JP2003103086A - Washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the drying performance of a washing and drying machine by favorably supplying hot air into a drum throughout the drying operation and efficiently drying laundry. SOLUTION: In this washing and drying machine, hot air is supplied into a drum 29 through a circulating path 41 connecting to a washer tub 26 and the drum 29. The hot air from the circulating path 41 is blown through an air inlet 33 placed in the rear of the drum 29 and exhausted to the washer tub 26 through an air outlet 30 placed in the front to return to the circulating path 41. Dewatering holes 31 are provided on the edge of the tapering drum 29 on the side of the air outlet 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laundry housed in a drum, in which each step from washing to drying is sequentially performed. In the drying step, warm air is circulated to supply the laundry into the drum. The present invention relates to a washer / dryer adapted to dry.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a washing and drying machine of this type, for example, a structure shown in FIG. 12 has been known. To describe the schematic configuration, a rectangular casing 1 forming an outer shell is provided with a horizontal drum 2 around a horizontal axis, which makes it possible to wash, dewater and dry laundry contained in the drum 2. There is. The drum 2 has a rear surface portion 2a and a body portion 2b.
A large number of through holes 3 are formed in the peripheral wall such as. And
The non-perforated cylindrical water tank 4 in which the drum 2 is installed is also the housing 1
It is configured to be elastically supported inside in a horizontal horizontal axis state.
A circulation path 5 is formed outside the water tank 4 and is connected to the front and rear ends of the water tank 4, respectively.

[0003] Specifically, the circulation path 5 has one end communicating with a lower portion of the rear surface of the water tank 4, and the other discharging end communicating with the front upper portion of the front opening 6 of the water tank 4. It is made up. The circulation path 5 is provided with a heat exchanger 7, an air blower 8 and a heater device 9 in this order along the flow of the circulating air to heat the circulation air in the circulation path 5 to warm air. Incidentally, a solid arrow A shown in the drawing indicates the direction in which warm air, which is circulating air flowing through the water tank 4, the drum 2 and the circulation path 5, flows.

Further, the heat exchanger 7 has a hollow cylindrical shape as a whole and is provided with a water injection pipe 10 connected to a water supply valve (not shown) at an inner upper part thereof to inject water against the circulating air from below. This constitutes a so-called water cooling means for cooling this air. Then, the water contained in the circulating air is cooled and condensed, and then flows down and is discharged from the lower side. On the other hand, the air dehumidified by the heat exchanger 7 is heated by the blower 8 and the heater 9 in order. Weathered, the entire opening 6 of the aquarium 4
And is supplied into the drum 2 through the front opening 12 of the drum 2.

By the way, this type of washer / dryer is always manufactured in order to be compact in order to be installed indoors. For example, the size of the gap G between the water tank 4 and the drum 2 is difficult. That is, when the gap G becomes large, the diameter of the water tank 4 naturally becomes large and the housing 1 also becomes large, and a large amount of washing water (including rinsing water) is required. Since it is also disadvantageous, the gap G is set as small as possible (for example, 10 mm or more). On top of that, the drum 2 and the water tank 4 themselves need to be downsized,
The size of the laundry has been made compact within the allowable range as the washing capacity or the drying capacity.

Thus, in the above-mentioned structure, when the washing process and the like are finished in order and the process is shifted to the drying process, the motor 113 rotates the drum 2 at a low speed at a predetermined rotation speed, and the water injection pipe in the heat exchanger 7. While pouring water from 10, the blower 8 and the heater 9 are operated to generate warm air. This warm air is sent from the circulation path 5 to the front of the opening 6 of the water tank 4 as shown by the arrow A, and is supplied into the rotating drum 2.

[0007] The warm air is blown against the laundry in the drum 2 to remove moisture from the laundry and dry, and is discharged from the rear part of the drum 2 and the water tank 4 and flows into the circulation path 5. It flows into the heat exchanger 7 and flows from the lower part to the upper part. Since the hot air discharged from the water tank 4 contains a large amount of water after contributing to the drying, the hot air is poured from the upper water injection pipe 10 in the rising flow in the heat exchanger 7. By contact with the generated water, the water in the warm air is cooled, condensed, and dropped to be dehumidified. Then,
The air after being cooled and dehumidified reaches the heater device 9 via the air blower device 8 on the downstream side, is heated again to be heated and warmed, and is again supplied to the water tank 4 and the drum 2, and this is repeated to circulate so-called warm air. As a result, the laundry is supplied, and a drying operation is performed to remove moisture from the laundry in the drum 2.

[0008]

According to the washer / dryer having the above-mentioned structure, the air (warm air) containing a large amount of water after contributing to the drying is dehumidified with water in the heat exchanger 7 and then reheated. Since it is weathered and circulated and supplied, air after drying (warm air)
Is not emitted to the outside of the machine as exhaust air, and there is no moist and unpleasant exhaust action, so it can be used comfortably even when installed indoors. However, since the washing / drying machine has a compact structure in consideration of indoor installation and the like as described above, the effective warm air supply to the drum 2 decreases particularly as the drying process progresses, and the drying performance is reduced. The phenomenon of deterioration occurs.

That is, in a state where a normal drying action is obtained, warm air passes through the drum 2 as shown by a solid arrow A in the figure, efficiently contacts the laundry and contributes effectively to the drying.
However, as shown in the figure, when the laundry is dried and inflated (the laundry schematically showing this state is indicated by the symbol Q),
This spreads into the drum 2 and closes the front opening 12. Then, it becomes difficult for the warm air to enter from the front opening 12 of the drum 2, and the drum 2 and the water tank 4 as shown by the broken line arrow B in the figure.
There is a greater tendency to enter the gap G between the water tank and the water tank, so that the laundry Q is immediately collected in the circulation path 5 from the rear of the water tank 4 with little contribution to the drying. Such a phenomenon becomes more prominent as the amount of laundry increases, and the drying performance deteriorates, which has been a major problem in compact design.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to supply hot air into the drum throughout the drying operation and to effectively contribute to the drying action of the laundry. It is intended to provide a washer / dryer that can be expected to have improved drying performance.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the washer / dryer of the present invention has a casing forming an outer shell, and a front opening provided in the casing in the horizontal axis direction. A cylindrical water tank, a cylindrical drum disposed inside the water tank around the horizontal axis for washing, dewatering and drying the laundry introduced through the front opening, and the cylindrical drum formed outside the water tank. A circulation path communicating with the drum and the water tank, a blower provided in this circulation path to circulate the air and to heat and warm the air, and a heater device, and the ventilation device and the heater device are provided on the upstream side. In the one provided with a heat exchanger for dehumidifying the circulating air flowing through the circulation path, the drum is provided with a blower port at a substantially central portion of the rear surface portion, and the body portion has a taper shape expanding toward the front opening. Eggplant and dehydration hole on the open end side It provided it and supplies to the internal hot air from the circulation path from the air outlet of the drum after the surface portion,
The hot air discharged from the front of the drum to the water tank side to contribute to the drying is returned to the circulation path (the invention of claim 1).

According to this construction, the warm air is supplied from the rear center of the drum, and the dewatering hole is provided on the opposite front opening end side. Therefore, the warm air passes through the inside of the drum while making effective contact with the laundry, and most of it is discharged from the front opening, and even if it is partially discharged from the dehydration hole, a small amount of laundry is washed before reaching the dehydration hole. It was after a lot of contact with things. As a result, all the warm air supplied to the drum will be collected in the circulation path after sufficiently contributing to the drying, and it is expected that the drying performance will be improved by obtaining an effective drying action throughout the drying process. In addition to being possible, the compact design can be executed more effectively. on the other hand,
In the dehydration process, since the dehydration hole is formed on the tapered tip side of the drum body, the water extracted from the laundry by the rotation of the drum is smoothly discharged from the dehydration hole, and the dehydration operation is well performed. It is possible to provide a washing / drying machine that can be put to practical use by being performed.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a drain hole is provided on the rear surface side of the drum body, and a cover member is provided to cover the drain hole so that water can pass through the drain hole. Invention).

According to this structure, hot air during drying is prevented from being immediately discharged from the drain hole covered with the cover member, and the warm air as a whole can contribute to the drying of the laundry. Therefore, improvement in drying performance can be expected. On the other hand, since the drain hole is covered with the cover member so as to allow water to pass therethrough, the washing water or the like can be discharged from the drain hole and the original drain function can be achieved.

The cover member may be formed of a heat-expandable material in an annular shape, and a water passage communicating with a drain hole may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cover member. Invention of 3).

According to this structure, in addition to the same effect as that of the invention of claim 2, the cover member is heated by receiving warm air or the like at the time of drying and is thermally expanded in the radial direction, and the outer peripheral surface side By deforming the water passage in the closing direction, it is possible to more reliably prevent the hot air from coming out of the drain hole and wastefully discharge it, thereby improving the drying performance.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the cover member forms a water passage communicating with the drainage hole on the outer peripheral surface side forming an annular shape, and a part of the surface side forming the water passage is thermally expandable. It is characterized in that the material is formed into an annular shape (the invention of claim 4).

According to this structure, a part of the cover member facing the water passage is thermally expanded in the radial direction, so that the water passage is deformed in the closing direction, and the warm air during drying is wasted. The effect similar to that of the invention of claim 3 above can be expected such that it is not discharged.

The drum according to claim 1 is characterized in that the drum is provided around a horizontal axis which inclines upward toward the front (invention of claim 5).

According to this structure, since the rear side of the drum is lowered, it is possible to reduce the phenomenon that the laundry is blocked by the front opening of the drum due to the tendency of the laundry to be positioned on the rear side during drying. Therefore, the warm air after being contributed to the drying is smoothly discharged from the front opening serving as the warm air outlet, so that the flow of the warm air is improved and the drying action can be efficiently performed.

Further, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the rear surface side of the drum body portion has about 1/3 of its circumferential direction.
A drainage hole is provided in a 1/6 area, and a position sensor for controlling the positioning of the drum is provided so that the drainage hole is located below when draining water (invention of claim 6).

According to this structure, since the number of drainage holes is small and formed only at a specific predetermined position, even if hot air during drying leaks from the drainage holes, it can be kept to a minimum.
Warm air can be effectively used for drying without waste. On the other hand, at the time of drainage, the stop position of the drum can be controlled to a predetermined position by the position sensor, so that the drainage hole at the specific position can be set to an appropriate lower position, and the original drainage action can be surely executed.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a cylindrical inner tank is mounted in the drum, and a double wall structure is formed by at least the body of the drum. It is characterized by having holes (the invention of claim 7).

According to this structure, the dehydration hole is provided only on the front end side of the drum section of the drum, and the drum is made as non-perforated as possible, so that the warm air at the time of drying can be efficiently used. The water extracted from the laundry during the dehydration operation is discharged from the many through holes of the inner tub to the double wall with the drum, and can be smoothly discharged to the aquarium without fear of re-adhesion to the laundry. It is possible to prevent the dehydration performance from decreasing.

[0025]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of the entire washer / dryer. A laundry inlet / outlet 22 is formed at a substantially central portion of a front surface portion 21a forming a casing 21 forming an outer shell. A door 23 that can be opened and closed is provided, an operation unit 24 that sets the operating course of the washer / dryer and the like is provided in the upper portion, and a control device 25 is provided in the lower inner portion. The control device 25 is a microcomputer or the like. Automatically controls washing and drying operations based on a program stored in advance.

A water tank 26 is provided inside the housing 21. The water tank 26 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom in the horizontal direction of the horizontal axis, and is elastically supported by an elastic supporting device (not shown). The opening 2 of the front surface portion 26a of the water tank 26
7 is opposed to the laundry inlet / outlet 22, and the space between them is connected in a watertight state by a flexible bellows 28. Inside the water tank 26, a rotatable cylindrical drum 29 is arranged coaxially with the water tank 26. That is, the drum 29
Is supported around a horizontal horizontal axis and has an opening 3 in the front surface portion 29a.
It has 0 and functions as a rotary tank commonly used for washing, dehydration and drying. Specifically, the body portion 29b is
For example, one row of dehydration holes 31 is formed at the tip of the taper shape that expands toward the front, and one row of drain holes 32 is formed on the opposite side of the rear surface portion 29c. .

The above-mentioned front surface portion 29a is arranged on the front surface of the body portion 29b, while the rear surface portion 29c is attached to the rear surface thereof, thereby forming the drum 29.
A blower port 33 formed of a plurality of through holes is formed in a substantially central portion of the rear surface portion 29c, and a rotary shaft 35 directly connected to a motor 34 described later is connected in a so-called horizontal axis state in a central portion on the back surface side thereof. Has been done.

At the center of the outer surface of the rear surface portion 26c of the water tank 26, the motor 34 as a driving device for rotating the drum 29 is provided. This motor 34
For example, it is an outer rotor type and has an inner bearing device 36.
And a rotor 34b which is disposed outside thereof and is directly connected to the rotating shaft 35, and a bearing device 36 of which is attached to a rear surface portion 26c of the water tank 26 in a watertight manner via a packing 37. It is fixed. A drainage channel 38 communicating with the outside of the machine is provided on the lower surface of the body 26b of the water tank 26.
A drain valve 39 is opened and closed in the drain passage 38 via an electric drive unit 40 such as a motor and an electromagnet, so that washing water and the like in the drum 29 and the water tank 26 can be discharged.

On the other hand, a circulation path 41 which is in communication with the drum 29 is provided from the rear of the water tank 26 to the upper part thereof. Specifically, the circulation path 41 is configured such that one end thereof is connected to at least the rear lower portion of the water tank 26 and communicates with at least the gap G between the drum 29 and the body portions 29b, 26b of the water tank 26. A heat exchanger 42 for dehumidification, a blower device 43 for generating warm air, and a heater device 44 are arranged in this order from the lower order, and the other end, which is the tip, is arranged in the water tank 2
6, a duct portion 45 is formed along the rear surface portion 26c and is separated from the water tank 26.
Also, it is connected in close contact with the rear surface portion 29c of the drum 29 via a ring member 46 that also functions as a seal on the drum 29 side.

In the present embodiment, for example, a reinforcing plate 29d is fixed to the rear surface portion 29c in a superposed state so as to withstand a load such as laundry and to receive the rotational force from the rotary shaft 35. Sufficient strength is ensured, and the central portion has a through hole or the like that matches the blower port 33. Therefore, strictly speaking, by connecting the duct portion 45 to the reinforcing plate 29d, the circulation path 41 configured to communicate with the inside of the drum 29 is formed. Further, in the circulation path 41, particularly the duct portion 45 portion on the downstream side after the heater device 44,
It is made of polypropylene such as talc-containing polypropylene or glass fiber-containing polypropylene, which is a heat-resistant member, or made of metal such as aluminum.

On the other hand, the heat exchanger 42 described above uses water cooling means for cooling in this embodiment, and a water injection pipe 47 connected to a water supply valve (not shown) is provided above the heat exchanger 42. The air (warm air) flowing in the heat exchanger 42 is cooled by the water injection from the water injection pipe 47, and the moisture contained in the air is condensed and dropped to be dehumidified. Therefore, the dehumidified dry air is taken into the blower device 43 and the heater device 44 located on the downstream side, and is efficiently warmed. The arrow C shown in the figure indicates the flow direction of warm air that is circulating air.

Next, the operation of the washer / dryer having the above structure will be described. First, for example, when a general “standard course” is selected and set based on the setting operation of the operation unit 24 by the user and the operation is started, the drum 29 is set based on the controller 25.
Is driven to rotate, and the washing, rinsing, spin-drying, and drying steps are sequentially performed on the laundry contained therein.

In summary, the washing water is first supplied to the water tank 26 and the drum 29 in the washing step, and at the same time, a detergent (not shown) is also supplied. When the water level sensor (not shown) detects that a predetermined amount of water has been supplied, the water supply is stopped and the motor 34 is driven to rotate the drum 29 at a low speed. Along with this, the laundry in the drum 29 is repeatedly rotated and dropped, and the impact force is used for so-called tap washing for a predetermined time. In the next rinsing step, water for rinsing is supplied into the water tank 26 and the drum 29 in the same manner as described above, and after the water is supplied, the drum 29 is rotated at a low speed by the motor 34 to wash the laundry in the drum 29. Rinse with the same tap wash as in the above washing process. This rinsing process is repeated twice, for example.

However, when the above-mentioned rinsing and washing steps are completed, the drain valve 39 is opened and the wash water (including rinse water) is discharged to the outside of the machine through the drain passage 38. in this case,
The washing water in the drum 29 is drainage hole 32 and dehydration hole 31.
Is also discharged into the water tank 26. Next, when shifting to the dehydration process, the drum 29 is rotated at a high speed by the motor 34 to extract water contained in the laundry by centrifugal force, and most of the water moves forward along the tapered body portion 29b. The drainage valve 3 is centrifugally discharged from the dewatering hole 31 and is in an open state.
It is drained from the machine 9 through the drainage channel 38.

In the final drying process, the drum 29
Is rotated at low speed by the motor 34, and the blower device 43 and the heater device 44 are energized to drive the circulation path 41.
The air inside is warmed, and water injection from the water injection pipe 47 is started in the heat exchanger 42. In addition, the drain valve 39 is also kept open. Therefore, the generated warm air is guided to the rear of the drum 29 via the duct portion 45 as shown by an arrow C in the figure, and the blower port 33 at the substantially central portion of the rear surface portion 29c.
Is supplied from the inside to the drum 29. The warm air supplied from the rear into the drum 29 is used for the laundry P illustrated schematically.
The laundry P that is agitated by being sprayed onto the cloth is effectively contacted and dried.

The warm air that has contributed to the drying action and absorbed the water flows in the direction of arrow C, and most of it is discharged through the opening 30 in the front, part of it is discharged through the dehydration hole 31, and part of it is also indicated by the broken arrow D. The drainage hole 32 in the corner on the rear surface 29c side in the direction indicated by
Is expected to be emitted from. However, most of the hot air is exhausted from the front of the opening 30 and the dehydration hole 31, and is sufficiently in contact with the laundry P in the drum 29 to obtain an effective drying action. The warm air discharged from the front of the drum 29 is taken into the gap G between the water tank 26 and the drum 29 through the opening 27 of the water tank 26,
It flows into the circulation path 41 at the rear of the water tank 26 which communicates with this, and is collected. The warm air containing a large amount of the recovered water is cooled by the water injection from the water injection pipe 47 while rising in the heat exchanger 42, and the water is condensed and dropped to be discharged from the drainage channel 38. The dehumidified dry air (warm air) is heated again by the blower device 43 and the heater device 44, and is again supplied into the drum 29 from the rear side in the same manner as above.
By repeating this, warm air is circulated and supplied, and the drying action proceeds.

The above embodiment has the following effects.
In the circulation path 41 formed outside the water tank 26 and connecting the water tank 26 and the drum 29, the circulation path 41 connected to the rear portion of the water tank 26 is used as a supply mode of the warm air during the drying operation. Flowing in the direction of the arrow (direction of arrow C) on the upstream side of the heat exchanger 4
2 is provided, a blower device 43 and a heater device 44 are provided on the downstream side thereof, and further connected to the rear side of the drum 29 through the duct portion 45 in a hermetically sealed state.
Therefore, the warm air generated by the heater device 44 or the like and supplied into the drum 29 contributes to the drying of the laundry P in the drum 29, and then is collected in the circulation path 41 via the water tank 26.
After being dehumidified with water by the heat exchanger 42 on the upstream side, it is efficiently heated again by the heater device 44 and the like.

As a result, the warm air at the time of drying is supplied from the blower port 33 at the rear of the drum 29 and substantially in the center of the drum 29.
During the process of passing through the inside 9, the laundry comes into effective contact with the laundry, and most of it is discharged from the front opening 30 and part of it from the dehydration hole 31 located in the front as shown by an arrow C. Therefore, while being discharged from the front of the drum 29, the contact with the laundry P is sufficiently made, an effective drying action is exerted, and even if the drying progresses and the laundry P expands, The flow of warm air is still the most likely to flow in the direction of arrow C, does not change significantly throughout the drying process, and the improvement of the drying performance can be expected under the effective drying action.

In addition, the warm air from the circulation passage 41 is connected to the circulation passage 41 and the rear surface portion 29c of the drum 29 (in this case, the reinforcing plate 29d) in a hermetically sealed state, so that the other portion is not heated. It is effectively supplied into the drum 29 without flowing,
Also from this point, it is advantageous for improving the drying performance. Further, since the dehydration hole 31 is formed at the tip end side of the tapered body portion 29b of the drum 29, the water can be effectively drained from the dehydration hole 31 at the time of dehydration and drainage, while it is provided on the opposite rear surface portion 29c side. Since the drum 29 is in the stopped state when the washing water is drained, the drain hole 32 thus provided functions effectively for draining, and
At the time of the above-mentioned drying, the discharge of the warm air (indicated by the broken line arrow D) can be suppressed to be small at the blind spot position of the corner, and the drying performance is not impaired. In this way, it is possible to smoothly carry out from the washing to the final drying process, especially in the drum 2 in the drying process.
A smooth and effective warm air can be supplied to the inside of the tank 9 and the drying performance can be expected to be improved. Therefore, the compact design of the drum 29, the water tank 26 and the like can be more effectively executed.

In this embodiment, a water injection pipe 47, which is a water cooling means, is provided in the heat exchanger 42 to enhance the dehumidification effect. However, instead of this, an air cooling means may be used.
Various concrete configurations of can be developed.

In contrast to the above embodiment, FIGS. 2 to 11 show the second to seventh embodiments of the present invention. The same parts as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. Only the different parts will be described below.

(Second Embodiment) Of the above, FIGS. 2 and 3 show a second embodiment of the present invention.
Is a vertical sectional side view of the drum 29, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an R portion shown in FIG. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an annular cover member 48 for covering the drain hole 32 is attached to the drum 29 having the same structure as that of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG.

As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 3, the cover member 48 has a rear base end portion 48a and a drum portion 29b of the drum 29.
A plurality of bosses 49 (only one is shown) to be attached and fixed to
Is formed and is fixed by tightening the screw 50. On the other hand, the free end portion 48b serves as a water passage that allows water to pass therethrough.
A gap 51 is formed around the entire circumference with b.

With this construction, when the washing water is drained, for example, the drum 29 is in a stopped state, so that the washing water flows to the drain port 32 through the gap 51 as shown by an arrow E in the figure, and is not shown. After being discharged through the water tank,
Drainage is effectively performed. On the other hand, in the drying process, with respect to the supply of warm air from the rear central portion of the drum 29 (direction of arrow C), in addition to the drain hole 32 being in the blind spot position of the corner, the facing surface is covered by the cover member 48. Since the gap 51 serving as a water passage is opened on the side of the free end portion 48b which is covered with the hot air, it is difficult for hot air to flow in, and the hot air does not immediately escape from the drain hole 32, or at least polar. Partly suppressed.

Therefore, the flow of the warm air in the direction of the broken line arrow D shown in FIG. 2 is further suppressed by the cover member 48 and can be prevented from being wastefully discharged without contributing to the drying of the laundry. It is effectively used in the drying process. In the present embodiment, the cover member 48 that covers the drain holes 32 so that water can pass through forms the gap 51 between the body portion 29b and the water passage, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a cover member can be used. It is also possible to provide a water passage by providing a structure in which there are no gaps and providing a plurality of through holes or grooves at necessary places.

(Third Embodiment) Next, FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a third embodiment of the present invention. This one is
The annular cover member 52 is made of a material having a high thermal expansion property. Specifically, as illustrated, the cover member 5
2, the drain hole 32 is covered, and the screw 50 is formed by using the boss portion 53 on the base end portion 52a side as in the second embodiment.
It is attached and fixed at. On the other hand, a plurality of circumferential ribs 54 are formed on the outer peripheral surface on the free end portion 52b side, and a gap (for example, 2 to 3 mm) 55 as a water passage is formed between the tip of the rib 54 and the body portion 29b. Is forming. Further, an intermediate portion between the base end portion 52a and the free end portion 52b of the cover member 52 is formed as a thin portion 52c.

With this structure, similarly to the second embodiment, the washing water is effectively drained in the direction of arrow E, and the warm air is not wasted as much as possible during drying. Of course, since it is made of a heat-expandable material, it is heated by warm air etc. during drying,
The free end portion 52b expands radially outward. As a result, the distal ends of the circumferential ribs 54, which have formed the gap 55 on the outer peripheral surface side, are deformed so as to come close to the body portion 29b and further come into close contact therewith. Moreover, in this embodiment, since the intermediate portion is the thin portion 52c, it can be easily deformed and the gap 55 can be substantially closed. Then, the cover member 52 is cooled in a process other than the operation stop or the drying process, so that the original drainage function of washing water or the like can be surely executed.

Therefore, the warm air at the time of drying is drained by the drain hole 3
Wasteful discharge from 2 can be prevented more reliably, and the entire warm air in the drum 29 can contribute to the drying of the laundry, and the drying performance can be further improved. In this example,
The thin portion 52c and the plurality of circumferential ribs 54 are provided to enhance the function of deforming the cover member 52 and closing the gap 55. However, these may be provided as necessary, and the shape and the like can be variously changed. is there.

(Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This example
On the free end 56b side of the annular cover member 56, a gap 57 which is a water passage is formed on the outer peripheral surface side thereof,
An annular seal member 5 in the form of a band, in which a part of the side facing the gap 57 is made of a thermally expansive material (may be a shape memory material).
It is equipped with 8. The seal member 58 is fitted and held by a fixed rib 59 projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the cover member 56. In addition, the cover member 56 has the base end portion 5 thereof.
The structure of fixing the drain hole 32 to the boss portion 60 of 6a with screws 50 is common to the second and third embodiments.

Thus, at the time of drying, the seal member 58 facing the gap 57 expands in the radial direction due to the temperature rise due to warm air or the like, and the gap 57 is deformed in the closing direction. Therefore, also in the present embodiment, it is possible to more reliably prevent the hot air from being unnecessarily discharged from the drain holes 32, and in particular, it is possible to expect the same effect as that of the third embodiment. The annular seal member 58 can be variously modified in terms of attachment means, shape, and the like. In short, at least a part of the side facing the gap 57 which is a water passage may be made of a thermally expansive material.

(Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, in order to improve the usability of the washer / dryer, the drum 2 is used.
9 is provided around a horizontal axis that inclines upward toward the front. The drum 29 is arranged in the same tilted state because the water tank 26 is elastically supported in the housing 61 in a tilted state. The drum 29 is provided in or attached to the water tank 26 and the drum 29. The constituent parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. However, the front face 61a of the housing 61 is formed with a doorway 62 for the laundry that is slightly inclined upward, and the door 23 is also provided at the door so that it can be opened and closed obliquely.

As described above, by arranging the drum 29 and the like in an inclined state that is directed forward and upward, it is easy to take in and out the laundry from the entrance 62 that opens obliquely upward, and the inside of the drum 29 is also facilitated. This makes it easier to see the bottom and prevents you from forgetting to take out the laundry. The dehydration hole 31 and the drainage hole 32 provided in the drum 29 allow smooth drainage during the original dehydration and drainage as described in the first embodiment, and drainage located at the corner during drying. The discharge of warm air from the holes 32 can be suppressed, and the deterioration of the drying performance can be prevented. In addition, particularly in this embodiment, since the drum 29 is inclined forward and upward, the front surface of the drum 29, which is an outlet of warm air, tends to be moved and arranged toward the rear side where the laundry also dries during drying. The phenomenon of blocking the opening 30 is reduced. As a result, as shown by the arrow C, the warm air that has contributed to the drying is smoothly discharged from the front opening 30, so that the flow of the warm air becomes good, and the warm air can be effectively used for drying the laundry.

(Sixth Embodiment) Next, FIGS.
7 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. 7, and FIG. In the flowchart showing the control contents,
Further, FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 showing a modified example of this embodiment. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the drum 70
Can be stopped at a predetermined position by a position sensor 63, and the drum 70 is different only in a configuration having a drain hole 64 formed by being restricted to a specific position in relation to the stop position, and the other configurations are common. .

First, referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the position sensor 63 is the front portion 7 of the drum 70.
A magnet 65 fixed to 0a and a reed switch 66 provided on the front surface portion 26a of the water tank 26 facing the magnet 65, the positioning of which is performed when stopping the drum 70 after the washing process and the rinsing process. (Details will be described later). Further, the drainage hole 64 formed in the body portion 70b of the drum 70 is located at a corner portion on the rear surface portion 70c side as shown in FIG.
A specific area in which ⅙ is represented by the symbol α (angle αα =
(120 degrees to 60 degrees), a plurality of drain holes 64 are also formed in one row. Therefore, when drainage is performed, the drainage hole 64 is positioned downward so that the washing water in the drum 70 can be drained. This positioning can be performed by the position sensor 63.

The control contents of the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the so-called washing to rinsing process from the start of the operation to the drying process based on the control device 25. Then, when a desired laundry course or the like is set by the operation unit 24 and started, the laundry amount is detected using a rotation sensor (not shown) in step S1, and the laundry amount is determined (step S2). Then,
When a water supply valve (not shown) is opened to start water supply to the water tank 26 (step S3) and reaches a predetermined water level (step S4), the motor 34 is driven, the drum 29 is rotated at a low speed, and the washing operation is started. (Step S5).

When the washing operation is performed for a predetermined time (step S6), the motor 34 is de-energized and the inertia of the drum 70 is small, and the drum 70 is quickly stopped (step S7). In the subsequent steps S8 to S10, the position sensor 63
Predetermined positioning of the drum 70 is performed by. That is, in step S8, the drum 70, which is in a stopped state at an unspecified position, is rotated in one direction at an extremely low speed (for example, 5 rp).
m), the reed switch 66 shown in FIG. 7 operates at a position facing the magnet 65, and the control device 25 inputs the detection signal thereof (step S9).
The motor 34 and thus the drum 70 are stopped at a predetermined position (step S10). This stop position controls the drain hole 64 provided in the specific area so that the position is set downward.

In this way, the drain valve 39 (electric drive unit 40) is opened (ON) at the positioned stop position to start draining (step S11), and the water level in the water tank 26 reaches a predetermined level. When it decreases (step S12),
The drum 70 is rotated at a high speed to start a so-called dehydration operation (step S13), the detergent component and water contained in the laundry are centrifugally extracted from the dehydration hole 31, and this is performed for a predetermined time (step S14). The dehydration rotation of 70 is stopped (step S15).

Thus, the steps up to step S15 are executed as the washing process including the dehydration operation, and the process proceeds to the next rinsing process. However, in the first rinsing process, substantially the same operations (only the presence or absence of detergent is different) of steps S3 to S15 of the washing process are repeated until the drum 70 is stopped in steps S16 to S28 of the water supply start. In particular, in steps S21 to S23, the drum 70 is positioned using the position sensor 63 in the same manner as described above, and the drainage hole 64 in the specific area is drained well.

In the subsequent steps, the second rinsing stroke is executed, and the steps S16 to S28 in the first rinsing stroke are performed until the drum 70 is stopped in the water supply starting step S29 to step S41.
Is performed in the same manner as described above, and the drum 70 is stopped at a predetermined position,
The drainage action from the drainage hole 64 located below is reliably executed and controlled. Then, after step S42, the circulation path 41
In response to the supply of warm air from the manufacturer, the process proceeds to the drying process described in the first embodiment.

As described above, in this embodiment, the drain hole 64 is particularly used.
Since a small number are formed only at specific predetermined positions, even if hot air during drying leaks from the drain holes 64, it can be kept to a minimum, and the warm air can be effectively used for the drying action without waste. . On the other hand, at the time of drainage in the washing and rinsing operation, the position sensor 63 for positioning the drum 70 is provided, and the drainage hole 64 provided at the specific position can be always located below, so that the original drainage action can be surely executed.

(Modification) FIG. 10 shows a modification of the above embodiment, which is a modification in which the position of the position sensor 67 is different, and is common to all the other parts. That is, the magnet 68 constituting the position sensor 67 is attached and fixed to the outer peripheral side of the rotor 34b of the motor 34, and the reed switch 69 is provided in a positional relationship facing the rear surface portion 26c of the water tank 26. However, since the drum 70 is directly connected to the rotor 34b via the rotary shaft 35, the drum 70 can be positioned by detecting the position by the rotor 34b, and the drain hole 64 at the specific position can be detected.
Can be set and controlled to a predetermined lower position, and the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected.

(Seventh Embodiment) FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional side view of a drum 29 showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In this device, a cylindrical inner tank 71 is mounted inside the drum 29, and a so-called 2 is formed by the body portion 29b of the drum 29 and the inner tank 71.
It differs from the first embodiment in that it is configured as a body having a heavy wall structure. A large number of through holes 72 are formed in this inner tank 71.

With this structure, the drum 29 has a body portion 29.
In contrast to the configuration in which only one row of dehydration holes 31 is provided on the front end side of b and the drainage holes 32 are provided on the rear surface part 29c side, these are covered with the inner tank 71, and as a result, the drum 29 Can be configured as non-perforated as much as possible, which effectively suppresses wasteful discharge of hot air during drying from the drain hole 32 and can be efficiently used, and is extracted from laundry during dehydration operation. Water is discharged from the large number of through holes 72 of the inner tub 71 between the double walls of the drum 29 and the inner tub 71, moves to the dehydration hole 31 at the tip portion without re-adhering to the laundry, and smoothly moves to the water tub side not shown. It can be discharged, and thus the deterioration of the dehydration performance can be effectively prevented. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and can be appropriately modified in practice without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0064]

As is clear from the above description, the washer / dryer of the present invention is for supplying hot air into the drum through a circulation path communicating with the water tank and the drum.
The drum is provided with a blower opening communicating with the circulation path at a substantially central portion of the rear surface portion, and the drum portion is tapered so as to expand toward the front opening, and a dehydration hole is provided on the opening end side. The warm air from the circulation path is supplied to the inside from the air outlet on the rear side of the drum, and the warm air that contributes to the drying and is discharged from the front side of the drum to the water tank side is returned to the circulation path.

As a result, the warm air is supplied from the rear of the drum toward the front, and the warm air passes through the inside of the drum while effectively contacting the laundry, and most of it is discharged from the front opening. And since the dehydration hole is provided on the front open end side,
This is after a part of the warm air is discharged from the dehydration hole and after the contact with the laundry is sufficiently made before reaching the dehydration hole. As a result, the hot air supplied to the drum is effectively collected in the circulation path after being contributed to the drying, and an effective drying action is obtained throughout the drying process to improve the drying performance. You can expect it,
The compact design can also be implemented more effectively. On the other hand, in the dehydration process, since the dehydration hole is formed on the tapered tip side of the drum body, the water extracted from the laundry by the rotation of the drum is smoothly discharged from the dehydration hole to perform the dehydration operation. It is possible to provide a washer / dryer that is suitable for practical use, such as being well performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of an entire washer / dryer showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of a drum showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of an R portion in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of main parts.

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 showing a modified example.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional side view of a drum showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 and 61 are housings, 25 is a control device, 26 is a water tank, 2
9, 70 are drums, 30 are openings, 31 are dehydration holes, 32,
64 is a drainage hole, 33 is a ventilation port, 34 is a motor, 34b is a rotor, 39 is a drainage valve, 41 is a circulation path, 42 is a heat exchanger, 43 is a ventilation device, 44 is a heater device, 45 is a duct part, 47 Is a water injection pipe (water cooling means), 48, 52 and 56 are cover members, 51, 55 and 57 are gaps (water passages), 58 is a seal member (thermally expandable material), 63 and 67 are position sensors, and 65 and 68. Is a magnet, 66 and 69 are reed switches, 71 is an inner tank, and 72 is a through hole.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A housing forming an outer shell, a cylindrical water tank having a front opening arranged inside the housing in the horizontal axis direction, and a front surface arranged inside the water tank around the horizontal axis. A cylindrical drum for washing, dewatering and drying the laundry put through the opening, a circulation path formed outside the water tank and connected to the drum and the water tank, and a circulation path provided in this circulation path. In an air blower that circulates air and heats it to a warm air, a heater device, and a heat exchanger that is disposed on the upstream side of the air blower device and the heater device and that dehumidifies from the circulating air flowing through the circulation path, The drum is provided with a blower port at a substantially central portion of a rear surface portion thereof, and a body portion is formed into a taper shape that expands toward a front opening, and a dehydration hole is provided at an opening end side of the drum portion. Warm air is blown in through the air vent on the rear of the drum. Supplies, the washing and drying machine is characterized in that a structure for returning the circulation path of the hot air discharged into the water tank side from contributing to the drum forward drying. 2. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, wherein a drain hole is provided on the rear surface side of the drum body, and a cover member is provided to cover the drain hole so that water can pass through. 3. The washing / drying machine according to claim 2, wherein the cover member is formed of a heat-expandable material in an annular shape, and a water passage communicating with a drain hole is formed on the outer peripheral surface side thereof. 4. The cover member has a water passage communicating with the drainage hole on the outer peripheral surface side forming an annular shape, and a part of the surface side forming the water passage forming an annular shape with a thermally expansive material. The washer / dryer according to claim 2. 5. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, wherein the drum is provided around a horizontal axis that is inclined upward toward the front. 6. A drain hole is provided in a region of about 1/3 to 1/6 in the circumferential direction on the rear surface side of the drum body, and the drain hole is positioned below when draining. The washer / dryer according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensor for controlling the positioning of the drum. 7. A drum is provided with a cylindrical inner tank, and at least the drum body has a double wall structure, and the inner tank has a large number of through holes. The washer / dryer according to claim 1.