Laundry drying machine

Abstract

 The present invention relates to laundry machines, such as laundry drying machines and laundry washing/drying machines. A laundry drying machine (100) according to the invention has a drying air circuit comprising a moisture condensing element for condensing moisture from said drying air, an air inlet (325) and/or an air outlet (320) for allowing a cooling air flow to flow into and/or out of the laundry drying machine (100) to cool the moisture condensing element, a collection tank (105) for collecting moisture condensed in the condensing element, a tank housing (110) for accommodating the collection tank (105), said tank housing (110) being adjacent to at least one between said air inlet (325) and/or said air outlet (320) and having at least one sidewall (330a, 330b) separating the tank housing (105) from the adjacent air inlet (325) and/or air outlet (320), and a cover element (160) adapted to hide the collection tank (105) when said collection tank is accommodated in the tank housing (110). A laundry drying machine (100) according to the invention is characterized in that the cover element (160) is provided with one or more pass-through apertures (170) allowing said cooling air to flow through the cover element (160), and said at least one sidewall (330a, 330b) is permeable to the cooling air.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to laundry machines, such as laundry drying machines and laundry washing/drying machines, both for domestic and professional use. More particularly, the present invention relates to cover elements for such machines.

[0002] Generally, laundry drying machines may be divided in two categories according to the air circuit type implemented therein with the purpose of managing a flow of drying air (process air). Laundry machines of a first category are denoted as vented dryers. In operation, vented dryers draw air from the outside into the laundry machine, heat it, then blow the heated air through the laundry to be dried and finally exhaust back outside such air - together with moisture absorbed from the laundry. Laundry drying machines of the second category are denoted as condensation dryers. Condensation dryers are provided with a closed drying air circuit (process air circuit) comprising a moisture condensing unit - or simply, condensing unit - adapted to condense moisture dispersed in process air; therefore, there is no exhaustion of moisturized air from the laundry machines during operation.

[0003] Condensation dryers may be further subdivided in two subtypes, according to the device used for condensing moisture from process air. The condensation dryers of the first subtype are provided with an air-air heat exchanger, which cools and demoisturizes the process air by using ambient air as a coolant. Conversely, the condensation dryers of the second subtype are provided with a heat pump system, which has an evaporator portion for cooling and de-moisturizing the process air.

[0004] Condensation dryers of both subtypes usually comprise a collection tank for collecting water condensed from the moisturized process air exiting the drying chamber. Advantageously, in a condensation dryer having an air-air heat exchanger as moisture condensing unit, the tank may be provided in a lower portion of the laundry machine at least in part below the condensing unit; in this way, the condensed moisture will fall down from the condensing unit into the tank - passing through a suitable duct -, by the force of gravity. Thus, there is no need for a pump assembly for pumping the condensed moisture from the condensing unit area to the collection tank as in the case in which the collection tank is positioned in an upper portion of the laundry drying machine, above the condensing unit.

[0005] The placement of the collection tank in the bottom part of the laundry drying machine is made, typically, at a front panel thereof so as to allow an easy extraction of the collection tank by a user. In the front panel of the machine there are also provided the air inlet and/or air outlet section of a condensing cooling circuit that draws ambient air from the machine surroundings and discharges such air after it has been used to cool the condensing unit. Accordingly, the provision of the collection tank in the bottom of the laundry machine reduces the space available for the air inlet and/or the air outlet section and for ensuring an adequate flow rate to such sections of the cooling circuit. The reduction in the cooling air flow rate may lead to a reduction of the overall performance of the condensing unit, since the cooling operation may get slower and, consequently, the drying operation time of the laundry drying machine longer compared to an arrangement wherein the collection tank is positioned in an upper portion of the laundry drying machine and the air inlet and/or air outlet section of a condensing unit cooling circuit are arranged in the bottom part of the laundry drying machine.

[0006] There is therefore the need to ensure that a laundry drying machine having a condensate collection tank and air inlet and/or outlet section located at the bottom part of the machine casing has at least the same condenser cooling performance as that one of a laundry dryer wherein the condensate collection tank is placed at an upper part of the machine casing.

[0007] It is a further scope of the invention to provide a laundry drying machine having an efficient exchange of air from/to the ambient surrounding the machine.

[0008] The Applicant has faced the problem of devising a satisfactory solution able to overcome the above-discussed problems.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention proposes a laundry drying machine for treating laundry items comprising a drying air circuit comprising a moisture condensing element for condensing moisture from said drying air, an air inlet and/or an air outlet for allowing a cooling air flow to flow into and/or out of the laundry drying machine to cool the moisture condensing element, a collection tank for collecting moisture condensed in the condensing element, a tank housing for accommodating the collection tank, said tank housing being adjacent to at least one between said air inlet and/or said air outlet and having at least one sidewall separating the tank housing from the adjacent air inlet and/or air outlet, and a cover element adapted to hide the collection tank when said collection tank is accommodated in the tank housing; in said laundry drying machine the cover element is provided with one or more pass-through apertures allowing said cooling air to flow through the cover element, and said at least one sidewall is permeable to the cooling air.

[0010] Preferred features of the present invention are set in the dependent claims.

[0011] In an embodiment of the invention at least one air channel is formed between said cover element and said collection tank.

[0012] In one aspect of the invention, said at least one air channel is in fluid communication with the air inlet or the air outlet, the air channel being delimited by a wall which is impermeable to the cooling air.

[0013] In a further aspect of the invention the laundry drying machine comprises a casing adapted to enclose any component part of the laundry drying machine, said casing having a front side with a door providing access to a laundry drying chamber, wherein a bottom portion of the casing front side is provided with a housing aperture for allowing the collection tank to access the tank housing, the cover element being flush with the bottom portion when the collection tank is accommodated in the tank housing.

[0014] In still another aspect of the invention the bottom portion of the casing front side comprises at least one sidewall separating the tank housing from the adjacent air inlet and/or air outlet.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the casing front side comprises a front panel accommodating a door and the bottom portion of the casing front side is pivotable relative to the front panel.

[0016] Preferably, the cover element comprises a front wall carrying one or more pass-through apertures, and further comprises at least one cover sidewall protruding from the front wall, said at least one cover sidewall being permeable to the cooling air.

[0017] Further preferably, the cover element is attached or attachable to the collection tank by engaging the at least one cover sidewall with a lateral side of the collection tank.

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention the cover element is formed integral with the collection tank.

[0019] In still another embodiment of the invention the cover element is pivotally fixed to the bottom portion of the casing front side so as to cover the housing aperture.

[0020] In one aspect of the invention the cover element comprises a grasping portion adapted to be grasped by a user hand.

[0021] Preferably, the one or more pass-through apertures are provided around the grasping portion.

[0022] Further preferably, the grasping portion is formed on the cover element as a depression or set-back part.

[0023] In another aspect of the invention a first air channel is in fluid communication with the air inlet and a second air channel is in fluid communication with the air outlet, said impermeable-to-air wall fluidly separating the first air channel from the second air channel.

[0024] In an embodiment of the invention, the laundry drying machine comprises an air inlet and an air outlet, the cover element being arranged between the air inlet and the air outlet.

[0025] These, and others, features and advantages of the solution according to the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, provided merely by way of non-limitative example, to be read in conjunction with the attached drawings, wherein:

Figures 1A and 1B are perspective views of a laundry drying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention showing a collection tank inserted and extracted, respectively, in/from a tank housing;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front view of a lower portion of the laundry drying machine of Figures 1A -1B;

Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the laundry drying machine according to III-III axis shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 3B is a view similar to that of Figure 3A in which inlet and outlet airflows are conceptually illustrated.

[0026] With reference to the drawings, Figures 1A and 1B are perspective views of a laundry machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention showing a collection tank 105 inserted and extracted, respectively, in/from a tank housing 110.

[0027] The laundry machine 100 is a machine for treating laundry; in particular, the laundry machine of the herein considered example is a laundry dryer, but the present invention may as well be applied to laundry treating machines having laundry drying functions, such as laundry washing/drying machines. In the present example, the laundry drying machine 100 is of the front-loading type, anyway, also laundry drying machines of the top-loading type may benefit from the solution according to the present invention. Moreover, the laundry drying machine 100 herein considered is a condensation dryer provided with a condensing unit comprising an air-air heat exchanger (not shown in the figure).

[0028] The laundry drying machine 100 comprises a casing 115 generally parallelepiped shaped that is adapted to enclose substantially any component part of the laundry machine that are needed for carrying out a drying process on laundry. Electronic boards, electro-mechanic and mechanic component parts, an electric motor, a rotatable drum accommodating laundry to be treated, drying air and cooling air channels, a heating device and a drying air moisture removing unit are component parts enclosed by said casing 115. The casing 115 has a front panel 120, a rear panel (not visible in the drawings), two side panels 125 (only one of which visible in the figures) and a top panel 130, which closes a top portion of the laundry machine 100. A basement portion 305 (Figure 3A) closes the casing 115 at its bottom portion and forms a support for carrying at least some of the machine component parts for carrying out a drying process on laundry.

[0029] In a front side 121 of the casing 115, an access opening for accessing the interior of the laundry machine 100 is provided (not visible in the drawings). Particularly, the access opening allows a user accessing a drum (not visible in the drawings) rotatably mounted within the casing 115 and defining a drying chamber, where the laundry to be treated is stored. The access opening is selectively closable by a door 135 provided on the front side 121 of the casing 115. Such door 135 is adapted to seal the above mentioned drying chamber in an airtight manner.

[0030] Furthermore, the front side 121 of the casing 115 comprises a front top portion 120t, a front panel 120 and a front bottom portion 120b. In the front top portion 120t, a user interface (not shown in the figures) is preferably arranged, which allows the user to set operating parameters, e.g. selecting the drying process to be performed on laundry, and/or operating cycle options e.g., extra-dry cycle. Conversely, the front bottom portion 120b comprises a permeable-to-air part 140. The permeable-to-air part 140 is preferably a lowest strip-like part or band of the front bottom portion 120b, which is provided with a plurality of pass-through apertures. The plurality of pass-through apertures in the permeable-to-air part 140 allows ambient air flowing into and/or out from the laundry machine 100, for example, for being used to cool a drying air moisture condensing unit, placed inside the machine. Indeed, behind the permeable-to-air part 140 an air inlet and/or and an air outlet are provided as it will be better described below.

[0031] The air inlet and/or outlet are part of an air circuit provided in the laundry machine 100 for drawing ambient air from the surroundings of the laundry machine 100, using such ambient air an air-air heat exchanger of a condensing unit so as to cool the laundry drying air (process air) and condense moisture absorbed from the laundry stored in the drying chamber. Afterwards, the condensing unit cooling air is exhausted through the air outlet.

[0032] Moreover, as shown in Figure 1B, in the permeable-to-air part 140, preferably in the middle portion thereof, a housing aperture 145 is provided. The housing aperture 145 provides access to a tank housing 110 which slidingly receives a moisture collection tank 105.

[0033] The collection tank 105 is provided for collecting moisture removed from laundry by the condensing unit and preferably has substantially a parallelepiped shaped and is further preferably made of a polymer of suitable density (e.g, HDPE), even though other materials may be used. Advantageously, the collection tank is provided with ribs 150 on its upper and/or lower surfaces (the latter being not visible in the drawings). The ribs 150 grants an improved robustness to the collection tank 105 so as to prevent deformation thereof due to weight of water i.e. moisture condensed from the process air during a laundry drying cycle. The collection tank 105 also comprises an opening 155 adapted to couple with a moisture duct (not shown in the figures) when the collection tank 105 is inserted in the tank housing 110. Said moisture duct is in fluid communication with the condensing unit so as to convey condensed moisture to the collection tank 105 during the operation of the laundry machine 100.

[0034] As it can be appreciated by considering also Figure 2, which is an enlarged front view of the front bottom portion 120b of the laundry machine 100, the collection tank 105 is provided with a cover element 160, which may be attached or attachable to the collection tank 105 or, alternatively, formed integral with the tank 105. The cover element 160 is preferably designed to be flush with the permeable-to-air part 140 when the collection tank 105 is completely inserted in the tank housing 110. Moreover, the cover element 160 preferably comprises a handle or a grasping portion 165 that may be grasped by a user hand for facilitating the insertion/extraction operation of the collection tank 105 in/from the tank housing 110. The grasping portion 165 is preferably formed as a depression or set-back part on the cover element 160.

[0035] The cover element 160 hides the collection tank 105 and, at the same time, gives continuity to the design of the front bottom portion 120b of the casing front side 121.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cover element 160 comprises a front wall 180 advantageously provided with a plurality of pass-through apertures 170, which are preferably arranged around the grasping portion 165 and, together with apertures formed on the permeable-to-air part 140, preferably form a continuous distribution of apertures over the casing front side 121 bottom portion 120b. Such plurality of apertures 170 makes the cover element 160 permeable to fluids (e.g, air) and allows increasing an airflow rate to and/or from the inner part of the machine casing 115, e.g. a moisture condensing unit provided within the laundry machine 100 as it will be described in greater detail below. In the example at issue, the grasping portion 165 is not provided with pass-through apertures, but nothing prevents from providing also the grasping portion 165 with pass-through holes.

[0037] In another embodiment of the present invention the cover element 160 may be pivotally fixed to the bottom portion 120b of the casing front side 121, so as to cover the housing aperture 145, instead of being attached to the collection tank 105. In this case, the user, in order to insert/extract the collection tank 105 in/from the tank housing 110, has to pivot the cover element 140 until it reaches an open position. The grasping portion 165 helps the user in performing such operation.

[0038] Turning now to Figure 3A, a cross-sectional view of a front-lower portion of the laundry machine 100 according to III-III axis of Figure 2 is shown.

[0039] In the example at issue, the laundry drying machine 100 further comprises a basement portion 305, which forms a support for carrying at least some of the machine component parts for carrying out a drying process on laundry. The bottom portion 120b of the casing front side 121 may be attached to the basement portion 305 through a pair of hinges which are visible in Figure 3A and therein denoted with reference numeral 310. In this way, the bottom portion 120b can pivot relative to the front panel 120. The basement portion 305 comprises also left and right housing walls 315 which delimitate the tank housing 110 where the collection tank 105 is accommodated. In the example at issue, in the left side of the basement portion 305 an air outlet 320 is provided, while an air inlet 325 is provided in the right side of the basement portion 305. The tank housing 110 is placed adjacent, i.e. close to the air inlet 325 and the air outlet 320. The cover element 160 is arranged between the air inlet 325 and the air outlet 320. Moreover, tank housing 110 comprises sidewalls 330a and 330b that are preferably provided at the housing aperture 145 in the bottom front portion 120b of the casing front side 121 in order to separate the tank housing 110 from the permeable-to-air part 140, i.e. from the air inlet and/or outlet 325, 320. Sidewalls 330a and 330b are configured for being permeable to air so as to allow air to access the air inlet and/or outlet 325, 320. Between the cover element 160 and the collection tank 105 two air channels 350a and 350b are formed, each of them being in fluid communication with the pass-through apertures 170 provided on the cover element 160 and with one of the sidewalls 330a and 330b.

[0040] In the example at issue, the cover element 160 is attached or attachable to the collection tank 105 by means of cover sidewalls 335a and 335b, which protrude from the front wall 180 of the cover element 160 towards the tank 105 and engage lateral sides of the collection tank 105, for example by means of a snap-fit engagement. Each of said cover sidewalls 335a and 335b, is permeable to air so as to ensure that each of said air channels 350a and 350b allows a fluid communication between the air inlet and/or outlet 325, 320 and the ambient surrounding the laundry drying machine 100. Furthermore, each of said air channels 350a and 350b is delimited by a delimiting wall 340a, 340b which is impermeable to air. In this way air flowing in one channel 350a is prevented from being mixed with air flowing through the other channel 350b. Preferably, said delimiting wall 340a, 340b is spaced apart from and extends towards the collection tank 105 in a manner substantially parallel to the cover sidewall 335a, 335b. In addition, delimiting wall 340a, 340b allows to keep the cover element 160 spaced apart from the collection tank 105 so as to define said air channel 350a, 350b. Furthermore, delimiting wall 340a, 340b improves robustness of the cover element 160, preventing deformations of the latter when the user inserts the collection tank 105 in the tank housing 110 by applying a pressure on the cover element 160.

[0041] In an embodiment of the present invention, the sidewalls 330a and 330b are formed, at least partly, lowered in such a way to allow air flowing therethrough. Similarly, cover sidewalls 335a and 335b of the cover element 160 are also formed lowered allowing air to flow therethrough.

[0042] In another embodiment according to the present invention, the sidewalls 330a, 330b, 335a and 335b may be provided with one or more through holes (or apertures) in order to allow air to flow therethrough.

[0043] As it can be best appreciated with reference to Figure 3B, the inward and outward airflow paths, schematically shown by arrows, can pass through sidewalls 330a, 330b, 335a and 335b to access or exiting the laundry drying machine 100 via air channels 350a, 350b formed behind the cover element 160. In such a way pass-through aperture formed on the cover element 160 may improve the overall inlet/outlet airflow section thereby improving the inlet/outlet airflow rate of an air circuit of the laundry machine 100, like a condensing unit cooling air circuit.

[0044] In detail, the outlet airflow path exits the laundry drying machine 100 both through a first part of the plurality of apertures formed in the permeable-to-air part 140 both through a first part of the plurality of apertures 170 formed on the cover element 160 by passing through sidewalls 330a and 335a. Similarly, the inlet airflow path enters the laundry drying machine 100 both through a second part of the plurality of apertures formed on the permeable-to-air part 140, both through a second part the plurality of apertures 170 of the cover element 160 by passing through sidewalls 330b and 335b.

[0045] The laundry drying machine 100 according to the present invention, features an enhanced airflow rate through both the air inlet 325 and the air outlet 320, thanks to the cover element 160, which grants additional paths to air to flow into/out from the laundry machine 100. The airflow rate enhancement leads to an improvement in the overall operation of the laundry drying air circuit, since it allows a faster and more effective condensing operation.

[0046] According to the invention the number of apertures 170 formed on the cover element 160 may be the most appropriate according to the design needs. Such number may be even one. It is also understood that the one or more apertures 170 formed on the cover element 160 may be passed through by air inlet or outlet airflow only. Furthermore, a single air channel 350a, 350b may be formed between the cover element 160 and the collection tank 105.

Claims

1. A laundry drying machine (100) for treating laundry items comprising:

a drying air circuit comprising a moisture condensing element for condensing moisture from said drying air,

an air inlet (325) and/or an air outlet (320) for allowing a cooling air flow to flow into and/or out of the laundry drying machine to cool the moisture condensing element,

a collection tank (105) for collecting moisture condensed in the condensing element,

a tank housing (110) for accommodating the collection tank (105), said tank housing being adjacent to at least one between said air inlet and/or said air outlet and having at least one sidewall (330a, 330b) separating the tank housing from the adjacent air inlet and/or air outlet, and

a cover element (160) adapted to hide the collection tank when said collection tank is accommodated in the tank housing,
characterized in that

the cover element (160) is provided with one or more pass-through apertures (170) allowing said cooling air to flow through the cover element, and

said at least one sidewall (330a, 330b) is permeable to the cooling air.

2. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least one air channel (350a, 350b) is formed between said cover element (160) and said collection tank (105).

3. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 2, wherein said at least one air channel (350a, 350b) is in fluid communication with the air inlet (325) or the air outlet (320), the air channel (350a, 350b) being delimited by a wall (340a, 340b) which is impermeable to the cooling air.

4. A laundry drying machine (100) according to any preceding claim, further comprising
a casing (115) adapted to enclose any component part of the laundry drying machine (100), said casing having a front side (121) with a door (135) providing access to a laundry drying chamber, wherein
a bottom portion (120b) of the casing front side (121) is provided with a housing aperture (145) for allowing the collection tank (105) to access the tank housing (110), the cover element (160) being flush with the bottom portion (120b) when the collection tank (105) is accommodated in the tank housing (110).

5. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 4, wherein the bottom portion (120b) of the casing front side (121) comprises said at least one sidewall (330a, 330b).

6. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the casing front side (121) comprises a front panel (120) accommodating the door (135) and the bottom portion (120b) of the casing front side (121) is pivotable relative to the front panel (120).

7. A laundry drying machine (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the cover element (160) comprises a front wall (180) carrying said one or more pass-through apertures (170), and further comprises at least one cover sidewall (335a, 335b) protruding from the front wall (180), said at least one cover sidewall (335a, 335b) being permeable to the cooling air.

8. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 7, wherein the cover element (160) is attached or attachable to the collection tank (105) by engaging the at least one cover sidewall (335a, 335b) with a lateral side of the collection tank (105).

9. A laundry drying machine (100) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 7, wherein the cover element (160) is formed integral with the collection tank (105).

10. A laundry drying machine (100) according any claim 4 to 7, wherein the cover element (160) is pivotally fixed to the bottom portion (120b) of the casing front side (121) so as to cover the housing aperture (145).

11. A laundry drying machine (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cover element (160) comprises a grasping portion (165) adapted to be grasped by a user hand.

12. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 11 wherein said one or more pass-through apertures (170) are provided around the grasping portion (165).

13. A laundry drying machine (100) according to claim 11 or 12 wherein the grasping portion (165) is formed on the cover element (160) as a depression or set-back part.

14. A laundry drying machine (100) according to any of the preceding claim when dependent from claim 3 wherein a first air channel (350a) is in fluid communication with the air inlet (325) and a second air channel (350b) is in fluid communication with the air outlet (320), said impermeable-to-air wall (340a, 340b) fluidly separating the first air channel (350a) from the second air channel (350b).

15. A laundry drying machine (100) according to any of the preceding claim comprising an air inlet (325) and an air outlet (320), the cover element (160) being arranged between the air inlet (325) and the air outlet (320).

Drawing