EP3265604A1

EP3265604A1 - A laundry dryer and a fiber and lint cleaning method for said laundry dryer

Info

Publication number: EP3265604A1
Application number: EP16707748.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Celal Vatansever; Umit PEHLIVAN; Erman Tutkak; Murat Goktas; Yavuz Sahin; Mehmet Kaya
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2015-03-04
Filing date: 2016-03-02
Publication date: 2018-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2036-03-02
Also published as: EP3265604B1; WO2016139258A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer (1) comprising a body (2); a drum (3) wherein the laundry to be dried is placed; an air circulation duct (5) providing the delivery of the drying air onto the laundry in the drum (3); a heat exchanger (4) that is disposed on the air circulation duct (5) and that enables the temperature of the drying air to be changed; at least one filter (6) that holds the particles such as fiber, lint, dust, etc. in the drying air; a tank (7) wherein the condensed water is stored; a discharge pump (8) that enables the water to be taken from the tank (7) and to be delivered onto the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6); a sump (13) wherein the water taken from the tank (7) and then draining from the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) and mixed with fiber and lints accumulates, and a discharge pump (10) that transfer the water and the particles such as fiber, lint, dust, etc. accumulated in the sump (13) to the tank (7).

Description

[Title established by the ISA under Rule 37.2] A LAUNDRY DRYER AND A FIBER AND LINT CLEANING METHOD FOR SAID LAUNDRY DRYER

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer comprising a washing pump and a discharge pump that provide the removal of particles such as fiber and lint accumulating on the filter and the heat exchanger and to a fiber and lint cleaning method.
While the laundry is being dried in the laundry dryer, particles such as fiber, lint, dust, etc. break off from the laundry particularly due to mechanical effects. In conventional laundry dryers, most of the fiber and lint is collected by means of one or more than one filter disposed on the dryer, thus preventing these particles from returning onto the laundry. The water, that is evaporated from over the laundry and condensed in the heat exchanger during the drying cycle, is collected in a tank disposed on the dryer. In the state of the art, use of the water collected in the tank for the cleaning of the filter and the heat exchanger is disclosed. In these embodiments, with the water taken from the tank, the fiber and lints on the filter and the heat exchanger are washed and the water is discharged by being transferred to the tank. The water must be filtered again so that the pump used for the discharge of the water containing fiber and lints is not clogged and that the water to be discharged by the pump does not cause the accumulation of fiber and lints inside the tank. In order to provide that the flow rate and the drying performance of the drying air is not adversely affected, during the drying cycle, it is required to clean the filter and the heat exchanger at certain intervals and to remove the fiber and lints from the system.
After washing the filter and the heat exchanger, the fiber and lints accumulating thereon are required to be transferred with water to a tank that is emptied by the user or automatically. For this operation, the fiber and the lints present in the washing water delivered in a pressurized state by the discharge pump to the tank by means of the discharge line may accumulate at the suction port of the discharge pump. In this case, clogging may occur and the laundry dryer becomes inoperable.
In the state of the art, various methods are developed for facilitating the discharge of fiber and lints accumulating on the filter and the heat exchanger after the washing thereof. In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2009015919, explanation is given for washing the filter by multiple nozzles in an intermittent manner. In this document, water is delivered to the nozzles by means of pump simultaneously, forming a film on the surface of the filter and enables the particles accumulated on the filter to be removed from the filter.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a laundry dryer comprising a washing and a discharge pump that efficiently operate by preventing the accumulation of particles such as fiber and lint, and of a fiber and lint cleaning method.
In the laundry dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention and explicated in the first claim, the control unit stops and operates again the washing pump and the discharge pump together or separately during the process of washing fiber and lints, thus preventing the fiber and lints removed from the filter and the heat exchanger from clogging the system. In the process of washing the fiber and lints started by operating the washing pump and the discharge pump together, the control unit stops the washing pump at least once, then stops the discharge pump after the same has been operated for a time, thus enables the water pumped into the discharge line to flow backwards with the effect of the gravity and to clean the fiber and lints accumulated at the suction port of the discharge pump. Thus, the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port of the discharge pump are prevented from causing clogging and are enabled to be transferred to the tank.
In the fiber and lint cleaning method realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, by operating the washing pump and the discharge pump simultaneously, the fiber and lints on the heat exchanger and/or the filter are cleaned and first the washing pump is stopped. The discharge pump is operated for 1 to 5 seconds until the water in the sump is transferred to the discharge line and then stopped, thus the water in the discharge line is enabled to flow in the reverse direction with the effect of the gravity and to sweep the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port of the discharge pump towards the sump. After 1 to 30 seconds after the discharge pump stops, the washing pump and the discharge pump are operated together, after 1 to 5 seconds the washing pump is stopped and after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump stops, the discharge pump is also stopped and the fiber and lint cleaning process is terminated.
A laundry dryer and a fiber and lint cleaning method realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 – is the schematic view of a laundry dryer.
Figure 2 – is the flow chart of the fiber and lint cleaning method embodiment.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Laundry dryer
Body
Drum
Heat exchanger
Air circulation duct
Filter
Tank
Washing pump
Washing line
Discharge pump
Discharge line
Control unit
Sump

B: Discharge pump suction port
T1, T2, T3, T4: Operation times of the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10)
The laundry dryer (1) comprises a body (2); a drum (3) wherein the laundry to be dried is placed; an air circulation duct (5) providing the delivery of the drying air onto the laundry in the drum (3); a heat exchanger (4), for example an evaporator, that is disposed on the air circulation duct (5) and that provides the dehumidification of the drying air by condensing the same; at least one filter (6) that holds fiber and lints in the drying air; a tank (7) wherein the condensed water is stored; a washing pump (8) that enables the water to be taken from the tank (7) and to be delivered onto the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6); a washing line (9) that delivers the water taken from the tank (7) by the washing pump (8) onto the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6); a sump (13) wherein the water taken from the tank (7) and then draining from the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) and mixed with fiber and lints accumulates; a discharge pump (10) that delivers the water accumulated in the sump (13) to the tank (7) to be emptied; a vertical discharge line (11) that is disposed between the discharge pump (10) and the tank (7), and a control unit (12) that controls the operation of the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10).
The laundry dryer (1) of the present invention comprises the control unit (12) that, during the fiber and lint accumulated on the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) washing process wherein the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) are operated together, stops the washing pump (8) at least once, stops the discharge pump (10) after operating the same for a predetermined time (T1) until the water in the sump (13) is transferred to the water discharge line (11), thus enables the water in the discharge line (11) to flow (back) in the reverse direction with the effect of the gravity and to sweep the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) towards the sump (13).
In the laundry dryer (1) of the present invention, during the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) washing process realized with the aim of removing the fiber and lints accumulating thereon, the water taken from the tank (7) by means of the washing pump (8) is directed onto the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) by means of the washing line (9). The discharge pump (10), which is operated together with the washing pump (8) by the control unit (12), transfers the water, that is mixed with fiber and lints draining from the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) and pouring into the sump (13), to the tank (7) by means of the discharge line (11). After the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) is/are washed sufficiently, the washing pump (8) is stopped by the control unit (12). In this case, the control unit (12) enables the operation of the discharge pump (10) to be continued for a time (T1) and stops the same at the end of this time (T1). When the discharge pump (10) is stopped, the water remaining in the discharge line (11) between the tank (7) and the discharge pump (10) flows in the reverse direction with the effect of the gravity towards the sump (13) and enables the clogging caused by the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) to be cleared. After a predetermined time (T2) the control unit (12) operates the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) simultaneously and enables the water mixed with fiber and lints in the sump (13) to be transferred to the tank (7).
By means of the present invention, during the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) washing process, by means of the discharge pump (10) operated together with the washing pump (8), the water containing fiber and lints is guided towards the tank (7) by the discharge line (11), thus preventing the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) from causing clogging and enabling the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) to be effectively washed.
The fiber and lint cleaning process of the present invention executed by the control unit (12) comprises the following steps:
- Deciding the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) washing process by detecting the accumulation of fiber and lints (100);
- Washing the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) by operating the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) simultaneously (101);
- Stopping the washing pump (8) (102);
- Operating the discharge pump (10) for a predetermined time (T1) until the water in the sump (13) is transferred to the discharge line (11) and stopping the same, then enabling the water in the discharge line (11) to flow in the reverse direction with the effect of gravity and pass into the sump (13) through the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) (103);
- Operating the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) again at the end of a predetermined time (T2) after the stopping of the discharge pump (10) (104);
- Stopping the washing pump (8) at the end of a predetermined time (T3) (105);
- Stopping the discharge pump (10) at the end of a predetermined time (T4) after the stopping of the washing pump (8) (106);
- Terminating the fiber and lint cleaning process (107) (Figure 2).
In an embodiment of the fiber and lint cleaning method, in the step (103) of operating the discharge pump (10) for a predetermined time (T1) until the sump (13) is emptied to the discharge line (11) and stopping the same and then enabling the water in the discharge line (11) to flow in the reverse direction with the effect of gravity and pass into the sump (13) through the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10), the discharge pump (10) is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump (8) is stopped (T1 = 1 - 5 s).
In another embodiment of the fiber and lint cleaning method, in the step (104) of operating the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) again at the end of a predetermined time (T2) after the stopping of the discharge pump (10); the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) are operated after 1 to 30 seconds after the discharge pump (10) is stopped (T2 = 1 - 30 s).
In another embodiment of the fiber and lint cleaning method, in the step (105) of stopping the washing pump (8) at the end of a predetermined time (T3), the washing pump (8) is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) are operated simultaneously (T3 = 1 - 5 s).
In another embodiment of the fiber and lint cleaning method, in the step (106) of stopping the discharge pump (10) at the end of a predetermined time (T4) after the washing pump (8) is stopped, the discharge pump (10) is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump (8) is stopped (T4 = 1 - 5 s).
In the fiber and lint cleaning method of the present invention, the water taken from the tank (7) by means of the washing pump (8) is directed onto the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) by means of the washing line (9). The discharge pump (10), which is operated together with the washing pump (8) by the control unit (12), transfers the water, that is mixed with fiber and lints draining from the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) and pouring into the sump (13), to the tank (7) by means of the discharge line (11). After the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) is/are washed sufficiently, the washing pump (8) is stopped by the control unit (12). In this case, the control unit (12) enables the operation of the discharge pump (10) to be continued for 1 to 5 seconds (T1) and stops the same at the end of this time (T1). When the discharge pump (10) is stopped, the water remaining in the discharge line (11) between the tank (7) and the discharge pump (10) flows in the reverse direction with the effect of the gravity into the sump (13) through the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) and enables the clogging caused by the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port (B) to be cleared. After 1 to 30 seconds (T2) after the discharge pump (10) is stopped, the control unit (12) operates the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) simultaneously for 1 to 5 seconds (T3) and the washing pump (8) is stopped. Meanwhile, the discharge pump (10) continues to operate and is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds (T4) after the washing pump (8) is stopped.
During the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter washing process, the control unit (12) operates the washing and discharge pumps (8 and 10) simultaneously at intervals (intermittently) and enables the discharge pump (10) to be operated for a time after the washing pump (8) is stopped and to be stopped thereafter. Thus, clogging that may occur at the sump (13) and at the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) is prevented.
By means of the present invention, the fiber and lints accumulating at the sump (13) and the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) are prevented from causing clogging and the heat exchanger (4) and the filter (6) are effectively cleansed of fiber and lints, thus transferring the wash water to the tank (7).

Claims

A laundry dryer (1) comprising a body (2); a drum (3) wherein the laundry to be dried is placed; an air circulation duct (5) providing the delivery of the drying air onto the laundry in the drum (3); a heat exchanger (4) that is disposed on the air circulation duct (5); at least one filter (6) that holds fiber and lints in the drying air; a tank (7) wherein the condensed water is stored; a washing pump (8) and a washing line (9) that enable the water to be taken from the tank (7) and to be delivered onto the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6); a sump (13) wherein the water taken from the tank (7) and then draining from the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) and mixed with fiber and lints accumulates; a discharge pump (10) that delivers the water accumulated in the sump (13) to the tank (7); a vertical discharge line (11) that is disposed between the discharge pump (10) and the tank (7), and a control unit (12) that controls the operation of the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10), characterized in that the control unit (12) that, during the fiber and lint accumulated on the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) washing process wherein the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) are operated together, stops the washing pump (8) at least once, stops the discharge pump (10) after operating the same for a predetermined time (T1) until the water in the sump (13) is transferred to the water discharge line (11), thus enables the water in the discharge line (11) to flow in the reverse direction with the effect of the gravity and to sweep the fiber and lints accumulating at the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) towards the sump (13).
A fiber and lint cleaning method that is executed in a laundry dryer (1), comprising the steps of:

- Deciding the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) washing process by detecting the accumulation of fiber and lints (100);

- Washing the heat exchanger (4) and/or the filter (6) by operating the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) simultaneously (101);

- Stopping the washing pump (8) (102);

- Operating the discharge pump (10) for a predetermined time (T1) until the water in the sump (13) is transferred to the discharge line (11) and stopping the same, then enabling the water in the discharge line (11) to flow in the reverse direction with the effect of gravity and pass into the sump (13) through the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10) (103);

- Operating the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) again at the end of a predetermined time (T2) after the stopping of the discharge pump (10) (104);

- Stopping the washing pump (8) at the end of a predetermined time (T3) (105);

- Stopping the discharge pump (10) at the end of a predetermined time (T4) after the stopping of the washing pump (8) (106) and

- Terminating the fiber and lint cleaning process (107).
A fiber and lint cleaning method as in Claim 2, characterized in that in the step (103) of operating the discharge pump (10) for a predetermined time (T1) until the sump (13) is emptied to the discharge line (11) and stopping the same and then enabling the water in the discharge line (11) to flow in the reverse direction with the effect of gravity and pass into the sump (13) through the suction port (B) of the discharge pump (10), the discharge pump (10) is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump (8) is stopped.
A fiber and lint cleaning method as in Claim 2, characterized in that in the step (104) of operating the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) again at the end of a predetermined time (T2) after the stopping of the discharge pump (10); the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) are operated together after 1 to 30 seconds after the discharge pump (10) is stopped.
A fiber and lint cleaning method as in Claim 2, characterized in that in the step (105) of stopping the washing pump (8) at the end of a predetermined time (T3), the washing pump (8) is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump (8) and the discharge pump (10) are operated simultaneously.
A fiber and lint cleaning method as in Claim 2, characterized in that in the step (106) of stopping the discharge pump (10) at the end of a predetermined time (T4) after the washing pump (8) is stopped, the discharge pump (10) is stopped after 1 to 5 seconds after the washing pump (8) is stopped.