Stationary clothes drying apparatus

• US 6,973,740 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Meyer, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US10/341,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20040134087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 342/24, 342/25, 346/03, 346/04, 342/30, 34/90, 341/03, 341/04, 342/02
• US Class Current: 34/224
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/10 Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means

Abstract

A stationary dryer, which may be used for drying clothes, is provided having a housing enclosing a space. A stationary support is located within the space for receiving articles to be dried. An air moving device is provided for generating an air flow through the space from an air inlet to an air outlet. An air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum is positioned between the air inlet and the stationary support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein. At least one of the distribution plenum and the perforations are sized, shaped and arranged so as to equalize an air flow distribution over the stationary support.

Claims

1. A stationary dryer comprising:

a housing enclosing a space,

a horizontal support located within said space for supporting an article in a horizontal plane,

an air moving device for generating an air flow through said space in a downstream direction,

an air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum positioned in said air flow, upstream of said support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein, said distribution plenum and said perforations arranged so as to direct an air flow over said support in a first direction generally parallel to said plane and in a second, different direction generally parallel to said plane, and

an air exhaust outlet arranged so as to receive said air flow from a third, different direction generally parallel to said plane.

2. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises a generally horizontal porous surface.

3. A stationary dryer according to claim 1 wherein said distribution plenum comprises a pair of spaces, one located on each lateral side of said horizontal porous surface.

4. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, wherein said air distributor mechanism comprises a supply plenum arranged upstream of said distribution plenum to direct said air flow to said distribution plenum.

5. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, wherein said plenum wall of said distribution plenum extends above and below said support, such that said air flow is introduced both above and below said support by said distribution plenum.

6. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, wherein said support is horizontal and said perforations are below said support and said exhaust outlet is above said support.

7. A stationary dryer according to claim 1 wherein said perforations are at one lateral side of said support and said exhaust outlet is at an opposite lateral side of said support.

8. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, wherein said wall of said distribution plenum has a greater porosity at an upstream side thereof than at a downstream side thereof.

9. A stationary dryer according to claim 1 wherein said stationary support is mounted on a movable slide member allowing said support to be slid into and out of said housing to load and unload clothing items on said support.

10. A stationary dryer according to claim 1 wherein said distribution plenum decreases in cross sectional area in a downstream direction.

11. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, including an exhaust plenum positioned downstream of said support.

12. A stationary dryer according to claim 1, including recirculation passages in said air distributor mechanism.

13. A stationary dryer comprising:

a housing enclosing a space,

a support located within said space for supporting an article in a plane,

an air moving device for generating an air flow through said space in a downstream direction,

an air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum positioned in said air flow, upstream of said support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein, said distribution plenum and said perforations arranged to direct an air flow along said support in a first direction generally parallel to said plane, adjacent to at least one face of said support,

an air exhaust outlet arranged to receive said air flow from a second, different direction generally parallel to said plane, but adjacent to at least an opposite face of said support,

wherein said support comprises a horizontal porous surface, and

wherein said distribution plenum comprises a pair of spaces, one located on each lateral side of said support.

14. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, wherein said plenum wall of said distribution plenum extends above and below said horizontal porous surface, such that said air flow is introduced both above and below said horizontal porous surface by said distribution plenum.

15. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, wherein said plenum perforations are positioned on an upstream side of said horizontal porous surface and an exhaust outlet leading to said air outlet is positioned on a downstream side of said horizontal porous surface.

16. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 15 wherein said perforations are below said horizontal porous surface and said exhaust outlet is above said horizontal surface.

17. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 15 wherein said perforations are at one lateral side of said horizontal porous surface and said exhaust outlet is at an opposite lateral side of said horizontal surface.

18. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, wherein said air moving device comprises a fan positioned upstream of said distribution plenum.

19. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, wherein said wall of said distribution plenum is positioned along said air flow and has a greater porosity at an upstream side thereof than at a downstream side thereof.

20. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, wherein said distributor plenum decreases in cross sectional area in a downstream direction.

21. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, wherein said support comprises an arrangement for hanging an article to be dried.

22. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, including an exhaust plenum positioned downstream of said support.

23. A stationary clothes dryer according to claim 13, including recirculation passages in said air distributor mechanism.

24. A stationary clothes dryer comprising:

a housing enclosing a space,

a stationary clothes support located within said space,

a fan for generating an air flow through said space in a downstream direction,

an air distributor mechanism comprising a supply plenum leading downstream to a distribution plenum positioned between said supply plenum and said stationary clothes support,

said distribution plenum being located on a lateral side of said stationary clothes support,

a distribution plenum wall extending along said air flow with an upstream end and a downstream end and having a plurality of perforations therein, said perforations being sized, shaped and arranged so as to equalize an air flow distribution over said stationary clothes support,

said distribution plenum wall having a greater porosity towards said upstream end thereof than on said downstream end thereof.

25. A stationary dryer comprising:

a housing enclosing a space,

a support located within said space,

an air moving device for generating an air flow through said space in a downstream direction,

an air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum positioned in said air flow, upstream of said support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein, said distribution plenum having an upstream end and a cross sectional area of said plenum tapering from a relatively larger area to a relatively smaller area in a direction leading downstream of said upstream end, wherein said perforations in said plenum wall comprise a series of vanes having portions extending into said distribution plenum and portions extending into said space.

26. A stationary dryer according to claim 25 wherein said distribution plenum and said perforations are arranged to direct said air flow from said distribution plenum into said space in a direction parallel to a support plane of said support.

27. A stationary dryer according to claim 25, wherein said vanes each have at least one perforation therein.

28. A stationary dryer according to claim 25 wherein said air distribution mechanism further comprises an exhaust plenum positioned downstream of said space, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein, said exhaust plenum having a downstream end and a cross sectional area of said plenum tapering from a relatively larger area to a relatively smaller area in a direction leading upstream of said downstream end.

29. A stationary dryer according to claim 28, wherein said exhaust plenum becomes a supply plenum for said air moving device.

30. A stationary dryer comprising:

a housing enclosing a space,

a support located within said space,

an air moving device for generating an air flow through said space in a downstream direction,

an air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum positioned in said air flow, upstream of said support, with a plenum wall having a plurality of perforations therein, said distribution plenum having an upstream end and a cross sectional area of said plenum tapering from a relatively larger area to a relatively smaller area in a direction leading downstream of said upstream end, wherein said perforations in said exhaust plenum wall comprise a series of slits arranged so as to redirect said air flow into a direction substantially parallel to said exhaust plenum wall.

31. A stationary dryer comprising:

a housing enclosing a space,

a support located within said space,

an air moving device for generating an air flow through said space in a downstream direction,

an air distributor mechanism comprising a distribution plenum positioned in said air flow, upstream of said support, with a plenum wall arranged generally parallel to said airflow in said distribution plenum having a plurality of perforations therein, at least one of said distribution plenum and said perforations being sized or arranged in said wall so as to provide a greater porosity of said wall at an upstream end of said plenum wall and on an upstream side of said plenum wall in comparison to an area of said wall in a downstream direction and also on said upstream side of said plenum wall.