Cold-air dryer

Abstract

The present invention relates drying clothes and other fabrics. The present invention further relates to a cold-air system for removing moisture from fabric. The present invention even further relates to a system for drying fabrics in a closed, non-exhausted system. The present invention even further relates to a free-standing, low energy appliance for drying fabrics.

Claims

1. A method of removing moisture from fabrics, comprising: (a) placing fabrics in a drum cavity of a dryer; (b) circulating coolant through a closed coolant loop of the dryer, the dryer further having a heat exchanger, (c) circulating cold air through a closed air loop and through the drum cavity of the dryer containing wet fabrics, producing moist air in the closed air loop, the closed air loop further circulating the moist air passing through the heat exchanger to remove heat and moisture from the moist air to create the cold air; and (d) separating water produced from the heat exchanger from the closed coolant loop and the closed air loop.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of circulating coolant through the closed coolant loop of the dryer having the heat exchanger; whereas the heat exchanger communicates with the closed coolant loop.

3. The method of claim 1, the step of placing fabrics in the drum cavity including rotating the drum cavity in an axial manner.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: Powering the dryer with an 110V plug.

5. The method of claim 1, whereas the step of circulating air through the closed air loop obviates a need to exhaust air outside of the dryer.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: Collecting the water in a reservoir.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising disposing of the water using an evaporating mechanism.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: Draining the water outside of the dryer.

9. The method of claim 1, the closed air loop further comprising a filtering mechanism.

10. A system for drying wet fabrics, the system comprising: an air loop extending through a fabric drying drum and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger capable of removing heat and water in the air loop to create cold air, whereas the air loop carries the cold air into the fabric dryer drum; a coolant loop spanning the heat exchanger and a compressor, the compressor capable of pressurizing and cooling a coolant in the coolant loop to apply at the heat exchanger, a water drain to remove the water after leaving the fabric drying drum, the water drain removing water at the heat exchanger, and a power coupling element to power the system.

11. The system in claim 10, the air loop further comprising a filtering mechanism to catch lint from the fabric, the filtering mechanism being disposed after the fabric drying drum and being accessible by a user of the system.

12. The system in claim 10 optimized as a dryer for low-power consumer use, whereas the power coupling element is 110V.

13. The system in claim 10 optimized as a dryer for unvented spaces, whereas the air loop is closed and requires no exhaust ventilation.

14. The system in claim 10, the water drain communicating water to a water reservoir for storage.

15. The system in claim 10, water drain communicating water to an evaporating element.

16. The system in claim 10, the heat exchanger comprising a mechanism for conveying the cooled and drier air into the drying drum.

17. The system in claim 10, the drying drum capable of rotating axially to provide a tumbling effect upon the fabrics.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side plan view of an embodiment of a closed drying appliance having a sealed heat exchanger;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the heat exchanger portion of the system as it communicates with a drying drum and a compressor;

(4) FIG. 3 is a diagram of an embodiment of a closed drying appliance in detail;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of a drying appliance with the side wall removed to reveal internal operating components;

(6) FIG. 5 is a diagram of an embodiment of a closed drying appliance in detail;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The present invention provides a solution to lowering high electric bills. The present invention provides a faster drying time for clothes and fabric. The present invention provides a further solution that obviates a need for venting for a dryer.

(8) While the present invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments set forth above, many alternatives, modifications and other variations thereof will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. All such alternatives, modifications and variations are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

(9) In FIG. 1, a plan schematic is depicted for an embodiment of the inventive system. An air loop may connect the drying drum, a filter and a heat exchanger portion of the air loop. The air loop may be closed so that outside exhaust venting is unnecessary. In an embodiment of the invention, the air may pass through the drying drum where some ambient air exchange is possible. In the drying drum, the air may gain moisture from the wet fabrics. In embodiments of the invention, the dryer drum may have an axial rotation as is known in the arts of clothes dryers to expose the fabrics to the air so that the moisture exchange may be optimized. After the air loop leaves the drying drum with the moist air, it may pass through a filtering mechanism where lint and other fabric particles may be removed. The air loop may then comprise a heat exchange portion, where the air is super-cooled and moisture is via the water line as seen in FIG. 2. The heat exchange portion may be positioned as illustrated in FIG. 2, or may be placed along other aspects of the air loop in other embodiments of the invention.

(10) As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, a refrigerant loop may comprise a closed loop from compressor to the heat exchanger and may further comprise a pressurized liquid or other refrigerant. Liquid may be variations of coolants known commercially traditionally as Freon, r243 or other coolants known in the arts. The refrigerant line may continue cycling through heat exchanger, super-cooling the coils while the coolant gains heat and enters into a higher volume chamber, the refrigerant loses pressure because of volume change from the line to the heat exchanger. In other embodiments and within the closed loop, additional and/or equivalent structures may be positioned to accomplish additional and/or equivalent functionalities.

(11) In embodiments of the invention seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, a water line may be deployed between the water reservoir and the heat exchanger. Water may be generated via condensation from coils of the heat exchangers as the return air cycles through the heat exchanger. The water disposal unit may have an overflow reservoir that may be emptied at the time the lint trap or remover would be emptied. The water reservoir may be interlocked with the power on activator or system operational switch so that the water reservoir must be emptied before continued usage (and preventing water overflow). Water reservoir may comprise additional storage capabilities according to embodiments of the invention. For example, water reservoir may include a raised perimeter that allows a volume of liquid to accumulate without overflowing, or may include separate containers connected by overflow lines separate from the water reservoir as depicted in the illustrations. In other embodiments water may be disposed through other methods and structures within the scope of this invention. For example, water lines may transport the water directly or indirectly away to a drain, exterior space, or other disposal technique such as evaporation system. The evaporation system may comprise a small fan or other evaporation aid that enables the water collected to evaporate into the surrounding air.

(12) FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the inventive fabric cooling system as installed in a consumer clothes dryer frame that plugs into an 110V ac outlet, which may power a compressor to help remove water from the cooled air, a fan motor working with the heat exchanger, a dryer motor to turn the dryer drum, and other components of the dryer as needed. The compressor may be any compressor known in the arts as used in clothes driers, including a 5K BTU compressor. An air loop may extend between the drum, a lint remover, and the heat exchanger. In other embodiments and within the closed loop, additional and/or equivalent structures may be positioned to accomplish additional and/or equivalent functionalities. The dryer from FIG. 4 may include a coolant loop as seen in FIG. 5 and that may cool the air at the heat exchanger.

(13) The present disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the specification is to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. Likewise, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to various embodiments. However, benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all the claims.