JP5078322B2 - Drum type clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a drum-type clothes dryer for drying washed clothes in a rotating drum.

  The drum containing the clothing to be dried is rotated at a relatively low speed, the heated outside air is fed into the drum to dry the clothing, and the moist air containing water vapor from the clothing is discharged out of the machine. Such a drum-type clothes dryer is conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such a conventional drum type clothes dryer, a hot air outlet for supplying hot air into the outer tub that houses the drum is provided on the upper side of the outer tub, and an exhaust port for discharging moist air containing steam generated from the clothes is provided. It is provided on the lower side of the outer tub. In this configuration, since the hot air sent from the hot air outlet into the outer tub enters the drum and falls from the top to the bottom, heat exchange with the clothing can be performed relatively efficiently, and drying unevenness can be relatively reduced.

  On the other hand, in a washing / drying machine having both a washing function and a drying function, generally, a drain outlet is formed at the bottom of the outer tub, and a drain passage including a drain valve is disposed below the outer tub. For this reason, it may be difficult to arrange an exhaust passage or the like below the outer tank. In addition, if an exhaust passage entrance is provided in the lower part of the outer tub, when water is stored in the outer tub during washing, water also enters a part of the exhaust passage, so that it is necessary to supply extra water accordingly. The amount of water used will increase. In view of this, an exhaust port is also provided on the upper side of the outer tub in the same manner as the hot air outlet, and an exhaust air passage having the exhaust port as an inlet is disposed in the upper space of the outer tub.

  However, in such a configuration, since the hot air outlet and the exhaust outlet are both formed on the upper side of the outer tub, the hot air discharged from the hot air outlet into the outer tub does not reach the lower part in the outer tub, There is a tendency that heat is exchanged only with clothes located on the upper side in the drum and exhausted. That is, the heat quantity of the hot air is not sufficiently utilized for heat exchange, and it is difficult to increase the drying efficiency. For this reason, there is a problem that even if the drying operation is performed for a predetermined time, the drying is insufficient, or the time for the drying operation must be lengthened in order to sufficiently dry.

  In addition, if hot air discharged from the hot air outlet into the outer tub enters the drum, it contributes at least to heat exchange with the clothing, but some of the hot blast does not enter the drum and the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub. Passes through the space between the drum and the outer peripheral surface of the drum, reaches the exhaust port, and does not contribute at all to heat exchange with clothing in the drum. For this reason, the amount of heat of some hot air is completely wasted, which makes it difficult to increase the drying efficiency.

  In addition, it is desirable to separate the hot air outlet and the exhaust port as much as possible, but when the hot air outlet is provided at a position close to the front of the outer tub, the hot air easily hits the front of the outer tub and the door provided there, The front of the outer tank and the door are likely to be hot. Therefore, when the user tries to open the door after the drying operation is finished, there is a risk of causing trouble, and in a severe case, there is a risk of causing a burn.

JP 2002-35491 A

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, it is an object of that is drum-type which can reduce the temperature rise of the door provided on the front surface of the front or outer tank of the outer tub It is to provide a clothes dryer.

The present invention was made in order to achieve the above Symbol purpose includes an outer tub having an open front surface is disposed in the housing, the horizontal axis or inclined-axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the casing to the outside of tank One end is connected to a drum that is rotatably arranged around the front and has an opening for putting clothes on the front, a door that closes the opening of the outer tub, and a hot air outlet provided on the upper side of the outer tub The intake air passage, the exhaust air passage having one end connected to an exhaust port provided on the upper side of the outer tub, the intake air passage, the outer tub, and the exhaust air passage. In a drum-type clothes dryer, comprising: air blowing means for generating an air flow; and heating means disposed in the intake air passage to heat the air supplied from the hot air outlet into the outer tub.
Between the outer surface of the outer tub and the inner surface of the housing , using the suction force of air from the inside of the outer tub through the exhaust port by the air blowing means on the upper side of the outer tub in front of the hot air outlet. a cool air supply port for taking in some air into the outer tub in the gap of the cold air supply opening in the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub and between the heat air outlet, and the drum with inwardly projecting The projecting part narrowing is provided over a half circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub .

When the drum-type clothes dryer according to the present invention has a washing function in addition to the drying function, that is, when the drum-type clothes dryer is a drum-type laundry dryer, the hot air outlet and the exhaust port provided in the outer tub It is preferable that the position is higher than the highest water level stored in the outer tub at times, particularly at a height such that the water that is lifted up by the drum during rotation is difficult to catch. More preferred. Thereby, it can avoid that water does not enter into an intake air passage or an exhaust air passage at the time of washing, and water consumption increases more than necessary.

According to the drum type clothes dryer according to the present invention, when the hot air is sent from the hot air outlet into the outer tub by operating the air blowing means and the heating means, the air is cooled from the cold air supply port (relative to the above hot air). The air is taken into the outer tub. The cold air supply port is provided in front of the hot air outlet, and a protrusion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub between the cold air supply port and the hot air outlet, so that the cold air is not much hot air. It flows down along the front side of the outer tank without mixing. Thereby, the entire front surface of the outer tub is cooled, and it is possible to prevent the front peripheral edge of the outer tub, the door provided on the front surface of the outer tub, and the like from becoming hot due to the influence of hot air.

  A drum type laundry dryer as an embodiment of a drum type clothes dryer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a part of the internal structure of the drum type washing and drying machine of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic front longitudinal sectional view taken along line AA 'in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the left side surface.

  An outer tub 2 having a substantially cylindrical surface that is substantially sealed by a door 3 is disposed inside the housing 1, and a large number of vent holes 4 a are formed in the outer tub 2 with a substantially cylindrical surface. The provided drum 4 is installed so as to be rotatable about a substantially horizontal main shaft 5. The drum 4 has a clothing input port 4b formed on the front end surface thereof, and clothes can be taken in and out of the drum 4 through the clothing input port 4b with the door 3 opened. The main shaft 5 is supported by a bearing 6 fixed to the back wall of the outer tub 2, and a large-diameter main pulley 7 is attached to the rear end of the main shaft 5 protruding rearward. A drum motor 8 is installed behind the outer tub 2, and the rotational driving force of the drum motor 8 is transmitted to the main pulley 7 via the motor pulley 9 and the timing belt 10, whereby the drum 4 is rotationally driven.

  In order to achieve the washing function, a water supply passage 11 provided with a water supply valve 12 is connected to the upper part of the back wall of the outer tub 2, and water is supplied through the water supply passage 11 when the water supply valve 12 is opened. It is supplied to the outer tub 2. On the other hand, a drainage channel 14 provided with a drainage valve 15 is connected to the drainage port formed at the bottom of the outer tub 2, and the drainage channel 14 downstream of the drainage valve 15 is connected to the rear surface of the outer tub 2. The other end of the overflow channel 13 having one end connected to the upper part of the wall is connected. When the drainage valve 15 is opened, the water stored in the outer tub 2 is discharged outside the machine through the drainage channel 14, and the water level rises beyond the connection port of the overflow channel 13 in the outer tub 2 when water is supplied. The water is discharged out of the machine through the overflow channel 13 and the drain channel 14.

  When washing the laundry stored in the drum 4, first, the drain valve 15 is closed and the water supply valve 12 is opened, and water is supplied from the outside into the outer tub 2 through the water supply path 11 and stored. The drum 4 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed by the drum motor 8 in a state where water of a predetermined water level is stored in the outer tub 2, so that the laundry stored in the drum 4 is washed and washed To do. The operation at the time of rinsing is the same. When dehydration is performed after the washing is performed too easily, the drainage valve 15 is opened, the water stored in the outer tub 2 is discharged to the outside of the machine, and the drum 4 is rotated at a high speed to soak into the laundry. The accumulated water is spouted from the laundry by centrifugal force and scattered to the outer tub 2 side through the vent hole 4a. In normal automatic operation, washing can be achieved by executing the steps in the order of washing → dehydration → first rinse → dehydration → second rinse → dehydration.

  Moreover, in order to achieve a drying function in the drum type washing / drying machine of the present embodiment, a hot air outlet 21 is formed on the upper right front side of the outer tub 2, and the hot air outlet 21 is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the outer tub 2. A hot air supply passage 22 is formed substantially straight rearward from the rear side, and a bellows-like connecting pipe 24 is connected between the rear upper surface of the hot air supply passage 22 and a substantially L-shaped intake passage 23 disposed thereabove. The back surface of the intake passage 23 is an intake port 23 a that sucks air through an intake opening 1 a formed in the upper back of the housing 1. That is, in the configuration of this embodiment, the intake passage 23, the connecting pipe 24, and the hot air supply passage 22 correspond to the intake air passage in the present invention. In addition, a gas (city gas or propane gas) combustion heater 25 is disposed inside the intake passage 23 as a heating means in the present invention.

  On the other hand, an exhaust port 31 is formed on the left upper rear side of the outer tub 2, and an exhaust extraction passage 32 is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the outer tub 2 from the exhaust port 31 toward the front almost straight. And a substantially cross-sectioned exhaust passage 33 disposed above is connected by a bellows-like connecting pipe 37. The end of the exhaust path 33 protrudes from the upper surface of the housing 1 to form an exhaust discharge port 33a. That is, in the configuration of this embodiment, the exhaust extraction passage 32, the connecting pipe 37, and the exhaust passage 33 correspond to the exhaust air passage in the present invention. In addition, a lint filter 34 is disposed inside the exhaust passage 33 in order to collect floating matters such as lint discharged from the laundry, and a fan 36 that is rotationally driven by a fan motor 35 is disposed downstream thereof. It is arrange | positioned as a ventilation means in this invention.

  During the drying operation, the fan 36 is rotationally driven by the fan motor 35. By the operation of the fan 36, as indicated by white arrows in FIGS. From the exhaust port 31 through the exhaust outlet 32, the connecting pipe 37, and the exhaust passage 33, and the air passing through the outer tub 2 is discharged from the exhaust outlet 33 a to the outside of the machine. An air flow is formed. At this time, when heating by gas combustion is performed by the heater 25, high-temperature air heated by the heater 25 is supplied into the outer tub 2. In the outer tub 2, hot air enters the drum 4 through the air holes 4 a, and heat exchange is performed between the wet laundry accommodated when passing through the drum 4 and the hot air. The laundry is dried. Moist air containing water vapor from the laundry passes through the vent 4a to the outer tub 2 side, and foreign matters such as lint are removed when passing through the lint filter 34 in the exhaust passage 33, and finally the exhaust outlet It is discharged from the machine 33a.

  In order to increase the drying efficiency at the time of drying as described above, the hot air supplied from the hot air outlet 21 into the outer tub 2 passes through the drum 4 without waste and performs good heat exchange with the laundry. is necessary. For this purpose, in the drum type washer / dryer of the present embodiment, the hot air outlet 21 and the exhaust port 31 are provided in the upper part of the outer tub 2 at positions separated left and right and also in the front-rear direction. In addition, in this drum type washing and drying machine, the drying efficiency is enhanced by the following characteristic structure.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the hot air that has traveled forward through the hot air supply path 22 turns downward at the front end thereof and is discharged into the outer tub 2 from the hot air outlet 21. At this time, if the flow of hot air is not aligned downward, the momentum of the air flow when discharged from the hot air outlet 21 into the outer tub 2 is reduced, and there is a possibility that the hot air entering the drum 4 does not spread sufficiently downward. is there. Therefore, a rectifying plate 29 that aligns the direction of the air flow is provided in the vicinity of the hot air outlet 21 in the hot air supply path 22 below the outer tub 2. Since the air flow direction is aligned downward as described above by the current plate 29, the hot air can be blown out from the hot air outlet 21 downward in the outer tub 2. Thereby, the hot air that has entered the drum 4 through the vent hole 4a reaches the bottom side sufficiently. Therefore, the opportunity for heat exchange between the hot air and the laundry is increased, and the amount of heat of the hot air is effectively utilized, thereby improving the drying efficiency.

  Further, since there is a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub 2, a part of the hot air supplied from the hot air outlet 21 into the outer tub 2 does not enter the drum 4. Then, the air proceeds through the gap to the exhaust port 31 and is discharged. Since this hot air does not contribute to heat exchange with the laundry, it is necessary to reduce such a wasteful flow of hot air as much as possible. Therefore, in the drum type washing and drying machine of the present embodiment, it extends in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the hot air outlet 21 and extends inward from the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub 2, that is, in a direction approaching the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4. A protruding inlet-side protruding piece 2b is provided. On the other hand, in the vicinity of the exhaust port 31, an outlet-side protruding piece 2 c that protrudes inward from the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub 2, that is, in a direction approaching the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4, is provided on the entire periphery.

  A part of the hot air blown into the outer tub 2 from the hot air outlet 21 strikes the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4 and changes its direction and proceeds toward the exhaust port 31, but most of the hot air is blocked by the inlet side protruding piece 2 b. Therefore, it becomes easy to enter the drum 4. Further, the flow resistance of the air flow entering the exhaust port 31 from the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4 is increased by the outlet-side protruding piece 2c. The amount of air flow toward the exhaust port 31 increases. Since the airflow passing through the drum 4 increases in this way, hot air that does not contribute to heat exchange with the laundry is reduced, and drying efficiency can be improved.

  Further, in this drum-type washing and drying machine, when the door 3 attached to the front surface of the outer tub 2 or the peripheral edge of the front surface of the outer tub 2 becomes hot due to the hot air supplied into the outer tub 2, the user opens the door after the drying operation is completed. There is a risk of burns when touching 3 to open it. Therefore, in order to avoid this, a cold air supply chamber 27 having a cold air inlet 27a opened to the inner space of the housing 1 and a cold air outlet 27b communicating with the outer tub 2 at the front portion of the hot air supply path 22 is provided. Prepare. When the fan 36 operates as described above, an air flow directed from the hot air outlet 21 into the outer tub 2 is generated, and at the same time, the air sucked from the cold air inlet 27a is cooled via the cold air supply chamber 27. An air flow that is discharged from the air outlet 27b into the outer tub 2 is also generated.

  Since the opening areas of the cold air inlet 27a and the cold air outlet 27b are much smaller than the opening areas of the hot air outlet 21 and the air inlet 23a, the air flow discharged from the cold air outlet 27b is relatively small. Since the cold air outlet 27b is provided at a position close to the front end of No. 2, the cold air flows through the front surface of the outer tub 2 and the vicinity of the door 3, and these can be prevented from becoming high temperature.

  However, if the cold air supply chamber 27 and the hot air supply path 22 are adjacent to each other across the wall surface, the air in the cold air supply chamber 27 is warmed by heat conduction from the hot air passing through the hot air supply path 22, There is a risk that sufficient cooling effect cannot be obtained. Therefore, in the drum type washer / dryer of this embodiment, the heat insulating chamber 28 is interposed between the cold air supply chamber 27 and the hot air supply passage 22 as a heat insulating portion. The heat insulation chamber 28 may have a structure in which air is sealed or a structure in which air can flow between the outside, but in any case, an air layer is used for heat insulation. By this heat insulation chamber 28, the temperature rise of the air supplied into the outer tank 2 from the cold air outlet 27b can be suppressed.

  Also, if the cold air discharged into the outer tub 2 from the cold air outlet 27b crosses with the hot air while proceeding downward, the front surface of the outer tub 2 and the upper side of the door 3 are cooled relatively well, The cooling effect can hardly be obtained on the lower side. Therefore, in this drum type washing and drying machine, as shown in FIG. 3, the cool air outlet 27b and the hot air outlet 21 are separated from the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub 2 inwardly, that is, the drum. A partition wall 2a protruding in a direction approaching the outer peripheral surface 4 is formed. In this partition wall 2a, since the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4 is narrow and the flow resistance is large, cold air and hot air are separated by the partition wall 2a. Easy to get to the side. As a result, the entire front surface of the outer tub 2 and the entire door 3 can be effectively cooled, and the temperature rise can be reduced. In addition, although this partition wall 2a may be provided over the perimeter of the outer tank 2, sufficient effect is acquired even if it is substantially the length of about a half circumference.

  As described above, according to the drum type washing and drying machine of this embodiment, it is possible to improve the drying efficiency by effectively using the amount of heat of hot air, and the front surface of the outer tub 2 and the door 3 become hot during drying. This can be effectively prevented.

  It should be noted that the above embodiment is merely an example, and it is obvious that any modification, correction, or addition as appropriate within the scope of the present invention is included in the scope of the claims of the present application. For example, an appropriate heat insulating material may be used instead of the heat insulating chamber 28.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic perspective view which shows the internal structure of a part of drum type washing-drying machine by one Example of this invention. The schematic front longitudinal cross-sectional view in the A-A 'line | wire in FIG. The schematic right side longitudinal cross-sectional view of the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example. The schematic left side longitudinal cross-sectional view of the drum type washing-drying machine by a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Housing 1a ... Intake opening 2 ... Outer tub 2a ... Partition wall 2b ... Inlet side protruding piece 2c ... Outlet side protruding piece 3 ... Door 4 ... Drum 4a ... Vent hole 4b ... Clothing inlet 5 ... Main shaft 6 ... Bearing 7 ... Main pulley 8 ... Drum motor 9 ... Motor pulley 10 ... Timing belt 11 ... Water supply passage 12 ... Water supply valve 13 ... Overflow passage 14 ... Drain passage 15 ... Drain valve 21 ... Hot air outlet 22 ... Hot air supply passage 23 ... Intake air Path 23a ... Intake port 24, 37 ... Connecting pipe 25 ... Heater 27 ... Cold air supply chamber 27a ... Cold air inlet 27b ... Cold air outlet 28 ... Thermal insulation chamber 29 ... Rectifier plate 31 ... Exhaust port 32 ... Exhaust outlet passage 33 ... Exhaust Passage 33a ... Exhaust outlet 34 ... Lint filter 35 ... Fan motor 36 ... Fan

Claims (1)

An outer tub having an open front surface is disposed in the housing, the opening of the garment put on the front is rotatably arranged around a horizontal axis or tilt axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the casing to the outside of tank A drum, a door for closing the opening of the outer tub, an intake air passage having one end connected to a hot air outlet provided on the upper side of the outer tub, and an upper side of the outer tub. An exhaust air passage whose one end is connected to the exhaust port, a blower means for generating an air flow so as to pass through the intake air passage, the outer tub, and the exhaust air passage in order, and from the hot air outlet to the outside In a drum-type clothes dryer comprising: heating means disposed in the intake air path to heat the air supplied into the tank,
Between the outer surface of the outer tub and the inner surface of the housing , using the suction force of air from the inside of the outer tub through the exhaust port by the air blowing means on the upper side of the outer tub in front of the hot air outlet. a cool air supply port for taking in some air into the outer tub in the gap of the cold air supply opening in the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub and between the heat air outlet, and the drum with inwardly projecting A drum-type clothes dryer, characterized in that a projecting portion narrowing is provided over a half circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the outer tub .

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