Washing and drying machine

Abstract

To provide a washing and drying machine capable of properly drying clothing.SOLUTION: A washing and drying machine 100 includes: an inner tub 140 in which clothing is stored; an outer tub 130 which includes the inner tub 140; a heat pump which dehumidifies the air by an evaporator for allowing a decompressed refrigerant to absorb heat in the periphery, compresses the refrigerant by a compressor, heats the air by a condenser for radiating heat of the compressed refrigerant, and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant by an expansion mechanism; and an exhaust port 340 for exhausting the air heated by the heat pump into the inner tub 140. The exhaust port 340 is provided on the front side of the outer tub 130, and the opening area of the exhaust port 340 is in a range equal to or greater than 1500[mm2] and equal to or less than 3000[mm2], and spraying force which is the product of the mass air volume and the air speed exhausted from the exhaust port 340 is made to be equal to or greater than 0.8[N].SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] As background art in this technical field, the following Patent Documents 1 to 3 describe techniques related to washing and drying machines. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5205492 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6923620 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 5119350 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned technology, there is a demand for a more appropriate method of drying clothes. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide a washer / dryer that can properly dry clothes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, a washer / dryer of the present invention includes an inner tub for accommodating clothes, an outer tub containing the inner tub, a heat pump that compresses a refrigerant with a compressor, dehumidifies air with an evaporator that causes the decompressed refrigerant to absorb ambient heat, compresses the refrigerant with the compressor, heats the air with a condenser that dissipates heat from the compressed refrigerant, and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant with an expansion mechanism, and a discharge port that discharges the air heated by the heat pump into the inner tub, the discharge port being provided on the front side of the outer tub and having an opening area of ​​1500 mm 2 ] or more, 3000[mm 2] or less, and the blowing force, which is the product of the mass air volume and the wind speed discharged from the discharge port, is 0.8 [N] or more. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, clothes can be dried appropriately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic central cross-sectional view of the washing / drying machine. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is another exploded perspective view of the washer / dryer. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the drying device with the upper casing removed. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway rear view of the washer / dryer. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the upper part of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the washing / drying machine. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the tank cover. [Figure 15] 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. 14. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of evaluation values ​​of drying finish. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between spray force and an evaluation value of drying finish. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a simulation result of required input power characteristics of a blower. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the calculation results of the relative required input power characteristics of a blower. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the opening area, the volumetric air volume, and the average air speed at the outlet in the present embodiment, which is forward blowing. [Figure 22] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between the opening area, the volumetric air volume, and the average air speed at the outlet in a rear-blowing modified example. [Figure 23] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a method for measuring air volume. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] [Overview of the embodiment] There are demands for a washer / dryer, as listed below. (Request #1) Good drying results (fewer wrinkles in clothes) (Request #2) Short drying time, (Request #3) Low power consumption By applying the technology of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a heater type is adopted as the drying method, and the flow rate of the clothes from the front of the tub is 1.5 [m 3 It is believed that it is possible to directly blow high-speed air at a speed of 60 m / s or more and 130 m / s or less onto the clothes. This will remove wrinkles from the clothes, and it is believed that the above-mentioned requirement #1 (finish) can be met to some extent. In addition, by applying the technology of Patent Document 2 and adopting a heat pump method as the drying method, it is believed that requirement #3 (energy saving) can also be met to some extent.

[0009] In addition, by applying the technology of Patent Document 3, it is considered that demands #1, #2, and #3 can be satisfied to some extent at the same time. That is, regarding demand #3 (energy saving), power consumption can be reduced by adopting a heat pump method, which has higher thermal efficiency than a heater type, as a drying method. Furthermore, regarding demand #2 (time saving), high-speed air is blown onto the clothes to remove wrinkles, which can promote evaporation of moisture from the clothes and shorten the drying time. Furthermore, by adopting a highly efficient heat pump method, the suppressed current can be distributed to the blower motor. This makes it possible to flow a large amount of hot air even at a low temperature, and drying can be achieved in a short time while suppressing shrinkage of the clothes. This makes it possible to achieve a finish with fewer wrinkles and shrinkage, and it is considered that demand #1 (finish) can be satisfied to some extent.

[0010] The technology applied in Patent Document 1 can improve the drying finish to a certain extent by adjusting the volume, speed, and blowing force of the air blown onto the clothes. However, because it uses a heater as the drying method, it has the problem of being less efficient and consuming more power than the heat pump drying method.

[0011] In addition, the technology applied in Patent Document 2 can reduce power consumption to some extent by adopting a heat pump system. However, since the nozzle area is not narrowed, the improvement of the drying finish was an issue. In addition, Patent Document 2 does not specifically mention the nozzle area and air volume, which are important for achieving both energy saving, time saving, and drying finish.

[0012] In addition, the technology that applies Patent Document 3 can reduce power consumption by adopting a heat pump device. However, in order to blow high-speed air onto the clothes, the nozzle area is 250 mm 2 The flow rate is approximately 1.5 [m 3 / min]. By operating in this way, it is possible to achieve both requirement #3 (energy saving) and requirement #1 (finish) to some extent. On the other hand, the amount of heating that affects requirement #2 (time saving) is determined by the product of the air volume and the air temperature difference before and after the heat source.

[0013] In a washer-dryer, the air temperature must be limited to approximately 90°C as an upper limit to prevent deterioration of clothes, and the air temperature difference cannot be changed significantly. Therefore, when the air volume is the same as that of a heater type, it is difficult to increase the amount of heat even if a heat pump is used for the drying method, and it is difficult to shorten the drying time. Thus, when trying to achieve both Demand #3 (energy saving) and Demand #1 (finish), there is a problem in that it becomes difficult to achieve Demand #2, which is shortening the drying time.

[0014] In addition, in the technology that applies Patent Document 3, the benefit of reducing power consumption by using a heat pump can be used to increase the rotation speed of the motor and increase the air volume. This allows operation to achieve both requirement #1 (finish) and requirement #2 (time saving). However, by narrowing the nozzle area to 250 mm 2 ], there is a disadvantage in that power consumption increases significantly. Thus, in the technology to which Patent Document 3 is applied, if one tries to satisfy both demand #1 (finish) and demand #2 (time saving), it becomes difficult to reduce power consumption, and it becomes difficult to satisfy demand #3 (energy saving). In view of the above circumstances, the embodiment described below is an attempt to simultaneously satisfy all of demands #1, #2, and #3 in a balanced manner at a high level.

[0015] [First embodiment] Configuration of the First Embodiment (Housing 110) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing / drying machine 100 according to the first embodiment. The washer / dryer 100 is a drum type washer / dryer, and has a base 102 at its lower end. A housing 110 having a substantially rectangular frame shape is attached to the upper surface of the base 102. The housing 110 includes side panels 112, a reinforcing member (not shown), a front cover 114, and a top cover 116.

[0016] The side plate 112 is mainly formed of a steel plate and a resin molded part. The framework of the housing 110 is formed by combining the side plate 112 with a reinforcing material (not shown). The front cover 114 and the top cover 116 are attached to this framework. The front cover 114 is provided with a door 120 for putting in and taking out laundry. An operation panel 122 is provided at the front upper part of the housing 110. The operation panel 122 is provided with a power switch, buttons for selecting an operation program, and the like. In addition, a lid part 124 is attached to the top cover 116. The lid part 124 covers the top of the detergent tank 522 (see FIG. 16), the fabric softener tank 524, and the like.

[0017] (Outer tank 130 and rotating drum 140) FIG. 2 is a schematic central cross-sectional view of the washer / dryer 100. As shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 2, an outer tub 130 is provided inside the housing 110. The outer tub 130 is supported by a plurality of suspensions (not shown), and its upper portion is suspended by a spring (not shown). A rotating drum 140 (inner tub) is provided inside the outer tub 130. A user opens the door 120 and puts laundry 510 into the rotating drum 140.

[0018] During spin-drying, vibrations may occur due to imbalance of laundry 510. To address this, a fluid balancer 142 is provided on the outer periphery of the opening of rotating drum 140 to reduce this vibration. In addition, a plurality of lifters 144 for lifting up laundry 510 are provided on the inside of rotating drum 140. In addition, rotating drum 140 is directly connected to a motor 149 for driving the drum via a main shaft 148 connected to a metal flange 146 for the rotating drum.

[0019] A tub cover 132 is provided in front of the outer tub 130, and an elastic rubber bellows 134 is attached to the opening of the tub cover 132. The bellows 134 maintains the watertightness between the inside of the outer tub 130 and the door 120. This prevents water leakage during washing, rinsing and spin-drying. The rotating drum 140 has many small holes (not shown) on its side and back for centrifugal spin-drying and ventilation. A water receiving section 136 is provided at the bottom of the outer tub 130.

[0020] An in-tub duct 150 is provided at the rear portion of the outer tub 130. The in-tub duct 150 communicates with the outer tub 130 via a primary filter 152, and communicates with a return air passage 156 via a secondary filter 154. A cleaning nozzle 153 for cleaning the secondary filter 154 is disposed above the secondary filter 154. Furthermore, a drainage path 160 and a heat pump unit 220 (heat pump) are provided below the outer tub 130. By providing the heat pump unit 220 below the outer tub 130, the space below the outer tub 130 can be effectively utilized.

[0021] The return air passage 156 and the heat pump unit 220 are connected by a return bellows 158. The return air passage 156 is a component in which two resin plates (not numbered) are fixed by vibration welding, and is fixed to the outer tub 130 with screws. The return bellows 158 is formed using an expandable and contractible bellows-shaped rubber material so that vibrations of the outer tub 130 and the return air passage 156 do not affect the heat pump unit 220.

[0022] (Drainage route 160) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the drainage path 160. The drainage path 160 includes a drainage channel 170 and an overflow path 180. Here, the drainage channel 170 is a path for draining water accumulated in the outer tub 130. Moreover, the overflow path 180 is a path for overflowing and draining the excess water when the water accumulated in the outer tub 130 exceeds a predetermined water level.

[0023] The drainage channel 170 includes an internal drainage channel 172, a water channel filter 174, a drain valve 176, and a drain hose 178. The internal drainage channel 172 communicates with the bottom surface of the outer tub 130, and the water channel filter 174 collects lint in the drainage water flowing through the internal drainage channel 172. The lint collected by the water channel filter 174 is cleaned off by the user as appropriate.

[0024] Further, a trap 182 is formed in the overflow path 180. The trap 182 is capable of passing and storing water, and can block the flow of air by storing water. Furthermore, water is supplied to the trap 182 by the rotation of the tank of the rotating drum 140 (see FIG. 2). As a result, the seal water stored in the trap 182 is replaced. The overflow path 180 downstream of the trap 182 communicates with the drain hose 178.

[0025] On the other hand, a condensation water hose 252 is connected to the heat pump unit 220 via a condensation water pump 250. The condensation water pump 250 discharges the water dehumidified by the heat pump unit 220 via the condensation water hose 252. The condensation water hose 252 is connected to the downstream side of the drain hose 178.

[0026] The condensation water hose 252 is configured to prevent backflow from the drain hose 178 to the heat pump unit 220. That is, the condensation water hose 252 has a portion (without a reference symbol) between the condensation water pump 250 and the drain hose 178 that rises up to a position higher in the vertical direction than the overflow path 180. In addition, a circulation water path 184 and a circulation pump 186 are provided between the drain path 170 and the outer tank 130. With these, the water in the outer tank 130 can be circulated to the outer tank 130 via the water path filter 174 as necessary.

[0027] (Inner vessel flow path / filter) FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the washer / dryer 100. As shown in FIG. That is, Fig. 4 shows a state in which the tank cover 132 is removed from the outer tank 130, and the rotating drum 140, the fluid balancer 142, and the outer tank 130 are partially cut away. More specifically, Fig. 4 shows a state in which half of the right side surface of the outer tank 130 and half of the right side surface of the rotating drum 140 are cut away. The outer tank 130 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and the tank cover 132 is provided at the front opening of the outer tank 130.

[0028] The primary filter 152 has a mesh-shaped collection section, but in Fig. 4, this mesh-shaped collection section is removed. As described above, the inner-tub duct 150 is provided at the rear portion of the outer tub 130. During the washing and rinsing steps, the rotating drum 140 becomes stationary as necessary. When the rotating drum 140 is stationary, the opening 150a of the inner-tub duct 150 is located at a position higher than the wash water level and the rinsing water level.

[0029] The tub cover 132 is formed with a circulation flow path 132a through which the wash water pumped up by the circulation pump 186 (see FIG. 3) passes. A watering nozzle 132b is formed ahead of the tub cover 132. The tub cover 132 is also formed with an outlet air passage 330 through which the dry air flows, and an outlet port 340 from which the dry air is blown out. In the illustrated example, the outlet air passage 330 is provided in front of the rotating drum 140, but the outlet air passage 330 may also be provided behind the rotating drum 140, for example, at the position PS illustrated.

[0030] FIG. 5 is another exploded perspective view of the washer / dryer 100. As shown in FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the outer tub 130 with the rotating drum 140 (see FIG. 2), the primary filter 152, the cleaning nozzle 153, and the secondary filter 154 removed. The in-tub duct 150 has a generally arcuate shape that is bent from the top to the right of the outer tub 130 so as to avoid the motor 149 (see FIG. 2) that drives the rotating drum 140.

[0031] The opening 150a (see FIG. 4) at the bottom of the in-tank duct is an opening without a filter portion (mesh-shaped). This allows the in-tank duct 150 to discharge the water flowing into the in-tank duct 150 and lint, dust, and the like adhering to the secondary filter 154 described below. Furthermore, by providing the opening 150a in the in-tank duct 150, even in the unlikely event that the primary filter 152 described below becomes clogged, the circulating air flows through the opening 150a, allowing the drying operation to continue.

[0032] The primary filter 152 includes a substantially rectangular resin frame having multiple compartments, and a mesh-shaped collection section (not shown). When the rotating drum 140 is driven with water stored in the outer tub 130, the stored water rises up to the primary filter 152. This allows the primary filter 152 to be washed.

[0033] A communication port 155 that communicates with the outside of the outer tub 130 is formed at the upper part of the back surface of the outer tub 130. A return air passage 156 (see FIG. 2) is connected to the communication port 155 on the outside of the back surface of the outer tub 130. That is, the communication port 155 serves as a connection between the return air passage 156 and the outer tub 130. A secondary filter 154 is attached to the communication port 155.

[0034] Secondary filter 154 includes a substantially rectangular resin frame divided into multiple sections, and a mesh-shaped collection section (not shown). A cleaning nozzle 153 is provided on the upper part of secondary filter 154. The cleaning nozzle 153 cleans secondary filter 154 by flowing cleaning water through secondary filter 154. Furthermore, cleaning nozzle 153 also plays a role in pressing down on the resin frame of secondary filter 154 from above to seal it off from outside air.

[0035] In this embodiment, the primary filter 152 is located on the front side of the internal duct 150 in the front-rear direction, and the secondary filter 154 is located on the rear side (deep side). That is, the primary filter 152 and the secondary filter 154 are arranged so that their ventilation directions overlap, sandwiching the internal duct 150. Furthermore, the primary filter 152 and the secondary filter 154 face each other, and the circulating air that has passed through the primary filter 152 passes through the secondary filter 154 without disturbing the flow, thereby reducing ventilation resistance.

[0036] In addition, by adopting a two-piece filter consisting of the primary filter 152 and the secondary filter 154 in the flow direction, it is possible to realize a planar overlap of the meshes, and each mesh (opening) can be made coarser than when a single-piece configuration is adopted. As a result, lint is collected across the two filters, which prevents the lint from becoming densely packed, and stable air circulation can be maintained. In addition, there may be cases where both the primary filter 152 and the secondary filter 154 become clogged, and the clog cannot be improved even by cleaning. In the unlikely event that such a situation occurs, the secondary filter 154 is detachable from the communication port 155 so that it can be removed and cleaned.

[0037] (Drying device 200) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the drying device 200. The drying device 200 includes a blower 210 and a heat pump unit 220. In this embodiment, a hot air drying method is applied as a drying method. That is, air between the rotating drum 140 (see FIG. 2) and the heat pump unit 220 is circulated by the blower 210. The drying device 200 dehumidifies the circulating air and then heats it. The heat pump unit 220 includes a casing 222, which can be separated into a lower casing 222D and an upper casing 222U.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a top view of the drying device 200. Blower 210 includes impeller 212 (see FIG. 9), i.e., an impeller, motor 214 that drives impeller 212 to rotate, and fan casing 216 that houses impeller 212. Inside casing 222, compressor 231, heater 232 (condenser), dehumidifier 233 (evaporator), and refrigerant piping 234 are provided.

[0039] A part of the refrigerant pipe 234 is throttled to form an expansion valve 235 (expansion mechanism). Furthermore, air intakes 223, 224 and a dehumidifier cleaning piece 225 are arranged on the top surface of the upper casing 222U. The air intake 223 is provided to draw in outside air. The dehumidifier cleaning piece 225 is for flowing cleaning water to the front surface of the dehumidifier 233 (the right surface in the figure).

[0040] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the drying device 200 with the upper casing 222U removed. As shown in the figure, compressor 231 is connected to heater 232 and dehumidifier 233 via refrigerant piping 234. Heater 232 and dehumidifier 233 are installed so as to be sandwiched in close contact with casing 222 so that air does not flow through the sides of them. This forms an air circulation path from right to left in the figure.

[0041] A cross-fin tube type heat exchanger is applied to the heater 232 and the dehumidifier 233. That is, a heat transfer tube (not shown) is attached so as to penetrate stacked aluminum fins (not shown) in order to exchange heat with the air. The compressor 231 is installed in the lower casing 222D via vibration isolating rubber (not shown) or the like. The compressor 231 may be, for example, a piston type, a rotary type, a scroll type, or the like, and the rotation speed of the compressor 231 can be varied from low to high speed by inverter control. The refrigerant piping 234 is connected to each part in a serpentine state in order to prevent breakage due to the propagation of rotational vibration of the compressor 231.

[0042] The flow of the refrigerant in the heat pump unit 220 is as follows. First, the high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 231 flows into the heater 232, where it condenses and liquefies by releasing heat to the circulating air. The liquefied refrigerant is decompressed by the expansion valve 235, which is adjusted to a predetermined opening, and enters a low-temperature, low-pressure, gas-liquid two-phase state, and flows into the dehumidifier 233. The refrigerant then absorbs heat from the circulating air, evaporating and vaporizing. The vaporized refrigerant becomes a medium-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant, and is sucked into the compressor 231. The medium-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant is compressed again by the compressor 231 and becomes a high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant. In this way, a refrigerant cycle is formed, and the circulating air is dehumidified and heated, accelerating the drying of clothes.

[0043] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the blower 210. As described above, the blower 210 includes the impeller 212, the motor 214, and the fan casing 216. The blower 210 is disposed downstream of the heat pump unit 220 (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 2, the heat pump unit 220 and the blower 210 are provided below the outer tub 130.

[0044] (Air duct configuration) 2, in the washer / dryer 100, an air circulation duct is formed between the heat pump unit 220 and the outer tub 130 so that air for drying laundry can circulate between the heat pump unit 220 and the rotating drum 140. The duct for sending air from the outer tub 130 to the heat pump unit 220 includes, from the upstream side of the air, a primary filter 152, an in-tub duct 150, a secondary filter 154, a return air duct 156, and a return bellows 158.

[0045] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway rear view of the washer / dryer 100. FIG. 10, blower 210 is connected to discharge air passage 310 extending in a substantially vertical direction. Discharge air passage 320 extending in a substantially horizontal direction is connected to the upper end of discharge air passage 310. Return air passage 156 is formed in a substantially inverted L shape. Further, a substrate case 512 and a water supply unit 520 are provided at the top of washer / dryer 100. Dehumidifier cleaning hose 518 supplies water to dehumidifier cleaning piece 225 (see FIG. 7).

[0046] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the upper part of FIG. A cleaning nozzle 153 is attached to the upper surface of return air passage 156, and constitutes a part of the air passage of return air passage 156. A secondary filter cleaning hose 532 for supplying cleaning water and an exhaust bellows 352 are attached to the cleaning nozzle 153. The exhaust bellows 352 is connected to an exhaust case 354. An exhaust port 901 connected to the outside of the machine is provided downstream of the exhaust case 354.

[0047] As described above, the heat pump unit 220 (see FIG. 7) takes in outside air from the intake port 223. Then, the humid air that has passed through the clothes is exhausted from the exhaust port 901 formed downstream of the exhaust case 354. This can improve the dehumidification performance. Also, the exhaust case 354 is provided with a flap (not shown) that can be opened and closed by a stepping motor. Therefore, the timing of opening and closing the flap is adjusted depending on the state inside the tub and the state of the outside air, thereby achieving a balance between heating and dehumidification.

[0048] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the main part of the washer / dryer 100. As shown in FIG. The air passage for sending air from the blower 210 to the outer tub 130 includes, from the upstream side of the air, an exhaust air passage 310, an exhaust air passage 320, an exhaust bellows 322, an exhaust air passage 330, and an exhaust port 340 (see FIG. 4).

[0049] The discharge air passage 310 is a resin part that is blow molded, and is connected to the blower 210 and the discharge air passage 320 by fitting them in from above and below. The discharge air passage 320 is a resin part that is formed by fixing two resin plates, one above the other, with a cross section that is approximately Π-shaped, with screws. The discharge bellows 322 is connected to the downstream side of the discharge air passage 320, and the discharge air passage 330 is connected to the downstream side of the discharge bellows 322. The discharge bellows 322 is formed using a bellows-shaped rubber material that can expand and contract so that the vibration of the discharge air passage 330 does not affect the discharge air passage 320. The discharge air passages 310 and 320 are spaced apart from the outer tub 130 by a predetermined distance or more. As a result, the discharge air passages 310 and 320 are arranged so as not to come into contact with the outer tub 130 when the outer tub 130 vibrates.

[0050] FIG. 13 is a rear view of the tank cover 132. Discharge air passage 330 is a flow path inside tub cover 132, provided in front of tub cover 132. Discharge port 340 is formed at the outlet of discharge air passage 330. Discharge port 340 is arranged so as to open toward the inside of rotating drum 140. This allows the warm air discharged from discharge port 340 to directly hit the clothes inside the drum. The inner circumferential width of tub cover 132 at the location where discharge port 340 is formed is referred to as the clothes insertion width L2.

[0051] FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the tank cover 132. As shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. In these figures, the outer periphery of the discharge port 340 is formed in a generally arc shape along the inner periphery of the rotating drum 140. On the other hand, the inner periphery of the discharge port 340 is formed in a straight line. The maximum width of the discharge port 340 in the radial direction is called the projection amount L4. Here, if the projection amount L4 is made too large, the clothes insertion width L2 (see FIG. 13) becomes narrow.

[0052] This may hinder the movement of clothes during washing and drying, or may get in the way when putting clothes in and taking them out. Therefore, in this embodiment, the shape of the discharge port 340 is a flat slit shape to reduce the projection amount L4. Also, as described above, the outer periphery of the discharge port 340 is formed in an arc shape that is approximately concentric with the outer tub 130 along the inner periphery of the tub cover 132. This makes it difficult for the clothes insertion width L2 to become narrow, even if the opening area of ​​the discharge port 340 is increased.

[0053] (Water supply unit) FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the water supply unit 520. As shown in FIG. The water supply unit 520 includes a detergent tank 522, a fabric softener tank 524, a manual inlet 526, a water inlet 528, a four-way valve 530, a secondary filter cleaning hose 532, a water supply box 534, an ADS unit 536, a dehumidifier cleaning hose 538, a main hose 540, a shower hose 542, and a detergent / fabric softener tray 550 which is a container for each of the above-mentioned elements.

[0054] A hose (not shown) connected to a water supply is connected to a water inlet 528, which is connected to a four-way valve 530. The four-way valve 530 can set the flow rate range that can be supplied depending on the water supply pressure. A water supply box 534 is connected to the four-way valve 530, and water can be further branched to supply each flow path. The detergent tank 522 and the fabric softener tank 524 are located in front of the water supply box 534.

[0055] Manual input port 526 provided in front of detergent tank 522 and fabric softener tank 524 is an input port for manually inputting detergent and fabric softener. By supplying water to manual input port 526 via four-way valve 530 and supplying water to outer tub 130 from main hose 540, the user can input detergent and fabric softener even during washing. In the above example, water supply unit 520 is provided with detergent tank 522 and fabric softener tank 524. However, instead of or in addition to these, a detergent tank for delicate clothes may be provided.

[0056] An ADS unit 536 is provided below the detergent tank 522 and the fabric softener tank 524. By supplying water to the ADS unit 536 via the four-way valve 530, the detergent in the detergent tank 522 or the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 524 can be automatically dispensed into the outer tub 130 via the main hose 540.

[0057] Water can also be supplied directly from the water supply box 534 to the outer tub 130 via the main hose 540. The secondary filter 154 can be washed by supplying water to the washing nozzle 153 (see FIG. 5) via the secondary filter washing hose 532. The door 120 (see FIG. 2) and the bellows 134 can be washed by supplying water to the tub cover 132 (see FIG. 4) via the shower hose 542. The dehumidifier 233 can be washed by supplying water to the dehumidifier washing piece 225 (see FIG. 7) via the dehumidifier washing hose 518.

[0058] (The significance of adopting the heat pump system) Here, the significance of adopting the heat pump system in this embodiment will be explained. In the heater-type drying system described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the input power to the heater is approximately equal to the amount of heat, and the ratio of the amount of heat to the input power is "1" or less. The heat pump drying system can reuse the energy wasted in dehumidification and use it for heating, so that the amount of heat can be secured with a small input energy, and therefore has high energy-saving performance. In this way, according to the heat pump drying system, the ratio of the amount of heat to the input power to the compressor 231, which is the input energy, is "1" or more. In other words, by increasing the ratio of the input power to the compressor 231 out of the total power consumption of the washer-dryer 100, the energy-saving performance of the washer-dryer 100 can be improved.

[0059] Furthermore, the washer / dryer 100 of this embodiment has an upper limit of power consumption of 1500 [W] or less due to the constraints of a household outlet. Therefore, if a heater type is adopted, the upper limit of the heating amount will also be 1500 [W]. However, in a typical washer / dryer, the input current is limited to about 14 [A] in consideration of fluctuations in current and voltage, so the upper limit of the heating amount is about 1400 [W].

[0060] In this embodiment, since heat pump drying is performed, a heating amount of 1500 [W] or more can be achieved even if the input power to the washer / dryer 100 is 1400 [W] or less. In this way, the drying time can be shortened by increasing the heating amount. In order to take advantage of these advantages of heat pump drying, in this embodiment, the power consumption of the compressor 231 is set to be greater than the power consumption of other elements (mainly the blower 210 and the motor 149 of the rotating drum 140).

[0061] (Relationship between finish evaluation and spray force) FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of the evaluation value EV of the drying finish. The evaluation value EV of the drying finish is one of the important basic performances of drying such as dryness and shrinkage. In FIG. 17, each photograph is a photograph of a shirt that has been washed and then dried. The evaluation value EV is a 6-level evaluation of the spread of the clothes, the amount of wrinkles, and the depth of the wrinkles of the shirts after drying. The numbers "1" to "6" shown in the upper left part of each photograph are the evaluation value EV, and the higher the number, the better the degree of the drying finish. According to FIG. 17, by setting the evaluation value EV to "4" or more, the wrinkles in the shirt are reduced, and the effort of ironing can be reduced.

[0062] Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the spray force and the evaluation value EV of the drying finish. In Fig. 18, the horizontal axis is the spray force [N], and the vertical axis is the evaluation value EV. The characteristic CR22 shown in Fig. 18 is the characteristic of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, in this embodiment, the discharge port 340 is provided in front of the rotating drum 140. This reduces obstacles between the discharge port 340 and the laundry inside the rotating drum 140, so that the evaluation value EV can be made relatively high.

[0063] On the other hand, characteristic CR24 is a characteristic in a modified example in which outlet 340 is located at the rear of rotating drum 140 (for example, position PS in FIG. 4) and a mesh is provided on part of the back surface of rotating drum 140 so that air can be blown from the rear of the rotating drum. When outlet 340 is provided at the rear of rotating drum 140, the wind discharged from outlet 340 hits lifter 144 (see FIG. 2) which is driven to rotate, and there is a time when the wind is diffused. For this reason, for the same blowing force, characteristic CR22 of this embodiment can achieve a higher evaluation value EV than characteristic CR24 of the modified example.

[0064] Thus, to improve the evaluation value EV of the drying finish, it is preferable to blow air directly on the clothes. Furthermore, improving the evaluation value EV is greatly influenced by improving the blowing force, which is the force that removes wrinkles. Here, the blowing force is a value calculated by "mass air volume x average wind speed at the outlet 340". The characteristics in FIG. 18 are the results of an experiment using clothes with a load of 3 kg.

[0065] That is, the characteristics CR22 and CR24 were obtained by changing the air volume by adjusting the rotation speed of the blower 210. Note that a load of 3 kg corresponds to two days' worth of laundry for an average adult. The air volume and air speed used to calculate the blowing force are values ​​at a temperature of 20°C and a relative humidity of 60%.

[0066] In the characteristic CR22 according to the present embodiment, the blowing force and the evaluation value EV are approximately proportional to each other. In the characteristic CR22, the blowing force is set to 0.8 [N] or more, so that the evaluation value EV can be set to "4" or more. That is, even without an iron, a beautiful dry finish without deep wrinkles can be achieved. In addition, in the characteristic CR24 of the modified example, it can be estimated that the evaluation value EV can be set to "4" by setting the blowing force to 1.4 [N] or more. That is, even in the modified example, it can be estimated that by increasing the blowing force, a beautiful dry finish without deep wrinkles can be achieved even without an iron.

[0067] (Area of ​​outlet 340) As mentioned above, it is desirable to simultaneously and in a balanced manner satisfy requirements #1 (finish), #2 (time saving), and #3 (energy saving). To achieve this, it is preferable to realize the following three points. (1) By increasing the input power to the compressor 231, the amount of heating and the amount of dehumidification are increased. (2) While reducing the input power to the blower 210, a large amount of air is realized, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the compressor 231 and the clothes. (3) In the case of front blowing, ensure that the blowing force is 0.8 [N] or more, and in the case of rear blowing, ensure that the blowing force is 1.4 [N] or more. In order to achieve these (1) to (3), it is effective to optimize the opening area of ​​outlet 340 to optimize the balance between the speed and volume of air blown from outlet 340 to the clothes.

[0068] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of the required input power characteristics of the fan 210. In FIG. The horizontal axis of FIG. 19 represents the opening area A [mm 2 The vertical axis represents the required input power Pin to the fan 210. The characteristics CP1, CP2, and CP3 each have an air volume of 3.0 [m 3 / min], 3.5[m 3 / min], and 4.0 [m 3 / min].

[0069] 19, when the opening area A of the discharge port 340 is narrowed, the required input power Pin to the blower 210 increases, making it difficult to utilize the advantages of the heat pump system. 2 It can be seen that when the opening area A is increased further to approximately 1.0 mm, the required input power Pin hardly decreases at all.

[0070] The contents of Fig. 19 are based on the experimental results for the washer / dryer 100 of this embodiment, and the values ​​in the figure were calculated under the assumptions that "the pressure loss at the discharge port 340 changes with the square of the wind speed" and "other air path losses change with the square of the air volume." More specifically, the simulation conditions are as follows: Conditions CD1 to CD5.

[0071] ·Condition CD1: ΔP=ΔP a +ΔP b Here, ΔP is the airflow resistance [Pa] of the washer-dryer 100, and ΔP a is the airflow resistance [Pa] of the outlet 340, and ΔP b is the airflow resistance [Pa] of the airflow path other than the outlet 340. ·Condition CD2:ΔP a = a × v 2 Here, a is a predetermined coefficient, and v is the average wind speed (wind speed) at the outlet 340 [m / s]. ·Condition CD3:ΔP b =b×Q v 2 where b is a given coefficient and Q v is the volumetric airflow [m 3 / min].

[0072] ·Condition CD4:a=ΔP a0 / v0 2 ,b=ΔP b0 / Q v0 2 Here, the "0" included in the subscript indicates that the value is actually measured in the washer / dryer 100 of this embodiment. ·Condition CD5:Pin=ΔP×Q v / (60×η) Here, Pin is the input power [W] to the blower 210, and η is the efficiency of the blower 210 [-].

[0073] 19 is an operating point according to this embodiment. That is, in this embodiment, the opening area A of the discharge port 340 is set to about 2000 mm 2 ], and 3.5 [m 3 / min]. At that time, the blowing force was 2.0 [N], the rotation speed of the blower 210 was 10000 [rpm], and the required input power Pin to the blower 210 was 282 [W]. Furthermore, when the air temperature was 20 [°C], the total pressure loss was 3280 [Pa], and the pressure loss at the outlet 340 was 1615 [Pa].

[0074] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the calculation results of the relative required input power characteristics of the blower 210. In FIG. The horizontal axis of FIG. 20 is the opening area A [mm 2 The vertical axis indicates the relative required input power PinR to the blower 210. Here, the relative required input power PinR is the power required when the opening area A is 5000 [mm 2 This is the percentage of the required input power Pin, assuming that the required input power Pin when

[0075] The characteristics of the relative required input power PinR for the characteristics CP1, CP2, and CP3 in Fig. 19 almost overlap, resulting in a characteristic CR12 shown in Fig. 20. An operating point P12 in the characteristic CR12 is a point where the curvature in the characteristic CR12 is almost maximum. Here, the operating point to be applied is not limited to the operating point P12, and any point on the line of the characteristic CR12 can be selected.

[0076] However, in order to maximize the benefits of the heat pump system by suppressing the relative required input power PinR while increasing the blowing force, it is desirable to apply an opening area A in the range where the slope of the characteristic CR12 changes significantly. The range of the opening area A where the slope of the characteristic CR12 changes significantly is 1500 to 3000 [mm 2 ](1500[mm 2 ] or more, 3000[mm 2 ] below), it is the area 402, that is, the range between points P14 and P16.

[0077] When point P14 is selected as the operating point, it is possible to prioritize requirement #1 (finish) while simultaneously achieving requirement #2 (time saving) and requirement #3 (energy saving). On the other hand, when point P16 is selected as the operating point, it is possible to prioritize requirement #2 (time saving) and requirement #3 (energy saving) while simultaneously achieving requirement #1 (finish). Furthermore, when an operating point with an opening area A of 2100 [mm2] ± 10 [%], which is close to or at operating point P12 where the curvature is nearly maximum, is selected, it is possible to achieve a better balance between requirement #1 (finish), requirement #2 (time saving), and requirement #3 (energy saving).

[0078] When the opening area A is made smaller than that of the region 402, the opening area A of the discharge port 340 is small, so the wind speed becomes faster and the blowing force becomes larger, and it is possible to specialize in the requirement #1 (finish). However, since the relative required input power PinR increases rapidly in this region, the input power to the compressor 231 cannot be increased, and the requirement #3 (energy saving) becomes insufficient. Since the input power to the compressor 231 is small, the heat generation amount and dehumidification amount of the heat pump decrease, the drying time increases, and the requirement #2 (time saving) becomes insufficient. Also, when the opening area A is made larger than that of the region 402, the relative required input power PinR is small, so it is possible to specialize in the requirement #2 (time saving) and the requirement #3 (energy saving), but since the opening area A of the discharge port 340 is large, the wind speed becomes slow and the blowing force becomes small, and the requirement #1 (finish) becomes insufficient. Therefore, the opening area A of the discharge port 340 in the range of the region 402 is set to 1500 to 3000 [mm 2 ](1500[mm 2 ] or more, 3000[mm 2] or less), it is possible to combine the advantages of both being smaller than area 402 and being larger than area 402, and it is possible to simultaneously achieve all of requirements #1, #2, and #3 in a balanced manner at a high level.

[0079] (Relationship between outlet opening area, air volume, and air speed) Figure 21 shows the relationship between the opening area A and the volumetric airflow Q in forward blowing. v 21 is a graph showing the relationship between the airflow amount and the average wind speed v (wind speed) at the outlet 340. In FIG. 2 ] and the vertical axis is the volumetric air volume Q v and the average wind speed v. And the characteristic CR32 is the volumetric airflow Q v CR31 is the characteristic of the average wind speed v (right scale), and the characteristic CR32 is the characteristic of the average wind speed v (left scale). These are the simulation results when the blowing force is 0.8 [N].

[0080] FIG. 22 shows the relationship between the opening area A and the volumetric airflow Q in a modified rear-blowing configuration. v and the average wind speed v at the discharge port 340. That is, in this modification, the discharge port 340 is provided at the rear of the rotating drum 140 (for example, at the position PS in FIG. 4). The horizontal and vertical axes in FIG. 22 have the same meanings as those in FIG. 21. The characteristic CR42 is expressed by the volumetric air volume Q v CR43 is the characteristic of the average wind speed v (right scale), and these are the simulation results when the blowing force is 1.4 [N].

[0081] According to FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, in this embodiment and the modified example, the volume airflow Q v By satisfying the following formula (1), the evaluation value EV can be expected to be 4 or more, thereby satisfying requirement #1 (finish). Qv≧60√(F×A / ρ) …Formula (1) Here, F is the blowing force [N] and ρ is the air density. In addition, F is 0.8 [N] for front blowing and 1.4 [N] for rear blowing.

[0082] Similarly, according to Figures 21 and 22, in this embodiment and its modified examples, by satisfying the following formula (2) for the average wind speed v at the outlet 340, an evaluation value EV of "4" or more can be expected, thereby satisfying requirement #1 (finish). v≧√(F / ρ×A) …Equation (2) Here, F is set to 0.8 [N] for front blowing and 1.4 [N] for rear blowing.

[0083] (Method of measuring air volume) FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram of the air flow measurement method. The operating air volume Q0 of the washer / dryer 100 can be calculated by measuring the fan characteristic CR50 of the fan 210 alone and the air path resistance ΔP of the washer / dryer 100. The method for measuring the blower characteristic CR50 is shown below. First, pressure measurement points are provided on the suction side and discharge side of blower 210. Then, blower 210 is attached to an air volume measurement device conforming to JIS_B8330, AMCA210-85, and the pressure on the suction side and discharge side is measured for each air volume at the operating rotation speed of blower 210. After that, the relationship between the air volume and the differential pressure at the operating rotation speed, that is, the blower characteristic CR50, can be obtained by calculating the differential pressure between the measured pressures on the suction side and discharge side.

[0084] Next, the method for measuring the airflow resistance ΔP is shown below. The blower 210 whose blower characteristic CR50 has been measured is attached to the washer / dryer 100, and the pressures on the suction side and discharge side at the operating rotation speed of the blower 210 are measured. Then, the airflow resistance ΔP is obtained by calculating the differential pressure between the measured suction side and discharge side pressures. From these two measurements, the operating airflow Q0 can be calculated from the intersection P0 of the blower characteristic CR50 and the airflow resistance ΔP. Furthermore, by determining the operating air volume Q0 of the washer / dryer 100, the operating average air speed v0 can be determined from the following formula (3). v0=(Q0 / 60A) …Equation (3)

[0085] [Effects of the embodiment] As described above, according to the first embodiment in which the front blowing is adopted, the discharge port 340 is provided on the front side of the outer tub 130, and the opening area A of the discharge port 340 is 1500 mm 2 ] or more, 3000[mm 2 ] or less, and the blowing force F, which is the product of the mass air volume and the wind speed (v) discharged from the discharge port 340, is set to 0.8 [N] or more. This allows the clothes to be dried appropriately. In other words, the demand #1 (finish), the demand #2 (time saving), and the demand #3 (energy saving) can be simultaneously satisfied in a balanced manner at a high level.

[0086] In the modified example in which rear blowing is adopted, the opening area A of the outlet 340 is 1500 mm 2 ] or more, 3000[mm 2 ] or less, and the blowing force F, which is the product of the mass air volume and the wind speed (v) discharged from the outlet 340, is set to 1.4 [N] or more. This allows clothes to be properly dried even when rear blowing is used.

[0087] In both the first embodiment and the modified example, the mass airflow is the volume airflow Q discharged from the outlet 340. v and air density ρ, and volumetric air flow Q v Q v It is more preferable to satisfy Qv≧60√(F×A / ρ), where A is the opening area A of the outlet 340, F is the blowing force, and ρ is the air density, and F is 0.8 [N] in the case of front blowing and 1.4 [N] in the case of rear blowing. This makes it possible to obtain an appropriate volumetric airflow Q v This can be achieved.

[0088] In both the first embodiment and the modified example, if the average wind speed discharged from the outlet 340 is v, the opening area A of the outlet 340 is A, the blowing force is F, and the air density is ρ, where F is 0.8 [N] in the case of front blowing and F is 1.4 [N] in the case of rear blowing, it is more preferable to satisfy v ≥ √(F / ρ × A). This allows an appropriate wind speed (v) to be achieved.

[0089] In the first embodiment, the volumetric airflow Q discharged from the outlet 340 v is 2.7 [m 3 / min] or more. This allows the volumetric airflow Q v This can be achieved.

[0090] In the modified example in which rear blowing is adopted, the volumetric airflow Q discharged from the outlet 340 v is 3.6 [m 3 / min] or more. This makes it possible to realize a volumetric airflow Qv that is expected to achieve an evaluation value EV of "4" or more throughout the entire range of region 402, even when rear blowing is adopted.

[0091] In both the first embodiment and the modified example, the opening area A of the discharge port 340 is 2100 mm 2 ]±10[%] is even more preferable. This allows requirement #1 (finish), requirement #2 (time saving), and requirement #3 (energy saving) to be satisfied simultaneously in a balanced manner at a higher level.

[0092] In both the first embodiment and the modified example, it is more preferable that the outer peripheral shape of the discharge port 340 is formed into a substantially arc shape concentric with the inner tub (140). This makes it possible to increase the opening area A of the discharge port 340 while ensuring a sufficient clothing insertion width L2 (see FIG. 13).

[0093] In both the first embodiment and the modified example, it is more preferable that the heat pump (220) is disposed below the outer tub 130. This allows for effective use of the space in the housing 110 of the washer-dryer 100. Even if the heat pump (220) is enlarged to achieve both requirement #2 (time saving) and requirement #3 (energy saving) at a high level, the position of the rotating drum 140, i.e., the clothing input area, is raised, making it easier to input clothing.

[0094] [Variations] The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications are possible. The above-mentioned embodiment is exemplified to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and is not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. In addition, other configurations may be added to the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiment, and it is also possible to replace some of the configurations with other configurations. In addition, the control lines and information lines shown in the figure show those that are considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines necessary on the product. In reality, it may be considered that almost all the configurations are connected to each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 100 Washer / dryer 130 Outer tank 140 Rotating drum (inner tank) 220 Heat pump unit (heat pump) 231 Compressor 232 Heater (condenser) 233 Dehumidifier (evaporator) 235 Expansion valve (expansion mechanism) 340 Discharge port A Opening area F Spraying force v Average wind speed (wind speed) ρ air density Q v Volumetric Air Flow

Claims

1. An inner tub in which clothes are stored; An outer tank containing the inner tank; a heat pump that dehumidifies air using an evaporator that causes a decompressed refrigerant to absorb ambient heat, compresses the refrigerant using a compressor, heats the air using a condenser that dissipates the heat of the compressed refrigerant, and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant using an expansion mechanism; a discharge port for discharging the air heated by the heat pump into the inner tank, The discharge port is provided on the front side of the outer tank, The opening area of ​​the discharge port is 1500 mm 2 ] or more, 3000 [mm 2 ] is within the range The blowing force, which is the product of the mass air volume and the air velocity discharged from the discharge port, is set to 0.8 [N] or more. A washer / dryer characterized by the above.

2. An inner tub in which clothes are stored; An outer tank containing the inner tank; a heat pump that dehumidifies air using an evaporator that causes a decompressed refrigerant to absorb ambient heat, compresses the refrigerant using a compressor, heats the air using a condenser that dissipates the heat of the compressed refrigerant, and reduces the pressure of the refrigerant using an expansion mechanism; a discharge port for discharging the air heated by the heat pump into the inner tank, The opening area of ​​the discharge port is 1500 mm 2 ] or more, 3000 [mm 2 ] is within the range The blowing force, which is the product of the mass air volume and the air velocity discharged from the discharge port, is set to 1.4 [N] or more. A washer / dryer characterized by the above.

3. the mass airflow is a product of a volumetric airflow discharged from the outlet and an air density, The volumetric air volume is Q v Let A be the opening area of ​​the discharge port, F be the blowing force, and ρ be the air density. Qv≧60√(F×A / ρ) Satisfy 3. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. If the average wind speed discharged from the outlet is v, the opening area of ​​the outlet is A, the blowing force is F, and the air density is ρ, then: v ≧√(F / ρ×A) Satisfy 3. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The volumetric air volume discharged from the outlet is 2.7 [m 3 / min] or more 2. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 .

6. The volumetric air volume discharged from the outlet is 3.6 m 3 / min] or more 3. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2.

7. The opening area of ​​the discharge port is 2100 mm 2 ]±10[%] 4. The washing and drying machine according to claim 3.

8. The opening area of ​​the discharge port is 2100 mm 2 ]±10[%] 5. The washing and drying machine according to claim 4.

9. The shape of the outer periphery of the discharge port is formed into a substantially circular arc shape concentric with the inner tank.

3. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The heat pump is disposed below the outer tank.

3. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 or 2.

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