LAUNDRY APPLIANCE PARTITION

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to laundry treating appliances such as a laundry dryer, a laundry washing machine or a combination thereof in a single appliance or stacked appliance configuration.

BACKGROUND

Laundry treating appliances can have a configuration based on a rotating drum that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items are placed for treating according to a cycle of operation. A controller can be operably connected with the dispensing system and can have various components of the laundry treating appliance to execute the cycle of operation. The cycle of operation can be selected manually by the user or automatically based on one or more conditions determined by the controller.

The effectiveness of the clothes dryer is based on how dry laundry is at the end of a cycle. Too dry of laundry, such as “bone dry” is harsh on the laundry and wastes energy as the laundry is over-dried, and not dry enough feels wet to a consumer, which can lead to an unnecessary service call. Typically, it is desired to stop the drying cycle when the laundry has a desired residual moisture content falling within a particular range (e.g., 2-4%). Sensors can be utilized to determine the moisture content in a load of laundry and communicate this information to the controller.

In some clothes dryers, a separate drying apparatus, such as a drying rack, a removable bag, or container mounted to the door can be used for drying items separately from the standard tumbled load, i.e., delicates or shoes. Depending on the configuration, the separate drying apparatus can be used in place of or in combination with drying laundry in the treating chamber defined by the rotating drum.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure sets forth a laundry treating appliance comprising a rotatable drum having an inner surface, the inner surface at least partially defining a first treating chamber and having a front and a rear, a concentric drum defining a second treating chamber, the second treating chamber is at least partially configured within the rotatable drum, the partition is disposed concentrically within the first treating chamber, a first door selectively movable between an opened position and a closed position to open and close the front of the rotatable drum, the first door providing access to at least one of the first treating chamber and the second treating chamber, and at least one support selectively attached to the rotatable drum, wherein the at least one support configured to selectively couple the second treating chamber to at least a portion of the rotatable drum and a drive element.

The present disclosure further sets forth a laundry treating appliance comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a first treating chamber and having a front and a rear, at least one opening in the front providing access to the first treating chamber, door selectively movable between an open position and a close position, and a separate laundry partition rotatably mounted within the rotatable drum and extending at least partially between the rear and the front, the laundry divider providing a second treating chamber within the first treating chamber.

The present disclosure further sets forth a laundry treating appliance for drying laundry comprising a rotatable drum having a front and a rear, at least one opening in the front providing access to the rotatable drum, a door selectively movable between an opened position and a closed position providing access to the at least one opening, a concentric drum removably coupled to the rear of the rotatable drum and extending to the front and terminating adjacent the door, the concentric drum having an opening at the door, and at least one support selectively coupled between an outer surface of the concentric drum and an inner surface of the rotatable drum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary laundry treating appliance in the form of a clothes dryer including sensors and two treating chambers;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary controller for the clothes dryer in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an exemplary laundry treating appliance with a back panel, rotatable drum, concentric partition cylinder drum and front panel with a door rotatably attached, according to an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the concentric partition cylinder drum coupled to the back panel from FIG. 3 according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded perspective view of an exemplary bearing assembly and exemplary partition frame mount according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary rotatable drum of FIG. 1 illustrating an exemplary partition coupling frame with partition removed according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 7 is a front view of rotatable drum FIG. 6 with the exemplary concentric cylinder partition drum coupled to the frame illustrating a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the rotatable drum with the exemplary concentric cylinder partition drum of FIG. 7 according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the concentric cylinder partition drum of FIG. 7 with exemplary supports in a lowered position according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 10A is a front view of the concentric cylinder partition drum of FIG. 9 with exemplary supports in a raised position with rotatable drum removed according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 10B is a detail view of an exemplary support of FIG. 9 with an exemplary latch in the released position according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 10C is a detail view of an exemplary support of FIG. 9 with an exemplary latch in the latched position according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rotatable drum assembly with the concentric cylinder partition drum coupled to the rotatable drum frame and including an alternative front-end support according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 12 is a section view of the rotatable drum assembly of FIG. 11 illustrating the positioning of the alternative front-end support radiating around the concentric cylinder partition drum at a front end according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the rotatable drum assembly illustrating the assembly of the alternative front-end support radiating around the concentric cylinder partition drum at a front end of FIG. 11 according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 14 is a front view of an exemplary inlet grill with inlet nozzles positioned on the back wall according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 15 is a detail view of the exemplary inlet grill with inlet nozzles of FIG. 14 according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 16 is a side view of an air flow simulation exiting the exemplary inlet nozzles of FIG. 15 and a fluidly connected exemplary partition air supply duct according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the exemplary partition air supply duct in FIG. 16 extending from the air supply duct according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary partition air supply duct of FIG. 17 according to another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein; and

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of an alternative “S” shaped partition positioned within the rotatable drum of, at least, FIG. 1 according to yet another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

Aspects of the disclosure herein relate to a laundry treating appliance that includes a partition. The laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum configured within a housing, the rotatable drum having a front and a rear to define a main treating chamber. The front also including an opening and a door attached to the housing, the door configured to open or close the opening thereby providing access to the main treating chamber. The partition may be used to divide the main treating chamber into multiple smaller treating chambers. The partition can be removably mounted or coupled to a rear wall at the rear of the rotatable drum and extending between the rear wall and the opening at the front of the laundry treating appliance. In one configuration, the laundry treating appliance is a dryer having a controller capable of receiving information related to controlling a drying cycle for the dryer. The partition is configured to divide the main chamber into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber, the first and second treating chambers are configured to receive laundry in smaller loads that are not suitable for a regular tumbling cycle within a main chamber of the dryer. By way of non-limiting example laundry not suitable for a regular tumbling cycle can include shoes and delicates.

The controller can be configured to receive information related to the presence of the partition, the position of the partition, a drying cycle with the partition in use, a drying cycle without the partition in use, maintenance issues for the partition, or the like. The controller for the laundry treating appliance is not limited to these functions, and it should be understood that functions related to the controller discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and not meant to be limiting.

In one aspect of the disclosure discussed herein the partition is an “S” shaped divider removably mounted at a central axis of the rotatable drum at the rear wall. The “S” shaped divider is configured to extend longitudinally from the back wall and terminating substantially adjacent the front while also contacting the inner wall of the rotatable drum with a first lateral wing and a second lateral wing extending radially from a center body of the “S” shaped divider. The “S” shaped divider splitting the main chamber into the first treating chamber and the second treating chamber, both treating chambers accessible from the door.

In another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein, the partition is a removably mounted concentric cylinder removably coupled to the rear wall at a first end and selectively supported at an opposite second end, adjacent the front. The selective support may be a removable rod or stanchion extending from an outer surface of the concentric cylinder to an inner surface of the rotatable drum. Alternatively, the selective support may be a telescopic disc that is expanded radially around the outer surface of the concentric cylinder at the second end extending between the concentric cylinder and the inner surface of the rotatable drum. The concentric cylinder may also be telescopic and configured to expand for use and contract for storage. It is further contemplated that the concentric cylinder and the “S” shaped divider include perforated or mesh surfaces to allow an ambient treating air or chemical to pass between the first treating chamber and the second treating chamber.

In another aspect the partition may include a clutch mechanism at the mount to allow the partition to rotate separately or with varying speeds as compared to the rotatable drum. The first treating chamber and the second treating chamber can be utilized for laundry items safe for tumbling and needing to be kept separate from a main laundry load for drying in the main chamber without any partitions. Items such as undergarments or items with loose strings may be safe for tumbling and benefit from remaining separate so as to not become entangled with other laundry items during the drying process.

Furthermore, in yet another aspect of the disclosure discussed herein the ambient treating air enters the main chamber via a set of nozzles connected at an end of an air supply duct, the nozzles may include specific angles to direct the airflow, which will be discussed in greater detail below. The ambient treating air may also enter the main chamber via a central nozzle positioned at the center of a concentric cylinder mount at the central axis of the rotatable drum. Additionally, the ambient treating air introduced through the nozzles or the central nozzle may be fluidly connected or fluidly separated depending on the dryer cycle selected on the controller.

By way of overview, FIG. 1 is illustrative of an example of a laundry treating appliance in the form of a clothes dryer 10 that can be controlled according to aspects of the disclosure described herein. While aspects of the disclosure described herein are in the context of a clothes dryer 10, the disclosure is not so limited and can be used with any type of laundry treating appliance, non-limiting examples of which include a washing machine, a combination washing machine and dryer and a refreshing/revitalizing machine.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the clothes dryer 10 can include a cabinet 12 in which is provided a controller 14 that can receive input from a user through a user interface 16 for selecting a cycle of operation and controlling the operation of the clothes dryer 10 to implement the selected cycle of operation.

The cabinet 12 can be defined by a front wall 18, a rear wall 20, and a pair of sidewalls 22 supporting a top wall 24. A chassis can be provided with the walls being panels mounted to the chassis. A door 26 can be hingedly mounted to the front wall 18 and can be selectively movable between opened and closed positions to close an opening in the front wall 18, which provides access to the interior of the cabinet 12.

A rotatable drum 28 can be disposed within the interior of the cabinet between opposing stationary front and rear ends comprising bulkheads 30, 32 wherein the front bulkhead 30 defines a front wall 31 of the drum 28 and rotationally supports an open front 33 and the rear bulkhead 32 defines a rear wall 35 of the drum 28 closing an open rear 39 of the drum 28. The rear wall 35 of the drum 28 along with the door 26 and the rotatable drum 28 collectively define a main treating chamber 34. However, it should be understood that in some instances the front wall 18 may serve as the main structure and the front bulkhead 30 will not be used thereby allowing the front wall 18 to define a front wall 31 of the drum 28 to rotationally support the open front 33.

As illustrated, the main treating chamber 34 is not fluidly coupled to a drain, though other implementations may include drain lines. Thus, in this implementation, liquid introduced into the main treating chamber 34 will not be removed merely by draining. The rotatable drum 28 is for tumble drying a main laundry load 36 within the main treating chamber 34. Non-limiting examples of laundry that can be treated according to a cycle of operation include, a hat, a scarf, a glove, a sweater, a blouse, a shirt, a pair of shorts, a dress, a sock, a pair of pants, a shoe, an undergarment, and a jacket. Furthermore, textile fabrics in other products, such as draperies, sheets, towels, pillows, and stuffed fabric articles (e.g., toys), can be treated in the clothes dryer 10.

The drum 28 can include at least one lifter 29. In most dryers, there can be multiple lifters 29. The lifters 29 can be located along an inner surface 41 of the drum 28 defining an interior circumference of the drum 28. The lifters 29 can facilitate movement of the main laundry load 36 within the drum 28 as the drum 28 rotates.

The drum 28 can be operably coupled with a motor 54 to selectively rotate the drum 28 during a cycle of operation. The coupling of the motor 54 to the drum 28 can be direct or indirect. As illustrated, an indirect coupling can include a belt 56 coupling an output shaft of the motor 54 to a wheel/pulley on the drum 28. A direct coupling can include the output shaft of the motor 54 coupled to a hub of the drum 28. A clutch 55 may also be used for direct or indirect coupling. The clutch 55 may be mounted between the drum 28 and the wheel/pulley or alternatively directly to the drum 28 or to the output shaft of the motor 54. The clutch may allow the drive motor 54 to rotate the drum 28 in a first and a second rotational direction to aid in the tumbling of the laundry load 36. Alternatively, and as will be discussed in greater detail below, the clutch 55 may also be connected to the drum 28 and a partition 100 to allow the drum 28 and the partition 100 to rotate in the same or opposite directions, depending on the cycle of operation selected by an operator and controlled by the controller 14.

By way of example, the partition 100 may include at least one of the following non-limiting examples such as a concentric cylinder drum 200, an “S” shaped divider 400, a planar divider (not illustrated) and any other shape of divider configured to separate the rotatable drum 28 main treating chamber 34 into smaller rotatable treating chambers. The separate and smaller treating chambers allow for the segregation of clothes based at least on their weight and fabric type, thereby optimizing the drying process. Thus, lighter loads can be placed within these smaller treating chambers or heavier loads can occupy the main treating chamber 34. Additionally, the separation of loads may facilitate better circulation of ambient treating air flow throughout the load, resulting in superior drying performance compared to conventional designs.

The partition 100 may be coupled to a frame 102, the frame 102 may be supported by a bearing assembly 104 attached to the wheel or pulley or connected to at least one of the motor 43 and the rotatable drum 128, as previously discussed. The bearing assembly 104 may allow the frame 102 and ultimately the partition 100 to rotate freely. A gasket or seal 106 may also be used between the partition 100 and the frame 102. The frame 102 may further include projections 108 that radiate out and connect to a portion of the rotatable drum 128. The frame 102 may also include a hub 110 having at least one alignment element 114 that is configured to engage a portion of the partition 100. The alignment elements 114 may also be configured to drive the rotation of the partition 100 when engaged thus it should be understood that the clutch 55, may also be positioned therebetween to allow the partition 100 to rotate or release as needed per the laundry cycle selected. It should be understood that the frame alignment element 114 may be recessed below a frame engagement surface 116 or protrude above relative to the frame engagement surface 116. Alternatively, the frame engagement surface 116 may also be a splined shaft (not illustrated) protruding from the frame 102 that the partition 100 is slid over. Additionally, the partition 100 may include a corresponding partition engagement surface 118 that includes mating partition alignment elements 120 that are configured to couple the corresponding frame alignment elements 114.

An air system can be provided to the clothes dryer 10. The air system supplies ambient air to the main treating chamber 34 and exhausts air from the main treating chamber 34. The supplied air can be heated or not. The air system can have an ambient air supply portion 43 that can form, in part, a supply conduit 38 with an air inlet 39 open to ambient air via a vent 37 and another end fluidly coupled to an inlet grill 40, which can be in fluid communication with the main treating chamber 34. A heating element 42 can lie within the supply conduit 38 and can be operably coupled to and controlled by the controller 14. If the heating element 42 is turned on, the supplied air will be heated prior to entering the drum 28.

The air system can further include an air exhaust portion that can be formed in part by an exhaust conduit 44. A lint trap 45 can be provided as the inlet from the main treating chamber 34 to the exhaust conduit 44. A blower 46 can be fluidly coupled to the exhaust conduit 44. The blower 46 can be operably coupled to and controlled by the controller 14. Operation of the blower 46 draws air into the main treating chamber 34 and across or through the partition 100, as well as exhausts air from the main treating chamber 34 through the exhaust conduit 44. The exhaust conduit 44 can be fluidly coupled with a household exhaust duct (not shown) for exhausting the air from the main treating chamber 34 to the outside of the clothes dryer 10.

The air system can further include various sensors and other components, such as at least one thermistor, or an inlet thermistor 47 and a thermostat 48, which can be coupled to the supply conduit 38 in which the heating element 42 can be positioned. The inlet thermistor 47 and the thermostat 48 can be operably coupled to each other. Alternatively, the inlet thermistor 47 can be coupled to the supply conduit 38 at or near to the inlet grill 40. Regardless of its location, the inlet thermistor 47 can be used to aid in determining an inlet temperature (IT) of air entering the main treating chamber 34. Another thermistor, or outlet thermistor 51 and a thermal fuse 49 can be coupled to the exhaust conduit 44 proximate an air outlet 53 of the main treating chamber 34, with the outlet thermistor 51 being used to determine an outlet temperature (OT) of air exiting the treating chamber. Alternatively, the outlet thermistor 47 can be coupled to the exhaust conduit 44 at or near to the lint trap 45.

A first conductivity sensor 50 can be positioned in the interior of the main treating chamber 34 to monitor the amount of moisture of the laundry in the main treating chamber 34. The first conductivity sensor 52 can be located at the front of the main treating chamber 34 at a bottom portion of the front wall 31 of the drum 28. It is also contemplated that the first conductivity sensor 50 can be integrated with the lint trap 45 or at any location in the interior of the dispensing dryer 10 such that the first conductivity 50 can accurately sense the moisture content of the laundry. A second conductivity sensor 52 can be mounted at the rear of the main treating chamber 34, for example, on the real wall 35 of the drum 28 as illustrated. The conductivity sensors 50, 52 can be operably coupled to the controller 14 such that the controller 14 receives output from the conductivity sensors 50, 52. While two conductivity sensors 50, 52 are illustrated, this is not meant to be limiting and other configurations can be contemplated.

Each conductivity sensor 50, 52 is normally two, spaced strips of metal forming part of an electrical circuit such that when a laundry item touches both strips it closes the circuit, which lets an electrical signal pass through, which is registered as a “hit”. The circuit is coupled to the controller 14, which can monitor/analyze the frequency and duration of the hits over time to assess the dryness of the load. As the load dries, the frequency and duration will lessen as dry laundry is not as conductive as wet laundry.

The determination of a “dry” load can be based on the moisture content of the laundry, which may be set by the user based on the selected cycle, an option to the selected cycle, or a user-defined preference. The moisture content can be determined using a single moisture sensor, such as a conductivity sensor, located at the front of the treating chamber. The conductivity sensor can be used to calculate a projected drying time. In exemplary implementations, the conductivity sensors are not used for an absolute determination of dryness because they may not be accurate below approximately 10% moisture content and a load (at least in certain exemplary implementations) is typically not considered dry unless it has less than 5% moisture content or, more typically, 2-4%. Thus, the output of the conductivity sensor is used to calculate a drying time that is expected to have less than 5% moisture content.

Together the inlet and outlet thermistors 47, 51 can provide a thermal signal for an end of cycle estimation when either a signal from the conductivity sensors is no longer being produced because all of the laundry is wet, or an error has occurred. Additionally, when the dryness level drops below 10% a thermal signal from the inlet and outlet thermistors 47, 51 can be utilized to determine an end of cycle estimation time.

Together the inlet and outlet thermistors 47, 51 along with the first and second conductivity sensors 50, 52 can provide information as a single model to the controller 14. The single model can use information from the inlet and outlet thermistors 47, 51 to determine the temperature differential between incoming and outgoing air. This information can be in addition to or compared with the moisture content of the laundry sensed by the first and second conductivity sensors. These four pieces of input can together form the single model necessary for determining an end of cycle for the clothes dryer 10.

A dispensing system 57 can be provided for the clothes dryer 10 to dispense one or more treating chemistries to the main treating chamber 34 according to a cycle of operation. As illustrated, the dispensing system 57 can be located in the interior of the cabinet 12 although other locations are also possible. The dispensing system 57 can be fluidly coupled to a water supply 68. The dispensing system 57 can be further coupled to the main treating chamber 34 through one or more nozzles 69. As illustrated, nozzles 69 are provided to the front and rear of the main treating chamber 34 to provide the treating chemistry or liquid to the interior of the main treating chamber 34, although other configurations are also possible.

As illustrated, the dispensing system 57 can include a reservoir 60, which can be a cartridge, for a treating chemistry that is releasably coupled to the dispensing system 57, which dispenses the treating chemistry from the reservoir 60 to the main treating chamber 34. The reservoir 60 can include one or more cartridges configured to store one or more treating chemistries in the interior of cartridges. A suitable cartridge system can be found in U.S. Pub. No. 20150240407 to Hendrickson et al., filed Apr. 28, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,920,468, issued Mar. 20, 2018, entitled “Method for Converting a Household Cleaning Appliance with a Non-Bulk Dispensing System to a Household Cleaning Appliance with a Bulk Dispensing System,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

A mixing chamber 62 can be provided to couple the reservoir 60 to the main treating chamber 34 and partition 100 through a supply conduit 63. Pumps such as a metering pump 64 and a delivery pump 66 can be provided to the dispensing system 57 to selectively supply a treating chemistry and/or liquid to the main treating chamber 34 according to a cycle of operation. The water supply 68 can be fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber 62 to provide water from the water source to the mixing chamber 62. The water supply 68 can include an inlet valve 70 and a water supply conduit 72. It is noted that, instead of water, a different treating chemistry can be provided from the exterior of the clothes dryer 10 to the mixing chamber 62.

The treating chemistry can be any type of aid for treating laundry, non-limiting examples of which include, but are not limited to, water, fabric softeners, sanitizing agents, de-wrinkling or anti-wrinkling agents, and chemicals for imparting desired properties to the laundry, including stain resistance, fragrance (e.g., perfumes), insect repellency, and UV protection.

The dryer 10 can also be provided with a steam generating system 80 which can be separate from the dispensing system 57 or integrated with portions of the dispensing system 57 for dispensing steam and/or liquid to the main treating chamber 34 according to a cycle of operation. The steam generating system 80 can include a steam generator 82 fluidly coupled with the water supply 68 through a steam inlet conduit 84. A fluid control valve 85 can be used to control the flow of water from the water supply conduit 72 between the steam generating system 80 and the dispensing system 57. The steam generator 82 can further be fluidly coupled with the one or more supply conduits 63 through a steam supply conduit 86 to deliver steam to the main treating chamber 34 through the nozzles 69. Alternatively, the steam generator 82 can be coupled with the main treating chamber 34 and the partition 100 through one or more conduits and nozzles independent of the dispensing system 57.

The steam generator 82 can be any type of device that converts the supplied liquid to steam. For example, the steam generator 82 can be a tank-type steam generator that stores a volume of liquid and heats the volume of liquid to convert the liquid to steam. Alternatively, the steam generator 82 can be an in-line steam generator that converts the liquid to steam as the liquid flows through the steam generator 82.

It will be understood that any suitable dispensing system and/or steam generating system can be used with the dryer 10. It is also within the scope of the invention for the dryer 10 to not include a dispensing system or a steam generating system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the controller 14 coupled to the various components of the dryer 10. The controller 14 can be communicably coupled to components of the clothes dryer 10 such as the heating element 42, blower 46, inlet thermistor 47, thermostat 48, thermal fuse 49, outlet thermistor 51, first and second conductivity sensor 50, 52, motor 54, inlet valve 70, pumps 64, 66, steam generator 82 and fluid control valve 85 to either control these components and/or receive their input for use in controlling the components. The controller 14 is also operably coupled to the user interface 16 to receive input from the user through the user interface 16 for the implementation of the drying cycle and provide the user with information regarding the drying cycle.

The user interface 16 can be provided with operational controls such as dials, lights, knobs, levers, buttons, switches, and displays enabling the user to input commands to a controller 14 and receive information about a treatment cycle from components in the clothes dryer 10 or via input by the user through the user interface 16. The user can enter many different types of information, including, without limitation, cycle selection and cycle parameters, such as cycle options. Any suitable cycle can be used. Non-limiting examples include, Casual, Delicate, Super Delicate, Heavy Duty, Normal Dry, Damp Dry, Sanitize, Quick Dry, Timed Dry, and Jeans.

The controller 14 can implement a treatment cycle selected by the user according to any options selected by the user and provide related information to the user. The controller 14 can also comprise a central processing unit (CPU) 74 and an associated memory 76 where various treatment cycles and associated data, such as look-up tables, can be stored. One or more software applications, such as an arrangement of executable commands/instructions can be stored in the memory and executed by the CPU 74 to implement the one or more treatment cycles.

In general, the controller 14 will affect a cycle of operation to affect a treating of the laundry in the main treating chamber 34, which can or cannot include drying. The controller 14 can actuate the blower 46 to draw an inlet air flow 58 into the supply conduit 38 through the rear vent 37 when air flow is needed for a selected treating cycle. The controller 14 can activate the heating element 42 to heat the inlet air flow 58 as it passes over the heating element 42, with the heated air 59 being supplied to the main treating chamber 34. The heated air 59 can be in contact with the main laundry load 36 as it passes through the main treating chamber 34 and over or through the partition 100 on its way to the exhaust conduit 44 to affect a moisture removal of the laundry. The heated air 59 can exit the main treating chamber 34, and flow through the blower 46 and the exhaust conduit 44 to the outside of the clothes dryer 10. The controller 14 continues the cycle of operation until completed. If the cycle of operation includes drying, the controller 14 determines when the laundry is dry. The determination of a “dry” load can be made in different ways but is often based on the moisture content of the laundry, which is typically set by the user based on the selected cycle, an option to the selected cycle, or a user-defined preference.

During a cycle of operation, one or more treating chemistries can be provided to the main treating chamber 34 and the partition 100 by the dispensing system 57 as actuated by the controller 14. To dispense the treating chemistry, the metering pump 64 is actuated by the controller 14 to pump a predetermined quantity of the treating chemistry stored in the reservoir 60 to the mixing chamber 62, which can be provided as a single charge, multiple charges, or at a predetermined rate, for example. The treating chemistry can be in the form of a gas, liquid, solid, gel or any combination thereof, and can have any chemical composition enabling refreshment, disinfection, whitening, brightening, increased softness, reduced odor, reduced wrinkling, stain repellency or any other desired treatment of the laundry. The treating chemistry can be composed of a single chemical, a mixture of chemicals, or a solution of a solvent, such as water, and one or more chemicals.

FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view illustrating the layout of an exemplary concentric cylinder drum 200, prior to insertion into the rotatable drum 228. It should be understood that throughout the specification like parts will be identified with the like numerals increased by 100, with the understanding that the description of the like parts applies to each like part, unless otherwise noted and merely by way of example the description of partition 100 applies to the concentric cylinder drum 200, 300 and the “S” shaped partition 400. The illustration includes a rear bulkhead, also referred to as a back panel 232 and a front wall 218 of a cabinet 212, here the front wall 218 supports the rotatable drum 228 and eliminates the need for a front bulkhead 30 as previously discussed. The front wall 218 having an opening 233 configured therethrough that may be accessible through a door 226, the door 226 may be hingedly coupled to the front wall 218. The concentric cylinder drum 200 may be inserted through the door 226 and removably coupled within the rotatable drum 228 at the back panel 232. In operation the user may grasp at least one partition handle 221 configured on the concentric cylinder drum 200 to maneuver the concentric cylinder drum 200 into the rotatable drum 228.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a detailed view of the back panel 232 without the rotatable drum 228 attached. As illustrated, the concentric cylinder drum 200 is attached at the back panel 232, the illustration further shows an indirect drive motor 254 mounted on the back panel 232 to drive rotation of at least one of the rotatable drum 228 and the concentric cylinder drum 200, as discussed above using a belt 56 or other such drive element. Additionally, the concentric cylinder drum 200 can be locked to a frame 102. More specifically, with reference to the figures, the concentric cylinder drum 200 may include at least one engagement tab 201, the engagement tab 201 may be configured to engage a locking recess 203 positioned radially around the locking ring 112 of the hub 110. Assembly may include grasping the partition handle 221 and inserting the concentric cylinder drum 200 into the rotatable drum 228 until the engagement surface 116 and the engagement tabs 201 align with the locking recess 203 and the alignment element 114. Once aligned, the operator may rotate the concentric cylinder drum 200 to snap or lock the concentric cylinder drum 200 with the hub 110. Other locking mechanisms may be utilized, such as, but not limited to push tangs and recesses, threads positioned on the concentric cylinder drum 200 and the locking ring 112, fasteners and other such locking mechanisms configured to join two elements in a fixed manner.

It should be understood that to prevent laundry 36 from entrapment between projections 108 and the back panel 232 requires a minimal gap. Specifically, as illustrated at least in FIG. 8, a back panel gap 205 range of 0.05 mm to 10 mm and as illustrated, the back panel gap 205 range is 1 mm to 3 mm. While a front gap 207 positioned at the opposite end between the door 226 and the concentric cylinder front end 225 includes a range of 0.05 mm to 8 mm and as illustrated, the front gap 207 range is 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm when the door 226 is in the closed position. These small gaps 205, 207 aid in preventing the laundry 36 from becoming entangled or entrapped thereby preventing damage to the laundry 36. To further aid in the drying process, performance and to enhance the tumbling action and interaction with the drying air, at least one internal baffle 227 and at least one external baffle 229 are positioned on the concentric cylinder drum 200. The internal baffle 227 may be configured to project radially inward relative to an internal surface 202 of the concentric cylinder drum 200, while the external baffle 229 may be configured to project radially outward relative to an external surface 204 of the concentric cylinder drum 200.

Thus, as can be seen at least in FIGS. 6-8, when the concentric cylinder drum 200 is installed in the rotatable drum 228, the main treating chamber 234, defined by the rotatable drum inner surface 241, is divided into a first treating chamber 258 and a second treating chamber 259. The first treating chamber 258 is configured between the rotatable drum inner surface 241 and the concentric cylinder external surface 204. Additionally, the second treating chamber 259 is defined inside the concentric cylinder drum 200 relative to the internal surface 202 with the door 226 in the closed position. As previously discussed, dividing the main treating chamber 234 into smaller treating chambers 258, 259 allows an operator to segregate and dry the laundry 36 as smaller loads or based on type to efficiently process the laundry while reducing drying times.

Turning specifically, to FIG. 8, which is a longitudinal cross section of FIG. 7, the assembly of the concentric cylinder drum 200 positioned within the rotatable drum 228 and coupled to the frame 102 can be seen. The first treating chamber 258 is surrounding the concentric cylinder drum 200 while the second treating chamber 259 can be seen within the concentric cylinder drum 200. As illustrated the door 226 is in a closed position showing a front gap 207 between the door 226 and the concentric cylinder front end 225. Additionally, the illustration shows the tight fit between projections 108 and the back panel 232 resulting in the minimal back panel gap 205. In this exemplary assembly the concentric cylinder drum 200 is cantilevered and supported merely by the frame 202. The concentric cylinder drum 200 may be constructed of a single sheet of perforated stainless steel having a plurality of perforations 230 extending through at least the surfaces 202, 204 to allow treating or drying air 150, supplied from the inlet grill 140, to flow through the concentric cylinder drum 200. The concentric cylinder drum 200 having an open first end 209 a closed or sealed second end 210 by the back panel 232. However, the concentric cylinder drum 200 may also be formed of a perforated sheet metal, semi-rigid or pliable material, such as, but not limited to thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), or rubber silicone, any of which can also withstand high temperatures. In some cases when a sheet metal is used it may also have a coating applied to the surface.

Turning now to FIGS. 9-10B the concentric cylindrical drum 200 may be provided with at least one front end support 161. The front-end support 161 is configured to extend between the concentric cylinder external surface 204 and the rotatable drum inner surface 241. The front-end support 161 is configured to connect and brace the concentric cylindrical drum 200 to the rotatable drum 228, which reduces lateral stress at the frame 102, concentric cylindrical drum 200 connection. As illustrated the front-end support 161 is a rod support 261 configured to rotate about a pinned base 262 with a latch hook 263 configured at a rod support distal end 264. The pinned base 262 is affixed to the concentric cylinder external surface 204, while a latch 265 having a latch base 266 affixed to the rotatable drum inner surface 241.

With specific reference to FIGS. 10A, 10B and 10C, the concentric cylinder drum 200 is attached to the hub 110 once the rod support 261 is rotated up laterally relative to the concentric cylinder external surface 204 to allow the rod support 261 to radiate from the external surface 204. Once rotated up the latch hook 263 engages a toggle catch 267 pivotally pinned to the latch base 266 and configured to rotate down to allow the latch hook 263 to slide along a ramp 269 into a latch hook channel 268 while the toggle catch 267 is configured to spring back and secure the latch hook 263 to the latch hook channel 268. Engagement of the latch hook 263 with the latch hook channel 268 secures the rod support 261 and the concentric cylinder drum 200 to the rotatable drum 228. For removal, the toggle catch 267 is pushed down to bias a spring (not illustrated) and allow the latch hook 263 to be released and rotated back in the opposite direction to fold down. The rod support may also be constructed of materials similar to the concentric cylinder drum 200 provided those materials provide the rigidity and resiliency needed to maintain a position of the first end 209 while having a smooth finish to avoid laundry 36 from being trapped or damaged.

Turning now to FIG. 11, a perspective view of an alternative front-end support 161 is illustrated. Here the front-end support 161 is configured as a support disc 361, the support disc 361 may be constructed of a plurality of disc elements 362. The disc elements 362 may include a first element 363, a second element 364 and a third element 365. These disc elements 362 are configured to close off the first treating chamber 358 while leaving the second treating chamber 359 accessible when the door 326 is in the closed position. The support disc 361 is configured to radiate from the concentric cylinder external surface 304 front end 309 and extending to the rotatable drum inner surface 341. The first element 363, second element 364 and third element 365 may be configured as nested together and expanded in a telescopic manner to enclose the first treating chamber 358. The first element 363 may be positioned between the concentric cylinder external surface 304 and the rotatable drum inner surface 341, then the second element 364 and the third element 365 may be rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotary motion to fan out the plurality of disc elements 362 thereby positioning them radially around the concentric cylinder first end 309 and a front internal edge 342 of the rotatable drum 328 enclosing the first treating chamber 358. Accordingly, to remove the plurality of disc elements 362 the operator merely reverses the steps of installation as defined above.

FIG. 12 is a cross section of FIG. 11 further illustrating the positioning of the plurality of disc elements 362 relative to the front internal edge 342 of the rotatable drum 328 while radiating around the concentric cylinder first end 309. The illustration further provides details of the first treatment chamber 358 and the second treatment chamber 359. Additionally, the position of the internal baffle 327 and the external baffle 329 relative to the concentric cylinder 300 is also shown. The position may be determined by the type of laundry 36 placed within the second treatment chamber 359 and the internal baffle 327 and external baffle 329 may be removed or added as needed.

Turning to FIG. 13, illustrating the plurality of disc elements 362 alternatively being individually placed one at a time by positioning the first element 363 into the first treating chamber 358, placing an outer edge 366 against the front internal edge 342 of the rotatable drum inner surface 341, then rotating the first element 363 toward the first end 309 of the concentric cylinder drum 300. Thus, moving the plurality of disc elements 362 in this manner results in a positive engagement between the rotatable drum's front internal edge 342 and concentric cylinder external surface 304, thereby locking the plurality of disc elements 362 in place. Repeating this process for each of the second disc element 364 and the third disc element 365 will enclose the first treating chamber 358. It should be understood that any number of disc elements may be used to make the plurality of disc elements 362.

Air movement within the clothes dryer 10, as discussed above regarding the description of FIG. 1, uses a blower 46 to introduce and move ambient supply air via an external vent 37 through the air supply conduit system 38 to introduce drying air out of an inlet grill 40 and into the treating chamber 34. As illustrated, at least in FIGS. 4, 10, 14 and 15, the inlet grill 140 includes a plurality of inlet nozzles 142 for directing the drying air 150 into at least one of the first treating chamber 258 and the second treating chamber 259. These inlet nozzles 142 may be cylindrical in shape and molded as part of the air supply conduit 38 or air supply duct 238 and they may be a separate piece affixed to the air supply duct 238. Alternatively, the inlet nozzles 142 may be a separate part affixed to the back panel 232 and they may be molded as part of the back panel 232, as long as they are provided to guide the drying air 150 into the treating chambers 258, 259.

To optimize the drying air 150 movement within the treating chambers 258, 259, the inlet nozzles 142 may extend into at least a portion of the rotatable drum 128 into the treating chamber 258 and relative to the back panel 232. The inlet nozzles 142 may also include a downward angle with an angle range of 10 to 45 degrees pointing substantially down relative to the back panel 232, as illustrated in FIG. 16, which shows an air flow simulation of the drying air 150 exiting the inlet nozzles 142 and entering the first treating chamber 258 at an approximate 20-degree downward angle. This enables the drying air 150 to be injected at an angle direct to the laundry load 36. The inlet nozzles 142 as illustrated in FIG. 15 include a concave profile where the inlet nozzles 142 arc from a low recessed midpoint 146 at substantially the center of the plurality of inlet nozzles 142 and curves up to an outer edge 147 of the plurality of inlet nozzles 142 and extending around and above the midpoint 146. Alternatively, this profile of the plurality of inlet nozzles 142 may be a convex profile where the midpoint 146 is raised and the outer edge 147 is lower than the midpoint 146. This convex or concave shape further allows the drying air 150 to be directed and focused on the laundry load 36 versus pointing at the air exhaust conduit 44 and the lint trap 45. However, as illustrated at least in FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 10 an air exhaust vent 143 is positioned on the back panel 232 and as illustrated in FIG. 16 extends from the back panel 232 to an air exhaust duct 144 running beneath the rotatable drum 228 and exiting ultimately through a lint filter 145 adjacent the front wall 18.

Additionally, as illustrated at least in FIGS. 14 and 16-18, the air supply duct 138 further includes a partition air supply duct 139 extending between the air supply duct 138, through the back panel 232 and into at least a portion of the concentric cylinder drum 200. The partition air supply duct 139 may extend through or around the bearing assembly 104 and extend substantially through a center of the frame 102 to inject drying air 150 directly into the concentric cylinder drum 200. Alternatively, the concentric cylinder drum 200 second end 210 may include perforations while the frame 102 may also include perforations to allow drying air 150 to flow freely from the partition air supply duct 139 and into the second treating chamber 259. It should be understood that the partition air supply duct 139 may be of any shape and merely by way of example is illustrated as a circular duct having a diameter in the range of 20 mm to 60 mm with a preferred diameter of 40 mm. This diameter range allows enough drying air 150 to supply the second treating chamber 259 to spread the laundry 36 to a sufficient surface area to prevent damage while drying.

Turning now to FIG. 19, an alternative partition 100 is configured as an “S” shaped partition 400. The “S” shaped partition 400 may be removably mounted along the central axis 411 of the rotatable drum 428. The “S” shaped partition 400 includes a hub 410 that is configured to mate with a drive element, as discussed above, that is rotatably connected to the motor 54 or the clutch 55. The drive element 401 may be a splined shaft, a collar or other type of mechanical removable coupling system to couple the hub 410 to the drive element 401 and as previously disclosed herein. Alternatively, the hub 410 may be fixed to a shaft (not illustrated) preventing rotation thereby allowing the rotatable drum 428 to rotate around the “S” shaped partition 400. Further, the “S” shaped partition 400 may be configured to counter-rotate thereby rotating in an opposite direction of the rotatable drum 428 while still maintaining at least one of close contact and contact to the rotatable drum inner surface 441.

The “S” shaped partition 400 includes a first wing 402 and a second wing 404, the wings 402, 404 extending substantially laterally from a midsection 406 extending from and at least partially surrounding the hub 410. The midsection 406 is substantially planar and terminates at a downward curve 403 on the first wing 402 and an upward curve 405. The downward curve 403 terminates into a first planar section 406 having a first contact edge 407 while the upward curve 405 terminates into a second planar section 408 having a second contact edge 409. It should be understood that the curves 403, 405 have an arc configured to apply pressure at the edges 407, 409 to resist flex and allow the edges 407, 409 to at least one of contact the rotatable drum inner surface 441 and maintain a gap adjacent to between the edges 407, 409 and the rotatable drum inner surface. The wings 402, 404 include a substantially planar top surface 412 and a substantially planar bottom surface 413.

Additionally, the wings 402, 404 may extend from an area adjacent the back panel 432 to an area adjacent the door as discussed above related to the partitions 100, 200, 300 to bisect a main treating chamber 434 into a first treating chamber 458 positioned above the top surface 412 and a second treating chamber 459 positioned below the bottom surface 413. It should be understood that the treating chambers 458, 459 are interchangeable in the fact that as rotation occurs the treating chambers 458, 459 may rotate as well, but the treating chambers 458, 459 will respectively remain above the top surface 412 and below the bottom surface 413. A plurality of perforations 430 extend through the surfaces 412, 413 to allow treating or drying air 150, supplied from the inlet grill 140, to flow through the partition 400. This further allows the drying air 150 or chemical to flow between the first treating chamber 458 to the second treating chamber 459. The drying air 150 exits the treating chambers 458, 459 through an exhaust vent 443 fluidly connected to an exhaust duct 444 that extends to one of the external panels to exhaust the treating air 150.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.