Clothing treatment device

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device capable of suppressing drying unevenness and wrinkling of clothing and improving finish.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device has a control device that executes a washing and drying operation including a preheating dewatering step and a drying step by controlling drive of a rotary tub motor, a heating device and an air blowing device. The washing and drying operation can be executed by selecting from a normal course and a high-quality course. The drying step includes a first drying step, and a second drying step and a third drying step that are executed after the first drying step. When the high-quality course is executed, the control device controls the rotary tub motor and the air blowing device so as to suppress evaporation of moisture from clothing in the preheating dewatering step and / or the first drying step compared with the normal course.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a clothes treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a washer-dryer having both a washing function and a drying function is known. A heater system or a heat pump system is used as a clothes drying means. In such a washer-dryer, a drying process is executed for the clothes that have been through the washing process, the rinsing process, and the spin-drying process as a washing and drying operation. In the spin-drying process, the drum is rotated at high speed to remove water contained in the clothes by centrifugal force.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a washer-dryer having a water tub and a rotating tub located inside the water tub and driven to rotate, both arranged on a vertical axis inside an outer box, a circulation path and a circulation fan that move air inside the rotating tub out of the water tub and back into the rotating tub, and a heat pump device that has an evaporator located in the circulation path for dehumidifying the circulating air and a condenser for heating the circulating air, and is connected to a compressor and a pressure reducing means, wherein the heat pump device is located on the bottom of the outer box. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-154825 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The clothes that have been through the spin cycle may be subject to centrifugal force caused by the high speed rotation of the drum during spin cycle, causing them to stick to the inner surface of the drum or become tangled. If the drying cycle is carried out in this state, this may cause the clothes to be unevenly dried or wrinkled when the drying cycle is completed.

[0006] Therefore, the present embodiment of the present invention provides a clothes processing device that can prevent uneven drying and wrinkling of clothes and improve the finish. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The clothes processing device according to the embodiment includes an outer tub having an air outlet and an air inlet, a rotating tub rotatably supported in the outer tub, a rotating tub motor for rotating the rotating tub, an agitator arranged on the inner surface of the rotating tub, an air passage connecting the air outlet and the air inlet outside the outer tub, a hot air generator arranged in the air passage for generating hot air, an air blower arranged in the air passage for supplying the hot air generated by the hot air generator to the outer tub, and a control device for controlling the driving of the rotating tub motor, the hot air generator, and the air blower to perform a washing and drying operation including a preheat dehydration step and a drying step. The washing and drying operation can be performed by selecting from a normal course and a fine course. In the fine course, the drying process includes a first drying process in which the control device drives the rotary tub motor, the heating device, and the air blower, a second drying process that is performed after the first drying process and in which the control device drives the rotary tub motor, the heating device, and the air blower, and a third drying process that is performed after the first drying process and the second drying process and in which the control device drives the rotary tub motor and the air blower. When the fine course is performed, the control device controls the rotary tub motor and the air blower to suppress evaporation of moisture from the clothes in the preheat dehydration process and / or the first drying process compared to when the normal course is performed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of an example in which a clothes treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional rear view showing a schematic configuration of an example in which a clothes treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an example in which a clothes treating device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer, excluding a door; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an example in which a laundry treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a washing and drying operation in an example in which a clothes treating device according to an embodiment is applied to a washing and drying machine; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the operation of each component in the dehydration process, preheat dehydration process, and each drying process in the case of a fine course in an example in which a clothes treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the operation of each component in a dehydration process, a preheat dehydration process, and each drying process in a normal course in an example in which a clothes treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Figure 8] 1 is a timing chart showing the control of each component in a spin-drying process and a preheat spin-drying process in a fine course in an example in which a laundry treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer. [Figure 9] 1 is a timing chart showing the control of each component in a dehydration process and a preheat dehydration process in a normal course in an example in which a laundry treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Figure 10] A timing chart showing the control of each component in each drying process in the case of the fine course in an example in which a clothes treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer. [Figure 11] 1 is a timing chart showing, in an enlarged manner, a control process of a rotation tub motor in a first agitation operation and a second agitation operation in an example in which a laundry treatment device according to an embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An example in which a clothes treatment device according to the present embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer will be described with reference to the drawings. The washer / dryer 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum-type washing machine equipped with a drying function.

[0010] 1 and 2, the washer-dryer 10 includes an outer case 11, a door 12, an outer tub 13, a bellows 14, a rotating tub 15, a rotating tub motor 16, a water supply mechanism 17, and a drainage mechanism 18. In this embodiment, the door 11 side of the outer case 11, i.e., the left side of the paper in FIG. 1, is the front side of the washer-dryer 10. The outer case 11 is formed into a rectangular hollow box shape using, for example, a stainless steel plate, and constitutes the outer shell of the washer-dryer 10. The outer case 11 has a clothes entrance 111 at the front part that communicates between the inside and outside of the outer case 11.

[0011] The door 12 is provided at the front of the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to open and close the clothing entrance 111. With the door 12 open, a user can insert or remove clothing 100 into or from the spin tub 15 through the clothing entrance 111.

[0012] The outer tub 13 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening 131 on the front side. In this embodiment, the outer tub 13 can store water inside, and in this case functions as a water tank. The outer tub 13 has an air outlet 132 and an air inlet 133. The air outlet 132 is provided, for example, in the upper front part of the peripheral wall constituting the cylindrical part of the outer tub 13, at a position separated in the left-right direction from the center of the outer tub 13 in the left-right direction, that is, the top of the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the outer tub 13. The air inlet 133 is provided, for example, in a part of the bottom of the outer tub 13 slightly above the center in the up-down direction of the bottom. The air outlet 132 and the air inlet 133 communicate the inside and outside of the outer tub 13.

[0013] The bellows 14 is provided around the clothes opening 111 of the outer box 11 and the opening 131 of the outer tub 13. The bellows 14 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical bellows shape, and elastically connects the outer box 11 and the outer tub 13 with the clothes opening 111 and the opening 131 communicating with each other.

[0014] The spin tub 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom capable of accommodating the clothes 100, and is rotatably accommodated inside the outer tub 13. The rotation axis of the spin tub 15 overlaps with the central axis of the outer tub 13. The spin tub 15 has a plurality of communication ports 151. The communication ports 151 communicate between the inside and outside of the spin tub 15. The communication ports 151 are formed in the entire peripheral wall constituting the cylindrical portion of the spin tub 15 and the bottom of the spin tub 15. The communication ports 151 function mainly as water holes through which water flows in and out during the washing and spin-drying operations, and function as ventilation ports through which air flows in and out during the drying operation.

[0015] 1 and 3, a plurality of baffles 152 are provided inside the cylindrical portion of the spin tub 15. The baffles 152 agitate the clothes 100 accommodated inside the spin tub 15 as the spin tub 15 rotates.

[0016] The rotating tub motor 16 is provided, for example, on the outside of the bottom of the outer tub 13. The tip side of the shaft 161 of the rotating tub motor 16 protrudes into the inside of the outer tub 13 and is connected to the rotating tub 15. For example, an outer rotor type direct drive motor can be used as the rotating tub motor 16. The shaft 161 of the rotating tub motor 16 penetrates the bottom of the outer tub 13, protrudes into the inside of the outer tub 13, and is fixed to the bottom of the rotating tub 15. The rotating tub motor 16 rotates the rotating tub 15 relative to the outer tub 13. In this case, the shaft 161 of the rotating tub motor 16, the central axis of the outer tub 13, and the rotation axis of the rotating tub 15 are all aligned.

[0017] The water supply mechanism 17 is a device for injecting water supplied from an external water source, such as a water tap, into the outer tub 13. The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, in the outer box 11, above the outer tub 13, toward either the left or right side. The water supply mechanism 17 includes a water supply valve 171, a water supply path 172, and a water injection case 173.

[0018] The water supply valve 171 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and is connected to an external water source such as a water supply (not shown). The water supply valve 171 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and opens and closes a water supply path 172. The water supply path 172 connects a water injection case 173 to the inside of the outer tub 13. The water supply path 172 is a path from the external water source to the inside of the outer tub 13. The water injection case 173 is provided on the water supply path 172 downstream of the water supply valve 171. The water injection case 173 is configured to be able to accommodate laundry treatment agents such as detergent and finishing agent therein.

[0019] When the water supply valve 171 is opened, water from an external water source is poured into the outer tub 13 via the water supply case 173. If a laundry treatment agent is stored in the water supply case 173, the laundry treatment agent in the water supply case 173 is carried by the water flowing through the water supply path 172 and flows down into the outer tub 13. Note that the washer / dryer 10 does not necessarily have to include the water supply case 173. In other words, the washer / dryer 10 may be configured so that the user directly pours the laundry treatment agent into the outer tub 13.

[0020] Drain mechanism 18 has a function of discharging water stored inside outer tub 13 to the outside of washer / dryer 10. Drain mechanism 18 includes a drain valve 181 and a drain path 182. Drain valve 181 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid. Drain valve 181 opens and closes drain path 182. Drain path 182 is a path from inside outer tub 13 to the outside of the machine.

[0021] The washer / dryer 10 also has a drying function. In this embodiment, the washer / dryer 10 has an air passage 20 and a drying unit 30. The air passage 20 connects an air outlet 132 and an air inlet 133 on the outside of the outer tub 13. The air passage 20, the outer tub 13, and the rotating tub 15 form a circulating air passage. The air passage 20 has a function of taking in air from the outer tub 13 into the air passage 20 from the air outlet 132, turning the air into hot air through the drying unit 30, and then supplying the hot air into the outer tub 13 from the air inlet 133.

[0022] Air passage 20 can be configured to include, for example, exhaust duct 21, filter device 22, connection duct 23, heat exchange section 24, and air supply duct 25. Exhaust duct 21, filter device 22, connection duct 23, heat exchange section 24, and air supply duct 25 are arranged in order along the flow of air flowing through air passage 20.

[0023] The exhaust duct 21 is a duct that connects the air outlet 132 of the outer tub 13 and the filter device 22. The filter device 22 is provided with a filter (not shown) inside and collects lint and foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the air passage 20. The connection duct 23 is a duct that connects the filter device 22 and the heat exchanger 24. The heat exchanger 24 is provided on the inside lower part of the outer box 11 and below the outer tub 13 and the rotating tub 15. The air taken into the air passage 20 from the outer tub 13 is dehumidified and heated as it passes through the heat exchanger 24, becoming dry warm air. The supply air duct 25 is a duct that connects the heat exchanger 24 and the air inlet 133 of the outer tub 13.

[0024] The drying unit 30 functions as a hot air supplying device that generates hot air for drying the clothes 100 in the rotating tub 15 and supplies the hot air from the air inlet 133 into the outer tub 13. The drying unit 30 can be configured to include, for example, a heat pump type or a heater type heating device. In this embodiment, the drying unit 30 is configured to include a heat pump type heating device, and has an evaporator 31, a condenser 32, and a compressor 33.

[0025] The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are provided in the heat exchange section 24. The evaporator 31 is provided upstream of the condenser 32 with respect to the air flow in the heat exchange section 24 during drying operation. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32, together with a compressor 33 provided outside the heat exchange section 24, constitute a heat pump mechanism, i.e., a refrigeration cycle. Air passing through the heat exchange section 24 is cooled by the evaporator 31 and thereby dehumidified. The air dehumidified by the evaporator 31 is then heated by the condenser 32 to become warm air.

[0026] The downstream side of the heat exchange section 24 is connected to the air inlet 133 of the outer tub 13 by the air supply duct 25. The drying unit 30 also includes a blower 34. The blower 34 is provided, for example, at the connection between the heat exchange section 24 and the air supply duct 25, and can be composed of, for example, a sirocco fan or a propeller fan. The blower 34 sucks in air from the heat exchange section 24 and discharges it to the air supply duct 25 side. As a result, the hot air dehumidified and heated in the heat exchange section 24 is supplied from the air inlet 133 to the outer tub 13 and further to the rotating tub 15 by the blowing action of the blower 34.

[0027] The washer / dryer 10 also includes a control device 40, as shown in Fig. 4. The control device 40 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 401 and a storage area 402 such as a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory. The control device 40 has a function of managing the operation of the washer / dryer 10 as a whole. The rotary tub motor 16, the water supply valve 171, the drain valve 181, and the drying unit 30 are electrically connected to the control device 40, and operate under the control of the control device 40. In this specification, driving, stopping, or controlling the drying unit 30 means driving, stopping, or controlling the compressor 33.

[0028] The control device 40 can selectively execute a washing operation, a drying operation, and a washing and drying operation by operating the rotating tub motor 16, the water supply valve 171, the drain valve 181, and the drying unit 30 as necessary. In this embodiment, the "operation" in the washing operation, the drying operation, or the washing and drying operation is a concept including one or more steps, and is a unit selectable by the user.

[0029] The washing operation is an operation mainly intended for washing clothes. The drying operation is an operation mainly intended for drying clothes. The washing and drying operation is an operation intended for washing and drying clothes. The specific contents of each operation can be changed automatically or based on the user's operation on the operation unit 19 according to the amount of clothes and the state of dirt.

[0030] The washing and drying operation includes a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, a preheat spin-drying process, and a drying process, as shown in Fig. 5. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the rinsing process is included twice, but the rinsing process may be included once or may be included three or more times.

[0031] The dehydration step is a step in which the rotation tub motor 16 is driven to rotate the rotation tub 15 at high speed without driving the compressor 33 and the blower 34, and moisture contained in the clothes is removed by centrifugal force. The preheat dehydration step is a step in which the compressor 33 is started to be driven to generate hot air, and the blower 34 is driven to supply the generated hot air to the outer tub 13, while the rotation tub motor 16 is driven to rotate the rotation tub 15 to warm the clothes and further remove moisture contained in the clothes. Note that the drain valve 181 is in an open state during the dehydration step and the preheat dehydration step. The control device 40 executes a rotation operation to continuously rotate the rotation tub motor 16 at high speed during the dehydration step and the preheat dehydration step.

[0032] The drying process is a process in which the compressor 33 and the blower 34 are driven to supply warm air to the outer tub 13, while the rotary tub motor 16 is operated at low or medium speed to blow warm air onto the entire clothes, thereby drying the clothes. In the drying process, the control device 40 intermittently operates the rotary tub motor 16 at low or medium speed to perform an agitation operation in which the baffle 152 agitates the clothes.

[0033] The control device 40 can select and execute a washing and drying operation from a normal course and a fine course. A user can select from the normal course and the fine course by operating an operation unit (not shown) and cause the washer-dryer 10 to execute the selected course. The fine course is configured with control contents that prioritize the finish of the clothes after drying over the normal course.

[0034] Since the clothes that have been through the spin cycle are biased toward the side of the spin tub 15 or tangled together, if moisture is rapidly removed or evaporated from the clothes in that state, it may cause large wrinkles or uneven drying. Therefore, in the fine course, the control device 40 controls the operation of each component to suppress the degree of evaporation of moisture from the clothes in the preheat spin cycle and the early stage of the drying cycle more than in the normal course. In other words, the fine course is a course in which each component is controlled to suppress the degree of removal of moisture from the clothes and the degree of evaporation of moisture when the clothes start to be warmed after the spin cycle.

[0035] In contrast, in the normal course, the operation of each component is controlled mainly for the purpose of optimizing the drying time. A user can select either the fine course or the normal course to perform the washing and drying operation according to the purpose or preference at the time.

[0036] An overview of the control process from the spin-drying process to the drying process in the fine course is shown in Figure 6. In the fine course, the drying process includes the first drying process, the second drying process, and the third drying process. In the fine course, the first drying process, the second drying process, and the third drying process are executed sequentially in this order. An overview of the control process from the spin-drying process to the drying process in the normal course is shown in Figure 7. In the normal course, the drying process includes the fourth drying process and the fifth drying process. In the normal course, the fourth drying process and the fifth drying process are executed sequentially in this order.

[0037] The control device 40 controls the rotary tub motor 16 so that the impulse, which is the product of the centrifugal force and time applied to the clothes in the preheat dehydration step of the fine course, is smaller than the impulse applied to the clothes in the preheat dehydration step of the normal course. This reduces the degree to which the clothes are pressed against the side of the rotary tub and the degree to which the clothes become entangled in the preheat dehydration step when the clothes start to be heated and the moisture from the clothes begins to evaporate, thereby reducing uneven drying and wrinkles. For example, the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration step of the fine course is set lower than the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration step of the normal course, or the period of the preheat dehydration step of the fine course is set shorter than the period of the preheat dehydration step of the normal course.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, in the preheat dehydration process of the fine course, the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 is set to the first dehydration rotation speed s1. The first dehydration rotation speed s1 is a rotation speed higher than the second dehydration rotation speed s2, which is the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the dehydration process, and is a rotation speed lower than the third dehydration rotation speed s3, which is the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration process of the normal course. The first dehydration rotation speed s1 can be set within a range of, for example, 950 to 1100 rpm. The second dehydration rotation speed s2 can be set within a range of, for example, 850 to 950 rpm. In this embodiment, the first dehydration rotation speed s1 is set to 900 rpm, and the second dehydration rotation speed s2 is set to 1000 rpm.

[0039] In addition, in other embodiments, the period of the preheat dehydration process in the fine course may be set to be shorter than the period of the preheat dehydration process in the normal course.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 8, in the preheat dehydration process of the fine course, the speed of the blower 34 is set to a third speed r3. The third speed r3 is faster than a first speed r1 described below, and slower than a second speed r2 also described below. The third speed r3 is expressed as a medium speed in Fig. 6. The first speed r1 can be set within a range of 3000 rpm to 4000 rpm, for example.

[0041] On the other hand, in the preheat dehydration process of the normal course, the speed of the air blower 34 is set to the second speed r2. That is, in the fine course, the rotation speed of the air blower 34 in the preheat dehydration process is suppressed, and the amount of air blown is suppressed, thereby suppressing the degree of evaporation of moisture from the clothes.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 10, the first drying step is a step in which the blower 34 is driven at a first speed r1 while the compressor 33 is in operation, and the first stirring operation is performed by the rotary tub motor 16. The first speed r1 can be set within a range of, for example, about 2000 to about 3000 rpm. The first speed r1 is represented as a low speed in FIG. 6. By suppressing the rotation speed of the blower 34 in the first drying step, the degree of evaporation of moisture from the clothes in the initial stage of drying can be suppressed, and the occurrence of wrinkles and uneven drying due to rapid drying in a state where the clothes are stuck to the side of the rotary tub 15 or are tangled with each other can be suppressed.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 10, the second drying step is a step in which, while the compressor 33 is in operation, the blower 34 is driven at a second speed r2, which is faster than the first speed r1, and the rotary tub motor 16 repeatedly performs the first and second agitation operations. By driving the blower 34 at high speed, the amount of air blown can be increased, and drying can be promoted in the later stage of the drying step. The second speed r2 can be set within a range of, for example, about 4000 rpm to about 5000 rpm. The second speed r2 is expressed as high speed in FIG. 6.

[0044] 10, the third drying step is a step in which the compressor 33 is stopped, the blower 34 is driven at a third speed r3, and the first and second agitation operations are repeatedly performed by the rotary tub motor 16. By stopping the compressor 33, the blower 34 supplies cold air, not hot air, to the outer tub 13, thereby cooling the clothes.

[0045] The first agitation operation is a so-called tumbling operation, which is an operation in which the rotatable tub motor 16 is intermittently driven at a predetermined rotation speed such that the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 are finely swung in the horizontal direction. The first agitation operation causes the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 to momentarily rise to the side of the rotatable tub 15 together with the rotatable tub 15 and then fall, changing the relative positions of the adjacent clothes. As shown in FIG. 10, the control device 40 abruptly increases the rotation speed of the rotatable tub motor 16 from 0 rpm or substantially 0 rpm to a predetermined first agitation rotation speed t1, and when the rotation speed of the rotatable tub motor 16 reaches the first agitation rotation speed t1, the rotation speed is reduced to 0 rpm or substantially 0 rpm, that is, the rotation is stopped instantaneously. The first agitation rotation speed t1 is a rotation speed at which the clothes rise to the top of the rotatable tub 15 together with the rotatable tub 15 and then fall. In this embodiment, the first agitation operation is alternately repeated between forward rotation and reverse rotation. The first agitation rotation speed t1 can be set within a range of, for example, about 75 rpm to about 120 rpm.

[0046] The second agitation operation is an operation in which the rotatable tub motor 16 is intermittently driven at a predetermined rotation speed such that the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 move largely in the up and down direction. The second agitation operation causes the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 to rise to the top of the rotatable tub 15 together with the rotatable tub 15 and then fall to the bottom, so that the relative position of the clothes as a whole changes. As shown in FIG. 10, the control device 40 gradually increases the rotation speed of the rotatable tub motor 16 to a predetermined second agitation rotation speed t2, and when the rotation speed of the rotatable tub motor 16 reaches the second agitation rotation speed t2, the control device 40 maintains the second agitation rotation speed t2 for a predetermined period and then stops the rotation. The second agitation rotation speed t2 is a rotation speed smaller than the first agitation rotation speed t1, and is a rotation speed at which the clothes do not rise to the top of the rotatable tub 15 together with the rotatable tub 15 but reach the side of the rotatable tub 15 and fall. In this embodiment, the second agitation operation is alternately repeated between forward and reverse rotation. The second agitation rotation speed t2 can be set within a range of, for example, about 50 rpm to about 65 rpm.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 11, the change in the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 over time in the first stirring operation is set to be larger than the change in the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 over time in the second stirring operation. In the first stirring operation, the control device 40 increases the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 from 0 rpm to the first stirring rotation speed t1 over a first period T1. In the second stirring operation, the control device 40 increases the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 from 0 rpm or substantially 0 rpm to the second stirring rotation speed t2 over a second period T2 longer than the first period T1. The first period T1 can be set within a range of, for example, about 0.5 to about 5 seconds. The second period T2 can be set within a range of, for example, about 5 to about 10 seconds.

[0048] In the second stirring operation, the period T3 during which the second stirring rotation speed t2 is maintained can be set within the range of, for example, about 3 to about 8 seconds.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 9, in the preheat dehydration process of the normal course, the control device 40 sets the rotation speed of the rotating tub motor 16 to a third dehydration rotation speed s3. The third dehydration rotation speed s3 is a rotation speed higher than the first dehydration rotation speed s1 and the second dehydration rotation speed s2. The third dehydration rotation speed s3 can be set within a range of, for example, about 1200 to about 1500 rpm. In this embodiment, the third dehydration rotation speed s3 is set to, for example, about 1400 rpm.

[0050] 7, in the fourth drying step of the normal course, the control device 40 drives the blower 34 at a high speed (in this case, the second speed r2) while driving the compressor 33, and drives the rotary tub motor 16 to perform the second stirring operation. In the fifth drying step, the control device 40 drives the blower 34 at a high speed (in this case, the second speed r2) while stopping the compressor 33, and drives the rotary tub motor 16 to perform the second stirring operation.

[0051] In the second drying step and the third drying step, the control device 40 alternately repeats the first agitation operation and the second agitation operation for each predetermined period. The total execution period of the second agitation operation in the second drying step and the third drying step is set to be longer than the total execution period of the first agitation operation. As a result, in the second drying step and the third drying step, the clothes are mainly agitated overall, while occasionally being finely shaken, so that wrinkling and uneven drying of the clothes can be suppressed overall and partially. For example, in the second drying step and the third drying step, the total execution period of the second agitation operation can be set to be about 5 to about 20 times longer than the total execution period of the first agitation operation. In this embodiment, the total execution period of the second agitation operation is set to be about 10 times longer than the total execution period of the first agitation operation. In addition, with respect to the entire drying step, for example, the total execution period of the second agitation operation can be set to be about 2 to about 5 times longer than the total execution period of the first agitation operation. In this embodiment, the total execution period of the second stirring operation is set to be approximately four times as long as the total execution period of the first stirring operation.

[0052] The washer / dryer 10 as the laundry processing device of the present embodiment described above includes the outer tub 13, the rotating tub 15, the rotating tub motor 16, the baffle 152 as an agitator, the air passage 20, the drying unit 30 as a heating device, the air blower 34, and the control device 40. The outer tub 13 has an air outlet 132 and an air inlet 133. The rotating tub 15 is rotatably supported in the outer tub 13. The rotating tub motor 16 drives the rotating tub 15 to rotate. The baffle 152 is disposed on the inner surface of the rotating tub 15. The air passage 20 connects the air outlet 132 and the air inlet 133 outside the outer tub 13. The drying unit 30 is disposed in the air passage and generates hot air. The air blower 34 is disposed in the air passage 20 and supplies the hot air generated by the drying unit 30 to the outer tub 13. The control device 40 controls the driving of the rotary tub motor 16, the drying unit 30 as a hot air generating device, and the blower 34 to perform a washing and drying operation including a preheat dehydration step and a drying step. The washing and drying operation can be selected from a normal course and a fine course. In the fine course, the drying step includes a first drying step in which the control device 40 drives the rotary tub motor 16, the drying unit 30, and the blower 34, a second drying step that is performed after the first drying step and in which the control device 40 drives the rotary tub motor 16, the drying unit 30, and the blower 34, and a third drying step that is performed after the first drying step and in which the control device 40 drives the rotary tub motor 16 and the blower 34. When the fine course is performed, the control device 40 controls the rotary tub motor 16 and the blower 34 to suppress evaporation of moisture from the clothes in the preheat dehydration step and / or the first drying step, compared to when the normal course is performed.

[0053] In the fine course, the temperature rises and the clothes start drying in the preheat dehydration process, or in the first drying process where full drying begins, and rapid evaporation of moisture from clothes that are left unevenly distributed or tangled is suppressed, providing a clothes processing device that can suppress uneven drying and wrinkles after the drying process.

[0054] When the fine course is executed, the control device 40 sets the first dehydration rotation speed s1, which is the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration process, to be lower than the second dehydration rotation speed s2, which is the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration process when the normal course is executed, or sets the execution period of the preheat dehydration process to be shorter than the execution period of the preheat dehydration process when the normal course is executed.

[0055] As a result, in the fine course, the centrifugal force applied to the clothes in the preheat dehydration process, where the temperature rises and the clothes start to dry, is made smaller than the centrifugal force applied to the clothes in the preheat dehydration process in the normal course. This makes it possible to suppress the evaporation of water from the clothes in the preheat dehydration process and to suppress the occurrence of wrinkles. In addition, by reducing the impulse that the clothes receive due to the rotation of the spin tub 15, the degree to which the clothes become entangled and stick to the sides of the spin tub is suppressed. Thus, a clothes processing device is provided that can suppress uneven drying and the occurrence of wrinkles after the drying process.

[0056] The control device 40 causes the rotational tub motor 16 to perform a first agitation operation in the first drying step, in which the rotational speed of the rotational tub motor 16 reaches a predetermined first agitation rotational speed t1 at which the clothes rise together with the rotational tub 15 to the top of the rotational tub 15 and drop within a predetermined first period T1, and then immediately drops. The control device 40 causes the rotational tub motor 16 to alternately perform a first agitation operation in the second drying step and a second agitation operation in which the rotational speed of the rotational tub motor 16 reaches a predetermined second agitation rotational speed t2 lower than the first agitation rotational speed t1 at which the clothes do not rise together with the rotational tub 15 to the top of the rotational tub 15 but reach the side of the rotational tub 15 and drop within a second period T2 longer than the first period T1, and in which the rotational speed of the rotational tub motor 16 reaches the predetermined second agitation rotational speed t2 lower than the first agitation rotational speed t1 during a second period T2 longer than the first period T1.

[0057] As a result, in the first drying step, the clothes are finely rocked horizontally by the baffle 152 in the first agitation operation, and by finely agitating the clothes in the early stages of drying, strong large wrinkles that occurred during spin-drying are changed to weaker and finer wrinkles, which leads to an improvement in the finish of the clothes after drying. Also, in the second drying step, where the clothes have been dried to a certain extent, if the rocking operation is performed alone, the drying air does not hit the entire clothes, causing uneven drying, so a second agitation operation is performed in which the clothes are largely rocked vertically by the baffle 152, and the clothes are periodically agitated and the position of the clothes is changed, thereby preventing uneven drying.

[0058] The control device 40 drives the air blower 34 at a predetermined first speed r1 in the first drying process, and drives the air blower at a second speed r2 that is faster than the first speed r1 in the second drying process and the third drying process.

[0059] As a result, by reducing the amount of air blown in the first drying step, the moisture in the clothes can be utilized to prevent wrinkles from occurring in the initial stage of the drying step.

[0060] Here, even in the preheat dehydration process, it is necessary to keep the amount of air blown as low as possible to prevent wrinkles from forming in the early stages of the drying process. However, if the amount of air blown is kept low during the temperature rise process just after compressor 33 has started operating, heat exchange will not occur, the temperature of the clothes will not rise, and excessive strain will be placed on compressor 33.

[0061] In the preheat dehydration process, the control device 40 drives the blower 34 at a predetermined third speed r3 that is faster than the first speed r1 and slower than the second speed r2.

[0062] This makes it possible to provide a washer / dryer 10 that ensures a certain level of rotation speed of blower 34 during the preheat dehydration process, thereby protecting compressor 33 from temperature rise and contributing to the prevention of wrinkles.

[0063] Here, the latter stage of the drying process is the timing to accelerate drying, and it is necessary to agitate the entire laundry and change its position. However, if only the second agitation operation, which agitates the entire laundry, is performed, there is a risk that strong wrinkles will form again.

[0064] In the second drying process and the third drying process, the total operation period of the first stirring operation is set to be shorter than the total operation period of the second stirring operation.

[0065] As a result, in the second and third drying steps, which correspond to the later stages of the drying process, uneven drying can be suppressed by mainly performing the second agitation operation, while the first agitation operation is additionally performed to finely shake the clothes, thereby suppressing the occurrence of large wrinkles.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the fine course is executed, the first dehydration rotation speed s1, which is the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration process, is set lower than the second dehydration rotation speed s2, which is the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor 16 in the preheat dehydration process when the normal course is executed. However, instead of or in addition to this, the execution period of the preheat dehydration process can also be set shorter than the execution period of the preheat dehydration process when the normal course is executed.

[0067] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 10... washing machine, 13... outer tub, 132... air outlet, 133... air inlet, 15... rotating tub, 152... baffle (mixing blade), 16... rotating tub motor, 20... air passage, 30... drying unit (heating device), 34... blower, 40... control device, 100... clothes, s1... first spinning speed, s2... second spinning speed, T1... first period, T2... second period, t1... first mixing speed (first rotation speed), t2... second mixing speed (second rotation speed), r1... first speed, r2... second speed, r3... third speed

Claims

1. an outer tub having an air outlet and an air inlet; A rotating tub rotatably supported within the outer tub; a rotating tub motor for rotating the rotating tub; A stirring blade disposed on the inner surface of the rotating tank; an air passage connecting the air outlet and the air inlet outside the outer tub; A heating device provided in the air passage for heating air; a blower provided in the air passage for supplying the hot air generated by the heating device to the outer tub; A control device that controls the driving of the rotary tub motor, the heating device, and the blower device to perform a washing and drying operation including a preheat dehydration process and a drying process, The washing and drying operation can be selected from a normal course and a fine course, In the fine course, the drying process includes a first drying process in which the control device drives the rotary tub motor, the heating device, and the air blower, a second drying process that is executed after the first drying process and in which the control device drives the rotary tub motor, the heating device, and the air blower, and a third drying process that is executed after the first drying process and the second drying process and in which the control device drives the rotary tub motor and the air blower, The control device controls the rotary tub motor and the air blower so as to suppress evaporation of moisture from the clothes in the preheat dehydration process and / or the first drying process when the fine course is executed, compared to when the normal course is executed. Clothes treatment device.

2. When the fine course is executed, the control device sets the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor in the preheat dehydration process to be lower than the rotation speed of the rotary tub motor in the preheat dehydration process when the normal course is executed, or sets the execution period of the preheat dehydration process to be shorter than the execution period of the preheat dehydration process when the normal course is executed. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1.

3. The control device controls the rotating tub motor. In the first drying step, a first stirring operation is performed in which the rotation speed of the rotation tub motor reaches a predetermined first rotation speed, which is a rotation speed at which the clothes rise to the top of the rotation tub together with the rotation tub and fall, and then immediately decreases; In the second drying step and the third drying step, the first stirring operation and a second stirring operation in which the rotation speed of the rotation tub motor reaches a predetermined second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed during a second period longer than the first period, at which the clothes do not rise to the top of the rotation tub together with the rotation tub but reach a side surface of the rotation tub and drop there. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

4. The control device includes: In the first drying step, the air blower is driven at a predetermined first speed; In the second drying step and the third drying step, the air blower is driven at a second speed that is higher than the first speed. The clothing treatment device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The control device includes: In the preheat dehydration process, the blower is driven at a predetermined third speed that is faster than the first speed and slower than the second speed. The clothing treatment device according to claim 4.

6. In the second drying process and the third drying process, a total operation period of the first stirring operation is set to be shorter than a total operation period of the second stirring operation. The clothing treatment device according to claim 3.

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