JP3346941B2 - Washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum type washer / dryer designed to shorten a drying time in a drying step.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An outline of a general drum type washing and drying machine is shown in FIG.
03, a dewatering tank 107 disposed in the water tank 105 and rotatably controlled about the horizontal axis X, a dehumidifier 109, and a heater 111 for generating dry air are disposed. A drying air circulation passage 113 for sending air into the dewatering tank 107 is provided.

[0003]

The drum-type washing and drying machine is designed to continuously perform a series of operations from washing to drying. After the final dehydration step is completed, a drying air is blown in the drying step. Drying is carried out by feeding into the dehydration tank. However, the washer-dryer requires a longer drying time than a dedicated dryer.

One of the causes is considered to be that the washing and drying machine is a double tub of the water tub 105 and the dewatering tub 107, and the heat capacity at the time of drying is larger than that of a drying machine made exclusively. Can be

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing / drying machine capable of shortening a drying time in a drying step.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a water tank supported by a suspension in an outer box, a water tank disposed inside the water tank, and a horizontal axis centered by a drive motor. A dewatering tank that is rotatably controlled as a center and is provided with a dewatering hole, and a drying air intake port provided on one of the water tanks and a drying air intake port provided on the other are connected and connected, and the drying air is supplied. A washing / drying machine provided with a flowing drying air circulation passage and continuously performing washing to dehydration / drying .
In the dehydration step, a heating means for heating the inside of the dehydration tank is provided.

As the heating means, there is a drying heater provided in the drying air circulation passage for generating the drying air or a cleaning heater provided in the water tank.

In the operation of the drying heater or the cleaning heater, at least one of the drying air heater and the cleaning heater heats the inside of the dehydration tank during the final dehydration step.

[0009] Alternatively, in the final dehydration step, both the drying heater and the cleaning heater are heated at the same time or with a time lag therebetween to heat the inside of the dehydration tank.

[0010] Alternatively, after the start of the final dehydration, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by a drying heater, and after a predetermined heating time, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by a cleaning heater.

Alternatively, after the start of the final dehydration, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by a drying heater, and the motor load of a drive motor for rotating the dehydration tub is detected by a motor load detector, and the detected value is reduced to a predetermined value or less. When this happens, or after a predetermined time has elapsed, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by the washing heater.

Alternatively, after the start of the final dehydration, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by a drying motor, and the motor load of the drainage motor is detected by a motor load detector, and when the detected value falls below a predetermined value, Alternatively, after the elapse of a predetermined time, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by the cleaning heater.

[0013] Alternatively, after the start of the final dehydration, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by one of the drying heater and the cleaning heater, and when the temperature of the heater at the time of the heating becomes higher than a predetermined temperature, or After the elapse of a predetermined time, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by the other heater.

As a preferred embodiment, the heating time for heating the inside of the dehydration tub by the drying heater or the cleaning heater is controlled in accordance with the amount of cloth, or the heating time in the dehydration tub is controlled. Selection means for selecting the presence / absence of the data.

[0015] The heating means controls the heating means to an OFF state if the temperature in the water tank during the dehydration step is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.

[0016]

According to such a washing and drying machine, before the drying process,
Since the inside of the dehydration tub is preliminarily heated by the heating means, the drying step is started in a preheated state, so that the preheating period at the beginning of the drying step is shortened, and the drying time can be shortened. In addition, when heated in the final dehydration step, the dehydration rate increases due to an increase in the temperature of the laundry, and the amount of water to be dried decreases, so that the drying time is shortened.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an outer box serving as a main body of the washing machine. Inside the outer box 1, a water tub 3 serving as an outer tub, a dehydrating tub 5 serving as an inner tub, and a drying wind through which a drying wind flows. A circulation passage 7 is arranged.

The water tank 3 is supported by a plurality of suspensions 9 provided on the bottom side, and the washing heater 1 is provided.
1 is provided. The cleaning heater 11 is turned on and off by a control unit 13 described later, and when turned on, washing with warm water becomes possible. Water supply valve 1 above water tank 3
5 is provided at the bottom with a drainage pump 19 to which rotational power is given by a drainage motor 17.
By opening the opening, it becomes possible to supply the washing water. In addition, the rotation of the drain pump 19 causes the water tank 3 via the drain pipe 21.
Drainage inside is possible.

The dewatering tank 5 has a dewatering hole 5a and a horizontal axis X.
The laundry can be taken in and out by opening and closing an opening / closing door 25 provided on a front panel of the outer box 1 so as to be rotatably mounted on a drum shaft 23 to be used.

The drum shaft 23 is rotatably supported by a bearing 27 and is supplied with rotational power from a drive motor 29. The transmission belt 35 is connected to the drive pulley 31 of the drum shaft 23 and the motor pulley 33 of the drive motor 29. Is hanging around.

The drive motor 29 is fixedly set on the bottom side of the water tank 3 and turns on / off a control switch (not shown).
The rotation is controlled by turning it off.

The drying air circulation passage 7 is formed by a duct 39, in which a blower 41, a dehumidifier 43, and a drying heater 45 are arranged. Dry air circulation passage 7
Is connected to a drying air inlet 49 of the water tank 3. The other connection port is a drying air outlet 51 of the water tank 3.
When the opening / closing door 25 is opened, the drying air take-out port 51 has a shape which also serves as an access port for taking in / out the laundry.

The blower 41 is supplied with the rotational power from the drive motor M, so that the dry air flows forcibly as indicated by the arrow.

The dehumidifier 43 is arranged substantially at the middle of the drying air circulation passage 7 and functions to remove moisture from the drying air when passing through.

The drying heater 45 is controlled to a predetermined temperature by the control unit 13 and functions to generate drying air.

The control unit 13 has a function of controlling on / off of the drying heater 45 and the cleaning heater 11 based on a standard program from washing to drying, and a detection sensor 53 for detecting the ambient temperature of the drying heater 45. A function of controlling the drying heater 45 or the cleaning heater 11 to be turned on / off based on a detection signal from a detection sensor 55 that detects the ambient temperature and the water temperature of the cleaning heater 11; After being charged into the water, before the water supply, the drive motor 2
9 to rotate the spin-drying tub 5 and the drive motor 29 at this time.
In addition to the function of setting the heating time, the selection button 59 provided on the control unit 13 is controlled by a signal from the cloth amount detection sensor 57 that detects the torque of the cloth and determines the cloth amount based on the torque value. By pressing, in a standard program from washing to drying, heating in the last dehydration step can be performed by either the drying heater 45 or the cleaning heater 11, and the drying heater 45 and the cleaning heater 11 at the same time or with a time difference, a function of canceling the heating performed in the last dehydration step by the drying heater 45 or the cleaning heater 11, and a function of the cleaning heater 1.
Only one has a function of turning on and off independently, and each selection button 59 enables the use of various combinations other than the standard program.

Next, a description will be given based on a time chart shown in FIG. First, the water tap 15 is opened and water is supplied into the water tank 3, and after the water is supplied, a cleaning step is performed, and cleaning is performed for a predetermined time.
In this case, in the washing step from the water supply step, if the washing heater is on, washing with warm water becomes possible. After the washing is completed, drainage, dehydration and water supply are performed again, and then a rinsing process is started. After rinsing is completed, drain and dehydrate, and then repeat the rinsing process several times. After the final rinsing is completed, drain and dehydrate in the final dehydration step. After completion of the dehydration, drying is performed in a drying step, and washing to drying are continuously performed.

In the series of operations from washing to drying, the drying heater 45 is turned on before the drying step, that is, in parallel with the final dehydration, and hot air is blown into the dehydration tank 5.
The heating time by the air blowing varies depending on the amount of cloth.

Thus, before the drying step, heat is applied to the dewatering tank 5 and the cloth, and the drying step is started in a state where the preheating is applied.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the preheating period in the early stage of the drying step is shortened, so that the drying time is shortened.
Further, in the final dehydration step, the dehydration rate increases due to an increase in the temperature of the heated laundry, and the amount of water to be dried decreases, so that the drying time is shortened. By the way, for example, the amount of cloth is 3k
g, heating for about 20 minutes, the drying process time is about 9
Only three minutes are required, and the drying time is shorter than the conventional drying time of about 120 minutes without heating.

In this case, the heating performed before the drying step
Heat is transmitted to the central part of the dehydration tub 5 by the drying heater 45 by performing the combination of the drying heater 45 and the cleaning heater 11. Further, since heat is transmitted from the outside to the inside of the dehydration tub 5 by the cleaning heater 11, the entire tub can be heated, and more rapid drying can be performed.

Further, by providing a time lag to the heating performed by the cleaning heater 11 subsequent to the drying heater 45, the wastewater during dehydration is not heated, so that the dewatering tub 5 is located at the center and outside. Heat can be given efficiently.

Further, since the detection sensors 53 and 55 do not heat the predetermined temperature or more, safety is ensured.

When the cloth amount is small, the selection buttons 59
By selecting and pressing, the heating before the drying step can be stopped, which leads to saving of electricity bill.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment.
In this embodiment, the drying heater 45 and the cleaning heater 11 are used.
Is turned on / off in accordance with the motor load.

That is, the drive motor 29 and the drain motor 17
And motor load detectors 61 and 63 for detecting the motor load.
And the detection signals of the motor load detectors 61 and 63 are
This is input to the control unit 13.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the dotted line indicates a threshold value, the motor load detectors 61 and 63 suddenly exceed the threshold value from the start of dehydration due to driving, and increase. The load on the motor decreases due to the rotation and the dehydration progresses with the passage of time, and the load on the motor decreases below the threshold value. Is input to the control unit 13. Accordingly, the control unit 13 turns on the drying heater 45 from the start of dehydration to P of the motor load characteristic, and when it exceeds P, turns on the cleaning heater 11.
The control is performed in place of the drying heater 45.

The other components are the same as those in FIG.
The same reference numerals are given and the detailed description is omitted.

According to this embodiment, at the start of dehydration, the central portion of the dehydration tub 5 is heated by the drying heater 45, and as the dehydration proceeds, the load on the drive motor 29 decreases. In other words, the heating from the outside to the inside of the dehydration tub 5 is performed by the cleaning heater 11. Therefore, to enter the drying process with preheated,
Since the preheating period at the beginning of the drying step is shortened, the drying time is shortened. Further, in the final dehydration step, the dehydration rate increases due to an increase in the temperature of the heated laundry, and the amount of water to be dried decreases, so that the drying time is shortened. In addition, the entire dehydration tank 5 can be accurately heated without heating the wastewater or the like before the drying step.

[0041]

As described above, according to the washing and drying machine of the present invention, heat can be applied to the dewatering tub and the laundry in the final dewatering step, so that the preheating period at the beginning of the drying step is shortened. In addition, the temperature rise of the laundry heated during the final dehydration step increases the dehydration rate and reduces the amount of water to be dried, thereby shortening the drying time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a washing and drying machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of a drying heater and a cleaning heater.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing drying characteristics during a drying step.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a motor load characteristic and a drying heater and a cleaning heater.

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer box 3 Water tank 5 Dehydration tank 5a Dehydration hole 7 Dry air circulation passage 9 Suspension 11 Cleaning heater (heating means) 29 Drive motor 45 Drying heater (heating means) 49 Dry air intake 51 Dry air intake X Horizontal axis center

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shinichiro Kawabata 8 Shinsugita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Pref. Toshiba Living Space Systems Research Institute (72) Inventor Kappei Kabuya 8 Shinsugita-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa (56) References JP-A-4-250193 (JP, A) JP-A-5-293300 (JP, A) JP-A-2-45094 (JP, A) 54-38141 (JP, Y2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) D06F 35/00 D06F 58/02 D06F 58/28

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] 1. A water tank supported by a suspension in an outer box, and a dewatering tank disposed inside the water tank and provided with a dewatering hole which is rotatably controlled about a horizontal axis by a drive motor and provided with a dewatering hole. , with each other through each connection communicates with drying air outlet provided in the drying wind intake and the other provided on one of the tub, and a drying air circulation passage drying air flow, continuously from washing to dewatering and drying In a washer-dryer, the final removal before drying
A washing / drying machine having a heating means for heating the inside of the dehydration tub in a water process . 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the heating means is a drying heater that is provided in the drying air circulation passage and generates a drying air or a cleaning heater that is provided in a water tank. Dryer. 3. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the drying heater and the cleaning heater heats the inside of the dehydration tub during the final dehydration step. 4. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, wherein in the final dehydrating step, both the drying heater and the cleaning heater are heated at the same time or with a time difference provided between them. 5. The dehydration tub is heated by a drying heater after the last dehydration is started, and the interior of the dehydration tub is heated by a cleaning heater after a predetermined heating time has elapsed. Washing dryer. 6. After the start of the final dehydration, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by a drying heater, and the motor load of a drive motor for rotating the dehydration tub is detected by a motor load detector, and the detected value is reduced to a predetermined value or less. 3. The washing / drying machine according to claim 2, wherein the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by the washing heater when or after a predetermined time has elapsed. 7. After the final dehydration is started, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by a drying heater, and the motor load of the drainage motor is detected by a motor load detector. 3. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, wherein the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by the washing heater after a predetermined time has elapsed. 8. After the start of the final dehydration, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by one of the drying heater and the cleaning heater, and when the temperature of the heater at the time of the heating reaches a predetermined temperature or more, 3. The washing and drying machine according to claim 2, wherein after a predetermined time has elapsed, the inside of the dehydration tub is heated by the other heater. 9. The heating time for heating the inside of the dehydration tub by the heater for drying or the heater for cleaning is controlled in accordance with the amount of cloth. 7,8
The washing and drying machine as described. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit for selecting whether to heat the dehydration tub.
The washing / drying machine according to 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. 11. The heating means is turned off when the temperature in the water tank during the dehydration step is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. , 8 and 9.