WO2009132969A1

WO2009132969A1 - A dryer

Info

Publication number: WO2009132969A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/054590
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ertan Cetinkaya; Umit Gulbay; Burak Harac; Solen Ozkan
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2008-05-02
Filing date: 2009-04-17
Publication date: 2009-11-05
Also published as: EP2286015B1; EP2286015A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dryer (1) comprising a drum (2) with the capacity to rotate around itself, having a cylindrical body (3), a front door (4) with a neck (5) protruding, configured as ring and forming the front surface of the body (3) and at least one wheel on each side of the drum (2), which supports the drum (2) by rotating around itself with the movement of the drum, whereon the neck is seated, in parallel axis with the drum' s rotation axis. A depression (7) in front door (4) strengthens the contact are with the wheels (6).

Description

PatXML 1/4 BB1428-7.739

Description

A DRYER

[0001] The present invention relates to a dryer that comprises a drum.

[0002] As is known, laundry to be dried is loaded inside a drum in dryers. A drying process is performed by the spinning of said drum driven by a motor.

[0003] In the state of the art, sliding and wheeled systems are employed for front bearing of the drum. Fracture problem is seen due to the fatigue of the front door of the drum as a result of pressure of wheels on neck of the front door in advantageous wheeled system owing to the fact that drum is less dependent on the surface flatness of the drum. Producing the drum with completely or respectively thick and strong material to prevent fractures increases the overall cost of the drum.

[0004] In state of the art Chinese Patent Application No CN1970874, an embodiment relating to narrowing the contact surface by means of channels formed on wheels to decrease the friction between wheels and drum is explained.

[0005] In state of the art Korean Patent Application No. KR20040012005, an embodiment relating to the coating of the wheels with Teflon and self-lubricating material is explained.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is the realization of a dryer comprising a high strength and easy to manufacture drum.

[0007] The dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is explicated in the attached claims.

[0008] The dryer of the present invention, wherein a wheeled front bearing is employed comprises a drum having at least one depression formed on the neck where the wheels contact the front door to increase endurance against fatigue occurring on the front door due to the friction of wheels.

[0009] Thus, the life of the front door against the fatigue impact occurring due to the pressure of the wheels is improved and damages due to the fatigue are prevented without increasing the cost of the material.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the depression is in form of a circular groove surrounding the neck. Contacting surface of wheels is broader than the width of the depression and thus it is not possible for PatXML 2/4 BB1428-7.739

wheels to fit into the depression. [0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, the drum comprises multiple depressions in form of circular grooves surrounding on the line where the wheels contact. [0012] In another embodiment of the present invention, the depression is in the form of bow outward. [0013] By means of the present invention, in the dryers wherein the front part of the drum is supported with the wheels whereon the front part is seated, manufactured strongly and hence the life time of the drum is improved. [0014] The model embodiments related to the dryer realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention are illustrated in the attached figures, where: [0015] Figure 1 - is the schematic view of a dryer. [0016] Figure 2 - is front view of drum and wheels. [0017] Figure 3 - is schematic view of front door and a wheel in an embodiment of the present invention. [0018] Figure 4 - is schematic view of front door and a wheel in another embodiment of the present invention. [0019] Figure 5 - is schematic view of front door and a wheel in other embodiment of the present invention. [0020] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Dryer

2. Drum

3. Body

4. Front door

5. Neck

6. Wheel

7. Depression

[0021] The dryer (1) comprises a drum (2) rotating around itself (Figure 1). [0022] The dryer (1) of the present invention, is preferably a horizontal axis dryer

(1). [0023] The drum (2) comprises

- a cylindrical body (3),

- a front door (4) having a neck (5) in the form of ring advancing forward PatXML 3/4 BB1428-7.739

and forming the front surface of body (3)

- at least two wheels, whereon the neck (5) is seated, supporting the drum (2) by rotating around themselves with the movement of the drum (2) during drying process and located on both sides of the body (3). (Figure 2).

[0024] The drum (2) also comprises at least one depression (7) formed along the line, where the wheels (6) contact the said neck (6). The depression (7) increases the strength of the neck (5). Thus, the front door (4) is affected less by the impact acting due to the movement of the wheels (6), and fatigue thereof and an area more resistant to the fatigue occurring in the front part of the drum (2) during its operation is obtained.

[0025] In various embodiments of the present invention, the front door (4) is fitted to the body (3) with welding or clamp or the body (3) and the front door (4) are formed by deep drawing of one piece sheet metal.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, the depression (7) is in the form of groove (Figure 3 and 4).

[0027] In another embodiment of the present invention, the drum (2) comprises several depressions (7) in the form of circular grooves all along around the contacting points where the wheels touch on the neck (5) (Figure 4).

[0028] In another embodiment of the present invention the depression (7) is in the form of a protrusion towards wheels (6) from the front door (4) (Figure 5).

[0029] By means of the dryer (1) of the present invention, the drum is realized to resist to fatigue and fractures thereof on the front door (4) where wheels (6) press on.

[0030] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above and an expert in the technique can easily introduce different depression forms increasing the strength. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

PatXML 4/4 BB1428-7.739Claims

1. A dryer (1) comprising a cylindrical body (3) with capacity to rotate around itself, a drum (2) having a front door (4) with a neck (5) in the form of ring, protruding and forming the front surface of the body (3), at least one wheel (6), on both sides of the body (3), whereon the neck (5) is seated and supporting the drum (2) by rotating around itself with the movement of the drum (2) during drying process and is characterized by a depression (7) increasing the strength, formed along the line where the wheels (6) contact the said front door

(4).

2. A dryer (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized in that the depression (7) is configured as a groove.

3. A dryer (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized in that the depression (7) configured as a bow from the neck (5) to the wheels (6).

4. A dryer (1), as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the front door (4) is fitted to the body (3) with a clamp.

5. A dryer (1), as in any one of the above claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the front door (4) is fitted to the body (3) by welding.

6. A dryer (1), as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the body (3) and the front door (4) are formed by deep drawing of a single piece sheet metal.