JPH01223997A - Vacuum drying method in washing machine and washing machine with vacuum drying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to constitute integrally with a washing machine and to dry at a low temperature by providing a lid to close up a receiver drum tight, an electromagnetic valve to close an exhaust port of a receiver drum at a time of vacuum drying and a vacuum pump to draw a vacuum in a receiver drum. CONSTITUTION:When washing is finished, water drains from an exhaust hole 3 of a receiver drum 1 and a spin basket 2 is rotated at a high speed. After washed clothes are dehydrated, an electromagnetic valve 14 is closed and vacuum pumps 7, 16 are worked. After a specified time is passed, an electromagnetic valve 14 is opened and air is supplied. Repetition of a vacuum creation and an air supply completes drying. As the upper part of the receiver drum 1 is hermetically closed with a lid, pressure in the receiver drum is reduced, and a boiling point is lowered. Thus, drying at a comparatively low temperature is possible.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a vacuum drying method for a washing machine that performs drying by lowering the boiling point by lowering the atmospheric pressure, and a washing machine equipped with a vacuum drying device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a washing machine and a dryer are provided separately, and these dryers are usually equipped with a heater heated by electricity, gas, etc.
The laundry that has been dehydrated in the washing machine is rotated and dried. It is also conceivable to equip the washing machine itself with a heater for drying, but it is mechanically unreasonable and has not been put to practical use.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Such conventional washing machines require a separate dryer, which increases the volume required for installation.

Furthermore, since drying is performed using a heater, the ambient temperature rises and some fibers are not suitable for use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum drying method for a washing machine and a washing machine equipped with a vacuum drying device that can be integrated with the washing machine and can be dried at a low temperature.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the vacuum drying method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, after the dehydration process, the process of closing the electromagnetic valve and driving the vacuum pump to perform evacuation, and the process of opening the electromagnetic valve to supply air are repeated.

Further, the washing machine with a vacuum device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, this is a washing machine that stores laundry in a receiver, which is a water tank, and stirs it together with liquid to wash the laundry. It includes a solenoid valve that closes during vacuum drying, and a vacuum pump that evacuates the inside of the receiving cylinder.

[Function] With the above configuration, at the end of washing, the dehydration tank is rotated at high speed to drain water from the drain hole of the receiver, and after the laundry is dehydrated, the solenoid valve is closed and the vacuum pump is operated. After a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the vacuum pump is activated, the electromagnetic valve is opened to supply air, and drying is performed by repeating evacuation and air supply. Since the upper part of the receiving cylinder is airtightly closed by the lid, the pressure inside the receiving cylinder is reduced and the boiling point is lowered. This facilitates drying even at relatively low temperatures.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the construction of a vacuum drying method and apparatus in a washing machine according to the present embodiment, and reference numeral 1 indicates a receiver made of a pressure-resistant container. At the time of washing, water and laundry are stored in the receiving tube 1, and the rotation of the motor 15 rotates the blades 21 to agitate the water in the receiving tube 1 to perform washing. A dehydration tank 2 is disposed inside this receiving tube 1, and when washing is finished, this dehydration tank 2 is rotated at high speed by a motor 15, and the water centrifuged from the laundry is pumped through small holes 4.
The particles are scattered further and captured in the receiving tube 1.

A removably configured lid body 5 is arranged above the receiving cylinder 1. This lid body 5 is attracted to the upper end of the receiving tube 1 during evacuation, and the inside of the receiving tube 1 is maintained at a high vacuum. Reference number 3 indicates the drain hole, and the solenoid valve 6 is used during the washing drain process.
When the drain hole 3 is opened, water is drained to the outside of the washing machine through the drain hole 3.

Normally, drainage is performed during the rinsing and final spin-drying steps, but the washing machine according to this embodiment differs from conventional devices in that the solenoid valve 6 is closed again after the final spin-drying step. That is, in the automatic washing machine according to this embodiment, which operates in the order of water supply, washing, drainage, dehydration, water supply, rinsing, drainage, and dehydration,
A drying step is added after the dehydration step. Before starting the drying process, in order to keep the receiving tube 1 confidential, the passages leading to the outside, such as the drain hole 3, are shut off by the electromagnetic valve 6. In the figure, reference number 7 indicates a vacuum pump, which performs evacuation through a suction hole 8 provided separately from the drain hole 3.

This evacuation lowers the air pressure inside the receiver tube 1, which lowers the boiling point of the water adhering to the laundry, causing the water to boil and vaporize. This vaporized water vapor is discharged from the receiving tube 1 as the vacuum is drawn, and serves to further speed up the drying of the laundry.

Incidentally, the suction hole 8 may not be provided, and the vacuum may be drawn from the drain hole 3 using a three-way valve or the like. Although not shown in the figure, it is also possible to shorten the drying time by disposing a heating device around the receiving tube 1 and heating it to some extent during vacuum drying.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the receiving tube of this embodiment has sufficient strength to withstand even if the internal pressure drops during evacuation.

After the above-mentioned evacuation has been performed for a predetermined period of time, the electromagnetic valve 6 is opened and air is supplied into the receiver cylinder l.

By repeating this evacuation and air supply, drying is performed efficiently.

FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram showing an example of the control circuit of the washing machine according to the present embodiment.

In the figure, reference number 10 indicates a CPU, and the CPU 10 is configured to be able to perform all controls. C
PtJ 10 has a ROM that stores a control program.
II and a timer 12 are connected, and an interface section 13 is connected to the output circuit. A solenoid valve 14 , a dehydration motor 15 , and a vacuum pump 16 are further connected to the interface section 13 . These solenoid valve 14 and vacuum pump 16 correspond to solenoid valve 6 and vacuum pump 7, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the washing machine according to this embodiment. In FIG. 3, when it is confirmed in step 5100 that the washing is completed, step 510
At step 1, the solenoid valve 14 is opened and water is drained. Next, in step 5LO2, the dehydration motor 15 is energized to perform centrifugal dehydration.

When the centrifugal dehydration is completed, the solenoid valve 14 is closed in step 5103, and the vacuum pump 16 is energized in step 5104 to begin the vacuum drying process. Step 510
In step 5, it is determined whether the vacuum drying process has been performed a predetermined number of times, and if the predetermined number of times is not reached, step 8106
At this point, the solenoid valve 14 is opened and air is supplied. When it is confirmed in step 5107 that air has been supplied for a predetermined period of time, the control moves to step 5103, the solenoid valve 14 is closed, and the vacuum drying process is performed again in step 5104. In step 5105, a predetermined number of times (N
) Once it is confirmed that the vacuum drying and air supply steps have been performed, all steps are completed.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the present invention has the effect of providing a vacuum drying method and device for a washing machine that can be integrated with the washing machine and can be dried at low temperatures.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a vacuum drying device having a built-in vacuum drying device in the washing machine according to the present embodiment, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the control circuit of the washing machine of the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is an implementation example. It is a flowchart which shows the drying operation in the control circuit of an example. In the figure, 1... Receiver, 2... Dehydration tank, 3... Drain hole, 4... Small hole, 5... Lid, 6, 14... Solenoid valve, 7.16 ...Vacuum pump, 8...Suction hole, 1o.
...cPU, 11...ROM, 12...timer, 1
3...Interface unit, 15...Motor. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A washing machine that stores laundry in a receiver, which is a water tank, and stirs it together with liquid to wash the laundry, which includes a lid that securely seals the receiver, and a drain hole provided in the receiver. A washing machine equipped with a vacuum drying device, comprising a solenoid valve that closes during vacuum drying, and a vacuum pump that evacuates the inside of the receiving cylinder. (2) After the dehydration step, a step in which a solenoid valve is closed and a vacuum pump is driven to perform evacuation, and a step in which the solenoid valve is opened to supply air are repeatedly performed. Vacuum drying method for washing machines.