JPH0790086B2 - Dryer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a dryer capable of predicting a time required for a drying operation.

(Prior Art) Recently, some dryers have been designed to make it convenient to use by predicting the time required for drying operation (time required until the end of operation) and displaying the estimated time. Have been served. This kind of dryer has the following configuration.
That is, in this device, warm air is supplied to the drum that constitutes the drying chamber to perform the drying operation, and a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the air discharged from the drum, that is, the exhaust temperature is used. The exhaust temperature is detected at the beginning of the drying operation, the rate of change of the exhaust temperature is detected, for example, the degree of temperature rise is detected, the time required for the drying operation is predicted based on this, and this estimated time is displayed on the display. I have to. This prediction method is based on an empirical rule that the smaller the rate of change in exhaust temperature at the beginning of the drying operation (the slower the temperature rising rate), the longer the time required for completion of drying.
With this, the required time can be roughly estimated.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, when the time required for the drying operation is predicted by the change rate of the exhaust gas temperature as described above, there are the following problems. That is, the time required for the drying operation is determined by the overall dry load amount in the drum, and the dry load factor includes two dry load factors, the amount of clothes to be dried and the water content of the clothes. Is included. That is, even if the water content of clothes is the same, if the amount of clothes is large, the overall dry load is large, and even if the water content is large, the dry load is large. is there. However, the exhaust gas temperature change rate includes two factors, that is, the amount of clothes and the amount of water content, and is roughly inversely proportional to the amount of clothes, but actually varies depending on the amount of water content. Therefore, for example, even if the exhaust gas temperature change rate is the same, the actual drying load amount, that is, the time required for the drying operation also differs depending on the relationship between the amount of clothes and the water content. There is a problem that the prediction of is not so accurate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a dryer capable of accurately predicting a time required for a drying operation.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In the present invention, in which warm air is supplied into a rotationally driven drum to perform a drying operation, clothes in the drum can come into contact with each other. Contact detection means provided for detecting contact of the clothes, contact rate detection means for detecting a contact rate based on a contact detection signal from the contact detection means, and temperature of air discharged from the drum An exhaust gas temperature detecting means, and an exhaust gas temperature change rate detecting means for detecting an exhaust gas temperature change rate based on the detected temperature from the exhaust gas temperature detecting means,
The relationship between the amount of clothes, the water content, the exhaust gas temperature change rate, and the drying operation required time is stored as predicted time detection data, and the contact rate by the contact rate detection unit and the exhaust temperature change rate by the exhaust temperature change rate detection unit are used to calculate It comprises a drying time predicting means for predicting a required drying operation time from the predicted time detection data.

(Operation) The magnitude of the contact rate detected by the contact rate detecting means is substantially equivalent to the amount of clothes in the drum, and the amount of clothes can be detected by the contact rate detection result.

The exhaust gas temperature change rate detected by the exhaust gas temperature change rate detecting means includes a clothing content element and a water content element.

Thus, in the drying time predicting means, the water content is determined from the predicted time detection data based on the detected clothing amount and the detected exhaust temperature change rate, and then the time required for the drying operation is determined, Let the required time be the estimated time. In this way, the amount of clothes contained in the detected rate of change in exhaust gas temperature is determined by the contact rate detection means, so that the water content is determined, and two drying load amounts for predicting the required drying operation time are thus obtained. The predicted time is accurate because the factors are determined and the required dry operation time is predicted based on this.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, in FIG. 2 showing the overall structure of the dryer, 1 is an outer box, 2 is a drum rotatably arranged inside the outer box 1, and the front opening edge of the drum is supported by an annular support plate 3. The rear opening edge is supported by the fan casing 4. And
The inside of this drum 2 is configured as a drying chamber 5.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a double-blade fan provided inside the fan casing 4 so as to be divided into front and rear, and the fan 6 also serves as a heat exchanger. Reference numeral 7 is a heater provided with a vent hole (not shown) at the bottom of the fan casing 4. The drum 2 and the fan 6 are rotatably driven by a motor 8 (see FIG. 1). In this case, the air in the drum 2 passes through the filter 9 and the exhaust port 4a to the front portion of the fan casing 4. The process of being sucked, heated by the heater 7 and returned to the inside of the drum 2 is repeated. At the same time, the outside air passes through the outside air intake port 1a and the fan casing 4
The heat is exchanged with the air in the drum 2 that is sucked to the rear side portion and exhausted from the exhaust port 4a, and is discharged from the outside air discharge port 1b to the outside of the machine.

Reference numeral 10 is a pair of electrodes which are contact detecting means, and are provided on the annular support plate 3 so that the clothes accommodated in the drum 2 can come into contact with each other. Reference numeral 11 denotes an exhaust gas temperature sensor which is an exhaust gas temperature detecting means and is provided at the exhaust port 4a.

Next, in FIG. 1 showing the electrical configuration, 12 is an operation control device composed of a microcomputer, which also has a function as a contact rate detection means, an exhaust gas temperature change rate detection means, and a drying time prediction means. Then, the operation control device 12 holds the predicted time detection data in the memory of the drying time prediction means. The content of the estimated time detection data is shown in FIG. 3, and the relationship shown in FIG. 3 is held by a predetermined numerical value and a predetermined calculation formula. The relationship shown in FIG. 3 is obtained experimentally, and the horizontal axis shows the required drying time Tk, and the vertical axis shows the rise time Δt which is the exhaust gas temperature change rate (see FIG. 7). I am taking it. The characteristic line Vc ₁ shows the change in the water content when the amount of clothes is large in association with the rise time Δt and the required drying operation time Tk. Similarly, the characteristic line Vc ₂ shows the change when the amount of clothes is medium. The change in water amount and the characteristic line Vc ₃ show the change in water content when the amount of clothes is small, in correspondence with the rising time Δt and the required drying operation time Tk. In addition, in FIG. 3 described above, the amount of clothing is shown in three stages for convenience in order to facilitate understanding of the content of the estimated time detection data, but the amount of clothing to be determined is actually set linearly. It is like this.

Reference numeral 13 is an instantaneous resistance detection circuit, which measures the resistance value appearing between the electrodes 10 when the electrode 10 is contacted with clothes by the voltage value Vp.
Is converted to (inversely proportional to the resistance value) and output. An example of the output change is shown in FIG. Reference numeral 14 is a contact determination circuit, which compares the output voltage value Vp from the instantaneous resistance detection circuit 13 with a considerably low reference voltage Vs, and when Vp> Vs, a high level contact determination signal Vt in the time width. Is output. This contact determination signal Vt is given to the input terminal It of the operation control device 12.
The operation control device 12 reads the state of the input terminal It every 10 μsec at the beginning of the drying operation, for example, for 2 minutes.
That is, a value (Sn / 12000) obtained by dividing the number of times Sn of reading the contact determination signal Vt 12,000 times by 12000 times is detected as the contact rate Ss (%). Reference numeral 15 is a peak hold circuit, which holds the peak value of the output voltage Vp in a minute time width and gives the peak hold value V _H to the A / D terminal of the input interface of the operation controller 12. . The peak hold value V _H is reset by a signal from the output terminal _R of the operation control device 12 every predetermined time. An example of the output change of the peak hold value V _H is shown in FIG. This peak hold value V _H is the operation controller
In 12, the dryness reference value V _R is compared, and when V _H <V _R, a predetermined dryness is detected. Reference numeral 16 denotes an exhaust gas temperature signal processing circuit, which outputs an exhaust gas temperature detection value Tem obtained by digitally converting the temperature detection signal of the exhaust gas temperature sensor 11 and supplies it to the operation control device 12. In addition, 17 is a power switch, 18 is a DC power supply circuit, 19 is a clock pulse generation circuit, 20 is a start switch, 21 is a display consisting of a 3-digit 7-segment type light emitting diode,
Reference numeral 22 is a drive circuit for driving the heater 7 and the motor 8.

Now, the operation control device 12 controls the drying operation as follows in accordance with the operation program (including the contact rate detection function, the exhaust gas temperature change rate detection function, and the drying time prediction function) stored therein. 8 to 10 showing the control contents
It will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, as shown in step S ₁ of FIG. 8, when the start switch 20 is turned on, the motor 8 and the heater 7 are energized as shown in step S ₂ , and the drying operation is started. With this, the warm air by the fan 6 and the heater 7 is supplied into the drum 2, is exhausted from the exhaust port 4a, and returns to the inside of the drum 2 repeatedly. In this case, the exhausted air (warm air) exchanges heat with the outside air as described above. Next, as shown in step S _3, the drying time elapsed counting operation is started (parameter and t), and the detection of the contact ratio Ss in the next subroutine S ₄ are made. The contents of this detection are shown in FIG. This 9th
In the figure, first, the content values of the contact rate Ss and the number of counts Sn are cleared (step P ₁ ), and then the state of the input terminal It is determined every time the sampling period (10 μSec) elapses (step P ₂ and step P ₃ ). Then, if the state of the input terminal It is at a high level, that is, the contact determination signal Vt is input, the count circuit Sn is incremented (step
P ₄ ), otherwise the above increment is not executed. If the contact rate detection time does not exceed the predetermined time, for example, 2 minutes (determined in step P ₅ ), the above is repeated, and if the 2 minutes has elapsed, the count number Sn
Then, the contact rate Ss is detected (step P ₆ ). That is, the contact rate Ss (%) is detected by dividing the number of times the contact determination signal Vt input is detected, that is, the count number Sn, by the determination number (12000 times).

When the contact rate Ss is detected in this way, the steps in FIG.
Proceeds to S _5, determines clothes amount on the basis of the contact ratio Ss. This contact rate Ss changes in magnitude depending on the amount of clothes, and the contact rate Ss and the amount of clothes are substantially equivalent. In order to judge the amount of clothes, the control device 12 holds the data for judging clothes having the contents shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, if the contact rate Ss is detected, the clothing amount Vc is determined. Next, as shown by the subroutine S ₆ in FIG. 8, the rise time Δt, which is the rate of change in exhaust gas temperature, is detected. The contents of this subroutine S ₆ are shown in FIG. 10, and an example of changes in the exhaust temperature detected value Tem by the exhaust temperature sensor 11 is shown in FIG. 7. In FIG. 10, first, the time count value t ₁ used in this subroutine is cleared (step Q ₁ ), and the initial temperature Ta (external temperature at present) is stored by the exhaust temperature detection value Tem by the exhaust temperature sensor 11. (Step
Q ₂ ). And every sampling period (10 Sec) has elapsed if the content value of the time count t ₁ (the determination in Step Q ₃₎ is "0" (determination in step Q _4), exhaust gas temperature detection value
It is determined whether or not Tem exceeds the first temperature reference value (Ta + T ₁ (T ₁ = 10)) (step Q ₅ ), and if not, the process returns to step Q ₃ . Then, when the exhaust gas temperature detection value Tem exceeds the first temperature reference value (Ta + T ₁ ), the elapsed time of the drying operation at the present time, that is, the content value of the count value t is set to the time count value t ₁
(Step Q ₆ ) and then return to step Q ₃ .
After this, since the content value of the count value t ₁ is not “0”, the process proceeds from step Q ₄ to step Q ₇ . In this step Q ₇ , it is judged whether or not the exhaust temperature detection value Tem exceeds the second temperature reference value (Ta + T ₂ (T ₂ = 20)). If not, the process returns to step Q ₃ described above, If it exceeds, the rise time Δt (rise time from when the exhaust gas temperature detection value Tem reaches the first temperature reference value to when it reaches the second temperature reference value) is detected (step Q ₈ ). This rise time Δt
Is obtained by subtracting the count value t ₁ from the count value t of the dry operation elapsed time at this point.

Thereafter, to predict the duration of the drying operation at step S ₇ of FIG. 8. This prediction is made as follows. That is, as described above, the operation control device 12 determines the relationship between the clothing amount Vc (for example, Vc _{1 to} Vc ₃ ) and the water content, the rising time Δt, and the drying operation required time Tk as shown in FIG. Since the estimated time detection data is held, the required time is determined from the estimated time detection data based on the clothing amount determination result based on the contact rate Ss and the rising time Δt. That is, up to now, the amount of clothing is known from the detection result of the contact rate Ss, so if the amount of clothing is large, for example, the characteristic line Vc ₁ is selected, and the rising time Δt is also known. For example, if Δt is Δt ₁ ,
Looking at the corresponding Δt ₁ on the characteristic line Vc ₁ , the water content is W ₁
The required time Tk ₁ corresponding to the water content W ₁ is determined, and the required time Tk ₁ is determined. This required time Tk ₁ is set as the predicted time. In this case, the clothing amount classification is set to be linear rather than the above-mentioned three types, and in practice, the determination of the required time Tk ₁ is determined by calculation by a predetermined calculation formula.

After this, the process proceeds to step S ₈ in FIG. ₈ and this step S ₈
Then, it is determined whether or not the peak hold value V _H is below the dryness reference value V _R , that is, it is detected whether or not the dryness reaches a predetermined dryness, and if the predetermined dryness is not reached, In the next step S ₉ , the above-mentioned predicted time is sequentially reduced according to the elapsed time of the drying operation, and in step S ₁₀ , the predicted time at this point is displayed on the display 21. Thereafter, when the dryness is detected, after executing the delay operation at a predetermined time period as shown in step S _11, to deenergized the motor 8 and the heater 7, as shown in step _12. The time chart of the above-mentioned drying operation is shown in FIG. 11, and the time “0” indicates the start time of the dry operation and the contact rate detection start time.
Time “t ₀₁ ” is the end time of contact rate detection and the rising time Δt
Detection start time, time “t ₀₂ ” is detection end time of rising time Δt and prediction time of required time Tk and prediction time display start time, and time “t ₀₃ ” is dryness detection time and prediction time display end time and delay The start time and the time "t ₀₄ " indicate the end time of the drying operation, respectively.

As can be seen from the above description, the clothing amount Vc is determined by detecting the contact rate Ss, and the rising time Δt that is the rate of change in exhaust gas temperature is detected, and the water content is determined by the clothing amount Vc and the rising time Δt. Is detected and the drying operation required time Tk is predicted based on this water content, so that the drying load amount, that is, the required time Tk for the drying operation is accurately predicted by the two load amount elements of the clothes amount Vc and the water content.

The exhaust gas temperature change rate does not have to be the rise time Δt described above. For example, the change rate may be the exhaust gas temperature detection value shown after a predetermined time from the first temperature reference value. The first temperature reference value and the second reference value in the example may be changed as appropriate.

Besides, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Advantages of the Invention] As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a contact detection unit that is provided so that clothes in the drum can come into contact with each other, and a contact detection unit that detects the contact of the clothes. Contact rate detecting means for detecting the contact rate based on the contact detection signal, exhaust temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the air discharged from the inside of the drum, and exhaust temperature based on the detected temperature from the exhaust temperature detecting means. The exhaust temperature change rate detecting means for detecting the change rate of the, and the relationship between the clothes amount and water content and the exhaust temperature change rate and the time required for the drying operation are stored as predicted time detection data, and the contact rate by the contact rate detecting means and the contact rate And a drying time predicting means for predicting a required drying operation time from the predicted time detection data based on the exhaust temperature change rate detected by the exhaust temperature change rate detecting means. An excellent effect that the required time can be predicted very accurately because the required time is predicted by the amount of clothes by the contact rate detection and the water content obtained by the amount of clothes and the exhaust gas temperature change rate. Play.

[Brief description of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electrical configuration, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the whole, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of predicted time detection data in a graph. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the output change of the instantaneous resistance detection circuit, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the contact rate and the amount of clothes, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the output change of the peak hold value. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of changes in the exhaust temperature detection value, FIGS. 8 to 10 are flowcharts showing control contents, and FIG. 11 is a time chart. In the figure, 2 is a rotary drum, 7 is a heater, 8 is a motor, 10 is an electrode (contact detection means), 11 is an exhaust temperature sensor (exhaust temperature detection means), 12 is an operation control device (contact rate detection means, exhaust temperature). 21 is a display.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Koshito Goshi 4-21-21, Yoshihara-cho, Nishi-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi Toshiba Audio & Video Engineering Co., Ltd. Nagoya Office

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A contact detecting means for supplying warm air into a rotationally driven drum to carry out a drying operation, the contact detecting means being provided so that the clothes in the drum can come into contact with each other, and contact detecting means for detecting the contact of the clothes. Contact rate detecting means for detecting the contact rate based on the contact detection signal from the contact detecting means, exhaust temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the air discharged from the inside of the drum, and detection from the exhaust temperature detecting means. Exhaust temperature change rate detecting means for detecting the change rate of exhaust temperature based on temperature, and the relationship between the amount of clothes and water content, the change rate of exhaust temperature, and the required drying operation time are stored as predicted time detection data, and the contact rate detection is performed. A drying time predicting means for predicting a required drying operation time from the predicted time detection data based on the contact rate by the means and the exhaust temperature change rate by the exhaust temperature change rate detecting means. That dryer.