Clothes drier

Claim 2

A clothes drier comprising: an outer frame having a first opening formed in a front wall thereof; a door mounted on said outer frame for sealing said first opening; a drum rotatably supported about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation extending within said outer frame, said drum including a second opening through which clothes are charged into and taken out of said drum, an air intake portion, and an air exhaust portion; a lint filter removably mounted inside the rear wall of said drum to collect lint given off by the clothes; an electric blower disposed between the rear wall of said drum and said outer frame for introducing air through said air intake portion into said drum and for exhausting the air through said exhaust portion out of said drum; air adjusting means disposed in the front wall of said outer frame for controlling the flow rate of air introduced into said drum; and heat generating means positioned between said air intake portion of said drum and said air adjusting means for heating air introduced through said air adjusting means, said heat generating means including positive temperature coefficient thermistors whereby the temperature of said heat generating means and that of the exhaust air can be adjusted without requiring thermostats for preventing overheating of said heat generating means and the clothes in said drum.

Claim 3

A clothes drier according to claim 1, wherein said air adjusting means includes an air intake port in the front wall of said outer frame, a first member providing a plurality of vertical slits relative to said air intake port, a second member providing a plurality of openings of different size than said vertical slits, and means for sliding said first and second members relative to one another such that said plurality of vertical slits and said plurality of openings are selectively brought into register.

Claim 4

A clothes drier comprising: an outer frame having a first opening formed in a front wall thereof; a door mounted on said outer frame for sealing said first opening; a drum rotatably supported about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation extending within said outer frame, said drum including a second opening through which clothes are charged into and taken out of said drum, an air intake portion consisting of a large number of perforations on the front wall of said drum and surrounding said second opening, an air exhaust portion formed by a large number of perforations on the rear wall of said drum, and a cylindrical portion surrounding said second opening and rotatably supported through a bearing by means of a stationary supporting member attached to said outer frame; a linter filter removably supported inside the rear wall of said drum to collect lint given off by the clothes, said lint filter consisting of a protective filter having a plurality of perforations and a mesh-like filter; a fan casing having a blower therein and positioned between the rear wall of said drum and said outer frame for introducing air through said intake portion into said drum and for exhausting the air through said exhaust portion out of said drum; an electric motor for rotating said blower and said drum; air adjusting means disposed in the front wall of said outer frame for controlling the flow rate of air introduced into said drum; self-aligning bearing for supporting rotatably a shaft secured at the center of the rear wall of said drum; and heat generating means provided in an air support duct connecting said air adjusting means and said air intake portion for heating air introduced through said air adjusting means, said heat generating means including positive temperature coefficient thermistors whereby the temperature of said heat generating means and that of the exhaust air can be adjusted without requiring thermostats for preventing overheating of said heat generating means and the clothes in said drum.

Claim 5

A clothes drier comprising: an outer frame having a first opening formed in a front wall thereof; a door mounted on said outer frame for sealing said first opening; a drum rotatably supported about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation extending within said outer frame, said drum including a second opening through which clothes are charged into and taken out of said drum, an air intake portion consisting of a large number of perforations on the front wall of said drum and surrounding said second opening, an air exhaust portion formed by a large number of perforations on the rear wall of said drum, and a cylindrical portion surrounding said second opening and rotatably supported through a bearing by means of a stationary supporting member attached to said outer frame; a linter filter removably supported inside the rear wall of said drum to collect lint given off by the clothes, said lint filter consisting of a protective filter having a plurality of perforations and a mesh-like filter; a fan casing having a blower therein and positioned between the rear wall of said drum and said outer frame for introducing air through said intake portion into said drum and for exhausting the air through said exhaust portion out of said drum; an electric motor for rotating said blower and said drum; air adjusting means disposed in the front wall of said outer frame for controlling the flow rate of air introduced into said drum; self-aligning bearing for supporting rotatably a shaft secured at the center of the rear wall of said drum; and heat generating means provided in an air support duct connecting said air adjusting means and said air intake portion for heating air introduced through said air adjusting means, said heat generating means including positive temperature coefficient thermistors whereby the temperature of said heat generating means and that of the exhaust air can be adjusted without requiring thermostats for preventing overheating of said heat generating means and the clothes in said drum.

Claim 6

A clothes drier according to claim 3, wherein said air adjusting means includes an air intake port in the front wall of said outer frame, a first member providing a plurality of vertical slits relative to said air intake port, a second member providing a plurality of openings of different size than said vertical slits, and means for sliding said first and second members relative to one another such that said plurality of vertical slits and said plurality of openings are selectively brought into register.

Claim 7

A clothes drier according to claim 1, wherein said air adjusting means and said air intake portion are connected by an air supply duct in which said heat generating means is provided.

Claim 8

A clothes drier comprising: an outer frame having a first opening formed in a front wall thereof; a door mounted on said outer frame for sealing said first opening; a drum rotatably supported about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation extending within said outer frame, said drum including a second opening through which clothes are charged into and taken out of said drum, and air intake portion, and an air exhaust portion; a lint filter removably mounted inside the rear wall of said drum to collect lint given off by the clothes; air adjusting means disposed in the front wall of said outer frame for controlling the flow rate of air introduced into said drum; heat generating means positioned between said air intake portion of said drum and said air adjusting means for heating air introduced through said air adjusting means, said heat generating means including positive temperature coefficient thermistors whereby the temperature of said heat generating means and that of exhaust air from said drum can be adjusted without requiring thermostats for preventing overheating of said heat generating means and the clothes in said drum; and an electric blower disposed between said air adjusting means and said heat generating means for circulating air from said air adjusting means, past said heat generating means, and through said air intake portion into said drum, and for exhausting the air through said exhaust portion out of said drum.

Claim 9

A clothes drier comprising: an outer frame having a first opening formed in a front wall thereof; a door mounted on said outer frame for sealing said first opening; a drum rotatably supported about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation extending within said outer frame, said drum including a second opening through which clothes are charged into and taken out of said drum, and air intake portion, and an air exhaust portion; a lint filter removably mounted inside the rear wall of said drum to collect lint given off by the clothes; air adjusting means disposed in the front wall of said outer frame for controlling the flow rate of air introduced into said drum; heat generating means positioned between said air intake portion of said drum and said air adjusting means for heating air introduced through said air adjusting means, said heat generating means including positive temperature coefficient thermistors whereby the temperature of said heat generating means and that of exhaust air from said drum can be adjusted without requiring thermostats for preventing overheating of said heat generating means and the clothes in said drum; and an electric blower disposed between said air adjusting means and said heat generating means for circulating air from said air adjusting means, past said heat generating means, and through said air intake portion into said drum, and for exhausting the air through said exhaust portion out of said drum.

Claim 10

A clothes drier according to claim 6, wherein said air adjusting means and said air intake portion are connected by an air supply duct in which said heat generating means and said electric blower are provided.

Claim 11

A clothes drier according to claim 6, wherein said air adjusting means includes an air intake port in the front wall of said outer frame, a first member providing a plurality of vertical slits relative to said air intake port, a second member providing a plurality of openings of different size than said vertical slits, and means for sliding said first and second members relative to one another such that said plurality of vertical slits and said plurality of openings are selectively brought into register.