Dryer air circulation adaptor and filter and filter bypass assembly

Abstract

An adaptor can convert a conventional hot air clothes dryer to draw air from outside instead of inside a building, and comprises an adaptor housing securable over the air intake region of the dryer in fluid communication with the air inlet of the dryer, with an adaptor housing inlet connectible to an air intake linkage. A filter and filter bypass assembly can be used in combination with the adaptor. The assembly comprises an outer enclosure and an inner enclosure inside the outer enclosure. An inner enclosure inlet and inner enclosure outlet define a first airflow path through the inner enclosure and an outer enclosure inlet and outer enclosure outlet define a second airflow path through the outer enclosure and bypassing the inner enclosure. The inner enclosure and the outer enclosure have a common aperture for insertion of a filter into the inner enclosure across the first airflow path.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hot-air clothes dryer and adaptor combination, comprising:
 a hot-air clothes dryer, comprising:
 a dryer air intake disposed at a dryer air intake region to define a dryer air inlet; 
 the dryer air inlet being in fluid communication along a heated path with a drying chamber; 
 a dryer air outlet in fluid communication with the drying chamber and connectible in fluid communication along an output air passage with an outlet aperture disposed outside of the building; and 
 a pump for moving air into the dryer air inlet, along the heated path and through the drying chamber to the dryer air outlet, and along the output air passage to the outlet aperture; and 
   an adaptor secured to the dryer, the adaptor comprising:
 an adaptor housing secured over the air intake region of the dryer to be in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air inlet; 
 the adaptor housing having an adaptor housing inlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hot-air clothes dryer and adaptor combination of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the adaptor further comprises an air intake linkage having a first end secured to the adaptor housing inlet so as to be in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air inlet and a second end defining an inlet aperture, the inlet aperture being in fluid communication with the first end of the air intake linkage to define an intake air passage therebetween; and   the air intake linkage can cooperate with an aperture in an exterior building wall to position the inlet aperture to receive air only from outside the building.   
     
     
         3 . The hot-air clothes dryer and adaptor combination of  claim 2 , further comprising an air output linkage having a first end secured in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air outlet and a second end defining an outlet aperture, wherein the first end of the air output linkage is in fluid communication with the outlet aperture to define an output air passage that is isolated from the intake air passage. 
     
     
         4 . The hot-air clothes dryer and adaptor combination of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the adaptor housing is simultaneously sealingly secured over both the air intake region of the dryer and a dryer air outlet region of the dryer in which the dryer air outlet is located;   the first end of the air output linkage is secured in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air outlet inside the adaptor housing; and   the second end of the air output linkage is disposed outside the adaptor housing.   
     
     
         5 . The hot-air clothes dryer and adaptor combination of  claim 4 , wherein the intake air passage and the output air passage each include concentrically arranged portions. 
     
     
         6 . An adaptor for a hot-air clothes dryer, comprising:
 an adaptor housing securable over an air intake region of the dryer to be in sealed fluid communication with an air inlet of the dryer; and   the adaptor housing having an adaptor housing inlet connectible in sealed fluid communication with an air intake linkage.   
     
     
         7 . The adaptor of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an air intake linkage, wherein:   the air intake linkage has a first end secured to the adaptor housing inlet so as to be in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air inlet and a second end defining an inlet aperture, the inlet aperture being in fluid communication with the first end of the air intake linkage to define an intake air passage therebetween; and   the air intake linkage can cooperate with an aperture in an exterior building wall to position the inlet aperture to receive air only from outside the building.   
     
     
         8 . The adaptor of  claim 7 , further comprising an air output linkage having a first end securable in sealed fluid communication with a dryer air outlet of the dryer and a second end defining an outlet aperture, wherein the first end of the air output linkage is in fluid communication with the outlet aperture to define an output air passage that is isolated from the intake air passage. 
     
     
         9 . The adaptor of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the adaptor housing is simultaneously sealingly securable over both the air intake region of the dryer and over a dryer air outlet region of the dryer;   the first end of the air output linkage is securable in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air outlet inside the adaptor housing; and   the second end of the air output linkage is disposed outside the adaptor housing.   
     
     
         10 . The adaptor of  claim 7 , wherein the intake air passage and the output air passage each include concentrically arranged portions. 
     
     
         11 . An adaptor kit for adapting a hot-air clothes dryer ordinarily drawing air from inside a room to draw air from outside a building in which it is situated, comprising:
 the adaptor of  claim 6 ; and   instructions for assembling the adaptor and mounting the adaptor on the dryer.   
     
     
         12 . The adaptor kit of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an air intake linkage, wherein:   the air intake linkage has a first end securable to the adaptor housing inlet and a second end defining an inlet aperture, the inlet aperture being in fluid communication with the first end of the air intake linkage to define an intake air passage therebetween; and   the air intake linkage can cooperate with an aperture in an exterior building wall to position the inlet aperture to receive air only from outside the building.   
     
     
         13 . The adaptor kit of  claim 12 , further comprising an air output linkage having a first end securable in sealed fluid communication with a dryer air outlet of the dryer and a second end defining an outlet aperture, wherein the first end of the air output linkage is in fluid communication with the outlet aperture to define an output air passage that can be isolated from the intake air passage. 
     
     
         14 . The adaptor kit of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the adaptor housing is simultaneously sealingly securable over both the air intake region of the dryer and over a dryer air outlet region of the dryer;   the first end of the air output linkage is securable in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air outlet inside the adaptor housing; and   when the first end of the air output linkage is securable in sealed fluid communication with the dryer air outlet inside the adaptor housing, the second end of the air output linkage is disposed outside the adaptor housing.   
     
     
         15 . The adaptor kit of  claim 14 , wherein the output air linkage fits inside the intake air linkage so that the intake air passage is defined by an annular space between the output air linkage and the intake air linkage. 
     
     
         16 . A filter and filter bypass assembly, comprising:
 an outer enclosure;   an inner enclosure inside the outer enclosure;   the inner enclosure having an inner enclosure inlet and an inner enclosure outlet defining a first airflow path through the inner enclosure;   the outer enclosure having an outer enclosure inlet and an outer enclosure outlet defining a second airflow path through the outer enclosure and bypassing the inner enclosure;   the inner enclosure and the outer enclosure having a common aperture for insertion of a filter into the inner enclosure across the first airflow path.   
     
     
         17 . The filter and filter bypass assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a filter member slidingly received in the inner enclosure with edges of the filter member engaging inner surfaces of the inner enclosure;   the filter member secured to a filter door so that when the filter member is inserted into the inner enclosure, the filter door closes the common aperture.   
     
     
         18 . The filter and filter bypass assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a first air output linkage sealingly coupled to the inner enclosure inlet; and   a second air output linkage sealingly coupled to the inner enclosure outlet.   
     
     
         19 . The filter and filter bypass assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a first air intake linkage sealingly coupled to the outer enclosure inlet; and   a second air intake linkage sealingly coupled to the outer enclosure outlet.   
     
     
         20 . The filter and filter bypass assembly of  claim 19 , wherein:
 a portion of the first air output linkage disposed outside of the outer enclosure is disposed inside the first air intake linkage; and   a portion of the second air output linkage disposed outside of the outer enclosure is disposed inside the second air intake linkage.