WO2006067819A1

WO2006067819A1 - Washing dryer device

Info

Publication number: WO2006067819A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000682
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio Filocamo; Alberto Casseri
Original assignee: Italtecno Consulting Srl
Priority date: 2004-12-22
Filing date: 2005-11-22
Publication date: 2006-06-29
Also published as: ITRM20040207U1

Abstract

A washing dryer cabinet comprising a preferably vertical hollow body provided with means able to allow the user to hang out clothes to be dried therein as well as means able to guarantee a forced ventilation in the interior of said body. Said forced ventilation produces an air flow that crosses the clothes hung out inside the hollow body because of openings and/or grids both for inlet and outlet air. According to the invention, in addition to the forced ventilation there is preferably provided heating means of the inside air positioned near the inlet openings of the outside air.

Description

Washing dryer device

The present invention relates to a device to speed up the process of drying linen and generally clothes which usually are hung out on wires outdoors or in ventilated drying rooms or still on drying racks of the known type .

A lot of household appliances performing the most different duties are presently available . Among the household appliances which are certainly present in dwelling houses refrigerator and washing machine can be mentioned.

Less frequent, instead, is a washing dryer machine . Among the several reasons that limit its spread, cost, high power consumption, size should be mentioned. Accordingly, clothes continue to be hung up outdoors for their drying even if such solution certainly is not ideal both from aesthetic and above all sanitary points of view . In fact air of our cities is polluted, includes many powders and particulate, often the wire or the drying racks are located on balconies with the danger that dirt, etc . can fall down accidentally from the upper floors , thus soiling the j ust washed clothes . As an alternative, clothes are hung up inside the dwelling houses , especially in case of rain or during winter, thus giving rise of course to a troublesome encumbrance .

The main obj ect of the present invention is to overcome these problems by providing a device for drying washing that takes little room and guarantees an extremely reduced power consumption .

This has been accomplished according to the invention by providing a preferably vertical washing dryer cabinet able to allow the user to hang up clothes within it and to provide a constant forced ventilation that guarantees a drying corresponding to that typically provided by a gentle -but constant- breeze .

A better understanding of the invention will result from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings that show only by way of a not limiting example some preferred embodiments . In the drawings :

Figure 1 is a three-dimensional view of a first embodiment of the invention in closed arrangement;

Figure 2 , similar to the preceding figure, shows the device in open arrangement where the interior can be seen;

Figures 3-5 are an elevation front view, a left hand side view, and a top plan view of the finding of fig . 1 , respectively;

Figure 6 shows a detail shown in fig . 4 ;

Figures 7-9 are an elevation front view, a left hand side view, and a top plan view of a second embodiment of the finding, respectively;

Figure 10 shows a detail shown in fig . 8 ;

Figures 11-13 are an elevation front view, a left hand side view, and a top plan view of a third embodiment of the finding, respectively;

Figures 14 and 15 show two different details shown in figure 12 , respectively;

Figure 16 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the finding;

Figures 17-18 are three-dimensional views of the second embodiment of the finding in closed and open arrangement, respectively;

Figures 19-20 , similar to figs . 17-18 , show a third embodiment of the finding;

Figures 21-24 show the modular components forming the upper and lower plates, the side walls, the bottom wall, and the doors , respectively;

Figures 25 and 26, similar to figs 2 and 16, show a fourth embodiment of the finding;

Figures 27-28 are three-dimensional top and bottom views showing the base of the device of figs 25-26, respectively;

Figures 29-30 are exploded three-dimensional top and bottom views showing the cover of the device of figs . 25-26, respectively;

Figure 31 is a cross section view of figures 29-30 ;

Figures 32-33 are exploded three-dimensional top and bottom views showing a variation of the cover of the device of figs . 25-26 , respectively;

Figure 34 is a cross section view of figures 32-33 ;

Figure 35 is a three-dimensional view showing a detail of a support for rods on which clothes are hung up;

Figures 36 and 37 show a variation of the fourth embodiment of figures 25 and 26, respectively; and

Figures 38 and 39 show a detail of figures 36-37 , respectively.

According to the invention, the device disclosed includes a cabinet for drying washing and other damp or wet materials with a shape preferably of a parallelepiped in which clothes to be dried are hung up as usual .

According to a peculiar feature of the present invention, such cabinet is provided with means able to guarantee a forced ventilation through the clothes hung up inside it, thus reducing advantageously the time for drying clothes even under unfavourable climatic conditions . According to a further innovatory feature of the invention, the cabinet consists of preferably metal parts pre-painted in factory and manufactured in a modular structure that guarantees an easy transportation and assembling even by unskilled workers .

In the embodiments disclosed in figures 1 to 24 the device is 84 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 180 cm high; in the embodiments shown in figures 25 to 35 the device has a size of 80 cm x 40 cm x 180 cm. To make the moving easy, it is preferably equipped with swivelling wheels provided with limit stop even if its good operation and efficiency sets aside such wheels . It should be appreciated that the modular structure of the finding allows the production cost to be reduced to a minimum and washing drier cabinets of different size to be manufactured.

One embodiment of the invention is the so-called "basic" embodiment provided with a forced ventilation inside the cabinet .

In this embodiment shown in figures 1 to 6 the following main structural components can be singled out : - a lower support base 1 ( 84 cm long, 30 cm wide, and 8 cm high) possibly provided with an inside basin 2 to collect condensate or water dripping from clothes hung out ;

- an upper plate or "cover" 3 having the same size as lower base 1 and provided with holes for venting air; - two modular members for the left 4A and right 4B walls (30 cm wide and 165 cm high) and at least two covers for the bottom wall 5 ( 39 , 5 cm wide and 165 cm high) ;

- two preferably like front doors 6 hinged at both vertical walls 4A-4B ( 42 cm wide and 175 cm high) to close the cabinet by an outside knob 7 of the known type .

At least three supporting brackets 8 are disposed inside the two side walls 4A-4B to support horizontal bars or rods 9 arranged so that washing can be hung to dry thereby.

Air circulation inside the cabinet is ensured by the presence of a plurality of slits 10 formed at the lower side of each two doors 6 and at least one opening arranged in the end member or upper plate 3 and inside which there is provided a fan 11 that causes a forced ventilation of air entering from lower slits 10 and coming out from such upper opening. This first embodiment is mainly suggested where climate is mild all year round and sky is prevalently sunny with an average temperature greater than or equal to 20⁰C .

Additionally, such embodiment can be used indoors and in dry, well aerated places where there is the pressing need of drying the washing . The operation of fan 11 is controlled by main switch 12 located preferably at the upper end cover . A second embodiment shown in figures 7 to 10 and 17-18 is different from the "basic" embodiment by that there is provided preferably electrical heating means in addition to forced ventilation.

In the embodiment disclosed such heating means consists of an electrical resistance 13 placed at the lower base 1 of the cabinet so as to heat cold inlet air and to reduce the drying time . In this case basin 2 is provided with holes to help heat transfer . This second embodiment is mainly suggested where climate is prevalently cold, rainy, snowy with average temperature lower than 2O ⁰C . Its main feature is the electrical resistance 13 able to guarantee the heating of air inside the cabinet even with a low power consumption so that air can cross washing from the bottom to the top of the cabinet because of the suction of the fan disclosed above .

In this second embodiment , upper cover 3 is further provided with at least a timer 4 placed near main switch 12 to allow the user to control the drying time as well as power consumption by timing the operation of electrical resistance 13 and/or fan 11.

A third embodiment of the invention shown in figures 11 to 15 and 19-20 is essentially similar to the preceding embodiment but different from the latter by that the air heating takes place by means of a heat exchanger instead of the already described electrical resistance 13.

Its main feature is that inside lower base 1 there is provided a thermal exchange battery supplied with hot water from any boiler operating with gas , wood or any other fuel and capable of heating air inside the cabinet with a low power consumption.

Also in this case, a timer 14 placed near main switch 12 allows the user to control the drying time as well as heat and power consumption by timing the switching on/off of a suitable solenoid valve 15 controlling hot water flow into the heat exchanger and by timing the switching on/off of fan 11 accordingly.

This embodiment is particularly suggested in those situations where there is a constant production of hot water or other warm operating liquid .

The invention so far disclosed can advantageously be used also by large users such as communities , hostels , hotels, guesthouses, and great restaurants where there is the pressing need to dry washing within short . In these cases the modular structure of the present invention allows washing dryer cabinets to be easily manufactured with suitable size for the most different needs even keeping the inventive concept at the base of the present invention unchanged. The prototypes are made by steel plate with a thickness of 0.8 mm which is pre-painted in factory on both faces with scratch-resistant epoxy paint of pearl grey colour . Advantageously, the invention can be easily used and moved on even surfaces by swivelling wheels 16 provided with stop .

Moreover, the invention can be provided with one or more "germicidal" fluorescent low-consumption lamps

(about 18 W) to sterilize washing hung out inside the cabinet as well as dry air, such lamps (not shown) being switched on/off together with fan 11. This solution is absolutely suggested in the presence of children and ill people requiring greater sanitary conditions of the washing as well . A fourth embodiment of the invention shown in figures 25 to 35 differentiates from the preceding embodiments by that air heating means 13 is also located in cover 3 together with all other electrical devices . It should be appreciated that in this case all electrical components and circuits are enclosed in the upper portion of the cabinet which is out of the children' s reach, thus increasing the safety against accident . A further advantage of such embodiment is that the need of electrical connections from cover 3 to base 1 is avoided.

It is evident from the foregoing that in the latter embodiment air flows from the top to the lower base . It should be appreciated that this different direction of the air flow as the air is heated guarantees an uniform distribution of hot air within the cabinet . It is known, in fact, that hot air is tending to flow upwards and such movement is in contrast with the downward movement of air to come out of lower base 1 because of the light overpressure of the internal air with respect to the external air produced by fan 11. Thus, in the embodiment shown in figures 25-35 air enters the cabinet through a first grid Gl arranged in the upper portion of cover 3 as well as a second grid G2 in the lower potion of the same, crosses the interior of the cabinet and flows through the clothes hung out inside the latter, and comes out of the cabinet through a third grid G3 in base 1. From structural point of view it is possible that , in addition to lower base 1 and cover 3, the cabinet consists of two modular members forming the side right 4B' and left 4A' walls ( for example : 40 cm x 170 cm each) , two modular members 5' like the preceding ones for the bottom walls , and two doors 6 with the same size hinged at both external sides .

In a preferred fourth embodiment grids Gl and G2 of cover 3 can be disassembled for survey and maintenance

(figs . 29-31) . A variation of such cover 3 consists in that first grid Gl can be disassembled, and second grid G2 is one piece with the body of the cover ( figs . 32-34 ) .

At last , a variation of the fourth embodiment is shown in figures 36-39. As can be seen, in this case cover 3 is provided with a main switch 12 and three timers 14 , one for fan 11 and two for heater 13 , respectively, which allows the power of the heater to be choked in time . Figure 39 shows in particular the electrical connections of switches and timers described above . The present invention has been described and illustrated according to some preferred embodiments thereof, however, it is self-evident that those skilled in the art can make technically and/or functionally equivalent modifications and/or replacements without departing from the scope of the present industrial invention.

Claims

1. A washing dryer device, characterized in that it has a preferably vertical hollow body provided with means ( 9) able to allow the user to hang out clothes to be dried therein, and means ( 11 ) able to guarantee a forced ventilation in the interior of said body, said forced ventilation producing an air flow that crosses the clothes hung out inside the hollow body because of openings and/or grids both for inlet and outlet air .

2. The device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said hollow body consists essentially of a parallelepiped cabinet including :

- a lower rectangular support base ( 1 ) ; - an upper rectangular end member or cover ( 3 ) having the same size as lower base ( 1 ) ;

- two rectangular modular members for left ( 4A, 4A' ) and right ( 4B, 4B' ) walls and at least two members for the bottom wall ( 5 , 5' ) , respectively; - two front rectangular doors ( β) hinged at both vertical sides ( 4A-4B, 4B' -4B' ) for closing/opening the cabinet by an outside knob (7 ) of the known type .

3. The device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that one or more supports ( 8 ) of horizontal bars or rods ( 9) arranged for hanging clothes to be dried thereon are provided inside the two side walls ( 4A-4B, 4B' -4B' ) .

4. The device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the circulation of forced air inside the cabinet is guaranteed by one or more slits ( 10 ) formed in the lower portion of each door ( 6) and at least one opening formed in the upper end member or cover ( 3 ) in which a fan ( 11) is installed to cause a forced circulation of air entering lower slits ( 10 ) and coining out of said upper opening .

5. The device according to claim 2 , characterized in that the circulation of forced air inside the cabinet is guaranteed by at least an outlet grid (G3 ) arranged in lower base ( 1) and at least an inlet grid (Gl) arranged in the upper end member or cover ( 3 ) , a fan ( 11) being installed in said inlet grid (Gl ) and causing a forced circulation of air entering the grid of cover ( 3 ) and coming out of the grid in lower base

(D •

6. The device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the operation of fan ( 11 ) is controlled by a main switch ( 12 ) disposed preferably in the upper end member or cover ( 3 ) .

7. The device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that in addition to forced ventilation a means is provided for heating inside air arranged near the inlet opening or grid crossed by outside air .

8. The device according to claims 4 and 7 , characterized in that said heating means is positioned in lower base ( 1) of the cabinet so that inlet air is heated and drying time is reduced.

9. The device according to claims 5 and 7 , characterized in that said heating means is positioned in cover ( 3 ) of the cabinet so that inlet air is heated and drying time is reduced.

10. The device according to claims 8 or 9, characterized in that said heating means consists of an electrical resistance ( 13 ) and that upper end member or cover ( 3 ) is further provided with at least a timer ( 14 ) to allow the user to control the drying time and the power consumption by timing the switching on/off of electrical resistance ( 13 ) and/or fan ( 11 ) .

11. The device according to claims 8 or 9, characterized in that said heating means consists of heat exchanger supplied with hot water from a boiler operating with gas, wood or any other fuel and capable of heating air inside the cabinet .

12. The device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the upper end member or cover (3 ) is further provided with at least a timer ( 14 ) allowing the user to control the drying time as well as heat and power consumption by timing the switching on/off of a suitable solenoid valve ( 15 ) controlling hot water flow into the heat exchanger and by timing the switching on/off of fan ( 11 ) accordingly.

13. The device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it is provided with one or more "germicidal" fluorescent low-consumption lamps to sterilize washing hung out inside the cabinet as well as dry air, said lamps being switched on/off together with fan (11) for forced ventilation.

14. The device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the cabinet consists of metal parts pre-painted in factory and manufactured in a modular structure that guarantees an easy transportation and assembling even by unskilled workers .

15. The device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that it is equipped with swivelling wheels ( 16) provided with limit stop .

16. The device according to claim 2 , characterized in that said lower base ( 1 ) is provided with an inside basin (2 ) to collect condensate or water dripping from clothes hung out .

17. The device according to claim 4 , characterized in that the direction of rotation of fan ( 11 ) is such that the flow of forced air is directed from the bottom to the top .

18. The device according to claim 5 , characterized in that the direction of rotation of fan ( 11 ) is such that the flow of forced air is directed from the top to the bottom.

19. The device according to claim 10 , characterized in that it includes in combination a main switch ( 12 ) and three timers ( 14 ) , one for fan ( 11 ) and two for heater ( 13) , respectively .

20. A washing dryer device as essentially disclosed and illustrated in the present description and the accompanying drawings .