GB2167172A

GB2167172A - Closed-loop clothes washing and drying machine, transformable into an open-loop machine

Info

Publication number: GB2167172A
Application number: GB08527611A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luigi Nocivelli
Original assignee: SANGIORCIO ELETTRODOMESTIC SpA
Current assignee: SANGIORCIO ELETTRODOMESTIC SpA
Priority date: 1984-11-12
Filing date: 1985-11-08
Publication date: 1986-05-21
Also published as: DE8531002U1; GB8527611D0; GB2167172B; IT8423760V0

Abstract

A clothes washing and drying machine comprises an outer cabinet enclosing and supporting a motor- driven tub unit, at least one pipe and a pump for water discharge, a duct for the supply into the tub unit of air intaken by a motor-driven fan and heated by apposite heating members, and a duct for the outlet of moist air. On the cabinet there is externally installed a condenser operatively connected in correspondence of the intake of the motor-driven fan and of the end of the moist air outlet duct form the tube unit. The condenser is removable and a pipe is provided which extends from the condenser up to reaching the discharge pipe. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Closed-loop clothes washing and drying machine, transformable into an open-loop machine The present invention relates to a closed-loop clothes washing and drying machine, transformable into an open-loop machine, operating at a low working temperature, and with low energy consumption.

Washing and drying machines are known, which are provided, besides the usual centrifuging means, with further means for accomplishing a circulation of air heated at a high clothes drying temperature.

Such machines may be both of the closedloop type, i.e., with inner air circulation, and of the open-loop type, i.e., with the intake of air from the outer environment, to which said air is sent back after having been used.

Such machines have large overall dimensions, in that they must incorporate, in addition to the usual washers components, also an additional electroventilator, steam condensing means, and drying air heated means, at high energy consumption level.

Purpose of the present invention is mainly that of using the structure of a usual washing machine, to provide a machine also drying the clothes.

Further purpose is that such a transformation may be accomplished easily and at relatively low costs.

A further purpose is that of having a washing and drying machine which can be transformed from the closed-loop to the open-loop operating mode and vice-versa.

Not least purpose is that of using the lowest possible energy both for the normal operating of the motor means, and of the heating means, with an efficiency as high as possible.

These and further purposes are achieved according to the invention by providing a clothes washing and drying machine of the type comprising an outer cabinet enclosing and supporting a motor-driven tub unit, at least one pipe and a pump for water discharge, a duct for the supply into said tub unit of air intaken by a motor-driven fan, and heated by apposite heating means, and a duct for the outlet of moist air, characterized in that on the cabinet of such machine there is externally installed a condenser operatively connected in correspondence of the intake of said motor-driven fan and of the end of said moist air outlet duct from said tub unit, said condenser being of the removable type, and a pipe being provided which from said condenser reaches said at least one water discharge pipe.

To the purpose of better evidencing the characteristics and advantages of the present invention, a non limitative exemplifying embodiment is hereunder disclosed, with reference to the related schematic drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective partially cutaway view of a machine according to the present invention, and Figure 2 is an enlarged detail, it too in a perspective view, of the condenser of the machine of Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures, a washing and drying machine according to the present invention and indicated generally with 10, comprises essentially a cabinet 11, within which a tub unit 12 with its related motor means 13 are installed.

A bore 14 provided in the bottom of the tub unit 12 delivers through a first pipe 15 the waste water towards a filter 16 and to a pump 17 for the end discharge of water into a discharge pipe 18.

Directly from the bottom of the tub unit 12 there starts moreover a duct 19 for the suction and outlet of moisture-saturated air leading to a condenser unit generally indicated with 20, and positioned in correspondence of the upper rear portion of the cabinet 11 of the washing and drying machine.

Said condenser unit 20 has the shape of a prismatic container 21 (Fig. 2) of shape tapered and getting wider from a zone 22 of reception of duct 19 towards an opposite zone 23 wherein a bore 24 is present, in which a motor-driven fan 25 is installed in intaking position.

The container 21 is subdivided into said two zones 22, 23, e.g., by a diaphragm 26 and is provided in its reception zone 22 with a sprinkling element 27 for the introduction of cold water supplied by the outer water distribution system by means of a pipe 28 provided with a control electrovalve 29. To the bottom of the container 21 a pipe 30 is operatively connected for the discharge of the condensate and of cold water towards the filter 16 and to the pump 17.

Said motor-driven fan 25 intakes then in a known way air from the condenser 20, to heat it again by making pass it through a heating means 31, such as a set of resistors, and to send it back to the tub unit 12 via a duct 32, so accomplishing a closed-loop air circulation.

In a machine according to the present invention, the operating way is extremely simple.

Once that the normal washing cycle has been performed, carrying out the drying of the clothes is now desired.

To that purpose, by means of apposite pushbuttons not shown, the insertion of the circuit relating to the drying unit is commanded. The motor-driven fan 25 starts sucking the moist air present inside the tub unit 12 via the duct 19, making pass it into the condenser 20.

Within the condenser 20 the air is first submitted to a sprinkle of cold water by means of the apposite element 27 in the zone 22, and is then expanded into the zone 23. To the purpose of favouring such expansion, a suitable diaphragm 26 may be advantageously provided for separating the zone 22 from the zone 23.

The condensate formed and the washing water are drained by the pipe 30 towards the filter 16 and the pump 18. The presence of water on the bottom of the condenser 20, above all in the zone 23 and in the same flowing direction as of air, favours furthermore the formation of condensate.

The air is then sent into the duct 32, wherein it is heated by the resistor 31 and passes so heated into the tub unit 12, wherein it is saturated with moisture once again, and repeates the previous cycle in a closed loop.

It should be noted how advantageously the structure has been used of a washing machine already being marketed, with quite simple additions of various elementary components, and with the outer positioning, according to the present invention, of the condenser 20 of particular structure. Said condenser 20 may also be removed from the cabinet, so an open-loop washing and drying machine being achieved, with intaking and discharging of environmental air.

The particular shape of the condenser determines a nearly continuous expansion of the moist air intaken, with a consequent good laying of the condensate, also thanks to the presence of the sprinkle-washing, and, if provided, of the diaphragm 26.

Claims

1. Clothes washing and drying machine of the type comprising an outer cabinet enclosing and supporting a motor-driven tub unit, at least one pipe and a pump for water discharge, a duct for the supply into said tub unit of air intaken by a motor-driven fan, and heated by apposite heating means, and a duct for the outlet of moist air, characterized in that on the cabinet of such machine there is externally installed a condenser operatively connected in correspondence of the intake of said motor-driven fan and of the end of said moist air outlet duct from said tub unit, said condenser being of the removable type, and a pipe being provided which extends from said condenser up to reaching said at least one discharge pipe.

2. Washing and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said condenser is provided with at least one portion, wherein a sprinkle-inlet element for water sup plied from the urban water distribution system is provided.

3. Washing and drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said conden ser is of essentially extended prismatic shape, with cross section little by little increasing from a bore for the reception of the end of said outlet duct towards an intake bore of said motor-driven fan.

4. Washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that within said condenser at least one transversal diaphragm is provided.

5. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal of said condenser transforms the air circulation of the machine from the closed-loop type to the open-loop type.

6. A washing and drying machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.