CN117460443A - Dryer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A dryer assembly (10) for drying laundry is disclosed, the dryer assembly (10) comprising: a housing (2) having an air inlet (4) and an outlet (6); -a centrifugal impeller (20) for generating an air flow from the inlet (4) to the outlet (6), the centrifugal impeller (20) having blades (42) curved backwards and being adapted to suck air through the inlet (4) in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation (R) and to distribute the air radially into an inner chamber (36) of the housing (2), the chamber (36) being formed to direct the air radially from the impeller (20) towards the outlet (6), a control unit (48) adapted to control the impeller (20) based on an input from a user; and an adapter (44) having an inlet connected to the outlet (6) of the housing (2) and one or more outlets (50) through which air from the dryer housing (2) may flow to dry laundry placed around, at or near the outlets (50), the adapter (44) being detachably connected to the housing (2).

Description

Dryer apparatus

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a dryer assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dryer assembly comprising a housing having an air inlet and an outlet connectable to an adapter for dispensing air; the dryer assembly further includes a centrifugal impeller in the housing for producing an air flow from the inlet to the outlet; and a control unit for controlling the impeller and optionally the ceramic heating element based on user input.

Background

Efficient drying, storage and sterilization of shoes, boots, mitts, gloves, and the like is a challenge. The dryer according to the prior art generally has a short drying cycle, a small air flow and insufficient heat, and cannot dry shoes, gloves, etc. rapidly and efficiently. The main disadvantage of existing dryers is the low air pressure, which means that the air flow from the fan/impeller cannot effectively blow into or through the laundry (e.g. shoes or mittens) it is intended to dry, as the air flow is stopped by the resistance at the junction between the dryer and the laundry. Attempts have been made to increase the air flow and pressure in dryer equipment. However, as a result of this, the noise level is unacceptably high. Another disadvantage found in some home dryer apparatuses according to the prior art is that most hose-based solutions can be used to introduce air to the laundry/items to be dried, which is not practical for finishing and storing these items. While hose-based solutions may be suitable for shoes or boots, they cannot be used for other garments such as wet gloves, mittens and clothing. Many dryers according to the prior art provide drying only at a fixed temperature, with a binary on/off solution, without taking into account that different types of laundry may need to be dried at different temperatures. For example, when drying leather gloves or shoes, the temperature should not exceed 37 degrees, sometimes even near room temperature, while rapid and efficient drying of other garments can be performed at temperatures of 60 degrees or higher. Furthermore, bacteria and off-flavors are common problems with mitts and shoes and are not addressed by current dryer systems. Bacteria can grow in wet environments such as boots and gloves. Another disadvantage of dryers according to the prior art is that they mainly use coil-based heating elements, which constitute a fire hazard, resulting in multiple house fires each year. Another disadvantage of conventional dryers is that the unused outlet still consumes air.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the prior art.

This object is achieved by the features specified in the following description and in the subsequent claims.

The invention is defined by the independent patent claims. The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments of the invention.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a dryer assembly for drying laundry, the dryer assembly comprising:

-a housing having an air inlet and an outlet;

a centrifugal impeller for generating an air flow from the inlet to the outlet, the centrifugal impeller having blades curved backwards and being adapted to suck air through the inlet in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation, and to distribute the air radially into an inner chamber of the housing, the chamber being formed to direct the air radially from the impeller towards the outlet,

-a control unit adapted to control the impeller based on input from a user; and

-an adapter (44) having an inlet connected to the outlet of the housing and one or more outlets through which air from the dryer housing can flow to dry laundry placed around, at or near the outlet. In one embodiment, the adapter may be removably connected to the housing, whereby different types of adapters may be used with the same fan housing, thereby increasing flexibility and enabling the same fan housing to be used to optimize the drying of different types of clothing.

The dryer assembly may also include a ceramic heating element disposed between the inlet and the outlet of the housing such that heated air may flow from the housing and into the adapter. However, in a simple embodiment, the dryer apparatus may be operated only at room temperature, so that no additional heating is required.

As a control unit adapted to "make adjustments", the control unit may at least manually switch the components on/off based on a timer and/or based on closed loop feedback of parameters such as temperature, pressure and air flow. In one embodiment, the control unit may be adapted to shut down the dryer assembly if an increase in back pressure is sensed in case of complete or partial blockage of one or more outlets. The control unit may also be used to set the heating elements to different temperatures.

Conventional dryer assemblies (e.g., shoe dryers) typically use forward curved blades in their impellers, which typically create a higher airflow. Another benefit of these forward curved vane impellers is that they can operate at low speeds, thereby reducing noise levels. Thus, the use of a forwardly curved blade is an alternative to such an impeller. The applicant has surprisingly found that once such a dryer system is subjected to pressure resistance (e.g. shoes or mittens placed over the outlet for drying) the performance/airflow drops drastically, greatly reducing the drying effect.

The use of backward curved blades in the impeller produces a higher output pressure. By carefully optimizing the rotational frequency of the impeller, the applicant has found that it is possible to deliver high air flows at high pressures while avoiding unacceptable noise levels.

The present dryer assembly produces a greater airflow at a higher pressure than dryers according to the prior art. In the case of high air pressure, the dryer "pushes" air into the fabric/garment of the item being dried and expels moisture more effectively than previously known dryers.

The use of ceramic heating elements generally improves fire safety by preventing overheating. In addition, the electronic power supply and other electronic components may be coated with a fire resistant gel to prevent arcing that may cause a fire. In one embodiment, the ceramic heating elements may be of the PTC ("positive thermal coefficient") type, whereby a separate temperature controller for each heating element may not be required. In addition, as will be discussed below, temperature feedback from the outlet may be used to actuate other or additional heating elements to maintain the output temperature at a desired level.

Different types of clothing may require different temperature solutions; for example, during drying, leather and form-fit foam (skin foam) in a ski boot may require low temperatures, desirably 37 degrees celsius or room temperature. Thus, in one embodiment, the ceramic heating element may be set to different power outputs via the control unit corresponding to different temperatures of the outlet air. The set point may be, for example, 37 degrees, 45 degrees, and/or 60 degrees. In one embodiment, different set points may be achieved by providing the dryer assembly with two or more ceramic heating elements arranged in parallel. In one embodiment, the dryer assembly may be provided with two ceramic heating elements arranged side by side or above each other, wherein one or both heating elements may be actuated to define three different temperature set points. This may include one small/inefficient heating element for low temperatures, a second efficient heating element for medium temperatures, and a combination of first and second heating elements for high temperatures.

In one embodiment, the dryer assembly may be provided with a timer, such as 12 or 24 hours, so that the user may better customize the drying time without restarting the timer.

In one embodiment, the dryer assembly may be provided with an ozone generator that helps remove bacteria and odors by generating a small amount of ozone. In addition, or as an alternative, the dryer apparatus may be provided with a uv light source, typically near the outlet, but upstream of the outlet, as an additional or alternative means of removing bacteria.

Alternatively or in addition to the ozone generator and/or the ultraviolet light source, the dryer assembly may be provided with an air ionizer/ion air cleaner to (further) enhance the removal of bacteria and other particles from the air. An air ionizer may be provided near the outlet but upstream of the outlet as an additional or alternative means of removing bacteria and other particulates from the air.

The control unit may be provided with an adjustable timer so that the user can set the dryer time depending on the item being dried, for example a longer drying cycle at low heat or a shorter drying cycle at high heat. It may also automatically shut down the device at the end of the time.

The dryer assembly comprises the possibility of mounting and connecting different drying adapters, which may for example be wall-mounted or hung on a clothes rail, shelves (rack), as well as different adapters, such as hoses for drying boots, hoses for drying clothes and tree-structured shelves for drying smaller items, such as gloves and shoes.

The dryer may be provided with a control panel which can be rotated so that the dryer/housing can be mounted on the top and bottom of the drying rack so that the buttons and icons can be read in the correct manner.

The impeller may be driven by a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. Brushless dc motors can be made compact and durable and can operate at very high rotational frequencies (RPM), much higher than motors operated directly with ac power. The dryer apparatus may then typically include an electronic power supply to transform and rectify the incoming alternating current, as disclosed in for example GB 2357378B, to which reference is made for a further disclosure of an electronic power supply for a centrifugal fan driven by a BLDC motor from the incoming alternating current. The electronic power supply may be provided with fuses to prevent overheating and ignition.

As will be explained herein, the adapter may be provided in a variety of different forms, which means that the same dryer/housing may be used with different adapters. Some adapters may be placed on the floor, mounted on a wall, hung like a coat hanger, etc. One or more outlets on the adapter may be formed in a rigid/stiff portion of the adapter, or one or more outlets may be flexible, e.g., the outlets may be provided as hoses that may be stretched, bent, extended, etc., to fit the shoe and boot. The hose can be retracted to its original size to facilitate compact storage.

In one embodiment, the adapter may be a tree structure, wherein the trunk of the tree defines an inlet on the adapter that is directly or indirectly connected to an outlet on the housing. The branches on the tree may comprise one or more outlets, and the laundry to be dried may be hung on the branches so as to cover the outlets. In one embodiment, each branch may be formed as a straight portion extending outwardly from the trunk and having an outlet at its distal end. In another embodiment, one or more branches may be formed with "sub-branches" that divide into several outlets, for example by one or more Y-branches, whereby more laundry may be dried and/or whereby individual laundry may be dried more effectively, for example by placing the thumb of a mitt on one sub-branch. In yet another embodiment, one or more of the branches may be extendable, such as by being formed as a telescoping rod, whereby a large piece of clothing may be placed over the extended branch. In one embodiment, one or more of the branches may be L-shaped to better accommodate the shape of the shoe to be dried.

In one embodiment, the central flow path in the adapter may be formed 3-5 times, preferably about 4 times, the diameter of the outlet portion to which it is connected. This has proven to be particularly useful for maintaining a high airflow through the adapter while maintaining sufficient pressure and avoiding noise effects. In one embodiment, when the adapter is a tree structure, the inner diameter of the trunk may be 3-5 times, desirably about 4 times, the inner diameter of the branches. In one particular embodiment, the trunk is formed with an inner diameter of about 40mm, and the branches are formed with a diameter of about 10 mm. The adapter may be formed with two or more outlets, for example three, four or even more outlets. The tree-like adapter may be formed with 6, 8, 10 or even 12 or more branches, each comprising an outlet, whereby a corresponding number of laundry may be dried simultaneously.

In one embodiment, the adapter may be provided with a hook at one end so that it may hang on a wall, closet or the like. In another embodiment, the adapter may be wall mounted. The dryer may be provided at the top or bottom of the adapter. When provided at the top, this may help to avoid a child from touching the control panel on the dryer/housing.

In one embodiment, the housing may be connected to an adapter in the form of a hanger into which air from the dryer apparatus may freely flow to quickly and efficiently dry garments such as shirts, jackets, etc. through an outlet in the hanger. The hanger and garment may be covered by a storage/pocket having an opening allowing air to pass through.

In one embodiment, one or more outlets on the adapter may be provided with a closing mechanism (e.g. a valve) to close it when not in use, whereby the airflow through the remaining/open outlets may be optimised.

In one embodiment, the adapter may be modular in the sense that more outlet features may be added to or removed from the adapter while still maintaining its functionality. If the adapter is a tree structure, a trunk portion/adapter unit having one or more branches may be added to or removed from an already installed trunk portion to extend or shorten the adapter/tree.

The dryer apparatus according to the invention can be used with different adapters at different times, whereby the same dryer apparatus can be detached from e.g. a hanger or tree-based solution for drying shoes with flexible hoses.

Drawings

Examples of preferred embodiments shown in the drawings are described below, in which:

fig. 1 shows a dryer apparatus according to the invention in a perspective view;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the control panel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a dryer assembly according to the present invention in a partial cross-sectional view;

fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a fan used in a dryer apparatus according to the invention;

fig. 5 shows a schematic view of a fan used in a dryer apparatus according to the prior art;

fig. 6 shows a first embodiment of a dryer assembly according to the invention;

fig. 7 shows a second embodiment of a dryer assembly according to the invention;

fig. 8 shows a third embodiment of a dryer assembly according to the invention;

fig. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of a dryer assembly according to the invention;

fig. 10 shows a perspective view of an impeller for use in a dryer apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 11-12 illustrate the impeller of FIG. 10 in a schematic top view; and

fig. 13-15 show in exploded view a dryer assembly according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, reference numeral 1 will be used to denote a dryer, and reference numeral 10 denotes a dryer assembly according to the present invention. The figures are schematic and simplified, and various features thereof are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Fig. 1 shows a dryer 1. The dryer 1 comprises a housing 2, as shown in fig. 3, having an inlet 4 and an outlet 6 at the back of the housing 2. The housing 2 is formed to have a substantially circular cross section. In the embodiment shown, the outlet 6 is arranged at the top of the housing 2 in the use position. In other embodiments, the outlet may be provided at the bottom of the housing 2 (as will be shown and discussed with reference to fig. 7) or on one side of the housing 2. In the embodiment shown, the dryer 1 comprises a transition piece 12, here in the form of a nozzle, defining the shell of the dryer 1The transition between the body 2 and the adapter 44 will be described with reference to fig. 3, 6-9. A user operable control panel 14 is provided on the front face of the housing 2, which is shown in an enlarged view in fig. 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the control panel 14 is digital, but may be analog in other embodiments. The control panel 14 is rotatable 180 degrees in the housing 2 and is therefore usable both in suspended embodiments and in upright embodiments, as will be shown with reference to e.g. fig. 6 and 7. The control panel 14 is connected to a control unit 48, see fig. 3, by means of which the different components of the dryer 1 can be controlled. As can be seen in the enlarged view, a main on/off switch 16 is provided for manually switching the dryer assembly 10 on/off. The air flow may be controlled by a button 18 adapted to adjust the rotational frequency of the impeller 20, for example to 150m depending on the number of outlets in the adapter ³ And/h, as will be explained below. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the impeller 20 may be adjustable to operate at a rotational frequency of up to 7000rpm (preferably between 4300 and 5300rpm, even more preferably around 4800 rpm). The timer setting button 22 may be used to set a timer for setting how long the dryer 1 should be operated before being automatically turned off. The heating setting button 28 may be used to switch between different heating settings, such as between output air temperatures of 37 degrees celsius, 45 degrees celsius, or 60 degrees celsius as described above. The dryer 1 may also be provided with an ozone generator start button 24 for switching on/off the ozone generator 40 shown in fig. 3. Lamps 30, 32, 34 for temperature, time and air flow, respectively, are provided to indicate the selected values.

Fig. 3 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a dryer assembly 10 according to the present invention. The centrifugal impeller 20 is arranged slightly eccentrically in the circular housing 2 of the dryer 1. The impeller 20 is rotated via an electronic power supply 48 by means of a brushless dc motor, not shown, which means that the dryer 1 can be connected directly to a common ac power outlet in the home. In the embodiment shown, the electronic power supply 48 is arranged in a common housing 2 together with the control unit. For simplicity, the external connections/wires are not shown. As described above, the inlet 4 is provided at the back surface of the housing 2. In the embodiment shown, the inlet 4 has a diameter of about 68mm, whereas the outer diameter of the centrifugal impeller is about 114mm. The centrifugal impeller 20 draws in air through the inlet 4 in a direction parallel to its axis of rotation R and distributes the air radially into an inner chamber 36 of the housing 2, the chamber 36 being formed to direct the air towards the outlet 6. In the embodiment shown, the outlet 6 has a diameter of about 84mm and a height of 50 mm. A ceramic heating element 38 is schematically shown traversing the (across) outlet 6. Both the inlet 4 and the outlet 6 may be provided with safety grids for child safety and/or to prevent foreign bodies from entering the impeller. An ozone generator 40 is provided for adding small amounts of ozone to the air flowing from the apparatus, wherein the ozone can kill bacteria, remove odors, etc. The dryer may be provided with an air ionizer instead of or in addition to the ozone generator 40. The ozone generator activation button 24 may be replaced by an air ionizer activation button or the control panel may be provided with additional buttons for activating the air ionizer. The impeller 20 includes a plurality of blades 42 which curve back with respect to the rotation of the impeller, which means that the impeller rotates counter-clockwise in fig. 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the impeller 20 includes eight blades 42. As described above, the rearward curvature increases the air pressure on the outlet side, which has been found to be very advantageous for being able to "push" air into and through the garment being dried. In the illustrated embodiment, the blades 42 are formed with an inlet angle β of 45 degrees and an outlet angle α of 55 degrees, as measured relative to a tangent T to the inner and outer diameters of the impeller 20, as best shown in FIGS. 11-12. The height of the impeller is preferably in the range 32.5mm to 47.5mm, whereas the height of the impeller 20 in the embodiment shown is 37.5mm. The housing 2 provides a close fit below and above the impeller 2 and is formed with flat upper and lower surfaces for improved airflow and noise reduction.

The dryer 1 may be used as a stand alone unit or attached to a drying adapter 44 to define a dryer assembly 10 as described herein. The transition piece 12 may be used so that the same dryer 1 may be adapted for use with different adapters 44. In FIG. 3, the transition piece 12 (here in the form of a nozzle) reduces the outlet cross-section from a rectangular shape of 84X 50mm to a circular shape of about 40mm in diameterCorresponding to the central flow path 46 of the adapter 44 shown only partially in fig. 3. Referring to fig. 6 and 7, the adapter 44 has a tree structure, as can be seen more clearly. The outlet 50 on the adapter, here in the form of a branch 51 on the tree, has a diameter of about 10 mm. The diameter ratio of about 4/1 between the trunk 46 and the branches 51/outlets 50 ensures that the pressure drop into the branches at the bottom of the tree is not too high, while the resistance is low enough to avoid unwanted noise effects and to maintain a high air throughput. In experiments, the applicant has found that 10-14m of each outlet 50 in the adapter 44 ³ The gas flow per hour (preferably about 12m per outlet 50 ³ A gas flow of/h), when combined with a static gas pressure of about 250Pa (corresponding to a total pressure of about 300 Pa), provides a high drying efficiency. An electronic power and control unit 48 is schematically shown in the housing 2 above and to the left of the impeller 20.

Fig. 4 very schematically shows the principle of a backward curved blade 42. Wherein the blade curves from the pressure side 52 of the blade towards the suction side 54. The backward curved vane 42 is curved backward from the inner edge to the outer edge with respect to the movement direction. When both impeller designs are rotated, the pressure side 52 and suction side 54 are created, but it is this difference in pressure distribution of the suction side and pressure side that causes the backward curved blades to push the air directly outward/radially, allowing pressure to build up, as compared to "catapulting" the air in the forward tangential direction, thus creating high velocity and airflow. It should be noted that the impeller schematically shown in fig. 4 and 5 rotates in a clockwise direction, i.e. opposite to the impeller 20 shown in fig. 3.

In fig. 6, an embodiment of a dryer assembly 10 according to the present invention is shown. The dryer 1 is detachably connected to the tree adapter 44 via the transition piece 12. The adapter 44 is modular in the sense that it comprises three separate adapter units 56 assembled together, wherein each adapter unit 56 is formed with a central backbone unit 58 and four branches 51, two on each side. The outlet 50 is provided at the distal end of the branch 51. The three adapter units 56 together define the trunk 46/central flow portion of the adapter 44. Each backbone unit 56 and/or each branch 51 may be provided with a valve (not shown) to provide for the presence of a valve in all branchesAir consumption and flow are optimized with none of the outlets in use. In the illustrated embodiment, the trunk 46 is formed to have an inner diameter of about 40mm, while the branches have a diameter of about 10 mm. The total air flow of each branch is preferably about 12m ³ In the embodiment shown with 12 branches, this amounts to approximately 144m ³ And/h. At the top of the adapter a hook 59 is provided so that the assembly 10 can be freely suspended from a wall, a wardrobe or the like. The trunk and/or branches may be made of plastic, metal, wood, or a combination thereof.

In fig. 7 a similar embodiment is shown, but wherein the dryer 1 is connected to an adapter 44 at the bottom of the dryer 1. The assembly 10 is provided with wall mounts (not shown) to permanently mount the assembly 10 to a wall (not shown).

Fig. 8 shows an alternative use of the dryer assembly 10 according to the invention, wherein the dryer 1 is detachably connected to an adapter 44 in the form of a hollow hanger, formed with a plurality of outlets 50. Air flows from the dryer 1 into the hollow hanger 44, out of the outlet 50 and through the laundry (not shown) into the storage bag 60, where various laundry may be placed/suspended in the storage bag 60 for quick drying. The storage bag 60 will be formed with holes (not shown) to allow air to flow therethrough. The housing 2 of the dryer 1 is provided with hooks 59 so that the assembly 10 can be hung freely on a wall, in a wardrobe or the like.

Fig. 9 shows another embodiment of a dryer assembly 10 according to the invention, wherein the dryer 1 is detachably connected to an adapter in the form of a hose manifold 44. In this embodiment, the air is distributed in parallel to four flexible and extensible hoses 53. In one embodiment, the hose 53 may be made of plastic or reinforced plastic (e.g., steel reinforced plastic). In alternative embodiments, there may be one, two, three, five or six hoses.

Fig. 10 shows an embodiment of an impeller 20 for use in a dryer assembly 10 according to the present invention. The direction of the air flow through the impeller is indicated by arrows in the figure. As explained herein, the blades 42 are curved rearward relative to the direction of rotation (clockwise in the illustrated embodiment). The blades are non-curved along the rotation/inlet/z axis and are formed to have a uniform thickness.

Fig. 11 and 12 show the impeller 20 of fig. 10 in top view, with the upper ring removed for clarity. It can be seen that the blades 42 are connected to an inner hub 62 of the impeller 20. The angle between the blades 42 and the tangent T at the hub 62 defines an inlet angle β. In the illustrated embodiment, the hub 62 is formed to have a diameter of about 40mm and the inlet angle β is about 45 degrees. As can be seen in fig. 11 and 12, the vane 42 is curved in a horizontal plane towards a middle section 64 (only shown in fig. 11) from which the vane 42 extends in a straight portion 65 towards an outer edge/diameter 66. In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate section 64 has a diameter of about 70mm, while the outer diameter/edge 66 has a diameter of 114mm. The outlet angle α (i.e., the angle between each vane 44 and the tangent T' at the outer edge) is about 55 degrees.

Fig. 13 shows a dryer assembly 10 similar to the dryer assembly of fig. 9 in an exploded view. The bracket 68 may be used to mount the dryer 1 to a surface, such as a wall, and also shows electrical wires 70 for external connection to a domestic ac power source.

Fig. 14 shows a dryer assembly 10 similar to the dryer assembly of fig. 6 in an exploded view, but showing only two adapter units 56. As shown in fig. 6, the adapter unit comprises a central backbone unit 58 and four branches 51, each having an outlet 50 at its distal end. As can be seen in the figure, the backbone units 58 are connected to each other via a connector 72 in the form of a snap-lock joint/externally threaded sleeve coupling (male sleeve coupling). A similar connector also connects the lower stem unit 58 to the adapter 21, while a slightly different single-sided version 73 of the connector is integrated in the hook 59 for connection to the upper stem unit 58. The connectors 72, 73 enable easy assembly/disassembly of the different parts of the adapter and the connection of the adapter to the housing 2 of the dryer 1, emphasizing the modularity of the dryer assembly 10 according to the invention.

Fig. 15 shows a dryer assembly 10 similar to the dryer assembly of fig. 7 in an exploded view, but showing only two adapter units 56. The connector 72 removably connects the adapter 44 to the upper trunk unit 58 via the transition piece 12, and connects the trunk units 58 to each other. The lower end of the lower stem unit 58 is covered by an end cap/single-sided connector 74. The dryer may be supported/suspended in a wall-mountable bracket 68, while an additional wall-mountable support member 75 may be used to provide additional support to the adapter unit 56 on the wall.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb "comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims (15)

1. A dryer assembly (10) for drying laundry, the dryer assembly (10) comprising:

-a housing (2) having an air inlet (4) and an outlet (6);

-a centrifugal impeller (20) for generating an air flow from the inlet (4) to the outlet (6), the centrifugal impeller (20) having backward curved blades (42) and being adapted to suck air through the inlet (4) in a direction parallel to its rotation axis (R) and to distribute the air radially into an inner chamber (36) of the housing (2), the inner chamber (36) being formed to direct the air radially from the impeller (20) towards the outlet (6),

-a control unit (48) adapted to control the impeller (20) based on input from a user; and

-an adapter (44) having an inlet connected to the outlet (6) of the housing (2) and one or more outlets (50) through which air from the dryer housing (2) can flow to dry laundry placed around, at or near the outlet (50), the adapter (44) being detachably connected to the housing (2).

2. Dryer assembly (10) according to claim 1, wherein the housing (2) comprises a ceramic heating element (38) arranged between the inlet (4) and the outlet (6), the ceramic heating element (38) preferably being adjustable between two or more different heating temperatures, wherein the control unit (48) is further adapted to control the ceramic heating element based on input from a user.

3. The dryer assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, said housing further comprising an air ionizer arranged between said inlet (4) and said outlet (6).

4. The dryer assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the impeller (20) is connected with a brushless direct current motor operable via an electronic power supply.

5. The dryer assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dryer assembly (10) is adapted to produce up to 150m ³ /h, preferably at 50m ³ /h to 120m ³ Between/h, even more preferably about 100m ³ An outlet gas flow of/h.

6. The dryer assembly (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (2) is formed with an outlet (6) having a diameter of 30-50 mm, preferably about 40mm, or the housing (2) is connected to the adapter (44) via a transition piece (12) which reduces the diameter of the outlet (6) to 30-50 mm, preferably about 40mm.

7. The dryer assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the impeller (20) is adapted to operate at a power of 10W to 25W, preferably 15W to 20W.

8. The dryer assembly (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inlet (4) has a diameter of 48mm to 88mm, preferably about 68mm.

9. The dryer assembly (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet (6) has a width of 64mm to 104mm, preferably about 84mm, and a height of 40mm to 60mm, preferably about 50 mm.

10. The dryer assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the impeller blades (42) are formed with an inlet angle (β) of 40 to 50 degrees, preferably about 45 degrees, and an outlet angle (a) of 45 to 65 degrees, preferably about 55 degrees.

11. The dryer assembly (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the impeller (20) has a height of 27.5mm to 47.5mm, preferably about 37.5mm.

12. The dryer assembly (10) according to claim 11, wherein the adapter (44) is a tree structure, wherein the one or more outlets (50) are defined by branches (51) of the tree structure.

13. The dryer assembly (10) according to claim 12, wherein the diameter of the trunk (46) of the tree-like adaptor (44) is 3 to 5 times and preferably about 4 times the diameter of the branches (51).

14. The dryer assembly (10) according to claim 13, wherein the backbone (46) of the tree adapter (44) has a diameter of about 40mm, and wherein the branches (51) have a diameter of about 10 mm.

15. The dryer assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the adapter (44) is a hanger.