U.S. patent application number 12/302657 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-24 for method for operating a domestic appliance, especially a home dryer or a washing machine, and domestic appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.. Invention is credited to Hans-Joachim Klug, Uta Kreutzfeldt, Thomas Loy, Johannes Sierl.
Application Number | 20090235465 12/302657 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37116050 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090235465 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Klug; Hans-Joachim ; et
al. |
September 24, 2009 |
METHOD FOR OPERATING A DOMESTIC APPLIANCE, ESPECIALLY A HOME DRYER
OR A WASHING MACHINE, AND DOMESTIC APPLIANCE
Abstract
The invention concerns a method for operating a domestic
appliance, especially a home dryer (1) or a washing machine, and a
domestic appliance (1) which comprises an operating mode for
treating textiles with steam. According to the method at least one
action for protection of an operator of the domestic appliance (1)
is taken when an interruption of an active program for treating
textiles with hot steam occurs. The method shall prevent that the
operator is hurt by the hot steam generated in the domestic
appliance. The domestic appliance (1) comprises a control (40) and
a memory (41) storing at least one program for treating textiles
with steam, wherein the control (40) is adjusted to execute the
inventive method.
Inventors: |
Klug; Hans-Joachim;
(Winkelhaid, DE) ; Kreutzfeldt; Uta; (Freystadt,
DE) ; Sierl; Johannes; (Nurnberg, DE) ; Loy;
Thomas; (Nurnberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BANNER & WITCOFF, LTD.;ATTORNEYS FOR CLIENT NOS. 006912 AND 026912
1100 13th STREET, N.W., SUITE 1200
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-4051
US
|
Assignee: |
ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS
CORPORATION N.V.
Zaventem
BE
|
Family ID: |
37116050 |
Appl. No.: |
12/302657 |
Filed: |
June 1, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
June 1, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP07/04857 |
371 Date: |
April 22, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
8/149.3 ;
68/12.26; 68/5C |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 2105/58 20200201;
D06F 34/28 20200201; D06F 37/42 20130101; D06F 2224/00 20130101;
D06F 58/203 20130101; D06F 39/008 20130101; D06F 58/30 20200201;
D06F 58/50 20200201 |
Class at
Publication: |
8/149.3 ; 68/5.C;
68/12.26 |
International
Class: |
D06F 35/00 20060101
D06F035/00; D06F 39/04 20060101 D06F039/04; D06F 37/42 20060101
D06F037/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 1, 2006 |
EP |
06011421.2 |
Claims
1. A method for operating a domestic appliance, which domestic
appliance comprises an operating mode for treating textiles with
steam, wherein at least one action for protection of an operator of
the domestic appliance is taken when an interruption of an active
program for treating textiles with steam occurs to thereby protect
the operator from being hurt by the steam generated in the domestic
appliance.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action is taken, when
a door for loading and unloading a chamber of the domestic
appliance with textiles is opened during the run of the program for
treating textiles with steam.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action is taken when
the program for treating textiles with steam is interrupted by
actuation of switching equipment of the domestic appliance.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the switching equipment
comprises a stop-button or a start/rest-button.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the action is taken when
the program for treating textiles with steam is interrupted by a
failure of the domestic appliance.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one warning
signal is released.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the warning signal is an
acoustic and/or an optical warning signal.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the optical warning
signal is displayed with an optical display, which comprises a lamp
or a LED-display or an operating panel of the domestic appliance,
which operating panel comprises particularly a LCD-display.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one action
comprises the supply of steam to a chamber of the domestic
appliance containing the textiles being at least partially
stopped.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein a conduit for supplying
the chamber of the domestic appliance containing the textiles with
steam is closed.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the conduit is closed
by a valve.
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the domestic appliance
comprises a steam unit, and wherein the at least one action
comprises the steam unit being at least partially depleted of
steam.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the steam unit is at
least partially depleted of steam by a valve.
14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the supply of steam to
the chamber of the domestic appliance containing the textiles is at
least partially stopped by a reversion of the flux of the steam
through the steam unit.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the steam unit
comprises a steam generator and a pump for pumping water into the
steam generator, wherein the pump of the steam unit is operated in
a reversed mode.
16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one action
comprises the steam contained in a chamber of the domestic
appliance containing the textiles being conducted out of the
chamber.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein a fan is used for
conducting the steam out of the chamber containing the
textiles.
18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the steam contained in
the chamber containing the textiles is conducted out of the chamber
by means of a conduit of the supply air to the chamber and/or by
means of a conduit of the exhaust air out of the chamber (which
conduit/conduits is/are normally used in an operating mode for
drying textiles.
19. A method according to claim 3, wherein the door for loading and
unloading the domestic appliance with textiles is temporarily
prevented from opening after an interruption of an active program
for treating textiles with steam to thereby reduce the danger for
an injury of an operator from steam.
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the door for loading
and unloading the domestic appliance with textiles is prevented
from opening for a certain period of time and/or until the
temperature and/or the atmospheric moisture in the chamber of the
domestic appliance containing the textiles has/have a certain
value.
21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the domestic appliance
is a dryer of the condensation type.
22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the domestic appliance
is a dryer of the exhaust air type.
23. A domestic appliance, comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components to execute the method of claim 1.
24. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim 2.
25. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim 3.
26. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim 5.
27. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim 6.
28. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim 9.
29. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim
12.
30. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim
14.
31. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim
16.
32. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim
19.
33. A domestic appliance comprising a control device and a storage
device storing at least one program for treating textiles with
steam, wherein the control device is configured, and the appliance
comprises further components, to execute the method of claim 20.
Description
[0001] The invention concerns a method for operating a domestic
appliance and a domestic appliance, especially a home dryer or a
washing machine,
[0002] Home dryers and washing machines are well known in the state
of the art. In relation to home dryers it is thereby known to dry
textiles using a condensation process or using a wet exhausting air
process.
[0003] It has been found out that the treatment of textiles can be
improved by using steam which is applied to the textiles e.g. in a
dryer during one operation mode of the dryer. One aspect of such a
process is to prepare the textiles in a better way for the
following ironing. Another aspect is to remove unwanted odours out
of the textiles.
[0004] The dryer comprises as a rule a rotatable drum in which the
textiles are contained when the textiles are treated with hot water
steam. The steam generated by a steam unit is conducted by a
conduit and a steam injector into the drum. The steam has, during
the operation in the drum normally a temperature of equal or more
than 100.degree. C. Opening the door used for loading and
un-loading the drum of the dryer with textiles during the run of a
program for treating textiles with steam can-therefore be
dangerously for an operator.
[0005] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
propose a method for operating a domestic appliance and a domestic
appliance as mentioned above which at least reduce the risk of an
accident with hot steam during the operation of the domestic
appliance.
[0006] This object is inventively achieved by the method for
operating a domestic appliance, especially a home dryer or a
washing machine, of claim 1, which domestic appliance comprises a
steam unit and an operating mode for treating textiles with hot
steam, wherein at least one action for protection of an operator of
the domestic appliance is taken when an interruption of an active
program for treating textiles with hot steam occurs. The inventors
have recognized that every interruption of a program for treating
textiles with steam should be supervised because independently
thereof whether the interruption was caused by the operator or not
there is always potentially the danger that the operator opens the
door of the domestic appliance without thinking about the hot steam
inside the domestic appliance. It is therefore reasonable to
provide at least one preferably more actions that the operator is
not hurt by the hot steam generated in the domestic appliance, when
an interruption of a run of a program for treating textiles with
hot steam occurs.
[0007] According to one variant of the invention the action is
taken, when a door for loading and un-loading a room of the
domestic appliance with textiles is opened, whereby the opening of
the door interrupts the program for treating the textiles with
steam. Normally the domestic appliance has a door to a rotatable
drum containing the textiles during the operation of the domestic
appliance. The door comprises a mechanism for opening and closing
the door. It is proposed to have sensing means working together
with the mechanism for opening and closing the door. Preferably the
sensing means are connected with control means of the domestic
appliance. The control means finally initiate the action for the
protection of the operator, when the door is opened during a run of
a program for treating the textiles with steam.
[0008] According to another variant of the invention the action is
taken, when the program for treating textiles with steam is
interrupted by activation of a switching equipment of the domestic
appliance. The switching equipment comprises preferred a
stop-button or a start/rest-button. Theses buttons are as a rule
part of a operating panel of the domestic appliance. The switching
equipment can also be a kind of virtual button e.g. a button
displayed on a screen e.g. displayed on a touch screen.
[0009] The action is also taken, when the run of the program for
treating textiles with steam is interrupted by a failure of the
domestic appliance. Such a failure can be e.g. a short interruption
of the supply voltage of the domestic appliance which can cause the
interruption of the run of the program for treating textiles with
steam.
[0010] A preferred action is to release at least one warning signal
to the operator which calls the operator's attention to the hot
steam inside the domestic appliance especially inside the drum. The
warning signal can be an acoustic and/or an optical warning signal.
When the warning signal is an optical warning signal it is
preferred displayed with an optical display, which comprises a lamp
or a LED-display (light emitting diode) or the operating panel of
the domestic appliance, which operating panel comprises
particularly a LCD-display (liquid crystal display).
[0011] Another action for protection of an operator is to stop at
least partially the supply of steam to the room, particularly to
the drum of the domestic appliance containing the textiles, when an
interruption of a run of a program for treating textiles with steam
occurs. Thereby the control means of the domestic appliance stop as
a rule the activity of the steam unit, in particular the activity
of the pump of the steam unit and/or the heating of the steam
generator.
[0012] According to variants of the invention the supply of steam
to the room of the domestic appliance containing the textiles can
be at least partially stopped by closing a conduit which is used
for supplying the room with steam. The conduit can thereby be
closed by a valve, preferred by a magnetic valve.
[0013] Another possibility according to the invention to protect an
operator is to deplete the steam unit of the domestic appliance of
steam at least partially, when an interruption of a run of a
program for treating textiles with steam occurs. This can be
achieved by a valve, preferred a magnetic valve. Preferably the
opening and closing of the valve is controlled by the control of
the domestic appliance. The steam is thereby conducted in a part or
in parts of the domestic appliance to which the operator has as a
rule no contact or no access.
[0014] According to embodiments of the invention the supply of
steam to the room of the domestic appliance containing the textiles
can be at least partially stopped by the reversion of the flux of
the steam through the steam unit. By a reversion of the flux of the
steam through the steam unit thus the steam do not flow through a
conduit and an injector in direction to the room containing the
textiles but flows in the opposite direction. Preferred the pump of
the steam unit which normally pumps water out of a water tank into
the steam generator of the steam unit is thereby operated in a
reversed mode. In the reversed mode the pump of the steam unit is
operated in an opposite direction and pumps the steam already
generated in the steam generator into the water tank.
[0015] It is also possible for the protection of the operator to
conduct the steam contained in the drum of the domestic appliance
out of the drum, when an interruption of a run of a program for
treating textiles with steam occurs. This can be achieved by a
separate conduit connected with one side to the drum and with the
other side e. g. to the outside of the domestic appliance.
Preferably there is a controllable valve for opening the passage
through the conduit. Advantageously a fan is used for conducting
the steam out of the drum containing the textiles. Another
possibility for conducting the steam out of the drum of the
domestic appliance is to use an already existing conduit of the
domestic appliance. Preferred is the use of the conduit of the
supply air to the drum and/or the use of the conduit of the exhaust
air out of the drum. Both conduits are normally used for air
circulation during the process of drying textiles. The last
mentioned embodiment is therefore particularly adapted for home
dryers.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the invention the door for
loading and un-loading the domestic appliance with textiles can not
be opened after an interruption of an active program for treating
textiles with steam until there is no more danger for an injury of
an operator. Preferred the door for loading and un-loading the
domestic appliance with textiles can not be opened for a certain
period of time and/or until the temperature and/or the atmospheric
moisture in the room of the domestic appliance containing the
textiles has/have a certain value. The opening of the door is in
these cases thus either time controlled or temperature controlled
or atmospheric moisture controlled.
[0017] The domestic appliance can be in case of a dryer a dryer of
the condensation type or a dryer of the exhaust air type.
[0018] The domestic appliance according to the invention comprises
a control and a memory storing at least one program for treating
textiles with steam, wherein
[0019] the control is adjusted to execute at least one of the
aforementioned methods.
[0020] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the
accompanying schematic drawings. It is shown:
[0021] FIG. 1 a dryer in a front view,
[0022] FIG. 2 a first embodiment of components of the dryer of FIG.
1, partially shown in a schematic block diagram and
[0023] FIG. 3 a second embodiment of components of the dryer of
FIG. 1, partially shown in a schematic block diagram.
[0024] The invention is consecutively exemplarily described for a
domestic appliance in form of a home dryer. But the domestic
appliance according to the invention can also be a washing machine
comprising a steam unit as described later and an operating mode
for treating textiles with steam.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a dryer, especially a home
dryer 1. FIG. 2 shows in one embodiment of the invention components
of the home dryer 1 of FIG. 1. The home dryer 1 of FIG. 1 and FIG.
2 is a condensation type dryer. The home dryer 1 comprises a
housing 2 with a door 3 for loading and un-loading a drum 4 with
not shown textiles. The drum 4 is rotatable around an axis A by
means of a motor 5 and a belt 6. The drum 4 is in a not shown way
respectively pivoted.
[0026] For drying textiles the home dryer 1 comprises a conduit 7
for the supply air to the drum 4, a heating element 8 in case of
the on hand embodiment arranged in or near the conduit 7 for the
supply air, a conduit 9 for the exhausted air, a heat exchanger 10,
a sump 11, a pump 12, a water tank or condensate collector 13, a
first fan 14 in case of the on hand embodiment arranged in the
conduit 7 for the supply air and a second fan 15 arranged near the
heat exchanger 10. The first fan 14 and the second fan 15 are
connected to a drive motor 16.
[0027] Further the home dryer 1 comprises an operating panel 30
with an display 31 and a turning knob 32 for choosing a program for
drying textiles and/or a program for treating textiles with steam.
The operating panel 30 is connected to control means in form of a
control 40 of the home dryer 1. The control 40 is preferably a
program driven computer and comprises a memory 41. A plurality of
different programs for drying textiles and programs for treating
textiles with steam is stored in the memory 41 which can be chosen
with the turning knob 32. The display 31 is preferably a
LCD-display. The display 31 is particularly intended for displaying
program information and operating data of the home dryer 1. The
knob 32 and the display 31 can also be used for setting operating
parameters of the home dryer 1.
[0028] In one operation mode of the home dryer 1, when a program
for drying textiles is chosen by an operator with the turning knob
32 of the operating panel 30 the home dryer 1 is operated in an air
circulation mode. Thereby air heated by the heating element 8 in
the conduit 7 for the supply air is applied by means of the fan 14
to wet textiles contained in the rotating drum 4. In the drum 4 the
heated air is charged with moisture. The air charged with moisture
arrives by means of the conduit 9 for the exhausted air at the heat
exchanger 10 which is cooled with the fan 15. Water condenses in
the heat exchanger 10 and is collected in the sump 11. The pump 12
pumps the water of the sump 11 into the condensate collector 13.
Now the air is again heated and conducted by means of the fan 14
into the drum 4. This air circulation process continues until the
textiles in the drum 4 are dried in an adequate manner. The run of
the chosen program for drying textiles is controlled by the control
40 of the home dryer 1 which is particularly connected to the motor
5, the heating element 8, the motor 16 and the pump 12 what is not
explicitly shown in FIG. 2.
[0029] In another operation mode of the home dryer 1 textiles
contained in the drum 4 can be treated with hot water steam. The
home dryer 1 comprises therefore a steam unit. The steam unit
comprises a water tank 20, a pump 21, a steam generator 22 and a
injector 23 for the steam connected to the steam generator 22 by a
conduit 24. As described above the operator can choose a program
for treating textiles with steam with the turning knob 32. During
the run of such a program water contained in the water tank 20 is
pumped by the pump 21 into the steam generator 22 and there heated.
The steam generated in the steam generator 22 arrives by means of
the conduit 24 and the injector 23 at the drum 4. The hot water
steam is then applied to the textiles contained in the drum 4,
which thereby rotates around the axis A. The hot water steam has a
temperature of 100.degree. C. and more. This process particularly
the run of the respective program is again controlled by the
control 40.
[0030] Especially during the run of a program for treating textiles
with hot steam the danger exists that an operator is hurt by the
hot steam when an active program is interrupted. Normally an
interruption of a run of program for treating textiles with steam
is caused either by opening the door 3 for loading and unloading
the drum 4 with textiles or by switching of a switching equipment
of the home dryer 1. But an interruption of a run of a program for
treating textiles with steam can also occur in consequence of a
failure of the home dryer 1. By the way this listing is not
concluding.
[0031] For detecting the opening of the door 3 for loading and
unloading the drum 4 with textiles as soon as possible a mechanism
17 for opening and closing the door 3 is equipped with additional
sensing means 18. The sensing means 18 are e. g. a light barrier or
any other appropriate sensor for registering at once the opening of
the door 3 with the mechanism 17. The sensing means 18 are
connected to the control 40 (not shown in the drawings). Therefore
the control 40 can at once register when the door 3 is opened.
[0032] As mentioned above the run of a program for treating
textiles with steam can also be interrupted by the activation of
switching means. Switching means for such an interruption are in
the case of the on hand embodiment a stop-button 33 and/or a
start/rest-button 34 of the operating panel 30 of the home dryer 1.
The switching of any of these buttons is registered by the control
40.
[0033] In any case of interruption of a run of a program for
treating textiles with steam, especially in the aforementioned
cases, it is reasonable to take at least one action for protection
of the operator. It is namely possible that the operator is not
aware of the hot steam inside the drum 4 when the interruption
occurs.
[0034] When the control 40 registers an interruption of a run of a
program for treating textiles with steam is it by means of the
sensing means 18 or by getting a stop signal or rest signal based
on the activation of the stop-button 33 or of the start/rest-button
34 the control 40 runs in a kind of emergency mode and releases at
once at least one warning signal. Preferably an acoustic and an
optical warning signal are released or generated by the control 40
to direct the operator's attention to the hot steam inside the drum
4.
[0035] The acoustic warning signal is released e.g. by means of a
buzzer or a speaker 35 of the operating panel 30 to the operator.
The warning signal can be e.g. a beep or a spoken warning like
"attention--hot steam".
[0036] The optical warning signal is released by means of an
optical display preferably arranged in the front of the home dryer
1.
[0037] The optical display can be e.g. a lamp, particularly a red
lamp 36 or a LED-display or the LCD-display 31. The optical warning
signal can thus be only a red warning light or in case of the
LCD-display 31 red blinking words like "attention--hot steam".
[0038] Additionally to the release of the warning signals the
control 40 stops after registering an interruption of a run of a
program for treating textiles with steam the further supply of hot
steam of the steam unit to the drum 4. The control 40 especially
stops the operation of the pump 21 of the steam unit and the
operation of the heating of the heat generator 22 of the steam
unit.
[0039] The supply of steam to the drum 4 can thereby be stopped by
closing the conduit 24 by a magnetic valve 25 which is attached to
the conduit 24 and controlled by the control 40.
[0040] A further possibility to stop the supply of steam to the
drum 4 containing the textiles can be the reversion of the flux of
the steam through the steam unit. By a reversion of the flux of the
steam through the steam unit thus the steam generated by the steam
generator 22 do not flow through the conduit 24 and the injector 23
in direction to the drum 4 but flows in the opposite direction. The
pump 21 of the steam unit which normally pumps water out of a water
tank 20 into the steam generator 22 is thereby preferably operated
in a reversed mode. In the reversed mode the pump 21 is operated in
an opposite direction and pumps the steam already generated and
still present in the steam generator 22 into the water tank 20. The
pump 21 is thereby controlled by the control 40.
[0041] Another action to protect an operator is to deplete the
steam unit of the home dryer 1 of the steam, when an interruption
of a run of a program for treating textiles with steam occurs. This
can be achieved by a magnetic valve 26 attached to the steam unit.
E.g. the magnetic valve 26 is attached to a conduit connecting the
pump 21 und the steam generator 22. The opening and closing of the
magnetic valve 26 is controlled by the control 40. When an
interruption of a run of a program for treating textiles with steam
occurs, the magnetic valve 26 is opened in direction to a conduit
27 which is attached to the magnetic valve 26 and the steam is
conducted by means of the conduit 27 in a part or in parts of the
home dryer 1 to which the operator has as a rule no contact or no
access.
[0042] When the conduit 27 is connected to the magnetic valve 25
the steam unit can also be depleted of the steam by means of the
magnetic valve 25 and the conduit 27. In this case the magnetic
valve 26 is not necessary.
[0043] Another action taken by the control 40 in case of an
interruption of a run of a program for treating textiles is to
conduct as fast as possible the hot steam contained in the drum 4
out of the drum 4. This can be done by a separate conduit connected
to the drum 4 and equipped with a controllable valve. But
preferably the conduit 7 for the supply air and/or the conduit 9
for the exhausted air are used for conducting the hot steam out of
the drum 4. In case of the on hand embodiment the conduit 7 for the
supply air is used because of the fan 14 inside the conduit 7. So
the control 40 can activate the motor 16 in such a way that the hot
steam is conducted out of the drum 4 by means of the fan 14 which
is operated in the reverse direction in comparison to the drying
mode (see arrow in FIG. 2).
[0044] In case of an interruption of a run of a program for
treating textiles with steam by switching one of the buttons 33 or
34 the control 40 blocks the door 3 with a not explicitly shown
closing device of the mechanism 17. The door 3 can thereby not be
opened until there is no more danger for an injury for the
operator. Preferably the door 3 is blocked by the control 40 for a
certain period of time, e.g. 1 minute, and/or until the temperature
and/or the atmospheric moisture in the drum 4 has reached a certain
value. The value of the temperature can be registered with a
separate temperature sensor 19 connected to the control 40 or in a
respectively way with a not shown temperature sensor of the steam
generator 22 whereby based on the temperature of the steam
generator 22 and a known cool down behaviour of the steam in the
drum 4 the control 40 computes the temperature in the drum 4. The
value of the atmospheric moisture can be registered with a separate
sensor 28 connected to the control 40 or with a already existing
sensor of the home dryer 1.
[0045] The invention was afore described in connection with a home
dryer of the condensation type. But the invention is not limited to
home dryer of the condensation type. The invention is also
applicably in home dryers using a wet exhausted air process as
illustrated in FIG. 3. Components shown in FIG. 3 which are in type
and function identically or comparably with components shown in
FIG. 2 have the same reference numerals.
[0046] In case of the embodiment of FIG. 3 heated air is conducted
in the drum 4 by means of the conduit 7 for supply air, the heating
element 8 and the fan 14 for drying wet textiles contained in the
drum 4. The air charged with moisture is conducted from the drum 4
to the outside of the home dryer.
[0047] The home dryer of FIG. 3 can like the home dryer of FIG. 2
be operated with at least one program for treating textiles in the
drum 4 with hot steam. For protection of an operator in case of an
interruption of a program for treating textiles with steam the same
actions can be taken as described above. Acoustic and optical
warning signals can be released in the same way. The supply of
steam to the drum 4 can be stopped by the control 40. The steam
unit can be depleted of steam. The steam contained in the drum 4
can be conducted out of the drum by means of the conduit 7 and the
fan 14 whereby the fan can be operated in both turning direction.
Also the door 3 can be blocked for a certain period of time and/or
until the temperature in the drum 4 has reached a certain
value.
[0048] As mentioned before the invention is also applicable to
washing s machines comprising a steam unit and an operating mode
for treating textiles with hot steam.
[0049] As described above a lot of actions can be taken in case of
an interruption of a run of a program for treating textiles with
steam for the protection of an operator. Thereby it is not
necessary to take all the described actions. It can be sufficient
to take only one action or any adapted combination of the described
actions that the operator is not hurt by hot steam.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0050] 1 home dryer
[0051] 2 housing
[0052] 3 door
[0053] 4 drum
[0054] 5 motor
[0055] 6 belt
[0056] 7 conduit for supply air
[0057] 8 heating element
[0058] 9 conduit for exhausted air
[0059] 10 heat exchanger
[0060] 11 sump
[0061] 12 pump
[0062] 13 condensate collector
[0063] 14 fan
[0064] 15 fan
[0065] 16 motor
[0066] 17 mechanism
[0067] 18 sensing means
[0068] 19 temperature sensor
[0069] 20 water tank
[0070] 21 pump
[0071] 22 steam generator
[0072] 23 injector
[0073] 24 conduit
[0074] 25 magnetic valve
[0075] 26 magnetic valve
[0076] 27 conduit
[0077] 28 sensor
[0078] 30 control panel
[0079] 31 display
[0080] 32 turning knob
[0081] 33 stop-button
[0082] 34 start/rest-button
[0083] 35 speaker
[0084] 36 lamp
[0085] 40 control
[0086] 41 memory
[0087] A axis
* * * * *