SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LIQUID-BASED LINT COLLECTION

• US 20200131692A1
• Filed: 12/31/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Moniz, Victor A., Quinn, Daniel Eugene, Sampson, Justin William, Villella, Bruce R.
• Granted Patent: US 11,802,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 47/06 Spray cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/34 Filtering, e.g. control of lint removal devices
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/22 Lint collecting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/45 Cleaning or disinfection of machine parts, e.g. of heat exchangers or filters

Abstract

An air filtration system for a laundry apparatus comprises an air-lint inlet forming an interior volume configured to fluidically couple to a tumbler of the laundry apparatus and extending to an end portion. The system further comprises a lint-collection reservoir coupled to the air-lint inlet configured to hold a liquid at a level, wherein the air-lint inlet extends into the lint-collection reservoir. The system further comprises an outlet conduit in fluid connection with the air-lint collection reservoir. The outlet conduit is configured to expel filter air from the air-lint collection reservoir.

Claims

1. An air filtration system for a laundry apparatus, the system comprising:

an air-lint inlet forming an interior volume configured to fluidically couple to a tumbler of the laundry apparatus and extending to an end portion;

a lint-collection reservoir coupled to the air-lint inlet configured to hold a liquid at a level, wherein the air-lint inlet extends into the lint-collection reservoir; and

an outlet conduit in fluid connection with the air-lint collection reservoir, wherein the outlet conduit is configured to expel filter air from the air-lint collection reservoir.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the end portion is spaced from the level of the liquid forming an airflow path between the tumbler and an exhaust outlet.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the air flow path extends from the interior volume of the air-lint inlet over a surface of the liquid and into the lint-collection reservoir.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a plurality of inner walls configured to retain the liquid at the level.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a spray assembly comprising at least one nozzle configured to spray the liquid along at least one of the inner walls of the lint-collection reservoir.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one nozzle comprises a plurality of nozzles configured to spray the liquid over the inner walls.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein each of the nozzles is directed along a clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to adjacent surfaces of the plurality of inner walls.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the direction of the nozzles is configured to propel the liquid rotating in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative in response to the liquid output from the nozzles.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a sensor that monitors the level of the liquid collected in the lint-collection reservoir output from the nozzles.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the air-lint inlet corresponds to an interior conduit extending at least partially into the lint-collection reservoir, wherein the air-lint inlet is configured to transmit an air-lint combination.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the interior conduit forms a substantially rectangular shape and extends into the lint-collection reservoir, wherein the lint-collection reservoir forms a complementary shape configured to receive the substantially rectangular shape.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the receipt of the interior conduit into the reservoir forms a space between the end portion and the level of the liquid, wherein the space channels the flow of an air-lint combination from the tumbler between the interior conduit and the lint-collection reservoir.

13. A method for filtering an air-lint combination from a laundry apparatus:

receiving the air-lint combination from a tumbler of the laundry apparatus;

supplying the air-lint combination over a surface of a liquid via an inlet conduit in fluid communication with the tumbler;

maintaining at least a portion of the liquid in a lint-collection reservoir at a predetermined level forming a surface of the liquid;

channeling the air-lint combination through a space formed between surface of the liquid and an end portion of the inlet conduit;

expelling filtered air from the lint-collection reservoir; and

exhausting the filter air through an outlet conduit.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

depositing lint from the air-lint combination over the surface of the liquid thereby generating the filtered air.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

controlling the liquid at the predetermined level thereby maintaining the space formed between the surface of the liquid and the end portion of the inlet conduit.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

spraying the liquid along at least one inner wall of a plurality of inner walls of the lint-collection reservoir.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein spraying the liquid comprises spraying the liquid from a plurality of spray nozzles over the plurality of inner walls.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the liquid from the plurality of spray nozzles is directed along a clockwise or counterclockwise direction relative to adjacent surfaces of the plurality of inner walls thereby propelling the liquid in the reservoir in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

19. An air filtration system for a laundry apparatus, the system comprising:

an air-lint inlet forming an interior conduit comprising an interior volume configured to transmit an air-lint combination from a tumbler of the laundry apparatus, wherein the air-lint inlet terminates at an end portion;

a lint-collection reservoir fluidically coupled to the air-lint inlet and configured to hold a liquid at a level, wherein the end portion of the air-lint inlet extends into the lint-collection reservoir and forms a space between a surface of the liquid and the end portion, wherein the space between the surface of the liquid and the end portion is configured to channel the air-lint combination over the surface thereby filtering the air-lint combination to generate a filtered air; and

an outlet conduit in fluid connection with the air-lint collection reservoir, wherein the outlet conduit is configured to expel the filtered air from the lint-collection reservoir.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the lint-collection reservoir comprises a plurality of walls configured to contain the liquid, wherein the walls extend above the end portion of the air-lint inlet and the level of the liquid.