JP7836966B2 - dryer - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a drying machine for drying objects.

One method for increasing the drying speed of clothes dryers and washer-dryers is to use microwaves as a heat source to heat the moisture in the clothes (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The high-frequency electromagnetic wave heating type dryer washing machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 has metal surfaces on the inner surfaces of the body, lower opening, and upper opening to prevent leakage of high-frequency electromagnetic waves. Drying components for the high-frequency electromagnetic wave heating type dryer are installed in the lower opening. A metal surface is applied to the inner surface of the water tank to improve heating efficiency. Air is blown in using an air duct to improve drying efficiency. The moisture-containing air is cooled in the water tank, condensed, and the dry air is discharged.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-293281

If clothing being dried has metal parts such as buttons or zippers, sparks may occur when the microwave electric field strength becomes strong. To minimize the effects of sparks and improve the safety of dryers, it is necessary to improve the technology for detecting sparks.

This disclosure provides technology for improving the technique of detecting spark generation in microwave dryers.

The dryer in this disclosure comprises a housing, a housing section located inside the housing for containing the object to be dried, a microwave irradiation section for irradiating the object to be dried inside the housing section with microwaves, and a detection section for detecting electromagnetic waves caused by sparks generated inside the housing section. The detection section is located near a contact point or gap between members constituting a shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from the housing.

The dryer described herein can improve the technology for detecting spark generation in microwave-based dryers.

A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 1. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 2. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 3. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 4. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 5. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 6. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 7. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 8. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a drum-type washing machine and dryer according to Embodiment 9. This figure shows the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine and dryer according to Embodiment 9. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 10. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 11. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 12. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a vertical washing machine and dryer according to Embodiment 13. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 14. A schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 15. Schematic perspective view of a washing machine and dryer according to Embodiment 16

The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary details may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted.

The attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Figure 1.

[1-1. Structure]
Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 1. The drum-type dryer 60 of this embodiment has the function of drying objects such as clothes. The left side of Figure 1 is the front side of the drum-type dryer 60. Although not shown, an air circulation device to promote drying may be provided.

The drum-type dryer 60 has the function of irradiating the material to be dried inside the drum with microwaves, a type of electromagnetic wave. First, the basic configuration and operation of the drum-type dryer 60 will be described. Then, the technology for detecting sparks generated in the drum-type dryer 60 will be described.

Inside the casing 1 of the drum-type dryer 60, a drum 3, which is an example of a storage section for items to be dried such as clothes, is rotatably mounted as a rotating body. The drum 3 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The drum 3 is positioned so that its rotation axis 14 is horizontal. In another example, the drum 3 may be positioned so that its rotation axis 14 is tilted upward relative to the horizontal, or it may be positioned so that its rotation axis 14 is vertical.

A drum drive unit 6 is mounted below the drum 3. The drum drive unit 6 rotates the belt 15 during the drying of the material being dried. This causes the drum 3 to rotate in either the forward or reverse direction around the rotation axis 14.

An opening 19 and a door 5 for opening and closing the opening 19 are provided on the front of the housing 1, opposite the opening end of the drum 3. The user can insert and remove items to be dried into and out of the drum 3 by opening the door 5. A sealing portion (not shown) is provided in the gap between the housing 1 and the door 5, sealing the space between them. This prevents the drying air inside the drum 3 from circulating with the outside. The material of the sealing portion is not particularly limited and can be felt, resin, or rubber.

The drum 3 has a drum front portion 3a and a drum rear portion 3b. The drum front portion 3a has a drum opening 3c positioned opposite the opening 19 of the housing 1. The drum rear portion 3b is located behind the drum front portion 3a. The drum front portion 3a may be the top surface portion of the drum 3, which is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. In that case, the drum rear portion 3b may be the side and bottom portions of the cylinder. The drum front portion 3a may include a portion of the front of the side portion in addition to the top portion of the cylinder. In that case, the drum rear portion 3b may be the remaining rear portion of the side portion of the cylinder and the bottom portion. The drum rear portion 3b may include a portion of the side of the top portion in addition to the side and bottom portions of the drum 3. In that case, the drum front portion 3a may be the remaining portion of the top portion of the cylinder on the drum opening 3c side. The drum front portion 3a and the drum rear portion 3b may be manufactured integrally, or they may be manufactured separately and connected to form the drum 3.

A cylindrical connecting section 26 is provided between the drum 3 and the door body 5. The connecting section 26 is a fixed part fixed to the housing 1 and does not rotate with the drum 3.

The communication section 26 is equipped with a microwave irradiation section 30, a waveguide 34, and a microwave irradiation port 32. The microwave irradiation section 30, which constitutes the heating section for heating the material to be dried, irradiates microwaves into the drum 3 via the waveguide 34 from the microwave irradiation port 32, heating the moisture contained in the material to be dried inside the drum 3. Because the microwave irradiation section 30 and the waveguide 34 are provided in the communication section 26, vibrations of the microwave irradiation section 30 and the waveguide 34 can be suppressed even when the drum 3 is rotated during drying. This improves the stability and safety of microwave irradiation.

The microwave irradiation unit 30 may be a microwave oscillator such as a magnetron, and for example, it may oscillate electromagnetic waves with a frequency in the 2.45 GHz band. Note that it is not limited to the 2.45 GHz band allocated as the ISM (Industry Science Medical) band; electromagnetic waves with frequencies in the similarly allocated 915 MHz band may also be used.

Of the microwaves irradiated into the drum 3, a portion of those not absorbed by the moisture contained in the material being dried returns to the microwave irradiation unit 30 as reflected waves from the drum 3 via the microwave irradiation port 32 and waveguide 34. A reflective section may be provided to reflect some or all of the reflected waves traveling back to the microwave irradiation unit 30, and to re-inject them into the drum 3 along with the microwaves irradiated from the microwave irradiation unit 30. This reduces energy loss and shortens the drying time.

A heater may be provided as a heating element for heating the object to be dried. The microwave irradiation unit 30 and the heater may be energized simultaneously, or either one may be energized. If the object to be dried, such as clothing, has metal parts like buttons or zippers that increase the likelihood of sparks, the output of the microwaves irradiated into the drum 3 from the microwave irradiation unit 30 may be reduced or stopped, and drying may be switched to the heater.

The control device 20 is housed within the housing 1. The control device 20 controls the drum drive unit 6 and the microwave irradiation unit 30, etc. The control device 20 controls the drying operation according to user input.

In the drum-type dryer 60 of this embodiment, microwaves are irradiated into the drum 3. Therefore, it is necessary to configure the drum-type dryer 60 so that the intensity of electromagnetic waves leaking to the outside of the drum-type dryer 60 is below the standard value set for the area in which it is used. For this reason, the drum-type dryer 60 of this embodiment is equipped with a shielding section to suppress the leakage of electromagnetic waves irradiated from the microwave irradiation port 32.

As a standard concerning leaked electromagnetic waves, for example, there is the Japanese Industrial Standard "JIS C9250" which specifies microwave ovens with a rated high-frequency output of 2 kW or less that heat food using electromagnetic waves (microwaves) in the 2.45 GHz band, and microwave ovens with additional devices. Section 5.8 of this standard specifies that "the power density of leaked electromagnetic waves measured by the power density test of leaked electromagnetic waves specified in 8.2.12 of the same standard shall be (1) 1 mW/ ^cm² or less when the door is closed, (2) 5 mW/ ^cm² or less when the door is opened and fixed to the maximum position just before the oscillation stop device of the oscillator tube operates, and (3) 5 mW/ ^cm² or less when oscillation stop devices other than the main oscillation stop device are restrained." Furthermore, almost identical content is stipulated in item (95) g of Appendix 8-2 of the notification concerning the interpretation of the "Ministerial Ordinance for Establishing Technical Standards for Electrical Appliances," which is prescribed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as stipulated in Article 8, Paragraph 1 of the Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act. It is considered that the same standards as for microwave ovens are also applicable to washer-dryers.

Furthermore, the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends adopting the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which are based on scientific evidence from experts in various countries, as exposure limits for human protection. These guidelines stipulate an exposure limit of 0.08 W/kg (1 mW/ ^cm² ). The international standard "IEC 62233" established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the Japanese Industrial Standard "JIS 1912" established based on it specify methods for measuring electromagnetic fields related to human exposure from household electrical appliances and similar equipment. In the measurement method specified in these standards, the electromagnetic field is measured as a percentage of the exposure limit by weighting the signal of the sensor that detects the electromagnetic field, and if it does not exceed the exposure limit specified in the ICNIRP guidelines, it is determined to comply with the ICNIRP guidelines. The shielding section is configured to comply with these standards.

In a microwave oven, the container holding the object to be heated is fixed, and no significant vibration occurs during microwave irradiation. However, in the drum-type dryer 60 of this embodiment, the drum 3 rotates and vibrates during drying to improve drying efficiency. Therefore, the shielding section of the drum-type dryer 60 of this embodiment has a structure that can suppress microwave leakage from the gap with the fixed part, even when microwaves are irradiated while the drum 3 is rotating.

In the configuration of the drum-type dryer 60 according to Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1, the components constituting the shield section are indicated by thick solid lines. In the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 1, the shield section includes a door body 5, a communication section 26, a drum 3, a first choke section 25 (an example of a gap shield section provided in the gap between the communication section 26 and the drum 3), and a second choke section 27 (an example of a gap shield section provided in the gap between the door body 5 and the communication section 26).

The door body 5, the communication section 26, and the drum 3 include a conductive material such as metal capable of reflecting or absorbing microwaves. For example, the door body 5, the communication section 26, or the drum 3 may be entirely formed of an electromagnetic shielding material such as a conductive material. The door body 5, the communication section 26, or the drum 3 may be formed of a material such as resin, and a plating layer of a conductive material may be provided on the inner or outer surface. The door body 5, the communication section 26, or the drum 3 may be formed of a material such as resin, and a layer of electromagnetic shielding material may be provided on the inner surface, outer surface, or interior. The drum 3 may be provided with holes through which water vapor and air can pass; in this case, these holes are formed to a size that prevents microwave leakage.

The first choke section 25 and the second choke section 27 may be any choke structure known in the field of microwave ovens and other technical fields. For example, the first choke section 25 or the second choke section 27 may be composed of multiple chokes. Multiple chokes allow for the suppression of microwave leakage in multiple stages, improving the leakage prevention performance. Furthermore, the multiple chokes may consist of chokes with modified dimensions or shapes; for example, they may be composed of stepped chokes.

The first choke portion 25 may be provided on the communication portion 26 or on the front portion 3a of the drum. The second choke portion 27 may be provided on the door body 5 or on the communication portion 26.

In the case of a drum-type dryer 60, the quantity and weight of the material being dried vary, and the weight changes between the beginning and end of the drying operation. Furthermore, as the drum 3 rotates and vibrates during the drying operation, the dimensions of the gap between the connecting portion 26 constituting the first choke section 25 and the front portion 3a of the drum may change. Also, due to the structure, dimensional variations during manufacturing are unavoidable. Moreover, the microwave frequency may change depending on the operating conditions. When modifying the dimensions or shape of the stepped choke, dimensional changes during operation and manufacturing variations may be considered. Also, the case where the microwave frequency changes depending on the operating conditions may be considered. Therefore, the stepped choke improves the performance of preventing microwave leakage. Thus, a multi-stage leakage prevention structure is extremely effective in a drum-type dryer 60.

Furthermore, the choke structure may be constructed by filling at least a portion of the groove space that generates reflected waves with resin. This allows for a thinner and smaller choke structure, thereby reducing the gap between the communication portion 26 constituting the first choke portion 25 and the front portion 3a of the drum, and suppressing the reduction in the volume of the drum 3 caused by the first choke portion 25.

The gap shield, provided around the entire circumference in the gap between the door body 5 and the communication section 26, or the gap shield, provided around the entire circumference in the gap between the communication section 26 and the drum 3, may be replaced with, or in addition to, a reflective microwave shield such as a choke structure, an absorbing microwave shield such as a dielectric material. This configuration also improves the airtightness of the drum 3 and the door body 5. Furthermore, any type of non-contact microwave shield may be provided as the gap shield.

As a gap shield, a contact-type microwave shield of any type may be provided instead of, or in addition to, a reflective microwave shield such as a choke structure. For example, the gap shield may be a point-contact microwave shield such as a ball bearing, or a line-contact microwave shield such as a rolling bearing. In this case, the contact gap may be configured to be less than half the wavelength of the microwave to be shielded. This further suppresses microwave leakage. Alternatively, the gap shield may be a surface-contact microwave shield such as a sliding bearing. In this case, a flexible microwave shield may be provided as the gap shield. This suppresses microwave leakage even if the gap dimensions change during the rotation of the drum 3. A conductive lubricant may be used as the lubricant for the bearing. This further suppresses microwave leakage. By configuring the gap shield with a contact-type microwave shield, microwave leakage can be suppressed even if there are dimensional tolerances in the gap during assembly or changes in the gap dimensions during the rotation of the drum 3, thereby improving the reliability of the microwave leakage suppression performance of the gap shield.

The gap shield section may be composed of multiple stages. For example, a second gap shield section may be provided in addition to the first choke section 25 in the gap between the communication section 26 and the front section 3a of the drum. The second gap shield section may be a reflective microwave shield or an absorbing microwave shield. When an absorbing microwave shield is provided as the second gap shield section, it is preferable to provide the second gap shield section outside the first choke section 25. This prevents the second gap shield section from being heated and damaged or deteriorated by microwaves. Three or more gap shield sections may be provided in the gap between the communication section 26 and the front section 3a of the drum. In this case as well, it is preferable that the innermost gap shield section be a reflective microwave shield. This prevents the microwave shield from being heated and damaged or deteriorated by microwaves, even when an absorbing microwave shield is provided as a gap shield section outside the second stage. The gap shield sections outside the second stage may be a reflective microwave shield or an absorbing microwave shield.

The detection unit 39 detects electromagnetic waves (hereinafter referred to as "spark electromagnetic waves") caused by sparks generated inside the drum 3. The detection unit 39 is located near the contact points or gaps between the components constituting the shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from the housing 1. The detection unit 39 may also be an antenna capable of receiving spark electromagnetic waves.

The detection unit 39 may be located near the door 5 that opens and closes the opening 19 provided in the housing 1 for loading and unloading the drying material into and out of the drum 3. More specifically, the detection unit 39 may be located in the area 41a or 41b near the second choke portion 27, which is located in the gap between the door 5 and the communication portion 26. Alternatively, the detection unit 39 may be located in the area 42a or 42b near the first choke portion 25, which is located in the gap between the communication portion 26 and the drum 3.

Spark electromagnetic waves have a frequency different from that of the microwaves irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 30, for example, a frequency of 100 MHz or higher. The first choke section 25 and the second choke section 27 are designed to prevent leakage of microwaves irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit 30, so some of the spark electromagnetic waves generated inside the drum 3 pass through the first choke section 25 or the second choke section 27 and leak to the outside of the drum 3. The spark electromagnetic waves that leak to the outside of the drum 3 diffuse from the choke section at the point of leakage, so the intensity decreases the further away from the choke section at the point of leakage. In the drum-type dryer 60 of this embodiment, a detection unit 39 is provided near the first choke section 25 or the second choke section 27, so that the spark electromagnetic waves can be detected before they diffuse and their intensity decreases. As a result, spark electromagnetic waves can be detected quickly and with high accuracy, so that appropriate measures to mitigate the effects of sparks can be taken quickly. Therefore, the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60 can be improved. Furthermore, damage to the drying material caused by sparks can be suppressed. Additionally, the detection unit 39 can be protected from microwaves irradiated into the drum 3, thereby suppressing deterioration and damage to the detection unit 39 and improving its durability.

A small amount of microwaves irradiated into the drum 3 also leaks out to the outside of the drum 3 through the first choke section 25 or the second choke section 27. Therefore, a first shielding section may be provided between the detection section 39 and the first choke section 25 or the second choke section 27 to block or attenuate the microwaves leaking from the drum 3. This can improve the accuracy of spark detection. If the microwaves leaking from the drum 3 have a higher frequency than the spark electromagnetic waves, the first shielding section may be a low-pass filter or the like that allows the spark electromagnetic waves to pass through while blocking the microwaves leaking from the drum 3.

The drum dryer 60 may be equipped with a second shielding unit for blocking or attenuating electromagnetic waves of noise entering the drum dryer 60 from the outside. This can improve the accuracy of spark detection. The second shielding unit may include the housing 1. The housing 1 may include a conductive material such as metal that can reflect or absorb electromagnetic waves. For example, the housing 1 may be entirely made of an electromagnetic wave shielding material such as a conductive material. The housing 1 may be made of a material such as resin, and a plating layer of a conductive material may be provided on the inner surface or outer surface. The housing 1 may be made of a material such as resin, and a layer of electromagnetic wave shielding material may be provided on the inner surface, outer surface, or inside. In this case, the detection unit 39 is provided in the space between the housing 1 and the drum 3. The second shielding unit may include a configuration for blocking or attenuating electromagnetic waves in place of, or in addition to, the housing 1. If the noise entering the drum dryer 60 from the outside is, for example, electromagnetic waves at frequencies used by mobile phones and cordless phones, and has a lower frequency than the spark electromagnetic waves, the second shielding unit may be a high-pass filter that allows the spark electromagnetic waves to pass through while blocking the noise entering from the outside. Furthermore, if the noise entering the drum dryer 60 from the outside has a higher frequency than the spark electromagnetic waves, the second shielding unit may be a low-pass filter that allows the spark electromagnetic waves to pass through while blocking the noise entering from the outside, or a band-pass filter which is a combination of a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter.

Multiple detection units 39 may be provided at multiple locations. For example, multiple detection units 39 may be provided in the area 41a or 41b near the second choke portion 27, or multiple detection units 39 may be provided in the area 42a or 42b near the first choke portion 25. Furthermore, detection units 39 may be provided in each of the multiple gap shield portions. For example, one or more detection units 39 may be provided in both the area 41a or 41b near the second choke portion 27 and the area 42a or 42b near the first choke portion 25. The location of spark generation can change randomly depending on the position of metal attached to the clothing, the movement of the clothing due to tumbling during drying, etc. Therefore, the intensity distribution of spark electromagnetic waves generated by sparks and leaking from the gap shield portion can change randomly. By providing multiple detection units 39, the probability of detecting spark electromagnetic waves in areas with high intensity can be increased, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection.

Similar to the electric field distribution, the time it takes for spark electromagnetic waves to leak to the outside of the gap shielding section after they are generated also varies at each location and can change randomly. By providing multiple detection units 39, the probability of detecting leaked spark electromagnetic waves early can be increased, thus improving the spark detection speed. The adverse effects of sparks on clothing are correlated with the duration of the spark. According to the technology of this embodiment, sparks can be detected more quickly, thus reducing the adverse effects caused by sparks.

If the detection unit 39 is an antenna, the detection accuracy may be further improved by combining the spark electromagnetic waves received by multiple detection units 39 within the receiving circuit to enhance the received signal strength.

The detection unit 39 may be located near the bottom of the drum 3. Even during tumbling in the drying operation, due to the influence of gravity, the drying material is generally agitated in the lower part of the rotating drum 3, resulting in a higher proportion of the material being located in the lower part of the drum 3. Sparks are generated from metal attached to clothing or foreign objects mixed in with clothing pockets, etc. In particular, sparks are likely to occur when metal attached to clothing that has fallen due to tumbling comes into contact with the inner surface of the metal drum 3. Therefore, the probability of spark generation is high near the bottom of the drum 3. Accordingly, by providing the detection unit 39 near the bottom of the drum 3, the generated spark electromagnetic waves can be detected before they are attenuated by diffusion, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection. The detection unit 39 may also be located below the drum 3. The detection unit 39 may be located near the portion of the drum 3 occupied by the drying material when the recommended amount of drying material is contained in the drum 3 in the drum-type dryer 60, for example, near the portion below the center in the height direction of the drum 3.

[1-2. Operation]
The operation and function of the drum-type dryer 60, configured as described above, will be explained below.

When the user opens the door 5, places the object to be dried into the drum 3, and instructs the start of drying, the control device 20 starts the drying operation. The control device 20 drives the drum drive unit 6 to rotate the drum 3. An air circulation device (not shown) may also be operated. The control device 20 controls the microwave irradiation unit 30 to generate microwaves. The microwaves are irradiated into the drum 3 via the waveguide 34 and the microwave irradiation port 32. As a result, the moisture contained in the object to be dried inside the drum 3 is heated and evaporated. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the control device 20 stops driving the drum drive unit 6 and irradiating microwaves from the microwave irradiation unit 30, and ends the drying operation. The control device 20 may estimate the amount of moisture contained in the object to be dried and end the drying operation when the amount of moisture falls below a predetermined amount. If a spark electromagnetic wave is detected by the detection unit 39 during microwave irradiation, the control device 20 controls the microwave irradiation unit 30 to reduce or stop the microwave output. The control device 20 may instruct the user to remove the object to be dried that has metal attached from the drum 3.

[1-3. Effects, etc.]
As described above, in this embodiment, the drum dryer 60 comprises a housing 1, a drum 3 (storage section) provided inside the housing 1 for accommodating objects to be dried, a microwave irradiation section 30 for irradiating the objects to be dried inside the drum 3 with microwaves, and a detection section 39 for detecting electromagnetic waves caused by sparks generated inside the drum 3. The detection section 39 is provided near the contact points or gaps between members constituting a shield section for suppressing microwave leakage from the housing 1. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum dryer 60. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress damage to the objects to be dried caused by sparks.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drum 3 is a rotating body rotatably mounted inside the housing 1. This improves the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drum-type dryer 60 is equipped with a door body 5 that opens and closes an opening 19 provided in the housing 1 for loading and unloading objects to be dried into and out of the drum 3, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the door body 5. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. It also helps to suppress damage to objects being dried caused by sparks.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shielding section comprises a door body 5, a drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in at least one of the following gaps: the gap between the door body 5 and the drum 3, the gap between the communication section 26 (fixed section) fixed to the housing 1 and the door body 5; the gap between the drum 3 and the communication section 26; and the gap between the housing 1 and the door body 5. The detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. It also helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple detection units 39 are provided at multiple locations. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. It also helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the detection unit 39 is located near the underside of the drum 3. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. It also helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 2)
Embodiment 2 will be described below with reference to Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 2. In the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 2, the detection unit 39 is provided in the region 43a or 43b between the multiple gap shielding units. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as in Embodiment 1. The differences from Embodiment 1 will be mainly described below.

When a drum-type dryer 60 is equipped with multiple gap shielding sections, such as a first choke section 25 and a second choke section 27, the spark electromagnetic waves radiated from each section become a composite wave at points where they overlap in space. Spark electromagnetic waves are not continuous waves, but occur only suddenly, discontinuously, and for short periods of time. Since the propagation speed of each spark electromagnetic wave radiated from multiple gap shielding sections is the same, a composite wave is formed at points where the distance from the gap shielding sections acting as radiation sources is equal. By providing a detection unit 39 at that point, the combined spark electromagnetic wave with its increased electric field strength can be detected. Therefore, the accuracy of spark detection can be further improved. Figure 2 shows an example where the detection unit 39 is provided in the region 43a or 43b between the two gap shielding sections, the first choke section 25 and the second choke section 27. However, even when three or more gap shielding sections are provided, the detection unit 39 should be provided at points where the distance from at least two of those gap shielding sections is equal.

As described above, in the drum-type dryer 60 of the second embodiment, gap shields are provided at multiple positions, and the detection unit 39 is provided between the multiple gap shields. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 3)
Embodiment 3 will be described below with reference to Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 3. In the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 3, the detection unit 39 is located near the microwave irradiation port 32 for irradiating the inside of the drum 3 with microwaves from the microwave irradiation unit 30. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as in Embodiments 1 or 2. The differences from Embodiments 1 or 2 will be mainly described below.

The area near the microwave irradiation port 32 has a high electric field strength, making it highly likely that sparks will occur. In a drum-type dryer 60, the amount of microwave-absorbing load (such as water) is greater compared to microwave heating products like microwave ovens. For example, when drying 6 kg of clothing, the clothing contains approximately 4 L of water at the start of the drying cycle. Therefore, the difference in electric field strength between the area near the microwave irradiation port 32 and other areas becomes larger, increasing the probability of sparks occurring near the microwave irradiation port 32. Consequently, by placing the detection unit 39 near the microwave irradiation port 32, where the probability of sparks occurring is high, the spark electromagnetic waves can be detected before they are attenuated by diffusion, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the detection unit 39 is located near the microwave irradiation port 32, which is situated near the top of the drum 3. When there is a large amount of clothing, or even if there is only a small amount of clothing but it is lifted to the top by the rotation caused by agitation, sparks may occur near the top of the drum 3. Therefore, by placing the detection unit 39 near the microwave irradiation port 32 at the top of the drum 3, the generated spark electromagnetic waves can be detected before they are attenuated by diffusion, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection.

The microwave irradiation port 32 may be located near the lower, side, or bottom of the drum 3. In this case, the detection unit 39 may be located near the microwave irradiation port 32 located near the lower, side, or bottom of the drum 3.

As described above, in the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 3, the detection unit 39 is provided near the microwave irradiation port 32 for irradiating the inside of the drum 3 with microwaves from the microwave irradiation unit 30. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 4)
Embodiment 4 will be described below with reference to Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 4. The drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 4 further includes a reflective section 37 in addition to the configuration of the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of one or more of Embodiments 1 to 3. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 3 will be mainly described below.

The reflecting section 37 is positioned opposite the gap shield section, which is the source of spark electromagnetic waves, as viewed from the detection section 39. Spark electromagnetic waves diffused from the gap shield section are reflected by the reflecting section 37 towards the detection section 39. This amplifies the spark electromagnetic waves near the detection section 39, increasing their intensity for detection, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection. The distance between the detection section 39 and the reflecting section 37 is set considering the wavelength of the spark electromagnetic waves to increase the intensity of the spark electromagnetic waves near the detection section 39.

Thus, the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 4 is equipped with a reflecting unit 37 that reflects spark electromagnetic waves toward the detection unit 39. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 5)
Embodiment 5 will be described below with reference to Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 5. The drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 5 further includes a resonance section 38 in addition to the configuration of the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of one or more of Embodiments 1 to 4. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 4 will be mainly described below.

The resonant section 38 is provided near the detection section 39 and generates resonance in the spark electromagnetic waves diffusing near the detection section 39. This amplifies the spark electromagnetic waves near the detection section 39, increasing their intensity for detection, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection. The distance between the detection section 39 and the resonant section 38 is set considering the wavelength of the spark electromagnetic waves to increase the intensity of the spark electromagnetic waves near the detection section 39.

The resonant section 38 may be composed of a conductor such as a metal or a dielectric such as a resin. When the resonant section 38 is composed of a conductor such as a metal, it may be configured as a cavity resonator with an internal cavity, utilizing the electromagnetic wave reflection properties of the conductor. When the resonant section 38 is composed of a dielectric such as a resin, it may be configured as a dielectric resonator that generates resonance within the dielectric, utilizing the electromagnetic wave transmission properties of the dielectric. In this case, the resonant section 38 can be miniaturized due to the wavelength shortening effect caused by the dielectric constant of the dielectric. The resonant section 38 may also be composed of a combination of a conductor and a dielectric.

Thus, the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 4 includes a resonant unit 38 located near the detection unit 39, which resonates with spark electromagnetic waves. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 6)
Embodiment 6 will be described below with reference to Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 6. In Embodiment 6, the drum-type dryer 60 has the same configuration as the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1, but with the first choke portion 25 provided between the communication portion 26 and the side surface of the drum 3. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as one or more of Embodiments 1 to 5. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 5 will be mainly described below.

The drum 3 side of the communication section 26 is configured to cover the front part 3a of the drum. A gap shield is provided in the gap between the drum 3 side of the communication section 26 and the side surface of the drum 3 to suppress microwave leakage from the gap. The gap shield may be provided on the communication section 26 or on the side surface of the drum 3. The gap shield may be a reflective microwave shield such as the first choke section 25, or an absorbing microwave shield. The gap shield may be a non-contact microwave shield such as the first choke section 25, or a contact microwave shield such as a ball bearing. The gap shield may consist of a single-stage microwave shield or multiple-stage microwave shields.

In the sixth embodiment, the drum-type dryer 60 can increase its internal volume by expanding the depth dimension of the drum 3 by the amount of the gap shield moved to the side. Furthermore, since the front portion 3a of the drum can be formed from resin or the like, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

The detection unit 39 may be provided near the door body 5. More specifically, the detection unit 39 may be provided in the area 41a or 41b near the second choke portion 27 provided in the gap between the door body 5 and the communication portion 26. The detection unit 39 may be provided in the area 45a or 45b near the first choke portion 25 provided in the gap between the communication portion 26 and the drum 3. Multiple detection units 39 may be provided at multiple locations. A detection unit 39 may be provided in each of the multiple gap shield portions.

As described above, in the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 6, the shielding section is composed of a door body 5, a drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in at least one of the gaps between the communication section 26 and the door body 5, and the gap between the drum 3 and the communication section 26. The detection section 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 7)
Embodiment 7 will be described below with reference to Figure 7.

Figure 7 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 7. In Embodiment 7, the drum-type dryer 60 omits the connecting section 26 compared to the configuration of the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1. As a result, the door body 5 functions as a fixed part to the rotating drum 3. Furthermore, the microwave irradiation unit 30 is provided on the rotation axis of the drum 3 or on the door body 5 in front of the drum opening 3c. The microwave irradiation unit 30 irradiates microwaves into the drum 3 from the microwave irradiation port 32, heating the moisture contained in the material to be dried inside the drum 3. Other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as one or more of Embodiments 1 to 6. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 6 will be mainly described below.

A gap shield is provided in the gap between the door body 5 and the front part 3a of the drum to suppress microwave leakage from the gap. The gap shield may be provided on the door body 5 or on the front part 3a of the drum. The gap shield may be a reflective microwave shield such as a first choke section 25 or a second choke section 27, or an absorptive microwave shield. The gap shield may be a non-contact microwave shield such as a first choke section 25 or a second choke section 27, or a contact microwave shield such as a ball bearing. The gap shield may consist of a single-stage microwave shield or multiple-stage microwave shields.

In the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 7, the internal volume can be increased by expanding the depth dimension of the drum 3 by the amount of the omitted connecting section 26.

The detection unit 39 is located near the door body 5. More specifically, the detection unit 39 is located in the area 41a or 41b near the first choke portion 25 or the second choke portion 27, which are gap shield portions provided in the gap between the door body 5 and the drum 3.

As described above, in the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 7, the shielding section comprises a door body 5, a drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in the gap between the drum 3 and the door body 5, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it helps to suppress damage to the drying material caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 8)
Embodiment 8 will be described below with reference to Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a drum-type dryer according to Embodiment 8. The drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 8 includes a drum door 36 in addition to the configuration of the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 6 shown in Figure 6. The drum door 36 includes a second choke portion 27, which is an example of a gap shield portion provided around the entire circumference of the gap between the drum door 36 and the drum 3. Other configurations are the same as one or more of Embodiments 1 to 7. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 7 will be mainly described below.

In the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 8, the drum door 36 is fixed to the drum 3 and configured to rotate with the rotation of the drum 3. A door 5 is provided at the opening 19 of the housing 1. The door 5 may or may not constitute a shielding portion. In the former case, the user's microwave exposure can be further reduced. In the latter case, the door 5 can be formed from resin or the like, thus reducing the manufacturing cost of the drum-type dryer 60.

In the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 8, there is no need to shield the gap between the rotating body and the stationary part; only a second choke portion 27 is provided on the drum door 36. This simplifies the configuration of the gap shielding portion, thereby suppressing microwave leakage to the outside of the housing 1.

The detection unit 39 is located in the vicinity of the second choke portion 27, which is a gap shield portion provided in the gap between the drum door body 36 and the drum 3, in area 46a or 46b. The detection unit 39 may also be located near the door body 5.

Thus, the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiment 8 includes a door body 5 (first door body) that opens and closes an opening 19 (first opening) provided in the housing 1 for loading and unloading objects to be dried into and out of the drum 3, and a drum door body 36 (second door body) that opens and closes a drum opening 3c (second opening) provided inside the housing 1 at a position opposite to the door body 5. The detection unit 39 is provided near the door body 5 or the drum door body 36. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type dryer 60. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to objects being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 9)
Embodiment 9 will be described below with reference to Figures 9 and 10.

Figure 9 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a drum-type washer-dryer according to Embodiment 9. The drum-type washer-dryer 61 of this embodiment has the function of washing and drying laundry such as clothes, and can function as a washing machine that performs only the washing function, a dryer that performs only the drying function, or a washer-dryer that performs both the washing and drying functions.

The drum-type washer-dryer 61, like the drum-type dryer 60 in Embodiments 1 to 8, has the function of irradiating the laundry inside the drum with microwaves, a type of electromagnetic wave. Components common to or similar to those in the drum-type dryer 60 of Embodiments 1 to 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 8 will be mainly described below.

The drum-type washer-dryer 61 comprises two tanks: a water tank 2 as an outer tub and a drum 3 as a rotating tub. The water tank 2 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and holds washing water. The water tank 2 is pivotably supported within the housing 1 (main body) by a damper 4 located below it. The drum 3 is also formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and holds laundry such as clothes (also referred to as "drying object" when referring to the drying function). The drum 3 is rotatably mounted within the water tank 2, with its axis of rotation positioned horizontally. In another example, the drum 3 may be positioned so that its axis of rotation is tilted upward relative to the horizontal, or so that its axis of rotation is vertical.

A drive motor 6a is mounted on the bottom of the water tank 2, which faces the rear of the housing 1. This drive motor 6a rotates the drum 3 in both forward and reverse directions around its axis of rotation. The drum-type washer-dryer 61 performs agitation, pounding, rinsing, dewatering, and drying on the laundry contained within the drum 3 through the rotation of the drum 3 driven by the drive motor 6a.

An opening 19 and a door 5 for opening and closing the opening 19 are provided on the front of the housing 1, opposite the opening ends of the drum 3 and the water tank 2. The user can load and unload laundry into the drum 3 by opening the door 5.

The water tank 2 has a front section 2a having a water tank opening 2c positioned opposite the opening 19 of the housing 1, and a rear section 2b located behind the front section 2a. An elastic cylindrical water seal member 23 is provided to connect the edge of the water tank opening 2c of the front section 2a and the edge of the opening 19 around its entire circumference. When the user closes the door 5, the water seal member 23 is pressed by the door 5 and elastically deforms, thereby ensuring that the watertightness of the water tank 2 to the outside of the machine is maintained. The front section 2a may be the top surface portion of the water tank 2 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. In that case, the rear section 2b may be the side and bottom portions of the cylinder. The front section 2a may include a part of the front of the side portion in addition to the top portion of the cylinder. In that case, the rear section 2b may be the remaining rear portion of the side portion of the cylinder and the bottom portion. The rear portion 2b of the tank may include a part of the side of the top portion of the tank 2, in addition to the side and bottom portions. In that case, the front portion 2a of the tank may be the remaining portion of the top portion of the cylinder on the side of the tank opening 2c. The front portion 2a and the rear portion 2b of the tank may be manufactured integrally, or they may be manufactured separately and connected to form the tank 2. In the latter case, a water seal member is similarly provided at the connection between the front portion 2a and the rear portion 2b of the tank.

A water supply pipe 13 is connected to the top of the water tank 2. A water supply valve 12 is installed in the middle of the water supply pipe 13. The water supply valve 12 supplies water into the water tank 2 via the water supply pipe 13. A drain pipe 11 is connected to the bottom of the water tank 2. A drain valve 10 is installed in the middle of the drain pipe 11. The drain valve 10 discharges the water from the water tank 2 to the outside of the machine via the drain pipe 11.

A damper 4 is provided below the water tank 2. The damper 4 supports the water tank 2 and dampens vibrations of the water tank 2 caused by uneven distribution of laundry in the drum 3 during spin-drying, etc. A fabric load detection unit (not shown) is attached to this damper 4. The fabric load detection unit detects the amount of displacement of the damper 4's shaft due to changes in weight caused by clothing in the drum 3. The drum-type washer-dryer 61 detects the amount of clothing in the drum 3 based on the displacement detected by this fabric load detection unit.

The drum 3 has a drum front portion 3a having a drum opening 3c positioned opposite the opening 19 of the housing 1, and a drum rear portion 3b positioned behind the drum front portion 3a. The drum front portion 3a may be the top surface portion of the drum 3, which is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. In that case, the drum rear portion 3b may be the side and bottom portions of the cylinder. The drum front portion 3a may include a portion of the front of the side portion in addition to the top portion of the cylinder. In that case, the drum rear portion 3b may be the remaining rear portion of the side portion of the cylinder and the bottom portion. The drum rear portion 3b may include a portion of the side of the top portion in addition to the side and bottom portions of the drum 3. In that case, the drum front portion 3a may be the remaining portion of the top portion of the cylinder on the drum opening 3c side. The drum front portion 3a and the drum rear portion 3b may be manufactured integrally, or they may be manufactured separately and connected to form the drum 3.

The drum-type washer-dryer 61 includes a circulating air passage 7 for circulating air within the water tub 2 and drum 3, and a microwave irradiation unit 30 for irradiating the items to be dried in the drum 3 with microwaves.

The microwave irradiation unit 30, which constitutes the heating section for heating the object to be dried, irradiates microwaves into the drum 3 from a microwave irradiation port 32 located between the water tank opening 2c of the water tank 2 and the opening 19 of the housing 1, thereby heating the moisture contained in the object to be dried inside the drum 3.

The circulating air passage 7 is configured as an air circulation passage for drying the object to be dried during the drying process. The air circulation passage includes the water tank 2 and the drum 3. The circulating air passage 7 is provided by connecting an outlet 8 (drying air outlet) located on the bottom of the water tank 2 with an outlet 9 (drying air outlet) located on the front side of the water tank 2.

The circulating air passage 7 is equipped with a lint filter 22, a dehumidifier 21, a heater 17, and a blower fan 16, starting from the outlet 9 side. The lint filter 22 is a filter with a nylon mesh that captures lint contained in the air flowing through the circulating air passage 7. The dehumidifier 21 dehumidifies the air flowing through the circulating air passage 7. The dehumidifier 21 may be water-cooled or air-cooled. The heater 17 heats the air flowing through the circulating air passage 7. The dehumidifier 21 and the heater 17 may be composed of the evaporation and condensation sections of a heat pump device. The blower fan 16 circulates the air in the water tank 2 and drum 3 into the circulating air passage 7.

The heater 17 and the microwave irradiation unit 30 constitute a heating unit for heating the object to be dried, and power is supplied to both simultaneously, or to either one of them. The method of heating the object to be dried by the heating unit is not limited to direct heating with microwaves, indirect heating by heating circulating air with a heater, or heating the inner wall of the drum 3. If the object to be dried, such as clothing, has metal parts like buttons or zippers that are likely to cause sparks, the output of the microwaves irradiated into the drum 3 from the microwave irradiation unit 30 is reduced or stopped, and drying is switched to the heater 17.

An inlet temperature detection unit 18 is installed within the circulating air passage 7. The inlet temperature detection unit 18 detects the temperature of the air flowing into the drum 3. The inlet temperature detection unit 18 is composed of, for example, a thermistor.

The control device 20 is housed within the housing 1. The control device 20 controls the blower fan 16, heater 17, and microwave irradiation unit 30, etc. The control device 20 also controls the drive motor 6a, water supply valve 12, drain valve 10, etc., to sequentially execute the washing, rinsing, dewatering, and drying processes.

Next, let's explain the flow of dry air. When microwaves are irradiated into the drum 3, the moisture contained in the material to be dried is heated and evaporates. When the blower fan 16 is driven, the air, which has become humid due to the evaporated moisture, flows into the circulation air passage 7 through the outlet 9 provided in the water tank 2. The air that flows into the circulation air passage 7 is sent by the blower fan 16 towards the dehumidification unit 21 and the heater 17. The air passing through the dehumidification unit 21 is cooled and dehumidified. The cooled and dried air is heated by the heater 17.

The air that has passed through the heater 17 passes through the outlet 8 and is blown back into the drum 3. Note that in a clothes dryer without a washing function, the water tank 2 for storing wash water, the water supply valve 12, the water supply pipe 13, the drain valve 10, and the drain pipe 11 are not provided. Furthermore, the connection between the rotating drum 3 and the circulating air passage 7 is configured such that the drum 3 slides against a sealing member such as felt.

Figure 10 shows the configuration of the shield section of the drum-type washer-dryer 61 according to Embodiment 9. Figure 10 is a diagram showing some of the components of the drum-type washer-dryer 61 according to Embodiment 9 shown in Figure 9, but with some components omitted. It also illustrates the detection unit 39. In Figure 10, the components constituting the shield section are indicated by hatching. In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 9, the shield section includes a door body 5, an opening 19, a front part of the water tank 2a, a cover part 24, and a rear part of the water tank 2b. A gap shield section (not shown) is provided in the gap between the opening 19 of the housing 1 and the door body 5. The cover part 24 is a component that covers the space between the opening 19 and the front part of the water tank 2a. The cover part 24 functions as a gap shield section to suppress microwave leakage from the gap between the door body 5 and the water tank 2.

The door body 5, opening 19, front section 2a of the tank, and rear section 2b of the tank contain a conductive material such as metal capable of reflecting or absorbing microwaves. The door body 5, opening 19, front section 2a, or rear section 2b may be entirely formed of an electromagnetic shielding material such as a conductive material. The door body 5, opening 19, front section 2a, or rear section 2b may be formed of a material such as resin, and a plating layer of a conductive material may be provided on the inner or outer surface. The door body 5, opening 19, front section 2a, or rear section 2b may be formed of a material such as resin, and a layer of electromagnetic shielding material may be provided on the inner surface, outer surface, or interior.

In this embodiment, the opening 19 of the housing 1 and the front portion 2a of the water tank 2 are separated, and watertightness is ensured by a water seal member 23. The space between them is covered by a cover portion 24 made of an electromagnetic wave shielding material. In other words, by providing a conductive and flexible cover portion 24, even when the drum 3 rotates and vibrates, causing the water tank 2 to vibrate, it is possible to provide a drum-type washer-dryer 61 that can suppress the leakage of electromagnetic waves when drying objects by irradiating them with electromagnetic waves.

The cover portion 24 is made of a flexible surface material. This separates the opening 19 and door 5 of the housing 1 from the water tank 2, which vibrates due to the rotation of the drum 3, thus reducing the transmission of vibrations from the water tank 2. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the widening of the gap between the water tank 2 and the opening 19 due to vibration, preventing microwave leakage through the gap. Furthermore, since the microwave irradiation unit 30 can be installed in the housing 1, which experiences less vibration, rather than in the water tank 2 or drum 3, microwave oscillators such as magnetrons can be protected from vibration, improving microwave oscillation performance and durability. Some components of the microwave irradiation unit 30, such as the microwave oscillator and waveguide, may be installed in the housing 1.

The cover portion 24 is made of a flexible surface material. This facilitates processing and installation, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. One end of the surface material is fixed to the opening 19 of the housing 1, and the other end is fixed to the front portion 2a of the water tank 2. The surface material may be fixed by another surface material such as a belt, or by a wire. In this case, the surface material may be fixed by pressing it from the outside with a belt or wire. This simplifies the structure for fixing the surface material and reduces manufacturing costs. Alternatively, the end of the surface material may be formed into a bag shape, and the surface material may be fixed by passing a belt or wire through the bag. This simplifies the work for fixing the surface material, reduces manufacturing costs, and improves contact stability.

The cover portion 24 may be constructed in a cylindrical shape using an expandable material. In this case, the surface material constituting the cover portion 24 may be a conductive cloth or mesh material. Alternatively, the surface material may be formed by weaving string-like cloth. This makes it possible to reduce the transmission of vibrations from the water tank 2 through the opening 19 and door 5 of the housing 1. Furthermore, it allows for easier processing and installation, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

The cover portion 24 may be constructed in a bellows-like or mesh-like manner using a surface material. In this case, the surface material constituting the cover portion 24 may be made of a conductive material that does not have elasticity. Even if the material does not have elasticity, it can be made expandable by being constructed in a bellows-like or mesh-like manner, thereby making it difficult for vibrations from the water tank 2 to be transmitted through the opening 19 and door 5 of the housing 1. Furthermore, since the range of surface materials that can be used for the cover portion 24 can be expanded, manufacturing costs can be reduced. In this case as well, the surface material may be a conductive cloth or mesh material, or it may be formed by weaving string-like cloth.

The cover portion 24 may be provided on the outside of the water seal member 23, as shown in Figure 9. When chlorine-based bleach is used during washing, if chlorine-containing washing water adheres to the cover portion 24, the conductive material may corrode due to the chlorine. However, by providing the cover portion 24 on the outside of the water seal member 23, moisture can be prevented from adhering to the cover portion 24, thereby suppressing a decrease in the electromagnetic shielding performance and durability of the cover portion 24. Furthermore, since the assembly of the cover portion 24 becomes easier, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In another example, the cover portion 24 may be provided inside the water seal member 23. This reduces the exposure of the water seal member 23 to electromagnetic waves, thereby preventing a decrease in the watertightness, airtightness, and durability of the water seal member 23. For example, it can reduce the likelihood of electromagnetic waves concentrating at a specific point on the water seal member 23, leading to abnormal overheating.

In another example, the cover portion 24 may also serve as the water seal member 23. In this case, the surface material constituting the cover portion 24 may be formed of a conductive elastomer. This allows the drum-type washing machine 61 of this embodiment to be manufactured simply by incorporating the water seal member 23, similar to conventional drum-type washing machines, thereby reducing the number of parts and labor, and lowering manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, in the configuration of the water tank 2, the front portion 2a and the rear portion 2b of the water tank may be formed integrally, or they may be manufactured separately and then connected. As in this embodiment, if the rear portion 2b of the water tank is included in the shield portion, the entire water tank 2 can be formed from a conductive material, simplifying the configuration of the drum-type washing machine/dryer 61 and thus reducing manufacturing costs.

When the front section 2a and the rear section 2b of a water tank are manufactured separately and then connected, the connection between the front section 2a and the rear section 2b must also be watertight while suppressing microwave leakage. Therefore, the water tank 2 is fixed with a waterproof member and a conductive member sandwiched between the front section 2a and the rear section 2b. This configuration ensures watertightness while suppressing electromagnetic wave leakage.

The detection unit 39 is located near the door body 5. More specifically, the detection unit 39 is located in the area 47a or 47b near the cover portion 24, which is a gap shield portion provided in the gap between the door body 5 and the water tank 2. In the drum-type washing machine 61 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, some of the spark electromagnetic waves leak out from the cover portion 24 and diffuse to the outside. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 in the area 47a or 47b near the cover portion 24, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 9 has a shielding section comprising a door body 5, a drum 3, and a gap shield section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shield section is provided between the door body 5 and the drum 3, in the gap between the housing 1 (opening 19) and the door body, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shield section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

Furthermore, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 9 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 (outer tank) enclosing the drum 3. The shielding section comprises a door body 5, the water tank 2, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in the gap between the water tank 2 and the door body 5, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. It also helps to suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 10)
Figure 11 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 10. The drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 10 includes a first choke section 25 in addition to the configuration of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 9 shown in Figure 9. Other configurations and operations are the same as any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 9. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 9 will be mainly described.

In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 10, the shield section comprises a door 5, an opening 19, a front section 2a of the water tub, a cover section 24, a drum 3, and a first choke section 25.

The drum 3 contains a conductive material, such as a metal, capable of reflecting or absorbing microwaves. The first choke portion 25 functions as a gap shield to prevent microwave leakage from the gap between the front of the water tank 2a and the front of the drum 3a.

The detection unit 39 may be provided near the door body 5. More specifically, the detection unit 39 may be provided in the area 47a or 47b near the cover portion 24 provided in the gap between the door body 5 and the water tank 2. The detection unit 39 may also be provided in the area 48a or 48b near the first choke portion 25 provided in the gap between the water tank 2 and the drum 3. In the drum-type washing and drying machine 61 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, a portion of the spark electromagnetic waves leak out from the cover portion 24 or the first choke portion 25 and diffuse to the outside. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 in the area 47a or 47b near the cover portion 24, or in the area 48a or 48b near the first choke portion 25, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 10 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 enclosing the drum 3. The shielding section is composed of a door body 5, the drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in at least one of the gaps between the water tank 2 and the door body 5, and between the water tank 2 and the drum 3. The detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 11)
Figure 12 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of a drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 11. Compared to the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 9 shown in Figure 9, the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 11 omits the cover section 24 and is equipped with a water tank lid 28. The water tank lid 28 is the lid of the water tank 2, which is the outer tub, and is an example of an outer tub lid. Other configurations and operations are the same as any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 10. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 10 will be mainly described.

The tank lid 28 is installed at the opening 2c of the tank 2. Although not shown in the diagram, the tank lid 28 may be configured to open and close in conjunction with the opening and closing of the door 5. For example, a linkage mechanism would be necessary, such as at the connection point between the tank lid 28 and the door 5, but this would improve usability, as the user can load and unload laundry from the drum 3 simply by opening the door 5.

An elastic, cylindrical water seal member 23 is provided around the entire circumference of the opening edge of the water tank opening 2c, ensuring that the water tank lid 28 fits snugly against it. When the user closes the water tank lid 28, the water seal member 23 is pressed against the lid 28 and elastically deforms, thereby ensuring the watertight seal of the water tank 2 from the outside.

In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 11, the shield section comprises a tank lid 28, which is the door body of the tank 2; a front tank section 2a including the tank opening 2c; and a rear tank section 2b. The tank lid 28, the front tank section 2a, and the rear tank section 2b contain conductive materials such as metal capable of reflecting or absorbing microwaves. The water seal member 23 between the tank 2 and the tank lid 28 is made of a conductor or dielectric material and functions as a gap shield to suppress microwave leakage from the gap between the tank 2 and the tank lid 28.

In this embodiment, the opening 19 of the housing 1 and the front portion 2a of the water tank 2 are separated, a water tank lid 28 is provided on the front portion 2a, and the water tank 2 is watertight with a water seal member 23. This separates the opening 19 and door 5 of the housing 1 from the water tank 2, which vibrates due to the rotation of the drum 3, thus reducing the transmission of vibrations from the water tank 2. Furthermore, no configuration is required in the housing 1, opening 19, and door 5 to prevent microwave leakage. In other words, this configuration provides a drum-type washer-dryer 61 that can suppress electromagnetic wave leakage even when the drum 3 rotates and the water tank 2 vibrates. In this embodiment, since there is no need to consider microwave leakage from the gap between vibrating and non-vibrating parts, a drum-type washer-dryer 61 capable of suppressing electromagnetic wave leakage can be manufactured at low cost.

Furthermore, even in the tank lid 28, gaps may occur due to dimensional errors or vibrations, as long as they are small enough not to cause microwave leakage.

The door 5 of the housing 1 is not necessarily required. It is sufficient that the opening 19 of the housing 1 is configured so that vibrations from the water tank 2 do not adversely affect the user. Alternatively, instead of the water tank lid 28 provided at the water tank opening 2c, a door may be provided at the drum opening 3c of the drum 3. In this case, microwaves are irradiated into the drum 3 through the inside of the drum's rotation axis, and the entire drum 3, including the door at the drum opening 3c, may constitute a shield. However, since the door at the drum opening 3c rotates with the drum 3, when the rotation stops, the opening and closing direction of the door may vary, potentially worsening user experience. To prevent this, it is desirable that the control device 20 be configured to stop the drum 3's rotation at a predetermined position, so that the opening and closing direction of the door at that time is approximately uniform.

The detection unit 39 is located in the region 49a or 49b near the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2. In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, a portion of the spark electromagnetic wave leaks out and diffuses from the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 in the region 49a or 49b near the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 11 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 that encloses the drum 3. The shielding section is composed of a water tank lid 28 (door body), the water tank 2, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in the gap between the water tank 2 and the water tank lid 28, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 12)
Figure 13 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 12. Compared to the configuration of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 10 shown in Figure 11, the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 12 omits the cover section 24 and is equipped with a water tank lid 28. Alternatively, in addition to the configuration of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 11 shown in Figure 12, it is equipped with a first choke section 25. Other configurations and operations are the same as any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 11. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 11 will be mainly described.

In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 12, the shielding section comprises a water tank lid 28, a water tank front section 2a, a drum 3, and a first choke section 25. The drum 3 contains a conductive material, such as metal, capable of reflecting or absorbing microwaves. The first choke section 25 functions as a gap shield to prevent microwave leakage through the gap between the water tank front section 2a and the drum front section 3a.

The detection unit 39 may be provided in the region 49a or 49b near the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2. Alternatively, the detection unit 39 may be provided in the region 48a or 48b near the first choke portion 25 located in the gap between the tank 2 and the drum 3. In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, a portion of the spark electromagnetic wave leaks and diffuses to the outside from the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2 or from the first choke portion 25. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 in the region 49a or 49b near the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2, or in the region 48a or 48b near the first choke portion 25, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 12 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 enclosing the drum 3. The shielding section is composed of a water tank lid 28, the drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in at least one of the gaps between the water tank 2 and the water tank lid 28, and between the water tank 2 and the drum 3. The detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 13)
Figure 14 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a vertical washing machine and dryer 70 according to Embodiment 13. In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the drum 3 is configured vertically, and a pulsator 44 for agitating the laundry and wash water is provided at the bottom of the drum 3. Other configurations and operations are the same as any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 12. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 12 will be mainly described.

In this embodiment of the vertical washing machine/dryer 70, the rotation axis of the drum 3 is vertical. Therefore, the "front" direction of the water tank 2 and drum 3 of the drum-type washing machine/dryer 61 described in embodiments 9 to 12 becomes the "up" direction, and the "rear/back" direction becomes the "down/bottom" direction. By rotating the water tank 2 and drum 3 of the drum-type washing machine/dryer 61 shown in embodiments 9 to 12 by 90 degrees to the right, it can be applied to the vertical washing machine/dryer 70.

In the vertical washing and drying machine 70 of this embodiment, the drum 3 does not rotate; instead, the pulsator 44 rotates in both forward and reverse directions to perform agitation, kneading, rinsing, and drying of the laundry contained within the drum 3.

In the vertical washing machine/dryer 70 of Embodiment 13, the shielding section comprises a water tank lid 28, a front section 2a including the water tank opening 2c, and a rear section 2b. Similar to the drum-type washing machine/dryer 61 of Embodiments 9-12, the vertical washing machine/dryer 70 of this embodiment can suppress microwave leakage even when the water tank 2 vibrates. The water seal member 23 between the water tank 2 and the water tank lid 28 is made of a conductor or dielectric material and functions as a gap shield to suppress microwave leakage from the gap between the water tank 2 and the water tank lid 28.

The detection unit 39 is located in the region 50a or 50b near the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2. In this embodiment of the vertical washing and drying machine 70, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, a portion of the spark electromagnetic waves leak out and diffuse from the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2. Therefore, by placing the detection unit 39 in the region 50a or 50b near the contact point between the tank lid 28 and the tank 2, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the vertical washing machine and dryer 70 of Embodiment 13 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 that encloses the drum 3. The shielding section is composed of a water tank lid 28, the water tank 2, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in the gap between the water tank 2 and the water tank lid 28, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the vertical washing machine and dryer 70. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

The detection unit 39 may be located near the bottom surface of the drum 3. Even during tumbling in the drying operation, the drying material is generally agitated at the bottom surface of the rotating drum 3 due to gravity, resulting in a high proportion of material being located at the bottom surface. Sparks are generated from metal attached to clothing or foreign objects mixed in with clothing pockets. In particular, sparks are likely to occur when metal attached to clothing that has fallen during tumbling comes into contact with the metal bottom surface of the drum 3. Therefore, the probability of spark generation is high near the bottom surface of the drum 3. Accordingly, by locating the detection unit 39 near the bottom surface of the drum 3, the generated spark electromagnetic waves can be detected before they are attenuated by diffusion, thereby improving the accuracy of spark detection.

(Embodiment 14)
Figure 15 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 14. The drum-type washing machine 61 of this embodiment differs from the drum-type washing machine 61 of Embodiments 9 to 12 in the configuration of the vibration damping mechanism for suppressing vibrations of the housing 1 and drum 3, the cover section 24 and the water seal member 23. Other configurations and operations are the same as any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 13. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 13 will be mainly described.

In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 14, an opening 19 and a door 5 for opening and closing the opening 19 are provided on the front of the housing 1. A bottomed cylindrical tank 2 for holding wash water is provided inside the housing 1. The tank 2 is fixed to the housing 1 by fixing the tank opening 2c, located opposite the opening 19, to the opening 19. The bottom surface of the tank 2 (the surface facing the back of the housing 1 in Figure 15) is composed of multiple members. Details of this will be described later.

A cylindrical, elastic door gasket 23a is provided around the entire inner circumference of the opening 19 of the housing 1. The user can load and unload laundry into the drum 3 by opening the door 5. When the user closes the door 5, the door gasket 23a is pressed against the door 5 and elastically deforms, ensuring watertightness of the water tank 2 from the outside.

The tank 2 has a front section 2a with a tank opening 2c, and a rear section 2b located behind the front section 2a. The front section 2a may include a portion of the side of the bottom section in addition to the top and side sections of the cylinder. In that case, the rear section 2b may be the remaining central portion of the bottom section.

The front portion 3a of the drum may include the top and side portions of the drum 3, as well as a portion of the side of the bottom portion. In that case, the rear portion 3b of the drum may be the remaining portion of the bottom portion on the side of the rotation axis.

A drum drive unit 6, which rotates the drum 3, is mounted on the bottom surface of the drum 3. The drum drive unit 6 includes a drive motor 6a, a rotating shaft 6b connecting the drum 3 and the drive motor 6a, and a bearing unit 6c supporting the rotating shaft 6b. The bearing unit 6c is configured to support the rotating shaft 6b with multiple bearings. The drive motor 6a rotates the drum 3 around its axis in both forward and reverse directions. The drum-type washer-dryer 61 performs agitation, pounding, rinsing, dewatering, and drying of the laundry contained within the drum 3 by the rotation of the drum 3 driven by the drive motor 6a.

Next, the configuration of the bottom surface of the water tank 2, which is included in the rear section 2b of the water tank, and the vibration damping mechanism 40 that suppresses vibrations of the drum 3 and the housing 1 will be described. First, as mentioned above, the bottom surface of the water tank 2 is composed of multiple members. That is, the bottom surface of the water tank 2 itself is open in the center, leaving the sides intact, and a part of the vibration damping mechanism 40 is incorporated into this opening. The vibration damping mechanism 40 includes a motor support section 33, multiple dampers (lower damper 4a and upper damper 4b) provided between the motor support section 33 and the housing 1, and a flexible water seal member 23. The drum drive unit 6 is fixed to the motor support section 33. The motor support section 33 is located in the opening of the bottom surface of the water tank 2 and is provided to close the opening via the flexible and watertight water seal member 23. Thus, the bottom surface of the water tank 2 is composed of the motor support section 33 and the water seal member 23.

Multiple dampers support the drum drive unit 6 and the drum 3 from the housing 1 via the motor support unit 33. The multiple dampers include two lower dampers 4a that support the lower left and right sides of the motor support unit 33 from the bottom of the housing 1, and an upper damper 4b that supports the upper part of the motor support unit 33 from the rear of the housing 1. When the drum 3 rotates, especially at high speeds, it generates complex oscillation phenomena due to factors such as uneven distribution of laundry within the drum 3. The resulting vibrations are transmitted to the motor support unit 33 via the drum drive unit 6. At this time, the lower dampers 4a absorb mainly vertical and horizontal vibrations of the motor support unit 33, while the upper dampers 4b absorb mainly front-to-back vibrations of the motor support unit 33. This reduces the vibration of the drum 3 and suppresses the transmission of vibrations to the housing 1.

With the vibration-damping mechanism 40 configured in this way, vibrations from the drum 3, which holds the laundry and rotates, are transmitted to the motor support section 33. However, vibration transmission to the housing 1 is suppressed by the lower damper 4a and the upper damper 4b, and vibration transmission to the water tank 2 fixed to the housing 1 is suppressed by the water seal member 23.

Furthermore, a fabric load detection unit (not shown) may be attached to the lower damper 4a. The fabric load detection unit detects the amount of displacement of the lower damper 4a's shaft due to changes in weight caused by clothing and other items inside the drum 3. The drum-type washer-dryer 61 detects the amount of clothing inside the drum 3 based on the displacement detected by this fabric load detection unit.

Furthermore, the position and number of dampers, as well as the shape of the motor support section 33, are not particularly limited. In short, the only requirement is that the dampers reliably support the load of the rotating drum 3 and effectively dampen vibrations in all directions.

In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 14, the shielding section comprises a door body 5, an opening 19, a front section 2a of the water tank, a cover section 24, and a rear section 2b of the water tank. The cover section 24 may be included in the rear section 2b of the water tank. The cover section 24 is provided outside the water tank 2, parallel to the water seal member 23, and covering the water seal member 23. The cover section 24 may function as a gap shield to suppress microwave leakage from the gap in the water tank 2. The door packing 23a between the water tank 2 and the door body 5 is made of a conductor or dielectric material and may function as a gap shield to suppress microwave leakage from the gap between the water tank 2 and the door body 5.

In this embodiment, the bottom surface of the water tank 2 is configured to include a motor support portion 33 and a water seal member 23. The water seal member 23 ensures watertightness, and the water seal member 23 is covered by a cover portion 24 made of an electromagnetic wave shielding material. The cover portion 24 is made of a conductive and flexible surface material. This separates the housing 1 and at least the front portion 2a of the water tank from the motor support portion 33, which vibrates due to the rotation of the drum 3, making it difficult for the vibration of the drum 3 to be transmitted to the housing 1. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the leakage of microwaves from the gap in the bottom surface of the water tank 2 where the water seal member 23 is provided, due to vibration. In other words, by providing a conductive and flexible cover portion 24, even if the drum 3 rotates and vibrates, causing the motor support portion 33 and the water tank 2 to vibrate, it is possible to provide a drum-type washing machine and dryer 61 that can suppress the leakage of electromagnetic waves when drying objects by irradiating them with electromagnetic waves.

Furthermore, since the microwave irradiation unit 30 can be installed in a housing 1 or water tank 2 with low vibration, the microwave oscillator, such as a magnetron, can be protected from vibration, thereby improving the microwave oscillation performance and durability. Some components of the microwave irradiation unit 30, such as the microwave oscillator and waveguide, may be installed in the housing 1 or water tank 2.

The cover portion 24 is made of a flexible surface material. This facilitates processing and installation, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. One end of the surface material is fixed around the entire circumference of the opening at the bottom of the tank 2, and the other end is fixed to the motor support portion 33. The surface material may be fixed by another surface material such as a belt, or by a wire. In this case, the surface material may be fixed by pressing it from the outside with a belt or wire. This simplifies the structure for fixing the surface material and reduces manufacturing costs. Alternatively, the end of the surface material may be formed into a bag shape, and the surface material may be fixed by passing a belt or wire through the bag. This simplifies the work for fixing the surface material, reduces manufacturing costs, and improves contact stability.

The cover portion 24 may be constructed in a donut shape with a space in the center, using an expandable material. In this case, the surface material constituting the cover portion 24 may be a conductive cloth or mesh material. Alternatively, the surface material may be formed by weaving string-like cloth. This makes it possible to reduce the transmission of vibrations from the drum 3 through the housing 1. Furthermore, it allows for easier processing and installation, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

The cover portion 24 may be provided on the outside of the water seal member 23, as shown in Figure 15. When chlorine-based bleach is used during washing, if chlorine-containing washing water adheres to the cover portion 24, the conductive material may corrode due to the chlorine. However, by providing the cover portion 24 on the outside of the water seal member 23, moisture can be prevented from adhering to the cover portion 24, thereby suppressing a decrease in the electromagnetic shielding performance and durability of the cover portion 24. Furthermore, since the assembly of the cover portion 24 becomes easier, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In another example, the cover portion 24 may be provided inside the water seal member 23. This reduces the exposure of the water seal member 23 to electromagnetic waves, thereby preventing a decrease in the watertightness, airtightness, and durability of the water seal member 23. For example, it can reduce the likelihood of electromagnetic waves concentrating at a specific point on the water seal member 23, leading to abnormal overheating.

In another example, the cover portion 24 may also serve as the water seal member 23. In this case, the surface material constituting the cover portion 24 may be formed of a conductive elastomer. This allows the drum-type washing machine 61 of this embodiment to be manufactured simply by incorporating the water seal member 23, similar to conventional drum-type washing machines, thereby reducing the number of parts and labor, and lowering manufacturing costs.

In other words, the cover portion 24 only needs to be positioned substantially in the same location as the water seal member 23, and should be positioned so that electromagnetic waves do not leak out, following the flexibility of the water seal member 23.

When the front section 2a and the rear section 2b of the water tank are manufactured separately and then connected, the connection between the front section 2a and the rear section 2b must also be watertight while suppressing microwave leakage. Therefore, in this case, the water tank 2 is configured such that a waterproof member and a conductive member are sandwiched between the front section 2a and the rear section 2b and fixed in place.

In Embodiment 14, when the shield portion includes the rear portion 2b of the water tank, a configuration was described in which a flexible cover portion 24 is provided at substantially the same position as the water seal member 23 on the bottom surface of the water tank 2. As a variation of this, a choke structure, as described in Embodiment 2, may be provided instead of the cover portion 24. Alternatively, a choke structure may be provided in addition to the cover portion 24.

The detection unit 39 may be provided in the area 51a or 51b near the contact point between the door body 5 and the water tank 2. The detection unit 39 may also be provided in the area 52a or 52b near the cover portion 24. In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, a portion of the spark electromagnetic wave leaks and diffuses to the outside from the contact point between the door body 5 and the water tank 2 or from the cover portion 24. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 in the area 51a or 51b near the contact point between the door body 5 and the water tank 2, or in the area 52a or 52b near the cover portion 24, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 14 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 enclosing the drum 3. The shielding section is composed of a door body 5, the drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in the gap between the water tank 2 and the door body 5, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 15)
Figure 16 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the shield section of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 15. The drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 15 includes a first choke section 25 in addition to the configuration of the drum-type washing machine 61 according to Embodiment 14 shown in Figure 15. Other configurations and operations are the same as any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 14. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 14 will be mainly described.

In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 15, the shield section comprises a door body 5, an opening 19, a front section 2a of the water tub, a drum 3, and a first choke section 25.

The drum 3 contains a conductive material, such as a metal, capable of reflecting or absorbing microwaves. The first choke portion 25 functions as a gap shield to prevent microwave leakage from the gap between the front of the water tank 2a and the front of the drum 3a.

The detection unit 39 may be provided in the area 51a or 51b near the contact point between the door body 5 and the water tank 2. Alternatively, the detection unit 39 may be provided in the area 53a or 53b near the first choke portion 25 located in the gap between the water tank 2 and the drum 3. In the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the drum 3, a portion of the spark electromagnetic wave leaks and diffuses to the outside from the contact point between the door body 5 and the water tank 2 or from the first choke portion 25. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 in the area 51a or 51b near the contact point between the door body 5 and the water tank 2, or in the area 53a or 53b near the first choke portion 25, sparks generated inside the drum 3 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the drum-type washer-dryer 61 of Embodiment 15 is fixed to the housing 1 and includes a water tank 2 enclosing the drum 3. The shielding section is composed of a door body 5, the drum 3, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in at least one of the gaps between the water tank 2 and the door body 5, and between the water tank 2 and the drum 3. The detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the drum 3, thereby improving the safety and durability of the drum-type washer-dryer 61. Furthermore, it can suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

(Embodiment 16)
Figure 17 is a schematic perspective view of a washing machine and dryer 62 according to Embodiment 16. The washing machine and dryer 62 according to Embodiment 16, like Embodiments 9 to 15, has the function of washing and drying laundry such as clothes, and can function as a washing machine that performs only the washing function, a dryer that performs only the drying function, or a washing machine and dryer that performs both the washing and drying functions. Like Embodiments 1 to 8, it may also be used as a dryer that performs only the drying function. The washing machine and dryer 62 according to Embodiment 16, like Embodiments 1 to 15, has the function of irradiating the laundry in the drum with microwaves, which are a type of electromagnetic wave. The differences from Embodiments 1 to 15 will be mainly explained.

The main body 81 has an internal space designated as a storage compartment 82, and is configured to store clothes to be washed in the storage compartment 82. The storage compartment 82 corresponds to the drum 3 in embodiments 1 to 15. The storage compartment 82 does not rotate and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, serving as both the water tank 2 and the drum 3. A door 84 is provided on the front of the main body 81. The door 84 opens and closes the opening on the front of the storage compartment 82. Clothes in the storage compartment 82 are stored one garment at a time, hung on hangers 85. A suspension part 86 from which the hangers 85 are suspended is provided on the top surface of the storage compartment 82. The suspension part 86 is configured to slide back and forth.

The door 84 is provided with an elastic door gasket 95 around its entire inner circumference, facing the opening of the storage compartment 82. The user can insert and remove clothing from the storage compartment 82 by opening the door 84. When the user closes the door 84, the door gasket 95 is pressed against the storage compartment 82 and elastically deforms, ensuring the watertight seal of the storage compartment 82 from the outside.

A detergent dispenser 88, into which the user dispenses detergent, is provided on the periphery of the opening of the storage compartment 82. Below the detergent dispenser 88, an additive dispenser 90 is provided for dispensing a finishing agent for washed clothes. Furthermore, a dispensing button 91 is provided for removing the dispensed detergent and finishing agent. The detergent dispenser 88, the finishing agent dispenser 90, and the dispensing button 91 are arranged so that they are visible when the door 84 is open. A machine room 94 is provided at the bottom of the storage compartment 82. Above the machine room 94, a microwave irradiation port 32 is provided. The microwave irradiation port 32 irradiates the storage compartment 82 with microwaves from a microwave irradiation unit (not shown).

In the washing process, washing water is sprayed onto the clothes. The washing water that has passed through the clothes is collected and recycled. In the rinsing process, rinsing water is sprayed onto the clothes. The rinsing water may also be collected and recycled. In the drying process, microwaves are irradiated onto the clothes from the microwave irradiation port 32.

In the washing and drying machine 62 of Embodiment 16, the shielding section comprises a door 84 and a housing section 82. The door gasket 95 between the door 84 and the housing section 82 is made of a conductive or dielectric material and also serves as a gap shielding section.

The detection unit 39 is located near the door 84. More specifically, the detection unit 39 is located in the vicinity of the door packing 95, which is a gap shield provided in the gap between the door 84 and the housing unit 82. For example, it is located between the housing unit 82 and the main body 81, in the area outside the shield.

In the washing and drying machine 62 of this embodiment, if a spark occurs inside the housing 82, a portion of the spark electromagnetic waves leak out and diffuse to the outside through the contact point between the door 84 and the main body 81. Therefore, by providing the detection unit 39 near the door 84, sparks generated inside the housing 82 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy.

As described above, the washer-dryer 62 of Embodiment 16 comprises a main body 81 (housing), a storage section 82 located inside the main body 81 for accommodating items to be dried, a microwave irradiation section for irradiating the items to be dried inside the storage section 82 with microwaves, and a detection section 39 for detecting electromagnetic waves caused by sparks generated inside the storage section 82. Furthermore, it includes a door 84 (door body) for opening and closing an opening in the main body 81 to allow items to be loaded and unloaded from the storage section 82, and the detection section 39 is located near the door 84. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the storage section 82, thereby improving the safety and durability of the washer-dryer 62. It also helps to suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shielding section comprises a door 84, a housing section 82, and a gap shielding section for suppressing microwave leakage from contact points or gaps between components. The gap shielding section is provided in the gap between the door 84 and the housing section 82, and the detection unit 39 is provided near the gap shielding section. This allows for rapid and highly accurate detection of sparks generated inside the housing section 82, thereby improving the safety and durability of the washing machine/dryer 62. It also helps to suppress damage to items being dried caused by sparks.

The detection unit 39 may be located near the microwave irradiation port 32. The microwave irradiation port 32 may be located near the top, bottom, or other parts of the housing unit 82. In this case, the detection unit 39 may be located near the microwave irradiation port 32 located near the top, bottom, or other parts of the housing unit 82. Even in this case, sparks generated inside the housing unit 82 can be detected quickly and with high accuracy, thereby improving the safety and durability of the washing machine/dryer 62. Furthermore, damage to items being dried due to sparks can be suppressed.

(Other embodiments)
As described above, Embodiments 1 to 16 have been explained as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited thereto and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted. Furthermore, it is possible to create new embodiments by combining the components described in Embodiments 1 to 16 above.

Therefore, other embodiments are illustrated below.

In embodiments 1 to 8, a drum-type dryer 60 was described as an example of a dryer. The dryer may also be a dryer other than a drum type, or a washer-dryer, etc. For example, it may be applied to a top-loading dryer, etc.

In embodiments 9 to 15, a drum-type washer-dryer 61 and a vertical washer-dryer 70 were described as examples of dryers. The dryer may be of other types of washer-dryers. Furthermore, the dryer may be a drying-only machine without a washing function. In this case, an outer tub may be provided outside the drum 3 instead of the water tub 2. The technology of this disclosure is also applicable to dryers that dry items other than clothing.

Furthermore, since the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only, various modifications, substitutions, additions, and omissions may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

This disclosure is applicable to dryers.

1. Enclosure 2. Water tank (outer tank)
2a Front of the tank 2b Rear of the tank 2c Opening of the tank 3 Drum (storage section)
3a Front of drum 3b Rear of drum 3c Drum opening (second opening)
4. Damper 4a. Lower damper 4b. Upper damper 5. Door body (first door body)
6 Drum drive unit 6a Drive motor 6b Rotating shaft 6c Bearing unit 7 Circulating air passage 8 Outlet 9 Discharge port 10 Drain valve 11 Drain pipe 12 Water supply valve 13 Water supply pipe 14 Rotating shaft 15 Belt 16 Blower fan 17 Heater 18 Inlet temperature detection unit 19 Opening (first opening)
20 Control device 21 Dehumidification unit 22 Lint filter 23 Water seal member 23a Door gasket 24 Cover unit 25 First choke unit 26 Communication unit (fixing unit)
27 Second chalk section 28 Tank lid (door body)
30 Microwave irradiation section 32 Microwave irradiation port 33 Motor support section 34 Waveguide 36 Drum door (second door)
37 Reflecting part 38 Resonant part 39 Detection part 40 Vibration isolation mechanism 41a, 41b, 42a, 42b, 45a, 45b, 46a, 46b, 47a, 47b, 48a, 48b, 49a, 49b, 50a, 50b, 51a, 51b, 52a, 52b, 53a, 53b Nearby area 43a, 43b Area between gap shield parts 44 Pulsator 60 Drum-type dryer 61 Drum-type washer-dryer 62 Washer-dryer 70 Vertical washer-dryer 81 Main body (housing)
82 Storage compartment 84 Door (door body)
85 Hanger 86 Suspension part 88 Detergent dispenser 90 Effectant dispenser 91 Button 94 Machine room

Claims (10)

The casing and
A storage section is provided inside the aforementioned housing for storing the object to be dried,
A microwave irradiation unit that irradiates microwaves onto the object to be dried inside the aforementioned storage unit,
A detection unit for detecting electromagnetic waves of a different frequency from the microwaves irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit, which are caused by sparks generated inside the housing unit,
A door body that opens and closes an opening provided in the housing for inserting and removing the object to be dried into the storage compartment,
Equipped with,
The detection unit is provided near the contact point or gap between members constituting the shielding unit for suppressing leakage of microwaves from the housing ,
The shield portion is
The aforementioned door body,
The aforementioned housing section,
A gap shield portion for suppressing leakage of microwaves irradiated by the microwave irradiation portion from the contact points or gaps between the members,
It consists of,
The gap shield portion is provided between the door body and the housing and is provided in at least one of the gaps between the fixing portion fixed to the housing and the door body, the gap between the housing and the door body, the gap between the housing and the fixing portion, and the gap between the housing and the door body.
The detection unit is provided near the outside of the gap shield portion.
dryer. The casing and
A storage section is provided inside the aforementioned housing for storing the object to be dried,
A microwave irradiation unit that irradiates microwaves onto the object to be dried inside the aforementioned storage unit,
A detection unit for detecting electromagnetic waves of a different frequency from the microwaves irradiated by the microwave irradiation unit, which are caused by sparks generated inside the housing unit,
A door body that opens and closes an opening provided in the housing for inserting and removing the object to be dried into the storage compartment,
An outer tank fixed to the housing and containing the housing section ,
Equipped with,
The detection unit is provided near the contact point or gap between members constituting the shielding unit for suppressing leakage of microwaves from the housing,
The shield portion is
The aforementioned door body,
The outer tank or the housing section,
A gap shield portion for suppressing leakage of microwaves irradiated by the microwave irradiation portion from the contact points or gaps between the members,
It consists of,
The gap shield portion is provided in at least one of the gaps between the outer tank and the door body, and the gap between the outer tank and the housing portion.
The detection unit is provided near the outside of the gap shield portion.
dryer . A first door body that opens and closes a first opening provided in the housing for inserting and removing the object to be dried into the storage compartment,
A second door body that opens and closes a second opening located inside the housing opposite the first door body,
Equipped with,
The dryer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection unit is provided near the outside of the first door or the second door. The dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the housing is a rotating body rotatably provided inside the housing. A dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein a plurality of the detection units are provided at a plurality of positions. The gap shield portion is provided at multiple locations,
The dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the detection unit is provided between a plurality of gap shielding units. The dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the detection unit is provided near the irradiation port for irradiating the microwaves from the microwave irradiation unit into the interior of the housing unit. The dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the detection unit is provided near the lower side of the housing unit. A dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , further comprising a reflecting unit that reflects the electromagnetic waves toward the detection unit. The dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , further comprising a resonant section provided near the detection section and which resonates with the electromagnetic waves.