum.

[0027] It can on the other hand be most readily appreciated that the return conduit 16 can be directly connected to the air-cooled condenser 4, instead of the drum 2, so that the drying air flowing in from the drying cabinet is sent to the air-cooled condenser 4 jointly with the drying air flowing in from the drum 2.

[0028] With the aid of the blower means 3, the closed-loop drying-air circuit is capable of circulating part of the drying air through the delivery conduit 12, the chamber 10 of the drying cabinet 6 and the return conduit 16, to eventually convey it back either into the drum 2 or the air-cooled condenser 4.

[0029] In practice, the delivery conduit 12, the chamber 10 of the drying cabinet 6 and the return conduit 16 form a closed-loop air flow-path fluidly connected to the closed-loop drying-air circuit of the tumble dryer.

[0030] The drying cabinet 6 may be used as an auxiliary drying apparatus and, in particular, as a gentle dryer for handling delicate clothes and fabrics that are not suitable for treating in a regular tumble dryer due to the impact stresses that such clothes and fabrics would unavoidably be subject to in the drum of such tumble dryer.

[0031] Alternatively, the drying cabinet may be used as a refreshing apparatus to smooth out, i.e. remove wrinkles from dry clothes and garments or simply as an apparatus to deprive clothes and garments of unpleasant or unattractive smells.

[0032] The drying cabinet can of course be used regardless of the drum of the associated tumble dryer being or not filled with clothes to be dried.

[0033] Preferably, the drying cabinet comprises steam generator means 18, such as a ultrasonic steam generator, for the ambient of the chamber 10 of the drying cabinet 6 to be humidified, particularly in the case in which the drying cabinet 6 is used to wrinkle removal, i.e. refreshing purposes when the tumble dryer drum is empty, i.e. there are no clothes being dried in the drum. These steam generator means 18 are therefore adapted to ensure an appropriate extent of moisture in the chamber air, as required for creases and wrinkles in the garments to be smoothed out.

[0034] Advantageously, the drying cabinet comprises collecting means adapted to collect dripping water that, falling from the suspended garments, tends to accumulate on a lower or bottom surface of the chamber.

[0035] Means adapted to close the outlet aperture 13 and the inlet aperture 17 are provided in order to enable the tumble dryer to operate in an ordinary manner, i.e. without sending drying air to the drying cabinet 6 in an inoperative state thereof.

[0036] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6, the tumble dryer comprises an apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items 19 such as shirts, trousers and the like, such apparatus comprising support means 20, 22, 23 for holding a garment item to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out.

[0037] Such support means 20, 22, 23 are fluidly connected to said closed-loop drying-air circuit, so that the latter is adapted to cause at least part of the drying air to flow from a section 7 of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, located downstream from the heating means 5 and upstream to the drum 2, into the interior of the hollow-shaped garment item being treated, so as to produce an excess pressure causing the garment item itself to swell out and distend into the inherent good-fit shape thereof.

[0038] The closed-loop drying-air circuit is adapted to cause said drying air to circulate through the support means 20, 22, 23, and be eventually conveyed into the drum 2 or the air-cooled condenser 4.

[0039] The support means themselves are connected to the closed-loop drying-air circuit via the delivery conduit 12 that is adapted to convey at least part of the drying air towards such support means. As this has already been described hereinbefore, the delivery conduit 12 is fluidly connected with a section 7 of the closed-loop drying-air circuit that is located downstream from the heating means 5 and upstream to the drum 2.

[0040] Such support means comprise a base member 20 that is adapted to be applied on to the worktop of the tumble dryer in an arrangement in which it is fluidly connected with the delivery conduit 12 and is adapted to convey the drying air flowing in from the section 7 of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, to let it into the garment to be treated. To such purpose, the base member 20 comprises a plurality of fluid passageways, i.e. flowpaths 21 that are fluidly connected with the delivery conduit 12.

[0041] The support means further comprise a plurality of hollow arms 22, onto which the garment to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out is slipped and affixed.

[0042] Clamping means 23 are additionally provided to fasten the end portions of the garment item to the hollow arms 22 and substantially close the apertures leading into the hollow-shaped garment item, so that the garment item itself is able to be held firmly in position as the drying air circulates thereinside. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the clamping means 23 practically clamp the trousers or the sweater to the base member 20 by the waist thereof so as to ensure a fluid connection between the interior of the hollow-shaped garment item and the base member 20. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the clamping means 20 clamp the end portions of the trouser legs, or the end portions of the sweater collar and sleeves, as the case may be, to the end portions of the hollow arms 22. The clamping means 23 are furthermore such as to prevent the drying air from escaping through the end apertures of the hollow-shaped garment item; at the same time, they are adapted to convey the drying air circulating inside the garment item through the hollow arms 22.

[0043] Via connector means 24 extending through the base member 20, the hollow arms 22 are fluidly connected with the return conduit 16, which - as this has already being described in connection with the previously discussed embodiment - is adapted to convey the drying air back again into the closed-loop drying-air circuit to either flow into the drum 2 or the air-cooled condenser 4.

[0044] Such return conduit 16 and the closed-loop drying-air circuit are fluidly connected with each other via the inlet aperture 17, through which the drying air flowing through the hollow arms 22 is caused to reach again into the closed-loop drying-air circuit.

[0045] With the help of the blower means 3, the closed-loop drying-air circuit is able to circulate part of the drying air through the delivery conduit 12, the base member 20, the interior of the hollow-shaped garment item, the hollow arms 22, and the return conduit 16 so as to have it conveyed back either into the drum 2 or through the air-cooled condenser 4.

[0046] In practice, through the delivery conduit 12 and the fluid passageways 21 of the base member 20, the drying air is conveyed into the hollow-shaped garment item, wherein some of such drying air will of course be able to escape through the meshes of the fabric of the garment item, thereby being vented into the surrounding ambient, while the drying air that remains inside the garment item air is conveyed by the clamping means 23 into the hollow arms 22. The drying air will then flow through the hollow arms 22, the connector means 24 and the return conduit 16 to be let again into the closed-loop drying-air circuit and, in particular, to be conveyed back either into the drum 2 or the air-cooled condenser 4.

[0047] The apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment pieces may be used as an auxiliary drying apparatus and, in particular, as a gentle dryer for handling delicate clothes and fabrics that are not suitable for treating in a regular tumble dryer due to the impact stresses that such clothes and fabrics would unavoidably be subject to in the drum of such tumble dryer.

[0048] Alternatively, the apparatus may be used as a refreshing apparatus to smooth out, i.e. remove wrinkles from dry clothes and garments or simply as an apparatus to deprive clothes and garments of unpleasant or unattractive smells.

[0049] The apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items can of course be used regardless of the drum of the associated tumble dryer being or not filled with clothes to be dried.

[0050] Preferably, there are provided steam generator means 18, such as a ultrasonic steam generator, for the air circulating within the hollow-shaped garment item to be humidified, particularly in the case in which the apparatus is used to wrinkle removal, i.e. refreshing purposes when the tumble dryer drum is empty, i.e. there are no clothes being dried in the drum. These steam generator means are therefore adapted to ensure an appropriate moisture content in the circulated air, as required for creases and wrinkles in the garments to be effectively smoothed out.

[0051] Preferably, the apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items can be removably applied and attached to the worktop of the tumble dryer as required by the user.

[0052] Means adapted to close the outlet aperture 13 and the inlet aperture 17 are provided in order to enable the tumble dryer to operate in an ordinary manner, i.e. without sending drying air to the apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items in an inoperative state thereof.

Claims

1. Tumble dryer comprising:

- a closed-loop air circuit adapted to circulate drying air through a rotatable drum (2), said closed-loop air circuit comprising the drum (2), blower means (3), an air-cooled condenser (4) adapted to remove moisture from the moisture-laden drying air exiting the drum (2), and heating means (5) provided downstream from the air-cooled condenser (4) to heat up the drying air to be sent again into the drum (2),

- an open-loop cooling-air circuit adapted to circulate through the air-cooled condenser (4) a stream of cooling air taken in from the outside ambient to cool said condenser, and to let out said stream of cooling air again into the outside ambient, characterized in that it comprises a drying cabinet (6) adapted to accommodate garments to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out, and fluidly connected to said closed-loop drying-air circuit so that the latter is enabled to cause at least part of the drying air to flow from a section (7) of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, provided downstream from the heating means (5) and upstream to the drum (2), into the drying cabinet (6), circulate through said drying cabinet (6), exit said drying cabinet (6), and flow again either into the drum (2) or through the air-cooled condenser (4).

2. Tumble dryer according to claim 1, wherein said drying cabinet (6) is fluidly connected to said section (7) of the closed-loop drying-air circuit via a delivery conduit (12).

3. Tumble dryer according to claim 2, wherein said drying cabinet (6) is fluidly connected to the closed-loop drying-air circuit via a return conduit (16) that is arranged to let the drying air exiting the drying cabinet (6) back into either the drum (2) or the air-cooled condenser (4).

4. Tumble dryer according to claim 3, wherein said delivery conduit (12) forms, jointly with said drying cabinet (6) and said return conduit (16), a closed-loop air flow-path fluidly connected to the closed-loop drying-air circuit of the tumble dryer.

5. Tumble dryer comprising:

- a closed-loop air circuit adapted to circulate drying air through a rotatable drum (2), said closed-loop air circuit comprising the drum (2), blower means (3), an air-cooled condenser (4) adapted to remove moisture from the moisture-laden drying air exiting the drum (2), and heating means (5) provided downstream from the air-cooled condenser (4) to heat up the drying air to be sent again into the drum (2),

- an open-loop cooling-air circuit adapted to circulate through the air-cooled condenser (4) a stream of cooling air taken in from the outside ambient to cool said condenser (4), and to let out said stream of cooling air again into the outside ambient, characterized in that it comprises an apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items (19), such as sweaters, shirts, trousers and the like, said apparatus comprising support means (20, 22, 23) for holding a garment item to be refreshed or smoothed out, said support means (20, 22, 23) being fluidly connected to said closed-loop drying-air circuit so that the latter is adapted to cause at least part of the drying air to flow from a section (7) of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, which is provided downstream from the heating means (5) and upstream to the drum (2), into the interior of a hollow-shaped garment item so as to produce an excess pressure to swell out and distend said garment item into the inherent good-fit shape thereof, said closed-loop drying-air circuit being adapted to cause said stream of drying air to both circulate through said support means (20, 22, 23) and be conveyed back into either the drum (2) or the air-cooled condenser (4).

6. Tumble dryer according to claim 5, wherein said support means (20, 22, 23) comprise a base member (20) that is adapted to be applied on to the worktop of the tumble dryer in an arrangement in which it is fluidly connected with a delivery conduit (12), and is adapted to convey the drying air flowing in from the section (7) of the closed-loop drying-air circuit, to let it into a hollow-shaped garment item to be treated.

7. Tumble dryer according to claim 6, wherein said support means comprise a plurality of hollow arms (22), onto which the garment item to be dried, refreshed and/or smoothed out is slipped and affixed.

8. Tumble dryer according to claim 7, wherein there are further provided clamping means (23) to fasten the end portions of a hollow-shaped garment item to the hollow arms (22) and prevent drying air from escaping through said end portions of the hollow-shaped garment item being treated, said clamping means (23) being also adapted to convey the drying air circulating within the hollow-shaped garment item back through said hollow arms (22).

9. Tumble dryer according to claim 8, wherein said hollow arms (22) are fluidly connected with a return conduit (16) adapted to convey the drying air back into the closed-loop drying-air circuit.

10. Tumble dryer according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said drying cabinet (6) or said apparatus for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items (19) comprises steam generator means (18) provided to humidify the drying air due to circulate in the drying cabinet (6) or within the hollow-shaped garment item being treated.

11. Tumble dryer according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising means adapted to cut off the fluid connection existing between the closed-loop air circuit and the drying cabinet (6), or the apparatus (19) for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items, in order to enable the tumble dryer to operate in an ordinary manner, i.e. without sending drying air to the drying cabinet (6), or the apparatus (19) for drying, refreshing and/or smoothing out hollow-shaped garment items in an inoperative state thereof.

Drawing