Patent Abstract:
A dryer rack for use with an apparatus for drying an object inside a drum is disclosed, wherein the dryer rack includes a platform for having an upper surface for supporting the object. The platform may include at least one grip for loading and unloading the dryer rack into an interior space of the drum. The at least one grip is flush with the upper surface of the platform. The at least one grip is formed in a forward portion of the platform, to be near an access point of the drum.

Full Description:
This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2003-079414, filed on Nov. 11, 2003, and No. P2003-089508, filed on Dec. 10, 2003, which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a dryer accessory, and more particularly, to a dryer rack used in a dryer or washing machine equipped with a drying function. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Generally, a dryer or washing machine equipped with a drying function is an apparatus for drying objects such as a laundry and the like held in a drum by supplying hot air to the drum. And, a demand for such an apparatus is gradually raised lately. 
     A lifter is provided within the dryer or washing machine to enhance drying performance in general. The lifter and drum are individually manufactured, and the lifter is then installed on an inside of the drum via a locking member such as a screw and the like. Instead, a lifter can be proved by ‘pressing’ in a manner that a circumferential surface of a drum is pressed to protrude from an inside of the drum. In drying an object to be dried, the corresponding object held within a drum is lifted by a plurality of lifter protruding inward from an inside of a drum up to a predetermined height and then falls. The object is easily exposed to hot air supplied to the drum to be evenly dried, thereby enhancing drying efficiency. Thus, if using the dryer or washing machine equipped with the drying function, such a relatively light drying object as cloths and the like can be conveniently dried. 
     However, it is difficult to dry a relatively heavy drying object using a general dryer or washing machine equipped with the drying function. Since the heavy drying object lifted by the lifters gives a considerable shock to the drum when falling, loud noise is generated from the drum or the corresponding dryer or washing machine may be out of order. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a dryer rack that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of the present invention, which as been devised to solve the foregoing problem, lies in providing a dryer rack, by which a relatively heavy drying object can be easily and safely dried. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a dryer rack, which can be easily attached to a drum of a dryer/washer to use. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a dryer rack, which can be stably and firmly loaded in a drum of a dryer/washer to use. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from a practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the subject matter particularly pointed out in the specification and claims hereof as well as in the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these objects and other advantages in accordance with the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a dryer rack for use with an apparatus for drying an object inside a drum, wherein the dryer rack includes a platform having an upper surface for supporting the object. The platform may include at least one grip for loading and unloading the dryer rack into a interior space of the drum. The at least one grip is flush with the upper surface of the platform. The at least one grip is formed in a forward portion of the platform, to be near an access point of the drum. 
     The at least one grip may include an opposing pair of openings formed in the platform, and a gripping surface formed on inner side surfaces on each opening. The gripping surface may be textured to facilitate gripping. And, the gripping surface may include a set of curved recesses corresponding to digits of a human hand. The gripping surfaces of the opposing pair of openings may be symmetrically arranged with respect to a centrally disposed handle. 
     The gripping surfaces of the opposing pair of openings are asymmetrically arranged with respect to a centrally disposed handle. Herein, the asymmetrical arrangement of the gripping surfaces provides for a thumb and four fingers, respectfully. The platform may include a pair of grips, symmetrically arranged about a central axis of the platform, for loading and unloading the dryer rack into an interior space of the drum. The pair of grips may be flushed with the upper surface of the platform. The pair of grips may also be formed in a forward portion of the platform, to be near an access point of the drum. And, the grips may be arranged at opposing angles for facilitating a two-handed grip when loading and unloading the dryer rack. Herein, the opposing angles may be between 10° and 20°. 
     The platform may include a tray, forming the upper surface between a forward end and a rearward end of the tray, a front support, connected to the forward end of the tray, to be supported by a first structure, and a rear support, connected to the rearward end of the tray, to be supported by a second structure, wherein the first and second structures respectively provide rotatable support to opposite ends of the drum. Herein, the plat form may include at least one grip for loading and unloading the dryer rack into an interior space of the drum. And, the at least grip may be flushed with the upper surface of the platform. 
     The front and rear supports may have lower surfaces for seating the dryer rack on the first and second structures. Herein, the lower surfaces of front and rear supports may be shaped to avoid interference with the drum if the drum is rotated while the dryer rack is loaded into an interior space of the drum. The platform may have a lattice structure. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, there if provided a dryer rack for use with an apparatus for drying an object inside a drum, wherein the dryer rack includes a tray having an upper surface for supporting the object between a forward end and a rearward end of the tray, a front support, connected to the forward end of the tray, having a first lower surface for receiving a first structure, and a rear support, connected to the rearward end of the tray, having a second lower surface for receiving a second structure, wherein the first and second structures respectively provide rotatable support to opposite ends of the drum. 
     The front support may rest atop a filter, installed forward of the drum, for filtering air expelled from the drum. The front support may include a pair of side extensions, connected to the forward end of the tray, for supporting the dryer rack on the filter, and an arch, stretching between the side extensions and extending downward, for being seated on an upper surface of the filter having a centrally formed recess, the arch having an arch projection for insertion into the recess of the filter. 
     The side extensions may be disposed forward of the tray. The rear support may include at least one leg, connected to the rearward end of the tray, for supporting the dryer rack on the second structure. The second structure may be a semicircle. Herein, the at least one leg has a curved lower surface for being seated on the semicircle of the second structure. And, the rear support may include at least two legs, connected to the rearward end of the tray, for supporting the dryer rack on the second structure, the at least two legs having opposingly curved surfaces for being respectively seated on a semicircle of the second structure. 
     The dryer rack may include at least one grip, formed in the upper surface of the tray, for loading and unloading the dryer rack into an interior space of the drum. The at least one grip may include an opposing pair of openings formed in the platform, and a gripping surface formed on inner sides surfaces on each opening. Herein, the griping surface may be textured to facilitate gripping. The gripping surface may include a set of curved recesses corresponding to digits of a human hand. The gripping surfaces of the opposing pair of openings may be symmetrically arranged with respect to a centrally disposed handle. Also, the gripping surfaces of the opposing pair of openings may be asymmetrically arranged with respect to a centrally disposed handle. The asymmetrical arrangement of the gripping surfaces provides for a thumb and four fingers, respectively. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dryer rack for use with an apparatus for drying an object inside a drum, wherein the dryer rack includes a platform having an upper surface for supporting the object between a forward end and a rearward end of the tray, the upper surface having a lattice structure, a front support, connected to the forward end of the platform, having a first lower surface for receiving a first structure providing rotatable support to the drum, and at least one leg, connected to the rearward end of the platform, having a second lower structure for receiving a second structure providing rotatable support to the drum, and at least one handle provided with an opposing pair of openings formed in the platform, each opening having a gripping surface formed on an inner side surface, wherein the at least one handle is flush with the upper surface of the platform. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing explanation and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and illustrative 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 embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional diagram of an exhaust type dryer; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective diagram of a dryer rack according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective diagram of a dryer rack according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective diagram of a front part of a dryer rack provided to a dryer according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective diagram of a rear part of a dryer rack provided to a dryer according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, like elements are indicated using the same or similar reference designations where possible. 
     First of all, a dryer rack according to the present invention can be installed in an exhaust type dryer, condensing type dryer, washer/dryer, or the like to use. In the exhaust type dryer, external air is heated to be supplied to a drum and humid air having dried a drying object within the drum is discharged outside. In the condensing type dryer, air, which is humid after having dried a drying object within a drum, is condensed by a condenser to lower humidity thereof and is then heated to be re-supplied to the drum. For convenience of explanation, a dryer rack according to the present invention installed in the exhaust type dryer is explained in the following description for example. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a drum  20  is rotatably provided within a cabinet  10  of a dryer. The drum  20  has a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of lifters  25  protrude from an inside of the drum  20 . The lifter  25  and the drum  20  are separately manufactured. Hence, the lifter  25  is attached to the inside of the drum  20  later. Instead, the lifters  25  may be built in one body of the drum  20 . A front panel  21  and rear panel  23  are mounted on an open front side and open rear side of the drum  20  to rotatably support, respectively so that the drum  20  supported by the front and rear panels  21  and  23  can be rotated in operating the dryer. While the dryer is operated, the drum is rotated but the front and rear panels  21  and  23  are not rotated. 
     An opening  21   a  is provided to the front panel  21 , and a door  15  is installed on the front side of the cabinet  10  to open/close the opening  21   a . An exhaust duct  30  is connected to the front panel  21 . Hence, an inside of the drum  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , enables to communicate with an external environment outside the cabinet  10  via the exhaust due  30 . Within the exhaust duct  30 , a fan  40  blowing air in the drum  20  outside and a filter  35  filtering the air discharged outside by the fan  40  are provided. The fan  40 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is rotated by a motor  50  provided within the cabinet  10 . 
     Meanwhile, the motor  50  may be provided to rotate the fan  40  only. Yet, in the drawing, the motor  50  is provided to rotate both of the fan  40  and the drum  20 . For this, the motor  50  includes a pair of shafts connected to the fan  40  and a pulley  60 , respectively. And, the pulley  60 , is connected to the drum  20  via a belt  65 . An air inlet duct  70  is connected to the rear panel  23  to enable the inside of the drum  20  to communicate with an external environment. As the fan  40  rotates to discharge the air within the drum  20  outside via the exhaust duct  30 , external air is supplied into the drum  20  via the air inlet duct  70 . Meanwhile, a heater  80 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is installed in the air inlet duct  70  to supply hot air into the drum  20 . 
     Meanwhile, a dryer rack  100  according to the present invention is detachable installed in the drum  20  of the above-constructed dryer. The dryer rack  100  can be conveniently used in drying relatively heavy objects. The dryer rack  100  according to the present invention is explained in detail by referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  as follows. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , a platform is provided to the dryer rack  100  to be detachably loaded in the drum  20  and to support a drying object thereon. A tray  110  having the drying object put thereon, a front support  120  extending from a front side of the tray  110 , and a rear support  130  extending from a rear side of the tray  110  are provided to the body. The tray  110  may be constructed with a perforated panel so that air can pass through the platform or have lattice shape shown in  FIG. 2 . Hence, hot air supplied into the drum  20  can be smoothly provided to the drying object put on the tray  110 , whereby drying efficiency is enhanced. 
     The front support  120  is supported by a structure fixed to an inner front side of the dryer or washer such as the front panel  21 . And, the rear support  130  is supported by a structure fixed to an inner rear side of the dryer or washer such as the rear panel  23 . Hence, when the dryer rack  100  is loaded in the drum  20 , the tray  110  enables to maintain its position by the front and rear supports  120  and  130  without rotating within the drum  20 . In loading the dryer rack  100  in or unloading out of the drum  20 , the body, e.g., right and left sides of the tray  110 , should be taken. Hence, the loading and unloading works are inconveniently performed. 
     Moreover, a size of the body, and more particularly, a right-to-left width of the tray  110 , should be much smaller than a diameter of the opening  21   a . If the right-to-left width of the tray  110  is too long, it is inconvenient for a user to install or uninstall the dryer rack  100 . Besides, the user may be hurt by the opening  21   a . Hence, at least one grip  150  is provided to the dryer rack  100  according to the present invention to overcome such a problem. The at least one grip  150  is provided to the body, and more particularly, to the tray  110  so that a user can conveniently hold it to load/unload the dryer rack  100  in/from the drum  20 . The grip  150  is explained in detail by referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  as follows. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the at least one grip  150  if formed at the body, and more particularly, on such a plane as the tray  110 . And, the at least one grip  150  includes a plurality of openings  151  and a grip  155 . Specifically, a pair of openings  151 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , are provided to the body, and more particularly, to the tray  110  to neighbor each other. And, the grip  155  lies on a boundary of the two neighboring openings  151  to be built in one body of the tray  110 . Thus, if the grip  150  is provided to the tray  110 , a user inserts his fingers in the openings  151  to grab the corresponding grip  155 . The user then lifts the dryer rack  100  to install/uninstall in/from the drum  20 . 
     Meanwhile, the grip  155  preferably includes a structure enabling user&#39;s fingers to closely adhere thereto. For this, outsides of the grip  155  are formed uneven or a multitude recesses  155   a  are formed on both lateral outsides of the grip  155 . A pair of the openings  151  having user&#39;s fingers inserted therein may be symmetric or identical to each other in shape. Yet, the present invention does not put limitation of the shapes of the openings  151  that can be variously modified. For instance, when a user grabs the corresponding grip  155 , user&#39;s thumb is inserted in one of the two neighbor openings  151  and the rest user&#39;s fingers are inserted in the other opening  151 . Hence, a pair of the neighbor openings  151  can be differently shaped to be fit for the thumb and the reset fingers of the user, respectfully. 
     Meanwhile, in order to facilitate to install the dryer rack  100  in the drum  20 , the grip  150 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , is provided to a front part of the body, and more particularly, of the tray  110 . Moreover, in order to facilitate a user to grab the grip  150  using both hands, a pair of the grips  155  are symmetrically provided to the front part of the tray  110 . Furthermore, in order to facilitate a user to grab the grip  150  conveniently, the grip  155 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is tilted against a central axis in a length direction of the body, and more particularly, of the tray  110 . In this case, the grip  155 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is tilted in a manner of extending from its rear part to its front part to get farther from the central axis. And, the corresponding tilted angle is about 10°˜20°, and more preferably, about 15°. 
     Once the above-constructed grip is provided to the dryer rack  100 , a user grabs the grip(s)  155  of the grip(s)  150  to load the dryer rack  100  in the drum  20  with ease. When the dryer rack  100  is loaded in the drum  20 , the front and rear supports  120  and  130  are supported by immovable structures within the cabinet  10 . Yet, in a drying operation, the drum  20  keeps rotating to generate vibration. Hence, the dryer rack  100  may fall down if failing to be securely loaded therein. Hence, the front and rear supports  120  and  130  include the structures for stable loading, respectively, which are explained in detail by referring to  FIGS. 2 to 5  as follows. 
     First of all, the front support  120  can closely adhere to the front panel  21  in direct to be supported or to a topside of the filter  35  in  FIG. 1  provided to the front side of the drum  20  for filter air discharged from the drum  20 . Generally installed on the front panel  21 , the filter  35  can be regarded as a part of the front panel  21 . A curved portion  123 , a projected portion  121 , and a pair of end portions  125  are provided to the front support  120 . For example, the curved portion  123 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , is convex downward. And, the curved portion  123 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , closely adheres to the topside of the filter  35 . And, the projected portion  121 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , is projected downward from a middle part of the curved portion  123 . The projected portion  121 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , is fitted in a recess  35   a  formed in the middle of the filter  35 . 
     Moreover, a pair of the end portions  125 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , are provided to both side ends of the curved portion  123 . And, a pair of the end portions  125 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , closely adhere to both ends of the topside of the filter  35  to be supported thereon, respectively. The end portions  125 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , protrude in a front direction. Meanwhile, the rear support  130  closely adheres to an inner circumference  23   a  of the rear panel  23  rotatably supporting the rear side of the drum  20  to be supported thereon. A pair of legs  131 , as shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 5 , protruding from the body, and more particularly, from both corners of a rear side of the tray  110  are provided to the rear support  130 . 
     A pair of the legs  131 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , are contacted with the inner circumference  23   a  of the rear panel  23  to closely adhere thereto. For this, a curved portion  131   a  having the same curvature of the inner circumference  23   a  of the rear panel  23  is provided to each lower part of the legs  131 . As mentioned in the foregoing description of the present invention, the front support  120  closely adheres to a portion of the front panel  21 , and more particularly, to the filter  35  to be supported thereon, and the rear support  130  closely adheres to the inner circumference  23   a  of the rear panel  23  to be supported thereon. Therefore, the dryer rack  100  installed in the drum  20  according to the present invention enables to maintain a stable loaded state even if vibration is generated from the drying operation. 
     A process of drying an object to be dried using the above-constructed dryer rack  100  according to the present invention is explained as follows. First of all, a user grabbing the grip  15  carries to load the dryer rack  100  in the drum  20 . In doing so, user&#39;s hands are not exposed in both right and left directions of the dryer rack  100 . Hence, the user enables to insert the dryer rack  100  in the drum  20  via the opening  21   a  conveniently even if the dryer rack  100  has a full-sized right-to-left width. Besides, since the grips  150  are provided to the front part of the dryer rack  10 , the user just lays his hands on the grips  150  in the vicinity of the opening  21   a  conveniently. Once the dryer rack  100  is loaded in the drum  20 , the user makes the rear support  130  closely adhere to the inner circumference  23   a  of the rear panel  23  to be supported thereon and also makes the front support  120  closely adhere to the portion of the front panel  21 , e.g., the filter  35 , to be supported thereon. After completion of loading the dryer rack  100  in the drum  20 , a drying object is placed on the tray  110 , the door is closed  15 , and the dryer is then actuated. 
     Once the dryer is actuated, the drum  20  and fan  40  start to rotate as well as the heater  80  it turned on. Air within the drum  20  is then discharged outside via the exhaust duct  30  as well as hot air is supplied to the drum  20  via the air inlet duct  70 . The hot air supplied to the drum  20  dries the drying object placed on the tray  110  of the dryer rack  100 . In doing so, as the hot air passes through the tray  110  upward and downward, it is able to dry the drying object evenly. Besides, as the drying object stays onto the tray  110  of the dryer rack  100  during the drying process, noise and shock fail to occur within the drum  20 . 
     The air, which becomes humid air after drying the drying object within the drum  20 , is then discharged outside via the exhaust duct  30 . In doing so, particles contained in the humid air are removed by the filter  35  so that clean air can be discharged outside only. Accordingly, the dryer rack according to the present invention facilitates to dry the relatively heavy drying object. It is a matter of course that the noise and shock caused by the fall of the drying object do not occur within the drum while the drying object is dried using the dryer rack. Therefore, the present invention enables to prevent the drum from being broken down and to secure the endurance of the drum. 
     And, the grips are provided to the dryer rack according to the present invention, thereby facilitating a user to load/unload the dryer rack in/from the drum. Moreover, the grips are tilted, thereby facilitating the user to grab the corresponding grips conveniently. Besides, there is a sufficient margin for designing the right-to-left width of the dryer rack, whereby a large amount of the drying object can be handled at the same time by the dryer. Furthermore, the dryer rack can be loaded/unloaded in/from the drum without danger of injury using the grips. 
     Moreover, the front and rear supports are provided to the front and rear sides of the dryer rack according to the present invention, respectively and are constructed to closely adhere to the structures supporting them. Therefore, even if vibration is generated from the drying operation, the dryer rack loaded in the drum does not move or rock side to side so that the drying object can be safely dried. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3