Machine for drying laundry, in particular washer-dryer, equipped with a heat pump system

Abstract

A machine for drying laundry is disclosed. The machine comprises a cabinet and an oscillating assembly housed in the cabinet and comprising a tub and a drum. The machine comprises a drying circuit connected with the tub. The machine comprises a blower apt to move a drying airflow in the drying circuit. The machine comprises a heat pump system including an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, the evaporator being housed in the condensing segment and the condenser being housed in the heating segment.

1 . A machine for drying laundry, in particular a washer-dryer, comprising:
 a cabinet;   an oscillating assembly housed in the cabinet and comprising a tub and a drum housed in the tub;   a drying circuit connected with the tub and having a condensing segment and a heating segment;   a blower moving a drying airflow in the drying circuit, the drying airflow circulating in the drying circuit so that the condensing segment is positioned in the drying circuit upstream of the heating segment, the condensing segment being configured for reducing the moisture content in the drying airflow and the heating segment being configured for increasing the temperature of the drying airflow; and   a heat pump system including an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, the evaporator is housed in the condensing segment and the condenser is housed in the heating segment;   wherein the evaporator, the condenser and the compressor are supported by the cabinet, with the evaporator and the condenser being positioned substantially above the drum, and the compressor being positioned substantially below the drum.   
     
     
         2 . The machine according to  claim 1  further comprising flexible pipes connecting the compressor to the evaporator and to the condenser. 
     
     
         3 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the blower is supported by the cabinet and is positioned substantially above the drum, the blower being in particular positioned upstream of the condensing segment. 
     
     
         4 . The machine according to  claim 1  further comprising an electric heater, wherein the electric heater is housed in the heating segment, the electric heater being in particular positioned downstream of the condenser. 
     
     
         5 . The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the drying circuit includes at least one rigid conduit, the at least one rigid conduit being supported by the cabinet and comprising in particular a hollow body formed by at least a first semi-shell and a second semi-shell joined together. 
     
     
         6 . The machine according to  claim 5 , further comprising a drain at the bottom of the at least one rigid conduit, the drain having a draining hole and an inclined portion adjacent to the draining hole, the draining hole being fluidly connected to the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The machine according to  claim 5 , wherein the drying circuit includes at least one flexible conduit connected to an end of the at least one rigid conduit, the at least one rigid conduit being in fluid communication with the tub. 
     
     
         8 . The machine according to  claim 1 , the cabinet having a front wall, a loading aperture communicating with the drum being defined in the front wall, the machine comprising a door apt to selectively close the loading aperture and a gasket apt to seal the interspace between the front wall and the door, wherein the at least one flexible conduit is built in a single piece with the gasket. 
     
     
         9 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the drying circuit comprises:
 a first flexible conduit;   a first rigid conduit positioned in the drying circuit downstream of the first flexible conduit, the first rigid conduit conveying the drying airflow along a first direction;   a second rigid conduit positioned in the drying circuit downstream of the first rigid conduit, the second rigid conduit conveying the drying airflow along a second direction;   a second flexible conduit positioned in the drying circuit downstream of the second rigid conduit; and   wherein the first direction is transversal to the second direction, the angle defined by the first direction and the second direction being comprised between 60° and 105°, preferably between 75° and 90°, more preferably around 77.77°.   
     
     
         10 . The machine according to  claim 9 , wherein the blower is positioned between the first rigid conduit and the second rigid conduit and/or
 wherein a housing for a filter is defined in the first rigid conduit and/or   wherein the condensing segment and the heating segment belong both to the second rigid conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The machine according to  claim 10 , the cabinet having a first side wall and a second side wall, wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to the first side wall and the second side wall, the distance separating the second rigid conduit from the first side wall being in particular greater than the distance separating the second rigid conduit from the second side wall. 
     
     
         12 . The machine according to  claim 1  wherein the cabinet comprising a top element comprising in turn a top wall, a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall, a space of containment being defined between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall, wherein the drying circuit is in part housed in the space of containment, the height of the first lateral wall and of the second lateral wall being lower than 90 mm, preferably lower than 50 mm, more preferably around 66 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the evaporator and the condenser are both mounted inclined with respect to the top wall, so that the portion of the evaporator closer to the condenser is closer to the top wall than the portion of the evaporator farther to the condenser and the portion of the condenser closer to the evaporator is farther to the top wall than the portion of the condenser farther to the evaporator, wherein the tilt angle of the evaporator and/or the condenser with respect to a line orthogonal to the top wall is comprised between 1° and 30°, preferably between 3° and 15°, more preferably around 3.01°. 
     
     
         14 . The machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the blower is mounted inclined with respect to the top wall as well, so that the portion of the blower closer to the evaporator is closer to the top wall than the portion of the blower farther to the evaporator, wherein the tilt angle of the rotation axis of the blower with respect to a line orthogonal to the top wall is comprised between 3° and 45°, preferably between 9° and 30°, more preferably around 13°. 
     
     
         15 . The machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressor is fixed to the cabinet by a supporting plate secured to the cabinet and by a plurality of brackets connecting the compressor to the supporting plate and damping feet are provided between the brackets and the supporting plate. 
     
     
         16 . The machine according to  claim 15 , wherein the cabinet having a rear wall, the machine further comprising a cooling fan, apt to move a cooling flow in the cabinet intended to reduce the temperature of the compressor, wherein the cooling fan is supported by the cabinet and is positioned adjacent to the rear wall, in particular adjacent to a perforated region of the rear wall. 
     
     
         17 . A machine for drying laundry comprising:
 a cabinet;   an oscillating assembly housed in the cabinet and comprising a tub and a drum housed in the tub;   a drying circuit fluidly connected with the tub and comprising:
 a blower moving a drying airflow in the drying circuit; 
 the condensing segment is positioned in the drying circuit upstream of the heating segment; and 
 a heat pump system including an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, which are supported by the cabinet, with the evaporator and the condenser being positioned above the drum, and the compressor being positioned below the drum. 
   
     
     
         18 . The machine according to  claim 17  wherein the evaporator is upstream of the condenser. 
     
     
         19 . The machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the blower is supported by the cabinet above the drum. 
     
     
         20 . The machine according to  claim 19  further comprising a heater positioned downstream of the condenser.