LAUNDRY DRYING AND / OR WASHING APPLIANCE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTONOMOUS FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE

Abstract

TITLE: LAUNDRY DRYING AND / OR WASHING APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTONOMOUS FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE Laundry drying and / or washing apparatus (10), comprising: - an external casing (12) comprising a laundry loading mouth (14), - a drum (16) located in said casing (12) and rotatable about an axis (A), this drum (16) comprising an internal cavity (18) connected to the loading mouth (14) and configured to receive laundry, - a door (22) for closing the loading mouth (14), and - at least one autonomous fire extinguishing device (30), this device (30) comprising at least one element made of fusible thermoplastic material and an internal space (34) containing an extinguishing fluid intended to be released by melting the element under the effect of the heat provided by a fire or the start of a fire, characterized in that the device extinguishing (30) is located at least partly in said cavity (18). Figure for abstract: Figure 8

Description

Description Title of the invention: Laundry drying and / or washing apparatus equipped with a self-contained unit FIRE EXTINGUISHING Technical field of the invention

[0001] = The present invention relates to a clothes drying and / or washing apparatus equipped with a self-contained fire extinguishing or fire suppression device. Technical background

[0002] — Patent application FR-A1-2 614 209 describes a fire-fighting device for electrical appliances containing flammable components, and in particular for a washing machine or tumble dryer.

[0003] = A clothes dryer and / or washing machine is a household appliance that includes a rotating drum into which laundry is placed for washing with Water and a cleaning agent, or a damp cloth to dry by agitating. The drum is generally driven in rotation by a belt itself driven by an electric motor. A washing machine can have a dryer function. In both In this case, the drum of the appliance can be traversed by a flow of hot air so as to to facilitate the drying of laundry during the washing process. The heating and ventilation system regeneration of the (hot air flow from the device may include a gas burner or a re- electrical resistance, for example.

[0004] — This household appliance is the cause of numerous domestic fires. The Heating and the tumbling of the laundry in the drum generate dust in- flammable substances that accumulate inside the device and are likely to ignite, especially when they settle on very hot parts of The device, such as the engine or heating system. A fire starting caused by the ignition of dust can cause a higher fcu in the device, in particular by ignition of the drum drive belt.

[0005] The patent application mentioned above proposes installing a reservoir in the form of a pressurized bomb in a washing machine, this reservoir being connected to pipes normally closed connections that are susceptible to rupture at a temperature threshold determined. These pipes extend to the parts of the device that are prone to overheating or catching fire, such as electrical devices, Resistors, the motor, flammable components, etc. The fire-retardant substance the water contained in the tank is at least slightly under pressure and the pipes of distributions are carried out in a material designed to melt to ensure rupture or the opening of these pipes when they are licked by flames or when the temperature of their environment exceeds a predetermined threshold. In this way, as soon as overheating or flammability conditions that could lead to a fire inside the device occur, the pipes break and automatically distribute the fire-fighting substance to immediately extinguish the development of a possible fire. The solution described in this patent application is not entirely satisfactory, however, because the fire extinguishing system formed by the reservoir and the pipes is complex and time-consuming to install in a household appliance. The applicant's French patent application FR-A1-3 110 608 describes a clothes drying and / or washing appliance incorporating a self-contained fire extinguishing device. This device is mounted within the casing and comprises a pre-formed, fusible thermoplastic tube containing an extinguishing fluid that is released by the tube melting under the heat generated by a fire or the start of a fire. The tube's specific shape allows it to be mounted within the casing and routed through areas presenting a significant risk of fire spread. However, when a fire starts in the drum, it can be difficult to contain or extinguish it with existing solutions. Solvent residues in clothing can accelerate the spread of fire within the drum cavity, making it difficult to extinguish. Therefore, there is a need for a solution that guarantees the extinguishment of a fire or incipient fire as soon as it appears inside the washing machine drum. The present invention provides a solution to this need, which is simple, effective and economical. Summary of the invention The invention proposes a laundry drying and / or washing apparatus, comprising: - an outer casing of general parallelepiped shape, this casing comprising walls, at least one of which includes a laundry loading opening - a drum located within said casing and rotating about an axis, this drum comprising an internal cavity connected to the loading opening and configured to receive laundry, - a door for closing the loading opening, this door being movable between closed and open positions of said cavity, and - at least one self-contained fire extinguishing device, this device comprising at least one element made of fusible thermoplastic material and an internal space containing an extinguishing fluid intended to be released by melting the element under the effect of heat from a fire or outbreak of fire, characterized in that the extinguishing device is located at least partly in said cavity. First of all, it is important to note that the fluid, possibly under pressure, is stored directly in the device and therefore there is no separate tank connected to this device. One of the advantages of the fire suppression system is that it can be specifically designed and shaped for integration into a washing and / or drying appliance. This allows it to have a very small footprint. Another advantage of the device is that it is at least partly located directly in the laundry drying cavity and is therefore ideally situated to extinguish a fire or a fire starting in that cavity. Furthermore, if necessary, the fire suppression system could be easily accessed by opening the door. This access would be useful, for example, during maintenance or monitoring of the system. The device according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, taken individually or in combination with each other: the extinguishing device is carried by the drum; said element of the extinguishing device is a tubular ring or a portion tubular ring, which extends around said axis; the drum includes an internal cylindrical surface and bosses of washing clothes that protrude from this internal cylindrical surface, at minus one of these bosses forming said element; the bosses form independent extinguishing devices; The bosses are part of the same extinguishing device and include internal spaces that are connected to each other to form a single storage volume of the extinguishing fluid; The device includes a number of bosses between 1 and 10, and preference between 2 and 6; the extinguishing device is carried by the door; said element of the extinguishing device is in the form of a ring tubular or a portion of a tubular ring, which extends around said axis; said element forms a sealing gasket around the loading opening or is located next to a sealing gasket around the loading opening; the extinguishing device is carried by the casing; the door has or includes a porthole; The extinguishing device comprises a first part which is located in said cavity and a second part which is located outside the cavity and in the envelope; -- the ring portion is closed at both ends; -- the device can be in the form of a single piece or several independent pieces or pieces connected to each other; -- the fire extinguishing device(s) is equipped with at least one sensor which is connected to a control unit; -- said control unit is accessible by a user via, for example, the control panel of this device or any other means of information exchange (e.g., Wifi, Bluetooth®, IR, etc.); -- said control unit is a control unit of the device; -- the sensor is a pressure, temperature or one or more other parameter(s) sensor; -- said component can be configured to put the device into standby mode when said sensor emits a particular signal; for example, said component is configured to put the device into standby mode when said pressure sensor emits a signal corresponding to a pressure of said fluid below a predetermined threshold; -- said organ is configured to emit a signal to a portable electronic device, such as a laptop or a mobile phone of the smartphone type for example; -- said organ is configured to emit a signal to a computer network (for example home automation) or a computer database, such as a network or database configured to manage a fleet of several devices for the purpose of their maintenance; -- said signal transmission is carried out wirelessly at a distance, for example by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, IR, etc.: -- the device is a single unit; -- the fluid is under pressure; -- the fluid is at a pressure greater than 1 bar and less than or equal to 30 bars, preferably between 1 and 20 bars and for example between 1 and 10 bars; -- the fluid is in a liquid or gaseous state at ambient temperature (for example between 15 and 25°C); -- the device includes a heating and hot air flow generation system located under the drum or on one side of the drum; -- the device includes a drive motor for rotating the drum around its axis; -- The drum includes micro-perforations for air and / or water passage. Brief description of the figures The invention will be better understood and other details, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [Fig.1] [Fig.1] is a schematic perspective view of a laundry drying and / or washing appliance. [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective view of another laundry drying and / or washing appliance. [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic perspective view of another laundry drying and / or washing appliance. [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic perspective view of a drum in a washing and / or drying appliance. [Fig. 5] [Fig. 5] is a schematic perspective view of another drum from a washing and / or drying appliance. [Fig. 6] [Fig. 6] is a partial schematic perspective view of a clothes drying and / or washing appliance, with the door open. [Fig.7] [Fig.7] is a very schematic view of a drum of a washing and / or drying appliance, this drum comprising a fire extinguishing device according to a first embodiment of the invention, [Fig.8] [Fig.8] is a partial schematic perspective view of a laundry drying and / or washing appliance, the drum of which includes a fire extinguishing device according to a second embodiment of the invention, [Fig.9] [Fig.9] is a partial schematic perspective view of a clothes drying and / or washing appliance, the door of which includes a fire extinguishing device according to a third embodiment of the invention, [Fig. 10] [Fig. 10] is a partial schematic perspective view of a laundry drying and / or washing appliance, the loading opening of which includes a fire extinguishing device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, and [Fig.11] [Fig.11] is a partial schematic perspective view of a clothes drying and / or washing apparatus, the casing of which carries an extinguishing device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of the invention Figure 1 schematically represents a washing and / or drying appliance 10, such as a tumble dryer, i.e., a household appliance designed to dry laundry by agitating it and subjecting it to a flow of hot air. The appliance 10 may be intended for private or professional use. The device 10 comprises an outer casing 12 of generally parallelepiped shape which has walls, for example a front wall 12a, a rear wall 12b, two opposing side walls 12c, an upper wall 12d and a lower wall 12e. One of these walls 12a-12e has a laundry loading opening 14 into the appliance 10. This opening 14 can be located on the front wall 12a as is the case in figures | and 2, or on the upper wall 12d as is the case in [Fig.3]. The device 10 further comprises a drum 16 located within the casing 12 and rotatable about an axis A. This axis A is generally oriented horizontally but could alternatively be inclined. In the case of a front-loading device 10 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, this axis A generally passes through the front wall 12a and rear wall 12b. In the case of a top-loading device 10 as illustrated in [Fig. 3], this axis A generally passes through the side walls 12c. The drum 16 includes an internal cavity 18 connected to the loading opening 14 and configured to receive laundry. The drum 16 defines a washing and / or drying volume that is suitable for its intended use (private or professional). The drum 16 is generally mainly made of sheet metal. It comprises a cylindrical wall 16a extending around the axis A and a circular wall 16b at one or both of its axial ends. The drum 16 of [Fig.4] is intended to equip a front-loading device (figures 1 and 2) and comprises a single circular wall 16b, at the rear of the cylindrical wall 16b. The front face of the drum 16 is therefore open and is located on the side of the loading mouth 14. The drum 16 of [Fig. 5] is intended to equip a top-loading device 10 ([Fig. 3]) and comprises two circular walls 16b located at the axial ends of the cylindrical wall 16a. Both faces of the drum 16 are therefore closed. These walls 16b, or faces of the drum, are intended to be located opposite the lateral walls 12c of the casing 12 and are therefore lateral walls or faces. The cylindrical wall 16a includes a hatch 20 that communicates with the loading opening 14. This hatch 20 must be located on the side of the upper wall 12d of the casing 12 to provide access to the cavity 18 through the loading opening 14. Drum 16 may include micro-perforations for the passage of air and / or water during drying or spinning of laundry, for example. The device 10 further includes a door 22 for closing the loading mouth 14, this door 22 being movable between closed and open positions of the cavity 18 ([Fig.6]). In the case of a front-loading device 10 (Figures 1, 2 and 6), the door 22 is movable around a vertical axis, this axis being located on one side of the door 22. In the case of a top-loading device 10 ([Fig.3]), the door 22 is movable around a horizontal axis, this axis being located at the rear of the door. Door 22 may include or be formed by a porthole (figures 1 and 6) or be solid (figures 2 and 3). As is very schematically represented in [Fig.1], a device 10 of this type further comprises: - a motor 24 for rotating the drum 16 around its axis A, which is located inside the casing 12; the motor 24 includes an output shaft which rotates the drum 16 via a belt, for example, - a heating system 26 for generating a flow of hot air in the cavity 18 of the drum 16; the heating system 26 can be of any type and is, for example, of the heating element type, gas burner type, etc. and - other elements 28 such as in particular an electronic control and command unit for the various electrical equipment of the device, a capacitor or a hot air exhaust duct laden with humidity, etc. According to the invention, the device 10 further comprises an autonomous fire extinguishing or fire starting device 30. This device 30 is advantageously located in the cavity 18 of the drum 16 and can be carried by the door 22, the drum 16 and / or the casing 12. Device 30 includes at least one element made of fusible thermoplastic material and comprising an internal space containing an extinguishing fluid intended to be released by melting of the element under the effect of heat supplied by a fire or start of fire. Figures 7 to 11 illustrate several embodiments of a device according to the invention. In the first embodiment illustrated in [Fig.7], the drum 16 is schematically represented by dashed lines. The cylindrical wall 16a of the drum 16 comprises an internal cylindrical surface 16al. As is known, the drum 16 includes bosses 32 or fluff-mixing paddles, which project from the surface 16al (see Figures 4 and 7). These bosses 32 are, for example, regularly distributed around the axis A. The number of these bosses 32 is between 1 and 10, and preferably between 2 and 6. In the first embodiment illustrated in [Fig.7], it is the drum 16 which carries the extinguishing device 30. More precisely, the bosses 32 of the drum 16 carry or form one or more extinguishing devices 30. In the first configuration, the bosses 32 form independent extinguishing devices 30. That is to say, each boss 32 forms one of the aforementioned elements and each includes an internal space 34 containing extinguishing fluid. The internal spaces 34 of the elements and bosses 32 are independent of each other. In the second configuration, the bosses 32 form a single extinguishing device 30. That is to say, the bosses 32 form elements that include internal spaces 34 containing extinguishing fluid. The internal spaces 34 of the elements and bosses 32 communicate with each other to form a single storage volume for the extinguishing fluid. To achieve this, the bosses 32 can be connected to each other by connecting members 36, ensuring both the mechanical connection of the bosses 32 to each other and the fluidic communication of the internal spaces 34 of the bosses 32. The bosses 32 and the connecting members 36 can form a single unit, that is to say, an assembly made of a single piece. In the second embodiment illustrated in [Fig.8], it is the drum 16 which carries the extinguishing device 30 which is in the form of a tubular ring or a portion of a tubular ring. The ring or portion of a ring extends around the axis A and is located on the rear wall 16b of the drum 16 and for example on its periphery, at the level of its junction with the cylindrical wall 16a. The ring or portion of a ring includes an internal space for storing the extinguishing fluid, which preferably extends over the entire length of the ring or portion of a ring. In the third embodiment illustrated in [Fig.9], it is the door 22 which carries the extinguishing device 30. The device 30 is preferably located on the face, here rear, of the door 22, which is located in the cavity 18 when the door 22 is closed. The device 30 may also be in the form of a ring, a portion of a ring, or a tubular loop, for example. This element includes an internal space for storing the extinguishing fluid, which preferably extends along the entire length of the ring or portion of a ring. The ring or portion of a ring may, for example, form a seal around the loading opening 14 or be located next to a seal around the loading opening 14. In the fourth embodiment illustrated in [Fig.10], the extinguishing device 30 is located at the loading mouth 14 of the device 10. The device 30 can be carried by the drum 16, by the casing 12, or both. In the fifth embodiment illustrated in [Fig.11], the extinguishing device 30 is located partly at the loading mouth 14 of the device 10 and partly outside the cavity 18 of the drum 16. In this case, the device 30 can be carried by the drum 16, by the casing 12, or both. The device 30 thus comprises a first part 30a which is located in the cavity 18, at the loading mouth 14, and a second part 30b which is located outside the cavity 18 and in the envelope 12. The first part 30a of the device 30 may be in the form of a ring, a portion of a ring or tubular loop, for example. This element includes an internal space for storing the extinguishing fluid, which preferably extends over the entire length of the ring or portion of a ring. The first part 30a can for example form a sealing gasket around the loading mouth 14 or be located next to a sealing gasket around the loading mouth 14. The second part 30b can extend into the envelope 12, as described in earlier application FR-A1-3 110 608, and be fixed by appropriate means to one of the walls, here lateral 12c, of the envelope 12. In the various embodiments described above, the device 30 is advantageously equipped with a valve 38 for filling its internal space with extinguishing fluid, as described in application FR-A1-3 088 215 (see [Fig. 7] k The device 30 can be equipped with a pressure sensor 40 which is configured to measure the pressure of the fluid 29 and which is connected to a control and command unit 42 of the device 10 (see figures 1 and 7). This component 42 is configured to disable the device 10 when the pressure sensor 40 emits a signal corresponding to a fluid pressure below a predetermined threshold. The component 42 can also be configured to send a signal to a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone, to alert the user or owner of the device in the event of a malfunction. Alternatively, device 30 could be equipped with a sensor to measure parameters other than pressure, such as temperature for example. The wall of the element or device 30 can be of the single-layer or multi-layer type. It can, for example, comprise two layers, respectively internal and external. The inner layer can be made of a material with low permeability to the extinguishing fluid 29, i.e., a permeability less than or equal to 1 cm°*.25pum / m°.atm.24h. It is for example made of fluorinated thermoplastic material or EVOH. The outer layer is made of a thermoplastic polyamide material, which generally has a higher permeability than the inner layer, and for example greater than or equal to 1 cm°.25um / m2.atm.24h. It is preferable for the low-permeability layer to be located inside the higher-permeability layer. Otherwise, there would be a risk of gas migrating through the higher-permeability inner layer and stagnating at the interface between the two layers, potentially leading to delamination. diapers. Furthermore, it is advantageous to manufacture the element or device in two layers rather than a single layer of low-permeability material, as this material is relatively expensive. To achieve sufficient strength, particularly under pressure, a single-layer element would need a significant thickness of low-permeability layer. In a two-layer or multi-layer element, this strength is ensured by the higher-permeability layer(s), and the low-permeability layer can be relatively thin, sufficient to provide the required impermeability. In another, unshown variant, the low-permeability layer could be placed between two layers. This configuration would improve the layer's mechanical strength during the element's forming stage (and thus prevent any risk of tearing of this layer), while ensuring optimal sealing of the element. Among the wall materials, at least one has a fusible property under the effect of heat generated by a fire or a fire starting, and in particular under the effect of a temperature greater than or equal to 70°C, or even 120°C. In the example described above, both layers have such a fusible property. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the ring or portion of a ring of the element has an external diameter of between 10 and 30 mm, and preferably between 10 and 20 mm. The wall has a thickness of between 1 and 3 mm, and preferably between 1 and 2 mm. The extinguishing fluid can be stored in the aforementioned space at a pressure greater than 1 bar and which can reach 10 bars, 20 bars, or even 30 bars. The extinguishing fluid preferably does not contain HFC gas of the type R236Fa because this gas has a very high GWP or GWP of the order of 9400. The extinguishing fluid preferably has a GWP (Global Warming Potential) or GWP (Global Warming Potential) of 5000 or less. The fluid may contain at least one HFC gas and / or CsF2O, and / or CO2. Among the usable HFC gases, R227ea and R125 are preferred because they have a GWP or GWP of approximately 3400-3500. DuPont®, for example, markets gases of this type under the names FE-25 and FM-200. CO is advantageous because it has a PRP or PRG of 1. Finally, CsF,:0 is also advantageous because it has a GWP or GWP of |. The company 3M, in particular, markets this type of gas under the name Novec® 1230 (FK-5-1-12).

Claims

Demands

1. Laundry drying and / or washing apparatus (10), comprising: - an outer envelope (12) of generally parallelepiped shape, this envelope (12) comprising walls (12a-12e) of which at least one includes a laundry loading opening (14), - a drum (16) located in said casing (12) and rotatably free to rotate around an axis (A), this drum (16) comprising an internal cavity (18) connected to the loading port (14) and configured to receive linen, - a door (22) for closing the loading opening (14), this door (22) being movable between closed and open positions of said cavity (18), and - at least one self-contained fire extinguishing device (30), this device (30) comprising at least one element made of thermo- material fusible plastic and an internal space (34) containing a fire extinguishing fluid intended to be released by melting of the element under the effect of heat caused by a fire or the start of a fire, characterized in that the extinguishing device (30) is located at least in part in said cavity (18).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the device extinction (30) is carried by the drum (16).

3. Apparatus (10) according to claim 2, wherein said element of the extinguishing device (30) is a tubular ring or a portion tubular ring, which extends around said axis (A).

4. Apparatus (10) according to claim 2, wherein the drum (16) includes an internal cylindrical surface (16al) and bosses (32) of washing clothes that protrude from this internal cylindrical surface (16al), at least one of these bosses (32) forming said element.

5. Apparatus (10) according to claim 4, wherein the bosses (32) form independent extinguishing devices (30).

6. Apparatus (10) according to claim 4, in the bosses (32) are part of the same extinguishing device (30) and include spaces internal (34) which are linked to each other to form a single storage volume of the extinguishing fluid.

7. Apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein it includes a number of bosses (32) between | and 10, and of Preference between 2 and 6.

8. Apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the device extinction (30) is carried by the gate (22).

9. Apparatus (10) according to claim 8, wherein said element of the The extinguishing device (30) is in the form of a ring tubular or a portion of a tubular ring, which extends around said axis (HAS).

10. Apparatus (10) according to claim 9, wherein said element forms a sealing gasket around the loading mouth (14) or is located next to a sealing gasket around the loading opening (14).

11. | Apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the device extinction (30) is carried by the envelope (12).

12. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the door (22) is or includes a porthole.

13. Apparatus (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the extinguishing device (30) includes a first part (30a) which is located in said cavity (18) and a second part (30b) which is located at outside the cavity (18) and in the envelope (12).