Patent Application
20230002954
The present subject matter relates generally to dryer appliances, or more specifically, to systems for using the rotation of dryer drum to drive an impeller to infuse a fluid into the drum for treatment of clothing therein.
Dryer appliances generally include a cabinet having a rotating drum with a chamber therein to permit drying of articles of clothing and other laundry. Demand for the ability to treat clothing with various desirable or protective liquids is rising. In particular, demand for the ability to introduce a scent to dry clothing is growing. Additionally, there is a demand to treat dry clothing with various protective coatings, such as with liquids providing ultraviolet light protection, anti-microbial liquids, or other medicinal liquids.
Conventionally, clothing is treated, for example with stain removers and the like, prior to washing. However, this method is ineffective for treating cloths with scent, ultraviolet protection, anti-microbial protection, and other similar medicinal liquids because washing the clothes will remove the intended application. Such treatments must be applied to dry clothing after the washing cycle is complete. Currently, the application of such liquids would not involve the use of a dryer, but would instead be done manually on each item of clothing individually, resulting in a large investment of time and treatment materials.
Accordingly, a dryer appliance capable of applying a scent or other fluid to coat dry clothing is desirable. It is further desirable that such an appliance would operate with minimal additional energy requirements. It is still further desirable that such an appliance could conserve the amount of treatment materials required to accomplish the desired type of clothing treatment.
Advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary embodiment, a dryer appliance is provided, including a cabinet, a rotatable drum within the cabinet defining a chamber for the receipt of articles for drying, a rotatable roller, an impeller assembly, a reservoir assembly, and a fluid distribution element for dispensing fluid into the chamber. The rotatable roller is in contact with the drum and oriented such that rotation of the drum causes rotation of the roller. The impeller assembly further includes an impeller, a housing substantially enclosing the impeller, and a spindle. The housing has an inlet and an outlet, wherein rotation of the impeller generates negative pressure at the inlet and positive pressure at the outlet. The spindle has a first end and a second end, the first end of the spindle in contact with the roller such that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the spindle. At least a portion of the second end of the spindle extends into the housing and attaches to the impeller such that rotation of the spindle causes rotation of the impeller. The reservoir assembly is in fluid communication with the inlet of the housing of the impeller assembly. The fluid distribution element is in fluid communication with the outlet of the housing of the impeller assembly.
In another exemplary embodiment, a dryer appliance is provided. The appliance includes a cabinet, a rotatable drum within the cabinet defining a chamber for the receipt of articles for drying, a rotatable roller, an impeller assembly, a reservoir assembly. The rotatable roller is in contact with the drum and oriented such that rotation of the drum causes rotation of the roller. The impeller assembly further includes an impeller, a housing substantially enclosing the impeller, and a spindle. The housing has an inlet and an outlet, wherein rotation of the impeller generates negative pressure at the inlet and positive pressure at the outlet. The spindle has a first end and a second end, the first end of the spindle in contact with the roller such that rotation of the roller causes rotation of the spindle. At least a portion of the second end of the spindle extends into the housing and attaches to the impeller such that rotation of the spindle causes rotation of the impeller. The reservoir assembly is in fluid communication with the inlet of the housing of the impeller assembly. The reservoir assembly further includes a bottom surface, one or more side surfaces extending vertically upward around a perimeter of the bottom surface to retain a liquid, an opening in the bottom surface; and a hollow siphon attached to the bottom surface, at least a portion of the siphon extending vertically upward from the bottom surface. The siphon covers the opening such that fluids can flow from the reservoir assembly, through the hollow siphon, and through the opening in the bottom surface of the reservoir assembly.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Dryer appliance 10 defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L, and a transverse direction T. The vertical direction V, lateral direction L, and transverse direction T are mutually perpendicular and form an orthogonal direction system. Cabinet 12 includes a front panel 14 and a rear panel 16 spaced apart along the transverse direction T, a first side panel 18 and a second side panel 20 spaced apart along the lateral direction L, and a bottom panel 22 and a top surface or cover 24 spaced apart along the vertical direction V. Within cabinet 12 is a container or drum 26 which defines a chamber 28. Chamber 28 defines a front opening 29 for receipt of articles, e.g., clothing, linen, etc., for drying. Drum 26 extends between a front portion and a back portion, e.g., along the transverse direction T. In example embodiments, drum 26 is rotatable, e.g., about an axis that is parallel to the transverse direction T, within cabinet 12. Rotation of drum 26 is driven by drum motor 27. A door 30 is rotatably mounted to cabinet 12 for providing selective access to drum 26. Door 30 rotates between an open position and a closed position. When in the closed position, door 30 covers front opening 29.
As best shown in
Drum 26 may be configured to receive heated air that has been heated by a heating assembly in order to dry damp articles disposed within chamber 28 of drum 26. The heating assembly includes a heater that is in thermal communication with chamber 28. For instance, the heater may include one or more electrical resistance heating elements or gas burners, for heating air being flowed to chamber 28. As discussed above, during operation of dryer appliance 10, motor 38 rotates fan 40 of air handler 32 such that air handler 32 draws air through chamber 28 of drum 26. In particular, ambient air enters an air entrance passage defined by heating assembly due to air handler 32 urging such ambient air into entrance 54. Such ambient air is heated within the heating assembly and exits as heated air. Air handler 32 draws such heated air to drum 26.
Within chamber 28, the heated air can remove moisture, e.g., from damp articles disposed within chamber 28. This internal air flows in turn from chamber 28 through an outlet assembly positioned within cabinet 12. The outlet assembly generally defines an air exhaust passage 36 and includes a trap duct 60, air handler 32, and an exhaust conduit. Exhaust conduit 62 is in fluid communication with trap duct 60 via air handler 32. More specifically, exhaust conduit 62 extends between an exhaust inlet 64 and an exhaust outlet 66. According to the illustrated embodiment, exhaust inlet 64 is positioned downstream of and fluidly coupled to air handler 32, and exhaust outlet 66 is defined in rear panel 16 of cabinet 12. During a dry cycle, internal air flows from chamber 28 through trap duct 60 to air handler 32, e.g., as an outlet flow portion of airflow. Air further flows through air handler 32 and to the exhaust conduit.
The internal air is exhausted from dryer appliance 10 via the exhaust conduit. In some embodiments, an external duct is provided in fluid communication with the exhaust conduit. For instance, the external duct may be attached (e.g., directly or indirectly attached) to cabinet 12 at rear panel 16. Any suitable connector (e.g., collar, clamp, etc.) may join the external duct to the exhaust conduit. In residential environments, the external duct may be in fluid communication with an outdoor environment (e.g., outside of a home or building in which dryer appliance 10 is installed). During a dry cycle, internal air may thus flow from the exhaust conduit and through the external duct before being exhausted to the outdoor environment.
In exemplary embodiments, trap duct 60 may include a filter portion which includes a screen filter or other suitable device for removing lint and other particulates as internal air is drawn out of chamber 28. The internal air is drawn through the filter portion by air handler 32 before being passed through the exhaust conduit. After the articles have been dried (or a drying cycle is otherwise completed), the articles are removed from drum 26, e.g., by accessing chamber 28 by opening door 30. The filter portion may further be removable such that a user may collect and dispose of collected lint between drying cycles.
One or more selector inputs 80, such as knobs, buttons, touchscreen interfaces, etc., may be provided on a front control panel 82 and may be in communication with a processing device or controller 84. Signals generated in controller 84 operate motor 38 and other system components in response to the position of selector inputs 80. Additionally, a display 86, such as an indicator light or a screen, may be provided on front control panel 82. Display 86 may be in communication with controller 84 and may display information in response to signals from controller 84.
As used herein, “processing device” or “controller” may refer to one or more microprocessors or semiconductor devices and is not restricted necessarily to a single element. The processing device can be programmed to operate dryer appliance 10. The processing device may include, or be associated with, one or more memory elements (e.g., non-transitory storage media). In some such embodiments, the memory elements include electrically erasable, programmable read only memory (EEPROM). Generally, the memory elements can store information accessible processing device, including instructions that can be executed by processing device. Optionally, the instructions can be software or any set of instructions and/or data that when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations. For certain embodiments, the instructions include a software package configured to operate appliance 10 and execute certain cycles or operating modes.
In some embodiments, dryer appliance 10 also includes one or more sensors that may be used to facilitate improved operation of dryer appliance. For example, dryer appliance 10 may include one or more temperature sensors which are generally operable to measure internal temperatures in dryer appliance 10 and/or one or more airflow sensors which are generally operable to detect the velocity of air (e.g., as an air flow rate in meters per second, or as a volumetric velocity in cubic meters per second) as it flows through the appliance 10. In some embodiments, controller 84 is configured to vary operation profiles of dryer appliance 10 based on one or more temperatures detected by the temperature sensors or air flow measurements from the airflow sensors.
Referring now specifically to
Dryer appliance 10 may further include an impeller assembly 105.
An embodiment of housing 115 is provided in
Housing cover 117 may generally shaped as a circular disc, as shown in the embodiment of
As also shown in the embodiment of
Housing assembly 115 may be secured in place by means of a bracket attached on one end to a fixed element within cabinet 12 and on the other end to housing cover 117 or housing body 116. The bracket may be secured to housing assembly 115 in any known manner, such as screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, or the like. Attachment of the bracket may take advantage of the connection means employed for connecting housing body 116 to housing cover 117 or may use entirely separate connection means.
The skilled artisan will recognize that the above descriptions of shape, connection means, and positioning of the inlet and outlet of housing body 116 and housing cover 117 are merely illustrative of one embodiment of housing assembly 115 and that other arrangements consistent with the disclosure herein may equally fall within the scope of the invention. For example, in alternative embodiments, the inlet may be formed on the housing body and the outlet may be formed on the housing cover. In still other embodiments, the housing body may lack side walls, which side walls may be included on the housing cover, thus permitting the impeller to reside in a cavity of the housing cover. In still other embodiments, both the housing body and the housing cover may form side walls that together form the cavity in which the impeller resides. In still further embodiments, housing cover and housing body may form a single, integrated component, with or without an access port. These and other embodiments will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and all fall within the scope of the intended invention.
Housing assembly 115 further includes a spindle 120. As shown in the embodiment of
Impeller assembler 115 may be position such that spindle head 121 is in direct contact with roller 100, such that rotation of roller 100 causes rotation of spindle 120, which may have an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of roller 100. As previously explained, the rotation of roller 100 is caused by the rotation of drum 26. Thus, the rotation of drum 26 drives the rotation of roller 100, which drives the rotation of spindle 120. Because spindle 120 is attached to impeller 110, rotation of drum 26 thus results in rotation of impeller 110. Again, as previously noted, the diameter of drum 26 may be significantly larger than the diameter of roller 100, thus resulting is significantly faster rotation of roller 100 as compared to drum 26. Similarly, spindle 120 may have a significant smaller diameter than roller 100 and thus may rotate at a significantly greater speed than roller 100. Because spindle 120 is attached to impeller 110, they share the same rate of rotation. As a consequence of these relationships, the rotation speed of the impeller may be controlled by the sizing of the roller and spindle selected. The greater the size disparities between the diameters of these components and that of the drum, the greater the rate of rotation of the impeller will be. The rate of rotation of impeller 110 may also be controlled, in part, by the rate of rotation of drum 26, however, this rate of rotation is generally governed by the functional demands of the dryer in drying articles of clothing and other laundry.
Accordingly, normal operation of dryer appliance 10 involves rotation of drum 26, which drives rotation of impeller 110 in impeller assembly 115. As previously mentioned, the vanes of impeller 110 extend from a central portion of impeller 110 at an angle. In particular, in the preferred embodiment, the vanes of impeller 110 may extend at angle in the direction of outlet 119 of housing body 116 and away from inlet 118 of housing cover 117. As such, rotation of impeller 110 generates a negative pressure at inlet 118 and a positive pressure at outlet 119.
Dryer appliance 10 may further include a reservoir assembly 125 for retaining clothing treatment fluids. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in
As further illustrated in the embodiment of
As previously noted, and as illustrated in
In the embodiment of
Where present, lid 140 may include a check valve 145 disposed through a surface of lid 140. Check valve 145 may take the form of a duckbill valve or other similar one-way pressure release valve. As further described herein, negative pressure generated by impeller assembly 105 creates a vacuum within at least a portion of reservoir assembly 125. Where such vacuum extends to the entire cavity of reservoir assembly 125, for example if no treating fluids are present, it is necessary to relieve the pressure differential between the inside and outside of reservoir assembly 125 to prevent damage to the components. Check valve 145 achieves this pressure relief by permitting air to pass through lid 140 once the pressure differential reaches a particular point.
In alternative embodiments, reservoir assembly 125 may constitute a sliding drawer, as shown in
Reservoir assembly 125 may also be in fluid communication with inlet 118 of impeller assembly 105. Specifically, a first fluid communication path 150 may have a first end 151 and second end 152, as shown in
In some embodiments, it may be desirable to control the timing of fluid flow from reservoir assembly 125. As shown in the alternative embodiment of
Embodiments employing valve 160 in first fluid communication path 150 further require a pressure relief line 165, as shown in the embodiment of
Referring again to the embodiment of
Considering the operation of dryer appliance 10 employing the components described herein, one of ordinary skill will recognize that rotation of drum 26 drives rotation of roller 100, spindle 120, and impeller 110. Rotation of impeller 110 creates a vacuum at and upstream of inlet 118, including in at least a portion of reservoir assembly 125 (assuming that valve 160 is absent or open). In embodiments for which reservoir assembly 125 includes siphon cap 130, treatment fluid added by the user during operation occupies a portion of the space between siphon cap 130 and siphon 129. Accordingly, the vacuum generated by rotation of impeller 110 draws the liquid through the hollow center of siphon 129, through first communication path 150, impeller assembly 105, second communication path 170, and fluid distribution element 175, where the fluid is directed into the dryer chamber 28 and applied to the articles tumbling therein. Alternatively, in embodiments for which reservoir assembly 125 lacks siphon cap 130, treatment fluid added by the user during operation is not drawn through siphon 129 by the application of a vacuum. Rather, the vacuum generated by rotation of impeller 110 draws gases present between the surface of the liquid and lid 140 through the hollow center of siphon 129, through first communication path 150, impeller assembly 105, second communication path 170, and fluid distribution element 175, where the fluid is directed into the dryer chamber 28 and applied to the articles tumbling therein. This latter application is particularly useful for providing a scent to articles in the dryer, where direct application of the scented treatment liquid is neither necessary nor desirable.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
