CN110777519A

CN110777519A - Drying box with flattening and refreshing functions for washings and operation method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN110777519A
Application number: CN201910602288.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: A·哈巴克; T·柯尼希; A·施托尔策
Original assignee: BSH Home Appliances Co Ltd
Current assignee: BSH Home Appliances Co Ltd; BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2018-07-12
Filing date: 2019-07-05
Publication date: 2020-02-11
Also published as: DE102018211668A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a drying box 1 having a smoothing and refreshing function for laundry 2, comprising a housing 3, which encloses a treatment chamber 4 for the laundry 2 to be treated, a control unit 7, a fan 8, an electric heating device 9 and at least one adsorption unit 10, wherein the housing 3 and the treatment chamber 4 each have a common air inlet 5 and a common air outlet 6 for the supply and discharge of air, and the adsorption unit contains at least one regenerable adsorption material for water. The invention also relates to a method for operating the drying box.

Description

Drying box with flattening and refreshing functions for washings and operation method thereof

Technical Field

The invention relates to a drying box with functions of flattening and renewing washings and an operation method thereof.

Background

Laundry washed and dried in a washing machine and optionally ironed may have wrinkles or ironing creases. Furthermore, users sometimes want to cancel separate drying and ironing steps. Furthermore, once-cleaned laundry may not be used for a long time before being used by a user and may have an unpleasant smell, so that refreshing before use is meaningful. Devices (hereinafter referred to as "drying boxes") are therefore known, by means of which not only drying of moist laundry but also removal of wrinkles and creases in already dried laundry and refreshing of laundry which has been left for a longer time or may have been used are achieved.

DE 102008049133 a1 describes a method for drying and smoothing laundry, in which wet laundry is hung or introduced into a container which is shielded from the radiation escaping to the outside and the microwave generating device is then switched on and the moist air generated is simultaneously discharged from the container or moisture is condensed out of said moist air. Furthermore, an ironing and drying box for use in the method is described. In the container of the tank, a device to be intensely wetted by the wetting device is arranged, which can be operated, for example, with microwave energy. In addition, a moisture measuring device for the moisture in the air of the container can be present in the container.

DE 102005053702B 4 describes a combination dryer which, in addition to a tumble dryer, also comprises a box dryer and which comprises an air supply line which is arranged on the upper side of the tumble dryer and is connected to an air supply line, a predetermined laundry holding compartment and an air discharge line in order to guide the air discharged from the laundry holding compartment to the air supply line.

DE 3626887 a1 describes a dryer which uses an adsorption desiccant for dehumidifying the air and for utilizing the thermal energy. In particular, aluminium silicate-based adsorbents are used as drying agents, said adsorbents being composed mainly of silicon dioxide and a small portion of aluminium oxide.

EP 0777998 a1 describes a method for saving energy in a household appliance and an appliance, in particular a dryer, with improved energy efficiency. The household appliance has a solid material compound which can adsorb volatile material compounds and can generate heat during the adsorption of the volatile material compounds. The volatile material compounds are desorbed by heat. The dryer has a system for adsorbing water operating through zeolite, said system having an electric heating device for heat exchange. The system operates cyclically in such a way that the adsorption phase and desorption process are alternated at least once.

DE 102005004094 a1 describes a dishwasher having a sorption column with a material which can be dehydrated reversibly.

DE 10356785 a1 describes a dishwasher having a container with an evaporable and/or sublimable medium and an adsorption device with a reversibly dehydratable material, for example zeolite. In the adsorption device, an electrical heating device is present, which heats the reversibly dehydrated material when required for desorption.

DE 10356786 a1 describes a method for drying in household appliances, in particular in dishwashers, wherein materials which can be dehydrated reversibly, in particular zeolites, are likewise used.

DE 102010002086 a1 describes a dryer having a drying chamber for the objects to be dried, an air channel in which heating means for heating the air, an adsorption unit, an adsorbate heating means, a first heat exchanger and a fan and control means for conveying the air are located.

DE 102005062943 a1 describes a household appliance, such as a dryer, which comprises an adsorption device containing a solid adsorbent and a volatile adsorbate which can be reversibly adsorbed by the adsorbent. The household appliance is provided for setting an operating state in which an adsorption process is reversibly carried out in the adsorption device between the adsorbent and the adsorbate, and for setting a rest state, in which the adsorption device sets a static state in which the adsorbate is substantially completely adsorbed by the adsorbent, instead of the operating state. The adsorption device is part of a heat pump. In the dryer, drying the damp and hot air is achieved without contacting the damp and hot process air with an adsorbent that absorbs moisture contained in the air.

DE 102009028931 a1 describes a method for operating a sorption dryer, which is equipped with: a receiving device for a statically placed or suspended textile; a system for directing an air flow; a heating device; an adsorption device comprising a reversibly dehydratable adsorbent; and at least one fan for generating an air flow which is guided in a closed circulation system through the heating device, the textile to be treated and through the adsorption device; an exhaust air supply opening and an air supply opening, which can both be closed by means of a controllable valve, wherein the dryer can be controlled in such a way that the appliance can additionally be used as a refresher.

Disclosure of Invention

Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved drying box with a smoothing and refreshing function for the laundry. It is preferably possible to dispense with the use of a water container for wetting the laundry to be refreshed and to regularly refresh the used water. The object of the invention is also to provide a method for operating the drying box.

The solution of this object is achieved according to the invention by a drying box having a smoothing and refreshing function for laundry and a method for operating the drying box having the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the drying box according to the invention and of the method for operating the same are set forth in the dependent claims, wherein preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention correspond to preferred embodiments of the drying box according to the invention, also when this is not specifically determined here.

The subject matter of the invention is thus a drying box with a smoothing and refreshing function for the laundry, comprising a housing which encloses a treatment chamber for the laundry to be treated, which treatment chamber is used here as and is referred to as a drying chamber or a moistening chamber, a control unit, a fan, an electric heating device and at least one adsorption unit, wherein the housing and the treatment chamber each have a common air inlet and a common air outlet for the supply and discharge of air, which air inlets and air outlets are not arranged on the same side of the drying box, the adsorption unit containing at least one adsorbent material for water, which adsorbent material is regenerable, wherein the drying box is constructed such that the common air inlet and the common air outlet are not closed during operation of the drying box.

The common air inlet and the common air outlet for the supply and discharge of air are usually always open. The common air inlet and the common air outlet cannot be closed at least during operation of the drying box. The drying box is thereby provided for realizing, in operation thereof, an air flow extending substantially linearly through said drying box. A closed circulation system as is required in DE 102009028931 a1 should not be realized at all. Preferably, the fixed or variably openable, i.e. adjustable, closing device is located neither on the air inlet nor on the air outlet.

The adsorption unit typically contains a regenerable adsorbent material for water, also referred to as a desiccant. The adsorbent material is generally capable of reversibly adsorbing water upon the generation of heat. Preferably, the adsorption unit comprises an adsorption material selected from the group consisting of zeolites, alumina, calcium sulfate, silica gel and any mixtures thereof. The regenerable adsorbent material is preferably a zeolite.

The adsorbent material is preferably present in the shape of beads. The bead shape of the individual particles enables the hot humid air to pass optimally without forming channels. For this reason, a uniform particle size distribution also contributes to a high bulk density. Furthermore, the wear is very small in the case of the bead shape of the individual particles.

The choice of adsorbate is generally related to the average temperature of the air used and the desired adsorption of moisture.

The adsorption unit provided according to the invention is able to draw moisture away from the moist air when the adsorption material is in a desorption state, also referred to herein as an unloaded state. For this purpose, the sorption material in the sorption unit of the drying box can usually be brought into contact with the humid air fed in through the air inlet, so that the moisture contained in said humid air can be sorbed in the sorption material.

As long as the adsorption unit is able to draw moisture from the humid air input into the drying oven, relatively dry air leaves the adsorption unit. Since the adsorption heat is also generated as a result of the adsorbed water, the air which passes through the adsorbent material in the adsorption phase is heated relatively strongly as a result of the exothermic adsorption reaction. The dry, hot air which is thus delivered at the outlet of the adsorption unit can come into contact with the damp laundry for drying the latter.

If the absorption capacity of the adsorption unit for water is exhausted, the humidity of the air leaving the adsorption unit increases. While no longer heating the air due to lack of absorbed heat. Thus, the temperature of the air leaving the absorption unit decreases. Both can be determined by optionally using a humidity sensor or a temperature sensor, whereby the end of the desorption phase, i.e. the wetting phase of the laundry, can be automatically determined for this case.

In the drying box according to the invention, the common air inlet and the common air outlet are preferably not arranged on the same side of the drying box, i.e. of the casing of said drying box. Particularly preferably, the common air inlet and the common air outlet are arranged at opposite sides of the drying box. Here again, it is preferred that the opposite sides are the upper and lower sides of the drying box or its housing. Advantageously, the common air inlet is here located at the upper side of the drying box and the common air outlet is arranged at the lower side of the casing.

In a preferred embodiment of the drying box, the drying box has an air channel in which the air inlet, the fan, the electric heating device, the adsorption unit, the treatment zone of the treatment chamber and the air outlet are arranged one behind the other.

The general terms "treatment chamber" and "treatment zone" are used here, since the treatment step can be present with drying of the wet laundry or with wetting of the dry laundry to be refurbished or to be smoothed. The included concept "treatment zone" should in particular satisfy the situation that the electrical heating means and the adsorption unit are arranged in the treatment chamber itself. In this case, the region of the treatment chamber in which the laundry to be treated is located is the treatment region.

According to the invention, a drying box is preferred in which the treatment chamber has a fan, an electric heating device and/or an adsorption unit and a drying zone in which the laundry to be treated is placed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in particular, the drying speed of the laundry can be increased, and an electrical additional heating device is arranged in the air channel between the adsorption unit and the treatment zone. The additional heating device is usually adjusted in such a way that the desorption temperature of the adsorption material used does not exceed 80 ℃ in the case of zeolites, for example.

The mode of operation of the drying box is determined in particular by the fact that the drying agent has only a certain absorption capacity for water. Accordingly, the water-loaded sorption material or desiccant can only unload a certain maximum amount of water. On the other hand, the optimized wetting and drying requirements and conditions, in particular the drying degree and the amount of laundry put into the drying box for treatment. In general, the drying box is designed to generate such a large amount of heat, for example, when the adsorption material is loaded with water that the heat is sufficient for removing the water absorbed by the laundry again during drying.

It is therefore preferred according to the present invention that a greater flexibility of the drying box is ensured in such a way that said drying box comprises two or more treatment chambers and/or two or more adsorption units. It can also be advantageous to vary the amount of drying agent that can be used, for example, by suitably configuring, in particular dividing, the adsorption unit.

In a preferred embodiment of the drying box according to the invention, the drying box comprises at least one air filter in and/or on the common air inlet. Depending on the desired degree of filtration, pollen dust filters, for example, may also be used here.

Furthermore, a drying cabinet is preferred, in which at least one adsorption unit can be closed in a gas-tight manner, so that the state of loading the adsorption material, i.e. the drying agent, with water and/or the state of unloading the adsorption material, i.e. the drying agent, can be set in the drying cabinet according to the user's selection before the laundry is placed in the treatment chamber. This improves the flexibility or range of application of the drying box.

By using suitable sensors, the drying box can be adapted particularly well and precisely to the wishes of the user of the drying box. In a preferred embodiment of the drying box according to the invention, an internal humidity sensor, an internal weight sensor and/or an internal temperature sensor are thereby arranged in the processing chamber. If no sensor is present, empirical values for possible or required start and duration of the adsorption and desorption phases can be stored in a control unit for controlling the method.

The load of the laundry in the drying box can be detected by a load sensor, which measures the weight of the laundry placed, in particular suspended, in the treatment chamber. This is sufficient in the case of dry laundry which is introduced into the drying cabinet for the purpose of smoothing or refreshing. In the case of wet laundry which is to be placed in a drying cabinet for drying, the additional use of a moisture sensor is relevant, since the moisture content in the wet laundry is important for the drying process.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the drying box according to the invention, the drying box has an external and/or internal operating and/or display unit. However, the operating unit and the display unit may be separately present. However, according to the invention, a combined operating and/or display unit is preferred, which has, for example, a touch screen. On the display unit it can for example be displayed which treatment stage the drying box is in: desorption phase (wetting phase); an adsorption phase (drying phase). It is also possible to display, for example, the remaining processing time and the reaching of the end of the processing.

The operating and/or display unit is not limited according to the invention. Thus, the operating and/or display unit may be integrated into the drying box. A drying box is preferred in which an operating and display unit is arranged on the housing. Preferably, the operating and display unit is a touch-sensitive display unit.

Preferably, an external operating and/or display unit, in particular a portable mobile device, is used, alone or in addition to the operating and/or display unit arranged on the drying box. The drying box according to the invention thus has an interface for wireless communication. The portable mobile device preferably has a touch sensitive display. When using the mobile device, the user can control the drying box from anywhere, for example by means of an App on a smartphone or tablet computer, and check, if necessary, the state of the laundry to be treated, in particular to be dried or to be refreshed, or how the state of the drying box is. However, this is usually premised on the presence of the sensor in the drying box discussed here and on the presence of an evaluation unit for the signal of said sensor, which is located in the drying box or, for example, in an external server.

In general, the operating and/or display unit used in embodiments of the invention is also provided for user input. The input can take place in text form and/or acoustically, for example by voice input. However, the input can also take place with a selected image, for example by means of a correspondingly designed symbol.

Furthermore, the subject of the invention is a method for operating a drying box with a smoothing and refreshing function for laundry, comprising a housing which encloses a treatment chamber for the laundry to be treated, a control unit, a fan, an electric heating device and at least one adsorption unit, wherein the housing and the treatment chamber each have a common air inlet and a common air outlet for the supply and discharge of air, the adsorption unit containing at least one regenerable adsorption material for water, wherein the drying box is constructed such that the common air inlet and the common air outlet are not closed during operation of the drying box, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

(a) putting the washings into the processing chamber;

(b) either automatically or by the user, respectively

(b1) A drying program for the moist laundry is carried out by conveying air from the air inlet, with the electric heating device switched off, through the adsorption unit into the treatment region of the treatment chamber and then to the air outlet by means of a fan; or

(b2) A refreshment program is carried out in that the dry laundry is first moistened in a desorption phase by conveying air from an air inlet via an adsorption unit into a treatment region of the treatment chamber and then to an air outlet with the electric heating device switched on, wherein water adsorbed on the adsorption material in the adsorption unit is released and wets the dry laundry in the treatment region; and then in the adsorption phase the air is conveyed by means of a fan from the air inlet via the adsorption unit into the treatment region of the treatment chamber with the switched-off heating device switched off and then to the air outlet.

A method is preferred in which after the laundry has been placed in the treatment zone of the drying box, the air humidity, the weight of the laundry and/or the air temperature in the treatment zone and/or their changes are determined by means of an internal humidity sensor, an internal weight sensor and/or an internal temperature sensor, and the end of the drying program (b1) or of the refreshing program (b2) is determined as a function of the initial and actual values in comparison with predefined target values.

Furthermore, a method is preferred according to the invention in which the power of the fan and/or the electrical heating device and/or the amount and/or type of reversible sorption material in the sorption unit is predefined as a function of the measured values of an external humidity sensor and/or an external temperature sensor mounted on the housing.

The control unit is generally provided for carrying out the methods described herein.

In one embodiment of the method, the slope of the resulting change curve of the relative humidity is measured in order to take into account the type of laundry to be dried and the drying characteristics of the laundry.

The moisture-laden air from the treatment zone usually arrives in the installation space of the drying box through the air outlet when the drying box is in operation. However, the desorption and adsorption phases are very short, so that only a weak wet gas flow is output in the installation space of the drying box. Additionally, moisture condensation in the drying box can also be provided.

In the method according to the invention, it is also possible to additionally provide for fragrancing the laundry by means of a fragrance suitably placed in the drying cabinet.

The desorption phase of the refurbishment process (b2) is generally carried out with the use of one or more sensors for so long that the humidity achieved by the air in the treatment region does not change or does not change at all. The adsorption material is then unloaded and ready for the start of the adsorption phase, i.e. for drying the now moistened laundry. The electric heating device is then normally shut down. Accordingly, the sensors used for this purpose preferably comprise a temperature sensor and/or a humidity sensor.

The adsorption phase of the drying program (b1) or of the refreshing program (b2) is usually carried out so long with the use of one or more sensors, until, for example, a sensor arranged in the treatment chamber determines that the temperature of the air has decreased and/or that the humidity of the air does not continue to decrease. That is, if the absorption capacity of the adsorption unit and the adsorbent material present in particular in the adsorption unit is exhausted, water cannot be reabsorbed in the adsorption reaction of heat dissipation. As a result, the incoming air is neither dehumidified nor heated. Since this takes place after the incoming air has passed through the adsorption unit, it is advantageous if a humidity sensor and/or a temperature sensor is adapted to be arranged adjacent to the adsorption unit.

In the case of a used-up absorption capacity of the adsorption material, it is expedient to use the already described electrical additional heating device, which is arranged between the adsorption unit and the treatment region.

The end of the drying process (b1) or the refresh smoothing process (b2) may then be displayed appropriately for the user.

The invention has a number of advantages. The operation of the drying box can be easily realized. Small amounts of water, for example up to 500ml, even up to 100ml, can be removed from the laundry in a very short time, at least less than one hour. By causing the air used to flow through the drying box, generally in one direction, wherein the air is sucked in from the surroundings of the drying box and is conducted to the laundry to be treated by means of the reversible adsorption material for water in the adsorption unit, for example a zeolite unit, it is possible to dispense with the use of a water container, i.e. a fresh water or condensed water tank, or with the use of a water tank in the drying box. The maintenance required for this situation can thus be avoided. It is likewise possible to dispense with a separate evaporation unit or a separate atomization system for wetting the laundry. The air humidity of the installation space of the drying box is not affected any more. The water required for operation with the refreshing function is drawn from the ambient air and is therefore usually replaced in each cycle. No odor, which may be bad, accumulates by the continuous exchange of the water used. Furthermore, most of the odor is decomposed at the magnitude of the typically reached temperature, so that only a small odor burden of the installation space can also occur.

Compared to the use of heat pumps (e.g., in heat pump dryers), the laundry is flowed through by air which is usually completely dry (< 5% relative air humidity), since, for example, zeolites can draw moisture from the air significantly better than the heat exchanger of a heat pump (approximately 20% relative air humidity). Drying also proceeds significantly faster, since the air used can thus absorb more water. This is possible with a smaller heating power.

Furthermore, the invention enables, in an embodiment, the determination of the load of the laundry, the type of the laundry and/or the humidity of the laundry, so that the drying and/or refreshing process is monitored as accurately as possible and even the drying or refreshing time can be predicted.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a desired drying degree or refreshing degree can be at least satisfactorily and uniformly achieved regardless of the type and amount of laundry placed in the drying compartment.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below on the basis of schematic diagrams 1 to 3, wherein the illustrated embodiments are intended merely for illustration and are to be understood as being non-limiting.

Fig. 1 shows a non-limiting embodiment of a drying box according to the invention in closed operation as a cross-sectional view in a front view.

Fig. 2 shows, in a front view, as a cross-sectional view, one non-limiting embodiment of a drying box according to the invention during the wetting phase (desorption phase with respect to the adsorption unit).

Figure 3 shows, in a front view, as a cross-section, one non-limiting embodiment of a drying box according to the invention during a drying phase (with respect to the adsorption phase of the adsorption unit).

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows, in a front view, as a sectional view, one non-limiting embodiment of a drying box 1 according to the invention with a smoothing and refreshing function for laundry 2 in closed operation. The drying box 1 comprises a housing 3 which encloses a treatment chamber 4 for the laundry 2 to be treated, a control unit 7, a fan 8, an electric heating device 9 and at least one adsorption unit 10, wherein the housing 3 and the treatment chamber 4 each have a common air inlet 5 and a common air outlet 6 for the supply and discharge of air, said adsorption unit containing at least one regenerable adsorption material for water, here zeolite.

The air inlet 5 is located on an upper side 11 of the drying box 1 and the air outlet 6 is located on an opposite lower side 12 of the drying box 1. The path between the upper side 11 and the lower side 12 may thus also be referred to as an essentially linearly extending air channel.

In the embodiment shown here, the treatment area 13 in which the laundry 2 is placed is identical to the treatment chamber 4.

The drying box of this embodiment has an electrical additional heating device 14 for supporting the drying process. Furthermore, the drying box has an interface 21 for wireless communication, for example via the internet, with a mobile phone with a suitable App and the operating and display unit 18.

16 denotes an internal humidity sensor and 17 denotes an internal temperature sensor. These two sensors can be used to monitor the process recipe being performed in the process chamber. The end of the treatment method can be determined, for example, by means of the sensor.

And 15 denotes an air filter at the air inlet.

An external humidity sensor is denoted by 19 and an external temperature sensor is denoted by 20, so that the humidity and temperature in the installation space can be taken into account for the operation of the drying box 1.

Fig. 2 shows, in a front view, as a cross-sectional view, one non-limiting embodiment of a drying box 1 according to the invention during the wetting phase (desorption phase with respect to the adsorption unit 10).

The reference numerals have the same meaning as in fig. 1. The small arrows indicate the flow direction of air sucked from the installation space of the drying box 1 by the operation fan 8.

The drying box 1 is here in the desorption phase of the refreshment sequence (b 2). The adsorbent, in this case the zeolite, which is located in the adsorption unit 10 and is loaded with water, is heated by means of the electric heating device 9 in such a way that all the hydrolysis contained in the adsorbent is adsorbed. The desorbed water, which is shown by the two water drops, then reaches the treatment chamber 4, where it can wet the dry laundry 2. In the desorption phase, substantially dry air leaves the drying box 1 through the air outlet 6.

Figure 3 shows, in a front view, as a cross-section, one non-limiting embodiment of drying box 1 during a drying phase (with respect to the adsorption phase of adsorption unit 10) according to the present invention.

The drying box 1 is here in the adsorption phase of the refreshing process (b 2). The adsorbent, here zeolite, which is located in the adsorption unit 10 and is not loaded with water, dries the air fed in from the installation space of the drying box 1 through the air inlet 5. Dry and hot air is passed into the treatment chamber 4 on the basis of the released heat of adsorption, where it can dry the laundry 2 that is now wet. The water, here shown by two water drops, which is released from the laundry 2 here, then reaches the installation space of the drying box via the air outlet 6.

List of reference numerals

Drying oven 1 with smoothing and refreshing function for washing 2

2 Dry or moist laundry

3 case

4 treatment chambers, e.g. drying chambers

5 (common to the housing and the process chamber) air inlet

6 (common to the housing and the process chamber) air outlet

7 control unit

8 blower fan

9 electric heating device

10 adsorption unit

11 side of the drying box where the air inlet is located

12 side of the drying box where the air outlet is located

13 treating the area; drying or moistening zone

14 (electric) additional heating device

15 air filter

16 humidity sensor inside

17 internal temperature sensor

18 operating and display unit on drying box

19 external humidity sensor

20 external temperature sensor

21 interface for wireless communication.

Claims

1. Drying box (1) with a smoothing and refreshing function for laundry (2), comprising a housing (3) which encloses a treatment chamber (4) for the laundry (2) to be treated, a control unit (7), a fan (8), an electric heating device (9) and at least one adsorption unit (10), wherein the housing (3) and the treatment chamber (4) have a common air inlet (5) and a common air outlet (6) for the input and discharge of air, respectively, the adsorption unit containing at least one regenerable adsorption material for water, characterized in that the drying box (1) is configured such that the common air inlet (5) and the common air outlet (6) are not closed during operation of the drying box (1).

2. Drying box (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said regenerable adsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of zeolite, alumina, calcium sulphate, silica gel and any mixture thereof.

3. Drying box (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that said regenerable adsorbent material is zeolite.

4. Drying box (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the common air inlet (5) and the common air outlet (6) are arranged at opposite sides (11, 12) of the drying box (1).

5. Drying box (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the drying box (1) has an air channel in which the air inlet (5), the fan (8), the electric heating device (9), the adsorption unit (10), the treatment zone (13) of the treatment chamber (4) and the air outlet (6) are arranged one after the other.

6. Drying box (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that an electrical additional heating device (14) is arranged in the air channel between the adsorption unit (10) and the treatment zone (13).

7. Drying box (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the treatment chamber (4) has the fan (8), the electric heating device (9) and/or the adsorption unit (10) and a drying zone (13) in which the laundry (2) to be treated is placed.

8. Drying box (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises two or more treatment chambers (4) and/or two or more adsorption units (10).

9. Drying box (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that at least one adsorption unit (10) can be closed air-tightly, so that a water-loaded state of the regenerable adsorbent material and/or an unloaded state of the regenerable adsorbent material can be set in the drying box (1) according to a user's selection before placing the laundry (2) into the treatment chamber (4).

10. A drying box (1) according to any of claims 1-9, characterized in that it comprises at least one air filter (15) in and/or at said common air inlet (5).

11. Drying box (1) according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that an internal humidity sensor (16), an internal weight sensor and/or an internal temperature sensor (17) is arranged in the process chamber (4).

12. Drying box (1) according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that an input and display unit (18) is arranged on the casing (3).

13. A method for operating a drying box (1) with a smoothing and refreshing function for laundry (2), comprising a housing (3) which encloses a treatment chamber (4) for the laundry (2) to be treated, a control unit (7), a fan (8), an electric heating device (9) and at least one adsorption unit (10), wherein the housing (3) and the treatment chamber (4) each have a common air inlet (5) and a common air outlet (6) for the input and discharge of air, the adsorption unit containing at least one regenerable adsorption material for water, wherein the drying box (1) is constructed such that the common air inlet (5) and the common air outlet (6) are not closed during operation of the drying box (1), characterized in that, the method comprises the following steps:

(a) -placing the washing (2) into the treatment chamber (4);

(b) either automatically or by the user, respectively

(b1) Performing a drying program of the damp laundry (2) by conveying air from the air inlet (5) via the adsorption unit (10) into the treatment region (13) of the treatment chamber (4) and then into the air outlet (6) with the electric heating device (9) switched off by means of the fan (8); or

(b2) Carrying out a refreshment program by first wetting the dry laundry in a desorption phase by conveying air from the air inlet (5) via the adsorption unit (10) into a treatment region (13) of the treatment chamber (4) and then into the air outlet (6) by means of the fan (8) with the electrical heating device (9) switched on, wherein water adsorbed on the adsorption material in the adsorption unit (10) is released and wets the dry laundry (2) in the treatment region; and then in an adsorption phase, with the electric heating device (9) switched off, air is conveyed by means of the fan (8) from the air inlet (5) via the adsorption unit (10) into a treatment region (13) of the treatment chamber (4) and then to the air outlet (6).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the air humidity, the weight of the laundry (2) and/or the air temperature and/or their changes in the treatment zone (13) is determined by means of an internal humidity sensor (16), an internal weight sensor and/or an internal temperature sensor (17) after placing the laundry (2) in the treatment zone (13) of the drying box (1), and the end of the drying program (b1) or the refreshment program (b2) is determined from a comparison of initial and actual values with pre-given target values.

15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the power of the fan (8) and/or the electric heating device (9) and/or the amount and/or type of regenerable adsorbent material in the adsorbent unit (10) is predetermined from the measurement of an external humidity sensor (19) and/or an external temperature sensor (20) mounted on the housing (3).