Laundry Dryer

Abstract

Laundry dryer ( 1 ) comprising an outer casing ( 2 ) having a front wall ( 2 a ) provided with a laundry loading/unloading pass-through opening, and an air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) which is fitted in removable manner into an air-vent ( 10 ) which is passed through by a laundry drying airflow (f), said air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) comprising a first substantially bag-or pocket-shaped, air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20, 120 ) which is dimensioned for being inserted/plugged into said air-vent ( 10 ) and a second substantially bag- or pocket-shaped, air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30, 130 ) which is fitted/recessed into said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20, 120 ), so as to be passed through by substantially the same airflow (f) that crosses the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20, 120 ), each of said first and second air-filtering shells or vessels ( 20, 120, 30, 130 ) having a two valve-like structure ( 23 a, 23 b, 32 a, 32 b; 123 a, 123 b, 132 a, 132 b ) which is openable in a book-like manner and has surfaces ( 21, 121, 31, 131 ) arranged to restrain fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f). The laundry dryer has the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30, 130 ) hingedly coupled to the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20, 120 ), such that, in an open position, both valve-like structures ( 23 a, 23 b, 32 a, 32 b; 123 a, 123 b, 132 a, 132 b ) displace the inner faces ( 21 a, 21 b, 31 a, 31 b; 121 a, 121 b, 131 a, 131 b ) of said surfaces ( 21, 121, 31, 131 ) on the same side.

1 . Laundry dryer ( 1 ) comprising an outer casing ( 2 ) having a front wall ( 2   a ) provided with a laundry loading/unloading pass-through opening, and an air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) which is fitted in removable manner into an air-vent ( 10 ) which is passed through by a laundry drying airflow (f), said air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) comprising a first substantially bag- or pocket-shaped, air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ) which is dimensioned for being inserted/plugged into said air-vent ( 10 ) and a second substantially bag- or pocket-shaped, air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) which is fitted/recessed into said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ), so as to be passed through by substantially the same airflow (f) that crosses the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ), each of said first and second air-filtering shells or vessels ( 20 ,  120 ,  30 ,  130 ) having a two valve-like structure ( 23   a ,  23   b ,  32   a ,  32   b ;  123   a ,  123   b ,  132   a ,  132   b ) which is openable in a book-like manner and has surfaces ( 21 ,  121 ,  31 ,  131 ) arranged to restrain fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f); the laundry dryer being characterized in that the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) is hingedly coupled to the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ), such that, in an open position, both valve-like structures ( 23   a ,  23   b ,  32   a ,  32   b ;  123   a ,  123   b ,  132   a ,  132   b ) displace the inner faces ( 21   a ,  21   b ,  31   a ,  31   b ;  121   a ,  121   b ,  131   a ,  131   b ) of said surfaces ( 21 ,  121 ,  31 ,  131 ) on the same side. 
     
     
         2 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each two valve-like structure ( 23   a ,  23   b ,  32   a ,  32   b ;  123   a ,  123   b ,  132   a ,  132   b ) of said first and second air-filtering shells or vessels ( 20 ,  120 ,  30 ,  130 ) comprises two valve-like pieces ( 23   a ,  23   b ,  32   a ,  32   b ;  123   a ,  123   b ,  132   a ,  132   b ) which are hinged to one another in a bottom region thereof so as to be selectively separable to one another, one of the two valve-like pieces ( 32   a ,  132   a ) of the second air filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) being furthermore hinged to one of the two valve-like pieces ( 23   b ,  123   a ) of the first air filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ). 
     
     
         3 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 2  wherein the other of the two valve-like pieces ( 32   b ,  132   b ) of the second air filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) being displaced between the hingedly coupled valve pieces ( 23   b ,  123   a ,  32   a ,  132   a ) of the first and second filtering shells or vessels ( 20 ,  30 ;  120 ,  130 ). 
     
     
         4 . Laundry dryer according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the second air filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) is hinged in a releasable/detachable manner to one of the two valve-like pieces ( 23   b ,  123   a ) forming the two valve-like structure of the first air filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ). 
     
     
         5 . Laundry dryer according to any claim  claims 2  to  4 , characterized in that the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) is provided with a snap-on locking mechanism ( 34 ) which is structured for selectively rigidly anchoring/fixing the two valve-like pieces ( 32   a ,  32   b ;  132   a ,  132   b ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) to one another when the same valve-like pieces ( 32   a ,  32   b ;  132   a ,  132   b ) are reciprocally coupled to form/compose the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) 
     
     
         6 . Laundry dryer according to any claim  claims 2  to  5 , characterized in that the valve-like pieces ( 23   a ,  23   b ) forming the two valve-like structure of the first air filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ) are rotatable one relative to the other about a first axis (A) and the valve-like pieces ( 32   a ,  32   b ) forming the two valve-like structure of the second air filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) are rotatable one relative to the other about a second axis (B), the second air filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) being rotatable relative to one of the two valve-like pieces ( 23   b ) of the first air filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ) about a third axis (C) parallel to the first and/or second axis (A, B) between a first position wherein the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) is fitted/recessed into said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ) and a second position wherein the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) is overturned outside the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ), in said first position the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) being prevented from being opened in a book like manner even if the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ) is opened in a book like manner. 
     
     
         7 . Laundry dryer according to any  claims 2  to  5 , characterized in that a first of the two valve-like pieces ( 132   a ,  132   b ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ) is hinged to one of the two valve-like pieces ( 123   a ,  123   b ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ) in a bottom region of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ), so that the two valve-like pieces ( 132   a ,  132   b ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ) are allowed, when the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ) is opened in a book-like manner, to rotate about their rotation axis (E) on said valve-like piece ( 123   a ,  123   b ) for opening the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ) in book-like manner immediately above the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ). 
     
     
         8 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the two valve-like pieces ( 132   a ,  132   b ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ) are pivotally connected to one another through hinges ( 133 ) which are pivotally jointed to one of the two valve-like pieces ( 123   a ,  123   b ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ). 
     
     
         9 . Laundry dryer according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) additionally comprises a permeable-to-air, upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ) which is rigidly associated/fixed to the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ), so as to close the upper mouth of said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ). 
     
     
         10 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 9 , characterized in that said permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ) is divided into two complementary pieces ( 25 ,  125 ) which are selectively separable to one another, and each of which is permanently rigidly fixed to and/or formed in one piece with a respective valve-like piece ( 23   a ,  23   b ,  123   a ,  123   b ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ), so as to allow the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ) to open in a book-like manner. 
     
     
         11 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ) furthermore comprises a manually-operated snap-on locking mechanism ( 26 ,  126 ) which is structured for selectively rigidly anchoring the two complementary pieces ( 25 ,  125 ) of the permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ) to one another when they are reciprocally coupled to form/compose the permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ). 
     
     
         12 . Laundry dryer according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that each of said first and second air-filtering shells or vessels ( 20 ,  120 ,  30 ,  130 ) is provided with two reciprocally-faced, permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 21 ,  121 ,  31 ,  131 ) which are incorporated in respective two valve-like structures ( 23   a ,  23   b ,  32   a ,  32   b ;  123   a ,  123   b ,  132   a ,  132   b ) for restraining fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f) that crosses the air-vent ( 10 ). 
     
     
         13 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 12 , characterized in that each permeable-to-air sidewall ( 31 ,  131 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ) is arranged locally faced and superimposed to a respective permeable-to-air sidewall ( 21 ,  121 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ). 
     
     
         14 . Laundry dryer according to one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a heat pump circuit ( 18 ) is arranged in fluid communication with the airflow (f) to remove moisture therefrom and to release heat to said airflow (f).