WO2008000450A2 - Use of an ionisation appliance in electrical appliances, and such electrical appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical appliance such as a tumble drier (11), comprising an ionisation appliance (22a-e) which can be arranged in different regions of a drum (13) or an air supply line (15). When the ionisation appliance is operated at the same time as the tumble drier (11), the static charge of the washing to be dried is eliminated, thereby smoothing the washing.

Description

 description

Use of an ionization device in electrical appliances and such

Electrical appliances

Field of application and state of the art

The invention relates to a use of a lonisationsgeräts in an electrical appliance or household electrical appliance or in combination with it, such an electrical appliance in various forms and a method for operating such a device.

It is known to use ionization equipment in hairdryers to produce negative ions. This achieves a faster and gentler drying of hair. Another aspect is that the hair, which receives a positive charge by combing the hair föhn, are neutralized by the supply of negative ions and therefore are better hairdressing. After all, there are many opinions that attribute negative ions to a positive effect on the human organism, ie a health effect.

There are also small ionization devices as room devices that can be placed in a room and in it enrich the air with negative ions. This too is intended to increase the well-being of people in the room.

Task and solution

The invention has for its object to provide an aforementioned use, corresponding devices and methods for operating these devices with which the scope of ionization devices in practice is increased and in particular new opportunities for action can be created. This object is achieved by a use with the features of claims 1, 8 or 11 and devices according to claims 13 to 16 and methods for their operation with the features of claims 18, 20 or 22. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of further claims and are explained in more detail below. Although some of the features or properties listed below are described only in connection with an embodiment of the invention. However, they should apply independently of further embodiments, in particular for all embodiments of the inventive use, the devices according to the invention or the method according to the invention. The wording of the claims is incorporated herein by express reference. The term ionization device should generally be understood to mean a device that can ionize air, but does not have to be an independent device. The construction and the function of such ionization devices can be seen by those skilled in the art, for example, from DE 4108335 A1 or EP 529937 A1, to which reference is hereby expressly made.

According to the invention is provided in a first basic embodiment of the invention that the electrical device is a drying device as a household electrical appliance with a built-in or contained therein dry space. In particular, it is a tumble dryer or washer-dryer, but could also be, for example, a dishwasher. The advantage of using an ionization device in such a drying device is firstly that the ionized air has an increased water absorption. This saves energy. Furthermore, the drying process is faster or can take place at a lower temperature, which is just as positive and also protects items to be dried, especially laundry. An ionization device installed in a tumble dryer or washer dryer is eliminated also negative ions, the positive charge that the laundry normally has, and neutralizes a static charge of the laundry, which may be present in both natural fibers and synthetic fibers. Especially with laundry made of synthetic materials, a positive charge of the laundry is avoided, which makes them more comfortable to wear. Furthermore, the laundry is smoothed by a kind of rinse effect and under certain circumstances can even be dispensed with otherwise usual during washing plasticizer or softener.

The ionization device can be integrated in the drying device in various ways. For example, it may be arranged in a supply channel for supply air or hot air into the drying space. Here, it is particularly appropriate to arrange the ionization device shortly before the mouth of the feed channel in the drying room. Thus, the emission of negative ions in the drying room is particularly high and by the already existing air supply is an optimal entry into the drying room or therein objects such as laundry.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the ionization device can be arranged directly in the drying room. It may either be centrally located therein, for example, on a protruding arm or the like. be attached. Alternatively, it may, in some cases in the vicinity of an air supply, be arranged on a side wall of the drying space.

Advantageously, such a drying device in the drying room or as a drying room on a kind of rotatable drum. In this case, the ionization device can be arranged so that it does not rotate or move, but remains stationary. This makes it possible for a better entry of negative ions in the drying room. Furthermore, an activation or energy supply of the ionization device can be simplified. be hold. Another possibility is the ionization device on or in an access door or the like. to install to the drying room. As a result, in a drum having substantially closed walls, a simple arrangement can be achieved. A control or cabling of the ionization device is relatively easily possible on a pivotable door, in particular simpler than on a continuously rotating drum or the like.

As an alternative to an integration of the ionization device in the device, it can be arranged as an additional device or accessory to a device. This also retrofits an existing device, such as a tumble dryer, possible. One possible arrangement is outside of an air intake or air supply. Thus, the negative ions generated by the ionization device, although not quite as well brought into the device as if it were located in the device, but still sufficiently good. Above all, this makes it possible to retrofit existing equipment without much effort, in particular without technically interfering with existing equipment. Thus, even without expert technical assistance, an existing device can be retrofitted with an ionization device.

Another possible method for using an ionization apparatus in a tumble dryer or washer-dryer provides that, for example, items of laundry carried without their moistening being treated in the drying apparatus by supplying air as well as by simultaneous operation of the ionization apparatus. The laundry items are so to speak aerated with air that is enriched with negative ions. This is particularly suitable for items of laundry whose washing or cleaning is expensive or possibly impossible. Thus, an odor burden as well as their possible bacterial load on these items of laundry can be reduced or even eliminated. In a further basic embodiment of the invention, a device or household appliance is a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber, are prepared in the food. In particular, it is an oven, steamer or a microwave oven. Here, according to a relevant main aspect of the invention, the advantage is that an improvement in the taste of the food or the prepared food can be achieved, since the formation of radicals and oxidants is reduced. This results in a tastier and more vitamin-friendly preparation of the food with an increase in their quality, especially their taste. For this purpose, the ionization device can be operated during the preparation of food, either permanently or at intervals. Furthermore, the amount of negative ions generated can be adapted to the operating mode of the cooking appliance or to foods prepared therein.

As described above for the drying device, the ionization device can be arranged in an air supply channel to the cooking chamber. Alternatively, it may be arranged in the cooking chamber, for example on an inner wall or an access door.

As a further possible method, the ionization device can be activated after a cleaning process of the cooking appliance, for example for a certain time, even without food preparation. This is in particular as a kind of automatic self-cleaning process of advantage if the cooking device has been operated with a pyrolysis cleaning process, are burned in the dirt in the cooking chamber from high temperatures of about 500 ⁰ C. Since in this case a particularly intensive formation of odors can take place, their neutralization or the operation of the ionization device is particularly great advantage. According to a further basic embodiment of the invention, the electrical appliance is a refrigerator, in which an ionisation device is arranged. Here, the ionized air has the advantage that certain foods last longer. Furthermore, unpleasant odors can be reduced and eliminated. Advantageously, such a refrigerator several severed areas, such as separate compartments or drawers. In at least one of these separated areas, an ionization device is provided or, particularly advantageously, at least one separated area without an ionization device is provided. It can thereby be achieved that certain foods, for which ionized air would be rather negative, are spared from this harmful influence. In principle, the arrangement of the ionisationsgeräts can be arranged in or on the refrigerator as a prescribed oven. Since the foodstuffs are stored permanently in the refrigerator, it is of advantage here if the ionization appliance runs in continuous operation or the ionization effect is permanently maintained. Refrigerators are particularly advantageous with drawer-like areas, since a separation of the different areas from each other is already provided structurally.

Finally, according to a further basic embodiment of the invention, the device odgl an extractor hood. as used in domestic or commercial kitchens, with the ionisation apparatus disposed therein. Again, the property of odor neutralization by the negative ions of advantage as well as the antibacterial effect, which improves the filter life of the cooker hoods. For this purpose, the ionization device can be arranged, for example, close to an air intake of the extractor hood. It is advantageously arranged between an air intake and a filter device, under certain circumstances also a further ionization device behind the filter device. The operation of the ionization device advantageously takes place permanently together with the operation of the extractor hood. In particular, the amount of negative ions generated or the operating mode of the ionization device can be made dependent on an air pollution or odor load of the intake air detected by sensors as the operating method. This makes it possible to generate negative ions as needed.

These and other features will become apparent from the claims but also from the description and drawings, wherein the individual features each alone or more in the form of sub-combinations in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields be realized and advantageous and protectable Represent embodiments for which protection is claimed here. The subdivision of the application into intermediate headings and individual sections does not limit the general validity of the statements made thereunder.

Brief description of the drawings

Various embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and are explained in more detail below. In the drawings show:

1 shows a view of a tumble dryer with several options for arranging an ionization device, FIG. 2 shows an oven with hot air supply and a plurality of ionization devices, and FIG. 3 shows an extractor hood with several ionization devices.

Detailed description of the embodiments

In Fig. 1, a clothes dryer 11 is shown with a housing 12 in which a drum 13 is mounted in the usual manner. These Drum 13 rotates during operation and can be loaded via an access opening, not shown, for example, a door on the front.

An air supply 15 leads into the drum 13. The air flow shown by arrows is generated by a fan 16, which sucks the air through an air inlet 17. Further, a heater 24 is disposed in the air supply 15 for heating the air to dry laundry contained in the drum 13. Via an air outlet 19, moist air is removed from the drum 13 and fed to a condensate pump 20. There, the moisture is extracted from the air. This basic structure is known from conventional clothes dryers.

Various possibilities are shown on the tumble dryer 11, as one or more ionization devices 22 can be arranged. A first ionization device 22a is arranged on the inside of the drum 13. Thus, it also rotates with the drum 13. A second ionization device 22b is arranged, as it were, on the axis of the drum or at the pivot point. Either it can also rotate with the drum 13. Alternatively, it may be fixedly supported by the drum axis and projecting into the drum 13.

Another ionization device 22 c is arranged in the air supply 15 just before entering the drum 13. Also in the air discharge 19, an ionization device 22d may be located close to the drum 13. This serves in particular to enrich the discharged air with the negative ions. Finally, an ionization device 22e is arranged on the outside of the air inlet 17 for the air feed 15. In practice, usually only one of the ionisationsgeräte 22 is provided on the clothes dryer 11, and that at one of the above locations, in particular one of the ionisation 22a-c or 22e. The ionization devices 22a-d are permanently installed or integrated in the tumble dryer 11. An ionization device 22e, in contrast, can be attached to the outside of an already existing tumble dryer 11 as additional equipment, possibly subsequently, to the air inlet 17. This is a pre-described retrofitting of an existing and not equipped with ionization tumble dryer possible.

In Fig. 2, a baking oven 111 is shown with a housing 112 and a baking oven 113, which is accessible through a hinged door 114. In an air supply 115, a fan 116 is arranged with a downstream heater 124, which in turn generates a hot air flow shown by arrows in the oven chamber 113 inside. This also corresponds to a conventional oven. Other radiators such as top heat or bottom heat are not shown for the sake of simplicity, but may of course also be present.

In the interior of the oven chamber 113, an ionization device 122a is arranged, namely at the bottom and relatively close to the point where the hot air from the air supply 115 enters. Another possible ionization device 122b is arranged on the outside of an air inlet 117, as in FIG. It can be provided at this point in particular as a retrofit device.

In Fig. 3, an extractor hood 211 is shown with a housing 212, an air supply 215 and an air outlet 219, in which a fan 216 for sucking air from below the extractor hood 211 sits. In the lower region of the housing 212 and the air supply 215 filter 226 are arranged. This structure corresponds to a conventional In the housing 212, the ionization devices 222a-c are arranged so that they sit in the air supply 215 in the air flow in front of the filters 226. Another ionization device 222d is disposed behind the fan 216.

operating procedures

In an operating method for the tumble dryer 11 according to FIG. 1, when drying wet laundry, an ionization device 22 can be operated at one of the positions shown in FIG. It can either be operated at intervals with pauses or, which is considered advantageous, working permanently during the drying process. As a result, the aforementioned advantages can best be achieved. In particular, the power consumption of such ionization is not particularly large, so they can be operated without hesitation in long-term or continuous operation. It may be provided to adjust the intensity of the ion generation or the amount of negative ions generated in the drying process in detail or how wet the laundry in the drum 13 is or to what degree of drying it is to be dried. It can also be provided, in particular in the tumble dryer 11 integrated and thus functionally fully integrated ionisation, that their operation depends on the type of laundry to be dried, so for example, whether it is natural fibers or synthetic fibers. It should be noted overall that a single ionization device, in particular at each of the points except for the device 22d, is considered sufficient for operation.

For the operation of the oven 111 according to FIG. 2, similar to the tumble dryer 11 according to FIG. 1, advantageously only one of the ionization devices 122a or 122b is used or is present. The ionization device 122a has, together with its attachment, the advantage that it is located exactly where it should act, namely in the oven chamber 113. The ionization 122b, which may alternatively be present, is only suitable for operation with hot air through the fan 116 and the air supply 115. It can be provided as an additional device or be retrofitted.

On the one hand, operation of the ionization device 122 can again take place permanently during operation of the oven 111. The amount of negative ions generated can be adapted to the operating mode, in particular also to various processes in the oven chamber 113. This adaptation can either be specified manually via a user, or else advantageously controlled by means of a control of the oven 111 with which the ionization device is then connected. For example, during a pyrolysis operation initiated by a user, the ionization device 122 may be turned off. After completion of the pyrolysis process, it can be activated to remove odors in the oven room 113.

For operation of the extractor hood 211 according to FIG. 3 actually essentially the same as for the above-described electrical appliances. Especially with the extractor hood 211, it is advantageous if an ionization device is always in operation while the extractor hood is activated. The amount of negative ions generated can be controlled, for example, by sensors via the degree of contamination or the odor load of the intake air. In particular, however, the performance of the ionization devices 222 may be directly coupled to or correspond to the power of the fan 216 predetermined by a user.

Claims

claims 1. The use of an ionization device (22a-e, 122a, 222a-d) in an electrical device or household appliance (11, 111, 211), characterized in that the electrical device is a drying device (11) with a drying space (13), in particular a tumble dryer or washer-dryer. 2. Use according to claim 1, characterized in that the ionisation device (22a-d) is integrated in the drying device (11) or in the housing (12) of the drying device, in particular in the drying space (13). 3. Use according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ionisation device (22c) is arranged in a feed channel (15) for hot air in the drying space (13), in particular shortly before the mouth of the feed channel (15) into the drying space (13). , 4. Use according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the ionisation device (22a, 22b) is arranged in the drying space (13), preferably in the vicinity of an air supply or hot air supply (15) in the drying space (13). 5. Use according to claim 4, characterized in that the drying device (11) in the drying room a kind of rotatable drum (13) or the drying space rotates during operation of the drying device, wherein the ionization device (22 b) is arranged fixed or not rotating , 6. Use according to claim 1, 2 or 4, characterized in that the ionisation device is arranged on or in an access door to the drying room (13). 7. Use according to claim 1, characterized in that the ionisation device (22e) is arranged as an additional device to the drying device (11), in particular externally to an air supply (15, 17) is attached. 8. Use according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the electric appliance is a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber (113) for the preparation of food, in particular an oven (111) or steamer or a microwave oven. 9. Use according to claim 8, characterized in that the ionisation device (122b) is arranged in an air supply channel (115) to the cooking chamber (113), in particular just before the mouth of the air supply channel (115) into the cooking chamber (113). 10. Use according to claim 8, characterized in that the ionisation device (122a) is arranged on an inner wall of the cooking chamber (113). 11. Use according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that the electrical device is a cooker hood (211). 12. Use according to claim 11, characterized in that an ionization device (222a-c) is arranged close to an air intake (215), preferably in the air flow after the air intake (215) and in front of a filter device (226). 13. drying device, in particular clothes dryer (11) or washer-dryer, characterized in that it has an ionization device (22a-e). 14. Cooking appliance, in particular oven (111), steamer or microwave oven, characterized in that it has an ionization device (122a-b). 15. extractor device (222), characterized in that it has an ionization device (222a-d). 16. Refrigerator for food products, characterized in that it comprises an ionization device. 17. Refrigerator according to claim 16, characterized in that the refrigerator has a plurality of separated areas and the ionization device is arranged in one of the separated areas, wherein preferably at least one separated area is formed without lonisationsgerät. 18. A method for operating a device (11, 111, 211) according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the ionization device (22a-e, 122a, 222a-d) is at least temporarily active during operation of the device or is operated. 19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the ionization device (22a-e, 122a, 222a-d) during operation of the device (11, 111, 211) is operated permanently. 20. A method for operating a drying apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that items of laundry, in particular carried laundry, without drying process of moist Laundry in the drying device (11) for ventilating the laundry items are treated by air supply and by operation of the ionisationsgeräts (22a-e). 21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that it is carried out with cold air. 22. A method for operating a cooking appliance (111) according to claim 14, characterized in that the ionization device (122a-b) is operated after a cleaning process of the cooking appliance, in particular an automated self-cleaning process such as a pyrolysis cleaning process to neutralize odors inside the cooking appliance.