[0001] The present invention relates to a home laundry drier.
[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a rotary-drum home laundry drier,
to which the following description refers purely by way of example.
[0003] As is known, rotary-drum laundry driers substantially comprise a substantially parallelepiped-shaped
outer box casing; a cylindrical laundry drum housed in axially rotating manner inside
the box casing, directly facing a laundry loading and unloading opening formed in
the front face of the casing; a door hinged to the front face of the casing to rotate
to and from a rest position closing the opening in the front face of the casing to
seal the laundry drum; and an electric motor for rotating the laundry drum about its
longitudinal axis inside the casing.
[0004] Rotary-drum laundry driers of the above type also comprise a closed-circuit, hot-air
generator designed to circulate inside the laundry drum a stream of hot air with a
low moisture content and which flows through the laundry drum and over the laundry
inside the drum to rapidly dry the laundry.
[0005] In the most widely marketed driers, the closed-circuit, hot-air generator comprises
an air/air heat exchanger and an electric heater located one after the other along
an air recirculating conduit, the two ends of which are connected to the laundry drum,
on opposite sides of the latter. The air/air heat exchanger provides for rapidly cooling
the airflow from the laundry drum to condense the surplus moisture in the airflow;
and the heater provides for rapidly heating the airflow from the heat exchanger back
to the laundry drum, so that the air flowing into the drum is heated rapidly to a
temperature higher than or equal to that of the same air flowing out of the laundry
drum.
[0006] Some more recently marketed rotary-drum driers also feature a pressurized-steam generator
which, at the end of the drying cycle, feeds a jet of steam into the laundry drum
to eliminate or at least greatly reduce creasing of the fabrics during the drying
cycle.
[0007] Unfortunately, the steam generators currently used in driers have substantially the
same structure as ordinary irons with a separate boiler, and so have all the drawbacks
typically associated with them : first and foremost, compulsory use of demineralized
water in the boiler to prevent the formation of lime scale, which could impair operation
of the steam generator.
[0008] More in details, currently used steam generators comprises a demineralized water
reservoir which is located in the highest portion of the household appliance so as
to facilitate manual refilling of demineralized water; and a steam generation electric
boiler which is usually located below the demineralized water reservoir and is in
communication with the latter via a connecting pipe. Water flows into the electric
boiler for gravity.
[0009] Though highly efficient, today's laundry drier with steam generator consumes a lot
of demineralized water during steam cycles, thus requiring high capacity water reservoirs
or frequent refilling of the water reservoirs.
[0010] EP 1 441 059 A1 discloses such a home laundry drier with a closed-circuit, hot-air generator, the
laundry drier comprising also a steam generator which is supplied by a pump with water
received from a tank. A control unit controls the water flow to the steam generator
subject to the operating temperature or to the total electric input power of the steam
generator in order to receive a complete vaporization of the supplied water.
[0011] According to
US patent 3,869,815 a garment finishing apparatus for dewrinkling clothes comprises air circulating and
heating means. A steam generator is comprised for being provided with a constant quantity
of water in order to produce a predefined quantity of steam.
US 4,519,145 teaches a laundry drier comprising an electrostatic and moisture control system.
In order to eliminate static electricity in the clothes after the drying cycle moisture
collected during the drying cycle is injected into the drier drum by means of a pump.
[0012] Finally,
US 2007/0006484 A1 discloses a laundry drier comprising an air circulation channel. An odour filter
is arranged in said channel. During the drying cycle condensed moisture is collected
within a water tank. The laundry drier can also be used for removing odours from clothes
which cannot be washed. To this end an evaporator is supplied with water from the
water tank; a metering device controls the water supply. The produced steam is fed
into the drier drum therein removing odours from the fabrics.
[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide a home laundry drier designed
to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.
[0014] According to the present invention, there is provided a home laundry drier as claimed
in Claim 1 and preferably, though not necessarily, in any one of the Claims depending
directly or indirectly on Claim 1.
[0015] The present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawing, which
shows a side view, with parts in section and parts removed for clarity, of a home
laundry drier in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
[0016] Number 1 in the attached drawing indicates as a whole a home laundry drier substantially
comprising a preferably, though not necessarily, parallelepiped-shaped outer box casing
2; an airtight, preferably, though not necessarily, cylindrical laundry drying tub
or chamber 3 for housing the laundry to be dried, and which is fixed substantially
horizontally inside casing 2, directly facing a laundry loading and unloading opening
2a formed in the front face of casing 2; a door 4 hinged to the front face of casing
2 for rotating to and from a rest position closing opening 2a in the front face to
seal the laundry drying tub 3; and a preferably, though not necessarily, cylindrical
laundry drum 5 for housing the laundry to be dried, and which is housed in axially
rotating manner and preferably, though not necessarily, horizontally inside the drying
tub 3.
[0017] More specifically, with reference to the attached drawing, laundry drum 5 is provided
with an end wall 5a and possibly a cylindrical lateral wall perforated, or at any
rate permeable to air, to permit airflow into the drum 5; and it is mounted for rotation
about its longitudinal axis L which, in the example shown, coincides with the longitudinal
axis of the drying tub 3.
[0018] Laundry drier 1 also comprises an electric motor 6 or similar, which, on command,
rotates laundry drum 5 about longitudinal axis L inside drying tub 3; and a closed-circuit,
hot-air generator 7 housed inside casing 2 and designed to circulate through laundry
drum 5 a stream of hot air having a low moisture level, and which flows over and rapidly
dries the laundry inside drum 5.
[0019] Casing 2, drying tub 3, door 4, laundry drum 5, and electric motor 6 are commonly
known parts in the industry, and therefore not described in detail.
[0020] With reference to the attached drawing, closed-circuit, hot-air generator 7 provides
for gradually drawing air from drying tub 3; extracting surplus moisture from the
hot air drawn from drying tub 3; heating the dehumidified air to a predetermined temperature,
normally higher than the temperature of the air from drying tub 3; and feeding the
heated, dehumidified air back into drying tub 3, where it flows over, to rapidly dry,
the laundry inside the tub.
[0021] In other words, hot-air generator 7 provides for continually dehumidifying and heating
the air circulating inside drum 5 to rapidly dry the laundry inside the latter, and
substantially comprises:
an air recirculating conduit 8, the two ends of which are connected to drying tub
3 preferably, though not necessarily, on opposite sides of laundry drum 5;
an electric centrifugal fan 9, or other type of air circulating pump, located along
recirculating conduit 8 to produce, inside recirculating conduit 8, an airflow f,
which flows into drying tub 3 and over the laundry inside the drum 5;
an air/air heat exchanger 10 or similar - commonly referred to as a condenser - which
is located along recirculating conduit 8 so that the airflow f from drying tub 3 and
a cold airflow w from outside casing 2 flow through it simultaneously, and which is
designed so that the cold airflow w rapidly cools the airflow f from drying tub 3
to condense the surplus moisture inside airflow f; and
an electric heater 11 (in the example shown, a resistor) located along recirculating
conduit 8, downstream from heat exchanger 10, and which provides for rapidly heating
the airflow f from heat exchanger 10 back to drying tub 3, so that the air flowing
into drying tub 3 is heated rapidly to a temperature preferably, though not necessarily,
higher than or equal to that of the same air flowing out of drying tub 3.
[0022] More specifically, in the example shown, the intake end of recirculating conduit
8 is integrated in door 4, and the exhaust end of recirculating conduit 8 is coupled
directly to drying tub 3, in front of end wall 5a of laundry drum 5.
[0023] Like any other recently marketed electric household appliance, drier 1 also comprises
an electronic central control unit 12, which controls electric motor 6, fan 9, heat
exchanger 10 (or, rather, the cooling fan 13 of heat exchanger 10, which generates
cold airflow w through the exchanger) and heater 11 in predetermined manner, as memorized
inside it, to perform the user-selected drying cycle.
[0024] With reference to the attached drawing, given its large dimensions, heat exchanger
10 is located at the bottom of casing 2, and it is also provided with a condensed-water
canister 14 which collects the liquid distilled water produced, when the drier is
running, inside heat exchanger 10 by condensation of the surplus moisture in airflow
f arriving from drying tub 3. Obviously condensed-water canister 14 is located in
the bottom of heat exchanger 10.
[0025] Unlike known hot-air generators, hot-air generator 7 also comprises an instant in-pressure
electric boiler 15 designed to receive a given quantity of water and immediately convert
said water into a stream of low-pressure steam whose pressure is slightly higher than
external pressure; an electric pump 16 which, on command, sucks the distilled water
from water canister 14 and feeds it to electric boiler 15; and a steam exhaust manifold
17 connecting the outlet of electric boiler 15 to recirculating conduit 8 preferably,
though not necessarily, upstream from heater 11, to feed the low-pressure steam produced
in electric boiler 15 directly to drying tub 3 and laundry drum 5 via the end portion
of recirculating conduit 8.
[0026] More specifically, instant in-pressure electric boiler 15 is housed inside casing
2, immediately over heat exchanger 10, and substantially consists of an airtight container
housing a resistor dimensioned to immediately vaporize water fed into the airtight
container. Next to connection to steam exhaust manifold 17, i.e. next to the outlet
of electric boiler 15, the airtight container has a calibrated hole or opening which
is dimensioned to slow down steam spillage and increase the pressure of the steam
inside the airtight container to above external pressure.
[0027] Likewise electric boiler 15, electric pump 16 is housed inside casing 2 immediately
over heat exchanger 10, or at least over water canister 14, and preferably, though
not necessarily, side by side to electric boiler 15, and it is structured to suck
the distilled water from beneath water canister 14, via an intake pipe 18 connecting
the inlet of electric pump 16 to the bottom of water canister 14 across heat exchanger
10.
[0028] In other words, electric pump 16 is dimensioned to produce an inlet suction pressure
capable of sucking the distilled water from water canister 14 up to electric boiler
15. More in details, in the example shown electric pump 16 is a self-priming volumetric
pump, namely a membrane pump.
[0029] Electric boiler 15 and membrane pump 16 are commonly known parts in the industry,
and therefore not described in detail.
[0030] Electronic central control unit 12 obviously controls electric boiler 15, electric
pump 16 and the other component parts of hot-air generator 7, such as fan 9 and/or
fan 13 of heat exchanger 10, so as to feed steam into drying tub 3 and drum 5 according
to the selected drying cycle, and also to feed, when required, a stream of low-pressure
steam into drying tub 3 and drum 5.
[0031] As concern membrane electric pump 16 and electric boiler 15, central control unit
12 calculates the instant flow rate of the low-pressure steam coming out from electric
boiler 15 according to the electric power supplied to the resistor of electric boiler
15, and to the temperature inside the airtight container of electric boiler 15; and
controls electric pump 16 so as that the instant flow rate of the distilled water
supplied to electric boiler 15 is almost equal to the instant flow rate of low-pressure
steam coming out from electric boiler 15.
[0032] In the example shown, the instant temperature inside the airtight container of electric
boiler 15 is determined via a temperature sensor of known type (not shown) housed
inside the airtight container.
[0033] In addition to the above, central control unit 12 switches on and off electric boiler
15 according to the selected drying cycle until there is distilled water into water
canister 14.
[0034] Preferably, though not necessarily, hot-air generator 7 also has a water drain circuit
for draining surplus of distilled water from water canister 14. Water drain circuit
comprises a manually-removable waste-water tank (not shown) housed in easily removable
manner inside casing 2, preferably, though not necessarily, near the top of the casing;
and a second electric pump (not shown) which, on command, sucks the distilled water
from water canister 14 and feeds it to the waste-water tank.
[0035] More specifically, the second electric pump is switched on in known manner by a floater
(not shown) housed in water canister 14, when the water-level in water canister 14
exceeds a given upper threshold value.
[0036] Operation of drier 1 will be clear from the above description, with no further explanation
required.
[0037] Integration of steam generator in hot-air generator 7 has lots of advantages: first
and foremost, the availability of a large amount of distilled water for steam production,
thus saving the user the inconvenience of periodically filling steam generator with
distilled/demineralized water.
[0038] Moreover the removal of the demineralized water reservoir on the top of the household
appliance makes it possible to reduce household overall dimensions and/or makes more
free space available for other devices inside casing 2.
[0039] Clearly, changes may be made to laundry drier 1 as described herein without, however,
departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0040] For example, steam exhaust manifold 17 may connect the outlet of electric boiler
15 directly to drying tub 3 and laundry drum 5, bypassing the end portion of recirculating
conduit 8.
[0041] In a different embodiment, laundry drier 1 may not have the laundry drying tub or
chamber 3, and laundry drum 5 may be mounted in axially rotating manner directly inside
casing 2. In which case, only end wall 5a of laundry drum 5 is perforated or permeable
to air, and the exhaust end of recirculating conduit 8 is coupled in airtight manner
directly to end wall 5a. Moreover the front opening of laundry drum 5 directly faces
laundry loading and unloading opening 2a in the front face of casing 2, and door 3,
when placed in its rest position, seals in airtight manner directly the front opening
of laundry drum 5.
[0042] Furthermore, in a more sophisticated embodiment, hot-air generator 7 may be provided
also with a water level sensor (not shown) which is housed inside the airtight container
of electric boiler 15 for determining the instant water-level inside the airtight
container, and central control unit 12 calculates the instant flow rate of the low-pressure
steam coming out from electric boiler 15 according to the signals received form said
water level sensor (not shown).
1. A home laundry drier (1) comprising an outer box casing (2) and inside the latter
a laundry container (3, 5) for housing the laundry to be dried, and a hot-air generator
(7) for circulating a stream of hot air into the laundry container (3, 5); the hot-air
generator (7) comprising an air recirculating conduit (8) connected at both ends to
said laundry container (3, 5), and a heat exchanger (10) located along said recirculating
conduit (8) to cool the airflow (f) from the laundry container (3, 5) and condense
the surplus moisture in said airflow (f); said heat exchanger (10) being provided
with a water canister (14) which collects the liquid distilled water produced inside
the heat exchanger (10) by condensation of the surplus moisture in the airflow (f)
from the laundry container (3, 5); said hot-air generator (7) also comprising
- an electric boiler (15) which is located above said heat exchanger (10), and is
designed to receive water and convert said water into steam;
- an electric pump (16) which is located above said water canister (14), and is designed
to suck, on command, the distilled water from the water canister (14) and to pipe
it to said electric boiler (15);
- a steam exhaust manifold (17) for channeling the steam coming out from said electric
boiler (15) into the laundry container (3, 5); and
- a central control unit (12) which determines the flow rate of the steam coming out
from the electric boiler (15), and controls the electric pump (16) so as that the
flow rate of the water supplied to said electric boiler (15) is almost equal to the
flow rate of the steam coming out from said electric boiler (15); characterized in that said hot-air generator (7) is also provided with a water level sensor which determines
the water-level inside the electric boiler (15), and said central control unit (12)
calculates the flow rate of the steam coming out from said electric boiler (15) according
to the signals received form said water level sensor.
2. A home laundry drier as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said electric boiler (15) is an instant in-pressure electric boiler (15).
3. A home laundry drier as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said electric pump (16) is a volumetric pump (16) dimensioned to suck water from
said water canister (14) via an intake pipe (18) connecting the inlet of electric
pump (16) to the bottom of the water canister (14).
4. A home laundry drier as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said electric pump (16) is a membrane pump.
5. A home laundry drier as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said electric pump (16) is located above said heat exchanger (10).
6. A home laundry drier as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said central control unit (12) calculates the flow rate of the steam coming out from
the electric boiler (15) according to electric power supplied to said electric boiler
(15), and to the temperature inside said electric boiler (15).
7. A home laundry drier as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said hot-air generator (7) also comprises first heating means (11) located along
said recirculating conduit (8) to heat, on command, the airflow (f) flowing out of
the heat exchanger (10) and back into the laundry container (3, 5).
8. A home laundry drier as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said heat exchanger (10) is placed on the bottom of the outer box casing (2), and
that said water canister (14) is located in the bottom of said heat exchanger (10).
9. A home laundry drier as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said laundry container (3, 5) comprises a rotary drum (5) for housing the laundry
to be dried, and which is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis (L) inside
said box casing (2); the laundry drier being also provided with a engine unit (6)
for rotating, on command, said drum (5) about its longitudinal axis (L).
10. A home laundry drier as claimed in any one of the foregoing Claims, characterized in that said steam exhaust manifold (17) connects said electric boiler (15) to said recirculating
conduit (8) to feed the steam produced in said electric boiler (15) into the laundry
container (3, 5) via the end portion of said recirculating conduit (8).
1. Haushaltswäschetrockner (1), umfassend ein kastenförmiges Außengehäuse (2) und in
diesem einen Wäschebehälter (3, 5) zum Aufnehmen der zu trocknenden Wäsche, sowie
einen Heißlufterzeuger (7), um im Wäschebehälter (3, 5) einen Heißluftstrom umzuwälzen;
wobei der Heißlufterzeuger (7) umfasst: eine Luftrückführleitung (8), die an beiden
Enden mit dem Wäschebehälter (3, 5) verbunden ist, und einen Wärmetauscher (10), der
entlang der Rückführleitung (8) angeordnet ist, um den Luftstrom (f) aus dem Wäschebehälter
(3, 5) zu kühlen und die überschüssige Feuchtigkeit in dem Luftstrom (f) zu kondensieren;
wobei der Wärmetauscher (10) mit einem Wasserbehälter (14) versehen ist, der das flüssige
destillierte Wasser sammelt, das in dem Wärmetauscher (10) erzeugt wurde, indem die
überschüssige Feuchtigkeit in dem Luftstrom (f) aus dem Wäschebehälter (3, 5) kondensiert
wurde; wobei der Heißlufterzeuger (7) darüber hinaus umfasst:
- einen elektrischen Boiler (15), der über dem Wärmetauscher (10) angeordnet ist und
geeignet ist, Wasser aufzunehmen und das Wasser in Dampf umzuwandeln;
- eine elektrische Pumpe (16), die über dem Wasserbehälter (14) angeordnet ist und
geeignet ist, auf Befehl das destillierte Wasser vom Wasserbehälter (14) aufzusaugen
und es in den elektrischen Boiler (15) zu leiten;
- ein Dampfausstoßsammelrohr (17), um den aus dem elektrischen Boiler (15) kommenden
Dampf in den Wäschebehälter (3, 5) zu leiten; und
- eine zentrale Steuereinheit (12), die den Durchsatz des aus dem elektrischen Boiler
(15) kommenden Dampfes festlegt und die elektrische Pumpe (16) derart steuert, dass
der Durchsatz des Wassers, das dem elektrischen Boiler (15) zugeführt wird, fast gleich
dem Durchsatz des Dampfes ist, der aus dem elektrischen Boiler (15) kommt,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Heißlufterzeuger (7) auch mit einem Wasserstandsensor versehen ist, der den Wasserstand
im elektrischen Boiler (15) bestimmt, und dass die zentrale Steuereinheit (12) in
Abhängigkeit von den Signalen, die von dem Wasserstandsensor eingehen, den Durchsatz
des Dampfes berechnet, der aus dem elektrischen Boiler (15) kommt.
2. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der elektrische Boiler (15) ein druckbeaufschlagter elektrischer Instantboiler (15)
ist.
3. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die elektrische Pumpe (16) eine volumetrische Pumpe (16) ist, die so bemessen ist,
dass sie Wasser vom Wasserbehälter (14) über eine Aufnahmeleitung (18) ansaugt, die
den Einlass der elektrischen Pumpe (16) mit dem Boden des Wasserbehälters (14) verbindet.
4. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die elektrische Pumpe (16) eine Membranpumpe ist.
5. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die elektrische Pumpe (16) über dem Wärmetauscher (10) angeordnet ist.
6. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die zentrale Steuereinheit (12) den Durchsatz des aus dem elektrischen Boiler (15)
kommenden Dampfes in Abhängigkeit von der elektrischen Energie, die dem elektrischen
Boiler (15) zugeführt wird, und von der Temperatur in dem elektrischen Boiler (15)
berechnet.
7. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Heißlufterzeuger (7) auch erste Heizmittel (11) umfasst, die entlang der Rückführleitung
(8) angeordnet sind, um auf Befehl den Luftstrom (f) zu erwärmen, der aus dem Wärmetauscher
(10) und zurück in den Wäschebehälter (3, 5) strömt.
8. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Wärmetauscher (10) am Boden des kastenförmigen Außengehäuses (2) angeordnet ist
und dass der Wasserbehälter (14) im Boden des Wärmetauschers (10) angeordnet ist.
9. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Wäschebehälter (3, 5) eine rotierende Trommel (5) zum Aufnehmen der zu trocknenden
Wäsche umfasst, die um ihre Längsachse (L) drehbar in dem kastenförmigen Gehäuse (2)
montiert ist; wobei der Wäschetrockner auch mit einer Motoreinheit (6) versehen ist,
um die Trommel (5) auf Befehl um ihre Längsachse zu drehen (L).
10. Haushaltswäschetrockner nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Dampfausstoßsammelrohr (17) den elektrischen Boiler (15) mit der Rückführleitung
(8) verbindet, um den in dem elektrischen Boiler (15) erzeugten Dampf über den Endteil
der Rückführleitung (8) in den Wäschebehälter (3, 5) einzuspeisen.
1. Sèche-linge domestique (1) comprenant une carcasse en forme de boîtier externe (2)
et à l'intérieur de ce dernier, un contenant de linge (3, 5) pour loger le linge à
sécher, et un générateur d'air chaud (7) pour faire circuler un courant d'air chaud
dans le contenant de linge (3, 5) ; le générateur d'air chaud (7) comprenant un conduit
de recirculation d'air (8) raccordé au niveau des deux extrémités audit contenant
de linge (3, 5) et un échangeur de chaleur (10) positionné le long dudit conduit de
recirculation (8) afin de refroidir l'écoulement d'air (f) provenant du contenant
de linge (3, 5) et condenser l'humidité en excès dans ledit écoulement d'air (f) ;
ledit échangeur de chaleur (10) étant prévu avec un absorbeur d'eau (14) qui collecte
l'eau distillée liquide produite à l'intérieur de l'échangeur de chaleur (10) par
la condensation de l'humidité en excès dans l'écoulement d'air (f) provenant du contenant
de linge (3, 5) ; ledit générateur d'air chaud (7) comprenant également :
une chaudière électrique (15) qui est positionnée au-dessus dudit échangeur de chaleur
(10), et est conçue pour recevoir l'eau et transformer ladite eau en vapeur ;
une pompe électrique (16) qui est positionnée au-dessus dudit absorbeur d'eau (14)
et est conçue pour aspirer, sur commande, l'eau distillée provenant de l'absorbeur
d'eau (14) et le conduire par tuyau jusqu'à ladite chaudière électrique (15) ;
un collecteur d'échappement de vapeur (17) pour acheminer la vapeur sortant de ladite
chaudière électrique (15) dans le contenant de linge (3, 5) ; et
une unité de commande centrale (12) qui détermine le débit de la vapeur sortant de
la chaudière électrique (15), et commande la pompe électrique (16) de sorte que le
débit de l'eau alimentée à ladite chaudière électrique (15) est presque égal au débit
de la vapeur sortant de ladite chaudière électrique (15) ; caractérisé en ce que ledit générateur d'air chaud (7) est également prévu avec un capteur de niveau d'eau
qui détermine le niveau d'eau à l'intérieur de la chaudière électrique (15), et ladite
unité de commande centrale (12) calcule le débit de vapeur sortant de ladite chaudière
électrique (15) selon des signaux reçus dudit capteur de niveau d'eau.
2. Sèche-linge domestique selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ladite chaudière électrique (15) est une chaudière électrique à pression interne
instantanée (15).
3. Sèche-linge domestique selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que ladite pompe électrique (16) est une pompe volumétrique (16) dimensionnée pour aspirer
l'eau provenant dudit absorbeur d'eau (14) via un tuyau d'admission (18) raccordant
l'entrée de la pompe électrique (16) au fond de l'absorbeur d'eau (14).
4. Sèche-linge domestique selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que ladite pompe électrique (16) est une pompe à membrane.
5. Sèche-linge domestique selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ladite pompe électrique (16) est positionnée au-dessus dudit échangeur de chaleur
(10).
6. Sèche-linge domestique selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ladite unité de commande centrale (12) calcule le débit de la vapeur sortant de la
chaudière électrique (15) selon la puissance électrique alimentée à ladite chaudière
électrique (15), et la température à l'intérieur de ladite chaudière électrique (15).
7. Sèche-linge domestique selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit générateur d'air chaud (7) comprend également des premiers moyens de chauffage
(11) positionnés le long dudit conduit de recirculation (8) pour chauffer, sur commande,
l'écoulement d'air (f) sortant en s'écoulant de l'échangeur de chaleur (10) et revenant
dans le contenant de linge (3, 5).
8. Sèche-linge domestique selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit échangeur de chaleur (10) est placé au fond de la carcasse en forme de boîtier
externe (2), et en ce que ledit absorbeur d'eau (14) est positionné au fond dudit échangeur de chaleur (10).
9. Sèche-linge domestique selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit contenant de linge (3, 5) comprend un tambour rotatif (5) pour loger le linge
à sécher, et qui est monté pour la rotation autour de son axe longitudinal (L) à l'intérieur
de ladite carcasse en forme de boîtier (2) ; le sèche-linge étant également prévu
avec une unité de moteur (6) pour faire tourner, sur commande, ledit tambour (5) autour
de son axe longitudinal (L).
10. Sèche-linge domestique selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit collecteur d'échappement de vapeur (17) raccorde ladite chaudière électrique
(15) audit conduit de recirculation (8) pour alimenter la chaleur produite dans ladite
chaudière électrique (15) dans le contenant de linge (3, 5) via la partie d'extrémité
dudit conduit de recirculation (8).