JP6843567B2 - Clothes dryer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a clothes dryer that dries clothes, towels, sheets, etc. after washing.

In this type of clothes dryer, clothes after washing (so-called laundry including cloth products such as towels and sheets) are stored inside the rotating drum, and the rotating drum is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotating drum. Dry the clothes inside by letting them dry. During drying, the rotating drum rotates so that the clothes inside are constantly moving without stopping in place. As a result, the warm air hits the clothes evenly and the clothes are dried efficiently.

A filter unit is provided on the inner wall of the rotating drum on the outlet side of the warm air. The filter unit includes a filter that captures lint and a filter cover that covers the filter to prevent contact between the clothes being dried and the filter (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Jikkenhei 4-68793 Gazette

By the way, the filter unit may be covered with clothes moving around inside a rotating drum that rotates during drying. Moreover, since the filter unit is arranged on the outlet side of the warm air in the rotating drum, clothing may stick to the filter cover of the filter unit due to the air flow of the warm air. If clothes stick to the filter cover, the flow of warm air discharged from the rotating drum may be stopped, and the drying efficiency may decrease.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clothes dryer capable of maintaining smooth airflow passage in the filter unit and preventing a decrease in drying efficiency.

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention comprises a rotating drum for accommodating clothing, a fan device for generating an air flow passing through the rotating drum, and the rotating drum at a position intersecting the rotation axis of the rotating drum. In a garment dryer provided with a filter unit attached to the inner wall of the drum, the filter unit accommodates a filter that captures lint from clothes being dried and the inside of the rotating drum. A filter cover that covers the filter from the side is provided, and the filter cover is rotatably provided with respect to the filter that rotates integrally with the rotating drum, and the outer peripheral portion of the filter and the outer peripheral portion of the filter cover. Is formed into a shape corresponding to each other, and the outer peripheral portion of either one of the filter and the filter cover is provided with a groove in which the edge of the other outer peripheral portion enters from the open side, and the groove is the rotation. A base extending in the radial direction of the drum, an inner peripheral wall extending from the base in a direction along the rotation axis of the rotating drum, and an outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral wall of the base extending in a direction along the rotation axis of the drum. It is shorter than the inner peripheral wall and is composed of an outer peripheral wall facing the inner peripheral wall. The open side is directed in the direction along the rotation axis of the rotating drum , and the end edge is inserted from the open side. characterized in that it is shape formed gap is formed in the radial direction of the rotating drum between the edge and between and said end edge of said inner peripheral wall and the outer peripheral wall.

When the rotating drum and the filter unit are rotating integrally, if the clothes being dried cover the filter unit, the clothes rotate together with the clothes attached to the filter unit. The present inventor has found that when the rotating drum and the filter unit are rotated integrally, clothing sticks to a large extent.
Based on the above findings, the present invention makes the filter cover rotatable with respect to the rotating drum. As a result, even if the clothes being dried cover the filter unit, the state does not continue, and the clothes can be prevented from sticking to the filter unit. That is, when the clothes being dried come into contact with the filter cover, the filter cover receives the eccentric load of the clothes in contact and rotates independently of the rotation of the rotating drum. Therefore, even if the clothes cover the filter unit, the clothes are easily shaken off by the rotation of the filter cover. As a result, according to the above configuration of the present invention, it is possible to prevent clothes from sticking to the filter cover, maintain smooth airflow passage in the filter unit, and prevent a decrease in drying efficiency.

Further, according to the present invention, the edge of the outer peripheral portion of the other outer peripheral portion is inserted into the groove formed on the outer peripheral portion of either one of the filter and the filter cover, so that ventilation between the filter, the filter cover and the outer peripheral portion is performed. Can be suppressed. According to this, it is possible to prevent dust clogging between the filter, the filter cover, and the outer peripheral portions, and it is possible to prevent the filter cover from rotating poorly.

The present invention is characterized in that the filter cover is provided along the outer circumference of the filter cover and has a protruding portion that projects inward of the rotating drum.

By providing the protruding portion on the filter cover, when the clothes being dried come into contact with the protruding portion, an eccentric load is surely applied to the filter cover. Since the filter cover is rotatably provided, the eccentric load at this time is easily converted into a rotational force. Therefore, even if the clothes being dried cover the filter unit, the filter cover can be rotated to reliably shake off the clothes.

Moreover, even if the clothes being dried temporarily cover the filter unit, a gap is formed between the clothes and the filter cover by the protruding portion, and ventilation can be reliably ensured.

The present invention is characterized in that the filter cover is provided with a raised portion that rises toward the inside of the rotating drum at a central portion thereof.

Due to the raised portion of the filter cover, the surface of the filter cover (the surface facing the inside of the rotating drum) is not flat, and when the drying clothes cover the filter cover, ventilation is provided between the clothes and the filter cover. A free gap can be formed.

The figure which shows typically the structure of the clothes dryer of embodiment of this invention. An exploded perspective view of the filter unit. The cross-sectional view which shows the connected state of a filter unit partially. Explanatory sectional view of the outer peripheral part of a filter and a filter cover.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the clothes dryer 1 of the present embodiment includes a main body case 2 and a rotating drum 3. A clothing slot 4 is provided on the front side of the main body case 2. The clothes inlet 4 is covered with a single-door door 5, and a rotating drum 3 is pivotally supported inside the clothes inlet 4 in a rotatable state.

The rotating drum 3 is provided in a posture in which the rotation axis (not shown) is in the horizontal direction. A front opening portion 6 is formed at an end portion of the rotating drum 3 facing the clothes inlet 4 side of the main body case 2. The outer circumference of the front opening portion 6 is supported by the main body case 2 in a rotatable state by the ring plate 7.

On the other hand, the back wall 8 (inner wall) of the rotating drum 3 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 9 of the main body case 2. A filter unit 10 described later is provided inside the back wall 8 of the rotating drum 3. An exhaust duct 11 for guiding the air inside the rotating drum 3 to the outside of the main body case 2 is provided on the outside (rear side) of the back wall 8 of the rotating drum 3.

The exhaust duct 11 extends from the outside of the back wall 8 of the rotating drum 3 toward the exhaust port 12 at the upper part of the main body case 2. An exhaust fan 13 (fan device) is incorporated in the exhaust duct 11.

The exhaust fan 13 discharges the air in the rotating drum 3 by its rotation, and also generates an air flow that draws warm air into the rotating drum 3. That is, when the exhaust fan 13 rotates, the outside air is taken into the inside of the main body case 2 from the air supply port 14 formed at the bottom of the main body case 2. The outside air taken into the main body case 2 is heated by the flame of the gas burner 23 described later to become warm air, and is sent into the rotating drum 3 through the hot air duct 17 described later. Then, the warm air that has absorbed the moisture of the clothes W inside the rotating drum 3 passes through the filter unit 10 and heads for the exhaust duct 11, and is discharged from the exhaust port 12 to the outside of the main body case 2.

Inside the main body case 2, a motor 15 for rotating the rotating drum 3 and the exhaust fan 13, a combustion unit 16 that heats the outside air to generate hot air, and a hot air duct that guides the hot air into the rotating drum 3 17 is provided. Further, a controller 18 is provided to control the driving of the motor 15 and the point fire extinguishing operation of the combustion unit 16 during the drying operation.

The motor 15 includes two drive shafts (first drive shaft 19 and second drive shaft 20). The rotational force of the first drive shaft 19 is transmitted to the rotary drum 3 via the first transmission belt 21 to rotate the rotary drum 3. The rotation of the rotating drum 3 is performed so that the clothing W housed inside is always moved without being stopped at a fixed position. The rotational force of the second drive shaft 20 is transmitted to the exhaust fan 13 via the second transmission belt 22 to rotate the exhaust fan 13. The rotation of the exhaust fan 13 forms an air flow inside the rotating drum 3.

The combustion unit 16 includes a gas burner 23, a gas injection nozzle 24, and a gas supply valve device 25. The fuel gas supplied from the gas supply valve device 25 is injected from the gas injection nozzle 24 toward the gas inlet 26 of the gas burner 23. As a result, the fuel gas is guided to the gas burner 23 together with the air around the gas inlet 26 and burned, and the outside air is heated. The combustion air supplied to the gas burner 23 is also taken in from the air supply port 14 at the bottom of the main body case 2 like the air for heating.

The hot air duct 17 extends from above the gas burner 23 to the hot air outlet 27 formed on the ring plate 7, and the hot air generated by heating by the gas burner 23 passes through the hot air duct 17 to the hot air outlet. It is guided to 27 and sent into the rotating drum 3.

The warm air sent into the rotating drum 3 dries the clothes W housed in the rotating drum 3, passes through the filter unit 10, and heads for the exhaust fan 13. At this time, the lint generated from the clothing W is captured by the filter unit 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filter unit 10 includes a filter 28, a filter cover 29, and a filter support member 30. The filter 28 and the filter cover 29 both have a corresponding circular shape, but in the present embodiment, the outer diameter of the filter 28 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the filter cover 29.

The filter 28 is composed of a circular outer peripheral frame 31, an inner peripheral frame 32 concentric with the outer peripheral frame 31, and a catching material 33 that captures lint carried by the airflow when the airflow passes through.

The outer peripheral frame 31 is provided with a groove 34 formed over the entire circumference thereof and having the inside of the rotating drum 3 as an open surface. The outer peripheral frame 31 corresponds to the outer peripheral portion of the filter in the present invention.

The inner peripheral frame 32 includes a cylindrical outer cylinder portion 35 and an inner cylinder portion 36 having a concentric cylinder shape with respect to the outer cylinder portion 35. A part of the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder portion 36 is arranged in the circumferential direction and is formed in a gear shape by a plurality of recesses 37.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a first operation tongue piece 38 is provided at each symmetrical position on the outer surface of the inner cylinder portion 36. The first operating tongue piece 38 is continuously provided to the inner cylinder portion 36 via the first hinge portion 39, and is made to be elastically revolving by the first hinge portion 39.

The pair of first operating tongue pieces 38 includes a first claw portion 40 projecting to the outer surface. Further, the operator's fingers (usually the thumb and the index finger) are inserted into the positions corresponding to the first operating tongue pieces 38 of the outer cylinder portion 35 when the both first operating tongue pieces 38 are pressed. A recessed portion 41 for securing a space is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filter cover 29 has a raised portion 42 located at the center and raised toward the inside of the rotating drum 3, and a mesh portion formed on the outer periphery of the raised portion 42 and allowing ventilation. 43, a skirt portion 44 formed over the entire outer circumference of the mesh portion 43 and extending toward the outside of the rotating drum 3, and a pair of skirt portions 44 protruding toward the inside of the rotating drum 3 from a part of the outer peripheral edge side of the mesh portion 43. The protrusion 45 of the above is provided. The skirt portion 44 corresponds to the outer peripheral portion of the filter cover in the present invention.

The protruding portion 45 is formed in a substantially triangular shape in a side view, and is formed slightly higher than the raised portion 42 when the axial direction of the rotating drum 3 is the height direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an extension base portion 46 extending along the axis of the rotating drum 3 is formed in the central portion on the back surface side of the raised portion 42. Further, on the back surface side of the raised portion 42, a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 47 that surrounds the outside of the extending base portion 46 with a gap is formed. A first annular convex portion 48 continuous in the circumferential direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 47.

A second operating tongue piece 49 is provided at each symmetrical position on the outer surface of the extension base 46. The second operation tongue piece 49 is continuously provided to the extension base portion 46 via the second hinge portion 50, and is elastically free to swing by the second hinge portion 50. The pair of second operating tongue pieces 49 includes a second claw portion 51 projecting to the outer surface.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, at the position corresponding to each second operation tongue piece 49 of the raised portion 42, the operator's finger (usually the thumb) is used when both the second operation tongue pieces 49 are pressed. Insertion holes 52 for inserting the fingers) are formed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filter support member 30 is integrally formed with the plate-shaped base portion 53 fixed to the back wall 8 of the rotating drum 3 and the plate-shaped base portion 53, and faces inward of the rotating drum 3. It is provided with a tubular support portion 54 that projects vertically. The tubular support portion 54 is formed in a tubular shape concentric with the rotation axis (not shown) of the rotary drum 3. On the outer peripheral surface of the tubular support portion 54, a plurality of locking convex portions 55 that project radially at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction are formed.

The tubular support portion 54 of the filter support member 30 is inserted into the inner tubular portion 36 provided in the inner peripheral frame 32 of the filter 28. At this time, the concave portion 37 formed in a gear shape is locked to the inner tubular portion 36 of the filter 28 to the locking convex portion 55 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular support portion 54 of the filter support member 30. As a result, the filter 28 is stopped from rotating with respect to the filter support member 30. Further, a second annular convex portion 56 continuous in the circumferential direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular support portion 54.

The filter unit 10 configured as described above is attached to the rotary drum 3 by connecting the filter cover 29 and the filter support member 30 in a state where the filter 28 and the filter cover 29 are connected. ..

Here, the connected state of each part of the filter unit 10 will be described in detail. The filter support member 30 is fixed, for example, by screwing a plate-shaped base 53 to the central portion of the back wall 8 of the rotating drum 3. As a result, the filter support member 30 rotates integrally with the rotating drum 3. At this time, the tubular support portion 54 of the filter support member 30 and the rotating drum 3 are concentric.

As shown in FIG. 3, the filter cover 29 is connected to the filter 28 by engaging the first claw portion 40 of the first operating tongue piece 38 of the filter 28 with the first annular convex portion 48 of the peripheral wall portion 47. It becomes a connected state. Since the first annular convex portion 48 is formed in an annular shape, the first claw portion 40 maintains the locked state and can be slidably contacted with the first annular convex portion 48. As a result, the filter cover 29 and the filter 28 are relatively rotatable while maintaining the connected state.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the edge of the skirt portion 44 of the filter cover 29 enters the groove 34 of the outer peripheral frame 31 of the filter 28. As a result, a so-called labyrinth seal-like structure can be easily obtained, and the flow of air passing between the skirt portion 44 of the filter cover 29 and the outer peripheral frame 31 of the filter 28 can be suppressed. According to this, dust clogging due to the passage of the air flow between the skirt portion 44 of the filter cover 29 and the outer peripheral frame 31 of the filter 28 is prevented. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the state in which the filter cover 29 is rotatable with respect to the filter 28 that rotates integrally with the rotating drum 3 for a relatively long period of time.

Further, when the edge of the skirt portion 44 of the filter cover 29 enters the groove 34 of the outer peripheral frame 31 of the filter 28, the outer end surface of the outer peripheral frame 31 of the filter 28 is exposed on the entire outer circumference of the filter cover 29. As a result, the filter 28 is not completely hidden by the filter cover 29, and a part of the filter 28 can be visually recognized, so that it is possible to prevent forgetting to attach the filter 28. In the present embodiment, the filter 28 is formed to have a diameter larger than that of the filter cover 29 to expose the outer peripheral end face of the filter 28 over the entire circumference. A part may be partially exposed from the filter cover 29.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the extension base portion 46 of the filter cover 29 is inserted into the tubular support portion 54 of the filter support member 30 and attached, the second claw of the second operation tongue piece 49 of the filter cover 29 is attached. The portion 51 is locked to the second annular convex portion 56 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular support portion 54 of the filter support member 30. Since the second annular convex portion 56 is formed in an annular shape, the second claw portion 51 maintains the locked state and can be slidably contacted with the second annular convex portion 56. As a result, the filter cover 29 can be rotated while maintaining the connected state with the filter support member 30.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the filter support member 30 and the filter 28 have a gear-shaped concave portion 37 of the filter 28 locked to the locking convex portion 55 of the filter support member 30 as described above. Makes it non-rotatable. On the other hand, the filter cover 29 is in a state of being rotatable with respect to the rotating drum 3.

The filter cover 29 is rotatably provided with respect to the rotating drum 3. As a result, when the clothes W being dried come into contact with the filter cover 29, the filter cover 29 that receives the eccentric load from the clothes W rotates in a direction different from that of the rotating drum 3, and the clothes W are shaken off. The sticking of the clothes W to the 29 is prevented.

Further, since the filter cover 29 is provided with a pair of protruding portions 45, it is easy to convert an eccentric load caused by contact of the clothes W being dried with any of the protruding portions 45 into a rotational force. Moreover, in the unlikely event that the filter cover 29 is covered with the clothing W, a gap is formed between the clothing W and the mesh portion 43 by the pair of protruding portions 45, and ventilation is provided when the clothing W is temporarily stuck. Can be secured.

Further, since the filter cover 29 is provided with the raised portion 42 between the pair of protruding portions 45, a breathable gap can be more reliably formed between the clothing W and the mesh portion 43, and the filter can be filtered. It is possible to prevent the entire surface of the cover 29 from being blocked.

The number of protrusions 45 is not limited to two (pair), and if the above effects are obtained, one or more protrusions 45 may be provided in an appropriate number.

By the way, the filter 28 needs to be cleaned regularly in order to prevent a decrease in air permeability due to clogging of the scavenger 33. In the present embodiment, since the filter unit 10 is configured as described above, the filter 28 can be removed extremely easily, and operations such as cleaning can be smoothly performed.

That is, when removing the filter 28 with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, first, fingers (thumb finger, index finger, etc.) are inserted through the two insertion holes 52 formed in the filter cover 29. At this time, if the insertion hole 52 is located at a position where it is difficult to insert the finger, the position of the insertion hole 52 can be adjusted to a position where the finger can be easily inserted by rotating the filter cover 29 with respect to the rotating drum 3. it can.

Next, pressing force is applied by simultaneously pinching both second operating tongue pieces 49 with two fingers inserted through the insertion hole 52. As a result, both second operating tongue pieces 49 swing through the second hinge portion 50, and the filter support member 30 is released from being locked to the second annular convex portion 56 by the second claw portion 51.

Subsequently, when the filter cover 29 is pulled out in the direction along the axis while both the second operation tongue pieces 49 are picked up, the filter cover 29 and the filter 28 are disconnected from the filter support member 30 in a connected state, and the rotating drum 3 Removal from is completed.

After that, the filter cover 29 is picked up by the fingers of one hand, and the first operating tongue piece 38 of the filter 28 is operated by the fingers of the other hand. That is, the pressing force is applied by simultaneously pinching both the first operating tongue pieces 38 provided on the filter 28 with the two fingers of the other hand. At this time, since the recessed portion 41 is formed in the outer cylinder portion 35 of the filter 28, the operator's finger does not interfere with the outer cylinder portion 35, and the pressing operation of both first operation tongue pieces 38 can be easily performed. be able to.

By pressing both first operating tongue pieces 38, both first operating tongue pieces 38 swing through the first hinge portion 39, and the first claw portion 40 makes the filter cover 29 into the first annular convex portion 48. The lock is released. Then, when the filter 28 is pulled away from the filter cover 29 with both first operation tongue pieces 38 being picked up, the filter 28 is removed and cleaning becomes possible.

After the cleaning of the filter 28 is completed, the filter 28 and the filter cover 29 can be easily attached to the rotating drum 3 by operating in the reverse order of the above procedure.

At this time, it is preferable that the filter 28 and the filter cover 29 are color-coded (different color tones, different hues, different saturations, different brightnesses, etc.). Specifically, the filter 28 may be formed in a dark color (black or the like) that makes it relatively easy for lint to be visually recognized, and the filter cover 29 may be in a bright color (light blue or the like) with a sense of cleanliness. By color-coding the filter 28 and the filter cover 29 in this way, the existence of each of the filter 28 and the filter cover 29 can be reliably recognized, and it is easy to check the assembled state and find the forgotten assembly, which is advantageous. Is.

W ... Clothes, 1 ... Clothes dryer, 3 ... Rotating drum, 8 ... Back wall (inner wall) 10 ... Filter unit, 13 ... Exhaust fan (fan device), 28 ... Filter, 29 ... Filter cover, 31 ... Outer frame ( Filter outer circumference), 34 ... Grooves, 42 ... Ridge, 44 ... Skirt (outer circumference of filter cover), 45 ... Protruding.

Claims (3)

It is equipped with a rotating drum for accommodating clothes, a fan device for generating an air flow passing through the rotating drum, and a filter unit attached to the inner wall of the rotating drum at a position intersecting the rotation axis of the rotating drum. In a clothes dryer equipped with
The filter unit includes a filter for catching lint from clothes being dried, and a filter cover for accommodating the filter and covering the filter from the inside of the rotating drum.
The filter cover is rotatably provided with respect to the filter that rotates integrally with the rotating drum.
The outer peripheral portion of the filter and the outer peripheral portion of the filter cover are formed in a shape corresponding to each other.
The outer peripheral portion of either one of the filter and the filter cover is provided with a groove in which the edge of the other outer peripheral portion enters from the open side.
The grooves are a base portion extending in the radial direction of the rotating drum, an inner peripheral wall extending from the base portion in a direction along the rotation axis of the rotating drum, and a rotation axis of the drum from the outer peripheral side of the inner peripheral wall of the base portion. It extends in the direction along the inner peripheral wall, is shorter than the inner peripheral wall, and is composed of an outer peripheral wall facing the inner peripheral wall. The open side is directed in the direction along the rotation axis of the rotating drum , and the end edge is the open side. a state that has entered from, wherein the gap in the radial direction of the rotating drum is shaped formation formed on and between the said end edge and said outer peripheral wall of the said end edge and the inner peripheral wall Clothes dryer. In the clothes dryer according to claim 1.
The clothes dryer is characterized in that the filter cover is arranged along the outer circumference of the filter cover and includes a protrusion that projects toward the inside of the rotating drum. In the clothes dryer according to claim 1 or 2.
The clothes dryer is characterized in that the filter cover is provided with a raised portion that rises toward the inside of the rotating drum at a central portion thereof.