JP7633624B2 - 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, a drying filter that is located on the outlet side of the heating unit in the circulation path and has a vertical surface that captures foreign matter from the air flowing from the outlet to the return port in the circulation path, a wiper that is movable along the vertical surface, and an actuator that moves the wiper. In this washer-dryer, foreign matter adhering to the vertical surface of the drying filter can be wiped off by the wiper that moves along the vertical surface.

JP 2020-168231 A

In the above-mentioned laundry washing machine, there is a concern that if the brush part or other part that comes into contact with the vertical surface of the wiper wears out, or if the wiper stops working properly due to a malfunction of the actuator, it will no longer be possible to effectively wipe off foreign matter that has adhered to the vertical surface.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a washer-dryer that can prevent the wiper from being left in a state where it is not functioning properly, thereby improving reliability.

A washer/dryer according to a first aspect of the present invention includes an outer tub arranged in a housing, a washing tub arranged in the outer tub and containing laundry, a circulation path connected to the outer tub, an air blower for circulating air between the outer tub and the circulation path, a heater arranged in the circulation path for heating the air, a drying filter arranged in the circulation path upstream of the heating part in the air flow and for capturing foreign matter contained in the air with a capturing surface, a wiper moving along the capturing surface to wipe off foreign matter adhering to the capturing surface, an actuator performing a moving operation to move the wiper, a microphone for collecting sounds generated around the wiper, and a control unit, wherein the control unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the fact that the maximum sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone when the actuator is performing the moving operation is smaller than a predetermined value .

When a wiper-related abnormality occurs, the sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone while the actuator is moving may differ from normal.

According to the above configuration, the washer-dryer collects sounds around the wiper using a microphone while the actuator is moving, and determines whether an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level of the collected sounds. This allows the washer-dryer to detect abnormalities related to the wiper and, for example, to notify the user. This prevents the wiper from being left in a state where it is not functioning properly, and increases the reliability of the washer-dryer.

If an abnormality occurs related to the wipers, the sound pressure level of the sound generated in the surrounding area when the wipers are operating may be lower than normal.

With the above configuration, the control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred based on the maximum sound pressure level being lower than a predetermined value, so that the occurrence of an abnormality related to the wiper can be detected with high accuracy, and the reliability of the washer-dryer can be further improved.

A washer/dryer according to a second aspect of the present invention includes an outer tub disposed in a housing, a washing tub disposed in the outer tub and containing laundry, a circulation path connected to the outer tub, an air blower for circulating air between the outer tub and the circulation path, a heater disposed in the circulation path and for heating the air, a drying filter disposed in the circulation path upstream of the heating part in the air flow and for capturing foreign matter contained in the air with a capturing surface, a wiper that moves along the capturing surface and wipes off foreign matter adhering to the capturing surface, an actuator that performs a moving operation to move the wiper, a microphone that collects sounds generated around the wiper, and a control unit. The control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred based on a waveform of the sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone when the actuator is performing the moving operation, the waveform being a waveform of the sound pressure level when the time required for the wiper to move to wipe the capturing surface is longer than a predetermined time.

The above configuration makes it possible to detect the occurrence of an abnormality that may make it more difficult for the wiper to move than normal, thereby further improving the reliability of the washer-dryer.

In the washer/dryer according to the first or second aspect, the control unit may be configured to cause the notification unit to give a notification when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred.

The above configuration allows the user to recognize the occurrence of an abnormality and take action such as performing wiper maintenance.

A washer/dryer according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises an outer tub arranged within a housing, a washing tub arranged within the outer tub and in which laundry is stored, a circulation path connected to the outer tub, an air blower for circulating air between the outer tub and the circulation path, a heating unit arranged within the circulation path for heating the air, a drying filter arranged upstream of the heating unit in the air flow within the circulation path and for capturing foreign matter contained in the air with a capturing surface, a wiper that moves along the capturing surface and wipes off foreign matter adhering to the capturing surface, an actuator that performs a moving operation to move the wiper, a microphone that collects sounds generated around the wiper, a control unit, and a current detection unit that detects current supplied to the actuator. The control unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone when the actuator is performing the movement operation, and determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the magnitude of the current detected by the current detection unit when the actuator is performing the movement operation, and if it determines that an abnormality has occurred, causes the notification unit to issue an alert based on a combination of the determination result of whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level and the determination result of whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the magnitude of the current.

If an excessive load is applied to the wiper during operation due to the occurrence of an abnormality, the current supplied to the actuator may become large.
According to the above configuration, the control unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the magnitude of the current detected by the current detection unit when the actuator is performing a moving operation, so that the occurrence of an abnormality related to the wiper can be accurately detected, and the reliability of the washer-dryer can be further improved.
Furthermore, the above configuration allows the user to grasp the details of the abnormality in more detail.

The present invention provides a washer-dryer that can prevent the wiper from being left in a state where it is not functioning properly, thereby improving reliability.

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 configuration of a washer/dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a right side cross-sectional view of a first duct to which a filter member, a water supply member and a wiper mechanism are attached according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a rear cross-sectional view of the first duct to which the filter member, the water supply member and the wiper mechanism are attached according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a washer/dryer according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control process in the wiper operation step according to the embodiment. 6(a) to (d) are schematic diagrams showing waveforms of A-weighted sound pressure levels obtained when the wiper is driven by the actuator in the normal state, when the wiper is worn, when the drying filter is clogged, and when the actuator is locked, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an abnormality determination process for determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on sounds collected by a microphone according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an abnormality determination process for determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on a current detected by a current detection unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a control process for anomaly notification according to the first modification.

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 showing the configuration of the washer/dryer 1.

The washer/dryer 1 of this embodiment is a so-called drum-type washer/dryer. The washer/dryer 1 has a rectangular 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.

In the housing 10, the outer tub 20 is elastically supported by a number of dampers 21 and springs 22. A drum 23 is rotatably disposed in the outer tub 20. The drum 23 rotates around a horizontal axis. 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. The drum 23 corresponds to the washing tub of the present invention.

The periphery of the opening 20a of the outer tank 20 and the periphery of the inlet 11 of the housing 10 are connected by an annular packing 24 made of an elastic material. The periphery of the closed door 12 comes into contact with the packing 24, and the space between the inlet 11 and the door 12 is water-sealed.

A large number of dewatering holes 23b are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 23. In addition, three baffles 25, each having a roughly triangular prism shape, are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 23 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

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 inner surface of the drum 23.

A drain outlet 20b is formed at the bottom of the outer tub 20. A drain valve 41 is provided at the drain outlet 20b. The drain valve 41 includes, for example, a valve and a torque motor that opens and closes the valve. The drain valve 41 is connected to a drain hose 42. The drain valve 41 and the drain hose 42 constitute a drain section 40 that drains water from the outer tub 20. When the drain valve 41 is opened, water stored in the outer tub 20 is discharged outside the machine through the drain hose 42. A drain filter 43 that captures foreign matter such as lint is disposed midway along the drain hose 42.

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 a water inlet 20c provided on the rear surface of the outer tank 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 member 150.

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 member 150.

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 fan 120, a heater 130, a filter member 140, a water supply member 150, and a wiper mechanism 160.

The circulation path 110 is an air passage through which air flows, and is connected to the outer tub 20. The circulation path 110 includes a first duct 111, a fan casing 112, a second duct 113, a first connection hose 114, and a second connection hose 115. One end of the first duct 111 is connected to an exhaust port 20d provided on the back surface of the outer tub 20, and the other end is connected to an intake port of the fan casing 112 via the first connection hose 114. One end of the second duct 113 is connected to an exhaust port of the fan casing 112 via the second connection hose 115, and the other end is connected to an intake port 20e provided near the opening 20a of the outer tub 20.

The blower fan 120 is, for example, a centrifugal fan, and includes a fan 121 arranged in the fan casing 112, and a fan motor 122 for rotating and driving the fan 121. The blower fan 120 circulates air between the outer tub 20 and the circulation path 110. Air discharged from the outer tub 20 through the exhaust port 20d flows through the circulation path 110 in the order of the first duct 111, the fan casing 112, and the second duct 113, and returns to the outer tub 20 through the intake port 20e. The blower fan 120 corresponds to the blower unit of the present invention.

The heater 130 is, for example, a semiconductor heater, and is disposed in the second duct 113. The heater 130 heats the air flowing in the second duct 113, i.e., in the circulation path 110. The heater 130 corresponds to the heating section of the present invention.

The filter member 140, the water supply member 150, and the wiper mechanism 160 are arranged in the first duct 111. The filter member 140 is arranged in the first duct 111 so as to block the air flow path. The filter member 140 is located in the circulation path 110, upstream of the heater 130 in the air flow. The filter member 140 includes a dry filter, which will be described later, and captures foreign matter such as lint contained in the air discharged from the outer tub 20 by the dry filter.

The water supply member 150 and wiper mechanism 160 are used to clean the dry filter. The water supply member 150 is disposed on top of the filter member 140, and directs water supplied from the water supply unit 50 into the dry filter, washing away foreign matter adhering to the dry filter. The wiper mechanism 160 includes a wiper, which will be described later, and uses the wiper to wipe off foreign matter adhering to the dry filter.

Figure 2 is a right side cross-sectional view of the first duct 111 to which the filter member 140, the water supply member 150, and the wiper mechanism 160 are attached. Figure 3 is a rear cross-sectional view of the first duct 111 to which the filter member 140, the water supply member 150, and the wiper mechanism 160 are attached. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B' in Figure 3, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' in Figure 2. For convenience, the microphone 60 is shown in Figure 2 by a two-dot chain line.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the detailed configurations of the first duct 111, the filter member 140, the water supply member 150, and the wiper mechanism 160 will be described.

The first duct 111 includes an upstream duct portion 111a of a predetermined shape extending in the vertical direction, and a downstream duct portion 111b of a predetermined shape extending forward from the upper portion of the upstream duct portion 111a. Furthermore, the first duct 111 includes a cylindrical inlet 111c protruding forward from the lower front surface of the upstream duct portion 111a, and a cylindrical outlet 111d protruding upward from the upper surface of the downstream duct portion 111b. The inlet 111c is connected to the exhaust port 20d of the outer tank 20, and the outlet 111d is connected to the first connection hose 114.

Air that flows into the upstream duct section 111a through the inlet 111c flows upward inside the upstream duct section 111a, then changes direction and flows forward into the downstream duct section 111b, then changes direction again and flows upward inside the downstream duct section 111b, and is discharged from the outlet 111d to the first connecting hose 114.

In the first duct 111, the filter member 140 is arranged at the boundary between the upstream duct section 111a and the downstream duct section 111b in a vertically standing state so as to be perpendicular to the forward air flow. The entire entrance of the downstream duct section 111b is blocked by the filter member 140. The filter member 140 is fixed by screws or the like to fixing sections 111e provided on the lower and upper wall surfaces of the entrance of the downstream duct section 111b.

The filter member 140 includes a frame 141 and a drying filter 142. The frame 141 is formed into a rectangular plate shape from a resin material and has a rectangular opening 141a. The opening 141a is divided into three opening areas by two lattices 141b extending vertically. The drying filter 142 is formed into a rectangular plate shape from a metal material such as stainless steel, and is attached and fixed to the frame 141 so as to cover the opening 141a of the frame 141 from the upstream duct section 111a side. The drying filter 142 has a mesh formed in at least the area covering the opening 141a, and the rear surface facing the upstream duct section 111a side becomes the capture surface 142a that captures foreign matter such as lint.

The water supply member 150 is provided at the upper end of the surface of the frame 141 facing the upstream duct section 111a, above the drying filter 142. The water supply member 150 is a long, thin, rectangular tube that is provided across the entire width of the frame 141 in the left-right direction and also protrudes outward from the first duct 111. The water supply member 150 is provided with a connection port 151 at the portion protruding from the first duct 111, and the second water supply hose 54 is connected to the connection port 151. A number of water supply holes 152 are formed on the underside of the water supply member 150, aligned in the left-right direction, close to the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142.

The wiper mechanism 160 includes a wiper 170, an actuator 180, and a transmission mechanism 190.

The wiper 170 includes a rod-shaped head 171 and an arm 172 extending from the head 171. A brush 173 made of many bristles is provided on the front of the head 171. The brush 173 has the same length as the head 171 in the longitudinal direction of the head 171 and contacts the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142. A rotating shaft 174 is provided at the tip of the arm 172. A recess 111f is provided behind the arm 172 on the rear surface of the first duct 111. The rotating shaft 174 penetrates the bottom surface of the recess 111f and protrudes outside the first duct 111. The rotating shaft 174 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) provided on the bottom surface of the recess 111f. The wiper 170 may be provided with a blade made of an elastic material such as rubber instead of the brush 173.

The wiper 170 can rotate between a standby position shown by a solid line in FIG. 3 and a wiping position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3. In the standby position, the wiper 170 is positioned at the horizontal end of the drying filter 142 in a vertically upright state, and in the wiping position, the wiper 170 is positioned at the vertical end of the drying filter 142 in a tilted state slightly downward from the horizontal.

The actuator 180 is, for example, an electric motor. The actuator 180 is attached to the front surface of a mounting plate 111g provided on the first duct 111 outside the first duct 111, and its output shaft 181 penetrates the mounting plate 111g and protrudes from the rear surface side of the mounting plate 111g. When the actuator 180 operates by energizing it, the output shaft 181 rotates.

The transmission mechanism 190 includes an input gear 191, an output gear 192, two relay gears 193 and 194, and two support shafts 195 and 196, and transmits the rotation of the output shaft 181 of the actuator 180 to the rotating shaft 174 of the wiper 170. The diameter of the input gear 191 is larger than the diameters of the two relay gears 193 and 194, and the diameters of the two relay gears 193 and 194 are larger than the diameter of the output gear 192. The input gear 191 is fixed to the rotating shaft 174, and the output gear 192 is fixed to the output shaft 181. The two relay gears 193 and 194 are provided between the input gear 191 and the output gear 192. The two relay gears 193 and 194 mesh with each other, and one relay gear 193 meshes with the input gear 191, and the other relay gear 194 meshes with the output gear 192. The two support shafts 195 and 196 are attached to the mounting plate 111g and rotatably support the two relay gears 193 and 194.

When the output shaft 181 of the actuator 180 rotates forward with the wiper 170 in the standby position, the rotation is transmitted by the transmission mechanism 190, and the wiper 170 rotates toward the wiping position. That is, the wiper 170 moves along the forward path along the capture surface 142a. When the wiper 170 reaches the wiping position, the stopper 111h provided in the first duct 111 abuts against the wiper 170. This prevents the wiper 170 from rotating beyond the wiping position. When the output shaft 181 of the actuator 180 rotates backward with the wiper 170 in the wiping position, the rotation is transmitted by the transmission mechanism 190, and the wiper 170 rotates toward the standby position. That is, the wiper 170 moves along the return path along the capture surface 142a. When the wiper 170 reaches the standby position, the stopper 111i provided in the first duct 111 abuts against the wiper 170. This prevents the wiper 170 from rotating beyond the standby position.

The actuator 180 may be a solenoid. In this case, the linear motion of the solenoid's plunger is converted to rotational motion using a transmission mechanism and transmitted to the rotating shaft 174, thereby rotating the wiper 170.

A microphone 60 (hereinafter abbreviated as "microphone 60") is disposed on the outer surface of the first duct 111 near the filter member 140 and the wiper 170. The microphone 60 collects sounds generated around the wiper 170.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the washer-dryer 1.

In addition to the above-mentioned components, the washer/dryer 1 includes a control unit 201, a memory unit 202, an operation unit 203, a display unit 204, a current detection unit 205, a motor drive unit 206, a water supply drive unit 207, a drain drive unit 208, a fan drive unit 209, a heater drive unit 210, and an actuator drive unit 211.

The operation unit 203 includes a power button for turning the power to the device on and off, a start button for starting operation, and a course selection button for selecting an arbitrary operation course from a plurality of operation courses related to washing and drying operation, etc. The operation unit 203 outputs an input signal to the control unit 201 according to the button operated by the user.

The display unit 204 includes a display such as a light-emitting element such as an LED or a liquid crystal panel, and displays the selected operation course, displays the progress of the washing operation, notifies of abnormalities, etc. according to a control signal from the control unit 201. The display unit 204 corresponds to the notification unit of the present invention.

The current detection unit 205 detects the current supplied to the actuator 180 and outputs a current waveform signal corresponding to the magnitude of the current to the control unit 201.

The microphone 60 outputs a waveform signal of the sound pressure level corresponding to the volume of the collected sound to the control unit 201.

The motor drive unit 206 drives the drive motor 30 according to a control signal from the control unit 201. The motor drive unit 206 includes a rotation sensor that detects the rotation speed of the drive motor 30, an inverter circuit, etc., and adjusts the drive power so that the drive motor 30 rotates at the rotation speed set by the control unit 201.

The water supply drive unit 207 drives the first water supply valve 51 and the second water supply valve 52 according to a control signal from the control unit 201. The drain drive unit 208 drives the drain valve 41 according to a control signal from the control unit 201.

The fan drive unit 209 drives the fan motor 122 of the blower fan 120 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201. The heater drive unit 210 drives the heater 130 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201. The actuator drive unit 211 drives the actuator 180 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201.

The storage unit 202 includes an EEPROM, a RAM, etc. The storage unit 202 stores programs for executing the washing and drying operations of various operation courses. The storage unit 202 also stores various parameters and various control flags used in executing these programs.

The control unit 201 includes a CPU and controls the display unit 204, motor drive unit 206, water supply drive unit 207, drain drive unit 208, fan drive unit 209, heater drive unit 210, actuator drive unit 211, etc., in accordance with a program stored in the memory unit 202, based on signals from the operation unit 203, current detection unit 205, microphone 60, etc.

Now, in the washer/dryer 1, a wash/dry operation, a washing operation, or a drying operation of various operation courses is performed based on the user's operation of the operation unit 203. 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 sequence. 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 inner circumferential 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.

In the drying process, air circulates between the outer tub 20 and the circulation path 110 by the operation of the blower fan 120, and the air introduced into the outer tub 20 is heated by the operation of the heater 130. Furthermore, the drum 23 rotates forward and backward to tumble the laundry. The heated air hits the tumbling laundry and dries it. Foreign matter such as lint from the laundry is taken into the circulation path 110 together with the air. The foreign matter is captured by the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142 when the air passes through the drying filter 142. This makes it difficult for foreign matter to flow downstream of the drying filter 142, and makes it difficult for foreign matter to adhere to the heater 130 located downstream. In addition, a heat pump type cooler (not shown) is arranged between the blower fan 120 and the heater 130 in the circulation path 110, and the air that has removed moisture from the laundry is dehumidified by heat exchange with the cooler.

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 142. In the filter cleaning operation, the water supply process and the wiper operation process are performed in sequence.

In the water supply process, water is supplied from the water supply member 150 for a specified water supply time. The water flows over the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142, and foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 142a is washed away by the water. The foreign matter flows together with the water from the circulation path 110 to the outer tank 20, and then flows into the drain hose 42 and is collected by the drain filter 43.

Next, in the wiper operation process, the wiper 170 moves back and forth between the standby position and the wiping position for a predetermined wiper operation time. The brush 173 of the wiper 170 moves while rubbing against the capture surface 142a, thereby scraping off any foreign matter adhering to the capture surface 142a.

Finally, in the filter cleaning operation, the wiper 170 is moved to the wiping position, and water is supplied from the water supply member 150 to wash away foreign matter adhering to the brush 173 of the wiper 170. The foreign matter, including the matter scraped off by the wiper 170, flows together with the water from the circulation path 110 to the outer tub 20, and then into the drain hose 42 to be collected by the drain filter 43.

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

However, if the brush 173 of the wiper 170 wears out as the washer-dryer 1 continues to be used, it is assumed that the brush 173 will have difficulty coming into contact with the capture surface 142a, and the wiper 170 will not be able to sufficiently remove foreign matter from the drying filter 142. In addition, if a large amount of laundry that is prone to lint and dust, such as towels, is dried on a daily basis, it is assumed that the filter cleaning operation will not be able to sufficiently remove foreign matter from the drying filter 142, and the drying filter 142 will eventually become severely clogged. Furthermore, if the friction between the wiper 170 and the capture surface 142a becomes very large due to severe clogging or the ingress of hard foreign matter, or if the transmission mechanism 190 is damaged, it is assumed that the actuator 180 will lock.

When such an abnormality occurs related to the wiper 170, the sound generated around the wiper 170 while the wiper 170 is being operated by the actuator 180 may be different from that during normal operation. Therefore, the washer-dryer 1 of this embodiment uses the microphone 60 to collect the sound generated around the wiper 170 while the wiper 170 is being operated, and determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the sound pressure level of the collected sound. This makes it possible to prevent the wiper 170 of the washer-dryer 1 from being left in an abnormal state.

Furthermore, the washer/dryer 1 of this embodiment detects the current supplied to the actuator 180 to operate the wiper 170 using the current detection unit 205, and determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the magnitude of the detected current. This makes it possible to further prevent the wiper 170 from being left in an abnormal state.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the control process during the wiper operation process.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the wiper operation process is started, the control unit 201 starts collecting sound by the microphone 60 and detecting current by the current detection unit 205 (S101). That is, the control unit 201 starts acquiring a waveform signal of the sound pressure level output from the microphone 60 and a waveform signal of the current output from the current detection unit 205. The acquired waveform signal of the sound pressure level is converted by the control unit 201 into a waveform signal of an A-weighted sound pressure level and then stored in the memory unit 202. The acquired waveform signal of the current is also stored in the memory unit 202.

Next, the control unit 201 performs forward current conduction (S102). The forward current conduction is current conduction to the actuator 180 to move the wiper 170 from the standby position to the wiping position. The wiper 170 moves to the wiping position while rubbing the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142 with the brush 173. The forward current conduction is performed until the forward current conduction time t1 has elapsed. The forward current conduction time t1 is set to be sufficiently longer than the time required for the wiper 170 to move to the wiping position. Therefore, after reaching the wiping position, the wiper 170 stops without immediately returning to the standby position. Therefore, the forward current conduction time t1 includes the forward movement time α1 during which the wiper 170 moves forward and the forward standby time β1 during which the wiper 170 waits at the wiping position.

When the forward current time t1 has elapsed (S103: YES), the control unit 201 stops the forward current and immediately performs the return current (S104). The return current is current to the actuator 180 to move the wiper 170 from the wiping position to the standby position. The wiper 170 moves to the standby position while rubbing the capture surface 142a with the brush 173. The return current is performed until the return current time t2 has elapsed. The return current time t2 is, for example, the same time as the forward current time t1, and is sufficiently longer than the time required for the wiper 170 to move to the standby position. For this reason, after the wiper 170 reaches the standby position, it stops without immediately moving toward the wiping position. Therefore, the return current conduction time t2 includes the return movement time α2 during which the wiper 170 moves in the return direction, and the return waiting time β2 during which the wiper 170 waits in the waiting position.

When the return current time t2 has elapsed (S105: YES), the control unit 201 stops the return current, and if the wiper operation time has not elapsed (S106: NO), it performs forward current again (S102). In this way, the control unit 201 repeats forward current and return current until the wiper operation time has elapsed (S102 to S105). This causes the wiper 170 to repeatedly move back and forth between the standby position and the wiping position.

When the wiper operation time has elapsed (S106: YES), the control unit 201 stops supplying power to the actuator 180 (S107). Furthermore, the control unit 201 stops collecting sound through the microphone 60 and detecting current through the current detection unit 205 (S108). In this way, the wiper operation process ends.

Figures 6(a) to (d) are schematic diagrams showing waveforms of A-weighted sound pressure levels obtained when the wiper 170 is driven by the actuator 180 in the following cases: normal, when the wiper 170 is worn, when the drying filter 142 is clogged, and when the actuator 180 is locked.

In the control process of FIG. 5, when forward and backward current is repeatedly applied to the actuator 180 to move the wiper 170 back and forth, the control unit 201 acquires a waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level as shown in FIG. 6(a).

As described above, after completing its movement, the wiper 170 temporarily waits at the wiping position and the waiting position. Therefore, the waveforms of the A-characteristic sound pressure level on the outbound path and the A-characteristic sound pressure level on the return path include a period in which the wiper 170 maintains a high value while it is moving and a period in which the wiper 170 maintains a low value while it is waiting. The period in which the A-characteristic sound pressure level maintains a high value corresponds to the outbound movement time α1 and the return movement time α2. The period in which the A-characteristic sound pressure level maintains a low value corresponds to the outbound waiting time β1 and the return waiting time β2.

Furthermore, when the wiper 170 moves to the wiping position or standby position while rubbing the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142 with the brush 173, the wiper 170 slightly presses the capture surface 142a. In this way, when the wiper 170 moves while pressing the capture surface 142a, the pressure causes the drying filter 142 to bend. Then, when the wiper 170 moves toward the end of the capture surface 142a, i.e., close to the wiping position or standby position, the bent drying filter 142 bounces back, generating a bouncing sound. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a peak value due to the bouncing sound of the drying filter 142 appears in the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level on the outbound path and the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level on the inbound path. The peak value is the maximum value of the A-weighted sound pressure level on the outbound path and the inbound path, i.e., the outbound maximum value L1max and the inbound maximum value L2max.

When the brush 173 of the wiper 170 wears out, the brush 173 is less likely to come into contact with the capture surface 142a, and the pressure applied by the wiper 170 to the capture surface 142a weakens. This reduces the deflection of the drying filter 142, resulting in less bouncing and a smaller bouncing sound. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6(b), the peak value that appears in the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level becomes smaller, and the forward maximum value L1max and the return maximum value L2max become smaller.

When the drying filter 142 becomes severely clogged, the drying filter 142 becomes heavy due to foreign matter, and the rebound of the drying filter 142 becomes weaker, and the rebound sound becomes quieter. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the peak value that appears in the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level becomes smaller, and the forward maximum value L1max and the return maximum value L2max become smaller. Furthermore, the presence of many foreign matters increases the friction generated between the wiper 170 and the capture surface 142a, making it difficult for the wiper 170 to move. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the forward movement time α1 and the return movement time α2 become longer, and the forward waiting time β1 and the return waiting time β2 become shorter.

When the actuator 180 locks, the wiper 170 stops moving. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 6(d), the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level has no peak values and has a low value overall. Note that, due to gear noises of the transmission mechanism 190 attempting to move, the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level tends to have a large value compared to when no current is being applied to the actuator 180.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the abnormality determination process that determines whether an abnormality has occurred based on the sounds collected by the microphone 60.

Referring to FIG. 7, the control unit 201 resets the numbers n1, n2, and n3 (S201). The number n1 is the number of times that the forward maximum value L1max or the return maximum value L2max becomes smaller than the first threshold value La. The number n2 is the number of times that the forward maximum value L1max or the return maximum value L2max becomes smaller than the second threshold value Lb. The number n3 is the number of times that the forward waiting time β1 or the return waiting time β2 becomes shorter than the third threshold value ta. The numbers n1, n2, and n3 are counted by counters provided in the control unit 201 corresponding to each of them.

The control unit 201 executes the following processing of S202 to S212 each time it completes one outward current supply and return current supply to the actuator 180 in S101 to S105 in FIG. 5.

First, the control unit 201 acquires the forward maximum value L1max and the forward waiting time β1 from the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level on the forward path stored in the memory unit 202 (S202). Furthermore, the control unit 201 acquires the return maximum value L2max and the return waiting time β2 from the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level on the return path stored in the memory unit 202 (S203).

Next, the control unit 201 determines whether the forward maximum value L1max is equal to or greater than the first threshold value La and the return maximum value L2max is equal to or greater than the first threshold value La (S204). Furthermore, the control unit 201 determines whether the forward maximum value L1max is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Lb and the return maximum value L2max is equal to or greater than the second threshold value Lb (S205). The second threshold value Lb is a value greater than the first threshold value La. Furthermore, the control unit 201 determines whether the forward waiting time β1 is equal to or greater than the third threshold value ta and the return waiting time β2 is equal to or greater than the third threshold value ta (S206).

As shown in FIG. 6A, when the wiper 170 is functioning normally, a YES determination is made in all of S204 to S206. Therefore, the control unit 201 repeats the processing of S202 to S206 until the supply of current to the actuator 180 ends due to the lapse of the wiper operation time (S213: NO). Then, when the supply of current to the actuator 180 ends (S213: YES), the control unit 201 ends the abnormality determination processing.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the wiper 170 is worn, at least one of the forward maximum value L1max and the backward maximum value L2max may become smaller than the second threshold value Lb.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6(c), if the drying filter 142 is severely clogged, at least one of the forward maximum value L1max and the return maximum value L2max may be smaller than the second threshold value Lb. Furthermore, at least one of the forward waiting time β1 and the return waiting time β2 may be shorter than the third threshold value ta.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6(d), when the actuator 180 is locked, at least one of the forward maximum value L1max and the return maximum value L2max may be smaller than the first threshold value La.

When the control unit 201 determines in S204 that at least one of the forward maximum value L1max and the return maximum value L2max is smaller than the first threshold value La (S204: NO), it increments the count of the number of times n1 by one and then determines whether the number of times n1 has reached a specified number of times na, for example, two times (S207). If the number of times n1 has reached the specified number of times na (S207: YES), it is highly likely that the wiper 170 does not move due to the locking of the actuator 180 and the wiper 170 is not functioning at all. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 201 determines that a serious abnormality has occurred, and as an abnormality process, stops the wiper operation process by terminating the supply of electricity to the actuator 180 (S208). Furthermore, as an abnormality process, the control unit 201 causes the display unit 204 to perform a first notification to notify the user of a serious abnormality in the wiper mechanism 160 (S209). For example, an error code corresponding to the first notification is displayed on a display included in the display unit 204. Alternatively, a light-emitting element for error notification included in the display unit 204 emits light in a color corresponding to the first notification. The first notification may be made by a sound from a sound output unit such as a buzzer.

When the control unit 201 determines in S205 that at least one of the forward maximum value L1max and the return maximum value L2max is smaller than the second threshold value Lb (S205: NO), it increments the count of the number of times n2 by one and then determines whether the number of times n2 has reached a specified number of times nb, for example, 2 times (S210). If the number of times n2 has reached the specified number of times nb (S210: YES), it is highly likely that the wiper 170 is not functioning properly due to wear of the wiper 170 or clogging of the drying filter 142. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 201 determines that a minor abnormality has occurred, and as an abnormality process, causes the display unit 204 to perform a second notification to notify the user of a minor abnormality of the wiper mechanism 160 (S211). For example, an error code corresponding to the second notification is displayed on a display included in the display unit 204. Alternatively, a light-emitting element for error notification included in the display unit 204 emits light in a color corresponding to the second notification. The second notification may be made by sound from a sound output unit such as a buzzer.

When the control unit 201 determines in S206 that at least one of the forward waiting time β1 and the return waiting time β2 is shorter than the third threshold ta (S206: NO), it increments the count of the number of times n3 by one and then determines whether the number of times n3 has reached a specified number of times nc, for example, two times (S212). If the number of times n3 has reached the specified number of times nc (S212: YES), it is highly likely that the wiper 170 is not functioning properly due to clogging of the drying filter 142. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 201 determines that a minor abnormality has occurred and causes the display unit 204 to issue a second notification (S211).

When the outbound waiting time β1 or the return waiting time β2 is shorter than the third threshold ta, the outbound travel time α1 or the return travel time α2 becomes longer than the predetermined time that is the criterion for determining whether an abnormality has occurred. In this case, the control unit 201 has acquired the waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level when the outbound travel time α1 or the return travel time α2 is longer than the predetermined time. Therefore, as in S206 and S212, the control unit 201 determining that an abnormality has occurred based on the outbound waiting time β1 or the return waiting time β2 being shorter than the third threshold ta is an example of the control unit 201 determining that an abnormality has occurred based on the acquisition of a waveform of the A-weighted sound pressure level in which the outbound travel time α1 or the return travel time α2 is longer than the predetermined time. As another example, the control unit 201 may acquire the outgoing travel time α1 and the return travel time α2 in S202 and S203, and determine in S206 whether the outgoing travel time α1 is equal to or less than a predetermined time and the return travel time α2 is equal to or less than a predetermined time, and determine that an abnormality has occurred based on the fact that at least one of the outgoing travel time α1 and the return travel time α2 is greater than the predetermined time.

Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the abnormality determination process that determines whether an abnormality has occurred based on the current detected by the current detection unit 205.

Referring to FIG. 8, the control unit 201 resets the number of times n4 (S301). The number of times n4 is the number of times that the forward current effective value C1 or the return current effective value C2 becomes smaller than the fourth threshold value Ca. The number of times n4 is counted by a counter provided in the control unit 201 corresponding to the number of times n4.

The control unit 201 executes the following processing of S302 to S307 each time it completes one outward current supply and return current supply to the actuator 180 in S101 to S105 in FIG. 5.

First, the control unit 201 calculates the forward current effective value C1 from the current waveform stored in the memory unit 202 (S302). Furthermore, the control unit 201 calculates the return current effective value C2 from the current waveform stored in the memory unit 202 (S303). The forward current effective value C1 and the return current effective value C2 are the effective values of the AC current supplied to the actuator 180 when forward current and return current are performed.

Next, the control unit 201 determines whether the outward current effective value C1 is equal to or less than the fourth threshold value Ca and the return current effective value C2 is equal to or less than the fourth threshold value Ca (S304). If the wiper 170 is functioning normally, a YES determination is made in S304. Therefore, the control unit 201 repeats the processes of S302 to S304 until the supply of current to the actuator 180 ends due to the lapse of the wiper operation time (S308: NO). Then, when the supply of current to the actuator 180 ends (S308: YES), the control unit 201 ends the abnormality determination process.

If an excessive load is applied to the wiper 170 and the actuator 180 locks or comes close to being locked, the current supplied to the actuator 180 may become excessively large, and at least one of the forward current effective value C1 and the return current effective value C2 may become greater than the fourth threshold value Ca.

When the control unit 201 determines in S304 that at least one of the forward current effective value C1 and the return current effective value C2 is greater than the fourth threshold value Ca (S304: NO), it increments the count of the number of times n4 by one and then determines whether the number of times n4 has reached a specified number of times nd, for example, two times (S305). If the number of times n4 has reached the specified number of times nd (S305: YES), the control unit 201 determines that a serious abnormality has occurred and stops the wiper operation process by terminating the supply of current to the actuator 180 (S306). Furthermore, the control unit 201 causes the display unit 204 to perform a first notification (S307).

8, the forward current effective value C1 and the return current effective value C2 may be compared not only with the fourth threshold value Ca but also with a fifth threshold value Cb that is smaller than the fourth threshold value Ca. In this case, the control unit 201 determines whether the forward current effective value C1 is equal to or smaller than the fifth threshold value Cb and the return current effective value C2 is equal to or smaller than the fifth threshold value Cb, and causes the display unit 204 to perform a first notification based on the fact that at least one of the forward current effective value C1 and the return current effective value C2 is greater than the fifth threshold value Cb.

<Effects of the embodiment>
According to this embodiment, the washer-dryer 1 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone 60 when the actuator 180 is performing a moving operation to move the wiper 170, more specifically, based on the state of the waveform of the sound pressure level. Therefore, if an abnormality related to the wiper 170 occurs, the abnormality is not left as it is, but appropriate measures can be taken, such as announcing the abnormality, thereby improving reliability.

Furthermore, if an abnormality related to the wiper 170 occurs, the sound pressure level of the sound generated in the surrounding area when the wiper 170 is operating may be lower than normal. According to this embodiment, the washer-dryer 1 determines that an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level, specifically the maximum A-weighted sound pressure level, being lower than a predetermined value, specifically the first threshold value La or the second threshold value Lb, so that the occurrence of an abnormality related to the wiper 170 can be detected well and appropriate measures can be taken.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the washer-dryer 1 determines that an abnormality has occurred based on acquiring a waveform of the sound pressure level when the time required for the wiper 170 to move to wipe the capture surface 142a of the drying filter 142 is longer than a predetermined time. This allows the washer-dryer 1 to detect the occurrence of an abnormality that may make it more difficult for the wiper 170 to move compared to normal times, and enables appropriate countermeasures.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the washer/dryer 1 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the magnitude of the current detected by the current detection unit 205 when the actuator 180 is performing a movement operation to move the wiper 170. This allows the washer/dryer 1 to more accurately detect the occurrence of an abnormality related to the wiper 170.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the washer/dryer 1 determines that an abnormality related to the wiper 170 has occurred, it issues a first or second notification via the display unit 204 as an abnormality handling process, so that the user can recognize the occurrence of the abnormality and can take action, such as performing maintenance on the wiper 170.

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.

<Modification 1>
In the first modification, when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, a notification is given by the display unit 204 according to a combination of the determination result of whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level and the determination result of whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the magnitude of the current. This allows the user to grasp the details of the abnormality in more detail.

In this modified example, in the abnormality determination process of FIG. 7, the first notification of S209 and the second notification of S211 are not made by the display unit 204. Furthermore, in the abnormality determination process of FIG. 8, the first notification of S307 is not made by the display unit 204.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing a control process for anomaly notification according to the first modified example. Each time the forward and return currents to the actuator 180 in steps S101 to S105 in Figure 5 are completed, the control unit 201 determines whether an abnormality has been detected in the abnormality determination process in Figure 7 for this cycle, i.e., whether an abnormality has been detected based on the sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone 60 (S401). If an abnormality has been detected based on the sound pressure level (S401: YES), the control unit 201 determines whether an abnormality has been detected in the abnormality determination process in Figure 8 for this cycle, i.e., whether an abnormality has been detected based on the magnitude of the current detected by the current detection unit 205 (S402).

If an abnormality is detected based on the magnitude of the current (S402: YES), that is, if an abnormality is detected based on both the sound pressure level and the current, it is highly likely that the actuator 180 is locked or close to being locked. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 201 causes the display unit 204 to issue a notification indicating that an abnormality has occurred on the actuator 180 side, such as a lock (S403). For example, an error code corresponding to the abnormality on the actuator 180 side may be displayed on the display, or a light-emitting element for announcing an abnormality may be lit in a color corresponding to the abnormality on the actuator 180 side.

On the other hand, if the occurrence of an abnormality is not detected based on the magnitude of the current (S402: NO), that is, if the occurrence of an abnormality is detected only based on the sound pressure level, it is considered that there is a high possibility that an abnormality related to the wiper 170 side has occurred, such as wear of the brush 173 of the wiper 170. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 201 causes the display unit 204 to issue a notification indicating that an abnormality related to the wiper 170 side has occurred (S404). For example, an error code corresponding to the abnormality related to the wiper 170 side is displayed on the display, or a light-emitting element for abnormality notification is lit in a color corresponding to the abnormality related to the wiper 170 side.

If the control unit 201 does not detect the occurrence of an abnormality based on the sound pressure level in S401 (S401: NO), it determines whether or not the occurrence of an abnormality has been detected based on the magnitude of the current in this round (S405). If the occurrence of an abnormality is detected based on the magnitude of the current (S405: YES), that is, if the occurrence of an abnormality is detected only by the current, since no abnormality is recognized in the sound pressure level, it is considered that at least the wiper 170 is moving and the actuator 180 is not locked. And, considering that no abnormality is recognized in the sound pressure level but an abnormality is recognized in the current, it is considered that there is a high possibility that an abnormality has occurred on the wiper 170 side. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 201 causes the display unit 204 to issue a notification indicating that an abnormality has occurred on the wiper 170 side (S404).

<Other changes>
7, the occurrence of an abnormality is determined based on the A-weighted sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone 60. However, the occurrence of an abnormality may be determined based on the sound pressure level before it is converted into the A-weighted sound pressure level, that is, the sound pressure level that is not weighted by frequency.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an abnormality determination process for determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the current detected by the current detection unit 205 in FIG. 8 is executed in parallel with the abnormality determination process for determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the sound collected by the microphone 60 in FIG. 7. However, it is also possible that only the abnormality determination process in FIG. 7 is executed, and the abnormality determination process in FIG. 8 is not executed.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the washer-dryer 1 is a drum-type washer-dryer equipped with a horizontal-axis drum 23. However, the present invention can also be applied to a so-called vertical-type washer-dryer equipped with a vertical-axis washing and spin-drying tub with a pulsator inside.

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 Drum (washing tub)
60 Microphone
110 Circulation Route
120 Blower fan (blower section)
130 Heater (heating unit)
142 Drying filter 142a Capture surface
170 Wiper
180 Actuator
201 Control unit
204 Display unit (notification unit)
205 Current detection unit

Claims (4)

An outer tank disposed within the housing;
A washing tub disposed in the outer tub and accommodating laundry;
A circulation path connected to the outer tank;
A blower that circulates air between the outer tub and the circulation path;
A heating section disposed in the circulation path and configured to heat air;
a drying filter disposed in the circulation path in an air flow upstream of the heating unit and configured to capture foreign matter contained in the air by a capture surface;
a wiper that moves along the capture surface and wipes off foreign matter adhering to the capture surface;
an actuator that performs a movement operation to move the wiper;
a microphone for collecting sounds generated around the wiper;
A control unit,
the control unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on a fact that a maximum value of a sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone while the actuator is performing the moving operation is smaller than a predetermined value .
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. An outer tank disposed within the housing;
A washing tub disposed in the outer tub and accommodating laundry;
A circulation path connected to the outer tank;
A blower that circulates air between the outer tub and the circulation path;
A heating section disposed in the circulation path and configured to heat air;
a drying filter disposed in the circulation path in an air flow upstream of the heating unit and configured to capture foreign matter contained in the air by a capture surface;
a wiper that moves along the capture surface and wipes off foreign matter adhering to the capture surface;
an actuator that performs a movement operation to move the wiper;
a microphone for collecting sounds generated around the wiper;
A control unit,
The control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred based on a waveform of a sound pressure level collected by the microphone when the actuator is performing the moving operation and the waveform of the sound pressure level is obtained when the time required for the wiper to move to wipe the capture surface is longer than a predetermined time .
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. The washing/drying machine according to claim 1 or 2,
When the control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred, the control unit causes the notification unit to issue a notification.
A washer/dryer characterized by the above. An outer tank disposed within the housing;
A washing tub disposed in the outer tub and accommodating laundry;
A circulation path connected to the outer tank;
A blower that circulates air between the outer tub and the circulation path;
A heating section disposed in the circulation path and configured to heat air;
a drying filter disposed in the circulation path in an air flow upstream of the heating unit and configured to capture foreign matter contained in the air by a capture surface;
a wiper that moves along the capture surface and wipes off foreign matter adhering to the capture surface;
an actuator that performs a movement operation to move the wiper;
a microphone for collecting sounds generated around the wiper;
A control unit;
a current detection unit that detects a current supplied to the actuator,
The control unit is
determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on a sound pressure level of the sound collected by the microphone while the actuator is performing the moving operation;
determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on a magnitude of a current detected by the current detection unit while the actuator is performing the moving operation;
when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, causing a notification unit to issue a notification in accordance with a combination of a result of the determination as to whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the sound pressure level and a result of the determination as to whether or not an abnormality has occurred based on the magnitude of the current;
A washer/dryer characterized by the above.

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