Hitachi, Ltd.

Yukio Obata

Hitoshi Ogasahara

Hiroo Nakamura

Shigeharu Nakano

Hisao Kaneko

Makoto Oda

Masayuki Fujisaki

Fractal operation is applied to motion of amenity products or rotating machines within a practical range and motion close to a natural phenomenon is realized by doing it. For example, a washing machine is structured so as to realize washing close to that of washing by hand. Control parameters are given to the control unit regularly and recursively by a fundamental rule and the processing is iterated. Furthermore, at least one of the control parameters is reduced, in which the reduction is effected gradually in accordance with a reduction rate and in which at least one of the reduction rate, the dimension of recursive iteration, and the number of times of self-similar iteration is given as a pseudo random number which varies within a predetermined range.

Method of controlling amenity products or rotating machines

A clothes dryer equipped with a condensation unit (23, 38, 73) in which the cooling water that is fed is brought into direct contact with the humid air to dehumidify the humid air. The condensation unit (23, 38, 73) of the clothes dryer comprises a first duct (24, 39, 75) connected at its one end to the delivery portion of the circulating fan (20) and arranged with its other end being directed downwardly of the dryer housing; a second duct (25, 40, 76) connected at its one end to the other end of the first duct (24, 39, 75) and connected at its other end to the heater duct (8d); a cooling water pouring port for feeding cooling water to the second duct; cooling means for bringing the cooling water into direct contact with the humid air; and a water drain port for draining from the second duct (25, 40, 76) the water condensed from the humid air and the cooling water.

Clothes dryer

A full-automatic washing and drying machine has a drum mounted in an outer tank for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis, a reversible motor operable at a fixed speed for driving the drum, and a power transmission device for transmitting the torque of the motor to the drum axle. The power transmission means include a reduction device. The motor and the reduction device are controlled by a control device such that, during washing and drying operations, the direction of rotation of an output shaft of the motor is switched in short periods while the speed-changing device transmits the rotation of the output shaft of the motor to the drum axle at a reduced speed, whereas, during dehydration operation, the motor operates unidirectionally and the speed-changing device transmits the unidirectional rotation of the motor output shaft to the drum axle with a speed reduction in an initial stage of the dehydration operation and, thereafter, without speed reduction.

Full-automatic washing and drying machine

A detergent supplying device for supplying a detergent and a fabric conditioner into a washing basin of a washing machine. The detergent supplying device is mounted in the washing machine, and has a detergent container containing a detergent and a fabric conditioner container containing a fabric conditioner. In the preliminary washing step, the detergent supplying device delivers only water to the washing basin. In the washing step, the device delivers the detergent together with water to the washing basin. Finally, in the rinsing step, the device delivers the fabric conditioner together with the water. These three water supplying functions are performed through controls of only two water supplying solenoid valves.

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Yokohama, Japan

Yukio Obata