GB2184217A

GB2184217A - Drum for a laundry dryer

Info

Publication number: GB2184217A
Application number: GB08630133A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frate Franco Del
Original assignee: Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA
Current assignee: Electrolux Zanussi Elettrodomestici SpA
Priority date: 1985-12-17
Filing date: 1986-12-17
Publication date: 1987-06-17
Also published as: DE8629677U1; GB2184217B; GB8630133D0; IT209175Z2; IT8534111V0

Abstract

A rotary drum of a domestic laundry dryer machine is provided with elements (16) for entrainment of the laundry and apertures for carrying a flow of heated drying air and comprising two metal half shell members (8, 9) each of which comprises an annular peripheral strip portion and a front flange adjacent thereto, which are assembled to each other with the interposition of an insulating ring (11) of plastics material. The half shell members (8, 9) act as a sensing electrodes for measuring the degree of moisture content in the laundry in conjunction with an electronic monitoring apparatus. The laundry entrainment elements (16) are provided integrally on the circumference of said insulating ring (11). The ring (11) is of a cross-section of "double T" configuration with a side (17) which is outward of the drum and a side (18) which is inward of the drum (7) and the circumference of the outward side (17) has interruptions (19) at which said entrainment elements (16) are produced by means of moulding of the inward side (18) of the ring (11), said entrainment elements (16) extending transversely with respect to the ring (11). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Drum for a laundry dryer The invention concerns improvements in a rotary drum for a domestic laundry dryer, in particularthe type of drum which is provided with electrodes for sensing the residual moisture content of the laundry as described in the present applicants' Italian patent application No 45 733 A/82.

Described in that patent application is a drum for laundry, which is produced from two separate half shell members, between which is interposed an annular electrically insulating element. The two half shell members also constitute the sensing electrodes for continuously measuring the level of residual moisture in the laundry contained in the drum and for determining effective drying of the laundry by way of a conventional electronic moisture content monitoring apparatus which is connected to both the sensing electrodes. The drum is assembled by positioning the two half shell members in side-by-side relationship and introducing the open edges thereof into lateral recesses provided in the annular element.

The structure of the above described drum is then stiffened at the locations ofthe transverse entrainment struts or bars which are individually fixed to the associated component part of the drum by means of screws or perse known means.

The operations involved in positioning and fixing each individual bartotheinternalsurfaceofthe drum are excessively long and laborious.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a rotary drum for a laundry dryer machine, provided with elements for entrainment of the laundry and aperturesforcarrying aflowofheateddrying air, said drum comprising two metal halfshell members, each of which comprises an annular peripheral strip portion and an end flange adjacent thereto, which are assembled to each other with the interposition of an insulating ring of plastics material, said half shell members being arranged so as in use to act as sensing electrodes for measuring the degree of moisture content in the laundry in conjunction with an electronic monitoring apparatus, said laundry entrainment elements being provided integrally on the circumference of said insulating ring.

As will becomeapparentfromthefollowing description, the illustrated embodiments of the invention can rationalize the phases for assembly and mounting ofthe drum and reduce the periods of time required for carrying out those operations.

The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partly sectional diagrammatic side view of a laundry dryer machine provided with the drum according to the invention, Figure2 is a view in cross-section of an entrainment element and part of the insulating ring ofthe drum shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a partial view in longitudinal section taken along line Ill-Ill in Figure 2, Figure 4 is a view in cross-section taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2, and Figure 5 is a view in longitudinal section taken along line V-V in Figure 2.

The laundry dryer machine illustrated in Figure 1 essentially comprises an external casing 6within which a drum 7 forthe laundry to be dried is supported rotatably about a horizontal axis and is driven in rotation by means of a motor and transmission means which are know per se and therefore not illustrated.

The drum 7 comprises two half shell members 8 and 9, being respectively a front halfshell member and a rear half shell member, each of which is formed by an annular portion ofthe peripheral strip portion ofthedrum andthefrontorrearflange adjacentthereto.

As already described in the present applicants' Italian patent application No 45733 A/82, the two half shell members 8 and 9 also act as sensing electrodes for measuring, in conjunction with a conventional electronic monitoring apparatus 10, the conductance of the laundry and thus the moisture contentthereof during the drying process.

For that purpose, the two half shell members 8 and 9 are assembled to each other by means of an annular element 11 of electrically insulating plastics material, which is provided with lateral recesses 12 and 13 of such sizes as to receive the respective edges 14 and 1 5 of the two half shell members 8and 9 (see Figure 4).

The structure ofthe drum 7 is then stiffened at locations corresponding to the struts or bars 16 for entraining the laundry (Figure 1 shows only one strut or bar 16), which are fixed transversely to the inside surface ofthe drum 7 by screw means 21 which pass through the half shell members 8 and 9. The insulating ring 11 comprises, in one single piece, the entrainment bars 16.

In particular, the ring 11 is ofa cross-sectional configuration of a "double T", with the outward side 17 narrowerthan the side 1 8 which is inward ofthe drum 7 (see Figure 4).

Provided between the two sides 17 and 18 ofthe ring 11 are the lateral recesses 12 and 13 for housing the respective edges 14 and 15 of the half shell members 8 and 9. The circumference ofthe outward side 17 has interruptions 19 (see Figure 2) which also make it possible to produce the laundry entrainment bars or struts 16 in one piece, during the operation of moulding the ring 11.

Also provided in the inside of each bar or strut 16 are the seats 20 forthe screw means 21 (see Figure 5) which connect the bars 16 and thus the ring 1 1 to the half shell members 8 and 9.

With the drum assembled, each circumferential interruption 19 in the outward side 17 of the ring 11 is covered by a connecting element 22 which can be fixed to the half shell members 8 and 9 (see Figure 5) by snap-engagement systems 23.

The aims of rationalizing and reducing the time required for carrying out the operations for assembly and mounting ofthe drum are thus attained in a simple manner which can be easily carried out on an industrial scale.

Indeed, when the two halfshell members8and9 are assembled with the ring 11, the entrainment elements 16 automatically occupy the position in which they are to be fixed in place with the screw means 21.

The drum described in the present invention may be the subject of modifications and variations withoutdepartingfromthe scope of the main features claimed hereinafter. For example, the half shell members 8 and 9 may be fixed to the ring 11 in a different manner from that described herein or the means forfixing the struts or bars 16 may be ofthe snap-fit or engagement type.

Claims

1. A rotary drum for a laundry dryer machine, provided with elements for entrainment of tile laundry and aperturesforcarrying aflowofheated drying air, said drum comprising two metal half shell members, each of which comprises an annular peripheral strip portion and an end flange adjacent thereto, which are assembled to each other with the interposition of an insulating ring of plastics material, said half shell members being arranged so as in use to act as sensing electrodes for measuring the degree of moisture content in the laundry in conjunction with an electronic monitoring apparatus, said laundry entrainment elements being provided integrally on the circumference of said insulating ring.

2. A drum according to claim 1 wherein said ring sofa cross-section of "doubleT" configuration with a side which is outward of the drum and a side which is inward ofthe drum and the circumference ofthe outward side has interruptions at which said entrainment elements are produced by means of moulding ofthe inward side of the ring, said entrainment elements extending transversely with respect to the ring.

3. A drum according to claim 2 wherein said interruptions are covered by a connecting element which is fixed to the half shell members of the drum by means ofsnap-engagementsystems.

4. Adrumfora laundrydryermachine,such drum being constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

5. A laundry dryer machine incorporating a drum according to anyone of claims 1 to 4.

6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein the halfshell membersofthedrumareconnectedto electronic monitoring apparatus for measuring the degree of moisture contentof laundry in the drum.