EP1752578A1

EP1752578A1 - Wall mounted electrical clothes drier

Info

Publication number: EP1752578A1
Application number: EP06016086A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Gogioso
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-10
Filing date: 2006-08-02
Publication date: 2007-02-14
Also published as: ITGE20050065A1

Abstract

Wall fitting fan heater electrical appliance made up of a fan heating system (1) with vertical air flow, substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, below which a mobile clothes-hanging grill (2) is installed. The clothes hanging grill (2) is mounted on a system of runners (14) which improve their accessibility and facilitate operations of hanging/removal of the washing and which, when in function, allow the disappearance of the grill (2) inside the apron (4), positioned along the lower perimeter of the fan heater (1) with the function of directing the flow of hot air downwards.

Description

This invention refers to a wall fitting fan heater, made up of a fan heating system with vertical air flow, substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, below which a mobile clothes-hanging grill is installed.
Traditional systems for the drying of clothes are substantially represented by clothes-horses and electrical tumble driers. The former - in the various versions to hang from the ceiling, from a radiator, from a balcony, over the bath etc. - are fundamentally based on the principle of the natural convection of air and present inconveniences deriving both from the drying times - due to the unforced circulation of air - in turn dependent on the availability of a heat source (sun, stove, radiator etc.) and, in general, by environmental conditions (humidity, rainfall, temperature) and by aspects linked with encumbrance and aesthetics. The latter - in the versions using condensation or ventilation - present inconveniences linked with the sizes, typically those of a washing machine, and the floor space occupied.
The aim of this invention is that of remedying the above mentioned inconveniences by supplying a system, which adds the simplicity of use of a clothes-horse to the typical advantages of a clothes drier using ventilation in terms of drying-time reduction, thanks to the forced circulation of hot air, also combining this function of clothes drier with that of a programmable fan heater, all enclosed in a compact system, of reduced size and easy to use.
These and other aims are reached with this invention by manufacturing an electrical appliance according to claim 1 to which one is referred.
Further features and advantages of such an electrical appliance, subject of this invention, will result clearer from the following description, giving examples but not limits, referring to the schematic drawings attached, in which the electrical appliance is presented with an example of wall hanging installation with access from the left side; in particular:

Figure 1 shows an overall view of the electrical appliance in conditions of hanging/removal of the washing,
Figure 2 shows the same overall view as per figure 1 in the hypothesis of installation above a bath tub,
Figure 3 shows a front view (long side) of the electrical appliance in conditions of hanging/removal highlighting the movable mechanism of the grill,
Figure 4 shows a front view (long side) of the electrical appliance in operating conditions,
Figure 5 shows a side view (short left-hand side) of the electrical appliance in operating conditions,
Figure 6 shows a side view (short left-hand side) of the electrical appliance in conditions of non-operating and minimum encumbrance,
Figure 7 shows a lateral cross-section of the electrical appliance in operating conditions.

With reference to the above mentioned figures the electrical appliance, subject of this invention, is made up of a structure substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped 1 inside which there is housed an electrical ventilating system for the forced circulation of air made up of a motor 5 which drives a centrifugal fan 6, a system of electrical resistances for the heating of the air 7 and a system to diffuse the air 8 which, besides allowing a more uniform distribution of the air, guarantees protection from the accidental entry of slender objects as well as water splashes or squirts. The air diffusion system is made up of a fine mesh net 9 - with the function of mechanical protection against the accidental entry of objects - below which the clothes-hanging grill 2 is positioned; above the net a series of horizontals septa 10 are arranged in multiple staggered lines with the function of protecting against the accidental entry of water splashes or squirts and channelling the air flow 11 in a targeted way between one line and another of the clothes-hanging grill.
In the upper part of the structure there is a vent for air intake 12 fitted with protection against the accidental entry of water splashes or squirts.
The electrical appliance is fixed to a wall along the rear long side by means of two hinged supports 13 which allow possible rotation through 90° downwards positioning the equipment parallel to the wall with however, in this position the functioning as a programmable fan heater is still guaranteed.
The mechanism 14 to move the grill made up of a runner 15, in which the grill 2 moves, is fixed to the lower part of the structure by means of a pantograph system 16: this mechanism improves the accessibility to the grill and makes hanging/removing the washing 3 easier by increasing the distance between the grill and the fan heating system, and also allows in functioning conditions the disappearance of the grill inside the apron 4, positioned along the lower perimeter of the fan heater with the function of conveying the flow of hot air downwards.
In operating conditions the grill is kept in position by a push-button, blocking/unblocking mechanism 17. The mechanism to move the grill 14 can be mounted indifferently along the longer side - for access from a lateral direction from the left or right - or along the shorter sides - for frontal access - as a function of the installation position on the wall of the electrical appliance. Similarly the blocking/unblocking button 17 for the grill may be positioned on one of the three, free sides as a function of the installation position on the wall and for best accessibility.
The layout of the mesh of the grill, at differentiated distance 18 allows you to optimise exploitation of the space available, reducing the distance between mesh usable for "light" washing to the advantage of the distance between mesh usable for "heavy" washing, thereby increasing the equivalent line metres available.
The control panel 19 is fitted as a minimum with a timer, a function selector - fan heater (dependent on timer) / clothes drier (independent from timer) - an environment thermostat for the fan heater function and a thermostat for regulation of the maximum temperature of the air as a function of the characteristics of the washing.
The panel may be mounted indifferently on one of the three, free sides for optimal accessibility as a function of the wall installation position of the electrical appliance and is protected against the accidental entry of water splashes or squirts.
From the description carried out the features of the electrical appliance, subject of this invention, are clear as are the advantages.
Finally, it is evident that numerous other variations may be made to the electrical appliance in question without stepping outside the principles of novelty inherent to the inventive idea, just as it is clear that, in practical implementation of the invention, the materials, shapes, proportions, sizes, modularity and the multiplicity of the details illustrated may be whatsoever according to the needs and the same may be replaced with others that are technically equivalent.

Claims

Wall fitting fan heater electrical appliance including a fan-heating system, and a clothes-hanging grill (2) characterised in that it comprises ana electrical ventilating system for the forced circulation of air from said fan-heating system to said clothes-hanging grill (2).
Electrical appliance, according to claim 1, in which said electrical ventilating system comprising an apron (4) positioned along the lower perimeter of the fan heater with the function of channelling the flow of hot air downwards.
Electrical appliance, according to claim 1, in which the clothes-hanging grill comprising a moving mechanism (14) made up of a system of runners (15) fixed to the structure by means of a pantograph system (16) which allows the disappearance of the grill inside the apron conveyor (4) in operating conditions.
Electrical appliance, according to claim 3, in which the moving mechanism (14) of the grill may be mounted indifferently along the longer side- for lateral access - or along the shorter-side for frontal access - as a function of the wall installation position.
Electrical appliance, according to claim 1, in which the meshes of the grill are placed at a differentiated distance (18) each other
Electrical appliance according to claim 1 in which it is made up of a structure substantially in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped inside which there is housed the electrical ventilating system for the forced circulation of air.
Electrical appliance according to claim 1, in which the electrical ventilating system comprises a motor (5) which drives a centrifugal fan (6), a system of electrical resistances for the heating of the air (7) and a system to diffuse the air (8) having a fine mesh net (9).
Electrical appliance according to claim 1, in which it is fixed to a wall along the rear long side by means of two hinged supports (13) which allow rotation through 90° downwards positioning the equipment parallel to the wall itself.
Electrical appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a control panel (19) having a timer, a function selector, an environment thermostat for the fan heater function and a thermostat for regulation of the maximum temperature of the air as a function of the characteristics of the washing.