Abstract: An apparatus for drying clothes, including a housing having a housing inlet and a housing outlet, a drying chamber mounted for rotation in the housing and having a chamber inlet, a chamber outlet and a gas pressure, an air flow path through the housing and the drying chamber and having an air flow inlet with an entry air flow, an entry air flow rate and an air flow outlet, heating means for heating air flowing through the path and juxtaposed between the housing inlet and the chamber inlet, fan means having an on condition, an exit air flow and an exit air flow rate and, when in the on condition, being for moving air through the air flow path and being juxtaposed between the chamber outlet and the housing outlet; flow impeding means juxtaposed at or before the chamber inlet and being for impeding air flow in the air flow path, the flow impeding means configured to impede the air flow in the path whereby, when the fan means is in the on condition, the gas pressure in the chamber is more than trivially lower tha

Abstract: A washing machine is disclosed. The washing machine includes a tub, an air supply unit, which is disposed over the tub so as to heat and circulate air in the tub, a detergent dispenser, which is disposed over the tub, a dispenser cover for opening the detergent dispenser, and a thermal shield member for preventing heat generated from the air supply unit from being directly transferred to the dispenser cover.

Abstract: A top access clothes dryer with motor-generator and catch pan has a case that combines a pair of doors within a top side with a pair of drum doors in a revolving drum within to allow a generous access to the drum. A pair of spaced apart storage compartments is disposed within the top side and is accessible upon an opening of the case doors. A motor-generator is in a drive wheel contact with the drum and is used to power the drum and to harvest kinetic energy from the drum. A catch pan with switched pump is removably fitted below the case and provides removal of accidentally spilled water from the case.

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.

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.

Abstract: A nebulizer assembly for use in a fabrics revitalizing system having a fabric treatment chamber comprises a fluid reservoir configured to contain a fluid; an air flow channel in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir; a mist generator configured to generate a mist in the fluid reservoir; and a fan in fluid communication with the air flow channel to draw air through the air flow channel and transport the mist to the interior of the fabric treatment chamber. The nebulizer assembly can include a transitional assembly that communicates the nebulizer assembly with the fabric treatment chamber.

Abstract: An energy savings apparatus configured for use with a clothes dryer comprising an air duct and a damper assembly. The air duct has a first end and a second end. The damper assembly includes an air duct portion and a damper device mounting on the duct portion. The air duct portion of the damper assembly is attached at a first end thereof to the first end of the air duct. The second end of the air duct portion of the damper assembly is configured for being attached to an air inlet of a heater assembly of a clothes dryer. The damper assembly is configured for selectively enabling air to be routed to the air inlet of the heater assembly from the second end of the air duct and from an air inlet intermediate the ends of the air duct portion of the damper assembly.

Abstract: A clothes dryer and a method of controlling the clothes dryer. The method detects conditions of clothes using a sensor, and performs at least one of: a complex drying function to perform a drying operation, a deodorizing operation, and a wrinkle removing operation; a wrinkle removing function to perform the wrinkle removing operation and the drying operation; and a drying function to perform the drying operation, according to the detected conditions of the clothes. Accordingly, the clothes dryer is capable of not only drying the clothes, but also deodorizing the clothes and removing wrinkles. Additionally, the clothes dryer is capable of detecting conditions of clothes accommodated in a chamber, and drying and deodorizing the clothes as occasion demands, thus maintaining the clothes for a long period.

Abstract: Substantial amounts of particulate soils in garments can be removed by agitation in gas-jet in a solvent-free, low-pressure environment. The ability of the present gas-jet agitation system to remove particulate soils from garments and fabrics rivals that of conventional dry-cleaning processes which agitate the garments and fabrics while immersed in solvent. Thus, a dry-cleaning operation may consist of a solvent-immersion step for removing soluble soils and a gas-jet agitation step to remove particulates. Considerable savings in equipment and operating costs may be realized in the practice of the invention, since solvent flow rates need not be boosted to provide necessary agitation for particulate soil removal. The savings achievable by employing gas-jet agitation are even more pronounced in dense phase gas dry cleaning systems, which require pressurized environments to maintain a liquified solvent.

Abstract: An air inlet arrangement is provided in a laundry dryer for enhanced drying efficiency and rate. The dryer includes a drum with a rotating sidewall and a stationary rear bulkhead sealingly engaging the sidewall. A heater is provided on the outside of the rear bulkhead. The rear bulkhead includes a generally horizontally disposed air inlet in its lower half for introducing heated air into the drum. The heated air stream includes a hot inner core and a cool outer envelope so as to minimize the surface temperatures of the bulkhead and the sidewall and thereby prevent heat damage to clothing and laundry in the drum. The rear bulkhead includes a spirally ramped forward surface along which the air travels to impart a spiral airflow through the drum, thereby enhancing heat transfer between the air and the laundry in the drum.