JP2902906B2 - 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 clothes dryer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a clothes dryer, when a heater driving means such as a triac is short-circuited and a heater is kept operating, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-64396 (D06)
F58 / 28), and treatment was performed. That is, when drying is completed, the heater is controlled to stop, and when the clothes in the drying chamber are cooled by only the operation of the fan, when it is detected that the outlet temperature of the heater or the outlet temperature of the drum does not decrease,
When the heater is determined to be abnormal, the power supplied to the heater from the outside is shut off and the abnormality is reported.

[0003]

In the conventional clothes dryer, for example, when the power of the apparatus is turned off without noticing the notification of the abnormality, the abnormality cannot be detected when the power is turned on next time. That is, detection cannot be performed until the drying operation is completed and the cooling operation is started.

[0004] For this reason, there is a possibility that the operation may be performed with the failure, and abnormal drying (for example, drying at a relatively low temperature but drying at a high temperature) may be performed, thereby damaging the clothes. If the operation is not started immediately after the power is turned on, the inside of the drum may be left at a high temperature.

The present invention relates to an improvement in a clothes dryer and solves such a problem.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a clothes dryer for drying clothes by supplying a drying air heated by a heater into a drying chamber containing clothes. Power input means, a start means for outputting a command for starting a drying operation, a control means for outputting a heater operation command according to the command of the start means after the power input by the power input means, and a device main body according to the operation command. A heater driving unit for guiding the electric power guided into the heater to operate the heater; a power supply unit for supplying power to the power supply unit; and a confirmation unit for confirming the operation of the heater. When the heater is confirmed to be operating before the instruction by the means, the power supply means is deactivated, and a shutoff means for cutting off the supply of electric power to the device body is provided. That.

Further, the present invention provides a clothes dryer for drying clothes by supplying drying air heated by a heater into a drying chamber accommodating clothes, in which a power supply for supplying power from an external power supply to the main body of the apparatus is provided. Means, a starting means for outputting a command for starting a drying operation, a control means for outputting a heater operation command after a predetermined time when a command of the starting means is output after the power input by the power input means, and the heater Heater driving means for guiding the electric power guided into the apparatus body by the operation command to the heater to operate the heater, confirmation means for confirming the operation of the heater within the predetermined time, and operation of the heater by the confirmation means If it is confirmed that the power supply is turned off, the power supply means is deactivated, and a cutoff means for cutting off the supply of power to the device body is provided.

[0008]

When the power supply means operates and power is supplied to the apparatus main body, the operation of the heater is checked. If it is determined that the heater is operating, the power supply means is determined to be abnormal and the power supply means is set to the non-operation state. Then, the power supply to the device body is cut off. Here, as confirmation means for confirming the operation of the heater, there are, for example, means for detecting a current input to the heater and means for detecting the temperature at the heater outlet.

When the drying operation is started by a command from the starting means, the heater operates after a predetermined time. The operation of the heater is confirmed within this predetermined time, and when it is determined that the heater is operating, the power supply means is deactivated and the supply of power to the device body is cut off.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a clothes dryer of the present embodiment, and reference numeral 2 denotes an outer frame of the dryer, which has a clothes input port 3 on the front surface. Reference numeral 4 denotes a horizontal drum which is a drying chamber rotatably supported in the outer frame 2 and has an opening on the front surface corresponding to the clothes input port 3. An exhaust port 6 is provided in the center of the rear surface of the drum 4, and a lint filter 7 is disposed in the exhaust port 6. Reference numeral 2a denotes a support plate provided from the outer periphery of the clothing input port 3 and supporting the front surface of the drum 4. An intake port 5 is provided at a lower portion. Reference numeral 8 denotes a door for opening and closing the clothing slot 3.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a fan casing provided behind the drum 4, and reference numeral 10 denotes a heat exchange type double-sided fan provided so as to partition the fan casing 9 into a circulating air passage 11 and a cooling air passage 12. 13 is the exhaust port 6 and the circulation air passage 11
A communication port 14 opened in the fan casing 9 to communicate the air flow through the exhaust port 6 is a seal member provided to surely guide the drying air flowing out of the exhaust port 6 to the communication port 13. Reference numeral 15 denotes the outer frame 2 for introducing outside air into the cooling air passage 12.
Reference numeral 16 denotes an outlet provided in the center of the rear surface, and an outlet provided at the lower portion of the rear surface of the outer frame 2 for extracting the introduced outside air.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a circulation duct connecting the circulation air passage 11 and the intake port 5 of the drum 4, and a drain hole 18 is provided at a lowermost position. 19 is this circulation duct 17
The heater device is disposed on the side of the intake port 5 and comprises two sets of honeycomb semiconductor heaters, a first heater 19a and a second heater 19b. The heater device 19 can operate at high output (strong) and low output (weak) by switching between turning on both the first heater 19a and the second heater 19b or turning on only the first heater 19a. Become. The strength of the heater device 19 is determined by the drying operation course, but can be switched manually.

Reference numeral 20 denotes an induction motor, which is a drum pulley 2
1 and the drum 4 via a drum belt 22, and also to the double-sided fan 10 via a fan pulley 23 and a fan belt 24.

Thus, at the time of drying, the rotation of the motor 20 causes the drum 4 to rotate at a low speed and the double-sided fan 10 to rotate at a high speed. Double-sided fan 1
The drying air generated by the rotation of 0 and heated by the heater device 19 circulates through the circulation air passage 11, the circulation duct 17, and the drum 4, and exchanges heat with the clothes in the drum 4. At the same time, the outside air is introduced into the cooling air passage 12 by the rotation of the double-sided fan 10 to cool the double-sided fan 10 itself. Then, the dried air after the heat exchange in the drum 4 comes into contact with the double-sided fan 10 and is cooled, and the moisture in the dried air is condensed, flows down in the circulation air passage 11 and is discharged from the drain hole 18. You.

A first member 25 is provided near the communication port 13.
Thermosensitive element. The first heat-sensitive element 25 detects the temperature of the exhaust air (drum outlet temperature) discharged from the drum 4 in order to detect the temperature inside the drum 4. 2
Reference numeral 6 denotes a second heat-sensitive element provided near the entrance of the heater device 19. After the heat exchange is performed by the double-sided fan 10, the second thermal element 26 is
This detects the temperature of the drying air (heater inlet temperature) before reheating. Thermistors are used as the first and second thermal elements 25 and 26, and the detected temperatures are converted into analog voltage values and output. The analog voltage value is input to a microcomputer described later, and is converted into a digital voltage value by an internal A / D converter.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a rotation sensor for detecting the number of rotations of the motor 20. The rotation sensor 27 includes a magnet piece 27a attached to the fan pulley 23 and a Hall IC 27b sensitive to magnetism generated by the magnet piece 27a. When the fan pulley 23, that is, the motor 20 makes one rotation, a pulse voltage is generated in the output of the Hall IC 27b,
The rotation frequency of the motor 20 can be determined based on the generation cycle of this voltage.

FIG. 6 shows a control mechanism of the clothes dryer according to the present embodiment. Reference numeral 28 denotes a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer), which is a control unit of the present invention, a control unit 29 serving as a blocking unit, and a storage unit 30. , A counter unit 31, an A / D conversion unit 32, and the like.

Reference numeral 42 denotes a power switch, which is a power input means, and includes a contact point 42a and a coil section 42b. Contact 42
a is ON / O when a key (not shown) is manually pressed.
As a matter of course, the FF is turned off automatically when the coil portion 42b is energized. Then, the contact 42a is turned on.
By doing so, power is supplied from the external power supply to the device main body, and when turned off, the power supply is cut off. 4
A DC power supply circuit 3 converts a 100 V AC voltage of an external power supply into a relatively low DC voltage (for example, 5 V or 12 V) and inputs the converted voltage to the microcomputer 28.

Reference numeral 33 denotes various operation course selection keys 33a,
This is an operation key group including a heater output switching key 33b and a start key 33c for starting / stopping the drying operation. The start key 33c corresponds to a starting unit of the present invention. Reference numeral 34 denotes a door switch for detecting whether the door 8 is open or closed.

Numeral 35 is a current detecting circuit for detecting the current flowing through the main body of the device for checking the operation of the heater device 19 and the motor 20. The current transformer 35a converts the current flowing through the main body of the device into a voltage. It comprises a rectifier circuit 35b for converting a voltage value output from the transformer 35a to a DC voltage value and a smoothing circuit 35c. And
This current detection circuit 35 corresponds to the checking means of the present invention.

The current detection circuit 35 includes the operation key group 3
3. Connect to the input side of the microcomputer 28 together with the door switch 34, the thermal elements 25 and 26, and the Hall IC 27b. Then, the voltage value based on the current value flowing into the device main body and input into the microcomputer 28 is compared with a comparison value A (for example, 1A) or a comparison value B (for example, 5A) stored in the storage unit 30. Thus, the operations of the motor 20 and the heater device 19 are confirmed. Here, the comparison value A
Is a value that exceeds when only the motor 20 is energized, and the comparison value B does not exceed when only the motor 20 is energized, and when the at least one heater of the heater device 19 is energized. Exceeds the value.

Reference numeral 36 denotes an LED display circuit connected to the output side of the microcomputer 28 for displaying the progress of the drying operation. Reference numeral 37 denotes a buzzer circuit for notifying the end of the operation or the operation abnormality.

Reference numerals 38, 39, 40 and 41 denote triacs for controlling the energization / de-energization of the coil section 42b, the motor 20, the first heater 19a and the second heater 19b, respectively, in accordance with a control signal from the microcomputer 28. .
The triac 38 corresponds to the shut-off means of the present invention, and the triacs 40 and 41 correspond to the heater driving means.

In the clothes dryer of the present embodiment, three patterns of automatic drying operation end detection are performed based on the temperatures detected by the first and second thermal elements 25 and 26. When any one of the three patterns is detected, the drying operation is terminated immediately or after a predetermined time is extended. Hereinafter, these automatic termination detection methods will be described.

First, according to the first end detection, after a predetermined time (for example, 15 minutes) from the start of the drying operation, that is, the heat exchange between the drying air and the clothes is sufficiently performed in the drum 4, and the drum outlet When the temperature becomes substantially constant, the first thermal element 25
The difference between the drum outlet temperature and the heater inlet temperature detected by the second thermosensitive element 26 is defined as a reference value A. Then, when the clothes are dried and the temperature at the drum outlet rises, the temperature difference widens, and when the temperature difference reaches a value (A + B) obtained by adding a predetermined value B to the reference value A, the end is detected.

According to the second end detection, after the start of operation or a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) has elapsed after the start of operation, the detection is performed by the first thermosensitive element 25 and the second thermosensitive element 26. When the difference between the drum exit temperature and the heater entrance temperature reaches a preset limiter value, the end is detected.

According to the third end detection, when the drum outlet temperature detected by the first thermal element 25 reaches a preset high limiter value, the end is detected.

The reason why the end detection is performed by a plurality of methods is to perform better automatic end detection corresponding to the type and amount of clothing.

Here, the B value, the limiter value and the high limiter value are determined by various experiments performed by changing the type and amount of clothing, and are stored in the storage unit 30.

Next, a first operation example based on the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

When the key portion of the power switch 42 is pressed and the contact 42a is turned on, electric power is supplied from an external power supply to the main body (S1). The control unit 29 first checks whether or not an inspection mode operation has been performed (S2). If the inspection mode operation has not been performed, the current detection circuit 35 detects a current flowing through the device body (S3). Then, the current value (I) at this time is compared with the comparison value A (1A) in the storage unit 30 (S4). Triac 39 and Triac 4
If 0 and 41 are not short-circuited, the current value is only the value flowing through the DC power supply circuit 43 and is smaller than the comparison value A. In such a case, it is determined that there is no abnormality.

On the other hand, if one of the triac 39 or the triacs 40 and 41 is short-circuited, the current value becomes equal to or larger than the comparison value A. In such a case, it is determined that the motor 20 or the heater device 19 is still operating, and it is determined that “abnormality exists”, and an abnormality process is performed. That is, the abnormality is notified by the LED display circuit 36 and the buzzer circuit 37 (S
101), the reception of the operation key group 33 is prohibited (S10).
2). After a lapse of one minute (S103), the triac 38 is turned on, the coil portion 42b of the power switch 42 is energized, and the contact 42a is turned off to cut off the power supply to the device body (S104).

In this embodiment, when either the motor 20 or the heater device 19 is abnormal, the power is cut off. Therefore, the comparison is made with the comparison value A. However, only the abnormality of the heater device 19 is detected. In this case, the value may be compared with the comparison value B.

When the power switch 42 is pressed, there is no abnormality.
If it is determined that the start key 33c is pressed (S5) or immediately after the power switch 42 is pressed and before the abnormality is determined (S5), the drying operation is started. First, only the motor 20 is turned on (S6), and the current flowing through the device body is detected as in S3 (S7). Then, the current value at this time is compared with the comparison value A in the storage unit 30 (S8). If the current value is equal to or greater than the comparison value A, it is determined that the motor 20 is operating normally.
Judge as "No abnormality". Next, this current value is compared with the comparison value B.
(5A) (S9), and if smaller than the comparison value B,
It is determined that the triacs 40 and 41 are not short-circuited, and that there is no abnormality.

On the other hand, if the current value is smaller than the comparison value A, it is determined that the motor is not energized due to disconnection or the like, and if the current value is greater than the comparison value B, it is determined that the triacs 40 and 41 are short-circuited. Yes ". Then, similar to the above, an abnormal process is performed (S101 to S104).

If it is determined that there is no abnormality in S8 and S9, and 15 seconds have elapsed since the operation of the motor 20, (S10)
The first heater 19a is turned on (S11). When two minutes have passed (S12), the second heater 19b is turned on (S12).
13).

Thereafter, the current flowing through the main body of the device is detected (S14). If the current value does not exceed the comparison value B at least 5 minutes after the start of the operation, 2 times due to disconnection or the like.
"Abnormal" as not energizing both heaters
Is determined (S15, S16), and abnormal processing is also performed (S101 to S104).

If there is no abnormality after the start of the operation, the clothes are dried by the operation of the motor 20 and the heater device 19, and the automatic termination of any of the above three patterns is detected (S17). The first heater 19a and the second heater are turned off (S18). Then, only the drum 4 and the double-sided fan 10 operate to cool down the clothes for 5 minutes, and then the motor 20 is turned off to end the operation (S19, S20).

Here, if the inspection mode operation (special operation using the keys of the operation key group 33) is performed in S2 after the power is turned on, the inspection mode is set. This inspection mode is mainly used for inspection at the time of manufacturing.

In this case, when the start key 33c is pressed (S21), the motor 20 is turned on, and the first heater 19a and the second heater 19b are all turned on regardless of the operation course at that time (S22). Then, the value of the current flowing to the main body of the device is detected (S23). If the current value does not reach the comparison value B within 30 seconds from the start, 2 times due to disconnection or the like.
It is determined that the heater is not energized in both sets (S24,
(S25), abnormal processing is performed (S101 to S104).

On the other hand, when the voltage becomes equal to or higher than the comparison voltage value B, it is determined that the voltage is normal. When 30 seconds have elapsed (S26), the operation returns to the driving course at that time and the drying operation is continued.

Next, a second operation example using the rotation speed sensor 27 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the power switch 42 is pressed and power is supplied to the main body from an external power supply (S201), the rotation speed of the motor 20 is detected by the rotation sensor 27 after 5 seconds (S202, S203). Then, it is determined whether or not the motor 20 is rotating (S204). If the motor 20 is rotating, the triac 39 is short-circuited and the motor 20 is determined to be operating and determined to be "abnormal". And
As in the first operation example, the abnormality processing is performed (S101 to S10
4).

It is to be noted that the detection is performed after 5 seconds because the power switch 42 is manually turned off during the operation, and immediately thereafter, the power switch 42 is turned on again while the motor 20 is still coasting.
This is to prevent the motor 20 from being erroneously determined to be abnormal in such a case.

When the power switch 42 is pressed, there is no abnormality.
If it is determined that the start key 33c is pressed (S205), or immediately after the power switch 42 is pressed and immediately before the abnormality is determined (S205), the drying operation is started. First, the motor 20
ON only, the number of rotations of the motor 20 is detected in the same manner as in S203, and the current value (I) flowing through the device body is detected (S207, S208). If the motor 20 is not rotating or is abnormally slower than a predetermined number of rotations, it is determined that the motor 20 is abnormal (S209). Further, the value of the current flowing through the device body is compared with the comparison value B in the storage unit 30.
1 is short-circuited, and it is determined that the heater device 19 remains operating (S210).

Thus, the motor 20 and the heater device 19
If there is an abnormality in any of the above, abnormality processing is performed (S101).
To S104).

If it is determined that there is no abnormality in S209 to S210, and 15 seconds have elapsed since the operation of the motor 20 (S211), the first heater 19a is turned on and further 2 minutes elapse as in the first operation example. Then, the second heater 19b is turned on (S11 to S13). Thereafter, the same operation as in the first operation example is performed.

In the second operation example, the operation of the motor 20 is detected by the rotation sensor 27, and the motor 20 is locked even if the motor 20 is energized and does not move.
This is to perform more reliable abnormality detection of 0.

[0050]

According to the structure of the present invention, short-circuit of the heater driving means is detected immediately after the power is supplied to the apparatus main body, and if short-circuited, the supply of power to the apparatus main body is cut off. ,
Since the power supply to the heater is stopped, the drying operation is not performed while the heater is operating abnormally, and abnormal drying is not performed. Further, even when the drum is left as it is without the drying operation, the drum is not overheated and damaged.

When the drying operation is started, the heater is operated after a predetermined time, and a short circuit of the heater driving means is detected within the predetermined time.
The power supply to the equipment body is cut off, and even if there is a short circuit in the heater driving means, the heater can be de-energized immediately after the start of operation. No drying takes place.

Therefore, a safe drying operation can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a first operation example of the clothes dryer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart subsequent to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an abnormality process.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second operation example of the clothes dryer of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration of the clothes dryer of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a control mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 drum (drying chamber) 19 heater device 29 control unit (control means, cut-off means) 33c start key (start-up means) 35 current detection circuit (confirmation means) 38 triac (cut-off means) 40 triac (heater driving means) 41 triac ( Heater driving means) 42 Power switch (power input means)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-73992 (JP, A) JP-A-5-317587 (JP, A) JP-A-61-88763 (JP, A) 103898 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) D06F 58/28 D06F 33/02

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A clothes drying machine for drying clothes by supplying a drying air heated by a heater into a drying chamber accommodating clothes. Starting means for outputting a command to start operation, control means for outputting a heater operation command according to the command from the starting means after power is supplied by the power supplying means, and controlling the power guided into the apparatus body by the operation command. Heater driving means for guiding the heater to operate the heater, when power is supplied by the power supply means, confirmation means for confirming the operation of the heater, and the confirmation means allows the heater to operate before the instruction by the starting means. When it is confirmed that the apparatus is operating, the clothes input device is provided with a shut-off means for turning off the power input means and cutting off the supply of electric power to the apparatus main body. 2. A clothes dryer for drying clothes by supplying a drying air heated by a heater into a drying chamber accommodating clothes, a power input means for supplying power to an apparatus body from an external power supply, and a drying unit. Starting means for outputting a command to start operation, control means for outputting a heater operation command after a predetermined period of time when a command from the starting means is output after power is supplied by the power input means, and equipment according to the heater operation command The electric power guided into the body is guided to the heater, the heater driving means for operating the heater, the confirmation means for confirming the operation of the heater within the predetermined time, and the confirmation means confirms that the heater is operating. If it is confirmed, the clothes drying machine is characterized in that the power input means is deactivated, and a shutoff means for shutting off the supply of electric power to the apparatus main body is provided.