Drying machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201252-A1
Application number	US-201614989183-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drying machine is provided that may include a drum configured to receive items to be dried, an air circulating device that circulates air through the drum, a motor that drives a drying fan for air circulation, a condenser that condenses moisture in circulating air introduced from the drum, a heater that heats the circulating air introduced from the condenser, and a base, which is provided under the drum to support the drum and which may form a lower portion of the drying machine. The air circulating device may include a condensation duct, which may change in structure in order to accommodate different types of condensers based on how the respective condensers perform heat exchange. The base may include a condensation duct mount having a consistent shape and size to accommodate the condensation duct regardless of a shape of the condensation duct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A drying machine, comprising:
a drum configured to receive items to be dried; an air circulating device that circulates air through the drum; a motor that drives a drying fan for air circulation; a condenser that condenses moisture in circulating air from the drum; a heater that heats the circulating air from the condenser; and a base provided under the drum that supports the drum and that forms a lower portion of the drying machine, wherein the air circulating device includes a condensation duct configured to change in structure in order to accommodate different types of condensers based on how the respective condensers perform heat exchange, and wherein the base includes a condensation duct mount having a consistent shape and size to accommodate the condensation duct regardless of a shape of the condensation duct.

2 . The drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the air circulating device includes a lint duct integrally formed at a front portion of the base and in front of the condensation duct mount.

3 . The drying machine according to claim 2 , wherein the air circulating device includes a drying duct that supplies air to the drum, extends from a rear end of the condensation duct mount, and is integrally formed with the base.

4 . The drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the condensation duct is mounted on the condensation duct mount at lateral side walls and a lower wall of the condensation duct.

5 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the condensation duct is provided separately from and independently of the base and is mounted on the condensation duct mount, and wherein the condensation duct mount is integrally formed with the base.

6 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the lateral side walls of the condensation duct extend substantially perpendicular to a direction of circulating air flow in the condensation duct.

7 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the condensation duct mount includes:
a lower mount, on which the lower wall of the condensation duct is mounted; and side mounts, on which lateral side walls of the condensation duct are respectively mounted.

8 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the condensation duct mount includes:
an upper opening that allows the condensation duct to be mounted on the condensation duct mount from above; a front opening that allows circulating air to be introduced therethrough; a rear opening that allows circulating air to be discharged therethrough; and side openings that connect to the upper opening to form the side mounts.

9 . The drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein, when the condensation duct is mounted on the side mounts, the side openings are closed by the lateral side walls of the condensation duct.

10 . The drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein, when the condensation duct is mounted on the side mounts, a cooling channel is defined through the side openings in the condensation duct mount.

11 . The drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of each of the side mounts or each of the side openings is an inverted trapezoidal shape having a smaller width at a lower end thereof.

12 . The drying machine according to claim 8 , wherein one of the side wall or the side mount is provided with a mounting slot, and the other of the side wall or the side mount is provided with a mounting rib which is fitted into the mounting slot.

13 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the base includes a selective mount integrally formed with the base, on which a compressor or a cooling fan mount is selectively mounted depending on a shape of the condenser, and positioned beside the condensation duct mount in a direction toward a center of the base.

14 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the condenser is one of a refrigerant heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the circulating air through a refrigerating cycle or an air heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the circulating air and external air.

15 . The drying machine according to claim 14 , wherein the condensation duct is constructed such that the lateral side walls extending parallel to a direction of the circulating air flow are closed upon accommodation of the refrigerant heat exchanger and are opened so as to communicate with a cooling channel, through which external air flows in and out, upon accommodation of the air heat exchanger.

16 . The drying machine according to claim 15 , wherein the condensation duct mount includes side openings, which are closed by the lateral side walls of the condensation duct when the condensation duct that accommodates the refrigerant heat exchanger is mounted on the condensation duct mount and are opened so as to communicate with the cooling channel when the condensation duct that accommodates the air heat exchanger is mounted on the condensation duct mount.

17 . A drying machine that dries items in a drum by circulating air through the drum, comprising:
a condenser, which condenses moisture in circulating air introduced from the drum and which includes one of a refrigerant heat exchanger using a refrigerating cycle or an air heat exchanger using external air; a heater that heats the circulating air introduced from the condenser; a base, which is provided under the drum to support the drum and forms a lower portion of the drying machine; and a condensation duct having an external shape which is changed depending on a shape of the condenser accommodated therein, wherein the base includes a condensation duct mount, which is integrally formed with the base and on which the condensation duct is mounted regardless of an external shape of the condensation duct.

18 . The drying machine according to claim 17 , wherein the condensation duct mount has a same shape and size regardless of shapes of the condenser and condensation duct such that the base is used in common in drying machines having the same external dimensions.

19 . The drying machine according to claim 18 , wherein the condensation duct mount includes side mounts, on which lateral side walls of the condensation duct are mounted, and wherein the side mounts include side openings, which are closed by the lateral side walls of the condensation duct that accommodates the condenser formed by the refrigerant heat exchanger and which are opened through the lateral side walls of the condensation duct that accommodate the condenser formed by the air heat exchanger so as to communicate with external air.

20 . The drying machine according to claim 19 , wherein one selected from among the side wall of the condensation duct or the side mount is provided with a mounting slot, and the other of the side wall or the side mount is provided with a mounting rib, which is fitted into the mounting slot.

21 . A base of a drying machine, comprising:
a main body having a first opening provided at a first end thereof, and a second opening provided at a second end therof; a lint duct provided adjacent the first opening; a drying duct provided at the second opening; a motor mount provided adjacent to the drying duct; a drying fan mount provided adjacent to the motor mount on the base; a condensation duct mount provided between the lint duct and the drying duct, the condensation duct having a consistent shape and size to accommodate a condensation duct regardless of a shape of the condensation duct; and a selective mount, on which a c

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Sangik

Classifications

• D06F58/24 Primary

  Condensing arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/02

  having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F58/10

  Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means · CPC title

• D06F58/206 Primary

  Heat pump arrangements · CPC title

• D06F58/04

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