GB2318408A

GB2318408A - Fluff filter device for an electric laundry drier

Info

Publication number: GB2318408A
Application number: GB9722043A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bruno Honig; Hanspeter Pilipp
Original assignee: AEG Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: AEG Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 1996-10-19
Filing date: 1997-10-17
Publication date: 1998-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-17
Also published as: IT1296331B1; DE29618169U1; DE19745091A1; GB2318408B; ITPN970054A1; DE19745091B4; GB9722043D0

Abstract

A fluff filter device for a program-controlled electric laundry drier with a laundry drum comprising a front loading aperture, the fluff filter device secured to a door covering the front side of the appliance being designed to match the loading aperture and comprising a removable fine filter element (2) and a coarse filter element (1) arranged upstream thereof, the filters being components of a centring or retaining element (3) secured to the inside of the door. So that the laundry drier cannot be operated in the absence of a correctly fitted fine filter element (2), a locking or blocking element (14, 14') cooperating with the fine filter element (2) is mounted on the centring or retaining element (3) and in the absence of a fine filter element (2) prevents closure of the drier door and therefore operation of the laundry drier by abutting against the front side (5) of the appliance (see figure 3).

Description

2318408 Fluff filter device for an electric laundry drier The invention

relates to a fluff filter device for a program-controlled electric laundry drier with a laundry drum comprising a front loading aperture, the fluff filter device being secured to a door covering the front side of the appliance, being designed to match the loading aperture and comprising a removable fine filter blement and a coarse filter element arranged upstream thereof, the filters being components of a centring or retaining element secured to the inside of the door.

A fluff filter device of this type is known from DE 33 04 441 C2. This known fluff filter device comprises a fine filter element and a coarse filter element arranged upstream thereof, the fine filter element, which is formed by a frame with a fine woven mesh held therein, being replaceably fitted into an upwardly opening shaft of a pot that fills the front loading aperture of the laundry drum and forms part of the front side of the appliance. This fine filter element for collecting and therefore filtering out the laundry fluff located in the air circuit and carried along by the air flow needs to be removed from the accommodating shaft frequently by the operator for the purpose of cleaning. As a result of the relatively loose guidance of the fine filter element in the accommodating shaft and on account of the large tolerance of the parts, it is possible for unfiltered blind air flows to penetrate the rest of the drier interior which can then become considerably contaminated over time by fluff deposits.

Proceeding from this state of the art, it is the object of the invention on the one hand to further improve the handling involved in the withdrawal and insertion of the fine filter element and at the same time to ensure by simple means that, in the absence of a fitted fine filter 2 element, the operator is notified of this fault and the laundry drier cannot be operated.

This object is attained according to the invention, in that a locking or blocking element cooperating with the fine filter element is mounted on the centring and retaining element and prevents closure of the drier door and therefore operation of the laundry drier in the absence of a fine filter element by abutting against the front side of the appliance.

Advantageous further embodiments and expedient further developments of the subject matter of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims.

As a result of the proposed measures, manual handling of the removable fine filter element for the purpose of cleaning is considerably facilitated for the operator. In addition, substantially improved circumferential sealing of the fine filter element in its operative position is achieved. In the absence of a fitted fine filter element, the closure of the laundry drier door is blocked and the drying process cannot be started. In this manner, the operator is clearly notified of a handling error.

The inventionis illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic, vertical section through a fluff filter device for an electric laundry drier in the position allowing access to the fine filter element, Fig. 2 shows the fluff filter device in the closed operative position, 3 Fig. 3 shows this fluff filter device without a fitted fine filter element, Fig. 4 shows the fluff filter device with the coarse filter element removed, Fig. 5 shows a further improvement of the fluff filter device according to Fig. 1 in the open position, Fig. 6 shows this fluff filter device in the closed operative position, Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail according to Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is a view of part of the fluff filter device without a fitted fine filter element.

The fluff filter device illustrated in the individual figures of the drawings comprises a coarse filter element 1 disposed in the conveying direction of the moist air flow, a fine filter element 2 (fluff filter) arranged downstream of the coarse filter element 1 and a centring or retaining element 3 which can be fitted onto the inner side of the door of a laundry dryer appliance, this device being adapted to match the shape of the front loading aperture 4 for the laundry drum, not shown, in a front side 5 of the appliance. On the outside, the coarse filter element 1 has a circumferential sealing lip 6, which acts upon the edge 4' of the loading aperture 4 when the door is closed. A fluff filter seal 7 is constructed within the shell-like coarse filter element 1 with its perforated coarse filter surface 1'. The coarse filter element 11 and the fluff filter seal 7 are formed by a two-component injection moulded part, i.e. the fluff filter seal 7 is manufactured on the coarse filter element 1 by injection moulding. A hooked nose-like locking element 9 is moulded or formed onto the upper 4 wall section 8 of the coarse filter element 1. In the lower region, the coarse filter element 1 is mounted by means of laterally moulded-on bearing journals 10 in corresponding bearing guides 11 in the centring or retaining element 3 so as to pivot forwards within a limited angular range. The fine filter element 2, which is expediently constructed as a round element, comprises a profile frame 12 and a fine-mesh fluff filter 14 fixedly connected to the profile frame. By constructing the fine filter element 2 as a round element, faulty handling during the introduction of said filter into the filter position is ruled out. In the upper region, a locking element 14 (blocking element) with an abutment 141 cooperating with the fine filter element 2 is mounted in the door- side centring or retaining element 3 so as to pivot about a pivot point 15. The function of the locking element 14 will be described below. The pivotable locking element 14 is acted upon by a spring element 16, which on the one hand is centred on a journal 17 moulded onto the locking element 14 and on the other hand is guided and supported against the oppositely disposed wall 3' of the centring or retaining element 3 in a recess 18 formed therein. The locking element 14 comprises a receiving ramp 19 acting as a lever for the profile frame 12 of the fine filter element 2 and a locking aperture 20 for the introduction and locking of the locking element 9 on the coarse filter element 1.

The function of the described fluff filter device is as follows:

Figs. 1 and 2 show the fluff filter device with a correctly fitted fine filter element 2 in the unlocked and locked positions respectively of the coarse filter element 1. Tn the unlocked position of the coarse filter element 1 (Fig. 1), in which the latter is tilted outwards cn its lower bearing 10, 11 within a limited angular range relative to the centring or retaining element 3, the round fine filter element 2 is in a freely accessible position, so that it can be grasped effortlessly and removed by the operator for the purpose of fluff removal. The locking element 14, which is not held by the profile frame 12 of the fine filter element 2 supported on the receiving and securing ramp 19, as is illustrated in Fig. 2, is pivoted upwards about its pivot point 15 through a given angle with the aid of the spring element 16. Once the cleaned fine filter element 2 has been correctly fitted again, the coarse filter element 1 is tilted back in the direction of the door-side centring and retaining element 3 and the fine filter element 2 is necessarily also tilted back and in so doing its pro-file frame 12 runs onto the receiving and securing ramp 19 of the locking element 14, thereby pivoting the locking element 14 about its pivot point 15 in the direction of the arrow to such a degree that the hook-like locking element 9 on the upper wall section 8 of the coarse filter element 1 can enter the locking aperture 20 in the element 14 unimpeded and can secure the locked operating state of the fluff filter device in accordance with Fig. 2. The position adopted by the locking element 14 during this process is such that the drier door can be brought into the closed position unimpeded, the locking element 14 then lying within the loading aperture 4 of the front side 5 of the appliance (Fig. 2).

In the absence of a fitted fine filter element 2 (Fig. 3), the coarse filter element 1 cannot be brought with its hook-like locking element 9 into locking engagement with the pivoted locking element 14, since the locking element 14 with its locking aperture 20 provided for the coarse filter element locking element 9 is located in the upwardly pivoted position on account of the action of the spring element 16 and is therefore inaccessible for locking engagement. In this position, the locking 6 element 14 is supported with its abutment 14' against a region of the appliance side 5, so that the laundry drier door with the centring and retaining element 3 for the fluff filter device secured thereto cannot be brought into the correct closing position. When the drier door is incorrectly closed, operation of the electric laundry drier via the usual program-controlled device of the laundry drier is blocked and the operator is made aware of the fact that there is an operating error.

Figs. 5 to 8 shows an improved development of the fluff filter device described above. Like parts are provided with like reference numerals corresponding to Figs. 1 to 4. In contrast to the fluff filter device described above, in this embodiment the locking arrangement for the locking element 9 on the coarse filter element 1 is not associated with the pivotable locking or blocking element 14, but is expediently provided on the door-side centring or retaining element 3. This locking arrangement is constructed as a moulded-on, slightly resilient locking arm 21 with a catch 22 and is therefore a fixed part of the door-side centring or retaining element 3 for the fine filter element 2. The pivotable locking or blocking element 14 is provided with a central recess 23, through which the rigid locking arm 21 is guided so that, after tilting the coarse filter element 1 into the closed position, a locking connection can be formed with the hook-like locking element 9 on the coarse filter element 1 (Figs. 6 and 7).

Also in this embodiment, once the fine filter element 2 (fluff filter) is fitted and the coarse filter element 1 closed with the abutment of the fine filter element profile edge 12 against the abutment surface 24 of the locking or blocking element 14, the latter is pivoted downwards so that its appliance front side abutment 14' can be introduced unimpeded into the region of the 7 appliance front side loading aperture 4 with the closure of the laundry drier door and the operation of the laundry drier can be started. However, whilst the coarse filter element 1 can be locked with the locking arm 21 on the door-side centring and retaining element 3 (Fig. 8) in the absence of a fitted fine filter element 2, the pivotable locking or blocking element 14 remains with its abutment 14' in the blocking position with the front side 5 of the appliance. The laundry drier door cannot be closed and operation of the laundry drier cannot begin. As a result of the mechanical separation of the locking arrangement for the coarse filter element 1 from the movable locking element 14 and its construction as an independently operating locking arm 21 on the door-side centring and retaining element 3, the safety function of the described fluff filter device is further improved. This improvement consists in that the position of a pivotable locking or blocking element 14 preventing closure of the laundry drier door in the absence of a fine filter element 2 also cannot be released by manual interference with the locking element 14, since the locking element 14, which is acted upon by the spring element 16, always automatically re-adopts its previous door blocking position against the front side 5 of the appliance in the absence of position securing by the profile frame 12 of the fine filter element 2.

The release of the locking engagement of the coarse filter element 1 with locking arm 21, 22 by way of the locking element 9 is effected by pressing down the locking element 14. The slightly resilient locking arm 21 is thereby released from the locking position by the locking element 14 acting upon it. For improved operation of the locking element 14, the latter is expediently provided with a non-slip actuating surface 25.

8

Claims

1. A fluff filter device for a program-controlled electric laundry drier with a laundry drum comprising a front loading aperture, the fluff filter device being intended,in use, to be secured to a door covering the front side of the appliance, being designed to match the loading aperture and comprising a removable fine filter element and a coarse filter element arranged upstream thereof, the filters being components of a centring or. retaining element to be secured to the inside of the door, wherein a locking or blocking element cooperating with the fine filter element is mounted on the centring and retaining element and is arranged to prevent closure of the drier door and therefore operation of the laundry drier in the absence of a fine filter element by abutting against the front side of the appliance.

2. A fluff filter device according to claim 1, wherein the coarse filter element is mounted on the door-side centring or retaining element so as to be pivotable within a limited angle.

3. A fluff filter device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fine filter element is arranged in a nonfixed manner between the coarse filter element and the centring or retaining element.

4. A fluff filter device according to claim 3, wherein the fine filter element is arranged so as to be removable in an upward direction and is constructed as a round element.

5. A fluff filter device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, on the outside, the coarse filter element comprises a circumferential sealing lip cooperating with the edge of the loading aperture and on the inside 9 comprises a fluff filter seal cooperating with the fluff filter element.

6. A fluff filter device according to claim 5, wherein the fluff filter seal can be brought into a sealing connection with a profile frame enclosing the fluff filter.

7. A fluff filter device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the fluff filter seal and optionally the sealing,lip are an injection moulded'part of the coarse filter element.

8. A fluff filter device according to claim 1, wherein the coarse filter element comprises a locking element, by means of which a locking engagement with the locking or blocking element on the centring or retaining element can be produced when a fine filter element is fitted.

9. A fluff filter device according to claim 1, wherein the locking or blocking element comprises an abutment.

10. A fluff filter device according to claim 1 or 9, wherein the pivotable locking or blocking element is acted upon by a spring element, which on the one hand is centred with a moulded-on pin and on the other hand is supported against the oppositely disposed wall of the centring or retaining element.

11. A fluff filter device according to any preceding claim, wherein the pivoting or blocking element comprises a receiving ramp acting as a lever for the profile frame of the fine filter element and a locking aperture for the introduction of the locking element on the coarse filter element.

12. A fluff filter device according to claim 1, wherein a locking arrangement penetrating the locking or blocking element is constructed on the centring or retaining element for producing a locking connection with the coarse filter element.

13. A fluff filter device according to claim 12, wherein the locking arrangement is formed by a locking arm moulded onto the centring or retaining element.

14. A fluff filter device according to claim 13, wherein the locking arm comprises a moulded-on catch and is slightly resilient in construction.

15. A fluff filter device according to claim 12, wherein the locking or blocking element is provided with a central recess.

16. A fluff filter device according to any preceding claim, wherein the locking or blocking element comprises a non-slip actuating surface.

17. A fluff filter device substantially as described herein with reference to Figs 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

18. A fluff filter device substantially as described herein with reference to Figs 5 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.