And Gas Or Vapor Flow Regulating Means Patents (Class 34/606)
  • Patent number: 11686040
    Abstract: A drying appliance includes a cabinet. A drum processes articles of laundry. The drum is positioned for rotational operation within the cabinet. A blower directs process air through a recirculating airflow path that includes the drum. The drum and the blower are activated in an operating state and deactivated in an idle state. A first operable vent is positioned proximate a front of the cabinet. A second operable vent is positioned proximate a rear of the cabinet. The first and second operable vents define an open position after the drum and the blower define the idle state. The first and second operable vents define a closed position after the drum and the blower define the operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Nolan R. Maryanski, Antonio Mazzarella, Justin Nguyen, Pedro A. Rouin, Daniel A. Schurr
  • Patent number: 11674250
    Abstract: A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a main-drum and an auxiliary-drum selectively mounted on or separated from the main-drum. The method may comprise: a main laundry quantity detection operation for detecting a laundry quantity in the main-drum via rotation of a pulsator disposed in the main-drum; and an auxiliary laundry quantity detection operation for detecting a laundry quantity in the auxiliary-drum by driving the main-drum, wherein the auxiliary laundry quantity detection operation is performed based on the main laundry quantity detected in the main laundry quantity detection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Oshin Kwon, Keunjoo Kim, Byunghyun Moon, Dongsoo Lee, Jaeyong Jeong, Aekyung Chae
  • Patent number: 11346043
    Abstract: A method for operating a dryer appliance includes obtaining an initial operating temperature, obtaining a first temperature set point and a second temperature set point lower than the first temperature set point, wherein the first temperature set point and the second temperature set point are based at least in part on the initial operating temperature, operating the dryer appliance at the initial operating temperature, determining that a restriction level within the dryer appliance exceeds a restriction threshold, and operating the dryer appliance at the first temperature set point, lower than the initial operating temperature, upon determining that the restriction level exceeds the restriction threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ionelia Silvia Prajescu, Joshua L. Reeves
  • Patent number: 10995449
    Abstract: A method for controlling a laundry drying machine having a laundry treating chamber and a control unit which receives a signal indicative of laundry moisture from a moisture sensor. The method includes receiving a user input of a laundry treating program, and, in the machine initialization phase, comparing the laundry moisture indicated by the signal to a first threshold, which is stored in the control unit and is indicative of dried laundry or empty threating chamber. If the signal is determined to be equal or less than the first threshold, one or more of the following actions is performed: carrying out only a portion of the selected laundry treating program; skipping the program main phase; starting the program final phase; stopping the laundry treating program; providing a notification of dried laundry and/or empty treating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Giorgio Pattarello, Elena Pesavento, Mattia Sessolo
  • Patent number: 10829886
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum defining a laundry treating chamber, where the laundry in the laundry treating chamber may be imaged and a condition of the laundry determined based on the imaging of the laundry. A notification can be provided to a user based on the determined motion condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Farhad Ashrafzadeh, James P. Carow, Shreecharan Kanchanavally
  • Patent number: 9009987
    Abstract: A clothing dryer capable of effectively drying a small amount of substance, and a control method thereof by changing an algorithm of a sensor-dry course, which is configured to control an operation rate, a degree of drying or a temperature of drying, to be adapted to the small load of substance in a case where the substance to be dried has a small load when compared to the entire volume of the clothing dryer, so that the drying efficiency is enhanced regardless of the load of the substance, and a separate option button is provided for a sensor-dry course, so that a small load of substance is dried adaptively to the material characteristic of the substance for a respective dry course, thereby enhancing the drying efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyung Woo Lee, Hee Beom Park, Ja Young Kim, Sang Oh Yoo
  • Patent number: 8973286
    Abstract: Dryers and methods of using dryers are described herein. The dryer includes a housing, a drying chamber disposed within the housing, and a heating element. The dryer further includes an intake configured to supply intake air to the drying chamber. The dryer includes an exhaust configured to vent exhaust air out of the drying chamber. The dryer includes a pump coupled to the housing. The dryer further includes an energy recovery system coupled to the housing. The pump is configured to reduce the air pressure within the drying chamber. The energy recovery system includes a heat transfer fluid and is configured to use the heat transfer fluid to transfer thermal energy from the exhaust air to the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Thomas A. Weaver, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8966780
    Abstract: A tumble dryer includes a housing, which has an enclosable drying chamber, a heater mounted in the enclosable drying chamber, a gate for closing/opening the enclosable drying chamber and a tumbler rotatably mounted in the drying chamber, an intake pipeline equipped with an intake control valve for guiding outside air into the drying chamber, an exhaust pipeline equipped with an exhaust control valve for guiding air out of the drying chamber to the atmosphere, an air-suction pipeline equipped with a pipeline control valve and having a pump installed therein for pumping air out of the drying chamber to the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Hui-Li Lin
  • Patent number: 8937625
    Abstract: Provided are a fabric dryer and a method of controlling the fabric dryer. The fabric dryer includes a drum, a driving unit, a steam supply unit, a radical supply unit, a contamination removal function selector, and a controller. The drum is rotatably disposed and receives laundry. The driver rotates the drum. The steam supply unit supplies steam into the drum. The radical supply unit supplies radical into the drum. The contamination removal function selector selects a water-soluble contaminant or a fat-soluble contaminant. The controller controls the steam supply unit to supply steam in response to selection of the water-soluble-contaminant by the contamination removal function selector, and controls the radical supply unit to supply radical in response to selection of fat-soluble contaminant by the contamination removal function selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Deughee Lee
  • Patent number: 8936330
    Abstract: A laundry treating apparatus is provided that includes a cabinet configured to define a profile thereof, the cabinet including a laundry introduction opening formed therein, a door configured to open and close the laundry introduction opening, a hinge including a first pivot to rotate the door along a first rotational direction and a second pivot to rotate the door along a second rotational direction that is different from the first rotational direction, a guide part installed in the cabinet having a guide groove recessed a predetermined depth therein, and a connection part installed in the door, the connection part including a guide projection received in the guide groove of which a moving path is guided, and an opening angle of the opening being variable based on positions of the guide projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kihyuk Kim, Seunghyun Song, Minjung You, Yongcheol Jin, Eunyoung Jee, Hongjun Cho, Sanghun Bae, Donghyun Kim
  • Patent number: 8919009
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of a clothes dryer having a drying chamber and an air flow system including a variable speed blower for forcing air through the drying chamber comprises the step of assessing a value related to the water removal rate and the step of adjusting the speed of the blower depending on the assessed value, the value being preferably based on a ratio between the water condensing rate and the power of a heater used to heat up the air flow upstream the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Davide Colombo, Daniele Martinello, Matteo Santinato, Fabrizio Padula, Antonio Visioli
  • Patent number: 8807065
    Abstract: In a pan coating apparatus including a rotary drum which rotates about a horizontal rotation axis, an air supply chamber having a larger sectional area than that of an opening portion is arranged on a front stage with respect to the front-surface opening portion of the rotary drum. The air supply chamber is formed in a chamber door attached to a front of a casing, and has one end side communicating to the opening portion and another end side connected to an air supply duct via an air supply hole. The air flowing into the air supply chamber from the air supply duct is reduced in flow rate in the air supply chamber and supplied from the opening portion into the rotary drum with the air flow thereof in a stable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Freund Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutoyo Fusejima, Takuya Nakamura, Takashi Terada, Shigemi Isobe
  • Patent number: 8800165
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry machine having a drying function for drying an object to be dried, especially clothes. In the laundry machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, lint and the like that may be contained in the hot air are removed by the filter, whereby the lint and the like can be prevented from being piled on the duct. Also, the filter is placed in a way that it is exposed into the tub, whereby the filter can be cleaned automatically while it is being driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ig Geun Kwon, Sangwook Hong, Youngsuk Kim, Hyunseok Seo
  • Patent number: 8776394
    Abstract: A blower for supplying and exiting the air to and from a treating chamber of a clothes dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Catauro, Mark J. Christensen, Steven P. Lentz, Roy E. Masters
  • Patent number: 8695230
    Abstract: A control method of a dryer is disclosed. A control method of a dryer including a heat pump having a inverter compressor includes determining a driving condition of the dryer; and adjusting at least one of an electric power supplied to the inverter compressor and a driving velocity of the compressor based on the driving condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Woo Noh, Yong Ju Lee, Sang Ik Lee
  • Patent number: 8683713
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a dryer and a drying method of the same. The dryer includes a condensing unit to change water vapor evaporated from a drying object into condensate water by cooling, a condensate water storage container in which the condensate water is stored, a water level sensing device to detect a level of the stored condensate water, and a microcomputer to calculate a change rate of condensation or of the condensate water level based on the detected water level and to determine a value of dryness of the drying object. The dryer effectively performs a drying operation based on the accurately detected value of dryness of the drying object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji Hoon Ha, Jeong Su Han, Jun hoe Choi, Sang Yeon Pyo, Tae Gyoon Noh
  • Patent number: 8677785
    Abstract: A laundry machine includes a first laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein, a second laundry treatment space configured to receive laundry therein, and an air supply unit configured to supply air to the second laundry treatment space, the air supply unit comprising a fan, a heating part, a first sensor part for sensing a temperature of air supplied by the air supply unit, and a control part for controlling a temperature of the supplied air to be within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Joo Han, Young Bok Son, Jae Yoen Lim, Jong Chul Bang, Ki Chul Cho, In Ho Cho
  • Patent number: 8667702
    Abstract: A domestic appliance includes an open air duct and a flow cross-section adjuster in the air duct for adjusting a flow cross-section of the air duct. The flow cross-section adjuster includes rotatably mounted blades for noise dampening purpose. The air duct and the flow cross-section adjuster are in a cooling air inflow region relative to a heat exchanger or a compressor of the domestic appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Ediger, Thomas Nawrot, Werner Nühse
  • Patent number: 8661707
    Abstract: A program-controlled laundry drier equipped with a rotary drum in which the material to be dried is inserted and moved during the drying process. The dryer comprising a heater for heating the drying air and a blower which guides the drying air stream into the interior of the drum. The axis of a current generator is mechanically coupled to the rotary drum and the output voltage of the current generator is applied to the excitation winding of a relay whose switching contacts switch the heating current circuit for the drying air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Dittmer, Thomas Nawrot, Andreas Ziemann
  • Patent number: 8656604
    Abstract: A condensation dryer includes a housing having a wall area which forms a rear side, and a process air circuit for circulating process air. The process air circuit has a first section outside the housing and running along the wall area and a remaining second section inside the housing. The first section which is located at the wall area is formed by a profile part placed on the wall area and is covered by a hood placed in sealing fashion on the wall area. A fan is arranged in the process air circuit for circulating the process air, and a drying chamber is arranged in the process air circuit for holding objects to be dried. A heat pump is disposed in the housing and includes a heat sink which is thermally coupled to the process air circuit, and a heat source, which is thermally coupled to the process air circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Ediger, Thomas Nawrot
  • Patent number: 8627580
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a fixed drum provided in the inner space of the main body, and a tumbling device coupled to the drum. The fixed drum may have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated. The tumbling device may tumble laundry items received in the fixed drum as it slides along an inner circumferential surface of the fixed drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungmin Kim, Jongseok Kim, Daeyun Park, Sogkie Hong
  • Patent number: 8615895
    Abstract: A device and method for cleaning a lint filter in a clothes dryer. The clothes dryer includes an air channel connected to a drum to supply air into the drum and to guide air discharged from the drum, a dehumidification unit disposed in the air channel to condense moisture contained in the air discharged from the drum, a waterspout to collect condensed water created by the dehumidification unit, a filter to filter lint from the air discharged from the drum, a cleaning nozzle to spray water to the filter to remove the lint from the filter, a recovery water tank to receive water from the waterspout, and a cleaning water tank connected to the recovery water tank to receive water from the recovery water tank and to supply the water to the cleaning nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Bong Shin, Jin Wook Yoon, Sin Ae Kim, Byeong Cheol Yoon, Seok Mo Chang
  • Patent number: 8615898
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a support body arranged in the main body so as to form a frame of the main body, a flexible drum rotatably installed on the support body so as to have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated, and rotation guides arranged between the support body and the flexible drum so as to guide rotation of the flexible drum. A distance from a center of rotation of an inscribed circle contacting the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum to one random point on the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the inscribed circle to another point on the inscribed circle such that the drum maintains a non-circular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungmin Kim, Jongseok Kim, Daeyun Park, Sogkie Hong
  • Patent number: 8607473
    Abstract: Disclosed are a door for a dryer and a dryer having the same, the door for the dryer having a concave portion or an inclined portion formed at an end surface of a door glass, such that an inner volume of the dryer can be enlarged without increasing the size of the dryer, under consideration of the dryer having the same capacity, resulting in allowing a large quantity of clothes to be dried at once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yeon-Sik Choi, Ju-Han Yoon
  • Patent number: 8595954
    Abstract: A clothes treating apparatus includes a drum, an air suction unit forming a flow path of air introduced into the drum, an air exhaustion unit forming a flow path of air exhausted from the drum, a condenser heating air sucked into the drum through the air suction unit, an evaporator cooling air exhausted from the drum through the air exhaustion unit, a compressor compressing refrigerant introduced from the evaporator, and a variable expander expanding a refrigerant introduced from the condenser, and having a variable open degree. An operation method includes measuring a temperature of a refrigerant into the evaporator, and a temperature of a refrigerant into the compressor, and decreasing an open degree of the variable expander when a temperature difference between the two measured temperatures is less than a predetermined first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyuksoo Lee, Sungmin Ye, Byeongjo Ryoo
  • Patent number: 8590172
    Abstract: A dehumidifying apparatus is provided for a dryer, the dryer including a case; a drum disposed inside the case that receives objects to be dried therein; and a hot air supplying device that supplies hot air into the drum and dry the objects to be dried. The dehumidifying apparatus includes a plurality of dehumidifying devices, and is thereby capable of controlling humidity of exhausted air to a required level of humidity by removing moisture contained in air exhausted from the plurality of dehumidifying devices in multiple steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seung-Phyo Ahn, Sang-Ik Lee, Byeong-Jo Ryoo, Sung-Ho Song, Jeong-Yun Kim, Yang-Hwan Kim, Jae-Hyuk Wee, Dong-Hyun Kim, Yoon-Seob Eom, Yang-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8572865
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a mechanical refrigeration cycle arrangement having a working fluid and an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and an expansion device, cooperatively interconnected and containing the working fluid. The apparatus also includes a sensor located to sense at least one parameter, a controller coupled to said sensor and said compressor, a drum to receive clothes to be dried, wherein a rear portion of the drum is equipped with multiple perforations, and a perimeter portion of the drum is equipped with multiple perforations, and a duct and fan arrangement configured to pass air over said condenser and through said drum, wherein the duct and fan arrangement is configured to facilitate airflow through the perforations on the rear portion of the drum into the drum, and out of the drum through the perforations on the perimeter portion of the drum to enable an increased airflow without an increased power input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Beers, Nicholas Okruch, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8567091
    Abstract: A drying machine according to the present invention includes an interface unit connected to a separate washing machine with a data communication line for receiving load information from the washing machine, a rotatable drum containing a load of wet clothes which are previously washed by the washing machine, and an air supply system coupled to the drum for supplying dry air into the drum. The machine further includes a heater coupled to the air supply system for heating the dry air, and a dryer controller generating a control signal to the heater in accordance with a set of operation values which are determined based on the load information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc
    Inventors: Hae Deog Jeong, In Haeng Cho, Jae Suk Yang
  • Patent number: 8549770
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of drying laundry in a treating chamber with a partially dry laundry load determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan R. Bellinger, Andrew E. Spangler, Christopher J. Woerdehoff
  • Patent number: 8544188
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a support body arranged in the main body so as to form a frame of the main body, a flexible drum rotatably installed on the support body so as to have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated, and rotation guides arranged between the support body and the flexible drum so as to guide rotation of the flexible drum. A distance from a center of rotation of an inscribed circle contacting the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum to one random point on the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the inscribed circle to another point on the inscribed circle such that the drum maintains a non-circular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungmin Kim, Jongseok Kim, Daeyun Park, Sogkie Hong
  • Patent number: 8539694
    Abstract: A clothes treatment apparatus is disclosed. The clothes treatment apparatus includes a cabinet comprising an accommodating space formed therein to accommodate clothes, an air supply device configured to supply air or heated air to the accommodating space, a duct configured to guide the air or the heated air supplied by the air supply device toward the accommodating space, the duct comprising a communication part configured to draw external air into the accommodating space and a circulation fan configured to flow air along the duct, wherein the communication part is located in a rear portion of the circulation fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Wook Moon, Sog Kie Hong, Dong Won Kim, Seung Gyu Ryu, Hye Yong Park, Chang Gyu Choi, Dae Yun Park, Jong Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 8533975
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a mechanical refrigeration cycle arrangement having a working fluid, an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and an expansion device, cooperatively interconnected and containing the working fluid. The apparatus also includes a drum to receive clothes, a duct and fan arrangement configured to pass air over the evaporator, condenser and through the drum, a sensor located to sense parameters, a working fluid accumulator, and a controller coupled to the sensor, accumulator and/or compressor. The controller is operative to control collection of refrigerant during a run cycle when pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold value, control retention of the collected refrigerant when the run cycle is completed, until a subsequent run cycle, control discharge of the retained refrigerant to an evaporator or condenser when the subsequent run cycle is started, and control use of discharged refrigerant to elevate the refrigeration cycle by modifying a start condition of the refrigeration cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David G. Beers, Brent Alden Junge, Nicholas Okruch, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8528226
    Abstract: A vented dryer having a drum to dry damp laundry by warm process air; a first process air duct upstream of the drum; a heater to heat the process air in the first process air duct; a supply air duct leading into the first process air duct; an exhaust air duct; a second process air duct downstream of the drum and transitioning into the exhaust air duct; a blower; a first temperature sensor in the first process air duct; and a heat-buildup generator to generate a heat buildup at the first temperature sensor if a counter-flowing air current occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Kai-Uwe Bache, Philipp Steusloff, Andy Wischer
  • Patent number: 8528231
    Abstract: A dryer is provided. The dryer may include a main body having an inner space formed therein, a support body arranged in the main body so as to form a frame of the main body, a flexible drum rotatably installed on the support body so as to have a non-circular cross-section as it is rotated, and rotation guides arranged between the support body and the flexible drum so as to guide rotation of the flexible drum. A distance from a center of rotation of an inscribed circle contacting the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum to one random point on the inner circumferential surface of the flexible drum is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the inscribed circle to another point on the inscribed circle such that the drum maintains a non-circular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungmin Kim, Jongseok Kim, Daeyun Park, Sogkie Hong
  • Patent number: 8468711
    Abstract: Disclosed is a clothes dryer, comprising: a body; a drum rotatably installed at the body; a duct for guiding air exhausted from the drum; and a filter assembly for filtering lint included in the air exhausted from the drum. The filter assembly includes a lint filter and a cover filter, and a lint collector encompassed by the lint filter and the cover filter. The clothes dryer includes sensing means for sensing whether the lint filter has been mounted to a precise position or not. The sensing means consists of a magnet mounted to a mesh frame of the lint filter, and a reed switch mounted to a cover guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jae-Seok Kim, Ju-Han Yoon
  • Patent number: 8434243
    Abstract: Laundry dryer including a body case forming an exterior of the laundry dryer, a drum in the body case for holding a drying object, a heater assembly in the body case for heating air to supply hot air to the drum, a panel frame on a front of the body case, having an opening in communication with a space having the heater assembly mounted therein, and a control panel mounted to the panel frame selectively, having buttons for making various operation, thereby permitting easy handling of the operation buttons on the control panel even if two or more than two dryers are arranged in any type, and improving workability of replacement or repair of the heater assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young Soo Kim, Soung Bong Choi, Hung Myong Cho
  • Patent number: 8393090
    Abstract: A clothes dryer having an improved configuration to allow a user to safely pull out a water tank is disclosed. The clothes dryer includes a body having a water tank housing, a water tank detachably mounted into the water tank housing and serving to store water collected from an object to be dried, and a safety guide to limit movement of the water tank in a first direction when the water tank is separated from the water tank housing in the first direction, so as to allow a user to guide movement of the water tank in a second direction. The safety guide includes a first stopper provided at the water tank housing, and a second stopper provided at the water tank to correspond to the first stopper when the water tank is separated in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Min Hee Kang
  • Patent number: 8353114
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a mechanical refrigeration cycle arrangement in turn including an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, and an expansion device, cooperatively interconnected. A drum is provided to receive clothes to be dried. An auxiliary heater is included, as is a duct and fan arrangement configured to pass air over the condenser and the heater, and through the drum. A sensor is located to sense high side temperature and/or high side pressure of the mechanical refrigeration cycle arrangement. A controller is coupled to the sensor and the auxiliary heater, and is operative to: activate the auxiliary heater during a startup transient of the mechanical refrigeration cycle arrangement; monitor the high side temperature and/or high side pressure, during the startup transient; and de-activate the auxiliary heater in response to the high side temperature and/or high side pressure reaching a first predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David G. Beers, Brent Alden Junge, Nicholas Okruch, Jr., Amelia Lear Hensley
  • Patent number: 8347523
    Abstract: A clothing dryer including a rotating drum, a shelf installed inside the rotating drum, and a support member, which is rotatably installed at a rear end of the shelf such that the shelf is supported by a rear surface of the rotating drum. The rear end of the shelf is installed on a rear surface of the rotating drum through the support member, so that the shelf is more stably installed inside the rotating drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Suk Chung
  • Patent number: 8286364
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid storage container and a clothes dryer having the same. The liquid storage container comprises: a reservoir installed at a clothes dryer, and configured to store liquid therein; a floating member floating on the liquid, and disposed on the reservoir with a rotation angle variable according to level change of the liquid inside the reservoir; and display means configured to display information corresponding to the rotation angle of the floating member. The rotation angle of the floating member may vary according to a remaining amount of the liquid. And, the remaining amount of the liquid may be informed to a user through the display means. Accordingly, the user may easily check the remaining amount of the liquid without checking the inside of the liquid storage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Hun Bae, Min-Ji Kim, Ye-Ji Um, Myung-Shik Kim, Young-Soo Ha
  • Patent number: 8286369
    Abstract: A device for determining the conductance of laundry in a drier. The device comprises at least two electrodes and means for dissipating heat from at least one part of at least one of said electrodes. The invention further relates to a drier comprising at least one area for receiving laundry and at least two electrodes for measuring the conductance of the laundry, at least one of the electrodes at least partly bordering said receiving area. Means for cooling at least one part of at least one of the electrodes are also provided inside the drier. Also disclosed is a method for preventing the formation of layers on electrodes used for measuring conductance in a drier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Dittmer, Harald Moschütz, Thomas Nawrot, Andreas Ziemann
  • Patent number: 8266816
    Abstract: Disclosed are a clothes dryer and a door thereof. The door includes a glass assembly provided with a door glass; and a door cover connected to the glass assembly. The door cover has a vertically symmetrical structure, and is rotated against the glass assembly and then connected to the glass assembly, when the opening and closing direction of the door is changed. Thereby, when the opening and closing direction of the door is changed, only the door cover is rotated, and thus the opening and closing direction of the door is easily changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyung Sub Lim
  • Patent number: 8266824
    Abstract: A condensation dryer is provided that includes a drying chamber for items to be dried, a process air circuit via which fan driven process air can be conducted across the items to be dried, and a heat pump circuit for alternately heating and cooling the process air. A secondary fluid circuit is provided between the process air circuit and the heat pump circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Dietmar Steiner
  • Patent number: 8261467
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid storage container and a clothes dryer having the same. The clothes dryer comprises: a body; a front supporter which forms a part of a front surface of the body, and configured to fix the drum; a door installed at the front supporter; a liquid storage container comprising a reservoir configured to store liquid therein, and an inlet unit through which liquid is introduced into the reservoir; and a remaining amount indicator configured to indicate a remaining amount of the liquid stored in the reservoir, wherein the remaining amount indicator is installed on a rear surface of the front supporter, and is exposed to the front surface of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Hun Bae, Min-Ji Kim, Ye-Ji Um, Myung-Shik Kim, Young-Soo Ha
  • Patent number: 8256139
    Abstract: A method of reducing the risk of fire or containing fire in a laundry appliance and an appliance incorporating said method. The appliance includes a sensor means capable of sensing an abnormal fault condition indicative of an increased fire risk or a fire within the appliance drum. In response to sensing the abnormal fault condition, the appliance controller enters a fire containment cycle which rotates the drum at a tumbling speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Appliances Limited
    Inventors: John Richard James Morrison, Seth Fischer, Lindsey Jack Roke
  • Patent number: 8256137
    Abstract: A home laundry drier (1) having a revolving drum (5) for housing the laundry to be dried, a hot-air generator (7) for circulating a stream of hot air inside the drum (5), and a steam generator (17) for feeding steam into the drum (5); the steam generator (17) having an electric boiler (18) designed to receive a given quantity of water and immediately convert it into a stream of low-pressure steam to be fed into the drum (5), a demineralized-water reservoir (20) located over and communicating with the electric boiler (18), and a lint filter (23) located upstream from the water reservoir (20); the water reservoir (20) receiving distilled water from the water canister (12) of the heat exchanger (10) of the hot-air generator (7) via a water drain circuit (13); and the laundry drier (1) also having a liquid level sensor (26) for determining when the water in the water reservoir (20) is below a given minimum level, and a central control unit (24) for determining whether the water reservoir (20) is in a given low-wa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Flavio Noviello, Gennaro Napolitano, Mirko Cenedese, Roberto Ragogna
  • Patent number: 8250778
    Abstract: A clothes dryer air intake system including a conduit having an outlet opening for connection to a clothes dryer and being positioned remote from the attic of a building. The conduit also has an inlet opening positioned within the attic of a building. A heater is connected to the conduit between the outlet opening and the inlet opening for warming air passing through the conduit. A thermostat detects the temperature of the air flowing through the conduit and energizes the heater in the event that the detected temperature is lower than a preset minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hodges
  • Patent number: 8209881
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a condensation type dryer. The dryer includes a circulation tube communicating at both ends thereof with a tub to define a passage through which air inside the tub is circulated, a blowing fan disposed inside the circulation tube to circulate the air inside the tub, a heater disposed inside the circulation tube to heat air supplied into the tub, and a condensation tube connected to a water supply source to supply cooling water into the circulation tube, the condensation tube has a serpentine shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Ju Dong Lee
  • Patent number: 8104192
    Abstract: A laundry dryer is provided. The laundry dryer includes a drying drum (14), a drying duct (17), a heater (166), an upper base (22), a lower base (21), and a blower (23). The drying drum (14) hold laundry. The drying duct (17) guides indoor air to be suctioned into the drying drum (14). The heater (16) heats the air suctioned into the drying drum (14) The upper base includes a drum connecting duct (203) that guides air passing from the drying drum (14) in a downward direction. The lower base (21) has the upper base (22) mounted therabove, and forms an air passage (201) that exhausts the air guided downward by the drum connecting duct (203) an indoor space. The blower (23) is mounted on one side of the lower base, and suctions air inside the drying drum (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hwan-Joo Myung, Soon-Jo Lee
  • Patent number: 8065816
    Abstract: A dryer has complex angled surfaces and a plurality of grip elements thereon. The angled surfaces have varying angles of inclination relative to a base of the dryer vane and the characteristics of the grip elements vary in relation to the angle of inclination of the surface portions upon which they are disposed. The grip elements may protrude from the vane surfaces and the height of the grip elements may vary in relation to the varying angle of inclination of the surfaces. Taller grip elements may be provided on the less inclined surfaces and shorter grip elements may be provided on the more inclined surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ricklefs, Brian Douglas Ripley, Steven John Joerger, Robin Alan Hultman, Charles Matthew Fischels, Renato Henriques Honfi, Melissa Michael Reim