Combination laundry appliance and induction heater

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet defining an interior volume, a tub mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet, and a laundry basket rotatably mounted within the tub. The laundry basket defines a chamber for the receipt of laundry articles. A heat exchanger system is in thermal communication with the chamber. The heat exchanger system includes a vessel having a plenum at which a refrigerant is receivable. The vessel includes a ferrous material. A sleeve at least partially surrounds the vessel. The sleeve includes a non-ferrous material. The sleeve has a conductive structure extending at least partially surrounding the vessel. A volume is formed between the vessel and the sleeve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior volume;   a tub mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet;   a laundry basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the laundry basket defining a chamber for the receipt of laundry articles;   a heat exchanger system in thermal communication with the chamber, the heat exchanger system comprising a vessel comprising a plenum at which a refrigerant is receivable, the vessel comprising a ferrous material; and   a sleeve at least partially surrounding the vessel, the sleeve comprising a non-ferrous material, wherein the sleeve comprises a conductive structure extending at least partially surrounding the vessel, and wherein a volume is formed between the vessel and the sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive structure is a conductive wire extending substantially circumferentially at the sleeve and around the vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the vessel is a pressure vessel forming the plenum as a closed volume. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerant is water or a water-based solution. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel comprises a sidewall, and wherein the sleeve at least partially surrounds the sidewall. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the sleeve positions the conductive structure in substantially uniform distance from the sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the sleeve and the vessel are concentric to one another. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the conductive structure and the sidewall are concentric to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , the laundry appliance comprising:
 a power supply operably coupled to the conductive structure; and   a controller configured to selectively transmit energy through the conductive structure to generate heat at the vessel.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry appliance comprises a laundry washing appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry appliance comprises a laundry dryer appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry appliance comprises a combination washer and dryer appliance. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is positioned in thermal communication with a flow of fluid provided in fluid communication with the chamber of the laundry basket. 
     
     
         14 . A combination washer and dryer laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior volume;   a tub mounted within the interior volume of the cabinet;   a laundry basket rotatably mounted within the tub, the laundry basket defining a chamber for the receipt of laundry articles;   a heat exchanger system in thermal communication with the chamber, the heat exchanger system comprising a vessel comprising a plenum at which a refrigerant is receivable, the vessel comprising a ferrous material; and   a sleeve at least partially surrounding the vessel, the sleeve comprising a non-ferrous material, wherein the sleeve comprises a conductive structure extending at least partially surrounding the vessel, and wherein a volume is formed between the vessel and the sleeve.   
     
     
         15 . The combination washer and dryer laundry appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the conductive structure is a conductive wire extending substantially circumferentially at the sleeve and around the vessel. 
     
     
         16 . The combination washer and dryer laundry appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerant is water or a water-based solution. 
     
     
         17 . The combination washer and dryer laundry appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the vessel comprises a sidewall, and wherein the sleeve at least partially surrounds the sidewall. 
     
     
         18 . The combination washer and dryer laundry appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the sleeve positions the conductive structure in substantially uniform distance from the sidewall. 
     
     
         19 . The combination washer and dryer laundry appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the sleeve and the vessel are concentric to one another, and wherein the conductive structure and the sidewall are concentric to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The combination washer and dryer laundry appliance of  claim 14 , comprising:
 a power supply operably coupled to the conductive structure; and   a controller configured to selectively transmit energy through the conductive structure to generate heat at the vessel.