GB2105452A

GB2105452A - Laundry dryer

Info

Publication number: GB2105452A
Application number: GB08221880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Horst Sperling; Arthur Terrot; Manfred Schroppel
Original assignee: G Bauknecht GmbH
Current assignee: G Bauknecht GmbH
Priority date: 1981-08-08
Filing date: 1982-07-29
Publication date: 1983-03-23
Also published as: SE8204535D0; NL8203042A; SE449878B; IT8222665A0; YU168582A; GB2105452B; CH655963A5; IT1153140B; DE8123353U1; SE8204535L; IT8222665A1

Abstract

A laundry drier 3 having a drying drum 4 and condensing unit 5 is provided with a condensate receiver 11 releasably mounted in the drier 3 to facilitate emptying of condensate collected therein. Receiver 11 has an emptying orifice 15 normally closed by releasable cap 16 incorporating a vent valve 17. Condensate from unit 5 is temporarily collected by tray 7 from whence it is pumped by pump 9 along feed line 10 to the receiver 11. A plug- in tube coupling 12 interconnects receiver 11 with feed line 10, the coupling 12 having two coupling halves which are mutually releasable when receiver 11 is withdrawn from the drier 3 for emptying purposes. Coupling half 13 which is secured to the receiver 11 incorporates a valve which is self-closing when the coupling halves are uncoupled. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Laundry drier The invention relates to a laundry drier with a condensing unit which is located in the stream of drying air, this unit having a condensate-trapping container, from which the condensate forming during the drying process is fed, by means of a pump and via a feed line, to a condensate receiver, which is provided with a filling opening.

A laundry drier of the abovementioned type is known, inter alia, from German Offenlegungsschrift 2,933,513. This design possesses the disadvantage that an additional condensate-trapping tray must be located, for safety reasons, under the condensate receiver, for trapping condensate which may possibly overflow from the condensate receiver, or which flows in in the event of the condensate receiver not being inserted while the drying programme is switched on, the condensate being led back again from this additional trapping tray, to the condensatetrapping tray beneath the condenser, via a drain line.A further disadvantage in the case of an arrangement of this type is that the emptying of a condensate receiver which has overflowed presupposes very great vigilance and dexterity on the part of the person operating the machine, if no water is to spill over, out of the filling opening, during the operations of removing the receiver from the machine and transporting it to the point at which the water can be poured out, as a result of the fact that this container is filled up to the lip.

The object of the invention is to improve a laundry drier, of the type initially mentioned, to the effect that an additional condensate-trapping tray, beneath the condensate receiver, can be dispensed with, and that the operation of emptying the full condensate receiver can be carried out without the danger of spilling over.

The solution of this object is achieved according to the steps specified in the characterising clause of Claim 1. Further features and further developments of the invention are evident from the sub-claims which follow.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a laundry drier, in section, and Figure 2 shows the plug-in tube coupling, in section, this coupling being designed as a double valve.

The condensing unit 5 is located beneath the drying drum 4 of the laundry drier 3, this unit removing the moisture from the stream of drying air. The condensing unit 5 comprises an air-cooled condenser 6 and, locaed beneath it, a condensatetrapping tray 7, the water level in this tray being monitored by a contents-level transmitter 8. The condensate collecting in the condensate-trapping tray 7 during the drying process is fed, by means of a pump 9 and via a feed line 10, to the condensate receiver 11 , which is located at a readily accessible point.According to the invention, the condensate receiver 11 is connected to the feed line 10 via a plug-in tube coupling 12, at least that half 13 of the coupling which is located on the receiver side and contains the filling opening being designed to be a selfclosing valve in the uncoupled state, and a venting valve 17 is provided in the upper region of the condensate receiver 11. As a result of this arrangement, according to the invention, the advantage is obtained whereby the condensate receiver 11 can, without any difficulty, be separated from the feed line 10, without condensate flowing out into the machine space.

The feed line 10 is advantageously introduced into the condensate receiver 11, by means of the plugin tube coupling 12, in the region of the maximum permissible level. In order to enable the receiver to be filled to its maximum capacity, without running over, the emptying opening 15, which is located in the front upper region of the condensate receiver 11, possesses a venting valve 17 in its closure-cap 16.

The feed line 10, with its coupling-half 14, is preferably located at a fixed position on the casing of the machine, and the coupling-half 13 is preferably located at a fixed position in or on the condensate receiver 11. The condensate receiver 11 is guided, on means which are not represented, in such a manner that the coupling-halves 13, 14 automatically engage into one another as the receiver 11 is inserted into the aperture provided for it on the front of the laundry drier. The plug-in tube coupling 12 can be provided with a locking device, which is not represented, which can latch in when an appropriate push-force is applied to the receiver 11, and which can disengage when an analogous pull-force is exerted.Instead of the device for locking the plug-in tube coupling, the receiver 11 can itself also possess a locking device, which automatically latches in when the receiver has been pushed in, and which can be released by means of a press-button on the front of the laundry drier.

The pump 9 is either switched on, over timeintervals, by the programmed control unit, or is switched on by the contents-level transmitter 8, and conveys the condensate from the trapping tray 7 to the receiver 11. The air present in the receiver 1 1 is displaced, by the inflowing condensate, via the venting valve 17 in the closure-cap 16. Should the maximum possible level ever be reached in the receiver 1 as a result of its not having been emptied, the venting valve 17 closes, and the pump 9 now operates under an opposing pressure, which actuates the pressure switch 18, this switch, in its turn, switching off the pump 9, and switching over the drying process, which is underway, to the cold phase, during which condensate no longer forms. At the same time, appropriate signalling means are activated, which announce that the condensate receiver 11 is full.

However, it is also conceivable to continue to operate the pump 9, simply under pressure. Since, in this state, the pump conveys nothing, the water level rises in the condensate-trapping container 7.

so that the contents-level transmitter 8 responds, the pump 9 switches off, and the drying process switches over into the cold phase.

Having released the locking device, the full receiver 11 is removed from its seating, via the front of the appliance, the valves in the two coupling-halves 12, 14 closing. The two couplinghalves are preferably hose-couplings fitted with the "water-stop" device. Should the laundry drier ever be inadvertently set into operation without the receiver 11 having been inserted, the pump 9 operates against the closed valve in the couplinghalf 14, so that a slight overpressure builds up, which, in turn, causes the pressure-switch 18 to respond.

The coupling-half 14 could also be designed without any valve. In this case, to prevent the laundry drier from being capable of being set into operation when the receiver 11 has not been inserted, the electrical circuit would have to be interrupted by a limit switch 20, this switch being actuated by the receiver 11, while it is being removed.

The plug-in tube coupling 12, represented in Figure 2, comprises a coupling-half 13, which is preferably located in the upper region of the condensate receiver 11, by means of fastening devices 26, while the other coupling half 14 is located, by means of fastening devices 26, at a fixed position on the casing of the machine, at the end of the feed hose 10. The coupling-half 14 is provided with a connection piece 21 for the inflow, this connection piece 21 leaving in a rightangled manner, and with a closed connection piece 22 for an outflow, this connection piece 22 being capable of being opened if it is possible to lead the condensate via a drain hose, directly into the drainage system. The representation according to Figure 2 shows the plug-in tube coupling 12 in the coupled state.The coupling-half 13 essentially comprises a tubular injection-moulded plastic component, in one half of which a spring-loaded plunger 24 is located, which, in the uncoupled state, closes the outflow openings 23. The coupling-half 14, likewise comprising a tubular injection-moulded plastic component which has a smaller diameter, is fitted into the other half, by means of its spring-loaded annular plunger 25, in a leakproof manner. In the uncoupled state, the annular plunger 25 slides over the radial outflow openings 23 in its tubular guide-part.

The venting opening 1 5 is located in the front upper region of the condensate receiver 11, this opening being held closed by means of a closurecap 16. In order to enable the air present in the condensate receiver 11 to escape as condensate flows in, a venting valve 17 is provided, this valve being integrated within the cap 16. The venting valve 1 7 could also be located at another point in the ceiling region of the condensate receiver.

Claims

1. A laundry drier having a condensing unit with a condensate-trapping container from which condensate forming during the drying process is fed by a pump via a feed line to a condensate receiver, characterised in that the condensate receiver and the feed line are interconnected by a plug-in tube coupling at least that half of the coupling which is located on the receiver side and wich contains the fill-opening for the receiver comprises a valve which is self-closing when the coupling halves are uncoupled, and a venting valve is provided in the upper region of the condensate receiver.

2. A laundry drier according to Claim 1, characterised in that the feed line is introduced into the condensate receiver in the region of the maximum permissible water level.

3. A laundry drier according to either one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that an emptying opening is located in the front upper region of the condensate receiver, this opening being held closed by a removable closure-cap.

4. A laundry drier according to Claim 3, characterised in that the venting valve is located in the closure-cap.

5. A laundry drier according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the couplinghalf located on the feed line side is designed without any valve, and a limit switch is located in the path on which the condensate receiver is pushed in.

6. A laundry drier according to Claim 4, characterised in that a pressure switch is located in the feed line.

7. A laundry drier according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the couplinghalf located on the feed line side is secured by fastening devices, at a fixed position on the casing of the drier, at the end of the feed line, and the coupling-half located on the receiver side is secured, by fastening devices, at a fixed position in or on the condensate receiver.

8. A laundry drier according to Claim 7, characterised in that the coupling-half located on the feed line side is provided with a connection piece for condensate inflow, this connection piece leaving in a right-angled manner, and with a closable connection piece for an outflow.

9. A laundry drier according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the couplinghalf located on the receiver side, has at least one opening directed radially with respect to the coupling direction, and the venting valve is located above the outlet opening.

10. A laundry drier according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the coupling-half on the receiver side is provided with a spring-loaded plunger valve.

11. A laundry drier according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the coupling-half on the feed line side is provided with a spring-loaded annular-plunger valve.

12. A laundry drier according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.