JP2005137504A - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clothes dryer which is constituted of a sure heat-transmission structure with respect to a temperature fuse for shutting off a power feeding circuit when a heater for heating air flow reaches an abnormal temperature. <P>SOLUTION: At a predetermined position in a heating duct 19, a swollen section 26a is formed at a part of a supporting fitting 26 which supports the heater 20. The supporting fitting 26 is attached in such a manner that the swollen section 26a may be exposed to the outside from an opening 24b which is formed on the side surface of an upper duct 24. The air sealability in the duct is ensured by attaching a packing member 95 on the opening 24b. A temperature fuse fitting 96 which holds a temperature fuse 27 is attached to the upper duct 24. Thus, the temperature fuse 27 abuts on the swollen section 26a. Since the temperature of the heater 20 is transmitted to the temperature fuse 27 through the supporting fitting 26, a rise in the temperature of the heater 20 by the abnormal temperature causes the temperature fuse 27 to quickly fuse, so that the power feeding circuit is shut off. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a clothes dryer that exhausts air in a rotating drum containing clothes to be dried, dehumidifies and heats the clothes, and then dries the clothes by circulating air that is blown into the rotating drum.

  In clothes dryers such as a washing dryer with a drying function added to the washing machine or an electric dryer dedicated to drying, clothes containing moisture are stored in the rotating drum and the rotating drum is stirred while being rotated. Air containing moisture is exhausted, and moisture in the air is dehumidified by heat exchange, and then the clothing and the like are dried by repeating the air circulation in which warm air heated by a heater is blown into the rotating drum.

The temperature of the hot air blown into the rotating drum is adjusted so that hot air is not blown by detecting the hot air temperature. However, if the air blows up due to a blower fan failure or a blower duct failure, the blown air is heated. The heater that rises abnormally is heated, and hot air is fed into the rotating drum to damage clothes or damage to the air duct, and in the worst case, smoke or ignition may occur. Therefore, when the heater temperature rises abnormally, it is necessary to cut off the energization circuit to the heater. Connect the temperature fuse to the energization circuit to the heater and attach the temperature fuse to the position where the heat of the heater is transferred. An over-temperature prevention device is provided (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-263285 (pages 3 to 4, FIG. 3)

  The thermal fuse is required to operate quickly when an abnormal temperature rise of the heater is detected, and to cut off the energization circuit to the heater. However, the heater in the clothes dryer is disposed in the air duct, In a washing / drying machine to which a drying function has been added, water may enter the air duct, so that the temperature fuse connected to the electric circuit is attached to the outside of the air duct. Therefore, since the temperature fuse indirectly detects the heat of the heater through the wall surface of the air duct, there is a problem that the temperature detection is not stable.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a clothes dryer in which a thermal fuse is attached to ensure safety so that an abnormal temperature rise of a heater can be reliably detected and operated.

  In order to achieve the above object, a clothes dryer according to the present invention includes a heater that is supported at a predetermined position by a support fitting in a casing that forms an air duct that blows warm air to a clothes-accommodating tank that contains clothes, The support bracket is fixed to the casing so that a part of the support bracket is exposed to the outside from the opening formed in the casing, and a thermal fuse is attached to the outside of the casing in contact with the externally exposed portion of the support bracket. And

  According to the above configuration, since the heat of the heater is transferred to the thermal fuse via the support fitting, the heat transfer path is only the support fitting that is a metal object, and a stable heat transfer path is ensured. Therefore, by setting the temperature at which the thermal fuse blows to a temperature that will cause an abnormal temperature rise of the heater, when the heater rises to an abnormal temperature, the temperature is quickly transferred to the thermal fuse through the support bracket. The thermal fuse can be melted and the energization circuit to the heater can be cut off.

  In the above configuration, the externally exposed portion of the support metal fitting is preferably formed on a projecting surface that fits into an opening formed in the casing and bulges outward, and the support metal fitting is formed so as to close the opening of the casing. Since it can attach, the airtightness of a casing can be ensured and the heat-transfer path | route to the exterior can be formed.

  Moreover, if the packing member which fills the clearance gap between the external exposure site | parts of a support metal fitting is arrange | positioned in the inner periphery of the opening part formed in the casing, the airtightness of a casing can be ensured more reliably.

  In addition, if the externally exposed part of the support bracket is formed in two places and two temperature fuses connected in series in contact with each externally exposed part are attached, the fusing temperature of the thermal fuse may vary. Even if there is any one, the temperature fuse is activated, so the safety is more surely ensured.

  According to the present invention, a reliable heat transfer path from the heater to the thermal fuse is formed, and the airtightness of the air duct is ensured, so that a clothes dryer having a configuration corresponding to an abnormal temperature rise of the heater is provided. can do.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a main part of a drum-type washing / drying machine 1 according to the embodiment. A function of a clothes dryer is added to the drum-type washing machine to perform washing alone as a washing machine. As a dryer, the laundry that has been washed can be dried continuously, or it can be optionally used as a clothes dryer for drying wet clothes and the like.

  In FIG. 1, a water tank 3 is supported in an inclined state by a suspension structure (not shown) in a washing machine housing 6, and a rotating drum 2 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape is rotatably supported in the water tank 3. ing. The rotary drum 2 is rotationally driven by a drum drive motor 7 attached to the back of the water tank 3 so that the rotational speed can be varied and the rotational direction can be switched. Further, since the rotating drum 2 is inclined so that the direction of the rotation axis is inclined downward from the front side opening as shown in the drawing toward the back side as the bottom surface, the front side of the washing machine casing 6 is arranged. Opening the door body 9 that can be freely opened and closed on the inclined surface 6a formed on the front surface of the drum-type washing and drying machine 1 reduces the amount of bending when the laundry is taken in and out of the rotary drum 2. Since it is not necessary to secure a space with a margin on the side, the drum type washing and drying machine 1 that can be installed in a narrow space such as a washroom can be configured.

  In addition to the above-described components, the washing machine housing 6 includes a water supply unit 12 for supplying water into the aquarium 3, a drainage unit 13 for draining water in the aquarium 3 to the outside, and the like. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the air in the water tank 3 exhausted from the exhaust port 21 is dehumidified so that a drying process of drying the laundry accommodated in the rotary drum 2 can be performed. 16, a drying air circulation path through which air is blown again from the blower opening 22 into the water tank 3 through the yarn waste collecting filter 17, the blower duct 18, and the heating duct 19 is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the dehumidification pipe line 16 is formed adjacent to the side peripheral surface of the water tank 3, and communicates with the inside of the water tank 3 through an exhaust port 21 that opens to the side peripheral surface of the water tank 3. Dehumidifying means 38 having a water injection nozzle 52 and a heat exchanger 51 through which water sprinkled from the water injection nozzle 52 flows is disposed in the dehumidification pipe line 16, and the air in the water tank 3 exhausted from the exhaust port 21. Is dehumidified by being cooled by the dehumidifying means 38. The dehumidifying duct 16 is connected to the air duct 18 on the front side of the washing machine housing 6, and a lint collecting filter 17 that filters dust such as lint contained in the air is provided at the inlet of the air duct 18. It is arranged. The air duct 18 is a duct for guiding air to the heating duct 19 disposed on the back side of the water tank 3, and is disposed adjacent to the side peripheral surface of the water tank 3 together with the dehumidifying duct 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the air duct 18 is connected to a heating duct 19 formed in a substantially arc shape on the back side of the water tank 3, and the air circulation path for drying is provided by the air fan 15 disposed in the connection portion. A one-way air flow is formed.

  A heater 20 is disposed in the heating pipe 19 and heats the air flowing from the blower pipe 18 and feeds it into the water tank 3 as hot air that has been heated and dried from a blower opening 22 that leads to the water tank 3. . The heating pipe 19 is provided with a temperature sensor 55 that constitutes a temperature detector 54 that detects the temperature of the air blown from the blower opening 22, and the detected temperature of the blown air is input to the control device 40 described later. The heating temperature by the heater 20 can be adjusted. The heating pipe 19 detects an abnormal overheating state of the heater 20 and shuts off the power to the heater 20, and the overflow water level where water or bubbles flowing back from the blower port 22 flows into the blower fan 15 side. An overflow water level sensor 29 for detecting the above is disposed.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the portion where the heater 20 of the heating pipe 19 is disposed. The heating pipe 19 includes a lower pipe 23 and an upper pipe 24 formed of a heat-resistant resin at respective peripheral portions. The formed fitting portions 23a and 24a are fitted and joined to each other to form a cylindrical pipe line. A metal thin plate 25 is attached to a portion where the heater 20 in the heating pipe 19 is disposed so as to cover the inner wall surface, thereby improving the heat resistance and improving the heatability of the blown air. The heater 20 arranged in the heating pipe 19 can fold one sheathed heater on both sides so that the air passing therethrough can be efficiently heated by arranging four on the pipe cross-sectional area as shown in the figure. I have to. The heater 20 is supported at a plurality of locations by supporting metal fittings 26 so as to be positioned at hollow positions in the pipe line.

  The temperature of the heater 20 rises when the blowing of air is delayed due to a failure of the blower fan 15 or dust accumulation in the blower path. Therefore, the temperature of the heater 20 rises abnormally until the heating pipe 19 and other components are damaged. In preparation for the worst case, a thermal fuse 27 for detecting an abnormal temperature rise of the heater 20 is disposed in the heating line 19.

  FIG. 5 shows the arrangement structure of the thermal fuse 27, and the bulging portion 26 a formed by drawing on a part of the support fitting 26 that supports the heater 20 is formed on the side surface of the upper conduit 24. It is inserted into the opening 24 b and exposed to the outside of the heating pipe line 19. A packing member 95 is fitted on the opening 24b so as to cover the periphery thereof, thereby preventing a decrease in airtightness due to the opening 24b being formed in the heating pipe line 19. By attaching the thermal fuse mounting bracket 96 holding the thermal fuse 27 on the packing member 95, a state in which the bulging portion 26a formed in the support bracket 26 and the thermal fuse 27 are in direct contact with each other is obtained.

  Since the support bracket 26 holds the heater 20 at one end, the heat of the heater 20 is directly conducted and is transferred to the thermal fuse 27 through the bulging portion 26a. By setting the fusing temperature of the thermal fuse 27 to the upper limit temperature rise of the heater 20, when the heater 20 rises abnormally due to abnormal air flow or the like and reaches the upper limit temperature, the temperature is promptly passed through the support fitting 26. Since the heat is transferred to the thermal fuse 27, the thermal fuse 27 is melted and the energization circuit to the heater 20 can be interrupted.

  The fusing temperature of the thermal fuse 27 varies not a little, and in order to prepare for the case where heat transfer is not smoothly performed due to a mounting failure or the like, two bulging portions 26a are formed in the support fitting 26, and each bulging portion If two temperature fuses 27 are attached in contact with each of the heaters 26a and the two temperature fuses 27 are connected in series, any one of the temperature fuses 27 is blown when the heater 20 has an abnormal temperature rise. An overtemperature prevention structure can be reliably configured.

  The drum-type washing / drying machine 1 having the above-described configuration can be used only as a clothes drying machine. The door 9 is opened, a drying object such as clothes is put into the rotating drum 2, and the drying course is started from the operation panel. Is selectively input to start the operation, the clothes and the like stored while the rotary drum 2 is rotationally driven by the drum drive motor 7 are agitated. Further, since the blower fan 15 rotates and blows air to the air circulation path, as shown in FIG. 2, the air in the water tank 3 is exhausted from the exhaust port 21, and the air including the moisture in the rotary drum 2 is surrounded. From the through-hole 8 formed on the surface, the water enters the water tank 3 and enters the dehumidifying conduit 16 through the exhaust port 21. Since the heat exchanger 51 is disposed in the dehumidification pipe line 16 and cooling water is poured from the water injection nozzle 52, the air containing moisture touches the heat exchanger 51 and the exhausted air because water vapor condenses. The moisture inside is dehumidified. The dehumidified air passes through the lint collecting filter 17, is sent from the blower pipe 18 to the heating pipe 19, is heated by the heater 20, becomes warm air, and is provided at the lower side of the rear surface of the water tank 3. Then, the air is blown into the water tank 3 and blown into the rotary drum 2 from a vent 39 formed on the back surface of the rotary drum 2. As indicated by the white arrow in FIG. 2, the hot air touches the clothes and the like stirred from the back side of the rotating drum 2 to take away moisture, and the circulation of exhausting from the exhaust port 21 is repeated again. Clothes and the like are dried by the drying operation.

  The heater 20 disposed in the heating pipe 19 can keep the warm air blown from the blower port 22 at a predetermined temperature while the air flow is continued with the required air volume. When the air flow is extremely reduced due to the stoppage or the accumulation of lint or the like, the temperature rises because the balance between heat generation and heat dissipation is lost. Since the temperature of the air heated by the heater 20 is detected by the temperature sensor 55 disposed in the vicinity of the air blowing port 22, the energization of the heater 20 is controlled by the control circuit when the temperature rises above a predetermined temperature. Although the control operation for reducing the heat generation amount is performed, the heater 20 rises to an abnormal temperature in the worst state in which the control operation does not function normally. When the limit value of the abnormal temperature rise is reached, the thermal fuse 27 configured as described above is activated to forcibly cut off the energization circuit to the heater 20, so that the clothing or the like is damaged by the hot air. , Or failure of components, or a situation that causes a fire is prevented.

  The configuration described above shows an example in which the mounting structure of the temperature fuse 27 is applied to the drying function of the drum-type washing and drying machine 1, but it can be similarly configured for a clothes dryer such as an electric dryer. .

  The present invention relates to clothes dryers such as washing dryers and electric dryers having a drying function added to the washing machine, and causes damage due to abnormal temperature rise of the heater, which is a function of generating hot air necessary for drying clothes and the like In order to prevent overheating, a structure that prevents overheating is formed, so the clothes dryer will fall into the worst state even if the accumulated lint is neglected or an unexpected failure occurs. Can be prevented.

Sectional drawing which shows the principal part structure of the drum type washing-drying machine which concerns on embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the drying function in a structure same as the above. The top view which shows the structure in a heating pipe line. Sectional drawing of the heater arrangement | positioning position of a heating pipe line. Sectional drawing which shows the attachment structure of a thermal fuse.

Explanation of symbols

1 Drum-type washing dryer (clothing dryer)
2 Rotating drum (clothing storage tank)
3 Water tank 15 Blower fan 16 Dehumidification duct 18 Blower duct 19 Heating duct (casing)
24b Opening portion 20 Heater 21 Exhaust port 22 Blower port 26 Support bracket 26a Expansion portion 27 Thermal fuse 95 Packing member 96 Thermal fuse mounting bracket

Claims (4)

A heater is supported at a predetermined position by a support metal fitting in a casing that forms a ventilation duct for blowing warm air to a clothing storage tank containing clothing, and a part of the support metal fitting is opened from an opening formed in the casing. A clothes dryer, wherein the clothes dryer is fixed to the casing so as to be exposed to the outside, and a temperature fuse is attached to the outside of the casing in contact with an externally exposed portion of the support metal fitting. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the externally exposed portion of the support metal fitting is formed on a projecting surface that is fitted into an opening formed in the casing and bulges outward. The clothes dryer of Claim 1 or 2 with which the packing member which fills the clearance gap between the external exposure parts of a support metal fitting is arrange | positioned in the inner periphery of the opening part formed in the casing. The clothes according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein two externally exposed parts of the support metal fitting are formed at two places, and two temperature fuses connected in series with each externally exposed part are attached. Dryer.

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