US 12,454,789 B2
Dryer appliance and method for cleaning operation
Alexander B. Leibman, Prospect, KY (US); Venkata Chakradhar Rangu, Louisville, KY (US); Kenneth G. Rudolph, Louisville, KY (US); and Nemetalla Salameh, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/696,149.
Prior Publication US 2023/0295865 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. D06F 105/38 (2020.01); D06F 58/26 (2006.01); D06F 58/30 (2020.01); D06F 58/45 (2020.01); D06F 105/40 (2020.01); D06F 105/42 (2020.01)
CPC D06F 58/45 (2020.02) [D06F 58/26 (2013.01); D06F 58/30 (2020.02)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dryer appliance, the dryer appliance comprising:
a drum rotatably mounted within a cabinet, the drum defining a chamber for receipt of articles for drying;
a heater assembly in fluid communication with the chamber, the heater assembly comprising a fan assembly configured to flow air through the heater assembly, the heater assembly configured to selectively generate heat and remove moisture from the air flowing through the heater assembly;
an air handler configured to provide headed air through a duct from the heater assembly to the drum and from the drum to an exhaust duct;
a reservoir comprising a body having one or more walls forming a plurality of compartments, wherein the reservoir comprises an outlet opening respective to the plurality of compartments, the plurality of compartments each configured to receive a respective fluid, the fluid comprising a cleaning solution, a disinfecting solution, or a perfume solution at the plurality of compartments, wherein the reservoir is in selective fluid communication with the chamber to provide the fluid to the chamber, the reservoir comprising a handle forming a portion of a front panel of the cabinet, wherein at least one of the compartments for receiving the fluid is coupled to the handle, and wherein the reservoir is configured to slide into and out of an interior volume of the cabinet;
an outlet conduit connecting the chamber in fluid communication to receive the fluid from the outlet openings respective to the plurality of compartments of the reservoir, and the outlet conduit connecting the chamber in fluid communication to receive water vapor; and
a controller communicatively couple to a user interface panel to receive user inputs, the controller configured to perform operations that, when executed by the controller, causes the dryer appliance to perform operations fro cleaning and disinfecting components of the dryer appliance, the operations comprising:
flowing the fluid to the chamber from the reservoir; and
flowing, through the outlet conduit, water vapor to the chamber in serial operation with flowing fluid to the chamber;
rotating the drum while flowing the fluid to the chamber;
flowing air through the heater assembly and the drum via operation the fan; and
cycling an air-fluid mixture through the heater assembly to provide fluid contact to clean or disinfect surfaces of the duct, the drum, and the exhaust duct.
 
11. A method for operating a dryer appliance for cleaning and disinfecting components of the dryer appliance, the method comprising:
flowing a fluid from a reservoir at the dryer appliance to a chamber configured to receive laundry articles for drying, the reservoir comprising a plurality of compartments, wherein the reservoir comprises an outlet opening respective to the plurality of compartments, the plurality of compartments each configured to receive a respective fluid, wherein the fluid is a cleaning solution, a disinfecting solution, or a perfume solution;
flowing water vapor to the chamber in serial operation with flowing fluid to the chamber;
rotating a drum at which the chamber is formed while flowing the fluid to the chamber;
operating a fan assembly to flow air through a heater assembly of the dryer appliance to the chamber; and
cycling an air-fluid mixture through the heater assembly to provide fluid contact to clean or disinfect surfaces of the duct, the drum, and the exhaust duct.