CN112626786B

CN112626786B - Ultrasonic cleaning device and clothes treatment equipment

Info

Publication number: CN112626786B
Application number: CN202010779174.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 米泽孝昭; 直野浩树
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-08-05
Filing date: 2020-08-05
Publication date: 2023-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-05
Also published as: CN213740112U; WO2021023014A1; CN213740117U; JP7398697B2; CN213740140U; CN213740116U; CN213708832U; CN112626788B; CN112111920A; CN213740114U; CN213740113U; CN112626787A; CN112323334B; CN213740115U; CN213708831U; CN112626788A; JP2021023547A; CN213708830U; AU2020325449B2; CN112626786A

Abstract

The invention aims to solve the problem that the traditional ultrasonic cleaning device does not have a proper liquid discharging mode. The invention provides an ultrasonic cleaning device, comprising an ultrasonic generator, a water storage part, a valve body and a valve switching mechanism, wherein the valve switching mechanism comprises a force application member and a valve movable member, the force application member can apply force to the valve body in the closing direction of a water outlet, the force application member is a spring, the valve movable member is provided with a mounting part with a shaft extending forwards, the spring is sleeved on the shaft, the rear end of the spring is inserted into the shaft, the spring is accommodated in an accommodating part formed on the inner side of the water storage part, the front end of the spring is abutted against the front surface of the accommodating part, when the water outlet is closed by the valve body, the spring is in a compressed state, and the valve body is applied with force to the closing direction by the spring through the valve movable member. The invention can discharge the liquid in the water storage part in time when a user does not use the ultrasonic cleaning device, thereby avoiding bacteria breeding caused by accumulation of the liquid in the water storage part.

Description

Ultrasonic cleaning device and clothes treatment equipment

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic waves, and particularly provides an ultrasonic cleaning device and clothes treatment equipment.

Background

The ultrasonic wave is an acoustic wave with the frequency higher than 20000 hertz, and has the following characteristics: 1) Can propagate in a variety of different media and can propagate far enough distances; 2) The interaction with the sound transmission medium is moderate, and the sound transmission medium is easy to carry information diagnosis related to the state of the sound transmission medium or has utility; 3) Can be effectively spread in the medium such as gas, liquid, solid solution and the like; 4) Can transfer very strong energy; 5) Reflection, interference, superposition, and resonance phenomena may occur. For the purpose of ultrasonic waves, they can be used for ranging, speed measuring, cleaning, welding, lithotripsy, sterilization, disinfection, cutting, welding, etc.

Taking a washing machine as an example, in order to avoid cleaning the parts with more stains and stubborn parts such as collars, sleeves and the like, better washing effect can be achieved only by increasing the dosage of the detergent, prolonging the washing time, prolonging the soaking time before washing and the like, however, the adoption of the mode inevitably causes the abrasion of clothes and the damage caused by the detergent to be more serious. Therefore, an ultrasonic cleaning device is added in the existing washing machine, the large clothes (such as a coat, trousers and the like) can be pre-cleaned (namely, the parts with more stains on the large clothes are pre-cleaned by ultrasonic cleaning before formal cleaning) and the small clothes (such as ties, sleeves and the like) can be cleaned by ultrasonic cleaning (namely, the cleaning can be completed only by single ultrasonic cleaning), when the large clothes are cleaned by a user, the parts with more stains on the large clothes to be pre-cleaned can be placed in the liquid of the water storage part, the large clothes can be pre-cleaned by the action of ultrasonic cleaning, when the small clothes are cleaned by the user, all or part of the small clothes can be placed in the liquid of the water storage part, and the ultrasonic cleaning can be performed on the small clothes by the action of ultrasonic cleaning.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new ultrasonic cleaning apparatus and laundry treating apparatus to solve the above-mentioned problems.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the above problems in the prior art, that is, in order to solve the problem that the conventional ultrasonic cleaning apparatus does not have a proper liquid discharge system so as to discharge the liquid in the water storage part in time when the user does not use the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus, the present invention provides an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus, comprising an ultrasonic generator capable of generating ultrasonic waves, a water storage part formed with a water discharge port, a valve body capable of closing the water discharge port, and a valve switching mechanism, the water storage part being located below the ultrasonic generator, the positions of the ultrasonic generator and the water storage part being switchable between an operation position when the cleaning operation is performed and a standby position when the cleaning operation is not performed, the valve switching mechanism comprising a biasing member and a valve movable member, the valve movable member being connected to the valve body, the valve movable member is provided with a mounting portion having a shaft extending forward, the spring is fitted on the shaft, the rear end of the spring is inserted into the shaft, the spring is accommodated in an accommodating portion formed on the inner side of the water storage portion, the front end of the spring is in contact with the front surface of the accommodating portion, and the spring is in a compressed state when the valve body closes the water outlet, and the valve body is biased in the closing direction via the valve movable member.

In a preferred embodiment of the above ultrasonic cleaning apparatus, the valve switching mechanism further includes an operation portion for performing an opening operation for opening the valve body, the valve movable member is connected to the operation portion, the opening operation is a movement operation for moving the operation portion in a predetermined direction, and when the movement operation is performed while the ultrasonic generator and the water storage portion are located at the operation position, the valve movable member moves together with the operation portion to move the valve body in the opening direction to switch the valve body from the closed state to the open state.

In a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, the operation portion is connected to a connecting portion of the valve movable member, a long hole extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the connecting portion, the long hole is engaged with an attachment boss formed on the inner side of the water storage portion, and a screw is fixed to the attachment boss so as not to press the connecting portion through the long hole.

In a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, the operation portion is formed with a rib extending in the vertical direction, and the rib of the operation portion is a portion that catches a finger when the operation portion is moved.

In the above-described preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, openings are formed in the left and right sides of the rear peripheral surface of the valve body, respectively, and two mounting pieces are provided on the valve movable member, and the two mounting pieces are engageable with the open rear edges formed in the left and right sides of the rear peripheral surface, respectively.

In a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, an O-ring containing an elastic material is attached to a peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the valve body.

In a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, the valve body is formed with a hole extending from a rear end surface of the valve body to a position behind the O-ring, and the hole of the valve body communicates with openings formed on left and right sides of a rear peripheral surface of the valve body.

In a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, a drain receiving portion is provided below the water storage portion, the drain receiving portion is disposed in the disposition portion, and the abutment portion is provided on a rear surface of the drain receiving portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic cleaning device, the contact portion includes two ribs that are provided in a manner aligned in the left-right direction and extend in the up-down direction.

In another aspect, the present invention also provides a laundry treatment apparatus including the ultrasonic cleaning device of any one of the above, the laundry treatment apparatus having a disposition portion capable of accommodating the ultrasonic cleaning device.

The invention can discharge the liquid in the water storage part in time when a user does not use the ultrasonic cleaning device, thereby avoiding bacteria breeding caused by accumulation of the liquid in the water storage part.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a full automatic washing machine of an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the water supply unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3 (a) is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device and the upper panel when the ultrasonic cleaning unit and the water storage unit are in the standby position according to the embodiment, and fig. 3 (b) is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device and the upper panel when the ultrasonic cleaning unit and the water storage unit are in the operating position according to the embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device in which the water storage unit is removed according to the embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning section and the main body section of the embodiment.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the water reservoir according to the embodiment.

Fig. 7 (a) is a perspective view of the inverted water storage portion according to the embodiment, and fig. 7 (b) is a side sectional view of the water storage portion according to the embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a side sectional view of the rear portion of the upper panel in a state where the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment is housed in the housing portion.

Fig. 9 is a side sectional view of the rear portion of the upper panel in a state in which the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment is pulled out from the storage portion.

Fig. 10 (a) is a perspective view of the storage tank, the supply valve, and the supply nozzle according to the embodiment, and fig. 10 (b) is a perspective view of the drain receiving unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 11 (a) to (c) are diagrams for explaining decontamination of an object to be cleaned by the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a side sectional view of the rear portion of the upper panel showing the operation portion of the embodiment after the ultrasonic cleaning device is moved and operated in a state of being pulled out from the housing portion.

Reference numerals:

1: full automatic washing machine (washing machine); 12: an upper panel; 17: a housing section (arrangement section); 20: an outer tub; 20a: a drain port (first drain path); 20b: an overflow port; 22: washing dehydration barrel (inner barrel); 25: an overflow receiving unit (overflow path); 26: an overflow pipe (overflow path); 41: a drain hose (first drain path); 50: an ultrasonic cleaning device; 60: a storage tank (storage section); 70: a drain receiving unit; 72: a drain pipe (second drain pipe); 74: ribs (abutting portions); 90: an automatic input mechanism (supply unit); 100: an ultrasonic cleaning section; 110: an ultrasonic wave generator; 200: a water storage part; 210: a water storage bucket; 211: a water outlet; 220: a valve body; 230: a valve switching mechanism; 240: a valve movable member; 250: an operation unit; 260: a spring (urging member).

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are merely for explaining the technical principles of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

It should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, terms such as "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", "front", "rear", and the like indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings are merely for convenience of description, and do not indicate or imply that the apparatus or elements must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "disposed," "mounted," "connected" and "connected" are to be construed broadly, and may be, for example, fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected; can be mechanically or electrically connected; can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be communication between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood by those skilled in the art according to the specific circumstances.

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a fully automatic washing machine 1.

The fully automatic washing machine 1 includes a casing 10 that forms an outer contour. The case 10 includes a square tubular body portion 11 having an upper and lower surface open, an upper panel 12 covering the upper surface of the body portion 11, and a footstand 13 supporting the body portion 11. An inlet 14 for laundry is formed in the upper panel 12. The inlet 14 is covered with a freely openable and closable upper cover 15. A control unit 16 is disposed in the front portion of the upper panel 12. The control unit 16 controls the washing operation of the fully automatic washing machine 1 and the washing operation of the ultrasonic washing device 50 described later. When the washing machine performs the ultrasonic pre-washing process, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 performs a cleaning operation. When the washing machine performs a conventional washing process, the washing machine performs a washing process.

The tub 20 having an open upper surface is elastically suspended and supported in the cabinet 10 by four hanging bars 21 having vibration-proof devices. A washing and dehydrating tub 22 having an open upper surface is disposed in the outer tub 20. The washing and dehydrating tub 22 rotates around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction. A plurality of dehydration holes 22a are formed throughout the entire circumference on the inner circumferential surface of the washing and dehydrating tub 22. A balance ring 23 is provided at an upper portion of the washing and dehydrating tub 22. A pulsator 24 is disposed at the bottom of the washing and dehydrating tub 22. A plurality of blades 24a are radially provided on the surface of the pulsator 24. The washing and dehydrating tub 22 corresponds to the inner tub of the present invention.

A driving unit 30 for generating torque for driving the washing and dehydrating tub 22 and the pulsator 24 is disposed at an outer bottom of the outer tub 20. The drive unit 30 includes a drive motor 31 and a transmission mechanism portion 32. The transmission mechanism 32 has a clutch mechanism 32a, and transmits the torque of the drive motor 31 to only the pulsator 24 to rotate only the pulsator 24 during the washing and rinsing processes, and transmits the torque of the drive motor 31 to the pulsator 24 and the washing and dehydrating tub 22 to integrally rotate the pulsator 24 and the washing and dehydrating tub 22 during the dehydrating process, by the switching operation performed by the clutch mechanism 32 a.

A drain port 20a is formed at an outer bottom of the outer tub 20. A drain valve 40 is provided in the drain port 20a. The drain valve 40 is connected to a drain hose 41. When the drain valve 40 is opened, the water stored in the wash water and dehydrating tub 22 and the outer tub 20 is discharged to the outside through the drain hose 41. The drain port 20a and the drain hose 41 constitute a first drain passage of the present invention. Of course, the first drainage channel may be configured to include only the drainage port 20a, and those skilled in the art may flexibly configure the specific structure of the first drainage channel in practical applications, and such adjustment and modification of the specific structure of the first drainage channel should not limit the present invention, and should not be limited to the protection scope of the present invention.

An overflow 20b is formed at an upper portion of the outer tub 20. When water above a predetermined overflow level is stored in the outer tub 20, water is discharged from the overflow port 20b. An overflow receiving portion 25 is provided on the outer surface of the outer tub 20 so as to cover the overflow port 20b. An overflow pipe 26 is connected to the bottom of the overflow receiving portion 25. The other end of the overflow pipe 26 is connected to a drain hose 41. The water discharged from the overflow 20b is received by the overflow receiving portion 25, and then flows through the overflow pipe 26 to the drain hose 41. The overflow receiving unit 25 and the overflow pipe 26 constitute an overflow path according to the present invention. Of course, the overflow path may also be configured to include only the overflow pipe 26, where the overflow pipe 26 is directly connected to the overflow port 20b, and those skilled in the art can flexibly set the specific structure of the overflow path in practical application, and such adjustment and modification of the specific structure of the overflow path should not limit the present invention. The drain pipe 72 corresponds to the second drain passage of the present invention. Of course, the second water drain channel may also be configured to include both the water drain 72 and a valve that is disposed on the water drain 72 and can control the on/off of the water drain 72, and those skilled in the art may flexibly set the specific structure of the second water drain channel in practical applications, and such adjustment and modification of the specific structure of the second water drain channel should not limit the scope of the present invention.

An ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is disposed at a substantially center of the rear portion of the upper panel 12. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 mainly performs a cleaning operation for removing sebum dirt adhering to the cuffs or collar portions of shirts, dirt adhering to the work clothes, and the like locally adhering to the objects to be cleaned before the fully automatic washing machine 1 performs washing.

A storage tank 60 is disposed behind the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 at the rear of the upper panel 12, and a drain receiving unit 70 is disposed below the ultrasonic cleaning device 50. The drain receiving portion 70 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 17. Of course, the drain receiving portion 70 may not be provided, for example: a pipe directly communicating with the drain port 211 may be provided to drain the water in the water tub 210. The drain receiving portion 70 may be a drain receiving tray, a drain receiving box, etc., and those skilled in the art may flexibly set the specific structure of the drain receiving portion 70 in practical applications, and such adjustment and modification of the specific structure of the drain receiving portion 70 should not limit the present invention, and should not be limited to the scope of the present invention. The storage tank 60 stores water containing detergent to be supplied to the water storage tub 210 of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50. Hereinafter, the water containing the detergent is referred to as "washing water".

The drain receiving portion 70 receives water drained from the water storage tub 210. The drain receiving portion 70 has a drain hole 71 for discharging the received water. One end of a drain pipe 72 is connected to the drain hole 71. The other end of the drain pipe 72 is connected to the upper portion of the overflow pipe 26.

A water supply unit 80 for supplying tap water into the washing and dehydrating tub 22 is disposed at the rear of the upper panel 12.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the water supply unit 80.

The water supply unit 80 has a water supply valve 81. The water supply valve 81 is a so-called double valve having a main valve 82 and a sub valve 83 as solenoid valves. The water inlet 81a of the water supply valve 81 is connected to a faucet via a water supply hose, not shown. A main water supply channel 84 is connected to an outlet of a main valve 82 of the water supply valve 81. The main water supply path 84 has a water injection port 84a located at an upper portion of the washing and dehydrating tub 22.

The water supply unit 80 includes an automatic loading mechanism 90 for automatically loading a liquid detergent, which is one of the liquid detergent for washing, into the washing and dehydrating tub 22. The automatic loading mechanism 90 also has a function of supplying the cleaning water to the storage tank 60. The automatic feeding mechanism 90 corresponds to a supply unit of the present invention.

The automatic input mechanism of the present invention includes a detergent box 91 capable of containing a liquid detergent, a first waterway switching assembly capable of selectively communicating the second waterway switching assembly with the detergent box 91 or the first waterway switching member, a second waterway switching assembly capable of selectively communicating the first waterway switching assembly with the inner tub or the storage part, a water source communicated with or disconnected from the first waterway switching assembly by opening and closing the first waterway switching member, a supply pump 95 provided between the first waterway switching assembly and the second waterway switching assembly, and a second waterway switching member, the water source communicated with or disconnected from the inner tub by opening and closing the second waterway switching member. Of course, in practical applications, those skilled in the art may choose not to provide the feed pump 95, for example: the detergent in the detergent box 91 may be discharged by gravity by setting the height of the detergent box 91 to be higher than the second waterway switching assembly. The water source can adopt a faucet, a water tank containing water and the like, and a person skilled in the art can flexibly set a specific water source in practical application.

Specifically, the automatic input mechanism 90 includes: the washing machine includes a detergent box 91, a supply pipe 92, a first three-way valve 93, a sub water supply path 94, a supply pump 95, a detergent supply path 96, a second three-way valve 97, and a washing water supply path 98. The sub-valve 83 of the water supply valve 81 is also included in the automatic throw-in mechanism 90. That is, the first waterway switching assembly may employ the first three-way valve 93. The second waterway switching assembly may employ a second three-way valve 97. The water source can be a faucet. The first waterway on-off member may employ the sub valve 83. Of course, the first waterway on-off component can also adopt an independent valve, rather than a certain sub valve in the duplex valve, and a person skilled in the art can flexibly set the first waterway on-off component in practical application, so long as a water source can be communicated or disconnected with the first waterway switching assembly through the opening and closing of the first waterway on-off component. The main valve 82 corresponds to the second waterway switching member of the present invention. Of course, the second waterway on-off component can also adopt an independent valve, rather than a certain sub valve in the duplex valve, and a person skilled in the art can flexibly set the second waterway on-off component in practical application, so long as a water source can be communicated or disconnected with the first waterway switching component through the opening and closing of the second waterway on-off component.

The liquid detergent is stored in the detergent box 91 in a state of stock solution. The supply pipe 92 guides the liquid detergent of the detergent box 91 to one inlet of the first three-way valve 93.

The sub water supply line 94 is connected to the outlet of the sub valve 83 and the other inlet of the first three-way valve 93.

The supply pump 95 is connected to an outlet of the first three-way valve 93, and the detergent supply path 96 is connected to the supply pump 95. The detergent supply path 96 has a supply port 96a located at an upper portion of the washing and dehydrating tub 22. The supply pump 95 may be, for example, a piston pump.

The first three-way valve 93 is switchable between a state in which the supply pipe 92 and the supply pump 95 are communicated and a state in which the sub water supply passage 94 and the supply pump 95 are communicated.

The second three-way valve 97 is provided in the detergent supply path 96. An upstream side supply path 96b of the detergent supply path 96 is connected to an inlet of the second three-way valve 97, and a downstream side supply path 96c of the detergent supply path 96 is connected to an outlet of the second three-way valve 97. Further, one end of a wash water supply path 98 is connected to the other outlet of the second three-way valve 97. The other end of the washing water supply path 98 is connected to the storage tank 60.

The second three-way valve 97 is switchable between a state in which the upstream side supply passage 96b and the downstream side supply passage 96c are communicated and a state in which the upstream side supply passage 96b and the wash water supply passage 98 are communicated.

Next, the structure of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 and the structure of the periphery of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 including the storage tank 60 and the drain receiving unit 70 will be described in detail.

Fig. 3 (a) is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 and the upper panel 12 when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are in the standby position, and fig. 3 (b) is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 and the upper panel 12 when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are in the operating position.

The ultrasonic cleaning device 50 includes an ultrasonic cleaning section 100, a water storage section 200, and a main body section 300. The ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 includes an ultrasonic wave generator 110 that generates ultrasonic waves. The main body 300 holds the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100. The water storage unit 200 is located below the ultrasonic wave generator 110, has a water storage tub 210 capable of storing washing water, and is attached to the main body 300. The water storage unit 200 can be pulled out forward by a detachment operation performed by the user, and detached from the main body 300. Of course, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 may be configured to include only the ultrasonic cleaning portion 100 and the water storage portion 200, and the ultrasonic cleaning portion 100 is directly disposed on the water storage portion 200, so that those skilled in the art may flexibly configure the specific structure of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 in practical applications, and such adjustments and changes to the specific structure of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 should not limit the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are positioned at the standby position, that is, the ultrasonic generator 110 and the water storage unit 200 are positioned at the standby position, and that the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are positioned at the operating position, that is, the ultrasonic generator 110 and the water storage unit 200 are positioned at the operating position.

A housing 17 for housing the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is provided in the center of the rear portion of the upper panel 12. In the upper panel 12, the front of the housing 17 is opened as an entrance 18. The housing 17 corresponds to an arrangement portion of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 3 (a), when the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is not used and the cleaning operation is not performed, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is in a state in which the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200, that is, the ultrasonic generator 110 and the water storage tank 210 are stored in the storage unit 17. The positions of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 at this time are standby positions. On the other hand, as shown in fig. 3 (b), when the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is used for cleaning, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is switched to a state in which the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are pulled forward from the storage unit 17 and protrude toward the inside of the inlet 14 of the upper panel 12. The positions of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 at this time are operation positions.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 with the water reservoir 200 removed. Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning section 100 and the main body section 300. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the water reservoir 200. Fig. 7 (a) is a perspective view of the inverted water storage part 200, and fig. 7 (b) is a side sectional view of the water storage part 200.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 includes an ultrasonic generator 110, a housing 120, and a cover 130. Of course, the structure of the ultrasonic cleaning section 100 is not limited to this, and examples thereof include: it is also possible to include only the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the housing 120, and those skilled in the art can flexibly set the specific structure of the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 in practical applications, and such adjustments and changes to the specific structure of the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 should not limit the present invention, and should not be limited to the scope of the present invention.

The ultrasonic wave generator 110 includes an ultrasonic vibrator 111 and a vibration horn 112 coupled to the ultrasonic vibrator 111. The vibration horn 112 is formed of a metal material having conductivity, and has a tapered shape toward the tip end side. The distal end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112 has an elongated rectangular shape. The ultrasonic wave generator 110 generates ultrasonic waves from the tip of the vibration horn 112. A flange 113 is formed at the upper end of the vibration horn 112. Of course, the structure of the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 is not limited thereto, and for example: the ultrasonic wave generator 110 may include only the ultrasonic vibrator 111, and a specific configuration of the ultrasonic wave generator 110 may be flexibly provided in practical use by those skilled in the art, as long as ultrasonic waves can be generated by the ultrasonic wave generator 110.

The case 120 is formed of a resin material, and has an arm shape that is long in the front-rear direction and has a tip end 120a bent downward. An opening 121 is formed in the lower surface of the distal end 120 a.

The case 120 is formed by combining a lower member 140 having an open upper surface and an upper member 150 having an open lower surface. A reinforcing plate 160 made of metal is attached to the lower member 140. The lower member 140 is provided with a lower mounting hole 141 and a lower mounting boss 142, and the upper member 150 is provided with an upper mounting boss 151 corresponding to the lower mounting hole 141 and an upper mounting hole 152 corresponding to the lower mounting boss 142. The screw 171 passing through the lower mounting hole 141 is fixed to the upper mounting boss 151, and the screw 171 passing through the upper mounting hole 152 is fixed to the lower mounting boss 142. Thereby, the lower member 140 and the upper member 150 are combined. The top end 120a of the housing 120 is formed by the lower member 140. In the above connection manner of the upper member 150 and the lower member 140, the screw 171 may be replaced by a bolt, that is, the specific structures of the first connection member passing through the lower mounting hole 141 and the second connection member passing through the upper mounting hole 152 may be flexibly arranged in practical application by those skilled in the art, and such adjustment and change of the specific structures of the first connection member and the second connection member should not limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, the upper member 150 and the lower member 140 may also be connected by other connection means, such as: the upper member 150 and the lower member 140 are connected by means of a snap-fit connection or the like, and a specific connection manner of the upper member 150 and the lower member 140 can be flexibly set in practical application by a person skilled in the art, so long as the upper member 150 and the lower member 140 can be connected by such a connection manner. Further, the case 120 may be provided as an integrally formed structure having an inner space, except for the combination of the upper member 150 and the lower member 140, and a person skilled in the art may flexibly provide a specific structure of the case 120 in practical applications, as long as the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 can be accommodated through the case 120.

Mounting bosses 143 are provided in front of and behind the opening 121 in the lower member 140. Further, around the opening 121 of the lower member 140, an insertion opening 144 into which the cover 130 is inserted is formed.

The ultrasonic wave generator 110 is attached to the lower member 140, and the flange 113 is pressed from above by a frame-shaped fixing plate 180. The fixing plate 180 is provided on the front and rear mounting bosses 143, and is fixed to these mounting bosses 143 by screws 172. Thereby, the ultrasonic wave generator 110 is fixed in the housing 120. As shown in fig. 5, the ultrasonic vibrator 111 is provided in the internal space of the housing 120, and a portion on the tip side of the vibration horn 112 protrudes downward from the opening 121 of the housing 120. The mounting boss 143 may be replaced by a mounting block, a mounting plate, etc., that is, a specific structure of the mounting structure disposed in front of and behind the opening 121 may be flexibly disposed in practical use by a person skilled in the art, and such adjustment and modification of the specific structure of the mounting structure should not limit the scope of the present invention. The fixing plate 180 may be replaced by a fixing block, a fixing frame, etc., that is, a specific structure of the fixing member pressing the flange portion 113 from the upper side may be flexibly provided in practical use by a person skilled in the art, and such adjustment and change of the specific structure of the fixing member should not limit the present invention. In addition, the fixing member may be fixed to the mounting structure by means of a fastening, bonding, etc. other than the fixing member by means of the screw 172, and those skilled in the art may flexibly set the specific manner of fixing the fixing member to the mounting structure in practical applications, and such adjustment and modification of the specific fixing manner of the fixing member should not limit the scope of the present invention. Further, the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 can be attached to the housing 120 in other ways than described above, such as: the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 is attached to the housing 120 by means of bonding, welding, etc., and those skilled in the art can flexibly set the specific way of attaching the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 to the housing 120 in practical applications, and such adjustment and modification of the specific connection between the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the housing 120 should not limit the scope of the present invention.

The cover 130 is detachably attached to the distal end portion 120a of the housing 120, and covers a portion of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic wave generator 110 exposed from the housing 120.

The cover 130 has a structure in which a cover main body 131 and a guide 132 are integrally formed of a resin material. The cover main body 131 has a cylindrical shape whose width in the front-rear, left-right direction becomes narrower toward the lower direction, and the tip end portion of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic wave generator 110 is covered so as to be exposed. Of course, the cover 130 may include only the cover main body 131, and a person skilled in the art may flexibly set the specific structure of the cover 130 in practical applications, as long as the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 can be covered to some extent by the cover 130.

The guide portion 132 is provided at the center of the front side surface of the cover main body 131 in the lateral direction so as to protrude forward, and has a shape flattened in the lateral direction. A guide surface 133 inclined in a downward backward direction and bent to be horizontal at a lower end portion is provided at a lower portion of the guide portion 132. Further, the lower end of the guide 132 is located below the lower end of the cover main body 131.

The cover 130 is attached to the fitting opening 144 of the housing 120 from below. At this time, a projection, not shown, provided on the left and right of the fitting opening 144 is fitted into a recess, not shown, provided on the left and right of the cover main body 131. Thus, the cap 130 does not come off from the fitting opening 144. Of course, the cover 130 may be attached to the housing 120 by bonding, screwing, or other manners, and those skilled in the art may flexibly set the specific manner of attaching the cover 130 to the housing 120 in practical applications, and such adjustment and modification of the specific connection manner between the cover 130 and the housing 120 should not limit the scope of the present invention.

As shown in fig. 5, in a state where the cover 130 is attached to the housing 120, the tip end portion of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic wave generator 110 is slightly exposed from the cover main body 131. Further, the lower end of the guide portion 132 of the cover 130 is almost flush with the tip end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112. Further, the guide surface 133 of the guide portion 132 is inclined so as to approach the vibration horn 112 as approaching the water reservoir 210. Further, the position of the guide portion 132 coincides with the position of the distal end portion of the vibration horn 112 in the left-right direction, that is, in the direction orthogonal to the front direction of the ultrasonic cleaning portion 100.

Referring to fig. 4 and 5, the main body 300 has an approximately square shape when viewed from the front. Rail portions 301 extending forward are provided at left and right lower end portions of the main body 300. The main body 300 has an opening 302 for passing the rear part of the water storage 200 and the supply nozzle 500, and an insertion opening 303 for inserting the claw 281 of the lock mechanism 280 is formed adjacent to the right side of the opening 302. The rear portion 120b of the housing 120 of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 is fixed to the upper portion of the main body 300 with screws, not shown.

Referring to fig. 4, 6, and 7 (a) and (b), the water storage portion 200 is formed of a resin material, and has a shape that is slightly longer in the front-rear direction and flat in the up-down direction, and has a left side portion protruding rearward than a right side portion. A handle 201 having an arcuate front surface and the water storage portion 200 are integrally formed on the front surface of the water storage portion 200. The user holds the handle 201 when the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is moved into and out of the housing 17 and when the water storage unit 200 is attached to and detached from the main body 300.

A water storage tub 210 having a shape along the outer shape of the water storage part 200 is formed on the upper surface of the water storage part 200. The inner circumferential surface of the water storage tub 210 is inclined to be enlarged upward. A circular drain port 211 is formed at a lower portion of the rear surface of the water storage tub 210. A groove 212 recessed in an arc shape concentric with the drain port 211 is formed in front of the drain port 211 on the bottom surface of the water storage tub 210. Of course, the structure of the water reservoir 200 is not limited thereto, and examples thereof include: the water storage unit 200 may be a water storage box, a water storage tank, or the like, and the water storage unit 200 may not be provided with the drain port 211, and a specific structure of the water storage unit 200 may be flexibly provided in practical use by those skilled in the art, as long as the water storage unit 200 can store the washing water.

The water storage unit 200 is provided with a valve body 220 for closing the water discharge port 211 and a valve switching mechanism 230 for switching between a closed state in which the valve body 220 is closed and an open state in which the valve body 220 is open. Of course, the closing or opening of the drain port 211 may be achieved by other structures besides the combination of the valve body 220 and the valve switching mechanism 230, such as: the swing motor and the cover plate connected with the swing motor are provided, and the swing motor is configured to be capable of driving the cover plate to rotate so that the cover plate closes or opens the drain port 211, that is, a specific structure of the opening and closing assembly can be flexibly provided in practical application by a person skilled in the art, as long as the drain port 211 can be closed or opened by the opening and closing assembly.

The valve body 220 is formed of a resin material and has an approximately cylindrical shape. An O-ring 221 containing an elastic material is attached to the peripheral surface of the front end portion of the valve body 220. Further, a square hole 222 extending from the rear end surface to a position slightly behind the O-ring 221 is formed in the valve body 220. Further, at the rear side of the valve body 220 from the O-ring 221, the upper and lower sides of the peripheral surface are cut to form flat surfaces 223, and rectangular openings 224 connected to the holes 222 are formed at the right and left sides of the peripheral surface. Further, the opening 224 may be provided to be formed only on the right side of the peripheral surface, or may be provided to be formed only on the right side of the peripheral surface. It should be noted that, depending on the shape of the drain opening 211, the valve body 220 may take other shapes, for example: when the drain port 211 has a square shape, the valve body 220 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape; in addition, the valve body 220 may be made of a material other than resin, for example: rubber is employed, and in this case, the valve body 220 may be provided so that an O-ring 221 containing an elastic material is not attached to the peripheral surface of the front end portion of the valve body 220. The specific structure of the valve body 220 can be flexibly set in practical applications by those skilled in the art, as long as the drain port 211 can be blocked by the valve body 220.

The valve switching mechanism 230 includes a valve movable member 240, an operation portion 250, and a spring 260. The valve movable member 240 and the operating portion 250 are integrally formed of a resin material. The spring 260 corresponds to the urging member of the present invention. Of course, besides the spring 260, the force application member may also be a rubber block, etc., and those skilled in the art may flexibly set the specific structure of the force application member in practical application, and such adjustment and modification of the specific structure of the force application member should not limit the scope of the present invention.

The valve movable member 240 includes: a substantially square bottom plate portion 241, elongated square left and right plate portions 242 and 243 respectively rising from left and right end portions of the bottom plate portion 241 and extending rearward of the bottom plate portion 241, an elongated square rear plate portion 244 connected to rear ends of the left and right plate portions 242 and 243, and an elongated rod-shaped connecting portion 245 extending forward from left and front ends of the bottom plate portion 241 and the left plate portion 242.

The bottom plate portion 241 is provided with a mounting portion 246 having a shaft 246a extending forward. The rear end of the spring 260 is inserted into the shaft 246a. The front portion of the attachment portion 246 of the bottom plate portion 241 is formed in an arc shape so as not to interfere with the spring 260. An opening 247 slightly larger than the hole 222 of the valve body 220 is formed in the center of the rear plate 244, which is the mounting position of the valve body 220, and mounting pieces 248 having claws at the tips and extending forward are formed at the left and right edges of the opening 247. A long hole 249 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the distal end portion of the connecting portion 245. Of course, the valve body 220 may be mounted on the valve movable member 240 by welding, screwing, or the like, and those skilled in the art may flexibly set the connection mode of the valve body 220 and the valve movable member 240 in practical applications, and such adjustment and change of the connection mode between the valve body 220 and the valve movable member 240 should not limit the scope of the present invention.

The operation portion 250 is connected to a distal end portion of the coupling portion 245 of the valve movable member 240. A rib 251 extending in the up-down direction is formed at the front end portion of the operation portion 250. The rib 251 is a portion that catches a finger when the user performs a moving operation on the operation portion 250.

The valve switching mechanism 230 is attached to the water storage unit 200 from below so as to fit into a space around the water storage tub 210 formed on the back side of the water storage unit 200. The spring 260 is accommodated in a semicircular cylindrical accommodating portion 202 formed on the inner side of the water storage portion 200, and the tip thereof abuts against the front surface of the accommodating portion 202. Further, the elongated hole 249 of the coupling portion 245 of the valve movable member 240 is engaged with the mounting boss 203 formed on the rear side of the water storage portion 200. The screw 270 passing through the long hole 249 is fixed to the mounting boss 203 so as not to press the connecting portion 245. Thus, the connecting portion 245 is fixed in the vertical and horizontal directions, but can move in the front-rear direction within the length range of the long hole 249. Further, the operation unit 250 faces outward from the operation window 204 provided on the left side surface of the water storage unit 200. In the above, the valve movable member 240 and the water storage part 200 are connected by a combination of the connection structure, screw 270, mounting boss 203 and elongated hole 249, in addition to this, the connection structure may be provided in other forms, and in one possible case, the connection structure includes a chute provided on the valve movable member 240 with the bottom of the chute being located on a vertical plane, and a slider provided on the water storage part 200 and slidable along the bottom of the chute, and such arrangement also enables the valve movable member 240 to move only back and forth relative to the water storage part 200 without being movable in the up-down direction.

The valve body 220 is inserted into the drain port 211 from the inside of the water storage tub 210, penetrates the drain port 211, and is mounted on the rear plate portion 244 of the valve movable member 240. At this time, the claws of the left and right mounting pieces 248 of the rear plate portion 244 engage with the rear edges of the left and right openings 224 of the valve body 220. The lower side of the valve body 220 is accommodated in the groove 212 of the water storage bucket 210, and does not interfere with the bottom surface of the water storage bucket 210.

The valve body 220 closes the water discharge port 211 from the front by bringing the O-ring 221 into close contact with the peripheral edge of the water discharge port 211. At this time, the spring 260 is in a compressed state, and the valve body 220 is biased in the closing direction rearward by the spring 260 via the valve movable member 240. In the water storage portion 200, the rear of the water storage tub 210 is open, and the rear end portion of the valve movable member 240, that is, the rear plate portion 244, protrudes rearward of the water storage portion 200.

A lock mechanism 280 for fixing the water storage part 200 attached to the main body 300 so as not to be separated forward is provided at the rear of the water storage part 200. The locking mechanism 280 has a pawl 281 and a button 282. The claw portion 281 is biased upward by a spring, not shown, and when the button 282 is pressed, the claw portion 281 is lowered, and when the button 282 is released, the claw portion 281 returns to its original position.

The water storage part 200 is attached to the main body part 300 from the front. On the inner side of the water storage portion 200, insertion portions 205 are provided at the right and left end portions, respectively, and the left and right rail portions 301 of the main body portion 300 are inserted into these insertion portions 205, whereby the water storage portion 200 is guided by the rail portions 301. Of course, it is also possible to provide insertion portions extending forward at the left and right lower ends of the main body 300, and guide rail portions at the right and left ends, respectively, on the back side of the water storage portion 200, and the insertion portions may be inserted into the guide rail portions, that is, a specific structure of a first sliding portion extending forward from the left and right sides of the lower end of the main body 300 and a second sliding portion provided at the left and right ends of the water storage portion 200, respectively, may be flexibly provided in practical use by a person skilled in the art, so long as the relative movement between the main body 300 and the water storage portion 200 can be caused by the relative sliding of the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion. Further, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above-described arrangement of the first sliding portion on the main body portion 300 and the arrangement of the second sliding portion on the water storage portion 200 are merely exemplary, and may be adjusted according to actual circumstances by those skilled in the art.

The left rear portion of the water storage portion 200 passes through the opening 302 of the main body 300. The claw portion 281 of the lock mechanism 280 is pressed down by abutting against the upper edge of the insertion port 303 of the main body 300, and passes through the insertion port 303. When the attachment of the water storage unit 200 to the main body 300 is completed, the claw portion 281 returns to the original position and engages with the upper edge of the insertion port 303 on the rear side of the main body 300. Thus, the water storage unit 200 cannot be separated forward from the main body 300. When the water storage unit 200 is detached from the main body 300, the button 282 of the lock mechanism 280 is pressed, and the claw portion 281 is lowered. Thereby, the engagement between the claw portion 281 and the upper edge of the insertion port 303 is released. By pulling the water storage unit 200 forward, the water storage unit 200 is separated from the main body 300.

In a state where the water storage portion 200 is attached to the main body 300, the tip end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic wave generator 110 is positioned slightly lower than the upper surface of the water storage bucket 210, and the tip end portion of the vibration horn 112 is slightly brought into the water storage bucket 210.

Fig. 8 is a side sectional view of the rear portion of the upper panel 12 in a state where the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is housed in the housing portion 17. Fig. 9 is a side sectional view of the rear portion of the upper panel 12 in a state where the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is pulled out from the housing portion 17. Fig. 10 (a) is a perspective view of the storage tank 60, the supply valve 400, and the supply nozzle 500, and fig. 10 (b) is a perspective view of the drain receiving portion 70.

In the storage unit 17, the storage tank 60, the supply valve 400, and the supply nozzle 500 are disposed behind the ultrasonic cleaning device 50.

The storage tank 60 is formed of a resin material, has a shape thin in the front-rear direction and long in the left-right direction, and is divided into a left tank 61 and a right tank 62 through a supply valve 400. The left tank 61 and the right tank 62 are connected by a communication portion 63 extending from an upper portion of the left tank 61. The storage tank 60 has an inflow port 64 formed in a left end portion of the left tank 61. The inflow port 64 is connected to a cleaning water supply path 98 of the automatic loading mechanism 90. The washing water supplied from the automatic input mechanism 90 flows in from the inflow port 64 and is stored in the storage tank 60. The water storage capacity of the storage tank 60 is larger than the water storage capacity of the water storage tub 210, and for example, water having a water storage capacity twice that of the water storage tub 210 is stored in the storage tank 60. The water storage capacity of the storage tank 60 may be set to be the same as the water storage capacity of the water storage tub 210. The storage tank 60 corresponds to a storage unit of the present invention. Of course, the storage part may be a storage tray or the like, and a specific configuration of the storage part may be flexibly provided in practical use by those skilled in the art, as long as the water containing the detergent supplied to the water storage tub 210 can be stored by the storage part. As described above, when the storage part adopts the storage tray, the storage box 60 includes the left box 61 and the right box 62, the barrier may be provided in the storage tray to separate the storage tray into the left tray portion and the right tray portion, and the through-hole may be provided in the barrier to allow the left tray portion and the right tray portion to communicate, that is, the storage part includes the left storage structure and the right storage structure which are communicated with each other, and those skilled in the art may flexibly provide specific structures of the left storage structure and the right storage structure in practical applications, and such adjustment and change of the specific structures of the left storage structure and the right storage structure should not constitute limitation of the present invention, but should be limited to the scope of the present invention.

The supply valve 400 is a solenoid valve. The outflow port of the left tank 61 and the outflow port of the right tank 62 of the reserve tank 60 are connected to the inlet of the supply valve 400. The outlet of the supply valve 400 is connected to the inlet of the supply nozzle 500.

The supply nozzle 500 is formed of a resin material, extends forward from the supply valve 400, and has a tip end 500a bent downward. A discharge port 501 is formed in the lower surface of the tip end portion 500 a.

As shown in fig. 8, in a state where the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are stored in the storage unit 17, the supply nozzle 500 penetrates the opening 302 of the main body 300, and the tip end 500a thereof is positioned at the front of the water storage tub 210. On the other hand, as shown in fig. 9, in a state where the ultrasonic cleaning section 100 and the water storage section 200 are pulled out to the inside of the inlet 14, the tip end 500a of the supply nozzle 500 is located at the rear of the water storage tub 210. Of course, the supply nozzle 500 is only one of possible structures of the water supply structure capable of supplying water into the water storage tub 210, and the water supply structure may be provided as a water injection hose, and a specific structure of the water supply structure may be flexibly provided in practical applications by those skilled in the art, and such adjustment and change of the specific structure of the water supply structure should not limit the scope of the present invention.

A drain receiving portion 70 is disposed below the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 in the housing portion 17. The drain receiving portion 70 has a substantially square dish shape with an upper surface and a front surface open. The bottom surface of the drain receiving portion 70 is inclined so that the rear portion becomes lower. A drain hole 71 is formed in the right side surface of the drain receiving portion 70 at the lower end of the rear portion and at the position where the bottom surface is lowest. A drain pipe 72 is connected to a connection pipe 73 extending rightward from the drain hole 71.

Two ribs 74 extending in the up-down direction are provided on the rear surface of the drain receiving portion 70 so as to be aligned in the left-right direction. The height position of the two ribs 74 is substantially equal to the height position of the rear plate portion 244 of the valve movable member 240 of the water reservoir 200. The rib 74 corresponds to an abutment portion of the present invention. Of course, the abutting portion may also be a block, a plate, etc., and a specific structure of the abutting portion may be flexibly set by a person skilled in the art in practical application, and such adjustment and change of the specific structure of the abutting portion should not limit the present invention, and should be limited to the protection scope of the present invention.

The fully automatic washing machine 1 performs washing operations in various operation modes. In the washing operation, a washing process, an intermediate dehydrating process, a rinsing process, and a final dehydrating process are sequentially performed. The washing machine performs a washing process, that is, the washing machine performs a conventional washing process.

In the washing process and the rinsing process, the pulsator 24 rotates in right and left directions in a state where water is stored in the washing and dehydrating tub 22. By the rotation of the pulsator 24, a water current is generated in the washing and dehydrating tub 22. During the washing process, the laundry is washed by the generated water flow and the detergent contained in the water. During the rinsing process, the laundry is rinsed by the generated water flow.

The wash and dehydration tub 22 and the pulsator 24 integrally rotate at a high speed during the intermediate dehydration process and the final dehydration process. The laundry is dehydrated by the centrifugal force generated in the washing and dehydrating tub 22.

When the washing machine performs a normal washing process, that is, a washing process, the washing machine is controlled to perform a first action to communicate the detergent box 91 with the second waterway switching assembly, the second waterway switching assembly is controlled to communicate the first waterway switching assembly with the inner tub, and the supply pump 95 is started to pump the detergent in the detergent box 91 to the downstream side of the first waterway switching assembly, so that the detergent in the detergent box 91 enters the downstream side of the first waterway switching assembly; controlling the first waterway switching assembly to perform a second action to communicate the first waterway switching member with the second waterway switching assembly, thereby allowing water in the water source to flush detergent located at a downstream side of the first waterway switching assembly into the inner tub; the second waterway on-off member is opened to communicate the water source with the inner tub through the second waterway on-off member, thereby injecting water into the inner tub.

Specifically, at the time of water supply during the washing, the liquid detergent is automatically thrown into the washing and dehydrating tub 22 by the automatic throwing mechanism 90. At this time, first, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the supply pipe 92 communicates with the supply pump 95. The second three-way valve 97 is switched to a state in which the upstream side supply path 96b and the downstream side supply path 96c are communicated. When the supply pump 95 is operated, the liquid detergent in the detergent box 91 is discharged by the action of the pump. The discharged liquid detergent is sent to the detergent supply path 96 through the supply pipe 92, the first three-way valve 93, and the supply pump 95 as indicated by the broken-line arrows in fig. 2, and is accumulated in the upstream side supply path 96b of the detergent supply path 96. The supply pump 95 is operated for a predetermined time, whereby a predetermined amount of liquid detergent is stored in the upstream side supply path 96b.

Next, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the sub water supply passage 94 communicates with the supply pump 95, and the sub valve 83 is opened. As shown by solid arrows in fig. 2, water from the faucet flows through the sub water supply path 94, the first three-way valve 93, and the supply pump 95 to the detergent supply path 96, flushing out the liquid detergent. As indicated by the one-dot chain line arrow in fig. 2, the liquid detergent washed away by the water is poured into the washing and dehydrating tub 22 together with the water from the supply port 96a of the detergent supply path 96. When the pouring of the liquid detergent into the washing and dehydrating tub 22 is completed, the sub valve 83 is closed.

Then, water is supplied into the washing and dehydrating tub 22. The main valve 82 is opened, and water from the faucet flows through the main water supply passage 84 and is discharged from the water filling port 84a into the washing and dehydrating tub 22. When the water level in the washing and dehydrating tub 22 reaches a predetermined washing water level, the main valve 82 is closed, and the water supply is ended.

Further, the fully automatic washing machine 1 performs a washing operation by the ultrasonic washing device 50. When washing a washing object such as a shirt, if the washing object locally contains stubborn dirt, a user performs local washing of the washing object using the ultrasonic washing apparatus 50 before washing.

In the case of performing the cleaning operation, as shown in fig. 3 (b), the user pulls out the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 from the housing 17, and moves the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 to the operation positions. As shown in fig. 9, the valve switching mechanism 230 biases the valve body 220 in the closing direction via the valve movable member 240 by the biasing force of the spring 260. Thus, the valve body 220 closes the drain port 211, and the drain port 211 is in a locked state.

The user performs a predetermined start operation to start the washing operation.

When the washing machine performs an ultrasonic pre-washing process, that is, a washing operation of the ultrasonic washing apparatus 50, the first waterway switching assembly is controlled to perform a first operation to communicate the detergent box 91 with the second waterway switching assembly, the second waterway switching assembly is controlled to operate to communicate the first waterway switching assembly with the reservoir, and the supply pump 95 is started to pump the detergent in the detergent box 91 to a downstream side of the first waterway switching assembly, so that the detergent in the detergent box 91 enters the downstream side of the first waterway switching assembly; the first waterway switching assembly is controlled to perform a second action to communicate the first waterway switching member and the second waterway switching assembly, thereby allowing water in the water source to flush detergent located at a downstream side of the first waterway switching assembly into the reservoir.

Specifically, when the cleaning operation is started, the automatic input mechanism 90 initially supplies the cleaning water into the storage tank 60. That is, first, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the supply pipe 92 communicates with the supply pump 95. The second three-way valve 97 is switched to a state in which the upstream side supply passage 96b and the wash water supply passage 98 are communicated. When the supply pump 95 is operated, the liquid detergent in the detergent box 91 is discharged by the action of the pump. As indicated by the broken-line arrows in fig. 2, the liquid detergent discharged from the detergent box 91 reaches the detergent supply path 96 and is stored in the upstream side supply path 96b of the detergent supply path 96. The supply pump 95 is operated for a predetermined time, whereby a predetermined amount of liquid detergent is stored in the upstream side supply path 96b.

Next, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the sub water supply passage 94 communicates with the supply pump 95, and the sub valve 83 is opened. As shown by solid arrows in fig. 2, water from the faucet flows through the sub water supply path 94, the first three-way valve 93, and the supply pump 95 to the detergent supply path 96, flushing out the liquid detergent. The water is mixed with a liquid detergent to become washing water. As shown by the bold arrow in fig. 2, the washing water flows into the storage tank 60 through the washing water supply path 98. When a predetermined supply time elapses after the sub valve 83 is opened, the sub valve 83 is closed.

In this way, the predetermined amount of washing water and the predetermined concentration of washing water are stored in the storage tank 60. In the present embodiment, the amount of the washing water stored in the storage tank 60 is an amount that can replace the washing water in the water storage tank 210 to perform the washing operation twice. The amount of the washing water stored in the storage tank 60 may be an amount that allows three or more washing operations.

Next, the supply valve 400 is opened. The washing water in the reserve tank 60 is discharged from the discharge port 501 into the water storage tub 210 through the supply nozzle 500. The washing water is stored in the water storage tub 210, and the water level in the water storage tub 210 rises. As shown by the one-dot chain line in fig. 9, when the water level in the water storage tub 210 rises to the level of the drain outlet 501 and the drain outlet 501 is blocked by the washing water, the air pressure in the storage tank 60 and the air pressure of the outside are balanced. Thus, in a state where the supply valve 400 is opened, the water supply from the reserve tank 60 is stopped.

In one possible case, a first end of the auxiliary water supply path 94 of the automatic input mechanism is connected to the first water path on-off member, a first end of the supply pipe 92 of the automatic input mechanism is connected to the detergent box, a first end of the upstream side supply path 96b of the detergent supply path 96 in the automatic input mechanism is connected to the second water path switching assembly, the second end of the auxiliary water supply path 94, the second end of the supply pipe 92, and the second end of the upstream side supply path 96b are communicated with each other, the first water path switching assembly includes a first solenoid valve provided on the auxiliary water supply path 94, a second solenoid valve provided on the supply pipe 92, and a third solenoid valve provided on the upstream side supply path 96b, and the step of "controlling the first water path switching assembly to perform the first action" when the washing machine performs the ultrasonic pre-washing process specifically includes: closing the first solenoid valve and opening both the second solenoid valve and the third solenoid valve; the step of controlling the first waterway switching assembly to execute the second action specifically includes: closing the second solenoid valve and opening both the first solenoid valve and the third solenoid valve; when the washing machine executes a normal washing program, the step of controlling the first waterway switching assembly to execute the first action specifically includes: closing the first solenoid valve and opening both the second solenoid valve and the third solenoid valve; the step of controlling the first waterway switching assembly to execute the second action specifically includes: the second solenoid valve is closed and both the first solenoid valve and the third solenoid valve are opened.

In one possible case, the second end of the upstream side supply path 96b of the detergent supply path 96 in the automatic input mechanism is connected to the first waterway switching assembly, the first end of the wash water supply path 98 of the automatic input mechanism is communicated with the storage part, the first end of the downstream side supply path 96c of the detergent supply path 96 of the automatic input mechanism is communicated with the inner tub, the first end of the upstream side supply path 96b, the second end of the wash water supply path 98, the second end of the downstream side supply path 96c are communicated with each other, the second waterway switching assembly includes a first solenoid valve provided on the upstream side supply path 96b, a second solenoid valve provided on the wash water supply path 98, and a third solenoid valve provided on the downstream side supply path 96c, and the step of "controlling the second waterway switching assembly" when the washing machine performs the ultrasonic pre-washing program specifically includes: closing the third solenoid valve and opening both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve; when the washing machine executes a normal washing program, the step of controlling the second waterway switching assembly specifically includes: the second solenoid valve is closed and both the first solenoid valve and the third solenoid valve are opened.

As can be seen from the above two cases, the specific structures of the first waterway switching assembly and the second waterway switching assembly can be flexibly set in practical applications by those skilled in the art, so long as the first waterway switching assembly can selectively communicate the second waterway switching assembly with the detergent box 91 or the first waterway on-off member, and the second waterway switching assembly can selectively communicate the first waterway switching assembly with the inner tub or the storage part.

When the washing water is stored in the water storage tub 210, the user places a dirt adhering portion of the object to be washed, for example, a collar portion of a shirt, on the water storage tub 210 from the front direction of the ultrasonic washing section 100, that is, between the water storage tub 210 and the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic wave generating body 110.

In the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100, the position of the guide 132 of the cover 130 coincides with the position of the distal end portion of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic wave generator 110 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the guide 132 serves as a mark, and the user can easily grasp the position of the distal end portion of the vibration horn 112.

The user moves the dirt adhering portion such as the collar and the cuff downward and rearward along the guide surface 133 of the guide portion 132 to a position of the distal end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112. At this time, the lower end of the guide portion 132 extends below the lower end of the cover main body 131, and covers the front surface of the distal end portion of the vibration horn 112 exposed from the cover main body 131. Therefore, the dirt adhering portion guided by the guide portion 132 is less likely to be caught by the corner portion of the distal end portion of the vibration horn 112, and damage or the like is less likely to occur. Further, the dirt adhering portion is positioned to a proper height position almost in contact with the tip end face 112a of the vibration horn 112 by the guide of the guide portion 132, not to be far away from the tip end face 112a of the vibration horn 112.

The dirt adhering portion of the object to be washed is soaked in the washing water stored in the water storage tub 210, and the washing water permeated into the interior of the object to be washed oozes out of the surface. The following states are presented: a thin water layer is formed on the surface of the object to be cleaned, and the vibration horn 112 is in contact with the water layer. When the water level in the water storage tub 210 drops due to water absorption by the object to be cleaned, and the drain 501 of the supply nozzle 500 is no longer blocked by the cleaning water, the cleaning water is supplied from the storage tank 60 into the water storage tub 210 until the drain 501 is blocked again by the cleaning water. Thereby, the water level, i.e., the water amount, in the water storage tub 210 is maintained in an appropriate state.

After the supply valve 400 is opened, the ultrasonic vibrator 111 is not energized until a predetermined standby time elapses, and the ultrasonic generator 110 is in a standby state. During this time, the washing water is stored in the water storage tub 210, and the object to be washed is placed in the water storage tub 210 storing the washing water. When the standby time elapses, the ultrasonic transducer 111 is energized, and the ultrasonic generator 110 operates.

Fig. 11 (a) to (c) are diagrams for explaining decontamination of an object to be cleaned by the ultrasonic cleaning device 50.

When the ultrasonic wave generator 110 is operated, ultrasonic waves are generated from the tip end of the vibration horn 112, and ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the cleaning water inside the object to be cleaned via the cleaning water around the vibration horn 112. As shown in fig. 11 (a), a vacuum cavity is created in a portion where the pressure becomes low by alternately generating a reduced pressure and a pressurized pressure by the action of ultrasonic vibration in the interior of the object to be cleaned. That is, many cavities exist in the dirt portion of the object to be cleaned. Then, as shown in fig. 11 (b), when the pressure in the cavity portion increases and the cavity collapses due to the pressure, a shock wave is generated in the dirt portion of the object to be cleaned. By the shock wave, dirt is separated from the object to be cleaned. As shown in fig. 11 (c), the ultrasonic vibration from the vibration horn 112 generates a water flow from the inside of the object to be cleaned into the water storage tank 210, and the dirt separated from the object to be cleaned is discharged into the water storage tank 210 by the water flow. In the water storage tub 210, convection is generated by the water flow, and thus dirt is easily peeled from the object to be cleaned. Further, dirt is easily peeled off from the object to be cleaned by the action of the detergent contained in the cleaning water, and the dirt is not easily reattached to the object to be cleaned. Thus, the dirt is removed from the object to be cleaned. As described above, the object to be cleaned is placed in the water storage tank 210 in such a manner that the dirt adhering portion is not too far from the tip end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic horn 110. Thus, the ultrasonic vibration from the vibration horn 112 effectively acts on the dirt adhering portion, and dirt is easily removed.

When the cleaning of the object to be cleaned is completed, the user performs a predetermined end operation to end the cleaning operation. The operation of the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 is stopped and the supply valve 400 is closed, and the cleaning operation is ended.

When the new cleaning operation is not continued, the user stores the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 in the storage unit 17 and moves the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 to the standby position, as shown in fig. 3 (a). As shown in fig. 8, when the water reservoir 200 is moved to the standby position, in the valve switching mechanism 230, the rear plate portion 244 of the valve movable member 240 abuts against the two ribs 74 on the rear surface of the drain receiving portion 70, and is pushed by these ribs 74, and moves forward with respect to the water reservoir 200 against the urging force of the spring 260. The valve body 220 connected to the rear plate portion 244 of the valve movable member 240 moves forward, i.e., in the opening direction, with respect to the drain port 211 of the water storage bucket 210, and opens the drain port 211. Thereby, the washing water stored in the water storage tub 210 is discharged through the water discharge port 211. At this time, the washing water passes through the gap between the inner wall surface of the drain port 211 and the upper and lower flat surfaces 223 of the valve body 220, the left and right openings 224 of the valve body 220, and the hole 222. The cleaning water discharged from the drain port 211 is received by the drain receiving portion 70, and is discharged from the drain hole 71. The washing water discharged from the discharge hole 71 flows through the drain pipe 72, the overflow pipe 26, and the drain hose 41 to be discharged to the outside.

The user sometimes wants to change the washing water of the water storage tub 210 for a second washing operation. In this case, although the user can store the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 in the storage unit 17 and move the water storage unit 200 to the standby position to drain the cleaning water from the water storage tub 210, such an operation is troublesome.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the user can drain the washing water from the water storage tub 210 without moving the ultrasonic washing device 50 while maintaining the water storage unit 200 at the operation position.

Fig. 12 is a side sectional view of the rear portion of the upper panel 12 showing the state where the operation unit 250 is moved and operated in the state where the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is pulled out from the housing unit 17. In fig. 12, for convenience of explanation, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is shown in cross section at the rear side of the operation window 204 of the water storage unit 200 provided with the operation unit 250.

In a state where the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are located at the operation position, as indicated by the bold arrow in fig. 12, the user performs a movement operation to move the operation unit 250 forward. Thus, in the valve switching mechanism 230, the valve movable member 240 moves in the forward direction with respect to the water storage portion 200, as in the case where the water storage portion 200 moves to the standby position. Thus, the valve body 220 moves in the opening direction with respect to the drain port 211 of the water storage tub 210, and the drain port 211 is opened. Thus, the washing water stored in the water storage tub 210 is discharged through the water discharge port 211 and received by the water discharge receiving unit 70. Then, the washing water is discharged to the outside through the drain pipe 72, the overflow pipe 26, and the drain hose 41.

The user performs a predetermined continuing operation for continuing the washing operation. The second washing operation is started. In this washing operation, since the washing water remains in the storage tank 60, the supply valve 400 is opened to supply the washing water from the storage tank 60 to the water tub 210, and the supply of the washing water into the storage tank 60 is not performed. In the present embodiment, if the washing operation is performed twice, the washing water in the storage tank 60 is used up, and thus the operation is continued only once.

In the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100, dirt enters the cover 130 from the opening of the cover 130 during the repeated cleaning operation, and the dirt can adhere to the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic generator 110 in the cover 130. In the present embodiment, since the cover 130 is detachable from the housing 120, the user can detach the cover 130 from the housing 120 to clean the vibration horn 112.

Further, the water storage tub 210 may be soiled during the repeated washing operation. In the present embodiment, since the water storage unit 200 is detachable from the main body 300, the user can detach the water storage unit 200 from the main body 300 and clean the water storage tub 210.

Effect of the embodiments >

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the valve body 220 and the valve switching mechanism 230 for opening and closing the drain port 211 of the water storage tub 210 are provided, and the valve body 220 is switched by the valve switching mechanism 230 so that the valve body 220 is closed when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200, that is, the ultrasonic generator 110 and the water storage tub 210 are located at the operation position, and the valve body 220 is opened when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are located at the standby position. This can be achieved: the water cannot be drained from the water tank 210 when the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 is in a state where the cleaning operation is possible, and the water cannot be drained from the water tank 210 when the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 is in a state where the cleaning operation is not possible.

The valve switching mechanism 230 includes an operation unit 250, and when the operation unit 250 is operated to open the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the water storage tank 210 when the ultrasonic wave generating body and the water storage tank are located at the operation position, the valve switching mechanism 230 switches the valve body 220 from the closed state to the open state. Thus, even when the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the water storage tank 210 are located at the operation position, the cleaning water can be discharged from the water storage tank 210 when the water of the water storage tank 210 needs to be replaced or the like without returning the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the water storage tank 210 to the standby position.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, water can be satisfactorily drained from the water storage tub 210, and convenience for a user can be improved.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the drain pipe 72 through which the washing water discharged from the drain receiving portion 70 flows is connected to the overflow pipe 26 that guides the overflow water flowing out from the overflow port 20b to the drain hose 41, the drain pipe 72 can be shortened as compared with a structure in which the drain pipe 72 is connected to the drain hose 41. Thus, for example, when the outer tub 20 vibrates during dehydration, the drain pipe 72 is less likely to contact the casing 10, and breakage of the drain pipe 72 is less likely to occur.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the washing water supplied from the automatic input mechanism 90 is stored in the storage tank 60 having a larger water storage capacity than the water storage tank 210 and is supplied from the storage tank 60 to the water storage tank 210, it is not necessary to generate washing water every time the washing water in the water storage tank 210 is replaced, and convenience to the user is improved.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications other than the above embodiments may be made.

For example, in the above embodiment, the following structure is adopted, and the valve switching mechanism 230 includes: a spring 260 for biasing the valve body 220 in a closing direction in which the drain port 211 is closed; and a valve movable member 240 connected to the valve body 220 and the operation unit 250, wherein when the ultrasonic wave generator 110 and the water storage tank 210 are moved from the operation position to the standby position, the rear plate portion 244 of the valve movable member 240 is in contact with the rib 74 provided in the drain receiving portion 70, is pressed by the rib 74 to move the valve body 220 in the opening direction in which the drain port 211 is opened, and when the operation unit 250 is moved, the valve movable member 240 moves together with the operation unit 250 to move the valve body 220 in the opening direction.

However, the valve switching mechanism 230 may be other than the above, as long as the valve 220 can be switched so that the valve 220 is closed when the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the water storage tank 210 are in the operation position and the valve 220 is opened when the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the water storage tank 210 are in the standby position, and the valve 220 can be switched from the closed state to the open state after the operation portion 250 is opened when the ultrasonic wave generating body 110 and the water storage tank 210 are in the operation position.

In the above embodiment, the drain pipe 72 is connected to the overflow pipe 26. However, the drain pipe 72 may be connected to the overflow receiver 25. However, in consideration of the fact that the washing water discharged from the drain pipe 72 does not enter the outer tub 20 from the overflow 20b, it is desirable that the drain pipe 72 is connected to the overflow pipe 26 remote from the overflow 20 b.

Further, in the above embodiment, the automatic feeding mechanism 90 for supplying the washing water, that is, the water containing the detergent, is connected to the storage tank 60. However, since the cleaning water can be finally stored in the storage tank 60, the following structure can be adopted: at least water may be supplied to the storage tank 60, and for example, a detergent supply port is provided in the storage tank 60, and water is supplied only from the water supply unit 80 to the storage tank 60 into which detergent has been previously supplied.

Further, in the above embodiment, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is provided in the fully automatic washing machine 1. Specifically, the housing 17 is provided in the housing 17, and the housing 17 is used as a placement unit, however, the wall surface of the upper panel 12 of the fully automatic washing machine 1 may be used as a placement unit. However, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 may be provided in a washing machine other than the fully automatic washing machine 1, for example, a drum-type washing machine. The ultrasonic cleaning device 50 may be provided in, for example, a full-automatic washing and drying integrated machine or a drum-type washing and drying integrated machine having a drying function. In a drum type washing machine and a drum type washing and drying integrated machine, a drum is disposed as an inner tub in an outer tub. The ultrasonic cleaning device 50 may be provided in a laundry treatment apparatus other than the washing machine, for example, a clothes dryer, a laundry care machine, or the like. Further, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 may be disposed in a disposition portion provided in a device other than a washing machine such as a washbasin, and in this case, the disposition portion may be a desk surface, a wall surface, or the like, and a specific configuration of the disposition portion may be flexibly provided in practical use by a person skilled in the art, as long as the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 can be provided by the disposition portion.

Further, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified in various ways as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea shown in the technical proposal.

Thus far, the technical solution of the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, but it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. Equivalent modifications and substitutions for related technical features may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the present invention, and such modifications and substitutions will fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising an ultrasonic generator capable of generating ultrasonic waves, a water storage part formed with a water discharge port, a valve body capable of closing the water discharge port, and a valve switching mechanism, wherein the water storage part is located below the ultrasonic generator, the positions of the ultrasonic generator and the water storage part are switchable between an operation position when a cleaning operation is performed and a standby position when the cleaning operation is not performed, the valve switching mechanism comprises a biasing member and a valve movable member, the valve movable member is connected to the valve body, the biasing member is capable of biasing the valve body in a closing direction in which the water discharge port is closed, so that when the ultrasonic generator and the water storage part are located at the operation position, the valve body is closed to close the water outlet, when the ultrasonic generator and the water storage part are positioned at the standby position, the valve movable member is abutted against an abutting part arranged at the side of the arrangement part to move the valve body in an opening direction of the water outlet so as to open the valve body, the valve body is opened to open the water outlet, the force application member is a spring, the valve movable member is provided with a mounting part with a shaft extending forwards, the spring is sleeved on the shaft, the rear end of the spring is inserted into the shaft, the spring is accommodated in an accommodating part formed at the inner side of the water storage part, the front end of the spring is abutted against the front surface of the accommodating part, and when the valve body closes the water outlet, the spring is in a compressed state, the valve body is biased in the closing direction by the spring via the valve movable member.

2. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve switching mechanism further includes an operation portion for performing an opening operation for opening the valve body, the valve movable member is connected to the operation portion,

the opening operation is a movement operation for moving the operation unit in a predetermined direction, and when the movement operation is performed while the ultrasonic wave generating body and the water storage unit are located at the operation position, the valve movable member moves together with the operation unit to move the valve body in the opening direction to switch the valve body from the closed state to the open state.

3. The ultrasonic cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the operation portion is connected to a connecting portion of the valve movable member, a long hole extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the connecting portion, the long hole is engaged with an attachment boss formed on the inner side of the water storage portion, and a screw is fixed to the attachment boss so as not to press the connecting portion through the long hole.

4. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation portion is formed with a rib extending in the up-down direction, and the rib of the operation portion is a portion that catches a finger when the movement operation is performed on the operation portion.

5. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein openings are formed on left and right sides of a rear peripheral surface of the valve body, respectively, and two mounting pieces are provided on the valve movable member, the two mounting pieces being engageable with rear edges of the openings formed on the left and right sides of the rear peripheral surface, respectively.

6. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an O-ring containing an elastic material is attached to a peripheral surface of a front end portion of the valve body.

7. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a hole extending from a rear end surface of the valve body to a position rearward of the O-ring is formed in the valve body, the hole of the valve body communicating with openings formed on left and right sides of a rear peripheral surface of the valve body.

8. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a drain receiving portion is provided below the water storage portion, the drain receiving portion is disposed on the disposition portion, and the abutting portion is provided on a rear surface of the drain receiving portion.

9. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the abutting portion includes two ribs provided in a manner aligned in the left-right direction and extending in the up-down direction.

10. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising the ultrasonic cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the laundry treatment apparatus having the arrangement portion capable of accommodating the ultrasonic cleaning device.