JP7607283B2 - Washer/dryer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washer/dryer.

The following Patent Document 1 describes a washer-dryer that includes a circulation path having an outlet and a return port connected to an outer tub, an air blower that circulates the air in the outer tub by taking it from the outlet into the circulation path and returning it from the return port into the outer tub, a heating unit that is provided in the circulation path and heats the air in the circulation path, and a drying filter that is located in the circulation path closer to the outlet than the heating unit and has a vertical surface portion that captures foreign matter from the air flowing from the outlet to the return port in the circulation path.

In this washer/dryer, the outer tub has a cylindrical circumferential wall and a disk-shaped rear wall. The circulation path has a middle portion extending in the front-rear direction and a rear portion extending downward from the rear end of the middle portion behind the rear wall of the outer tub, and an outlet is formed at the front end of the lower end of the rear portion. The outlet is connected to the outer periphery of the rear wall of the outer tub. The circulation path includes a duct that occupies most of the rear portion. The duct is connected to the casing of the blower unit via a connecting hose.

Inside the duct, a downstream space located above the circumferential wall of the outer tank, an intermediate space located behind the rear wall of the outer tank, a placement space, and an upstream space are formed as air passages for the hot air. The intermediate space is a thin space in the front-to-rear direction and communicates with the downstream space from the rear. The placement space is a thin space in the front-to-rear direction and communicates with the intermediate space from the rear. The upstream space is located below the placement space and communicates with the outlet from the rear. A drying member having a drying filter is placed in the placement space so that the vertical surface of the drying filter faces horizontally.

In the drying process, the hot air generated by the air blowing section and the heating section circulates between the outer tub and the circulation path. At this time, inside the duct, the hot air flows backward from the outlet and then rises in the upstream space. The hot air then flows forward through the placement space, passes through the drying filter, and reaches the downstream space via the intermediate space. The hot air then rises diagonally in the downstream space and flows into the casing via the connecting hose.

JP 2020-168231 A

In the above washer-dryer, the duct that connects to the casing that is arranged on the circumferential wall of the outer tub is arranged on the rear wall of the outer tub, and as described above, inside the duct, the hot air passes through the drying filter, turns back forward, and rises along the rear wall, and then rises along the circumferential wall. Therefore, the duct tends to have a long air passage inside. In addition, the duct is arranged to avoid the area where the drive motor is arranged in the center of the rear wall of the outer tub, so it is difficult to ensure sufficient width in the left-right direction, and the cross-sectional area of the air passage tends to be small.

Therefore, in the above-mentioned washer-dryer, the airflow resistance inside the duct tends to be large, and as a result, the volume of hot air flowing through the circulation path tends to be small.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a washer-dryer that can increase the volume of air flowing through the circulation path.

The laundry washing machine according to the main aspect of the present invention includes an outer tub arranged in a housing and having a cylindrical peripheral wall, a drum arranged in the outer tub and storing laundry, a circulation path connected to the outer tub, a blower including a fan and circulating air between the outer tub and the circulation path, a heater arranged in the circulation path and heating the air, and a drying filter arranged in the circulation path and capturing foreign matter contained in the air with a capturing surface. Here, the circulation path includes a fan casing that accommodates the fan, and a duct that constitutes a portion upstream of the fan casing and in which the drying filter is arranged. The peripheral wall is provided with an exhaust port in a portion above the center of the outer tub. The duct is arranged in the peripheral wall and connected to the exhaust port, and extends from the exhaust port along the peripheral wall to the top side of the peripheral wall. The drying filter is arranged in the duct upright in the vertical direction relative to the peripheral wall so that the capturing surface is along the vertical direction and the axial direction of the outer tub.

According to the above configuration, inside the duct, the air discharged upward from the exhaust port turns diagonally upward and flows along the peripheral wall while passing through the drying filter. In this way, the air path through which the air flows is simplified in the duct, so the air path can be shortened. Furthermore, the duct is not restricted by the placement of the drive motor, etc., and the width can be increased in the axial direction of the outer tub, and the cross-sectional area of the air path can be increased. This reduces the air path resistance inside the duct, and as a result, it is possible to increase the volume of air flowing through the circulation path.

With the above configuration, even if the drying filter is arranged vertically so that the capture surface is aligned vertically and along the axial direction of the outer tank, the inside of the duct does not have an air path configuration that turns the air around and passes it through the drying filter, making it easier to shorten the air path.

When configured as above, the drying filter may further be configured so that the axial size of the outer tank is larger than the vertical size.

The above configuration makes it possible to increase the area of the capture surface while minimizing the increase in the vertical size of the duct, thereby increasing the amount of foreign matter captured.

When the washing/drying machine is configured such that the drying filter is disposed so that the capture surface is aligned in the vertical direction and the axial direction of the outer tub as described above, the washing/drying machine may further include a foreign matter removal unit for removing foreign matter adhering to the capture surface. In this case, the drying filter may be disposed near the upper periphery of the exhaust port so as to rise from the periphery .

For example, the foreign object removal unit may include at least one of a wiper that moves along the capture surface and a water supply channel that supplies water to the capture surface.

According to the above configuration, an exhaust port opens directly below in front of the capture surface, so that foreign matter that falls off the capture surface can be discharged directly into the outer tank through the exhaust port. This makes it less likely that foreign matter removed from the drying filter will remain inside the duct.

As described above, when the washer-dryer is configured such that the drying filter is disposed so that the capture surface is aligned with the vertical direction and the axial direction of the outer tub, the fan casing may be located above the duct, and the duct may include a side wall rising from the vicinity of the lower periphery of the exhaust port, and a top wall extending from an upper end of the side wall to the top side of the periphery wall so as to approach the periphery wall as it moves away from the side wall. In this case, the drying filter may be disposed so as to rise from the vicinity of the upper periphery of the exhaust port, and an air outlet may be provided in the top wall at a position farther from the side wall than the drying filter.

According to the above configuration, the height of the top wall at the top side of the peripheral wall is suppressed, so the height position of the fan casing located above the duct can be lowered, and the vertical size of the housing can be made compact. Also, the inside of the duct narrows in the vertical direction as it moves downstream from the exhaust port, but the drying filter is placed near the upper periphery of the exhaust port, which has a wider vertical width, so the vertical size can be increased and the area of the capture surface can be increased. Furthermore, because the duct has an outlet on the top wall, the size of the outlet can be increased, making it easier for air to be discharged from the duct.

The present invention provides a washer-dryer that can increase the volume of air flowing through the circulation path.

The effects and significance of the present invention will become clearer from the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the following embodiment is merely an example of how the present invention can be put into practice, and the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described below.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a washer/dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2(a) is a perspective view of the outer tub with the drying device attached thereto according to the embodiment, as seen from above and rear, and Fig. 2(b) is a perspective view of the main part of the outer tub, showing the periphery of the exhaust port according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a duct unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a duct unit and a main part of the outer tub taken in a radial direction of the outer tub according to the embodiment. 5(a) and (b) are perspective cross-sectional views of the duct unit with the duct cover removed, taken at a position between the right side wall and the inlet, according to the embodiment. FIG. 6(a) and 6(b) are perspective cross-sectional views of a duct body cut between a right side wall and an inlet according to an embodiment, and a perspective view of an inverted duct cover according to an embodiment. Fig. 7(a) is a perspective view of a drying filter according to the embodiment, and Fig. 7(b) is a perspective view of a wiper according to the embodiment. 8A and 8B are diagrams for explaining the water supplying process and the wiper operation process, respectively, according to the embodiment.

Below, one embodiment of the washer-dryer of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view that shows a schematic configuration of the washer/dryer 1. Figure 2(a) is a perspective view of the outer tub 20 to which the drying device 100 is attached, as seen from above and behind. Figure 2(b) is a perspective view of the main parts of the outer tub 20, showing the periphery of the exhaust port 203.

The washer/dryer 1 of this embodiment is a so-called drum-type washer/dryer. The washer/dryer 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 10. A circular loading port 11 through which laundry is loaded is formed on the front of the housing 10. The loading port 11 is covered by a door 12 that can be opened and closed.

Inside the housing 10, the outer tub 20 is elastically supported by a number of dampers 21 and springs 22. The outer tub 20 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 201 and a disk-shaped rear wall 202. Inside the outer tub 20, a drum 23 is rotatably arranged. The drum 23 rotates around a horizontal axis L. The drum 23 has a circular opening 23a on the front side. The outer tub 20 has a circular opening 20a in front of the opening 23a of the drum 23.

A number of dewatering holes 23b are formed in the peripheral wall of the drum 23. In addition, a baffle 24 for lifting up the laundry is provided in the peripheral wall inside the drum 23.

A drive motor 30 is disposed behind the outer tub 20 to generate torque for rotating the drum 23. The drive motor 30 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. During the washing and rinsing processes, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a rotation speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 23 is smaller than gravity and the laundry tumbles. On the other hand, during the spin-drying process, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a rotation speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 23 is much larger than gravity and the laundry sticks to the peripheral wall of the drum 23.

A drain outlet 20b is formed at the bottom of the outer tub 20. A drain passage 40 consisting of a drain hose or the like is connected to the drain outlet 20b. A drain valve 41 and a drain filter 42 are provided in the drain passage 40. The drain valve 41 includes, for example, a valve and a torque motor that opens and closes the valve. When the drain valve 41 is opened, the water stored in the outer tub 20 is discharged outside the machine through the drain passage 40. The drain filter 42 captures foreign matter such as lint contained in the wastewater.

A water supply unit 50 is disposed at the top of the housing 10. The water supply unit 50 includes a first water supply valve 51, a second water supply valve 52, a first water supply hose 53, and a second water supply hose 54. The first water supply valve 51 and the second water supply valve 52 are configured as dual electromagnetic valves. One end of the first water supply hose 53 is connected to the first water supply valve 51, and the other end is connected to the water inlet 20c provided on the rear wall 202 of the outer tub 20. One end of the second water supply hose 54 is connected to the second water supply valve 52, and the other end is connected to the water supply channel 160.

When the first water supply valve 51 is opened, tap water from the water faucet flows through the first water supply hose 53 and is supplied into the outer tank 20 through the water inlet 20c. When the second water supply valve 52 is opened, tap water flows through the second water supply hose 54 and is supplied to the water supply passage 160.

A drying device 100 for drying the laundry in the drum 23 is disposed in the upper part of the housing 10. The drying device 100 includes a circulation path 110, a blower 120, a cooler 130, a heater 140, a drying filter 150, a water supply path 160, and a wiper mechanism 170.

The circulation path 110 is an air passage through which air flows, and is connected to the outer tank 20. The circulation path 110 includes a first duct 111, a fan casing 112, a second duct 113, and an inlet pipe 114.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), an exhaust port 203 is provided at the rear of the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tub 20, above the center of the outer tub 20. The exhaust port 203 is elongated in the front-rear direction, i.e., in the axial direction of the outer tub 20, and has a rectangular shape with rounded corners. An annular rib 203a protrudes outward from the periphery of the exhaust port 203.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), the first duct 111 is disposed on the peripheral wall 201 at the rear of the outer tub 20 and connected to the exhaust port 203, and extends from the exhaust port 203 along the peripheral wall 201 to the top side of the peripheral wall 201. The fan casing 112 is disposed above the peripheral wall 201 at the rear of the outer tub 20, above the first duct 111 on the right side of the top of the peripheral wall 201. The maximum width W1 of the first duct 111 in the front-rear direction, i.e., in the axial direction of the outer tub 20, is larger than the width W2 of the portion of the rear wall 202 of the outer tub 20 on the outer periphery side of the arrangement region R of the drive motor 30, which is partitioned by the annular rib 202a. The first duct 111 corresponds to the duct of the present invention.

The fan casing 112 is formed in a flat, hollow cylindrical shape, has an intake port on the bottom surface, and an exhaust port on the circumferential surface. The first duct 111 is connected to the intake port of the fan casing 112 via a flexible connection hose 115.

The second duct 113 has a generally rectangular box shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction, and is disposed above the peripheral wall 201 and in front of the fan casing 112. The rear end of the second duct 113 is connected to the outlet of the fan casing 112. The inlet pipe 114 extends from the front end of the second duct 113 and is connected to an intake port 204 formed in the upper front part of the outer tub 20. The inlet pipe 114 is composed of a first pipe 114a that is integrally formed with the second duct 113, and a second pipe 114b that connects between the first pipe 114a and the intake port 204.

The blower 120 is, for example, a centrifugal fan, and includes a fan 121 housed in a fan casing 112, and a fan motor 122 for rotating the fan 121. The blower 120 circulates air between the outer tub 20 and the circulation path 110. Air discharged from the outer tub 20 through the exhaust port 203 flows through the circulation path 110 in the order of the first duct 111, the fan casing 112, the second duct 113, and the introduction pipe 114, and returns to the outer tub 20 through the intake port 204. The blower 120 and the fan casing 112 form a blowing unit.

The cooler 130 and the heater 140 are disposed on the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, of the second duct 113. The cooler 130 and the heater 140 are constituted by an evaporator and a condenser, respectively, included in a heat pump device. The heat pump device includes a compressor, an expansion valve, etc., which together with the evaporator and the condenser constitute a cold/hot circuit.

A low-temperature refrigerant flows inside the cooler 130. The cooler 130 cools the air flowing in the second duct 113, i.e., in the circulation path 110, by heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant, thereby dehumidifying the air. A high-temperature refrigerant flows inside the heater 140. The heater 140 heats the dehumidified air flowing in the second duct 113, i.e., in the circulation path 110, by heat exchange with the high-temperature refrigerant.

The cooler 130 may be a water-cooled heat exchanger, and the heater 140 may be a semiconductor heater.

The drying filter 150, the water supply passage 160, and the wiper mechanism 170 are arranged in the first duct 111. The drying filter 150 is arranged in the first duct 111 so as to block the air passage. The drying filter 150 is located in the circulation passage 110, upstream of the air flow from the blower 120, the cooler 130, and the heater 140. The drying filter 150 captures foreign matter such as lint contained in the air discharged from the outer tub 20.

The water supply passage 160 and the wiper mechanism 170 are for cleaning the dry filter 150. The water supply passage 160 allows water supplied from the water supply unit 50 to flow through the dry filter 150, washing away foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a of the dry filter 150. The wiper mechanism 170 includes a wiper 180, which wipes off foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a of the dry filter 150.

The first duct 111, the drying filter 150, the water supply passage 160 and the wiper mechanism 170 form the duct unit D1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the duct unit D1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the duct unit D1 and the main parts of the outer tub 20 cut in the radial direction of the outer tub 20. Figures 5(a) and 5(b) are perspective cross-sectional views of the duct unit D1 with the duct cover 302 removed, cut at a position between the right side wall 307 and the inlet 309. Figure 5(a) shows the wiper 180 in the standby position, and Figure 5(b) shows the wiper 180 in the wiping position. Figure 6(a) is a perspective cross-sectional view of the duct body 301 cut at a position between the right side wall 307 and the inlet 309. Figure 6(b) is a perspective view of the duct cover 302 in an upside-down state. Figure 7(a) is a perspective view of the drying filter 150. Figure 7(b) is a perspective view of the wiper 180.

The configuration of the duct unit D1, i.e., the first duct 111, the drying filter 150, the water supply passage 160, and the wiper mechanism 170, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 7(b).

The first duct 111 is composed of a duct body 301 that is open at the top, and a duct cover 302 that covers the top of the duct body 301. The first duct 111 includes a bottom wall 303, a top wall 304, a front side wall 305, a rear side wall 306, a right side wall 307, and a left side wall 308. The right side wall 307 corresponds to the side wall of the present invention.

When viewed from above, the bottom wall 303 and the top wall 304 are formed so that the right end is rectangular and the left end is arc-shaped, with the left end curved backward. When viewed from behind, the bottom wall 303 is curved with the same curvature as the peripheral wall 201. When viewed from behind, the right side of the top wall 304 is horizontal and the left side slopes slightly upward. When viewed from above, the front side wall 305 and the rear side wall 306 are formed so that the left end curves backward and are shaped like a triangle when viewed from behind. The right side wall 307 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction. When viewed from above, the left side wall 308 is formed in an arc shape and has a slight height from the bottom wall 303.

The bottom wall 303 is formed by the duct body 301, and the top wall 304 is formed by the duct cover 302. The front side wall 305, the rear side wall 306, the right side wall 307, and the left side wall 308 are formed by the duct body 301 and the duct cover 302.

The first duct 111 has an air inlet 309 at the right end of the bottom wall 303. The inlet 309 has the same shape as the exhaust port 203 formed in the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20, i.e., a rectangular shape with rounded corners. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom wall 303 has an annular rib 309a that protrudes outward from the periphery of the inlet 309, and an annular groove 309b is formed on the outer periphery of the rib 309a. The rib 309a on the periphery of the inlet 309 fits inside the exhaust port 203, and the rib 203a on the periphery of the exhaust port 203 fits into the groove 309b, connecting the inlet 309 and the exhaust port 203.

The first duct 111 is further provided with a circular outlet 310 at the left end of the top wall 304. The top wall 304 is formed with a circular rib 310a that protrudes upward from the periphery of the outlet 310. The outlet 310 is connected to the connection hose 115 by fitting the inlet of the connection hose 115 into the rib 310a.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first duct 111 has a cross section cut radially of the outer tub 20 that is nearly triangular, with the right side wall 307 rising from near the lower periphery of the exhaust port 203, and the top wall 304 extending almost horizontally from the upper end of the right side wall 307 to the top side of the peripheral wall 201, approaching the peripheral wall 201 as it moves away from the right side wall 307. The cross-sectional shape of this first duct 111 is similar to the shape of the space surrounded by the right side of the housing 10, the fan casing 112, and the outer tub 20. As a result, the air passage formed inside the first duct 111 gradually narrows in the vertical width as it moves downstream from the exhaust port 203.

A filter mounting section 311 in which the drying filter 150 is disposed is provided inside the first duct 111, near the inlet 309, i.e., the upper periphery of the exhaust port 203, and closer to the right side wall 307 than the outlet 310. The filter mounting section 311 is formed in a rectangular frame shape that is long in the front-rear direction, and has a groove section 311a on its inner peripheral surface. The filter mounting section 311 is divided into a frame section on the duct main body 301 side and a frame section on the duct cover 302 side.

A housing 320 for the wiper mechanism 170 is integrally formed at the rear of the first duct 111. The housing 320 is composed of a housing body 321 formed integrally with the duct body 301, and a housing cover 322 formed integrally with the duct cover 302. A rectangular communication port 312 that is long in the vertical direction is provided in the rear side wall 306 of the first duct 111. The interior of the first duct 111 and the interior of the housing 320 communicate with each other via the communication port 312.

Furthermore, a pair of triangular guard plates 313 that protrude into the housing 320 are provided on the rear side wall 306 on both the left and right sides of the communication port 312. The communication port 312 and the pair of guard plates 313 are formed at their lower portions in the duct body 301 and at their upper portions in the duct cover 302. A square mounting plate 324 is formed integrally with the left side wall 323 of the housing 320. A circular shaft hole 325 passes through the left side wall 323 and the mounting plate 324.

The duct body 301 and the housing body 321 are provided with a plurality of mounting bosses 331 with screw holes 331a and a plurality of engaging claws 332 at predetermined positions. Meanwhile, the duct cover 302 and the housing cover 322 are provided with mounting tabs 341 with insertion holes 341a at positions corresponding to the mounting bosses 331, and engaging pieces 342 with engaging holes 342a at positions corresponding to the engaging claws 332. The duct cover 302 and the housing cover 322 are fixed to the duct body 301 and the housing body 321 by screwing the mounting tabs 341 to the mounting bosses 331 and engaging the engaging claws 332 with the engaging holes 342a.

The first duct 111 is provided with a number of mounting tabs 351 each having an insertion hole 351a. The first duct 111 is fixed to the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20 with screws using these mounting tabs 351.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), the drying filter 150 includes a frame 151 and a filter mesh 152. The frame 151 is formed in a rectangular plate shape from a resin material and has a rectangular opening 153. The opening 153 is divided into three opening areas by two lattices 154 extending vertically. The frame 151 has a flange portion 155 formed on its outer circumferential surface that corresponds to the groove portion 311a of the filter placement portion 311.

The filter net 152 is formed into a square plate shape from a metal material such as stainless steel, and is attached to the frame 151 so as to cover the opening 153 of the frame 151. For example, the filter net 152 is integrated with the frame 151 by insert molding. The filter net 152 has a mesh formed in at least the area that covers the opening 153, and the surface opposite the frame 151 becomes the capture surface 152a that captures foreign matter such as lint.

Inside the first duct 111, the drying filter 150 is arranged in the filter arrangement section 311 in a vertically standing state so that its capture surface 152a is aligned along the vertical and front-to-rear directions, i.e., the axial direction of the outer tub 20. At this time, the drying filter 150 is fixed to the filter arrangement section 311 by fitting the flange portion 155 of the frame 151 into the groove portion 311a of the filter arrangement section 311. The size of the drying filter 150 in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., the axial direction of the outer tub 20, is larger than the size in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the capture surface 152a is aligned along the vertical direction, but it may be slightly inclined relative to the vertical direction as long as it is aligned along the vertical direction.

The water supply passage 160 is provided in the corner between the right side wall 307 and the top wall 304 inside the first duct 111. The water supply passage 160 is formed by attaching a water passage component 161 to the top wall 304 from below, has a long and thin rectangular tubular shape, and is provided across the entire width of the top wall 304 in the front-to-rear direction. The water supply passage 160 faces the upper end of the capture surface 152a of the drying filter 150 at a slight distance. A connection pipe 162 connected to the water supply passage 160 protrudes rearward from the upper end of the first duct 111. A second water supply hose 54 is connected to the connection pipe 162. The water supply passage 160 corresponds to the foreign matter removal section of the present invention.

The water supply passage 160 has a plurality of circular first water discharge holes 163 arranged in the front-rear direction on the side opposite the capture surface 152a of the drying filter 150. Furthermore, the water supply passage 160 has a plurality of square second water discharge holes 164 arranged in the front-rear direction on the underside, close to the right side wall 307. The inner wall surface on the left side of the second water discharge holes 164 slopes downward so as to approach the right side wall 307. This allows the water discharged from the second water discharge holes 164 to flow toward the right side wall 307.

The wiper mechanism 170 includes a wiper 180 and an actuator 190.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), the wiper 180 includes a rod-shaped head 181 and an arm 182 extending from the head 181. The head 181 is provided with a brush 183 made up of many bristles. The brush 183 has approximately the same length as the head 181 in the longitudinal direction of the head 181. A pivot shaft 184 is provided at the base of the arm 182. The wiper 180 corresponds to the foreign matter removal unit of the present invention.

5(a) and (b), the wiper 180 is passed through the communication port 312 so that the base side of the arm 182 is inside the housing 320, and the tip side of the arm 182 and the head 181 are inside the first duct 111. The brush 183 of the wiper 180 contacts the capture surface 152a of the drying filter 150. Furthermore, the rotating shaft 184 of the wiper 180 is inserted into the shaft hole 325 of the housing 320. In this embodiment, the length of the brush 183 is more than half the length of the capture surface 152a in the front-to-rear direction, specifically about two-thirds.

In addition, the wiper 180 may be equipped with a blade made of an elastic material such as rubber instead of the brush 183.

The wiper 180 can rotate between a standby position shown in FIG. 5(a) and a wiping position shown in FIG. 5(b). In the standby position, the wiper 180 lies horizontally, with the entire head 181 positioned at the upper end of the drying filter 150. On the other hand, in the wiping position, the wiper 180 is tilted downward from the horizontal, with the base of the head 181 positioned at the lower end of the drying filter 150 and the tip of the head 181 positioned below the drying filter 150.

During the drying process, the wiper 180 is in the standby position. Therefore, to prevent the hot air flowing through the first duct 111 from leaking into the housing 320 during the drying process, the wiper 180 is provided with a blocking body 185 that blocks the communication port 312 when the wiper 180 is in the standby position. The blocking body 185 includes a blocking plate 186 and a support plate 187. The central portion 186a of the blocking plate 186 blocks the communication port 312, and the outer portions 186b on both sides of the blocking plate 186 abut against the wall surfaces on both sides of the communication port 312 and the guard plate 313. The support plate 187 supports the blocking plate 186 from the arm 182 side.

The actuator 190 is, for example, an electric motor. The actuator 190 is attached to a mounting plate 324, and its output shaft is inserted into a shaft hole 325 and connected to the rotating shaft 184 of the wiper 180 within the shaft hole 325. When the actuator 190 operates by energizing it, the output shaft rotates.

When the output shaft of the actuator 190 rotates forward while the wiper 180 is in the standby position, the rotation is transmitted to the rotating shaft 184, and the wiper 180 rotates toward the wiping position. That is, the wiper 180 moves downward along the capture surface 152a. When the wiper 180 reaches the wiping position, the arm 182 abuts against the lower end of the communication port 312. This prevents the wiper 180 from rotating beyond the wiping position. When the output shaft of the actuator 190 rotates backward while the wiper 180 is in the wiping position, the wiper 180 rotates toward the standby position. That is, the wiper 180 moves upward along the capture surface 152a. When the wiper 180 reaches the standby position, the arm 182 abuts against the upper end of the communication port 312. This prevents the wiper 180 from rotating beyond the standby position.

The actuator 190 may be a solenoid. In this case, the linear motion of the solenoid's plunger is converted into rotational motion using a transmission mechanism and transmitted to the rotating shaft 184, thereby rotating the wiper 180.

Now, the washer/dryer 1 performs a wash/dry operation, a washing operation, or a drying operation of various operation courses. In the washer/dry operation, the washing process, the intermediate spin-drying process, the rinsing process, the final spin-drying process, and the drying process are performed in order. In the washing operation, the washing process through the final spin-drying process are performed, and the drying process is not performed. In the drying operation, only the drying process is performed. Depending on the operation course, the rinsing process and the intermediate spin-drying process may be performed two or more times.

In the washing process, water containing detergent is filled in the outer tub 20 up to a predetermined water level according to the load of laundry contained in the drum 23, and the laundry immersed in the water is tumbled by repeatedly rotating the drum 23 forward and backward. The detergent-containing water penetrates into the laundry, and dirt adhering to the surface and inside of the laundry is removed by the power of the detergent and the mechanical force of the tumbling.

During the rinsing process, the drum 23 rotates forward and backward with the outer tub 20 filled with water up to a specified level, tumbling the laundry. This causes the detergent contained in the laundry to be discharged together with the water, and the laundry is rinsed.

In the intermediate and final spin-drying steps, the drive motor 30 rotates in one direction at high speed, and the drum 23 rotates in one direction at a speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry inside the drum 23 is much greater than gravity. The action of the centrifugal force presses the laundry against the peripheral wall surface of the drum 23 and dehydrates it. In the final spin-drying step, the drum 23 rotates at a higher speed than in the intermediate spin-drying step.

During the drying process, air circulates between the outer tub 20 and the circulation path 110 by the operation of the blower 120, and the air introduced into the outer tub 20 is heated by the operation of the heater 140, becoming hot air. In addition, the drum 23 rotates forward and backward, tumbling the laundry.

Hot air introduced into the outer tub 20 from the air intake 204 hits the tumbling laundry, drying it. After removing moisture from the laundry, the hot air returns to the circulation path 110 from the air exhaust 203, passes through the cooler 130 before being heated by the heater 140, and is dehumidified by the cooler 130.

At this time, inside the first duct 111, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4, the hot air discharged upward from the exhaust port 203 turns diagonally upward and flows along the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tub 20 while passing through the drying filter 150. The hot air then turns upward, is discharged from the outlet 310, and flows into the fan casing 112 through the connecting hose 115. Foreign matter such as lint that has come out of the laundry and mixed into the hot air is captured by the capture surface 152a as the hot air passes through the drying filter 150. Foreign matter is less likely to flow through the circulation path 110 downstream of the drying filter 150, and foreign matter is less likely to adhere to the downstream blower 120, cooler 130, and heater 140.

In the wash and dry operation and the dry operation, when the drying process is completed, a filter cleaning operation is performed to remove foreign matter from the drying filter 150. In the filter cleaning operation, the water supply process and the wiper operation process are performed in sequence.

Figures 8(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining the water supply process and the wiper operation process, respectively.

In the water supply process, water is supplied from the water supply unit 50 to the water supply passage 160 for a specified water supply time. As shown by the solid arrows in FIG. 8(a), water is discharged from the first water discharge holes 163 of the water supply passage 160 toward the dry filter 150. The discharged water falls on the upper part of the capture surface 152a of the dry filter 150 and flows downward along the capture surface 152a. Any foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a is washed away by the water and peeled off from the capture surface 152a.

The drying filter 150 is disposed near the upper periphery of the exhaust port 203, and the exhaust port 203 opens directly below in front of the capture surface 152a. Therefore, foreign matter that falls off the capture surface 152a is discharged together with water through the exhaust port 203 directly into the interior of the outer tank 20.

Furthermore, as shown by the dashed arrows in FIG. 8(a), water is discharged from the multiple second water discharge holes 164 of the water supply passage 160 toward the right side wall 307 of the first duct 111. Any foreign matter adhering to the right side wall 307 is washed away by the water and discharged into the outer tub 20.

During the water supply process, the wiper 180 is moved to the wiping position before water is supplied.

Next, in the wiper operation process, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 8(b), the wiper 180 moves back and forth between the standby position and the wiping position for a predetermined wiper operation time. The brush 183 of the wiper 180 moves while rubbing against the capture surface 152a of the drying filter 150, thereby scraping off foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a.

As in the water supply process, foreign matter that falls off the capture surface 152a is discharged directly into the interior of the outer tank 20 through the exhaust port 203.

Finally, in the filter cleaning operation, the wiper 180 is moved to the wiping position, and water is discharged from the first water discharge holes 163 of the water supply passage 160. Any foreign matter adhering to the brush 183 of the wiper 180 is washed away by the water.

During the water supply process and wiper operation process, foreign matter discharged into the outer tub 20 flows into the drainage channel 40 together with the water discharged into the outer tub 20, and is collected by the drainage filter 42 arranged in the drainage channel 40.

The filter cleaning operation may be performed before the drying process.

<Effects of the embodiment>
According to this embodiment, the circulation path 110 includes a fan casing 112 that houses the fan 121 of the blower 120, and a first duct 111 that constitutes a portion upstream of the fan casing 112 and in which the drying filter 150 is disposed. An exhaust port 203 is provided in a portion above the center of the outer tub 20 in the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tub 20. The first duct 111 is disposed in the peripheral wall 201 and connected to the exhaust port 203, and extends from the exhaust port 203 along the peripheral wall 201 to the top side of the peripheral wall 201.

According to this configuration, inside the first duct 111, the hot air discharged upward from the exhaust port 203 turns diagonally upward and flows along the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tub 20 while passing through the drying filter 150. In this way, unlike a configuration in which the first duct 111 is disposed on the rear wall 202 of the outer tub 20, the air path through which the hot air flows is simple, so the air path can be shortened. Furthermore, unlike a configuration in which the first duct 111 is disposed on the rear wall 202 of the outer tub 20, the first duct 111 is not restricted by the arrangement area R of the drive motor 30, and the width in the axial direction of the outer tub 20 can be increased, and the cross-sectional area of the air path can be increased. This reduces the air path resistance inside the first duct 111, and as a result, it is possible to increase the amount of hot air flowing through the circulation path 110.

In particular, according to this embodiment, even if the drying filter 150 is arranged vertically so that the capture surface 152a is a vertical surface along the vertical direction and the axial direction of the outer tank 20, the inside of the first duct 111 does not have an air passage configuration that turns the hot air back and passes it through the drying filter 150, making it easier to shorten the air passage.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the drying filter 150 is configured so that the axial size of the outer tank 20 is larger than the vertical size. This makes it possible to increase the area of the capture surface 152a while suppressing an increase in the vertical size of the first duct 111, thereby increasing the amount of foreign matter captured.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in order to remove foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a of the drying filter 150, a wiper 180 that moves along the capture surface 152a and a water supply passage 160 that supplies water to the capture surface 152a are provided. The drying filter 150 is then disposed near the upper periphery of the exhaust port 203.

With this configuration, the exhaust port 203 opens directly below the front of the capture surface 152a, so that foreign matter that falls off the capture surface 152a can be discharged directly into the outer tank 20 through the exhaust port 203. This makes it less likely that foreign matter removed from the drying filter 150 will remain inside the first duct 111.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the fan casing 112 is located above the first duct 111, and the first duct 111 includes a right side wall 307 rising from near the lower periphery of the exhaust port 203, and a top wall 304 extending from the upper end of the right side wall 307 to the top side of the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20 so as to approach the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20 as it moves away from the right side wall 307. The drying filter 150 is disposed near the upper periphery of the exhaust port 203, and an air outlet 310 is provided in the top wall 304 at a position farther from the right side wall 307 than the drying filter 150.

With this configuration, the height of the top wall 304 at the top side of the peripheral wall 201 is suppressed, so the height position of the fan casing 112 located above the first duct 111 can be lowered, and the vertical size of the housing 10 can be made compact. In addition, the inside of the first duct 111 narrows in the vertical direction as it moves downstream from the exhaust port 203, but the drying filter 150 is disposed near the upper periphery of the exhaust port 203, which has a wide vertical width, so the vertical size can be increased and the area of the capture surface 152a can be increased. Furthermore, since the first duct 111 has an outlet 310 on the top wall 304, the size of the outlet 310 can be increased, making it easier to discharge hot air from the first duct 111. Note that if the outlet 310 is provided on the front side wall 305 or the rear side wall 306, which have a smaller vertical size as they move toward the top side of the peripheral wall 201, the size of the outlet 310 will be smaller.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited in any way to the above embodiment, and various modifications to the embodiment of the present invention are possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the first duct 111 is provided with a bottom wall 303 that is aligned with the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20, and the bottom wall 303 is provided with an inlet 309 that is connected to the exhaust port 203 of the outer tank 20. However, the bottom wall 303 and the inlet 309 may not be provided, and the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20 may be used as the bottom wall of the first duct 111, with the exhaust port 203 also serving as the inlet.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the drying filter 150 is arranged vertically in the first duct 111 so that the capture surface 152a is a vertical surface that is aligned with the vertical direction and the axial direction of the outer tub 20. However, the drying filter 150 may be arranged lying horizontally so that the capture surface 152a is a surface that is aligned with the horizontal direction.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the fan casing 112 is disposed above the first duct 111. However, the fan casing 112 may be disposed so as to be aligned laterally with the first duct 111. In this case, the first duct 111 does not have to be configured to extend toward the top side of the peripheral wall 201 so as to approach the peripheral wall 201 of the outer tank 20 as the top wall 304 moves away from the right side wall 307, and the interior of the first duct 111 does not have to be configured so that the vertical width narrows as it moves downstream from the exhaust port 203. Furthermore, the outlet 310 does not have to be provided in the top wall 304.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the wiper 180 and the water supply passage 160 are provided in the first duct 111 in order to automatically remove foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a of the drying filter 150. However, only one of the wiper 180 and the water supply passage 160 may be provided in the first duct 111. Furthermore, the first duct 111 may be provided with a foreign matter removal section having a configuration other than the wiper 180 and the water supply passage 160 for removing foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 152a. Furthermore, the first duct 111 may not be provided with a foreign matter removal section.

In addition, various modifications of the embodiment of the present invention are possible within the scope of the technical ideas set forth in the claims.

10. Housing
20 Outer tank
23 Drums
110 Circulation Route
111 First duct (duct)
112 Fan casing
120 Blower
121 Fan
140 Heater
150 Drying filter 152a Capture surface
160 Water supply channel (foreign object removal section)
180 Wiper (foreign matter removal part)
201 Peripheral wall
203 Exhaust port
304 Top wall
307 Right side wall (side wall)
310 Outlet

Claims (5)

an outer tank disposed within the housing and having a cylindrical circumferential wall;
a drum disposed in the outer tub and configured to accommodate laundry;
A circulation path connected to the outer tank;
A blower including a fan for circulating air between the outer tank and the circulation path;
A heater disposed in the circulation path for heating air;
a dry filter disposed in the circulation path and configured to capture foreign matter contained in the air by a capture surface;
The circulation path includes:
a fan casing that houses the fan;
a duct that constitutes a portion upstream of the fan casing and in which the dry filter is disposed;
An exhaust port is provided in the peripheral wall at a portion above the center of the outer tank,
the duct is disposed in the peripheral wall, connected to the exhaust port, and extends from the exhaust port along the peripheral wall to a top side of the peripheral wall;
The drying filter is disposed in the duct in a vertical direction with respect to the peripheral wall so that the capture surface is aligned along the vertical direction and the axial direction of the outer tub.
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. The washing and drying machine according to claim 1,
The drying filter has an axial size greater than a vertical size of the outer tank.
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. The washing/drying machine according to claim 1 or 2,
Further comprising a foreign matter removal unit for removing foreign matter attached to the capture surface,
The drying filter is disposed in the vicinity of an upper periphery of the exhaust port so as to rise from the vicinity of the periphery.
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. The washing and drying machine according to claim 3 ,
The foreign object removal unit includes at least one of a wiper that moves along the capture surface and a water supply channel that supplies water to the capture surface.
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. The washing/drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
the fan casing is located above the duct,
The duct is
a side wall rising from near a lower peripheral edge of the exhaust port;
a top wall extending from an upper end of the side wall toward a top side of the peripheral wall so as to approach the peripheral wall as it moves away from the side wall;
Including,
the drying filter is disposed in the vicinity of an upper periphery of the exhaust port so as to rise from the vicinity of the periphery,
An air outlet is provided in the top wall at a position farther from the side wall than the drying filter.
A washer/dryer characterized by the above.

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