JP4636155B2 - Washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing / drying machine capable of disinfecting and deodorizing clothes and small items by supplying electrostatic atomization particles to a washing tub and an outer tub.

  In recent years, hygiene in living spaces has attracted attention, and many hygiene-friendly products that achieve sterilization, deodorization, and the like have been distributed in the market. As for laundry products, laundry dryers having a function of sterilizing and deodorizing clothes, fabric products, leather products, toys and accessories are on the market. In general, a dedicated course is set in which an object to be treated is put into a washing tub and several tens of minutes are operated. Specific sterilization / deodorization means are various, for example, heating in the tank, utilization of ozone, use of chemicals, etc., but the basic is realized by applying heat.

  With these means of applying heat, the object to be put in the washing tub is affected by heat and may be deformed or discolored. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the object to be treated. The restrictions on objects are detailed.

  In addition, as an example of means for sterilization without applying heat, Patent Document 1 proposes to disinfect clothing by supplying Ag ions at the time of rinsing, which is an object to be treated in a washing tub. It is necessary to wet the water.

This function also needs to limit the processing object which causes a problem when it gets wet, and the limitation of the processing object is described in detail in catalogs and instruction manuals.
JP 2001-276484 A

  However, since the conventional sterilization / deodorization function achieves this by applying heat, there is a limit to the object to be treated in consideration of heat stress. In this case, as many processing objects as the normal drying function cannot be used, and it is complicated and difficult for the user to determine this. Moreover, since heat must be applied for a long time, a lot of electricity costs are involved. In addition, in deodorizing means for making water mist and acting on clothes, stress on the material due to wetting with water can be considered.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and does not apply heat or wet water to the sterilization / deodorization treatment target object, and exposes the electrostatic atomization generated particles to the treatment target object on the wind. This will achieve sterilization and deodorization. As a result, the width of the object to be processed is widened, and the running cost is basically only the operation of discharging and blowing, so that the electricity cost is greatly reduced.

In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the washing and drying machine of the present invention is provided with an electrostatic atomization generating means for supplying electrostatic atomization generating particles to the inside of the outer tub by an air blowing means, A temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature in the vicinity of the electrostatic atomization generating means; and a control means for controlling driving of the washing tub, the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomization generating means. Drive the generating means
If there is a sterilization / deodorization course that performs sterilization / deodorization and the temperature detection means detects a predetermined temperature or higher during the sterilization / deodorization course operation, the electrostatic atomization generation means is not driven. After the air blowing means is driven for a predetermined time to perform a cooling process in which the air in the outer tub is exchanged with the outside air, the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomization generating means are driven. By exposing the electrostatic atomization generating particles to the washing tub and the outer tub, it has a function that enables sterilization and deodorization of clothes, accessories, etc. stored in the washing tub. This electrostatic atomization generating particle is a fine mass of water molecules charged with electricity and contains radicals having a high oxidative decomposition action. By supplying the electrostatic atomization generating particle by electrostatic atomization generating means, It is possible to achieve sterilization and deodorization without using heat as in the past.

  In the washing and drying machine of the present invention, the electrostatic atomization generating particles supplied from the electrostatic atomization generating means are efficiently exposed to the object in the washing tub through the optimized air path with little loss. Thus, it is possible to protect the object to be treated from the propagation of bacteria and to keep it clean. In addition, unlike conventional sterilization / deodorization means, it is possible to realize a low running cost by not using heat and item-free by not giving a load to the processing object.

Especially when the washing tub / outer tub / air blowing path / electrostatic atomization generating means is hot and the electrostatic atomization generation becomes unstable, such as immediately after the drying operation, this is detected by the temperature detecting means. The washing tub, the outer tub, the air flow path, and the electrostatic atomization generating means are cooled while the air inside the washing tub is exchanged with the outside air by the blowing means and the outside air introduction mechanism. And since electrostatic atomization generation is performed after the temperature at which electrostatic atomization generation stably operates, it is possible to surely sterilize and deodorize the processing object in the laundry tank regardless of the temperature of the laundry tank. it can.

According to the first invention, a washing tub for storing laundry, an outer tub in which the washing tub is rotatably mounted, a housing for elastically supporting the outer tub, and supplying washing water to the outer tub a water supply means, heating means for heating air in the outer tub, the outside air introduced to perform air and outside air replacement of the outer tub with the air in the outer tub to be circulated through said heating means A blowing path having a mechanism, a blowing means for pumping and circulating the air in the blowing path, and for supplying electrostatic atomization generating particles provided in the blowing path into the outer tub by the blowing means . Electrostatic atomization generation means, temperature detection means for detecting the ambient temperature in the vicinity of the electrostatic atomization generation means, and control means for controlling driving of the washing tub, the air blowing means, the electrostatic atomization generation means, and the like with the door, said control means, driving the electrostatic atomization generator Is not having a sterilized and deodorized course of performing sterilized and deodorized by the at disinfecting and deodorizing course operation, when the temperature detecting means detects a predetermined temperature or more, the electrostatic atomization generator after the cooling step the blowing hand stage without driving a predetermined time driven to conduct air and outside air replacement of the outer tub, Ru by driving the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomizing generating means. Thereby, even when the washing tub / outer tub / air blowing path / electrostatic atomization generating means becomes unstable at a high temperature, such as immediately after the drying operation, the temperature detecting means The washing tub / outer tub / air blowing path / electrostatic atomization generating means are cooled while the air inside the washing tub is exchanged with the outside air by the blowing means and the outside air introduction mechanism. And since electrostatic atomization generation is performed after the temperature at which electrostatic atomization generation stably operates, the processing object in the laundry tub is surely sterilized and deodorized regardless of the temperature of the laundry tub. be able to.

  According to 2nd invention, when the said temperature detection means is less than predetermined temperature, it controls to drive the said ventilation means and the said electrostatic atomization generation means. Thus, when it is determined that the temperature of the washing tub, the outer tub, the air blowing path, and the electrostatic atomization generating means is stable and can generate electrostatic atomization, the electrostatic atomization generating means and the like are cooled. The processing object in the washing tub can be sterilized and deodorized without delay.

According to 3rd invention, when the said temperature detection means detects more than predetermined temperature, it controls to change the drive time of the said ventilation means by detected temperature. As a result, the temperature of the washing tub, outer tub, ventilation path, and electrostatic atomization generating means can be lowered in the minimum necessary time until electrostatic atomization can be stably generated. The processing object in the washing tub can be sterilized and deodorized efficiently.

  According to the fourth invention, when driving the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomization generating means, the air blowing means is driven at a first rotational speed for a predetermined time from the start, It is controlled to drive at a second rotational speed lower than the rotational speed. As a result, even when the humidity in the washing tub of the washing / drying machine becomes high from residual water or a high degree of sealing, and the generation of electrostatic atomization becomes unstable due to this, the blowing means immediately after the start of operation By increasing the fan rotation speed and positively replacing the air in the washing tub with the outside air, the humidity in the washing tub can be reduced more quickly and the generation of electrostatic atomization can be stabilized.

  According to the fifth invention, the heating means is a heat pump, and the heat pump is controlled to be driven for a predetermined time during the period in which the air blowing means is driven at the first rotational speed. As a result, even when the humidity in the washing tub of the washing / drying machine becomes high from residual water or a high degree of sealing, and the generation of electrostatic atomization becomes unstable due to this, the blowing means immediately after the start of operation The fan rotation speed is increased, and the air in the washing tub is actively exchanged with the outside air, and at the same time, the heat pump is operated to perform the dehumidifying operation, thereby lowering the humidity in the washing tub earlier, The generation of electrostatic atomization can be stabilized.

  According to the sixth invention, during the sterilization / deodorization course operation, the washing tub can select a course that repeats normal reversal and a course that remains stopped. As a result, if the object to be treated is normal clothing, the electrostatic mist generation particles are uniformly and efficiently acted on the object to be treated by sterilization / deodorization by repeating forward and reverse of the washing tub. be able to. In the case where the object to be treated is delicate clothing, leather products, toys, etc., it can be sterilized and deodorized without damaging the object to be treated by operating with the washing tub stopped.

  The washing / drying machine according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings for understanding of the present invention. The following description is a specific example of the present invention and does not limit the content of the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the washing / drying machine 1 according to the present embodiment is configured so that the washing tub 2 is inclined horizontally downward or inclined downward from the horizontal direction toward the rear. 3 is installed. Corresponding to the horizontal arrangement of the washing tub 2 or the inclination shown in the figure, a clothing doorway leading to the opening end of the washing tub 2 is formed on the front side of the outer tub 3, and the upward inclination formed on the front side of the washing dryer 1 By opening the door 7 that closes the opening 5 provided on the surface so as to be opened and closed, the laundry can be taken in and out of the washing tub 2. Since the door 7 is provided on the upward inclined surface, the work for putting in and out the laundry can be performed without bending the waist. In the washing tub 2, a large number of through holes 6 communicating with the outer tub 3 are formed on the peripheral surface, and stirring protrusions (not shown) are provided at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface. The washing tub 2 is rotationally driven in the forward and reverse directions by a motor 4 attached to the rear side of the outer tub 3. In addition, a water injection pipe and a drain pipe are connected to the outer tub 3, and water is poured into and drained into the outer tub 3 by controlling the water injection valve and the drain valve.

  The operation course of the washing / drying machine 1 in the present embodiment includes a washing course in which only a washing process is performed, a drying course in which only drying is performed, a laundry drying course in which washing is continuously performed from drying to drying, and a nano e-course in which disinfection / deodorization is performed. There are four types of settings.

First, operation | movement of a washing process is demonstrated in order. The door 7 is opened, the laundry and detergent are put into the washing tub 2, and the operation is performed on the operation panel provided on the front upper portion of the washing / drying machine 1. When the operation is started, a predetermined amount of water is injected into the outer tub 3 from the water injection pipe, and the washing tub 2 is rotationally driven by the motor 4 to start the washing process. By the rotation of the washing tub 2, the laundry accommodated in the washing tub 2 is lifted in the rotation direction by the stirring protrusion provided on the inner peripheral wall of the washing tub 2, and the stirring operation of dropping from the appropriate raised height position Is repeated, so that the laundry has the effect of tapping and washing. After the required washing time, the dirty washing liquid is discharged from the drain pipe, and the washing liquid contained in the laundry is squeezed out by a dehydrating operation that rotates the washing tub 2 at a high speed. Rinsing is performed by pouring water from the road. Also in this rinsing step, the laundry stored in the washing tub 2 is repeatedly rinsed by the stirring operation of being lifted and dropped by the stirring protrusions by the rotation of the washing tub 2. When the rinsing process is finished, the water is drained and the laundry is drained by a dehydrating operation that rotates the washing tub 2 at a high speed, thereby completing the washing.

  Next, operation | movement of a drying process is demonstrated in order. The door 7 is opened, the laundry is put into the washing tub 2, and the operation is performed through the control by the control board or the like provided on the inside of the washing / drying machine 1, for example, on the operation panel provided on the upper front side. When started, the air in the outer tub 3 is sucked by the blower unit 9 through the circulation blower path 11 and is passed through the filter box 8 to the heat pump unit 12 to be dehumidified and heated to be circulated and blown into the outer tub 3. . While repeating this circulation, the moisture contained in the clothing is removed and the laundry is dried. In the drying step, the rotation mode and the stationary mode of the washing tub 2 can be selected according to the object to be dried.

  The washing / drying course continuously performed from washing to drying is controlled so that the drying process is sequentially executed after the washing process.

  Finally, the nanoecourse will be described sequentially along the operation flowchart of the nanoecourse shown in FIG. The door 7 is opened, the object to be processed is put into the washing tub 2, and the operation is performed through a control board or the like provided on the inside of the washing / drying machine 1, for example, on the operation panel provided on the upper front side. Is started, the temperature detection means 14 attached in the vicinity of the blower unit 9 detects the temperature in the vicinity of the blower unit 9. In the present embodiment, the temperature detecting means 14 and the nanoe unit 13 are integrally attached to the air blowing unit 9 on the downstream side of the air blowing unit 9, and the temperature detecting means 14 is configured to detect the ambient temperature of the nanoe unit 13. Has been. When this temperature detection result is 40 ° C. or more, a cooling step is performed in which the air blowing unit 9 is operated and the nanoe unit 13 is cooled while the air inside the washing tub 2 is exchanged by the outside air introduction mechanism 10. During the cooling process, the nanoe unit 13 is not operated, and is stopped until the temperature becomes 40 ° C. or less at which stable electrostatic atomization can be generated. The adverse effect on the washing / drying machine 1 itself is suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the time of the cooling process is divided into three stages according to the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means 14 at the start of operation, and 40 ° C to 45 ° C is 5 minutes, 45 ° C to 50 ° C is 10 minutes, 50 ° C. or more is 20 minutes. This time changes depending on the cooling capacity, and is changed by changing the cooling mechanism. Alternatively, the temperature detection means 14 may control the cooling process until it is detected that the temperature is 40 ° C. or lower.

After the cooling process is completed, the blower unit 9 and the nanoe unit 13 are operated simultaneously, and the processing object is removed while the electrostatic atomization generated particles generated from the nanoe unit 13 are sent into the washing tub 2 through the circulation air passage 11. Start the sterilization / deodorization process to eliminate bacteria and deodorization. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, in the sterilization / deodorization step, the rotational speed of the blower fan for 5 minutes from the start of operation is set to 4000 rpm, and the rotational speed of the blower fan after that is set to 3000 rpm. This is because, in the washing and drying machine, the humidity in the washing tub 2 is usually 90% or more due to the residual water and the high degree of sealing, but the humidity is 85% in order to stably generate electrostatic atomization. Since the following is desirable, in order to reduce the humidity in the washing tub 2 by increasing the rotational speed of the blower fan for a predetermined time immediately after the start of operation, and actively switching the air in the washing tub 2 and the outside air This is because the dehumidifying step is performed. However, if the rotational speed of the blower fan is increased, noise due to the wind noise of the fan is generated. Therefore, it is desirable to increase the rotational speed of the fan for a minimum time necessary for lowering the humidity. In the present embodiment, the heat pump unit 12 is attached, and the heat pump unit 12 is simultaneously operated during the dehumidifying step to control the humidity in the washing tub 2 more efficiently.

  However, when the heat pump unit 12 is operated, the humidity in the washing tub 2 is lowered at a stretch, and the electrostatic atomization by the nanoe unit 13 may be unstable. Therefore, the nanoe unit 13 is stopped when the heat pump unit 12 is operated. To control. In this embodiment, the sterilization / deodorization process is controlled in 30 minutes, so that the operation time of Nanoecourse is basically 35 minutes including the dehumidification process of 5 minutes and the sterilization / deodorization process of 30 minutes. Become. However, the operation time of the nano e course is not limited to this, and a shorter speed course or a longer time course may be set.

  The nano e-course can be selected from a course for sterilization / deodorization while the washing tub 2 rotates and a course for sterilization / deodorization while the washing tub 2 is stopped. The movement of the washing tub 2 in the course of sterilization / deodorization while the washing tub 2 is rotating is relatively short as shown in FIG. 6: 10 seconds right rotation-3 seconds stop-10 seconds left rotation-3 seconds stop. It is controlled so that electrostatic atomization generated particles act uniformly and efficiently on the object to be processed by repeating forward and reverse in time.

  As described above, the washing / drying machine according to the present invention is sterilized by supplying electrostatic atomization generating particles to the washing tub and the outer tub without adversely affecting the processing target in the washing tub and saving energy.・ Can be deodorized and is suitable for household equipment.

Side view of the washing and drying machine according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Rear view of the washer / dryer Heat pump unit and blower unit diagram of the washer / dryer Flow chart of nano e-course of the washer / dryer Operation diagram of nano e-course of the washer / dryer Operation diagram of Nano-Ecourse washing tub of the washer / dryer

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing and drying machine 2 Washing tub 3 Outer tub 4 Motor 5 Opening part 6 Through-hole 7 Door 8 Filter box 9 Air blower unit 10 Outside air introduction mechanism 11 Circulation air flow path 12 Heat pump unit 13 Nanoe unit 14 Temperature detection means

Claims (6)

A washing tub for storing laundry; an outer tub rotatably mounted on the washing tub; a housing for elastically supporting the outer tub; a water supply means for supplying washing water to the outer tub; and the inner tub a heating means for heating the air, a blowing path having air introduction mechanism for air and outside air replacement of the outer tub with the air in the outer tub to be circulated through said heating means, said A blowing means for pumping and circulating the air in the blowing path; an electrostatic atomization generating means for supplying electrostatic atomization generating particles provided in the blowing path into the outer tub by the blowing means ; A temperature detecting means for detecting an ambient temperature in the vicinity of the electrostatic atomization generating means; and a control means for controlling driving of the washing tub, the air blowing means, the electrostatic atomization generating means, and the like. the sterilized and deodorized by driving the electrostatic atomization generator Has Cormorant sterilized and deodorized course, the during sterilization and deodorizing course operation, when the temperature detecting means detects a predetermined temperature or more, the blowing hand stage the electrostatic atomizer generating means without driving A washing and drying machine that drives the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomization generating means after performing a cooling step of driving the air for a predetermined time to replace the air in the outer tub with the outside air . The washing / drying machine according to claim 1, wherein when the temperature detecting means is less than the predetermined temperature, the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomization generating means are driven. The washing / drying machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the temperature detecting means detects a predetermined temperature or more, the air blowing means has a plurality of drive times depending on the detected temperature. When driving the air blowing means and the electrostatic atomization generating means, the air blowing means is driven at the first rotational speed for a predetermined time from the start, and then the second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. The washing / drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the washing / drying machine is driven by the machine. The washing / drying machine according to claim 4, wherein the heating means is a heat pump, and the heat pump is driven for a predetermined time during the period when the air blowing means is driven at the first rotational speed. The washing / drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, during the sterilization / deodorization course operation, the washing tub can select a course that repeats normal inversion and a course that is stopped.