Self cleaning sump cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035073-B2
Application number	US-201916600781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2017
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A fluid flow system for a laundry appliance includes a blower that delivers process air along an airflow path having a heat exchanger. A drain channel receives condensate from the heat exchanger and fluid spray from a spray nozzle for directing lint particles to the drain channel and on to a sump for collecting fluid, including the condensate. A pump seat and a fluid outlet are integrally formed in a sump cover. A pump directs the fluid from the sump to the fluid outlet. A fluid level sensor detects at least minimum and maximum capacities of the fluid in the sump. When the fluid is below the minimum capacity, the pump defines an idle state. When the fluid reaches the minimum capacity, the pump defines an active state. When the fluid exceeds the maximum capacity, the pump directs the fluid to the fluid outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid flow system for a laundry appliance, the fluid flow system comprising:
a blower that delivers process air along an airflow path during performance of a drying operation;
a heat exchanger for dehumidifying the process air and removing condensate therefrom;
a lint filter for capturing lint particles from the process air, wherein a fluid spray system removes the lint particles from the lint filter;
a sump that collects the condensate from the heat exchanger and the lint particles from the fluid spray system to define sump fluid within the sump; and
a sump cover having a pump that directs the sump fluid from the sump and to a fluid diverter valve, and a fluid level sensor that at least partially operates the pump; wherein
the pump and the fluid level sensor are directly attached to the sump cover;
the pump activates when a level of the sump fluid reaches a maximum capacity within the sump; and
the pump remains idle when the level of the sump fluid is below a minimum capacity.

2. The fluid flow system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid level sensor is deactivated and the pump is activated during a drain phase of the pump when the drying operation is complete.

3. The fluid flow system of claim 2 , wherein during the drain phase, the sump fluid is directed from the pump to a removable bottle, wherein the sump cover includes an integral overflow port that is in communication with the removable bottle, wherein when the sump fluid in the removable bottle exceeds a full capacity, the sump fluid is directed into the sump via the integral overflow port.

4. The fluid flow system of claim 3 , wherein the fluid level sensor is coupled to a control that operates the pump, wherein the pump selectively operates according to an override that is independent of the fluid level sensor; wherein:
the override activates the pump when the level of the sump fluid is below the minimum capacity at completion of the drying operation; and
the pump is deactivated when the sump fluid in the sump reaches the maximum capacity and the sump fluid in the removable bottle reaches the full capacity.

5. The fluid flow system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid diverter valve is selectively operable to direct the sump fluid to a spray nozzle during a spray sequence, wherein the spray sequence operates to recirculate the sump fluid, sequentially, through the sump, the pump, the fluid diverter valve, the spray nozzle and returning to the sump.

6. The fluid flow system of claim 5 , wherein the spray sequence is performed after the level of the sump fluid in the sump reaches the minimum capacity.

7. The fluid flow system of claim 6 , wherein the minimum capacity of the sump fluid in the sump defines an amount of sump fluid that defines a continuous supply of the sump fluid through the pump during performance of the spray sequence.

8. The fluid flow system of claim 1 , wherein the sump includes a cup portion that defines a fluid inlet and an impeller chamber, wherein the fluid inlet and the impeller chamber are in communication with a fluid outlet, wherein an impeller of the pump rotates within the impeller chamber.

9. The fluid flow system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid level sensor includes a multi-part sensor that includes a lower sensor and an upper sensor, wherein:
the lower sensor detects when the sump fluid in the sump reaches the minimum capacity; and
the upper sensor detects when the sump fluid in the fluid level sensor reaches the maximum capacity.

10. A fluid flow system for a laundry appliance, the fluid flow system comprising:
a sump that collects fluid from a drain channel, wherein the fluid at least partially includes condensate from a heat exchanger;
a pump that directs the fluid from the sump and to one of a fluid outlet and a removable bottle via a fluid diverter valve;
a sump cover that includes a pump seat that receives the pump and the fluid outlet that is integrally formed in the sump cover; and
a fluid level sensor that detects at least a minimum capacity and a maximum capacity of the fluid in the sump, wherein:
the fluid level sensor is disclosed within the sump cover;
typical operation of the pump is defined by an idle state when the fluid is below the minimum capacity and an active state when the fluid reaches the maximum capacity; and
an override operation of the pump is defined by a suspended operation of the fluid level sensor when a level of the fluid is below the minimum capacity at completion of a drying cycle, and when the fluid in the sump reaches the maximum capacity and the fluid in the removable bottle reaches a full capacity.

11. The fluid flow system of claim 10 , wherein the fluid level sensor includes a multi-component sensor that includes a lower sensor and an upper sensor, wherein:
the lower sensor detects when the fluid in the sump reaches the minimum capacity; and
the upper sensor detects when the fluid in the fluid level sensor reaches the maximum capacity.

12. The fluid flow system of claim 10 , wherein the pump is selectively operated to deliver fluid from the sump to a spray nozzle, via the fluid diverter valve, during performance of a spray sequence, wherein the fluid from the spray nozzle is directed into the drain channel and is recirculated back to the sump to define recirculated sump fluid, wherein the pump directs the recirculated sump fluid to the spray nozzle via the fluid diverter valve until completion of the spray sequence.

13. The fluid flow system of claim 12 , wherein the recirculated sump fluid includes the condensate from the heat exchanger and lint particles from an upstream surface of a lint filter.

14. The fluid flow system of claim 10 , wherein the sump cover includes an integral overflow port that is in communication with the removable bottle, wherein excess fluid from the removable bottle is directed into the sump via the integral overflow port.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Bocchino Gianluca
• Masters Roy E
• Rajendran Arun

Classifications

• B01D5/0015

  Plates · CPC title

• D06F58/22 Primary

  Lint collecting arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/30

  Drying processes  (controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32) · CPC title

• D06F34/14 Primary

  Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters · CPC title

• D06F2105/36

  Condensing arrangements, e.g. control of water injection therefor · CPC title