Clothes drying device

Abstract

To provide a clothes drying device that has excellent usability, can be installed on lower surface side of various structures and allows an installation location to be easily changed.SOLUTION: A clothes drying device has a laundry pole 12 and left side and right side string-like members 14(L), 14(R) with upper end parts fixed to a structure KB1, which suspend and support left side and right side parts 18(L), 18(R) of the laundry pole 12. A left side drum device 28(L) for winding or unwinding the left side string-like member 14(L) taken in through a left side through-hole 22(L) and a right side drum device 28(R) winding or unwinding the right side string-like member 14(R) taken in through a right side through-hole 22(R) are disposed in an enclosure 20 of the laundry pole 12. The clothes drying device has a control part 34 to control operation of the left side and right side drum devices 28(L), 28(R), and a power supply unit 44 to supply voltage for operation to members in the enclosure 20. The control part 34 performs control so that winding operation and unwinding operation on left and right sides are performed in interlock with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a clothes drying apparatus installed and used on the lower surface side of a structure such as a ceiling, and particularly to a clothes drying apparatus having a function of lifting and lowering a clothes drying pole in response to a user's instruction. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, there has been a clothes drying apparatus including a clothes drying pole and an apparatus main body that suspends the clothes drying pole to be liftable by two string-like members. The outer shape of the apparatus main body is a substantially rectangular shape that is slightly shorter and lower-profile than the clothes drying pole, and the flat back surface side is fixed to the lower surface of a ceiling or the like. Inside the apparatus main body, for the two string-like members, there are respectively provided a bobbin driven by a motor or the like to wind and unwind the members, a first hanging portion, a second hanging portion, a position changing portion, and the like, and one shaft serves as a common rotating shaft for the two bobbins. PRIOR ART DOCUMENT PATENT DOCUMENT

[0003] PATENT DOCUMENT 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2018-175610 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0004] The clothes drying apparatus of Patent Document 1 is designed on the premise that it is installed on a substantially flat and horizontal ceiling or the like, and no consideration is given to installation and use on an uneven ceiling, an inclined ceiling, or the like.

[0005] In addition, during construction, electrical work such as ceiling wiring is required to supply power to the internal equipment of the apparatus main body, which is extremely time-consuming. Furthermore, once the clothes drying apparatus is installed in a specific room, it is necessary to redo the electrical work when relocating it to another room, so even if a user wants, for example, "Since I have guests today, I want to dry the laundry in another room", this cannot be easily achieved.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned background art, and aims to provide a clothes drying device that is very easy to use, can be installed on the underside of various structures, and can be easily changed in location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a clothes drying device that is installed and used on the underside of a structure such as a ceiling, The structure comprises a clothes drying pole, a left-side string-like member whose upper end is fixed to the lower surface of the structure and which suspends and supports a specific left portion of the clothes drying pole in the longitudinal direction, and a right-side string-like member whose upper end is fixed to the lower surface of the structure and which suspends and supports a right portion of the clothes drying pole that is located longitudinally away from the left portion. The clothes drying pole has a long, cylindrical outer casing with both ends closed or open, and the casing has a left-side through-hole formed on the upper surface of the left side portion for taking in the left-side string-like member, and a right-side through-hole formed on the upper surface of the right side portion for taking in the right-side string-like member. The housing is provided with a left drum device having a rotating drum for winding up or unwinding the left string-like member taken in through the left through-hole, a right drum device having a rotating drum for winding up or unwinding the right string-like member taken in through the right through-hole, a control unit for controlling the operation of the left drum device and the right drum device, and a power supply unit for supplying operating voltage to each component in the housing. The control unit is a clothes drying device that controls the left drum device and the right drum device so that the winding and unwinding operations of the left string-like member and the winding and unwinding operations of the right string-like member are performed in conjunction with each other.

[0008] When the clothesline is positioned horizontally at the origin height, the height of the left side portion is defined as the left origin height, and the height of the right side portion is defined as the right origin height. A left origin member defining the left origin height is attached at an intermediate position on the left string-like member, or near the position on the structure where the left string-like member is fixed. A left origin detection device is installed near the left through-hole of the clothesline pole, which detects the left origin member and outputs a left proximity signal when the distance between the left portion and the left origin member falls below a reference value. A right origin member defining the right origin height is attached at an intermediate position on the right string-like member, or near the position on the structure where the right string-like member is fixed. A right origin detection device is installed near the right through-hole of the clothesline pole, which detects the right origin member and outputs a right proximity signal when the distance between the right portion and the right origin member falls below a reference value. When the control unit receives a command from an external source to move the clothesline pole to the origin height, it starts winding up the left string-like member and the right string-like member, and the left side When a proximity signal is received, the winding operation of the left string-like member is stopped, and the right side When a proximity signal is received, control is performed to stop the winding operation of the right-side string-like member. When a command is received from the outside to move the clothesline pole to a specified height that is lower than the origin height, control is performed to start winding or unwinding the left-side string-like member and the right-side string-like member, and to move the left and right portions of the clothesline pole to heights corresponding to the specified height.

[0009] Preferably, when the control unit receives a command from an external source to move the clothesline pole to the storage height, it performs the same control as when it receives a command to move the clothesline pole to the origin height. Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit detects the rotational speed and number of rotations when the left drum device winds up and unwinds the left string-like member, and when the right drum device winds up and unwinds the right string-like member, and controls both the left drum device and the right drum device so that their rotational speeds and the number of rotations since the start of operation are equal.

[0010] The power supply unit is preferably configured to include a battery, generate the operating voltage using the battery as a power source, and output it to each component within the housing. In this case, the power supply unit is preferably provided with a charging interface that allows the battery to be charged from outside the housing.

[0011] Preferably, the control unit monitors the operation of the power supply unit and, if an abnormality is detected, forcibly stops the operation of the left drum device and the right drum device. Furthermore, preferably, the upper ends of the left string-like member and the right string-like member are fixed to the lower surface of the structure via a left fixing device and a right fixing device, respectively. The left fixing device consists of a left main body member fixed to the lower surface of the structure and a left engaging member attached to the upper end of the left string-like member and detachable from the engaging receiving portion of the left main body member. The right fixing device consists of a right main body member fixed to the lower surface of the structure and a right engaging member attached to the upper end of the right string-like member and detachable from the engaging receiving portion of the right main body member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In the present invention, the clothes drying device has the left and right drum devices, control unit, and power supply unit housed inside the clothes drying rod, and only the upper ends of the left and right string-like members (or only the left and right fixing devices) are fixed to the underside of a structure such as a ceiling, so it can be easily installed even on uneven or sloped ceilings.

[0013] Furthermore, since the operating voltage only needs to be supplied to the suspended clothesline, it can be powered, for example, by a power cable from a household outlet. Alternatively, a battery can be built into the power supply unit, allowing the battery to be charged by connecting a battery charger when the clothesline is lowered to an easily accessible height, and then operated wirelessly by removing the battery charger when in use. Therefore, no special electrical work is required during installation, and the installation location can be easily changed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] These are a front view (a) showing an embodiment of the clothes drying apparatus of the present invention installed on a structure having an inclined lower surface side, and a perspective view (b) showing the appearance of a clothes-drying pole. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a control system and an electrical system of the clothes-drying pole of Fig. 1(b). [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a housing of the clothes-drying pole of Fig. 1(b). [Figure 4] It is an enlarged perspective view of a portion A in Fig. 3(a). [Figure 5] It is an enlarged perspective view of a portion B in Fig. 3(a). [Figure 6] It is an enlarged perspective view of a portion C in Fig. 3(a). [Figure 7] These are an enlarged front view (a) of a left-side origin member in Fig. 1(a), and a further enlarged perspective view (b) thereof. [Figure 8] These are an enlarged front view (a) of a left-side fixture in Fig. 1(a), and a cross-sectional view (b) showing the internal structure of the left-side fixture. [Figure 9] It is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the clothes drying apparatus of this embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing a modification of the left-side origin member shown in Fig. 7.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the clothes drying apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The clothes drying apparatus 10 of this embodiment is an apparatus used by being installed on the lower surface side of a structure (such as the ceiling of a room). For example, when installed on a structure KB1 having an inclined lower surface, the apparatus is in a state as shown in Fig. 1(a).

[0016] <Outline of Configuration of Clothes Drying Apparatus 10> First, a brief overview of the configuration of the clothes drying device 10 will be given based on Figures 1(a) and (b). Here, for the sake of clarity, two components and parts located separately in the lateral direction will be distinguished as "left side" and "right side." This notation can be replaced with "front side" and "rear side," etc., and the meaning will be the same.

[0017] The clothes drying device 10 comprises a clothes drying rod 12, a left string-like member 14(L), and a right string-like member 14(R). The clothes drying rod 12 is a rod-shaped member for hanging and drying laundry. The left string-like member 14(L) is made of a flexible metal wire or the like, and its upper end is fixed to the lower side of the structure KB1 via a left fixing device 16(L), and it suspends and supports the left portion 18(L), which is a specific part of the length of the clothes drying rod 12. Similarly, the right string-like member 14(R) is fixed to the lower side of the structure KB1 via a right fixing device 16(R), and it suspends and supports the right portion 18(R) of the clothes drying rod 12.

[0018] The clothesline pole 12 has a hollow housing 20, and several devices such as a drum device and a circuit board are housed inside the housing 20. The housing 20 consists of a long cylindrical body 20a and a pair of caps 20b(L) and 20b(R) that close both ends of the cylindrical body 20a. The cylindrical body 20a has a left-side through-hole 22(L) formed on the upper surface of the left side portion 18(L) for taking in the left-side string-like member 14(L), and a left-side through-hole 22(R) formed on the upper surface of the right side portion 18(R) for taking in the right-side string-like member 14(R). The devices inside the housing 20 will be described in detail later.

[0019] A left origin member 24(L) defining the left origin height HG(L) is attached to the left string-like member 14(L) at an intermediate position, and a right origin member 24(R) defining the right origin height HG(R) is attached to the right string-like member 14(R) at an intermediate position. The left origin height HG(L) is the height of the left portion 18(L) when the clothes drying pole 12 is positioned horizontally at the origin height HG, and the right origin height HG(R) is the height of the right portion 18(R) when the clothes drying pole 12 is positioned horizontally at the origin height HG.

[0020] A left-side origin detection device 26(L) is installed near the left-side through-hole 22(L) of the clothesline pole 12. The left-side origin detection device 26(L) detects the left-side origin member 24(L) and outputs a left-side proximity signal SK(L) when the distance between the left-side part 18(L) and the left-side origin member 24(L) falls below a reference value. In addition, a right-side origin detection device 26(R) is installed on the upper surface of the right-side part 18(R) of the clothesline pole 12. The right-side origin detection device 26(R) detects the right-side origin member 24(R) and outputs a right-side proximity signal SK(R) when the distance between the right-side part 18(R) and the right-side origin member 24(R) falls below a reference value. The detailed structure and function of each of the above components will be described in order below.

[0021] <Clothes drying pole 12> The internal structure of the clothes drying pole 12 will be explained in detail based on the system configuration diagram in Figure 2 and the structural diagrams in Figures 3 to 6.

[0022] Inside the housing 20 are the left side and left drum devices 28(L) and 28(R). As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the left drum device 28(L) consists of a rotating drum 30(L) for winding up or unwinding the left string-like member 14(L) taken in through the left through-hole 22(L), and a motor device 32(L) for driving the rotating drum 30(L). The motor device 32(L) consists of an electric motor 32a(L) and a gearbox 32b(L) that connects the electric motor 32a(L) to the rotating drum 30(L). Furthermore, an encoder member 34(L) for detecting the rotational speed and number of rotations of the rotating drum 30(L) is attached to the end of the electric motor 32a(L). This encoder member 34(L) is part of the control unit 34, which will be described later.

[0023] The right drum device 28(R) has almost the same configuration as the left drum device 28(L). That is, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the right drum device 28(R) consists of a rotating drum 30(R) for winding up or unwinding the right string-like member 14(R) taken in through the left through-hole 22(R), and a motor device 32(R) for driving the rotating drum 30(R). The motor device 32(R) consists of an electric motor 32a(R) and a gearbox 32b(R) that connects the electric motor 32a(R) to the rotating drum 30(R). Furthermore, an encoder member 34(R) for detecting the rotational speed and number of rotations of the rotating drum 30(R) is attached to the end of the electric motor 32a(R). This encoder member 34(R) is also part of the control unit 34, which will be described later.

[0024] In addition, a control unit 34 and a power supply unit 42 are provided inside the housing 20. The control unit 34 is a block that controls the operation of the left and left drum devices 28(L) and 28(R). It receives commands (for example, infrared signals) transmitted by the user by operating an external device 36, and operates the left and right drum devices 28(L) and 28(R) based on those commands. The content of the commands from the user will be explained later.

[0025] The control unit 34 controls the motor devices 32(L) and 32(R) so that the winding and unwinding operations of the left and right string-like members 14(L) and 14(R) are performed in conjunction. Specifically, it acquires rotational speed and rotation count information JK(L) for winding and unwinding the left string-like member 14(L) through the encoder member 34(L), and rotational speed and rotation count information JK(R) for winding and unwinding the right string-like member 14(R) through the encoder member 34(R), and controls both the left and right drum devices 28(L) and 28(R) so that their rotational speeds and the number of rotations since the start of operation are always equal (hereinafter referred to as synchronous control).

[0026] Furthermore, when the control unit 34 is performing the operation to wind up the left string-like member 14(L), if it receives a left proximity signal SK(L) from the left origin detection device 22(L), it stops the winding operation of the left string-like member 14(L) regardless of the user's command. Similarly, when the control unit 34 is performing the operation to wind up the right string-like member 14(R), if it receives a right proximity signal SK(R) from the right origin detection device 22(R), it stops the winding operation of the right string-like member 14(R) regardless of the user's command.

[0027] Furthermore, the control unit 34 has the function of starting / stopping the power supply unit 42, and also has a protection function that monitors the operation of the power supply unit 42 and forcibly stops the operation of the left drum device 28(L) and the right drum device 28(R) if an abnormality is detected.

[0028] The control unit 34 is mostly mounted on the elongated circuit board 38 shown in Figure 3, but the part that communicates with external devices 36 (for example, the infrared communication unit) is mounted on the small circuit board 40 shown in Figure 6.

[0029] The power supply unit 42 is a block that supplies operating voltage to each component within the housing 20. It consists of a rechargeable battery 44, such as a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium-ion battery, and a distribution circuit that generates operating voltage based on the voltage of the battery 44 and distributes it to each component. As shown in Figure 3, the battery 44 is a long cylindrical component located in the center of the cylindrical body 20a. The distribution circuit is mounted on a circuit board 38 located to the side of the battery 44.

[0030] Furthermore, the power supply unit 42 is provided with a charging interface that allows the battery 44 to be charged from outside the housing 20. The charging interface is a connector 46 for connecting the output cable of a battery charging device. As shown in Figure 6, the connector 46 is mounted on a circuit board 40 installed inside the cap 20b(L) and can be connected from the outside through a through-hole formed in the cap 20b(L).

[0031] <Left and right side origin members 24(L), 24(R)> The left origin member 24(L) is a roughly cylindrical member made of synthetic resin. As shown in Figure 7, slits 24a(L) and 24b(L) are provided at the upper and lower ends, extending radially from the outer surface toward the central axis. A pair of springy clamping plates 24c(L) are provided between the slits 24a(L) and 24b(L). When the left origin member 24(L) is attached to the left string-like member 14(L), the left string-like member 14(L) is positioned approximately on the central axis of the left origin member 24(L) through the slits 24a(L) and 24b(L), and is strongly clamped by the pair of clamping plates 24c(L), fixing the position of the left origin member 24(L). The lower surface 24d(L) becomes the surface that defines the left origin height HG(L) described above.

[0032] The right-side origin member 24(R) is the same member as the left-side origin member 24(L) and is attached to the right-side string-like member 14(R) in the same way, with its lower surface 24d(R) being the surface that defines the right-side origin height HG(R) as described above.

[0033] <Left and right origin detection devices 26(L), 26(R)> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the left-side origin detection device 26(L) is installed near the left-side through-hole 22(L) in the left-side portion 18(L) of the housing 20. Inside the cover 26a(L), a trigger member 26b(L) is provided, with one end pivotally supported and capable of swinging up and down. A contact portion 26c(L) erected on the upper surface of the other end of the trigger member 26b(L) protrudes upward through the opening in the cover 26a(L). Furthermore, a switch (not shown) that turns an electrical contact on or off depending on the position of the trigger member 26b(L) and a signal output circuit (not shown) that operates according to the state of this switch are provided.

[0034] When the left portion 18(L) rises and the contact portion 26c(L) contacts the lower surface 24d(L) of the left origin member 24(L), the trigger member 26b(L) moves downward, causing the electrical contacts of the switch to flip on or off, and the signal output circuit outputs the left proximity signal SK(L) described above.

[0035] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the right origin detection device 26(R) is the same component as the left origin detection device 26(L). When the right portion 18(R) rises and the contact portion 26c(R) contacts the lower surface 24d(R) of the right origin member 24(R), the trigger member 26b(R) moves downward, causing the electrical contacts of the switch to flip on or off, and the signal output circuit outputs the right proximity signal SK(R) described above.

[0036] <Left and right side fixtures 16(L), 16(R)> The left-side fixing device 16(L) is a member that detachably fixes the upper end of the left-side string-like member 14(L) to the lower surface of the structure KB1, and as shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), it consists of a left-side main body member 48(L) and a left-side engaging member 50(L). The left-side main body member 48(L) is a hollow box-shaped member whose upper surface is fixed to the lower surface of the structure KB1, with an insertion opening 48a(L) provided at one end of the lower surface, and a narrow hanging opening 48b(L) continuous with the insertion opening 48a(L) provided in the center of the lower surface.

[0037] The left-side engaging member 50(L) is a member shaped like a small bobbin, and is provided with a coaxial large-diameter portion 50a(L), a small-diameter portion 50b(L), and a large-diameter portion 50c(L) in that order. The large-diameter portion 50a(L) is the part that is attached to and detached from the left-side main body member 48(L), and the large-diameter portion 50c(L) is the part that is attached to the upper end of the left-side string-like member 14(L).

[0038] The large diameter portion 50a(L) is sized to pass through the insertion opening 48a(L) of the left main body member 48(L) and fit inside the left main body portion 48(L), but is sized so that it cannot pass through the suspension opening 48b(L). The small diameter portion 50b(L) is sized to pass through both the insertion opening 48a(L) and the suspension opening 48b(L) of the left main body portion 48(L).

[0039] When attaching the left-side engaging member 50(L) to the left-side main body member 48(L), first insert the large-diameter portion 50a(L) into the insertion opening 48a(L), and then slide the inserted large-diameter portion 50a(L) to the position of the suspension opening 48b(L). Then, as shown in Figure 8(b), the flange-shaped large-diameter portion 50a(L) engages with the part that narrows the suspension opening 48b(L) (engaging receiving portion 48c(L)), and the small-diameter portion 50b(L) protrudes downward through the suspension opening 48b(L), and the left-side string-like member 14(L) is suspended and supported. When removing the left-side engaging member 50(L) from the left-side main body member 48(L), simply reverse the above operation.

[0040] The left-side fixing device 16(L) can be made very compact and easy to use by, for example, applying the technology of the suspension device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-175628 by the present applicant.

[0041] Similarly, the right-side fixing device 16(R) is a member that detachably fixes the upper end of the right-side string-like member 14(R) to the lower surface of the structure KB1. The right-side fixing device 16(R) is the same member as the left-side fixing device 16(L), and consists of a right-side main body member 48(R) with the same structure as the left-side main body member 48(L), and a right-side engaging member 50(R) with the same structure as the left-side engaging member 50(L), and the operation for attaching and detaching is also the same.

[0042] <Operation of the clothes drying device 10 (typical usage example)> Here, we will explain four typical commands that the user can send to the control unit 34 by operating the external device 36, and the operation of the clothes drying device 10 when it receives these commands, based on the flowchart in Figure 9. Here, the initial state of the clothes drying device 10 is such that the clothes drying pole 12 is positioned horizontally at the origin height HG, that is, the left part 18(L) is positioned at the left origin height HG(L), and the right part 18(R) is positioned at the right origin height HG(R).

[0043] The first command is a command to move the clothes-drying pole 12 to a specified height HS1 (<HG). The specified height HS1 is a height convenient for hanging washed laundry (for example, a height of 1 m from the floor). Information of the specified height HS1 has been converted into numerical information recognizable by the control unit 34 and registered in the control unit 34 in advance, and a user can easily send the command simply by pressing the operation button once.

[0044] When the clothes-drying device 10 (the control unit 34) receives a command to move the clothes-drying pole 12 to the specified height HS1, it starts the operation of unwinding the left and right cord-shaped members 14(L), 14(R), and respectively moves the left and right side portions 18(L), 18(R) of the clothes-drying pole 12 to heights corresponding to the specified height HS1 [Step S11].

[0045] The second command is a command to move the clothes-drying pole 12 to a specified height HS2 (HS1<HS2<HG). The specified height HS2 is a height convenient for leaving laundry to dry, and as described above, information of the specified height HS2 is registered in the control unit 34 in advance.

[0046] When the clothes-drying device 10 (the control unit 34) receives a command to move the clothes-drying pole 12 to the specified height HS2, it starts the operation of winding up the left and right cord-shaped members 14(L), 14(R), and respectively moves the left and right side portions 18(L), 18(R) of the clothes-drying pole 12 to heights corresponding to the specified height HS2 [Step S12].

[0047] The third command is a command to return the clothes-drying pole 12 to the aforementioned specified height HS1 (<HG). The specified height HS1 is a height convenient for taking out dried laundry.

[0048] When the clothes-drying device 10 (the control unit 34) receives a command to return the clothes-drying pole 12 to the specified height HS1, it starts the operation of unwinding the left and right cord-shaped members 14(L), 14(R), and respectively moves the left and right side portions 18(L), 18(R) of the clothes-drying pole 12 to heights corresponding to the specified height HS1 [Step S13].

[0049] The fourth command is to move the clothesline pole 12 to the storage height HSx. The storage height HSx is the height at which the clothesline pole 12, from which the laundry has been removed, is moved away (a height close to the ceiling, etc., and out of sight). Here, the control unit 34 is registered as "storage height HSx = origin height HG".

[0050] When the clothes drying device 10 (control unit 34) receives a command to move the clothes drying pole 12 to the storage height HSx, it performs the same control as when it receives a command to move the clothes drying pole 12 to the origin height HG. First, it starts winding up the left and right string-like members 14(L) and 14(R). Then, when it receives a left proximity signal SK(L) from the left origin position detection device 26(L), it stops winding up the left string-like member 14(L), and when it receives a right proximity signal SK(R) from the right origin position detection device 26(R), it stops winding up the right string-like member 14(R). This places the clothes drying device 12 at the storage height HSx (=HG) [Step S14].

[0051] In steps S11 to S14, the winding and unwinding operations of the left and right drum devices 28(L) and 28(R) are synchronized by the control unit 34 detecting their respective rotation speeds and rotation counts, so the clothesline pole 12 moves in a horizontal position. Then, in the middle of step S14, when the clothesline pole 12 reaches the origin height HG in a horizontal position, the left and right proximity signals SK(L) and SK(R) are output simultaneously, and the winding operations on both sides stop simultaneously.

[0052] However, if the clothesline pole 12 tilts for some reason during steps S11 to S14, and approaches the origin height HG in that tilted state midway through step S14, a timing difference will occur in the output of the left and right proximity signals SK(L) and SK(R), causing the left and right winding operations to stop at different times.

[0053] For example, if the left section 18(L) is higher than the right section 18(L) and approaches the origin height HG, the left side winding operation will stop when the left proximity signal SK(L) is output. On the other hand, since the right proximity signal SK(R) is not output, the right side winding operation will continue, and then, a little later, the right proximity signal SK(R) will be output, stopping the right side winding operation. Therefore, when the left and right winding operations stop, the clothesline pole 12 will be appropriately tilted and positioned horizontally at the storage height HSx (=HG).

[0054] In this way, by registering "storage height HSx = origin height HG", the tilt of the clothes drying pole 12 is corrected each time the clothes drying pole 12 is stored at storage height HSx, and the origin of the control unit 34 that performs the left and right winding operation can be adjusted, so that subsequent steps S11 to S13 can be executed with high precision.

[0055] <Operation of the clothes drying device 10 (other usage examples)> In the above description of operation, it was stated that the specified heights HS1 and HS2 are pre-registered in the control unit 34 as numerical information that the control unit 34 can recognize. These specified heights HS1 and HS2 are, for example, standard heights that are set by default at the manufacturing plant of the clothes drying device 10, and users can also change and register their preferred heights.

[0056] In the explanation of steps S11 to S13 above, the specified heights HS1 and HS2 were registered as absolute heights, such as "1m from the floor." However, it is also possible to register the specified heights as relative heights, such as "50mm above the current height" or "30mm below the current height." By registering in this way, the user can adjust the height of the clothes drying pole 12 to an appropriate height by gradually moving it by pressing the operation button several times. Alternatively, the clothes drying pole 12 may continue to rise or fall while the user holds down the operation button, and the position where the user stops pressing the button may be recognized as the specified height, causing the clothes drying pole 12 to stop.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above description of step S14, it is assumed that "storage height HSx = origin height HG" is registered, but the storage height HSx may be registered and used as one of the above specified heights HS1, HS2, ··· (<HG). However, in this case, when step S14 is performed, the inclination of the drying pole 12 is not corrected, and the origin adjustment of the control unit 34 also becomes impossible, so errors accumulate as steps S11 to S14 are repeated dozens of times, which may make high-precision control impossible. Even if the control unit 34 performs synchronous control by detecting the rotational speeds and rotation counts of the left and right drum devices 28(L), 28(R), it is difficult to completely avoid this problem. Therefore, when using in this manner, it is preferable that a user occasionally (for example, about once every 1 to 2 months) issues a command to move the drying pole 12 to the origin height HG to perform origin adjustment.

[0058] As described above, in the clothes drying device 10, the left and right drum devices 28(L), 28(R), the control unit 34, and the power supply unit 42 are provided inside the drying pole 12, and only the upper end portions of the left and right cord-like members 14(L), 14(R) are fixed to the lower surface side of the structure KB1, so that the clothes drying device can be easily installed even on uneven ceilings, inclined ceilings, and the like.

[0059] The clothes drying device 10 is configured such that the upper end portions of the left and right cord-like members 14(L), 14(R) are detachably fixed via the left and right fixing tools 16(L), 16(R). Therefore, if the main body members (left and right main body members 48(L), 48(R)) of each fixing tool are attached to the ceilings of a plurality of rooms, the clothes drying device 10 can be freely relocated.

[0060] The clothes drying device 10 has a battery 44 built into the power supply unit 42. When not in use, with the drying pole 12 lowered to a reachable height, the output cable of a battery charging device is connected to a connector 46 to charge the battery 44; when in use, the battery charging device is removed and the device operates wirelessly. Therefore, no special electrical work is required during installation, and changing the installation location is also easy.

[0061] It should be noted that the clothes drying device of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, although the above description of the clothes drying device 10 was based on the assumption that it is installed on a structure KB1 with a sloping bottom surface, it can be installed in the same way even if the bottom surface is horizontal. Also, if the bottom surface is horizontal, the left and right origin members may be fixed directly to the structure instead of being fixed at intermediate positions on the left and right string-like members. Alternatively, they can be fixed to the left and right fixing devices. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the left and right origin members 52(L) and 52(R), which are made up of rectangular blocks, can be attached to the left and right fixing devices 16(L) and 16(R) installed on the structure KB2, and the left and right origin heights HG(L) and HG(R) can be defined by the bottom surfaces 52a(L) and 52a(R) of the left and right origin members 52(L) and 52(R). Furthermore, if the conditions are met, the left and right fixing members 16(L) and 16(R) may be used interchangeably as the left and right origin members, and the left and right origin heights HG(L) and HG(R) may be defined by the lower surfaces of specific parts of the left and right fixing members 16(L) and 16(R).

[0062] When there is no need to relocate the clothes drying device, the upper ends of the left and right string-like members can be fixed by hooking them onto hooks attached to the underside of the structure, or by tying them to the crossbeams, rather than being detachable via the left and right fixing parts.

[0063] The left and right origin detection devices 22(L) and 22(R) described above are configured to detect the positional relationship with the left and right origin members 24(L) and 24(R), which are the objects to be detected, in a contact manner. However, they may also be configured to detect in a non-contact manner using, for example, known proximity sensors (inductive, capacitive, magnetic, etc.).

[0064] The power supply unit 42 described above is provided with a connector 46 for connecting the output cable of a charging device, which serves as a charging interface that enables charging of the battery 44 from outside the housing 20. The form of this charging interface can be changed as appropriate depending on the charging method. For example, when charging using a contactless charging system, a receiving device (such as a power receiving coil) that receives power from a power transmitting device can be provided as the charging interface.

[0065] Commands transmitted by the user to the control unit by operating external devices are preferably transmitted wirelessly, but may also be transmitted via a wired connection. Furthermore, the operating voltage supplied to the devices inside the clothesline is preferably distributed from the battery 44 of the power supply unit 42 inside the clothesline 12, but may also be supplied externally via a wired connection and distributed by the power supply unit 42.

[0066] Figures 3 to 6 show the internal structure of the clothesline pole 12, but this is merely an example, and the structure and arrangement of each component within the clothesline pole can be changed as appropriate depending on the situation. In other words, the structure and arrangement of each component within the clothesline pole should be optimized by considering various factors, such as the size of the housing (length, thickness, weight) determined based on the specifications of the clothesline pole, the size of the drum device necessary to perform winding and unwinding operations with sufficient power, the size of the circuit board determined by the number and size of the components that make up the control unit and power supply unit, and the assembly procedure for efficiently manufacturing the clothesline pole in a factory, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10 Clothes drying device 12 Clothes drying pole 14(L) Left side string-like member 14(R) Right string member 16(L) Left side fixture 16(R) Right side fixture 18(L) Left side of the clothesline pole 18(R) Right side of the clothesline pole 20 cabinets 22(L) Left side through hole 22(R) Right side through hole 24(L), 52(L) Left-side origin member 24(R),52(R) Right side origin member 26(L) Left-side origin detection device 26(R) Right-side origin detection device 28(L) Left-side drum unit 28(R) Right-side drum device 34 Control Unit 42 Power supply section 44 batteries 46 connectors (charging interface) 48(L) Left side main component (left side fixing device) 48c(L) Engagement receiving part (left side fixing device) 48(R) Right body member (right side fixture) 48c(R) Engagement receiving part (right side fixture) 50(L) Left side engagement member (left side fixture) 50(R) Right side engagement member (right side fixture) KB1,KB2 Structure

Claims

1. A clothes drying device that is installed and used on the underside of a structure, The structure comprises a clothes drying pole, a left-side string-like member whose upper end is fixed to the lower surface of the structure and which suspends and supports a specific left portion of the clothes drying pole in the longitudinal direction, and a right-side string-like member whose upper end is fixed to the lower surface of the structure and which suspends and supports a right portion of the clothes drying pole that is located longitudinally away from the left portion. The clothes drying pole has a long, cylindrical outer casing with both ends closed or open, and the casing has a left-side through-hole formed on the upper surface of the left side portion for taking in the left-side string-like member, and a right-side through-hole formed on the upper surface of the right side portion for taking in the right-side string-like member. The housing is provided with a left drum device having a rotating drum for winding up or unwinding the left string-like member taken in through the left through-hole, a right drum device having a rotating drum for winding up or unwinding the right string-like member taken in through the right through-hole, a control unit for controlling the operation of the left drum device and the right drum device, and a power supply unit for supplying operating voltage to each component in the housing. The control unit controls the left drum device and the right drum device so that the winding and unwinding operations of the left string-like member and the winding and unwinding operations of the right string-like member are performed in conjunction with each other. When the clothesline is positioned horizontally at the origin height, the height of the left side portion is defined as the left origin height, and the height of the right side portion is defined as the right origin height. A left origin member that defines the left origin height is attached at a position in the middle of the left string-like member, or near the position on the structure where the left string-like member is fixed, and a left origin detection device is installed near the left through-hole of the clothesline pole, which detects the left origin member and outputs a left proximity signal when the distance between the left portion and the left origin member falls below a reference value. A right-side origin member that defines the right-side origin height is attached at a position along the right-side string-like member, or near the position on the structure where the right-side string-like member is fixed, and a right-side origin detection device is installed near the right-side through-hole of the clothesline pole, which detects the right-side origin member and outputs a right-side proximity signal when the distance between the right-side portion and the right-side origin member falls below a reference value. The control unit, upon receiving a command from an external source to move the clothes drying pole to the origin height, starts winding up the left string-like member and the right string-like member; upon receiving a left proximity signal, stops winding up the left string-like member; upon receiving a right proximity signal, stops winding up the right string-like member; and upon receiving a command from an external source to move the clothes drying pole to a specified height lower than the origin height, starts winding up or unwinding the left string-like member and the right string-like member, thereby controlling the left and right portions of the clothes drying pole to a height corresponding to the specified height.

2. The clothes drying device according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit receives a command from an external source to move the clothes drying pole to the storage height, it performs the same control as when it receives a command to move the clothes drying pole to the origin height.

3. The clothes drying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit detects the rotational speed and number of rotations of the left drum device when winding up and unwinding the left string-like member, and the rotational speed and number of rotations of the right drum device when winding up and unwinding the right string-like member, and controls both the left drum device and the right drum device so that their rotational speeds and the number of rotations since the start of operation are equal when both are operating.

4. The clothes drying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the power supply unit comprises a battery, generates the operating voltage using the battery as a power source, and outputs it to each component within the housing.

5. The clothes drying device according to claim 4, wherein the power supply unit is provided with a charging interface that enables charging of the battery from outside the housing.

6. The clothes drying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit monitors the operation of the power supply unit, and if an abnormality is detected, it forcibly stops the operation of the left drum device and the right drum device.

7. The upper ends of the left string-like member and the right string-like member are respectively fixed to the lower surface of the structure via the left fixing device and the right fixing device. The left-side fixing device consists of a left-side main body member fixed to the lower surface of the structure, and a left-side engaging member attached to the upper end of the left-side string-like member and detachably attached to the engaging receiving portion of the left-side main body member. The clothes drying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the right-side fixing device comprises a right-side main body member fixed to the lower surface of the structure and a right-side engaging member attached to the upper end of the right-side string-like member and detachably attached to the engaging receiving portion of the right-side main body member.

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