Clothing treatment device

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device capable of improving wrinkles of clothing uniformly.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device includes: an outer case; a clothing storage tank provided in the outer case, and storing clothing inside; a humidification mechanism for supplying air containing moisture into the clothing storage tank; a humidity detection part for detecting the humidity inside the clothing storage tank; and a control device for executing a humidification step of performing humidification with respect to the clothing by controlling the humidification mechanism and the humidity detection part. The control device performs setting processing for setting the length of an operation period which is the execution period of the operation including the humidification step according to the detection humidity of the humidity detection part in an initial humidity acquisition period which is a predetermined period from the start of the humidification step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to a clothing treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Washing and drying machines that have both washing and drying functions are known. Among these washing and drying machines, some have also been developed with the function of smoothing out wrinkles in clothes.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a washer-dryer that has a heating section (heater) between the bottom of the drum (inner tub) and the outer tub, and a water receiving section for temporarily storing water around the heating section.With clothes placed in the drum, steam is generated in the heating section to moisten the clothes, and then a blower fan is used to send air into the drum to dry the clothes, thereby removing wrinkles from the clothes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-069529 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Even if the same humidification control is performed, there is a risk that the wrinkle reduction effect will vary depending on the weight and fabric quality of the clothes and the environment in which the clothes treatment device is placed.

[0006] Therefore, this embodiment of the present invention provides a clothing treatment device that can improve wrinkles in clothing regardless of the environment or the clothing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one embodiment, the clothing treatment device includes an outer box, a clothing storage tub provided within the outer box for storing clothing therein, a humidifying mechanism for supplying moist air to the clothing storage tub, a humidity detector for detecting humidity within the clothing storage tub, and a control device for controlling the humidifying mechanism and the humidity detector to perform a humidifying process for humidifying the clothing. The control device performs a setting process to set the length of an operation period during which the humidifying process is performed, based on the humidity detected by the humidity detector during an initial humidity acquisition period, which is a predetermined period from the start of the humidifying process. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of an example in which a laundry treatment device according to a first embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional rear view showing a schematic configuration of an example in which a laundry treatment device according to a first embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air path, a drying unit, and an air blower in an example in which the clothing treatment device according to the first embodiment is applied to a washing / drying machine; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a heat exchanger serving as a humidification promoting member and its surroundings in an example in which the clothing treatment device according to the first embodiment is applied to a washing / drying machine; [Figure 5] 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a heat exchanger serving as a humidification promoting member and its surroundings in an example in which the clothing treatment device according to the first embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer, viewed from the direction of arrow V in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an example in which a laundry treatment device according to a first embodiment is applied to a washer / dryer; [Figure 7] A chart showing an example of humidity change in the clothing storage tub during the humidification process of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is an example of a timing chart showing how the control device controls the operation of each component in the humidification process of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 is a table showing an example of the length of the humidification period set according to the maximum humidity value in the initial humidity acquisition period of the washer-dryer of the first embodiment; [Figure 10] Table showing an example of a humidification period set according to the dry weight of clothes in the washer-dryer of the first embodiment [Figure 11] Table showing an example of threshold humidity set according to the pre-humidification temperature of the washer-dryer of the first embodiment [Figure 12] Table showing an example of the length of the initial humidity acquisition period set according to the dry weight of clothes and the pre-humidification temperature of the washer-dryer of the first embodiment [Figure 13] 1 is a flowchart showing a process in a humidifying step of a washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 14] 1 is a flowchart showing the contents of a setting process for a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment; [Figure 15] Table showing an example of the length of the humidification period set according to the humidity difference in the initial humidity acquisition period of the washer-dryer of the second embodiment [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart showing the contents of a setting process for a washer / dryer according to a second embodiment; [Figure 17] A chart showing operation details including a washing process, a drying process, and a humidifying process of a washer-dryer according to a third embodiment. [Figure 18] A chart showing operation details including a humidifying process and a drying process of a washer-dryer according to a fourth embodiment DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, several embodiments in which a laundry treatment device is applied to a washer / dryer will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that substantially the same elements in several embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0010] (First embodiment) A first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 14. A washer / dryer 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum washing machine equipped with a drying function.

[0011] 1 and 2, the washer-dryer 10 includes an outer case 11, a door 12, an outer tub 13, a bellows 14, a rotating tub 15, a rotating tub motor 16, a water supply mechanism 17, a drainage mechanism 18, and an operation panel 19. In this embodiment, the door 11 side of the outer case 11, i.e., the left side of the paper in FIG. 1, is the front side of the washer-dryer 10. The outer case 11 is formed into a rectangular hollow box shape using, for example, a stainless steel plate, and forms the outer shell of the washer-dryer 10. The outer case 11 has a clothes opening / closing port 111 at the front portion, which connects the inside and outside of the outer case 11.

[0012] The door 12 is provided at the front of the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to open and close the clothing entrance 111. With the door 12 open, the user can put clothes into or take clothes out of the rotating tub 15 through the clothing entrance 111.

[0013] The outer tub 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an opening 131 on the front side. In this embodiment, the outer tub 13 can store water inside and functions as an outer tub in this case. The outer tub 13 has an air outlet 132 and an air inlet 133. The air outlet 132 is located, for example, in the upper front part of the peripheral wall that constitutes the cylindrical part of the outer tub 13, and is provided at a position spaced apart in the left-right direction from the center of the outer tub 13, i.e., the top of the cylindrical outer surface of the outer tub 13. The air inlet 133 is located, for example, in the bottom of the outer tub 13, slightly above the center in the up-down direction of the bottom. The air outlet 132 and air inlet 133 communicate between the inside and outside of the outer tub 13.

[0014] The bellows 14 is provided around the clothes inlet / outlet 111 of the outer box 11 and the opening 131 of the outer tub 13. The bellows 14 is formed, for example, in the shape of a cylindrical accordion, and elastically connects the outer box 11 and the outer tub 13 while communicating the clothes inlet / outlet 111 and the opening 131.

[0015] The rotatable tub 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom capable of storing clothes, and is rotatably housed inside the outer tub 13. The rotation axis of the rotatable tub 15 overlaps the central axis of the outer tub 13. The rotatable tub 15 has multiple communication ports 151. The communication ports 151 connect the inside and outside of the rotatable tub 15. The communication ports 151 are formed throughout the peripheral wall constituting the cylindrical portion of the rotatable tub 15 and the bottom of the rotatable tub 15. The communication ports 151 function mainly as water passages through which water flows in and out during the washing and spin-drying operations, and as ventilation ports through which air flows in and out during the drying operation. The outer tub 13 and the rotatable tub 15 function as a clothing storage tub that stores clothes inside when the washer-dryer is operating.

[0016] 1 and 3, a plurality of baffles 152 are provided inside the cylindrical portion of rotatable tub 15. Baffles 152 agitate the clothes stored inside rotatable tub 15 as rotatable tub 15 rotates.

[0017] The rotatable tub motor 16 is provided, for example, on the outside of the bottom of the outer tub 13. The tip of the shaft 161 of the rotatable tub motor 16 protrudes into the interior of the outer tub 13 and is connected to the rotatable tub 15. The rotatable tub motor 16 can be, for example, an outer rotor type direct drive motor. The shaft 161 of the rotatable tub motor 16 penetrates the bottom of the outer tub 13, protrudes into the interior of the outer tub 13, and is fixed to the bottom of the rotatable tub 15. The rotatable tub motor 16 rotates the rotatable tub 15 relative to the outer tub 13. In this case, the shaft 161 of the rotatable tub motor 16, the central axis of the outer tub 13, and the rotation axis of the rotatable tub 15 are all aligned.

[0018] The water supply mechanism 17 is a device for injecting water supplied from an external water source, such as a tap, into the outer tub 13. The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, inside the outer box 11, above the outer tub 13, near either the left or right side. The water supply mechanism 17 includes a first water supply valve 171, a first water supply path 172, and a water injection case 173.

[0019] The first water supply valve 171 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and is connected to an external water source such as a water line (not shown). The first water supply valve 171 opens and closes the first water supply path 172. The first water supply path 172 is a path that leads from the external water source to the inside of the outer tub 13. The water supply case 173 is provided on the first water supply path 172 downstream of the first water supply valve 171. The water supply case 173 is configured to be able to store laundry treatment agents such as detergent and finishing agent inside.

[0020] When the first water supply valve 171 is opened, water from an external water source is poured into the outer tub 13 via the water supply case 173. If a laundry treatment agent is stored in the water supply case 173, the laundry treatment agent in the water supply case 173 is carried by the water flowing through the first water supply path 172 and flows down into the outer tub 13. Note that the washer-dryer 10 does not necessarily have to include the water supply case 173. That is, the washer-dryer 10 may be configured so that the user directly pours the laundry treatment agent into the outer tub 13.

[0021] Drain mechanism 18 has a function of discharging water stored inside outer tub 13 to the outside of washer-dryer 10. Drain mechanism 18 is configured to include a drain valve 181 and a drain path 182. Drain valve 181 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid. Drain valve 181 opens and closes drain path 182. Drain path 182 is a path that leads from inside outer tub 13 to the outside of the machine.

[0022] The operation panel 19 is disposed, for example, at the front of the top surface of the outer casing 11. The operation panel 19 is configured, for example, as a touch panel, and has the function of displaying information to the user and receiving various setting operations from the user. Together with a speaker (not shown), the operation panel 19 functions as a notification unit that notifies the user of information.

[0023] The washer-dryer 10 also has a drying function. The washer-dryer 10 includes an air passage 20 and a drying unit 30. The air passage 20 includes a duct connected to the air outlet 132 and / or the air inlet 133. In this embodiment, the air passage 20 connects the air outlet 132 and the air inlet 133 outside the outer tub 13. That is, the air passage 20, the outer tub 13, and the rotatable tub 15 form a circulating air passage. The drying unit 30 takes in air from the outer tub 13 through the air outlet 132 into the air passage 20, turns it into hot air, and then supplies the generated hot air from the air inlet 133 into the outer tub 13 and the rotatable tub 15.

[0024] Air passage 20 can be configured to include, for example, exhaust duct 21, filter device 22, connecting duct 23, heat exchanger 24, and intake duct 25. Exhaust duct 21, filter device 22, connecting duct 23, heat exchanger 24, and intake duct 25 are arranged in this order along the flow of air through air passage 20. Exhaust duct 21, connecting duct 23, heat exchanger 24, and intake duct 25 function as ducts that form an air passage by passing air therethrough. Air flows through air passage 20 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3 .

[0025] The exhaust duct 21 is a duct that connects the air outlet 132 of the outer tub 13 to the filter device 22. The filter device 22 has a filter (not shown) installed inside it, which captures lint and foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the air passage 20. The connection duct 23 is a duct that connects the filter device 22 to the heat exchanger 24. The heat exchanger 24 is installed on the lower inside of the outer casing 11, below the outer tub 13 and the rotating tub 15. The air taken into the air passage 20 from the outer tub 13 is dehumidified and heated as it passes through the heat exchanger 24, becoming dry, warm air. The supply air duct 25 is a duct that connects the heat exchanger 24 to the air inlet 133 of the outer tub 13.

[0026] The air passage 20 is provided with an exhaust port 26 and an opening / closing device 27. The exhaust port 26 connects the inside of the air passage 20 with the outside of the machine, and discharges the exhaust air from the outer tub 13 to the outside of the machine. The opening / closing device 27 opens and closes the exhaust port 26.

[0027] The drying unit 30 functions as a hot air supplying device that generates hot air for drying the clothes in the rotating tub 15 and supplies the hot air from the air inlet 133 into the outer tub 13. The drying unit 30 can be configured to include, for example, a heat pump type or a heater type heating device. In this embodiment, the drying unit 30 is configured to include a heat pump type heating device, and as shown in FIG. 3, has an evaporator 31, a condenser 32, a compressor 33, an expansion device 34, and a refrigerant flow path 35. The washer-dryer 10 also includes an air blower 36.

[0028] The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are provided within the heat exchange unit 24. The evaporator 31 is provided upstream of the condenser 32 with respect to the air flow within the heat exchange unit 24 during drying operation. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32, together with a compressor 33 provided outside the heat exchange unit 24, a throttling device 34, and a refrigerant flow path 35 connecting these components in order, form a heat pump mechanism, i.e., a refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant flows in the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 3. Air passing through the heat exchange unit 24 is cooled by the evaporator 31 and thereby dehumidified. The air dehumidified by the evaporator 31 is then heated by the condenser 32 to become warm air.

[0029] The downstream side of the heat exchanger 24 is connected to the air inlet 133 of the outer tub 13 by an air intake duct 25. The drying unit 30 also includes a blower 36. The blower 36 is provided, for example, at the connection between the heat exchanger 24 and the air intake duct 25, and can be configured, for example, with a sirocco fan or a propeller fan. The blower 36 draws air into the heat exchanger 24 and discharges it toward the air intake duct 25. As a result, the warm air dehumidified and heated in the heat exchanger 24 is supplied from the air inlet 133 to the outer tub 13 and further into the rotating tub 15 by the blowing action of the blower 36.

[0030] The washer-dryer 10 includes a humidifying mechanism 40. The humidifying mechanism 40 generates moist air to be supplied to the clothes storage tub, i.e., the outer tub 13 and the rotatable tub 15, and ultimately to the clothes stored in the clothes storage tub. The humidifying mechanism 40 may generate moist air directly inside the outer tub 13, or may generate moist air outside the outer tub 13 and supply it to the outer tub 13 and the rotatable tub 15. In this embodiment, the humidifying mechanism 40 is disposed outside the outer tub 13. More specifically, the humidifying mechanism 40 generates moist air in the air passage 20, and supplies the moist air to the outer tub 13 and the rotatable tub 15 by the blowing action of the air blower 36. The humidifying mechanism 40 includes a humidification promotion member 400, a second water supply valve 41, a second water supply path 42, and a water supply unit 43.

[0031] The humidification promotion member 400 has the function of moistening the air by receiving water on its surface and evaporating the moisture from the surface. The humidification promotion member 400 is disposed in the air passage 20. The humidification promotion member 400 preferably has a structure or shape that provides a larger surface area than an object having the same volume as the humidification promotion member 400. For example, the humidification promotion member 400 may be formed of a porous material or may have a structure having a large number of fins or pins. In this embodiment, a heat exchanger including an evaporator 31 and a condenser 32 is used as the humidification promotion member 400. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 have a large number of fins to improve heat exchange efficiency, and are therefore designed to have a larger surface area than an object having the same volume.

[0032] The surface temperature of the humidification promotion member 400 can be increased. For example, the humidification promotion member 400 may be heated by a heat source such as a heater, or may be heated by the function of a heat pump mechanism that the drying unit 30 has.

[0033] The second water supply valve 41 is, for example, an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and is connected to an external water source such as a water line (not shown). The second water supply valve 41 opens and closes a second water supply path 42. The second water supply path 42 is a path that connects the external water source to the water supply unit 43. The water supply unit 43 has a function of supplying water to the humidification promotion member 400. The water supply unit 43 has one or more water supply ports 431 on a surface facing the humidification promotion member 400. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the water supply unit 43 is provided above the evaporator 31. The multiple water supply ports 431 are formed on the lower surface of the water supply unit 43, i.e., on the surface facing the upper surface of the evaporator 31.

[0034] When the second water supply valve 41 is opened, water from an external water source is supplied to the water supply unit 43 via the second water supply path 42. The water that reaches the water supply unit 43 is supplied from the water supply port 431 to the evaporator 31 serving as the humidification promotion member 400.

[0035] When the second water supply valve 41 is opened and the surface of the humidification promotion member 400 is wet, the moisture evaporates from the surface of the humidification promotion member 400, generating steam, which increases the humidity in the air passage 20. The generated steam is then carried to the clothing storage tub by the action of the air supply device 36.

[0036] Furthermore, a plurality of humidification promotion members 400 can be arranged in a line along the direction of air flow in the air passage 20. In this case, some of the water supplied to the windward-side humidification promotion member 400 is blown downwind by the wind without being vaporized, thereby wetting the surface of the downwind-side humidification promotion member 400. The water adhering to the surface of the downwind-side humidification promotion member 400 is vaporized by the action of the air blower 36 and is also carried to the clothing storage tub.

[0037] In this embodiment, the evaporator 31 and condenser 32 serving as the humidification promotion member 400 are arranged side by side along the direction of air flow within the heat exchanger 24. As a result, some of the water supplied to the evaporator 31 is blown downwind by the wind without being vaporized, thereby wetting the surface of the condenser 32. The water adhering to the surface of the condenser 32 is vaporized by the action of the air blower 36 and carried to the clothing storage tub.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the water supply port 531 is provided at a position facing the upper surface of the humidification promotion member 400, but the water supply port 531 does not have to be provided at a position facing the upper surface of the humidification promotion member 400, and may be provided at a position facing the upwind area of ​​the humidification promotion member. In this case, if the air blower 36 is driven when water is supplied from the water supply port, the water will be carried to the humidification promotion member 400 by the air flow, and the humidification promotion member 400 will be wetted.

[0039] The washer-dryer 10 also includes a control device 50, as shown in FIG. 6. The control device 50 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 501 and a storage area 502, such as a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory. The control device 50 has a function of managing the overall operation of the washer-dryer 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the washer-dryer 10 further includes a temperature detection unit 51, a humidity detection unit 52, and a weight detection unit 53. The rotary tub motor 16, the first water supply valve 171, the drain valve 181, the opening / closing device 27, the compressor 33, the blower 36, the second water supply valve 41, the temperature detection unit 51, the humidity detection unit 52, and the weight detection unit 53 are electrically connected to the control device 50 and operate under the control of the control device 50.

[0040] The temperature detector 51 directly or indirectly detects the temperature inside the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15. In this embodiment, the temperature detector 51 indirectly detects the temperature inside the clothing storage tubs by detecting the temperature of the air discharged from the air outlet 132. The humidity detector 52 directly or indirectly detects the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs. In this embodiment, the humidity detector 52 indirectly detects the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15 by detecting the humidity of the air discharged from the air outlet 132. Note that, in this specification, humidity refers to relative humidity unless otherwise specified. As shown in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the temperature detector 51 and the humidity detector 52 are located downstream of the airflow direction of the exhaust duct 21 and the filter device 22 in the air passage 20. In this embodiment, the control device 50 drives the air blower 36 when the temperature detector 51 or the humidity detector 52 detects the temperature or humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15.

[0041] Weight detection unit 53 has a function of detecting the weight of the clothes stored in rotatable tub 15. Control device 50 can virtually realize weight detection unit 53 by executing a control program in CPU 501. Note that control device 50 may realize weight detection unit 53 by hardware such as an integrated circuit integrated with control device 50, or by a combination of software and hardware. Weight detection unit 53 can be configured to detect the weight of the clothes stored in rotatable tub 15, for example, from the motor current value when rotatable tub motor 16 is operated.

[0042] The control device 50 can selectively perform a washing operation, a drying operation, a washing and drying operation, and a wrinkle removing operation by operating the rotating tub motor 16, the first water supply valve 171, the drain valve 181, the opening and closing device 27, the compressor 33, the air blower 36, the second water supply valve 41, the temperature detection unit 51, the humidity detection unit 52, and the weight detection unit 53 as necessary. Note that in this embodiment, the "operation" in the washing operation, the drying operation, the washing and drying operation, or the wrinkle removing operation is a concept including one or more processes, and is a unit selectable by the user.

[0043] The wrinkle removal operation includes a humidification process in which the humidification mechanism 40 supplies moist air to the clothes storage tubs 13, 15, thereby humidifying the clothes inside the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 and eliminating wrinkles in the clothes.

[0044] 7 shows an example of the change in humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 during the humidification process. The control device 50 controls the humidification mechanism 40 and the air blower 36 to perform the humidification operation. The humidification operation involves opening the second water supply valve 41 for a predetermined period to wet the surface of the humidification promotion member 400, driving the air blower 36 to promote evaporation from the surface of the humidification promotion member 400, and then supplying moist air to the clothing storage tubs 13, 15.

[0045] When the humidifying operation is performed, the humidity in the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 increases. The control device 50 may perform the humidifying operation, for example, every time a predetermined period of time has elapsed, or may perform the humidifying operation when the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 falls below a predetermined target humidity Ht. In this embodiment, the control device 50 determines whether the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 is equal to or greater than the target humidity Ht every predetermined period of time, and does not perform the humidifying operation if the humidity is equal to or greater than the target humidity Ht, and performs the humidifying operation if the humidity is less than the target humidity Ht. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 7, the control device 50 performs the humidifying operation at times x0, x1, x2, ..., and xn.

[0046] FIG. 8 shows an example of the control of each component during the humidification process by the control device 50. At or before the start of the humidification process, the control device 50 detects the weight of the clothes stored in the rotatable tub 15 using the weight detection unit 53. In this embodiment, the control device 50 detects the weight of the clothes using the weight detection unit 53 at the start of the humidification process. Next, the control device 50 drives the air blower 36 to circulate the air in the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 between the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 and the air duct 20. The control device 50 acquires the temperature and humidity in the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 using the temperature detection unit 51 and the humidity detection unit 52. Furthermore, the control device 50 performs humidification operations at times x0, x1, x2, ..., and xn based on the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52, as described above. During the humidification process, the control device 50 drives the rotatable tub motor 16 to agitate the clothes stored in the rotatable tub 15.

[0047] The control device 50 executes a setting process to set the length of the operation period during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp according to the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52. As shown in FIG. 7, the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is a predetermined period after the start of the humidification process. Specifically, the setting process sets the length of the humidification period Th during the humidification process according to the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52. As shown in FIG. 7, the humidification period Th is a period during which the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 is maintained at or above a predetermined threshold humidity Hh. The threshold humidity Hh is set to a humidity range that is higher than the ambient humidity, i.e., a humidity range that can reduce wrinkles in clothes. The humidification period Th is a period during the humidification process during which the humidity in the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 is maintained at or above the threshold humidity Hh. The threshold humidity Hh can be set, for example, within a range of 60% RH or higher.

[0048] When the humidification operation is performed, the humidification mechanism 40 supplies moist air into the clothing storage tubs 13, 15, gradually increasing the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15. If the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 rises above a certain level during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, it can be assumed that the conditions for easily humidifying the clothes are met. On the other hand, if the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 does not reach a certain level during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, it can be assumed that the conditions for easily humidifying the clothes are not met. In other words, if the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 rises above a certain level during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, it can be assumed that the clothes can be humidified and wrinkles can be reduced in a relatively short period of time. On the other hand, if the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 does not reach a certain level during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, it can be assumed that the clothes will be humidified and wrinkles will be reduced in a relatively long period of time.

[0049] Therefore, when the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is high, the control device 50 sets the humidification period Th to be shorter than when the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is low. In this embodiment, the control device 50 sets the humidification period Th to a first humidification period Th1 when the maximum humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is equal to or greater than a predetermined initial threshold humidity Hp. When the maximum humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is less than the predetermined initial threshold humidity Hp, the control device 50 sets the humidification period Th to a second humidification period Th2, which is longer than the first humidification period Th1. The memory area 502 stores a table of humidification periods Th1 and Th2, as shown in FIG. 9, which are set according to the maximum initially acquired humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp. The control device 50 performs the setting process according to this table. The first humidification period Th1 can be set to, for example, 20 minutes or less. The second humidification period Th2 can be set to, for example, 20 minutes or more. The initial threshold humidity Hp can be set to, for example, within a range of approximately 85% RH to 95% RH. In this embodiment, the initial threshold humidity Hp is set to approximately 85% RH.

[0050] In other embodiments, the control device 50 may be configured to set the length of the humidification period Th to the first humidification period Th1 when the average value of the detected humidity by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold humidity, and to set the length of the humidification period Th to the second humidification period Th2 when the average value of the detected humidity by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is less than the predetermined threshold humidity.

[0051] As shown in Figure 10, the control device 50 executes a setting process based on the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53. When the weight of the clothes stored in the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 is heavy, i.e., when the amount of clothes is large, more moisture is required to sufficiently humidify the entire clothes. On the other hand, when the weight of the clothes is light, i.e., when the amount of clothes is small, it can be estimated that the entire clothes will be sufficiently humidified with less moisture. Therefore, when the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 is equal to or less than a predetermined weight, the control device 50 sets the lengths of the humidification periods Th1, Th2 to be shorter than when the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 is greater than the predetermined weight.

[0052] Fig. 10 shows an example of a table of humidification periods Th1 and Th2 that are set according to the weight detected by weight detection unit 53. Memory area 502 stores a table of humidification periods Th1 and Th2 that are set according to the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 and the maximum value of the initial acquired humidity detected by humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, as shown in Fig. 10, and control device 50 executes the setting process according to the table.

[0053] When the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 is less than 2 kg, humidification periods Th1 and Th2 are set shorter than when the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 is 2 kg or more. In the example shown in Fig. 10, the first humidification period Th1 is set to 20 minutes when the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 is 2 kg or less, and to 30 minutes when the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 is more than 2 kg. The second humidification period Th2 is set to 15 minutes when the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 is 2 kg or less, and to 20 minutes when the weight detected by weight detection unit 53 is more than 2 kg.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 11, the threshold humidity Hh can be set based on the temperature of the clothing storage tub 13, 15 at or before the start of the humidification process. That is, when the temperature of the clothing storage tub 13, 15 is high, even if the relative humidity is somewhat low, the absolute humidity is high, meaning the air contains sufficient moisture. Therefore, when the temperature detected by the temperature detector 51 at or before the start of the humidification process, i.e., the pre-humidification temperature Ub, is higher than a predetermined threshold temperature Uc, the control device 50 sets the threshold humidity Hh lower than when the pre-humidification temperature Ub is equal to or lower than the predetermined threshold temperature Uc. The threshold temperature Uc can be set, for example, within a range of 25°C or higher. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the threshold humidity Hh is set to 70% RH when the pre-humidification temperature Ub is equal to or lower than 30°C, and to 60% RH when the pre-humidification temperature Ub is higher than 30°C.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 12 as an example, the length of the initial humidity acquisition period Tp can be set according to the weight of the clothes. Because clothes tend to absorb moisture immediately after humidification begins, not all of the humidified moisture is reflected in the humidity of the clothes storage tubs 13 and 15. In particular, when the weight of the clothes is heavy (i.e., when there is a large amount of clothes), the clothes absorb more moisture, so it takes time for the humidity in the clothes storage tubs 13 and 15 to stabilize. On the other hand, when the weight of the clothes is light (i.e., when there is a small amount of clothes), the clothes do not absorb as much moisture, so the humidity in the clothes storage tubs 13 and 15 stabilizes in a relatively short period of time. Therefore, when the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 at or before the start of the humidification process is higher than a predetermined weight, the control device 50 sets the initial humidity acquisition period Tp to be longer than when the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 is equal to or less than the predetermined weight. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12, the predetermined weight is set to 2 kg.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 12, the length of the initial humidity acquisition period Tp can be set according to the pre-humidification temperature Ub, which is the temperature of the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 at or before the start of the humidification process. That is, even if the same amount of moisture is supplied, the relative humidity tends to increase more easily when the temperature inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 is high than when the temperature is low. Therefore, when the pre-humidification temperature Ub is higher than the predetermined threshold temperature Uc, the control device 50 sets the initial humidity acquisition period Tp to be shorter than when the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 51 is equal to or lower than the predetermined threshold temperature Uc. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12, when the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 is 2 kg or less, the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is set to 5 minutes when the pre-humidification temperature Ub is 30°C or less, and to 3 minutes when the pre-humidification temperature Ub is higher than 30°C. When the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 is greater than 2 kg, the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is set to 10 minutes when the pre-humidification temperature is 30°C or less, and to 5 minutes when the pre-humidification temperature is higher than 30°C.

[0057] The control device 50 executes a time calculation process to calculate the operation time and the remaining time. The time calculation process includes a first time calculation process that initializes the remaining operation time before or at the start of the humidification process, i.e., before the setting process, and a second time calculation process that resets the remaining operation time after the setting process. Furthermore, the time calculation process includes updating the initially set or reset remaining time by subtracting a predetermined unit time, such as 1 minute, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes, every time a predetermined unit time has elapsed.

[0058] Furthermore, the control device 50 executes a notification process. The notification process is a process for notifying the user of the remaining time of the operation period that has been set, reset, or updated by the time calculation process. The notification process can be executed, for example, by displaying the remaining time of the operation period on the operation panel 19, by announcing the remaining time of the operation period by voice through a speaker (not shown), or by communicating information including the remaining time of the operation period to an external device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a PC.

[0059] The processing of the control device 50 in the humidifying step will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in Figures 13 and 14. Note that the humidifying step in the wrinkle removal operation will be described here as an example. At the start of Figure 8, it is assumed that the power of the washer-dryer 10 is on and the wrinkle removal operation has been selected by the user through operation panel 19 or the like.

[0060] When the wrinkle removal operation is performed (start), the control device 50 detects the weight of the clothes stored in the rotating tub 15 using the weight detection unit 53 in step S11. In step S12, the control device 50 activates the air blower 36, which causes air to circulate between the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 and the air passage 20. In step S13, the control device 50 starts detecting the temperature and humidity using the temperature detection unit 51 and the humidity detection unit 52. The control device 50 also acquires the pre-humidification temperature Ub.

[0061] In step S14, the control device 50 executes a first time calculation process. In step S14, the control device 50 initializes a preset operation period according to the weight of the clothes, based on the weight of the clothes acquired in step S11. In step S15, the control device 50 executes a notification process. In this case, the control device 50 notifies the user of the remaining time of the initially set operation time.

[0062] In step S16, the control device 50 sets the initial humidity acquisition period Tp and the threshold humidity Tm based on the weight of the clothes acquired in step S11 and the pre-humidification temperature Ub acquired in step S13.

[0063] In step S17, the control device 50 executes a humidifying operation using the humidifying mechanism 40. As a result, moist air is supplied to the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 and ultimately to the clothing.

[0064] In step S18, the control device 50 determines whether the initial humidity acquisition period Tp has elapsed. If the initial humidity acquisition period Tp has not elapsed (NO in step S18), the control device 50 repeats the process of step S18. If the initial humidity acquisition period Tp has elapsed (YES in step S18), the control device 50 proceeds to step S19.

[0065] In step S19, the control device 50 executes a setting process whose detailed flow is shown in FIG. 14. When the setting process is executed, the control device 50 determines whether the maximum humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp is equal to or greater than the initial threshold humidity Hp. If the maximum humidity is equal to or greater than the initial threshold humidity Hp (YES in step S31), the control device 50 proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the control device 50 sets a first humidification period Th1 as the humidification period Th. If the maximum humidity is less than the initial threshold humidity Hp (NO in step S31), the control device 50 proceeds to step S33. In step S33, the control device 50 sets a second humidification period Th2 as the humidification period Th. Thereafter, the control device 50 returns the process to the flowchart of FIG. 13 (RETURN).

[0066] 13, in step S20, the control device 50 executes a second time calculation process based on the humidification period Th set in the setting process. In step S21, the control device 50 executes a notification process. In this case, the control device 50 notifies the user of the remaining time of the operation period updated in step S20.

[0067] In step S22, the control device 50 determines whether the humidification period Th has elapsed. If the humidification period Th has not elapsed (NO in step S22), the control device 50 repeats the process of step S22. If the humidification period Th has elapsed (YES in step S22), the control device 50 proceeds to step S23. In step S23, the control device 50 ends the humidification operation. In step S24, the control device 50 stops driving the blower device 36. Then, the control device 50 ends the process of the wrinkle removal operation (END). In this way, the control device 50 performs the wrinkle removal operation.

[0068] According to the present embodiment described above, the washer / dryer 10 as a clothing processing device includes an outer case 11, a clothing storage tub 13 (outer tub 13 and rotatable tub 15), a humidification mechanism 40, a humidity detection unit 52, and a control device 50. The outer tub 13 and rotatable tub 15 store clothes inside. The humidification mechanism 40 supplies moist air to the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15. The humidity detection unit 52 detects the humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15. The control device 50 controls the humidification mechanism 40 and the humidity detection unit 52 to perform a humidification process that humidifies the clothes. The control device 50 performs a setting process to set the length of the operation period, which is the period during which the operation including the humidification process is performed, based on the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during an initial humidity acquisition period Tp, which is a predetermined period from the start of the humidification process.

[0069] This allows the system to set the execution period required for wrinkle reduction in clothes by observing the humidity increase detected over a certain period after humidification begins, taking into account the moisture absorbency of the clothes and the temperature or humidity of the clothes storage tubs 13 and 15. For example, if the humidity increase is small even after humidification begins, the execution period can be set longer to improve wrinkle reduction performance. On the other hand, if the humidity increase after humidification begins is large, it is expected that wrinkle reduction will be effective even in a short period, so sufficient wrinkle reduction can be achieved even if the operation period is shortened. This makes it possible to reduce variation in wrinkle reduction in clothes, providing a clothing treatment device that is convenient for users and contributes to energy savings.

[0070] According to the washer-dryer 10 as a clothing processing device of this embodiment, the setting process includes a process of setting a humidification period, which is a period during which the humidification process is performed, during which the control device 50 controls the humidification mechanism 40 to make the detected humidity of the humidity detection unit 52 equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold humidity Hh.

[0071] This allows the period during which the humidity in the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 is maintained within a range that contributes to humidifying the clothing to be set according to the humidity detected during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, thereby reducing variations in the degree of wrinkle reduction in clothing. This provides a clothing treatment device that is convenient for users and contributes to energy conservation.

[0072] The washer / dryer 10 as a clothing processing device of this embodiment includes a weight detection unit 53 that detects the weight of the clothes stored in the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15. The control device 50 executes setting processing according to the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53.

[0073] When the laundry weight is light, i.e., when the amount of fabric in the clothes is small, wrinkle reduction is effective even in a short period of time, so sufficient wrinkle reduction can be achieved even if the operating period is shortened. Therefore, sufficient wrinkle reduction can be achieved by shortening the operating period when the laundry weight is light and extending the operating period when the laundry weight is heavy compared to when the laundry weight is light. Thus, a laundry treatment device is provided that contributes to user convenience and energy conservation.

[0074] The washer / dryer 10 as a clothing treatment device of this embodiment includes a weight detection unit 53 that detects the weight of the clothes stored in the clothing storage tubs 13 and 15. The control device 50 sets the initial humidity acquisition period according to the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53.

[0075] When the weight of the clothes is light, i.e., when the amount of clothes is small, it is expected that the humidity in the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 will rise within a short period of time after the humidification process begins, so the period required for wrinkle reduction can be calculated relatively quickly. On the other hand, when the weight of the clothes is heavy, i.e., when the amount of clothes is large, the clothes will absorb more moisture and the humidity will rise more slowly. Therefore, by ensuring a sufficient period for the initial humidity acquisition period Tp, the period required for wrinkle reduction can be calculated accurately. Thus, a clothes treatment device is provided that is convenient for the user and contributes to energy conservation.

[0076] The washer / dryer 10 as a clothing processing device of this embodiment includes a temperature detection unit 51 that detects the temperature inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15. The control device 50 sets the length of the initial humidity acquisition period Tp according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 51.

[0077] Since the ease with which the relative humidity increases varies depending on the temperature, by changing the length of the initial humidity acquisition period Tp according to the temperature, the total operating period can be shortened by shortening the initial humidity acquisition period Tp when the temperature is high, and conversely, the initial humidity can be acquired more accurately by lengthening the initial humidity acquisition period Tp when the temperature is low. Thus, a clothing processing device that contributes to user convenience and energy conservation is provided.

[0078] The washer / dryer 10 as a clothing processing device of this embodiment includes a temperature detector 51 that detects the temperature inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15. The control device 50 sets a predetermined threshold humidity Hh according to the temperature detected by the temperature detector 51.

[0079] When the temperature is high, the absolute humidity tends to be high even if the relative humidity is somewhat low, so it is assumed that sufficient moisture is added to the clothes to prevent wrinkles. Therefore, when the detected temperature before humidification starts is equal to or higher than the threshold temperature Uc, the threshold humidity Hh is set lower than when the detected temperature is below the threshold temperature Uc, thereby shortening the total operating period and conserving energy and resources. This provides a clothing treatment device that contributes to user convenience and energy and resource conservation.

[0080] The control device executes a notification process to notify the user of the remaining time of the operation period, including a process to notify the user of the remaining time provisionally set at the start of the operation including the humidification process, and a process to notify the user of the remaining time calculated based on the operation period set by the setting process after the setting process.

[0081] According to this, the user is notified of a more accurate operation period after the setting process, thereby improving convenience for the user.

[0082] (Second embodiment) A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15 and 16. In this embodiment, the control device 50 executes a setting process based on the difference in humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52. That is, the setting process includes a process of setting the length of the humidification period according to the difference in humidity between the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 at or before the start of the humidification process, i.e., the pre-humidification humidity Hb, and the maximum value of the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp.

[0083] If there is a step of heating the interior of rotatable tub 15 before the drying step, pre-humidification humidity Hb is the humidity detected by humidity detection unit 52 before heating. That is, control device 50 uses the humidity detected by humidity detection unit 52 before heating rotatable tub 15 as pre-humidification humidity Hb. Examples of steps of heating the interior of rotatable tub 15 before the drying step include, but are not limited to, a warm water washing step in which clothes are washed with warm water, and a so-called preheat dehydration step in which dehydration is performed while compressor 33 is driven in the final dehydration step before the drying step.

[0084] Furthermore, the control device 50 may obtain and use the humidity outside the washer-dryer 10 as the pre-humidification humidity Hb. In this case, the washer-dryer 10 may be provided with an outside humidity detection unit that detects the humidity outside the washer-dryer 10, and the control device 50 may obtain the humidity outside the washer-dryer 10 from the outside humidity detection unit. The washer-dryer 10 may also be provided with an IoT (Internet of Things) module that communicates with an external server device or information terminal via a network, and may obtain the humidity outside the washer-dryer 10 from the external server device or information terminal.

[0085] FIG. 15 is an example of a table of the humidification period Th that is set according to the humidity difference during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp. The memory area 502 stores a correlation table between the humidity difference and the humidification period Th as shown in FIG. 15, and the control device 50 executes the setting process based on this table. When the humidity difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control device 50 sets the humidification period Th to a first humidification period Th1, and when the humidity difference is less than the predetermined threshold, the control device 50 sets the humidification period Th to a second humidification period Th2 that is longer than the first humidification period Th1. The threshold value for the humidity difference can be set within a range of approximately 40% RH to 60% RH, for example, when the humidification process is performed after the drying process. In this embodiment, the threshold value for the humidity difference is set to 40% RH.

[0086] 16 shows an example of the flow of the setting process in this embodiment. When the setting process is executed, in step S41, the control device 50 determines whether the humidity difference between the maximum humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 during the initial humidity acquisition period Tp and the pre-humidification humidity Hb is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. If the humidity difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (YES in step S41), the control device 50 proceeds to step S32. If the humidity difference is less than the predetermined threshold (NO in step S41), the control device 50 proceeds to step S33. The other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0087] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiment.

[0088] (Third embodiment) A third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 17. In this embodiment, the humidifying process is not performed alone but together with other processes. In this embodiment, the humidifying process is performed together with the washing process and the drying process. In this case, the humidifying process is performed after the drying process.

[0089] The washing process is a process in which water is filled in the outer tub 13 by opening the first water supply valve 171 while the drain valve 181 is closed, and the clothes are washed or rinsed by rotating the rotatable tub 15 using the rotatable tub motor 16 to agitate the clothes in the water. The drying process is a process in which warm air is supplied to the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 by the functions of the drying unit 30 and the air blower 36 to dry the clothes.

[0090] In this case, before the start of the washing process, the control device 50 detects the dry weight of the clothes using the weight detection unit 53. The control device 50 performs the setting process and / or sets the initial humidity acquisition period Tp based on the weight detected by the weight detection unit 53 before the start of the washing process.

[0091] After the drying process is completed, the control device 50 detects the pre-humidification temperature using the temperature detection unit 51 and / or detects the pre-humidification humidity using the humidity detection unit 52. The control device 50 sets the threshold humidity Hh and / or sets the initial humidity acquisition period Tp based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 51 after the drying process is completed. The control device 50 may also calculate the humidity difference based on the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit 52 after the drying process is completed, and execute the setting process as in the second embodiment.

[0092] In this case, the first time calculation process is executed before the washing process. That is, the control device 50 calculates the total operation period including the washing process, drying process, and humidifying process as the first time calculation process. Furthermore, the second time calculation process is executed after the setting process in the humidifying process, as in each of the above embodiments.

[0093] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0094] According to this embodiment, the control device 50 performs the humidifying process after the drying process for drying the clothes stored in the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 is performed.

[0095] Because the drying process raises the temperatures of the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 and the air passage 20, the absolute humidity inside the clothing storage tubs 13, 15 tends to increase. Furthermore, higher temperatures make it easier to smooth out wrinkles in clothing, improving the wrinkle smoothing effect. Furthermore, when the humidification promotion member 400 is implemented using the heat exchangers 31, 32, the condenser 32 reaches a high temperature during the drying process, making it easier to vaporize the moisture used for humidification, and a large amount of high-temperature, high-humidity steam can be supplied to the clothing storage tubs 13, 15. This increases the total amount of moisture absorbed by the clothing, improving the wrinkle smoothing effect. Furthermore, if the clothing becomes overdried during the drying process, the humidification process can be performed to improve the finished look of the clothing.

[0096] (Fourth embodiment) A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 18. In this embodiment, the humidifying step is performed together with the drying step. In this case, the humidifying step is performed before the drying step.

[0097] In this embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the control device 50 detects the weight of the clothes at or before the start of the humidification process using the weight detection unit 53. Also, at or before the start of the humidification process, the control device 50 detects the pre-humidification temperature Ub using the temperature detection unit 51 and / or detects the pre-humidification humidity Hb using the humidity detection unit 52.

[0098] In this embodiment, the first time calculation process is performed before the humidification process, as in the first humidification embodiment. In this case, the control device 50 calculates the operation period including the humidification process and the drying process as the first time calculation process. Furthermore, the second time calculation process is performed after the setting process in the humidification process, as in the above embodiments. In this case, the control device 50 calculates the remaining operation period including the humidification period and the execution period of the drying process as the second time calculation process.

[0099] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0100] According to this embodiment, the control device 50 performs the drying process to dry the clothes stored in the clothes storage tubs 13, 15 after performing the humidifying process.

[0101] According to this, if the clothes become wet in the humidifying step, the clothes can be dried in the drying step, resulting in a better finished look for the clothes.

[0102] (Other embodiments) In each of the embodiments described above, the water supply unit 43 is arranged above the evaporator 31, but the water supply unit 43 may be arranged above the condenser 32 in addition to the evaporator 31, or the water supply unit 43 may be arranged above the condenser 32 instead of the evaporator 31. When the humidification mechanism 40 operates after the compressor 33 operates, evaporation can be promoted by the condenser 32, which is at a high temperature. When the water supply unit 43 is arranged above the condenser 32 instead of the evaporator 31, the air blower 36 does not need to be driven in the preparation step.

[0103] The configurations of the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other within the scope of the invention.

[0104] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be 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 scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10... washing machine, 13... outer tub (clothing storage tub), 15... rotating tub (clothing storage tub), 40... humidifying mechanism, 50... control device, 51... temperature detection unit, 52... humidity detection unit, 53... weight detection unit,

Claims

1. The outer box and a clothing storage tub provided in the outer box and configured to store clothing therein; a humidifying mechanism for supplying moist air to the clothing storage tub; a humidity detector for detecting humidity in the clothing storage tub; a control device that controls the humidifying mechanism and the humidity detection unit to execute a humidifying process of humidifying the clothes, the control device performs a setting process to set a length of an operation period, which is an execution period of an operation including the humidification process, in accordance with the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit during an initial humidity acquisition period, which is a predetermined period from the start of the humidification process. Clothes treatment device.

2. the setting process includes a process of setting a humidification period, which is a period during which the control device controls the humidification mechanism to make the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold humidity, within a period during which the humidification process is performed. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

3. a weight detection unit that detects the weight of the clothes stored in the clothes storage tub; the control device executes the setting process in accordance with the weight detected by the weight detection unit. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

4. a weight detection unit that detects the weight of the clothes stored in the clothes storage tub; the control device sets an initial humidity acquisition period in accordance with the weight detected by the weight detection unit. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

5. A temperature detector is provided to detect the temperature inside the clothing storage tub. setting the length of the initial humidity acquisition period in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit; The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

6. A temperature detector is provided to detect the temperature inside the clothing storage tub. The predetermined threshold humidity is set in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit. The clothing treatment device according to claim 2 .

7. the control device executes a notification process of notifying a user of the remaining time of the operation period; The notification process includes a process of notifying the user of the remaining time that is provisionally set at the start of the operation including the humidification process, and a process of notifying the user of the remaining time that is calculated based on the operation period set by the setting process after the setting process. The clothing treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The control device performs the humidifying step after a drying step of drying the clothes stored in the clothes storage tub is performed. The clothing treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. the control device performs a drying process of drying the clothes stored in the clothes storage tub after performing the humidifying process. The clothing treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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