Drum-type washing machine

Abstract

To provide a drum-type washing machine capable of sufficiently removing dust attached to an object such as clothing.SOLUTION: A drum-type washing and drying machine has a blower fan to circulate air between an outer tank and a circulation path, a first filter to capture dust included in the air flowing in the circulation path, a blowout nozzle 160 to increase a flow rate of the air flowing in the circulation path and blow out the air toward an inner peripheral surface of a drum 23, and a control part to implement dust removal operation to remove dust from an object stored in the drum 23 and collect the dust by the first filter. The control part rotates the drum 23 at the rotation number for tumbling clothing in the drum 23 in the dust removal operation, and implements first dust beating operation to actuate the blower fan and dust blowing operation to rotate the drum 23 at a rotation number for allowing the clothing to adhere to the inner peripheral surface thereof and actuate the blower fan.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is described in Patent Document 1 below a drum-type washing and drying machine provided with a pollen removal course and means for directly blowing air onto clothes accommodated in a rotating drum when the pollen removal course is selected.

[0003] In this washing and drying machine, the means for blowing air is composed of a blowing means and a nozzle provided at the blowing outlet, and the nozzle is arranged on the front side of the rotating drum such that the air coming out of the nozzle faces the back of the rotating drum. During the operation of the pollen removal course, the rotating drum rotates left and right, and with the lifter, the clothes are lifted up to the vicinity of the nozzle, and high-speed air hits the clothes, removing pollen.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the above washing and drying machine, the clothes lifted by the lifter are likely to move due to the blown air. Therefore, it is difficult for the air to strongly hit the surface of the clothes, and there is a possibility that the pollen adhering to the surface cannot be sufficiently blown off.

[0006] In the above washing and drying machine, not only pollen but also fine particles such as PM2.5, yellow sand, allergens, mold, and other dust can be removed by adopting a dust removal course for widely removing dust from clothes. In such a case as well, there may occur a situation where the dust adhering to the surface of the clothes cannot be sufficiently blown off as described above.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a drum-type washing machine that can sufficiently remove dust attached to clothing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A drum-type washing machine according to the main aspect of the present invention comprises an outer tub disposed within a casing, a drum disposed within the outer tub and having an opening at its front, a drive motor for rotating the drum, a circulation path connected to the outer tub, a blower fan for circulating air between the outer tub and the circulation path, a filter for capturing dust contained in the air flowing through the circulation path, and a device that faces the inside of the drum from the opening. The drum has an outlet facing the inner circumferential surface of the bottom, The air that has flowed through the aforementioned circulation path has its flow velocity increased. From the aforementioned outlet The drum bottom The device comprises a blower that blows air toward the inner surface, and a control unit that controls the drive motor and the blower fan to perform a dust removal operation in which dust is removed from an object contained in the drum and collected by the filter. Here, in the dust removal operation, the control unit performs a first operation in which the drive motor rotates the drum at a rotational speed at which the object tumbling inside the drum and operates the blower fan, and a second operation in which the drive motor rotates the drum at a rotational speed at which the object adheres to its inner surface and operates the blower fan. In the second operation, the blower fan is operated so as to repeatedly rotate at a first rotational speed and at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed.

[0009] According to the drum-type washing machine of this embodiment, in the first operation, the object, such as clothing, tumbles inside the drum and is struck against the bottom of the drum when it falls, so that easily detachable dust attached to the object can be removed from the object. Furthermore, in the second operation, the object is fixed by sticking to the inner surface of the drum, and air is blown onto the surface of the object from the blower, so the object does not move and the force of the air is not easily weakened, and dust attached to the surface of the object can be blown off and removed effectively. As a result, it is possible to sufficiently remove dust from the object during the dust removal operation.

[0011] With the above configuration, during the period when the blower fan rotates at the first rotation speed, air is strongly blown onto the surface of the object, effectively blowing away and removing dust adhering to that surface. On the other hand, during the period when the blower fan rotates at the second rotation speed, the dust that has been widely dispersed inside the drum is calmed down, allowing it to be smoothly discharged from the drum into the outer tank. As a result, in the second operation, the dust removed from the object by the air blown from the outlet can be sufficiently collected by the filter.

[0012] In the drum-type washing machine according to this embodiment, the control unit may be configured to perform a third operation in which, during the dust removal operation, the drive motor shakes the drum so that the object is lifted to near the top of the drum, and the blower fan is operated.

[0013] With the above configuration, in the third operation, the object is repeatedly lifted to near the top of the drum by the drum's oscillation and then dropped, causing the object to be struck against the bottom of the drum more forcefully than in the first operation, thus removing dust that has entered the inside of the object. As a result, it becomes possible to remove even more dust from the object during the dust removal operation.

[0014] In the configuration described above, the control unit may be configured to repeat the second and third operations a predetermined number of times after the first operation.

[0015] With this configuration, it becomes possible to remove dust adhering to the surface of the object and dust that has penetrated into the interior of the object even more effectively.

[0016] In the configuration described above, the control unit may be configured to repeat a cycle consisting of the first operation and the second and third operations a predetermined number of times until a predetermined operation termination condition is met.

[0017] With this configuration, it becomes possible to remove dust from the object even more effectively.

[0018] In the drum washing machine according to this aspect, the filter may have a configuration capable of capturing fine particles. In this case, the fine particles include at least one of pollen, PM2.5, yellow sand, allergens, and mold.

[0019] According to the above configuration, fine particles such as pollen, PM2.5, yellow sand, allergens, and mold removed from the object can be recovered by the filter, and a dust removal operation capable of removing fine particles from clothes can be realized.

Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drum washing machine capable of sufficiently removing dust adhering to clothes.

[0021] The effects or significance of the present invention will become clearer from the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the following embodiments are merely examples when implementing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to those described in the following embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a drum washing and drying machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are respectively a front view and a side view of a blow nozzle according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a drum washing and drying machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control operation of a control unit executed in a dust removal operation according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIGS. 5(a), (b), and (c) are diagrams for explaining a first dust knocking-out operation, a dust blowing operation, and a second dust knocking-out operation according to an embodiment, respectively. [Figure 6]Figures 6(a) and (b) are a front view and a side view of the discharge nozzle according to modification example 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] Hereinafter, a drum-type washer-dryer, which is one embodiment of the drum-type washing machine of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a drum-type washer-dryer 1.

[0025] The drum-type washer-dryer 1 has a rectangular casing 10. A circular opening 11 into which laundry is loaded is formed on the front of the casing 10. The opening 11 is covered by a door 12 that can be opened and closed.

[0026] An outer tank 20 is placed inside the housing 10. The outer tank 20 is elastically supported by a plurality of dampers 21 and springs 22. A drum 23 is rotatably placed inside the outer tank 20. The drum 23 rotates around a horizontal axis. The drum 23 has a circular opening 23a on its front. The outer tank 20 has a circular opening 20a in front of the opening 23a of the drum 23.

[0027] The periphery of the opening 20a of the outer tank 20 and the periphery of the inlet 11 of the housing 10 are connected by an annular packing 24 made of an elastic material. The circumferential surface of the closed door 12 contacts the packing 24, creating a water seal between the inlet 11 and the door 12.

[0028] Numerous dewatering holes 23b are formed on the inner surface of the drum 23. In addition, three baffles 25, which are approximately triangular prism-shaped, are provided on the inner surface of the drum 23 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0029] Behind the outer tub 20 is a drive motor 30 that generates torque to rotate the drum 23. The drive motor 30 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. During the washing, rinsing, and drying processes, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a rotational speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry inside the drum 23 is less than gravity, causing the laundry to tumble. On the other hand, during the dewatering process, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a rotational speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry inside the drum 23 is much greater than gravity, causing the laundry to stick to the inner surface of the drum 23.

[0030] A drain port 20b is formed at the bottom of the outer tank 20. A drain valve 41 is provided in the drain port 20b to open and close the drain port 20b. The drain valve 41 includes, for example, a valve and a torque motor to open and close the valve. The drain valve 41 is connected to a drain hose 42. The drain valve 41 and the drain hose 42 constitute a drain section 40 that drains water from inside the outer tank 20. When the drain valve 41 is opened, the water accumulated in the outer tank 20 is discharged outside the machine through the drain port 20b and the drain hose 42. A drain filter 43 is positioned in the middle of the drain hose 42 to capture foreign matter such as lint.

[0031] A water supply device 50 is located in the upper part of the housing 10. The water supply device 50 includes a water supply valve 51 and a water supply hose 52. One end of the water supply hose 52 is connected to the water supply valve 51, and the other end is connected to a water inlet 20c provided on the rear surface of the outer tank 20. When the water supply valve 51 is opened, tap water from a water tap flows through the water supply hose 52 and is supplied into the outer tank 20 from the water inlet 20c.

[0032] The water supply hose 53 may be connected to a detergent box containing a detergent container. In this case, the water supply pipe, which is connected to the detergent box and through which water flows after passing through the detergent container, may be connected to the upper front part of the outer tub 20.

[0033] A drying device 100 for drying the laundry in the drum 23 is located in the upper part of the housing 10. The drying device 100 includes a circulation path 110, a blower fan 120, a cooler 131, a heater 132, a first filter 140, a second filter 150, and an outlet nozzle 160.

[0034] The circulation path 110 is an air passage through which air flows and is connected to the outer tank 20. The circulation path 110 includes a first duct 111, a fan casing 112, a second duct 113, a first connecting hose 114, and a second connecting hose 115. One end of the first duct 111 is connected to an exhaust port 20d provided on the rear of the outer tank 20, and the other end is connected to the intake port of the fan casing 112 via the first connecting hose 114. One end of the second duct 113 is connected to the discharge port of the fan casing 112 via the second connecting hose 115, and the other end is connected to an air supply port 20e provided near the opening 20a of the outer tank 20.

[0035] The blower fan 120 is, for example, a centrifugal fan and includes a fan 121 located in a fan casing 112 and a fan motor 122 for rotating the fan 121. The blower fan 120 circulates air between the outer tank 20 and the circulation path 110. Air discharged from the outer tank 20 through the exhaust port 20d flows through the circulation path 110 in the order of first duct 111, fan casing 112, and second duct 113, and returns to the outer tank 20 through the air intake port 20e.

[0036] The cooler 131 and the heater 132 are located on the upstream and downstream sides of the second duct 113, respectively. The cooler 131 and the heater 132 are each composed of an evaporator and a condenser included in a heat pump system. The heat pump system includes a compressor, expansion valve, etc., which together with the evaporator and condenser constitute the cooling circuit.

[0037] A low-temperature refrigerant flows inside the cooler 131. The cooler 131 cools the air flowing through the second duct 113, i.e., the circulation path 110, through heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant, thereby dehumidifying the air.

[0038] A high-temperature refrigerant flows inside the heater 132. The heater 132 heats the dehumidified air flowing through the second duct 113, i.e., the circulation path 110, through heat exchange with the high-temperature refrigerant.

[0039] The first filter 140 and the second filter 150 are positioned on the downstream and upstream sides of the first duct 111, respectively, to block the airflow path. The first filter 140 corresponds to the filter of the present invention.

[0040] The first filter 140 is a dust collection filter such as a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) or a ULPA filter (Ultra Low Penetration Air Filter), and has a configuration capable of capturing fine particles. The fine particles include at least one of the following: pollen, PM2.5, yellow dust, allergens, and mold.

[0041] The second filter 150 is a filter having a resin or metal mesh, and functions as a pre-filter upstream of the first filter 140 to capture relatively large dust particles such as lint.

[0042] Inside the outer tank 20, the discharge nozzle 160 is connected to the air intake port 20e. The discharge nozzle 160 faces the inside of the drum 23 through the opening 23a. Air flowing through the circulation path 110 has its flow velocity increased and is blown out from the discharge nozzle 160 toward the inner surface of the drum 23. The discharge nozzle 160 corresponds to the discharge section of the present invention.

[0043] Figures 2(a) and 2(b) are a front view and a side view of the discharge nozzle 160, respectively.

[0044] The discharge nozzle 160 is flattened in the front-to-back direction, extends downward from the inlet 161 at its upper end, then bends, and extends diagonally toward the outlet 162 at its tip. The discharge nozzle 160 also has a shape that tapers from the inlet 161 to the outlet 162 in the left-to-right direction, and the flow path inside it is narrowed from the inlet 161 to the outlet 162. As a result, the air introduced from the circulation path 110 to the discharge nozzle 160 has its flow velocity increased as it moves toward the outlet 162 and is discharged from the outlet 162 at a high flow velocity.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the outlet 162 of the discharge nozzle 160 is directed toward the inner circumferential surface of the bottom of the drum 23, and the air discharged from the outlet 162 is directed toward the inner circumferential surface of the bottom of the drum 23.

[0046] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the drum-type washer-dryer 1.

[0047] In addition to the above-described configuration, the drum-type washing and drying machine 1 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, an operation unit 203, a display unit 204, a water level detection unit 205, a motor drive unit 206, a water supply drive unit 207, a drainage drive unit 208, a fan drive unit 209, and a compressor drive unit 210.

[0048] The control unit 203 includes a power button for turning the device on and off, a start button for starting operation, and a course selection button for selecting a course from a number of courses related to operation, such as washing and drying. The control unit 203 outputs an input signal to the control unit 201 corresponding to the button pressed by the user.

[0049] The display unit 204 includes light-emitting elements such as LEDs and a display such as a liquid crystal panel, and performs functions such as displaying the selected course, displaying the progress of the washing operation, and notifying of abnormalities according to control signals from the control unit 201.

[0050] The water level detection unit 205 detects the water level in the outer tank 20 and outputs a water level signal corresponding to the water level to the control unit 201.

[0051] The motor drive unit 206 drives the drive motor 30 according to the control signal from the control unit 201. The motor drive unit 206 includes a rotation sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the drive motor 30, an inverter circuit, etc., and adjusts the drive power so that the drive motor 30 rotates at the rotational speed set by the control unit 201.

[0052] The water supply drive unit 207 drives the water supply valve 51 according to the control signal from the control unit 201. The drainage drive unit 208 drives the drainage valve 41 according to the control signal from the control unit 201.

[0053] The fan drive unit 209 drives the fan motor 122 of the blower fan 120 according to the control signal from the control unit 201. The compressor drive unit 210 drives the compressor 133 according to the control signal from the control unit 201, and operates the cooler 131 and the heater 132.

[0054] The memory unit 202 includes EEPROM, RAM, etc. The memory unit 202 stores programs for executing various course operations. The memory unit 202 also stores various parameters and control flags used for executing these programs.

[0055] The control unit 201, which includes a CPU and the like, controls the display unit 204, motor drive unit 206, water supply drive unit 207, drainage drive unit 208, fan drive unit 209, compressor drive unit 210, etc., according to a program stored in the memory unit 202, based on signals from the operation unit 203, water level detection unit 205, etc.

[0056] In the drum-type washer-dryer 1, various wash-and-dry cycles, wash cycles, or dry cycles are performed based on the user's operation of the control panel 203. In the wash-and-dry cycle, the washing, intermediate spin-drying, rinsing, final spin-drying, and drying cycles are performed in order. In the wash cycle, the washing, intermediate spin-drying, and drying cycles are performed, but the drying cycle is not performed. In the dry cycle, only the drying cycle is performed. Depending on the cycle, the rinsing and intermediate spin-drying cycles may be performed two or more times.

[0057] In the washing process, water containing detergent is filled into the outer tub 20 up to a washing water level corresponding to the load of laundry contained in the drum 23. The laundry immersed in this water is tumbled by the repeated forward and reverse rotation of the drum 23. The detergent-containing water penetrates deep into the laundry, and dirt attached to the surface and interior of the laundry is removed by the combined force of the detergent and the mechanical force of tumbling.

[0058] During the rinsing process, the drum 23 rotates forward and backward with water up to a predetermined rinsing level in the outer tub 20, causing the laundry to tumble. This allows the detergent contained in the laundry to be discharged along with the water, thus rinsing the laundry.

[0059] In the intermediate and final dewatering processes, the drive motor 30 rotates at high speed in one direction, causing the drum 23 to rotate in one direction at a speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry inside the drum 23 is much greater than that of gravity. Due to the action of centrifugal force, the laundry is pressed against the inner surface of the drum 23 and dewatered. In the final dewatering process, the drum 23 rotates at a higher speed than in the intermediate dewatering process.

[0060] Dust such as lint from the laundry is drawn into the circulation path 110 along with the air. The dust is captured by the first filter 140 and the second filter 150 as the air passes through the drying filter 142. This makes it difficult for dust to flow downstream of the first filter 140 and the second filter 150, and prevents dust from adhering to the cooler 131 and heater 132 located downstream. The air from which moisture has been removed from the laundry is dehumidified by heat exchange with the cooler 131 before being heated in the heater 132.

[0061] In the drum-type washer-dryer 1, a dust removal operation can be performed under the control of the drive motor 30 and blower fan 120 by the control unit 201. The objects targeted for dust removal operation include clothing such as jackets and coats, as well as items that are difficult to wash, such as stuffed animals. In the dust removal operation, dust is removed from the objects contained in the drum 23, and the removed dust is collected by the first filter 140 and the second filter 150. The dust attached to the objects includes fine particles such as pollen, PM2.5, yellow sand, allergens, and mold.

[0062] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the control operations of the control unit 201 performed during dust removal operation. Figures 5(a), (b), and (c) are diagrams illustrating the first dust beating operation, the dust blowing operation, and the second dust beating operation, respectively.

[0063] The user can select a dust removal course using the course selection button on the control unit 203. After placing an object, such as clothing, into the drum 23, the user selects the dust removal course and presses the start button on the control unit 203. This starts the dust removal operation.

[0064] Referring to Figure 4, when the dust removal operation is started, the control unit 201 first performs a first dust beating operation (S1). The first dust beating operation corresponds to the first operation of the present invention.

[0065] In the first dust-beating operation, the control unit 201 operates the drive motor 30 to rotate the drum 23 in one direction at a first drum rotation speed, and also rotates the blower fan 120 at a first fan rotation speed. The first drum rotation speed is the rotation speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the object inside the drum 23, i.e., the clothes, becomes smaller than gravity. For example, when the inner diameter of the drum 23 is approximately 520 mm, it can be set to 35 rpm. The first fan rotation speed can be set to, for example, 5000 rpm. At this time, for example, the airflow rate of the air flowing through the circulation path 110 is 2.0 m³. 3 It becomes / min.

[0066] As shown in Figure 5(a), the rotation of the drum 23 at the first drum rotation speed causes the clothes to tumble inside the drum 23 and hit the bottom of the drum 23 when they fall. The impact of hitting the clothes removes loose dust that is weakly attached to the surface of the clothes.

[0067] Additionally, air is blown from the discharge nozzle 160 toward the inner surface of the bottom of the drum 23 (see the white arrow in Figure 5(a)). During tumbling, some of the clothing is exposed to the air blown from the discharge nozzle 160, i.e., the wind. The impact of the wind removes dust from the clothing.

[0068] The dust removed from the clothing floats in the air and is discharged into the outer tub 20 through the dewatering holes 23b on the inner surface of the drum 23 along with the air, and is introduced into the circulation path 110 through the exhaust port 20d. The dust introduced into the circulation path 110 is collected by the first filter 140 and the second filter 150. At this time, larger dust particles such as lint are captured by the second filter 150, while fine particles such as pollen pass through the second filter 150 and are captured by the first filter 140.

[0069] The first dust-beating operation is performed for a predetermined time, for example, 5 to 10 minutes. The rotation direction of the drum 23 may be switched once or more times during the first dust-beating operation.

[0070] Once the first dust-beating operation is completed, the control unit 201 then performs a dust-blowing operation (S2). The dust-blowing operation corresponds to the second operation of the present invention.

[0071] In dust-blowing operation, the control unit 201 operates the drive motor 30 to rotate the drum 23 in one direction at a second drum rotation speed. Furthermore, the control unit 201 operates the blower fan 120 to alternate between rotating at a first fan rotation speed and rotating at a second fan rotation speed lower than the first fan rotation speed. The first fan rotation speed corresponds to the first rotation speed of the present invention, and the second fan rotation speed corresponds to the second rotation speed of the present invention.

[0072] The second drum rotation speed is set to a speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the object inside the drum 23, i.e., the clothing, is greater than gravity. For example, when the inner diameter of the drum 23 is approximately 520 mm, it can be set to 100 rpm. The second fan rotation speed can be set to, for example, 1200 rpm. At this time, for example, the airflow rate of the air flowing through the circulation path 110 is 0.5 m³. 3 The rotation period at the first fan speed and the rotation period at the second fan speed of the blower fan 120 can be set, for example, from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

[0073] As shown in Figure 5(b), the rotation of the drum 23 at the second drum rotation speed causes the clothing to stick to the inner surface of the drum 23. This fixes the clothing to the inner surface of the drum 23.

[0074] While the blower fan 120 is rotating at the first fan speed, air, or wind, is strongly blown from the discharge nozzle 160 toward the inner surface of the bottom of the drum 23 (see the solid white arrow in Figure 5(b)). As the clothes that are stuck to the inner surface of the drum 23 move toward the bottom of the drum 23, the wind blows onto their surface. At this time, since the clothes are fixed to the inner surface of the drum 23, it is unlikely that the clothes will move and the force of the wind will be weakened when the wind hits them. Therefore, the force of the blown wind blows away dust that is relatively firmly attached to the surface of the clothes. As a result, dust attached to the surface of the clothes is effectively removed.

[0075] While the blower fan 120 is rotating at the second fan speed, a weak breeze is blown out from the discharge nozzle 160 (see the white dashed arrow in Figure 5(b)). The blown breeze hardly hits the clothes stuck to the inner surface of the drum 23, so very little dust is blown off the surface of the clothes.

[0076] During the period when the blower fan 120 is rotating at the first fan speed, dust blown from the clothes tends to spread widely within the drum 23, and this widely dispersed dust is less likely to be discharged with air through the dewatering holes 23b on the inner surface of the drum 23. On the other hand, during the period when the blower fan 120 is rotating at the second fan speed, the dust that was widely dispersed within the drum 23 settles down. As a result, the dust is smoothly discharged with air through the dewatering holes 23b of the drum 23.

[0077] In this way, the blower fan 120 rotates at a first fan speed and then at a second fan speed, alternating between these two speeds. This effectively removes dust adhering to the surface of the clothing and allows the removed dust to be smoothly discharged from the drum 23 into the outer tub 20.

[0078] The dust discharged into the outer tank 20 is introduced into the circulation path 110 by air, similar to the first dust removal operation, and is recovered by the first filter 140 and the second filter 150.

[0079] The dust-blowing operation is performed for a predetermined time, for example, 5 to 10 minutes. The rotation direction of the drum 23 may be switched once or multiple times during the dust-blowing operation.

[0080] Once the dust blowing operation is completed, the control unit 201 then performs a second dust beating operation (S3). The second dust beating operation corresponds to the third operation of the present invention.

[0081] In the second dust-beating operation, the control unit 201 operates the drive motor 30 to swing the drum 23 from side to side so that the clothes are lifted up to near the top of the drum 23. That is, the control unit 201 repeatedly rotates the drum 23 by approximately 180 degrees with an acceleration that causes the clothes to stick to its inner surface, and then stops, in the left-right direction. Furthermore, similar to the dust-blowing operation, the control unit 201 operates the blower fan 120 to alternate between rotating at the first fan speed and rotating at the second fan speed.

[0082] As shown in Figure 5(c), the oscillating motion of the drum 23 causes the clothes to be repeatedly lifted to near the top of the drum 23 and then dropped. The falling clothes are struck against the bottom of the drum 23 with greater force than in the first dust-beating operation, and the strong impact causes dust that has entered the inside of the clothes to be beaten out.

[0083] While the blower fan 120 is rotating at the first fan speed, air is strongly blown from the discharge nozzle 160 toward the inner surface of the bottom of the drum 23 (see the solid white arrow in Figure 5(c)). Also, while the blower fan 120 is rotating at the second fan speed, air is weakly blown from the discharge nozzle 160 (see the dashed white arrow in Figure 5(c)). During the period when the blower fan 120 is rotating at the first fan speed, some of the fallen clothing is hit by the blown air, and dust is blown away from the clothing. During the period when the blower fan 120 is rotating at the second fan speed, the dust removed from the clothing is smoothly discharged from inside the drum 23 into the outer tub 20.

[0084] Dust discharged into the outer tank 20 is introduced into the circulation path 110 along with air and is collected by the first filter 140 and the second filter 150.

[0085] The second dust-beating operation is performed for a predetermined time, for example, 5 to 10 minutes.

[0086] Once the second dust-beating operation is completed, the control unit 201 then determines whether the dust-blowing operation and the second dust-beating operation have been repeated a specified number of times (S4). The specified number of times can be set to, for example, 2 to 5 times. If the specified number of times has not been reached (S4: NO), the control unit 201 repeats the dust-blowing operation and the second dust-beating operation (S2, S3).

[0087] When the dust blowing operation and the second dust beating operation are repeated a specified number of times (S4:YES), the control unit 201 determines whether or not the operation termination condition has been met (S5).

[0088] The conditions for ending operation can be, for example, that a cycle consisting of a first dust removal operation, a dust blowing operation, and a second dust removal operation repeated a predetermined number of times has been executed a predetermined number of times, or that a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the dust removal operation.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a dust sensor for detecting the amount of dust can be placed upstream of the second filter 150 in the circulation path 110. In this case, the operation termination condition can be set to when the amount of dust falls below a predetermined amount. As the dust sensor, for example, an optical sensor comprising a pair of light-emitting elements and a light-receiving element can be used.

[0090] If the operation termination condition is not met (S5: NO), the control unit 201 executes the cycle again, consisting of the first dust beating operation, the dust blowing operation, and the second dust beating operation repeated a specified number of times (S1-S4). Then, if the operation termination condition is met (S5: YES), the control unit 201 terminates the dust removal operation.

[0091] <Effects of the Embodiment> In this embodiment, the dust removal operation includes a first dust beating operation and a dust blowing operation. In the first dust beating operation, the object, such as clothing, tumbles inside the drum 23 and is struck against the bottom of the drum 23 when it falls, so that easily detachable dust attached to the object can be removed from the object. Furthermore, in the dust blowing operation, the object is fixed by sticking to the inner surface of the drum 23, and air from the blowing nozzle 160 is blown onto the surface of the object. This makes it less likely for the object to move and weaken the force of the air, so that dust attached to the surface of the object can be effectively blown away and removed. As a result, it is possible to sufficiently remove dust from the object during the dust removal operation.

[0092] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, during dust blowing operation, the blower fan 120 operates by repeatedly rotating at a first fan speed and at a second fan speed lower than the first fan speed. During the period when the blower fan 120 rotates at the first fan speed, air is strongly blown onto the surface of the object, effectively blowing away and removing dust adhering to the surface. On the other hand, during the period when the blower fan 120 rotates at the second fan speed, the dust that has been widely dispersed in the drum 23 is calmed down, allowing it to be smoothly discharged into the outer tub 20 through the dewatering holes 23b of the drum 23. As a result, during dust blowing operation, the dust removed from the object by the air blown from the blowing nozzle 160 can be sufficiently recovered by the first filter 140 and the second filter 150.

[0093] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a second dust-beating operation is performed during the dust removal operation. In the second dust-beating operation, the object is repeatedly lifted to near the top of the drum 23 by the oscillation of the drum 23 and then dropped, and the object is struck against the bottom of the drum 23 more forcefully than in the first dust-beating operation, so that dust that has entered inside the object can be removed. As a result, it is possible to remove even more dust from the object during the dust removal operation.

[0094] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the dust removal operation, the dust blowing operation and the second dust beating operation are repeated a specified number of times, making it possible to remove dust adhering to the surface of the object and dust that has entered the interior of the object even more effectively.

[0095] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the dust removal operation, a cycle consisting of a first dust beating operation, a dust blowing operation, and a second dust beating operation repeated a specified number of times is repeated until the operation termination condition is met, making it possible to remove even more dust from the target object.

[0096] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the first filter 140 has a configuration that can capture fine particles such as pollen, PM2.5, yellow dust, allergens, and mold, the fine particles removed from the target object can be recovered by the first filter 140.

[0097] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited in any way by the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible to the embodiments of the present invention other than those described above.

[0098] <Example of change 1> Figures 6(a) and (b) are a front view and a side view of the discharge nozzle 170 according to modification example 1.

[0099] The blowing nozzle 170 of this modified example can be used instead of the blowing nozzle 160 of the above embodiment.

[0100] The discharge nozzle 170 has an elongated discharge surface 170a at its tip that faces diagonally downward in the front-to-back direction. Multiple outlets 172 are provided on the discharge surface 170a, arranged in the longitudinal direction. The discharge nozzle 170 has a shape that widens towards the front-to-back direction but tapers towards the left-to-right direction from the inlet 171 to the outlets 172, and the internal flow path is narrowed as a whole from the inlet 171 to the outlets 172. As a result, the air introduced from the circulation path 110 to the discharge nozzle 170 has its flow velocity increased as it heads towards the multiple outlets 172, and is then blown out at high velocity from the multiple outlets 172 toward the inner circumferential surface of the bottom of the drum 23.

[0101] In this modified example, the blowing nozzle 170 can blow air linearly in the front-to-back direction onto objects such as clothing that are attached to the inner surface of the drum 23 and rotating in the left-to-right direction during dust blowing operation. As a result, air is blown over a wide area of ​​the surface of the clothing, which may enhance the dust removal effect.

[0102] <Other examples of changes> In the above embodiment, the dust removal operation involves repeating the dust blowing operation and the second dust beating operation a predetermined number of times. However, the dust removal operation may also involve performing the dust blowing operation and the second dust beating operation only once.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, during the dust removal operation, a cycle consisting of a first dust beating operation, a dust blowing operation, and a second dust beating operation repeated a specified number of times is repeated until the operation termination condition is met. However, in the dust removal operation, the cycle consisting of a first dust beating operation, a dust blowing operation, and a second dust beating operation repeated a specified number of times may be executed only once. Furthermore, the dust blowing operation and the second dust beating operation may not be repeated, and the first dust beating operation, the dust blowing operation, and the second dust beating operation may be executed once each.

[0104] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the dust removal operation includes a second dust beating operation. However, the dust removal operation may be configured not to include a second dust beating operation.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a drum-type washer-dryer 1, which is a drum-type washing machine with a drying function, was exemplified. However, the present invention can also be applied to drum-type washing machines that do not have a drying function. In this case, unlike the drum-type washer-dryer 1, for example, the cooler 131 and the heater 132 are not arranged in the circulation path 110.

[0106] In addition, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified in various ways as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 10 cabinets 20 Outer tank 23 Drums 30 Drive motor 110 Circulation path 120 Blower Fan 140 First filter (filter) 160 Discharge nozzle (discharge part) 201 Control Unit

Claims

1. An outer tank located inside the enclosure, A drum is placed inside the outer tank and has an opening at its front, A drive motor for rotating the drum, A circulation path connected to the outer tank, A blower fan that circulates air between the outer tank and the circulation path, A filter that captures dust contained in the air flowing through the aforementioned circulation path, The outlet has an opening that faces the inside of the drum and is directed toward the inner surface of the bottom of the drum, and the air that has flowed through the circulation path has its flow velocity increased and is blown out from the outlet toward the inner surface of the bottom of the drum, The system includes a control unit that controls the drive motor and the blower fan to perform a dust removal operation in which dust is removed from an object contained in the drum and collected by the filter, The control unit, in the dust removal operation, The first operation involves using the drive motor to rotate the drum at a rotational speed that causes the object to tumble inside the drum, and simultaneously operating the blower fan. The drive motor rotates the drum at a rotational speed at which the object adheres to its inner surface, and the blower fan is operated in a second operation. In the second operation described above, the blower fan is operated so as to repeatedly rotate at a first rotational speed and at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. A drum-type washing machine characterized by the following features.

2. In the drum-type washing machine according to claim 1, In the dust removal operation, the control unit performs a third operation in which the drive motor shakes the drum so that the object is lifted to near the top of the drum, and the blower fan is operated. A drum-type washing machine characterized by the following features.

3. In the drum-type washing machine according to claim 2, The control unit repeats the second operation and the third operation a predetermined number of times after the first operation. A drum-type washing machine characterized by the following features.

4. In the drum-type washing machine described in claim 3, The control unit repeats a cycle consisting of the first operation and the second and third operations repeated a predetermined number of times until a predetermined operation termination condition is met. A drum-type washing machine characterized by the following features.

5. In a drum-type washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The filter has a configuration that can capture fine particles, The aforementioned fine particles include at least one of the following: pollen, PM2.5, yellow dust, allergens, and mold. A drum-type washing machine characterized by the following features.

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