Patent Publication Number: US-2009235549-A1

Title: Dryer Vent Vacuum System

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a fabric or clothes dryer, and more particularly this invention relates to a vacuum source which is detachably connected to a dryer thereby facilitating the drying of clothing and/or reducing the energy costs associated therewith. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional household dryers, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,298 include a drum for receiving clothes or other fabrics to be dried which is rotatable about a horizontal axis. During operation, the drum is rotated to tumble the fabrics while heated air is passed through the drum to extract moisture from the fabrics. 
     When a piece of fabric is laden with moisture, the water in the fabric is believed to exist in two different states, free moisture and bound moisture. Free moisture is moisture which is not held with any significant adhesive force in the fabric. In fact, as far as evaporation is concerned, the free moisture at the surface of the fabric behaves just like a free surface of water. Thus, the free moisture freely evaporates at the saturation pressure of water at the fabric temperature. On the other hand, bound moisture is held by relatively strong molecular forces. The net result of these forces is that the bound moisture is not maintained as a free layer of water at the surface of the fabric and hence does not freely evaporate at the saturation pressure. Bound moisture comprises about 25% of the mass of the wet fabric. 
     When wet fabrics are exposed to a warm flow of air in a conventional dryer, three periods of drying are discerned. The first period is a “warm up” period where the fabrics and their moisture content reach a steady drying temperature. During the second period, called the “constant rate” period, the free moisture is dried at a constant rate. After all the free moisture is depleted, the third or “falling rate” period begins. In this period, the bound moisture is removed at a decreasing drying rate. This drying cycle is a relatively lengthy process which takes longer than the washing cycle of domestic washing machines. This difference can create an inconvenience to persons doing multiple loads of laundry in that the washing machine will often be sitting idle holding wet clothes from a finished cycle because the dryer is still drying a previous load. 
     In the past, others have taken advantage of this phenomenon in an attempt to produce a more efficient clothes dryer. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,750 issued Mar. 10, 1998 to Burress (“Burress”) discloses a clothes dryer with infrared heating and vacuum drying capabilities in which a stationary vacuum pump is capable of reducing the vacuum pressure inside the drum to a sub-atmospheric pressure. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,907 issued Nov. 15, 1777 to Rapino et al. (“Rapino”) details an apparatus having a vacuum pump that reduces the air pressure within a chamber, while a microwave emitter excites the water molecules. The apparatus of Burress and Rapino, however, each employ a rotating shaft and/or bearing assembly at their interface between internal regions of atmospheric and sub-atmospheric pressure. 
     Unfortunately, This technology can be difficult to implement. In order to obtain the tight seal necessary for maintaining the apparatus&#39; internal vacuum, a soft bushing material, such as rubber or the like, must be utilized. Such a soft material, however, quickly wears, ultimately resulting in disintegration of the seal. On the other hand, hard materials that are impervious to wear are highly susceptible to tiny vacuum leaks, which in turn destroy the object of the invention. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,798 discloses a vacuum assisted dryer for accelerated drying of clothing generally including a fixed frame, a rotatable drum within the fixed frame for holding and tumbling clothing within a vacuum sealable interior space, a vacuum pump fixedly attached to the drum and a power delivery system for communicating electrical power from the fixed frame to the vacuum source on the drum. The power delivery system comprises a slip ring assembly about a spindle utilized to maintain the drum upon its axis of rotation inside the fixed frame. A plurality of heating pads are provided about the interior of the drum to facilitate drying of the clothing. A blower assembly evacuates to a conventional dryer vent moist air exhausted from the vacuum pump. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,169 discloses a vacuum-assisted drying apparatus and method which are provided for rapidly drying fabrics. A rotatable drum is enclosed in a nearly hermetic region. A valve is attached to an inlet of the region; a compressor is attached to an exit of the region. With the valve closed, the compressor reduces the pressure within the region to the saturated pressure of water at the temperature of the fabrics. At this point, free moisture in the fabrics evaporates. Continued operation of the compressor removes the vaporous moisture from the system. After most of the free water vapor has been depleted, the valve is opened to allow heated air to flow through the drum and to dry the remaining bound moisture. 
     One report on difficulties with clothes dryers states that ‘during the period of 1980 to 1998 on average, 14,500 fires per year are known to have been the result of dryers. These fires averaged 13 deaths, 239 injuries and $53.1 million in property damage per year. The statistics appear to be getting worse each year’. 
     SUMMARY 
     A dryer system may include a dryer member to dry clothes or fabric, and a vacuum source member which is external to the dryer member and detachably connected to the dryer member. 
     The dryer member may include a rotatable chamber which is in the fluid communication with the vacuum source member, and the dryer member may include a vent connector member. 
     The vacuum source member may include an input line member which is detachably connected to the dryer member, and the vacuum source member may include a reducer member to connect to the vent connector member. 
     The vacuum source member may include an elbow member to connect to the reducer member, and the vacuum source member may include a filter member to filter the fluid. 
     The vacuum source member may include a output line member to output the fluid, and the vacuum source member may include an expander member to connect to the output line member. 
     The expander member may be connected to a second elbow member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of the dryer system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the dryer system of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a dryer system  100  with an external vacuum to the dryer member  101 . The dryer member  101  which can be used to dry clothes and fabrics and other assorted materials includes a rotatable chamber  103  which is rotated by a motor (not shown) to facilitate the drying of the clothes. The rotatable chamber  103  is in fluid communication with the vent connector member  105  to vent the fluid which may be air or other suitable material to dry clothes external to the dryer member  101 . The fluid may include particulate matter including lint from the air (fluid) flow exiting the dryer member  101 . The vent connector member  105  may be connected to the input line member  107  by a reducer member  109  which allows differing diameters of line members to be connected together. In one embodiment, the vent connector member  105  may be a larger diameter than the input line member  107  or alternatively the vent connector member  105  may be a smaller diameter than the input line member  107 . The vent connector member  105  may be substantially the same size as the input line member  107 . In one embodiment, an elbow member  111  may be connected between the input line member  107  and the reducer member  109  in order to prevent kinks or bends in the input line member  107  when the vacuum source member  113  is raised above the dryer member  101  or allow the dryer member  101  to be located closer to the wall member  250 . The elbow member  111  may optionally be not used. The input line member  107 , the vent connector member  105 , the elbow member  111 , the input locking member  115 , the output locking member  119 , and the output line member  121  may be flexible or rigid tubing. The input line member  107  is connected to the input locking member  115  to connect the input line member  107  to the vacuum source member  113 . The input locking member  115  is connected to a filter member  127  to filter lint, dust and other material which may be discharged from the rotatable chamber  103 . The filter member  127  may be periodically cleaned in order to prevent the loss of velocity of the fluid from the dryer member  101 . The filter member  127  is connected to the vacuum motor member  117  which generates fluid flow from the rotatable chamber  103  to the vacuum motor member  117 . The vacuum source member  113  may include a failsafe member  131  to substantially eliminate the possibility of damage to the invention, the dryer and/or the home in the case of malfunction or serious overheating of the vacuum source member  113  and for the fluid from the dryer source member  113 , and in some cases on the part of the user. The output locking member  119  may include a failsafe member  131  that is connected to the dryer member  101  by a wire connection member  133  which may include one or more wires. The failsafe member  131  detects the presence of a temperature which is above a predetermined temperature. When the predetermined temperature is reached, the failsafe member  131  signals the dryer member  101  through the wire connection member  133 . 
     The fluid is exhausted from the vacuum motor member  117  and subsequently the fluid from the vacuum source member  113  is exhausted through the output locking member  119  which is connected to the output line member  121  which exhausts the fluid from the vacuum source member  103 . It may be desirable to exhaust the fluid to the outside of the building which houses the dryer member  101 . Optionally, the output line member  121  may be connected to a second elbow member  111  or may be directly connected to an expander member  123 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the second elbow member  111  is connected to the expander member  123  which is connected to the output connector member  125  which vents to the outside of the building to exhaust the fluid. The input line member  107  and the output line member  121  are detachably connected to the output locking member  119  and the input locking member  115  respectively so that the vacuum source member can be removed and replaced easily or can be eliminated to restore the dryer member  101  to the original condition without a vacuum source. Furthermore, the vacuum source member  113  can be easily implemented in almost every dryer. 
     In operation, the vacuum motor member  117  exhausts fluid to the output locking member  119  which exhausts the fluid to the output line member  121  which exhausts the fluid to the second elbow member  111  which exhausts the fluid to the expander member  123  which exhausts the fluid to the output connector member  125 . The fluid is exhausted to the atmosphere. Furthermore, the vacuum motor member  117  pulls fluid from the filter member  127  which filters the fluid and which pulls the fluid from the input locking member  115 . The input locking member  115  pulls the fluid through the input line member  107  which pulls the fluid from the first elbow member  111  which pulls the fluid from the reducer member  109 . The reducer member  109  pulls the fluid from the vent connecting member  105  which pulls the fluid from the rotatable chamber  103 . 
     The substantial increase in the air (fluid) flow that is realized by adding the vacuum source member  113  provides the following benefits. The vacuum source member  113  may be a wet/dry vacuum source which substantially eliminates concerns from moisture in the wet lint and/or air. The vacuum source member  113  consequently can be located a short or long distance from the dryer member  101  and eliminates the need for a costly, inefficient, and high maintenance secondary lint trap which is a normal requirement for a dryer vent booster product to permit it to function properly when it is located less than approximately 15 feet from a dryer member. The use of the integral high-efficiency filter member  127  yields air (fluid) that is substantially free of all lint and other particulate matter which, in turn, virtually eliminates all clogging and periodic maintenance of the output connector member  125 . The vacuum source member  113  significantly increases the air (fluid) flow and achieves a significant reduction in drying time adding to the following benefits. A savings in electricity used by the dryer member  101  may result in a payback period of within six months to approximately 3 years depending on the embodiment of the invention used in each specific application. The many-fold increase in air (fluid) flow through the rotatable chamber  103  yields dry clothes that are virtually lint free. The vacuum source member  113  can be a commercially purchased wet/dry vacuum cleaner product that requires no special mounting, connecting or electrical wiring since the vacuum has a simple ‘plug-and-go’ design. The vacuum source member  113  can be easily and quickly unplugged and used as a wet/dry vacuum cleaner elsewhere in the home. The vacuum source member  113  requires no special or complicated maintenance procedures furthermore the vacuum source member  113  can be opened easily and quickly to remove any trapped lint in the filter member  127 . Additionally, if a powerful wet/dry vacuum cleaner in the range of 4 to 10 HP is selected as the vacuum source member  113  to be used with a dryer, the clothes dryer can operate efficiently by using existing vent installations, and can be used with multiple bends in the output connector member  125  and with longer runs of the output connector member  125 . 
     The dryer member is not limited to a particular input or output line member size and works well with three or 4 inch diameter output connector members  125 . The present invention does not require that the existing vent runs be completely clear of lint buildup. Although, clear vent runs will achieve additional efficient operation and result in higher energy savings. 
     If the vacuum source member  113  is a wet dry vacuum, then, problems with moisture or particulate matter from fabric softener sheets and wet lint are eliminated. There are few practical limitations on the placement of the vacuum source member  113 , but efficiencies may be achieved if vacuum source member  113  is directly connected to the dryer member  101  to ensure that virtually all the air (fluid) that flows through the vacuum source member  113  is being sucked through the dryer member  101  rather than partially through the leaks that could exist in the output connector member  125 . The filter member  127  substantially traps all lint and other particulate matter that could clog the vent runs, multiple 90 degree bends etc. and therefore the system of the present invention does not require a secondary lint trap. 
     The increase in airflow results in the clothes drying more quickly, achieving a dramatic reduction in drying time which results in significant energy savings which are expected to allow substantially all users to recoup their initial investment in the system of the present invention within six months to approximately 3 years depending on the embodiment of the invention used in each specific application, result in a substantial increase in the useful life of the dryer and result in a significant time savings on the part of the user. 
     The dry clothes which are dried by the present invention are substantially lint free resulting from the greater airflow during the drying cycle. 
     There is no requirement for a special mounting, a connection or an electrical wire by virtue of the ‘plug and go’ design. There are no special or complicated maintenance procedures required. The vacuum source member  113  can be opened easily and lint can be quickly removed from the filter member  127  and the filter member  127  may be removed and replaced. 
     The vacuum source member  113  can be detached from the dryer member  101  and relocated to another location and used as a conventional ‘wet-dry vacuum’. 
     Whenever a dangerously high temperature is detected by the failsafe member  131 , the wired connection member  133  is activated to interrupt completely the operation of the dryer member  101 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of the dryer system  100  with an external vacuum.  FIG. 2  illustrates the dryer member  101  and the rotatable chamber  103  to dry clothes or fabrics which is detachably connected to the input line member  107  which is detachably connected to the vacuum source member  113 . The vacuum source member  113  is detachably connected to the output line member  121 . The vacuum source member  113  is shown as positioned on a shelf member  129  which is mounted on a wall of the house. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.