Clothing treatment device

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device including a circulation air passage for circulating air in a clothing storage tub that can suppress, even when water enters the circulation air passage, a functional part in the circulation air passage from getting wet due to the water.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device includes: a clothing storage tub where clothing is stored; a circulation air passage for circulating the air in the clothing storage tub; a clothing treatment step execution part capable of executing a plurality of types of clothing treatment steps; and an opening ratio change device capable of changing an opening ratio of the circulation air passage, according to the type of the clothing treatment step which the clothing treatment step execution part executes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, the washer-dryer disclosed in Patent Document 1 is an example of a clothing processing device that can perform washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying processes. This washer-dryer is equipped with a circulation air duct that circulates air in the water tub during the drying process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-29678 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] During the spin cycle, the rotating tub rotates at high speed within the water tub. As a result, centrifugal force causes water to splash from the rotating tub into the air circulation duct, potentially wetting functional components within the air circulation duct, such as the filter and heat exchanger. Furthermore, the force of the water splashing from the rotating tub during the spin cycle is strong. Therefore, even if the inlet of the air circulation duct is bent, it is not possible to sufficiently prevent water from entering the air circulation duct, making it difficult to prevent functional components within the air circulation duct from wetting.

[0005] Therefore, this embodiment relates to a clothing treatment device equipped with a circulation air duct that circulates air inside a clothing storage tub, and provides a technical proposal that can prevent functional parts inside the circulation air duct from getting wet even if water gets into the circulation air duct. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The clothing processing device of this embodiment comprises a clothing storage tub in which clothing is stored, a circulating air duct for circulating air within the clothing storage tub, a clothing processing process execution unit capable of executing multiple types of clothing processing processes, and an opening rate change device capable of changing the opening rate of the circulating air duct depending on the type of clothing processing process executed by the clothing processing process execution unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a washing / drying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a circulation air passage according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a control system of a washer / dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view schematically showing an example of the configuration of an aperture ratio changing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of an aperture ratio change unit according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a filter member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control flow according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional side view schematically showing an example of the configuration of an aperture ratio changing unit according to a modified example of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of a clothing processing device will be described below with reference to the drawings. The washer-dryer 1 shown in Fig. 1 is an example of a clothing processing device capable of performing a predetermined processing step on clothing, in this case at least a washing step for washing the clothing in the clothing storage tub, a rinsing step for rinsing the clothing in the clothing storage tub, a spin-drying step for spin-drying the clothing in the clothing storage tub, and a drying step for drying the clothing in the clothing storage tub. The washer-dryer 1 is a so-called horizontal-axis drum-type washer-dryer, in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub extends horizontally or in a direction inclined relative to the horizontal.

[0009] The washer / dryer 1 includes a clothes treatment tub 3 housed within a rectangular outer casing 2 that forms its outer shell. The clothes treatment tub 3 includes a water tub 3s and a drum 3d. The water tub 3s is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The water tub 3s is cylindrical, with its peripheral wall and back closed, allowing water to be stored inside. The drum 3d is rotatably mounted within the water tub 3s. The drum 3d is cylindrical, with its peripheral side and back closed. The drum 3d can accommodate clothes (not shown) to be subjected to various processes, such as washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying. The peripheral wall and back of the drum 3d are provided with numerous small holes (not shown) that allow ventilation and water to pass through. The inner surface of the drum 3d is provided with multiple baffles (not shown) for lifting the clothes. The central axis of rotation of the drum 3d extends horizontally or in a direction inclined relative to the horizontal. The clothes treatment tub 3 functions as an example of a clothes storage tub in which clothes are stored.

[0010] A drum motor 3m is provided on the rear of the clothing treatment tub 3. The drum motor 3m rotates the drum 3d inside the water tub 3s in both forward and reverse directions. The front opening 3c of the water tub 3s can be opened and closed by a door 4 provided on the front of the outer case 2. By opening the door 4, the user can place clothes in and remove them from the water tub 3s, or more specifically, the drum 3d, through the front opening 3c.

[0011] The washer-dryer 1 includes a water supply unit 5 for supplying water into the clothing treatment tub 3 and a drain unit 6 for draining the water in the clothing treatment tub 3 to the outside of the machine. The water supply unit 5 includes a water supply valve 8 and a water supply case 9 along a water supply path 7 extending from a water source (not shown), such as a water main, to the clothing treatment tub 3. The drain unit 6 includes a drain valve 11 along a drain path 10 extending from the bottom of the clothing treatment tub 3 to the outside of the machine. When the drain valve 11 is closed, water is supplied from the water supply unit 5 to the clothing treatment tub 3, allowing a predetermined amount of water to accumulate in the clothing treatment tub 3. When the drain valve 11 is opened, the water in the clothing treatment tub 3 is drained to the outside of the machine via the drain path 10.

[0012] The washer / dryer 1 is equipped with a circulation air duct 14 configured to circulate air within the clothing treatment tub 3. The clothing treatment tub 3 is provided with an air outlet 3a and an air inlet 3b. The circulation air duct 14 connects the air outlet 3a and the air inlet 3b outside the clothing treatment tub 3. In this case, the air outlet 3a is provided in the front part of the top surface of the clothing treatment tub 3. The air inlet 3b is provided in the upper part of the back surface of the clothing treatment tub 3.

[0013] A heat exchange duct 15 is provided in the middle of the circulating air passage 14. The heat exchange duct 15 is provided in the rear part of the lower part inside the outer casing 2 so as to extend in the left-right direction of the outer casing 2. An opening ratio changing unit 100 is provided in the middle of the circulating air passage 14, on the upwind side of the heat exchange duct 15. This opening ratio changing unit 100 will be described later.

[0014] 2, the washer / dryer 1 includes a heat pump mechanism 20. The heat pump mechanism 20 configures a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor 21, a condenser 22, a throttle 23, and an evaporator 24 are connected in a cycle by refrigerant pipes 25. Of these, the condenser 22 and the evaporator 24, which configure a heat exchanger, are disposed inside a heat exchange duct 15 that configures a part of the circulation air passage 14.

[0015] A circulation fan 26 is provided in the circulation air duct 14. The circulation fan 26 circulates the air inside the clothing treating tub 3 through the circulation air duct 14. When the circulation fan 26 is driven, the air inside the clothing treating tub 3 is introduced into the circulation air duct 14 from the air outlet 3a, flows from the upwind side, which is the air outlet 3a side, to the downwind side, which is the air inlet 3b side, and is returned to the clothing treating tub 3 from the air inlet 3b, as shown by the arrow W in FIG. 2 . In other words, when the circulation fan 26 is driven, the air inside the clothing treating tub 3 is circulated through the circulation air duct 14.

[0016] The evaporator 24 is disposed within the heat exchange duct 15 on the air outlet 3a side of the clothing treatment tub 3, i.e., on the upwind side of the circulation air duct 14. On the other hand, the condenser 22 is disposed within the heat exchange duct 15 on the air inlet 3b side of the clothing treatment tub 3, i.e., on the downwind side of the circulation air duct 14. That is, within the circulation air duct 14, more specifically within the heat exchange duct 15, the evaporator 24 is disposed on the upwind side of the condenser 22, i.e., upstream in the direction of air flow. In other words, within the circulation air duct 14, more specifically within the heat exchange duct 15, the condenser 22 is disposed on the downwind side of the evaporator 24, i.e., downstream in the direction of air flow.

[0017] Evaporator 24 functions as a dehumidifying means for cooling and dehumidifying air flowing in circulating air passage 14 from air outlet 3a to air inlet 3b, i.e., from the windward side to the leeward side. Condenser 22 functions as a heating means for heating air flowing in circulating air passage 14 from air outlet 3a to air inlet 3b, i.e., from the windward side to the leeward side.

[0018] By providing the evaporator 24 and condenser 22 within the air circulation duct 14, the air flowing from the upwind side to the downwind side within the air circulation duct 14 is dehumidified by the evaporator 24 and heated by the condenser 22, and returned to the clothing treatment tub 3 as warm air at a predetermined temperature. This allows the clothing stored within the clothing treatment tub 3 to be dried by the warm air. The evaporator 24 and condenser 22 form a heat exchange unit 27, an example of a functional unit, within the air circulation duct 14, more specifically, within the heat exchange duct 15.

[0019] Next, an example of the configuration of the control system of the washer-dryer 1 will be described in detail. The control device 40 shown in Fig. 3 is mainly configured with, for example, a microcomputer, and can control the overall operation of the washer-dryer 1 based on a control program and various setting information. The control device 40 is connected to the above-mentioned water supply valve 8, drain valve 11, compressor 21, circulation fan 26, drum motor 3m, etc. By controlling the operation of these drive system components, the control device 40 can control the overall operation of the washer-dryer 1 and perform various operations.

[0020] The control device 40 also executes a control program to virtually implement the clothing processing operation execution processing unit 41 using software. The clothing processing operation execution processing unit 41 may be implemented using hardware or a combination of software and hardware. The clothing processing operation execution processing unit 41 is an example of a clothing processing operation execution unit, and is capable of executing multiple types of clothing processing operations, such as at least a washing operation, a rinsing operation, a spin-drying operation, and a drying operation, by controlling the operation of the water supply valve 8, the drain valve 11, the compressor 21, the circulation fan 26, the drum motor 3m, and the like, which are provided in the washer-dryer 1.

[0021] Next, a detailed description will be given of an example configuration of the aperture ratio change unit 100. The aperture ratio change unit 100 is an example of an aperture ratio change device. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the aperture ratio change unit 100 is incorporated into a part of the circulation air duct 14, in this case, the upstream part of the circulation air duct 14. The aperture ratio change unit 100 is configured with a filter member 101. A filter member main body 102 constituting the main body of the filter member 101 is an elongated rectangular plate-like member as a whole. The filter member 101 is made of, for example, resin and is flexible. The filter member 101 is an example of a foreign matter capture section and is configured to capture foreign matter contained in the air circulating in the circulation air duct 14, as will be described in detail later. The foreign matter is, for example, lint and dust generated from clothing.

[0022] An upper gap 14a is formed in the upper surface of the circulation air passage 14. Meanwhile, a lower gap 14b is formed in the lower surface of the circulation air passage 14. The upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b are positioned opposite each other in the up-down direction. An upper inclined portion 14c is provided upstream of the upper gap 14a in the circulation air passage 14. The upper inclined portion 14c is inclined so as to descend from the upstream side toward the downstream side of the circulation air passage 14. Meanwhile, a lower inclined portion 14d is provided upstream of the lower gap 14b in the circulation air passage 14. The lower inclined portion 14d is inclined so as to ascend from the upstream side toward the downstream side of the circulation air passage 14. The upper inclined portion 14c and the lower inclined portion 14d guide the air flowing through the circulation air passage 14 toward the center of the circulation air passage 14 in the up-down direction. Additionally, upper inclined portion 14c and lower inclined portion 14d prevent air flowing through circulating air passage 14 from flowing toward upper gap 14a and lower gap 14b.

[0023] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b extend linearly along a second direction D2 perpendicular to a first direction D1 in which the circulating air flows within the circulating air passage 14. The upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b are slit-shaped openings whose dimensions along the first direction D1 in which the circulating air flows within the circulating air passage 14 are slightly larger than the thickness of the filter member 101. The upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b each have a notch 14e at both ends in the second direction D2. The notch 14e is cut out in a rectangular shape along the first direction D1. The filter member 101 is provided so as to be able to pass through the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b in the vertical direction.

[0024] 6, a filter member main body 102 constituting the main body of a filter member 101 integrally includes a blocking portion 103, a high aperture ratio filter portion 104, and a low aperture ratio filter portion 105. The blocking portion 103, the high aperture ratio filter portion 104, and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105 all constitute part of the filter member 101. The blocking portion 103 is provided in the upper part of the filter member main body 102. The high aperture ratio filter portion 104 is provided in the center of the filter member main body 102 in the up-down direction. The low aperture ratio filter portion 105 is provided in the lower part of the filter member main body 102.

[0025] The blocking portion 103 is an example of an opening rate reduction portion. The blocking portion 103 is not formed in a mesh shape, and its opening rate is zero percent. That is, in this case, the blocking portion 103 has no openings at all and can block the openings, i.e., the flow paths, in the circulation air passage 14. Note that the blocking portion 103 may be configured to reduce the opening rate or opening area in the circulation air passage 14. Therefore, the opening rate may not be zero percent, but may be, for example, several percent to several tens of percent. Note that in the present disclosure, the "opening rate" is a value indicating the proportion of open areas per unit area that allow gas to pass through. Therefore, it can be defined that the higher the opening rate, the easier it is for gas to pass through, and the lower the opening rate, the more difficult it is for gas to pass through.

[0026] The high aperture ratio filter section 104 and the low aperture ratio filter section 105 are both examples of a filter section. The high aperture ratio filter section 104 and the low aperture ratio filter section 105 are both formed in a mesh shape and have openings that allow gas to pass through, but their aperture ratios are different. That is, the aperture ratio of the high aperture ratio filter section 104 is higher than a predetermined reference aperture ratio. On the other hand, the aperture ratio of the low aperture ratio filter section 105 is lower than the predetermined reference aperture ratio. The value of the predetermined reference aperture ratio can be changed as appropriate. However, the value of the predetermined reference aperture ratio can be set to a value that is at least higher than the aperture ratio of the closed section 103. The aperture ratio of the low aperture ratio filter section 105 can be set to a value that is at least higher than the aperture ratio of the closed section 103.

[0027] Furthermore, protrusions 106 are formed integrally with the filter member main body 102 of the filter member 101. The protrusions 106 extend along the longitudinal direction of the filter member 101 at both ends in the shorter direction of the filter member 101. The protrusions 106 are provided on both the front and rear sides of the filter member main body 102. The protrusions 106 are disposed within the notches 14e in the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b. The protrusions 106 have a plurality of gear teeth (not shown) formed at their tip end, forming a so-called rack gear. The filter member 101 is movable up and down within the circulating air passage 14 by the protrusions 106 being driven by a gear of a stepping motor (not shown).

[0028] An upper rail (not shown) is provided above the circulation air passage 14 to movably support the protrusions 106 of the portion of the filter member 101 that has moved above the circulation air passage 14. A lower rail (not shown) is provided below the circulation air passage 14 to movably support the protrusions 106 of the portion of the filter member 101 that has moved below the circulation air passage 14. Supporting the filter member 101 by these upper and lower rails allows the filter member 101 to move stably.

[0029] Furthermore, a plurality of, in this case, four, holding portions 107 are integrally formed on the filter member 101. Each of the plurality of holding portions 107 bulges out from the front and back sides of the filter member main body 102. Therefore, the thickness of the portion of the filter member 101 where the holding portions 107 are formed is greater than the thickness of the portions of the filter member 101 where the holding portions 107 are not formed, that is, the blocking portion 103, the high aperture ratio filter portion 104, and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105.

[0030] The plurality of holding portions 107 are provided at the upper end of the filter member main body 102, at a portion of the filter member main body 102 between the blocking portion 103 and the high aperture ratio filter portion 104, at a portion of the filter member main body 102 between the high aperture ratio filter portion 104 and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105, and at the lower end of the filter member main body 102. The plurality of holding portions 107 each extend linearly along the short side direction of the filter member 101.

[0031] For ease of explanation, the holding portion 107 provided at the upper end of the filter member main body 102 may be referred to as the first holding portion 107a, the holding portion 107 provided in the portion of the filter member main body 102 between the blocking portion 103 and the high aperture ratio filter portion 104 may be referred to as the second holding portion 107b, the holding portion 107 provided in the portion of the filter member main body 102 between the high aperture ratio filter portion 104 and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105 may be referred to as the third holding portion 107c, and the holding portion 107 provided at the lower end of the filter member main body 102 may be referred to as the fourth holding portion 107d.

[0032] 4 and 5, elastically deformable packings 14f made of, for example, a rubber material are provided in the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b of the circulating air passage 14. The packings 14f are provided on the upstream and downstream sides of the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b in the first direction D1. The packings 14f are provided over the entire space between the two cutouts 14e along the second direction D2. The packings 14f may be provided only partially, rather than entirely, between the two cutouts 14e along the second direction D2.

[0033] When the first retaining portion 107a is fitted between the upstream and downstream gaskets 14f in the upper gap 14a and the second retaining portion 107b is fitted between the upstream and downstream gaskets 14f in the lower gap 14b, the filter member 101 is held with the blocking portion 103 positioned within the circulation air passage 14.

[0034] Furthermore, when the second holding portion 107b is fitted between the upstream and downstream gaskets 14f in the upper gap 14a and the third holding portion 107c is fitted between the upstream and downstream gaskets 14f in the lower gap 14b, the filter member 101 is held in a state in which the high opening ratio filter portion 104 is positioned within the circulation air passage 14.

[0035] Furthermore, when the third retaining portion 107c is fitted between the upstream and downstream gaskets 14f in the upper gap 14a and the fourth retaining portion 107d is fitted between the upstream and downstream gaskets 14f in the lower gap 14b, the filter member 101 is held in a state in which the low opening ratio filter portion 105 is positioned within the circulation air passage 14.

[0036] Next, an example of a control flow by the control device 40 will be described. As illustrated in Fig. 7, when the control device 40 starts a series of washing and drying operations including a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, and a drying process, the control device 40 first places the blocking unit 103 in the circulation air duct 14 (step S1). Then, the control device 40 maintains the state in which the blocking unit 103 is placed in the circulation air duct 14 until the spin-drying process is completed (step S2: NO).

[0037] Thus, when the control device 40 performs the washing process, the rinsing process, or the spin-drying process, it moves the filter member 101 to position the blocking portion 103 in the circulation air duct 14. That is, when the control device 40 performs the washing process, the rinsing process, or the spin-drying process, the opening ratio change unit 100 reduces, or in this case blocks, the opening area of ​​the circulation air duct 14 using the blocking portion 103. As a result, even if water splashing from the drum 3d rotating at high speed, particularly during the spin-drying process, enters the circulation air duct 14, the water can be blocked by the blocking portion 103. Furthermore, even if water from the clothing treatment tub 3 enters the circulation air duct 14 during the washing process or rinsing process, which are performed when water is present in the clothing treatment tub 3, the water can be blocked by the blocking portion 103.

[0038] Then, when the spinning process is completed (step S2: YES), the control device 40 starts the drying process (step S3). Then, when the drying process is started, the control device 40 executes the following control. That is, in the initial stage of the drying process, the control device 40 moves the filter member 101 to place the high opening ratio filter section 104 in the circulation air passage 14 (step S4). Then, the control device 40 monitors whether a predetermined condition is met during the execution of the drying process (step S5).

[0039] Various conditions can be set as the predetermined condition. For example, the predetermined condition may be that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the drying process. The predetermined time may be set to, for example, the time it is expected that lint will start to be generated from the clothes after the start of the drying process, such as one hour.

[0040] The predetermined condition may also be that the wetness of the clothes in the clothes treatment tub 3 falls below a predetermined wetness level. The wetness of the clothes can be determined, for example, by placing temperature sensors (not shown) around the air outlet 3a and the air inlet 3b and based on the difference in temperature detected by these temperature sensors at the inlet and outlet of the clothes treatment tub 3. The wetness of the clothes can also be determined, for example, by photographing the clothes in the clothes treatment tub 3 with a camera and analyzing the photographic data.

[0041] Then, when a predetermined condition is met during the execution of the drying process (step S5: YES), the control device 40 moves the filter member 101 to place the low opening ratio filter section 105 in the circulation air passage 14 (step S6). As described above, when the control device 40 executes the drying process, the opening ratio changing unit 100 switches the filter section to be placed in the circulation air passage 14 from the high opening ratio filter section 104 to the low opening ratio filter section 105 during the execution of the drying process.

[0042] Here, in the initial stage of the drying process, the amount of moisture contained in the clothes is high, so lint is unlikely to be generated. Therefore, even if high opening ratio filter section 104 is arranged in circulation air duct 14, there is little possibility that foreign matter will enter heat exchange duct 15, i.e., heat exchange section 27. Therefore, in the initial stage of the drying process, control device 40 arranges high opening ratio filter section 104, which has lower air path resistance than low opening ratio filter section 105, in circulation air duct 14. This increases the amount of air circulating in circulation air duct 14, thereby improving drying efficiency.

[0043] However, during the drying process, as the drying of the clothes progresses, the moisture content of the clothes decreases, making it easier for lint to be produced from them. Therefore, during the drying process, control device 40 switches the filter section arranged in circulation air duct 14 from high opening ratio filter section 104, which has a low foreign matter capturing ability, to low opening ratio filter section 105, which has a high foreign matter capturing ability. This enables low opening ratio filter section 105 to efficiently capture lint contained in the air flowing through circulation air duct 14, and prevents foreign matter from entering heat exchange duct 15, i.e., heat exchange section 27.

[0044] The washer-dryer 1 described above includes an opening ratio change unit 100 in the circulation air duct 14, which circulates air within the clothing treatment tub 3. The opening ratio change unit 100 can change the opening ratio, or in other words, the opening area, of the circulation air duct 14 depending on the type of clothing treatment process executed by the control device 40. According to this configuration example, when a clothing treatment process that may cause water to enter the clothing treatment tub 3 is executed, the opening ratio change unit 100 reduces the opening ratio of the circulation air duct 14. Even if water does enter the circulation air duct 14, the water can be blocked in the area with the reduced opening ratio. Therefore, even if water does enter the circulation air duct 14, the opening ratio change unit 100 can prevent the water from entering further downstream, thereby preventing functional components, such as the heat exchanger 27, provided in the circulation air duct 14 from becoming wet.

[0045] Furthermore, in the washer / dryer 1, the opening ratio change unit 100 has a closing portion 103 that reduces the opening ratio of the circulation air duct 14, in other words, the opening area. When the control device 40 executes the spin cycle, the opening ratio change unit 100 reduces the opening area of ​​the circulation air duct 14 using the closing portion 103, in this case, closing it. During the spin cycle, water is splashed with force from the drum 3d rotating at high speed in the laundry treatment tub 3, and the splashed water is likely to enter the circulation air duct 14. Therefore, by reducing the opening area of ​​the circulation air duct 14 using the closing portion 103 during the spin cycle, even if water does enter the circulation air duct 14, it is possible to more effectively prevent functional components in the circulation air duct 14 from becoming wet with the water.

[0046] Furthermore, when the blocking portion 103 is disposed in the circulating air passage 14, the high opening ratio filter portion 104 and the low opening ratio filter portion 105 are disposed outside, in this case, at the bottom, of the circulating air passage 14. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the high opening ratio filter portion 104 and the low opening ratio filter portion 105 from getting wet.

[0047] Furthermore, opening ratio change unit 100 is provided in the upstream portion of circulation air duct 14, and if high opening ratio filter section 104 and low opening ratio filter section 105 are wet in this portion, the temperature in the upstream portion of circulation air duct 14 will decrease due to the heat of vaporization, which may affect the accuracy of temperature detection during the drying process. As described above, washer-dryer 1 can prevent high opening ratio filter section 104 and low opening ratio filter section 105 from getting wet, thereby preventing the accuracy of temperature detection during the drying process from being affected.

[0048] Furthermore, in washer-dryer 1, blocking portion 103 is provided in a part of filter member 101. Filter member 101 integrally includes high aperture ratio filter portion 104 and low aperture ratio filter portion 105 that capture foreign matter contained in the air circulating in circulation air passage 14. According to this configuration example, one filter member 101 can have both the function of blocking circulation air passage 14 by blocking portion 103 and the function of capturing foreign matter by high aperture ratio filter portion 104 and low aperture ratio filter portion 105, thereby preventing an increase in the number of parts and a complicated structure.

[0049] Furthermore, in the washer-dryer 1, when the control device 40 executes the drying process, the aperture ratio change unit 100 switches the filter section disposed in the circulation air duct 14 from the high aperture ratio filter section 104 to the low aperture ratio filter section 105 during the drying process. According to this configuration example, in the early stage of the drying process when the clothes are wet and lint is unlikely to be generated, the high aperture ratio filter section 104 with low air path resistance is disposed in the circulation air duct 14, thereby increasing the circulating air volume and improving drying efficiency. Then, as the clothes dry further and lint is likely to be generated, the low aperture ratio filter section 105 with high foreign matter capturing ability is disposed in the circulation air duct 14, thereby improving foreign matter capturing efficiency.

[0050] Furthermore, in the washer-dryer 1, the filter member 101 has a retaining portion 107 that is thicker than the filter member main body 102 on which the blocking portion 103, the high opening ratio filter portion 104, and the low opening ratio filter portion 105 are provided. The retaining portion 107 fits into the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b of the circulation air passage 14, so that the filter member 101 is retained with the blocking portion 103, the high opening ratio filter portion 104, or the low opening ratio filter portion 105 disposed in the circulation air passage 14. According to this configuration example, the retaining portion 107 is retained in the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b of the circulation air passage 14, so that the blocking portion 103, the high opening ratio filter portion 104, or the low opening ratio filter portion 105 can be stably maintained in the state where it is disposed in the circulation air passage 14. Furthermore, by blocking the upper gap 14a and the lower gap 14b of the circulation air passage 14 with the holding portion 107, it is possible to prevent the air flowing through the circulation air passage 14 from leaking out from the upper gap 14a or the lower gap 14b.

[0051] The filter member 101 has an upper closing section 103 that is disposed in the circulation air duct 14 during the washing, rinsing, and spin-drying steps, an intermediate high opening ratio filter section 104 that is disposed in the circulation air duct 14 during the initial stage of the drying step, and a lower low opening ratio filter section 105 that is disposed in the circulation air duct 14 during the middle to final stages of the drying step. That is, the filter member 101 is configured such that the closing section 103, the high opening ratio filter section 104, and the low opening ratio filter section 105 are arranged from the upper side to the lower side in accordance with the execution order of the laundry processing steps. According to this configuration example, by moving the filter member 101 upward in order according to the execution order of the laundry processing steps, the closing section 103, the high opening ratio filter section 104, and the low opening ratio filter section 105 can be disposed in that order in the circulation air duct 14, thereby minimizing the movement of the filter member 101.

[0052] Furthermore, in the washer-dryer 1, when the holding portion 107 is sandwiched between the packing 14f, a load applied to the stepping motor (not shown) increases, causing an increase in the current value in the stepping motor. Therefore, the control device 40 can accurately determine whether any one of the blocking portion 103, the high opening ratio filter portion 104, and the low opening ratio filter portion 105 is positioned in the circulation air passage 14, based on the fluctuation in the current value in the stepping motor.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the washer / dryer 1, a stepping motor is used as a means for moving the filter member 101. Therefore, the control device 40 can accurately control the amount of movement of the filter member 101 based on the rotation angle of the stepping motor.

[0054] This embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and extensions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , the blocking portion 103 may be configured to not block a portion of the circulation air passage 14, such as the upper portion. That is, even if water enters the circulation air passage 14, the water is unlikely to move upward due to the action of gravity. Therefore, even if the upper portion of the circulation air passage 14 is not blocked, water that has entered the circulation air passage 14 can be sufficiently blocked. In this case, the circulation air passage 14 may be configured to include a cover member 14a1 that blocks the upper gap 14a. This prevents air in the circulation air passage 14 from leaking out of the upper gap 14a. The cover member 14a1 may be configured to be pushed up by the filter member 101 as the filter member 101 moves upward, and to rotate by gravity in a direction that blocks the upper gap 14a as the filter member 101 moves downward. Alternatively, the washer / dryer 1 may be configured to open and close the upper gap 14a by a drive motor (not shown) that rotates the cover member 14a1.

[0055] The filter member 101 may also be configured to include three or more filter sections each having a different aperture ratio. The filter sections each having a different aperture ratio may be arranged in order of increasing aperture ratio or decreasing aperture ratio.

[0056] The washer / dryer 1 may also be configured to perform a warm water wash cycle, for example, in which warm water is supplied to the clothing treatment tub 3 to wash the clothing. During this warm water wash cycle, the drum 3d rotates at a slower speed than during the spin cycle, so water splashing from the drum 3d rotating at a slower speed is less likely to enter the circulation air duct 14. However, steam generated from the warm water may still enter the circulation air duct 14. Therefore, even during this warm water wash cycle, by disposing the blocking portion 103 in the circulation air duct 14, steam generated from the warm water can be prevented from entering the heat exchange duct 15, i.e., the heat exchanger 27. Furthermore, with the blocking portion 103 disposed in the circulation air duct 14, the high aperture ratio filter portion 104 and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105 are located outside the circulation air duct 14, preventing the high aperture ratio filter portion 104 and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105 from becoming wet with steam generated from the warm water. The warm water may be generated, for example, by a heater (not shown) provided in the clothing treatment tub 3.

[0057] The washer-dryer 1 may also be configured to include a rotating brush (not shown) below the circulating air duct 14 for cleaning the filter member 101. According to this configuration example, foreign matter adhering to the high opening ratio filter section 104 and the low opening ratio filter section 105 in particular can be removed by the rotating brush, thereby preventing clogging of the filter sections. The washer-dryer 1 may also be configured to move the filter member 101 by the rotating brush. According to this configuration example, foreign matter can be removed while the filter member 101 is being moved.

[0058] Furthermore, when cleaning the filter member 101 with a rotating brush (not shown), the control device 40 may be configured to reduce the rotation speed of the circulation blower 26. That is, in a configuration in which the filter member 101 is cleaned with the circulation blower 26 completely stopped, a relatively large amount of power is consumed when the circulation blower 26 is restarted after cleaning is completed. Therefore, by cleaning the filter member 101 with the rotation speed reduced rather than completely stopping the circulation blower 26, it is possible to prevent a large amount of power from being consumed when the circulation blower 26 is restarted.

[0059] Furthermore, the control device 40 may be configured to clean the filter member 101 using a rotating brush (not shown) when clogging occurs. Whether the filter member 101 is clogged can be determined, for example, based on fluctuations in the current value in the circulation fan 26. That is, when the filter member 101 is clogged, the load on the circulation fan 26 increases compared to when the filter member 101 is not clogged, and the current value in the circulation fan 26 increases. Therefore, whether clogging has occurred can be determined based on fluctuations in the current value in the circulation fan 26. Note that the method for determining whether clogging has occurred is not limited to a method based on fluctuations in the current value in the circulation fan 26, and other methods may be used, such as a method based on the difference in air pressure between the upstream and downstream sides of the filter member 101 or a method based on fluctuations in air volume downstream of the filter member 101.

[0060] Furthermore, the means for cleaning the filter member 101 is not limited to a rotary brush, but may be, for example, a blade capable of scraping off lint.

[0061] The washer-dryer 1 may be configured so that the opening ratio changing unit 100 is either detachable or non-detachable from the circulation air duct 14. The washer-dryer 1 may be configured so that the filter member 101 is either detachable or non-detachable from the opening ratio changing unit 100.

[0062] Furthermore, if the current value does not increase even after driving the stepping motor (not shown) a predetermined number of times, for example, three times, the control device 40 can determine that an abnormal state has occurred in which any of the blocking section 103, the high aperture ratio filter section 104, and the low aperture ratio filter section 105 cannot be disposed in the circulating air passage 14. If the control device 40 determines that an abnormal state has occurred, it may notify the occurrence of the abnormal state by means of a display panel or a buzzer (not shown).

[0063] Furthermore, the washer-dryer 1 may be configured, for example, to have a magnet (not shown) provided in the holding portion 107 of the filter member 101 and a reed switch (not shown) provided near the gasket 14f of the circulation air duct 14, and the control device 40 may be configured to determine whether or not any of the blocking portion 103, the high opening ratio filter portion 104, or the low opening ratio filter portion 105 is positioned in the circulation air duct 14 based on the reed switch detecting the magnet.

[0064] The aperture ratio changing unit 100 may be configured so that the filter member 101 moves laterally. The filter member 101 may be configured so that the blocking portion 103, the high aperture ratio filter portion 104, and the low aperture ratio filter portion 105 are separable.

[0065] For example, this embodiment is not limited to a so-called horizontal-axis drum-type washer-dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub extends horizontally or inclined, but can also be applied to a washer-dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub extends vertically, i.e., a so-called vertical-axis washer-dryer.Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied to various clothing processing devices as long as they are capable of performing some kind of processing on clothing, such as deodorizing, deodorizing, sterilizing, and bleaching.

[0066] The present embodiment is presented merely as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, etc. may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present embodiment and its modifications are intended to be covered by the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also intended to be covered by the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] In the drawings, 1 indicates a washer-dryer (clothing processing device), 3 indicates a clothing processing tub (clothing storage tub), 14 indicates a circulation air duct, 14a indicates an upper gap (gap), 14b indicates a lower gap (gap), 41 indicates a clothing processing process execution processing unit (clothing processing process execution unit), 100 indicates an opening rate change unit (opening rate change device), 101 indicates a filter member (foreign matter capture unit), 104 indicates a high opening rate filter unit (filter unit), 105 indicates a low opening rate filter unit (filter unit), and 107 indicates a holding unit.

Claims

1. a clothing storage tub for storing clothing; a circulation air duct for circulating air within the clothing storage tub; a clothing processing process execution unit capable of executing a plurality of types of clothing processing processes; an opening ratio changing device that changes the opening ratio of the circulating air passage according to the type of clothing processing process executed by the clothing processing process executing unit; A clothing treatment device comprising:

2. The clothing treatment process execution unit is capable of executing a dehydration process of dehydrating the clothing in the clothing storage tub as the clothing treatment process, The clothing processing device of claim 1, wherein the opening ratio change device has an opening ratio reduction unit that reduces the opening ratio of the circulating air duct, and when the clothing processing process execution unit executes the dehydration process, the opening ratio of the circulating air duct is reduced by the opening ratio reduction unit.

3. The air conditioner further includes a foreign matter capture unit that captures foreign matter contained in the air circulating in the circulation air passage, The laundry processing device according to claim 2 , wherein the opening ratio reducing section is provided in a part of the foreign object capturing section.

4. The clothing treatment process execution unit is capable of executing a drying process of drying the clothing in the clothing storage tub as the clothing treatment process, the foreign matter capture unit has a plurality of filter units each having a different aperture ratio, The clothing processing device described in claim 3, wherein when the clothing processing process execution unit executes the drying process, the opening rate change device switches the filter unit placed in the circulation air duct from a filter unit with a high opening rate to a filter unit with a low opening rate during the execution of the drying process.

5. the circulating air passage has a gap through which the foreign object capture portion can pass, The clothing processing device described in claim 4, wherein the foreign object capture section has a holding section that is thicker than the filter section, and the holding section fits into the gap, thereby holding the opening rate reduction section and any one of the multiple filter sections in a position within the circulating air path.

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