JP7438507B2 - Washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washer/dryer.

The washer/dryer described in Patent Document 1 below includes an outer tank in which water is stored, an inner tank disposed in the outer tank to accommodate laundry, and a circulation air path. The circulation air path includes an air inlet and an air outlet connected to the outer tank, and a blower unit having a blower, a heater, and a drying filter. In the drying operation, when the blower operates, the air in the outer tank is sucked into the circulation air passage through the air suction port and circulated so as to flow into the outer tank through the air discharge port. The circulating air is heated by a heater within the circulating air path. The heated air dries the laundry in the inner tub. The dry filter has a mesh-like filter element, and the filter element captures foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the circulation air path.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-244984

In the washer/dryer described in Patent Document 1, if the filter element of the drying filter becomes clogged, air cannot circulate smoothly during drying operation, so it is expected that drying performance will be degraded, such as lengthening of drying time and increased power consumption. be done. Therefore, in order to prevent such deterioration of drying performance, the user must frequently remove and clean the drying filter, which is time-consuming.

The present invention has been made against this background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washer/dryer that can improve usability in terms of drying operation and suppress deterioration in drying performance.

The present invention provides a washing tub having an inner tub for storing laundry, an outer tub for accommodating the inner tub and storing water, and a circulation path having a take-out port and a return port. a circulation path for circulating the air by taking out the air from the take-out port into the circulation path and returning it to the washing tub from the return port; and a blowing section that sends the air in the circulation path to the return port; A heating part that heats the circulating air, and a space that forms the bottom of the outer tub and is connected to the outlet and stores water in the outer tub, which flows from the inside of the washing tub toward the outlet. and a water filter that captures foreign matter from the air by passing the air through the water in the space.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the water filter is integrally formed at the bottom of the outer tank.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the washer/dryer includes an outflow channel that also serves as a drainage channel for discharging water in the outer tank and drains water in the space.

According to the present invention, during the drying operation of the washer/dryer, the air blower operates so that the air in the washing tub is taken out from the outlet into the circulation path and returned to the washing tub from the return port. do. The circulating air is heated by the heating section to become hot air, which dries the laundry in the inner tub of the washing tub. A water filter that has a space for storing water in the outer tank passes air from the inside of the washing tub toward the outlet for circulation through the water in the space, thereby capturing foreign matter from the air and bringing it into the space. Accumulate. In this case, if the water in the space is discarded, the foreign matter accumulated in the space will also be discharged along with the water, making maintenance of the water filter easy. Therefore, the usability of the drying operation can be improved.
Since the space for the water filter constitutes the bottom of the outer tank, the space for arranging the outer tank and the surrounding space can be effectively utilized to increase the size of the space, that is, the water filter. By increasing the size of the water filter, it is possible to increase the flow rate of air from the washing tub through the space of the water filter toward the outlet for circulation. Therefore, during the drying operation, drying air can be smoothly circulated, so that deterioration in drying performance can be suppressed.

Further, according to the present invention, since the water filter is integrally formed at the bottom of the outer tank, the water filter can be increased in size by enlarging the bottom of the outer tank for the water filter. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

Further, according to the present invention, the outflow channel for discharging water in the space of the water filter also serves as a drainage channel for discharging water in the outer tank, so that the number of parts can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a typical vertical cross-sectional right view of the washer-drying machine based on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the principal part of the washer-dryer concerning a modification.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional right side view of a washer/dryer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1 is referred to as the left-right direction X of the washer-dryer 1, the left-right direction in FIG. It's called Z. In the left-right direction X, the back side in the paper of FIG. 1 is called the left side X1, and the near side in the paper of FIG. 1 is called the right side X2. In the longitudinal direction Y, the left side in FIG. 1 is referred to as the front side Y1, and the right side in FIG. 1 is referred to as the rear side Y2. In the vertical direction Z, the upper side is referred to as upper side Z1, and the lower side is referred to as lower side Z2.

The washer/dryer 1 is a so-called drum type washer/dryer, and performs a washing operation, a rinsing operation, a dehydration operation, and a drying operation. The washer/dryer 1 includes a casing 2 forming the outer shell, a washing tub 5 disposed within the casing 2 and having an outer tub 3 and an inner tub 4, a water supply channel 6 connected to the outer tub 3, and an outer tub. and a water filter 7 provided in the tank 3. The washing/drying machine 1 includes an outflow path 8 connected to a water filter 7, a drainage filter 9 provided in the middle of the outflow path 8, a motor 10 for rotating the inner tub 4, and a washing tub 5 inside the housing 2. and a drying unit 11 arranged around the.

The housing 2 is formed into a box shape. The front surface 2A of the housing 2 is, for example, a vertical surface. An opening 2B that communicates between the inside and outside of the housing 2 is formed in the front surface 2A. The front surface 2A is provided with a door 15 that opens and closes the opening 2B, and a display operation section 16 that includes a switch, a liquid crystal panel, and the like. The user can freely select the operating conditions of the washer/dryer 1 or instruct the washer/dryer 1 to start or stop operation by operating the switches on the display/operation unit 16. I can do it. Information regarding the operation of the washer/dryer 1 is visually displayed on a liquid crystal panel or the like of the display/operation unit 16.

The outer tub 3 constituting the washing tub 5 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer tank 3 includes a cylindrical circumferential wall 3A centered on an axis J that extends horizontally along the front-rear direction Y, and a disc-shaped back surface that is vertically arranged and closes the hollow part of the circumferential wall 3A from the rear side Y2. It has a wall 3B and a ring-shaped front wall 3C connected to the front edge of the circumferential wall 3A. A through hole 3D that penetrates the back wall 3B in the front-rear direction Y along the axis J is formed at the center of the back wall 3B. The front wall 3C includes an annular first front section 3E that projects from the front edge of the circumferential wall 3A toward the axis J side, and a cylindrical second front section 3F that projects from the inner peripheral edge of the first front section 3E toward the front side Y1. and an annular third front part 3G extending from the front edge of the second front part 3F toward the axis J side. On the inside of the third front section 3G, an entrance/exit 3H is formed in a hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A, communicating from the front side Y1. The entrance/exit 3H faces the opening 2B of the housing 2 from the rear side Y2 and is in communication with the opening 2B.

The lower end portions of each of the circumferential wall 3A, the back wall 3B, and the front wall 3C constitute a bottom portion 3J of the outer tank 3. The lower outer peripheral portion of the circumferential wall 3A is the lower end portion of the circumferential wall 3A. A through hole 3K is formed in the bottom portion 3J. In this embodiment, the through hole 3K is formed to penetrate in the vertical direction Z through a rear region of the lower end of the circumferential wall 3A. A tubular guide path 3L extending from the through hole 3K to the lower side Z2 is provided in the bottom portion 3J. The outer tank 3 is connected to the housing 2 via a support member 17 such as a shock absorber, and is elastically supported by the support member 17. The support members 17 are rod-shaped and extend in the vertical direction Z, and there are a plurality of them. In this embodiment, the four support members 17 are arranged in two rows on the left and right and two rows in the front and back. Each support member 17 has a lower end connected to the bottom wall 2C of the housing 2, and an upper end connected to the lower outer periphery of the circumferential wall 3A.

The inner tank 4 is formed into a cylindrical shape that is one size smaller than the outer tank 3, and is housed coaxially within the outer tank 3. The inner tub 4 can accommodate laundry L therein. The inner tank 4 includes a cylindrical circumferential wall 4A disposed coaxially with the circumferential wall 3A of the outer tank 3, a disc-shaped back wall 4B that closes the hollow part of the circumferential wall 4A from the rear side Y2, and a circumferential wall. It has an annular annular wall 4C extending from the front end edge of 4A toward the axis J side. In the inner tank 4, a plurality of through holes 4D are formed at least in the circumferential wall 4A. At the center of the back wall 4B of the inner tank 4, a support shaft 18 is provided that extends along the axis J toward the rear side Y2. The rear end portion of the support shaft 18 passes through the through hole 3D of the rear wall 3B of the outer tank 3 and is disposed on the rear side Y2 of the rear wall 3B.

An entrance/exit 4E is formed inside the annular wall 4C and communicates with the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 4A from the front side Y1. The entrance/exit 4E faces and communicates with the entrance/exit 3H of the outer tank 3 and the opening 2B of the housing 2 from the rear side Y2. The entrance/exit 3H and the entrance/exit 4E are opened and closed together by the door 15 along with the opening 2B. A user of the washer/dryer 1 takes laundry L into and out of the inner tub 4 through the opened opening 2B, entrance/exit 3H, and entrance/exit 4E.

The water supply channel 6 has one end (not shown) connected to a faucet (not shown) and the other end 6A connected to, for example, the circumferential wall 3A in the outer tank 3. Since the other end portion 6A is provided with an elastically deformable portion 6B formed of, for example, a bellows hose, vibrations of the outer tank 3 are suppressed from being transmitted to the entire water supply channel 6. At the time of water supply, water from the faucet is supplied into the outer tank 3 from the water supply channel 6. Water such as tap water or detergent water containing detergent dissolved in tap water is stored in the outer tank 3. Water in the outer tank 3 flows back and forth between the outer tank 3 and the inner tank 4 via the through hole 4D of the inner tank 4. Therefore, the water level in the outer tank 3 and the water level in the inner tank 4 match. A water supply valve 19 that is opened and closed in order to start and stop water supply is provided in the middle of the water supply channel 6.

The water filter 7 is provided at the bottom 3J of the outer tank 3 within the housing 2. The water filter 7 includes a box-shaped container 20 made of resin, for example. The container 20 has, for example, a plate-shaped bottom wall 21 that extends horizontally, and a cylindrical side wall 22 that edges the outer edge of the bottom wall 21 and rises from the bottom wall 21 toward the upper side Z1. The entire upper end of the side wall 22 is connected to the bottom 3J, specifically to the lower end of the circumferential wall 3A of the outer tank 3. The container 20 constitutes the bottom 3J of the outer tank 3. In this embodiment, the entire water filter 7 including the container 20 is integrally formed with the bottom 3J as part of the outer tank 3, and is provided so as to protrude from the circumferential wall 3A to the lower side Z2. The container 20 is arranged in a space between the circumferential wall 3A and the bottom wall 2C of the housing 2, specifically, in a space S surrounded by the four support members 17.

The internal space 20A of the container 20 is surrounded by the bottom wall 21, the side wall 22, and the bottom 3J, and constitutes a space inside the water filter 7. A guide path 3L provided in the bottom 3J of the outer tank 3 is arranged in the internal space 20A. The lower end of the guide path 3L is arranged apart from the bottom wall 21 above Z1. The guide path 3L may be considered as part of the container 20.

The outflow channel 8 is connected to the lower end of the container 20 of the water filter 7, for example to the bottom wall 21 of the container 20. Since the end of the outflow path 8 connected to the container 20 is provided with an elastically deformable portion 8A formed of, for example, a bellows hose, vibrations of the outer tank 3 are suppressed from being transmitted to the entire outflow path 8. In the middle of the outflow path 8, a drain valve 25 is provided which is opened and closed to start and stop draining. When the drain valve 25 is closed, a portion of the water supplied into the outer tank 3 flows down the guide path 3L and accumulates in the internal space 20A of the container 20, as shown by the broken line arrow V1. That is, the internal space 20A of the container 20 stores the water in the outer tank 3. When the drain valve 25 opens, the water in the container 20 flows out into the outflow path 8 and is discharged outside the machine. Further, the water in the outer tank 3 sequentially flows through the guide path 3L and the inside of the container 20, and is discharged from the outflow path 8 to the outside of the machine. That is, the outflow channel 8 also serves as a drainage channel for discharging the water in the outer tank 3. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts.

The drain filter 9 is provided in an upstream region of the outflow path 8 closer to the water filter 7 than the drain valve 25 is. Since the front end of the drainage filter 9 is exposed on the front surface 2A of the housing 2, the user can attach or remove the drainage filter 9 from the housing 2 by grasping the front end of the drainage filter 9. As the configuration of the drainage filter 9, a known configuration can be used.

The motor 10 is disposed within the housing 2 on the rear side Y2 of the rear wall 3B of the outer tank 3. The motor 10 is connected to a support shaft 18 provided in the inner tank 4. The driving force generated by the motor 10 is transmitted to the support shaft 18, and the inner tank 4 rotates around the axis J together with the support shaft 18. Note that a clutch mechanism (not shown) may be provided between the motor 10 and the support shaft 18 to transmit or interrupt the driving force of the motor 10 to the support shaft 18.

The drying unit 11 includes a circulation path 30 connected to the outer tank 3 , a blower section 31 that generates a flow of air within the circulation path 30 , and a heating section 32 that heats the air within the circulation path 30 . The circulation path 30 is a flow path arranged in the housing 2 at the rear side Y2 and the upper side Z1 of the outer tank 3. The circulation path 30 includes a horizontal portion 30A extending horizontally in the front-rear direction Y, a rear portion 30B extending from the rear end of the horizontal portion 30A to the lower side Z2, and a front portion 30C extending from the front end of the horizontal portion 30A to the lower side Z2. and is fixed to the housing 2.

The lower part of the rear part 30B is bent toward the front side Y1, and an outlet 30D is formed at the front end of the lower part of the rear part 30B. The outlet 30D is connected to the side wall 22 of the container 20 of the water filter 7, and communicates with the inside of the container 20, that is, the internal space 20A from the rear side Y2. A return port 30E is formed at the lower end of the front portion 30C. The return port 30E is connected to, for example, the upper end of the second front section 3F of the front wall 3C in the outer tank 3, and communicates with the inside of the outer tank 3 from the upper side Z1. At both ends of the circulation path 30 connected to the outer tank 3 and the container 20, elastic deformation portions 30F constituted by, for example, a bellows hose are provided. This suppresses the vibration of the outer tank 3 from being transmitted to the entire circulation path 30.

The blowing unit 31 is a so-called blower, and includes, for example, a rotary blade 33 disposed at a rear end within the horizontal portion 30A of the circulation path 30, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the rotary blade 33. When the rotary blade 33 rotates due to the operation of the air blower 31, the air in the washing tub 5 flows from the guide path 3L of the bottom 3J of the outer tub 3 to the water filter, as shown by broken line arrows V1, V2, V3, and V4. After flowing into the container 20 of No. 7 and taken out into the circulation path 30 from the outlet 30D, it is sent to the return port 30E within the circulation path 30, and returned to the washing tub 5 from the return port 30E. Thereby, the air in the washing tub 5 circulates through the washing tub 5 and the circulation path 30 in order.

The heating unit 32 is a heat exchanger in a heat pump, a general heater, or the like. At least a portion of the heating section 32 is provided in a downstream area on the outlet 30D side of the air blowing section 31 in the circulation path 30, specifically, on the front side Y1 of the air blowing section 31 in the horizontal portion 30A. A portion of the heating section 32 provided within the circulation path 30 has a plurality of fin-shaped heat radiating sections 34 . When the heating section 32 operates, the heat radiating section 34 becomes high in temperature, so when the blowing section 31 is operating, the air flowing in the circulation path 30 for circulation is heated as it passes around the heat radiating section 34. It becomes hot air.

The washer/dryer 1 further includes a control unit 40, a water level sensor 41, and a temperature sensor 42. The control unit 40 is configured as a microcomputer including, for example, a CPU, a memory such as a ROM or RAM, and a timer for measuring time, and is built in the housing 2. Each of the motor 10 , display operation section 16 , water supply valve 19 , drain valve 25 , ventilation section 31 , heating section 32 , water level sensor 41 , and temperature sensor 42 is electrically connected to the control section 40 .

The control unit 40 controls the rotation of the motor 10 to cause the motor 10 to generate a driving force, or to stop the rotation of the motor 10. When the user operates the display operation section 16 to select the operating conditions for the laundry L, the control section 40 accepts the selection. The control unit 40 controls the display of the display operation unit 16. The control unit 40 controls opening and closing of the water supply valve 19 and the drain valve 25. When the control unit 40 opens the water supply valve 19 with the drain valve 25 closed, tap water from the faucet flows through the water supply channel 6, is supplied from the other end 6A of the water supply channel 6 to the outer tank 3, and is collected therein. As described above, a portion of the water supplied into the outer tank 3 flows down the guide path 3L and also accumulates in the internal space 20A of the container 20. When the control unit 40 opens the drain valve 25, the water in the outer tank 3 sequentially flows through the guide path 3L, the internal space 20A of the container 20, and the outflow path 8, and is discharged to the outside of the machine.

The control unit 40 operates the blower unit 31 to generate wind that flows from the outlet 30D to the return port 30E within the circulation path 30, and circulates the air between the inner tank 4 and the circulation path 30. The control unit 40 operates the heating unit 32 to turn the air circulating between the inner tank 4 and the circulation path 30 into hot air.

The water level sensor 41 is a known sensor that detects the water level in the container 20 of the water filter 7, and is attached to a suitable location in the container 20, for example. The detected value of the water level sensor 41 is input to the control unit 40 in real time.

As the temperature sensor 42, a known temperature sensor can be used. The temperature sensor 42 is attached to the outer tank 3, for example. The temperature sensor 42 detects the temperature of the air inside the washing tub 5, thereby detecting the temperature of the air circulating in response to the operation of the blower section 31. The detected value of the temperature sensor 42 is input to the control unit 40 in real time.

The control unit 40 operates the motor 10 to open and close the water supply valve 19 and the drain valve 25, respectively, thereby performing a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dewatering operation in this order. The rinsing operation may be performed multiple times, and the dehydration operation may be performed between a washing operation and a rinsing operation, or between a rinsing operation and the next rinsing operation.

Prior to the start of the washing operation, detergent is poured into the inner tank 4. In the washing operation, the control unit 40 closes the drain valve 25 and opens the water supply valve 19 for a predetermined time to supply water from the water supply channel 6 into the washing tub 5, and then rotates the inner tub 4 with the motor 10. As a result, the laundry L in the inner tub 4 is washed by beating. In tumble washing, the laundry L is repeatedly lifted to a certain extent and then naturally falls to the water surface, tumbling. Dirt is removed from the laundry L by the impact caused by tumbling and the detergent components contained in the detergent water collected in the inner tub 4. After a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of tumbling, the controller 40 opens the drain valve 25 to drain water, and the washing operation ends.

In the rinsing operation, the control unit 40 opens the water supply valve 19 for a predetermined time to supply water into the washing tub 5, and then rotates the inner tub 4 with the motor 10. Then, since the above-described tumbling is repeated, the laundry L is rinsed with tap water in the inner tub 4. When the control unit 40 drains water after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of tumbling, the rinsing operation ends. During the dehydration operation, the control unit 40 rotates the inner tank 4 for dehydration while keeping the drain valve 25 open. The laundry L in the inner tub 4 is dehydrated by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the inner tub 4 for dehydration. Water seeped out of the laundry L due to dehydration is discharged from the outflow path 8 to the outside of the machine.

After the dehydration operation, the control unit 40 operates the blower unit 31 and the heating unit 32 to control opening and closing of the water supply valve 19 and the drain valve 25, thereby executing the drying operation. In the washer/dryer 1, only the drying operation may be performed without passing through the washing operation, rinsing operation, and dehydration operation.

When starting the drying operation, the control unit 40, for example, operates the heating unit 32 to preheat the heat radiation unit 34 of the heating unit 32, and opens the water supply valve 19 with the drain valve 25 closed. Thereby, after water from the faucet is supplied into the washing tub 5, it flows down from the guide path 3L into the container 20 of the water filter 7 and accumulates in the container 20. At this time, the control unit 40 preferably stops the blower unit 31 so that the water in the container 20 does not scatter. When the water level in the container 20 detected by the water level sensor 41 rises to the reference water level W near the lower end of the guide path 3L, the function of the water filter 7 becomes effective, so the control unit 40 closes the water supply valve 19 to supply water. end. At this time, an area Z1 above the lower end of the guide path 3L in the washing tub 5 is in an empty state where no water is present.

After water is supplied to the water filter 7, the control unit 40 operates the blowing unit 31 while continuing to operate the heating unit 32. As a result, the air in the washing tub 5 flows into the container 20 of the water filter 7 from the guide path 3L of the outer tub 3, is taken out into the circulation path 30 from the outlet 30D, and enters the washing tub 5 from the return port 30E. cycle back to . The circulating air is heated by the heating unit 32 to become hot air, thereby drying the laundry L in the inner tub 4 of the washing tub 5.

Specifically, first, the air in the washing tub 5 is exposed to the laundry L in the inner tub 4 and absorbs moisture from the laundry L. This facilitates drying of the laundry L. The air that has absorbed moisture from the laundry L in the washing tub 5 becomes humid air, descends in the guide path 3L, and flows into the container 20 of the water filter 7, as shown by the broken line arrow V1. The air flowing into the container 20 descends through the water collected in the container 20, changes direction before the bottom wall 21 of the container 20, and rises in the water. At this time, this air is dehumidified by exchanging heat with the water in the container 20. Further, foreign matter such as lint and dust contained in this air is captured by the water in the container 20 and accumulates in the container 20 together with the water.

The air from which moisture and foreign matter have been removed in this manner further rises above the water surface in the container 20 and heads towards the outlet 30D of the side wall 22. The air that has reached the outlet 30D flows into the circulation path 30 from the outlet 30D and rises within the rear portion 30B of the circulation path 30, as shown by the broken line arrow V2. Then, as shown by the broken line arrow V3, this air passes through the rotary vanes 33 of the blower section 31 and flows inside the horizontal portion 30A of the circulation path 30 to the front side Y1, and at this time, the heat dissipation section 34 of the heating section 32 is It is reheated by passing through it. The reheated air descends in the front portion 30C of the circulation path 30 toward the return port 30E, as shown by the broken line arrow V4, and is supplied into the washing tub 5 from the return port 30E, and is fed into the inner tub 4. It is reused for drying the laundry L. As described above, since the air from which foreign matter and moisture have been removed by the water filter 7 flows through the circulation path 30, foreign matter may not be deposited on the inner surface of the circulation path 30, the rotating blades 33 of the blower section 31, or the heat dissipation section 34 of the heating section 32. It can prevent moisture from adhering to the surface.

When the laundry L in the inner tub 4 is dried, the detected value of the temperature of the air in the washing tub 5 by the temperature sensor 42 reaches a predetermined value. In response, the control section 40 stops the operation of the heating section 32 and the blowing section 31, opens the drain valve 25, and drains the container 20 of the water filter 7.

When the water in the container 20 runs out, the drying operation ends. The control unit 40 may determine whether or not the water in the container 20 has run out based on the detection result of the water level sensor 41 or based on the elapse of the required time. This required time is determined in advance through experiments and the like, and is stored in the memory of the control unit 40. Since the inside of the container 20 is emptied in this way, it is possible to prevent mold and germs from propagating inside the container 20 due to water remaining in the container 20 between the end of the drying operation and the start of the next drying operation.

Foreign matter guided to the outflow path 8 as the container 20 drains is captured by the drainage filter 9. If the user removes the foreign matter accumulated in the drain filter 9, the user has also removed the foreign matter inside the container 20, so there is no need for the user to access the water filter 7 and perform maintenance to remove foreign matter from the container 20. . Therefore, maintenance of the water filter 7 becomes easy, and the usability of the drying operation can be improved. Note that the drainage filter 9 may be omitted, and in that case, the foreign matter guided to the outflow path 8 passes through the outflow path 8 and is directly discharged to the outside of the machine.

As described above, in the drying operation of the washer/dryer 1, the water filter 7 having the internal space 20A directs air from the inside of the washing tub 5 toward the outlet 30D for circulation to the water in the internal space 20A of the container 20. By passing the air through the air, foreign matter is captured from the air and stored in the internal space 20A. In this case, if the water in the internal space 20A is discarded, the foreign matter accumulated in the internal space 20A will also be discharged along with the water, making maintenance of the water filter 7 easy. Therefore, the usability of the drying operation can be improved.

Since the internal space 20A of the water filter 7 constitutes the bottom 3J of the outer tank 3, it is possible to effectively utilize the arrangement space of the outer tank 3 and the space around it to increase the size of the internal space 20A, that is, the water filter 7. can. In particular, by effectively utilizing a relatively wide space S previously secured on the lower side Z2 of the outer tank 3 in order to support the outer tank 3 by the support member 17 as a space for arranging the water filter 7, the water filter 7 can be placed in a small space. It can be enlarged to match S. When the water filter 7 is installed in the middle of the circulation path 30, the space for arranging the water filter 7 is restricted and the internal space 20A becomes small, creating air resistance, which reduces the air volume in the water filter 7. Losses may increase. However, in this embodiment, by increasing the size of the water filter 7, it is possible to increase the flow rate of air from the washing tub 5 through the interior space 20A toward the outlet 30D for circulation. Therefore, in the drying operation, the loss of air volume in the water filter 7 can be reduced and drying air can be smoothly circulated, so that deterioration in drying performance can be suppressed.

In this embodiment, the water filter 7 is integrally formed on the bottom 3J of the outer tank 3. Therefore, by enlarging the bottom portion 3J of the outer tank 3 for the water filter 7, the water filter 7 can be enlarged. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts. In particular, since the water filter 7 is integrated with the outer tub 3, it can vibrate together with the outer tub 3 while the washer/dryer 1 is in operation. 17 can be used to absorb vibrations of the water filter 7. This makes it possible to further reduce the number of parts.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of main parts of a washer/dryer 1 according to a modification. In FIG. 2, the same parts as those described so far are given the same reference numerals, and the description of the parts will be omitted. As in the modification shown in FIG. 2, the container 20 of the water filter 7 may be provided as a separate component from the outer tank 3 and attached to the bottom 3J of the outer tank 3 afterward. In this case, the bottom 3J is provided with a recess 3M that is recessed toward the lower side Z2, and the container 20 is accommodated in the recess 3M. Further, the container 20 has a ceiling wall 50 that is connected to the upper end of the side wall 22 and covers the internal space 20A from the upper side Z1, and the ceiling wall 50 is formed with a through hole 50A that communicates with the internal space 20A. Water in the outer tank 3 flows into the internal space 20A through the through hole 50A. Furthermore, air circulating during the drying operation flows from the washing tub 5 into the container 20 through the through hole 50A. In addition, 3 A of circumferential walls of the outer tank 3 may be divisible into front and back like a modification.

This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

For example, in the drum type washer/dryer 1 in the embodiment described above, the inner tub 4 may be arranged so that the axis J is inclined in the horizontal direction. Further, the washer/dryer 1 may be a vertical washer/dryer in which the axis J extends vertically.

In the embodiment described above, the water supply channel 6 and the water supply valve 19 can be used not only to supply water to the washing tub 5 but also to supply water to the water filter 7. Similarly, the outflow path 8 and the drain valve 25 can be used not only for draining water from the washing tub 5 but also for draining water from the water filter 7. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of parts. If there is no need to consider reducing the number of parts, the washer/dryer 1 includes an inflow channel (not shown) that branches from the water supply channel 6 and supplies water to the container 20 of the water filter 7, and an inflow channel. It may also include an inlet valve (not shown) that opens and closes the inflow valve. The washer/dryer 1 includes a drain channel (not shown) extending from the bottom 3J of the outer tub 3 and drawn out of the machine, and a drain filter 9 and a drain valve 25 are disposed in the middle of the drain channel to remove water. An outflow channel 8 from the filter 7 may join this drainage channel. In this case, an outflow valve (not shown) for opening and closing the outflow path 8 may be provided separately from the drain valve 25. That is, a dedicated inflow path, inflow valve, outflow path 8, and outflow valve may be provided for the water filter 7.

The washer/dryer 1 may further include an overflow channel (not shown) for forcibly discharging water exceeding a predetermined water level in the washing tub 5. The overflow channel connects the outer tank 3 and a downstream region closer to the outside of the machine than the drainage filter 9 in the outflow channel 8 . If the water in the water filter 7 is about to overflow, the water in the water filter 7 may be discharged to the outside of the machine through this overflow channel. Of course, a dedicated overflow channel for the water filter 7 may be provided separately.

1 Washing/drying machine 3 Outer tub 3J Bottom 4 Inner tub 5 Washing tub 7 Water filter 8 Outflow path 20A Internal space 30 Circulation path 30D Outlet 30E Return port 31 Air blower 32 Heating part L Laundry

Claims (3)

a washing tub having an inner tub for accommodating laundry; and an outer tub for accommodating the inner tub and storing water;
A circulation path having a take-out port and a return port, the air in the washing tub being taken out from the take-out port into the circulation path and returned to the washing tub from the return port to be circulated. ,
a blower unit that sends air in the circulation path to the return port;
a heating section that heats the circulating air;
A space configured at the bottom of the outer tank to which the outlet is connected and which receives and stores water that flows down from a space in the outer tank above the bottom to the bottom , and from inside the washing tub. a water filter that captures foreign matter from the air by passing air toward the outlet through water in the space. The washer/dryer further includes a plurality of support members that support the outer tub from below the outer tub,
The washer/dryer according to claim 1, wherein the water filter is arranged in a space surrounded by the plurality of support members . The washer/dryer according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an outflow path that also serves as a drainage path for discharging water from the outer tank and allows water in the space to flow out.

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