DK2647755T3

DK2647755T3 - Laundry detergent with adjustable filter

Info

Publication number: DK2647755T3
Application number: DK13001266.9T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Markus Kerschdorfer
Original assignee: V Zug Ag
Priority date: 2013-03-13
Filing date: 2013-03-13
Publication date: 2019-01-21
Also published as: SI2647755T1; EP2647755A1; PL2647755T3; EP2647755B1

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a laundry treatment device, particularly a laundry dryer or a laundry treatment cabinet, with a laundry receiving chamber for receiving laundry and an air preparation system for treating the process air as well as a fan for conveying process air from the laundry receiving chamber into the air preparation system and back. Furthermore, the device has a first filter arranged inside the air preparation system and a control for controlling the laundry treatment device .

Background

Devices of this type, as e.g. described in EP2492389 and EP2434047, require a periodic maintenance of the filters. Additionally, the filters in the devices have the disadvantage that they increase the air resistance in the air preparation system. Because of this, measures are sought to design the filter in such a way that they are easy to clean and have an as small as possible air resistance. WO 2011/042345 describes a laundry dryer, the filter of which can be brought from its operation position in a second position for cleaning, where it is cleaned. WO 2014/086831, the publication date of which is after the filing date of the present property right, describes a laundry dryer with a filter which can be activated. EP 2333148 describes a laundry dryer with two different filters and a flap for switching between the two.

Description of the invention

It is the objective of the present invention to provide a device of the type mentioned at the beginning, in case of which the cleaning effort and/or air resistance of the filter or the filters, respectively, is reduced.

This objective is reached by the laundry treatment device according to claim 1. According to this, switching mechanics are provided, which are controllable by the control, by means of which the process air can be guided optionally through the first filter or past the first filter.

In this way it is possible to switch the filter between an active and an inactive state in a programmable way and as needed. As long as the filter is switched away, i.e. inactive, it cannot be contaminated and additionally the air resistance is decreased.

Accordingly, the invention goes another way than the prior art, by not optimizing the filter but only using the filter if needed.

In a preferred embodiment, the switching mechanics may be adapted to move at least a part of the first filter for introducing it in this way into the air stream or removing it from the air stream.

According to the invention, the switching mechanics has a movable flap by means of which the air stream can optionally be redirected around the first filter or guided through the first filter.

Additionally to said first filter, a second filter may be provided, which is arranged fixedly in the air stream of the process air. In other words, this second filter can also not be switched active or inactive by the control of the device, but it always remains in the air stream, such that it develops its filter effect continuously. This second filter serves particularly for retaining fluffs which aren't retained by the first filter.

The control controls the switching mechanics depending on the signal of a humidity sensor. As described further down, the signals of this sensor gives hints if the first filter is required.

The control can further be adapted to detect the contamination degree of the first filter from the difference between the flow speed of the process air and/or the power consumption of the fan when the first filter is active and when the first filter is inactive.

The present invention is particularly suitable for usage in laundry driers with rotating drum, where the process air can be relatively heavily charged with fluffs. It may however also be advantageously used in a laundry treatment cabinet where the laundry to be treated is normally kept unmoved.

Short description of the drawings

Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention result from the dependent claims and from the now following description by the drawings. Thereby it is shown in:

Fig. 1 a perspective view of a laundry dryer,

Fig. 2 a schematic vertical section through a laundry dryer,

Fig. 3 a section view of a first embodiment of a filter arrangement with an active filter,

Fig. 4 the section view of Fig. 3 with inactive filter,

Fig. 5 a section view of a second embodiment of a filter arrangement with an active filter,

Fig. 6 the section view of Fig. 5 with inactive filter,

Fig. 7 a section view of a third embodiment of a filter arrangement with an active filter,

Fig. 8 the section view of Fig. 7 with inactive filter,

Fig. 9 a section view of a fourth embodiment of a filter arrangement with an active filter,

Fig. 10 the section view of Fig. 9 with inactive filter,

Fig. 11 a block diagram of the components of a heat pump arrangement,

Fig. 12 a further embodiment of the filter,

Fig. 13 a section through the filter of Fig. 12 in active state and

Fig. 14 a section through the filter of Fig. 12 in inactive state.

Ways of carrying out the invention

Overview:

The laundry dryer shown in Fig. 1 and 2 has, as known, a rotatable laundry drum 1 as laundry receiving chamber for receiving the laundry 2 to be dried. The laundry drum 1 can be closed by a door 3 after filling in the humid laundry 2. Thereafter, the drying program can be started by the user of the device, e.g. by pressing a button on a control panel 4 of the laundry dryer. A control 5 of the laundry dryer then takes over the controlling of the steps of the drying program.

The device further has an air preparation system for preparing the process air. It comprises as known means for drying and heating up the process air. In the shown embodiment, they are formed by the evaporator 6 and the condenser 7 of a heat pump. Furthermore, an additional heating 8 may be provided. A fan 9 serves to transport the process air from the drum 1 into the air preparation system and back.

For drying the laundry 2, the laundry drum 1 is rotated by a drive (not shown) in one direction or in changing directions and the laundry 2 situated inside the laundry drum 1 is loosened and mixed. The process air is transported from the drum 1 into the door 3 of the device. From there it gets into an air channel 10 which guides it to the evaporator 6 and condenser 7, via the lower area of the door frame. Thereafter, the process air travels through the additional heating 8 and the fan 9 for returning in the drum 1.

During the passage of the process air through the laundry drum 1 with the laundry 2 arranged therein, not only humidity is removed, or carried in the process air, respectively, but also so-called fluffs and, as the case may be, also other foreign substances. When the term "fluffs" is mentioned in the following, such "foreign substances" are implicitly enclosed.

The fluffs should be removed from the process air 12 before the passage of the process air 12 through the heat exchanger of the evaporator 6 and the condenser 7, in order to avoid affecting the degree of efficiency or even damage.

For this reason, different filters are provided in the process air stream. In this way, a door filter 20 may be provided in the door, which forms a first filter stage. A filter called frame filter 21 in the following may be arranged below the door frame of the device. Additionally, a filter called "last filter" 22 in the following may be provided between the frame filter 21 and the evaporator 6.

According to the invention, a switching mechanics which is controllable by the control 5 is attributed to at least one of these filters, by means of which the process air can be guided optionally through the filter or past the filter. The filter to which the switching mechanics is attributed is called in the following "first filter", wherein this term doesn't necessarily imply that it is the first filter for the air stream after the drum 1.

It is also possible to provide more than two filters, e.g. three or four filters, of which at least one is switchable. It is also possible that more filters are switchable, i.e. that the device has "at least one" first filter which can be switched. It is also possible to provide multiple stationary, not switchable filters.

Filter arrangements:

In the following, some filter arrangements for implementing the first filter and the switching device are described by means of Fig. 3-10. These figures show each a vertical section through the filter arrangement, wherein the air stream is shown with an arrow. The respective first figure shows the filter in active state, while the respective second figure shows the filter in inactive state. Each filter is denoted by the reference 24. In the shown embodiments it is arranged inside a filter chamber having the reference 25. The process air enters the filter chamber 25 through the inlet opening 26 and leaves it through an outlet opening 27. The switching mechanics has the reference 29. A first embodiment of the filter arrangement is depicted in Fig. 3 and 4. In this embodiment the filter 24 is moved by the switching mechanics 29 for introducing it into the air stream or removing it from the air stream, respectively.

The filter 24 of the embodiment according to Fig. 3 and 4 has e.g. a rectangular cross section. It extends in the active position approximately diagonally through the filter chamber 25 and separates the inlet opening 26 from the outlet opening 27, while it lies at a wall 28 of the filter chamber 25, such that it doesn't interrupt anymore the path from the inlet opening 26 to the outlet opening 27. In this way the filter may be switched in or out.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 3 and 4, the first filter 24 has two side edges 30, 31 which are reinforced.

The first side edge 30 is fixed while the second side edge is movable transversely to the air stream by aid of the switching mechanics 29. In the embodiment according to Fig. 3 and 4 the switching mechanics 29 is shown as a threading bar 34 actuated by a motor 33, wherein alternative embodiments are also known to the skilled person.

In the embodiments according to Fig. 3 and 4 the second, movable side edge 31 lies closer to the inlet opening than the first side edge 30. This has the advantage that in the inactive position of the filter shown in Fig. 4, its inlet surface is oriented towards the wall 28, such that fluffs adhering to the inlet surface are protected by the air stream and are not carried away.

In the second embodiment according to Fig. 5 and 6, the first filter 24 forms a bag with an inlet opening 35, through which the process air enters in activate state of the filter. The switching mechanics 29 is adapted in such a way that it varies the cross section of the inlet opening 35.

In the shown embodiment, a first side edge 30 of the filter is again arranged stationarily, while the opposed second side edge 31 can be moved towards the first side edge 30 or away from it, respectively.

Preferably, the filter 24 forms a bag which is closed on all sides except the inlet opening 35. It is also conceivable that the sides of the bag which run parallel to the drawing plane of Fig. 5 and 6 are not formed by the filter tissue but are open, in which case the interior space of the filter is limited on these sides by the walls of the filter chamber 25.

Fig. 7 and 8 show a further embodiment of the first filter 24, which is particularly suitable for arrangement in the door 3 of the device. In this arrangement, the filter is spanned in a rigid frame 38, which itself is arranged in a filter holder 39 and is removable therefrom for cleaning. The filter holder 39 has on the input side a mesh 40 through which the process air gets to the filter 24 in the active position of the filter. The filter holder 39 can be moved back and forth between the active and inactive position by the switching mechanics 29 only as a whole. In the active position, the filter holder 39 follows the inlet opening 26 in a tightening way, in such a way that the air is guided through the mesh 40 and the first filter 24. In the inactive position the filter holder 39 is arranged at a distance from the inlet opening 26 such that a direct air path between the inlet opening 26 and the outlet opening 27 is created by bypassing the filter 24. The mesh 40 avoids in this position that the fluffs adhering on the inlet side of the first filter 24 are carried away by the process air stream.

Fig. 9 and 10 show a further embodiment of the first filter 24, in case of which the filter is not moved between the switching between the active and the inactive state. A flap 40 is rather provided, by means of which the process air can be optionally guided through the filter 24 or past the filter 24.

The flap 40 can be moved by the switching mechanics 29.

Yet another embodiment of the first filter is shown in Fig. 12 - 14. In this embodiment, the first filter 24 is arranged in a frame 60 which is rotatable about a rotation axis 61. The rotation axis 61 extends transversely, particularly perpendicularly, to the plane where the filter 24 is located. The switching mechanics 29 is adapted to turn the frame 60 about the rotation axis 61, between the active position shown in Fig. 13, where the filter 24 is arranged in the filter space 25 and filters the process air flowing through the filter space 25, and the inactive position shown in Fig. 14, where the filter 24 is arranged outside the filter space 25.

In the embodiment of the filter shown in Fig. 12 - 14 the frame 60 is annular and the first filter 24 extends only along the length of a first segment of the ring surface surrounded by the frame 60, while a second segment of this ring surface is open. The switching mechanics 29 is e.g. formed as turning motor engaging the frame 60 and rotating it.

The alternative of the filter shown in Fig. 12 - 14 is particularly suitable for assembly in the door 3 or below the door frame of the laundry preparation device.

Controlling the first filter:

As mentioned, the switching device 29 is controlled by the control 5, i.e. the control 5 can determine if the first filter 24 is active or inactive. In the following, a number of criteria are described, on the basis of which the control 5 can control the switching device 29.

In an advantageous embodiment, the device has at least a sensor 45, which is arranged in Fig. 2 exemplarily in the air channel 10 after drum 1 and before evaporator 6. Other arrangements of the sensor 45 are however also conceivable.

In a first embodiment, the sensor 45 may e.g. be a fluff sensor. A fluff sensor is understood as a sensor generating a signal depending on the density of the fluffs in the process air. Such a fluff sensor can count the fluffs e.g. optically in a light barrier, or it can detect the fluffs precipitating on a measurement surface. In this case the control 5 is adapted to control the switching mechanics 29 depending on the signal of the fluff sensor. If the fluff sensor shows a low fluff concentration, the first filter 24 may be brought into its inactive state for reducing the air resistance inside the device. If the fluff concentration increases, e.g. with increasing drying of the laundry 2, the first filter 24 is switched on.

In a second embodiment, the sensor 45 may be a humidity sensor by means of which the humidity of the process air or of the laundry is measured. Two humidity sensors may also be used, of which one measures the humidity of the process air and the other the humidity of the laundry. The control 5 is adapted to control the switching mechanics 29 depending on the signal of the humidity sensor. In this case the first filter 24 is controlled based on the idea that very humid laundry frees few fluffs. If the humidity of the process air and/or the laundry is high, the first filter 24 is brought into its inactive state. If it is low, the first filter is brought into its active state.

In a further embodiment, the sensor 45 may be a temperature sensor by means of which a temperature inside the laundry preparation device is measured. The control 5 is adapted to control the switching mechanics 29 depending on the signal of the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is preferably a sensor by means of which a temperature in the heat pump circuit can be measured, i.e. in the circuit which cools the evaporator 6 and heats up the condenser 7. Due to the fact that contamination of the filter is reflected by an increase of the device temperature, particularly of the temperature inside the heat pump circuit, the first filter may e.g. be brought into its inactive state when the measured temperature in the device increases above a predefined threshold. A particularly preferred embodiment with a temperature sensor in the heat pump circuit is shown in Fig. 11. This figure shows the most important components of the heat pump circuit. The circuit has a compressor 50, from which the heat pump medium is transported to the condenser 6. Thereafter, the medium optionally passes through an additional heat exchanger 51 which can be cooled with a fan 52 if necessary, in order to extract heat from the system. After that, the medium passes through a throttle or expansion valve 53 and arrives in the evaporator 7, from where it subsequently returns to the compressor 50. The temperature sensor 45 is in this case preferably arranged between the condenser 6 and the throttle or expansion valve 53, respectively. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a first temperature sensor 45 and a second temperature sensor 45' are provided, wherein the second temperature sensor 45' is arranged between the evaporator 7 and the compressor 50. In this case, the temperature difference between the first and the second temperature sensor 45, 45' is calculated. It has been noticed that this temperature difference is a good measure for the contamination of the filter, wherein for this reason the control 5 may be adapted to control the switching mechanics 29 depending on this temperature difference. The higher the temperature difference gets, the higher is the contamination. Advantageously, the first filter is thus controlled depending on this temperature difference. If the temperature difference is above a threshold, the filter is brought into the inactive state.

Furthermore it is possible to also combine multiple types of sensors, e.g. a fluff sensor and a humidity sensor.

Furthermore, the control of the first filter 24 may also be carried out on the basis of the respective process phase, i.e. the control 5 takes into account additionally or alternatively to the signal of a sensor also the phase of the respective drying process.

Particularly, the control 5 is adapted to guide the process air past the first filter 24 in a first phase of a drying process of the laundry 2 and to guide the process air through the first filter in a second phase of the drying process. Hence, in a drying process, the first filter can be switched at least once from the active to the inactive state or from the inactive to the active state. The first phase, during which the first filter is inactive, is preferably before the second phase, because at the beginning of the drying process the laundry is normally still very humid and doesn't tend to form fluffs. In the later second phase, when the laundry is dryer and generates more fluffs, the control 5 subsequently guides the process air through the first filter 24.

The transition between the so-called first and second phase of the drying process, i.e. the instant when the filter 24 is activated, can be set by the control 5 particularly depending on the signal of the above mentioned fluff sensor or humidity sensor. Alternatively to this, the transition may also be set depending on the process duration (i.e. the time from the beginning of the drying process) . A decision depending on the process duration and the sensor signal is however also conceivable (e.g. the second phase is initiated as soon as the air or laundry falls below a threshold or the process duration reaches a certain threshold, depending on what occur first).

Furthermore, the user may also have the possibility to influence the activation or the deactivation of the first filter. Particularly, a program option may be presented to him, which makes possible or prevents the deactivation of the first filter. Or he may choose a particularly fast program which deactivates the first filter during the entire process or at least during a major part of the process. In this case, the device may notify the user that a subsequent stationary second filter has to be cleaned after the process ends.

Contamination detection: A first filter of the described type can be inspected for contamination in a particularly easy way. For this, the control 5 may be adapted to sure the flow speed of the process air and/or the power consumption of the fan 9, once with inactive filter 24 and once with active filter 24. The difference of the flow speed of the process air as well as the power consumption of the fan are measures for the contamination of the filter. If this contamination is high, the flow speed of the process air decreases more when the first filter 24 is switched on or the power consumption of the fan 8 increases, respectively, than in case of a less contaminated filter. The control can detect the degree of contamination of the first filter 24 by a corresponding measurement, e.g. towards the end of the drying process, and prompt the user to clean it.

Notes :

As already mentioned, at least a second filter arranged fixedly in the air path may be provided additionally to the switchable first filter. In this way, e.g. the door filter 20 and/or the frame filter 21 may be formed as first filter, i.e. movable first filter, while at least one of the other filters, particularly the end filter 22, is arranged at a fixed position in the air path. Preferably, the second fixed filter is arranged after the first removable filter, i.e. the process air flux first travels through the first and then through the second filter before arriving at the evaporator 6, such that potential fluffs detaching from the first filter in its inactive state can still be captured by the second filter.

By providing a first filter which can optionally be switched on and off, different possibilities are created for improving the operation of the device. In this way the energy consumption may be reduced by removing the filter from the process air flow if not in use. Furthermore, a contamination of the filter can be detected.

While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the present application, it is clearly noted that the invention is not limited thereto and may be executed in other ways within the scope of the now following claims.

Claims

1. Laundry processing device, in particular dryer or laundry cabinet, with a laundry room (1) for washing laundry, an air preparation system (6, 7, 8) for preparing process air, a fan (9) for transporting process air from the laundry room (1) to the laundry room (1). 6, 7, 8) and back, at least one first filter (24) disposed in the air preparation system (6, 7, 8), a control unit (5) for controlling the laundry treatment device, a switching mechanism (29) controlled by the control unit ( 5) and with which the process air can optionally be passed through the first filter (24) or past the first filter (24), and a humidity sensor (45) for measuring the humidity of the process air and / or the laundry, where the control unit (5) is arranged for controlling the switching mechanism (29) depending on a signal from the humidity sensor, wherein the laundry processing device comprises a flap (40) by which the process air can optionally be re-fed easy the first filter (24) or past the first filter (24) where the flap (40) can be moved by the switching mechanism (29), and (a) where the air preparation system (6, 7,8) comprises means for drying and heating the process air; formed by a vaporizer (6) and a condenser (7) by a heat pump, and / or b) wherein the laundry treatment device comprises another filter (24) disposed firmly in the process air air flow.

The laundry treatment device of claim 1, wherein the switching mechanism (29) is arranged to move at least a portion of the first filter (24).

A laundry treatment device according to claim 2, wherein the first filter (24) comprises first and second opposite side edges (30, 31), wherein the first side edge (30) is fixedly fixed and the second side edge (31) can be moved transversely the air flow by means of the switching mechanism (29).

A laundry treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first filter (24) is arranged in a filter space (25), through which the process air is passed from an inlet (26) to an outlet opening (27) and wherein the first filter ( 24) the switching mechanism (29) can be moved between an active position in which it separates the input and output apertures (26, 27) from one another and an inactive position in which it is arranged at a wall (28) of the filter space (25).

A laundry treatment device according to claims 3 and 4, wherein the second side edge (31) is closer to the entrance opening (26) than the first side edge (30).

A laundry treatment device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first filter (24) is pivotally mounted in a frame (60) and wherein the switching mechanism (29) is arranged to rotate the first filter (24) about an axis of rotation (61). ) extending transversely, notably perpendicular to the first filter (24), namely between an active position, wherein the first filter (24) is arranged in a filter room (25) for filtering process air flowing through the filter space (25) and an inactive position in which the first filter (24) is disposed outside the filter compartment (25), and in particular where the frame (60) is formed annularly and the first filter (24) extends only through a first segment of a ring surface enclosed by the frame (60).

The laundry treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first filter (24) forms a bag with an inlet opening (35) and a cross-section of the inlet opening can be varied with the switching mechanism (29).

A laundry treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, with a second filter (24) arranged in the process air air flow, and in particular where the second filter (22) is coupled to the first filter (24) in the air preparation system (6, 7). 8).

A laundry treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, with a fluff sensor (45) for measuring fluff in the process air, wherein the control unit (5) is designed to control the switching mechanism (29) depending on a signal from the fluff sensor.

Laundry treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, with a temperature sensor (45) for measuring a temperature in the laundry treatment device, in particular for measuring a temperature in a heat pump circuit of the laundry treatment device, wherein the control unit (5) is arranged to control the switching mechanism (29). ) depending on a signal from the temperature sensor.

A laundry treatment device according to claim 10, with a heat pump circuit comprising a compressor (50), a capacitor (6), a throttle or an expansion valve (53) and evaporator (7), wherein the process air for drying and heating can be passed through the evaporator (7) and the capacitor (6), wherein the laundry processing device comprises a first temperature sensor (45) and a second temperature sensor (45 '), wherein the first temperature sensor (45) is disposed between the capacitor (6) and the throttle or expansion valve (53), and the second temperature sensor ( 45 ') is arranged between the evaporator (7) and the compressor (50), and wherein the control unit (5) is adapted to control the switching mechanism (29) depending on a difference in the temperature of the first and second temperature sensors (45, 45').

The laundry treatment device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (5) is arranged to pass the process air past the first filter (24) in a first phase of a drying process of the laundry and in a second phase of the drying process to pass the process air through the first filter (24), and especially where the first phase of the drying process is temporally ahead of the second phase.

A laundry processing device according to claim 12, wherein the controller (5) is arranged to determine a transition between the first and second phases based on a sensor signal, in particular depending on the signal from a humidity sensor or a flux sensor.

A laundry treatment device according to any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein the controller (5) is adapted to determine a transition between the first and second phases depending on a processing time.

A laundry treatment device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (5) is adapted to detect, on the basis of a difference in the flow rate of the process air and / or a power take-up of the fan, when the first filter (24) is switched on and off. filter (24).