JP5457969B2 - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

  The examples relate to a washer-dryer.

  Some conventional washing and drying machines have a structure in which a top plate cover is provided on an outer box. The top cover is opposed to the tank in the outer box through a gap from above, and a lint removing portion of the duct is accommodated in the gap between the tank and the top cover. This duct has a passage shape having an inlet and an outlet connected to the tank, and a blower, a dehumidifier, and a heater are provided in the duct. The blower circulates the air in the tank from the inlet to the outlet of the duct, the dehumidifier dehumidifies the air flowing along the duct, and the heater heats the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier. To do. A case is provided in the lint removing portion of the duct. This case has an open top surface, and a lint remover is accommodated in the case. This lint remover has a filter for removing lint from the air flowing along the duct, and the top cover is provided with a detachable opening located above the lint remover. This port is for the user to remove the lint remover through the upper surface of the case when the lint remover filter is clogged, and the user can remove the lint remover filter from clogging. The lint remover can be returned to the case through the upper surface of the case from the attachment / detachment port.

  In the case of a conventional washing and drying machine, a lid is fixed to the lint remover. This lid closes the attachment / detachment port when the lint remover is housed in the case, and the lint remover is operated by the user operating the lid with his / her finger on the lid. Attached to and detached from. This lint remover is provided with a claw piece. This claw piece is pushed and elastically deformed by the wall of the case when the user attaches / detaches the lint remover to / from the case. The attachment / detachment operation of the lint remover is permitted by the elastic deformation of the claw piece. Is done. This claw piece is elastically restored to the natural state when the lint remover is housed, and the claw piece is elastically restored to the natural state when the lint remover is housed to engage the wall surface of the case. A seal member is interposed between the surface of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case. This seal member prevents warm air from leaking from between the surface of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case during the drying operation. The sealing member is elastic due to the engaging force with which the claw piece of the lint remover engages the wall surface of the case. By deforming, the surface of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case are brought into contact with each other at a target pressure.

JP 2008-077985 A

  In the case of a conventional washer-dryer, the lid of the lint remover is pushed upward as the internal pressure of the case rises during the drying operation, so that the lint remover does not jump out of the case through the attachment / detachment opening. The lint remover is fixed in the case by the engaging force between the claw piece of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case. For this reason, when the user attaches / detaches the lint remover to / from the case, a large operating force is required to elastically deform the claw pieces. This operating force can be reduced by reducing the rigidity of the claw piece. However, when the rigidity of the claw piece is lowered, the force applied to the seal member from each of the surface of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case is weakened as the engaging force of the claw piece with respect to the wall surface of the case is reduced. For this reason, since the contact pressure of the seal member with respect to each of the surface of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case becomes small, there is a possibility that hot air leaks from between the surface of the lint remover and the wall surface of the case during the drying operation.

  The washing and drying machine of the embodiment includes an outer box in which a tub into which warm air for drying clothes is injected is housed inside, and a top cover that is provided in the outer box and faces the tub through a gap from above And a duct having a passage shape having an inlet and an outlet connected to the tank and having a lint removing portion housed in a gap between the tank and the top cover, and air in the tank. A blower that circulates from an inlet to an outlet of the duct; a dehumidifier that is provided in the duct and dehumidifies air flowing along the duct; and an air in the duct as compared to the dehumidifier A heater that generates the warm air by heating the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier, and a lint removing portion of the duct. And flow along the duct A lint remover that has a filter that allows air to pass therethrough and has an upper surface open, and a filter that is removably housed in the case and that removes lint from the air flowing along the duct; An attachment / detachment port provided to the top plate cover for a user to attach / detach the lint remover to / from the case through the upper surface of the case; and a closed state and an open state of the top plate cover It is provided so as to be movable between each other, and in the closed state, the attachment / detachment opening is closed so that the lint remover cannot be attached / detached to / from the case, and in the open state, the attachment / detachment is open. The lid can be changed between the locked state and the unlocked state, and the lid is prohibited from moving from the closed state to the open state in the locked state. The lid is locked in the closed state and the lid lock mechanism that allows the lid to move from the closed state to the open state in the unlocked state, and the lint remover and the case are sealed together. And a sealing member that is elastically deformable, and the lid pushes the lint remover relative to the case in a closed state of the lid and a locked state of the lid locking mechanism, The seal member is elastically deformed by being sandwiched between the lint remover and the case when the lid pushes the lint remover relative to the case. The lint remover and the case It has the characteristic in the place which contacts by elastic restoring force between each of these.

The figure which shows Example 1 (the perspective view which shows the external appearance of a washing-drying machine) A perspective view showing the internal configuration of the outer box (A) is sectional drawing which follows the X3 line | wire of FIG. 1, (b) is a figure which expands and shows Xb part. FIG. 3 (a) equivalent view (showing the filter cover in a half-open state) FIG. 3 (a) equivalent view (showing the filter cover in an open state) Figure showing the front case of the lint capture duct Cross section of lint trap The perspective view which shows the external appearance of a lint trap (a figure which shows a front lid in a closed state, b is a figure which shows a front lid in an open state) The perspective view which shows the external appearance of a top-plate cover (a is a figure which shows a filter cover in a closed state, b is a figure which shows a filter cover in a half-open state) The perspective view which shows the external appearance of a top-plate cover (a is a figure which shows a filter cover in an open state, b is a figure which shows the state from which the lint trap was taken out in the open state of a filter cover) (A) is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a filter cover, (b) is a figure which expands and shows Xb part. Sectional view along line X12 in FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the leakage path | route of the warm air which an outer packing interrupts | blocks, (b) is a figure which shows the leakage path | route of the warm air which an inner packing interrupts | blocks

  The outer box 1 in FIG. 1 is constructed by joining a front plate 2, a rear plate 3, a left side plate, a right side plate 4 and a bottom plate 5 to each other, and has an upper surface opened. The front plate 2 is composed of a metal plate that is inclined backward from the bottom to the top. Each of the rear plate 3, the left side plate, and the right side plate 4 is composed of a vertical metal plate, and the bottom plate 5 is a horizontal plate. It consists of a metal plate. A front plate cover 7 and a top plate cover 8 are fixed to the outer box 1. The front plate cover 7 is parallel to the front plate 2 of the outer box 1. The front plate cover 7 is made of an opaque synthetic resin and functions as a decorative plate that covers the front plate 2 of the outer box 1 from the front. The top cover 8 is a horizontal cover that covers the upper surface of the outer box 1 from above, and is made of an opaque synthetic resin.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a water receiving tank 9 corresponding to the tank is fixed inside the outer box 1. The water receiving tank 9 has a circular tank rear plate and a cylindrical tank peripheral plate surrounding the tank rear plate, and the front surface is open. The water receiving tank 9 receives water for washing clothes, and is disposed in an inclined state in which the axial center line descends from the front to the rear. The water receiving tank 9 is opposed to the top plate cover 8 of the outer box 1 from below through a gap, and the gap between the water receiving tank 9 and the top plate cover 8 is referred to as a duct storage chamber.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a drum motor 10 is fixed to the rear plate of the water receiving tank 9 so as to be located outside the water receiving tank 9, and the drum motor 10 has a rotating shaft protruding inside the water receiving tank 9. Have. A drum is fixed to the rotating shaft of the drum motor 10 in the water receiving tank 9, and the drum rotates integrally with the rotating shaft of the drum motor 10 in the operation state of the drum motor 10. This drum has a circular drum rear plate and a cylindrical drum peripheral plate surrounding the drum rear plate, and the front surface is open. This drum is used for putting clothes, and the axial center line of the drum is arranged so as to overlap the axial center line of the water receiving tank 9. The drum peripheral plate of this drum has a plurality of through holes, and the internal space of the drum is connected to the internal space of the water receiving tank 9 through each of the plurality of through holes.

  A water supply valve is fixed inside the outer box 1. This water supply valve has an inlet and an outlet, and the inlet of the water supply valve is connected to a water tap. This water supply valve uses a water supply valve motor as a drive source, and the outlet of the water supply valve is switched between an open state and a closed state in response to the rotation operation of the water supply valve motor. The outlet of the water supply valve is connected to the water receiving tank 9, and tap water is injected into the water receiving tank 9 through the water supply valve when the water supply valve is open. A drain pipe is connected to the water receiving tank 9, and a drain valve is interposed in the drain pipe. This drain valve uses a drain valve motor as a drive source, and is switched between an open state and a closed state in accordance with the rotation of the drain valve motor. When the drain valve is closed, the tap water injected into the water receiving tank 9 from the outlet of the water supply valve is stored in the water receiving tank 9, and when the drain valve is opened, the tap water in the water receiving tank 9 passes through the drain pipe. 9 is discharged to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a circular door 11 is mounted on the front plate 2 of the outer box 1. The door 11 can be operated by the user between the closed state and the open state. When the door 11 is closed, the door 11 contacts the front plate 2 of the outer box 1 from the front, In the opened state, the door 11 is separated forward from the front plate 2 of the outer box 1. The front plate 2 of the outer box 1 is formed with an entrance / exit formed of a circular through hole. This doorway is for the user to put in and out the clothes into and out of the drum through the front surface of the water receiving tank 9 and the front surface of the drum. The door 11 is opened, and the door 11 is closed in an airtight state so that clothes cannot be taken in and out of the drum. When the door 11 is closed, the door 11 is inserted into the opening 12. The opening 12 is formed in the front plate cover 7, and the door 11 is operated between the closed state and the open state through the opening 12.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the inlet of the exhaust duct 13 is connected to the front end of the water receiving tank 9. The exhaust duct 13 has a bellows shape and is disposed in the duct storage chamber between the top cover 8 and the water receiving tank 9. An outlet of the air supply duct 14 is connected to the rear end portion of the water receiving tank 9. This air supply duct 14 is fixed to the rear plate of the water receiving tank 9, and the outlet of the relay duct 15 having a bellows shape is connected to the inlet of the air supply duct 14.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a main duct 16 is fixed to the bottom plate 5 of the outer box 1. The main duct 16 has a cylindrical shape that is directed in the left-right direction. A cylindrical inlet opening upward is formed at the right end of the main duct 16, and the left end of the main duct 16 is leftward. A through-hole-shaped outlet opening toward the surface is formed. A fan casing 17 is fixed to the left end portion of the main duct 16. The fan casing 17 has a through-hole shaped inlet and a cylindrical outlet, and the inlet of the fan casing 17 is connected to the outlet of the main duct 16. An outlet of the relay duct 18 is connected to the inlet of the main duct 16. The relay duct 18 has a cylindrical shape oriented in the vertical direction, and the entrance of the relay duct 18 is disposed in the duct storage chamber.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a lint capturing duct 20 is housed in the duct housing chamber. The lint capturing duct 20 connects the outlet of the exhaust duct 13 and the inlet of the relay duct 18, and the detailed configuration of the lint capturing duct 20 is as follows.

  As shown in FIG. 2, an upper case 21 made of synthetic resin is fixed in the duct housing chamber. The upper case 21 has an open bottom surface and is oriented in the front-rear direction. A synthetic resin lower case 22 whose upper surface is open is joined to the upper case 21 in an airtight state. As shown in FIG. 5, a cylindrical outlet 23 protruding downward is formed at the rear end of the lower case 22, and the outlet 23 is connected to the inlet of the relay duct 18. The lower case 22 and the upper case 21 constitute a duct body 24 oriented in the front-rear direction. The duct body 24 has an open front surface, and the upper case 21 is formed with a plurality of ribs 25 located at the front end of the duct body 24. Each of the plurality of ribs 25 is separated from the adjacent ribs 25 through a gap through which air and lint can pass, and each of the plurality of ribs 25 includes one mesh-like sheet as shown in FIG. The filter 26 is fixed. The filter 26 covers the entire front surface of the duct body 24, and the mesh of the filter 26 is set to a size that allows air to pass but does not allow lint to pass. FIG. 5 shows the lint capturing duct 20 with the filter 26 removed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a front case 27 corresponding to the case is formed at the front end portion of the upper case 21. The front case 27 has a rectangular tube shape in which the upper surface and the lower surface are opened, and includes a vertical left plate, a vertical right plate, a vertical front plate, and a vertical rear plate. As shown in FIG. 6, the front case 27 is arranged such that the left side plate to the rear plate surround the filter 26 of the duct main body 24 as viewed from above. It is connected to the front surface of the duct body 24 via the filter 26.

  As shown in FIG. 5, an inlet 28 is formed in the front plate of the front case 27. The inlet 28 has a cylindrical shape directed in the front-rear direction, and the outlet 28 of the exhaust duct 13 is connected to the inlet 28. A receiving plate 29 is formed on the front case 27. This receiving plate 29 protrudes from the front case 27 to the outer peripheral side, and forms a horizontal square ring surrounding the front case 27 as shown in FIG. Ribs 30 are formed on the outer periphery of the receiving plate 29. The rib 30 has a rectangular tube shape surrounding the receiving plate 29 and faces the top plate cover 8 from below as shown in FIG. The lint capturing duct 20 is configured as described above.

  A fan motor is fixed to the fan casing 17. The fan motor is disposed outside the fan casing 17 and has a rotating shaft that protrudes inside the fan casing 17. A fan is fixed to the rotating shaft of the fan motor in the fan casing 17. When the fan motor is operating, the fan rotates so that the air in the water receiving tank 9 is discharged from the exhaust duct 13 and the lint capturing duct 20. The relay duct 18, the main duct 16, the fan casing 17, the relay duct 15, and the air supply duct 14 are sequentially returned to the water receiving tank 9. That is, the exhaust duct 13 to the air supply duct 14 constitute an air circulation path for returning the air in the water receiving tank 9 to the water receiving tank 9 through the outside of the water receiving tank 9. This circulation path corresponds to a duct, the inlet of the exhaust duct 13 corresponds to the inlet of the duct, the outlet of the air supply duct 14 corresponds to the outlet of the duct, and the lint capture duct 20 corresponds to the lint removal portion of the duct. The fan motor and the fan correspond to a blower that circulates the air in the water receiving tank 9 from the inlet to the outlet of the duct.

  A compressor is fixed to the bottom plate 5 of the outer box 1 outside the circulation path. This compressor uses a compressor motor as a drive source, and has a discharge port for discharging the refrigerant and a suction port for sucking the refrigerant. A condenser and an evaporator are connected between the discharge port and the suction port of the compressor. When the compressor motor is in operation, the refrigerant discharged from the discharge port of the compressor passes through the condenser and the evaporator in order, and the suction port of the compressor. Return to. The condenser is fixed in the main duct 16, and the evaporator is fixed in the main duct 16 so as to be located on the right side of the condenser. In each operation state of the fan motor and the comp motor, water is used. The air in the receiving tank 9 is cooled by contacting the evaporator in the main duct 16, and the cool air is warmed by contacting the condenser in the main duct 16. That is, when undried clothes containing moisture are put in the drum, the evaporator converts the high temperature and high humidity air to the low temperature and high humidity air, and the condenser is low temperature and high humidity. Since air is converted into high-temperature and low-humidity air, low-humidity and high-temperature air is injected into the water receiving tank 9 to promote drying of clothes in the drum. The evaporator corresponds to a dehumidifier that dehumidifies the air flowing along the circulation path, and the condenser corresponds to a heater that generates hot air by heating the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an operation panel 32 is fixed to the front plate cover 7, and a start switch 33 is attached to the operation panel 32. The start switch 33 can be operated by the user. When the start switch 33 is operated, the standard course is started. In this standard course, a washing process, a rinsing process, a dehydration process, and a drying process are performed in order. The washing process is a process of washing the clothes in the drum with water by rotating the drum while the water is stored in the water receiving tank 9, and is performed in a state where a detergent is added to the water in the water receiving tank 9. The rinsing process is a process of rinsing clothes in the drum with water by rotating the drum while water is stored in the water receiving tank 9, and the dehydration process is rotating the drum to rotate moisture from the clothes in the drum. It is a process of discharging by centrifugal force, and the drying process is a process of drying the clothes in the drum with warm air by setting each of the fan motor and the compressor motor to an operating state.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a lint trap 34 corresponding to a lint remover is accommodated in the front case 27 of the lint trapping duct 20. The lint catcher 34 removes lint from the air when the air passes through the front case 27 of the lint catch duct 20 in the drying process. The detailed configuration of the lint catcher 34 is as follows.

  A filter frame 35 is detachably inserted into the front case 27 of the lint capturing duct 20 as shown in FIG. The filter frame 35 corresponds to the filter frame, and is configured by injection molding a synthetic resin. The filter frame 35 is open at the front, and has a rear plate 36, a bottom plate 37, a top plate 38 (see FIG. 7), a left side plate 39, and a right side plate 40, as shown in FIG. Each of the left side plate 39 and the right side plate 40 is vertical, the bottom plate 37 is horizontal, the rear plate 36 is inclined backward from the bottom to the top, and the top plate 38 is shown in FIG. In this way, it is inclined downward from the front to the rear. A filter 41 made of a metal net is fixed to each of the rear plate 36 and the bottom plate 37 of the filter frame 35 as shown in FIG. Each of these filters 41 is insert-molded in the filter frame 35, and each mesh of both filters 41 is set to a size that allows air to pass and lint cannot pass.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a front lid 42 is attached to the filter frame 35. The front lid 42 has a circular opening 43, and a plurality of ribs 44 are formed in the front lid 42 so as to be located in the opening 43. Between the ribs 44, gaps are formed so that each of air and lint can pass through, and the air in the water receiving tank 9 passes from the inlet 28 of the lint capturing duct 20 to the front lid 42 when the fan motor is operating. And enters the filter frame 35 through the opening 43. This air passes through the filter 41 on the rear plate 36 of the filter frame 35 or the filter 41 on the bottom plate 37 and enters the duct body 24. Each of the two filters 41 is lint from the air when the air passes. To capture.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the front lid 42 is rotatable between a closed state (see a in FIG. 8) and an open state (see b in FIG. 8) around a horizontal shaft 45. The user can open the cleaning port 46 by rotating the front lid 42 to the open state. The cleaning port 46 refers to the front surface of the filter frame 35, and when the filter frame 35 is taken out from the front case 27, the user moves his / her finger from the cleaning port 46 into the filter frame 35 with the cleaning port 46 open. It becomes possible to clean each of the two filters 41 of the filter frame 35 from the filter frame 35 with fingers. The plurality of ribs 44 of the front lid 42 make it impossible for a user to insert a finger into the filter frame 35 from the opening 43 when the front lid 42 is closed. In the closed state, the user is unable to insert a finger, resulting in a closed state.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a panel support 47 is formed on the filter frame 35. The panel support 47 protrudes upward from the top plate 38 of the filter frame 35 and has a rectangular tube shape surrounding the top plate 38 when viewed from above. A synthetic resin filter panel 48 is detachably joined to the upper end of the panel support 47. The filter panel 48 has a horizontal plate shape, and has a quadrangular shape when viewed from above. The filter panel 48 corresponds to an operation plate, and a handle hole 49 is formed in the filter panel 48. The handle hole 49 is for a user to insert a finger from above, and a handle area 50 is formed on the lower surface of the filter panel 48 in front of the handle hole 49. This handle area 50 is an area having a plurality of protrusions projecting downward, and the user hangs the finger inserted into the handle hole 49 below the filter panel 48 in a non-slip state. Can do.

  As shown in FIG. 7, an outer packing storage 51 is formed on the outer periphery of the filter panel 48. The outer packing storage 51 has a concave shape with an upper surface opened, and has an inner peripheral wall, an outer peripheral wall, and a bottom wall. The outer packing storage 51 has an endless square ring shape when viewed from above, and a rubber outer packing 52 is inserted into the outer packing storage 51. The outer packing 52 has a circular cross-sectional shape in a natural state, and has an endless square ring shape when viewed from above. The outer packing 52 corresponds to a lid seal member.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the filter panel 48 has an inner packing storage portion 53 formed therein. The inner packing storage portion 53 is disposed on the inner peripheral side as compared with the outer packing storage portion 51, and has a concave shape with an open lower surface. The inner packing storage portion 53 has an inner peripheral wall, an outer peripheral wall, and a top wall, and has an endless square ring shape when viewed from below. The inner packing storage portion 53 has a width set larger than that of the outer packing storage portion 51, and an inner packing 54 made of rubber is inserted into the inner packing storage portion 53. The inner packing 54 is a circular shape whose sectional shape in a natural state is larger than that of the outer packing 52, and has an endless square ring shape when viewed from below.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a packing retainer 55 is formed on the panel support 47 of the filter frame 35. The packing retainer 55 has an endless rectangular tube shape that protrudes upward from the panel support 47 and presses the inner packing 54 upward from below by the joining force between the panel support 47 and the filter panel 48. The inner packing 54 is elastically deformed by being pressed by the packing presser 55, and is brought into contact with the inner peripheral wall, the outer peripheral wall, the top wall, and the packing presser 55 of the inner packing storage portion 53 with a target pressure by an elastic restoring force. ing. The inner packing 54 corresponds to a lint remover seal member.

  As shown in FIG. 7, an inner packing receiver 56 is formed on the panel support 47 of the filter frame 35. The inner packing receiver 56 protrudes from the panel support 47 to the outer peripheral side, and forms a horizontal square ring surrounding the panel support 47. The filter panel 48 is formed with a horizontal square annular outer packing receiver 57. The outer packing receiver 57 is opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the inner packing receiver 56 with a gap, and a cylindrical projection 59 of the lower packing 58 is formed in the gap between the inner packing receiver 56 and the outer packing receiver 57. It is inserted. The lower packing 58 is made of rubber, and the protrusion 59 of the lower packing 58 is sandwiched between the inner packing receiver 56 and the outer packing receiver 57 and elastically deformed, and the inner packing receiver 56 and the outer packing receiver 57 are elastically deformed. Are in contact with each other by elastic restoring force.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the lower packing 58 is fixed to both the filter frame 35 and the filter panel 48 by the protrusion 59 contacting the inner packing receiver 56 and the outer packing receiver 57 with elastic restoring force. And has a base portion 60 and a seal portion 61. The base portion 60 has a horizontal square ring shape, and is in surface contact with the inner packing receiver 56 of the panel support 47 and the outer packing receiver 57 of the filter panel 48 from below. The seal portion 61 is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the base portion 60. The seal portion 61 protrudes downward from the base portion 60, and has an endless square cylindrical shape whose diameter decreases from the top to the bottom.

  As shown in FIG. 8, support pieces 62 are formed on the filter panel 48 at the left front corner, the right front corner, the rear left corner, and the rear right corner, respectively. Each of these four support pieces 62 has a horizontal plate shape, and each of the left front corner support piece 62 and the right front corner support piece 62 protrudes forward from the filter panel 48 and has a left rear corner portion. Each of the support piece 62 and the right back corner support piece 62 protrudes rearward from the filter panel 48. As shown in FIG. 3, each of the four support pieces 62 is supported in a surface contact state by a horizontal receiving surface 63 from below. Each of these receiving surfaces 63 is formed on the receiving plate 29 of the front case 27, and the filter frame 35 is such that each of the four support pieces 62 of the filter panel 48 is supported by the receiving surface 63 of the front case 27. Thus, the filter frame 35 is stationary at the target positions in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction in the front case 27, and the filter frames 35 are respectively in the vertical direction to the front-rear direction in the front case 27. By stopping at the target position, the filter 27 of the lint capturing duct 20 is opposed to the filter 27 via a gap. FIG. 3 shows the lint capturing duct 20 with the filter 27 removed.

  The state in which the filter frame 35 is stationary at the respective target positions in the vertical direction to the front-rear direction in the front case 27 is referred to as a storage state of the lint trap 34. The seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 of the lint catcher 34 is not elastically deformed by the weight of the lint catcher 34, and the receiving plate 29 of the lint catching duct 20 is not applied to the lint catcher 34 in an external force state. In contact with nature. The lint trap 34 is stationary in the upper insertion state compared to the housed state due to the stability of the shape of the seal portion 61 when no external force is applied, and is directed to the lint trap 34 from the top to the bottom. When an external force of a predetermined magnitude is applied, the seal portion 61 is sandwiched between the inner packing receiver 56 of the lint capturing device 34 and the receiving plate 29 of the lint capturing duct 20 and is elastically deformed. The outer packing receiver 57 and the receiving plate 29 of the lint capturing duct 20 are sandwiched and elastically deformed, and the lint capturing device 34 is lowered from the inserted state to the stored state.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a lock member 64 is fixed to the panel support 47 of the filter frame 35 with screws. The lock member 64 has a synthetic resin claw piece 65. The claw piece 65 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the lock member 64 in a natural state, and an external force acts from the rear to the front, thereby causing the lock member 64 to move forward. It elastically deforms into a retracted state retracted forward relative to the rear surface. The lint trap 34 is configured as described above.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the top cover 8 is formed with an attachment / detachment port 66 formed of a through hole. The attachment / detachment port 66 is used by a user to insert / remove the lint catcher 34 into / from the front case 27 of the lint capture duct 20 by inserting a finger into the handle hole 49 of the filter panel 48. It faces the upper surface from above. The attachment / detachment opening 66 allows the filter panel 48 and the filter frame 35 of the lint capturing device 34 to pass in the vertical direction. The user can attach the attachment / detachment opening 66 of the top cover 8 and the upper surface of the front case 27 from above. When the lint trap 34 is inserted into the front case 27 through each of them in turn, the inner surface of the front case 27 pushes the claw piece 65 of the lock member 64 from the front to the back, so that the claw piece 65 is elastically retracted. When the claw piece 65 is deformed and elastically deforms into the retracted state, the insertion operation of the lint trap 34 is permitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the front case 27 of the lint capturing duct 20 is formed with an engaging portion 67 located on the rear plate. The engaging portion 67 projects rearward from the remaining portion of the rear plate of the front case 27 except for the engaging portion 67, and the user captures lint in the front case 27 through the attachment / detachment port 66 from above. When the instrument 34 is inserted, the claw piece 65 of the lock member 64 reaches the engaging portion 67 of the front case 27 when the lint catcher 34 reaches the storage state. When the claw piece 65 reaches the engaging portion 67, the claw piece 65 is engaged with the engaging portion 67 from below by elastically returning from the retracted state to the natural state.

  As shown in FIG. 12, two shafts 68 are formed on the top cover 8. Each of these shafts 68 has a cylindrical shape when viewed from the left-right direction, and is arranged such that the axial center line overlaps a common horizontal line. The inner peripheral surface of the shaft hole 69 is fitted into the outer peripheral surface of each of the shafts 68. Each of these shaft holes 69 is a circular through hole, and is formed in the arm 71 of the filter cover 70. Each of these arms 71 is formed at the rear end portion of the filter cover 70 as shown in FIG. 11, and the filter cover 70 has both shafts 68 of the top cover 8 between the closed state and the open state. It can be rotated around the center. The closed state of the filter cover 70 is a horizontal state (see a in FIG. 9), and the attachment / detachment port 66 of the top cover 8 is lint with respect to the front case 27 of the lint capturing duct 20 in the closed state of the filter cover 70. The trap 34 is closed so that it cannot be attached or detached. The open state of the filter cover 70 is a state in which the filter cover 70 is inclined rearward from the bottom to the top (see FIG. 10), and the attachment / detachment port 66 of the top plate cover 8 is the front case of the lint capturing duct 20 The lint catcher 34 is opened to be detachable from the inside 27.

  The filter cover 70 is made of a synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 3, the filter cover 70 is formed with a stopper 72 positioned between the arms 71. The stopper 72 protrudes downward when the filter cover 70 is closed, and comes into contact with the cradle 73 from the rear when the filter cover 70 is open as shown in FIG. The cradle 73 is formed on the top cover 8, and the filter cover 70 stops in an open state when the stopper 72 contacts the cradle 73. The filter cover 70 corresponds to a lid, and has a horizontal plate shape in a closed state.

  As shown in FIG. 10, an operation window 74 is formed in the filter cover 70. As shown in FIG. 9A, the operation window 74 has a notch shape that opens forward when the filter cover 70 is closed, and the operation window 74 is in the operation window 74 when the filter cover 70 is closed. The operation unit 76 of the button 75 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 5, the button 75 has a plate-like operation portion 76 and a bearing portion 77 protruding from the operation portion 76, and the bearing portion 77 has a horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 3. A directional shaft 78 is mounted. The button 75 is attached to the top plate cover 8 via a shaft 78, and is rotatable between a lock position and a lock release position about the shaft 78. FIG. 5 shows the button 75 in the locked position. In the locked position of the button 75, the operation unit 76 is horizontal from the front to the rear. FIG. 4 shows the button 75 in the unlocked position. In the unlocked position of the button 75, the operation unit 76 descends from the front toward the rear. This button 75 corresponds to an operator.

  As shown in FIG. 11, a return spring 79 is attached to the button 75. The return spring 79 is a torsion spring having a coil portion, a button side arm portion, and a top plate side arm portion. The coil portion is inserted into the outer peripheral portion of the shaft 78 of the button 75, and the button side arm portion is the button side. The top plate side arm portion is hooked on the top plate side spring receiver. The top-plate-side spring receiver is formed on the top-plate cover 8, and the button-side spring receiver is formed on the button 75. When no operating force is applied to the button 75, the return spring 79 is provided. The button 75 is stopped at the lock position. The button 75 can be pressed by the user with a finger from the top to the bottom, and the user presses the operation unit 76 of the button 75 with the finger from the top to the bottom at the lock position of the button 75. In this case, the button 75 rotates about the shaft 78 from the locked position to the unlocked position against the spring force of the return spring 79, and the user moves his / her finger from the operation unit 76 of the button 75 at the unlocked position of the button 75. When the button is released, the button 75 self-returns from the unlocked position to the locked position around the shaft 78 by the spring force of the return spring 79.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the filter cover 70 has arms 80 formed on the left side surface and the right side surface of the operation window 74. Each of these arms 80 protrudes downward when the filter cover 70 is closed, and a claw piece 81 is formed at the tip of each arm 80. Each of these claw pieces 81 protrudes rearward from the arm 80 in the closed state of the filter cover 70, and engages the lock piece 82 from below in the closed state of the filter cover 70 and the lock position of the button 75. Each of these lock pieces 82 is formed on the button 75, and the filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state by an engaging force with which both the claw pieces 81 engage with the lock pieces 82.

  As shown in FIG. 3, each of the lock pieces 82 of the button 75 moves in the circumferential direction in accordance with the rotation of the button 75 about the shaft 78, and the filter cover 70 is in the locked state. When the user operates the button 75 from the locked position to the unlocked position, each of the lock pieces 82 moves away from the claw piece 81 by moving in the clockwise direction in FIG. Each of the pieces 82 is detached from the claw pieces 81, so that the filter cover 70 is changed from the locked state to the unlocked state. The claw piece 81 corresponds to a lid side engaging portion, the lock piece 82 corresponds to a manipulator side engaging portion, and the button 75 and the return spring 79 correspond to a lid locking mechanism. The lid lock mechanism is in a locked state in which the filter cover 70 is locked in a closed state in a closed state of the filter cover 70 and in the locked position of the button 75. The closed state of the filter cover 70 and the locked position of the button 75 are in the locked state. When the button 75 is operated to the unlock position, the filter cover 70 enters an unlocked state that allows the filter cover 70 to move from the closed state to the open state.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a pusher case 83 whose upper surface is open is fixed to the top plate cover 8. The upper surface of the pusher case 83 faces the filter cover 70 from below when the filter cover 70 is closed, and a vertical rod 84 is fixed in the pusher case 83. A pusher 85 corresponding to a pressing member is inserted into the outer peripheral surface of the rod 84. The pusher 85 is linearly movable along the rod 84 between the raised position (see FIG. 4) and the lowered position (see FIG. 3) below the raised position, and the lowered position is retracted. It corresponds to the position, and the raised position corresponds to the protruding position.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a pusher spring 86 corresponding to a spring member is interposed between the rod 84 and the pusher 85. The pusher spring 86 is a compression coil spring. When the filter cover 70 is closed and the button 75 is locked, the filter cover 70 is pushed against the spring force of the pusher spring 86 as shown in FIG. By pushing 85 downward, the pusher 85 stops at the lowered position. In the lowered position of the pusher 85, the pusher spring 86 urges the pusher 85 upward from below, and the user operates the button 75 to the unlocked position when the filter cover 70 is closed and the button 75 is locked. Thus, when the filter cover 70 is unlocked, the pusher 85 is moved from the lowered position to the raised position by the spring force of the pusher spring 86, and the pusher 85 moves from the closed position to the raised position. Push it up halfway. As shown in FIG. 4, the half-open state of the filter cover 70 is a state between a closed state and an open state in which the filter cover 70 descends from the front to the rear, and the user operates the button 75 from the locked position to the unlocked position. Thus, the finger is released from the button 75 after the filter cover is in the half-open state, and the filter cover 70 is operated with the finger from the half-open state to the open state.

  As shown in FIG. 12, inclined surfaces 87 are formed on both shafts 68 of the top cover 8. Each of these two inclined surfaces 87 is inclined from the bottom to the top toward the center in the left-right direction of the filter cover 70. When the user operates the filter cover 70 from the half-open state to the open state, the filter cover 70 Each of the arms 71 of the filter cover 70 receives a force along the inclined surface 87 of the shaft 68 when the stopper 72 of the 70 comes into contact with the pedestal 73 of the top cover 8 and stops in an open state. When the operating force of the filter cover 70 is excessively greater than a predetermined force, the both arms 71 of the filter cover 70 receive the force along the inclined surface 87 of the shaft 68 so that the proximal end side Elastically deforms so as to incline toward the center in the left-right direction of the filter cover 70 from the tip to the tip, and both arms 71 are elastically deformed to disengage from the shaft 68, and both arms 71 are disengaged from the shaft 68. As a result, the filter cover 70 is detached from the top cover 8.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an inclined surface 88 is formed on each of the claw pieces 81 of the filter cover 70, and an inclined surface 88 is also formed on each of the lock pieces 82 of the button 75. Each of these four inclined surfaces 88 rises from the front to the back, and when the user rotates the filter cover 70 toward the closed state in the opened state of the filter cover 70 and the lock position of the button 75. In this case, when the inclined surfaces 88 of the two claw pieces 81 contact the inclined surfaces 88 of the lock pieces 82, the button 75 rotates about the shaft 78 toward the unlocked position, and the button 75 is moved to the unlocked position. The rotation operation of the filter cover 70 is allowed by rotating toward. When both the claw pieces 81 of the filter cover 70 pass through the lock piece 82, the button 75 is rotated from the current position to the lock position by the spring force of the return spring 79, so that each of the lock pieces 82 is clawed. The filter cover 70 is locked by engaging with the piece 81. When the filter cover 70 is rotated from the open state to the closed state, the filter cover 70 moves the pusher 85 from the raised position to the lowered position against the spring force of the pusher spring 86, and the filter cover 70 is moved. When the locked state is brought about by the locking force of the lid locking mechanism, the pusher 85 stops at the lowered position by the locking force of the lid locking mechanism.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a packing retainer 89 is formed on the filter cover 70. The packing retainer 89 protrudes downward from the filter cover 70 in a closed state of the filter cover 70, and has an endless rectangular tube shape when viewed from below. This packing presser 89 is for pressing the outer packing 52 of the filter panel 48 from the top to the bottom while the filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state. The seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 of the lint trap 34 is configured such that the packing retainer 89 of the filter cover 70 pushes the outer packing 52 of the filter panel 48 downward from the top so that the inner packing receiver 56 of the lint trap 34 and the front case 27, and elastically deformed by being sandwiched between the 27 receiving plates 29, and being elastically deformed by being sandwiched between the outer packing receiver 57 of the lint trap 34 and the receiving plate 29 of the front case 27. The outer packing receiver 57 and the receiving plate 29 are brought into surface contact with the target pressure by elastic restoring force. The lint trap 34 is lowered to a storage state in which each of the four support pieces 62 is in surface contact with the receiving surface 63 of the front case 27 as the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 is elastically deformed. The claw piece 65 is engaged with the engaging portion 67 of the front case 27 when the lint capturing device 34 is lowered to the storage state. The outer packing 52 of the lint trap 34 is elastically deformed by being pressed by the packing presser 89, and contacts the inner peripheral wall, the outer peripheral wall, and the bottom wall of the outer packing storage portion 51 with a target pressure by elastic restoring force. .

According to the said Example 1, there exists the following effect.
When the user inserts the lint trap 34 into the front case 27 through the top surface of the front case 27 from the attachment / detachment opening 66 of the top cover 8 with the filter cover 70 open, the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 is attached to the front case 27. It becomes a natural state by being supported by the receiving plate 29, and the lint catcher 34 is stationary in an inserted state higher than in the housed state. When the user operates the filter cover 70 from the open state to the closed state with the lint trap 34 being inserted, each of the claw pieces 81 of the filter cover 70 is engaged with the lock piece 82 of the button 75. The filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state. When the filter cover 70 is in the locked state, the packing presser 89 of the filter cover 70 pushes the outer packing 52 from the top to the bottom, so that the lint catcher 34 is moved from the inserted state to the retracted state. Descends against In the stored state of the lint catcher 34, the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 is sandwiched between the lint catcher 34 and the front case 27 and is elastically deformed, and the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 is elastically restored to the front case 27. The base portion 60 of the lower packing 58 comes into contact with each of the inner packing receiver 56 and the outer packing receiver 57 of the lint catcher 34 with an elastic restoring force at the target pressure. In the stored state of the lint trap 34, the lint trap 34 is attached to the filter cover 70 even when the lint trap 34 is pushed upward from the bottom by increasing the internal pressure of the front case 27 during the drying operation. Since the outer packing 58 seals between the front case 27 and the lint trap 34 to prevent leakage of warm air, the front case 27 and the lint trap are stopped. It is possible to reduce the operating force when the lint catcher 34 is attached to and detached from the front case 27 without degrading the sealing performance between the 34.

  The filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state by engaging the claw piece 81 of the filter cover 70 with the lock piece 82 of the button 75, and the filter cover is removed by removing the lock piece 82 of the button 75 from the claw piece 81 of the filter cover 70. Since the lock 70 is released, the configuration of the lid lock mechanism is simplified. In addition, when the lint trap 34 is pushed upward from the bottom by increasing the internal pressure of the front case 27 during the drying operation, the filter cover 70 is pushed from the bottom to the top so that the filter cover 70 Since the claw piece 81 engages with the lock piece 82 of the button 75 from below, the lint catcher 34 is reliably prevented from jumping out from the upper surface of the front case 27 through the attachment / detachment port 66 of the top cover 8.

  When the user operates the button 75 to the unlocked position when the filter cover 70 is closed and the button 75 is locked, the filter cover 70 is unlocked, and the pusher 85 is lowered by the spring force of the pusher spring 86. The filter cover 70 is pushed up from the closed state to the half-opened state by moving from the closed position to the raised position. For this reason, the user can manually insert the finger into the operation window 74 of the filter cover 70 with the filter cover 70 in the half open state, and manually operate the filter cover 70 from the half open state to the open state with the fingers. The operability when operating from the closed state to the open state is enhanced.

  In the retracted state of the lint trap 34, the packing retainer 89 of the filter cover 70 is elastically deformed by pushing the outer packing 52 of the lint trap 34 downward from the upper side, and the outer packing 52 is elastically restored by the elastic restoring force. The packing presser 89 is brought into contact with the target pressure. For this reason, since the lint catcher 34 and the filter cover 70 are sealed between the lint catcher 34 and the front case 27 in the storage state of the lint catcher 34, the warm air is sealed between the lint catcher 34 and the filter cover. 70 is prevented from leaking between each other. The thick line in FIG. 13A is a hot air leakage path that is blocked by the outer packing 52. Since the gap between the filter frame 35 and the filter panel 48 of the lint trap 34 is sealed with the inner packing 54, it is possible to prevent the warm air from leaking through the joint surface between the filter frame 35 and the filter panel 48. The thick line in (b) of FIG. 13 is a hot air leakage path blocked by the inner packing 54.

  Each of the plurality of support pieces 62 of the lint trap 34 was supported from below by the receiving surface 63 of the front case 27. For this reason, since the lint trap 34 is stationary at a fixed position in the vertical direction in the front case 27 in the closed state of the filter cover 70 and the button 75 is locked, the elastic deformation amounts of the outer packing 53 and the lower packing 58 are reduced. It becomes constant. Accordingly, the lower packing 58 contacts the front case 27 and the lint trap 34 at a constant pressure, and the outer packing 52 contacts the lint trap 34 and the filter cover 70 at a constant pressure. The trap 34 can be sealed with a certain degree of sealing, and the lint trap 34 and the filter cover 70 can be sealed with a certain degree of sealing.

  When the user operates the filter cover 70 to an open state with an excessive force when the filter cover 70 is half open, the stopper 72 of the filter cover 70 comes into contact with the cradle 73 of the top cover 8 so that the filter cover 70 Each of the arms 71 receives a force along the inclined surface 87 of the shaft 68 of the top cover 8, and each of the arms 71 of the filter cover 70 moves in the left-right direction of the filter cover 70 from the base end side toward the tip end side. Elastically deforms so as to incline toward the center. When both arms 71 of the filter cover 70 are elastically deformed, they are disengaged from the shaft 68, so that both arms 71 are not plastically deformed or broken.

  In the first embodiment, a portion of the filter cover 70 that is different from the packing retainer 89 in the closed state of the filter cover 70 and the lock position of the button 75 may be configured to push the filter panel 48 from top to bottom.

  In the first embodiment, the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 may be elastically deformed by the weight of the lint catcher 34 when the lint catcher 34 is inserted. In the case of this configuration, when the filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state, the seal portion 61 is greatly elastically deformed as compared with the insertion state of the lint trap 34 by pushing the lint trap 34 from the top to the bottom. The lint trap 34 may be lowered from the inserted state to the stored state.

  In the first embodiment, the base portion 60 of the lower packing 58 is fixed to the receiving plate 29 of the front case 27, and the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 supports the lint trap 34 from below while the lint trap 34 is inserted. Then, the filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state, and the lint trap 34 may be elastically deformed by pushing the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 58 from the top to the bottom. In this configuration, the filter cover 70 is locked in the closed state, so that the seal portion 61 of the lower packing 59 comes into contact with the lint trap 34 at a target pressure, and the base portion 60 of the lower packing 59 is received by the front case 27. The plate 29 is brought into contact with the target pressure.

In the said Example 1, after cooling by making the air in the water receiving tank 9 contact tap water in a duct, you may make it warm air by making it contact an electric heater in a duct.
In the first embodiment, the present invention may be applied to a drying clothes dryer that does not have a laundry washing function.

  1 is an outer box, 6 is a top plate, 8 is a top plate cover, 9 is a water receiving tank (tank), 20 is a lint capture duct (lint removal part), 27 is a front case (case), 34 is a lint trap (lint) ), 35 is a filter frame (filter frame), 41 is a filter, 48 is a filter panel (operation plate), 52 is an outer packing (lid seal member), 54 is an inner packing (lint remover seal member), and 58 is Lower packing (seal member), 66 is an attachment / detachment port, 68 is a shaft, 70 is a filter cover (lid), 71 is an arm, 75 is a button (operator), 81 is a claw piece (lid side engaging portion), 82 is Reference numeral 85 denotes a lock piece (operator side engaging portion), 85 denotes a pusher (pushing member), 86 denotes a pusher spring (spring member), and 87 denotes an inclined surface.

Claims (7)

An outer box in which a tub into which hot air for drying clothes is injected is stored,
A top plate cover provided in the outer box and facing the tank through a gap from above,
A duct having a passage shape having an inlet and an outlet connected to the tank, and having a lint removing portion housed in a gap between the tank and the top cover,
A blower that circulates the air in the tank from the inlet to the outlet of the duct;
A dehumidifier provided in the duct, for dehumidifying the air flowing along the duct;
A heater that is provided in the duct on the downstream side of the air flow compared to the dehumidifier, and that generates the warm air by heating the air dehumidified by the dehumidifier,
A case provided in a lint removing portion of the duct, wherein air flowing along the duct can pass therethrough and an upper surface is opened;
A lint remover that is detachably housed in the case and has a filter for removing lint from the air flowing along the duct;
An attachment / detachment opening for attaching / detaching the lint remover to / from the case through the upper surface of the case;
The top cover is provided so as to be movable between a closed state and an open state, and in the closed state, the attachment / detachment port is closed so that the lint remover cannot be attached to or detached from the case. And a lid that can be detached in the open state,
The lid can be changed between a locked state and an unlocked state, and in the locked state, the lid is locked in the closed state and unlocked so as to prevent the lid from moving from the closed state to the open state. A lid locking mechanism that allows the lid to move from a closed state to an open state in a state;
A seal for sealing between the lint remover and the case, comprising an elastically deformable seal member;
The lid is
The lint remover is pushed relative to the case in the closed state of the lid and the locked state of the lid locking mechanism,
The sealing member is
The lid is elastically deformed by being sandwiched between the lint remover and the case by pushing the lint remover relative to the case, and each of the lint remover and the case A clothes dryer characterized by contact between the two by elastic restoring force. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the lid lock mechanism includes the following 1) an operator, 2) a lid side engaging portion, and 3) an operator side engaging portion.
1) An operator that is provided on the top cover so as to be movable between a lock position and an unlock position, and that can be operated by a user from the lock position to the lock release position. 2) The provided lid side engaging portion 3) is provided on the operating element, and engages with the lid side engaging portion in the closed state of the lid and the locked position of the operating element to The lid is released from the closed state by being released from the lid side engaging portion when locked in the closed state and when the operator is operated to the unlocked position in the closed state of the lid and the locked position of the operator. Operator-side engaging portion that allows movement toward the state A pressing member provided to be movable between the retracted position and the protruding position;
A spring member that biases the push member from the retracted position toward the protruding position at the retracted position of the push member;
The pushing member is
In the closed state of the lid and the locked state of the lid lock mechanism, the lid lock mechanism comes to rest in the retracted position by contacting the lid, and the lid lock mechanism is in the closed state of the lid and the locked state of the lid lock mechanism. 3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein, when the state is changed to the unlocked state, the cover is pushed from the closed state to the open state by moving from the retracted position to the projecting position by the spring force of the spring member. The clothes dryer according to crab. A seal for sealing between the lint remover and the lid, comprising an elastically deformable lid seal member;
The lid sealing member is
In the closed state of the lid and the locked state of the lid locking mechanism, the lid is elastically deformed by being sandwiched between the lid and the lint remover by a force pushing the lint remover relative to the case. The clothes dryer according to claim 1, wherein the lid and the lint remover are brought into contact with each other by an elastic restoring force. 5. The lint remover includes the following 1) filter frame, 2) operation plate, and 3) lint remover seal member in addition to the filter. The clothes dryer according to crab.
1) A filter frame that supports the filter 2) An operation plate that is used when a user attaches / detaches the lint remover to / from the case and is joined to the filter frame 3) The filter A lint remover seal member for sealing a joint surface between the frame and the operation plate The top cover is
The lint remover is supported from below when the lint remover is pushed relative to the case in the closed state of the lid and the locked state of the lid lock mechanism. The clothes washing machine according to any one of Items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. An arm that is provided on the lid and is elastically deformable;
The top cover is provided with a shaft that rotatably supports the arm and has an inclined surface,
The lid is
In the closed state of the lid, when rotating in one direction around the axis, it comes to rest in an open state by contacting the top cover.
The inclined surface of the axis is
5. The arm is elastically deformed in a direction away from the shaft when an operating force in one direction acts on the lid in the open state of the lid. -The clothes dryer in any one of 5.6.

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