WO2008120063A1

WO2008120063A1 - Portable clothes dryer

Info

Publication number: WO2008120063A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/000704
Authority: WO
Inventors: Calogero Nicosia
Original assignee: Calogero Nicosia
Priority date: 2007-03-29
Filing date: 2008-03-25
Publication date: 2008-10-09

Abstract

A clothes dryer comprises a container (1) inside which an inner structure comprising a drying rack (2) suitable for supporting one or more garments to be treated and a thermo-fan (3) suitable for circulating an air flow inside the container (1) is arranged. The clothes dryer further comprises injection means (9, 10, 11, 12) suitable for injecting sprayed water and/or other fluids into the container (1).

Description

PORTABLE CLOTHES DRYER

The present invention relates to a clothes drying device, in particular to a portable clothes dryer. Clothes drying devices that are normally used after washing garments are known in the field of domestic electrical appliances for their drying in any condition of temperature and humidity. Clothes drying devices basically comprise a container in which the garments to be dried are introduced, and a thermo-fan that generates a hot air flow inside the container. The circulation of the hot air flow evaporates the water contained in the garments thus allowing them to dry.

Fixed clothes dryers are known, wherein the garments are arranged inside the container in a perforated basket that is crossed by a hot air flow generated by the thermo-fan. These clothes dryers have the disadvantage of being expensive and rather cumbersome. Moreover during the drying the fabrics become stiffer, thus making extremely difficult the subsequent ironing of the garments, in particular in correspondence to the wrinkles caused by the washing.

In order to solve the problem of ironing, fixed clothes dryers that carry out one or more steam treatments on the garments during the drying have been recently developed.

The steam treatment allows to keep the fabrics soft during the drying phase, as well as to eliminate many wrinkles that are typically formed on the fabrics. However, also these clothes dryers have the disadvantage of being very expensive and rather cumbersome.

Collapsible clothes dryers are also known, generally comprising a folding drying rack inserted in a collapsible container provided with a seat for a thermo-fan.

Patent EP 1526213 describes for instance a device for drying laundry comprising a folding drying rack suitable for supporting the garments to be dried and a tunnel container provided with an bellows structure that may be expanded up to completely enclosing the drying rack. The tunnel container has an opening suitable for housing a fan blowing air into the chamber, thus allowing the laundry drying.

Patent application CN 1858331 describes a portable clothes dryer comprising a container suitable for housing the garments to be dried and having the lateral walls made of a soft material. The container is provided with an inner structure that may be collapsed for transportation. An opening in correspondence of which a thermo-fan is connected is made at one end of the container and a hook allowing to hang the clothes dryer is arranged at the opposite end of the container.

Patent application JP 08066598 describes a clothes dryer comprising a portable frame supporting a container made of a soft material. The frame is provided with a bar in the upper part allowing to hang the garments to be dried inside the container. A thermo-fan device blowing hot air into the container is mounted on the top of the frame.

Collapsible clothes dryers are remarkably cheaper than the fixed ones and may be advantageously compacted, transported and stored when they are not used. Moreover it is known that by hanging garments on a drying rack the ironing is favoured, as at the end of the drying much less wrinkles remain on the garments. However, the hot air flow always causes a stiffening of the fabrics, which makes the subsequent ironing anyway difficult.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a clothes dryer, which is free from said disadvantages. Said object is achieved with a clothes dryer, whose main features are disclosed in the first claim, while other features are disclosed in the remaining claims.

Thanks to injection means suitable for injecting sprayed water and/or other fluids into the container, the clothes dryer according to the invention allows to keep the fabrics soft and to eliminate many wrinkles that are formed due to the washing of the garments. The sprayed fluids injected may also have a hygienic, cleansing and/or perfuming function, thus allowing to carry out a real further treatment of the fabrics during the drying phase after their washing.

Another advantage of the clothes dryer of the invention is that the injection means may be combined with a thermo-fan in order to generate a steam flow allowing to achieve a further softening of the fabrics as well as a hygienic effect.

Moreover, the clothes dryer of the invention may be made with a collapsible structure comprising a container made of a soft material and a folding drying rack, thus obtaining remarkable advantages particularly in terms of storing, installation ease and placement possibilities even in limited spaces, such as for example in a bathtub.

A further advantage of the clothes dryer according to the invention is that the injection means also allow the treatment of dry fabrics.

Further advantages and features of the clothes dryer according to the present invention will become clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed and non-limiting description of an embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a front view of the clothes dryer; figure 2 is a lateral view of the clothes dryer of figure 1 ; figure 3 is a schematic top view of a thermo-fan usable with the clothes dryer of figure 1; - figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view FV-IV of the thermo-fan of figure 3; figure 5 is a front view of the clothes dryer of figure 1 during its collapsing phase; and figure 6 is a front view of the clothes dryer of figure 1 in a collapsed configuration. Referring to figures 1 and 2, the clothes dryer according to the invention comprises in a known way a container 1 inside which a structure comprising a drying rack 2 suitable for supporting one or a number of garments to be dried and a thermo-fan 3 suitable for circulating an air flow inside container 1 is arranged.

Drying rack 2 is supported by a pair of vertical uprights 4 connected to a base 5, whereas thermo-fan 3 is arranged above drying rack 2 and supported by means of a supporting frame 6 connected to drying rack 2 through a pair of diagonal uprights 7.

The top of thermo-fan 3 is provided with an intake portion 3 a comprising one or more inlets 8 taking ambient air through one or more grids Ia arranged on the top of container 1, heating the air and making it circulate inside container 1, as shown for instance by the arrows in figure 1.

According to the invention, the clothes dryer is also suitably provided with injection means 9 suitable for injecting sprayed water and/or other fluids into container

1. The sprayed water and/or the other fluids injected by injection means 9 into container

1 are carried by the air flow generated by thermo-fan 3, thus wetting the fabrics during the drying phase in order to keep them soft and eliminate the wrinkles.

As shown in figure 3, injection means 9 comprise at least one duct 10 provided with an inlet opening 11 in the axial direction and with one or more outlet openings 12 in the radial direction. Duct 10 may be supplied by a pump 13 that sucks water and/or other fluids from at least one tank 14 e.g. arranged in base 5. The different fluids employed may be selected e.g. by means an electro valve arranged upstream of pump 13.

The injected fluids may also have a perfuming and/or hygienic function, allowing to carry out a real treatment of the garments subsequent to the washing. Moreover it is possible to provide for the use of cleansing agents combined with water and other fluids, thus allowing to carry out treatments alternative to the laundry in a washing machine in particular for delicate fabrics. On the basis of the amount and types of fluids to be injected it is possible to provide for different portions inside tank 14, or to provide for a plurality of different tanks.

As shown in figure 4, injection means 9 are arranged inside thermo-fan 3 between at least one centrifugal fan 15 suitable for generating the air flow inside container 1 and one or more heating elements 16 e.g. arranged parallel to fan 15.

In this case, the air flow generated by fan 15 takes the water and/or the other fluids injected by injection means 9 towards heating elements 16. When heating elements 16 have a high temperature, e.g. higher than 100°C, the water and/or the other fluids evaporate contacting them, thus generating a flow of steam that is circulated inside container 1. As it is known, the steam has a hygienic function and may be advantageously used in clothes drying devices in order to keep the fabrics soft during the drying phase.

Thermo-fan 3 may be provided with flow control means arranged at a discharge portion 3 b and suitable for changing the direction of the flow of the air and/or the other fluids inside container 1. The flow control means may e.g. comprise a plurality of fins 17 hinged on the structure of thermo-fan 3 and at least one linear actuator 18 connected to fins 17. During the operation, fins 17 may be e.g. alternatively rotated in opposed directions, thus obtaining a clockwise or counterclockwise circulation of the air and/or the other fluids. Moreover, thermo-fan 3 may be provided with one or more closing devices 19 suitable for partially or completely closing inlets 8 of intake portion 3a in order to generate a recycle of the air and/or the other fluids present inside container 1.

The various components of thermo-fan 3 may advantageously be electrically controlled by a control and regulation device 20 installed in the same thermo-fan 3, thus giving a user numerous managing possibilities as well as different treatment programs, e.g. on the basis of the fabrics types and the amount of garments to be treated.

In addition to this, temperature, pressure and/or humidity sensors (not shown) may be associated to control and regulation device 20, thus obtaining a feedback regulation of all the operation parameters.

Base 5 of container 1 is preferably provided with a concavity 5a facing thermo-fan 3. In this way the circulation of the flow of air and/or other fluids generated by thermo- fan 3 in the upper portion of container 1 is favored and thus a more homogeneous drying of the treated garments is obtained.

During the drying phase a pressure essentially depending on the angular speed of fan 15 and the recycling conditions is generated inside container 1. As it is known that pressure has an ironing effect on the fabrics in combination with the injection of sprayed water and/or other fluids, container 1 is preferably made in order to tightly close the space intended to receive the garments to be treated and is provided with a plurality of venting openings 21 that are respectively closed e.g. by means of fins 22. Once a predefined pressure value is exceeded, fins 22 are raised, thus allowing an out-flow of air and/or other fluids through venting openings 21 and avoiding that drying rack 2 and container 1 are excessively stressed.

The inner structure of the clothes dryer is collapsible from an open configuration for the use to a closed configuration in which it may be easily transported and stored with a minimum overall size. Container 1 consists of a cover made of a multilayer soft material comprising at least one layer of an isolation material. The cover is provided with a longitudinal opening 23 that is tightly closed e.g. by means of a zip, and it is tightly fixed along the periphery of base 5 thus allowing a tight sealing of container 1.

As shown in figure 5, each vertical upright 4 of drying rack 2 comprises two members 4a and 4b respectively hinged at one end on base 5 and on drying rack 2 and joined to each other by a hinge. Similarly, supporting frame 6 of thermo-fan 3 is supported by a pair of diagonal uprights 7 at least one of which comprises two members 7a, 7b respectively hinged at one end on drying rack 2 and supporting frame 6 and joined to each other by a hinge.

In order to keep the drying rack in an open configuration, the joining hinges arranged between members 4a, 4b of vertical uprights 4 and between members 7a, 7b of diagonal uprights 7 are respectively provided with blocking mechanisms suitable for preventing them from rotating. These mechanisms may e.g. comprise one or more posts movable along the direction of the hinge axis and urged in a closing position by an helical spring. In order to disassemble the clothes dryer, soft material cover 1 is separated from base 5 and pulled out from drying rack 2, then thermo-fan 3 is removed from supporting frame 6 and may be arranged into concavity 5 a of base 5 together with cover 1. Then, as shown by the arrows in figure 5, the blocking mechanisms of vertical uprights 4 and diagonal uprights 7 are unlocked and vertical and diagonal uprights 4, 7 are rotated towards the inside of the clothes dryer, thus making the structure collapse towards base 5.

Members 4a, 4b, 7a, 7b forming vertical and diagonal uprights 4, 7 are advantageously so sized in width to enter one into the other during the collapsing phase of the structure. Therefore, as shown in figure 6, the clothes dryer has a very small size in a collapsed configuration and substantially coincident with the size of base 5, thus allowing to store the device even in small spaces.

It is clear that the embodiments of the invention herein described and illustrated are only examples susceptible of numerous variants. For instance, it is possible to install one or more ultraviolet rays lamps 24 inside container 1, thus obtaining a further hygienic effect on the fabrics. These lamps 24 could e.g. be mounted on thermo-fan 3, uprights 4 of drying rack 2 and/or at base 5, in order to generate a light beam being uniform and capable of allowing a homogeneous treatment of the garments to be treated.

Claims

1. A clothes dryer comprising a container (1) inside which an inner structure comprising a drying rack (2) suitable for supporting one or more garments to be treated and a thermo-fan (3) suitable for circulating an air flow inside the container (1) is arranged, characterized by further comprising injection means (9, 10, 11, 12) suitable for injecting sprayed water and/or other fluids into the container (1).

2. A clothes dryer according to the previous claim, characterized in that the injection means (9, 10, 11, 12) comprise at least one duct (10) provided with an inlet opening (11) in the axial direction and with one or more outlet openings (12) in the radial direction.

3. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the injection means (9, 10, 11, 12) are supplied by a pump (13) suitable for sucking water and/or other fluids from at least one tank (14).

4. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the injection means (9, 10, 11, 12) are arranged inside the thermo-fan (3) between at least one centrifugal fan (15) suitable for generating the air flow inside the container (1) and one or more heating elements (16), whereby the air flow generated by the fan (15) brings the sprayed water and/or other fluids injected by the injection means (9, 10, 11, 12) into contact with the heating elements (16) thus generating steam.

5. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the thermo-fan (3) comprises flow control means (17, 18) arranged in correspondence to a discharge portion (3 b) of the thermo-fan (3) and suitable for varying the direction of the flow of air and/or other fluids inside the container (1).

6. A clothes dryer according to the previous claim, characterized in that the control means (17, 18) comprise a plurality of fins (17) hinged on the structure of the thermo-fan (3) and at least one linear actuator (18) connected to the fins (17).

7. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the thermo-fan (3) comprises one or more closing devices (19) suitable for partially or completely closing an air intake portion (3 a) in order to generate a recycling of the flow of air and/or other fluids inside the container (1).

8. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the thermo-fan (3) is controlled by means of a control and regulation device (20) and one or a number of temperature, pressure and/or humidity sensors suitable for allowing a feedback regulation of the operation parameters.

9. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the drying rack (2) is supported by a pair of vertical uprights (4) connected to a base (5) and the thermo-fan (3) is arranged above the drying rack (2) and supported by a supporting frame (6) connected to the drying rack (2) by means of a pair of diagonal uprights (7).

10. A clothes dryer according to the previous claim, characterized in that the base (5) is provided with a concavity (5a) facing the thermo-fan (3).

11. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the container (1) is airtight and provided with a plurality of venting openings (21) respectively closed by means of fins (22).

12. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that said inner structure is collapsible from an open configuration for the use to a closed configuration.

13. A clothes dryer according to the previous claim, characterized in that each upright (4) of the drying rack (2) comprises two movable members (4a, 4b) respectively hinged at one end on the base (5) and on the drying rack (2) and connected to each other by a hinge, and the supporting frame (6) of the thermo-fan (3) is supported by a pair of diagonal uprights (7) at least one of which comprises two movable members (7a, 7b) respectively hinged at one end on the drying rack (2) and on the supporting frame (6) and connected to each other by a hinge.

14. A clothes dryer according to the previous claim, characterized by comprising blocking mechanisms suitable for preventing the rotation of the movable members (4a, 4b, 7a, 7b) of the vertical uprights (4) of the drying rack (2) and of the diagonal uprights (7) of the supporting frame (6) of the thermo-fan (3) in said open configuration.

15. A clothes dryer according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the container (1) is made of a multilayer soft material comprising at least one layer made of an isolation material.

16. A clothes dryer according to one of the previous claims, characterized by further comprising one or more ultraviolet rays lamps (24) arranged inside the container

(1).