EP2496756B1 - Domestic dryer with a lint filter and method for cleaning a lint filter - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a laundry drying apparatus having a process air duct, wherein a lint filter is provided in the process air duct. In addition, the invention relates to a method for cleaning a lint filter in a laundry drying apparatus.

Such a laundry drying apparatus and a method for cleaning a lint filter in such a laundry drying apparatus will be apparent from the EP 0 395 484 A1 ,

In a laundry drying apparatus, eg washer-dryer and tumble dryer, a lint filter is typically used in a process air duct to retain fibers and other particulate matter entrained by a laundry or fabrics during a drying process, collectively referred to as fluff, so that they also do not enter the process air duct functional units such as blowers, pumps, heating, heat exchangers, waterways, airways, etc. can contaminate or even clog. For this purpose, a lint filter has so far been a flat lint filter made of material, in particular plastic gauze, small-pored foil or fine mesh. In order to remove the lint adhering to the lint filter, the lint filter is usually removable and can be cleaned after removal by a user. Such a lint filter is from the WO 2007/057264 A1 known, where there is additionally an odor filter, eg with activated carbon, is present.

A disadvantage of the conventional lint filters is that while. Fluff can be effectively retained, but hair may not. The gauze is so far designed so that a free passage area of about 36% to 45% of the total area and a mesh size of 100 .mu.m to 200 .mu.m is ensured, otherwise the lint filter clogs too fast and its air resistance to passing through process air too high becomes. Finer gauze with a mesh size of less than 150 microns tends to clog quickly during a drying process. However, this means that hair in the process air, which on average have a diameter between 40 microns and 120 microns (a mean diameter of hair is about 80 microns), pass through this gauze and can get into the downstream air ducts and components such as heating, heat exchangers, blowers, etc.

From the documents WO 2008/119611 A1 . WO 2009/050003 A1 . WO 2009/050004 A1 and WO 2009/077291 A1 goes out a laundry dryer, which has a loaded with lint heat exchanger, which is cleaned by a special rinsing means of a liquid of lint. From the EP 2 072 660 A1 shows a laundry dryer with a heat exchanger upstream lint filter, which can be cleaned by means of a corresponding flushing of lint and makes the conventional manual removal of lint from the lint filter after a drying process superfluous. In a laundry drying apparatus of this type, in which a component in the air path of the process air is rinsed with liquid, hair can be taken up by the liquid and transported by the latter into the liquid guidance system, where it causes problems in the usually very simply constructed pump; For example, it can lead to blockages through hair bundles. Also, hair can wrap around a drive shaft of a blower and block this blower. Furthermore, hair in the process air duct is difficult to remove.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above drawbacks, and more particularly to provide a means for effectively retaining hair in a process air duct of a clothes drying machine without an increased pressure loss.

This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are in particular the dependent claims.

The object is accordingly achieved by a laundry drying apparatus having a process air duct, wherein a lint filter is provided in the process air duct, which lint filter has at least one brush filter which traverses the process air duct over the whole area and downstream of which a lint filter held in a frame is arranged.

The brush filter, so a filter with a brush trim, is far more effective than the previous lint filters in retaining hair. Use of at least one such brush filter thus enables the lint filter to retain hair as well. When the lint filter is inserted, the brush filter lies in the process air duct, so that the process air has to flow through the brush filter. The brush filter can be provided in particular for use in a process air duct of the laundry drying apparatus.

It is a preferred embodiment of the invention that the brush filter has a roller-like shape. So it can cover a wide process air duct, as it is often present in a lint filter.

It is a further preferred embodiment of the invention that the brush filter has a bottle brush attachment. Such stocking has been found to be a particularly good compromise between filter efficiency, low air resistance, good cleanability, and high resistance in the process air stream. The type of bottle brushing is e.g. household brushes for cleaning bottles, etc. known.

It is still a preferred embodiment of the invention that the lint filter has a lint filter and the brush filter is arranged in the flow direction behind the lint filter. As a result, the brush filter is not contaminated by lint. However, an embodiment is also possible that the lint filter has a lint filter and the brush filter is arranged in the flow direction in front of the lint filter. In this way, while the brush filter is exposed to lint, it effectively keeps hair away from the lint filter.

It is also a preferred embodiment of the invention that the lint filter has a lint comb. By means of the lint comb, a user of the clothes dryer can thoroughly clean the brush filter if necessary. The lint comb may be removable from the lint filter. However, it is preferred that the lint comb be firmly attached to the lint filter so that it can not be lost.

It is also a preferred embodiment of the invention that the lint comb has a hole with attached to its inner edge tines and that the brush filter is movable for its purification by the lint line. Thus, a uniform and rapid cleaning of the brush filter is made possible, in particular with an elongate, e.g. cylindrical, brush filter.

It is also a preferred embodiment of the invention that the lint comb represents a support member for the brush filter. This means that the lint comb holds the brush filter in a normal operation. By this dual function components can be saved, and the brush filter can be easily pulled through the lint comb for cleaning.

It is still a preferred embodiment of the invention that the lint comb is made of a flexible material, in particular plastic. This facilitates passage of the brush filter and prevents damage to the brush filter and / or the lint comb.

It is also a preferred embodiment of the laundry dryer that the laundry dryer is a washer-dryer. Alternatively, the clothes drying apparatus may be e.g. also be a tumble dryer.

It is also a preferred embodiment of the laundry drying apparatus that the process air duct is a recirculating air duct.

It is still a preferred embodiment of the laundry dryer that the clothes dryer is a condensation clothes dryer. The laundry drying device can be equipped for this purpose, for example with a heat pump.

The object is also achieved by a method for cleaning a lint filter in a laundry drying apparatus according to the invention, wherein the method comprises at least the following step: pulling the brush filter through a attached to the lint filter lint comb with internal tines. This allows a uniform and fast cleaning of the brush filter.

It is a preferred embodiment of the invention that the brush filter has a roller-like shape and the lint comb has a ring-like shape, e.g. by means of a circular hole. This allows a particularly fast and thorough cleaning.

Fig.1

zeigt als Schnittdarstellung in Seitenansicht einen Wäschetrockner mit einem in einen Prozessluftkanal eingesetzten Filter;

Fig.2

zeigt den Filter in einer Vorderansicht;

Fig.3

zeigt den Filter in der Vorderansicht mit einer teilweise entfernten Filterbürste;

Fig.4

zeigt die vollständig entfernte Filterbürste mit einem zugehörigen Kamm.

In the figures of the accompanying drawings, the invention is illustrated schematically with reference to an embodiment; This embodiment will be described in more detail below. In this case, the same or equivalent elements may be provided with the same reference numerals for clarity.

Fig.1

shows a sectional side view of a clothes dryer with a filter inserted into a process air duct;

Fig.2

shows the filter in a front view;

Figure 3

shows the filter in front view with a partially removed filter brush;

Figure 4

shows the completely removed filter brush with an associated comb.

Fig.1 shows a sectional side view of a clothes dryer W with a filter 4 used by a bearing plate 2 in a corresponding receiving space 3. The receiving space 3 is part of a process air channel K. The filter 4, which thus represents a process air filter, traverses the process air duct K, the process air flow indicated by the hatched arrows, substantially entire surface. The filter can be removed with the door open D for cleaning from the bearing plate 2.

The process air P flows in an operation of the clothes dryer W in a generally known manner from a laundry drying room R, which is here designed by a rotatable laundry drum T, to the filter 4. The process air P is after passing over laundry located in the laundry drum T and wet contains lint and, to a small extent, hair. The process air P then flows through a strip-shaped upper edge 5 of the filter 4, which is provided for this purpose with passage openings 15. The process air continues to flow through at least one lint filter 7 held in a frame 6, from which most, in particular coarser, fluff are retained in the process air P. The process air P, which is now significantly reduced in the content of lint, continues to flow to a heat sink S, at which the process air P can condense. Possibly still on the heat sink S with the condensate deposited residual lint and hair can, for example by means of a Rinsing device are removed. Behind the heat sink S, the now dried process air passes through a heater and a blower (not shown) and is blown back into the laundry drum T as dry-warm process air.

To protect the frame 6 and to obtain the preferred for use of the filter 4 in the receiving space 3, wedge-shaped in side view basic shape, a pivotable protective frame 9 is arranged at a lower edge 8 of the frame 6, which as shown at the upper edge 5 pivotable and releasably attachable there, eg through a snap connection. The inclination of the equipped with the lint filter 7 frame 6 with respect to the incoming process air P reduces air resistance to the process air P.

This basic arrangement and operation of an equipped with a filter as previously described clothes dryer W is known. In the known filters, however, hair is not effectively retained, which are thus still contained in the otherwise largely free of lint process air. These hairs can, for example, get to the heat sink or in the process air blower and settle there; If they are rinsed off during their cleaning by the heat sink, they can settle in a condensate water pump which carries off the rinsing liquid.

In order to be able to filter the hair from the process air, the filter 4 now also has a filter brush 10, which is supported on two externally mounted between the upper edge 5 and the frame 6 support members 11 for the brush filter 10. The support members 11 each have a circular hole 12 for terminal use of the brush filter 10. The frame 6, the upper edge 5, the protective frame 9 and the support members 11 may be made in one piece from plastic, e.g. by means of an injection molding process.

Fig.2 shows the filter 4 in a front view with respect to the process air flow, ie in a view of the filter 4, before the process air P flows through this. The protective frame 9 is shown here in sections in a folded-down position. The frame 6 has a U-shaped outer strut 13 and a vertical center strut 14, which are completed on the upper side of the upper edge 5. Through the middle strut 14, a rigidity of the filter 4 is improved, and two subspaces for receiving a respective lint filter or a two-part lint filter 7 are provided. The filter 4 is typically gripped at its upper edge 5. The upper edge 5 typically closes the opening of the receiving space 3 in the bearing plate 2.

It is noted that instead of the protective frame 9, a further lint filter 7 may be provided, whereby the filter 4 receives the shape of a symmetrical V, wherein both lint screens 7 are equally flowed through by the process air P.

The brush filter 10 covers from below the existing in the upper edge 5 slot-shaped passage openings 15 and is thus flowed through by the process air P. This means that the process air P initially coming from the laundry drum T flows through the passage openings 15 and further through the brush filter 10, in which the hair is effectively retained, but not lint or only to a small extent. The brush filter 10 is therefore not added by lint. Due to the comparatively coarse structure of the brush filter 10 hardly any pressure loss takes place at this. The brush filter 10 has a roller-like shape and a bottle brush trim, as in Figure 4 will be described in more detail. The hair-free process air P then continues to flow to the conventional lint filter 7, where the lint is retained.

Figure 3 shows the filter 4 with the partially removed brush filter 10. The brush filter 10 is pulled to its removal by one of the support members 11, namely here the right of the support members 11. The support members 11 additionally serve as a comb or brush comb, so that when the brush filter 10 is pulled out, it is cleaned of hair. The hair, which has been previously filtered from the process air P, remain in the support member / comb 11 and can be easily removed from there. Possibly. This combing process can be repeated several times.

Figure 4 shows the completely removed brush filter 10 with the associated combined support member and comb 11. The support member or the comb 11 is made of a flexible plastic and has at its inner edge circumferentially arranged tines 15 on. The tines 15 are slightly bevelled in the direction of the frame of the filter 4 and thus in the direction of the brush filter used 10. Thus, the tines 15 are bent when pulling out of the brush filter 10 to the inside and are thus bent into the brush filter 10 for a particularly thorough combing action. The hairs H remain between the prongs 15 and can be easily removed by hand.

The brush filter 10 has a roller-like basic shape with an elongate, optionally flexible stem 16 and a bottle brush attachment 17 attached thereto, e.g. similar to a household bottle brush.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. Thus, the filter brush 10 may also be arranged behind the conventional lint filter 7. This will remove the lint and then the hair from the process air stream first. Also, the filter 4 may be disposed at a different location in the tumble dryer, eg in a door. The clothes dryer may generally be a tumble dryer or a washer dryer. <B> LIST OF REFERENCES </ b> 2 end shield 3 accommodation space 4 filter 5 upper edge 6 frame 7 lint 8th lower edge 9 protective frame 10 Filter brush / brush filter 11 Retaining element / comb 12 hole 13 outside strut 14 Crossbar 15 prong 16 stalk 17 Bottle brush border H hair W clothes dryer R Laundry drying room T washing drum S heat sink K Process air duct

Claims (8)

1. Laundry drying appliance (W) with a process air channel (K), wherein a lint filter (4) is provided in the process air channel (K), characterised in that the lint filter (4) comprises at least one brush filter (10) which crosses the process air channel (K) over the entire area and arranged at the downstream side of which is a lint sieve (7) held in a frame (6).
2. Laundry drying appliance (W) according to claim 1, wherein the brush filter (10) has a roll-like form.
3. Laundry drying appliance (W) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the brush filter (10) has a bottle-brush border (17).
4. Laundry drying appliance (W) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lint filter (4) further comprises a lint comb (11) for cleaning the brush filter (10).
5. Laundry drying appliance (W) according to claim 4, wherein the lint comb (11) has a hole (12) with tines (15) mounted at the inner edge thereof and wherein the brush filter (10) is, for cleaning thereof, movable through the lint comb (11).
6. Laundry drying appliance (W) according to one of claim 4 and 5, wherein the lint comb (11) represents a mounting element (11) for the brush filter (10).
7. Method of cleaning a lint filter (4) in a laundry drying appliance (W) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises at least the following step:

   - drawing the brush filter (10) through a lint comb (11), which is mounted on the lint filter (4), with inwardly disposed tines (15.
8. Method according to claim 7, in which the brush filter (10) has a roll-like form and the lint comb (11) has an annular form.

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