Abstract: A spiral double-tube structure including an inner tube for introducing a solvent vapor resulting from vaporization within a distillation still and an outer tube which a coolant gas cooled by an outdoor machine is passed through is disposed in a buffer tank; the solvent vapor is directly cooled from the surrounding area by the coolant gas with a large temperature difference and thus condensed into a liquid state; by means of an ejector, the liquid is mixed with the solvent suctioned from the buffer tank and returned into the buffer tank; since the solvent in the buffer tank is also directly cooled by the coolant gas, the cooling efficiency is high; accordingly, both the solvent vapor generated from the distillation still and the solvent in the buffer tank for reducing the pressure inside the distillation still can be efficiently cooled without using cooling water, and downsizing of the apparatus can also be attained.

Abstract: A laundry apparatus according to the present invention ensures an improved laundry drying efficiency. In the laundry apparatus, an air guide (71) is provided on an upper edge portion of an outer tub opening (4a) as being opposed to an air inlet (6). Drying air flowing downward from the air inlet (6) to be supplied to the outer tub opening (4a) impinges on an inclined wall (72) of the air guide (71). The drying air impinging on the inclined wall (72) is deflected into a drum (5) through a drum opening (5a) (as indicated by a broken-line arrow). Thus, the drying air is prevented from further flowing downward in the outer tub opening (4a) into a gap (70) defined between the outer tub (4) and the drum (5), but supplied to laundry in the drum (5).

Abstract: A vaporized solvent emitted from the laundry in the drum during the drying process is condensed within an air passage. From this passage a liquid mixture (solvent and water) is guided to a first liquid storage tank 50 through a liquid mixture line 51. An air relief pipe 52 is connected to an intermediate point of this line so that air coming from the air passage is released through an activated carbon filter 53 to the outside. The outlet end 51a of the liquid mixture line 51 is immersed in the solvent in the upper layer within the first liquid storage tank 50. Due to the hydraulic pressure acting on the outlet end 51a, the air tends to flow toward the air relief pipe 5. This reduces the current pressure of the air coming from the air passage and alleviates its influence within the first liquid storage tank 50, so that a vertical motion of the interface between the solvent and water due to the current pressure is suppressed.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to suppress bumping in the distillation still so as to collect a high purity solvent containing no impurities. A solvent vapor valve 21 is disposed in a solvent vapor withdrawal conduit 20 through which solvent vapor is transferred from inside the distillation still 10 to an inner pipe 31 of a double-tube structure 30 which is a heat exchange section. Also, a thermistor 14 is disposed in an upper space in the distillation still 10. After a heating chamber 11 starts heating the solvent, the start of boiling is determined by a sudden rise in temperature detected by the thermistor 14, and shortly thereafter, the solvent vapor valve 21 is closed to fill the distillation still 10 with the solvent vapor.

Abstract: A laundry apparatus according to the present invention is capable of stably regulating a laundry drying temperature without reduction in the service life of a valve which regulates the amount of steam to be supplied to heating unit. In the laundry apparatus, a first steam supply passage (24a) having a relatively great passage diameter and a second steam supply passage (24b) having a relatively small passage diameter are provided independently of each other. Thus, a relatively great amount of steam is supplied from the first steam supply passage (24a) to a drying heater (13) with a first valve (V27) being opened, and a relatively small amount of steam is supplied to the drying heater (13) with a second valve (V28) being opened. By selectively using the first valve (V27) and the second valve (V28), the opening/closing frequencies of these valves are reduced. This makes it possible to stably regulate the laundry drying temperature while preventing reduction in the service lives of these valves.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a highly safe dry cleaner is provided, which ensures safety without the danger of ignition in a drying process even if so-called microcomputer runaway occurs. The dry cleaner includes a relay sequence controlling circuit (71). The relay sequence controlling circuit (71) includes a serial connection of a first valve (V27) to be controlled, a first switch (77) which controls the turn-on of the first valve (V27) and a second contact (76a) provided in a second relay (76). A detection circuit (79) which controls the second contact (76a) is connected to the serial connection. Thus, the first valve (V27) is maintained in an inactive state irrespective of a first switch turn-on control performed by a control section (81) until the detection circuit (79) performs a predetermined operation to turn on the second contact 76a.

Abstract: A laundry apparatus according to the present invention ensures an improved laundry drying efficiency. In the laundry apparatus, an air guide (71) is provided on an upper edge portion of an outer tub opening (4a) as being opposed to an air inlet (6). Drying air flowing downward from the air inlet (6) to be supplied to the outer tub opening (4a) impinges on an inclined wall (72) of the air guide (71). The drying air impinging on the inclined wall (72) is deflected into a drum (5) through a drum opening (5a) (as indicated by a broken-line arrow). Thus, the drying air is prevented from further flowing downward in the outer tub opening (4a) into a gap (70) defined between the outer tub (4) and the drum (5), but supplied to laundry in the drum (5).