EP2343410A2 - Domestic appliance with a housing comprising an opening and method for operating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The household device (1) has a housing (2) and a component arranged in the housing, where an opening (35) is formed in the housing for inflow and outflow of air for cooling the component. A cover unit (37) is provided for partial covering of the opening. The cover unit has covering elements (38,44). An independent claim is also included for a method for operating a household device.

Description

The invention relates to a domestic appliance which has a housing and a component arranged in the housing. In the housing at least one opening for the passage of air for cooling the component is formed. The invention is also concerned with a method of operating such a domestic appliance.

The invention is based on a domestic appliance, as in the document WO 2009/059889 A1 is described. This household appliance is configured as a tumble dryer, namely a condensation dryer, which has a closed circuit for the process air, as well as a refrigerant circuit. With the aid of a heat pump, the heat taken from the process air is returned to the same process air. In the refrigerant circuit, a compressor is included, which serves to compress a refrigerant. A fan is provided by means of which air is sucked from outside the tumble dryer into the interior of the device, namely via a suction opening in the housing. Through this sucked air, the compressor is cooled. By cooling the compressor, the problem is encountered that selbiger turns off during a drying process due to too high a temperature. There are also formed outlet openings in the housing through which the sucked air flows out of the housing to the outside again. So air is sucked through the intake into the housing, namely using the blower, used for cooling the compressor and then discharged again via the outlet openings of the housing.

The publication published after the priority date of the present application DE 10 2008 055 088 A1 describes a clothes dryer with a heat pump that includes a compressor. In a housing, a passage opening is formed, through which cooling air is introduced into an air channel. The compressor is cooled with the cooling air. In the air duct slats are arranged, by means of which a flow-through cross section of the air duct is variably adjustable.

It is also known in the art to provide the bottom of the housing with an opening for cooling the compressor. Then, the air may also enter the interior of the housing via the opening formed in the bottom to cool the compressor.

It is an object of the invention to show a way how the operating comfort of a domestic appliance of the type mentioned in comparison with the prior art can be further increased.

This object is achieved by a domestic appliance as well as by a method having the features according to the respective independent claim. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description. In the context of the technically reasonable preferred embodiments of the domestic appliance always also correspond to preferred embodiments of the method and vice versa, and this even if it is not indicated herein in detail.

An inventive household appliance comprises a housing and a component arranged in the housing. In the housing, at least one opening for air for cooling the component is formed. There are provided in the household appliance covering means, which serve for at least partially covering the at least one opening.

The invention is based primarily on the knowledge that some household appliances, especially dryers - especially Kondenswäschetrockner with a heat pump - generate relatively much noise. The invention is further based on the recognition that these domestic appliances are those which have an opening for the air for cooling a component, namely in particular for cooling a compressor of a refrigerant circuit. Numerous measurements have shown that such a domestic appliance generates a noise whose noise level is a few decibels higher than a domestic appliance without such an opening. The cover means according to the invention thus enable the reduction of the noise of the domestic appliance and thus increase the operating comfort compared to the prior art considerably.

The domestic appliance is preferably a tumble dryer and very particularly preferably a condensate dryer, in particular with a heat pump. Especially with a condenser dryer with a heat pump, the hood means prove to be particularly advantageous. Namely, such clothes dryers can have openings in the housing, which serve for the inlet or outlet of air for cooling a component of the tumble dryer, namely in particular for cooling a compressor of a heat pump. If these openings are now at least partially obscured with the aid of the cover means, the noise development of such clothes dryers is reduced to a minimum.

The component to be cooled by the air is preferably a compressor of a heat pump.

• Prinzipiell können die Verdeckmittel ein Abdeckelement umfassen, durch welches ein durchströmbarer Querschnitt der zumindest einen Öffnung verringert ist. Bei dieser Ausführungsform ist die zumindest eine Öffnung also mittels eines Abdeckelements verdeckt, welches bevorzugt mit dem Gehäuse bewegungsstarr verbunden und somit unbeweglich an dem Gehäuse angebracht ist. Durch das Abdeckelement kann die zumindest eine Öffnung lediglich teilweise oder gar vollständig verdeckt werden; ist die zumindest eine Öffnung mittels des Abdeckelements vollständig verdeckt, so ist der frei durchströmbare Querschnitt der Öffnung auf Null reduziert. Bei dieser Ausführungsform ist das Abdeckelement vorzugsweise aus einem luftdurchlässigen und lärmdämpfenden Material bereitgestellt; zum Beispiel kann das Abdeckelement aus Vliesstoff, vorzugsweise Baumwollvlies, und/oder aus einer luftdurchlässigen Membran ausgebildet sein.

Thus, in the household appliance according to the invention, covering means are provided for at least partially concealing the at least one opening. With regard to the cover means a variety of - complementary or alternative - embodiments are provided:

• In principle, the cover means may comprise a cover element, through which a flow-through cross-section of the at least one opening is reduced. In this embodiment, the at least one opening is therefore concealed by means of a cover element, which is preferably connected to the housing so as to be rigidly movable and thus immovably attached to the housing. By the cover, the at least one opening can be only partially or completely covered; if the at least one opening is completely covered by means of the cover element, the freely flow-through cross section of the opening is reduced to zero. In this embodiment, the cover member is preferably made of an air-permeable and noise-damping material; For example, the cover member may be formed of nonwoven fabric, preferably cotton nonwoven fabric, and / or an air-permeable membrane.

The embodiment shown above, in which the cover means have a simple, rigidly connected to the housing and thus immovable cover, is technically particularly easy to implement and yet provides for a sufficient reduction of the noise. It is thus provided without much effort a domestic appliance, in which on the one hand the noise is reduced to a minimum and on the other hand, a sufficient cooling of the component can be ensured.

It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the cover means comprise a movable cover: Such a cover is preferably movable between a top position and a release position. In the top position, the cover element can obscure the at least one opening, at least predominantly, in particular completely or comprehensively; in the release position, the cover may release the at least one opening. This embodiment has the advantage that the at least one opening can be appropriately and optionally concealed or released. It can thus either the noise to a minimum can be reduced or the freely flow-through cross-section of the opening can be set to a maximum, namely for cooling the component.

The movable cover element can also occupy at least one intermediate position, and in particular a plurality of intermediate positions, more preferably infinitely many intermediate positions. The movable cover can thus be moved gradually between the top position and the release position; Alternatively, the movable cover can be moved continuously between the top position and the release position. The at least one intermediate position also allows intermediate stages for the cooling of the component, as well as intermediate stages for the noise emission.

In principle, the movable cover element-like the fixed cover element-can be made of an air-permeable material. However, it has proved to be particularly advantageous if the movable cover is impermeable to air. The movable cover member may be an inherently rigid element. It may for example be made of plastic or metal. Thus, the noise emission can be reduced compared to an air-permeable material.

The movable cover member may be pivotally mounted, for example, on the housing. It may be provided in the form of a flap or the like, which is pivotally mounted on the housing between the top position and the release position. It may alternatively be formed in the form of a lamella, which is rotatably mounted on the housing about an axis of rotation in such a way that the same axis of rotation extends substantially in the plane of the opening. The movable element may also be mounted displaceably on the housing; then the cover is displaceable between the top position and the release position, in particular displaceable parallel to the plane of the opening. In principle, a single movable cover element can be provided; but it can also be provided two or more movable cover elements which are arranged movably on the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the movable cover element can be moved manually from the top position into the release position and back by an operator. This means that the operator can freely move the cover element between the top position and the release position - for example, pivot freely and / or rotate and / or move - can. Thus, the operator is given the possibility of setting the degree of cooling of the component in a technically simplest way.

Additionally or alternatively, the domestic appliance can have electromechanical drive means which serve for moving the cover element from the top position into the release position and back. The domestic appliance can then also comprise a control device which activates the electromechanical drive means. This is particularly convenient: the operator does not have to manually move the movable cover element in particular, but the cover element can be moved automatically between the top position and the release position by the electromechanical drive means. This embodiment also has other various advantages; in particular, it enables the provision of additional drying programs and / or the control of the already existing drying programs depending on the current position of the movable cover element. This embodiment also makes it possible to provide an additional function in the tumble dryer, namely the reduction of Noise emission. Such an additional function can for example be called "noise reduction".

Thus, the movable cover member between the top position and the release position can be moved depending on an input of the operator on an operating device of the domestic appliance. The controller may then receive an input that the operator makes to the operator; the control device can control the drive means as a function of the received input and thereby move the cover element. Such a procedure is particularly user-friendly. For example, the operator may depress a button or press a button, and the movable cover member is moved. For the operation a variety of embodiments are meaningfully possible: The operator can operate the control device once to move the movable cover, for example, from the top position to the release position. Further actuation of the operating device then results in the movement of the cover element back from the release position into the cover position. It may additionally or alternatively be provided that the cover is continuously moved during a prolonged pressing of a button between the release position and top position. Then, the operator can operate the operating device until the movable cover member has taken the desired intermediate position.

As already stated, by the presence of the electromechanical drive means new working programs (in the case of a tumble dryer also called drying programs) can be provided or already existing work programs can be redesigned. Namely, there is an additional parameter available for executing the work programs, which can be set by the control device. This parameter is the position of the movable cover element. Thus, in one embodiment, it is provided that the control device controls the drive means as a function of a selected work program. In some available work programs, the movable cover element occupy the top position and thus obscure the at least one opening; in other drying programs, the cover can take the release position and the at least one opening release. In still other drying programs, the cover element can assume an intermediate position. The operator are thus provided on the one hand such work programs available in which the domestic appliance is operated noise reduced; On the other hand, the operator is also provided with such work programs in which the degree of cooling of the component is maximum.

It has proved to be particularly advantageous if the control device sets at least one parameter of a working process of the domestic appliance as a function of a current position of the movable cover element. If the movable cover element is moved manually by the operator, then a sensor device can be provided which determines the respectively instantaneous position of the cover element. If the above-mentioned electromechanical drive means are provided for moving the cover element, then the instantaneous position of the cover element of the control device is known in principle, and the sensor device may possibly be dispensed with. By adjusting the at least one parameter of a working process as a function of the current position of the cover element, the sequence of the working process is adapted to the actual position of the cover element and thus to the current degree of cooling of the component. Thus, the working process can be properly completed in any case, namely regardless of the position of the cover.

Depending on the current position of the cover element, the control device can control, for example, a period of the work process. This embodiment is based on the fact that at a lower degree of cooling of the component - especially when selbige component is a compressor of a heat pump - a longer period of time for the corresponding work process is required than at a higher degree of cooling. If the time duration of the working process is adapted to the current position of the covering element, then a desired result of the working process, for example the drying of laundry items, can be achieved.

The control device may additionally or alternatively also control a rotational speed of at least one electric motor as a function of the current position of the cover element. By selbigen electric motor, for example, a process air blower and / or the component to be cooled - in particular a compressor - and / or a laundry drum and / or a blower are driven, by means of which air is sucked through the at least one opening in the device interior. This can for example be done so that the speed of the process air blower is set higher for a hidden opening than for a released opening. It can also be provided that the rotational speed of the fan, through which air is drawn in via the at least one opening, is reduced at a concealed opening, for example, also reduced to zero rpm.

It can be an intake opening, which can be at least partially covered by the cover means. The domestic appliance may include a fan, which serves for sucking in the air via this intake opening into the housing. Thus, air can be sucked from outside the domestic appliance into the interior of the appliance, and the component - in particular a compressor of a heat pump - can be cooled by the intake air. In order to reduce the noise to a minimum, the suction port - unlike the article according to document WO 2009/059889 A1 - Be formed in a rear wall of the household appliance. However, since outlet ports for discharging sucked air may be formed in the rear wall of the domestic appliance, the suction port may be formed in a front wall of the domestic appliance, as in the subject matter of the above-mentioned publication, to avoid the re-aspiration of discharged warm air. It has been found to be particularly advantageous if a total of two suction openings are formed in the housing, namely a first suction port in the front wall and a second suction port in the rear wall of the housing. For the two intake ports, a common fan may be provided: From each of the two intake ports, one intake passage may lead to the common fan. This means that the respective intake ducts are brought together at the common blower. The sucked air can then be delivered to the component before it emerges from the interior of the device, namely via the outlet openings. The cover means may be formed at least for concealing the suction opening formed in the front wall of the housing. If the intake opening in the front wall is covered by the cover means, the air can in this case be sucked in via the intake opening in the rear wall. However, the cover means can also cover the suction opening formed in the rear wall. The hood means can For example, for each suction port include a separate movable cover, so that the intake ports can each be independently covered or released. The provision of two suction openings, one in the front wall and one in the rear wall, has the advantage that the noise of the domestic appliance can be reduced by concealing the suction opening in the front wall and at the same time cooling the component, namely via the suction opening in the rear wall. Namely, it has been found that the suction of air via a suction port formed in the rear wall generally generates less noise than the suction of the air via the suction port in the front wall.

It may additionally or alternatively also be an opening formed in a bottom of the housing, which can be at least partially obscured by the cover means. In this opening, preferably no suction channel and no fan are provided; it is preferably formed in the bottom of the housing directly below the component, in particular of the compressor. If this opening is released, heat can be released to the outside of the housing. If it is covered by the hood means, the noise emission is prevented by this opening.

In a method according to the invention for operating a tumble dryer, at least one opening for the inflow and / or outflow of air for cooling a component of the domestic appliance is formed in a housing of the household appliance. The at least one opening is at least partially obscured by means of hoods.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figure and the description of the figures. All of the features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figure can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combinations or also alone.

The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of a preferred embodiment, as well as with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the single figure illustrates in diagrammatic form a domestic appliance in the form of a tumble dryer according to an embodiment of the invention.

In the exemplary embodiment, a domestic appliance 1 is a condenser dryer 1. This laundry dryer 1 comprises a housing 2 in which a laundry drum 3 is arranged, into which items of laundry 4 are accommodated. A closed process air circuit 5 is provided, in which - driven by a process air blower 6 - circulates a process air flow, which absorbs moisture from the laundry items 4 and dissipates. By a heater 7, the process air is heated before entering the laundry drum 3. After the thus heated process air has flowed around due to the rotation of the laundry drum 3 about a rotation axis 8 in same laundry drum 3 laundry items 4 receiving moisture, it leaves the laundry drum 3 and reaches a heat exchanger or evaporator 9. There it will cooled, so that the entrained moisture condenses, precipitated as condensate water to the structures of the evaporator 9 and drips in a arranged below the evaporator 9 condensate water tank 10.

The clothes dryer 1 comprises a heat pump 11, which includes the evaporator 9, a further heat exchanger 12 arranged between the evaporator 9 and the fan 6 - which is a condenser -, a throttle 13 and a compressor 14. The heat pump 11 includes a closed refrigerant circuit 15 in which a liquid refrigerant circulates.

In a front wall 16 of the housing 2, a door opening 17 is formed, via which the laundry items 4 can be introduced into the laundry drum 3. This door opening 17 can be closed in the conventional manner with a door.

There are provided in the clothes dryer 1, a plurality of drive motors 18, 19, 20 and 21; the drive motor 18 serves to drive the laundry drum 3; the drive motor 19 serves to drive the process air blower 6; the drive motor 20 serves to drive the compressor 14; the drive motor 21 is used to drive a further blower 22. This blower 22 is - as will be described in more detail below - part of a cooling device for the compressor 14th

The tumble dryer 1 also includes a control device 23, which may include, for example, a digital signal processor and / or a microcontroller. The control device 23 is used to control drying processes of the clothes dryer 1. The control device 23 comprises a memory 24, in which data concerning a plurality of drying programs of the clothes dryer 1 are stored. The control device 23 controls the drive motors 18 to 21, as well as the heater 7, namely in each case via a control line 25th

As already stated, a cooling device for cooling the compressor 14 is provided in the tumble dryer 1. This cooling device comprises the blower 22, from which a cooling air duct 26 is guided in the direction of the compressor 14 and the drive motor 20. An air outlet opening 27 of the cooling air channel 26 is located in the immediate vicinity of the compressor 14, namely, for example, at a distance less than 5 cm from the compressor 14. To the fan 22 on the input side two intake ports 28, 29 are connected, sucked via which cold air from outside the housing 2 can be, namely with the help of the blower 22. For this purpose, two suction openings 30, 31 are formed in the housing 2; the first suction port 30 is formed in the front wall 16 below the door opening 17, and the second suction port 31 is formed in a rear wall 32 of the housing 2. In this case, the intake duct 28 leads from the first intake opening 30 to the blower 22, while the intake duct 29 leads from the second intake opening 31 to the blower 22. Thus, the air can be sucked from outside the housing 2 via the suction ports 30, 31 in the device interior, namely by the blower 22. This cold air flows from the cooling air duct 26 through the outlet opening 27 into the interior of the device, flows through the compressor 14 and emerges from the housing 2, namely through a plurality of outlet openings 33 in the rear wall 32. A cooling air flow is designated in the figure with 34.

The cooling device provides a permissible temperature of the compressor 14, so that same compressor 14 does not have to be switched off during a drying process, namely, when its temperature exceeds a predetermined limit. However, as the compressor 14 cools, the overall noise level increases; the tumble dryer 1 is louder by a few dB than without the cooler. A noise emission also takes place via a further opening 35, which is in a bottom 36 of the housing 2 - approximately centrally - formed. This opening 35 may be a be circular opening and have a relatively large diameter. This diameter can for example be in a range of values of 10 cm to 30 cm. Also, this opening 35 serves to cool the compressor 14; it is located directly below the compressor 14.

In order to reduce the noise level in comparison to the prior art, it would be possible in principle to dispense with the first intake opening 30 and to suck in the cold air only via the second intake opening 31. In comparison with the first intake port 30, the noise emission through the second intake port 31 is significantly lower. However, one would like to avoid such a situation that only warm air is sucked in through the fan 22, which exits the housing 2 through the outlet openings 33. For this reason, therefore, the first intake opening 30 is given in the embodiment. In order to reduce the noise of the tumble dryer 1 to a minimum, cover means 37 are provided, which serve in the embodiment for covering the first suction port 30 and the opening 36 formed in the bottom 36.

The cover means 37 comprise a first cover element 38, which serves to cover the first suction opening 30. In principle, this cover element 38 can be fixedly attached to the housing 2-namely, on the front wall 16-and thus be connected to the housing 2 in a manner that makes it move rigidly. Then, the cover member 38 is provided of an air-permeable material, for example, cotton fleece. However, the cover element 38 is preferably designed as a movable cover element 38. It is movably mounted on the housing 2 in the exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, the cover member 38 is pivotally mounted on the housing 2. For this purpose, a pivoting device 39 can be provided, by means of which the cover element 38 can be pivoted between a top position shown in the figure and a release position. In the top position, the first intake opening 30 is covered - a flow-through cross section 40 of the intake opening 30 is reduced and is zero. In the release position, however, the first suction port 30 is released - the freely flow-through cross-section 40 corresponds to the actual cross-section of the suction port 30. The pivoting device 39 may for example be a hinge or the like. Thus, the first cover 38 between the top position and the release position can be pivoted, as indicated in the figure by means of an arrow 41.

In one embodiment, the first cover member 38 is slidably mounted on the housing 2, namely in a direction indicated 42. The first cover element 38 can be displaceable in the vertical direction 32 or alternatively in the horizontal direction. For this purpose, for example, a guide may be provided, along which the cover element 38 is displaceable between the top position and the release position.

The first cover member 38 may be manually operated between the top position and the release position by an operator in principle. However, it has been found to be particularly advantageous when electromechanical drive means 43 are provided which are designed for automatically moving the first cover element 38. These drive means 43 may include, for example, an actuator, in particular a drive motor. The drive means 43 are connected via a control line 25 to the control device 23; the control device 23 controls the drive means 43 and can thus move the first cover element 38 between the top position and the release position, in particular so that the cover element 38 can also assume intermediate positions.

The cover means 37 also include a second cover member 44, which is designed to cover the opening 35. The second cover 44 is slidably mounted in the embodiment of the bottom 36 and can - as the first cover 38 - are moved between a top position and a release position, namely in the horizontal direction 45. It can be provided, for example, a guide or the like, along which the second cover 44 can be moved. For the second cover element 44, the tumble dryer 1 can also have electromechanical drive means 46 which serve to automatically move the second cover element 44. The drive means 46 may comprise, for example, an actuator, in particular a drive motor. They are controlled by the control device 23, namely via a corresponding control line 25. Thus, the control device 23, the second cover 44 move between the top position and the release position and thus obscure or release the opening 35. Again, intermediate positions are possible.

Also for the second intake port 31 may be provided a cover. In the embodiment, however, the second suction port 31 is without a cover; she is permanently released. In one embodiment, the second intake opening 31 can also be dispensed with, so that only the first intake opening 30 is provided.

As already stated, data relating to a multiplicity of possible drying programs are stored in the memory 24. An operator can select a drying program, namely with the aid of an operating device 47. This operating device 47 can include, for example, a program selector 48, as well as further operating elements 49. By means of the program rotary selector 48, the operator can select a drying program; With the aid of the operating elements 49, the operator can, for example, select further additional functions and / or switch on the tumble dryer and / or start a drying process. The operating device 47 is coupled to the control device 23. The control device 23 performs drying processes of the tumble dryer 1 under the control of the electrical consumers of the tumble dryer 1. Namely, the controller 23 performs the drying processes depending on the selected drying program as well as depending on the selected additional functions.

Such an additional function, which can be selected with the aid of the operating elements 49, can be, for example, the "noise reduction". It is also possible to provide drying programs in which this additional function "noise reduction" is implicitly selected. Such drying programs are then noise reduction drying programs.

Thus, the controller 23 may receive input signals 51 from the operator 47. The input signals 51 include information about an input that the operator makes to the operating device 47. Namely, the input signals 51 include information about a current position of the program selector 49 as well as an operating state of the operating elements 49.

If the additional function "noise reduction" or a drying program is selected with this function, then the control device 23 closes the cover elements 38, 44 for the duration of the drying process. In such a drying process, therefore, a noise emission takes place neither through the first suction port 30, nor through the opening 35. Given the second suction port 31, the cold air is sucked in through this suction port 31, and the compressor 14 can be further cooled. If this intake opening 31 is not given, then the blower 22 can be switched off. In this case, the temperature of the compressor 14 may increase, and the compressor 14 may be deactivated when its temperature exceeds a predetermined limit.

If the additional function "noise reduction" is selected, then the control device 23 can change various parameters of the drying process. Namely, the control device 23 can adjust a time duration and / or a rotational speed of at least one of the drive motors 18, 19, 20, 21 to the selected additional function "noise reduction". This may, for example, be such as to increase the duration of the drying process in the case of concealed openings 30, 35 in comparison to a duration of the drying process with openings 30, 35 released. Also, the speed of the drive motor 19 for the process air blower 6 can be increased accordingly.

A corresponding information about the remaining time duration of the drying process can also be displayed on a display device 50, for example a display. The operator is thus informed about the remaining period of the drying process. The display device 50 is actuated by the control device 23, namely with the output of corresponding control signals 52.

Overall, therefore, a clothes dryer 1 is provided, in which on the one hand the cooling of a compressor 14 is made possible and which, on the other hand, can be operated with reduced noise compared with the prior art. Namely, there are provided cover means 37, by which a suction port 30, as well as an opening 35 can be covered. It can thus take place on the openings mentioned no noise. Such a procedure is particularly advantageous for noise-reduced drying programs.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Domestic appliance, tumble dryer

2

casing

3

washing drum

4

laundry

5

Process air circuit

6

Process air fan

7

heater

8th

axis of rotation

9

Evaporator

10

Condensate water trough

11

heat pump

12

condenser

13

throttle

14

compressor

15

Refrigerant circulation

16

front wall

18, 19, 20, 21

drive motor

22

fan

23

control device

24

Storage

25

control line

26

Cooling air duct

27

Air outlet opening

28, 29

intake port

30, 31

suction

32

rear wall

33

outlet opening

34

Cooling air flow

35

opening

36

ground

37

masking means

38

cover

39

Pivot means

40

cross-section

41

arrow

42

direction

43

drive means

44

cover

45

direction

46

drive means

47

operating device

48

Program selector knob

49

controls

50

display

51

input signals

52

control signals

Claims (11)

Domestic appliance (1) having a housing (2) and a component (14) arranged in the housing (2), wherein in the housing (2) at least one opening (30, 31, 35) for the inflow and / or outflow of air (34) is designed for cooling the component (14) and the component is a compressor (14) of a heat pump (11) of the domestic appliance (1),
marked by - Cover means (37) for at least partially covering the at least one opening (30, 31, 35), wherein the cover means (37) comprises a cover member (38, 44) which between a cover position, in which the cover member (38, 44) the at least one opening (30, 31, 35) at least predominantly concealed, and a release position, in which the cover element (38, 44) the at least one opening (30, 31, 35) releases, is movable, - Electromechanical drive means (43, 46) for moving the cover member (38, 44) from the top position to the release position and back and - A control device (23) for driving the drive means (43, 46) which is adapted to control depending on the position of the cover (38, 44) a period of a working process of the domestic appliance (1). Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover means (37) comprise a cover (38, 44) through which a flow-through cross section (40) of the at least one opening (30, 31, 35) is permanently reduced. Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the movable cover element (38, 44) can be moved manually from the top position into the release position and back by an operator. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (23) is adapted to receive an input which an operator makes to an operating device (47) of the domestic appliance (1) and the drive means (43, 46) depending on the received input. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (23) is adapted to control the drive means (43, 46) in dependence on a selected work program. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (23) is designed to control a speed of an electric motor (18, 19, 20, 21) depending on the position of the movable cover element (38, 44) , Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover means (37) are designed for at least partially concealing an intake opening (30, 31) and the domestic appliance (1) comprises a fan (22) for sucking in the air (34). via the suction port (30, 31) in the housing (2). Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that at least two suction openings (30, 31) are formed in the housing (2), of which at least one suction opening (30, 31) in a rear wall (32) of the housing (2). is formed, and of which in each case an intake passage (28, 29) to the common fan (22) is guided, wherein the cover means (37) at least for covering one of the at least two suction openings (30, 31) are formed. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover means (37) are formed for at least partially concealing an opening (35) formed in a bottom (36) of the housing (2). Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the domestic appliance (1) is a tumble dryer (1), in particular a condensate dryer (1). Method for operating a domestic appliance (1), in whose housing (2) at least one opening (30, 31, 35) for inflow and / or outflow of air (34) for cooling a component (14) of the domestic appliance (1) is formed and the component is a compressor (14) of a heat pump (11) of the domestic appliance (1), characterized in that the at least one opening (30, 31, 35) is at least partially concealed by means of hoods (37), wherein the hood means ( 37) comprise a cover element (38, 44) which between a cover position, in which the cover element (38, 44) at least predominantly covers the at least one opening (30, 31, 35), and a release position, in which the cover element (38 44, which releases at least one opening (30, 31, 35), wherein electromechanical drive means (43, 46) move the cover element (38, 44) from the top position to the release position and back, and wherein a control device (23 ) the drive means (43, 46 ) and depending on the position of the cover (38, 44) controls a period of a working process of the domestic appliance (1).

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