JP7509733B2 - Coin laundry equipment and display control method for coin laundry equipment - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a coin laundry machine for washing and/or drying laundry such as clothes and bedding, and a display control method for a coin laundry machine.

Traditionally, dozens of these types of laundry machines are installed in stores such as coin laundries and made available to customers. Customers bring their own laundry items, such as clothes and bedding, and wash them by paying a usage fee. Coin laundries are generally unmanned, so they have introduced payment systems that automate payment. Customers use the laundry machines in a self-service format by inserting cash into a payment machine installed for each piece of laundry machine, or into a centralized payment machine that centrally settles the payments for each piece of laundry machine.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-57300

The problem that the invention aims to solve is to provide a coin laundry machine and a display control method for a coin laundry machine that are easy for users to understand and operate.

The coin laundry machine of the embodiment is equipped with a control means for controlling the display of each course button of a plurality of set courses, selected from a first course for washing an object, a second course for washing and drying an object, and a third course for drying an object, and the control means is characterized in that when one of the course buttons of the plurality of courses is selected in a display state in which each course button of the plurality of courses is visible, the control means maintains the display of the selected course button and turns off or reduces the illumination of the other course buttons that are not selected, thereby controlling the display so that they can be visually distinguished.

1 is a front view showing a washing/drying machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the washing/drying machine according to the embodiment. 1 is a perspective view showing a washing/drying machine according to an embodiment; 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the opening and closing angle of the opening and closing door of the washer-dryer according to the embodiment. FIG. FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the handle as viewed from a direction B shown in FIG. 5 . FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a handle according to a modified example. 6 is a side view showing a handle according to a modified example, as viewed from a direction B shown in FIG. 5 . FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a water supply and drainage system of a washing and drying machine according to an embodiment; 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the washer/dryer according to the embodiment. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display operation panel of a medium-sized laundry machine (middle size M) according to an embodiment, which has five selectable courses. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a display operation panel in a "standby" state of a small-sized machine (small size S) according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a display operation panel for a "course selection" state of a small machine (small size S) according to an embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a display operation panel for a "driving" state of a small machine (small size S) according to an embodiment. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating an example of a display transition of a flicker lamp according to an embodiment. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of an upper panel of a display/operation panel according to an embodiment, and diagrams showing the configuration of an internal electrostatic unit of the display/operation panel when the upper panel is open. 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating the shapes of each part of the electrostatic unit according to the embodiment. 18 is a diagram showing the shape of the acrylic panel shown in FIG. 17. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing one shape of the third electrostatic unit shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a course layout arbitrarily customized for a store or the like according to an embodiment. FIG.

Hereinafter, the details of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the coin laundry machine according to the present invention (hereinafter, simply referred to as laundry machine) will be described as an example in which the coin laundry machine is applied to a washing and/or drying machine for washing and/or drying items to be washed.

(Configuration of the washer/dryer)
The configuration of a washer/dryer according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a front view of the washer/dryer according to this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view thereof. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the opening and closing angle of the door of the washer/dryer, showing the washer/dryer in a plan view. Note that in Fig. 3, a front panel and an operation panel, which will be described later, are partially omitted for the sake of explanation.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the washer/dryer 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 20, and inside the housing 20 there is a shell 30 (see Figure 10 described later), which is a horizontally oriented cylindrical body with a bottom, and a drum 40 (see Figure 3), which is a horizontally oriented cylindrical body with a bottom, disposed inside the shell 30.

The housing 20 has a circular panel opening 20b at approximately the center of the front panel 20a provided on the front side. The outer body 30 has an input port 60 for inserting and removing laundry such as clothes and sheets, and the input port 60 is fixed so as to be exposed to the panel opening 20b. The front panel 20a is provided with an opening door 70 for opening and closing the input port 60 via a hinge mechanism (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, a user opens the opening door 70 to insert laundry into the drum 40, and after the washing process and/or drying process (hereinafter referred to as laundry process) are completed, the user opens the opening door 70 to remove the laundry from the drum 40.

As shown in FIG. 2, a combustion confirmation window 21 is provided at the upper rear portion of the housing 20 for visually checking the state of combustion of the gas burner of the heating unit 150 (see FIG. 10 described later). The combustion confirmation window 21 may also be provided on the side of the housing 20.

The washer-dryer 1 according to this embodiment can also process a larger volume of laundry relative to its external diameter than conventional machines. For example, a conventional washer-dryer of the same dimensions can wash 22 kg and dry 15 kg, whereas the washer-dryer 1 according to this embodiment can wash 27 kg and dry 16 kg. Therefore, it can process not only clothes, but also large laundry items such as futons. This can be achieved, for example, by expanding the diameter of the drum 40 or the in-port, which will be described later.

(Display operation panel 20c)
1, a display/operation panel 20c is disposed on the upper portion of the front panel 20a, where the user operates the laundry processing operation. The display/operation panel 20c has a front surface made of transparent resin or glass so that the surface can be easily cleaned and kept clean, and has, for example, five course selection buttons 201. The course selection buttons 201 are used to receive input from the user when selecting a wash/dry course on the washer/dryer 1 side.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20 described later, it is possible to arbitrarily set a dedicated course for each course selection button 201. For example, three washing/drying courses, one washing course, and one drying course, each with different required times and fees depending on the type of laundry (clothes, duvets, futons, etc.) and the amount of laundry to be processed (weight), can be assigned. This makes it possible to set courses according to the local needs, usage conditions, or characteristics of the coin laundry store. Note that the number of course selection buttons 201 is not limited to five, and more buttons may be provided to cover a wider range of courses.

The course selection button 201 has a course name light-emitting section 201a that indicates the names of the courses (washing and drying/washing and drying) and a ring-shaped light-emitting section 201b that surrounds the course name light-emitting section 201a. The course name light-emitting section 201a and the ring light-emitting section 201b can be turned on, blinked, or turned off by a backlight such as an LED provided on the back of the display operation panel 20c, and when the backlight is turned off, the color becomes the same as the background (e.g. , black ). In other words, unnecessary dials and the like can be hidden from the user, and unnecessary power consumption can be suppressed. The course name indicated by the course name light-emitting section 201a can be freely changed by replacing the character sheet (see reference numeral 510b in FIG. 19) on the back or by controlling the character dot display. The ring light-emitting section 201b may be disposed inside or outside the course selection button 201.

It is preferable that these two light emitting parts emit light in different colors. For example, the course name light emitting part 201a may emit light in white, and the ring light emitting part 201b may emit light in a color different from white. In particular, the ring light emitting part 201b may emit light in a different color for each course. For example, the ring light emitting part 201b of the course selection button 201 corresponding to the washing course is configured to emit light in a first color corresponding to washing, for example, a blue color that evokes (images) washing. Furthermore, the ring light emitting part 201b of the course selection button 201 corresponding to the drying course is configured to emit light in a second color corresponding to drying, for example, an orange color that evokes (images) drying. Furthermore, the ring light emitting part 201b of the course selection button 201 corresponding to the washing/drying course is configured to emit light in a first color corresponding to washing, for example, a blue color that evokes (images) washing, and a second color corresponding to drying, for example, an orange color that evokes (images) drying. In other words, it is configured to emit two colors simultaneously: a blue ring light and an orange ring light, either above or below or to the left or right.

Figure 12 shows an example of the display operation panel 20c of a medium-sized laundry machine (middle size M) from which, for example, five courses can be selected. The five courses are a 16 kg capacity wash/dry course, a 10 kg capacity wash/dry course, a 27 kg capacity wash course, a 16 kg capacity dry course, and a single futon wash course. Therefore, the first (upper) ring light emitting unit 201b-1a of the 16 kg capacity wash/dry course is set to emit a blue color (a color that corresponds to (is associated with) washing), and the second (lower) ring light emitting unit 201b-1b is set to emit an orange color (a color that corresponds to (is associated with) drying). Similarly, the first ring light emitting unit 201b-2a of the 10 kg capacity wash/dry course is set to emit a blue color, and the second ring light emitting unit 201b-2b is set to emit an orange color. The first ring light emitter 201b-3a and the second ring light emitter 201b-3b for the 27 kg capacity washing course are both set to emit a blue color (a color associated with washing). The first ring light emitter 201b-4a and the second ring light emitter 201b-4b for the 16 kg capacity drying course are both set to emit an orange color (a color associated with drying). The first ring light emitter 201b-5a and the second ring light emitter 201b-5b for the single futon washing course are both set to emit a blue color. Here, the ring light emitters (201b-1a to 201b-5a, 201b-1b to 201b-5b) are arranged above and below the outside of the course selection button 201, but the ring light emitters may be arranged above and below or to the left and right of the inside of the course selection button 201. Although the first ring light-emitting unit and the second ring light-emitting unit are each a single semicircular ring, the semicircular ring may be formed by connecting multiple small rings.

In this way, in the case of washing only or drying only, one color that can be associated with the course content is illuminated, and in the case of a course that includes washing and drying, two different colors that can be associated with each are illuminated, thereby visually expressing the course content of the course selection button 201 (course name illumination units 201a-1 to 201a-5 in FIG. 12), and allowing the user to intuitively understand at a glance what course content the course selection button 201 represents. In other words, since the course name is displayed inside the circle formed by the first ring illumination unit (e.g., 201b-1a) and the second ring illumination unit (e.g., 201b-1b), it is possible to provide the user with an easy-to-understand display. The color scheme of this illumination is arbitrary, and it is preferable that the color scheme can be changed, for example, in response to a remote change in course setting, which will be described in detail later.

Returning to FIG. 1, when the centralized settlement machine connected to the washer-dryer 1 or the washer-dryer 1 itself is in standby mode before payment is made, it is preferable from the viewpoint of reducing electricity charges to control the course selection buttons 201 to be all turned off and all to be turned on when a user is detected by a human presence sensor. The human presence sensor may be provided in the washer-dryer 1 or in the store. If provided in the store, the detection signal from the human presence sensor may be input directly to the washer-dryer 1, or may be input to a server or centralized settlement machine connected to the washer-dryer 1 so as to be able to communicate with the washer-dryer 1, and the detection result of the sensor may be input to the washer-dryer 1 via these. In addition to the human presence sensor, image processing using camera footage may also be used as a means for detecting the presence of a user using the laundry equipment 1. The human presence sensor and camera are installed in a predetermined position in the store (for example, near the entrance or near the front of the laundry equipment 1).

Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example of the display of the display operation panel 20c in "standby". Since Figure 13 shows an example of a small-sized (small size S) laundry machine, it has four courses, without the futon washing course of Figure 12. Here, it is assumed that the human presence sensor has already detected the user's entry into the store. Therefore, all four courses are displayed so that the user can see that the laundry machine 1 is on standby. However, nothing is displayed in the "fee/remaining time" display area 203 because it is on standby. In addition, the backlight of the drying temperature setting area 208, which allows the drying temperature to be changed to multiple levels according to the clothes, and the "burning" display area 210 are set to a state that is not visible to the user. In addition, the lamp of the status display unit (hereinafter referred to as a flicker lamp in this embodiment) 205 described later is also turned off.

Returning to FIG. 1, when the user selects the desired course selection button 201, it is preferable that the ring light emitting part 201b of the selected button flashes, or the ring light emitting parts 201b of the unselected course selection buttons 201 are turned off or the illumination is reduced, so that the user can easily identify the selected course. This turning off or reducing the illumination may be performed in the capacity display area 201c, the setting area 202, the option buttons 204, and the flicker lamp 205, which will be described later. The capacity display area 201c and the setting area 202 are referred to as the display area. The display contents of the display area can be changed by replacing the character sheet according to the specifications of the laundry machine 1.

Note that, taking into consideration reselection of the course selection button 201, it is preferable that the course name light emitting unit 201a of the unselected course selection button 201 remains lit even when the ring light emitting unit 201b is turned off. Thereafter, simultaneously with or at the start of driving, only the course name light emitting unit 201a and the ring light emitting unit 201b of the selected course selection button 201 are lit, and the light emitting units of the other course selection buttons 201 are turned off. Note that this is not limited to this, and any means may be used, such as lighting, blinking, turning off, or reducing the illuminance, as long as the selected course is visually clear and the control takes into consideration reselection.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a display of "course selection in progress" on the display operation panel 20c of a small-sized (small size S) laundry machine 1, similar to Fig. 13. In Fig. 14, when a user wishes to select the 12 kg wash and dry course on the left side as a course selection operation, for example, by holding a hand (or finger) over the course selection button (course name light-emitting unit 201a-1), a human sensor inside the machine is activated, and the display of the course selection button (course name light-emitting unit 201a-1) maintains the same brightness. Meanwhile, the illuminance is controlled to be reduced so that the displays of the courses (course name light-emitting units 201a-2 to 201a-4) other than the course selection button (course name light-emitting unit 201a-1) look faint.
In FIG. 14, the first ring light emitting units 201b-2a to 201b-4a and the second ring light emitting units 201b-2b to 201b-4b of the course selection buttons (course name light emitting units 201a-2 to 201a-4) other than the 12 kg wash/dry course are shaded to indicate that they are dimmed (lower illumination). In addition, the drying temperature setting area 208 in FIG. 14 displays, for example, "high temperature" according to the user's setting. In addition, the display area 203 for "fee/remaining time" displays the amount of money deposited by the user, for example, 1200 yen. Instead of the dimmed display in the first ring light emitting units 201b-2a to 201b-4a and the second ring light emitting units 201b-2b to 201b-4b, all the courses other than the 12 kg wash/dry course may be displayed dimmed.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the display of the display operation panel 20c for the "operating" course selected in FIG. 14. The "12 kg washing and drying course" selected in FIG. 14 is displayed with the same brightness, but the other courses are partially or entirely turned off (in FIG. 15, the turned off course is shown by diagonal shading) and are displayed in the same color as the background (e.g., black ) so that they are invisible to the user. The option button 204 is also turned off in the same way so that the user cannot see them. This prevents unnecessary power consumption and allows the user to see at a glance that the "12 kg washing and drying course" is operating in the laundry device 1. In FIG. 15, the drying temperature setting area 208 displays, for example, "high temperature" according to the user's setting. In addition, the "charge/remaining time" display area 203 displays 48 minutes of remaining time. In addition, the "burning" display area 210 is displayed with a backlight turned on.

Returning to FIG. 1, above each of the course selection buttons 201, a capacity display area 201c is provided as one of the display areas, which indicates the capacity or number of items to be washed in the course contents indicated by each course selection button. The capacity display area 201c can be turned on, blinking, or turned off by a backlight such as an LED, similar to the course name light-emitting unit 201a and the ring light-emitting unit 201b, and when turned off, the color is the same as the background (e.g. , black ). The numerical value indicated in the capacity display area 201c (10 kg if the item to be washed is clothing, 1 piece if the item is a futon, etc.) can be freely changed by replacing the character sheet on the back of the panel or by controlling the character dot display.

A setting area 202 is provided above each capacity display area 201c, which displays the course contents (time and fee) indicated by each course selection button, which is another of the display areas. Here, two setting areas 202 are provided vertically for one course selection button 201. For example, one of the two can display the required usage time and the other can display the usage fee, allowing the user to recognize the contents of each course. The setting area 202 and fee/remaining time display area 203 are 7-segment displays, and the display can be switched depending on settings changed by remote control, which will be described in detail later.

For example, FIG. 12 shows a display operation panel 20c in which the course time and the fee for each course are displayed in the setting area 202. In FIG. 12, for the 16 kg capacity wash/dry course, 1200 yen/60 minutes is displayed as the default. Also, for the 10 kg capacity wash/dry course, 1000 yen/50 minutes is displayed as the default. Also, for the 27 kg capacity wash course, 800 yen/30 minutes is displayed as the default. Also, for the 16 kg capacity dry course, 100 yen/10 minutes is displayed as the default. Furthermore, for the single futon wash course, 1200 yen/30 minutes is displayed as the default.

Returning to FIG. 1, when a user inserts a fee into the fee insert section 25 or centralized payment machine for paying the usage fee, which is provided at the bottom of the display operation panel 20c, and selects (holds a fingertip over) the desired course selection button 201, the laundry processing operation of the wash/dry course associated with that course selection button 201 is executed. When the laundry processing operation is executed, information about the laundry processing operation is displayed in the fee/remaining time display area 203 adjacent to the course selection button 201. Information about the laundry processing operation includes, for example, the usage time of the washer/dryer 1 and the usage fee (including an overtime fee and an increased overtime fee).

The display operation panel 20c in FIG. 1 also has a number of option buttons 204. The option buttons 204 can be set to, for example, a drum wash button (204a in FIG. 12) that rotates the drum 40 when the laundry is empty to wash the inside of the drum, a voice navigation button (204b in FIG. 12) that explains the functions of the washer-dryer 1, a disinfection button that inactivates and disinfects viruses and the like in the drum 40 by sending ozone air into the drum 40 after cooling after drying, and the like. Some of these option buttons 204 can be operated without inserting a fee into the fee insert unit 25. For example, a user can select the drum wash button (204a in FIG. 12) before inserting laundry into the drum 40, and use the washer-dryer 1 in which the drum 40 has been washed for a predetermined time and the inside of the drum 40 has been disinfected to a certain extent.

The course selection button 201 and option button 204 in FIG. 1 are capacitive touch switch panels. Therefore, the button responds when the user approaches it with their fingertip, and input can be accepted without touching it directly. This allows the user to operate without contact, which prevents virus infection through the button. Furthermore, in anticipation of the user accidentally touching them, the course selection button 201 and option button 204 are antibacterial treated, which reduces bacteria and viruses and provides a double layer of infection prevention. Examples of antibacterial treatment include the use of antibacterial paint, antibacterial wax, and antibacterial cover glass.

The display operation panel 20c in FIG. 1 also has an arc-shaped flicker lamp 205 between the course selection button 201 and the option button 204. That is, the flicker lamp 205 is formed by mounting a flicker lamp longer than the vertical width of the display operation panel 20c in an arc shape, so that the user can see the usage status (operation) of the washer-dryer 1 at a glance. As shown in FIG. 12, the flicker lamp 205 is provided at the boundary between the multiple course selection buttons 201, the multiple light-emitting units 201b (201b-1a to 201b-5a and 201b-1b to 201b-5b), the capacity display area 201c, the setting area 202, which are the display areas, and the option button 204. The flicker lamp 205 can be illuminated by a backlight, and is controlled to turn on, turn off, or blink to notify the user that the machine is the machine to be operated (in operation target state) during remote settlement by the centralized settlement machine. It is also preferable to make the operation state visually recognizable by turning on, blinking, or changing the light color according to the operation state such as washing or drying. It is also preferable to make the light on during operation and off during standby, or vice versa, or change the light color, so that the user can immediately recognize at a glance the washer-dryer 1 that is available for operation as soon as the user enters the store. The course selection button 201, the setting area 202, and the option button 204 may have the above-mentioned functions including the flicker function, like the flicker lamp 205. The flicker lamp 205 may be switched to a different light color depending on the unused state of the laundry machine 1, the course selection state, the state being operated by the settlement machine, and the operating state of the laundry machine 1. The flicker lamp (state display unit) 205 is not limited to an arc shape, and may be formed in a curved shape longer than the vertical width of the display operation panel 20c, a diagonal line shape, or a combination of these shapes.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the display transition of the flicker lamp 205 described above. As shown in FIG. 16, when the washing machine is in the "standby" state, the flicker lamp 205 is turned off (which has a power saving effect), and is turned on in the same color as the background (for example , black ) so that the user cannot see it. Next, when the user holds his/her finger over any of the course selection buttons in order to use the laundry machine 1, the state changes to "course selection in progress," and the human sensor is activated to cause the flicker lamp 205 to blink. This makes it possible to prompt the user that a course is being selected. Finally, when the washing machine is in operation, the flicker lamp 205 is turned on, and only the flicker lamp 205 and the "12 kg wash and dry course" are displayed with the same brightness as in FIG. 15 shown above. This allows the user to know that the washer/dryer 1 is in operation.

In addition, the display operation panel 20c in FIG. 1 has a sterilization and repellent temperature lamp 206 above the charge/remaining time display area 203. The sterilization and repellent temperature lamp 206 displays multiple sterilization stages according to the sterilization temperature of bacteria or viruses. The sterilization and repellent temperature lamp 206 estimates the temperature inside the drum 40 from the drum outlet temperature acquired by the outlet temperature sensor 130 (see FIG. 10 and FIG. 11) described later, and lights up or blinks when the operation state is in a temperature range where the sterilization effect is expected in conjunction with the sterilization button provided on the option button 204. As a method of the estimation, for example, a method of setting the minimum value of the drum outlet temperature when the temperature inside the drum 40 becomes sufficient for sterilization as a threshold value in the washer/dryer 1 as a threshold value, and estimating whether the detection result of the outlet sensor 130 is equal to or higher than the threshold value. This series of controls is performed by the control unit 100 (see FIG. 11) described later. It is also a good idea to turn on or blink the sterilization and repelling temperature lamp 206 during processes such as inactivating viruses and the like using ozone, and sterilizing them.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the drying temperature setting area 208 of the display operation panel 20c may be provided with an adjustment button (drying temperature setting means) that can adjust the temperature during drying. If the adjustment button is made up of, for example, a high temperature button, a medium temperature button, and a low temperature button, the user can freely set the drying temperature taking into consideration the material of the laundry.

17 to 20 are diagrams showing the configuration of an internal electrostatic unit of the display/operation panel 20c in the small-sized laundry machine (small size S) shown in FIG.
17A is a diagram showing the configuration of an upper panel 500 of the display/operation panel 20c. The upper panel 500 is composed of an acrylic panel 510 and an upper panel mounting plate 520 to which the acrylic panel 510 is attached. The acrylic panel 510 is attached to the upper panel mounting plate 520 by gluing, screwing, or the like.
17B is a diagram showing the configuration of the internal electrostatic unit 600 of the display/operation panel 20c when the upper panel 500 is open. The electrostatic unit 600 is composed of a first electrostatic unit 610 on the left side, a second electrostatic unit 620 on the right side, and a plurality of third electrostatic units 630 positioned between the first electrostatic unit 610 and the second electrostatic unit 620.
A touchless panel is formed by these first electrostatic unit to third electrostatic unit 610 to 630. That is, when a fingertip, palm, or the like is placed over a switch (button) provided on the first electrostatic unit to third electrostatic unit 610 to 630, the charge fluctuates at the location where the fingertip or palm is brought close, and this is sent as a selection signal to a control unit (not shown) to detect the ON/OFF state of the switch.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of the shapes of the parts of the electrostatic unit 600. As shown in FIG.
The first electrostatic unit 610 is provided with a backlit drum wash switch (reference numeral 204a in FIG. 13), a backlit voice navigation switch (reference numeral 204b in FIG. 13), and, for example, two backlit spare switches (not shown in FIG. 13), which are located at positions corresponding to the option area of the option button 204 in FIG. 13.
The second electrostatic unit 620 is located at a position corresponding to the status display area which displays at least the charge/remaining time display area 203 and the drying temperature setting area 208 on the right side of FIG. 13, and is provided with a backlit temperature selection switch (reference number 208 in FIG. 13), a backlit “In operation” display (reference number 212 in FIG. 13), a backlit “Combustion in progress” display (reference number 210 in FIG. 13), a backlit “Sterilization” display (reference number 206 in FIG. 12; not shown in FIG. 13 as it is installed in medium-sized or larger machines), and a 7-segment display which displays the charge/remaining time.
The third electrostatic units 630a to 630d are provided at positions corresponding to the four course selection switches 201 in Fig. 13. The third electrostatic units 630a to 630d are provided with a backlit course selection switch (e.g., reference numeral 201a-1 in Fig. 13), a backlit "circle" display (e.g., 1200 yen in Fig. 13), a backlit "minute" display (e.g., 60 minutes in Fig. 13), a backlit vertical line display (a vertical line indicating the boundary between each course selection in Fig. 13), a backlit "Kg" display (e.g., 16 Kg in Fig. 13), a backlit ring light emitter (e.g., reference numerals 201b-1a and 201b-1b in Fig. 13), and a 7-segment display that displays the charge/time. The third electrostatic units 630a to 630d are fixed by screws one by one and can be removed. Therefore, in changing the course layout, which will be described later, the layout of the course can be easily changed by replacing the third electrostatic units 630a to 630d.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing the shape of the acrylic panel 510 shown in Figure 17. The acrylic panel 510 is composed of a transparent base material 510a, a first printed layer 510b, and a second printed layer 510c, which are bonded together with an adhesive. The first printed layer 510b is formed with a design, printed characters, light blocking, etc. The second printed layer 510c is printed with a background color (e.g., black smoke). The background color can be set arbitrarily, such as not only a black model but also a white model, etc.

Figure 20 is a diagram showing one shape of the third electrostatic unit 630 shown in Figures 17 and 18. The third electrostatic unit 630 is composed of a substrate 631, a reflector 632 made of ABS resin, and a diffusion sheet unit 633. The diffusion sheet unit 633 is composed of a diffusion sheet and an electrostatic sheet.

Figure 21 is a diagram showing an example of a course layout customized according to region, store, etc. In Figure 21, the "16 kg wash and dry course" shown in Figure 12 is replaced with a "16 kg down comforter wash and dry course". Also, the "27 kg wash course" shown in Figure 12 is replaced with a "27 kg premium wash and dry course". Furthermore, the "single comforter wash course" shown in Figure 12 is replaced with a "single futon wash course". The "10 kg wash and dry course" and "16 kg dry course" remain unchanged. The course layout has also been changed so that the "single futon wash course" is placed between the "10 kg wash and dry course" and the "27 kg premium wash and dry course".

(Opening and closing door 70)
Returning to Fig. 1, the door 70 has a disk shape that can close the input port 60, and a window is provided in the center to allow the user to see inside the door. A sealant (not shown) is placed between the door 70 and the edge of the input port 60 to improve airtightness. As shown in Fig. 4, the opening and closing angle A of the door 70 is 110° to 120°. While most conventional opening and closing angles are 100°, this angle is increased by 10° to 20°, improving operability for the user.

The opening and closing door 70 has a distance L of approximately 600 mm from its bottom end to the installation surface. Generally, carts for transporting laundry items are often less than 600 mm. Therefore, by providing the opening and closing door 70 in this manner, even if a cart is positioned below the opening and closing door 70, the opening and closing door 70 can be opened and closed, making it possible to easily move laundry items to the cart after the laundry processing operation.

Furthermore, the opening and closing door 70, including the handle of the door lock 80 described below, is treated with an antibacterial coating since it is expected that many users will come into contact with it. Examples of antibacterial coating include antibacterial paint or wax, and the use of antibacterial glass for the observation window.

A handle-type door lock 80 is provided at the center edge of the opening and closing door 70. As shown in FIG. 4, a user of the washer-dryer 1 can use the handle 801 of the door lock 80 to open and close the opening and closing door 70, latch (idle lock) the opening and closing door 70, and unlatch it. The door lock 80 is controlled by the control unit 100, which will be described later, to lock and unlock the opening and closing door 70. That is, the control unit 100 can fix the handle 801 with the opening and closing door 70 closed and latched. That is, the control unit 100 can lock the opening and closing door 70 with the door lock 80 and keep the input port 60 sealed. When the control unit 100 unlocks the opening and closing door 70, it becomes possible to manually pull the handle to unlatch it, and the opening and closing door 70 can be opened to open the input port 60. The door lock 80 is provided with an opening and closing sensor 140 (see FIG. 11) that detects the opening and closing door 70 closed and latched. This door lock configuration is designed to be easy to maintain.

(Handle 801)
The configuration of the handle 801 will be described below. Fig. 5 is a front view showing the handle 801, and Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 7 is a side view showing the handle as viewed from direction B shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the handle 801 has a gripping portion 801a that a user grips when operating the opening/closing door 70 and the door lock 80, and a support portion 801b that axially supports the handle 801a so that it can rotate relative to the opening/closing door 70.

The gripping portion 801a is formed in a roughly rectangular column shape, and has a removable display plate 802 inside. The display plate 802 is formed in a flat plate shape, and a predetermined display, such as the company name and logo of the owner company that operates the coin laundry store, or the product name, can be displayed on one side by printing, etc., and can be used as an advertising medium.

An insertion opening 801c for inserting the display plate 802 into the gripping portion 801a is formed on the side surface at the tip end of the gripping portion 801a, and this insertion opening 801c allows the display plate 802 to be inserted and removed from the gripping portion 801a. Figures 5 to 7 show the display plate 802 inserted into this insertion opening 801c. In addition, an exposure opening 801d is formed on the front of the gripping portion 801a, and when the display plate 802 is inserted into the gripping portion 801a, the display on the display plate 802 can be seen through the exposure opening 801d.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the insertion opening 801c may be provided on the top surface of the gripping portion 801a instead of on the side surface, and the display plate 802 may be inserted and removed from above, or the insertion opening may not be provided and the display plate 802 may be fitted into the gripping portion 801a through the exposure opening 801d.

(Water supply and drainage system)
Next, the water supply and drainage system of the washer/dryer 1 and its associated components will be described. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the water supply and drainage system of the washer/dryer 1. As shown in FIG. 10, the outer body 30 is provided with a water level sensor 110 for detecting the water level, a water supply pipe 910 for water, hot water, or a mixture of warm water (hereinafter referred to as supply water) used for washing and rinsing the laundry, on the upper side, and a box-shaped drain shell 920 for storing washing drain water and preventing dust from accumulating, on the lower side. A detergent injection pump (not shown) is provided in the water supply pipe 910, so that detergent can be injected. A water supply valve 170 is also provided in the water supply pipe 910, and when the water supply valve 170 is opened, water can be supplied into the outer body 30.

The drain shell 920 is connected to a drain pipe 921, which has a drain valve 180 installed in it. When this drain valve 180 is opened, the supply water stored in the outer body 30 can be drained. The drain pipe 921 has a diameter of 75A, i.e. an outer diameter of φ89mm, which is larger than the conventional diameter of drain pipes used in typical washer-dryers, which are 65A, i.e. an outer diameter of 76.3mm. This makes it possible to reduce the drain time.

The outer body 30 is connected to a hot air supply passage 301 that draws in air from the outside and supplies it to the import port provided between the drum 40 and the opening and closing door 70 as hot air for drying, thereby supplying it into the drum 40, and a hot air exhaust passage 303 that exhausts hot air to the outside is connected to an exhaust hole 302 provided at the rear of the upper surface of the outer body 30. The import port is designed to be larger in diameter than conventional models, and its overhanging portion is shorter than conventional models, so that large items to be washed, such as futons, can be easily placed into the drum 40.

The hot air supply path 301 is provided with a heating unit 150 consisting of a gas burner that heats the drawn-in air, an inlet temperature sensor 120, an overheating prevention device and a safety device (not shown), etc. On the other hand, the hot air exhaust path 303 is provided with a lint filter 190 that captures debris such as threads, a fan 160 that takes in air into the washer-dryer 1 and exhausts it, an outlet temperature sensor 130, a check damper for preventing backflow and an overheating prevention device (not shown), etc.

This allows the lint filter 190 to be cleaned by the lint cleaning function. This lint cleaning function is a process in which the drum 40 is rotated while more water is being supplied from the water supply pipe than during laundry processing operation, and the supply water is caused to flow excessively, causing the supply water to reach the lint filter 190 and clean the lint filter 190. This lint cleaning function makes it possible to reduce the frequency of maintenance such as replacing the lint filter 190.

The drum 40 is positioned with a specified gap from the outer case 30 so that its opening coincides with the input port 60 of the outer case 30. The drum 40 is rotated by its rotation shaft being supported by the outer case 30 and connected to a motor M.

Next, the control system of the washer-dryer 1 will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the control system of the washer-dryer according to this embodiment. The washer-dryer 1 is equipped with a control unit 100 that mainly controls the device body.

The control unit 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101, a memory 102, an input/output I/F 103a, and a communication I/F 103b. The CPU 101 executes the main processing of the control unit 100, and the memory 102 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and is used as a working area for the CPU 101, and is a storage device that stores programs that realize various functions and data used in the processing executed by the functions. The memory 102 stores course information indicating the parameters of the washing and drying courses set in the course selection buttons 201 described above. The parameters include whether washing and/or drying processing is performed, the required processing time, the fee, the weight of the laundry, etc.

The input/output I/F 103a is used to input input signals from the display operation panel 20c and detection signals from the water level sensor 110, the inlet temperature sensor 120, the outlet temperature sensor 130, and the open/close sensor 140, and is also used to output control signals to the heating unit 150, the fan 160, the water supply valve 170, the drain valve 180, the motor M, the door lock 80, and the display operation panel 20c. Although not shown here, when the fingertip held up to select the course selection button 201 is detected by the human presence sensor, the detection signal is also input to the input/output I/F 103a. The wireless communication I/F 103b is used for wireless communication with terminal devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals. Various wireless communication standards can be used, such as short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi communication.

The control unit 100, mainly through cooperation between the CPU 101 and memory 102, controls the heating unit 150, the fan 160, and the motor M to perform a drying process in which the drum 40 rotates with hot air sucked into the drum 40, and a washing process in which the drum 40 rotates with water supplied into the drum 40 by controlling the water supply valve 170, the drain valve 180, and the motor M.

The control unit 100 also has a communication I/F 103b, which allows remote collective and individual settings using wired or wireless communication. The settings here include, for example, course information associated with the course selection buttons 201 stored in the memory 102, the required time, the cost, etc.

For example, if the washer-dryer 1 is connected to a server installed in the store, the owner of the washer-dryer 1 can launch a dedicated application program on the server and operate it to remotely change the settings of individual or multiple washer-dryer 1s at once. Another method for changing the settings of the washer-dryer 1 is to connect multiple washer-dryer 1s to a gateway installed in the coin laundry store so that they can communicate with each other, and change the settings via a terminal device such as a smartphone or an external server using wireless communication such as Wi-Fi.

As described above, the laundry machine according to the embodiment has a plurality of courses that are arbitrarily set from among a first course 201a-3 for washing an object, a second course 201a-1 for washing and drying an object, and a third course 201a-4 for drying an object. Each of the course selection buttons for the plurality of courses is composed of a non-contact sensor, and when one of the course selection buttons is selected, the display is controlled so that the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) and the other course selection buttons that are not selected (e.g., 201a-3 or 201a-4) can be visually distinguished. This allows the user to select a course without contact, which can prevent virus infection through the course selection buttons. Furthermore, the selected course selection button 201 and the unselected course selection buttons are visually represented in an easy-to-understand manner, so that the user can understand at a glance that the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) has been correctly selected.

The laundry machine according to the embodiment also has a control means 100 that controls the display of each course selection button, and the control means 100 is configured to make the brightness of a selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) brighter than the brightness of the other course selection buttons that are not selected (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4). This allows the user to see at a glance which course has been selected, and therefore allows the user to know at a glance that they have correctly selected the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1).

The control means 100 of the laundry machine according to the embodiment is configured to maintain the brightness of the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) and turn off or reduce the brightness of the other course selection buttons that are not selected (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4). This allows the user to see at a glance which course has been selected, and therefore allows the user to know at a glance that they have correctly selected the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1).

The laundry machine according to the embodiment also has a control means 100 that controls the display of the course selection buttons, and the control means 100 is configured to blink only the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1). This allows the user to see at a glance which course has been selected, and therefore allows the user to know at a glance that the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) has been correctly selected.

The control means 100 of the laundry machine according to the embodiment is configured to light only the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) when the operation of the selected course is started, and turn off the other unselected course selection buttons (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4). As a result, while the laundry machine is operating, the other unselected course selection buttons (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4) are turned off, thereby reducing the power consumption of unused course selection buttons.

The laundry machine according to the embodiment also includes a detection means for detecting the presence of a user, and the control means 100 is configured to visualize the course selection buttons (201a-1 to 201a-4) of multiple courses that have been arbitrarily set when the detection means detects the presence of a user. As a result, the course selection buttons are turned off during the standby period until the detection means detects the presence of a user, which reduces power consumption and is expected to result in energy savings.

The display control method of the laundry machine according to the embodiment is a method for controlling the display of a laundry machine having a plurality of courses arbitrarily selected from a first course for washing an object, a second course for washing and drying an object, and a third course for drying an object, and each of the display-controllable course selection buttons is composed of a non-contact sensor, and includes a first display step of turning on all the course selection buttons (201a-1 to 201a-4) that were off before the user's presence was detected when the user is detected by a detection means that detects the presence of the user, and a second display step of displaying the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) and the other course selection buttons (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4) so that they can be visually distinguished when one of the course selection buttons is selected. As a result, the course selection buttons (201a-1 to 201a-4) are turned off during the standby period until the detection means detects the presence of the user, thereby reducing power consumption. In addition, because the user can select the course without contact, it is possible to prevent virus infection via the course selection buttons (201a-1 to 201a-4). Furthermore, because the user can see at a glance which course has been selected, the user can understand at a glance that they have correctly selected course selection button 201a-1.

The second display step of the laundry machine display control method according to the embodiment makes the brightness of the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) brighter than the brightness of the other unselected course selection buttons (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4). This allows the user to see at a glance which course has been selected, and therefore allows the user to know at a glance that the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) has been correctly selected.

The second display step of the laundry machine display control method according to the embodiment maintains the brightness of the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) and turns off or reduces the brightness of the other course selection buttons that are not selected (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4). This allows the user to see at a glance which course has been selected, and therefore allows the user to know at a glance that the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) has been correctly selected.

The second display step of the laundry machine display control method according to the embodiment is to flash only the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1). This allows the user to see at a glance which course has been selected, and therefore allows the user to understand at a glance that the course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) has been correctly selected.

The display control method for the laundry machine according to the embodiment further includes a third display step in which, when the operation of the selected course is started, only the selected course selection button (e.g., 201a-1) is lit and the other course selection buttons that are not selected (e.g., 201a-2 to 201a-4) are turned off. As a result, while the laundry machine is operating, the unused course selection buttons (201a-2 to 201a-4) are turned off, so that power consumption can be reduced and energy saving effects can be expected.

In this embodiment, an example of the laundry device according to the present invention being applied to a washer/dryer has been described, but it goes without saying that the laundry device can also be applied to a washing machine or a dryer.

The embodiment of the present invention is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. This embodiment and its variations are included within the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

1. Washer/dryer (laundry equipment)
20c...display operation panel, 201...course selection button 201a, 201a-1 to 201a-5...course name light emitting section 201b...ring light emitting section 201b-1a to 201b-5a...first ring light emitting section 201b-1b to 201b-5b...second ring light emitting section 201c...display area, 202...setting area 203..."charge/remaining time" display area, 204...option button 204a...drum cleaning button, 204b...voice navigation button 205...status display section, 206...sterilization and repelling temperature lamp 208...drying temperature setting area, 210...burning display area 60...feed opening, 70...opening and closing door 500...upper panel, 510...acrylic panel, 510a...base material 510b...first printed layer 510c...second printed layer 510c 520...upper panel mounting portion 600...electrostatic unit 610...first electrostatic unit 620...second electrostatic unit 630 630a to 630d...third electrostatic unit 631...substrate 631
632: reflector; 633: diffusion sheet unit; 801a: gripping portion; 801c: insertion opening; 801d: exposure opening; 802: display plate (display portion)

Claims (7)

a first cycle for washing an object;
a second cycle for washing and drying the object;
a third step of drying the object;
a control means for controlling the display of each of the course buttons of the set courses from among the plurality of courses,
The coin laundry equipment is characterized in that, when one of the course buttons of the plurality of courses is selected in a display state in which each course button of the plurality of courses is visible, the control means maintains the display of the selected course button and turns off or reduces the illumination of the other course buttons that are not selected, thereby controlling the display so that they can be visually distinguished. Each of the course buttons has a light that can be turned on and off or dimmed,
The coin laundry equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, when one of the course buttons is selected, the control means keeps the light of the selected course button on and turns off or reduces the brightness of the lights of the other course buttons not selected. Each of the course buttons has a light that can be turned on, blinking, and turned off or dimmed;
2. The coin laundry machine according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes the light of the selected course button to flash when one of the course buttons is selected. A detection means for detecting the presence of a user in a store,
The coin laundry equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that the control means turns off the lights of each of the course buttons of the plurality of courses during standby, and when the detection means detects a user , turns on the lights of each of the course buttons to display each of the course buttons in a visible state to the user. A first course for washing an object; and a second course for washing and drying an object.
a third step of drying the object;
A display control method for a laundry machine that controls display of each of a plurality of set courses from among the above,
a first display step of displaying, when a detection means detects the presence of a user in a store, each of the course buttons of the plurality of courses, which had disappeared before the presence of the user was detected, in a visible state ;
a second display step of, when one of the course buttons of the plurality of courses is selected, maintaining the display of the selected course button and turning off or reducing the illumination of the other course buttons that are not selected so as to be visually distinguishable;
A display control method for coin laundry equipment, comprising: Each of the course buttons has a light that can be turned on and off or dimmed,
The display control method for coin laundry equipment as described in claim 5, wherein the second display step comprises keeping the light of the selected course button on and turning off or reducing the brightness of the lights of the other course buttons not selected. each said course button having a light that can be turned on, blinking, or off;
The display control method for coin laundry equipment according to claim 5, wherein the second display step is to flash the light of the selected course button when one of the course buttons of the plurality of courses is selected .