Maintenance free dryer having multiple self-cleaning lint filters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laundry dryers require frequent maintenance to remove lint, which can lead to inefficiencies and increased operational costs due to clogged air paths and reduced heat transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A maintenance-free lint removal system featuring multiple self-cleaning lint filters positioned along the air path, with angled filters and a fluid spray system that directs captured lint to a common drain channel, utilizing a diverter valve and fluid pump to efficiently manage lint and condensate, minimizing manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional lint filters are used in laundry dryers, then lint can be captured from process air, but frequent manual maintenance is required to remove accumulated lint
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs automated fluid spray systems that periodically clean the lint filters without user intervention. Fluid is delivered through spray bars or nozzles that wash accumulated lint from the filter surfaces, directing it to drain channels. This self-cleaning mechanism eliminates the need for frequent manual maintenance while ensuring continuous operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes hydraulic systems involving fluid delivery mechanisms with spray bars, nozzles, and drain channels. Fluid flows through the system to automatically wash lint from filters, leveraging fluid dynamics to achieve continuous operation without manual intervention. The hydraulic approach enables automated maintenance functions that resolve the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
2Productivity
If multiple lint filters are positioned along the air path, then lint capture efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple lint filters into a single integrated assembly where filters are positioned in series along the air path. Rather than treating each filter as a separate maintenance unit, they are merged into one structure with common fluid delivery components and shared drain channels. This merging approach maintains high lint capture efficiency while reducing overall system complexity through consolidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid delivery system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cleans multiple different filters, removes lint from various positions, and directs all waste to a common drain. The spray bars and nozzles are designed to service multiple filter elements with a single fluid delivery mechanism, achieving multi-functionality that improves productivity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If fluid spray systems are used to clean lint filters, then manual maintenance is reduced, but additional components and fluid management systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid spray system is designed to automatically clean filters without requiring external intervention or complex control mechanisms. The system serves itself by using the drying process's own resources (available fluid supply and existing drain infrastructure) to maintain its own components. This self-service capability reduces manual maintenance while keeping the added complexity minimal and functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid delivery and drain systems are merged with existing dryer infrastructure wherever possible. Spray bars are integrated into the filter assembly structure, and drain channels are combined with the dryer's existing water management system. This merging approach minimizes the additional complexity introduced by the spray system while achieving reduced manual maintenance requirements.
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 system effectively captures and removes lint without manual maintenance, ensuring continuous operation and reducing the need for frequent cleaning, thereby enhancing the dryer's efficiency and extending maintenance intervals.
Implementation Method 1
A heat exchanger is positioned within the air path that cools and dehumidifies the process air
Implementation Method 2
A filter spray system has a plurality of fluid sprayers that deliver fluid to the first lint filter and the second lint filter, respectively
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry appliance includes a rotating drum and a door providing access to the rotating drum. A blower directs process air through an air path that includes the drum. A heat exchanger within the air path dehumidifies the process air. A first lint filter within the air path is forward of the drum and below the door. A second lint filter within the air path is downstream of the first lint filter and forward of the heat exchanger. The first and second lint filters capture lint from the process air upstream of the heat exchanger. The first lint filter is angled with respect to the second lint filter. A filter spray system has a plurality of fluid sprayers that deliver fluid to the first and second lint filters, respectively. Each fluid sprayer directs captured lint from the first and second lint filters to a common drain channel.