# US 10,863,882 B2 · Appliance drying duct > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,863,882 B2 - Document ID: US10863882B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/102,079 - Filed: 2018-08-13 - Published: 2020-02-13 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-13 - Assignees: Electrolux Home Products, Inc. - Applicants: Electrolux Home Products, Inc. - Inventors: Jerry Lee Olesen; Janusz Sendor; Veronica Hope Davenport; Michael Anthony Phillips; Christopher Shaw Burch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863882B2 ## CPC - A47L 15/4246: {Details of the tub (A47L15/4272 takes precedence; insulation arrangements A47L15/4209)} - A47L 15/488: {Connections of the tub with the ambient air, e.g. air intake or venting arrangements} - A47L 15/0013: {Drying phases, including dripping-off phases} - A47L 15/4251: {Details of the casing (insulation arrangements A47L15/4209; collecting leaked water in the casing for preventing water damage A47L15/4212)} - A47L 15/483: {by using condensers} - A47L 2501/10: Air circulation, e.g. air intake or venting arrangements - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract An apparatus for removing moisture as liquid from moisture-laden air in an appliance is provided. The apparatus includes a body that defines a channel extending from a first position to a second position and a serpentine flow path between the first position and the second position that operates to redirect the moisture-laden air to remove the liquid from the moisture-laden air. The body includes an opening at the serpentine flow path that is closed when the apparatus is secured to the wall of the appliance. In operation, the body cooperates with the wall to cause the moisture-laden air entering the channel at the first position through an inlet opening in the wall to pass into the serpentine flow path to remove the liquid from the moisture-laden air before the liquid exits the channel at the second position through an outlet opening in the wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for removing moisture as liquid from moisture-laden air in an appliance, the apparatus comprising: a body comprising at least one elongate wall section, the body defining: a channel extending from a first position to a second position, wherein the channel comprises a serpentine flow path between the first position and the second position, wherein the serpentine flow path is configured to redirect the moisture-laden air to remove at least some moisture as liquid from the moisture-laden air, and an opening in the body defined at least at the serpentine flow path, wherein the body is configured to be secured to a wall of a tub of an appliance, such that the opening in the body is configured to be at least partially closed by the wall of the tub at the serpentine flow path and the channel is configured to be at least partially bounded by the wall of the tub, and wherein in operation, the body is configured to cooperate with the wall to cause the moisture-laden air entering the channel at the first position through an inlet opening in the wall to pass into the serpentine flow path to remove the at least some moisture as the liquid from the moisture-laden air before the liquid exits the channel at the second position through an outlet opening in the wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a nozzle projection cap at the first position, wherein the nozzle projection cap is configured to extend up to or through the inlet opening in the wall of the tub of the appliance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of projections oriented in alternating directions that define the serpentine flow path, wherein the plurality of projections are configured to facilitate removal of the at least some moisture from the moisture-laden air received therein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a peripheral sealing surface defined along a perimeter of the opening and connected to one or more of the at least one elongate wall section, wherein the peripheral sealing surface is configured to prevent air in the serpentine flow path from escaping between the body and the wall at the perimeter of the opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a gasket disposed along the peripheral sealing surface, such that the gasket is configured to create a seal between the peripheral sealing surface and the wall of the tub of the appliance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening extends from the first position to the second position, such that the channel is configured to be at least partially bounded by the wall of the tub of the appliance continuously from the inlet opening at the first position to the outlet opening at the second position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising one or more attachment elements configured to secure the body to the washing tub. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body further defines one or more exhaust vents configured to allow air to vent to an ambient environment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the one or more exhaust vents are defined in one or more of the at least one elongate wall between the serpentine flow path and the second position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body is formed as a single, integral piece. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wall comprises at least two elongate walls collectively forming a contiguous inner surface of the body, and wherein the contiguous inner surface is at least partially curved. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body further defines an expansion chamber in the channel surrounding the first position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body further defines a lower trough in the channel at the second position and configured to direct the liquid to the outlet opening. ### Claim 14 An appliance comprising: a tub defined at least in part by a wall, wherein the wall defines at least an inlet opening and an outlet opening; and a drying duct secured to the wall of the tub, wherein the drying duct comprises a body comprising at least one elongate wall section, the body defining: a channel extending from a first position to a second position, wherein the first position corresponds to the inlet opening of the wall and the second position corresponds to the outlet opening of the wall, wherein the channel comprises a serpentine flow path between the first position and the second position, wherein the serpentine flow path is configured to redirect moisture-laden air to remove at least some moisture as liquid from the moisture-laden air, and an opening in the body defined at least at the serpentine flow path, wherein the opening in the body is at least partially closed by the wall of the tub at the serpentine flow path and the channel is bounded by the wall of the tub, and wherein in operation, the body is configured to cooperate with the wall to cause the moisture-laden air entering the channel at the first position from the tub through the inlet opening in the wall to pass into the serpentine flow path to remove the at least some moisture as the liquid from the moisture-laden air before the liquid exits the channel at the second position through the outlet opening in the wall into the tub. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the drying duct further comprises a nozzle projection cap at the first position, wherein the nozzle projection cap extends up to or through the inlet opening in the wall of the tub of the appliance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the drying duct comprises a plurality of projections oriented in alternating directions that define the serpentine flow path, wherein the plurality of projections are configured to facilitate removal of the at least some moisture from the moisture-laden air received therein. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the drying duct comprises a peripheral sealing surface defined along a perimeter of the opening and connected to one or more of the at least one elongate wall section, wherein the peripheral sealing surface is configured to prevent air in the serpentine flow path from escaping between the body and the wall at the perimeter of the opening. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The appliance according to claim 17, wherein the drying duct further comprises a gasket disposed along the peripheral sealing surface, such that the gasket is configured to create a seal between the peripheral sealing surface and the wall of the tub of the appliance. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the opening of the drying duct extends from the first position to the second position, such that the channel is configured to be at least partially bounded by the wall of the tub of the appliance continuously from the inlet opening at the first position to the outlet opening at the second position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The appliance according to claim 14, further comprising a vent assembly attached to the tub, wherein the vent assembly is configured to direct air into the tub to create a positive pressure in the tub so as to direct moisture laden air from the tub into the drying duct via the inlet opening in the wall. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the drying duct further defines one or more exhaust vents disposed between the serpentine flow path and the second position configured to allow air to vent to an ambient environment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one elongate wall section comprises at least two elongate wall sections that collectively form a contiguous inner surface of the body, and wherein the contiguous inner surface is at least partially curved. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the at least two elongate wall sections of the body collectively define a semi-circular cross-section at the serpentine flow path. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) An appliance comprising: a tub defined at least in part by a wall, wherein the wall defines at least an inlet opening and an outlet opening; and the apparatus according to claim 1.