Abstract: An electric heater assembly for mounting in an electric clothes dryer supports an electrical heating element. The heater assembly has overlapping arcuate shaped support plates of mica for supporting a zig-zag shaped electrical heating element. The support plates have inner and outer concentrically curved side edge portions having inner and outer notches. A support wall mounted in the clothes dryer supports the support plates by series of inner and outer arcuate spaced apart tab members. The tab members each have a flap member. The flap members are positioned so that the notches of the support plates align with the flaps to permit the support plates to be positioned relative to the housing support wall, and then rotated, so that the flap members overlappingly engage at least one of the support plates to hold the support plates relative to the housing support wall.

Abstract: A bulkhead structure for a clothes dryer has a generally cylindrical outer wall that fits within an open end of the clothes dryer drum to define a junction. The bulkhead has two side wall portions facing into the drum on opposing sides of a bulkhead access opening. Each of the side wall portions has a recess extending from the bulkhead access opening towards the cylindrical outer wall. The recess has a concave curvature terminating in an outer deflection wall inwardly spaced from the cylindrical outer wall. The recess and the outer deflection cause clothing contacting the recess and moving towards the dryer drum to be swept away from the junction.

Abstract: A clothes dryer front bearing structure that fits within an open end of the dryer drum has wear resistant bearing glides attached to an upper arcuate wall portion without the use of an additional fastener. The upper arcuate wall portion has one or more pairs of spaced apart apertures that define between them a glide wall supporting portion. The bearing structure also has pairs of spaced apart curb walls for each pair of apertures that extend below the upper arcuate wall portion adjacent to the apertures. The bearing glide has an intermediate portion overlying the glide wall supporting portion for rotatably supporting the open end of the drum, and opposing end portions that each pass through a corresponding aperture for engagement with a corresponding curb wall to thereby limit longitudinal movement of the glide and restrain the opposing end portions of the glide in the apertures and within the curb walls.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a reclined front panel and a door mounted thereto by a hinge assembly. The assembly has a support plate and a pivoting member. The support plate is mounted to the rear of the front panel and has upper and lower hinge locating seat portions respectively recessed from the reclined front panel by first and second predetermined distances. The pivoting member has first and second end portions pivotally connected together along a vertical axis. The first end portion is mounted to the door. The second end portion is mounted with the front panel via the support plate. The second end portion has upper and lower horizontally extending arms respectively connected to the upper and lower hinge locating seat portions. The arms have lengths chosen relative to the first and second predetermined distances so as to vertically locate the vertical axis adjacent the reclined front panel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dryer motor assembly support that limits or eliminates cabinet vibration and noise. The dryer comprises a cabinet comprising a floor having an outside peripheral portion, and a central portion with four openings. The dryer further comprises a motor assembly, having a motor and motor mount comprising a base, spaced above the openings. A support assembly for supporting the motor assembly comprises two parallel spaced apart support portions each spaced below and spanning across the central portion, passing beneath the openings. Each support portion has oppositely disposed end portions secured with the peripheral portion. Each support portion comprises two projections extending therefrom toward the base. Each projection passes through a corresponding one of the openings with clearance to secure the support portion with the base, isolating the motor. The motor and support assembly, and the openings are co-located away from the central portion.

Abstract: A clothes dryer bearing structure has an arcuate channel for receiving the open end of a dryer drum. The channel has an inner wall portion, a base wall portion extending radially outward from the inner wall portion and an outer wall portion extending from the base wall portion. A gasket is positioned in the channel in contact with the dryer drum. The outer wall portion has a plurality of spaced apart elongated clips formed on the outer wall portion and curving back into the channel. At least one of the outer wall portion and the base wall portion has a plurality of elongated bumps protruding into the channel. Each of the elongated bumps is interspaced between the elongated clips whereby the gasket lies serpentinely in the channel ascending over bumps and descending below the clips to prevent slippage of the gasket along the channel during dryer drum rotation.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a degree of dryness control system that is responsive to moisture level of clothing articles tumbling in a drum and a target moisture value to control the drying cycle of the clothes dryer. The clothes dryer has a load size parameter producing module and an air flow detection parameter module. These modules generate one of two parameter conditions used by the processor to modify or select an appropriate moisture target value. The load size producing parameter module generates one of a small load input parameter and a large load input parameter. The air flow detection module produces one of a first and second air flow parameter to be utilized by the degree of dryness processor. As a result, the processor selects one of four target moisture values from these conditions.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a degree of dryness control system that is responsive to moisture level of clothing articles tumbling in a drum and a target moisture value to control the drying cycle of the clothes dryer. The clothes dryer has a load size parameter producing module and an air flow detection parameter module. These modules generate one of two parameter conditions used by the processor to modify or select an appropriate moisture target value. The load size producing parameter module generates one of a small load input parameter and a large load input parameter. The air flow detection module produces one of a first and second air flow parameter to be utilized by the degree of dryness processor. As a result, the processor selects one of four target moisture values from these conditions.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has horizontally extending louvres located in its rear cabinet wall that permit ambient air to enter the dryer cabinet during normal dryer operation. U-shaped cover brackets are positioned to horizontally extend and cover the louvres where the brackets each define a horizontally extending airflow channel having opposing open ends. Air entering the dryer flows through the louvres along the airflow channels and out through the open ends. The cover bracket helps to contain a fire within the dryer cabinet should one occur by restricting flow of ignited particles and other debris as a result of a fire from exiting through the louvre.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a thermal insulation pad placed in a confined space in the dryer cabinet between the blower fan housing and the dryer cabinet side wall closest to the blower fan housing. The thermal insulation pad is press fit into the space so as to take up much of the volume of the confined space preventing the accumulation of dust or lint over time in the confined space while also preventing the flow of oxygen to the confined space. Accordingly, the thermal insulation pad reduces the risk of a fire starting in the confined area of the dryer cabinet between the blower wheel housing and the adjacent side wall of the cabinet. A thermal insulation pad also acts as sound insulation.

Abstract: A clothes dryer cabinet has a rear wall with a wire entry opening through which wiring enters into the dryer cabinet. A fuse supporting block is mounted closely adjacent to the wire entry opening and supports fuses which are connected directly to the wiring entering through the wire opening so as to limit or minimize the length of wiring contained in the dryer drum that is not protected by the fuses. This safety feature reduces the chance of fires occurring in the dryer as a result of arcing between wires due to mishandling of the wires, malmanufacturing of the wires or a fire occurring in the dryer.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a drying drum with an airflow inlet and a motor for rotating the drum. A blower rotated by a fan motor flows air into, through, and out the drum. A refresh or touch-up de-wrinkle course is selected via a signal input on a control panel. Steam is supplied to the drum by a steam generating device, and heated air from a heater is supplied via the inlet. A controller operates the steam device and heater, in response to the course being selected, to supply to the drum a plurality of steam pulses of at least one first predetermined time and a heated air pulse after each steam pulse. Heated air pulses between steam pulses are intermediate pulses of at least one second predetermined time to reduce condensation in the dryer and the final pulse of heated air is of a duration to dry articles.

Abstract: A clothes dryer door assembly with a viewing window is adapted to be reversibly mounted to a clothes dryer cabinet and has an inner door assembly supporting an inner window and an outer door assembly supporting an outer window. The inner door assembly removably carries a hinge and the outer door assembly is removably secured with the inner door assembly. In order to reverse the door, the outer door assembly is removed from the inner door assembly and rotated 180 degrees. The hinge is removed from the inner door assembly and re-positioned 180 degrees on the inner door assembly. The outer door assembly is then reattached to the inner door assembly. This reversing of the door assembly of the present invention does not require complete disassembly of either of the inner or outer door assemblies.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a thermal insulation pad placed in a confined space in the dryer cabinet between the blower fan housing and the dryer cabinet side wall closest to the blower fan housing. The thermal insulation pad is press fit into the space so as to take up much of the volume of the confined space preventing the accumulation of dust or lint over time in the confined space while also preventing the flow of oxygen to the confined space. Accordingly, the thermal insulation pad reduces the risk of a fire starting in the confined area of the dryer cabinet between the blower wheel housing and the adjacent side wall of the cabinet. A thermal insulation pad also acts as sound insulation.

Abstract: A clothes dryer cabinet has a rear wall with a wire entry opening through which wiring enters into the dryer cabinet. A fuse supporting block is mounted closely adjacent to the wire entry opening and supports fuses which are connected directly to the wiring entering through the wire opening so as to limit or minimize the length of wiring contained in the dryer drum that is not protected by the fuses. This safety feature reduces the chance of fires occurring in the dryer as a result of arcing between wires due to mishandling of the wires, malmanufacturing of the wires or a fire occurring in the dryer.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has horizontally extending louvres located in its rear cabinet wall that permit ambient air to enter the dryer cabinet during normal dryer operation. U-shaped cover brackets are positioned to horizontally extend and cover the louvres where the brackets each define a horizontally extending airflow channel having opposing open ends. Air entering the dryer flows through the louvres along the airflow channels and out through the open ends. The cover bracket helps to contain a fire within the dryer cabinet should one occur by restricting flow of ignited particles and other debris as a result of a fire from exiting through the louvre.

Abstract: A clothes dryer providing clothes care has a main controller operable with an outlet temperature sensor for receiving the outlet temperature values. The controller is operable with a heater to controllably raise the outlet temperature of air flowing out of a dryer drum above an outlet clothes care target temperature value whereupon the controller operates the heater to raise the outlet temperature to an overshoot temperature value. The clothes care temperature value is determined by a heat setting selected by a user. The overshoot temperature value is sufficiently high to reduce drying time but sufficiently low as to prevent damage to damp clothing. Once the outlet temperature rises to the clothes care temperature, the controller reduces power to the heater, bringing the outlet temperature back down to the clothes care temperature. The controller de-energizing the heater for a cooldown cycle upon detection of a dry load.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dryer motor assembly support that limits or eliminates cabinet vibration and noise. The dryer comprises a cabinet comprising a floor having an outside peripheral portion, and a central portion with four openings. The dryer further comprises a motor assembly, having a motor and motor mount comprising a base, spaced above the openings. A support assembly for supporting the motor assembly comprises two parallel spaced apart support portions each spaced below and spanning across the central portion, passing beneath the openings. Each support portion has oppositely disposed end portions secured with the peripheral portion. Each support portion comprises two projections extending therefrom toward the base. Each projection passes through a corresponding one of the openings with clearance to secure the support portion with the base, isolating the motor. The motor and support assembly, and the openings are co-located away from the central portion.

Abstract: A front control panel assembly is mounted to an upper portion of a laundry appliance cabinet. The control panel has upper and lower spaced apart support brackets, each having a slot having a guiding portion and a trough. A heat shield is mounted to the cabinet and has four spaced apart cantilever posts each having a shaft portion and an end portion received in the support brackets to support the control panel to the cabinet. The lower support brackets secure the corresponding shaft portion via a clasp portion. The secured control panel can move only in opposite first and second radial directions relative the axis of the shaft portion. The guiding portion helps locate the cantilever posts relative the support brackets. A screw passing frontally through the control panel secures it to the heat shield. Cantilever post support bracket cooperation inhibits control panel rotation about the axis of the screw.

Abstract: A door assembly having a viewing window for use with a clothes dryer cabinet has a mask frame for masking the view of the door assembly and for securing an inner window in the assembly. The door assembly further utilizes the hinge structure and a horizontally disposed retainer to retain the inner window in place when the door assembly is complete. The inner window is mounted within the door assembly to slope downwardly and rearwardly of the inner door frame support. When the door is closed, the sloping inner window is positioned to cover a lint trap opening in the dryer while optimizing space within the dryer due to the sloping window wall.