JPH04314500A - Dryer for bedclothes, etc. - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the title dryer which can automatically set the optimum drying time. CONSTITUTION:The title dryer is provided with an automatic drying operation time setting means 11 corresponding to a room temperature, etc., and after performing a preliminary blast to adapt sensors inside 8, 9 to the room air, determines the drying operation time based on the output of the said sensors.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dryer for bedding, etc.

0002

[Prior art] Conventional dryers (for example,
No. 269), the user manually sets the time for drying operation by operating a timer.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with such conventional dryers, the user must determine the drying time based on experience or intuition, or set the drying time using the standard time stated in the instruction manual. This forces the user to perform troublesome operations. In addition, over-drying even when it is sufficiently dry not only wastes electricity, but also damages the material of the bedding due to over-drying, or may not be comfortable due to insufficient drying. There were some inconveniences. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves these problems and provides a dryer for bedding, etc., which has improved operability and can set the drying time of bedding to an optimal time.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] A first invention provides a hot air generating means including a blower and a heater, a control means for controlling the hot air generating means, and a temperature control means provided facing an intake path of the blower. The control means includes a detection means including a sensor, and an operation time determination means for determining the operation time of the hot air generation means based on the output of the detection means, and the control means controls the operation time of the blower at predetermined intervals after the blower starts operating. The operating time determining means is operated, and then the heater is energized.

[0005] A second aspect of the present invention includes a hot air generating means including a blower and a heater, a control means for controlling the hot air generating means, and a detecting means including at least a temperature sensor provided facing the air intake path of the blower. , comprising an operating time determining means for determining the operating time of the warm air generating means based on the output of the detecting means, and a display for displaying the operating time determined by the operating time determining means, the operating time determining means The operating time determined at the start of operation is displayed on the display, and when the hot air generating means has operated for a predetermined period of time, the operating time is determined again and the determined time is displayed on the display. be.

[0006]

[Operation] According to the first invention, the detection means detects the indoor temperature, etc., and automatically sets the optimal drying time according to the drying conditions around the bedding, eliminating the need for operations to set the drying time. In addition, even if the dryer is started immediately after being removed from a closet, etc., the detection error is reduced by first blowing only air and letting the detection means facing the intake path adjust to the indoor air. do.

According to the second invention, at the start of operation, the detection means detects the indoor temperature, etc., automatically sets the approximate drying time according to the indoor condition, and displays the time to the user. At the same time, after operating for a predetermined period of time to allow the detection means such as the temperature sensor to become sufficiently familiar with the indoor air to improve detection accuracy, the drying time is automatically set again, and the optimum drying time is set and displayed. I do.

[0008]

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, a futon dryer will be explained as an example. First, the structure of the dryer will be explained with reference to Figure 2.(1)
is the case, (2) is the suction hole, (3) is the filter, (4
) is a blower fan rotated by a motor. (
5) is a heater that heats the air sent out by the fan (4), (6) is an air temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the hot air, and (7) is a blowout hole. (8) is a temperature sensor that detects the room temperature, and (9) is a humidity sensor that detects the humidity in the room, each of which is placed near the suction hole (2) so as to face the intake path of the fan (4). (10) is a control circuit section.

The control circuit section (10) and its peripheral circuits will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. (11) is a microcomputer that controls each section, (12) is an AC power supply, and (13) is a device that rotates the fan (4). The blower consists of a motor. (14)
is an air temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the hot air in the blow-off hole (7) via an air temperature sensor (6). (15) is a room temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the room via a temperature sensor (8). (16) is a humidity detection means that detects the humidity of the room via a humidity sensor (9). (17) is a notification means such as a buzzer, and (18) is a DC power source. (19) is a triac connected in series with the motor (13), (20) is a triac connected in series with the heater (5), and each gate is connected to the microcontroller (11) via resistors (21) and (22). ) is connected to the output Po1 and the output Po2.

(23) is a numerical display means, which is operated by a microcomputer (1
1) Displays the remaining time of the clock. (24a)
, (24b) are process indicator lamps (24c), (24d) that indicate the drying process and finishing process, respectively.
are futon selection display lamps that indicate whether duvet drying control or cotton futon drying control is being performed, respectively. (25) is a start switch to start operation, (26
) is a stop switch that stops the operation, and (27) is a push-lock type futon selection switch that repeats opening and closing each time it is pressed.

The operation of the futon dryer having such a configuration will be explained with reference to the time chart shown in FIG. first,
A bag-like sheet (not shown) having air permeability in the blow-off hole (7)
Attach the sheet and place it between the comforter and mattress to prepare for drying. When the power is turned on at time t0, one of the futon selection display lamps (24c) and (24d) lights up in response to opening and closing of the futon selection switch (27). Here, it is assumed that drying of a cotton futon has been selected and the cotton lamp (24d) is lit. t1
When the start switch (25) is pressed down at this point, the microcomputer (11) lights up the drying process display lamp (24a) according to a preset program and displays "3 hours 00 minutes" blinking on the numerical display means (23). let This display time is the maximum operating time of this dryer, and the blinking indicates that the operating time has not been officially determined yet. At the same time, the triac (19) is turned on and the motor (13) is rotated to start blowing air between the futons.

Air is blown for a predetermined time Ta (6 seconds in this embodiment), the indoor air is taken into the case (1) of the futon dryer, and the temperature sensor (8) and humidity sensor (9) dry the futon. After becoming accustomed to the indoor air, the room temperature detection means (15) and humidity detection means (16) detect the temperature and humidity of the indoor air at time t2. This is because the futon dryer is usually stored in a storeroom or closet, and for a while after bringing it to the room where the futon drying is performed, the air inside the futon dryer will be different from the temperature and humidity of the room where the futon drying is performed. This is done to accurately detect the temperature and humidity of the room where the futon is dried. Based on the values detected in this way,
First, determine the drying operation time.

A specific example of determining the drying operation time from the indoor humidity and room temperature will now be described. First, the general relationship between indoor humidity and the amount of dampness of a futon will be explained using FIG. 4.

In FIG. 4, the vertical axis indicates absolute dryness (absolute dryness refers to the time when the futon is dried in a futon dryer and the amount of evaporated water is measured every hour, and the difference between before and after is 20 grams or less. after)
This is the weight of the futon when it is left under various environmental conditions for 24 hours, and the larger the weight of the futon on the vertical axis, the more water it contains. The horizontal axis represents the relative humidity of the environment in which it is left, and the room temperature is taken as a parameter. As is clear from the graph, the higher the surrounding relative humidity, the greater the weight of the futon and the more likely it is to contain moisture. Similarly,
It can also be seen that the lower the ambient temperature, the more likely it is to contain moisture. Therefore, the drying operation time should be set longer if the ambient humidity is high.
It can be seen that if the ambient humidity is low, the time should be set short. Next, the relationship between room temperature and futon drying speed will be explained using FIG.

In FIG. 5, the vertical axis is 1 after starting futon drying.
The amount of drying per hour, the horizontal axis is the room temperature, and the parameter is the relative humidity of the surrounding area. From the graph, it can be seen that the higher the room temperature, the easier it is to dry, and conversely, the lower the room temperature, the harder it is to dry. Therefore, it can be seen that the drying operation time should be set shorter if the room temperature is higher, and longer if the room temperature is lower. In this embodiment, the above-mentioned qualitative properties are quantified by fuzzy inference using indoor relative humidity and room temperature as input and obtaining drying operation time as output.

Next, the fuzzy inference rule table and membership functions of this embodiment will be explained. Set the input to room temperature (I
NP1) and indoor relative humidity (INP2), the combination of rules is represented by a two-dimensional matrix, and the above-mentioned qualitative properties are described by the rule matrix in FIG. For example, "If the room temperature is high (H) and the humidity is low (L),
Shorten the drying operation time (S). ” is of the form.

[0017] Input (INP1, INP2) and output (OU
P) is defined by the membership function in FIG. IN
The room temperature of P1 is defined by five membership functions: L, ML, M, MH, and H. The indoor relative humidity of INP2 is also defined by five membership functions: L, ML, M, MH, and H. The drying operation time of OUP is S, M
It is defined by seven membership functions: S, RS, M, RL, ML, and L. According to the above membership functions and rules, fuzzy inference is performed on the inputs of room temperature and indoor relative humidity, and the set value of the drying operation time is obtained as an output using the MAX-MIN composite centroid method. In this embodiment, outputs for inputs are calculated in advance by fuzzy inference, and the results are stored in the microcomputer as table data as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, when a duvet is selected by the futon selection switch, the drying time is programmed to be approximately 20% longer than when a cotton futon is selected. be. This is because when drying using a duvet as a comforter, warm air easily escapes from the comforter.
This is because the futon is difficult to dry, so the drying efficiency is lower than when drying a cotton futon as a comforter.

Now, suppose that the output of the room temperature detection means (15) is 1.
Assuming that the humidity detection means (16) outputs a relative humidity of 65% at 3° C., the drying time is determined to be 1 hour and 36 minutes from FIG. 8, since cotton futon is selected in this example.

In this embodiment, the table lookup method is used in which the fuzzy inference results are stored as table data, but the fuzzy inference calculation itself is programmed into the microcomputer, and the input data is There is also a method that allows calculation each time. Further, although fuzzy inference is used in this embodiment, it is not necessary to use fuzzy inference if the method determines the optimum drying operation time from the input room temperature and indoor humidity. For example, you can divide each input condition into cases, experimentally find the optimal value for each case, and store the results as table data, or you can use an arithmetic formula to calculate the optimal drying time from the input room temperature and indoor humidity. A method of determining the value experimentally and programming it may also be used. Furthermore, in this embodiment, two inputs, room temperature and indoor humidity, are used to determine the optimum drying time, but a simpler method may be to use room temperature as an input to determine the drying operation time.

After the drying operation time is determined as described above, the control of the finishing process is then determined based on the output of the room temperature detection means (15). The finishing process is to adjust the finished temperature after drying the futon to a temperature suitable for sleeping, and the air blowing time and air blowing control temperature are preprogrammed according to the room temperature as shown in Figure 9, and the drying operation is completed. This is a process that will be carried out later. In the present example, since the output of the room temperature detection means (15) is 13°C, the air blowing time in the finishing process is 9 minutes, and the air blowing control temperature is 43°C.

At time t2, the microcomputer (11) flashes the total value of the drying operation time and finishing time "1 hour 45 minutes" on the numerical display means (23). The purpose of the blinking display is to indicate that the decision is still tentative. From this time on, the microcontroller (
11) ignites triac 2 (20) and heater (5)
Start energizing.

At time t3 after a predetermined time Tb (60 seconds in this embodiment), the room temperature and humidity are detected again by the room temperature detection means (15) and humidity detection means (16), and drying is carried out in the same manner as described above. Decide on the time and finishing time and make this final decision. Suppose that after this predetermined time, the output of the room temperature detection means (15) is 15°C and the output of the humidity detection means (16) is relative humidity 6.
7%, the drying time is 1 hour26 from Figure 8.
From FIG. 9, the air blowing time in the finishing process is determined to be 11 minutes, and the air blowing control temperature is determined to be 39°C. Microcomputer (11
) is the total value of the drying time and finishing time, and the numerical display (23) lights up and tentatively determines "1 hour 36 minutes", which is the total value of the drying time and finishing time, subtracting the 60 seconds that have already passed from 1 hour 37 minutes, as the time it will take to finish. Inform users of this change. The drying time and finishing time are determined again.
This is because if the temperature and humidity of the air inside the futon dryer and the air in the room are significantly different from each other, it may not be possible to accurately detect the temperature and humidity within the initial 6 seconds.

[0024] It is better for Ta to be short in order to satisfy the user's desire to quickly know the time required for finishing.
If it is too short, the temperature sensor (8) and humidity sensor (9)
This does not allow enough time for the product to adjust to the indoor temperature and humidity. Therefore, after the heater energization starts, after a time Tb within the range where the heater energization does not affect the air temperature inside the futon dryer and the moisture from the futon does not yet start to evaporate,
The system accurately detects the temperature and humidity of the room where the futon will be dried again, and then sets the drying operation time and finishing time.

The temperature of the warm air during the drying process is controlled at a maximum temperature of 60°C for a cotton comforter and 50°C for a down comforter, depending on the output of the hot air temperature detection means (14) and the settings of the comforter selection. . This is for safety and to not damage the fibers of the futon. Especially when using duvets, the temperature is kept low to avoid damaging the oils and fats in the feathers.

As time passes, the display time of the numerical display means (23) is decreased every minute, and at time t4, when the set drying operation time has elapsed, the process display is changed to the drying lamp (
Switch from 24a) to the finishing lamp (24b) to indicate that the finishing process has begun.

In the finishing process, hot air is controlled and blown at a determined temperature. Further time passes, and at time t5 when the remaining time is 5 seconds, the heater (5) is de-energized and only the motor (13) is energized to send cold air. This is to remove the hot air inside the futon dryer so that the initial temperature and humidity can be detected accurately even when the dryer is used continuously. When the time determined as the finishing time ends, the finishing lamp (24b) is turned off at time t6, and a notification is given by the notification means (17). During the notification, the numerical display means (23) displays "0 minutes". When the notification is finished, the display on the numerical display means (23) is turned off at time t7, and the state returns to the initial state.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the drying conditions such as room temperature are detected by the detection means facing the air intake path of the blower, and the drying time is automatically set according to the indoor condition. Anyone can perform optimal futon drying by simply performing the start operation, and operability can be improved. According to the first invention, even if the dryer is started immediately after being taken out from a closet or the like, the detection error can be reduced by allowing the detection means facing the intake path to adapt to the indoor air. It is possible to reduce the error in setting the drying time. Further, according to the second invention,
At the start of operation, the drying time is automatically set according to the indoor conditions, and then displayed on the display to quickly inform the user of the drying time, and the device is operated for a predetermined period of time to allow the detection means to become fully accustomed to the indoor air. After reducing the detection error, the drying time can be automatically set again, and the drying time can be set to the optimal time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the futon dryer of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a time chart for explaining the operation of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between indoor humidity and the amount of dampness of a futon.

FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between room temperature and futon drying speed.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing fuzzy rules in the same embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing membership functions in the same embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between room temperature, humidity, and drying time in the same example.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship among finishing temperature, hot air temperature, and air blowing time in the same example.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 Fan 5 Heater 8 Temperature sensor 11 Microcomputer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A hot air generating means comprising a blower and a heater, a control means for controlling the hot air generating means, a detecting means including at least a temperature sensor provided facing an air intake path of the blower, and the detecting means. operating time determining means for determining the operating time of the warm air generating means based on the output of the blower, and the control means operates the operating time determining means at predetermined intervals after the blower starts operating; A dryer for bedding, etc., characterized by energizing the heater. 2. A hot air generating means comprising a blower and a heater, a control means for controlling the hot air generating means, a detecting means including at least a temperature sensor provided facing an air intake path of the blower, and the detecting means. operating time determining means for determining the operating time of the hot air generating means based on the output of the warm air generating means;
comprising a display that displays the operating time determined by the operating time determining means, the operating time determining means displays the operating time determined at the start of operation on the display;
A dryer for bedding, etc., characterized in that when the warm air generating means operates for a predetermined time, the operating time is determined again and the determined time is displayed on the display.