KR20030008647A - Lint filter condition sensing apparatus for dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Provided is an apparatus for sensing lint filter clogging of a dryer for allowing a user to easily know whether a linter filter of a dryer is clogged or not, thereby keeping the lint filter clean and drying efficiency of the dryer high. CONSTITUTION: The apparatus comprises a lint filter(30) having an end pivotally coupled to an outlet assembly(13) which is an interface unit between a drying chamber(5) and a lint duct(15) by a hinge member(32) and the opposite end which is a free end, wherein contaminants such as dust and thread in a hot air discharged from the drying chamber(5) of a dryer and entering the lint duct(15) to be exhausted outside is filtered by the lint filter(30) while the hot air passes through the lint filter(30), a fan assembly(17) for providing a motive power to draw the hot air from the drying chamber(5) to the lint filter(30), and a sensing switch(34) operating in response to a movement of the free end of the lint filter(30) for sensing clogging of the lint filter(30), wherein the free end of the lint filter(30) comes into contact with the sensing switch when a pressure difference is caused between the drying chamber(5) and the lint duct(15) due to the clogging of the lint filter(30), so that the clogging of the lint filter(30) is detected.

Description

Lint filter condition sensing apparatus for dryer

The present invention relates to a lint filter, and more particularly, to a lint filter clogging detection device of a dryer for detecting the clogging of the lint filter.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a main configuration of a dryer according to the prior art. According to this, the drum 1 is installed inside a cabinet (not shown) constituting the exterior of the dryer. The drum 1 has a cylindrical groove formed at both ends thereof, and a belt groove 2 around which a belt (not shown) driven by a separate driving source is wound. The drying chamber 5 in which drying proceeds is formed in the drum 1. A plurality of baffles 6 are formed inside the drying chamber 5 to turn over the object to be dried in the drying chamber 5 when the drum 1 rotates.

The front head 7 and the rear head 9 are installed to correspond to the front and rear ends of the drum 1, respectively. Here, the front head 7 and the rear head 9 form a drying chamber 5 by blocking the open portion of the drum 1 and serve to support the front and rear ends of the drum 1, respectively. In this case, a sealing member 10 is installed between the front head 7 and the drum 1 which are relatively rotated, and between the rear head 9 and the drum 1 to prevent leakage. Of course, a plurality of rollers (not shown) for supporting the drum 1 are installed at positions corresponding to the front and rear ends of the drum 1.

The front head 7 is provided with a through hole 8 for communicating the interior and exterior of the drying chamber (5). The through hole 8 is selectively opened and closed by a door (not shown).

An air supply duct 12 is installed in the rear head 9, and the air supply duct 12 serves as a passage for supplying air, more precisely, hot air, into the drying chamber 5. It communicates with the interior of the drying chamber 5.

And one side of the front head 7 corresponding to the lower end of the through hole 8 of the front head 7 is provided with an outlet assembly 13 which is a part from which air escapes from the drying chamber 5. In the outlet assembly 13, as shown in FIG. 2, a lint filter 14 is installed. The lint filter 14 serves to filter foreign matter (for example, seams or dust) mixed in the air flowing out of the drying chamber 5.

The lint duct 15 is installed in communication with the outlet assembly 13, and the lint filter 13 is positioned at a portion corresponding to the inlet of the lint duct 15. A blowing fan 17 is installed to be connected to the lint duct 15 to suck the air inside the drying chamber 5 through the lint duct 15. The blowing fan 17 is installed inside the blowing fan housing 18. One side of the blower fan housing 18 communicates with the lint duct 15, and an exhaust pipe 19 is connected to the other side. Therefore, the air exiting the drying chamber 5 and passing through the lint duct 15 is discharged to the outside through the exhaust pipe 19 by the force of the blower fan 17.

On the other hand, the hot air duct 20 is installed to be connected to the air supply duct (12). The hot air duct 20 serves to supply hot air having a drying function in the drying chamber 5. To this end, the hot air duct 20 is provided with a configuration for generating heat energy for heating the air. Here, a heater or a gas burner may be used to supply thermal energy.

It will be described that the dryer according to the prior art having such a configuration is operated.

After putting the laundry cloth to be dried into the drying chamber 5 formed in the drum 1 and closing the door, pressing the operation button, the belt wound around the belt groove 2 is driven by a separate driving source. The drum 1 is rotated.

In addition, the blowing fan 17 is operated to suck air inside the drying chamber 5 through the lint duct 15. In this case, the outside air flows into the drying chamber 5 through the air supply duct 12.

Here, the air supplied to the air supply duct 12 becomes a relatively high temperature while passing through the hot air duct 20. The hot air is delivered to the interior of the drying chamber 5 formed inside the drum 1 through the air supply duct 12. The hot air in the drying chamber (5) absorbs the moisture contained in the laundry cloth, and then exits from the drying chamber (5) through the outlet assembly (13). At this time, the air is discharged from the drying chamber 5 through the outlet assembly 13 is made by the suction force of the blowing fan 17. Air passing through the outlet assembly 13 is filtered through the lint filter 14 so that foreign matter such as dust or seams is filtered out.

However, the prior art having the above configuration has the following problems.

Air absorbing moisture in the drying chamber (5) passes through the outlet assembly (13) in the drying chamber (5) by driving the blower fan (17) and passes through the lint filter (14) and the linter Delivered to the duct 15. In this process, foreign substances mixed with the air, that is, seams or dusts, are filtered by the lint filter 14. Therefore, when a large amount of foreign material is caught in the lint filter 14, the flow of air flowing from the drying chamber 5 to the lint duct 15 is not smooth.

However, in the related art, the degree of foreign matter stuck to the lint filter 14, that is, the degree of clogging of the lint filter 14 cannot be easily checked by the user, and the dryer may be operated while the lint filter 14 is almost blocked. . As such, when the dryer is operated while the lint filter 14 is blocked, a problem occurs that the drying of the air through the drying chamber 5 is not performed smoothly.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, so that the user can easily check the blocked state of the filter.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the drying performance by always maintaining the state of the filter optimally.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a dryer according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the lint filter is installed in the prior art.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a preferred embodiment of the lint filter clogging detection apparatus of the dryer according to the present invention.

4 is an operational state diagram showing that the embodiment of the present invention is operated.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: drum 5: drying chamber

13: outlet assembly 14: lint filter

15: lint duct 17: blowing fan

30: lint filter 32: hinge shaft

34: sensing switch 36: support spring

According to a feature of the present invention for achieving the object as described above, the present invention is installed lint the other side around the hinge axis of one side to move a predetermined angle and the lint is filtered while foreign air passing through the drying action in the drying chamber And a blower fan assembly for providing a motive force through which the air is discharged from the drying chamber through the lint filter, and a sensing switch operated by the movement of the lint filter to detect a clogged state of the lint filter. .

The lint filter is installed to partition between the drying chamber and the blowing fan assembly in an outlet assembly that communicates the drying chamber and the blowing fan assembly with the other side rotated about the hinge axis in a direction away from the sensing switch. Is supported by.

The stop member supports both ends of the other side of the lint filter rotated about the hinge axis.

The sensing switch is operated by the lint filter being rotated by the negative pressure generated by the blowing fan assembly due to the lint filter being blocked, thereby providing a lint filter clogging signal to the controller.

Using the lint filter clogging detection device of the dryer according to the present invention having such a configuration can accurately detect the clogging state of the lint filter, it is possible to maintain the filter in an optimal state to increase the reliability of the drying performance.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a lint filter clogging detecting device for a dryer according to the present invention as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same as those of the prior art will be described using the symbols of the prior art drawings.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet assembly 13 is installed at one side of the drying chamber 5 formed inside the drum 1 to dry. The outlet assembly 13 serves to communicate between the drying chamber 5 and the lint duct 15.

The lint filter 30 is installed inside the outlet assembly 13. The lint filter 30 serves to remove the foreign matter mixed in the air discharged from the drying chamber (5). That is, while passing through the air flowing out of the outlet assembly 13 to the lint duct 15 to filter the mixed foreign matter.

Hinge shafts 32 fitted to the outlet assembly 13 are provided at both ends of the lint filter 30. The lint filter 30 is rotated by a predetermined angle inside the outlet assembly 13 on the other side, that is, the free end side, around the hinge shaft 32.

On the other hand, the sensing switch 34 is installed in the outlet assembly 13 corresponding to one side of the free end of the lint filter 30. The sensing switch 34 is operated by being pressed by the free end of the lint filter 30. That is, the lint filter 30 is operated according to the pressure formed in the lint duct 15 by the driving of the blower fan 17, and is pressed by one side of the lint filter 30 to sense the switch 34. Is to work. To this end, a protrusion 35 is formed at the free end of the lint filter 30 to press the sensing switch 34.

The support springs 36 are supported at both ends of the free end of the lint filter 30. The support spring 36 exerts an elastic force to move the free end of the lint filter 30 away from the sensing switch 34. The support spring 36 is installed at the outlet assembly 13 corresponding to both ends of the lint filter 30, or is installed at the lint filter 30 itself to support the lint filter 30.

Therefore, when the dryer is not operated or the state of the lint filter 30 is normal, that is, when the air flowing out of the drying chamber 5 is normally blocked without the lint filter 30 being blocked at all, the lint duct 15 flows normally. The lint filter 30 is in the state shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, the operation of the lint filter clogging detection device of the dryer according to the present invention having the configuration as described above will be described in detail.

When the dryer is operated, hot air is supplied into the drying chamber 5, and the hot air absorbs moisture from the laundry cloth introduced into the drying chamber 5. In addition, the hot air is discharged through the outlet assembly 13 by the suction force of the blowing fan 17 in the drying chamber (5).

Air passing through the outlet assembly 13 is caught by the foreign material while passing through the lint filter 30, and passes through the lint duct 15 is discharged to the outside through the blower fan 17.

On the other hand, when the dryer is used for a long time, the lint filter 30 is clogged with a large amount of foreign matter is clogged. In this case, the amount of air passing through the lint filter 30 is gradually reduced.

At this time, the flow rate that can escape from the drying chamber 5 by the blower fan 17 is constant. When the lint filter 30 is blocked, negative pressure is applied to the inside of the lint duct 15.

When the negative pressure is applied to the lint duct 15 as described above, the lint filter 30 has a free end of the support spring 36 due to the pressure difference between the drying chamber 5 and the lint duct 15. Overcoming the elastic force is rotated to move toward the sensing switch 34.

Therefore, when the lint filter 30 is blocked for a predetermined time or more, the protrusion formed at the free end of the lint filter 30 by the pressure difference formed in the lint duct 15 and the pressure formed in the drying chamber 5 ( 35 presses the sensing switch 34 to turn on.

When the sensing switch 34 is turned on, the sensing switch 34 transmits a sensing signal to a controller (not shown). When the detection signal is transmitted to the control unit as described above, the control unit transmits the blockage of the lint filter 30 to the user through a separate display unit. For example, an indicator light on the control panel may be lit, a letter is displayed, or a warning sound is generated.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and adaptations can be made within the scope of the claims as described above for the present invention as described above. And the present invention can be applied to a washing machine having a drying function in addition to the dryer.

The lint filter clogging detecting device of the dryer according to the present invention as described above in detail detects the clogging state of the lint filter by using a pressure difference formed at both ends of the lint filter by an existing blowing fan according to the lint filter state. .

Therefore, the clogging state of the lint filter can be quickly known to the user, and the lint filter can be managed at an optimal state at all times, thereby increasing the reliability of drying performance of the dryer.

Claims (4)

The lint filter is installed on the other side of the hinge axis of the one side to move a predetermined angle and the foreign material is filtered while passing through the drying air in the drying chamber, A blowing fan assembly which provides a driving force through which the air is discharged through the lint filter from the drying chamber; And a detection switch which is operated by the movement of the lint filter to detect a clogging state of the lint filter. The sensing switch of claim 1, wherein the lint filter is installed to partition between the drying chamber and the blowing fan assembly in an outlet assembly communicating the drying chamber and the blowing fan assembly with the other side being rotated about the hinge axis. Lint filter clogging detection device of the dryer, characterized in that supported by the finger member in a direction away from. The lint filter clogging detection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stop member supports both ends of the other side of the lint filter rotated about the hinge axis. The lint of the dryer according to claim 1, wherein the sensing switch is operated by rotating the lint filter by a negative pressure generated by the blowing fan assembly due to clogging of the lint filter. Filter clogging detection device.