JP2008067996A - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a dehumidification amount at the time of a room dehumidifying operation to be made easily visible. <P>SOLUTION: This clothes dryer is equipped with a water level detecting means 28, a displaying means 29, and a controlling means 30. In this case, the water level detecting means 28 detects the water level of a dehumidification water container 25. The displaying means 29 displays the dehumidification amount of a heat sink 15 (dehumidifying means) in the room dehumidifying operation. The controlling means 30 controls the displaying means 29, and at the same time, calculates the dehumidification amount. Thus, by using the same water level detecting means 28 as a means for acquiring information for a water draining motion at the time of a drying operation and the room dehumidifying operation, the dehumidification amount in the room dehumidifying operation can precisely be calculated in spite of a simple constitution, and can be displayed on the displaying means 29. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a clothes dryer for drying clothes using, for example, a dehumidifying means using a refrigeration cycle, and more particularly to a room with a room dehumidifying function.

  A conventional drum-type clothes dryer has a structure as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the configuration will be described. As shown in the figure, a rotating drum 52 that rotates about a horizontal axis as a central axis is disposed in an outer case 51, and an opening on the front surface of the rotating drum 52 is opened and closed by a door 53. An air passage 55 including a drying chamber 54 set inside the rotary drum 52 is formed in the outer case 51. A damper 56a and a damper 56b are provided, and a circulation fan 57 is provided. A heat absorption device 58 and a heat radiator 59 installed in the air passage 55 and a compressor 60 and a decompression means 61 installed outside the air passage 55 constitute a refrigeration cycle. In addition, a dehumidifying operation fan 62 for supplying outside air to the air passage 55 is provided. A dehumidified water drainage channel 63 for draining the dehumidified water dehumidified by the heat absorber 58 is provided.

  In the above configuration, during the drying operation of the clothes, the dampers 56a and 56b are driven to the positions indicated by the broken lines in the drawing, the circulation fan 57 is operated, and the air flows in the order of the heat absorber 58, the condenser 59, and the drying chamber 54. Air is circulated in the air passage 55. Here, the compressor 60 is operated, and the high-humidity air flowing from the drying chamber 54 is cooled and dehumidified by the heat absorber 58, and then the air is heated by the radiator 59, and the high-temperature and low-humidity air is returned to the drying chamber 54. Helps dry clothes. The dehumidified water is discharged from the dehumidified water drainage channel 63.

Further, during the room dehumidifying operation, the dampers 56a and 56b are driven to the positions indicated by solid lines in the drawing, and the dehumidifying operation fan 62 and the compressor 60 are operated. The air in the room is supplied into the air passage 55 and flows in the order of the heat absorber 58 and the heat radiator 59, and the air is cooled and dehumidified by the heat absorber 58 and discharged from the air passage 55. The dehumidified water is discharged from the dehumidified water drainage channel 63.
JP-A-9-56992

  However, in the above conventional configuration, since the dehumidified water during the room dehumidifying operation is drained without the user seeing it, the user cannot visually confirm the effect of the room dehumidifying, and the dehumidifying effect is realized. There was a problem that it was difficult.

  The present invention solves such a problem of the conventional configuration, realizes a function of displaying the dehumidification amount during the room dehumidification operation at low cost, and allows the user to easily see the dehumidification amount. For the purpose.

  In order to solve the above conventional problems, the clothes dryer of the present invention includes a dehumidifying water container for storing dehumidified water dehumidified by dehumidifying means, a drain pump for draining dehumidified water from the dehumidified water container, and the dehumidified water container. Water level detecting means for detecting the water level of the water, display means for displaying the dehumidifying amount of the dehumidifying means during the room dehumidifying operation, and control means for calculating the dehumidifying amount dehumidified by the dehumidifying means and displaying the dehumidifying amount by the display means. The control means performs a drain operation by the drain pump when the water level detection means detects a predetermined water level during a drying operation, and performs a drain operation by the drain pump when the water level detection means detects a predetermined water level during a room dehumidification operation. In addition, the dehumidifying amount is calculated by multiplying the volume of the dehumidified water until the predetermined water level is reached by the number of times of draining operation, and displayed on the display means.

  As a result, the amount of dehumidification during the room dehumidifying operation can be accurately calculated with a simple configuration. Further, the same water level detecting means can be used as means for obtaining information for the drainage operation during the drying operation and the room dehumidifying operation.

  The clothes dryer of the present invention displays the amount of dehumidification during the room dehumidifying operation on the display means, so that the user can easily see the effect of the dehumidification, and information on the water level detecting means can be used for both the drying operation and the room dehumidifying operation. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide detection means corresponding to each of them, which can contribute to cost reduction of the clothes dryer.

  The first invention includes a main body, a drying chamber that is supported in the main body and dries clothes, a dehumidifying means that dehumidifies the air supplied by the blower means, and the air is supplied to the drying chamber and the dehumidifying means during a drying operation. A circulation air passage configured to circulate, a room dehumidification air passage configured to supply outside air to the dehumidifying means and exhaust the dehumidified dry air to the outside of the apparatus during the room dehumidification operation, the circulation air passage, and the room dehumidification Air path switching means for switching the air path, a dehumidifying water container for storing dehumidified water dehumidified by the dehumidifying means, a drain pump for draining dehumidified water in the dehumidified water container, and a water level for detecting the water level of the dehumidified water container Detection means; display means for displaying a dehumidifying amount of the dehumidifying means during room dehumidifying operation; and a control means for calculating the dehumidifying amount dehumidified by the dehumidifying means and displaying the dehumidifying amount by the display means. Dry luck Sometimes when the water level detection means detects a predetermined water level, the drainage pump performs a drainage operation.When the water level detection means detects a predetermined water level during a room dehumidifying operation, the drainage pump performs a drainage operation and until the predetermined water level is reached. By calculating the dehumidification amount by multiplying the volume of dehumidified water by the number of draining operations and displaying it on the display means, the dehumidification amount during the room dehumidification operation is calculated accurately and displayed on the display means while having a simple configuration. The user can easily visually recognize the effect of dehumidification. Also, the same water level detection means can be used as a means for obtaining information for the drainage operation during the drying operation and the room dehumidifying operation, and it is not necessary to provide a corresponding detection means for each, so that the cost of the clothes dryer can be reduced. Can contribute to

  In a second aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, the control means displays a drainage abnormality on the display means when the water level detection means detects the predetermined water level even if the drainage operation is performed for a predetermined time, By stopping the room dehumidifying operation, it is not necessary to separately provide a detection means for detecting an abnormality in drainage, which can contribute to cost reduction of the clothes dryer. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the dehumidified water from leaking out of the dehumidified water container due to the abnormal drainage.

  In particular, the third invention includes an exhaust port for exhausting air outside the machine and an intake port provided on the suction side of the blower means in the first or second invention. The path switching means comprises exhaust switching means for switching the air to the drying chamber side or the exhaust port side, and intake opening / closing means for opening and closing the intake port. Air can be sucked in, and the clothes drying operation and the room dehumidifying operation can be performed with a single air blowing means, which can contribute to cost reduction, weight reduction, and compactness of the clothes dryer.

  In particular, according to a fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, a temperature / humidity detecting means for detecting the temperature and humidity of the air is provided between the downstream side of the intake port and the dehumidifying means, and the display means. By displaying the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature / humidity detecting means during the room dehumidifying operation, the user can grasp the temperature and humidity of the room and can grasp the effect of dehumidification. In addition, during the drying operation, the temperature and humidity of the circulating air that has passed through the drying chamber can be detected to accurately determine the end of drying, and waste of power due to insufficient drying or excessive drying can be suppressed.

  According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in particular, in the fourth aspect of the invention, when the detected humidity falls below a predetermined value, the control unit can suppress the useless operation by stopping the room dehumidifying operation.

  The sixth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, enables washing of the clothes accommodated in the drying chamber, and drains the dehumidified water dehumidified by the washing water and the dehumidifying means from the common drain port. By doing so, from washing to drying of clothes can be performed consistently in the same tank, and the drainage port of the floor on which the main body is installed and the drainage port of the main body can be easily connected.

  In a seventh aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to sixth aspects of the invention, a compression unit, a radiator, a decompression unit, and a heat absorber are connected in a ring to form a refrigeration cycle, and a dehumidification unit Since the heat absorber is used, cooling water is not used for dehumidification, and power consumption can be significantly reduced as compared with the case where the temperature of the air sent to the drying chamber is raised by an electric heater.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an overall cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A cylindrical outer tub 2 is provided inside the main body 1, and a cylindrical inner tub 3 for storing clothes (not shown) is rotatably provided inside the outer tub 2, and is driven to rotate by a motor 4. Is done. The inner tub 3 becomes a clothes laundry room in the washing process, and becomes a clothes drying room 5 in the drying process.

  On the front surface of the main body 1, there are provided an opening 6 for putting clothes in and out and a door 7 for opening and closing the opening. A drain port 8 for discharging washing water and dehumidified water is provided in the lower part of the main body 1, and a drain valve 10 is provided in the washing water drain path 9. The air blowing means 11 is provided above the main body 1.

  The compressor 12, the radiator 13, the decompressor 14, and the heat absorber 15 (dehumidifier) constitute a refrigeration cycle, and the radiator 13 and the heat absorber 15 communicate with the intake port 16, the exhaust port 17, and the drying chamber 5. It arrange | positions in the exchange air path 18, and the heat absorber 15 is arrange | positioned in the upstream of the heat radiator 13. FIG. The radiator 13 and the heat absorber 15 are so-called fin-and-tube heat exchangers, and the decompression means 14 uses a restriction such as a capillary tube or an electric expansion valve. The intake port 16 is arranged on the suction side of the air blowing means 11.

  By the intake air opening / closing means 19 and the exhaust gas switching means 20 which are air path switching means, the air flow is switched to the circulation air path 21 as shown by the broken arrow in FIG. 1 and the room dehumidifying air path 22 as shown by the solid arrow. A temperature / humidity detecting means 23 for detecting the temperature / humidity of the air sucked by the blowing means 11 is provided in the suction air passage 24. A dehumidifying water container 25 for storing dehumidified water generated by the heat absorber 15 is provided at the lower part of the heat exchange air passage 18. The water stored in the dehumidifying water container 25 passes through the drain port 8 by the operation of the drain pump 26. It is discharged out of the main body 1. The dehumidified water drainage path 27 joins the washing water drainage path 9 downstream of the drain valve 10. The dehumidifying water container 25 is provided with a water level detecting means 28 for detecting the water level of the dehumidifying water.

  The display means 29 is arranged on the front upper part of the main body I, and an operation unit (not shown) such as a button is also provided. Information on the operation section, temperature / humidity detection means 23, and water level detection means 28 is input to the control means 30. The control means 30 includes the motor 4, the drain valve 10, the blower means 11, the compression means 12, the intake air opening / closing means 19, A room for controlling the exhaust gas switching means 20 and the drainage pump 26 to dehumidify the operation as a washing / drying clothes washing / drying machine and the place where the main body 1 is installed (here, a bathroom including a bathroom) While controlling the dehumidifying operation, the display content of the display means 29 is controlled. The control means 30 estimates the amount of dehumidification during the room dehumidifying operation and displays it on the display means 29.

  The operation and action of the above configuration will be described. In the washing operation, water is supplied until the water level reaches a predetermined water level in the outer tub 2 with the drain valve 10 closed, and the clothes are washed by rotating the inner tub 3 containing clothes and washing water by the motor 4. In the rinsing operation after washing, water is supplied into the outer tub 2 as in the washing operation, and the inner tub 3 is rotated to rinse the clothes. In the dehydration operation, the drain valve 10 is opened to drain water to the outside of the machine, and then the motor 4 is rotated at high speed to dehydrate the inner tub 3 containing clothes.

  In the drying operation, the intake opening / closing means 19 and the exhaust switching means 20 are switched to the broken line positions in FIG. 1 to operate the air blowing means 11, and air is supplied through the circulation air passage 21 and the suction air passage 24 as indicated by the broken line arrows in FIG. Circulate. Further, by the operation of the compression means 12, the low-temperature and low-pressure gas-liquid mixed refrigerant in the heat absorber 15 absorbs sensible heat and latent heat from the humid air coming out of the drying chamber 5 and becomes a low-pressure gaseous refrigerant. The refrigerant sucked by the compression means 12 is compressed to become a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant, dissipates heat to the air by the radiator 13, and becomes a high-pressure liquid refrigerant. Then, the pressure is reduced by the pressure reducing means 14 and flows into the heat absorber 15 again.

  The inner tub 3 is rotationally driven by the motor 4 so that the clothes are stirred up and down, deprived of moisture when the circulating air passes through the gaps of the clothes, exits the outer tub 2 in a humid state, flows through the suction air passage 24 and blows air. It is sucked by the means 11 and supplied to the heat absorber 15. In the heat absorber 15, the air is cooled and condensed, and dehumidified from the air. This air is heated in the radiator 13 to become hot air of high temperature and low humidity, flows through the circulation air passage 21 and flows into the inner tub 3 again, and promotes drying of clothes.

  The dehumidified water generated in the heat absorber 15 is stored in the dehumidified water container 25, and when it is detected that the water level detecting means 28 has reached a predetermined water level, the drain pump 26 is operated for a predetermined time and discharged outside the main body 1. The clothes are dried by the above operation. The temperature / humidity detecting means 23 detects the temperature and humidity of the circulating air that has passed through the drying chamber 5, and the drying is terminated when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature and lower than the predetermined humidity. Here, if the water level detection means 28 detects the predetermined water level even if the drainage pump 26 is driven for a predetermined time to perform the drainage operation, that is, if water does not decrease from the dehumidified water container 25, the drainage abnormality is indicated on the display means 29. Display and stop the drying operation.

  Next, the room dehumidifying operation for dehumidifying the place where the washing and drying machine is installed or drying the suspended clothes will be described. The intake air opening / closing means 19 and the exhaust gas switching means 20 are switched to the solid line positions in FIG. 1, and the air blowing means 11 and the compression means 12 are operated. By the operation of the air blowing means 11, the room air is sucked from the air inlet 17, cooled and dehumidified by the heat absorber 15, then reheated by the heat radiator 13 to become low-humidity air, and the room dehumidifying air passage 22 flows. And exhausted from the exhaust port 17.

  The dehumidified water condensed in the heat absorber 15 is stored in the dehumidified water container 25, and when the water level detecting means 28 detects that the water level has reached a predetermined level, the drain pump 26 is operated for a predetermined time and discharged outside the main body 1. Is done. Here, the volume of the dehumidified water until the predetermined water level is reached in advance, that is, the amount of drainage in one drainage operation is measured and stored in the control means 30, and the control means 30 stores the number of drainage operations once. The amount of dehumidification is calculated by multiplying the amount of drainage in the draining operation, and displayed on the display means 29. Further, the temperature / humidity detecting means 23 detects the temperature / humidity of the air in the room and displays it on the display means 29.

  Here, when the detected humidity falls below a predetermined value (for example, relative humidity 60%), the room dehumidifying operation is stopped. Further, when the water level detection means 28 detects the predetermined water level even if the drainage pump 26 is driven for a predetermined time to perform the drainage operation, that is, when water does not decrease from the dehumidified water container 25, the drainage abnormality is displayed on the display means 29. At the same time, the room dehumidifying operation is stopped.

  As described above, the amount of dehumidification during the room dehumidifying operation is calculated with high accuracy and displayed on the display means 29 with a simple configuration, so that the user can easily recognize the effect of dehumidification. Further, the same water level detection means 28 can be used as a means for obtaining information for the drainage operation during the drying operation and the room dehumidification operation, and it is not necessary to provide a corresponding detection means for each. Can contribute to cost reduction.

  In addition, when the water level detection means 28 detects the predetermined water level even if the drainage operation is performed for a predetermined time, the drainage abnormality is displayed on the display means 29, and the drying operation or the room dehumidifying operation is stopped to detect the drainage abnormality. There is no need to provide a separate detection means, which can contribute to cost reduction of the clothes dryer. Further, it is possible to prevent the dehumidified water from leaking out from the dehumidified water container 25 due to abnormal drainage.

  In addition, an air outlet 17 for exhausting air to the outside of the apparatus and an air inlet 16 for introducing outside air and provided on the suction side of the air blowing means 11 are provided. The exhaust air switching means 20 for switching to the 17 side and the intake air opening / closing means 19 for opening and closing the air inlet 16 enable the air blowing means 11 to select and suck in the air in the drying chamber 5 and the air in the room. One air blowing means 11 can perform clothes drying operation and room dehumidifying operation, which can contribute to cost reduction, weight reduction, and compactness of the apparatus.

  In addition, a temperature / humidity detecting means 23 is provided on the downstream side of the drying chamber 5 and the intake port 16 to detect the temperature and humidity of the air, and the display means 29 is the temperature of the room air sucked from the intake port 16 during the room dehumidifying operation. By detecting the humidity with the temperature / humidity detecting means 23 and displaying the humidity, the user can grasp the temperature and humidity of the room and can grasp the effect of dehumidification. Further, during the drying operation, the temperature and humidity of the circulating air that has passed through the drying chamber 5 can be detected to accurately determine the end of drying, and the waste of electric power due to insufficient drying or excessive drying can be suppressed.

  In addition, if the detected humidity during the room dehumidifying operation falls below a predetermined value, useless operation can be suppressed by stopping the room dehumidifying operation.

  In addition, the clothes stored in the drying chamber 5 can be washed, and the washing water and the dehumidified water dehumidified by the heat absorber 15 are drained from the common drain port 8 so that the clothes can be washed and dried in the same tank. In addition, the connection between the drain outlet on the floor and the drain outlet 8 on the main body can be facilitated.

  In addition, the compression means 12, the radiator 13, the decompression means 14, and the heat absorber 15 are connected in an annular shape to form a refrigeration cycle. No cooling water is used at all, and power consumption can be greatly reduced compared to the case where the temperature of the air sent to the drying chamber is raised by an electric heater.

  In the above embodiment, the method of forcibly draining the dehumidified water with the drain pump 26 has been described. However, an open / close valve is provided in the dehumidified water drain path 27, and the drain port 8 and the dehumidified water container 25 are opened when the valve is opened. It is also possible to use a method of naturally draining with a head difference.

  In the above embodiment, an example is described in which the dehumidifying means is mounted on a clothes dryer with a washing function that automatically performs washing to drying in the same tank. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The same effect can be obtained even with a clothes dryer that only performs drying.

  In the above embodiment, the dehumidifying means has been described as the heat absorber 15 of the refrigeration cycle. However, a method of cooling and dehumidifying air with a low temperature source such as a heat exchanger or a Peltier element to which low temperature water is supplied, or an adsorption The present invention can also be applied to a method of adsorbing and dehumidifying with an agent.

  As described above, the clothes dryer according to the present invention calculates the dehumidification amount during the room dehumidification operation with a simple configuration and accurately displays the dehumidification amount on the display means. The present invention can be applied to a clothes dryer or a clothes washer / dryer having a function of causing the above to occur.

Whole sectional view of a clothes dryer showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention Cross section of conventional clothes dryer

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 5 Drying chamber 8 Drain outlet 11 Blower means 15 Heat absorber (dehumidification means)
16 Intake port 17 Exhaust port 19 Intake opening / closing means (air path switching means)
20 Exhaust switching means (wind path switching means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 Circulating air path 22 Air path for room dehumidification 23 Temperature / humidity detection means 25 Dehumidification water container 28 Water level detection means 29 Display means 30 Control means

Claims (7)

A main body, a drying chamber supported in the main body for drying clothes, a dehumidifying means for dehumidifying the air supplied by the blowing means, and a circulation configured to circulate the air through the drying chamber and the dehumidifying means during a drying operation An air path, a room dehumidifying air path configured to supply outside air to the dehumidifying means and exhaust the dehumidified dry air outside the apparatus during room dehumidifying operation, and a wind for switching between the circulating air path and the room dehumidifying air path A path switching means, a dehumidifying water container for storing dehumidified water dehumidified by the dehumidifying means, a drain pump for draining dehumidified water in the dehumidified water container, a water level detecting means for detecting the water level of the dehumidified water container, and room dehumidifying Display means for displaying the dehumidification amount of the dehumidifying means during operation, and control means for calculating the dehumidification amount dehumidified by the dehumidifying means and displaying the dehumidification amount by the display means, and the control means includes the water level during the drying operation. When the discharge means detects a predetermined water level, the drainage pump performs a drainage operation. When the water level detection means detects a predetermined water level during a room dehumidification operation, the drainage pump performs a drainage operation and dehumidified water until the predetermined water level is reached. A clothes dryer that calculates the dehumidification amount by multiplying the volume by the number of times of drainage operation and displays the dehumidification amount on the display means. 2. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the control means displays the drainage abnormality on the display means and stops the drying operation or the room dehumidifying operation when the water level detecting means detects the predetermined water level even if the draining operation is performed for a predetermined time. . An exhaust port for exhausting air to the outside of the machine and an intake port provided on the suction side of the blower means for introducing outside air, and the air path switching means is an exhaust switch for switching the air to the drying chamber side or the exhaust port side. The clothes dryer according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a means and an intake opening / closing means for opening and closing the intake port. A temperature / humidity detection means for detecting air temperature and humidity is provided between the downstream side of the air inlet and the dehumidification means, and the display means displays the detected temperature and humidity of the temperature / humidity detection means during a room dehumidification operation. The clothes dryer of any one of 1-3. The clothes dryer according to claim 4, wherein the control means stops the room dehumidifying operation when the detected humidity falls below a predetermined value. The clothes dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the clothes contained in the drying chamber can be washed, and the washing water and the dehumidified water dehumidified by the dehumidifying means are drained from a common drain port. The clothes drying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a compression unit, a radiator, a decompression unit, and a heat absorber are annularly connected to form a refrigeration cycle, and the dehumidifying unit is the heat absorber. Machine.

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