# US 2014/0190032 A1 · Clothes dryer

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- Number: US 2014/0190032 A1
- Document ID: US20140190032A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/177,659
- Filed: 2014-02-11
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2010-07-08
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Yongju LEE; Sangik LEE; Hyunwoo NOH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190032A1

## CPC

- D06F 58/22: Lint collecting arrangements
- D06F 58/24: Condensing arrangements
- F26B 21/333: {by condensing the moisture in the drying medium, which may be recycled, e.g. using a heat pump cycle}
- D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27)

## Abstract

Disclosed is a clothes dryer including a heat exchanger for condensing air discharged from a drum to remove moisture from the air, a collector for collecting condensed water produced in the heat exchanger, a first pump for pumping the condensed water from the collector to a water tank, and a discharge unit for selectively discharging the condensed water from the water tank, to wash the heat exchanger using the condensed water.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dryer, comprising:
a heat exchanger configured to condense air discharged from a drum to remove moisture from the air;
a collector configured to collect condensed water produced in the heat exchanger;
a first pump configured to pump the condensed water from the collector to a tank; and
a discharge device configured to selectively discharge the condensed water from the tank, wherein the discharge device comprises:
a second pump supplying the condensed water from the tank to the heat exchanger, to wash the heat exchanger using the supplied condensed water; and
a valve selectively opening and closing an outlet of the tank through which the condensed water is discharged.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the valve is arranged between the tank and the second pump.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is disposed within a housing, and the housing comprises a top cover, a base and a plurality of side covers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The dryer according to claim 3, wherein the discharge device further comprises a washing device configured to inject the condensed water onto the heat exchanger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The dryer according to claim 4, wherein the second pump and the washing device are disposed on the top cover of the housing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The dryer according to claim 4, wherein the discharge device further comprises a valve housing configured to fix a position of the valve and a second pump housing configured to fix a position of the second pump,
wherein the valve housing and the second pump housing are disposed on the top cover of the housing of the heat exchanger.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The dryer according to claim 4, wherein the washing device comprises an injection nozzle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The dryer according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the valve housing, the second pump housing or the washing device is formed integrally with the top cover.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The dryer according to claim 1, wherein the tank and the second pump are connected through a discharge line, and the valve is arranged at intermediate portion of the discharge line.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The dryer according to claim 1, further comprising a guide line configured to guide water leaking from the second pump to the collector.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The dryer according to claim 10, wherein the guide line is arranged beneath the second pump, and the guide line extends through the heat exchanger.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The dryer according to claim 11, wherein the guide line has an end portion communicating with the collector.