CN113748237A

CN113748237A - Drum washing machine

Info

Publication number: CN113748237A
Application number: CN202080028920.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 铃木肇
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-04-23
Filing date: 2020-02-27
Publication date: 2021-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2040-02-27
Also published as: CN113748237B; JP2020178786A; JP7398691B2; WO2020215888A1

Abstract

The invention provides a drum washing machine which can well perform washing by using steam. A drum washing machine (1) is provided with: the washing machine comprises an outer cylinder (20) arranged in a box body (10), a roller (23) which is arranged in the outer cylinder (20) and can rotate around a horizontal shaft, a steam nozzle (51), a steam supply part (60), a detergent nozzle (53), a detergent supply part (80), a water spray nozzle (52), a water supply part (70), a steam supply part (60) and a control part (201) for controlling the work of the detergent supply part (80) and the water supply part (70). A control unit (201) performs: in the steam injection process, the steam supply part (60) is operated to inject high-pressure steam from the steam nozzle (51). Further, before the steam injection process, the control unit (201) performs: a detergent liquid injection step of operating a detergent supply unit (80) to inject detergent liquid from a detergent nozzle (53); and a water spraying step for operating the water supply unit (70) to spray water from the water spray nozzle (52) following the detergent liquid spraying step.

Description

Drum washing machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a drum washing machine. The drum washing machine can continuously perform washing to drying, and can perform washing but not drying.

Background

Conventionally, in a drum washing machine, a horizontal shaft type drum is rotated in an outer tub storing water to a predetermined water level, and laundry is tumbled by a lifting rib provided in the drum and is flapped against an inner circumferential surface of the drum, whereby the laundry is washed. At this time, the water stored in the outer tub penetrates into the laundry to wet the entire interior.

Patent document 1 below describes a drum washing machine in which steam generated by a steam generator is sprayed into a drum to quickly wet laundry.

Among the clothes, there are some clothes in which it is undesirable for water to penetrate into the inside thereof. For example, in a down jacket, since feathers are filled between an outer surface material and an inner surface material such as polyester, if water penetrates into the inside, the feathers are entirely wetted, and the feathers become hard and the fluffy feeling is easily impaired. Therefore, it is difficult to satisfactorily perform such washing in a washing method implemented by a conventional drum washing machine.

In addition, in the case of washing laundry having dirt adhered to the surface or a portion near the surface, water may be distributed over at least a portion near the surface to remove the dirt, and may not be distributed over the entire interior. However, when the conventional washing method is used for such washing, an amount of water exceeding the necessary amount is easily used, and water is wasted.

Therefore, in order to wash away dirt adhering to the surface of the laundry or the dirt near the surface of the laundry without accumulating water in the outer tub as in the related art, it is conceivable to use steam.

As described above, the drum washing machine of patent document 1 includes the steam generator. However, in the drum washing machine, the steam is sprayed to rapidly wet the laundry, and the pressure of the steam generated by the steam generating device is lower than the atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the force of the ejected steam on the laundry is weak, and it is difficult to impart a mechanical force to the laundry. Therefore, in the drum washing machine, it is difficult for the steam to be ejected to exert a cleaning force for removing dirt attached to the surface of the laundry or the dirt near the surface.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2004-298614

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drum washing machine which can perform washing with steam satisfactorily.

Means for solving the problems

A drum washing machine according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: an outer cylinder disposed in the case; a drum disposed in the outer cylinder and rotatable about a horizontal axis or a rotation axis inclined with respect to the horizontal direction; a steam nozzle spraying high-pressure steam to the inside of the drum; a steam supply unit configured to supply high-pressure steam to the steam nozzle; a detergent nozzle spraying detergent liquid to the inside of the drum; a detergent supply unit for supplying a detergent liquid to the detergent nozzle; a water spray nozzle spraying water to the inside of the drum; a water supply part supplying water to the water spray nozzle; and a control part for controlling the operations of the steam supply part, the detergent supply part and the water supply part. Here, the control section performs: and a steam injection step of operating the steam supply unit to inject high-pressure steam from the steam nozzle. Further, before performing the steam injection process, the control portion performs: a detergent liquid spraying step of operating the detergent supply part to spray the detergent liquid from the detergent nozzle, and a water spraying step of operating the water supply part to spray water from the water spray nozzle, following the detergent liquid spraying step.

According to the above configuration, since the steam spraying process is performed and the high pressure steam is sprayed from the steam nozzle to the inside of the drum, the steam can be vigorously blown to the laundry in the drum. Accordingly, not only a force for removing dirt due to the heat and moisture of the steam but also a mechanical force due to the blowing of the steam can be applied to the laundry in the drum, and therefore, the dirt attached to the surface or the vicinity of the surface of the laundry can be favorably peeled off.

In addition, since the detergent liquid spraying process is performed before the steam spraying process, the detergent liquid is sprayed from the detergent nozzle to the inside of the drum, and therefore, the detergent can be contained on the surface of the laundry in the drum or in the vicinity of the surface. Therefore, when the steam spraying process is performed, the dirt of the clothes can be better peeled off by the action of the detergent activated by the heat of the steam.

Further, since the water spraying process is performed following the detergent liquid spraying process and water is sprayed from the water spray nozzle into the drum, water can be contained on the surface of the laundry in the drum or in the vicinity of the surface, and the detergent liquid can be diffused by the water and spread over the laundry.

In the drum washing machine according to the present aspect, the control unit may perform the water spraying process after the steam spraying process.

According to the above-described structure, dirt peeled from the laundry during the steam spraying is easily removed from the laundry in such a manner as to be washed away by water showered on the laundry. Therefore, the dirt is not easily reattached to the laundry. Further, since the laundry is cooled by the water, the temperature of the laundry is not likely to rise excessively, and damage to the laundry due to heat can be prevented.

In the case of the above configuration, the controller may repeat the steam injection step and the water injection step following the steam injection step.

With such a structure, the time for each steam spraying process can be shortened, so that the temperature of the clothes is not easy to rise excessively during the steam spraying process, and the damage of the heat to the clothes can be prevented.

In the case of the above configuration, a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature related to a temperature of the laundry in the drum may be further provided. In this case, the control part adjusts the time of the water spray process following the steam spray process according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection part.

With such a structure, damage to the clothes due to heat can be further prevented.

In the drum washing machine according to the present aspect, a structure may be adopted in which the drum washing machine further includes a driving unit for driving the drum. In this case, the control part operates the driving part to rotate the drum in the steam spraying process, the detergent liquid spraying process, and the water spraying process.

According to the above configuration, since the laundry is agitated by the rotation of the drum, the high-pressure steam, the detergent liquid, and the water can be brought into contact with the laundry without a dead space, and uneven washing can be prevented.

A drum washing machine according to a second aspect of the present invention includes: an outer cylinder disposed in the case; a drum disposed in the outer cylinder and rotatable about a horizontal axis or a rotation axis inclined with respect to the horizontal direction; a steam nozzle spraying high-pressure steam to the inside of the drum; a steam supply unit configured to supply high-pressure steam to the steam nozzle; a detergent nozzle spraying detergent liquid to the inside of the drum; a detergent supply unit for supplying a detergent liquid to the detergent nozzle; a water spray nozzle spraying water to the inside of the drum; a water supply part supplying water to the water spray nozzle; and a control part for controlling the operations of the steam supply part, the detergent supply part and the water supply part. Here, the control section performs: and a steam injection step of operating the steam supply unit to inject high-pressure steam from the steam nozzle. Further, before performing the steam injection process, the control portion performs: and a detergent liquid injection step of operating the detergent supply part to inject the detergent liquid from the detergent nozzle. Further, after the steam injection process is performed, the control portion performs: a water spraying process of operating the water supply part to spray water from the water spray nozzle.

Further, since the water spraying process is performed after the steam spraying process and water is sprayed from the water spray nozzle to the inside of the drum, dirt peeled from the laundry during the steam spraying process is easily removed from the laundry in such a manner that the dirt is washed off by the water sprayed onto the laundry. Therefore, the dirt is not easily reattached to the laundry. Further, since the laundry is cooled by the water, the temperature of the laundry is not likely to rise excessively, and damage to the laundry due to heat can be prevented.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drum washing machine capable of satisfactorily performing washing using steam.

The effects and significance of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description of the embodiments. However, the following embodiments are merely examples for carrying out the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing a structure of a drum washing machine according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 (a) is a front sectional view of a main part showing the arrangement structure of the steam nozzle, the water nozzle, and the detergent nozzle to the outer tub in the embodiment. Fig. 2 (b) is a sectional view showing the structure of a steam nozzle according to the embodiment, and fig. 2 (c) is a sectional view showing the structure of a water nozzle and a detergent nozzle according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a structure of the drum washing machine according to the embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing a control process of the washing operation in the steam washing mode according to the embodiment.

Fig. 5 (a) and (b) are flowcharts illustrating control processes of a steam cleaning process and a steam rinsing process, respectively, included in the washing operation in the steam washing mode according to the embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control process for adjusting the second water supply time of the water spray course according to the temperature of the laundry heated through the steam spray course in modification 1.

Description of the reference numerals

10: a box body; 20: an outer cylinder; 23: a drum; 30: a drive motor (drive unit); 51: a steam nozzle; 52: a water spray nozzle; 53: a detergent nozzle; 60: a steam supply section; 70: a water supply part; 80: a detergent supply part; 201: a control unit; 205: a temperature sensor (temperature detection unit).

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a drum washing machine having no drying function, which is an embodiment of the drum washing machine according to the present invention, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing the structure of a drum washing machine 1. Fig. 2 (a) is a front sectional view showing a main part of the arrangement structure of the steam nozzle 51, the water nozzle 52 and the detergent nozzle 53 of the outer tub 20. Fig. 2 (b) is a sectional view showing the structure of the steam nozzle 51, and fig. 2 (c) is a sectional view showing the structures of the water nozzle 52 and the detergent nozzle 53.

The drum washing machine 1 includes a rectangular cabinet 10. A circular inlet 11 for inputting laundry is formed in the front surface of the housing 10 at the center. The inlet 11 is covered with a door 12 that can be opened and closed.

Inside the case 10, an outer cylinder 20 is elastically supported by a plurality of dampers 21 and springs 22. A drum 23 is rotatably disposed in the outer cylinder 20. The drum 23 rotates about a horizontal axis. The drum 23 has a circular opening 23a on the front surface, and the outer cylinder 20 has a circular opening 20a in front of the opening 23a of the drum 23. The opening 20a of the outer cylinder 20 faces the inlet 11, and is closed by the door 12 together with the inlet 11. The peripheral edge 20b of the opening 20a of the outer cylinder 20 and the peripheral edge 11a of the inlet 11 of the housing 10 are connected by an annular gasket 24 made of an elastic material.

A plurality of dewatering holes 23b are formed in the inner circumferential surface of the drum 23. Further, an annular balancer 25 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 23 in the vicinity of the opening 23a, and three lift ribs 26 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of the lift ribs 26 has an approximately triangular prism shape, extends in the axial direction of the drum 23, and is hollow inside.

A drive motor 30 for generating torque to drive the drum 23 is disposed behind the outer cylinder 20. The drive motor 30 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. In the washing process and the rinsing process, the motor 30 is driven to rotate the drum 23 at a rotational speed at which a centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 23 is smaller than a gravity. On the other hand, during the spin-drying process, the motor 30 is driven to rotate the drum 23 at a rotational speed at which the centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 23 is much greater than the gravity. The drive motor 30 corresponds to a drive unit of the present invention.

A drain port 20c is formed in the bottom of the outer cylinder 20. The drain valve 40 is provided in the drain port portion 20 c. The drain valve 40 is connected to a drain hose 41. When the drain valve 40 is opened, the water accumulated in the outer cartridge 20 is discharged to the outside of the machine through the drain hose 41.

In the outer tub 20, a steam nozzle 51, a water nozzle 52, and a detergent nozzle 53 are arranged above the peripheral edge 20b of the opening 20 a. As shown in fig. 2 (a), the detergent nozzle 53 is disposed at the highest position of the peripheral portion 20b, the water spray nozzle 52 is disposed at the left side of the detergent nozzle 53, and the steam nozzle 51 is disposed at the left side of the water spray nozzle 52. The steam nozzle 51, the water nozzle 52, and the detergent nozzle 53 spray high-pressure steam, water, and detergent liquid, respectively, into the drum 23.

As shown in fig. 2 (b), the steam nozzle 51 is composed of an elongated cylindrical pipe body 100 whose middle portion is bent at an obtuse angle. The pipe body 100 has a bending angle of about 120 degrees and an inner diameter of about 6mm, for example. The opening at the proximal end of the tube 100 is an inlet 100a, and the opening at the distal end of the tube 100 is an outlet 100 b.

The water spray nozzle 52 and the detergent spray nozzle 53 have the same configuration. As shown in fig. 2 (c), the water spray nozzle 52 and the detergent nozzle 53 are composed of a pipe body 100 similar to the steam nozzle 51 and a nozzle body 110 attached to an opening at a tip end portion of the pipe body 100. The nozzle body 110 sprays, i.e., atomizes, the liquid from the spray opening 111 so that the spray pattern is circular and a cone having a uniform flow rate distribution is formed. The inner diameter of the nozzle body 110 is set to about 1mm, for example.

As shown in fig. 2 (a), the steam nozzle 51, the water nozzle 52, and the detergent nozzle 53 have base ends positioned outside the outer tube 20, and distal ends penetrating the peripheral edge 20b and projecting into the outer tube 20 so as to face the center of the opening 20 a. The steam nozzle 51, the water nozzle 52, and the detergent nozzle 53 have

injection ports

100b and 111 directed toward the vicinity of the center of the drum 23.

The case 10 includes: a steam supply part 60 for supplying high-temperature and high-pressure steam to the steam nozzle 51, a water supply part 70 for supplying water to the water spray nozzle 52, and a detergent supply part 80 for supplying detergent liquid to the detergent nozzle 53.

The steam supply unit 60 includes: a steam generating device 61 for generating high-temperature and high-pressure steam, a steam supply pipe 62 for guiding the steam generated by the steam generating device 61 to the steam nozzle 51, a water supply pipe 63 for supplying water to the steam generating device 61, and a first water supply valve 64. The steam generator 61 includes: a steam box (Boiler Tank)65, a heater 66 disposed in the steam box 65, and a supply valve 67 for opening and closing a steam outlet 65a provided in the steam box 65. The steam supply pipe 62 has one end connected to the supply valve 67 and the other end connected to the inlet 100a of the steam nozzle 51. One end of the water supply pipe 63 is connected to a water supply port 65b provided in the steam box 65, and the other end is connected to the first water supply valve 64. The first water supply valve 64 has a water supply port S1 common to a second water supply valve and a third water supply valve, which will be described later. A water supply hose extending from the faucet is connected to the water supply port S1.

When the first water supply valve 64 is opened, water from the faucet is supplied to the steam tank 65 through the water supply pipe 63, and the water is stored in the steam tank 65. When a predetermined amount of water is stored in steam box 65, first water supply valve 64 is closed. The heater 66 is operated and the water in the steam box 65 is heated by the heater 66. The water boils to produce steam in the steam box 65. At this point, the supply valve 67 has closed and the steam pressure in the steam box 65 increases as steam is generated. Thus, high-temperature and high-pressure steam is generated in the steam box 65.

When the supply valve 67 is opened, high-pressure steam is discharged from the steam outlet 65 a. In the steam generator 61 of the present embodiment, the maximum discharge pressure is set to, for example, about 0.4 MPa. The steam discharged from the steam outlet 65a reaches the steam nozzle 51 through the steam supply pipe 62, and is sprayed from the spray port 100b of the steam nozzle 51 toward the inside of the drum 23 through the opening 23 a. As shown in fig. 2 (a), the high-temperature and high-pressure steam injected from the steam nozzle 51 travels toward the vicinity of the center of the drum 23 while being diffused.

The steam supply pipe 62 is covered with an unillustrated heat insulator, and the steam supplied to the steam nozzle 51 is easily kept in a high-temperature state.

The water supply part 70 includes a water supply pipe 71 and a second water supply valve 72. One end of the water supply pipe 71 is connected to the second water supply valve 72, and the other end is connected to the inlet 100a of the water nozzle 52.

When the second water supply valve 72 is opened, water from the faucet reaches the water jet nozzle 52 through the water supply pipe 71, and is sprayed from the jet port 111 of the nozzle body 110 of the water jet nozzle 52 through the opening 23a into the drum 23. As shown in fig. 2 (a), the water sprayed from the water spray nozzle 52 spreads and travels to the vicinity of the center of the drum 23.

The detergent supply part 80 includes: a detergent box 81 that generates and accumulates detergent liquid, a detergent liquid supply pipe 82 and a supply pump 83 for guiding the detergent liquid in the detergent box 81 to the detergent nozzle 53, and a water supply pipe 84 and a third water supply valve 85 for supplying water to the detergent box 81. One end of the detergent liquid supply pipe 82 is connected to a drain port 81a provided in the detergent box 81, and the other end is connected to an inlet port 100a of the detergent nozzle 53. The supply pump 83 is provided in the middle of the detergent liquid supply pipe 82. One end of the water supply pipe 84 is connected to a water supply port 81b provided in the detergent box 81, and the other end is connected to a third water supply valve 85.

The powder or liquid detergent is fed into the detergent box 81 from an unillustrated inlet provided in the top surface of the detergent box 81. When the third water supply valve 85 is opened, a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the detergent box 81 through the water supply pipe 84. The water and the detergent are mixed in the detergent box 81 to generate a detergent liquid. When the supply pump 83 is operated, the detergent liquid in the detergent box 81 is supplied to the detergent nozzle 53 through the detergent liquid supply pipe 82. The detergent liquid reaching the detergent nozzle 53 is sprayed from the spray port 111 of the nozzle body 110 of the detergent nozzle 53 through the opening 23a toward the inside of the drum 23. As shown in fig. 2 (a), the detergent liquid sprayed from the detergent nozzle 53 spreads and travels to the vicinity of the center of the drum 23.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the structure of the drum washing machine 1.

In addition to the above configuration, the drum washing machine 1 further includes: a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, an operation unit 203, a water level sensor 204, a temperature sensor 205, a motor drive unit 206, a water supply drive unit 207, a drain drive unit 208, a heater drive unit 209, a valve drive unit 210, and a pump drive unit 211.

The operation section 203 includes: a power button 203a, a start button 203b, and a mode selection button 203 c. The power button 203a is a button for turning on and off the power of the drum washing machine 1. The start button 203b is a button for starting the operation. The mode selection button 203c is a button for selecting an arbitrary washing mode from a plurality of washing modes of the washing operation. The operation unit 203 outputs an input signal corresponding to a button operated by the user to the control unit 201.

The water level sensor 204 detects the water level in the outer tub 20, and outputs a water level signal corresponding to the detected water level to the controller 201. The temperature sensor 205 detects the temperature inside the outer tube 20, and outputs a temperature signal corresponding to the detected temperature to the control unit 201.

The motor drive unit 206 drives the drive motor 30 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201. The motor drive unit 206 includes a rotation sensor, an inverter circuit, and the like for detecting the rotation speed of the drive motor 30, and adjusts the drive power so that the drive motor 30 rotates at the rotation speed set by the control unit 201.

Water supply driving unit 207 drives first water supply valve 64, second water supply valve 72, and third water supply valve 85 in accordance with a control signal from control unit 201. The drain driving unit 208 drives the drain valve 40 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201.

The heater driving unit 209 drives the heater 66 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201. The valve driving unit 210 drives the supply valve 67 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201.

The pump driving unit 211 drives the supply pump 83 in accordance with a control signal from the control unit 201.

The storage section 202 includes an EEPROM, a RAM, and the like. The storage unit 202 stores programs for executing washing operations in various washing modes. The storage unit 202 stores various parameters and various control flags for executing these programs.

The control unit 201 controls the motor drive unit 206, the water supply drive unit 207, the drain drive unit 208, the heater drive unit 209, the valve drive unit 210, the pump drive unit 211, and the like in accordance with programs stored in the storage unit 202 based on respective signals from the operation unit 203, the water level sensor 204, the temperature sensor 205, and the like. As a result, in the washing operation in the steam washing mode, which will be described later, the controller 201 controls the operations of the steam supplier 60, the water supplier 70, the detergent supplier 80, and the drive motor 30.

Further, drum washing machine 1 performs washing operations in various washing modes based on the operation of operation unit 203 by the user.

The washing pattern includes a standard washing pattern. In the normal washing mode, water containing detergent is accumulated in the outer tub 20 to a predetermined water level corresponding to the load of the laundry in the drum 23 during washing, and the laundry immersed in the water is tumbled by repeating forward and reverse rotations of the drum 23. Water containing a detergent is impregnated into the laundry, and dirt attached to the surface and the inside of the laundry is removed by the force of the detergent and the mechanical force generated by tumbling.

When water containing detergent is accumulated in the outer tube 20, detergent liquid and water are sprayed from the detergent nozzle 53 and the water spray nozzle 52, respectively. Therefore, since the detergent liquid and the water easily reach the laundry when the water is supplied, the water containing the detergent easily penetrates the entire interior of the laundry when the water level in the outer tub 20 reaches a predetermined water level.

After the washing process, an intermediate dehydration process, a rinsing process, and a final dehydration process are sequentially performed. In the rinsing process, the drum 23 is also rotated in the forward and reverse directions in a state where water is stored in the outer tub 20 to a predetermined water level, and the laundry is tumbled.

The washing modes include a steam washing mode in addition to the standard washing mode. The steam washing mode is a washing mode as follows: clothes such as down jackets, etc., which are not desired to be wetted throughout the entire interior thereof, or clothes having dirt adhered to or near the surface thereof, are washed with steam so as not to accumulate water in the outer tube 20 to a predetermined water level.

Hereinafter, the washing operation in the steam washing mode will be described in detail.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing a control process of the washing operation in the steam washing mode. Fig. 5 (a) and (b) are flowcharts illustrating control processes of a steam washing process and a steam rinsing process, respectively, included in the washing operation of the steam washing mode.

When the start button 203b is pressed after the steam washing mode is selected through the mode selection button 203c, the washing operation of the steam washing mode starts. Before the washing operation is started, laundry such as down jackets is put into the drum 23, and detergent is put into the detergent box 81.

Referring to fig. 4, when the washing operation is started, control unit 201 first performs a preparation process (S1). That is, the controller 201 controls the first water feed valve 64 and the heater 66 of the steam supplier 60 to generate high-temperature and high-pressure steam in the steam box 65. Further, the controller 201 controls the third water supply valve 85 of the detergent supply unit 80 to generate a detergent liquid in the detergent box 81. When the generation of the high pressure steam and the detergent liquid is completed, the preparation process is ended.

The steam generation in the steam generator 61 by the control of the first water supply valve 64 and the heater 66 is continued until the steam rinsing process is finished and the final dehydration process is performed. That is, the heater 66 is operated when the amount of steam in the steam box 65 decreases, and the first water supply valve 64 is opened when the water in the steam box 65 decreases.

Next, the control section 201 performs the steam washing process (S2).

Referring to fig. 5 (a), in the steam washing process, the controller 201 first performs a detergent liquid injection process (S101). That is, the controller 201 operates the supply pump 83 of the detergent supply unit 80. Thereby, the detergent liquid is supplied to the detergent nozzle 53, and the detergent liquid is sprayed from the detergent nozzle 53 into the drum 23. The amount of sprayed detergent liquid is set to, for example, 0.5L/min. The control unit 201 alternately rotates the drive motor 30 in the forward direction and the reverse direction with stopping while spraying the detergent liquid. The drum 23 repeats the forward rotation and the reverse rotation with stopping, and the laundry in the drum 23 is agitated. The rotation speed of the drum 23 is set to 30rpm, for example, and is lower than the rotation speed of the drum 23 during the washing in the standard washing mode. Thus, the laundry is gently agitated. The sprayed detergent liquid touches the surface of the clothes without dead corners, and the detergent liquid spreads over the surface and most parts near the surface. The detergent liquid injection process is performed for a detergent supply time set in advance, for example, 1 minute. When the detergent supply time elapses, the control unit 201 stops the supply pump 83.

Next, the control unit 201 performs a water spraying process (S102). That is, the controller 201 opens the second water supply valve 72 of the water supply unit 70. Thereby, water is supplied to the water nozzle 52, and water is sprayed from the water nozzle 52 into the drum 23. The amount of water sprayed is, for example, 1L/min. At this time, the agitation of the laundry by the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 23 is continuously maintained. The sprayed water reaches the surface of the laundry without dead space, the detergent liquid contained in the laundry is diffused by the water, and the detergent liquid spreads over a wider area than the surface of the laundry and the vicinity of the surface.

The water spraying process is performed for a first water supply time set in advance, for example, 5 seconds. When the first water supply time elapses, the control part 201 closes the second water supply valve 72.

Next, the control section 201 performs a steam injection process (S103). That is, the control section 201 opens the supply valve 67 of the steam supply section 60. Thereby, the high-temperature and high-pressure steam is supplied to the steam nozzle 51, and the high-temperature and high-pressure steam is injected into the drum 23 from the steam nozzle 51. The amount of steam injected is set to, for example, about 80 g/min. At this time, the agitation of the laundry by the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 23 is continuously maintained. The steam is strongly blown to the surface of the laundry without dead space, and the dirt adhered to the surface of the laundry or the vicinity of the surface is peeled off by a force of separating the dirt by heat and moisture of the steam or a mechanical force by the blowing of the steam. In addition, the temperature of the detergent liquid contained in the laundry is increased by the heat of the steam to activate the detergent, and the activated detergent acts to promote the peeling of the dirt.

The steam spraying process is performed for a preset steam supply time, for example, 2 minutes. When the steam supply time elapses, the control portion 201 closes the supply valve 67.

Next, the controller 201 performs a water spraying process for a second water supply time, which is longer than the first water supply time, for example, 1 minute (S104). The water sprayed from the water nozzle 52 touches the surface of the clothes without dead space, and dirt peeled from the clothes is washed away from the clothes by the touched water. Thus, the dirt is not easily attached to the laundry again. Further, when the laundry is agitated, the laundry is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the drum 23, so that the water containing dirt is easily discharged from the laundry by the pressure washing effect, and the dirt removing effect of the laundry is improved. Further, since the clothes are cooled by the sprayed water, the temperature of the clothes is not likely to rise excessively, and damage to the clothes due to heat can be prevented.

Then, control unit 201 repeats the steam injection step of S103 and the water injection step of S104 a first number of times, for example, three times. Thus, by repeating the steam spraying process and the water spraying process, the time per steam spraying process can be shortened. Therefore, the temperature of the laundry is not easily excessively increased during the steam spraying process, and damage to the laundry caused by heat can be prevented.

When the steam spray process and the water spray process are repeated the first number of times (yes in S105), the control part 201 performs the stirring process (S106). That is, the controller 201 continues the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 23 for a predetermined stirring time, for example, 1 minute, and discharges more dirt-containing water from the laundry by the pressure washing effect. Then, when the stirring process is completed, the control section 201 stops the driving motor 30 and stops the drum 23.

Next, the control unit 201 performs a drainage process (S107). That is, the control section 201 opens the drain valve 40. Thereby, water is discharged from the inside of the outer cylinder 20. When the water discharge process is ended, the control part 201 ends the steam washing process in a state where the water discharge valve 40 is kept opened.

Returning to fig. 4, when the steam washing process is finished, the control part 201 performs an intermediate dehydration process (S3). That is, the control unit 201 drives the drive motor 30 to rotate the drum 23 at a high speed in one direction at a predetermined spin-drying rotation speed. The laundry is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the drum 23 by the centrifugal force, and is dehydrated.

The dehydration rotation speed in the intermediate dehydration in the steam washing mode is, for example, 400rpm, which is lower than the dehydration rotation speed in the intermediate dehydration in the standard washing mode. Therefore, even if the washings are delicate clothes, the cloths are not easy to be damaged. In addition, in the steam washing mode, moisture contained in the laundry is less than that in the standard washing mode before the intermediate dehydration process, and thus the dehydration can be appropriately performed even if the dehydration rotation speed is low.

After reaching the spin-drying rotation speed, when a predetermined spin-drying time, for example, 1 minute, has elapsed, the control unit 201 stops the drive motor 30 and stops the drum 23. Further, the control section 201 closes the drain valve 40. Thus, the intermediate dehydration process is finished.

Next, the control part 201 performs a steam rinsing process (S4).

Referring to fig. 5 (b), in the steam rinsing process, controller 201 first performs the water spraying process for a third water supply time, which is longer than the second water supply time, for example, 2 minutes (S201). The water sprayed from the water nozzle 52 touches the surface of the laundry without dead space, and the detergent contained in the laundry is washed off by the touched water and removed from the laundry. Further, when the laundry is agitated, the laundry is pressed against the inner circumferential surface of drum 23 by the force, so that the water containing the detergent is easily discharged from the laundry, and the rinsing effect of the laundry is improved.

Next, the control part 201 makes the steam injection process for the steam supply time (S202). The temperature of the laundry is raised by the heat of the steam, so that the detergent remaining in the laundry becomes easily dissolved in water and is easily removed together with the water.

Then, the control unit 201 repeats the water spray process in S201 and the steam spray process in S202 for a second number of times, for example, twice, and when the above processes are finished (S203: YES), performs the water discharge process (S204). When the draining process is finished, the steam rinsing process is finished.

Returning to fig. 4, control unit 201 repeats the intermediate dehydration process at S3 and the steam rinsing process at S4 twice, and when the above processes are finished (S5: yes), performs the final dehydration process (S6). In the final dehydration, dehydration is performed for a longer time than in the intermediate dehydration. The dehydration rotation speed in the final dehydration process can be the same as or higher than that in the intermediate dehydration process.

When the final dehydration process is finished, the washing operation of the steam washing mode is finished.

< effects of the embodiment >

According to the present embodiment, since the steam spraying process is performed during the washing process and the high-pressure steam is sprayed from the steam nozzle 51 to the inside of the drum 23, the steam can be forcibly blown to the laundry in the drum 23. Accordingly, not only a force for removing dirt due to the heat and moisture of the steam but also a mechanical force due to the blowing of the steam can be applied to the laundry in the drum 23, and therefore, the dirt adhering to the surface and the vicinity of the surface of the laundry can be favorably peeled off.

In addition, since the detergent liquid injection process is performed before the steam injection process, the detergent liquid is injected from the detergent nozzle 53 into the drum 23, and therefore, the detergent can be contained on the surface of the laundry in the drum 23 or in the vicinity of the surface. Thus, when the steam spraying process is performed, dirt of the laundry can be more effectively removed by the action of the detergent activated by the heat of the steam.

Further, since the water spraying process is performed following the detergent liquid spraying process and water is sprayed from the water spray nozzle 52 into the drum 23, the surface and the vicinity of the surface of the laundry in the drum 23 can be made to contain water, and the detergent liquid can be diffused by the water and spread over the laundry widely.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, washing with steam can be performed favorably.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the water spraying process is performed following the steam spraying process and water is sprayed from the water spray nozzle 52 toward the inside of the drum 23, dirt peeled from the laundry during the steam spraying process is easily removed from the laundry in such a manner as to be washed away by the water showered on the laundry. Therefore, the dirt is not easily reattached to the laundry. Further, since the laundry is cooled by the water, the temperature of the laundry is not likely to rise excessively, and damage to the laundry due to heat can be prevented.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the steam injection process and the water injection process to be performed subsequently are repeated, the time per steam injection process can be shortened. Therefore, the temperature of the laundry is not easily excessively increased during the steam spraying process, and damage to the laundry caused by heat can be prevented.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the drum 23 rotates and the laundry is agitated in the steam injection process, the detergent liquid injection process, and the water injection process, the high-pressure steam, the detergent liquid, and the water can be brought into contact with the laundry without dead space, and uneven washing can be prevented.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the like, and various modifications other than the above-described embodiments of the present invention are also possible.

< modification 1 >

In the present modification, when the steam injection process is finished, the control process of fig. 6 is performed, and the second water supply time in the water injection process of S104 following the steam injection process of S103 of (a) of fig. 5 is determined.

Referring to fig. 6, the controller 201 detects the temperature inside the outer tube 20 by the temperature sensor 205 (S301). The temperature inside the tub 20 is related to the temperature of the laundry heated during the steam spraying process, and the higher the temperature of the laundry, the higher the temperature inside the tub 20. The temperature sensor 205 corresponds to a temperature detection unit of the present invention.

The control unit 201 determines whether or not the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 205 is lower than a predetermined threshold value (S302). If the detected temperature is lower than the threshold value (S302: yes), the control part 201 sets the second water supply time to the first time, for example, 1 minute, since the temperature of the laundry is relatively low (S303). On the other hand, when the detected temperature is not less than the threshold value (S302: no), since the temperature of the laundry is relatively high, control unit 201 sets the second water supply time to a second time longer than the first time, for example, 1 minute and 30 seconds (S304).

In this way, in the water spraying process (S104) performed subsequent to the steam spraying process (S103), water is sprayed from water spray nozzle 52 to the laundry in drum 23 for a time set by the control process described above.

As described above, according to the present modification, the higher the temperature of the laundry in the steam spraying process, the longer the water spraying process is continued. Therefore, damage to the laundry by heat is less likely to occur.

< other modification example >

In the above embodiment, the detergent nozzle 53 is disposed at the highest position of the peripheral portion 20b, the water spray nozzle 52 is disposed in the left vicinity of the detergent nozzle 53, and the steam nozzle 51 is disposed in the left vicinity of the water spray nozzle 52. However, the steam nozzle 51, the water nozzle 52, and the detergent nozzle 53 may be arranged at any position as long as they are arranged side by side above the peripheral edge 20b of the opening 20a of the outer tub 20, and may be arranged in any arrangement order. However, if the detergent nozzle 53 is disposed at the highest position of the peripheral edge portion 20b as in the above-described embodiment, the detergent liquid is uniformly diffused to the left and right of the drum 23, and is likely to be uniformly applied to the laundry, which is most preferable.

The structures of the steam supply unit 60, the water supply unit 70, and the detergent supply unit 80 are not limited to those of the above-described embodiments. For example, the steam supply unit 60 may be configured not to include the water supply pipe 63 and the first water supply valve 64, and the user may manually supply water into the steam tank 65 of the steam generator 61. For example, the water supply unit 70 may be configured to supply bath water pumped from a bathtub by a bath water pump to the water spout 52 in addition to or instead of water from a faucet. Further, for example, the detergent supply unit 80 may be configured not to include the water supply pipe 84 and the third water supply valve 85, and to supply the detergent liquid generated from the outside to the detergent box 81 by the user.

Further, in the above embodiment, drum washing machine 1 is configured such that drum 23 rotates about a horizontal axis. However, drum washing machine 1 may be configured such that drum 23 rotates around a rotation axis inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

Further, although the drum washing machine 1 of the above embodiment does not have a drying function, the present invention is also applicable to a drum washing machine having a drying function, that is, a drum washer/dryer.

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified in various ways as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea shown in the claims.

Claims

A drum washing machine is characterized by comprising:

an outer cylinder disposed in the case;

a drum disposed in the outer cylinder and rotatable about a horizontal axis or a rotation axis inclined with respect to the horizontal direction;

a steam nozzle spraying high-pressure steam to the inside of the drum;

a steam supply unit configured to supply high-pressure steam to the steam nozzle;

a detergent nozzle spraying detergent liquid to the inside of the drum;

a detergent supply unit for supplying a detergent liquid to the detergent nozzle;

a water spray nozzle spraying water to the inside of the drum;

a water supply part supplying water to the water spray nozzle; and

a control part for controlling the operations of the steam supply part, the detergent supply part and the water supply part,

the control unit performs: a steam injection process of operating the steam supply part to inject high-pressure steam from the steam nozzle,

before performing the steam injection process, the control portion performs: a detergent liquid injection step of operating the detergent supply unit to inject the detergent liquid from the detergent nozzle; and a water spraying process, wherein the water supply part is operated to spray water from the water spraying nozzle after the detergent liquid spraying process.
A drum washing machine according to claim 1,

the control part performs the water spraying process following the steam spraying process.
A drum washing machine according to claim 2,

the control part repeats the steam injection process and the water injection process following the steam injection process.
A drum washing machine according to claim 2 or 3,

further comprises a temperature detecting part for detecting the temperature related to the temperature of the washings in the drum,

the control unit adjusts the time of the water spraying process following the steam spraying process according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit.
A drum washing machine according to any of claims 1 to 4,

further comprises a driving part for driving the roller,

the control part operates the driving part to rotate the drum in the steam spraying process, the detergent liquid spraying process, and the water spraying process.
A drum washing machine is characterized by comprising:

an outer cylinder disposed in the case;

a drum disposed in the outer cylinder and rotatable about a horizontal axis or a rotation axis inclined with respect to the horizontal direction;

a steam nozzle spraying high-pressure steam to the inside of the drum;

a steam supply unit configured to supply high-pressure steam to the steam nozzle;

a detergent nozzle spraying detergent liquid to the inside of the drum;

a detergent supply unit for supplying a detergent liquid to the detergent nozzle;

a water spray nozzle spraying water to the inside of the drum;

a water supply part supplying water to the water spray nozzle; and

a control part for controlling the operations of the steam supply part, the detergent supply part and the water supply part,

the control unit performs: a steam injection process of operating the steam supply part to inject high-pressure steam from the steam nozzle,

before performing the steam injection process, the control portion performs: a detergent liquid injection step of operating the detergent supply part to inject the detergent liquid from the detergent nozzle,

after the steam injection process is performed, the control portion performs: a water spraying process of operating the water supply part to spray water from the water spray nozzle.