Filter assembly for a dryer appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018030645-A1
Application number	US-201615224716-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2016
Publication date	Feb 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A filter assembly for a dryer appliance is provided. The filter assembly includes a filter medium rotatably mounted within a filter cassette that is removably received within a filter slot of the dryer appliance. The filter medium has a first portion and a second portion that are selectively exposed to a stream of exhaust air from the dryer appliance to extract lint. While one portion is filtering lint, a lint removal system removes the lint from the other portion collected during the prior cycle. After each cycle, a motor is configured for rotating the filter medium to expose the clean portion of the filter. The filter cassette is removably received within the filter slot using a magnetic latching mechanism, a securing cover, or another suitable mechanism. A scrubber mechanism may also be used to remove stubborn lint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A dryer appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a vent and a filter opening; a drum rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the drum defining a chamber for receipt of articles for drying; an exhaust conduit extending between the chamber of the drum and the vent of the cabinet; a filter slot extending from the filter opening into the exhaust conduit; and a filter assembly comprising:
a filter cassette being removably received within the filter slot;
a filter medium being rotatably mounted within the filter cassette, the filter medium having a first portion and a second portion; and
a motor operably coupled to the filter medium to rotate the filter medium between a first position and a second position, the first portion of the filter medium being disposed within the exhaust conduit when the filter medium is in the first position, and the second portion of the filter medium being disposed within the exhaust conduit when the filter medium is in the second position.

2 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter cassette comprises a circular frame, the filter medium being disposed within the circular frame, and the first and second portions of the filter medium having a semicircular shape.

3 . The dryer appliance of claim 2 , wherein the circular frame comprises a plurality of teeth disposed about a circumference of the circular frame, the motor having a gear meshed with the plurality of teeth of the circular frame to couple the motor to the filter medium.

4 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a plurality of guide pins positioned along sides of the filter slot, the guide pins configured to align the filter cassette within the filter slot.

5 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a magnet positioned within the filter slot, the magnet configured to secure the filter cassette in a fully engaged position.

6 . The dryer appliance of claim 5 , wherein the magnet is an electromagnet that is energized to secure the filter cassette in the filter slot and is de-energized to allow the filter cassette to be removed from the filter slot.

7 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a scrubber mechanism for removing lint from the filter medium, the scrubber mechanism operable to engage the second portion of the filter medium when the filter medium is in the first position or to engage the first portion of the filter medium when the filter medium is in the second position.

8 . The dryer appliance of claim 7 , wherein the scrubber mechanism is a wire brush that is pivotally mounted to the filter assembly, the wire brush configured for pivoting between a disengaged position and an engaged position.

9 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter opening is positioned on a front of cabinet.

10 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a cover, the cover being removably attachable to the cabinet over the filter opening to secure the filter cassette within the filter slot.

11 . The dryer appliance of claim 10 , wherein a bottom surface of the cover defines a protruding structure, the protruding structure configured to push the filter cassette into engagement with the motor when installed.

12 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a handle positioned on a top side of the filter cassette, the handle being accessible to a user via the filter opening when the filter cassette is inserted into the filter slot.

13 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter medium comprises a metal screen.

14 . The dryer appliance of claim 1 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises:
a fan, the fan being operable to direct a flow of air across the second portion of the filter medium when the filter medium is in the first position or to direct the flow of air across the first portion of the filter medium when the filter medium is in the second position; and a lint collection bin disposed downstream of the filter medium relative to the flow of air from the fan, the lint collection bin being configured for collecting lint blown off the filter medium by the flow of air from the fan.

15 . A filter assembly for a dryer appliance, the filter assembly comprising:
a filter slot defined by the dryer appliance; a filter cassette being removably received within the filter slot; a filter medium being rotatably mounted within the filter cassette, the filter medium having a first portion and a second portion; and a motor operably coupled with the filter medium to rotate the filter medium between a first position and a second position, the first portion of the filter medium being disposed within an exhaust conduit when the filter medium is in the first position, and the second portion of the filter medium being disposed within the exhaust conduit when the filter medium is in the second position.

16 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter cassette comprises a circular frame including a plurality of teeth disposed about a circumference of the circular frame, the motor having a gear meshed with the plurality of teeth of the circular frame to couple the motor to the filter medium, and wherein the first and second portions of the filter medium have a semicircular shape and are disposed within the circular frame.

17 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a plurality of guide pins positioned along sides of the filter slot, the guide pins configured to align the filter cassette within the filter slot.

18 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises an electromagnet that is positioned within the filter slot, the electromagnet being energized to secure the filter cassette in the filter slot and being de-energized to allow the filter cassette to be removed from the filter slot.

19 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a scrubber mechanism for removing lint from the filter medium, the scrubber mechanism operable to engage the second portion of the filter medium when the filter medium is in the first position or to engage the first portion of the filter medium when the filter medium is in the second position.

20 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter assembly further comprises a cover, the cover being removably attachable to the cabinet over the filter opening to secure the filter cassette within the filter slot, the cover defining a bottom surface defining a protruding structure configured to push the filter cassette into engagement with the motor when installed.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Kulkarni Ashutosh

Classifications

• B01D46/681

  by scrapers, brushes or the like · CPC title

• B01D46/0006

  Filter elements or cartridges installed in a drawer-like manner · CPC title

• B01D46/0065

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• D06F58/02

  having dryer drums rotating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F58/28

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic