Clothes-treatment apparatus having drying function
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Solution Overview
Problem
In clothes treating apparatuses with a drying function, lint adheres to heat-exchangers, reducing heat exchange efficiency and increasing flow resistance, and is difficult to remove due to strong binding forces, especially when condensate water is reused.
Innovation Solution
A clothes treating apparatus with a lint filter and spray tube system that collects and removes lint from condensate water, featuring a mesh lint filter on the upstream side of the heat-exchanger and a spray tube for separating lint from the filter, with a design that includes hooks and a sloped mesh to facilitate easy lint collection and reduce vibration and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If condensate water is sprayed to remove lint from the heat-exchanger surface, then lint removal is facilitated, but lint in the condensate water dries on the heat-exchanger surface and increases binding force making removal more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts lint from condensate water using a lint filter before the water is sprayed onto the heat-exchanger. This prevents lint from being redeposited on the heat-exchanger surface during the drying process, thereby maintaining the effectiveness of lint removal while avoiding the problem of increased binding force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by filtering lint from condensate water before the water is used for spraying. The lint filter removes lint particles in advance, ensuring that the sprayed water does not contain lint that could dry and adhere to the heat-exchanger surface.
2Reliability
If lint is allowed to adhere to the heat-exchanger surface, then initial heat exchange efficiency is maintained, but heat exchange efficiency deteriorates and flow resistance increases over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where condensate water automatically flows through the lint filter and is then sprayed onto the heat-exchanger to remove accumulated lint. This continuous self-cleaning process maintains heat exchange efficiency without requiring external intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent discards lint from the system by filtering it out of condensate water and collecting it in a lint collection chamber. This prevents lint from accumulating on the heat-exchanger surface and degrading performance over time.
3Reliability
If a lint filter is added to collect lint from condensate water, then lint removal effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using the lint filter to perform multiple tasks: filtering lint from condensate water, collecting lint in a dedicated chamber, and enabling automatic cleaning of the heat-exchanger. This integrates several functions into a unified system rather than adding separate independent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nesting by placing the lint filter within the existing condensate water flow path of the dryer system. The filter is integrated into the natural flow of condensate water, utilizing the existing space and flow dynamics rather than requiring separate dedicated pathways.
4Force
If spray water pressure is increased to remove lint from heat-exchanger, then lint removal power is improved, but vibration and noise during drying process increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by removing lint from condensate water before spraying. This pre-filtration ensures that the spray water contains minimal lint particles, reducing the need for high-pressure spraying and thereby minimizing vibration and noise during the cleaning process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively suppresses the adverse effects of lint on heat-exchange efficiency and flow resistance, allowing for easy lint collection and removal, reducing noise and vibration during the drying process.
Implementation Method 1
a heat-exchanger heat-exchanged with air exhausted from the drum (120)
Implementation Method 2
high temperature air exhausted from a drum is heat-exchanged with an evaporator so as to be cooled and condensed to remove moisture
Implementation Method 3
when the lint in the air comes into contact with the cut surfaces of the fins, the lint and the cut surfaces of the fins will strongly coupled
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A clothes treating apparatus having a drying function includes: a cabinet; a drum provided within the cabinet; a heat-exchanger heat-exchanged with air exhausted from the drum; a lint filter disposed on an upstream side of the heat-exchanger with respect to flow of air exhausted from the drum to collect lint in the air; a spray tube spraying water to the lint filter to separate lint collected in the lint filter from the lint filter; and a lint collecting part at least partially provided below the lint filter or below the heat-exchanger to collect falling lint. Lint in condensate water may be collected, and thus, generation of a bad influence when condensate water is re-used may be suppressed. Also, contact between lint in drying air and the heat-exchanger may be restrained.