EP2336419A1 - Wäschetrockner - Google Patents

Wäschetrockner Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2336419A1
EP2336419A1 EP10189023A EP10189023A EP2336419A1 EP 2336419 A1 EP2336419 A1 EP 2336419A1 EP 10189023 A EP10189023 A EP 10189023A EP 10189023 A EP10189023 A EP 10189023A EP 2336419 A1 EP2336419 A1 EP 2336419A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rotary drum
clothes
rotation speed
dryness
detector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP10189023A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2336419B1 (de
Inventor
Shinichi Matsuda
Tetsuo Kawai
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Panasonic Corp
Original Assignee
Panasonic Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP2009262690A external-priority patent/JP2011104143A/ja
Priority claimed from JP2009262691A external-priority patent/JP2011104144A/ja
Application filed by Panasonic Corp filed Critical Panasonic Corp
Publication of EP2336419A1 publication Critical patent/EP2336419A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2336419B1 publication Critical patent/EP2336419B1/de
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F58/00—Domestic laundry dryers
    • D06F58/32—Control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers 
    • D06F58/34—Control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers  characterised by the purpose or target of the control
    • D06F58/36—Control of operational steps, e.g. for optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
    • D06F58/38—Control of operational steps, e.g. for optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
    • D06F2103/08—Humidity
    • D06F2103/10—Humidity expressed as capacitance or resistance
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/28—Air properties
    • D06F2103/32—Temperature
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/28—Air properties
    • D06F2103/34—Humidity
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/38—Time, e.g. duration
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/44—Current or voltage
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/50—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers related to heat pumps, e.g. pressure or flow rate
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/26—Heat pumps
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/28—Electric heating
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/46—Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/46—Drum speed; Actuation of motors, e.g. starting or interrupting
    • D06F2105/48—Drum speed

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to clothes dryers for drying wet articles, such as clothes, in a rotary drum.
  • FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the conventional clothes dryer disclosed in the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H6-327899 .
  • motor 52 is provided at the bottom of housing 51.
  • Rotary drum 54 is provided in housing 51, and blower fan 53 is provided at the back of housing 51.
  • Motor 52 rotates rotary drum 54 and blower fan 53.
  • Heater 55 is provided at the front of housing 51. Hot air heated by heater 55 is supplied to rotary drum 54 through hot-air outlet 56 by the rotation of blower fan 53.
  • Baffle 57 tumbles clothes in rotary drum 54, and the hot air dries the clothes.
  • Electrode 58 that detects dryness of clothes is disposed underneath hot-air outlet 56 of rotary drum 54. When clothes tumbled in rotary drum 54 make contact with electrode 58 during the drying operation, electrode 58 detects resistance values of clothes, so as to detect dryness of clothes.
  • the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2000-229200 discloses a prior art of appropriately controlling the drying operation even if a quantity of clothes to be dried is small.
  • an operation time is set based on dryness detected by the dryness detector if a clothes quantity determination unit determines that a quantity of clothes is small.
  • a quantity of clothes is determined based on contact frequency of clothes with the electrode. Dryness is detected when the clothes make contact with the electrode. Accordingly, quantity and dryness of clothes are determined by contacting of clothes on the electrode. Therefore, for example, the rotation of drum is inverted for a certain period in order to detangle the entangled clothes or change positions of clothes in the rotary drum. Then, the quantity and dryness of clothes are determined.
  • clothes may not make contact with electrode 58 if a quantity of clothes to be dried inside rotary drum 54 is small. This may disable detection of dryness. Therefore, drying takes place for a period set by predicting the time needed for completing drying, without being based on dryness of clothes. In this case, clothes may be dried excessively or insufficiently, depending on moisture variations in clothes to be dried. This results in insufficient drying or wasting of power consumption due to excessive drying.
  • the rotary drum is rotated to tumble clothes, and to make clothes satisfactorily exposed to the drying air supplied to the rotary drum during the drying operation. Clothes are lifted up by the baffles, and then dropped to make contact with the electrode. However, if a quantity of clothes is small, clothes lifted upward by the baffles tumble while retained by the baffles from underneath, and thus the clothes do not make contact with the electrode. Accordingly, if a quantity of clothes is small in a system of determining clothes quantity and dryness by contacting of clothes contact with the electrode, it is difficult for clothes to make contact with the electrode accurately by inverted driving of the rotary drum.
  • the present invention offers a clothes dryer that can accurately detect dryness of clothes, and optimally dry the clothes when a small quantity of clothes is dried.
  • the clothes dryer of the present invention includes a rotary drum, a motor, a heating unit, a blower fan, a dryness detector, and a controller.
  • the rotary drum accommodates a wet article (an article to be dried).
  • the motor rotates the rotary drum.
  • the heating unit heats the drying air.
  • the blower fan supplies the drying air heated by the heater to inside the rotary drum.
  • the dryness detector detects a resistance value of the wet article in the rotary drum.
  • the controller controls the motor based on an output of the dryness detector.
  • the controller reduces the rotation speed of the rotary drum from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed if the dryness detector only detects resistance values greater than a predetermined value in a first predetermined period from a start of drying operation by rotating the rotary drum at the first rotation speed.
  • Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional views of a clothes dryer in the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates circulating air passage 18.
  • Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a dryness detector of the clothes dryer.
  • Fig. 4 is a block diagram of this clothes dryer, and
  • Fig. 5 is a system diagram of this clothes dryer.
  • the clothes dryer includes housing 1, motor 2, rotary drum 3, blower fan 6, dryness detector 9, rotation speed detector 10, controller 11, circulating air passage 18, heat pump device 12, temperature detector 19, and temperature setting unit 20.
  • door 4 is provided at the front of housing 1.
  • Cylindrical rotary drum 3 is rotatably provided in housing 1.
  • Door 4 opens and closes opening 5 for loading and unloading rotary drum 3 with clothes and the like.
  • Blower fan 6 is provided at the back of rotary drum 3 in housing 1.
  • Motor 2 is provided at the bottom in housing 1, and rotates rotary drum 3 and blower fan 6 via a belt (not illustrated).
  • baffles 7 are made on an inner circumferential face of rotary drum 3 at a predetermined interval so as to protrude inward. Baffles 7 lift up and tumble clothes as rotary drum 3 rotates.
  • the drying air supplied from blower fan 6 is directed inside rotary drum 3 through inlet (hot-air outlet) 8 provided at the front of housing 1 underneath opening 5.
  • Dryness detector 9 is provided near and underneath inlet 8 such that dryness detector 9 faces inside rotary drum 3. Dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of clothes when the clothes are tumbled in rotary drum 3 and make contact with dryness detector 9, so as to detect dryness of clothes. As shown in Fig. 3 , dryness detector 9 includes two electrodes 9A and insulating member 9B electrically insulating between electrodes 9A. Dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of clothes bridging and contacting both electrodes 9A.
  • Rotation speed detector 10 detects a rotation speed (number of revolutions per unit time) of rotary drum 3. As shown in Fig. 4 , rotation speed detector 10 includes magnet 10A provided in rotary drum 3, and lead switch 10B disposed facing magnet 10A. Controller 11 receives an output signal of dryness detector 9 detecting resistance values of clothes and an output signal indicating the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 detected by rotation speed detector 10, using lead switch 10B.
  • the structure of rotation speed detector 10 is not limited to this structure. For example, rotation speed detector 10 may optically detect the rotation speed of rotary drum 3.
  • Heat pump device 12 dehumidifies and heats the drying air, and then directs the air into rotary drum 3 through inlet 8.
  • heat pump device 12 includes compressor 13, radiator 14, pressure reducer15, heat absorber 16, and pipeline 17.
  • Compressor 13 compresses refrigerant.
  • Radiator 14 releases the heat of the compressed refrigerant.
  • Pressure reducer 15 reduces pressure of the refrigerant with high-pressure.
  • Pipeline 17 connects compressor 13, radiator 14, pressure reducer 15, and heat absorber 16 in this sequence, so as to circulate the refrigerant.
  • the refrigerant circulates in pipeline 17 in the direction shown by an arrow in Fig. 5 to establish a heat pump cycle.
  • Radiator 14 configures a heating unit that heats the drying air flowing in circulating air passage 18.
  • circulating air passage 18 communicates with rotary drum 3, and thus the drying air flows inside circulating air passage 18.
  • Radiator 14 and heat absorber 16 of heat pump device 12 are disposed in circulating air passage 18 through which the drying air is directed from blower fan 6 to rotary drum 3. It is effective that the drying air is dehumidified before being heated. Accordingly, radiator 14 and heat absorber 16 are provided in the circulating air passage, and in addition, heat absorber 16 is disposed before (upstream) of radiator 14 in the direction that the drying air flows. This enables dehumidification of the drying air.
  • temperature detector 19 is provided downstream of radiator 14. Temperature detector 19 detects temperature of the drying air directed to rotary drum 3. Blower fan 6 takes in air inside rotary drum 3 from an outlet (not illustrated) provided at the back of rotary drum 3 to circulating air passage 18. Note here that blower fan 3 may alternatively be provided in circulating air passage 18 using an electric-powered fan or the like.
  • Controller 11 controls driving of rotary drum 3, blower fan 6, and heat pump device 12 based on outputs of dryness detector 9, rotation speed detector 10, and temperature detector 19.
  • a user opens door 4, loads rotary drum 3 with clothes to be dried, and starts the drying operation. Then, motor 2 drives rotary drum 3 and blower fan 6. In addition, compressor 13 of heat pump device 12 is driven. They operate at preset operation speeds, respectively.
  • rotation speed detector 10 detects the rotation speed of rotary drum 3. Controller 11 controls the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to predetermined first rotation speed r1 (e.g. 50 r.p.m.) based on an output of rotation speed detector 10.
  • Baffles 7 lift up clothes in rotary drum 3, and then drop them from a predetermined height to tumble the clothes.
  • Blower fan 6 supplies dry hot air so as to dry the clothes.
  • Temperature detector 19 detects temperature of the hot air, and controller 11 controls the temperature of hot air to a predetermined set temperature (e.g., 70 °C) by controlling temperature setting unit 20 based on an output of temperature detector 19.
  • dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of the clothes bridging and contacting two electrodes 9A, so as to detect dryness of the clothes.
  • Fig. 6 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of this clothes dryer. More specifically, the timing chart indicates a time-dependent change of counting number Y and the operations of rotary drum 3, compressor 13, and blower fan 6.
  • Counting number Y is the number of hits in unit time detected by dryness detector 9 in which resistance values of clothes are smaller than a predetermined value when a quantity of clothes is small.
  • Counting number Y indicates the number of resistance values smaller than the predetermined value detected by dryness detector 9, for example, in 10 seconds.
  • the predetermined value is set, for example, to 5 M ⁇ .
  • controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 from first rotation speed r1 to predetermined second rotation speed r2 (e.g., 35 r.p.m.). Then, dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of the clothes during second predetermined time period T2 (e.g., 2 minutes). By reducing the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to predetermined second rotation speed r2, a centrifugal force applied to the clothes retained by baffles 7 from underneath becomes weak, and thus the clothes drop from a predetermined height, making contact with dryness detector 9.
  • predetermined second rotation speed r2 e.g. 35 r.p.m.
  • controller 11 calculates remaining drying time period T3 based on maximum value y2 of counting number Y by time point t1, and time point t1 when Y becomes 0. More specifically, the quantity of clothes is detected from y2, and easiness of drying clothes and moisture content can be recognized from t1. Accordingly, controller 11 can set T3 that is the time period for continuing drying.
  • Controller stops the operation of compressor 13 of heat pump device 12 when drying operation time period T3 passes and reaches time point t2. Then the operations of rotary drum 3 and blower fan 6 are extended up to time point t3, and the drying operation completes at time point t3.
  • Clothes include textile articles that can be dried in rotary drum 3, and are thus not limited to clothing.
  • controller 11 uses dryness detector 9 to detect resistance values of clothes during first predetermined time period T1 from the start of drying operation at first rotation speed r1. If a resistance value smaller than the predetermined value is not detected in this period and only resistance values greater than this predetermined value are detected, controller 11 reduces rotary drum 3 to second rotation speed r2. Then, controller 11 uses dryness detector 9 to detect resistance values of the clothes in second predetermined time period T2. By controlling the rotation speed in this way, the clothes tumbled while retained by baffles 7 of rotary drum 3 from underneath can be dropped to the bottom of rotary drum 3 from a predetermined position lifted up by baffles 7. Accordingly, the clothes make contact with dryness detector 9, and thus dryness detector 9 can detect resistance values of the clothes. Controller 11 can accurately detect dryness of the clothes even if a small quantity of clothes is dried. The clothes dryer can thus optimally dry clothes in just proportion.
  • controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to second rotation speed r2 to detect resistance values of clothes by dryness detector 9 in second predetermined time period T2. If dryness detector 9 detects a resistance value smaller than the predetermined value, it can be assumed that the quantity is small, although rotary drum 3 is loaded with wet clothes.
  • controller 11 preferably uses temperature setting unit 20 to reduce the temperature of drying air from first temperature th1 (e.g., 70 °C) to second temperature th2 (e.g., 50 °C) in the operation.
  • first temperature th1 e.g., 70 °C
  • second temperature th2 e.g., 50 °C
  • controller 11 uses temperature setting unit 20 to reduce the temperature of drying air from first temperature th1 (e.g., 70 °C) to second temperature th2 (e.g., 50 °C) in the operation.
  • first temperature th1 e.g. 70 °C
  • second temperature th2 e.g., 50 °C
  • the predetermined value used for determining a resistance value detected in first predetermined time period T1 and the predetermined value used for determining a resistance value detected in second predetermined time period T2 may be either same or different.
  • radiator 14 is used as a heating unit
  • the temperature of drying air can be dropped by reducing the rotation speed of compressor 13 to reduce the output power.
  • the power of heater may be reduced.
  • circulating air passage 18 is not necessary.
  • the control in this exemplary embodiment is applicable to the conventional clothes dryer described with reference to Fig. 10 .
  • second predetermined time period T2 for detecting resistance values of clothes is preferably set longer than first predetermined time period T1. This setting increases chances of clothes tumbled and dropped in rotary drum 3 making contact with dryness detector 9. Accordingly, dryness of a small quantity of clothes can be accurately detected.
  • Fig. 7 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of a clothes dryer in the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • controller 11 detects resistance values of clothes, using dryness detector 9, during first predetermined time period T1 (e.g., 1 minute) from the start of drying operation. If dryness detector 9 does not detect a resistance value smaller than a predetermined value in this period, controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to predetermined rotation speed r2. In other words, if counting number Y of dryness detector 9 in first predetermined time period T1 is 0, controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to predetermined rotation speed r2.
  • T1 e.g. 1 minute
  • controller 11 then detects resistance values of the clothes in second predetermined time period T2, using dryness detector 9. If resistance values of the clothes smaller than a predetermined value are not detected, controller 11 stops the operation of heat pump device 12. In other words, if counting number Y of dryness detector 9 is 0 in second predetermined time period T2, controller 11 stops the operation of heat pump device 12.
  • controller 11 detects that the clothes are dry or rotary drum 3 is empty. Therefore, controller 11 stops heat pump device 12 when second predetermined time period T2 elapses, and also stops the operation of rotary drum 3 and blower fan 6 to complete the drying operation.
  • end of drying can be accurately detected when a quantity of clothes to be dried is small. This prevents damage to fabric of clothes due to excessive drying, and also eliminates wasteful power consumption. Or, idle running of the drying operation can be prevented.
  • the predetermined value used for determining a resistance value detected in first predetermined time period T1 and the predetermined value used for determining a resistance value detected in second predetermined time period T2 may be either same or different also in this embodiment.
  • Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a key part of a clothes dryer in the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Control of the clothes dryer in this exemplary embodiment is the same as that in the first or second exemplary embodiment.
  • the clothes dryer in this exemplary embodiment is characterized in that dryness detector 9 is disposed near and underneath an opening provided at the front of rotary drum 3, and drying air is supplied from inlet 8 provided at the back of rotary drum 3 toward dryness detector 9.
  • Rotating shaft 3A of rotary drum 3 tilts upward to the front, and rotary drum 3 is rotatably accommodated in housing 1.
  • a tilt angle of rotating shaft 3A is set to about 20 to 30 degrees.
  • Inlet 8 is provided at the back of rotary drum 3, and outlet 21 is provided underneath opening 5 at the front of rotary drum 3.
  • the drying air discharged through outlet 21 circulates in circulating air passage 18 from inlet 8 to rotary drum 3.
  • the drying air which becomes moistened and low temperature after contacting clothes in rotary drum 3 enters circulating air passage 18 through outlet 21, and reaches heat absorber 16 through lint filter 22.
  • the moistened drying air is cooled down and dehumidifies in heat absorber 16, and becomes dry air. Then, this dry air is heated in radiator 14, and becomes hot air, which is supplied to rotary drum 3 through inlet 8. The hot air is blown toward dryness detector 9 disposed near and underneath opening 5.
  • Other structures are the same as that in the first exemplary embodiment. Components with same effects as that in the first exemplary embodiment are given the same reference marks to omit duplicate detailed description.
  • the drying air supplied from blower fan 6 can push the clothes tumbled in rotary drum 3 to the front where dryness detector 9 is provided.
  • the dropped clothes thus reliably contact dryness detector 9. Accordingly, the clothes tumbled in the state retained by baffles 7 of rotary drum 3 from underneath can be dropped from a predetermined position lifted up by baffles 7 without being disproportionately concentrated at the back. Resistance values of the clothes making contact with dryness detector 9 can thus be detected. As a result, the clothes can be easily taken out, and also the clothes can be optimally dried in just proportion by accurately detecting dryness if a small quantity of clothes is dried.
  • dryness detector 9 is provided near outlet 21 where the drying air is discharged from rotary drum 3. Since inlet 8 is provided at the back of rotary drum 3, air is blown through inlet 8 toward dryness detector 9. As a result, the drying air flows toward dryness detector 9 while the clothes tumbled in rotary drum 3 are satisfactorily exposed to the drying air.
  • Fig. 9 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of a clothes dryer in the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
  • controller 11 detects resistance values of clothes during first predetermined time period T1 from the start of drying operation. If a resistance value smaller than a predetermined value is not detected, controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to predetermined rotation speed r2, and dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of clothes during second predetermined time period T2.
  • the clothes dryer in this exemplary embodiment is characterized in that a volume of drying air supplied through inlet 8 to dryness detector 9 is intermittently increased.
  • controller 11 controls an air-feeding volume of blower fan 6 while dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of clothes during predetermined time period T2. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 9 , controller 11 controls blower fan 6 to intermittently (e.g., every 10 seconds) increase predetermined air volume Q2 (e.g., 3m 3 /min) to air volume Q1 (e.g., 4m 3 /min).
  • controller 11 operates blower fan 6 with predetermined air volume Q2 until time point t1 when counting number Y becomes 0.
  • Controller 11 calculates remaining drying time period T3 based on maximum value y2 of counting number Y by time point t1, and time point t1 when Y becomes 0.
  • drying time period T3 passes and the operation reaches time point t2, the operations of rotary drum 3 and blower fan 6 are extended to time point t3, and the drying operation completes at time point t3.
  • air volume from blower fan 6 is intermittently increased from the start of drying operation to the end of second predetermined time period T2.
  • air volume may be intermittently increased until time point t1 when counting number Y becomes 0 as clothes are dried. In this case, clothes can be efficiently dried, and also end of drying when counting number Y becomes 0 can be accurately detected.
  • This exemplary embodiment also refers to the clothes dryer equipped with the rotation axis of rotary drum 3 horizontal or tilted upward to the front.
  • the exemplary embodiment is also applicable to a washer/dryer with a washing feature that allows operations from washing to drying. In this case, clothes can be easily taken out, and also water consumption during washing can be reduced.
  • Each exemplary embodiment can be combined as required, and also a part of each exemplary embodiment can be combined.
  • the clothes dryers in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention include rotary drum 3, motor 2, radiator 14 as a heating unit, blower fan 6, dryness detector 9, and controller 11.
  • Rotary drum 3 accommodates clothes that are wet articles.
  • Motor 2 rotates rotary drum 3.
  • the heating unit heats the drying air.
  • Blower fan 6 supplies the drying air heated by the heating unit to inside rotary drum 3.
  • Dryness detector 9 detects resistance values of the wet articles in rotary drum 3.
  • Controller 11 controls motor 2 based on an output of dryness detector 9.
  • controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to second rotation speed r2 that is slower than first rotation speed r1.
  • a small quantity of clothes is tumbled in a state retained by baffles 7 from underneath due to a centrifugal force of rotary drum 3.
  • This structure enables dropping of the clothes lifted up by baffles 7 toward the bottom of rotary drum 3.
  • dryness detector 9 can detect resistance values of the clothes by contacting the clothes. In case of drying a small quantity of clothes, dryness can thus be accurately detected, and clothes can be optimally dried in just proportion.
  • controller 11 preferably controls the heating unit to reduce the temperature of drying air, using temperature setting unit 20, if resistance values detected by dryness detector 9 in second predetermined time period T2 are smaller than a predetermined value after controller 11 reduces the rotation speed of rotary drum 3 to second rotation speed r2.
  • heat pump device 12 including radiator 14 as the heating unit is provided and output power of compressor 13 is reduced if resistance values detected by dryness detector 9 in second predetermined time period T2 are smaller than the predetermined value.
  • dryness detector 9 detects only resistance values greater than the predetermined value in second predetermined time period T2, heat pump device 12 is stopped to prevent damage to fabric of clothes due to excessive drying.
  • second predetermined time period T2 is preferably longer than first predetermined time period T1. This setting increases chances of clothes tumbled and dropped in rotary drum 3 making contact with dryness detector 9. This results in increasing dryness detection accuracy for a small quantity of clothes.
  • the clothes dryer of the present invention accurately detects dryness of a small quantity of clothes, and optimally dries the clothes. Accordingly the present invention is effectively applicable to clothes dryers.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
EP10189023A 2009-11-18 2010-10-27 Wäschetrockner Not-in-force EP2336419B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2009262690A JP2011104143A (ja) 2009-11-18 2009-11-18 衣類乾燥機
JP2009262691A JP2011104144A (ja) 2009-11-18 2009-11-18 衣類乾燥機

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2336419A1 true EP2336419A1 (de) 2011-06-22
EP2336419B1 EP2336419B1 (de) 2012-12-05

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP10189023A Not-in-force EP2336419B1 (de) 2009-11-18 2010-10-27 Wäschetrockner

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP2336419B1 (de)
CN (1) CN102061598B (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2487290A1 (de) * 2011-02-10 2012-08-15 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Haushaltswäschetrockner
WO2013182400A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-12 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi Heat pump laundry dryer
ITPR20120082A1 (it) * 2012-11-27 2014-05-28 Meccanica Generale Srl Macchina lavabiancheria a carica frontale con sistema di asciugatura incorporato
WO2018224267A1 (en) * 2017-06-08 2018-12-13 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi A bearer and a washer-dryer using the same
CN112746473A (zh) * 2019-10-29 2021-05-04 青岛海尔滚筒洗衣机有限公司 一种干衣机烘干方法及干衣机
DE102020203000A1 (de) 2020-03-10 2021-09-16 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Verfahren zum Nachweis einer Beladung einer rotierenden Trommel in einer Wäschebehandlungsmaschine, und entsprechende Wäschebehandlungsmaschine

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CN104963180B (zh) * 2015-05-29 2018-05-15 无锡小天鹅股份有限公司 干衣设备的烘干方法
CN108866926B (zh) * 2017-05-09 2020-11-10 无锡小天鹅电器有限公司 洗干一体机及其烘干控制方法、装置
CN109306612A (zh) * 2017-07-28 2019-02-05 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种滚筒转速检测装置、检测方法及干衣机
CN109324209A (zh) * 2017-08-01 2019-02-12 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 用于检测干衣机滚筒是否转动的方法和装置
KR102504577B1 (ko) * 2017-10-26 2023-03-02 삼성전자주식회사 의류 건조기 및 그의 살균 행정 수행 방법

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JP2000229200A (ja) 1999-02-09 2000-08-22 Toshiba Corp 衣類乾燥機
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EP2487290A1 (de) * 2011-02-10 2012-08-15 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Haushaltswäschetrockner
WO2012107347A1 (en) * 2011-02-10 2012-08-16 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Home laundry drier
US9097462B2 (en) 2011-02-10 2015-08-04 Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. Home laundry drier
WO2013182400A1 (en) * 2012-06-05 2013-12-12 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi Heat pump laundry dryer
ITPR20120082A1 (it) * 2012-11-27 2014-05-28 Meccanica Generale Srl Macchina lavabiancheria a carica frontale con sistema di asciugatura incorporato
WO2014083503A3 (en) * 2012-11-27 2014-07-31 Meccanica Generale S.R.L. Front load laundry washing machine with incorporated drying system
WO2018224267A1 (en) * 2017-06-08 2018-12-13 Arcelik Anonim Sirketi A bearer and a washer-dryer using the same
CN112746473A (zh) * 2019-10-29 2021-05-04 青岛海尔滚筒洗衣机有限公司 一种干衣机烘干方法及干衣机
DE102020203000A1 (de) 2020-03-10 2021-09-16 BSH Hausgeräte GmbH Verfahren zum Nachweis einer Beladung einer rotierenden Trommel in einer Wäschebehandlungsmaschine, und entsprechende Wäschebehandlungsmaschine

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