JP2008307416A - Washing/drying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing/drying machine capable of improving the accuracy in the determination of the degree of dryness of the laundry, and capable of executing appropriate control of drying operation by devising the attaching position of a temperature sensor. <P>SOLUTION: The washing/drying machine includes a first temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of water fed into an air pathway and used for dehumidification by a dehumidifying means; a second temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of air located in the rear upper part inside an outer tub, in a space between the inner surface of the outer tub and the outer surface of a drum; and an operation control means for determining the degree of dryness of the laundry inside the drum based on the temperature detected by the first temperature detecting means and the second temperature detecting means when the drying operation is executed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing / drying machine for drying after washing clothes.

  For example, in a drum-type washing / drying machine, both ends of a ventilation path are connected to an outer tub in which a drum containing laundry is rotatably arranged, and a circulation air path is formed by the ventilation path and the outer tub. In the ventilation path, a dehumidifying part and a heating part are provided in order along the flow of the air flow, water vapor evaporated from the wet laundry in the outer tub is removed by the dehumidifying part, and dry air is heated in the heating part. It is heated by and supplied into the outer tub again. Generally, cooling water is used in the dehumidifying section to dehumidify the humid air.

  For example, in the drum-type washing and drying machines described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, cooling water is discharged into a ventilation path through which moist air passes, and dehumidification is performed by direct heat exchange between the cooling water and air. Yes. Therefore, the amount of heat exchange in the dehumidifying section, that is, the drying capacity can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of circulating air blown or the amount of cooling water supplied.

  However, if it is attempted to increase the air flow rate in order to increase the drying capacity, fine water droplets of the cooling water discharged into the ventilation path are easily wound up in the air flow and carried to the downstream side. In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a lint filter for collecting lint and dust is installed in front of the heating unit, but clogging occurs when scattered water adheres to the surface of the lint filter. There is a problem that the flow path resistance here increases and the amount of air flow decreases. Even when there is no lint filter, when a PTC heater (semiconductor heater) is used as the heating part, if water droplets adhere to the PTC heater, it tends to cause characteristic deterioration or failure. For this reason, conventionally, it has been necessary to reduce the air flow rate to such an extent that the water droplets of the cooling water are not carried downstream of the air flow, and it has been difficult to increase the heat exchange capacity, that is, the drying capacity due to the limitation. It was.

  In addition, conventionally, the temperature of the air (exhaust) after heat exchange with the laundry in the outer tub is detected by a temperature sensor disposed in a position where the cooling water is not applied inside the ventilation path, The temperature of the cooling water after being used for dehumidification is detected by a temperature sensor located at the inner bottom of the ventilation path, and the dryness of the laundry in the drum is judged using the monitor values of both temperature sensors. ing.

  However, by providing a temperature sensor for measuring the exhaust temperature inside the ventilation path, it is easy to capture the air temperature that changes from moment to moment, but local fluctuations inside the ventilation path, for example, fluctuations in the velocity of the air flow It tends to react too sensitively to the effects such as the adhering of temporary cooling water droplets. For this reason, the degree of drying of the laundry in the actual drum may not be accurately detected, and therefore, inappropriate drying operation control may be performed, resulting in insufficient drying or excessive drying.

  Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 3 and the like, a water storage tank that collects and stores water used at the last rinse of the washing operation, cooling water used at the time of the drying operation, and the like is stored. 2. Description of the Related Art A washing / drying machine is known that is disposed in a lower space of an outer tub and uses this stored water again as cooling water for dehumidification. In such a washing / drying machine, the water consumption can be increased by reducing the amount of tap water used. However, when water once used for dehumidification is collected and repeatedly used for dehumidification, there are the following problems.

That is, the temperature of the cooling water used for dehumidification in the dehumidifying section rises due to heat exchange and returns to the water storage tank. Although the amount of water stored in the water storage tank is large (usually about 30 L) and the heat capacity is large, the drying operation takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. The temperature rises gradually. For this reason, the temperature of the cooling water supplied to the dehumidifying section also increases with the progress of the drying operation, and the dehumidifying capacity in the dehumidifying section is reduced. As a result, the drying performance is reduced, which contributes to prolonged drying operation.
JP 2006-81574 A JP 2003-290588 A Japanese Patent No. 2650339

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a washing / drying machine capable of performing appropriate drying operation control by improving the accuracy of the determination of the degree of drying of the laundry by devising the mounting position of the temperature sensor. is there.

The present invention relates to an outer tub, a drum disposed in the outer tub so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis or an inclined axis, a suction port at the lower rear of the outer tub, and a discharge port at the upper front of the outer tub. A ventilation path having both ends connected to each other, and a blowing means for generating a circulating air flow that discharges air from the discharge port into the outer tub and draws the air in the outer tub from the suction port into the ventilation path. And a dehumidifying means for condensing and liquefying water vapor in the air by heat exchange with the cooling water supplied in the ventilation path inside the ventilation path, and downstream of the dehumidification means in the ventilation path A drum-type washing / drying machine comprising: heating means for heating the air after being dehumidified,
First temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of water after being supplied into the ventilation path by the dehumidifying means and used for dehumidification;
A second temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of air located at a rear upper part in the outer tub in a space between an inner surface of the outer tub and an outer surface of the drum;
An operation control means for determining the dryness of the laundry in the drum based on the detected temperatures of the first temperature detecting means and the second temperature detecting means when performing the drying operation;
It is characterized by having.

  The second temperature detection means includes a detector projecting from the outer tank so that the temperature of the air at the position in the outer tank can be directly detected, and the position in the outer tank. The detector may be attached to the outer wall surface of the outer tub so that the temperature of the air can be indirectly detected, and the wall surface temperature may be regarded as the air temperature in the outer tub.

  In the washing / drying machine according to the present invention, since the space in the outer tub in which the air whose temperature is to be detected by the second temperature detection means exists is away from both the discharge port and the suction port, the high-temperature air discharged from the discharge port Is hard to reach that space. Then, heat exchange is performed by contacting the laundry in the drum, and then the air that has risen by natural convection mainly reaches the space and stays there. Therefore, the second temperature detection means is used for the laundry in the drum. It is possible to detect the temperature of air that accurately reflects the degree of dryness. Moreover, since the amount of air in the outer tub is much larger than the amount of air in the ventilation path, the heat capacity is also large. Therefore, unlike the case where the temperature of air is measured in the ventilation path, it is less susceptible to local and temporary temperature fluctuations. Moreover, since it is away from the dehumidifying means provided in the ventilation path, the air in the space in the outer tub is not cooled by the cooling water supplied in the ventilation path, and the second temperature detection means is erroneously It is also possible to avoid detecting the temperature of the cooling water.

  Further, according to the washing and drying machine according to the present invention, it is possible to more accurately determine the degree of drying of the laundry, and it is possible to accurately control the drying operation based on this. Thereby, insufficient drying and excessive drying at the end of the drying operation can be reduced, and good drying can be performed.

  Hereinafter, a drum type washing and drying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the drum type washing and drying machine of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic side longitudinal sectional view at a position where a water supply / drainage path appears, and FIG. 3 is a right side view of a main part centering on an outer tub 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a portion related to the drying operation, and FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the main part centering on the outer tub.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a substantially circular garment input port 2 is formed on the front surface of a substantially cubic case 1, and the garment input port 2 is opened and closed by a laterally openable door 3 through which the inside can be seen. It is free. An operation panel 4 that is elongated to the left and right and on which various operation keys and indicators are arranged is provided on the clothing input port 2, a drawer-type detergent container 5 is installed on the left side, and the drawer is also on the right side. A dry filter container 6 of the type is installed. A water supply hose connection port 7 to which the other end of a water supply hose whose one end is connected to a water tap is connected is arranged at the rear of the upper surface of the housing 1, and one end is immersed in the bath water in the bathtub right next to the water supply hose connection port 7. A bath water hose connection port 8 to which the other end of the bath water hose is connected is arranged. The water supply hose connection port 7 is formed by exposing a water inlet of a water supply valve 21 described later directly to the upper surface, and the bath water hose connection port 8 is formed by exposing the water inlet of the bath water pump 22 directly to the upper surface. Has been.

  Inside the casing 1, an outer tub 10 having a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface is held in a freely swingable manner by a damper 11 that supports the left and right sides and a spring (not shown) that pulls the upper part. . A flange 10 a extending in a flat cylindrical shape is formed on the front surface of the outer tub 10, and an outer tub front surface opening 10 b that is open in a circular shape is formed on the inner side of the flange 10 a. The flange 10a and the peripheral edge of the garment insertion port 2 are connected by a flat cylindrical packing 12 made of an elastic body such as rubber. Inside the outer tub 10, a drum 13 having a substantially cylindrical shape for accommodating laundry is supported by a main shaft 14 that extends in the front-rear direction and is inclined forward. The front end surface of the drum 13 is formed with a drum front opening 13a which is widely opened. When the door 3 is opened, the interior of the drum 13 is passed through the outer tank front opening 10b and the drum front opening 13a from diagonally forward. You can peek into it.

  The front end of the main shaft 14 is firmly fixed to the rear surface of the drum 13 and is rotatably supported by a bearing 16 held by a bearing fixing member 15 mounted on the rear surface portion of the outer tub 10. A rotor 172 of an outer rotor type motor 17 as a direct drive type motor is attached to an end portion of the main shaft 14 protruding rearward of the outer tub 10, while a stator 171 of the motor 17 is fixed to the bearing fixing member 15. Has been. The rotor 172 including the permanent magnet is disposed so as to surround the outer peripheral side of the stator 171 including the winding. When a drive current is supplied to the stator 171, the rotor 172 rotates and is identical to the rotor 172 via the main shaft 14. The drum 13 is rotationally driven at a rotational speed of.

  In the upper space in the housing 1, a water supply unit 20 including a water supply valve 21, a bath water pump 22, and a water inlet 23 is disposed. The water inlet directed upward of the water supply valve 21 is the water supply hose connection port 7, and the water inlet directed upward of the bath water pump 22 is the bath water hose connection port 8. The water injection port 23 in which the detergent container 5 is freely detachable is disposed in front of the water supply valve 21, and the water supplied to the water injection port 23 through the water supply valve 21 and the bath water pump 22 mainly passes through the interior of the detergent container 5. As a result, the water is supplied into the outer tub 10 from the water throat 25 provided at the rear portion of the outer tub 10 through the irrigation pipe 24 connected to the bottom of the water throat 23.

  As described above, the water that has been supplied and stored in the outer tub 10 flows into the drum 13 through the water passage holes 13 b that are perforated in the peripheral wall surface of the drum 13. Further, the water discharged from the laundry in the drum 13 during centrifugal dehydration due to the high-speed rotation of the drum 13 scatters to the outer tub 10 side through the water passage hole 13b. A drain outlet 26 is provided behind the bottom of the outer tub 10, and the drain outlet 26 is connected to an inlet of a drain valve 27. When the drain valve 27 is opened, water stored in the outer tub 10 is stored. Is discharged through a drain hose (not shown) drawn out of the machine from a discharge port 29 formed at the lower side of the casing 1.

  On the other hand, the drain outlet 26 is also connected to the inlet of the water storage valve 31, and when the drain valve 27 is closed and the water storage valve 31 is opened, the water stored in the outer tub 10 is drained from the drain pipe. Instead of 28, it flows into a water storage tank 30 having a capacity of about 30L installed below the outer tub 10. Thereby, the water once used for washing (mainly final rinse) can be stored in the water storage tank 30 without discarding. The water storage tank 30 and the water inlet 23 are connected to each other through a circulating water channel 33 provided with a middle water pump 32 and a water supply circulating valve 37 in the middle thereof. Further, an ozone generator 34 for generating ozone by silent discharge is provided on the water storage tank 30, and the ozone gas generated by the ozone generator 34 is stored in the water storage tank 30 circulated by the action of the ozone mixing pump 35. Are blown through the ejector 36.

  In this drum type washing and drying machine, after final rinsing with tap water is executed, relatively clean water used for the rinsing is stored in the water storage tank 30 without being discarded. As is well known, ozone has an action of decomposing, sterilizing and deodorizing organic substances due to its strong oxidizing action. Therefore, it is possible to prevent germs from breeding in the water in the water storage tank 30 by blowing in the ozone generated by the ozone generator 34. When the intermediate water supply is designated at the time of the next washing, the intermediate water pump 32 is activated at the time of water supply execution, the intermediate water stored in the water storage tank 30 is sucked and sent to the water inlet 23 through the circulating water channel 33. Then, it is supplied into the outer tub 10 through the detergent container 5 instead of tap water or bath water. Thereby, the amount of water used for washing can be significantly reduced as compared with the prior art. Further, this middle water is also used as cooling water for dehumidification during the drying operation as will be described later.

  In order to perform the drying operation, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a suction port 40 is provided in the lower rear portion of the outer tub 10, and a discharge port 42 is provided in the upper front portion of the outer tub 10. Are connected by a ventilation passage 41 provided outside the outer tub 10. The ventilation path 41 is an upright pipe portion 41a that extends almost straight up from the suction port 40 to the rear right side of the outer tub 10, and is bent forward from the upper end of the upright pipe portion 41a so that the outer periphery of the outer tub 10 is slanted outward. An inclined pipe part 41b extending upward, a connecting pipe part 41c made of a bellows-like elastic member extending upward from the front end of the inclined pipe part 41b, and fixed above the casing 1 and positioned above the outer tub 10, and vertically 2 The folded pipe part 41d which the horizontal pipe line formed in the step | line communicates in the front part, and the ventilation heating pipe part 41e which is located in the left side of the folded pipe part 41d, and the terminal is connected to the discharge port 42 are comprised. .

  A cooling water supply port 41f is formed on the upper surface of the inclined pipe portion 41b of the ventilation passage 41, and an end of a cooling water hose 38 provided with a cooling water valve 21b is connected to the cooling water supply port 41f. ing. When the cooling water valve 21b is opened, the tap water supplied to the water supply hose connection port 7 is supplied as dehumidifying cooling water and is discharged from the cooling water supply port 41f into the inclined pipe portion 41b. Similarly, in order to supply the dehumidifying cooling water, a watering chamber 46 in which watering holes 46 a are formed is provided in the upper part of the upright pipe portion 41 a of the ventilation passage 41. Middle water is supplied to the sprinkling chamber 46 through a dehumidifying middle water channel 47 branched from the circulating water channel 33, so that more water than can be sprinkled is returned to the water storage tank 30 via the return middle water channel 49. It has become.

  A dry filter container 6 having a lint filter 6a disposed therein is retractably accommodated in the front part of the upper horizontal pipe line of the folded pipe part 41d. The dry filter container 6 is accommodated therein. If it does so, the air which flows through a pipe line will pass the lint filter 6a. The lint filter 6a is formed, for example, in a sheet shape or a plate shape from a nonwoven fabric or a porous body made of a synthetic resin.

  A fan 44 that is rotationally driven by a fan motor 43 and a PTC heater 45 for drying are disposed along the air flow in the blower heating pipe portion 41e on the downstream side of the lint filter 6a. .

  Thus, when the fan 44 is rotationally driven by the fan motor 43 during the drying operation, an air flow is generated in the circulation air passage formed by the ventilation passage 41 and the outer tub 10 as described above. This air flow is heated by the PTC heater 45 and then discharged from the discharge port 42 and supplied into the outer tub 10. When passing through the inside of the drum 13, heat is exchanged with the laundry to remove moisture and the suction port 40. It flows into the ventilation path 41 through. When the cooling water valve 21b is opened, the cooling water supplied through the cooling water hose 38 flows from the inclined pipe part 41b to the upright pipe part 41a and falls in the upright pipe part 41a in the form of a mist. Further, when the intermediate water pump 32 is activated and the dehumidification recirculation valve 48 is opened, intermediate water is sprayed into the upright pipe portion 41 a from the water spray hole 46 a of the water spray chamber 46. Therefore, in any case, the dehumidifying cooling water exchanges heat with the moist air rising from below in the upright pipe portion 41a to condense and liquefy the water vapor. That is, the space in the upright pipe portion 41a mainly functions as a dehumidifying means. The water produced by the dew condensation flows along the inner wall of the upright pipe portion 41 a of the ventilation path 41 together with the sprayed cooling water, flows into the outer tub 10 through the suction port 40, and is discharged from the drain port 26.

  As described above, the dry air from which the water vapor is removed mainly in the upright pipe portion 41a of the ventilation path 41 is composed of the inclined pipe portion 41b, the connecting pipe portion 41c, and the lower horizontal pipe portion 41d1 and the folded portion. It passes through 41d2 and reaches the upper horizontal tube portion 41d3. Here, it passes through the lint filter 6a, enters the blower heating pipe section 41e, passes through the fan 44 and returns to the PTC heater 45, and is circulated and heated again. Foreign matters such as lint, dust and pollen mixed in the air when passing through the lint filter 6a are removed.

  In addition, the ozone generator 34 and the casing of the fan 44 are connected by an ozone supply pipe (not shown), and when the ozone generator 34 is activated in a state where an air flow is generated in the ventilation passage 41 as described above, Ozone that has passed through the ozone supply pipe by the suction action of the fan 44 is drawn into the ventilation path 41 and supplied to the outer tub 10. Thereby, the deodorization and sterilization of the laundry accommodated in the drum 13 can also be performed at the time of drying operation.

  Next, the structural features and operation relating to the drying of the drum type washer / dryer of this embodiment will be described. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the main part of the ventilation path 41, FIG. 7 is a side view (a) and a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA 'of the folded pipe part 41d, and FIG. 8 forms the folded pipe part 41d. It is the top view (a), bottom view (b), and BB 'arrow sectional view (c) of the horizontal partition plate 53 which is one member.

  In order to improve the drying performance in the drum type washing and drying machine of the present embodiment, it is effective to increase the flow rate (that is, the air flow rate) of the air flow through the ventilation path 41 by increasing the rotational speed of the fan 44, for example. However, when the air flow rate is increased, the cooling water discharged from the cooling water supply port 41f in the inclined pipe portion 41b is wound up into a strong air flow rising from below, and the scattered water droplets ride on the air flow downstream. It becomes easy to be carried to. As shown in FIG. 6, on the downstream side, the air flow is almost straight upward in the connecting pipe portion 41c, and is bent at the corner of the connecting portion between the connecting pipe portion 41c and the horizontal pipe portion 41d1 and the folded portion 41d2. However, in some cases, water droplets riding on the air flow may reach the lint filter 6a and adhere to the surface of the lint filter 6a, which may cause clogging.

  In order to prevent this, in the drum type washer / dryer of the present embodiment, the lower horizontal tube portion (main book) of the folded tube portion 41d, in which the air flow rising through the connecting tube portion 41c is bent in the lateral direction and proceeds. (It corresponds to the pipe line in the invention) On the top surface of 41d1, there is provided a restraining rib (corresponding to the water blocking portion in the present invention) 53a for suppressing the scattering of water droplets on the downstream side. Specifically, the folded pipe portion 41d is mainly formed in a case made up of a lower case 51 and an upper case 52, and a flat horizontal partition plate 53 is fixed inside with a screw. A lower horizontal pipe portion 41d1 is formed below the horizontal partition plate 53, an upper horizontal pipe portion 41d3 is formed above, and a folded portion 41d2 is formed in front of the front end. On the lower surface of the horizontal partition plate 53, that is, the top surface of the horizontal pipe portion 41d1, an arch that bulges toward the airflow flowing through the horizontal pipe portion 41d1 (that is, to the right in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8). Suppression ribs 53a having a shape (arc-shaped) surface are provided projecting at two locations apart in the air flow direction. The protruding height of the restraining rib 53a is such that it is low in the width direction of the horizontal pipe portion 41d1, that is, in the vicinity of the central axis of the air flow, and gradually increases from there toward both ends. Note that the two reinforcing ribs 53b extending along the air flow direction are ribs mainly for increasing mechanical strength.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the connecting portion between the connecting pipe portion 41c and the upper horizontal pipe portion 41d1 is bent in a substantially vertical shape. Therefore, most of the airflow flowing therethrough is on the inlet side of the horizontal pipe portion 41d1. Once it hits the top, it bends almost vertically. The flow velocity increases outside the bend and decreases inside. Therefore, when minute water droplets are mixed in this air flow, the water droplets mainly flow on the side closer to the top surface of the horizontal tube portion 41d1, and thus easily come into contact with the suppression rib 53a formed on the top surface as described above. . Since the restraining rib 53a has an arch shape as described above, the water adhering to the surface of the restraining rib 53a moves along the curved surface of the arch and moves to both sides of the horizontal pipe portion 41d1. Since the velocity of the airflow flowing through the horizontal pipe portion 41d is small at positions closer to both sides than the central portion, even if a water pool is formed on the surface of the restraining rib 53a, there is a low possibility that the airflow will be torn off and scattered again. Further, the restraining rib 53a is erected so as to block a part of the air flow. However, since the protruding height is low at the center in the width direction of the horizontal pipe portion 41d, the flow resistance against the air flow is large. It is possible to avoid the decrease in the air volume due to this.

  Further, the bottom surface of the horizontal pipe portion 41d1 has no ribs that block at least the air flow unlike the restraining rib 53a, and the bottom surface is gently inclined downward toward the upstream side, that is, the connecting pipe portion 41c side. The water accumulated on the bottom surface by dropping from the rib 53a flows along this inclination by gravity, and flows down from the connecting pipe part 41c to the inclined pipe part 41b. For this reason, the water does not remain in the horizontal pipe portion 41d1.

  Next, the control at the time of the drying operation in the drum type washing / drying machine of the present embodiment will be described. In this drum type washer / dryer, the temperature of dehumidified water mixed with cooling water and dew condensation water after being used for dehumidification in order to determine the dryness of the laundry accommodated in the drum 13 during the drying operation. And the temperature of the air after heat exchange with the laundry in the drum 13 is used. A dehumidifying water temperature sensor 67 (corresponding to the first temperature sensor in the present invention) 67 for detecting the temperature of the dehumidifying water passes along the bottom of the upright pipe portion 41a in the vicinity of the suction port 40, that is, in the upright pipe portion 41. It is arranged at the position where the dehumidified water that has come is collected. On the other hand, the exhaust temperature sensor (corresponding to the second temperature sensor in the present invention) 66 for detecting the temperature of the circulating air has been conventionally provided in the ventilation path or on the outer wall surface of the ventilation path. Here, in the space between the outer surface of the drum 13 and the inner surface of the outer tub 10, the temperature of the air existing in the space above the rear portion in the outer tub 10 can be indirectly detected on the outer wall surface of the outer tub 10. It is installed closely. Since the suction port 40 is provided in the lower part of the rear surface of the outer tub 10 and the discharge port 42 is provided in the upper part of the front surface of the outer tub 10, the position where the air to be detected by the exhaust temperature sensor 66 is present is the suction port 40, the discharge port. It is a position far from any of the outlets 42 and is a position not immersed in water stored in the outer tub 10 during a washing operation.

  Compared with the ventilation path 41, the amount of air in the outer tub 10 is remarkably large, so the heat capacity is large, and the high-temperature air discharged from the discharge port 42 directly reaches the temperature detection position by the exhaust temperature sensor 66. Hateful. Therefore, the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature sensor 66 is not easily affected by local temperature changes due to fluctuations in the air flow velocity. Moreover, since it is away from the sprinkling part of the dehumidifying cooling water and the part where the dehumidified water flows, water does not splash on the inner surface of the outer tub 10 inside the installation position of the exhaust temperature sensor 66 during the drying operation. Furthermore, since the exhaust temperature sensor 66 is installed at the upper part of the outer tub 10, air that has risen by natural convection inside the drum 13 while exchanging heat with the laundry is detected by the exhaust temperature sensor 66. It is easy to accumulate in the space in the outer tub 10. For this reason, the exhaust temperature sensor 66 can stably measure the temperature of the air reflecting the dryness of the laundry in the drum 13.

  In this embodiment, the temperature of the outer wall surface of the outer tub 10 is detected by the exhaust temperature sensor 66, and the detected temperature is regarded as the air temperature inside (or faithfully reflecting the air temperature). However, the detection part of the exhaust temperature sensor 66 may be protruded to the inside of the outer tub 10 to directly measure the temperature of the air.

  FIG. 9 is an electric system configuration diagram of the drum type washing and drying machine of the present embodiment. The control unit 60 as the operation control means in the present invention is mainly configured by a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a timer, and the like, and based on a control program stored in the ROM, washing, rinsing, dehydration and Various controls for performing the driving operation in each process of drying are executed.

A key input signal is given to the control unit 60 from the operation unit 62, a door switch 64 for detecting the opening and closing of the door 3, a water level sensor 65 for detecting the water level of water stored in the outer tub 10, and the above-described external Detection signals are input from an exhaust temperature sensor 66 that detects the temperature of the air in the tank 10 and a dehumidified water temperature sensor 67 that detects the temperature of the dehumidified water, respectively. Further, a display unit 63 and a load driving unit 61 are connected to the control unit 60, and the drum motor 17, the fan motor 43, the PTC heater 45 for drying, the water supply valve 21 a, the cooling are connected via the load driving unit 61. The operations of the water valve 21b, the drain valve 27, the water storage valve 31, the middle water pump 32, the water supply recirculation valve 37, the dehumidification recirculation valve 48, the ozone mixing pump 35, and the like are controlled.


In the following description, the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature sensor 66 is called the exhaust temperature Ta, and the temperature detected by the dehumidified water temperature sensor 67 is called the dehumidified water temperature Tb. In the drum type washing and drying machine of this embodiment, for dehumidification during the drying operation, the tap water supplied from the outside and the water stored in the water storage tank 30 after being used for the final rinse (that is, the inside) Water). When it is desired to use middle water for dehumidification in order to save water, the user sets the middle water dehumidification with the operation unit 62 before the start of the washing / drying operation.

  If middle water dehumidification is selected during the drying operation, the drying operation is performed by dehumidification using the middle water as the cooling water (however, when the middle water is not stored, tap water is automatically selected. ) That is, the control unit 60 operates the intermediate water pump 32 and opens the dehumidification recirculation valve 48 and closes the feed water recirculation valve 37 so that the intermediate water stored in the water storage tank 30 is supplied to the water spray chamber 46. . At this time, the drain valve 27 is closed and the water storage valve 31 is opened. Therefore, the middle water discharged from the water spray hole 46a of the water spray chamber 46 flows into the outer tub 10, returns to the water storage tank 30 from the drain port 26 through the water storage valve 31, and is repeatedly used.

  The cooling water is warmed in the upright pipe portion 41a of the ventilation passage 41 in order to exchange heat with moist and hot air, and the condensed water generated by dehumidification is mixed, so that the water returning to the water storage tank 30 is sprinkling chamber. The temperature is higher than that at the time of being sent to 46. Although the amount of water stored in the water storage tank 30 is much larger than the flow rate of water supplied for dehumidification, if the intermediate water is continuously supplied to the dehumidification during the drying operation, the water storage tank 30 The temperature of the stored water gradually rises. When the temperature of the cooling water increases, the heat exchange efficiency deteriorates and the dehumidifying action decreases. This leads to a decrease in drying performance.

  Therefore, in this drum type washing and drying machine, characteristic control is executed to ensure sufficient drying performance even when middle water is used for dehumidification. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the measurement results of the exhaust temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb during the drying operation and the changes in the temperature difference.

  That is, when the drying operation is started, the control unit 60 controls the drum motor 17 to rotate forward and backward at predetermined time intervals via the load driving unit 61, thereby rotating the drum 13 forward and backward at a low speed. As a result, the laundry is slowly stirred in the drum 13. Further, the drain valve 27 is closed and the water storage valve 31 is opened. Thereby, the water (dehumidified water) discharged from the outer tank 10 returns to the water storage tank 30. Further, the fan motor 43 is operated at a predetermined rotational speed, and a heating current is supplied to the PTC heater 45. Thus, the heated air heated by the PTC heater 45 is fed into the outer tub 10 and flows into the drum 13 that is rotationally driven. Further, the intermediate water pump 32 is operated, the dehumidification recirculation valve 48 is opened, and the feed water recirculation valve 37 is closed, so that the intermediate water begins to be supplied to the watering chamber 46. As a result, air containing water vapor discharged from the laundry by exchanging heat with the laundry in the drum 13 is dehumidified when passing through the upright pipe portion 41a of the ventilation passage 41, and the dry air passes through the lint filter 6a. After that, it returns to the fan 44.

  After the drying operation is started, the control unit 60 detects the exhaust temperature Ta by the exhaust temperature sensor 66 and starts detecting the temperature Tb of the dehumidified water by the dehumidified water temperature sensor 67. For a while from the start of the drying operation, most of the heat amount of the heated air discharged from the discharge port 42 is located in the drum 13, the laundry, the inner wall surface of the outer tub 10, or the ventilation path 41 through which the heated air passes. It is spent on raising the temperature of other structures and does not contribute much to the evaporation of water that is infiltrated into the laundry. At this time, both the exhaust gas temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb gradually increase (period shown in FIG. 10 (I)).

  When a predetermined time t1 (about 25 minutes in this case) has elapsed since the start of the drying operation, the control unit 60 stops the supply of the cooling water to the watering chamber 46 by temporarily stopping the operation of the intermediate water pump 32 (FIG. 10 ( II)). When the supply of the cooling water is stopped, the air in the upright pipe portion 41a of the ventilation path 41 is not cooled, so the temperature of the air returning to the PTC heater 45 becomes relatively high. Therefore, the temperature rise rate of the heated air supplied into the outer tub 10 is also increased. In addition, since the cooling water is not supplied, the dehumidified water temperature sensor 67 substantially detects the temperature of the air in the ventilation passage 41 near the suction port 40, and this detected temperature also rises rapidly.

  As the temperature of the air supplied into the outer tub 10 is increased, heat exchange between the heated air and the laundry in the drum 13 becomes active, and a large amount of water vapor is generated from the laundry. After stopping the supply of the cooling water for a predetermined time t2 (here, about 5 minutes), the process proceeds to an intermittent supply period of the cooling water (a period shown in FIG. 10 (III)). When entering this period, the control unit 60 controls the on / off of the middle water pump 32 to alternately supply the cooling water at the predetermined time t3 and stop supplying the cooling water at the predetermined time t4. Here, both t3 and t4 are set to 10 minutes.

  When cooling water is supplied to the watering chamber 46 (period a), the air containing a large amount of water vapor evaporated from the laundry by heating up to that time is dehumidified when passing through the upright pipe portion 41a of the ventilation path 41. . As a result, the air temperature Ta detected by the exhaust temperature sensor 66 also suddenly decreases. On the other hand, since the dehumidified water temperature sensor 67 is in contact with the dehumidified water, the temperature Tb also suddenly decreases.

  On the other hand, in the cooling water supply stop period (b period), the exhaust temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb rise rapidly as in the period (II). Although dehumidification is not performed during this period, evaporation of water from the laundry can be further promoted by increasing the temperature of the air supplied into the outer tub 10. Then, a large amount of water vapor generated in this period b is condensed and liquefied at a stretch in the next period a and removed from the air.

  On the other hand, during the period a, the temperature of the dehumidified water gradually increases, and in this state, the dehumidified water circulates in the water storage tank 30, so that the temperature of the water in the water storage tank 30 gradually increases and is sent to the water spray chamber 46. The temperature of the supplied cooling water itself will rise. If the temperature of the cooling water increases, the heat exchange efficiency during dehumidification deteriorates, leading to a decrease in dehumidification capacity. On the other hand, since the relatively high temperature dehumidified water does not return into the water storage tank 30 during the period b, the temperature of the water stored in the water storage tank 30 hardly increases (depending on conditions such as the outside temperature). May go up and down). For this reason, by intermittently supplying the cooling water as in this embodiment, the degree of the temperature rise of the cooling water can be reduced as compared with the case where the medium water in the water storage tank 30 is continuously supplied as the cooling water. Can be suppressed. Thereby, the fall of the dehumidification capability at the time of performing dehumidification can be avoided.

  As described above, the temperature of the heated air supplied into the outer tub 10 during the period b is increased, and the temperature of the cooling water circulated and supplied during the period a is kept relatively low to ensure the dehumidifying capacity. In combination, the overall drying performance can be improved as compared with the case where the medium water in the water storage tank 30 is continuously supplied as cooling water. According to the experiments by the present inventors, when drying a laundry with a capacity of 6 kg, the drying rate can be improved by about 1% compared to the case where continuous water is supplied as cooling water. It could be confirmed. Thereby, the shortening effect of the drying operation required time for about 15 minutes can be acquired.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the laundry in the drum 13 is sufficiently moist and can sufficiently exchange heat with high-temperature air, both the exhaust temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb show almost the same increasing tendency. However, when the laundry becomes dry and heat exchange in the drum 13 cannot be performed sufficiently, the amount of water vapor in the circulating air decreases, so the amount of heat given to the cooling water also decreases and the dehumidifying water temperature Tb rises as a whole. As loose. Therefore, looking at the temperature difference Ta-Tb between the exhaust temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb, the temperature difference is substantially constant during the period a during the constant rate drying period in which water is actively evaporated. When the laundry begins to dry and the rate-decreasing drying period in which the generation of water vapor decreases, the temperature difference in period a increases. Since this temperature difference depends on the amount of heat taken by the laundry in the drum 13, the degree of drying of the laundry can be determined based on this temperature difference.

  Therefore, the control unit 60 obtains a temperature difference between the exhaust gas temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb, determines that the predetermined drying degree has been reached when the temperature difference exceeds a predetermined threshold, and determines the end timing of the drying operation. I reckon. However, in order to reduce drying deficiency and drying unevenness, the drying operation time is extended by an appropriate time from the time when the end timing of the drying operation is detected. Then, after that, a cool-down operation is performed in which the PTC heater 45 is turned off and only air blowing is continued, and the operation is terminated after the temperature of the laundry is lowered.

  For the reasons described above, when middle water is used for dehumidification, the cooling water is basically supplied intermittently, but the control may be changed at the initial stage or later stage of the drying operation. For example, at the initial stage of the drying operation, the cooling water may not be supplied to the watering chamber 46 and the dehumidification in the upright pipe portion 41a of the ventilation path 41 may not be performed. If the cooling water is supplied at the initial stage of the drying operation, the temperature of the circulating air is lowered by the cooling water, and the temperature is hardly increased despite the heating by the PTC heater 45. On the other hand, if the supply of the cooling water is stopped, it is possible to increase the speed of the temperature rise of the circulating air in the initial stage of the drying operation and improve the drying performance comprehensively.

  In addition to dehumidification, the sprinkling in the upright pipe portion 41a drops floating matters such as dust and lint that are mixed in the air returning from the outer tub 10 together with water, making it difficult to clog the lint filter 6a. This has the effect of preventing the reattachment of suspended matter to the laundry. However, since the laundry is sufficiently damp at the beginning of the drying operation, almost no scattering of dust, lint, etc. from the laundry is seen, and even if the supply of cooling water is stopped, this is a problem. There is no.

  On the other hand, when the laundry is being dried, a large amount of suspended matter such as dust and lint is scattered from the laundry. Therefore, in order to remove and remove such suspended matter as much as possible before reaching the lint filter 6a, the supply of cooling water is canceled in the latter half of the drying operation (for example, after shifting to the reduced rate drying period), and continuously. Alternatively, cooling water may be supplied. Thereby, clogging of the lint filter 6a and reattachment of dust, lint, etc. to the laundry can be reduced.

  In addition, the temperature difference between the exhaust temperature Ta and the dehumidified water temperature Tb is not simply used to determine the dryness of the laundry, but the dry operation is determined by determining the dryness by other methods. It may be.

  For example, in the case where the cooling water supply at the predetermined time t3 and the cooling water supply stop at the predetermined time t4 are alternately repeated as described above, the dehumidified water temperature Tb during the period a is reached when the drying of the laundry proceeds to the end. There is a phenomenon that the amount of change and the amount of change in temperature difference (Ta-Tb) during period a are reduced. Therefore, when the amount of change (for example, T1-T2) of the dehumidifying water temperature Tb at the start point and end point in the period a in FIG. 10 is obtained and compared with a predetermined threshold value, it is below the threshold value. It can be determined that the timing is the end of drying. In addition, for example, in FIG. 10, when Ta-Tb change amount (for example, T5-T4) at the start point and end point in period a is obtained and compared with a predetermined threshold value, the value is equal to or less than the threshold value. It is also possible to determine that the timing is the end of drying.

  Further, for example, when the cooling water supply at the predetermined time t3 and the cooling water supply stop at the predetermined time t4 are alternately repeated as described above, the temperature of the dehumidified water during the period b is reached when the drying of the laundry progresses and approaches the end. There is also a phenomenon in which the amount of change in Tb and the amount of change in temperature difference (Ta-Tb) during period b are reduced. Therefore, when the amount of change (for example, T3−T2) of the dehumidifying water temperature Tb at the start point and end point in the period b in FIG. 10 is obtained and compared with a predetermined threshold value, it is below the threshold value. It can be determined that the timing is the end of drying. In addition, for example, in FIG. 10, when Ta-Tb change amount (for example, T5-T6) at the start point and end point in the period a is obtained and compared with a predetermined threshold value, it becomes equal to or less than the threshold value. It is also possible to determine that the timing is the end of drying.

  Furthermore, the accuracy of the determination can be further improved by using a plurality of determinations of the timing of completion of drying as described above. As a result, the laundry is not sufficiently dried despite the end of the drying operation, and conversely, the occurrence of fabric damage or the like due to the high temperature air continuously hitting the laundry even though it is already sufficiently dry is prevented. can do.

  It should be noted that the above embodiment is an example of the present invention, and it is obvious that even if changes, modifications, and additions are made as appropriate within the scope of the present invention, they are included in the claims of the present application. Specifically, for example, the above embodiment is a drum-type washing and drying machine, but the first example is a washing and drying machine having a structure in which an inner tub is rotatably provided around a substantially vertical axis in a vertical outer tub. The invention and the third invention can be applied.

1 is an external perspective view of a drum type washing and drying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The schematic side longitudinal cross-sectional view of the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The right view of the principal part centering on an outer tub in the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The schematic block diagram of the part relevant to the drying operation in the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The rear perspective view of the principal part centering on the outer tub in the drum type washing / drying machine by a present Example. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the principal part of the ventilation path in the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The side view (a) and A-A 'arrow sectional drawing (b) of an upper air path formation part containing the drying filter container storage part in the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The top view (a), bottom view (b), and B-B 'arrow sectional view (c) of the horizontal partition which is one member which comprises an upper air path formation part in the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The electric system block diagram of the drum type washing-drying machine of a present Example. The graph which shows the measurement result of the exhaust temperature and dehumidification water temperature at the time of drying operation in the drum-type washing dryer of a present Example, and the change of the temperature difference.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Housing 2 ... Clothes input 3 ... Door 6 ... Dry filter container 6a ... Lint filter 10 ... Outer tank 13 ... Drum 14 ... Main shaft 17 ... Drum motor 30 ... Water storage tank 31 ... Water storage valve 32 ... Middle water pump 33 ... Circulating water channel 37 ... Feed water circulating valve 38 ... Cooling water hose 40 ... Suction port 41 ... Ventilation channel 41a ... Upright pipe part 41b ... Inclined pipe part 41c ... Connecting pipe part 41d ... Folded pipe parts 41d1, 41d3 ... Horizontal pipe part 41d2 ... Folded Portion 41e ... Blower heating tube portion 41f ... Cooling water supply port 42 ... Discharge port 43 ... Fan motor 44 ... Fan 45 ... PTC heater 46 ... Water spray chamber 46a ... Water spray hole 47 ... Dehumidification middle water channel 48 ... Dehumidification recirculation valve 49 ... Return Middle water channel 51 ... lower case 52 ... upper case 53 ... horizontal partition plate 53a ... restraining rib 53b ... reinforcing rib 60 ... control unit 61 ... load driving unit 66 ... exhaust temperature sensor 6 ... dehumidification water temperature sensor

Claims (1)

Both ends are connected to the outer tub, the drum disposed rotatably around the horizontal axis or the tilt axis in the outer tub, the suction port at the lower rear of the outer tub, and the discharge port at the upper front of the outer tub A ventilating path, and a blowing means for generating a circulating air flow that discharges air from the discharge port into the outer tub and draws air in the outer tub from the suction port to the ventilating path, and the ventilation A dehumidifying means for condensing and liquefying water vapor in the air by heat exchange with the cooling water supplied in the ventilation path inside the passage, and located downstream of the dehumidification means in the ventilation path, A drum-type washing and drying machine comprising: heating means for heating air after being dehumidified;
First temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of water after being supplied into the ventilation path by the dehumidifying means and used for dehumidification;
A second temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of air located at a rear upper part in the outer tub in a space between an inner surface of the outer tub and an outer surface of the drum;
An operation control means for determining the dryness of the laundry in the drum based on the detected temperatures of the first temperature detecting means and the second temperature detecting means when performing the drying operation;
A washing and drying machine comprising: