CN110644209A

CN110644209A - Bottom assembly for an appliance for drying laundry

Info

Publication number: CN110644209A
Application number: CN201910553020.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: B·奥托基; J·塔兹比尔
Original assignee: BSH Home Appliances Co Ltd
Current assignee: BSH Home Appliances Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-06-27
Filing date: 2019-06-25
Publication date: 2020-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-25
Also published as: PL3587658T3; EP3587658B1; DE102018210525A1; CN110644209B; EP3587658A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a floor assembly (1) for an appliance for drying laundry, having a separating floor (6) and a heat exchanger (4, 5) of a heat pump (3) thermally coupled to a process air system of the appliance, which heat exchanger can be mounted at least indirectly on the separating floor (6), wherein the heat exchanger (4, 5) has different installation heights. In order to reduce the production costs of the appliance for drying laundry and to simplify the production of the appliance, the base assembly (1) has at least one adapter element (7) which is produced separately from the separating floor (6) and has a height which corresponds to the difference in height of the heat exchangers (4, 5) and which is arranged to be supported between the separating floor (6) and the heat exchanger (4) having the smaller height.

Description

Bottom assembly for an appliance for drying laundry

Technical Field

The invention relates to a floor assembly for an appliance for drying laundry, having a separating floor and heat exchangers, which can be mounted at least indirectly on the separating floor, of a heat pump thermally coupled to a process air system of the appliance, wherein the heat exchangers have different installation heights. Furthermore, the invention relates to an appliance for drying laundry.

Background

Appliances for drying laundry are known in a number of configurations. In particular, appliances for drying laundry are known which have a closed process air system with a drying chamber which receives the laundry to be dried, and a heat pump which is thermally coupled to the process air system for reusing the heat from the process air circulating in the process air system. The heat pump here constitutes a component of a bottom assembly of the appliance, which is located below the drying chamber on the bottom side, through which bottom assembly the process air system extends.

The heat pump has two heat exchangers thermally coupled to the process air system, namely a heat exchanger (evaporator) for cooling and dehumidifying the process air discharged from the drying chamber and a heat exchanger (liquefier) for heating the process air supplied to the drying chamber. A portion of the moisture contained in the process air condenses on the evaporator. The condensate formed here flows out of the evaporator under the influence of gravity and is collected or collected in a condensate basin of the bottom module which is arranged geodetically deeper than the evaporator. The heat exchanger of the heat pump is arranged above the condensate basin so as not to be in contact with the condensate present in the condensate basin. For this purpose, a separating floor is arranged above the condensate basin, on which the heat exchanger is supported or which carries the heat exchanger. The installation space below the heat exchanger or the separating floor is delimited by a condensate basin.

The heat pump contains a coolant which circulates in a closed circuit and in this case evaporates while absorbing heat and condenses while releasing heat. The evaporation of the coolant takes place in most cases in the evaporator of the heat pump. The coolant, which is a mixture of liquid and gas, flows into the evaporator. The coolant then reaches the compressor of the heat pump as a gas, where it is compressed. The compressor is also a drive that pushes the coolant through a closed circulation loop. The compressed coolant passes from the compressor to the liquefier of the heat pump, in which the coolant liquefies with the release of heat. The liquefied coolant passes from the liquefier into a pressure relief mechanism, in particular a pump, a throttle plate or a capillary tube, in which the internal pressure of the coolant is reduced and in which the coolant has been partially converted into a gas. The resulting mixture of liquid and gas then reaches the evaporator.

The energy efficiency of a laundry dryer with a heat pump is increased by the volume of the heat exchanger used in the heat pump, i.e. the volume of the evaporator and the liquefier. However, the arrangement of the heat exchanger for the heat pump has a structural space which is limited within the base assembly, which is limited by components adjoining the base assembly, such as the drying chamber, a belt driving the washing drum or a self-cleaning system for cleaning the heat exchanger of the heat pump. In order to increase the energy efficiency, new variants of heat pumps have been developed, which can differ from one another, in particular, by the size or the structural height of the heat exchanger. The liquefier of the heat pump may in particular have a larger volume than the evaporator of the heat pump.

DE 102014211303 a1 discloses a base assembly of a laundry dryer, which has a separating floor arranged below an evaporator and a liquefier of a heat pump of the laundry dryer, on which the evaporator and the liquefier are supported. A basin-shaped, watertight recess which is open toward the liquefier is formed on the separating floor, wherein the bottom of the recess is located completely below the maximum liquid level of the condensate basin which is arranged below the separating floor on the bottom side, and the liquefier is supported on the bottom. By increasing the installation space of the liquefier by means of such a configuration of the separating floor, a liquefier having a larger volume can be constructed in order to increase the efficiency of the laundry dryer.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the invention is to reduce the production costs of a device for drying laundry and to simplify the production of said device.

This object is achieved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the following description, dependent claims and the drawings, wherein the embodiments each enable improved, in particular also preferred or advantageous aspects of the invention, either individually or in combination with one another in at least two of the embodiments. When this is not specified in the following in individual cases, the configuration of the base assembly can correspond to the configuration of the appliance in this case and vice versa.

A base assembly of an appliance for drying laundry according to the invention has a separating floor and a heat exchanger of a heat pump thermally coupled to a process air system of the appliance, which heat exchanger can be mounted at least indirectly on the separating floor, wherein the heat exchangers have different structural heights, the base assembly has at least one adapter element which is produced separately from the separating floor, the structural height of the adapter element corresponds to the difference in the structural height of the heat exchanger, and the adapter element is arranged to be supported between the separating floor and the heat exchanger having the smaller structural height.

According to the invention, the base assembly can be adapted to the respective configuration of the heat pump in a simple manner by forming adapter elements having a respective difference in the height of the heat exchanger. That is, it is thus not necessary to manufacture a new separating floor for each newly developed heat pump, so that the manufacturing costs are saved by the invention. Alternatively, the separating floor can be constructed according to the invention with a uniformly defined configuration or without structurally modifying a plurality of structural components of the heat pump with different configurations. In order to adapt the structural assembly to the respective configuration of the heat pump, the respective adapter element merely has to be produced and stored separately from the separating floor, which can be achieved with a significantly lower material expenditure. By removing the adapter element, the base assembly according to the invention can also be matched to heat pumps whose heat exchangers have the same overall height, wherein the heat exchangers are then all supported directly on the separating floor.

The structural height of the heat exchanger is understood within the framework of the invention as the height of the heat exchanger in the direction of the vertical axis of the appliance, i.e. the vertical dimension of the heat exchanger. The adapter element supports the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height on the bottom side on the separating floor, so that the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height is supported on the adapter element, and the structural assembly of the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height and the adapter element is supported on the separating floor. The separating floor and/or the adapter element can be designed as an injection-molded element. The separating floor and/or the adapter element can in particular be produced partially or completely from plastic.

The heat pump may be thermally coupled to the process air system of the appliance by means of a heat exchanger (evaporator, liquefier). The heat pump can be designed as a compressor heat pump and accordingly has at least one compressor for compressing the coolant of the heat pump and at least one expansion unit for expanding the coolant. The evaporator absorbs heat from the process air conducted out of the drying chamber (heat outlet of the process air), while the coolant evaporates inside the evaporator. The liquefier transfers heat to the process air (the heat source of the process air) supplied to the drying chamber, and the coolant liquefies inside the liquefier. The heat exchanger with the smaller overall height can be an evaporator, and the heat exchanger with the larger overall height can be a liquefier.

According to one advantageous configuration, the separating floor and the adapter member are constructed and arranged relative to one another such that the upper sides of the heat exchangers are on a common horizontal plane. The upper installation space of the bottom module can thus always be utilized optimally and evenly by laying the heat exchanger. This enables uniform use of the heat pump receiving housing of the base assembly without having to make structural changes to the housing. The production costs of the structural assembly and correspondingly of the appliance equipped with differently configured heat pumps are thereby reduced.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the adapter element can be connected to the separating floor without damage and without release. The adapter element can thus be arranged on and removed from the separating floor in a simple manner, preferably without the use of tools. The separating bottom and the adapter element form a loose element composite. The separating floor and the adapter element are not connected to one another by additional mechanical means, for example by a screw connection or a rivet connection. However, the adapter element can also be fastened to the separating floor, for example, by at least one clamping or latching mechanism that can be released without damage.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, a recess is formed on the side of the separating floor facing the heat exchanger, and a projection is arranged on the side of the heat exchanger having the greater overall height facing the separating floor and on the side of the adapter element facing the separating floor, each projection engaging in a form-fitting manner in the recess on the separating floor. The projections of the heat exchanger and the projections of the adapter element having the greater overall height can engage in corresponding recesses of the separating floor in a simple manner in order to establish a form fit between the heat exchanger and the adapter element having the greater overall height on the one hand and the separating floor on the other hand. This ensures that the heat exchanger and the adapter element with a greater overall height are positioned precisely on the separating floor. Furthermore, incorrect positioning of the heat exchanger and the adapter element with a greater overall height relative to the separating floor can be prevented by a corresponding form fit, in that the openings and the projections are configured such that a corresponding form fit can only be established in a defined relative position. Two, three or four corresponding projections can be arranged on the heat exchanger and the adapter element, respectively, which have a greater overall height.

The number of recesses of the separating base is advantageously greater than the number of projections of the heat exchanger and of the adapter element with the greater overall height, and the recesses are formed on the separating base, so that the heat exchanger and/or the adapter element with the greater overall height can be connected to the separating base in a positive-locking manner in different relative positions with respect to the separating base. In this way, the respective heat exchanger and/or the adapter element with the greater overall height can be optimally positioned relative to the separating floor depending on the structural configuration of the heat exchanger of the heat pump, so that different variants of the dimensions of the heat exchanger of the heat pump can be structurally accommodated in a simple manner. The heat exchanger and/or the adapter element with a greater overall height can be reliably and permanently positively connected to the separating floor, essentially independently of the structural configuration of the heat exchanger of the heat pump.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, a recess is formed on the side of the adapter element facing the heat exchanger having the smaller overall height, and a projection is arranged on the side of the heat exchanger having the smaller overall height facing the adapter element, which projection engages in a form-fitting manner in the recess of the adapter element. The projections on the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height can engage in a simple manner in corresponding recesses on the adapter element in order to establish a form fit between the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height and the adapter element. This ensures that the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height is positioned on the adapter member in an exact manner. Furthermore, incorrect positioning of the heat exchanger with a smaller overall height relative to the adapter component is prevented by the form fit in that the openings and the projections are configured in such a way that a corresponding form fit can only be established in a specific relative position. Two, three or four corresponding projections can be arranged on the heat exchanger having the smaller overall height.

The number of recesses of the adapter element is advantageously greater than the number of projections of the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height, and the recesses are formed on the adapter element in such a way that the heat exchanger with the smaller overall height can be connected to the adapter element in a positive-locking manner in different relative positions with respect to the adapter element. The heat exchanger with the smaller overall height can thus be optimally positioned relative to the adapter component according to the structural configuration of the heat exchanger of the heat pump, so that different variants of the dimensions of the heat exchanger of the heat pump can be structurally accommodated in a simple manner. The heat exchanger and/or the adapter element with a small overall height can be reliably and permanently connected to the adapter element in a form-fitting manner, mainly independently of the structural configuration of the heat exchanger of the heat pump.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the at least one groove is of slot-like design. The corresponding projection is thus of sword-like design so that it can engage in a form-fitting manner in the slot-like recess. A flange extending in the height direction can be arranged on the respective heat exchanger, for example at a corner, one end of which protrudes beyond the side of the heat exchanger facing the separating floor, in order to be able to engage in the respective groove. The slot-like recesses can be tapered in order to grip the corresponding projections engaging in the corresponding recesses and thus to be able to fix the corresponding heat exchanger to the separating base or the adapter element and/or to fix the adapter element to the separating base.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the recesses separating the base plates are arranged in two rows extending parallel to one another. The columns can be arranged, for example, on mutually opposite edge regions of the separating floor. A corresponding row of grooves can be formed on the adapter element.

An appliance for drying laundry according to the invention has a bottom assembly of one of the aforementioned configurations or a combination of at least two of said configurations.

The advantages mentioned above with regard to the base assembly are accordingly achieved by the appliance. The appliance for drying laundry can be configured, for example, as a laundry dryer, a washer dryer or a drying cabinet.

An appliance for drying laundry has a closed process air system which is formed in part by a drying chamber which receives the laundry to be dried. The process air system has a drying chamber for circulating process air through the process air system and a process air guide connected to the drying chamber. Furthermore, the process air system can have at least one process air filter, which is connected between the drying chamber and the evaporator. Furthermore, the process air system can have at least one electric additional heating unit, which is connected between the liquefier and the drying chamber.

Drawings

The invention is exemplarily described below according to a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows a schematic and perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a foot assembly according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic and perspective exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a base assembly 1 according to the invention for a laundry drying appliance, not shown.

The base assembly 1 has a housing 2 and a heat pump 3 which is thermally coupled to a not shown process air system of the appliance, of which only an evaporator 4 (heat exchanger) and a liquefier 5 (heat exchanger) are shown in fig. 1. Furthermore, the heat pump 3 can be of conventional design, so that the description of other components of the heat pump 3 not shown is omitted.

Furthermore, the base assembly 1 has a separating floor 6, which can be fastened to the housing 2 in a conventional manner. The evaporator 4 and the liquefier 5 can be mounted at least indirectly on the dividing floor 6. The evaporator 4 has a smaller overall height than the liquefier 5, which is not shown in detail in fig. 1.

The base assembly 1 also has an adapter element 7, which is produced separately from the separating floor 6 and has a height which corresponds to the difference between the height of the liquefier 5 and the height of the evaporator 4. The adaptation member 7 may be arranged to be supported between the separation floor 6 and the evaporator 4.

The separating floor 6 and the adapter element 7 are designed and arranged relative to one another in such a way that the upper side of the evaporator 4 and the upper side of the liquefier 5 lie on a common horizontal plane in the assembled structural assembly 1. The adapter element 7 can be connected to the separating floor 6 without damage and without loosening. A recess 8 is formed in a section of the separating floor 6 in which the adapter element 7 can be arranged. A recess 9 is formed on the adapter element 7, which has a through-opening, not shown, through which condensate that forms on the evaporator 4 during operation of the appliance can drain from the evaporator 4. The condensate passing through the openings falls through the recesses 8 in the separating floor 6 and is collected by a condensate pan, not shown, of the bottom module 1.

A slot-shaped recess 10 is formed on the side of the separating floor 6 facing the evaporator 4 and the liquefier 5. The recesses 10 of the separating bottom 6 are arranged in two rows extending parallel to one another, which are formed on mutually opposite edge regions of the separating bottom 6. On the side of the liquefier 5 facing the partition floor 6 and on the side of the adapter element 7 facing the partition floor, four

projections

11 and 12 are arranged in each case at the corners, which projections can engage in a form-fitting manner in the recesses 10 on the partition floor 6. The bulges 11 of the liquefier 5 are each formed by a flange 13 arranged at a corner on the liquefier 5. The number of grooves 10 separating the bottom plate 6 is greater than the number of projections 11 of the liquefier 5 and of the adapter member 7. The recess 10 of the separating floor 6 is formed on the separating floor 6 in such a way that the liquefier 5 and/or the adapter element 7 can be connected to the separating floor 6 in a form-fitting manner in different relative positions with respect to the separating floor 6.

A slot-like recess 14 is formed on the side of the adapter element 7 facing the evaporator 4. The grooves 14 of the adapter element 7 are arranged in two rows extending parallel to one another, which are formed on mutually opposite edge regions of the adapter element 7. On the side of the evaporator 4 facing the adapter element 7, a projection 15 is arranged, which can engage in a form-fitting manner in the recess 14 of the adapter element 7. The projections 15 of the evaporator 4 are each formed by a flange 16 arranged at a corner on the evaporator 4. The number of grooves 14 of the adapting member 7 is larger than the number of protrusions 15 of the evaporator 4. The recess 14 of the adapter element 7 is formed on the adapter element 7 in such a way that the evaporator 4 can be connected to the adapter element 7 in a form-fitting manner in different relative positions with respect to the adapter element 7.

List of reference numerals

1 bottom assembly

2 casing

3 Heat pump

4 evaporator

5 liquefier

6 partition bottom plate

7 adapting component

8 separating the notches in the bottom plate

9 recesses in the adapter member

10 grooves on the partition bottom plate

11 projection on liquefier

12 projections on adapter member

13 flange on liquefier

14 grooves on adapter members

15 projection on evaporator

16 flange on evaporator.

Claims

1. A bottom assembly (1) for an appliance for drying laundry, having a separating floor (6) and a heat exchanger (4, 5) of a heat pump (3) thermally coupled to a process air system of the appliance, which heat exchanger (4, 5) can be mounted at least indirectly on the separating floor (6), wherein the heat exchangers (4, 5) have different structural heights, characterized in that at least one adapter member (7) which is manufactured separately from the separating floor (6) is provided, the structural height of which corresponds to the difference in the structural height of the heat exchangers (4, 5), and which is arranged to be supported between the separating floor (6) and the heat exchanger (4) having the smaller structural height.

2. A bottom assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition bottom plate (6) and the adapter member (7) are constructed and arranged relative to each other such that the upper sides of the heat exchangers (4, 5) are on a common horizontal plane.

3. The bottom assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adapter member (7) can be connected with the separating floor (6) without damage and release.

4. The bottom assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a recess (10) is formed on the side of the separating floor (6) facing the heat exchanger (4, 5), and in that a projection (11, 12) is arranged on the side of the heat exchanger (5) having the greater overall height facing the separating floor (6) and on the side of the adapter element (7) facing the separating floor, which projection engages in a form-fitting manner in the recess (10) on the separating floor (6).

5. The bottom sub-assembly (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the number of the recesses (10) of the separating floor (6) is greater than the number of the projections (11, 12) of the heat exchanger (5) having the greater structural height and of the adapter member (7), and the recesses (10) are formed on the separating floor (6) in such a way that the heat exchanger (5) having the greater structural height and/or the adapter member (7) can be connected to the separating floor (6) in a positive-locking manner in different relative positions with respect to the separating floor (6).

6. The bottom assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a recess (14) is configured on the side of the adapter member (7) facing the heat exchanger (4) having the smaller structural height, and a projection (15) is arranged on the side of the heat exchanger (4) having the smaller structural height facing the adapter member (7), which projection engages in a form-fitting manner in the recess (14) of the adapter member (7).

7. The bottom assembly (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the number of recesses (14) of the adapter member (7) is greater than the number of projections (15) of the heat exchanger (4) having the smaller overall height, and the recesses (14) are configured on the adapter member (7) in such a way that the heat exchanger (4) having the smaller overall height can be positively connected to the adapter member (7) in different relative positions with respect to the adapter member (7).

8. The bottom assembly (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that at least one groove (10, 14) is of slot-like configuration.

9. The bottom assembly (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the grooves (10) of the separating floor (6) are arranged in two columns extending parallel to each other.

10. Appliance for drying laundry, characterized in that it has a bottom assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.