ES2296138T3 - A WASHER / DRYER. - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention relates to a washer / dryer (1) comprising a filter group (2) which is positioned in a housing on the path of the air flow, preferably located at the lower part of the washer / dryer (1) and which may be cleaned by being easily taken out of the washer / dryer (1) and whereby it is prevented that the fiber, lint and fluff particles etc. in the air inside the drum return to the air cycle.

Description

A washer / dryer

This invention relates to a washer / dryer comprising a filter group that traps fiber, Spinning, fluff and the like in the drying air.

In dryers, the air that heats by various methods he goes inside the drum where he place the items to dry and then aspirate to return to heating cycle During the mentioned air cycle, it is necessary to catch the fiber, threads, fluff and the like. Thus, Various filters have been developed to trap these particles. The filters mentioned above are produced using different kinds of materials that are placed inside the dryer, in the air circulation path.

These filters work by trapping the particles in the middle during dryer operation. Without  however over time, the particles mentioned in the medium will accumulate in the filter located in the circulation path of air, and these particles pose an obstacle that blocks the air circulation Consequently, this blockage causes increase the energy consumption of the dryer and decrease the drying efficiency For this reason, the user must clean Periodically mentioned filters.

In the United States patent document current state of the art US 3748746, the user spins the filter group placed vertically on the side wall of the dryer around an axis and, as a result of this rotation, the filter group moves up and forward and the user you can separate the filter located at the end of the group of Filter is of its location.

In British patent document GB 2091123, yet another embodiment in the current state of the art, there is a description of a filter group comprising two arms that are connected to each other by a hinge and in which the filters are placed on the surfaces of the mentioned arms.

In the state of the art, in the US patent document US 5651188, the group of filter is mounted on a cover located on the top panel of the dryer. If necessary, the user can open the aforementioned cover and take out the filter material that is attached to the surface bottom of the lid.

In another embodiment of the prior art current, in European Patent Document EP 1022373, a description of a filter group that the user can take from the dryer and comprising a filter placed on a surface that can be turned around a hinge and that is located in the intake zone where the air present in the surrounding environment to the dryer enters the device.

US 4653200 A has been identified as the closest prior art.

The object of the present invention is the realization of a washer / dryer comprising a group of filter that can be easily removed and cleaned and incorporates more of a filter to trap particles of various sizes present in the middle.

The washer / dryer designed to meet the object of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washer dryer.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a filter group

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a filter bowl

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a filter group without filter inside while the filter bowl It is in its open position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a filter group when the filter container is in position open

Figure 6 is a perspective view from behind a filter group, behind the placed filter auxiliary

Figure 7 is a perspective view from behind a filter group, behind the auxiliary filter  and protector.

Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a filter group, behind the auxiliary filter located and protective.

Figure 9 is another embodiment seen in perspective of a filter group comprising a container metal.

The pieces shown in the figures are listed as follows:

one.

Washer dryer

2.

Filter group

3.

Panel

Four.

Input chamber

5.

Guide

6.

Filter container

7.

Top

8.

Framework

9.

Filter

10.

Cap screw

eleven.

Closing housing

12.

Catch

13.

Handle

14.

Auxiliary filter

fifteen.

Protective

16.

Container

The washer / dryer (1) that provides the laundry placed inside is dry by rotation and blowing hot air over it, comprises a body, a wash tank placed inside the body, a drum located inside said wash tank, a fan used to blow the air, preferably heated by a heater, towards the drum and a filter group (2), which is located in a housing in the air flow path preferably located in the bottom of the washer / dryer (1) and that can be cleaned being able to easily remove it from the washer / dryer (1) and with which It prevents fiber particles, threads and fluff inside the drum return to the air cycle, in which the air is blown over the laundry to be placed in the drum by the fan (Figure 1 and Figure 2).

The filter group (2) comprises a panel (3) that a user can take out of the dryer (1) by hand and a filter container (6) incorporating a lid that can open / close (7) and a frame (8) that can be attached to and separate from the mentioned panel (3) and that they are joined together through a joint and in which the passage of air is allowed through the cavities located in its central parts and, one or more filters (9) located on the surface of the frame (8) and / or between the frame (8) and the cover (7) covering the cavities that allow air flows over the frame (8) and the cover (7) (Figure 5).

The panel (3) comprises a handle (13) that makes it easy to pull the filter group (2) from the washer / dryer (1) to the user, an input camera (4) between the panel (3) and the filter vessel (6), where the air that passes along of the drum enters and a guide (5) with an inclined surface of so that the air that passes through the inlet chamber (4) is Transfer to the filter container (6).

The filter container (6) comprises a frame (8) incorporating a closing housing (11), preferably in its upper edge, which is connected to the frame (8) by a joint and that ensures that the cover (7) does not separate in the closed position unless a force is applied and a cover that can be opened / closed (7) that incorporates a bolt (10) that bends under the application of a force and that is in a way that fits the closing housing (11) connected to the mentioned frame previously (8) by a hinge.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the closing housing (11) can be located in the lid (7) while the bolt (10) is located in the frame (8).

After putting a filter (9) between the filter container (6), the frame (8) and the lid (7), the frame (8) and the cover (7) that are connected to each other by a hinge is move towards each other and the frame (8) is closed by the cover (7) adjusting the bolt (10) in the closing housing (11). In this case, the filter group (2) is assembled together by mounting the filter container (6) on the panel (3).

The filter group (2) comprises a retainer (12) located on the panel (3) that activates a switch when the filter group (2) is removed from the washer / dryer in which it ensures that the washer / dryer (1) does not work until it replace.

As the washer / dryer (1) works, it performs the drying process by blowing heated air to the clothes to wash placed inside the drum. The air that receives moisture from laundry to come in contact with wet clothes directs the filter group (2) to return to the air cycle. The air wet that passes through the drum goes to the container of filter (6) using the guide (5) in the filter group (2). The air which reaches the filter vessel (6) is introduced into the cycle of the air by passing it through the filters (9) located in the surface of the frame (8) and inside the filter container (6). Depending on the operating frequency of the washer / dryer (1), after a period of time, the filters (9) in the group filter (2) are filled with fiber particles, threads and fluff, etc. and restrain the flow of air. In this case, the filters (9) They must be cleaned.

The description of the cleaning procedure of the filters (9) that are removed from the washer / dryer (1). The filter group (2) comprising the panel (3) and the filter container (6) attached to said panel (3) is take out of the washer / dryer (1) using the handle (13) located in the outer surface of the panel (3). The filter vessel (6) separates from the panel (3) and particles in the synthetic filter (9) located in the frame (8), they are removed. The sponge filter (9) on the other hand, located inside the filter vessel (6), Between the cover (7) and the frame (8), it can be cleaned by removing the filter container (6) when the lid (7) is opened. After clean the sponge filter (9), put in the filter container (6), and the frame (8) and the cover (7) are closed together so that The sponge filter (9) is between them. Filter bowl (6) with the sponge filter (9) inside, it is mounted on the panel (3) and filter group (2) joins washer / dryer (one). Meanwhile, the retainer (12) on the panel (3) that has to be operated the switch inside the washer / dryer (1) prepares the washer / dryer (1) to be ready to use by operating the mentioned switch.

As the filter container (6) and the panel (3) they can be manufactured in one piece, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention the filter container (6) incorporates the same number of projections / housings than the number of housings / projections in the filter vessel (6), the frame (8) and the panel (3) in which said projections / housings coincide with said housings / projections for joining the filter container (6) to the panel (3).

In another embodiment of the present invention, in the case that the sponge filter (9) is not positioned precisely and properly in the filter container (6) and therefore not function properly, the washer / dryer (1) comprises a auxiliary filter (14) located downstream of the filter group (2) in the air flow path, preferably on the opening present in the back wall of the housing through the that the filter group (2) is mounted on the washer / dryer (1) and a protector (15) that is placed over the opening and that is the filter auxiliary (14) bends, and prevents damage to the heat source especially the heat pump during assembly / disassembly of the auxiliary filter (14). The protector (15) is preferably in Shape of a tightly woven cable. Using the auxiliary filter (14), it is ensured that the filter function is performed, even if The filters (9) in the filter container (6) do not work. Additionally, the auxiliary filter (14) can be cleaned by the user easily removing it from its site (Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9).

Additionally, the filter group (2) comprises one or more containers (16) formed on the side edges of the panel (3) so that they fit into the indentations formed in the side edges of the housing, which means that said filter group (2) is located inside the housing the washer / dryer (1) and do not separate from the mentioned housing a unless the user applies a force to do so.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the container (16) formed in the lateral edges of the panel (3) is produced from metal so that it is not influenced negatively due to working conditions in the washer / dryer (1), especially heat. The container (16) that It is made of metal, fixed on the panel (3) preferably by riveting (Figure 9).

In dryers (1) with a heat pump, the filter group (2) according to the present invention is situated in front of the heat exchanger of the heat pump.

The user can easily remove the group of filter (2) according to the present invention of the washer / dryer (1) and can rejoin the washer / dryer (1) after the filters (9) have been cleaned.

Claims (14)

1. A washer / dryer (1) characterized by a filter group (2) located in a housing on the path of the air flow and can be cleaned and can easily be taken out of the washer / dryer (1) and thus avoided that fiber particles, threads and fluff etc. in the air inside the drum return to the air cycle, which comprises a panel (3), which is taken out of the washer / dryer (1); a filter container (6), which incorporates a lid that can be opened / closed (7) and a frame (8), the filter container (6) can be attached to and separated from the mentioned panel (3) and the lid (7) and the frame (8) are joined together by a hinge and; one or more filters (9) located on the frame surface (8) and / or between the frame (8) and the cover (7). 2. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claim 1, characterized by a filter group (2) comprising a panel (3) incorporating a handle (13) that facilitates the user to manually pull ; an inlet chamber (4) in which the air that passes along the drum enters and; a guide (5) with an inclined surface so that the air passing through the inlet chamber (4) is transferred to the filter vessel (6). 3. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claims 1-2, characterized by a filter group (2) comprising a filter container (6) incorporating a frame (8) whose total surface area is covered through a filter (9), which allows air to pass through it. 4. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claims 1-2, characterized by a filter group (2) comprising a filter container (6) incorporating a lid that can be opened / closed (7) with a cavity in its central part that allows the flow of air. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claim 3, characterized by a filter group (2) comprising a filter container (6) incorporating a frame (8) with a closing housing (11 ) inside. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claim 4, characterized by a filter group (2) comprising a filter container (6) incorporating a lid (7) with a bolt (10) that It has to fit the closing housing (11) mentioned above. 7. A washer / dryer (1) as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized by a filter group (2) comprising a filter (9) located between the frame (8) and the cover (7). 8. A washer / dryer (1) as described in any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a panel (3) incorporating a retainer (12) that activates a switch thereby ensuring that the washer / dryer (1 ) does not work until the filter group (2) is replaced. 9. A washer / dryer (1) as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized by a filter group (2) that is placed in front of the heat exchanger of the heat pump. 10. A washer / dryer (1) as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized by an auxiliary filter (14) that is placed downstream of the filter group (2) in the air flow path. 11. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claim 10, characterized by an auxiliary filter (14) that is placed over the opening present in the rear wall of the housing through which the assembly of filter (2). 12. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claim 10, characterized by a protector (15) that is placed downstream of the filter group (2) in the air flow path and prevents damage to the Heat source especially to the heat pump during the assembly / disassembly of the auxiliary filter (14). 13. A washer / dryer (1) as described in claim 12, characterized by the protector (15) that is placed over the opening present in the rear wall of the housing through which the filter group is mounted (2). 14. A washer / dryer (1) as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter group (2) comprises one or more containers (16) that are formed on the side edges of the panel (3) of so that they fit in the indentations formed in the lateral edges of the housing, whereby it is achieved that it is placed in the housing and does not separate from the housing unless the user applies a force to do so.