Washing machine and drying machine, and control method for washing machine and drying machine

Abstract

The goal is to achieve both reduced power consumption (energy saving) and shorter drying time (time saving) when drying clothes. [Solution] The washing and drying machine 100 comprises an outer tub 20 capable of storing liquid inside, a substantially cylindrical drum 29 rotatably supported inside the outer tub and containing laundry, a drum drive unit (main motor M10) that rotates the drum, a heat pump unit 300 having a compressor 301, a condenser 302, an expansion means 303, and an evaporator 304, a blower 2 that blows drying air to the drum, and a control unit 101 that controls the drum drive unit, the heat pump unit, and the blower. The control unit adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor according to the combination of the amount of laundry and the type of fabric.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing and drying machine and a control method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a technology related to a washing and drying machine, for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1. The conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 switches the rotation speed (number of rotations) of a compressor of a heat pump built in the washing and drying machine according to the fabric quality of clothes. The conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 includes a drum that houses clothes to be dried, a drum drive unit that rotationally drives the drum, a heat pump device having a compressor, a radiator, and an absorber, a blower unit that blows drying air into the drum, a fabric quality detection unit that detects the fabric quality of clothes, and a control unit that controls the drum drive unit, the compressor, and the blower unit to execute a drying operation. The control unit is configured to switch the rotation speed of the compressor based on the detection result of the fabric quality detection unit.

[0003] In the technology described in such Patent Document 1, a fabric quality detection unit that detects the composition ratio of cotton or chemical fiber (synthetic fiber) of the clothes housed in the drum is provided. Even if various types of dried clothes are put in, the rotation speed (number of rotations) of the compressor can be switched according to the fabric quality detected by the fabric quality detection unit. For example, cotton clothes have high water absorption, so the required heating amount for taking away moisture and drying is large. On the other hand, synthetic fiber clothes have low water absorption, so the required heating amount for drying is relatively small. Various types of fabric qualities are put into the washing and drying machine. When the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 determines that the clothes have a high ratio of synthetic fiber by the fabric quality detection unit, the rotation speed of the compressor is kept lower than that in the case of clothes with a high ratio of cotton. As a result, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 can perform a drying operation with low power consumption without increasing drying unevenness.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-70956 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 uniformly lowers the rotation speed of the compressor without considering the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. With such conventional technology described in Patent Document 1, for example, when a single cotton towel is mixed in with multiple synthetic fiber garments, lowering the rotation speed of the compressor results in uneven drying, which prolongs the drying process time. Therefore, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that the drying process time may be prolonged depending on the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. Furthermore, the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that when the drying process time is prolonged, the reduction in power consumption (energy saving) is hindered.

[0006] The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems, and its main objective is to provide a washing machine and dryer that achieves both reduced power consumption (energy saving) and shortened drying time (time saving) when drying clothes, as well as a control method for the washing machine and dryer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a washing and drying machine comprising: an outer tub capable of storing liquid inside; a substantially cylindrical drum rotatably supported within the outer tub and containing laundry; a drum drive unit for rotating the drum; a heat pump unit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion means, and an evaporator; a blower for blowing drying air to the drum; and a control unit for controlling the drum drive unit, the heat pump unit, and the blower, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the rotational speed of the compressor according to the combination of the amount of laundry and the fabric type. Other methods will be described later. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve both a reduction in power consumption (energy saving) and a reduction in drying time (time saving) when drying clothes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of a washing machine and dryer according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of a washing machine and dryer according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram of the refrigerant circuit in a heat pump unit built into a washing machine / dryer according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing the operation of a washing machine and dryer according to an embodiment. [Figure 5A] This graph shows an example of dry fabric sensing values ​​for each garment configuration in relation to the load on the main motor. [Figure 5B] This graph shows an example of dry cloth sensing results in relation to the amount of clothing. [Figure 5C] This graph shows an example of a fabric quality sensing threshold for dry cloth sensing results. [Figure 6] This graph shows an example of fabric quality sensing values ​​for each garment configuration in relation to the load on the main motor. [Figure 7A] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of compressor rotation speed. [Figure 7B] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a condenser control temperature. [Figure 7C] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the rotational speed of the main motor. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating the rotation speed of the compressor according to the amount of laundry and the washing cycle. [Figure 9A] This is a diagram illustrating the rotation speed of the compressor during the AI ​​washing cycle. [Figure 9B] This is a diagram illustrating the rotation speed of the compressor during the standard washing cycle. [Figure 10A] This diagram illustrates the dry cloth sensing results and the drum's spin-drying rotation speed according to the course. [Figure 10B] It is an explanatory diagram of the control temperature of the condenser during dehydration according to the dry cloth sensing result and the course.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each figure only schematically shows the invention to such an extent that it can be sufficiently understood. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to only the illustrated examples. Also, in each figure, common components and similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their overlapping explanations are omitted.

[0011] <Configuration of the washing and drying machine> Hereinafter, the configuration of the washing and drying machine 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the washing and drying machine 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the washing and drying machine 100. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the refrigerant circuit 311 in the heat pump unit 300 incorporated in the washing and drying machine 100. In the present embodiment, the washing and drying machine 100 will be described as a drum-type washing and drying machine.

[0012] First, referring to FIG. 1, the appearance of the washing and drying machine 100 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the washing and drying machine 100 according to this embodiment includes a housing 1 on the upper part of a base 1h. The housing 1 mainly combines side plates 1a and 1b made of steel plates and resin molded products, a rear cover 1d, and a reinforcing material (not shown) on the upper part of the base 1h to form a framework. Further, a front cover 1c is attached to the front, and an upper cover 1e is attached to the upper surface. A detergent input part 7 is provided on the upper cover 1e. An operation switch 12 for operating the washing and drying machine 100 is provided in the upper part of the front cover 1c. Also, a door 9 for taking in and out laundry 30 (see FIG. 2) such as cloth is provided at the central part of the front cover 1c. The door 9 is formed by fixing a door glass 9a to a resin-made door frame 9b, and is attached to the housing 1 by a hinge so as to be freely opened and closed. Further, the washing and drying machine 100 includes a control part 101 for controlling the overall operation inside.

[0013] Next, referring to FIG. 2, the schematic structure inside the washing and drying machine 100 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the washing and drying machine 100 includes an outer tub 20 inside. The outer tub 20 is supported by a plurality of suspensions 5 provided at the lower part (however, FIG. 2 shows only one of the plurality of suspensions 5). A substantially cylindrical drum 29 is contained in the outer tub 20. Here, "substantially cylindrical" includes a cylinder and a cylinder-shaped tube close to a cylinder. Laundry 30 is accommodated in the drum 29. A fluid balancer 31 for reducing vibration due to the imbalance of the laundry 30 during dehydration is provided on the outer periphery of the opening of the drum 29. Also, a plurality of lifters 33 for scooping up the laundry 30 are provided inside the drum 29. The drum 29 is directly connected to a main motor M10 for driving the drum via a main shaft 35 connected to a metal flange 34 for the drum. However, the drum 29 may have a configuration of a so-called belt drive system in which a pulley fixed to the main shaft and a motor fixed to the outer tub 20 are connected via a belt.

[0014] A bellows 10 is attached to the opening of the outer tub 20. The bellows 10 is a rubber-based packing made of an elastic material. The bellows 10 plays a role in maintaining watertightness between the inside of the outer tub 20 and the door 9. The washer-dryer 100 can prevent water leakage during the washing, rinsing, and spin-drying processes thanks to the bellows 10. The drum 29 has numerous small holes (not shown) in its side walls for centrifugal dewatering and ventilation.

[0015] The upper rear of the outer tub 20 is provided with a filter 258 for collecting lint (dust) and a water spraying mechanism 271 for cleaning the filter 258. In this embodiment, the washing dryer 100 is equipped with two filters 258, filters 258a and 258b, which serve as a primary filter and a secondary filter, respectively. Above the outer tub 20 is a water supply solenoid valve 16 for supplying water. Below the outer tub 20 is a water receiving section 54 for receiving water, and at the bottom of the water receiving section 54 is a drain port 21 for draining the water from the water receiving section 54. The drain port 21 is connected to a drain hose 26 via a drain valve V1. Downstream of the drain port 21 is a lint filter 222 for collecting lint mixed in the washing water.

[0016] The washer-dryer 100 is equipped with a circulation pump 18 at its bottom. The circulation pump 18 is a water pumping means for drawing wash water up to the top of the outer tub 20 and spraying it onto the laundry 30 in the drum 29. Preferably, the circulation pump 18 is fixed to the base 1h (Figure 1), which is located below the outer tub 20. During the washing and rinsing processes (steps S120 and S130 in Figure 4), the wash water enters the suction port side of the circulation pump 18 from the drain port 21 of the water receiving section 54 located below the outer tub 20 and is pressurized by the circulation pump 18. The wash water pressurized by the circulation pump 18 is returned to the water receiving section 54 from the circulation discharge port 54b, which is provided to communicate with the circulation pump 18. The wash water pressurized by the circulation pump 18 is also sprayed into the drum 29 from a watering nozzle (not shown) provided to communicate with the circulation pump 18.

[0017] An overflow hose 17 is attached to the front of the outer tub 20. The overflow hose 17 merges with the drain hose 26 downstream of the drain valve V1. Therefore, the overflow hose 17 is connected to the drain hose 26 regardless of whether the drain valve V1 is open or closed. Such a washing machine 100 can forcibly drain water if the water level exceeds a predetermined level to which the overflow hose 17 is attached. However, the washing machine 100 may also be configured to merge the overflow hose 17 and the drain hose 26 upstream of the drain valve V1.

[0018] The washing machine 100 has a main motor M10 that rotates the drum 29, a rotation sensor SN11 that measures the rotation speed of the main motor M10, and a motor current sensor SN12 that measures the amount of current flowing through the drum 29. The washing machine 100 also has a vibration sensor SN13 below the water receiving section 54 that detects the amplitude of vibration of the outer tub 20. In this embodiment, the washing machine 100 can indirectly estimate the fabric type of the clothes placed in the drum 29 by detecting the amplitude of vibration of the outer tub 20 with the vibration sensor SN13 and accumulating the amplitude values.

[0019] <Configuration near the heat pump unit> The configuration around the heat pump unit 300 will be described below with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the refrigerant circuit 311 in the heat pump unit 300 built into the washing machine / dryer 100.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, the heat pump unit 300 comprises a compressor 301, a heat exchanger for dissipating heat to the air (condenser 302), an expansion means 303 (expansion valve), and a heat exchanger for dehumidifying the air (evaporator 304). The heat pump unit 300 houses a refrigerant circuit 311, which is formed by sequentially connecting these components with refrigerant piping 312, within a resin heat pump unit case 310. Refrigerant is sealed within the refrigerant circuit 311. The refrigerant flows in the order of compressor 301, condenser 302, expansion means 303, evaporator 304, and then returns to the compressor 301.

[0021] The heat pump unit 300 has the function of dehumidifying the humid air in the evaporator 304 during the drying operation and heating the dehumidified air in the condenser 302. The washer-dryer 100 sends the dehumidified and heated air from the heat pump unit 300 into the drum 29 (Figure 2) through the outlet nozzle 203 (Figure 2).

[0022] A first temperature sensor 305 is provided between the compressor 301 and the condenser 302. A second temperature sensor 306 is provided inside the condenser 302. The first temperature sensor 305 measures the temperature of the refrigerant heated by the compressor 301 and outputs a temperature detection signal SG305 representing the temperature of the refrigerant heated by the compressor 301 to the control unit 101. The second temperature sensor 306 measures the temperature of the refrigerant inside the condenser 302 and outputs a temperature detection signal SG302 representing the temperature of the refrigerant inside the condenser 302 to the control unit 101.

[0023] Furthermore, the control unit 101 outputs a rotation control signal SG301 to the compressor 301 to control the rotation start, rotation speed adjustment, and rotation stop of the compressor motor 301a of the compressor 301. In addition, the control unit 101 outputs a valve switching signal SG303 to the expansion means 303 to control the switching of the expansion means 303.

[0024] The high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 301 flows into the condenser 302, where it condenses and liquefies by releasing heat into the circulating air. The liquefied refrigerant is depressurized by an expansion valve (expansion means 303) adjusted to a predetermined opening, becoming a low-temperature, low-pressure gas-liquid two-phase state, and flows into the evaporator 304. The refrigerant flowing into the evaporator 304 evaporates and vaporizes by absorbing heat from the circulating air. The vaporized refrigerant is drawn into the compressor 301, where it is compressed again to become a high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous refrigerant. As the refrigerant, for example, a single HFC refrigerant, a mixed HFC refrigerant, HFO-1234yf, HFO-1234ze, a natural refrigerant (e.g., CO2 refrigerant), etc., can be used.

[0025] <How the washer-dryer works> In this embodiment, the control unit 101 adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. During this adjustment, the control unit 101 can perform the following processes. (1) The control unit 101 adjusts the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 when it is determined that the garment consists mostly of synthetic fibers. (2) The control unit 101 adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 during dewatering. (3) The control unit 101 adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when under medium load, but does not adjust the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when under low load or high load. (4) The control unit 101 can execute a mode in which the dewatering process is omitted. (5) When the temperature of the condenser 302 reaches the control temperature, the control unit 101 reduces the rotational speed of the compressor 301. (6) The control unit 101 adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when under medium load and changes the control temperature of the condenser 302 in accordance with the adjustment of the rotational speed of the compressor 301. The details of each process are explained below.

[0026] The operation of the washer-dryer 100 will be explained below with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the washer-dryer 100. Here, it is assumed that the control unit 101 of the washer-dryer 100 has an AI (artificial intelligence) learning function. The control unit 101 will be described as performing the washer-dryer operation while learning the appropriate control according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the fabric type during the washer-dryer operation (especially the drying process). Also, here, synthetic fibers may be referred to as "synthetic fibers."

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, when a user operates the operation switch 12 to instruct the washer-dryer 100 to perform a wash-and-dry operation in AI mode, the washer-dryer 100 sets AI mode to ON and starts the wash-and-dry operation (switches S105, S110). AI mode is a mode in which the control unit 101 performs the wash-and-dry operation while learning the optimal control according to the combination of the amount of laundry and the fabric type.

[0028] When the washing and drying operation is started, the washing and drying machine 100 performs dry cloth sensing immediately after loading clothes to determine the fabric quality sensing thresholds for dry and wet cloths (step S115). Dry cloth sensing is performed based on the measured values ​​of the rotation sensor SN11 (Figure 2) and the motor current sensor SN12 (Figure 2). The measured value of the rotation sensor SN11 (Figure 2) represents the rotational speed of the main motor M10 (i.e., the rotational speed of the drum 29). The measured value of the motor current sensor SN12 (Figure 2) represents the load on the main motor M10. By calculating the measured value of the rotation sensor SN11 (Figure 2) in relation to the measured value of the motor current sensor SN12 (Figure 2), the washing and drying machine 100 can calculate the rotational speed of the main motor M10 in relation to the load on the main motor M10. Note that the process in step S115 corresponds to the clothes amount detection process for detecting the amount of clothes.

[0029] The process of step S115 will be explained below with reference to Figures 5A to 5C. Figure 5A is a graph showing an example of dry cloth sensing values ​​for each garment configuration in relation to the load amount of the main motor M10, which has been measured in advance. Figure 5B is a graph showing an example of dry cloth sensing results in relation to the amount of clothing. Figure 5C is a graph showing an example of fabric quality sensing thresholds in relation to the dry cloth sensing results. Figure 6 is a graph showing an example of fabric quality sensing values ​​for each garment configuration in relation to the load amount of the main motor M10, which has been measured in advance.

[0030] In this embodiment, a dry cloth sensing value, for example, shown in Figure 5A, is pre-measured as a sample value and stored in a memory unit (not shown). The dry cloth sensing value is a numerical value representing the load of a dry cloth (i.e., clothing before water is supplied to the outer tub 20). Figure 5A shows the dry cloth sensing value for each clothing configuration relative to the load of the main motor M10, with the horizontal axis representing the load of the main motor M10 and the vertical axis representing the dry cloth sensing value. The dry cloth sensing value is measured by measuring the rotational speed of the main motor M10 (i.e., the rotational speed of the drum 29) with the rotation sensor SN11 (Figure 2).

[0031] In the example shown in Figure 5A, the clothing composition is as follows: "Practical clothing (composition)", "Cotton clothing A (composition)", "Cotton clothing B (composition)", "Slightly more synthetic fiber (composition)", "Mostly synthetic fiber (composition)", "Synthetic fiber only (composition)", and "Very much synthetic fiber (composition)". The clothing composition (fabric type) is estimated by integrating the amplitude values ​​of the vibration of the outer tank 20 measured by the vibration sensor SN13.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, sample values ​​such as the dry cloth sensing results shown in Figure 5B are pre-measured and stored in a memory unit (not shown). The dry cloth sensing results are numerical values ​​that classify the dry cloth sensing results for each garment configuration according to the amount of clothing. Figure 5B shows the dry cloth sensing results against the amount of clothing, with the horizontal axis representing the amount of clothing and the vertical axis representing the dry cloth sensing results. The dry cloth sensing results are measured by calculating the measured value of the rotation sensor SN11 (Figure 2) against the measured value of the motor current sensor SN12 (Figure 2) (i.e., calculating the rotation speed of the main motor M10 against the load of the main motor M10). In the example shown in Figure 5B, the further to the right on the horizontal axis you move, the more synthetic fibers are included in the garment configuration.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a fabric quality sensing threshold, for example, shown in Figure 5C, is predetermined as a sample value and is stored in a memory unit (not shown). The fabric quality sensing threshold is a threshold used to classify fabric types for determining the garment composition. Figure 5C shows the fabric quality sensing threshold relative to the dry cloth sensing result, with the horizontal axis representing the dry cloth sensing result and the vertical axis representing the fabric quality sensing threshold. In the example shown in Figure 5C, the garment composition becomes more synthetic as you move to the right on the horizontal axis.

[0034] In step S115, the washing machine 100 performs dry cloth sensing on the clothes placed in the drum 29 and obtains the dry cloth sensing values ​​shown in Figure 5A. Then, based on the obtained dry cloth sensing values, the washing machine 100 obtains the dry cloth sensing results shown in Figure 5B. Furthermore, based on the obtained dry cloth sensing results, the washing machine 100 determines the fabric quality sensing thresholds for dry cloth and wet cloth for the clothes placed in the drum 29 from the sample values ​​shown in Figure 5C. Here, we will explain assuming that the washing machine 100 determines a value "X" as the fabric quality sensing threshold for dry cloth and a value "Y" as the fabric quality sensing threshold for wet cloth.

[0035] After step S115, the washing and drying machine 100 performs a washing cycle (step S120) and measures the fabric quality sensing values ​​of the dry and wet clothes placed in the drum 29 (step S125).

[0036] After step S125, the washing and drying machine 100 performs a rinse cycle (step S130) and determines whether the fabric quality sensing value of the dry cloth measured in step S125 is smaller than the fabric quality sensing threshold X of the dry cloth (step S135).

[0037] If the determination in step S125 is that the fabric quality sensing value of the dry cloth is greater than or equal to the dry cloth fabric quality sensing threshold X ("No"), the process proceeds to step S175. On the other hand, if the determination in step S125 is that the fabric quality sensing value of the dry cloth is less than the dry cloth fabric quality sensing threshold X ("Yes"), the washing and drying machine 100 sets the AI ​​drying mode to ON (step S140). The AI ​​drying mode is a mode in which the control unit 101 performs a drying operation while learning the optimal control according to the combination of the amount of laundry and the fabric quality.

[0038] After step S140, the washing and drying machine 100 determines whether the load is low (for example, less than 10% of the rated load) (step S145). The determination in step S145 is made because if the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 is increased when the load is low, the clothes will stick firmly to the drum 29. Therefore, the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 is increased when the load is medium to prevent the clothes from sticking to the drum 29.

[0039] If the determination in step S145 is that the load is low ("No"), the process proceeds to step S160. On the other hand, if the determination in step S145 is that the load is not low ("Yes"), the washing and drying machine 100 determines whether the load is high (for example, 80% or more of the rated load) (step S150). The determination in step S150 is made because, under high load conditions, a suitable dewatering process can be performed by applying a predetermined dewatering rotation speed to the drum 29.

[0040] If the judgment in step S150 determines that the load is high ("No"), the process proceeds to step S160. On the other hand, if the judgment in step S150 determines that the load is not high ("Yes"), the washing dryer 100 adjusts the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 (step S155).

[0041] After step S155, the washing and drying machine 100 determines whether the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 is the target spin-drying rotation speed (step S160).

[0042] If the determination in step S160 is that the spin-drying speed of the drum 29 is not the target spin-drying speed ("No"), the process proceeds to step S175. On the other hand, if the determination in step S160 is that the spin-drying speed of the drum 29 is the target spin-drying speed ("Yes"), the washing machine 100 continues to have the AI ​​drying mode ON setting (step S165). Then, the washing machine 100 executes the drying control of the AI ​​drying mode (step S170). After this, the washing machine 100 ends the drying operation (step S180).

[0043] If the result of the determination in step S135 is "No", or if the result of the determination in step S160 is "No", the washing machine 100 sets the AI ​​drying mode to OFF (step S175). Then, the washing machine 100 performs normal (standard mode) drying control (step S180). After this, the washing machine 100 ends the drying operation (step S180).

[0044] The AI ​​mode processing will be explained below with reference to Figures 7A to 7C. Figure 7A is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the rotational speed of the compressor 301. Figure 7B is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the control temperature of the condenser 302. Figure 7C is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the rotational speed of the main motor.

[0045] Figure 7A shows the rotational speed of the compressor 301 during normal drying control in step S180 with a dashed line, and the rotational speed of the compressor 301 during AI drying mode drying control in step S170 with a solid line. Figure 7B shows the temperature (hot air temperature) of the condenser 302 during normal drying control in step S180 with a dashed line, and the temperature (hot air temperature) of the condenser 302 during AI drying mode drying control in step S170 with a solid line.

[0046] The drying control in AI drying mode (solid line) differs from the normal drying control (dashed line) in the following ways:

[0047] (1) As shown in Figure 7A, in the drying control of the AI ​​drying mode (solid line), the washer-dryer 100 temporarily increases the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to a faster than normal speed at the beginning of the drying operation, depending on the combination of the amount of laundry and the type of fabric. This allows the washer-dryer 100 to efficiently suppress the occurrence of uneven drying and speed up the drying of clothes. As a result, the washer-dryer 100 can shorten the drying time. In addition, by shortening the drying time, the washer-dryer 100 can reduce power consumption.

[0048] (2) As shown in Figures 7B and 7A, in the drying control of the AI ​​drying mode (solid line), when the washing machine 100 temporarily increases the rotation speed of the compressor 301 during the drying operation, once the temperature of the condenser 302 reaches the control temperature, it reduces the rotation speed of the compressor 301. This allows the washing machine 100 to increase the reduction in power consumption when drying clothes during the drying operation at a medium load (i.e., improve energy saving performance).

[0049] Furthermore, Figure 7C shows the rotation speed of the main motor M10 during normal wash-and-dry control in all processes from the washing to drying stages using a dashed line, and the rotation speed of the main motor M10 during AI mode wash-and-dry control using a solid line. Note that Figure 7C shows the rotation speed of the main motor M10 when the garment composition is determined to be high in synthetic fibers.

[0050] Throughout the entire process, from washing to drying, the AI ​​mode's wash-and-dry control (solid line) differs from the normal wash-and-dry control (dashed line) in the following ways:

[0051] (1) As shown in Figure 7C, in the AI ​​mode washing and drying control (solid line), the washing machine 100 temporarily increases the spin-drying speed of the drum 29 during the spin-drying operation when the garment composition is determined to be mostly synthetic fibers. This allows the washing machine 100 to efficiently suppress uneven drying and speed up the drying of clothes. As a result, the washing machine 100 can prevent the drying process from becoming prolonged and achieve a reduction in drying time (time saving). In addition, the washing machine 100 can prevent the reduction in power consumption (energy saving) from being hindered by the prolonged drying process.

[0052] (2) As shown in Figure 7C, in the AI ​​mode washing and drying control (solid line), when the garment composition is determined to be mostly synthetic fibers, the washing and drying machine 100 slows down the rotation speed of the main motor M10 during the washing and rinsing processes because it is easier to remove dirt from the garments. This allows the washing and drying machine 100 to reduce power consumption (energy saving).

[0053] The following explanation of the AI ​​washing and drying mode will be given with reference to Figure 8, and Figures 9A and 9B. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the amount of laundry and the course. Figure 9A is an explanatory diagram of the rotation speed of the compressor 301 during the AI ​​washing course. Figure 9B is an explanatory diagram of the rotation speed of the compressor 301 during the standard washing course. Note that in Figure 8, the standard washing and drying course is labeled "Standard Wash & Dry," and the AI ​​washing and drying course is labeled "AI Wash & Dry."

[0054] In the example shown in Figure 8, the washer-dryer 100 categorizes the amount of clothing into four levels: "small," "medium small," "medium large," and "large." "Small" represents a small amount of clothing, "medium small" represents a moderate amount of clothing that is slightly small, "medium large" represents a moderate amount of clothing that is slightly large, and "large" represents a large amount of clothing.

[0055] In the example shown in Figure 8, when the amount of laundry is "small" and the course is "standard wash and dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to "r1." It is also shown that when the amount of laundry is "medium-small" and the course is "standard wash and dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to "r2." Furthermore, when the amount of laundry is "medium-large" and the course is "standard wash and dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to "r3." Finally, when the amount of laundry is "large" and the course is "standard wash and dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to "r4." Figure 9B shows the speed relationships from "r1" to "r4."

[0056] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 8, when the amount of laundry is "small," "medium small," or "medium large," and the course is "wash and dry AI," the washer-dryer 100 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to "R1." Also, when the amount of laundry is "large" and the course is "wash and dry standard," the washer-dryer 100 sets the rotation speed of the compressor 301 to "R2." Figure 9B shows the speed relationship between "R1" and "R2."

[0057] The following describes the standard mode (normal) and AI mode washing and drying operations with reference to Figures 10A and 10B. Figure 10A is an explanatory diagram of the dry cloth sensing results and the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 according to the course. Figure 10B is an explanatory diagram of the dry cloth sensing results and the control temperature of the condenser 302 during spin-drying according to the course. In the examples shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the dry cloth sensing results are classified into eight stages from "1" to "8", starting from the smallest value. The smaller the dry cloth sensing value, the easier the garment configuration is to dry, and the larger the value, the more difficult it is to dry. In other words, the garment configuration is such that the smaller the dry cloth sensing value, the easier it is to dry, and the larger the dry cloth sensing value, the more difficult it is to dry.

[0058] In the example shown in Figure 10A, if the dry cloth sensing result is one of "1" through "6" and the course is "Standard Wash & Dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "Low Speed" during the spin-drying operation. Also, if the dry cloth sensing result is "7" or "8" and the course is "Standard Wash & Dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "High Speed" during the spin-drying operation.

[0059] Furthermore, it is indicated that if the dry cloth sensing result is "1" or "2" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 will set the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "low speed" during the spin-drying operation. Furthermore, it is indicated that if the dry cloth sensing result is any of "3" to "6" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 will set the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "medium speed" during the spin-drying operation. Furthermore, if the dry cloth sensing result is "7" or "8" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 will set the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "high speed" during the spin-drying operation.

[0060] In the example shown in Figure 10A, when the dry cloth sensing result is "1" or "2" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 sets the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "low speed" during the spin-drying operation. In these cases, the amount of laundry is relatively small, and the load on the main motor M10 is low. Therefore, if the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 is increased in these cases, the laundry will stick firmly to the drum 29. To prevent the laundry from sticking firmly to the drum 29, the washer-dryer 100 sets the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "low speed" when executing "Wash & Dry AI".

[0061] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 10A, when the dry cloth sensing result is "7" or "8" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 sets the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "high speed" during the spin-drying operation. In these cases, the amount of laundry is relatively large, and the load on the main motor M10 is high. Therefore, in these cases, if the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 is not increased, sufficient spin-drying will not be possible. Accordingly, when executing "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 sets the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to "high speed" so that sufficient spin-drying can be performed.

[0062] In the example shown in Figure 10B, if the dry cloth sensing result is any of "1" to "5" and the course is "Standard Wash & Dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "60"°C during the drying operation. Furthermore, if the dry cloth sensing result is any of "6" to "8" and the course is "Standard Wash & Dry," the washer-dryer 100 sets the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "62"°C during the drying operation.

[0063] Furthermore, it is indicated that if the dry cloth sensing result is "1" or "2" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 will set the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "58"°C during the drying operation. Also, if the dry cloth sensing result is any of "3" through "8" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", it is indicated that the washer-dryer 100 will set the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "60"°C during the drying operation.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 10B, when the dry cloth sensing result is "1" or "2" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 sets the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "58"°C during the drying operation. In these cases, the amount of laundry is relatively small, and the load on the main motor M10 is low. Therefore, in these cases, the laundry can be sufficiently dried even if the temperature of the condenser 302 (hot air temperature) is set relatively low. Thus, in these cases, when the washer-dryer 100 executes "Wash & Dry AI", it sets the temperature of the condenser 302 (hot air temperature) to a relatively low level during the drying operation. This allows the washer-dryer 100 to increase the reduction in power consumption when drying laundry (i.e., improve energy-saving performance).

[0065] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 10B, when the dry cloth sensing result is one of "3" to "5" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 sets the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "60"°C during the drying operation. In these cases, the amount of laundry and the load on the main motor M10 are at a moderate level. In this state, the laundry can be dried with a relatively small amount of heat. Therefore, in this state (i.e., at a moderate load), when the washer-dryer 100 executes "Wash & Dry AI", it adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 during the drying operation and adjusts the control temperature (hot air temperature) of the condenser 302 accordingly. By adjusting the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of laundry and the type of fabric, the washer-dryer 100 can efficiently suppress the occurrence of uneven drying and prevent the drying process from becoming prolonged. Therefore, the washer-dryer 100 can prevent the reduction of power consumption (energy saving) from being hindered by the prolonged drying process. This type of washer-dryer 100 can achieve both reduced power consumption (energy saving) and shortened drying time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0066] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 10B, when the dry cloth sensing result is one of "6" to "8" and the course is "Wash & Dry AI", the washer-dryer 100 sets the control temperature of the condenser 302 to "58"°C during the drying operation. In these cases, the amount of laundry is relatively large. In this state, the laundry is relatively difficult to dry and must be heated sufficiently. However, heating the laundry to a very high temperature increases power consumption. Therefore, when the washer-dryer 100 executes "Wash & Dry AI", it sets the temperature of the condenser 302 (hot air temperature) during the drying operation to the same temperature as when the dry cloth sensing result is "3" to "5". This allows the washer-dryer 100 to increase the reduction in power consumption when drying laundry (i.e., improve energy-saving performance).

[0067] <Main features of a washer-dryer> The washing and drying machine 100 according to this embodiment can be configured to have the following features.

[0068] (1) As shown in Figure 2, the washing and drying machine 100 according to this embodiment comprises an outer tub 20, a drum 29, a main motor M10 (drum drive unit), a heat pump unit 300, a blower 2, and a control unit 101. The outer tub 20 is a component capable of storing liquid inside. The drum 29 is a substantially cylindrical component that is rotatably supported within the outer tub 20 and functions as an inner tub for storing laundry. The main motor M10 is a component that functions as a drum drive unit for rotating the drum 29. The heat pump unit 300 has a compressor 301, a condenser 302, an expansion means 303 (expansion valve), and an evaporator 304, and is a device that heats and dries clothes by heating and drying air (wind). The blower 2 is a device that blows drying air to the drum 29. The control unit 101 (Figure 1) is a device that controls the main motor M10, the heat pump unit 300, and the blower 2. The control unit 101 adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric.

[0069] The washer-dryer 100 according to this embodiment adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric, for example, when one cotton towel is mixed in with several synthetic fiber garments. In other words, unlike conventional technology, the washer-dryer 100 does not uniformly lower the rotation speed of the compressor according to the type of fabric, but adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. By adjusting the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric, such a washer-dryer 100 can efficiently suppress the occurrence of uneven drying and prevent the drying process from becoming prolonged. Therefore, the washer-dryer 100 can prevent the reduction of power consumption (energy saving) from being hindered by the prolonged drying process. Such a washer-dryer 100 can achieve both a reduction in power consumption (energy saving) and a reduction in drying process time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0070] (2) As shown by the solid line in Figure 7A (as shown as the AI ​​compressor rotation speed in Figure 7A), in the washing and drying machine 100 of item (1) above, the control unit 101 can execute a mode in which the rotation speed of the compressor 301 is temporarily faster than normal, depending on the combination of the amount of laundry and the type of fabric, during the drying operation.

[0071] In this embodiment, the washer-dryer 100 can dry clothes in a shorter time than usual by temporarily increasing the rotation speed of the compressor 301 during the drying operation, depending on the amount of laundry and the type of fabric. In other words, the washer-dryer 100 can shorten the drying time. Such a washer-dryer 100 can achieve both reduced power consumption (energy saving) and shortened drying time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0072] (3) As shown in Figures 7B and 7A, in the washing and drying machine 100 described in item (2) above, the control unit 101 reduces the rotation speed of the compressor 301 when the rotation speed of the compressor 301 is temporarily increased to a higher speed than normal during the drying operation, once the temperature of the condenser 302 reaches the control temperature.

[0073] In this embodiment, the washer-dryer 100 reduces the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when the temperature of the condenser 302 reaches a control temperature. Such a washer-dryer 100 can increase the reduction in power consumption when drying clothes (i.e., improve energy-saving performance).

[0074] (4) As shown in Figures 9A and 9B, in the washing and drying machine 100 described in item (1) above, the control unit 101 adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor 301 during the drying operation when there is a medium load, but does not adjust the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when there is a low load or a high load.

[0075] In this embodiment, the washing machine 100 adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor 301 during the drying operation at medium load, but does not adjust the rotational speed of the compressor 301 at low load and high load. Such a washing machine 100 can increase the reduction in power consumption when drying clothes during the drying operation at medium load (i.e., improve energy saving performance).

[0076] (5) As shown in Figures 10A and 10B above, in the washing and drying machine 100 described in item (1), the control unit 101 adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when there is a medium load during the drying operation, and changes the control temperature of the condenser 302 in accordance with the adjustment of the rotational speed of the compressor 301.

[0077] In this embodiment, the washing machine 100 adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor 301 when under medium load and changes the control temperature of the condenser 302 in accordance with the adjustment of the rotational speed of the compressor 301. Such a washing machine 100 can increase the reduction in power consumption when drying clothes (i.e., improve energy-saving performance) when under medium load during drying operation.

[0078] (6) As shown in Figure 4, in the washing and drying machine 100 of item (1) above, the control unit 101 adjusts the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 during the spin-drying operation when the garment configuration is determined to consist mostly of synthetic fibers (step S155).

[0079] In this embodiment, the washing machine 100 can make it easier to dry clothes by adjusting the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 when the clothing is determined to consist mostly of synthetic fibers. Such a washing machine 100 can achieve both reduced power consumption (energy saving) and shortened drying time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0080] (7) As shown in Figure 7C, in the washing and drying machine 100 of item (1) above, the control unit 101 temporarily increases the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to a speed faster than normal during the spin-drying operation.

[0081] In this embodiment, the washer-dryer 100 can make it easier to dry clothes by temporarily increasing the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum 29 to a speed faster than normal during the spin-drying operation. Such a washer-dryer 100 can achieve both reduced power consumption (energy saving) and shortened drying time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0082] (8) As shown in Figure 4, the control method of the washing machine 100 according to this embodiment includes a washing process (step S120), a dewatering process (step S130), and a drying process (steps S140 to S185). The washing machine 100 performs a garment quantity detection process (step S115) to detect the amount of garments by observing the motor current value immediately after the garments are loaded before the washing process (step S120), and a fabric quality detection process (step S125) to detect the fabric quality of the garments by observing the vibration sensor value during the washing process (step S120). Furthermore, during the drying process (steps S140 to S185), the washing machine 100 adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the garment quantity detected in the garment quantity detection process (step S115) and the fabric quality detected in the fabric quality detection process (step S125).

[0083] The control method for the washer-dryer 100 according to this embodiment adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric, for example, when one cotton towel is mixed in with several synthetic fiber garments. In other words, unlike the conventional technology, the control method for the washer-dryer 100 does not uniformly lower the rotation speed of the compressor according to the type of fabric, but adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. By adjusting the rotation speed of the compressor 301 according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric, this control method for the washer-dryer 100 can efficiently suppress the occurrence of uneven drying and prevent the drying process from becoming prolonged. Therefore, the control method for the washer-dryer 100 can prevent the reduction of power consumption (energy saving) from being hindered by the prolonged drying process. This control method for the washer-dryer 100 can achieve both a reduction in power consumption (energy saving) and a reduction in drying process time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0084] As described above, the washing and drying machine 100 according to this embodiment makes it possible to achieve both a reduction in power consumption (energy saving) and a reduction in drying time (time saving) when drying clothes.

[0085] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace some of the configurations of the embodiments with other configurations, and it is also possible to add other configurations to the configurations of the embodiments. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations of each configuration with other configurations.

[0086] For example, in AI mode, the washer-dryer 100 can eliminate the spin-drying process depending on the combination of the amount of laundry and the type of fabric. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 cabinet 1a,1b side plate 1c Front cover 1d back cover 1e Top cover 1h Bass 2. Blower 5 Suspension 7. Detergent dispenser 9 doors 9a Door glass 9b Door frame 10 Bellows 12 Operation switches 16 Water supply solenoid valve 17 Overflow hose 18 Circulation pump 20 Outer tank 21 Drain 26 Drain hose 29 Drum (inner tub) 30 Laundry 31 Fluid Balancer 33 Lifter 34 Flange 35 Spindle 54 Water receiving section 54b Circulation outlet 100 Washer-Dryer 101 Control Unit 203 Discharge nozzle 222 Thread NN 258,258a,258b filter 271 Sprinkling mechanism 300 Heat Pump Unit (Heat Pump) 301 Compressor 301a Compressor Motor 302 Condenser 303 Expansion means (expansion valve) 304 Evaporator 305 First temperature sensor 306 Second temperature sensor 310 Heat Pump Unit Case 311 Refrigerant Circuit 312 Refrigerant piping SG301 Rotation Control Signal SG302 Temperature detection signal SG303 valve switching signal SG305 Temperature detection signal M10 Main Motor SN11 Rotation Sensor (Motor Current Sensor) SN12 Motor Current Sensor SN13 Vibration Sensor V1 Drain Valve

Claims

1. An outer tank capable of storing liquid inside, A roughly cylindrical drum, rotatably supported within the outer tub and containing laundry, A drum drive unit that rotates the drum, A heat pump unit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion means, and an evaporator, A blower for supplying drying air to the drum, The system comprises the drum drive unit, the heat pump unit, and the control unit for controlling the blower, The control unit adjusts the rotation speed of the compressor according to the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

2. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, The control unit can execute a mode in the drying process that temporarily increases the rotation speed of the compressor to a faster rate than normal, depending on the combination of the amount of clothing and the type of fabric. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

3. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 2, If the control unit temporarily increases the rotational speed of the compressor to a higher speed than normal during the drying process, and the temperature of the condenser reaches the control temperature, it will reduce the rotational speed of the compressor. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

4. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, The control unit adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor during the drying process when the load is moderate, but does not adjust the rotational speed of the compressor when the load is low or high. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

5. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, The control unit adjusts the rotational speed of the compressor during the drying process when under medium load, and changes the control temperature of the condenser in accordance with the adjustment of the rotational speed of the compressor. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

6. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, The control unit, when it is determined that the garment consists mostly of synthetic fibers, adjusts the spin-drying rotation speed of the drum during the spin-drying process. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

7. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, The control unit temporarily increases the rotational speed of the drum during the dewatering process to a speed faster than normal. A washing machine and dryer characterized by the following features.

8. The washing process for cleaning clothes, A dewatering step to remove water from the aforementioned clothing, The process includes a drying step of driving a heat pump unit having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion means, and an evaporator to dry the clothes, Immediately after loading the clothes before the washing process, a garment quantity detection process is performed to detect the amount of clothes by observing the motor current value. During the washing process, a fabric quality detection process is performed to detect the fabric quality of the garment by observing the vibration sensor value. In the drying process, the rotation speed of the compressor is adjusted according to the combination of the amount of clothing detected in the clothing amount detection process and the fabric type detected in the fabric type detection process. A control method for a washing machine and dryer, characterized by the following features.

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