The present invention relates to a gasket system for an open face side of a rotating drum, in particular for a rear side of a laundry drum. Further, the present invention relates to a laundry dryer with a gasket system for an open rear side of a laundry drum.
In a typical laundry dryer the laundry drum is formed as a cylinder barrel with an open front face side and an open rear face side. The front opening of the laundry drum is provided for loading laundry. The rear opening of the laundry drum is covered by a rear bulk head attached at a rear cabinet wall of the laundry dryer. A perforated central portion of the rear bulk head is provided for blowing hot air into the laundry drum.
Usually, an annular gasket is arranged between the rear opening of the laundry drum and the rear bulk head. The annular gasket does not rotate with the laundry drum. For example, the annular gasket is fitted at the bulk head or at the rear wall by a metal band enclosing circumferentially said gasket. The metal band is fixed at the bulk head or at the rear wall by tabs perpendicular to said band. The band is clinched or screwed at the bulk head or at the rear wall, respectively.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved gasket system for an open face side of a rotating drum, in particular for the rear side of a laundry drum.
The object of the present invention is achieved by the gasket system according to claim 1.
The present invention relates to a gasket system for an open face side of a rotating drum, in particular for a rear side of a laundry drum, wherein
According to the present invention a ring is provided for seating a front gasket that abuts against the rotating rear side of a laundry drum.
The inventive gasket system allows a better air tight and heat insulation in the interface between the rear face side of the laundry drum and the rear bulk head. The ring is detachably fastened at the rear bulk head. The shape of the rear cabinet wall is independent of the dimensions of the ring. The same ring may be used for several laundry dryers with different rear cabinet walls.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the front gasket seat of the ring is formed as a circumferential U-shaped profile part, wherein the open side of said U-shaped profile part is directed to the rotating drum.
Preferably, the gasket system includes an annular rear gasket adjacent to or attachable at a cover sheet for covering the open face side of the rotating drum.
Further, the rear gasket is received or receivable by the rear gasket seat of the ring.
Preferably, the rear gasket seat of the ring is formed as a circumferential U-shaped profile part, wherein the open side of said U-shaped profile part is directed or directional to the cover sheet.
In particular, the front gasket seat of the ring comprises at least one circumferential elongated projection inside said front gasket seat.
Further, the front gasket comprises an elastomeric part and a felt part, wherein the felt part is directed to the rotating drum.
In this case, the at least one projection of the front gasket seat may be provided for squeezing the elastomeric part of the front gasket in order to fasten said front gasket in the front gasket seat.
Preferably, the front gasket is completely received or receivable by the front gasket seat of the ring.
In contrast, the rear gasket is partially received or receivable by the rear gasket seat of the ring.
Further, the ring comprises at least one distance element directed or directional to the cover sheet.
In particular, the at least one distance element is marginally longer than the rear gasket seat respective the direction to the cover sheet.
Further, the ring is made by a polymeric material, and further preferably, it is made by an injection moulding process.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention the rotating drum is a laundry drum, the open face side is the rear face side of said laundry drum, and the cover sheet is a rear bulk head and/or a rear cabinet wall of the laundry drum.
Further, the present invention relates to a laundry dryer with a gasket system for an open rear side of a laundry drum, wherein the laundry dryer comprises a gasket system mentioned above.
Preferably, the laundry dryer comprises a drying air circuit for cyclically recirculating air onto laundry contained inside the drum, said drying air circuit being provided with a heat pump arrangement for heating and removing moisture from air passed through laundry to be dried.
The novel and inventive features believed to be the characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims.
The invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which
The laundry drum 10 is substantially formed as a cylinder barrel. The front face side and the rear face side comprise a round opening in each case. The laundry drum 10 is made of metal, in particular of stainless steel. The front opening of the laundry drum 10 is provided for loading laundry. The rear opening of the laundry drum 10 is covered by a rear bulk head 12. The rear bulk head 12 is attached at a rear cabinet wall 14 of a laundry dryer. A perforated central portion of the rear bulk head 12 is provided for blowing hot air into the laundry drum 10. Said perforated central portion of bulk head 12 can be arranged in fluid communication with a drying air circuit of a laundry dryer.
A gasket system is arranged between the laundry drum 10 and the bulk head 12. The gasket system comprises a front gasket 16, and a ring 18. The front gasket 16 and the ring 18 have an annular form in each case. The ring 18 is fixed at the rear bulk head 12 and/or at the rear cabinet wall 14 by screws or other fastening means, like rivets, adhesive, welding. The ring 18 includes a front gasket seat 22 that is provided for receiving the front gasket 16. The front gasket 16 forms the connection between the rear face side of the laundry drum 10 and the ring 18.
The gasket system preferably comprises a rear gasket 20 having an annular form. The ring 18 includes a rear gasket seat 24 that is provided for receiving the rear gasket 20. The rear gasket 20 forms the connection between the plastic ring 18 and the rear bulk head 12.
In a preferable embodiment the ring 18 may be made of a polymeric material rather than of metal. Further advantageously the polymeric, i.e. plastic, ring 18 may be made by an injection moulding process.
The whole gasket system, i.e. the front gasket 16, the plastic ring 18 and also the rear gasket 20, if the latter is present, is stably fixed at the rear bulk head 12, so that the gasket system does not rotate with the laundry drum 10. For this purpose, a plurality of ribs may be provided on the front gasket seat 22 of the ring 18. Said ribs protrude into the front gasket seat 22 and prevent the rotation of the front gasket 16.
The front gasket seat 22 of the ring 18 is formed as a circumferential U-shaped profile part, which open side is directed to the laundry drum 10 and to the front side of the laundry dryer. In a similar way, the rear gasket seat 24 of the ring 18 is formed as a circumferential U-shaped profile part, which open side is directed to the rear cabinet wall 14 of the laundry dryer. In this example, the cross-section of the front gasket seat 22 is bigger than the cross-section of the rear gasket seat 24.
The front gasket 16 is completely received by the front gasket seat 22. The front gasket 16 preferably includes an elastomeric part 32 and a felt part 34. The elastomeric part 32 forms the rear part of the front gasket 16. The felt part 34 forms the front part of the front gasket 16. The elastomeric part 32 of the front gasket 16 is hollow and has a rectangular cross-section. The felt part 34 of the front gasket 16 is compact. Two circumferential elongated projections 30 are inside the front gasket seat 22. The projections 30 are at the inner side walls of the U-shaped profile part. The projections 30 squeeze the elastomeric part 32 of the front gasket 16 in order to fasten said front gasket 16 in the front gasket seat 22 of the plastic ring 18.
The rear gasket 20 is partially received by the rear gasket seat 24. A bigger portion of the rear gasket 20 is received by the rear gasket seat 24. A smaller portion of the rear gasket 20 projects out of the rear gasket seat 24 and is pressed against the rear bulk head 12. The rear gasket 20 is compact. The rear gasket seat 24 does not touch the rear bulk head 12. The plastic ring 18 comprises two distance elements 28 at its rear side. The distance elements 28 extend rearwards and are arranged beside the rear gasket seat 24. The distance elements 28 touch the rear bulk head 12, so that the plastic ring 18 is supported by the rear bulk head 12 via the distance elements 28.
Whether the rear gasket 20 is absent, the fixation between the ring 18 and the rear bulk head 12 and/or the rear cabinet wall 14 is air-tight so as to avoid any air leakage. The provision of a rear gasket 20 further enhances the air-tight connection between the ring 18 and the rear bulk head 12 and/or the rear cabinet wall 14.
The gasket system according to the present invention provides a better air tight and heat insulation in the interface between the rear face side of the laundry drum 10 and the rear bulk head 12. The plastic ring 18 is detachably fastened at the rear bulk head 12, so that a permanent fixation of said plastic ring 18 is avoided. The shape of the rear cabinet wall 14 is independent of the dimensions of the plastic ring 18. The same plastic ring 18 can be used for several laundry dryers with different rear cabinet walls 14.
The laundry dryer 1 comprises a drying air circuit for circulating air through the drum 10 so as to dry wet laundry contained therein. Preferably, the drying air circuit is provided with a heat pump arrangement for heating and removing moisture from air passed through laundry to be dried.
Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to this precise embodiment, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.