Laundry Treating Machine with Bottom-Side Air Passage

Abstract

A laundry treating machine has a casing (1) formed by side walls (2), an upper wall portion (3) and a bottom wall portion (4), said casing (1) accommodates therein a laundry container (6), at least one air flow path and further operational devices (5) for carrying out a treatment on the laundry. The bottom wall portion (4) includes an air passage (12) in fluid communication with the at least one air flow path.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to European Application No. 10173929.0, filed Aug. 25, 2010.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Laundry treating machines capable of carrying out a drying process on laundry generally comprise a casing that houses a laundry container, like a rotating drum, where laundry to be treated is received, and an air circuit for carrying out drying operation by circulating hot air through the laundry container. Air circulating means and heating means are provided in the air circuit for circulating and heating drying air, respectively. In condenser type dryers, condensing means are further provided in the air circuit for removing moisture from drying air passing through articles to be treated thereby allowing said air to be recirculated cyclically within the air circuit. Moisture removed from articles is either collected in a tank periodically emptied by a user or it is directly exhausted by a pipe connected to a waste w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]An aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the noted drawbacks and thus provide a laundry treating machine having an improved opening arrangement for drawing air from / into the laundry machine.

[0011]Another object of the present invention is to provide a laundry treating machine having an improved performance in cooling condensing means and / or components thereof, said laundry treating machine ensuring an efficient cooling air flow.

[0012]A further object of the invention is to provide a laundry treating machine producing a low noise during working operation compared to laundry treating machines of known type.

[0013]Another object of the invention is to provide a laundry treating machine avoiding the risk that openings leading air from / to a cooling air circuit may be completely obstructed by objects resting close to laundry dryer.

[0027]Preferably, the conveyor comprises an inner transverse section surface area which gradually increases from a conveyor joining section with the conduit to a conveyor joining section with the pumping means so as to create a Venturi effect.

Problems solved by technology

However, such construction may result in poor air intaking or air exhausting because of high flow resistance due to the conduit path arrangement for connecting said openings to pumping means inside the appliance.

A further drawback of such opening configuration exists in that warm air exhausted from a first opening provided on laundry dyer casing may be taken in through a second opening thereby reducing air cooling capacity and the overall performance of the drying cycle.

Another drawback of providing openings on vertical side walls of the casing arises in that objects resting around the appliance may obstruct at least partially said openings causing a reduction in appliances performance, or even damages to its components.

Still another drawback of such opening arrangement is the high noise generated by air mass moved through the openings.

This undesired noise is particularly disadvantageous because it prevents the appliance from being used during night hours and / or being placed close to rooms where silence is needed, such as bedrooms.

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