Drying machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201985-A1
Application number	US-201614994261-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drying machine may include a condensation duct for accommodating a condenser, a first drying duct connected to a rear end of the condensation duct and to a drying fan housing accommodating a drying fan, and a second drying duct connected to the drying fan housing and to a drum. The drying machine may also include a first drying duct drain outlet formed in the lower portion of the first drying duct, and an outer rib, which is provided at the side edge of the first drying duct drain outlet that is close to the drying fan housing and that extends upward, so as to prevent condensed water, introduced through the condensation duct, from flowing over the first drying duct drain outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A drying machine comprising:
a condensation duct to accommodate a condenser; a first drying duct to couple to an end of the condensation duct and to couple to a drying fan housing, the drying fan to accommodate a drying fan; a second drying duct to couple to the drying fan housing and to a drum; a first drying duct drain outlet at a lower portion of the first drying duct; and an outer rib, at a side of the first drying duct drain outlet that is closer to the drying fan housing, the outer rib to extend upward, the outer rib to prevent at least a portion of condensed water from flowing over the first drying duct drain outlet.

2 . The drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first drying duct laterally extends from the condensation duct to the drying fan housing.

3 . The drying machine according to claim 2 , wherein the drying fan housing is spaced apart from the condensation duct by the first drying duct.

4 . The drying machine according to claim 3 , wherein the first drying duct drain outlet extends an entire anteroposterior inner length of the first drying duct.

5 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein a transverse width of the first drying duct drain outlet increases from a rear end of the first drying duct drain outlet toward a front end of the first drying duct drain outlet.

6 . The drying machine according to claim 4 , wherein the outer rib is perpendicular to an oblique line that connects centers of opposite ends of the first drying duct.

7 . The drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the outer rib is inclined toward the condensation duct.

8 . The drying machine according to claim 7 , wherein the outer rib is along an entire anteroposterior inner length of the first drying duct, excluding a rear portion of the first drying duct, such that the condensed water in the first drying duct, which has passed over the first drying duct drain outlet, is introduced into the first drying duct drain outlet.

9 . The drying machine according to claim 7 , wherein an angle between the outer rib and a bottom surface of the first drying duct is within a range of 25 to 35 degrees.

10 . The drying machine according to claim 7 , further comprising an inner rib, at a side of the first drying duct drain outlet that is closer to the condensation duct, and the inner rib to extend downwards, the inner rib to prevent at least a portion of condensed water from flowing back from the first drying duct drain outlet and towards the first drying duct.

11 . The drying machine according to claim 10 , wherein the inner rib is inclined downward toward the drying fan housing.

12 . The drying machine according to claim 1 , wherein the second drying duct includes a duct cover that defines a rear surface of the drying machine, wherein a first end of the duct cover to couple to the drying fan housing and a second end of the duct cover to couple to the drum.

13 . The drying machine according to claim 12 , further comprising a second drying duct drain outlet provided at a surface of the drying fan housing that is inclined upward toward the drum from a lower portion of the drying fan housing, and one end of the second drying duct drain outlet is positioned higher than the lower portion of the drying fan housing.

14 . The drying machine according to claim 13 , wherein the second drying duct drain outlet is formed by a discontinuous region between the surface of the drying fan housing and a surface of the second drying duct.

15 . The drying machine according to claim 14 , wherein the surface of the second drying duct extends further downward from the second drying duct drain outlet and is coupled to an outer surface of the drying fan housing to provide a second drying duct drain pocket.

16 . The drying machine according to claim 15 , wherein the second drying duct drain pocket is provided under the end of the second drying duct drain outlet and the surface of the drying fan housing to temporarily store condensed water that has flowed from the drying fan housing and the second drying duct and through the second drying duct outlet.

17 . The drying machine according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a sump to store condensed water; and a drain connecting channel that communicates at a first end thereof with the second drying duct drain outlet and at a second end thereof with the sump.

18 . The drying machine according to claim 17 , wherein the drain connecting channel is inclined downward such that a level of condensed water in the drain connecting channel is same as a level of condensed water in the sump.

19 . The drying machine according to claim 18 , wherein the second drying duct drain outlet is positioned higher than an allowable maximum level of condensed water in the sump.

20 . A drying machine comprising:
a condensation duct to accommodate a condenser; a first drying duct to couple to an end of the condensation duct and to a drying fan housing, the drying fan housing to accommodate a drying fan; a second drying duct to couple to the drying fan housing and to a drum; a sump to store condensed water; and a drying duct drain outlet provided at a surface of the drying fan housing that is inclined upward from a lower portion of the drying fan housing to the drum such that condensed water in the drying fan housing is to discharge to the sump due to a height difference between the condensed water in the drying fan housing and the condensed water in the sump.

21 . The drying machine according to claim 20 , wherein the drying duct drain outlet is formed by a discontinuous region between the surface of the drying fan housing and a surface of the second drying duct that is inclined downward from the drum toward the drying fan housing.

22 . The drying machine according to claim 20 , further comprising:
another drying duct drain outlet at a lower portion of the first drying duct; and a first drying duct drain pocket provided under the another drying duct drain outlet to store condensed water.

23 . The drying machine according to claim 22 , further comprising:
a second drying duct drain pocket provided under the drying duct drain outlet to store condensed water; and a drain connecting channel that is inclined downward toward the first drying duct drain pocket from the drying duct drain outlet to allow the second drying duct drain pocket to communicate with the first drying duct drain pocket.

24 . A drying machine comprising:
a condensation duct to accommodate a condenser; a first drying duct to couple to a rear end of the condensation duct and to a drying fan housing that accommodates a drying fan; a second drying duct to couple between the drying fan housing and a drum; a first drying duct drain outlet at a lower portion of the first drying duct; an outer rib, at a side of the first drying duct drain outlet closer to the drying fan housing, and the outer rib to extend upward to prevent a portion of condensed water from flowing over the first drying duct drain outlet; and a second drying duct drain outlet, at a surface of the drying fan housing that is inclined upward from a lower portion of the drying fan housing to the drum such that condensed water in the drying fan housing is to discharge into the sump due to a height difference between the condensed water in the drying fan housing and the condensed water in the sump.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lee Sangik
• Lee Youngjoo
• Kang Woohee

Classifications

• D06F58/24

  Condensing arrangements · CPC title

• F26B5/04 Primary

  by evaporation or sublimation of moisture under reduced pressure, e.g. in a vacuum {(F26B11/049 and F26B17/128 take precedence)} · CPC title

• D06F58/20 Primary

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

• D06F58/00

  Domestic laundry dryers · CPC title