JP7716682B2 - clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a clothes dryer.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a clothes dryer that includes a dehumidifying means for dehumidifying the air used to dry clothes, a circulation air duct for circulating the drying air, and a back filter with blowing holes for blowing the drying air into the rotating drum.

In the clothes dryer described in Patent Document 1, the back filter is designed to blow drying air downward inside the rotating drum.

JP 2010-187962 A

However, when drying a small amount of clothes with the clothes dryer described in Patent Document 1, wrinkles remain in the clothes after the drying process. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in terms of preventing wrinkles from forming in clothes during the drying operation.

Therefore, the object of this disclosure is to solve the above problem and provide a clothes dryer that reduces wrinkles that form on clothes during the drying process.

A clothes dryer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an outer tub elastically supported within a housing, an inner tub rotatable within the outer tub around a rotation axis that passes through the bottom of the outer tub, a circulation flow path connected to an outlet at the bottom of the outer tub, a heating means for heating air supplied to the outer tub through the circulation flow path, a blowing means for generating an air flow in the circulation flow path from the heating means through the outlet of the outer tub toward the bottom of the inner tub, and a guide means disposed within the outer tub that deflects the air flow from the outlet of the outer tub toward the bottom of the inner tub in a direction away from the rotation axis.

This disclosure makes it possible to provide a clothes dryer that reduces wrinkles that form on clothes during the drying process.

Schematic cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Perspective view of a clothes dryer FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clothes dryer seen from a different direction than that of FIG. 2 . A perspective view of a heat pump device Exploded view of inner tank An exploded view of the guide means and the support portion A perspective view of the guide means Enlarged view of the guide means Cross-sectional view of the guide means Perspective view of the outer tank Perspective view of the inner tank Perspective cross-sectional view of a clothes dryer Enlarged view of the bottom of the inner tank Enlarged schematic diagram of a clothes dryer Schematic system diagram of a clothes dryer Front view of the bottom of the inner tank Front view of a mesh portion of Modification 1 Front view of a mesh portion of Modification 2 Cross-sectional view of a mesh portion of Modification 2 Cross-sectional view of a mesh portion of Modification 2

(Embodiment)
A clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[Overall configuration]
Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a clothes dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are perspective views of the clothes dryer 1. For convenience, the housing 2 is omitted from Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

The clothes dryer 1 of this embodiment is a washer/dryer with a washing function (a so-called drum-type washing machine). As shown in FIG. 1, the clothes dryer 1 includes a housing 2, an outer tub 3, an inner tub 4, a drive unit 5, a heat pump unit 6, a circulation flow path 8, a blower 9, a water supply valve 10, a drain valve 11, and a control unit 12.

<Case>
1, the housing 2 is a member that forms the exterior of the clothes dryer 1. The front surface of the housing 2 is provided with an opening 20 and a door 21 that can be opened and closed to cover the opening 20.

<Outer tank>
The outer tub 3 is a generally cylindrical member located inside the housing 2 and functions to store wash water. The outer tub 3 is elastically supported by a suspension 30, which absorbs vibrations during washing and spin-drying. The outer tub 3 has an opening 31 facing the opening 20 of the housing 2, and is connected to the opening 20 of the housing 2 in a sealed manner by a bellows 32. The outer tub 3 is further provided with a plurality of openings 33, 34, and 35. The openings 33 and 34 are openings connected to the circulation flow path 8, and the opening 35 is a drain port for draining the water in the outer tub 3 to the outside.

<Inner tank>
The inner tub 4 is a generally cylindrical member rotatably mounted inside the outer tub 3 and configured to accommodate laundry 15, such as clothes. The inner tub 4 rotates around a rotation axis V0 that passes through the bottom 42. As shown in FIG. 2 , the bottom 42 of the inner tub 4 is provided with guide means 45, which has a number of through-holes 40 formed therein. The guide means 45 is a member that deflects the direction of air passing through the through-holes 40 and flowing into the inner tub 4. The inner tub 4 has an opening 41 that faces the openings 20 and 31 of the housing 2. The structure of the inner tub 4 will be described in detail later.

<Drive unit>
1, the drive unit 5 is a member that drives the inner tub 4 to rotate around the rotation axis V0. The drive unit 5 has, for example, a motor that rotates the inner tub 4.

<Heat pump device>
The heat pump device 6 is a device for dehumidifying and heating the air flowing through the circulation flow path 8. The heat pump device 6 is provided on the upper part of the housing 2. The heat pump device 6 has an air inlet 60 through which air from the outer tub 3 flows in, and an air outlet 61 through which dehumidified and heated air is discharged. The air inlet 60 is connected to the opening 33 of the outer tub 3 on the upstream side, and the air outlet 61 is connected to the opening 34 of the outer tub 3 on the downstream side.

The heat pump unit 6 includes a case 62, a compressor 63, a throttling mechanism 64, a first heat exchanger 65, a second heat exchanger 66, a filter 67, and refrigerant piping 69.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the heat pump unit 6. As shown in Figure 4, a compressor 63, a throttling mechanism 64, a first heat exchanger 65, a second heat exchanger 66, a filter 67, and a refrigerant pipe 69 are housed within a case 62. The case 62 is formed with the air inlet 60 and air outlet 61 shown in Figure 1, and an air flow path R0 through which air A0 flows is formed between the air inlet 60 and the air outlet 61. The compressor 63 is a member for compressing the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 69, and the throttling mechanism 64 is a member for decompressing the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant pipe 69. The first heat exchanger 65 is a heat exchanger (dehumidifying heat exchanger) for dehumidifying the air A0. The second heat exchanger 66 is provided downstream of the first heat exchanger 65 and is a heat exchanger (heating heat exchanger) for heating the air A0. The filter 67 is a component that captures and removes foreign matter such as lint, dust, and hair from the air A0 that flows into the air flow path R0 from the air inlet 60.

<Circulation flow path>
The circulation flow path 8 is provided inside the housing 2 and is a flow path that circulates air between the outer tub 3 and the heat pump unit 6. The circulation flow path 8 includes a first circulation flow path 81 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and a second circulation flow path 82 ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ) that connect the outer tub 3 and the heat pump unit 6. The first circulation flow path 81 connects the opening 33 of the outer tub 3 with the air inlet 60. The second circulation flow path 82 connects the air outlet 61 with the opening 34 of the outer tub 3. The circulation flow path 8 also communicates with the inner tub 4 through a plurality of through-holes 40.

<Air blowing means>
The blower 9 is a mechanism such as a fan that generates an air flow in the circulation flow path 8. By operating the blower 9, an air flow that circulates through the circulation flow path 8 is generated (see arrow A).

<Water supply valve>
The water supply valve 10 is a valve for supplying water to the outer tub 3. The water supply valve 10 is provided on the upper part of the housing 2.

<Drain valve>
The drain valve 11 is a valve for selectively draining water stored in the outer tub 3 through an opening 35 of the outer tub 3. The drain valve 11 is provided at the bottom of the housing 2.

<Control unit>
Control unit 12 is a component that controls the operation of clothes dryer 1. Control unit 12 controls components of clothes dryer 1, such as drive unit 5, compressor 63 of heat pump device 6, air blower 9, water supply valve 10, and drain valve 11. Control unit 12 may include, for example, a memory (not shown) that stores a program and a processing circuit (not shown) that corresponds to a processor such as a CPU, and function as these elements by the processor executing the program.

Next, the components of the inner tank 4 will be described with reference to Figure 5A. Figure 5A is an exploded view of the inner tank 4. The first axial direction M1 shown in Figure 5A is the direction from the bottom 42 toward the opening 41 along the rotation axis V0 of the inner tank 4.

The inner tub 4 has a bottom 42 and a cylindrical portion 44. The bottom 42 is attached to the cylindrical portion 44 so as to close one end 43 of the cylindrical portion 44. The bottom 42 and the cylindrical portion 44 together define a space for storing laundry 15. The bottom 42 and the cylindrical portion 44 are rotatably housed in the outer tub 3 (Figure 1).

The cylindrical portion 44 is a cylindrical member that forms the inner surface S1 of the inner tub 4 and extends along the first axial direction M1 between the end portion 43 and the opening 41. A through-hole 49 is formed in the cylindrical portion 44, penetrating the cylindrical portion 44 in the radial direction. The through-hole 49 communicates with the outer tub 3, allowing wash water to flow from the outer tub 3 into the inner tub 4 through the through-hole 49.

The bottom portion 42 is a disk-shaped member arranged facing the first axial direction M1. The bottom portion 42 has a guide means 45, a support portion 46, and a rear balancer 47.

The guide means 45 has a number of through-holes 40 formed therein. The through-holes 40 open along the first axial direction M1 of the tubular portion 44, and air flows from the outer tub 3 into the tubular portion 44 through the through-holes 40. The flow of air passing through the guide means 45 will be described later. The guide means 45 is attached to the end 43 of the tubular portion 44 via a support portion 46. The support portion 46 is fixed to the end 43 of the tubular portion 44 while gripping the guide means 45. The support portion 46 is fastened to the tubular portion 44 with screws, for example. With this configuration, the support portion 46 indirectly fixes the guide means 45 to the tubular portion 44 and improves the strength of the bottom portion 42. The rear balancer 47 contains liquid and suppresses vibration of the rotating inner tub 4.

Figure 5B is an exploded view of the guide means 45 and support portion 46, showing the positional relationship between the guide means 45 and support portion 46. As shown in Figure 5B, the support portion 46 forms an opening 50, which faces the mesh portion 54 (described below) of the guide means 45 and communicates with the through-hole 40.

The structure of the guide means 45 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 6, 7A, and 7B. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the guide means 45. Figure 7A is an enlarged view of the guide means 45. Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view of the guide means 45 taken along line V-V in Figure 7A. Figures 6, 7A, and 7B show the central direction K1 (first radial direction), the outer peripheral direction K2 (second radial direction), and the second axial direction M2. The central direction K1 is the direction from the outer periphery of the guide means 45 toward the rotation axis V0 of the inner tub 4. The outer peripheral direction K2 is opposite to the central direction K1 and is the direction away from the rotation axis V0 of the inner tub 4. Furthermore, the position along the central direction K1 may be referred to as the center side, and the position along the outer peripheral direction K2 may be referred to as the outside. In this embodiment, the central direction K1 and the outer peripheral direction K2 are horizontal, but are not limited to this and may be inclined downward or upward. The second axial direction M2 is opposite to the first axial direction M1.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7A, the guide means 45 has a central portion 51, an annular outer peripheral portion 52, a rod-shaped portion 53, and a mesh portion 54. The rotation axis V0 of the inner tank 4 passes through the central portion 51. The rod-shaped portions 53 extend radially between the central portion 51 and the outer peripheral portion 52. The mesh portion 54 is defined by the rod-shaped portions 53 into multiple regions, and multiple through-holes 40 are formed in each region. The central portion 51, the outer peripheral portion 52, and the rod-shaped portions 53 face the support portion 46 (Figure 5B). Meanwhile, the mesh portion 54 overlaps with the openings 50 defined by the support portion 46.

As shown in Figure 7B, the outer periphery 52 has a rotation guide 55 on the second axial direction M2 side. The rotation guide 55 is a member with an annular groove that fits loosely into a groove (not shown) in the outer tub 3. The structure in which the grooves fit together prevents pressure loss and prevents dry air from leaking into the space between the inner tub 4 and outer tub 3.

Now, the mesh portion 54 will be described in more detail. As shown in Figure 7B, the mesh portion 54 extends between the central portion 51 and the outer peripheral portion 52, and has, in order along the outer peripheral direction K2, an inclined portion 54A, a flat portion 54B, and an inclined portion 54C.

As the inclined portion 54A progresses in the outer circumferential direction K2, it is inclined toward the second axial direction M2. The flat portion 54B is formed from the outer end of the inclined portion 54A along the outer circumferential direction K2. As the inclined portion 54C progresses in the outer circumferential direction K2 from the outer end of the flat portion 54B, it is inclined toward the first axial direction M1. The inclination of the inclined portion 54C is opposite to the inclination of the inclined portion 54A. With this configuration, the mesh portion 54 protrudes in the opposite direction to the flow of air A0. The inclination of the inclined portion 54A may also be steeper than the inclination of the inclined portion 54C. In this embodiment, the inclined portions 54A and 54C are inclined linearly, but they may also be inclined at multiple angles.

A plurality of through holes 40 are formed in each of the inclined portion 54A, the flat portion 54B, and the inclined portion 54C. The through holes 40 are formed along the first axial direction M1. The wall portions defining the through holes 40 in the inclined portion 54A, the flat portion 54B, and the inclined portion 54C are aligned along the first axial direction M1. The inclined portion 54A, the flat portion 54B, and the inclined portion 54C may have equal thicknesses along the first axial direction M1.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the opening area of a single through hole 40 as viewed from the first axial direction M1 decreases along the central direction K1. As shown in FIG. 7B, the opening area of the through hole 40 decreases in the order of inclined portion 54C, flat portion 54B, and inclined portion 54A. Furthermore, the spacing between adjacent through holes 40 is greater in inclined portion 54A than in flat portion 54B and inclined portion 54C. As shown in FIG. 10A (described below), inclined portion 54A is not located in front of second circulation flow path 82, making it difficult for air that has passed through second circulation flow path 82 to reach it. Therefore, the flow of air passing through inclined portion 54A does not significantly affect air A0 passing through flat portion 54B and inclined portion 54C.

The guide means 45 may be formed by insert molding.

Next, the positional relationship between the guide means 45 and the second circulation flow path 82 will be explained with reference to Figures 8 to 10C. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the outer tub 3. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the inner tub 4. Figure 10A is a perspective cross-sectional view of the clothes dryer 1. Figure 10B is an enlarged view of the bottom 42 of the inner tub 4 near the opening 34. Figure 10C is a schematic diagram of the clothes dryer 1 near the opening 34 in a cross section taken along line X-X in Figure 10B. Only a portion of the second circulation flow path 82 is shown in Figures 8 to 10C, and the outer tub 3 is not shown in Figure 9. The circumferential direction L1 shown in Figures 8 to 10A is the rotational direction of the inner tub 4.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the second circulation flow path 82 is connected to an opening 34 provided in the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3. The bottom 36 of the outer tub 3 faces the bottom 42 (not shown) of the inner tub 4, and the rotation axis V0 passes through the center of the bottom 36. The opening 34 is provided near the center of the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3, i.e., the position where the rotation axis V0 passes. When viewed horizontally (Y direction), the opening 34 is provided above the rotation axis V0. Furthermore, when the outer tub 3 is viewed from the rotation axis V0, the opening 34 is provided diagonally above the rotation axis V0 in the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3. This configuration allows the second circulation flow path 82 to be configured short, thereby avoiding pressure loss in the second circulation flow path 82. Furthermore, when there is a large amount of laundry 15, air can be discharged from near the center, improving the drying efficiency of the laundry 15.

The second circulation flow path 82 is bent near the end connected to the opening 34 and continues upward. This configuration reduces the number of bends in the second circulation flow path 82, suppressing pressure loss in the second circulation flow path 82 while also suppressing an increase in the dimension of the outer tank 3 in the second axial direction M2, thereby achieving space savings.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10A, the second circulation flow path 82 faces the guide means 45 of the inner bath 4 through an opening 34 (Figure 10A) provided in the bottom 36 of the outer bath 3. While the second circulation flow path 82 and the outer bath 3 (Figure 10A) are fixed, the inner bath 4 rotates in the circumferential direction L1 and in the opposite direction. As shown in Figure 10B, the rotation of the inner bath 4 causes the opening 34 to face the mesh portion 54 of the guide means 45. In this state, the second circulation flow path 82 (Figure 10A) communicates with the interior of the tubular portion 44 through the opening 34 and the through-holes 40 provided in the mesh portion 54. Furthermore, even when the rod-shaped portion 53 (Figure 9) crosses the opening 34, the opening 34 has a larger dimension in the circumferential direction L1 than the rod-shaped portion 53, so communication between the second circulation flow path 82 and the inner bath 4 can be partially maintained.

As shown in FIG. 10C, the end of the second circulation flow path 82 faces the inclined portion 54C and the flat portion 54B along the first axial direction M1 through the opening 34 of the outer tank 3. With this configuration, air A0 flowing through the second circulation flow path 82 preferentially flows into the tubular portion 44 through the inclined portion 54C and the flat portion 54B.

Furthermore, in the inclined portion 54C, the distance D along the first axial direction M1 between the opening 34 and the inclined portion 54C increases along the outer circumferential direction K2. The distance D is smallest at the end closest to the center of the inclined portion 54C, and largest at the outer end of the inclined portion 54C.

[Operation]
Next, an example of the operation of the clothes dryer 1 configured as above will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a schematic system diagram of the clothes dryer 1.

The clothes dryer 1 operates in three steps: washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying. The control unit 12 controls each step sequentially.

During the washing cycle, laundry 15 is placed in the inner tub 4, and with the drain valve 11 (Figure 1) closed, water is supplied to the outer tub 3 until a predetermined water level is reached. The drive unit 5 rotates the inner tub 4 to wash the laundry 15. In the rinsing cycle following the washing cycle, water is supplied to the outer tub 3 as in the washing cycle, and the inner tub 4 is rotated to rinse the laundry 15. During the spin cycle, the drain valve 11 is opened to drain the wash water outside the housing 2, and the drive unit 5 then spins the inner tub 4 containing the laundry 15 at high speed to spin the laundry.

Next, in the drying process, the control unit 12 operates the compressor 63 and the air blowing means 9 to dry the laundry 15.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the compressor 63 operates, the refrigerant circulates within the refrigerant piping 69 along arrow B. The refrigerant is compressed in the compressor 63 and circulates under pressure within the refrigerant piping 69, passing through the compressor 63, the second heat exchanger 66, the throttling mechanism 64, and the first heat exchanger 65 in that order. In the second heat exchanger 66, the refrigerant, which has been compressed to a high temperature, exchanges heat with the air A0, thereby cooling the refrigerant and heating the air A0. In the throttling mechanism 64, the refrigerant is further cooled by decompression, and in the first heat exchanger 65, the refrigerant, which has been cooled to a low temperature, exchanges heat with the air A0, thereby heating the refrigerant and cooling the air A0.

In addition, when the air blowing means 9 is operating, air A0 circulates within the clothes dryer 1.

As the air A0 in the inner tub 4 passes through the gaps between the laundry 15, which is agitated up and down by rotating the inner tub 4, it removes moisture from the laundry 15. The moist air A0 flows into the heat pump device 6 from the air inlet 60 via the opening 33 of the outer tub 3 and the first circulation flow path 81. The moist air A0 passes through the filter 67 and then the first heat exchanger 65, where sensible heat and latent heat are removed, separating dehumidified water from the low-temperature air A0 and dehumidifying it. The low-temperature air A0 is heated by the second heat exchanger 66 to become dry, warm air, which then flows back into the outer tub 3 and inner tub 4 from the opening 34 via the air outlet 61 and the second circulation flow path 82. The above process is repeated to circulate the air A0, drying and heating the moist air A0 in the inner tub 4 and returning it to the inner tub 4, thereby drying the laundry 15.

During the drying process, if there is a small amount of laundry 15, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the inner tub 4 causes the laundry 15 to gather on the inner surface S1 of the tubular portion 44 of the inner tub 4, preventing the laundry 15 from spreading out. As a result, the laundry 15 dries in a rolled-up state, making the laundry 15 more susceptible to wrinkles. To promote the drying of small amounts of laundry 15 and prevent wrinkles from forming, the clothes dryer 1 according to the present disclosure deflects the flow of air A0 using a guide means 45, as shown in FIG. 10C.

Here, the air A0 that passes through the guide means 45 when the mesh portion 54 faces the opening 34 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 10C and 12. Figure 12 is a front view of the bottom 42 of the inner tank 4.

As shown in FIG. 10C , air A0 flowing through the second circulation flow path 82 passes through the openings 34 and the through-holes 40 formed in the inclined portion 54C and flat portion 54B of the mesh portion 54. As the air A0 passes through the through-holes 40, the velocity of the air A0 increases compared to the flow in the second circulation flow path 82. When the air A0 subsequently moves away from the through-holes 40, the air A0 decelerates. Focusing on the air A0 after passing through the inclined portion 54C, the distance traveled by the air A0 after exiting the through-holes 40 along the circumferential direction K2 is smaller in the circumferential direction K2 than in the circumferential direction K2. Therefore, the velocity of the air A0 along the VI-VI line increases in the circumferential direction K2. The velocity distribution of the air A0 generates a negative pressure toward the outside. Therefore, the air A0 after passing through the inclined portion 54C is pulled in the outer circumferential direction K2 away from the rotation axis V0 due to the velocity distribution of the air A0, and is deflected horizontally toward the inner circumferential surface S1 of the cylindrical portion 44 of the inner tank 4, as shown in Fig. 12. In other words, the air A0 flows in a direction away from a vertical plane including the rotation axis V0.

The air A0 may be deflected in a direction inclined upward relative to the horizontal direction (outer circumferential direction K2) away from the rotation axis V0. The deflection direction of the air A0 may be inclined upward at an angle of 90° or less relative to the horizontal direction away from the rotation axis V0. Deflecting the air A0 upward allows more air A0 to hit the laundry 15 that leaves the inner circumferential surface S1 of the tubular portion 44 and falls in the falling direction B0, as described below.

On the other hand, air A0 passing through the flat portion 54B is attracted by the air A0 that has passed through the inclined portion 54C and been deflected, and is deflected toward the inner surface S1 of the tubular portion 44 of the inner tank 4.

As shown in FIG. 12, when the laundry 15 is small, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the inner tub 4 presses the laundry 15 against the inner circumferential surface S1 of the inner tub 4. As a result, the laundry 15 rotates along the inner circumferential surface S1 of the inner tub 4. However, once the laundry 15 has rotated to a certain height, its gravity causes it to separate from the inner circumferential surface S1 and begin to fall in the falling direction B0, floating and spreading within the inner tub 4. Air A0 strikes the spread-out laundry 15 from the outer circumferential direction K2, drying the laundry 15. This prevents wrinkles from forming in the laundry 15. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10C, the falling direction B0 of the laundry 15 and the flow direction of the air A0 (the outer circumferential direction K2) intersect, allowing the air A0 to be exposed to the laundry 15 for a longer period of time.

Also, when there is a lot of laundry 15, the tubular portion 44 becomes clogged with laundry 15. Air A0 flows out from an opening 34 (Figure 10A) formed near the center of the bottom 36, so air A0 can be directed at the laundry 15 clogged in the center of the tubular portion 44 to dry it.

(Example)
The drying process described above was compared between the clothes dryer 1 having the guide means 45 of the present disclosure and a conventional clothes dryer having the guide means 45 in which the mesh portion 54 is inclined in the first axial direction M1 along the central direction K1. 3 kg of laundry 15, including 100% cotton clothes, 100% synthetic fiber clothes, and mixed-spun clothes, was placed in each of the inner tubs 4 of the clothes dryer 1 and the conventional clothes dryer, and the drying process was carried out.

The conditions for the drying process were an inner tub rotation speed of 58 rpm and an inner tub inversion cycle of 10 seconds. By setting the rotation speed to 58 rpm, the laundry 15 is subjected to a greater centrifugal force than in a drying process using a lower rotation speed, and the laundry 15 leaves the inner circumferential surface of the inner tub at a higher position in the inner tub. As a result, the laundry 15 remains suspended in the air for a longer period of time than in a drying process using a lower rotation speed. In addition, by setting the inner tub inversion cycle to 10 seconds, tangling of the laundry 15 can be prevented.

The wrinkle score was used as an evaluation index to evaluate the finish of the dried laundry 15. The wrinkle score is an index that relatively evaluates the number of wrinkles, with a perfect score of 10 being a score where no wrinkles are formed on the laundry 15. The wrinkle score for laundry 15 dried in a conventional clothes dryer was 6.4. The wrinkle score for laundry 15 dried in clothes dryer 1 was 7.0. Therefore, it was found that the clothes dryer 1 using guide means 45 that deflects the drying air A0 can suppress the formation of wrinkles on the laundry 15.

The above explanations are summarized to describe the features of this disclosure.

The clothes dryer 1 according to this embodiment can deflect air A0 toward the inner surface S1 of the inner tub 4 using the inclined portion 54C of the guide means 45. Because the air A0 is deflected by the structure of the guide means 45, pressure loss that can occur when the circulation flow path 8 is modified can be suppressed.

When drying a small amount of laundry 15, the laundry 15 rotates together with the inner surface S1 of the inner tub 4 due to centrifugal force. When the laundry 15 reaches a height where gravity exceeds the centrifugal force, the laundry 15 begins to separate from the inner surface S1. The deflection of the air A0 causes the air A0 to intersect with the falling direction B0 of the laundry 15. This allows the air A0 to be exposed to the floating, spread-out laundry 15 for a longer period of time, from immediately after the laundry 15 separates from the inner surface S1 of the inner tub 4 until it falls downward. This prevents wrinkles from forming on the laundry 15 during the drying process. Furthermore, the positioning of the opening 34 allows the air A0 to flow out from near the rotation axis V0 of the inner tub 4, maintaining drying performance even when a large amount of laundry 15 is loaded.

[effect]
The clothes dryer 1 according to the embodiment can achieve the following effects.

As described above, the clothes dryer 1 of this embodiment includes the outer tub 3, the inner tub 4, the circulation flow path 8, the heat pump unit 6 (heating means), the air blower 9, and the guide means 45. The outer tub 3 is elastically supported within the housing 2. The inner tub 4 is rotatable within the outer tub 3 around a rotation axis V0 that passes through the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3. The circulation flow path 8 is connected to an opening 34 (outlet) provided in the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3. The heat pump unit 6 heats air A0 supplied to the outer tub 3 through the circulation flow path 8. The air blower 9 generates a flow of air A0 in the circulation flow path 8 from the heat pump unit 6 through the opening 34 of the outer tub 3 toward the bottom 42 of the inner tub 4. The guide means 45 is disposed within the outer tub 3 and deflects the flow direction of air A0 from the opening 34 of the outer tub 3 toward the bottom 42 of the inner tub 4 in the circumferential direction K2 away from the rotation axis V0.

With this configuration, the guide means 45 can be used to deflect the air A0 in the outer peripheral direction K2. By deflecting the air A0, the air A0 intersects with the falling direction B0 of the laundry 15 that has left the inner peripheral surface S1. This allows the air A0 to be exposed to the floating, spread-out laundry 15 for a longer period of time. This can prevent wrinkles from forming on the laundry 15 during the drying process.

Furthermore, in the clothes dryer 1 of this embodiment, the guide means 45 has a structure that forms through-holes 40 (openings) that allow air A0 to pass through and changes at least one of the flow velocity, pressure, or flow rate of the air A0 flowing into the outer tub 3.

This configuration allows air A0 to be directed toward the inner surface S1 of the inner tank 4.

In addition, in the clothes dryer 1 of this embodiment, the guide means 45 includes a mesh portion 54 attached to the bottom 42 of the inner tub 4.

With this configuration, air A0 can be directed toward the inner surface S1 of the inner tank 4 by passing through the mesh portion 54.

In addition, in the clothes dryer 1 of this embodiment, the mesh portion 54 has a shape in which, at a position facing the opening 34 of the outer tub 3, the distance D (spacing) from the opening 34 increases as it moves away from the rotation axis V0.

With this configuration, air A0 passing through mesh sections 54 away from the rotation axis V0 moves at a higher speed than air A0 passing through mesh sections 54 closer to the rotation axis V0. Therefore, air A0 passing through mesh sections 54 can be deflected in a direction away from the rotation axis V0 toward the inner surface S1 of the inner tank 4.

Furthermore, in the clothes dryer 1 of this embodiment, the opening 34 of the outer tub 3 faces the bottom 42 of the inner tub 4 at a position diagonally above the rotation axis V0.

This configuration allows air A0 to be directed at the laundry 15 at a higher position.

Note that this disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be implemented in various other forms. While the clothes dryer 1 has been described as a drum-type washing machine with a washing function, it is not limited to this case. It does not have to have a washing function. Any clothes dryer may be used as long as it has a heating means for heating air.

Note that although an example in which the heat pump unit 6 is placed at the top of the housing 2 has been described, this is not the only possible case. The heat pump unit 6 may be placed at any position inside the housing 2, such as at the bottom of the housing 2.

Although an example in which a heat pump unit 6 having two heat exchangers 65, 66 is provided has been described, the present invention is not limited to this case. The clothes dryer 1 may also have a heating means such as a heater instead of the heat pump unit 6.

Note that while an example has been described in which the guide means 45 has an inclined portion 54C, this is not limiting. The guide means 45 may have other configurations that deflect the air A0 in a direction away from the rotation axis V0 of the inner tank 4. For example, as shown in Modification 1 or Modification 2 described below, the guide means 45 may have a mesh portion 54 with a shape different from that of this embodiment. Furthermore, the guide means 45 may have other configurations that have a fluid deflection function, without having a mesh portion 54. The guide means 45 may have, for example, fins that deflect the air A0.

(Variation 1)
13 is a front view of a mesh portion 154 of Modification 1. Modification 1 differs from the mesh portion 54 of the embodiment in that the mesh portion 154 does not have the inclined portion 54C.

As shown in FIG. 13 , the mesh portion 154 is a flat, plate-like member in which through holes 140 are formed. In the mesh portion 154, the spacing between the through holes 140 decreases along the circumferential direction K2, which is away from the rotation axis V0. This configuration increases the aperture ratio of the through holes 140 along the circumferential direction K2. The aperture ratio is the aperture area per unit area. In the mesh portion 154, the aperture ratio of the through holes 140B on the central side, which is located near the rotation axis V0, is smaller than the aperture ratio of the through holes 140A on the outer side. The aperture ratio of the through holes 140 may vary uniformly along the circumferential direction K2. Alternatively, the mesh portion 154 may be divided into three regions, the central side, the middle portion, and the outer side, and the aperture ratio of the through holes 140 may vary for each region.

Here, we will explain the flow of air A0 passing through mesh portion 154 when mesh portion 154 faces opening 34. The pressure loss of air A0 passing through through hole 140A, which has a large aperture ratio, is smaller than the pressure loss of air A0 passing through through hole 140B, which has a small aperture ratio. Therefore, the speed of air A0 passing through through hole 140A is greater than the speed of air A0 passing through through hole 140B. Due to the velocity distribution of air A0 formed in this way, the air A0 near the center is pulled by the air A0 on the outside, which has a higher velocity. Therefore, air A0 passing through mesh portion 154 is deflected in the outer circumferential direction K2. Therefore, even when mesh portion 154 is used instead of mesh portion 54, air A0 can be applied to laundry 15 during the drying process while the laundry 15 is separated from the inner circumferential surface S1 of inner tub 4 and floating within the inner tub 4.

In Modification 1, an example was described in which the aperture ratio was increased by reducing the spacing between the through holes 140, but this is not limiting. For example, the aperture area of the through holes 140 may be increased along the circumferential direction K2.

(Variation 2)
Fig. 14A is a front view of mesh portion 254 of Modification 2, and Fig. 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 14A. Modification 2 differs from mesh portion 54 of the embodiment in that the thickness of mesh portion 254 is changed.

As shown in FIG. 14A, the mesh portion 254 is a plate-shaped member in which through holes 240 are formed. As shown in FIG. 14B, the mesh portion 254 has a first main surface P1 and a second main surface P2. Although not shown, the first main surface P1 faces the second circulation flow path 82, and the second main surface P2 faces the inner tank 4. The through holes 240 extend along the first axial direction M1 from the first main surface P1 to the second main surface P2. With respect to the air A0, the first main surface P1 forms the through holes 240 on the inlet side (upstream side), and the second main surface P2 forms the through holes 240 on the outlet side (downstream side). The first main surface P1 is formed along the circumferential direction K2, and the second main surface P2 is inclined along the circumferential direction K2 in a direction away from the first main surface P1 (first axial direction M1). Therefore, the thickness of the mesh portion 254 and the length (opening length) of the through holes 240 along the first axial direction M1 increase along the outer circumferential direction K2. In the mesh portion 254, the opening length of the through holes 240B on the central side is smaller than the opening length of the through holes 240A on the outer side.

Here, we will explain the flow of air A0 passing through mesh portion 254 when mesh portion 254 faces opening 34. On the downstream side of mesh portion 254, the distance between a plane along the circumferential direction K2 and second main surface P2 decreases along the circumferential direction K2. Therefore, after passing through through-hole 240, deceleration of air A0 is suppressed and the velocity of air A0 increases along the circumferential direction K2. Due to the velocity distribution of air A0 thus formed, the central air A0 is attracted by the outer air A0, which has a higher velocity. Therefore, air A0 passing through mesh portion 254 is deflected in the circumferential direction K2. Therefore, even when mesh portion 254 is used instead of mesh portion 54, air A0 can be applied to laundry 15 during the drying process while the laundry 15 is separated from the inner circumferential surface S1 of inner tub 4 and floating within the inner tub 4.

Also, as shown in FIG. 15, the first principal surface P1 and the second principal surface P2 of the mesh portion 254 may be arranged in opposite directions with respect to the first axial direction M1. In this case, the distance between the second principal surface P2 and a plane along the circumferential direction K2 downstream of the mesh portion 254 is constant along the circumferential direction K2. Therefore, the opening length has a greater effect on the air A0 than the deceleration of the air A0 after passing through the through holes 240. Therefore, the mesh portion 254 is arranged so that the opening length decreases along the circumferential direction K2. More specifically, the mesh portion 254 is arranged so that the through holes 240A are formed toward the center and the through holes 240B are formed on the outside. This arrangement reduces the pressure loss for the air A0 passing through the through holes 240 along the circumferential direction K2 and increases its speed. Due to the velocity distribution of the air A0 formed in this way, the air A0 is pulled by the outer air A0, which has a higher velocity.

While the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom.

The clothes dryer disclosed herein can suppress wrinkles that form on clothes during the drying process, making it useful as a home clothes dryer, a commercial clothes dryer, or any type of washer-dryer (e.g., a home drum-type washing machine).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Clothes dryer 2 Housing 3 Outer tub 4 Inner tub 5 Drive unit 6 Heat pump device 8 Circulation flow path 9 Air blowing means 10 Water supply valve 11 Drain valve 12 Control unit 15 Laundry 34 Opening 40 Through hole 42 Bottom 44 Cylindrical portion 45 Guide means 54 Mesh portion 54A Inclined portion 54B Flat portion 54C Inclined portion 60 Air inlet 61 Air outlet 62 Case 63 Compressor 64 Throttle mechanism 65 First heat exchanger 66 Second heat exchanger A0 Air V0 Rotation axis R0 Air flow path R1 Region M1, M2 Axial direction K1 Central direction K2 Outer circumferential direction

Claims (3)

an outer tank elastically supported within a housing;
an inner tank provided inside the outer tank so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis passing through a bottom of the outer tank;
a circulation flow path connected to an outlet provided at the bottom of the outer tank;
a heating means for heating the air to be supplied to the outer tank through the circulation flow path;
a blower that generates an air flow in the circulation flow path from the heating means through the outlet of the outer tank toward the bottom of the inner tank;
a guide means provided at the bottom of the inner tank and having a plurality of openings for allowing the air to pass through;
Equipped with
the guide means has a mesh portion having the plurality of openings,
the mesh portion has a first inclined portion that is inclined forward when moving from the rotation shaft toward the outer periphery,
The clothes dryer, wherein the outlet faces the first inclined portion, and the air exiting the outlet flows at a greater flow velocity on a side farther from the rotation axis than on a side closer to the rotation axis on an imaginary line perpendicular to the rotation axis downstream of the plurality of openings. 2. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the mesh portion has a shape in which the plurality of openings are formed substantially parallel to the rotation axis direction, and/ or the opening ratio on the side away from the rotation axis is greater than the opening ratio on the side closer to the rotation axis. the guide means has a central portion, an annular outer peripheral portion, rod-shaped portions extending radially between the central portion and the outer peripheral portion, and the mesh portion being defined into a plurality of regions by the rod-shaped portions;
the mesh portion is configured at the bottom of the inner tank by a second inclined portion inclined rearward as it moves from the rotation shaft toward the outer periphery, a flat portion formed from an outer end of the second inclined portion along the outer periphery, and the first inclined portion inclined forward as it moves from the outer end of the flat portion toward the outer periphery,
The clothes dryer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outlet faces the flat portion and the first inclined portion .