Laundry equipment

Abstract

To provide a laundry machine capable of more effectively sterilizing or deodorizing a drum.SOLUTION: A laundry machine 1 of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a drum D capable of storing clothes; a motor M for rotating the drum; a sterilization / deodorization mechanism having at least one of the following: an ozone generating unit 14 that generates ozone, a charged particulate generating unit NE that generates charged particulates, and a mist generating unit MG that generates a mist of liquid with a sterilizing or deodorizing effect; a control device 90 for activating the sterilization / deodorization mechanism to sterilize and / or deodorize the inside of the drum D prior to a washing operation or a drying operation; operating means for operating execution of the sterilization and / or deodorization inside the drum D; and a door lock for locking a door capable of closing a clothes insertion port of the drum D. When the operating means is operated and the door is in a closed state, the controller 90 locks the door lock and operates the sterilization / deodorization mechanism to sterilize and / or deodorize the drum before the washing operation or the drying operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate to disinfecting or deodorizing laundry machines. [Background technology]

[0002] Coin laundromats provide customers with laundry equipment such as washer-dryers installed within the store. Customers bring their own laundry items, such as clothes or bedding, and place them in the machine's drum, then pay a usage fee to have them washed. Coin laundromats are generally unmanned, so they have installed a payment system that automates payment. Customers use the laundry equipment in a self-service format by inserting cash into the payment machine installed at each machine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4883978 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5087663 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a laundry machine that can more effectively disinfect or deodorize the drum. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The laundry machine of the embodiment is a laundry machine that washes and / or dries clothes, and at least one of the washing and drying operations, and includes a drum that can store the clothes, a motor that rotates the drum, a sterilization / deodorization mechanism that has at least one of an ozone generating unit that generates ozone, a charged fine particle generating unit that generates charged fine particles, and a mist generating unit that generates mist by atomizing a liquid having sterilization or deodorization effects, a control device that operates the sterilization / deodorization mechanism to sterilize and / or deodorize the inside of the drum prior to the washing operation or drying operation of the laundry machine, an operating means for operating the sterilization and / or deodorization inside the drum, and a door lock that locks a door that can close a clothes insertion opening of the drum. a fan connected to the drum and configured to exhaust air from within the drum to the outside; and when the operating means is operated and the door is closed, the control device locks the door and activates the sterilization / deodorization mechanism to perform the washing operation or the drying operation. With the fan stopped, the drum is rotated by the motor while the The device is characterized in that the sterilization and / or deodorization is carried out. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a laundry facility. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a dryer. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the dryer. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a washing / drying machine. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the washer / dryer. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the drum sterilization process. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the clothing sterilization process. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the clothing sterilization process according to Modification 1. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the clothing sterilization process according to Modification 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, the details of the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0008] (Laundry facilities) First, the overall configuration of the laundry facility according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the laundry facility.

[0009] As shown in Figure 1, a laundry facility F is a store where laundry equipment including, for example, washing machines, dryers, washer-dryers, shoe cleaners, and compression packers are installed and available for use upon payment. In this embodiment, the laundry equipment installed in the laundry facility F includes a dryer 1 for drying clothes, a washer-dryer 2 for washing and drying clothes, and a payment machine 3 for processing payments for using the laundry equipment.

[0010] Each of the dryer 1 and the washer-dryer 2 is provided with a door D1 that closes the drum D into which clothes are put, and this door D1 is provided with a handle D2 that a user can grip to open and close the door, and this handle D2 is treated with an antibacterial coating, for example. Furthermore, the dryer 1 and the washer-dryer 2 are provided with a mechanism for sterilizing the inside of the drum D, as will be described later.

[0011] The payment machine 3 is provided with a touch panel display 31 for performing operations related to payment and selecting the type of operation related to washing / drying clothes, and this touch panel display 31 is treated with antibacterial processing using antibacterial wax, antibacterial cover glass, etc.

[0012] In addition, the laundry facility F is equipped with an ozone sterilization device 4, a photocatalytic sterilization device 5, and a sterilizing mist sprayer 6 as devices for sterilizing the facility, specifically the spaces that users can enter and exit when using the laundry equipment.

[0013] The ozone sterilization device 4 generates ozone at a concentration below the permissible indoor concentration and sterilizes the space with ozone. The photocatalytic sterilization device 5 is a device that sterilizes and deodorizes using photocatalysis and is configured, for example, to pass air through a photocatalytic ceramic filter. The sterilizing mist sprayer 6 is a device that sprays a mist with sterilizing properties and sterilizes the space by generating and spraying a mist containing hypochlorous acid water.

[0014] Such laundry facility F can reduce pathogenic bacteria and viruses in areas that users touch and in the space within the facility, thereby preventing infection between users through equipment within the laundry facility F and infection through clothing.

[0015] (dryer) The configuration of the dryer will be described below. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the dryer. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system in the dryer.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, as a drying mechanism, the dryer 1 includes a drum D that defines a cylindrical space for accommodating the clothes to be dried, a motor M that rotates the drum D, an air intake path 11 for drawing air into the drum D from the outside, and an exhaust path 15 for exhausting the air in the drum D to the outside.

[0017] The intake path 11 is provided with a heating unit 12 that heats the intake air and an inlet temperature sensor 13 that measures the temperature in the intake path 11. The exhaust path 15 is provided with an outlet temperature sensor 16 that measures the temperature in the exhaust path 15 and a fan 17 that exhausts the air inside the drum to the outside.

[0018] Furthermore, the dryer 1 includes an ozone generator 14, a charged particle generator NE, and a mist generator MG as a sterilization / deodorization mechanism. The ozone generator 14 is provided in the air intake passage 11 and generates ozone, which has sterilization and deodorization effects. The charged particle generator NE generates charged particles and is provided near the drum D so that the charged particles are supplied into the drum D. Here, the charged particles include negative oxygen ions, positive hydrogen ions, charged water particles, active oxygen, etc., and have sterilization and deodorization effects. The mist generator MG is provided in the air intake passage 11 and generates mist by atomizing a liquid with sterilization / deodorization effects, such as hydrogen subchloride water or hydrogen hypochlorite water. Here, atomization refers to breaking down the liquid into fine particles large enough to float in the air, and the mist generator MG generates mist using known means, such as a spray nozzle or ultrasonic vibrator. The ozone generating unit 14, the charged fine particle generating unit NE, and the mist generating unit MG may be mounted in any position as long as they are arranged so that air containing the respective generation / generation targets flows into the drum D.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 3, the dryer 1 includes a control system including a control device 90A having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 902, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 903, an input IF (Interface) 91, and an output IF 92.

[0020] The control device 90A is a device that controls the dryer 1 through cooperation of a CPU 901, a ROM 902, and a RAM 903, and receives inputs from the inlet temperature sensor 13, the outlet temperature sensor 16, the operation panel CP (see FIG. 1), and the open / close sensor DS via an input IF 91, and controls the heating unit 12, the motor M, the ozone generator 14, the fan 17, the door lock DL, and the charged fine particle generator NE via an output IF 92. The open / close sensor DS is a sensor that detects the open / close state of the door D1 (see FIG. 1) of the drum D, and the door lock DL is a device that locks the door D1.

[0021] The control device 90A controls the heating unit 12, fan 17, and motor M to perform a general drying operation in which the drum D rotates while hot air is sucked into the drum D, and also performs drum sterilization processing and clothing sterilization processing, which will be described in detail later.

[0022] (Washer / dryer) The configuration of the washer-dryer will be described below. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the washer-dryer. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system in the washer-dryer.

[0023] 4, washer-dryer 2 differs from dryer 1 in that it further includes, as a washing mechanism, a water supply channel 21 for supplying water into drum D and a drain channel 22 for draining water from drum D. Water supply channel 21 is provided with a water supply valve 21V, and drain channel 22 is provided with a drain valve 22V. Water supply valve 21V and drain valve 22V switch water supply channel 21 and drain channel 22 between a closed state and an open state, respectively.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 90B of the washer-dryer 2 differs from the control device 90A of the dryer 1 in that a water level sensor 23 (not shown in FIG. 4) that detects the water level in the drum D is connected to the control device 90 via an input IF91, and is connected to a water supply valve 21V and a drain valve 22V via an output IF92.

[0025] In addition to the above-mentioned drying operation, drum sterilization process, and clothing sterilization process, the control device 90B controls the water supply valve 21V, the drain valve 22V, and the motor M to perform a general washing operation of rotating the drum D while water is being supplied to the drum D. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between the control devices 90A and 90B, they will be collectively referred to as the control device 90.

[0026] (Drum sterilization treatment) The drum sterilization process will now be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.

[0027] The drum sterilization process is performed prior to the operation of the dryer 1 and the washer-dryer 2, i.e., prior to the drying operation of the dryer 1 and the washing or drying operation of the washer-dryer 2. The operation panel CP is equipped with a drum sterilization button for setting whether or not to perform the drum sterilization process, and a lamp or a 7-segment display that indicates the status indicated by this button. The control device 90 is set so that one drum sterilization process can be performed prior to operation in response to payment.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 90 first determines whether the remaining number of drum sterilization processes is one or more (S101).

[0029] If the remaining number of times is one or more (YES in S101), the control device 90 determines whether or not the drum sterilization button has been pressed on the operation panel CP (S102).

[0030] If the drum sterilization button is pressed (S102, YES), the control device 90 determines whether the door D1 is closed or not using the open / close sensor DS (S103).

[0031] If the door D1 is closed (S103, YES), the control device 90 activates the door lock DL to lock the door D1 (S104), performs a sterilization / deodorization operation (S105), and then performs a discharge operation (S106), thereby completing the drum sterilization process.

[0032] In the sterilization / deodorization operation, the control device 90 rotates the drum D using the motor M and activates the ozone generator 14, the charged particle generator NE, and the mist generator MG. At this time, the fan 17 is stopped. Through this sterilization / deodorization operation, the ozone generated by the ozone generator 14, the charged particle generator NE, and the mist generated by the mist generator MG fill the drum D and are agitated by the rotation of the drum D, thereby sterilizing and deodorizing the inside of the drum D. Furthermore, in the discharge operation, the control device 90 operates only the fan 17. This discharges the air containing the ozone, charged particle, and mist from inside the drum D to the outside. Note that in the sterilization / deodorization operation, it is sufficient that at least one of the ozone, charged particle, and mist flows into the drum D.

[0033] Furthermore, in step S103, if the door D1 is not in the closed state (S103, NO), the control device 90 again determines whether the door D1 is in the closed state (S103).

[0034] Furthermore, in step S102, if the drum sterilization button is not pressed and an instruction to start the washing operation or the drying operation is given on the operation panel CP (S102, NO), the control device 90 ends the drum sterilization process.

[0035] Furthermore, in step S101, if the remaining number of times is less than 1, that is, 0 (S101, NO), the control device 90 ends the drum sterilization process.

[0036] According to this drum sterilization process, the inside of the drum D can be sterilized or deodorized with ozone and charged fine particles before the dryer 1 or the washer-dryer 2 is operated. This reduces pathogenic bacteria and viruses, preventing the spread of disease through the drum D. Note that the drum sterilization process can also be performed in a washing machine that does not have a drying mechanism and has only a washing function.

[0037] (Clothing sterilization treatment) The clothing sterilization process will now be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.

[0038] The clothing sterilization process is a process for sterilizing the clothes that is performed after the drying operation in the dryer 1 or the washer-dryer 2. Note that, in the clothing sterilization process, it is assumed that the door D1 is locked in advance by the door lock DL.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 7, the control device 90 performs a drying operation, i.e., activates the heating unit 12, the fan 17, and the motor M to rotate the drum D while drawing hot air into the drum D, and then performs a cooling operation to cool the inside of the drum D (S201).

[0040] During the cooling operation, the control device 90 stops the heating unit 12 and activates the fan 17 and motor M, causing unheated air to flow into the drum D while agitating the clothes, thereby cooling the clothes that have become hot during the drying operation.

[0041] After the cooling operation, the control device 90 performs a sterilization / deodorization operation to sterilize the clothes in the drum D (S202). This sterilization / deodorization operation continues for a preset sterilization / deodorization time. During the sterilization / deodorization operation, the control device 90 stops the fan 17 and activates the ozone generator 14, the charged particle generator NE, the mist generator MG, and the motor M to generate ozone and charged particles while agitating the clothes and creating an airflow within the drum D, thereby sterilizing and deodorizing the clothes with the ozone, charged particles, and mist. As with the drum sterilization process, the sterilization / deodorization operation in the clothing sterilization process only requires that at least one of ozone, charged particles, and mist be introduced into the drum D. Furthermore, the cooling operation prevents a reduction in the sterilization and deodorization effects due to high temperatures, particularly the reduction in the sterilization and deodorization effects of ozone, which is accelerated by oxidation at high temperatures.

[0042] After the sterilization / deodorization operation, the control device 90 performs a discharge operation to discharge the ozone and charged fine particles inside the drum D to the outside (S203), stops the door lock DL, and unlocks the door D1 (S204). During this discharge operation, the control device 90 stops the ozone generator 14, the charged fine particle generator NE, and the mist generator MG, and operates the fan 17 and the motor M to discharge the ozone, charged fine particles, and mist from the drum D. Furthermore, by unlocking the door D1 after the discharge operation, it is possible to prevent the user from being exposed to ozone, which can have adverse effects on the human body depending on its concentration.

[0043] Such a clothing sterilization treatment can reduce the number of bacteria and viruses that are pathogens attached to clothing, thereby preventing infection of diseases through clothing.

[0044] (Variation 1 of clothing sterilization treatment) The clothing sterilization process according to this modification differs from the above-described clothing sterilization process in that the sterilization / deodorization operation is terminated based on a user instruction. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the clothing sterilization process according to this modification.

[0045] 8, after the sterilization / deodorization operation (S202) starts, the control device 90 determines whether a preset sterilization / deodorization time has elapsed since the start of the sterilization / deodorization operation (S301). If the sterilization / deodorization time has not elapsed (S310, NO), the control device 90 determines whether an end instruction has been given by the user (S302). Here, the end instruction is given by pressing an end instruction button provided on the operation panel CP.

[0046] If an end instruction is given (S302, YES), the control device 90 stops the sterilization / deodorization operation and executes the discharge operation (S203). On the other hand, if an end instruction is not given (S302, NO), the control device 90 continues the sterilization / deodorization operation (S202).

[0047] Furthermore, in step S301, if the sterilization / deodorization time has elapsed (S301), the control device 90 stops the sterilization / deodorization operation and executes the discharge operation (S203).

[0048] In this way, even during the sterilization / deodorization time when the sterilization / deodorization operation is continuing, by stopping the sterilization / deodorization operation based on an end instruction from the user, the sterilization / deodorization time can be extended while taking user convenience into consideration. Because the sterilization and deodorization effect of ozone is based on the product of the ozone concentration and the exposure time to ozone, the sterilization and deodorization ability can be improved by setting a longer sterilization / deodorization time.

[0049] (Variation 2 of clothing sterilization treatment) The clothing sterilization process of this modified example is intended for dryers and washer-dryers that do not have door locks, and differs from the clothing sterilization process of modified example 1 in that when the door is opened, the sterilization / deodorization operation is terminated and the discharge operation is started.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 9, if the sterilization / deodorization time has not elapsed since the start of the sterilization / deodorization operation (S301, NO), the control device 90 determines whether the door D1 of the drum D is open based on detection by the open / close sensor DS (S401).

[0051] If the door D1 is in the open state (S401, YES), the control device 90 stops the sterilization / deodorization operation and starts the discharge operation (S203).

[0052] On the other hand, if the door D1 is not open (S401, NO), the control device 90 continues the sterilization / deodorization operation (S202).

[0053] In this way, if door D1 is opened before the sterilization / deodorization time has elapsed since the start of the sterilization / deodorization operation, the sterilization / deodorization operation is stopped and the discharge operation is started, thereby creating a negative pressure inside drum D and preventing the user from being exposed to ozone.

[0054] The embodiments of the present invention are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1... Dryer (laundry equipment), 12... Heating unit, 14... Ozone generating unit 17...fan, 90...controller, M...motor, NE...charged particle generating section MG…Mist generation part

Claims

1. A laundry machine that washes and dries clothes, or at least either washes or dries clothes, a drum capable of containing the garments; a motor for rotating the drum; a sterilization / deodorization mechanism having at least one of an ozone generating unit that generates ozone, a charged fine particle generating unit that generates charged fine particles, and a mist generating unit that generates mist by atomizing a liquid having a sterilization or deodorization effect; a control device that activates the sterilization / deodorization mechanism to sterilize and / or deodorize the inside of the drum prior to a washing operation or a drying operation of the laundry machine; an operating means for operating the execution of sterilization and / or deodorization in the drum; a door lock for locking a door capable of closing a clothes insertion opening of the drum; a fan connected to the drum and configured to exhaust air from within the drum to the outside; Equipped with The control device When the operating means is operated and the door is closed, the door lock is locked and the sterilization / deodorization mechanism is activated to perform the sterilization and / or deodorization inside the drum with the fan stopped before the washing operation or the drying operation; After the sterilization and / or deodorization is performed, only the fan is operated to perform a discharge operation for discharging the air from the drum. A laundry appliance characterized by:

2. The laundry equipment described in Claim 1, characterized in that when the fan is stopped, the control device performs the sterilization and / or deodorization inside the drum while rotating the drum using the motor.

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