Washer-dryer

Abstract

To provide a washer-dryer capable of improving maintainability of heat pump-related units and improving installability of the washer-dryer itself.SOLUTION: A washer-dryer 1 comprises: an air circulation flow path 20 having an outlet 11 and an inlet 12 which are connected to an outer tub 6; an air blower 40 provided in the air circulation flow path 20; a heat exchanger 30 which comprises an evaporator 31 and a condenser 32, and performs heat exchange between a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant flow path 33 and air flowing through the air circulation flow path 20; and a compressor 50 for compressing the refrigerant. A heat pump unit 100 in which the air blower 40, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50 are integrated is provided near a front surface 2a of a housing 2 and can be moved to a position in front of the front surface 2a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing and drying machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Washer-dryers that use a heat pump device to dehumidify and heat air to dry laundry are known. For example, a washer-dryer described in Patent Document 1 includes an air circulation path located around an outer tub within a housing, a blower that circulates air within the air circulation path, and a heat pump that heats the air. The heat pump includes a compressor that compresses a refrigerant, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the air, and a refrigerant circulation path that circulates the refrigerant between the compressor and the heat exchanger. The compressor is located lower than the outer tub, and the heat exchanger is located higher than the outer tub. The compressor and heat exchanger are vertically separated, but the refrigerant circulation path connecting them is held in place by a holder fixed to the housing to prevent vibrations and other issues.

[0003] Furthermore, as described in Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4, there are known washer-dryers in which several components related to a heat pump device are integrated into a unit. In the washer-dryer described in Patent Document 2, a heat exchanger and a compressor are housed in a case provided at the bottom of the rear side of the housing. A blower is provided on the side of the case. The heat exchanger cover and the compressor cover can be attached and detached to and from the case separately. In the drying device described in Patent Document 3, the compressor, radiator, heat absorber, etc. are mounted on a circuit board, and the heat pump device can be removed by pulling out the circuit board to the side during maintenance. In the washer-dryer described in Patent Document 4, the compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser housed in a unit case are arranged in the front-to-rear direction, and a drying blower is attached to the rear of the unit case. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-23720 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-31573 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-167374 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-226 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional washer-dryer described above, even when the heat exchanger and compressor are integrated into a single unit, there is still room for improvement in terms of maintainability. Furthermore, when installing the washer-dryer, drainage pipes and other components must be installed, but the heat pump unit located at the bottom of the housing can sometimes become an obstacle. Therefore, there is also room for improvement in terms of ease of installation.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a washer-dryer that can improve the ease of maintenance of a heat pump unit and also improve the ease of installation of the washer-dryer itself. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] [1] A washer-dryer according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a housing, an outer tub disposed within the housing, a washing tub disposed within the outer tub for storing laundry, an air circulation channel having an outlet and an inlet connected to the outer tub, a blower disposed in the air circulation channel and configured to draw air from the outer tub through the outlet and send it to the inlet via the air circulation channel, a heat exchanger disposed in the air circulation channel and including an evaporator, a condenser, and a refrigerant channel, and configured to exchange heat between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant channel and the air flowing through the air circulation channel, and a compressor disposed in the refrigerant channel and configured to compress the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator and send it to the condenser. A heat pump unit incorporating the blower, heat exchanger, and compressor is disposed near the front of the housing and is movable forward of the front.

[0008] According to the washer-dryer of [1], the heat pump unit located near the front of the housing can be moved to the front by, for example, a worker during maintenance or installation of the washer-dryer. Since the front of the housing is usually free space without obstacles, moving the heat pump unit makes it easy to perform maintenance work, such as cleaning the evaporator or condenser. Moving the heat pump unit also creates space inside the housing that allows a worker to reach in. This makes it easier to connect the washer-dryer's piping (such as a drain pipe) to external piping. This improves the ease of maintenance of the heat pump unit and also improves the ease of installation of the washer-dryer itself.

[0009] [2] In the washer-dryer of [1] above, the heat pump unit may be rotatably attached to the housing. In this case, an operator can easily move the heat pump unit. For example, an operator can hold the heat pump unit with one hand and pull it out to position the entire heat pump or most of it in front of the housing.

[0010] [3] In the washer-dryer of [2] above, the heat pump unit may be supported by a pivotal support provided within the housing and may be removed from the housing by moving it forward and lifting it up. In this case, removing the heat pump unit makes it easier to perform a wider variety of maintenance tasks.

[0011] [4] In the washing / drying machine of any one of [1] to [3] above, the entire refrigerant flow path may be incorporated into the heat pump unit, and the heat pump unit may have only a first connection port and a second connection port connected to a first duct including the outlet of the air circulation flow path and a second duct including the inlet, respectively, as connection ports for passing a fluid. In this case, there are fewer parts that need to be disconnected or connected during maintenance of the heat pump unit, making it easier to maintain. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the maintainability of the heat pump unit can be improved, and the installability of the washer-dryer itself can also be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washer / dryer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the washer / dryer of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the inside of the housing as seen from the front, and is a diagram showing the schematic arrangement of the air circulation flow path. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a mechanism for circulating hot air by a heat pump unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the heat pump unit as viewed obliquely from above. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of the heat pump unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the heat pump unit as viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the heat pump unit has been rotated (moved) forward. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0015] In the following description, as shown in Fig. 1 or 2, the mutually perpendicular X, Y, and Z directions may be used to describe the washer-dryer 1. The X, Y, and Z directions correspond to the front-to-rear direction, left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction (or vertical direction), respectively, in the installed state of the washer-dryer 1 shown in Fig. 1. In this specification, terms indicating directions such as "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," and "right" are terms based on the installed state of the washer-dryer 1.

[0016] The overall configuration of a washer-dryer 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The washer-dryer 1 is, for example, a drum-type washer-dryer. The washer-dryer 1 includes, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped housing 2. A circular door 3 that can be opened and closed is attached to the front surface 2a of the housing 2. A circular loading port 4 through which laundry is loaded is formed in the front surface 2a of the housing 2. The loading port 4 is opened and closed by the door 3. The housing 2 includes an outer tub 6 that stores wash water, and a drum (washing tub) 7 that is rotatably disposed within the outer tub 6 and stores laundry. Both the outer tub 6 and the drum 7 are cylindrical and have a bottom. The outer tub 6 is supported within the housing 2 by multiple elastic members (not shown). The outer tub 6 and the drum 7 are arranged concentrically (coaxially) with respect to a central axis extending in the X direction, for example. The outer tub 6 has a circular opening 6a located in front of an opening 7a of the drum 7.

[0017] The peripheral edge of the opening 6a of the outer tub 6 and the peripheral edge of the loading port 4 of the housing 2 are connected by an annular packing 8 made of an elastic material. The peripheral surface of the closed door 3 comes into contact with the packing 8, sealing the space between the loading port 4 and the door 3 with water. A large number of dewatering holes 7b are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 7. A balancer is also provided at the front of the inner peripheral surface of the drum 7, and multiple baffles are also provided at equal intervals around the circumference (neither is shown).

[0018] A drive motor 9 for rotating the drum 7 is installed within the housing 2, behind the outer tub 6. The drive motor 9's rotation shaft 9a extends in the X direction and is connected to a portion of the drum 7. The rotation shaft of the drum 7 (the rotation shaft 9a of the drive motor 9) may extend horizontally (i.e., in the front-to-rear direction) or may extend at an angle relative to the horizontal so that the opening 7a faces slightly upward. The rotation shaft 9a and the drum 7 may be connected via a pulley, a speed reducer, or the like, or may be directly connected. During the washing and rinsing cycles, the drive motor 9 rotates the drum 7 at a relatively low rotation speed so that the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 7 is less than the force of gravity, causing the laundry to tumble. During the spin cycle, the drive motor 9 rotates the drum 7 at a relatively high rotation speed so that the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 7 is greater than the force of gravity, causing the laundry to stick to the inner circumferential surface of the drum 7.

[0019] A water supply pipe consisting of a hose or other piping material and a water supply valve (neither shown) are arranged at the rear of the housing 2. When the water supply valve is opened, tap water from the water faucet is supplied into the outer tub 6. In this specification, "washing water" refers to a liquid appropriate for each process, such as the washing process and rinsing process of the laundry. Therefore, in the washing process, the washing water may be water (liquid) containing detergent, etc., and in the rinsing process, the washing liquid may be water. In the rinsing process, the washing water may also contain fabric softener. The housing 2 may also be provided with a circulation flow path (including piping, a pump, etc.) for circulating the washing water.

[0020] A drain pipe 16 for draining the wash water in the outer tub 6 is connected to the bottom of the outer tub 6. A drain valve 17 is provided on the drain pipe 16. When the drain valve 17 is opened, the wash water is drained through the drain pipe 16 by gravity. The wash water discharged from the washer-dryer 1 is drained through a drain outlet provided in a waterproof pan or the like. The drain pipe 16 may be provided with a drain filter F (see FIG. 8) for collecting foreign matter contained in the wash water. In this case, the drain filter F is removed to the front of the housing 2 during maintenance or the like by operating a drain filter operating lever 19 (see FIGS. 3 and 8) provided at the lower right of the front surface 2a. In FIG. 2, the path of the drain pipe 16 is shown simply, and the drain filter F is not shown.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the washer / dryer 1 is equipped with a drying device M that dries laundry such as clothes housed in a drum 7. The drying device M sends warm air into the outer tub 6 in a drying process that follows the washing, rinsing, and spin-drying processes. An inlet 12, which is an outlet for the warm air (air), is provided, for example, at the front and slightly upper left of the outer tub 6, near an opening 7a of the drum 7. The warm air sent into the outer tub 6 comes into contact with the laundry in the rotating drum 7 and evaporates moisture from the laundry, thereby drying the laundry. The rotation speed of the drum 7 in the drying process is, for example, approximately the same as the rotation speed in the washing process.

[0022] The drying device M includes an air circulation flow path 20 having an outlet 11 and an inlet 12 connected to the outer tub 6, and a blower 40 provided in the air circulation flow path 20. The outlet 11, which is an air outlet from the outer tub 6, is provided, for example, at the rear and lower part (near the bottom) of the outer tub 6. The air circulation flow path 20 includes a first duct 21 including the outlet 11 and a second duct 22 including the inlet 12. In other words, the outlet 11, which is the upstream end of the first duct 21, is connected to the rear part of the outer tub 6, and the inlet 12, which is the downstream end of the second duct 22, is connected to the front part of the outer tub 6. The blower 40 is provided between the first duct 21 and the second duct 22. The blower 40 is an electric blower (or fan) including a blower motor 41 and a blower casing 42. The blower 40 draws air from the outer tub 6 through the outlet 11 and sends it to the inlet 12 via the air circulation flow path 20. The blower 40 forms part of the heat pump unit 100, which will be described later, and is installed at the bottom (near the bottom left) of the housing 2 near the front surface 2a.

[0023] The path (spatial arrangement) of the air circulation flow path 20 within the housing 2 is not particularly limited, but the air circulation flow path 20 passes through an open space within the housing 2 and outside (around) the outer tub 6. The first duct 21 includes, for example, a rear portion 21a extending upward from the outlet 11, an upper portion 21b extending in the front-rear direction near the top of the housing 2, and a front portion 21c extending downward at the front of the housing 2. A filter 29, for example, is installed between the upper portion 21b and the front portion 21c. The filter 29 captures and removes foreign matter such as lint contained in the air flowing through the air circulation flow path 20. The lower end of the front portion 21c is connected to a heat exchanger 30 (heat pump unit 100), which will be described later. The first duct 21 is generally located on the right side of the housing 2 (see FIG. 3). Temperature and humidity sensors 23 and 24 are provided at the top of the rear portion 21a and the top of the front portion 21c (on the outlet side of the filter 29), respectively.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, an upper right cover 2f is provided at the upper right corner of the front surface 2a of the housing 2. A user can remove the filter 29 by opening the upper right cover 2f. This allows maintenance work such as cleaning the filter 29. Although separate from the drying device M, an upper left cover 2g is provided at the upper left corner of the front surface 2a of the housing 2. A user can remove the liquid agent dosing device 15 stored in the housing 2 by opening the upper left cover 2g.

[0025] The second duct 22 of the air circulation flow path 20 extends upward from a lower portion (near the lower left) near the front surface 2a of the housing 2. The upstream end (i.e., the lower end) of the second duct 22 is connected to the blower 40 (heat pump unit 100), and the downstream end (inlet 12) of the second duct 22 is connected to a front portion of the outer tub 6 and slightly upper left. The second duct 22 is provided with a temperature / humidity sensor 26. The second duct 22 is disposed generally on the left side of the housing 2 (see FIG. 3). In other words, the front portion 21c of the first duct 21 and the second duct 22 are disposed on both sides of the packing 8. In a washer-dryer 1 in which the rotation axis of the drum 7 extends horizontally, a narrow portion is less likely to occur in the space near the front surface 2a of the housing 2 compared to a washer-dryer in which the drum 7 is tilted, and this allows for greater flexibility in the arrangement of piping such as the first duct 21 and the second duct 22.

[0026] 2, 3, and 4, the drying device M further includes a heat exchanger 30 including an evaporator 31 and a condenser 32 arranged in the air circulation flow path 20, and performing heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path 33 and the air flowing through the air circulation flow path 20, and a compressor 50 provided in the refrigerant flow path 33, compressing the refrigerant from the evaporator 31 and sending the refrigerant to the condenser 32. The refrigerant flow path 33 is a circulation flow path in which heat exchange occurs between the evaporator 31 and the condenser 32. The compressor 50 is provided downstream of the evaporator 31 and upstream of the condenser 32, based on the flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 33. An expansion valve 34 for decompressing the refrigerant is provided downstream of the condenser 32 and upstream of the evaporator 31. The refrigerant flow path 33 includes a compressed refrigerant flow path 33a connected to the discharge side of the compressor 50 and passing through the condenser 32, and a decompressed refrigerant flow path 33b connected to the outlet side of the expansion valve 34 and passing through the evaporator 31.

[0027] The blower 40, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50 constitute a heat pump device. That is, the compressor 50 compresses the refrigerant to a high-temperature, high-pressure state. The compressor 50 is operated by supplying power to a compressor motor 51 (see FIG. 5, etc.). The condenser 32 of the heat exchanger 30 heats the air using the heat of the refrigerant in the compressed refrigerant flow path 33a. The evaporator 31 of the heat exchanger 30 causes the low-pressure refrigerant in the decompressed refrigerant flow path 33b to absorb heat and remove moisture from the air (dehumidify). The blower 40 sends out the air heated in the condenser 32, supplies warm air to the outer tub 6, and circulates air in the air circulation flow path 20. The blower 40 is operated by supplying power to a blower motor 41 (see FIG. 5, etc.). 2, a heater 35 is provided between the condenser 32 and the blower 40. The heater 35 generates heat when supplied with power and further heats the air discharged from the condenser 32. The heater 35 may be omitted.

[0028] The drying apparatus M includes a heat pump unit 100 that integrates a blower 40, a heater 35, a heat exchanger 30, and a compressor 50. In the following description, the "heat pump unit" will be abbreviated as the "HP unit." As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the HP unit 100 is provided in a space near the front surface 2a and at the bottom (lower left) of the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower part of the front surface 2a is a removable lower front cover 2c that extends in the left-right and up-down directions. The HP unit 100 is disposed behind the lower front cover 2c. In other words, when the lower front cover 2c is removed, the entire front surface of the HP unit 100 is exposed through the opening.

[0029] Next, the HP unit 100 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3 and Figs. 5 to 7. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the HP unit 100 installed at a predetermined position in the housing 2 will be used as a reference. As the orientation of the HP unit 100 changes when the HP unit 100 is moved as shown in Fig. 8, the HP unit 100 at a predetermined position (see Fig. 3) will be used as a reference. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the HP unit 100 viewed obliquely from above. Fig. 6 is a plan sectional view of the HP unit 100. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the HP unit 100 viewed obliquely from below. The X, Y, and Z axes shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are based on the same references as above.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 , the heater 35, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50 are housed in a casing 70. The casing 70 has a first housing section 71 that houses the heat exchanger 30 and a second housing section 72 that houses the compressor 50. The first housing section 71 and the second housing section 72 are also continuous in the left-right direction and integrated. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 face each other. The condenser 32 is disposed in front of the evaporator 31. The compressor 50 is disposed to the side (right side) of the evaporator 31 and the condenser 32. The blower 40 is disposed further in front of the condenser 32. The compressor 50, including the compressor motor 51, has a substantially cylindrical outer shape. The compressor 50 is disposed so that its centerline faces the vertical direction (Z direction). On the other hand, blower 40 including blower motor 41 and blower casing 42 is arranged so that its center line (the center of rotation of the built-in impeller) faces horizontally (parallel to the XY plane).

[0031] As shown in FIG. 6, the first housing section 71 includes an inner sheet metal member 71a on the rear side and an outer sheet metal member (sheet metal member) 71b on the front side. A connecting member 77 that can be attached to and detached from the casing 70 is attached to the inner sheet metal member 71a. The blower 40 is fixed to the front side (front side) of the outer sheet metal member 71b so that its air inlet faces the heater 35 and the condenser 32. The casing 70 is airtight except for a first connecting port C1 formed in the connecting member 77, a communication flow path to the air inlet of the blower 40, and a bottom opening 73 (see FIG. 7), which will be described later. The first connecting port C1 is connected to the first duct 21, and the second connecting port C2, which is the outlet of the blower 40, is connected to the second duct 22, so that the casing 70 forms part of the air circulation flow path 20.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7, the entire refrigerant flow path 33 of the heat exchanger 30 is incorporated into the HP unit 100. Although FIG. 7 does not show the refrigerant flow path connecting the compressor 50 and the heat exchanger 30, this flow path and the other components are housed inside the casing 70. Therefore, the HP unit 100 only has a first connection port C1 and a second connection port C2 connected to the first duct 21 and the second duct 22, respectively, as connection ports for passing a fluid (air or refrigerant). The connection structures at the first connection port C1 and the second connection port C2 are removable. This simple connection structure with the outside facilitates the movement or removal of the HP unit 100 during maintenance.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the HP unit 100 is provided with a cooling blower 60 that cools both the compressor motor 51 of the compressor 50 and the blower motor 41 of the blower 40. The cooling blower 60 is disposed, for example, between the compressor 50 and the blower 40. The cooling blower 60 is disposed adjacent to the upper part of the compressor 50 (a portion close to the compressor motor 51) (see FIG. 5). More specifically, the cooling blower 60 is held by an outer surface side sheet metal member 71b that extends to separate the installation space of the compressor 50 from the installation space of the blower 40. The cooling blower 60 is operated by supplying power to a motor (not shown). The cooling blower 60 draws in external air through a bottom opening 73 (see FIG. 7) formed in the bottom surface of the second housing section 72. The drawn air flows through the space around the compressor 50, cooling the compressor 50, and then passes through openings 71c formed in the outer sheet metal member 71b. The air passes through the intake port of the cooling blower 60, which is connected to openings 71c, and is discharged toward the fan 40. In this way, one cooling blower 60 cools both the compressor motor 51 and the fan motor 41.

[0034] As described above, the blower 40 is attached to the outside of the casing 70 that houses the heat exchanger 30, and a cover member 78 is attached to the outer sheet metal member 71b (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The cover member 78 further covers the blower 40 from the outside. In other words, the blower 40 is disposed between the cover member 78 and the outer sheet metal member 71b. The cover member 78 guides cooling air from the cooling blower 60 to the blower 40. A first end 78a on the left side and a second end 78b on the right side of the cover member 78 are fixed to the casing 70. A cover portion 78c between the first end 78a and the second end 78b covers the blower 40. The upper and lower sides of the cover portion 78c are open (see FIG. 7). Note that the cover member 78 is not shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0035] 6, a partition wall 38 is provided between the condenser 32 of the heat exchanger 30 and the compressor 50. A compressed refrigerant flow path 33a partially exposed from the condenser 32 is also contained inside the partition wall 38. On the other hand, the evaporator 31 of the heat exchanger 30 is open toward the compressor 50. Cooling air from the cooling blower 60 comes into contact with the evaporator 31.

[0036] Returning to FIG. 1 , the washer-dryer 1 includes a controller 90 that controls the operation of each component of the washer-dryer 1 in accordance with a pre-stored program. The controller 90 controls the drive of the drive motor 9, the opening and closing of various valves related to the flow of tap water or wash water, and the compressor 50, blower 40, cooling blower 60, and other components of the HP unit 100, in accordance with the user's operation of an operation unit (not shown). The compressor 50, blower 40, cooling blower 60, and heater 35 operate continuously during the drying operation. The compressor 50, blower 40, and cooling blower 60, which are rotating components, may operate at variable rotation speeds during the drying operation. The compressor 50, blower 40, cooling blower 60, and heater 35 may alternately operate (on) and stop (off) (operate intermittently) during the drying operation. The controller 90 receives the detection results from the temperature and humidity sensors 23 and 24 in the first duct 21 and the temperature and humidity sensor 26 in the second duct 22, and determines whether or not to terminate the drying process based on at least one of the temperature and humidity indicators of the air circulating through the air circulation flow path 20. The controller 90 stores a threshold value for the indicator related to the air (a threshold value at which it can be determined that the drying process can be terminated). When the value of the indicator related to the air reaches the threshold value, the controller 90 terminates the drying process. Information used to determine the termination of the drying process includes relative humidity information in addition to temperature and humidity information of the circulating air. Alternatively, absolute humidity information of the circulating air may be used.

[0037] The controller 90 can also detect that the HP unit 100 is normally connected to the first duct 21 and the second duct 22. If the HP unit 100 is removed from at least one of the first duct 21 and the second duct 22, the duct disconnection is detected by detecting the current value of the blower 40 or by detecting the temperature using a sensor such as a thermistor.

[0038] The HP unit 100 of this embodiment can be moved forward of the front surface 2a of the housing 2 when installing or maintaining the washer-dryer 1. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a plurality of cylindrical hinge portions 78H extending in the vertical direction are provided near the first end portion 78a of the cover member 78. As shown in FIG. 1, a rotation support portion 120 that supports the hinge portions 78H is provided in the lower left portion near the front surface 2a of the housing 2. The HP unit 100 is supported by the rotation support portion 120 provided within the housing 2. In other words, the HP unit 100 is attached to the housing 2 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis L provided at one end portion in the horizontal direction. With the above configuration, the HP unit 100 is rotatably attached to the housing 2. The cover member 78 serves as a part of the structural members of the HP unit 100, and the hinge portions 78H are fixed to the cover member 78.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8 , the HP unit 100 is manually pulled toward the operator. Specifically, by manually pulling the vicinity of the second end 78b of the cover member 78 or the vicinity of the second housing section 72 toward the operator, the HP unit 100 rotates about the hinge section 78H, i.e., the rotation axis L extending in the up-down (vertical) direction. In a configuration in which the HP unit 100 is provided in the lower left portion near the front surface 2a of the housing 2, the HP unit 100 rotates clockwise as viewed from above when moving forward of the front surface 2a (pulled out from the housing 2). The range of rotation of the HP unit 100 is, for example, between 60 degrees and 90 degrees, based on a predetermined position (installation position) within the housing 2. Rotation of the HP unit 100 creates an opening / work space 2p within the housing 2. The operator can reach into the opening / work space 2p to perform tasks such as connecting the drain pipe 18 below the outer tub 6. When returning (setting) the HP unit 100 to its original position, the operator pushes the HP unit 100 into the housing 2. The HP unit 100 is fixed in a predetermined position in the housing 2 with a single touch by a stopper or locking mechanism (not shown). Thereafter, the first duct 21 and the second duct 22 are connected.

[0040] Furthermore, the HP unit 100 can be removed from the housing 2 by being lifted from the rotation support part 120 while being rotated and moved forward of the front surface 2a. The HP unit 100 can be removed and attached (installed) while the washer-dryer 1 is installed. This work is not performed by general users of the washer-dryer 1, but by, for example, a professional maintenance contractor. Of course, the structure of the HP unit 100 may be designed so that general users can safely remove the HP unit 100.

[0041] According to the washer-dryer 1 of this embodiment, the HP unit 100, which is located near the front surface 2a of the housing 2, can be moved forward of the front surface 2a by, for example, a worker during maintenance or installation of the washer-dryer 1. Since the area in front of the housing 2 is usually free and unobstructed, moving the HP unit 100 facilitates maintenance work, such as cleaning the evaporator 31 or condenser 32. Moving the HP unit 100 also creates an opening / work space 2p within the housing 2 that allows a worker to reach in. This facilitates connecting the piping of the washer-dryer 1 (such as the drain pipe 18) to external piping (such as connecting piping under the floor). This improves the ease of maintenance of the HP unit 100 and the ease of installation of the washer-dryer 1 itself.

[0042] The HP unit 100 is rotatably attached to the housing 2. This makes it easy for an operator to move the HP unit 100. For example, an operator can hold the HP unit 100 with one hand and pull it out, thereby positioning all or most of the heat pump-related components at the front of the housing.

[0043] The HP unit 100 is supported by a rotation support part 120, and can be removed from the housing 2 by moving it forward on the front surface 2a and lifting it up. By removing the HP unit 100, a wider variety of maintenance work can be easily performed.

[0044] The HP unit 100 has only a first connection port C1 and a second connection port C2, which are connected to a first duct including the outlet of the air circulation flow path and a second duct including the inlet, respectively, as connection ports for passing a fluid. This reduces the number of parts that need to be disconnected or connected during maintenance of the HP unit 100 (connecting work for the refrigerant flow path 33 is not necessary), making maintainability even easier.

[0045] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the cooling blower 60 may be omitted from the HP unit 100. The arrangement of the elements of the unit within the casing 70 is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0046] In the HP unit 100, a portion of the refrigerant flow path 33 may be disposed outside the unit. In this case, the HP unit 100 has a refrigerant flow path connection port in addition to the first connection port C1 and the second connection port C2 described above as connection ports for passing a fluid. Also, the HP unit 100 may be provided with another connection port for taking in cold air.

[0047] The HP unit 100 is movable (rotatable) relative to the housing 2, but may not be detachable from the housing 2.

[0048] The HP unit 100 may be attached so as to be slidable toward the front (near side) of the housing 2. In this case, the HP unit 100 may be configured to be movable horizontally along parallel rails fixed to the lower part of the housing 2 and extending in the front-to-rear direction, for example.

[0049] The present invention may be applied to washing machines other than drum washing machines, for example, vertical washing machines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1...washing dryer, 2...housing, 2a...front surface, 6...outer tub, 7...drum (washing tub), 11...outlet, 12...inlet, 20...air circulation flow path, 21...first duct, 22...second duct, 30...heat exchanger, 31...evaporator, 32...condenser, 33...refrigerant flow path, 38...partition wall, 40...blower, 41...blower motor, 50...compressor, 51...compressor motor, 70...casing, 71b...outer sheet metal member (sheet metal member), 78...cover member, 78H...hinge portion, 100...HP unit (heat pump unit), 120...rotation support portion, C1...first connection port, C2...second connection port, L...rotation axis.

Claims

1. The housing and an outer tank disposed within the housing; a washing tub disposed in the outer tub and configured to accommodate laundry; an air circulation channel having an outlet and an inlet connected to the outer tank; a blower provided in the air circulation flow path and configured to suck air from the outer tub through the outlet and send the air to the inlet through the air circulation flow path; a heat exchanger including an evaporator, a condenser, and a refrigerant flow path disposed in the air circulation flow path, and performing heat exchange between the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path and the air flowing through the air circulation flow path; a compressor provided in the refrigerant flow path to compress the refrigerant from the evaporator and send the refrigerant to the condenser, a heat pump unit in which the blower, the heat exchanger, and the compressor are integrated is provided near the front of the housing and is movable forward of the front surface.

2. The washer / dryer according to claim 1 , wherein the heat pump unit is rotatably attached to the housing.

3. 3. The washer-dryer according to claim 2, wherein the heat pump unit is supported by a pivotal support provided in the housing, and is removable from the housing by being moved forward of the front surface and lifted up.

4. 4. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the entire refrigerant flow path is incorporated into the heat pump unit, and the heat pump unit has only a first connection port and a second connection port, which are connected to a first duct including the outlet of the air circulation flow path and a second duct including the inlet, respectively, as connection ports for passing a fluid.

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