JP7112187B2 - Washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to washer-dryers.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the so-called horizontal shaft type drum-type washer/dryer, there has been provided a tank cleaning process for removing dirt adhering to the outer peripheral wall of the drum and the like. This tank cleaning process is performed by, for example, rotating the drum at a relatively high speed while the water tank is filled with water by closing the drain valve during the dehydration process. However, since the drum is slanted backwards and downwards, the front portion of the drum is not submerged in water, resulting in a problem that a sufficient cleaning effect cannot be obtained. Therefore, in recent years, it has been considered to wash the outer tank and the inner tank by providing a water spray nozzle on the outer tank cover and spraying washing water (tap water) from the water nozzle (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

JP 2013-39210 A

As described above, the configuration in which a dedicated water spray nozzle is provided for cleaning the drum is complicated and expensive.
Therefore, a washing/drying machine having a relatively simple and inexpensive structure and capable of effectively cleaning the drum of stains is provided.

A washing and drying machine according to an embodiment includes a water tank having an air supply port and an exhaust port at the top thereof, a drum rotatably provided in the water tank around a horizontal axis and containing clothes, and a drive for rotating the drum. a mechanism, a water supply mechanism for supplying water into the water tank, a drain valve for draining water from the water tank, and hot air for supplying hot air for drying the clothes from the air supply port into the water tank. A supply mechanism, an exhaust duct that extends upward from the exhaust port and is provided to discharge air in the water tank, a water injection mechanism that injects water into the exhaust duct from above, and a washing operation and a washing operation by controlling the above mechanisms. a controller for executing a drying operation, wherein the controller performs the water injection while rotating the drum with the drain valve open and before performing an intermediate dehydration process after the washing process is completed during the washing operation. A tank cleaning operation is performed by means of a mechanism for injecting water into the drum through the exhaust duct, and an exhaust damper for discharging the air in the exhaust duct to the outside is provided in an openable/closable manner. During the tank cleaning operation, The exhaust damper is opened.
Further, the washing and drying machine of the embodiment includes a water tank having an air supply port and an exhaust port at the top thereof, a drum rotatably provided in the water tank around a horizontal axis and containing clothes, and rotating the drum. a water supply mechanism for supplying water into the water tank; a drain valve for draining water from the water tank; and an exhaust duct extending upward from the exhaust port for discharging air in the water tank. and a water injection mechanism that injects water into the exhaust duct from above, and a control device that controls each of the mechanisms to perform washing operation and drying operation, wherein the control device, in the open state of the drain valve, While rotating the drum, the water injection mechanism executes a tank cleaning operation of injecting water into the drum through the exhaust duct, and further includes an exhaust damper that can be opened and closed for discharging the air in the exhaust duct to the outside. , the exhaust damper is opened during the bath cleaning operation.

A perspective view showing an embodiment and showing an appearance of a washing and drying machine. Vertical cross-sectional right side view schematically showing the internal configuration of the washing and drying machine Rear view schematically showing the internal configuration including the heat pump of the washer/dryer The perspective view which shows the internal structure of the washing-drying machine in the state which removed the outer box. Perspective view showing the configuration of the filter duct Top view of filter duct Vertical side view of filter duct FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the water tank for pouring water into the drum, with a part of the water tank cut away; Front view schematically showing the water injection part to the drum The figure which shows typically the structure of the water supply route of a water supply mechanism. Block diagram schematically showing the electrical configuration of the washer/dryer Diagram showing the process of washing operation A diagram showing how each part is controlled in the tank cleaning operation.

An embodiment applied to a heat-pump drum-type washer/dryer capable of washing operation and drying operation will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of a washing and drying machine 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. The outer casing 2 constituting the main body of the washer/dryer 1 has a substantially rectangular box shape, and as shown in FIG. It is supported via an elastic support mechanism (not shown). As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a cylindrical drum 4 in which clothes (laundry) are stored is rotatably supported in the water tank 3. As shown in FIGS. The drum 4 is configured to rotate around an inclined shaft that extends in the front-rear direction and is slightly inclined rearwardly downward from the horizontal.

As shown in FIG. 2, the peripheral and rear walls of the drum 4 are formed with a large number of holes 4a for water flow and ventilation. A plurality of baffles (not shown) are provided. Although not shown in detail, the front surface of the drum 4 is provided with a circular opening through which clothes are put in and taken out. ) are formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the front surface of the outer case 2 is provided with a door 5 for opening and closing the inlet 3a. An operation panel 6 is provided on the upper portion of the front surface of the outer casing 2 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the rear portion of the water tank 3, a drum motor 8, which constitutes a driving mechanism and is made up of, for example, an outer rotor type brushless motor, is arranged. The tip of the rotating shaft of the drum motor 8 penetrates the back surface of the water tank 3 and protrudes into the water tank 3, and is connected and fixed to the center of the rear portion of the drum 4. As shown in FIG. With such a configuration, the drum 4 is directly rotationally driven by the drum motor 8 . In this case, the drum 4 is continuously rotated in the normal direction, that is, in the clockwise direction when viewed from the front (in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 8, etc.) during the dehydration process and tank cleaning operation, which will be described later. During the washing process and the rinsing process, the drum 4 is repeatedly rotated forward and backward.

Although not shown in detail, a water supply mechanism 11 (see FIG. 10) for supplying water from a tap as a water supply source to the inside of the water tank 3 or the like is provided in the upper part of the outer casing 2 . This water supply mechanism 11 will be described later. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a drain pipe 12 is connected to the bottom of the water tank 3, and a drain valve 13 is provided in the middle of the drain pipe 12. As shown in FIG. When water is supplied into the water tank 3 by the water supply mechanism 11 with the drain valve 13 closed, the water is stored in the water tank 3 . At this time, the water level in the water tank 3 is detected by the water level sensor 7 (see FIG. 11). As the drain valve 13 is opened, the water stored in the water tank 3 is discharged out of the machine through the drain pipe line 12 .

As shown in FIG. 2, the water tank 3 is provided with an exhaust port 17 for discharging air at an upper right portion of the front portion thereof, and an air outlet 17 for supplying dry air to an upper left portion of the rear portion thereof. A vent 18 is provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a warm air supply mechanism 19 is provided inside the outer casing 2 for circulating and supplying dry air (warm air) into the drum 4 to dry the clothes. It is

In this embodiment, the hot air supply mechanism 19 is positioned outside the water tank 3 and has a circulation air passage 20 . An inlet of the circulation air passage 20 is connected to the exhaust port 17 of the water tank 3 , and an outlet of the circulation air passage 20 is connected to the air supply port 18 . The hot air supply mechanism 19 includes a heat pump 21 that dehumidifies and heats the circulating air to generate dry air. Along with this, there is provided a blower fan 22 for supplying the air discharged from the exhaust port 17 into the water tank 3 and further into the drum 4 from the air supply port 18 while circulating it in the direction of the arrow A in the circulation air passage 20 .

Specifically, the circulation air passage 20 includes an exhaust duct 14 , a unitized filter duct 15 , a rear exhaust duct 23 , a heat pump duct 24 and an air supply duct 25 . As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 7, the exhaust duct 14 is made of a flexible material such as rubber and has a bellows-like cylindrical shape, and its lower end is connected to the exhaust port 17. , the upper end of which is connected to the inlet of the filter duct 15 . As shown in FIG. 2, the filter duct 15 extends rearward on the upper right side of the outer casing 2, and the rear end thereof is connected to the upper end of the rear exhaust duct 23. As shown in FIG. Within the filter duct 15 is a known lint filter 26 for capturing lint from the drying air. Details of the filter duct 15 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the rear exhaust duct 23 extends downward behind the water tank 3 and has its lower end connected to the base end (right end) of the heat pump duct 24 . The heat pump duct 24 extends in the right and left direction at the rear portion of the bottom inside the outer casing 2, and the blower fan 22 is provided on the tip side thereof (the right end side in FIG. 3). The blower fan 22 includes, for example, a centrifugal fan 33 and a fan motor 34 for driving the same in a fan casing 32 . A base end (lower end) of the air supply duct 25 is connected to an outlet of the fan casing 32 . The air supply duct 25 extends upward behind the water tank 3 on the left side in the outer casing 2 and its tip (upper end) is connected to the air supply port 18 .

As shown in FIG. 3, in the heat pump duct 24, an evaporator 27 and a condenser 28 that constitute a heat pump (refrigerating cycle) 21 are arranged in order from right to left (left and right in FIG. 3). The heat pump 21 is constructed by connecting a compressor 29 , a condenser 28 , a throttle valve 30 as pressure reducing means, and the evaporator 27 in a closed loop with a refrigerant pipe 31 . A required amount of refrigerant is sealed inside the heat pump 21 and circulated through the refrigerant pipe 31 . At this time, the condenser 28 functions as heating means for heating the dry air, and the evaporator 27 functions as dehumidifying means for removing moisture from the dry air.

During the dry operation of the heat pump 21, the compressor 29 is driven so that the gaseous refrigerant discharged from the compressor 29 flows into the condenser 28 and is condensed by heat exchange in the condenser 28 to form a liquid. used as a refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant flowing out of the condenser 28 is expanded by the throttle valve 30 to be atomized, and the atomized refrigerant flows into the evaporator 27 . Then, in the evaporator 27 , the refrigerant is vaporized by heat exchange with the outside air, and the gaseous refrigerant is returned to the compressor 29 . Circulation is performed in which the refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 29 to a high temperature and a high pressure before being discharged.

When the heat pump 21 is driven and the blower fan 22 is driven, as indicated by arrow A in FIGS. It reaches the heat pump duct 24 through the duct 15 and the rear exhaust duct 23 . At this time, when the air passes through the filter duct 15, the lint contained in the air is captured by the main filter 42 (see FIG. 7) in the lint filter 26. .

After passing through the rear exhaust duct 23, the air flows through the heat pump duct 24, passes through the evaporator 27 and the condenser 28 in order, then flows into the air supply duct 25, passes through the air supply port 18 and the hole 4a, and exits the drum. 4 is fed into the circulation. This circulation of air removes moisture from the clothes in the water tank 3 (drum 4), and the air containing a large amount of steam is cooled through the evaporator 27 portion in the heat pump duct 24, thereby condensing the steam. (or sublimated) and dehumidified, the dehumidified air passes through the condenser 28, is heated to become dry warm air, is supplied again into the drum 4, and is used for drying the clothes.

A plurality of temperature sensor groups 16 (see FIG. 11) for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant and the temperature of the drying air are provided in the main parts of the heat pump 21 and the circulation air passage 20 . A control device 61, which will be described later, drives the heat pump 21 and the blower fan 22, and rotates the drum 4 in one direction to perform the drying operation. At this time, the control device 61 drives and controls the heat pump 21 and the blower fan 22 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor group 16 .

Here, the configuration of the filter duct 15 portion will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 as well. As shown in FIG. 7 and the like, the filter duct 15 as a whole has a rectangular tubular shape that is long in the front-rear direction and thin in the vertical direction, and an air passage extending in the front-rear direction is formed inside. The filter duct 15 has a tip portion 35, a lint trapping portion 36, and a rear duct portion 37 in order from the front. Among them, the tip portion 35 has a rounded tip, and a circular opening is formed in the lower surface thereof, and the upper end of the exhaust duct 14 is connected to the opening. As will be described later, the upper wall portion of the tip portion 35 is provided with a water injection nozzle 38 that constitutes a water injection mechanism.

The front end of the lint catcher 36 communicates with the tip 35, and a rectangular opening 36a is provided on the upper surface thereof. The lint filter 26 is detachably fitted through the rectangular opening 36a. It is At this time, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper surface of the outer casing 2 is formed with an opening 2a located above the rectangular opening 36a and being slightly larger than the rectangular opening 36a. ing. As shown in FIG. 7, the peripheral edge of the opening 2a, the peripheral edge of the rectangular opening 36a of the filter duct 15, and the peripheral edge of the opening 2a of the outer box 2 are connected by a stepped portion 2b. there is

As shown in FIG. 7 , a stationary filter member 39 is provided inside the lint catcher 36 so as to partition the air passage in the filter duct 15 . The fixed-side filter member 39 includes a synthetic resin frame and a non-woven fabric backup filter that closes the opening of the frame. It is formed in a plate shape having an L-shaped side surface integrally with a rectangular plate-like rear portion that rises upward from the sides. The fixed-side filter member 39 is attached such that the upper end of the rear surface portion is aligned with the rear side portion of the rectangular opening 36 a and the bottom surface portion is slightly lifted from the bottom surface portion of the filter duct 15 . Thus, a space in which the lint filter 26 is arranged is formed inside the stationary side filter member 39 .

The lint filter 26 integrally has a holder portion 40 made of synthetic resin located substantially in the lower half portion and a lid portion 41 made of synthetic resin located in the upper portion thereof. The holder part 40 has the shape of a thin rectangular box with an open front surface, and an opening is formed from the bottom part to the back part. 42 are provided. The lid portion 41 is in the shape of a thin rectangular box whose entire peripheral wall portion has a stepped shape corresponding to the stepped portion 2b of the opening portion 2a and is integrally connected to the upper end of the holder portion 40 . As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the upper surface of the lid portion 41 is formed with a slightly oblong rectangular hole portion 41a for a handle, and a flap 43 that closes the hole portion 41a can be opened and closed. is provided.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the lid portion 41 is fitted in the stepped portion 2b during normal use (during use), so that the lint filter 26 is positioned as a stationary filter in the lint trapping portion 36. It is housed above the member 39 . In this housed state, the front opening of the holder part 40 is continuous with the circulation air passage 20, and the lint contained in the hot air flowing in the direction of the arrow A in the circulation air passage 20 is removed from the main filter 42 (or fixed) of the lint filter 26. (backup filter of side filter member 39). The user can remove the lint filter 26 from the outer case 2 and clean it by putting his/her hand in the hand hole 41a of the lid 41 and lifting it while the washing/drying machine is stopped.

As shown in FIG. 7, the front end of the rear duct portion 37 communicates with the bottom and back portions of the fixed side filter member 39 of the lint trapping portion 36, and is inclined downward from there toward the rear. It is extended. A cylindrical connection portion 37a is provided on the lower surface of the rear end of the rear duct portion 37, and the upper end of the rear exhaust duct 23 is connected to the connection portion 37a in a fitted state.

As shown in FIG. 7 and the like, the upper wall portion of the rear duct portion 37 opens the circulation air passage 20 to the outside. An exhaust port 44 is provided for discharging to the outside of the air passage 20 . This exhaust port 44 communicates with an outer exhaust port 45 provided in the outer case 2 . An exhaust damper 46 is provided at the exhaust port 44 so as to be openable and closable. The exhaust damper 46 is driven by, for example, a damper motor 47 (shown only in FIG. 11), and is controlled to open and close.

Now, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10 and the like, a water injection mechanism 48 for injecting water into the exhaust duct 14 from above is provided. This water injection mechanism 48 is provided to wash away foreign matter such as lint adhering to the inner surface of the exhaust duct 14 during the drying operation afterward, but in this embodiment, it is also used for the tank cleaning operation described later. The cleaning of the exhaust duct 14 by the water injection mechanism 48 is detailed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-29678, which was previously filed by the present applicant.

The water injection mechanism 48 includes the water injection nozzle 38 (see FIG. 10) provided at the tip portion 35 of the filter duct 15, and a water injection hose 49 (see FIGS. 4 to 6) for supplying water to the water injection nozzle 38. ), etc. The water injection hose 49 is connected to the water supply mechanism 11 and is supplied with water by a third water supply valve 54 provided in the water supply mechanism 11 .

FIG. 10 schematically shows the configuration of the water supply mechanism 11 (and the water injection mechanism 48). Here, the water supply mechanism 11 includes an electromagnetic valve unit 50 and a water injection case 51 . The solenoid valve unit 50 has one inlet 50a and three outlets 50b, 50c and 50d branched from it, and opens and closes the outlets 50b, 50c and 50d. First, second and third water supply valves 52, 53 and 54 are provided for this purpose. The inlet portion 50a is connected via a water supply pipe 55 to a water faucet as a water supply source.

The water injection case 51 is provided with a detergent storage portion 51a and a finishing agent storage portion 51b. In addition, the water injection case 51 has a water supply outlet 56 for supplying the washing liquid and water that have passed through the detergent storage portion 51a and the finishing agent storage portion 51b into the tub 3. As shown in FIG. The first outlet portion 50b is connected to the detergent containing portion 51a, and the second outlet portion 50c is connected to the finishing agent containing portion 51b. Thus, when the first water supply valve 52 is opened, the water from the tap passes through the first outlet portion 50b and reaches the detergent containing portion 51a, and if detergent is contained therein, the detergent is dissolved. Water is supplied into the water tank 3 while the water is being supplied. Further, when the second water supply valve 53 is opened, water from the tap passes through the second outlet portion 50c and reaches the finishing agent storage portion 51b. Water is supplied into the water tank 3 while melting.

The water injection hose 49 is connected to the third outlet 50d. As shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the water injection hose 49 extends in the upper portion inside the outer box 2 and has its tip connected to the water injection nozzle 38 . As shown in FIG. 7, the water injection nozzle 38 is disposed directly above the central portion of the exhaust duct 14 and configured to inject water downward from a conical injection port 38a. Thus, when the third water supply valve 54 is opened, water is injected downward from the water injection nozzle 38 through the water injection hose 49 . At this time, the water injection nozzle 38 is configured to spray the water onto the inner surface of the exhaust duct 14 while diffusing the water so as to spread over the entire inner wall portion of the exhaust duct 14, as indicated by the dashed line B in FIG. ing.

Inside the outer casing 2, there is provided a control device 61 which is mainly composed of a microcomputer, for example, and which controls the washing/drying machine 1 as a whole. FIG. 11 schematically shows an electrical configuration of the washing/drying machine 1 of the present embodiment centering on the control device 61. As shown in FIG. That is, the control device 61 receives an operation signal from the operation section 10 of the operation panel 6 and controls the display of the display section 9 of the operation panel 6 . Detection signals from the water level sensor 7 and the temperature sensor group 16 are input to the control device 61 .

The control device 61 controls the first, second and third water supply valves 52, 53 and 54, the drain valve 13, the drum motor 8, the blower fan 22 (fan motor 16), the compressor 29 of the heat pump 21 and the throttle valve 30. , controls the damper motor 47 (exhaust damper 46). With the above configuration, the control device 61 controls each mechanism of the washer/dryer 1 based on input signals from each sensor and pre-stored control programs according to the operation course set by the user through the operation unit 10. and automatically executes a washing operation consisting of a washing process, a rinsing process, and a dehydration process, and a drying operation. The details of each process of the washing operation and the drying operation are well known, so the explanation is omitted here.

In this embodiment, when executing the washing operation, the control device 61 executes the tank cleaning operation after the washing process is finished and before the intermediate dehydration (first dehydration) process is performed. As will be described in the following description of action, this tank cleaning operation consists of rotating the drum 4 in the direction of arrow C (clockwise when viewed from the front) with the drain valve 13 open, while the third water supply valve 54 is opened. It is executed by opening (the first and second water supply valves 52 and 53 are closed) and injecting water into the exhaust duct 14 by means of the water injection mechanism 48 (water injection nozzle 38). 8 and 9, water is injected to the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4 through the exhaust duct 14 and the air supply port 18 of the water tank 3. As shown in FIG.

In this tank cleaning operation, as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, as also shown in FIG. 9, in the tank cleaning operation, the drum 4 rotates in the direction of arrow C, and water is injected into the drum 4 in the direction of arrow D through the exhaust duct 14. 4 is performed for the portion moving downward. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 61 is adapted to perform the tank cleaning operation even before the final dehydration process during the washing operation.

At this time, in this embodiment, the number of revolutions of the drum 4 during the tank cleaning operation is set to a predetermined number of revolutions higher than that during the washing process and lower than that during the dehydration process. Specifically, the rotation speed of the drum 4 during the washing process is, for example, 60 rpm, and the maximum rotation speed of the drum 4 during dehydration is, for example, 900 to 1000 rpm. The number is in the range 80-150 rpm, for example 90 rpm. Further, in the present embodiment, the control device 61 is configured to open the closed exhaust damper 46 by controlling the damper motor 47 during the tank cleaning operation, thereby allowing the inside of the filter duct 15 to communicate with the outside air. there is

Next, the operation of the washing/drying machine 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13 as well. FIG. 12 shows in order the entire process executed by the control device 61, for example, during the washing operation of the standard course. 13 shows how the drum 4, the third water supply valve 54, the drain valve 13, and the exhaust damper 46 are controlled in the tank cleaning operation executed by the controller 61. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 12, when the washing operation is started, the washing process is first executed. After the washing process (drainage from the water tank 3) is completed, the process of first dehydration (intermediate dehydration) is performed. After the first dehydration process, the shower rinsing process is performed, and after the second dehydration process is performed, the pre-rinse process is performed. When the rinsing process (drainage from the water tank 3) is completed, the final dehydration process is performed, and the washing operation is completed. In this embodiment, as described above, before the first dehydration (intermediate dehydration) process is started and before the final dehydration process is started, the tank cleaning operation is performed as shown in FIG. executed.

That is, when the tank cleaning operation is started (time T0), the drum motor 8 starts to rotate the drum 4 in the normal direction, and the damper motor 47 opens the exhaust damper 46 . At this time, the drain valve 13 is opened. A few seconds after the start of energization of the drum motor 8 (time T1), the rotation speed of the drum 4 reaches a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 90 rpm), and the predetermined rotation speed of the drum 4 is maintained for a while thereafter. On the other hand, the exhaust damper 46 is slowly opened by the damper motor 47, and it takes several seconds to 10 seconds to change from the fully closed state to the fully opened state (time T2).

After the rotation speed of the drum 4 reaches 90 rpm (time T1), for example, when 6 seconds have passed and the exhaust damper 46 is fully opened (time T2), the drain valve 13 remains open and the third water supply valve is opened. 54 is released. Then, water is injected downward from the water injection nozzle 38, and as shown in FIGS. Water comes to splash on the outer peripheral surface of the front part of the drum 4 where the drum 4 is located. As a result, the drum 4 can be washed with water, and dirt on the clothes, foreign substances such as dust, detergent scum, etc. attached to the drum 4 can be washed away. The washed water is drained from the water tank 3 through the drain valve 13 to the outside through the drain pipe 12 .

In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the front portion of the drum 4 is sprayed with water to wash away dirt. Since the drum 4 is arranged at an angle, the front portion of the drum 4 is a portion that is not easily submerged in water during the washing process (and pre-rinsing process), but this portion can be effectively washed. . Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the water supply to the drum 4 at this time is performed to the portion where the drum 4 moves downward. As a result, the direction in which the drum 4 advances and the direction in which the water flows while removing the dirt are the same at the portion where the drum 4 hits the water. can be discharged.

Here, during this tank cleaning operation, there is a risk that the pressure inside the water tank 3 will increase due to the vibration accompanying the rotation of the drum 4, and air will flow from the water tank 3 toward the exhaust duct 14. When water is injected from the water injection nozzle 38 under a strong air flow, the water splatters (spreads) more, and the inside of the lint catcher 36 (lint filter 26) and other areas where water should not be applied. There is a risk of water entering. However, since the exhaust damper 46 is open during the tank cleaning operation, the pressure difference between the inside of the exhaust duct 14 and the inside of the water tank 3 is quickly eliminated, and the flow of the air and eventually the injected water to the unnecessary parts. intrusion is suppressed.

Further, in this tank cleaning operation, the rotation speed of the drum 4 is set to a predetermined rotation speed higher than that in the washing process and lower than that in the dehydration process, in this case, within the range of 80 to 150 rpm (90 rpm). The higher the rotation speed of the drum 4, the higher the effect of dirt removal. ) becomes large, and there is a possibility that water may enter even a portion to which water should not be applied. By setting the number of revolutions higher than that during the washing process and lower than that during the dehydration process, the tank cleaning operation can be performed at a well-balanced number of revolutions of the drum 4 .

As shown in FIG. 13, the opening of the third water supply valve 54 is performed for a predetermined time (for example, 60 seconds) (e.g., 3.2 liters of water injected), and after the predetermined time (time T3), the third water supply valve 54 is opened. The water supply valve 54 is closed, and water injection by the water injection mechanism 48 is terminated. Considering that the water injected for cleaning the tank is drained, the rotation of the drum 4 and the opening of the exhaust damper 46 are continued for a certain period of time (for example, 14 seconds) after the end of the water injection. After a certain period of time has passed since the end of water injection (time T4), the drum 4 (drum motor 8) is stopped and the exhaust damper 46 is closed. By stopping the rotation of the drum 4, the tank cleaning operation ends (time T5).

In this embodiment, the retry operation is performed after the tank cleaning operation is completed. This retry operation is performed by rotating the drum 4 forward for a short period of time, then rotating the drum 4 in the reverse direction for a short period of time, and then stopping. As a result, the clothes in the drum 4 are loosened, and the next dehydration process can be carried out satisfactorily. When the retry operation ends (time T6), normal dehydration operation is performed. This dewatering operation is performed by rotating the drum 4 in the forward direction at a high speed (up to 900 to 1000 rpm).

The above-described tank cleaning operation is performed before the intermediate dehydration process after the end of the washing process during the washing operation, and also before the final dehydration process. In this case, dirt from the clothes, foreign matter such as dust, and detergent residue tend to adhere to the wall surface of the drum 4 during the washing process. Since the tank cleaning operation is performed, dirt and the like generated in the cleaning process can be quickly cleaned before they stick to the wall of the drum 4. - 特許庁By performing the tank cleaning operation even before the final dehydration process, the cleaning effect of the drum 4 can be further enhanced. In this case, it goes without saying that the tank cleaning operation before the dehydration process does not adversely affect the subsequent dehydration process.

Although detailed explanation is omitted, in the drying operation, warm air (dry air) generated by the heat pump 21 is circulated and supplied into the drum 4 through the circulation air passage 20 while the drum 4 is rotated at a relatively low speed. be done. At that time, the lint coming out of the clothes is caught by the lint filter 26 (lint catcher 36). The lint also adheres and accumulates on the inner surface of the corrugated exhaust duct 14 . Therefore, foreign matter such as lint adhering to the inner surface of the exhaust duct 14 is cleaned by the water injection mechanism 48 at various timings such as after the clothes are removed from the drum 4 after the drying operation and before the start of the next washing operation. (washing away) is done.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. That is, during the washing operation, the controller 61 rotates the drum 4 with the drain valve 132 open and water is supplied to the drum 4 through the exhaust duct 14 by the water injection mechanism 48 after the washing process is completed and before the intermediate dehydration process is performed. The configuration is such that the tank cleaning operation for pouring water is executed. As a result, the water injection mechanism 48 provided for cleaning the inner surface of the exhaust duct 14 is also used, so to speak, for cleaning the drum 4, so there is no need to add a new configuration, which complicates the configuration. Cost increase can be suppressed.

Moreover, the timing of performing the tank cleaning operation is after the end of the washing process and before performing the intermediate dehydration process, so that the dirt or the like generated in the washing process can be quickly cleaned before it sticks to the wall of the drum 4.例文帳に追加As a result, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to effectively clean dirt on the drum 4 with a relatively simple and inexpensive configuration. Further, in this embodiment, since the tank cleaning operation is executed even before the final dehydration process, the cleaning effect of the drum 4 can be enhanced by executing the tank cleaning operation again, which is more effective. Become.

Particularly in this embodiment, water is injected into the front portion of the drum 4 in the tank cleaning operation, so that the front portion of the drum 4, which is the front portion of the drum 4, is less likely to be submerged in water during the washing process and the pre-rinsing process. It is possible to more effectively clean the parts where it is difficult to wash off. The number of rotations of the drum 4 in the tank cleaning operation is set to a predetermined number of rotations higher than that in the washing process and lower than that in the dehydration process. It is possible to perform a tank cleaning operation with good performance.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exhaust damper 46 is opened during the tank cleaning operation, so that the pressure difference between the exhaust duct 14 and the inside of the tank 3 is reduced to suppress the air flow, and the water injection nozzle 38 It is possible to prevent problems associated with the spread of water jetted from the nozzle. In this embodiment, in the tank cleaning operation, water is poured into the drum 4 in a portion where the drum 4 moves downward. As a result, the direction in which the drum 4 advances and the direction in which the water flows are the same, so that the dirt that has come off the drum 4 can be quickly discharged without being reattached.

In the above embodiment, the tank cleaning operation is also performed before the final dehydration process, but it may be performed only once after the washing process is finished and before the intermediate dehydration process is performed. Alternatively, it may be configured to be performed before the process of the second dehydration. In the above-described embodiment, the tank cleaning operation is automatically performed during the washing operation of the standard course. Also good. Specific numerical values such as the number of revolutions of the drum 4 and the execution time in the tank cleaning operation are only examples, and can be changed as appropriate.

In addition, for example, the hot air supply mechanism is not limited to the one provided with a heat pump, but may be one that generates hot air with a heater. be. The above embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

In the drawings, 1 is a washing and drying machine, 2 is an outer case, 3 is a water tank, 4 is a drum, 8 is a drum motor (driving mechanism), 11 is a water supply mechanism, 13 is a drain valve, 14 is an exhaust duct, and 15 is a filter duct. , 17 is an exhaust port, 18 is an air supply port, 20 is a circulation air passage, 22 is a ventilation fan, 26 is a lint filter, 35 is a tip portion, 36 is a lint trap, 37 is a rear duct, 38 is a water injection nozzle, 44 46 is an exhaust port, 47 is a damper motor, 48 is a water injection mechanism, 49 is a water injection hose, 54 is a third water supply valve, and 61 is a control device.

Claims (6)

a water tank having an air supply port and an exhaust port at the top;
a drum that is rotatable around a horizontal axis in the water tank and stores clothes;
a driving mechanism for rotating the drum;
a water supply mechanism for supplying water into the water tank;
a drain valve for draining water from the water tank;
a hot air supply mechanism for supplying warm air for drying the clothes from the air supply port into the water tank;
an exhaust duct extending upward from the exhaust port for discharging air in the water tank;
a water injection mechanism for injecting water into the exhaust duct from above;
A control device that controls each mechanism to perform washing operation and drying operation,
During the washing operation, the control device causes the water injection mechanism to inject water into the drum through the exhaust duct while rotating the drum with the drain valve open before performing the intermediate dehydration process after the washing process. Execute the tank cleaning operation to
The washer/dryer further comprises an openable/closable exhaust damper for discharging the air in the exhaust duct to the outside, wherein the exhaust damper is opened during the tub cleaning operation. a water tank having an air supply port and an exhaust port at the top;
a drum that is rotatable around a horizontal axis in the water tank and stores clothes;
a driving mechanism for rotating the drum;
a water supply mechanism for supplying water into the water tank;
a drain valve for draining water from the water tank ;
an exhaust duct extending upward from the exhaust port for discharging air in the water tank;
a water injection mechanism for injecting water into the exhaust duct from above;
A control device that controls each mechanism to perform washing operation and drying operation,
The control device executes a tank cleaning operation of injecting water into the drum through the exhaust duct by the water injection mechanism while rotating the drum with the drain valve open,
The washer/dryer further comprises an openable/closable exhaust damper for discharging the air in the exhaust duct to the outside, wherein the exhaust damper is opened during the tub cleaning operation. 3. The washer/dryer according to claim 1 , wherein water is poured into said drum in said tank cleaning operation to a portion of said drum that moves downward. The washer/dryer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein water is injected into the front portion of the drum in the tub cleaning operation. The washing and drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the number of revolutions of the drum in the tank cleaning operation is higher than that during the washing process and lower than that during the dehydration process. 6. The washing and drying machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein said control device performs a tub cleaning operation also before a final spin-drying process during said washing operation.

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