Clothing drying machine

Abstract

To provide a clothing drying machine allowing maintenance of a filter device to be simplified.SOLUTION: A clothing drying machine has a water tank having an air exhaust port, and a filter device disposed on downstream side of the air exhaust port. The filter device has a fixed portion having an opening, a movable portion that is rotatably mounted on the fixed portion and is switchable between an exposed state of being exposed from the opening and a stored state of being stored in the opening, and a filter that is configured so as to be attachable to and detachable from the movable portion and captures foreign materials included in air flowed out from the air exhaust port in the stored state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In a conventional clothes dryer, a filter device for collecting foreign matter such as lint and dust is provided downstream of the exhaust port of the water tub to prevent the accumulation of the foreign matter in the drying air duct for supplying warm air into the water tub during drying operation. The filter device has a filter member made of, for example, nonwoven fabric attached to the wall of a box-shaped case. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-30506 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional configuration, a cleaning member provided in the case is used to scrape off foreign matter accumulated on the filter member. However, in the conventional configuration, in addition to maintenance of the filter member, periodic inspection and replacement of the cleaning member are required, so there is room for improvement in terms of simplifying the maintenance of the filter device.

[0005] Therefore, a clothes dryer that can simplify the maintenance of a filter device is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The clothes dryer of one embodiment comprises a water tub having an exhaust port, and a filter device provided downstream of the exhaust port, the filter device having a fixed part having an opening, a movable part rotatably attached to the fixed part and switchable between an exposed state exposed from the opening and a contained state contained in the opening, and a filter configured to be detachable from the movable part and for collecting foreign matter contained in the air flowing out of the exhaust port in the contained state. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional left side view illustrating an example of a clothes dryer according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional rear view showing an example of a clothes dryer according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a filter device main body in a state in which a movable part is exposed in a clothes dryer according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a filter device main body in a case where a filter is removed from a movable portion in a housed state in the clothes dryer according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is an enlarged view showing a configuration around an attachment part in a stored state of the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion indicated by an arrow X6 in FIG. 3 in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a rear view showing a movable part housed in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment taken along line X8-X8 in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a filter is deformed when a state changes from an exposed state to a stored state in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment; [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8 and illustrating an example of a case in which a movable part is configured to be rotatable to the upstream side of a fixed part in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the filter device body in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship of the vertical distance between adjacent fixed-portion-side extension members in the clothes dryer according to the second embodiment; [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship of the distance between the center portion and the fixed portion side extension member in the clothes dryer according to the third embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, a clothes dryer according to a number of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that substantially the same elements in the respective embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0009] (First embodiment) First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Clothes dryer 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a drum-type clothes dryer in which the rotation axis of rotating tub 14 is oriented horizontally or inclined axis type inclined downward toward the rear. Clothes dryer 10 has, for example, a washing function and a drying function, and can perform a washing and drying operation including each process of washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying. Note that the clothes dryer is not limited to a drum-type clothes dryer, and may be a vertical-axis type clothes dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub is oriented vertically. Also, the clothes dryer can be applied to a configuration that does not have a washing function.

[0010] Clothes dryer 10 includes outer box 11, door 12, water tub 13, rotating tub 14, motor 15, drainage mechanism 16, water injection mechanism 20, and drying mechanism 30. In Fig. 1, the side of the installation surface of clothes dryer 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is the lower side of clothes dryer 10, and the opposite side to the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is the upper side of clothes dryer 10. The side of clothes dryer 10 seen from the user, i.e., the left side of the paper in Fig. 1, is the front side of clothes dryer 10, and the opposite side to the user, i.e., the right side of the paper in Fig. 1, is the rear side of clothes dryer 10.

[0011] The outer box 11 is formed into a rectangular hollow box shape as a whole by combining metals such as stainless steel plates and resin materials. The outer box 11 constitutes the outer shell of the clothes dryer 10. The outer box 11 has a front opening 111 on the front side that communicates the inside and outside of the outer box 11. The door 12 is provided on the front side of the outer box 11 and opens and closes the front opening 111. With the door 12 open, a user can put clothes in and take them out of the rotating tub 14 through the front opening 111. The water tub 13 and the rotating tub 14 are both formed into a so-called bottomed cylinder shape that is open on one side in the axial direction of the cylindrical shape, i.e., the front side, and has a bottom on the other side, i.e., the rear side.

[0012] Water tub 13 can store water therein. Water tub 13 is provided in outer box 11 and elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, water tub 13 has exhaust port 131, air inlet 132, and water inlet 133. Exhaust port 131, air inlet 132, and water inlet 133 communicate between the inside and outside of water tub 13. Exhaust port 131 is for discharging air from inside water tub 13. Exhaust port 131 is provided, for example, in a portion near the front of the upper portion of water tub 13, at a position away to the right of the center of water tub 13 in the left-right direction.

[0013] Air inlet 132 is for supplying air into water tub 13. Air inlet 132 is provided, for example, in the bottom of water tub 13, slightly above the center of the bottom in the up-down direction. Water inlet 133 is for supplying water containing laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener into water tub 13. Water inlet 133 is provided, for example, in the upper rear part of water tub 13, at a position away to the left of the center of water tub 13 in the left-right direction.

[0014] Rotary tub 14 is capable of housing clothes therein and is rotatably disposed within water tub 13. Rotary tub 14 is driven to rotate by motor 15. Rotary tub 14 has a plurality of holes 141. The plurality of holes 141 are formed over almost the entire circumferential surface of rotary tub 14 and function, for example, as water holes through which water flows in and out during the spin-drying process and as ventilation holes through which air flows in and out during the drying process. Rotary tub 14 also has a plurality of baffles (not shown). The baffles have the function of agitating and stirring up the clothes housed in rotary tub 14.

[0015] Motor 15 is provided on the outside of the bottom of water tub 13. Although details of motor 15 are not shown, it is composed of, for example, a brushless direct drive motor whose rotation speed is variable. Motor 15 is connected to rotating tub 14 and has the function of driving rotating tub 14 to rotate relative to water tub 13. Motor shaft 151 of motor 15, the central axis of water tub 13, and the rotation axis of rotating tub 14 overlap with each other.

[0016] Drain mechanism 16 has a function of draining water stored in water tub 13 to the outside of clothes dryer 10. As shown in FIG. 1, drain mechanism 16 has drain valve 161 and drain hose 162. Drain valve 161 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. One end of drain hose 162 is connected to drain valve 161, and the other end is drawn out to the outside of clothes dryer 10. When drain valve 161 is opened, water stored in water tub 13 is drained to the outside of clothes dryer 10 through drain hose 162. In other words, drain valve 161 opens and closes a drain path for draining water stored in water tub 13 to the outside.

[0017] The water injection mechanism 20 has a function of supplying water supplied from an external water source such as a water supply into the water tub 13. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the water injection mechanism 20 has a water supply valve 21, a water injection case 22, and a water injection hose 23. The water supply valve 21 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The water supply valve 21 has a function of opening and closing a water supply path from an external water source to the water tub 13 via the water injection mechanism 20. The water injection case 22 is provided downstream of the water supply valve 21. The water injection case 22 has a treatment agent case (not shown). The treatment agent case is configured to be able to accommodate, for example, a laundry treatment agent required for one washing operation. In other words, the water injection case 22 is configured to be able to accommodate a laundry treatment agent therein. When a laundry treatment agent is accommodated in the treatment agent case, the water supplied from the external water source that flows into the water injection case 22 and the laundry treatment agent are mixed in the water injection case 22, and then supplied into the water tub 13 and the spin tub 14.

[0018] Water injection hose 23 can be formed of, for example, a flexible hose. One end of water injection hose 23 is connected to water injection case 22, and the other end is connected to water injection port 133. Water injection hose 23 connects water injection case 22 and water tank 13. Water supplied from an external water source into water injection case 22 is supplied into water tank 13 through water injection hose 23.

[0019] The drying mechanism 30 has a function of supplying hot air into the water tub 13. The drying mechanism 30 has an air passage 40 and a hot air supply device 50. The air passage 40 is located outside the water tub 13, one end of which is connected to the exhaust port 131, and the other end of which is connected to the air intake port 132. The air passage 40 connects the exhaust port 131 and the air intake port 132. The air passage 40 is for circulating and supplying air into the water tub 13. The air passage 40 functions as a drying air passage. The air passage 40 takes in air from the water tub 13 through the exhaust port 131, generates hot air through the hot air supply device 50, and then supplies the hot air from the air intake port 132 into the water tub 13.

[0020] 1 and 2, the air passage 40 can be configured to have, for example, an exhaust duct 41, a connection duct 42, a heat exchanger 43, and an air supply duct 44. The exhaust duct 41 is configured, for example, by a flexible bellows-shaped hose. One end of the exhaust duct 41 is connected to the exhaust port 131, and the other end is connected to a filter device 60. The exhaust duct 41 is, for example, a part that exhausts air from the water tank 13. The filter device 60 is provided downstream of the exhaust port 131, in this case on the air passage 40, and collects foreign matter such as lint and dust contained in the air that flows out of the exhaust port 131 and flows through the air passage 40.

[0021] The connection duct 42 is provided between the filter device 60 and the heat exchanger 43, and connects the filter device 60 and the heat exchanger 43. The heat exchanger 43 is disposed, for example, on the rear side of the clothes dryer 10, near the bottom inside the outer box 11. The heat exchanger 43 is provided in the middle of the air passage 40. The air taken into the air passage 40 from the water tub 13 and flowing through the connection duct 42 is dehumidified and heated when passing through the heat exchanger 43, becoming dry warm air. The air supply duct 44 is provided between the heat exchanger 43 and the air supply port 132 of the water tub 13, and connects the heat exchanger 43 and the air supply port 132 of the water tub 13. The air supply duct 44 is, for example, a part that supplies air into the water tub 13.

[0022] The hot air supplying device 50 constitutes, for example, a heat pump mechanism, that is, a refrigeration cycle. The hot air supplying device 50 is provided in the middle of the air passage 40. The hot air supplying device 50 heats the air flowing through the air passage 40 to generate hot air for drying the clothes in the rotating tub 14. The hot air is set to, for example, about 60°C to 70°C. As shown in FIG. 2, the hot air supplying device 50 includes a cooler 51, a condenser 52, a compressor 53, and a throttle valve 54. The cooler 51 and the condenser 52 are provided in the heat exchanger 43. The cooler 51 cools and dehumidifies the air circulating through the air passage 40. The condenser 52 heats the air flowing through the air passage 40 to generate hot air. The compressor 53 is provided outside the heat exchanger 43. The throttle valve 54 is for reducing the pressure of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant so that it can be easily evaporated. The hot air supplying device 50 may be configured as a well-known heater type mechanism instead of the heat pump mechanism.

[0023] The drying mechanism 30 also has a blower 55. The blower 55 is, for example, a sirocco fan. The blower 55 is provided in the middle of the air passage 40 and has a function of supplying air dehumidified and heated by the hot air supply device 50 from the air inlet 132 into the water tub 13. The blower 55 is provided, for example, between the heat exchanger 43 and the air inlet duct 44.

[0024] Next, the configuration of the filter device 60 will be described in detail. The filter device 60 has a filter case 61 and a filter device main body 70. The filter case 61 is provided on the upper surface of the outer box 11, for example, and is formed in a container shape with an open upper surface. The filter device main body 70 is detachably housed in the filter case 61. The filter device main body 70 has a cover member 71, a fixed part 72, a movable part 73, and a filter 74. In this specification, the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction of the cover member 71, the fixed part 72, the movable part 73, and the filter 74 coincide with the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction of the clothes dryer 10.

[0025] The cover member 71 closes the opening on the top surface of the filter case 61 when the filter device main body 70 is housed in the filter case 61. The shape of the cover member 71 corresponds to the shape of the opening on the top surface of the filter case 61. The cover member 71 is formed, for example, in the shape of a container with an open bottom surface. As shown in Figs. 3 and 8, the cover member 71 has a recessed portion 711. The recessed portion 711 is formed by recessing a part of the top surface of the cover member 71 downward. The recessed portion 711 is formed, for example, in a horizontally elongated, approximately rectangular shape. The user can place his / her fingers on the recessed portion 711 when attaching or detaching the cover member 71, i.e., the filter device main body 70, to or from the filter case 61. The recessed portion 711 functions as a handle portion of the cover member 71.

[0026] The fixed portion 72 is attached to the underside of the cover member 71. The fixed portion 72 has an edge portion 721, a fixed portion frame member 722, a connecting portion 723, and a fixed portion side extension member 724. The edge portion 721 is located at the end of the fixed portion 72 on the side that is attached to the cover member 71, in this case the upper end portion. The edge portion 721 is formed in approximately the same shape as the opening on the underside of the cover member 71, and fits into the opening on the underside of the cover member 71. The fixed portion frame member 722 is formed, for example, in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate, and extends downward from the edge portion 721. The fixed portion frame members 722 are configured in a pair on the left and right.

[0027] 3 and 5, the fixed portion frame member 722 has a through-hole 722a. The through-hole 722a is formed by penetrating the fixed portion frame member 722 in the thickness direction. The through-holes 722a are provided at positions facing each other in the pair of left and right fixed portion frame members 722. The through-holes 722a are provided below the center in the up-down direction of the fixed portion frame member 722, for example, near the lower end. In other words, the through-holes 722a are provided near the end opposite to the end connected to the edge portion 721 in the fixed portion frame member 722.

[0028] The connecting portion 723 is provided between the lower ends of the pair of fixed portion frame members 722. The connecting portion 723 is formed, for example, in a substantially rectangular plate shape, and connects the pair of fixed portion frame members 722. The connecting portion 723 is disposed perpendicular to the pair of fixed portion frame members 722. A frame body is formed by the pair of fixed portion frame members 722 and the connecting portion 723, and a fixed portion opening 725 is formed on the inside of the frame body. The fixed portion opening 725 functions as an opening. The width dimension of the connecting portion 723 is set to be longer than the width dimension of the fixed portion frame member 722. In a state in which the filter device main body 70 is housed in the filter case 61, the connecting portion 723 protrudes downstream of the air passage 40 from the fixed portion frame member 722.

[0029] The fixed portion side extension members 724 are provided at a predetermined interval between the pair of fixed portion frame members 722 along the extension direction of the fixed portion frame members 722. The fixed portion side extension members 724 extend from one side of the fixed portion opening 725 to the other side. In this case, both ends of the fixed portion side extension member 724 are connected to, for example, the inner surfaces of the fixed portion frame member 722. The fixed portion side extension members 724 are arranged along the horizontal direction. The fixed portion side extension members 724 are arranged within an area obtained by extending the fixed portion frame member 722 in the left-right direction.

[0030] The fixed portion side extension members 724 are formed of, for example, rod-shaped members having a circular cross section. The multiple fixed portion side extension members 724 are provided at equal or unequal intervals. In this embodiment, the multiple fixed portion side extension members 724 are provided at equal intervals as shown in Figures 3 and 8. Note that in Figure 3 and other figures, in order to make the drawings easier to see, only some of the fixed portion side extension members 724 are labeled with reference numerals, and the reference numerals of the other fixed portion side extension members 724 are omitted.

[0031] The movable part 73 is rotatably attached to the fixed part 72. In this case, the movable part 73 is rotatable toward the downstream side of the air passage 40 with respect to the fixed part 72. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the movable part 73 is switchable between an exposed state exposed from the fixed part opening 725 and a housed state housed in the fixed part opening 725. The left-right dimension of the movable part 73 is set to be slightly smaller than the left-right dimension of the fixed part opening 725. The movable part 73 can be configured to include a movable part frame member 731, a shaft part 732, an operation part 733, an attachment part 734, a movable part side extension member 735, and an attachment part 736.

[0032] The movable part frame member 731 constitutes the left and right side walls of the movable part 73, and is provided in a pair, for example, on the left and right. The pair of movable part frame members 731 face each other. The movable part frame member 731 is formed in a vertically long, approximately rectangular shape as a whole. The length of the movable part frame member 731 is shorter than the length of the fixed part frame member 722. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the movable part frame member 731 has a base end portion 731a. The base end portion 731a is located at the upper edge of the movable part frame member 731. The base end portion 731a is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape and extends to the back side of the movable part 73. Here, the back side of the movable part 73 coincides with the downstream side of the air passage 40 when the filter device main body 70 is attached to the filter case 61, and the front side of the movable part 73 coincides with the upstream side of the air passage 40.

[0033] The shaft portion 732 is provided on the base end portion 731a and is formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the base end portion 731a in the left-right direction in this case. The shaft portion 732 is, for example, configured of a rod-shaped member having a circular cross section. The shaft portion 732 is provided on each of the pair of movable portion frame members 731. In the fixed portion frame member 722, a hole portion 722b is provided at a position corresponding to the shaft portion 732 and on the rear side of the fixed portion side extension member 724. The shaft portion 732 is inserted into the hole portion 722b. The shaft portion 732 is rotatably supported in the hole portion 722b as shown in FIG. 6. The shaft portion 732 is a rotation starting point for rotating the movable portion 73 relative to the fixed portion 72.

[0034] The operation unit 733 is located at the lower edge of the movable unit frame member 731. The operation unit 733 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the operation unit 733 is exposed to the outside of the fixed unit opening 725, in this case, the downstream side of the fixed unit opening 725, when the movable unit 73 is in a housed state. In other words, the operation unit 733 is exposed from the fixed unit opening 725 toward the same side as the rotation direction of the movable unit 73 relative to the fixed unit 72. The operation unit 733 receives an operation for switching the movable unit 73 between an exposed state and a housed state. The user pinches the operation unit 73 with his / her fingers and rotates the movable unit 73 relative to the fixed unit 72 to switch the movable unit 73 between an exposed state and a housed state.

[0035] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the mounting portion 734 is provided on the operating portion 733 and is formed to protrude outward from the outer surface of the operating portion 733 in the left-right direction in this case. The mounting portion 734 is located corresponding to the through-hole 722a of the fixed portion frame member 722 when the movable portion 73 is in the housed state. As shown in Fig. 5, the mounting portion 734 is housed and attached in the through-hole 722a when the movable portion 73 is in the housed state. The through-hole 722a functions as a mounted portion. In this case, the mounting portion 734 is housed in the through-hole 72a when a predetermined or greater external force is applied in a direction that rotates the movable portion 73 from the exposed state toward the fixed portion 72. Here, the predetermined or greater external force is a force greater than the wind force acting on the filter device main body 70 when the filter device main body 70 is attached to the filter case 61. When an external force acting on the movable part 73 is less than a predetermined value, the attachment part 734 restricts movement of the movable part 73 in the rotation direction relative to the fixed part 72. That is, the accommodation state of the movable part 73 is defined when the attachment part 734 is accommodated in the through part 722a.

[0036] On the other hand, the attachment portion 734 is released from within the through-hole 722a when an external force of a predetermined magnitude or more is applied in a direction in which the movable portion 73 moves from the housed state away from the fixed portion 72. In this case, the user applies a force to rotate the movable portion 73 in a direction away from the fixed portion 72 while pinching the operation portion 733 with the fingers, causing the attachment portion 734 to be released from the through-hole 722a. In other words, the attachment portion 734 is removed from the through-hole 72a in accordance with the operation of the operation portion 733.

[0037] A plurality of movable part side extension members 735 are provided at a predetermined interval between a pair of movable part frame members 731 along the extending direction of the movable part frame members 731. The movable part side extension member 735 extends from a side surface of one movable part frame member 731 toward a side surface of the other movable part frame member 731. In this case, both ends of the movable part side extension member 735 are connected to, for example, the inner surfaces of the movable part side extension member 735. The movable part side extension member 735 is arranged along the horizontal direction. The movable part side extension member 735 is arranged within an area in which the fixed part frame member 722 is extended in the left-right direction when the movable part 73 is in the housed state. In other words, the movable part side extension member 735 is arranged within the area of ​​the fixed part opening 725 when the movable part 73 is in the housed state.

[0038] Moreover, the multiple movable part side extension members 735 are provided at equal intervals or unequal intervals. In this embodiment, the multiple movable part side extension members 735 are provided at equal intervals as shown in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7 and other drawings, in order to make the drawings easier to see, only some of the movable part side extension members 735 are indicated with reference numerals, and the reference numerals of the other movable part side extension members 735 are omitted. As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the movable part side extension member 735 is provided parallel to the fixed part side extension member 724 when the movable part 73 is in the housed state. Furthermore, the movable part side extension member 735 is located between the multiple adjacent fixed part side extension members 724 when the movable part 73 is in the housed state.

[0039] The movable part side extension member 735 is, for example, a rod-shaped member with a circular cross section. The movable part side extension member 735 is, for example, U-shaped with bent portions at both ends in the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 8, the movable part side extension member 735 has a central portion 735a and end portions 735b. The central portion 735a extends linearly in a direction perpendicular to the movable part frame member 731. The end portions 735b are formed so as to protrude from the front surface side of the pair of movable part frame members 731, in this case, the upstream side. One end of the end portions 735b is connected to the movable part frame member 731, and the other end is connected to the central portion 735a.

[0040] 8, when the movable part 73 is in the housed state, the central part 735a is located upstream of the fixed part side extension member 724 in the air passage 40. The central parts 735a are set so that the distance between the central parts 735a and the fixed part side extension member 724 in the flow direction of the air flowing through the air passage 40 is approximately uniform when the movable part 73 is in the housed state. In this case, when the movable part 73 is in the housed state, the central parts 735a are arranged alternately in the up-down direction with the fixed part side extension member 724, that is, arranged in a so-called staggered pattern. In other words, when the movable part 73 is in the housed state, some of the movable part side extension members 735 are arranged at positions farther away from the shaft part 732 than the fixed part side extension member 724 in the flow direction of the air flowing through the air passage 40.

[0041] The mounting portion 736 is provided at an upper portion of the movable portion side extension member 735, at a position overlapping with the base end portion 731a of the movable portion frame member 731. The mounting portion 736 is provided at a position closer to the shaft portion 732 than the multiple movable portion side extension members 735. The mounting portion 736 is configured, for example, to have the same shape as the movable portion side extension member 735. The mounting portion 736 detachably fixes the filter 74. Although not shown in detail, the mounting portion 736 detachably fixes the filter 74, for example, by a clip or hook-and-loop fastener that clamps and fixes the filter 74. The mounting portion 736 may be configured to clamp and fix the filter 74 between another member, in this case the fixing portion 72.

[0042] The filter 74 is made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric, and collects foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the air passage 40. The width dimension of the filter 74 in the left-right direction is set to be approximately the same as the width dimension of the movable part 73 in the left-right direction. The width dimension of the filter 74 is set to be slightly smaller than the width dimension of the fixed part opening 725. The length dimension of the filter 74 in the up-down direction is longer than the length dimension of the movable part 73 in the up-down direction. The filter 74 is configured to be detachable from the mounting part 736. That is, the filter 74 is mounted near the upper end of the front surface side of the movable part 73. The filter 74 is provided between the fixed part side extension member 724 and the movable part side extension member 735 in a state where it is mounted on the mounting part 736, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 8, etc.

[0043] In this embodiment, as described above, when the movable part 73 is in the housed state, the center part 735a of the movable part side extension member 735 and the fixed part side extension member 724 are arranged alternately in the up-down direction. Therefore, when the movable part 73 is in the housed state, the filter 74 is formed in a so-called pleated shape in which peaks and valleys are continuously formed, as shown in FIG. 8. In this case, the pleated shape is formed side by side in the up-down direction. This ensures a wide collection area of ​​the filter 74 for foreign matter. Then, when the filter device main body 70 is removed from the filter case 61, the user can rotate the movable part 73 to switch from the housed state to the exposed state, thereby easily performing maintenance such as replacing the filter 74. Note that the fixed part side extension member 724 and the movable part side extension member 735 may be arranged along the vertical direction, so that the pleated shape is formed side by side in the left-right direction.

[0044] In this configuration, during the process in which movable part 73 changes from the exposed state to the housed state, connecting part 723 guides the end of filter 74 opposite to the end attached to mounting part 736, i.e., the lower end, in the opposite direction to the flow direction of air flowing through air passage 40. Connecting part 723 functions as a guide. Furthermore, movable part side extension member 735 located at the lowermost position among the multiple movable part side extension members 735 functions as a suppressing part that cooperates with connecting part 723 to guide the lower end of filter 74 to the downstream side of air passage 40. This allows filter 74 to be appropriately positioned in fixed part opening 725, so that foreign matter contained in the air flowing through air passage 40 can be appropriately captured.

[0045] Next, referring to Fig. 9, a situation in which pleats are formed by the filter 74 when the movable portion 73 switches from the exposed state to the housed state will be described. As shown in Fig. 9(a), when the movable portion 73 rotates from the exposed state to the fixed portion 72 side and the central portion 735a-1 of the movable portion side extension member 735 located at the top of the multiple movable portion side extension members 735 is positioned so as to overlap in the vertical direction with the fixed portion side extension member 724-1 located at the top of the multiple fixed portion side extension members 724, a peak portion is formed in the filter 74 at a position corresponding to the fixed portion side extension member 724-1. The central portion 735a-1 is disposed at the position closest to the shaft portion 732 among the central portions 735a.

[0046] 9(b), as the movable part 73 continues to rotate toward the fixed part 72, the central part 735a-1 moves to a position where it does not vertically overlap with the fixed part side extension member 724-1, and the central part 735a-2 located below the central part 735a-1 is positioned so as to vertically overlap with the fixed part side extension member 724-2 located below the fixed part side extension member 724-1, forming a peak at a position corresponding to the fixed part side extension member 724-2 in the filter 74. At this time, a valley is formed between the peaks aligned vertically, in this case at a position corresponding to the central part 735a-2.

[0047] 9(c), as the movable part 73 rotates towards the fixed part 72, pleats are formed in sequence from the side closer to the shaft part 732, that is, from top to bottom. In this case, it is preferable that the distance between adjacent fixed part side extension members 724 and adjacent movable part side extension members 735 is set so that multiple peaks are not formed at the same time. By staggering the timing at which multiple peaks are formed, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects such as damage to the fixed part 72 caused by excessive force being applied to the fixed part side extension member 724 via the filter 74.

[0048] The movable part frame member 731 can be composed of a plurality of members. This allows the pleat shape of the filter 74 to be formed by dividing it among the plurality of members, thereby reducing the resistance when the movable part 73 is attached to the fixed part 72. In addition, for example, the movable part frame member 731 of the movable part 73 may be composed of a material that is softer than the movable part side extension member 735. This makes it easier for the movable part 73 to deform in response to the force acting when the pleat shape is formed in the filter 74, thereby reducing the resistance when the movable part 73 is attached to the fixed part 72.

[0049] Also, as shown in FIG. 10, the movable part 73 may be configured to be rotatable toward the upstream side of the air passage 40 with respect to the fixed part 72. In this case, as shown in the example of FIG. 10, the connecting part 723 protrudes toward the upstream side of the air passage 40 from the fixed part frame member 722. Also, the base end part 731a of the movable part frame member 731 extends toward the surface side of the movable part 73. Then, the operation part 733 is exposed on the downstream side of the fixed part opening 725 when the movable part 73 is in the housed state. That is, the operation part 733 is exposed from the fixed part opening 725 toward the opposite side to the rotation direction of the movable part 73 with respect to the fixed part 72. As a result, by configuring the movable part 73 not to rotate toward the downstream side of the air passage 40 with respect to the fixed part 72, the risk that the movable part 73 will come off the fixed part 72 due to the air flowing through the air passage 40 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by providing the operation portion 733, which the user touches when operating the movable portion 73, downstream of the fixed portion opening 725, the operation portion 733 can be prevented from being soiled by foreign matter.

[0050] According to the embodiment described above, the clothes dryer 10 includes the water tub 13 and the filter device 60. The water tub 13 has an exhaust port 131. The filter device 60 is provided downstream of the exhaust port 131. The filter device 60 includes a fixed part 72 having a fixed part opening 725, a movable part 73, and a filter 74. The movable part 73 is rotatably attached to the fixed part 72, and can be switched between an exposed state exposed from the fixed part opening 725 and a housed state housed in the fixed part opening 725. The filter 74 is configured to be detachable from the movable part 73, and in the housed state, it captures foreign matter contained in the air flowing out from the exhaust port 131.

[0051] According to this, by rotating the movable part 73 relative to the fixed part 72 to switch from the housed state to the exposed state, inspection, replacement, etc. of the filter 74 can be easily performed. In addition, there is no need to provide a separate member for cleaning the filter 74. This simplifies the maintenance of the filter device 60.

[0052] The fixed portion 72 has a plurality of fixed portion side extension members 724. The plurality of fixed portion side extension members 724 extend from one side surface of the fixed portion opening 725 to the other side surface. The movable portion 73 has a shaft portion 732 and a plurality of movable portion side extension members 735. The shaft portion 732 is rotatably supported by the fixed portion 72. The plurality of movable portion side extension members 735 are provided in parallel to the plurality of fixed portion side extension members 724. In the housed state, the movable portion side extension member 735 is located between the plurality of adjacent fixed portion side extension members 724, and is located at a position farther from the shaft portion 732 than the fixed portion side extension member 724 in the flow direction of the air flowing out of the exhaust port 131. The filter 74 is provided between the fixed portion side extension member 724 and the movable portion side extension member 735.

[0053] According to this, filter 74 can be formed in a pleated shape in the housed state, which increases the surface area of ​​filter 74 that comes into contact with the air flowing out from exhaust port 131, thereby improving the efficiency of capturing foreign matter.

[0054] The fixed portion side extension member 724 and the movable portion side extension member 735 are arranged along the horizontal or vertical direction, whereby a pleated shape can be appropriately formed in the filter 74 in the housed state.

[0055] The movable part 73 is provided to rotate downstream of the fixed part 72. This makes it difficult for foreign matter to adhere to the movable part 73 relative to the fixed part 72. This makes it possible to prevent the fingers of a user who rotates the movable part 73 from becoming dirty during maintenance such as replacing the filter 74.

[0056] The movable part 73 further has an attachment part 736. The filter 74 is attached to the attachment part 736. The attachment part 736 is provided at a position closer to the shaft part 732 than the multiple movable part side extension members 735. This makes it easier to form the pleats of the filter 74 in sequence from the shaft part 732 side when the movable part 73 is switched from the exposed state to the housed state. This allows the filter 74 to be appropriately formed into a pleated shape in the housed state.

[0057] Fixing part 72 further has a connecting part 723. Connecting part 723 guides an end of filter 74 opposite to the end attached to mounting part 736 in the opposite direction to the flow direction of air flowing out from exhaust port 131. This allows filter 74 to be appropriately disposed in fixing part opening 725, so that foreign matter contained in the air flowing through air passage 40 can be appropriately captured.

[0058] The movable part 73 has an operating part 733. The operating part 733 is provided so as to be exposed from the fixed part opening 725 in the housed state, and receives an operation for switching the movable part 73 between the exposed state and the housed state. This improves the operability of the movable part 73. This makes it easy to inspect and replace the filter 74. This further simplifies the maintenance of the filter device 60.

[0059] The movable part 73 further has an attachment part 734. The attachment part 734 is attached to the through-hole 722a of the fixed part 72 in the housed state, and restricts movement of the movable part 73 in the rotation direction relative to the fixed part 72. The attachment part 734 is removed from the through-hole 722a in response to an operation of the operation part 733. This allows the movable part 73 to be stably fixed to the fixed part 72 without impairing the operability of the movable part 73.

[0060] In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the fixed-part-side extension member 724 and the movable-part-side extension member 735 form a pleat shape in the filter 74, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the pleat shape may be formed in the filter 74 by the movable-part-side extension member 735. In this case, as shown in the example of FIG. 11, the movable part 73 can be configured to have, for example, a bending member 737 instead of the movable-part-side extension member 735.

[0061] The bending member 737 has a straight portion 737a and an intermediate portion 737b. The straight portion 737a extends linearly in a direction perpendicular to the movable portion frame member 731, and is provided between the side surfaces of the pair of movable portion frame members 731. In this case, the straight portion 737a can be configured to be detachable from either one or both of the pair of movable portion frame members 731. For example, a plurality of straight portions 737a are provided at equal intervals in the vertical direction. The straight portions 737a adjacent to each other in the vertical direction are arranged so as to be staggered in the front-rear direction. Here, the front-rear direction coincides with the flow direction of air flowing through the air passage 40 in the filter device 60.

[0062] Of the straight portion 737a, straight portion 737a1 located in the front row, in this case on the upstream side, is connected to the movable portion frame member 731. Of the straight portion 737a, straight portion 737a2 located in the rear row, in this case on the downstream side, is connected to straight portion 737a1 via intermediate portion 737b. Intermediate portion 737b is located near both ends of straight portion 737a1 and straight portion 737a2, and connects straight portion 737a1 and straight portion 737a2.

[0063] In such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 11, the filter 74 can be formed into a pleated shape by attaching the filter 74 to the bending member 737 in a knitting manner. The bending member 737 fixes the filter 74 detachably, for example, by a clip or a hook-and-loop fastener that clamps and fixes the filter 74, although details are not shown. The bending member 737 can rotate, together with the movable part frame member 731, with the shaft portion 732 as the rotation center, between the posture shown by the broken line in FIG. 10 and the posture shown by the solid line. The user first attaches the filter 74 to the movable part 73 side in a knitting manner, and then rotates the movable part 73 to attach it to the fixed part 72. In this case, for example, the filter 74 can be attached by inserting it into the bending member 737 from a direction corresponding to the movable part frame member 731 side, with the straight portion 737a removed from one of the movable part frame members 731. This makes it easy to attach and detach the filter 74 to and from the bending member 737. The intermediate portion 737b may be rotatably connected to the straight portion 737a, which also simplifies the maintenance of the filter device 60 and ensures the efficiency of collecting foreign matter.

[0064] Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. In the second embodiment, the configuration of the fixed portion side extension members 724 is different from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the vertical intervals between adjacent fixed portion side extension members 724 are equal, whereas in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the vertical intervals H between adjacent fixed portion side extension members 724 are set so that the n+1th interval H(n+1) from the top is larger than the nth interval H(n) from the top. In other words, the vertical intervals between adjacent fixed portion side extension members 724 are set so that they increase as they move away from the shaft portion 732. In FIG. 12, the trajectory of rotation of the central portion 735a when the movable portion 73 changes from the exposed state to the housed state is indicated by a broken line.

[0065] The second embodiment as described above also provides the same advantageous effects as the first embodiment. Moreover, when the movable portion 73 is switched from the exposed state to the housed state, the filter 74 can be appropriately formed into a pleated shape without being loosened.

[0066] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13. In this third embodiment, the positional configuration of the fixed-part-side extension member 724 and the movable-part-side extension member 735 is different from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, in the first embodiment, when the movable part 73 is in a housed state, the distance between the multiple central parts 735a and the multiple fixed-part-side extension members 724 in the flow direction of the air flowing through the air passage 40 after flowing out of the exhaust port 131 is set to be approximately uniform in the vertical direction. In contrast, in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the distance D between the central part 735a and the fixed-part-side extension member 724 in the flow direction of the air flowing through the air passage 40 in the housed state is set so that the n-1th distance D(n-1) from the top is smaller than the nth distance D(n) from the top. In other words, the multiple central parts 735a are set so that the distance between the multiple central parts 735a and the fixed-part-side extension member 724 in the flow direction of the air flowing through the air passage 40 in the housed state becomes smaller as they move away from the shaft part 732. In FIG. 13, the locus of rotation of the central portion 735a when the movable portion 73 changes from the exposed state to the housed state is indicated by a broken line.

[0067] The third embodiment as described above also provides the same advantageous effects as the first embodiment. Moreover, when the movable portion 73 is switched from the exposed state to the housed state, the filter 74 can be appropriately formed into a pleated shape without being loosened.

[0068] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, 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]

[0069] 10... clothes dryer, 13... water tank, 131... exhaust port, 60... filter device, 72... fixed part, 725... fixed part opening (opening), 73... movable part, 74... filter

Claims

1. A water tank having an exhaust port; A filter device provided downstream of the exhaust port, The filter device comprises: A fixing portion having an opening; a movable part that is rotatably attached to the fixed part and is switchable between an exposed state in which the movable part is exposed from the opening and a housed state in which the movable part is housed in the opening; a filter that is detachably attached to the movable part and that collects foreign matter contained in the air flowing out from the exhaust port in the accommodated state. Clothes dryer.

2. the fixing portion has a plurality of fixing portion side extension members extending from one side surface of the opening toward the other side surface, the movable portion has a shaft portion rotatably supported by the fixed portion, and a plurality of movable portion-side extension members provided in parallel to the plurality of fixed portion-side extension members, In the stored state, the movable portion side extension member is located between the adjacent fixed portion side extension members and is located at a position farther from the shaft portion than the fixed portion side extension members in a flow direction of the air flowing out of the exhaust port, The filter is provided between the fixed portion side extension member and the movable portion side extension member. The clothes dryer according to claim 1.

3. The fixed portion side extension member and the movable portion side extension member are arranged along a horizontal direction or a vertical direction. The clothes dryer according to claim 2.

4. The movable portion is provided so as to rotate downstream of the fixed portion. The clothes dryer according to claim 2.

5. The movable portion further includes a mounting portion to which the filter is attached, The mounting portion is provided at a position closer to the shaft portion than the plurality of movable portion side extension members. The clothes dryer according to claim 2.

6. The fixing portion further includes a guide portion that guides an end portion of the filter opposite to an end portion attached to the mounting portion in a direction opposite to a flow direction of the air flowing out from the exhaust port. The clothes dryer according to claim 5.

7. The plurality of fixed portion side extension members are set so that the intervals between adjacent fixed portion side extension members become larger as the distance from the shaft portion increases. The clothes dryer according to claim 5.

8. The plurality of movable portion side extension members are set such that, in the housed state, a distance between the movable portion side extension member and the fixed portion side extension member in a flow direction of the air flowing out of the exhaust port becomes smaller as the movable portion side extension member becomes farther away from the shaft portion. The clothes dryer according to claim 5.

9. The movable portion is provided so as to be exposed from the opening in the housed state, and has an operation portion that receives an operation for switching the movable portion between the exposed state and the housed state. The clothes dryer according to claim 1.

10. the movable part further includes an attachment part that is attached to a mounting part of the fixed part in the accommodated state and that restricts movement of the movable part in a rotation direction relative to the fixed part, The attachment portion is detached from the attachment receiving portion in response to an operation of the operation portion. The clothes dryer according to claim 9.

Images