Drum-type washer/dryer

Abstract

A warm air inlet (10) and a warm air outlet (9) of a laterally provided cylindrical water tub (2) are separately arranged in the direction of the axis of the water tub (2). An airflow duct (32) connecting the warm air inlet (10) and the warm air outlet (9) is placed in the axis direction of the water tub (2), substantially directly below the water tub (2). A compressor (53) of a heat pump (57) having an evaporator (41) and a condenser (42) that are placed in the airflow duct (32) is placed at a position at a side of the airflow duct (32) so as to be orthogonal to the axis direction of the tub (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a drum-type washer / dryer provided with a heat pump for drying laundry.BACKGROUND ART[0002]A washer / dryer provided with a heat pump for drying laundry is notable for its high dry capability and effective energy saving. In such a washer / dryer, the evaporator condenses and collects vapor emitted from laundry during the laundry dry operation. The compressor compresses the refrigerant, which has collected latent heat during vapor condensation, to elevate the temperature of the refrigerant. The condenser heats the air used in the dry operation with the refrigerant of elevated temperature. The use of latent heat obtained during vapor condensation as source of energy for heating the air used in the dry operation does indeed cause slight exterior heat loss (energy loss); however, most of the energy can be reused without loss. Therefore, efficient dry operation can be realized.[0003]The drum-type washer / dryer having a heat pump is provided...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]According to the drum-type washer / dryer of the present invention, the re-circulation air passageway for re-circulating air in the water tub need not be curved especially in the range running from the water tub to the airflow duct but can be provided substantially linear instead. This also allows simple overall configuration of the re-circulation air passageway. Thus, there is no increase in conduit resistance inside the re-circulation air passageway, which in turn increases the amount of available re-circulation airflow, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency at the evaporator and the condenser of the heat pump to obtain high dry performance.

[0011]Further, the airflow duct and the compressor of the heat pump can be installed space-efficiently in the limited space below the water tub, allowing more compact and light-weight overall configuration of the drum-type washer / dryer.

Problems solved by technology

Consequently, the configuration of the re-circulation air passageway as a whole becomes complex.

Consequently, heat exchange efficiency at the evaporator and the condenser of the heat pump is reduced, leading to poor dry performance.

Further, the space below the water tub is limited by the height of the water tub itself and the suspension supporting the water tub.

Thus, in order to install the airflow duct and the compressor, which is generally tall, in the manner described in the washer / dryer of the above mentioned publication, the space below the water tub needs to be increased, which created drawback of size and weight increase of the washer / dryer as a whole.

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