Dryer Drum Vane and Vane Set

A laundry dryer comprising:

• a housing with a front bulkhead;
• a rotatable dryer drum mounted for rotation behind the front bulkhead, wherein the front bulkhead includes an access port configured for providing access to the rotatable drum;
• a drive system for rotatably driving the dryer drum;
• an air flow system which generates an air flow through the dryer drum;
• an air duct for exhausting air from the rotatable dryer drum;
• an air grill overlying an inlet of the air duct, wherein the air duct and overlying air grill are arranged within a depthwise extending cylindrical surface area of the front bulkhead along a lower side of the access port;
• and
• a plurality of dryer vanes positioned in spaced relationship about an interior surface of the drum, wherein at least one of the dryer vanes includes a first end portion at one end of the dryer vane and the first end portion is positioned so that a spacing between the first end portion and the air grill is between ¾ of an inch and 1.0 inch.

A method for reducing or eliminating harmonic tumbling of laundry in a laundry dryer drum with a plurality of dryer vanes positioned in a spaced relationship around the interior of the dryer drum, the method comprising:

• rotating the dryer drum;
• contacting the laundry with at least a first dryer vane of a generally uniform height that will carry the laundry relatively high on dryer drum;
• and
• contacting the laundry with a second dryer vane that has a substantially reduced height central portion, so that the laundry will tend to pass over the substantially reduced height central portion without being carried relatively high on the dyer drum.

A laundry dryer comprising:

• a housing;
• a dryer drum rotatably mounted within the housing;
• a drive system for rotatably driving the dryer drum;
• an air flow system which generates an air flow through the dryer drum;
• and
• a plurality of dryer vanes positioned in spaced relationship about an interior surface of the drum, wherein the plurality of dryer vanes includes:
• at least one dryer vane with a generally uniform height along its length;
• and
• at least one dryer vane with a scooped shape that includes:
• a first end portion of the dryer vane body at one longitudinal end of the dryer vane;
• a second end portion of the dryer vane body at an opposite, longitudinal end of the dryer vane body;
• and
• a central portion of the dryer vane body, between the first end portion and the second end portion, which has a substantially reduced height as compared with the first and second end portions, wherein at its shortest point, the central portion is no more than 50% of the height of the first or second end portions.

A dryer vane structure mounted within a rotatable drum for a dryer for enhancing the tumbling and mixing action of a laundry load within the dryer, comprising:

• a first portion positioned adjacent a front side of said drum;
• and
• a second portion positioned opposite the first portion adjacent a back side of the drum,
• wherein the first portion and the second portion define therebetween a cut-out, wherein the cut-out has a substantially reduced height which is not more than 20% of the height of the first and second portions.