Cleaning apparatus for a component of a household tumble dryer
View Patent ↗A cleaning apparatus for a component operatively disposed within a process air-circuit of a household tumble dryer, in particular a heat exchanger of a household tumble dryer, the cleaning apparatus including a cleaning brush configured for operational movement along the component and a drive mechanism having a cleaning brush drive rod operatively connected to the cleaning brush for moving the cleaning brush along the component. The cleaning apparatus further includes a cleaning fluid feed line and means operatively associated with the cleaning fluid feed line for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush.
1. A cleaning apparatus for a component operatively disposed within a process air-circuit of a household tumble dryer, wherein the component is a heat exchanger of the household tumble dryer, the cleaning apparatus including:
a cleaning brush configured for operational movement along the component;
a drive mechanism having a cleaning brush drive rod operatively connected to the cleaning brush for moving the cleaning brush along the component;
a cleaning fluid feed line;
means operatively associated with the cleaning fluid feed line for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush; and
a rotational coupling operationally disposed between the cleaning fluid feed line and the drive rod for rotationally driving the cleaning brush about a rotational axis.
2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cleaning fluid feed line is connected to the drive rod.
3. A cleaning apparatus for a component operatively disposed within a process air-circuit of a household tumble dryer, in particular a heat exchanger of a household tumble dryer, the cleaning apparatus including:
a cleaning brush configured for operational movement along the component;
a drive mechanism having a cleaning brush drive rod operatively connected to the cleaning brush for moving the cleaning brush along the component;
a cleaning fluid feed line; and
means operatively associated with the cleaning fluid feed line for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush,
wherein the cleaning brush is formed with a generally circular cross section and the cleaning apparatus further comprises a rotational coupling operationally disposed between the cleaning fluid feed line and the drive rod for rotationally driving the cleaning brush about a rotational axis.
4. A cleaning apparatus for a component operatively disposed within a process air-circuit of a household tumble dryer, in particular a heat exchanger of a household tumble dryer, the cleaning apparatus including:
a cleaning brush configured for operational movement along the component;
a drive mechanism having a cleaning brush drive rod operatively connected to the cleaning brush for moving the cleaning brush along the component;
a cleaning fluid feed line; and
means operatively associated with the cleaning fluid feed line for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush,
wherein the cleaning brush is formed with an external wall portion defining a hollow body having a plurality of through-openings formed therein for passage of cleaning fluid therethrough.
5. A cleaning apparatus for a component operatively disposed within a process air-circuit of a household tumble dryer, in particular a heat exchanger of a household tumble dryer, the cleaning apparatus including:
a cleaning brush configured for operational movement along the component;
a drive mechanism having a cleaning brush drive rod operatively connected to the cleaning brush for moving the cleaning brush along the component;
a cleaning fluid feed line; and
means operatively associated with the cleaning fluid feed line for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush,
wherein the cleaning brush includes receiving holes for a bundle of bristles or similar cleaning elements forming through-openings for the cleaning fluid.
6. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the through-openings are arranged in axial rows extending parallel to an axis of rotation of the cleaning brush.
7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the hollow body is formed with axial rows including alternating through-openings and bundles of cleaning elements.
8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 7 wherein adjacent axial rows of alternating through-openings and cleaning elements are arranged relative to each other in a manner forming radially extending rows of alternating through-openings and bundles of cleaning elements.
9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid feed line and a cleaning fluid source for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush through the cleaning fluid feed line.
10. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising means for using condensate from the process air as cleaning fluid.
11. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning brush has a substantially circular cross section,
the cleaning apparatus further comprising a rotational coupling operationally disposed between the cleaning fluid feed line and the drive rod for rotationally driving the cleaning brush about a rotational axis,
wherein the cleaning brush is formed with an external wall portion defining a hollow body having a plurality of through-openings formed therein for passage of cleaning fluid therethrough, and
wherein the cleaning brush includes receiving holes for a bundle of bristles or similar cleaning elements forming additional through-openings for the cleaning fluid.
12. A household tumble dryer comprising:
a process air-circuit;
a heat exchanger operatively disposed within the process air-circuit;
a cleaning apparatus that cleans the heat exchanger, the cleaning apparatus including:
a cleaning brush that moves along the heat exchanger;
a drive mechanism having a drive rod operatively connected to the cleaning brush, the drive rod moving the cleaning brush along the heat exchanger;
a cleaning fluid feed line;
means operatively associated with the cleaning fluid feed line for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush; and
a rotational coupling operationally disposed between the cleaning fluid feed line and the drive rod for rotationally driving the cleaning brush about a rotational axis.
13. The household tumble dryer of claim 12 , wherein the cleaning fluid feed line is connected to the drive rod.
14. The household tumble dryer of claim 12 , wherein the cleaning brush has a substantially circular cross section.
15. The household tumble dryer of claim 12 , wherein the cleaning brush includes an external wall portion defining a hollow body having a plurality of through-openings formed therein for passage of cleaning fluid therethrough.
16. The household tumble dryer of claim 12 , wherein the cleaning brush includes receiving holes for a bundle of bristles or similar cleaning elements, the receiving holes forming through-openings for the cleaning fluid.
17. The household tumble dryer of claim 14 , wherein the through-openings are arranged in axial rows extending parallel to a rotational axis of the cleaning brush.
18. The household tumble dryer of claim 17 , wherein the hollow body is formed with axial rows including alternating through-openings and bundles of cleaning elements.
19. The household tumble dryer of claim 18 , wherein adjacent axial rows of alternating through-openings and cleaning elements are arranged relative to each other in a manner forming radially extending rows of alternating through-openings and bundles of cleaning elements.
20. The household tumble dryer of claim 12 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid feed line and a cleaning fluid source for supplying cleaning fluid to the cleaning brush through the cleaning fluid feed line.
21. The household tumble dryer of claim 12 , further comprising means for using condensate from the process air as cleaning fluid.