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). the air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) comprises 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 is structured to restrain the fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f); the air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) furthermore comprising 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 crossed by substantially the same airflow (f) that crosses the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 120 ), is structured to restrain the fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f), and is mechanically coupled to said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20, 120 ) in sliding manner.

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 ,  220 ) which is dimensioned for being inserted/plugged into said air-vent ( 10 ) and is structured to restrain fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f); 
       the laundry dryer being characterized in that the air-filtering cartridge ( 15 ) further comprises a second substantially bag- or pocket-shaped, air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ,  230 ) which
 is fitted/recessed into said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ,  220 ) so as to be crossed by substantially the same airflow (f) that crosses the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ,  220 ), 
 is structured to restrain the fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f); and is 
 mechanically coupled to said first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ) in sliding manner. 
 
     
     
         2 . Laundry dryer ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the first and the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  30 ;  120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) comprise permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 21 ,  31 ;  121 ,  131 ;  221 ,  231 ) structured for restraining fluff and/or lint particles in suspension into the airflow (f) and further comprise guiding surfaces ( 34 ,  34   a ;  134 ,  134   a ;  234 ,  234   a ) reciprocally coupled in a sliding manner such that one between the first and the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  30 ,  120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) is slidably movable relative to the other air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  20 ,  130 ,  120 ;  230 ,  220 ) between a first position wherein a permeable-to-air sidewall ( 21 ,  121 ,  221 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ,  220 ) is facing and superimposed to a permeable-to-air sidewall ( 31 ,  131 ,  231 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ,  230 ), and a second position wherein the superimposition of the permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 21 ,  31 ;  121 ,  131 ;  221 ,  231 ) of the first and second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  30 ,  120 ,  130 ,  220 ,  230 ) is removed. 
     
     
         3 . 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 ,  222 ) which is rigidly associated/fixed to either the first ( 20 ,  220 ) or to the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ), so as to close the upper mouth of said first ( 20 ,  220 ) or second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ). 
     
     
         4 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 3 , characterized in that said permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ,  222 ) is divided into two complementary pieces ( 25 ,  125 ,  225 ) which are selectively separable to one another, and each of which is permanently rigidly fixed to a respective valve-like piece ( 23 ,  132 ,  223 ) either of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  220 ) or of second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ), so as to allow said first ( 20 ,  220 ) or second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ) to open in a book-like manner. 
     
     
         5 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the two complementary pieces ( 25 ,  125 ,  225 ) of the permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ,  222 ) incorporate a manually-operable snap-on locking mechanism ( 26 ,  126 ,  226 ) which is structured for selectively rigidly anchoring the two complementary pieces ( 25 ,  125 ,  225 ) to one another when they are reciprocally coupled to form/compose the permeable-to-air upper lid ( 22 ,  122 ,  222 ). 
     
     
         6 . Laundry dryer ( 1 ) according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the first and the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  30 ;  120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) are divided into two complementary valve-like pieces ( 23 ,  123 ,  223 ;  32 ,  132 ,  232 ) which are separable to one another, the valve-like pieces of the first and/or the second air filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  30 ;  120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) being hinged to one another to rotate about a rotational axis (A, A′, B) so that the first and/or the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  30 ;  120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) are openable in a book-like manner. 
     
     
         7 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 6 , characterized in that each valve-like piece ( 32 ,  132 ,  232 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ,  130 ,  230 ) is shaped/structured so to mechanically couple with a respective valve-like piece ( 23 ,  123 ,  223 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ,  120 ,  220 ), so as to be able to slide one ( 32 ,  132 ,  223 ) relative to the other ( 23 ,  123 ,  232 ). 
     
     
         8 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 6  or  7 , characterized in that the two valve-like pieces ( 32 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) are laterally hinged to one another to rotate along a rotational axis (B) which is substantially perpendicular or parallel to said rotational axis (A) so that the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ) is openable in a book-like manner. 
     
     
         9 . Laundry dryer according to any  claims 6  to  8 , characterized in that the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) is shaped/structured so as to be manually extractable in drawer-like manner from the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ), through a pass-through opening or slot ( 27 ) formed on a side of the same first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ), the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) being extractable in a direction (d) which is parallel to the rotation axis (A) of the two valve-like pieces ( 23 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ). 
     
     
         10 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 8  or  9 , characterized in that the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) is also provided with a manually-operable, snap-on locking mechanism ( 35 ) which is structured for selectively rigidly anchoring the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ) to the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ). 
     
     
         11 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 2  and any  claims 8  to  10 , characterized in that in said first position a gap separates the permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 21 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 20 ) from the permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 31 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 30 ). 
     
     
         12 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 7 , characterized in that valve-like pieces ( 123 ,  132 ;  223 ,  232 ) of the first and second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) are slidable relative one another in a direction (d′) which is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis (A′). 
     
     
         13 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the valve-like pieces ( 123 ,  132 ;  223 ,  232 ) of the first and second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ,  130 ;  220 ,  230 ) are slidable relative one another between a first operating position in which a permeable-to-air sidewall ( 131 ,  231 ) of a valve-like piece ( 132 ,  232 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ,  230 ) is superimposed to a permeable-to-air sidewall ( 121 ,  221 ) of the corresponding valve-like piece ( 123 ,  223 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ,  220 ); and a second operating position in which the superimposition of the permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 121 ,  131 ;  221 ,  231 ) of the first and second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ,  130 ,  220 ,  230 ) is removed. 
     
     
         14 . Laundry dryer according to  claim 2  and  claim 12  or  13 , characterized in that in said first position the permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 121 ,  221 ) of the first air-filtering shell or vessel ( 120 ,  220 ) mates the permeable-to-air sidewalls ( 131 ,  231 ) of the second air-filtering shell or vessel ( 130 ,  230 ), so as to be locally parallel thereto. 
     
     
         15 . Laundry dryer according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that a heat pump system ( 18 ) is arranged in fluid communication with the airflow (f) to remove moisture therefrom and to release heat to said airflow (f).