JP3024057B2 - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a clothes-drying apparatus which can automatically dry laundry or take it under a eaves in response to a change in weather.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As this kind of clothes drying apparatus, a sliding arm part which can be extended and contracted by using an appropriate driving member is horizontally mounted on a pair of pillars standing under the eaves of a house. In addition to hanging a clothesline horizontally, a rain sensor is installed outdoors, and the sliding arm is extended and contracted according to the output signal of the rain sensor to automatically dry and take in laundry. Is known. The expansion and contraction of the sliding arm portion is performed by disposing an endless annular power transmission member such as a chain or a rope, or a screw-like power transmission member such as a feed screw in the direction of expansion and contraction, and rotating the motor connected to these members. This was done by driving.

[0003]

It is preferable that the laundry hung on the clothesline be sun-dried at a position higher than the ground surface as much as possible. However, in the conventional apparatus, the sliding arms are extended and contracted to make the clothesline horizontal. Although it could be reciprocated, it could not be moved up and down. Therefore, when the sliding arm is installed at a high position, it is difficult to reach the clothesline, and there is a problem that the work of hanging and taking in the laundry is inconvenient. In this case, it is possible to attach a motor or the like to the sliding arm and move the sliding arm up and down. However, the operation structure becomes complicated, the workability is deteriorated, and the construction cost must be increased.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to automatically move laundry suspended on a clothesline with respect to the body surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a clothes-drying apparatus which can be moved to a room, has a simple structure, and is excellent in workability.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a clothes-drying apparatus according to the present invention has a drive shaft and a driven shaft disposed in a horizontally installed frame, and has an endless annular power transmission between both shafts. The member is stretched, the drive shaft is connected to the motor, and a plurality of hook support members are slidably provided in parallel with the endless annular power transmission member, and the adjacent hook support members are separated from each other within a predetermined interval. Hooks which are connected to each other so as to be freely movable, and which integrally connect a hook support member at the end portion of the frame to an endless annular power transmission member, and each hook support member has a hook capable of hanging a clothesline. In a clothes-drying device having a guide mounted thereon, the hook guide is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape having a substantially C-shaped cross section, a pulley is pivotally supported at an upper portion, and a hook is protruded at a lower portion to engage with a side surface. When the piece is fixed, A connecting member of an appropriate length such as a wire having a gripping member fixed to one end and the hook attached to the other end is attached to the outside of the hooking guide, and the hooking end is attached to the end on the side where the holding member is fixed. It is wound so that the end on the side provided is inside the tubular shape of the hook guide, and with the vertical movement of the gripping member, the hook moves up and down while being guided along the hook guide, and The hanging hook is provided so as to be fixed in position by locking the end on the gripping member side to the hook, and the clothesline supported by the hanging hook and pulled up by the engaging piece and the hanging hook. It is characterized by being provided so as to be fixed in a sandwiched state.

The clothes-drying device of the present invention is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape having a substantially C-shaped cross section, a pulley is pivotally supported at an upper portion, a hook is protruded at a lower portion, and an engagement piece is provided at a side surface. To the pulley of the hook guide that is fixed, a connecting member of an appropriate length such as a wire to which a gripping member is fixed at one end and a hook that can hang a clothesline is attached at the other end,
The end on the side where the gripping member is fixed is outside the hook guide, and the end on the side where the hook is attached is inside the cylindrical shape of the hook guide and wound, with the vertical movement of the gripping member. The hook is provided so that the hook is moved up and down while being guided along the hook guide, and the hook is fixed in position by locking the end on the gripping member side to the hook.
A hanging pole supported by the hook and lifted upward is provided so as to be fixed in a state sandwiched by the engaging piece and the hook.

In each of the above structures, it is more preferable that a pressing member urged downwardly be attached to the engaging piece fixed to the hook guide, and the pressing member be provided so as to press against the upper surface of the clothesline.

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, an example of a drying apparatus having a mechanism for moving laundry and a clothesline horizontally will be described first, and then a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIGS. 1 to 6 show an example of a clothes-drying apparatus to be used as a reference. The clothes-drying apparatus 1 of this embodiment is, as shown in FIG. It is to be attached to.

In the drawing, reference numeral 4 denotes a hard material having excellent rust resistance, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, plastic, or the like.
a and a through-hole 4b formed in a long cylindrical shape, and is horizontally mounted on a frame surface 3a such as the column 3 or the like. The length of the frame 4 can be appropriately selected according to the installation position.

Reference numerals 5 and 6 denote a driven sprocket and a driving sprocket rotatably supported in the frame 4. The driving sprocket 6 is connected to a driving shaft of a motor 7 installed adjacent to the frame 4.

Reference numeral 8 denotes an endless annular roller chain stretched so as to circulate between the sprockets 5 and 6, 9a and 9
b and 9c are guide rollers 10a and 10
b, 10c, and pulleys 11a, 11b, 1 at the bottom.
Hook support members 12a, 12b, 1 that pivotally support 1c
Reference numeral 2c denotes a hook formed by bending a hard material such as aluminum into a U shape so that a laundry or a clothesline can be hung.

The hook supporting members 9a, 9b, 9c are juxtaposed in the frame 4 in parallel to the direction in which the roller chain 8 is stretched. Guide rollers 10a, 10b, 10c are respectively provided in guide grooves 4a on both side surfaces of the frame 4. It is fitted and slidably provided in the groove (see FIG. 3). Adjacent hook support members are connected to each other via connecting members 13a and 13b of an appropriate length such as wires so that they can be approached and separated within a predetermined interval. The support member 9a is integrally fixed to the roller chain 8 via a fixing member 14, and the hook support member 9c on the skeleton surface 3a side is fixed to the mounting base 15 of the frame 4 on the original end side via the connecting member 13c. .

Each of the hooks 12a, 12b, 12c has a connecting member 16a, 16b, 16c of an appropriate length fixed to the upper end thereof, and the connecting member 16a is a pulley 11a of the hook supporting member 9a.
The connecting member 16b is wound around the pulley 11b of the hook supporting member 9b, and the end is fixed to the hook supporting member 9c.
"c" is wound around the pulley 11c of the hook support member 9c, the end of which is fixed to the mounting base 15, and is respectively suspended from the through hole 4b of the frame 4.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a precipitation detector installed on the upper end of the frame 4, and as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of rod-shaped electrodes 17a and 17b having different diameters are opposed to each other in a comb shape. And the electrodes 17a, 17b are arranged so that their heights are different.
Precipitation is detected by conduction between 17b, and a detection signal is transmitted to a motor control circuit (not shown). The precipitation detector 17 is installed on the frame 4,
It can be installed at an appropriate location outdoors or under indoor eaves, such as under eaves.

Although not shown, together with the motor control circuit, a position detection sensor comprising relay contacts for detecting the positions of the hook support members 9a and 9c is attached to both ends inside the frame 4; A switch mechanism for inputting various setting values to the motor control circuit and for manually driving and controlling the motor 7 is attached to appropriate positions inside and outside the room.

The configuration of this embodiment is as described above, and the operation will be described next. First, as shown in FIG. 5, before hanging the laundry or the like, each hook support member 9a, 9b, 9
c are collectively arranged on the skeleton surface 3a side. In this state, the fixed ends of the connection members 16a, 16b, 16c and the pulleys 11a, 1
1b, 11c, the hooks 12a, 12c
The b and 12c hang down below the frame 4 by the length of each connecting member, and the user can hang the laundry directly on each hook at a low position, or hang it on a clothesline.

After the laundry is hung, a hook mechanism 9a, 9b, 9c is moved by operating a switch mechanism (not shown) to move the hanging position of the laundry. In this case, an operation signal from the switch mechanism is sent to a control circuit (not shown), and the control circuit calculates a drive direction and a drive amount of the motor 7 and outputs a drive signal to drive the motor 7. The drive shaft of the motor 7 and the drive sprocket 6
The driving force of the motor is transmitted to the driven sprocket 5 through the roller chain 8 and the roller chain 8 is circulated between the sprockets 5 and 6.

When the roller chain 8 circulates, first, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, only the hook support member 9a integrally fixed to the roller chain 8 slides in the guide groove 4a toward the driven sprocket 5, and accordingly, the fixed end of the connecting member 16a and the pulley 11a move. The interval widens, and the hanging position of the hook 12a gradually rises.

When the hook support member 9a moves toward the driven sprocket 5 by the length of the connecting member 13a, the hook 12a stops rising and is held at the height. When the roller chain 8 further circulates, the hook supporting member 9a further slides and moves in the same direction, and the hook supporting member 9b connected via the connecting member 13a is pulled and moved in the same direction, and at the same time, the hook 12b is raised. Let it. Then, the hook support member 9c connected to the hook support member 9b via the connecting member 13b is similarly moved to raise the hook 12c.

When the hook support member 9a moves to a predetermined position on the front end side of the frame 4, a position detection sensor (not shown) operates to output a signal to the control circuit, and the control circuit stops the motor 7. In this state, hooks 12a, 12b,
12c is equally spaced below the frame 4 as shown in FIG. 2 and hangs down at a position elevated to the vicinity of the frame 4 to move the suspended laundry to the outside of the eaves underneath the eaves 2a and allow it to be sun-dried. it can.

While the laundry is sun-dried, the rain detector 1
When rainfall or snowfall is detected by the control unit 7, a precipitation detection signal is output to the control circuit, the motor 7 is driven to circulate the roller chain 8 in the opposite direction, and the hook support member 9 a is moved to the drive sprocket 6 side. Let me move. At this time, as the hook support member 9a approaches the hook support member 9b, the hook 12a gradually descends due to the weight of the suspended laundry, and stops when the hook 12a descends by the length of the connecting member 16a.

The hook supporting member 9a slidably moving toward the driving sprocket 6 sequentially moves the hook supporting members 9b and 9c on the side surfaces thereof to move the hook supporting members 9b and 9c.
When the hook support member moves to a predetermined position on the driving sprocket 6 side, a detection signal is output from the position detection sensor to the control circuit, and the motor 7 is stopped.

As a result, the hooks 12a, 12b, 12c
Is automatically moved to a position below the eaves bottom 2a shown in FIG. 5, and it is possible to prevent the laundry from getting wet due to precipitation. In addition, hooks 12a, 12b, 1
Since 2c is automatically lowered to the low position, the laundry hanging on these hooks can be easily taken in.

When the laundry dries, the switch mechanism (not shown) is operated to move each hook support member to the lower side of the eaves 2a.
Side, the laundry can be lowered to the low position and taken in.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a first embodiment of the present invention.
The same reference numerals are given to the same members as those in the example of the device shown in FIG. 1. In the same manner as described above, the hook supporting members 9a, 9b slidably disposed along the guide grooves 4a. , 9
c, hooking guides 18a, 18b having a substantially C-shaped cross section in the form of a rectangular tube having pulleys 19a, 19b, 19c pivotally supported at the upper part and hooks 20a, 20b, 20c projected at the lower part.
18c and hanging hook supporting members 9a and 9b so that each hook supporting member can be approached and separated within a predetermined interval.
Are connected by a connecting member 13d such as a rod, and the hook supporting members 9b and 9c are connected by a connecting member 13e.
The connection members 13d and 13e may be connected to the hanging furniture guides 18b and 18c on the original end side, respectively.

The hook guides 18a, 18b, 18c
Each of the pulleys 19a, 19b, 19c has a gripping member 21a, 21b, 21c such as a grip ball at one end and a stopper 22.
a, 22b and 22c are fixed, and the hook guide 1 is attached to the other end.
A connecting member 24a, 24b, 24c of an appropriate length, such as a wire, to which a sliding piece 40a, 40b, 40c having a shape that can be fitted into 8a, 18b, 18c is fixed. The sliding pieces 40a, 40b, 40c are slidable in the hook guides 18a, 18b, 18c, and hooks 23a, 23b, 23c are fixed to the lower ends thereof by screws. Each connecting member includes gripping members 21a, 21
The end on the side where b, 21 is fixed is a hook guide 18a, 1
The hook hook guides 18a, 18b, 1 are located outside the hook hook guides 18a, 18b, 1c on the side where the hooks 23a, 23b, 23c are attached.
8c and wound around it.

The hooks 23a, 23b and 23c are
a, 19b, 19c as gripping members 21a, 21
As the b and 21c move up and down, they can be moved up and down while being guided along the hook guides 18a, 18b and 18c, respectively. The hooks 20a, 2 integrated with the gripping member
The hooks pulled upward are fixed by locking the hooks 0b and 20c to the stoppers 22a, 22b and 22c. When the hooks are removed from the stoppers, the hooks can be moved up and down again, so that the vertical position of each hook can be manually operated.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, the hooks 23a, 23
3b and 23c are hook guides 18a, 18b and 18c, respectively.
Therefore, each hook and a clothesline placed thereon can be stably supported. In addition, each hook can be manually moved up and down along the hook guide,
For example, in places where there is little protrusion under the eaves 2a, the hanging laundry can be moved up to the eaves without lowering the position of the hooks, and the laundry can be prevented from getting wet by blowing rain or snow. Can be.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 10A, an engaging piece 25 of an appropriate length is provided on the side surface of each hook guide 18a, 18b, 18c, and a clothesline supported by each hook 23a, 23b, 23c. As shown in FIG. 3B, the hanging clothes rod 26 is attached to each of the hooks 23a, 23b, 23c and the engaging piece 2 as shown in FIG.
5 and the laundry can be fixed in the sandwiched state, and the clothespin 26 can be fixed by the wind received while the laundry is sun-dried.
Can be prevented from falling off from each of the hooks 23a, 23b, 23c.

As shown in FIG. 11A, a bent end portion 27 is provided on the side surface of each hook guide 18a, 18b, 18c.
a is attached to the end 27a, and a cylindrical pressing member 28 is attached to the end portion 27a by elastically biasing the pin 27 and the spring body 30 downward. As shown in FIG. 7B, the pressing member 28 is brought into surface contact with the clothesline 26 pulled up, and each hook 2
The clothesline 26 can be reliably held between the 3a, 23b, and 23c and fixed in position. In this case, each hook 2
3a, 23b, and 23c, the pressing member 2
By arranging 8, the pressing member 28 can be brought into contact regardless of the outer diameter of the drying rod 26, and the dropping of the drying rod 26 can be more reliably prevented.

Although not shown, in the embodiment in which the hook guide is hung at the hook support ratio, a connecting member such as a wire of an appropriate length to which the hook is fixed is connected to each hook guide as in the above embodiment. By hooking the end of the hook onto the hook supporting member or the hook guide on the original end side, the horizontal movement and the vertical movement of the hook can be automatically performed at the same time, and the laundry is suspended or taken in. The convenience at the time can be improved.

FIGS. 12 to 15 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a precipitation detector 31 formed by arranging small-diameter stainless steel rods at small intervals on the top end of a frame 4 is V-shaped. It is installed via a mounting plate 32 bent in the shape of a letter, and a thin plate-shaped cover body 33 having a size capable of covering the upper surface of the precipitation detector 31 is attached to the upper part of the precipitation detector 31 so as to be freely opened and closed. is there.

The precipitation detector 31 of the present embodiment has a case base 31.
On the insulating plate 31c, electrodes 34a and 34b formed by bending a stainless steel rod having a small diameter of about 0.6 mm into a U-shape are mounted on the insulating plate 31c.
They are arranged side by side in a comb tooth shape alternately with a gap of about 9 mm.

As shown in FIG. 15, both ends of the electrodes 34a and 34b have holes 31d formed in the insulating plate 31c.
The conductive assembly plate 3 is provided at the bottom of the case base 31a through the stainless steel ball 35 and the spring body 36, and the other end is supported by the case base 31a.
7, 37 are connected.

As shown in FIG. 13, the base 33a of the cover 33 is pivotally supported by the lower end of the front end of the frame 4, is urged by a spring body 38 in the direction away from the frame 4, and has one end. It is connected to a hook guide 18a disposed on the distal end side of the frame 4 via a connecting member 39 such as a lot or a wire fixed to the base 33a.

The connecting member 39 has a length substantially equal to the distance that the hook supporting member 9a can move in the frame 4.
When the hook support member 9a moves toward the skeleton surface 3a, the holder 39a is pulled toward the skeleton surface 3a by the hook guide 18a, so that the cover body 33 is rotated to cover the upper surface of the precipitation detector 31. Conversely, when the hook support member 9a moves to the tip end side of the frame 4, the holder 39
a becomes free and the traction state of the cover body 33 is released,
The cover body 33 is rotated by the spring body 38 in a direction away from the frame 4 to open the space above the precipitation detector 31.

According to the structure of this embodiment, the hook support members 9a, 9b, 9c are used when the rain detector 31 detects rain.
Is moved under the eaves and the upper surface of the precipitation detector 31 is covered with a cover body 33, and both electrodes 34a and 34b of the precipitation detector 31 are moved.
Each hook support member is moved to the front end side of the frame 4 and the cover body 33 is rotated to open the space above the precipitation detector 31 so that the laundry can be sun-dried again when it becomes dry. Has become. Precipitation detector 31 during rainfall
Even if the electrode is dried, the cover 33 opens when the hook supporting member 9a on the front end side of the frame 4 slightly moves to the front end side of the frame 4, detects rain again, and moves the hook supporting member 9a below the eaves. There is no danger of the laundry getting wet.

Therefore, if the precipitation detector 31 is covered with the cover body 33 at night or during snowfall, night dew or snow does not adhere to the electrodes, and the device is quickly operated the next morning or when it clears up after snowfall, and the laundry is washed. It is possible to dry things immediately.

In each of the above embodiments, the same operation is performed on the other side (not shown) of the pair of frames. In addition, a timer may be provided in the control circuit or an optical sensor may be attached so that the laundry is moved to a place under the eaves after a predetermined time has elapsed or sunset has been automatically detected. May be moved to an appropriate position.

[0044]

As described above, according to the clothes drying apparatus of the present invention, the laundry hung on the hook can be automatically moved from the outer position under the eaves to the underside of the eaves. Further, the hook can be moved to a lower position under the eaves and to a higher position in the sun-dried position, so that the laundry can be easily suspended and taken in, and the laundry can be dried in a well-ventilated and sunny position.

In this case, the hook can be moved back and forth and up and down by one motor, so that the cost of parts can be reduced and the gear and the like for moving up and down are not required, so that the structure is not complicated and the construction is not complicated. Also becomes easier.

Further, by being configured to be guided and moved by the hook guide of the hook, the hook and the clothesline supported by the hook can be more stably supported. By attaching the engagement piece, the position of the clothespin can be fixed between the engagement piece and the hook in a state where the clothespin is held between the engagement piece and the hook. Can be prevented. In this case, if the engaging member is provided with a pressing member urged downward by elastic pressure, the position of the clothesline can be more securely fixed.

Further, by providing a cover for the precipitation detector which opens and closes in conjunction with the sliding operation of the hook support member, it is possible to prevent the detection electrode from being wetted more than necessary, and to set the hook support member after rainfall or snowfall. It can move faster and dry the laundry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an example of a reference clothes-drying apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the inside of a frame of the clothes-drying apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 2;

4A is a plan view of the precipitation detector shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the inside of the frame in a state where the hook has been moved to the house side.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the inside of the frame in a state where the hook has been moved to the outdoor direction from the state of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view showing the inside of the frame of the clothes-drying apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG.

9 is a diagram showing the inside of the frame in a state where the hook in the embodiment of FIG. 7 is moved to the house side.

10A is an external view showing a state in which an engaging piece is attached to a hook guide, and FIG. 10B is a view showing a state in which a clothesline is fixed between the engaging piece and the hook.

11A is an exploded view of a part for attaching a pressing member with an engaging piece to a hook guide, and FIG. 11B is a view showing a state in which a clothesline is fixed between the pressing member and the hook.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a frame tip of a clothes-drying apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining an opening / closing operation of the cover body shown in FIG. 12;

14A is a plan view and FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of the precipitation detector shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a connection state of electrodes of the precipitation detector shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Clothes dryer 2 House 4 Frame 5 Drive sprocket 6 Drive sprocket 7 Motor 8 Roller chain 9a, 9b, 9c Hook support member 12a, 12b, 12c Hook 17,31 Precipitation detector 25 Engagement piece 28 Pressing member 33 Cover body

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A drive shaft and a driven shaft are arranged in a horizontally installed frame, an endless annular power transmission member is stretched between both shafts, and the drive shaft is connected to a motor. A plurality of hook support members are slidably provided in parallel with the endless annular power transmission member, and adjacent hook support members are connected to each other so as to be able to approach and separate within a predetermined interval, and a hook on the front end side of the frame. In a drying apparatus in which a support member is integrally connected to an endless annular power transmission member, and a hook guide having a hook capable of hanging a hanging pole is attached to each hook support member, the hook guide is substantially C-shaped. It is formed in a square cylindrical shape with a cross section of a letter, and a pulley is supported at the upper part, a hook is protruded at the lower part, and an engaging piece is fixed to the side surface,
A connecting member of an appropriate length, such as a wire, having a gripping member fixed to one end and the hook attached to the other end of the pulley, an end on the side where the gripping member is fixed is located outside the hooking guide, and the hook is hooked. Is wound so that the end on the side where is attached is located inside the cylindrical shape of the hook guide, and the hook moves up and down while being guided along the hook guide as the gripping member moves up and down. The hanging hook is provided so as to be fixed in position by locking the end on the gripping member side to the hook, and the hanging pole supported by the hanging hook and lifted upward is provided with the engaging piece and the hanging hook. A clothes-drying device provided so as to be fixed in a sandwiched state between the clothes-drying device. 2. A hook guide, which has a substantially C-shaped cross section and is formed in the shape of a rectangular cylinder, a pulley is supported at an upper portion, a hook is projected at a lower portion, and an engaging piece is fixed to a side surface. An appropriate-length connecting member such as a wire to which a gripping member is fixed at one end and a hook that can hang a clothesline is attached to the other end is attached to the pulley. Is wound around the outside of the hook guide, and the end on the side where the hook is attached is inside the cylindrical shape of the hook guide, and the hook is guided along the hook guide as the gripping member moves up and down. The hook is moved up and down, and the hook on the gripping member side is fixed to the hook so that the hook is fixed in position. The hanging pole supported by the hook and lifted upward is engaged with the hook. Set so that it is fixed in a sandwiched state with the piece and the hook. Clothes apparatus having the configurations. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pressing member urged downwardly by pressure is attached to the engaging piece fixed to the hook guide, and the pressing member is pressed against the upper surface of the clothesline.
A clothes-drying device as described in.