The present invention relates to lint collection systems for laundry dryers and, more particularly, to an automatic lint filter cleaning and lint collection system for laundry dryers.
Laundry dryers typically have a rotatable drum that tumbles laundry as it is dried. A blower motor pulls heated air through the tumbling laundry to remove moisture from the laundry. As the air is drawn through the laundry, it picks up lint. The air/lint mixture is then pulled through a lint filter to remove the lint and then the filtered air can either be recycled back into the dryer air flow system or exhausted to the outside of the dryer. The lint filter must be cleaned frequently to prevent lint buildup and interference with proper air flow and dryer function. Lint filters are typically removed by hand and cleaned by a user, preferably after each drying cycle.
What is needed is an automatic lint filter cleaning and lint collection system to insure proper lint filter cleaning as well as to avoid the inconvenience to users of frequently cleaning lint filters.
The present invention comprises an automatic lint filter cleaning and lint collection apparatus and method for laundry dryers. The preferred lint filter cleaning and lint collection apparatus comprises an apparatus housing, a lint filter pivot chamber formed in an upper portion of the apparatus housing, a lint collection chamber formed in a lower portion of the apparatus housing below the pivot chamber, a lint filter housing pivotably mounted within the apparatus housing between the pivot chamber and the collection chamber, a lint filter secured within the filter housing, and a flange formed along an internal surface of the apparatus housing between the pivot chamber and the collection chamber, wherein the filter housing is biased into abutment with the flange. The preferred apparatus further comprises a lint collection container, a pipe connecting the lint collection chamber and the lint collection container, an auger rotatably mounted within the collection chamber, and a drive assembly operably connected to the lint filter housing and the auger. The drive assembly is operable to pivot the filter housing within the pivot chamber and away from the flange. The drive assembly is further operable to release the filter housing after the filter housing has been pivoted away from the flange such that the filter housing forcibly returns into abutment with the flange, causing the lint filter to release lint adhered thereto into the collection chamber. The drive assembly is further operable to rotate the auger and the auger is operable to move lint from the collection chamber, through the pipe, and into the collection container as the auger rotates. The lint in the collection container can be discarded when the collection container is full.
These and other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.
In
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Referring to
The bottom of the lint collection chamber 34 forms a tapering hopper 35 to collect lint 50. A rotatable auger 51 is mounted within the hopper 35 and extends through a short pipe 61 into a lint collection box 62 through a hole 63 therein. The lint collection box 62 is removably located within a collection box chamber 64. A lint collection bag 66 is preferably removably securable within the collection box 62. The collection bag 66 preferably comprises an air impermeable plastic. The collection bag 66 is secured within the collection box 62 such that the bag opening 67 aligns with the collection box hole 63. The collection box 62 is insertable within the collection box chamber 64 such that the short pipe 61 extends through the collection box hole 63 and collection bag opening 67 into the collection bag 66, thereby reversibly securing the collection bag 66 to the short pipe 61. An airtight seal is formed between the collection bag 66 and the short pipe 61. The inside surface of the short pipe 61 preferably includes a helical protrusion 68 (see
The auger 51 comprises a shaft 52 having a helical flange 53. The shaft 52 has a proximal end 55 that extends into the collection box 62 and a distal end 56 that is secured to the drive mechanism 70. The outside diameter of the helical flange 53 (flight outside diameter) decreases from the distal end 57 of the flight length towards the proximal end 58 of the flight length such that the helical flange 53 has a distal portion outside diameter 54a that is greater in the hopper 35 and a proximal portion outside diameter 54b that is reduced in the short pipe 61 (see
The drive mechanism 70 comprises a drive motor 71 that drives a drive shaft 72 and drive wheel 73, a drive belt 74, and a drive pulley 80. The drive pulley 80 is mounted for independent rotation about the auger shaft 52. The drive pulley 80 has a spring 81 and a pin (detent) 82a, 82b secured within a recess 83 on each side so that each detent 82a, 82b is operable to extend outward from the drive pulley surface 84. A proximal detent 82a is located on a proximal side 87 of the drive pulley 80 and a distal detent 82b is located on a distal side 86 of the drive pulley 80. An auger drive wheel 90 is preferably mounted adjacent the distal side 86 of the drive pulley 80, wherein the auger drive wheel 90 is secured to the auger shaft distal end 56 for concomitant rotation. The auger drive wheel 90 includes a sloping arcuate slot 91 that has a first end 92 that is coplanar with the surface 93 of the auger drive wheel 90 and a second end 94 that is recessed below the auger drive wheel surface 93. A filter housing drive wheel 100 is preferably mounted adjacent the proximal side 87 of the drive pulley 80, wherein the filter housing drive wheel 100 is mounted for independent rotation about the auger shaft 52. The filter housing drive wheel 100 includes a sloping arcuate slot 101 that has a first end 102 that is coplanar with the surface 103 of the filter housing drive wheel 100 and a second end 104 that is recessed below the filter housing drive wheel surface 103. The filter housing drive wheel 100 has an eccentric cam 105 formed along a proximal side 106 thereof.
The drive mechanism 70 further comprises a crank arm 110 mounted adjacent the proximal side 106 of the filter housing drive wheel 100. The crank arm 110 has a first end 111 having a hole 112 therein for receiving the eccentric cam 105 of the filter housing drive wheel 100. The crank arm 110 has a second end 113 that is pivotably connected at a pivot point 114 to a first end 116 of a lift arm 115. The lift arm 115 has a second end 117 that is pivotably connected to the pivot arm 43 of the filter housing 41. A cam bar 120 extends from the apparatus 25 housing adjacent the lift arm 115.
In operation, the dryer 20 is operated through a drying cycle. The lint filter 40 and filter housing 41 are in the home position shown in
After the lint filter cleaning cycle is completed, the dryer 20 initiates a lint collection cycle and the drive mechanism 70 is actuated to transfer lint from the hopper 35 to the collection box 62. The drive motor 71 is actuated to rotate the drive wheel 73 in a second direction (e.g. counter-clockwise) which causes the drive pulley 80 to rotate in a second direction (e.g. counter-clockwise) by operation of the drive belt 74. As the drive pulley 80 rotates in the second direction, the spring-actuated distal detent 82b will slide within the sloping arcuate slot 91 in the auger drive wheel 90 until it engages the recessed second end 94 of the arcuate slot 91, after which, the distal detent 82b will force the auger drive wheel 90 to rotate in the second direction concurrently therewith. When the drive pulley 80 is rotating in the second direction, the proximal detent 82a slides within the sloping arcuate slot 101 of the filter housing drive wheel 100 but does not engage the filter housing drive wheel 100 because of the direction of rotation within the arcuate slot 101. As the auger drive wheel 90 rotates in the second direction, the auger 51 rotates therewith and the helical flange 53 advances lint 50 from the hopper 35, through the short pipe 61, and into the collection bag 66 within the collection box 62. The lint collection cycle runs for a preset period of time, preferably 20 seconds. Once the lint collection cycle is completed, the dryer 20 will turn off. In an alternate embodiment, the auger 51 may include a reciprocating knife blade (not shown) mounted within the shaft 52 and extending slightly beyond the shaft surface to cut materials, such as hair, that wrap around the shaft 52. The knife blade can be actuated to cycle back and forth after the auger 51 has ceased rotating.
The present invention cleans the lint filter 40 after each drying cycle and thus prevents lint buildup and interference with proper dryer function. Depending on the frequency of dryer use, the collection bag 66 should not need to be replaced for at least 6 months. A sensor detects when the collection bag 66 is full and activates a signal light on the dryer 20. The collection box 62 can be removed by a user through an access panel in the dryer 20, the collection bag 66 can be easily detached and removed from the collection box 62, a replacement collection bag 66 can be secured within the collection box 62, and the collection box 62 can be inserted back into the collection box chamber 64 to engage the short pipe 61. A safety feature can be included that prevents operation of the dryer 20 when the collection bag 66 is full.
While the invention has been shown and described in some detail with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, there is no intention that the invention be limited to such detail. On the contrary, the invention is intended to include any alternative or equivalent embodiments that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and claimed herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/899,918 filed Nov. 5, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61899918 | Nov 2013 | US |