Clothing drying system

Abstract

To provide a clothing drying system capable of improving reliability of clothing drying.SOLUTION: A clothing drying system comprises: a storage tank that has an air outlet and an air inlet and stores clothing; a circulation air passage connecting the air outlet and the air inlet; a heating device that generates warm air by heating air flowing in the circulation air passage; a temperature sensor to detect temperature of the air in the circulation air passage; a humidity sensor to detect humidity of the air in the circulation air passage; a memory unit to memorize various information; an operation processing part that can execute a drying process by detecting progress or completion of the drying process to dry the clothing in the storage tank based on temperature or humidity and controlling the heating device; and a memory processing part to memorize humidity information relating to humidity during progress of the drying process in the memory unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to a clothes drying system. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional washer-dryer includes a humidity detector that detects the humidity of the gas discharged from the tub through an exhaust port, a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the gas discharged from the tub through an exhaust port, and a controller. In the conventional configuration, the controller controls the hot air supply unit to stop heating and drying when the humidity detector detects a predetermined humidity and the temperature detector detects a predetermined temperature after the hot air supply unit starts heating and drying the gas. This ensures that the finished product is in an appropriate state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-018256 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, errors in the humidity detection unit can occur due to the adhesion of foreign matter to the humidity detection unit or long-term use, making it difficult to reliably detect the dryness of the items being dried over the long term. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of improving the reliability of clothes drying.

[0005] Therefore, a clothes drying system that can improve the reliability of clothes drying is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The clothes drying system of one embodiment includes a storage tub having an exhaust port and an air intake port and in which clothes are stored, a circulation air duct connecting the exhaust port and the air intake port, a heating device that heats air flowing through the circulation air duct to generate warm air, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air in the circulation air duct, a humidity sensor that detects the humidity of the air in the circulation air duct, a memory unit that stores various information, an operation processing unit that detects the progress or completion of a drying process that dries clothes in the storage tub based on the temperature or humidity and controls the heating device to carry out the drying process, and a memory processing unit that stores humidity information regarding the humidity during the drying process in the memory unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a clothes dryer as an example of a clothes drying system according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a clothes dryer according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a clothes dryer according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of steps executed in a drying operation of the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a change in temperature over time in the circulating air duct during the drying process in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a change in humidity over time in the circulating air duct during the drying process in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in the clothes dryer according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a second embodiment (part 1). [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart (part 2) showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10]10 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of control executed in a drying process in a clothes dryer according to a seventh embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a clothes drying system according to an eighth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, clothes dryers 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 descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0009] (First embodiment) First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The clothes dryer 10 shown in FIG. 1 constitutes an example of a clothes drying system 1. The clothes dryer 10 is, for example, a horizontal-axis type clothes dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub 14 is oriented horizontally, or an inclined-axis type clothes dryer in which the rotation axis is inclined downward toward the rear. The clothes dryer 10 has, for example, a washing function and a drying function, and is capable of performing a washing and drying operation including each of the steps of washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying. The clothes dryer 10 is not limited to a drum-type clothes dryer, and may also be a vertical-axis type clothes dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub is oriented vertically. The clothes dryer may also be configured without a washing function.

[0010] Clothes dryer 10 includes outer case 11, door 12, water tub 13, rotating tub 14, motor 15, drainage mechanism 16, water supply mechanism 17, operation display unit 18, drying mechanism 20, and exhaust mechanism 30. In Fig. 1, the side of the installation surface of clothes dryer 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is referred to as the lower side of clothes dryer 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is referred to as 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 referred to as the front side of clothes dryer 10, and the opposite side of the user, i.e., the right side of the paper in Fig. 1, is referred to as the rear side of clothes dryer 10.

[0011] 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, for example. Outer box 11 forms the outer shell of clothes dryer 10. Outer box 11 has a front opening 111 on the front side that connects the inside and outside of outer box 11. Door 12 is provided on the front side of outer box 11 and opens and closes front opening 111. With door 12 open, a user can put clothes in or take them out of rotatable tub 14 through front opening 111. Water tub 13 and rotatable tub 14 are both formed into a so-called bottomed cylindrical shape that is open on one axial side, i.e., the front side, and has a bottom on the other axial side, i.e., the rear side.

[0012] The water tub 13 is capable of storing water therein. The water tub 13 is provided within the outer casing 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the water tub 13 has an exhaust port 131 and an air inlet 132. The exhaust port 131 and the air inlet 132 connect the inside and outside of the water tub 13. The exhaust port 131 is for discharging air from the water tub 13. The exhaust port 131 is provided, for example, in a portion toward the front of the upper part of the water tub 13, located to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the water tub 13. The air inlet 132 is for supplying air into the water tub 13. The air inlet 132 is provided, for example, in the bottom of the water tub 13, slightly above the center in the up-down direction of the bottom.

[0013] Rotary tub 14 is rotatably disposed within water tub 13 and can accommodate clothes therein. Rotary tub 14, together with water tub 13, constitutes a storage tub that accommodates clothes and dries them during the drying process. Rotary tub 14 is driven to rotate by motor 15. Rotary tub 14 has a plurality of holes 141. The holes 141 are formed over almost the entire circumferential surface of rotary tub 14 and function as ventilation holes through which air can enter and exit during the drying process. Rotary tub 14 also has a plurality of baffles (not shown). The baffles function to agitate and stir up the clothes accommodated in rotary tub 14.

[0014] Motor 15 is provided on the outside of the bottom of water tub 13. Although not shown in detail, motor 15 is configured, for example, as a brushless direct drive motor with an adjustable rotation speed. Motor 15 is connected to rotatable tub 14 and functions to rotate rotatable tub 14 relative to water tub 13. Motor shaft 151 of motor 15, the central axis of water tub 13, and the rotation axis of rotatable tub 14 all overlap with each other.

[0015] Drain mechanism 16 has the function of draining water stored in water tub 13 to the outside of clothes dryer 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 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. Drain valve 161 opens and closes a drain path for draining water stored in water tub 13 to the outside.

[0016] The water supply mechanism 17 has the function of supplying water supplied from an external water source such as a water mains into the water tub 13. As shown in FIG. 2 , the water supply mechanism 17 has a water supply valve 171 and a water injection case 172. The water supply valve 171 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The water supply valve 171 has the function of opening and closing the water supply path leading from the external water source to the water tub 13 via the water supply mechanism 17. The water injection case 172 is provided downstream of the water supply valve 171. The water injection case 172 has a treatment agent case (not shown). The treatment agent case is configured to be able to store, for example, the laundry treatment agent required for one washing run. When the treatment agent case stores a laundry treatment agent, the water supplied from the external water source that flows into the water injection case 172 and the laundry treatment agent are mixed in the water injection case 172 and then supplied into the water tub 13 and the spin tub 14.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1 , the operation display unit 18 is provided, for example, on the front portion of the top surface of the outer casing 11. The operation display unit 18 is configured, for example, with a touch panel or mechanical switches. The operation display unit 18 accepts input operations, etc., for the user to set operations and each operation course, and has the function of displaying various information, such as the input operation content and the operation status. An operation refers to a predetermined process performed on clothes, in which multiple different processes are executed sequentially. Types of operations include, for example, a wash-dry operation, a drying operation, and a tub-dry operation. The wash-dry operation is an operation that performs washing and drying continuously. The drying operation and tub-dry operation are operations that perform only drying. The drying operation is a drying process performed with clothes placed in the rotatable tub 14. The drying process can include a well-known soft-keep process. The tub-dry operation is a drying process performed with no clothes placed in the rotatable tub 14. The duration and number of processes executed in each operation can be changed according to user requests, etc.

[0018] Drying mechanism 20 has the function of supplying warm air into water tub 13. Drying mechanism 20 has a circulation air duct 40 and a heating device 50. Circulation air duct 40 is located outside water tub 13, with one end connected to exhaust port 131 and the other end connected to air intake port 132. Circulation air duct 40 connects exhaust port 131 and air intake port 132. Circulation air duct 40 is used to circulate and supply air into water tub 13. Circulation air duct 40 takes in air from water tub 13 through exhaust port 131, generates warm air via heating device 50, and then supplies the warm air into water tub 13 through air intake port 132. In this case, with respect to the air flowing through circulation air duct 40, exhaust port 131 is on the upstream side and air intake port 132 is on the downstream side.

[0019] The circulating air passage 40 can be configured to include, for example, an exhaust duct 41, a filter device 42, a connection duct 43, a heat exchanger 44, and an air intake duct 45. 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 the filter device 42. The exhaust duct 41 is a part that exhausts air from, for example, the aquarium 13.

[0020] The filter device 42 is provided downstream of the exhaust port 131, in this case on the air circulation path 40, and captures foreign matter such as lint and dust contained in the air flowing through the exhaust port 131 and flowing through the air circulation path 40. The filter device 42 may be configured to include a filter device main body 421 and a filter 422. The filter device main body 421 may be formed, for example, of a resin and configured as a container-like member with an open top. The opening on the top surface of the filter device main body 421 is opened and closed by a lid (not shown). The filter 422 is detachably provided inside the filter device main body 421. The filter 422 captures foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the air circulation path 40. A user can clean the filter 422 by removing it from the filter device main body 421. The filter device 42 may be configured to detect the attachment and detachment of the filter 422, for example, by including a proximity sensor or the like.

[0021] Furthermore, the filter device 42 can be configured to have a cleaning mechanism for automatically cleaning the filter 422. The cleaning mechanism is a well-known configuration and is not shown in detail, but it has a cleaning member for cleaning the filter 422 and a drive mechanism for automatically driving the cleaning member. For example, at the end of a predetermined number of drying operations, the drive mechanism operates the cleaning member, thereby automatically cleaning the filter 422.

[0022] The connection duct 43 is a duct that connects the filter device 42 and the heat exchanger 44. The heat exchanger 44 is disposed, for example, on the rear side of the clothes dryer 10, near the bottom inside the outer casing 11. The heat exchanger 44 is provided midway along the circulating air duct 40. Air that is taken into the circulating air duct 40 from the water tub 13 and flows through the connection duct 43 is dehumidified and heated as it passes through the heat exchanger 44, becoming dry, warm air. The intake air duct 45 is a duct that connects the heat exchanger 44 and the air intake port 132 of the water tub 13. The intake air duct 45 is, for example, a part that supplies air into the water tub 13.

[0023] The heating device 50 constitutes, for example, a heat pump mechanism, i.e., a refrigeration cycle. The heating device 50 is provided midway through the circulation air duct 40. The heating device 50 heats the air flowing through the circulation air duct 40 to generate warm air for drying the clothes in the rotating tub 14. The warm air is set to a temperature of, for example, approximately 60°C to 70°C. As shown in FIG. 2 , the heating device 50 includes an evaporator 51, a condenser 52, a compressor 53, and a throttle valve 54. The evaporator 51 and the condenser 52 are provided within the heat exchanger 44. The evaporator 51 cools and dehumidifies the air circulating through the circulation air duct 40. The condenser 52 heats the air flowing through the circulation air duct 40 to generate warm air. The compressor 53 is provided outside the heat exchanger 44. The throttle valve 54 reduces the pressure of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant to facilitate evaporation. The heating device 50 may be a well-known heater type mechanism instead of the heat pump mechanism.

[0024] Drying mechanism 20 also has blower 55. Blower 55 is configured, for example, as a sirocco fan, and includes fan motor 551. Fan motor 551 drives and rotates blower 55. Blower 55 is provided midway through circulating air passage 40 and has the function of supplying air dehumidified and heated by heating device 50 into water tub 13 through air inlet 132. Blower 55 is provided, for example, between heat exchanger 44 and air inlet duct 45.

[0025] The exhaust mechanism 30 has an opening 31 and an exhaust damper 32. The opening 31 is provided midway through the circulation air passage 40 and connects the inside and outside of the circulation air passage 40. The opening 31 exhausts a portion of the air in the circulation air passage 40 to the outside. The exhaust damper 32 has an actuator, such as a motor or a solenoid, and is configured to open and close the opening 31 based on a control signal. When the exhaust damper 32 is open, the opening 31 is open, and when the exhaust damper 32 is closed, the opening 31 is closed. In other words, the exhaust damper 32 has the function of switching between an open state in which the opening 31 is open and a portion of the air in the circulation air passage 40 is exhausted through the opening 31, and a closed state in which the opening 31 is closed and a portion of the air in the circulation air passage 40 is not exhausted through the opening 31.

[0026] 1, outer casing 11 is provided with communication opening 112. Communication opening 112 is located in a portion of outer casing 11 corresponding to opening 31, and connects the inside and outside of outer casing 11. Air discharged from opening 31 to the outside of circulating air passage 40 is discharged from communication opening 112 to the outside of clothes dryer 10, as indicated by the black arrow in FIG.

[0027] Clothes dryer 10 is equipped with an ambient temperature sensor 61, an outlet temperature sensor 62, an inlet temperature sensor 63, a humidity sensor 64, and a current sensor 65. Ambient temperature sensor 61 detects the ambient temperature outside circulating air duct 40 and water tub 13, i.e., the room temperature tr, which is the ambient air temperature near where clothes dryer 10 is installed. As shown in FIG. 1 , ambient temperature sensor 61 is located, for example, at the front side inside outer casing 11. Ambient temperature sensor 61 is provided in a position away from water tub 13 and heating device 50, so that it is less susceptible to the heat during drying operation and is easily exposed to ambient air. Note that ambient temperature sensor 61 is not limited to being configured to detect room temperature tr, and may also be configured to detect the internal air temperature, which is the ambient temperature inside water tub 13. In this case, ambient temperature sensor 61 is provided inside water tub 13.

[0028] The outlet-side temperature sensor 62 detects the temperature of the air in the circulation air duct 40 before it is affected by the heat of the evaporator 51 and the condenser 52. In this case, the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 is located downstream of the filter device 42 and upstream of the evaporator 51 in the circulation air duct 40. The inlet-side temperature sensor 63 detects the temperature of the air in the circulation air duct 40 that has been heated by the condenser 52. In this case, the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 is located downstream of the blower 55 and upstream of the air supply port 132 in the circulation air duct 40. The outlet-side temperature sensor 62 and the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 function as temperature sensors.

[0029] The humidity sensor 64 detects the humidity of the air in the circulating air passage 40 before it is affected by the heat of the evaporator 51 and the condenser 52. In this specification, humidity refers to relative humidity (%), which is the ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air at a certain temperature to the amount of saturated water vapor at that temperature. The humidity sensor 64 is located downstream of the filter device 42 and upstream of the evaporator 51 in the circulating air passage 40. In this embodiment, the humidity sensor 64 is located near the outlet-side temperature sensor 62. By locating the humidity sensor 64 downstream of the filter device 42, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from accumulating on the humidity sensor 64.

[0030] Current sensor 65 detects the current value of fan motor 551 of blower 55. For example, when blower 55 is controlled at a constant rotation speed, if filter 422 becomes clogged with foreign matter or the like, the amount of air passing through filter 422 decreases, the rotation load of blower 55 decreases, and the current value detected by current sensor 65 becomes smaller. Therefore, if the current value flowing through blower 55 falls below a predetermined range, it can be assumed that filter 422 is clogged. In this way, the clogged state of filter 422 can be estimated based on the current value detected by current sensor 65.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 , the clothes dryer 10 also includes a control unit 70 and a memory unit 71. The motor 15, the drain valve 161, the water supply valve 171, the operation display unit 18, the compressor 53, the fan motor 551, the exhaust damper 32, and the memory unit 71 are electrically connected to the control unit 70 and operate under the control of the control unit 70. The ambient temperature sensor 61, the outlet temperature sensor 62, the inlet temperature sensor 63, the humidity sensor 64, and the current sensor 65 are electrically connected to the control unit 70 and transmit their respective detection results to the control unit 70. The control unit 70 is primarily composed of a microcomputer having a CPU and memory areas such as ROM, RAM, and rewritable flash memory. The control unit 70 controls the overall operation of the clothes dryer 10. The memory area of the control unit 70 stores a control program for controlling the clothes dryer 10 to operate. Each process of the control unit 70 is realized by the CPU executing the control program.

[0032] The control unit 70 receives detection signals from the various sensors 61-65 and controls the operation of the motor 15, drain valve 161, water supply valve 171, operation display unit 18, compressor 53, fan motor 551, and exhaust damper 32 based on a control program to perform operation. The memory unit 71 is composed of well-known storage media such as a ROM, HDD, semiconductor memory, and magnetic disk, and stores various types of information. The memory unit 71 can be composed of a predetermined area set in the storage area of the control unit 70, for example.

[0033] 3, clothes dryer 10 further includes weight detection unit 72, fabric type detection unit 73, operation processing unit 74, storage processing unit 75, and correction processing unit 76. Control unit 70 executes a control program on the CPU to virtually realize weight detection unit 72, fabric type detection unit 73, operation processing unit 74, storage processing unit 75, and correction processing unit 76 through software. Note that control unit 70 may realize weight detection unit 72, fabric type detection unit 73, operation processing unit 74, storage processing unit 75, and correction processing unit 76 through hardware such as an integrated circuit, or through a combination of software and hardware.

[0034] The weight detection unit 72 detects the weight of the clothes stored in the spin tub 14. For example, the weight detection unit 72 can detect the load acting on the motor 15 by measuring the q-axis current in the motor 15, and measure the weight of the clothes in the spin tub 14 based on the load. The fabric quality detection unit 73 detects the fabric quality of the clothes stored in the spin tub 14. For example, the fabric quality detection unit 73 can detect the fabric quality of the clothes based on the amount of moisture absorbed by the clothes. For example, the fabric quality detection unit 73 can detect whether the fabric quality of the clothes is "cotton-based," which indicates that the main component of the fabric is cotton, or "synthetic fiber-based," which indicates that the main component of the fabric is synthetic fiber.

[0035] The operation processing unit 74 can execute, for example, a drying operation. As shown in FIG. 4, the drying operation sequentially includes, for example, a weight detection step shown in step S11, a fabric quality detection step shown in step S12, and a drying step shown in step S13. The weight detection step of step S11 is a step of detecting the weight of the clothes in the rotatable tub 14 using the weight detection unit 72. After executing the weight detection step, the operation processing unit 74 operates the motor 15 to rotate the rotatable tub 14 and detects the load acting on the motor 15, i.e., the weight of the clothes. The fabric quality detection step of step S12 is a step of detecting the fabric quality of the clothes in the rotatable tub 14 using the fabric quality detection unit 73. After executing the fabric quality detection step, the operation processing unit 74 compares the weight of the clothes before and after supplying water into the rotatable tub 14 to detect the fabric quality of the clothes.

[0036] The drying process in step S13 includes a process of drying the clothes by supplying warm air into the water tub 13 and the rotatable tub 14. When the drying process is executed, the operation processing unit 74 controls the operation of the heating device 50 (in this case, the compressor 53 and the blower 55) based on detection signals from the outlet temperature sensor 62, the inlet temperature sensor 63, and the humidity sensor 64 to dry the clothes in the rotatable tub 14. That is, the operation processing unit 74 detects the progress or completion of the drying process based on one or both of the temperatures detected by the outlet temperature sensor 62 or the inlet temperature sensor 63 or the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64, and controls the compressor 53, the blower 55, etc. to execute the drying process.

[0037] Here, as shown in Fig. 5 etc., the drying process progresses in the order of a heating period T1, a constant rate period T2, a falling rate period T3, and an air blowing period T4. Note that the graph indicated by reference symbol A1 in Fig. 5 shows the change over time in the measurement value of the outlet-side temperature sensor 62. Also, the graph indicated by reference symbol A2 in Fig. 5 shows the change over time in the measurement value of the inlet-side temperature sensor 63. Furthermore, the graph indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 5 shows the change over time in the difference between the measurement value of the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 and the measurement value of the outlet-side temperature sensor 62. The graph indicated by reference symbol A3 in Fig. 6 shows the change over time in the measurement value of the humidity sensor 64.

[0038] The heating period T1 is a period during which the clothes in the rotating tub 14 are warmed. During the heating period T1, the compressor 53 and the blower 55 are operated, and the temperature and humidity in the rotating tub 14 tend to increase after the drying process is started. The operation processing unit 74 can determine that the heating period T1 has ended, for example, when the temperature detected by the inlet temperature sensor 63 reaches a predetermined temperature. The constant coefficient period T2 is a period during which moisture evaporates from the clothes in the rotating tub 14. During the constant coefficient period T2, the temperature detected by the inlet temperature sensor 63 tends to remain constant. Furthermore, during the constant coefficient period T2, the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 tends to decrease. The humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 during the constant coefficient period T2 is lower than the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 during the heating period T1.

[0039] At the end of the constant rate period T2, a certain amount of moisture has evaporated from the clothes, and the clothes are relatively dry. In this embodiment, the operation processing unit 74 determines the end of the constant rate period T2 based on both the temperatures detected by the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 or the inlet-side temperature sensor 63, or the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64. In other words, while the drying process is in progress, the operation processing unit 74 can perform dryness detection based on both the temperatures detected by the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 or the inlet-side temperature sensor 63, or the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64. Dryness detection means detecting the degree of dryness of the clothes, and it detects when the clothes are relatively dry, that is, when a certain amount of moisture has evaporated from the clothes.

[0040] In dryness detection using both the temperatures detected by the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 and the inlet-side temperature sensor 63, as shown in FIG. 5 , the operation processing unit 74 performs dryness detection, for example, when the temperature difference between the temperatures detected by the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 and the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 gradually decreases and reaches a threshold temperature Δt. That is, the operation processing unit 74 can determine that the constant rate period T2 has ended when the temperature difference between the temperatures detected by the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 and the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 reaches the threshold temperature Δt. Furthermore, if the temperature difference between the temperatures detected by the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 and the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 does not reach the threshold temperature Δt, the operation processing unit 74 can determine that the constant rate period T2 has ended when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the drying process. Note that the operation processing unit 74 may perform dryness detection, i.e., determine the end of the constant rate period T2, based on the detection results of each temperature sensor 62, 63.

[0041] On the other hand, in dryness detection using the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64, as shown in Fig. 6, the operation processing unit 74 performs dryness detection when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 reaches a threshold value, for example, as indicated by arrow B1 in Fig. 6. In other words, the operation processing unit 74 can determine that the constant rate period T2 has ended when the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 reaches the threshold value.

[0042] The decreasing rate period T3 is a period during which the amount of moisture evaporated from the clothes in the rotating tub 14 tends to decrease. During the decreasing rate period T3, the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 fluctuates gradually. The operation processing unit 74 can determine the end of the decreasing rate period T3, for example, based on the elapsed time since the start of the decreasing rate period T3. The air-blowing period T4 is a period during which the rotating tub 14 and the clothes therein are cooled. During the air-blowing period T4, the operation processing unit 74 operates the blower 55 with the compressor 53 stopped to cool the rotating tub 14 and the clothes therein. The operation processing unit 74 can determine the end of the air-blowing period T4, for example, based on the elapsed time since the start of the air-blowing period T4.

[0043] The memory processing unit 75 stores humidity information relating to the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 during the drying process in the memory unit 71. The memory processing unit 75 also stores temperature information relating to the temperatures detected by the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 and the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 during the drying process in the memory unit 71.

[0044] The correction processing unit 76 corrects the threshold value Hd for detecting the progress of the drying process using humidity based on a humidity change Hh obtained by comparing the detected humidity H2, which is the humidity when the temperature is used to detect the progress of the drying process (i.e., when dryness is detected), with the stored humidity H1, which corresponds to the detected humidity and is included in the humidity information stored in the memory unit 71. The stored humidity H1 may be the detected humidity when dryness is detected using temperature during the initial operation of the clothes dryer 10, for example. The stored humidity H1 is not limited to the detected humidity when dryness is detected using temperature during the initial operation of the clothes dryer 10, but may also be the detected humidity when dryness is detected using temperature during any operation. Note that the stored humidity H1 may be calculated by calculating the humidity change Hh based on stored humidity values stored during multiple drying processes. The humidity change Hh may be calculated, for example, as the absolute value of the difference between the stored humidity H1 and the detected humidity H2.

[0045] When the change in humidity Hh exceeds a predetermined value, the correction processor 76 corrects the threshold value Hd used to detect dryness using humidity. In this case, the correction processor 76 corrects the threshold value Hd by, for example, subtracting the stored humidity H1 from the detected humidity H2 and adding the result to the pre-correction threshold value Hd. By correcting the threshold value Hd in accordance with the change in the detected humidity H2, it is possible to appropriately address errors that may occur in the value detected by the humidity sensor 64 due to, for example, long-term use of the humidity sensor 64.

[0046] Furthermore, the correction processing unit 76 can update the stored humidity H1 when correcting the threshold value Hd. For example, when correcting the threshold value Hd, the correction processing unit 76 updates the stored humidity H1 by adding to the stored humidity H1 a value that was added to the threshold value Hd before correction when correcting the threshold value Hd. This is not limited to this, and the correction processing unit 76 may update the stored humidity H1 to the detected humidity when dryness is detected using temperature in an operation performed after correcting the threshold value Hd. This makes it possible to more accurately calculate the change in humidity Hh, which is an index for determining whether or not correction of the threshold value Hd is necessary, in an operation performed after correcting the threshold value Hd.

[0047] The correction processor 76 may be configured to calculate the humidity change Hh based on the detected humidity H2 detected during multiple drying processes. In this case, the humidity change Hh can be calculated by using the average detected humidity value detected during the most recent three drying processes as the detected humidity H2. In this way, by calculating the humidity change Hh taking into account the average change in detected humidity, the threshold value Hd can be corrected more accurately.

[0048] Next, an example of the control content executed in the drying process will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the following description, the processes executed by the operation processing unit 74, memory processing unit 75, and correction processing unit 76 will be described as being mainly executed by the control unit 70. When the drying process is started (START), the control unit 70 determines in step S21 whether the humidity change Hh has exceeded a predetermined value. If the humidity change Hh has exceeded the predetermined value (YES in step S21), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S22, corrects the threshold value Hd, and proceeds to step S23. On the other hand, if the humidity change Hh has not exceeded the predetermined value (NO in step S21), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S23. Note that, for example, if the operation including the drying process is the first operation since the clothes dryer 10 was installed and the memory unit 71 has not stored the stored humidity H1 or the detected humidity H2, the process of steps S21 to S22 may not be executed.

[0049] In step S23, the control unit 70 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the drying process. If the predetermined time has elapsed (YES in step S23), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S31, executes the subsequent drying process, and ends the series of controls (END) when the drying process is completed (step S31).

[0050] On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not elapsed (NO in step S23), the control unit 70 determines in step S24 whether the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 63, 64 have reached a predetermined condition (in this case, whether the temperature difference between the temperature detected by the inlet-side temperature sensor 63 and the temperature detected by the outlet-side temperature sensor 62 has reached a threshold temperature Δt).If the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 63, 64 have reached the predetermined condition (YES in step S24), the control unit 70 performs dryness detection in step S25.

[0051] Next, in step S26, control unit 70 determines whether the current operation is, for example, the first operation including the drying process after installation of clothes dryer 10. If it is the first operation (YES in step S26), control unit 70 stores the humidity detected by humidity sensor 64 when dryness detection using temperature is performed in memory unit 71 as stored humidity H1 in step S27. Then, control unit 70 proceeds with the subsequent processing by shifting the process to step S31. On the other hand, if it is not the first operation (NO in step S26), control unit 70 stores the humidity detected by humidity sensor 64 when dryness detection using temperature is performed in memory unit 71 as detected humidity H2 in step S28. Then, control unit 70 proceeds with the subsequent processing by shifting the process to step S31.

[0052] If the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 63, 64 have not reached the predetermined condition (NO in step S24), the control unit 70 determines in step S29 whether the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 is equal to or less than the threshold value Hd. If the humidity is not equal to or less than the threshold value Hd (NO in step S29), the control unit 70 returns the process to step S23 and proceeds with the subsequent processes. On the other hand, if the humidity is equal to or less than the threshold value Hd (YES in step S29), the control unit 70 performs dryness detection in step S30. Next, the control unit 70 proceeds with the subsequent processes by proceeding to step S31.

[0053] According to the embodiment described above, clothes dryer 10, which is an example of clothes drying system 1, includes water tub 13, rotatable tub 14, circulating air duct 40, heater 50, outlet temperature sensor 62, inlet temperature sensor 63, humidity sensor 64, memory 71, operation processor 74, and memory processor 75. Water tub 13 and rotatable tub 14 accommodate clothes. Water tub 13 has exhaust port 131 and air inlet port 132. Circulating air duct 40 connects exhaust port 131 and air inlet port 132. Heater 50 heats air flowing through circulating air duct 40 to generate warm air. Exit temperature sensor 62 and inlet temperature sensor 63 detect the temperature of the air in circulating air duct 40. Humidity sensor 64 detects the humidity of the air in circulating air duct 40. Memory 71 stores various information. The operation processing unit 74 can detect the progress or completion of the drying process for drying the clothes in the rotating tub 14 by temperature or humidity, and control the heating device 50 to carry out the drying process. The memory processing unit 75 then stores humidity information relating to the humidity during the progress of the drying process in the memory unit 71.

[0054] According to this, by periodically storing the humidity information in the storage unit 71, it is possible to check, for example, changes in the humidity information over time. This makes it possible to determine whether the humidity sensor 64 has deteriorated over time, thereby improving the reliability of the clothes drying.

[0055] Clothes dryer 10 further includes correction processing unit 76. Correction processing unit 76 corrects threshold value Hd used to detect the progress of the drying process using humidity, based on a change in humidity Hh obtained by comparing detected humidity H2, which is the humidity when the progress of the drying process is detected using temperature, with stored humidity H1, which corresponds to the detected humidity and is included in humidity information stored in memory unit 71.

[0056] When dryness detection is performed using the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64, it is possible to determine whether the clothes are dry, for example, by determining whether the humidity has decreased and reached the threshold value Hd. As the humidity sensor 64 deteriorates over time, the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 tends to indicate a higher value than normal. Therefore, as the humidity sensor 64 deteriorates over time, temperature-based dryness detection is more likely to satisfy the predetermined conditions for determining the dryness of the clothes than humidity-based dryness detection. By correcting the threshold value Hd for humidity-based dryness detection based on the humidity change Hh, the threshold value Hd can be made more usable. As a result, the reliability of clothes drying can be improved.

[0057] Furthermore, the correction processor 76 calculates the humidity change Hh based on the detected humidity H2 detected during multiple drying processes. This allows the humidity change Hh to be more accurately determined. This allows the humidity-based dryness detection threshold Hd to be corrected with high accuracy.

[0058] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. In this second embodiment, the processing content of the correction processing unit 76 differs from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, in this embodiment, the correction processing unit 76 calculates the humidity change Hh using a stored humidity H1 stored under conditions similar to the conditions of the clothes in the drying process when the detected humidity H2 was detected. The conditions of the clothes include the weight of the clothes detected by the weight detection unit 72 and the fabric quality of the clothes detected by the fabric quality detection unit 73.

[0059] In this embodiment, the control unit 70 executes the control shown in Figures 8 and 9 during the drying process, instead of the control shown in Figure 7. The control shown in Figures 8 and 9 is the control shown in Figure 7 with the addition of steps A11 to A15. In this case, when the drying process starts (Start in Figure 8), the control unit 70 determines in step A11 whether the weight of the clothes detected by the weight detection unit 72 is within a predetermined range, for example, a range of 3 kg to 4 kg. If the weight of the clothes is within the predetermined range (YES in step A11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S21 and proceeds with the subsequent processes.

[0060] On the other hand, if the weight of the laundry is not within the predetermined range (NO in step A11), the control unit 70 determines in step A12 whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the drying process. If the predetermined time has elapsed (YES in step A12), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S31, where it executes the subsequent drying process. When the drying process is completed (step S31), the control unit 70 ends the series of control steps (END in FIG. 8).

[0061] On the other hand, if the predetermined time has not elapsed (NO in step A12), the control unit 70 determines in step A13 whether the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 63, 64 have reached the predetermined condition. If the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 63, 64 have reached the predetermined condition (YES in step A13), the control unit 70 performs dryness detection in step A14. On the other hand, if the temperatures detected by the temperature sensors 63, 64 have not reached the predetermined condition (NO in step A13), the control unit 70 determines in step A15 whether the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 64 is equal to or lower than the threshold value Hd. If the humidity is not equal to or lower than the threshold value Hd (NO in step A15), the control unit 70 returns the process to step A12 and proceeds with the subsequent processes.

[0062] On the other hand, if the humidity is equal to or lower than the threshold value Hd (YES in step A15), the control unit 70 proceeds to step A14 and performs dryness detection. Next, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S31 and proceeds with the subsequent processes. In this way, if the weight of the clothes is outside the predetermined range, that is, if the clothes conditions in the operation in which the detected humidity H2 was detected and the operation in which the stored humidity H1 was detected are different, the threshold value Hd is not corrected.

[0063] According to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. The temperature or humidity in the air circulating passage 40 changes over time depending on the weight of the clothes and other factors. Therefore, the humidity change Hh can be calculated accurately by comparing the detected humidity H2 and the stored humidity H1 under conditions with similar clothes weights. This allows the humidity-based dryness detection threshold Hd to be accurately corrected.

[0064] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 10. In this third embodiment, the processing content of the correction processing unit 76 differs from the above-described embodiments. Specifically, in this embodiment, the correction processing unit 76 calculates the change in humidity using a stored humidity H1 stored under conditions close to the environmental temperature in the drying process at which the detected humidity H2 was detected. In this third embodiment, the control unit 70 executes the control content shown in FIG. 10 in the drying process, instead of the control content shown in FIG. 8. The control content in FIG. 10 is obtained by adding step B11 instead of step A11 shown in FIG. 8.

[0065] When the drying process is started (START in FIG. 10), the control unit 70 determines in step B11 whether the room temperature tr detected by the environmental temperature sensor 61 is within a predetermined range, for example, a range of 15°C to 25°C. If the room temperature tr is within the predetermined range (YES in step B11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S21 and executes the subsequent processes. On the other hand, if the room temperature tr is not within the predetermined range (NO in step B11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step A12 in FIG. 9 and executes the subsequent processes. Therefore, if the room temperature tr is not within the predetermined range, that is, if the environmental temperature conditions are different between the operation in which the detected humidity H2 was detected and the operation in which the stored humidity H1 was detected, the control unit 70 does not correct the threshold value Hd.

[0066] According to the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be achieved. Here, the temperature or humidity change over time in the air circulation path 40 during the drying process differs depending on the ambient temperature outside the air circulation path 40, such as room temperature tr. Therefore, by comparing the detected humidity H2 under conditions with the stored humidity H1 under similar ambient temperatures, the humidity change Hh can be calculated with high accuracy. This allows the threshold value Hd for dryness detection using humidity to be corrected with high accuracy.

[0067] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11. In this fourth embodiment, the processing content of the correction processing unit 76 differs from the above-described embodiments. Specifically, in this embodiment, the correction processing unit 76 calculates the humidity change Hh using a stored humidity H1 stored under conditions similar to the clogged state of the filter 422 in the drying process when the detected humidity H2 was detected. In this fourth embodiment, the control unit 70 executes the control content shown in FIG. 11 in the drying process, instead of the control content shown in FIG. 8. The control content in FIG. 11 is obtained by adding step C11 instead of step A11 shown in FIG. 8.

[0068] When the drying process is started (START in FIG. 11), the control unit 70 determines in step C11 whether the current value of the fan motor 551 detected by the current sensor 65 is within a predetermined range. If the current value of the fan motor 551 is within the predetermined range (YES in step C11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S21 and executes the subsequent processes. On the other hand, if the current value of the fan motor 551 is not within the predetermined range (NO in step C11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step A12 in FIG. 9 and executes the subsequent processes. Therefore, if the current value of the fan motor 551 is not within the predetermined range, that is, if the conditions for the clogging state of the filter 422 differ between the operation in which the detected humidity H2 is detected and the operation in which the stored humidity H1 is detected, the control unit 70 does not correct the threshold value Hd.

[0069] In addition, when the current value detected by the current sensor 65 falls below a predetermined range, the control unit 70 may determine that the filter 422 has become clogged and is no longer performing its intended function, and may use the operation display unit 18 to notify a filter clogging error.

[0070] The fourth embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, the clogging state of the filter 422 is a factor that affects the change over time in the temperature or humidity in the circulating air passage 40 during the drying process. Therefore, by comparing the detected humidity H2 under conditions similar to the clogging state of the filter 422 with the stored humidity H1, the humidity change Hh can be calculated with high accuracy. This allows the threshold value Hd for dryness detection using humidity to be corrected with high accuracy.

[0071] Note that when correcting the threshold value Hd in response to the clogging state of the filter 422, the control unit 70 is not limited to a configuration using the current value of the fan motor 551, and may calculate the humidity change Hh by comparing the detected humidity H2 and the stored humidity H1 in, for example, a drying process after the filter 422 is cleaned by the cleaning mechanism, a drying process after a filter clogging error is notified, and a drying process after attachment or detachment of the filter 422 is detected. This is because these drying processes are likely to be drying processes in which the clogging of the filter 422 is cleared, and are considered to be conditions similar to those in which the filter 422 is in a clogging state.

[0072] (Fifth embodiment) Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. In this fifth embodiment, the processing content of the correction processing unit 76 differs from that of the above-described embodiments. Specifically, in this embodiment, the correction processing unit 76 calculates the humidity change Hh using the detected humidity H2 and the stored humidity H1 when the tub drying operation is performed. In this fifth embodiment, the control unit 70 executes the control content shown in FIG. 12 in the drying process, instead of the control content shown in FIG. 8. The control content in FIG. 12 is obtained by adding step D11 instead of step A11 shown in FIG. 8.

[0073] When the drying process is started (START in FIG. 12), the control unit 70 determines in step D11 whether the operation being performed is the tub drying operation. If it is the tub drying operation (YES in step D11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S21 and continues with the subsequent processes. On the other hand, if it is not the tub drying operation (NO in step D11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step A12 in FIG. 9 and continues with the subsequent processes. Therefore, if the operation being performed is not the tub drying operation, that is, if the operation in which the detected humidity H2 was detected and the operation in which the stored humidity H1 were detected have different operation type conditions, the control unit 70 does not correct the threshold value Hd.

[0074] The fifth embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, by comparing the detected humidity H2 and the stored humidity H1 during a drying process that is performed in an operation that is not affected by factors such as the amount of clothes, such as a tub drying operation, the humidity change Hh can be calculated with high accuracy. This allows the humidity-based dryness detection threshold Hd to be corrected with high accuracy. Note that the configuration is not limited to one in which the humidity change Hh is calculated by comparing the detected humidity H2 and the stored humidity H1 between tub drying operations, as long as the humidity change Hh is calculated by comparing the detected humidity H2 and the stored humidity H1 between operations that are not affected by factors such as the amount of clothes in the rotating tub 14.

[0075] (Sixth embodiment) Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13. In this sixth embodiment, the processing content of the correction processing unit 76 differs from the above-described embodiments. Specifically, in this embodiment, the correction processing unit 76 calculates the humidity change Hh using a stored humidity H1 stored under conditions similar to the open / close state of the exhaust damper 32 in the drying process when the detected humidity H2 was detected. In this sixth embodiment, the control unit 70 executes the control content shown in FIG. 13 in the drying process, instead of the control content shown in FIG. 7. The control content in FIG. 13 is the processing content shown in FIG. 7 with step E11 added.

[0076] In this case, if the control unit 70 detects dryness in step S25, it determines in step E11 whether the exhaust damper 32 was kept closed during the drying process. If the exhaust damper 32 was not kept closed during the drying process (NO in step E11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S31 and executes subsequent processes. On the other hand, if the exhaust damper 32 was kept closed during the drying process (YES in step E11), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S26 and executes subsequent processes. Therefore, in this embodiment, if there is a period during which the exhaust damper 32 is open during the drying process, the control unit 70 does not store the stored humidity H1 and the detected humidity H2 in the memory unit 71. Note that the control unit 70 may also calculate the humidity change Hh by comparing the stored humidity H1 and the detected humidity H2 between drying processes that have the same condition for the period during which the exhaust damper 32 is open during the drying process.

[0077] The sixth embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, the temperature or humidity changes over time in the air circulation duct 40 during the drying process differ depending on whether the exhaust damper 32 is open or closed during the drying process. Therefore, the humidity change Hh can be calculated by comparing the detected humidity H2 under conditions where the exhaust damper 32 is in a similar open or closed state with the stored humidity H1. This allows the threshold value Hd for dryness detection using humidity to be corrected with high accuracy.

[0078] Seventh embodiment Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 14. In this seventh embodiment, the processing content of the correction processing unit 76 differs from the above-described embodiments. Specifically, in this embodiment, the correction processing unit 76 does not calculate the humidity change Hh if the drying process includes a period in which the progress of drying is inhibited. In this seventh embodiment, the control unit 70 executes the control content shown in FIG. 14 during the drying process, instead of the control content shown in FIG. 13. The control content in FIG. 14 is obtained by adding step F11 instead of step E11 shown in FIG. 13.

[0079] If the control unit 70 detects dryness in step S25, it determines in step F11 whether there was a period during which the compressor 53 was stopped during the drying process. If there was a period during which the compressor 53 was stopped during the drying process (YES in step F11), the control unit 70 proceeds with the subsequent processing by shifting the process to step S31. On the other hand, if there was no period during which the compressor 53 was stopped during the drying process (YES in step F11), the control unit 70 proceeds with the subsequent processing by shifting the process to step S26. The existence of a period during which the compressor 53 was stopped during the drying process is an example of a period during which the progress of drying was inhibited during the drying process. Other examples of periods during which the progress of drying was inhibited during the drying process include a case where operation was temporarily stopped, a case where the blower 55 was stopped, and a case where the door 12 was open.

[0080] The seventh embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, if the drying process includes a period in which the progress of drying is inhibited, the change in temperature or humidity over time in the air circulating passage 40 during the drying process will be different from that observed when no period in which the progress of drying is inhibited is included, i.e., different from normal. In this case, by not calculating the humidity change Hh, it is possible to prevent erroneous correction of the threshold value Hd for detecting dryness using humidity.

[0081] (Eighth embodiment) Next, an eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15. This eighth embodiment differs from the above-described embodiments in the configuration of the clothes drying system 1. In this embodiment, an example of the clothes drying system 1 is configured by a clothes dryer 10 and a server device 90. Note that the configuration can be the same as the above-described embodiments except for the configuration described below.

[0082] In the clothes drying system 1 shown in FIG. 15, the clothes dryer 10 is communicably connected to a server device 90 to constitute the clothes drying system 1. In this case, the clothes dryer 10 is configured to be able to communicate with the server device 90 via a router 2 and a communication line 3 such as an internet line, a mobile phone line, or a LAN line. The server device 90 may be configured, for example, as an external server provided on the internet, and is referred to as a database server, web server, cloud server, or the like. The server device 90 is not limited to an external server, and may be configured, for example, as a computer provided in a user's residence. The server device 90 has a memory unit 91. The memory unit 91 is configured, for example, as a well-known storage medium such as an HDD or SSD, and stores various types of information.

[0083] The eighth embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is not necessary to store various information used to correct the threshold value Hd in the clothes dryer 10, and therefore the cost of the clothes dryer 10 can be reduced.

[0084] The above-described embodiments can be combined with each other, and only the characteristic features of two or more embodiments can be extracted and combined. 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 embodied 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 within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10... clothes dryer (clothes drying system), 13... water tub (storage tub), 131... exhaust port, 132... air intake port, 14... rotating tub (storage tub), 40... circulating air duct, 50... heating device, 62... outlet side temperature sensor (temperature sensor), 63... inlet side temperature sensor (temperature sensor), 64... humidity sensor, 71, 91... memory unit, 74... operation processing unit, 75... memory processing unit

Claims

1. a storage tub having an exhaust port and an air intake port and configured to store clothing; a circulation air passage connecting the exhaust port and the air intake port; a heating device that heats the air flowing through the circulating air passage to generate hot air; a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air in the circulating air passage; a humidity sensor that detects the humidity of the air in the circulating air passage; a storage unit for storing various information; an operation processing unit that detects the progress or completion of a drying process for drying the clothes in the storage tub based on the temperature or humidity, and controls the heating device to execute the drying process; a storage processing unit that stores humidity information regarding the humidity during the drying process in the storage unit, Clothes drying system.

2. a correction processing unit that corrects a threshold value used to detect the progress of the drying process using the humidity based on a change in humidity obtained by comparing a detected humidity, which is the humidity when the progress of the drying process is detected using the temperature, with a stored humidity that corresponds to the detected humidity and is included in the humidity information stored in the storage unit; The clothes drying system of claim 1 .

3. the correction processing unit calculates the change in humidity based on the detected humidity detected in a plurality of the drying processes.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

4. the correction processing unit calculates the change in humidity using the stored humidity stored under conditions similar to the conditions of the clothes in the drying process when the detected humidity was detected.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

5. An environmental temperature sensor is further provided to detect an environmental temperature outside the circulating air passage, the correction processing unit calculates the change in humidity using the stored humidity stored under conditions close to the environmental temperature in the drying step at which the detected humidity was detected.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

6. The air conditioner further includes a filter device that captures foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the circulating air passage, the correction processing unit calculates the change in humidity using the stored humidity stored under conditions similar to a clogged state of the filter device in the drying process when the detected humidity was detected.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

7. The operation includes a tub drying operation in which the drying process can be performed when the laundry is not stored in the storage tub, The correction processing unit calculates the change in humidity using the detected humidity and the stored humidity when the tub drying operation is performed.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

8. an opening for discharging a portion of the air in the circulation air passage to the outside; an exhaust damper that opens and closes the opening, the correction processing unit calculates the change in humidity using the stored humidity stored under conditions similar to the open / closed state of the exhaust damper in the drying process when the detected humidity was detected.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

9. the correction processing unit does not calculate the change in humidity when the drying step includes a period in which the progress of drying is inhibited.

3. The clothes drying system of claim 2.

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