JP3566564B2 - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a filter for closing a filter in a clothes dryer that dries clothes by storing clothes in a rotating drum, supplying hot air to the rotating drum, and discharging wet air from the rotating drum through a filter. Regarding detection.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, clothes to be dried are stored in a rotating drum, and air heated by a heating means such as an electric heater, a gas burner, or a heat exchanger using hot water is supplied into the rotating drum to be released from the clothes. There is known a clothes dryer in which humid air is discharged from a rotating drum to dry clothes.
[0003]
In such a clothes dryer, the humid air discharged from the rotating drum is discharged indoors, or discharged outside via an exhaust pipe connected to the clothes dryer. Since the moist air discharged from the rotating drum of the clothes dryer includes lint and dust generated from the clothes, a filter is attached to an exhaust port of the rotating drum to remove lint and the like in the room or the room. It is prevented from being directly discharged to the exhaust pipe.
[0004]
Here, lint, dust, and the like gradually adhere to the filter attached to the exhaust port of the rotating drum as the cumulative use time of the clothes dryer increases. If the degree of blockage of the filter is increased due to the attachment of lint or dust, the amount of wet air discharged from the exhaust port is limited, so that a normal drying operation cannot be performed. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the degree of blockage of the filter, and when the degree of blockage of the filter exceeds a predetermined level, notify the user to prompt the user to clean or replace the filter or to prohibit the execution of the drying operation.
[0005]
Conventionally, the degree of blocking of the filter is detected by focusing on the fact that the temperature in the rotating drum rises when the filter is closed, and a clothing temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of clothing stored in the rotating drum, When the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the humid air discharged from the filter rises abnormally, it is determined that the filter has been blocked.
[0006]
However, when the amount of clothes stored in the rotating drum is small, or when the outside air temperature is low and the temperature of the hot air supplied to the rotating drum is lower than normal, the rotation of the rotating drum may be suppressed even though the filter is closed. There has been an inconvenience that the rise in the temperature inside the drum is small, and the clogging of the filter cannot be detected from the temperature detected by the clothing temperature sensor or the exhaust temperature sensor as described above.
[0007]
Also, in a clothes dryer that supplies air heated by a heat exchanger with hot water to a rotating drum, the temperature of hot water supplied to the heat exchanger is kept substantially constant, so that it passes through the heat exchanger. Even when the amount of hot air supplied to the rotating drum decreases, the temperature of the hot air does not change, and the difference between the temperature of the hot air supplied to the rotating drum and the temperature of the humid air discharged from the rotating drum is reduced. However, it is smaller than a clothes dryer that generates hot air using a conventional gas burner. Therefore, even if the filter is closed, the temperature in the rotary drum is hard to increase, and there is a disadvantage that the filter cannot be reliably detected by the above-described conventional method.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a clothes dryer capable of reliably detecting a blockage of a filter through which wet air discharged from an exhaust port of a rotary drum passes.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made to achieve the above object, has a rotating drum for accommodating clothing, introduces hot air from an inlet of the rotating drum, and a filter through an exhaust port of the rotating drum. The present invention relates to an improvement in a clothes dryer that performs a drying operation of drying clothes by discharging wet air.
[0010]
If the degree of blockage of the filter increases due to the attachment of lint or the like, the amount of wet air that can be discharged from the exhaust port of the rotating drum decreases. Therefore, when the drying operation is performed, the humid air released from the clothes in the rotating drum stays in the rotating drum, making the clothes difficult to dry, and the time required for the clothes to dry becomes longer. Become.
[0011]
Therefore, a first embodiment of the present invention is: Exhaust temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the humid air discharged from the exhaust port, After the drying operation is started Estimating the remaining time required to complete the drying of the clothes using the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means when a predetermined time (time set in consideration of the time until the drying operation is stabilized) has elapsed. By the start of the drying operation Drying time grasping means for grasping a drying time which is a time until the clothes are completely dried; and when the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means exceeds a predetermined first time limit, the filter It is characterized in that it is provided with a filter blockage countermeasure for judging that blockage of the filter has occurred and performing at least one of notification of filter blockage and stopping of the drying operation.
[0012]
According to the present invention, as the degree of clogging of the filter increases, the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means becomes longer. Then, when the drying time is equal to or longer than the first time limit, it is determined by the filter blocking countermeasure that the filter is blocked. Therefore, even when the temperature in the rotary drum does not rise abnormally when the filter is clogged, the filter clogging countermeasure is used to notify the filter of clogging and stop the drying operation. At least one of the above can be surely performed.
[0014]
The lower the degree of drying of the clothes (the more wet the clothes), the more the heat of the hot air introduced from the intake port is taken away by the clothes, and therefore the temperature of the humid air discharged from the exhaust port of the drying drum. Becomes lower. Therefore, the detected temperature of the exhaust temperature detecting means increases as the degree of drying of the clothes increases.
[0015]
Therefore, the drying time grasping means can recognize the degree of drying of the clothes from the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means, and can estimate the remaining time required for completing the drying of the clothes. From the above, the drying time is determined. This makes it possible to detect earlier that the filter is closed.
[0016]
Further, a clothes temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of the clothes in the rotating drum is provided, and the drying time grasping means uses the detected temperature of the clothes temperature detecting means and the detected temperature of the exhaust temperature detecting means to detect the clothes. The drying time is grasped by estimating the remaining time required until the drying of the sample is completed.
[0017]
When the clothes are wet, the temperature of the clothes is low, and the temperature of the clothes rises as the drying proceeds by the hot air from the air inlet. Therefore, as the degree of drying of the clothes increases (the drying of the clothes progresses), the temperature detected by the clothes temperature detecting means increases. Therefore, the drying time grasping means uses both the temperature detected by the clothing temperature detecting means and the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means, and calculates the remaining time required to complete the drying of the clothes in the rotating drum. Is estimated. Thereby, the estimation accuracy of the remaining time can be improved, and the drying time can be grasped more accurately.
[0018]
Further, using only the detected temperature of the exhaust gas temperature detecting means or the detected temperature of the exhaust gas temperature detecting means and the detected temperature of the clothes temperature detecting means, the remaining time until the drying of the clothes is completed is estimated. When the time is grasped, due to the estimation error of the remaining time, even though the filter is actually closed, the drying time does not exceed the time limit, and the filter blocking countermeasure means detects the filter. May not be determined to be blocked.
[0019]
Therefore, a drying degree detecting means for detecting a drying degree of the clothes in the rotating drum is provided, and when the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means is less than the first time limit, the filter clogging countermeasure is taken. Means for, when the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation reaches a predetermined second limit time or more before the degree of drying of the clothes detected by the drying degree detecting means reaches a predetermined level, the filter; It is characterized in that it is determined that blockage has occurred, and at least one of notification of blockage of the filter and stopping of the drying operation is performed.
[0020]
According to this aspect of the invention, even when the filter blockage cannot be detected from the drying time due to the estimation error of the remaining time, the filter blockage coping unit is detected by the drying degree detecting unit. The blockage of the filter can be detected based on the degree of drying of the clothes and the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation.
[0021]
Also, According to a second embodiment of the present invention, Drying degree detecting means for detecting the degree of drying of the clothes in the rotating drum, and exhaust temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the humid air discharged from the exhaust port When a predetermined time (a time set in consideration of a time until the drying operation is stabilized) has elapsed from the start of the drying operation, the clothing detected by the drying degree detecting means from the start of the drying operation. From the total time of the accumulated time until the degree of drying reaches a predetermined level and the remaining time required to complete the drying of the clothes estimated from the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means when the predetermined level is reached, A drying time grasping means for grasping a drying time which is a time from when the drying operation is started until the drying of the clothes is completed, and a drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means being a predetermined first time limit or more. When it is determined that the filter is clogged, it is determined that the filter is clogged, and at least one of notification of the filter clogging and stopping of the drying operation is performed. And a stage It is characterized by the following.
[0022]
According to the present invention, the drying time grasping means first accumulates the time until the degree of drying of the clothes detected by the drying degree detecting means reaches the predetermined level. The time accumulated in this way can be grasped as the drying time as it is. However, due to variations in the sensitivity of the drying degree detecting means, etc., the clothes are actually insufficiently dried, and the drying operation is continued. You may need to.
[0023]
Therefore, when the degree of drying of the clothing detected by the drying degree detecting means reaches the predetermined level, the drying time grasping means uses the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means to dry the clothing. Estimate time. As described above, the temperature detected by the exhaust gas temperature detecting means increases as the degree of drying of the clothes increases, so that the remaining time required until the drying of the clothes is completed is estimated using the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means. be able to. When the degree of drying of the clothing reaches the predetermined level, the drying of the clothing proceeds, and the temperature of the clothing becomes high and stable, so here, the detected temperature of the clothing temperature detecting means is not used. The remaining time until the drying of the clothes is completed is estimated using only the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means.
[0024]
And the drying time grasping means grasps the drying time from the total time of the estimated remaining time and the accumulated time until the predetermined level is reached. Thereby, even when the detection result of the drying degree detecting means varies due to a difference in detection sensitivity or the like, the variation is corrected by the remaining time estimated from the detected temperature of the exhaust gas temperature detecting means. The drying time can be accurately grasped.
[0025]
Further, in a clothes dryer that includes a heat exchanger that heats air with hot water and generates the hot air with the air heated by the heat exchanger, the temperature of the hot air supplied from the suction port of the rotary drum, Since the difference from the temperature of the humid air discharged from the exhaust port of the rotary drum is small, the temperature in the rotary drum does not easily increase even if the filter is blocked. Therefore, it is difficult to detect the blockage of the filter from an abnormal rise in the temperature inside the rotary drum. Therefore, it is particularly effective to detect the blockage of the filter according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment.
[0026]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the clothes dryer of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the clothes dryer shown in FIG. 1, FIGS. 3 and 4 are flowcharts of a filter blockage detection process, and FIG. Is a data table for estimating.
[0027]
Referring to FIG. 1, the overall operation of a clothes dryer 1 according to the present embodiment is controlled by a controller 2 including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and a rotation in which clothes A to be dried are stored. A drum 3, a hot water heat exchanger 4 for heating air supplied to the rotating drum 3, and air heated by the heat exchanger 4 being sucked into the rotating drum 3 from an intake port 5; An intake / exhaust fan 7 that exhausts the humid air released from the clothes A through an exhaust port 6, a motor 8 that rotates the intake / exhaust fan 7 and the rotating drum 3, and an open / close state of a door 9 of the rotating drum 3 are detected. A door switch 10, a garment temperature thermistor 11 (corresponding to a garment temperature detecting means of the present invention) for detecting the temperature of the garment A in the rotating drum 3, and depending on the degree of wetness of the garment A contacted between the electrodes a and b. Detection output is ON / An electrode sensor 12 that performs FF (corresponding to the dryness detecting means of the present invention), an exhaust temperature thermistor 13 that detects the temperature of the humid air discharged from the exhaust port 6 (corresponding to the exhaust temperature detecting means of the present invention), , A magnet 24 attached to the filter 14, a Hall sensor 15 for detecting whether or not the filter 14 is attached to the exhaust port 6, and an operation panel 16 provided with a switch operated by a user.
[0028]
In the clothes dryer 1 according to the present embodiment, the humid air discharged from the exhaust port 6 passes through the exhaust pipe 19 communicating with the ventilation port 18 provided on the wall surface 17 such as the veranda through the ceiling and outside. Is discharged. In addition, by opening a thermal valve 21a for opening and closing the hot water supply pipe 22 and a thermal valve 21b for opening and closing the hot water return pipe 23, the hot water supply pipe 22 is connected between the hot water supply 20 and the heat exchanger 4. Hot water is circulated through the hot water supply pipe 23.
[0029]
The filter 14 attached to the exhaust port 6 is for preventing lint and dust generated from the clothes A from being discharged to the exhaust pipe 19. When the clothes drying operation is performed by the clothes dryer 1, lint, dust, and the like gradually adhere to the filter 14. When the amount of lint or dust attached to the filter 14 increases, the load at the time of discharging the humid air from the exhaust port 6 increases, the discharge amount of the humid air is limited, and a normal drying operation cannot be performed. Therefore, the filter 14 is detachable from the exhaust port 6 so that the user can remove the filter 14 from the exhaust port for cleaning.
[0030]
In order to detect whether or not the filter 14 is attached to the exhaust port 6, a magnet 24 is integrally attached to the filter 14. When the filter 14 is mounted on the exhaust port 6 of the rotary drum 3, the magnet 24 attached to the filter 14 is always detected by the Hall sensor 15 during one rotation of the filter 14 together with the rotary drum 3. On the other hand, when the filter 14 is not attached, the magnet 24 is not detected by the Hall sensor 15.
[0031]
Then, referring to FIG. 2, a detection signal of magnet 24 output from Hall sensor 15 is input to controller 2. Therefore, the controller 2 checks whether or not the detection signal of the magnet 24 is output from the Hall sensor 15 during one rotation of the rotary drum 3 to easily determine whether or not the filter 14 that rotates the rotary drum is mounted. Can be recognized.
[0032]
Further, referring to FIG. 2, controller 2 includes a door open / close detection signal output from door switch 10, a temperature detection signal output from clothing temperature thermistor 11 and exhaust temperature thermistor 13, and an electrode sensor 12. And a dryness detection signal output from the controller. Based on these detection signals, referring to FIG. 1, the controller 2 determines the open / closed state of the door 9, the temperature of the clothes A in the rotating drum 3, the temperature of the air discharged from the exhaust port 6, and the degree of drying of the clothes A. recognize.
[0033]
The electrode sensor 12 detects when the resistance value between the electrodes a and b (increases as the degree of drying of the clothes in contact with the electrodes a and b increases) exceeds a predetermined level (several MΩ). The output is turned on. The controller 2 inputs the detection output of the electrode sensor 12 every predetermined time, and calculates the ratio of the number of times that the detection output of the electrode sensor 12 is ON to the number of inputs per fixed time (hereinafter referred to as the electrode sensor ON frequency). Then, the degree of drying of the clothes A is recognized.
[0034]
Referring to FIG. 2, the control signal output from controller 2 controls the rotation / stop of motor 8 via motor driver 30 and the opening / closing of thermal valves 21a and 21b. Is done. Further, the hot water heater 20 starts operating according to the hot water temperature instruction signal output from the controller 2 to the hot water heater 20, and enters a standby state. Then, referring to FIG. 1, when thermal valves 21 a and 21 b are opened, hot water at a predetermined temperature (for example, 80 ° C.) is supplied from water heater 20 to heat exchanger 4 via hot water supply pipe 22. Is done.
[0035]
Referring to FIG. 2, on operation panel 16, power switch 31 for instructing start and stop of power supply to clothes dryer 1, start switch 32 for instructing start and pause of drying operation, drying operation A display unit 33 for displaying the remaining time, a voice unit 34 for notifying the user of the end of the drying operation by voice, and a light when the filter 14 (see FIG. 1) is not mounted and when the filter 14 is closed. The filter lamp 35 is provided.
[0036]
Next, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the blockage detection processing of the filter 14 during the drying operation of the clothes dryer 1 by the controller 2 will be described according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. When the user turns on the power switch 31 of the operation panel 16 (see FIG. 2), power is supplied to the clothes dryer 1 and the controller 2 starts operating, and the user further operates the start switch 32 of the operation panel 16. When the ON operation is performed, the controller 2 starts the drying operation in STEP 1 of FIG.
[0037]
The controller 2 first outputs a hot water temperature instruction signal to the water heater 20 and puts the water heater 20 into a standby state as described above. Then, when it is confirmed from the open / close detection signal from the door switch 10 that the door 9 of the rotary drum 3 is in the closed state, the controller 2 starts the rotation operation of the motor 8 via the motor driver 30. Accordingly, the rotating drum 3 and the intake / exhaust fan 7 start rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the motor 8 (see FIG. 1).
[0038]
Further, as described above, when the filter 14 is mounted on the exhaust port 6, the magnet 24 is always detected by the Hall sensor 15 during one rotation of the rotating drum 3. Therefore, the controller 2 does not receive the magnet detection signal from the Hall sensor 15 until 5 seconds (a time longer than the time required for the rotating drum 3 to make one rotation) elapse from the start of operation. When it is determined that the filter 14 is not attached to the exhaust port 6.
[0039]
When the drying operation is performed in a state where the filter 14 is not attached to the exhaust port 6, lint, dust, and the like released from the clothes are discharged to the exhaust pipe 19, and the exhaust pipe 19 may be blocked. Therefore, the controller 2 stops the motor 8 via the motor driver 30, stops the rotating operation of the rotating drum 3 and the suction / exhaust fan 7, and stops the execution of the drying operation.
[0040]
At this time, the controller 2 turns on the filter lamp 35 of the operation panel 16 and outputs a sound (for example, “the filter is not mounted”) from the sound unit 34 to notify that the filter 14 is not mounted. To prompt the user to attach the filter.
[0041]
On the other hand, when a magnet detection signal is input from the Hall sensor 15, the controller 2 determines that the filter 14 is attached to the exhaust port 6, and opens the thermal valves 21a and 21b. Thereby, referring to FIG. 1, hot water at 80 ° C. is supplied from water heater 20 to heat exchanger 4 via hot water supply pipe 22. Then, the air heated by the heat exchanger 4 becomes hot air by the operation of the intake / exhaust fan 7 and is introduced into the rotary drum 3 from the intake port 5 to start the drying operation.
[0042]
The controller 2 waits for the lapse of 10 minutes (the time set in consideration of the time until the drying operation is stabilized) from the start of the drying operation in STEP2, and waits for the drying time grasping means 36 provided in the controller 2 (FIG. 2). Is the detected temperature T of the clothing temperature thermistor 11 in STEP3. _c And the detected temperature T of the exhaust temperature thermistor 13 _e From this, the time required until the drying of the clothes A is completed (hereinafter, referred to as remaining drying time) is estimated.
[0043]
Here, the drying time grasping means 36 estimates the remaining drying time based on the data table shown in FIG. It should be noted that the data table shown in FIG. 5A is determined by an experiment, and the respective data are not absolute ones, and the capacity of the rotating drum 3 of the clothes dryer 1, the capacity of the heat exchanger 4, and the like. Is determined individually according to As is clear from FIG. 5A, the detected temperature T of the clothing temperature thermistor 11 is shown. _c And the detected temperature T of the exhaust temperature thermistor 13 _e Is lower, the estimated time of the remaining drying time is longer.
[0044]
In the present embodiment, the detected temperature T of the clothing temperature thermistor 11 is _c And the detected temperature T of the exhaust temperature thermistor 13 _e The estimation of the remaining drying time is improved by estimating the remaining drying time by using both of them. _e The remaining drying time may be estimated using only the time.
[0045]
Then, in STEP 4, the drying time grasping means 36 calculates the total time of the remaining drying time calculated in STEP 3 and the waiting time (10 minutes) in STEP 2 from the start of the drying operation to the drying of the clothes A. We grasp as drying time.
[0046]
Subsequent STEP5 and STEP20 to STEP23 are processing by the filter blocking countermeasure means 37 provided in the controller 2. If the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means 36 is equal to or longer than 60 minutes (corresponding to the first time limit of the present invention), the filter blocking measure 37 determines that the filter 14 is blocked. Then, the process branches from STEP5 to STEP20. The time limit of 60 minutes is normally set as a time period in which the drying operation always ends unless the filter 14 is closed.
[0047]
Then, the filter blocker 37 turns on the filter lamp 35 (see FIG. 2) of the operation panel 16 in STEP 20, and sounds from the sound unit 34 of the operation panel 16 informing that the filter 14 is being blocked in STEP 21. (For example, “Please clean the filter”) is output to notify the user that the filter 14 is blocked. This notification allows the user to know when to clean the filter 14.
[0048]
Further, when the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means 36 exceeds 80 minutes (corresponding to the first time limit of the present invention), the filter blocking countermeasure means 37 indicates that the degree of blocking of the filter 14 is large and normal. It is determined that it is difficult to perform a proper drying operation, and the process proceeds from STEP 22 to STEP 23 to stop the drying operation. That is, the thermal valves 21 a and 21 b are closed to stop the output of the hot water temperature instruction signal to the water heater 20, and the operation of the motor 8 via the motor driver 30 is stopped. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the filter 14 from being closed, the drying operation being continued in a state where the drying efficiency is poor, a long time being required until the drying is completed, and wasteful energy being consumed.
[0049]
When the remaining drying time is estimated from the detected temperatures of the clothing temperature thermistor 11 and the exhaust temperature thermistor 13 in STEP3 and STEP4, the blockage of the filter 14 can be detected earlier. However, due to the influence of the estimation error, there may be a case where the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means 36 in STEP 4 does not become 60 minutes or more in STEP 5 even though the filter 14 is actually clogged. . Then, in this case, since the filter blocker 37 does not determine that the filter 14 is blocked, the process does not branch from STEP5 to STEP20, and the processes of STEP20 to STEP23 are not executed.
[0050]
Therefore, in step 6, the filter blocker 37 monitors whether or not the electrode sensor ON frequency (corresponding to the degree of drying of the clothes of the present invention) is 95% or more (corresponding to the predetermined level of the present invention). Before the electrode sensor ON frequency becomes 95% or more in STEP6, if the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation becomes 60 minutes or more (corresponding to the second time limit of the present invention) in STEP30, the filter 14 It is determined that the blockage has occurred, and the process proceeds from STEP 30 to STEP 31 to execute the processes of STEP 31 to STEP 34.
[0051]
The filter closing countermeasure unit 37 turns on the filter lamp 35 in STEP 31 and outputs a sound informing that the blocking of the filter 14 is proceeding from the audio unit 34 in STEP 32, similarly to the processing in STEP 20 to STEP 23 described above, and STEP 33. If the cumulative time from the start of the drying operation is equal to or more than 80 minutes (corresponding to the second time limit of the present invention), the process proceeds to STEP 34 and the drying operation is stopped. As a result, even if the drying time grasped in STEP 4 becomes less than 60 minutes in STEP 5 due to the estimation error, the filter blocking measure 37 can detect the blockage of the filter 14.
[0052]
Further, the degree of drying of the clothes A detected by the electrode sensor 12 may vary due to the influence of a difference in the detection sensitivity of the electrode sensor 12 and the like. Therefore, even when the electrode sensor ON frequency becomes 95% or more in STEP 6, the clothes A are actually insufficiently dried, and the drying operation may need to be continued. Then, in spite of the insufficient drying of the clothes A, if the electrode sensor ON frequency becomes 95% or more in STEP 6 due to the variation in the detection result of the electrode sensor 12, the blockage detection of the filter 14 is detected. Can not do exactly.
[0053]
Therefore, before the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation becomes 60 minutes or more in STEP 30, when the electrode sensor ON frequency becomes 95% or more in STEP 6, the drying time grasping means 36 detects the exhaust temperature thermistor 13 in STEP 7 The remaining drying time is calculated (estimated) from the detected temperature.
[0054]
Here, in STEP 7, the drying time grasping means 36 calculates the remaining drying time from the data table shown in FIG. 5B. Note that, similarly to the data table shown in FIG. 5A, the data table shown in FIG. 5B is also determined by an experiment, and the respective data are not absolute ones. It is determined individually according to the capacity of the rotating drum, the capacity of the heat exchanger 4, and the like. Also, as is clear from FIG. 5B, the detected temperature T of the exhaust gas temperature thermistor 13 _e Is lower, the remaining drying time is estimated to be longer. Further, when the electrode sensor ON frequency becomes 95% or more in STEP 6, the drying of the clothes A proceeds, and the temperature of the clothes A becomes high and stable. Therefore, in the data table of FIG. 5B, the detected temperature T of the clothing temperature thermistor 11 _c Is not used, and the detected temperature T of the exhaust gas temperature thermistor 13 is not used. _e Only the remaining drying time is estimated using only
[0055]
Then, in STEP 8, the drying time grasping means 36 grasps, as the drying time, the total time of the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation until the electrode sensor ON frequency becomes 95% or more in STEP 6 and the remaining drying time calculated in STEP 7. I do. Thus, the variation in the degree of drying of the garment A calculated based on the detection output of the electrode sensor 12 is corrected by the estimated value of the remaining drying time, and the drying time grasping unit 36 needs to complete the drying of the garment A. The drying time can be accurately grasped.
[0056]
Subsequent STEP 9 and STEP 40 to STEP 43 are processes by the filter blockage countermeasure unit 37, and the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping unit 36 in STEP 9 is 60 minutes or more (corresponding to the first time limit of the present invention). At this time, the process branches from STEP 9 to STEP 40. Then, similarly to the processing in STEP 20 to STEP 23 described above, the filter closing countermeasure unit 37 turns on the filter lamp 35 in STEP 40, and outputs a sound indicating that the blocking of the filter 14 is in progress from the sound unit 34 in STEP 41. If the drying time is equal to or longer than 80 minutes (corresponding to the first time limit of the present invention) in STEP 42, the operation proceeds to STEP 43 to stop the drying operation.
[0057]
On the other hand, if the drying time is less than 60 minutes in STEP 9, the process proceeds to STEP 10, and the controller 2 waits for the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means 36 in STEP 9 to elapse. When the drying time has elapsed, the process proceeds to STEP 11, where the controller 2 closes the heat operated valves 21 a and 21 b to stop outputting the hot water temperature instruction signal to the water heater 20, and the motor 2 8, the operation of the operation panel 16 is stopped, and a sound (for example, “operation is completed”) is output from the sound unit 34 of the operation panel 16 to notify that the drying operation has been completed, and the drying operation is completed.
[0058]
In the present embodiment, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, (1) the remaining filter time of the filter 14 is estimated by estimating the remaining drying time from the detected temperatures of the clothing temperature thermistor 11 and the exhaust temperature thermistor 13 in STEP3 to STEP5. A method for detecting blockage, (2) a method for detecting blockage of the filter 14 from the accumulated time until the electrode sensor 12 is turned on in STEP6 and STEP30, and (3) when the electrode sensor 12 is turned on in STEP6 to STEP9. The blockage of the filter 14 is detected by three methods, that is, the blockage of the filter 14 is detected by estimating the remaining drying time from the temperature detected by the exhaust gas temperature thermistor. The effect of the present invention can be obtained even if any one of the methods is executed to detect the blockage of the filter 14. In addition, the effects of the present invention can be obtained even if the blockage detection of the filter 14 is performed by executing (1) and (2).
[0059]
Further, in the present embodiment, water heater 20 which starts operating in response to a hot water supply instruction signal from clothes dryer 1 is used. However, water heater generated by opening of heat operated valves 21a and 21b is replaced by a heat exchanger. A water heater that starts operation by detecting flowing water to 4 may be used.
[0060]
The remarkable effect of the present invention can be obtained by applying the air heated by the hot-water type heat exchanger 4 to a clothes dryer that supplies the air to the rotating drum 3, but the air heated by the burner or the electric heater can be obtained. The present invention can also obtain the effects of the present invention even in a clothes dryer that supplies the rotating drum 3 to the rotating drum 3.
[0061]
In the present embodiment, when it is detected that the filter 14 is closed, both the stop of the drying operation and the notification by the filter lamp 35 and the sound unit 34 are performed. The effect of the present invention can also be obtained by performing only the above.
[0062]
Further, in the present embodiment, the electrode sensor 12 is used as the drying degree detecting means of the present invention, but a humidity sensor may be used.
[0063]
Further, in the present embodiment, the thermistor is used as the clothing temperature detecting means and the exhaust gas temperature detecting means of the present invention, but other types of temperature detecting means such as a thermocouple and a platinum temperature measuring resistor may be used.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a clothes dryer.
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the clothes dryer.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a filter blockage detection process.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a filter blockage detection process.
FIG. 5 is a data table of remaining drying time.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Clothes dryer, 2 ... Controller, 3 ... Rotary drum, 4 ... Heat exchanger, 5 ... Inlet, 6 ... Exhaust port, 7 ... Inlet / exhaust fan, 8 ... Motor, 9 ... Door, 10 ... Door switch, 11: Clothing temperature thermistor, 12: Electrode sensor, 13: Exhaust temperature thermistor, 14: Filter, 15: Hall sensor, 16: Operation panel, 17: Wall, 18: Ventilation port, 19: Exhaust pipe, 20: Water heater, Reference numeral 21: thermal valve, 22: hot water supply pipe, 23: hot water supply return pipe, 24: magnet, 30: motor driver, 36: drying time grasping means, 37: filter blockage coping means

Claims (5)

Clothes having a rotating drum for accommodating the clothes, performing a drying operation for drying the clothes by introducing hot air from an intake port of the rotating drum and discharging moist air through an exhaust port of the rotating drum through a filter. In the dryer,
Exhaust temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the humid air discharged from the exhaust port,
When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the drying operation, the drying operation is started by estimating the remaining time required to complete the drying of the clothes using the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means. A drying time grasping means for grasping a drying time which is a time from when the clothes are completely dried,
When the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means is equal to or longer than a predetermined first time limit, it is determined that the filter is clogged, and the notification of the filter clogging and the stop of the drying operation are performed. And a filter closing means for performing at least one of the following. Providing clothing temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the clothing in the rotating drum,
The drying time grasping means uses the detected temperature of the clothes temperature detecting means and the detected temperature of the exhaust gas temperature detecting means to estimate the remaining time required to complete the drying of the clothes, thereby reducing the drying time. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the clothes dryer is grasped. A drying degree detecting means for detecting a drying degree of the clothes in the rotating drum is provided, and when the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means is less than the first time limit, the filter blocking countermeasure means is provided. When the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation reaches a predetermined second limit time or more before the degree of drying of the clothes detected by the degree of drying detecting means reaches a predetermined level, the filter is closed. 3. The clothes dryer according to claim 1 , wherein it is determined that the condition has occurred, and at least one of notification of the blockage of the filter and stopping of the drying operation is performed. 4. Clothes having a rotating drum for accommodating the clothes, performing a drying operation for drying the clothes by introducing hot air from an intake port of the rotating drum and discharging moist air through an exhaust port of the rotating drum through a filter. In the dryer,
Drying degree detecting means for detecting the degree of drying of the clothes in the rotating drum, exhaust temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the humid air exhausted from the exhaust port,
When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the drying operation, the accumulated time from the start of the drying operation until the degree of drying of the clothes detected by the drying degree detecting means reaches the predetermined level, and From the total time of the remaining time required to complete the drying of the clothes estimated from the temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detecting means, and the time from the start of the drying operation to the completion of the drying of the clothes. Drying time grasping means for grasping the drying time,
When the drying time grasped by the drying time grasping means is equal to or longer than a predetermined first time limit, it is determined that the filter is clogged, and the notification of the filter clogging and the stop of the drying operation are performed. And a filter closing means for performing at least one of the following. The clothes dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising a heat exchanger that heats the air with hot water, wherein the hot air is generated by the air heated by the heat exchanger.

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