Washer dryer

Abstract

We provide washer-dryers that can improve reliability through proper operation. [Solution] The washing machine and dryer comprises a water tank, a rotating drum rotatably mounted inside the water tank and capable of holding clothes, an air passage for supplying air into the water tank, a heating device that heats the air flowing through the air passage to generate hot air, a water temperature detection unit for detecting the water temperature of water supplied from an external water source, an ambient temperature detection unit for detecting the ambient temperature, and a control unit capable of executing an operation including a drying process based on control content corresponding to a steppedly set temperature rank. The control unit determines the temperature rank using the other temperature of the water temperature or ambient temperature if either the water temperature or the ambient temperature is within a specific range.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , ,

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[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a washing and drying machine.

Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, in a drying operation performed by a washing and drying machine, the execution time of the drying operation is tentatively initially set at either the room temperature detected by a room temperature sensor or the water temperature detected by a water temperature sensor, and the execution time is corrected at the other temperature of the room temperature or the water temperature to determine the final execution time of the drying operation. In such a conventional configuration, based on the magnitude relationship between the room temperature and the water temperature, the execution time of the drying operation is corrected to determine the final execution time of the drying operation. However, in the conventional configuration, there is room for improvement in terms of improving the reliability of the washing and drying machine by appropriately performing the drying operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, a washing and drying machine is provided that can improve reliability by performing an appropriate operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The washing and drying machine according to this embodiment includes a water tank, a rotating tub rotatably provided inside the water tank and capable of accommodating clothes, an air passage for supplying air into the water tank, a heating device that heats the air flowing through the air passage to generate hot air, a water temperature detection unit for detecting the water temperature of water supplied from an external water source, an ambient temperature detection unit for detecting the ambient temperature, and a control unit capable of executing an operation including a drying process based on control content corresponding to a steppedly set temperature rank, wherein the control unit determines the temperature rank using the other temperature of the water temperature or the ambient temperature if either the water temperature or the ambient temperature is within a specific range. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration around the water tank of a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure schematically shows an example of the airflow configuration for a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of temperature rank information for a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure (1) shows an example of the control content of the heating device performed during the drying process in a washing and drying machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure (2) shows an example of the control content of the heating device performed during the drying process in a washing and drying machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] A flowchart showing an example of the control content executed by the control unit of a washing machine / dryer according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] A diagram showing another example of temperature rank information for a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The following describes one embodiment of a washer-dryer with reference to the drawings. The washer-dryer 1 shown in Figure 1 can perform processes such as washing, rinsing, spinning, and drying on clothes. The washer-dryer 1 is a drum-type washer-dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotating drum 15 is either a horizontal axis type that is oriented horizontally or an inclined axis type that is inclined downward from front to back. The washer-dryer 1 comprises an outer casing 11, a door 12, a water tank 13, bellows 14, a rotating drum 15, a motor 16, a drainage mechanism 17, a water supply mechanism 20, and a drying mechanism 30. In Figure 1, the side of the washer-dryer 1 that is on the installation surface, i.e., the vertically downward side, is referred to as the bottom of the washer-dryer 1, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upward side, is referred to as the top of the washer-dryer 1. Also, the left-right direction when the washer-dryer 1 is viewed from the front is referred to as the left-right direction of the washer-dryer 1.

[0008] The outer casing 11 and the door 12 constitute the outer shell of the washing machine 1. The outer casing 11 is formed in a hollow box shape by a combination of metals such as stainless steel plates or resin materials. The outer casing 11 has a front opening (not shown) on its front side that connects the inside and outside of the outer casing 11. The user can put clothes in and take them out of the rotating tub 15 through this front opening. The door 12 is provided on the front side of the outer casing 11 and opens and closes the front opening of the outer casing 11. The water tank 13 is provided inside the outer casing 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The water tank 13 is capable of storing water inside. The water tank 13 is formed in a so-called bottomed cylindrical shape, with one side in the axial direction, i.e., the front side, being open and the other side, i.e., the rear side, having a bottom. An opening 13a, which is roughly circular in shape, is provided in the center of the front side of the water tank 13.

[0009] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the water tank 13 has a water inlet 131 and an exhaust port 132. The water inlet 131 and the exhaust port 132 connect the inside and outside of the water tank 13. The water inlet 131 is for supplying water into the water tank 13 from an external water source, such as a water tap. The water inlet 131 is located, for example, in the upper front part of the water tank 13, and is positioned to the left of the center of the water tank 13 in the left-right direction. The exhaust port 132 is for discharging air from inside the water tank 13. The exhaust port 132 is located, for example, in the upper rear part of the water tank 13, and is positioned to the left of the center of the water tank 13 in the left-right direction. In other words, the water inlet 131 and the exhaust port 132 are located to the left, in the same direction as the center of the water tank 13 in the left-right direction, and are aligned along the front-back direction of the water tank 13.

[0010] As shown in Figure 2, the bellows 14 is formed, for example, in an annular shape overall and is provided around the opening 13a of the water tank 13. The bellows 14 is made of, for example, an elastic rubber material and is watertightly connected to the front opening of the outer casing 11 and the opening 13a in communication. The bellows 14 is provided with an air supply section 141. The air supply section 141 is for supplying air into the water tank 13. In other words, air is introduced into the water tank 13 from outside the water tank 13 via the air supply section 141. The air supply section 141 is located, for example, on the upper part of the bellows 14, in a portion that overlaps with the center of the water tank 13 in the left-right direction.

[0011] The rotating tub 15 is capable of holding clothes inside and is rotatably positioned within the water tank 13. The rotating tub 15 is rotationally driven by a motor 16. The motor 16 is located on the outside of the bottom of the water tank 13. The motor 16 includes, for example, a brushless direct-drive motor with a variable rotation speed. The drainage mechanism 17 has the function of discharging the water stored in the water tank 13 to the outside of the washing machine 1. As shown in Figure 3, the drainage mechanism 17 includes a drain valve 171 and a drain hose 172. The drain valve 171 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The drain valve 171 is connected to a drain port (not shown) provided in the water tank 13. One end of the drain hose 172 is connected to the drain valve 171, and the other end is led out of the washing machine 1. When the drain valve 171 is opened, the water stored in the water tank 13 is discharged to the outside of the washing machine 1 through the drain hose 172. The drain valve 171 opens and closes a drainage path for draining water stored in the tank 13 to the outside.

[0012] The water supply mechanism 20 is located, for example, above the water tank 13 inside the outer casing 11. The water supply mechanism 20 includes a water supply valve 21 and a water inlet case 22. The water supply valve 21 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. The water supply valve 21 has the function of opening and closing the water supply path 23 from an external water source to the water tank 13 via the water inlet case 22. The water inlet 131 of the water tank 13 functions as the outlet of the water supply path 23. As shown in Figure 1, the water inlet case 22 is provided facing the front part 111 of the outer casing 11. The water inlet case 22 is located, for example, above the water tank 13, and is positioned to the left of the left-right center of the outer casing 11. In other words, the water inlet case 22 is located in the same direction as the water inlet 131 with respect to the left-right center of the outer casing 11. The water inlet case 22 is located in the middle of the water supply path 23 and is downstream of the water supply valve 21.

[0013] The water filling case 22 is formed in the shape of a container with an open front. The water filling case 22 is configured to accommodate the treatment agent case 221 inside. The treatment agent case 221 is configured to be pullable out from the water filling case 22 in the front-to-back direction. The treatment agent case 221 is provided integrally with the front cover 222 shown in Figure 1. The treatment agent case 221 is pulled out from the water filling case 22 by the user pulling the front cover 222 forward, and inserted into the water filling case 22 by pushing the front cover 222 backward. The treatment agent case 221 receives the amount of laundry treatment agent needed for one wash cycle, for example, manually added by the user.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, a connecting section 24 is provided on the downstream side of the water supply path 23. The connecting section 24 is made of, for example, synthetic resin and connects the water filling case 22 and the water inlet 131. The connecting section 24 is the part that supplies water that has passed through the water filling case 22 to the water inlet 131. As described above, since the water inlet 131 is located in the upper front part of the water tank 13, the water that has passed through the connecting section 24 is supplied into the water tank 13 from the upper side of the water tank 13 and the rotating tub 15. For example, if a laundry treatment agent is contained in the treatment agent case 221, the water supplied from an external water source that flows into the water filling case 22 and the laundry treatment agent are mixed in the water filling case 22, and then supplied into the water tank 13 and the rotating tub 15 via the connecting section 24. In addition, the connecting section 24 is formed in a roughly U-shape overall and is configured to be able to store water inside. The connecting section 24 stores a portion of the water that flows into it from the water filling case 22. By storing water in the connecting section 24, the temperature rise around the water filling case 22 can be suppressed.

[0015] The drying mechanism 30 has a function of supplying air, for example, warm air, into the water tank 13. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drying mechanism 30 includes an air duct 40, a blower device 51, and a heating device 52. The air duct 40 is located outside the water tank 13. One end thereof is connected to the exhaust port 132, and the other end is connected to the air supply portion 141. The air duct 40 connects the exhaust port 132 and the air supply portion 141. Also, the air duct 40 can circulate and supply air into the water tank 13. In this case, the air duct 40, the air supply portion 141, the water tank 13, and the rotary tank 15 form a circulation air duct. The air duct 40 takes in the air in the water tank 13 from the exhaust port 132, generates warm air through the heating device 52, and then supplies the warm air from the air supply portion 141 into the water tank 13. In this case, looking at the air flowing in the air duct 40, the exhaust port 132 side is the upstream, and the air supply portion 141 side is the downstream.

[0016] The air duct 40 is configured to include, for example, an exhaust duct 41, a filter device 42, a connection duct 43, a heat exchange portion 44, and an air supply duct 45. The exhaust duct 41 and the connection duct 43 are configured by, for example, bellows-like hoses having flexibility. The exhaust duct 41 is a portion that discharges the air in the water tank 13. One end of the exhaust duct 41 is connected to the exhaust port 132, and the other end is connected to the filter device 42. The filter device 42 is located on the downstream side of the exhaust port 132. A filter 421 is provided inside the filter device 42. The filter 421 collects foreign matters such as lint and dust contained in the air flowing out from the exhaust port 132 and flowing in the air duct 40.

[0017] The connection duct 43 is a duct that connects the filter device 42 and the heat exchange portion 44. The heat exchange portion 44 is for cooling and dehumidifying the air taken into the air duct 40 from the water tank 13 and flowing through the connection duct 43. The heat exchange portion 44 is formed, for example, in a box shape that is long in the left-right direction. The heat exchange portion 44 may be configured to have a large number of fins and pins inside. The air supply duct 45 is located above the water tank 13. The air supply duct 45 is a duct that connects the heat exchange portion 44 and the air supply portion 141.

[0018] Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the heat exchange unit 44 is connected to a water injection device 441 and a drain pipe 442. The water injection device 441 is for introducing water supplied from an external water source into the heat exchange unit 44. The water injection device 441 has a water injection valve 441a and a water injection pipe 441b. The water injection valve 441a is an on-off valve for liquids that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. The water injection pipe 441b is composed of, for example, a flexible hose or the like. One end thereof is connected to the water injection valve 441a, and the other end is connected to one surface of the heat exchange unit 44, for example, the upper surface.

[0019] The drain pipe 442 is for introducing the water supplied from the water injection device 441 and passing through the heat exchange unit 44 into the water tank 13. The drain pipe 442 is composed of a tubular member. One end thereof is connected to the other surface of the heat exchange unit 44, for example, the bottom surface, and the other end is connected to the bottom 13b of the water tank 13. When the water injection valve 441a is opened, as shown by the arrow with a broken line in FIG. 3, the water supplied from the external water source is supplied into the heat exchange unit 44 through the water injection pipe 441b. Then, the air flowing in the air passage 40 indicated by the black arrow in FIG. 3 contacts the water supplied from the water injection device 441 in the heat exchange unit 44, so that the moisture contained in the air is removed and the temperature decreases. The water that has passed through the heat exchange unit 44 and undergone heat exchange flows into the water tank 13 through the drain pipe 442, then passes through the drainage mechanism 17 and is discharged outside the washing and drying machine 1.

[0020] The blower 51 and the heating device 52 are installed in the middle of the air passage 40 and are located downstream of the heat exchange section 44. The blower 51 is composed of, for example, a sirocco fan or a turbo fan. The blower 51 is located upstream of the air supply duct 45, and draws in the air flowing through the heat exchange section 44 and sends the drawn-in air to the air supply section 141. The heating device 52 is located downstream of the blower 51 and in the middle of the air supply duct 45. The heating device 52 heats the air flowing through the air passage 40 to generate warm air for drying clothes in the rotating tank 15. The heating device 52 is composed of, for example, a PTC heater, which is an example of an electric heater. The warm air generated by the heating device 52 flows through the air supply duct 45 and is supplied into the water tank 13 via the air supply section 141. Note that the heating device 52 is not limited to a heater type mechanism, but may also be configured as a well-known heat pump mechanism.

[0021] In this configuration, when the blower 51 and the heating device 52 are driven, the air supplied from the blower 51 to the heating device 52 is heated as it passes through the heating device 52, becoming warm air, which is then supplied to the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 15 via the air supply section 141 after passing through the air supply duct 45. When the pressure inside the water tank 13 increases due to the supply of warm air, some of the air inside the water tank 13 flows out of the exhaust port 132 into the exhaust duct 41.

[0022] Air passing through the exhaust duct 41 has foreign matter collected by the filter device 42 and flows into the heat exchange unit 44 from the connecting duct 43. In the drying operation for drying clothes, the air containing water vapor from the clothes in the rotating tank 15 comes into contact with water supplied from an external water source by the drive of the water injection device 441 in the heat exchange unit 44, where it is cooled and dehumidified. The air in the heat exchange unit 44 is then sent into the supply air duct 45 by the blowing action of the blower device 51. The air sent from the heat exchange unit 44 to the supply air duct 45 passes through the heating device 52 again to become warm air, which is then supplied from the supply air unit 141 into the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 15.

[0023] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the washing machine 1 includes a water temperature sensor 61, an inlet temperature sensor 62, an outlet temperature sensor 63, and a control unit 70. Each of the sensors 61 to 63 is mainly composed of a thermistor, for example. The water temperature sensor 61 is located in the bottom 13b of the water tank 13 and detects the water temperature Tw, which is the temperature of the water supplied into the water tank 13 from an external water source. In addition, when no water is supplied into the water tank 13, the water temperature sensor 61 can detect the ambient temperature Tr, which is the room temperature near where the washing machine 1 is installed. The water temperature sensor 61 functions as either a water temperature detection unit or an ambient temperature detection unit.

[0024] The inlet temperature sensor 62 is located within the air passage 40, for example, inside the filter device 42, downstream of the filter 421. The inlet temperature sensor 62 detects the temperature of the air flowing through the air passage 40 before it is affected by the heat from the heating device 52. In addition, for example, before the drying operation is performed, the inlet temperature sensor 62 can detect the ambient temperature Tr. The inlet temperature sensor 62 functions as an ambient temperature detection unit. The outlet temperature sensor 63 is located within the air passage 40, downstream of the blower 51 and the heating device 52. The outlet temperature sensor 63 detects the temperature of the air flowing through the air passage 40 that has been heated by the heating device 52.

[0025] The motor 16, drain valve 171, water supply valve 21, water inlet valve 441a, blower 51, and heating device 52 are electrically connected to the control unit 70 and operate under control from the control unit 70. The water temperature sensor 61, inlet temperature sensor 62, and outlet temperature sensor 63 are also electrically connected to the control unit 70 and transmit their respective detection results to the control unit 70. The control unit 70 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having memory areas such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, and rewritable flash memory. The control unit 70 controls the overall operation of the washing machine 1. The memory area of ​​the control unit 70 stores a control program for controlling and operating the washing machine 1. Each process of the control unit 70 is realized by the CPU executing the control program. The control unit 70 receives detection signals from various sensors 61-63 and, based on the control program, controls the operation of the motor 16, drain valve 171, water supply valve 21, water inlet valve 441a, blower 51, and heating device 52 to execute the operation.

[0026] The control unit 70 is capable of performing various operations to perform predetermined processing on the clothes contained in the rotating tub 15. The types of operations that can be performed by the control unit 70 include washing, drying, and washing-drying. Drying and washing-drying operations include a drying step to dry the clothes in the rotating tub 15. In washing-drying operations, the washing and drying steps are performed in sequence. The washing step includes a washing step to wash the clothes, a rinsing step to rinse the clothes, and a dewatering step to remove excess water from the clothes.

[0027] In the drying process, for example, the control unit 70 controls the operation of the motor 16, water inlet valve 441a, blower 51, and heating device 52 based on detection signals from various sensors 61 to 63 to dry the clothes in the rotating tub 15. In other words, the control unit 70 determines the progress or completion of the drying process based on some or all of the temperatures detected by the water temperature sensor 61, inlet temperature sensor 62, and outlet temperature sensor 63, and controls the motor 16, water inlet valve 441a, blower 51, and heating device 52 to execute the drying process.

[0028] During the drying process, the control unit 70 switches the output of the heating device 52 to, for example, "strong," "weak," or "none," based on the progress of the drying process and the detection results of various sensors 61 to 63. In this case, the output of the heating device 52 decreases in steps in the order of "strong," "weak," and "none." If the control unit 70 determines, based on the detection results of various sensors 61 to 63, that the temperature inside the rotating tank 15 has become too low, it sets the output of the heating device 52 to "strong." If the control unit 70 determines, based on the detection results of various sensors 61 to 63, that the temperature inside the rotating tank 15 has become too high, it sets the output of the heating device 52 to "weak" or "none." When the output of the heating device 52 is "none," the heating device 52 is stopped.

[0029] The control unit 70 performs drying detection during the drying process using both the water temperature sensor 61 and the inlet temperature sensor 62. Drying detection means detecting the degree of dryness of the clothes, and it detects when the clothes are somewhat dry, that is, when a certain amount of moisture has evaporated from the clothes. The control unit 70 can perform drying detection when the temperature difference between the temperature of the air flowing through the air passage 40 detected by the inlet temperature sensor 62 and the temperature of the water supplied from the water injection device 441 that flows into the water tank 13 after passing through the heat exchange unit 44 and undergoing heat exchange reaches a predetermined threshold. The drying process includes a blowing period after drying detection, during which the heating device 52 is stopped and the inside of the rotating tank 15 and the clothes inside the rotating tank 15 are cooled. The control unit 70 is not limited to performing drying detection using various sensors 61 to 63; for example, it may also perform drying detection based on the elapsed time since the start of the drying process.

[0030] During the drying process, the outer casing 11 and door 12 of the washing machine 1 may become hot. If a user touches the hot outer casing 11 and door 12, it may cause burns or other malfunctions. For example, the outer casing of the washing machine 1 tends to become hotter during the drying process in the summer when the outside temperature is high, compared to, for example, in the winter when the outside temperature is low. In this case, for example in the summer, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the air in the air passage 40 during the drying process while increasing the time required for the drying operation, thereby suppressing the overheating of the outer casing of the washing machine 1. Thus, in order to suppress the overheating of the outer casing of the washing machine 1, it is necessary to perform appropriate operation, such as adjusting the drying process duration according to the season.

[0031] Therefore, the control unit 70 can execute an operation including a drying process based on control content corresponding to the temperature rank set in stages. A temperature rank is a classification of either the water temperature Tw or the ambient temperature Tr, or both, based on temperature. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, there are four temperature ranks, for example, T0, T1, T2, and T3. Specifically, temperature rank T0 is the category where the water temperature Tw is less than 10°C, and is mainly intended for mid-winter. Temperature rank T1 is the category where the water temperature Tw is 10°C or more and less than 17°C, and is mainly intended for winter. Temperature rank T2 is the category where the water temperature Tw is 17°C or more and less than 25°C and the ambient temperature Tr is less than 25°C, and is mainly intended for spring and autumn. Temperature rank T3 is the category where the water temperature Tw is 25°C or more and the ambient temperature Tr is 25°C or more, and is mainly intended for mid-summer. Note that the number of temperature rank categories is not limited to four.

[0032] The control content corresponding to the temperature rank includes the drying time t, which is the execution time of the drying process. In this case, as shown in Figure 5, the memory area of ​​the control unit 70 stores temperature rank information in which the drying time t corresponding to the temperature rank is defined. The drying time t is set so that, for example, the drying time t increases in the order of temperature ranks T0, T1, T2, and T3.

[0033] Furthermore, the control content corresponding to the temperature rank includes control of the heating device 52 during the drying process. When the temperature rank is T0, T1, or T2, the control unit 70 switches the output of the heating device 52 to "high," "low," or "none," as shown in Figure 6. When the temperature rank is T3, the control unit 70 switches the output of the heating device 52 to "high," "low," or "none," as shown in Figure 7. Also, when the temperature rank is T3, once the control unit 70 switches the output of the heating device 52 from "high" to "low" or "none," the output of the heating device 52 will be "low" or "none" in subsequent control. In other words, when the temperature rank is T3, once the control unit 70 switches the output of the heating device 52 from high output to low output, it will not switch back to high output. This makes it possible to suppress the temperature of the washing machine dryer 1's exterior by suppressing the output of the heating device 52 when the temperature rank is T3 and it is expected to be midsummer.

[0034] Next, we will explain how to determine the temperature rank. For example, in categories where it is easy to determine whether the temperature is high or low, such as temperature ranks T0 and T3, the temperature rank can be accurately determined using the detection result of either the water temperature sensor 61 or the inlet temperature sensor 62. However, for temperature rank T2, which is in the middle of high and low temperatures, it may be difficult to determine the temperature rank using only either the water temperature sensor 61 or the inlet temperature sensor 62.

[0035] Therefore, if either the water temperature Tw or the ambient temperature Tr is within a specific range, which is within the temperature rank T2, the control unit 70 determines the temperature rank using the other temperature of the water temperature Tw or ambient temperature Tr. In this case, if the water temperature Tw is within the temperature rank T2 range, the control unit 70 determines the temperature rank using the ambient temperature Tr. The control unit 70 acquires the water temperature Tw and ambient temperature Tr used in determining the temperature rank, for example, before the start of the drying process.

[0036] A specific example of temperature rank determination performed by the control unit 70 will be explained with reference to Figure 8. Here, the case when a wash and dry operation is performed is shown as an example. When the washing process starts (start), in step S11, the control unit 70 obtains the water temperature Tw based on the detection result of the water temperature sensor 61. Next, in step S12, the control unit 70 determines whether the water temperature Tw is within the range of temperature rank T2, for example, within the range of 17°C or more and less than 25°C. If the water temperature Tw is within the range of temperature rank T2 (YES in step S12), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S13 and obtains the ambient temperature Tr based on the detection result of the inlet temperature sensor 62.

[0037] Next, in step S14, the control unit 70 determines the temperature rank by determining which numerical range the ambient temperature Tr belongs to. Then, in step S15, the control unit 70 determines whether the washing process is complete or not. If the washing process is complete (YES in step S15), the control unit 70 moves the process to step S16 to execute the drying process and ends the series of controls (end).

[0038] On the other hand, if the water temperature Tw is not within the range of temperature rank T2 (NO in step S12), the control unit 70 proceeds to step S17 to determine which numerical range the water temperature Tw belongs to and to determine the temperature rank. Next, the control unit 70 proceeds to step S15 and continues the subsequent processing. In the example in Figure 8, the control unit 70 obtains the ambient temperature Tr after obtaining the water temperature Tw, but it may also obtain the water temperature Tw after obtaining the ambient temperature Tr.

[0039] Furthermore, the control unit 70 can determine the temperature rank using the water temperature Tw if the ambient temperature Tr is within the range of temperature rank T2. In this case, the memory area of ​​the control unit 70 stores temperature rank information in which the drying time t corresponding to the temperature rank is defined, as shown in the example in Figure 9. Then, for example, if the ambient temperature Tr detected by the inlet temperature sensor 62 during the execution of the washing process is within the range of temperature rank T2, the control unit 70 can determine the temperature rank by determining which numerical range the water temperature Tw belongs to.

[0040] According to the embodiment described above, the washing and drying machine 1 comprises a water tank 13, a rotating tub 15, an air passage 40, a heating device 52, a water temperature detection unit 61, ambient temperature detection units 61 and 62, and a control unit 70. The rotating tub 15 is rotatably installed inside the water tank 13 and is capable of accommodating clothes. The air passage 40 is for supplying air into the water tank 13. The heating device 52 heats the air flowing through the air passage 40 to generate warm air. The water temperature detection unit 61 detects the water temperature Tw supplied from an external water source. The ambient temperature detection units 61 and 62 detect the ambient temperature Tr.

[0041] The control unit 70 can perform operations, including the drying process, based on control content corresponding to the steppedly set temperature ranks. Furthermore, if either the water temperature Tw or the ambient temperature Tr is within a specific range, the control unit 70 determines the temperature rank using the other temperature of the water temperature Tw or ambient temperature Tr. This allows for the determination of an appropriate temperature rank using the water temperature Tw and ambient temperature Tr. As a result, appropriate operation can be performed, improving the reliability of the washing machine 1.

[0042] The control unit 70 determines the temperature rank using the ambient temperature Tr when the water temperature Tw is within a specific range. This allows for highly accurate and efficient determination of the temperature rank by prioritizing the water temperature Tw, which has smaller seasonal fluctuations compared to the ambient temperature Tr.

[0043] The control includes the execution time of the drying process. This allows the machine to operate for an appropriate duration, thus avoiding excessive drying and preventing, for example, over-drying of clothes or abnormally high temperatures on the exterior of the washer-dryer 1. This improves the reliability of the washer-dryer 1.

[0044] The control system includes control over the heating device 52 during the drying process. This allows the water tank 13 and the rotating drum 15 to be kept at an appropriate temperature during operation. This prevents, for example, the outer casing of the washing machine 1 from becoming abnormally hot. Therefore, the reliability of the washing machine 1 can be improved.

[0045] The water temperature detection unit 61 is located inside the water tank. This allows the washing and drying processes to be performed based on the water temperature detected by the water temperature detection unit 61, and the water temperature Tw in the water tank 13 detected by the water temperature detection unit 61 can be used in common. This reduces the number of parts and suppresses cost increases while improving the reliability of the washing and drying machine 1.

[0046] The ambient temperature sensing units 61 and 62 are located inside the air passage 40 or the water tank 13. This allows for stable detection of the ambient temperature Tr inside the washing machine 1. As a result, the temperature rank can be appropriately determined, thereby improving the reliability of the washing machine 1.

[0047] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...Washer / dryer, 13...Water tub, 15...Rotating tub, 40...Air duct, 52...Heating device, 61...Water temperature sensor (water temperature detection unit, ambient temperature detection unit), 62...Inlet temperature sensor (ambient temperature detection unit), 70...Control unit

Claims

1. A fish tank and A rotating tank is provided inside the aforementioned water tank so as to be rotatable and capable of accommodating clothing, A duct for supplying air into the water tank, A heating device that generates warm air by heating the air flowing through the aforementioned air passage, A water temperature detection unit that detects the water temperature of water supplied from an external water source, An ambient temperature detection unit that detects the ambient temperature, The system includes a control unit capable of executing an operation including a drying process based on control content corresponding to a stepped temperature rank, The control unit determines the temperature rank using the other temperature of the water temperature or the ambient temperature if either of the water temperature or the ambient temperature is within a specific range. Washer dryer.

2. The control unit determines the temperature rank using the ambient temperature when the water temperature is within a specific range. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1.

3. The control contents include the execution time of the drying process. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1.

4. The control content includes control of the heating device during the execution of the drying process. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1.

5. The water temperature sensing unit is provided inside the water tank. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1.

6. The ambient temperature sensing unit is provided in the air passage or the water tank. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1.

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