EP1103648A2 - Method and condenser dryer for drying clothes - Google Patents
Method and condenser dryer for drying clothes Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1103648A2 EP1103648A2 EP00121734A EP00121734A EP1103648A2 EP 1103648 A2 EP1103648 A2 EP 1103648A2 EP 00121734 A EP00121734 A EP 00121734A EP 00121734 A EP00121734 A EP 00121734A EP 1103648 A2 EP1103648 A2 EP 1103648A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- drying
- drum
- clothes
- air
- blower
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 61
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 8
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000001360 synchronised effect Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000002459 sustained effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 229920000742 Cotton Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 241000219146 Gossypium Species 0.000 description 5
- 229920002994 synthetic fiber Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 230000001133 acceleration Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000009950 felting Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000002372 labelling Methods 0.000 description 2
- 210000000988 bone and bone Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005485 electric heating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002474 experimental method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007667 floating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010409 ironing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000750 progressive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 210000002268 wool Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/32—Control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers
- D06F58/34—Control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers characterised by the purpose or target of the control
- D06F58/36—Control of operational steps, e.g. for optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
- D06F58/38—Control of operational steps, e.g. for optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2101/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2101/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
- D06F2101/04—Quantity, e.g. weight
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2101/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
- D06F2101/06—Type or material
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2101/14—Time settings
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2101/16—Target humidity for the drying process, e.g. very-dry cycles
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2103/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
- D06F2103/08—Humidity
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2103/28—Air properties
- D06F2103/32—Temperature
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2103/28—Air properties
- D06F2103/34—Humidity
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2103/28—Air properties
- D06F2103/36—Flow or velocity
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2103/44—Current or voltage
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/16—Air properties
- D06F2105/20—Temperature
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/16—Air properties
- D06F2105/24—Flow or velocity
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/28—Electric heating
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/46—Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/46—Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting
- D06F2105/48—Drum speed
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/50—Starting machine operation, e.g. delayed start or re-start after power cut
Definitions
- the present invention refers to a method and a condenser-type tumbleapparatus for drying clothes, in particular for home use.
- a clothes drying machine of the traditional type comprises, inside a substantially parallelepiped outer casing, a drum adapted to be kept rotating by an electric motor at a speed of approx. 50 rpm, as well as, further to a blower, a closed-loop circuit for the circulation of the drying air, in which there are arranged both heating means and means for the condensation of the moisture being removed in the form of steam from the clothes that are kept tumbling in the rotating drum.
- the cooling air for the condenser is taken in from the surrounding ambient by means of a second blower and is then exhausted downstream of the condenser.
- a first serious drawback of traditional clothes drying machines lies in the practical impossibility for them to ensure drying of woollen clothes without damaging them to some extent.
- a second drawback lies in the fact that the sole variable in the drying cycles offered by such machines is the duration of the process, although it may be associated to the desired degree of dryness to be obtained. The result is that the performance capabilities of currently existing machines are not satisfactory for all users under all circumstances.
- a further purpose of the present invention is to provide an associated apparatus for drying clothes, which is capable of offering users performance records that were simply unthinkable of up to now.
- a clothes drying machine comprises a substantially parallelepiped outer casing 1, part of which are among other things a control panel with the various control, setting and indicating members 2 of the machine, a front loading door 3 and a front socle carrying a pair of apertures 4 and 5 in a side-by-side arrangement.
- the metal rotating drum 10, which is housed in said outer casing 1, comprises in turn:
- the drum 10 is driven so as to rotate about a sensibly horizontal axis by a first electric motor 21 which is supported by the base of the outer casing 1 and on to the shaft of which there is shrinkfitted, further to the pulley for the belt 15, the fan wheel of a first blower 22.
- the speed of rotation of the drum 10 and the blower 22 is variable in a stepless, ie. continuous manner, eg. From approx. 75 to approx. 50 rpm, and this, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is obtained through the use of a brushless synchronous motor as the first electric motor 21.
- the intake side of said first blower 22 is situated at the end of said first shaped conduit 9, and therefore downstream of the steam condenser 20, while the delivery side of the same blower 22 is situated at the inlet of a second shaped conduit 23 that extends upwards in the rear zone of the outer casing and is connected, through appropriate sealing means (not shown), to the perforations 13 of the rear flange 12 of the rotating drum 10.
- a per se well-known electric heating unit 24 Inside said second shaped conduit 23 there is housed a per se well-known electric heating unit 24.
- the conduit 9 with the lint filter 8 and the steam condenser 20, the interior of the rotating drum 10, and the conduit 23 with the heating unit 24 constitute the closed-loop circuit of the drying air which, as compared with traditional clothes drying machines, offers the feature according to which the forced air flow inside the drum 10 is diverted towards the skirt 11, through the afore mentioned annular gap existing between the latter and the periphery of the disk 16, as this is indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.
- the base of the outer casing supports also a second electric motor 25, which is preferably also of the brushless synchronous type, and which, for the reasons that will be explained further on, is supplied via a thermistor-type element (not shown).
- the motor 25 drives a second blower 26 having its intake side connected with the aperture 4 in the socle of the outer casing and its delivery side connected with the steam condenser 20, obviously in a direction which is perpendicular to that of the conduit 9.
- the condenser 20 On the opposite side with respect to the one that is connected with the intake side of the second blower 26, the condenser 20 is connected to the aperture 5 in the socle of the outer casing. Owing to this construction as described just above, the cooling air is therefore taken in from the ambient in which the clothes drying machine is installed through the aperture 4 by means of the blower 26 and, upon causing the steam carried by the hot drying air to condense in the condenser 20, it is exhausted back into the same ambient through the aperture 5.
- the clothes drying method according to the present invention is based on two peculiarities, the first one of which lies in the already mentioned variability of the rotating speed of both the drum 10 and the drying air blower 23 thanks to the first electric motor 21, while the second one lies in the fact that the processor means of the apparatus are adapted to automatically select the drying parameters that are most appropriate to each type of fabrics and amount of clothes being handled.
- all what a user is required to do is in fact to solely select, through the control means 2 located on the control panel 1, the type of fabrics of which the clothes to be dried are made (eg. wool, synthetic fibres, cotton, etc.), the weight and/or the desired degree of dryness of the clothes (eg. bone dry for storage in a wardrobe, moist for further ironing, and the like) and the desired time for the drying cycle to come to an end.
- the values of the various parameters of the drying process such as the rotating speed of the drum 10 and the first blower 22, the power input rate of the heating unit 25 and/or the temperature of the air when entering the drum 10, the starting time and the duration of the drying cycle are set and controlled by said processor means with the associated sensors.
- Figure 2 illustrates the basic feature of the present invention, which lies in the progressively decreasing pattern followed by the rotating speed (n) of the motor 21 speed versus time (t), or again the pattern followed by the rotating speed of the drum 10 and the flow rate of the drying air delivered by the first blower 22, during a drying cycle.
- the speed (n) is higher in the case of woollen clothes (curve I), lower in the case of cotton clothes (curve II) and the lowest in the case of synthetic-fibre clothes (curve III). Therefore, according to a further feature of the present invention.
- Figure 3 in turn illustrates, by way of exemplification, the pattern followed by the temperature (°C) of the drying air (curve A), the amount (kg) of water removed from the clothes (curve B) and, again, the rotating speed (n) of the drum 10 and the first blower 22 (curve C) versus time (t), ie. during a drying cycle, in the case of cotton clothes.
- the rotating speed (n) is proportional to the amount (kg) of water removed, ie. inversely proportional to the desired degree of dryness to be reached.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
- Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
- Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
- Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention refers to a method and a condenser-type tumbleapparatus for drying clothes, in particular for home use.
- A clothes drying machine of the traditional type comprises, inside a substantially parallelepiped outer casing, a drum adapted to be kept rotating by an electric motor at a speed of approx. 50 rpm, as well as, further to a blower, a closed-loop circuit for the circulation of the drying air, in which there are arranged both heating means and means for the condensation of the moisture being removed in the form of steam from the clothes that are kept tumbling in the rotating drum. The cooling air for the condenser is taken in from the surrounding ambient by means of a second blower and is then exhausted downstream of the condenser.
- A first serious drawback of traditional clothes drying machines lies in the practical impossibility for them to ensure drying of woollen clothes without damaging them to some extent. The way in which the clothes are caused to impinge against the inner surface of the drum during the rotation thereof, cause the woollen fibres to undergo felting, ie. to become matted together.
- A second drawback lies in the fact that the sole variable in the drying cycles offered by such machines is the duration of the process, although it may be associated to the desired degree of dryness to be obtained. The result is that the performance capabilities of currently existing machines are not satisfactory for all users under all circumstances.
- A further, and certainly not less serious drawback of prior-art machines lies in the fact that, at the present state of the art, only models that are provided with a heat pump, which is a delicate, complex, bulky and definitely expensive piece of equipment, have energy usage records that allow them to fall within the range of values belonging to the class A according to the European Union energy rating and labelling scheme. As it can readily be appreciated, however, the altogether not widespread diffusion of such models on the marketplace only marginally contributes to an overall reduction in energy usage, which on the other hand is the actual and sole reason why the above cited energy labelling scheme has been introduced for home appliances.
- The patent application EP-A-0 933 465 has recently suggested the option of replacing the rotating drum with a chamber in which a so-called fluidised bed is created through the forced outflow of hot drying air, through a plurality of ports, from the bottom of the chamber. The velocity of this air counterbalances the weight of the clothes being handled, which therefore remain suspended, ie. floating throughout the duration of the drying cycles, without impinging against the walls of the chamber. Even though no practical experiments have been carried out to verify such a concept, it can be readily appreciated that a reliable thermo-fluid-dynamic control of the air is a quite difficult and problematic matter, particularly if the progressive reduction in the weight of the clothes and the unpredictable variability of fibres and fabrics are considered.
- It would therefore be desirable, and is actually a first purpose of the present invention, to provide a method for drying clothes, which is free of all such above-cited drawbacks.
- A further purpose of the present invention is to provide an associated apparatus for drying clothes, which is capable of offering users performance records that were simply unthinkable of up to now.
- The characteristics recited in the appended claims enable these and further aims to be reached.
- Anyway, features and advantages of the present invention can be more readily understood from the description that is given below of a preferred, although not sole embodiment by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
- Figure 1 is a partially see-through view of a clothes drying machine according to the present invention;
- Figure 2 is a diagrammatical view, in the form of a Cartesian chart, of the pattern followed by the rotation speed of the drum during a drying cycle for three different types of fabrics (woollens, cottons, synthetic fibres);
- Figure 3 is a diagrammatical view, in the form of a Cartesian chart, of the pattern followed by the temperature, the amount of moisture removed and the rotation speed of the drum during a drying cycle of cotton clothes.
- With reference to Figure 1, a clothes drying machine comprises a substantially parallelepiped
outer casing 1, part of which are among other things a control panel with the various control, setting and indicating members 2 of the machine, afront loading door 3 and a front socle carrying a pair ofapertures 4 and 5 in a side-by-side arrangement. - The
metal rotating drum 10, which is housed in saidouter casing 1, comprises in turn: - a substantially cylindrical skirt or wrapping 11 with the traditional agitator means 18;
- a
rear flange 12 with a plurality ofperforations 13 that may be clustered into a relatively compact circular crown close to theskirt 11; - a
solid disk 16, sustained by means of somespacers 17 by therear flange 12 and having a slightly smaller diameter than theskirt 11, in such a way as to leave an annular gap, whose function will be described in greater detail further on; - a front flange 14, in the middle of which there is provided a large
circular aperture. This aperture is adapted to be shut by the protruding
inner door 6, which is also provided with a plurality ofperforations 7 and sustains in the lower portion thereof a lint filter 8 arranged at the inlet of a firstshaped conduit 9 situated in the zone comprised between the base of theouter casing 1 and theskirt 11 of thedrum 10. Inside saidconduit 9 there is housed across-flow condenser 20, to which there is associated a vessel (not shown) for collecting the condensed steam. - By means of a
drive belt 15 engaging an appropriate groove or race provided in theskirt 11, thedrum 10 is driven so as to rotate about a sensibly horizontal axis by a firstelectric motor 21 which is supported by the base of theouter casing 1 and on to the shaft of which there is shrinkfitted, further to the pulley for thebelt 15, the fan wheel of afirst blower 22. The speed of rotation of thedrum 10 and theblower 22 is variable in a stepless, ie. continuous manner, eg. From approx. 75 to approx. 50 rpm, and this, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is obtained through the use of a brushless synchronous motor as the firstelectric motor 21. The intake side of saidfirst blower 22 is situated at the end of said first shapedconduit 9, and therefore downstream of thesteam condenser 20, while the delivery side of thesame blower 22 is situated at the inlet of a secondshaped conduit 23 that extends upwards in the rear zone of the outer casing and is connected, through appropriate sealing means (not shown), to theperforations 13 of therear flange 12 of the rotatingdrum 10. Inside said second shapedconduit 23 there is housed a per se well-knownelectric heating unit 24. - Owing to the construction that has been described above, the
conduit 9 with the lint filter 8 and thesteam condenser 20, the interior of the rotatingdrum 10, and theconduit 23 with theheating unit 24 constitute the closed-loop circuit of the drying air which, as compared with traditional clothes drying machines, offers the feature according to which the forced air flow inside thedrum 10 is diverted towards theskirt 11, through the afore mentioned annular gap existing between the latter and the periphery of thedisk 16, as this is indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. - The base of the outer casing supports also a second
electric motor 25, which is preferably also of the brushless synchronous type, and which, for the reasons that will be explained further on, is supplied via a thermistor-type element (not shown). Themotor 25 drives asecond blower 26 having its intake side connected with theaperture 4 in the socle of the outer casing and its delivery side connected with thesteam condenser 20, obviously in a direction which is perpendicular to that of theconduit 9. - On the opposite side with respect to the one that is connected with the intake side of the
second blower 26, thecondenser 20 is connected to the aperture 5 in the socle of the outer casing. Owing to this construction as described just above, the cooling air is therefore taken in from the ambient in which the clothes drying machine is installed through theaperture 4 by means of theblower 26 and, upon causing the steam carried by the hot drying air to condense in thecondenser 20, it is exhausted back into the same ambient through the aperture 5. - The clothes drying method according to the present invention is based on two peculiarities, the first one of which lies in the already mentioned variability of the rotating speed of both the
drum 10 and thedrying air blower 23 thanks to the firstelectric motor 21, while the second one lies in the fact that the processor means of the apparatus are adapted to automatically select the drying parameters that are most appropriate to each type of fabrics and amount of clothes being handled. - In a preferred embodiment, all what a user is required to do is in fact to solely select, through the control means 2 located on the
control panel 1, the type of fabrics of which the clothes to be dried are made (eg. wool, synthetic fibres, cotton, etc.), the weight and/or the desired degree of dryness of the clothes (eg. bone dry for storage in a wardrobe, moist for further ironing, and the like) and the desired time for the drying cycle to come to an end. The values of the various parameters of the drying process, such as the rotating speed of thedrum 10 and thefirst blower 22, the power input rate of theheating unit 25 and/or the temperature of the air when entering thedrum 10, the starting time and the duration of the drying cycle are set and controlled by said processor means with the associated sensors. - Figure 2 illustrates the basic feature of the present invention, which lies in the progressively decreasing pattern followed by the rotating speed (n) of the
motor 21 speed versus time (t), or again the pattern followed by the rotating speed of thedrum 10 and the flow rate of the drying air delivered by thefirst blower 22, during a drying cycle. The speed (n) is higher in the case of woollen clothes (curve I), lower in the case of cotton clothes (curve II) and the lowest in the case of synthetic-fibre clothes (curve III). Therefore, according to a further feature of the present invention. The high rotating speed in the case of woollen clothes actually causes them to remain pressed, albeit gently, against theskirt 11 of thedrum 10, so that they are no longer tossed about repeatedly as it occurs in traditional machines and the fibres are practically preventing from becoming matted together, ie. from felting. Furthermore, the diversion of the air flow brought about by thedisk 16 contributes to a more even drying of the clothes, since short-circuits are avoided between the inlet and the outlet of the drying air inside thedrum 10. - Figure 3 in turn illustrates, by way of exemplification, the pattern followed by the temperature (°C) of the drying air (curve A), the amount (kg) of water removed from the clothes (curve B) and, again, the rotating speed (n) of the
drum 10 and the first blower 22 (curve C) versus time (t), ie. during a drying cycle, in the case of cotton clothes. As it can be noticed, according to the main feature of the present invention, the rotating speed (n) is proportional to the amount (kg) of water removed, ie. inversely proportional to the desired degree of dryness to be reached. - Thanks to the present invention, therefore, the possibility is given to obtain following results, which are on the contrary absolutely unobtainable in the clothes drying machines currently available on the market:
- a) the possibility of drying woollen clothes;
- b) the utilization of low-price power supplied at reduced rates during
night hours for drying the clothes (except for woollens) by letting the
drum 10 rotate at a reduced and constant speed (so that noise emissions are definitely low), preferably in combination with a reduced power input of theheating unit 25; - c) the possibility to optimise drying of synthetics or, anyway, delicate
clothes by appropriately proportioning accelerations, decelerations and
reversals of the rotating direction of the
drum 10; - d) in a similar manner, particularly through the appropriate use of soto-say impulsive accelerations and decelerations, possibility of preventing the clothes from collecting into compact agglomerates which would result in a very different degree of dryness eventually reached in the core and on the surface of such agglomerates;
- e) thanks to the thermistor-type element provided in the power supply
line to the
second motor 25, possibility for thesecond blower 26 to be only started, in view of ensuring forced cooling of the drying air in thecondenser 20, upon the temperature of the drying air reaching steadystate values (corresponding to the peak of curve A in Figure 3), ie. only after such an air is actually capable of removing moisture from the clothes. This of course enables significant results to be obtained in terms of energy saving effects. -
- It will of course be appreciated that, although the invention has been described on the example of a currently preferred embodiment thereof, the invention itself may be developed also in the form of further embodiments and variants without departing from the scope thereof.
Claims (9)
- Method for drying clothes in a tumble-type drying apparatus, in which the temperature of the drying air is pre-set in accordance with the type of fabrics of which the clothes to be handled are made, characterized in that during a drying cycle also the revolving speed (n) of the rotating drum is variable within value ranges that are pre-determined in accordance with the type of fabrics in a manner that is proportional to the amount of water (kg) removed from the clothes, ie. in a manner that is inversely proportional to the desired degree of dryness to be reached.
- Drying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, at the same time with and proportionally to the revolving speed of the drum, also the flow rate of the drying air is reduced.
- Drying method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, within said pre-set value ranges, the revolving speed of the drum undergoes cyclical variations , preferably in both alternate directions of rotation, during the drying cycle.
- Apparatus for drying clothes using the method according to the preceding claims, comprising a rotating drum (10) for holding the clothes to be dried, said drum being driven by a first electric motor (21) which is also used to at the same time drive a first blower (22) to ensure a forced flow of drying air in a closed-loop circuit that comprises the rotating drum (10), a lint filter (8), heating means (24) for the drying air, and a steam condenser (20), and comprising also a second blower (26), which is driven by a second motor (25) for moving the air needed for cooling said steam condenser (20) in a circuit provided with apertures (4, 5) communicating with the surrounding ambient, characterized in that it comprises means adapted to vary the revolving speed of the drum (10) and the flow rate of the drying air delivered by said first blower (21).
- Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said first motor (21) for driving the rotating drum (10) and the blower (22) for the drying air, and preferably also said second motor (25) for driving the blower (26) for the cooling air, is a synchronous motor, eg. of the brushless type.
- Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, in which the hot drying air is blown into the rotating drum (10) through a plurality of perforations (13) provided in a flange (12) thereof, characterized in that said perforations (13) are preferably clustered into a relatively compact circular crown close to the skirt (11) of the drum (10).
- Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that inside the rotating drum (10) there is provided a solid disk (16), which is sustained through spacer means (17) by said flange (12) provided with said air inlet perforations (13) so as to force said air to flow through the annular gap comprised between the periphery of said disk (16) and the skirt (11) of the drum (10).
- Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims 4 to 7, characterized in that it comprises programme sequence control means which, in accordance with the selection made by the user via the control members (2) of such variables as the type of fabrics of which the clothes to be dried are made, the weight and/or the desired degree of dryness to be reached and the desired time for the drying cycle to terminate, set and control through associated sensor means the parameters of the drying process such as the revolving speed of said first motor (21), the power input rate of the heating unit (24) and/or the temperature at which the drying air enters the drum (10), the starting time and the duration of the drying cycle.
- Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the power supply to the motor (25) driving the blower (26) for the cooling air occurs via thermistor-like means adapted to enable said motor to only start operating after that the temperature at which the drying air enters the rotating drum (10) has reached a steadystate value, in view of reducing the energy usage of the drying cycles.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT1999PN000085A IT1311719B1 (en) | 1999-11-29 | 1999-11-29 | ROTATING BASKET METHOD AND APPARATUS OF THE CONDENSING TYPE FOR DRYING LINEN |
ITPN990085 | 1999-11-29 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1103648A2 true EP1103648A2 (en) | 2001-05-30 |
EP1103648A3 EP1103648A3 (en) | 2002-08-14 |
EP1103648B1 EP1103648B1 (en) | 2005-12-21 |
Family
ID=11395579
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP00121734A Expired - Lifetime EP1103648B1 (en) | 1999-11-29 | 2000-10-05 | Method and condenser dryer for drying clothes |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1103648B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60024955T2 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2250060T3 (en) |
IT (1) | IT1311719B1 (en) |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1321562A2 (en) * | 2001-12-20 | 2003-06-25 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Method and device for drying laundry |
EP2014822A1 (en) * | 2007-07-13 | 2009-01-14 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Control method for controlling a tumble laundry drier for drying wool laundry |
US20120049705A1 (en) * | 2010-08-25 | 2012-03-01 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry Treating Machine with Bottom-Side Air Passage |
EP2458076A1 (en) * | 2010-11-29 | 2012-05-30 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Rotatable-drum laundry drier and method of controlling a rotatable-drum laundry drier to dry delicate laundry |
EP2602383A1 (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2013-06-12 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd | Clothing dryer and control method thereof |
EP2719817A1 (en) * | 2012-10-09 | 2014-04-16 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Improved laundry treating appliance |
US8707581B2 (en) | 2010-08-25 | 2014-04-29 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry treating machine with basement portion having multi-level air flow path |
US8844163B2 (en) | 2010-08-25 | 2014-09-30 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry treating machine with basement portion providing airflow paths |
US9157177B2 (en) | 2011-12-21 | 2015-10-13 | Whirlpool Corporation | Laundry treating appliance and method of control |
CN112746473A (en) * | 2019-10-29 | 2021-05-04 | 青岛海尔滚筒洗衣机有限公司 | Drying method of clothes dryer and clothes dryer |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE602007005095D1 (en) * | 2007-03-30 | 2010-04-15 | Electrolux Home Prod Corp | Improvement on a tumble dryer and corresponding method for drying clothes |
ITPR20130100A1 (en) * | 2013-12-04 | 2015-06-05 | Indesit Co Spa | CLOTHING DRYING METHOD. |
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1999
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-
2000
- 2000-10-05 DE DE60024955T patent/DE60024955T2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-10-05 ES ES00121734T patent/ES2250060T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-10-05 EP EP00121734A patent/EP1103648B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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Cited By (20)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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EP1321562A3 (en) * | 2001-12-20 | 2006-05-17 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Method and device for drying laundry |
EP1321562A2 (en) * | 2001-12-20 | 2003-06-25 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Method and device for drying laundry |
EP2014822A1 (en) * | 2007-07-13 | 2009-01-14 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Control method for controlling a tumble laundry drier for drying wool laundry |
WO2009010249A1 (en) * | 2007-07-13 | 2009-01-22 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Control method for controlling a tumble laundry drier for drying wool laundry |
RU2467111C2 (en) * | 2007-07-13 | 2012-11-20 | Электролюкс Хоум Продактс Корпорейшн Н.В. | Method of control drum drying machine for drying clothes made of wool |
US8844163B2 (en) | 2010-08-25 | 2014-09-30 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry treating machine with basement portion providing airflow paths |
US20120049705A1 (en) * | 2010-08-25 | 2012-03-01 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry Treating Machine with Bottom-Side Air Passage |
US9534843B2 (en) | 2010-08-25 | 2017-01-03 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry treating machine with basement portion providing airflow paths |
US8707581B2 (en) | 2010-08-25 | 2014-04-29 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Laundry treating machine with basement portion having multi-level air flow path |
EP2458076A1 (en) * | 2010-11-29 | 2012-05-30 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Rotatable-drum laundry drier and method of controlling a rotatable-drum laundry drier to dry delicate laundry |
WO2012072506A1 (en) * | 2010-11-29 | 2012-06-07 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Rotatable-drum laundry drier and method of controlling a rotatable-drum laundry drier to dry delicate laundry |
US9624619B2 (en) | 2010-11-29 | 2017-04-18 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Rotatable-drum laundry drier and method of controlling a rotatable-drum laundry drier to dry delicate laundry |
CN103161057B (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2016-08-24 | 三星电子株式会社 | Dryer and control method thereof |
US9009987B2 (en) | 2011-12-08 | 2015-04-21 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Clothing dryer and control method thereof |
CN103161057A (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2013-06-19 | 三星电子株式会社 | Clothing dryer and control method thereof |
EP2602383A1 (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2013-06-12 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd | Clothing dryer and control method thereof |
US9157177B2 (en) | 2011-12-21 | 2015-10-13 | Whirlpool Corporation | Laundry treating appliance and method of control |
EP2719817A1 (en) * | 2012-10-09 | 2014-04-16 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Improved laundry treating appliance |
CN112746473A (en) * | 2019-10-29 | 2021-05-04 | 青岛海尔滚筒洗衣机有限公司 | Drying method of clothes dryer and clothes dryer |
CN112746473B (en) * | 2019-10-29 | 2024-06-21 | 上海海尔洗涤电器有限公司 | Drying method of clothes dryer and clothes dryer |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1103648A3 (en) | 2002-08-14 |
ITPN990085A0 (en) | 1999-11-29 |
DE60024955D1 (en) | 2006-01-26 |
DE60024955T2 (en) | 2006-07-13 |
IT1311719B1 (en) | 2002-03-19 |
ITPN990085A1 (en) | 2001-05-29 |
EP1103648B1 (en) | 2005-12-21 |
ES2250060T3 (en) | 2006-04-16 |
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