Clothes treatment equipment

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device having improved accuracy of dry detection and improved dry efficiency.SOLUTION: A drying step of a clothing treatment device comprises: a first drying step of increasing clothing temperature; a second drying step of performing dehumidifying operation while maintaining the clothing temperature increased in the first step; and a third drying step of increasing temperature inside an enclosure increased during the second drying step. A dry operation terminates the first drying step and shifts to the second drying step when a determination treatment portion determines that temperature detected by a tank temperature sensor satisfies a first condition during execution of the first drying step, and terminates the second drying step and shifts to the third drying step when the determination treatment portion determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor satisfies a second condition during execution of the second drying step, and terminates the third drying step and shifts to a finishing step when the determination treatment portion determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor satisfies a third condition during execution of the third drying step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A known example of a laundry processing device is a washer-dryer having both a laundry washing function and a laundry drying function. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a washer-dryer including a housing, an outer tub supported within the housing and storing wash water, a washing tub rotatably supported within the outer tub and accommodating laundry, a rotor installed at the bottom of the washing tub, a drive unit for rotating the washing tub and the rotor, a hot air supply unit for supplying hot air into the washing tub, a water-cooled dehumidifying means for cooling the hot air by supplying cooling water, and a water temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of water after heat exchange by the water-cooled dehumidifying means, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit, the hot air supply unit, the water-cooled dehumidifying means, and the water temperature detection unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-094110 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] With the recent changes in living environments, such as an increase in dual-income households, there is a demand for shorter drying times. In addition, growing environmental awareness has led to a need for energy conservation. There is a demand for improved drying efficiency in clothing processing devices.

[0005] To provide a clothes processing device with improved drying efficiency by improving the accuracy of dryness detection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The clothing processing device includes a housing, an outer tub provided inside the housing, an inner tub rotatably provided inside the outer tub and capable of accommodating clothing therein, a circulation air duct connecting an air outlet from the outer tub and an air inlet to the outer tub, a blower provided in the circulation air duct to blow air into the outer tub, a heating device provided in the circulation air duct to heat the air, an outside air intake formed in the circulation air duct and communicating with the outside of the housing, a damper for opening and closing the outside air intake, and a tub temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the outer tub. a drying operation processing unit capable of executing a drying operation including a drying process in which the air blower and the heating device are driven to send heated air to the outer tub and the damper is closed or its opening is reduced to suppress the introduction of outside air, and a finishing process executed after the drying process in which the air blower is driven to send air to the outer tub and the damper is opened or its opening is increased to promote the introduction of outside air into the circulating air passage; and a determination processing unit that determines the completion of each of the processes executed by the drying operation processing unit. The drying process includes a first drying process in which the temperature of the clothes is increased, a second drying process in which a dehumidifying operation is performed while maintaining the temperature of the clothes increased during the first drying process, and a third drying process in which the humidity inside the housing that increased during the second drying process is reduced. The drying operation processing unit terminates the first drying process and transitions to the second drying process when the judgment processing unit determines that the detected temperature of the tank temperature sensor satisfies a predetermined first condition when the first drying process is performed, terminates the second drying process and transitions to the third drying process when the judgment processing unit determines that the detected temperature of the tank temperature sensor satisfies a predetermined second condition when the second drying process is performed, and terminates the third drying process and transitions to the finishing process when the judgment processing unit determines that the detected temperature of the tank temperature sensor satisfies a predetermined third condition when the third drying process is performed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a washer / dryer as an example of a clothing processing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a washing / drying machine as an example of a clothing processing device according to an embodiment, with a damper in a half-open state. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a washer / dryer as an example of a clothing processing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing each step included in the drying operation of a laundry treatment device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a timing chart showing the control of the drying process by the drying operation processing unit in the laundry processing device according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a timing chart showing the control of the finishing process by the drying operation processing unit in the laundry processing device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a table showing an example of weight rankings for a clothing processing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a table showing an example of a first temperature t1 set according to the weight of clothes and the initial ambient temperature in a clothes treating device according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 is a table showing an example of a first temperature difference d1 set according to the weight of clothes and the initial ambient temperature in a clothes treating device according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a table showing an example of a second temperature difference d2 set according to the weight of the clothes and the initial ambient temperature in a clothes treating device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A laundry disposal device according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a washer-dryer 10 functioning as a laundry disposal device includes a housing 11, an outer tub 12, an inner tub 13, a drive unit 14, a top cover 15, a back cover 16, a lid member 17, a drainage mechanism 18, a water supply mechanism 19, an outer tub cover 21, and a circulation air duct 30. The left side of FIG. 1 is the front side of the washer-dryer 10, and the right side of FIG. 1 is the rear side of the washer-dryer 10. The installation surface of the washer-dryer 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is referred to as the lower side of the washer-dryer 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is referred to as the upper side of the washer-dryer 10. The direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions of the washer-dryer 10 is referred to as the width direction, i.e., the left-to-right direction of the washer-dryer 10. The washer-dryer 10 is a so-called vertical-axis washer-dryer in which the rotation axis of the inner tub 13 faces vertically.

[0009] The housing 11 is formed, for example, from a steel plate or the like into a generally rectangular box shape, and is open at the top. The outer tub 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an open top, and has an upper opening 121 and a cylindrical peripheral wall 122. Similarly, the inner tub 13 is also formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an open top. The inner tub 13 has a rotatable pulsator 131 at its inner bottom.

[0010] Numerous rear portions (not shown) are formed on the side surface of the inner tub 13 and the bottom surface including the pulsator 131. These holes function as water vents during the washing operation, which includes the washing, rinsing, and spin cycles, and as air vents during the drying operation. The outer tub 12 has a drain port 123 and an air outlet 124. The drain port 123 is an opening formed in the bottom of the outer tub 12, which connects the inside and outside of the outer tub 12 and serves as an outlet for water from the outer tub 12. The air outlet 124 is an opening provided in the lower part of the peripheral wall 122 of the outer tub 12, and serves as an outlet for air from the outer tub 12 during the drying operation. The outer tub 12 and inner tub 13 store clothes inside and function as a washing tub during the washing operation and as a drying chamber during the drying operation.

[0011] The drive unit 14 is provided on the outer bottom of the outer tub 12 and rotates the inner tub 13 and / or the pulsator 131. The drive unit 14 includes a shaft 141, a tub motor 142, and a clutch mechanism 143. The shaft 141 is connected to the tub motor 142 and passes through the outer tub 12 to connect to the inner tub 13 and the pulsator 131. The tub motor 142 rotates the shaft 141. The clutch mechanism 143 has the function of switching between rotating the pulsator 131 integrally with the inner tub 13 and rotating the pulsator 131 independently of the inner tub 13. That is, when the clutch mechanism 143 is engaged, the drive force of the tub motor 142 is applied to both the inner tub 13 and the pulsator 131, and when the clutch mechanism 143 is disengaged, the drive force of the tub motor 142 is applied to the pulsator 131. As the inner tub 13 rotates, the clothes stored inside rotate together with the inner tub 13, and centrifugal force makes it easier for the clothes to be pressed against the circumferential wall of the inner tub 13. As the pulsator 131 rotates, the clothes stored inside are agitated.

[0012] Top cover 15 is formed in a shape that follows the outer shape of housing 11 and is provided on the top of housing 11. An opening 151 is formed in the center of top cover 15, and opening 151 connects the inside of inner tub 13 to the outside of washer-dryer 10. Back cover 16 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction of washer-dryer 10 as a whole, and is provided behind top cover 15.

[0013] Lid member 17 is rotatably supported by top cover 15 and opens and closes opening 151 of top cover 15. In this embodiment, lid member 17 is configured to be bendable in two at the center in the front-to-rear direction, but this is not limitative. In other embodiments, lid member 17 may be formed in the shape of an unbendable plate.

[0014] Drain mechanism 18 has drain valve 181 and drain path 182. Drain valve 181 is an electromagnetically actuable on-off valve for liquid. Drain valve 181 is provided midway along drain path 182 and opens and closes drain path 182. Drain path 182 is a path for draining water stored in outer tub 12 to the outside of the machine, and extends from drain outlet 123 of outer tub 12 to the outside of washer-dryer 10.

[0015] The water supply mechanism 19 is provided above the outer tub 12 and inside the top cover 15 and back cover 16. As shown in FIG. 2 , the water supply mechanism 19 includes a connection port 191, a main water supply path 192, a cooling water supply path 193, a main water supply valve 194, a cooling water supply valve 195, and a water injection case 196.

[0016] Although not shown in detail, the connection port 191 is connected to an external water source such as a water faucet via a water supply hose or the like. The main water supply valve 194 and the cooling water supply valve 195 are electromagnetically actuable on-off valves for liquid. The main water supply valve 194 is provided in the main water supply path 192 and opens and closes the main water supply path 192. The cooling water supply valve 195 is provided in the cooling water supply path 193 and opens and closes the cooling water supply path 193. The main water supply path 192 extends from the connection port 191 toward the top of the outer tub 12 and is a path for supplying water from an external water supply source to the outer tub 12. The cooling water supply path 193 extends from the connection port 191 toward the circulation air duct 30 and is a path for supplying cooling water from an external water supply source to the circulation air duct 30. The water supply case 196 is provided midway along the main water supply path 192, downstream of the main water supply valve 194 in terms of the direction of water flow, and upstream of the outer tub 12. Inside the water supply case 196, a laundry treatment agent dispenser case (not shown in detail) is arranged.

[0017] The outer tub cover 21 is provided below the top cover 15 and above the outer tub 12. Although not shown in detail, the outer tub cover 21 has a generally circular outer shape and covers the upper opening 121 of the outer tub 12. An opening that is opened and closed by an inner lid is formed in the center of the outer tub cover 21, connecting the interior of the outer tub 12 to the outside of the washer-dryer 10. The outer tub cover 21 has a water supply port 22, an air supply port 23, and a communication port 24, all of which are formed to penetrate the outer tub cover 21 in the thickness direction. The water supply port 22 is connected to the downstream end of the main water supply path 192 and serves as an inlet for water from an external water source to the outer tub 12. The air supply port 23 is connected to the downstream end of the circulation air duct 30 and serves as an inlet for circulating air to the outer tub 12. The communication port 24 is located midway through the circulation air duct 30 and supplies air discharged from the air outlet 124 above the outer tub cover 21.

[0018] 2, the circulating air passage 30 is a passage formed outside the outer tub 12 and connecting the air outlet 124 and the air intake port 23. Note that the circulating air passage 30 is not a sealed passage, but is in direct or indirect communication with the inside and outside of the housing 11.

[0019] The circulation air duct 30 includes an exhaust air duct 31, an intermediate section 32, a heating section 33, and an intake air duct 34. The circulation air duct 30 also includes a first filter device 35, a second filter device 36, a blower 37, and a heater 38. The exhaust air duct 31 is formed extending in the vertical direction on the outer peripheral surface of the outer tub 12 and connects the air outlet 124 and the communication port 24. The intermediate section 32 is located between the exhaust air duct 31 and the heating section 33. The heating section 33 is located downstream of the intermediate section 32 in the air flow direction and includes the second filter device 36, the blower 37, and the heater 38 inside. The intake air duct 34 connects the downstream end of the heating section 33 and the intake port 23.

[0020] In this embodiment, the intermediate section 32 and the heating section 33 are not directly connected. That is, a gap is provided between the downstream end of the intermediate section 32 and the upstream end of the heating section 33, and part of the exhaust air that reaches the intermediate section 32 from the exhaust air duct 31 does not flow into the heating section 33, but flows out into the housing 11.

[0021] The exhaust air duct 31 functions as a heat exchanger that cools and dehumidifies the exhaust air from the outer tub 12. When the cooling water supply valve 195 opens, cooling water drips from above into the exhaust air duct 31 through the cooling water supply path 193. The cooling water cools the warm, humid air in the exhaust air duct 31, removing moisture from the exhaust air.

[0022] The heating unit 33 has interior air intakes 331 and 332, an exterior air intake 333, and a damper 334. The interior air intakes 331 and 332 and the exterior air intake 333 are openings formed downstream of the heating unit 33 and connect the inside of the heating unit 33 to the outside. The interior air intakes 331 and 332 and the exterior air intake 333 are located downstream of the exhaust air duct 31 and upstream of the blower 37 and the heating unit 38 with respect to the flow of air through the circulation air duct 30. The interior air intakes 331 and 332 connect the inside of the heating unit 33 to the inside of the housing 11. The exterior air intake 333 connects the inside of the heating unit 33 to the outside of the housing 11. The interior air intake 331 is formed at the downstream end of the intermediate section 32, in this case at a position facing the first filter device 35, in this case within an area obtained by extending the first filter device 35 upward. The interior air intake 332 and the outside air intake 333 are formed at the downstream end of the intermediate section 32, in this case at a position not facing the first filter device 35.

[0023] The damper 334 opens and closes at least the outside air intake port 333. In this embodiment, the interior air intake port 332 and the outside air intake port 333 are adjacent and disposed perpendicular to each other so that the interior angle is approximately 90°, and are opened and closed by the damper 334. In this case, for example, when the opening angle of the damper 334 is 0°, the interior air intake port 332 is fully open and the outside air intake port 333 is closed. As shown in FIG. 2 , when the damper 334 is half-open, that is, when the opening angle of the damper 334 is greater than 0° and less than 90°, for example, 45°, both the interior air intake port 332 and the outside air intake port 333 are half-open. Furthermore, when the opening angle of the damper 334 is 90°, the interior air intake port 332 is closed and the outside air intake port 333 is fully open.

[0024] In this embodiment, the outside air intake port 333 is formed on a plane that is generally perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, and the opening degree of the damper 334 is represented by the interior angle between the damper 334 and the up-down direction. When the opening degree of the damper 334 is small, the opening area of ​​the outside air intake port 333 is small, and when the opening degree of the damper 334 is large, the opening area of ​​the outside air intake port 333 is large.

[0025] The first filter device 35 and the second filter device 36 each include a filter therein for capturing foreign matter contained in the circulating air. The first filter device 35 is provided at the downstream end of the intermediate section 32. The second filter device 36 is provided downstream of the heating section 33.

[0026] The blower 37 is disposed downstream of the second filter device 36 and upstream of the heating device 38 in terms of the air flow direction. The blower 37 draws air into the heating section 33 through the intake ports 331, 332, and 333 and sends the air to the heating device 38. The blower 37 is, for example, a sirocco fan, and includes a fan 371 and a fan motor 372. In other embodiments, the blower 37 may be a propeller fan or a turbo fan.

[0027] The heating device 38 has a function of heating the air sent by the air blower 37. The heating device 38 is composed of, for example, one or more heaters (in this case, two heaters), namely, a first heater 381 and a second heater 382. The heaters 381 and 382 are electrically connected to the control device 50 and are driven under the control of the control device 50. The heating device 38 is configured to have variable output. For example, when both heaters 381 and 382 are energized and driven, high output is generated, and the temperature of the air supplied to the outer tub 12 tends to be high, whereas when only one of the heaters 381 and 382 is energized and driven, low output is generated, and the temperature of the air supplied to the outer tub 12 tends to be low.

[0028] The washer-dryer 10 is equipped with a tub temperature sensor 41 and an ambient temperature sensor 42. The tub temperature sensor 41 detects the temperature of the outer tub 12, and the temperature of the air and clothes inside the outer tub 12 is estimated from the detected temperature. The ambient temperature sensor 42 detects the room temperature where the washer-dryer 10 is installed. When the washer-dryer 10 is installed outdoors, the ambient temperature sensor 42 detects the ambient air temperature. The tub temperature sensor 41 and the ambient temperature sensor 42 are each constituted by, for example, a thermistor whose resistance value changes depending on the temperature.

[0029] Tub temperature sensor 41 is provided in the vertical center of peripheral wall 122 of outer tub 12. Tub temperature sensor 41 measures the temperature of outer tub 12 or the environmental temperature, for example, every 0.6 seconds. Environmental temperature sensor 42 is provided inside housing 11 and outside outer tub 12. Note that environmental temperature sensor 42 may be provided outside housing 11, or an acquisition unit that acquires environmental temperature from outside the washer-dryer 10 may be provided instead of environmental temperature sensor 42.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the washer-dryer 10 includes a control device 50, a weight detection unit 51, a drying operation processing unit 52, and a determination processing unit 53. The control device 50 is mainly configured with a microcomputer having a CPU 501 and a storage area 502 such as a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory. The control device 50 controls the overall operation of the washer-dryer 10. The tub motor 142, the clutch mechanism 143, the drain valve 181, the main water supply valve 194, the cooling water supply valve 195, the air blower 37, the heating device 38, the tub temperature sensor 41, and the ambient temperature sensor 42 are electrically connected to the control device 50 and operate under the control of the control device 50. The washer-dryer 10 is capable of performing a washing operation including at least one or more of a washing process, a rinsing process, and a spin-drying process, a drying operation including a drying process, and a washing-drying operation including both the washing operation and the drying operation.

[0031] Weight detection unit 51 has the function of detecting the weight of laundry such as clothes contained in inner tub 13. Weight detection unit 51 can be realized, for example, by an ammeter (not shown) that measures the current flowing through tub motor 142. Weight detection unit 51 can measure the load applied to tub motor 142 by measuring the current flowing through tub motor 142 when inner tub 13 is rotated, for example, and detect the weight of the laundry contained in inner tub 13 based on that load. Weight detection unit 51 can also be realized, for example, by using an encoder that detects the rotation speed of tub motor 142. In this case, weight detection unit 51 measures the load on tub motor 142 from the difference between the target rotation speed and the actual rotation speed, and detects the weight of the laundry based on that load.

[0032] Furthermore, the storage area 502 of the control device 50 stores programs for implementing, for example, the drying operation processing unit 52 and the determination processing unit 53. The control device 50 virtually implements the drying operation processing unit 52 and the determination processing unit 53 by software by executing the programs stored in the storage area 502 in the CPU 501. Note that the drying operation processing unit 52 and the determination processing unit 53 may also be implemented in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the control device 50.

[0033] Drying operation processing unit 52 drives blower device 37 to blow air in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. Drying operation processing unit 52 energizes and drives heating device 38 to heat the air blown by blower device 37. As a result, the heated air passes through circulation air passage 30 and is supplied to outer tub 12 and inner tub 13, where the clothes are heated and dried.

[0034] Drying operation processing unit 52 drives drive unit 14 to rotate pulsator 131 together with inner tub 13 or independently of inner tub 13. This agitates the clothes inside inner tub 13, accelerating the drying of the entire clothes.

[0035] The drying operation processing unit 52 opens the cooling water supply valve 195 to drip cooling water into the exhaust air duct 31. This cools the warm, moist air discharged from the outer tub 12 and the inner tub 13 through the air outlet 124, and removes steam from the exhaust air. At this time, the control device 50 opens the drain valve 181 to discharge the cooling water and the steam removed by the cooling water together through the drain path 182 to the outside of the machine.

[0036] The determination processing unit 53 determines the end of each step in the drying operation, the details of which will be described below.

[0037] The drying operation of the washer / dryer 10 will be described in more detail with reference to the charts shown in Figs. 4 to 6. The drying operation includes a plurality of processes. In this embodiment, the drying operation includes a drying process and a finishing process. The drying process is a process that mainly raises the temperature of the clothes to remove moisture from the clothes. The finishing process is a process that is performed after the drying process and mainly lowers the temperatures of the clothes, outer tub 12, and inner tub 13.

[0038] The drying process further includes multiple sub-processes. In this embodiment, the drying process includes a first drying process, a second drying process, and a third drying process. The first drying process is a process that mainly raises the temperature of the clothes. The second drying process is a process that mainly performs a dehumidifying operation while maintaining the temperature of the clothes that was raised during the first drying process. The third drying process is a process that mainly lowers the humidity inside the housing 11 that was raised during the second process.

[0039] 5 shows the control details of each component of drying operation processing unit 52 during the drying process. When the drying operation starts, drying operation processing unit 52 executes a first drying process. During the first drying process, drying operation processing unit 52 drives blower 37 to send air to heater 38, and drives heater 38 at high output to heat the air blown by blower 37. During the first drying process, control device 50 maintains damper 334 at an opening angle of 0°. This closes outside air intake 333 and prevents outside air, which is at a lower temperature than the temperature inside the machine, from being taken in, thereby suppressing the loss of heat inside washer-dryer 10 that has been heated by heater 38.

[0040] In the first drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 keeps the cooling water supply valve 195 and the drain valve 181 closed. That is, in the first drying step, the clothes are not sufficiently heated, and therefore it is considered that the amount of steam contained in the exhaust air is not so large, so it is not necessary to dehumidify and cool the exhaust air.

[0041] In the first drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 drives the tub motor 142 while repeatedly connecting and disconnecting the clutch mechanism 143, alternately rotating the inner tub 13 and pulsator 131 and the pulsator 131. In FIG. 5, ON of the clutch mechanism 143 means that the clutch mechanism 143 is connected, and OFF means that the clutch mechanism 143 is disconnected. In the first drying step, which is the initial stage of the drying operation, the clothes contain a lot of moisture, so even if the pulsator 131 is rotated, there is a risk that the clothes will not be sufficiently agitated. As the inner tub 13 rotates, the clothes inside the inner tub 13 also rotate together with the inner tub 13, making it easier for the warm air to hit the entire clothes. Furthermore, centrifugal force acts on the clothes, pressing them against the circumferential wall of the inner tub 13, making it easier for the heated air to hit the clothes at the bottom. Furthermore, by repeatedly rotating and stopping the inner tub 13, the clothes that are pressed against the peripheral wall of the inner tub 13 by centrifugal force when rotating are no longer subjected to centrifugal force when the inner tub 13 is stopped, and so are more likely to fall downward, promoting vertical agitation of the clothes.

[0042] During the first to third drying steps, the drying operation processing unit 52 energizes and drives both of the heaters 381 and 382. During the first to third drying steps, the drying operation processing unit 52 maintains the rotation speed of the fan 371 of the blower 37 constant.

[0043] When the determination processing unit 53 determines that the first drying step has ended, the drying operation processing unit 52 starts the second drying step. In the second drying step, similar to the first drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 drives the air blower 37 to send air to the heating device 38, and drives the heating device 38 at high output to heat the air blown by the air blower 37. In the second drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 maintains the opening angle of the damper 334 at 0°. That is, in the second drying step, the outside air intake port 333 is maintained in a closed state.

[0044] In the second drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 performs a dehumidifying operation by keeping the cooling water supply valve 195 and the drain valve 181 open. That is, the second drying step is a step that promotes evaporation of moisture contained in the clothes while maintaining the temperature of the clothes. After the first drying step, the temperature of the clothes has risen to a certain level, making it easier for moisture to evaporate from the clothes than before the drying step began. Therefore, the drying operation processing unit 52 brings cooling water into contact with the warm, moist exhaust air from the outer tub 12 to cool and dehumidify the clothes.

[0045] In the second drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 disconnects the clutch mechanism 143 and drives the tub motor 142 to rotate the pulsator 131. This agitates the clothes from which moisture is gradually being removed, making it easier for the warm air to hit the entire clothes.

[0046] When the determination processor 53 determines that the second drying step has ended, the drying operation processor 52 starts the third drying step. In the third drying step, the drying operation processor 52 drives the air blower 37 to send air to the heating device 38, and also drives the heating device 38 at high output to heat the air blown by the air blower 37. In the third drying step, the drying operation processor 52 maintains the opening angle of the damper 334 in a half-open state, greater than 0° and less than 90°. This slightly opens the outside air intake 333, allowing outside air with lower humidity than the inside of the machine to be taken in, thereby reducing the humidity inside the machine, which has become high due to evaporation of moisture from the clothes. The opening angle of the damper 334 can be set, for example, within a range of 15° to 75°. As outside air is introduced into the machine, the humid air outside the circulation air duct 30 is released to the outside of the machine through gaps between the housing 11, the top cover 15, and the back cover 16. This further reduces the humidity in the machine, and in the outer tub 12, inner tub 13, and clothes.

[0047] In the third drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 keeps the cooling water supply valve 195 and the drain valve 181 closed. That is, since it is considered that moisture has sufficiently evaporated from the clothes in the second drying step, it is not necessary to cool and dehumidify the exhaust air in the third drying step, which is the step following the second drying step.

[0048] In the third drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 disconnects the clutch mechanism 143 and drives the tub motor 142 to rotate the pulsator 131. This agitates the clothes from which most of the moisture has been removed, making it easier for the warm air to hit the entire clothes.

[0049] When the determination processing unit 53 determines that the third drying step has ended, the drying operation processing unit 52 executes the finishing step. The finishing step includes a plurality of sub-steps. In this embodiment, the finishing step includes a first finishing step and a second finishing step.

[0050] 6 shows the control details of each component of the drying operation processing unit 52 during the drying process. The first finishing process is a process in which low-humidity air from outside the machine is actively taken into the machine while supplying air that is lower in temperature than that used during the drying process to the outer tub 12, thereby reducing the humidity inside the machine and in the clothes. The second finishing process is a process in which low-humidity air from outside the machine is actively taken into the machine while supplying unheated air to the outer tub 12, thereby reducing the humidity inside the machine and in the clothes.

[0051] In the first finishing step, the drying operation processing unit 52 drives the heating device 38 at low power. That is, the drying operation processing unit 52 energizes and drives either the heater 381 or the heater 382, ​​but does not energize and drive the other. As a result, the temperature of the air supplied to the outer tub 12 in the first finishing step becomes lower than the temperature of the air supplied to the outer tub 12 in the latter half of the drying step, particularly in the third drying step.

[0052] In the first finishing step, the drying operation processing unit 52 drives the air blower 37. In this case, the rotation speed of the fan 371 is set to be equal to the rotation speed of the fan 371 in the drying step.

[0053] In the first finishing step, the drying operation processing unit 52 opens the damper 334 to a larger degree than in the third drying step. In this case, the opening of the damper 334 can be set to a value larger than 75°. In this embodiment, the opening of the damper 334 is set to 90°. This makes it easier for outside air, which is cooler and less humid than the inside of the machine, to be introduced into the heating unit 33 through the outside air intake 333, thereby reducing the humidity and temperature of the circulation air duct 30, the outer tub 12, and the clothes.

[0054] In the first and second finishing steps, the drying operation processing unit 52 disconnects the clutch mechanism 143 and drives the tub motor 142. This promotes agitation of the clothes even in the finishing steps.

[0055] In the first and second finishing steps, the drying operation processing unit 52 keeps the cooling water supply valve 195 and the drain valve 181 closed. That is, in the finishing step, which is performed after the drying step, the amount of water evaporation from the clothes is small, so it is not necessary to cool and dehumidify the exhaust air.

[0056] When the determination processor 53 determines that the first finishing step has ended, the drying operation processor 52 executes the second finishing step. In the second finishing step, the drying operation processor 52 drives the air blower 37 without driving the heater 38. This causes unheated air to be supplied to the outer tub 12, cooling the outer tub 12, the inner tub 13, and the clothes.

[0057] In the second finishing step, the drying operation processing unit 52 sets the rotation speed of the fan 371 to be lower than the rotation speed of the fan 371 in the first finishing step, thereby making it possible to reduce power consumption.

[0058] In the second finishing step, the drying operation processing unit 52 sets the opening of the damper 334 to the same or greater degree than in the first finishing step. In this embodiment, the opening of the damper 334 is set to 90°. This actively draws in outside air that is cooler and less humid than the temperature inside the machine through the outside air intake 333. In the second finishing step, the heating device 38 is not driven, so that low-temperature, unheated outside air can be supplied to the outer tub 12, the inner tub 13, and the clothes.

[0059] When the determination processing unit 53 determines that the second finishing step has ended, the drying operation processing unit 52 ends the drying operation.

[0060] Next, the determination process for determining the completion of each sub-process of the drying process will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 10. The completion of the first drying process, the second drying process, and the third drying process is determined based on the temperature t of outer tub 12 detected by tub temperature sensor 41, the initial ambient temperature u detected by ambient temperature sensor 42, and the weight w of the clothes contained in inner tub 13.

[0061] When determining whether the first drying step has ended, the determination processing unit 53 determines whether the temperature t detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 has reached a predetermined first temperature t1. If the temperature t detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 is equal to or higher than the predetermined first temperature t1, the determination processing unit 53 determines that the first drying step has ended. If the temperature t detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 is lower than the predetermined first temperature t1, the determination processing unit 53 determines that the first drying step has not ended.

[0062] The predetermined first temperature t1 is set in advance according to the initial ambient temperature u, which is the temperature detected by the ambient temperature sensor 42 before or at the start of the drying operation, and the weight w of the clothes contained in the inner tub 13. The determination processing unit 53 determines whether the temperature t detected by the tub temperature sensor 41 is equal to or higher than the predetermined first temperature t1, based on a chart of the first temperature t1 for each weight rank and each initial ambient temperature u stored in the memory area 502.

[0063] 7 shows an example of weight ranks 1 to 7 according to the weight of the clothing. In this case, the heavier the clothing, the lower the weight rank is set. For example, weight rank 1 is set to 5.0 kg or more, weight rank 2 is set to 4.0 kg or more and less than 5.0 kg, weight rank 3 is set to 3.0 kg or more and less than 4.0 kg, weight rank 4 is set to 2.0 kg or more and less than 3.0 kg, weight rank 5 is set to 1.0 kg or more and less than 2.0 kg, weight rank 6 is set to 0.5 kg or more and less than 1.0 kg, and weight rank 7 is set to 0.0 kg or more and less than 0.5 kg.

[0064] 8 is an example of a chart of the first temperature t1 according to each weight rank and each initial environmental temperature u. The initial environmental temperature u is divided into temperature ranks 1 to 4. For example, temperature rank 1 is set to 25°C or higher, temperature rank 2 is set to 17°C or higher and lower than 25°C, temperature rank 3 is set to 12°C or higher and lower than 17°C, and temperature rank 4 is set to lower than 12°C.

[0065] When comparing at the same weight rank, the smaller the temperature rank, i.e., the higher the initial ambient temperature u, the higher the first temperature t1 is set. When comparing at the same temperature rank, the smaller the weight rank, i.e., the heavier the weight of the clothing w, the higher the first temperature t1 is set. For weight rank 1, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 55°C to 70°C. For weight rank 2, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 55°C to 70°C. For weight rank 3, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 45°C to 60°C. For weight rank 4, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 45°C to 55°C. For weight rank 5, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 45°C to 55°C. For weight rank 6, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 45°C to 55°C. For weight rank 7, the first temperature t1 is set within the range of 45°C to 55°C.

[0066] To determine the completion of the second drying process, the determination processor 53 determines whether a predetermined temperature increase, i.e., a temperature difference d1, from the first reference temperature tave1 detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 has been detected after a predetermined first period Y has elapsed since the start of the second drying process. If the temperature difference d1 is detected, the determination processor 53 determines that the second drying process has been completed. If the temperature difference d1 is not detected, the determination processor 53 determines that the second drying process has not been completed. The first period Y can be set, for example, within a range of 5 to 15 minutes. In this embodiment, the first period Y is set to 10 minutes.

[0067] More specifically, the first reference temperature tave1 is the average temperature over a first period Y, e.g., 10 minutes in this case, from the start of the second drying process until the first period Y has elapsed. Furthermore, the determination processor 53 calculates the average detected temperature tave by averaging the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 every minute after the first period Y has elapsed from the start of the second drying process. The determination processor 53 determines that the second condition is met if the temperature difference Δt1 between the average detected temperature tave and the first reference temperature tave1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature difference d1. The determination processor 53 determines that the second condition is not met if the temperature difference Δt1 between the average detected temperature tave and the first reference temperature tave1 is less than the predetermined first temperature difference d1.

[0068] If a temperature difference Δt1 equal to or greater than the first temperature difference d1 is detected multiple times, the determination processor 53 determines that the second condition is met. That is, the second drying step will not end until a temperature difference Δt1 equal to or greater than the first temperature difference d1 is detected a predetermined number of times, two or more. In this embodiment, the predetermined number of times is two or more. This prevents a situation in which the tub temperature sensor 41 erroneously detects a temperature difference, causing the machine to proceed to the third drying step, resulting in the laundry being only partially dry when the drying operation is completed.

[0069] The predetermined first temperature difference d1 is set in advance according to the initial ambient temperature u and the weight w of the clothes contained in the inner tub 13. Based on a chart of the first temperature difference d1 for each weight rank and each initial ambient temperature u stored in the memory area 502, the determination processing unit 53 determines whether the temperature difference Δt1 between the average detected temperature tave and the first reference temperature tave1 is equal to or greater than the predetermined first temperature difference d1.

[0070] 9 is an example chart of the first temperature difference d1 for each weight rank and each initial environmental temperature u. For weight ranks 1 to 4, i.e., ranks in which the weight of clothing is relatively heavy, the first temperature difference d1 tends to be set lower for smaller temperature ranks, i.e., higher initial environmental temperatures u, when compared for the same weight rank. In this embodiment, for temperature rank 4, in which the initial environmental temperature u is less than 12°C, the first temperature difference d1 is set to 15°C, and for the other temperature ranks 1 to 3, the first temperature difference d1 is set to 10°C.

[0071] For weight ranks 5 to 7, i.e., ranks where the weight of the clothing is relatively light, the first temperature difference d1 is set to the largest when temperature rank 4, i.e., when the initial environmental temperature u is the lowest, is set. For temperature rank 1, i.e., when the initial environmental temperature u is the highest, the first temperature difference d1 is set to be smaller than temperature rank 4 but larger than temperature ranks 2 to 3. For temperature ranks 2 to 3, i.e., when the initial environmental temperature u is the median, the first temperature difference d1 is set to the smallest. In this embodiment, for temperature rank 4 where the initial environmental temperature u is less than 12°C, the first temperature difference d1 is set to 15°C, for temperature rank 1 where the initial environmental temperature u is 25°C or higher, the first temperature difference d1 is set to 10°C, and for the other temperature ranks 2 to 3, the first temperature difference d1 is set to 8°C.

[0072] When comparing the temperature ranks, the same first temperature difference d1 is set for temperature ranks 1 and 4, regardless of the weight rank. For temperature ranks 2 and 3, the first temperature difference d1 is set larger for lower weight ranks (i.e., heavier weight clothes) than for higher weight ranks (i.e., lighter weight clothes). This is because the larger the total amount of clothes to be dried, the greater the amount of heat required in the second step of evaporating moisture from the clothes.

[0073] To determine the completion of the third drying process, the determination processor 53 determines whether a predetermined temperature increase, i.e., a second temperature difference d2, from the second reference temperature tave2 detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 has been detected after a predetermined second period Z has elapsed since the start of the third drying process. If the second temperature difference d2 is detected, the determination processor 53 determines that the third drying process has been completed. If the second temperature difference d2 is not detected, the determination processor 53 determines that the third drying process has not been completed. The second period Z can be set, for example, within a range of 5 to 15 minutes. In this embodiment, the second period Z is set to 10 minutes.

[0074] More specifically, the second reference temperature tave2 is the average temperature over the second period Z, e.g., 10 minutes in this case, from the start of the third drying process until the second period Z has elapsed. Furthermore, the determination processor 53 calculates the average detected temperature tave by averaging the temperatures detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 every minute after the second period Z has elapsed from the start of the third drying process. The determination processor 53 determines that the third condition is met if the temperature difference Δt2 between the average detected temperature tave and the second reference temperature tave3 is equal to or greater than the predetermined second temperature difference d2. The determination processor 53 determines that the third condition is not met if the temperature difference Δt2 between the average detected temperature tave and the second reference temperature tave2 is less than the predetermined second temperature difference d2.

[0075] If a temperature difference Δt2 equal to or greater than the second temperature difference d2 is detected multiple times, the determination processor 53 determines that the third condition is met. That is, the third drying step will not end until a temperature difference Δt2 equal to or greater than the second temperature difference d2 is detected a predetermined number of times. In this embodiment, the predetermined number of times is two. This prevents the tub temperature sensor 41 from erroneously detecting the temperature, which would cause the machine to transition to the finishing step and result in the laundry being only partially dry when the drying operation is completed.

[0076] The predetermined second temperature difference d2 is set in advance according to the initial ambient temperature u and the weight w of the clothes contained in the inner tub 13. Based on a chart of the second temperature difference d2 for each weight rank and each initial ambient temperature u stored in the memory area 502, the determination processing unit 53 determines whether the temperature difference Δt2 between the average detected temperature tave and the second reference temperature tave2 is equal to or greater than the predetermined second temperature difference d2.

[0077] 10 is an example of a chart of the second temperature difference d2 for each weight rank and each initial ambient temperature u. In this embodiment, the second temperature difference d2 is set to be the same for all weight ranks 1 to 7 and all temperature ranks 1 to 4. In this embodiment, the second temperature difference d2 is 15°C.

[0078] To determine the completion of the first finishing process and the second finishing process, the determination processing unit 53 may, for example, determine whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of each process. For example, the predetermined period of the first finishing process may be set within a range of 5 to 10 minutes. For example, the predetermined period of the first finishing process may be 7 minutes. For example, the predetermined period of the second finishing process may be set within a range of 1 to 3 minutes. For example, the predetermined period of the second finishing process may be 2 minutes. In another embodiment, the determination processing unit 53 may determine that the first finishing process or the second finishing process has ended when it detects that the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature.

[0079] In this manner, the drying operation is carried out by the drying operation processing unit 52 and the determination processing unit 53.

[0080] In a laundry processing device with a drying function, it is possible to set the drying period longer to prevent the laundry from being only partially dry when the drying operation finishes. While this can prevent the laundry from becoming partially dry, it may result in the drying period being extended too long. For example, even if the laundry is actually drying, the heating may continue longer than necessary, which could result in a longer operation period, damage to the clothes due to overheating, and increased power consumption.

[0081] In contrast, the washer / dryer 10 of the present embodiment described above includes a housing 11, an outer tub 12, an inner tub 13, a circulation air duct 30, a blower 37, a heater 38, an outside air intake vent 333, a damper 334, a tub temperature sensor 41, a drying operation processor 52, and a determination processor 53. The outer tub 12 is provided inside the housing 11. The inner tub 13 is rotatably provided inside the outer tub 12 and can accommodate clothes therein. The circulation air duct 30 is an air duct connecting an air outlet 124 from the outer tub 12 to an air inlet 23 to the outer tub 12. The blower 37 is provided midway along the circulation air duct 30 and blows air into the outer tub 12. The heater 38 is provided midway along the circulation air duct 30 and heats the air. The outside air intake vent 333 is formed midway along the circulation air duct 30 and communicates with the outside of the housing 11. The damper 334 opens and closes the outside air intake vent 333. The tub temperature sensor 41 detects the temperature of the outer tub 12. The drying operation processing unit 52 can perform drying operations including a drying process in which the blower 37 and the heater 38 are driven to send heated air to the outer tub 12 and the damper 334 is closed or reduced in opening to suppress the introduction of outside air, and a finishing process, which is performed after the drying process, in which the blower 37 is driven to send air to the outer tub 12 and the damper 334 is opened or increased in opening to promote the introduction of outside air into the circulating air duct 30. The determination processing unit 53 determines the completion of each process performed by the drying operation processing unit 52. The drying process includes a first drying process in which the temperature of the clothes is increased, a second drying process in which a dehumidifying operation is performed while maintaining the temperature of the clothes increased during the first drying process, and a third drying process in which the humidity inside the housing 11 increased during the second drying process is reduced. If the judgment processing unit 53 determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor 41 satisfies a predetermined first condition when the first drying process is performed, the drying operation processing unit 52 terminates the first drying process and transitions to the second drying process; if the judgment processing unit 53 determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor 41 satisfies a predetermined second condition when the second drying process is performed, the drying operation processing unit 52 terminates the second drying process and transitions to the third drying process; and if the judgment processing unit 53 determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor 41 satisfies a predetermined third condition when the third drying process is performed, the drying operation processing unit 52 terminates the third drying process and transitions to the finishing process.

[0082] This allows the drying process, which takes up the majority of the total drying time, to be divided into multiple processes, and the achievement of the goal for each process to be precisely assessed, allowing the user to accurately grasp the degree of achievement of the drying process and proceed to the next process promptly. This provides a clothing processing device that contributes to shortening the drying operation period, reducing damage to clothing, and saving energy.

[0083] The washer-dryer 10 includes a pulsator 131, a drive unit 14, a drainage path 182, a drain valve 181, an exhaust air duct 31 functioning as a heat exchanger, a cooling water supply path 193, and a cooling water supply valve 195. The pulsator 131 is rotatably disposed on the inner bottom of the inner tub 13. The drive unit 14 can rotate the pulsator 131 together with the inner tub 13 or independently. The drainage path 182 is a path for draining water from the outer tub 12 to the outside of the machine. The drain valve 181 opens and closes the drainage path 182. The exhaust air duct 31 is provided midway through the circulation air duct 30 and is a section for dehumidifying air discharged from the outer tub 12. The cooling water supply path 193 is a path for supplying cooling water to the exhaust air duct 31. The cooling water supply valve 195 opens and closes the cooling water supply path 193. In the first drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 closes the damper 334, the drain valve 181, and the cooling water supply valve 195, and drives the drive unit 14 to alternately rotate the inner tub 13 including the pulsator 131 and the pulsator 131 alone. In the second drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 closes the damper 334, opens the drain valve 181 and the cooling water supply valve 195, and drives the drive unit 14 to rotate the pulsator 131. In the third drying step, the drying operation processing unit 52 opens the damper 334, closes the drain valve 181 and the cooling water supply valve 195, and drives the drive unit 14 to rotate the pulsator 131.

[0084] In the first drying step, which is performed in the early stage of the drying operation, the clothes contain a large amount of moisture and are therefore relatively heavy. As a result, the agitation efficiency may be reduced if the pulsator 131 is used alone. Since it is necessary to raise the temperature of the clothes early in the first drying step, the inner tub 13 is rotated to rotate the clothes simultaneously with the inner tub 13, allowing warm air to be evenly applied to the entire clothes. In the second drying step and the third drying step, which are performed in the middle of the drying operation, a certain amount of moisture has evaporated from the clothes, making the weight of the clothes lighter than in the first drying step. Therefore, the clothes are easily mixed without rotating the inner tub 13, so rotating the pulsator 131 to agitate the clothes makes it easier for the warm air to be applied to the entire clothes. Furthermore, in the second drying step, when the temperature of the clothes rises and moisture evaporates from the clothes, the drying efficiency is improved by removing steam contained in the exhaust air using cooling water.

[0085] The determination processing unit 53 determines that the first condition is satisfied when the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 41 is equal to or higher than a predetermined first temperature t1.

[0086] The end condition for the first drying process is not time-managed, but rather the second drying process begins at an early stage once the first temperature t1, at which it is estimated that heat has been transferred to the entire garment, is reached, allowing for appropriate drying control according to the progress of the drying process.

[0087] The washer-dryer 10 includes an environmental temperature sensor 42 that detects the temperature of the environment in which the washer-dryer 10 is installed. The first temperature t1 is set in advance according to an initial environmental temperature u, which is the temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor.

[0088] When the ambient temperature is low, the temperature of the outer tub 12 rises more slowly even if the same amount of heat is applied. However, because roughly the same amount of warm air is applied to the clothes, if the first temperature t1 is set to the same temperature regardless of the ambient temperature, the clothes may be overheated and damage to the clothes may be accelerated if the ambient temperature is low. Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, the first temperature t1 is set low when the ambient temperature is low, and high when the ambient temperature is high. This allows the duration of the first drying step to be maintained at a relatively similar level even when the ambient temperature differs, thereby minimizing damage to the clothes.

[0089] The judgment processing unit 53 sets a first reference temperature tave1 based on the detected temperature t of the bath temperature sensor 41 after a predetermined period Y has elapsed after the start of the second drying process, and judges that the second condition is met when the temperature difference Δt1 between the detected temperature of the bath temperature sensor 41 and the first reference temperature tave1 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature difference d1.

[0090] After the warm air is applied for a predetermined period of time (T1), the clothes are considered to be somewhat dry. The rate of temperature rise thereafter varies depending on the ambient temperature, humidity, and weight of the clothes. Therefore, the second drying process is terminated when a predetermined temperature rise (d1) is observed. This allows the duration of the second drying process, and therefore the duration of the drying operation, to be shortened while still achieving a sufficient level of dryness for the clothes.

[0091] Here, if the second drying process is immediately terminated and the third drying process is started upon detection of a single temperature difference d1, and the temperature t used to calculate the temperature difference d1 is an erroneous detection, the machine may move to the third drying process even though the desired dryness has not been achieved, and the clothes may be only half-dry when the drying operation ends.

[0092] In contrast to this, the determination processing unit 53 determines that the second condition is satisfied when the predetermined temperature difference d1 is detected multiple times.

[0093] Since the probability of a false detection occurring multiple times in a row is low, if the temperature difference d1 is repeated multiple times, it can be assumed that the detection is correct. Therefore, false detections that result in clothes being only partially dry can be suppressed, and the accuracy of dryness determination can be improved.

[0094] The finishing process includes a first finishing process and a second finishing process that is executed after the first finishing process. In the first finishing process, the drying operation processing unit 52 sets the opening degree of the damper 334 larger than the opening degree of the damper 334 in the drying process, and sets the output of the heating device 38 lower than the output of the heating device 38 in the drying process. In the second finishing process, the drying operation processing unit 52 stops the heating device 38 and sets the rotation speed of the air blower 37 lower than in the first finishing process.

[0095] This allows low-temperature, low-humidity outside air to be taken into the circulating air duct 30, and the output of the heating device 38 is reduced in the first finishing step and stopped in the second finishing step, gradually cooling the outer tub 12, the inner tub 13, and the clothes. Furthermore, by reducing the rotation speed of the air blower 37, power consumption is reduced. Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 10... washer-dryer (clothing processing device), 11... housing, 12... outer tub, 124... air outlet, 13... inner tub, 131... pulsator, 14... drive mechanism, 181... drain valve, 182... drain path, 193... cooling water supply path (water supply path), 195... cooling water supply valve (water supply valve), 23... air inlet, 30... circulation air duct, 31... exhaust air duct (heat exchange section), 33... heating section, 331... internal air intake, 332... internal air intake, 333... outside air intake, 334... damper, 37... blower, 38... heating section, 41... tub temperature sensor, 42... environmental temperature sensor, 50... control device, 52... drying operation processing section, 53... determination processing section

Claims

1. The housing and an outer tank provided inside the housing; an inner tub that is rotatably disposed within the outer tub and capable of accommodating clothing therein; a circulation air passage connecting an air outlet from the outer tub and an air inlet to the outer tub; a blower provided in the air circulation path to blow air into the outer tub; a heating device provided in the circulation air passage for heating the air; an outside air intake port formed in the middle of the circulating air passage and communicating with the outside of the housing; a damper that opens and closes the outside air intake port; a tank temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the outer tank; a drying operation processing unit capable of performing drying operations including a drying process in which the blower and the heating device are driven to send heated air to the outer tub, and the damper is closed or its opening is reduced to suppress the introduction of outside air; and a finishing process, which is a process performed after the drying process, in which the blower is driven to send air to the outer tub, and the damper is opened or its opening is increased to promote the introduction of outside air into the circulating air passage; a determination processing unit that determines the completion of each of the processes executed by the drying operation processing unit, The drying process includes a first drying process for increasing the temperature of the clothes, a second drying process for performing a dehumidifying operation while maintaining the temperature of the clothes increased during the first drying process, and a third drying process for decreasing the humidity inside the housing increased during the second drying process, the drying operation processing unit terminates the first drying process and transitions to the second drying process when the determination processing unit determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor satisfies a predetermined first condition during execution of the first drying process; terminates the second drying process and transitions to the third drying process when the determination processing unit determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor satisfies a predetermined second condition during execution of the second drying process; and terminates the third drying process and transitions to the finishing process when the determination processing unit determines that the temperature detected by the tank temperature sensor satisfies a predetermined third condition during execution of the third drying process; the determination processing unit determines that the first condition is satisfied when the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined first temperature; the determination processing unit sets a reference temperature based on the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the second drying process, and determines that the second condition is satisfied when a temperature difference between the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor and the reference temperature is equal to or greater than a predetermined first temperature difference; the determination processing unit sets a second reference temperature based on the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor when a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the third drying step, and determines that the third condition is satisfied when a temperature difference between the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor and the second reference temperature is equal to or greater than a predetermined second temperature difference. Clothes treatment device.

2. a pulsator rotatably disposed on the inner bottom of the inner tank; a drive unit capable of rotating the pulsator together with the inner tub or independently; a drainage path for draining water from the outer tank to the outside of the machine; a drain valve that opens and closes the drain path; a heat exchanger provided in the circulation air passage for dehumidifying the air discharged from the outer tub; a water supply path for supplying cooling water to the heat exchanger; a water supply valve that opens and closes the water supply path, the drying operation processing unit closes the damper, the drain valve, and the water supply valve, and drives the drive unit to alternately rotate the inner tub including the pulsator and the pulsator alone in the first drying step; the drying operation processing unit closes the damper, opens the drain valve and the water supply valve, and drives the drive unit to rotate the pulsator in the second drying step; In the third drying step, the drying operation processing unit opens the damper to close the drain valve and the water supply valve, and drives the drive unit to rotate the pulsator. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

3. An environmental temperature sensor is provided to detect the temperature of the environment in which the clothing treatment device is installed. The first temperature is preset according to a temperature detected by the environmental temperature sensor. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

4. the determination processing unit determines that the second condition is satisfied when the predetermined first temperature difference is detected multiple times; The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

5. The determination processing unit determines that the third condition is satisfied when the predetermined second temperature difference is detected multiple times. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

6. the finishing step includes a first finishing step and a second finishing step that is performed after the first finishing step, the drying operation processing unit sets an opening degree of the damper in the first finishing step to be larger than an opening degree of the damper in the drying step, and sets an output of the heating device to be lower than an output of the heating device in the drying step; The drying operation processing unit stops the heating device in the second finishing step and sets the rotation speed of the air blower to a lower value than in the first finishing step. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

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