Structure for supplying hot air for drying clothes in drum type washing machine and operation control method thereof

Abstract

Structure for supplying hot air to a drum washing machine, and operation control method thereof, in which uniform introduction of hot air deep into an inside of a drum is made possible for enhancing drying capability and efficiency. For this, a drum washing machine includes a tub for holding washing water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, for introducing laundry therein, a drying heater for heating air being supplied to an inside of the drum, a drying duct forming a flow passage for supplying hot air heated by the drying heater to the inside of the drum, a fan for forced supply of the hot air heated by the drying heater to the inside of the drum, a hot air inlet at a front side of the drum for supplying the hot air to the inside of the drum, and a humid air recovery opening at a rear side of the drum for recovering humid air from the inside of the drum, and the operation control method of a drum washing machine includes the step of supplying hot air to an inside of the drum while rotating the drum at a speed equal to, or higher than a speed enough to keep the laundry in the drum attached to, and not fall off from, the inside surface of the drum in progressing a drying cycle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application Nos. P2004-0010412 and P2004-0010413, both filed on Feb. 17, 2004, which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to drum type washing machines, and more particularly, to a structure for supplying hot air, in which uniform introduction of hot air deep into an inside of a drum is made possible for enhancing drying capability and efficiency; and an operation control method thereof. [0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art [0005] In general, in the washing machines, there are a pulsator type washing machine of a top loading type, and a drum type washing machine (in general called as a drum washing machine) having a drum laid down in a horizontal direction, substantially. [0006] As described before, since the drum is laid down in a horizontal direction, the drum ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025] An object of the present invention is to provide a structure for supplying hot air in a drum washing machine and an operation control method thereof, in which hot air can be blown deep into an inside of the drum, to introduce the hot air into an inside space of the drum uniformly for drying the laundry. That is, the object of the present invention is to provide a structure for supplying hot air and an operation control method thereof, which enables full use of the hot air introduced into the inside of the drum for enhancing the drying performance, and efficiency.

[0029] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling operation of a horizontal or tilt type drum washing machine including a tub for holding washing water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub, for introducing laundry therein, a drum driving motor for providing driving force to rotate the drum, a drying heater for heating air being supplied to an inside of the drum, a drying duct forming a flow passage for supplying hot air heated by the drying heater to the inside of the drum, and a fan for forced supply of the hot air heated by the drying heater to the inside of the drum, the method including the step of supplying the hot air to an inside of the drum while rotating the drum at a speed equal to, or higher than a speed enough to keep the laundry in the drum to be attached to, and not to fall off from, an inside surface of the drum in progressing of a drying cycle.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, since the hot air escapes the drum 30 before the hot air can be used fully for drying in the drum 30, the drying performance, and efficiency are impaired, and input of unnecessary energy is required, resulting in waste of energy.

In short, with regard to a main flow path of the hot air in the related art drum washing machine, because the hot air fails to reach to the laundry located far from a hot air inlet fully, failing to dry the laundry uniformly to impair the drying performance, to require drying for a long time, the drying efficiency is also dropped.

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