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: 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).

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: The present invention provides a dry-cleaning machine capable of performing a water-repellent finishing process when necessary, while ensuring a high level of safety. When the water-repellent finishing process has been performed after the drying process (Step S2), the solvent contained in the water repellent penetrates into the laundry articles. Taking this into account, the upper limit for the temperature difference ?T between the inlet and outlet of the drum detected is set lower (e.g. 10° C.) than that the upper limit (e.g. 20° C.) applied to the case where no water-repellent finishing process is performed. This temperature setting reduces the amount of heat supplied to the laundry articles and accordingly decreases the evaporating speed of the solvent. Thus, the concentration of the gasified solvent in the air-circulating passage is maintained under the safety level. In this case, the time period for the drying operation is set longer to compensate for the deterioration in the drying efficiency.

Abstract: There are disclosed a heat pump device and a drying machine using the device in which abnormal water supplying into a water-cooling heat exchanger for use in water-cooling of a heat pump can be easily detected without disposing any water amount gauge particularly.

Abstract: An object is to provide a drying machine which can accomplish delicate drying and reduce burdens on a matter to be dried during drying while securing a predetermined evaporation temperature in an evaporator. In summary, a dry cleaner equipped with a heat pump device comprises a water-cooling heat exchanger which removes heat from a refrigerant entering a capillary tube; and a control device which variably controls a discharged heat amount in the water-cooling heat exchanger and capacity of the compressor, wherein the control device has at least two kinds of drying modes including a usual drying mode and a delicate drying mode, and in the delicate drying mode, a temperature of air discharged into a storage chamber is set lower than in the usual drying mode to control the capacity of the compressor and to increase the discharged heat amount in the water-cooling heat exchanger.

Abstract: An object is to provide a drying machine which can accomplish delicate drying and reduce burdens on a matter to be dried during drying while securing a predetermined evaporation temperature in an evaporator. In summary, a dry cleaner equipped with a heat pump device comprises a water-cooling heat exchanger which removes heat from a refrigerant entering a capillary tube; and a control device which variably controls a discharged heat amount in the water-cooling heat exchanger and capacity of the compressor, wherein the control device has at least two kinds of drying modes including a usual drying mode and a delicate drying mode, and in the delicate drying mode, a temperature of air discharged into a storage chamber is set lower than in the usual drying mode to control the capacity of the compressor and to increase the discharged heat amount in the water-cooling heat exchanger.

Abstract: There are disclosed a heat pump device and a drying machine using the device in which abnormal water supplying into a water-cooling heat exchanger for use in water-cooling of a heat pump can be easily detected without disposing any water amount gauge particularly.

Abstract: An object is to provide a dry cleaner in which an installing operation is facilitated and in which environments are taken into consideration, and the dry cleaner rotates a drum containing clothing and successively executes a washing step using a washing liquid, a dewatering step, and a drying step. Heating and cooling units for executing the respective steps comprise a heat pump device, the washing liquid is heated by the heat pump device using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant of a refrigerant circuit constituting the heat pump device, the washing liquid is cooled by the heat pump device, air supplied to the drum in the drying step is heated by the heat pump device, and the air discharged from the drum in the drying step is cooled by the heat pump device.

Abstract: In the dry clearing machine, a common refrigerator is used for both the solvent cooler and the drying cooler, and the coolant compressed and liquefied in the refrigerator is supplied either one of the heat exchanger of the solvent cooler or that of the drying cooler, depending on the state of a switch. In the heat exchanger selected by the switch, the coolant is supplied and the solvent or the air is cooled when the coolant evaporates. That is, only the cooler selected by the switch works, but the other cooler not selected by the switch does not work. While the laundry is washed, normally, it is not necessary to supply air to the outer tub through the air path, and the drying cooler need not be operated. Thus, in the process of washing, the solvent is adequately cooled because an enough amount of coolant is supplied to the solvent cooler, and the temperature rise of the solvent is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dry-cleaning machine capable of performing a water-repellent finishing process when necessary, while ensuring a high level of safety. When the water-repellent finishing process has been performed after the drying process (Step S2), the solvent contained in the water repellent penetrates into the laundry articles. Taking this into account, the upper limit for the temperature difference ?T between the inlet and outlet of the drum detected is set lower (e.g. 10° C.) than that the upper limit (e.g. 20° C.) applied to the case where no water-repellent finishing process is performed. This temperature setting reduces the amount of heat supplied to the laundry articles and accordingly decreases the evaporating speed of the solvent. Thus, the concentration of the gasified solvent in the air-circulating passage is maintained under the safety level.

Abstract: In the dry clearing machine, a common refrigerator is used for both the solvent cooler and the drying cooler, and the coolant compressed and liquefied in the refrigerator is supplied either one of the heat exchanger of the solvent cooler or that of the drying cooler, depending on the state of a switch. In the heat exchanger selected by the switch, the coolant is supplied and the solvent or the air is cooled when the coolant evaporates. That is, only the cooler selected by the switch works, but the other cooler not selected by the switch does not work. While the laundry is washed, normally, it is not necessary to supply air to the outer tub through the air path, and the drying cooler need not be operated. Thus, in the process of washing, the solvent is adequately cooled because an enough amount of coolant is supplied to the solvent cooler, and the temperature rise of the solvent is prevented.

Abstract: In an automatic shampoo machine a recess is formed in a side wall of a basin to ensure water passage to the nape of the neck of a person being shampooed. A plurality of neck support members each including a bent wire arrangement is provided in a spaced relation in the recess. With the neck resting on top portions of the neck support members, the nape of the neck is rinsed by water sprayed from a stationary nape rinsing nozzle, and movable lower nozzles, through the recess. A pad for receiving the neck resting thereon is releasably attached on a peripheral portion of the basin to prevent fatigue of the neck and splashing of rinse water. Thus, the person can have his hair and nape washed in a comfortable posture.