Washer dryer

Abstract

To provide a washing and drying machine capable of suppressing increase in a pressure loss of a flow passage.SOLUTION: A washing and drying machine includes: an outer tub having an opening where clothing is put in / taken out; a washing tub which is arranged rotatably inside the outer tub, and in which laundry is stored; a heater and a blower fan for generating warm air; and a nozzle for discharging the warm air generated by the heater and the blower fan toward the inside of the washing tub. In the nozzle 300, the shape of a flow passage cross section on the side of a nozzle inlet 301 is a trapezoid, and the shape of the flow passage cross section in a discharge port 302 is a rectangle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing and drying machine.

Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, there is a washing and drying machine including an outer tub whose interior becomes a drying chamber during drying, an inner tub (washing tub) rotatably disposed in the outer tub for accommodating laundry, a motor for driving the inner tub, a housing that supports the outer tub and forms an exterior, a blowing means for blowing warm air into the inner tub, and a heating means for heating the blown air. In the washing and drying machine, the product of the air volume Q (m , , , , ,

[0005] , ,

[0004] , , , / min) by the blowing means and the wind speed v (m / s) of the air blown into the inner tub is set to be 90 or more and 120 or less.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The washing and drying machine of Patent Document 1 states that by setting the product of the air volume and the wind speed to be 90 or more and 120 or less, an air volume and a wind speed effective for stretching wrinkles in clothes can be obtained. However, Patent Document 1 does not specifically describe the flow path structure through which the warm air is discharged. In a washing and drying machine, there is a turning portion for turning the flow of warm air on the upstream side of a nozzle that discharges warm air toward the laundry in the inner tub (washing tub). When there is a turning portion, a deviation in flow rate occurs in the flow path of the warm air, and the pressure loss of the flow path increases.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a washing and drying machine capable of suppressing an increase in the pressure loss of a flow path.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The washing and drying machine of the present invention An outer tank having an opening for putting clothes in and taking them out, A washing tub is rotatably positioned inside the outer tub and contains laundry, A heater and blower fan that generate warm air, The washing machine includes a nozzle that discharges the warm air generated by the heater and the blower fan toward the inside of the washing tub, The nozzle has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape at the nozzle inlet and a rectangular cross-sectional shape at the discharge port. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, by suppressing the increase in pressure loss in the flow path and suppressing the diffusion of the flow, it is possible to suppress the decrease in air velocity from the discharge port until the warm air reaches the clothes, thereby providing a washing and drying machine with improved performance that smooths out wrinkles in clothes. Other issues, configurations, and effects not mentioned above will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view of a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of a washing machine and dryer according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the right side. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of a nozzle in comparison to the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a nozzle according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a fluid analysis result comparing the flow velocity at different distances from the discharge port for a comparative example nozzle and a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Clothes drying using a washer-dryer, which can perform washing and drying in a continuous cycle, is done by creating high-temperature, low-humidity air using a blower (fan) and heating device, blowing this air into the washing tub, raising the temperature of the clothes, evaporating the moisture from the clothes, and then discharging the evaporated water outside the machine. At this time, in order to dry clothes while smoothing out wrinkles, it is desirable to have a high volume and speed of air blown onto the clothes.

[0010] However, even if the airflow velocity at the moment it is blown into the inner tub is optimal, depending on the depth of the unit, the airflow may diffuse and slow down before reaching the clothes, potentially preventing the acquisition of effective airflow volume and velocity.

[0011] Furthermore, to increase the airflow velocity before it reaches the clothes, one could consider reducing the area of ​​the outlet where the hot air is discharged into the inner tub, thereby increasing the airflow velocity at the moment it leaves the outlet. However, in that case, the pressure loss in the airflow path would increase, leading to an increase in the power consumption of the washer-dryer.

[0012] In the embodiment of the present invention, the wrinkle-removing effect on clothing is improved by suppressing the increase in pressure loss in the flow path and suppressing the diffusion of the flow before it reaches the clothing.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the left and right directions are defined based on the left and right sides when the washing machine 1 is viewed from the front. That is, the side located on the left side of the washing machine 1 when viewed from the front is called the left side, and the side located on the right side is called the right side.

[0014] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a washing machine and dryer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the casing 10 of the drum-type washer-dryer 1 is formed by pressing or otherwise working on sheet metal (metal, colored steel sheet) and includes a front panel 11 positioned at the front, side panels 14 positioned on the left and right sides, a rear panel 16 positioned at the back, a base 17 positioned at the bottom, and a top panel 18 positioned at the top.

[0015] The front panel 11 has an upper front panel 12 disposed at the upper front and a lower front panel 13 disposed at the lower front. A door glass 25 is attached to the upper front panel 12 via a hinge. A lid 13a for inserting and removing the filter member of the lint filter 222 (see FIG. 2) is attached to the lower front panel 13.

[0016] The side panel 14 is formed to the same height as the front panel 11, and a plurality of handholds 14a used during transportation are formed vertically at multiple locations, and a plurality of reinforcing recesses 14b are formed. The base 17 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and lattice-shaped ribs are formed inside for reinforcement. Also, the lower ends of the side panels 14 are fixed to the base 17 with screws or the like.

[0017] The upper panel 18 is formed by molding, for example, synthetic resin, and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above. Also, the upper panel 18 is configured as a single plate and is configured to close the upper opening formed by connecting the front panel 11, the side panels 14, and the rear panel 16.

[0018] Also, a detergent input section 20 is attached to the upper left side in the front-rear direction and an operation panel 22 is attached to the upper right side on the upper panel 18.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the washing and drying machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the right side.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the outer tub 2 is positioned approximately in the center of the housing 10. The outer tub 2 is supported by a plurality of dampers 5 at its bottom. Inside the outer tub 2, the washing tub 3 is rotatably mounted. Laundry 207 is placed into the washing tub 3 by opening the door 25 provided on the front upper panel 12. In other words, the washing tub 3 is rotatably positioned inside the outer tub 2 and contains the laundry. A fluid balancer (not shown) is provided on the outer circumference of the opening of the washing tub 3 as needed to reduce vibrations caused by the unbalance of the laundry 207 during the spin-drying process.

[0021] Furthermore, multiple lifters 209 for lifting laundry 207 are provided inside the washing tub 3. The washing tub 3 is directly connected to a motor 30 for driving the washing tub via a main shaft (not shown) connected to a metal flange. The driving method for the washing tub 3 may also be a so-called belt drive system, in which a pulley fixed to the main shaft and a motor fixed to the outer tub are connected via a belt to drive the washing tub 3.

[0022] Furthermore, a bellows 40 made of elastic rubber is attached to the opening of the outer tub 2. The bellows 40 plays a role in maintaining watertightness between the inside of the outer tub 2 and the door 25. This prevents water leakage during washing, rinsing, and spinning. The washing tub 3 has numerous small holes (not shown) in the cylindrical part of its side wall for centrifugal spinning and ventilation.

[0023] The blower fan 20, which is the means of blowing air, is fixed to the housing 10, away from the outer tank 2. On the other hand, the nozzle 300 and the heat exchange duct 81 are fixed to the outer tank 2. For this reason, the nozzle 300 and the heat exchange duct 81 of the outer tank 2 are connected to the blower fan 20 via rubber bellows tubes 212a and 212b upstream and downstream of the blower fan 20, preventing vibrations of the outer tank 2 from being transmitted to the blower fan 20.

[0024] In the drying process, the blower fan 20 generates an airflow, which is heated by the heater 213 located downstream of the blower fan 20 to produce warm air. The warm air then flows through the bellows pipe 212a and the nozzle 300 and is discharged towards the laundry 207 in the washing tub 3. This causes the moisture in the clothes to evaporate. The humidified air flows into the heat exchange duct 81 and is dehumidified by cooling water dripped along the ribs 89 provided on a part of the wall of the heat exchange duct 81. The dehumidified air passes through the bellows pipe 212b and flows back into the blower fan 20. This circulation is repeated to dry the laundry 207.

[0025] The condensed water generated by dehumidification is drained from a drain port (not shown) located on the bottom of the water receiving section 54, through a lint filter 222, through a drain hose 26, and out of a drain hole 39.

[0026] Next, with reference to Figures 3 and 4, the nozzle 400 of the comparative example and the nozzle 300 of this embodiment will be compared and explained. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the nozzle 400 of the comparative example with the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the nozzle 300 of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] In the comparative example, nozzle 400 forms a nozzle channel 410 by nozzle channel surfaces 403a, 403b, 403c, and 403d. The nozzle channel 410 has a nozzle inlet 401 connected to a bellows tube 212a (see Figure 2) on the upstream side, and a discharge port 402 opening toward the washing tub 3 on the downstream side.

[0028] A nearly right-angled bend 404 is formed between the nozzle inlet 401 and the discharge port 402. This bend 404 redirects the flow that would otherwise flow into the nozzle 400 toward the rear of the housing (towards the washing tub) (see Figure 2).

[0029] The nozzle inlet 401 of the comparative example has a rectangular cross-section, and the flow path cross-section of the discharge port 402 is also rectangular. The flow path cross-section is a cross-section perpendicular to the flow in the flow path, and in the case of the nozzle inlet 401 and discharge port 402, it is the opening surface. The rectangular shape formed by the nozzle inlet 401 and discharge port 402 is a rectangle with a longitudinal direction, and has a long side and a short side.

[0030] The nozzle flow surfaces 403a and 403b are connected to the shorter sides of the rectangle formed by the nozzle inlet 401 and discharge port 402, forming parallel flow surfaces. On the other hand, the nozzle flow surfaces 403c and 403d are connected to the longer sides of the rectangle formed by the nozzle inlet 401 and discharge port 402, forming parallel flow surfaces.

[0031] The nozzle flow path surfaces 403a, 403b, 403c, and 403d are connected perpendicularly to the nozzle inlet 401 and discharge port 402. In this case, for the nozzle flow path surface 403d, the downstream nozzle flow path surface 403d is formed with respect to the curved portion 404, with a plate thickness equal to the thickness of the member (nozzle forming member) that forms the nozzle flow path surface 403d.

[0032] The nozzle flow path surfaces 403c and 403d are parallel to the flow path cross-section (opening surface) of the discharge port 402 upstream of the bend 404, because a bend 404 is formed at approximately a right angle between the nozzle inlet 401 and the discharge port 402. The nozzle flow path surfaces 403a and 403b are perpendicular to the flow path cross-section (opening surface) of the discharge port 402, even upstream of the bend 404. Furthermore, the nozzle flow path surfaces 403a and 403b and the nozzle flow path surfaces 403c and 403d are joined perpendicularly to each other.

[0033] In this embodiment shown in Figure 4, the nozzle 300 forms a nozzle channel 310 by nozzle channel surfaces 303a, 303b, 303c, and 303d. The nozzle channel 310 has a nozzle inlet 301 connected to a bellows pipe 212a (see Figure 2) on the upstream side, and a discharge port 302 opening toward the washing tub 3 on the downstream side.

[0034] A nearly right-angled bend 304 is formed between the nozzle inlet 301 and the discharge port 302. This bend 304 redirects the flow that would otherwise flow into the nozzle 300 towards the rear of the housing (towards the washing tub) (see Figure 2).

[0035] The nozzle flow path surfaces 303c and 303d are formed in the same manner as the nozzle flow path surfaces 403c and 403d of the comparative example nozzle 400. The nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b are formed downstream of the bend 304, with surfaces having an obtuse angle to the flow path cross-section (opening surface) of the discharge port 302. That is, the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b are formed such that the flow path cross-section expands upstream from the discharge port 302, or in other words, the flow path cross-section narrows from the bend 304 towards the discharge port 302. For this reason, the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b are formed such that the distance in the width direction between the nozzle flow path surface 303a and the nozzle flow path surface 303b expands upstream from the discharge port 302, or in other words, the distance in the width direction between the nozzle flow path surface 303a and the nozzle flow path surface 303b narrows from the bend 304 towards the discharge port 302.

[0036] At the nozzle inlet 401, the width dimension W303c of the nozzle flow path surface 303c is larger than the width dimension W303d of the nozzle flow path surface 303d. Here, the width direction of the nozzle inlet 301, the discharge port 302, and each nozzle flow path surface 303c, 303d is in the direction along the longer side of the rectangle formed by the nozzle inlet 301 and the discharge port 302.

[0037] In this embodiment, the width dimension W303c of the nozzle flow path surface 303c is larger than the width dimension W303d of the nozzle flow path surface 303d, and the nozzle flow path surface 303c and the nozzle flow path surface 303d are parallel, so the nozzle inlet 401 has a trapezoidal shape. The nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b are the legs of the trapezoid, the nozzle flow path surface 303c is the lower base (bottom) of the trapezoid, and the nozzle flow path surface 303d is the upper base (bottom) of the trapezoid. The nozzle flow path surfaces 303a, 303b, 303c, and 303d extend from the nozzle inlet 301 to the upstream end of the bend 304 while maintaining the shape of the flow path cross-section of the nozzle inlet 301.

[0038] The nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b are inclined such that, downstream of the bend 304, the side edge connected to the nozzle flow path surface 303c is located outward in the width direction relative to the side edge connected to the nozzle flow path surface 303d. The cross-sectional shape of the discharge port 302 is rectangular, and the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b extend toward the discharge port 302 while correcting this inclination (angle of inclination) and are connected to the discharge port 302. As a result, the area of ​​the flow path cross-section (flow path cross-sectional area) of the nozzle flow path 310 gradually decreases from the upstream end of the bend 304 toward the discharge port 302.

[0039] The effect of the nozzle 300 in this embodiment will now be explained. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the airflow for each nozzle with arrows. In the comparative example nozzle 400, the airflow entering from the nozzle inlet 401 is redirected towards the discharge port 402 by the bend 404 and discharged directly into the washing tub 3.

[0040] On the other hand, in the nozzle 300 of this embodiment, the flow entering from the nozzle inlet 301 is the same as in the comparative example in the central part of the flow path, but when the flow near the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b is redirected at the bend 304, the flow is guided toward the center of the discharge port 302 by the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b.

[0041] As a result, the flow discharged from the outlet 302 into the washing tub 3 becomes a flow that converges in the center of the outlet 302, and the diffusion of the flow is suppressed even after it reaches the washing tub 3.

[0042] In this case, it is desirable that the angles of the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b be the same. That is, it is preferable that the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b are formed symmetrically with respect to a virtual plane 300Sx that includes the central axis 300Ax of the nozzle 300 (nozzle flow path 310) and is perpendicular to the nozzle flow path surfaces 303c and 303d. This maintains flow symmetry with respect to the center of the discharge port 302, and further suppresses flow diffusion.

[0043] Figure 5 shows the fluid analysis results comparing the flow velocity at different distances from the discharge ports 402 and 302 for a comparative example nozzle 400 and a nozzle 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 5, the area of ​​the region where the flow velocity is 70% or higher is compared at different distances from the discharge ports 402 and 302, with the flow velocity at the discharge ports 402 and 302 set to 100%.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, in the comparative example nozzle 400, the flow diffuses as it moves away from the discharge port 302, and the area of ​​the high-velocity region decreases. However, by using the nozzle 300 of this embodiment, the area of ​​high-velocity region increases, indicating that flow diffusion is suppressed.

[0045] As a result, the nozzle 300 in this embodiment can maintain the airflow velocity until it reaches the clothing, improving its ability to smooth out wrinkles in clothing.

[0046] Furthermore, in the nozzle 300 of this embodiment, the opening area of ​​the discharge port 302 is equivalent to that of the nozzle 400 of the comparative example, making it possible to suppress flow diffusion without causing an increase in losses due to a narrowing of the flow path area.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, upstream of the nozzle 300, there is a flow deflection section 220 that is approximately perpendicular to the flow downward from the rear side of the housing 10. Due to this deflection, the flow into the nozzle inlet 301 is not uniform, and the flow rate on the outer nozzle flow path surface 303c side is greater than that on the inner nozzle flow path surface 303d side. In this embodiment, the widthwise dimension W303c of the nozzle flow path surface 303c located on the outside of the deflection section 220 is larger than the widthwise dimension W303d of the nozzle flow path surface 303d located on the inside of the deflection. As a result, in this embodiment, the nozzle 300 has a wider flow path cross-sectional area on the nozzle flow path surface 303c side, and the area ratio corresponds to the flow rate bias, so flow path loss can be reduced. Moreover, because the flow rate is greater on the nozzle flow path surface 303c side, the effect of guiding the flow on the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b towards the center can be further enhanced.

[0048] Furthermore, by maintaining the shape of the flow path cross-section of the nozzle inlet 301 from the nozzle inlet 301 to the upstream end of the bend 304, the nozzle 300 can limit the area where pressure loss increases to the bend 304, thereby suppressing an increase in pressure loss throughout the nozzle 300.

[0049] The washing and drying machine 1 according to this embodiment has at least the following features. (1) An outer tank 2 having an opening for putting clothes in and taking them out, A washing tub 3 is rotatably positioned inside the outer tub 2 and contains laundry, A heater 213 and a blower fan 20 that generate warm air, It includes a nozzle 300 that discharges warm air generated by a heater 213 and a blower fan 20 toward the inside of the washing tub 3, The nozzle 300 has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape at the nozzle inlet 301 and a rectangular cross-sectional shape at the discharge port 302.

[0050] (2) A flow redirection section 220 is provided upstream of the nozzle 300. Of the two nozzle flow path surfaces 303c and 303d that form the base of the trapezoid, the widthwise dimension W303c of the nozzle flow path surface 303c located on the outside of the turning section 220 is larger than the widthwise dimension W303d of the nozzle flow path surface 303d located on the inside of the turning section.

[0051] (3) The nozzle has a bend in the flow path 304 between the nozzle inlet 301 and the discharge port 302. Of the nozzle flow path surfaces 303a, 303b, 303c, and 303d that constitute the flow path 310 of the nozzle 300, the two nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b that form the legs of the trapezoid are such that the distance W302 between the two nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b decreases from the bend in the flow path 304 toward the discharge port 302.

[0052] (4) The two nozzle flow path surfaces 303a and 303b that form the legs of the trapezoid are formed symmetrically with respect to a virtual plane 300Sx that includes the central axis 300Ax of the flow path 310 of the nozzle 300 and is perpendicular to the two nozzle flow path surfaces 303c and 303d that form the base of the trapezoid.

[0053] (5) The nozzle 300 maintains the shape of the flow path cross-section of the nozzle inlet 301 from the nozzle inlet 301 to the upstream end of the bend 304.

[0054] (6) The two trapezoidal legs of the nozzle flow channels 303a and 303b are inclined such that, downstream of the curved section 304, the side edge connected to the nozzle flow channel 303c located on the outside of the turning section 220 is positioned outward in the width direction relative to the side edge connected to the nozzle flow channel 303d located on the inside of the turning section. The two nozzle flow channels are extended toward the discharge port 302 while correcting this inclination and are connected to the discharge port 302.

[0055] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail to make the present invention easier to understand, and are not necessarily limited to those having all of the above configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 1...Washer dryer, 2...Outer tub, 3...Washing tub, 20...Blower fan, 213...Heater, 220...Flow deflector, 300...Nozzle, 301...Nozzle inlet, 302...Discharge port, 303a, 303b, 303c, 303d... Nozzle flow path surfaces, 303a, 303b... Two nozzle flow path surfaces that form the legs of the trapezoid, 303c, 303d... Two nozzle flow path surfaces that form the base of the trapezoid, 304... Curve of the flow path, 300Ax... Central axis of the flow path 310 of nozzle 300, 300Sx... A virtual plane that includes the central axis 300Ax and is perpendicular to the two nozzle flow path surfaces 303c, 303d that form the base of the trapezoid.

Claims

1. An outer tank having an opening for putting clothes in and taking them out, A washing tub is rotatably positioned inside the outer tub and contains laundry, A heater and blower fan that generate warm air, The washing machine includes a nozzle that discharges the warm air generated by the heater and the blower fan toward the inside of the washing tub, The washing machine and dryer is characterized in that the nozzle has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape at the nozzle inlet and a rectangular cross-sectional shape at the discharge port.

2. A washing and drying machine according to claim 1, A flow redirection section is provided upstream of the nozzle. A washing machine and dryer in which, of the two nozzle flow path surfaces that form the base of the trapezoid in the nozzle, the width dimension of the nozzle flow path surface located on the outside of the turning section in the turning section is greater than the width dimension of the nozzle flow path surface located on the inside of the turning section.

3. A washing and drying machine according to claim 2, The flow path has a bend between the nozzle inlet and the discharge port. A washing and drying machine in which, of the nozzle flow path surfaces constituting the flow path of the nozzle, the distance between the two nozzle flow path surfaces that form the trapezoidal legs decreases from the bend toward the discharge port.

4. A washing and drying machine according to claim 3, A washing and drying machine in which the two nozzle flow path surfaces that form the legs of the trapezoid are formed symmetrically with respect to a virtual plane that includes the central axis of the flow path of the nozzle and is perpendicular to the two nozzle flow path surfaces that form the base of the trapezoid.

5. A washing and drying machine according to claim 4, The nozzle is a washing and drying machine that maintains the shape of the flow path cross-section of the nozzle inlet from the nozzle inlet to the upstream end of the curved portion.

6. A washing and drying machine according to claim 5, The two trapezoidal legs of the aforementioned nozzle flow path surface are inclined such that, downstream of the bend, the side edge connected to the nozzle flow path surface located on the outside of the turning section in the turning section is positioned outward in the width direction relative to the side edge connected to the nozzle flow path surface located on the inside of the turning section, and the two nozzle flow path surfaces extend toward the discharge port and are connected to the discharge port of the washing and drying machine, while correcting this inclination.

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