Laundry equipment

Abstract

To provide laundry equipment capable of appropriately adjusting the position of each object to be dried according to the condition of each object to be dried.SOLUTION: This invention provides laundry equipment 10, comprising: an extension member 1 extending in a predetermined direction and extendable / retractable along a predetermined direction, on which a plurality of objects C to be dried are hung; a signal output device 2 for outputting a signal corresponding to a weight of each of a plurality of objects C hung on the extension member 1 for each object C; a telescopic mechanism 3 that changes the distances between the objects C by extending and retracting the extension member 1 on which the objects C are hung; and a control unit 4 that controls the telescopic mechanism 3 based on the signals output for each object C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a clothes drying facility, and more particularly to a clothes drying facility that operates in accordance with the condition of the items to be dried. [Background technology]

[0002] It is already well known that wet items to be dried, such as laundry, can be dried by hanging them on a clothesline (see Patent Document 1). For example, on the clothesline pole described in Patent Document 1, laundry can be hung via hangers, allowing the laundry to be hung out in an appropriate manner. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-239023 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when drying objects using the clothes drying equipment such as the clothes pole described in Patent Document 1, the position and drying state of each object are not recognized, and the object remains stationary. Therefore, such clothes drying equipment may not be able to properly secure the distance between objects, and it may take a long time to dry the objects.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to solve the above problems. Specifically, the present invention aims to provide a clothes drying facility that can appropriately adjust the position of each item to be dried according to the condition of each item to be dried. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the clothes drying equipment of the present invention is characterized by comprising an extension member that extends in a predetermined direction and has multiple parts, each of which is expandable and contractable along the predetermined direction, and on which an article to be dried can be hung; a signal output device that outputs a signal corresponding to the weight of the article to be dried for each article to be dried when two or more articles to be dried are hung on the extension member; an extension mechanism that performs an operation to expand and contract each of the multiple parts; and a control device that controls the extension mechanism based on the signal output for each article to be dried.

[0007] In the drying equipment of the present invention configured as described above, the drying state of each object to be dried is judged according to a signal related to the weight of the object to be dried, and each object to be dried is placed in an appropriate position. This makes it possible to provide a drying equipment capable of appropriately adjusting the position of each object to be dried according to its condition.

[0008] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, the control device determines whether the item to be dried hung on the extension member is dry for each item to be dried based on the signal output for each item to be dried, and controls the extension mechanism. In the above configuration, when any of the objects to be dried is dried, the dried object can be disposed at an appropriate position.

[0009] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, when it is determined that two adjacent items to be dried in a specified direction are dry, the control device controls the extension mechanism to shorten the length of a portion of the multiple portions that is located between two adjacent items to be dried in a specified direction. In the above configuration, the dried object to be dried is moved to the side of another dried object to be dried that is located adjacent to the dried object to be dried, making it easier for the user to take in the object to be dried C.

[0010] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, when the control device determines that the article to be dried adjacent to the end of the extension member in a specified direction is dry, it is preferable to control the extension mechanism to shorten the length of the portion of the multiple portions that is located between the article to be dried adjacent to the end of the extension member and the end of the extension member. In the above configuration, the dried object to be dried C can be moved to the end position of the extension member, making it easier for a user to take in the object to be dried C.

[0011] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, when it is determined that at least one of two adjacent items to be dried in a specified direction is not dry, the control device controls the extension mechanism to maintain or extend the length of the portion located between the two adjacent items to be dried in the specified direction. In the above configuration, the distance between an undried object to be dried and an object to be dried adjacent to it can be expanded or maintained, thereby making it possible to appropriately secure the space around the undried object to be dried.

[0012] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, the control device calculates, for each of two or more items to be dried hung on the extension member, the amount of weight change from the initial point and the degree of weight change within a specified period ending at the current point in time based on the signal output for each item to be dried, and determines for each item to be dried whether the item has dried based on the amount of weight change and the degree of weight change calculated for each item to be dried. In the above configuration, the weight of the object to be dried is measured at multiple points during drying, and the signals relating to the weight at the multiple points in time are compared, so that the dryness state of the object to be dried can be appropriately determined.

[0013] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, the extension mechanism may include a connecting line fixed to each of the multiple parts of the extension member, a first tensioning mechanism that pulls the connecting line fixed to a target part among the multiple parts to one side in a specified direction, and a second tensioning mechanism that pulls the connecting line connected to the target part to the other side in the specified direction. In the above configuration, the extension member can be freely extended or retracted by pulling each of the multiple parts of the extension member with the extension mechanism, and as a result, the objects to be dried hung on each part of the extension member can be appropriately moved.

[0014] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, the extension member has a bellows structure, and each of the multiple parts has a valley fold portion and a mountain fold portion adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction, the article to be dried is hung on the valley fold portion, and the connecting wire is fixed to the mountain fold portion of each part. In the above configuration, the extension member has a bellows structure, so that each part of the extension can expand and contract, and each part is pulled by the connecting wire fixed to the mountain fold. Also, in the above configuration, the valley folds provided in each part of the extension can appropriately hang and dry the items to be dried.

[0015] In the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, the plurality of sections may be three or more sections, and the signal output device may be a weight sensor provided at a valley fold of each of the sections. With the above configuration, the weight of the article to be dried hung to dry across the valley folds of each portion of the extension member can be measured more appropriately.

[0016] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment of the present invention, when, among the multiple parts, two parts that are consecutive in a predetermined direction have a valley fold portion in one part that is designated as a first valley fold portion and a valley fold portion in the other part that is designated as a second valley fold portion, when both the object to be dried hung on the first valley fold portion and the object to be dried hung on the second valley fold portion are dry, the control device may cause the first tensioning mechanism to pull a connecting line fixed to a mountain fold portion adjacent to the second valley fold portion on the opposite side to the first valley fold portion to one side, and may cause the second tensioning mechanism to pull a connecting line fixed to a mountain fold portion adjacent to the first valley fold portion on the opposite side to the second valley fold portion to the other side. In the above mechanism, by moving the positions of the two mountain folds of the extension member, the positions of the material to be dried hung on each part of the extension member can be moved. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a clothes drying facility capable of appropriately adjusting the position of each item to be dried depending on the condition of each item to be dried. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a drying installation according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing an example of the drying installation being used at an early stage during drying. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a clothes drying equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the internal structure of the clothes drying equipment. [Diagram 3] 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an extension member of a clothes drying equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing cross-section II of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system of a drying equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is a graph showing the change in weight of the object to be dried over time. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of a portion of a clothes drying facility according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 is a front view of a drying installation according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing an example of the drying installation being used at a given point during drying; FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram showing a control process flow by a control device of a clothes drying facility according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional laundry drying equipment, showing an example of a situation in which the laundry drying equipment is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] <<About one embodiment of the present invention>> DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A clothes drying facility (hereinafter, clothes drying facility 10) according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0020] In addition, for convenience of illustration, in each drawing, even structures that are actually hidden inside and cannot be seen from the outside may be shown by solid lines. In addition, in each figure, in order to make the explanation easier to understand, various components are omitted and the illustrations are simplified and schematic, and the dimensions of each component and the spacing between components shown in the figure may differ from the actual ones. In addition, in each figure, the object C to be dried that is in the drying state is hatched, and the object C to be dried that has already been dried is not hatched.

[0021] In the following description, a person who uses the clothes drying equipment 10 to dry the items C to be dried will be referred to as a "user." In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the directions, positions, and distances refer to directions, positions, and distances in a substantially horizontal direction. In the following description, the direction in which the extension member 1 of the clothes drying equipment 10 extends is referred to as the "predetermined direction", and the predetermined direction is a substantially horizontal direction when the clothes drying equipment 10 is in use.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the clothes drying equipment 10 of this embodiment is used to hang and dry items C, such as wet clothes after washing, on hangers H.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the clothes drying equipment 10 of this embodiment has a structure and shape similar to that of a known clothes drying pole, and is installed between two clothes drying racks D at a height of about 2 meters from the floor, with a predetermined direction being approximately horizontal. However, the method of installation of the clothes drying equipment 10 is not limited to using the clothes drying rack D, but may be installed by hanging it across the walls and pillars of a building, or suspended from the ceiling of a building. As shown in FIG. 1, the clothes drying rack D is a base approximately 2 meters high that is installed on the floor inside a building and stands upright in the vertical direction in order to install the clothes drying equipment 10, with one installed on each end of the clothes drying equipment 10.

[0024] The items to be dried C include items that can become wet, such as clothes, shoes, bags, bedding, and cloth products. For example, the items to be dried C become wet by being washed in a washing machine. The drying state (hereinafter, state) of the object to be dried C includes a drying state and a dried state. The object to be dried C in the drying state is wet and is hung on the clothes drying equipment 10 by the user, while the object to be dried C in the dried state is dry and is taken into a laundry basket or the like by the user. The state of the object to be dried C is determined according to the criteria described below. Therefore, when the clothes drying equipment 10 of this embodiment is installed near the location of the washing machine in the building, the clothes drying equipment 10 can be used immediately after the items to be dried C are washed in the washing machine.

[0025] [Overall configuration of the clothes drying equipment according to this embodiment] The overall configuration of a clothes drying equipment 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the clothes drying equipment 10 includes an extension member 1, a weight sensor 2, an extension mechanism 3, and a control device 4. Below, each component of the laundry drying equipment 10 will be described.

[0026] (extension member) 1 and 2, the extension member 1 is a cylindrical, elongated rod-like member having an uneven surface, and has a plurality of sections 17 that extend in the direction of the central axis of the cylinder, i.e., a predetermined direction, and each of the sections 17 is extendable and contractible along the predetermined direction. The extension member 1 is used like a so-called clothesline, and items C to be dried can be hung (dried) on each of the sections 17. 3, the extension member 1 has a bellows structure 11 that is expandable in a predetermined direction and a non-expandable core material 15, and the periphery of the core material 15 is covered by the bellows structure 11 around the axis in the predetermined direction. Therefore, the entire length of the extension member 1 in the predetermined direction is kept constant by the core material 15 even when the bellows structure 11 expands and contracts.

[0027] The material of the extension member 1 is preferably a material that is deformable for expansion and contraction for the bellows structure 11, and is preferably a material that has the strength to withstand the weight of the material C to be dried in a wet state for the core material 15. The length of the extension member 1 in a specified direction is the same as the distance between the two clothes drying racks D or longer, and is determined appropriately depending on the installation space of the clothes drying equipment 10 and the average amount of clothes C to be dried per wash. The extension member 1 may have a thickness that allows the hanger H to be hung appropriately.

[0028] The bellows structure 11 of the extension member 1 is composed of a plurality of portions 17, and each of the plurality of portions 17 of the extension member 1 has a mountain fold portion 12 and a valley fold portion 13 adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction, as shown in Figures 2 and 6. The bellows structure 11 of the extension member 1 has three or more portions 17. As shown in FIG. 3, the bellows structure 11 of the extension member 1 has a plurality of communication holes 16 that are holes that communicate from one end of the bellows structure 11 to the other end in a predetermined direction.

[0029] In the bellows structure 11, as shown in Fig. 2, one mountain fold 12 is connected in a ring shape (annular shape), and a plurality of mountain folds 12 are continuously lined up in a predetermined direction. In addition, in the bellows structure 11, as shown in Fig. 2, a deformable valley fold 13 connects between the relatively strong mountain folds 12 lined up in the predetermined direction.

[0030] 2, each of the mountain folds 12 of the bellows structure 11 has one node 14. A connection line 33 of the extension mechanism 3 is fixed to the node 14, so that the bellows structure 11 of the extension member 1 freely expands and contracts and moves each of the multiple portions 17 in response to the operation of the multiple connection lines 33. 2 and 3, there is a weight sensor 2 at the upper end of each of the valley folds 13 of the bellows structure 11, and when the clothes drying equipment 10 is used, an article to be dried C is hung on the valley folds 13. In this way, the weight sensor 2 measures the weight of the article to be dried C hung on the valley folds 13.

[0031] In the extension member 1, the position where the article to be dried C is hung and the positions of both ends are stored as virtual target points P in the storage 44 of the control device 4, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. In the extension member 1, the positions of both ends are set as target points Ph, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. In addition, among the target points P where the article to be dried C is hung, the target point P separated from other adjacent target points P in a predetermined direction, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, is set as a separated target point Pr.

[0032] (Weight sensor) The weight sensor 2 is a signal output device that detects weight, and is provided at each of the valley folds 13 of the plurality of portions 17 of the bellows structure 11 of the extension member 1, as shown in FIGS. As shown in Figure 4, the weight sensor 2 outputs a signal corresponding to the weight of the article C to be dried at multiple portions 17 of the extension member 1 to the control device 4 for each article C to be dried at multiple points in time during the period in which the clothes drying equipment 10 is in use. For the weight sensor 2, a known sensor capable of measuring weight may be used.

[0033] Furthermore, the weight sensor 2 outputs signals corresponding to the weight at multiple points within a specified period, and the control device 4 detects changes over time, such as the amount and degree of change in weight of the object to be dried C over time, as shown in Figure 5, and determines the state of the object to be dried C.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the change over time in weight of the object C to be dried during the drying period of the object C. The object C to be dried is hung on the drying equipment 10 at an initial time t0 and becomes dry at a drying time t d 1 is a graph showing the relationship between weight and time. The amount of change in weight is the amount of change in weight from the initial time t0, as shown in Fig. 5. The degree of change in weight is the degree of change in weight within a specified period ending at a specified time t (current time t), as shown in Fig. 5, and is the slope of the tangent to the graph at the specified time t. The predetermined period is any period between the initial time t0 (the time when the material to be dried C is hung on the extension member 1) and the end time (the current time t).

[0035] (Expansion mechanism) As shown in Figure 4, the extension mechanism 3 performs operations for extending, retracting and moving each of the multiple portions 17 of the extension member 1 under the control of the control device 4, and as shown in Figures 2 and 6, includes a first tensioning mechanism 31, a second tensioning mechanism 32, and a connecting line 33. The first tensioning mechanism 31 and the second tensioning mechanism 32 of the extension mechanism 3 are installed at both ends of the extension member 1 in a predetermined direction, as shown in Figures 2 and 6. The connection wires 33 of the extension mechanism 3 are installed so as to be freely movable in a predetermined direction inside the communication holes 16 of the bellows structure 11 of the extension member 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. One end of each of the multiple connection wires 33 is connected to the first tensioning mechanism 31, and the other end of each of the multiple connection wires 33 is connected to the second tensioning mechanism 32, as shown in Figures 2 and 6.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the first pulling mechanism 31 is located on one side of the extension member 1 in a predetermined direction, and is a mechanism that can freely pull each of the multiple connection wires 33 an appropriate distance to one side in the predetermined direction. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the second pulling mechanism 32 is located on the other side of the extension member 1 in the specified direction, and is a mechanism that can freely pull each of the multiple connection lines 33 an appropriate distance toward the other side in the specified direction.

[0037] 2, the connection wires 33 are thread-like members such as wires, and are fixed to each of the multiple sections 17 of the extension member 1 through the mountain folds 12 of the bellows structure 11 by one node 14. Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one connection wire 33 is connected to one mountain fold 12 of the bellows structure 11 via one node 14, and the same number of connection wires 33 are installed as the communication holes 16 and the multiple sections 17.

[0038] With this configuration, when the first tensioning mechanism 31 pulls the connection line 33 to one side, the node 14 moves to one side, and the portion 17 of the extension member 1 is pulled by the node 14 and moves to one side by the distance pulled by the first tensioning mechanism 31. Also, when the second tensioning mechanism 32 pulls the connection line 33 to the other side, the node 14 moves to the other side, and the portion 17 of the extension member 1 is pulled by the node 14 and moves to the other side by the distance pulled by the second tensioning mechanism 32. That is, the first tensioning mechanism 31 and the second tensioning mechanism 32 pull the node 14 located near the target point P where the object to be dried C is located by the connection line 33, and the target point P moves in a predetermined direction by the amount of pulling. As a result, the clothes drying equipment 10 can freely move the object to be dried C hung on the extension member 1 in a predetermined direction by the above-mentioned mechanism of the extension mechanism 3.

[0039] For example, the operation of contracting or expanding two adjacent portions 17 in a predetermined direction by the expansion / contraction mechanism 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 6, in the bellows structure 11, the valley fold 13 of one portion 17 is defined as a first valley fold 131, and the valley fold 13 of the other portion 17 is defined as a second valley fold 132. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, in the bellows structure 11, the mountain fold 12 adjacent to the first valley fold 131 on the opposite side to the second valley fold 132 is defined as a first mountain fold 121, and the mountain fold 12 adjacent to the second valley fold 132 on the opposite side to the first valley fold 131 is defined as a second mountain fold 122. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the connection line 33 fixed to the node 14 of the first mountain fold 121 is defined as a first connection line 331, and the connection line 33 fixed to the node 14 of the second mountain fold 122 is defined as a second connection line 332.

[0041] When shortening two adjacent portions 17 in a specified direction of the extension member 1, the control device 4 causes the first tensioning mechanism 31 to pull the first connecting line 331 to the other side, and at the same time, causes the second tensioning mechanism 32 to pull the second connecting line 332 to one side. This reduces the distance between the mountain folds 12 and brings the first valley fold 131 and the second valley fold 132 closer together, resulting in the two portions 17 being shortened.

[0042] Furthermore, when extending two adjacent portions 17 in a specified direction of the extension member 1, in contrast to the above example, the control device 4 causes the first tensioning mechanism 31 to pull the first connecting line 331 to one side, and at the same time, causes the second tensioning mechanism 32 to pull the second connecting line 332 to the other side. This causes the distance between the mountain folds 12 to increase, moving the first valley fold 131 and the second valley fold 132 apart, and as a result, the two portions 17 are elongated.

[0043] (Control device) As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 4 transmits and receives signals and information between the multiple weight sensors 2 and the extension mechanism 3, recognizes the state of each of the objects to be dried C, and controls the system S of the clothes drying equipment 10.

[0044] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, one control device 4 is installed between the clothes drying equipment 10 and one of the clothes drying racks D. However, as long as the control device 4 functions normally, the installation location and the number of control devices 4 to be installed are not particularly limited.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 4, the control device 4 is composed of a computer, and has as its constituent devices a processor 41, a memory 42, a communication interface 43, and a storage 44, and these devices and equipment are electrically connected via a bus. In addition, an operating system (OS) and a program for operating the clothes drying equipment 10 are installed as software in the control device 4. When the processor 41 operates according to the above-mentioned program, the above-mentioned computer functions as the control device 4 and executes a series of processes.

[0046] The processor 41 may be composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), an MCU (Micro Controller Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc.

[0047] The memory 42 may be configured with semiconductor memory such as a Read Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM).

[0048] The communication interface 43 may be configured by a network interface card, a communication interface board, etc. The control device 4 can communicate with the weight sensor 2 and the extension mechanism 3 via the communication interface 43 to transmit and receive signals and information.

[0049] The storage 44 may be configured by a flash memory, a hard disc drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disc (FD), a magneto-optical disc (MO disc), a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a secure digital card (SD card), a universal serial bus memory (USB memory), etc. The storage 44 may be built into the computer constituting the control device 4, or may be attached to the computer main body in an external form.

[0050] The control device 4 determines and recognizes the state (dried / drying) of the object C to be dried based on the signal regarding the weight of each object C to be dried output from the weight sensor 2, calculates the position for drying the object C to be dried, and controls the operation of the extension mechanism 3.

[0051] Specifically, the control device 4 receives a signal related to weight output by the weight sensor 2, and calculates the amount of change in weight and the degree of change in weight within a predetermined period for each of the objects to be dried C hung on the extension member 1, as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the control device 4 determines and recognizes information related to each object to be dried C based on the amount of change and the degree of change calculated for each object to be dried C. Thereafter, the control device 4 recognizes the state (dried / drying) of the material to be dried C and controls the extension mechanism 3 to maintain, shorten, or extend the length of each of the multiple sections 17, thereby adjusting and positioning the material to be dried C to an appropriate position.

[0052] The information regarding the material to be dried C that is determined by the control device 4 includes information such as whether the user has started or finished hanging the material to be dried C, where the material to be dried C is hung, the state of the material to be dried C (already dried / drying), and whether the user has finished taking in the material to be dried C.

[0053] The control device 4 determines that the user has started hanging the article C to be dried on the extension member 1 when the weight on the entire extension member 1 increases suddenly, and determines that the user has finished hanging the article C to be dried on the extension member 1 when the sudden increase in the weight on the entire extension member 1 ceases for a certain period of time. In addition, based on the signal received from the weight sensor 2, the control device 4 determines the position where the weight is applied to the extension member 1 as the position where the object to be dried C is hung, and stores the position where the object to be dried C is hung as the target point P in the storage 44.

[0054] 5, the control device 4 determines that the object C is in a drying state when the absolute value of the degree of change in weight of the object C is greater than 0, and determines that the object C is already dried when the absolute value of the degree of change in weight of the object C is approximately 0. Therefore, for example, the weight of the object C in the already dried state is approximately the same as the weight of the object C before washing. The target point P at the position where the object to be dried C in the drying state is located is stored in the storage 44 of the control device 4 as a target point Pw during drying. The target point P at the position where the object to be dried C in the dried state is located is stored in the storage 44 of the control device 4 as a dried target point Pd.

[0055] In addition, the control device 4 may recognize the weight of the object to be dried C, the amount of change in weight from the initial time t0, and the degree of change in weight, and thereby calculate the time until the object to be dried C becomes in a dried state (degree of progress of drying) and the weight of the object to be dried C when in a dried state. Furthermore, the control device 4 may determine that the user has started to take in the object C to be dried that is located at the target point P when the weight applied to the entire extension member 1 suddenly decreases.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 7, when the target point P adjacent to the dried target point Pd where the dried object C is located is the dried target point Pd or the end target point Ph, the control device 4 controls the extension mechanism 3 to shorten the length of the portion 17 located therebetween. Then, the target points P on both sides of the portion 17 whose length has been shortened are joined. As shown in Figure 7, the control device 4 controls the extension mechanism 3 to maintain or extend the length of the portion 17 located between the drying target point Pw where the material to be dried C in the drying state is located and the adjacent target point P.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 7, the control device 4 moves a target point P to another adjacent target point P, thereby combining the two target points P into one target point P. In reality, the hanger H and the article C to be dried hung at the position of the target point P have a certain size, so even if multiple target points P are brought close to each other, they cannot strictly become one target point P. Therefore, when combining multiple target points P into one target point P, an arbitrary minimum separation distance is set between the multiple target points P, the multiple target points P are separated, and the center position of the multiple target points P is regarded as one virtual combined target point P.

[0058] The control device 4 calculates the distance by which the length of the portion 17 between the separation target points Pr is contracted or expanded based on the following calculation formula (1) for the separation distance l. l = L / (Q + 1) (1) Here, l is the separation distance, which is the distance by which the separation target points Pr are separated from each other, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. Also, L is the overall length of the extension member 1, which is a constant value that does not change, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. Also, Q is the number of separation target points Pr, and for example, in Figure 1, the number of separation target points Q is 7, and in Figure 7, the number of separation target points Q is 3.

[0059] From the above equation, in this embodiment, the separated target points Pr are separated at equal intervals in a predetermined direction. For the separated target points Pr, two types of target points P are selected: a drying target point Pw where the object to be dried C in the drying state is located, and a dried target point Pd where the object to be dried C in the dried state is located and is sandwiched between objects to be dried C in the drying state on both sides.

[0060] [Control process flow of the clothes drying equipment according to this embodiment] The control process flow related to the control device 4 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0061] The control process flow according to this embodiment proceeds according to the flow shown in Fig. 8 by the system S of the drying equipment 10 shown in Fig. 4. Note that the control process flow described below is merely an example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps may be added, and the order of steps may be changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The following will mainly explain the processing of the control device 4. The control processing flow will be specifically explained below.

[0062] First, the control device 4 receives an output signal from the weight sensor 2 and recognizes that the user has started hanging the object C on the extension member 1, and starts the control process flow. Next, the control device 4 receives an output signal from the weight sensor 2 and recognizes that the user has finished hanging the object C on the extension member 1 (S001). Then, the control device 4 controls the extension mechanism 3 and stores the position where the object C is hung in the storage 44 as the separation target point Pr. Thereafter, when the control device 4 receives an output signal from the weight sensor 2 and recognizes that any of the objects to be dried C has been dried, it stores the target point P (separate target point Pr) where the object to be dried C in the dried state is located as a dried target point Pd in ​​the storage 44 (S002).

[0063] Then, the control device 4 determines whether either of the target points P on both sides of the dried target point Pd is the target point Ph at the end of the extension member 1 (S003). If the dried target point Pd is adjacent to the end target point Ph (S003: YES), the control device 4 controls the extension mechanism 3 to move the position of the dried target point Pd to the end target point Ph (S004), and excludes the moved dried target point Pd from the separated target points Pr (S008). On the other hand, if the two adjacent target points P of the dried target point Pd are not end target points Ph (S003: NO), the control device 4 determines whether either of the two adjacent target points P of the dried target point Pd is the dried target point Pd (S005).

[0064] If any of the adjacent dried target points Pd is a dried target point Pd (S005: YES), the control device 4 controls the extension mechanism 3 to move the dried target point Pd to the adjacent dried target point Pd (S006), and excludes the moved dried target point Pd from the separated target points Pr (S008). On the other hand, if the two adjacent points of the dried target point Pd are not dried target points Pd (S005: NO), that is, if the two adjacent points of the dried target point Pd are drying target points Pw, the control device 4 continues to store the dried target point Pd as a separated target point Pr in the storage 44 (S007).

[0065] After S007 and S008, the control device 4 moves the separation target point Pr based on the calculation formula (1) of the separation distance l to separate it from the adjacent separation target point Pr (S009). Then, the control device 4 receives an output signal from the weight sensor 2, determines whether all the objects C to be dried have been dried (S010), and returns to step 002 (S010: NO) and repeats each step until it is determined that all the objects C to be dried have been dried. When the control device 4 receives an output signal from the weight sensor 2 and recognizes that all the objects C to be dried have been dried (S010: YES), it controls the extension mechanism 3 to move all the objects C to be dried at the target point Ph at the end of the extension member 1 to the target point Ph at the opposite end of the extension member 1 (S011). Then, when the series of steps up to the above are completed, the control process flow ends.

[0066] [Effectiveness of the clothes drying equipment according to this embodiment] The effectiveness obtained by using the clothes drying equipment 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

[0067] In the conventional product, as shown in FIG. 9, when drying wet items C washed by a washing machine or the like, the items C were hung on a clothes drying equipment 100 to dry them. However, in the conventional clothes drying equipment 100, the state of each object C to be dried cannot be recognized by the clothes drying equipment 100, and it is difficult to appropriately adjust the position of the object C to be dried according to the state of each object C. Therefore, in the conventional clothes drying equipment 100, it takes time to dry the object C to be dried, and it is inefficient.

[0068] In contrast, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the clothes drying equipment 10 of this embodiment is equipped with an extension member 1 that extends in a predetermined direction and has multiple sections 17, each of which is expandable and contractable along the predetermined direction, and on which an article to be dried C can be hung, a weight sensor 2 that outputs a signal corresponding to the weight of the article to be dried C for each article to be dried C when two or more articles to be dried C are hung on the extension member 1, an extension mechanism 3 that operates to expand and contract each of the multiple sections 17, and a control device 4 that controls the extension mechanism 3 based on the signal output for each article to be dried C.

[0069] Thereby, the clothes drying equipment 10 according to the present embodiment can determine the state of the objects to be dried C and move the objects to be dried C on the extension member 1. That is, the clothes drying equipment 10 can adjust the position of each object to be dried C to a suitable position according to the state of each object to be dried C.

[0070] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment 10 according to this embodiment, the dried target point Pd at which the object to be dried C in a dried state is located is connected to the adjacent dried target point Pd or the target point Ph at the adjacent end. This allows space to be secured around the object C being dried since multiple already-dried objects C are grouped together, and as a result, the object C being dried can be dried efficiently. Also, it becomes easier for users to put the object C into a laundry basket or the like.

[0071] In addition, in the clothes drying equipment 10 of this embodiment, the separated target points Pr are selected to be the drying target points Pw and the dried target points Pd sandwiched between the drying target points Pw, and the separated target points Pr are spaced apart at equal intervals in a specified direction based on the calculation formula (1) for the separation distance l. This allows each object C to be placed in an appropriate position, and the object C to be dried during drying can be efficiently dried.

[0072] Moreover, in the clothes drying equipment 10 according to this embodiment, the multiple weight sensors 2 detect information regarding the weight of each item to be dried C at multiple points in time within a predetermined period. As a result, the control device 4 can recognize the weight of each item C to be dried, the amount of change in weight from the initial point in time t0, and the degree of change in weight at multiple points in time within a specified period of time, and can appropriately determine the condition of each item C to be dried.

[0073] <<Other embodiments of the present invention>> Although one embodiment of the drying equipment of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, the present invention naturally includes its equivalents.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the state of the object to be dried C is determined by the weight sensor 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the clothes drying equipment may be provided with a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, and the state of the object to be dried C may be determined by the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor in addition to the weight sensor 2. This makes it possible to more accurately determine the state of the object to be dried C, taking into account the temperature and humidity conditions in the room where the clothes drying equipment is installed.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the case where the ring-shaped mountain folds 12 are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction in the bellows structure 11 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the extension member 1 may not include the core material 15, the mountain folds 12 of the bellows structure 11 may be spirally arranged in a predetermined direction, and the overall length of the clothes drying equipment may not be constant during a predetermined period of time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] C Material to be dried D Clothes drying rack H Hanger P target point S System 1 Extension member 2 Weight Sensor 3 Telescopic mechanism 4. Control device 10 Clothes drying facilities 11 Bellows structure 12 Mountain fold 13 Valley fold 14 Node 15 Core material 16 Communication hole 17 parts 31 First tension mechanism 32 Second tension mechanism 33 Connecting wire 41 Processors 42 Memory 43 Communication Interface 44 Storage 100 Clothes drying facilities 121 First mountain fold 122 Second mountain fold 131 First valley fold 132 Second valley fold 331 First connecting line 332 Second connecting line

Claims

1. an extension member that extends in a predetermined direction and has a plurality of portions that are each extendable and contractible along the predetermined direction, and an article to be dried can be hung on each of the portions; a signal output device that outputs a signal corresponding to a weight of the object to be dried for each object to be dried when two or more objects to be dried are hung on the extension member; An extension mechanism that performs an operation for extending or retracting each of the plurality of portions; A control device that controls the extension mechanism based on the signal output for each item to be dried.

2. The clothes drying equipment according to claim 1, wherein the control device determines whether the object to be dried hung on the extension member is dry for each object to be dried based on the signal output for each object to be dried, and controls the extension mechanism.

3. The clothes drying equipment according to claim 2, wherein the control device controls the extension mechanism to shorten the length of a portion of the plurality of portions that is located between two adjacent objects to be dried in the specified direction when the control device determines that two adjacent objects to be dried in the specified direction are dry.

4. The clothes drying equipment described in claim 2, wherein the control device controls the extension mechanism to shorten the length of a portion of the multiple portions that is located between the article to be dried adjacent to the end of the extension member and the end of the extension member when it is determined that the article to be dried adjacent to the end of the extension member in the specified direction is dry.

5. The clothes drying equipment according to claim 2, wherein the control device controls the extension mechanism to maintain or extend the length of the portion located between the two adjacent objects to be dried in the specified direction when it is determined that at least one of the two adjacent objects to be dried in the specified direction is not dry.

6. The control device, for each of the two or more objects to be dried hung on the extension member, Calculating the amount of change in weight from an initial point in time and the degree of change in weight within a predetermined period of time beginning with the current point in time based on the signal output for each of the objects to be dried, The clothes drying facility according to claim 2 , wherein it is determined for each of the objects to be dried whether or not the objects to be dried are dry based on the amount of change and the degree of change calculated for each of the objects to be dried.

7. The telescopic mechanism includes: a connecting line fixed to each of the plurality of portions of the extension member; a first tensioning mechanism that pulls the connection line fixed to a target portion of the plurality of portions in one direction in the predetermined direction; The clothes drying equipment according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second tensioning mechanism that pulls the connection line connected to the target portion to the other side in the specified direction.

8. The extension member has a bellows structure, Each of the plurality of portions has a valley fold portion and a mountain fold portion adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction, The material to be dried is hung on the valley fold, The clothes drying equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the connecting line is fixed to the mountain fold of each of the portions.

9. the plurality of portions is three or more portions; The clothes drying equipment according to claim 8, wherein the signal output device is a weight sensor provided in the valley fold of each of the portions.

10. When the valley fold portion of one of the two consecutive portions in the predetermined direction among the plurality of portions is defined as a first valley fold portion, and the valley fold portion of the other portion is defined as a second valley fold portion, When both the object to be dried hung on the first valley fold section and the object to be dried hung on the second valley fold section are dry, the control device The first tension mechanism pulls the connection line fixed to the mountain fold adjacent to the second valley fold on an opposite side to the first valley fold to the one side, and The clothes drying equipment according to claim 8 , wherein the second tensioning mechanism pulls the connection line fixed to the mountain fold portion adjacent to the first valley fold portion on the opposite side to the second valley fold portion toward the other side.

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