Excess lint indicator for a clothes dryer

Claim 2

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure having a rotatably mounted cylinder extending between said front wall and said rear wall, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening, said filter housing panel defining wiTh said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway thereby to impel air through said airflow duct system, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy clothlike screen located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said pocket having a configuration in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said cloth-like screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indicator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said cloth-like mesh on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said clothlike screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch and operate said signal before said clothlike screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said cloth-like screen.

Claim 3

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure having a rotatably mounted cylinder extending between said front wall and said rear wall, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening, said filter housing panel defining wiTh said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway thereby to impel air through said airflow duct system, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy cloth-like screen located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said pocket having a configuration in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said cloth-like screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indicator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said cloth-like mesh on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said cloth-like screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch and operate said signal before said cloth-like screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said cloth-like screen.

Claim 4

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure having a rotatably mounted cylinder extending between said front wall and said rear wall, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening, said filter housing panel defining wiTh said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway thereby to impel air through said airflow duct system, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy cloth-like screen located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said pocket having a configuration in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said cloth-like screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indicator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said cloth-like mesh on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said cloth-like screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch and operate said signal before said cloth-like screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said cloth-like screen.

Claim 5

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure extending between said front wall and said rear wall, said clothes treatment enclosure defined by a portion of the inside surface of said dryer door, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening and a rotatably mounted cylinder, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel defining with said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway thereby to impel air through said airflow duct system, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy screen of plastic fabric located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said fabric having substantially a 68 X 72 mesh for filtering lint, said pocket having a width to depth ratio greater than one in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indIcator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a resilient pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said screen on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch to operate said signal before said screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said screen.

Claim 6

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure extending between said front wall and said rear wall, said clothes treatment enclosure defined by a portion of the inside surface of said dryer door, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening and a rotatably mounted cylinder, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel defining with said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway thereby to impel air through said airflow duct system, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy screen of plastic fabric located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said fabric having substantially a 68 X 72 mesh for filtering lint, said pocket having a width to depth ratio greater than one in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indIcator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a resilient pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said screen on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch to operate said signal before said screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said screen.

Claim 7

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure extending between said front wall and said rear wall, said clothes treatment enclosure defined by a portion of the inside surface of said dryer door, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening and a rotatably mounted cylinder, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel defining with said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway and adapted to impel air through said airflow duct system at substantially 180 cubic feet per minute, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy screen of plastic fabric located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said fabric having substantially a 68 X 72 mesh for filtering lint, said pocket having a width to depth ratio greater than one in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indicator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a resilient pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said screen on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch to operate said signal before said screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, said bellows having a circular surface of substantially 0.40 inch diameter engaging said screen when said blower is impelling air through said airflow duct system at substantially 180 cubic feet per minute, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said screen.

Claim 8

In combination, a domestic clothes dryer having an enclosing outer cabinet including a stationary front wall having a front access opening and a stationary rear wall, a dryer door mounted on said front wall for closing said front access opening, an airflow duct system within said cabinet, said airflow duct system including a clothes treatment enclosure extending between said front wall and said rear wall, said clothes treatment enclosure defined by a portion of the inside surface of said dryer door, a stationary filter housing panel adjacent to said access opening and a rotatably mounted cylinder, prime mover means for rotating said cylinder and impelling air through said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel defining with said front wall a pocket having an opening, said pocket connecting with said prime mover means and forming with the inside surface of said front wall an exhaust passageway for said airflow duct system, said filter housing panel being perforated in the area of said pocket to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and said exhaust passageway, said rear wall having a portion thereof to provide airflow communication between said clothes treatment enclosure and a high-air-temperature-limited source of heat, said prime mover means including a blower, said blower being connected directly to said pocket forming said exhaust passageway and adapted to impel air through said airflow duct system at substantially 180 cubic feet per minute, a manually removable substantially planar lint filter insertable in said pocket through the opening thereof and having a billowy screen of plastic fabric located downstream of the perforations of said filter housing panel and upstream of said blower, said fabric having substantially a 68 X 72 mesh for filtering lint, said pocket having a width to depth ratio greater than one in the area of the perforations of said panel so that said screen is located crosswise to said airflow, and an excess lint indicator for said clothes dryer, said indicator comprising a signal on said cabinet and a switch, said switch actuatable in response to a resilient pressure actuated bellows in said pocket supported in a position adjacent said screen on the downstream side thereof and sufficiently closely oriented in parallel relation thereto so that the billowing of said screen in the downstream direction in response to lint collecting thereon directly presses against said bellows to actuate said switch to operate said signal before said screen is so laden with an excess collection of lint that airflow through said clothes treatment enclosure is restricted to the point where high air temperature is reached and the source of heat thereby limited, said bellows having a circular surface of substantially 0.40 inch diameter engaging said screen when said blower is impelling air through said airflow duct system at substantially 180 cubic feet per minute, the operation of said signal indicating the need for manually removing said lint filter through the opening of said pocket for cleaning lint from said screen.