Washer-dryer

Abstract

To provide a washing / drying machine that allows an increase in power consumed by drying to be reduced and the amount of circulating air that is blown onto clothing items to be increased through controlling temperature / humidity.SOLUTION: In a washing / drying machine 100 including an air circulation mechanism with which air is circulated through an inner drum and a heat exchange unit 251, the air circulation mechanism includes a first fan 256 and a second fan 20, a first air circulation passage that has a first outlet 257 through which air sent by the first fan 256 is circulated into the inner drum, and a second air circulation passage that has a second outlet 203 through which air sent by the second fan 20 is circulated into the inner drum, and the second air circulation passage branches off at a point between the first fan 256 and the first outlet 257 in the first air circulation passage and the second fan 20 is placed at a point between a fork point 258 at which the passage branches off from the first air circulation passage and the second outlet 203.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washer / dryer that washes and dries clothes and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a washer-dryer that includes a first air circulation duct that guides incoming air from a first exhaust port that exhausts air from the inner tub to a first intake port, a first air blowing means that discharges the incoming air from the first exhaust port into the inner tub from the first intake port, a second air circulation duct that guides incoming air from the second exhaust port to the second intake port, and a second air blowing means that discharges the incoming air from the second exhaust port into the inner tub from the second intake port, and the first air circulation duct is provided with a dehumidifying means for dehumidifying and / or a heating means for heating the air that has flowed in from the first exhaust port (see abstract). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-104487 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the washer-dryer described in Document 1, the temperature and humidity of the circulated air by the first air blowing means can be controlled by the dehumidifying means and / or heating means, but the circulated air by the second air blowing means is basically configured to circulate air from the inner tub. Because the circulated air by the second air blowing means has the same humidity as the air in the inner tub, blowing it onto clothes does not contribute to wrinkle reduction. Because the circulated air by the first air blowing means passes through the heating means and / or dehumidifying means, narrowing the first exhaust port to increase the blowing air speed increases the power consumption of the first air blowing means in order to ensure a sufficient amount of circulated air passing through the dehumidifying means and / or heating means for drying.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a washing / drying machine that can suppress an increase in power consumption for drying and can increase the amount of air circulated to be blown onto clothes by controlling the temperature and humidity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the washing and drying machine of the present invention comprises: A washer / dryer comprising: an outer tub capable of storing liquid therein; an inner tub rotatably provided inside the outer tub for accommodating laundry; a heat exchange unit having a dehumidifying function and a heating function; and an air circulation mechanism for circulating air through the interior of the inner tub and the heat exchange unit, the air circulation mechanism includes a first fan and a second fan that blow air, a first air circulation flow path having a first air outlet that circulates the air blown by the first fan into the inner tub, and a second air circulation flow path having a second air outlet that circulates the air blown by the second fan into the inner tub, The second air circulation flow path is provided by branching off from a portion of the first air circulation flow path between the first fan and the first outlet, and the second fan is disposed between a branch point with the first air circulation flow path and the second outlet. 、 The first air outlet and the second air outlet are provided on the front side of the outer tub, and are configured so that the air blown out from the first air outlet and the air blown out from the second air outlet flow in the same direction toward an outlet provided on the back side of the outer tub. do. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, all circulating air for drying can be dehumidified and heated in the heat exchange unit, so the temperature and humidity can be controlled and the amount of circulating air blown onto the clothes can be increased. The air pressurized by the second fan draws in air pressurized by the first fan, so shaft power can be reduced compared to when the first fan and the second fan are driven independently, and an increase in power consumption for drying can be suppressed.

[0008] Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view showing a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right side as viewed from the front, showing the internal structure of a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view of a washer / dryer showing a warm air circulation mechanism and a dehumidification mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a see-through manner. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram relating to the drive timing of the first fan and the second fan according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device for a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a process diagram (flowchart) illustrating the operation process of a washing and drying operation in a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right side as viewed from the front, showing the internal structure of a washer / dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view seen from the rear side, showing the internal structure of a washer / dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a washer / dryer showing a warm air circulating mechanism and a dehumidifying mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a see-through manner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Drying clothes in a washer-dryer, which can perform the washing and drying process in one go, uses a hot air drying method in which high-temperature, low-humidity air is created using a blower fan and heat source, which is then blown into the washing tub to raise the temperature of the clothes, evaporating the moisture from the clothes and dehumidifying the evaporated moisture. Methods for removing evaporated moisture include cooling and dehumidifying circulating air, and replacing circulating air with ambient low-humidity air. Furthermore, there are two types of cooling and dehumidifying methods: a heat pump and a cooling water system.

[0011] In recent years, there has been a demand for equipment with a low environmental impact, specifically equipment that is free of fluorocarbons and consumes little energy. If the operating time of the washing and drying machine can be shortened, the amount of energy consumed can be reduced, so time saving is also an important factor.

[0012] On the other hand, there are many complaints about wrinkles in clothes after the drying cycle, and there is a demand for a finish with fewer wrinkles, especially for outerwear such as shirts. If a wrinkle-free finish can be achieved, the effort required for ironing will be reduced and energy will be saved.

[0013] The principle behind wrinkle removal is to apply heat to the wrinkled area and stretch it, which removes the wrinkles while evaporating the moisture contained in the fabric, leaving the fibers in a stretched state. In other words, the force required to smooth out the wrinkles and the heat required to evaporate the moisture are supplied, generating steam. To promote the generation and diffusion of steam, it is best to keep the ambient humidity low.

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Example 1] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a washer / dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right side as seen from the front, showing the internal structure of the washer / dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] In this embodiment, a drum type washer-dryer will be described as an example of the washer-dryer 100, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to a vertical washer-dryer.

[0016] First, let's look at the exterior. A framework is formed on top of a base 1h by combining side panels 1a, made mainly of steel plates and resin molded parts, and reinforcing materials (not shown), and a front cover 1c and a top cover 1e are attached on top of that to form the housing 1. A door 9 for loading and unloading laundry 207 is provided on the front cover 1c, and a rear cover (not shown) is attached to the rear. The door 9 has a door glass 9a and a door frame 9b.

[0017] Next, a brief description will be given of the schematic structure of the washer / dryer 100. An outer tub 2 is provided inside a housing 1. The outer tub 2 is capable of storing liquid therein and is supported by a plurality of suspensions 5 at the bottom. The rotating drum 3 inside the outer tub 2 holds laundry 207 that has been placed inside the door 9, and a fluid balancer 31 is provided on the outer periphery of the opening of the rotating drum 3 to reduce vibrations caused by imbalance of the laundry 207 during spin-drying. The rotating drum 3 is rotatably provided inside the outer tub 2 and stores the laundry. For this reason, the rotating drum 3 is also called an inner tub.

[0018] The rotating drum 3 is provided with multiple lifters 33 for lifting up the laundry 207. The rotating drum 3 is directly connected to the drum drive motor M10 via a main shaft 35 connected to a metal flange 34 for the rotating drum. Alternatively, a belt-driven system may be used, which connects a pulley fixed to the main shaft to a motor fixed to the outer tub 2 via a belt, thereby driving the drum. An elastic rubber gasket 10 is attached to the opening of the outer tub 2. This gasket 10 maintains a watertight seal between the outer tub 2 and the door 9, preventing water leakage during washing, rinsing, and spin-drying. The rotating drum 3 has multiple small holes (not shown) on its sidewall for centrifugal spin-drying and ventilation. A drain port 21, opening into the water receiving section 54 of the outer tub 2, is connected to a drain hose 26 via a drain valve V1. An overflow hose 17 is attached to the front of the outer tub 2 and merges with the drain hose 26 downstream of the drain valve V1. In other words, the overflow hose 17 is configured to be connected to the drain hose 26 regardless of whether the drain valve V1 is open or closed. However, there is no functional problem if the overflow hose 17 is configured to merge with the drain hose 26 upstream of the drain valve 8.

[0019] Circulation pump 18, which pumps wash water up to the top of outer tub 2 and sprays it onto laundry 207 in rotating drum 3, is fixed to the base 1h side below outer tub 2. Wash water flows from drain outlet 21 of water receiving section 54 located at the bottom of the outer tub through lint filter 222 (see FIG. 3) into the suction port side of circulation pump 18, where it is pressurized by circulation pump 18 and then sprayed into drum 3 from spray nozzles 223 (see FIG. 3). Drain outlet 21, located at the bottom of water receiving section 54 for drainage, is connected to drain hose 26 via lint filter 222 and drain valve V1, allowing water in water receiving section 54 to be drained.

[0020] On the other hand, the overflow hose 17 is configured to communicate with the drain hose 26 downstream of the drain valve V1 so as to branch from the door 9 side of the outer tub 2 to the drain hole 39. In other words, if the amount of water increases above the specified water level at which the overflow hose 17 is attached, the water can be forcibly drained in any case.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a washer-dryer showing a warm air circulation mechanism and a dehumidification mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 shows the basic internal structure of washer-dryer 100, and illustrates the basic configuration of an air circulation mechanism (warm air circulation mechanism) mainly comprising heat exchange unit 251, first blower 256, second blower 20, first air outlet 257, second air outlet 203, air circulation channels 71 and 72, and branching section 258. The air circulation mechanism circulates air through the interior of rotating drum (inner tub) 3 and heat exchange unit 251.

[0022] The heat exchange unit 251 in this embodiment is composed of a heat pump and includes a condenser 252, an evaporator 253, an expansion means (expansion valve) 254, a compressor 255, and piping connecting them. The heat exchange unit 251 has a dehumidifying function and a heating function. Air flows into the heat exchange unit 251 from an outlet 260 on the rear surface of the tank and passes through a first fan 256. At a branching point 258, the air is separated into two parts: a portion of the air that is blown into the tank from a first outlet 257, and the remaining air that is further pressurized through a second fan 20 and then throttled at a second outlet 203, where it is blown into the tank at a high speed. That is, the air blown out from the first air outlet 257 and the air blown out from the second air outlet 203 have the same humidity, and the temperature of the air blown out from the second air outlet 203 is pressurized by the first fan 256 and the second fan 20, and therefore is higher than the air temperature at the first air outlet 257 by the amount of pressure increased by the second fan 20.

[0023] That is, the air circulation flow path of the air circulation mechanism has a first air circulation flow path 71 and a second air circulation flow path 72. The first air circulation flow path 71 has a first air outlet 257 that circulates air blown by a first fan 256 into the interior of the rotating drum (inner tank) 3. The second air circulation flow path 72 has a second air outlet 203 that circulates air blown by a second fan 20 into the interior of the rotating drum (inner tank) 3. The second air circulation flow path 72 is provided by branching off from between the first fan 256 and the first air outlet 257 in the first air circulation flow path 71, and the second fan 20 is disposed between a branch point 258 with the first air circulation flow path 71 and the second air outlet 203. In this case, the first air circulation flow path 71 is configured to guide a portion of the air that has passed through the heat exchange unit 251 to the first outlet 257, and the second air circulation flow path 72 is configured to guide the remaining air that has passed through the heat exchange unit 251 to the second outlet 203 via the second blower 20.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first and second air outlets 257 and 203 are located on the front side of the outer tub 2. The air from the first and second air outlets 257 and 203 flows in the same direction, drawing a loop from the door 9 toward the rear of the tub, toward the outlet 260 located on the rear of the tub. This configuration allows the humidity of the air from the second air outlet 203, which primarily works to smooth out wrinkles, to be kept at the same level as the humidity of the air from the first air outlet 257 flowing around it, thereby achieving a uniform dryness level for all clothes while smoothing out wrinkles. When clothes with extremely different wetness levels are rotated and agitated in the rotating drum 3, the clothes drift differently during agitation, making them prone to tangling. In this embodiment, the dryness level of all clothes can be made uniform, thereby reducing tangling. Furthermore, since the entire air circulation is achieved without impeding the high-speed airflow from the second fan 20, power loss from the fan is reduced.

[0025] The air circulation flow path in the warm air circulation mechanism is configured such that bellows hoses 212a, 212b, 212c, and 212d are respectively arranged between outlet 260 on the back surface of the tank and heat exchange unit 251, between first blower 256 and branching section 258, between branching section 258 and the inlet of second blower 20, and between the outlet of second blower 20 and second outlet 203. In this embodiment, heat exchange unit 251 and first blower 256 are fixed to base 1h, and second blower 20 is fixed to the top of housing 1. Therefore, when the tank vibrates significantly, each of bellows hoses 212a, 212b, 212c, and 212d can absorb vibrations caused by different movements.

[0026] The bellows hoses 212a, 212b, 212c, and 212d are flexible members and are attached to the air circulation flow path, but are not limited to this and may be provided integrally with the members that form the air circulation flow path. For this reason, the bellows hoses may be referred to as flexible parts in the following description.

[0027] In the washer / dryer 100 of this embodiment, the first fan 256 is disposed below the outer tub 2, and the second fan 20 is disposed above the outer tub 2. In this case, the first air circulation flow path 71 is provided with a flexible portion 212b between the first fan 256 and the branching portion 258, and the second air circulation flow path 72 is provided with flexible portions 212c and 212d between the branching portion 258 and the second fan 20 and between the second fan 20 and the second air outlet 203, respectively.

[0028] It is generally known that wrinkles in clothes drying can be efficiently removed by smoothing them out in the latter half of the drying process, when the drying progresses to a certain extent and the moisture content decreases. Furthermore, it is more effective to direct high-speed air to a limited area and smooth out the wrinkles by using the relative speed difference with the surrounding area, rather than directing high-speed air over the entire clothes. In this embodiment, the amount of circulating air necessary for drying is ensured, and only during a certain period of the drying process, a portion of that air can be directed as high-speed air onto the clothes, thereby reducing power consumption and drying in a short time with fewer wrinkles.

[0029] Furthermore, the pressure inside the tank can be stabilized by the discharge pressure of the air pressurized by the first fan 256 and blown out from the first outlet 257, so the suction side of the second fan 20 is adjusted by the discharge pressure of the first fan 256. The high-speed air blown out from the second outlet 203 is also blown into the tank adjusted by the discharge pressure of the first fan 256, so that the air pressurized by the second fan 20 and made into high-speed air from the second outlet 203 can be stably blown out.

[0030] That is, the second fan 20 increases the pressure of the air flowing through the second air circulation flow path 72 so that the flow velocity of the air blown out from the second outlet 203 is faster than the flow velocity of the air blown out from the first outlet 257. As a result, the flow velocity of the air blown out from the second outlet 203 is faster than the flow velocity of the air blown out from the first outlet 257.

[0031] At this time, the air pressurized by the second fan 20 draws in the air pressurized by the first fan 256, and dynamic pressure is obtained, which allows for a reduction in shaft power compared to when the second fan 20 is driven alone. Also, in the first fan 256, a portion of the air is drawn into the second fan 20 at the outlet side, which allows for a reduction in shaft power compared to when all of the air pressurized by the first fan 256 is blown into the tank. Therefore, both the first fan 256 and the second fan 20 can be operated efficiently.

[0032] In this embodiment, an auxiliary heating section (auxiliary heating device) 213 is provided at the outlet of the second blower 20. That is, the second air circulation flow path 72 has the auxiliary heating device 213 at the outlet of the second blower 20. Particularly in the latter half of the drying process, in order to evaporate moisture from inside the fibers of the clothes, it is necessary to heat the surface side of the clothes and transfer heat to the inside. For this reason, a higher warm air temperature is preferable, and the temperature can be adjusted using a heat source as necessary.

[0033] Furthermore, when the water level does not reach the tub outlet or the second outlet 203 during the washing or rinsing process, the temperature level of the washing or rinsing process can be easily adjusted by driving the second blower 20 and energizing the auxiliary heating section 213 to blow warm air onto the clothes and washing water.

[0034] As the rotary drum 3 rotates, the laundry is lifted to the top and then falls, repeating a tumbling action. Therefore, in order to effectively apply high-speed air to the laundry, second blower 20 including auxiliary heating section 213 is provided above the rotary drum 3. Furthermore, by providing first blower 256 below the rotary drum 3 in contrast to second blower 20 provided above the rotary drum 3, the mass of the washer-dryer 100 as a whole can be balanced, making the washer-dryer 100 more stable against vibration. Furthermore, since second air outlet 203 is provided above the rotary drum 3, by also providing second blower 20 above the rotary drum 3, airflow resistance on the blowing side of second blower 20 can be reduced. Furthermore, in a configuration in which a branch section 258 is provided in a duct (air circulation path) connecting the first fan 256 and the second fan 20 and a first air outlet 257 is provided to blow some of the air from the first fan 256 into the rotating drum 3, by providing the first fan 256 below the rotating drum 3, the air path resistance from the first fan 256 to the first air outlet 257 can be made smaller than the air path resistance from the first fan 256 to the second fan 20, and therefore the power consumption of the first fan 256 operated throughout the entire drying process can be reduced.

[0035] In particular, when a wash cycle is performed to effectively remove sebum stains and the like, a high-concentration detergent solution is sprayed and soaked into the laundry using a small amount of water, followed by a tumbling operation. Because less wash water is used than in a normal wash cycle, after the wash water has soaked into the laundry, there is almost no wash water remaining at the bottom of the rotating drum 3. In a wash cycle specialized for such stains, generally, a slightly reduced amount of water is used, a high detergent concentration is used, and the temperature is increased to improve stain removal. In this case, the temperature level can be easily adjusted by blowing warm air onto the clothes and wash water. Furthermore, the small amount of water allows the temperature level to be increased more quickly, resulting in high-temperature washing in a short time.

[0036] As described above, air flows into heat exchange unit 251 from outlet 260 on the rear surface of the tub and passes through first blower 256. Branching section 258 branches the air into the tub through first outlet 257, while the remaining air passes through second blower 20, where it is pressurized, and then throttled by second outlet 203, where it is blown into the tub at high speed. This generates high-speed airflow that blows onto clothes to smooth out wrinkles and circulating airflow that circulates within the tub, thereby accelerating drying. Furthermore, all circulating air for drying can be dehumidified and heated by passing it through heat exchange unit 251. Therefore, the low-humidity, high-speed airflow from second outlet 203 smooths out wrinkles while drying the clothes. By circulating low-humidity air from first outlet 257 throughout the tub, the recurrence of wrinkles due to moisture returning to smoothed-out wrinkles and the formation of new wrinkles due to uneven drying can be prevented. Furthermore, by operating the second fan 20 during a certain period of the drying process while ensuring a stable volume of circulating air passing through the dehumidifying means and the heating means, wrinkles can be efficiently removed, thereby reducing power consumption and drying time. Furthermore, the internal pressure of the tank can be stabilized by the discharge pressure of the air pressurized by the first fan 256 and blown out from the first outlet 257, so that high-speed air pressurized by the second fan 20 and blown out stably from the second outlet 203. Since the air pressurized by the second fan 20 draws in the air pressurized by the first fan 256, the shaft power can be reduced compared to when the second fan 20 is driven alone. Since a portion of the air at the outlet side of the first fan 256 is also drawn into the second fan 20, the shaft power can be reduced compared to when the first fan 256 is driven alone. Therefore, both the first fan 256 and the second fan 20 can be operated efficiently.

[0037] Furthermore, the path leading from the outlet of first fan 256 to rotating drum 3 via second fan 20 and second outlet 203 constitutes part of the outlet air passage for first fan 256. In this case, the effect of widening the outlet air passage of first fan 256 is obtained compared to when air is blown only from first outlet 257, thereby reducing air passage resistance and reducing power consumption.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device for a washer / dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 90 includes a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer") 110. The microcomputer 110 receives user operations (operation switches 12 and 13) and various information signals (signals from temperature sensors T1, T2, T3, and T4 and conductivity sensor 4) during the washing and drying processes. The microcomputer 110 is also connected to a motor M10, a water supply electromagnetic valve 16, a drain valve V1, a circulation pump 18, a first fan 256, a second fan 20, a compressor 255, an expansion unit 254, an auxiliary heater 213, and a water supply pump 86 via drive circuits, and controls the opening / closing, rotation, and energization of these components. The microcomputer 110 also controls a display 14, a buzzer (not shown), and the like to notify the user of information related to the drum-type washer-dryer 100. The microcomputer 110 also includes an operation pattern database 111, a process control unit 112, a rotation speed calculation unit 113, a clothing weight calculation unit 114, an electrical conductivity measurement unit 115, a detergent amount / washing time determination unit 116, a turbidity determination unit 117, and a threshold value storage unit 118.

[0040] When the power switch 13 is pressed to turn on the power, the microcomputer 110 starts up and executes a basic control processing program for washing and drying as shown in FIG.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a process diagram (flowchart) illustrating the operation process of the washing and drying operation in the washer / dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] The process from washing to drying in a washer-dryer will be described below. As shown in FIG. 6, in step S1, the control device 90 receives an input for selecting an operation course for the washer-dryer 100 (course selection). Here, the user opens the door 9, puts the clothes to be washed into the rotary drum 3, and closes the door 9. The user then operates the power switch 13 to turn on the power, and operates the operation switch 12 to select and input an operation course. By operating the operation switch 12, the selected operation course is input to the control device 90. The control device 90 reads a corresponding operation pattern from the operation pattern database 111 based on the input operation course, and proceeds to step S2. In the following description, it is assumed that the standard course (wash-rinse twice-spin-spin-dry) has been selected.

[0043] In step S2, the control device 90 executes a process (cloth amount sensing) to detect the weight (cloth amount) of the clothes put into the rotating drum 3. Specifically, the process control unit 112 drives the motor M10 to rotate the rotating drum 3, and the clothes weight calculation unit 114 calculates the weight (cloth amount) of the laundry 207 before water is poured.

[0044] In step S3, the control device 90 executes a process of calculating the amount of detergent and the operation time. The conductivity measurement unit 115 detects the conductivity (hardness) of the supplied water. In addition, a drain temperature sensor T1 provided at the bottom of the outer tub 2 (for example, at the drain outlet 21) detects the temperature of the supplied water. The detergent amount / washing time determination unit 116 determines the amount of detergent to be dispensed and the operation time by map search based on the detected amount of laundry, the water conductivity (hardness) calculated by the conductivity measurement unit 115 using the detection value from the conductivity sensor 4, and the water temperature. The process control unit 112 then displays the determined amount of detergent and operation time on the display 14.

[0045] In step S4, the control device 90 waits for a predetermined time (detergent dispensing waiting step), and then proceeds to step S5. During the waiting time, the user refers to the amount of detergent displayed on the display 14 and dispenses detergent into the detergent dispenser 7. If automatic detergent dispensing is set, the detergent dispensing operation can be omitted.

[0046] The washing process is roughly divided into a detergent dissolving process (step S5), a pre-washing process (step S6), and a main washing process (step S7). The main washing process is further divided into a first main washing process (main washing 1 process) and a subsequent second main washing process (main washing 2 process), but there is no functional problem even if each process is not clearly distinguished in the operation progress. Furthermore, the function of the washing process as a whole will not change even if some of the operations in the processes described below are omitted.

[0047] In step S5, the control device 90 executes the detergent dissolving process. A predetermined solenoid valve of the water supply solenoid valve 16 is opened, and water is supplied. The water is introduced into the detergent inlet and then into the outer tub 2. The detergent solution introduced into the outer tub 2 passes through a water supply path (not shown) and is supplied to a water receiving section 54 (see FIG. 2) located at the bottom of the rotating drum 3. After the detergent solution has been introduced, the circulation pump 18 (see FIG. 2) is driven, and the water in the water receiving section 54 flows from the drain port 21 through the lint filter 222 (see FIG. 3) and into the suction port (not shown) of the circulation pump 18. The wash water pressurized by the circulation pump 18 is returned to the water receiving section 54 from a circulation discharge port 54b (see FIG. 3) that communicates with the outlet of the circulation pump 18 (circulation path for the detergent dissolving process).

[0048] At this point, the control device 90 detects the conductivity using the conductivity sensor 4 (discrimination means) located in the water receiving section 54, and compares the detected conductivity with the conductivity database for a highly concentrated detergent aqueous solution and the conductivity database for a fabric softener aqueous solution.

[0049] By repeating the circulation, a uniform, high-concentration detergent solution is produced by dissolving the detergent in a small amount of water. The high-concentration detergent solution is sprayed onto the laundry. At this time, the rotary drum 3 is rotated, and the laundry 207 is agitated while the circulation pump 18 sprays the detergent evenly.

[0050] In step S6, the control device 90 executes a pre-washing process. In this process, the outer tub 2 typically contains laundry 207 saturated with detergent liquid, and a small amount of detergent liquid is present in the water receiving section 54 at the bottom of the outer tub 2. Rotating the rotary drum 3 lifts the laundry 207 to the top of the drum 3, and then the laundry 207 falls to the bottom by gravity, performing a beating wash based on a tumbling action. This squeezes out the detergent liquid soaked in the laundry 207, and the circulation pump 18 is driven intermittently as needed to spray the detergent liquid onto the laundry 207 again. Even during this operation, increasing the so-called wash temperature of the wash water and laundry can improve washing performance. Therefore, if necessary, the airflow from the second blower 20 is heated by the heater (auxiliary heater) 213 before being blown. Increasing the wash temperature level can also promote penetration of the high-concentration detergent liquid into the laundry 207. As shown in FIG. 3, the nozzle 203 for blowing airflow from the second blower 20 is positioned opposite the water spray nozzle 223 and the water supply port (not shown) on the circumference of the outer tub 2, thereby preventing interference with the hot air used to promote the spraying and penetration of the high-concentration detergent solution, thereby enabling efficient washing. Because the laundry 207 is in a state where it retains the high-concentration detergent solution, heat conduction is better than when the gaps between the fibers of the laundry 207 are occupied by air, allowing for efficient heating. This allows more dirt to be separated from the fibers in a short period of time. The separated dirt is quickly dispersed within the retained high-concentration detergent solution, preventing it from agglomerating and reattaching.

[0051] Alternatively, a separate circulation pump (not shown) with a smaller flow rate than circulation pump 18 may be installed. In this case, water may be pumped up from water receiving section 54 and sprayed into the warm air near the outlet of second blower 20, mixing droplets into the warm air and spraying it onto laundry 207. If additional water is supplied during the washing process until a normal circulation level is achieved and then sprayed by circulation pump 18, the temperature of laundry 207 will drop rapidly. Therefore, by using the above-mentioned configuration and spraying a smaller amount of circulating water on the warm air, the water contained in laundry 207 can be replaced evenly and gradually. This can prevent a sudden drop in temperature of laundry 207, thereby further improving washing performance.

[0052] In step S7, the control device 90 executes the main wash cycle. In the main wash cycle, additional water is supplied when the pre-wash cycle is completed, increasing the amount of water in the water receiving section 54 and raising the water level. This water level is maintained at a level sufficient to pump wash water from the water receiving section 54 using the circulation pump 18 and spray it continuously from the water spray nozzles 223 at the top of the outer tub 2.

[0053] Spraying from the water spray nozzle 223 may be continuous or intermittent. Specifically, while a large amount of dirt is still attached to the backside of the laundry 207, water is sprayed continuously to promote agitation of the wash water. This allows the wash water retained by the laundry 207 to be constantly replaced with wash water with a low concentration of dirt. After most of the dirt has been removed, it is more efficient to remove the remaining dirt mainly by using the mechanical force of beating. Therefore, it is preferable that the latter half of the spraying be intermittent so as not to interfere with the mechanical force. Furthermore, intermittent driving of the circulation pump 18 reduces power consumption, which is also preferable from the standpoint of energy conservation.

[0054] The sprinkler nozzle 223 is located in the outer tub 2 above the central axis of the rotatable rotating drum 3 when viewed from the front of the washer-dryer 100, and forward, closer to the front when viewed from the side of the washer-dryer 100. This allows the spray range from the sprinkler nozzle 223 to be sprayed at a wide angle relative to the radial direction of the rotating drum 3. In this first main washing step, in addition to spraying over a wide area, the rotation of the rotating drum 3 lifts up laundry 207 accumulated in the lower part of the rotating drum 3 and drops them from above inside the rotating drum 3, thereby applying a mechanical force to the laundry 207 to beat it. The larger the diameter (drum diameter) of the rotating drum 3, the greater the synergistic effect of spraying over a wide area and beating, thereby shortening the time for the main washing step.

[0055] The control device 90 also executes the second main wash process as needed. By supplying water at the end of the aforementioned main wash process (first main wash process), the amount of water in the second main wash process is made greater than the amount of water in the first main wash process. The circulation flow rate of the circulation pump 18 in the second main wash process is made greater than the circulation flow rate of the circulation pump 18 in the first main wash process. Furthermore, the rotation speed of the motor M10 of the rotating drum 3 in the second main wash process is made lower than the rotation speed of the motor M10 in the first main wash process. The combination of the first main wash process and the second main wash process is an operating algorithm that suppresses darkening and stiffness of the laundry 207.

[0056] As described above, in the washer-dryer 100, the main type of washing is beating, in which the lifter 33 lifts the laundry 30 to the top of the rotary drum 3 as the rotary drum 3 rotates, and then the laundry falls to the bottom of the drum by gravity. Because the overflow hose 17 is connected to the front of the outer tub 2, in some cases the wash water may flow up to the position of the overflow hose 17. Also, during the washing process, water may be injected into the outlet duct 261 of the outer tub 2 from a water injection device (not shown) provided in the outlet duct 261 of the outer tub 2 to wash away lint that has adhered to the interior filter during previous washing and drying cycles.

[0057] The lower part of the outlet duct part 261 of the outer tub 2 is sloped downward toward the back part of the outer tub 2, so that the washing water that flows in and the water poured in to clean the interior filter are quickly drained from the outer tub 2 through the drain outlet 21 to the outside of the machine when washing is finished.

[0058] In step S8, the control device 90 executes a first rinse step (first rinse step). In this step, the drain valve V1 is opened to drain the wash water, and then the drain valve V1 is closed to supply rinse water to a predetermined water level into the outer tub 2. Then, the drum 3 is rotated to agitate and rinse the laundry 207 and the rinse water.

[0059] In step S9, the control device 90 executes a second rinsing step (second rinsing step). In the second rinsing step, as in the first rinsing step, the drain valve V1 is opened to drain the rinsing water, and then the drain valve V1 is closed to supply rinsing water to a predetermined water level in the outer tub 2. Thereafter, the rotary drum 3 is rotated to agitate and rinse the laundry 207 and the rinsing water.

[0060] In step S10, the control device 90 executes the spin cycle. In this cycle, the drain valve V1 is opened to drain the rinse water from the outer tub 2, and then the drum 3 is rotated to centrifugally spin-dry the laundry 207. The spin rotation speed is increased to a preset rotation speed according to the load, unless there is a malfunction, such as the laundry 207 being unbalanced and the current value of the motor M10 exceeding its upper limit. Even if some of the spin-dried water is drawn up into the outlet 260 on the rear surface of the outer tub 2, the lower portion of the outlet 260 on the rear surface of the outer tub 2 is inclined downward toward the rear surface of the outer tub 2, allowing it to be quickly returned to the outer tub. When the spin rotation speed is increased and the rotating drum 3 rotates at high speed, vibrations are transmitted to the outer tub 2, causing the outer tub 2 to vibrate slightly. This vibration shakes off water droplets remaining on the inner wall of the outlet duct portion 261 of the outer tub 2. Furthermore, the gasket (bellows) 10 absorbs vibrations transmitted to the door 9 due to the high-speed rotation of the rotating drum 3. The first fan 256 and the second fan 20 are also connected to the first air outlet 257 and the second air outlet 203 of the outer tub 2 by the bellows 10, respectively, and therefore can absorb vibrations.

[0061] In step S11, the control device 90 executes the drying process. In the drying process, first, the first fan 256 is driven, as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram relating to the drive timing of the first fan and the second fan according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Following the driving of the first blower 256, the compressor 255 in the heat exchange unit 251 is driven. The expansion means 254 is once fully opened to perform an origin adjustment, and then its opening is adjusted so that a thermistor (not shown) provided in the suction pipe of the compressor 255 does not become low in temperature. The rotation speed of the compressor 255 is adjusted so that the difference between the temperature of a thermistor (not shown) provided in the discharge pipe and the temperature of a hot air thermistor provided at the outlet of the first blower 256 is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature. The air thus heated by the heat exchange unit 251 is pressurized by the first blower 256 and then blown into the rotating drum 3 through the first outlet 257 to exchange heat with the laundry 30 and evaporate moisture from the laundry 30. The circulating air containing the moisture evaporated from the laundry is returned to the heat exchange unit 251 via the outlet duct 261 of the outer tub 2. In the heat exchange unit 251, the circulating air is cooled to below the dew point temperature by the evaporator 253 located on the windward side, and is dehumidified. The air is then heated in the condenser 252, and becomes low-humidity warm air.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 4, after a predetermined drying time t1 has elapsed since the first fan 256 started to be driven, the second fan 20 is driven. A portion of the warm air from the discharge side of the first fan 256 is guided to the suction side of the second fan 20, where it is pressurized by the second fan 20 and blown into the rotating drum 3 from the second outlet 203 as high-speed air. The laundry exposed to the high-speed warm air is stretched, and the moisture contained therein evaporates, thereby removing wrinkles. The remaining warm air discharged from the first fan 256 continues to be blown into the rotating drum 3 from the first outlet 257, where it is replaced with high-humidity air containing the moisture evaporated from the laundry, thereby facilitating continued drying of the laundry.

[0064] The timing for driving the second fan 20 (drying time t1) is determined based on the laundry load and fabric type. When high-speed hot air is applied to laundry, the evaporation of water absorbed in the laundry is promoted while the laundry is stretched. If the moisture content of the entire fabric is high, moisture diffuses from the area where the hot air was applied into the fabric fibers, causing the local moisture content of the area where the high-speed hot air was applied to return to normal, resulting in wrinkles being formed again during the drying process. Conversely, even if high-speed hot air is applied to fabrics with a low overall moisture content, wrinkles that had formed before are fixed during the drying process, making it difficult to remove them. As described above, there is a drying timing that can efficiently smooth out wrinkles, so the timing for driving the second fan 20 (drying time t1) is set based on the laundry load and fabric type. This minimizes the amount of power consumed during drying.

[0065] Drying is determined as follows. At the start of drying or at a specified time after the start of operation, the exhaust air temperature T1a from the outer tub 2 is measured using the exhaust air temperature sensor T1 installed in the outlet duct 261 of the outer tub 2, and the hot air temperature T4a is measured using the hot air temperature sensor T4 installed on the outlet side of the first blower 256 (initial temperature setting). After that, after a specified time appropriate for the load has elapsed, the exhaust air temperature T1b and hot air temperature T4b from the outer tub 2 are measured to determine whether drying has finished, and the difference between each initial temperature and the end determination temperature is calculated (ΔT1 = T1a - T1b, ΔT4 = T4a - T4b). The end of drying is then determined by checking whether these temperature differences (ΔT1 - ΔT4) are equal to or greater than the specified temperature. During the drying process, the air circulating through the rotating drum 3 and the first and second fans 256 and 20 always passes through the outlet duct 261 of the outer tub 2 and the discharge part of the first fan 256, so the temperature measurement and the temperature-based determination can be performed stably. This makes it possible to reduce variations in the drying time and complete the drying process.

[0066] If the drying process is not set in the course selection (S1), the operation ends in step S10.

[0067] According to this embodiment, the clothes can be dried with fewer wrinkles, the drying time can be shortened, and the amount of power consumed for drying can be reduced.

[0068] [Example 2] Fig. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the right side as viewed from the front, showing the internal structure of a washer / dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rear side as viewed from the front, showing the internal structure of a washer / dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] In this embodiment, the first air outlet 257 is provided on the rear side of the outer tub 2. In this configuration, when the second blower 20 is driven, the warm air from the first air outlet 257 provided on the rear side of the outer tub 2 flows in from the periphery of the rotating drum 3 to surround the laundry, in contrast to the high-speed air flow from the second air outlet 203. Therefore, the warm air from the first air outlet 257 comes into contact with the rotating drum 3 before the laundry, thereby allowing the rotating drum 3 to be heated preferentially.

[0070] Furthermore, if the laundry contains a lot of relatively thin laundry, the thin laundry has a low moisture content and dries quickly, so the warm air that comes into contact with the laundry transfers heat to the laundry upon contact but evaporates little moisture, so the humidity does not increase and the air flows into the center of the rotating drum 3.

[0071] On the other hand, the high-speed airflow from the second air outlet 203 is blown onto the laundry without hindering the evaporation of moisture that is promoted while the wrinkles are being smoothed out. At this time, the laundry exposed to the high-speed airflow is mainly given heat from the high-speed airflow, so that the evaporation of moisture due to the heat given to the laundry can be promoted within a limited range while the wrinkles are smoothed out.

[0072] For light laundry, even if the drying level of the entire garment is not uniform, there is little chance of wrinkles reappearing or tangling due to differences in wetness. Therefore, by heating the rotating drum 3, the laundry can be warmed from the periphery while wrinkles at the locations where the high-speed air from the second air outlet 203 is blown can be reliably smoothed out. The configuration of this embodiment can further promote drying.

[0073] [Example 3] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a washer / dryer showing a hot air circulating mechanism and a dehumidifying mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] In this embodiment, the heat exchange unit is composed of a water-cooled dehumidifying section 262 housed in an outlet duct section 261 of the outer tub 2 and a heater 263 provided on the blowing side of the first blower 256. The outlet duct section 261 is provided at the outlet section where circulating air flows out of the outer tub 2, and is arranged between the outer tub 2 and the first blower 256. In other words, the heat exchange unit is composed of the water-cooled dehumidifying section 262 and the heater 263, with the water-cooled dehumidifying section 262 provided between the outer tub 2 and the first blower 256 and the heater 263 provided on the blowing side of the first blower 256.

[0075] If the laundry is relatively thick, increasing the hot air temperature may result in faster drying rather than increasing the air volume. In a heat pump, the condenser is heated using the heat pumped by the evaporator, so if the air volume is extremely low, the amount of heat pumped cannot be sufficiently secured, and the hot air temperature may drop.

[0076] In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of heat for dehumidification and the amount of heat can be adjusted basically by the amount of cooling water and the level of current flow or the number of resistor elements to be energized, so that the range of adjustment for the air volume and the temperature of the hot air can be widened. Also, for large and thick items, if the auxiliary heater 213 of the second blower 20 blows high-speed air at a higher temperature, the penetration of the hot air into the fibers can be strengthened, thereby further accelerating drying.

[0077] Furthermore, since the water for cleaning the water-cooled dehumidifying section 262 and the internal filter 259 can be shared, water can be saved more than when the heat exchange unit is cleaned separately.

[0078] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 2...outer tub, 3...inner tub (rotating drum), 20...second blower, 71...first air circulation flow path, 72...second air circulation flow path, 100...washer-dryer, 203...second air outlet, 212a, 212b, 212c, 212d...flexible portion (accordion hose), 213...auxiliary heating device, 251...heat exchange unit, 252...condenser, 253...evaporator, 254...expansion valve, 255...compressor, 256...first blower, 257...first air outlet, 258...branching portion, 262...water-cooled dehumidification portion, 263...heater.

Claims

1. A washer / dryer comprising: an outer tub capable of storing liquid therein; an inner tub rotatably provided inside the outer tub for accommodating laundry; a heat exchange unit having a dehumidifying function and a heating function; and an air circulation mechanism for circulating air through the interior of the inner tub and the heat exchange unit, the air circulation mechanism includes a first fan and a second fan that blow air, a first air circulation flow path having a first air outlet that circulates the air blown by the first fan into the inner tub, and a second air circulation flow path having a second air outlet that circulates the air blown by the second fan into the inner tub, the second air circulation flow path is branched off from a portion of the first air circulation flow path between the first blower and the first outlet, and the second blower is disposed between a branch point of the first air circulation flow path and the second outlet, The first air outlet and the second air outlet are provided on the front side of the outer tub, and the air blown out from the first air outlet and the air blown out from the second air outlet are configured to flow in the same direction toward an outlet provided on the back side of the outer tub.

2. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1, the first air circulation flow path guides a portion of the air that has passed through the heat exchange unit to the first air outlet, The second air circulation channel is configured to guide the remaining air that has passed through the heat exchange unit to the second air outlet via the second fan.

3. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, The second blower increases the pressure of the air flowing through the second air circulation flow path so that the flow velocity of the air blown out from the second air outlet is faster than the flow velocity of the air blown out from the first air outlet.

4. The washing and drying machine according to claim 3, The first fan is disposed below the outer tub, The second fan is disposed above the outer tub, the first air circulation flow path includes a flexible portion between the first fan and the branch portion, The washer-dryer, wherein the second air circulation flow path has flexible portions between the branching portion and the second fan and between the second fan and the second air outlet.

5. The washing and drying machine according to claim 4, The washer / dryer is characterized in that the heat exchange unit is composed of a heat pump having a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion valve, and a compressor.

6. The washing and drying machine according to claim 5, The second air circulation flow path has an auxiliary heating device at an outlet of the second blower.

7. The washing and drying machine according to claim 4, the heat exchange unit is composed of a water-cooling dehumidifying unit and a heater, the water-cooled dehumidifying unit is provided between the outer tub and the first fan, The washer / dryer is characterized in that the heater is provided on the blowing side of the first blower.

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