KR100762333B1 - Air recycling apparatus and dryer therewith and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An air circulation device, a dryer having thereof, and a method for controlling thereof is provided to collect moisture from the laundry by improving contact between the laundry and air by allowing air to be circulated in the drum. An air circulation device comprises a cabinet(50), a drum(60), an intake pipe(70), a discharge pipe(80), a driving motor(90), a discharge fan(82), a circulation pipe(210), and a switch unit. The drum is rotatably installed in the cabinet, wherein the laundry is stored. The intake pipe where air flows in is connected with the drum. The discharge pipe discharging air is extended from the drum to an external of the cabinet. The driving motor is installed at the cabinet. The discharge fan is connected with the driving motor. The driving motor guides air inflowing along the intake pipe, to be discharged to the external of the cabinet through the drum and the discharge pipe. The circulation pipe is installed between the discharge pipe and the intake pipe. The switch unit is installed at the circulation pipe. The switch unit closes the discharge pipe and opens the circulation pipe if temperature of discharged air is below set temperature.

Description

Air circulator and dryer having same and control method thereof {AIR RECYCLING APPARATUS AND DRYER THEREWITH AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF}

1 is a configuration diagram showing a flow path structure of a dryer according to the prior art.

Figure 2 is a partial cutaway perspective view of a dryer according to the prior art.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view showing the configuration of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a front perspective view showing the configuration of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a rear perspective view showing the discharge port of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a front perspective view showing an intake pipe of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing a suction flow path of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a partially enlarged view showing the opening and closing means of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a plan view showing the exhaust passage of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a block diagram showing an air circulation device of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of a dryer having an air circulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

50: cabinet 52: inlet

54 discharge port 60 drum

62: support panel 62a: through hole

64: front panel 64a: outlet

66: seating portion 66a: supply hole

70: intake pipe 74: heater

80 exhaust pipe 82 exhaust fan

84 housing 86 connector

90: drive motor 96: belt

100: lifter 200: air circulation device

210: circulation tube 220: opening and closing means

221: door 222: tension synchronous motor

223: elastic member 224: temperature sensor

225: humidity sensor 226: control unit

227: wire

The present invention relates to a dryer, and more particularly, to an air circulation device having an improved drying efficiency for collecting moisture of laundry, a dryer having the same, and a control method thereof.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a flow path structure of a dryer according to the prior art, Figure 2 is a partial cutaway perspective view showing a dryer according to the prior art.

1 and 2, a case 2 having an exterior of a dryer and a door opening to be formed on a front surface thereof, a rotatably disposed inside the case 2 and housed inside the case 2 and air The drum 12 opened in the front-rear direction to pass through the heater 12, a heater 18 disposed in the case 2 to heat the sucked air, and heated air passed through the heater 18. An intake duct 20 guiding to the rear of 12), an exhaust means 22 for discharging the turbid air while drying the object to the outside of the case 2, and a blowing fan provided in the exhaust means 22. (Not shown), a motor (not shown) and a belt 40 for rotationally driving the drum 12 and the blowing fan.

The drum 12 is disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the lift 11 for lifting and dropping the object.

The exhaust means 22 has a lint duct 25 through which air in the drum 12 is sucked and a filter 24 is mounted to filter foreign matter, and the lint duct 25 communicates with the blower fan 30. It consists of a fan housing 26 enclosing the exhaust housing and an exhaust duct 27 having one end communicating with the fan housing 26 and the other end disposed outside the case 2.

Looking at the operation of the prior art configured as described above are as follows.

First, after the object is put into the drum 12, the door is closed and the dryer is operated. As the motor is driven, the drum 12 and the blowing fan rotate, and the heater 18 is also operated. Done.

At this time, as the drum 12 is rotated, the dry matter in the drum is lifted by the lift 11 and then dropped. The outside air is heated by the high temperature and low humidity air while being sucked into the heater 18 by the blowing force generated when the blowing fan is rotated, and then into the drum 12 through the intake duct 20. Discharged.

After the high temperature and low humidity air supplied into the drum 12 is in direct contact with the object to be dropped, the air is dried and moved to the front end side of the drum 12 while being converted into air of low temperature and high humidity. It is discharged out of the dryer through the exhaust duct 27.

However, in the dryer according to the prior art, since the air passing through the heater is injected into the drum after the drying operation is started and before the heater is heated to a predetermined temperature or more, air that is not sufficiently collected through the drum is discharged to the outside of the cabinet. There is a problem that the drying efficiency is difficult to improve more than a predetermined value.

The present invention has been made in order to improve the problems of the prior art, an air circulation device that improves the drying efficiency because it can more easily collect the moisture contained in the laundry by increasing the amount of contact between the laundry and the air and the same Its purpose is to provide a dryer and its control method.

Air circulation device according to the present invention for solving the above problems is installed in the cabinet rotatably inside the cabinet, the drum containing the laundry, the air inlet pipe connected to the drum, the outside of the cabinet from the drum An exhaust pipe which is extended to discharge air, a driving motor installed in the cabinet, an exhaust fan connected to the driving motor so that air introduced along the intake pipe is discharged to the outside of the cabinet along the exhaust pipe through the drum; A circulation pipe disposed between the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe, and an opening / closing means for closing the exhaust pipe and opening the circulation pipe when a temperature of air installed in the circulation pipe and discharged along the exhaust pipe is equal to or less than a set temperature. Characterized in that.

In addition, the circulation pipe of the present invention is characterized in that it is branched from the exhaust pipe is connected to the inlet side side end of the intake pipe.

In addition, the opening and closing means of the present invention is a door which is rotatably installed in the branch of the circulation pipe, a tension synchronous motor installed in the exhaust pipe to pull the wire connected to the door, between the door and the circulation pipe And a controller configured to determine whether to drive the tensile synchronous motor according to an elastic member to be installed, a temperature sensor installed in the exhaust pipe, and an exhaust temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

In another aspect, the present invention is characterized in that it further comprises a humidity sensor for sensing the humidity in the drum to determine whether the drive motor and the tension synchronous motor is stopped.

In addition, the dryer having an air circulation device according to the present invention is installed in the cabinet rotatably installed inside the cabinet, the drum containing the laundry, the air inlet pipe connected to the drum inflow, extending from the drum to the outside of the cabinet Exhaust pipe for discharging air, a driving motor installed in the cabinet, an exhaust fan connected to the driving motor to allow air introduced along the intake pipe to be discharged to the outside of the cabinet along the exhaust pipe through the drum; And a circulation pipe installed between the air intake pipe and the air opening and closing means for closing the exhaust pipe and opening the circulation pipe when the temperature of the air installed in the circulation pipe and discharged along the exhaust pipe is equal to or lower than a set temperature. It is characterized by including a circulator.

In addition, the control method of the dryer having an air circulation device according to the present invention, when the drying operation is started, the power supply to the tension synchronous motor is closed to close the exhaust pipe, open the circulation pipe in the state in which the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe is in communication with the drive motor And a second step of applying power to the heater; a second step of determining whether the exhaust temperature is greater than or equal to the first set value when the first step is started; and if the exhaust temperature is greater than or equal to the first set value in the second step, the tensile synchronous motor A third step of closing the circulation pipe by closing the power supply and opening the exhaust pipe; a fourth step of determining whether the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than a second set value when the third step is started; and the exhaust temperature in the fourth step Is a fifth step of stopping power supply to the heater when the value is greater than or equal to the second set value, and determining whether the exhaust temperature is less than or equal to the third set value when the fifth step starts A seventh step of supplying power to the heater when the exhaust temperature is less than or equal to the third set value in the sixth step, and detecting whether the temperature inside the drum is less than or equal to the set value when the seventh step is started to determine whether to terminate the drying operation. And an eighth step of determining.

In another aspect, the present invention is characterized in that in the seventh step if the humidity inside the drum is above the set value is reduced to the fourth step.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings an embodiment of an air circulation device and a dryer having the same and a control method thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail.

For convenience of explanation, a dryer having an air circulation device will be described as an example.

In this process, the thickness of the lines or the size of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of description.

In addition, terms to be described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to the intention or convention of a user or an operator.

Therefore, the definitions of these terms should be made based on the contents throughout the specification.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view showing the configuration of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a front perspective view showing the configuration of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is an embodiment of the present invention A rear perspective view of the discharge port of the dryer according to the example is shown.

6 is a front perspective view showing an intake pipe of a dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing a suction flow path of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. Partial enlarged view showing the opening and closing means of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In addition, Figure 9 is a plan view showing the exhaust flow path of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 10 is a block diagram showing an air circulation device of the dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 11 A control method of a dryer having an air circulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a flowchart illustrating the method.

3 to 11, a dryer having an air circulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention forms a predetermined space, an opening is formed at one side, and a cabinet 50 having an outlet 54 formed therein, and an opening. The drum 60 rotatably installed inside to accommodate the laundry, a plurality of lifters 100 installed on the inner wall of the drum 60 to rotate the laundry, and air in the cabinet 50 are inside the drum 60. An intake pipe 70 for guiding the air, a heater 74 provided in the intake pipe 70, an exhaust fan 82 provided between the drum 60, and an outlet 54, and an exhaust fan 82. Between the exhaust pipe 80 provided between the exhaust port and the discharge port 54, the drive motor 90 to which the rotary shaft of the exhaust fan 82 is connected, and the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe, and exhaust gas is circulated to the intake pipe when the exhaust temperature is lower than the set value. It is configured to include an air circulation device 200 to improve the drying efficiency.

Thus, when power is applied to the driving motor 90 by the user's operation, the exhaust fan 82 is rotated to circulate air, and the air introduced along the intake pipe 70 passes through the heater 74. It is converted into hot air and supplied into the drum 60, and the drying operation or sterilization operation of the clothes is performed while contacting the clothes in the drum 60.

Thereafter, the air discharged by the exhaust fan 82 is discharged to the outside through the discharge port 54 of the cabinet 50 along the exhaust pipe 80, thereby circulating the air.

Here, the discharge port 54 is formed at the bottom of the rear surface of the cabinet 50 in the center.

In addition, the drum 60 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a front surface and a rear surface opened so that the front surface corresponds to the opening portion, and the rear surface is rotatably installed on the support panel 62 having the through hole portion 62a formed therein.

Here, the support panel 62 is installed on the rear inner wall of the cabinet 50 so that the drum 60 can be rotatably supported, and the intake pipe 70 is installed in the through hole portion 62a.

In addition, the drum 60 is provided with a front panel 64 between the front end and the opening of the cabinet 50, and the discharge port 64a is formed at the lower end of the front panel 64.

An extension pipe 86 facing the exhaust fan 82 side is provided at this discharge port 64a, and a housing 84 is installed between the extension pipe 86 and the exhaust pipe 80 so that the exhaust fan 82 is rotatably embedded. .

The intake pipe 70 is formed of a passage extending from the intake port 52 to the upper portion of the rear surface of the cabinet 50 corresponding to the through hole portion 62a, so that air flowing from the inside of the cabinet 50 passes through the heater 74. While being converted to air of a predetermined temperature or more and moved to the upper side of the cabinet 50 along the intake pipe 70, it is introduced into the drum 60 through the through-hole portion 62a.

At this time, as the drum 60 connected to the drive motor 90 and the belt 96 is rotated, the contact area of the laundry with hot air is increased, so that drying or sterilization of the laundry is performed.

Here, the heater 74 is installed inside the intake pipe 70 disposed outside the cabinet 50, so that the heater 74 and the drum are compared with the conventional technology in which the heater 74 is installed inside the cabinet 50. The distance between 60 is minimized.

As a result, the heat loss generated while the air heated above the predetermined temperature by the heater 74 moves along the intake pipe 70 may be minimized, thereby maximizing the efficiency of the dryer.

In addition, since the heater 74 is installed on the rear surface of the cabinet 50, the heater 74 is disposed in a separate space from the drive motor 90 which is easily overheated, and thus the inside of the cabinet 50 may be prevented from being overheated more than necessary. An effect that can prevent the malfunction and breakage of the dryer due to overheating of 90) occurs.

Here, the air circulation device 200 is a circulation pipe 210 is installed between the exhaust pipe 80 and the intake pipe 70, and the temperature of the air discharged along the exhaust pipe 80 is installed in the circulation pipe 210 is When the temperature is lower than the set temperature, the exhaust pipe 80 is closed, and the opening and closing means 220 for opening the circulation pipe 210 is included.

Thus, at the initial stage of the drying operation, the exhaust pipe 80 is closed by the opening / closing means 220, the circulation pipe 210 is opened, and air which has undergone a drying operation is not discharged along the exhaust pipe 80, but the circulation pipe ( It is circulated along 210 again through the intake pipe 70 and into the drum 60.

This is because the air flows through the exhaust fan 82 at the beginning of the drying operation, but the air is supplied into the drum 60 in a state in which the heater 74 is not preheated. Absorption cannot be performed so that air that has not reached a saturated state of water is circulated back into the drum 60.

The air circulated in this way absorbs moisture enough to be in contact with the laundry many times, detects this when the exhaust water content is close to saturation, and opens the exhaust pipe 80 so that the air containing moisture is directed out of the cabinet 50. Discharged.

Here, the circulation pipe 210 is branched from the exhaust pipe 80 is connected to the inlet 52 side end of the intake pipe 70, so the exhaust pipe 80 is closed, the exhaust pipe 80 when the circulation pipe 210 is open Accordingly, the air flowing out of the cabinet 50 is circulated into the drum 60 through the intake pipe 70 along the circulation pipe 210 before being discharged to the outside of the cabinet 50.

In addition, the opening and closing means 220 is installed in the exhaust pipe 80 so as to pull the door 221 rotatably installed in the portion where the circulation pipe 210 is branched, and the wire 227 connected to the door 221. The tension synchronous motor 222, the elastic member 223 installed between the door 221 and the circulation pipe 210, the temperature sensor 224 installed in the exhaust pipe 80, and the temperature sensor 224. The control unit 226 determines whether to drive the tensile synchronous motor 222 according to the exhaust temperature detected from the sensor, and whether the driving motor 90 and the tensile synchronous motor 222 are stopped by sensing the humidity in the drum 60. It includes a humidity sensor 225 to determine the.

Thus, when the control unit 226 determines the driving of the tension synchronous motor 222 according to the signal received from the temperature sensor 224, the power is applied to the tension synchronous motor 222 to pull the wire 227, the door ( As the 221 rotates, the exhaust pipe 80 is closed and at the same time, the circulation pipe 210 is opened.

Subsequently, when the power supply to the tension synchronous motor 222 is cut off, the exhaust pipe 80 is opened and the circulation pipe 210 is closed while the door 221 is rotated to its original state by the restoring force of the elastic member 223.

By this operation, the air discharged along the exhaust pipe 80 is not discharged to the outside of the cabinet 50 but is circulated into the drum 60 along the circulation pipe 210 and the intake pipe 70.

Looking at the control method of the dryer having an air circulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

In the control method of the dryer having the air circulation device 200 according to the present invention, when the drying operation is started, power is supplied to the tension synchronous motor 222 to close the exhaust pipe 80 and open the circulation pipe 210. To apply power to the drive motor 90 and the heater 74 in a state where the exhaust pipe 80 and the intake pipe 70 are in communication with each other, and the exhaust temperature when the first step S10 is started. Is determined to be equal to or greater than the first set value, and when the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than the first set value in the second step (S20), the power supply to the tensile synchronous motor 222 is stopped to close the circulation pipe 210. The third step (S30) of closing and opening the exhaust pipe (80), the fourth step (S40) of determining whether the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than the second set value when the third step (S30) is started, and the fourth step ( In step S40, when the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than the second set value, the fifth step S50 of stopping supply of power to the heater 74 and the exhaust on when the fifth step S50 is started. Is determined to be less than or equal to the third set point (S60), and if the exhaust temperature is less than or equal to the third set point in the sixth step (S60), the seventh step (S70) of supplying power to the heater 74, and the seventh When step S70 is started, an eighth step S80 of determining whether the drying operation is finished by detecting whether the temperature inside the drum 60 is lower than or equal to a set value is included.

Here, the first step (S10) is initiated by the user operating the operation button (not shown), thereby power is applied to the drive motor 90 and the heater 74, the exhaust fan 82 and the drum 60 As it is rotated, the air flowing by the driving of the exhaust fan 82 is moved to the upper side of the cabinet 50 along the intake pipe 70, at this time, by the heater 74 to a high temperature dry air of a predetermined temperature or more. Heated.

Thereafter, the air introduced into the drum 60 through the through-hole part 62a flows in a tornado shape and contacts the laundry to perform a drying operation.

In addition, the discharge port 64a is formed in the front panel 64 provided between the opening of the drum 60 and the inner wall of the cabinet 50, and the air which has undergone the drying operation is outside the drum 60 along the discharge port 64a. Is discharged to the housing 84 of the exhaust fan 82 through the connecting pipe 86 in communication with the discharge port 64a, and moves along the exhaust pipe 80 in the housing 84.

When the first step (S10) as described above is started at the same time the tension synchronous motor 222 is driven to rotate the door 221, the exhaust pipe 80 is closed, the circulation pipe 210 is opened to circulate the air This is done.

Since the heater 74 is heated to a predetermined temperature or more while the air is circulated in this way, the air passing through the heater 74 is converted into high temperature dry air of a predetermined temperature or more to sufficiently absorb the moisture in the laundry to achieve a saturated state of the moisture.

The exhaust temperature at the time of saturation air is determined by the experimental value, and when the exhaust is heated above the temperature of the first set value, power to the tension synchronous motor 222 is cut off, so that the elastic member 223 The door 221 is rotated to its original state by the restoring force.

As a result, the exhaust pipe 80 is opened, and the circulation pipe 210 is closed so that the air discharged from the drum 60 is discharged to the outside of the cabinet 50 to perform a drying operation (S30).

Subsequently, when the exhaust temperature is heated above the second set value, the power supply to the heater 74 is cut off to prevent overheating inside the drum 60, and when the exhaust temperature falls below the third set value, the heater ( By supplying power to 74, the exhaust temperature, that is, the temperature inside the drum 60, is maintained within a set range.

When the drying operation is continued, the seventh step of detecting the humidity inside the drum 60 and ending the drying operation when the detected humidity is less than the set value is the fourth step if the humidity inside the drum 60 is greater than or equal to the set value. To be reduced to (S40).

As a result, the fourth step S40 to the seventh step S70 are repeated until the humidity inside the drum 60 becomes lower than or equal to the set value, thereby enabling the drying operation to be almost complete.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art to which the art belongs can make various modifications and other equivalent embodiments therefrom. Will understand.

In addition, although a dryer having an air circulation device has been described as an example, this is merely illustrative, and the air circulation device of the present invention may be used in other products other than the air circulation device used in the dryer.

Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the claims below.

The air circulation apparatus and the dryer having the same according to the present invention configured as described above and a control method thereof are provided with a circulation pipe and opening and closing means, and the exhaust is circulated to the inside of the drum at the beginning of the drying operation. Since the moisture content of the discharged air is close to the saturation state, the drying efficiency of the dryer is improved, thereby reducing the time and cost required for the drying operation.

Claims (7)

cabinet; A drum rotatably installed in the cabinet to accommodate laundry; An intake pipe connected to the drum and into which air is introduced; An exhaust pipe extending from the drum to the outside of the cabinet to discharge air; A drive motor installed in the cabinet; An exhaust fan connected to the driving motor so that air introduced along the intake pipe is discharged out of the cabinet along the exhaust pipe through the drum; A circulation pipe installed between the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe; And And an opening / closing means installed in the circulation pipe to close the exhaust pipe and open the circulation pipe when the temperature of the air discharged along the exhaust pipe is equal to or lower than a set temperature. The method of claim 1, The circulation pipe is branched from the exhaust pipe, characterized in that connected to the inlet port side end of the intake pipe. The method of claim 1, The opening and closing means includes a door rotatably installed at a portion where the circulation pipe is branched, a tension synchronous motor installed at the exhaust pipe so as to pull a wire connected to the door, and an elasticity installed between the door and the circulation pipe. A member, a temperature sensor installed in the exhaust pipe, and a control unit for determining whether to drive the tensile synchronous motor in accordance with the exhaust temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The method of claim 3, wherein And a humidity sensor for sensing the humidity in the drum to determine whether the driving motor and the tension synchronous motor are stopped. cabinet; A drum rotatably installed in the cabinet to accommodate laundry; An intake pipe connected to the drum and into which air is introduced; An exhaust pipe extending from the drum to the outside of the cabinet to discharge air; A drive motor installed in the cabinet; An exhaust fan connected to the driving motor so that air introduced along the intake pipe is discharged out of the cabinet along the exhaust pipe through the drum; A circulation pipe installed between the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe; And And an air circulation device installed in the circulation pipe to close the exhaust pipe and open the circulation pipe when the temperature of the air discharged along the exhaust pipe is equal to or less than a set temperature. A first step of applying power to the tension synchronous motor to close the exhaust pipe and opening the circulation pipe to supply power to the drive motor and the heater while the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe communicate with each other when the drying operation is started; A second step of determining whether the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than a first set value when the first step is started; A third step of closing power supply to the tension synchronous motor by closing the circulation pipe and opening the exhaust pipe when the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than the first set value in the second step; A fourth step of determining whether the exhaust temperature is equal to or greater than a second set value when the third step is started; A fifth step of stopping power supply to the heater when the exhaust temperature is greater than or equal to a second set value in the fourth step; Determining whether the exhaust temperature is less than or equal to a third set value when the fifth step is started; A seventh step of supplying power to the heater when the exhaust temperature is less than or equal to a third set value in the sixth step; And And a eighth step of determining whether or not the drying operation is terminated by detecting whether the temperature inside the drum is lower than or equal to a predetermined value when the seventh step is started. The method of claim 6, The control method of the dryer having an air circulation device, characterized in that in the seventh step is reduced to the fourth step when the humidity in the drum is above the set value.

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