Water cooled condenser dryer for laundry center

Claim 2

In combination a stack-on laundry appliance comprising a lower washer cabinet including a top wall, said washer cabinet adapted to be associated with a source of water supply and a drain, an article drying cabinet mounted directly on the top wall of said washer cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof provided with air inlet means, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support plate mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported adjacent said rear wall air inlet means whereby condensed air may be heated prior to being drawn into said drum through said inlet means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, means for recirculating cooling water from said washing machine source of water supply in heat exchange relation with said condenser plates for return to said washer drain, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into a spent air-intake side and a condensed airdischarge side, said tiered condenser plates providing a plurality of laminar flow parallel air flow passages therebetWeen, said plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over mixing air flow space at the closed portion thereof, duct means on the rear wall of said dryer cabinet, said duct means providing a first duct section conducting the dryer spent air from the blower outlet to the air-intake side of said condenser plenum, said duct means providing a second duct section conducting the condensed air from the air-discharge side of said condenser plenum housing to said rear wall inlet means so as to be drawn therethrough for reheating and return to said drum.

Claim 3

In combination a stack-on laundry appliance comprising a lower washer cabinet including a top wall, said washer cabinet adapted to be associated with a source of water supply and a drain, an article drying cabinet mounted directly on the top wall of said washer cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof perforated and offset inwardly to form a heater cavity portion, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall adjacent the dryer bottom wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support plate mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported by said heater support panel within said heater cavity whereby air may be drawn into said drum through said apertures past said heater means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, a single-pass water conducting passageway comprising a tubing bent in the form of a serpentine coil provided with a plurality of looped ends extending between said plates and a plurality of straight portions contacting said plates, means for circulating cooling water from said washing machine source of water supply through said tubing for return to said washer drain, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into a spent air-intake side and a condensed air-discharge side, a condensate drain pan folded about a longitudinal fold line providing a shallow V-shaped bottom wall in cross section conforming with said plates and positioned subjacent thereto, a drain receptacle located substantially at the apex of said fold line for receiving condensate water from said plates, said plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over turbulent air flow space at the closed portion thereof, and a pan-shaped back panel duct housing coextensive with the backwall of said dryer cabinet providing side-by-side inlet and outlet openings separated by a vertical partition, said vertical partition having its outer edge in sealed abutment with the rear edge of said baffle plate whereby said duct inlet and outlet openings are in communication, respectively with said spent air-intake and said condensed air-discharge of said plenum housing, said duct housing having a first vertically oriented duct section enclosed by a closure panel conducting the dryer spent air from the blower outlet to the air-intake side of said condenser plenum, said closure panel having a portion thereof overlying said heater panel apertures rearwardly off-set from the plane of said vertical partition rear sealing edge, said back panel duct housing providing a second open duct conducting the condensed air from the air-discharge side of said condenser plenum housing for drawing through the perforated heater plate for reheating and return to said drum.

Claim 4

In combination a stack-on laundry appliance comprising a lower washer cabinet including a top wall, said washer cabinet adapted to be associated with a source of water supply and a drain, an article drying cabinet mounted directly on the top wall of said washer cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof perforated and offset inwardly to form a heater cavity portion, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall adjacent the dryer bottom wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support plate mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported by said heater support panel within said heater cavity whereby air may be drawn into said drum through said apertures past said heater means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, a single-pass water conducting passageway comprising a tubing bent in the form of a serpentine coil provided with a plurality of looped ends extending between said plates and a plurality of straight portions contacting said plates, means for circulating cooling water from said washing machine source of water supply through said tubing for return to said washer drain, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into a spent air-intake side and a condensed air-discharge side, a condensate drain pan folded about a longitudinal fold line providing a shallow V-shaped bottom wall in cross section conforming with said plates and positioned subjacent thereto, a drain receptacle located substantially at the apex of said fold line for receiving condensate water from said plates, said plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over turbulent air flow space at the closed portion thereof, and a pan-shaped back panel duct housing coextensive with the backwall of said dryer cabinet providing side-by-side inlet and outlet openings separated by a vertical partition, said vertical partition having its outer edge in sealed abutment with the rear edge of said baffle plate whereby said duct inlet and outlet openings are in communication, respectively with said spent air-intake and said condensed air-discharge of said plenum housing, said duct housing having a first vertically oriented duct section enclosed by a closure panel conducting the dryer spent air from the blower outlet to the air-intake side of said condenser plenum, said closure panel having a portion thereof overlying said heater panel apertures rearwardly off-set from the plane of said vertical partition rear sealing edge, said back panel duct housing providing a second open duct conducting the condensed air from the air-discharge side of said condenser plenum housing for drawing through the perforated heater plate for reheating and return to said drum.

Claim 5

In combination a stack-on laundry appliance comprising a lower washer cabinet including a top wall, said washer cabinet adapted to be associated with a source of water supply and a drain, an article drying cabinet mounted directly on the top wall of said washer cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof perforated and offset inwardly to form a heater cavity portion, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support panel mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported by said heater support panel within said heater cavity whereby air may be drawn into said drum through said apertures past said heater means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, serpentine cooling water flow passage means contacting said plates, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into side-by-side spent air-intake and condensed air-discharge openings, said condenser plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over air flow space at the closed front end portion of said plenum, and a pan-shaped ducting panel having a surrounding flat flange sealed to the periphery of said dryer cabinet rear wall, said ducting panel having a substantially vertical partition dividing said duct panel into an open cavity portion and a closed duct portion enclosed by a closure panel, said duct portion having an upper air outlet in coextensive sealed relation with said plenum spent air-intake and a lower spent air-inlet in communication with said blower outlet, said closed duct portion having an upper cover portion in spaced overlying relation with a portion of said heater panel apertures whereby said cavity portion is in communication with said heater panel apertures such that condensed air from said plenum housing air-discharge is drawn through said heater panel apertures for reheating and return to said drum.

Claim 6

In combination a stack-on laundry appliance comprising a lower washer cabinet including a top wall, said washer cabinet adapted to be associated with a source of water supply and a drain, an article drying cabinet mounted directly on the top wall of said washer cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof perforated and offset inwardly to form a heater cavity portion, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support panel mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported by said heater support panel within said heater cavity whereby air may be drawn into said drum through said apertures past said heater means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, serpentine cooling water flow passage means contacting said plates, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into side-by-side spent air-intake and condensed air-discharge openings, said condenser plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over air flow space at the closed front end portion of said plenum, and a pan-shaped ducting panel having a surrounding flat flange sealed to the periphery of said dryer cabinet rear wall, said ducting panel having a substantially vertical partition dividing said duct panel into an open cavity portion and a closed duct portion enclosed by a closure panel, said duct portion having an upper air outlet in coextensive sealed relation with said plenum spent air-intake and a lower spent air-inlet in communication with said blower outlet, said closed duct portion having an upper cover portion in spaced overlying relation with a portion of said heater panel apertures whereby said cavity portion is in communication with said heater panel apertures such that condensed air from said plenum housing air-discharge is drawn through said heater panel apertures for reheating and return to said drum.

Claim 7

In a clothes dryer having an article drying cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof perforated and offset inwardly to form a heater cavity portion, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support panel mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported by said heater support panel within said heater cavity whereby air may be drawn into said drum through said apertures past said heater means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, serpentine cooling water flow passage means contacting said plates, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into side-by-side spent air-intake and condensed air-discharge openings, said condenser plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over mixing air flow space at the closed front end portion of said plenum, and a pan-shaped ducting panel having a surrounding flat flange sealed to the periphery of said dryer cabinet rear wall, said ducting panel having a substantially vertical partition dividing said duct panel into an open cavity portion and a closed duct portion enclosed by a closure panel, said duct portion having an upper air outlet in coextensive sealed relation with said plenum spent air-intake and a lower spent air-inlet in communication with said blower outlet, said closed duct portion having an upper cover portion in spaced overlying relation with a portion of said heater panel apertures whereby said cavity portion is in communication with said heater panel apertures such that condensed air from said plenum housing air-discharge is drawn through said heater panel apertures for reheating and return to said drum.

Claim 8

In a clothes dryer having an article drying cabinet, said article drying cabinet comprising a box-like structure enclosing a rotatable tumbling drum including a front panel having a front access opening and a rear wall having a portion thereof perforated and offset inwardly to form a heater cavity portion, an exhaust air outlet opening in the rear wall, means for recirculating heated air through said tumbling drum including a drying air blower having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said blower inlet to the interior of said tumbling drum, means connecting said blower outlet to said exhaust air outlet, an apertured heater support panel mounted on said dryer rear wall rearwardly thereof and cooperating with the heater cavity portion of said rear wall to form a heater cavity, heater means supported by said heater support panel within said heater cavity whereby air may be drawn into said drum through said apertures past said heater means wherein the improvement comprises, a condenser plenum housing located coextensive with the top wall of said dryer cabinet having an open rear end wall, two side-by-side tiers of water cooled vertically spaced condenser plates in said condenser housing, each pair of opposed plates symmetrically positioned in shallow V-shaped configuration in cross-section, serpentine cooling water flow passage means contacting said plates, a vertical positioned longitudinally extending divider baffle located between said tiered plates dividing said open rear end wall of said condenser housing into side-by-side spent air-intake and condensed air-discharge openings, said condenser plates spaced a defined distance from said condenser plenum housing front end wall providing a cross-over mixing air flow space at the closed front end portion of said plenum, and a pan-shaped ducting panel having a surrounding flat flange sealed to the periphery of said dryer cabinet rear wall, said ducting panel having a substantially vertical partition dividing said duct panel into an open cavity portion and a closed duct portion enclosed by a closure panel, said duct portion having an upper air outlet in coextensive sealed relation with said plenum spent air-intake and a lower spent air-inlet in communication with said blower outlet, said closed duct portion having an upper cover portion in spaced overlying relation with a portion of said heater panel apertures whereby said cavity portion is in communication with said heater panel apertures such that condensed air from said plenum housing air-discharge is drawn through said heater panel apertures for reheating and return to said drum.