Washer-dryer

Abstract

A washer-dryer (1), which is provided with: an air circulation flow path (20) having an outlet (11) and an inlet (12) that are connected to an outer tub (6); an air blower (40) arranged in the air circulation flow path (20); a heat exchanger (30), which comprises an evaporator (31) and a condenser (32) and performs heat exchange between a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant flow path (33) and air flowing through the air circulation flow path (20); and a compressor (50) for compressing the refrigerant. A heat pump unit (100) that integrates the air blower (40), the heat exchanger (30) and the compressor (50) is arranged in a cabinet (2) and in a space around the outer tub (6). A cooling blower (60) for cooling both a compressor motor (51) and an air blower motor (41) is provided in the heat pump unit (100). The washer-dryer (1) can efficiently cool the compressor (50) and the air blower (40), thereby preventing the prolongation of drying time caused by efficiency reduction.

Description

Washing and drying integrated machine TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a washing and drying integrated machine. BACKGROUND

[0002] A washing and drying integrated machine is known that dries laundry by dehumidifying and heating air with a heat pump device. For example, the washing and drying integrated machine described in Patent Literature 1 is provided with an air circulation path disposed in the periphery of an outer tub within a cabinet, an air blower that circulates air within the air circulation path, and a heat pump that heats air. The heat pump has a compressor that compresses refrigerant, a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and air, and a refrigerant circulation path that circulates the refrigerant between the compressor and the heat exchanger. The compressor is disposed at a position lower than the outer tub, and the heat exchanger is disposed at a position higher than the outer tub.

[0003] Furthermore, in a heat pump device, as described in Patent Literature 2, design is made to suppress an increase in ventilation resistance. In this device, a wind path that guides air from the outer tub is continuously provided in the side and upper portions of a suction chamber formed on the suction side of a heat absorber.

[0004] In the above-described conventional washing and drying integrated machine, both the compressor and the air blower in the heat pump device generate heat. In the case where the temperature of them rises, it can lead to a decrease in the efficiency of the heat pump and a lengthening of the drying time.

[0005] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0006] PATENT LITERATURE

[0007] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-23720

[0008] Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-168361 SUMMARY

[0009] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0010] An object of the present application is to provide a washing and drying integrated machine that can efficiently cool both the compressor and the air blower.

[0011] SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

[0012] [1] One aspect of the present invention provides a washer-dryer, comprising: a cabinet; an outer tub disposed in the cabinet; a washing tub disposed in the outer tub to contain a washing object; an air circulation flow path having an outlet connected to the outer tub and an inlet; a blower fan provided in the air circulation flow path to suck air in the outer tub from the outlet and send the air to the inlet through the air circulation flow path; a heat exchanger including an evaporator and a condenser disposed in the air circulation flow path and a refrigerant flow path to exchange heat between refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path and air flowing through the air circulation flow path; and a compressor provided in the refrigerant flow path to compress the refrigerant passing through the evaporator and send the refrigerant to the condenser. A heat pump unit in which the blower fan, the heat exchanger, and the compressor are integrated is provided in a space around the outer tub in the cabinet, and a cooling blower fan that cools both a compressor motor of the compressor and a blower fan motor of the blower fan is provided in the heat pump unit.

[0013] The washer-dryer according to [1] has the heat pump unit in which the blower fan, the heat exchanger, and the compressor are integrated provided in a space around the outer tub in the cabinet. The cooling blower fan that cools both the compressor motor of the compressor and the blower fan motor of the blower fan is provided in the heat pump unit. In the heat pump unit thus integrated, the cooling blower fan that cools both the two heat sources is assembled. Thus, both the compressor and the blower fan can be efficiently cooled. As a result, the drying time can be prevented from being prolonged due to a decrease in efficiency.

[0014] [2] In the washer-dryer according to [1], the cooling blower fan can be provided between the compressor and the blower fan. For example, the compressor motor can be located on the suction side of the cooling blower fan, and the blower fan motor can be located on the discharge side of the cooling blower fan (or vice versa). Thus, both the compressor and the blower fan can be further efficiently cooled.

[0015] [3] In the washer-dryer according to [2], the cooling blower fan can be held by a metal member extending in a manner to divide a space in which the compressor is disposed and a space in which the blower fan is disposed. This structure can radiate heat through the metal member, and thus can have a good effect on cooling by the cooling blower fan. That is, cooling of the compressor and the blower fan is performed by cooperation of the cooling blower fan and the metal member.

[0016] [4] In the washer-dryer according to any one of [1] to [3], a partition wall can be provided between the condenser of the heat exchanger and the compressor, and the evaporator of the heat exchanger can be open toward the compressor, and cooling air generated by the cooling blower fan can be in contact with the evaporator. In this case, in addition to air sucked by the cooling blower fan, cooling air from the evaporator can be used for cooling.

[0017] [5] In the washer-dryer integrated machine according to any one of the above [1] to [4], the blower fan can be attached to the outside of the casing that houses the heat exchanger, and a cover member that covers the blower fan from the outside and guides the cooling air from the cooling blower fan toward the blower fan can be attached to the casing. In this case, the blower fan (including the blower fan motor) can be effectively cooled.

[0018] [6] In the washer-dryer integrated machine according to any one of the above [1] to [5], the heat pump unit can be provided in a space of the cabinet that is close to the front surface and is located in the lower portion. Although the temperature of the upper portion of the cabinet tends to rise during the drying operation, the temperature of the lower portion of the cabinet remains low. If the heat pump unit is provided in the space of the lower portion of the cabinet, the heat pump unit is less likely to be affected by the temperature rise caused by the drying operation, and the above cooling by the cooling blower fan can be performed more effectively.

[0019] Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present application, both the compressor and the blower fan can be efficiently cooled. As a result, the drying time can be prevented from being prolonged due to the reduction in efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a washer-dryer integrated machine according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the overall structure of the washer-dryer integrated machine of Fig. 1.

[0023] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the inside of the cabinet as viewed from the front, and is a diagram showing the schematic arrangement of an air circulation flow path.

[0024] Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a circulation mechanism of the hot air of the heat pump unit.

[0025] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the heat pump unit as viewed from an oblique upper side.

[0026] Fig. 6 is a plan cross-sectional view of the heat pump unit.

[0027] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the heat pump unit as viewed from an oblique lower side.

[0028] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the heat pump unit is rotated (moved) to a position close to the front.

[0029] Reference numeral explanation 1: washer-dryer; 2: cabinet; 2a: front surface; 6: outer tub; 7: drum (washing tub); 11: outlet; 12: inlet; 20: air circulation flow path; 21: first duct; 22: second duct; 30: heat exchanger; 31: evaporator; 32: condenser; 33: refrigerant flow path; 38: partition wall; 40: air blower; 41: air blower motor; 50: compressor; 51: compressor motor; 70: housing; 71b: outer face side sheet metal member (sheet metal member); 78: cover member; 78H: hinge portion; 100: heat pump unit; 120: rotational support portion; C1: first connection port; C2: second connection port; L: rotational axis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals are applied to the same elements in the drawings, and repeated description is omitted.

[0031] In the following description, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, sometimes an X direction, a Y direction, and a Z direction orthogonal to each other are used for the description of the washer-dryer 1. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction respectively correspond to a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction (or a vertical direction) of the washer-dryer 1 in the installed state shown in FIG. 1. In this specification, the terms indicating the directions such as "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "left", and "right" are terms based on the installed state of the washer-dryer 1.

[0032] With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the overall structure of the washer-dryer 1 will be described. The washer-dryer 1 is, for example, a drum-type washer-dryer. The washer-dryer 1 is provided with, for example, a cabinet 2 in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A door 3 of a circular shape that is freely openable and closable is fitted to a front surface 2a of the cabinet 2. A circular-shaped loading port 4 for loading a washing object is formed in the front surface 2a of the cabinet 2. The loading port 4 is closed or opened by the door 3. An outer tub 6 that stores washing water and a drum (washing tub) 7 that is freely rotatable and is disposed in the outer tub 6 and that accommodates a washing object are provided in the cabinet 2. The outer tub 6 and the drum 7 each have a bottomed cylindrical shape. The outer tub 6 is supported in the cabinet 2 by a plurality of elastic members (not shown). The outer tub 6 and the drum 7 are, for example, disposed concentrically (coaxially) with respect to a central axis extending in the X direction. The outer tub 6 has a circular-shaped opening 6a located in front of an opening 7a of the drum 7.

[0033] A peripheral portion of the opening 6a of the outer tub 6 and a peripheral portion of the loading port 4 of the cabinet 2 are connected by a gasket 8 of a circular ring shape made of an elastic material. A peripheral surface of the closed door 3 is in contact with the gasket 8, and the loading port 4 and the door 3 are sealed by water. A plurality of dehydration holes 7b are formed in an inner peripheral surface of the drum 7. Further, a balancer is provided in the front portion of the inner peripheral surface of the drum 7, and a plurality of lifters (all not shown) are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0034] A drive motor 9 for rotating the drum 7 is provided in the cabinet 2 and at the rear of the outer tub 6. A rotation shaft 9a of the drive motor 9 extends in the X direction and is coupled to a portion of the drum 7. The rotation shaft of the drum 7 (the rotation shaft 9a of the drive motor 9) can extend in the horizontal direction (i.e., the front-rear direction) or can extend in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction with the opening portion 7a slightly upward. The rotation shaft 9a and the drum 7 can be coupled via a belt, a reduction mechanism, or the like, or can be directly coupled. The drive motor 9 rotates the drum 7 at a low speed at which the centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 7 is smaller than the gravity and the laundry tumbles during the washing process and the rinsing process. The drive motor 9 rotates the drum 7 at a high speed at which the centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 7 is greater than the gravity and the laundry adheres to the inner circumferential surface of the drum 7 during the spinning process.

[0035] A water supply pipe and a water supply valve (both not shown) configured of a hose or other piping material are provided at the rear of the cabinet 2. By opening the water supply valve, tap water from a faucet is supplied into the outer tub 6. In this specification, "washing water" means a liquid corresponding to each process such as the washing process and the rinsing process of the laundry. Thus, during the washing process, the washing water can be water (liquid) containing a detergent or the like, and during the rinsing process, the washing water can be water. Further, during the rinsing process, the washing water can contain a softener. Note that a circulation flow path (including a pipe and a pump, etc.) for circulating the washing water can be provided in the cabinet 2.

[0036] A drain pipe 16 for draining the washing water in the outer tub 6 is connected to the bottom of the outer tub 6. A drain valve 17 is provided in the drain pipe 16. By opening the drain valve 17, the washing water naturally flows down and is drained through the drain pipe 16. The washing water drained from the washer-dryer 1 is drained through a drain port provided in a waterproof pan or the like. Note that a drain filter F (see FIG. 8) for trapping foreign matter contained in the washing water can be provided in the drain pipe 16. In this case, the drain filter F is taken out to the front of the cabinet 2 by operation of a drain filter operating lever 19 (see FIGS. 3 and 8) provided at the lower right of the front surface 2a at the time of maintenance or the like. Note that the drawing of the drain filter F is omitted and only the path of the drain pipe 16 is shown in FIG. 2.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the washer-dryer 1 is provided with a drying device M that dries laundry and the like accommodated in the drum 7. The drying device M sends hot air into the outer tub 6 in a drying process after a washing process, a rinsing process, and a dehydration process. The inlet 12, which is an air spouting port of the hot air (air), is provided, for example, in the front portion and slightly upper left portion of the outer tub 6, in the vicinity of the opening portion 7a of the drum 7. The hot air sent into the outer tub 6 contacts with the laundry in the rotating drum 7, and evaporates moisture from the laundry, thereby drying the laundry. The rotational speed of the drum 7 in the drying process is, for example, the same degree as that in the washing process.

[0038] The drying device M is provided with an air circulation flow path 20 having the outlet 11 and the inlet 12 connected to the outer tub 6, and a blower 40 provided in the air circulation flow path 20. The outlet 11, which is a taking-out port of air from the outer tub 6, is provided, for example, in the back portion (rear portion) and lower portion (vicinity of the bottom portion) of the outer tub 6. The air circulation flow path 20 has a first duct 21 including the outlet 11 and a second duct 22 including the inlet 12. In other words, the outlet 11, which is an upstream end of the first duct 21, is connected to the back portion of the outer tub 6, and the inlet 12, which is a downstream end of the second duct 22, is connected to the front portion of the outer tub 6. The blower 40 is provided between the first duct 21 and the second duct 22. The blower 40 is an electrically driven air blower (or fan) provided with a blower motor 41 and a blower housing 42. The blower 40 sucks air in the outer tub 6 from the outlet 11 and sends it into the inlet 12 via the air circulation flow path 20. The blower 40 constitutes a part of a heat pump unit 100 described later, and is provided in the lower portion (vicinity of the lower left portion) of the cabinet 2 close to the front surface 2a.

[0039] The path (spatial configuration) of the air circulation flow path 20 in the cabinet 2 is not particularly limited, but the air circulation flow path 20 passes through the empty space of the space inside the cabinet 2 and outside (around) the outer tub 6. The first duct 21 includes, for example, a back portion 21a extending upward from the outlet 11, an upper surface portion 21b extending in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the upper portion of the cabinet 2, and a front surface portion 21c extending downward in the front portion of the cabinet 2. A filter 29 is provided, for example, between the upper surface portion 21b and the front surface portion 21c. The filter 29 traps and removes foreign matter such as threads contained in air flowing through the air circulation flow path 20. The lower end of the front surface portion 21c is connected to the heat exchanger 30 (heat pump unit 100) described later. The first duct 21 is generally disposed in the right portion of the cabinet 2 (see FIG. 3). Note that a temperature / humidity sensor 23, 24 is provided in the upper portion of the back portion 21a and the upper portion of the front surface portion 21c (outlet side of the filter 29), respectively.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a right upper cover 2f is provided at the right upper corner of the front surface 2a of the cabinet 2. The user can take out the filter 29 by opening the right upper cover 2f. Thus, maintenance work such as cleaning of the filter 29 can be performed. Note that a left upper cover 2g is provided at the left upper corner of the front surface 2a of the cabinet 2 independently of the drying device M. The user can take out the liquid dosing device 15 housed in the cabinet 2 by opening the left upper cover 2g.

[0041] The second duct 22 of the air circulation flow path 20 extends upward from the lower portion (near the lower left) of the cabinet 2 close to the front surface 2a. The upstream end (i.e., lower end) of the second duct 22 is connected to the above-mentioned air blower 40 (heat pump unit 100), and the downstream end (inlet 12) of the second duct 22 is connected to the front portion and slightly upper portion of the outer tub 6. The temperature / humidity sensor 26 is provided in the second duct 22. The second duct 22 is disposed substantially on the left side of the cabinet 2 (see FIG. 3). In other words, the front surface portion 21c of the first duct 21 and the second duct 22 are disposed on both sides of the gasket 8. In the washer-dryer all-in-one machine 1 of the type in which the rotational axis of the drum 7 extends in the horizontal direction, compared with the type in which the drum 7 is inclined, it is less likely that a narrow portion is generated in the space of the cabinet 2 close to the front surface 2a, and the degree of freedom of disposition of the piping such as the first duct 21, the second duct 22, and the like is high.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the drying device M further includes a heat exchanger 30 including an evaporator 31 and a condenser 32 disposed in the air circulation flow path 20, which performs heat exchange between a refrigerant flowing through a refrigerant flow path 33 and air flowing through the air circulation flow path 20, and a compressor 50 provided in the refrigerant flow path 33, which compresses and sends the refrigerant from the evaporator 31 to the condenser 32. The refrigerant flow path 33 is a circulation flow path in which heat exchange is performed in the evaporator 31 and the condenser 32. The compressor 50 is provided on the downstream side of the evaporator 31 and on the upstream side of the condenser 32 with respect to the flow of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path 33. An expansion valve 34, which depressurizes the refrigerant, is provided on the downstream side of the condenser 32 and on the upstream side of the evaporator 31. The refrigerant flow path 33 includes a compressed refrigerant flow path 33a connected to the discharge side of the compressor 50 and passing through the inside of the condenser 32, and a depressurized refrigerant flow path 33b connected to the outlet side of the expansion valve 34 and passing through the inside of the evaporator 31.

[0043] The blower 40, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50 constitute a heat pump device. That is, the compressor 50 compresses refrigerant to be in a high-temperature and high-pressure state. The compressor 50 operates by being supplied with electric power to a compressor motor 51 (see FIG. 5 and the like). The condenser 32 of the heat exchanger 30 heats air using the heat of refrigerant in a compressed refrigerant flow path 33a. The evaporator 31 of the heat exchanger 30 causes low-pressure refrigerant in a decompressed refrigerant flow path 33b to absorb heat to remove moisture (dehumidify) from air. The blower 40 blows air that has been heated in the condenser 32, supplies hot air to the outer tub 6, and circulates air in the air circulation flow path 20. The blower 40 operates by being supplied with electric power to a blower motor 41 (see FIG. 5 and the like). Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, a heater 35 that generates heat by being supplied with electric power to further heat air that has come out of the condenser 32 is provided between the condenser 32 and the blower 40. Note that, the heater 35 can be omitted.

[0044] The drying device M is provided with a heat pump unit 100 that integrates the blower 40, the heater 35, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50. In the following description, the "heat pump unit" is simply referred to as an "HP unit". As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the HP unit 100 is provided in a space in the lower portion (lower left) of the cabinet 2 close to the front surface 2a. As shown in FIG. 1, the lower portion of the front surface 2a becomes a detachable front surface lower cover 2c that extends in the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The HP unit 100 is disposed on the inner side of the front surface lower cover 2c. In other words, when the front surface lower cover 2c is detached, the entire front surface of the HP unit 100 is exposed from the opening.

[0045] Next, the HP unit 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 to 7. In the following description, the HP unit 100 provided at a prescribed position in the cabinet 2 is taken as a reference unless otherwise specified. As shown in FIG. 8, the orientation of the HP unit 100 changes in a state where the HP unit 100 is moved, and thus the HP unit 100 at the prescribed position (see FIG. 3) is taken as a reference. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the HP unit 100 as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 6 is a plan cross-sectional view of the HP unit 100. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the HP unit 100 as viewed obliquely from below. The X, Y, and Z axes shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are also based on the same reference as described above.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the heater 35, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50 are housed in the casing 70. The casing 70 has a first housing portion 71 housing the heat exchanger 30 and a second housing portion 72 housing the compressor 50. The first housing portion 71 and the second housing portion 72 are continuous and integrated in the left-right direction. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are opposite to each other. The condenser 32 is disposed on the near-front side (front side) of the evaporator 31. Further, the compressor 50 is disposed on the side (right side) of the evaporator 31 and the condenser 32. The blower 40 is disposed on the still nearer front side (front side) of the condenser 32. The compressor 50 including the compressor motor 51 has a substantially cylindrical outer shape. The compressor 50 is disposed with its center line oriented in the vertical direction (Z direction). On the other hand, the blower 40 including the blower motor 41 and the blower casing 42 is disposed with its center line (rotation center of the built-in impeller) oriented in the horizontal direction (parallel to the XY plane).

[0047] As shown in FIG. 6, the first housing portion 71 includes an inner face side metal member 71a on the depthwise side and an outer face side metal member (metal member) 71b on the near-front side. The connection member 77 detachable from the casing 70 is attached to the inner face side metal member 71a. The blower 40 is fixed to the near-front side (front side) of the outer face side metal member 71b with its suction port facing the heater 35 and the condenser 32. The casing 70 is air-tight in a region other than a flow path communicating with the suction port of the blower 40 formed in the first connection port CI of the connection member 77 and the bottom surface opening 73 (see FIG. 7) to be described later. The first connection port CI is connected to the first duct 21, and the second connection port C2 serving as a discharge port of the blower 40 is connected to the second duct 22, whereby the casing 70 becomes a part of the air circulation flow path 20.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 7, in the heat exchanger 30, the refrigerant flow path 33 is assembled as a whole in the HP unit 100. In FIG. 7, although the refrigerant flow paths connecting the compressor 50 and the heat exchanger 30 are not shown, these flow paths are housed inside the casing 70. Therefore, the HP unit 100 has only the first connection port CI and the second connection port C2 connected to the first duct 21 and the second duct 22, respectively, as connection ports for passing a fluid (air or refrigerant) therethrough. The connection structure in the first connection port CI and the second connection port C2 is detachable. In this case, the connection structure to the outside is simple, and thus the HP unit 100 is easily moved or detached for maintenance, and the like.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the HP unit 100 is provided with a cooling blower 60 that cools both the compressor motor 51 of the compressor 50 and the blower motor 41 of the blower 40. The cooling blower 60 is provided, for example, between the compressor 50 and the blower 40. The cooling blower 60 is arranged in such a manner as to be adjacent to the upper portion of the compressor 50 (the portion close to the compressor motor 51) (see FIG. 5). More specifically, the cooling blower 60 is held by the outer side metal member 71b that extends in such a manner as to divide the installation space of the compressor 50 and the installation space of the blower 40. The cooling blower 60 is operated by being supplied with electric power from a not-shown motor. The cooling blower 60 sucks in outside air through a bottom surface opening 73 (see FIG. 7) formed in the bottom surface of the second housing portion 72. The sucked-in air flows in the space around the compressor 50, cools the compressor 50, and then passes through an opening 71c formed in the outer side metal member 71b. The air that has passed through the suction port of the cooling blower 60 in communication with the opening 71c is blown out toward the blower 40. In this way, one cooling blower 60 cools both the compressor motor 51 and the blower motor 41.

[0050] The blower 40 is arranged outside the casing 70 that houses the heat exchanger 30 as described above, and a cover member 78 is attached to the outer side metal member 71b (see FIGS. 6 and 7). The cover member 78 covers the blower 40 from the outer side. In other words, the blower 40 is arranged between the cover member 78 and the outer side metal member 71b. The cover member 78 guides the cooling air from the cooling blower 60 toward the blower 40. The first end portion 78a on the left side and the second end portion 78b on the right side of the cover member 78 are fixed to the casing 70. The cover portion 78c between the first end portion 78a and the second end portion 78b covers the blower 40. The upper portion and the lower portion of the cover portion 78c are open (see FIG. 7). Note that the illustration of the cover member 78 is omitted in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0051] Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a partition wall 38 is provided between the condenser 32 of the heat exchanger 30 and the compressor 50. A portion of the compressed refrigerant flow path 33a that is exposed from the condenser 32 is also housed inside the partition wall 38. On the other hand, the evaporator 31 of the heat exchanger 30 is open toward the compressor 50. The cooling air generated by the cooling blower 60 comes into contact with the evaporator 31.

[0052] Returning to FIG. 1, the washer-dryer 1 is provided with a controller 90 that controls the operation of each part of the washer-dryer 1 according to a program stored in advance. The controller 90 controls the driving of the driving motor 9, the opening and closing of various valves involved in the passage of tap water or washing water, and the compressor 50, the blower fan 40, and the cooling blower fan 60 in the HP unit 100, in accordance with the operation of the user on the operation section (not shown). The compressor 50, the blower fan 40, the cooling blower fan 60, and the heater 35 described above are always operated in the drying operation. The compressor 50, the blower fan 40, and the cooling blower fan 60, which are rotary devices, can also be operated in the drying operation in a manner in which the rotational speed is variable. The compressor 50, the blower fan 40, the cooling blower fan 60, and the heater 35 described above can also be repeatedly operated (ON) and stopped (OFF) (intermittent operation) in the drying operation. The controller 90 inputs the detection results of the temperature / humidity sensors 23, 24 in the first duct 21 and the temperature / humidity sensor 26 in the second duct 22, and determines whether or not the drying process can be ended on the basis of an index of at least either the temperature or the humidity of the air circulating in the air circulation flow path 20. The controller 90 stores a threshold value (a threshold value at which it is determined that the drying process can be ended) of the index related to the air. When the value of the index related to the air reaches the threshold value, the controller 90 ends the drying process. As information for determining the end of the drying process, in addition to the temperature information and the humidity information of the circulating air, the relative humidity information can be cited as an example. Alternatively, the absolute humidity information of the circulating air can also be used.

[0053] Further, the controller 90 can detect that the HP unit 100 is normally connected to the first duct 21 and the second duct 22. In the case where the HP unit 100 is detached from at least one of the first duct 21 and the second duct 22, the detachment of the duct is detected by the detection of the current value of the blower fan 40 or the temperature detection by a sensor such as a thermistor.

[0054] The HP unit 100 of the present embodiment can be moved forward of the front surface 2a of the cabinet 2 when the washer-dryer 1 is set up or maintained. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a plurality of cylindrical hinge portions 78H extending in the up-down direction are provided near the first end portion 78a of the cover member 78. As shown in FIG. 1, a rotational support portion 120 that supports the hinge portions 78H is provided in the left lower portion near the front surface 2a of the cabinet 2. The HP unit 100 is supported by the rotational support portion 120 provided in the cabinet 2. In other words, the HP unit 100 is attached to the cabinet 2 in a manner in which it can rotate about the rotational axis L provided to the one end portion in the horizontal direction. With the above structure, the HP unit 100 is rotatably attached to the cabinet 2. The cover member 78, which bears a part of the structural member in the HP unit 100, has the hinge portions 78H fixed thereto.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 8, the HP unit 100 is pulled out to the front by the operator's hand. Specifically, by pulling the vicinity of the second end portion 78b of the cover member 78 or the vicinity of the second housing portion 72 to the front by hand, the HP unit 100 is rotated about the portion of the hinge portion 78H, that is, the rotation axis L extending in the up-down direction (vertical direction). In the structure in which the HP unit 100 is provided in the vicinity of the front surface 2a and the lower left portion of the cabinet 2, when the HP unit 100 is moved (pulled out from the cabinet 2) to the front of the front surface 2a, the HP unit 100 is rotated clockwise as viewed from above. The rotatable range of the HP unit 100 is, for example, 60 degrees or more and less than 90 degrees, with a prescribed position (set position) in the cabinet 2 as a reference. By the rotation of the HP unit 100, the opening / working space 2p is secured in the cabinet 2. The operator can perform, for example, the work of connecting the drain pipe 18 in the lower portion of the outer tub 6 and the like with the hand inserted into the opening / working space 2p. In the case where the HP unit 100 is to be returned to the initial position (set), the operator pushes the HP unit 100 into the cabinet 2. By a stopper or a locking mechanism not shown, the HP unit 100 is one-touch fixed to the prescribed position in the cabinet 2. Thereafter, the first duct 21 and the second duct 22 are connected.

[0056] Further, the HP unit 100 can be detached from the cabinet 2 by being lifted from the rotation support portion 120 in the state of being rotated and moved to the front of the front surface 2a. In the state where the washer-dryer 1 is set, the work of detaching the HP unit 100 and the work of installing (setting) the HP unit 100 can be performed. The work is not performed by the ordinary user of the washer-dryer 1, but is performed by, for example, a professional repair person. Of course, the configuration of the HP unit 100 can be designed so that the ordinary user can safely perform the work of detaching the HP unit 100.

[0057] The washer-dryer 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with the HP unit 100 in which the blower 40, the heat exchanger 30, and the compressor 50 are integrated in the space in the cabinet 2 and around the outer tub 6. Further, the cooling blower 60 provided in the HP unit 100 cools both the compressor motor 51 of the compressor 50 and the blower motor 41 of the blower 40. In the HP unit 100 thus unitized, one cooling blower 60 that cools both of the two heat sources is assembled. Thereby, both the compressor 50 and the blower 40 can be efficiently cooled. As a result, it is possible to prevent the elongation of the drying time and the increase in the power consumption due to the reduction in efficiency.

[0058] The cooling blower 60 is disposed between the compressor 50 and the blower 40. For example, the compressor motor 51 can be located on the suction side of the cooling blower 60, and the blower motor 41 can be located on the discharge side of the cooling blower 60. Thereby, both the compressor 50 and the blower 40 can be further efficiently cooled.

[0059] The cooling blower 60 is held by the outer side metal member 71b extending in a manner to divide the installation space of the compressor 50 and the installation space of the blowing fan 40. This structure enables heat dissipation by the outer side metal member 71b, and has a good effect on cooling by the cooling blower 60. That is, cooling of the compressor 50 and the blowing fan 40 is performed by cooperation of the cooling blower 60 and the outer side metal member 71b.

[0060] The partition wall 38 is provided between the condenser 32 of the heat exchanger 30 and the compressor 50, and the evaporator 31 of the heat exchanger 30 is open toward the compressor 50, and the cooling air generated by the cooling blower 60 is in contact with the evaporator 31. Thus, in addition to the air sucked by the cooling blower 60, the cooling air from the evaporator 31 can be used for cooling.

[0061] The blowing fan 40 is fitted to the outside of the casing 70 housing the heat exchanger 30, and the cover member 78 covering the blowing fan 40 from the outside and guiding the cooling air from the cooling blower 60 toward the blowing fan 40 is fitted to the casing 70. Thus, the blowing fan 40 (including the blowing fan motor 41) can be effectively cooled.

[0062] The HP unit 100 is provided in a space near the front surface 2a and in the lower portion of the cabinet 2. During the drying operation, although the temperature of the upper portion of the cabinet 2 tends to rise, the temperature of the lower portion of the cabinet 2 remains low. If the HP unit 100 is provided in the space of the lower portion of the cabinet 2, it is not easily affected by the temperature rise caused by the drying operation, and the above-described cooling by the cooling blower 60 can be performed more effectively.

[0063] The above describes an embodiment of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the HP unit 100 can also be provided in a space near the back surface and in the lower portion of the cabinet 2. The HP unit 100 can also not be provided so as to be movable (rotatable) toward the front of the cabinet 2. In this case, the HP unit 100 can also be fixed in the cabinet 2. The installation scheme of the HP unit 100 and whether or not it is fixed, etc. can be appropriately changed.

[0064] The HP unit 100 can be provided in a space near the back surface and in the lower portion of the cabinet 2. The HP unit 100 can also be provided in a space of the upper portion of the cabinet 2 (the upper portion of the outer tub 6).

[0065] The cover member 78 covering the blowing fan 40 from the outside can also be omitted. For example, the blowing fan can be arranged so as to oppose or abut the discharge port of the cooling blower 60.

[0066] The partition wall 38 between the condenser 32 of the heat exchanger 30 and the compressor 50 can also be omitted. The cooling air generated by the cooling blower 60 can also be made to blow toward the blower 40 without contacting the evaporator 31 by providing other partition walls between the entire heat exchanger 30 and the compressor 50.

[0067] The cooling blower 60 can also be held by a member other than the outer side panel member 71b (other part of the housing 70, etc.). The configuration of the cooling blower 60 is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Both the compressor 50 and the blower 40 can also be disposed on the discharge side of the cooling blower 60. Both the compressor 50 and the blower 40 can also be disposed on the suction side of the cooling blower 60. It can also be that a cooling duct is connected to the discharge side or the suction side of the cooling blower 60, the cooling duct being directed toward both or either of the compressor motor 51 and the blower motor 41.

[0068] A further cooling unit can also be connected to the cooling blower 60.

[0069] The present application can also be applied to laundry machines other than the drum-type laundry machine, such as a vertical laundry machine.

Claims

1. A washer-dryer, characterized in that, Possessing: a cabinet; an outer tub disposed in the cabinet; a washing tub disposed in the outer tub, which accommodates a washing object; an air circulation flow path having an outlet connected to the outer tub and an inlet; a blower provided in the air circulation flow path, which sucks air in the outer tub from the outlet and sends it to the inlet via the air circulation flow path; a heat exchanger including an evaporator and a condenser disposed in the air circulation flow path and a refrigerant flow path, which exchanges heat between a refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant flow path and air flowing through the air circulation flow path; and a compressor provided in the refrigerant flow path, which compresses and sends the refrigerant that has passed through the evaporator to the condenser, a heat pump unit in which the blower, the heat exchanger, and the compressor are integrated is provided in a space around the outer tub in the cabinet, the heat pump unit is provided with a cooling blower that cools both a compressor motor of the compressor and a blower motor of the blower.

2. The washer-dryer according to claim 1, wherein the cooling blower is provided between the compressor and the blower.

3. The washer-dryer according to claim 2, wherein the cooling blower is held by a metal member that extends in a manner of dividing a space in which the compressor is disposed and a space in which the blower is disposed.

4. The washer-dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a partition wall is provided between the condenser of the heat exchanger and the compressor, and the evaporator of the heat exchanger is open toward the compressor, and cooling air generated by the cooling blower contacts the evaporator.

5. The washer-dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the blower is fitted to an outer side of a housing that accommodates the heat exchanger, and a cover member that covers the blower from an outer side thereof and guides cooling air from the cooling blower toward the blower is fitted to the housing.

6. The washer-dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat pump unit is provided in a space in a lower portion of the cabinet near a front surface. ​

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