Secondary drying chamber for a clothes dryer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10494755-B2
Application number	US-201715624177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2017
Priority date	Jun 15, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A clothes dryer having a primary drying chamber with an air flow system having an inlet in the rear wall and an outlet on the front wall to define a primary air flow path through the primary drying chamber between the inlet and the outlet. A door movable between opened/closed positions to selectively open/close the primary drying chamber. A secondary drying chamber located adjacent the front wall to at least partially block access through the access opening without preventing rotation of the tub in the primary drying chamber. The secondary drying chamber also defining a secondary flow path through the drying basket to the front wall outlet. A scoop located within the primary drying chamber that deflects at least some of the air in the primary flow path to the secondary flow path.

First claim

We claim:

1. A clothes dryer comprising:
a primary drying chamber comprising a front wall with an access opening, a rear wall spaced from the front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the front and rear walls, with at least the peripheral wall rotating to define a rotatable primary drying chamber;
an air flow system comprising an inlet in the rear wall and an outlet on the front wall to define a primary air flow path through the primary drying chamber between the inlet and the outlet;
a door movable between opened/closed positions to selectively open/close the primary drying chamber;
a secondary drying chamber located adjacent the front wall to at least partially block access through the access opening without preventing rotation of the peripheral wall, and defining a secondary flow path through the secondary drying chamber to the outlet; and
a scoop located within the primary drying chamber so as to deflect at least some of the air in the primary flow path to the secondary flow path.

2. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the secondary drying chamber is removably secured to the front wall of the clothes dryer.

3. The clothes dryer of claim 2 wherein the secondary drying chamber is removably secured in the access opening of the front wall.

4. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the secondary drying chamber is removably secured to the door of the clothes dryer.

5. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the scoop is adjustable so as to control airflow between the primary and secondary flow paths.

6. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the scoop is part of the secondary drying chamber.

7. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the secondary drying chamber comprises a deflector, a scoop and a basket portion defining a peripheral wall extending between the deflector and the scoop.

8. The clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the scoop comprises an airflow resistant portion.

9. The clothes dryer of claim 8 wherein the scoop is pivotally mounted to the basket portion.

10. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the secondary drying chamber comprises an access opening.

11. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the secondary drying chamber is pivotal relative to the scoop.

12. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the scoop is pivotal between an extended position, when the door is in the closed position, and a folded position, when the door is in the opened position.

13. The clothes dryer of claim 1 wherein the secondary drying chamber is pivotally mounted to the door.

14. A clothes dryer comprising:
a primary drying chamber comprising a front wall with an access opening, a rear wall spaced from the front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the front and rear walls, with at least the peripheral wall rotating to define a rotatable primary drying chamber;
an air flow system comprising an inlet in the rear wall and an outlet on the front wall to define a primary air flow path through the primary drying chamber between the inlet and the outlet;
a door movable between opened/closed positions to selectively open/close the primary drying chamber;
a secondary drying chamber located adjacent the front wall to at least partially block access through the access opening without preventing rotation of the peripheral wall, and defining a secondary flow path through the secondary drying chamber to the outlet; and
a scoop located within the primary drying chamber so as to deflect at least some of the air in the primary flow path to the secondary flow path;
wherein the secondary drying chamber comprises a base and the secondary drying chamber is pivotal relative to the base.

15. The clothes dryer of claim 14 wherein the secondary drying chamber pivots out of the primary drying chamber.

16. The clothes dryer of claim 15 where the secondary drying chamber pivots to a generally horizontal position exteriorly of the primary drying chamber.

17. The clothes dryer of claim 16 where the secondary drying chamber pivots to a generally horizontal position interiorly of the primary drying chamber.

18. A clothes dryer comprising:
a primary drying chamber comprising a front wall with an access opening, a rear wall spaced from the front wall, and a peripheral wall extending between the front and rear walls, with at least the peripheral wall rotating to define a rotatable primary drying chamber;
an air flow system comprising an inlet in the rear wall and an outlet on the front wall to define a primary air flow path through the primary drying chamber between the inlet and the outlet;
a door movable between opened/closed positions to selectively open/close the primary drying chamber;
a secondary drying chamber located adjacent the front wall to at least partially block access through the access opening without preventing rotation of the peripheral wall, and defining a secondary flow path through the secondary drying chamber to the outlet; and
a scoop located within the primary drying chamber so as to deflect at least some of the air in the primary flow path to the secondary flow path;
wherein the secondary drying chamber comprises an inlet of the secondary drying chamber and an outlet of the secondary drying chamber, with the secondary flow path extending between the inlet of the secondary drying chamber and the outlet of the secondary drying chamber.

19. The clothes dryer of claim 18 wherein the secondary drying chamber outlet is adjacent the front wall outlet.

20. The clothes dryer of claim 19 wherein the secondary drying chamber comprises a screen defining at least one of the inlet of the secondary drying chamber and the outlet of the secondary drying chamber.

21. The clothes dryer of claim/wherein the outlet of the secondary drying chamber is located at a bottom opposite a deflector.

22. The clothes dryer of claim 21 wherein the outlet comprises an adjuster moveable between an open position to allow air flow through the outlet of the secondary drying chamber and a closed position to prevent airflow through the outlet of the secondary drying chamber.

23. The clothes dryer of claim 22 wherein the adjuster comprises louvers.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Heater Timothy E
• Mawhorr Nicholas E
• Pawloski Lisa M
• Schelling Anna C

Classifications

• D06F58/20 Primary

  General details of domestic laundry dryers  (D06F59/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D06F58/04

  Details  (controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00) · CPC title

• D06F58/02

  having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis · CPC title