Dryer of mat-like member and refreshing method

Abstract

To provide a dryer of a mat-like member and a refreshing method, which can refresh the mat-like member with simple treatment using steam in a short time.SOLUTION: A dryer 1 refreshes a mat-like member. The dryer 1 includes: a body in which a dry space is formed; an air supply section which supplies high-temperature dry air to the dry space; a mat mounting section which has a mounting surface through which the dry air can pass and mounts the mat-like member on the mounting surface; an exhaust section which exhausts the dry air passed through the mounting surface to the outside of the dry space; a boiler 500 which generates steam; and a steam spraying member 510 which is connected to the boiler 500 and sprays the steam toward the dry space. The dryer refreshes the mat-like member by blowing the dry air from the air supply section to the dry space and spraying the steam from the boiler 500 to the dry space through the steam spraying member 510.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a dryer and a refreshing method for a mat-like member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, dryers for drying mat-like members such as futons and mattresses containing moisture by washing or refreshing are known. As such a dryer, a drying space into which heated air from a gas heater flows is defined in a housing, a placement portion for a mat-like member is arranged in this drying space, an internal space defined inside this placement portion is communicated with the drying space, and there is one that dries the mat-like member by passing the heated air through the placed mat-like member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a conventional dryer, after washing and dehydrating a mat-like member with a dedicated washing machine, it is necessary to move the mat-like member to a dedicated dryer. At this time, the mat-like member containing moisture is heavy, which is a very laborious task for the user and also takes a lot of time. The problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a dryer and a refreshing method for a mat-like member that can refresh the mat-like member in a short time by a simple treatment using water vapor.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The dryer of the embodiment is a dryer for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: a housing that forms a drying space; an air supply unit that supplies high-temperature drying air to the drying space; a mat placement unit having a placement surface through which the drying air can pass, on which the mat-like member is placed; an exhaust unit that discharges the drying air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; a boiler that generates steam; and a steam spraying member connected to the boiler that sprays the steam toward the drying space, wherein the dryer refreshes the mat-like member by blowing the drying air from the air supply unit into the drying space and spraying the steam from the boiler into the drying space via the steam spraying member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a dryer for a mat-like member according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a front view showing a dryer for mat-shaped materials. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing a dryer for mat-shaped materials. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the mat mounting section of a drying machine for mat-shaped materials. [Figure 5] This is a front view showing the mat mounting section of a drying machine for mat-shaped materials. [Figure 6] This is a side view showing the mat mounting section of a drying machine for mat-shaped materials. [Figure 7] This is a front view showing the mat mounting section on which the mat-like member F is placed. [Figure 8] This is a side view showing the mat mounting section on which the mat-like member F is placed. [Figure 9] This is an overall side view of a drying machine for mat-shaped materials. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the direction of the flow of warm air from the gas heater to the upper wall. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the flow direction of the warm air flowing from the upper wall into the drying space D. [Figure 12]It is a side view showing the overall hot air flow of the dryer for the mat-shaped member. [Figure 13] It is a figure showing a perspective view and a front view of the drying mechanism according to Example 1. [Figure 14] It is a figure showing a perspective view and a front view of the drying mechanism according to Example 2. [Figure 15] It is a figure showing another configuration example of the steam spray pipe in the drying mechanism of Example 2. [Figure 16] It is a front view and a top view of the drying mechanism according to Example 3. [Figure 17] It is a figure showing a perspective view and a front view of the drying mechanism according to Example 4. [Figure 18] It is a figure showing another configuration example of the steam spray pipe in the drying mechanism of Example 4. [Figure 19] It is a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Example 5. [Figure 20] It is a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Example 6. [Figure 21] It is a figure showing an overview of the drying mechanism according to Example 7. [Figure 22] It is a figure showing an overview of the drying mechanism according to Example 8. [Figure 23] It is a figure showing an overview of another configuration of the drying mechanism according to Example 8. [Figure 24] It is a figure showing an overview of the drying mechanism according to Example 9. [Figure 25] It is a flowchart showing the procedure of the refresh operation of the mat-shaped member F. [Figure 26] It shows a perspective view and a front view of the dryer for the mat-shaped member according to Example 10. [Figure 27] It is a figure showing the internal configuration of the dryer for the mat-shaped member according to Example 10 as seen from the side. [Figure 28] It is a perspective view of the dryer for the mat-shaped member according to Example 10 as seen from the back. [Figure 29] It is a flowchart showing the refresh operation and the operation of only drying of the dryer for the mat-shaped member according to Example 10. [Figure 30]This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which steam is sprayed into the drying space D of the dryer for the mat-like member according to Example 10. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0008] (Overall structure) First, the overall configuration of a mat-like material dryer (hereinafter simply referred to as the dryer), which is one embodiment, will be described. Figures 1 to 3 are a perspective view, a front view, and a plan view of the dryer 1 according to this embodiment. Hereafter, the front side of the dryer 1 will be referred to as the front, the back side as the rear, and the directions perpendicular to the front-to-back and up-and-down directions will be referred to as the left-to-right directions in this explanation.

[0009] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the dryer 1 comprises a main body 2 and a movable mat placement section 3 for placing a mat-like member F (for example, a futon) that is to be dried by the dryer 1 and is housed within the main body 2. Furthermore, the dryer 1 is equipped with a steam spraying member that blows steam (fluid) onto the mat-like member F to refresh it (see Figures 13 to 19). Hereafter, the steam spraying member will be referred to as a steam spraying pipe. As a result, the dryer 1 can kill mites on the mat-like member F and blow away the mites, their feces, and carcasses. Furthermore, by using water containing chemicals or ionized water, sterilization and deodorizing effects can be expected. Here, "refreshing" refers to restoring the mat-like material F to its fresh condition (smell, softness, cleanliness) as it was when purchased. To achieve this, in this embodiment, steam is sprayed onto the mat-like material F, and then the steam is discharged along with a blowing of drying air. It is also possible to treat the mat-like material F by spraying it with a treatment agent such as a deodorizer.

[0010] (Main body 2) The main unit 2 comprises a housing 20, a gas heater 21, an exhaust fan 22, and a control unit 24. The housing 20 is formed as a hollow, roughly rectangular box shape, and a drying space D is defined inside, enclosed by an upper wall 25 (see Figure 12, etc.), a pair of side walls 26, a rear wall 27, a bottom wall 28, and a door 29. A movable mat placement unit 3 can be housed within this drying space D.

[0011] The door section 29 is attached to one of the side walls 26 by hinges or the like so that it can be opened and closed, and the mat placement section 3 can be moved in and out of the drying space D from the front. Part of the door section 29 is formed as a window section 291 made of a light-transmitting material such as glass, and a grip section 292 is provided for the user to open and close the door section 29.

[0012] The gas heater 21 is located above the upper wall portion 25 and at the rearmost part of the housing 20, and has a gas burner. This gas burner heats the air, and the heated air (hot air) is supplied to the intake passage 251 (see Figure 12), which will be described later, via the connecting pipe 253 (see Figure 3). The components from the gas heater 21 to the intake passage 251 are collectively referred to as the air supply section 8 (see Figure 21).

[0013] The exhaust fan 22 is located in front of the gas heater 21 and has a check damper 221 to prevent backflow of air. It draws in air from the dry space D and discharges it to the outside via the check damper 221. The components from the lower exhaust passage 281 (described later) to the check damper 221 are collectively referred to as the exhaust section 9 (see Figure 21).

[0014] The control unit 24 is located in front of the exhaust fan 22, that is, at the very front of the housing 20, and has an operation panel 241 for the user to give instructions and perform operations related to the operation of the dryer 1, with the operation panel 241 facing forward. Based on the operations performed on the operation panel 241, the control unit 24 controls the operation of the gas heater 21, the exhaust fan 22, and the jet nozzle 23 (see Figure 9), which will be described later.

[0015] The mat placement section 3 is movable in the front-to-back direction (in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1) within the drying space D of the main body section 2. In other words, when a mat-like member F is placed on top of the mat placement section 3, it is pulled out from the drying space D of the main body section 2, and after placement, it is returned to its original position. When using the mat placement unit 3, the user opens the door 29 and moves the mat placement unit 3, which is housed in the drying space D, forward to a certain extent, pulling the mat placement unit 3 out of the drying space D in the direction of the arrow on the outside of Figure 1, and then places the mat-like member F on it. After placing the mat, the user moves the mat placement unit 3 backward (towards the storage direction), houses it back into the drying space D, and closes the door 29. After that, the user operates the control panel 241 to start the desired drying operation on the dryer 1, thereby drying the mat-like member F.

[0016] The bottom wall portion 28 of the housing 20 functions as part of the travel path when the mat placement portion 3 is moved back and forth, and also functions as an exhaust passage when the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D. This bottom wall portion 28 will be described later.

[0017] (Mat placement section 3) The configuration of the mat placement section 3 will be described in detail. Figures 4 to 6 are perspective, front, and side views of the mat placement section 3. Figures 7 and 8 are front and side views, respectively, of the placement section on which the mat-like member F is placed. Figure 9 is an overall side view of the dryer 1.

[0018] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the mat placement section 3 comprises a placement table 31, a base section 32, and a pressing band 33. The mounting platform 31 has a shape that allows the mat-like member F to be stably placed on it. The mounting platform 31 is formed, for example, as a hollow, roughly triangular prism overall. The mounting platform 31 is positioned horizontally with the top and bottom surfaces of the triangular prism facing in the front-to-back direction, and one side opposite the most acutely angled vertex is facing downwards (for example, like a vaulting box). The curved surfaces formed on the two inclined sides and the upper end are the mounting surfaces 35 of the mounting base 31. The mounting surface 35 is shaped by folding a flat surface so that a virtual fold line oriented in the front-to-back direction is positioned at its upper end. The bottom surface of the mounting base 31 is connected to the upper surface of the base portion 32.

[0019] As shown in Figure 6, the mounting base 31 has dimensions such as 100 cm in width and 100 cm in height. On both sides of the mounting base 31, there are groups of punched holes 311, which consist of multiple circular holes that connect the internal space P (see Figure 5 or Figure 12, etc.) of the mounting base 31 to the drying space D. Air flows between the drying space D and the internal space P through these groups of punched holes 311. These groups of punched holes 311 are provided over a predetermined distance from the top end of the mounting base 31, and this predetermined distance is preferably more than half the longitudinal width of the futon. Here, it is formed by joining three metal plates such as stainless steel. The joints of the metal plates are bent inward to reinforce the strength.

[0020] The mounting base 31 has areas 311a, 311b, and 311c on the front, back (left and right in Figure 6), and bottom sides where the punching holes 311 are not formed. The back side of Figure 6 has the same shape. The width of areas 311a and 311b is, for example, 60 mm to 150 mm (approximately 140 mm). The width of area 311c is 100 mm to 250 mm (approximately 200 mm). The edges of the futon placed on the mounting base 31 are located in these areas 311a, 311b, and 311c. At the edges of the futon, a certain degree of airtightness is necessary to prevent heat leakage. By providing areas 311a, 311b, and 311c, there is no need to worry about hot air or cold air (drying air) leaking out. On the other hand, the edges of the futon are also dried by the flow of warm or cold air into the small gaps that form between the edges of the futon and the contact surfaces of areas 311a, 311b, and 311c.

[0021] Each hole in the group of punched holes 311 has a curved surface at its peripheral edge on the side facing the drying space D, i.e., the side that the mat-like member F contacts (upper side in the figure), so that the diameter widens towards the drying space D side. Therefore, the opening diameter (hole diameter) of each hole in the group of punched holes 311 is wider on the drying space D side than the opening diameter on the internal space P side. Alternatively, a tapered surface may be formed so that the diameter widens towards the drying space D side instead of a curved surface.

[0022] Furthermore, the front of the mounting platform 31 is provided with a gripping section 312 for the user to hold when moving the mat mounting section 3.

[0023] When placing the mat-like member F, which is to be dried, onto the mounting table 31, as shown in Figure 7, the shorter side of the mat-like member F is oriented in the front-to-back direction of the mounting table 31, and it is placed on the mounting surface 35 of the mounting table 31 so as to cover the group of punching holes 311. At this time, the mat-like member F is folded to conform to the inclination of the mounting surface 35.

[0024] The upper end of the mounting base 31 is formed as a curved surface with curvature, and it is preferable that the radius of curvature be at least 0.9 times the thickness of the mat-like member F on which it is placed. By forming a curved surface with such a radius of curvature, when the mat-like member F is folded and placed on the base, the folded portion of the mat-like member F can be made surface contact along the curved surface, and the stress applied therein can be well distributed. If the upper end of the mounting base 31 is formed as an acute angle or as a curved surface with a smaller radius of curvature, stress may concentrate on a part of the folded portion of the mat-like member F that is in contact with the upper end. When such stress concentration occurs, the area in question is compressed and its density increases, which reduces air permeability and may lead to a decrease in drying efficiency. However, by having the mounting base 31 have the radius of curvature described above, such a decrease in drying efficiency can be avoided. Furthermore, since the group of punching holes 311 can be formed on the curved surface, an improvement in drying efficiency can also be achieved.

[0025] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the base portion 32 is formed in a hollow, roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an opening 321a is formed on its upper surface to connect the internal space T of the base portion 32 to the internal space P of the mounting base 31. On the other hand, an opening 321b is formed on the lower surface of the base portion 32 to connect the internal space T to the downward exhaust passage 281 (described later) formed in the bottom wall portion 28 of the housing 20. These openings 321a and 321b allow air from the internal space P to flow into the downward exhaust passage 281 (see Figure 12).

[0026] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the base portion 32 has two front wheel casters 322a provided on the lower surface of its front end, spaced apart in the left-right direction, and a stepped portion 322c is formed on the lower surface of its rear end, recessed upward over substantially the entire left-right area. Two rear wheel casters 322b are provided on this stepped portion 322c, spaced apart in the left-right direction. The front wheel casters 322a are formed to be larger in diameter than the rear wheel casters 322b, and their lower ends are positioned below the rear wheel casters 322b. The rear wheel casters 322b are in contact with the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 28 of the housing 20 so as to be able to move.

[0027] A sloping surface 323 is formed behind the front wheel caster 322a on the base portion 32, extending in the left-right direction and sloping downward from front to rear. When the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D, the front end of the sloping surface 323 is located at the position where the support caster 285, described later, makes contact. Due to the formation of this sloping surface 323, the base portion 32 has a shape that protrudes slightly downward in the area near the opening 321b, specifically from the rear end of the sloping surface 323 to the front end of the stepped portion 322c, compared to its front and rear ends.

[0028] As shown in Figure 12, a similar inclined surface 283 is formed on the bottom wall portion 28 of the housing 20 that forms the running surface of the rear wheel caster 322b. The inclined surface 283 has the same inclination angle, direction, and length as the inclined surface 323 of the base portion 32, and is formed so that the rear end of the inclined surface 283 is located at the position where the rear wheel caster 322b makes contact when the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D. Therefore, the bottom wall portion 28 has a shape in which the area in front of the inclined surface 323 protrudes slightly upward. It is preferable to set the height of the inclined surface 283 and the inclined surface 323 so that a small gap is formed between this area and the area near the opening 321b when the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D.

[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, a caster base 284 with a roughly U-shaped cross-section and an open bottom is provided at the front end of the bottom wall portion 28, and two support casters 285 are provided on its upper surface, spaced apart in the left-right direction, that slidably contact the lower surface of the base portion 32. When the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D, the support casters 285 are located at the front end of the inclined surface 323 and contact and support the base portion 32. When the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D, the front side of the mat placement portion 3 is supported by these support casters 285, so in this embodiment, the front wheel caster 322a is slightly spaced away from the installation surface of the dryer 1. The caster base 284 has notches formed at the corresponding positions so as not to contact the front wheel caster 322a of the base portion 32.

[0030] As described above, the inclined surface 283 is formed on the bottom wall 28 corresponding to the rear wheel caster 322b of the base 32, and the inclined surface 323 is formed on the base 32 corresponding to the support caster 285 of the bottom wall 28. This allows each caster to travel simultaneously on the opposing inclined surface when the mat placement section 3 is pulled out of the drying space D. This allows the base 32 to be moved upward by the height of the inclined surface while maintaining parallelism between the base 32 and the bottom wall 28, and also enables stable horizontal movement. Furthermore, the rear wheel caster 322b and the support caster 285 are positioned at the same location in the left-right direction. Therefore, the forward movement of the rear wheel caster 322b is restricted by the support caster 285, preventing the entire mat placement section 3 from coming out of the drying space D when the user moves the mat placement section 3 forward.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, the bottom wall portion 28 has a downward exhaust passage 281 defined inside, and an opening 282 for connecting the downward exhaust passage 281 to the internal space T is formed on its upper surface, and an opening 287 located behind this opening 282 for fluidly connecting the vertical passage 271 (described later) to the downward exhaust passage 281. The opening 282 is formed in a position opposite to the opening 321b of the base portion 32 and is substantially the same shape as it is when the mat placement portion 3 is housed in the drying space D.

[0032] A sealing member 288 is provided on the periphery of the opening 282. When the mat placement section 3 is housed in the drying space D, the periphery of the opening 321b of the base section 32 comes into contact with the sealing member 288, allowing the opening 282 and the opening 321b of the base section 32 to be airtightly connected via the sealing member 288. The sealing member 288 is fixed immovably to the bottom wall section 28 by fasteners such as screws or adhesive, and any material can be used as long as it can airtightly connect the opposing openings. For example, felt or an elastic material can be used as the sealing member 288. The sealing member 288 may also be provided on the periphery of the opening 321b.

[0033] In this manner, the mat placement section 3 is supported by the rear casters 322b which contact the bottom wall 28 of the housing 20 and by the support casters 285, allowing it to move relative to the housing 20 in the front-rear direction to be placed in and removed from the drying space D. Furthermore, when the mat placement section 3 is placed in the drying space D, it can move downward relative to the housing, allowing the openings 321b and 282 to be airtightly connected.

[0034] As the mat mounting section 3 is pulled out from the drying space D, the rear casters 322b approach the support casters 285, causing the front side to tilt downwards. However, this tilt causes the front casters 322a to make contact with the mounting surface, and the rear casters 322b remain in constant contact with the bottom wall 28 of the housing 20. Therefore, even when the mat mounting section 3 is pulled out to a certain extent, it can be moved stably.

[0035] As shown in Figure 8, the pressing strip 33 is a flexible, elongated strip-shaped member provided at both ends of the mounting base 31 in the front-rear direction, and each presses the shorter ends of the mat-like member F against the mounting surface 35 of the mounting base 31. The pressing strip 33 extends from one side of the mounting base 31 in the left-right direction (left side in Figure 7) through the upper curved surface of the mounting base 31 to the other side (right side in Figure 7), and one end in the longitudinal direction is fixedly connected to one side of the mounting base 31. On the other hand, the other end in the longitudinal direction of the pressing strip 33 is provided with a connecting member 331 that can be detachably connected to a connecting device 313 provided on the other side of the mounting base 31.

[0036] An example of a connecting mechanism using such a connecting device 313 and connecting member 331 is one that uses a buckle device and tongue, as used in seat belts, etc. The tongue is a flat plate member with holes or notches formed therein, and by inserting it into an insertion opening provided in the buckle device, the tongue can be locked inside the buckle device. On the other hand, the locking of the tongue can be released by pressing the release button on the buckle device. In addition, a mechanism that uses hooks to lock the two together or uses hook-and-loop fasteners may be used, and any detachable connecting mechanism may be used.

[0037] Furthermore, the pressing band 33 has an expandable portion 332 formed on a part of it that is expandable and contractible in the longitudinal direction. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, when pressing the short end of the placed mat-like member F, the pressing band 33 is laid along the short end, so the pressing band 33 separates from the mounting surface 35 according to the thickness of the mat-like member F, and the connecting member 331 and the connecting device 313 separate. However, the expandable portion 332 extends by this separation distance, allowing the connecting member 331 and the connecting device 313 to be connected. Moreover, when the expandable portion 332 is extended, a restoring force is constantly generated when the connecting member 331 and the connecting device 313 are connected, and this restoring force allows the pressing band 33 to uniformly press the mat-like member F toward the mounting surface 35. The expandable portion 332 is preferably made of an elastic material such as a coil spring or rubber, and the entire pressing band 33 may be made of an expandable portion 332.

[0038] The jet nozzle 23 shown in Figure 9 is a nozzle that ejects a fluid containing treatment agents (chemicals) such as deodorizers, disinfectants, and mite repellents. The treatment agent discharged from the jet nozzle 23 is blown towards the mat-like member F in the drying space D, so that the drying and cooling of the mat-like member F can be performed simultaneously with disinfection.

[0039] The airflow path in dryer 1 will be explained using Figures 10 to 12. Figure 10 shows the flow direction of hot and cold air (drying air) flowing from the gas heater 21 of the dryer 1 to the upper wall. Figure 11 shows the flow direction of hot and cold air flowing from the upper wall of the dryer 1 to the drying space of the main body. Figure 12 is a side view showing the overall flow of hot and cold air in the dryer 1.

[0040] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, in the intake passage 251, the space formed between the flat plate portion 25a and the upper wall portion 25 allows warm air from the gas heater 21 to pass through the connecting pipe 253 and be sent towards the flat plate portion 25a. This generates a vortex (tornado) within the intake passage 251, which is then sent from the inlet hole group 255 to the drying space D.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the hot and cold air from the intake passage 251 swirls in the drying space D and is sent to the mat-like member F. The air in the drying space D passes through the mat-like member F via the groups of punching holes 311 provided on both sides of the mounting base 31 and is drawn into the mat mounting section 3.

[0042] As shown in Figure 12, above the upper wall portion 25 of the housing 20, there are two horizontally extending, parallel flat plate portions 25a and 25b. A gas heater 21 and an exhaust fan 22 are mounted on the uppermost flat plate portion 25b, respectively. Below this flat plate portion 25b, a flat plate portion 25a divides the space into two vertical sections. The space between the flat plate portion 25a and the upper wall portion 25 is used as the intake air passage 251, and the space between the flat plate portions 25a and 25b is used as the upper exhaust air passage 252. The upper exhaust air passage 252 extends slightly behind the intake air passage 251 and is fluidly connected to the vertical air passage 271. Since the intake air passage 251 and the upper exhaust air passage 252 are formed vertically with the flat plate portion 25a as the boundary, it is preferable that the flat plate portion 25a is made of an insulating material.

[0043] The vertical flow path 271 is the gap between the rear wall portion 27 and the flat plate portion 27a which is parallel to the rear wall portion 27 and located in front of it. When viewed from above, it is formed as a space with a rectangular cross-section that is elongated in the left-right direction and extends in the vertical direction. The vertical flow path 271 is fluidically connected to the upper exhaust flow path 252 and the lower exhaust flow path 281, and together they form a single exhaust flow path.

[0044] As shown in Figure 12, a connecting pipe 253 is connected to the intake passage 251, and a connecting pipe 254 is connected to the upper exhaust passage 252. The connecting pipe 253 is formed in accordance with the gas heater 21 and is fluidly connected to the intake passage 251, allowing air heated by the gas heater 21 to be drawn into the intake passage 251. The connecting pipe 254 is formed to correspond to the exhaust fan 22 and is fluidly connected to the upper exhaust passage 252, allowing the exhaust fan 22 to discharge the air from the upper exhaust passage 252.

[0045] Furthermore, the upper wall portion 25 is formed with a group of inlet holes 255 that connect the intake air passage 251 and the drying space D, and allow air heated by the gas heater 21 to flow into the drying space D. This group of inlet holes 255 consists of multiple punched holes and is formed over a predetermined range in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction of the drying space D. The predetermined range here is approximately the entire area below the intake air passage 251, and more specifically, the range from above the rear end of the mounting base 31 in the front-rear direction to the front end of the intake air passage 251 in the front-rear direction.

[0046] Next, the refresh drying mechanism according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 24. Figures 13 to 16 show a drying mechanism with an externally mounted steam-generating boiler. Figures 17 and 18 show a drying mechanism in which the steam-generating boiler is built into the dryer 1. Figures 19 to 24 show a drying mechanism that does not use a boiler.

[0047] (Example 1) Figure 13(a) is a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Embodiment 1, and Figure 13(b) is a front view. In the drying mechanism shown in Figure 13, the boiler 500 is located outside the dryer 1. Water is stored inside the boiler 500, and when this water is heated, high-pressure, high-temperature steam (hereinafter simply referred to as steam) is generated. The boiler 500 is connected to steam spray members (hereinafter referred to as steam spray pipes) 510 and 520 provided on the left and right sides (drying space D) of the mounting base 31. The steam spray pipes 510 and 520 are provided with numerous small holes in the longitudinal direction facing the mounting base 31.

[0048] As shown in Figure 13(b), steam from the boiler 500 is sprayed towards the drying space D through numerous small holes in the steam spray pipes 510 and 520. During the refresh operation, the exhaust fan 22 is controlled to operate simultaneously, so when high-temperature steam is sprayed towards the mat-like member (such as a futon) F placed on the mounting platform 31 in the drying space D, it is drawn towards the internal space P. The steam that has passed through the mat-like member F is discharged to the outside via the internal space T, the lower exhaust passage 281, the vertical passage 271, and the check damper 221 shown in Figure 12. This refreshes the mat-like member F. Figure 13 shows how steam is sprayed from numerous small holes in the steam spray pipes 510 and 520 in, for example, three directions indicated by arrows. The shape and number of the small holes from which the steam is ejected, as well as the direction of spraying, can be designed to be optimal.

[0049] (Example 2) Figure 14(a) is a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Embodiment 2, and Figure 14(b) is a front view. The drying mechanism shown in Figure 14 has the same configuration as Embodiment 1, with the boiler 500 positioned outside the dryer 1. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the steam spray pipe 530 is located on the underside of the mounting base 31 (in the internal space T of the base portion 32). That is, as shown in Figure 14(b), steam from the boiler 500 is sprayed from the steam spray pipe 530, which is located at the lower center of the mounting base 31 of the dryer 1 (when viewed from the front), toward the internal space P. Since the mat-like member F is placed on the mounting base 31, the mat-like member F can be refreshed by spraying high-temperature steam from the steam spray pipe 530 through the internal space P towards the mat-like member F from the inside. The steam that has passed through the mat-like member F is discharged to the outside through the opening / closing window (shutter) 535, the vertical flow path 271, and the check damper 221. The opening / closing window 535 is controlled to remain open in conjunction with the operation of the exhaust fan 22 during the refreshing operation.

[0050] The steam spray pipe 530 in Figure 14 also has numerous small holes along its longitudinal direction from which steam is ejected toward the internal space P. Figure 14(b) shows the steam being sprayed from the steam spray pipe 530 in seven directions, for example, indicated by the arrows. The shape and number of the small holes from which the steam is ejected, and the upward direction of the spray, can be designed to be optimal. In Figure 14, the steam spray pipe 530 is shown to be installed in the internal space T of the base portion 32, but it may also be installed in the internal space P of the mounting base 31.

[0051] Figure 15 shows another example of the steam spray pipe configuration in the drying mechanism of Example 2. In Figure 15, as in Figure 14, a steam spray pipe 530 is provided on the lower side, and a steam spray pipe 540 is also provided on the upper side of the internal space P of the mounting base 31. The steam spray pipe 540 is connected to the boiler 500 by a connecting member 545. In this example, steam is sprayed from the steam spray pipe 530 in the six directions indicated by the arrows, and steam is sprayed from the steam spray pipe 540 in the five directions indicated by the arrows. However, the shape and number of small holes from which the steam is ejected, the direction of spraying, etc., can be designed to be optimal. As shown in Figure 15(b), a mat-like member F is placed on the mounting base 31, and the mat-like member F can be refreshed by spraying high-temperature steam from the steam spray pipes 530 and 540 through the internal space P towards the mat-like member F from the inside. The steam that has passed through the mat-like member F is discharged to the outside through the opening / closing window 535, the vertical flow path 271, and the check damper 221. The opening / closing window 535 is controlled to remain open in conjunction with the operation of the exhaust fan 22 during the refreshing operation.

[0052] (Example 3) Figures 16(a) and (b) show a front view of the drying mechanism of Example 3, and (c) shows a top view of (b). In the drying mechanism shown in Figure 16, the boiler 500 is similarly located outside the dryer 1. The difference from Example 1 in Figure 13 is that instead of steam spray pipes 510 and 520, spray holes 550 are provided to spray steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D. For example, Figure 16(a) shows a configuration in which one spray hole 550 is provided in the upper center of the left wall (or any other upper position) to spray steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D. For example, figures (b) and (c) show a configuration in which two spray holes 550a and 550b are provided on the upper diagonal corners of the left and right side walls to spray steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D. As shown in figure (c), spray hole 550a is located on the far side (upper part in the figure), and spray hole 550b is located on the diagonal corners of the near side (lower part in the figure). Here, we have assumed that there is one spray hole 500 or two spray holes 550a and 550b, but it is also possible to provide three or more spray holes. Furthermore, it is desirable to select positions for the spray holes 500, 550a and 550b that allow steam to be sprayed evenly throughout the entire drying space D in a short amount of time.

[0053] In Figure 16(a) of Example 3, steam from the boiler 500 is sprayed into the drying space D from the spray holes 500, 550a, or 550b for, for example, 10 to 30 seconds. In Figures 16(b) and 16(c) of Example 3, steam from the boiler 500 is sprayed into the drying space D from the spray holes 550a or 550b for, for example, 5 to 15 seconds. When the exhaust fan 22 is activated after a certain amount of steam has been sprayed into the drying space D, the steam in the drying space D passes through the mat-like member F. Then, as in Example 1, the steam is discharged to the outside via the internal spaces P and T, the lower exhaust passage 281, the vertical passage 271, and the check damper 221. This allows the mat-like member F to be refreshed.

[0054] (Example 4) Figure 17(a) is a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Embodiment 4, and Figure 17(b) is a front view. The drying mechanism shown in Figure 17 has a configuration in which a boiler 500 is built into the dryer 1. The boiler 500 built into the dryer 1 is connected to the left and right steam spray pipes 510 and 520 via a connecting member 570. Steam is sprayed toward the drying space D from numerous small holes provided longitudinally in the steam spray pipes 510 and 520. The other configurations and operations are the same as those of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 13, so their explanation is omitted. In Example 3, since the mat-like member F is placed on the mounting table 31, the mat-like member F can be refreshed by spraying high-temperature steam towards the mat-like member F in the drying space D.

[0055] Figure 18 shows another example of the steam spray pipe configuration in the drying mechanism of Example 4. In Figure 18, the built-in boiler 500 shown in Figure 17 is connected to three steam spray pipes 510, 520, and 580 via connecting members 570 and the like. Steam spray pipe 580 is located in the upper center (viewed from the front) of the drying space D. The left and right steam spray pipes 510 and 520 are mounted lower than in Figure 13(b). In this example, steam is sprayed from the steam spray pipes 510, 520, and 580 in the three directions indicated by the arrows, but similarly, the shape and number of small holes from which steam is ejected, the direction of spraying, etc., can be designed to be optimal. Also, in Example 1, the configuration in Figure 18 may be adopted instead of Figure 13(b).

[0056] (Example 5) Figure 19 shows a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Example 5. In Example 5, without using a boiler, mist is sprayed onto the hot air blown from a gas heater 21, and the fluid vaporized by the heat of the hot air is sprayed into the drying space D. To achieve this, a mist spraying member (e.g., a micronozzle) 600 that generates mist from tap water is provided near the gas heater 21 in the intake passage 251. Steam is generated when the mist sprayed from the mist spraying member 600 is dispersed toward the hot air, for example, 120°C, that is blown from the gas heater 21 into the intake passage 251. This steam is then sprayed from the intake passage 251 into the drying space D. As a result, the drying space D is filled with steam, and the mat-like member F placed on the mounting base 31 can be refreshed by exhausting the steam through it.

[0057] (Example 6) Figure 20 shows a perspective view of the drying mechanism according to Example 6. In Example 6, similar to Example 5, a boiler is not used. Instead, mist is sprayed onto the warm air blown from the gas heater 21, and the vaporized fluid is sprayed into the drying space D. The difference from Example 5 is that the mist spraying member 600 is configured to generate mint from water mixed with a treatment agent such as a deodorant, disinfectant, or mite repellent. As a result, similar to Example 5, the chemical-containing mist discharged from the mist spraying member 600 is sprayed onto the warm air, for example, 120°C, blown from the gas heater 21 into the intake passage 251, causing it to vaporize. This chemical-containing vapor is then sprayed into the drying space D from the intake passage 251. This fills the drying space D with vapor, which can then be exhausted through the mat-like member F placed on the mounting base 31 to refresh the mat-like member F.

[0058] (Example 7) Figure 21 shows an overview of the drying mechanism according to Example 7. In Example 7, without using a boiler, mist ejected from tap water or a water storage tank 610 via a mist spraying member (e.g., a micronozzle) 620 is sprayed onto a mat-like member F placed on the mounting surface 35 of the drying space D. Then, hot air at, for example, 120°C is blown from a gas heater 21 onto the mat-like member F. This allows the mat-like member F to be refreshed with steam during the drying process. The water storage tank 610 may be equipped with a water treatment device that generates ozone, so that the ozonated water is sprayed as a mist towards the mat-like member F. Alternatively, a nanoe™ (registered trademark) device 40 may be provided, and when the dryer 1 is not in operation, nanoe™ may be sprayed into the drying space D by a switch or automatic control.

[0059] (Example 8) Figure 22 shows an overview of the drying mechanism according to Example 8. In Example 8, the drying mechanism shown in Figure 22 reuses a portion of the discharged steam and hot air (recycles temperature and humidity). Similar to Example 7, mist ejected from tap water or a water storage tank 610 via a mist spraying member 620 is sprayed toward the mat-like member F placed on the mounting surface 35 of the drying space D. Then, the exhaust fan 22 is activated to blow hot air, for example, 120°C, from a gas heater 21 toward the mat-like member F to dry it. The steam used during the drying process refreshes the inside of the mat-like member F. The steam that has passed through is then discharged to the outside via a lower exhaust passage 281, a vertical passage 271, and a check damper 221. At this time, the check damper 221 is partially closed, and the on / off valve 630 is opened to return some of the steam to the gas heater 21. As a result, the gas heater 21 generates warm air in a mixture of high-temperature steam and air, which reduces steam waste and improves refresh efficiency.

[0060] Figure 23 shows an overview of the other components of the drying mechanism according to Example 8. The drying mechanism shown in Figure 23 is configured to reuse a portion of the discharged steam, similar to Figure 22, but the difference is that a portion of the discharged steam is returned to the drying space D. As described in Figure 22, mist ejected from tap water or a water storage tank 610 via a mist spraying member 620 is sprayed toward the mat-like member F placed on the mounting surface 35 of the mounting platform 31 in the drying space D. Then, the exhaust fan 22 is activated to blow hot air, for example, 120°C, from the gas heater 21 toward the mat-like member F to dry it. The steam used during the drying process refreshes the inside of the mat-like member F. The steam that has passed through is then discharged to the outside via a lower exhaust passage 281, a vertical passage 271, and a check damper 221. At this time, the check damper 221 is partially closed, and the on / off valve 630 is opened to return a portion of the steam to the drying space D. This allows the drying space D to maintain a high temperature during the refresh operation by returning a portion of the steam contained in the exhaust back to the drying space D, thereby improving the refresh efficiency.

[0061] (Example 9) Figure 24 shows an overview of the drying mechanism according to Example 9. In Example 9, without using a boiler, mist ejected from tap water or a water storage tank 610 via a mist spraying member (e.g., a micronozzle) 620 is sprayed through a heat exchanger 640 toward a mat-like member F placed on the mounting surface 35 of the drying space D. Subsequently, hot air at, for example, 120°C is blown from a gas heater 21 toward the mat-like member F. This allows the mat-like member F to be refreshed with steam during the drying process. By providing a heat exchanger 640, the hot air from the gas heater 21 is blown into the drying space D through an air passage made of a material with good thermal conductivity, causing the air passage to also become hot. By spraying mist water onto this, steam is generated, promoting steam generation along with the hot air. The water storage tank 610 may be equipped with a water treatment device that generates ozone, so that the ozonated water is sprayed as a mist towards the mat-like member F.

[0062] Next, the refresh operation of the dryer 1 described above will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 25. (Storage and placement process S100) First, the user pulls out the mat placement section 3 from the drying space D, places the mat-like member F on its placement surface 35, and then moves the mat placement section 3 a predetermined distance backward in the front-rear direction so that the door section 29 can be closed. When the mat placement section 3 is fully housed in the drying space D, the internal spaces P and T of the mat placement section 3 and the lower exhaust passage 281 are fluidly connected, and thus the internal spaces P and T and the upper exhaust passage 252 are fluidly connected.

[0063] The control unit 24 has two operating modes for the dryer 1: a refresh mode and a drying mode. The user operates the control unit 24 to select either the refresh mode or the drying mode, thereby starting the operation of the dryer 1.

[0064] (Refresh mode) If the user selects refresh mode, the following steps will be performed. In refresh mode, the heating process S110, steaming process S120, drying process S130, and cooling process S140 are performed.

[0065] (Heating process S110) With air flowing into the drying space D, the gas heater 21 is activated, and the air heated by the gas heater 21 flows into the drying space D as drying air (warm air). This drying air warms the mat-like member F placed on the mat placement section 3 and the mat placement section 3. Specifically, by introducing dry air into the drying space D, the temperature of the drying space D gradually rises, warming the mat-like member F and the mat mounting section 3. When the temperature of the drying space D reaches the set temperature (for example, about 120°C), the heating process S110 is terminated. The heating process S110 is performed for, for example, about 2 minutes. This prevents excessive condensation in the apparatus. By warming the mat-like member F in this warming step before the steaming step, the internal fibers of the mat-like member F expand, increasing the steam penetration rate in the subsequent steaming step. However, overheating will prevent the steam from being properly retained within the mat-like member F during the steaming step, so it is preferable to perform the warming step S110 for a short time, for example, about 2 minutes.

[0066] (Steaming process S120) In the steaming process S120, steam is used to steam the mat-like component F and begin the refreshing process. In this process, the exhaust fan 22 is operated intermittently at an appropriate rotational speed. The supply and exhaust of warm air by the supply unit 8 and exhaust unit 9 is suspended. In other words, only the supply and exhaust of cool air (room temperature outside air) is performed. In Examples 1 and 2, the boiler 500 is operated to blow steam from the spray pipes 510, 520, 530, 540, 560, and 580 onto the mat-like member F of the mounting base 31. In Example 3, the boiler 500 is operated to spray steam into the drying space D. Once the space has filled to a certain extent, the exhaust fan 22 is operated to suck out and discharge the steam that has passed through the mat-like member F. In Examples 4-6, warm air mixed with dry air from the air supply unit 8 and mist from the mist spraying member 600 is sprayed toward the mat-like member F to start refreshing the mat-like member F. In Examples 7-9, mist from the mist spraying member 620 is sprayed onto the mat-like member F placed on the mounting surface 35 of the mounting table 31 in the drying space D. Then, drying air from the air supply unit 8 is blown onto the mat-like member, and the steam generated during the drying process is used to refresh the mat-like member. The steaming process S120 is performed for approximately 5 minutes, and the steam spraying is stopped once the time has elapsed.

[0067] (Drying process S130) In drying process S130, the gas heater 21 and exhaust fan 22 are kept running. With outside air (drying air) flowing into the drying space D, the gas heater 21 is operated, causing the drying air (warm air) heated by the gas heater 21 to pass through the mat-like member F placed on the mat placement section 3 and be exhausted to the outside. By maintaining this state, the mat-like member F is dried, and the refreshing of the mat-like member F is completed.

[0068] In drying process S130, the gas heater 21 is controlled (heat output adjusted) to maintain the average temperature inside the drying space D at approximately 90°C. In drying process S130, the internal temperature of the drying space D is adjusted to a minimum of 50°C and a maximum of 130°C. Drying process S130 is performed for approximately 4 minutes, for example.

[0069] (Cooling process S140) In the cooling process S140, the gas heater 21 is deactivated and the exhaust fan 22 continues to operate. This allows ambient temperature outside air to flow into the drying space D and pass through the mat-like member F placed on the mat placement section 3. By maintaining this state, the mat-like member F is cooled. The cooling process S140 is performed for approximately 2 minutes, for example. It may also be configured to cool the unit to a temperature below a set temperature.

[0070] (Drying mode) If the user selects the drying mode, the drying process S130 and the cooling process S140 described above are performed.

[0071] (Example 10) Example 10 will be described below with reference to Figures 26 to 30. Figure 26(a) is a perspective view of the dryer 700 of Example 10, and Figure 26(b) is a cross-sectional view of the opening and closing door seen from the front. Figure 27 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the dryer 700 seen from the side. Figure 28 is a perspective view of the dryer 700 seen from the rear. Figure 29 is a flowchart showing the refresh operation and drying operation of the dryer 700. Figure 30 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which steam is sprayed into the drying space D during the refresh operation of the dryer 700.

[0072] First, with reference to Figures 26 to 28, the connection structure between the dryer 700 and the boiler, which constitutes the refresh mechanism, will be explained. Note that the configuration of the dryer 700 itself is the same as that explained in Figures 1 to 12, so redundant explanations will be omitted. As shown in Figure 26, the dryer 700 is configured such that an external boiler 500 is connected to the housing 20 of the main body 2 by a first connecting member 705 and a second connecting member 710. The first connecting member 705 is a pipe for steam drain recovery, and the second connecting member 710 is a pipe for steam supply. Tap water is supplied to the boiler 500 via a water softener 715, and steam is generated using the softened water produced by the water softener 715. The steam generated by the boiler 500 is supplied to the steam / liquid separator 725 via the second connecting member 710 and the first control valve 720. As shown in Figure 27 or Figure 28, the steam supplied to the steam / liquid separator 725 is supplied to the drying space D of the dryer 700 via third connecting members 730 and fourth connecting members 735, for example, Φ6 mm in diameter, which are provided on the left and right sides. The connecting members 705, 710, 730 and 735 are composed of Teflon tubes and insulating tubes covering those tubes. The water that has been turned into water from the steam accumulated in the steam / liquid separator 725 is returned to the boiler 500 via the second control valve 740 and the first connecting member 705 and discharged for disposal.

[0073] As shown by the circle outside Figure 27, steam spray members (nozzles) 750 and 755 are provided on the left and right sides of the upper side wall 26 at the back of the drying space D of the dryer 700. The steam spray members 750 and 755 are mounted with an inclination angle of, for example, 15 degrees with respect to the upper wall 25 and an inclination angle of, for example, 15 degrees with respect to the left and right side walls 26. Then, as shown in Figure 27, steam is sprayed from the left and right steam spray members 750 and 755 into the drying space D. Since drying air (hot air) from the gas heater 21 flows in a swirling manner in the drying space D, the steam is sprayed toward the mat member F together with the hot air. As a result, steam can be sprayed evenly onto the mat member F (for example, bedding) placed on the mat stand 31. As a result, the mat member F can be refreshed efficiently. Here, the steam spray members (nozzles) 750 and 755 are provided on the upper side wall 26 at the back of the drying space D, but they may also be provided on the upper side wall 26 at the front of the drying space D.

[0074] As shown in Figure 27, a pressure sensor 760 is connected to the steam / liquid separator 725. The pressure sensor 760 indirectly monitors the boiler 500 by monitoring the pressure in the steam / liquid separator 725. The output signal of the pressure sensor 760 is notified to the control unit 24. If the control unit 24 determines from the output signal from the pressure sensor 760 that the boiler 500 is malfunctioning, it performs safety measures such as stopping the dryer 700. Note that if the boiler 500 has a safety function, the pressure sensor 760 can be omitted.

[0075] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 27 and 28, a suction mechanism 770 is provided on the left side of the steam / liquid separation device 725, which is connected to an internal treatment agent spraying device (e.g., deodorant spraying device) 765 having a jet nozzle 23. A treatment agent box (not shown) is connected to the end of the suction mechanism 770 via a fifth connecting member 775. The jet nozzle 23 is shaped to spray the treatment agent diagonally upward to the lower part of the rear wall 27. The treatment agent spraying device 765 and the suction mechanism 770 are operated by a control unit 24. The control unit 24 operates the suction mechanism 770 to pressurize the jet nozzle 23 and spray the treatment agent into the drying space D. Also, if the user requests that the spraying of the treatment agent be set (which may be as part of a refresh operation), after the drying process is completed, the control unit 24 operates the treatment agent spraying device 765 to spray the treatment agent from the jet nozzle 23 towards the drying space D (mat-like member F).

[0076] Next, the drying and refreshing operations of the dryer 700 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 29. First, the user opens the door 29 of the main unit 2, pulls out the mounting table 31 from inside, and spreads the mat-like material F on the mounting table 31. Then, the mounting table 31 with the mat-like material F on it is returned to the drying space D of the main unit 2, and it is set up so that drying air can pass over the mat-like material F on the mounting table 31 (S200). The user selects a course ("drying mode" or "refresh mode") from the control panel of the dryer 700 (S210).

[0077] For example, if the "drying mode" course is selected in step S210, the displayed fee for that course is paid (S220), and the operation is instructed to start. The control unit 24 blows drying air from the gas heater 21 into the drying space D to dry the mat-like member F for, for example, 4 minutes (S230). Next, the control unit 24 stops the gas heater 21 and supplies room temperature cold air into the drying space D to cool the mat-like member F for, for example, 2 minutes (S240), and ends the operation.

[0078] On the other hand, if the "Refresh Mode" course is selected in step S210, the displayed fee for that course is paid (S250), and the operation is instructed to start. The control unit 24 supplies drying air from the gas heater 21 to the drying space D to warm the dryer 700 and the mat-like member F for, for example, 2 minutes, performing a preheating process (S260). Next, the control unit 24 sprays steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D from the left and right steam spray members 750 and 755, steaming the mat-like member F for, for example, 5 minutes (S270). Next, the control unit 24 blows drying air from the gas heater 21 into the drying space D to dry the mat-like member F for, for example, 4 minutes (S280). Next, the control unit 24 sprays the treatment agent from the treatment agent spraying device 765 through the jet nozzle 23 into the drying space D filled with drying air for, for example, 1 minute (S290). Finally, the control unit 24 stops the gas heater 21 and supplies room temperature cooling air to the drying space D to cool the mat-like member F for, for example, 2 minutes (S295), and then terminates the operation.

[0079] Figure 30 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which steam is sprayed into the drying space D of the dryer 700. In step S260 described above, the control unit 24 performs a warming process by flowing dry air from the gas heater 21 into the drying space D (for example, for 2 minutes). By warming the drying space D and the mat-like member F in this warming process before the steaming process, the internal fibers of the mat-like member F expand, which increases the steam penetration rate in the subsequent steaming process.

[0080] Then, in the steaming step S270, the control unit 24 sprays steam into the drying space D from two steam spraying members 750 and 755 (for example, for 5 minutes). This steaming step allows a large amount of steam to penetrate into the interior of the mat-like member F.

[0081] In the drying process of steps S230 and S280, the control unit 24 operates the exhaust fan 22 to create a configuration in which drying air from the gas heater 21 passes from the mat-like member F through the inside of the mounting table 31 and is drawn in from the lower exhaust passage 281, thereby drying the mat-like member F. At this time, the drying air from the gas heater 21 flows in a swirling manner within the drying space D. This drying air mixes with the steam from the steam spray members 750 and 755, and the drying process of the mat-like member F is carried out (for example, for 4 minutes). In other words, the drying process is carried out in a manner in which the steam that has permeated the inside of the mat-like member F in the steaming process is drawn in and discharged together with the drying air, refreshing the mat-like member F. That is, steam can be evenly sprayed onto the mat-like member F (for example, bedding) placed on the mounting table 31. As a result, the mat-like member F can be refreshed efficiently.

[0082] In step 290, the control unit 24 stops the gas heater 21 and sprays the treatment agent from the treatment agent spraying device 765 through the jet nozzle 23 towards the drying space D filled with dry air (for example, for 1 minute). In the cooling steps of steps S240 and S295, the control unit 24 stops the gas heater 21 and uses the exhaust fan 22 to draw in room temperature cooling air from the lower exhaust passage 281 to cool the mat-like member F (for example, for 2 minutes).

[0083] Thus, in Example 10, by going through the steps of heating the drying space D and the mat-like member F, and the steaming step of the mat-like member F, it is possible to create a form that allows steam to easily penetrate into the mat-like member F. Furthermore, by spraying a treatment agent in the treatment (deodorization) step, the mat-like member F can be deodorized. Therefore, steam can be evenly sprayed onto the mat-like member F (for example, bedding) placed on the mounting stand 31. As a result, the mat-like member F can be refreshed efficiently.

[0084] As described above, the dryer of this embodiment allows for refreshing the mat-like member F by blowing steam onto it and then spraying it with a treatment agent. Furthermore, by using water containing the treatment agent or ionized water, sterilization and deodorizing effects can be expected.

[0085] As described above, the mat-shaped member dryer of the embodiment is a mat-shaped member dryer 1 for refreshing a mat-shaped member F, comprising: a housing 20 in which a drying space D is formed; an air supply unit 8 for supplying high-temperature drying air to the drying space D; a mat placement unit 3 having a placement surface through which the drying air can pass, on which the mat-shaped member F is placed; an exhaust unit 9 for discharging the drying air that has passed through the placement surface 35 to the outside of the drying space D; a boiler 500 for generating steam; and steam spray members (510, 520, 530, 540, 560, 580) connected to the boiler 500 for spraying steam toward the drying space D. The dryer is configured to refresh the mat-shaped member F by blowing drying air from the air supply unit 8 into the drying space D and spraying steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D via the steam spray members. This allows for the refreshing and drying of the mat-like member F in the drying space D by spraying steam from the boiler 500 onto the mat-like member F.

[0086] Furthermore, in the embodiment, the boiler 500 of the mat-like member dryer 1 is mounted externally to the housing 20, and the steam spray members 510 and 520 are located above the drying space D and at least on both sides of the mat mounting section 3. The steam sprayed from the steam spray members 510 and 520 toward the drying space D is discharged from the exhaust section 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting section 3. This allows the mat-like member F to be refreshed by blowing high-temperature steam from the boiler 500 onto it. In addition, steam can be blown onto almost the entire surface of the mat-like member F.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the boiler 500 of the mat-shaped member dryer 1 is mounted externally to the housing 20, and the steam spray member 530 is provided inside the mat mounting section 3. The steam is sprayed from the steam spray member 530 through the internal space P of the mat mounting section 3 toward the drying space D. This allows the steam from the boiler 500 to be blown onto the mat-shaped member F from the internal space P of the mat mounting section 3, thereby refreshing the mat-shaped member F.

[0088] Furthermore, in the embodiment, the boiler 500 of the mat-shaped member dryer 1 is provided inside the housing 20, and the steam spray members 510 and 520 are provided above the drying space D and at least on both sides of the mat mounting section 3. The steam sprayed from the steam spray members 510 and 520 toward the drying space D is discharged from the exhaust section 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting section F. This configuration allows the mat-shaped member F to be refreshed by blowing high-temperature steam from the boiler 500 onto it and discharging it from the exhaust section 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting section 3.

[0089] Furthermore, the mat-shaped member dryer 1 of the embodiment is a mat-shaped member dryer 1 for refreshing a mat-shaped member F, and comprises a housing 20 in which a drying space D is formed, an air supply unit 8 that supplies high-temperature drying air to the drying space D, a mat mounting unit 3 having a mounting surface 35 through which the drying air can pass and on which the mat-shaped member F is placed, an exhaust unit 9 that discharges the drying air that has passed through the mounting surface 35 to the outside of the drying space D, a boiler 500 that generates steam, and one or more spray holes 550 (550a, 550b) provided on the side of the housing 20 that spray steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D, and is configured such that the steam sprayed into the drying space D by operating the exhaust fan 22 is discharged from the exhaust unit 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting unit 3. As a result, the drying space D is filled with steam, and the mat-shaped member F can be refreshed by discharging the steam through the internal space P of the mat mounting unit 3.

[0090] Furthermore, the mat-shaped member dryer 1 of the embodiment is a mat-shaped member dryer 1 for refreshing a mat-shaped member F, and comprises a housing 20 in which a drying space D is formed, an air supply unit 8 that supplies high-temperature drying air to the drying space D, a mat mounting unit 3 having a mounting surface 35 through which the drying air can pass and on which the mat-shaped member F is placed, an exhaust unit 9 that discharges the drying air that has passed through the mounting surface 35 to the outside of the drying space D, and a mist spraying member 600 (or 620) provided near the air supply unit 8 or the drying space D and sprays mist, and is configured to discharge warm air mixed with drying air from the air supply unit 8 and mist from the mist spraying member 600 (or 620) from the exhaust unit 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting unit 3. As a result, the drying space D is filled with water vapor, and the mat-shaped member F can be refreshed by discharging that water vapor from the exhaust unit 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting unit 3.

[0091] Furthermore, the mat-shaped member dryer 1 of the embodiment is a mat-shaped member dryer 1 for refreshing a mat-shaped member F, and comprises a housing 20 in which a drying space D is formed, an air supply unit 8 that supplies high-temperature drying air to the drying space D, a mat mounting unit 3 having a mounting surface 35 through which the drying air can pass and on which the mat-shaped member F is placed, an exhaust unit 9 that discharges the drying air that has passed through the mounting surface 35 to the outside of the drying space D, a mist spraying member 620 provided near the drying space D that sprays mist, and a heat exchanger 640 provided in the drying space D that is heated by the drying air, and the mist from the mist spraying member 620 is sprayed into the drying space D via the heat exchanger 640, and the warm air mixed with the mist is discharged from the exhaust unit 9 through the internal space P of the mat mounting unit 3. This allows the hot air mixed with mist heated to a high temperature by the heat exchanger 640 to be sprayed into the drying space D to dry the mat-like member F, and the mat-like member F to be refreshed with the water vapor used during the drying process.

[0092] Furthermore, the mat-shaped member dryer 700 of the embodiment is a mat-shaped member dryer 700 for refreshing a mat-shaped member F, and comprises a housing 20 in which a drying space D is formed, an air supply unit 8 that supplies high-temperature drying air to the drying space D, a mat placement unit 3 having a placement surface 35 through which the drying air can pass and on which the mat-shaped member F is placed, an exhaust unit 9 that discharges the drying air that has passed through the placement surface 35 to the outside of the drying space D, a boiler 500 that generates steam, and at least two steam spray members 750, 755 connected to the boiler 500 and provided on the upper left and right side walls of the housing 20, which spray steam toward the drying space D, and is configured to refresh the mat-shaped member F by operating an exhaust fan provided in the exhaust unit, blowing drying air from the air supply unit 8 into the drying space D, and spraying steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D via the steam spray members 750, 755. This allows the hot air mixed with mist heated to a high temperature by the heat exchanger 640 to be sprayed into the drying space D to dry the mat-like member F, and the mat-like member F to be refreshed with the water vapor used during the drying process.

[0093] Furthermore, the mat-shaped member dryer 700 of this embodiment is configured to warm the drying space D and the mat-shaped member F by blowing drying air from the air supply unit 8 into the drying space D for a first set time before refreshing, and to steam the mat-shaped member F by spraying steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D for a second set time via steam spray members 750 and 755. This allows the steam to easily penetrate into the mat-shaped member F through the process of warming the drying space D and the mat-shaped member F and the steaming process of the mat-shaped member F. Therefore, steam can be sprayed evenly onto the mat-shaped member F. As a result, the mat-shaped member F can be refreshed efficiently.

[0094] Furthermore, the mat-shaped member dryer 700 of the embodiment further includes treatment agent spraying means 23 and 765 for spraying a treatment agent (for example, a deodorant) into the drying space D, and after refreshing, the treatment agent is sprayed from the treatment agent spraying means 23 and 765 toward the drying space filled with drying air for a third set time. This makes it possible to refresh the mat-shaped member F.

[0095] Furthermore, the method for refreshing a mat-like member of the embodiment comprises a housing 20 in which a drying space D is formed, an air supply unit 8 that supplies high-temperature drying air to the drying space D, a mat mounting unit 3 having a mounting surface 35 through which the drying air can pass and on which the mat-like member F is placed, an exhaust unit 9 that discharges the drying air that has passed through the mounting surface 35 to the outside of the drying space D, a boiler 500 that generates steam, and steam spray members 750, 755 connected to the boiler 500 that spray steam toward the drying space D, and the method for refreshing a mat-like member F comprises an air supply unit 8 or The method comprises the steps of: blowing dry air into the drying space D for a first set time to warm the drying space D and the mat-like member F; spraying steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D via steam spray members 750 and 755 for a second set time to steam the mat-like member F; and operating the exhaust fan provided in the exhaust section while blowing dry air from the air supply section 8 into the drying space D, and spraying steam from the boiler 500 into the drying space D via steam spray members 750 and 755 to refresh the mat-like member F. This allows the mat-like member F to be dried by spraying warm air mixed with mist heated to a high temperature by the heat exchanger 640 into the drying space D, and the mat-like member F to be refreshed with the steam during the drying process.

[0096] Furthermore, the method for refreshing the mat-like member of the embodiment is provided with treatment agent spraying means 23 and 765 for spraying a treatment agent into a drying space D, and further includes the step of spraying the treatment agent from the treatment agent spraying means 23 and 765 toward the drying space D filled with drying air for a third set time after refreshing. This makes it possible to refresh the mat-like member F.

[0097] The processing times for the heating process S110, the steaming process S120, the drying process S130, and the cooling process S140 may be adjusted as appropriate depending on the properties of the mat-like material. The temperature of the hot air or steam may also be adjusted as appropriate.

[0098] In this embodiment, a futon was used as an example of the mat-like member F, but it is not limited to this, and other mat-like members made of fibrous material such as carpets, rugs, and mattresses may also be used.

[0099] The embodiments of the present invention are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0100] 1,700...Dryer, 2...Main unit, 3...Mat placement unit 20...Housing, 31...Mounting platform, 33...Pressing band, 35...Mounting surface 5, 6, 7… Steam spraying components (steam spraying pipes) 8...Air intake, 9...Exhaust, 20...Enclosure, 22...Exhaust fan 24...Control unit, 31...Mounting platform, 35...Mounting surface, 40...nanoe 251...Intake passage, 271...Vertical passage, 281...Downward exhaust passage 221... Check damper, 500... Boiler 550, 550a, 550b…spray hole 510, 520, 530, 540, 560, 580, 620… Steam spraying components 535...Opening / closing window (shutter), 545, 570...Connecting members 600, 620... Mist spraying components (micro nozzles, etc.), 610... Water storage tank 630... On / off valve, 640... Heat exchanger 705, 710, 730, 735, 775… Connecting components (tubes) 715...Water softener, 720, 740...Control valves 725...Steam / liquid separation device, 750, 755...Steam spray component (nozzle) 760...Pressure sensor, 765...Treatment agent spraying device, 770...Suction mechanism D: Drying space, F: Mat-like material (bedding, etc.), P, T: Interior space

Claims

1. A mat-like member dryer for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: A housing in which a dry space is formed; an air supply unit that supplies high-temperature dry air to the drying space; a mat placement section having a placement surface and an internal space through which the dry air can pass, the mat-like member being placed on the placement surface; an exhaust section that exhausts the dry air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; A boiler for generating steam; a steam spraying member connected to the boiler and spraying the water vapor toward the drying space, A dryer for mat-like materials, characterized in that the water vapor sprayed from the steam spraying member toward the drying space is discharged from the exhaust section through the internal space of the mat placement section together with the drying air from the intake section.

2. The boiler is provided externally to the housing, 2. The dryer for a mat-like material according to claim 1, wherein the steam spraying members are provided at an upper position of the drying space and on at least both sides of the mat placement portion.

3. The boiler is provided externally to the housing, The steam spraying member is provided on the inside of the mat placement portion, 2. The dryer for a mat-like material according to claim 1, wherein the water vapor is sprayed from the steam spraying member through the internal space of the mat placement portion toward the drying space.

4. The boiler is provided within the housing, The steam spraying members are provided at an upper position of the drying space and at least on both sides of the mat placement portion, 2. The dryer for a mat-like material according to claim 1, wherein the water vapor sprayed from the steam spraying member toward the drying space is exhausted from the exhaust section through an internal space of the mat placement section.

5. A mat-like member dryer for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: A housing in which a dry space is formed; an air supply unit that supplies high-temperature dry air to the drying space; a mat placement section having a placement surface through which the dry air can pass and an internal space, the mat-like member being placed on the placement surface; an exhaust section having an exhaust fan and discharging the drying air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; A boiler for generating steam; One or more spray holes provided on a side surface of the housing and configured to spray the steam from the boiler toward the drying space; Equipped with A dryer for a mat-like member, characterized in that the exhaust fan is operated to exhaust the water vapor sprayed into the drying space through the internal space of the mat placement section and out of the exhaust section.

6. A mat-like member dryer for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: A housing in which a dry space is formed; an air supply unit that supplies high-temperature dry air to the drying space; a mat placement section having a placement surface through which the dry air can pass and an internal space, the mat-like member being placed on the placement surface; an exhaust section that exhausts the dry air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; A mist spraying member provided near the air supply section or the drying space and configured to spray a mist; Equipped with A dryer for a mat-like material, characterized in that warm air mixed with the dry air from the air supply section and the mist from the mist spraying member is discharged from the exhaust section through the internal space of the mat placement section.

7. A mat-like member dryer for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: A housing in which a dry space is formed; an air supply unit that supplies high-temperature dry air to the drying space; a mat placement section having a placement surface through which the dry air can pass and an internal space, the mat-like member being placed on the placement surface; an exhaust section that exhausts the dry air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; A mist spraying member provided near the drying space and configured to spray a mist; a heat exchanger provided in the drying space and heated by the drying air; Equipped with The mist from the mist spraying member is sprayed into the drying space through the heat exchanger, A dryer for a mat-like member, characterized in that the warm air in which the dry air and the mist are mixed in the drying space is discharged from the exhaust section through an internal space of the mat placement section.

8. A mat-like member dryer for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: A housing in which a dry space is formed; an air supply unit that supplies high-temperature dry air to the drying space; a mat placement section having a placement surface through which the dry air can pass and an internal space, the mat-like member being placed on the placement surface; an exhaust section that exhausts the dry air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; A boiler for generating steam; At least two steam spraying members connected to the boiler and provided on upper portions of the left and right side walls of the housing, spraying the water vapor toward the drying space; Equipped with A dryer for mat-like members, characterized in that while operating an exhaust fan provided in the exhaust section, the dry air from the air intake section is blown into the drying space, and the water vapor from the boiler is sprayed into the drying space via the two steam spraying members, and discharged from the exhaust section through the internal space of the mat placement section to refresh the mat-like members.

9. Before the refreshing, the dry air from the air supply unit is blown into the drying space for a first set time to warm up the inside of the drying space and the mat-like member; 9. The dryer for a mat-like material according to claim 8, wherein the steam from the boiler is sprayed into the drying space via the steam spraying member for a second set time to steam the mat-like material.

10. The drying apparatus further includes a treatment agent spraying means for spraying a treatment agent into the drying space, 9. The dryer for a mat-like material according to claim 8, wherein after the refreshing, the treatment agent is sprayed from the treatment agent spraying means toward the drying space filled with the dry air for a third set time.

11. A method for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising: a housing in which a drying space is formed; an air intake section for supplying high-temperature dry air to the drying space; a mat placement section having a placement surface and an internal space through which the dry air can pass, the mat-like member being placed on the placement surface; an exhaust section for discharging the dry air that has passed through the placement surface to the outside of the drying space; a boiler for generating water vapor; and steam spray members connected to the boiler and provided on upper left and right side walls of the housing for spraying the water vapor toward the drying space, a step of blowing the dry air from the air supply unit into the drying space for a first set time to warm the inside of the drying space and the mat-like member; spraying the water vapor from the boiler into the drying space via the steam spraying member for a second set time to steam the mat-like member; a step of blowing the dry air from the air supply section into the drying space while operating an exhaust fan provided in the exhaust section, spraying the water vapor from the boiler into the drying space via the steam spraying member, and discharging the water vapor from the exhaust section through an internal space of the mat placement section to refresh the mat-like member; A method for refreshing a mat-like member, comprising the steps of:

12. a treatment agent spraying means for spraying a treatment agent into the drying space is provided; The method for refreshing a mat-like member according to claim 11, further comprising a step of spraying the treatment agent from the treatment agent spraying means toward the drying space filled with the dry air for a third set time after the refreshing.

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