Household appliance comprising a first air conduit and a heat pump

Abstract

A household appliance including a housing; a drying chamber to dry wet articles in the drying chamber; and a first air conduit to guide process air drawn into the housing to dry the wet articles. The household appliance also has a heat pump that includes a heat sink to transfer heat into the heat pump; a heat source coupled to the first air conduit to transfer the heat from the heat pump into the process air; and a heat transfer device to transfer the heat from the heat sink to the heat source. A second air conduit is coupled to the heat sink to guide secondary air drawn into the housing. The heat sink transfers the heat from the secondary air into the heat pump.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A household appliance, comprising:
 a housing;   a drying chamber to dry wet articles in the drying chamber;   a first air conduit to guide process air drawn into the housing to dry the wet articles;   a heat pump, including:
 a heat sink to transfer heat into the heat pump; 
 a heat source coupled to the first air conduit to transfer the heat from the heat pump into the process air; and 
 a heat transfer device to transfer the heat from the heat sink to the heat source; and 
   a second air conduit coupled to the heat sink to guide secondary air drawn into the housing, the heat sink to transfer the heat from the secondary air into the heat pump.   
     
     
         22 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , wherein the heat transfer device comprises:
 a heat transfer loop containing a heat transfer fluid that circulates through the heat transfer loop;   a compressor to compress the heat transfer fluid and to circulate the heat transfer fluid through the heat transfer loop; and   a nozzle to decompress the heat transfer fluid;   wherein the heat sink is an evaporator to transfer the heat from the process air into the heat transfer fluid by evaporating the heat transfer fluid; and   wherein the heat source is a liquefier to transfer the heat from the heat transfer fluid to the process air by liquefying the heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         23 . The household appliance of  claim 22 , wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon compound. 
     
     
         24 . The household appliance of  claim 22 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is selected from the group consisting of refrigerants R134a, R152a, R290, R407C, and R410A. 
     
     
         25 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , wherein the drying chamber is a rotatable drum. 
     
     
         26 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , wherein the household appliance is a dryer for drying wet laundry. 
     
     
         27 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , wherein the second air conduit is coupled to the heat transfer device for transferring the heat dissipated from the heat transfer device to the secondary air. 
     
     
         28 . The household appliance of  claim 27 , further comprising drive means, wherein the second air conduit is arranged such that the secondary air passes the heat sink prior to passing the drive means. 
     
     
         29 . The household appliance of  claim 27 , wherein the first air conduit and the second air conduit are combined into a single exhaust conduit for exhausting the process air and the secondary air out of the housing. 
     
     
         30 . The household appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the single exhaust conduit comprises a single blower for exhausting the process air and the secondary air. 
     
     
         31 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , wherein the housing is open for an inflow of air into the housing, and wherein the second air conduit has at least one inlet disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         32 . The household appliance of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a first blower disposed in the first air conduit;   a second blower disposed in the second air conduit; and   a motor to drive the first blower and the second blower;   wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet and a second inlet;   wherein the first inlet is directed towards the heat transfer device; and   wherein the second inlet is directed towards the motor for driving the first blower disposed in the first air conduit and the second blower disposed in the second air conduit.   
     
     
         33 . The household appliance of  claim 32 , wherein the drying chamber is a rotatable drum that is rotated by the motor. 
     
     
         34 . The household appliance of  claims 32 , wherein the second blower is a two-flow blower having two flows, and wherein each of the first inlet and the second inlet is disposed at a respective one of the two flows. 
     
     
         35 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a bypass conduit connecting the first air conduit and the second air conduit; and   switching means for selectively routing a fraction of the process air into the second air conduit through the bypass conduit.   
     
     
         36 . The household appliance of  claim 35 , wherein the bypass conduit is connected to the first air conduit between the heat source and the drying chamber, and wherein the bypass conduit is connected to the second air conduit upstream of the heat sink. 
     
     
         37 . The household appliance of  claim 35 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor to detect a temperature at the heat sink; and   a control device connected to the temperature sensor and the switching means;   wherein the control device is configured to engage the switching means for routing the fraction of the process air into the second air conduit when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than a predefined threshold temperature.   
     
     
         38 . The household appliance of  claim 37 , further comprising a condensate sensor disposed in the second air conduit, wherein the condensate sensor is linked to the heat sink to detect condensate formed at the heat sink; wherein the control device is connected to the condensate sensor and the heat pump; and wherein the control device is configured to operate the heat pump in response to detections received from the condensate sensor. 
     
     
         39 . The household appliance of  claim 38 , further comprising drive means that include the heat pump, wherein the control device is connected to the drive means, and wherein the control device is structured to operate the heat pump by operating the drive means. 
     
     
         40 . The household appliance of  claim 21 , further comprising a heater disposed in the first air conduit upstream of the drying chamber for selectively heating the process air.