CN115053027A

CN115053027A - Clothes treating device

Info

Publication number: CN115053027A
Application number: CN202180013226.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 池水麦平; 仓挂敏之; 胁田克也
Original assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-07-22
Filing date: 2021-05-27
Publication date: 2022-09-13
Also published as: JPWO2022018966A1; WO2022018966A1

Abstract

A clothes treatment device (100) is a clothes treatment device for removing dirt and the like of a treatment object such as clothes. A clothes treatment device (100) is provided with: a water supply device (4) for supplying water to the object to be processed; and a suction device (5) which sucks the air and the moisture attached to the object to be processed together. The suction device (5) further comprises: a drain tank which is a collector and separates moisture from air sucked together with the moisture; and an introduction inhibiting unit that inhibits introduction of the object to be processed into the suction device (5).

Description

Clothes treating device

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment apparatus for removing dirt and the like from a treatment object such as laundry.

Background

Patent document 1 provides a steam iron capable of improving the effect of sufficiently spreading wrinkles of clothes and the like by a structure capable of reliably pulling the clothes and the like and bringing steam into contact with the part. The steam iron is provided with: a water tank; a vaporization chamber which generates steam by vaporizing water supplied from the water tank; an ejection port that ejects the vapor generated in the vaporization chamber toward the object; and a suction device for sucking the object when the steam is ejected from the ejection port. And, the steam iron is constructed such that: for example, when the steam iron is operated while an object to be treated such as clothes is hung on a hanger, the object to be treated such as clothes is sucked and pulled by a suction device, and escape of the clothes is suppressed, so that steam is brought into contact with the pulled portion.

Patent document 2 provides a steam cleaner capable of more effectively preventing entry of exhaust steam into a suction pump. The steam cleaner is provided with a steam injection device and a dirt suction storage device. In the steam jet device, stored water is heated to be converted into steam, and the steam is jetted to a part to be cleaned through a nozzle. In the dirt suction and storage device, waste steam containing steam sprayed to a portion to be cleaned and dirt removed by the steam is recovered and converted into waste liquid to be stored. The dirt suction and storage device further includes: a waste storage chamber for storing waste liquid; a suction pump having an air suction port in the dirt storage chamber; an inlet for receiving the exhaust steam and an outlet for discharging the exhaust steam; an air intake duct; and a baffle. The air intake duct is configured to: the inlet is located near the nozzle, and the outlet is located substantially directly in front of the air inlet in the dirt storage chamber. The baffle is arranged at the position from the outlet of the air suction pipe so as to temporarily shield the waste steam discharged from the outlet of the air suction pipe and condense the waste steam into waste liquid. Such a steam cleaner is characterized in that the baffle extends from the vicinity of the outlet of the suction pipe in a curved shape that guides the exhaust steam discharged from the outlet away from a connecting line of the outlet and the suction port of the suction pump.

Prior ArtLiterature

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2017-6205

Patent document 2: japanese utility model registration No. 3089151

Disclosure of Invention

The present disclosure provides a clothes treatment apparatus capable of removing water-soluble dirt, oil-soluble dirt, and the like adhered to a treatment object such as clothes.

The disclosed clothes treatment device is provided with: a water supply device for supplying water to the object to be processed; and a suction device for sucking air together with moisture adhering to the object to be processed. And, the suction device includes: a collector that separates moisture from air drawn together with the moisture; and an introduction suppressing unit that suppresses introduction of the processing target into the suction device.

The clothes treatment device can remove water-soluble dirt, oil-soluble dirt and the like attached to treatment objects such as clothes.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laundry treatment apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a base unit of the laundry treatment apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a head unit of the laundry treatment apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 4A is a diagram showing a configuration example 1 of an introduction suppressing portion of a laundry treating apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 4B is a diagram showing a configuration example 2 of the pull-in suppressing unit of the laundry treating apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 4C is a diagram showing a configuration example 3 of the pull-in suppressing unit of the laundry treating apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 4D is a diagram showing a configuration example 4 of the pull-in suppressing unit of the laundry treating apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Detailed Description

(findings which form the basis of the present disclosure, etc.)

When the inventor came to the present disclosure, the main function of a steam iron was essentially to unfold the wrinkles of the laundry, and the removal of the dirt from the laundry was limited. For example, as a conventional art, there is a steam iron having a cleaner structure for sucking air. This conventional steam iron can remove particulate dirt adhering to the surface of the cloth by sucking the dirt together when the wrinkles of the clothes are unfolded. However, conventional steam irons cannot remove water-soluble dirt such as salts contained in human sweat and pigments in foods, or oil-soluble dirt such as human sebum and oil and fat components in foods, which are stained with cloth.

In addition, as another related art, there is a steam cleaner. The conventional steam cleaner can substantially remove moisture or oil contaminated on floors, carpets, etc. However, the conventional steam cleaner has a strong suction force to suck the waste liquid containing dirt. Therefore, the conventional steam cleaning machine may suck light and soft deformation objects such as clothes and cloth into the machine from the suction port to damage the cloth, and thus cannot be used for removing dirt of the clothes.

As described above, the present inventors have found a problem that a water-soluble dirt and an oil-soluble dirt stained on a part of an object to be treated such as clothes cannot be easily removed in the conventional art, and have constituted the subject of the present disclosure in order to solve the problem.

Therefore, unlike cleaning of floors, carpets, and the like, the present disclosure provides a laundry treatment apparatus capable of removing water-soluble dirt and oil-soluble dirt adhering to a treatment object such as laundry while suppressing damage to the cloth of the treatment object such as laundry.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, an excessively detailed description may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of already known matters and repetitive descriptions of substantially the same structure may be omitted. This is to avoid over-verbose explanation below and to make it readily understandable to the person skilled in the art.

Furthermore, the drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter of the present disclosure by the drawings and the following description.

(embodiment mode 1)

A laundry treatment apparatus 100 according to embodiment 1, which is an example of the laundry treatment apparatus of the present disclosure, will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 4D. The object C to be treated by the clothes treatment apparatus 100 is mainly a cloth product such as clothes, and includes a scarf, a handkerchief, a towel, a bed sheet, and the like, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a light and soft deformation object.

[1-1. Structure ]

[1-1-1. Structure of clothes treating apparatus ]

First, the configuration of the laundry treatment apparatus 100 will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laundry treatment apparatus 100, fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a base unit 1 of the laundry treatment apparatus 100, and fig. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a head unit 2 of the laundry treatment apparatus 100.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the laundry processing apparatus 100 includes: a base unit 1; a head unit 2; and a flexible connection tube 3 connecting the base unit 1 and the head unit 2. The main parts of the moisture supply device 4, the suction device 5, and the control device 6 are provided inside the base unit 1, the head unit 2, and the connection pipe 3. That is, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 includes the moisture supply device 4 and the suction device 5.

The laundry processing apparatus 100 is configured to: has the functions of a steam iron, a cleaning machine and a steam cleaning machine, and can be used separately by a user. Here, the steam iron function refers to a function of: the water vapor is ejected to wet the object C to be treated, thereby spreading wrinkles or dissolving dirt. The cleaning function is a function of sucking dust, moisture, and the like attached to the surface of the object C to be processed. The steam cleaner function means a function of: the dirt having penetrated into the treatment object C is sprayed with water vapor to be dissolved, and the dissolved dirt is sucked together with water.

[1-1-2. Structure of moisture supply device ]

Next, the structure of the water supply device 4 will be described with reference to fig. 2 and 3.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the moisture supply device 4 includes a water supply tank 41, a water supply pump 42, a steam generation portion 43, a nozzle 44, a discharge port 45, and a water supply pipe 46. The moisture supply device 4 supplies water from the base unit 1 to the head unit 2, and sprays water vapor from the head unit 2. That is, the water supply device 4 supplies water to the processing object C. Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, the water supply tank 41 and the water supply pump 42 are provided in the base unit 1. The water supply tank 41 is configured to be detachable. As shown in fig. 3, the steam generating portion 43, the nozzle 44, and the ejection port 45 are provided in the head unit 2, the steam generating portion 43 heats water, the nozzle 44 supplies water to the steam generating portion 43, and the heated water is converted into steam and ejected from the ejection port 45. The structure of the steam generating part 43 is not particularly limited, but may be constituted by a jacket heater or the like. A water supply pipe 46 is provided to connect the water supply pump 42 and the nozzle 44 in communication with each other, and the water supply pipe 46 is housed in the connection pipe 3.

In addition to heating the water by the steam generating section 43 of the head unit 2, the water supply device 4 may be provided with a heating section 47 or the like in the water supply pipe 46 to supply the hot water to the head unit 2. That is, the water supply device 4 may include a heating unit 47 that heats water, and water heated by the heating unit 47 may be used to supply water. For example, the heating unit 47 may be configured to heat the water supplied to the steam generating unit 43 in the base unit 1. Specifically, the heating unit 47 can be realized by providing a heater in the water supply pipe 46 before and after the water supply tank 41 or the water supply pump 42. Accordingly, the temperature of the water supplied to the steam generating unit 43 can be increased, and therefore, in the laundry treatment apparatus 100, the heater capacity of the steam generating unit 43 in the head unit 2 can be reduced, and the head unit 2 can be made lightweight.

In addition, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may be modified such that the steam generation unit 43 is provided in the base unit 1. In this case, the modified laundry treatment apparatus is configured to transfer steam as moisture from the base unit 1 to the head unit 2 through the water supply pipe 46.

[1-1-3. Structure of suction device ]

Next, the structure of the suction device 5 will be described with reference to fig. 2 and 3.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the suction device 5 includes a drain tank 51, a baffle 51a, a suction fan 52, a suction port 53, an introduction inhibiting portion 54, a suction pipe 55, an exhaust port 56, and a filter 57. The suction device 5 generates negative pressure to suck moisture adhering to the processing object C together with air. That is, the suction device 5 sucks the air together with the moisture adhering to the processing object C. Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, a drain tank 51 and a suction fan 52 are provided to the base unit 1. As shown in fig. 3, the head unit 2 is provided with a suction port 53, and an introduction suppressing portion 54 for suppressing the suction (introduction) of the processing object C into the suction device 5. Further, a suction pipe 55 for connecting the suction port 53 and the drain tank 51 is provided, and the suction pipe 55 is housed in the connection pipe 3.

Here, the structure of the pull-in suppressing portion 54 will be described with reference to fig. 4A to 4D. Fig. 4A to 4D are diagrams showing configuration examples 1 to 4 of the pull-in suppressing portion 54.

The drawing-in restraining part 54 provided in the suction port 53 is formed of a relatively thick net to the extent that the treatment target C is not drawn in. For example, as shown in fig. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the introduction inhibiting portion 54 may be provided with a partition 54A to divide a region continuous with the suction port 53. At this time, as shown in fig. 4C, the spacer 54a may be formed obliquely. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 4D, a partition 54b may be provided instead of the partition 54a to such an extent that the processing object C can be caught without completely dividing the region continuous with the suction port 53.

In the case of clothes as the object C to be treated, end portions such as sleeves, shirts, and collars are easily introduced. In view of this, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is preferably completely divided as shown in fig. 4A, 4B, and 4C. If the direction of the partition 54a is the same as the direction in which the user moves the head unit 2 (arrow a in fig. 3), it may be difficult for the suction force to be exerted at a portion along the movement of the partition 54 a. Therefore, as shown in fig. 4C, the head unit 2 may be inclined in a different direction from the direction in which the head unit moves. In addition, the separator 54a may be formed as thin as possible.

The position of the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is not particularly limited, but in the present embodiment, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is provided as shown in fig. 3. That is, the leading end of the draw-in suppressing portion 54 is located on the rear side of the contact surface 2a with the dimension D of 5mm, and the contact surface 2a is a surface on which the suction port 53 contacts the object C. That is, in the present embodiment, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is provided on the back side of the suction port 53 in the direction of suction from the suction port 53 of the suction device 5. As another example, although not shown, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 may have a tip end located on the same surface as the contact surface 2a, that is, at a position where the dimension D is 0 mm. That is, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 may be provided on the same surface as the contact surface 2a, which is the surface where the suction port 53 of the suction device 5 contacts the processing object C. The dimension D may be determined by combining the size of the suction port 53 and the size of the suction force, or advantages and disadvantages depending on the position, specifically, the size of the detergency, the size of the cloth damage, and the like.

The drain tank 51 provided in the base unit 1 is configured to be detachable. The drain tank 51 functions as a collector that separates moisture from the air sucked together with the moisture. That is, the suction device 5 includes a drain tank 51 as an example of the collector of the present disclosure, which separates moisture from air sucked together with the moisture. Therefore, a baffle 51a may be provided inside the drain tank 51, and the baffle 51a may efficiently separate moisture from the sucked air (hereinafter, also referred to as "sucked air"). The structure of the baffle 51a is not particularly limited, but as shown in fig. 2, it is preferable that the baffle collides with the suction air flowing into the drain tank 51 to generate turbulence. For example, a hydrophobic filter may be provided near the inlet of the drain tank 51.

A suction fan 52 for sucking the air from which the moisture has been separated is provided in communication with the drain tank 51. An exhaust port 56 through which the air having passed through the suction fan 52 is exhausted is provided in a side surface of the base unit 1. A filter 57 is provided in the exhaust port 56, and the filter 57 captures dust mixed in the intake air and flowing in.

Further, a cooling unit 58 for cooling the sucked air may be provided from the suction pipe 55 to the drain tank 51. That is, the suction device 5 may include a cooling unit 58 that cools the sucked air. This can suppress: the air having a relatively high temperature is sucked together with the high-temperature water to cause overheating of the suction fan 52 or condensation around the suction fan 52, resulting in a reduction in durability. The cooling unit 58 may be realized by natural heat dissipation from the suction pipe 55 and the drain tank 51, for example, and particularly, the cooling unit 58 may be realized by forming the suction pipe 55 and the drain tank 51 from a material having a high heat capacity or heat dissipation property such as metal.

[1-1-4. Structure of control device ]

Next, the configuration of the control device 6 will be described with reference to fig. 2 and 3.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the control device 6 includes a control section 61, a cable 64, a power switch 65, a function setting switch 66, and a manual switch 67. The control device 6 controls, for example, the water supply pump 42, the steam generation unit 43, and the suction fan 52, and performs the operation of the laundry treatment apparatus 100.

As shown in fig. 2, the control unit 61 of the control device 6 is provided in the base unit 1. The control unit 61 includes a computer system having a processor and a memory. The computer system functions as the control unit 61 by causing the processor to execute the program stored in the memory. Here, the program executed by the processor is stored in advance in the memory of the computer system, but the program may be provided by being stored in a non-transitory storage medium such as a memory card or may be provided via an electric communication line such as the internet.

As shown in fig. 3, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 includes: a laundry contamination sensor 62 provided in the head unit 2 and detecting contamination of the treatment object C; and a liquid dirt sensor 63 provided in the suction device 5 and detecting dirt of the sucked moisture. That is, in the present embodiment, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 includes the liquid dirt sensor 63, and the liquid dirt sensor 63 is provided in the suction device 5 and detects dirt of the sucked moisture. In the present embodiment, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 includes the laundry contamination sensor 62 for detecting the contamination of the treatment target object C. Further, a laundry dirt sensor 62 and a liquid dirt sensor 63 may also be included in the control device 6. A cable 64 for connecting the plurality of sensors (62, 63) and the steam generating unit 43 to the control unit 61 is housed in the connection pipe 3.

Further, the power switch 65, the function setting switch 66, and the like may be provided in the base unit 1, and the manual switch 67 for turning on/off the operation may be provided in the head unit 2. The function setting switch 66 is configured to be switchable to a function desired by a user among the steam iron function, the cleaning machine function, and the steam cleaning machine function. The manual switch 67 may be configured to switch the operation in 4 stages, for example. Specifically, level 1 sets the action to off. The 2 nd stage performs only the steam generating operation of ejecting steam and high-temperature water from the ejection port 45 of the head unit 2. The 3 rd stage performs only the suction operation of sucking air and moisture from the suction port 53. The 4 th stage performs the steam generating action and the pumping action at the same time. If the operation can be switched manually as described above, when the function setting switch 66 is set to the steam cleaner function, the steam can be blown intensively against the dirt by only the steam generating operation, or the suction can be performed intensively by only the suction operation.

The laundry dirt sensor 62 is provided on a contact surface 2a of the distal end of the head unit 2, which is in contact with the treatment object C, and includes a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, which are not shown. The control unit 61 irradiates ultraviolet light having a wavelength of 340nm from the light emitting unit, for example, and detects visible light having a wavelength of 380nm or more by the light receiving unit. The visible light is autofluorescence of amino acids such as tryptophan in the protein. In this case, the intensity of fluorescence increases as the protein increases, and thus dirt such as keratin of the skin and protein of food adhering to the treatment object C can be detected.

The laundry dirt sensor 62 is provided above the suction port 53 in fig. 3, but is not limited thereto, and may be provided below the ejection port 45. Further, the clothing contamination display unit 70b may be provided in the head unit 2, for example, so that the user can recognize the degree of the detected contamination. The configuration of the laundry contamination sensor 62 may be changed according to the type of the target treatment object C or the kind of the contamination. The laundry contamination sensor 62 may detect absorption of light having a specific wavelength or recognize contamination by a camera, for example.

The liquid dirt sensor 63 is provided in the head unit 2 in the suction pipe 55 and includes a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion, which are not shown. The control unit 61 irradiates visible light from the light emitting unit and detects light that has passed through the sucked moisture by the light receiving unit. In this case, the irradiated visible light is attenuated by light scattering or absorption due to the mixed substance in the moisture. Further, since the attenuation of light becomes larger as the mixed substance is larger, the dirt in the water can be detected. The liquid dirt display portion 70a may be provided in the head unit 2, for example, so that the user can recognize the degree of the detected dirt.

That is, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may include a laundry dirt display unit 70b that displays the degree of dirt on the treatment target object C detected by the laundry dirt sensor 62, or a liquid dirt display unit 70a that displays the degree of dirt on the moisture detected by the liquid dirt sensor 63.

The head unit 2 is provided with a liquid dirt display portion 70a or a clothes dirt display portion 70b, and when the degree of dirt is displayed, the user can know the portion where the dirt remains and the timing at which the dirt is removed, and can efficiently clean the clothes. Further, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may include a liquid dirt display unit 70a and a laundry dirt display unit 70b in the head unit 2.

The control unit 61 may control the moisture supply device 4 and the suction device 5 according to the state of dirt detected by the laundry dirt sensor 62 or the liquid dirt sensor 63. For example, when a large amount of dirt is detected by any of the sensors (62, 63), the control unit 61 increases the amount of moisture supplied from the moisture supply device 4, increases the output of the steam generation unit 43, and increases the amount of steam generated. The control unit 61 increases the output of the suction fan 52 of the suction device 5 to increase the suction force. This can improve detergency when the amount of dirt is large.

For example, a flow rate sensor, not shown, for detecting the flow rate of the suction air may be included in the control device 6. The control unit 61 may control as follows: the water supply amount of the moisture supply device 4 is increased while the flow rate of the sucked air is increased, or the water supply amount of the moisture supply device 4 is decreased while the flow rate of the sucked air is decreased. That is, the ventilation resistance changes depending on the type of cloth such as clothes, and the flow rate of the sucked air changes. At this time, if the amount of water supplied by the moisture supply device 4 is too large relative to the flow rate of the sucked air, there is a problem in that: the treatment object C is excessively wet so that the laundry is not dried or dirt is spread. On the other hand, if the flow rate of the suction air is too high, there is a problem in that: moisture is sucked without completely dissolving the dirt of the laundry, so that detergency becomes low.

Therefore, the control unit 61 can stably exhibit appropriate detergency by controlling the water supply amount of the moisture supply device 4 by detecting the flow rate of the sucked air, and by linking the flow rate of the sucked air and the water supply amount of the moisture supply device 4. Further, if the control unit 61 also controls the laundry dirt sensor 62 and the liquid dirt sensor 63 in an interlocking manner, the detergency can be further improved and a more appropriate detergency can be exhibited.

The flow sensor is not particularly limited in structure, and can be realized by an impeller-type sensor that detects the rotation speed of an impeller-type and magnet-equipped impeller using a hall element. The configuration for linking the flow rate of the sucked air and the water supply amount of the moisture supply device 4 is not particularly limited. The structure for linking the flow rate and the water supply amount may be, for example, a structure in which the water supply pump 42 is controlled by detecting the flow rate to change the water supply amount, or a mechanical structure in which a valve provided in the water supply pipe 46 is operated according to the degree of negative pressure that changes according to the flow rate. The flow sensor is not limited to the control unit 61, and the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may include the flow sensor.

[1-2. actions ]

The operation and action of the laundry processing apparatus 100 configured as described above will be described below. In the present embodiment, a case where the laundry treatment apparatus 100 is set to the steam cleaner function will be described as an example.

[1-2-1. operation of the clothes treating apparatus ]

When the power switch 65 is turned on by the user's operation and the function setting switch 66 is set to the steam cleaner, the control section 61 controls the steam generating section 43 to be energized and heated. The laundry treatment apparatus 100 may include an indicator, not shown, and the control unit 61 may turn on the indicator indicating usability when the steam generation unit 43 is heated to a degree that allows the supplied water to be instantaneously changed into steam and discharged.

When the manual switch 67 is operated, the control section 61 controls the moisture supply device 4 and the suction device 5 in accordance with the operation. For example, if the manual switch 67 is at the 2 nd stage, the control unit 61 performs the steam generation operation. That is, the control unit 61 controls the water supply device 4 to drive the water supply pump 42. The water supply pump 42 supplies water in the water supply tank 41 to the steam generation unit 43 through a water supply pipe 46 and a nozzle 44. The steam generator 43 heats the supplied water to generate steam. The generated steam contains high-temperature moisture that has instantaneously expanded in volume and has not been completely evaporated, and is strongly ejected from the ejection port 45 of the head unit 2, and is supplied to the object C as high-temperature moisture.

The discharged water adheres to the object C. When water-soluble dirt such as salts of human sweat, food color, protein, or the like adheres to the object C, the dirt dissolves in the adhered water.

Further, the water vapor is at a high temperature and is condensed on the surface of the object C to be processed. This causes the water to be supplied to the object C, and the temperature of the object C is increased by the heat of condensation. When the object C is adhered with oil such as human sebum, the temperature of the object C is increased to 37 ℃ or higher, whereby the sebum is dissolved and dispersed in the adhered water.

In this way, the dirt adhering to the object C is dissolved in the supplied water, and is easily removed from the object C.

When the manual switch 67 is at the 3 rd stage, the control unit 61 performs the suction operation. That is, the control unit 61 controls the suction device 5 to drive the suction fan 52. The suction fan 52 causes the suction port 53 of the head unit 2 to be negative pressure to suck air and moisture. The sucked air and moisture flow into the drain tank 51 through the suction pipe 55. In the drain tank 51, moisture is separated from the sucked air by the baffle 51a, and the moisture is stored in the drain tank 51 together with the dirt component. The air from which the moisture is separated is discharged from the exhaust port 56 by the suction fan 52. The dust that contains no moisture and reaches the exhaust port 56 is captured by the filter 57.

In this way, the dirt that is dissolved in the supplied moisture and easily removed from the treatment object C is sucked together with the moisture. Thus, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can remove water-soluble dirt, oil-soluble dirt, and the like adhering to the treatment object C.

When the manual switch 67 is the 4 th stage, the controller 61 controls the moisture supply device 4 and the suction device 5 to perform the steam generation operation and the suction operation at the same time. The control unit 61 simultaneously supplies and sucks the moisture, so that the suction port 53 is brought into contact with the object C after the ejection port 45 is brought into contact with the object C, and the object C can be cleaned by 1 treatment. Further, since the treatment object C is not left in a wet state for a long time, the spread of dirt can be suppressed. Further, in a state where the object to be treated C is hung on the hanger, the object to be treated C can be prevented from being deformed by the weight after wetting. Further, the "simultaneous steam generating action and suction action" includes: the suction operation is started later than the steam generation operation to the extent that the treatment object C is not left in a wet state for a long time, that is, the suction operation is started during the period from the start to the end of the steam generation operation. That is, in the present embodiment, when the manual switch 67 is the 4 th stage, the laundry treating apparatus 100 is configured to suck moisture by the suction device 5 while moisture is being supplied by the moisture supply device 4.

When the suction device 5 is operated, the processing object C is also sucked by the suction port 53. However, the suction port 53 is provided with an introduction inhibiting portion 54. This prevents the processing object C from being sucked deep into the suction pipe 55, and therefore, strong suction capable of removing only the moisture in the processing object C can be performed. Therefore, the moisture is efficiently sucked, and the laundry or the like as the object to be processed C is not left in a wet state for a long time or an excessive weight is not applied to the laundry or the like as the object to be processed C. Therefore, even in a state where the clothes are hung on the hanger or in a state where the clothes are placed on a table or the like, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 can perform a quick washing treatment while suppressing the extension and deformation of the clothes.

Further, for example, when the laundry or the like as the treatment object C is introduced, the laundry or the like takes an unnatural shape in the narrow suction pipe 55. When the clothes and the like are dried in this state, wrinkles, deformation, and the like are generated in the clothes and the like. However, the presence of the pull-in suppressing portion 54 can suppress the pull-in of the laundry, and can suppress the occurrence of excessive wrinkles, deformation, and the like in the laundry.

In the present embodiment, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is provided on the back side of the suction port 53 with a distance D from the contact surface 2a in the direction of suction from the suction port 53. This causes the sucked processing object C to be slightly deformed and to reliably contact the outer periphery of the suction port 53. Therefore, the suction force of the suction device 5 can be efficiently exerted, and the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can improve the effect of removing moisture containing dirt.

[1-2-2. operation by the user ]

The user fills the water supply tank 41 with water, attaches the water supply tank 41 to the base unit 1, turns on the power switch 65, and switches the function setting switch 66 to the steam cleaner. After the user confirms the readiness of the steam generating part 43 using the indicator and can use it, the user holds the head unit 2 and attaches it to the object to be processed C, and operates the manual switch 67. The treatment object C may be placed on a table or the like, or may be hung on a hanger, and is not particularly limited.

At this time, as shown in fig. 3, the user first brings the ejection port 45 of the head unit 2 into close contact with or close to the portion of the object C to be processed, and attaches moisture and water. Then, the head unit 2 is slidably moved in the direction indicated by the arrow a while being closely attached to the object C to allow the suction port 53 to reach the portion where the moisture and water adhere. As a result, the dirt adhering to the processing object C is dissolved by the moisture, the dissolved dirt is sucked together with the moisture, and the moisture containing the dirt is stored in the drain tank 51 through the suction pipe 55. Thus, the user can clean the treatment object C.

Further, the suction port 53 is continuously in contact with the object C subsequent to the discharge port 45, and thus the time for wetting the object C can be shortened. Thereby, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can suppress the discoloration, staining, and spreading of dirt of the treatment object C.

For example, when the user handles the entire jacket hung on the clothes hanger, the user sets the manual switch 67 to the 4 th stage and sets the steam generation operation and the suction operation to be simultaneously performed. The user may move the contact surface 2a of the head unit 2 from the upper end to the lower end of the jacket while closely contacting the contact surface 2a to the jacket. In addition, when the user uses the laundry treatment apparatus 100 as a steam cleaner, the user may first suck dust and the like that can be easily removed by the suction operation of the 3 rd stage or the cleaner function.

Alternatively, when the user treats a portion of a heavily soiled object, the user may repeatedly treat the portion. Further, the manual switch 67 may be set to the 2 nd stage, the steam and the moisture may be intensively sprayed to the dirt portion only by the steam generating operation, and after it is estimated that the dirt is dissolved, the manual switch 67 may be set to the 3 rd stage, and the contaminated moisture may be sucked by the suction operation.

When the user finishes the operation as the steam cleaner, the operation of the laundry treating apparatus 100 is ended. Further, the user may dispose of the waste water stored in the drain tank 51, clean the inside, and attach the waste water to the base unit 1.

In the laundry treatment apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the base unit 1 and the head unit 2 are separated, and the head unit 2 does not include a water storage portion or the like. Thus, there is no limitation on the angle at which the head unit 2 is operated. Thus, the user can use the head unit 2 in both the vertical and horizontal planes. When the head unit 2 is used in a vertical plane, the suction port 53 is disposed above the ejection port 45. Thus, the user can perform the treatment by a natural motion such as a motion of moving the hand downward when using the vertical surface and a motion of pulling the hand when using the horizontal surface. That is, the user can easily handle the clothes in a state of hanging the clothes on the clothes hanger or in a state of placing the clothes on a table or the like.

Further, if the user knows the degree of dirt detected by the laundry dirt sensor 62, the user can intensively clean a portion having a large amount of dirt. This allows the user to effectively clean the dirty portion of the object C. In addition, the user can grasp the removal of dirt by the cleaning, and thereby can obtain a feeling of achievement of the cleaning.

In addition, the laundry treating apparatus 100 is not configured to supply moisture from the back surface of the treatment object C and suck the moisture from the front surface, but is configured to treat the laundry from the same side with the moisture ejection port 45 and the suction port 53 being located on the same surface. This allows the user to remove dirt while preventing the dirt on the surface from penetrating into the inside of a thick garment having wadding, such as a down jacket.

[1-2-3 evaluation of detergency ]

The following describes the results of a cleaning test performed using the laundry treatment apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. As an example of the object C to be treated, a soiled cloth used for evaluation of detergency was used which was allowed to adhere to a cotton cloth of 5cm square, left to stand at 40 ℃ for 24 hours, and then stored in a refrigerator. The attached substances are oleic acid 34.3mg, cholesterol oleate 17mg, palmitic acid 7.3mg, squalene 4.4mgj, Sudan III 0.0126mg and ethanol 736 mg. The reflectance of the base cloth before the cleaning and the reflectance of the soiled cloth before and after the cleaning were measured, and the value of the degree of cleaning was calculated from (reflectance of the soiled cloth after the cleaning-reflectance of the soiled cloth before the cleaning)/(reflectance of the base cloth before the cleaning-reflectance of the soiled cloth before the cleaning). Hereinafter, a configuration in which the leading end of the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is located on the back side of the suction port 53 with a distance D of 5mm from the contact surface 2a in the direction in which suction is performed from the suction port 53 will also be referred to as a "configuration with a distance D of 5 mm", and the contact surface 2a is a surface on which the suction port 53 contacts the soiled cloth. A configuration in which the leading end of the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is located on the same surface as the contact surface 2a, that is, at a position where the dimension D is 0mm, is also referred to as a "configuration in which the dimension D is 0 mm".

In the washing method, the head unit 2 of the laundry treating apparatus 100 is closely attached to the stained cloth at every 1cm ² The head unit 2 was moved in such a manner that the contact time of the contaminated cloth was 0.4 seconds.

In addition, in (evaluation 1), the degree of cleaning when the drawing-in suppressing portion 54 had a structure with a size D of 5mm was measured and compared by changing the feed amount and the suction flow rate. In addition, in (evaluation 2), the degree of cleaning and MA (Mechanical Action) values were measured and compared for a configuration having a dimension D of 5mm and a dimension D of 0mm, respectively. The MA values were determined using an MA test cloth.

(evaluation 1) during the cleaning treatment, water was supplied at two water supply amounts (4g/min and 32g/min) and suction was performed at two suction flow rates (20L/min and 50L/min), respectively.

[ Table 1]

(evaluation 1) degree of cleaning: lead-in preventing portion D is 5mm

And (3) processing time: 0.4sec/cm ²

The degree of cleaning is shown in table 1. Sufficient washing performance equivalent to that of a household washing machine can be obtained under the condition of 32g/min which is a large amount of supplied water. In addition, under the condition of a large water supply amount, the degree of cleaning is high under the condition of 50L/min with a large suction flow amount, but under the condition of 4g/min with a small water supply amount, the degree of cleaning is high under the condition of 20L/min with a small suction flow amount. The removal of the soil is achieved by sucking water after the soil is dissolved by wetting the soiled cloth to some extent. Therefore, when the amount of water is sufficient, the suction force is large, and the dirt dissolved in the water can be reliably removed. However, when the amount of water is insufficient due to a small amount of water, if the suction force is large, moisture is sucked before the soiled cloth is sufficiently wetted, and the soil is hard to dissolve in the moisture. Therefore, the degree of washing is considered to be low.

That is, in the laundry processing apparatus 100, when the suction flow rate is increased, the water supply amount is increased in conjunction with this, and a decrease in the cleaning power can be suppressed. That is, in the laundry treatment apparatus 100, the amount of water supplied by the moisture supply device 4 may be controlled to be changed according to the suction flow rate of the suction device 5, and thereby the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can obtain higher detergency.

The structure in which the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is provided at a distance D of 0mm from the contact surface 2a, that is, on the same surface as the contact surface 2a, the contact surface 2a being a surface on which the suction port 53 contacts the object C to be processed, while changing the position thereof, was evaluated (evaluation 2). The other structure was the same as evaluation 1.

During the cleaning treatment, the water supply amount was set to 32g/min and the suction flow rate was set to 50L/min. For comparison, the same test was also performed for the head unit 2 having the structure of evaluation 1 (the structure having the dimension D of 5 mm). As the evaluation, the degree of cleaning and the MA value as an index of the cloth damage were evaluated. For MA values, lower values indicate less cloth damage.

[ Table 2]

(evaluation 2) comparison between the lead-in preventing portion D of 5mm and the lead-in preventing portion D of 0mm

Dimension D	Cleaning ofDegree of rotation	MA value
			5mm	0.20	10
0mm	0.15	0

Treatment time: 0.4sec/cm ²

The degree of cleaning and the MA value are shown in Table 2. In the case of a configuration in which the position of the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is provided on the same surface as the suction port 53 (a configuration in which the dimension D is 0 mm), the degree of cleaning is reduced by 25% as compared with a configuration in which the dimension D is 5mm, but the MA value can be reduced. In the case of the configuration in which the dimension D is 0mm, the processing object C is not drawn in and deformed even if the suction device 5 operates, and therefore, it can be said that the cloth damage can be suppressed. That is, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 may be configured such that the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is set to have a dimension D of 0mm in the case of clothes whose cloth is likely to be damaged, and the pull-in suppressing portion 54 is set to have a dimension D of 5mm in the case of clothes whose detergency is to be prioritized.

[1-3. Effect ]

As described above, in the present embodiment, the laundry processing apparatus 100 includes: a water supply device 4 for supplying water to the object C; and a suction device 5 that sucks air together with moisture adhering to the processing object C. Moreover, the suction device 5 includes: a drain tank 51, which is a collector, that separates moisture from the air sucked together with the moisture; and an introduction suppressing unit 54 for suppressing introduction of the processing object C into the suction device 5.

This dissolves dirt adhering to the object C into the supplied water, and the dirt is easily removed from the object C and sucked together with the water. Therefore, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can remove water-soluble dirt, oil-soluble dirt, and the like adhering to the treatment object C such as laundry. Further, since the object C is not sucked into the deep portion of the suction pipe 55, the clothes treating apparatus 100 can perform strong suction capable of removing only the moisture of the object C. Therefore, the moisture is effectively sucked, and the laundry or the like as the object C to be treated is not left in a wet state for a long time or an excessive weight is not applied to the laundry or the like as the object C to be treated, and the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can perform a quick washing treatment by suppressing the extension and deformation of the laundry or the like. In addition, the laundry treating apparatus 100 can suppress the laundry from being excessively wrinkled, deformed, and the like due to the laundry being introduced. Further, since the clothes treating apparatus 100 can effectively exhibit the suction force of the suction device 5, the effect of removing moisture containing dirt is improved.

In the present embodiment, the laundry processing apparatus 100 may be configured to perform suction by the suction device 5 while the water is supplied by the water supply device 4. Thus, after the discharge port 45 comes into contact with the object C, the suction port 53 comes into contact with the object C, and the user can clean the object C by 1 treatment. In addition, since the treatment object C is not left in a wet state for a long time, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can suppress the spread of dirt. Further, in a state where the treatment object C is hung on the hanger, the clothes treatment apparatus 100 can suppress the deformation of the treatment object C due to the weight after wetting.

In the present embodiment, in the laundry processing apparatus 100, the moisture supply device 4 may include a heating portion 47 that heats water, the moisture may be supplied using the water heated by the heating portion 47, and the suction device 5 may include a cooling portion 58 that cools the sucked air. Accordingly, the temperature of the water supplied to the steam generating section 43 can be increased by the heating section 47, and therefore the heater capacity of the steam generating section 43 in the head unit 2 can be reduced, and the head unit 2 can be made lightweight. In addition, since the cooling unit 58 cools the suction air, it is possible to suppress: the suction fan 52 is overheated or dew condensation occurs around the suction fan 52, resulting in a reduction in durability.

In the present embodiment, in the laundry treatment apparatus 100, the pull-in suppressing portion 54 may be provided on the back side of the suction port 53 in the direction of sucking from the suction port 53 of the suction device 5. This causes the sucked processing object C to be slightly deformed and to reliably contact the outer periphery of the suction port 53. Therefore, in the laundry processing apparatus 100, the suction force of the suction device 5 can be effectively exerted, and therefore, the effect of removing moisture containing dirt can be improved.

In the present embodiment, in the laundry treatment apparatus 100, the pull-in suppressing unit 54 may be provided on the same surface as the contact surface 2a, and the contact surface 2a may be a surface on which the suction port 53 of the suction device 5 contacts the treatment object C. Accordingly, even if the suction device 5 is operated, the treatment object C is not drawn in and does not deform, and therefore the clothes treatment apparatus 100 can suppress cloth damage.

In the present embodiment, in the laundry processing apparatus 100, the amount of water supplied by the water supply device 4 may be controlled to be changed in accordance with the suction flow rate of the suction device 5. Accordingly, in the laundry processing apparatus 100, the flow rate of the suction air and the water supply amount are interlocked to stably exhibit appropriate detergency.

In the present embodiment, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may further include a liquid dirt sensor 63, and the liquid dirt sensor 63 may be provided in the suction device 5 to detect dirt of the sucked water. Accordingly, the control unit 61 of the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can control the moisture supply device 4 and the suction device 5 according to the state of dirt detected by the liquid dirt sensor 63. Therefore, the laundry treating apparatus 100 can improve detergency according to the state of dirt.

In the present embodiment, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may further include a laundry contamination sensor 62 for detecting contamination of the treatment target object C. Accordingly, the control unit 61 of the laundry treatment apparatus 100 can control the moisture supply device 4 and the suction device 5 according to the state of dirt detected by the liquid dirt sensor 63. Therefore, the laundry treating apparatus 100 can improve detergency according to the state of dirt.

In the present embodiment, the laundry treatment apparatus 100 may further include a liquid dirt display unit 70a that displays the degree of dirt of the water content detected by the liquid dirt sensor 63, or a laundry dirt display unit 70b that displays the degree of dirt of the treatment object C detected by the laundry dirt sensor 62. This allows the user to know the portion where dirt remains and the timing at which dirt is removed, and thus, the user can efficiently clean the dirt. In addition, the user can grasp the removal of dirt by the cleaning, and thereby can obtain a feeling of achievement of the cleaning.

(other embodiments)

As described above, embodiment 1 has been described as an example of the technique disclosed in the present application. However, the technique of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which changes, substitutions, additions, omissions, and the like are made. In addition, each of the constituent elements described in embodiment 1 above may be combined to form a new embodiment.

Therefore, other embodiments are exemplified below.

In embodiment 1, a laundry treatment apparatus 100 having a structure separated into a base unit 1 and a head unit 2 is described as an example of the laundry treatment apparatus of the present disclosure. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the base unit 1 and the head unit 2 may be integrally configured. Therefore, the whole clothes treatment device can be miniaturized and lightened.

Industrial applicability

The present disclosure is useful as a laundry treatment apparatus for removing dirt and the like from a treatment object such as laundry.

Description of the reference numerals

1. A base unit; 2. a head unit; 2a, a contact surface; 3. a connecting pipe; 4. a moisture supply device; 5. a suction device; 6. a control device; 41. a water supply tank; 42. a water supply pump; 43. a steam generating part; 44. a nozzle; 45. an ejection port; 46. a water supply pipe; 47. a heating section; 51. a drain tank (collector); 51a, a baffle; 52. a suction fan; 53. a suction port; 54. an introduction inhibiting portion; 54a, a separator; 54b, a separator; 55. a suction tube; 56. an exhaust port; 57. a filter; 58. a cooling section; 61. a control unit; 62. a laundry soil sensor; 63. a liquid dirt sensor; 64. a cable; 65. a power switch; 66. a function setting switch; 67. a manual switch; 70a, a liquid dirt display part; 70b, a clothes dirt display part; 100. a laundry treating apparatus; A. an arrow; C. an object to be processed; D. and (4) size.

Claims

1. A clothes treating apparatus, in which,

the clothes treatment device is provided with:

a water supply device for supplying water to the object to be processed; and

a suction device that sucks air together with the moisture adhering to the processing object,

the suction device comprises: a collector that separates the moisture from the air drawn with the moisture; and an introduction suppressing unit that suppresses introduction of the processing object into the suction device.

2. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1,

the laundry treating apparatus is configured such that,

the suction is performed by the suction means while the supply is performed by the moisture supply means.

3. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

the water supply device includes a heating unit that heats water, and the water is supplied using the water heated by the heating unit,

the suction device includes a cooling portion that cools the air sucked.

4. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the introduction inhibiting portion is provided on the back side of the suction port of the suction device in a direction in which the suction is performed from the suction port.

5. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the introduction suppressing portion is provided on the same surface as a contact surface with which the suction port of the suction device contacts the processing object.

6. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the clothes treatment device controls the water supply amount of the moisture supply device in a variable manner according to the suction flow of the suction device.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

the laundry processing apparatus includes a liquid dirt sensor provided in the suction device and detecting dirt of the sucked moisture.

8. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the clothes treatment device is provided with a clothes dirt sensor for detecting dirt of a treatment object.

9. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 7,

the laundry processing apparatus includes a liquid dirt display unit that displays the degree of dirt of the moisture detected by the liquid dirt sensor.

10. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 8,

the laundry treatment apparatus includes a laundry dirt display unit that displays a degree of the dirt of the treatment target detected by the laundry dirt sensor.