Laundry treating appliance having an air flow assembly

Abstract

A method of circulating air in a combination washing and drying laundry treating appliance comprising a tub, a rotatable drum defining a treating chamber and having at least one baffle with a plurality of air outlets and a drying air circuit. The drying circuit comprising a manifold assembly provided on a rear of the drum, a lifter assembly provided on the drum and fluidly coupling the manifold assembly to the plurality of air outlets on the baffle, an air flow assembly having an inlet located at a front of the treating chamber and an outlet fluidly coupled to the manifold assembly, and a blower fluidly coupled to the air flow assembly. The method comprising actuating the blower to provide flowing air from a front of the treating chamber through the inlet and back to the manifold assembly, where the air is returned to the treating chamber at least through the air outlets in the baffle to establish a front-to-back recirculation of air within the treating chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of circulating air in a combination washing and drying laundry treating appliance comprising a tub, a rotatable drum defining a treating chamber and having at least one baffle with a plurality of air outlets and a drying air circuit comprising a manifold assembly provided on a rear of the drum, a lifter assembly provided on the drum and fluidly coupling the manifold assembly to the plurality of air outlets on the baffle, an air flow assembly having an inlet located at a front of the treating chamber and an outlet fluidly coupled to the manifold assembly, and a blower fluidly coupled to the air flow assembly; the method comprising:
 actuating the blower to provide flowing air from a front of the treating chamber through the inlet and back to the manifold assembly, where the air is returned to the treating chamber at least through the air outlets in the baffle to establish a front-to-back recirculation of air within the treating chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry treating appliance further comprises a heating assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the heating assembly is adjacent an upper portion of the tub. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising flowing air into the heating assembly via a heater assembly inlet for selectively heating the air before it is provided to the treating chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising flowing air from the heating assembly via a heater outlet to the tub via a tub opening. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising flowing air from the tub opening into a drum rear portion via a drum opening. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising, flowing air from the drum rear portion into the lifter assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising flowing air through the treating chamber toward a bellows. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry treating appliance further comprises a condenser, with the condenser fluidly coupled to the air flow assembly inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , flowing air from the air flow assembly inlet to the condenser, then to the blower, then to the air flow assembly outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising condensing water out of the air and flowing the air out the air flow assembly outlet to a heating assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A method of circulating air in a combination washing and drying laundry treating appliance comprising:
 actuating a blower in a drying recirculation circuit to flow air into a heating assembly via a heater inlet for selectively heating the air;   flowing the air from the heating assembly via a heater outlet to a tub via a tub opening;   flowing the air from the tub opening into a drum rear portion via a drum opening;   flowing the air from the drum rear portion into the lifter assembly;   flowing the air through the lifter assembly through air outlets in a baffle to a treating chamber;   flowing the air into a condenser; and   condensing water out of the flowing air and flowing the air to the heating assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the air flows in a front-to-back recirculation circuit within the treating chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the heating assembly is positioned adjacent an upper portion of the tub of the combination washing and drying laundry treating appliance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the condenser fluidly is coupled to an air flow assembly inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising flowing the air from the air flow assembly inlet to the condenser. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising condensing water out of the air. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising flowing the air from the condenser to the blower, then to an air flow assembly outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising flowing the air out the air flow assembly outlet back to the heating assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising flowing air through the treating chamber toward a bellows.