Clothing processing apparatus

Abstract

To sterilize the inside of a storage tub in a relatively short time, while suppressing power consumption.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device of an embodiment includes: an operation control part for controlling a clothing treatment operation for performing predetermined treatment with respect to clothing; a storage tub capable of storing the clothing; a steam generation part capable of executing a steam generation operation for generating steam; a steam heating part capable of executing a steam heating operation for heating the steam generated by the steam generation part; a steam supply path for supplying the steam to the storage tub; and a sterilization operation control part for performing a sterilization operation for supplying the steam heated by the steam heating part into the storage tub via the steam supply path by controlling the operation of the steam generation part and the steam heating part and for sterilizing the inside of the storage tub.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a clothing treatment apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in a clothing treatment apparatus such as a washing machine, as it is used over a long period of time, dirt accumulates in a water tank that functions as a storage tank for storing clothing such as laundry, and bacteria, mold, etc. may multiply due to such dirt. Therefore, conventionally, in a washing machine or the like, a configuration for cleaning and disinfecting the inside of the tank may be provided. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose configurations for cleaning and disinfecting the inside of the tank. Hereinafter, the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be referred to as the first prior art, and the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2 will be referred to as the second prior art.

[0003] In the first prior art, a steam generator that generates steam is provided in the circulation air passage of the washing machine, and in order to introduce the steam into the water tank, it is necessary to operate a blower. In the first prior art, when the blower is operated, the temperature of the steam decreases due to the influence of the blowing, so the steam is warmed by energizing a separately provided heater to heat the air. Thus, in the first prior art, there is a problem that electric power is required to drive the blower and the heater, and the power consumption of the washing machine increases accordingly.

[0004] In the second prior art, the configuration is such that the steam generated by the steam generator can be introduced into the water tank of the washing machine without using a blower. However, in the second prior art, warm air is supplied into the tank to prevent condensation in the tank, and electric power is required for that, and there is a problem that the power consumption of the washing machine increases accordingly. Also, in both the first prior art and the second prior art, when introducing steam into the water tank, air circulates in the water tank and the circulation air passage, so the steam hardly stays in the water tank, and it takes a relatively long time to obtain the required disinfection effect.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, there is provided a clothing treatment apparatus that can sterilize the inside of the storage tank in a relatively short time while suppressing power consumption.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The clothing treatment apparatus according to the embodiment includes an operation control unit that controls a clothing treatment operation for performing a predetermined treatment on clothing, a storage tank capable of storing the clothing, a steam generation unit capable of executing a steam generation operation for generating steam, a steam heating unit capable of executing a steam heating operation for heating the steam generated by the steam generation unit, a steam supply path for supplying the steam to the storage tank, a sterilization operation control unit that performs a sterilization operation of supplying the steam heated by the steam heating unit into the storage tank through the steam supply path by controlling the operations of the steam generation unit and the steam heating unit to sterilize the inside of the storage tank, a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature inside the storage tank, and a blower capable of executing a blowing operation for blowing air into the storage tank. An air heating unit capable of performing an air heating operation for heating the air blown by the blower It is provided with. The sterilization operation control unit performs an in-tank heating process of injecting and heating steam into the storage tank and a temperature maintenance process of maintaining the temperature in the storage tank within a predetermined temperature range in the sterilization operation.When performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit switches whether to execute the steam heating operation by the steam heating unit according to the detected temperature, which is the temperature inside the storage tank detected by the temperature detection unit. When performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit stops the steam heating operation by the steam heating unit when the detected temperature reaches the first temperature. When performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit stops the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit and executes the air blowing operation by the blower when the detected temperature reaches a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The sterilization operation control unit is configured to stop the operation of at least one of the blower and the air heating unit during the period in which the in-tank heating process and the temperature maintenance process are performed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11.

[0010] <Overall Configuration of Washing Machine> As shown in FIG. 1, the washing machine 10 of the present embodiment is a drum-type washing machine of a horizontal-axis type in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub 13 is horizontal or an inclined-axis type in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub 13 is inclined downward toward the rear. Note that the washing machine 10 may be a vertical-axis type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub 13 is in the vertical direction. The washing machine 10 can execute a clothing treatment operation, which is an operation for performing predetermined treatments such as washing, rinsing, dehydrating, and drying on clothing, and is an example of a clothing treatment device. Specifically, the washing machine 1 can execute a washing operation, a drying operation, and a wash-dry operation.

[0011] The washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tub 12, a rotary tub 13, a motor 14, a drainage path 15, a drain valve 16, a circulation path 17, a circulation pump 18, a heater 19, and the like. In FIG. 1, the installation surface side of the washing machine 10, that is, the vertically lower side, is defined as the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the side opposite to the installation surface, that is, the vertically upper side, is defined as the upper side of the washing machine 10. Also, the front side as viewed from the user of the washing machine 10 is defined as the front side of the washing machine 10, and the side opposite to the user, that is, the back side of the washing machine 10, is defined as the rear side of the washing machine 10.

[0012] The outer box 11, which is a housing, is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape by, for example, a steel plate. The water tank 12 is disposed inside the outer box 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotary tub 13, which is a drum, is rotatably disposed inside the water tank 12. Both the water tank 12 and the rotary tub 13 are formed in a so-called bottomed cylindrical shape, with one axial side (i.e., the front side) of the cylindrical shape being open and the other side (i.e., the rear side) having a bottom. The water tank 12 is configured to be able to receive and take out laundry, which is clothing, therein, and functions as a storage tank capable of storing clothing.

[0013] Further, the rotary tub 13 has a baffle 131 and a number of holes 132. The baffle 131 is provided in plural (for example, three) on the inner peripheral wall of the rotary tub 13 and has a function of stirring and scooping up the laundry stored in the rotary tub 13. The holes 132 are formed over the entire area of the inner peripheral wall of the rotary tub 13 and function as water passage holes through which water enters and exits, for example, during the dehydration process.

[0014] The motor 14 is provided outside the bottom of the water tank 12. The motor 14 is connected to the rotary tub 13 and has a function of directly driving the rotary tub 13 to rotate. Although not shown in detail, the motor 14 is composed of, for example, a brushless direct drive motor capable of changing the rotation speed. Note that the motor 14 is not limited to a direct drive motor and may have a configuration having a clutch mechanism, a brake device, and the like.

[0015] The drainage path 15 is a path for discharging the water stored in the water tank 12 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drainage path 15 is composed of, for example, a flexible drainage hose. One end thereof is connected to the drain valve 16, and the other end is drawn out to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain valve 16 is a liquid on-off valve capable of electromagnetic opening and closing operation. The drain valve 16 is provided between the drain port 121 provided at the bottom of the water tank 12 and the drainage path 15. The drain valve 16 opens and closes the drainage path 15 based on a control signal from the control device 50 shown in FIG. 2.

[0016] The circulation path 17 is provided outside the water tank 12. The circulation path 17 is a path for pumping up the water stored in the water tank 12 and supplying the pumped-up water into the water tank 12 again from the upper part of the water tank 12. One end of the circulation path 17 is connected to the drain port 121 via the circulation pump 18, and the other end is connected to the nozzle part 171 provided at the upper part of the water tank 12. Although not shown in detail, the nozzle part 171 is configured such that the water discharged from the nozzle part 171 is discharged in a shower shape toward the center side of the water tank 12.

[0017] The circulation pump 18 is provided on the circulation path 17. When the circulation pump 18 is driven with the drain path 15 closed by the drain valve 16, the circulation pump 18 pumps up the water in the water tank 12 through the drain port 121 and fills the water tank 12 again from the nozzle part 171. Thereby, the circulation pump 18 circulates the water stored in the water tank 12 through the circulation path 17. The heater 19 is provided at the bottom of the water tank 12. The heater 19 has a function of heating the water supplied to the water tank 12 to make it warm water. Thereby, the washing machine 10 can execute a washing process or a rinsing process using warm water.

[0018] Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes a warm air supply path 61, a heating device 62, and a blower 63. The warm air supply path 61 is provided outside the water tank 12 and has a function of supplying warm air for drying into the water tank 12. In the case of this embodiment, the warm air supply path 61 is configured as a circulation air path that circulates inside and outside the water tank 12. In this case, the warm air supply path 61 sucks in the air in the water tank 12 and the rotary tank 13, and supplies the sucked-in air into the water tank 12 again from the upper part of the water tank 12. One end of the warm air supply path 61 is connected near the lower end on the back side of the water tank 12, and the other end is connected near the upper front end on the front side of the water tank 12.

[0019] The heating device 62 and the blower 63 are provided in the middle of the warm air supply path 61. The heating device 62 has a function of heating the air in the warm air supply path 61 to generate warm air that is supplied from the warm air supply path 61 into the water tank 12. The warm air generated by the heating device 62 is supplied into the water tank 12 by the action of the blower 63. That is, the blower 63 can execute a blowing operation of blowing air into the water tank 12. Further, the heating device 62 can execute an air heating operation of heating the air blown by the blower 63 and functions as an air heating unit. In this case, as the heating method of the heating device 62, for example, a heat pump type, a heater type, or the like can be adopted.

[0020] Further, the washing machine 10 has a connection port 21, a water supply path 22, a water supply valve 23, and a detergent automatic feeder 30. The connection port 21 is connected to an external water source such as a faucet of a water supply through a hose 100. The water supply path 22 is a path for supplying water supplied from an external water source into the water tank 12 and the rotary tub 13. One end of the water supply path 22 is connected to the water supply valve 23, and the other end is connected to the water tank 12. The water supply valve 23 is an on-off valve for liquid that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. The water supply valve 23 is provided between the connection port 21 and the water supply path 22. The water supply valve 23 opens and closes the water supply path 22 based on a control signal from the control device 50.

[0021] The detergent automatic feeder 30 has a function of storing washing detergents such as detergents required for a plurality of washing operations and automatically feeding a required amount of the washing detergent into the water tank 12 as the washing operation progresses. The detergent automatic feeder 30 is provided, for example, at the upper part of the outer box 11 and is connected to the water supply path 22. The water supplied from an external water supply source is directly mixed with the washing detergent supplied from the detergent automatic feeder 30 in the water supply path 22 and is supplied into the water tank 12.

[0022] In this case, the chemical agent automatic feeder 30 is configured to be able to automatically supply the laundry chemical agent stored in the chemical agent automatic feeder 30 into the water tank 12 in advance, for example, using a piston pump (not shown). The washing machine 10 may be configured to include a manual feeder in addition to the chemical agent automatic feeder 30, and the user manually inputs the laundry chemical agent required for one washing operation into the manual feeder before starting the washing operation. In this specification, the laundry chemical agent is a concept including detergents such as powder detergents and liquid detergents, and finishing agents such as softeners and fragrance agents. In this case, the chemical agent automatic feeder 30 is compatible with liquid detergents and liquid finishing agents, and the manual feeder is compatible with both liquid detergents and powder detergents and liquid finishing agents.

[0023] The washing machine 10 also has a steam generator 71, a steam heating device 72, a water supply path 73, and a steam supply path 74. The steam generator 71 is capable of performing a steam generation operation to generate steam and functions as a steam generation unit. The water supply path 73 is a path for supplying water supplied from an external water source to the steam generator 71. One end of the water supply path 73 is connected to the water supply valve 23, and the other end is connected to the steam generator 71. The steam supply path 74 is a path different from the warm air supply path 61 and is a path for supplying the steam generated by the steam generator 71 to the water tank 12.

[0024] One end of the steam supply path 74 is connected to the steam generator 71, and the other end serves as a steam inlet, which communicates with the water tank 12. The steam heating device 72 is capable of performing a heating operation to heat the steam generated by the steam generator 71 and functions as a steam heating unit. The steam heating device 72 is provided in the middle of the steam supply path 74. That is, in this case, the steam heating device 72 is provided so as to be located on the downstream side in the steam flow with respect to the steam generator 71. Thus, the steam generated by the steam generator 71 is supplied into the water tank 12 via the steam heating device 72.

[0025] Also, in this case, the steam generator 71 is provided to be located above the water tank 12. Further, in this case, the steam generator 71, the steam heating device 72, and the steam supply path 74 are each configured so as not to be in contact with the water supply path 22, that is, not to be in contact. Here, the term "in contact" includes not only the case of complete contact but also the case where the distance between them is such that heat can be easily transferred between them.

[0026] <Specific configuration of the steam generator> As a specific configuration of the steam generator 71, for example, the configuration example shown in FIG. 3 can be cited. As shown in FIG. 3, the steam generator 71 of this configuration example includes a water injection port 711, a tank 712, a heater 713, a temperature sensor 714, and a steam discharge port 715. The water injection port 711 is connected to one end of the water supply path 73 described above. The water supplied from an external water source through the water injection port 711 is supplied to the tank 712. The tank 712 stores water for generating steam.

[0027] The heater 713 is configured to heat the tank 712 when energized. The temperature sensor 714 detects the temperature inside the tank 712 and is provided to control the energization of the heater 713 so that the temperature inside the tank 712 is maintained at an appropriate temperature. The steam discharge port 715 is connected to one end of the steam supply path 74 described above. The steam generated inside the tank 712 is discharged to the outside of the steam generator 71 through the steam discharge port 715.

[0028] According to the above configuration, water can be supplied into the tank 712 and steam, which is water vapor, can be generated by heating with the heater 713. Specifically, in the above configuration, first, the water supply to the tank 712 is started, and then the heater 713 is energized. When the heater 713 is energized, the tank 712 is heated, and the water stored in the tank 712 is heated by the heat and turns into water vapor. Then, the water vapor is discharged from the vapor discharge port 715 to the outside of the tank 712. The water vapor discharged to the outside of the tank 712 is sent to the steam heating device 72 through the steam supply path 74. Such a series of operations corresponds to the steam generation operation.

[0029] <Specific Configuration of Steam Heating Device> As specific configurations of the steam heating device 72, for example, a first configuration example shown in FIG. 4, a second configuration example shown in FIG. 5, etc. can be cited. [1] First Configuration Example As shown in FIG. 4, the steam heating device 72a of the first configuration example includes, for example, a metal pipe 721 and a coil 722. The pipe 721 is for allowing steam to pass through, one end thereof serves as the steam inlet, and the other end thereof serves as the steam outlet. The coil 722 is attached so as to cover the pipe 721. According to the above configuration, steam can be heated as follows.

[0030] That is, by passing an electric current through the coil 722, eddy currents are generated in the pipe 721, and thereby the pipe 721 is heated. As a result, the steam passing through the pipe 721 is heated by the heat of the pipe 721. Such a series of operations corresponds to the steam heating operation. Then, the steam is discharged from the other end of the pipe 721, and the discharged steam is introduced into the water tank 12 through the steam supply path 74.

[0031] [2] Second Configuration Example As shown in Fig. 5, the steam heating device 72b of the second configuration example differs from the steam heating device 72a of the first configuration example in that a heater 723 is provided instead of the coil 722. The heater 723 is configured to heat the pipe 721 when energized. According to the above configuration, steam can be heated as follows. That is, when the heater 723 is energized, the pipe 721 is heated. As a result, the steam passing through the pipe 721 is heated by the heat of the pipe 721.

[0032] <Electrical Configuration of Washing Machine> As shown in Fig. 2, the washing machine 10 includes an operation panel 41, a current sensor 42, a water level sensor 43, and a control device 50. The operation panel 41 has a display unit and an operation unit, receives the input operations of the user, and displays the input operation contents and the operation status. The current sensor 42 can detect the current flowing through the motor 14. The water level sensor 43 can detect the water level in the water tank 12.

[0033] The control device 50 is mainly composed of, for example, a CPU (not shown), a microcomputer having a storage area such as a ROM, a RAM, and a rewritable flash memory, and controls the overall operation of the washing machine 10. The motor 14, the drain valve 16, the circulation pump 18, the heater 19, the water supply valve 23, the operation panel 41, the current sensor 42, the water level sensor 43, the heating device 62, the blower 63, the steam generator 71, and the steam heating device 72 are electrically connected to the control device 50. These motor 14, drain valve 16, circulation pump 18, heater 19, water supply valve 23, operation panel 41, current sensor 42, water level sensor 43, heating device 62, blower 63, steam generator 71, and steam heating device 72 are controlled by the control device 50.

[0034] The control device 50 includes functional blocks such as an operation control unit 51, a sterilization operation control unit 52, and a temperature detection unit 53. These functional blocks are realized by the CPU of the control device 50 executing a computer program stored in a ROM or the like to perform processing corresponding to the computer program, that is, they are realized by software. Note that at least a part of each functional block may be configured to be realized by hardware such as an integrated circuit.

[0035] The operation control unit 51 controls a clothing treatment operation for performing a predetermined treatment on clothing, specifically, a washing operation, a drying operation, and a wash-dry operation. Among these clothing treatment operations, the washing operation and the wash-dry operation are operations that include a water supply operation for supplying water to the water tank 12. The sterilization operation control unit 52 performs a sterilization operation by controlling the operations of the steam generator 71 and the steam heating device 72. The sterilization operation is an operation for sterilizing the inside of the water tank 12 by supplying steam heated by the steam heating device 72 into the water tank 12 through the steam supply path 74.

[0036] The temperature detection unit 53 detects the temperature inside the water tank 12 via a temperature sensor (not shown). In this case, when performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit 52 switches whether to execute the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 according to the detected temperature Td, which is the temperature inside the water tank 12 detected by the temperature detection unit 53. Specifically, when performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit 52 stops the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 when the detected temperature Td reaches the first temperature T1.

[0037] In addition, when performing the sterilization operation control, when the detected temperature Td reaches the second temperature T2 which is higher than the first temperature T1, the sterilization operation control unit 52 stops the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 and executes the air blowing operation by the blower 63. The first temperature T1 is a predetermined temperature, and in this embodiment, it is set to 70°C, for example. The second temperature T2 is also a predetermined temperature, and in this embodiment, it is set to 90°C, for example. Further, the sterilization operation control unit 52 switches whether to execute the air heating operation by the heating device 62 according to the detected temperature Td.

[0038] Next, the specific content of the sterilization operation executed by the above configuration will be described. In the sterilization operation, the processes of "heating inside the tank", "maintaining the temperature" and "drying inside the tank" are executed in this order. Hereinafter, an example of the content of these three processes will be described.

[0039] [1] Heating inside the tank and maintaining the temperature The process of heating inside the tank is a process of sterilizing the inside of the water tank 12 by injecting and heating steam into the water tank 12, and has the content as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, for example. When the process of heating inside the tank is started, first, step S101 is executed. In step S101, the execution of the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 is started, that is, steam generation is started. After the execution of step S101, the process proceeds to step S102, and it is determined whether the detected temperature Td is less than the first temperature T1. Here, when the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the first temperature T1, "NO" is obtained in step S102, and steps S103 to S105 described later are skipped and the process proceeds to step S106.

[0040] On the one hand, when the detected temperature Td is lower than the first temperature T1, "YES" is obtained in step S102, and the process proceeds to step S103. In step S103, the execution of the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 is started, that is, the steam heating is started. After the execution of step S103, the process proceeds to step S104, and it is determined whether the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the first temperature T1. Here, when the detected temperature Td is lower than the first temperature T1, "NO" is obtained in step S104, and step S104 is executed again, that is, step S104 is repeatedly executed until the detected temperature Td becomes equal to or higher than the first temperature T1.

[0041] On the other hand, when the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the first temperature T1, "YES" is obtained in step S104, and the process proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the execution of the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 is stopped, that is, the steam heating is stopped. However, at this time, the execution of the steam generation operation by the steam generation device 71 is continued, that is, the steam generation is continued. After the execution of step S105, the process proceeds to step S106.

[0042] In step S106, it is determined whether the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the second temperature T2. Here, when the detected temperature Td is lower than the second temperature T2, "NO" is obtained in step S106, and step S106 is executed again, that is, step S106 is repeatedly executed until the detected temperature Td becomes equal to or higher than the second temperature T2. On the other hand, when the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the second temperature T2, "YES" is obtained in step S106, and the process proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the execution of the steam generation operation by the steam generation device 71 is stopped, that is, the steam generation is stopped. After the execution of step S107, the processing of the in-tank heating is completed.

[0043] The temperature maintenance process is a process of maintaining the temperature in the water tank 12 within a predetermined temperature range, and for example, it has the content as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7. When the temperature maintenance process is started, first, step S201 is executed. In step S201, it is determined whether or not a time ta has elapsed starting from the point in time when the in-tank heating process has ended, more specifically, the point in time when the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 has stopped. Note that the time ta is a predetermined time determined in advance, and in this embodiment, it is set to 20 minutes, for example.

[0044] Here, if the time ta has elapsed starting from the point in time when the in-tank heating process has ended, "YES" is obtained in step S201, and the temperature maintenance process ends. On the other hand, if the time ta has not elapsed starting from the point in time when the in-tank heating process has ended, "NO" is obtained in step S201, and the process proceeds to step S202. In step S202, it is determined whether or not the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 is being executed, that is, whether or not steam is being generated. Here, if steam is not being generated, "NO" is obtained in step S202, and the process proceeds to step S203.

[0045] In step S203, it is determined whether or not the detected temperature Td is less than a third temperature T3 that is between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2. The third temperature T3 is a predetermined temperature determined in advance, and in this embodiment, it is set to 80°C, for example. Here, if the detected temperature Td is less than the third temperature T3, "YES" is obtained in step S203, and the process proceeds to step S204. In step S204, the execution of the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 is started, that is, steam generation is started. After the execution of step S204, the process returns to step S201. On the other hand, if the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the third temperature, "NO" is obtained in step S203, step S204 is skipped, and the process returns to step S201.

[0046] On the other hand, when steam is being generated, the process proceeds to step S205 with a "YES" in step S202. In step S205, it is determined whether the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the third temperature T3. Here, if the detected temperature Td is lower than the third temperature T3, the process proceeds to step S204 with a "NO" in step S205. On the other hand, if the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the third temperature T3, the process proceeds to step S206 with a "YES" in step S205. In step S206, the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 is stopped, that is, steam generation is stopped. After the execution of step S206, the process returns to step S201.

[0047] By executing each of the above-described processes of heating inside the tank and maintaining the temperature, steam is introduced into the water tank 12 in the following flow, the inside of the water tank 12 is heated, and the temperature inside the water tank 12 is maintained at a temperature within a predetermined range. During the period in which the process of heating inside the tank is executed and the period in which the process of maintaining the temperature is executed, the detected temperature Td, that is, the temperature inside the water tank 12, changes as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 8, for example. In FIG. 8 and the like, the temperature inside the water tank 12 is referred to as the temperature inside the tank. Also, in FIG. 8 and the like, the execution of the steam generation operation by the steam generator 71 and the steam heating operation by the steam heater 72 is referred to as "ON", and the stop thereof is referred to as "OFF".

[0048] First, when steam is introduced when the detected temperature Td is lower than the first temperature T1, not only the steam generator 71 but also the steam heater 72 operates simultaneously, that is, both the steam generation operation and the steam heating operation are executed. Then, the steam generated by the steam generator 71 is heated by the steam heater 72 and then introduced into the water tank 12. Since the temperature of the normal steam is close to 100°C and the temperature further rises, the temperature inside the water tank 12 rises rapidly accordingly.

[0049] On the other hand, when the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the first temperature T1, the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 is stopped when steam is introduced. That is, only the steam generation operation is executed. Then, the steam generated by the steam generation device 71 is directly introduced into the water tank 12. Therefore, the temperature in the water tank 12 rises relatively gently. After that, when the detected temperature Td becomes equal to or higher than the second temperature T2, the steam generation operation by the steam generation device 71 is also stopped, and the in-tank heating process ends.

[0050] In the temperature maintenance process, it waits until a time ta elapses starting from the point when the in-tank heating process ends. Therefore, the period during which the temperature maintenance process is performed is equal to the time ta. In the temperature maintenance process, if the temperature in the water tank 12 becomes lower than the third temperature T3 before the time ta elapses, the steam generation operation by the steam generation device 71 is executed again. As a result, since steam is introduced into the water tank 12 again, the temperature in the water tank 12 changes from a decrease to an increase. Then, when the time ta elapses from the point when the in-tank heating process ends, the temperature maintenance process ends, and the disinfection in the water tank 12 is completed at this time.

[0051] [2] In-tank drying The in-tank drying process is a process of drying the inside of the water tank 12 by blowing air into the water tank 12, and for example, it has the content shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9. When the in-tank drying process is started, first, step S301 is executed. In step S301, the blowing operation by the blower 63 is started, that is, the blowing starts. After the execution of step S301, it proceeds to step S302, and it is determined whether the detected temperature Td is less than a fourth temperature T4 that is lower than the first temperature T1. The fourth temperature T4 is a predetermined temperature, and in this embodiment, it is set to 60°C, for example.

[0052] Here, when the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the fourth temperature T4, the result in step S302 is "NO", and step S302 is executed again, that is, step S302 is repeatedly executed until the detected temperature Td becomes lower than the fourth temperature T4. On the other hand, when the detected temperature Td is lower than the fourth temperature T4, the result in step S302 is "YES", and the process proceeds to step S303. In step S303, the operation of heating air by the heating device 62 is started, that is, the air heating is started. At this time, since the operation of blowing air by the blower 63 is being continued, after the execution of step S303, in addition to the blowing operation, the air heating operation is also executed.

[0053] After the execution of step S303, the process proceeds to step S304, and it is determined whether the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the first temperature T1. Here, when the detected temperature Td is lower than the first temperature T1, the result in step S304 is "NO", and step S304 is executed again, that is, step S304 is repeatedly executed until the detected temperature Td becomes equal to or higher than the first temperature T1. On the other hand, when the detected temperature Td is equal to or higher than the first temperature T1, the result in step S304 is "YES", and the process proceeds to step S305.

[0054] In step S305, the operation of heating air by the heating device 62 is stopped, that is, the air heating is stopped. At this time, since the operation of blowing air by the blower 63 is being continued, after the execution of step S305, only the blowing operation is executed. After the execution of step S305, the process proceeds to step S306, and it is determined whether a time tb has elapsed since the point in time when the air heating was stopped. Note that the time tb is a predetermined time, and in this embodiment, it is set to, for example, 10 minutes.

[0055] Here, if the time tb has not elapsed since the air heating was stopped, the answer in step S306 is "NO", and step S306 is executed again, that is, step S306 is repeatedly executed until the time tb elapses since the air heating was stopped. On the other hand, if the time tb has elapsed since the air heating was stopped, the answer in step S306 is "YES", and the process proceeds to step S307. In step S307, the operation of the blower 63 is stopped, that is, the air supply is stopped. After the execution of step S307, the process of drying inside the tank is completed.

[0056] By executing the above-described process of drying inside the tank, the inside of the water tank 12 is dried in the following flow. During the period when the process of drying inside the tank is executed, the detected temperature Td, that is, the temperature inside the water tank 12, changes as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 10, for example. In FIG. 10 and the like, the operation of the blower 63 and the operation of heating the air by the heating device 62 are referred to as "ON" when they are executed and "OFF" when they are stopped. That is, after the completion of the temperature maintenance process, that is, after the sterilization is completed, the air is blown into the water tank 12 by the operation of the blower 63 to dry the inside of the water tank 12. At this time, according to the detected temperature Td, that is, the temperature inside the water tank 12, the operation of heating the air by the heating device 62 is executed to accelerate the drying.

[0057] Specifically, when the temperature inside the water tank 12 drops below the fourth temperature T4 due to the air supply, the operation of heating the air by the heating device 62 is executed, and thus warm air is supplied into the water tank 12. When the temperature inside the water tank 12 rises above the first temperature T1 due to such warm air, the operation of heating the air by the heating device 62 is stopped. Then, such a state, that is, the state where only the air supply is performed, continues for the time tb, and then the air supply is also stopped.

[0058] According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. The washing machine 10 of the present embodiment includes a steam generator 71 capable of performing a steam generation operation for generating steam, a steam heater 72 capable of performing a steam heating operation for heating the steam generated by the steam generator 71, a steam supply path 74 for supplying the steam to the water tank 12, and a sterilization operation control unit 52 that controls the operations of the steam generator 71 and the steam heater 72 to supply the steam heated by the steam heater 72 into the water tank 12 via the steam supply path 74 to perform a sterilization operation for sterilizing the inside of the water tank 12.

[0059] According to such a configuration, by further heating the steam generated by the steam generator 71, steam at an even higher temperature is created, and by introducing the high-temperature steam into the water tank 12, the inside of the water tank 12 is quickly heated to a high temperature and high humidity. As shown in FIG. 11, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, compared with a comparative example in which the steam generated by the steam generator 71 is directly introduced into the water tank 12 without providing the steam heater 72, it is possible to raise the temperature inside the water tank 12 to the target temperature in a very short time, and thereby, it is possible to sterilize the inside of the water tank 12 in a shorter time.

[0060] During the period in which each process of heating inside the tank and maintaining the temperature, that is, the period until sterilization is completed, in the sterilization operation of the present embodiment, the blower 63 and the heater 62 are not operated, and only the steam generator 71 and the steam heater 72 are operated. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the movement of the steam outside the water tank 12 due to blowing and the decrease in the steam temperature are prevented. As a result, it is possible to sufficiently retain the steam with an increased temperature inside the water tank 12, and a sterilization effect can be obtained in a shorter time.

[0061] Further, according to the present embodiment, since the blower 63 and the heater 62 do not operate during the period until sterilization is completed, the power consumption of the washing machine 10 is suppressed accordingly, that is, as a result, it is possible to sterilize with less energy. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, an excellent effect of being able to sterilize the inside of the water tank 12 in a relatively short time while suppressing the power consumption is obtained.

[0062] In this embodiment, the steam heating device 72 is provided so as to be located on the downstream side in the steam flow with respect to the steam generating device 71. And it is configured such that the steam generated by the steam generating device 71 is supplied into the water tank 12 through the steam heating device 72. According to such a configuration, it is possible to easily switch whether to heat the steam only by switching the operating state of the steam heating device 72.

[0063] In this embodiment, the steam generating device 71 is provided so as to be located above the water tank 12. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the influence of the temperature of the water supplied into the water tank 12 on the steam generating device 71. That is, by doing so, even when the water temperature in the water tank 12 is relatively low, it becomes difficult for the temperature of the steam generating device 71 itself to decrease due to the influence of that temperature, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the steam temperature from decreasing. Note that if the steam temperature decreases, there is a possibility that condensation may occur and it may become difficult to obtain a sterilization effect, but according to the above configuration, it is also possible to prevent the occurrence of such a problem. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, when the temperature in the water tank 12 becomes relatively high, the temperature of the steam generating device 71 itself rises due to the influence of the waste heat, so it is possible to prevent the steam temperature from decreasing.

[0064] In this embodiment, at least one of the steam generating device 71, the steam heating device 72, and the steam supply path 74 is configured not to be in contact with the water supply path 22. According to such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the influence of the temperature of the water during the water supply operation of supplying water into the water tank 12 on the steam. That is, according to such a configuration, even when the temperature of the supplied water is relatively low, it is possible to prevent the steam temperature from decreasing due to the influence of that temperature.

[0065] In this embodiment, when performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit 52 switches whether to execute the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 according to the detected temperature Td, which is the temperature inside the water tank 12 detected by the temperature detection unit 53. By doing so, it becomes possible to introduce heated steam into the water tank 12 during the period until the temperature inside the water tank 12 rises sufficiently, and the temperature inside the water tank 12 can be quickly increased. Further, when performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit 52 stops the steam heating operation by the steam heating device 72 when the detected temperature Td reaches the first temperature T1. By doing so, when the temperature inside the water tank 12 rises sufficiently, the operation of the steam heating device 72 is stopped, and accordingly, the power consumption of the washing machine 10 can be kept low.

[0066] In this embodiment, when performing the sterilization operation, when the detected temperature Td reaches the second temperature T2, which is higher than the first temperature T1, the sterilization operation control unit 52 stops the steam generation operation by the steam generation device 71 and executes the air blowing operation of blowing air into the water tank 12 by the blower 63. By doing so, after maintaining the inside of the water tank 12 in a high-temperature state and a high-humidity state to a certain extent, that is, after the sterilization is completed, it becomes possible to dry the inside of the water tank 12 by stopping the supply of steam into the water tank 12 and blowing air, and as a result, the reproduction of bacteria, mold, etc. can be suppressed.

[0067] In this embodiment, the sterilization operation control unit 52 switches whether to execute the air heating operation of heating the air blown by the blower 63 by the heating device 62 according to the detected temperature Td. By doing so, it becomes possible to supply warm air into the water tank 12 according to the temperature inside the water tank 12, and as a result, the inside of the water tank 12 can be dried more quickly after the sterilization is completed.

[0068] (Second Embodiment) Hereinafter, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14. As shown in FIG. 12, the control device 50 of the present embodiment further includes a function block called a humidity detection unit 54. The humidity detection unit 54 detects the humidity in the water tank 12 via a humidity sensor (not shown). In this case, the sterilization operation control unit 52 switches whether to execute the air heating operation by the heating device 62 according to the detected humidity Hd, which is the humidity in the water tank 12 detected by the humidity detection unit 54.

[0069] Next, the specific content of the sterilization operation executed by the above configuration will be described. In the present embodiment, compared with the first embodiment, the processing content of "in-tank drying" in the sterilization operation is different as follows. That is, the processing of in-tank drying in the present embodiment is, for example, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13. Compared with the processing of in-tank drying in the first embodiment, step S322 is provided instead of step S302, and step S324 is provided instead of step S304, etc.

[0070] In step S322, it is determined whether the detected humidity Hd is greater than or equal to the first humidity H1. The first humidity H1 is a predetermined humidity, which is set to 50%RH in the present embodiment, for example. Here, if the detected humidity Hd is less than the first humidity H1, "NO" is obtained in step S322, and step S322 is executed again, that is, step S322 is repeatedly executed until the detected humidity Hd is greater than or equal to the first humidity H1. On the other hand, if the detected humidity Hd is greater than or equal to the first humidity H1, "YES" is obtained in step S322, and the process proceeds to step S303.

[0071] In step S324, it is determined whether the detected humidity Hd is less than the second humidity H2 which is less than the first humidity H1. The second humidity H2 is a predetermined humidity, and in this embodiment, it is set to 10%RH, for example. Here, if the detected humidity Hd is greater than or equal to the second humidity H2, the result in step S324 is "NO", and step S324 is executed again, that is, step S324 is repeatedly executed until the detected humidity Hd becomes less than the second humidity H2. On the other hand, if the detected humidity Hd is less than the second humidity H2, the result in step S324 is "YES", and the process proceeds to step S305.

[0072] By executing the above-described tank drying process, the inside of the water tank 12 is dried in the following flow. During the period when the tank drying process is executed, the detected humidity Hd, that is, the humidity inside the water tank 12, changes as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 14, for example. In FIG. 14 and the like, the humidity inside the water tank 12 is referred to as the humidity inside the tank. That is, after the completion of the temperature maintenance process, that is, after the completion of the sterilization, air is blown into the water tank 12 by the blower 63 to dry the inside of the water tank 12. At this time, according to the detected humidity Hd, that is, the humidity inside the water tank 12, the air heating operation by the heating device 62 is executed to accelerate the drying.

[0073] Specifically, when the humidity inside the water tank 12 is greater than or equal to the first humidity H1, the air heating operation by the heating device 62 is executed, and thus warm air is supplied into the water tank 12. When the humidity inside the water tank 12 decreases below the second humidity H2 due to such warm air, the air heating operation by the heating device 62 is stopped. Then, such a state, that is, the state where only blowing is performed, continues for a time tb, and then the blowing is also stopped.

[0074] According to the present embodiment described above, similar effects to those of the first embodiment can be obtained, that is, an excellent effect of being able to sterilize the inside of the water tank 12 in a relatively short time while suppressing power consumption. In the present embodiment, the sterilization operation control unit 52 switches whether to execute an air heating operation of heating the air blown by the blower 63 by the heating device 62 according to the detected humidity Hd. By doing so, it becomes possible to supply warm air into the water tank 12 according to the humidity inside the water tank 12. As a result, after the sterilization is completed, the inside of the water tank 12 can be dried more quickly.

[0075] (Other embodiments) Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and can be arbitrarily modified, combined, or extended without departing from the gist thereof. The numerical values and the like shown in the above embodiments are examples and are not limited thereto.

[0076] The present invention is not limited to the washing machine 10 which is a drum type washing and drying machine, and can be applied to general clothing treatment apparatuses that execute clothing treatment operations for performing predetermined treatments on clothing such as washing, drying, and deodorizing, such as vertical axis type washing machines, washing and drying machines, and drying machines. The installation location of the steam generator 71 is not limited to being above the water tank 12, and can be appropriately changed as long as it can prevent the decrease in the steam temperature.

[0077] In the above embodiments, each of the steam generator 71, the steam heating device 72, and the steam supply path 74 is configured not to be in contact with the water supply path 22. However, at least one of the steam generator 71, the steam heating device 72, and the steam supply path 74 may be configured not to be in contact with the water supply path 22. Even with such a configuration, the effect of reducing the influence of the water temperature during the water supply operation on the steam can be obtained. For example, it is preferable to configure the steam heating device 72 and the steam supply path 74, for which the influence of the decrease in the steam temperature is considered to be particularly large, not to be in contact with the water supply path 22.

[0078] The sterilization operation control unit 52 may execute and stop the steam heating operation by the steam generator 71 and the steam heating operation by the steam heater 72 simultaneously. By doing so, when the sterilization operation is performed, the generated steam is always heated, so that the temperature in the water tank 12 can be raised to the target temperature even faster. The sterilization operation control unit 52 can also prevent the air heating operation by the heater 62 from being always executed during the tank drying process. However, when doing so, it is necessary to discharge the air containing moisture outside the washing machine 10 through, for example, an exhaust damper or the like.

[0079] As described above, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, 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, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0080] In the drawings, 10 is a washing machine (clothes treatment apparatus), 12 is a water tank (accommodation tank), 22 is a water supply path, 50 is a control device, 51 is an operation control unit, 52 is a sterilization operation control unit, 53 is a temperature detection unit, 54 is a humidity detection unit, 62 is a heater (air heating unit), 63 is a blower, 71 is a steam generator (steam generation unit), 72 is a steam heater (steam heating unit), and 74 is a steam supply path.

Claims

1. An operation control unit that controls a clothing processing operation for performing a predetermined process on clothing, A storage tank capable of storing the clothing, A steam generation unit capable of performing a steam generation operation for generating steam, A steam heating unit capable of performing a steam heating operation for heating the steam generated by the steam generation unit, A steam supply path for supplying the steam to the storage tank, A sterilization operation control unit that performs a sterilization operation of supplying the steam heated by the steam heating unit into the storage tank through the steam supply path by controlling the operations of the steam generation unit and the steam heating unit to sterilize the inside of the storage tank, A temperature detection unit that detects the temperature inside the storage tank, A blower capable of performing a blowing operation of blowing air into the storage tank, An air heating unit capable of performing an air heating operation for heating the air blown by the blower, Comprising The sterilization operation control unit Performs an in-tank heating process of injecting and heating steam into the storage tank in the sterilization operation and a temperature maintenance process of maintaining the temperature inside the storage tank at a temperature within a predetermined range, When performing the sterilization operation, it is configured to switch whether to perform the steam heating operation by the steam heating unit according to the detected temperature, which is the temperature inside the storage tank detected by the temperature detection unit, When performing the sterilization operation, when the detected temperature reaches a first temperature, the steam heating operation by the steam heating unit is stopped, When performing the sterilization operation, when the detected temperature reaches a second temperature higher than the first temperature, the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit is stopped and the blowing operation by the blower is performed, A clothing processing apparatus configured to stop the operation of at least one of the blower and the air heating unit during the period in which the in-tank heating process and the temperature maintenance process are performed.

2. An operation control unit that controls a clothing processing operation for performing a predetermined process on clothing, A storage tank capable of storing the clothing, A steam generation unit capable of performing a steam generation operation for generating steam, A steam heating unit capable of performing a steam heating operation for heating the steam generated by the steam generation unit, A steam supply path for supplying the steam to the storage tank, A sterilization operation control unit that performs a sterilization operation of supplying, via the steam supply path, steam generated by the steam generation unit or steam heated by the steam heating unit into the storage tank by controlling the operations of the steam generation unit and the steam heating unit to sterilize the inside of the storage tank; A blower capable of performing a blowing operation of blowing air into the storage tank; An air heating unit capable of performing an air heating operation of heating the air blown by the blower; Comprising; The sterilization operation control unit; In the sterilization operation, a tank internal heating process of injecting and heating steam into the storage tank and a temperature maintenance process of maintaining the temperature inside the storage tank at a temperature within a predetermined range are performed. In the tank internal heating process, the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit is performed, and whether or not to perform the steam heating operation by the steam heating unit is switched according to the temperature condition inside the storage tank during the process. A clothing treatment apparatus in which at least one of the blower and the air heating unit is stopped during the period in which the tank internal heating process and the temperature maintenance process are performed.

3. The sterilization operation control unit; In the temperature maintenance process, the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit is stopped when the temperature inside the storage tank is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, and the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit is performed when the temperature inside the storage tank is lower than the predetermined temperature. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The steam heating unit is provided so as to be located downstream of the steam generation unit in the steam flow. The clothing treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the steam generated by the steam generation unit is configured to be supplied into the storage tank via the steam heating unit.

5. The clothing treatment operation includes an operation including a water supply operation of supplying water into the storage tank. The steam generation unit is provided so as to be located above the storage tank. The clothing treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Furthermore, it is provided with a water supply path for supplying water from an external water source into the storage tank. The clothing treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least one of the steam generation unit, the steam heating unit, and the steam supply path is configured not to be in contact with the water supply path. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization operation control unit is configured to switch whether to execute the air heating operation by the air heating unit according to the detected temperature.

8. Furthermore, it includes a humidity detection unit that detects the humidity in the storage tank, The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization operation control unit is configured to switch whether to execute the air heating operation by the air heating unit according to the detected humidity, which is the humidity in the storage tank detected by the humidity detection unit.

9. When performing the sterilization operation, the sterilization operation control unit stops the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit when it is determined that the detected temperature is equal to or higher than a third temperature that is between the first temperature and the second temperature, and executes the steam generation operation by the steam generation unit when it is determined that the detected temperature is lower than the third temperature. The clothing treatment apparatus according to claim 1.

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