EP3374563B1

EP3374563B1 - A washer/dryer comprising a condenser

Info

Publication number: EP3374563B1
Application number: EP16788546.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cumhur Ayvazoglu; Talip Caglar; Mehmet Ozbek
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2015-11-09
Filing date: 2016-11-01
Publication date: 2020-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-01
Also published as: TR201514003A2; EP3374563A1; WO2017080867A1

Description

The present invention relates to a washer/dryer comprising a condenser that is cleaned by being washed with water.
In washer/dryers, in the drying process realized after the washing process, air-cooled condensers that realize the condensation process by using the outer environment air are widely used. The humid air that comes from over the laundry and passes through the process air duct is condensed in the condenser cooled by means of the outside environment air, thus the air that is dried by being dehumidified is delivered again onto the laundry through the process air duct. During the drying process, fibers and lints are formed as the result of laundry rubbing against each other or the drum and these are carried to the condenser together with the drying air. Fibers and lints accumulate especially at the inlets and the inner surfaces of the process air passage ducts in the condenser. Fibers and lints accumulating in the condenser form a layer on the air duct surface and adversely affect the heat transfer and the efficiency of the condenser. Decrease in the efficiency of the condenser increases the drying time and energy consumption. Water spraying devices are used to cleanse the fibers and lints formed at the end of the drying cycle; however, fibers and lints accumulating especially in the very narrow air ducts inside the condensers cannot be properly cleansed.
Moreover, during the laundry washing and drying cycle the pressure of the mains water does not remain constant. This change in the water pressure changes the angle of the water jet during the drying process and makes it difficult to clean the condenser air duct.
In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2014044530 , a spraying device is described, enabling the condenser disposed in a dryer to be washed and thus cleansed of fiber and lints at the end of the drying process.
In the state of the art International Patent Application No. WO2014187493 , a laundry treatment machine with a water jet device eliminating lint accumulation in the condenser is described.
Primary object of the present invention is hence to provide a laundry treatment machine having a water jet device eliminating lint accumulation in the condenser of said laundry treatment machine.
The washer/dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof comprises an air-cooled condenser that is disposed at the circulation duct wherein the process air cycle, enabling the laundry to be dried at the drying process after the washing process, is realized, and an adaptor piece that is mounted on the condenser. The adaptor piece enables a hose connected to the water mains to be directly mounted to the condenser for cleaning the condenser without any distance therebetween, thus providing the cleaning of the air ducts.
By integrating the water jet used for cleaning the air duct around the condenser, a more efficient cleaning can be realized. In case of changes in the pressure, nozzles on the adaptor piece can carry out a better cleaning since the said nozzles are closer to the condenser. Thus, problems that may arise while mounting the nozzles, which are disposed outside the condenser in the prior art, to the condenser are eliminated. Since the hose is connected onto the condenser in a more rigid manner by means of the adaptor piece, the problems that may arise during the assembly can be eliminated. By means of the present invention, the efficiency of the condenser is improved, the duration of the drying process is shortened and energy saving is provided.
The condenser has air ducts extending in the flow direction of the process air. The adaptor piece is fixed onto the frame disposed at the outlet of the condenser. The water received from the water mains is delivered into the air ducts, thus cleaning the fibers and lints.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the adaptor piece comprises a housing that is arranged on the grill and a support that is disposed into the housing and that has at least one nozzle opening into each air duct on the condenser.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a recess is provided on the support and a pin is provided on the housing. The pin enters the recess, thus enabling the support to be fixed onto the housing.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washer/dryer comprises a locking member that is disposed on the adjacent grill whereon the housing is situated and wherein the part corresponding to the said grill enters when the support is mounted to the housing, thus enabling the support to be locked to the housing. By means of the locking member, the adaptor piece is prevented from detaching from the condenser, unless an exterior force is exerted thereon.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the condenser is placed onto the tub in an inclined manner, the spraying device extends from the condenser outlet towards the condenser inlet and the water sprayed flows downwards through the inclined air duct and leaves the condenser.
In the washer/dryer of the present invention, the fibers and lints sticking onto the surfaces surrounding the condenser air ducts are efficiently cleansed by means of the nozzles disposed on the adaptor piece mounted onto the frame, thus the efficiency of the condenser is improved.
A washer/dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures where

Figure 1 - is the general view of a washer/dryer.
Figure 2 - is the cross-sectional view of the condenser, the adaptor piece and the hoses.
Figure 3 - is the view of detail A in Figure 2.
Figure 4 - is the view of the frame and the housing arranged on the grill.
Figure 5 - is the view of the frame and the adaptor piece mounted onto the frame.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Washer/dryer
2. Drum
3. Tub
4. Circulation duct
5. Fan
6. Air duct
7. Condenser
8. Inlet
9. Outlet
10. Adaptor piece
11. Housing
12. Nozzle
13. Support
14. Heater
15. Wall
16. Pin
17. Recess
18. Hose
19. Frame
20. Grill
21. Locking member

The washer/dryer (1) comprises a drum (2) wherein the laundry is placed; a tub (3) wherein the drum (2) moves; a circulation duct (4) wherein the process air (PA) circulation, providing the drying of the laundry, is performed in the drying process; a fan (5) that provides the circulation of the process air (PA) in the circulation duct (4); a heater (14) heating the process air (PA); a condenser (7) that is disposed onto the circulation duct (4) and that has at least one air duct (6) wherein the process air (PA) passing therethrough is condensed; an inlet (8) through which the process air (PA) enters the condenser (7); an outlet (9) through which the process air (PA) leaves the condenser (7), at least one hose (18) that is connected to the water mains and that guides the water received from the water mains to the air channels (6) during the process of cleaning fibers and lints (Figure 1).
The washer/dryer (1) of the present invention comprises

a grill-shaped frame (19) that is disposed on the outlet (9),
an adaptor piece (10) that is mounted onto the frame (19),
that opens into at least one air duct (6),
that has at least one nozzle (12) whereto the hose (18) is connected

(Figure 2 and Figure 3).

In the washer/dryer (1), during the drying process, the process air (PA) passing over the laundry and becoming humid is delivered to the condenser (7) by passing from the tub (3) outlet by means of the circulation duct (4) and is condensed by passing through the air ducts (6) in the condenser (7). During the drying process, the fibers and lints formed as the result of the laundry rubbing against the drum (2) and each other are carried by the process air (PA) and accumulate at the inlet (8) and in the air ducts (6) inside the condenser (7). For cleansing the fibers and lints water is received from the mains at the end of the drying process. The water received from the mains is carried to the air duct (6) by means of the hose (18) and the adaptor piece (10). The water sprayed into the air duct (6) from the nozzles (12) cleanses the fibers and lints accumulating at the inlet (8) and on the surfaces surrounding the air duct (6). The nozzles (12) on the adaptor piece (10) separately open into at least one air duct (6). The water sprayed from the nozzles (12) almost completely contacts the surfaces surrounding the air duct (6) and the air duct (6) is efficiently cleansed of fibers and lints.
In an embodiment of the present invention, two air ducts (6) are provided. In this embodiment, the grill (20) is disposed between the air ducts (6).
The adaptor piece (10) comprises a preferably elliptical housing (11) that extends in the horizontal axis over the grill (20) on the frame (19) and that is surrounded by a wall (15), and a support (13) that is seated into the housing (11), that extends in the vertical axis and that has at least one nozzle (12), each opening into the air ducts (6) below and above the grill (20) where the housing (11) is situated (Figure 4 and Figure 5). In the preferred embodiment, two nozzles (12) opening into two separate air ducts (6) are provided.
The housing (11) can be produced as a single piece with the frame (19) or can be mounted onto the frame (19) afterwards. The housing (11) is mounted onto the support (13) and by mounting one end of the hose (18), the other end of which is connected to the mains, to the nozzles (12) on the support (13), the assembly of the adaptor piece (10) onto the washer/dryer (1) is completed. During the cleaning process, the water received from the mains is delivered to the air ducts (6) by means of the hose (18) mounted to the nozzles (12) on the support (13).
The adaptor piece (10) furthermore comprises a pin (16) that is disposed at the center of the housing (11) and a recess (17) disposed on the support (13), preferably at the center thereof, wherein the pin (16) enters, thus enabling the support (13) to be fixed to the housing (11). Thus, as the pin (16) is seated into the recess (17), the adaptor piece (10) is enabled to be easily mounted onto the frame (19). As the support (13) is placed into the housing (11), the pin (16) engages with the recess (17) and the support (13) is fixed into the housing (11). The walls (15) of the housing (11) prevent the support (13) from rotating around the pin (16) and enable the same to stay fixed.
The washer/dryer (1) furthermore comprises a locking member (21) on the grill (20) adjacent to the grill (20) where the housing (11) is arranged. When the support (13) is mounted to the housing (11), the part of the support (13) aligning with this grill (20) is seated into the locking member (21) and the locking member (21) prevents the support (13) from leaving the housing (11). In this case, the support (13) is locked with the housing (11) and hence the adaptor piece (10) is locked with the condenser (7). Thus, the adaptor piece (10) is prevented from detaching from the frame (19) by itself.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the condenser (7) is placed at the upper side of the tub (3) in an inclined manner so that the inlet (8) is above the outlet (9) level and the air duct (6) extends downhill from the inlet (8) towards the outlet (9) in an inclined manner (Figure 1, Figure 2). The adaptor piece (10) is placed onto the frame (19) at the outlet (9) and the water is carried uphill through the air duct (6) from the outlet (9) towards the inlet (8) in a direction opposite to the flow direction of the process air (PA). Some of the water sprayed by means of the nozzles (12) on the adaptor piece (10) to the air duct (6) moves uphill inside the air duct (6) with the effect of the pressure to be carried to the inlet (8) and cleanses the inlet (8), then flows downhill inside the air duct (6) due to the inclination and leaves the condenser (7) via the outlet (9).

Claims

A washer/dryer (1) comprising a drum (2) wherein the laundry is placed; a tub (3) wherein the drum (2) moves; a circulation duct (4) wherein the process air (PA) circulation, providing the drying of the laundry, is performed in the drying process; a fan (5) that provides the circulation of the process air (PA) in the circulation duct (4); a heater (14) heating the process air (PA); a condenser (7) that is disposed onto the circulation duct (4) and that has at least one air duct (6) wherein the process air (PA) passing therethrough is condensed; an inlet (8) through which the process air (PA) enters the condenser (7); an outlet (9) through which the process air (PA) leaves the condenser (7), at least one hose (18) that is connected to the water mains and that guides the water received from the water mains to the air channels (6) during the process of cleaning fibers and lints, characterized by
- a grill-shaped frame (19) that is disposed on the outlet (9), and

- an adaptor piece (10) that is mounted onto the frame (19), that opens into at least one air duct (6) and that has at least one nozzle (12) whereto the hose (18) is connected.
A washer/dryer (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the adaptor piece (10) the nozzles (12) on which separately open into at least one air duct (6).
A washer/dryer (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the adaptor piece (10) comprising a housing (11) that extends in the horizontal axis over the grill (20) on the frame (19) and that is surrounded by a wall (15), and a support (13) that is seated into the housing (11), that extends in the vertical axis and that has at least one nozzle (12), each opening into the air ducts (6) below and above the grill (20) where the housing (11) is situated.
A washer/dryer (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by the housing (11) produced as a single piece with the frame (19).
A washer/dryer (1) as in Claim 3 or 4, characterized by the adaptor piece (10) comprising a pin (16) that is disposed at the center of the housing (11) and a recess (17) disposed on the support (13), preferably at the center thereof, wherein the pin (16) enters, thus enabling the support (13) to be fixed to the housing (11).
A washer/dryer (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a locking member (21) that is disposed on the grill (20) that is adjacent to the grill (20) where the housing (11) is situated.
A washer/dryer (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the condenser (7) that is placed at the upper side of the tub (3) in an inclined manner so that the inlet (8) is above the outlet (9) level.