JP2015146934A - clothes dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly set drying extension time by determining an amount of objects to be dried with good accuracy.SOLUTION: A clothes dryer includes: a rotary drum 2 provided rotatably in a housing 1; a motor 3 for rotationally driving the rotary drum 2; dryness detection means 6 for detecting dryness of objects to be dried in the rotary drum 2; volume detection means 8 for detecting an amount of the objects to be dried in the rotary drum 2; and control means 20 for controlling a drying operation. The volume detection means 8 emits light or an ultrasonic wave and detects the amount of the objects to be dried by receiving the reflection, and it is set so that a detection region is in a direction corresponding to a diagonal line of the rotary drum 2.

Description

  The present invention relates to a clothes dryer for drying clothes and the like.

  Conventionally, it has been considered that this type of clothes dryer optimally sets a delay time according to the load amount and the wetness degree of an object to be dried (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  9 to 11 show a conventional clothes dryer described in Patent Document 1. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, a rotating drum 52 is rotatably provided in a casing 51, and warm air heated through a heater 54 by rotation of the blower fan 53 is blown into the rotating drum 52 from a blowout port 55. Introduces and dries clothes and other objects to be dried. An electrode 56 is provided so that clothes to be agitated in the rotary drum 52 are in contact with each other. It is considered to detect the state.

  The operation is terminated at a time t4 when a certain delay time T3 has elapsed from a time t2 when the resistance value r between the pair of conductive members provided on the electrode 56 continuously exceeds the set value a for a predetermined time T1. I am doing so.

  Further, it is conceivable to detect the amount of the object to be dried based on the temperature difference Td between the temperature Ts1 of the temperature sensor disposed at the lower portion of the blowout port 55 and the temperature Ts2 of the temperature sensor disposed at the upper portion of the blowout port 55. The temperature difference Td is small when the amount of the object to be dried is large, and the temperature difference Td is large when the amount is small.

  In addition, it is considered to detect the amount of clothing by detecting the frequency with which clothing blocks infrared light (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-25397 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-177095

  However, in the conventional configuration, since the amount of the object to be dried is detected by the temperature difference between the two temperature sensors, there is a problem that it takes time to determine the amount of the object to be dried such as clothes put on the rotating drum. It was. In addition, since the amount of the object to be dried is detected at a frequency at which the clothing blocks the infrared light, it is difficult to accurately detect the amount of the object to be dried.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and accurately detects the amount of clothes to be dried at the initial stage of the drying operation, and allows the drying drying time to be accurately set. The purpose is to provide a machine.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a clothes dryer according to the present invention includes a rotating drum that is rotatably provided in a housing, a motor that rotationally drives the rotating drum, and blows drying air into the rotating drum. An air blower, a drying detecting means for detecting the degree of drying of the object to be dried in the rotating drum, a capacity detecting means for detecting the amount of the object to be dried in the rotating drum, and a control means for controlling the drying operation. The capacity detecting means emits light or ultrasonic waves, receives the reflection, detects the amount of the object to be dried, and is set so that the detection area is in a direction corresponding to a diagonal line of the rotating drum. is there.

  This makes it possible to accurately detect the amount of clothes to be dried at the beginning of the drying operation, set the drying extension time appropriately according to the amount of clothes, etc., and optimally dry the clothes, etc. be able to.

  The clothes dryer of the present invention can accurately detect the amount of clothes to be dried at the initial stage of the drying operation, and can optimally dry the clothes.

Schematic schematic view from the side of the clothes dryer in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Schematic diagram of the inside of the rotary drum of the clothes dryer as seen from the front A graph showing the relationship between sensor output and clothing capacity obtained from the optical sensor of the clothes dryer Flow chart showing the operation of the clothes dryer Schematic diagram seen from the side of another example of the clothes dryer The graph which shows the relationship between the time of the reflected wave obtained from the ultrasonic sensor of the clothes dryer in Embodiment 2 of this invention, and clothing capacity Schematic schematic view seen from the side of the clothes dryer in Embodiment 3 of the present invention The graph which shows the relationship between the sensor output obtained from two optical sensors of the clothes dryer and the clothes capacity Sectional view of the main parts of a conventional clothes dryer A graph showing the relationship between the detected resistance value of the electrode and the time change of the clothes dryer Graph showing the relationship between temperature and time change of temperature sensor of the clothes dryer

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rotating drum that is rotatably provided in a housing, a motor that rotationally drives the rotating drum, a blower that blows drying air into the rotating drum, and an object to be dried in the rotating drum. A dryness detection means for detecting the degree of dryness, a capacity detection means for detecting the amount of an object to be dried in the rotating drum, and a control means for controlling the drying operation, wherein the capacity detection means comprises light or ultrasonic waves. The amount of the object to be dried is detected by receiving the reflection, and the detection area is set to be in the direction corresponding to the diagonal line of the rotating drum. The height of the thrown object to be dried can be accurately detected, and the amount of clothes and the like that are to be dried can be accurately determined at the initial stage of the drying operation. Therefore, after drying, the extended time can be accurately set according to the amount of the object to be dried, and the clothes can be optimally dried.

  In particular, according to a second invention, in the first invention, a plurality of the capacity detection means are provided, one detection area is a direction corresponding to a diagonal line of the rotating drum, and the other detection area is a rotating shaft of the rotating drum. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately determine the amount of the material to be dried put into the rotating drum from the outputs of the plurality of capacity detecting means.

In a third aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the control means detects the amount of an object to be dried put into the rotating drum before the drying operation is started by the capacity detection means. The drying state is detected based on the information obtained from the drying detection means, and the drying extension time after drying is set from the information obtained from the capacity detection means, so that the drying is performed at the initial stage of the drying operation. The amount of the object can be determined with high accuracy, an optimal extension time can be set according to the amount of the object to be dried after drying, and the clothes can be optimally dried.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, when the control means detects the amount of an object to be dried in the rotary drum by the capacity detection means, the rotary drum Rotation of the rotating drum is used to average the clothing state when detecting reflections from objects to be dried, such as clothing, and then stopped, and then put into the rotating drum. Thus, the height of the dried object can be accurately detected, and the amount of the dried object can be accurately determined.

  Further, in the operation method of the clothes dryer, a capacity detection process for detecting the capacity of the clothes, a drying determination process for determining a dry state after the capacity detection process, and the capacity detection result and the drying determination result are fed back to be dried. The present invention provides a program for causing a computer to execute at least a part of a drying extension process for controlling a subsequent extension time.

  Since these control methods are programs, it is possible to easily realize at least a part of the operation method of the clothes dryer of the present invention by cooperating hardware resources such as electricity, information equipment, computers, and servers. it can. Further, by recording on a recording medium or distributing a program using a communication line, it is possible to easily distribute and update the program and install the program.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram seen from the side of the clothes dryer in the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram seen from the front inside the rotary drum of the clothes dryer, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the clothes dryer. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the sensor output obtained from the optical sensor of the clothes dryer and the clothing capacity.

  1 to 4, a rotating drum 2 formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom is provided in a housing 1 so as to be rotatable. The rotating drum 2 rotates around a rotating shaft 2a set in a substantially horizontal direction, and is driven to rotate by a motor 3 attached to the back side. A plurality of baffles 4 are provided on the inner peripheral wall surface of the rotating drum 2.

  The baffle 4 acts as a rotation assisting means for lifting the clothes 5 and the like that are to be dried put in the rotating drum 2 in the rotating direction of the rotating drum 2, and the rotating shaft 2 a from the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum 2 to the inside. Projecting in the direction.

  An electrode sensor (drying detection means) 6 is formed on the surface of the baffle 4 and detects the surface resistance of the garment 5 when the garment 5 stirred in the rotary drum 2 comes into contact. When the humidity of the garment 5 is high, the resistance is low, and when the humidity is low, the resistance is high, and the degree of drying of the garment 5 is detected from the resistance value.

  An opening 7 is provided on the front surface side of the rotating drum 2, and an optical measurement for detecting the amount of clothing 5 in the rotating drum 2 is provided in the vicinity of an interior lamp (not shown) provided above the opening 7. A distance sensor (capacity detection means) 8 is provided.

The distance measuring sensor 8 emits infrared rays, receives reflected light from the clothing 5 in the rotary drum 2, and detects the distance to the clothing 5, that is, the height of the clothing 5 as a capacity. The direction (detection region) A in which light is emitted from the distance measuring sensor 8 is set to a direction corresponding to a diagonal line from the upper part on the front side of the rotating drum 2 toward the lower part on the rear side.

  When the garment 5 is not put into the rotating drum 2, the linear distance from the distance measuring sensor 8 is the longest. Therefore, when the amount of clothing 5 is small, the distance to the distance measuring sensor 8 is long, and when the amount of clothing 5 is large, the distance to the distance measuring sensor 8 is short, and the sensor output is high. .

  An exhaust port 9 provided on the front side of the rotary drum 2 and a blower port 10 provided on the back side of the rotary drum 2 are connected in communication by an air passage 11. The air passage 11 is provided with a blower 12 that blows drying air from the blower opening 10 into the rotary drum 2, a heat absorber 14 and a radiator 15 of the heat pump device 13, and is disposed below the rotary drum 2. doing.

  The heat absorber 14 cools and dehumidifies the humid air exhausted from the exhaust port 9 of the rotary drum 2 to the air passage 11, and the radiator 15 heats the dry air cooled by the heat absorber 14. The heat absorber 14 and the heat radiator 15 are constituted by fin tube heat exchangers.

  The drying air blown to the air passage 11 by the blower 12 is dehumidified and heated by the heat pump device 13, blown into the rotary drum 2, circulates in the rotary drum 2 through the air passage 11, and dries the clothes 5. Progresses.

  The heat pump device 13 includes a compressor 16, a radiator 15 that dissipates heat of the compressed refrigerant, a throttle means 17 that includes a throttle valve, a capillary tube, and the like for reducing the pressure of the high-pressure refrigerant, and a low-pressure reduced pressure. The refrigerant is connected to the heat absorber 14 that takes heat from the surroundings by a pipe 18 so that the refrigerant circulates, and the refrigerant flows and circulates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 to realize a heat pump cycle. To do.

  The drying air that has become wet due to contact with the wet clothing 5 in the rotary drum 2 enters the air passage 11 from the exhaust port 9 and is cooled and dehumidified by the heat absorber 14 to become low-temperature dry air. Heated by the radiator 15, it becomes hot dry air and is supplied into the rotary drum 2 from the blower port 10. An arrow B in FIG. 1 indicates the flow direction of the drying air.

  A lint filter 19 is provided in the air passage 11. The lint filter 19 collects lint and the like generated from the clothing 5 and flowing along the air passage 11 together with the drying air. The lint filter 19 is disposed on the upstream side of the heat absorber 14, and the heat absorber 14, the radiator 15, the blower 12, and the like. Prevents lint from sticking to the surface.

  The control means 20 receives the output of the electrode sensor 6 that is a dryness detection means and the output of the distance measurement sensor 8 that is a capacity detection means, and controls the motor 3, the blower 12, the compressor 16 of the heat pump device 13, etc. Control the drying operation.

  About the clothes dryer comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below. When the rotation direction of the rotary drum 2 is clockwise from the front, that is, clockwise (arrow C), the garment 5 is lifted by the baffle 4 in the rotation direction of the rotary drum 2 when the power is turned on. It is possible to detect the dry state from the resistance value of the garment 5 by making contact with the electrode sensor 6 composed of a metal portion provided on the surface of the garment 5.

  The optical distance measuring sensor 8 serving as a capacity detecting means operates when the rotary drum 2 is stopped, measures the distance from the distance measuring sensor 8 to the garment 5, and determines the height of the garment 5, that is, Detect and determine clothing capacity. For example, when the clothing capacity is 8 kg, it is determined that there is almost no distance between the distance measuring sensor 8 and the clothing 5 and the height is high, that is, the clothing 5 is large.

  FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the sensor output obtained from the distance measuring sensor 8 at this time and the clothing capacity in the rotary drum 2. The distance measuring sensor 8 emits infrared rays and receives the reflected light to measure the distance to the garment 5, and the sensor output increases as the distance to the garment 5 decreases.

  Therefore, if the clothing capacity in the rotary drum 2 increases, the distance from the distance measuring sensor 8 becomes shorter and the sensor output becomes higher. For example, when the maximum capacity of the clothes dryer is 8 kg, the distance between the distance measuring sensor 8 and the clothes 5 is about 10 cm, and the sensor output outputs a maximum of 5V. In this way, the clothing capacity in the rotating drum 2 can be accurately determined.

  If the clothing capacity can be detected accurately at the beginning of the drying operation and the end of drying can be accurately detected, the subsequent extended time can be optimally set according to the clothing capacity. Normally, the extension time is generally set to, for example, 20 minutes regardless of the clothing capacity. However, if the clothing capacity can be accurately detected and the value is fed back to the extension time, it is automatically set in the range of 1 to 20 minutes. Setting is possible, and when the clothing capacity is small, for example, at 1 kg, it is possible to drive with a delay time of 1 minute.

  Next, the operation will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. First, the non-dried clothes 5 to be dried are put into the rotary drum 2 (step S0). After setting for the drying operation, the drying operation is started by pressing the operation button (step S1).

  A direction corresponding to a diagonal line from the optical distance measuring sensor 8, which is a capacity detecting means installed above the opening 7 provided on the front side of the rotating drum 2, toward the lower part on the back side of the rotating drum 2. Infrared light is emitted to b, and the reflected light from the clothing 5 in the rotary drum 2 is received, and the distance to the clothing 5, that is, the height of the clothing 5 is detected as a capacity (step S2).

  The rotating drum 2 is rotated for a predetermined time so that the heights of the clothes 5 in the rotating drum 2 are averaged (step S3), and the rotation of the rotating drum 2 is temporarily stopped (step S4). In this state, the distance to the clothing 5 in the rotary drum 2 is again measured by the distance measuring sensor 8 to detect the clothing capacity (step S5).

  When the final garment capacity is detected, a drying operation is started (step S6), the rotary drum 2 is rotated at a predetermined speed, the blower 12 is driven to blow air, and the garment 5 is stirred and heated by the heat pump device 13. Hot air is introduced into the rotating drum 2.

  The resistance of the garment 5 exposed to the hot air introduced into the rotating drum 2 is measured by the electrode sensor 6 which is a dryness detecting means provided on the surface of the baffle 4 (step S7), and this resistance value is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Is determined (step S8). When the resistance value is equal to or greater than the threshold value and it is determined that the drying is performed (step S9), the drying extension time after determining the drying is set for each capacity detected by the capacity detecting unit 8 (step S10).

  For example, when the clothing capacity detected by the capacity detection means 8 is 8 kg, 20 minutes is set for 4 kg, 5 minutes for 4 kg, and 1 minute for 1 kg, the drying extension time is set and the drying operation can be executed. . In this way, by appropriately setting the drying extension time for each garment capacity, the garment 5 can be optimally dried and the operation can be terminated (step S11).

  FIG. 5 shows another example of the present embodiment, in which the capacity detecting means 8 is provided on the upper part on the back side of the rotating drum 2, and the upper part on the back side of the rotating drum 2 is directed toward the lower part on the front side. It is configured to emit infrared light in a direction a corresponding to a diagonal line.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the rotary drum 2 that is rotatably provided in the housing 1, the motor 3 that rotationally drives the rotary drum 2, and the blower that blows drying air into the rotary drum 2. 12, a drying detection means 6 for detecting the degree of drying of the object to be dried in the rotating drum 2, a capacity detecting means 8 for detecting the amount of the object to be dried in the rotating drum 2, and a control means 20 for controlling the drying operation. The capacity detection means 8 emits light or ultrasonic waves, receives the reflection, detects the amount of the object to be dried, and is set so that the detection area is in a direction corresponding to the diagonal line of the rotating drum 2. Therefore, it is possible to accurately detect the height of an object to be dried put into the rotating drum 2 at the longest distance in the rotating drum 2, and to accurately determine the amount of the object to be dried at the initial stage of the drying operation. be able to. Therefore, after drying, the extended time can be accurately set according to the amount of the object to be dried, and the clothes can be optimally dried.

  In this embodiment, the heat pump device 13 is used to dehumidify and heat the drying air. However, the air may be dehumidified with a water-cooled or air-cooled heat exchanger and heated with a heater.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the reflected wave time and the clothing capacity obtained from the ultrasonic sensor of the clothing dryer in the second embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that the capacitance detection means 8 is constituted by an ultrasonic sensor. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations, and the detailed description of the first embodiment is used.

  The ultrasonic sensor 8 emits an ultrasonic wave when the rotary drum 2 is stopped, and measures the distance to the garment 5 by receiving a reflected wave from the garment 5 in the rotary drum 2. The shorter the distance to the clothing 5, the shorter the time for the reflected wave to return. Therefore, if the clothing capacity in the rotary drum 2 increases, the distance to the ultrasonic sensor 8 is shortened, and the time for the reflected wave to be reflected back to the clothing 5 is shortened.

  In FIG. 6, for example, when the maximum capacity of the clothes dryer is 8 kg, the distance between the ultrasonic sensor 8 and the clothes 5 is about 10 cm, and the return time of the reflected wave is the shortest 0.5 msec. When the amount is determined to be large, and when the clothing capacity is 1 kg, the return time of the reflected wave is 5 msec, and it is determined that the amount of clothing 5 is small. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the clothing capacity in the rotary drum 2 based on the return time of the reflected wave.

  In the present embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor is used as the capacitance detection means 8, but an electromagnetic wave may be used.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram seen from the side of the clothes dryer according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a relationship between sensor output and clothes capacity obtained from two optical sensors of the clothes dryer. It is a graph which shows. A feature of the present embodiment is that a plurality of capacity detection means 8 are provided, one detection area is a direction corresponding to a diagonal line of the rotary drum 2, and the other detection area is in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 2 a of the rotary drum 2. It is made to correspond. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations, and the detailed description of the first embodiment is used.

  Two optical distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b are installed as capacity detecting means 8 above the opening 7 provided on the front side of the rotating drum 2. The distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b emit infrared rays, receive reflected light from the clothing 5 in the rotary drum 2, and detect the distance to the clothing 5, that is, the height of the clothing 5 as a capacity.

The detection area of one distance measuring sensor 8a is a direction a corresponding to the diagonal line of the rotary drum 2, and the detection area of the other distance measuring sensor 8b corresponds to a direction b parallel to the rotation axis 2a of the rotary drum 2. Is set to

  (8a) in FIG. 8 is a sensor output of reflected light obtained from the distance measuring sensor 8a in the detection direction A which is one detection area, and (8b) is a distance measurement in the detection direction B which is the other detection area. It is a sensor output of reflected light obtained from the sensor 8b.

  The two distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b emit infrared rays when the rotary drum 2 is stopped, and can receive the reflected light from the clothing 5, thereby measuring the distance to the clothing 5. The closer the distance, the higher the output of the reflected light.

  When the clothing capacity is large, the sensor output of (8a) is almost saturated, and when the clothing capacity is further increased, the sensor output of (8b) starts up. For example, when the maximum capacity of the clothes dryer is 8 kg, the distance between the distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b and the clothes 5 is about 10 cm, and the output of the reflected light of the two distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b is both 5 V maximum. Become.

  When the clothing capacity is 4 kg, the distance to the distance measuring sensor 8a is about 20 cm, but since the distance to the distance measuring sensor 8b is as long as 40 cm, the sensor output of one distance measuring sensor 8a is high. The sensor output of the other distance measuring sensor 8b remains low.

  In addition, when the clothing capacity is 1 kg, the sensor outputs from both the distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b remain low. In this way, the clothing capacity in the rotating drum 2 can always be accurately determined.

  As described above, the clothing capacity can be accurately detected at the initial stage of driving by the two distance measuring sensors 8a and 8b, and the value is fed back to the extended time, so that the automatic setting can be made within a range of 1 to 20 minutes. When the clothing capacity is medium, for example 4 kg, it is possible to drive with an extension time of 5 minutes.

  In addition, in order to perform the above operation method by the control means 20 of these clothes dryers, a unique computer-readable program characterized by recording a program to be executed by the CPU computer is required. The means described in this embodiment is a program for cooperating hardware resources such as a CPU (or microcomputer), a RAM, a ROM, a storage / recording device, an electric / information device including an I / O, a computer, a server, and the like. You may implement with a form. In the form of a program, new functions can be distributed and updated and installed easily by recording on a recording medium such as a magnetic medium or an optical medium, or by using a communication line such as the Internet.

  As described above, the clothes dryer according to the present invention can accurately detect the amount of clothes to be dried at the initial stage of the drying operation, and can optimally dry the clothes. Useful as a clothes dryer.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case 2 Rotating drum 3 Motor 6 Electrode sensor (drying detection means)
8 Ranging sensor (capacity detection means)
12 Blower 20 Control means

Claims (4)

A rotating drum rotatably provided in the housing;
A motor for rotating the rotating drum;
A blower for blowing drying air into the rotating drum;
A drying detection means for detecting the degree of drying of the object to be dried in the rotating drum;
Capacity detecting means for detecting the amount of the object to be dried in the rotating drum;
Control means for controlling the drying operation,
The capacity detecting means is
It emits light or ultrasonic waves and receives the reflection to detect the amount of material to be dried,
A clothes dryer set so that the detection area is in a direction corresponding to a diagonal line of the rotating drum. A plurality of the capacity detection means are provided,
One detection area is a direction corresponding to a diagonal line of the rotating drum,
The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the other detection area corresponds to a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the rotary drum. The control means includes
While detecting the amount of material to be dried put into the rotating drum before starting the drying operation by the capacity detection means,
Detecting the dry state based on the information obtained from the dry detection means,
The clothes dryer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a drying extension time after drying is set from information obtained from the capacity detection means. The control means includes
The clothes dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotation of the rotating drum is stopped when the amount of the object to be dried in the rotating drum is detected by the capacity detecting means.

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