Drum type washing and drying machine

Abstract

A drum type washing and drying machine includes a cylindrical rotary drum provided with drum perforations and having a rotating shaft in a horizontal or a slanted direction; a water tub, supported in a main body of the drum type washing and drying machine, for accommodating therein the rotary drum; a dehumidification unit for dehumidifying air exhausted from the rotary drum via the water tub; and a blower-heater path communicating with the dehumidification unit and incorporating therein a blower and a heater. The washing and drying machine is also provided with a circulation path for allowing the blower-heater path and the rotary drum to communicate with each other via the water tub. An opening sealing member is installed at a connection opening between the blower-heater path and circulation path such that the opening sealing member is disposed to be rotable in conjunction with an operation of the blower.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a drum type washing and drying machine for performing washing, rinsing, water-extracting and drying processes in a rotary drum having a substantially horizontal or slanted rotational axis. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A conventional drum type washing and drying machine includes a cylindrical rotary drum disposed in a water tub such that it is driven to rotate and its rotational axis is horizontal or slanted with respect to the horizontal direction. The cylindrical rotary drum having a bottom surface is provided with multiple drum perforations for allowing water and air to pass therethrough on its cylindrical surface. Further, formed at a front side of the water tub is a laundry loading / unloading opening, which is opened and closed with a door. After loading laundry in the rotary drum through the laundry loading / unloading opening, washing, rinsing and water-extracting processes are performed by controlling water sup...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a drum type washing and drying machine capable of preventing entrance of detergent foam into a blower-heater path from a rotary drum and thus preventing a generation of bad smells caused thereby, while securing improved reliability of the heater unit and the blower unit.

[0007] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a drum type washing and drying machine including: a cylindrical rotary drum provided with multiple drum perforations on a cylindrical surface thereof and having a rotating shaft in a horizontal or a slanted direction; a water tub, elastically supported in a main body of the drum type washing and drying machine, for accommodating therein the rotary drum; a dehumidification unit for dehumidifying air exhausted from the rotary drum via the water tub; a blower-heater path communicating with the dehumidification unit and incorporating therein a blower and a heater; a circulation path for allowing the blower-heater path and the rotary drum to communicate with each other via the water tub; and an opening sealing member installed at a connection opening provided between the blower-heater path and circulation path, the opening sealing member being rotable in conjunction with an operation of the blower. Accordingly, even in case a user mistakenly adds too much detergent to laundry and, thus, an excessively great deal of detergent foam are generated, entrance of the detergent foam into the heater and the blower in the blower-heater path can be prevented. As a consequence, generation of bad smells due to the heater and the blower being submerged in the detergent foam can be avoided, and reliability of the heater and the blower can be obtained.

[0008] Further, the opening sealing member has a rotation axis which divides the opening sealing member into a left and a right portion, and a weight balance between the left and the right portion with respect to the rotation axis is maintained such that the opening sealing member closes the connection opening while the blower is stopped, and opens the connection opening by making a rotation when the blower is operated. Thus, when the detergent foam are generated in the water tub during a washing process, an operation of the blower is stopped and further the opening sealing member serves to close the connection opening, thereby preventing the detergent foam from entering the heater and the blower in the blower-heater path. As a consequence, generation of bad smells due to the heater and the blower being submerged in the detergent foam can be avoided, and reliability of the heater and the blower can be obtained.

[0009] Furthermore, the opening sealing member has a rotation axis, and facing surfaces of the connection opening and the opening sealing member in an axial direction of the rotation axis are formed to have substantially planar shapes. Thus, rotational movements of the opening sealing member can be executed smoothly, thereby enhancing reliability.

[0010] Moreover, the opening sealing member has a rotation axis which divides the opening sealing member into a left and a right portion having different areas. Thus, the opening and closing of the opening sealing member by the rotational movements of the opening sealing member can be performed securely, thereby improving reliability.

[0011] Further, the opening sealing member has a rotation axis which divides the opening sealing member into a left and a right portion, and a weight is disposed in either one of the left and the right portion. Thus, the opening and closing of the opening sealing member by the rotational movements of the opening sealing member can be performed securely, thereby improving reliability.

Problems solved by technology

With a conventional structure of an air flow path accommodating a blower and a heater therein (hereinafter, simply referred to as a blower-heater path), however, there occurs a problem that a great deal of detergent foam generated in the rotary drum enters the blower-heater path communicating with the drum to submerge a fan or a heating unit therein, thus resulting in generation of bad smell and / or deterioration of reliability.

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