KR20070060831A - Clothes dryer and operating method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A clothes drier and an operation method thereof are provided to increase energy efficiency, to minimize damages on the laundry, and to dry the laundry in various modes by differentiating operation of a drying drum from an air moving fan. A clothes drier comprises a drying drum, a first air moving fan(140), a second air moving fan(140'), and a motor(118). The drying drum is mounted in a cabinet. The first air moving fan sends air to the drying drum. The second air moving fan is driven independently from rotation of the drying drum by moving air in the cabinet. The motor provides the rotation force to the drying drum. The first air moving fan is a sirocco fan, and the second air moving fan is an axial fan. The second air moving fan receives the driving force from the motor through a belt. The second air moving fan is driven by an additional motor.

Description

How Clothes Dryers and Clothes Dryers Work {CLOTHES DRYER AND OPERATING METHOD OF THE SAME}

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional clothes dryer.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a clothes dryer according to the present invention.

3 is a plan view of the clothes dryer according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the air flow fan linked to the drying drum.

5 is a perspective view showing a part of a clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a clothes dryer according to another embodiment of the present invention.

*** Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing ***

116: drying drum 118: drive unit

118 ': drive unit 140: first air flow fan

140 ': second air flow fan 141: belt

142: Belt

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a clothes dryer and a method of operating the clothes dryer. Specifically, the clothes dryer includes a heat pump system as a heat source, and includes two air flow fans to perform drying by an independent driving mechanism, and a method of operating the clothes dryer. Is related.

The clothes dryer may be classified into an exhaust method and a condensation method according to the treatment method of the wet air generated while drying the dry items. The former is a method of discharging the humid air discharged from the dryer to the outside, the latter is a method of condensing the wet air discharged from the dryer to remove the moisture and circulating the moisture-removed air back to the dryer.

Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional structure of a conventional clothes dryer of the exhaust system. As shown in the figure, the clothes dryer has a housing 10 having a front door 11 formed therein, a drum 12 rotatably installed in the housing 10, and an inside of the drum 12. A hot air guide duct 13 for guiding the hot air, a hot air discharge duct 14 for discharging hot air that has passed through the interior of the drum 12, and a blowing fan 15 for sucking and discharging external air; .

An opening 16 for introducing or removing laundry into the drum 12 is formed on the front surface of the housing 10 in which the door 11 is mounted. The drum 12 is rotated at a low speed by the motor 17 installed at the bottom of the housing 10. The motor 17 is provided to drive the drum 12 and the blowing fan 15 at the same time. To this end, the drive shaft 18 of the motor 17 extends to both sides of the motor 17, and the drive shaft 18 is provided. One end of is connected to the blowing fan 15, the other end is connected to the pulley 19 for rotating the drum (12). The pulley 19 is connected to a belt 20 installed to surround the drum 12.

Hot air discharge duct 14 is disposed between the lower portion of the front of the drum 12 and the blowing fan 15, one end of the filter 21 is installed, such as lint or the like contained in the hot air passing through the drum 12 It will filter foreign matter. The outlet of the blower fan 15 is made of a cylindrical pipe, and the exhaust duct 22 whose open end extends to the outside of the housing 10 is coupled. An opening / closing valve 23 is provided at the open end of the exhaust duct 22. When the blower fan 15 is operated, the exhaust duct 22 is opened by hot air. When the blower fan 15 is not operated, the exhaust duct 22 is exhausted. Closing the duct 22 prevents foreign matter from flowing in from the outside.

The coil heater 30 is installed at the upper portion of the hot air guide duct 13, and as the blowing fan 15 and the drum 12 rotate by the driving of the motor 17, the outside air passes through the heater 30. The heating is introduced into the drum 12 through the hot air guide duct 13. Therefore, the wet laundry introduced into the drum 12 is dried by the hot air, while the hot air passing through the drum 12 is discharged to the outside through the hot air discharge duct 14 and the exhaust duct 22.

In general, an exhaust type dryer has an intake duct and an exhaust duct connected to a rotatable drum provided inside a cabinet, and a heater is installed in the intake duct.

As the air outside the dryer is introduced into the intake duct by the driving of the fan, it is heated to a high temperature by a heater, where the heating temperature reaches about 100 ° C. This hot air flows into the drying drum inside the dryer to dry the dry matter inside the drum. In the drying process, the hot air contains moisture contained in the object to be dried, and high humidity air is discharged to the outside through the exhaust duct.

The conventional clothes dryer which transfers heat to the inlet air by using the heater can shorten the overall drying time by the rapid air heating of the heater, and can be manufactured in a large capacity, while the inlet air is heated by the heater. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that the energy consumption is large. In particular, since the dry object is dried with hot air at 100 ° C. or higher, the damage is likely to occur depending on the material of the dry object in the drying process.

On the other hand, the condensation type clothes dryer has the advantage of being able to be built-in type because there is no need for the exhaust duct to release air to the outside of the clothes dryer, and the energy efficiency is higher than the exhaust method, but drying time There is a disadvantage that it is difficult to manufacture a long and large capacity.

Under such a background, there is a need for an improved clothes dryer with high energy efficiency and no damage to the dry matter.

In addition, there is a need for a multifunctional clothing dryer capable of performing a drying operation in various driving modes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clothes dryer with high energy efficiency and little damage to the dry matter.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a new clothes dryer capable of performing the drying operation in various modes by differentiating the driving of the drying drum and the air flow fan in performing the drying operation.

The clothes dryer according to the invention is provided with a heat pump system as a heat source for carrying out drying of the dry matter.

In addition, the clothes dryer according to the present invention is a first air flow fan for generating a flow of air through the drying drum inside the cabinet and a second air flow fan for generating a flow of air outside the drying drum inside the cabinet It is provided.

The second airflow fan is characterized by generating a flow of air to at least one heat exchanger of the heat pump system.

Specifically, the present invention provides a drying drum mounted inside the cabinet; A first air flow fan causing a flow of air in the drying drum; A second air flow fan which causes air flow inside the cabinet and is driven independently of the rotation of the drying drum; It provides a clothes dryer comprising a motor for providing a rotational force to the drying drum.

In addition, the present invention, in the clothes dryer comprising a drying drum, providing a rotational force from the motor to the drying drum, and provides a rotational force to the first air flow fan in conjunction with the rotation of the drying drum from the motor, the drying Provided is a method of operating a clothes dryer characterized by providing a rotational force independent of the rotation of the drum to the second air flow fan.

The clothes dryer according to the present invention not only has a high drying efficiency, but can also perform drying in various modes.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a clothes dryer including a heat pump system according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a plan view showing the components installed in the clothes dryer bottom.

The drying drum 116 is a cylindrical structure, which is installed to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the cabinet 112, and a driving unit installed below the drying drum, preferably on the bottom surface of the cabinet 112. 118, for example, receives a rotational force from the motor. As for the transmission means of the rotational force, the belt extended and fastened to the outer peripheral surface of the drying drum 116 from the drive shaft of the drive part 118 is suitable.

The drying drum 116 is connected to the first air flow path 120 through which suction air flows, and the second air flow path 122 through which exhaust air discharged from the drying drum flows to the other side. Although the inlet may not be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 112, the outlet 122 ′ of the second air passage 122 may be exposed to the outside of the cabinet 112. . The shape of the first air passage 120 and the second air passage 122 need not be particularly limited, and the direction or position of each portion constituting the passage may be changed to suit the space inside the cabinet.

A first heat exchanger 130 is installed in the first air passage 120. The first heat exchanger 130 is a condenser and is changed to a heated state by applying heat from air flowing into the first air flow path 120. Therefore, the air passing through the first air flow path 120 enters the drying drum 116 in a heated state. The first air passage 120 may include a filter 121 for removing dust and the like from the air flowing into the inlet.

One side of the cabinet 112 is provided with an evaporator as the second heat exchanger 132. The first heat exchanger 130 and the second heat exchanger 132 form a thermodynamic cycle (steam compression cycle), and for this purpose, the cabinet 112 further includes a compressor 134 and an expansion mechanism 136. . Preferably, the compressor 134 and the expansion mechanism 136 are installed below the drying drum or lower than the drying drum, and the first heat exchanger 130 and the second heat exchanger 132 and the pipe 138 may be disposed on the compressor 134 and the expansion mechanism 136. Connected to form a closed loop. This vapor compression cycle acts as a heat pump on the air flowing through the first air flow path 130. In particular, the compressor 134 is provided on the inlet side of the first air flow path 120 to provide heat to the incoming air to assist the heating of the first heat exchanger 130 to the incoming air. Therefore, while the heating effect of the inlet air is doubled, the cooling effect of the compressor 134 can be obtained, and the overall efficiency of the steam compression cycle system is improved.

The first air flow fan 140 is installed in the second air flow passage 122. The first air flow fan 140 receives the rotational force from the driving unit 118 and the air is discharged to the outside through the second air flow path 122 from the first air flow path 120 through the drying drum 116 Generate a flow.

The other air flow fan 140 'is mounted on the other side of the driving unit. The second air flow fan 140 ′ may cool the driving unit when generating the air flow flowing to the driving unit 118.

The second heat exchange part 132 is preferably installed in a line with the second air flow fan 140 '. As the air flow generated from the second air flow fan 140 ′ passes through the second heat exchange part 132, the temperature drops, thereby further improving the cooling of the driving part 118. On the other hand, when air flows from the second air flow fan 140 ′ toward the second heat exchange part, the condensate generated on the surface of the second heat exchange part (eg, the evaporator) is easily removed. can do.

The second heat exchanger 132 may have an opening 112 ′ formed on the cabinet 112 at the rear. The opening 112 ′ may serve as an outlet of air cooled by the second heat exchanger 132.

The air entering the first air flow path 120 receives heat from the first heat exchanger 130 and is heated to a temperature of about 50 ° C. or higher, preferably 50 to 75 ° C. Each element constituting the cycle, that is, the first heat exchanger 130, the second heat exchanger 132, the compressor 134, the expansion mechanism 136, and the pipes 138 connecting them are all inside the cabinet 112. In particular, in the lower part of the drying drum 116.

The biggest feature of the present invention is that the driving of the two airflow fans 140, 140 'is linked to the rotation of the drying drum while the other is not. In this regard, first, a case in which two airflow fans rotate with a drying drum will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

4, the drying drum 116 is connected to the drive shaft of the drive unit 118 and the belt 141 is supplied with a rotational force. The first air flow fan 140 is connected to the front end of the drive shaft of the drive unit 118 and the second air flow fan 140 'is connected to the rear end thereof.

In the clothes dryer of the present invention employing a heat pump, the first airflow fan 140 generates a flow of air flowing into the drying drum 116 and may use, for example, a silocco fan. . The second air flow fan 140 ′ generates air flow at the second heat exchanger, for example, the evaporator side, and may use, for example, an axial fan. In such a structure, the second air flow fan 140 'is attached to the rear end of the driving unit 118 for rotating the drying drum 116 and is constrained to operate in the same direction as the drying drum.

As such, driving two airflow fans with one drive at the same time to drive one drying drum may have several advantages in the driving mechanism, but all the fans are constrained to the rotation of the drying drum, i.e. the rotation of the drying drum. The disadvantage is that the motion is constrained in the same rotational direction and in the same rotational speed.

However, various drying mechanisms or drying algorithms are required such as changing the air flow rate or changing the air flow direction by operating an air flow fan at a predetermined level or more depending on the characteristics of the dry matter. For example, if the temperature needs to be dropped to increase the efficiency of the components of the heat pump system inside the dryer, more airflow is required from the airflow fan. However, if the operation of the air flow fan is constrained by the rotation of the drying drum, there is a limit to increase the air volume. This is because if the rotation of the drying drum is increased too much, the drying efficiency decreases.

As a result, when the rotation direction of each air flow fan in the dryer is fixed to one, it is difficult to apply various drying mechanisms according to the building, and the operation of the dryer is inevitably simplified.

In the present invention, the airflow fan, in particular, the driving of the second airflow fan that does not generate air flow in the drying drum is independently controlled so as not to be constrained by the rotation of the drying drum.

5, there is shown a part of the configuration of the clothes dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the second air flow fan 140 ′ receives the driving force from the driving unit 118 by the belt 142. As shown in FIG. 4, the drying drum 116 is also driven with a driving force to the belt 141, but the drying drum 116 is changed through a change in the size of each belt and a diameter of a rotating shaft of each component to which the belt is mounted. Unlike the rotational speed of), it is possible to control the rotation of the second air flow fan. That is, the driving ratio of the drying drum and the second air flow fan can be controlled differently while using one driving unit.

When the second airflow fan and the driving unit are interlocked using the belt as described above, the central axis of the second airflow fan 140 ′ is somewhat spaced apart from the rotation axis of the driving unit 118. In this manner, the rpm of the second air flow can be adjusted to have a ratio relative to the rotational speed of the drying drum through an appropriate gear ratio, and thus the air volume of the second airflow fan can be controlled regardless of the rotational speed of the drying drum. have.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, there is further provided a separate drive unit for driving the second air flow fan. Referring to FIG. 6, a separate driving unit 118 ′ is installed in the second air flow fan 140 ′ to provide driving force. As such, when the independent driving unit is used, the second air flow fan 140 ′ and the separate driving unit 118 ′ may be supported by a support unit connected to the housing surrounding the second heat exchange unit 132. In addition, irrespective of driving of the drying drum 116 or the first air flow fan 140, the air volume and the air flow direction of the second air flow fan 140 ′ may be controlled.

When the air flow direction of the second air flow fan 140 'is directed toward the driving unit 118, the driving unit 118 may be cooled to increase the efficiency, and when directed toward the second heat exchange unit 132, the dry operation may also be performed. It is helpful to cool the second heat exchanger in the middle or to remove condensate generated on the surface thereof. In addition, when the drying operation is completed, the condensed water remaining on the surface or the bottom of the second heat exchanger may be forcibly evaporated by applying an algorithm independent of the operation of the dryer.

Clothes dryer according to the present invention has the advantage that can improve the assembly of the second air flow fan and the drive assembly. For example, assembly is very inconvenient when the belt for rotating the drying drum is coupled to a drive unit in which an airflow fan is mounted at the end. On the other hand, when the second air flow fan has a separate driving force transmission means, the driving drum is equipped with a belt for drying drum and the air flow fan is independently connected to the drive unit and the belt, or combined with a separate drive unit is very simple assembly process Become.

Looking at the drying process of the clothes dryer having such a configuration as follows. When the fan 140 is driven by the rotation of the driving unit 118, suction force is generated, and air outside the dryer flows into the inlet of the first air passage 120. The introduced air is changed to a high temperature while passing through the compressor 134 and the first heat exchanger 130 to reach one side of the drying drum 116. Air entering the drying drum is maintained at a temperature of about 50 to 75 ℃. The hot air maintaining this temperature can perform the drying smoothly without damaging the dry matter inside the drying drum 116. The hot air introduced into the drying drum 116 transfers heat while being in contact with the moisture-containing dry matter, and also receives moisture from the dry matter and exits the drying drum with high humidity air. Air discharged from the drying drum is discharged to the outside of the cabinet 112 through the second air flow path 122.

In this process, the second air flow fan 140 ′ may change the overall drying mode by variously changing the independent rotation speed and the rotation direction.

In the above description, the independent operation that is not linked to the rotation of the drying drum is described with respect to the second air flow fan that does not generate air flow to the drying drum. However, the same technical concept is applied to the first air flow fan, It would also be possible to allow the airflow fan to perform independent actuation that is not constrained to the rotational speed or direction of rotation of the drying drum.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an improved clothes dryer with high energy efficiency and little damage to the dry matter. In addition, the drying operation may be performed in various modes by independently driving the drying drum and the airflow fan. Thus, the consumer will be able to proceed with drying clothes of more advanced functions.

Claims (12)

A drying drum mounted inside the cabinet; A first air flow fan causing a flow of air in the drying drum; A second air flow fan which causes air flow inside the cabinet and is driven independently of the rotation of the drying drum; It comprises a motor for providing a rotational force to the drying drum Clothes dryer. The clothes dryer of claim 1, wherein the first air flow fan is a multi-role fan, and the second air flow fan is an axial fan. The clothes dryer of claim 1, wherein the second air flow fan receives a driving force from the motor by a belt. The clothes dryer of claim 1, further comprising a motor for driving the second air flow fan. The clothes dryer of claim 1, comprising a heat pump system as a heat source for the drying operation. 6. The clothes dryer of claim 5, wherein the second airflow fan provides air flow to at least one heat exchanger of the heat pump system. The clothes dryer of claim 1, wherein a rotation axis of the second air flow fan does not coincide with a drive shaft of the motor. A clothes dryer comprising a drying drum, Providing rotational force from the motor to the drying drum, Providing a rotational force in cooperation with the rotation of the drying drum from the motor to the first air flow fan, Providing a second air flow fan with a rotation force independent of the rotation of the drying drum. How clothes dryer works. The method of claim 8, wherein the rotation of the drying drum and the driving ratio from the motor to the second air flow fan is controlled to be different. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the motor and the second air flow fan are linked with a drive belt. The method of claim 8, wherein the second air flow fan is controlled so that the rotation, speed and rotation direction of the drying drum is different. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the second airflow fan receives rotational force from a separate motor.

Images