|
(11) | EP 3 088 595 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IMPROVING DRYING OF LAUNDRY |
| (57) Method and device for improving drying of laundry. The laundry is hung to dry on
a drying rack with foldable legs (not shown). The drying rack is positioned on a substantially
horizontal support surface (4) of a support (1) comprising means for creating an air
flow along the rack, such as a driving means for moving, e.g., rotating the horizontal
support surface relative to the base. The horizontal surface has a surface area sufficiently
large to support the unfolded legs of the drying rack.
|
[0002] Under normal in-house circumstances it takes about 24 hours to dry laundry hung from a drying rack. Thick clothes like jeans or duvet covers may even still be moist after 36 hours. Dryers have the drawback that the laundry may shrink or wear. Moreover, not all types of cloth can be dried using a dryer.
[0003] Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a system enabling improved drying of laundry without these drawbacks.
[0004] The object of the invention is achieved with a method for improving drying of laundry, wherein the laundry is hung to dry on a drying rack, wherein the drying rack is positioned on a substantially horizontal support surface of a support comprising means for creating an air flow along the rack. These means may for example comprise a base, a substantially horizontal surface and driving means activatable to move the horizontal support surface relative to the base. This movement may for example be rotation of the horizontal surface about a substantially vertical axis. Alternatively, or additionally, the support surface can be moved to and fro or follow any other desired path. The movement of the rack creates wind and improves drying and release of moisture from the laundry to passing air. It has been found that such a drying method makes it possible to reduce the average drying time of laundry to about 1,5 hour or even less.
[0005] Alternatively, or additionally, the means for creating an air flow along the rack can comprise a fan or blower.
[0006] The drying rack can be any existing drying rack known in the art, in particular a usual clothing rack with foldable legs which is foldable and removable from the support.
[0007] The invention also relates to a support for use with such a method. More particularly, the horizontal surface of the support may comprise stops configured to engage and stabilize a lower end of a leg of the removable drying rack, when the rack is unfolded. The horizontal surface may comprise different sets of stops matching with different types or sizes of drying racks. Such stops may for example comprise locks to lock the legs of the drying rack. The stops may for example be projections and/or recesses or slits, e.g., configured to receive or hold a matching lower end of a leg of a given foldable drying rack.
[0008] The horizontal surface may for example be a plateau, e.g., a rectangular plateau having the stops at respective corner areas.
[0009] Alternatively, the horizontal surface may be formed by at least two parallel or crossing strips or beams, having the stops at their ends, and being foldable between a folded position with the strips or beams being stacked, and an unfolded position enabling the surface to receive and support an unfolded drying rack.
[0010] The driving means may for example comprise an electromotor. The electromotor is integrated in the base of the support. Preferably, the driving means are configured to allow adjustment of the rotational speed.
[0011] Optionally, the support may comprise a remote control for (de)activating and/or speed control of the driving means. Optionally, the remote control, or the support itself, may be provided with a timer.
[0012] In a further possible embodiment the support may comprise photovoltaic cells for feeding the driving means. The photovoltaic cells may for example be applied to the horizontal surface.
[0013] The base may for example comprise a handle or a grip to make it portable. The weight of the support can for example be 10 kilo or less, depending on the used materials.
[0014] The base and/or the horizontal surface can be designed in such a way that they can be used as a piece of furniture, such as a side table, when they are not in use for drying laundry.
[0015] The base and/or the plateau can for example be made of wood, plastic, titanium, steel, aluminum, copper, glass, fiber reinforced composites, e.g., with carbon fibers and/or glass fibers, polyester, rubber, bamboo or a combination of these materials.
[0016] The method and the device of the present invention are particularly useful in-house, but may also be used outside. The support is easily moved to different rooms of the house. It uses self-generated air movement to improve drying of the laundry, so it is sustainable and highly environmentally friendly. Moreover, it creates only little noise, particularly compared to prior art dryers. The system is particularly suitable for smaller homes and apartments, but it may also be used in larger homes. The system can be designed with a very cost effective construction. No discharge lines or tubes are needed to discharge moisture. It is also possible to take the support to a holiday house or camping or the like.
[0017] The device according to the present invention is unique because it is the only portable way of drying your laundry, within your own home, moveable to different areas, by way of wind, cost effective, and good for the environment. In comparison to regular existing drying machines the device according to the invention can be designed to be completely silent in use.
[0018] Because of it can be made relatively small (e.g., less than 1m2) and portable, you can consider the device to be very unique in comparison to any existing ways of drying. You could even use it as a part of your furniture, for instance as a coffee table, and it's perfect to take with you to your summer home, mobile home or camper.
[0019] The invention is further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing exemplary embodiments.
Figure 1: showing a first exemplary embodiment of a support for a drying rack.
Figure 2: showing a second exemplary embodiment of a support for a drying rack.
Figure 3: showing a third exemplary embodiment of a support for a drying rack.
[0020] Figure 1 shows a support 1 for carrying a commonly used drying rack (not shown). The support 1 comprises a base 2 with an electromotor or similar driving means inside. A vertical axle 3 projects upwardly from the base 2 and is driven by the electromotor to rotate. The axle 3 carries a substantially horizontal support surface 4 defined by two parallel strips or beams 5 bridged by a central section 6 which rests on the axle 3. The strips 5 and the central section 6 can be folded to minimize space consumption. The base 2 may for example be about 40 * 40 cm in top view, but it may also be larger or smaller, if so desired. The support 1 comprises a power feed cable 7 for connecting the electromotor to the mains. Alternatively, or additionally, photovoltaic cells and/or one or more batteries can be used to feed the electromotor. At their respective ends, the strips 5 are provided with slits 8 configured to hold a lower end of a leg of the drying rack. When the drying rack is positioned on the horizontal support surface 4 it is held in place by position the drying rack's leg ends in the matching slits 8. The electromotor is then activated to rotate the axle 3 and the horizontal surface 4 with the drying rack at a selected rotational speed. This causes an airflow along laundry hung on the drying rack, which substantially accelerates drying of the laundry.
[0021] Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment which is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1, except that the horizontal surface 4 is formed by a rectangular plateau 9 having slits 8 at its corner areas for holding the lower ends of a drying rack's legs. A second set of slits 10 is provided to hold a smaller sized drying rack, so the support can be used for more than one drying rack size. The plateau 9 may for example be 42 *80 cm and may for example have a thickness of about 2 cm. Other dimensions can also be used, if so desired.
[0022] Figure 3 shows a further possible embodiment with a horizontal support surface 4 formed by two crossing strips 11 or beams. The strips 11 cross each other at their centers 12, where they are supported by the axle 3. The strips 11 can be folded into a position where the strips 11 are stacked on top of each other, to minimize space consumption when not in use.
1. Method for improving drying of laundry, wherein the laundry is hung to dry on a drying
rack with foldable legs, wherein the drying rack is positioned on a substantially
horizontal support surface of a support comprising means for creating an air flow
along the rack, the horizontal surface having a surface area sufficiently large to
support the unfolded legs of the drying rack.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the means for creating an air flow comprise a
base and driving means for moving the horizontal support surface relative to the base,
the driving means being activatable to rotate the horizontal support surface about
a substantially vertical rotational axis and/or to move the horizontal support to
and fro.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drying rack is foldable and removable
from the support.
4. Support for use with a method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the horizontal
surface comprises stops configured to engage and stabilize a lower end of a leg of
the drying rack, when the rack is unfolded.
5. Support according to claim 4, wherein the stops comprise locks to lock the legs of
the drying rack.
6. Support according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the stops are projections and/or recesses.
7. Support according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the horizontal surface is a plateau.
8. Support according to claim 7, wherein the plateau is rectangular plateau having the
stops at respective corner areas.
9. Support according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the horizontal surface is formed by at
least two parallel or crossing strips or beams, having the stops at their ends, and
being foldable between a folded position with the strips or beams being stacked, and
an unfolded position enabling the surface to receive and support an unfolded drying
rack.
10. Support according to any one of claims 4 - 9, wherein the driving means comprise an
electromotor.
11. Support according to claim 10, wherein the electromotor is integrated in the base
of the support.
12. Support according to any one of claims 4 - 11, wherein the driving means are configured
to allow adjustment of the rotational speed.
13. Support according to any one of claims 4 - 12 comprising a remote control for (de)activating
and/or speed control of the driving means.
14. Support according to any one of claims 4 - 13 comprising photovoltaic cells for feeding
the driving means.
15. Support according to claim 14, wherein the photovoltaic cells are applied to the horizontal
surface.