Washer dryer

Abstract

To provide a washing machine with an improved lint removal capability of the airflow filter. [Solution] The system comprises a rotating drum 29, an outer tank 20 surrounding the rotating drum 29 and holding water, a blower fan 81 supplying air to the rotating drum 29 and the outer tank 20, a return duct 26 connecting the outer tank 20 and the blower fan 81, and a primary filter 40 provided in the outer tank 20. The water supplied into the outer tank 20 becomes a two-phase flow containing air bubbles due to the rotation of the rotating drum 29, and the primary filter 40 is cleaned by this two-phase flow containing air bubbles.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a washing and drying machine that cleans lint adhering to an air duct filter provided on the back surface of an outer tub with a water flow lifted by the rotation of a drum.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, although the conventional method described in Patent Document 1 could clean sufficiently, there has been a demand to further improve the cleaning power.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a washing and drying machine with improved lint removal power of an air duct filter.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention includes an inner tub, an outer tub surrounding the inner tub and storing water, a blower that supplies air to the inner tub and the outer tub, an air duct connecting the outer tub and the blower, and an air duct filter provided in the outer tub, and is characterized in that water supplied into the outer tub becomes a two-phase flow containing air bubbles by the rotation of the inner tub, and the air duct filter is cleaned by the two-phase flow containing the air bubbles.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a washing and drying machine with improved lint removal power of an air duct filter.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of the washing machine and dryer according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the washing machine and dryer according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view with the tank cover removed from the outer tank, and a portion of the rotating drum and outer tank cut out. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view taken from the upper right front, showing the outer tank with the rotating drum, primary filter, and secondary filter removed. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the outer tank with the tank cover and rotating drum removed. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the outer tank cover, seen from the right rear. [Figure 7] This is a top view showing the heat pump unit. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a washing machine and dryer according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing a portion of the discharge path of the condensation water pump. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing a U-shaped joint component. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, a washing machine and dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is an external perspective view of the washing machine and dryer according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the washing machine and dryer according to this embodiment.

[0010] The washer-dryer 100 shown in Figure 1 is a drum-type washer-dryer in which a rotating drum 29 (see Figure 2) rotates around a substantially horizontal rotation axis O (see Figure 2). The washer-dryer 100 has a frame formed by fitting and screwing together side plates 1a and reinforcing materials (not shown), mainly made of steel plates and resin molded products, onto the top of a base 1h. The housing 1 is formed by fitting and screwing on a front cover 1c and a top cover 1e onto this frame. Near the opening 1c1 (see Figure 2) formed in the front cover 1c, a door 9 is cantilevered horizontally and can be opened and closed when the user puts in or takes out laundry 30 (see Figure 2).

[0011] Inside the housing 1 shown in Figure 2, there is a bottomed cylindrical outer tub 20 with an opening 20k at the front, with the opening 20k facing slightly upward. The outer tub 20 is a tank in which washing water and rinse water are stored. The outer tub 20 has a bottomed short cylindrical outer tub body 20a from the center to the rear, and a short cylindrical tub cover 20b at the front. The short cylindrical tub cover 20b matches the outer tub body 20a in external shape and is fixed to the outer tub body 20a by bolting.

[0012] Inside the outer tank 20, a bottomed cylindrical rotating drum 29 with an opening 29k at the front is supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis O that is slightly upward at the front. The rotating drum 29 is directly driven by a motor 28. In detail, a metal flange 34 for supporting the rotating drum is fixed to the rear of the rotating drum 29. The main shaft 35 connected to the metal flange 34 is the rotation axis of the motor 28 for driving the drum, and the rotating drum 29 is driven directly.

[0013] The outer tank 20 is elastically supported at its lower end by multiple suspensions (not shown) and elastically supported at its upper end in the center of the housing 1 by a tension coil spring (not shown). Each suspension has a damper containing a compression coil spring and a sealed viscous fluid.

[0014] At the bottom of the outer tub 20, a water receiving part 54 is provided. On the bottom surface of the water receiving part 54, a drainage path 55 for discharging washing water and the like stored in the outer tub 20 is provided. In the rotary drum 29 inside the outer tub 20, when a user performs washing, the door 9 is opened and laundry 30 such as clothes is put in. Thus, the laundry 30 is accommodated in the rotary drum 29, and each process of washing, rinsing, and drying is performed.

[0015] At the lower part of the outer tub 20, a heat pump unit 80 which is a heat source for the drying function and a blower fan 81 (a blower, see Figure 2) are provided. The blower fan 81 sends warm air created by the heat pump unit 80 into the outer tub 20. In the drying process of this embodiment, a hot air drying method is adopted in which air is circulated between the rotary drum 29 and the heat pump unit 80 by the blower fan 81 for drying. In this embodiment, the blower fan 81 and the heat pump unit 80 which dehumidifies the circulating air and then heats it constitute a drying device used in the drying process.

[0016] The washing and drying machine 100 shown in Figure 2 includes a feed duct (not shown) leading to the blowing nozzle 24 (see Figure 4) of the outer tub 20 and a return duct 26 (see Figure 2) in order to blow hot air into the rotary drum 29.

[0017] Between the rotary drum 29 and the return duct 26, a primary filter 40 (an air duct filter) and a secondary filter 50 for catching lint are provided. The mesh of the primary filter 40 is formed coarser than the mesh of the secondary filter 50. The return duct 26 is an air duct that returns the moist air discharged from the rotary drum 29 through the primary filter 40 and the secondary filter 50 to the heat pump unit 80.

[0018] The return duct 26 and the heat pump unit 80 are connected by a flexible bellows 27b (see Figure 2). The bellows 27b is provided so as to expand and contract without transmitting the vibration of the outer tub 20 to the heat pump unit 80.

[0019] The washer-dryer 100 shown in Figure 2 is equipped with a water supply unit 16 that supplies water into the outer tub 20. Water is supplied to the water supply unit 16 from a water supply hose (not shown) attached to a water inlet 17 located at the rear top of the washer-dryer 100. The water supply unit 16 is equipped with multiple solenoid valves, including a water supply solenoid valve, for dispensing powder detergent, liquid detergent, fabric softener, etc.

[0020] Specifically, the water supply unit 16 supplies water to the powder detergent dispensing chamber (not shown) and liquid detergent dispensing chamber (not shown) of the detergent case via the water supply pipe by opening the first solenoid valve (not shown). By opening the second solenoid valve (not shown), it supplies water to the fabric softener dispensing chamber (not shown) via the water supply pipe. The water supply unit 16 also supplies water directly to the water inlet (not shown) of the outer tank 20 via the water supply pipe by opening the third solenoid valve (not shown). By opening the fourth solenoid valve (not shown), it supplies water to the washing unit 60 via the water supply pipe.

[0021] Figure 3 is a perspective view with the tank cover removed from the outer tank and a portion of the rotating drum and outer tank cut out. Note that in Figure 3, a portion of the side and rear of the rotating drum 29 is cut out to allow visual inspection of the inner rear surface component of the outer tank 20.

[0022] The rotating drum 29 has numerous small holes 29a on its circumferential side wall for centrifugal dewatering and ventilation. In addition, several lifters 33 (see Figure 2) are provided inside the rotating drum 29, parallel to the rotation axis O (see Figure 2), for tumbling and dropping the laundry 30 (see Figure 2) to perform a beating wash.

[0023] A fluid balancer 31, which has an annular shape and contains fluid, is provided on the outer circumference of the opening of the rotating drum 29. The fluid balancer 31 reduces vibration by moving the fluid inside to the opposite side of the imbalance of the laundry 30 in the rotating drum 29, which rotates at high speed during the spin-drying process.

[0024] A bellows 13 (see Figure 2) is installed at the opening 20k (see Figure 2) of the outer tub 20 to seal the washing water and rinse water inside the outer tub 20 between the outer tub 20 and the door 9. In other words, the bellows 13 plays a role in maintaining watertightness between the inside of the outer tub 20 and the door 9. The bellows 13 prevents water leakage during the washing, rinsing, and spin-drying processes in the washer-dryer 100.

[0025] The outer tub 20 has a bottomed cylindrical outer tub body 20a and a tub cover 20b provided at the front opening 20a1 of the outer tub body 20a. The tub cover 20b is provided with a flow path 20b1 through which the washing water pumped up by the circulation pump (see Figure 8) passes.

[0026] Furthermore, a primary filter 40 is provided in the outer tank 20 on the rear side of the rotating drum 29. The rotating drum 29 is also tilted 5 degrees towards the rear side of the rotating drum 29. In other words, the upper part of the rotating drum 29 is tilted 5 degrees towards the bottom surface (inner rear surface) of the outer tank 20 than the lower part. To put it another way, the rear of the rotating drum 29 is tilted 5 degrees relative to the rear surface (bottom surface, inner rear) of the outer tank 20. The tilt is 5 degrees or more, but the upper limit of the angle is set as appropriate.

[0027] A watering nozzle 23 is formed above the flow path 20b1 shown in Figure 3. Washing water drawn up from the watering nozzle 23 is discharged into the rotating drum 29. A blow nozzle 24 is formed on the drum cover 20b from which dry air is blown out by the heat pump unit 80 (see Figure 2). A discharge duct 24a is connected to the blow nozzle 24. The discharge duct 24a is connected to the heat pump unit 80 (see Figure 2).

[0028] Figure 4 is a perspective view taken from the upper right front, showing the outer tank with the rotating drum, primary filter, and secondary filter removed. Note that Figure 4 shows a portion of the side wall of the outer tank 20 and half of the right side wall of the rotating drum 29 cut out. Also, Figure 4 omits the tank cover 20b. Figure 5 is a front view of the outer tank with the tank cover and rotating drum removed. As shown in Figure 4, an internal duct 21 is provided in the back plate 20s inside the outer tank 20. One end of the internal duct 21 is formed at the top of the outer tank 20, and the other end is formed below half the height of the back plate 20s of the outer tank 20. The internal duct 21 has a curved shape that avoids the motor 28 that drives the rotating drum 29, extending from the upper rear to the lower rear of the outer tank 20.

[0029] A communication port 22 is formed in the upper rear part of the outer tank 20, which serves as an air passage communicating with the outside of the outer tank 20. A return duct 26 (see Figure 2) is provided on the outer rear part of the outer tank 20, from the communication port 22 to the heat pump unit 80 (see Figure 2).

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, a primary filter 40 for collecting lint from clothing is attached to the duct 21 inside the tank. The primary filter 40 has a mesh member 40b made of metal or the like integrally formed by insert molding into a frame 40a made of synthetic resin.

[0031] Furthermore, below the primary filter 40, the internal duct 21 is fitted with a duct cover 70, thereby forming an air passage.

[0032] A secondary filter 50 is provided in the communication opening 22 shown in Figure 4. The primary filter 40 is located on the front side in the front-to-back direction, and the secondary filter 50 is located on the rear side (back side). In other words, the primary filter 40 and the secondary filter 50 are arranged so that their airflow directions overlap in the front-to-back direction, with the communication opening 22 in between.

[0033] Furthermore, by using a two-piece configuration of primary filter 40 and secondary filter 50 in the direction of airflow, the mesh can be overlapped in a planar manner, allowing for a coarser mesh (opening) for each filter (40, 50) compared to a single-filter configuration. This results in lint (lint) being collected across both the primary filter 40 and the secondary filter 50. Therefore, it is possible to avoid dense collection of lint (lint) in each of the primary filter 40 and the secondary filter 50. Consequently, by using primary filter 40 and secondary filter 50, stable air circulation can be maintained.

[0034] Similar to the primary filter 40, the secondary filter 50 has a mesh member 50b made of metal or the like (only partially shown in Figure 5) integrally formed by insert molding into a frame 50a made of synthetic resin. Furthermore, the secondary filter 50 has a finer mesh than the primary filter 40.

[0035] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the outer tank cover, seen from the right rear. As shown in Figure 6, the outer tank 20 is fixed by inserting a bolt (not shown) through the screw hole 20b12 of the fixing flange 20b11 of the tank cover 20b and fastening it to the female thread (not shown) of the outer tank body 20a (see Figure 4), matching the external shape of the short cylindrical tank cover 20b with the bottomed short cylindrical outer tank body 20a (see Figure 4).

[0036] A vertical through-hole, an overflow port 20b3, is provided slightly below the center of the side plate 20b2 of the tank cover 20b. Note that the overflow port 20b3 may be a through-hole with a diameter other than a circular hole.

[0037] Figure 7 is a top view showing the heat pump unit. As shown in Figure 7, the heat pump unit 80 comprises a compressor (not shown), a condenser 82 (heater), a pressure reducing device 83, and an evaporator 84 (dehumidifier). These components are sequentially connected by refrigerant piping 85 to form a refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant flows in the order of compressor, condenser 82, pressure reducing device 83, and evaporator 84, and then returns to the compressor.

[0038] Inside case 80a, an air passage (not shown) is formed that allows high-temperature, high-humidity air drawn in from connection port 80b to pass through evaporator 84 and condenser 82, and then be drawn into blower fan 81.

[0039] The heat pump unit 80 dehumidifies and heats the high-temperature, high-humidity air that has passed through the laundry 30 in the rotating drum 29 and been discharged from the outer tub 20 (see Figure 2) during drying operation, making it high-temperature, low-humidity. The dehumidified and heated hot air (drying air) is blown onto the laundry in the rotating drum 29 from a blower fan 81 through a blow nozzle 24 (see Figure 3) located at the top of the outer tub 20. The hot air blown onto the laundry becomes high-temperature, high-humidity air, which passes through the primary filter 40 and the secondary filter 50, and returns to the heat pump unit 80 through the return duct 26.

[0040] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a washing machine and dryer according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the washing and drying machine 100 is equipped with a circulation pump 11 that returns the washing water in the outer tub 20 to the rotating drum 29 (see Figure 3), and a foreign matter trap 12 (water channel filter) located upstream of the circulation pump 11 that collects foreign matter (lint).

[0041] The circulation pump 11 is located below the outer tub 20 and is fixed to the base 1h (see Figure 1) side of the housing 1. Washing water is sent from the drain port 20c of the water receiving section 54 (see Figure 2) located at the bottom of the outer tub 20 through the pipe 20d to the foreign object trap 12. The drain port 20c is also connected to the overflow pipe 15 (overflow drainage path) via the pipe 20d, the foreign object trap 12, and the drain valve V1 (drainage solenoid valve), allowing the water in the outer tub 20 to be discharged outside the machine.

[0042] During washing and rinsing, the circulation pump 11 is driven with the drain valve V1 closed, drawing in washing water from the drain port 20c at the bottom of the outer tub 20. This water is then supplied in a shower-like manner into the rotating drum 29 through the piping 20d and the flow path 20b1, via the watering nozzle 23 located on the top of the tub cover 20b (see Figure 4).

[0043] One end of the overflow pipe 15 is connected to the overflow outlet 20b3, and the other end is connected to the downstream side of the drain valve V1. The overflow pipe 15 is equipped with an on-off valve V2 (overflow solenoid valve). For example, during the washing process, the on-off valve V2 is opened so that if the drain valve V1 becomes clogged, the washing water can be released outside the machine via the overflow outlet 20b3. During the drying process, the on-off valve V2 is closed to prevent the internal pressure of the drum from escaping.

[0044] Furthermore, the heat pump unit 80 is equipped with a condensation water pump 88 for discharging condensation water generated during the drying process from the heat pump unit 80. One end of a condensation water hose 86 is connected to the condensation water pump 88, and the other end of the condensation water hose 86 is connected to the overflow pipe 15 downstream of the shut-off valve V2. The other end of the condensation water hose 86 may also be connected to the drain hose 14 downstream of the drain valve V1. When the condensation water pump 88 is driven, the condensation water is discharged outside the machine through the condensation water hose 86.

[0045] Furthermore, a U-shaped connector 87 is provided on the condensation water hose 86. This U-shaped connector 87 is positioned at the highest point of the condensation water hose 86. In addition, the upper end of the U-shaped connector 87 (the maximum height H of the condensation water hose 86) is configured to be higher than the rotation center O1 of the rotating drum 29 (the rotation center of the inner tank).

[0046] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a part of the discharge path of the condensation water pump. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a U-shaped joint component. Note that Figure 9 shows the case where the condensation water hose 86 is located on the left side (one side in the left-right direction) of the outer tank 20. That is, the condensation water hose 86 is located on the front plate 1b between the circular opening 1b1 formed in the steel plate front plate 1b for attaching the door 9 and the left side plate 1a. The condensation water hose 86 has a pipe section 86a extending from the condensation water pump 88 and a pipe section 86b connected to the overflow pipe 15. The pipe section 86a extends from the condensation water pump 88 and extends along the front plate 1b to the side of the opening 1b1. The pipe section 86b extends from the overflow pipe 15 and extends upward parallel to the pipe section 86a along the front plate 1b, extending to the same height as the pipe section 86a. A U-shaped joint 87 (U-shaped joint component) is provided at the upper end of the pipe sections 86a and 86b.

[0047] As shown in Figure 10, the U-shaped joint 87 is made of resin and is fixed to the front plate 1b in an inverted U-shape. The U-shaped joint 87 has a connecting portion 87a to which the pipe portion 86a is connected, and a connecting portion 87b to which the pipe portion 86b is connected. The U-shaped joint 87 also has a fixing portion 87c for fixing it to the front plate 1b.

[0048] Incidentally, because the space on the side of the door 9 is narrow, the condensation water hose 86 has previously been positioned to run around the door 9. As a result, there was a risk of the condensation water hose 86 being pinched by the front cover 1c, which is a decorative panel, when it was installed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the condensation water hose 86 is positioned in a U-shape on the left side of the outer tank 20, and a U-shaped joint 87 is placed at the upper end. This prevents the condensation water hose 86 from being pinched by the front cover 1c when it is installed. Also, bending the condensation water hose 86 in the narrow space on the side of the door 9 could cause it to be crushed. Therefore, by using the U-shaped joint 87 as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the condensation water hose 86 from being crushed at the U-shaped folded portion. Furthermore, when the condensation water hose 86 was routed around the door 9, the length of the condensation water hose 86 increased, resulting in higher costs. In this embodiment, by using the U-shaped joint 87, the length of the condensation water hose 86 can be shortened, thus reducing costs.

[0049] Next, we will explain how to clean the primary filter 40. In the conventional method for cleaning the primary filter 40, first, the rotating drum 29 is rotated at a higher speed than that used during the rinsing process, then the drain valve V1 is closed and water is supplied to the outer tank 20 to a certain level. At this time, the water in the outer tank 20 is stirred up to the upper end of the primary filter 40 by the high-speed rotating drum 29, so that the lint on the primary filter 40 can be washed away by the agitated water flow. After that, the drain valve V1 is opened while maintaining the high-speed rotation of the rotating drum 29, and the remaining water in the outer tank 20 is completely drained while continuing to clean the primary filter 40. At this time, the lint on the front side of the primary filter 40 is discharged directly to the drain port 20c, and the lint on the back side of the primary filter 40 is discharged from the drain port 20c through the tank duct 21 (see Figure 4).

[0050] However, in conventional cleaning methods, the amount of cleaning water is small, resulting in a laminar flow where water and air are separated, and centrifugal force causes the water to flow unevenly towards the outer circumference of the outer tank 20. This creates areas on the inner circumference of the primary filter 40 that are prone to clogging. Therefore, in this embodiment, cleaning is performed in a way that generates a two-phase flow (also called a multi-phase flow) containing air. In other words, the primary filter 40 is cleaned with a large flow rate of water. By increasing the amount of water in this way, the following effects (1) to (3) can be obtained: (1) The flow velocity distribution is made uniform, allowing the entire surface of the primary filter 40 to be cleaned uniformly. (2) The flow velocity on the wall surface (lint adhesion surface) is increased by turbulence, increasing the force that pulls off the lint. (3) The unsteady flow (flow that fluctuates over time) due to turbulence applies force from various directions to the lint attached to the primary filter 40, allowing the entire surface of the primary filter 40 to be cleaned uniformly. As a result, it has become possible to effectively remove lint attached to the primary filter 40.

[0051] To generate a large flow rate of water to create a two-phase flow, the amount of water added is more than half (for example, 80%) of the volume obtained by subtracting the volume of the rotating drum 29 from the volume of the outer tank 20. This allows the cleaning water to circulate not only on the outer surface (side) of the outer tank 20 but also on the back side (back plate 20s) of the outer tank 20, generating a multiphase flow (two-phase flow) containing many bubbles on the back side, thereby improving the cleaning performance of the primary filter 40.

[0052] In this example, the primary filter 40 is cleaned during the final rinse of the rinsing process, but a cleaning step may be included between the rinsing and dewatering processes, or at the beginning of the dewatering process. Furthermore, the primary filter 40 cleaning step may be performed as part of an internal tank cleaning process, which is set by the user to clean the inner wall of the outer tank 20, without determining whether a drying process was performed during the previous operation.

[0053] Furthermore, for cleaning the secondary filter 50, the fourth solenoid valve of the water supply unit 16 is opened, causing cleaning water to be discharged from the cleaning unit 60 onto the filter portion (metal mesh portion) of the secondary filter 50, washing away the lint. The lint that flows out of the secondary filter 50, along with the cleaning water, flows into the outer tank 20 through the communication port 22 and the tank duct 21, and is discharged from the drain port 20c.

[0054] However, when the rotating drum 29 is rotated, the cleaning water is discharged from the overflow pipe 15, reducing the amount of cleaning water and making it impossible to generate a multiphase flow (two-phase flow) containing many bubbles. Therefore, in this embodiment, a drain valve V1 is provided on the drain hose 14 that drains the water in the outer tank 20, and an on-off valve V2 is provided on the overflow pipe 15. The primary filter 40 is cleaned by rotating the rotating drum 29 with the drain valve V1 and on-off valve V2 closed. This makes it easier to generate a turbulent multiphase flow (two-phase flow) containing many bubbles, improving the cleaning performance of the primary filter 40.

[0055] Furthermore, by placing the primary filter 40 in the outer tank 20 on the back side of the rotating drum 29, a large collection area for collecting lint can be secured. However, the water injected flows to the side (circumferential surface) of the rotating drum 29, making it difficult for it to flow to the back side where the primary filter 40 is located, thus reducing cleaning efficiency. Therefore, in this embodiment, in a configuration in which the primary filter 40 is provided on the back side of the rotating drum 29, the rotating drum 29 is tilted to the back side by 5 degrees or more. This allows the cleaning water to circulate not only on the outer circumference of the rotating drum 29 but also on the back side of the rotating drum 29, generating a multiphase flow containing many bubbles on the back side, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the primary filter 40.

[0056] Furthermore, when a large volume of water is stored in the rotating drum 29 to clean the primary filter 40, pressure equivalent to the water head is applied to the condensation water hose 86 of the condensation water pump 88 during drainage after cleaning. This increases the risk of water backflow from the rotating drum 29 to the heat pump unit 80, leading to water leakage. Therefore, in this embodiment, the condensation water hose 86 (condensation water pump discharge path) is connected to the downstream side where the on-off valve V2 (overflow solenoid valve) of the overflow pipe 15 (overflow drainage path) is provided, and the maximum height H (height from the floor) of the condensation water hose 86 (condensation water pump discharge path) is set higher than the rotation center O1 of the rotating drum 29. This makes it less likely for backflow (siphoning) to occur from the condensation water hose 86 to the heat pump unit 80 due to the head difference when draining the large volume of cleaning water after cleaning the primary filter 40.

[0057] Furthermore, the condensation water hose 86 is configured in an inverted U-shape on the left side (one side in the left-right direction) of the outer tank 20. In this embodiment, a U-shaped joint 87 is provided at the upper end of the condensation water hose 86. This makes it possible to fold it back in a space-saving manner next to the door 9, shortening the overall length of the condensation water hose 86 and reducing costs. In addition, since the position of the condensation water hose 86 is fixed by the U-shaped joint 87, the risk of pinching the condensation water hose 86 when attaching decorative parts (such as the front cover 1c) can be reduced. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 14. Drain hose (drainage route) 15. Overflow pipe (overflow drainage route) 20 Outer tank 20b Tank cover 20b3 Overflow mouth 21 In-tank duct 26. Return duct (air passage) 29 Rotating drum (inner tub) 30 Laundry (clothing) 40. Primary filter (airflow filter) 80 Heat pump unit 81. Blower fan (air blower) 82. Condenser (heater) 83 Pressure Reducing Device 84 Evaporator (Dehumidifier) 85 Refrigerant piping 86 Condensation water hose 87 U-shaped joint (U-shaped joint parts) 88 Condensation water pump 100 Washer-Dryer H Maximum height O Rotation axis V1 Drain valve (Solenoid valve for drainage) V2 On / Off Valve (Overflow Solenoid Valve)

Claims

1. Inner tank and The aforementioned inner tank is enclosed by an outer tank for storing water, A blower that supplies air to the inner tank and the outer tank, An air passage connecting the outer tank and the blower, The outer tank is equipped with an air passage filter, The water supplied to the outer tank becomes a two-phase flow containing air bubbles due to the rotation of the inner tank. A washing and drying machine characterized by cleaning the air passage filter by a two-phase flow containing air bubbles.

2. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, A drainage solenoid valve is provided in the drainage path for draining the water from the outer tank. An overflow solenoid valve is provided in the overflow drainage path. A washing and drying machine characterized by cleaning the air passage filter by closing the drain solenoid valve and the overflow solenoid valve and rotating the inner tub.

3. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, The air passage filter is provided on the rear side of the inner tank, A washing and drying machine characterized by tilting the inner tub toward the rear by 5 degrees or more.

4. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 1, A washing and drying machine characterized by pouring in water equal to or greater than half the volume obtained by subtracting the volume of the inner tub from the volume of the outer tub.

5. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 2, A heat pump unit in which a dehumidifier and a heater are connected by refrigerant piping includes a condensation water pump that discharges the water removed by the dehumidifier. A condensation water pump discharge path is connected to the downstream side of the drainage path where the drainage solenoid valve is installed, or to the downstream side of the overflow drainage path where the overflow solenoid valve is installed. A washing and drying machine characterized in that the maximum height of the discharge path of the condensation water pump is higher than the rotation center of the inner tub.

6. In the washing and drying machine according to claim 5, The drainage path of the condensation water pump is configured in an inverted U shape on one side of the outer tank, A washing machine and dryer characterized by having a U-shaped joint component at the upper end of the discharge path of the condensation water pump.

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