Patent Publication Number: US-7707860-B2

Title: Washing machine combined with dryer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a washing machine combined with a dryer, and more particularly, to a washing machine combined with a dryer that has a lint collector to remove lint from moist air discharged from a tub. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A washing machine is a home appliance for washing clothes automatically. A typical washing machine uses an electric motor as a driving unit to agitate clothes together with water containing detergent to remove dirt from the clothes. The washing process of the washing machine generally includes washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and/or heat-drying operations. 
   Washing machines can be classified into a drum type washing machine, an agitator type washing machine, and a pulsator type washing machine. 
   The drum type washing machine includes a plurality of lifters inside of a drum to lift up and drop down clothes in the drum as the drum is rotated about a horizontal axis at a low speed. Therefore, the clothes can be cleaned by the collision with water containing detergent. 
   Meanwhile, a washing machine combined with a dryer is recently introduced to satisfy user&#39;s demand. In this washing machine, clothes are heat dried after washed, rinsed, and spin dried. 
   The washing machine combined with the dryer can be classified into a condenser type and a vented type depending on a drying method. 
   The washing machine combined with the condenser type dryer removes residual moisture from clothes by circulating air through a drum, a heat exchanger, and a heater without discharging the air out of the washing machine until the heat drying operation is completed. That is, the air becomes moist after passing through the drum, the moist air cools down at the heat exchanger by exchanging heat with a cooling water, the moisture in the air condenses and drops down to the bottom of the tub as the moist air cools down, and the air is heated again by the heater and then enters the drum again. 
   In the washing machine combined with the vented type dryer, on the contrary, a heated dry air is blew into a drum to take moisture from clothes and then the air containing lots of moisture is discharged out of the washing machine through a connecting pipe connected between a tub and a vent duct. 
   However, the moist air, which is discharged from the washing machine combined with the vented type dryer, contains lint such as fluff, thereby contaminating the indoor air. 
   Further, the lint in the moist air, though it is light, falls down and builds up while it is discharged from the tub to the outside through the vent duct. Particularly, the lint builds up on a pleated surface of the connecting pipe connected between the tub and the vent duct. The build-up of the lint becomes bigger according to the time of use, blocking the vent duct. Further, the build-up of the lint increases the possibility of fire. Therefore, there is an increasing need for a structure that can remove the problems related to the lint. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a washing machine combined with a dryer that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine combined with a vented type dryer, in which an air-vent line, including an air-vent duct and an air-vent pipe connected between a tub and the air-vent duct, is prevented from being plugged by lint generated during a heat drying operation. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine combined with a dryer, in which lint generated during a heat drying operation is prevented from building up in an air-vent line and therefore the possibility of fire reduces. 
   A further another object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine combined with a dryer, in which lint is separated and collected from a moist air discharged from a tub and then the air is discharged to an outside of the washing machine without lint. 
   Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a washing machine combined with a dryer, including: a tub; a lint collector connected to the tub to collect lint; an air-vent pipe connected to the lint collector; a dryer duct connected to the tub and provided with a blower fan therein; and a water drain line to discharge water from the tub to an outside of the washing machine. 
   In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine combined with a dryer, including: a tub; a lint collector connected to the tub, the lint collector including a separation hopper in which a moist air introduced from the tub is rotated by a cyclone effect, a lint chamber connected to a bottom of the separation hopper, and a floater installed in the lint chamber to selectively open and close the connection between the separation hopper and the lint chamber; an air-vent pipe connected to the lint collector to discharge the moist air from the lint collector; a water drain line having one end connected to the tub and the other end connected to the lint collector; and a blowing unit blowing a heated air into the tub. 
   In a further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine combined with a dryer, including: a tub; a cyclone lint collector receiving a moist air from the tub; and a water drain line connected to the cyclone lint collector, wherein the moist air whirls in the cyclone lint collector to separate lint therefrom, the separated lint being discharged through the water drain line together with water passing therethrough. 
   According to the present invention, the lint is separated from the moist air discharged from the tub, and the separated lint is collected to the separate lint collector and then it is discharged together with the draining water. Therefore, the moist air can be discharged to an outside of the washing machine without lint. 
   Further, since the collected lint is discharged together with the draining water, an additional filter or lint bag is not required to collect and remove the lint. 
   Further, since the collected lint is discharged together with the draining water, it is not required for the user to take action to remove the collected lint. 
   Further, since the separated lint is collected to the separate lint collector and then it is discharged together with the draining water, the lint does not build up in the washing machine and therefore the possibility of fire in the washing machine is reduced. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a washing machine combined with a dryer, in which a lint collector is provided according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the washing machine combined with the dryer depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cut-away view of a lint collector according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a cut-away view showing an operation of a lint collector when a heat drying is not carried out according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a cut-away view showing an operation of a lint collector when a heat drying is carried out according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of a lint collector according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a side sectional view of a lint collector according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 8  shows another embodiment of a washing machine combined with a dryer according to the present invention, in which a lint collector is provided. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a washing machine combined with a dryer, in which a lint collector is provided according to the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the washing machine combined with the dryer depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a washing machine combined with a dryer  100  includes: an enclosing cabinet  103 ; a top plate  101  mounted on a top of the cabinet  103 ; a base plate  102  installed on a bottom of the cabinet  103 ; a front cover  106  mounted on a front of the cabinet  103 ; a door  104  rotatably installed at a center of the front cover  106 ; a control panel  105  installed at an upper portion of the front cover  106 , the control panel  105  having a plurality of input buttons and a display; a detergent dispenser drawer  270  inserted into a side of the control panel  105  to receive detergent or fabric softener; a water inlet hose  280  to supply water to the detergent dispenser drawer  270 ; and a bellows  230  connecting the detergent dispenser drawer  270  and a tub  200  to introduce a mixture of the water and the detergent into the tub  200 . 
   Further, the washing machine combined with the dryer  100  includes the tub installed in the cabinet  103  to receive the water (or the mixture of the water and the detergent), a drum  210  installed in the tub  200  to receive clothes, and a driving motor  220  mounted on a back of the tub  200  to rotate the drum  210 . The driving motor includes a shaft connected to a rear of the drum  210 . 
   Further, the washing machine combined with the dryer  100  includes a blowing unit such as a dryer duct  240  installed between the cabinet  103  and a top of the tub  200  to introduce a surrounding air into the tub  200 , a lint collector  300  installed between the tub  200  and the cabinet  103  and connected to a rear of the tub  200  to discharge moist air therethrough from the drum  210  to the outside, an air-vent pipe  250  connected to an end of the lint collector  300  to discharge the moist air after lint is removed from the moist air at the lint collector  300 , and an air-vent duct  251  installed through the cabinet  103  and connected with the air-vent pipe  250 . The lint collector  300  may be a cyclone lint collector. 
   The dryer duct  240  includes a blower fan  241  installed therein to draw in the surrounding air, a fan motor  243  to drive the dryer fan  241 , a heater  242  to apply heat to the air drawn in by the dryer fan  241 . The fan motor  243  is mounted on the dryer duct  240  to drive the dryer fan  241 . 
   Further, the washing machine combined with the dryer  100  includes a drain tube  262  of which one end is connected to a bottom of the tub  200  to discharge the water contaminated during a washing operation or a rinsing operation, a drain pump  261  connected to the other end of the drain tube  262  to pump out the contaminated water, and a water drain line  260  to discharge the contaminated water pumped by the drain pump  261  to the outside. 
   The water drain line  260  is connected to the lint collector  300  to receive lint collected from the lint collector  300  during a heat drying operation and discharge the received lint together with the contaminated water. The water drain line  260  is further extended from the lint collector  300  to the outside through the cabinet  103 . 
   An operation of the washing machine combined with the dryer  100  will now be described. 
   Reference character “A” in  FIG. 2  denotes the flow passage of washing water during a washing operation or a rinsing operation, and reference character “B” in  FIG. 2  denotes the flow passage of air during a heat drying operation. 
   First, a user opens the door  210 , loads clothes in the drum  210  through the opened door  210 , and closes the door  210 . Next, the user pulls out the detergent dispenser drawer to fill it with detergent and fabric softener. Then, the user selects operating conditions using the control panel  105  and presses a start button on the control panel  105 . 
   Upon the pressing of the start button of the control panel  105 , water is supplied to the detergent dispenser drawer  270  through the water inlet hose  280 . The water mixed with the detergent (washing water) enters the tub  200  through the bellows  230  connected between the detergent dispenser drawer  270  and the tub  200 . The water is supplied until the tub  200  is filled with the water to a predetermined level. After the water is filled, the driving motor  220  drives the drum  210  to carry out a washing operation. 
   During the washing operation, the clothes and the washing water is lifted up by the rotation of the drum  210  and then dropped down. By these up and down motions and the detergent, the dirt can be removed from the clothes during the washing operation. 
   After The washing operation is carried out for a set time, the washing water contaminated is discharged and fresh water is supplied to the tub  200  to carry out a rinsing operation. When the contaminated water is discharged, the driving motor  220  is stopped and the drain pump  261  is operated to drain the contaminated water from the tub  200  through the drain tube  262 . The contaminated water is dumped by the drain pump  261  toward the lint collector  300  along the water drain line  260 . At the lint collector  300 , the contaminated water wipes collected lint off the lint collector and then further flows along the water drain line  260  to the outside. Then, the fresh water (rinsing water) is supplied to the tub  200  for the rinsing operation. After the rinsing operation, the rinsing water is discharged to the outside in the same manner as the washing operation. That is, the rinsing water also removes the collected lint from the lint collector  300  before it is discharged to the outside. 
   Further, a spin drying operation is carried out after the rinsing operation to remove residual water from the clothes, and then a heat drying operation is optionally carried out. The water spun out from the clothes during the spin drying operation is also directed to the lint collector  300  before it is discharged to the outside. 
   In the heat drying operation, the blower fan  241  installed in the dryer duct  240  is driven to draw in a surrounding air from between the cabinet  103  and the tub  200 . The heater  242  applies heat to the drawn-in air, and the heated air is directed into the tub  200  along the dryer duct  240 . The heated air flows from the tub  200  into the drum  210  through a plurality of holes defined in the drum  210 . The heated air, having a low humidity, takes moisture from the clothes and therefore it becomes a moist air. The moist air is directed to the lint collector  300  from the tub  200 . In the lint collector  300 , the moist air rotates along the inner surface of the lint collector  300  and the lint is separated from the moist air by the cyclone effect. The separated lint falls down to the bottom of the lint collector  300  and the moist air is discharged from the lint collector  300  to the outside through the air-vent pipe and the air-vent duct. The moist air circulation and lint separation in the lint collector  300  will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 3  is a cut-away view of a lint collector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the lint collector  300  includes a separation hopper  310  and a lint chamber  320 . The separation hopper  310  receives the moist air from the tub  200  to separate the lint from the moist air, and the lint chamber  320  is connected to a bottom of the separation hopper  310  to collect the separated lint. The separation hopper  310  may function as a vortex generating portion. 
   The separation hopper  310  includes an extended air inlet  311  at an upper side for connection with the tub  200  and an air outlet  312  formed at a top for connection with the air-vent pipe  250 . The separation hopper  310  is shaped like a funnel with a downwardly tapered shape. The air inlet  311  is extended from the separation hopper  310  in a tangential direction. 
   The lint chamber  320  includes a water inlet  323  and a water outlet  324 . The water inlet  323  is formed in a radial direction of the lint chamber  320  and connected to the water drain line  260  to receive water pumped by the drain pump  261 . The water outlet  324  is formed in the opposite direction to the water inlet  323  to discharge the water from the lint collector  300  after the water wipes out the collected lint. A connecting hole is defined between the lint chamber  320  and the separation hopper  310  with a predetermined diameter, and a valve such as a floater  330  is installed in the lint chamber  320  to selectively open and close the connecting hole  330 . Also, a guide  322  is formed at an inner bottom of the lint chamber  320  to support the floater  330 . The floater  330  is inserted in the guide  322  and it is capable of moving up and down therein. The guide  322  defines a plurality of holes  322   a  to allow water flow therethrough. That is, when water is introduced to the lint chamber  320 , the water flows into the guide  322  through the holes  322   a  to float the floater  330 . 
   The floater  330  is made of light material to float on the water, such that when the contaminated washing water flows through the lint chamber  320  the floater  330  is raised up by the buoyant force of the contaminated washing water. The upper portion of the floater  330  is shape like a cone with an upwardly decreasing cross section, such that the floater  330  can easily close the connecting hole  321  when it is raised up by the buoyant force of the washing water. 
   Operations of the lint collector  300  will now be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings according to the heat drying operation and other operations of the washing machine combined with the dryer  100 . 
     FIG. 4  is a cut-away view showing an operation of a lint collector when a heat drying operation is not carried out according to the present invention. 
   Here, other operations except the heat drying operation may be washing, rinsing, and spin drying operations of the washing machine combined with the dryer  100 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , water flows through the lint collector  300  when the heat drying operation is not carried out. 
   In detail, when water is drained from the tub  200  after the washing operation, the rinsing operation, or the spin drying operation. The drained water is pumped by the drain pump  261  toward the lint chamber  320  through the water drain line  260  and the water inlet  323  of the lint chamber  320 . The water introduced into the lint chamber  320  raises the floater  330  to close the connecting hole  321 . Therefore, the water is prevented from reversely flowing into the separation hopper  310 . 
   The introduced water as it flows through the lint chamber  320  removes collected lint from the lint chamber  320  and then it is discharged through the water outlet  324  together with the removed lint. 
     FIG. 5  is a cut-away view showing an operation of a lint collector when a heat drying is carried out according to the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , in the heat drying operation of the washing machine combined with the dryer  100 , a heated air is introduced into the tub  200  through the dryer duct  240 . In the tub  200 , the heated air becomes moist by taking moisture from the clothes to dry the clothes, and lint departed from the clothes floats in the air. The moist air is then directed to the separation hopper  310  through the air inlet  311  of the lint collector  300  that is connected to the rear of the tub  200 . In the separation hopper  310 , the moist air is rotated down along the wall of the separation hopper  310 , and the lint is separated from the rotating moist air by the cyclone effect. The separated lint falls down to the lint chamber  320 , and the moist air is raised upwardly and discharged to the outside through the air outlet  312 , the air-vent pipe  250 , and the air-vent duct  251 . 
     FIG. 6  is a side sectional view of a lint collector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , a lint collector  300  is characterized by a valve such as a rotatable floater  340  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
   In detail, to selectively open and close the connecting hole  321 , the lint collector  300  includes the spherical floater  340 , an arm  341  extended from the floater  340  with a predetermine length, and a hinge  325  to which a free end of the arm  341  is hinged. 
   The floater  340  may be hollow or have a specific gravity lighter than the water. Therefore, the floater  340  floats up to close the connecting hole  321  when water is introduced into the lint chamber  320 , and it rotates down to open the connecting hole  321  when there is no water in the lint chamber  320  during the heat drying operation. During the heat drying operation, lint falls down from the separation hopper  310  and collected in the lint chamber  320  through the opened connecting hole  321 . 
     FIG. 7  is a side sectional view of a lint collector according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , a lint collector  300  includes a lint chamber  350 , a water inlet  351  formed at one side of the lint chamber  350 , a water outlet  352  formed the other side of the lint chamber  350 , and a connecting hole  353  defined between a top of the lint chamber  350  and the separation hopper  310 . 
   The lint chamber  350  has a downwardly widening shape and accommodates a valve such as a spherical floater  360  having a predetermine diameter. The floater  360  may be made of the same material as the floaters of the first and the second embodiments of the present invention. During the heat drying operation of the washing machine combined with the dryer  100 , the floater  360  rests on an inner bottom of the lint chamber  350  to open the connecting hole  353 . During other operations of the washing machine  100 , namely, when water is introduced into the lint chamber  350 , the floater  360  floats up to close the connecting hole  353 . 
     FIG. 8  shows another embodiment of a washing machine combined with a dryer according to the present invention, in which a lint collector is provided. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , a washing machine combined with a dryer  100  is characterized by a vent fan  400  installed in the air-vent pipe  250 . 
   The washing machine combined with the dryer  100  depicted in  FIG. 8  is the same structure as is depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , excepting the vent fan  400  installed in the air-vent pipe  250  between the lint collector  300  and the air-vent duct  251 . The vent fan  400  is provided to forcibly discharge moist air to the outside. 
   In detail, moist air is introduced into the separation hopper  310  from the tub  200 , and the moist air is rotated along the inner wall of the separation hopper  310  to separate lint from the moist air by the cyclone effect. Then, the moist air is directed to the air-vent pipe  250  and it can be more rapidly discharged to the outside through the air-vent duct  251  owing to the vent fan  400  installed in the air-vent pipe  250 . 
   Meanwhile, a magnet valve such as a solenoid valve may be used instead of the floater to selectively open and close the connecting hole defined between the separation hopper and the lint chamber. 
   That is, the opening and closing of the connecting hole can be automatically and exactly carried out according to the heat drying operation and other operations without error. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.