Washing and drying machine

Abstract

To provide a washing and drying machine capable of efficiently washing a filter.SOLUTION: A washing and drying machine includes: a drying device for delivering dry air to an outer tub 20 and a rotary drum; a return duct in which the air returning to the drying device from the outer tub 20 passes; a warm air duct in which the air delivered to the rotary drum from the drying device passes; a communication port provided at an upper part of a back surface of the outer tub 20, and for communicating with the suction side of the drying device; an in-tub duct provided on the back surface of the outer tub 20, and connected to the communication port; a primary filter 400 provided as part of a side wall of the in-tub duct; and an opening part provided at the lowermost part of the primary filter 400 in such a manner that the ventilation resistance becomes smaller than the primary filter 400. Further on the outer peripheral side than the primary filter 400 on the back surface of the outer tub 20, a flow straightening tool 415 is provided for straightening a flow toward the primary filter 400.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing and drying machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Drying of clothes using a washer-dryer that can perform washing and drying in succession is performed by using a hot air drying method in which high temperature, low humidity air is created using a blower fan and a heat source, which is then blown into the washing tub to raise the temperature of the clothes, evaporating moisture from the clothes, and dehumidifying the evaporated moisture. In the hot air drying method, lint is mainly generated due to friction between the fabrics during the drying process. The greater the amount of circulating air, the greater the frequency of friction, and the more lint is generated. The lint is usually collected through a drying filter installed upstream of the air blowing means, and the drying filter is cleaned before and after the drying process. However, cleaning the drying filter is a hassle, and a method for reducing the cleaning has been proposed, as described in Patent Document 1. This describes a washing and drying machine that includes a filter means that is provided between the rotating drum and the blower section, on the suction port side of the path upstream of the air flow generated by the blower section during the drying process, and that is arranged so as to be immersed in the wash water supplied to the water tub during the washing process or rinsing process, a cleaning means that generates a water flow in the wash water based on the rotational drive of the rotating drum to remove foreign matter adhering to the filter means, and a rotating drum rotation control means that changes the rotation speed of the rotating drum during the washing process or rinsing process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-37890 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the washer-dryer described in Patent Document 1, the filter is immersed in the wash water, so detergent components can clog the filter, causing blockages; a water film forms on the filter at the end of the washing cycle, so the water film on the filter must be broken at the beginning of the drying cycle to ensure sufficient circulating air volume, and it takes a long time to prevent an increase in pressure inside the drum.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVETION The present invention is devised to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and has an object to provide a washing / drying machine capable of efficiently cleaning a filter. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] the first filter is provided as a part of a side wall of the first filter; an opening provided at the bottom of the first filter so as to have less ventilation resistance than the first filter; a second filter provided downstream of the outlet; and a water supply unit that supplies wash water to the second filter, the second filter being provided with a straightening device that straightens the flow of water toward the first ... Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a washing / drying machine capable of efficiently cleaning a filter can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view showing a washing / drying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right side showing the internal structure of the washer / dryer according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view showing the rotating drum and the outer tub with the tub cover removed and a portion of the outer tub cut away. [Figure 4] This is an oblique view of the rotating drum, primary filter, and secondary filter removed from the outer tub. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a portion of the rear side of the rotating drum. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear surface of the upper part of the outer tub, showing the positional relationship between the primary filter and the flow straightener. [Figure 7A] 1 is a perspective view of the rear surface of the rotating drum with the drum flange removed from the rotating drum. FIG. [Figure 7B] FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a perspective view of the inside of the washer / dryer according to the embodiment, seen from the rear side of the outer tub. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the connection between the rear surface of the outer tub and the return air duct, focusing on the positional relationship between the secondary filter and the water sprinkler for the secondary filter of the washer / dryer of this embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 2 is a perspective view showing a heat pump unit accommodated in a lower part of a housing of the washer / dryer according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the inside of the heat pump unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the inside of part XII in FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of cleaning water from the water sprinkler. [Figure 14] 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of wash water from a watering device according to a modified example. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of a side wall of an internal duct. [Figure 16] 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device of the washer / dryer according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a process diagram illustrating the operation process of a washing operation (from washing to drying) in the washer / dryer according to the present embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing a modified example of the protrusion according to the embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing another modified example of the protrusion according to the embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing still another modified example of the protrusion according to the embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rear surface of the outer tank, showing a modified example of the lattice according to the embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rear surface of the outer tank, showing a modified example of the primary filter according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and various modifications and application examples within the technical concept of the present invention are also included in its scope. Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a washer / dryer according to the present embodiment, Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right side showing the internal structure of the washer / dryer according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the washer / dryer 100 is a drum-type washer / dryer, and the frame is formed by combining side panels 1a, mainly made of steel plates and resin molded products, and reinforcing materials (not shown) on the top of the base 1h, and a front cover 1c and a top cover 1e are further attached on top of that to form the housing 1. The front cover 1c is provided with a door 9 for inserting and removing laundry 30 (see Fig. 2).

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, an outer tub 20 is provided inside the housing 1. The lower part of the outer tub 20 is supported by a plurality of suspensions 5a, and the upper part is suspended by springs 5b. A door 9 is opened to load laundry 30 into a rotating drum 29 (inner tub) inside the outer tub 20. A fluid balancer 31 is provided on the outer periphery of the opening of the rotating drum 29 to reduce vibration caused by imbalance of the laundry 30 during spin-drying. A plurality of lifters 33 for lifting up the laundry 30 are provided inside the rotating drum 29. The rotating drum 29 is directly connected to a motor M10 (drive unit) for driving the drum via a main shaft 35 connected to a metal flange 34 for the rotating drum. The mechanism for driving the rotating drum 29 may be a so-called belt drive configuration in which a pulley fixed to the main shaft 35 and a motor fixed to the outer tub 20 are connected via a belt to drive the drum.

[0011] A rubber bellows 10 made of an elastic body is attached to the opening of the outer tub 20. The bellows 10 plays a role in maintaining the watertightness between the inside of the outer tub 20 and the door 3. This prevents water leakage during washing, rinsing and spin-drying. The rotating drum 29 has many small holes (not shown) on the side wall for centrifugal spin-drying and ventilation. A water receiving section 54 is provided at the bottom of the outer tub 20. The drain port 21 opening into the water receiving section 54 is connected to the drain hose 26 via the drain valve V1. The overflow hose 17 is attached to the front of the outer tub 20 and merges with the drain hose 26 downstream of the drain valve V1.

[0012] The circulation pump 18, which pumps up the wash water to the top of the outer tub 20 and sprays it on the laundry 30 in the rotating drum 29, is fixed to the base 1h side below the outer tub 20. The wash water flows from the drain outlet 21 of the water receiving part 54 provided at the bottom of the outer tub 20 through a lint filter 222 into the suction port side of the circulation pump 18, and after being pressurized by the circulation pump 18, it is sprayed from the water spray nozzle 223 into the rotating drum 29.

[0013] Drying is performed using a hot air drying method in which air is circulated between rotating drum 29 and heat pump unit 300 (heat pump) by blower fan 2 (see FIG. 8). In this embodiment, the drying device is made up of blower fan 2 and heat pump unit 300 that dehumidifies the circulating air and then heats it. Washer / dryer 100 also includes hot air duct (supply air duct) 251 (see FIG. 8) that guides hot air to blow-out nozzle 203 of outer tub 20 to blow it into rotating drum 29, and return duct (return air duct) 252 (see FIG. 8) that returns the moist air discharged from rotating drum 29 to heat pump unit 300.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rotating drum and the outer tub with the tub cover removed and a portion of the outer tub cut away. As shown in Fig. 3, the outer tub 20 is composed of a cylindrical outer tub body 20a with a bottom, and a tub cover 20b provided at a front opening 20a1 of the outer tub body 20a. A flow path 20b1 is formed in the tub cover 20b, through which the wash water pumped up by the circulation pump 18 (see Fig. 2) passes. A watering nozzle 223 is formed at the end of this flow path 20b1. In addition, a blowing nozzle 203 that blows out dry air is formed in the tub cover 20b.

[0015] An in-tub duct 409 is provided on the inner back surface of the outer tub 20. One end of the in-tub duct 409 is located at the top of the outer tub 20, and the other end is located below half the height of the back surface of the outer tub 20. However, the in-tub duct 409 is located at a position higher than the washing water level or the rinsing water level when the drum is stationary during the washing and rinsing processes. The in-tub duct 409 is bent (generally arc-shaped) from the top to the bottom of the outer tub 20 in a manner that avoids the motor M10 (see FIG. 2) that drives the rotating drum 29. An opening 411 without a filter portion (mesh-shaped) is formed at the bottom of the in-tub duct 409. Furthermore, a lattice 414 is provided at the opening 411 at the same height as the filter frame, and adjusts the amount of water that flows into the in-tub duct 409 from the water flow that reaches the opening 411 during filter cleaning.

[0016] A primary filter 400 (first filter) is attached to the in-tank duct 409. The primary filter 400 is a mesh-shaped collection section, and the collection section is formed in a substantially rectangular resin frame that is divided into a plurality of sections.

[0017] A communication port 410 (outlet) that communicates with the outside of the outer tank 20 is formed at the upper part of the back surface of the outer tank 20. A return duct 252 (see FIG. 8) is connected from the communication port 410 to the heat pump unit 300 (see FIG. 8) on the outside of the back surface of the outer tank 20. A secondary filter 401 (second filter) is attached to the communication port 410 (connection between the return duct 252 and the outer tank 20). In FIG. 3, the primary filter 400 is located at the front side in the front-rear direction, and the secondary filter 401 is located at the rear side (inner side). That is, the primary filter 400 and the secondary filter 401 are arranged so that their ventilation directions overlap with each other across the communication port 410. The primary filter 400 and the secondary filter 401 are configured to face each other, and the circulating air that has passed through the primary filter 400 passes through the secondary filter 401 without disturbing the flow, so that ventilation resistance can be reduced.

[0018] In addition, by configuring the filter in two sheets in the flow direction, the meshes can be overlapped in a plane, and each mesh (opening) can be made coarser than in a single sheet configuration. This allows lint to be collected across two sheets, preventing the lint from becoming densely packed, and allowing stable air circulation to be maintained. Furthermore, in the unlikely event that the secondary filter 401 becomes clogged following the primary filter 400 and cannot be improved by cleaning, the secondary filter 401 may be configured to be removable so that it can be cleaned from the outside.

[0019] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the outer tub with the rotating drum, the primary filter, and the secondary filter removed. Note that Fig. 4 shows a state in which half of the right side surface of the outer tub 20 and half of the right side surface of the rotating drum 29 are cut away. As shown in Fig. 4, a groove 409b is formed on the rear surface of the outer tub 20 so that the concave surface faces forward. The groove 409b is bent from below half the height of the rear surface of the outer tub 20 toward the upper part of the outer tub 20 so as to avoid the motor M10 (see Fig. 2). The groove 409b has a bottom surface 409b1 located on the rear surface side, an outer peripheral side surface 409b2 formed rising forward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 409b1, and an inner peripheral side surface 409b3 (side surface in the depth direction, duct side wall) formed rising forward from the inner peripheral edge of the bottom surface 409b1.

[0020] At the upper end, which is one end side of the concave streak portion 409b, a communication port 410 is formed penetrating the back surface of the outer tub 20 in the front-rear direction. This communication port 410 is formed in a horizontally elongated, approximately rectangular shape, and has a bottom surface consisting of an approximately horizontal portion 407 (approximately horizontal). This approximately horizontal portion 407 is formed by an approximately horizontal surface (approximately horizontal portion). Note that the approximately horizontal portion 407 is not limited to an approximately horizontal surface, and may be an inclined surface (a downward inclination toward the opening 411) that descends toward the opening 411. In addition, a rib 406 (flow regulation member) that regulates (obstructs) the flow of cleaning water is formed at approximately the center in the left-right direction of the communication port 410. The rib 406 in this embodiment is formed by a rod-shaped (quadratic prism-shaped) member.

[0021] The resin frame of the primary filter 400 is composed of a frame portion 400a constituting the outer peripheral frame and a partition portion 400c partitioning the frame portion 400a. The frame portion 400a is composed of an outer peripheral frame 400a1 located on the outer peripheral side and an inner peripheral frame 400a2 located on the inner peripheral side. From the functional standpoint, the mesh member 400b set in the area partitioned by the frame portion 400a and the partition portion 400c is also called a window filter 400s.

[0022] In addition, the area of ​​the collection section (mesh member 400b) is made smaller than the area of ​​the collection section located above it due to the difference in width of the outer peripheral frame 400a1 of the window filter 400s. The wider outer peripheral frame 400a1 can reduce the amount of water that flows into the in-tank duct 409 through the primary filter 400, out of the water flow that reaches the filter section (primary filter 400).

[0023] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of the back side of the rotating drum. Fig. 5 shows the back side of the V part surrounded by a dashed line in a rectangular shape in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 5, the rotating drum 29 is provided with a recess for fixing the drum flange 402, and a gap 404 is provided at the boundary between the recess and the V part. Furthermore, the drum flange 402 itself is bored to ensure rigidity and reduce weight, and a plurality of sills (ribs) 403 are provided in the bore to form a recess. Furthermore, a protrusion 413 is provided adjacent to a part of the recess facing the primary filter 400 on the back side of the outer tub 20.

[0024] Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear surface of the upper part of the outer tank, showing the positional relationship between the primary filter and the flow straightener. Fig. 6 illustrates the VI part surrounded by a rectangular shape by a dashed line in Fig. 4. Note that in Fig. 6, the mesh member 400b is omitted. As shown in FIG. 6, a straightener 415 is provided on the outer periphery of the rear surface 20s of the outer tub 20 toward the door 9 (see FIG. 2) side, which is higher than the primary filter 400 but does not reach the edge of the rotating drum 29 (see FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the water sprayed from the rotating drum 29 rotating in the counterclockwise direction W onto the rear surface of the outer tub 20 flows around the outer edge of the outer tub 20 in the same direction (W direction) due to inertia. The straightener 415 is provided with a slope that slopes downward to the left when viewed from the front of the main body (the rear surface of the outer tub 20 is the front) so that the water flow that is rolled up from the counterclockwise direction W can be sprayed onto the primary filter 400. In other words, the front side of the straightener 415 in the counterclockwise direction W is located closer to the inner periphery than the rear side. The straightener 415 is also formed to stand in a direction perpendicular to the rear surface 20s.

[0025] In addition, the flow straightener 415A arranged at the top is arranged at the highest position, and the heights of the flow straighteners arranged below it are lower. In other words, the flow straightener 415B is arranged at a lower position than the flow straightener 415A, and the flow straightener 415C is arranged at a lower position than the flow straightener 415B. With this configuration, the amount of water that has overcome the first flow straightener 415C among the water flow that has been rolled up from the bottom can be sprayed on the window filter 400s located at a higher position by adding the washing water that has been newly scattered from the rotating drum 29 before it reaches the flow straightener 415B at a higher position. For this reason, it is preferable to arrange at least one or more between the window filters 400s. In FIG. 6, two flow straighteners 415A and 415B are arranged on the upper window filter 400s, and one flow straightener 415C is arranged on the window filter 400s below them.

[0026] The primary filter 400 is formed by insert molding a metallic mesh member 400b integrally with a synthetic resin frame 400a. The primary filter 400 is bent along the groove 409b (see FIG. 4) and is attached so as to fit into the groove 409b. The mesh has a mesh size that can mainly capture lint. The mesh member 400b is not limited to being made of metal, and may be made of chemical fibers in a net shape. The frame 400a is formed with a reinforcing partition 400c, and is configured so that the partition located at the upper end has a larger area than the other partitions. In other words, the partition at the upper end of the primary filter 400 is configured to have approximately the same area as the opening of the communication port 410. As a result, the primary filter 400 is attached to the groove 409b to form an in-tank duct 409. A space is formed between the groove 409b and the primary filter 400 through which air flowing in from the opening 411 during drying operation. Even if the primary filter 400 becomes completely clogged, the air that has passed through the space from the opening 411 is discharged from the communication port 410 to the return duct 252 (see FIG. 8).

[0027] Furthermore, the opening 411 is provided with a lattice 414 that is the same height as the filter frame (frame portion 400a and partition portion 400c). As described below, some of the water that is introduced into the primary filter 400 by the rotation of the rotating drum 29 during cleaning of the primary filter 400 and that is able to flow over the lattice 414 when it reaches the opening 411 can pass through the opening 411 and reach the surface of the primary filter 400 due to the velocity component in the rotational direction obtained when the rotating drum 29 is removed. As described above, some of the cleaning water introduced into the primary filter 400 near the opening 411 can be passed over the lattice 414 to clean the surface of the primary filter 400 without flowing through the opening 411 to the in-tank duct 409 side.

[0028] Similar to primary filter 400, secondary filter 401 is formed by insert molding metal mesh member 401b integrally with synthetic resin frame 401a. Secondary filter 401 is shaped to fit into communication port 410, and is attached from the rear side.

[0029] As described above, by forming the opening 411 in the primary filter 400, even if the primary filter 400 is blocked by lint or the like, circulating air can pass through the opening 411, so drying can be performed. The lint that occurs at that time is removed only by the secondary filter 401, but the area of ​​the secondary filter 401 is also sufficient to accommodate the large air volume of the heat pump unit 300 (see FIG. 2), so drying can be performed continuously.

[0030] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the rear surface of the rotating drum with the drum flange removed from the rotating drum, and FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the rear surface of the rotating drum. As shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, a recess 416 for fixing the drum flange 402 is provided on the back surface of the main body of the rotating drum 29. The drum flange 402 has a plurality of arms 402a extending radially from the center. The outer back surface of the rotating drum 29 has a recess 416 shaped to fit the drum flange 402. When the drum flange 402 is fixed to the recess 416, a gap 404 (see FIG. 5) is formed at the boundary 404a between the recess 416 and the drum flange 402. Furthermore, the drum flange 402 itself is bored to ensure rigidity and reduce weight, and a plurality of sills (ribs) 403 are provided in the bore, forming a plurality of recesses 412. In addition, the drum flange 402 has a protrusion 413 formed integrally therewith. The protrusion 413 is formed outside the recess 412 on the tip side of the arm 402a. Furthermore, the protrusions 413 are located on the opposite side to the rotation direction when the rotating drum 29 rotates counterclockwise. Furthermore, the protrusions 413 are provided on each of the arm portions 402a.

[0031] The cells (recesses 412) separated by the threshold (rib) 403 function as a ladle to scoop up water when the rotating drum 29 is submerged. The water scooped up with the rotation of the rotating drum 29 (counterclockwise when viewed from the front side of the main body) is directed toward the back surface of the outer tub 20 due to the backward tilt of the drum, and is subjected to a force in a direction that causes the water to be ejected to the outer periphery due to the rotation of the rotating drum 29. When the water is removed from the rotating drum 29, it hits the protrusions 413 and is bent significantly toward the back surface of the outer tub 20, allowing the water to be efficiently poured onto the surface (front surface) of the primary filter 400.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 6, the above-mentioned flow straightener 415 is provided on the edge of the back surface inside the outer tub 20. The direction of travel of the water poured from the rotating drum 29 into the primary filter 400 is the sum of the vector direction (radial direction) toward the outer periphery and the vector direction of the tangential direction of the edge of the rotating drum 29 when it is removed from the rotating drum 29 (counterclockwise rotation when viewed from the front side of the main body), and moves in an upward diagonal direction to the left when viewed from the door 9 side. After reaching the edge of the back surface inside the outer tub 20, the water flows along the circumference as it is, but since the flow straightener 415 is provided, after reaching the flow straightener 415, it flows down again to the primary filter 400 side along the inclined surface of the flow straightener 415 (a slope downward to the left when viewed from the door 9 side). In this way, the water that has washed the primary filter 400 flows along the outer periphery of the outer tub 20 and then flows over the surface of the primary filter 400 again, thereby efficiently washing the primary filter 400.

[0033] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the inside of the washer / dryer according to this embodiment, seen from the rear side of the outer tub. Fig. 8 shows only the members necessary for the drying device. As shown in FIG. 8, the outer tub 20 is provided with a return duct 252 (return air passage) and a hot air duct 251 (supply air passage).

[0034] The return duct 252 has an upstream end connected to the communication port 410, and a downstream end connected to the inlet 300a of the heat pump unit 300 via a bellows tube 253. Similarly to the in-tub duct 409 (see FIG. 3), the return duct 252 has a bent shape so as to avoid the motor M10 that drives the rotating drum 29 on the outside of the rear surface of the outer tub 20.

[0035] The return duct 252 is provided with a variable exhaust means 306. The variable exhaust means 306 is provided on the opposite side in the vertical direction to the direction in which the return duct 252 extends (downward). The variable exhaust means 306 is configured to include a duct portion 306a extending vertically upward from the upper end of the return duct 252, and a valve 306c for opening and closing an exhaust port (opening) 306b formed at the upper end of the duct portion 306a. The return duct 252 is provided with an exhaust port 306b on the opposite side to the suction side of the heat pump unit 300 across the communication port 410. The flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the duct portion 306a is formed to be sufficiently smaller than the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the return duct 252.

[0036] In this way, a part of the circulating air is exhausted to the outside of the machine (outside the outer tub 20). The exhaust port 306b is located in the opposite direction to the air flow direction of the return duct 252 extending from the communication port 410 to the heat pump unit 300 housed in the lower part of the housing 1. That is, the difference between the static pressure inside the rotating drum 29, which is approximately equal to the internal pressure of the outer tub 20, and the atmospheric pressure is used as a driving force for exhaust, so that the exhaust can be performed almost without being affected by the dynamic pressure of the main flow of the air inside the rotating drum 29, and therefore the exhaust can be performed stably.

[0037] The hot air duct 251 is provided on the left-right opposite side of the return duct 252, sandwiching the motor M10. The hot air duct 251 extends vertically on the back surface of the outer tub 20, and is formed extending forward at the upper portion of the outer tub 20. The upstream end of the hot air duct 251 is connected to the outlet 300b (see FIG. 10) of the heat pump unit 300 via the blower fan 2. The downstream end of the hot air duct 251 is connected to the blowing nozzle 203 via a bellows tube 254.

[0038] The blower fan 2 is configured to include a fan case 2a, a centrifugal impeller (not shown), and an electric motor 2b that drives and rotates the centrifugal impeller. The blower fan 2 is attached adjacent to the right side surface of the heat pump unit 300 with the rotating shaft facing horizontally.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8, a variable resistance device 256 is provided in the hot air duct 251 that connects the blower fan 2 provided at the outlet (outlet) 300b (see FIG. 10) of the heat pump unit 300 to the blowing nozzle 203 at the front of the outer tub 20. The variable resistance device 256 is provided in the hot air duct 251 and is composed of a flap (not shown) that opens and closes the air passage of the hot air duct 251 and an electric motor (not shown) that drives the flap. In a drying course that requires high-temperature hot air or a drying course that requires high temperature, the flap of the variable resistance device 256 is driven in a direction that closes the hot air duct 251 side, thereby suppressing the hot air toward the blowing nozzle 203 side and increasing the resistance of the air passage. Increasing the air passage resistance, that is, increasing the rotation speed of the blower fan 2 and operating at an operating point where the discharge pressure of the blower fan 2 is increased, strengthens the adiabatic compression of the blower fan 2. This allows a higher air temperature to be obtained at the outlet of the blower fan 2. In drying with a higher hot air temperature, there are frequent processes in which thoroughly dried laundry and laundry 30 that is in the process of being dried are mixed together. In this case, friction of the completely dried laundry increases, and a lot of lint may be produced. For this reason, an optional operation such as lengthening the filter cleaning process after drying may be provided as necessary.

[0040] The blow-out nozzle 203 is provided adjacent to the packing of the door of the outer tub 20 so as to blow air directly from the opening onto the laundry 30 in the rotary drum 29. The cross-sectional area of ​​the blow-out nozzle 203 is smaller than that of the hot air duct 251, so that the hot air is blown out at a high speed onto the laundry 30, improving the heat transfer performance. When a drying course for drying with a higher speed air is provided separately from the normal drying course, the use of a higher speed air causes more friction on the laundry 30, so that lint is more likely to come out. In this case, too, a filter cleaning process after drying or a selection operation for extending the automatic filter cleaning time at the next wash may be provided as necessary.

[0041] FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the connection between the rear surface of the outer tub and the return air duct, focusing on the positional relationship between the secondary filter and the water sprinkler for the secondary filter in the washer / dryer according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, a water sprinkler 405 (water supply unit) for cleaning secondary filter 401 is provided above and in front of secondary filter 401. This water sprinkler 405 has water sprinkler pipe section 405a formed along the curved shape of the upper surface of secondary filter 401, and a plurality of discharge holes (not shown) for discharging water to water sprinkler pipe section 405a are formed along the longitudinal direction (axial direction of the pipe). In addition, water sprinkler 405 is connected to water supply electromagnetic valve 16 (see Fig. 2) via piping (not shown).

[0042] FIG. 10 is an oblique view showing a heat pump unit housed in the lower part of the housing of the washer / dryer of this embodiment, FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing the inside of the heat pump unit, and FIG. 12 is an oblique view showing the inside of part XII of FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 10, the heat pump unit case 310 includes an inlet 300a connected to the return duct 252 (see FIG. 8) and an outlet 300b connected to the hot air duct 251 that guides hot air to the blow-out nozzle 203. An air inlet 260 is formed near the center of the upper part of the heat pump unit case 310. The air inlet 260 is formed in a slit shape and is provided between the communication port 410 and the heat pump unit 300. The air inlet 260 takes in an amount of ambient outside air that is approximately the same as the amount of air exhausted from the exhaust port 306b (see FIG. 9). The air inlet 260 is formed at a position that leads to a space between the evaporator 302 (see FIG. 12) and the condenser 301 (see FIG. 12), which are components of the heat pump unit 300.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 11, the heat pump unit 300 is mainly composed of a compressor 307, a condenser 301, a variable expansion valve 308, and an evaporator 302. In this embodiment, the variable expansion valve 308 is used as the expansion means, but a fixed expansion means such as a capillary tube may be used. The flow of circulating air is such that it passes through the evaporator 302, then flows into the condenser 301, and reaches the intake port of the blower fan 2. Since the intake port 260 is located between the evaporator 302 and the condenser 301, the amount of air flowing into the evaporator 302 is the amount obtained by subtracting the amount of exhaust air exhausted at the exhaust port 306b (see FIG. 9) from the amount of air blown out of the blower fan 2, and since the amount of air that flows into the condenser 301 is the same as the amount of exhaust air, the amount of air passing through the condenser 301 is equal to the amount of air blown out of the blower fan 2.

[0044] In the evaporator 302, the circulating air exchanges heat with the low-temperature cooling medium, so that the air is dehumidified and drain water is generated. As shown in Fig. 12, a drain pump 312 is provided as necessary to drain the drain water to the outside. This drain pump 312 is usually driven by detecting the amount of drain water stored in the system or at predetermined intervals.

[0045] The fins of the evaporator 302 and the condenser 301 are spaced about 1 to 2 mm apart to ensure heat exchange performance. Note that lint that could not be removed by the primary filter 400 and the secondary filter 401 may adhere to the evaporator 302 and the condenser 301. To deal with this unexpected situation, a water spray unit 270 (see FIG. 10) is provided to perform cleaning before the drying process, or a cleaning method is adopted by detecting a change in the air volume.

[0046] Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of cleaning water from a water sprinkler in a secondary filter. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of cleaning water from a water sprinkler according to a modified example. In Figs. 13 and 14, the flow of water (cleaning water) is indicated by white arrows. As shown in FIG. 13, the water sprinkler 405 is provided between the primary filter 400 and the secondary filter 401 when viewed from another angle. The cleaning water from the water sprinkler 405 is sprinkled toward the front surface (the surface facing the primary filter 400) of the secondary filter 401. As a result, the cleaning water supplied to the surface (front surface) of the secondary filter 401 washes the surface (front surface) of the secondary filter 401 and flows down to the approximately horizontal portion 407 of the communication port 410. The cleaning water that has flowed down to the approximately horizontal portion 407 flows and is collected at the approximately horizontal portion 400d (approximately horizontal) provided on the frame portion 400a of the primary filter 400. The cleaning water from the water sprinkler 405 is repelled by the surface (front surface) of the secondary filter 401 and splashes toward the primary filter 400 side. When the water supply pressure to sprinkler 405 is increased by selecting the water supply valve for sprinkler 405, some of the water supplied from sprinkler 405 is repelled by secondary filter 401 and splashes onto primary filter 400. By setting a high ratio of this splashed water, the entire overlapping portion of primary filter 400 and secondary filter 401 can be cleaned.

[0047] The cleaning water from the water sprinkler 405 passes through the secondary filter 401 and flows down from the return duct 252 to the heat pump unit 300 side. The cleaning water scattered from the surface of the secondary filter 401 to the primary filter 400 side cleans the back side (side facing the secondary filter 401) of the primary filter 400, and then flows down to the bottom of the primary filter 400. That is, the cleaning water that flows along the surface (front surface) of the secondary filter 401 to the approximately horizontal part 407 of the communication port 410 merges with the cleaning water collected at the bottom of the approximately horizontal part 400d of the primary filter 400, and then flows down from the approximately horizontal part 407 (bottom wall) of the in-tank duct 409 to the bent part 408 by its own weight, and flows down the in-tank duct 409 through the inner peripheral side surface 409b3 (duct side wall) that forms a part of the inner side wall of the in-tank duct 409. As described above, the cleaning water is collected in the approximately horizontal parts 407, 400d of the in-tank duct 409 and then flows down to the bottom of the outer tank 20, so that it is drained from the back side of the primary filter 400 without splashing onto the back side of the rotating drum 29.

[0048] 14, a configuration may be adopted in which a sprinkler 405 is provided behind secondary filter 401 (on the return duct 252 side), and cleaning water from sprinkler 405 is sprinkled onto secondary filter 401 from the return duct 252 side. Such a configuration is basically acceptable, and cleaning water is broadly divided into a portion that passes through secondary filter 401 and is collected under substantially horizontal portion 400d of primary filter 400, a portion that flows down from return duct 252 towards heat pump unit 300, and a portion that passes through the mesh of secondary filter 401 and is scattered towards primary filter 400. Each type of drainage is as described above.

[0049] As described above, secondary filter 401, which has a finer mesh, is basically cleaned by water supply, and therefore can avoid clogging due to detergent components during washing and fabric softener components during rinsing. Furthermore, since only a portion of the cleaned water flows down to the heat pump unit 300 side, it can be drained by a drain pump intended for drainage during the drying process without flooding the heat exchanger.

[0050] The filter thus configured is washed during the washing process or before the drying process. It may be washed after the drying process. The washing of the filters is roughly divided into a washing process of the primary filter 400 and a washing process of the secondary filter 401. The primary filter 400 forms a part of the back surface of the outer tub 20, so the primary filter 400 is washed by rotating the rotary drum 29 with water pooled at the bottom of the outer tub 20, and by bathing the submerged part of the rotary drum 29 in the water (by pouring the washing water). Specifically, the recess 412 of the drum flange 402 and the recess 416 of the rotary drum 29 mainly pump up the water when submerged, and the water is dispersed from the recess 412 and the recess 416 by the force of gravity as the rotary drum 29 rotates. At this time, the water hits the protrusion 413 provided adjacent to the recess 412 of the drum flange 402, and is dispersed toward the primary filter 400 side. After cleaning the surface of the primary filter 400, the water continues to flow in the same direction as the rotation direction of the rotating drum 29 due to inertia even after reaching the periphery of the back surface of the outer tub 20. After that, when it collides with the flow straightener 415, it flows down again toward the primary filter 400 along the inclined surface of the flow straightener 415. By flowing down the surface of the primary filter 400 again, the primary filter 400 can be efficiently cleaned. Note that, of the water pumped up by the submerged part of the rotating drum 29, the water that is dispersed when it approaches the opening 411 at the bottom of the primary filter 400 flows from the opening 411 to the in-tank duct 409 side, but since the opening 411 is provided with a lattice 414, the water that flows on the surface of the lattice 414 can reach the surface of the primary filter 400 as it is. In addition, the water flowing through the in-tank duct 409 from the opening 411 can also clean the primary filter 400 from the back side when it eventually loses speed.

[0051] Furthermore, the area of ​​the mesh member 400b of the window filter 400s (see FIG. 4) forming the primary filter 400 is smaller at the lower part than at the upper part, so that when the water splashes from the drum flange 402 to the window filter 400s side, the ratio of the amount of water passing through the primary filter 400 and flowing into the in-tank duct 409 side can be adjusted (reduced). Specifically, the water splashed onto the outer peripheral frame 400a1 (see FIG. 4) flows in the same direction as the rotation direction of the rotating drum 29 due to inertia, and reaches the upper window filter 400s above it, so that the upper primary filter 400 can be washed. The upper window filter 400s is downstream of the in-tank duct 409, so that a large amount of air usually flows in and lint is easily attached. As described above, the upper window filter 400s can also be washed more efficiently, so that the amount of air can always be secured.

[0052] As described above, basically, the water pumped up as the rotating drum 29 rotates is collected on the primary filter 400 and sprayed onto it, cleaning both the front surface (the surface facing the rotating drum 29) and the back surface (the surface forming the inside of the in-tank duct 409) of the primary filter 400, thereby enabling efficient cleaning.

[0053] Furthermore, some of the water that has washed primary filter 400 and reached the top passes through primary filter 400 and reaches secondary filter 401 when it stalls. By flooding the entire area of ​​secondary filter 401 and allowing the water to flow down to bent portion 408 of in-tank duct 409, it is possible to wash away lint that has accumulated on the surface of secondary filter 401. When the amount of lint accumulated on secondary filter 401 is small, the water is guided to the bottom of heat pump unit 300 via return duct 252. Finally, the water is pumped up by drain pump 312 together with the condensed water of evaporator 302 and discharged outside the device.

[0054] The secondary filter 401 is washed by spraying water from a water spraying device 405 provided on the upper part of the secondary filter 401. When lint has accumulated on the secondary filter 401, the sprayed water flows down the surface of the secondary filter 401 to wash away the lint, and then flows toward the in-tank duct 409 and is collected at the approximately horizontal part 400d of the primary filter 400. Thereafter, the water flows from the in-tank duct 409, sequentially down the bent part 408, and is drained from the drain outlet 21 at the bottom of the outer tub 20 through the opening 411 to the outside of the machine.

[0055] In this embodiment, the communication port 410 is provided with one rib 406 (flow suppressing member) that suppresses the flow of cleaning water to the bent portion 408 of the in-tank duct 409. This prevents (suppresses) the cleaning water that reaches the primary filter 400 from the secondary filter 401 via the in-tank duct 409 from flowing down the secondary filter 401 and then flowing directly into the bent portion 408 without reaching the primary filter 400. The number of ribs 406 is not limited to one, and may be multiple. The number of ribs 406 is preferably set according to the amount of cleaning water. Although the rib 406 has been described as being rod-shaped, it may be configured in a lattice shape.

[0056] 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the side wall of the in-tank duct, taken along the vertical line at the bent portion 408. 15, the in-tank duct 409 is surrounded by a bottom surface 409b1 located on the rear side, an outer circumferential side surface 409b2 located on the outer circumferential side, an inner circumferential side surface 409b3 located on the inner circumferential side, and the primary filter 400. The inner circumferential side surface 409b3 is connected to the approximately horizontal portion 407 which is the bottom surface of the communication port 410.

[0057] In addition, the inner peripheral side surface 409b3 is inclined downward from the front to the rear. This causes the wash water flowing down the bent portion 408 to flow on the bottom surface 409b1 side, making it possible to prevent the wash water from flowing down to the primary filter 400 side. As a result, it is possible to prevent the wash water flowing down the bent portion 408 from splashing onto the rotating drum 29.

[0058] FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device of the washer / dryer according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16, the control device 90 includes a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer") 110. The microcomputer 110 acquires various information signals (drainage temperature sensor T1, temperature sensor T2, temperature sensor T3, outside air temperature sensor T4, and electrical conductivity sensor 4) in the washing process and drying process as well as user operations (operation switch 12). The microcomputer 110 is also connected to the motor M10, water supply solenoid valve 16, drainage valve V1, circulation pump 18, blower fan 2, compressor 307, variable expansion valve 308, drainage pump 312, variable exhaust means 306, and variable resistor device 256 via drive circuits, and controls the opening / closing, rotation, and energization of these. The microcomputer 110 also controls the display 14, buzzer (not shown), and the like to inform the user of information related to the washer / dryer 100. The microcomputer 110 also includes an operation pattern database 111, a process control unit 112, a rotation speed calculation unit 113, a clothes weight calculation unit 114, an electrical conductivity measurement unit 115, a detergent amount / washing time determination unit 116, a turbidity determination unit 117, and a threshold value storage unit 118. The microcomputer 110 starts up when a power switch (not shown) is pressed to turn on the power, and executes a basic control processing program for washing and drying as shown in FIG.

[0059] FIG. 17 is a process diagram illustrating the operation process of the washing operation (from washing to drying) in the washer / dryer according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 17, in step S1, the control device 90 accepts an input for selecting a course of operation for the washer / dryer 100 (course selection). Here, the user opens the door 9, puts laundry 30 to be washed into the rotating drum 29, and closes the door 9. The user then operates the operation switch 12 to select and input a course of operation. By operating the operation switch 12, the selected course of operation is input to the control device 90. The control device 90 reads a corresponding operation pattern from the operation pattern database 111 based on the input course of operation, and proceeds to step S2. In the following description, it is assumed that the standard course of washing and drying (wash-rinse twice-spin-dry) has been selected.

[0060] In step S2, the control device 90 executes a process of detecting the weight (cloth amount) of the laundry 30 put into the rotating drum 29 (cloth amount sensing). Specifically, the process control unit 112 drives the motor M10 to rotate the rotating drum 29, and the clothes weight calculation unit 114 calculates the weight (cloth amount) of the laundry 30 before water is poured.

[0061] In step S3, the control device 90 executes a process of calculating the amount of detergent and the operation time. The conductivity measuring unit 115 detects the conductivity (hardness) of the supplied water. In addition, a drain temperature sensor T1 provided at the bottom of the outer tub 20 (for example, at the drain outlet 21) detects the temperature of the supplied water. The detergent amount / washing time determining unit 116 determines the amount of detergent to be dispensed and the operation time by map search based on the detected amount of laundry, the water conductivity (hardness) obtained by the conductivity measuring unit 115 using the detection value from the conductivity sensor 4, and the water temperature. Then, the process control unit 112 displays the determined amount of detergent and operation time on the display 14.

[0062] In step S4, the control device 90 waits for a predetermined time (detergent input waiting step), and then proceeds to step S5. During the waiting time, the user inputs detergent into the detergent input section (not shown) with reference to the amount of detergent displayed on the display 14. If automatic detergent input is set, the detergent input operation can be omitted.

[0063] The washing process is broadly divided into a detergent dissolving process (step S5), a pre-wash process (step S6), and a main wash process (step S7). The main wash process is further divided into a first main wash process (main wash 1 process) and a subsequent second main wash process (main wash 2 process), but there is no problem in terms of function even if the processes are not clearly distinguished in terms of the operation process. Also, the function of the washing process as a whole will not change even if some of the operations in the processes described below are omitted.

[0064] In step S5, the control device 90 executes the detergent dissolving process. A predetermined solenoid valve of the water supply solenoid valve 16 is opened to supply water. The water is introduced into the detergent inlet and then into the outer tub 20. The detergent liquid introduced into the outer tub 20 is supplied to the water receiving section 54 (see FIG. 2) located at the bottom of the rotating drum 29 through a water supply path (not shown). After the detergent liquid is introduced, when the circulation pump 18 (see FIG. 2) is driven, the water in the water receiving section 54 flows from the drain port 21 through the lint filter 222 into the suction port (not shown) of the circulation pump 18. The wash water pressurized by the circulation pump 18 is returned to the water receiving section 54 again from a circulation discharge port (not shown) that communicates with the outlet of the circulation pump 18.

[0065] At this point, the control device 90 detects the conductivity using the conductivity sensor 4 (discrimination means) in the water receiving section 54, and compares the conductivity database for the high-concentration detergent aqueous solution with the conductivity database for the fabric softener aqueous solution. By repeating the circulation, a uniform high-concentration detergent solution is produced in which the detergent is dissolved in a small amount of water. Then, the rotating drum 29 is rotated to agitate the laundry 30, and the detergent solution pumped up by the circulation pump 18 through the flow path 20b1 (see FIG. 3) is evenly sprayed from the spray nozzle 223 (see FIG. 3).

[0066] In step S6, the control device 90 executes a pre-washing process. In this process, the laundry 30 soaked in detergent liquid is usually present in the outer tub 20, and a small amount of detergent liquid is present in the water receiving portion 54 at the bottom of the outer tub 20. By rotating the rotary drum 29, the laundry 30 is lifted to the top of the rotary drum 29, and then beaten by a tumbling action in which the laundry 30 falls to the bottom by gravity. As a result, the detergent liquid soaked in the laundry 30 is squeezed out, and the circulation pump 18 is driven intermittently as necessary to spray the detergent liquid again onto the laundry 30. Even during this operation, the washing performance can be improved by increasing the so-called washing temperature of the washing water (detergent liquid) and the laundry, so the airflow from the blower fan 2 is heated by the heat pump unit 300 and then blown as necessary. By increasing the washing temperature level, the penetration of the high-concentration detergent liquid into the laundry 30 can also be promoted. As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 203 for blowing air from the blower fan 2 is provided at a position opposite to the watering nozzle 223 on the circumference of the outer tub 20, preventing interference of the hot air for promoting the spraying and penetration of the high-concentration detergent solution, thereby enabling efficient washing. Since the laundry 30 is in a state where the high-concentration detergent solution is retained, the heat conduction is better than when the gaps between the fibers of the laundry 30 are occupied by air, and the laundry 30 can be heated efficiently. This allows more dirt to be separated from the fibers in a short time. The separated dirt is quickly dispersed in the retained high-concentration detergent solution, preventing the dirt from coagulating and reattaching.

[0067] A circulation pump (not shown) with a smaller flow rate than the circulation pump 18 may be installed separately. In this case, liquid droplets (detergent liquid) may be mixed into the warm air by pumping up water from the water receiving section 54 and spraying it into the warm air near the outlet of the blower (blower fan 2), and then sprayed onto the laundry 30. If additional water is supplied during the washing process until the normal circulation level is ensured and sprayed by the circulation pump 18, the temperature of the laundry 30 drops sharply. Therefore, by using the above-mentioned configuration and spraying a smaller amount of circulating water on the warm air, the water contained in the laundry 30 can be replaced evenly and little by little. This makes it possible to suppress a sudden drop in temperature of the laundry 30, thereby improving the washing performance.

[0068] A filter cleaning process may be performed at some timing from the pre-washing process to the main washing process. In order to remove lint that could not be removed by the swirling flow caused by the rotation of the rotary drum 29 during the drying process and lint that accumulated when only the washing operation was performed repeatedly, water is sprayed from the water spraying device 405 onto the secondary filter 401, but the sprayed water can be used as cleaning water for the washing process. Since water can be sprayed without waste, a cleaning process including cleaning of the secondary filter 401 is preferable as described above. After cleaning, the exhaust port 306b is opened by the variable exhaust means 306 (see FIG. 8). In this embodiment, a valve 306c (exhaust hatch) is provided as the variable exhaust means 306. This allows fine water droplets that have not fallen from the mesh of the secondary filter 401 to be diffused into the surrounding air of the air in the duct, thereby reducing humidity. If the secondary filter 401 is dry at the start of drying, adhesion of lint is suppressed and stable exhaust can be achieved.

[0069] In step S7, the control device 90 executes the main washing process. In the main washing process, additional water is supplied at the end of the pre-washing process to increase the amount of water in the water receiving section 54 and raise the water level. This water level is to be maintained at a level sufficient to pump up the washing water from the water receiving section 54 by the circulation pump 18 and continuously spray it from the water spray nozzle 223 at the top of the outer tub 20. Spraying from the water spray nozzle 223 may be continuous or intermittent. Specifically, while a large amount of dirt is still attached to the back side of the laundry 30, the water is continuously sprayed to promote agitation of the washing water. This allows the washing water held by the laundry 30 to be constantly replaced with washing water with a low concentration of dirt. After most of the dirt has been removed, it is more efficient to remove the remaining dirt by mainly using the mechanical force of beating wash. Therefore, it is preferable to perform intermittent spraying in the latter half so as not to interfere with the mechanical force. In addition, by making the driving force of the circulation pump 18 intermittent, the amount of power consumption can be reduced, which is also preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving.

[0070] The water sprinkler nozzle 223 is located in the outer tub 20 above the central axis of the rotatable rotating drum 29 when viewed from the front of the washer-dryer 100, and in front when viewed from the side of the washer-dryer 100. This allows the water sprinkler nozzle 223 to spray water at a wide angle relative to the radial direction of the rotating drum 29. In the first main washing step, in addition to spraying over a wide range, the laundry 30 accumulated below the rotating drum 29 is lifted by the rotation of the rotating drum 29 and dropped from above inside the rotating drum 29, thereby applying a mechanical force to the laundry 30 to beat it. The larger the drum diameter, the greater the synergistic effect of spraying over a wide range and beating, and the shorter the time for the main washing step.

[0071] Furthermore, the control device 90 executes a second main washing step as necessary. By supplying water at the end of the above-mentioned main washing step (first main washing step), the amount of water in the second main washing step is made greater than the amount of water in the first main washing step. Furthermore, the circulation flow rate of the circulation pump 18 in the second main washing step is made greater than the circulation flow rate of the circulation pump 18 in the first main washing step. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the motor M10 of the rotating drum 29 in the second main washing step is made lower than the rotation speed of the motor M10 in the first main washing step. The combination of the first main washing step and the second main washing step is an operating algorithm that suppresses the darkening and stiffness of the laundry 30.

[0072] In a part or the whole of the first or second washing process, the washing operation may be such that the washing water pumped up by the circulation pump 18 is sprayed from the spray nozzle 223 while the rotating drum 29 is rotated with the laundry 30 stuck to the inner wall of the rotating drum 29 without tumbling. By such an operation, the washing water contained in the laundry 30 is pushed out by centrifugal force and is constantly sprayed and supplied by the spraying of water from the spray nozzle 223. By washing with such a flow of washing water within the fibers, it is possible to suppress the generation of lint due to rubbing between the laundry 30, reduce the amount of lint circulating with the circulating air in the drying process, and reduce the cleaning process of the evaporator 302.

[0073] In step S8, the control device 90 executes a first rinsing step (rinsing 1 step). In this step, the drain valve V1 is opened to drain the wash water, and then the drain valve V1 is closed to supply rinsing water to a predetermined water level in the outer tub 20. Then, the rotating drum 29 is rotated to agitate and rinse the laundry 30 and the rinsing water. At this timing, the washing of the primary filter 400 may be mainly performed in addition. Relatively clean rinsing water is picked up by the rotation of the drum and bathed in the primary filter 400. The rotation of the rotating drum 29 at this time is preferably faster than the rotation speed in the normal rinsing step to provide momentum for splashing the water to the back side of the outer tub 20.

[0074] In step S9, the control device 90 executes a second rinsing step (second rinsing step). In the second rinsing step, as in the first rinsing step, the drain valve V1 is opened to drain the rinsing water, and then the drain valve V1 is closed to supply the rinsing water to a predetermined water level in the outer tub 20. Thereafter, the rotating drum 29 is rotated to agitate and rinse the laundry 30 and the rinsing water. In a part or all of the first or second rinsing step, the rinsing operation may be such that the rotating drum 29 is rotated with the laundry 30 stuck to the inner wall of the rotating drum 29 without tumbling while the rinsing water pumped up by the circulation pump 18 is sprayed from the spray nozzle 223. By performing such an operation, the rinsing water contained in the laundry 30 is pushed out by centrifugal force, and if the rinsing operation is constantly sprayed and supplied by spraying water from the spray nozzle 223, it is possible to suppress the generation of lint due to friction between the laundry 30, reduce the amount of lint circulating with the circulating air in the drying process, and reduce the cleaning process of the evaporator 302. In this process, a cleaning process mainly for the secondary filter 401 may be performed in addition. Since the rinsing water squeezed out from the laundry 30 is sprayed onto the primary filter 400, it is preferable to wash the secondary filter 401 during this time.

[0075] Also, at the timing of switching to step S8 or step S9, a cleaning process may be provided mainly for the primary filter 400. Since the rinse water contains less detergent and dirt than the cleaning water, the rinse water is scooped up by the rotation of the drum to clean the primary filter 400 before the rinse water in the water receiving portion 54 at the bottom of the outer tub 20 is drained. Most of the water scooped up by the rotation of the rotating drum 29 is drained out of the tub from the overflow hose 17 located lower than the primary filter 400 after cleaning the surface of the primary filter 400. As the cleaning of the primary filter 400 progresses and the primary filter 400 becomes easier to pass water through, the amount of water passing through the primary filter 400 and reaching the secondary filter 401 increases. Furthermore, the rinse water that reaches the heat pump unit case 310 from the secondary filter 401 via the return duct 252 is drained by the drain pump 312. In order to remove dirt adhering to secondary filter 401 together with the rinsing water, it is preferable to carry out a cleaning process for secondary filter 401 after the cleaning process for primary filter 400, as necessary.

[0076] In step S10, the control device 90 executes a spin-drying process. In this process, the drain valve V1 is opened to drain the rinse water in the outer tub 20, and then the rotating drum 29 is rotated to centrifugally spin-dry the laundry 30. The spin-drying rotation speed is increased to a set rotation speed according to the load, unless there is a malfunction such as the laundry 30 being unbalanced and the current value of the motor M10 exceeding the upper limit. When the spin-drying rotation speed is increased and the rotating drum 29 rotates at high speed, vibrations are transmitted to the outer tub 20, and the outer tub 20 itself vibrates slightly. In addition, the bellows 10 can absorb the vibrations transmitted to the door 9 side due to the high-speed rotation of the rotating drum 29. The warm air ducts 251 are also connected to the air outlets of the outer tub 20 by bellows tubes, so that the vibrations can be absorbed.

[0077] In addition, the cleaning process of the secondary filter 401 can be performed in the spin-drying process. In order to remove lint that could not be removed by the swirling flow caused by the rotation of the rotary drum 29 during the previous drying process and lint that accumulated when only the washing operation was performed repeatedly, the secondary filter 401 is cleaned by spraying water from the water sprinkler 405. After cleaning, the blower fan 2 is driven to diffuse fine water droplets that could not fall from the mesh of the secondary filter 401 into the surrounding outside air of the duct air to reduce humidity. Furthermore, if necessary, the valve 306c of the variable exhaust means 306 is kept open during the spin-drying process to ensure communication with the surrounding outside air. In the spin-drying process, the outer tub 20 tilts backward due to the rise in internal pressure caused by the high-speed rotation of the rotary drum 29. However, in this embodiment, the variable exhaust means 306 is provided to communicate with the surrounding outside air, reducing the tilting of the outer tub 20 backward, thereby improving the reliability of the bellows 10, etc.

[0078] In addition, in order to promote dehydration, hot air is blown into the rotating drum 29 to warm the laundry 30, expanding the fibers and lowering the viscosity of the water, which makes it easier to remove water and enhances dehydration. In this case, the heat pump unit 300 may be driven, but if it takes time for the compressor 307 to warm up, the air temperature may be increased by adiabatic compression by narrowing the air path with the variable resistance device 256 (see FIG. 8). Since the air path resistance increases, it is better to ensure the amount of circulating air by rotating the blower fan 2 at high speed. The suction pressure of the blower fan 2 decreases and the pressure of the return duct 252 also decreases, but since the driving force of the exhaust can be based on the difference between the internal pressure of the outer tub 20 and the atmosphere, a stable exhaust amount can be maintained. Accordingly, by exhausting a part of the moist return air and replenishing it with outside air from the air intake 260 (see FIG. 10), the specific heat can be kept small, so that higher temperature air can be continuously supplied into the drum, which promotes dehydration.

[0079] Furthermore, when air is blown by the blower fan 2 in the dehydration process, the air is blown directly into the rotating drum 29 from the blowing nozzle 203, which tends to increase the internal pressure of the rotating drum 29. Therefore, in this embodiment, by providing the variable exhaust means 306 and opening the exhaust port 306b (see FIG. 9), the rotating drum 29 can communicate with the outside air through the exhaust port 306b without resistance to the rise in the internal pressure, and therefore the rotating drum 29 can be prevented from tilting backward too much. This makes it possible to protect the bellows 10.

[0080] In step S11, the control device 90 executes the drying process. In the drying process, the blower fan 2 is driven first, and then the compressor 307 in the heat pump unit 300 is driven. The variable expansion valve 308 is once fully opened to perform an origin adjustment, and then the opening degree is adjusted so that the thermistor (not shown) provided in the suction pipe of the compressor 307 does not become low temperature. The rotation speed of the compressor 307 is adjusted so that the difference between the thermistor (not shown) provided in the discharge pipe and the hot air thermistor provided at the outlet of the blower fan 2 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. After the air that has become high temperature in the heat pump unit 300 is pressurized by the blower fan 2, it is blown into the rotating drum 29 through the blowing nozzle 203 to exchange heat with the laundry 30 and evaporate moisture from the laundry 30. The circulating air containing the moisture evaporated from the laundry 30 is returned from the outer tub 20 to the heat pump unit 300 through the return duct 252. In the heat pump unit 300, the circulating air is cooled to below the dew point temperature by the evaporator 302 arranged on the windward side, and is dehumidified. The air is then heated in the condenser 301, and becomes low-humidity warm air.

[0081] In this embodiment, when air flows from the outer tub 20 into the return duct 252, a part of the air is exhausted from the exhaust port 306b, and the same amount of air is taken in from the surrounding outside air through the intake port 260 of the heat pump unit 300. As a result, highly humid air is exhausted and less humid air is taken in, resulting in an operation with enhanced dehumidification. At this time, the lint collected by the primary filter 400 is prevented from accumulating on the primary filter 400 because the airflow generated in the gap between the rotating drum 29 and the outer tub 20 as the rotating drum 29 rotates flows so as to trace the approximately arc-shaped shape of the primary filter 400. This allows stable exhaust and air circulation throughout the drying process.

[0082] The drying judgment is performed at the start of drying or at a specified time after the start of operation by measuring the exhaust temperature T2a of the outer tub 20 using a temperature sensor T2 (not shown) installed at the connection between the outer tub 20 and the return duct 252 and the hot air temperature T3a using a temperature sensor T3 (not shown) installed on the outlet side of the blower fan 2 (initial temperature setting). After that, after a specified time corresponding to the load has elapsed, the exhaust temperature T2b and hot air temperature T3b of the outer tub 20 are measured for the end judgment, and the difference between the initial temperature and the end judgment temperature is calculated (ΔT2=T2a-T2b, ΔT3=T3a-T3b). Furthermore, the end of drying is judged by checking whether the temperature difference (ΔT2-ΔT3) is equal to or greater than the specified temperature.

[0083] At the end of the drying process, a cleaning process of the filter may be performed as necessary. At this timing, since dried laundry is present in the rotating drum 29, the cleaning process of the secondary filter 401 is the main process, but it is preferable to reduce the amount of water sprayed to a level that does not affect the humidity inside the rotating drum 29. If a process of increasing the temperature of the laundry 30 to sterilize the laundry 30 at the end of the drying process is set, it is preferable to perform the cleaning process before that and open the variable exhaust means 306 after that. Even when increasing the temperature to sterilize the laundry 30, a part of the circulating air that may become highly humid near the communication port 410 of the outer tub 20 can be exhausted from the exhaust port 306b, so that the humidity of the circulating air can be efficiently reduced.

[0084] If the drying process is not set in the course selection (step S1), the operation ends in step S10. However, the cleaning process of the secondary filter 401 is a process that can be performed separately from the drying process, and it is preferable to make it a selective execution function that reflects the degree of lint adhesion, for example, by selecting it after only the washing course is operated.

[0085] According to this embodiment, the primary filter 400 and the secondary filter 401 are always free from clogging with lint before the drying process, and drying can be performed with little air resistance, so that drying can be performed within a drying time according to the load, and power consumption can be reduced.

[0086] As described above, the washer / dryer 100 of this embodiment includes the outer tub 20 capable of storing liquid therein, the rotating drum 29 (drum) supported rotatably within the outer tub 20 and accommodating laundry 30, the drum flange 402 provided on the rear surface of the rotating drum 29 facing the rear surface of the outer tub 20 in order to ensure the strength of the rotating drum 29, the drying device that sends dry air to the outer tub 20 and the rotating drum 29, the return duct 252 (return air passage) through which air returns from the outer tub 20 to the drying device, and the hot air duct 251 through which air is sent from the drying device to the inside of the rotating drum 29. The outer tub 20 is provided with a supply air duct, a communication port 410 (outlet) provided at the upper part of the rear surface of the outer tub 20 and communicating with the suction side of the drying device, an in-tub duct 409 provided at the rear surface of the outer tub 20 and connected to the communication port 410, a primary filter 400 provided as a part of the side wall of the in-tub duct 409, an opening 411 provided at the bottom of the primary filter 400 so as to have less ventilation resistance than the primary filter 400, a secondary filter 401 provided downstream of the communication port 410, and a water sprinkler 405 (water supply unit) that supplies cleaning water to the secondary filter 401. A flow straightener 415 that straightens the flow toward the primary filter 400 is provided on the outer periphery side of the primary filter 400 on the rear surface of the outer tub 20. This allows the cleaning water that has risen around the periphery of the primary filter 400 to flow toward the primary filter 400, making it possible to efficiently clean the primary filter 400.

[0087] In this embodiment, the primary filter 400 is configured with a plurality of window filters 400s in which the frame portion 400a is partitioned by partition portions 400c, and the area of ​​the lower window filter 400s is smaller than that of the upper window filter 400s. This reduces the proportion of the amount of water passing through the primary filter 400 and flowing into the in-tank duct 409 side, and the cleaning water can be used to clean the upper window filters 400s. As a result, the cleaning water can be made to flow through the upper window filters 400s to which lint is likely to adhere, and cleaning can be performed efficiently.

[0088] In this embodiment, the opening 411 is provided at the bottom of the primary filter 400, and the opening 411 is provided with a lattice 414 extending from the lower end of the opening 411 to the window filter 400s adjacent to the opening 411. This allows the cleaning water poured into the primary filter 400 near the opening 411 to flow over the lattice 414 and clean the surface of the primary filter 400 without flowing into the in-tank duct 409 side.

[0089] Moreover, in this embodiment, the rotating drum 29 has a recess 412 and a protrusion 413 adjacent to the recess 412 on a surface facing at least a part of the primary filter 400. As a result, water that is expelled from the recess 412 as the rotating drum 29 rotates hits the protrusion 413 and is bent significantly toward the back side of the outer tub 20, so that the surface (front side) of the primary filter 400 can be efficiently cleaned.

[0090] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the protrusion provided on the rotating drum. As shown in FIG. 18, rotating drum 29 is configured to provide gap 404 between recess 412 and protrusion 413 of drum flange 402. Gap 404 is a gap formed by providing drum flange 402 in recess 416 (see FIG. 7A). Furthermore, gap 404 is slit-shaped, and when water pumped up by recess 416 of rotating drum 29 as rotating drum 29 rotates and disperses toward primary filter 400, it can directly spray water independently of water sprayed from recess 412. In rotating drum 29 configured with deeper recess 416, more water is pumped up by recess 416, and therefore the pumped water can be sprayed more efficiently onto primary filter 400.

[0091] In a washer / dryer configured in this manner, gap 404 is located between concave portion 412 and convex portion 413, which is formed when drum flange 402 is fixed to recessed portion 416 provided on the rear surface of rotating drum 29. This makes it possible to increase the flow rate of cleaning water for primary filter 400, thereby enabling primary filter 400 to be cleaned efficiently.

[0092] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing another modified example of the protrusions provided on the rotating drum. 19, the rotating drum 29 is configured with a slope 420a on the side surface (the triangular surface shown) of the protruding portion 413 facing the rotation center of the drum flange 402. This slope 420a is configured to form an angle toward the radially outer side of the rotating drum 29 with respect to the direction perpendicular to the back surface of the rotating drum 29.

[0093] With this configuration, the water flowing from the center side of the drum flange 402 in the circumferential direction can be smoothly sprayed toward the primary filter 400. In other words, the water flowing out from the gap 404 as the rotating drum 29 rotates hits mainly the side (triangular) portion of the protrusion 413 and is directed toward the back surface of the outer tub 20, thereby cleaning the primary filter 400. At this time, if necessary, the protrusion 413 may be configured to have a slope 420a on the side surface closer to the center in the radial direction, from the center toward the drum side wall, so that the water can be allowed to bathe a wider range of the surface of the primary filter 400 by peeling off while flowing along the slope 420a.

[0094] FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing still another modified example of another protrusion provided on the rotating drum. As shown in FIG. 20, the rotating drum 29 is configured to have a protrusion 413 provided in a recess 412 of the drum flange 402. With this configuration, water can be sprayed directly from the recess 416 (see FIG. 7A) of the rotating drum 29 onto the primary filter 400, and water from the recess 412A on the outermost periphery side can be sprayed onto the primary filter 400 as quickly as possible. Furthermore, if a slope 420b is provided from the inside of the recess 412A toward the edge of the drum flange 402, the water pumped up by the recess 412A can be sprayed onto the primary filter 400 more smoothly. Furthermore, the protrusion 413 can be shaped to fit within the drum flange 402, making the manufacturing process easier.

[0095] FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a grid provided at the opening of the primary filter. 21, the lattice 414 is fixed to the bottom surface 409b1 of the in-tank duct 409 on the back surface of the outer tub 20. With this configuration, the strength of the lattice 414 can be improved compared to when the lattice 414 is provided on the primary filter 400, and water that has flowed into the in-tank duct 409 from the opening 411 can be guided to the upper part of the back surface of the primary filter 400 while being rectified by the side wall 414a of the lattice 414, so that a wider area can be cleaned.

[0096] Further, the in-tank duct 409 has an inclined surface 409s that is inclined toward the rotating drum 29 below the opening 411. This makes it easier for the lint that has flowed down from the secondary filter 401 through the in-tank duct 409 to flow toward the drain outlet 21 (see FIG. 2).

[0097] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a modified example of the primary filter. As shown in Fig. 22, a guide 418 is provided on the outer side of the outer peripheral frame 400a1 of the primary filter 400. The guide 418 is formed in a plate shape and protrudes from the back surface 20s to the rotating drum 29 side. The guide 418 is also curved from the lower end of the primary filter 400 to just before the uppermost window filter 400s. With this configuration, most of the water pumped up by the rotation of the rotating drum 29 is sprayed on the primary filter 400 side at a relatively low position, but the water sprayed outside the guide 418 can be carried to the upper part along the guide 418 by inertia, so that the upper window filter 400s can be efficiently washed.

[0098] Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the area of ​​the collection portion (mesh member 400b) located at the upper part is made larger than the area of ​​the collection portion located at the lower part by the difference in the width of the inner peripheral frame 400a2 of the window filter 400s. In the inner peripheral frame 400a2 having a wider width, the amount of water flowing into the in-tank duct 409 through the mesh member 400b can be reduced among the water flow that reaches the window filter 400s. In particular, under the specification conditions in which the circumferential speed (rotation speed) of the rotating drum 29 is slow or the primary filter 400 is disposed at a height where the amount of water to be scattered from the back surface of the rotating drum 29 to the primary filter 400 is sufficiently secured, the weight of the water exceeds the amount of water before it is carried to the top of the primary filter 400 by the rotation of the rotating drum 29, and the water flows down to the side of the primary filter 400 early. Of the amount of water that flows down onto the frame of the primary filter 400 and then flows to the top of the filter due to inertia, the amount of water that passes through the inner peripheral frame 400a2 side is large. With this configuration, the water can be passed over the inner peripheral frame 400a2 and transported to the upper window filter 400s in a larger amount without passing through the filter and into the in-tank duct 409, thereby enabling efficient cleaning.

[0099] 22, a straightener 415b is provided on the wider inner frame 400a2, with the left side higher (as viewed from the front of the main body) so as to change the flow direction further upward than the direction in which it flows. With this configuration, the water that has flowed over the inner frame 400a2 is guided toward the window filter 400s, which is positioned further upward, and a wider range of the primary filter 400 can be cleaned.

[0100] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Although an example has been given in which the flow straighteners 415, 415b are provided on either the outer peripheral frame 400a1 or the inner peripheral frame 400a2 of the primary filter 400, a configuration in which flow straighteners are provided on both the outer peripheral frame 400a1 and the inner peripheral frame 400a2 may also be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1 Case 2. Blower fan (drying device) 16 Water supply solenoid valve 18 Circulation Pump 20 Outer tank 20s back 21 Drain 26 Drain hose 29 Rotating drum (inner tank) 30 Laundry 54 Water receiving section 100 Washer / dryer 203 Blowing Nozzle 223 Watering Nozzle 251 Warm air duct (air supply duct) 252 Return duct (return air passage) 256 Variable Resistor 260 Air Intake 300 Heat pump unit (drying device, heat pump) 301 Condenser 302 Evaporator 306 Variable Exhaust Means 306a Duct section 306b Exhaust port 306c Valve 307 Compressor 308 Variable Expansion Valve 310 Heat pump unit case 312 Drainage pump 400 Primary filter (first filter) 400a frame 400a1 Outer frame 400a2 inner frame 400b Mesh material 400c Section 400d Almost horizontal part 400s Window Filter 401 Secondary filter (secondary filter) 402 Drum flange 403 Threshold 404 Gap 404a Boundary 405 Watering Equipment (Water Supply Section) 406 Rib (flow suppression member) 407 Almost horizontal part 408 Bend 409 In-tank duct 409s slope 409b Concave section 409b1 Bottom 409b2 Outer side 409b3 Inner periphery side (depth direction side, duct side wall) 409s slope 410 Communication port (exit part) 411 Opening 412 Recess 413 Convex 414 Lattice 415,415A,415B,415C Rectifier 416 Depression 418 Guide 420a, 420b Incline M10 Motor (drive unit) V1 Drain valve

Claims

1. An outer tank capable of storing liquid therein; a drum that is rotatably supported within the outer tub and that accommodates laundry; a drum flange provided on a rear surface of the drum facing a rear surface of the outer tub in order to ensure the strength of the drum; A drying device for supplying dry air to the outer tub and the drum; a return air passage through which air returning from the outer tub to the drying device passes; a supply air passage through which air passes from the drying device into the drum; An outlet portion provided at an upper portion of a rear surface of the outer tub and communicating with a suction side of the drying device; An internal duct provided on a rear surface of the outer tank and connected to the outlet portion; A first filter provided as a part of a side wall of the internal duct; an opening provided at a lowermost portion of the first filter so as to have less ventilation resistance than the first filter; A second filter provided downstream of the outlet portion; a water supply unit for supplying cleaning water to the second filter; Equipped with a straightening device for straightening a flow toward the first filter, the straightening device being provided on the rear surface of the outer tub at both or either of the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the first filter.

2. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1, a first filter configured to include a plurality of window filters having a frame portion partitioned by partition portions, and an area of ​​a lower window filter being smaller than an area of ​​a window filter above it as necessary.

3. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, The opening is provided at the bottom of the first filter, The washer-dryer is characterized in that the opening is provided with a lattice extending from a lower end of the opening to the window filter adjacent to the opening.

4. The washing and drying machine according to claim 3, The washer / dryer is characterized in that the lattice is formed in an in-tub duct.

5. The washing and drying machine according to claim 4, A washing and drying machine comprising: a slanted surface that is inclined toward a drum side, below the opening of the tub duct.

6. The washing / drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the drum has a recess and a protrusion adjacent to the recess on a surface facing at least a portion of the first filter.

7. The washing and drying machine according to claim 6, The washer / dryer is characterized in that the protrusion is provided within the recess.

8. The washing and drying machine according to claim 6, a gap formed between the recess and the protrusion when a drum flange is fixed to a recess provided on a rear surface of the drum, the gap being located between the recess and the protrusion.

9. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, A guide is provided on an outer circumferential side of the first filter, The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the guide is provided from a lower end of the first filter to just before an uppermost window filter.

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