EP3380662A1

EP3380662A1 - Operating a laundry drying device with a lint filter and a lint trap

Info

Publication number: EP3380662A1
Application number: EP16781470.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ralf BÖMMELS; Oliver Despang; Holger Hennig; Anja Hähnel; Marcus Simon
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2015-11-24
Filing date: 2016-10-14
Publication date: 2018-10-03
Also published as: CN108291357B; CN108291357A; DE102015223192A1; WO2017089027A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (T1 to T3, S2 to S6) for operating a laundry drying device (1), comprising a laundry drum that is connected to a process air channel (2) on the input side and the output side, a condenser (5) located in the process air channel for cooling process air flowing through, a lint filter (7) located in the process air channel (2) between the laundry drum and the condenser (5), and a removable lint trap (13) for receiving water (W) coming at least from a region of the condenser (5), wherein, via the laundry drying device (1), a cleaning event involving the lint filter (7) and/or the lint trap (13) is established (S2 to S4), and at least one user instruction is emitted (S6), and at least one cleaning process (S3, S5) that is normally carried out is not carried out. A laundry drying device (1) is configured to carry out the method. The invention is particularly advantageously applicable in washer-dryers or laundry dryers with a self-cleaning function.

Description

Operating a laundry dryer with a lint filter and a lint trap

The invention relates to a method for operating a laundry drying apparatus with a lint filter and a lint trap, in which a lint filter and / or a lint trap concerning the lint box is determined by the laundry drying device and then at least one user instruction is issued. The invention also relates to a laundry drying device, comprising a laundry drum, which is connected on the input side and output side to a process air duct, a process located in the process air duct condenser for cooling process air flowing through, a cleaning device for the condenser, a in the process air duct between the laundry drum and the condenser located lint filter and a removable lint trap for receiving at least from a region of the condenser origin- the water, the laundry drying apparatus is adapted to perform the method. The invention is particularly advantageously applicable to washer-dryer or dryer with self-cleaning function.

There are known tumble dryer, which have a laundry drum and an input and output side connected process air duct. In the process air duct, a lint filter and further downstream a heat exchanger for cooling process air circulating therein are arranged. The clothes dryers may include a cleaning device for the lint filter, by means of which water is passed over the lint filter for detaching foreign bodies or dirt (such as hair, lint, etc.) adhering to the lint filter. The tumble dryers also have a removable lint trap to trap any foreign matter (such as hair, lint, etc.) produced during a drying process. The lint trap absorbs both water previously used to clean the lint filter and condensate condensed on the heat exchanger and then dropped. The water can escape from the lint trap while retaining the lint, etc.

There are known tumble dryer, in which the lint trap is divided into two, in a first receiving area, which is intended to receive water from the comes from the heat exchanger, and in a separate second receiving area, which is intended to receive the water that has been previously used for cleaning the lint filter ters. The water originating from the heat exchanger can also be water which originates from a heat exchanger cleaning device and has been injected under pressure onto the heat exchanger in order to rinse off any lint that attaches to it. For this purpose, a high-altitude water tank can be present, which is filled with filtered-up filtered condensed water and can deliver its water abruptly by opening a valve in a downpipe. The water falling down the downcomer is sprayed or sprayed onto the first heat exchanger via a water manifold (also referred to as a "diffuser") present at a lower tip of the downcomer, for example a venturi. The water distributor may be formed as a wall part of the process air channel, which is located above the first heat exchanger.

A cleaning event occurs when the lint filter is appreciably blocked or clogged and / or when the lint trap is full, i.e., filled with lint, etc. A user is informed so far about a cleaning case and can after a normal drying process remove the lint trap and remove the lint and / or clean the lint filter. If necessary, the lint filter can be removed from the tumble dryer.

However, it is disadvantageous that the cleaning of the lint filter is not pleasant for a user.

Document DE 10 2008 054 832 A1 discloses a device for cleaning a component arranged in a process air cycle of a laundry or tumble dryer, wherein condensate separated from the process air passes into a condensate tank, from which it is used as a cleaning condensate during a cleaning process. Part flows and wherein the condensate flows through at least one lint filter on its way to the condensate tank, wherein the lint filter is arranged separately from the condensate tank and can be removed. Document DE 10 2009 046 683 A1 discloses a device for cleaning a component of a dryer with liquid rinsing medium, which has a diffuser arranged above the component for distributing the rinsing medium, wherein the diffuser has a distribution channel extending over its width for distributing it into the diffuser introduced flushing medium and a fluidically coupled to the distribution channel overflow region, with which the flushing medium in the vertical flow direction down to the component is conductive.

The publications DE 10 2009 001 548 A1, DE 10 2007 052 835 A1, DE 10 2007 016 074 A1 and DE 10 2007 049 061 A1 each disclose a laundry drying apparatus which has a component to be cleaned arranged within a process air cycle and with one above the one to be cleaned cleaning component provided washing container is equipped, wherein a cleaning liquid from the washing container can be dispensed by a controllable valve to the component to be cleaned.

The document DE 10 2009 002 540 A1 discloses a filter container which has a chamber with an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet and a filter element which is arranged between the inlet and the first outlet and the chamber into an inlet-side first chamber part and a second chamber part, wherein the filter container can be aligned so that the inlet is arranged below the filter element and the filter element is arranged below the first outlet and wherein the second outlet opens into the first chamber part.

The document DE 10 2008 055 086 A1 relates to a laundry drying apparatus, comprising a sieve for sifting out bodies, in particular lint, from a process air duct of the laundry drying apparatus and having a cleaning device for cleaning the sieve, the sieve sloping at an angle in space is arranged. The method is for cleaning a screen of a clothes drying apparatus by means of a cleaning device for cleaning the screen, wherein the screen is arranged at an angle obliquely in space and a cleaning liquid is passed over the obliquely installed screen.

Document DE 10 2008 041 998 A1 relates to a dryer comprising a drying chamber for receiving a moist material and a substantially closed product. zessluftführung for circulating process air through the drying chamber, which process air duct a heat source for heating the process air before it enters the drying chamber and a heat sink for cooling the process air after exiting the drying chamber and arranged between the drying chamber and the heat sink first lint filter for collecting Lint from the process air has, which is associated with a first cleaning device. This first cleaning device has a collector for a liquid, a first flushing line connected to the collector 1, a first control element located in this first flushing line and a first distributor connected to the first flushing line for distributing liquid conveyed through the first flushing line to the first fluff filter and for receiving trapped lint from the first lint filter, a first drain for discharging the liquid containing the lint from the first lint filter to the collector. DE 10 2010 039 552 A1 discloses a laundry treatment appliance which has a sieve holder for holding a sieve, wherein the sieve holder is assigned at least one level measuring device for measuring at least one water level at the sieve holder. DE 10 2014 204 298 A1 discloses a dryer with a drying chamber for laundry items to be dried, a process air duct in which a blower for the transport of process air, a heat sink, a heat source and a lint filter, a control unit, a liquid sensor, a flushing device and a collecting device for condensate and / or lint, wherein the collecting device is designed as a lint depot with a filter which is permeable to an aqueous liquid, but lint and a trough for receiving the fluid left through the filter and the tub associated with at least one level sensor is, with an aqueous liquid flowed from the lint depot through the filter into the tub is detectable. DE 10 2014 204 298 A1 also relates to a method for operating this dryer.

DE 10 2014 204 299 A1 relates to a dryer with a drying chamber for laundry items to be dried, a process air duct in which a blower for the transport of process air, a heat sink, a heat source and a lint filter are located, a control unit, a collecting device for condensate and / or lint, and a cleaning device for cleaning the process air duct and / or a dryer component arranged in the process air duct. Also, a lint charge counter is present, which for each performed in the dryer drying process n (n> = 1) dependent on the type and / or the amount of used in the drying process in the drying chamber wet laundry Flusenmaßzahl Fn as a measure of in the dryer due of the drying process n additional lint loading determined. DE 10 2014 204 299 A1 also relates to a method for operating this dryer.

It is the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and, in particular, to provide a particularly user-friendly option for cleaning a lint trap. This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are in particular the dependent claims and the following description taken from and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The object is achieved by a method for operating a laundry drying apparatus, in which by the laundry drying device, a cleaning case, which relates to a lint and / or a lint trap is detected and then at least one user instruction is issued by the laundry dryer and at least one normally or by the laundry dryer regular rinsing process (also referred to as cleaning process) is not performed.

In particular, the laundry drying apparatus has a laundry drum, which is connected on the input side and output side to a process air duct, a process located in the process air duct condenser for cooling process air flowing through, located in the process air duct between the laundry drum and the condenser lint filter and a removable lint trap for receiving at least one of In the process of the laundry drying device, a cleaning case concerning the lint filter and / or the lint trap is detected and then at least one user instruction is issued and at least one normally performed rinsing or cleaning process is not performed.

This method has the advantage that after detecting a cleaning case no or a smaller amount of water is introduced into the lint trap. When a user removes the lint trap from the laundry dryer after cleaning the user's notice to clean it and / or the lint filter, the lint located in the lint trap is advantageously drier and hence easier to handle and noticeably more comfortable. Therefore, a particularly user-friendly option for cleaning the Flusenfalle is provided. Also, there is the advantage that at least the currently running drying process is still completed, so that a user finds no by a demolition of the drying process still wet laundry. Another advantage is that the following drying operations can be performed by a user, albeit with less efficiency if necessary by the then not performed cleaning operations.

This method therefore includes, in particular, that when the cleaning case is detected by the laundry drying apparatus, at least one cleaning operation normally to be performed is not carried out, but at least one further drying operation is or can be carried out. In other words, the method thus includes, in particular, that with determination of the cleaning case at least one laundry drying process as such continues to be carried out and only the cleaning operations are dispensed with. The laundry drying apparatus is advantageously a household appliance, in particular in the sense of "white goods". The laundry drying apparatus may be, for example, a tumble dryer or a washer-dryer. The clothes dryer may be a recirculating or an exhaust air dryer. The condenser may be a heat exchanger. The clothes dryer may include a heat pump. The condenser may be an evaporator of the heat pump.

The laundry drum may be a rotatable laundry drum, in particular a horizontally rotatable laundry drum. The laundry drum can in particular form a circulating process air cycle with the process air duct. By cooling the process air at the condenser condenses water ("condensation" or "condensate"), which drips down from the condenser. Lint, hair, etc. sticking to the condenser are at least partially taken along by the condensed water. The then linty dripping condensed water enters the lint trap, through which the water passes, but the lint, etc. are retained.

In order to reduce the number of lint reaching the condenser, etc., the lint filter arranged in the process air passage in the process air passage between the laundry drum and the condenser is provided in the flow direction of the process air.

The cleaning case concerning the lint filter and / or the lint trap may also be referred to as a "lint cleaning case".

The at least one user hint may include an acoustically and / or optically displayed user hint, e.g. a beeping, a flashing display, an indication text, a clean symbol appearance, etc. Dispensing the at least one user alert and not performing or omitting the at least one normally-performed rinse or cleanup operation may be performed simultaneously or in any order. If the omission relates to a plurality of rinsing or cleaning operations normally to be carried out, the at least one user instruction can in principle be output arbitrarily before, after and / or between the cleaning operations.

It is a development that laundry drying device prevents performing drying operations when a number n non-performed Abreinigungsvorgänge reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold m, ie n = m or n> m applies. This prevents that drying operations are performed with a significantly reduced due to the absence of Abreinigungsvorgänge efficiency. The threshold m may be 10, 20, 50, etc., for example. However, alternatively, any number of drying operations may be performed without normally scheduled cleaning operations. It is still a development that the lint trap is located below the condenser and the lint filter. Thus, advantageously, water may drip or flow directly from the condenser and the lint filter onto or into the lint trap.

It is an embodiment that at least one normally performed Abreini- gungsvorgang for the capacitor and / or (if possible) for a lint filter is not performed. This is advantageous because large quantities of water are introduced into the river trap even late in the drying process or drying program, and therefore their avoidance noticeably helps dry the lint located in the lint trap quickly and / or strongly. In addition, an absence of Abreinigungsvorgange an effectiveness and / or drying performance is not noticeably reduced in only a few drying operations. It is still an embodiment that the cleaning case is determined due to a noticeably blocked or added ("full") lint filter. Is for cleaning the lint filter an access opening (also called service flap) or similar. opened to clean or remove the lint filter in the device, the lint trap is also advantageously prepared to be user-friendly removed and cleaned. This is particularly advantageous in the event that the lint filter and the lint trap are accessible via the same access opening, in particular if the lint filter and the lint trap are collectively removable. It is advantageous if even more drying processes or drying programs can be carried out when a full lint filter is detected by a user in order to allow him a degree of flexibility as to when he cleans the lint filter.

The household appliance can detect a full lint filter, for example using the so-called gradient method, in which a temperature rise of the process air is detected in a time interval. One cause of triggering by the gradient method is primarily due to flushing of the lint filter with lint, etc. entrained from the laundry drum with the process air.

It is a further embodiment that the cleaning case is determined due to a full Flusenfalle. It is advantageous if, when detecting a full lint if there are any other drying operations that can be done smoothly or normally to give a user some flexibility as to when he or she dumps the fluff trap. The household appliance can detect a degree of filling of the lint trap via various methods, for example via a sensory detection using, for example, a water level sensor, a cycle counter, a weighted cycle counter, an hour meter, etc. It is yet another embodiment that the cleaning case due to exceeding a storage time is determined in the lint trap. Thus, it is easily possible to prevent marked biological decomposition of the lint and / or marked formation of biological microfilms, which may be accompanied by a secretion of malodorous odors. The storage time can be recorded or estimated, for example, as a period since a last cleaning. If a predefined value is reached or exceeded, the cleaning case is initiated.

It is still a further embodiment that after determining a cleaning case during a drying process, this drying process is carried out normally and in a subsequent drying process no cleaning process is performed. This causes the lint in the lint trap to be particularly dry when taken at the end or after the subsequent drying cycle, since they have not been wetted with cleaning water for a whole drying process. However, at least some of the lint may also be wetted with condensation water which drips off the condenser in the subsequent drying cycle.

It is also an embodiment that the user notice is issued toward the end of the following drying process. This ensures that a user does not attempt to remove the lint trap before the end of this drying process, if the fluff contained therein may not be as dry.

It is also a development that after determining a cleaning case during a (currently running) drying process nor in this drying process no further, otherwise normally following cleaning process is performed more. So An even higher degree of dryness of the lint in the lint trap can be achieved. A user note can also be issued towards the end of the currently running drying process. It is also an embodiment that after determining a cleaning case during a drying process in a subsequent drying process, the determination of the cleaning case is checked and in the event that this cleaning case is no longer detected, no user information is issued. Thus, an unnecessary request to the user to empty the lint and / or to clean the lint filter is avoided. It exploits the fact that two types of dirt (lint, hair, etc.) can clog the lint filter. On the one hand, these can not be cleanable soiling, which can not be automatically cleaned or rinsed off. Such contaminants may be, for example, textile fibers which have been threaded into sieve meshes of the lint filter and entangled in such a way that they can no longer be removed via the associated lint filter, flushing or cleaning water. In this case, intervention by the customer or user is required by manual cleaning of the lint filter. On the other hand, in principle, cleanable but unintentionally (for example due to a lack of water) soiling which has not been cleaned off can have accumulated on the flow sieve from a previous drying process or drying program. For example, a lack of water may occur if a small batch of laundry has been dried with little condensation, if cold airing has been performed, or if the user has prematurely emptied a rinse container that stores cleaning or rinsing water. The residual fluff from this previous drying process will then burden the following drying process, which may lead to the detection of the cleaning case. However, such contamination can in principle still be eliminated by a regular rinsing at the end of the drying process in which a full lint filter was detected. In order to preclude the fact that the cleaning case is nevertheless introduced, although the contamination could be removed at the end of the previous drying process, the determination of the full lint filter can be hardened or checked in the following drying process in the context of this embodiment: The following drying process then starts with the determination of the Cleaning case from the previous drying process. If in this subsequent drying process also a full lint filter is found, it can be assumed that the lint filter by not cleanable dirt is blocked. In this case, the system also prepares the cleaning case, but not otherwise. By this configuration, an avoidable output of the cleaning instruction can thus be avoided, in particular with basically cleanable contaminants.

It is also an embodiment that, when in a drying process that follows an output of the at least one user advice, again a cleaning case is detected, again the at least one user note is issued. Thus, it is advantageously achieved that a user is made aware of the lint-cleaning case several times in succession, and the lint trap is emptied and / or the lint filter is cleaned. It is a development that, when in a drying process that follows an output of the at least one user instruction, again a cleaning case is detected, no cleaning process is performed in this drying process.

The object is also achieved by a laundry drying device, comprising a laundry drum, which is connected on the input side and output side to a process air duct, a process air channel located in the condenser for cooling cooling process air, a cleaning device for the condenser, in the process air duct between the laundry drum and the condenser located lint filter and a removable lint trap for receiving at least from a region of the condenser derived water, wherein the laundry drying apparatus is adapted to carry out the method as described above. The clothes drying apparatus can be formed analogously to the method and gives the same advantages.

Thus, it is an embodiment that the laundry drying apparatus further comprises a cleaning device for the lint filter.

It is also an embodiment that the lint trap is a subdivided lint trap with at least one first receiving area and one second receiving area, which first receiving area has at least one first inflow opening for water originating from the condenser and which second receiving area has at least one second inflow opening for water coming from the lint filter. This has the advantage that a comparatively large amount of lint in the second receiving area is no longer or only slightly filled with water after a lint cleaning event has been detected, while only the lint in the first receiving area wets more frequently due to the condensed water become.

The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more clearly understood in connection with the following schematic description of an embodiment which will be further described in connection with the figures of the accompanying drawings , Show it:

1 shows a sectional side view of a section of a tumble dryer; and

2 shows a possible drying process of the tumble dryer from Fig.1.

1 shows a sectional side view of a section of a laundry drying apparatus in the form of a tumble 1. Process air P flowing out of a laundry drum (not shown) flows through a process air duct 2 into a region 3 of the process air duct 2, which is closed at the front by a cover 4 and adjoins a first heat exchanger 5 at the rear. The lid 4 has an actual lid part 6 for the front-side closure of the process air channel 2 and a lint filter 7 adjoining the inside. The cover part 6 represents a user-removable wall portion of the process air channel 2 and has been inserted into a cover seat 8 thereof.

The lint filter 7 is approximately perpendicular in the region 3 and is formed as a fine-meshed single-layer or multi-layer lint filter. The lint filter 7 is circumferentially so tightly inserted in the process air duct 2 that no parasitic air side streams around the lint filter 7 occur around.

Further, above the first heat exchanger 5 and above the lint filter 7, a double water discharge module 9 is inserted into a diffuser seat 10. The diffuser seat 10 are in plan view partially above the first heat exchanger 5 and partially front side before the first heat exchanger. 5

The double water discharge module 9 has a first water discharge opening 1 1, can be fed by the pressurized water from above to the first heat exchanger 5. The double water dispensing module 9 also has a second water discharge opening 12, can be applied by the pressurized water from above on the lint filter 7. The water discharge openings 11 and 12 may be e.g. optionally by means of a valve (not shown) to be selected for water delivery. While the first water discharge opening 1 1 is arranged fluidically behind the lint filter 7, the second water discharge opening 12 is fluidically arranged in front of the lint filter 7.

Below the region 3 and thus also of the lint filter 7 and below the first heat exchanger 5 there is a lint trap 13, which has been inserted into an associated underlay seat 14. The lint trap 13 is divided twice with a first receiving area 13a and a second receiving area 13b. The first receiving area 13a has a plurality of top-side first inlet openings 15a and a plurality of bottom-side outlet openings 16a. The second receiving area 13b has an upper-side second inlet openings in the form of a Einspülspalts 15b and a plurality of lower-side outlet openings 16b. The Einspülspalt 15b is located frontally just before a lower edge of the lint filter 7. The lower-side outlet openings 16a and 16b are covered by one, possibly the respective Sieblage 17. The first heat exchanger 5 and the second heat exchanger 19 may be components of a heat pump, for example, the first heat exchanger 5, an evaporator and the second heat exchanger 19, a condenser in the process air channel 2 behind the first heat exchanger 5. In a drying operation of the clothes dryer 1 flows first, as already described above, lint-laden process air P in the region 3 of the process air duct 2 and flows through the lint filter 7. The process air P, which has flowed through the lint filter 7, has a significantly lower proportion of fluff, hair etc., which have instead deposited on the lint filter 7. The process air P continues to flow through the first Heat exchanger 5 where they condensed together with a considerable proportion of the lint still existing, etc. at the first heat exchanger 5. The condensed water W (indicated by the black arrows) drips or flows through the top-side filling openings 15a into the first receiving area 13a of the lint trap 13 and from there through the bottom outlet openings 16a into a collecting basin (not shown).

The lint taken from the condensed water W are retained by the sieve layer 17. Another part of the lint remains adhered to the first heat exchanger 5. The now largely lint-free process air P flows after the first heat exchanger 5 to the second heat exchanger 19 and is heated there again.

In a cleaning operation, from the water discharge ports 11 and 12, e.g. alternately spraying and / or spraying water under pressure, for example first to the first heat exchanger 5 and then to the lint filter 7 (but possibly also in the reverse order or simultaneously, or even one of the water discharge openings 11 and 12 may be used) , As a result, attached lint, etc. are cleaned. The running of the lint filter 7 water (see associated black arrows), which entrains the adhering lint, passes through the Einspülspalt 15b in the lint trap 13. The running of the first heat exchanger 5 water, which entrains the lint attached thereto, passes through the filling opening 15a into the lint trap 13 (see associated black arrows).

The lint retained on the screen layer 17 remain stored in the respective receiving areas 13a and 13b and are initially damp. However, this "lint cake" dries over time, so that the lint does not drip again after about 2 hours of storage.

Typically, there is a noticeably smaller amount of lint in the first receiving area 13a than in the second receiving area 13b. The cleaning can be carried out, for example, per process and per component to be cleaned off 7, 13 with a water quantity of about 1.2 liters. The cleaning can also be done several times. The lid 4 is connected to the lint trap 13 by means of a poka-yoke connection in order to be able to remove the lint trap 13 from the tumble dryer 1 with a removal of the lid 4, for example for its cleaning and possibly emptying. The lint trap 13 is thus removably inserted into the tumble dryer 1.

Fig. 2 shows a possible drying process T1 of the tumble dryer 1, e.g. may be a running drying program. In a first step S1, the drying process is started, e.g. by a user of the clothes dryer 1 after loading the laundry drum with laundry and setting of drying parameters. In a subsequent (drying) step S2, laundry located in the laundry drum is dried. This is followed in a (cleaning) step S3 a one-time cleaning or rinsing of the heat exchanger 5. Thereafter, in a (drying) step S4, the laundry is further dried, followed by a second (cleaning) step S5. The second cleaning step S5 comprises a double cleaning of the condenser 5 and the lint filter 7. If the second cleaning step S5 has run through, the drying process T1 is ended in a step S6. If the drying process T1 passes without errors, a user can carry out a subsequent drying process T2 analogously.

However, if the tumble dryer 1 has detected, for example, in the first cleaning step S3 and / or in the second cleaning step S5 of the drying process T1 that the lint trap 13 is full (ie, the first receiving area 13a and / or the second receiving area 13b are full), the Drying process T1 is still completed, but a corresponding entry for a next drying process T2 set. This can e.g. in by setting a flag or similar happen.

When the next drying operation T2 is started with its step S1, the drying steps S2 and S4 are performed, but no cleaning steps S3 and S5. It is thus achieved that with the end of the drying process T2 in step S6, the larger lint cake in the second receiving area 13b is practically dry, while the smaller lint cake in the first receiving area 13a has been wetted only by the condensate W accumulating in the drying steps S2 and S4 , A user can thus remove the lice cake easier and more pleasant than if they were dripping wet. In step S6, the user receives an indication that the lint trap 13 is being emptied. He can then also clean the filter screen 7, which further maintenance facilitated. This is also possible if the tumble dryer 1 has no possibility of automatically cleaning off the lint filter 7 and this therefore always has to be cleaned by the user. If the tumble dryer 1 has detected in one or both of the drying steps S2 and S4 of the drying process T1 that the lint filter 7 is completely or appreciably blocked, then the drying process T1 is still regularly completed and an entry for a next drying process T2 is set. The next drying process T2 is started with its step S1, followed by the drying step S2. If no full lint filter 7 is detected in the drying step S2 (eg because the lint filter 7 could still be cleaned in the cleaning step S5 of the previous drying operation T1), the following cleaning step S3 can optionally be carried out or directly transferred to the second drying step S4 become. If a full lint filter 7 is no longer detected, the second cleaning step S5 is regularly performed, and then the drying operation T2 is regularly terminated in step S6.

If, however, in the next drying process T2, it is again found in one or both of the drying steps S2 and S4 that the lint filter 7 is completely or appreciably blocked, the second cleaning step S5 is not carried out and an entry for a next drying process T3 is set or held. Also, in step S6, the user is advised to clean the lint filter 7. He can then empty the lint trap 13, which further facilitates maintenance.

In the next drying process T3, the drying steps S2 and S4 are performed, but not the cleaning steps S3 and S5. At the latest in step S6, the user again receives an indication that the lint trap 13 is to be emptied. This can be repeated until it has been determined in a drying process T3 that the flow sieve 7 is no longer blocked, whereupon this drying process or the subsequent drying process can again be carried out regularly.

If the tumble dryer 1 has determined that a storage time has been exceeded in step S6 of the drying process T1, a corresponding entry is made for the next drying cycle. T2 set. If the next drying process T2 is started with its step S1, the drying steps S2 and S4 are carried out analogously to the determination of a full lint trap 13, but no cleaning steps S3 and S5. In step S6, at least one user notice is issued to clean the lint trap 13. He can then also clean the lint filter 7, which further facilitates maintenance.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. Generally, "on", "an", etc. may be taken to mean a singular or a plurality, in particular in the sense of "at least one" or "one or more" etc., unless this is explicitly excluded, e.g. by the expression "exactly one", etc.

Also, a numerical value may include exactly the specified number as well as a customary tolerance range, unless this is explicitly excluded.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 tumble dryer

2 process air duct

3 area of the process air duct

4 lids

5 heat exchangers

6 lid part

7 lint filter

8 cover seat

9 double water delivery module

10 diffuser seat

1 1 First water discharge opening

12 Second water discharge opening

13 lint trap

13a First recording area

13b Second recording area

14 lower seat

15a First inlet opening

15b Einspülspalt

16a outlet opening

16b outlet opening

17 Sieblage

19 Second heat exchanger

P process air

S1 to S6 process steps

T1 to T3 drying process

W water

Claims

Method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) for operating a laundry drying apparatus (1), the

a laundry drum, which is connected on the input side and output side to a process air duct (2),

a condenser (5) located in the process air duct (2) for cooling process air flowing through,

- In the process air duct (2) between the laundry drum and the condenser (5) located lint filter (7) and

- A removable lint trap (13) for receiving at least from a region of the condenser (5) derived water (W),

having,

- By the laundry drying apparatus (1) a lint filter (7) and / or the lint trap (13) concerned cleaning case is detected (S2 to S4) and then

- at least one user advice is issued (S6) and

- At least one normally carried out cleaning process (S3, S5) is not performed.

Method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to claim 1, wherein at least one normally to be performed cleaning process (S5) for the lint filter (7) is not performed.

Method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one normally performed cleaning process (S3, S5) for the capacitor (5) is not performed.

Method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the cleaning case due to a blocked lint filter (7) is detected (S2, S4).

5. The method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning case due to a full lint trap (13) is detected (S3, S5).

6. The method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning case due to exceeding a storage time in the lint trap (13) is detected (S6).

7. The method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein after determining a cleaning case (S2, S4) during a drying process (T1) of this drying process (T1) is carried out normally and in a subsequent drying operation (T2 ) no cleaning process (S3, S5) is performed.

8. The method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to claim 7, wherein the user notice is issued towards the end (S6) of the subsequent drying process (T2).

9. The method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein after determining a cleaning case during a drying process in a subsequent drying process, the determination of the cleaning case is checked and in the event that this cleaning case is no longer is determined, no user advice is issued.

10. The method (T1 to T3, S1 to S6) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein in a drying process, which is followed by outputting the at least one user advice, again a cleaning case is detected, again issued the at least one user note becomes.

1 1. Clothes drying apparatus (1), comprising

a condenser (5) located in the process air duct (2) for cooling process air (P) flowing through it, - A cleaning device (1 1) for the capacitor (5),

a removable lint trap (13) for receiving at least water (W) originating from a region of the condenser (5),

in which

- The laundry drying apparatus (1) is adapted to perform the method according to one of the preceding claims.

Laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 1 1, further comprising a cleaning device (12) for the lint filter (7).

The laundry drying apparatus (1) according to claim 12, wherein the lint trap (13) is a divided lint trap (13) having at least a first receiving area and a second receiving area, said first receiving area having at least a first inlet opening for water (W ) and which second receiving region has at least one second inlet opening for water (W) originating from the lint filter (7).