JPS5917399A - Dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dryer that detects the drying state of clothes and automatically ends the drying operation.

Conventional Structure and Problems Conventionally, when drying clothes using a dryer, it has been common to set a timer to an appropriate time and operate the dryer. In this case, if the set time is incorrect, the drying may not be sufficient or the clothes may be damaged due to excessive drying.

In order to solve this problem, various dryness detection devices have been proposed and implemented, but each of these devices still has major problems. For example, there is a method of detecting the drying state based on the temperature difference between the outside air temperature and the exhaust temperature of the dryer, but in this method, when there are only a small amount of clothes to be dried, the heated outside air is directly exhausted and the clothes are still completely dry. There is a problem in that the temperature difference between the outside air and the stirring air reaches a predetermined value even though the drying operation is not performed.

There is also a method of detecting dryness by detecting the average resistance value of the clothes to be dried, but this method can only detect the drying rate of the clothes to be dried up to about 96%; It is necessary to set a relatively long delay time of 20 minutes to delay the end of drying. For this reason, there is a problem that depending on the type and amount of clothes, the drying may be incomplete or over-drying.

Conventionally, sensors for detecting the resistance value of clothing usually consist of a pair of exposed electrodes, and detect the resistance value between these electrodes to detect the average resistance value of the clothing.
As the clothing approaches dryness, this resistance value increases to 10M.
Ω or more, making it difficult to measure.To detect a completely dry state, the method that detects the average resistance value detects the point at which this resistance value reaches about 10 MΩ, which is about 95% in terms of drying rate. It is possible to match the drying rate of clothing only up to this point. Therefore, in order to completely dry the clothes, it is necessary to provide a time delay section and delay the end of drying by a predetermined period of time after the drying rate reaches 95%. The delay time for delaying the end of drying from this point generally requires a relatively long time of 10 to 20 minutes. It is also common to set a sufficient delay time to ensure that the clothes are completely dry. However, the time it takes from when the drying rate reaches 96% to when the clothes are completely dry varies depending on the type and amount of clothing, so the drying operation may be longer than necessary, or the drying may be incomplete in some cases. Sometimes it is.

Problems remain with this method of detecting dryness by detecting the resistance value of clothing.

溌e訃 14th The present invention combines the conventional dryness detection method of detecting the resistance value of clothes and the method of detecting the dryness of clothes by detecting the magnitude of static electricity generated when the clothes are dry. In combination, the dryer is shut down when the clothes are sufficiently dry.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail. FIG. 1 shows a book drying means, and 6 is a drying operation control section for controlling the operation of this drying means 7. 1 is a static electricity detection sensor fixed in the storage compartment 8 to detect the magnitude of static electricity generated by clothing;
2 is fixed in the housing 8 in the same way as the static electricity detection sensor,
This is a resistance value detection sensor for detecting the resistance value of clothing. Reference numeral 4 indicates a resistance value detection unit which receives a signal from the resistance value detection sensor 2 and outputs an output signal when the average value of the resistance of the clothing reaches a predetermined level; and 6 receives the output signal from the resistance value detection unit 4. This is part of a timer that outputs an output signal after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Further, reference numeral 3 denotes a static electricity detection unit which receives a signal from the static electricity detection sensor 1 and outputs an output signal when the magnitude of static electricity generated by clothing reaches a predetermined level.

The drying operation control section 6 operates to stop the drying means 7 when either the static electricity detection section 3 or the timer section 6 generates an output signal.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic structure of one embodiment, and numeral 9 denotes an exterior casing of the entire dryer made of a conductor.

1o is a rotating drum for physically stirring the clothes to be dried; 11 is a door for taking in and taking out the clothes to be dried; 12 is a fixed wall; these rotating drums 10. A storage 8 is constituted by a door 11 and a fixed wall 12.

13 is a heater that heats the outside air; 14 is a fan that causes the dry outside air heated by the heater 13 to flow into the storage compartment 8 and discharges the moist air in the storage compartment 8 to the outside of the machine. 15 is a motor for rotating the rotating drum 1° and the fan 14; 16 and 17ij: motor 15;
This is a belt that transmits the rotational motion of the rotary drum 1o and the fan 14 to the rotating drum 1o and the fan 14, respectively. 18 is a sensor unit in which the resistance value detection sensor 2 and the static electricity detection sensor 1 are incorporated.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the sensor unit 18, and the static electricity detection sensor 1 that detects static electricity generated by clothing is
It consists of a conductive plate. 19 is a resin layer for electrically insulating the static electricity detection sensor 1 from clothing. If this alone is not enough, when drying synthetic clothing, the resin layer 1 will be damaged due to friction.
A conductive layer 20 is provided on the surface of the resin layer 19 because the resin layer 9 itself becomes charged and accurate static electricity detection cannot be performed. The resistance value detection sensor 2 is composed of a pair of electrodes, and the resin layer 1
9, and by making direct contact with the clothing, the resistance value of the clothing is detected as the resistance value between these pair of electrodes.

Figure 4 shows a specific electric circuit, 21 is a power plug,
22 is a power switch. Reference numerals 23 and 24 indicate switching elements, which respectively control the supply of electricity to the motor 15 and the heater 13, and are in a conductive state during the drying operation. 2
Reference numeral 5 denotes an air blowing time delay section, which energizes the motor 16 for a certain period of time even after the operation of the heater 13 has stopped, to lower the temperature inside the storage chamber 8. These switching elements 23 and 24 and the ventilation time delay section 26 constitute the drying operation control section 6.

26 is a transformer that steps down the commercial AC voltage.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a power supply circuit, which has a rectifying and smoothing function, generates a DC voltage with a positive potential at the positive output side terminal 28 and a negative potential at the ground side terminal 29, and supplies power to the static electricity detection section 3 and the resistance value detection section 4. supply. The resistance value detection section 4 outputs an output signal when the average resistance value of the clothing detected by the resistance value detection sensor 2 reaches a predetermined value, and the timer section 6 outputs an output signal after a predetermined time after receiving this. This is a conventional method of emitting a signal.

When the timer part 5 outputs an output signal, the switching element 2
4 becomes non-conductive, and power supply to the heater 13 is stopped.
The ventilation time delay section 25 starts operating, and after a certain period of time, the switching element 23 becomes non-conductive and the motor 1 is turned off.
5 is also stopped, and the operation of the dryer is completely stopped.

In addition, the static electricity detection unit 3 detects the magnitude of static electricity generated in the clothes to be dried by detecting the change in the potential difference generated between the static electricity detection sensor 1 and the exterior housing 9. When the static electricity detection unit 3 reaches a predetermined level, the static electricity detection unit 3 outputs an output signal to the drying operation control unit 6. At this time as well, the drying operation control section 6 operates to stop the operation of the dryer through a similar process. That is, after a certain period of time has passed since the average resistance value of the clothes reaches a predetermined value, or when the magnitude of static electricity generated by the clothes reaches a predetermined level, the drying operation control section 6
works to stop the dryer from operating.

Note that 30 and 31 are diodes, which are used to ensure that the rising edge of the output signal from one of the static electricity detection section 3 and the timer section 5 is transmitted to the drying operation control section 7 without being affected by the output of the other. Since the resistance value detection section 4 has been conventionally implemented, the explanation thereof will be omitted, and the static electricity detection section 3 will be explained here.

FIG. 6 shows the circuit configuration of the static electricity detection section 3. 32 is a terminal to which the static electricity detection sensor 1 is connected; 33 is a terminal to which the exterior housing 9 is connected; 34 is a terminal to which the positive output side terminal 28 of the power supply circuit 27 is connected; 36 is a terminal to which the ground side terminal 29 of the power supply circuit 27 is connected. The terminal 36 is the output terminal of the static electricity detection section 3. The exterior casing 9 is connected to the ground side of the static electricity detection unit 3 via a resistor 37, but this is done by making the potential of the exterior casing 9 equal to the potential of the ground side of the static electricity detection unit 3, so that the potential inside the exterior casing is The potential of the static electricity detection sensor 1 fixed in the housing of
This is to enable detection based on the potential on the ground side of the static electricity detection section 3.

38 and 39 are resistors, 40 is a Zener diode,
41 is a capacitor, 42 is an operational amplifier, a resistor 39 is connected between the positive potential side of the power supply of the static electricity detection unit 3 and the positive input terminal of the operational amplifier 42, and the resistor 38, Zener diode 4o, and capacitor 41 are connected to 1. It is connected between the positive input terminal of the operational amplifier 42 and the ground side. The resistor 38 and the resistor 39 are used to apply a predetermined DC voltage to the static electricity detection sensor 1, and the Zener diode 4o and the capacitor 41 are used to protect the operational amplifier 42. Since static electricity is very small in terms of energy, it is necessary to use high resistances of several MΩ for the resistors 38 and 39.
It is desirable to use a capacitor 41 with a small capacity of about 100 PF. The impedance of the potential of the static electricity detection sensor 1 is lowered by the operational amplifier 42 and appears at the output terminal of the operational amplifier 42 .

When the clothes are not dry and are not charged with static electricity, the potential of the static electricity detection sensor 1 is stable at the potential determined by the resistors 38 and 39. However, when the clothes are dry and are not charged with static electricity, The potential of the static electricity detection sensor 1 begins to fluctuate, and the output terminal voltage of the operational amplifier 42 also begins to fluctuate with the same magnitude.

43 is a resistor, and 44 is an electrolytic capacitor, which are connected in series and connected between the output terminal of the operational amplifier 42 and the ground side. Works to remove harmful noise.

are connected in series between the positive potential side of the electrolytic capacitor 44 and the ground side. A potential signal of the static electricity detection sensor 1 from which harmful noise has been removed is generated on the positive potential side of the electrolytic capacitor 44, but this potential signal has resistors 38 and 39.
A DC voltage determined by , is superimposed, and only the variation of this potential signal is generated across the resistor 46 by a differentiating circuit composed of an electrolytic capacitor 46 and a resistor 46 .

A diode 47 is connected in parallel with the resistor 46 and performs half-wave rectification of the waveform of the potential fluctuation signal from the static electricity detection sensor 1. 48 is an operational amplifier, and the positive input terminal is diode 4.
Connected to the cathode of 7.

49 and 50 are resistors, the resistor 49 is connected between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier 48 and the ground side, and the resistor 60 is connected between the negative input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier 48. The operational amplifier 48 constitutes an in-phase amplifier circuit, and amplifies the half-wave rectified potential fluctuation signal of the static electricity detection sensor 1 applied to the positive input terminal of the operational amplifier 4B.

61 and 62 are resistors, and 63 is an electrolytic capacitor, which generates an average voltage of the half-wave rectified and amplified potential fluctuation signal of the static electricity detection cell 1 across the resistor 620.

64 is a Zener diode, 65 is a resistor, 56 is a comparator, 57 is a resistor, the resistor 56 is between the positive potential side of the power supply of the static electricity detection unit 3 and the inverting input terminal of the comparator 66, and the Zener diode 64 is the comparator. A resistor 57 is connected between the inverting input terminal of the comparator 66 and the ground side, and a resistor 57 is connected between the positive potential side of the power supply and the output terminal of the comparator 66, respectively. Resistor 55 conducts the appropriate current through Zener diode 54 to set the voltage. Resistor 57 is comparator 6
This is for setting the potential of the output terminal 6 to either the positive potential side of the power supply or the ground potential.

When the average voltage of the potential fluctuation signal of the static electricity detection sensor 1 applied to the non-inverting input terminal of the comparator 66 exceeds the Zener voltage of the Zener diode 54 applied to the inverting input terminal of the comparator 56, the comparator 66
The voltage at the output terminal rises from zero to near the power supply voltage. That is, at this time, the voltage at the output terminal 36 of the static electricity detection section 3 rises, the static electricity detection section 3 outputs an output signal, and thereafter the operation of the dryer is completed according to the above-described process.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention adds an electrostatic detection section to the conventional dryness detection system using the resistance value detection method, thereby reducing the delay from the drying rate of about 95% to complete drying. Its distinctive feature is that it puts a brake on wasted time. Some of the timers are set to a relatively long time from the drying rate of about 96%, which is the limit that can be detected by the resistance value detection method, to complete drying, so that it can be used for any amount or type of clothing. When the clothes are completely dry, the static electricity control section detects when the average value of the static electricity generated by the clothes becomes relatively large, that is, when the clothes are sufficiently dry. For example, by setting the Zener voltage of a Zener diode so that the output signal is output when the clothes can be quickly and sufficiently dried, even within the delay time set by the timer. The static electricity detection unit outputs an output signal and stops its operation after drying, which saves the time the dryer would normally have to waste. In summary, according to the present invention, the dry state of clothing can be detected completely and without waste, which is very preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving, and the industrial value of the present invention is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the dryer of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the dryer in this embodiment,
The figure (a) is a front view, the figure (b) is a longitudinal sectional view, and Figure 3 shows the sensor unit, the figure (a) is a front view, and the figure (b) is a (-) x -x' line sectional view, the same figure (C) is a Y-Y' line sectional view of (-), FIG. 4 is its electric circuit diagram, and FIG. 6 is its electric circuit diagram of the static electricity detection part. 1...Static electricity detection sensor, 2...Resistance value detection sensor, 3...Static electricity detection section, 4...
...Resistance value detection section, 6...Timer part, 6.
...Drying operation control section, 7...Drying means,
8...Accommodation storage, 9...Exterior casing, 1o
...Rotating drum, 11...Door, 12.
・0...Fixed wall, 18...Sensor unit,
23, 24... Switching element, 26.
...Blow time delay unit, 26...Transformer, 27...Power supply circuit. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao, 1st person, 2nd person
Figure 3 FyI (G) IIQ

Claims (1)

[Claims] A storage for storing clothes, a drying means for drying the clothes, a drying operation control section for controlling the operation of the drying means, and a resistance value detection sensor fixed in the storage for detecting the resistance value of the clothes. and a static electricity detection sensor which is also fixed in the storage compartment and detects the magnitude of static electricity generated by the clothing, and which is connected to the resistance value detection sensor and is connected to the resistance value detection sensor so that the resistance value of the clothing indicated by the resistance value detection sensor is a predetermined value. a resistance value detection unit that outputs an output signal when the level of static electricity detected by the static electricity detection sensor reaches a predetermined level; a timer part that is connected to a resistance value detection part and outputs an output signal after a predetermined period of time when an output signal of the resistance value detection part is received; Connect to the drying operation control unit,
The dryer is configured such that the drying operation control section stops the operation of the drying means by receiving an output from a part of the timer or an output signal from the static electricity detection section.