CA1310824C - Anti-static clothes dryer - Google Patents

Anti-static clothes dryer

Info

Publication number
CA1310824C
CA1310824C CA000615276A CA615276A CA1310824C CA 1310824 C CA1310824 C CA 1310824C CA 000615276 A CA000615276 A CA 000615276A CA 615276 A CA615276 A CA 615276A CA 1310824 C CA1310824 C CA 1310824C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
drum
contact
electrical
clothes dryer
dryer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA000615276A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Scott Moser
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA000615276A priority Critical patent/CA1310824C/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1310824C publication Critical patent/CA1310824C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H05ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05FSTATIC ELECTRICITY; NATURALLY-OCCURRING ELECTRICITY
    • H05F3/00Carrying-off electrostatic charges
    • H05F3/02Carrying-off electrostatic charges by means of earthing connections

Landscapes

  • Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION

A clothes dryer with a rotary drum in which fabric materials are tumbled and subject to heated air flows is adapted to remove static from the material generated by tumbling action and heat. Conductive caps are formed over the internal ribs normally provided in the drum. The caps are electrically connected to a conductive band extending around the exterior of the drum. The conductive band is contacted by a carbon brush. The carbon brush is connected to the ground line of an electrical main thereby dissipating static charges developed in the clothing.

Description

1 ~ 2 ~

AN~-STATTC CLOTHES DRYER
FIELD OF THE~ INVENTION
The invention relates to clothes dryers and more spec;fically to the elimination of static charges which develop in fabric materials tumbled in S such dryers.
BACK~R~UND OF THE I~V~NTIC)N
It is well known that tumbling clothing in the rotary drum of a conventional clothes dryer and subjecting the tumbled clothing to heated air flows creates static electricity. The result is that items of clothing tend to stick 10 to one another and are thereafter difficult to separate. One comrnercially available solution is fabric sheet~s impregnated with a static-reducing agent and placed in the dryer. Another is certain anti-static sprays which can be applied to clothing after drying and separation. To the knowledge of the inventor, no dryer has been made comrnercially available that intrinsically eliminates or 15 reduces such static problems despite the apparent interest OI the general public in eliminating the static problem.
It is accordingly a~n object of the present invention to provide an improved clothes dryer which is itself adapted to significantly reduce the development of static charges in tumbled fabric materials without resort to 20 measures such as anti-static dryer sheets and sprays.
BRJ13F ~IAE~Y Q~ ~TNv~lloN
In one aspect, the invention provides a clothes dIyer adapted to reduce static in items of fabric dried in the dryer. The dryer compnses a housing, a rotary drum mounted for rotation within the housing, and adapted to 25 tumble the fabric items within its interior, and means for applying heat to the fabric items tumbled within the rotary drum. An electrical conductor attached to ` -1- ~

the drum defines a conductive surface within the interior of the drum positionedto contact the tumbled fabric items. Means are provided for electrically coupling the conductor to a ground terminal of an electrical main (a conventional household or industrial source of electric power distributed a local power 5 authority or supplier~ such that static electricity generated in the tumbled and heated fabric items is dissipated to the electrical main.
In another aspect, the invention provides another clothes dryer adapted to reduce static in items of fabric dried in the dryer. The dryer comprises a rotary drum with a core formed of conductive material. A
10 conductive surf~ce is formed within the drum and positioned to contact fabricitems tumbled within the drum. An annular conductive surface is ~ormed on the exterior of the drum and rotates with the drum. The conductive core of the drum conveniently connects the annular conductive surface electrically to the conductive surface within the drum. An electrical contact is supported from the 15 housing such that the electrical contact continuously engages the rotating annular conductive surfac, preferably by being resiliently biased into contact with the rotating annular surface. Means are provided for elec~ically coupling the electrical contact to a ground terminal of an electrical main such ~at static electricity generated in ~e fabric items is dissipated to the electrical main.
20 Preferably, the dryer has a three-prong plug for receiving power from the electrical main~ including a particular pro~g that inserts into the ground terrs~inal of the electrical main, the electrical contact being elechically connected to ~eparticular prong.
~e static effect observed during drying of clothing appears 25 attributable to separation of charges between items of clothing, certain items becoming positively charged and others, negatively charged. Mere provision of a conductor expos~d to the items in the interior of the dryer drum did not in .

experiments conducted by the inventor induce current flows between items of clothing that tend to neutralize static charges in any significant manner, as might perhaps be expected. It is believed, however, that the electric main repr~sents a sizable "sink" for all such static charges regardless of polarity and accordingly 5 accounts for the effects obtained by the present invention.
Various aspects of the invention will be ~)parent below from a description of a preferred embodiment and will be more specifically de~med in the appended claims.
~~ ~
The invention will be better understood with reference to drawings in which:
fig. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer embodying the invention taken along lines 1-1 of fig. 2; and, fig. '~. is a fragmented diagrammatic plan view of the dryer drum 15 and components used to elim~nate static charges from items of clothing tumbled in the drum.
D~S~RIPT~ O~ PRE~ R~D EM13ODIMENT
The drawings illustrate certain principal components of an electric clothes dryer. The dryer comprises a housing 10, a conventional rotary 20 drum 12 (a conductive metal core coated with enamel paint or the like) supported for rotation about a horizontal axis, and a motor 14 which is coupled to the drum 12 with a drive belt 16 and other appropriate means to rotate the drum 12. The drum 12 comprises three internal ribs tonly onP rib 18 specifically indicated) which are used to produce a tumbling of clothes 2S deposited in the drum 12. Means for delivering heated air flows to the drum 12 and for exhausting moisture-laden a~r have not been illustrated as well as many other features commonly associated with such a dryer. The construction of the d}yer, apart from ies adaption for reduction of static charges, ;s conventional and consequently requires no explanation either as to manufacture or general use.
A sheet of conductive metal is contoured to forrn a cap 20 5 conforming to the pre-ex~sting internal rib 18 of the dryer and soldered to the metal core of the drum 12 (the enamel or paint coating be removed for such purposes~. The cap 20 provides a conductive surface positioned in the interior of the drum 12 to engage tumbled items of clotbing. The cap 20 is preferably fo~ned of a stainless steel (nickel-containing steel) which resists corrQsion.
A cylindIical contact band 22 is soldered to the exterior of the ~rum 12 (first removing any coating present) and rotates with the drum 12. The contact band 22 may be îormed of a llighly conductive material such as copper.
It defined a condnuous, conductive annular surface portion 24 accessible externally of the drum 12. The term "annular" as used herein in respect of a surface or portion of a surface which is generally round or circular and should be understood as encompassing a surface or surface pordon which is generally circular and oriented generally in a plane and also a cylindrical surface or surface portion. The contact band 22 is electrically connected to tbe conducti~re cap 20 through the metal c~re of the drum 12.
A relatively stationary electrical contact 26 is located externally of the drum 12. The station~y contact 26 c~mprises a conductive carbon brush 28 (slmilar to contacts provided in an electric motor) mounted in a hollow box-like support 30. The support 30 is mounted on a metal rod 32 terminated with a circular attachment plate 34. The attachment plate 34 is molmted to the back of the dryer housin~ 10 with screws ~nd with the carbon brush ~8 proximate to the annular outer sur~ace of the contact band 22. A coil biasing ~. ~ ,., L~ O~r,~

~ ~ I io82,~

spring 36 mounted in the intenor of the box-like support 30 urges the conductive outer surface of the carbon brush 28 into continuous sliding engagement with the annular outer surface portion 24 of the contact band 22.
Accordingly, electric contact is continwously rnaintained between the carbon brush 28, the conductive contact band 22, and the conductive cap 20 in the interior of the drum 12 for transfer of culTents. It should be noted that for purposes of the invention any appropriate means may be provided to mamtain sliding electrical contact with the contact which moves with the drum.
The carb~n brush 28 is soldered to a wire 38 which is ultimately coupled to the ground terrninal 40 of power outlet 42 comprised by an electric main. Like most dryers, the dryer illustrated has a three-prong plug 44 adapted to be inserted into a conventional three-prong power outlet. One prong 46 which inserts into the ground terminal 40 of the power outlet 42 is normally connected to the metal housing 10 of the dryer. Accordingly, the wire 38 may be conveniently connected to the dryer housing 10 such that the conductive cap 20 is coupled to the ground term~nal 40 of the electric main through the same plug 44 which is otherwise used to operate the dryer. Alternatively, if this is not feasible, the wire 38 may be led separately frorn the housing l0 and appropriately terrn~nated to connected to the ground terminal of an electric main.
The other ribs of the dryer are sirnilarly fitted with conductive caps electrically coupled to the conductive band 22 surrounding the drum 12.
These too serve ~o dissipate static charges developed in clothing to the ground terminal 40 of the elec~ic main.
In operation, as static charges develop in clothes tumbled in the dryer, the charges are transferred to the conductive cap 20 covering the rib 18 (and the conductive caps covering the other ribs), flow to the contact band 22 surrounding the drum 12 and are discha~ged to the ground tem~inal 40 of ~e . 5 electric main through ~he contact 26 engaged with the band 22. The result is that clo~hing dried in the dryer can be rcmoved substantially static-free without resort to special dryer sheets containing anti-static agents.
The description of this particular embodunent of the invention S was derived from experiments pèrformed by the inventor to develop and confirm his principles of static removal. What is described herein represen~s the most convenient means available to the inventor to implement and test his invention, namely, retrofitting of an existing dryer, and his best efforls to reduce his invention to practice. It would undoubtedly be open to a 10 manufacturer of dryers to ~md rnore convenient and costjustified ways of implementing the present invention. I~ should accordingly be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the dryer specifically described herein without departing frorm the spirit of the invention or necessarily departing from the scope of the appended claims.

,~""~

Claims (9)

1. A clothes dryer adapted to reduce static in items of fabric dried in the dryer, comprising:
a housing;
a rotary drum mounted for rotation within the housing and adapted to tumble the fabric items within its interior;
means for applying heat to the fabric items tumbled within the rotary drum;
an electrical conductor attached to the drum and defining a conductive surface positioned within the interior of the drum to contact the tumbled fabric items;
coupling means for electrically coupling the conductor to a ground terminal of an electrical main such that static electricity generated in the tumbled and heated fabric items is dissipated to the electrical main.
2. The clothes dryer of claim 1 comprising a three-prong plug for use in receiving power from the electric main, including a particular prong insertable into the ground terminal of the electric main, the coupling means connecting the conductor to the particular prong.
3. The clothes dryer of claim 1 in which the coupling means comprise:
a first electrically conductive contact connected to the drum and accessible from externally of the drum, the first contact being electrically connected to the conductor;
a second electrically conductive contact;
support means supporting the second contact from the dryer housing such that the second contact engages the first contact in sliding relationship; and, means connected to the second contact for electrically coupling the second contact to the ground terminal of the electrical main.
4. The clothes dryer of claim 1 in which:
the rotary drum comprises an internal rib for use in tumbling the fabric items; and, the conductive surface of the first contact defines the majority of the surface of the rib that is exposed within the drum.
5. The clothes dryer of claim 3 in which the support means comprise means for resiliently biasing the second contact into continuous engagement with the first contact.
6. A clothes dryer adapted to reduce static in items of fabric dried in the dryer, comprising:
a housing;
a rotary drum mounted for rotation within the housing and adapted to tumble the fabric items within its interior, the drum comprising a core of conductive material;
means for applying heat to the fabric items tumbled within the rotary drum;
a conductive surface formed within the drum and positioned to contact fabric items tumbled within the drum;
an annular conductive surface formed on the exterior of the drum and rotating with the drum, the rotating annular conductive surface being electrically connected by the core of the drum to the conductive surface within the drum;
an electrical contact;
means supporting the electrical contact from the housing such that the electrical contact continuously engages the rotating annular conductivesurface; and, means for electrically coupling the electrical contact to a ground terminal of an electrical main such that static electricity generated in the fabric items is dissipated to the electrical main.
7. The clothes dryer of claim 6 in which the means for electrically coupling the electrical contact to the ground terminal comprise a three-prong plug adapted to receive power from the electric main, including a particular prong insertable into the ground terminal of the electric main, the electrical contact being electrically connected to the particular prong of the plug.
8. The clothes dryer of claim 6 in which the support means comprise means for resiliently biasing the electrical contact into engagement with the rotating annular conductive surface.
9. The clothes dryer of claim 6 in which:
the drum comprises an internal rib for use in tumbling the fabric items, and, the conductive surface formed within the drum defines the majority of the surface of the rib that is exposed within the drum.
CA000615276A 1989-09-29 1989-09-29 Anti-static clothes dryer Expired - Lifetime CA1310824C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000615276A CA1310824C (en) 1989-09-29 1989-09-29 Anti-static clothes dryer

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000615276A CA1310824C (en) 1989-09-29 1989-09-29 Anti-static clothes dryer

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1310824C true CA1310824C (en) 1992-12-01

Family

ID=4140890

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000615276A Expired - Lifetime CA1310824C (en) 1989-09-29 1989-09-29 Anti-static clothes dryer

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1310824C (en)

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