Vibrating Fluff Filter for Low-Loss Laundry Drying Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laundry drying machines face issues with fluff filter clogging, leading to increased energy consumption, reduced efficiency, and the need for frequent manual maintenance, which is inconvenient and can result in safety hazards due to the buildup of fluff on heat-exchange surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A laundry drying machine equipped with a fluff filter that can be selectively positioned and vibrated using an exciter and exciter-responsive element, allowing for automatic cleaning and easy manual removal and replacement, eliminating the need for complex mechanical cleaning and reducing maintenance burdens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filtering means are used to remove fluff from drying air, then fluff buildup on heat-exchange surfaces is prevented, but the filter becomes clogged leading to increased pressure losses and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration to the filter element through a vibrating device that generates oscillations at specific frequencies. This vibration prevents fluff from adhering to the filter surface and facilitates automatic removal of accumulated fluff, thereby maintaining filter permeability and reducing pressure losses without increasing power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The vibrating device operates periodically during the drying cycle, creating oscillating flow conditions that prevent fluff accumulation. The periodic vibration alternates between cleaning and filtration phases, ensuring continuous operation without constant energy input while maintaining effective fluff removal
2Reliability
If filtering means are used to remove fluff from drying air, then fluff buildup on heat-exchange surfaces is prevented, but the filter becomes clogged leading to increased pressure losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration to the filter element through a vibrating device that generates oscillations at specific frequencies. This vibration prevents fluff from adhering to the filter surface and facilitates automatic removal of accumulated fluff, thereby maintaining filter permeability and reducing pressure losses without increasing power consumption
3Extent of automation
If mechanical cleaning devices are used to clean the filter, then automatic cleaning is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vibrating device that generates mechanical oscillations to automatically clean the filter. This vibration-based approach eliminates the need for complex mechanical brushing or scraping mechanisms, achieving automatic cleaning through simple vibrational motion that dislodges and removes fluff from the filter surface
Solution Approach 2:
The vibrating device enables the filter to clean itself through induced vibrations that cause fluff to detach and fall away. The system uses the filter's own structure and the vibrational energy to perform self-cleaning, eliminating the need for external complex cleaning mechanisms
4Ease of operation
If filter maintenance is performed manually, then cleaning can be done, but user safety is compromised due to contact with fluff and maintenance time is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The vibrating device automatically removes fluff from the filter during or after the drying cycle, eliminating the need for users to manually handle and clean the filter. This automatic vibration-based cleaning system prevents user exposure to potentially harmful fluff while saving maintenance time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-cleaning through the vibrating device that automatically removes accumulated fluff from the filter. This self-service capability eliminates the need for user intervention in filter maintenance, thereby eliminating safety hazards associated with manual handling of fluff
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 solution enables efficient automatic cleaning of the fluff filter, reducing energy consumption, maintaining efficiency, and simplifying maintenance by allowing quick and easy filter access and replacement, thereby preventing safety hazards associated with fluff buildup.
Implementation Method 1
vibrating means adapted to cause the filter to vibrate, so as to drop down the fluff from the filter; the vibrating means comprising an exciter, associated to the casing, and an exciter-responsive element, associated to the filter, the exciter and the exciter-responsive element being adapted to reciprocally cooperate in order to cause the filter to vibrate
Data Source
AI summary
A laundry drying machine (1) includes a casing (2) containing a rotatable drum (4) for holding the laundry (5) to dry, and a drying air circuit (6) for conveying a drying air flow towards the inside of the drum (6) and from it to the outside. At least one filter (12) is provided for intercepting the fluff dragged out of the laundry (5) by the drying air flow. Vibrating means (19) are adapted to cause the filter (12) to vibrate, so as to drop down the fluff from the filter (12). The filter (12) is selectively positionable between an operational position in which the filter (12) is arranged in a seat (11) intercepting the drying air circuit (6), and an extracted position in which the filter (12) is removed from the seat (11), outside the drying air circuit (6). The vibrating means includes an exciter, associated to the casing (2), and an exciter-responsive element, associated to the filter (12). The exciter and the exciter-responsive element are adapted to reciprocally cooperate in order to cause the filter (12) to vibrate when the filter (12) is in the operational position. The exciter and the exciter-responsive element are configured to allow the filter (12) to be extracted from and inserted in the seat (11).