JP3173161B2 - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dehumidifying type clothes dryer used in ordinary households.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, there has been known a clothes dryer of this type in which one heat exchange fan having a function of blowing air and exchanging heat is provided at the rear of a rotary drum rotatably provided in a main body to dehumidify. I have. The main part of the heat exchange fan will be described based on FIG. A tongue 30 is formed in a part of the cooling fan casing 29 on one side of the heat exchange fan 28 so that cooling air indicated by an arrow is efficiently discharged from the discharge hole 31. The rib portion 32 formed on the outer peripheral portion of the heat exchange fan 28 and the rib portion 34 formed on a part of the partition plate 33 constitute a labyrinth seal fitted through a gap. It functions to increase the airtightness so that the drying air on the other side does not leak to the cooling air casing 29 side.

[0003]

The clothes dryer having the above-mentioned conventional construction has a problem that the dehumidification rate (a value obtained by dividing the amount of collected water by the amount of water evaporated from the clothes) is still low. The main factor is due to lack of heat exchange capacity. Causes of this shortage include an insufficient amount of cooling air, leakage of the labyrinth seal, and the like.

[0004] The present invention is intended to solve the problems of such a conventional structure, and has as its primary object to provide a clothes dryer having an improved dehumidification rate. A second and third object is to provide second and third means for achieving the first object.

[0005]

The first object of the present invention to achieve the first object is to provide a cooling air casing provided with a separate tongue, and to attach the tongue to a labyrinth of a heat exchange fan. The clothes dryer is arranged so as to cover the flat part of the rib part constituting the seal and to be close to the blade.

[0006] A second means of the present invention for achieving the second object is to provide a cooling plate for a cooling air casing,
A tongue of a cooling air casing or a part thereof is formed, and a clothes dryer is disposed close to a blade so as to cover a flat portion of a rib portion constituting a labyrinth seal of a heat exchange fan and to be disposed close to a blade.

A third means of the present invention for achieving the third object is that a labyrinth seal of the heat exchange fan is provided on an outermost rib forming a labyrinth seal on a partition plate side of a cooling air casing. The present invention provides a clothes dryer in which a seal reinforcing member is disposed so as to cover a flat portion of a rib portion.

[0008]

According to the first means of the present invention, a tongue provided as a separate member in the vicinity of the blade acts to increase the amount of cooling air, thereby realizing a clothes dryer having high dehumidifying performance. . Further, since the tongue is formed as a separate member, assembly can be easily performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the tongue provided on the backing plate functions similarly to the first aspect of the present invention. In addition, assembly can be similarly easily performed.

In the third means of the present invention, the dynamic pressure component of the cooling air can be used even if the gap distance of the labyrinth is increased by the function of the seal reinforcing member, so that the airtightness of the labyrinth seal can be improved.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the first means of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of a clothes dryer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a main body). Reference numeral 2 denotes a rotating drum for storing and drying clothes. The rotary drum 2 is rotatably supported in the main body 1 by a shaft 18, and is driven by receiving rotation of a motor 3 via a drum belt 4.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a clothes input door provided on the front surface of the main body 1 and reference numeral 6 denotes a heater for heating the drying air flowing into the rotary drum 2. Reference numeral 7 denotes a single heat exchange fan provided at the rear of the rotary drum 2 and having a function of air exchange and heat exchange. The rib 7b on the outer periphery constituting the labyrinth seal 7a, its flat portion 7c, and the blade 7d. And driven by receiving the rotation of the motor 3 via a fan motor pulley 8, a fan belt 9, and a fan pulley 10. Reference numeral 11 denotes a drying air casing on one side of the heat exchange fan 7, and has a rotary drum side intake hole 12 in the center. 13 is a rotating drum 2
This is a filter installed on the rear surface to remove lint and the like. Similarly, 14 is a cooling air casing on the other side of the heat exchange fan 7 and has an intake hole 15 at the center. Reference numeral 16 denotes a backing plate forming a part of the cooling air casing 14, and reference numeral 17 denotes a cooling air casing exhaust hole formed on the backing plate 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a fixed shaft, which is fixed to a holding plate 19 that fixes the drying air casing 14 to the main body 1. Reference numeral 20 denotes a partition plate interposed between the drying air casing 11 and the cooling air casing 14, which partitions the heat exchange fan 7 to the left and right at an outer peripheral portion thereof, and hermetically separates the drying side and the cooling side. Reference numeral 21 denotes a circulation duct, which has a function of a ventilation path for guiding exhaust air from the drying air casing 11 to the heater 6. A drain hole 22 provided in the middle of the circulation duct 21 discharges condensed water generated by heat exchange in the heat exchange fan 7. Reference numeral 23 denotes a back plate that covers the rear surface of the main body 1, and a part thereof is provided with an intake hole 24 for taking in cooling air, an exhaust hole 25, and exhaust air of a part of the cooling air that has passed through the main body 1. It has an exhaust hole 26. Reference numeral 27 denotes a seal member which forms a cooling air intake / exhaust passage between the backing plate 16 and the back plate 23.

The arrow A indicates the flow of drying air, and the arrow B indicates
Indicates the flow of cooling air. Hereinafter, the operation of this configuration will be described. When the motor 3 rotates, the rotating drum 2 and the heat exchange fan 7 containing the clothing start rotating. Due to the rotation of the heat exchange fan 7, the drying air A
-The flow of the cooling air B is generated. The drying air A is heated by the heater 6 through the circulation duct 21 and flows into the rotating drum 2. The high-temperature drying air that has flowed into the rotating drum 2 dries the clothes to become hot and humid, and returns to the heat exchange fan 7. The drying air repeats this circulation. On the other hand, the outside air sucked from the suction hole 24 provided in the back plate 23 enters the heat exchange fan 7 and
In the inside, heat is exchanged with the high-temperature and high-humidity drying air. That is, this outside air acts as cooling air. The outside air thus exchanged heat is supplied to the cooling air casing 14.
From the casing exhaust hole 17 through the exhaust hole 25 provided in the back plate 23 to the outside. A part of the cooling air is exhausted from an exhaust hole 26 also provided in the back plate 23.

The high-temperature and high-humidity drying air A thus heat-exchanged is cooled and dehumidified and circulated again in the rotary drum 2. As described above, the clothes are dried.

FIG. 1 shows the heat exchange fan 7 from the side of the cooling fan casing 14 with the back plate 23 and the backing plate 16 removed. The fan 7 is disposed close to the blade 7d so as to cover the flat portion 7c of the rib portion 7b.

Here, means for increasing the air volume of the heat exchange fan 7 will be described. Generally, the means to increase the air volume include (1)
Increasing the fan diameter, (2) increasing the blade thickness, (3) increasing the fan rotation speed, (4) reducing the pressure loss in the intake / exhaust path, (5) bringing the tongs closer to the blade, and the like. However, (1) and (2) involve increasing the dimensional specifications of the fan, and there are design restrictions. (3)
However, there is an adverse effect of increasing the noise value. (Four)
Also has design restrictions. Now, when (1) to (4) are fixed, the means for bringing the tongue of (5) closer to the blade can be said to be an effective means.

[0016] However, the tongue 14a does not
If it enters inside the outermost rib 20a of 0, this becomes an obstacle and the heat exchange fan 7 cannot be set.
Therefore, in this embodiment, the tongue 14a is formed as a separate member. Since the heat exchange fan 7 is set as a separate member, the tongue 14a can be easily set close to the blade 7d after the heat exchange fan 7 is set. Since the tongue 14a is configured to be close to the blade 7d in this manner, the cooling air sucked from the intake hole 24 can easily approach the blade 7d, and the air volume can be increased.

According to this embodiment, by assembling the tongue 14a provided as a member separate from the cooling air casing 14 close to the blade 7d of the heat exchange fan 7, the assembling is facilitated and the dehumidifying performance is achieved. It is intended to realize a high-drying clothes dryer.

Next, an embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The tongue 16a of the cooling air casing or a part thereof is formed on the backing plate 16 which forms a part of the cooling air casing 14, and this is formed as a rib constituting the labyrinth seal 7a of the heat exchange fan 7. It is arranged so as to cover the flat portion 7c of the portion 7b and approach the blade 7d.

Therefore, according to the structure of the present embodiment, the tongue 16a can be brought close to the blade 7d of the heat exchange fan 7 and the air flow can be increased, without the same assembly problem as in the previous embodiment. It is.

Next, an embodiment of the third means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The seal reinforcing member 20b
The cooling air casing 14 is separately provided inward from the outermost rib 20a constituting the labyrinth seal on the partition plate 20 side of the cooling air casing 14, and the flat portion 7c of the rib constituting the labyrinth seal of the heat exchange fan 7 It is shaped so as to cover

With this configuration, the labyrinth seal can be formed longer.
Therefore, the airtightness of the labyrinth seal can be improved. This mechanism is as follows. The cooling air sucked from the air inlet 24 is supplied to the blade 7 d of the heat exchange fan 7.
Along the outer periphery. At this time, since the velocity component of the cooling air is parallel to the blade 7d, the cooling air is directed toward the opening formed by the seal reinforcing member 20b and the flat portion 7c of the rib portion of the heat exchange fan 7. Therefore, the dynamic pressure component acts on the opening, and the hermetic effect of the labyrinth is further increased.

It is easily conceivable to combine the above embodiments. For example, the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is such that the tongue 14a of the first means of the present invention is integrally formed with the seal reinforcing member 20b described in the embodiment of the third means of the present invention. With this configuration, the airtightness of the labyrinth seal is improved, and the cooling air flow is increased.

[0023]

According to the first means of the present invention, a tongue made of a separate member is disposed in a cooling air casing so as to cover a flat portion of a rib portion constituting a labyrinth seal of a heat exchange fan and approach a blade. With this arrangement, a clothes dryer that is easy to assemble and has an improved dehumidification rate can be realized.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a tongue of a cooling air casing or a part thereof is formed on a backing plate constituting a part of a cooling air casing, and this is used as a labyrinth seal of a heat exchange fan. By arranging the rib portion close to the blade so as to cover the flat portion, the assembling is easy, and a clothes dryer with an improved dehumidification rate can be realized.

Further, the third means of the present invention is to cover the plane portion forming the labyrinth seal of the heat exchange fan inward from the outermost rib portion forming the labyrinth seal on the partition plate side of the cooling air casing. By arranging the seal reinforcing member, the airtightness of the labyrinth part can be improved,
A clothes dryer with an improved dehumidification rate can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heat exchange fan unit of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of a first means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a heat exchanging fan unit of the clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the second means.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a heat exchange fan unit of the clothes dryer according to the embodiment of the third means.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a heat exchange fan unit showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the overall configuration of the clothes dryer of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a heat exchange fan section of a conventional clothes dryer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Rotary drum 7 Heat exchange fan 7a Labyrinth seal 7b Rib part 7c Flat part 7d Blade 11 Drying air casing 14 Cooling air casing 16 Backing plate 20 Partition plate 14a, 16a Tong 20a Outermost peripheral rib 20b Seal reinforcing member

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) D06F 58/02 D06F 58/24

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rotary drum rotatably provided in a main body, a heat exchange fan provided at a rear portion of the rotary drum and having an air blowing and heat exchange function, and a drying unit on one side of the heat exchange fan. An air casing, a cooling air casing on the other side, and a motor for driving the rotary drum and a heat exchange fan. The cooling air casing includes a tongue formed of a separate member, and a labyrinth of the heat exchange fan. A clothes dryer that covers the flat part of the rib part constituting the seal and is arranged close to the blade. 2. A rotary drum rotatably provided in the main body, a heat exchange fan provided at a rear portion of the rotary drum and having an air blowing and heat exchange function, and a drying unit on one side of the heat exchange fan. An air casing, a cooling air casing on the other side, and a motor for driving the rotary drum and a heat exchange fan, and a tongue of the cooling air casing is provided on a pad plate forming a part of the cooling air casing. Alternatively, a clothes dryer which forms a part thereof and covers the flat portion of the rib portion constituting the labyrinth seal of the heat exchange fan and is disposed close to the blade. 3. A rotary drum rotatably provided in the main body, a heat exchange fan provided at a rear portion of the rotary drum and having an air blowing and heat exchange function, and a drying unit on one side of the heat exchange fan. An air casing, a cooling air casing on the other side, a motor for driving the rotary drum and a heat exchange fan, and the outermost rib portion constituting a labyrinth seal on a partition plate side of the cooling air casing is A clothes dryer in which a seal reinforcing member is disposed to cover a flat portion of a rib constituting a labyrinth seal of a heat exchange fan.