JP2023137726A - Clothing treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device which has enhanced sterilization and deodorization effect.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device includes: a water tub 12; a rotary tub 13 rotatably supported in the water tub 12, and for constituting a drying chamber for storing clothing inside together with the water tub 12; a hot air supply unit 30 for supplying hot air into the drying chamber; a duct for forming part of an air passage for connecting the hot air supply unit 30 and the drying chamber; and an irradiation device 40 for irradiating at least the inside of the duct with ultraviolet rays.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to garment processing devices.

2. Description of the Related Art As a clothing processing device, for example, a washer/dryer having a clothing washing function and a clothing drying function is known. In this washer/dryer, a circulating air path is provided outside a water tank that functions as a drying chamber, and a heating device, a dehumidifying device, and an air blower are provided in the circulating air path. During drying operation, the air inside the drying chamber is heated by the heating device in the circulating air path and circulated inside the drying chamber by the blowing action of the blower, thereby heating the clothes in the drying chamber and removing the moisture contained in the air. Clothes are dried by repeatedly dehumidifying them with a dehumidifier.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-207449

Due to the high temperature and high humidity environment created by washing and drying operations, there is a risk that bacteria and mold may grow inside the washer/dryer. Furthermore, there is a risk that odors and bacteria may be generated on clothes due to sebum and dirt from the outside.

Therefore, a clothing processing device with improved sterilization and deodorization effects is provided.

The clothes processing device of the embodiment includes: a water tank; a rotary tank that is rotatably supported inside the water tank and forms a drying chamber for accommodating clothes therein together with the water tank; and warm air that supplies warm air to the drying chamber. The apparatus includes a supply unit, a duct forming a part of an air path connecting the hot air supply unit and the drying chamber, and an irradiation device that irradiates at least the inside of the duct with ultraviolet rays.

A perspective view showing the appearance of the washer/dryer according to the first embodiment, with the lid member open. A diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the washer/dryer according to the first embodiment A plan view schematically showing an example of the washer/dryer according to the first embodiment with the top cover and back cover removed. A schematic configuration diagram showing the vicinity of the hot air supply unit of an example of the washer/dryer according to the first embodiment A diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a washer/dryer according to a second embodiment A schematic configuration diagram showing the vicinity of a hot air supply unit of an example of a washer/dryer according to the second embodiment A diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a washer/dryer according to a third embodiment A schematic configuration diagram showing the vicinity of a hot air supply unit of an example of a washer/dryer according to the third embodiment A diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a washer/dryer according to a fourth embodiment A schematic configuration diagram showing the vicinity of a hot air supply unit of an example of a washer/dryer according to the fourth embodiment A diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of a washer/dryer according to a fifth embodiment

Hereinafter, washer/dryers according to a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each embodiment, substantially the same component parts are given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

(First embodiment)
First, a washer/dryer according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The washer/dryer 10 as a clothes processing device includes an outer box 11, a water tank 12, a rotating tank 13, a motor 14, a drainage device 15, a top cover 16, a back cover 17, a water tank cover 18, a water injection device 19, an air passage 20, and A hot air supply unit 30 is provided. Note that the left side of the paper of FIG. 1 is the front side of the washer/dryer 10, and the right side of the paper of FIG. 1 is the rear side of the washer/dryer 10. In this case, it is assumed that the user is normally located in front of the washer/dryer 10. Further, the installation surface side of the washer/dryer 10, ie, the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washer/dryer 10, and the opposite side to the installation surface, ie, the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washer/dryer 10. The direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the washer-dryer 10 is defined as the width direction of the washer-dryer 10, that is, the left-right direction.

The washer/dryer 10 of this embodiment is a so-called vertical axis type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub 13 is oriented in the vertical direction. The outer box 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washer/dryer 10. The outer box 11 is formed of, for example, a steel plate or the like into a substantially rectangular box shape, and is open at the top. The water tank 12 is housed inside the outer box 11. The rotating tank 13 is rotatably supported and housed inside the water tank 12. The water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13 are formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open upper side. The water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13 store clothes therein and function as a laundry room during a washing operation and as a drying room during a drying operation.

The water tank 12 has a drain port 121 and an exhaust port 122. The drain port 121 is an opening formed at the bottom of the water tank 12, and communicates the inside and outside of the water tank 12. The exhaust port 122 is an opening formed at the lower part of the side surface of the aquarium 12, and communicates the inside and outside of the aquarium 12. A large number of holes (not shown) are formed in the bottom and side surfaces of the rotating tank 13. The hole functions as a water passage hole during a washing operation, and functions as a ventilation hole during a drying operation. The washer/dryer 10 can perform a washing operation including at least one of a washing process, a dehydration process, and a rinsing process, a drying operation including a drying process, and a washing/drying operation including a washing operation and a drying operation.

The motor 14 is provided outside the bottom of the water tank 12 and is connected to the rotating tank 13 through a rotating shaft 141 that extends through the water tank 12 and is installed at the center of the rotating tank 13 . The motor 14 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. The motor 14 rotates the rotating tank 13 independently from the water tank 12. A baffle 131 is provided at the bottom of the rotating tub 13, and when the rotating tub 13 rotates, the baffle 131 agitates the clothes stored inside.

The drainage device 15 includes a drainage valve 151 and a drainage path 152. The drain valve 151 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and is driven and controlled by a control device (not shown). The drain valve 151 opens and closes the drain path 152. The input side of the drain valve 151 is connected to the drain port 121 of the water tank 12 via the drain path 152, and the output side of the drain valve 151 is connected to the outside of the washer/dryer 10 via the drain path 152. There is. Drainage route 152 is a route through which water stored in water tank 12 is discharged to the outside of washer/dryer 10 . When the drain valve 151 is closed, the water tank 12 becomes ready to store water. Further, when the drain valve 151 is opened, the water stored in the water tank 12 can be drained out of the machine.

The top cover 16 has a top cover opening 161 as shown in FIG. 1, and is configured in a rectangular ring shape. The top cover 16 is provided on the top of the outer box 11. The lid member 162 is rotatably supported by the top cover 16 and opens and closes the top cover opening 161. The back cover 17 has a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction of the washer/dryer 10. The back cover 17 is provided at the rear end of the upper part of the top cover 16. The aquarium cover 18 is attached to the upper part of the aquarium 12. The aquarium cover 18 is attached to the upper part of the aquarium 12.

The aquarium cover 18 is formed in a generally circular shape, and has a generally semicircular aquarium cover opening 181 formed near the front. The aquarium cover opening 181 is opened and closed by an aquarium cover lid portion whose details are not shown. When the aquarium cover lid is closed, the aquarium cover 18 closes the opening 124 at the top of the aquarium 12 and the opening 132 at the top of the rotating tank 13. When the aquarium cover lid and the lid member 162 are open, the aquarium cover opening 181 and the top cover opening 161 communicate the inside of the aquarium 12 and the rotary tub 13 with the outside of the washer/dryer 10.

The aquarium cover 18 further includes a water supply port 182, an air supply port 183, and a suction port 184, as shown in FIG. The water supply port 182, the air supply port 183, and the suction port 184 are openings located at the rear of the aquarium cover 18, in this case below the back cover 17, and formed by penetrating the aquarium cover 18 in the vertical direction. . The water supply port 182 serves as an entrance for water supplied by the water injection device 19 to the water tank 12 . The air supply port 183 serves as an inlet for air entering the water tank 12 from the air path 20. The suction port 184 serves as an inlet for the air exhausted from the exhaust port 122 of the water tank 12 into the hot air supply unit 30 . The air supply port 183 and the suction port 184 constitute a part of the air path 20.

The water injection device 19 is provided at the rear of the top cover 16 and inside the back cover 17. The water injection device 19 has a connection port 191, a water supply valve 192, a water supply duct 193, and a water injection case 194, as shown in FIG. The water injection device 19 is connected to an external water source such as a water faucet (not shown) via a water supply hose (not shown) connected to the connection port 191, for example.

The water supply valve 192 is a liquid opening/closing valve that can be driven electromagnetically, and is passively controlled by a control device (not shown). The input side of the water supply valve 192 is connected to an external water source such as a tap via a connection port 191, and the output side of the water supply valve 192 is connected to the water supply port 182 via a water supply duct 193. The water supply valve 192 is, for example, a three-way valve, and opens and closes a water supply path that supplies water from an external water source such as tap water to the water tank 12 via the water injection case 194.

The water injection case 194 is made of resin, for example, and has a box shape. Although details are not shown, a processing agent case is housed inside the water injection case 194, into which a processing agent used in the washing operation is introduced. The processing agent, such as detergent or softener, put into the processing agent case is flushed into the water tank 12 along with the water poured into the water tank 12 through the water supply duct 193 and the water supply port 182.

The air passage 20 includes an exhaust duct 123, an intermediate duct 21, an air supply duct 22, a filter device 23, and a hot air supply unit 30. The air passage 20 connects the exhaust port 122 provided in the aquarium 12 and the air supply port 183 provided in the aquarium cover 18 to form an air circulation path together with the aquarium 12 . As shown by the black arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3, air circulates through the air passage 20, the water tank 12, and the rotating tank 13. The exhaust duct 123 is located downstream of the water tank 12 and upstream of the intermediate duct 21 in terms of air flow. In this embodiment, the exhaust duct 123 is formed integrally with the water tank 12 on the outer peripheral surface of the water tank 12 . The input side of the exhaust duct 123 is connected to the exhaust port 122 of the aquarium 12 , and the output side faces the suction port 184 of the aquarium cover 18 .

Although details are not shown, water is supplied from above to the exhaust duct 123, and the exhaust duct 123 functions as a water-cooled heat exchange unit that cools and dehumidifies the humid air discharged from the water tank 12. The cooling water that has fallen through the exhaust duct 123 enters the water tank 12 through the exhaust port 122 and is discharged outside the machine via the drain port 121 and the drain path 152.

An outside air intake port 171 is formed in the back cover 17 . By opening and closing a damper (not shown) formed in the air passage 20, the configuration may be such that outside air can be taken into the air passage 20 through the outside air intake port 171 and the damper. Furthermore, a configuration may be adopted in which part or all of the air dehumidified through the exhaust duct 123 can be discharged to the outside of the washer/dryer 10 from an exhaust port (not shown).

The intermediate duct 21 is located downstream of the exhaust duct 123 and upstream of the air supply duct 22 in terms of air flow. The input side of the intermediate duct 21 is connected to the suction port 184 , and the output side is connected to the filter device 23 . The air supply duct 22 is located downstream of the hot air supply unit 30 and upstream of the water tank 12 in terms of air flow. The input side of the air supply duct 22 is connected to the hot air supply unit 30, and the output side is connected to the air supply port 183 of the aquarium cover 18.

The water supply duct 193, the intermediate duct 21, and the air supply duct 22 connect the water tank 12 and rotating tank 13 as a drying room to the hot air supply unit 30. Moreover, the water supply duct 193, the intermediate duct 21, and the air supply duct 22 have a bellows structure as shown in FIG. This suppresses each of the water supply duct 193, intermediate duct 21, and air supply duct 22 from coming off from the water tank cover 18 even if vibration occurs due to rotation of the rotating tank 13.

The filter device 23 is located downstream of the exhaust duct 123 and upstream of the hot air supply unit 30 with respect to the air flow. The input side of the filter device 23 is connected to the intermediate duct 21 , and the output side is connected to the hot air supply unit 30 . Although the details are not shown, the filter device 23 includes a case and a filter, and collects foreign matter such as lint contained in the air passing therethrough.

The hot air supply unit 30 includes a case 31, a blower 32, and a heater 33. The hot air supply unit 30 has a function of heating the air passing through the air path 20 to turn it into warm air and sending it into the water tank 12. The case 31 is formed into a container shape and constitutes an outer shell of the hot air supply unit 30, and includes an air blower 32 and a heater 33 inside.

The case 31 constitutes a position portion of the air passage 20. A filter device 23 is attached to the input side of the case 31. An air supply duct 22 is connected to the output side of the case 31. Note that in other embodiments, the filter device 23 may also be housed inside the case 31. The blower device 32 has a function of sucking air from the exhaust duct 123 or the outside of the air passage 20 and blowing air heated by the heater 33 into the water tank 12 . The air blower 32 includes a fan 321 and a fan motor 322. The fan motor 322 is electrically connected to a control device (not shown) and is driven under the control of the control device.

The heater 33 has a function of heating the air supplied by the blower 32 to turn it into warm air. The heater 33 is electrically connected to a control device (not shown) and is driven under the control of the control device. Note that in other embodiments, a heat exchanger may be used instead of the heater 33 as a means for warming the air. Further, a heat exchanger may be used as a dehumidifying means.

When the drying operation is started, the control device drives the motor 14 to rotate the rotary tank 13. As a result, the clothes stored inside the rotating tub 13 are agitated. Further, the control device drives the fan motor 322 and the heater 33. As a result, air is sucked into the case 31 and heated by the heater 33 to generate warm air. The generated warm air is supplied to the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13 by the blower 32 . In this way, warm air circulates through the air passage 20 and inside the drying chamber, promoting drying of the clothes.

The washer/dryer 10 further includes an irradiation device 40. The irradiation device 40 has a function of sterilizing and deodorizing an object by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays. The irradiation device 40 includes an irradiation device main body 41, a light emitting section 42, and a cover 43. The irradiation device main body 41 constitutes the outer shell of the irradiation device 40 and holds the light emitting section 42. The light emitting section 42 emits ultraviolet light. The cover 43 covers the light emitting section 42. In this embodiment, the light emitting section 42 is a light emitting diode (UV-LED) that emits ultraviolet light. The cover 43 is made of a heat-resistant material, such as quartz glass, which can transmit ultraviolet rays.

The irradiation device 40 sterilizes and deodorizes the inside of the air passage 20 by irradiating the inside of the air passage 20 including the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13 with ultraviolet rays. In particular, the irradiation device 40 irradiates at least the inside of the exhaust duct 123, the intermediate duct 21, or the air supply duct 22 with ultraviolet rays. In this embodiment, the irradiation device 40c irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the downstream side of the hot air supply unit 30 in the air flow path 20. Specifically, the irradiation device 40 irradiates at least the inside of the air supply duct 22 with ultraviolet light. The irradiation device main body 41 is attached to the case 31, and the light emitting section 42 faces the inside of the air supply duct 22.

Furthermore, the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation device 40 reach the inside of the rotating tank 13 through the air supply duct 22 and the air supply port 183. Thereby, the irradiation device 40 can sterilize and deodorize the inner surface of the rotating tank 13 and/or the clothes stored inside the rotating tank 13.

Here, the optical axis L of the light emitting section 42 extends toward a position offset from the rotation axis 141 located at the center of the rotation tank 13. That is, the irradiation device 40 irradiates a position inside the rotating tank 13 that is shifted from the center. When the motor 14 is driven in the driving state of the irradiation device 40, ultraviolet rays are irradiated toward at least the rotationally moving range of the rotating tank 13. In this embodiment, ultraviolet rays are irradiated toward the rotationally moving range at the bottom of the rotating tank 13. Thereby, as the rotating tub 13 rotates, it becomes possible to irradiate a wider range of the rotating tub 13 and/or more clothes with ultraviolet rays.

For example, when the drying step of the drying operation is completed, the control device drives the irradiation device 40 to perform a sterilization step of irradiating the clothes stored in the air supply duct 22 and the rotating tank 13 with ultraviolet rays. This facilitates sterilization and deodorization of the inside of the air passage 20 and clothing. Note that, for example, the configuration is such that the irradiation device 40 is driven to perform the sterilization process of irradiating ultraviolet rays to the clothes stored in the rotating tub 13 before the washing process in the washing operation or before the drying process in the drying operation. It's okay. Further, in the tank cleaning operation, the irradiation device 40 may be driven to irradiate ultraviolet rays to sterilize and deodorize the inside of the air supply duct 22 and the inside of the rotating tank 13.

Further, the washer/dryer 10 includes a cooling device 50. The cooling device 50 has a function of cooling the irradiation device 40, especially the light emitting section 42. The cooling device 50 is, for example, a water-cooled cooling device, and includes a cooling section 51 and a cooling water supply pipe 52. The cooling unit 51 is provided at a position corresponding to the light emitting unit 42 on the outside of the case 31, and has a cylindrical cooling pipe 511 inside. The water injection device 19 further includes a cooling water supply valve 195. The input side of the cooling water supply valve 195 is connected to the connection port 191, and the output side is connected to the cooling water supply pipe 52. The cooling water supply valve 195 is electrically connected to the control device and opens and closes under the control of the control device. When the cooling water supply valve 195 opens, cooling water is supplied to the cooling unit 51 through the cooling water supply pipe 52. The light emitting section 42 is cooled by water passing through the cylindrical cooling pipe 511 provided inside the cooling section 51.

When the irradiation device 40 is driven, the light emitting section 42 may generate heat, especially if the light emitting section 42 is a high-power UV-LED that consumes a large amount of power. Furthermore, UV-LEDs are generally sensitive to high temperatures, and it is not preferable to expose them to high-temperature environments for long periods of time. That is, the inside of the case 31 becomes high temperature due to the driving of the hot air supply unit 30, which is not preferable for the light emitting section 42. Therefore, the control device may drive the cooling device 50 when driving the irradiation device 40 to cool and eliminate the heating state caused by the light emitting section 42. Furthermore, the heating state of the light emitting section 42 due to the heat generated by the heater 33 may be canceled by driving the cooling device 50 in conjunction with driving the hot air supply unit 30.

Here, the interior of the air passage 20 is often subject to high temperature and high humidity conditions during washing and drying operations. The duct is often bellows-shaped in order to cope with vibrations caused by the rotation of the rotary tank 13 as described above. Since the bellows-shaped duct has many uneven parts, it is an environment in which moisture and foreign matter are likely to remain. Therefore, there is a possibility that the inside of the duct becomes a breeding site for mold, bacteria, and the like.

On the other hand, according to the present embodiment described above, the washer/dryer 10 as a clothes processing device includes a water tank 12, a rotating tank 13, a hot air supply unit 30, an exhaust duct 123, an air supply duct 22 , an intermediate duct 21, and an irradiation device 40. The rotating tank 13 is rotatably supported inside the water tank 12, and together with the water tank 12 constitutes a drying chamber in which clothes are accommodated. The hot air supply unit 30 supplies hot air to the drying room. The exhaust duct 123, the air supply duct 22, and the intermediate duct 21 connect the hot air supply unit 30 and the drying room. The irradiation device 40 irradiates the inside of at least one of the exhaust duct 123, the air supply duct 22, and the intermediate duct 21 with ultraviolet rays.

Thereby, the inside of the exhaust duct 123, the air supply duct 22, and the intermediate duct 21 can be sterilized by ultraviolet rays. Therefore, the insides of the ducts 123, 21, and 22, where mold and bacteria are likely to grow, can be kept clean. Therefore, a clothing processing device with enhanced sterilization and deodorization effects is provided.

The air passage 20 includes an exhaust duct 123 and an intermediate duct 21 that are located downstream of the water tank 12 and upstream of the hot air supply unit 30, and an intermediate duct 21 that is downstream of the hot air supply unit 30 and located downstream of the water tank 30 in the direction of air flow. 12 and an air supply duct 22 located upstream of the air supply duct 12. The irradiation device 40 irradiates at least the inside of the air supply duct 22 with ultraviolet light.

As a result, the inside of the air supply duct 22 through which the warm air supplied to the water tank 12 passes immediately before is sterilized and deodorized. Therefore, the generation of mold and bacteria in the water tank 12 can be suppressed, and a clean clothes processing device can be provided.

The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation device 40 can reach the inside or the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank 13. In this embodiment, the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation device 40 can pass through the air supply duct 22 and reach the inside of the rotating tank 13 .

Thereby, ultraviolet rays can be applied to the inside of the rotating tank or even the clothes inside the rotating tank. Therefore, it is possible to sterilize the rotating tank that accommodates the clothes and the clothes themselves that are housed inside.

Although the irradiation device 40 can irradiate the rotating tank 13 with ultraviolet rays, it is difficult to irradiate a wide area at once because it irradiates through the air supply duct 22, and the range that can be irradiated at one time is It is limited to a part of the tank 13. That is, when the ultraviolet rays are irradiated toward the center of rotation of the rotating tub 13, that is, the rotating shaft 141, the ultraviolet rays are irradiated only on the rotating tub 13 or a certain part of the clothing, regardless of whether the rotating tub 13 is rotating or not. be done.

On the other hand, the irradiation direction of the irradiation device 40 is set at a position offset from the rotation axis 141 located at the center of rotation of the rotating tank 13.

As a result, when the irradiation device 40 is driven while the rotating tank 13 is rotated, the irradiation position rotates relatively, so that a wide range of the rotating tank 13 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays. As a result, it is possible to sterilize and deodorize the rotary tank 13 or a wide range of clothing.

Here, the irradiation device 40 may deteriorate due to its own heat generation or high temperature caused by the hot air supplied by the hot air supply unit 30.

On the other hand, the washer/dryer 10 as a clothes processing device includes a cooling device 50 that cools the irradiation device 40 .

Thereby, deterioration of the irradiation device 40 due to high temperature can be suppressed. Therefore, the sterilization and deodorization effect of the irradiation device 40 can be maintained over a long period of time.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the washer/dryer 10 includes an irradiation device 40a instead of the irradiation device 40. The irradiation device 40a has a light guide member 44. In the irradiation device 40a, the irradiation device main body 41 and the light emitting unit 42 are arranged outside the air passage 20. The light guiding member 44 has a function of guiding the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light emitting section 42 into the air passage 20 .

The light guiding member 44 can guide the ultraviolet rays to an arbitrary position and direction away from the light emitting section 42 by propagating the ultraviolet rays inside. The light guide member 44 can be composed of, for example, an optical fiber or a light guide plate. An example of the optical fiber is a silica glass fiber. Further, examples of the light guide plate include transparent members such as quartz glass, polycarbonate, and acrylic. In this embodiment, the light guide member 44 is made of an optical fiber.

The input side of the light guide member 44 is connected to the light emitting part 42, and the output side is inserted into the case 31 through a through hole 311 formed in the downstream part of the case 31. An output end portion 441 of the light guide member 44 faces the inside of the air supply duct 22 . When the irradiation device 40a is driven, the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the light emitting section 42 travel inside the light guide member 44. The ultraviolet rays propagated inside the light guide section 44 are irradiated from the tip section 441 toward the air supply duct 22 and the inside of the rotating tank 13 .

The optical axis La of the ultraviolet rays emitted from the tip portion 441 extends toward a position offset from the rotation axis 141 located at the center of the rotation tank 13, similar to the optical axis L of the light emitting portion 42 in the first embodiment. There is. Thereby, as the rotating tub 13 rotates, it becomes possible to irradiate a wider range of the rotating tub 13 and/or more clothes with ultraviolet rays.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the irradiation device 40a includes a light emitting section 42 provided outside the air passage 20, and a light guide member 44 extending from the light emitting section 42 into the inside of the air passage 20.

Thereby, by providing the light emitting section 42 outside the air passage 20 under a high temperature environment, deterioration of the light emitting section 42 due to high temperature can be suppressed.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. In this embodiment, the washer/dryer 10 includes an irradiation device 40b. The irradiation device 40b has a light guide member 45 instead of the light guide member 44 of the irradiation device 40a of the third embodiment. The light guide member 45 has a plurality of output sides, in this case two branches. That is, the light guide member 45 can guide the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light emitting section 42 toward a plurality of directions and/or positions.

The light guide member 45 has a first tip 451 and a second tip 452. The first tip portion 451 is inserted into the air passage 20 from the through hole 311 of the case 31 . The first tip portion 451 irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the air supply duct 22 and the inside of the rotating tank 13 . The second tip portion 452 faces toward the inside of the rotating tank 13 from the through hole 185 formed in the aquarium cover 18 . The second tip 452 irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the inside of the rotating tank 13 from a position different from that of the first tip 451 . Thereby, the inside of the rotating tank 13 and/or the clothes stored inside the rotating tank 13 can be more effectively sterilized and deodorized.

At least one of the optical axis Lb1 of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the first tip 451 and the optical axis Lb2 of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the second tip 452 is directed from the rotating shaft 141 located at the center of the rotating tank 13. It extends to a different position. In this embodiment, both the optical axis Lb1 of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the first tip 451 and the optical axis Lb2 of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the second tip 452 are rotated at the center of the rotating tank 13. It extends toward a position offset from the axis 141. Thereby, as the rotating tub 13 rotates, it becomes possible to irradiate a wider range of the rotating tub 13 and/or more clothes with ultraviolet rays.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the light guide member 45 can irradiate the ultraviolet rays emitted by one light emitting section 42 to a plurality of directions and/or positions. This makes it possible to more effectively disinfect and deodorize the interior of the clothing processing device.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In this embodiment, the washer/dryer 10 includes an irradiation device 40c. The irradiation device 40c irradiates ultraviolet rays toward the upstream side of the hot air supply unit 30 in the air flow path 20. Specifically, the irradiation device 40c irradiates at least the inside of the intermediate duct 21 with ultraviolet rays.

In this embodiment, the filter device 23 is arranged inside the case 31. The irradiation device 40c is arranged at the upstream portion of the case 31 so that the light emitting section 42 faces the inside of the intermediate duct 21.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiments.

Here, the intermediate duct 21 is located upstream of the filter device 23 with respect to the air flow. Therefore, there is a possibility that the unevenness of the bellows structure of the intermediate duct 21 may become clogged with foreign matter such as lint. Further, the intermediate duct 21 is located upstream of the heater 33 in terms of air flow. Therefore, the temperature of the air passing through the intermediate tact 21 tends to be lower than that immediately after being heated by the heater 33. Therefore, there is a possibility that bacteria, mold, etc. will grow inside the intermediate duct 21.

According to this embodiment, the air passage 20 is configured to include an intermediate duct 21 located downstream of the water tank 12 and upstream of the hot air supply unit 30 with respect to the direction of air flow. The irradiation device 40c irradiates the inside of the intermediate duct 21 with ultraviolet rays.

Thereby, the inside of the intermediate duct 21 can be sterilized and deodorized, and a clean clothes processing device can be provided.

Note that the irradiation device 40c may be configured to be able to irradiate the inside of the exhaust duct 123 with ultraviolet rays through the intermediate duct 21. In this case, the inside of the exhaust duct 123 can be sterilized and deodorized.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the washer/dryer 100 as a clothes processing device includes an outer box 61, a water tank 62, a rotating tank 63, a motor 64, a door 65, a drainage device 66, an air path 70, a hot air supply unit 80, and an irradiation device. It has 40d. The washer/dryer 100 is a drum type washer/dryer in which the rotating shaft of the rotary tub 63 is horizontally oriented horizontally or diagonally tilted downward toward the rear.

The outer box 61 is formed into a box shape and forms an outer shell of the washer/dryer 100. The water tank 62 is placed inside the outer box 61 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotating tank 63 is rotatably arranged within the water tank 62. Both the water tank 62 and the rotating tank 63 are formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and store clothes therein, and function as a laundry room during a washing operation and as a drying room during a drying operation.

The water tank 62 has an opening 621 formed at one cylindrical end, in this case the end on the door 65 side, and a water tank end plate 622 formed at the other end. The rotating tank 63 has an opening 631 formed at one end of the cylindrical shape, in this case the end on the door 65 side, and a rotating tank end plate 632 formed at the other end.

The water tank 62 has an exhaust port 623, an air supply port 624, and a drain port 625. The exhaust port 623 is located near the opening 621 in the upper part of the peripheral wall forming the cylindrical portion of the water tank 62 . The air supply port 624 is formed in the aquarium end plate 622. The drain port 625 is formed at the rear of the bottom of the water tank 62, that is, near the end plate 622 of the water tank. Drain port 625 serves as an outlet for water from water tank 12. The exhaust port 623, the air supply port 624, and the drain port 625 communicate the inside and outside of the water tank 12.

The drainage device 66 includes a drainage valve 661 and a drainage path 662. The drain valve 661 is an electromagnetically driven liquid on-off valve, and is driven and controlled by a control device (not shown). Drain valve 661 opens and closes drain path 662. The input side of the drain valve 661 is connected to the drain port 625 of the water tank 12 via the drain path 662, and the output side of the drain valve 661 is connected to the outside of the washer/dryer 100 via the drain path 662. There is. Drainage path 662 is a path through which water stored in water tank 62 is discharged to the outside of washer/dryer 100 . When the drain valve 661 is closed, water can be stored in the water tank 62. Further, when the drain valve 661 is opened, the water stored in the water tank 62 can be discharged to the outside of the machine.

The rotating tank 63 has a large number of holes 633 and a large number of communicating holes 634. The hole 633 and the communication hole 634 communicate the inside and outside of the rotating tank 63. The hole 633 is formed in the peripheral wall of the rotating tank 13 forming a cylindrical shape. The communication hole 634 is formed in the rotary tank end plate 632. The large number of holes 633 and the large number of communication holes 634 mainly function as water holes through which water enters and exits during the washing operation, and function as vent holes through which air enters and exits during the drying operation.

The motor 64 is located outside the water tank 62 and is provided on the water tank end plate 622. The motor 64 is, for example, an outer rotor type direct drive motor. A shaft portion 641 of the motor 64 passes through the tank end plate 622 and is fixed to the center of the rotary tank end plate 632. Thereby, the motor 64 rotates the rotating tank 63 relative to the water tank 62.

The door 65 is provided on the outer surface of the outer box 61 via a hinge (not shown). The door 65 rotates about the hinge to open and close the front opening 611 of the outer box 61. Clothes are stored in or taken out of the rotating tub 63 through the openings 621 and 631 with the door 65 open.

The air passage 70 connects the exhaust port 623 and the air supply port 624 on the outside of the water tank 62. The air passage 70 serves as a path for exhausting the air in the water tank 12 through the exhaust port 623 and supplying warm air into the water tank 12 from the air supply port 624. The air passage 70 includes a hot air supply unit 80, a filter device 71, and an air supply duct 72, a connection duct 73, and an exhaust duct 74 that connect these. Air circulates within the air passage 70, the water tank 62, and the rotating tank 63, as shown by the black arrows in FIG.

The hot air supply unit 80 supplies hot air to the drying chamber. The heating method of the hot air supply unit 80 may be a heater type in which air is heated by a heater, or a heat pump type in which air is dehumidified and heated by a heat exchanger. In this embodiment, the heating method of the hot air supply unit 80 is a heat pump method.

The hot air supply unit 80 is provided below the water tank 62 and the rotating tank 63 at the inner lower part of the outer box 61 . The hot air supply unit 80 includes a heat exchange section 81 , an evaporator 82 , a condenser 83 , a compressor 84 , and an air blower 85 . The heat exchange section 81 is formed into a box shape and houses an evaporator 82 and a condenser 83 therein. The evaporator 82 and the condenser 83 together with the compressor 84 arranged outside the heat exchange section 81 constitute a heat pump mechanism, that is, a refrigeration cycle.

The evaporator 82 is provided upstream of the condenser 83 with respect to the flow of air within the heat exchange section 81 during drying operation. The air passing through the heat exchange section 81 is cooled by the evaporator 82 and dehumidified thereby. The air dehumidified by the evaporator 82 is then heated by the condenser 83 and becomes warm air.

The blower device 85 has a function of drawing the air inside the water tank 62 into the heat exchange section 81 and sending the air that has been dehumidified and heated in the heat exchange section 81 into the water tank 62 . The air blower 85 is provided downstream of the heat exchange section 81 and upstream of the air supply duct 72 in terms of air flow. The blower 85 includes a fan and a fan motor, although details are not shown.

When the drying operation is started, the control device drives the blower device 85 and the compressor 84 to send air that has been dehumidified and heated by the refrigeration cycle into the water tank 62 by the blower device 85 .

The air supply duct 72, the connection duct 73, the exhaust duct 74, and the heat exchange section 81 constitute a part of the air passage 70 that connects the exhaust port 623 and the air supply port 624, respectively. In this case, regarding the flow of air in the air passage 70, the exhaust port 623 is on the most upstream side, and the air supply port 624 is on the most downstream side.

The upstream side of the heat exchange section 81 is connected to the filter device 71 via a connection duct 73. The filter device 71 is provided above the water tank 62 and the rotary tank 63 at the inner upper part of the outer box 61 . The filter device has a filter inside that collects foreign substances such as lint.

The upstream side of the filter device 71 is connected to an exhaust duct 74 via a connecting portion 75 . The connecting portion 75 is formed into a cylindrical shape bent into an inverted L shape, and constitutes a part of the air passage 70 . The exhaust duct 74 has a bellows structure. The exhaust duct 74 extends generally straight from the exhaust port 623 upward or toward the upper rear side. In this embodiment, the exhaust duct 74 is inclined so that it descends toward the front.

In this embodiment, the irradiation device 40d irradiates at least the inside of the exhaust duct 74 with ultraviolet rays. The irradiation device 40d is attached to the outer wall of the connecting portion 75 at a position where the light emitting portion 42 faces the exhaust duct 74. In this case, the irradiation device 40d is attached to the upper wall of the connection section 75. In this embodiment, since the exhaust duct 74 is inclined, the optical axis Ld of the light emitting section 42 of the irradiation device 40d is inclined so as to descend toward the front. Thereby, a wide range inside the exhaust duct 74 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

Further, the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light emitting section 42 may pass through the exhaust duct 74 and the exhaust port 623 and be irradiated onto the outer peripheral surface forming the cylindrical portion of the rotating tank 63. As a result, the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank 63 is sterilized and deodorized. Note that by driving the irradiation device 40d while the motor 64 is being driven, a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank 63 that is irradiated with ultraviolet rays is relatively moved. Therefore, sterilization and deodorization can be performed over a wide range of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank 63.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiments.

Here, the exhaust duct 74 is located upstream of the filter device 71 with respect to the air flow. Therefore, there is a possibility that the unevenness of the bellows structure of the exhaust duct 74 may become clogged with foreign matter such as lint. Further, the exhaust duct 74 is located upstream of the heat exchange section 81 in terms of air flow. Therefore, the temperature of the air passing through the exhaust duct 74 tends to be lower than that immediately after being warmed by the condenser 83. Therefore, there is a possibility that bacteria, mold, etc. will occur inside the exhaust duct 74.

In this embodiment, the air passage 70 is configured to include an exhaust duct 74 located downstream of the water tank 62 and upstream of the hot air supply unit 80 with respect to the direction of air flow. The irradiation device 40d irradiates at least the inside of the exhaust duct 74 with ultraviolet rays.

Thereby, the inside of the exhaust duct 74 can be sterilized and deodorized, and the generation of bacteria, mold, etc. inside can be suppressed. Thus, a clean clothes processing device is provided.

Here, the outer circumferential surface of the rotating tank 63 is not exposed to the outside air because it is surrounded by the water tank 62. Therefore, for example, if only a washing operation is performed without performing a drying operation, the outer circumferential surface of the rotating tub 63 remains moist, which may cause mold and bacteria to grow.

On the other hand, according to this embodiment, the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation device 40d can reach the inside or the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank 63, in this case the outer peripheral surface.

Thereby, by irradiating the outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank 63 with ultraviolet rays, it is possible to suppress the growth of bacteria and mold in the rotating tank 63. Thus, a clean clothes processing device is provided.

Note that the washer/dryer 100 may include a cooling device 50 that cools the irradiation device 40d, similarly to each of the above embodiments.

Furthermore, the washer/dryer 100 propagates the ultraviolet rays irradiated by the light emitting unit 42 through the light guide member to irradiate any or more of the inside of the air supply duct 72, the connection duct 73, and the exhaust duct 74 with the ultraviolet rays. It may be configured to do so.

In the plurality of embodiments described above, the cooling device 50 is water-cooled, but the cooling device 50 is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments, the cooling device 50 may be an air-cooled cooling device or may be a heat sink having a large number of fins to facilitate heat dissipation. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which air is sent to the irradiation device 40 to cool it by driving the blower device 32. In this case, an outside air intake port is provided in the back cover 17 and the air passage 20, and the outside air intake port provided in the air passage 20 can be opened and closed by a damper, so that when cooling the irradiation device 40, the temperature inside the machine is lower than the temperature inside the machine. A configuration may be adopted in which the irradiation device 40 can be efficiently cooled by taking in low-temperature outside air.

Although multiple embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and gist of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 100... Washing/drying machine (clothing processing equipment), 11... Outer box, 12... Water tank (drying room), 123... Exhaust duct (duct), 13... Rotating tank (drying room), 14... Motor, 141... Rotation Axis, 20... Air path, 21... Intermediate duct (duct), 22... Air supply duct (duct), 30... Hot air supply unit, 40, 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d... Irradiation device, 42... Light emitting unit, 44 , 45... Light guiding member, 50... Cooling device, 61... Outer box, 62... Water tank, 63... Rotating tank, 70... Air path, 72... Air supply duct (duct), 73... Connection duct (duct), 74... Exhaust duct, 80...hot air supply unit

Claims (6)

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a rotating tank that is rotatably supported inside the water tank and constitutes a drying chamber that accommodates clothes therein together with the water tank;
a hot air supply unit that supplies hot air to the drying room;
a duct forming a part of an air path connecting the warm air supply unit and the drying room;
an irradiation device that irradiates at least the inside of the duct with ultraviolet rays;
Garment processing equipment. The duct is configured to include an air supply duct located downstream of the hot air supply unit and upstream of the water tank with respect to the direction of air flow,
The irradiation device irradiates at least the inside of the air supply duct with ultraviolet rays.
The clothing processing device according to claim 1. The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the irradiation device can reach the interior or outer peripheral surface of the rotating tank,
The clothing processing device according to claim 1. The irradiation direction of the irradiation device is set in a direction offset from the center of rotation of the rotating tank.
The clothing processing device according to claim 3. The irradiation device is
a light emitting part provided outside the air passage;
a light guiding member extending from the light emitting part to the inside of the air passage;
A clothing processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. comprising a cooling device that cools the irradiation device;
The clothing processing device according to claim 1.

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