Combination laundry washer dryer

Abstract

Method and apparatus for a novel apparatus to perform the task of washing and drying laundry in one machine is described within. There have been many attempts to create a practical combination laundry machine because the space and potential time savings to have all of the processes happen within one machine is beneficial. The problem created with most previous attempts is a machine that is sized for a wash load which will not properly dry the clothes in less time than a traditional two machine system. The underlying issue is the fact that a properly sized machine for washing is considerably smaller in internal volume than a dryer with the same load capacity. This invention uses a basket which has the capability to change the basket volume to maintain the proper ratio for both washing and drying cycles.

1 . A combination clothes washer and dryer with basket which can reduce or enlarge the internal volume of the basket to provide a basket volume specific to the washer or dryer function of the combination washer/dryer machine. 
   
   
       2 . A clothes washer/dryer as in  claim 1 , wherein the functions of both a clothes washer and clothes dryer are all contained within one machine. 
   
   
       3 . A clothes washer/dryer as in  claim 1 , where movable side walls are arranged to reduce or enlarge the internal volume of said basket during washing and drying cycles of said washer/dryer. 
   
   
       4 . A clothes washer/dryer comprising: a chamber; an axial rotating basket disposed inside said chamber; a set of movable side walls disposed in said basket of the clothes washer/dryer; at least one mechanism to move said side walls; and a control circuit for the operation of the moveable side walls. 
   
   
       5 . A clothes washer/dryer basket as in  claim 4 , where the internal volume changes by 15 to 60 percent by moving said side walls. 
   
   
       6 . A clothes washer/dryer basket as in  claim 4 , where the side walls include a front loading door, a rear basket head, two or more cylindrical sections, and two or more lifting baffles. 
   
   
       7 . A clothes washer/dryer basket as in  claim 4 , wherein the rear wall of the basket can move axially within said basket to reduce or enlarge the internal volume of said basket. 
   
   
       8 . A clothes washer/dryer basket as in  claim 4 , wherein the side walls can move radially within said basket to reduce or enlarge the internal volume of said basket. 
   
   
       9 . A clothes washer/dryer basket as in  claim 4 , wherein the side walls are moved by a motor and mechanical linkage to a pre-determined range of motion. The motor may be fixed to the chamber about said basket with a linkage in contact with said rotating basket 
   
   
       10 . A clothes washer/dryer basket as in  claim 4 , wherein the side walls are moved by pressurized bladder or bladders, or sealed pressure cylinder or cylinders fixed to said basket. 
   
   
       11 . A mechanical linkage system as in  claim 9 , wherein multiple linkages are used to move side walls to compensate for out of balance load conditions during a water extraction step used to remove excess water before rinsing or drying clothes. 
   
   
       13 . A pressurized bladder as in  claim 10 , wherein the method of inflating said bladder is water. 
   
   
       14 . A pressurized bladder as in  claim 10 , wherein the method of inflating said bladder is air. 
   
   
       15 . A pressurized bladder as in  claim 10 , wherein multiple bladders are used to compensate for out of balance load conditions during a water extraction step used to remove excess water before rinsing or drying clothes. 
   
   
       16 . A pressurized bladder as in  claim 10 , wherein multiple bladders are used to compensate for out of balance load conditions during a water extraction step used to remove excess water before rinsing or drying clothes by using air to inflate one or more bladders and using water in inflate other bladders.