KR102621351B1 - Fabric dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

The clothes dryer of the present invention forms a processing chamber in which clothes are processed, and includes a drum rotatably provided; a heater that heats air supplied into the drum; an infrared sensor that has a field of view toward a certain area inside the drum and acquires temperature based on infrared rays detected within the field of view; and a control unit that determines the temperature change in the drum based on the temperature obtained by the infrared sensor and determines the drying state of the clothes based on the obtained temperature change.

Description

Clothes dryer{FABRIC DRYER}

The present invention relates to clothes dryers.

A clothes dryer is a device that dries clothes by supplying dry air to a drum in which clothes are loaded. Conventionally, an electrode sensor is provided at the front end of the drum, and when clothing loaded into the drum touches both electrodes of the electrode sensor, the dryness level is determined using an electrical resistance value that varies depending on the moisture contained in the clothing. However, in this method, when the amount of clothing put into the drum is small, the clothing cannot always contact the electrode sensor, and depending on the location of the clothing in the drum, it cannot contact the electrode sensor, making it difficult to measure the dryness. there was.

If the dryness of the clothes cannot be accurately determined, not only is it difficult to accurately determine the end point of the drying operation, but it is also difficult to determine if the clothes are overheated, leading to damage to the clothes and the risk of fire.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is, first, to provide a clothes dryer that determines the drying state of clothes using an infrared sensor.

Second, it provides a clothes dryer that can detect the amount of clothes put into the drum using an infrared sensor.

Third, it provides a clothes dryer that detects overheating of clothes using an infrared sensor and notifies the user of this.

Fourth, to provide a clothes dryer that can detect a fire using an infrared sensor.

In the clothes dryer of the present invention, a processing chamber is formed in a rotatable drum, and clothing is put into the processing chamber. A heater is provided to heat the air supplied into the drum.

An infrared sensor having a field of view directed to a certain area inside the drum is provided. The infrared sensor acquires temperature based on infrared rays detected within the field of view.

A control unit is provided that determines the temperature change in the drum based on the temperature obtained by the infrared sensor and determines the drying state of the clothes based on the obtained temperature change.

Alternatively, the clothes dryer of the present invention includes a control unit that determines a temperature change in the drum based on the temperature obtained by the infrared sensor and determines the amount of clothing loaded into the drum based on the obtained temperature change.

Alternatively, the clothes dryer of the present invention includes a display unit that displays a predetermined message, determines the temperature change in the drum based on the temperatures obtained by the infrared sensor, and determines the temperature change in the drum through the display unit based on the obtained temperature change. It includes a control unit that controls a message notifying that the overheating is displayed.

Alternatively, the clothes dryer of the present invention has a first infrared sensor that has a field of view toward a certain area inside the drum and acquires a temperature based on infrared rays detected within the field of view, and a first infrared sensor that points toward a certain area outside the drum. A second infrared sensor that has a field of view and acquires a temperature based on infrared rays detected within the field of view, a fire extinguisher that supplies water or gas for fire suppression to an area outside the drum, and the second infrared sensor It includes a control unit that controls the operation of the fire extinguishing device based on the temperature detected by.

First, since the clothes dryer of the present invention detects temperature using an infrared sensor, it is possible to detect temperature without contacting clothes, and thus, the accuracy is improved compared to the method of detecting temperature using a conventional electrode sensor. There is.

Second, the amount of laundry can be easily detected using the temperature detected by the infrared sensor.

Third, it has the effect of preventing thermal damage or deformation of clothing by detecting overheating of clothing based on the temperature detected by the infrared sensor.

Fourth, not only can fire occurrence be detected using an infrared sensor, but safety accidents are prevented by automatically notifying the user of a fire occurrence.

1 is a perspective view of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows the inside of the casing of the clothes dryer shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the clothes dryer shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the control relationship between components of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a graph showing the humidity (a) and temperature (b) at the entrance of the drum, the temperature of clothing in the drum (c), and the temperature of the window (d).
Figure 6 is a graph showing changes in power consumption of the heater (a), humidity at the inlet of the drum (b), and temperature detected by the temperature sensor (c) according to drying time.
Figure 7 is a graph (a) showing the temperature detected by the temperature sensor when a small load is applied and the temperature detected by an infrared sensor when a large load is applied, and a partially enlarged graph (b) of this.
Figure 8 shows a clothes dryer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows the inside of the casing of the clothes dryer shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the clothes dryer shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the control relationship between components of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 , a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a casing 10 inside which a drum 4 is disposed. An input port 10h through which clothing is input may be formed on the front of the casing 10. A door 27 that opens and closes the inlet 10h may be rotatably connected to the casing 10.

The casing 10 may include a front panel 11, a right panel 12, a left panel 13, a back panel 14, and a top plate 15.

The front panel 11 constitutes the front of the clothes dryer. An inlet 10h is formed in the front panel 11. The door 27 may be rotatably connected to the front panel 11. The door 27 may include a transparent window 27a. With the door 27 closed, the inside of the drum 4 can be seen through the window 27a.

A control panel 16 may be placed on the front panel 11. The control panel 16 includes a display unit (86, e.g., LCD, LED panel, etc.) that displays the operating status of the clothes dryer, and an input unit (e.g., button, dial, touch, etc.) that receives an operation command for the clothes dryer from the user. screen, etc.) may be provided.

The right panel 12 and the left panel 13 constitute the right and left sides of the clothes dryer, respectively. The right panel 12 and the left panel 13 are arranged side by side facing each other, and the front end of each panel 12 and 13 is connected to the front panel 11, and the rear end is connected to the back panel 14. That is, the right panel 12, left panel 13, and back panel 14 form a “ㄷ” shaped structure with the front and top surfaces open. The open upper surface is covered by a top plate (15).

The drum 4 may be rotatably disposed within the casing 10. A motor 24 for rotating the drum 4 may be disposed within the casing 10. The drum 4 is cylindrical with the front and back open, and constitutes a processing room where clothes are processed.

A lifter 6 extending long in the front-back direction may be disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 4. The lifters 6 are protruding inside the drum 4 and may be arranged in plural numbers at regular intervals along the circumference of the drum 4. While the drum 4 is rotating, the clothes are repeatedly lifted and dropped by the lifter 6.

A belt 26 may be wound around the outer peripheral surface of the drum 4. A pulley (not shown) rotated by a motor 24 may be provided, and a belt 26 may be wound around the pulley. The drum 4 is rotated by the rotational force of the motor 24 transmitted through the pulley and the belt 26. However, the method of rotating the drum 4 is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a direct drive method is also possible in which the drum is configured with the front open and the rear closed, and the rotation axis of the motor 24 is coupled to the closed rear of the drum.

Motor 24 may be configured to rotate blower 22 together with belt 26 . For example, the rotation shaft of the motor 24 is combined with the blower 22 to rotate the blower 22, and the rotation of the rotation shaft is transmitted through a power transmission mechanism such as a gear or belt to rotate the pulley. It can be configured as follows.

Alternatively, the motor 24 may be configured as a two-axis motor having a first axis for rotating the pulley and a second axis for rotating the blower 22.

Alternatively, a motor for rotating the blower 22 may be further provided separately from the motor for rotating the drum 4.

In the casing 10, a front frame 5 and a rear frame 8 are disposed facing each other with the drum 4 interposed therebetween. The processing chamber is defined by the front frame (5), drum (4) and rear frame (8). An opening communicating with the open front surface of the drum 4 is formed in the front frame 5. The front frame 5 and the rear frame 8 are each provided with at least one roller 56, 64 that rotatably supports the drum 4.

The intake duct 29 is in communication with the inside of the drum 4. The air in the drum 4 is sucked into the intake duct 29 by the suction force of the blower 22. The air sucked into the intake duct 29 is exhausted to the outside of the casing 10 through the exhaust pipe 20.

The lint filter 18 collects foreign substances such as lint or dust floating in the air discharged from the drum 4 to the intake duct 29. The lint filter 18 may include a mesh-structured filter, and when the blower 22 is operating, the air discharged from the drum 4 is collected by the filter.

A heater 42 may be provided to heat the air within the casing 10. An air supply opening 8h is formed in the rear frame 8, and the processing chamber (i.e., inside the drum 4) is in communication with the air supply duct 17 through the air supply opening 8h.

The air supply duct 17 guides the air inside the casing 10 into the drum 4. When negative pressure is applied within the drum 4 by the suction force of the blower 22, the air heated by the heater 42 is heated. After air flows into the inlet 172 of the air supply duct 17, it is supplied into the drum 4 through the outlet 171.

The clothes dryer may include an infrared sensor 81. The infrared sensor 81 is fixed in the processing chamber and detects infrared rays emitted from objects within a certain field of view. The infrared sensor 81 outputs temperature (i.e., a signal indicating temperature) based on the detected infrared rays. The infrared sensor 81 may include a thermopile composed of thermocouples that generate thermal electromotive force when detecting infrared rays.

The infrared sensor 81 is electrically connected to the control unit 82 and is controlled by the control unit 82. The temperature output from the infrared sensor 81 is transmitted to the control unit 82. The control unit 82 controls various electrical components constituting the clothes dryer, and may include a CPU for such control and a memory containing various data for controlling the operation of the clothes dryer. The control unit 82 can control the operation of the clothes dryer based on the temperature detected by the infrared sensor 81.

The infrared sensor 81 is preferably disposed at the top of the rear frame 8 (i.e., above the mid-height of the drum 4), and its field of view is directed approximately toward the front and lower side. In particular, at least a portion of the window 27a is located within the field of view of the infrared sensor 81, when the door 27 is closed.

The clothes dryer may include a flow path that supplies water into the drum 4 and a water supply valve 84 that controls water supply through the flow path. The water supply valve 84 can be opened and closed under the control of the control unit 82. The water supplied through the flow path may be water contained in a water tank (not shown) or water supplied directly from an external water source such as a faucet.

The clothes dryer may include a fire extinguisher (85). The fire extinguishing device 85 is for extinguishing a fire that occurs in the external space of the drum 4 (or outside the processing room) within the casing 10, and is equipped with a pump that sprays water through a nozzle or sprays compressed gas. It may include a compressed gas supply device. The water sprayed by the pump may be mixed with a wetting agent, a foaming additive that blocks oxygen, and/or antifreeze. Gas supplied by the compressed gas supply device includes carbon dioxide and the like.

The fire extinguishing mechanism 85 is controlled by the control unit 82. That is, when a fire is detected, the control unit 82 can extinguish the fire by operating the fire extinguishing device 85.

The communication unit 87 is connected to a predetermined network through wired/wireless communication. The communication unit 87 is controlled by the control unit 82 and can communicate with the network according to established protocols. For example, the communication unit 87 is connected to an access point (AP) in the residence using Wi-Fi, and information can be transmitted to a remote server or terminal through the Internet connected to the access point. there is.

Figure 5 is a graph showing the humidity (a) and temperature (b) at the entrance of the drum, the temperature of clothing in the drum (c), and the temperature of the window (d). Here, the temperature of the clothing (c) and the temperature of the window 27a are determined by performing a drying operation with a certain amount of clothing placed in the drum 4, and analyzing the temperature distribution of the image obtained through an infrared camera during this process. So it was saved. In particular, the temperature (c) of the clothing is the temperature of the area facing the inner surface of the drum 4 in the field of view of the infrared camera, and the temperature (d) of the window is the temperature of the area facing the window 27a in the field of view of the infrared camera. am. Here, the temperature of the clothing (c) and the temperature of the window (d) are divided into a fixed number of frames by dividing images acquired at regular intervals through an infrared camera, and the upper and lower temperature limits in the frames belonging to each set are determined. (Min) and average (Ave) were obtained.

As can be seen from the graph, the temperature of the window 27a increases until approximately 10 minutes, corresponding to the beginning of the drying operation, and then changes relatively little thereafter. At the beginning of the drying operation, the temperature of the window 27a rises due to the hot air supplied into the drum 4, but after a certain period of time, the amount of heat absorbed by the window 27a is similar to the amount of heat lost through heat exchange with the outside air. Because you lose.

The temperature (c) of the clothes tends to increase from the beginning of the drying operation until about 40 minutes, and the heat generation of the heater 42 is controlled to decrease from about 40 minutes, so that it no longer increases after that.

It can be seen that the difference between the upper limit (Max) and the lower limit (Min) of the clothing temperature is overall larger than that of the window 27a, which is due to the change in the position of the clothing within the drum 4, resulting in a deviation in the temperature obtained from the image. Because it happens. In other words, when clothing is bunched up in one place, the area of the inner surface of the drum 4 increases in the image acquired through the infrared camera, and therefore, the influence of infrared rays emitted from the inner surface of the drum 4 is greater, resulting in a larger value. The temperature is sensed. Since the temperature of the inner surface of the drum 4 usually rises higher than that of the clothing, a higher temperature is obtained from the image acquired when the clothing is biased to one side. Conversely, if clothing is evenly distributed under the same conditions, a lower temperature will be obtained, thus reducing the difference between the upper and lower limits (Max) and lower temperatures (Min).

Additionally, the difference between the upper limit (Max) and lower limit (Min) of the clothing temperature appears to decrease as the clothing dries. This phenomenon occurs because the wet part of the clothing shrinks and swells as it dries. Therefore, it is possible to predict the completion time of drying by detecting that the difference between the upper limit (Max) and lower limit (Min) of the clothing temperature is reduced to a certain level.

Meanwhile, temperature detection by the infrared sensor 81 is preferably performed while the drum 4 is rotating. Therefore, even if the field of view of the infrared sensor 81 is fixed, since the position of the clothing changes due to the rotation of the drum 4, infrared rays emitted from most clothing are detected by the infrared sensor 81. It can be. In addition, even in the general case where the drum 4 is not full of clothing, the clothing moves smoothly in the front and back directions due to the rotation of the drum 4, so theoretically, the surface temperature of all parts of the clothing is evenly distributed during the drying process. It becomes possible to measure.

Figure 6 is a graph showing changes in power consumption of the heater (a), humidity at the inlet of the drum (b), and temperature detected by the temperature sensor (c) according to drying time.

Referring to FIG. 6, the difference between the upper and lower limits of the temperature c detected through the infrared sensor 81 appears to decrease as the clothing dries. The control unit 82 may determine the temperature change within the drum 4 based on the temperatures obtained by the infrared sensor 81, and determine the drying state of the clothing based on the temperature change thus obtained.

Specifically, the difference between the upper and lower limits of temperature in the temperature change obtained based on the temperatures obtained by the infrared sensor 81 can be an indicator of the degree of dryness. Accordingly, when the difference between the upper and lower limits of temperature in the temperature change becomes less than or equal to a preset reference value, the control unit 82 determines that drying of clothes is complete and terminates the operation of the heater 42. Here, the time when the operation of the heater 42 ends can be said to be the drying completion time when the drying of the clothes is completed.

In particular, when the amount of clothing put into the drum 4 is small (i.e., in the case of a small load), it is clearly seen that the difference between the upper and lower limits decreases as drying progresses, thereby further improving the dryness of the clothing. It can be judged accurately (see Figure 7).

Referring to FIG. 6, in the embodiment, when the drying time reached approximately 54 minutes, the difference between the upper and lower temperature limits became less than the reference value, and at this time, the operation of the heater 42 was terminated by the control unit 82.

Figure 7 is a graph (a) showing the temperature detected by the temperature sensor when a small load is applied and the temperature detected by an infrared sensor when a large load is applied, and a partially enlarged graph (b) of this. Referring to FIG. 7, depending on the amount of clothing put into the drum 4, it is divided into a small load case and a large load case, and when drying operation is performed under the same conditions in both cases, at the beginning of the drying operation, the small load case is In the case of , it can be seen that the temperature is relatively high and the difference between the upper and lower limits is large. Accordingly, from these characteristics, it is possible to estimate the amount of fabric introduced into the drum 4 at the beginning of the drying operation, and the settings of the drying operation can be configured and/or changed accordingly.

In particular, the lifter 6 is an injection molded product of synthetic resin, and its temperature rises faster than that of clothing at the beginning of the drying operation. In particular, in the case of a small load, the detected temperature is generally high due to the large exposed portion of the lifter (6), and due to the flow of clothing caused by the rotation of the drum (4), the lifter (6) is obscured by clothing. Not only is the window 27a, which has a relatively lower temperature than the clothing, frequently exposed, but the area covered by the clothing also varies, so the difference between the upper and lower limits of the temperature is also large.

Specifically, the control unit 82 controls the temperature in the drum 4 based on the temperature level at the beginning of drying (that is, until a preset time has elapsed after the heater 42 is operated) and the difference between the upper and lower limits of the temperature. The amount of clothing can be estimated and the drying operation can configure and/or change settings accordingly. If the temperature detected by the infrared sensor 81 at the beginning of drying is higher than a preset level and the difference between the upper and lower temperature limits is higher than the preset value, the control unit 82 determines that only a small amount of clothing has been put into the drum 4. You can judge. In this case, the control unit 82 can reduce the drying time (eg, the operating time of the heater 42), thereby reducing power consumption and suppressing exposure of clothing to high temperatures.

Meanwhile, the control unit 82 may determine the distribution state of clothing in the drum 4 from the temperature obtained through the infrared sensor 81. Even if the same amount of clothing is put into the drum 4, if the clothing is tangled, the difference between the upper and lower temperature limits is large, and conversely, if the clothing is evenly distributed, the difference between the upper and lower temperature limits is relatively small. From these characteristics, the control unit 82 can determine the distribution state of clothing in the drum 4 and configure and/or change the drying operation settings accordingly.

Meanwhile, the control unit 82 may stop the operation of the heater 42 when the temperature obtained by the infrared sensor 81 is greater than or equal to a preset tolerance. In this case, the control unit 82 may determine that the temperature within the drum 4 is overheated and stop the operation of the heater 42 to prevent damage to clothing or a fire.

Meanwhile, the control unit 82 can determine the rotation speed of the drum 4 based on the temperature fluctuation period obtained by the infrared sensor 81. Depending on the rotation speed of the drum 4, the lifter 6 is periodically exposed to the field of view of the infrared sensor 81, and as a result, the temperature obtained by the infrared sensor 81 also exhibits characteristics of periodically changing. Accordingly, the control unit 82 can obtain the rotation speed of the drum 4 based on this temperature fluctuation cycle.

Figure 8 shows a clothes dryer according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, a clothes dryer according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include an infrared sensor 83 disposed outside the drum 4. The configuration of the infrared sensor 83 is substantially the same as that of the infrared sensor 81.

The infrared sensor 83 is arranged so that its field of view faces the heater 42. Specifically, the infrared sensor 83 is disposed on the lower side of the drum 6 (preferably, the lower side of the heater 42) and can be configured so that its field of view is directed toward the heater 42, that is, upward. there is. Accordingly, the infrared sensor 83 can detect the temperature of the heater 42.

If necessary, the infrared sensor 81 facing the inside of the drum 4 is referred to as the first infrared sensor 81, and the infrared sensor 81 disposed outside the drum 4 is referred to as the second infrared sensor 83. Let's distinguish it as follows.

In a clothes dryer, a fire can occur not only inside the drum 4, but also outside the drum 4. In other words, lint may accumulate and the lint may catch fire due to overheating of the heater 42 or short circuit of the electric wire. In this case, if the point where ignition starts can be confirmed using the infrared sensor 83, it will be possible to give a fire alarm or control fire extinguishing (for example, operating the fire extinguishing device 85).

If a fire occurs, the temperature at the ignition point is unusually high, with temperatures ranging from hundreds to thousands of degrees, unlike other areas. This temperature can be detected by the infrared sensor 83, and if the temperature detected by the infrared sensor 83 is higher than a preset standard value, the control unit 82 determines that a fire has occurred and displays the display unit 86. A warning can be issued or the fire extinguishing device (85) can be activated. The fire extinguishing device 85 may be configured to spray water or gas toward the heater 42, and may be automatically operated when the control unit 82 determines that a fire has occurred.

Alternatively, if it is determined that a fire has occurred, the control unit 82 may cut off the power and open the water supply valve 84, or may notify a remote location of the fire through the communication unit 87.

In particular, the communication unit 87 can notify the user's mobile terminal (for example, a smart phone) of the occurrence of a fire through the network. In this case, the application mounted on the mobile terminal automatically sends a text message to the fire department through the mobile communication network. Appropriate measures can be taken to notify of the occurrence of a fire, such as sending a message or reporting it via the Internet.

Meanwhile, the fire detection operation by the infrared sensors 81 and 83 can be performed not only when the power button is pressed, but also in a standby power state in which the power button is not selected.

Claims (14)

A drum forming a processing room in which clothes are processed and rotatably provided;
a heater that heats air supplied into the drum;
a first infrared sensor that has a field of view toward a certain area inside the drum and acquires a temperature based on infrared rays detected within the field of view; and
A clothes dryer comprising a control unit that determines a temperature change in the drum based on the temperature obtained by the first infrared sensor and determines the amount of clothing loaded into the drum based on the obtained temperature change. According to claim 1,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that determines the amount of clothes based on the temperature level detected by the first infrared sensor and the difference between the upper and lower limits of the temperature until a preset time has elapsed after the heater is activated. According to claim 2,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that determines that the amount of clothing is small if the temperature detected by the first infrared sensor is higher than a preset level and the difference between the upper and lower limits of the temperature is higher than the preset value. According to claim 3,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that reduces the operating time of the heater when it is determined that the amount of clothes is small.
According to claim 1,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that determines the drying state of clothes based on the obtained temperature change. According to claim 5,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that determines that drying of the clothes has been completed when the difference between the upper and lower limits of temperature obtained by the first infrared sensor is less than or equal to a preset reference value. According to claim 6,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that stops operation of the heater when it is determined that drying of the clothes is complete. According to claim 1,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that controls the drum to rotate while the temperature is detected by the first infrared sensor. According to claim 1,
It further includes a display unit that displays a predetermined message,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer comprising a control unit that controls a message notifying that the clothes are overheated to be displayed through the display unit based on the obtained temperature change. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
Further comprising a door that opens and closes the processing chamber,
The door is
It includes a transparent window so that the inside of the treatment chamber is visible when the treatment chamber is closed,
A clothes dryer wherein at least a portion of the window falls within the field of view of the first infrared sensor. According to claim 10,
A rear frame disposed at the rear of the drum and provided with a supply port for discharging air heated by the heater into the treatment chamber,
The first infrared sensor,
A clothes dryer fixed to the rear frame. According to paragraph 1,
a second infrared sensor that has a field of view toward a certain area outside the drum and acquires temperature based on infrared rays detected within the field of view; and
It further includes a fire extinguishing device that supplies water or gas for fire suppression to the outer area of the drum,
A clothes dryer comprising a control unit that controls the operation of the fire extinguisher based on the temperature detected by the second infrared sensor. According to claim 12,
It further includes a communication unit that communicates with a predetermined network,
The control unit,
A clothes dryer that detects a fire based on the temperature detected by the second infrared sensor and notifies a remote location of the fire through the communication unit when the fire occurs. According to claim 12,
The second infrared sensor is disposed below the drum and has a field of view toward the heater.

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