Heat Pump Dryer Air Duct Seal Alignment for Leak Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat pump tumble dryers require the complete removal and reinsertion of the heat pump circuit unit for filter cleaning, leading to potential leaks due to incorrect seal positioning, which cannot be visually detected during installation.
Innovation Solution
A modular heating unit design with a trapezoidal indentation on the thermal unit and a horizontal seal on the air supply duct, allowing for easier and safer insertion without lifting, ensuring proper seal alignment and reducing frictional forces that could displace the seal, thus maintaining a reliable sealing effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the heat pump circuit unit is designed as a removable module for easy access, then the ease of operation for filter cleaning is improved, but the reliability of the sealing connection deteriorates due to potential incorrect seal positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The trapezoidal indentation is pre-formed on the heat pump circuit unit housing to guide and pre-position the seal correctly during insertion. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that the seal automatically aligns with the air supply duct opening before final engagement, preventing incorrect positioning while maintaining removable module design
Solution Approach 2:
The trapezoidal indentation acts as an intermediary guiding structure between the seal and the air supply duct opening. It provides a controlled path that ensures proper seal alignment and positioning during the insertion process, mediating between the removable module design and reliable sealing requirements
2Manufacturing precision
If the seal is positioned horizontally on the air supply duct, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as the heating unit must be separated and repositioned for filter cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into separable components: the heat pump circuit unit can be removed as a module while the trapezoidal indentation remains in the housing. This segmentation allows the seal to maintain its precise horizontal positioning on the air supply duct while enabling easy access to the filter through module removal and reinsertion
3Ease of operation
If the heat pump circuit unit is completely removed for filter cleaning, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of time increases due to removal and reinsertion operations
Solution Approach 1:
The trapezoidal indentation is pre-formed to guide the heat pump circuit unit into correct positioning during insertion. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures rapid, accurate reinstallation without requiring complex alignment procedures or additional adjustment steps, minimizing the time lost during maintenance operations
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
This design enhances the sealing effect by ensuring accurate positioning of the seal between the process air outlet and inlet, preventing leaks and improving energy efficiency by maintaining a closed air circuit.
Implementation Method 1
the moisture extracted from the laundry is condensed from the process air and discharged to the outside in liquid form
Implementation Method 2
a heating unit, preferably a heat pump unit, for generating heated process air for drying the laundry in the laundry drum
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a tumble dryer (1), preferably a heat pump tumble dryer (1), with a laundry drum (15) for receiving laundry to be dried and a heating unit (23), preferably a heat pump unit (23), for generating Heated process air for drying the laundry in the laundry drum (15), the laundry drum (15) being connected to a process air outlet (30) of the heating unit (23) by an air supply duct (17) in order to ) to supply dried process air to the laundry drum (15), at least one seal (39) being arranged between the process air outlet (30) and the air supply duct (17). The tumble dryer (1) is characterized in that the air supply duct (17) has a lower outer edge (18) which at the height (Z) in an indentation (38) of the top (25) of a housing (24) of the heating unit (23) can engage, wherein the seal (39) can be arranged on the lower outer edge (18) or on the indentation (38).