Clothes treatment equipment

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device contributing to shortening of time required for a drying operation and energy saving by increasing drying efficiency.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device comprises: a water tub; a water tub cover to cover an upper opening of the water tub from above; a drying unit having a heating device to generate warm air, an air blower to blow the warm air to the water tub, and a case to store a device and the air blower; and an exhaust air path extending from a water tub exhaust port to an exhaust air path outlet as an air outlet positioned above the water tub cover. The case has one or a plurality of inlet ports formed so as to penetrate in a thickness direction. The exhaust air path outlet and one or the plurality of inlet ports open toward the inside of a device main body. At least a first inlet port among one or the plurality of inlet ports is disposed in a region to which the exhaust air path outlet is extended along a flowing direction of the air passing through the exhaust air path outlet when the air blower is driven.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to a clothing treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known vertical washer-dryers that can perform a drying process in addition to a washing process for clothes. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine with a drying function that includes an outer tub, an inner tub located inside the outer tub, a drive device that rotates the inner tub, an outer tub cover that covers the upper opening edge of the outer tub, and a drying unit that supplies warm air from the drying unit into the inner tub to dry laundry. A lower exhaust passage is provided from the bottom to the peripheral portion of the outer tub, and an upper exhaust passage is provided in the outer tub cover, and the warm air supplied into the inner tub passes through the lower exhaust passage and the upper exhaust passage in order and is discharged to the outside of the machine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-328974 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] With changes in living environments in recent years, such as an increase in dual-income households, there is a demand for shorter drying times. Furthermore, growing environmental awareness has led to a need for energy conservation. In a configuration in which exhaust air from the outer tub is discharged outside the machine without being circulated, as in Patent Document 1, the warm air exhausted from the water tub is discharged outside the machine, which also discards heat outside the machine, resulting in reduced heating efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a clothes treating device that improves drying efficiency, shortens the drying operation time, and contributes to energy saving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A clothing processing device according to an embodiment includes a main body, a cylindrical water tub with a bottom and disposed within the main body, the water tub having an upper opening, a cylindrical peripheral wall, and a water tub exhaust port formed at the bottom of the peripheral wall, a water tub cover covering the upper opening of the water tub from above, a drying unit having a heating device located above the water tub for generating warm air, a blower for blowing the warm air into the water tub, and a case for accommodating the heating device and the blower, and an exhaust air duct extending from the water tub exhaust port to an exhaust air duct outlet located above the water tub cover. The case has one or more air intakes extending through the thickness of the case. The exhaust air duct outlet and the one or more air intakes each open toward the interior of the main body. At least a first air intake of the one or more air intakes is located within an area extending from the exhaust air duct outlet along the direction of travel of air passing through the exhaust air duct outlet when the blower is driven. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of an example of a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment, with a main body lid open; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of a washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the periphery of a water tub cover with a top cover and a back cover removed in an example of a washer-dryer according to a first embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a drying unit and its surroundings in a washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a schematic configuration of a drying unit and its surroundings of an example of a washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway right side view showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of a drying unit of an example of a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment, with a second air intake port open and a third air intake port closed; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway right side view showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of a drying unit of an example of a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment, with a second air intake port closed and a third air intake port open; [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway right side view showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of a drying unit of an example of a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment, with a second air intake port and a third air intake port open; [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing a schematic configuration of a drying unit and its surroundings in an example of a washing / drying machine according to a second embodiment; [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway right side view showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of a drying unit of an example of a washer / dryer according to a second embodiment, with a second air intake port and a third air intake port open. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, several embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that substantially the same components in each embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0009] (First embodiment) First, a washer-dryer 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The washer-dryer 1 shown in FIG. 1 or 2 as a laundry treatment device includes a housing 11, a water tub 12, a rotatable tub 13, a rotatable tub motor 14, a top cover 15, a back cover 16, a main body lid 17, a drainage mechanism 18, a water supply mechanism 19, a control device 20, a water tub cover 21, an exhaust air duct 30, and a drying unit 40. The left side of FIG. 1 is the front side of the washer-dryer 1, and the right side of FIG. 1 is the rear side of the washer-dryer 1. The side of the washer-dryer 1 on which the washer-dryer 1 is installed, i.e., the vertically lower side, is referred to as the lower side of the washer-dryer 1, and the side opposite the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is referred to as the upper side of the washer-dryer 1. The direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions of the washer-dryer 1 is referred to as the width direction, i.e., the left-to-right direction of the washer-dryer 1. The washer-dryer 1 is a so-called vertical-axis washer-dryer in which the rotation axis of the rotatable tub 13 is oriented vertically.

[0010] Housing 11 is formed, for example, from a steel plate or the like into a generally rectangular box shape and is open at the top. Water tub 12 is housed inside housing 11. Rotating tub 13 is housed rotatably inside water tub 12. Water tub 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an open top, and has an upper opening 121 and a cylindrical peripheral wall 122. Similarly, rotating tub 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an open top. Rotating tub 13 has a baffle 131 at the bottom.

[0011] The bottom and sides of the rotating tub 13 are formed with a number of holes (not shown). These holes allow water to pass through during the washing operation and allow air to circulate during the drying operation. The water tub 12 has a drain outlet 123 and a water tub exhaust outlet 124. The drain outlet 123 is an opening formed in the bottom of the water tub 12, connects the inside and outside of the water tub 12, and serves as an outlet for water from the water tub 12. The water tub exhaust outlet 124 is an opening provided in the lower part of the peripheral wall 122 of the water tub 12, and serves as an outlet for air from the water tub 12 during the drying operation.

[0012] Rotary tub motor 14 is provided on the outside of the bottom of water tub 12 and is connected to rotatable tub 13 through water tub 12. Rotary tub motor 14 can be configured, for example, as an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. Rotary tub motor 14 rotates rotatable tub 13. When rotatable tub 13 is rotated by rotatable tub motor 14, baffle 131 rotates together with rotatable tub 13, agitating the clothes contained inside rotatable tub 13.

[0013] The outer shape of top cover 15 is formed to match the outer shape of housing 11, and has an opening 151 on the inside as shown in FIG. 2. Top cover 15 is provided on the upper part of housing 11. Back cover 16 is configured in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction of washer-dryer 1 as a whole. Back cover 16 is provided behind top cover 15 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] The main body lid 17 is rotatably supported by the top cover 15 and opens and closes the opening 151 of the top cover 15. The main body lid 17 is located in front of the back cover 16. In this embodiment, the main body lid 17 is configured to be bendable in two at the center in the front-to-rear direction. The housing 11, the top cover 15, the back cover 16, and the main body lid 17 together constitute the device main body 10, which is the outer shell of the washer-dryer 1.

[0015] Drain mechanism 18 has drain valve 181 and drain path 182. Drain valve 181 is an electromagnetically actuable on-off valve for liquid, and is driven and controlled by control device 20. Drain valve 181 is provided midway along drain path 182, which drains water stored in water tub 12 to the outside of the machine, and opens and closes drain path 182. Drain path 182 extends from drain outlet 123 of water tub 12 to the outside of washer-dryer 1. When drain valve 181 is closed, water can be stored in water tub 12. When drain valve 181 is opened, water stored in water tub 12 can be drained to the outside of the machine.

[0016] Water supply mechanism 19 is provided above water tank 12 and inside top cover 15 and back cover 16. As shown in FIG. 2 , water supply mechanism 19 has connection port 191, water supply valves 192a and 192b, water supply path 193, water injection case 194, and cooling water path 195.

[0017] Connection port 191 is connected to an external water source, such as a water faucet, via a water supply hose or the like, although details are not shown. Water supply valves 192a and 192b are electromagnetically actuable on-off valves for liquid, and are driven and controlled by control device 20 to open and close water supply path 193 and cooling water path 195, respectively. Water supply path 193 extends from connection port 191 toward water tub 12 and supplies water from an external water source to water tub 12. Water supply case 194 is located midway along water supply path 193, downstream of water supply valve 192a in terms of the water flow. A laundry treatment agent dispenser case, details of which are not shown, is disposed inside water supply case 194. Cooling water path 195 extends from connection port 191 toward exhaust air duct 30 and supplies cooling water to exhaust air duct 30. Note that, although water supply valves 192a and 192b are separate in this embodiment, this is not limiting. In other embodiments, the water supply valves 192a and 192b may be implemented as a single component, such as a three-way valve.

[0018] Control device 20 shown in Fig. 3 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 201 and a storage area 202 such as a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory. Control device 20 controls the overall operation of washer / dryer 1. Rotary tub motor 14, drain valve 181, and water supply valves 192a and 192b are electrically connected to and controlled by control device 20. Control device 20 can execute a washing operation including a washing process, a rinsing process, a spin-drying process, etc., a drying operation including a drying process, and a washing / drying operation including both a washing operation and a drying operation.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, water tub cover 21 is attached to the top of water tub 12, below top cover 15. FIG. 4 shows washer-dryer 1 as viewed from above with top cover 15 and back cover 16 removed. Water tub cover 21 has a generally circular outer shape and opens and closes top opening 121 of water tub 12. Water tub cover 21 has water tub cover main body 211, opening 212, and inner lid 213. Water tub cover main body 211 has a generally circular outer shape and constitutes the main body of water tub cover 21, and opening 212 is formed in the center. Opening 212 is shaped, for example, semicircular, oval, or elliptical, and connects the spaces inside water tub 12 and rotatable tub 13 to the outside of washer-dryer 1. Inner lid 213 is rotatably supported on water tub cover main body 211 and opens and closes opening 212.

[0020] Opening 212 of water tub cover 21 and opening 151 of top cover 15 both serve as entrances and exits for the user to load and unload laundry into and from spin tub 13. During the washing or drying operation, openings 212 and 151 are closed by inner lid 213 and main body lid 17.

[0021] Water tub cover main body 211 further has water inlet 22, air inlet 23, communication port 24, and air duct cover 25. Water inlet 22, air inlet 23, and communication port 24 are located at the back of water tub cover main body 211 and are openings formed through water tub cover main body 211 in the thickness direction. The downstream end of water supply path 193 is connected to water inlet 22, which serves as an inlet to water tub 12 and rotatable tub 13 for water for the washing operation, supplied by water supply mechanism 19. Air inlet 23 serves as an inlet to water tub 12 and rotatable tub 13 for warm air supplied by drying unit 40. Communication port 24 is located midway through exhaust air duct 30 and serves as an outlet through which air discharged from water tub exhaust port 124 of water tub 12 escapes upward in water tub cover 21. Air passage cover 25 is formed in the shape of a container that is generally recessed upward, and is arranged at the back of water-tub cover main body 211 so as to cover communication port 24 from above.

[0022] Exhaust air passage 30 guides air discharged from water tub exhaust port 124, which is located below water tub cover 21, into the interior of the device, i.e., the upper part of device main body 10, specifically above water tub cover 21. Exhaust air passage 30 has first exhaust air passage 31 and second exhaust air passage 32. First exhaust air passage 31 connects water tub exhaust port 124 of water tub 12 to communication port 24 of water tub cover 21 and extends vertically. First exhaust air passage 31 is located below water tub cover 21. In this embodiment, first exhaust air passage 31 is formed between peripheral wall 122 and bulge portion 125, which bulges outward from water tub 12's peripheral wall 122. In this case, first exhaust air passage 31 is formed on the rear side of water tub 12. Second exhaust air passage 32 is located downstream of first exhaust air passage 31 in terms of air flow and above water tub cover main body 211. In this embodiment, second exhaust airflow passage 32 is formed between airflow passage cover 25 attached to water tub cover 21 and water tub cover main body 211.

[0023] Air passage cover 25 extends generally in the left-right direction and is curved or bent to fit the outer shape of water tub cover 21. Air passage cover 25 has air passage cover opening 251 and cooling water supply port 252. Air passage cover opening 251 and cooling water supply port 252 are each openings formed by passing through the upper part of air passage cover 25 in the thickness direction, and connect the inside of air passage cover 25, i.e., the inside of second exhaust air passage 32, with the outside.

[0024] Air passage cover opening 251 is formed in the upper part of air passage cover 25, and opens air passage cover 25 facing upward. Air passage cover opening 251 is the most downstream part of second exhaust air passage 32 in terms of the air flow. In other words, air passage cover opening 251 is an outlet for air from exhaust air passage 30. Air passage cover opening 251 is formed in a position diagonal to communication port 24, in this case at the right end of the upper part, when air passage cover 25 is attached to water tub cover 21.

[0025] The first exhaust air duct 31 functions as a dehumidifier that cools and dehumidifies air using cooling water. Cooling water is supplied from above into the first exhaust air duct 31 through the cooling water passage 195 and the cooling water supply port 252, thereby cooling and dehumidifying the steam-laden exhaust air exhausted from the water tub 12. The cooling water supply port 252 is located opposite the communication port 24 when the air duct cover 25 is attached to the water tub cover 21, i.e., at the left end of the upper portion in this case. Although not shown in detail, the cooling water passage 195 is connected to the cooling water supply port 252, allowing cooling water to drip into the first exhaust air duct 31. The cooling water supplied to the first exhaust air duct 31 cools and dehumidifies the warm, humid air in the first exhaust air duct 31 that has been exhausted from the water tub 12. The cooling water that falls through the first exhaust air duct 31 enters the water tub 12 through the water tub exhaust port 124 and is then discharged outside the device via the drainage path 182.

[0026] First filter member 26 is provided in second exhaust air passage 32 upstream of air passage cover opening 251. First filter member 26 is located at the end opposite communication opening 24 in the horizontal direction (in this case, the right end). First filter member 26 functions to capture foreign matter such as lint contained in the exhaust air from water tub 12.

[0027] Second exhaust airflow duct 32 extends in a direction different from the longitudinal direction of first exhaust airflow duct 31. In other words, the air flow direction in second exhaust airflow duct 32 is set to be different from the air flow direction in first exhaust airflow duct 31. In this embodiment, second exhaust airflow duct 32 extends generally in the radial direction or left-right direction of water-tub cover 21. As shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 4 , air entering second exhaust airflow duct 32 from communication opening 24 is prevented from moving upward by the upper part of airflow duct cover 25, and changes direction by approximately 90° from the upward direction of the air in first exhaust airflow duct 31, moving forward, for example. The air then moves toward the right front along the shape of airflow duct cover 25.

[0028] The air that reaches first filter member 26 located at the right end changes direction and flows upward, passing through first filter member 26. The air that has passed through first filter member 26 flows upward through air path cover opening 251 and is discharged to the outside of second exhaust air path 32. Air path cover 25 and drying unit 40 are not directly or indirectly connected. That is, a gap is provided between air path cover 25 and drying unit 40, and air path cover 25 and drying unit 40 are separated from each other.

[0029] Drying unit 40 is provided inside back cover 16 and above water tank cover 21. As shown in FIG. 2, drying unit 40 has a case 41, a second filter member 42, a blower 43, a heater 44, and an air intake duct 45.

[0030] The case 41 is formed in a container shape and houses the second filter member 42, the blower 43, and the heater 44 inside. The case 41 has one or more (in this case three) air intakes 411, 412, and 413 and a case outlet 414. The air intakes 411, 412, and 413 and the case outlet are each openings formed through the case 41 in the thickness direction, and connect the inside and outside of the case 41. The air intakes 411, 412, and 413 are located at the most upstream part in terms of the direction of air movement inside the case 41, and serve as inlets for air outside the case 41 to enter the inside of the case 41. The case outlet 414 is located at the most downstream part in terms of the direction of air movement inside the case 41, and serves as an outlet for air inside the case 41 to exit the case 41.

[0031] The second filter member 42 is located downstream of each of the air intakes 411, 412, and 413 and upstream of the blower 43. The second filter member 42 captures foreign matter in the air that has entered the case 41, and prevents the foreign matter from entering the blower 43.

[0032] The blower 43 draws air into the case 41 through the air intakes 411, 412, and 413 and sends it to the heater 44. The blower 43 has a fan 431 and a fan motor 432. The fan motor 432 is electrically connected to the control device 20 and drives the fan 431 under the control of the control device 20. In this embodiment, the blower 43 is a sirocco fan, but is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the blower 43 may be, for example, a propeller fan or a turbo fan. The blower 43 is arranged near one end of the case 41 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the blower 43 is arranged near the right end of the case 41.

[0033] The heater 44 functions as a heating device that heats the air sent by the blower 43. The heater 44 is electrically connected to the control device 20 and is driven under the control of the control device 20. The heater 44 is located downstream of the blower 43 and upstream of the case outlet 414 with respect to the direction of travel of the air inside the case 41. In this embodiment, the heater 44 is located near the left end of the case 41.

[0034] Air intake duct 45 is formed in the shape of a hollow bellows tube, and connects case outlet 414 and air intake port 23 of water tub cover 21. Air intake duct 45 forms an air intake path from drying unit 40 to water tub 12.

[0035] In the drying process, the control device 20 drives the blower 43 to blow air in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 2. The control device 20 also energizes and drives the heater 44 to heat the air blown by the blower 43. Furthermore, the control device opens the water supply valve 192b to supply cooling water to the first exhaust air duct 31 through the cooling water path 195.

[0036] The air intakes 411, 412, and 413 of the drying unit 40 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Figs. 6 to 8. The air intakes 411, 412, and 413 are arranged at different positions below the blower 43, and enable air of different properties to be drawn in. The air intakes 411, 412, and 413 are referred to as the first air intake 411, the second air intake 412, and the third air intake 413, respectively. When it is not necessary to distinguish between them, they will be collectively referred to as the air intakes 411, 412, and 413.

[0037] Of the air intakes 411, 412, and 413, at least one air intake mainly draws in air exhausted from the water tub 12, and the other air intakes mainly draw in air other than air exhausted from the water tub 12. At least one air intake mainly draws in air inside the device, i.e., inside the device main body 10 and outside the exhaust air duct 30. At least one air intake mainly draws in air outside the device, i.e., outside the device main body 10.

[0038] First air intake 411 is formed at a position facing air passage cover opening 251. That is, first air intake 411 is formed in a region extending from air passage cover opening 251, which is the exhaust air passage outlet, in the direction of air flow, that is, in the upward direction in this case. In other words, first air intake 411 is formed in a region extending from air passage cover opening 251 toward blower 43. In this embodiment, first air intake 411 is formed in a lower part of the front surface of case 41. During drying operation, the air drawn in from first air intake 411 by the action of blower 43 is mainly air that has returned from water tub 12 through exhaust air passage 30. In other words, exhaust air passage 30, drying unit 40, water tub 12, and rotating tub 13 together form a discontinuous circulation air passage that is partially open, i.e., not closed. Furthermore, as described above, a gap exists between drying unit 40 and air duct cover 25, and therefore the space between first air intake port 411 and air duct cover opening 251 is open toward the inside of apparatus body 10. Therefore, the air drawn in from first air intake port 411 includes not only the air returning from water tub 12, but also air outside exhaust air duct 30 and within apparatus body 10.

[0039] Second air intake port 412 and third air intake port 413 are formed in a position on case 41 other than a position facing air passage cover opening 251. In other words, second air intake port 412 and third air intake port 413 are formed in a portion other than the area obtained by extending air passage cover opening 251 in the direction of air flow. Therefore, the air drawn in through second air intake port 412 and third air intake port 413 is mainly air other than the air that has just returned from water tub 12 through exhaust air passage 30.

[0040] Second air intake port 412 opens case 41 toward the inside of device body 10. Second air intake port 412 mainly draws in air inside device body 10 and outside exhaust airflow duct 30. In this embodiment, second air intake port 412 is formed on the underside of case 41, closer to the rear surface. Second air intake port 412 is located behind the area where airflow duct cover opening 251 is extended upward.

[0041] The third air intake port 413 is connected to the outside of the device body 10. Therefore, the third air intake port 413 essentially draws in air outside the device body 10. In this embodiment, the third air intake port 413 essentially draws in air outside the device body 10. The third air intake port 413 is formed in a lower part of the rear surface of the case 41. In this embodiment, the second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413 are disposed relatively close to each other and are formed on planes that are approximately perpendicular to each other. The third air intake port 413 is located rearward of the area where the air path cover opening 251 is extended upward. An outside air introduction air passage 46 is connected to the third air intake port 413. The outside air introduction air passage 46 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape and opens toward the outside of the device body 10, in this case, toward the rear, and guides air outside the device body 10 to the third air intake port 413.

[0042] Of the air intakes 411, 412, and 413, at least one is always open, and at least one is configured to be openable / closable or have an adjustable airflow rate. In this embodiment, the first air intake 411, which is disposed facing the air passage cover opening 251, is always open. The second air intake 412, which opens toward the inside of the device body 10, and the third air intake 413, which communicates with the outside of the device body 10, are configured to be openable / closable or have an adjustable airflow rate.

[0043] The second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413 may be configured to be openable and closable by a single damper, or may be configured to be openable and closable by separate, independent dampers. In this embodiment, the second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413 are configured to be openable and closable by a single damper 47.

[0044] The damper 47 is provided below the blower 43, between the bottom and rear surfaces of the case 41. That is, the damper 47 is provided between the second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413. The damper 47 has a rotating shaft 471, a blocking portion 472, and a damper motor (not shown). The rotating shaft 471 is rotated by driving the damper motor. The blocking portion 472 is fixed relatively to the rotating shaft 471 and rotates about the rotating shaft 471. The damper motor is electrically connected to the control device 20, and is controlled by the control device 20 to rotate the rotating shaft 471 and the blocking portion 472 to any desired degree.

[0045] The control device 20 can adjust the intake airflow rates from the second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413 by controlling the damper motor and, in turn, the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 471 and the closing portion 472. As shown in FIG. 7 , in a first state where the interior angle between the closing portion 472 and the vertical direction, i.e., the rotation angle, is approximately 0°, the second air intake port 412 is open and the third air intake port 413 is closed. In the first state, the ratio of the intake airflow rate from the second air intake port 412 to the intake airflow rate from the third air intake port 413 is 100:0. As shown in FIG. 8 , in a second state where the rotation angle is approximately 90°, the second air intake port 412 is closed and the third air intake port 413 is open. In the second state, the ratio of the intake airflow rate from the second air intake port 412 to the intake airflow rate from the third air intake port 413 is 0:100.

[0046] 9, in the third state, both second air inlet 412 and third air inlet 413 are open. In this case, by varying the rotation angle, the ratio between the intake air volume through second air inlet 412 and the intake air volume through third air inlet 413 can be changed. For example, when the rotation angle is approximately 45°, the ratio between the intake air volume through second air inlet 412 and the intake air volume through third air inlet 413 is approximately 50:50, assuming that the opening areas of second air inlet 412 and third air inlet 413 are the same. The rotation angle in the third state is not limited to 45°, and control device 20 can set the rotation angle as the drying operation progresses.

[0047] 6 to 9, each of the air intake ports 411, 412, and 413 is formed in an area of ​​the case 41 that extends downward from the blower 43. Therefore, the suction action of the blower 43 is likely to work directly, and air is efficiently drawn into the inside of the case 41 from the outside of the case 41 through the air intake ports 411, 412, and 413.

[0048] Moreover, at least a portion of air passage cover opening 251, which is an exhaust air passage outlet, is formed in an area that extends downward from blower 43. Therefore, the air that is exhausted from air passage cover opening 251 to the outside of exhaust air passage 30 is mostly sucked into case 41.

[0049] On the other hand, communication port 24, which serves as the outlet of first exhaust air passage 31 and the inlet of second exhaust air passage 32, is located in an area other than the area extending downward from blower 43. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, communication port 24 is located closer to the center in the left-right direction of washer-dryer 1 than blower 43, in this case, to the left. In other words, blower 43 is located in an area other than the area extending first exhaust air passage 31 in the air travel direction. This prevents cooling water dripping into first exhaust air passage 31 from being splashed up by the action of blower 43 and entering the inside of drying unit 40.

[0050] Next, the control performed by controller 20 during the drying process will be described. When the drying process begins, controller 20 drives rotatable tub motor 14 to rotate rotatable tub 13. This causes baffle 131 to agitate the clothes contained in rotatable tub 13. Controller 20 also drives heater 44 to heat the air to be sent into water tub 12 and rotatable tub 13. At this time, controller 20 closes drain valve 181. Controller 20 also drives blower 43. As a result, the air heated by heater 44 is sent from drying unit 40 through air inlet 23 into water tub 12 and rotatable tub 13 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 .

[0051] The air that has warmed the clothes contained in rotatable tub 13 is discharged into exhaust air duct 30 through the numerous holes in rotatable tub 13 and water tub exhaust port 124. The air discharged into exhaust air duct 30 flows upward through first exhaust air duct 31 as indicated by arrow B in FIG. 2. Then, as indicated by arrow C in FIGS. 4 and 6 to 9, the humid air passes through second exhaust air duct 32 and is exhausted into device body 10 through air duct cover opening 251. Because first air intake vent 411 is always open, the air discharged into device body 10 from exhaust air duct 30 through air duct cover opening 251 is again drawn into drying unit 40 through first air intake vent 411 as indicated by C1 in FIGS. 6 to 9.

[0052] In the initial stage of the drying process, the control device 20 executes control to warm the clothes contained in the rotatable tub 13. After the heater 44 and the blower 43 are driven, some of the warm air discharged from the air duct cover opening 251 remains inside the device body 10 without being collected by the drying unit 40. Therefore, the temperature of the air inside the device body 10 may be lower than the temperature of the air inside the drying unit 40, the water tub 12, or the exhaust air duct 30, but is higher than the temperature of the air outside the device body 10. Therefore, in the initial stage of the drying process, the control device 20 controls the damper 47 to open the second air intake 412 and close the third air intake 413. That is, the control device 20 sets the damper 47 to the first state. As a result, the blower 43 does not take in the cooler air outside the device body 10 into the drying unit 40, but instead takes in the relatively warm air inside the device body 10 into the drying unit 40, as shown by arrow D in FIG. 7 . Therefore, by reusing the heat of the air heated by the heater 44, the clothes can be warmed efficiently.

[0053] As the drying process progresses and the temperature of the clothes rises, moisture gradually begins to evaporate from the wet clothes. The air discharged from water tub exhaust port 124 into exhaust air duct 30 by the action of blower 43 becomes moist air containing moisture released from the clothes. In the evaporation stage following the initial stage, control device 20 continues to drive blower 43, heater 44, and rotatable tub motor 14. Control device 20 also executes the following control.

[0054] The washer / dryer 1 is equipped with a temperature sensor (not shown) that detects the temperature of the clothes. When the temperature of the clothes reaches, for example, 50°C, the control device 20 opens the water supply valve 192b to supply cooling water to the first exhaust air duct 31 through the cooling water path. This removes steam contained in the exhaust air, reducing the humidity of the exhaust air.

[0055] The temperature sensor may directly measure the temperature of the clothes, or may indirectly detect the temperature of the clothes by estimating it. For example, the temperature sensor may measure the temperature inside the water tub 12, the temperature inside the exhaust air duct 30, the temperature inside the intake air duct 45, etc., and estimate the temperature of the clothes to indirectly detect the temperature of the clothes.

[0056] Furthermore, in the second stage, the control device 20 controls the damper 47 to open the third air inlet 413 in addition to the second air inlet 412. That is, the control device 20 sets the damper 47 to the third state. As a result, the warm air inside the device body 10 is utilized while the dry air outside the device body 10 is taken in as indicated by the arrow E in FIG. 9 , thereby improving the dehumidification efficiency. Furthermore, the rotation angle is set so that the intake air volume from the second air inlet 412 is greater than the intake air volume from the third air inlet 413. For example, the rotation angle is set so that the ratio of the intake air volume from the second air inlet 412 to the intake air volume from the third air inlet 413 is 90:10 to 80:20. As a result, the washer / dryer 1 takes in more air from inside the device body 10, which has a high temperature, and improves the heating efficiency, while taking in a certain amount of outside air, which has a low humidity, and improves the dehumidification efficiency. In this embodiment, the control device 20 controls the rotation angle of the blocking portion 472 to about 7°.

[0057] While the clothes continue to be dehumidified, the temperature of the clothes does not rise but remains almost constant due to the heat of vaporization. As the drying process progresses and the clothes are dehumidified, the temperature of the clothes begins to rise again. When the control device 20 detects that the temperature of the clothes has started to rise again, it executes control of the cooling stage. In the cooling stage after the dehumidifying stage, the control device 20 stops driving the heater 44 and continues driving the blower 43 and the rotary tub motor 14. The control device 20 also closes the water supply valve 192b to stop the supply of cooling water.

[0058] Furthermore, the control device 20 sets the rotation angle of the closing portion 472 so that the intake air volume through the third air inlet 413 is greater than the intake air volume through the second air inlet 412. In this embodiment, the control device 20 sets the rotation angle to 90°, i.e., fully opens the third air inlet 413 and closes the second air inlet 412. That is, the control device 20 sets the damper 47 to the second state. This prevents humid air inside the device body 10 from re-entering the water tub 12 and the rotatable tub 13 via the drying unit 40, and allows low-humidity air outside the device body 10 to be supplied to the water tub 12 and the rotatable tub 13. Furthermore, because the temperature outside the device body 10 is lower than the temperature inside the device body 10 during the drying process, taking in cooler outside air allows the clothes to be cooled as quickly as possible.

[0059] Here, in order to reduce the loss of heat generated by heater 44, it is conceivable to provide a closed circulation air duct connecting water tank exhaust port 124 and air intake port 23, and to place drying unit 40 in the circulation air duct. In this case, internal loss may reduce the air volume in the circulation air duct, and the drying efficiency may decrease. For this reason, it is conceivable to ensure the air volume by taking in outside air into the circulation air duct, but in this case, the outside air temperature is often lower than the temperature inside device body 10, and there is a risk that the heating efficiency and therefore the drying efficiency may decrease.

[0060] In contrast, according to this embodiment, a washer / dryer 1 serving as a clothing processing device includes a main body 10, a water tub 12, a water tub cover 21, a drying unit 40, and an exhaust air duct 30. The water tub 12 is cylindrical and has a bottom. It is located inside the main body 10 and has an upper opening 121, a cylindrical peripheral wall 122, and a water tub exhaust port 124, which is an opening formed in the lower part of the peripheral wall 122. The water tub cover 21 closes the upper opening 121 of the water tub 12 from above. The drying unit 40 is located above the water tub 12 and includes a heater 44 as a heating device that generates hot air, a blower 43 that blows the hot air into the water tub 12, and a case 41 that houses the heater 44 and the blower 43. The exhaust air duct 30 extends from the water tub exhaust port 124 to an air duct cover opening 251, which serves as an exhaust air duct outlet and is located above the water tub cover 21. Case 41 has one or more air intake ports 411, 412, 413 formed to penetrate through it in the thickness direction. Air passage cover opening 251 and one or more air intake ports 411, 412 each open toward the inside of device body 10. Of one or more air intake ports 411, 412, at least the first air intake port (in this case, first air intake port 411) is provided within an area obtained by extending air passage cover opening 251 along the direction of travel of air passing through air passage cover opening 251 when blower 43 is driven.

[0061] As a result, air passage cover opening 251 and air intakes 411, 412 are open toward the inside of device body 19, and thus, by the action of blower 43, air outside exhaust air passage 30 but inside device body 10 can be taken in, heated, and sent to water tub 12. The air outside exhaust air passage 30 but inside device body 10 has a lower humidity than the exhaust air from water tub 12. Therefore, the humidity of the air sent back to water tub 12 can be lowered compared to when only the exhaust air from water tub 12 is reheated and circulated. Furthermore, even outside exhaust air passage 30, the air inside device body 10 has a higher temperature than the air outside device body 10. Therefore, the temperature of the air sent to water tub 12 can be raised compared to when only air outside device body 10 is taken in. These features provide a laundry processing device that improves the drying efficiency of washer-dryer 1, shortens the drying operation time, and contributes to energy conservation.

[0062] Here, we consider the case where air-path cover opening 251, which serves as the exhaust air-path outlet, is directly or indirectly connected to case 41. In this case, even if some kind of opening is formed between air-path cover opening 251 and case 41, negative pressure is generated by the action of blower 43, so that substantially all of the air exhausted from exhaust air duct 30 is drawn into the case. In this case, the highly humid exhaust air is reheated and sent to water tub 12, which inhibits improvement in drying efficiency.

[0063] In contrast to this, according to this embodiment, a gap is formed between the air passage cover opening 251 serving as the exhaust air passage outlet and one or more air intakes 411, 412, 413.

[0064] That is, according to this embodiment, the air passage cover opening 251 and the case 41 are not directly or indirectly connected. Therefore, the washer / dryer 1 is not configured to reheat all of the humid air exhausted from the water tub 12 and send it back into the water tub 12. This reduces the humidity of the air taken into the case 41 and heated, further improving drying efficiency. This provides a clothing processing device that shortens the drying operation time and contributes to energy conservation.

[0065] Here, if the air intakes 411, 412, 413 or the blower 43 are arranged on an extension of the first exhaust air duct 31, there is a risk that the droplets of cooling water that drip into the first exhaust air duct 31 through the cooling water path 195 and splash about may be sucked into the interior of the drying unit 40 including the first filter member 26 and the second filter member 42. In this case, there is a risk that the first filter member 26 and the second filter member 42 may become wet and clogged, or that abnormalities may occur in the operation of the blower 43.

[0066] In contrast, exhaust airflow duct 30 has first exhaust airflow duct 31 extending from water tub exhaust port 124 to water tub cover 21, and second exhaust airflow duct 32 extending from water tub cover 21 to airflow duct cover opening 251 serving as an exhaust airflow duct outlet. Water tub cover 21 has communication port 24, which is an opening formed through the thickness and connects the downstream end of first exhaust airflow duct 31 to the upstream end of second exhaust airflow duct 32. Communication port 24 is formed in an area other than the area where intake ports 411, 412, 413 and blower 43 extend toward water tub cover 21.

[0067] This prevents droplets of cooling water from being sucked into the drying unit 40 including the first filter member 26 and the second filter member 42, and the drying efficiency of the washer-dryer 1 can be further improved.

[0068] At least one of the one or more air intake ports 411, 412, 413 is always open, and at least one is configured to be openable and closable.

[0069] By reducing or closing the opening area of ​​the openable air intakes 412 and 413, the amount of air taken in through the always-open air intake 411 increases. On the other hand, by increasing the opening area of ​​the openable air intakes 412 and 413, the amount of air taken in through the always-open air intake 411 decreases. In this way, by controlling the open / closed states of the air intakes 411, 412, and 413 according to the progress of the drying process, it is possible to achieve an appropriate air flow for each stage. This allows the humidity and temperature of the air supplied to the water tub 12 to be appropriately controlled, further improving drying efficiency.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the first air intake port 411 is always open.

[0071] As a result, while blower 43 is operating, at least a portion of the air passing through exhaust air duct 30 is constantly collected. This allows for efficient collection of warm air exhausted from water tub 12, and prevents unnecessary release of heat generated by heater 44 outside the open circulation air duct formed by exhaust air duct 30, drying unit 40, water tub 12, and rotating tub 13. This reduces heat loss and further improves drying efficiency.

[0072] Case 41 has second air intake port 412 and third air intake port 413. Second air intake port 412 is provided outside the area where air passage cover opening 251 serving as an exhaust air passage outlet is extended toward fan 43, and communicates with the inside of device body 10. Third air intake port 413 is provided outside the area where air passage cover opening 251 serving as an exhaust air passage outlet is extended toward fan 43, and communicates with the outside of device body 10. Second air intake port 412 and third air intake port 413 are configured to be openable and closable.

[0073] While the heater 44 is running, the temperature of the air inside the device body 10 is higher than the outside air temperature. Therefore, by drawing in air from inside the device body 10 through the second air intake 412, heat loss due to exhaust to the outside of the air circulation duct can be relatively suppressed. On the other hand, if you want to lower the temperature of the warm clothes towards the end of the drying operation, you can take in cool air from outside the device body 10 to promote cooling, thereby hastening the completion of the drying operation. Furthermore, during the drying operation, the humidity of the air outside the device body 10 is lower than the humidity of the air inside the device body 10 that contains steam from the clothes. Therefore, for example, after the temperature of the clothes has risen sufficiently towards the latter half of the drying operation, taking in drier outside air with lower humidity can promote drying of the clothes. In this way, the efficiency of the drying operation can be further improved.

[0074] In this embodiment, the second air intake 412 and the third air intake 413 are configured to be openable and closable, but this is not limiting. For example, in other embodiments, the third air intake 413 may be left open at all times to constantly take in outside air and improve the deodorizing effect on clothes. Furthermore, the second air intake 412 may be left open at all times to maintain a high temperature and improve the sterilizing effect on clothes.

[0075] The second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413 are opened and closed by a rotary damper 47. The rotary angle of the damper 47 is adjustable.

[0076] This allows the ratio of intake airflow from each air inlet 412 to that from 413 to be variable. Therefore, by adjusting the damper rotation angle depending on the progress of the drying operation, drying efficiency can be further improved. For example, during the initial stage of the drying operation, when warming the clothes, the control device 20 opens the second air inlet 412, which is connected to the inside of the device body 10, wider and opens or closes the third air inlet 413, which is connected to the outside of the device body 10, narrowly, thereby circulating warm air through the circulation air passage and efficiently raising the temperature of the clothes in the water tub 12. Furthermore, during the evaporation stage, when the temperature of the clothes rises and the efficiency of evaporation of moisture from the clothes increases, the control device 20 opens the third air inlet 413, which is connected to the outside of the device body 10, wider to take in dry air from outside the device body 10 and promote dehumidification. This promotes drying of the clothes and contributes to shortening the operating time of the drying operation.

[0077] According to this embodiment, the second air intake port 412 and the third air intake port 413 are opened and closed by a single damper 47 .

[0078] This makes it possible to improve the drying efficiency of the washer / dryer 1 with a relatively simple configuration.

[0079] (Second embodiment) A washer / dryer 1 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11. In this embodiment, a drying unit 40 has a fourth air intake 415 instead of the first air intake 411 of the first embodiment. The fourth air intake 415 opens toward the inside of the apparatus body 10. The fourth air intake 415 is always open. In this embodiment, the fourth air intake 415 is formed in the lower part of the case 41.

[0080] Fourth air intake port 415 is formed in a position facing air passage cover opening 251 at the bottom of case 41, in this case closer to the front. That is, fourth air intake port 415 is formed in a region that extends from air passage cover opening 251 toward blower 43. Fourth air intake port 415 is also formed in a region of case 41 that extends downward from blower 43. During drying operation, the air drawn in through fourth air intake port 415 by the action of blower 43 is mainly air that has returned from water tub 12 through exhaust air passage 30. Because fourth air intake port 415 is always open, air that is exhausted from exhaust air passage 30 into device main body 10 through air passage cover opening 251 is drawn back into drying unit 40 through fourth air intake port 415, as shown by C2 in FIG. 11 .

[0081] Because a gap exists between drying unit 40 and air duct cover 25, the space between fourth air intake port 415 and air duct cover opening 251 is open toward the inside of apparatus body 10. Therefore, the air drawn in from fourth air intake port 415 includes not only the air returned from water tub 12 but also air outside exhaust air duct 30 and inside apparatus body 10.

[0082] According to the present embodiment, case 41 has one or more air intake ports 412, 413, 415 formed to penetrate through it in the thickness direction. Air passage cover opening 251 and one or more air intake ports 412, 415 each open toward the inside of device body 10. Of one or more air intake ports 412, 415, at least the first air intake port (in this case, the fourth air intake port 415) is provided within an area obtained by extending air passage cover opening 251 along the direction of travel of air passing through air passage cover opening 251 when blower 43 is driven.

[0083] This embodiment also achieves the same effects as the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the direction of air flow passing through air passage cover opening 251 and the direction of air flow passing through fourth air intake port 415 are both upward and coincident. Therefore, exhaust air from water tub 12 can be more efficiently collected into drying unit 40.

[0084] The above-described embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments may be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The present embodiments and their modifications are intended to fall within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also intended to fall within the scope of the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the accompanying claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1... washer-dryer (clothing processing device), 10... device body, 12... water tub, 121... upper opening, 122... peripheral wall, 124... water tub exhaust port, 13... rotating tub, 21... water tub cover, 24... communication port, 251... air duct cover opening (exhaust air duct outlet), 30... exhaust air duct, 31... first air duct, 32... second air duct, 40... drying unit, 41... case, 411... first air intake (air intake, first air intake), 412... second air intake (air intake, second air intake), 413... third air intake (air intake, third air intake), 415... fourth air intake (air intake, first air intake), 43... blower, 44... heater (heating device), 47... damper

Claims

1. A device body, a water tank formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and disposed within the device body, the water tank having an upper opening, a cylindrical peripheral wall, and a water tank exhaust port formed in a lower part of the peripheral wall; a water tank cover that closes the upper opening from above; a drying unit located above the water tank and including a heating device that generates hot air, a blower that blows the hot air into the water tank, and a case that houses the heating device and the blower; an exhaust air duct extending from the water tank exhaust port to an exhaust air duct outlet that serves as an air outlet located above the water tank cover, the case has one or more air intake ports formed through it in a thickness direction, the exhaust air duct outlet and the one or more intake ports each open toward the inside of the device body, At least a first air intake port among the one or more air intake ports is provided within a region obtained by extending the exhaust air duct outlet along a direction in which air passes through the exhaust air duct outlet when the blower is driven. Clothes treatment device.

2. A gap is formed between the exhaust air duct outlet and the one or more intake ports. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

3. The exhaust air duct includes a first exhaust air duct extending from the water tank exhaust port to the water tank cover, and a second exhaust air duct extending from the water tank cover to the exhaust air duct outlet, the water tank cover has an opening formed through the water tank cover in a thickness direction, the opening being a communication port connecting a downstream end of the first exhaust air passage and an upstream end of the second exhaust air passage; The communication port is formed in an area other than an area where the air intake port and the air blower are extended toward the water tank cover. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

4. At least one of the one or more air intake ports is always open, and at least one is openable and closable. The clothing treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein the first air intake is always open.

6. the case has a second intake port provided outside an area where the exhaust air duct outlet is extended toward the blower and communicating with the inside of the device main body, and a third intake port provided outside an area where the exhaust air duct outlet is extended toward the blower and communicating with the outside of the device main body, the second air intake port and the third air intake port are openable and closable. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

7. the second intake port and the third intake port are opened and closed by rotary dampers, The rotation angle of the damper is adjustable. The clothing treatment device according to claim 6.

8. the second intake port and the third intake port are opened and closed by a single damper; The clothing treatment device according to claim 7.

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