CN115233423A - Clothes treating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a clothes processing device, which is provided with a tank under the condition of not being limited by space in a device main body as much as possible and can realize large capacity of the tank. The clothes treatment device of the embodiment comprises: a device main body portion constituting an outline; a laundry treating tub provided in the apparatus main body and receiving laundry; a laundry inlet/outlet provided at one end of the main body and used for taking laundry into/out of the laundry treating tub; and a tank storing a laundry treatment agent for treating laundry, the tank being provided in a portion of one end portion of the apparatus main body portion that becomes a side portion of the laundry entrance.

Description

Clothes treating device

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a laundry treating apparatus.

Background

As an example of a laundry treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on laundry, for example, as disclosed in patent document 1, a so-called vertical axis type washing machine is known in which a rotation center axis of a rotary tub extends in an up-down direction.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2005-6784

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In recent years, in such a washing machine, a structure in which a laundry treatment agent such as a detergent, a softener, or the like is stored in a tank in advance has been considered. According to this configuration, the laundry treating agent required for one operation can be automatically supplied from the tank into the tub by the automatic supply device. This makes it possible to improve convenience without requiring a manual laundry treatment agent input operation by the user.

However, the washing machine of the present state is configured to accommodate a tank in the rear cover constituting the rear portion of the upper portion of the washing machine main body. Therefore, a space for disposing the tank inside the rear cover must be secured, which is an important factor in increasing the size of the entire washing machine. Further, due to such a restriction of space, it is difficult to increase the capacity of the tank.

Therefore, the present embodiment provides a clothes treating apparatus which is provided with a tank without being restricted by a space in an apparatus main body as much as possible, and which can increase a capacity of the tank.

Means for solving the problems

The clothes treatment device of the embodiment comprises: a device main body portion constituting an outline; a laundry treating tub provided in the apparatus main body and accommodating laundry; a laundry inlet/outlet provided at one end of the main body, for taking laundry into/out of the laundry treating tub; and a tank storing a laundry treatment agent for treating laundry, the tank being provided in a portion of one end portion of the apparatus main body portion that becomes a side portion of the laundry entrance.

Effects of the invention

According to the laundry treatment apparatus of the present invention, the can is provided without being restricted by the space in the apparatus main body as much as possible, and the capacity of the can be increased.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side view schematically showing a configuration example of a washing machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the structure of the upper part of the washing machine according to the present embodiment, and showing the state of attachment of the tank.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the structure of the upper part of the washing machine according to the present embodiment, and showing a state where the tank is not attached.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal side view schematically showing an example of the upper structure of the washing machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the internal configuration of the washing machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal front view schematically showing an example of the structure of the right side portion of the washing machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the structure of the laundry entrance and the peripheral portion of the laundry machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal front view schematically showing an example of the left side structure of the washing machine according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view (1) schematically showing an example of the structure of a tank according to a modification of the present embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view (2) schematically showing an example of the structure of a tank according to a modification of the present embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view (3) schematically showing an example of the structure of a tank according to a modification of the present embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view (4) schematically showing an example of the structure of a tank according to a modification of the present embodiment.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a laundry treatment apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 1 illustrated in fig. 1 is a so-called vertical axis type full automatic washing machine in which the rotation center axis of the rotary tub extends in the vertical direction. The washing machine 1 is an example of a laundry treatment apparatus that can perform a predetermined treatment on laundry, and in this case, the predetermined treatment includes: a washing process for washing laundry, a rinsing process for rinsing laundry, a dehydrating process for dehydrating laundry, and the like. A laundry treatment tub 3 capable of storing laundry is provided inside an outer casing 2 constituting an outer shell of the washing machine 1.

The laundry treating tub 3 includes a water tub 3A and a rotary tub 3B. The water tub 3A is a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open upper portion, and can store water therein. The rotary tub 3B is in the shape of a bottomed cylinder with an open upper portion, and is provided inside the tub 3A so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis. A not-shown pulsator for agitating the laundry and water in the rotary tub 3B is provided at the bottom of the rotary tub 3B so as to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis. A balance ring, not shown, for suppressing vibration of the rotary tub 3B is provided at an upper portion of the rotary tub 3B. The tub 3A may be configured to have an inner lid at the upper opening portion, or may be configured not to have an inner lid.

The outer box 2 is configured such that a top cover 100 is attached to an upper portion of a substantially rectangular box-shaped outer box main body portion 2A whose upper portion is open. That is, one end portion, in this case, the upper end portion of the outer box 2 is constituted by the top cover 100. A laundry entrance 4 for taking in and out laundry in the laundry treatment tub 3 is provided at a substantially central portion of the top cover 100. In this case, the laundry entrance 4 is provided so that the top cover 100 penetrates in the vertical direction.

The front portion of the laundry entrance 4 is formed in an arc shape that smoothly extends and protrudes forward. Further, the rear portion of the laundry entrance 4 is a flat surface extending in the left-right direction. The left and right side portions of the clothes doorway 4 smoothly connect the arc-shaped front portion and the flat rear portion. The laundry entrance 4 is opened and closed by an outer cover 5 provided rotatably at an upper portion of the outer box 2. The outer lid 5 may be a one-piece plate-shaped lid or a so-called folding lid.

The washing machine 1 further includes a machine chamber 6 located at an upper portion of the rear portion of the outer cabinet 2. In this case, the machine chamber 6 is located behind the laundry entrance 4 in the space inside the top cover 100. That is, a portion of the top cover 100 on the rear side of the clothes inlet and outlet 4, in other words, a rear portion of the upper portion of the outer box 2 is constituted by the rear cover 101. The machine chamber 6 is mainly formed inside the rear cover 101. Components of various drive systems such as a water filling cartridge 6A and a water supply valve unit 6B are housed in the machine chamber 6.

Next, a configuration example of the top cover 100 in particular in the washing machine 1 will be described in detail. As illustrated in fig. 2 and 3, a rotation shaft support portion 102 for supporting the rotation shaft of the outer cover 5 is provided on the upper end surface of the top cover 100. In this case, the rotation shaft support portion 102 is provided to linearly extend along the left-right direction of the washing machine 1 between the laundry entrance 4 and the rear cover 101.

In this case, a portion of the upper end surface of the top cover 100 located on the front side of the rotation shaft support portion 102 forms a flat inclined surface 103 that is inclined upward from the front side to the rear side of the washing machine 1. The inclined surface 103 forms a surface of one end portion, in this case, an upper end portion of the outer box 2. The inclined surface 103 is formed so as to surround the periphery of the laundry entrance 4. Further, a portion of the upper end surface of the top cover 100 located on the rear side of the rotation shaft support portion 102, in this case, a portion formed by the rear cover 101, forms a horizontal flat surface.

Washing machine 1 is configured to include tanks 104A and 104B in a portion of the upper end of outer casing 2 that serves as a side portion of laundry entrance 4. Washing machine 1 has a plurality of, in this case, two tanks 104A and 104B. Washing machine 1 is configured to include tanks 104A and 104B on both left and right sides of laundry entrance 4 in the upper end of outer box 2.

In this case, the washing machine 1 includes a tank 104A on the left side of the laundry entrance 4 as viewed from the front side. On the other hand, the washing machine 1 includes a tank 104B on the right side of the laundry entrance 4 as viewed from the front side. Further, an operation panel, not shown, is provided on a portion of the inclined surface 103 on the front side of the laundry entrance 4. The operation panel includes operation buttons operated by a user, a display unit for displaying operation contents, and the like. A cover lock mechanism, not shown, is provided at the upper end of the outer box 2, i.e., at a portion of the inside of the top cover 100 that is located forward of the clothes inlet 4. The lid lock mechanism is a known structure for locking the outer lid 5 in a closed state in which the clothes inlet and outlet 4 is closed, so as not to be able to rotate.

The members of the tanks 104A and 104B constituting the outer contour thereof are made of a transparent material. Also, the tanks 104A, 104B can store the laundry treating agent inside thereof. In this case, the tanks 104A, 104B are of a size capable of storing an amount of laundry treatment agent that is run a plurality of times. The laundry treatment agent is a treatment agent for performing a predetermined treatment on laundry, and for example, is a detergent for performing a washing treatment on laundry, a softener for performing a softening treatment on laundry, and the like.

In this case, the tanks 104A and 104B are detachably provided at the side portions of the laundry entrance 4. That is, tank attachment portions 105A and 105B are provided on both left and right sides of the laundry entrance 4 in the upper end portion of the outer box 2. The tank mounting portions 105A and 105B are provided in the upper end portion of the outer box 2, with both left and right side portions of the laundry inlet and outlet 4 cut out in a rectangular shape. The tanks 104A and 104B are detachably accommodated in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B provided in such a manner as to be cut out. In this case, the attaching and detaching directions of tanks 104A and 104B to and from tank mounting portions 105A and 105B are directions substantially or completely along the vertical direction of washing machine 1.

The tank attachment portions 105A and 105B include back wall portions 106A and 106B on the opposite side to the laundry entrance 4, that is, on the outer sides in the left-right direction. Accordingly, the tanks 104A and 104B mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B cannot be visually checked from the outside of the washing machine 1 in the closed state where the outer lid 5 closes the laundry entrance 4. Further, in the open state where the laundry entrance 4 is opened, the outer covers 5 of the tanks 104A and 104B mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B cannot be visually confirmed from mainly the front side or the upper side of the washing machine 1.

In the mounted state in which the tanks 104A and 104B are mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, the surface of one end portion of the tanks 104A and 104B, in this case, the surface of the upper end portion, forms a part of the surface of the upper end portion of the outer box 2, that is, the inclined surface 103. In the attached state in which the cans 104A and 104B are attached to the can attachment portions 105A and 105B, the inner surfaces of the cans 104A and 104B form a part of the inner surfaces of the laundry entrance 4. The tanks 104A and 104B may be provided at the side of the laundry entrance 4 so as to be non-detachable. That is, the tanks 104A and 104B may be integrally provided in the top cover 100.

The upper surfaces of tanks 104A and 104B, that is, the surfaces of tanks 104A and 104B that form part of inclined surface 103 in the mounted state, form flat inclined surfaces 107A and 107B that are inclined upward from the front side to the rear side of washing machine 1. In this case, the inclination angles of the inclined surfaces 107A and 107B in the mounted state in which the tanks 104A and 104B are mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B are substantially or exactly the same as the inclination angle of the inclined surface 103 of the top cover 100.

In the mounted state in which tanks 104A and 104B are mounted in tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, inclined surfaces 107A and 107B are inclined surfaces whose rear sides are higher than front sides. Here, the portion of the inclined surfaces 107A and 107B which becomes the front side in the mounted state corresponds to a "tub side portion" which is located on the lower side than the portion which becomes the rear side, that is, on the side of the laundry treatment tub 3. Further, the portion of inclined surfaces 107A and 107B that becomes the rear side in the mounted state corresponds to the "anti-tub side portion" located on the upper side of the portion that becomes the front side, i.e., on the opposite side of laundry treatment tub 3. In this way, in the mounted state in which tanks 104A and 104B are mounted in tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, inclined surfaces 107A and 107B are inclined surfaces that rise and incline from the "tub side portion" to the "anti-tub side portion".

The tanks 104A and 104B are provided with supply ports 108A and 108B for supplying the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B. In this case, the supply ports 108A and 108B are provided on the rear portion of the inclined surfaces 107A and 107B, i.e., on the "reverse tub side". In other words, the supply ports 108A and 108B are provided in the portions of the inclined surfaces 107A and 107B that are at the high positions in the mounted state of the tanks 104A and 104B. The tanks 104A and 104B are provided with filler caps 108A1 and 108B1 that open and close the filler ports 108A and 108B.

Bottom surfaces 109A and 109B of the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B form a horizontal flat surface. Bottom surfaces 109A and 109B function as base portions that support tanks 104A and 104B mounted in tank mounting portions 105A and 105B from below. The top cover 100 constituting a part of the outer box 2 is provided with arrangement portions 110A and 110B at lower portions of bottom surfaces 109A and 109B of the tank attachment portions 105A and 105B. That is, the top cover 100 includes the arrangement portions 110A and 110B at lower sides of the tanks 104A and 104B mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, that is, at portions on the laundry treatment tub 3 side. The arrangement portions 110A, 110B form a space communicating in one direction, in this case, the front-rear direction of the washing machine 1, in the interior of the top cover 100.

As illustrated in fig. 4 to 6, the washing machine 1 includes pumps 111A and 111B. In this case, the pumps 111A and 111B are disposed at the lower portions of the front portions of the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B in the outer box 2. Suction ports 112A and 112B of the pumps 111A and 111B are connected to bottom surfaces 109A and 109B of the tank attachment portions 105A and 105B.

In this case, the suction ports 112A and 112B of the pumps 111A and 111B are connected to the tip portions of the bottom surfaces 109A and 109B of the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, that is, closer to the pumps 111A and 111B. As illustrated in fig. 7, the suction ports 112A and 112B of the pumps 111A and 111B are connected to the outer portions of the bottom surfaces 109A and 109B of the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B on the opposite side from the laundry entrance 4, that is, in the left-right direction.

On the other hand, the tanks 104A and 104B have outflow ports 113A and 113B at the bottoms thereof. The outlet ports 113A and 113B are components for allowing the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B to flow out. In this case, the outflow ports 113A, 113B are provided at the tip end portions of the bottoms of the tanks 104A, 104B. The outlets 113A and 113B are provided with non-illustrated check valves for opening and closing the flow paths in the outlets 113A and 113B. When the tanks 104A and 104B are mounted on the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, the outflow ports 113A and 113B on the tank 104A and 104B sides are connected to the suction ports 112A and 112B on the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B sides, and the check valves in the outflow ports 113A and 113B are opened to open the flow paths. Accordingly, the pumps 111A and 111B are in a state capable of sucking the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B.

Here, the outflow ports 113A and 113B on the tank 104A and 104B side and the suction ports 112A and 112B on the pump 111A and 111B side are directed in the vertical direction, that is, in the direction substantially or completely the same as the attaching and detaching direction of the tank 104A and 104B to and from the tank mounting portion 105A and 105B. Therefore, as the tanks 104A and 104B are mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, the outflow ports 113A and 113B can be easily and reliably connected to the suction ports 112A and 112B. Further, as the tanks 104A and 104B are removed from the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, the outflow ports 113A and 113B can be easily and reliably separated from the suction ports 112A and 112B. As the outflow ports 113A and 113B on the tank 104A and 104B sides are removed from the suction ports 112A and 112B on the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B sides, the flow paths inside the outflow ports 113A and 113B are closed by non-illustrated check valves. This can prevent the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B from leaking from the outlet ports 113A and 113B.

Further, since the suction ports 112A and 112B of the pumps 111A and 111B are provided in the bottom surfaces 109A and 109B of the tank mounting portions 105A and 105B, the outflow ports 113A and 113B can be provided in the bottoms of the tanks 104A and 104B. Therefore, the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B in the mounted state can be easily discharged from the outlets 113A and 113B at the bottom, and therefore, a configuration in which the laundry treatment agent is less likely to remain in the tanks 104A and 104B can be realized.

In addition, if an outlet is provided on a side surface of the tank, it is necessary to provide a cylindrical member in the tank for sucking up the laundry treatment agent remaining in the bottom of the tank through the outlet. However, according to the tanks 104A and 104B of the present invention, since the outflow ports 113A and 113B are provided at the bottom, a cylindrical member for sucking up the laundry treatment agent can be eliminated. Therefore, a reduction in the capacity of the tanks 104A and 104B due to such a cylindrical member can be avoided.

As illustrated in fig. 4 to 6, the joint portions 114A and 114B are connected to the outlet portions of the pumps 111A and 111B. The joining portions 114A, 114B have inlet portions 15A, 115B and outlet portions 116A, 116B. The inlet portions 115A and 115B of the joint portions 114A and 114B are connected to the water supply valve unit 6B via water hoses 117A and 117B. Further, the outlet portions 116A, 116B of the engaging portions 114A, 114B are connected to the tub 3A via water hoses 118A, 118B. In this case, the water through hoses 118A, 118B are connected with the upper portion of the side of the tub 3A from the outside. Thereby, the outflow ports 113A, 113B of the tanks 104A, 104B mounted in the tank mounting portions 105A, 105B are connected to the tub 3A via the pumps 111A, 111B, the engaging portions 114A, 114B, and the water hoses 118A, 118B.

In a control device, not shown, that controls the overall operation of washing machine 1, the laundry treatment agent in tanks 104A and 104B can be sucked by pumps 111A and 111B and automatically thrown into laundry treatment tub 3 at a predetermined timing in an executed operation program, for example, at the time of water supply during washing or at the time of water supply during rinsing. At this time, the water hoses 118A, 118B are connected to the sides of the tub 3A, and thus the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A, 104B is supplied from the outflow ports 113A, 113B to the gap between the tub 3A and the tub 3B via the pumps 111A, 111B, the joints 114A, 114B, and the water hoses 118A, 118B. The washing machine 1 is mainly configured by the pumps 111A and 111B, and thus has an automatic input unit configured to automatically input the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B into the laundry treatment tub 3.

As illustrated in fig. 8, at least a long linear member such as various pipes and cables can be disposed in the disposition portions 110A and 110B. In this case, power lines C1 for supplying power to the pumps 111A and 111B, various cables C2 connected to the operation panel, not shown, and a power line C3 for supplying power to the cover lock mechanism, not shown, are disposed in the disposition portions 110A and 110B. The arrangement portions 110A and 110B are not limited to the arrangement of various linear members such as pipes and cables, and the pumps 111A and 111B may be arranged, and may be arranged as long as space is allowed.

According to the washing machine 1 illustrated above, the tanks 104A and 104B for storing the laundry treatment agent are provided in the portion of the upper end portion, which is one end portion of the outer casing 2, and which serves as the side portion of the laundry entrance 4. According to this configuration example, since there is no need to secure a space for arranging the tanks inside the rear cover 101, the tanks 104A and 104B can be provided without being restricted by the space inside the outer box 2 as much as possible. Further, the tanks 104A and 104B can be disposed by utilizing the space at the side of the laundry entrance 4, which has not been sufficiently utilized in the conventional configuration. In addition, in the side portion of the laundry entrance 4 that has not been sufficiently used in the conventional configuration, a space is easily secured as compared with the inside of the rear cover 101. Therefore, the tanks 104A and 104B can have a larger capacity than the conventional configuration.

Further, according to washing machine 1, the surface of the upper end portion, which is one end portion of tanks 104A, 104B, forms a part of the surface of the upper end portion, which is one end portion of outer box 2, in the mounted state. According to this configuration example, although the tanks 104A and 104B are provided at the side portions of the clothes inlet and outlet 4, a part of the surfaces of the tanks 104A and 104B can be used as the surface of the upper end portion of the outer box 2.

Further, by forming the upper surface of the portion that becomes the side portion of the laundry entrance 4 with the upper surfaces of the tanks 104A, 104B in the mounted state, it is possible to avoid an appearance that the portion that becomes the side portion of the laundry entrance 4 is missing. Therefore, even if the tanks 104A and 104B are provided at the side portions of the laundry entrance 4, the appearance of the peripheral portion of the laundry entrance 4 can be maintained in a good state.

Further, a surface of an upper end portion of the outer box 2, particularly a surface of a peripheral portion of the laundry entrance 4, functions as a support surface for supporting the outer cover 5 closing the laundry entrance 4. Therefore, by forming the upper surfaces of the portions that form the side portions of the laundry entrance 4 on the upper surfaces of the tanks 104A and 104B in the attached state, the outer lid 5 in the closed state can be stably supported while avoiding a reduction in the area of the support surface of the outer lid 5.

Further, according to washing machine 1, supply ports 108A and 108B are provided on the "reverse tub side" of inclined surfaces 107A and 107B of tanks 104A and 104B in the mounted state, that is, on the portion that is at a high position in the mounted state. According to this configuration example, the laundry treatment agent can be supplied to the height position directly below the supply ports 108A and 108B, and more laundry treatment agent can be stored in the tanks 104A and 104B.

Further, according to washing machine 1, tanks 104A and 104B are entirely made of a transparent member. According to this configuration example, the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in tanks 104A and 104B can be easily confirmed by visual observation from the outside. Further, the user can visually check the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the attached state in which the cans 104A and 104B are attached to the can attachment portions 105A and 105B by opening the outer lid 5. That is, the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent can be checked without removing the tanks 104A and 104B, and convenience can be improved. Further, since the supply ports 108A and 108B are provided on the inclined surfaces 107A and 107B which are the upper end surfaces of the tanks 104A and 104B, the user can supply the laundry treatment agent without removing the tanks 104A and 104B.

Further, according to the washing machine 1, the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A, 104B is supplied from the outflow ports 113A, 113B to between the tub 3A and the tub 3B via the supply path. According to this configuration example, the laundry treating agent can be prevented from directly contacting the laundry in the rotary tub 3B, and damage to the laundry due to direct adhesion of the laundry treating agent can be suppressed.

Further, according to washing machine 1, outer cabinet 2 includes arrangement portions 110A and 110B at a position closer to laundry treatment tub 3 than tank mounting portions 105A and 105B to which tanks 104A and 104B are mounted, in this case, at a lower side. At least linear members such as various pipes and cables can be arranged in the arrangement portions 110A and 110B. According to this configuration example, various pipes, cables, and the like can be arranged in the space at the side portion of the laundry entrance 4 that has not been sufficiently utilized in the conventional configuration, and the limited space inside the outer box 2 can be utilized more effectively.

The present embodiment is not limited to the above-described one, and various modifications and expansions can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the washing machine 1 may be configured to have a tank provided on the left side or the right side of the laundry entrance 4, instead of the tanks 104A and 104B provided on the left and right sides of the laundry entrance 4. That is, the washing machine 1 can be configured to have a tank provided in at least one of a portion on one side and a portion on the other side of one end of the outer casing 2, which portion serves as the laundry entrance 4. According to the washing machine 1 configured as described above, the number and positions of the tanks to be mounted can be appropriately selected according to the user's needs, for example, and convenience can be further improved.

In the case where the washing machine 1 has a structure in which a tank is provided on one of the left and right sides of the laundry entrance 4, a lid member that closes the other tank attachment portion may be provided. Thus, the can attachment portion to which the can is not attached can be hidden by the lid member, and the appearance around the laundry entrance 4 can be prevented from being damaged. In addition, a reduction in the area of the portion supporting the outer lid 5 in the closed state can be avoided. In the case where the washing machine 1 has a configuration in which the tank is provided on one of the left and right sides of the laundry entrance 4, the other tank attachment portion may not be provided originally.

In addition, washing machine 1 may be configured such that, instead of being configured to provide a plurality of tanks 104A and 104B at both left and right sides of clothes inlet and outlet 4 in a dispersed manner, a plurality of tanks 104A and 104B are provided at a left side or a right side of clothes inlet and outlet 4 in a concentrated manner. That is, washing machine 1 may be configured such that a plurality of tanks 104A and 104B are provided in a collective manner on either the left side or the right side of laundry entrance 4. According to the washing machine 1 configured as described above, the configuration for automatically feeding the laundry treatment agent including the pumps 111A and 111B and the water hoses 117A and 117B can be shared among the plurality of tanks 104A and 104B, and complication of the configuration and increase in the number of components can be suppressed.

In addition, the washing machine 1 may be configured to supply the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 104A and 104B into the tub 3A and the tub 3B, but not into the tub 3B. That is, washing machine 1 can be implemented by appropriately changing the configuration as long as it can supply the laundry treatment agent in tanks 104A and 104B into laundry treatment tub 3.

As illustrated in fig. 9, the tank 104A may be provided with a mark portion 200 indicating the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the tank 104A. In this case, the mark portion 200 is provided on the inner wall surface of the tank 104A. The marker 200 is formed in a scale shape including a plurality of lines.

As illustrated in fig. 10, the tank 104A may be provided with a mark 300 indicating the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the tank 104A. In this case, the marker 300 is formed in a columnar shape extending in the vertical direction inside the tank 104A. Further, a plurality of lines are formed in a scale shape on the side circumferential surface of the marker 300.

Further, markers 200 and 300 are provided at positions that become the rear side of washing machine 1 and the outer side of washing machine 1 in the mounted state of tank 104A. Thus, the marks 200 and 300 can be visually confirmed without removing the can 104A as long as the user opens the outer lid 5. The markers 200 and 300 may be provided in the tank 104B.

Further, the tanks 104A and 104B may be configured not to be entirely transparent but to have at least a part thereof transparent. Further, the tanks 104A and 104B may be configured to be translucent in whole or at least in part. Washing machine 1 may have tank 400 illustrated in fig. 11 in place of tanks 104A and 104B. The can 400 includes a can body 401 and a lid 402. The tank body 401 has a box shape with an open top surface, and can store a laundry treatment agent therein. The lid 402 can open and close the upper surface opening of the tank main body 401. The user can supply the laundry treatment agent into the tank main body 401 by opening the lid 402. In addition, the lid 402 can be opened in either the attached state or the unattached state of the can 400. The can 400 may be formed by forming the can body 401 from a transparent or translucent material, may be formed by forming the lid portion 402 from a transparent or translucent material, or may be formed by forming both the can body 401 and the lid portion 402 from a transparent or translucent material. Further, the can 400 may be configured to include a packing (packing) on the inner periphery of the opening of the can body 401 or the back surface of the lid 402.

Washing machine 1 may have tank 500 illustrated in fig. 12 instead of tanks 104A and 104B. The tank 500 includes a step forming portion 501 at an upper portion thereof. The step forming portion 501 forms a step lower than the inclined surface 103 in the mounted state of the tank 500. In this case, the upper surface of the step formed by the step forming portion 501 forms a flat surface extending in the horizontal direction. The tank 500 is provided with a supply port 502 on the upper surface of the step forming portion 501. In this case, the supply port 502 is provided to protrude upward from the upper surface of the step forming portion 501. The tank 500 is provided with a lid, not shown, for opening and closing the supply port 502. The amount of protrusion of the supply port 502 is suppressed to a value such that the tip of the supply port 502 is lower than the inclined surface 103 in the attached state of the tank 500.

According to this configuration example, since the supply port 502 protrudes from the upper surface of the step forming portion 501, the lid for opening and closing the supply port 502 can be easily taken up, and thus, the lid can be easily attached and detached, in other words, the supply port 502 can be easily opened and closed. In the mounted state of the tank 500, the tip end portion of the supply port 502 is configured to protrude upward beyond the inclined surface 103. Therefore, the supply port 502 can be prevented from coming into contact with the outer cover 5 that closes the clothes inlet/outlet 4, and the clothes inlet/outlet 4 can be closed by the outer cover 5 in a satisfactory manner.

The laundry treatment agent applicable to the present embodiment is not limited to detergents and softeners, and various treatment agents can be appropriately used as long as they are used to treat laundry with a certain treatment, such as a deodorant, a deodorant agent, a bactericide, and a bleaching agent. In addition, when the washing machine 1 includes a plurality of tanks, different types of laundry treatment agents may be stored in the respective tanks, or the same type of laundry treatment agent may be stored in the plurality of tanks. When the washing machine 1 includes a plurality of tanks, the tanks may have different capacities and shapes, or may have the same capacity and shape. In addition, the washing machine 1 may be configured such that the number of tanks provided in the left side portion of the laundry entrance 4 is different from the number of tanks provided in the right side portion of the laundry entrance 4, or may be the same. The washing machine 1 may be configured to include a tank in a front side portion and a rear side portion of the laundry entrance 4.

The present embodiment can also be applied to washing machines other than the vertical axis type in which the rotation center axis of the rotary tub extends in the vertical direction. In addition, the present embodiment can also be applied to a washing machine having a drying function. Further, the present embodiment can also be applied to a washing machine having no drying function. The present embodiment can be applied to various kinds of clothes treatment apparatuses as long as the apparatus can perform some treatment on clothes, such as deodorization, sterilization, bleaching, and the like, for example.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely provided as examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Description of the reference numerals

In the drawings, 1 denotes a washing machine (laundry treatment apparatus), 2 denotes an outer box (apparatus main body), 3 denotes a laundry treatment tub, 3A denotes a water tub, 3B denotes a rotary tub, 4 denotes a laundry entrance/exit, 104A and 104B denote tanks, 107A and 107B denote inclined surfaces, 108A and 108B denote supply ports, 110A and 110B denote arrangement portions, 113A and 113B denote outflow ports, 400 and 500 denote tanks, and C1, C2, and C3 denote linear members.

Claims (7)

1. A clothes treatment device is provided with:

a device main body portion constituting an outline;

a laundry treating tub provided in the apparatus main body and accommodating laundry;

a laundry inlet/outlet provided at one end of the main body and used for taking laundry into/out of the laundry treating tub; and

a tank storing a laundry treating agent for treating laundry,

the tank is provided in a portion of one end of the device main body, which is a side portion of the laundry inlet/outlet.

2. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 1,

the surface of one end of the tank forms a part of the surface of one end of the device main body.

3. The laundry treating apparatus according to claim 2,

the tank is provided with a supply port for supplying the clothing treating agent into the tank,

a surface of the tank forming a part of a surface of one end of the apparatus main body becomes an inclined surface inclined from a tub side portion, which is the laundry treatment tub side, to a counter-tub side portion, which is an opposite side of the laundry treatment tub,

the supply port is provided on the side of the back tub side of the inclined surface of the tank.

4. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

at least a portion of the canister is transparent.

5. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the tank is provided at least one of a portion on one side and a portion on the other side of one end of the device main body, the portion being the laundry inlet and outlet.

6. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the laundry treating tub includes a water tub capable of storing water and a rotary tub rotatably provided in the water tub,

the tank is provided with an outflow port for flowing out the laundry treating agent in the tank to the outside,

the outflow port is connected with the tub,

the laundry treating agent in the tank is supplied from the outflow port to between the tub and the tub.

7. The laundry treating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

the device main body part is provided with a configuration part at a part closer to the clothes processing barrel side than the tank,

at least a linear member can be disposed in the disposition portion.

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