Check valves for gravity drain fluid bottle mounted in basement of a heat pump dryer machine

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet, a drum, a heat exchanger, a sump, a removable, gravity-fed fluid bottle, and a fluid level sensor. The drum is rotatably supported within the cabinet and defines a laundry compartment therein. The heat exchanger is disposed in the cabinet. The sump is disposed in the cabinet below the heat exchanger and positioned to collect condensed water vapor falling from the heat exchanger. The removable, gravity-fed fluid bottle is slidingly received in the cabinet below the heat exchanger and is positioned in fluid communication with the sump. The fluid level sensor is positioned in the sump and configured to pause operation of the laundry appliance when a fluid level detected in the sump exceeds a threshold fluid level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a drum rotatably supported within the cabinet and defining a laundry compartment therein;   a heat exchanger disposed in the cabinet;   a sump disposed in the cabinet below the heat exchanger and positioned to collect condensed water vapor falling from the heat exchanger;   a removable, gravity-fed fluid bottle that is slidingly received in the cabinet below the heat exchanger and is positioned in fluid communication with the sump; and   a fluid level sensor positioned in the sump and configured to pause operation of the laundry appliance when a fluid level detected in the sump exceeds a threshold fluid level.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid level sensor includes a float that is positioned in the sump. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid level sensor includes a fluid level switch that is movable between a deactivated position and an activated position. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid level sensor is configured to detect the threshold fluid level in the sump when a portion of the float contacts the fluid level switch. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid level switch transitions from the deactivated position to the activated position when a portion of the float contacts the fluid level switch. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 3 , wherein when the fluid level switch is in the activated position, the fluid level switch is configured to pause operation of the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a check valve mounted to the fluid bottle and configured to control fluid flow between the sump and the fluid bottle. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid bottle extends between a front bottle end and a rear bottle end that is opposite the front bottle end and wherein the check valve is disposed at the rear bottle end of the fluid bottle. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the check valve is movable between an open valve position allowing fluid flow between the sump and the fluid bottle and a closed valve position restricting fluid flow between the sump and the fluid bottle. 
     
     
         10 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet including a front cabinet wall and a rear cabinet wall opposite to the front cabinet wall;   a drum rotatably supported within the cabinet and defining a laundry compartment therein;   a heat exchanger disposed in the cabinet;   a sump disposed in the cabinet below the heat exchanger and positioned to collect condensed water vapor falling from the heat exchanger;   a removable fluid bottle that is slidingly received in the cabinet below the heat exchanger and is positioned in fluid communication with the sump;   a check valve that is mounted to the removable fluid bottle and is movable between an open valve position and a closed valve position such that the check valve is configured to control a fluid flow between the sump and the fluid bottle; and   a docking station disposed within the sump and at least partially aligned with the check valve, the docking station including a docking station housing positioned within a wall of the sump and a docking station plunger positioned in movable contact with the docking station housing, wherein the docking station plunger is moveable between an open plunger position and a closed plunger position.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a fluid level sensor located in the sump that is configured to pause operation of the laundry appliance when a fluid level detected in the sump exceeds a threshold fluid level.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid level sensor includes a float that is buoyant and configured to float in the fluid of the sump and a fluid level switch movable between a deactivated position and an activated position. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid level sensor is configured to detect the threshold fluid level in the sump when the float contacts the fluid level switch and moves the fluid level switch from the deactivated position to the activated position. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the docking station plunger is sealingly engaged with docking station housing when the docking station plunger is in the closed plunger position to restrict fluid flow from sump to the docking station housing. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the docking station plunger is spaced from the docking station housing when the docking station plunger is in the open plunger position to allow fluid flow from the sump to the docking station housing. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein when the removable fluid bottle is inserted into the cabinet, the check valve is received in the docking station housing, the check valve is in the open valve position and the docking station is in the open plunger position to allow fluid flow from the sump, through the docking station and check valve, and to the fluid bottle. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein when the removable fluid bottle is removed the cabinet, the check valve is removed from the docking station housing, the check valve is in the closed valve position and the docking station is in the closed plunger position to restrict fluid flow between the sump and the fluid bottle. 
     
     
         18 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the check valve includes a valve housing and a valve shaft movable within the valve housing. 
     
     
         19 . The laundry appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the valve shaft is sealingly engaged with the valve housing when the check valve is in the closed valve position and the valve shaft is spaced from the valve housing when the check valve is in the open valve position. 
     
     
         20 . The laundry appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchanger includes:
 a first exchanger positioned adjacent to the front cabinet wall and configured to condense air flowing through the first exchanger; and   a second exchanger positioned adjacent to the rear cabinet wall and configured to heat air flowing through the second exchanger.