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![](https://data.epo.org/publication-server/img/EPO_BL_WORD.jpg) |
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EP 2 684 995 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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23.08.2017 Bulletin 2017/34 |
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Date of filing: 09.07.2013 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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Drying or washing/drying machine comprising interchangeable condensation means
Waschmaschine oder Waschtrockner mit einer austauschbaren Kondensationseinrichtung
Machine à laver ou laver/sècher linge avec un dispositif de condensation interchangeable
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL
NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR |
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Priority: |
10.07.2012 IT TO20120611
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Date of publication of application: |
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15.01.2014 Bulletin 2014/03 |
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Proprietor: Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A |
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20016 Pero (MI) (IT) |
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Inventors: |
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- Potena, Giuseppina Pia
I-60044 Fabriano (AN) (IT)
- Bossi, Luca
I-61040 Serra Sant'Abbondio (PU) (IT)
- Liberatore, Aldo
I-67035 Pratola Peligna (AQ) (IT)
- Biancospino, Mario
I-60044 Fabriano (AN) (IT)
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Representative: Camolese, Marco et al |
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Metroconsult S.r.l.
Via Sestriere 100 10060 None (TO) 10060 None (TO) (IT) |
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References cited: :
EP-A1- 1 936 022
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EP-A1- 2 196 578
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] The present invention relates to a drying or washing/drying machine according to
the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] As is known, in order to subject clothes made of textiles such as wool, cashmere
or the like, or footwear or the like, to a drying cycle, it is necessary to take special
measures to prevent such items from suffering any damage. In such cases, drying supports
are used, which are generally called "racks", and which can be placed into the rotary
drum of said machine (see annexed Fig. 1) to contain or hold clothes or footwear,
so as to avoid any contact between said clothes or said footwear and the rotary drum,
which might otherwise damage the fibres or the most delicate parts thereof. These
drying supports can suspend the clothes or footwear at the centre of the rotary drum,
since they are usually coupled to the inner edge of the door of the drying machine
(through which access can be gained to the inside of the rotary drum), so that the
delicate clothes or the footwear will not be subjected to the rotary motion imparted
by the rotary drum, but only to a drying air flow that will remove humidity therefrom.
[0003] When these drying supports are in use, it is however difficult to use the rotary
drum for drying other laundry not requiring particular attention, because such moving
laundry might hit against and cause damage to the drying support.
[0004] Furthermore, it would be desirable to be able to subject footwear or the like to
refreshing cycles without giving rise to hygiene problems for the rotary drum of the
drying or washing/drying machine.
[0005] In order to prevent hygienic and clogging issues, the European Patent No.
2196578 to ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS describes a laundry dryer with a removable condenser.
Nevertheless, this dryer suffers of the same drawbacks set forth above, because the
rotary drum is the only place in which a refreshment cycle may take place.
[0006] The present invention aims at solving these and others problems by providing a drying
or washing/drying machine as set forth in the appended claim 1.
[0007] The idea at the basis of the present invention is to use a drying or washing/drying
machine comprising condensing means which can be interchanged with a drawer capable
of containing items such as clothes, footwear or the like, so that the rotary drum
will still be usable at the same time. Moreover, when the exchanger is removed, the
machine advantageously turns itself into an open-cycle drying or washing/drying machine,
referred to in the industry as "vented", wherein most of the air will not reenter
the drum during the refreshing cycles, thus creating no hygiene problems.
[0008] Further advantageous features of the present invention will be set out in the appended
claims.
[0009] These features as well as further advantages of the present invention will become
more apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof as shown in
the annexed drawings, which are supplied by way of non-limiting example, wherein:
Fig. 1 shows a prior-art drying support containing footwear;
Fig. 2 shows a diagram of the machine of the invention, which comprises an exchanger
that can be replaced with a drawer capable of containing items;
Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the exchanger separated from the machine of
Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a perspective side view of the drawer separated from the machine of Fig.
2;
Figs. 6 and 7 are further perspective side views of the drawer of Fig. 2.
[0010] With reference to Fig. 2, there is shown a drying or washing/drying machine 1 that
comprises drying means and a tub (not shown in the drawings), inside of which a rotary
drum 3 is positioned, where laundry items 2 can be placed for subjecting them to a
drying process; said tub comprises a front access door 4, through which laundry items
2 can be loaded into or unloaded from the drum 3, an inlet 5 for a drying flow of
dry hot air 51, and an outlet 7 for a flow of humid hot air 71.
[0011] The drying means comprise a heater 8, preferably located in the proximity of the
rear of the tub, which comprises heating means, preferably electric ones, capable
of increasing the temperature of a dehumidified cold air flow 52; said heater 8 also
comprises a cold air inlet 81 and a hot air outlet 82.
[0012] Through the inlet 81 the heater 8 receives the dehumidified cold air flow 52, which,
by lapping heating means, preferably consisting of electric resistors or a heat pump,
produces the drying flow of dry hot air 51, which then flows out through the hot air
outlet 82; said hot air duct 82 is in fluidic communication with the tub of the drying
or washing/drying machine through the inlet 5.
[0013] Also with reference to Figures 3 and 4, the machine 1 further comprises condensing
means, in turn comprising an exchanger 9, preferably of the cross-flow type, and a
tank 10 for collecting the condensed water generated by condensation of the humidity
present in the humid hot air flow 71; said exchanger 9 is located inside a compartment
100 in fluidic communication with both an outside environment and the rotary drum
3, wherein said compartment 100 has preferably a parallelepipedon shape and apertures
on all of its side surfaces, one of which faces towards the outside environment, and
comprises guiding means (not shown in the annexed drawings) that make the exchanger
9 totally or partially separable from the machine 1, so that said exchanger 9 can
be replaced with a drawer 110 by a user of the machine 1.
[0014] The drawer 110 is advantageously compatible with the compartment 100, its shape being
preferably the same as that of the exchanger 9.
[0015] When the exchanger 9 is present in the compartment 100, the machine 1 operates in
a closed-cycle mode, whereas when the drawer 110 is present in said compartment 100,
the machine 1 operates in an open-cycle mode, since the rotary drum 3 is in fluidic
communication with the outside environment.
[0016] The exchanger 9 comprises a humid hot air inlet 91, a dehumidified cold air outlet
92, a cooling cold air inlet 93, a condensate drain 94, and a hot air outlet 95.
[0017] When the machine 1 is in closed-cycle mode, and therefore the exchanger 9 is inside
the compartment 100, the humid hot air inlet 91 is crossed by the humid hot air flow
71, the dehumidified cold air outlet 92 is crossed by the dehumidified cold air flow
52, the cooling cold air inlet 93 is crossed by a cooling air flow 96, the condensate
drain 94 is crossed by a condensed water flow 98, and the hot air outlet 95 is crossed
by a heated air flow 97.
[0018] The humid hot air inlet 91 is in fluidic communication with the tub outlet 7 through
an extraction duct (not shown in the annexed drawings), whereas the dehumidified cold
air outlet 92 is in fluidic communication with the tub inlet 5 through an intake duct
(not shown in the annexed drawings).
[0019] Along the extraction duct a fan 12 is installed, which speeds up the circulation
of the air flows in the extraction and intake ducts.
[0020] Also along the extraction duct, preferably upstream of the fan 12, one may advantageously
install an anti-lint filter 11 for trapping any lint produced by the laundry items
2 during the drying treatment.
[0021] The cold cooling air inlet 93 and the hot air outlet 95 are both in fluidic communication
with the outside environment and, for the purpose of advantageously increasing the
efficiency of the exchanger 9, the velocity of the cooling air flow 96 may advantageously
be increased by using an external fan 13.
[0022] The condensate drain 94 is in fluidic communication with the tank 10 through a condensate
duct (not shown in the drawings), by means of which the condensed water flow 98 arrives
at and is collected in the tank 10.
[0023] In order to make it advantageously easier to extract/insert the exchanger 9 from/into
the compartment 100, said exchanger 9 comprises a handle 99 positioned on the front
face of said exchanger 9, i.e. where the humid hot air inlet 91 is located. In addition,
the exchanger 9 may also comprise one or more rails 99b compatible with the guiding
means of the compartment 100, making it advantageously easier to insert/extract the
exchanger 9 into/from the compartment 100.
[0024] As an alternative or in addition to the handle 99, the exchanger 9 may comprise a
cover 101, on which the handle 99 is preferably arranged, which is similar to a cover
111 comprised in the drawer 110 that will be described below. This cover 101 is coupled
to the front face of the exchanger 9, so as to seal the compartment 100 from the outside
environment by coupling to an outer edge (not shown in the drawings) of the compartment
100. This advantageously prevents the air flows 71 and 52 from dissipating into the
outside environment, thus reducing the energetic efficiency of the machine 1 when
said machine 1 is in an operating condition.
[0025] Also with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7, the drawer 110 comprises the following
parts:
- the cover 111, which, by coupling to the outer edge of the compartment 100, ensures
a proper seal also by means of a gasket 112 positioned around the inner edge of said
cover 111;
- a front frame 113, coupled to the cover 111 and arranged parallel thereto;
- a rear frame 114, arranged parallel to the front frame 113;
- a first side wall 115;
- a second side wall 116;
- a bottom 117;
wherein both the bottom 117 and the walls 115,116 are coupled to said frames 113,114
and are arranged orthogonally thereto, thus forming a rigid and hollow parallelepipedon-shaped
structure into which items can be placed, such as, for example, clothes, footwear
or the like, to be subjected to a drying and/or refreshing treatment.
[0026] Both frames 113 and 114, which are preferably made of plastic material or the like,
are open, i.e. they allow the passage of an air flow through them, thus only having
a structural and guiding function to allow the association with the compartment 100.
[0027] The coupling between the cover 111 and the front frame 113 is achieved through fastening
means, such as screws or the like, engaging into spacer elements 118 and 119, which
are respectively comprised in the cover 111 and in the front frame 113; such spacer
elements 118 and 119 advantageously allow creating a gap 120 that allows the air flow
71 coming from the rotary drum 3 to enter the drawer 110 from above.
[0028] The side walls 115 and 116, which are preferably made of plastic or metallic material
or the like, respectively comprise edges 115a and 116a to allow the passage of the
air flows 96 and 97 coming from / directed towards the environment outside the machine
1. In fact, the use of the edges 115a and 116a advantageously ensures good rigidity
of the whole drawer 110 at the cost of a negligible reduction of the usable flow section
for the air flows 96 e 97.
[0029] The bottom 117 is preferably made out of a layer of plastic or metallic material
with holes allowing the water contained in the laundry to drip onto the bottom of
the compartment 100 and then be conveyed into the tank 10.
[0030] The second side wall 116 may comprise a support frame 121 on which a dust filter
and/or a fragrance container and/or the like can advantageously be mounted, so as
to perfume the clothes or footwear being subjected to a drying or refreshing treatment
and/or to limit any pollutants (e.g. dust, pollen or the like) deposited by the air
flow 96 onto the clothes or footwear during the treatment.
[0031] Both frames 113 and 114 may respectively comprise one or more supporting means 122
and 123 positioned inside each one of said frames 113,114, said supporting means 122
and 123 being preferably arranged vertically and facing each other in pairs. In this
manner, it is possible to exploit said supporting means 122,123 for positioning movable
supports 124, such as shelves or bars, wherein said movable supports 124 are so shaped
as to engage and cooperate with the supporting means 122,123; for this purpose, said
supporting means 122,123 may comprise holes preferably having a rectangular section
or any other shape.
[0032] The movable supports 124 allow the laundry items that must be subjected to a drying
or refreshing treatment to be advantageously positioned in such a way as to increase
the area lapped by the air flows 71,96 entering the drawer 110, thus increasing the
energetic efficiency of the machine 1.
[0033] In order to simplify the positioning of said movable supports 124 inside the drawer
110, a saw-tooth support 125 may be coupled to each one of the supporting means 122,123,
preferably by exploiting the holes of said supporting means 122,123.
[0034] When using these supports 125, the movable support 124 can be coupled to the drawer
110 by first engaging it with the supporting means 122 of the front frame 113, i.e.
by inserting it into the holes of said supporting means 122, and then coupling it
to the saw-tooth supports 125 of the rear frame 114 with a downward movement. In this
manner, when the movable support 124 has to be removed from the drawer 110, it will
be sufficient to disengage it first from the saw-tooth supports 125 and then pull
it out of the supporting means 122.
[0035] When the machine 1 is in closed-cycle mode, the outlet 7 is in fluidic communication
with said condensing means, as opposed to the outside environment, thus advantageously
preventing the moisture from being dispersed in the surrounding environment. When
the machine is in open-cycle mode, instead, a large part of the air flow 71 exiting
the rotary drum 3 is dispersed into the surrounding environment after having lapped
the laundry items placed in the drawer 110 by means of the cooling air flow 96.
[0036] The advantages deriving from the open-cycle mode are attained both during the execution
of a refreshing cycle and during the execution of a laundry drying cycle, or a combination
thereof.
[0037] During the execution of a refreshing cycle, in fact, the rate of the air flow 52
entering the rotary drum 3 is advantageously reduced, thus reducing any problems related
to the hygiene of said drum 3, since most dirt particles coming from the laundry placed
in the drawer 110 are carried out of the machine 1 by the air flow 97.
[0038] On the other hand, when executing a drying cycle one can advantageously dry both
said items and the laundry items 2 by placing said items into the drawer 110 and the
laundry items 2 into the rotary drum 3.
[0039] A further advantage is given by the possibility of executing a drying cycle along
with a refreshing cycle, by placing the laundry to be dried into the rotary drum 3
and the items to be subjected to a refreshing cycle into the drawer 110. In this configuration,
there is also the advantage that the items in the drawer 110, in addition to being
subjected to the refreshing cycle, are also subjected to a humidification cycle, which
may be useful in order to prepare said items for a subsequent hot ironing process,
thereby also limiting the dispersion of moisture into the environment.
[0040] The humidification cycle occurs because the water present in the laundry items 2
placed in the rotary drum is first removed through the combined action of the heat
generated by the operation of the heater 8 and of the air current generated by the
fan 12, and is then condensed into the items placed in the drawer 110 through the
action of the cooling air flow 96.
[0041] Many variations are possible with respect to the main embodiment described above.
[0042] A first variant comprises an exchanger which is functionally equivalent to the exchanger
9 of the above-described embodiment, and which comprises a fixed portion and a movable
portion. The fixed portion always stays positioned inside the compartment 100, whereas
the movable portion of the exchanger 9 can be replaced with a drawer which is functionally
equivalent to the above-described drawer 110.
[0043] This drawer may comprise a through duct which prevents the rotary drum 3 from being
placed in fluidic communication with the outside environment; this gives the advantage
that the machine 1 will always operate in closed-cycle mode, whether the drawer or
all exchanger portions are present, thus solving the problem of the hygiene of the
rotary drum 3. This solution turns out to be particularly interesting when footwear
is to be subjected to a refreshing treatment.
[0044] Of course, the example described herein may be subject to further variations, which
will nonetheless still fall within the scope of the following claims.
1. A clothes (2) drying or washing/drying machine (1), comprising a heater (8), a heat
exchanger (9), a tub inside of which a rotary drum (3) is located, and a compartment
(100) in fluidic communication with the tub, wherein the heat exchanger (9) is to
be positioned within said compartment (100), and is removable therefrom for being
replaced,
characterized in that
the machine (1) comprises a drawer (110) and guiding means that make the exchanger
(9) separable from the machine (1), so that said exchanger (8) can be replaced with
said drawer (110) by a user of the machine, and wherein the drawer (110) comprises
a cover (111) which can be sealingly coupled to an outer edge of the compartment (100),
a front frame (113) coupled to the cover (111), a rear frame (114) arranged parallel
to the front frame (113), a first side wall (115), a second side wall (116) and a
bottom (117), wherein the bottom (117) and the walls (115,116) are coupled to said
frames (113,114), and wherein both the frames (113,114) are open, so as to allow the
passage of air flows (71,52).
2. A machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the exchanger (9) comprises a fixed portion
and a movable portion, wherein the fixed portion always stays positioned inside the
compartment (100) and wherein the movable portion of the exchanger (9) can be replaced
with the drawer.
3. A machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein the drawer comprises a through duct which
prevents the rotary drum (3) from being placed in fluidic communication with the outside
environment.
4. A machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the exchanger (9) is fully interchangeable
with the drawer (110).
5. A machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the bottom (117) and
the walls (115,116) are arranged orthogonally to the frames (113,114), thus forming
a rigid and hollow parallelepipedon-shaped structure into which items can be placed.
6. A machine (1) according to claim 5, wherein the cover (111) and the front frame (113)
comprise spacer elements (118,119) which, when coupled together, create a gap (120)
between said cover (111) and said front frame (113), thus allowing an air flow (71)
coming from the rotary drum (3) to enter the drawer (110).
7. A machine (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the first side wall (115) and the
second side wall (116) comprise edges (115a, 116a) to allow the passage of air flows
(96,97) coming from or directed towards the environment outside the machine (1).
8. A machine (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the second side wall
(116) comprises a support frame (121) to which a fragrance container and/or a dust
filter can be coupled, so as to perfume the items and/or limit the dust or dirt particles
transported by an air flow (96) coming from the environment outside the machine (1).
9. A machine (1) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the front frame (113)
and the rear frame (114) comprise, respectively, one or more supporting means (122,123)
positioned inside each one of said frames (113,114).
10. A machine (1) according to claim 9, wherein movable supports (124), such as shelves
or bars, are coupled to the supporting means (122,123) in order to facilitate the
positioning of the laundry items and to increase the area thereof which is lapped
by the air flows circulating in the drawer (110).
11. A machine (1) according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the supporting means
(122,123) comprises a saw-tooth support (125) to facilitate the coupling and/or decoupling
of the movable support (124) to/from said supporting means (122,123).
12. A machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat exchanger
(9) is of the cross-flow type.
1. Trocken- oder Wasch-/Trockenmaschine (1) für Bekleidung (2), enthaltend eine Heizung
(8), einen Wärmetauscher (9), eine Wanne, in welcher eine Drehtrommel (3) angeordnet
ist, und ein mit der Wanne in Fluidverbindung stehendes Fach (100), wobei der Wärmetauscher
(9) innerhalb des Faches (100) positioniert werden soll und daraus zum Auswechseln
entfernbar ist,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
die Maschine (1) einen Auszug (110) aufweist sowie Führungseinrichtungen, die den
Tauscher (9) von der Maschine (1) trennbar machen, so dass der Tauscher (8) mit dem
Auszug (110) von einem Benutzer der Maschine ersetzt werden kann, wobei der Auszug
(110) eine Abdeckung (111), die mit einem äußeren Rand des Faches (100) abdichtend
gekoppelt werden kann, einen mit der Abdeckung (111) gekoppelten Vorderrahmen (113),
einen parallel zu dem Vorderrahmen (113) angeordneten hinteren Rahmen (114), eine
erste Seitenwand (115), eine zweite Seitenwand (116) und einen Boden (117) aufweist,
wobei der Boden (117) und die Wände (115, 116) mit den Rahmen (113, 114) gekoppelt
sind und wobei die beiden Rahmen (113, 114) offen sind, um so den Durchtritt von Luftströmen
(71, 52) zu erlauben.
2. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Tauscher (9) einen feststehenden Teil und
einen beweglichen Teil umfasst, wobei der feststehende Teils stets innerhalb des Faches
(100) positioniert bleibt und wobei der bewegliche Teil des Tauschers (9) mit dem
Auszug ersetzt werden kann.
3. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 2, wobei der Auszug eine Durchgangsleitung aufweist, die
verhindert, dass die Drehtrommel (3) in Fluidverbindung mit der äußeren Umgebung gebracht
wird.
4. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Tauscher (9) mit dem Auszug (110) vollständig
austauschbar ist.
5. Maschine (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 4, wobei der Boden (117) und die Wände
(115, 116) orthogonal zu den Rahmen (113, 114) angeordnet sind und so eine starre
und hohle quaderförmige Struktur bilden, in welcher Gegenstände platziert werden können.
6. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 5, wobei die Abdeckung (111) und der Vorderrahmen (113)
Abstandhalterelemente (118, 119) aufweisen, die dann, wenn sie aneinandergekoppelt
sind, einen Spalt (120) zwischen der Abdeckung (111) und dem Vorderrahmen (113) bilden
und es somit ermöglichen, dass ein von der Drehtrommel (3) kommender Luftstrom (71)
in den Auszug (110) eintritt.
7. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 5 oder 6, wobei die erste Seitenwand (115) und die zweite
Seitenwand (116) Ränder (115a, 116a) aufweisen, um den Durchtritt von aus der äußeren
Umgebung der Maschine (1) kommenden oder in diese gerichteten Luftströmen (96, 97)
zu erlauben.
8. Maschine (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 5 bis 7, wobei die zweite Seitenwand (116) einen
Tragrahmen (121) aufweist, an welchen ein Duftstoffbehälter und/oder ein Staubfilter
gekoppelt werden kann, um so die Gegenstände zu parfümieren und/oder die durch einen
aus der äußeren Umgebung der Maschine (1) kommenden Luftstrom (96) transportierten
Schmutz- oder Staubpartikel zu beschränken.
9. Maschine (1) nach einem der Ansprüche 5 bis 8, wobei der Vorderrahmen (113) und der
hintere Rahmen (114) jeweils eine oder mehrere Halteeinrichtungen (122, 123) aufweisen,
die innerhalb jedes der Rahmen (113, 114) angeordnet sind.
10. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 9, wobei bewegliche Träger (124), wie etwa Ablagen oder
Stäbe, mit den Halteeinrichtungen (122, 123) gekoppelt sind, um die Positionierung
der Wäschestücke zu erleichtern und deren Fläche, die von den in dem Auszug (110)
zirkulierenden Luftströmen umspült werden, zu vergrößern.
11. Maschine (1) nach Anspruch 10, wobei mindestens eine der Halteeinrichtungen (122,
123) eine Sägezahnhalterung (125) umfasst, um das Koppeln und/oder Entkoppeln des
beweglichen Trägers (124) mit/von den Halteeinrichtungen (122, 123) zu erleichtern.
12. Maschine (1) nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Wärmetauscher (9)
dem Querstromtyp entspricht.
1. Machine à laver/sécher ou sécher le linge (1), comprenant un élément chauffant (8),
un échangeur thermique (9), une cuve à l'intérieur de laquelle un tambour rotatif
(3) est situé, et un compartiment (100) en communication fluidique avec la cuve, dans
laquelle l'échangeur thermique (9) doit être positionné au sein dudit compartiment
(100), et en est amovible pour être remplacé,
caractérisée en ce que
la machine (1) comprend un tiroir (110) et des moyens de guidage qui rendent l'échangeur
(9) séparable de la machine (1), de sorte que ledit échangeur (8) puisse être remplacé
par ledit tiroir (110) par un utilisateur de la machine, et dans laquelle le tiroir
(110) comprend un couvercle (111) qui peut être couplé de façon étanche à un bord
externe du compartiment (100), un cadre avant (113) couplé au couvercle (111), un
cadre arrière (114) agencé parallèle au cadre avant (113), une première paroi de côté
(115), une seconde paroi de côté (116) et un fond (117), dans laquelle le fond (117)
et les parois (115, 116) sont couplés auxdits cadres (113, 114), et dans laquelle
les deux cadres (113, 114) sont ouverts, de façon à permettre le passage d'écoulements
d'air (71, 52).
2. Machine (1) selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle l'échangeur (9) comprend une portion
fixe et une portion mobile, dans laquelle la portion fixe reste toujours positionnée
à l'intérieur du compartiment (100) et dans laquelle la portion mobile de l'échangeur
(9) peut être remplacée par le tiroir.
3. Machine (1) selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle le tiroir comprend un conduit
traversant qui empêche le tambour rotatif (3) d'être placé en communication fluidique
avec l'environnement extérieur.
4. Machine (1) selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle l'échangeur (9) est totalement
interchangeable avec le tiroir (110).
5. Machine (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, dans laquelle le fond
(117) et les parois (115, 116) sont agencés de façon orthogonale aux cadres (113,
114), formant ainsi une structure en forme de parallélépipède rigide et creuse, dans
laquelle des articles peuvent être placés.
6. Machine (1) selon la revendication 5, dans laquelle le couvercle (111) et le cadre
avant (113) comprennent des éléments espaceurs (118, 119) qui, lorsqu'ils sont couplés
ensemble, créent un écartement (120) entre ledit couvercle (111) et ledit cadre avant
(113), permettant ainsi à un écoulement d'air (71) provenant du tambour rotatif (3)
d'entrer dans le tiroir (110).
7. Machine (1) selon la revendication 5 ou 6, dans laquelle la première paroi de côté
(115) et la seconde paroi de côté (116) comprennent des bords (115a, 116a) pour permettre
le passage d'écoulements d'air (96, 97) provenant de ou dirigés vers l'environnement
à l'extérieur de la machine (1).
8. Machine (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 5 à 7, dans laquelle la seconde
paroi de côté (116) comprend un cadre de support (121) auquel un contenant à parfum
et/ou un filtre à poussière peuvent être couplés, de façon à parfumer les articles
et/ou limiter la poussière ou des particules de saleté transportées par un écoulement
d'air (96) provenant de l'environnement à l'extérieur de la machine (1).
9. Machine (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications 5 à 8, dans laquelle le cadre
avant (113) et le cadre arrière (114) comprennent, respectivement, un ou plusieurs
moyens de support (122, 123) positionnés à l'intérieur de chacun desdits cadres (113,
114).
10. Machine (1) selon la revendication 9, dans laquelle des supports mobiles (124), tels
que des tablettes ou des barres, sont couplés aux moyens de support (122, 123) afin
de faciliter le positionnement des articles de linge et d'augmenter leur superficie
qui est touchée par les écoulements d'air circulant dans le tiroir (110).
11. Machine (1) selon la revendication 10, dans laquelle au moins l'un des moyens de support
(122, 123) comprend un support en dents de scie (125) pour faciliter le couplage et/ou
le découplage du support mobile (124) auxdits/desdits moyens de support (122, 123).
12. Machine (1) selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans laquelle l'échangeur
thermique (9) est du type à écoulement transversal.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
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.
Patent documents cited in the description