[0001]     This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. P2003-093200, filed on Dec. 18, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a dryer accessory, and more particularly, to a laundry separator for compartmentalized drying, which is loaded as an accessory in a dryer or a washer having a drying function.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Generally speaking, a dryer or washer having a drying function is an apparatus for drying objects such as a laundry contained in a drum by supplying hot air to the drum. To enhance drying performance, a plurality of lifters are provided within the drum, as shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating the drum of a general dryer or washer-dryer. Here, the lifters and drum are individually manufactured, and then the lifters are installed inside the drum.  
         [0006]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a plurality of locking members  3  (e.g., screws) is used to install a plurality of lifters  2  on an inner surface of a drum  1 . As an alternative, the lifters  2  may be formed by pressing the drum  1  to deform its inner circumferential surface.  
         [0007]     In drying an object to be dried, the corresponding object held within the drum  1  is lifted by the lifters  2  up to a predetermined height and then dropped. The object is easily exposed to hot air supplied to the drum  1  to be evenly dried, thereby enhancing drying efficiency.  
         [0008]     However, in the above-constructed dryer or washer having the drying function, it is impossible to dry various kinds of drying objects or various colored drying objects at the same time. For instance, some kinds of drying objects are easily decolorized. If such a kind of a drying object is dried together with a white drying object, the white drying object tends to get dyed. In order to overcome such a problem, drying objects should be sorted according to types and colors to be separately dried, which is time consuming and inconvenient and wastes electricity.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a laundry separator for compartmentalized drying that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0010]     An object of the present invention, which has been devised to solve the foregoing problem, lies in providing a laundry separator for compartmentalized drying, which is loaded in a drum of a dryer or washer having a drying function and by which various type or colored drying objects are sorted to be dried at the same time.  
         [0011]     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from a practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the subject matter particularly pointed out in the specification and claims hereof as well as in the appended drawings.  
         [0012]     To achieve these objects and other advantages in accordance with the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a laundry separator for compartmentalized drying, includes at least one divider for detachable installation in a drum for drying laundry, wherein the at least one divider partitions an inner space of the drum into a plurality of spaces.  
         [0013]     In another aspect of the present invention, a laundry separator for compartmentalized drying includes a shaft for being detachably installed lengthwise in a drum of an appliance having a drying function, and a plurality of dividers radiating from the shaft to partition an inner space of the drum into a plurality of spaces.  
         [0014]     The at least one divider is provided radially with respect to the drum. And, the at least one divider has a distal end for coupling to a lifter protruding inwardly from the drum.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the at least one divider has a multitude of apertures for allowing airflow between the plurality of spaces. Herein, the apertures extend radially from the shaft.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the at least one divider has a length corresponding to an inner length of the drum. Herein, each divider has an axial length substantially equal to an interior space of the drum.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the at least one divider has elasticity in a radial direction of the drum. And, the at least one divider has elasticity in a circumferential direction of the drum.  
         [0018]     Preferably, when installed, the shaft is aligned with the central axis of the drum. Herein, the shaft includes a tube having an outer circumference, the dividers radiating from the outer circumference. The shaft has elasticity in a radial direction.  
         [0019]     Preferably, the laundry separator may include a plurality of elastic members, each connecting an opposing side of the dividers, to reinforce elasticity of the dividers in a circumferential direction of the drum. Herein, each elastic member has a curved surface on a same central axis of the shaft. Each divider includes two sides forming a recess in a distal end for receiving a lifter.  
         [0020]     Preferably, the dividers are configured as adjacent pairs, each pair forming a gap in which a lifter protruding from an inner surface of the drum can be fitted. The laundry separator may include a plurality of elastic members, each connecting an opposing side of the dividers, to reinforce a gripping force applied to the lifter. Herein, each elastic member has a curved surface on a same central axis of the shaft.  
         [0021]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing explanation and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and illustrative and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional diagram of a drum of a general dryer or washer-dryer;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional diagram of a dryer in which a laundry separator according to the present invention is installed;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a perspective diagram of a laundry separator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional diagram of the laundry separator in  FIG. 3  loaded in a drum;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a perspective diagram of a laundry separator according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a perspective diagram of a laundry separator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, like elements are indicated using the same or similar reference designations where possible.  
         [0030]     A laundry separator according to the present invention can be installed and used in an exhaust-type dryer, condensing-type dryer, washer/dryer, or the like. In the exhaust type dryer, external air is heated to be supplied to a drum and humid air having dried a drying object within the drum is discharged. In the condensing type dryer, air, which is humid after having dried a drying object within a drum, is condensed by a condenser to lower the humidity and is then heated to be re-supplied to the drum. The laundry separator according to the present invention as described herein is to be installed in the exhaust type dryer as an example but is appropriate for installation in any appliance having a drum for performing a drying function.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a drum  20  is rotatably provided within a cabinet  10  of a dryer. The drum  20  has a cylindrical shape, and a plurality of lifters  25  protrude from an inner surface of the drum  20 . The lifter  25  and the drum  20  are separately manufactured. Hence, the lifter  25  is attached to the inside of the drum  20  later. Instead, the lifters  25  may be integrally formed with the drum  20 . A front panel  21  and rear panel  23  are respectively mounted on an open front side and open rear side of the drum  20 , which is rotatably supported by the front and rear panels  21  and  23  during dryer operation. That is, while the dryer is operated, the drum is rotated but the front and rear panels  21  and  23  remain stationary. An opening  21   a  is provided to the front panel  21 , and a door  15  is installed on the front side of the cabinet  10  to open/close the opening  21   a . An exhaust duct  30  is connected to the front panel  21 . Hence, the interior of the drum  20  communicates via the exhaust duct  30  with an external environment with respect to the cabinet  10 . A fan  40  for expelling the air in the drum  20  and a filter  35  filtering the air expelled by the fan  40  are provided within the exhaust duct  30 . The fan  40  is rotated by a motor  50  provided within the cabinet  10  to rotate both the fan  40  and the drum  20 . For this, the motor  50  includes a pair of shafts respectively connected to the fan  40  and a pulley  60  connected to the drum  20  via a belt  65 . Though not specifically shown, the motor  50  may rotate the fan  40  only. An air inlet duct  70  is connected to the rear panel  23  to enable the inside of the drum  20  to communicate with an external environment. As the fan  40  rotates to discharge the air within the drum  20  outside via the exhaust duct  30 , external air is supplied into the drum  20  via the air inlet duct  70 . A heater  80  is installed in the air inlet duct  70  to supply hot air into the drum  20 .  
         [0032]     A laundry separator  100  according to the present invention is installed in the drum  20 . The laundry separator  100  according to the present invention is detachably installed in the drum  20  and partitions an inner space of the drum  20  into a plurality of partitioned spaces. Hence, a user puts drying objects sorted according to types and colors in a plurality of the spaces partitioned by the laundry separator  100  and then operates the dryer to dry the drying objects of various colors and types at the same time.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a shaft  110  and a plurality of dividers  150  are provided to the laundry separator  100  according to the present invention. The shaft  110  is inserted along a length direction of the drum  20 , and a plurality of the dividers  150  extend from the shaft  110  to partition an inner space of the drum  20  into a plurality of partitioned spaces. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the shaft  110  includes a long tube that is hollow. Preferably, the shaft  100  has the same length of a front-to-rear length of the drum  20  and the same central axis of the drum  20 . Each of the dividers  150  extends out of an outer circumference of the tube in a radial direction of the drum  20 .  
         [0034]     The shaft  110  may be formed of a substantially rigid material but may be imparted with some elasticity in its radial direction. Each of the dividers  150  extending from the outer circumference of the shaft  110  in the radial direction of the drum  20  may have elasticity in the radial direction of the drum  20 . The dividers  150  extend from the circumference of the shaft  110  in the same direction of the shaft  110  or drum  20 . Preferably, each of the dividers  150  has the same length of the shaft  110  and is installed to be nearly in contact with both front and rear insides of the drum  20  when the laundry separator  100  is loaded in the drum  20 . Then, the inner space of the drum  20  is partitioned into a plurality of spaces by the laundry separator  100  so that drying objects respectively held in the partitioned spaces are not loaded together.  
         [0035]     A multitude of apertures  155  are provided to each of the dividers  150  so that air can pass through the apertures  155 . Each of the apertures  155  is formed long in the radial direction of the drum  20 , for example. Once the apertures  155  are provided to the dividers  150 , hot air supplied to the drum  20  flows throughout the spaces created by the dividers  150  via the apertures  155 , to uniformly dry the drying objects in each space.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , an outer end of each of the dividers  150  is coupled to the corresponding lifter  25  to be fixed thereto. For this, the dividers  150  are arranged in adjacent pairs so that the corresponding lifter  25  can be fitted in a gap G exiting between the corresponding pair of the dividers  150  to install the laundry separator  100  according to the present invention in the drum  20  stably and securely. The distance, i.e., the gap G, between the sides of an adjacent pair of dividers  150  is preferably set smaller than the thickness of any lifter  25 , so that the adjacent pair of dividers  150  provides a gripping force acting on the lifter. For this, the laundry separator  100  is provided with an elastic member  130  between opposing sides of each adjacent pair of dividers  150  to provide the respective dividers  150  with elasticity in a circumferential direction of the drum  20 . Specifically, the elastic member  130  is provided to connect two dividers  150 , thereby reinforcing the gripping force of the dividers  150 , to fit onto the lifters securely and firmly, with little or no incidental movement, and thereby support a load of wet laundry and prevent excess noise, such as rattling or knocking, during dryer operation. The elastic member  130  has a circular cross-section on the same central axis of the shaft  110 .  
         [0037]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the dividers  150  of the laundry separator  100  according to the present invention are structurally modified to provide a recess  151  formed in the distal end of each of a plurality of dividers  150 ′ for receiving a lifter  25 . The lifters  25  are respectively fitted in the recesses  151  of each divider  150 ′, whereby the laundry separator  100  can be stably loaded in the drum  20 .  
         [0038]     In the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , a plurality of the dividers  150 □are centrally connected without a shaft  110  or an elastic member  130 . In this case, the axis of the laundry separator  100  is defined by the circumference of the drum  20  as determined by the location of the mounting lifters.  
         [0039]     Meanwhile, although not specifically shown in the drawings, a further embodiment of the laundry separator of the present invention may include a structurally modified shaft, in which the diameter of the shaft is large enough to provide an additional space for accommodating laundry to be dried separately from that held in the spaces partitioned by the dividers.  
         [0040]     Moreover, rather than the dividers of the above-described embodiments, which radiate from a central point along the full length of the shaft to provide a plurality of partitioned spaces in the shape of wedges, the laundry separator of the present invention could be provided with dividers that radiate from a plurality of points along the length of the shaft to provide a plurality of alternatively partitioned spaces in the shape of wheels.  
         [0041]     In using the laundry separator  100  for drying various objects of differing in color and/or type, the laundry separator  100  is installed within the drum  20  so that the shaft  110  is located on the central axis of the drum  20 . In doing so, a plurality of the dividers  150  can be elastically deformed in the same radial direction of the shaft  110  or drum  20  and their circumferential directions, respectively, whereby a user is facilitated to install the laundry separator  100  within the drum  20 .  
         [0042]     After completion of installing the laundry separator  100 , the lifter  25  of the drum  20  is fitted in the gap G between adjacent dividers  150  or in the recess  151  formed at the distal end of each divider  150 ′, thereby being stably fixed thereto. Thus, while the laundry separator  100  is stably loaded in the drum  20 , the drying objects sorted according to types and/or colors are placed in the spaces partitioned by the dividers  150  as desired.  
         [0043]     With the laundry separator  100  thus installed, the door  15  is closed and the dryer is then actuated. The drum  20  is rotated by the motor  50 , pulley  60 , and belt  65  so that the drying objects held in the respective spaces partitioned by the laundry separator  100  are repeatedly lifted upward to fall within the respective partitioned spaces by the rotational force of the drum  20 . Meanwhile, the fan  40  rotates and the heater  80  heats the air. The heated air is supplied to the drum  20  via the air inlet duct  70 , as the air within the drum  20  is discharged via the exhaust duct  30 .  
         [0044]     The heated air supplied to the drum  20  flows in the spaces partitioned by the dividers  150  to dry the drying objects. In doing so, the heated air can travel to other spaces via the apertures  155  provided to the dividers  150 , thereby uniformly drying the drying objects in each of the partitioned spaces.  
         [0045]     The air, which becomes humid air after drying the drying objects within the drum  20 , is then discharged outside via the exhaust duct  30 . In doing so, particles contained in the humid air are removed by the filter  35  so that clean air can be discharged.  
         [0046]     If no sorting of the drying objects is desired, the laundry separator  100  is removed from the drum  20 . In doing so, the dividers  150  are elastically deformed in the radial and circumferential directions of the shaft  110  and drum  20 , to facilitate the removal of the laundry separator  100  from the drum  20 .  
         [0047]     As described above, the laundry separator according to the present invention is detachably installed in the drum of the dryer or washer/dryer to partition the inner space of the drum  20  into a plurality of spaces. Accordingly, a user puts the drying objects sorted according to colors and/or types in the partitioned spaces within the drum, respectively, whereby the entire drying objects can be dried at the same time. Therefore, the drying objects can be easily dried, the corresponding drying time is shortened, and power consumption can be considerably saved.  
         [0048]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations, provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
A laundry separator for compartmentalized drying is loaded in the drum of a dryer, or in the drum of a washer having a drying function, as an accessory enabling simultaneous drying of laundry sorted according to type, color, and so on. The laundry separator for compartmentalized drying, includes at least one divider for detachable installation in a drum for drying laundry, wherein the at least one divider partitions an inner space of the drum into a plurality of spaces.