Tumble dryer

Abstract

This invention proposes a drum-type clothes dryer, comprising: a housing; a drum disposed within the housing and rotatable relative to the housing; an air duct assembly located within the housing and communicating with the drum, the air duct assembly having an air duct with a first air outlet and a second air outlet; an impeller located within the air duct, which, when rotating clockwise, supplies air into the drum through the first air outlet, and when rotating counterclockwise, supplies air into the drum through the second air outlet; and a baffle assembly connected within the air duct and located on the air outlet side of the first and second air outlets to block the communication between the impeller and the drum in the air duct; when the impeller rotates clockwise, the baffle assembly closes the second air outlet and opens the first air outlet; when the impeller rotates counterclockwise, the baffle assembly closes the first air outlet and opens the second air outlet. This invention ensures that there is airflow within the air duct when the drum rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, guaranteeing a continuous and uninterrupted drying process, improving drying efficiency, and ensuring the best drying effect for the clothes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of clothes dryer technology, and particularly relates to a drum-type clothes dryer. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most drum dryers use centrifugal impellers, with the airflow directed radially towards the motor shaft. While this type of impeller provides a stable airflow when rotating in one direction, ensuring continuous and efficient drying, if the motor operates in only one direction, the drum also rotates in one direction. This constant tumbling of clothes inside the drum can easily cause them to tangle and knot, affecting drying performance and resulting in uneven or incomplete drying, which can lead to customer complaints.

[0003] The existing solution to the problem of poor clothes drying effect is to increase the bidirectional rotation of the motor. However, after the motor rotates in opposite directions, the working efficiency of the impeller and the output air volume will decrease significantly. This will affect the heat exchange in the drying process, resulting in reduced energy efficiency and longer drying time. This is also a major problem currently facing the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention proposes a drum dryer that ensures a certain airflow within the duct when the drum rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, guaranteeing a continuous and uninterrupted drying process. This not only improves drying efficiency but also ensures the drying effect of the clothes.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a drum-type clothes dryer, comprising:

[0006] shell;

[0007] A roller is disposed inside the housing and can rotate relative to the housing. In the horizontal direction, an inlet and an outlet are respectively provided at both ends of the roller.

[0008] The air duct assembly is located inside the housing and is connected to the inlet and outlet of the roller. The air duct assembly has an air duct, which can be a double air duct or a single air duct. The air duct is provided with a first air outlet and a second air outlet, which are connected to the inlet of the roller.

[0009] The impeller is a centrifugal impeller, which is located in the air duct. When the impeller rotates clockwise, air can be sent into the drum through the first air outlet. When the impeller rotates counterclockwise, air can be sent into the drum through the second air outlet.

[0010] A baffle assembly is connected within the air duct and located on the air outlet side of the first and second air outlets to block the connection of the air duct between the impeller and the drum. When the impeller rotates clockwise, the baffle assembly closes the second air outlet and opens the first air outlet. When the impeller rotates counterclockwise, the baffle assembly closes the first air outlet and opens the second air outlet.

[0011] The cover assembly is not only simple in design and inexpensive, but also ensures that the dryer can achieve high working efficiency when the impeller rotates in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, solving the problem of clothes tangling and ensuring drying efficiency.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the baffle assembly includes a rotating shaft connected within the air duct and a first shielding portion and a second shielding portion connected to the rotating shaft. The first shielding portion and the second shielding portion are rotatable relative to the rotating shaft. When the first shielding portion is subjected to wind pressure generated by the clockwise rotation of the impeller, it rotates towards the second shielding portion to open the first air outlet, thereby connecting the air duct between the impeller and the drum. When the second shielding portion is subjected to wind pressure generated by the counterclockwise rotation of the impeller, it rotates towards the first shielding portion to open the second air outlet, thereby connecting the air duct between the impeller and the drum.

[0013] By controlling the clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the impeller, the first and second shielding parts are rotated, enabling the switching between the first and second air outlets. This solves the problem of clothes easily tangling and knotting, resulting in poor drying performance. At the same time, the first and second shielding parts automatically adjust with the rotation direction of the impeller to obtain the optimal air outlet position, improving the impeller's working efficiency and making the drying process more stable and efficient.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first shielding part and the second shielding part are arc-shaped, with their concave ends close to the impeller side, so that the wind pressure generated when the impeller rotates can easily open the first shielding part and the second shielding part, and the first shielding part and the second shielding part are also easier to close.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, when the first shielding part is opened, it forms a "human" shape with the second shielding part; when the second shielding part is opened, it forms a "human" shape with the first shielding part, and the relationship between the second shielding part and the first shielding part includes, but is not limited to, a "human" shape.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, a driving device is provided inside the housing, and the driving device is connected to the roller and the impeller.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the driving device is a motor, the impeller is connected to the motor, a pulley is also connected to the motor, and a transmission belt is connected between the roller and the pulley.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the air duct is provided with a heating device, which is located in the air duct near the air inlet end of the impeller to heat the air in the air duct.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, a cooling device is provided inside the outer casing to cool the water vapor generated during the drying process, and a water storage tank is provided below the cooling device to collect the condensate generated by the cooling device.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, a sensor is provided in the water storage tank, and a drain pump electrically connected to the sensor is provided. A drain pipe is connected to the drain pump. When the sensor detects that the water level has reached a set position, the drain pump discharges the water in the water storage tank.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present invention, the outlet of the drain pipe is located on the outside of the outer casing, which can discharge the water in the water storage tank into the dryer, or a water box is set inside the outer casing, and the outlet of the drain pipe is connected to the water box, so that the water can be removed from the water box for cleaning through unified collection of the water. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the impeller rotating clockwise in this invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the impeller when it rotates counterclockwise in this invention.

[0026] In the above figures: 1. Outer shell; 2. Roller; 21. Inlet; 22. Outlet; 3. Air duct assembly; 31. Air duct; 311. First air outlet; 312. Second air outlet; 4. Impeller; 5. Drive unit; 51. Motor; 52. Pulley; 53. Transmission belt; 6. Heating device; 7. Cooling device; 71. Water storage tank; 72. Sensor; 73. Drain pump; 74. Drain pipe; 75. Water box; 8. Cover assembly; 81. Rotating shaft; 82. First shield; 83. Second shield. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will now be described in detail through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that, without further description, elements, structures, and features in one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments.

[0028] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0029] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] The drive unit rotates the drum and impeller. The drum rotation causes the clothes to tumble continuously, and the impeller rotation causes the air to flow in a specific direction. The air is heated by the heating device and then enters the drum. After contacting the tumbled damp clothes, it carries away the moisture. The moisture is either directly discharged into the external environment or cooled into condensate by the condenser in the circulating air duct and then discharged. This process is repeated continuously until all the water in the clothes is dried.

[0032] To prevent clothes from tangling and knotting inside the drum, the drive unit rotates the impeller and drum in one direction for a period of time before switching to the opposite direction. In the past, because the drum's air inlet structure was fixed and the impeller's volute structure was also immutable, the impeller had only one air outlet. Regardless of which direction the impeller ran, the airflow always came from the same outlet. This resulted in the impeller being more efficient in one direction and less efficient in the other.

[0033] Therefore, a drum-type dryer is proposed. (See [link]) Figures 1 to 3 It includes: 1. outer casing; 2. drum; 3. air duct assembly; 4. impeller; 5. drive unit; 6. heating unit; 7. cooling unit; 8. baffle assembly, etc.

[0034] The roller 2 is installed inside the outer shell 1 and can rotate relative to the outer shell 1. In the horizontal direction, the two ends of the roller 2 are respectively provided with an inlet 21 and an outlet 22.

[0035] The air duct assembly 3 is located inside the housing 1 and is connected to the inlet 21 and outlet 22 of the roller 2. The air duct assembly 3 has an air duct 31, and a first air outlet 311 and a second air outlet 312 are provided in the air duct 31. The first air outlet 311 and the second air outlet 312 are connected to the inlet 21 of the roller 2.

[0036] Impeller 4 is a centrifugal impeller, which is located in the air duct 31. When impeller 4 rotates clockwise, it can send air into drum 2 through the first air outlet 311. When impeller 4 rotates counterclockwise, it can send air into drum 2 through the second air outlet 312.

[0037] A drive device 5 is installed inside the outer casing 1, and the drive device 5 is connected to the drum 2 and the impeller 4;

[0038] The air duct 31 is equipped with a heating device 6, which can be electrically heated. The heating device 6 is located in the air duct 31 near the air inlet end of the impeller 4 to heat the air in the air duct 31.

[0039] A cooling device 7 is provided inside the outer casing 1 to cool the water vapor generated during the drying process. The cooling device 7 can be any device that cools the hot air discharged during the rotation of the roller 2. A water storage tank 71 is provided below the cooling device 7 to collect the condensate generated by the cooling device 7.

[0040] The baffle assembly 8 is connected inside the air duct 31 and is located on the air outlet side of the first air outlet 311 and the second air outlet 312 to block the connection between the impeller 4 and the drum 2 in the air duct 31. When the impeller 4 rotates clockwise, the baffle assembly 8 closes the second air outlet 312 and opens the first air outlet 311. When the impeller 4 rotates counterclockwise, the baffle assembly 8 closes the first air outlet 311 and opens the second air outlet 312.

[0041] The design of the cover assembly 8 is not only simple and inexpensive, but also ensures that the dryer can achieve high working efficiency when the impeller 4 rotates in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, solving the problem of clothes tangling and ensuring drying efficiency.

[0042] Further, see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The cover assembly 8 includes a rotating shaft 81 connected to the air duct 31, and a first shielding part 82 and a second shielding part 83 connected to the rotating shaft 81. The first shielding part 82 and the second shielding part 83 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 81.

[0043] When the first shielding part 82 is subjected to the wind pressure generated by the clockwise rotation of the impeller 4, it rotates to the side of the second shielding part 83 to open the first air outlet 311. At the same time, the second shielding part 83 covers the second air outlet 312, so that the air duct 31 between the impeller 4 and the drum 2 can be connected through the first air outlet 311.

[0044] When the second shielding part 83 is subjected to the wind pressure generated by the counterclockwise rotation of the impeller 4, it rotates to the side of the first shielding part 82 to open the second air outlet 312. At the same time, the first shielding part 82 covers the first air outlet 311, so that the air duct 31 between the impeller 4 and the drum 2 can be connected through the second air outlet 312.

[0045] By rotating the impeller 4 clockwise and counterclockwise, the first shielding part 82 and the second shielding part 83 are controlled to rotate, realizing the switching between the first air outlet 311 and the second air outlet 312. This solves the problem of clothes easily getting tangled and knotted, resulting in poor drying effect. At the same time, the first shielding part 82 and the second shielding part 83 automatically adjust with the rotation direction of the impeller 4 to obtain the optimal air outlet position, improving the working efficiency of the impeller 4 and making the drying process more stable and efficient.

[0046] Furthermore, the first shielding part 82 and the second shielding part 83 are arc-shaped baffles with their concave ends close to the side of the impeller 4, so that the wind pressure generated when the impeller 4 rotates can easily open the first shielding part 82 and the second shielding part 83, and the first shielding part 82 and the second shielding part 83 are also easier to close.

[0047] When the first blocking part 82 is opened, it forms a "human" shape with the second blocking part 83; when the second blocking part 83 is opened, it forms a "human" shape with the first blocking part 82, and the relationship between the second blocking part 83 and the first blocking part 82 includes, but is not limited to, a "human" shape.

[0048] Regarding the configuration of the air duct 31, the air duct 31 can be a double air duct or a single air duct. When the air duct 31 is a double air duct, air outlets are respectively set on the double air ducts. When the air duct 31 is a single air duct, a certain section of the air duct 31 can be set as an air outlet, and the air outlet is divided into a first air outlet 311 and a second air outlet 312.

[0049] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 The drive device 5 is a motor 51, the impeller 4 is connected to the motor 51, and a pulley 52 is also connected to the motor 51. A transmission belt 53 is connected between the roller 2 and the pulley 52.

[0050] A sensor 72 is installed in the water storage tank 71, and a drain pump 73 is electrically connected to the sensor 72. The sensor 72 is a liquid level sensor, and a drain pipe 74 is connected to the drain pump 73. When the sensor 72 detects that the water level has reached the set position, the drain pump 73 discharges the water in the water storage tank 71.

[0051] Furthermore, the outlet of the drain pipe 74 is located on the outside of the outer casing 1, which can discharge the water in the water storage tank 71 into the dryer, or a water box 75 is installed inside the outer casing 1. The outlet of the drain pipe 74 is connected to the water box 75. Through the unified collection of the water box 75, the water box 75 can be removed to clean the water.

[0052] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A drum-type clothes dryer, characterized in that: include: shell; A roller, disposed inside the housing, is rotatable relative to the housing; An air duct assembly is located inside the housing and communicates with the roller. The air duct assembly has an air duct, and a first air outlet and a second air outlet are provided inside the air duct. An impeller is provided, wherein one impeller is located in the air duct. When the impeller rotates clockwise, it can send air into the drum through the first air outlet, and when it rotates counterclockwise, it can send air into the drum through the second air outlet. A baffle assembly is connected within the air duct and located on the air outlet side of the first and second air outlets to block the connection between the impeller and the drum in the air duct. When the impeller rotates clockwise, the baffle assembly closes the second air outlet and opens the first air outlet; when the impeller rotates counterclockwise, the baffle assembly closes the first air outlet and opens the second air outlet. The baffle assembly includes a rotating shaft connected within the air duct and a first shielding part and a second shielding part connected to the rotating shaft, the first shielding part and the second shielding part being rotatable relative to the rotating shaft. When the first shielding part is subjected to the wind pressure generated by the clockwise rotation of the impeller, it rotates to the side of the second shielding part to open the first air outlet. At the same time, the second shielding part covers the second air outlet, so that the air duct between the impeller and the drum can be connected through the first air outlet. When the second shielding part is subjected to the wind pressure generated by the counterclockwise rotation of the impeller, it rotates to the side of the first shielding part to open the second air outlet. At the same time, the first shielding part covers the first air outlet, so that the air duct between the impeller and the drum can be connected through the second air outlet. The first shielding part and the second shielding part are arc-shaped, and the concave ends of the first shielding part and the second shielding part are close to the side of the impeller, so that the wind pressure generated when the impeller rotates can open the first shielding part and the second shielding part, or close the first shielding part and the second shielding part. When the first blocking part is opened, it forms a "human" shape with the second blocking part; when the second blocking part is opened, it forms a "human" shape with the first blocking part.

2. The drum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: A drive device is provided inside the housing, and the drive device is connected to the roller and the impeller.

3. The drum dryer according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving device is an electric motor, the impeller is connected to the electric motor, and a pulley is also connected to the electric motor. A transmission belt connects the roller and the pulley.

4. The drum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air duct is equipped with a heating device, which is located in the air duct near the air inlet end of the impeller to heat the air in the air duct.

5. The drum dryer according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer casing is equipped with a cooling device to cool the water vapor generated during the drying process, and a water storage tank is provided below the cooling device.

6. The drum dryer according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water storage tank is equipped with a sensor and a drainage pump electrically connected to the sensor, and the drainage pump is connected to a drainage pipe.

7. The drum dryer according to claim 6, characterized in that: The outlet of the drain pipe is located on the outside of the outer casing, or a water box is installed inside the outer casing, and the outlet of the drain pipe is connected to the water box.

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