Tumble Dryer With Reduced Clothes Wear

Abstract

In a tumble dryer, a horizontal drum rotates and separates wet clothes. Hot air is blown through the drum and between the clothes to evaporate their moisture. The drum is rotated intermittently to reduce the time that clothes are deformed and rubbed against each other, and thus, reduce the wear and tear to them. The hot air is continuously blown as in a regular dryer. In a repeating cycle, the drum rotates for a given first time period to separate the clothes and let the hot air remove moisture from them. Then, the drum stops for a given second time period to allow redistribution of moisture within and between the clothes and heating of them by the hot air for further drying. The hot air temperature or flow may be reduced in the stopping state compared to the rotating state of the drum to prevent overheating of the stationary clothes exposed to the hot air.

1 . An improved tumble dryer for drying clothes or fabric with reduced wear and tear to the clothes,
 the dryer rotates the clothes inside a drum to separate them and blows heated air through the drum to heat the clothes and remove moisture from them,   according to the improvement, in a repeating cycle, the dryer rotates the drum for a given first time period to separate the clothes, so the heated air removes moisture from them,   then, the dryer stops and keeps the drum stationary for a given second time period to allow outward transfer of moisture within the clothes and heating them by the heated air for further moisture removal.   
     
     
         2 . The improved tumble dryer of  claim 1  wherein the temperature or flow rate of the heated air during the rotation of the drum is higher than that during its stationary period. 
     
     
         3 . The improved tumble dryer of  claim 1  wherein the repeating cycle time is less than one minute. 
     
     
         4 . A tumble dryer for drying clothes, the dryer is comprised of
 a rotatable drum with an open end installed horizontally inside an enclosure,   a plurality of blades attached axially to the inside surface of the drum,   a door attached to the enclosure to close the open end of the drum,   a drive system including an electric motor to rotate the drum,   an air blower,   a heater,   a lint screen,   a duct and enclosure system communicating with the blower, the heater, the inside of the drum, and the filter,   a control system to control the drive system, heater, and blower and provide human interface for operating the dryer,   when the dryer is turned on through the control interface,   the drum rotates and separates wet clothes inside of it with the help of its blades,   air enters the blower, passes over the heater, enters the drum, heats the clothes,   removes moisture from them, exits the drum, and leaves fiber or lint separated from the clothes at the lint screen,   the rotation of the drum is intermittent to reduce the time that clothes are deformed and rubbed against each other during drying, and thus, reduce the wear and tear to them,   in a repeating cycle, the drum rotates for a given first time period to separate the clothes, so the heated air removes moisture from them,   then, the drum stops and stays stationary for a given second time period to allow outward transfer of moisture within the clothes and heating of them by the heated air for further moisture removal.   
     
     
         5 . The tumble dryer of  claim 4  wherein the repeating cycle time is less than one minute. 
     
     
         6 . The tumble dryer of  claim 4  wherein the heated air temperature or flow rate is higher during the rotation of the drum than when the drum is stationary. 
     
     
         7 . A clothes drying process to reduce wear and tear to the clothes wherein
 wet clothes are tumbled inside a horizontal rotating drum to get separated,   heated air is blown continuously through the drum to heat the clothes and remove moisture from them,   the drum is rotated for a given first time period,   then, the drum is stopped and kept stationary for a given second time period,   the cycle of rotating and stopping the drum is repeated until the clothes are dried.   
     
     
         8 . The clothes drying process of  claim 7  wherein the first and second time periods are fractions of a minute. 
     
     
         9 . The clothes drying process of  claim 7  wherein the heated air temperature or flow rate is higher during the rotation of the drum than when the drum is stationary. 
     
     
         10 . An improved tumble dryer for drying clothes or fabric with reduced wear and tear to the clothes,
 the dryer rotates the clothes inside a drum to separate them and blows heated air through the drum to heat the clothes and remove moisture from them, A control system allows drying option setting by the user via an interface and controls the running time, air temperature, or air flow,   according to the improvement, in a repeating cycle, the dryer rotates the drum for a given first time period to separate and redistribute the clothes, and allow the heated air to remove moisture from them,   then, the dryer stops the drum and keeps it stationary for a given second time period to allow redistribution of moisture within and between the clothes and heating of them by the hot air for further drying.   
     
     
         11 . The improved tumble dryer of  claim 10  wherein the temperature or flow rate of the heated air during the rotation of the drum is higher than that during its stationary period. 
     
     
         12 . The improved tumble dryer of  claim 10  wherein the repeating cycle time is less than one minute. 
     
     
         13 . A tumble dryer for drying clothes, the dryer is comprised of
 a rotatable drum with an open end installed horizontally inside an enclosure,   a plurality of blades attached axially to the inside surface of the drum,   a door attached to the enclosure to close the open end of the drum,   a drive system including an electric motor to rotate the drum,   an air blower,   a heater,   a lint screen,   a duct and enclosure system communicating with the blower, the heater, the inside of the drum, and the filter,   a control system to control the drive system, heater, and blower and provide human interface for operating the dryer,   
       when the dryer is turned on through the control interface,
 the drum rotates and separates wet clothes inside of it with the help of its blades, 
 air enters the blower, passes over the heater, enters the drum, heats the clothes, 
 removes moisture from them, exits the drum, and leaves fiber or lint separated from the clothes at the lint screen, 
 
       the rotation of the drum is intermittent to reduce the time that clothes are deformed and rubbed against each other during drying, and thus, reduce the wear and tear to them, 
       in a repeating cycle, the drum rotates for a given first time period to separate and redistribute the clothes, and allow the heated air to remove moisture from them, 
       then, the drum stops and stays stationary for a given second time period to allow redistribution of moisture within and between the clothes and heating of them by the hot air for further moisture removal. 
     
     
         14 . The tumble dryer of  claim 13  wherein the repeating cycle time is less than one minute. 
     
     
         15 . The tumble dryer of  claim 13  wherein the heated air temperature or flow rate is higher during the rotation of the drum than when the drum is stationary. 
     
     
         16 . A clothes drying process to reduce wear and tear to the clothes wherein
 wet clothes are tumbled inside a horizontal rotating drum to get separated,   heated air is blown continuously through the drum to heat the clothes and remove moisture from them,   the drum is rotated for a given first time period,   then, the drum is stopped and kept stationary for a given second time period,   the cycle of rotating and stopping the drum is repeated until the clothes are dried.   
     
     
         17 . The clothes drying process of  claim 16  wherein the first and second time periods are fractions of a minute. 
     
     
         18 . The clothes drying process of  claim 16  wherein the heated air temperature or flow rate is higher during the rotation of the drum than when the drum is stationary.