With Drum Or Receptacle Enclosing Housing Patents (Class 34/595)
  • Patent number: 8567090
    Abstract: Humid waste air is produced in heated laundry machines. This humid waste air has a still relatively high temperature. In order for the energy contained in the humid waste air to be recovered, at least in part, the humid waste air is directed through a heat exchanger (12). Condensate is produced in the heat exchanger (12), and it has proven difficult, in the case of known heat exchangers (12), for this condensate to be directed away. Moreover, the humid waste air contains accompanying substances, for example fluff from the treated laundry. These accompanying substances are deposited in known heat exchangers (12), which adversely affect the efficiency of the heat exchanger (12) over time. The invention makes provision for the heat exchanger (12) to be equipped with upright heat-exchanger plates (13), from which the condensate can run off. The condensate can then be discharged in a specific manner out of the heat exchanger (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Bringewatt, Engelbert Heinz
  • 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: 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: 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: 8490294
    Abstract: A cleaning device for a component disposed within a process air circuit of a domestic tumble dryer, in particular for a heat exchanger, including a cleaning brush and a drive mechanism including a drive rod for moving the cleaning brush along the component, the cleaning device including a guiding element operatively associated with the drive mechanism for guiding the drive rod, and at least two flexible sealing elements for protecting the drive mechanism against fluff or similar soiling, wherein the drive rod is passed between the at least two sealing elements for movement along the guiding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Grunert
  • 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: 8438755
    Abstract: A novel-structure laundry machine that is capable of washing laundry using steam is disclosed. The laundry machine includes a machine body constituting the external appearance thereof, a drum mounted in the machine body for receiving laundry, a steam supply unit mounted in the machine body for generating steam, the steam supply unit being constructed to receive water for steam generation through the water inlet port exposed to the outside while the water inlet port communicates with one side of the machine body, and a primary steam supply part for supplying the steam generated in the steam supply unit into the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Deug Hee Lee, Hung Myong Cho
  • Patent number: 8424220
    Abstract: A dryer and a method for controlling the same are provided. The method for controlling a dryer includes supplying steam generated in a steam generator to a drum, and supplying hot air generated in a hot air heater to the drum. The method has an advantageous effect of removing wrinkles efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hun Bae, Chang Woo Son, Chul Jin Choi, Dong Hyun Kim, Young Bok Son, Heung Jae Kim
  • Patent number: 8418378
    Abstract: A condensation dryer is provided which has a heat pump in which a coolant circulates; a compressor; a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of the coolant; and a controller. The controller has a first comparator to compare the temperature of the coolant with an upper limiting temperature of the coolant; a switch to switch the compressor off if the temperature of the coolant is greater than or equal to the upper limiting temperature and to switch the compressor on after each compressor disconnection. A counter ascertains the number of occurrences at which the compressor is switched off. The counter is incremented by 1 each time the compressor is switched off. A second comparator compares the number of occurrences with a prespecified limiting number and evaluates the difference between the number of occurrences and the prespecified limiting number with respect to the presence of an impermissible operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nawrot, Ulrich Nehring
  • Patent number: 8418376
    Abstract: A laundry drying device, including a front wall; a seal connected to the front wall; a rear wall; a tub located between the front wall and the rear wall; a rotatable laundry drum arranged in the tub, the rotatable laundry drum being accessible by way of the seal; and a heat pump. The heat pump includes an evaporator that is arranged at least partially between the laundry drum and the rear wall; and a condenser that is arranged at least partially above the laundry drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Steffens, Andreas Stolze
  • Patent number: 8407914
    Abstract: A device for refreshing fabrics by reducing malodors and/or wrinkles without requiring that the fabrics to be put through an entire standard laundry process. The device comprises an extractable drawer which is pulled out of the device to allow for loading of a fabric into a receiving region. The extractable drawer can then be closed transporting the fabric into the interior of the device. A fabric treatment composition is sprayed or otherwise dispensed onto the fabrics when the device is operated. The device comprises an air flow path and a heating element which allows for the fabrics to be treated during use and comprises a passive heat management system within the shell to minimize formation of hot spots and direct air flow away from the side walls. The extractable drawer of the present invention can be positioned to extract laterally or vertically out of the shell of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Stefan Hubert Hollinger, Christof Kleemann, Markus Sabisch, Oliver von Sartori-Montecroce, Stephan James Andreas Meschkat, Heiko Ullrich, Robert Hans-Joachim Damaschke, Ulrich Alexander Bublitz, Brian Joseph Roselle
  • 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: 8393172
    Abstract: An heat pump drying machine has a normal dry mode (e.g., compression ratio is equal to or greater than 3) for operating a compressor at a predetermined dry operation frequency and an energy saving dry mode (e.g., compression ratio is equal to or greater than 2.3 and is less than 3) for operating the compressor at an energy saving operation frequency that is lower than the dry operation frequency. A control device is provided to control an operation frequency of the compressor 5so that the two dry operation modes are switched to each other. The control device can execute the control for increasing the operation frequency of the compressor to the dry operation frequency during the operation of the energy saving dry mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Sato, Haruhisa Yamasaki, Eiji Fukuda, Yoshiaki Noguchi, Tetsuya Masuda, Hiroyuki Kuribara, Satoshi Imai, Toshikazu Ishihara
  • Patent number: 8387273
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat-pump clothes drying machine, in particular a heat-pump arrangement for removing moisture from and heating up the drying air; said heat-pump arrangement comprises a plurality of separate closed-loop circuits, each one of said separate closed-loop circuits comprising at least one compressor (20, 30; 220, 230; 320, 330), at least one evaporator (22, 32; 222, 232; 322, 332), at least one expansion valve (24, 34; 224, 234; 334, 324), and at least one condenser (26, 36; 226, 236; 336, 326).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: I.M.A.T. S.p.A.
    Inventor: Diego Driussi
  • Patent number: 8387274
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance and a method for operating the appliance to supply air into a treating chamber through an air inlet and controlling the supplied air by varying the effective area of the air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Farhad Ashrafzadeh, Michael T. Dalton, Layne E. Heilman
  • Patent number: 8383035
    Abstract: A system and method of removing odors by adsorbing steam vapor and exhausting the odors by generating a forcible flow is provided. The system may include a rotatable drum for receiving items to be deodorized, a steam generator for supplying steam to the drum, and a passage for generating a forcible flow through the drum. The method may include adsorbing steam generated by the steam generator by the items to be deodorized, and exhausting the adsorbed steam using the forcible flow through the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Pyoung-Hwan Kim, Young-Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8375599
    Abstract: A household appliance for drying a laundry item, the household appliance having a treatment chamber and a closed process air circuit to feed process air through the treatment chamber. The process air circuit includes a blower to move the process air; a condenser to condense out moisture in the process air; a heater to heat the process air; a measurement device to determine a temperature of the process air; and a controller to control the blower and the heater as a function of the measurement signal. An analyzer determines an energy requirement to dry the laundry item prior to initiating a drying process for the laundry item. An integrator determines an energy input to the process air via the heater up to a respective measurement time. A comparator compares the energy input with the energy requirement and ends the drying process when the energy input matches the energy requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Dey, Harald Moschütz, Henrik Volkers
  • Patent number: 8365435
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for pressing fluid from laundry articles employs a receiving vessel that holds a batch of articles that are wetted with fluid. Fabric articles are compressed with a press to discharge fluid from the articles. The press includes a diaphragm that can be pressured with fluid. The diaphragm flexibly conforms to an upper surface portion of the batch of fabric articles. After the fabric articles are pressed of fluid, the diaphragm elevates with the press and is rotated. A specially configured linkage rotates the diaphragm and the press as the diaphragm moves from a lower position to an upper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Pellerin Milnor Corporation
    Inventors: Russell H. Poy, Santhi Antarikananda
  • Patent number: 8356423
    Abstract: A household appliance includes a drying chamber, a process air loop and a heat pump. The heat pump includes a heat transfer loop containing a heat transfer fluid, an evaporator heat exchanger, a liquefier heat exchanger, a compressor, and a nozzle. The heat transfer fluid has a critical temperature above 60° C., a nominal heat of vaporization at boiling point of at least 220 kJ/kg, a GWP index of less than 150 and a lower flammability level of at least 0.1 kg/m3. Preferably, the household appliance is a dryer for drying wet laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Haugeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Jose Miguel Corberan Salvador, Jose Gonzalvez Macia, Roberto San Martin Sancho
  • 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: 8312639
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid storage container and a clothes dryer having the same. The liquid storage container comprises: a reservoir installed at the clothes dryer, and configured to store liquid therein; a light transmitting window disposed above the reservoir; and a level indicator configured to be partially or wholly immersed into the liquid stored in the reservoir according to a level of the liquid. According to the amount of the liquid stored in the reservoir, an immersed degree of the level indicator into the liquid may become different. Accordingly, a user may easily and rapidly check a remaining amount of the liquid with his or her naked eyes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang-Hun Bae, Min-Ji Kim, Ye-Ji Um, Myung-Shik Kim, Young-Soo Ha
  • Patent number: 8307567
    Abstract: A laundry machine includes a cabinet and a partition wall dividing an inner space of the cabinet into a first space for main laundry treatment and a second space for auxiliary laundry treatment. An air supply unit is provided outside of the second space and supplies a downward airflow into the second space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Joo Han, Young Bok Son, Jae Yoen Lim, Ki Chul Cho
  • 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: 8276293
    Abstract: A laundry dryer includes a rotatable drum and an air delivery system. The air delivery system can include a reversible blower that provides air at a first flow rate when operated in a first direction and provides air at a second lower flow rate when operated in an opposite second direction. The drum can be a reversibly rotatable drum that is rotatable in a first and an opposite second direction, and the dryer can include a drive motor that both rotates the drum and operates the blower. Drum and blower reversal may be controlled to optimize drying efficiency and also reduce stress on the drive system. A moisture delivery system can provide moisture (e.g., water mist or steam) into the drum while air is being provided at the lower second flow rate, and during drum rotation (tumbling).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ricklefs, Brian Douglas Ripley, Brian James Kierzek, Ian Tomas Fitzgerald
  • Patent number: 8272145
    Abstract: A drying machine in which a rotary drum is stably supported is disclosed. The drying machine includes a cabinet; a drum rotatably installed in the cabinet for containing laundry to be dried; a first housing connected to the drum; a second housing connected to the first housing; first and second bearings respectively provided in the first and second housings; and a shaft supported by the first and second bearings, and rotatably connected to the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Myoung Kee Yoon
  • Patent number: 8266813
    Abstract: An exhaust air dryer with a drying chamber for items to be dried. The dryer includes a process air fan, a heat exchanger which includes a heat source, a heat sink of a heat pump, and a flushing device for flushing of a first inflow surface of the heat source and a second inflow surface of the heat sink with a liquid which is assigned to the heat source and the heat sink for removing of soil; and air ducts interconnecting the drying chamber, the process air fan, and the heat exchanger for conducting process air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Grunert, Uwe-Jens Krausch, Günter Steffens, Andreas Stolze
  • 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: 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: 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: 8250777
    Abstract: A water supply device for a drying machine and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The water supply device includes a common hose having one end connected to at least one water supply source, a drying machine water supply hose having one end connected to the common hose and the other end connected to a steam generator of the drying machine, and a washing machine water supply hose having one end connected to the common hose and the other end connected to a washing machine. With the provision of the water supply device, the drying machine has the effects of preventing wrinkles, creases, or the like from being generated in an object to be dried, such as clothes, and the like, or eliminating wrinkles, creases, or the like in clothes, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Young Soo Kim, Dae Bong Yang, Chul Jin Choi, Jung Yoo, Jae Hyuk Wi
  • 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: 8166670
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing lint from air that is discharged from a clothes dryer uses a lint filtration housing mounted on the frame of the clothes dryer, the filtration housing having an interior that contains a filter for removing lint from the dryer exhaust air flow stream. The housing provides an influent fitting for transmitting heating exhaust air from the drying chamber to the housing interior. An ambient air supply enables ambient air to be added to the filtration housing interior. One or more vanes is provided that create an annular vortex within the filtration housing interior. The flow of the annular vortex within the filtration housing interior can be between about 500 and 3,000 cubic feet per second. A flow line transmits pre-heated air from the filtration housing interior to the dryer interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Pellerin Milnor Corporation
    Inventor: Russell H. Poy
  • Patent number: 8112903
    Abstract: A clothes drying machine comprises a drum (1), a first fan (5) blowing a first flow of drying air through a drying-air conduit, a condenser (3) through which said flow of drying air passes, a cooling-air conduit conveying a second flow of fresh air through said condenser, said second flow being circulated by a second fan (6), and a motor adapted to drive said fans. There is provided an additional condensation element (11) run in parallel of said conduit of drying air, and a respective second air conduit connecting said additional condensation element to said drying air conduit; said additional condensation element is cooled by air at room temperature inside the dryer machine and/or by a wall of it, and the water there condensed is being passed to a common condense recovery reservoir (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Ugo Favret, Flavio Noviello
  • Patent number: 8112904
    Abstract: A drum-type washer/dryer having an evaporator for performing dehumidification by cooling air drawn from the inner space of a drum and also having condenser for heating the air dehumidified by the evaporator, wherein the air heated by the condenser is made to sequentially pass through a duct and a blowhole and blown as dry air to clothes in the drum. A backflow preventing portion is provided in the duct, and when bubbles flow back into the duct from the inner space of the drum through the blowhole, the backflow preventing portion functions as resistance for preventing the back flow of the bubbles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Home Appliances Corporation, Toshiba Consumer Electronics Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuyuki Kono, Tatsuya Saito, Tatsuo Ioku, Satoru Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 8109119
    Abstract: A steam generating device and a washing machine having the same are disclosed. The steam generating device includes a lower housing, which contains water, in which a heater is arranged, and which has a vertical length longer than a horizontal length, an upper housing including a steam chamber for containing steam generated as the water is heated, a water level sensor for sensing a water level of the water chamber, and a receptacle for covering the water level sensor, the receptacle including an opening for allowing water to be introduced into the receptacle. In accordance with this configuration, it is possible to easily install the steam generating device, to achieve a superior performance, to prevent the water level sensor from malfunctioning, and to prevent spots from being formed on laundry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: In Geun Ahn, Kyu Won Lee, Seong Il Moon
  • Patent number: 8109011
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Mabe Canada, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel Prajescu
  • Patent number: 8087185
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mabe Canada Inc
    Inventor: Martin LeClerc
  • Patent number: 8042283
    Abstract: A blower 31 has a blower fan 35, a fan motor 36 for driving the blower fan 35 into rotation, and a shaft 52 having one end portion coupled to the blower fan 35 and the other end portion coupled to the fan motor 36. Washing liquid fed into the water tank during washing process or rinsing process is intruded inside the fan case 34, and the one end portion of the shaft 52 is immersed in the washing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Nakiri
  • Patent number: 8042284
    Abstract: A heating system and a method of controlling the heating system are provided. When a heating unit and a switch are turned on and off repeatedly by the predetermined number of times or more, only some of heaters of the heating unit are turned on, thereby increasing service life of the heating unit and the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hea Kyung Yoo, Seog Ho Go
  • Patent number: 8042282
    Abstract: A drum for a clothes dryer in which an internal structure, especially, a baffle structure, of the drum is improved to prevent target items from being entangled and damaged during a drying operation to thereby improve the drying efficiency of the clothes dryer. Rotatable balls are inserted in the baffles mounted on an internal surface of the drum, the mounting arrangement of the baffles is changed, or the baffles are modified to thus improve the drying operation. In addition, an absorbent is filled in the baffles to thus increase the drying efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jung-Geun Oh, Sang-Ik Lee, Sang-Hun Bae, Sung-Ho Song, Jae-Hak Joung, Yoon-Seob Eom
  • Patent number: 8020412
    Abstract: A washing machine with an odor removal function includes a cabinet, a tub received in the cabinet and including an intake port and an exhaust port so as to receive and discharge air, and a washing tub rotatably provided in the tub. Here, ambient air flows into the tub through the intake port by a suction force generated when the washing tub rotates and air inside the washing tub flows to the outside, such that odor of laundry is removed. Therefore, a washing machine with an odor removal function capable of easily and quickly removing laundry odor is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyeong Hwan Kim, Soo Young Oh, Myong-Hun Im, Kyung-Chul Woo
  • Patent number: 8020316
    Abstract: The invention relates to a washing household device, in particular to a clothes dryer, that includes an air-supply device which is arranged on a rear side area thereof and is provided with a closed self-contained cross-section flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nawrot, Hans-Werner Stahn, Andreas Stolze, Andreas Ziemann
  • Publication number: 20110209357
    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: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
    Inventors: Rainer Ediger, Thomas Nawrot
  • Patent number: 8001701
    Abstract: Device for drying laundry by means of a current of air comprises a drum to accommodate the laundry and a ducting system to direct said current of air. The ducting system has a section arranged downstream of the drum, in which the current of air is directed downwards and in which is arranged a filter to capture lint from the current of air. A scraper is assigned to the filter, in order to scrape off the lint. The receptacle has a handle and two interlinked shell elements which can be separated from each other, and which define a storage volume to accommodate the scraped-off lint. According to the invention, lint thus scraped off can be removed from the device and disposed of, without the user needing to come into direct contact with the lint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Roman Goldberg, Kai Nitschmann
  • Patent number: 7992322
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dryer having a heater-integrated intake duct capable of reducing thermal loss and preventing overheating of the dryer. The dryer includes a support panel having a through-hole, an intake duct communicating with the through-hole, a drum into which air flows via the through-hole, a heater disposed inside the intake duct to heat the air flowing into the drum, and a heat exchanging part transferring heat of the heated air into the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Chang Hoo Kim
  • Patent number: 7992321
    Abstract: A laundry dryer includes a cylindrical drum shell mounted for rotation on front and rear stationary bulkheads of the dryer. A drive system is configured to rotate the drum in first and second opposite directions. Three rollers are arranged about a lower portion of the drum circumference, on the rear bulkhead, to stably support the rotatable drum during rotation in the first and second directions. The arrangement can also avoid potential flexing and distortion of a cylindrical drum shell of relatively large diameter. In addition, a reversing idler assembly is provided for maintaining proper tension on a drive belt during drum rotation in the two directions. The assembly provides a biased mount for two pulleys on a pair of arms integrally formed with a spring as a single piece, in lieu of separate articulated mounting arms and a separate biasing spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products
    Inventors: Michael Paul Ricklefs, Brian Douglas Ripley, Robin Alan Hultman
  • Patent number: 7987615
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an exhaust structure for a clothes dryer in an apartment building. The exhaust structure includes at least one riser pipe mounted in a vertical direction crossing every floor of a building, a plurality of branch pipes branched from the riser pipe to a household in the every floor to guide exhaust gas from the household to the riser pipe, a lint filter provided in each of the plurality of branch pipes to filter lint included in the exhaust gas, a first pressure sensor provided in front of the lint filter to sense a pressure in each of the plurality of branch pipes, and a filter controller to determine whether the lint filter is blocked, by receiving a value of the pressure sensed by the first pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: In Hee Han, Won Tug Son
  • Patent number: 7984568
    Abstract: A condensation washer-dryer, in particular, the air-guiding process. The base module is used to receive function parts and components of the air guide and is closed on the rear side by means of a process air cover and forms a plastic, stable support structure for the washer-dryer. The connecting surfaces are large and extend, preferably, over the entire width of the washer-dryer. Due to said embodiment, air guiding channels are formed in a simple manner on the rear side of the base module and the housing of the process air ventilator is closed on the rear side. Sealing elements are no longer required due to said welding of said type of connection and an exceptionally high mechanical rigidity is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Dittmer, Holger Löffler