JP2008086421A - Washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing and drying machine enabling dust sticking onto fins or the like of a heat exchanger to be easily removed. <P>SOLUTION: The washing and drying machine includes a rotary tub 4 in which objects to be washed are housed, an air circulating passage 5 which communicates with the tub 4 and through which air drying the objects flows, a heat pump device 6 provided halfway on the passage 5, a blower 21 provided on the downstream side of the passage 5 and a filter 20 provided on the upstream side of the passage 5. A first watering means 11 and a second watering means 12 are provided inside the passage 5. Spraying tap water from the watering means 11 and 12 washes away the dust sticking onto the fins or the like of a heat sink 9 and a radiator 8 of the heat pump device 6, respectively. Waste water used for washing is drained from a drainage pipe 18 via a water collecting pipe 17 respectively. A magnetic valve 19 is provided at a joint of the water collecting pipe 17 and the drainage pipe 18 and closed at a drying process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing / drying machine for washing an object to be cleaned such as clothes and drying it after dehydration.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a washing / drying machine has been known in which a washing process (including a rinsing process) for washing articles to be washed such as clothes, a dehydration process after washing, and a drying process after dehydration are sequentially performed in a single device. (For example, Patent Document 1). In the case of this washing / drying machine, a system for performing the drying process will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 4, a drum B in which an object to be cleaned A such as clothing is accommodated, An air circulation path C through which drying air to be dried flows, a heat pump device D provided in the middle of the air circulation path C, a blower E provided on the downstream side of the air circulation path C, and an upstream side of the air circulation path C A filter F is provided, and the object to be cleaned A after washing and dehydration is dried by circulating air through the air circulation path C.

  In the heat pump apparatus D, a compressor G, two heat exchangers (a heat radiator H and a heat absorber I), and a throttle means J positioned between the two heat exchangers are connected by a connecting pipe to be connected to a refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant is circulated in the refrigeration cycle. The refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor G is discharged at a high temperature and a high pressure, and heat is exchanged between the radiator H and the air passing through the radiator H, thereby heating the air and cooling the refrigerant itself. When the pressure is reduced by the throttle means J, it is liquefied, and the heat absorber I cools and dehumidifies the air by exchanging heat with the air passing through the heat absorber I, and the refrigerant itself evaporates. The refrigerant gas is returned to the compressor G.

  In the drying process of the object to be cleaned A, the air in the drum B is sucked into the air circulation path C by the blower E, and the air is cooled as it passes through the heat absorber I as described above. Then, moisture contained in the air is dehumidified by condensing, and further heated when passing through the radiator H, and returned to the drum B as hot dry air to heat the object A to be cleaned. dry. In this way, by repeating the circulation of air through the air circulation path C, the drying process of the cleaning object A is performed in the drum B.

The filter F passes the air sucked from the drum B into the air circulation path C as described above, and separates dust such as yarn waste mixed in the air at that time. For this reason, it is possible to prevent dust such as lint from adhering to the fins and the like of the two heat exchangers (the radiator H and the heat absorber I), thereby suppressing a decrease in performance as a heat exchanger. ing.
JP2006-110394

  In the conventional washing and drying machine, a filter F is provided on the upstream side of the air circulation path C to separate dust such as yarn waste, but fine dust enters through the filter F together with air. Sometimes. When fine dust enters in this way, it adheres to the fins and the like of the heat exchangers H and I, and when the amount of adhesion increases, the thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger decreases.

  Since the heat exchangers H and I are disposed in the air circulation path C, it is not easy to remove dust adhering to the fins and the like, and in reality the removal operation is almost impossible.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a washing / drying machine which can easily remove dust adhering to fins and the like of a heat exchanger.

  As means for achieving the above object, claim 1 of the present invention includes a rotating tank in which an object to be cleaned is accommodated, and an air circulation path that communicates with the rotating tank and through which air for drying the object to be cleaned flows. A heat pump device provided in the middle of the air circulation path, a blower provided on the downstream side of the air circulation path, and a filter provided on the upstream side of the air circulation path. In a washing and drying machine configured to dry the object to be cleaned by circulating through an air circulation path, watering means is provided in the air circulation path, and water is sprayed from the watering means to the heat exchanger of the heat pump device. By this, the dust adhering to the fins of the heat exchanger is washed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the washing and drying machine according to the first aspect, the water supply pipe for supplying water to the water tank is branched, and the tip of the water supply branch pipe is disposed in the vicinity of the heat exchanger. Water spraying means is constructed, and water adhering from the water spraying means is used to wash dust adhering to the fins of the heat exchanger.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the washing / drying machine according to the second aspect, a nozzle or an automatic rotating watering device is attached to the tip of the watering means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the washing and drying machine according to any one of the first to third aspects, the watering means is disposed downward above the heat exchanger of the heat pump device, and the watering direction of the watering means is It is characterized in that the fin direction of the heat exchanger is substantially parallel.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the washing and drying machine according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, a water collecting pipe is attached to the air circulation path, and the water collecting pipe is connected to a drain pipe for draining from the water tank. The connection portion is provided with an electromagnetic valve.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, after adhering to the drying process, water adhering to the heat exchanger fins or the like is washed by watering the water circulation means provided in the air circulation path to the heat exchanger of the heat pump device. be able to. Thereby, while being able to suppress the fall of the thermal efficiency as a heat exchanger, a to-be-cleaned object can be dried efficiently.

  According to invention of Claim 2, the watering means is comprised by branching the water supply pipe which supplies water to the said water tank, and arrange | positioning the front-end | tip part of the water supply branching pipe in the vicinity of the said heat exchanger, and this watering By ejecting water from the means, dust adhering to the fins of the heat exchanger can be easily and efficiently washed.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the nozzle or the automatic rotary water sprayer is provided at the tip of the water supply branch pipe, the dust adhering to the fins of the heat exchanger is ejected by vigorously injecting the washing water by the nozzle. It can wash | clean reliably, or it can wash | clean efficiently over the whole fins of a heat exchanger etc. by sprinkling a wash water extensively with an automatic rotation water sprinkler.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the watering means is disposed downward above the heat exchanger of the heat pump device, and the watering direction of the watering means and the fin direction of the heat exchanger are substantially parallel. Further, it is possible to efficiently wash off the dust adhering to the surface of the fin, and it is possible to prevent the washing water from remaining on the surface of the fin due to good drainage.

  According to the invention of claim 5, a water collecting pipe is attached to the air circulation path, the water collecting pipe is connected to a drain pipe for draining from the water tank, and an electromagnetic valve is provided at the connecting portion. The heat exchanger is cleaned by the watering means in the open state, and the washed sewage can be drained to the outside through the water collecting pipe and the drain pipe. Further, by closing the solenoid valve during the drying process, it is possible to prevent the air in the air circulation path from escaping through the water collecting pipe.

Next, an embodiment of a washing and drying machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an embodiment of a washing / drying machine according to the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an outer tub, and a cylindrical water tub 2 is fixed in the outer tub 1 in an inclined state with a rear portion directed obliquely downward. A front end face of the water tank 2 is open, a bottom plate 2a is attached to the rear end face, and a drive motor 3 is attached to the center of the bottom face side of the bottom plate 2a. The rotating shaft 3a of the driving motor 3 protrudes into the water tank 2, and this protruding end is pivotally attached to the bottom of the cylindrical rotating tank 4. The driving motor 3 causes the rotating tank 4 to move into the water tank 2. In this way, it can be rotated with the center axis aligned.

  The rotating tank 4 has an opening at the front end, a bottom plate 4a attached to the rear end surface, and a plurality of small holes (not shown) in the peripheral side plate 4b. An object to be cleaned such as clothing (not shown) is placed in the rotating tub 4 and a washing process, a rinsing process, a dehydrating process, and a drying process to be described later are performed in series.

  An air circulation path 5 used in the drying process is provided inside the outer tank 1, and the upstream end of the air circulation path 5 is in communication with the opening end of the rotating tank 4 (and the opening end of the water tank 2). The downstream end is connected in communication with the bottom of the water tank 2. Thereby, the annular circuit of the air which returns to the inside of the water tank 2 from the inside of the rotating tank 4 via the air circulation path 5 is formed.

  A heat pump device 6 is provided in the middle of the air circulation path 5, and the heat pump device 6 includes a compressor 7, a radiator 8, a heat absorber 9, and a throttle means 10. A refrigeration circuit is formed by connecting these members to each other, and the refrigerant circulates through the refrigeration circuit. The two heat exchangers (the radiator 8 and the heat absorber 9) are disposed inside the air circulation path 5, and the radiator 8 is located on the downstream side of the heat absorber 9. As the throttle means 10, for example, a capillary tube or a throttle valve can be used, and is provided between the radiator 8 and the heat absorber 9. The throttle means 10 and the compressor 7 are disposed outside the air circulation path 5.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing watering means for cleaning the heat exchanger provided in the air circulation path 5. In this figure, 11 is a first watering means disposed in the vicinity of the heat absorber 9, and 12 is a second watering means disposed in the vicinity of the radiator 8. In the illustrated example, the first watering means 11 and the second watering means 12 are both positioned slightly in front of the heat absorber 9 and the heat radiator 8, but are not limited thereto. For example, the first watering means 11 and the second watering means are both reversed, but are located slightly behind the heat absorber 9 and the radiator 8, or the first watering means 11 or the second watering means. One of the means 12 may be located slightly forward and the other slightly backward.

  The first water sprinkling means 11 has a tip end of a water supply branch pipe 14 branched from a water supply pipe 13 (see FIG. 1) for supplying tap water to the water tank 2 introduced into the air circulation path 5. An automatic rotating water sprayer 15 is rotatably attached to the part. The automatic rotating water sprayer 15 includes, for example, a plurality of small holes 15b arranged along the longitudinal direction in a pipe 15a whose both ends are closed, and is attached to the water supply branch pipe 14 via a shaft portion 15c provided with a bearing. . Then, water is ejected from the small hole 15b by the pressure of tap water supplied from the tip of the water supply branch pipe 14, and the pipe 15a is automatically rotated via the shaft portion 15c by the reaction force generated by the ejection of this water. It is supposed to be. Since the second watering means 12 has the same configuration as the first watering means 11, the description thereof is omitted. Thereby, both the 1st sprinkling means 11 and the 2nd sprinkling means 12 wash | clean the dust adhering to the fin 9a of the heat absorber 9 and the fin 8a of the heat radiator 8 by sprinkling water, rotating automatically. be able to. As shown in FIG. 1, a switching valve 16 is provided at a branch portion between the water supply pipe 13 and the water supply branch pipe 14. Further, the water supply branch pipe 14 is branched in the middle so that water can be supplied to the first watering means 11 and the second watering means 12 respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 2, drainage ports 5a are provided at the bottom of the air circulation path 5 slightly behind the heat absorber 9 and the radiator 8, respectively, and these drainage ports 5a are provided as shown in FIG. Water collecting pipes 17 are respectively attached, the water collecting pipes 17 are connected to drain pipes 18 for draining from the water tank 2, and an electromagnetic valve 19 is provided at the connection portion. Thereby, if the electromagnetic valve 19 is opened, the sewage after washing by the first watering means 11 and the second watering means 12 can be drained to the outside through the water collecting pipe 17 and the drain pipe 18. Further, if the electromagnetic valve 19 is closed during the drying process, the air in the air circulation path 5 can be prevented from escaping to the outside through the water collecting pipe 17.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing another embodiment of the watering means when a heat exchanger is arranged in the vertical direction in the air circulation path 5. In the present embodiment, the second water sprinkling means 12 is disposed slightly above the radiator 8 positioned at the upper position in the heat exchanger, and the water spraying direction of the second water sprinkling means 12 and the radiator 8 are arranged. The fin 8a is substantially parallel to the direction of the fin 8a.

  In this case, the dust adhering to the surface of the fin 8a of the radiator 8 can be washed out efficiently, and the drainage can be improved to prevent the cleaning water from remaining on the surface of the fin 8a. Although not shown, the first watering means 11 is disposed downwardly slightly above the heat absorber 9 located in the lower part of the heat exchanger, and the watering direction of the first watering means 11 is The heat sink 9 is configured so as to be substantially parallel to the fin 9a direction, but the first water sprinkling means 11 is not disposed and only the second water sprinkling means 12 is disposed so as to clean the heat absorber 9 as well. It is also possible. In this way, when the second watering means 12 also serves as a washing unit for the two heat exchangers, the piping of the water supply branch pipe 14 and the water collecting pipe 17 is simplified, and only one watering means is required, so that the cost is low. It can be manufactured.

  Returning to FIG. 1 and continuing the description, a filter 20 is provided on the upstream side of the air circulation path 5 to allow air from the rotating tub 4 to pass therethrough during the drying process, and the yarn waste mixed in the air. Capture and separate trash. As the filter 20, for example, a fine mesh-like one formed of a synthetic resin or the like, or one formed by entwining fibers can be used.

  A blower 21 is provided on the downstream side of the air circulation path 5, and the blower 21 is formed so as to be able to rotate forward and backward by a motor (not shown). During forward rotation, air flows from the upstream side of the air circulation path 5. It flows toward the downstream side, and flows from the downstream side toward the upstream side during reverse rotation.

  Next, the operation of the washing / drying machine shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First, when an opening / closing lid (not shown) is opened and an object to be cleaned (not shown) is put into the rotating tub 4 and a necessary amount of water is supplied from the water supply pipe 13 into the water tub 2, most of the water supply rotates. It enters into the rotating tub 4 through a small hole in the peripheral side plate 4 b of the tub 4. Then, after putting a necessary amount of detergent into the rotating tub 4 and turning on a switch (not shown), the washing process starts. This washing process is performed by operating the drive motor 3 to rotate the rotating tub 4.

  When the electromagnetic valve 19 is opened after the washing process is completed, the washing sewage in the rotary tub 4 is drained by the drain pipe 18 through the water tank 2. After that, the rinsing process is performed by closing the electromagnetic valve 19 and supplying the required amount of water from the water supply pipe 13 into the water tank 2, and operating the driving motor 3 again to rotate the rotating tank 4. This rinsing step is usually repeated a plurality of times.

  After completion of the rinsing process, the electromagnetic valve 19 is opened again to drain the sewage in the rotating tub 4 through the drain pipe 18, and the rotating tub 4 is axially rotated by the driving motor 3 to perform the dehydrating process. In this dehydration step, the rotating tub 4 is rotated at a higher speed than during washing, and water is scattered from the object to be cleaned by centrifugal force. The water splashed from the object to be cleaned is drained from the drain pipe 18 through the water tank 2.

  After completion of the dehydration process, the heat pump device 6 is operated, and the blower 21 is rotated forward to perform the drying process. Moist air in the rotating tub 4 enters the air circulation path 5 by the forward rotation of the blower 21 and flows downstream through the filter 20. The moist air is cooled when passing through the heat absorber 9, and the moisture in the air is condensed. The condensed water generated here is drained by the drain pipe 18 through the water collecting pipe 17.

  The air dehumidified by the heat absorber 9 is heated when passing through the radiator 8 and becomes high-temperature dry air, flows into the water tank 2 by the blower 21, passes through the small holes, and enters the rotating tank 4. Returned. The object to be cleaned in the rotary tank 4 is heated by the high temperature dry air. The object to be cleaned can be dried by repeating such air circulation. When this drying process is performed while rotating the rotating tub 4, the drying efficiency can be increased.

  In the drying process, as the object to be cleaned progresses, the tendency for dust such as lint to float in the rotary tank 4 increases. The dust such as yarn waste is mixed into the air and flows into the air circulation path 5, but is captured and separated by the filter 20. For this reason, it is possible to prevent dust such as yarn waste from adhering to the fins 9a of the heat absorber 9, the fins 8a of the radiator 8, and the like, thereby suppressing a decrease in function as a heat exchanger.

  However, fine dust may enter through the filter 20 together with air. The fine dust that has entered adheres to the fins 9a of the heat absorber 9, the fins 8a of the radiator 8, and the like, and the amount of adhesion increases, the thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger is lowered. For this reason, in the present invention, when the amount of dust attached increases, the dust attached to the heat exchanger is washed away by the watering means. Since the amount of dust attached cannot be seen from the outside, for example, it is preferable to make a determination based on the number of washings or provide a sensor (not shown) for detecting the amount of dust attached.

After completion of the drying process, the object to be cleaned is taken out from the rotating tub 4, and the switching valve 16 is switched to supply the tap water supplied to the water supply pipe 13 into the water supply branch pipe 14 side. The tap water that has flowed into the water supply branch pipe 14 branches in the middle and is supplied to the first watering means 11 and the second watering means 12.
And in the 1st sprinkling means 11, tap water spouts from the small hole 15b of the pipe 15a of the said automatic rotation water sprinkler 15. FIG. The pipe 15a rotates through the shaft portion 15c by the reaction force accompanying the ejection of tap water.

  As a result, the pipe 15a injects tap water while rotating, and discharges the water toward the heat absorber 9 in a wide-angle divergent shape. Fine water adhering to the heat absorber 9 can be washed away by this water discharge, and the water discharge also enters between the fins 9a arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction. It can be washed away well. The sewage that has washed the heat absorber 9 flows into the water collecting pipe 17 from the drain 5 a of the air circulation path 5, and is drained to the outside through the water collecting pipe 17 by the drain pipe 18.

  Similarly, in the second water sprinkling means 12, tap water is ejected from the small hole 15b of the pipe 15a of the automatic rotating water sprinkler 15, and the pipe 15a is rotated through the shaft portion 15c by the reaction force accompanying the ejection of the tap water. To do. The pipe 15a sprays tap water while rotating, and discharges water toward the radiator 8 in a wide-angle end shape. Fine water adhering to the radiator 8 can be washed away by this water discharge, and since the water discharge also enters between the fins 8a arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction, the dust adhering to the surface of the fin 8a is efficiently removed. It can be washed away well. The sewage that has washed the radiator 8 flows into the water collecting pipe 17 from the drain port 5 a of the air circulation path 5, and is drained to the outside through the water collecting pipe 17 through the drain pipe 18.

  In this way, since both of the two heat exchangers of the heat pump device 6 remove the dust adhering to the fins or the like, it is possible to suppress a decrease in thermal efficiency as the heat exchanger. The first watering means 11 and the second watering means 12 both sprinkle in the horizontal direction from the side with respect to the heat exchanger. However, in the other embodiment shown in FIG. On the other hand, water is sprinkled almost vertically from above.

  In the other embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the operation of the automatic rotating water sprayer 15 is the same, but tap water is jetted downward from above the radiator 8, and the fins 8a of the radiator 8 are jetted of tap water. Therefore, the dust adhering to the surface of the fin 8a can be washed away efficiently, and the drainage is improved, and water can be prevented from remaining on the surface of the fin 8a. Further, as described above, the watering means is disposed above the two heat exchangers, but the watering means is provided only above the radiator 8 located at the upper level, and also serves as the watering means of the heat absorber 9 located at the lower level. It is also possible to make it.

Next, cleaning of the filter 20 will be described. The electromagnetic valve 19 is closed, and the blower 21 is reversely rotated to forcibly reverse the air in the air circulation path 5 toward the upstream side.
And it can exclude by blowing back flow air on the filter 20 and blowing off garbage, such as yarn waste adhering to the filter 20. Thereby, the cleaning operation of the filter 20 can be automatically performed, and the number of replacements of the filter 20 can be reduced.

  In this case, it is preferable that dust such as yarn waste blown off from the filter 20 does not return into the rotary tank 4. For this reason, for example, dust collecting means (not shown) is provided detachably on the upstream side of the filter 20. A sensor (not shown) for detecting the amount of dust such as yarn waste adhering to the filter 20 may be provided.

  In the above embodiment, an example in which an automatic rotating watering device is attached to the watering means has been described. However, a nozzle (not shown) is attached in place of the automatic rotating watering device, and tap water is ejected vigorously from this nozzle. can do. Moreover, it is also possible to arrange the tip of the water supply branch pipe in the vicinity of the heat exchanger and eject tap water from the tip in a vigorous manner.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to a washing / drying machine, and by adhering water from a watering means provided in an air circulation path toward a heat exchanger of a heat pump device, dust attached to fins and the like can be washed. .

It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows one Embodiment of the washing-drying machine which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the watering means in one Embodiment of the washing-drying machine which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows other embodiment from which arrangement | positioning of a sprinkling means differs. It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the conventional washing dryer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer tank 2 Water tank 3 Drive motor 4 Rotating tank 5 Air circulation path 5a Drain port 6 Heat pump 7 Compressor 8 Radiator 9 Heat absorber 10 Squeezing means 11 First watering means 12 Second watering means 13 Water supply pipe 14 Water supply Branch 15 Automatic rotating water discharger 16 Switching valve 17 Water collecting pipe 18 Drainage pipe 19 Electromagnetic valve 20 Filter 21 Blower

Claims (5)

  A rotating tank in which the object to be cleaned is accommodated, an air circulation path through which air for drying the object to be cleaned flows in communication with the rotating tank, a heat pump device provided in the middle of the air circulation path, and an air circulation path A blower provided on the downstream side and a filter provided on the upstream side of the air circulation path are provided, and the air is circulated through the rotary tank and the air circulation path to dry the object to be cleaned. In the washer / dryer, water spraying means is provided in the air circulation path, and the water adhering to the heat exchanger of the heat pump device is washed from the water sprinkling means to clean the dust attached to the fins of the heat exchanger. Washing and drying machine.   A water supply pipe for supplying water to the water tank is branched, and the tip of the water supply branch pipe is arranged in the vicinity of the heat exchanger to constitute the watering means, and water is ejected from the watering means to cause the heat to flow. 2. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, wherein dust attached to fins of the exchanger is washed.   The washing / drying machine according to claim 2, wherein a nozzle or an automatic rotating watering device is attached to the tip of the watering means.   The sprinkling means is disposed downward above the heat exchanger of the heat pump device, and the watering direction of the watering means and the fin direction of the heat exchanger are substantially parallel to each other. Item 4. The washing dryer according to any one of Items 3.   5. A water collecting pipe is attached to the air circulation path, the water collecting pipe is connected to a drain pipe for draining from the water tank, and an electromagnetic valve is provided at the connecting portion. The washing dryer described.

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