washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine capable of executing drying processing.SOLUTION: A washing machine comprises: a washing tub into which clothing to be washed is put; a rotor that is disposed on a bottom of the washing tub and rotates around an axis line extending in a vertical direction; a rotary brush having a shank fixed on an upper side of the rotor and a brush unit extending from the shank to an inner peripheral surface side of the washing tub; a warm wind unit that sends warm wind to the inside of the washing tub; and a control part that controls the washing tub, the rotary brush, and the warm wind unit. The control part controls the warm wind unit to execute drying processing for drying the clothing to be washed by sending warm wind to the inside of the washing tub. The control part executes a first step of alternately repeating rolling processing by rotating the rotary brush alternately in forward and reverse directions with respect to the washing tub and first rotating processing of integrally rotating the washing tub and the rotary brush, in the drying processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a shoe cleaning attachment capable of cleaning the inside of shoes, and a shoe cleaning device including this shoe cleaning attachment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-51038 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned washing machine (shoe washing device), when washing and then drying the laundry, the laundry must be removed from the washing machine and placed in a separate drying device, which is cumbersome, since the washing machine (shoe washing device) does not have a drying function.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can perform a drying process, for example. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a washing tub in which items to be washed are placed, a rotating body arranged at the bottom of the washing tub and rotating around an axis extending in the vertical direction, a rotating brush having a shaft fixed to the upper side of the rotating body and a brush unit extending from the shaft toward the inner surface of the washing tub, a hot air unit that sends hot air into the inside of the washing tub, and a control unit that controls the washing tub, the rotating brush, and the hot air unit, wherein the control unit controls the hot air unit to perform a drying process in which hot air is sent into the inside of the washing tub to dry the items to be washed, and the control unit performs a first step in the drying process that alternately repeats a rolling process in which the rotating brush is rotated alternately in forward and reverse directions relative to the washing tub, and a first rotation process in which the washing tub and the rotating brush are rotated together. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rotary brush as viewed from diagonally above. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. [Figure 4B] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rotating body as seen from diagonally above. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion as viewed from the radial outside of the shaft portion. [Figure 7A] FIG. [Figure 7B] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine showing the air outlet of the warm air unit. [Figure 8] 10 is a time chart showing a first step. [Figure 9] 10 is a time chart showing a second step. [Figure 10] 10 is a time chart showing a first modified example of the first step. [Figure 11] 10 is a time chart showing a first modified example of the second step. [Figure 12] 10 is a time chart showing the relationship between the internal temperature of the washing tub and the timing of switching the heater output. [Figure 13A] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion during rolling processing in normal rotation. [Figure 13B] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion during rolling processing in normal rotation. [Figure 14A] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion during the rolling process at the time of inversion. [Figure 14B] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion during the rolling process at the time of inversion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numerals, redundant explanations are omitted, and elements not directly related to the present disclosure may be omitted.

[0009] [Outline of washing machine 1] The schematic configuration of a washing machine 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the washing machine 1. In FIG. 1, a vertical cross section is shown with the front right portion of the washing machine 1 removed in order to illustrate the internal structure of the washing machine 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rotating brush 3 as seen from diagonally above. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rotating brush 3. The washing machine 1 of this embodiment is an example of a washer / dryer that washes, spins, and dries shoes 9 (see FIG. 4A, etc.) to be washed.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, washing machine 1 includes an outer box 10, an upper surface member 20, a top cover 30, a base member 40, a drive mechanism 50, etc. The outer shape of outer box 10 is a rectangular cylinder with openings at the top and bottom. Top surface member 20 is provided on the upper side of outer box 10, and base member 40 is provided on the lower side of outer box 10. Top cover 30 can open and close an opening that penetrates top surface member 20 in the vertical direction. Water tub 11 is disposed within outer box 10 and has a generally cylindrical shape with a bottom that opens upward. A drainage section is provided at the bottom of water tub 11 for draining water from water tub 11.

[0011] A washing tub 12 is provided within the water tub 11, into which shoes 9, the items to be washed, are placed. Like the water tub 11, the washing tub 12 is generally cylindrical with a bottom and opens upward, and is rotatable relative to the water tub 11. An axis O passing through the center of rotation of the washing tub 12 extends in the vertical direction. A drain hole is formed at the bottom of the washing tub 12, and multiple drain holes are formed in the peripheral wall and upper end of the washing tub 12. Shoes 9 are placed in and taken out of the washing tub 12 from above through the upper opening of the washing tub 12. A balance ring 14 is provided along the edge of the upper opening of the washing tub 12.

[0012] Washing machine 1 includes rotor 13, which is disposed at the bottom of washing tub 12 and rotates about an axis extending in the vertical direction. Rotator 13 is, for example, a disk-shaped pulsator for agitating the water in washing tub 12. Rotator 13 is rotatable relative to washing tub 12. An axis passing through the rotation center of rotor 13 substantially coincides with axis O of washing tub 12. Drive mechanism 50 is provided below washing tub 12 to drive and rotate washing tub 12 and rotor 13. Clutch 51 is provided between drive mechanism 50 and washing tub 12 and rotor 13. Clutch 51 switches between a state in which the power of drive mechanism 50 is transmitted to washing tub 12 and rotor 13 and a state in which the power of drive mechanism 50 is transmitted only to rotor 13.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, washing machine 1 includes rotating brush 3. Rotating brush 3 has rotating body 13, shaft 60 fixed to the upper side of rotating body 13, and brush unit 7 extending from shaft 60 toward inner circumferential surface 12A of washing tub 12. An axis passing through the center of rotation of rotating brush 3 passes through the center of shaft 60 and substantially coincides with axis O of washing tub 12. Therefore, both washing tub 12 and rotating brush 3 are rotatable about axis O.

[0014] The rotating brush 3 has a plurality of brush units 7. The upper end of each brush unit 7 is located below the upper opening of the washing tub 12. The lower end of each brush unit 7 faces the upper surface of the rotor 13 from above, with a gap therebetween. The tip of each brush unit 7 faces the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12, with a gap therebetween. In this example, two brush units 7 protrude in opposite directions from the shaft portion 60 in a plan view. The number, position, shape, etc. of the brush units 7 are not limited to this embodiment.

[0015] The washing machine 1 includes a control unit 90 for controlling the operation of the washing machine 1 (see FIG. 1). The control unit 90 is a controller including a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., but may also be an MCU, MPU, etc. The control unit 90 controls the drive mechanism 50, clutch 51, and a hot air unit 80 (described later), thereby performing a drying process in the washing machine 1, the details of which will be described later. In the operation of this example, the washing process is performed first, followed by a spin-drying process, and finally by a drying process.

[0016] [Side protrusion 100] The side protrusion 100 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 2, the side protrusion 100 is provided on the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12 and protrudes toward the axis O. In this example, a flat mounting plate 110 that is long in the vertical direction is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12 (see Fig. 1). The side protrusion 100 is a plate-like member that is provided below the mounting plate 110 and extends along the rotation direction C, and is symmetrical when viewed from the axis O.

[0017] The side protrusion 100 is provided at a height position facing the rotating brush unit 7. In this example, the side protrusion 100 as a whole is at the same height as the lower part of the brush unit 7. The protruding end 100B of the side protrusion 100 protrudes toward the axis O beyond the outer periphery P of the rotor 13 and is outside the rotation locus T (see Figure 3). The lower part of the rotating brush unit 7 crosses the front side of the side protrusion 100 with a gap therebetween.

[0018] [Bottom protrusion 200] The bottom surface protrusion 200 will now be described in detail. Figures 4A and 4B are side views of the rotary brush 3. Figure 4B shows the rotary brush 3 in Figure 4A rotated 180 degrees in the rotation direction C. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rotor 13 as viewed obliquely from above.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the rotating body 13 has a bottom surface protrusion 200 that protrudes upward from the top surface of the rotating body 13 and extends along the rotation direction C centered on the axis O. In this example, a mounting portion 130, which is a recess that is circular in plan view and to which the shaft portion 60 is fixed, is provided in the center of the top surface of the rotating body 13. The top surface of the rotating body 13 curves upward, extending radially outward from the mounting portion 130. The bottom surface protrusion 200 is provided on the outer circumferential side of the mounting portion 130 on the top surface of the rotating body 13.

[0020] The rotation direction C described above includes a first direction C1 and a second direction C2 that are opposite to each other. The first direction C1 is a clockwise direction in a plan view. The second direction C2 is a counterclockwise direction in a plan view. The bottom surface protrusion 200 has a first ridge line R1 extending from the apex 200A of the bottom surface protrusion 200 along the first direction C1, and a second ridge line R2 extending from the apex 200A of the bottom surface protrusion 200 along the second direction C2 and shorter than the first ridge line R1.

[0021] In this example, the bottom surface protrusion 200 has a ridgeline R that extends along the rotation direction C of the rotating body 13. The ridgeline R is an imaginary line that connects both ends of the bottom surface protrusion 200 in the extension direction and extends along the highest part of the surface of the bottom surface protrusion 200. The highest point of the ridgeline R is the apex 200A that forms the upper end of the bottom surface protrusion 200. The ridgeline R slopes gradually downward from the apex 200A to both sides in the rotation direction C.

[0022] The ridgeline R includes a first ridgeline R1 and a second ridgeline R2 extending from the upper end of the ridgeline R to both ends of the ridgeline R, respectively. The first ridgeline R1 extends in a first direction C1 from the apex 200A. The second ridgeline R2 extends in a second direction C2 from the apex 200A. The inclination angle of the first ridgeline R1 relative to the horizontal plane is smaller than the inclination angle of the second ridgeline R2 relative to the horizontal plane. Therefore, the first ridgeline R1 is longer than the second ridgeline R2.

[0023] The bottom surface protrusion 200 includes a first protrusion 201 having a first ridgeline R1 and a second protrusion 202 having a second ridgeline R2. The first protrusion 201 is arc-shaped and extends from the top 200A in a first direction C1, and the protrusion width from the top surface of the rotating body 13 decreases as it moves toward the first direction C1. The second protrusion 202 is arc-shaped and extends from the top 200A to the top surface of the rotating body 13 in a second direction C2, and the protrusion width from the top surface of the rotating body 13 decreases as it moves toward the second direction C2.

[0024] As described above, the shaft portion 60 is rotationally driven integrally with the rotating body 13, so the position of the brush unit 7 relative to the rotating body 13 is fixed. In other words, the position of the bottom surface protrusion 200 relative to the brush unit 7 is fixed. In this example, as shown in Fig. 3, the bottom surface protrusion 200 is provided over a range of approximately 180 degrees around the axis O so as to extend across the two brush units 7 in a plan view. The top portion 200A is located between the two brush units 7 in a plan view.

[0025] 4A and 4B, the apex 200A of the bottom surface protrusion 200 is located above the lower end of the brush unit 7. That is, in the bottom surface protrusion 200, the first direction C1 side of the first protrusion 201 is located below the brush unit 7A described below, the second direction C2 side of the second protrusion 202 is located below the brush unit 7B described below, and the apex 200A protrudes from below between the brush units 7A and 7B.

[0026] The ridgeline R is not limited to being parallel to the rotation direction C of the rotor 13, but may be any ridgeline that intersects the radial direction of the axis O in a plan view. For example, the ridgeline R may be straight, or may be a curve with a curvature different from the rotation direction C, or may be a meandering shape, as long as it intersects the axis O in a plan view.

[0027] [Detailed configuration of Brush Unit 7] The detailed configuration of the brush unit 7 will be described. Fig. 6 is a schematic planar development of the outer peripheral surface 60A of the shaft portion 60 as viewed from the radial outside of the shaft portion 60. That is, Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the outer peripheral surface 60A as viewed along the rotation direction C from the radial outside of the shaft portion 60.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4B and 6, each of the two brush units 7 includes a plurality of brush portions 70 extending from the shaft portion 60 toward the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12. Each of the plurality of brush portions 70 is composed of a single or a plurality of elastic bodies. In this example, each of the plurality of brush portions 70 has a plurality of bristle bundles extending radially outward from the shaft portion 60, arranged on the outer circumferential surface 60A. The brush portion 70 may be a sponge or rubber product. Each of the plurality of brush portions 70 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the radially outward side of the shaft portion 60, but may have other shapes, such as a triangular shape, a diamond shape, or an elliptical shape.

[0029] Washing machine 1 includes a first brush unit 7 provided on the second direction C2 side of top 200A of bottom surface protrusion 200 in plan view, and a second brush unit 7 provided on the first direction C1 side of top 200A of bottom surface protrusion 200 in plan view. In this example, brush unit 7B provided on the second direction C2 side of top 200A is the first brush unit 7. Brush unit 7A provided on the first direction C1 side of top 200A is the second brush unit 7.

[0030] In the brush units 7A and 7B, the multiple brush parts 70 include a first brush part 71 and a second brush part 72 that are spaced apart from each other and located at different positions in the up-down direction. As shown in Figures 4A and 6, in the brush unit 7A, the first brush part 71 and the second brush part 72 extend in the up-down direction at positions spaced apart from each other in the rotation direction C. The first brush part 71 is located further in the second direction C2 than the second brush part 72 and is shifted upward relative to the second brush part 72.

[0031] A first region 71A extending downward from the first brush portion 71 is a space where multiple brush portions 70 are not provided, and is aligned with the second brush portion 72 in the rotation direction C. A second region 72A extending upward from the second brush portion 72 is a space where multiple brush portions 70 are not provided, and is aligned with the first brush portion 71 in the rotation direction C.

[0032] The second brush unit 7 extends upward in a stepped manner along the second direction C2. Specifically, the brush unit 7A further includes a third brush portion 73, a fourth brush portion 74, and a fifth brush portion 75. The third brush portion 73 extends along the rotational direction C between the first brush portion 71 and the second brush portion 72 and is connected to the lower portion of the first brush portion 71 and the upper portion of the second brush portion 72. The fourth brush portion 74 extends in the second direction C2 from the upper portion of the first brush portion 71. The fifth brush portion 75 extends in the second direction C2 from the lower portion of the second brush portion 72. As a result, the brush unit 7A extends upward in a stepped manner along the second direction C2 when viewed from the radially outer side of the shaft portion 60.

[0033] As shown in Figures 2 to 4B and 6, the brush units 7A and 7B are spaced apart from each other in the rotational direction C. Specifically, the brush units 7A and 7B are provided on semi-circumferential surfaces 161 and 162, respectively, of the shaft portion 60. The semi-circumferential surfaces 161 and 162 are two equal regions obtained by dividing the outer circumferential surface 60A of the shaft portion 60 into two equal parts aligned in the rotational direction C. As described above, the top 200A of the bottom surface protrusion 200 is located between the brush units 7A and 7B in a plan view (see Figure 2).

[0034] 4B and 6, the shape of brush unit 7B is equivalent to the shape of brush unit 7A rotated 180 degrees when viewed from the radially outer side of shaft portion 60. Therefore, in brush unit 7B, first brush portion 71 is located further in the first direction C1 than second brush portion 72. First brush portion 71 is positioned downwardly relative to second brush portion 72.

[0035] The first brush unit 7 extends upward in a stepped manner along the second direction C2. Specifically, in the brush unit 7B, the third brush portion 73 is connected to the upper portion of the first brush portion 71 and the lower portion of the second brush portion 72. The fourth brush portion 74 extends in the first direction C1 from the lower portion of the first brush portion 71. The fifth brush portion 75 extends in the first direction C1 from the upper portion of the second brush portion 72. As a result, the brush unit 7B extends upward in a stepped manner along the second direction C2 when viewed from the radially outer side of the shaft portion 60.

[0036] The step of the first brush unit 7 is higher than the step of the second brush unit 7. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, in the stepped brush unit 7A, the third brush portion 73 forms a step connecting the first brush portion 71 and the second brush portion 72. In the stepped brush unit 7B, the third brush portion 73 forms a step connecting the first brush portion 71 and the second brush portion 72. The third brush portion 73 of the brush unit 7B is higher than the third brush portion 73 of the brush unit 7A.

[0037] [Hot air unit 80] The hot air unit 80 will now be described in detail. Fig. 7A is a top view of the washing machine 1. Fig. 7A shows a top view with part of the top member 20 of the washing machine 1 removed to illustrate the hot air unit 80. Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine 1 showing the air outlet 83a of the hot air unit 80. Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 7A. Part of the washing machine 1 is not shown in Fig. 7B.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7A, washing machine 1 includes hot air unit 80 that sends hot air into washing tub 12. Hot air unit 80 is, for example, a fan heater including fan 81 and heater 82. Hot air unit 80 includes fan cover 83 that houses fan 81 and heater 82. Fan 81 is, for example, a centrifugal fan. Heater 82 is, for example, a PTC heater. Air taken into fan cover 83 is heated by heater 82 and then sent into washing tub 12 through air outlet 83a.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 7B, air outlet 83a of fan cover 83 is located above washing tub 12. Air outlet 83a is an opening that opens downward toward washing tub 12. In a plan view, air outlet 83a is eccentric from axis O that passes through the center of rotation of washing tub 12. In this embodiment, air outlet 83a is located above the rear of washing tub 12.

[0040] [Laundry processing] An overview of the washing process will be described. In the washing process, shoes 9 are washed in washing tub 12, which is filled with detergent and water. In the washing process, a rolling process P1, which will be described later, is performed in which rotating brush 3 is rotated alternately in forward and reverse directions relative to washing tub 12. In rolling process P1, the rotating brush unit 7 comes into contact with shoes 9 on the outer periphery of shaft 60, thereby washing shoes 9. When the washing process is completed, the laundry and water are discharged from the drainage section and drain hole of washing tub 12.

[0041] [Dehydration process] An overview of the spin-drying process will be described. In the spin-drying process, shoes 9 are spin-dried without water being stored in washing tub 12. In the spin-drying process, a first rotation process P2, which will be described later, is performed in which washing tub 12 and rotating brush 3 are rotated integrally. In the first rotation process P2, washing tub 12 and rotating brush 3 are rotated at high speed, and centrifugal force acts on shoes 9 in washing tub 12, causing them to be spin-dried.

[0042] [Drying process] The drying process will be described in detail. In the drying process, the shoes 9 are dried in the washing tub 12 from which the detergent and water have been discharged. The control unit 90 of the washing machine 1 controls the hot air unit 80 to send hot air into the washing tub 12 to dry the shoes 9. While the drying process is being performed, the control unit 90 controls the hot air unit 80 to constantly send hot air into the washing tub 12.

[0043] In the drying process, the control unit 90 executes a first step S1 and a second step S2 that follows the first step S1. Fig. 8 is a time chart showing the first step S1. Fig. 8 is a time chart showing the operations of the drive mechanism 50 (motor), clutch 51, fan 81, and heater 82 in the first step S1. Fig. 9 is a time chart showing the operations of the drive mechanism 50 (motor), clutch 51, fan 81, and heater 82 in the second step S2.

[0044] [Details of the first process] 8, the first step S1 is a step of alternately repeating a rolling process P1 in which the rotating brush 3 is alternately rotated in forward and reverse directions relative to the washing tub 12, and a first rotation process P2 in which the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 are rotated integrally. For ease of explanation, the step of sequentially performing the rolling process P1 and the first rotation process P2 once will be referred to as step Sa below. In the first step S1, step Sa is repeated multiple times (10 times in this embodiment).

[0045] First, the control unit 90 controls the drive mechanism 50 to execute the rolling process P1. In the rolling process P1, the drive mechanism 50 is connected to the rotating body 13 of the washing tub 12 and the rotating body 13 by the clutch 51. The power of the drive mechanism 50 is transmitted to the rotating body 13, and the rotating brush 3 is driven to rotate around the axis O.

[0046] The rotation locus T drawn by the tip of the brush unit 7 rotating in the rotation direction C is a circle centered on the axis O, and has a smaller diameter than the outer periphery P of the rotor 13 (see FIG. 3). The brush unit 7 rotating within the rotation locus T can come into contact with the shoe 9 located on the outer periphery side of the shaft 60.

[0047] In this embodiment, in the tumbling process P1, the rotating brush 3 alternately rotates forward and backward twice. During forward rotation, the brush unit 7 rotates in a first direction C1. During reverse rotation, the brush unit 7 rotates in a second direction C2. The brush unit 7 rotates relative to the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12, comes into contact with the shoes 9 to be washed in the washing tub 12, and changes the posture and orientation of the shoes 9, thereby evenly discharging water accumulated inside the shoes 9. Note that, in the tumbling process P1, the rotating brush 3 alternately rotates forward and backward twice, but this is not limiting, and the rotating brush 3 may alternately rotate forward and backward once or multiple times.

[0048] During forward rotation, the brush units 7A and 7B come into contact with the shoe 9 while moving in the first direction C1. In the brush unit 7A shown in FIG. 4A, when the shoe 9 comes into contact with the second brush portion 72, the elasticity of the second brush portion 72 causes the shoe 9 to easily move upward toward the second region 72A where there are no brushes. The shoe 9 that has moved to the second region 72A comes into contact with the first brush portion 71 moving in the first direction C1. Similarly, in the brush unit 7B shown in FIG. 4B, when the shoe 9 comes into contact with the first brush portion 71, the shoe 9 tends to move toward the first region 71A where there are no brushes, and comes into contact with the second brush portion 72 moving in the first direction C1.

[0049] When reversing, the brush units 7A and 7B come into contact with the shoe 9 while moving in the second direction C2. In the brush unit 7B shown in FIG. 4B, when the shoe 9 comes into contact with the second brush portion 72, the elasticity of the second brush portion 72 causes the shoe 9 to easily move downward toward the second region 72A where there are no brushes. The shoe 9 that has moved to the second region 72A comes into contact with the first brush portion 71 moving in the second direction C2. Similarly, in the brush unit 7A shown in FIG. 4A, when the shoe 9 comes into contact with the first brush portion 71, the shoe 9 moves toward the first region 71A and comes into contact with the second brush portion 72 moving in the second direction C2.

[0050] In this way, the brush units 7A and 7B can move the shoe 9 in contact with each of them upward or downward, so that both the first brush part 71 and the second brush part 72, which are spaced apart from each other in the rotation direction C, come into contact with the shoe 9. This prevents the shoe 9 from following the brush units 7A and 7B, and makes it easier to change the posture and orientation of the shoe 9.

[0051] The first brush portion 71 and the second brush portion 72 can move from a state where they are separated from the shoe 9 in the rotation direction C toward the rotation direction C and come into contact with the shoe 9. This makes it easier for the tips of the first brush portion 71 and the second brush portion 72 to come into contact with the shoe 9, increasing the contact friction applied to the shoe 9 and making it easier to change the posture and orientation of the shoe 9. Furthermore, by moving the shoe 9 to the first region 71A or the second region 72A where there are no brushes, the posture and orientation of the shoe 9 can be changed.

[0052] In each of the brush units 7A, 7B, the third brush portion 73 extends between the first brush portion 71 and the second brush portion 72 along the rotation direction C. Therefore, when the shoe 9 moving in the rotation direction C comes into contact with the third brush portion 73, the shoe 9 receives a large reaction force from the third brush portion 73 and tends to move to the first region 71A or the second region 72A where there is no brush. This allows the posture and orientation of the shoe 9 to be changed.

[0053] Furthermore, as the rotating brush 3 rotates, the shoes 9 move along the inner peripheral surface 12A and come into contact with the side protrusions 100. When the shoes 9 come into contact with the side protrusions 100 and bounce, the orientation and posture of the shoes 9 can be significantly changed. Furthermore, when the shoes 9 sink in the stored water in the washing tub 12, they are bounced upward when they come into contact with the bottom protrusions 200 that rotate together with the rotor 13. This allows the brush unit 7 to reliably come into contact with the shoes 9, thereby significantly changing the orientation and posture of the shoes 9.

[0054] After executing the rolling process P1, the control unit 90 executes the first rotation process P2. In the first rotation process P2, the drive mechanism 50 is connected to the washing tub 12 and the rotating body 13 by the clutch 51. The power of the drive mechanism 50 is transmitted to the washing tub 12 and the rotating body 13, and the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 are integrally rotated around the axis O. In the first rotation process P2, the drive mechanism 50 (motor) is rotated at, for example, 800 rpm. As described above, the high-speed rotation of the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 exerts centrifugal force on the shoes 9 in the washing tub 12, causing them to be dehydrated. In other words, the first rotation process P2 is a spin-drying rotation. In the first rotation process P2, moist air in the washing tub 12 is expelled from the gap between the top surface member 20 and the top lid 30, thereby improving the drying performance of the washing machine 1.

[0055] The first rotation process P2 includes a front-end process in which the drive mechanism 50 (motor) is driven to rotate the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3, and a back-end process in which the drive mechanism 50 (motor) is stopped and the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 are rotated by inertial force. In the back-end process, when the rotation speed of the drive mechanism 50 (motor) drops to a predetermined value, the clutch 51 switches from a state in which the drive mechanism 50 is connected to the washing tub 12 and the rotating body 13 to a state in which only the rotating body 13 is connected, thereby effectively reducing the rotation speed of the rotating brush 3.

[0056] As described above, by performing the rolling process P1, the posture and orientation of the shoes 9 are changed, making it easier to evenly drain the water accumulated inside the shoes 9. Furthermore, changing the posture and orientation of the shoes 9 makes it easier to solve the problem of the degree of dehydration decreasing when the soles of the shoes 9 face the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12. It also makes it easier to prevent multiple shoes 9 from overlapping. It also makes it easier to evenly apply hot air to the entire surface of the shoes 9. Furthermore, by repeatedly performing the rolling process P1 and the first rotation process P2 alternately, the posture and orientation of the shoes 9 can be repeatedly changed to dehydrate the shoes 9, thereby steadily solving the above-mentioned problems. Therefore, the drying performance of the washing machine 1 can be improved.

[0057] In the first step S1, the rolling process P1 and the first rotation process P2 are repeated in the order of rolling process P1, first rotation process P2, but this is not limited to this, and the rolling process P1 and the first rotation process P2 may be repeated alternately, for example, they may be repeated in the order of first rotation process P2, then rolling process P1.

[0058] Furthermore, in the first step S1, the heater 82 and the fan 81 are turned on, but this is not limiting, and the heater 82 and the fan 81 may be turned off until the step Sa or the rolling process P1 is performed at least once. This prevents the shoes 9 from being heated when water has accumulated inside them, and improves the efficiency with which the heater 82 dries the shoes 9.

[0059] [Details of the second process] As shown in FIG. 9, second step S2 is a step of executing second rotation process P3, which rotates washing tub 12 and rotating brush 3 integrally. In second rotation process P3, similar to first rotation process P2, drive mechanism 50 is connected to washing tub 12 and rotating body 13 by clutch 51, and washing tub 12 and rotating brush 3 are integrally rotated around axis O. In second rotation process P3, drive mechanism 50 (motor) is rotated at, for example, 50 to 100 rpm. That is, the rotation speed of drive mechanism 50 (motor) in second rotation process P3 is lower than the rotation speed of drive mechanism 50 (motor) in first rotation process P2.

[0060] As described above, in the second rotation process P3, the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 are rotated at a low speed, so that the hot air sent into the washing tub 12 can be applied to the shoes 9 evenly.

[0061] An example of the processing time for each step of the drying process is described below. In this embodiment, the total time for the drying process is approximately 60 minutes. The processing time for the first step S1 is approximately 20 minutes, and the processing time for the second step S2 is approximately 40 minutes. More specifically, the processing time for each step Sa in the first step S1 is approximately 2 minutes. Within the step Sa, the processing time for each of the rolling step P1 and the first rotation step P2 is approximately 1 minute. The processing time for the second rotation step P3 in the second step S2 is approximately 40 minutes.

[0062] In the above configuration, the proportion of the time spent in the rolling process P1 during the drying process is smaller than the proportion of the time spent in the processes other than the rolling process P1 during the drying process. In the example described above, the cumulative time spent in the repeatedly performed rolling process P1 is approximately 10 minutes, and the time spent in the processes other than the rolling process P1 is approximately 50 minutes. As described above, by reducing the proportion of the time spent in the entire drying process during which only the rotating brush 3 rotates, the shoes 9 can be dried while preventing damage to the shoes 9 due to friction with the brush unit 7.

[0063] [First Modification of First Step] The first step S1a will be described. The first step S1a is a first modified example of the first step S1. FIG. 10 is a time chart showing the first step S1a. FIG. 10 is a time chart showing the operations of the drive mechanism 50 (motor), clutch 51, fan 81, and heater 82 in the first step S1a. The first step S1a differs from the first step S1 in that the time of the rolling process is changed depending on the elapsed time of the first step S1a.

[0064] As shown in Figure 10, the first step S1a includes a step Sa including a rolling process P1 in which the rotating brush 3 is rotated forward and backward alternately twice, and a step Sb including a rolling process P1a in which the rotating brush 3 is rotated forward and backward alternately once. That is, step Sb differs from step Sa only in that the rolling process takes a shorter time. The control unit 90 switches from step Sa to step Sb depending on the elapsed time of the first step S1a. For example, the control unit 90 repeats step Sa five times, and then repeats step Sb five times.

[0065] As described above, by switching from step Sa to step Sb in the latter half of the first step S1a, the time that the shoes 9 are in contact with the brush unit 7 can be reduced in the latter half of the step when the shoes 9 have been dehydrated. Therefore, the shoes 9 can be dehydrated while preventing damage to the shoes 9.

[0066] In the first step S1a, the contact time between the shoes 9 and the brush unit 7 is shortened by reducing the number of times the rotating brush 3 alternates between forward and reverse rotation, but this is not limiting, and the amount of rotation and speed of the rotating brush 3 may be changed as appropriate as long as the contact friction on the shoes 9 is reduced. Also, in the first step S1a, the rolling process time differs between the first half and the second half, but this is not limiting, and for example, the rolling process time may be gradually shortened depending on the elapsed time of the first step.

[0067] Furthermore, in the first step S1a, the time of the rolling process is changed depending on the elapsed time of the first step S1a, but this is not limited to this, and it is sufficient to shorten the proportion of the time of the rolling process in the first step. For example, the time of the first rotation process may be changed, or the time of the rolling process and the time of the first rotation process may be changed.

[0068] [First modified example of the second step] The second step S2a will be described. The second step S2a is a first modified example of the second step S2. FIG. 11 is a time chart showing the second step S2a. FIG. 11 is a time chart showing the operations of the drive mechanism 50 (motor), clutch 51, fan 81, and heater 82 in the second step S2a. The second step S2a differs from the second step S2 in that it includes a rolling process P1.

[0069] 11, in the second step S2a, the control unit 90 performs a rolling process P1 during the second rotation process P3. Here, performing the rolling process P1 during the second rotation process P3 means temporarily interrupting the second rotation process P3 and performing the rolling process P1. In this embodiment, the rolling process P1 is performed once during the second rotation process P3.

[0070] As described above, by performing the rolling process P1 during the second rotation process P3, the control unit 90 can apply hot air evenly to the entire surface of the shoes 9 while changing the posture and orientation of the shoes 9, thereby improving the drying performance of the washing machine 1. Note that the control unit 90 performs the rolling process P1 once during the second rotation process P3, but this is not limiting, and the control unit 90 may perform the rolling process P1 multiple times during the second rotation process P3.

[0071] [Temperature control by hot air unit 80] Using FIG. 12, the temperature control inside washing tub 12 by hot air unit 80 will be described. FIG. 12 is a time chart showing the relationship between the internal temperature of washing tub 12 and the timing of switching the output of heater 82. In FIG. 12, vertical lines indicate the internal temperature of washing tub 12, and horizontal lines indicate the elapsed time in the drying process. In this embodiment, control unit 90 acquires the internal temperature of washing tub 12 using a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in washing tub 12. In this embodiment, the output of heater 82 can be changed to two levels, for example, "weak" and "strong." When the drying process starts, control unit 90 sets the output of heater 82 to "strong" so that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 approaches target temperature T1.

[0072] The control unit 90 of the washing machine 1 compares the internal temperature of the washing tub 12 with the target temperature T1 to determine whether to switch the output of the heater 82. The target temperature T1 is, for example, a temperature at which the shoes 9 will not be damaged by heat. In this embodiment, the target temperature T1 is, for example, 60°C.

[0073] Control unit 90 compares the internal temperature of washing tub 12 with target temperature T1, and if it determines that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 has exceeded target temperature T1, it switches the output of heater 82 to "weak" and maintains "weak" for a predetermined time. That is, after switching the output of heater 82 to "weak," control unit 90 does not switch the output of heater 82 for a predetermined time. Here, the predetermined time is, for example, 10 minutes. This prevents the internal temperature of washing tub 12 from fluctuating around target temperature T1, which would otherwise cause the output of heater 82 to be switched frequently, thereby extending the life of the relay for heater 82.

[0074] Furthermore, when the output of heater 82 is switched to "low," control unit 90 compares the internal temperature of washing tub 12 with target temperature T1 at predetermined time intervals until it determines that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 is equal to or lower than target temperature T1. When control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 is equal to or lower than target temperature T1, it switches the output of heater 82 to "high" and then compares the internal temperature of washing tub 12 with target temperature T1 as needed. On the other hand, when control unit 90 determines that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 exceeds target temperature T1, it maintains the output of heater 82 at "low" and repeatedly compares the internal temperature of washing tub 12 with target temperature T1 at predetermined time intervals until it determines that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 is equal to or lower than target temperature T1.

[0075] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned predetermined time is set so that the maximum number of times the output of the heater 82 switches from "weak" to "strong" during the drying process is three, taking into account the relay life of the heater 82, and therefore may be changed as appropriate depending on the time of the drying process and the relay life of the heater 82.

[0076] In this embodiment, the temperature control by the hot air unit 80 is performed using one threshold value (target temperature T1), but this is not limiting, and for example, hunting control may be performed using two threshold values ​​(upper limit temperature and lower limit temperature). Also, linear control may be performed using a current value, not limited to ON / OFF control.

[0077] Although the control unit 90 controls the temperature using one threshold value (target temperature T1) throughout all steps of the drying process, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 90 may control the heater 82 so that the internal temperature of the washing tub 12 is higher in the second rotation process P3 than in the first rotation process P2. In this case, for example, the above-described temperature control may be performed using the target temperature T1 in the first rotation process P2, and the above-described temperature control may be performed using a target temperature T2 that is, for example, 3 to 5°C higher than the target temperature T1 in the second rotation process P3. This allows the shoes 9 to be dried effectively in the second rotation process P3, which is primarily intended to dry the shoes 9. Furthermore, for example, the control unit 90 may control the heater 82 so that the internal temperature of the washing tub 12 is higher in the second step S2 than in the first step S1. In this case, for example, the above-described temperature control may be performed using the target temperature T1 in the first step S1, and the above-described temperature control may be performed using the target temperature T2 in the second step S2. Furthermore, for example, control unit 90 may control heater 82 so that the internal temperature of washing tub 12 is higher in first step S1 than in second step S2. In this case, for example, it is conceivable that the above-described temperature control is performed using target temperature T2 in first step S1, and the above-described temperature control is performed using target temperature T1 in second step S2. As a result, by lowering the internal temperature of washing tub 12 in second step S2, where the shoes 9 are being dried, the shoes 9 can be dried while preventing damage to the shoes 9.

[0078] [Behavior of shoe 9 due to rolling process] The behavior of the shoe 9 during the above-mentioned rolling process P1 will be described. Figures 13A and 13B are schematic planar developments of the outer peripheral surface 60A of the shaft 60 during the rolling process P1 in forward rotation. Figures 14A and 14B are schematic planar developments of the outer peripheral surface 60A of the shaft 60 during the rolling process P1 in reverse rotation. Figures 13A and 14A illustrate a case in which the side protrusions 100 do not affect the behavior of the shoe 9. Figures 13B and 14B illustrate a case in which the side protrusions 100 affect the behavior of the shoe 9.

[0079] In the rolling process P1, the shoes 9 on the rotating body 13 are moved along the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12, which does not contain water, as the rotating body 13 rotates or as they are pushed by the rotating brush unit 7. Even if the shoes 9 are stuck to the inner circumferential surface 12A and are difficult to move, when the shoes 9 come into contact with the bottom surface protrusion 200 that rotates together with the rotating body 13, they are peeled off from the inner circumferential surface 12A.

[0080] In this example, the steps of brush units 7A and 7B are at different heights. Specifically, in brush unit 7A, the stepped third brush portion 73 is located at a relatively low position, so the lower second brush portion 72 is short in the vertical direction, and the upper first brush portion 71 is relatively long in the vertical direction. In brush unit 7B, the stepped third brush portion 73 is located at a relatively high position, so the upper second brush portion 72 is short in the vertical direction, and the lower first brush portion 71 is relatively long in the vertical direction. This structure makes it easy for the shoe 9 to behave as follows during the rolling process P1.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 13A , when the rotor 13 rotates forward, the brush unit 7 and the bottom protrusion 200 move in the first direction C1. When a shoe 9 on the rotor 13 is on the first-direction C1 side of the brush unit 7A, the shoe 9 first comes into contact with the second brush portion 72 of the brush unit 7A. Because the shoe 9 can easily climb over the second brush portion 72, which is shorter in the vertical direction, it moves upward toward the second brushless area 72A and onto the stepped third brush portion 73. Once the shoe 9 has climbed onto the third brush portion 73, it comes into contact with the first brush portion 71 moving in the first direction C1. Because the shoe 9 has difficulty climbing over the first brush portion 71, which is longer in the vertical direction, it passes across the first brush portion 71 in the second direction C2. After passing the brush unit 7A, the shoe 9 then comes into contact with the first brush portion 71 of the brush unit 7B, which is located on the second-direction C2 side. At this time, the shoe 9 comes into contact with the upper end of the first brush portion 71, so it moves upward toward the first area 71A where there is no brush, and climbs onto the third brush portion 73 that forms a step of the brush unit 7B.

[0082] On the other hand, when the shoe 9 on the rotor 13 is on the first direction C1 side of the brush unit 7B, the shoe 9 first comes into contact with the first brush portion 71 of the brush unit 7B. However, because the first brush portion 71 is long in the vertical direction, it is difficult for the shoe 9 to climb over it. Therefore, in this example, a bottom protrusion 200 is provided on the first direction C1 side of the brush unit 7B to assist the shoe 9 in moving to a higher position. In the bottom protrusion 200, the first ridgeline R1 extending from the apex 200A toward the first direction C1 has a smaller inclination angle with respect to the horizontal plane than the second ridgeline R2 extending from the apex 200A toward the second direction C2. In other words, because the first protrusion 201 has a gentler slope than the second protrusion 202, the shoe 9 on the rotor 13 can easily climb over and roll.

[0083] As a result, when the rotor 13 rotates forward, the shoe 9 on the first direction C1 side of the brush unit 7B climbs onto the first protrusion 201 and rolls diagonally upward. Furthermore, the shoe 9 is released diagonally upward from the apex 200A of the bottom protrusion 200 toward the brush unit 7B. Because the apex 200A is higher than the fourth brush portion 74 at the bottom end of the brush unit 7B, the shoe 9 released from the apex 200A comes into contact with the first brush portion 71 without interfering with the fourth brush portion 74. Furthermore, the shoe 9 moves upward along the first brush portion 71, moving from the first region 71A onto the third brush portion 73. Therefore, even if the first brush portion 71 of the brush unit 7B is long in the vertical direction, the shoe 9 climbs over this first brush portion 71 and onto the third brush portion 73, which forms a step in the brush unit 7B.

[0084] 14A, when the rotating body 13 reverses, the shoe 9 on the brush unit 7A falls from the third brush part 73 in the first direction C1 and moves onto the rotating body 13. The shoe 9 on the brush unit 7B falls from the third brush part 73 in the first direction C1 and further rolls on the first protruding part 201 of the bottom surface protruding part 200 and moves onto the rotating body 13.

[0085] In this way, in the rolling process P1, the shoes 9 are moved to a high position along the stepped brush units 7A, 7B by the forward rotation operation, and then moved to a low position along the stepped brush units 7A, 7B by the reverse rotation operation, thereby significantly displacing the shoes 9 in the rotation direction C and the up-down direction. This significantly changes the posture and orientation of the shoes 9, and also changes the arrangement of the multiple shoes 9 so that they are dispersed within the washing tub 12, thereby improving the spin-drying effect in the subsequent first rotation process P2.

[0086] Furthermore, when the rotor 13 rotates forward, the shoe 9 may become pinched between the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12 and the brush unit 7, or between the inner circumferential surface 12A and the bottom protrusion 200. In such cases, the pinched shoe 9 can be released in the first direction C1 by reversing the rotation of the rotor 13. Figure 14A shows a state in which the shoe 9 pinched between the brush unit 7B and the inner circumferential surface 12A has been released in the first direction C1 from the first brush portion 71.

[0087] If the side protrusions 100 provided on the washing tub 12 come into contact with the shoes 9 when the rotating body 13 rotates forward or backward, the behavior of the shoes 9 may differ from that described above. As shown in FIG. 13B, when the rotating body 13 rotates forward, the side protrusions 100 move relatively in the second direction C2 as the brush unit 7 and the bottom protrusions 200 rotate.

[0088] When the side protrusion 100 comes into contact with the shoe 9 on the first direction C1 side of the brush unit 7B, the shoe 9 is relatively pushed toward the brush unit 7B. As a result, the shoe 9 is either sent out diagonally upward as in Figure 13A, or pressed against the first brush part 71 of the brush unit 7B. In the latter case, because the first brush part 71 is long in the vertical direction, the shoe 9 passes across the first brush part 71 in the second direction C2 without being interfered with by the third brush part 73 at the upper end of the first brush part 71.

[0089] Furthermore, when the side protrusion 100 comes into contact with a shoe 9 on the first direction C1 side of the brush unit 7A, the shoe 9 is relatively pushed toward the brush unit 7A. Some of the shoes 9 pushed in this way pass under the lower part of the brush unit 7A (below the third brush part 73) in the second direction C2 and move onto the bottom protrusion 200.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 14B , when the rotor 13 reverses, the side protrusions 100 move relatively in the first direction C1 as the brush unit 7 and the bottom protrusions 200 rotate. When the side protrusions 100 come into contact with a shoe 9 on the second direction C2 side of the brush unit 7B, they are pressed against the first brush portion 71 of the brush unit 7B. Because this first brush portion 71 is long in the vertical direction, the shoe 9 passes across the first brush portion 71 in the first direction C1 without being interfered with by the third brush portion 73 at the upper end of the first brush portion 71. At this time, the shoe 9, sandwiched between the side protrusions 100 and the bottom protrusions 200, passes through the first brush portion 71, being lifted along the steeply sloping second protrusions 202.

[0091] Furthermore, when the side protrusion 100 comes into contact with a shoe 9 on the second direction C2 side of the brush unit 7A, the shoe 9 is relatively pushed toward the brush unit 7A. Some of the shoes 9 pushed in this way pass under the lower part of the brush unit 7A (below the third brush part 73) in the first direction C1.

[0092] In this way, in the rolling process P1, the side protrusions 100 come into contact with the shoes 9, which significantly changes the posture and direction of the shoes 9 remaining on the rotating body 13, and allows multiple shoes 9 to be dispersed in different directions or for the shoes 9 to pass through the brush unit 7. This improves the dewatering effect in the first rotation process P2.

[0093] [Rotation amount for rolling process] The rotation amount in the rolling process P1 will be described in detail. The action of lifting the shoes 9 to a higher position during normal rotation is less likely to occur than the action of dropping the shoes 9 to a lower position during reverse rotation. Therefore, in this embodiment, during the rolling process P1, the rotating body 13 is rotated in the first direction C1 by a first rotation amount, and then rotated in the second direction C2 by a second rotation amount smaller than the first rotation amount. By making the first rotation amount during normal rotation larger than the second rotation amount during reverse rotation in this way, both the actions during normal rotation and reverse rotation can be achieved in a balanced manner.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to reliably perform the function of lifting the shoe 9 to a high position during forward rotation, the first rotation amount is set to a relatively large amount, for example, the first rotation amount is equal to or greater than half a rotation (180 degrees) of the rotor 13. On the other hand, if the rotation amount during reverse rotation is too large, there is a risk that the shoe 9 that falls from one brush unit 7 may get caught in another brush unit 7 and be damaged, or that the shoe 9 may be damaged if it is pinched between the side protrusion 100 and the bottom protrusion 200 and cannot be lifted properly along the steeply inclined second protrusion 202. For this reason, a relatively small amount of rotation is set to the second rotation amount, for example, the second rotation amount is less than half a rotation (180 degrees) of the rotor 13.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, two brush units 7A, 7B are provided, and because these brush units 7A, 7B have different shapes, the amount of shoe 9 lifted by each brush unit 7A, 7B during forward rotation differs. Therefore, a structure is adopted in which shoe 9 moves between the brush units 7A, 7B appropriately, so that shoe 9 can be easily lifted by both brush units 7A, 7B.

[0096] Specifically, a shoe 9 that gets stuck between the rotation locus T of the brush unit 7 and the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12 is less likely to be interfered with by the inner circumferential surface 12A and the brush unit 7, and its position and posture are less likely to change. Therefore, by providing a side protrusion 100 on the inner circumferential surface 12A, the shoe 9 moving together with the rotor 13 is brought into appropriate contact with the side protrusion 100 that rotates in the rotation direction C. As a result, the shoe 9 that comes into contact with the side protrusion 100 is moved in the rotation direction C, facilitating its movement between the brushes. At this time, the shoe 9 rolls toward the axis O, which also changes the posture of the shoe 9.

[0097] 13B and 14B, the upper end 100A of the side protrusion 100 is located above the top 200A of the bottom protrusion 200, so even if the shoe 9 climbs onto the bottom protrusion 200 and moves together with the rotating body 13, the side protrusion 100 moving in the rotation direction C can come into contact with the shoe 9. This allows the shoe 9 to move in the rotation direction C, facilitating movement between the brushes.

[0098] For the above reasons, in one aspect of the rolling process, the first rotation amount is set to approximately one rotation of the rotor 13 so that shoes 9 are given approximately one opportunity to be lifted or moved between brushes during forward rotation. For example, the control unit 90 rotates the rotor 13 forward in the first direction C1 by 2 / 3 rotation (240 degrees) to 4 / 5 rotation (288 degrees) as the first rotation amount. Furthermore, the rotation amount during the reverse rotation is set smaller than that during the forward rotation in order to appropriately distribute shoes 9 that are lifted or caught on the side protrusions 100 during forward rotation and to prevent damage to the shoes 9 due to the above-mentioned excessive rotation. For example, the control unit 90 rotates the rotor 13 backward in the second direction C2 by 1 / 3 rotation (120 degrees) to 2 / 5 rotation (144 degrees) as the second rotation amount.

[0099] In the above embodiment, one side surface protrusion 100 and one bottom surface protrusion 200 are provided, but multiple side surface protrusions 100 or multiple bottom surface protrusions 200 may be provided. The first rotation amount and the second rotation amount may be set to more suitable values ​​depending on the number of side surface protrusions 100 and bottom surface protrusions 200. For example, if n side surface protrusions 100 and n bottom surface protrusions 200 are provided at equal intervals, the first rotation amount during forward rotation may be set to about 1 / n rotation, and the second rotation amount during reverse rotation may be set to about 1 / 2n rotation.

[0100] In the above configuration, washing machine 1 includes washing tub 12 in which shoes 9 are placed, rotor 13 disposed at the bottom of washing tub 12 and rotating about axis O extending in the vertical direction, rotating brush 3 having shaft 60 fixed to the upper side of rotor 13 and brush unit 7 extending from shaft 60 toward inner circumferential surface 12A of washing tub 12, hot air unit 80 that sends hot air into washing tub 12, and control unit 90 that controls washing tub 12, rotating brush 3, and hot air unit 80. Control unit 90 controls hot air unit 80 to perform a drying process that sends hot air into washing tub 12 to dry shoes 9. In the drying process, control unit 90 performs a first step S1 that alternately and repeatedly performs a rolling process P1 in which rotating brush 3 is alternately rotated forward and backward relative to washing tub 12, and a first rotation process P2 in which washing tub 12 and rotating brush 3 are rotated integrally.

[0101] As described above, by performing the rolling process P1, the posture and orientation of the shoes 9 are changed, allowing water accumulated inside the shoes 9 to be evenly discharged, eliminating the problem of the degree of dehydration decreasing when the soles of the shoes 9 face the inner circumferential surface 12A of the washing tub 12, eliminating overlapping of multiple shoes 9, and making it easier to evenly apply hot air to the entire surfaces of the shoes 9. Furthermore, by alternately and repeatedly performing the rolling process P1 and the first rotation process P2, the posture and orientation of the shoes 9 can be repeatedly changed while the shoes 9 are dehydrated, thereby steadily solving the above-mentioned problems. Therefore, the drying performance of the washing machine 1 can be improved.

[0102] The control unit 90 changes the time of at least one of the rolling process P1 and the first rotation process P2 depending on the elapsed time of the first step S1. For example, by shortening the time of the rolling process P1, it is possible to reduce the time that the shoes 9 are in contact with the brush unit 7 in the latter steps after the shoes 9 have been dehydrated. Therefore, it is possible to dehydrate the shoes 9 while preventing damage to the shoes 9.

[0103] In the drying process, the control unit 90 executes the second step S2 after the first step S1. In the second step S2, the control unit 90 executes the second rotation process P3 in which the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 are rotated integrally so that the rotation speed is slower than in the first rotation process P2. As a result, in the second rotation process P3, the washing tub 12 and the rotating brush 3 are rotated at a slower speed, so that the warm air sent into the washing tub 12 can be evenly applied to the shoes 9.

[0104] The second step S2 includes a rolling process P1. In the second step S2, the control unit 90 performs the rolling process P1 during the second rotation process P3. This allows the hot air to be applied evenly to the entire surface of the shoes 9 while changing the posture and orientation of the shoes 9, thereby improving the drying performance of the washing machine 1.

[0105] The hot air unit 80 includes a heater 82. The control unit 90 controls the heater 82 so that the internal temperature of the washing tub 12 is higher in the second rotation process P3 than in the first rotation process P2. This allows the shoes 9 to be dried effectively in the second rotation process P3, which is primarily intended to dry the shoes 9.

[0106] The proportion of the time during which the rolling process P1 is performed in the drying process is smaller than the proportion of the time during which processes other than the rolling process P1 are performed in the drying process. As described above, by reducing the proportion of the time during which only the rotating brush 3 rotates in the entire drying process, the shoes 9 can be dried while preventing damage to the shoes 9 from rubbing against the brush unit 7.

[0107] [remarks] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

[0108] The washing machine 1 of this embodiment is capable of washing and spin-drying, but is not limited thereto, and may be capable of at least one of washing and spin-drying. For example, the items to be washed are not limited to shoes 9, and may be any tangible object with a three-dimensional shape, preferably a tangible object with a sole. Furthermore, the tumbling process is not limited to being performed during the washing and drying processes, and may be performed during the spin-drying process, for example. This allows the position and orientation of the shoes 9 in the washing tub 12 to be changed, thereby allowing the shoes 9 to be effectively dewatered. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1 washing machine, 3 rotating brush, 7 brush unit, 12 washing tub, 13 rotating body, 60 shaft portion, 80 hot air unit, 82 heater, 90 control portion, P1 rolling process, P1a rolling process, P2 first rotation process, P3 second rotation process, S1 first step, S1a first step, S2 second step, S2a second step

Claims

1. A washing tub into which shoes to be washed can be placed, a rotating brush including a rotor arranged at the bottom of the washing tub and rotating around an axis extending in the vertical direction, a shaft portion fixed to an upper side of the rotor, and a brush unit extending from the shaft portion toward the inner circumferential surface of the washing tub; a hot air unit that sends hot air into the washing tub; a control unit that controls the washing tub, the rotary brush, and the hot air unit, The control unit Controlling the hot air unit to perform a drying process of sending hot air into the washing tub to dry the laundry; The control unit In the drying treatment, a first step of alternately and repeatedly performing a rolling process in which the rotating brush is rotated alternately in forward and reverse directions relative to the washing tub and a first rotation process in which the washing tub and the rotating brush are rotated integrally; The washing machine shortens the time of the tumbling treatment depending on the elapsed time of the first step.

2. The control unit In the drying treatment, A second step is carried out after the first step, The control unit In the second step, The washing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second rotation process for rotating the washing tub and the rotating brush integrally at a rotation speed slower than that of the first rotation process.

3. the second step includes the rolling treatment, The washing machine according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit performs the tumbling process during the second rotation process in the second step.

4. The hot air unit includes a heater, The washing machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control unit controls the heater so that the internal temperature of the washing tub is higher during the second rotation process than during the first rotation process.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a proportion of a time during which the tumbling process is performed in the drying process is smaller than a proportion of a time during which a process other than the tumbling process is performed in the drying process.

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