Drum-type spin dryer

Abstract

To provide a drum-type dehydrator capable of dehydrating even a waterproof clothing impervious to water.SOLUTION: A drum-type dehydrator of the present invention has a drum that is disposed in an outer tub and rotatable around a horizontal shaft or an inclined shaft inclined with respect to a horizontal direction, three or more baffles displaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction with respect to an inner peripheral surface of the drum, a drive motor for driving the drum to rotate, a fan for feeding air in the drum, and control means to control the drive motor and the fan. The control means controls the drive motor so as to alternately repeat a forward direction rotation in which the drum rotates in a forward direction and a reverse direction rotation in which the drum rotates in a reverse direction in a state in which the fan is driven.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a drum-type dehydrator for dehydrating waterproof clothing such as rainwear.

[0002] A general drum-type washing machine installed in a general household or a coin laundry, etc., includes an outer tub provided inside the washing machine body, and a drum accommodated in the outer tub so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis. In this drum-type washing machine, after clothes are put into the drum, washing is performed by rotating the drum while supplying water into the outer tub, and then, water is drained from the outer tub and dehydration is performed by rotating the drum at a high speed.

[0003] In a drum-type washing machine, a large number of small holes are formed over the entire outer peripheral surface of the drum. Therefore, when dehydrating clothes by rotating the drum at a high speed, the moisture contained in the clothes passes through the large number of small holes by centrifugal force and is discharged into the outer tub (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When drying after wearing waterproof clothing such as rainwear, the drying place is limited because water drips. In addition, there is a problem that mold grows when waterproof clothing with water attached is left for a long time. In order to solve such problems, it is conceivable to dehydrate waterproof clothing with water attached using a drum-type washing machine. In a drum-type washing machine, when the drum containing waterproof clothing is rotated at a high speed, the waterproof clothing rotates in a state of being attached to the inner peripheral surface of the drum.

[0006] Waterproof clothing is made from a fabric that is impermeable to water (or makes it difficult for water to pass through) to prevent water from entering. When it sticks to the inner surface of the drum, it blocks the small holes formed in the drum, preventing water from being drained from the drum into the outer tub. For this reason, typical drum-type washing machines cannot spin-dry waterproof clothing.

[0007] The present invention solves the aforementioned problems, and its main objective is to provide a drum-type spin dryer capable of dewatering waterproof clothing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The drum-type dewatering machine according to the present invention comprises a drum disposed in an outer tub and rotatable about a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted with respect to the horizontal direction as its axis of rotation; three or more baffles arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum; a drive motor for rotating the drum; a fan for supplying air into the drum; and control means for controlling the drive motor and the fan, wherein the control means controls the drive motor so that, when the fan is driven, the drum rotates in the forward direction and the drum rotates in the reverse direction alternately. The control means controls the drive motor such that, when performing forward rotation, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum in the forward direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stops accelerating the drum in the forward direction; and when performing reverse rotation, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stops accelerating the drum in the reverse direction; and the control means controls the drive motor such that, when performing forward rotation, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum in the forward direction to an appropriate rotational speed and then immediately decelerates it; and when performing reverse rotation, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction and then immediately decelerates it. It is characterized by the following: According to the present invention, by supplying air into the drum containing waterproof clothing and rotating the drum alternately in forward and reverse directions, water adhering to the waterproof clothing can be blown away. This makes it possible to provide a drum-type dehydrator capable of dewatering waterproof clothing. Furthermore, when the drum rotates alternately in the forward and reverse directions, accelerating the drum's rotation speed to an appropriate level and then stopping the acceleration allows the baffles inside the drum to lift and drop the waterproof clothing, turning it inside out. This allows for efficient blowing away of water adhering to the waterproof clothing. Furthermore, when the drum rotates alternately in the forward and reverse directions, accelerating the drum's rotation speed to the appropriate speed and then immediately decelerating it allows the waterproof clothing to be turned inside out within the drum without being lifted too high by the baffles. This allows for efficient blowing away of water adhering to the waterproof clothing.

[0009] The drum-type dewatering machine according to the present invention comprises a drum disposed in an outer tub and rotatable about a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted with respect to the horizontal direction as its axis of rotation, three or more baffles arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum, a drive motor for rotating the drum, a fan for supplying air into the drum, and control means for controlling the drive motor and the fan, wherein the control means controls the drive motor so that, when the fan is driven, the drum rotates in the forward direction and the reverse direction is alternately repeated, and when the forward direction rotation is performed, the control means accelerates the rotational speed of the drum in the forward direction to raise it to an appropriate rotational speed, and then the drum rotates in the forward direction The drive motor is controlled to stop the acceleration in the forward direction and, when performing the reverse rotation, to accelerate the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stop accelerating the drum in the reverse direction. The characteristics are that, in the forward rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the forward direction to an appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum moves above the height of the rotational shaft on one side in the left-right direction of the rotational shaft, and in the reverse rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum moves above the height of the rotational shaft on the other side in the left-right direction of the rotational shaft. According to the present invention, by supplying air into the drum containing waterproof clothing and rotating the drum alternately in forward and reverse directions, water adhering to the waterproof clothing can be blown away. This makes it possible to provide a drum-type dehydrator capable of dewatering waterproof clothing. Furthermore, when the drum rotates alternately in the forward and reverse directions, accelerating the drum's rotation speed to an appropriate level and then stopping the acceleration allows the baffles inside the drum to lift and drop the waterproof clothing, turning it inside out. This allows for efficient blowing away of water adhering to the waterproof clothing. Furthermore, when the drum rotates alternately in the forward and reverse directions, the baffles inside the drum can lift the waterproof clothing above the height of the rotation axis, causing it to fall and turn inside out. This allows for efficient blowing away of water adhering to the waterproof clothing.

[0010] The drum-type dewatering machine according to the present invention comprises a drum disposed in an outer tub and rotatable about a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted with respect to the horizontal direction as its axis of rotation, three or more baffles arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum, a drive motor for rotating the drum, a fan for supplying air into the drum, and control means for controlling the drive motor and the fan, wherein the control means controls the drive motor so that, when the fan is driven, the drum rotates in the forward direction and reverse direction alternately repeats rotation in the reverse direction, and when the forward rotation is performed, the control means accelerates the rotational speed of the drum in the forward direction to raise it to an appropriate rotational speed, and then the drum The drive motor is controlled to stop acceleration in the forward direction and, when performing the reverse rotation, to accelerate the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stop accelerating the drum in the reverse direction. The characteristics are that, in the forward rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the forward direction to an appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum is below the height of the rotational shaft on one side in the left-right direction of the rotational shaft, and in the reverse rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum is below the height of the rotational shaft on the other side in the left-right direction of the rotational shaft. According to the present invention, by supplying air into the drum containing waterproof clothing and rotating the drum alternately in forward and reverse directions, water adhering to the waterproof clothing can be blown away. This makes it possible to provide a drum-type dehydrator capable of dewatering waterproof clothing. Furthermore, when the drum rotates alternately in the forward and reverse directions, accelerating the drum's rotation speed to an appropriate level and then stopping the acceleration allows the baffles inside the drum to lift and drop the waterproof clothing, turning it inside out. This allows for efficient blowing away of water adhering to the waterproof clothing. Furthermore, when the drum is rotated alternately in the forward and reverse directions, the baffles inside the drum allow the waterproof garments to be turned inside out without being lifted too high. Although a waterproof membrane is formed on the surface of the waterproof garments, repeatedly dropping the waterproof garments from a height inside the drum can damage the membrane and worsen their waterproofness. By preventing the waterproof garments from being dropped from above inside the drum, damage to the waterproof garments can be prevented. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drum-type spin dryer capable of dewatering waterproof clothing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the drum washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment as seen from the upper right front obliquely. [Figure 2] Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the drum washing machine 1 in Fig. 1 as seen from the right side when cut along a vertical plane in the front-rear direction. [Figure 3] Fig. 3 is a control block diagram of the drum washing machine 1 in Fig. 1. [Figure 4] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the control content when the first strong wind tumbling operation is performed. [Figure 5] Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the state change in the drum 4 when the first strong wind tumbling operation is performed. [Figure 6] Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining the control content when the second strong wind tumbling operation is performed. [Figure 7] Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the state change in the drum 4 when the second strong wind tumbling operation is performed.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, a drum washing machine 1 provided with a dehydrator according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the drum washing machine 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention as seen from the upper right front obliquely. For the purpose of partially exposing the internal components, it is shown in a partially cut-away state. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the washing and drying machine 1 as seen from the right side when cut along a vertical plane in the front-rear direction.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the drum-type washing machine 1 of this embodiment has a box-shaped housing 2. Inside the housing 2 is an outer tub 3 having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, and inside the outer tub 3 is a drum 4 for holding laundry, which has a substantially cylindrical inner surface and is supported by a main shaft 5 that extends in the front-rear direction. The drum 4 is rotatable with its horizontal axis as the axis of rotation N.

[0021] The front of the housing 2 has an operating section 2a for user operation and a clothes loading opening 6 that faces an opening 4a formed at the front end of the drum 4. The housing 2 is provided with a door 8 that opens and closes the clothes loading opening 6, and the clothes loading opening 6 is opened and closed by the door 8, allowing laundry to be loaded into and unloaded from the drum 4 when the door 8 is open.

[0022] Multiple baffles 4b are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the drum 4, protruding into the drum 4. The baffles 4b are projections for lifting the laundry contained in the drum 4. For example, during the washing process, when the drum 4 is rotated by the driving force of the drive motor 11 (described later), the water-soaked laundry inside the drum 4 is lifted by the baffles 4b and falls naturally, resulting in a so-called tumbling wash.

[0023] The inner surface of the drum 4 is provided with numerous water passage holes 4c. During washing and rinsing, water supplied to the outer tub 3 flows into the drum 4 through these water passage holes 4c, and during centrifugal dehydration, water discharged from the laundry inside the drum 4 is scattered towards the outer tub 3 through these water passage holes 4c.

[0024] The main spindle 5 is rotatably supported by a bearing 5a mounted on the rear wall of the outer tank 3, and a main pulley 10 is attached to the tip of the main spindle 5 that protrudes further rearward. A drive motor 11 for rotating the drum 4 is positioned towards the lower rear of the outer tank 3. A motor pulley 12 is attached to the rotating shaft of the drive motor 11, and the torque of the motor pulley 12 is transmitted to the main pulley 10 via a timing belt 16. As a result, when the drive motor 11 is driven, the drum 4 rotates around the main spindle 5.

[0025] A water supply pipe 30, equipped with a water supply valve 30a, is connected to the upper part of the rear wall of the outer tank 3. When the water supply valve 30a is opened, water supplied from the outside is supplied to the outer tank 3 via the water supply pipe 30. A drain pipe 31, equipped with a drain valve 31a, is connected to a drain port 3a located at the bottom of the outer tank 3. When the drain valve 31a is opened, the water inside the outer tank 3 is discharged outside the machine through the drain port 3a and the drain pipe 31.

[0026] An intake section 50 is provided in the upper right part of the outer tank 3. The intake section 50 has a first intake duct 51, a second intake duct 52, and a duct connecting pipe 53 that connects the first intake duct 51 and the second intake duct 52. The first intake duct 51 communicates with the inside of the outer tank 3 via an inlet 54 provided in the outer tank 3. The second intake duct 52 is fixed to the housing 2 such that its open end 52a is positioned opposite an intake port 55 provided in the housing 2.

[0027] A heater 56 is provided inside the second intake duct 52. The heater 56 is a gas heater that burns gas supplied from, for example, an external gas supply passage (not shown), and heats the surrounding air with the heat of combustion. It can be switched on and off according to control from the control unit 80. Therefore, when the fan 65, which will be described later, is driven and the heater 56 is turned on, the air inside the second intake duct 52 is heated, and the heated air is supplied into the outer tank 3 through the duct connecting pipe 53 and the first intake duct 51.

[0028] An exhaust section 60 is provided in the upper left part of the outer tank 3. The exhaust section 60 has a first exhaust duct 61, a second exhaust duct 62, and a duct connecting pipe 63 that connects the first exhaust duct 61 and the second exhaust duct 62. The first exhaust duct 61 communicates with the inside of the outer tank 3 via an outlet 64 provided in the outer tank 3. The open end 62a of the second exhaust duct 62 is exposed to the outside of the housing 2. A fan 65 is located inside the second exhaust duct 62, and a filter 66 is provided inside the second exhaust duct 62 upstream of the fan 65.

[0029] When the fan 65 is driven, an airflow is formed in the path from the intake port 55 provided in the housing 2 to the fan 65 (i.e., the path formed by the second intake duct 52, the duct connecting pipe 53, the first intake duct 51, the outer tank 3, the first exhaust duct 61, the duct connecting pipe 63, and the second exhaust duct 62) in the direction from the intake port 55 toward the fan 65.

[0030] Figure 3 is a control block diagram of the drum-type washing machine 1. As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 80 of the drum-type washing machine 1 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a CPU, a ROM containing a program that controls the operation of the drum-type washing machine 1, and a RAM that temporarily stores data used when executing the program. The control unit 80 is connected to the water supply valve 30a, the drain valve 31a, the drive motor 11, the heater 56, and the fan 65, and controls each of these parts. The operation of the drum-type washing machine 1 is controlled by this control unit 80.

[0031] The drum-type washing machine 1 is capable of performing a washing cycle including washing, rinsing, spinning, and drying, and is also capable of performing a spinning cycle for waterproof clothing. Note that the washing cycle, including washing, rinsing, spinning, and drying, is the same as a general cycle, so its explanation will be omitted.

[0032] The dewatering operation for waterproof clothing will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 7. In this embodiment, the dewatering operation for waterproof clothing involves a first strong wind tumbling operation followed by a second strong wind tumbling operation.

[0033] First, the first strong wind tumbling operation will be explained based on Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the control process when the first strong wind tumbling operation is performed.

[0034] (First strong wind tumbling action) During the first strong-wind tumbling operation included in the dehydration cycle for waterproof clothing, the drain valve 31a is kept open. The fan 65 that supplies air into the drum 4 is switched from the off state to the on state 5 seconds after the start of the dehydration cycle. In this embodiment, the rotation speed of the fan 65 is set to 5500 rpm or higher to supply relatively strong air into the drum 4. Considering the material of the waterproof clothing, the heater 56 is kept off to prevent hot air tumbling drying.

[0035] The control unit 80 starts rotating the drum 4 in the forward direction 5 seconds after the start of the spin-drying operation. The control unit 80 increases the rotation speed of the drum 4 to an appropriate rotation speed at an acceleration of 30 rpm / second to blast away moisture from the clothes. The first appropriate rotation speed is the rotation speed at which the clothes do not stick (for example, 55 rpm ± 5 rpm). The control unit 80 maintains the rotation speed of the drum 4 at the first appropriate rotation speed until a first predetermined on time (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed. After the first predetermined on time has elapsed, the control unit 80 decelerates the rotation speed of the drum 4 at an acceleration of 30 rpm / second and stops it. After that, the control unit 80 maintains the drum 4 in a stopped state until a first predetermined off time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed.

[0036] After a predetermined off-time has elapsed, the control unit 80 starts rotating the drum 4 in the reverse direction. The control unit 80 increases the rotation speed of the drum 4 to an appropriate speed at an acceleration of 30 rpm / second to blast the moisture away from the clothes.

[0037] The first appropriate rotation speed is the rotation speed at which clothing does not stick (for example, 55 rpm ± 5 rpm). The control unit 80 maintains the rotation speed of the drum 4 at the first appropriate rotation speed until a first predetermined on time (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed.

[0038] After a predetermined ON time has elapsed, the control unit 80 reduces the rotation speed of the drum 4 by 30 rpm / second and stops it. Then, the control unit 80 maintains the drum 4 in the stopped state until a first predetermined OFF time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed.

[0039] Subsequently, in the same manner as described above, the drum 4 alternates between forward rotation and reverse rotation. That is, while the fan 65 supplies air into the drum 4, the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 4 is repeated, changing the state of the waterproof clothing and repelling moisture from the waterproof clothing.

[0040] In this embodiment, the predetermined off time is set to be relatively long, in the range of 5 to 10 seconds, and the predetermined on rotation is set to about three times the off time. In this embodiment, the acceleration of the rotational speed of the drum 4 is preferably, for example, 25 rpm / sec to 35 rpm / sec. The first appropriate rotational speed is preferably 45 rpm to 60 rpm.

[0041] The changes in the state inside the drum 4 during the first strong wind tumbling operation will be explained based on Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the changes in the state inside the drum 4 during the first strong wind tumbling operation. In Figure 5, the height of the rotation axis N of the drum 4 is shown by a dashed line.

[0042] When the first strong wind tumbling operation is initiated, the waterproof garment T is placed into the drum 4, as shown in Figure 5-1. In this state, when the drum 4 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, the waterproof garment T is secured to the baffle 4b at its lower end inside the drum 4, as shown in Figure 5-2, and is lifted upward by the baffle 4b on the left side of the rotation axis N as the drum 4 rotates in the forward direction.

[0043] Subsequently, when the rotational speed of the drum 4 accelerates in the positive direction and rises to the first optimal rotational speed, as shown in Figure 5-3, the baffle 4b that holds the waterproof garment T at its lower end inside the drum 4 moves to a position to the left of the rotation axis N and above the height of the rotation axis N. In this state, when the acceleration of the drum 4 in the positive direction stops, the waterproof garment T detaches from the baffle 4b that was holding it and falls downward due to gravity.

[0044] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 5-4, the rotation of the drum 4 is stopped with the waterproof garment T positioned at the lower end inside the drum 4. When the drum 4 is then driven to rotate in the reverse direction, the waterproof garment T is secured to the baffle 4b at the lower end inside the drum 4, as shown in Figure 5-5, and is lifted upward by the baffle 4b on the right side of the rotation axis N as the drum 4 rotates in the reverse direction.

[0045] Subsequently, when the rotational speed of drum 4 accelerates in the reverse direction and rises to the first appropriate rotational speed, as shown in Figure 5-6, the baffle 4b that holds the waterproof garment T at the lower end inside drum 4 moves to the right of the rotation axis N and above the height of the rotation axis N. In this state, when the acceleration of drum 4 in the reverse direction stops, the waterproof garment T separates from the baffle 4b that was holding it and falls downward due to gravity. Then, with the waterproof garment T positioned at the lower end inside drum 4, the rotation of drum 4 stops.

[0046] Subsequently, in the same manner as described above, forward rotation (where drum 4 rotates in the forward direction) and reverse rotation (where drum 4 rotates in the reverse direction) are repeated alternately.

[0047] Next, we will explain the second strong wind tumbling operation based on Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the control process when the second strong wind tumbling operation is performed.

[0048] (Second strong wind tumbling action) During the second strong-wind tumbling operation included in the dehydration cycle for waterproof clothing, the drain valve 31a is kept open. The fan 65 that supplies air into the drum 4 is switched from the off state to the on state 5 seconds after the start of the dehydration cycle. In this embodiment, the rotation speed of the fan 65 is set to 5500 rpm or higher to supply a relatively strong wind into the drum 4. Considering the material of the waterproof clothing, the heater 56 is kept off to prevent hot air tumbling drying.

[0049] The control unit 80 starts rotational driving to rotate the drum 4 in the forward direction 5 seconds after the start of the second strong wind tumbling operation. The control unit 80 increases the rotation speed of the drum 4 to the second appropriate rotation speed at an acceleration of 150 rpm / second to blow moisture off the clothes.

[0050] The second optimal rotation speed is the rotation speed at which the clothes are lifted (vigorously) (for example, 100 rpm ± 5 rpm). When the rotation speed of the drum 4 rises to the second optimal rotation speed, the control unit 80 immediately drives the rotation shaft of the drive motor 11 in the opposite direction to decelerate the rotation speed of the drum 4 by 1000 rpm / second and stop it. After that, the control unit 80 maintains the drum 4 in a stopped state until a second predetermined off time (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed.

[0051] After the second predetermined off-time has elapsed, the control unit 80 starts rotating the drum 4 in the reverse direction. The control unit 80 increases the rotation speed of the drum 4 to the second appropriate rotation speed at an acceleration of 30 rpm / second to blast the moisture away from the clothes.

[0052] The second optimal rotation speed is the rotation speed at which the clothes are lifted (vigorously) (for example, 100 rpm ± 5 rpm). When the rotation speed of the drum 4 rises to the second optimal rotation speed, the control unit 80 immediately drives the rotation shaft of the drive motor 11 in the opposite direction to decelerate the rotation speed of the drum 4 by 1000 rpm / second and stop it. After that, the control unit 80 maintains the drum 4 in a stopped state until a second predetermined off time (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed.

[0053] Subsequently, in the same manner as described above, the drum 4 alternates between forward rotation and reverse rotation. That is, while the fan 65 supplies air into the drum 4, the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 4 is repeated, and the rotation of the drum 4 is abruptly stopped to quickly turn the waterproof clothing inside out and splash the water off the waterproof clothing.

[0054] In this embodiment, the predetermined on time is set to 2 seconds and the predetermined off time to 10 seconds, allowing for longer periods of stillness to minimize damage to the clothing while effectively repelling moisture. In this embodiment, the acceleration of the rotational speed of the drum 4 is preferably 145 rpm / sec to 160 rpm / sec. The deceleration of the rotational speed of the drum 4 is preferably 1000 rpm / sec or more. The second appropriate rotational speed is preferably 90 rpm to 110 rpm.

[0055] The changes in the state inside the drum 4 during the first strong wind tumbling operation will be explained based on Figure 7. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the changes in the state inside the drum 4 during the second strong wind tumbling operation. In Figure 7, the height of the rotation axis N of the drum 4 is shown by a dashed line.

[0056] When the second strong wind tumbling operation is initiated, waterproof clothing is placed into the drum 4, as shown in Figure 7-1. In this state, when the drum 4 is driven to rotate in the forward direction, the waterproof clothing is secured to the baffle 4b at its lower end inside the drum 4 and is lifted upward by the baffle 4b on the left side of the rotation axis N as the drum 4 rotates in the forward direction.

[0057] Subsequently, when the rotational speed of drum 4 accelerates in the positive direction and rises to the second appropriate rotational speed, as shown in Figure 7-2, the baffle 4b that holds the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside drum 4 has not reached the height of the rotation axis N on the left side of the rotation axis N, and is below the height of the rotation axis N. In this state, when the acceleration of drum 4 in the positive direction stops and deceleration occurs, as shown in Figure 7-3, the waterproof clothing separates from the baffle 4b that was holding it and falls downward due to gravity.

[0058] Subsequently, with the waterproof garment positioned at the lower end of the drum 4, the rotation of the drum 4 is stopped. When the drum 4 is then driven to rotate in the reverse direction, as shown in Figure 7-4, the waterproof garment is secured to the baffle 4b at the lower end of the drum 4 and is lifted upward by the baffle 4b as the drum 4 rotates in the reverse direction on the right side of the rotation axis N.

[0059] Subsequently, when the rotational speed of drum 4 accelerates in the reverse direction and rises to the second appropriate rotational speed, as shown in Figure 7-5, the baffle 4b that holds the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside drum 4 has not reached the height of the rotation axis N on the right side of the rotation axis N, and is below the height of the rotation axis N. In this state, when the acceleration of drum 4 in the reverse direction stops and deceleration occurs, as shown in Figure 7-6, the waterproof clothing separates from the baffle 4b that was holding it and falls downward due to gravity. After that, with the waterproof clothing positioned at the lower end inside drum 4, the rotation of drum 4 stops.

[0060] Subsequently, in the same manner as described above, forward rotation (where drum 4 rotates in the forward direction) and reverse rotation (where drum 4 rotates in the reverse direction) are repeated alternately.

[0061] As described above, the drum-type washing machine 1 of this embodiment includes a drum 4 arranged inside the outer tub 3 and rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted with respect to the horizontal direction as the axis of rotation N, three or more baffles 4b arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum 4, a drive motor 11 for rotating the drum 4, a fan 65 for supplying air into the drum 4, and a control unit 80 for controlling the drive motor 11 and the fan 65. The control unit 80 controls the drive motor 11 so that, when the fan 65 is driven, the drum 4 rotates in the forward direction and the drum 4 rotates in the reverse direction alternately.

[0062] This allows water adhering to waterproof clothing to be blown away by supplying air into the drum 4 containing the waterproof clothing and rotating the drum 4 alternately in forward and reverse directions. This provides a drum-type dehydrator capable of dewatering waterproof clothing.

[0063] In the drum-type washing machine 1 of this embodiment, when the first strong wind tumbling operation and the second strong wind tumbling operation are performed, the control unit 80 controls the drive motor such that when rotating in the forward direction, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum 4 in the forward direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stops accelerating the drum 4 in the forward direction, and when rotating in the reverse direction, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum 4 in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stops accelerating the drum 4 in the reverse direction.

[0064] This allows the drum 4 to rotate alternately in the forward and reverse directions. By accelerating the drum 4's rotation speed to an appropriate level and then stopping the acceleration, the baffle 4b can lift the waterproof clothing inside the drum 4, causing it to fall and turn inside out. As a result, water adhering to the waterproof clothing can be efficiently blown away.

[0065] In the drum-type washing machine 1 of this embodiment, when the second strong wind tumbling operation is performed, the control unit 80 controls the drive motor 11 such that when rotating in the forward direction, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum 4 in the forward direction to raise it to an appropriate rotational speed and then immediately decelerates it, and when rotating in the reverse direction, it accelerates the rotational speed of the drum 4 in the reverse direction to raise it to an appropriate rotational speed and then immediately decelerates it.

[0066] This allows the drum 4 to be turned inside out within the drum 4 without being lifted too high by the baffle 4b, by accelerating the drum 4's rotation speed to the appropriate speed and then immediately decelerating it when the drum 4 is rotated alternately in the forward and reverse directions. As a result, water adhering to the waterproof clothing can be efficiently blown away.

[0067] In the drum-type washing machine 1 of this embodiment, when the first strong wind tumbling operation is performed, in forward rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum 4 accelerates in the forward direction and rises to the appropriate rotational speed, the baffle 4b that holds the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum 4 moves to a height above the height of the rotational axis N on one side in the left-right direction of the rotational axis N. In reverse rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum 4 accelerates in the reverse direction and rises to the appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that holds the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum 4 moves to a height above the height of the rotational axis N on the other side in the left-right direction of the rotational axis N.

[0068] This allows the baffle 4b to lift the waterproof clothing above the height of the rotation axis N within the drum 4 when the drum 4 is rotated alternately in the forward and reverse directions, causing it to fall and turn inside out. As a result, water adhering to the waterproof clothing can be efficiently blown away.

[0069] In the drum-type washing machine 1 of this embodiment, when the second strong wind tumbling operation is performed, in forward rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum 4 accelerates in the forward direction and rises to the appropriate rotational speed, the baffle 4b that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum 4 is below the height of the rotational axis N on one side in the left-right direction of the rotational axis N. In reverse rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum 4 accelerates in the reverse direction and rises to the appropriate rotational speed, the baffle 4b that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum 4 is below the height of the rotational axis N on the other side in the left-right direction of the rotational axis N.

[0070] This allows the waterproof garments to be turned inside out within the drum 4 without being lifted too high by the baffle 4b when the drum 4 is rotated alternately in the forward and reverse directions. Although a waterproof membrane is formed on the surface of the waterproof garments, repeatedly dropping the waterproof garments from a height within the drum 4 can damage the membrane and worsen the waterproofing. By preventing the waterproof garments from being dropped from above within the drum 4, damage to the waterproof garments can be prevented.

[0071] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible.

[0072] For example, in the above embodiment, the dewatering operation for waterproof clothing involves a first strong wind tumbling operation followed by a second strong wind tumbling operation. However, it is not limited to this. The dewatering operation for waterproof clothing may involve only the first strong wind tumbling operation, or only the second strong wind tumbling operation.

[0073] In the above embodiment, examples of a first strong wind tumbling operation and a second strong wind tumbling operation are shown, but the invention is not limited thereto. The rotational speed of the fan 65 (amount of air supplied into the drum 4), the acceleration when increasing the rotational speed of the drum 4, the acceleration when decreasing the rotational speed of the drum 4, and the control method for changing the rotational speed of the drum 4 (first predetermined on time, first predetermined off time, etc.) in the first strong wind tumbling operation are arbitrary. Similarly, the rotational speed of the fan 65 (amount of air supplied into the drum 4), the acceleration when increasing the rotational speed of the drum 4, the acceleration when decreasing the rotational speed of the drum 4, and the control method for changing the rotational speed of the drum 4 (second predetermined on time, second predetermined off time, etc.) in the second strong wind tumbling operation are arbitrary.

[0074] In the above embodiment, rainwear was described as waterproof clothing, but the invention is not limited to that. The present invention can also be applied as a drum-type dewatering machine capable of dewatering waterproof clothing other than rainwear. In the above embodiment, the drum 4 is rotatable with respect to the horizontal axis as the axis of rotation N, but the invention is not limited to that. The drum 4 may also be rotatable with respect to the horizontal axis as the axis of rotation N. Other configurations can also be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1. Drum-type washing machine (drum-type spin dryer) 3 Outer tank 4 drums 4b baffle 11 Drive motor 65 Fans 80 Control Unit N rotation axis

Claims

1. A drum positioned inside the outer tank, which is rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted to the horizontal as its axis of rotation, Three or more baffles are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum, A drive motor for rotating the drum, A fan that supplies air into the drum, The system includes control means for controlling the drive motor and the fan, The control means controls the drive motor so that, while the fan is driven, the drum rotates alternately in the forward direction and in the reverse direction. The control means is When performing the aforementioned forward rotation, the rotational speed of the drum is accelerated in the forward direction to reach an appropriate rotational speed, and then the acceleration of the drum in the forward direction is stopped. When performing the aforementioned reverse rotation, the drive motor is controlled to accelerate the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stop accelerating the drum in the reverse direction. The control means is When performing the aforementioned forward rotation, the rotational speed of the drum is accelerated in the forward direction to reach the appropriate rotational speed, and then immediately decelerated. A drum-type dewatering machine characterized in that, when performing the aforementioned reverse rotation, the drive motor is controlled such that the rotational speed of the drum is accelerated in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed and then immediately decelerated.

2. A drum positioned inside the outer tank, which is rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted to the horizontal as its axis of rotation, Three or more baffles are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum, A drive motor for rotating the drum, A fan that supplies air into the drum, The system includes control means for controlling the drive motor and the fan, The control means is In the state in which the fan is driven, the drive motor is controlled so that the drum rotates in the forward direction and the drum rotates in the reverse direction alternately. The control means is When performing the aforementioned forward rotation, the rotational speed of the drum is accelerated in the forward direction to reach an appropriate rotational speed, and then the acceleration of the drum in the forward direction is stopped. When performing the aforementioned reverse rotation, the drive motor is controlled to accelerate the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stop accelerating the drum in the reverse direction. In the aforementioned forward rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the forward direction and rises to the appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum moves to a position above the height of the rotation axis on one side in the left-right direction of the rotation axis. A drum-type dehydrator characterized in that, during the aforementioned reverse rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the reverse direction and rises to an appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that holds the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum moves to a position above the height of the rotational axis on the other side in the left-right direction of the rotational axis.

3. A drum positioned inside the outer tank, which is rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis or an inclined axis tilted to the horizontal as its axis of rotation, Three or more baffles are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the drum, A drive motor for rotating the drum, A fan that supplies air into the drum, The system includes control means for controlling the drive motor and the fan, The control means is In the state in which the fan is driven, the drive motor is controlled so that the drum rotates in the forward direction and the drum rotates in the reverse direction alternately. The control means is When performing the aforementioned forward rotation, the rotational speed of the drum is accelerated in the forward direction to reach an appropriate rotational speed, and then the acceleration of the drum in the forward direction is stopped. When performing the aforementioned reverse rotation, the drive motor is controlled to accelerate the rotational speed of the drum in the reverse direction to an appropriate rotational speed, and then stop accelerating the drum in the reverse direction. In the aforementioned forward rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the forward direction and rises to the appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end inside the drum is located below the height of the rotational axis on one side in the left-right direction of the rotational axis. In the aforementioned reverse rotation, when the rotational speed of the drum accelerates in the reverse direction and rises to an appropriate rotational speed, the baffle that secures the waterproof clothing at the lower end of the drum is located below the height of the rotational shaft on the other side in the left-right direction of the rotational shaft.

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