Patent Application
20240229342
Disclosed herein are aspects of a front bulkhead including ventilation features for dryer laundry appliances.
Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, clothes dryers, and refreshers, may have a rotating drum that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items are placed for treatment. The drum may be disposed within the interior of a cabinet between opposing front rear bulkheads.
In one or more illustrative examples, an apparatus for providing ventilation to a clothes dryer is provided. A front bulkhead defines an inlet portion projecting inward into the interior of a drum of a clothes dryer. The inlet portion defines an access opening into the drum and a receptacle having a generally vertical surface. The generally vertical surface defines a ventilation port through the generally vertical surface and an actuator mount located on an outer face of the generally vertical surface. The ventilation port is free of mesh. The actuator mount is configured to receive a ventilation actuator for controlling airflow through the ventilation port.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly includes a wire mesh and a frame formed around the periphery of the wire mesh, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive the filter assembly such that the filter assembly covers the ventilation port.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly covers an inner face of the ventilation port.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly defines one or more snap fit connectors and the receptacle defines one or more matching voids extending through the receptacle, the voids being arranged in locations corresponding to the snap fit connectors to allow the filter assembly to be secured to the receptacle.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly is of a generally planar shape.
In one or more illustrative examples, the frame of the filter assembly is composed of a polymer overmolded around the wire mesh.
In one or more illustrative examples, the frame of the filter assembly is asymmetrical to provide for insertion in a single orientation.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation port defines a single through hole molded into the front bulkhead to provide an air channel for passage of air flow through the front bulkhead, wherein the wire mesh of the filter assembly secures the air channel from object entry.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation actuator comprises an actuator bracket configured to attach the ventilation actuator to the actuator mount, the actuator mount defines one or more bosses, and the actuator bracket defines one or more corresponding through holes configured to receive fasteners to secure the actuator bracket to the one or more bosses.
In one or more illustrative examples, the actuator mount defines one or more guide pins, the actuator bracket defines one or more guide pin locator openings, and the guide pins and the guide pin locator openings are sized and positioned to locate the ventilation actuator into position for attachment.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation actuator is controllable between an open state in which the ventilation actuator allows for passive ventilation of the drum through the ventilation port, and a closed state in which the ventilation actuator seals the ventilation port to prevent the passive ventilation.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation port defines a plurality of through holes molded into the front bulkhead to provide an air channel for passage of air flow through the front bulkhead while securing the air channel from object entry.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation port defines a generally rectangular opening having perpendicular first and second ribs connecting midpoints of opposite sides of the generally rectangular opening, with one or more concentric circular ribs centered at the intersection of the first and second ribs.
In one or more illustrative examples, a filter assembly for providing ventilation to a clothes dryer is provided. The filter assembly includes a wire mesh, and a frame formed around the periphery of the wire mesh to support the wire mesh in a planar shape, the frame sized to be receivable in a single orientation into a receptacle of a front bulkhead of a clothes dryer, such that the filter assembly provides the wire mesh to covers a ventilation port through the receptacle of the front bulkhead, the ventilation port being free of mesh.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly is sized to cover an inner face of the ventilation port.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly defines one or more snap fit connectors corresponding to one or more matching voids extending through the receptacle, the snap fit connectors being arranged in locations corresponding to voids to allow the filter assembly to be secured to the receptacle.
In one or more illustrative examples, the filter assembly is generally rectangular, with rounded corners and parallel short sides, with one of the longer rectangular sides arced to match an inner contour of a ridge surrounding the receptacle to aid in orientation and secure placement of the filter assembly to the receptable.
In one or more illustrative examples, a system for providing ventilation to a clothes dryer is provided. A front bulkhead defines an inlet portion projecting inward into the interior of a drum of a clothes dryer. The inlet portion defines an access opening into the drum and a receptacle having a generally vertical surface. The generally vertical surface defines a ventilation port through the generally vertical surface and an actuator mount located on an outer face of the generally vertical surface. The ventilation port is free of mesh. The receptacle defines one or more matching voids extending through the receptacle. The actuator mount is configured to receive a ventilation actuator for controlling airflow through the ventilation port. A filter assembly includes a wire mesh and a frame composed of a polymer overmolded around the periphery of the wire mesh. The receptacle is configured to receive the filter assembly such that the filter assembly covers the ventilation port. The filter assembly defines one or more snap fit connectors arranged in locations corresponding to the one or more matching voids to allow the filter assembly to be secured to the receptacle in a single orientation.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation actuator includes an actuator bracket configured to attach the ventilation actuator to the actuator mount, the actuator mount defines one or more bosses, and the actuator bracket defines one or more corresponding through holes configured to receive fasteners to secure the actuator bracket to the one or more bosses, and the actuator mount defines one or more guide pins, the actuator bracket defines one or more guide pin locator openings, and the guide pins and the guide pin locator openings are sized and positioned to locate the ventilation actuator into position for attachment.
In one or more illustrative examples, the ventilation port defines a plurality of through holes molded into the front bulkhead to provide an air channel for passage of air flow through the front bulkhead while securing the air channel from object entry.
The embodiments of the present disclosure are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features of the various embodiments will become more apparent and will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
It may be desirable to include a ventilation feature in the front bulkhead of a clothes dryer. Such a feature may allow for the passive ventilation of the drum when desired. In an example, an epoxy-coated wire mesh may be inserted into the air channel tool and magnetically located for incorporation, then overmolded into the front bulkhead as it is produced. However, such approaches are expensive, as they may require the overmolding of the wire mesh to be performed in a large tool along with the molding of the entire front bulkhead.
One approach to addressing the cost issues is to mold a ventilation pattern into the front bulkhead without the use of an integral wire mesh. This may allow for a reduction in tooling operations, while still providing some securing of the air channel. The molded ventilation pattern may serve to prevent customer interaction with the ventilation actuator, while avoiding undue airflow restriction through the vent.
In another approach, a separate filter assembly component may be used to provide a mesh barrier to prevent lint from passing into the cabinet. This approach may also avoid the cost of overmolding into the bulkhead, while preserving the ability to use the wire mesh. In such an approach, a smaller tool may be used to create a filter assembly which is then assembled into the air channel of the bulkhead. This avoids requiring the overmolding of the wire mesh to be performed in a larger tool for producing a one-piece front bulkhead. In such an example, a tool may be used to concurrently mold multiple filter assemblies in a single operation. When installed to the bulkhead, the filter assembly may allow passing of air when desired, while preventing lint or other objects from passing through.
As illustrated in
The cabinet 102 may be defined by a chassis or frame supporting a front wall 108, a rear wall 110, and a pair of side walls 112 supporting a top wall 114. A door 116 may be hingedly mounted to the front wall 108 and may be selectively moveable between opened and closed positions to close an opening in the front wall 108, which provides access to the interior of the cabinet 102.
A rotatable drum 118 may be disposed within the interior of the cabinet 102 between opposing front bulkhead 120 and rear bulkhead 122, which collectively define a treating chamber 124 having an open face that may be selectively closed by the door 116. The front bulkhead 120 and/or the rear bulkhead 122 may be formed of stamped aluminum or metal in some examples, or as a molded plastic component in other examples. The drum 118 may include at least one baffle or lifter 126. In most clothes dryers 100, there are multiple lifters 126. The lifters 126 may be located along the inner surface of the drum 118 defining an interior circumference of the drum 118. The lifters 126 may facilitate movement of laundry within the drum 118 as the drum 118 rotates.
Referring to
Generally, in normal operation of the clothes dryer 100, a user first selects a cycle of operation via the user interface 106. The user may also select one or more cycle modifiers. In accordance with the user-selected cycle and cycle modifiers, the controller 104 may control the operation of the rotatable drum 118, the fan 130 and the heater 132, to implement the cycle of operation to dry the laundry. When instructed by the controller 104, the motor 136 rotates the drum 118 via the belt 138. The fan 130 draws air through the supply air conduit 128 and into the treating chamber 124, as illustrated by the flow vectors. The air may be heated by the heater 132. Air may be vented through the exhaust air conduit 134 to remove moisture from the treating chamber 124. During the cycle, treating chemistry may be dispensed into the treating chamber 124. Also during the cycle, output generated by the temperature sensor 140 and any additional sensors 142 may be utilized to generate digital data corresponding to sensed operational conditions inside the treating chamber 124. The output may be sent to the controller 104 for use in calculating operational conditions inside the treating chamber 124, or the output may be indicative of the operational condition. Once the output is received, the controller 104 processes the output for storage in memory 144. The controller 104 may convert the output during processing such that it may be properly stored in the memory 144 as digital data. The stored digital data may be processed in a buffer memory, and used, along with pre-selected coefficients, in algorithms to electronically calculate various operational conditions, such as a degree of wetness or moisture content of the laundry. The controller 104 may use both the cycle modifiers specified by the user and the additional information obtained by the sensors 140, 142 to carry out the desired cycle of operation.
Each ventilation actuator 146 may include an actuator bracket 148 configured to hold an actuator mechanism 150. The actuator mechanism 150 may include a solenoid or other motor that is electrically controllable, e.g., by the controller 104 to be moved between the open state and the closed state. For instance, the actuator mechanism 150 may control the position of a flap, louvers, or other device configured to move from a closed position in which air is blocked and an open position in which air is free to flow. During a cycle of operation, the controller 104 may signal for the ventilation actuators 146 to close to prevent the loss of hot air. After the cycle of operation is complete, and while there are still articles in the drum 118, the controller 104 may open the ventilation actuators 146 to perform passive ventilation.
The actuator bracket 148 may be configured to attach the ventilation actuator 146 to an actuator mount 152. In an example, the front bulkhead 120 may include an actuator mount 152A configured to receive the front ventilation actuator 146A, and the supply air conduit 128 may include an actuator mount 152B configured to receive the rear ventilation actuator 146B.
Each actuator mount 152 may include one or more guide pins 154, and each actuator bracket 148 may define one or more guide pin openings 156. The guide pins 154 and guide pin openings 156 are sized and positioned to serve an assembler to locate the ventilation actuator 146 into position. Each actuator mount 152 may further include one or more bosses 158, and the actuator bracket 148 may further define one or more corresponding through holes 160 through which the actuator bracket 148 of the ventilation actuator 146 can be screwed down or otherwise attached once in position.
The inlet portion 166 further defines a ventilation receptacle 170. As the surface of the front bulkhead 120 angles or curves inwards, it may be desirable for the ventilation receptacle 170 to define a mounting surface 172 to provide a flat area for the mounting of the front ventilation actuator 146A. For instance, the front ventilation actuator 146A may be installed to the outside of the mounting surface 172 of the ventilation receptacle 170. The mounting surface 172 may further define the ventilation port 162, which is open to airflow through the front bulkhead 120. To allow the inlet portion 166 and the mounting surface 172 to form a continuous surface despite the difference in contour, the ventilation receptacle 170 may further define an upper wall 174A protruding inwards into the front bulkhead 120 and a lower wall 174B extending outwards from the front bulkhead 120.
The ventilation port 162 may define a pattern into the flat surface of the mounting surface 172, the pattern being formed without the use of mesh. The ventilation pattern may include various through holes, slots, ribs, etc., in the mounting surface 172 to provide a passage through which air may flow. In one non-limiting example, the ventilation pattern may be generally rectangular, with vertical and horizontal ribs connecting the midpoints of opposite sides, and with one or more concentric circular ribs centered at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal ribs. The features of the ventilation receptacle 170, the mounting surface 172 and ventilation port 162 may be integrally formed into the front bulkhead 120, e.g., via molding or stamping based on the composition of the front bulkhead 120. The ventilation ports 162 may be formed in such a manner, instead of inserting a wire mesh or other component into the front bulkhead 120. This may allow for a reduction in tooling operations as compared to front bulkheads 120 that include a wire mesh overmolded into the front bulkhead 120 itself, while still providing for securing of the air channel from object entry.
Similar to the ventilation port 162 of the first embodiment, the ventilation port 162′ may be open to allow for airflow front bulkhead 120. This airflow may pass through the filter assembly 176 when installed to the filter receptacle 178. However, because the filter assembly 176 is installed over the ventilation port 162′, the ventilation port 162′ may dispense with the pattern of holes, slots, ribs, etc. defined by the ventilation port 162, and may simply be a single, unobstructed through opening. It should be noted, of course, that in other examples the ventilation port 162′ may define a ventilation pattern such as shown with respect to the ventilation port 162.
Similar to as explained above with respect to the ventilation port 162, as the surface of the front bulkhead 120 angles or slips inwards, the filter receptacle 178 may define walls 174A, 174B to support the mounting surface 172 for mounting of the front ventilation actuator 146A and filter assembly 176. Also similar to as explained above, the mounting surface 172 may define an actuator mount 152 including one or more guide pins 154 and bosses 158 to allow for the location and fixing of the front ventilation actuator 146A (not shown in
Referring collectively to
The frame 192 may also define a plurality of snap fit connectors 194. The snap fit connectors 194 may each define a cantilevered beam that extends perpendicular away from the planar surface of the frame 192, with a tapered hook at its tip. The filter receptacle 178 may further define matching voids 196 defined by the inlet portion 166 and arranged in locations corresponding to the placement of the snap fit connectors 194 to receive the snap fit connectors 194 of the frame 192. When inserted, the tapered hook of the snap fit connectors 194 slides along an interior side of the voids 196, bending the cantilever portions and allowing the hook to pass into the voids 196 before snapping back into the undeformed state. This may allow for the filter assembly 176 to be retained flush to the mounting surface 172 of the front bulkhead 120 in a manner which is not only mechanically secure but also that seals such that airflow may be directed through the wire mesh 190. It should be noted that this is only an example of an attachment mechanism, and other possible attachments may be used, such as screws, adhesives, etc.
The filter assembly 176 component may be used to provide a mesh barrier to prevent lint from passing into the cabinet 102. Use of the filter assembly 176 may accordingly preserve the ability to use the wire mesh 190, while avoiding the cost of overmolding into the front bulkhead 120 directly, while. Additionally, the filter assembly 176 may allow the wire mesh 190 to be overmolded using a smaller tool to create a piece to be assembled into the air channel. In such an example, a tool may be used to concurrently mold multiple filter assemblies 176 in a signal operation. When installed, the filter assembly 176 may allow passing of air when desired, while preventing lint from passing into the cabinet 102.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.
Computing devices described herein, such as the controller 104, generally include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices such as those listed above. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media.
