JP2006187449A - Washing/drying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically clean lint caught using a circulating air passage for circulatively supplying dry air by water-washing and provide the constitution with a compact shape. <P>SOLUTION: This washing/drying machine is provided with a water tub 3 and a drum 4 for washing and drying clothes; and is constituted to circulatively supplying the dry air to the drum 4 via the circulating air passage 13 in the drying process by being interposed with a heat pump mechanism comprising a compressor 18, an evaporator 29 and a condenser 19, and an air blowing fan 21 in the mid-course. This washing/drying machine is provided with a lint filter 22 in the circulation air passage 13 and positioned in the upstream side of the evaporator 20, and an injection nozzle 23 washing away the lint caught by the lint filter 22; and the injection nozzle 23 injects water along the lint filter surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing / drying machine having a washing and drying function, and particularly employing a heat pump mechanism to generate dry air.

  Conventionally, as this kind of washing and drying machine, for example, in a drum type washing and drying machine, clothes and the like are housed in a rotatable drum, and a washing process such as washing, rinsing and dehydration, and a drying process are automatically operated, or Selective operation is possible. In order to increase the efficiency of heat energy used for drying, particularly in the drying process, drying air heated to a predetermined temperature can be circulated and supplied into the drum. For this purpose, a circulation air passage communicating with the inlet and outlet of the drying air of the drum is formed, and a heat pump mechanism that is also a heat source of the drying air is provided in the middle of the air, so It is set as the structure which produces | generates a dry wind through the evaporator dehumidified by replacement | exchange, and the condenser similarly heated.

  However, in the above-described circulation configuration, the clothes and the like are dried without being exhausted outside the machine. In particular, lint such as lint generated in the washing process floats on the drying air and floats in the circulation air passage. Will flow. In this state, lint is entangled in the evaporator and the like, resulting in a decrease in circulating air volume and a decrease in dehumidifying performance due to heat exchange, and naturally it cannot be used for a long time. Further, since the circulation air passage is not directly connected to the outside of the machine, a lint filter that can be detached from the outside of the machine cannot be easily arranged.

On the other hand, regardless of the configuration of the washing and drying machine, it is not easy to provide a lint filter so as to be removable from the outside of the machine, and the cleaning operation of the captured lint is troublesome, and if this is neglected Causes problems such as a decrease in air volume as described above. Therefore, in recent years, means for automatically cleaning the lint captured by the lint filter has been considered. For example, a lint filter is provided in a horizontal state in the air passage, and the lint filter surface has an upward direction opposite to the air flow. A proposal has been made that water is jetted out to wash away the lint adhering to the lint filter, thereby eliminating the need for cleaning and improving usability (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-135755 A

  According to the above configuration, by adopting the lint water washing means described in Patent Document 1 in the drum type washing and drying machine, it is expected that the desired air volume can be secured for a long time without the circulation air passage being narrowed by the lint. . However, in the water washing means, the condition setting is such that water is jetted from the direction opposite to the air flow, and the lint filter surface is disposed horizontally and the water diffusion jet means that covers a wide range facing the filter surface In addition, a considerable space is required in the horizontal direction and the height direction, such as requiring a predetermined separation distance between the filter surface and the ejection means. This means that the larger the filter area is, the larger the filter area is to prevent clogging of the filter and the reduction of the air volume, and moreover, in the washing / drying machine equipped with the circulation air passage, It is not easy to arrange in the space, and there is a problem that it cannot meet the demand for compactness.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing / drying machine including a water washing means that can be made compact and can easily clean lint.

  In order to achieve the above object, a washing and drying machine of the present invention includes a washing tub for washing and drying clothes and the like, and a heat pump mechanism including a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, and the like in the middle of a drying process, and a blower In the configuration in which the drying air is circulated and supplied to the washing tub through a circulation air passage through a fan, a lint filter is provided on the upstream side of the evaporator in the circulation air passage. The main feature is that a water washing means for washing out the captured lint is provided, and the water washing means is configured to inject water along the lint filter surface from above.

  According to the above means, water is poured along the lint filter surface and the captured lint is washed away, so that it is not necessary to widely diffuse and pour water as washing means, and the lint filter and the water filling means are provided to be spaced apart from each other. Lint can be automatically cleaned with a compact configuration, such as no need, and even in a configuration with a circulation path for dry air that should improve the efficiency of thermal energy, it is easily arranged in space Can be provided.

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a drum-type washing / drying machine will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, a description will be given based on a longitudinal side view showing the overall configuration of the washing / drying machine shown in FIG. 1. The washing / drying machine can automatically or selectively perform washing, rinsing, dehydration and drying operations. A substantially rectangular box-shaped housing 1 that forms the outer shell of the dryer is provided with a loading port 1a for loading and unloading laundry at the center of the front surface, and a door 2 for opening and closing the loading port 1a. The rear surface of the door 2 has a convex surface portion 2a that reaches the front opening of the drum 4 to be described later. It is formed so as to be directed forward (rightward in the figure) upward.

  Inside the housing 1, a water tub 3 having a cylindrical shape in the front-rear direction as a washing tub and a drum 4 around the horizontal axis are disposed. Among them, the water tank 3 is essentially configured to be non-porous and capable of storing water except for a large opening facing the right side which is the front side, and an elastic support device (not shown) in a slightly upwardly inclined state. It is elastically supported via. On the other hand, the drum 4 has a cylindrical shape of the same form inside the water tank 3 and is rotatably arranged with its rotational axis inclined specifically forward and upward. The drum 4 has a large opening on the front side, and a large number of through holes 4a and a plurality of baffles 4b (only one is shown) are formed on the peripheral wall. Acts as a shared washing tub for dehydration and drying.

  Thus, each front opening of the water tank 3 and the drum 4 is formed so as to communicate with each other in the same direction, and the insertion port 1a of the housing 1 is located on the substantially extended line, and the laundry is passed through the drum 4 through these. Can be taken in and out. An elastic bellows 5 is watertightly connected between the inlet 1a of the housing 1 and the front opening of the water tank 3 to prevent water leakage from the water tank 3 into the housing 1 and the like. Yes.

  A motor 6 that rotates the drum 4 is disposed in the center of the back surface of the water tank 3. The motor 6 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor, and a rotating shaft 7 having an inclined rotating shaft connected to the rotor passes through the water tank 3 and is connected to the center of the back surface of the drum 4. Therefore, when the motor 6 is energized and driven, the drum 4 rotates integrally with the rotor. Further, a drainage port 8 is formed in the lowermost rear part of the bottom surface of the water tank 3 and is connected to a tank drain pipe 10 having a drain valve 9 in the middle thereof. It is possible to drain to a predetermined drainage place through a main drain pipe 12 led out from the casing 1 which is outside the machine.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a circulation air passage 13 is provided which communicates from the rear surface of the water tank 3 through the lower surface to the front surface. This circulation air passage 13 circulates and supplies the drying air for heating and drying clothes and the like into the drum 4 through the water tank 3, and the drying air is on the front side of the drum 4 as indicated by the arrow in the figure. It is configured to be supplied from the opening to the inside and discharged from the back of the rear water tank 3 while drying clothes and the like.

  Specifically, the circulation air passage 13 is provided on each of the front and rear surfaces of the water tank 3 and has an air supply duct 14 and an exhaust duct 15 that are both connected to the upper portion thereof. It has a configuration in which the other end is connected to a heat exchange duct 16 disposed on the lower casing 1 side via expansion / contraction portions 17a and 17b. In particular, the heat exchange duct 16 is provided with a heat pump mechanism, an air blowing means, a lint capturing means, and a lint cleaning means for efficiently generating dry air as will be described later.

  First, the heat pump mechanism will be briefly described. In this configuration, as is well known, the refrigerant is circulated in the order of the condenser 19, a capillary tube (throttle) (not shown), and the evaporator 20 by the compressor 18 installed in the housing 1. Its function is to heat the air circulating in the condenser 19 to generate dry air, which is sent into the drum 4 through the air supply duct 14 by the blower fan 21 to dry clothes and the like inside. The air containing moisture after contributing to the drying is recovered from the exhaust duct 15 to the heat exchange duct 16, where it is cooled and dehumidified by the evaporator 20, is heated again to the condenser 19, and is reused as drying air. The heat energy is effectively utilized without being exhausted.

  Next, the lint capturing means and the cleaning means will be described. The lint is located on the upstream side slightly spaced from the evaporator 20 on the upstream side of the heat pump mechanism so as to block the rectangular passage of the heat exchange duct 16. A filter 22 is provided. Although the specific configuration will be described later, it is possible to capture lint that has flowed in a floating state while ensuring sufficient air permeability. Further, a so-called water-washing means is provided which is provided with a water-injecting nozzle 23 capable of pouring water along the vertical surface on the upstream side of the lint filter 22 so as to wash out the captured lint. For this reason, a water injection pipe 24 is connected to the water injection nozzle 23, and the other end is connected to a water supply valve unit 25 provided in the upper part of the housing 1 so that tap water can be supplied.

  The water supply valve unit 25 is connected with a water supply pipe 26 for supplying water into the water tank 3 and the drum 4 as a washing tub, and is selectively controlled to be opened and closed by a control device (not shown). Each of the water supply pipes 26 can be supplied with water. As described above, the heat exchange duct 16 provided with the lint filter 22 and the heat pump mechanism has a step in the middle as is apparent from FIG. 1, but has a configuration in which the entire heat exchange duct 16 is inclined downward toward the upstream side (counter arrow side). There is no.

  However, as a draining means by the water washing means, a drain port 27 is formed at least at the upstream side in the vicinity of the lint filter 22 and at the lowest part of the heat exchange duct 16, to which a duct drain pipe 28 is connected, and The main drain pipe 12 is connected to the main drain pipe 12 through a drain valve 29. Therefore, the tank drain pipe 10 and the duct drain pipe 28 are joined through the drain valves 9 and 29, respectively, and can drain from the main drain pipe 12 to the outside of the machine. Also, the moisture dehumidified by the evaporator 20 is dropped and then flows down along the inclined lower surface of the heat exchange duct 16 and is similarly discharged from the drain port 27 to the outside.

  Here, the above-described filter device 11 will be described. The filter device 11 is provided in the middle portion of the main drain pipe 12 and includes, for example, a lattice-like filter member 30 so that lint can be captured from the drainage. The filter case 31 that accommodates the filter member 30 so as to be detachable from the outside of the machine communicates so that one end is opened in the front surface of the housing 1 and the inner end side of the other end intersects the midway portion of the main drain pipe 12. Connected configuration. In addition, the filter case 31 rises obliquely toward the front surface of the housing 1, and the lid portion 30a of the filter member 30 can be closed in a watertight manner at an opening outside the machine.

  2 to 6 disclose specific configurations of the lint filter 22 disposed in the upstream (upstream side) of the heat pump mechanism of the heat exchange duct 16 and the water injection nozzle 23 serving as washing means. . Among them, the configuration of the lint filter 22 shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 will be described. As a whole, the rectangular frame portion 32 forms an outer shell, which is a size along the cross-sectional shape of the passage to be attached to the heat exchange duct 16. And the shape. A large number of thin wire members 33 fixed to the upper and lower portions of the frame portion 32 are provided in the vertical direction (vertical direction). The wire member 33 is formed of, for example, a resin thread or a metal wire, and is arranged in a large number at a predetermined small pitch by an appropriate fixing means such as heat welding during or after the molding of the resin frame portion 32. Yes. Accordingly, the wire members 33 arranged in parallel in the vertical direction form slit-like narrow eyes, ensuring sufficient air permeability in the heat exchange duct 16 and capturing lint floating in the air.

  In the present embodiment, the lower frame 32a of the frame portion 32 is formed slightly thin as shown in the longitudinal sectional view including a part of the heat exchange duct 16 in FIG. Reinforcing metal fittings 34 are attached. Moreover, the upper surface is incorporated so as to be an inclined surface that is substantially flush with the lower surface of the heat exchange duct 16 and descends upstream. Accordingly, the water that has flowed down the lower surface of the heat exchange duct 16 has an assembly structure in which the lower frame portion 32a passes over the flow without a hindrance and flows smoothly.

  As shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the water injection nozzle 23 constituting the water washing means is disposed in the vicinity of the upper frame portion 32 b of the lint filter 22. First, a single structure of the water injection nozzle 23 will be described with reference to FIGS. The water injection nozzle 23 has an elongated cylindrical tubular portion 23a, one end of which is connected to the water injection pipe 24, and a long and flat rectangular opening 35 that protrudes from the tubular portion 23a along the longitudinal direction thereof. It is comprised from the same rectangular water-injection part 23b which has. A cap 23c is fitted to the closed end of the cylindrical portion 23a to prevent pressure deformation of the long cylindrical portion 23a at the time of molding. Has been established. With this configuration, the water that has reached the cylindrical portion 23a of the water injection nozzle 23 can be squeezed by a long and flat opening 35 and can be jetted as a uniform thin water film in the longitudinal direction by the rectifying plate 35a. It is said.

  Thus, the water injection nozzle 23 having such a configuration is arranged such that the water injection port portion 23b is arranged in parallel with the upper frame portion 32b of the lint filter 22 as disclosed in FIG. 35 is arranged so that water can be sprayed and poured in the form of a water film along the longitudinal filter surface on the upstream side of the wire member 33. In this case, the position of the opening is inclined slightly toward the filter surface. Good. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, the water injection nozzle 23 is provided in a configuration in which the water injection port 23 b protrudes from the upper surface of the heat exchange duct 16 in a watertight manner.

Next, the operation of the drum type washing / drying machine having the above configuration will be described.
For example, as a well-known course, washing, rinsing, dehydration, and drying processes are automatically executed based on the control of the rotational speed of the drum 4 as is well known. It can be easily done from the front-upward inlet 1a. Among them, if it is too easy to wash, the drain valve 9 is closed and water is stored in the water tank 3 or the drum 4, but the circulation air passage 13 has an open communication at the upper part, so that so-called washing water does not enter. Further, when draining, the drain valve 9 is opened, but the drain valve 29 of the duct drain pipe 28 is in a closed state, so that it does not enter the circulation air passage 13. Further, in the drying process, the drain valve 29 is opened, and dry air for heating and drying clothes and the like is generated using a heat pump mechanism, and the dry air is drummed through the circulation air passage 13. A drying operation is performed so as to increase the efficiency of the heat energy by circulatingly supplying the fuel into the interior 4.

  Hereinafter, the drying process will be described in more detail. In FIG. 1, the drum 4 is rotated at a low speed, and the drying air generated by the heat pump mechanism flows in the circulation air passage 13 by the blower fan 21 in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, thereby supplying the air supply duct. 14 is smoothly supplied inward from the front opening of the drum 4. The drying air comes into contact with the clothes in the interior and the like to take away moisture, and then reaches the heat exchange duct 16 through the exhaust duct 15 at the rear of the drum 4 and the water tank 3, and is dehumidified by the heat pump mechanism and heated. Then, it is regenerated as an appropriate drying air, and the circulation supply into the drum 4 is repeatedly executed.

  Here, the heat exchange operation of the heat pump mechanism will be described again. In the condenser 19, the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 18 to become a high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant, and heat is exchanged with the air flowing through the heat exchange duct 16. Sometimes the air is heated to dry air. Thereafter, the refrigerant expands through a capillary tube (not shown), is supplied to the evaporator 20, and is evaporated by exchanging heat with wet air after contributing to drying. Since the latent heat of evaporation at this time is given from the air, the air is cooled, the amount of saturated steam is reduced, and the supersaturated steam in the air is condensed. The condensed water is dripped through the evaporator 20 and is discharged out of the apparatus as so-called dehumidified water through a drain port 27, a duct drain pipe 28, a drain valve 29, and a main drain pipe 12.

  However, lint such as lint is easily generated from clothes or the like, especially when it is too easy to wash, and this leads to the drying process, which is released and floats on the flow of drying air. However, since the lint filter 22 is disposed upstream of the heat pump mechanism in the heat exchange duct 16, the lint is captured by the lint filter 22, and the evaporator 20, the condenser 19, and the like after this are captured. There is no risk of airflow drop due to the heat transfer (heat dissipation) fins. Thus, in the drying process, lint suspended in the air is captured while the drying air is circulated and supplied.

  In this embodiment, the lint cleaning process is executed for a predetermined time each time the heating and drying process is completed. That is, in this cleaning process, the lint filter 22 is automatically washed with water by the water injection nozzle 23, and not only the operation of the heat pump mechanism is stopped, but also the blower fan 21 is stopped to stop the blowing action in the so-called circulation air passage 13. In this state, the water supply pipe unit 25 of the water supply valve unit 25 is opened to supply water, and water injection is performed from above the opening 35 of the water injection nozzle 23 in the form of a water film along the filter surface.

  By the way, the lint filter surface for capturing lint is in the form of slit-shaped fine eyes in which the wire member 33 is stretched in the vertical direction, so that the lint filter surface is entangled from different directions like a normal lattice-shaped filter surface. There is no phenomenon, and the lint entanglement is in a simple catch state. For this reason, the lint is easily removed from the wire member 33 by jetting water from above in the same direction as the wire member 33 and moves downward, or falls and flows down in the heat exchange duct 16 together with water. To the duct drain pipe 28, the drain valve 29, and the main drain pipe 12. However, since the filter device 11 is inserted in the middle of the main drain pipe 12, the lint flowing out here is captured and recovered, and only water is discharged outside the apparatus.

  In addition, since the washing means is executed every time heat drying is performed, the entanglement of a small amount of lint is removed compared to removing the lint in a state where a large amount of lint has been trapped and accumulated over a long period of time, and the removal can be facilitated. It is effective in that the lint can be surely cleaned. Further, in this embodiment, when such a cleaning process is executed for a predetermined time, only the blower fan 21 is driven together with the stop of water injection, and a so-called only air supply process is executed to blow air into the circulation air passage 13. This air blowing process is particularly effective in wiping away the surrounding moisture accompanying water washing in the heat exchange duct 16 and preventing the growth of soot and germs. In this case, when the heat pump mechanism is operated, there is a risk of icing around the evaporator 20, and it is preferable that the operation is performed only in a blowing operation in a stopped state.

  The lint captured and recovered by the filter device 11 can be easily removed by appropriately inserting and removing the filter member 30 from the outside of the machine. Moreover, since the filter case 31 for inserting and removing the filter member 30 is inclined upward from the connection portion with the main drain pipe 12 and opens to the front surface of the casing 1 outside the machine, the residual water of the drainage system is It does not pop out when the filter member 30 is taken out.

According to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
The lint generated in the washing process or the like was captured in the circulation air passage 13 through which the drying air circulated during drying, and water was poured along the captured lint filter surface to wash out the lint. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to diffuse and inject water widely as in the prior art, the water injection nozzle 23 constituting the water washing means can be made flat and small, and it is not necessary to provide this water injection means at a position facing the lint filter surface. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing / drying machine having a function capable of automatically capturing and cleaning lint with a compact configuration as a whole including the lint filter 22.

  For this reason, the water washing means together with the lint filter 22 can be effectively disposed in a narrow space where the circulating air passage 13 and the heat pump mechanism in the housing 1 are provided, and the lint captured as described above is automatically cleaned. Therefore, for example, the lint filter 22 and water washing means are provided near the front surface of the housing 1 for handling, and the installation location of the washing / drying machine is not restricted. It can be placed at a place, the lint capture performance can be maintained well, and the design and manufacturing can be carried out with great design flexibility. Thus, the present invention can be suitably employed in a washing / drying machine having a configuration including the circulation air passage 13 that circulates and supplies the drying air to the drum 4 to increase the efficiency of heat energy.

  Further, in the above embodiment, each time heat drying is performed, and subsequent to the completion of the drying, water washing means is executed to clean the lint. By doing so, the lint is washed in water before it becomes a large amount and is entangled tightly and intricately, so that it is effective in that the lint captured by the wire member 33 can be easily removed and can be reliably washed with water. Moreover, since the wire member 33 has a structure in which a thin wire is stretched in the vertical direction (vertical direction), it can be easily removed by spray water injection along the lint filter surface in the same direction.

And since the said water washing is performed in the state which stopped ventilation, the situation where the splash of water or lint flows downstream or it is hard to remove lint can be avoided. In addition, the washed lint can be captured and collected by the filter device 11 that can be removed from the outside of the machine before being discharged out of the machine together with water, so that the drainage place is clogged or soiled. There is no fear.
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, only the air blowing operation by the blower fan 21 is performed after the cleaning process by the water washing means is completed, so that the surrounding moisture due to the water injection can be wiped and dried, and generation of soot and germs Can be kept hygienic.

  In the above embodiment, the lint washing means is always executed after completion of heating and drying, and has the above-described advantages, but is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, control added during the heating and drying process. Even if a large amount of lint occurs, there is no reduction in the air volume, and there is an advantage that lint can be captured and cleaned reliably. Further, although the lint filter 22 has the thin wire member 33 stretched in the vertical direction, a configuration may be adopted in which a horizontal rail is provided and supported for reinforcement. However, as the horizontal bars increase, the lint becomes difficult to come off due to complicated entanglements. Therefore, it is desirable that the horizontal bars be reduced as much as possible to form a filter surface for capturing mainly in the vertical direction.

  In addition, the drain valve 9 provided in the tank drain pipe 10 in FIG. 1 may be provided in the main drain pipe 12 at a position downstream of the filter device 11. In this case, part of the lint generated from the tank drain pipe 10 due to easy washing or the like flows out together with the drainage, but after the lint is captured by the filter device 11, it passes through the drain valve 9 and goes out of the machine. Since the water is drained, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the drain valve 9 is clogged with lint. In addition, the dry air flowing through the circulation air passage 13 in this embodiment is effective in that it can be efficiently circulated and supplied using a large opening on the front surface of the drum 4. It is also possible to carry out by changing the supply from the back of the.

(Modification)
FIG. 7 shows a modification of the above embodiment. In particular, a lint filter 36 having a different configuration is employed instead of the lint filter 22, and the other configurations are the same as the above embodiment. 7 (a) is a perspective view of the whole, whereas FIG. 7 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 7 (a). The outer contour of the lint filter 36 is also formed by a rectangular frame portion 37, and is provided with a wire member 38 that faces the upstream side and serves as a filter surface.

  A large number of the wire members 38 are arranged in the vertical direction as in the above-described embodiment. Specifically, the upper end portions of the wire members 38 are fixed to the upper frame portion 37b by molding or welding means, and the lower end portions. The so-called upper end in a free state is cantilevered and the lower end is suspended as it is. However, the wire member 38 is formed of, for example, a metal wire that is tougher than the wire rod of the above embodiment, and has rigidity that does not easily cause plastic deformation. The lower frame portion 37a can be understood from the cross-sectional shape shown in FIG. 5B so that the free end portion, which is the lower end portion of the wire member 38, is held in a state of being separated from the lower frame portion 37a. The upper, lower, left, and right sides are substantially half of the upper frame portion 37b, and the wire member 38 and the gap S are secured in the portion facing the upstream side.

  Thus, according to this configuration, in addition to the operational effects of the above embodiment, the suspended free end of the cantilevered wire member 38 is separated from the nearest lower frame portion 37a with a gap S therebetween. Therefore, the lint captured by the wire member 38 can be easily removed particularly from its lower end. Therefore, by spraying water from the water injection nozzle 23 along the filter surface, which is the lint capturing surface, the lint that tends to move downward in addition to the lint that immediately leaves is removed so that the lint that tends to move downward is removed from the free end. Is done. Further, if the lower lint is detached in this way, the upper lint is easily detached, which is advantageous in that the lint removal performance is further improved and the cleaning is performed reliably.

(Second Embodiment)
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The substantially same parts as those of the above-mentioned embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted, and different parts will be described.
FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the evaporator 20, which is a main part. It is characterized by the addition of water washing means. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the heat exchange duct 16 is provided with a water injection nozzle 39 similar to the water injection nozzle 23 of the lint filter 22 on the upstream side of the evaporator 20.

  Thus, another water injection pipe 40 branched from the water injection pipe 24 is connected to the water injection nozzle 39, and water supply is controlled by the water supply valve unit 25 in the same manner. By the way, as a basic configuration of the evaporator 20, as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 9, as is generally known, a large number of heat radiation fins 41 and a refrigerant tube 42 are configured in an intersecting state. Thus, there is a possibility that lint may also adhere to the upstream end surface 20a due to the large number of fins 40 in the column state. As the slit-like eyes (so-called pitch) by the wire member 33 of the lint filter 22 located in the preceding stage are made finer, the lint capturing performance is improved, but the air volume is lowered, so that an appropriate air volume is obtained. However, there are many problems to realize such as requiring a large passage (heat exchange duct 16).

  Therefore, when the slit-shaped eyes can secure an appropriate air volume, it is assumed that a part of small lint passes without being captured by the lint filter 22. In this case, it is predicted that the lint that has passed passes through the upstream end face 20a of the evaporator 20 having a large number of fins 41. Therefore, lint caught on the fins 41 of the evaporator 20 can be easily removed by washing with water by spraying water from above the water injection nozzle 23 along the upstream end surface 20a of the evaporator 20. This washed lint passes through the lower part of the lint filter 22 and is discharged from the drainage port 27 through the duct drain pipe 28 to the outside. However, as the water washing means for the evaporator 20, the upper surface thereof is also constituted by the fins 41 arranged in parallel, so that even if water is sprayed over a range extending slightly inward from the upstream end surface 20a, it is effective for removing lint.

  8 differs from the two drain valves 9 and 29 in FIG. 1 in that one drain valve 43 is provided at the junction of the tank drain pipe 10 and the duct drain pipe 28. The valve 43 is provided with a double valve mechanism, and the tank drain pipe 10 and the duct drain pipe 28 can be individually controlled to open and close. As a result, the two drain valves 9, It has the same function as the structure provided with 29 individually. In the present embodiment, the main drain pipe 12 is directly connected to the outside of the machine. However, it is possible to implement the structure with the filter device 11 disclosed in the above-described embodiment without any problems.

  Thus, according to this configuration, in addition to the operational effects of the above-described embodiment, when lint that could not be captured by the lint filter 22 is caught by the downstream evaporator 20, along the upstream end face 20 a as another water washing means. Since the water injection nozzle 39 for injecting water from above is provided, the column can quickly remove lint caught on the fin 41 at the position by washing with water. And since it is the structure which employs the flat water injection nozzle 39 similar to the said Example and injects water from upper direction, such a water washing means can be provided compactly and it can also be arranged in parallel with the water washing means of the lint filter 22 in space. Easy installation without problems.

  Thus, the capture performance and cleaning performance for the entire lint can be improved, and furthermore, lint clogging into the evaporator 20 can be eliminated, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in the air volume passing between the fins 41 and the tubes 42. . However, the other water washing means for the evaporator 20 is not particularly limited, and may have a configuration of a water injection nozzle having another configuration for widely spraying water.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings. For example, the washing tub is not limited to the drum around the horizontal axis, and can be adopted in a washing / drying machine having a washing tub around the vertical axis. . In addition, the specific configuration of the circulating air passage, the flow direction of the circulating air such as dry air, and the arrangement configuration of the heat pump mechanism associated therewith, etc. can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. Is.

1 is a longitudinal side view showing an overall configuration of a drum-type washing / drying machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Perspective view of lint filter Enlarged perspective view of the main part of the lint filter Enlarged sectional view of the main part Enlarged perspective view of water injection nozzle Enlarged sectional view of water injection nozzle (A) perspective view and (b) cross-sectional view of a lint filter showing a modification FIG. 1 equivalent view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. Enlarged perspective view of the evaporator

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a housing, 3 is a water tank, 4 is a drum, 10 is a tank drain pipe, 11 is a filter device, 12 is a main drain pipe, 13 is a circulation air passage, 14 is an air supply duct, 15 is an exhaust duct, 16 is a heat exchange duct, 18 is a compressor, 19 is a condenser, 20 is an evaporator, 21 is a blower fan, 22 and 36 are lint filters, 23 is a water injection nozzle, 40 is a fin and a 41 tube.

Claims (6)

A washing tub for washing and drying clothes and the like is provided, and in the course of the drying process, the washing tub is supplied with a drying air through a circulation air passage with a heat pump mechanism including a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, etc. In what is configured to circulate,
A lint filter is provided on the upstream side of the evaporator in the circulation air passage, and is provided with water washing means for washing out lint captured by the lint filter, and the water washing means injects water along the lint filter surface from above. A washer-dryer characterized in that it is configured to perform.   2. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, further comprising another water washing means for the evaporator, wherein the water washing means is configured to inject water from above along the upstream end face of the evaporator.   The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water washing means is executed after the heat drying.   The washing / drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water washing means is executed in a state in which the ventilation of the circulation air passage is stopped.   The washing and drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a filter device for capturing lint from the drainage is provided before draining the washed water out of the machine. The washing and drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a step of blowing air through the circulation air passage after the water washing means is executed.

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