Clothes-dryer having integrated hot-air accessories
First Claim
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1. A clothes dryer comprising:
- a basket for accommodating a load of clothes to be dried;
an intake channel in communication with the interior of said basket and with the exterior of the dryer, said intake channel defining a path along which air from the exterior of the dryer can pass to the interior of the basket to dry clothes therein;
heater means in operative association with said intake channel for heating air drawn into said intake channel from the exterior of the dryer;
a discharge channel communicating with the interior of said basket and with the exterior of the dryer, said discharge channel defining a path along which air can be vented from the interior of said basket to the exterior of the dryer, whereby said intake and said discharge channels constitute a drying circuit with the interior of said basket;
fan means in operative association with said drying circuit for drawing air from the exterior of the dryer into said intake channel;
at least one hot air utility opening open to the exterior of the drier;
a hot-air utility conduit communicating with said hot-air utility opening, and with said drying circuit at a location downstream of said heating means with respect to the direction in which air will be induced to flow through the drying circuit by said fan means; and
selection control means for selectively opening said at least one hot-air utility opening to said drying circuit while closing said discharge channel, and closing said at least one hot-air utility opening to said drying circuit while opening said discharge channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clothes-dryer includes accessories such as a hair-dryer, hand-dryer and space heater, as well as a ventilation device for venting the room in which the dryer is disposed of undesirable air. The dryer includes an intake channel and a discharge channel which together with the basket of the dryer form a drying circuit along which a forced hot air supply flows to dry laundry contained in the basket during the normal operation of the dryer. A selection control device is provided to establish various modes of operation of the dryer in which the accessories are operated with the air supply which is normally produced when the dryer is used to dry clothes contained in the basket.
44 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A clothes dryer comprising:
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a basket for accommodating a load of clothes to be dried; an intake channel in communication with the interior of said basket and with the exterior of the dryer, said intake channel defining a path along which air from the exterior of the dryer can pass to the interior of the basket to dry clothes therein; heater means in operative association with said intake channel for heating air drawn into said intake channel from the exterior of the dryer; a discharge channel communicating with the interior of said basket and with the exterior of the dryer, said discharge channel defining a path along which air can be vented from the interior of said basket to the exterior of the dryer, whereby said intake and said discharge channels constitute a drying circuit with the interior of said basket; fan means in operative association with said drying circuit for drawing air from the exterior of the dryer into said intake channel; at least one hot air utility opening open to the exterior of the drier; a hot-air utility conduit communicating with said hot-air utility opening, and with said drying circuit at a location downstream of said heating means with respect to the direction in which air will be induced to flow through the drying circuit by said fan means; and selection control means for selectively opening said at least one hot-air utility opening to said drying circuit while closing said discharge channel, and closing said at least one hot-air utility opening to said drying circuit while opening said discharge channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A clothes dryer comprising:
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a basket for accommodating a load of clothes to be dried; an intake channel in communication with the interior of said basket and with the exterior of the dryer, said intake channel defining a path along which air from the exterior of the dryer can pass to the interior of the basket to dry clothes therein; heater means in operative association with said intake channel for heating air drawn into said intake channel from the exterior of the dryer; a discharge channel communicating with the interior of said basket and with the exterior of the dryer, said discharge channel defining a path along which air can be vented from the interior of said basket to the exterior of the dryer, whereby said intake and said discharge channels constitute a drying circuit with the interior of said basket; fan means in operative association with said drying circuit for drawing air from the exterior of the dryer into said intake channel; a flexible air-hose mounted to the dryer and defining a first hot-air utility opening at one end thereof communicating with the exterior of the dryer; a nozzle defining a second hot-air utility opening at one end thereof communicating with the exterior of the dryer; a grill mounted to the dryer at the outside thereof and defining a third hot-air utility opening communicating with the exterior of the dryer; at least one hot-air utility conduit communicating with said hot-air utility openings, and with said drying circuit at a location downstream of said heating means with respect to the direction in which air will be induced to flow through the drying circuit by said fan means; and selection control means for selectively respectively opening said hot-air utility openings to said drying circuit while closing said discharge channel, and collectively closing said hot-air utility openings to said drying circuit while opening said discharge channel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification