Method for controlling clothing treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a clothing treatment apparatus including: a drum providing a space in which clothing is stored; a driving unit for rotating the drum; and a heat exchange unit for supplying air to the drum. The method comprises: an air supply step for supplying air to the drum via the heat exchange unit; and a motion execution step in which the driving unit rotates the drum during the air supply step. The motion execution step may include: a first rotation step for rotating the drum at a first rotational speed that generates a centrifugal force of less than 1 G; a second rotation step for rotating the drum at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed; a third rotation step for rotating the drum at a third rotational speed that generates a centrifugal force of 1 G or more; and a stop step for stopping the rotation of the drum.

Description

Control method of a clothing processing device

[0001] The present invention relates to a control method for a clothing processing device.

[0002] A clothing processing device is a general term for a washing machine that washes a processing object, a dryer that dries a processing object, and a device capable of performing both washing and drying of a processing object (a washing object, a drying object).

[0003] A heat exchanger equipped in a conventional dryer is a means for supplying dry air to a space (drum) containing a processing object. A heat exchanger equipped in an exhaust-type dryer is equipped with a duct that supplies outside air to the drum and a heater that heats the air introduced into the duct, and a heat exchanger equipped in a circulation-type dryer is equipped to include a circulation path that recirculates air drawn from the drum back to the drum, an absorber equipped inside the circulation path that removes moisture (dehumidifies) from the air, and a heater that heats the air passing through the absorber.

[0004] Conventional dryers utilized a method of exchanging heat between clothes and air by discharging air supplied to the rear of the drum through the front, or by discharging air supplied to the front through the rear or circumferential surface. Due to the direction of air movement passing through the inside of the drum, the former dryer could cause the items to be processed to become densely packed on the front of the drum, while the latter dryer could cause the items to be processed to become densely packed on the rear of the drum.

[0005] The phenomenon of the processing object becoming dense in certain areas of the drum hinders heat exchange between the object and the air, which can lead to increased drying time or insufficient drying of the clothing. This aforementioned phenomenon of the processing object becoming dense in certain areas of the drum can occur frequently with lightweight and bulky items such as blankets.

[0006] Since commercial dryers can handle bulky and heavy objects and involve a large number of drying cycles, the capacity or output of the heat exchanger equipped in a commercial dryer is set to be larger than that of a household dryer. In the case of commercial dryers, the airflow velocity or pressure supplied to the drum may be faster or higher than that of household dryers; therefore, the phenomenon of the aforementioned objects concentrating in certain areas of the drum may be more severe in commercial dryers.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a control method for a clothing processing device that can reduce the phenomenon of processing targets being concentrated in a part of the drum.

[0008] The present invention aims to solve the problem of providing a control method for a clothing processing device that can reduce the phenomenon of light and bulky processing objects being concentrated in the front or rear space of a drum.

[0009] The present invention provides a method for controlling a garment processing device comprising a drum providing a space for storing garments, a driving unit for rotating the drum, and a heat exchanger for supplying air to the drum, wherein the method comprises: an air supply step of supplying air to the drum through the heat exchanger; and a motion execution step of the driving unit rotating the drum during the progress of the air supply step.

[0010] The motion execution step may include: a first rotation step of rotating the drum at a first rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of less than 1G; a second rotation step of rotating the drum at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed; a third rotation step of rotating the drum at a third rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of 1G or more; and a stopping step of stopping the rotation of the drum.

[0011] The motion execution step may be configured to sequentially execute the first rotation step, the second rotation step, the third rotation step, and the stop step.

[0012] The rotation direction of the drum set in the first rotation step, the rotation direction of the drum set in the second rotation step, and the rotation direction of the drum set in the third rotation step can be set identically.

[0013] The first rotation speed can be set as a rotation speed that causes the clothing to fall from a space located above the horizontal line passing through the rotation center of the drum to a space located below the horizontal line.

[0014] The above second rotation speed can be set to a rotation speed that prevents the clothing from moving out of the space located below the horizontal line.

[0015] The execution time of the first rotation step can be set to be longer than the execution time of the second rotation step and the execution time of the third rotation step.

[0016] The execution time of the first rotation step above may be set to a time of at least three times the execution time of the second rotation step above.

[0017] The execution time of the second rotation step above can be set to be the same as the execution time of the third rotation step above.

[0018] The holding time of the above-mentioned stop step can be set shorter than the execution time of the above-mentioned second rotation step.

[0019] The motion execution step may include: a first execution step of executing the first rotation step, the second rotation step, and the third rotation step along a first direction set as either clockwise or counterclockwise, and then executing the stop step; and a second execution step of executing the first rotation step, the second rotation step, and the third rotation step along a second direction set as either clockwise or counterclockwise, and then executing the stop step.

[0020] The above first execution step and the above second execution step may be executed alternately.

[0021] Either of the first execution step and the second execution step may be initiated after the other execution step has been executed two or more times.

[0022] The present invention provides a control method for a clothing processing device that can reduce the phenomenon of processing targets being concentrated in a part of the drum.

[0023] The present invention provides a control method for a clothing processing device that can reduce the phenomenon of light and bulky processing objects being concentrated in the front or rear space of a drum.

[0024] FIGS. 1, FIGS. 2, and FIGS. 3 illustrate an example of a clothing processing device composed of a first processing device and a second processing device.

[0025] FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5 illustrate examples of a receiving section, an exhaust section, and a drum provided in a first processing device.

[0026] FIGS. 6, FIGS. 7, and FIGS. 8 illustrate an example of a second processing device.

[0027] Figure 9 illustrates an example of the operation of the heat exchanger.

[0028] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a control method for a clothing processing device.

[0029] FIG. 11 (a) illustrates the first rotation step, FIG. 11 (b) illustrates the second rotation step, and FIG. 11 (c) illustrates the third rotation step.

[0030] The configuration of the device or control method described below is intended only to explain embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention; reference numbers used identically throughout the specification indicate identical components.

[0031] The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprising," "having," or "having" are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification; therefore, unless otherwise specifically defined, they do not preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0032] Expressions indicating relative or absolute arrangements, such as "in a certain direction," "along a certain direction," "parallel," "perpendicular," "to the center," "concentric," or "coaxial," not only strictly represent such arrangements but also indicate a state of relative displacement with respect to tolerances or angles or distances to which the same function is obtained.

[0033] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., used in this specification may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms, and said terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. Accordingly, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0034] Additionally, terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "side," "front shear," "rear end," "top," and "bottom" used in this specification are defined based on the drawings or based on the arrangement / placement state of the components or between the components, and the shape and location of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0035] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a clothing processing device and a control method thereof will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0036] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the clothing processing device (100) may be configured to include a first processing device (100a, clothing processing module) that provides a space for accommodating a processing target (clothing, etc.) and a space for heat exchange between the processing target and air, and a second processing device (100b, air processing module) that heat exchanges the air that has finished heat exchanged with the processing target with a refrigerant.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, the second processing device (100b) can be detachably fixed to one side of the first processing device (100a), and the air supplied to the first processing device (100a) through the second processing device (100b) may be high-temperature dry air (air having a temperature higher than room temperature and a humidity lower than that of room temperature air).

[0038] The first processing device (100a) may be configured to include a cabinet (1, first cabinet), a receiving section (2, 4) provided inside the first cabinet for receiving a processing target, and an exhaust section (3, first exhaust section) for guiding air discharged from the receiving section to the second processing device (100b) (guiding it to the outside of the first processing device).

[0039] The first cabinet (1) may be configured to include a front panel (11, first front panel) forming the front surface of the clothing processing device (100), and a rear panel (12, first rear panel) providing a space for mounting the second processing device (100b).

[0040] The first front panel (11) may be provided with a first panel body (11a) and a second panel body (11b). The first panel body (11a) may be provided as a panel fixed to the first processing device (100a), and the second panel body (11b) may be provided as a panel detachable from the first processing device (100a).

[0041] The first panel body (11a) is provided with an input port (111) communicating with the receiving portion (2, 4), and the second panel body (11b) may be provided in a position where at least some of the parts provided inside the first processing device (100a) can be exposed to the outside of the first processing device (100a).

[0042] The first panel body (11a) is provided with a control panel (115) for controlling the clothing processing device (100) and a door (113) for opening and closing the input port (111), and the rear panel (12) may be provided with a supply port (121) connected to the chamber discharge hole (652) of the second processing device (100b) and an outlet port (123) connected to the chamber inlet hole (651) of the second processing device.

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the receiving portion may be provided to include a drum (4) that provides a space for receiving a processing object, and a housing (2) that is fixed inside the first cabinet (1) and provides a space for receiving the drum (4). The drum (4) may be rotatably fixed inside the receiving chamber (21) of the housing.

[0044] The front surface of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided to be closed by the first panel body (11a), and the rear surface of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided to be closed by the first rear panel (12). The front surface (front open surface) of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided in a shape that surrounds the input port (111), and the rear surface (rear open surface) of the receiving chamber (21) may be provided in a shape that surrounds the supply port. Accordingly, the input port (111) and the supply port provided in the first rear panel (12) can be seen as being connected to each other through the receiving chamber (21).

[0045] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the receiving chamber (21) may be provided to include an upper surface (22), a lower surface (23, bottom surface), a first side surface (24), and a second side surface (25). The upper surface (22) may be provided to be spaced apart from the upper surface of the first cabinet (1), the first side surface (24) may be provided to be in contact with the first side surface of the first cabinet (1), and the second side surface (25) may be provided to be in contact with the second side surface of the first cabinet (1).

[0046] In order to prevent air introduced into the receiving chamber (21) through the supply port (121) from leaking into the space formed between the front surface of the receiving chamber (21) and the first front panel (11), a chamber sealer (211) may be provided on the front surface of the receiving chamber (21).

[0047] The first exhaust unit (3) may be configured to include an exhaust chamber (31, first exhaust chamber) forming a space separated from the receiving chamber (21), an exhaust duct (34) that guides air introduced into the first exhaust chamber (31) to the second treatment device (100b), and an exhaust fan (35, first exhaust fan) provided inside the exhaust duct.

[0048] The first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided inside the first cabinet (1) so as to be located at the bottom of the receiving chamber (21), and may be connected to the receiving chamber (21) through a chamber communication hole (32) provided to penetrate the lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber (penetrating the upper surface of the first exhaust chamber).

[0049] One side of the first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided to be opened and closed by the second panel body (11b). FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the second panel body (11b) is provided to open and close an open surface formed in front of the first exhaust chamber (31).

[0050] The second panel body (11b) may be provided as a panel that is detachable from the first cabinet (1), or one end of which may be provided as a panel that is rotatably fixed to the first cabinet (1). The second panel body (11b) may be provided to form the front surface (first front panel, 11) of the first processing device (100a) together with the first panel body (11a).

[0051] To filter the air introduced into the first exhaust chamber (31), a filter (36) may be provided inside the first exhaust chamber (31). To increase the amount of filtration, the filter (36) may be fixed at an angle inside the first exhaust chamber (31). That is, the filter (36) may be fixed to the first exhaust chamber (31) such that its upper end is positioned closer to the second panel body (11b) than its lower end (see FIG. 3), or it may be fixed such that its lower end is positioned closer to the second panel body (11b) than its upper end (see FIG. 5). Unlike what is shown in the drawings, the filter (36) may be provided in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the first exhaust chamber (31).

[0052] The drum (4) may be provided as a drum body (41) that is rotatably provided inside the receiving chamber (21) and stores the object to be processed.

[0053] The drum body (41) is provided in a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior, and the receiving chamber (21) may be provided with a drum support member (45) that supports the lower circumferential surface of the drum body (41) (the circumferential surface of the drum body located below the horizontal line passing through the rotation center of the drum body). The drum support member (45) may be provided as a roller rotatably fixed inside the receiving chamber (21) and may be provided at each corner where the lower surface (23) and the two side surfaces (24, 25) of the receiving chamber (21) meet.

[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 4, a drum inlet (413) communicating with the inlet (111) may be provided on the front surface (drum front surface, 411) of the drum body (41). Accordingly, the items to be processed, such as clothing introduced through the inlet (111), can move into the interior of the drum body (41) through the drum inlet (413).

[0055] A lifter (415) may be provided inside the drum body (41). The lifter (415) may be provided as a board protruding from the circumferential surface of the drum body (41) toward the center of rotation of the drum body. The lifter (415) has the effect of promoting heat exchange between the object to be processed and the air by causing the object to fall or roll inside the drum body (41) when the drum body (41) rotates.

[0056] A drum rotation axis (44) may be provided on the rear surface (412) of the drum body. Accordingly, the circumferential surface of the drum body (41) is supported on the lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber through the drum support (45), and the rear surface (412) of the drum body can be rotatably supported on the first rear panel (12) through the drum rotation axis (44).

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the rear surface (412) of the drum body may be provided with a drum supply port (42) that guides air supplied from the supply port (121) into the drum body (41). The drum rotation axis (44) may be provided in the center of the rear surface (412) of the drum body, and the drum supply port (42) may be provided with a plurality of drum through holes arranged to surround the drum rotation axis (44).

[0058] Air introduced into the drum body (41) through the drum supply port (42) can be discharged into the receiving chamber (21) through the drum exhaust port (43). As shown in FIG. 4, the circumferential surface of the drum body (41) can be divided into a front circumferential surface (416) connected to the front surface (411) of the drum and a rear circumferential surface (417) connected to the rear surface (412) of the drum, and the drum exhaust port (43) can be provided with a plurality of through holes provided in the front circumferential surface (416).

[0059] In order to facilitate the movement of air discharged from the drum exhaust port (43) to the exhaust chamber (31) (improving drying efficiency), it is preferable that at least a portion of the chamber communication hole (32) be located within the space projected onto the lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber by the drum exhaust port (43).

[0060] The lower surface (23) of the receiving chamber and the upper surface of the first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided as the same surface. That is, the receiving chamber (21) and the first exhaust chamber (31) may be provided as spaces separated from each other through the lower surface (23). In this case, the chamber communication hole (32) may be provided as a hole penetrating the lower surface (23).

[0061] A guide channel (122) may be further provided inside the receiving chamber (21) so that air supplied through the supply port (121) flows directly into the drum body (41) (improving drying efficiency).

[0062] The guide channel (122) may be provided in a pipe shape that contacts the first rear panel (12) to surround the supply port (121) at one end and contacts the rear surface (412) of the drum body to surround the entire drum supply port (42) at the other end. The guide channel (122) may be provided to be fixed to the first rear panel (12) or to be provided to be fixed to the rear surface (412) of the drum body. FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the guide channel (122) is fixed to a guide bracket (124) provided on the first rear panel (12).

[0063] As shown in FIG. 5, when the first exhaust fan (35) is operated, the air inside the receiving chamber (21) moves from the receiving chamber (21) to the first exhaust chamber (31) through the chamber communication hole (32), and the air inside the first exhaust chamber (31) is supplied to the second treatment device (100b) through the exhaust duct (34) and the outlet (123).

[0064] The air supplied to the second treatment device (100b) through the chamber inlet hole (651) is dehumidified and heated by the heat exchanger (7), and the air passing through the heat exchanger (7) is discharged from the second treatment device (100b) through the chamber discharge hole (652). The air discharged from the chamber discharge hole (652) moves into the interior of the drum body (41) through the supply port (121), guide channel (122), and drum supply port (42) to exchange heat with the target to be treated.

[0065] The air that has completed heat exchange inside the drum body (41) moves to the first exhaust chamber (31) through the drum exhaust port (43) and the chamber communication hole (32), and the air inside the first exhaust chamber (31) moves to the chamber inlet hole (651) through the filter (36) and the exhaust duct (34).

[0066] The drum body (41) may be configured to rotate by a driving unit (5). The driving unit (5) may be configured to include a motor (51) that operates according to a control signal of a first control unit, and a belt (512) that connects the rotation axis (driving shaft, 511) of the motor and the circumferential surface of the drum body (41). The belt (512) may be configured to connect the rear circumferential surface (417) of the drum body and the driving shaft (511).

[0067] The motor (51) is characterized by being fixed to the receiving chamber (21) or the first cabinet (1) and positioned at a point higher than the drum body (41) in the external space of the receiving chamber (21). When the motor (51) is fixed such that the drive shaft (511) is positioned higher than the top of the drum body (41), the tension of the belt (512) will be maintained by the weight of the drum body (41).

[0068] The motor (51) may be fixed to the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber, and the upper surface (22) of the receiving chamber may be provided with a chamber through hole (223) into which the belt (512) is inserted into the receiving chamber (21).

[0069] In order to prevent air inside the receiving chamber (21) from leaking into the first cabinet (1) through the chamber through hole (223), the clothing processing device (100) may further be provided with a through hole cover (28).

[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the second processing device (100b) may be configured to include a cabinet (6, second cabinet) that is detachably fixed to the rear surface (12, first rear panel) of the first processing device (100a), and a heat exchanger (7) provided inside the second cabinet (6).

[0071] The second cabinet (6) may be provided to include a base panel (63) forming the bottom surface of the second processing device, a front panel (61, second front panel) formed on a surface facing the first rear panel (12) and forming one side of the second processing device, a rear panel (62, second rear panel) formed on the other side of the second processing device, and an upper panel (64) formed on the top surface of the second processing device.

[0072] The interior of the second cabinet (6) may be equipped with a first flow path (65, first heat exchange chamber) and a second flow path (66, 67).

[0073] The first flow path (65) above forms an air movement path parallel to the height direction (Y-axis direction) of the second processing device (100b) and may be provided as a first heat exchange chamber in which a first heat exchanger (71) and a second heat exchanger (72) provided in the heat exchanger (7) are mounted.

[0074] The second flow path (66, 67) may be provided with a second heat exchange chamber (66) in which a third heat exchanger (73) provided in the heat exchange section (7) is mounted, and a mounting chamber (67) in which a compressor provided in the heat exchange section (7) is mounted. The second heat exchange chamber (66) and the mounting chamber (67) may be connected to each other to form a single flow path in which air can move along the height direction of the second processing device.

[0075] It is preferable that the first flow path (65) and the second flow path (66, 67) are composed of independent flow paths, and FIG. 6 illustrates an example in which the two flow paths are formed through a partition wall (613) that separates the interior of the second cabinet (6).

[0076] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the first flow path (65) receives air discharged from the first processing device (100a) through the chamber inlet hole (651), and the air inside the first flow path (65) can be supplied to the first processing device (100a) through the chamber outlet hole (652).

[0077] The second rear panel (62) may be provided to include a chamber first rear panel (621) forming the rear surface of the first flow path (65), and a chamber second rear panel (622) forming the rear surface of the second flow path (66, 67).

[0078] The second processing device (100b) may be provided with an exhaust section (69, second exhaust section). The second exhaust section (69) is a means for moving air along the second flow path (66, 67), and the second exhaust section (69) may be provided to include an exhaust chamber (691, second exhaust chamber) connecting the second flow path (66, 67) and the outside of the second cabinet (6), and an exhaust fan (692, second exhaust fan) for moving air along the exhaust chamber (691).

[0079] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the heat exchanger (7) may be provided with a refrigerant passage (76) forming a refrigerant circulation path, a first heat exchanger (71) fixed to the refrigerant passage (76) and located inside the first passage section (65) to absorb heat from the air, a second heat exchanger (72) fixed to the refrigerant passage (76) and located inside the first passage section (65) to release heat to the air that has passed through the first heat exchanger (71), a third heat exchanger (73) fixed to the refrigerant passage (76) and located in the second heat exchange chamber (66), a compressor (74) located in the mounting chamber (67) to move the refrigerant along the refrigerant passage (76), and a passage switching section (75) that controls the movement path of the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger (72).

[0080] The first heat exchanger (71) is a means (evaporator, or heat absorber) for absorbing heat from the air flowing into the first flow path (65) and removing (condensing) the water vapor contained in the air. The second heat exchanger (72) is a means (condenser, or heat generator) for heating the air by releasing heat to the air that has passed through the first heat exchanger.

[0081] It is preferable that the first heat exchanger (71) is located below the second heat exchanger (72) and is provided to be inclined downward toward the bottom surface of the first flow path (65). If the first heat exchanger (71) is fixed to the first flow path (65) in an inclined structure, it has the effect of facilitating the removal of condensate from the surface of the first heat exchanger (71).

[0082] In addition, if the first heat exchanger (71) is fixed to the first flow path (65) in an inclined structure, the first heat exchanger (71) having a heat exchange area larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the first flow path (65) can be installed, and thereby the first heat exchanger (71) can more effectively exchange heat with the air.

[0083] To remove condensate falling from the first heat exchanger (71), a drainage section may be provided on the bottom surface of the first flow path (65). The drainage section may be provided to include a collection chamber (654) provided on the bottom surface of the first flow path (65) to provide a space for storing condensate, and a drain pipe (655) for discharging the condensate from the collection chamber (654) to the outside of the second cabinet (6).

[0084] The third heat exchanger (73) may perform the same function (heat absorption function) as the first heat exchanger, or may perform the same function (heat generation function) as the second heat exchanger. FIG. 9 illustrates an example of the flow path switching unit (75) that enables the switching of the function of the third heat exchanger (73).

[0085] The above Euro switching unit (75) may be configured to include a valve body (751) that provides a space for storing refrigerant, a refrigerant inlet (752) that introduces refrigerant into the valve body, a first connecting pipe (753) that communicates the inside of the valve body (751) with the outside, a second connecting pipe (754) that communicates the inside of the valve body (751) with the outside, a third connecting pipe (755) that communicates the inside of the valve body (751) with the outside, and a switching valve (756) that is movably provided inside the valve body and connects two of the three connecting pipes to each other.

[0086] The switching valve (756) may be configured to reciprocate between a pre-set first point and a second point. At the first point, the switching valve (756) may be configured to connect the second connecting pipe (754) and the third connecting pipe (755) (the refrigerant inlet is connected to the first connecting pipe), and at the second point, to connect the first connecting pipe (753) and the second connecting pipe (754) (the refrigerant inlet is connected to the third connecting pipe).

[0087] In this case, the refrigerant passage (76) includes a first refrigerant pipe (761) that guides the refrigerant discharged from the compressor (74) to the second heat exchanger (72), a second refrigerant pipe (762) that guides the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger (72) (refrigerant that has finished heat exchange with air in the second heat exchanger) to the refrigerant inlet (752), and a third refrigerant pipe (763) that guides the refrigerant discharged from the first connecting pipe (753) to the third heat exchanger (73). The third refrigerant pipe (763) may be equipped with a control valve (77) that regulates the pressure of the refrigerant.

[0088] Additionally, the refrigerant passage (76) may be provided to include a fourth refrigerant pipe (764) that guides the refrigerant passing through the third heat exchanger (73) to the third connecting pipe (755), a fifth refrigerant pipe (765) that guides the refrigerant discharged from the second connecting pipe (754) to the first heat exchanger (71), and a sixth refrigerant pipe (766) that guides the refrigerant passing through the first heat exchanger (71) to the compressor (74).

[0089] By means of the above Euro switching unit (75), the third heat exchanger (73) may receive refrigerant that has passed through the control valve (77), or may receive refrigerant that has not passed through the control valve (77).

[0090] The process of removing moisture from the target being processed (drying process) can proceed more quickly as the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air passing through the first heat exchanger (71) and the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air passing through the second heat exchanger (72) increases. If the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat exchanger (71) and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat exchanger (72) are designed to be wide to increase the amount of heat exchange, a problem may arise in which the total volume of the second processing device (100b) increases due to the increase in the volume of the heat exchanger (7), and in some cases, the compressor may be overheated.

[0091] The heat exchanger (7) can switch the function of the third heat exchanger (73) between an absorption function and a heat generation function through the flow path switching section (75). Accordingly, the heat exchanger (7) can supply high-temperature dry air to the first treatment device (100a) more quickly and effectively by setting the function of the third heat exchanger (73) to either an absorption function or a heat generation function in a specific section during the execution of a drying process divided into a preheating section, a constant rate section, and a deceleration section.

[0092] The above preheating period is defined as a period in which the temperature of the garment increases while the degree of dryness hardly changes, the above constant drying rate period is defined as a period in which the degree of dryness increases rapidly (the moisture content decreases rapidly) while the temperature of the garment hardly changes, and the above falling drying rate period can be defined as a period in which the degree of dryness hardly changes while the temperature of the garment increases.

[0093] In the initial stage of the drying process (preheating section), the temperature of the air discharged from the drum body (41) (the temperature of the air flowing into the first heat exchange chamber) is low. Therefore, in the initial stage of the drying process, the amount of energy absorbed by the refrigerant (heat absorption amount) must be increased in order to raise the temperature of the air supplied to the drum body (41), and thereby the time required to enter the constant rate section can be shortened (the time required for the preheating section to proceed can be shortened).

[0094] FIG. 9 illustrates the case where the switching valve (756) is located at the first point. In this case, the switching valve (756) can guide the refrigerant that has passed through the second heat exchanger (72) to the control valve (77), and the refrigerant that has passed through the control valve (77) will pass through the third heat exchanger (73) and then pass through the valve body (751) to be supplied to the first heat exchanger (71).

[0095] Accordingly, when the second exhaust fan (92) is operated, the refrigerant passing through the third heat exchanger (73) can absorb thermal energy from the air moving along the second flow path (66, 67). Therefore, the heat exchanger (7) can shorten the execution time of the drying process (drying time) by shortening the time of the preheating section.

[0096] Meanwhile, in the later part of the drying process (after the latter part of the constant rate section, or the above-mentioned deceleration section), the amount of energy absorbed by the refrigerant increases because the temperature of the air discharged from the drum body (41) is high. Therefore, in the later part of the drying process, the heat absorbed by the refrigerant must be released quickly so that the end time of the drying process can be brought forward and the heat exchanger (7) can be stably controlled (preventing overheating of the compressor, etc.).

[0097] When the switching valve (756) is located at the second point, the refrigerant passing through the second heat exchanger (72) is supplied to the third heat exchanger (73), and the refrigerant passing through the third heat exchanger is supplied to the first heat exchanger (71) via the control valve (77) and the valve body (751).

[0098] Accordingly, when the exhaust fan (35) is operated, the second heat exchanger (72) releases heat to the air moving along the first heat exchange chamber (65), and when the second exhaust fan (92) is operated, the third heat exchanger (73) releases heat to the air moving along the second path. Accordingly, the heat exchanger (7) can effectively release the heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the later stages of the drying process, thereby shortening the drying time and preventing overheating of the compressor.

[0099] The heat exchanger (7) described above can be controlled by a control unit (8, second control unit), and the second control unit (8) can be provided in the third flow path (68). As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the third flow path (68) can be provided as a flow path that supplies outside air to the space between the third heat exchanger (73) and the second exhaust fan (69) when the second exhaust fan (692) is operated.

[0100] The second control unit (8) may be configured to include a board fixing plate (81) located inside the third Euro unit (68), a circuit board (83) fixed to the board fixing plate (81), and a control circuit provided on the circuit board (83) to control the heat exchange unit (7).

[0101] The above board fixing plate (81) can be fixed to one side (mounting surface, 661) of the second heat exchange chamber. The control circuit provided on the circuit board (83) may be provided as a circuit capable of controlling at least one of the compressor (74) and the control valve (77), and an example may be an inverter circuit or inverter driver that controls the rotational speed (operating frequency) of the compressor (74).

[0102] For cooling the control circuit, the second control unit (8) may be provided with a cooling unit (84). The cooling unit (84) may be provided with a plurality of cooling fins fixed to the circuit board (83) and connected to the control circuit. That is, the cooling unit (84) may be provided by arranging a plurality of cooling fins parallel to the height direction (Y-axis direction) of the second heat exchange chamber (66) so as to be spaced apart along the width direction (X-axis direction) of the second heat exchange chamber (66).

[0103] The cooling unit (84) may be configured to exchange heat with air moving along the third flow path (68). To this end, the mounting surface (661) is provided with a chamber supply port (662) connecting the third flow path (68) and the second heat exchange chamber (66), and the cooling unit (84) may be configured to be located at the chamber supply port (662).

[0104] In order to facilitate the supply of air from the third flow path (68) to the second heat exchange chamber (66) through the chamber supply port (662) (to facilitate heat exchange in the cooling section), the clothing processing device (100) may further be provided with flow path forming sections (821, 822). FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which the flow path forming sections (821, 822) are provided on the board fixing plate (81). The flow path forming sections may be provided with a first spacer (821) and a second spacer (822) that are provided at both opposing ends of the board fixing plate (81) to maintain a gap between the board fixing plate (81) and the mounting surface (661).

[0105] In the above-described clothing processing device, air is supplied into the interior of the drum body (41) through the rear surface (412) of the drum, and the air inside the drum body (41) is discharged through the front circumferential surface (416) of the drum body (41).

[0106] Accordingly, the above-described clothing processing device may experience a phenomenon where clothing (to be processed) becomes dense in the front area of ​​the drum body (41), which may result in problems such as increased drying time or insufficient drying of the clothing. The above-described phenomenon of clothing becoming dense in a part of the drum body may occur frequently when drying lightweight and bulky items such as blankets.

[0107] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a control method for preventing the above-described phenomenon.

[0108] The above control method may be configured to include an air supply step (S10) for supplying air into the drum body (41), and a motion execution step (S20) in which the driving unit (5) rotates the drum body (41) during the progress of the air supply step (S10).

[0109] The above air supply step (S10) may be configured to operate the first exhaust fan (35) to move the air discharged from the drum body (41) to the heat exchanger (7), and to resupply the dehumidified and heated air from the heat exchanger (7) to the drum body (41).

[0110] The motion execution step (S20) may be configured to include a first execution step (S21) for rotating the drum body (41) along a first direction set as either clockwise or counterclockwise, and a second execution step (S22) for rotating the drum body (41) along a second direction set as either clockwise or counterclockwise. FIG. 10 illustrates an example in which the first execution step (S21) rotates the drum body (41) clockwise, and the second execution step (S22) rotates the drum body (41) counterclockwise.

[0111] The first execution step (S21) above may be configured to include a first rotation step (S211, forward first rotation step) of rotating the drum body (41) at a first rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of less than 1G, a second rotation step (S212, forward second rotation step) of rotating the drum body (41) at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed, a third rotation step (S213, forward third rotation step) of rotating the drum body (41) at a third rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of 1G or more, and a stop step (S214, first stop step) of stopping the rotation of the drum body (41).

[0112] As illustrated in FIG. 11 (a), the first rotation step (S211) may be provided as a step of moving the garment from a space located above the horizontal line (H) passing through the rotation center of the drum body (41) to a space located below the horizontal line (H). That is, the first rotation speed may be set to a rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of less than 1G on the garment, causing the garment to fall from a space (P1) located above the horizontal line (H) to a space (P2) located below the horizontal line. In the first rotation step (S211), the garment may roll, slide, or fall from a space (P1) located above the horizontal line (H) toward a space (P2) located below the horizontal line.

[0113] As illustrated in FIG. 11 (b), the second rotation step (S212) may be provided as a step of moving the garment within a space (P2) located below the horizontal line (H). That is, the second rotation speed may be set to a rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of less than 1G on the garment, while preventing the garment from moving out of the space (P2) located below the horizontal line (H). In the second rotation step (S212), the garment will roll or slide within the space located below the horizontal line (H).

[0114] As illustrated in FIG. 11 (c), the third rotation step (S213) may be provided as a step of rotating the garment together with the drum body (41). Since the third rotation speed is set to a rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of 1G or more on the garment, the garment can maintain a state of close contact with the circumferential surface of the drum body (41) during the third rotation step (S213).

[0115] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the stopping step (S214) may be provided as a step of controlling the driving unit (5) to terminate the rotation of the drum body (41). To terminate the rotation of the drum body (41), the first control unit may control the driving unit (5) so that torque in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the drum body (41) is supplied to the drum body (41).

[0116] Through the third rotation step (S213) above, the garment is maintained in a state of close contact with the circumferential surface of the drum body (41). However, if the garment is maintained in a state of close contact with the circumferential surface of the drum body for a long time, a problem may arise in which air is not evenly supplied to the entire garment. Since the part of the garment exposed toward the center of the drum body (41) can exchange heat with air, but the part in close contact with the circumferential surface will have difficulty exchanging heat with air, problems such as increased drying time, uneven drying (a phenomenon where some areas of the garment have a high degree of dryness and other areas of the garment have a low degree of dryness), or insufficient drying may occur.

[0117] Therefore, if the stopping step (S214) is executed after the third rotation step (S213), the problem described above can be minimized. Additionally, if the drum body (41) is braked by supplying torque in the opposite direction of rotation, the rotational speed of the drum body (41) will decrease rapidly, making it more effective to separate the clothing from the circumferential surface of the drum body.

[0118] As the surface area of ​​the clothing in contact with air increases, the drying time can be shortened; therefore, among the steps described above, the first rotation step (S211) can have a significant effect on shortening the drying time.

[0119] Accordingly, the execution time of the first rotation step (S211) can be set longer than the execution time of the second rotation step (S212) or the execution time of the third rotation step (S213). According to experiments, it was confirmed that the most effective way to reduce drying time is when the execution time of the first rotation step (S211) is set to be at least three times the execution time of the second rotation step (S212) or at least three times the execution time of the third rotation step (S213).

[0120] As previously explained, since the air supplied to the drum body (41) through the air supply step (S10) moves from the rear side of the drum body (41) toward the front side, if the first rotation step (S211) is prolonged, the clothing may become dense in the front area of ​​the drum body (41). Additionally, if the state in which the clothing is densely packed in the front space of the drum body (41) is maintained for a long time, the clothing may become tangled with each other.

[0121] The second rotation step (S212) prevents the clothing from rising into the space (P1) located above the horizontal line (H) passing through the center of the drum body, thereby reducing the movement of the clothing into the front space of the drum body (41) by air. Additionally, the second rotation step (S212) rotates the drum body (41) at a second rotation speed set lower than the first rotation speed, thereby inducing the clothing to spread out across the entire front and rear spaces of the drum body (41).

[0122] When the clothing is spread out on the drum body (41) through the second rotation step (S212), the control method executes the third rotation step (S213), and in the third rotation step (S213), the clothing maintains a state of being in close contact with the drum body (41). Therefore, water contained in the clothing can be easily separated from the clothing by centrifugal force.

[0123] Meanwhile, if the first rotation step (S211) and the second rotation step (S212) proceed for a long time, there is a possibility that the clothing may be damaged due to friction between the clothing and the drum body (41), but the third rotation step (S213) can also solve such a problem.

[0124] The execution time of the second rotation step (S212) and the execution time of the third rotation step (S213) may be set to be the same as each other, or one execution time may be set to be longer than the other execution time.

[0125] Meanwhile, to minimize the increase in drying time, it is preferable that the duration of the stop step (S214) be set to be the shortest among the execution time of the first rotation step (S211), the execution time of the second rotation step (S212), and the execution time of the third rotation step (S213). For example, the execution time of the first rotation step (S211) may be set to 180 seconds, the execution times of the second rotation step (S212) and the third rotation step (S213) may each be set to 60 seconds, and the duration of the stop step (S214) may be set to 10 seconds or less.

[0126] In order to minimize the entanglement of clothing inside the drum body during the execution of the first execution step (S21), it is preferable that the rotation direction of the drum body (41) set in the first rotation step (S211), the rotation direction of the drum body (41) set in the second rotation step (S212), and the rotation direction of the drum body (41) set in the third rotation step (S213) be set identically. Additionally, it is preferable that the first rotation step (S211), the second rotation step (S212), the third rotation step (S213), and the stop step (S214) described above be configured to be executed sequentially.

[0127] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the second execution step (S22) may be configured to be identical to the first execution step (S21), except for the rotation direction of the drum body (41). Since rotating the drum body (41) only in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction increases the likelihood of the clothing getting tangled inside the drum body (41), it is preferable that the motion execution step (S20) be configured to alternately execute the first execution step (S21) and the second execution step (S22).

[0128] If the first execution step (S21) is configured to rotate the drum body in a clockwise direction, the second execution step (S22) may be configured to include a first rotation step (S221, first rotation step in the reverse direction) for rotating the drum body (41) in a counterclockwise direction at the first rotation speed, a second rotation step (S222, second rotation step in the reverse direction) for rotating the drum body (41) in a counterclockwise direction at the second rotation speed, a third rotation step (S223, third rotation step in the reverse direction) for rotating the drum body in a counterclockwise direction at the third rotation speed, and a stop step (S224, second stop step) for stopping the rotation of the drum body.

[0129] That is, the first reverse rotation step (S221) is provided as a step of rotating the drum body (21) in a counterclockwise direction at a first rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of less than 1G in the clothing, the second reverse rotation step (S222) is provided as a step of rotating the drum body (21) in a counterclockwise direction at a second rotation speed smaller than the first rotation speed, and the third reverse rotation step (S223) is provided as a step of rotating the drum body (21) in a counterclockwise direction at a third rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of 1G or more in the clothing.

[0130] Unlike what is shown in the drawing, either of the first execution step (S21) and the second execution step (S22) may be configured to be initiated after the other execution step has been executed two or more times.

[0131] That is, the second execution step (S22) may be configured to be initiated after the first execution step (S21) is executed two or more times. Additionally, the first execution step (S21) may be configured to be initiated or resumed after the second execution step (S22) is executed two or more times.

[0132] Since the above-described clothing processing device relates to an example of the present invention, the scope of the present invention cannot be limited to the above-described structure or control method.

Claims

1. A control method for a clothing processing device comprising a drum providing a space for storing clothing, a driving unit for rotating the drum, and a heat exchanger for supplying air to the drum, wherein An air supply step of supplying air to the drum through the heat exchanger; and A motion execution step in which the driving unit rotates the drum during the progress of the air supply step; is included, The above motion execution step is, A first rotation step of rotating the drum at a first rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of less than 1G; A second rotation step of rotating the drum at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed; A third rotation step of rotating the drum at a third rotation speed that induces a centrifugal force of 1G or more; and A control method for a clothing processing device characterized by including a stopping step for stopping the rotation of the drum.

2. In Paragraph 1, A control method for a clothing processing device, characterized in that the motion execution step sequentially executes the first rotation step, the second rotation step, the third rotation step, and the stop step.

3. In Paragraph 1, A control method for a clothing processing device characterized in that the rotation direction of the drum set in the first rotation step, the rotation direction of the drum set in the second rotation step, and the rotation direction of the drum set in the third rotation step are the same.

4. In Paragraph 1, A control method for a clothing processing device, characterized in that the first rotational speed is set to a rotational speed that causes clothing to fall from a space located above a horizontal line passing through the rotation center of the drum to a space located below a horizontal line.

5. In Paragraph 4, A control method for a clothing processing device, characterized in that the second rotational speed is set to a rotational speed that prevents the clothing from moving out of the space located below the horizontal line.

6. In Paragraph 1, A control method for a clothing processing device characterized in that the execution time of the first rotation step is set to be longer than the execution time of the second rotation step and the execution time of the third rotation step.

7. In Paragraph 6, A control method for a clothing processing device characterized in that the execution time of the first rotation step is set to a time of at least three times the execution time of the second rotation step.

8. In Paragraph 6, A control method for a clothing processing device characterized in that the execution time of the second rotation step is set to be the same as the execution time of the third rotation step.

9. In Paragraph 6, A control method for a clothing processing device characterized in that the time during which the rotation of the drum is stopped through the above stopping step is set to be shorter than the execution time of the above second rotation step.

10. In Paragraph 1, The above motion execution step is A first execution step of executing the first rotation step, the second rotation step, and the third rotation step along a first direction set as either clockwise or counterclockwise, and then executing the stop step; and A control method for a clothing processing device characterized by including: a second execution step of executing the first rotation step, the second rotation step, and the third rotation step along the second direction set as the other one among clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and then executing the stop step.

11. In Paragraph 10, A control method for a clothing processing device characterized in that the first execution step and the second execution step are executed alternately.

12. In Paragraph 11, A control method for a clothing processing device, characterized in that either of the first execution step and the second execution step is initiated after the other execution step has been executed two or more times.

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