JPH04256799A - Clothes drier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the clogging state of a filter with high accuracy regardless of the volume of clothes to be dried by setting the rotating speed of a heat exchanger higher than an ordinary level, and detecting the clogging state of the filter based on temperature change obtained by a temperature detecting means. CONSTITUTION:When a dry operation is started, a control means 9 sets the rotating speed of the heat exchanger 3 higher than ordinary dry operating speed at a constant time (DELTAt) after the operation is started, and the temperature changes DELTATH of hot wind is monitored by the temperature detecting means 6, and the value DELTATH is compared with as value DELTAth1. In a state where a lint filter is clogged, air quantity passing through a heater 4 is decreased, therefore, the temperature change DELTATH of the hot wind is decreased. In order words, when it is DELTATH>DELTAth1, it is judged that the lint filter is clogged, and information to expedite to clean the lint filter us issued to a user by an informing means 8. Also, when it id DELTATH<DELTAth1, it is judged that no clogging occurres in the filter, and a series of operations are completed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a clothes dryer that can notify the clogged state of a lint filter in a rotating drum.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, clothes dryers have been used more frequently, and there is a need to be able to accurately detect and notify the clogged state of a lint filter in a rotating drum.

Conventionally, this type of clothes dryer monitors temperature changes while the heat exchanger rotates at a normal rotation speed during drying operation to detect and notify the clogged state of the lint filter. .

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Such conventional clothes dryers have a problem in that the accuracy of detecting clogging of the lint filter is low because temperature changes are affected by the size of the clothes to be dried. Ta.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to detect clogging of a lint filter with high precision regardless of the amount of clothes to be dried, and to notify the user to clean the lint filter. There is.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a rotating drum driven by a motor to accommodate and rotate the clothes to be dried, and a heater passing through the rotating drum to heat the clothes. a heat exchanger that introduces hot air and separates moisture from the moist air that has passed through the clothes to be dried in the rotating drum; a lint filter that collects lint from the clothes to be dried in the rotating drum; a temperature sensor for measuring temperature; a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature from the temperature sensor; a notification means for notifying a user to clean the lint filter; and a control for controlling the motor, heater, and notification means. means, the control means appropriately increases the rotational speed of the heat exchanger higher than during normal drying operation, and detects the clogging state of the lint filter based on the temperature change obtained from the temperature detection means, A means for solving the problem is that the notification is made by the notification means.

[0007]

[Function] The present invention, by means of solving the problems described above, can reduce the influence of the amount of clothes to be dried on the temperature change obtained by the temperature detection means, can detect the clogging state of the lint filter with high accuracy, and can provide the user with a lint filter. A notification can be sent to remind you to clean the filter.

[0008]

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in the figure, a rotating drum 1 is connected to a motor 2.
It is driven by the machine to accommodate and rotate the clothes to be dried. The heat exchanger 3 is driven by the motor 2, introduces hot air heated by the heater 4 into the rotating drum 1, and separates moisture from the moist air that has passed through the clothes to be dried in the rotating drum 1. It is. A temperature sensor 5 is attached to the inlet side of the heat exchanger 3 to measure the temperature of the hot air, and a temperature detection means 6
detects the temperature from the temperature sensor 5. The lint filter 7 collects lint from the clothes to be dried in the rotating drum 1. The notification means 8 provides notification to urge the user to clean the lint filter 7. The control means 9 inputs the output of the temperature detection means 6, controls the operation of the motor 2 and the heater 4, controls a predetermined drying process, and controls the operation of the notification means 8. Furthermore, the control means 9 controls the rotational speed of the heat exchanger 3 to be higher than that during a normal drying operation for a predetermined period of time at the start of the drying operation.

In the above configuration, the operation will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. When drying operation is started in step 10 of FIG. The rotational speed of the heat exchanger 3 is made higher than that during normal drying operation, the temperature change ΔTH of the hot air is monitored by the temperature detection means 6, and in step 12, the magnitude relationship between ΔTH and the threshold value Δth1 is compared. Figure 4 shows heat exchanger 3
It shows a state in which the lint filter 7 is clogged when the rotational speed is increased, and a temperature change in the hot air from the start of the drying operation when the lint filter 7 is not clogged. When the lint filter 7 is clogged, the amount of air passing through the heater 4 is small, so the temperature change ΔTH of the hot air during a certain period of time Δt from the start of operation becomes small. Therefore, if the value of ΔTH is equal to or less than the threshold value Δth1, it can be determined that the lint filter 7 is clogged. That is, ΔTH>
If Δth1, it is determined that the lint filter 7 is clogged, and in step 13, the notification means 8 notifies the user to clean the lint filter 7. Also, ΔTH<
If Δth1, it is determined that the lint filter 7 is not clogged, and this series of operations ends.

In the above embodiment, when the drying operation is started, the number of rotations of the heat exchanger 3 is increased to detect clogging of the lint filter 7. Detection may be performed at regular intervals during drying operation, or may be performed manually so as to be detected when necessary.

0012

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the control means for controlling the motor, heater, and notification means appropriately increases the rotational speed of the heat exchanger higher than during normal drying operation. Since the clogged state of the lint filter is detected based on the temperature change obtained by the temperature detection means and notified by the alarm means, the clogged state of the lint filter can be detected with high accuracy regardless of the amount of clothes being dried. It can be detected and a notification can be sent to prompt the user to clean the lint filter.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[
Figure 2: Configuration diagram of the clothes dryer

[Figure 3] Operation flowchart of main parts of the clothes dryer

[Figure 4
] Diagram showing the temperature change of hot air depending on whether the lint filter of the clothes dryer is clogged or not

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Rotating drum 2 Motor 3 Heat exchanger 4 Heater 5 Temperature sensor 6 Temperature detection means 7. Lint filter 8 Notification means 9 Control means

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A rotating drum driven by a motor to accommodate and rotate and agitate clothes to be dried, and a rotating drum in which heated air passing through a heater is introduced into the rotating drum and the clothes to be dried in the rotating drum are heated. a heat exchanger that separates moisture from the humid air that passes through it; a lint filter that collects lint from clothes to be dried in the rotating drum; a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the hot air; and a temperature sensor that measures the temperature from the temperature sensor. The control means includes a temperature detection means for detecting temperature, a notification means for notifying the user to clean the lint filter, and a control means for controlling the motor, the heater, and the notification means, and the control means appropriately controls the temperature of the heat exchanger. The clothes dryer has a rotation speed higher than that during normal drying operation, detects a clogging state of the lint filter based on a temperature change obtained by the temperature detecting means, and issues a notification using the notifying means.