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A laundry dryer includes a rotatable drum, an air delivery system selectively operable to provide air into the drum at a first flow rate and a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate, and a moisture delivery system operable to provide moisture (e.g., water mist or steam) into the drum

A laundry dryer includes a rotatable drum, an air delivery system selectively operable to provide air into the drum at a first flow rate and a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate, and a moisture delivery system operable to provide moisture (e.g., water mist or steam) into the drum while air is being provided at the lower second flow rate, and during drum rotation (tumbling), to thus enhance dispersion of the moisture into the fabrics of the load, and the attendant dewrinkling/refresh benefits. The air delivery system can include a reversible blower that provides air at the first flow rate when operated in a first direction and provides air at the second flow rate when operated in an opposite second direction. The drum can be a reversibly rotatable drum that is rotatable in a first and an opposite second direction, and the dryer can include a drive motor that both rotates the drum and operates the blower. The moisture delivery system can include a nozzle to provide moisture directly into the drum.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A laundry dryer comprising: a dryer drum;a drive system for rotating the dryer drum;an air delivery system for selectively providing air into the drum at one of a first airflow and a second airflow, the first airflow having a higher flow rate and static pressure than the second airflow;a moisture

1. A laundry dryer comprising: a dryer drum;a drive system for rotating the dryer drum;an air delivery system for selectively providing air into the drum at one of a first airflow and a second airflow, the first airflow having a higher flow rate and static pressure than the second airflow;a moisture delivery system for selectively providing moisture into the drum; anda control system for selectively rotating the dryer drum, activating the moisture delivery system, and operating the air delivery system;wherein the moisture delivery system provides moisture into the drum while the air delivery system is providing air into the drum at the second airflow and while the drive system is constantly driving rotation of the drum. 2. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the drive system selectively rotates the drum in one of a first rotational direction and a second opposite rotational direction, and the air delivery system provides air into the drum at the first airflow while the drum rotates in the first rotational direction and at the second airflow while the drum rotates in the second rotational direction. 3. The laundry dryer of claim 2, wherein the air delivery system includes a reversible blower and the drive system includes a motor for selectively rotating the drum in one of the first and second rotational directions while driving the reversible blower in a corresponding one of a first and a second operational direction, the reversible blower providing the first airflow when driven in the first operational direction and the second airflow when driven in the second operational direction. 4. The laundry dryer of claim 3, wherein the motor is a reversible single speed motor. 5. The laundry dryer of claim 4, wherein the drive system further comprises a drive pulley and a belt that extends about the drum and the drive pulley, and a reversing idler assembly configured to maintain tension on the belt during rotation of the drum in the first and second rotational directions. 6. The laundry dryer of claim 3, wherein the motor is a reversible motor. 7. The laundry dryer of claim 3, wherein the blower includes a centrifugal blower comprising: a rotatable blower wheel; andcurved blades arranged around the blower wheel, the curved blades each having a concave surface and an opposite convex surface, the concave surfaces rotating in a forward direction while the blower is driven in the first operational direction and the convex surfaces rotating in a forward direction while the blower is driven in the second operational direction. 8. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the air delivery system includes an air path comprising: an intake for receiving air outside of the dryer;an exhaust for delivering air outside of the dryer; anda path from the intake through the drum to the exhaust;wherein the path is free of any adjustable valve or duct for actively modifying a flow rate or a static pressure of air travelling through the air path. 9. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the moisture delivered by the moisture delivery system includes at least one of steam and mist. 10. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the moisture delivery system includes a nozzle disposed within the drum on a non-rotatable surface of the drum for providing moisture directly into the drum. 11. The laundry dryer of claim 10, wherein the moisture delivery system further comprises: an inlet connector for coupling with a water supply;a pathway for delivering water from the inlet connector to the nozzle; anda valve for selectively permitting water to flow from the inlet connector to the nozzle via the pathway. 12. The laundry dryer of claim 11, wherein the valve includes a solenoid valve. 13. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the moisture delivery system is a heaterless system providing water received in the moisture delivery system to the drum without actively heating the water. 14. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the flow rate of the first airflow is at least two times the flow rate of the second airflow. 15. The laundry dryer of claim 14, wherein the flow rate of the first airflow is at least three times the flow rate of the second airflow. 16. The laundry dryer of claim 14, wherein the static pressure of the first airflow is at least two times the static pressure of the second airflow. 17. The laundry dryer of claim 1, wherein the moisture delivery system refrains from providing moisture into the drum while the air delivery system is providing air into the drum at the first airflow. 18. A laundry dryer, comprising: a housing;a rotatable drum contained within the housing, wherein the rotatable drum is rotatable in a first rotational direction and an opposite second rotational direction;a reversible blower driving air at a first flow rate when driven in a first operational direction and at a second flow rate when driven in an opposite second operational direction, the first flow rate being greater than the second flow rate;a motor operably connected to the rotatable drum to drive the drum selectively in the first and second rotational directions and to correspondingly drive the blower in the first and second operational directions; anda moisture delivery system providing moisture into the drum while the drum rotates in the second rotational direction and the reversible blower is driven in the second operational direction and provides air at the second flow rate. 19. The laundry dryer of claim 18, wherein the water includes at least one of water mist, steam and a mixture of water mist and steam. 20. The laundry dryer of claim 18, wherein the water delivery system is a heaterless system providing water to the drum without actively heating the water. 21. The laundry dryer of claim 18, wherein the first flow rate is at least two times the second flow rate. 22. The laundry dryer of claim 21, wherein the first flow rate is at least three times the second flow rate. 23. The laundry dryer of claim 18, wherein the air driven at the first flow rate has a greater static pressure than air driven at the second flow rate. 24. The laundry dryer of claim 23, wherein the static pressure of air driven at the first flow rate is at least two times the static pressure of air driven at the second flow rate. 25. The laundry dryer of claim 18, wherein the water delivery system includes a nozzle disposed within the drum on a non-rotatable surface of the drum for providing water directly into the drum. 26. The laundry dryer of claim 19, further comprising an air path comprising: an intake for receiving air outside of the dryer;an exhaust for delivering air outside of the dryer; anda path from the intake through the drum to the exhaust;wherein the air path is free of any adjustable valve or duct for actively modifying a flow rate or a static pressure of air travelling through the air path. 27. A method for de-wrinkling fabrics, the method comprising: rotating a drum configured to contain fabrics in a first rotational direction;while rotating the drum in the first rotational direction, providing a first flow of heated air into the drum, the first flow having a first flow rate;rotating the drum in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction;while rotating the drum in the second rotational direction: providing a second flow of heated air into the drum, the second flow having a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate; anddispensing moisture into the drum. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein, for providing the first flow of heated air into the drum, the first flow has a first static pressure, and for providing the second flow of heated air into the drum, the second flow has a second static pressure that is less than the first static pressure. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein, providing the first flow of heated air into the drum includes operating a reversible blower in a first operational direction, and providing the second flow of heated air into the drum includes operating the reversible blower in an opposite second operational direction. 30. The method of claim 27, wherein providing the first flow of heated air into the drum and providing the second flow of heated air into the drum are performed without activating adjustment of any valve or duct along a path of the heated air, and without any adjustment of an operation speed of a blower drive motor. 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the dispensing of moisture into the drum includes spraying a water mist directly into the drum. 32. The method of claim 27, wherein the dispensing of moisture into the drum includes activating a valve to permit water to flow from an external water supply to a nozzle disposed inside the drum. 33. The method of claim 27, wherein said dispensing occurs only while rotating the drum in the second rotational direction and while providing the flow of heated air into the drum at the second flow rate.