Laundry dryer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry dryers lack an efficient means for cleaning components such as heat exchangers and filters, relying on gravity-driven condensate flow which is inefficient and may not ensure thorough cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A laundry dryer with a removable condensate reservoir and a pump-driven supply line that maintains a siphon effect to deliver condensate to components for cleaning, allowing adjustable flow rates and ensuring effective rinsing of heat exchangers and filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gravity-driven condensate flow is used for cleaning components, then the system structure is simple, but the cleaning efficiency is insufficient and flow rate is not adjustable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the gravity-driven mechanical system with a pump-driven system. The pump actively conveys condensate through supply lines to cleaning components, enabling controlled and adjustable flow rates. This substitution of passive gravity flow with active pump-driven flow resolves the contradiction by significantly improving cleaning efficiency and adjustability while accepting increased system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic principles by employing a pump to move condensate liquid through controlled pathways. The pump creates pressurized liquid flow that can be directed to specific components needing cleaning, enabling adjustable flow rates and improved cleaning effectiveness. This hydraulic approach resolves the contradiction between simple structure and effective cleaning by using fluid mechanics to achieve controllable flow.
2Ease of operation
If the condensate reservoir is removable for easy emptying, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of unintentional draining increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the condensate reservoir as a separate, removable component from the main dryer structure. This allows users to easily remove and empty the reservoir without disassembling the entire appliance. The extraction principle resolves the contradiction by improving ease of operation while the reservoir design incorporates features to prevent unintentional draining during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a coupling arrangement as an intermediary mechanism between the removable reservoir and the dryer body. This coupling arrangement includes features that automatically open the closing element when the reservoir is properly inserted, preventing unintentional draining while maintaining ease of removal for emptying. The intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing automatic protection during operation while allowing user access when needed.
3Reliability
If a closing element is used to prevent unintentional draining, then reliability is improved, but the outlet may remain closed during cleaning operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic closing element that automatically changes state based on reservoir position. When the reservoir is removed, the closing element remains closed to prevent draining. When the reservoir is inserted into the dryer, the coupling arrangement automatically opens the closing element to enable cleaning operations. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by providing reliability when needed and accessibility when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing element is designed to automatically respond to the reservoir's insertion or removal without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates the outlet state based on operational context, opening automatically when the reservoir is in place for cleaning and remaining closed when removed for emptying. This self-service mechanism resolves the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
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
The pump-driven system enables efficient cleaning of components by maintaining a stable flow rate, preventing unintentional draining of the condensate reservoir and ensuring thorough rinsing, thus improving the cleaning efficacy compared to gravity-driven systems.
Implementation Method 1
A siphon structure is adapted to prevent unintentional draining of the condensate reservoir
Implementation Method 2
A pump is adapted to convey condensed water from the supply line inlet to the supply line outlet
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger for dehumidifying the process air after passing the laundry storing compartment
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a
AI summary
The invention relates to a laundry dryer (2) comprising: a casing (3), a laundry storing compartment (18) arranged within the casing (3) for receiving laundry (19) to be dried by passing process air through the laundry storing compartment, a heat exchanger (10) for dehumidifying the process air after passing the laundry storing compartment (18), a removable condensate reservoir (28) for storing condensed water formed at the heat exchanger (10), the reservoir (28) having a reservoir outlet for draining condensate liquid stored therein and a closing element for closing the reservoir outlet when the condensate reservoir is extracted from a reservoir compartment (30); the reservoir compartment (30) is associated to the casing (3) for receiving and housing the removable condensate reservoir (28), wherein the removable condensate reservoir (28) can be extracted from and inserted into the reservoir compartment (30); a supply line (32) for cleaning a component of the dryer and including a supply line inlet fluidly connected to the reservoir outlet (29) when the removable condensate reservoir (28) is inserted in the reservoir compartment (30), a supply line outlet for delivering condensed water to the component to be cleaned, a pump (44) for conveying condensed water from the supply line inlet to the supply line outlet; a coupling arrangement associated to the reservoir outlet (29) and/or the supply line inlet and adapted to actuate the closing element; wherein the coupling arrangement is adapted to maintain the closing element in an open state when the condensate reservoir (28) is inserted into the reservoir compartment (30), such that condensate liquid can freely flow from the reservoir outlet to the supply line (32); and wherein the a portion of the supply line (32) is located above a maximum condensate liquid level of the condensate reservoir (28).