EP2762634A1

EP2762634A1 - Laundry dryer

Info

Publication number: EP2762634A1
Application number: EP13193780.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yoshiaki Ohnishi; Koutarou Umi; Jungo KATSUKI
Original assignee: Panasonic Corp
Current assignee: Panasonic Corp
Priority date: 2013-02-01
Filing date: 2013-11-21
Publication date: 2014-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2033-11-21
Also published as: CN103966813A; EP2762634B1; CN103966813B

Abstract

There is provided a laundry dryer 100 including a main body 9; a rotary drum 10 that accommodates laundry; a steam unit that supplies steam into the rotary drum 10; a tank 3 that stores water to be supplied to the steam unit; a water supply port 23 that supplies the water to the tank 3 and is open outward from the main body; and an air discharge port 27 that is disposed in the water supply port 23 and discharges air inside the tank 3.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a laundry dryer for drying laundry.

BACKGROUND ART

A laundry dryer in the related art has been proposed which includes a steam unit supplying steam to laundry in order to obtain an effect of reducing wrinkles of the laundry (for example, refer to European Patent No. 2317004 ).
Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of partially exploded laundry dryer 200 in the related art.
As illustrated in Fig. 9, main body 209 of laundry dryer 200 includes steam unit 201 that supplies steam, tank 203 that stores water for generating the steam inside steam unit 201, and water supply port 223 that supplies the water to tank 203. Air vent mechanism 204 is disposed above tank 203 in order to vent air inside tank 203 when supplying the water from water supply port 223 to tank 203.
However, in such a configuration in the related art, air vent mechanism 204 is disposed above tank 203, thereby leading to a complicated structure. There is a problem in that the water is likely to overflow from air vent mechanism 204 disposed above tank 203 and leak into main body 209 due to a failure or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in view of the above-described problem in the related art, and an object thereof is to provide a laundry dryer in which an air vent mechanism is simplified and even when water overflows from the air vent mechanism due to a failure or the like, the water does not continue to leak into a body of the laundry dryer.
A laundry dryer of the present invention includes a main body; a rotary drum that accommodates laundry; a steam unit that supplies steam into the rotary drum; a tank that stores water to be supplied to the steam unit; a water supply port that supplies the water to the tank and is open outward from the main body; and an air discharge port that is disposed in the water supply port and discharges air inside the tank.
According to this configuration, a simple configuration enables smooth water supply to the tank, and even when the water overflows from the air discharge port, it is possible to prevent water leakage into the body of the laundry dryer since the water is discharged outward from the body of the laundry dryer via the water supply port.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration in a side view of a laundry dryer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tank and a water supply port of the laundry dryer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a water supply port of a laundry dryer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of the water supply port of the laundry dryer according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the water supply port and a filter of the laundry dryer according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration in a side view of a laundry dryer according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration in a side view of a tank according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 8 is a schematic view when a water supply port of the tank is inserted to a panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of a partially exploded laundry dryer in the related art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

First Embodiment

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration in a side view of laundry dryer 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of tank 3 and water supply port 23 of laundry dryer 100.
Rotary drum 10 accommodating laundry is disposed inside main body 9 of laundry dryer 100. Opening 11 for a user to load or unload the laundry from front of main body 9 of laundry dryer 100 is formed in front (front surface side) of rotary drum 10. Door 12 for opening and closing opening 11 is disposed in front of main body 9.
Wet laundry is dried inside rotary drum 10. Steam generated by drying is temporarily stored in steam tank 13 installed below rotary drum 10. The steam becomes water inside steam tank 13, passes through steam hose 14, and is supplied to dehumidification water tank 15 installed above rotary drum 10.
Steam unit 1 generating the steam is disposed below rotary drum 10 in order to supply the steam into rotary drum 10. Steam unit 1 has a steam heater for heating the water supplied into steam unit 1 and instantaneously generating hot steam of 100°C or higher.
A chamber for vaporizing the supplied water is disposed and a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of an outer shell configuring the chamber is disposed inside steam unit 1. The steam generated in steam unit 1 is supplied from steam supply port 8 into rotary drum 10 through steam supply pipe 16. In this manner, laundry dryer 100 supplies hot steam to the laundry accommodated in rotary drum 10, thereby showing wrinkle reduction and deodorizing effects.
Tank 3 for storing the water is arranged in a lower portion of main body 9 in order to generate the steam inside steam unit 1. Water supply port 23 for supplying the water to tank 3 is disposed in the lower portion of main body 9. Water supply port 23 is open outward from main body 9. Water supply port 23 allows an inside of tank 3 and outer air outside main body 9 to communicate with each other.
In Fig. 1, an example has been illustrated where water supply port 23 is disposed to further protrude than front surface 41 of main body 9, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, as will be described later, recess 42 may be disposed on front surface 41 of main body 9, and water supply port 23 may be disposed to be open outward from main body 9 inside recess 42 (refer to Fig. 4).
Steam unit 1 includes steam pump 7 for supplying the water into steam unit 1. Steam pump 7 supplies the water from tank 3 into steam unit 1 through water supply pipe 6 connected to steam unit 1. Water supply pipe 6 is connected to tank 3 by hose joint 22. Float switch 4 which detects an amount of the water stored inside tank 3 is disposed inside hose joint 22.
As illustrated in Fig. 2, water supply opening 26 and air discharge port 27 are disposed in water supply port 23. Water supply opening 26 is used when injecting the water into tank 3. Air discharge port 27 is disposed so as to smoothly supply the water into tank 3 by discharging the air staying inside tank 3 when injecting the water into tank 3. Air discharge port 27 communicates with an inside of tank 3. The air inside tank 3 is pressed out from air discharge port 27 to be discharged by a raised water surface inside tank 3.
A user injects the water into water supply port 23 in order to supply the water into tank 3. The water supplied into water supply port 23 is supplied into tank 3 through water supply opening 26. The water supplied into tank 3 is stored inside tank 3 while pressing the air inside tank 3 outward.
The air pressed outward from tank 3 by the supplied water is discharged from air discharge port 27. If air discharge port 27 is not disposed and the water is supplied from water supply port 23, the air inside tank 3 is discharged from water supply opening 26. In this case, since water supply opening 26 performs both water supply and air discharge, the water supply into tank 3 is hindered, thereby causing unsmooth water supply.
However, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, air discharge port 27 is disposed in water supply port 23 separately from water supply opening 26. Accordingly, it is possible to separately perform the water supply into tank 3 and the air discharge outward from tank 3, thereby enabling smooth water supply into tank 3. In this manner, it is possible to smoothly perform the water supply by using a simple structure where air discharge port 27 is disposed in water supply port 23 leading to the outside air.
It is assumed that the water overflows from water supply port 23 due to a user's carelessness when supplying the water into tank 3. Even in this case, since water supply port 23 is disposed to further protrude forward than front surface 41 of main body 9, the water is discharged outward from the body of laundry dryer 100 through water supply port 23 which is open outward from main body 9. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the water leakage into main body 9.
Even when the water inside tank 3 overflows from air discharge port 27 due to a certain reason such as a failure, the water is similarly discharged outward from the body of laundry dryer 100 via water supply port 23. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the water leakage into main body 9, thereby improving safety.

Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of water supply port 23 of laundry dryer 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of water supply port 23, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of water supply port 23 and filter 31.
An entire basic configuration of laundry dryer 100 and a shape of tank 3 in the present embodiment are the same as those described in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will not be repeated.
As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, in the present embodiment, filter 31 is attached to water supply port 23. Filter 31 has water supply opening 26 and air discharge port 27. Filter 31 is disposed to be attachable to and detachable from water supply port 23 by engaging locking portion 44 disposed in filter 31 with end portion 45 of water supply port 23.
Filter 31 has mesh portion 32 in water supply opening 26 which supplies the water into tank 3. When supplying the water into tank 3, the water passes through mesh portion 32 and foreign matters contained in the water is filtered by mesh portion 32. This can prevent the foreign matters from being mixed into tank 3 during the water supply. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the foreign matters from entering steam unit 1 and thus, it is possible to prevent a heater performance from being degraded due to the deposited foreign matters inside the chamber.
Air discharge port 27 disposed in filter 31 has protruding portion 43 which protrudes in a tubular shape. As illustrated in Fig. 4, tip portion 46 of air discharge port 27 is arranged at a position higher than that of front end portion 48 of end portion 45 of water supply port 23. Front end portion 48 is disposed at the lowest position within end portion 45 of water supply port 23.
Air discharge port 27 and water supply opening 26 having mesh portion 32, which are disposed in filter 31, communicate with tank connection port 47 (refer to Fig. 5) which connects water supply port 23 and tank 3. In this manner, when supplying the water to tank 3, the water supply into tank 3 is performed separately from the air discharge outward from tank 3. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly supply the water into tank 3.
As illustrated in Fig. 4, recess 42 is disposed on front surface 41 of main body 9. Water supply port 23 is disposed inside recess 42 so as to be open outward from main body 9.
Above air discharge port 27 disposed inside water supply port 23, covering portion 30 close to air discharge port 27 is disposed in main body 9 so as to cover air discharge port 27. Above the front of air discharge port 27, rib 50 is disposed in main body 9. Front end portion 48 of water supply port 23 is disposed to further protrude forward than front surface lower portion 49 inside recess 42 of main body 9. Accordingly, when the water overflows from the inside of water supply port 23, the overflowing water is discharged outward from the body of laundry dryer 100 from front end portion 48 across front surface lower portion 49.
When supplying the water from water supply port 23 to tank 3, if an amount of the water which is supplied to water supply port 23 by a user is more than an amount of the water which can be circulated from water supply opening 26 into tank 3 per unit time, a level of the water inside water supply port 23 is raised. However, in the present embodiment, air discharge port 27 is arranged at a position higher than that of water supply opening 26. Therefore, air discharge port 27 is hardly submerged and there is no possibility that air discharge port 27 may be blocked by the water. Accordingly, the air inside tank 3 is not hindered from being discharged and the water inside water supply port 23 is smoothly supplied into tank 3 with the lapse of time.
It is assumed that the water overflows from water supply port 23 due to a user's carelessness or the like when supplying the water into tank 3. In this case, the water is discharged outward from the body of laundry dryer 100 from front end portion 48 disposed in water supply port 23. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the water leakage into the body of laundry dryer 100.
It is assumed that the water inside tank 3 overflows from air discharge port 27 due to a certain reason such as a failure. Even in this case, the water is similarly discharged outward from the body of laundry dryer 100 via water supply port 23. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the water leakage into the body of laundry dryer 100, thereby improving safety.
In the present embodiment, covering portion 30 is disposed above air discharge port 27. In this manner, dust such as lint is unlikely to enter air discharge port 27. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the foreign matters from being mixed into tank 3.
When a user supplies the water to water supply port 23, the user is deterred from erroneously supplying the water to air discharge port 27 by both covering portion 30 disposed close to the upper portion of air discharge port 27 and rib 50. This can prevent the user from performing an erroneous operation such as erroneous water supply to air discharge port 27.
Since filter 31 is configured to be attachable and detachable, it is possible to easily remove both of the foreign matters adhering to mesh portion 32 and the contamination of air discharge port 27. This facilitates maintenance work for mesh portion 32 and air discharge port 27. Accordingly, it is possible to smoothly and easily supply the water into tank 3 for a long period of time.
As described above, laundry dryer 100 of the first embodiment and the second embodiment includes main body 9; rotary drum 10 that accommodates the laundry; steam unit 1 that supplies the steam into rotary drum 10; and tank 3 that stores the water to be supplied to steam unit 1. In addition, laundry dryer 100 includes water supply port 23 that supplies the water to tank 3 and is open outward from main body 9; and air discharge port 27 that is disposed in water supply port 23 and discharges air inside tank 3.
In this manner, the structure is simplified by providing air discharge port 27 to water supply port 23 leading to the outside air. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly supply the water into tank 3. Even if the water overflows out from air discharge port 27, the water is discharged outward from the body of laundry dryer 100 via water supply port 23 which is open outward from main body 9 of laundry dryer 100. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the water leakage into the body of laundry dryer 100, thereby providing safe laundry dryer 100.
Air discharge port 27 may be formed on protruding portion 43 which protrudes in the tubular shape, inside water supply port 23.
According to this configuration, when supplying the water from water supply port 23 to tank 3, even if the level of the water is raised inside water supply port 23, since air discharge port 27 is arranged at the position higher than the height of the water overflowing from water supply port 23, air discharge port 27 is not submerged in the water and there is no possibility that air discharge port 27 may be blocked by the water. Accordingly, since the air inside tank 3 is not hindered from being discharged, it is possible to smoothly and easily supply the water into tank 3.
It is possible to prevent the foreign matters such as dust from entering air discharge port 27 with a simple structure by disposing covering portion 30 for covering air discharge port 27 in main body 9. Since an opening area of air discharge port 27 can be ensured, it is possible to efficiently discharge the air inside tank 3 while preventing the foreign matters from entering tank 3.
Attachable and detachable filter 31 is disposed in water supply port 23 and air discharge port 27 is disposed in filter 31. This configuration prevents the foreign matters from entering tank 3 due to the water supply. It is possible to easily remove both of the foreign matters adhering to filter 31 and the contamination of air discharge port 27 by attaching and detaching filter 31. Accordingly, the maintenance work for filter 31 and air discharge port 27 is facilitated, and it is possible to smoothly and easily supply the water into tank 3 for a long period of time.

Third Embodiment

Next, laundry dryer 150 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Fig. 6 is a schematic view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration in a side view of laundry dryer 150 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
Rotary drum 110 that accommodates laundry is disposed inside main body 109 of laundry dryer 150. Opening 111 is formed in front (front surface side) of rotary drum 110 in order for a user to load or unload the laundry from the front of main body 109. Door 112 is disposed in front of main body 109 in order to open and close opening 111.
The wet laundry is dried inside rotary drum 110. Dehumidification water is separated from steam generated by drying. The separated dehumidification water is temporarily stored in dehumidification water tank 113 installed in a lower portion of rotary drum 110.
The water stored in dehumidification water tank 113 is supplied to and stored in water discharging tank 115 disposed on rotary drum 110 via dehumidification water hose 114.
Steam unit 101 is disposed below rotary drum 110 in order to generate the steam to be supplied into rotary drum 110.
Steam unit 101 has a steam heater for heating the water supplied into steam unit 101 and instantaneously generating hot steam of 100°C or higher. A chamber for vaporizing the supplied water to evaporate is disposed and a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of an outer shell configuring the chamber is disposed inside steam unit 101.
The steam generated in steam unit 101 is supplied from steam generation port 108 into rotary drum 110 through steam supply pipe 116. In this manner, laundry dryer 150 supplies hot steam to the laundry accommodated in rotary drum 110, thereby showing wrinkle reduction and deodorizing effects.
Tank 103 for storing the water is arranged in a lower portion of main body 109 in order to generate the steam inside steam unit 101. Tank 103 and steam unit 101 are connected to each other by water supply pipe 106. The water stored in tank 103 is supplied into steam unit 101 through water supply pipe 106 by steam pump 107. The steam generated inside steam unit 101 is discharged from steam generation port 108 to rotary drum 110 through steam supply pipe 116.
Fig. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a cross-sectional configuration in a side view of tank 103 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
As illustrated in Fig. 7, tank 103 has hose joint 122 which connects water storage unit 121 and water supply pipe 106. Float switch 104 is disposed inside hose joint 122. Tank 103 has bellows portion 131 capable of stretching and bending. The water supplied from water supply port 123 is stored in water storage unit 121, hose joint 122 and bellows portion 131. The stored water is sucked by steam pump 107 and supplied into steam unit 101 through water supply pipe 106.
In the present embodiment, water storage unit 121 and bellows portion 131 are configured to have a flexible member such as rubber or resin. Therefore, tank 103 has a stretching and bending ability and thus, is resistant to vibration and shock. This enables tank 103 to be arranged by effectively utilizing an empty space inside main body 109. For example, when arranging tank 103 in a narrow place, even if the vibration and the shock are applied thereto, tank 103 alleviates the vibration and the shock. Therefore, it is possible to obtain high reliability and no water leakage.
Junction 124 which is an attachment portion to water supply port 123 of tank 103 is formed to have a size that matches a size of water supply port 123. Therefore, an attachment work is facilitated and workability can be improved. This also facilitates replacement of parts due to failure occurrence, and thereby reducing time and effort during service management.
Fig. 8 is a schematic view when water supply port 123 of tank 103 is inserted to panel 130 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 illustrates a state where water supply port 123 is inserted to panel 130 configuring a front surface of main body 109.
As illustrated in Fig. 8, tank 103 is coupled to other piping parts inside main body 109 and in a fixed state inside main body 109. When water supply port 123 is caused to pass through panel 130, bellows portion 131 of tank 103 is stretched and as illustrated in Fig. 8, water storage unit 121, bellows portion 131 and both ends of water supply port 123 are aligned so as to have a linear shape. Water supply port 123 and a portion of bellows portion 131 are caused to pass through a hole disposed on panel 130. Thereafter, bellows portion 131 is bent again such that water supply port 123 is lifted up facing upward to be fixed thereto. As illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, this configuration enables water supply port 123 to be installed facing upward on a front surface of main body 109.
In this manner, even when tank 103 is in a fixed state to main body 109, tank 103 has bellows portion 131. Therefore, water supply port 123 is caused to easily pass through panel 130 and thus, it is possible to improve workability.
In the present embodiment, water storage unit 121 and bellows portion 131 are integrally configured to have a hose of the flexible member formed of a hollow tube. This changes a length of tank 103 and can adjust water storage capacity. Accordingly, even if there are variations in assembling the configuring parts inside main body 109 which are coupled to tank 103, it is possible to adjust the water storage capacity to be a predetermined amount by changing the length of tank 103. According to the present embodiment, the water storage capacity inside tank 103 is not affected by assembling accuracy and shows an effect in obtaining a constant amount of steam.
Water storage unit 121 and bellows portion 131 are integrally configured to have the hose of the flexible member formed of a hollow tube. Therefore, it is possible to arrange tank 103 by bending tank 103 and effectively utilizing the empty space inside main body 109. In the present description, the hose is referred to as those having a tubular shape and in which a cross-section thereof has a hollow shape surrounded by a circle or a polygon. The cross-section does not necessarily have a uniform thickness and may have a partially thick portion or a partially thin portion.
In this manner, by allowing tank 103 to have a shape of a hose formed of the flexible member, it is possible to change the shape and increase a degree of freedom in design, thereby facilitating arrangement even in the narrow space. Therefore, it is possible to miniaturize laundry dryer 150 by effectively utilizing the empty space inside main body 109 and arranging tank 103 therein.
Tank 103, being formed of the flexible member, is resistant to the vibration and the shock. Accordingly, even when the vibration and the shock are applied to tank 103 arranged in the empty space, the water leakage is unlikely to occur.
It is possible to further increase flexibility of tank 103 by a configuration having bellows portion 131 capable of stretching and bending. Accordingly, it is possible to arrange tank 103 by effectively utilizing the empty space inside main body 109. Bellows portion 131 in a bent state is connected to water supply port 123. Therefore, the attachment work of tank 103 and water supply port 123 is facilitated. Moreover, it is possible to improve reliability on the junction state since excessive stress does not act on the junction with water supply port 123.
Since tank 103 is formed of the hose adapted to have the hollow tube, the flexibility of tank 103 is not only increased, but also the arrangement is facilitated in the narrow space. Therefore, it is possible to arrange tank 103 by effectively utilizing the empty space inside main body 109.
As described above, in laundry dryer 150 according to the present embodiment, tank 103 is configured to have the flexible member. Therefore, it is possible to arrange tank 103 by effectively utilizing the empty space inside main body 109. Accordingly, without being limited to laundry dryer 150 or a washing machine having a drying function, the present invention can also be adapted for uses in household appliances or business appliances which have a tank for storing water in advance, such as humidifiers or microwaves with a steam function for example.
For tank 3 described in the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the configuration of tank 103 described in the third embodiment can also be adapted. That is, it is also possible to adapt the configuration having bellows portion 131 or to form tank 3 to have the flexible member.
In contrast, the configuration of water supply port 23 described in the first embodiment can be adapted to the configuration of water supply port 123 of tank 103 described in the third embodiment. More specifically, for example, water supply port 123 may be configured to have an air discharge port that discharges air inside tank 103.
As described above, laundry dryer 150 according to the third embodiment includes rotary drum 110 that accommodates the laundry; steam unit 101 that supplies the steam into rotary drum 110; tank 103 that stores the water to be supplied to steam unit 101; and water supply port 123 that supplies the water to tank 103. Tank 103 is formed of the flexible member. This can arrange tank 103 by effectively utilizing the empty space inside main body 109. Since laundry dryer 150 is resistant to the vibration and the shock, even when the vibration and the shock are applied to tank 103 arranged in the empty space, the water leakage is unlikely to occur.
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve exceptional effects in that the air vent mechanism can be simplified and the water does not leak into the body of the laundry dryers even when the water overflows from the air vent mechanism due to a failure. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the laundry dryers or washing and drying machines for drying the laundry, but can be advantageously adapted to various uses in appliances having a tank which needs the water supply.

Claims

A laundry dryer comprising:
a main body;

a rotary drum that accommodates laundry;

a steam unit that supplies steam into the rotary drum;

a tank that stores water to be supplied to the steam unit;

a water supply port that supplies the water to the tank and is open outward from the main body; and

an air discharge port that is disposed in the water supply port and discharges air inside the tank.
The laundry dryer of Claim 1,
wherein the air discharge port is formed on a protruding portion which protrudes in a tubular shape inside the water supply port.
The laundry dryer of Claim 1 or 2,
wherein a covering portion which covers the air discharge port is disposed in the main body.
The laundry dryer of any one of Claims 1 to 3,
wherein a filter is disposed to be attachable to and detachable from the water supply port, and
wherein the air discharge port is disposed in the filter.
The laundry dryer of Claim 1,
wherein the tank is formed of a flexible member.
The laundry dryer of Claim 5,
wherein the tank has a bellows portion capable of stretching and bending.
The laundry dryer of Claim 5 or 6,
wherein the tank is formed of a hose which is formed of a hollow tube.