CN115538115A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a washing machine, in which a treating agent tank and a treating agent box are arranged adjacently, the treating agent tank can be easily taken out, and the operability is improved. The washing machine is provided with: an outer box formed in a box shape; the water containing barrel is arranged in the outer box; an accommodating part which is arranged in the outer box and is provided with an opening part formed by opening the top surface part side of the outer box; a treatment agent box which receives input of washing treatment agent used in one operation and supplies the input washing treatment agent to the water drum; and a treating agent tank capable of storing a washing treating agent used in a plurality of operations. The housing section can house the processing agent cartridge and the processing agent tank in a horizontal direction. The treatment agent tank can be attached to or detached from the housing portion in a state where the treatment agent cartridge is housed in the housing portion.

Description

Washing machine

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a washing machine.

Background

In recent years, in order to improve user convenience, a washing machine has been developed which is provided with an automatic charging device which stores a washing treatment agent in an amount of a plurality of times in a treatment agent tank for automatic charging in advance and automatically charges a necessary amount from the treatment agent tank at each cleaning operation. On the other hand, there is also a demand that the user wishes to administer the treating agent manually at each run. Therefore, a washing machine provided with an automatic feeding device is also provided with a conventional treatment agent cartridge, that is, a treatment agent cartridge for manual feeding for manually feeding a washing treatment agent used in one operation at a time of operation.

In consideration of workability of a user, the treatment agent tank and the treatment agent cartridge are preferably disposed at positions close to each other. For example, it is conceivable to dispose a treatment agent cartridge having a high operation frequency of a user near the user and dispose a treatment agent tank having a low operation frequency at a position distant from the user in the same housing space. In this case, in order to achieve miniaturization of the product, it is preferable to arrange the treatment agent tank and the treatment agent cartridge in as close contact as possible.

A user may periodically take out the treatment agent tank to the outside of the machine in order to clean the treatment agent tank. However, in the above case, since there is no gap between the treatment agent tank and the treatment agent box, it is not easy to take out the treatment agent tank having a size and a weight larger than those of the treatment agent box.

Prior art documents:

patent documents:

patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2018-011618

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention:

therefore, the washing machine is provided, wherein the treating agent tank and the treating agent box are arranged adjacently, and the treating agent tank can be easily taken out, so that the convenience of users is improved.

Means for solving the problems:

the washing machine of the embodiment comprises: an outer box formed in a box shape; the water containing barrel is arranged in the outer box; a housing portion provided in the outer box and having an opening formed by opening a top surface side of the outer box; a treatment agent box which receives input of a washing treatment agent used in one operation and supplies the input washing treatment agent to the water barrel; and a treating agent tank capable of storing a washing treating agent used in a plurality of runs. The housing section can house the treatment agent cartridge and the treatment agent tank in a horizontal direction. The treatment agent tank can be attached to or detached from the housing portion in a state where the treatment agent cartridge is housed in the housing portion.

The invention has the following effects:

according to the present invention, user convenience can be improved.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a view schematically showing an internal configuration of the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a plan view schematically showing a configuration of the periphery of the housing portion with the cover member removed from the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the washing machine according to the first embodiment in which the cover member is opened and the periphery of the housing portion is shown.

Fig. 5 isbase:Sub>A sectional view of the washing machine of the first embodiment, showing the periphery of the housing portion along the linebase:Sub>A-base:Sub>A of fig. 3 with the cover member removed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the washing machine according to the first embodiment, showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank along line B-B of fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the receiving portion in a state where the treatment agent cartridge is received and the treatment agent tank is removed from the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the washing machine according to the first embodiment, showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of the treatment agent tank in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are fitted to each other along the line C-C of fig. 3.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the washing machine according to the first embodiment, showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of the treatment agent tank in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are separated from each other along the line C-C in fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged front view of a schematic configuration of the periphery of the restricting mechanism in a state where the restricting unit is fitted to the restricted unit in the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged front view of a schematic configuration of the periphery of the restricting mechanism in a state where the restricting unit and the restricted unit are separated from each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged view of the washing machine of the first embodiment, showing a schematic view of the periphery of the hand-lapping portion within the ellipse D of fig. 4.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the housing portion periphery in the case where one treatment agent tank is not completely attached to the washing machine of the first embodiment with the cover member open.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in the washing machine according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 17 is a plan view schematically showing a structure around the housing portion with the cover member removed from the washing machine according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to another embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

10 method 8230, washing machine 11 method 8230, outer case 12 method 8230, water barrel 21 method 8230, accommodating part 211 method 8230, opening part 212 method 8230, bottom part 22 method 8230pump 23 method 8230cover cover part 30 method 8230, treating agent box 31 method 8230wall part 37 method 8230, gap part 40 method 8230, treating agent tank 41 method 8230, tank main body 43 method 8230outlet, 50 method 8230, hand-building part 51 method 8230front part 52 method 8230, side part 53 8230, concave part 70 method 30and concave part (second embodiment)

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

(first embodiment)

First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 15. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes an outer cabinet 11, a tub 12, a tub 13, a tub motor 14, a drain mechanism 15, an operation panel 16, a water supply mechanism 17, and a treating agent input mechanism 20. In fig. 1, the installation surface side of washing machine 10, i.e., the vertical lower side, is defined as the lower side of washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertical upper side, is defined as the upper side of washing machine 10. The left-right direction when the washing machine 10 is viewed from the front is referred to as the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 is, for example, a horizontal-axis type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub 13 is horizontal or a diagonal-axis type washing machine in which the rotation axis is inclined downward toward the rear.

The washing machine 10 may or may not have a heat pump type or heater type drying function, for example. The outer casing 11 is formed in a rectangular box shape integrally from a material such as steel or a resin material, and constitutes a housing of the washing machine 10. In the present embodiment, the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11 is formed as a flat surface. The tub 12 is disposed in the outer cabinet 11 and elastically supported by a suspension, not shown. The tub 13 is rotatably disposed within the tub 12. In this case, the tub 12 and the tub 13 function as a washing tub for storing laundry. The tub motor 14 is provided outside the tub 12. The rotary tub motor 14 is connected to the rotary tub 13, and drives the rotary tub 13 to rotate.

The drainage mechanism 15 shown in fig. 2 has a function for draining the water stored in the tub 12 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain mechanism 15 includes a drain path 151 and a drain valve 152. The drain path 151 is formed of, for example, a flexible drain hose, and one end portion is connected to the drain valve 152 while the other end portion is drawn out to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain valve 152 is constituted by, for example, a liquid on-off valve that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. The drain valve 152 is provided between the drain port 121 provided at the bottom of the tub 12 and the drain path 151, and opens and closes the drain path 151.

As shown in fig. 1, the operation panel 16 is provided on the front side portion of the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 16 is provided with a power switch, a start key, various operation keys for setting a washing operation program by a user, and the like. The power switch may be provided separately from the operation panel 16. When the user performs the cleaning operation, the user can use the operation panel 16 to select the operation of automatically feeding the cleaning agent or manually feeding 1 time of the amount of the cleaning agent. In the present embodiment, the washing treatment agent is a concept including a liquid or powder detergent, a softener, and an aromatic agent, but is not limited thereto as long as it is a chemical used for a washing operation.

The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, on the upper left and inner sides of the tub 12 in the outer box 11. The water supply mechanism 17 receives water from a water supply source such as tap water, for example, and supplies the water into the tub 12. For example, as shown in fig. 2, the water supply mechanism 17 includes a connection port 171, a water supply path 172, and a water supply valve 173. The connection port 171 is exposed to the left rear side in the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11. The connection port 171 is connected to an external water source such as a tap of tap water via a hose.

The water supply path 172 is a path connected to the tub 12 and the tub 13 from the connection port 171. The treating agent supply mechanism 20 is provided in the middle of the water supply path 172, for example, and has a function of supplying the washing treating agent into the water tub 12 and the spin basket 13 by containing the washing treating agent in the water flowing through the water supply path 172. As shown in fig. 2, the treatment agent supply mechanism 20 includes a storage portion 21, a pump 22, a cover member 23, a treatment agent cartridge 30, and a treatment agent tank 40.

The housing portion 21 is formed of a resin or metal member in a box or container shape and has an opening 211 opened toward the upper portion. The housing portion 21 is provided in the outer box 11. The opening 211, which is the upper end of the housing portion 21, is located below the top surface 111. In the present embodiment, the storage portion 21 constitutes a part of the water supply path 172. In this case, the outlet of the water supply valve 173 is directly or indirectly connected to the receiving portion 21. Also, the receiving portion 21 is directly or indirectly connected to the tub 12.

The pump 22 constitutes an automatic input device together with the treating agent tank 40 for automatically supplying the washing treating agent into the tub 12 and the tub 13 in operation. The pump 22 has a function of sucking a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 during operation and throwing the sucked washing treatment agent into an intermediate portion of the water supply path 172. Thereby, the washing treatment agent supplied to the middle of the water supply path 172 is supplied into the tub 12 and the tub 13 along with the flow of the water flowing through the water supply path 172. In this way, the washing machine 10 can automatically supply a predetermined amount of washing treatment agent into the tub 12 and the tub 13 in operation.

The cover member 23 is provided rotatably in the outer case 11, opens and closes the opening 211 of the housing portion 21 by rotation, and is configured to be bendable and rotatable in a state of being bent and extended. That is, as shown in fig. 1, 2, 4, and the like, the cover member 23 is rotatably attached to the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11, and is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 of the housing portion 21. In the present embodiment, the cover member 23 is configured to be foldable into at least two parts. The cover member 23 is configured to be rotatable in at least two bent states to open and close the opening 211.

The treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are detachably accommodated in the accommodating portion 21. The treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 may be disposed adjacent to each other in the receiving portion 21, the treatment agent cartridge 30 may be disposed on a side close to a user who operates the washing machine 10 while standing on the front side, and the treatment agent tank 40 may be disposed on a side away from the user. For example, the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged in a straight line in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, 3 to 5, and the like, the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the housing portion 21 in a front-rear direction. Also, the treating agent box 30 is located at the front side of the treating agent tank 40, i.e., at a position closer to a user standing in front of the washing machine 10 for operation. In another embodiment, in the case where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged in the left-right direction, the treatment agent cartridge 30 may be disposed at a position closer to the center side of the washing machine 10 with respect to the left-right direction than the treatment agent tank 40, that is, closer to a user standing in front of the washing machine 10 to perform an operation.

The treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in close contact in the housing portion 21. That is, the surface of the treatment agent cartridge 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 is close to the surface of the treatment agent tank 40 facing the treatment agent cartridge 30. Therefore, although a space for a user to insert a finger is not provided between the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40, the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be separately taken out from the accommodating portion 21. That is, the user may remove the treatment agent cartridge 30 alone from the accommodating portion 21 without moving the treatment agent tank 40, or may remove the treatment agent tank 40 alone from the accommodating portion 21 without moving the treatment agent cartridge 30.

The treatment agent cartridge 30 has a function of receiving input of treatment agent used in one run, and supplying the treatment agent input before or at the start of the run to the tub 12 in the run, for example. The treatment agent cartridge 30 is made of, for example, resin, and is configured in a rectangular shape elongated in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction and in a container shape with an upper portion opened.

As shown in fig. 2 to 5, etc., the process cartridge 30 has a wall portion 31, a bottom portion 32, a partition portion 33, and one or more input portions 34, 35, which are 2 in this case. The wall portion 31 forms a container-shaped outer peripheral portion of the treatment agent cartridge 30. The wall portion 31 has a front wall portion 311, left and right side wall portions 312, and a back wall portion 313. The front wall portion 311 forms a front side surface of the process cartridge 30. The left and right side walls 312 form left and right surfaces of the treatment agent cartridge 30. The back wall portion 313 forms a rear side face of the process cartridge 30.

The bottom 32 forms a container-shaped bottom surface of the treatment agent cartridge 30. The partition 33 partitions the space in the container shape of the process cartridge 30 into the input portion 34 and the input portion 35 in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the partitioning portion 33 extends in the left-right direction, and partitions the space inside the process cartridge 30 in the front-rear direction.

The input portions 34 and 35 are formed in a container shape recessed downward, and can receive a cleaning agent therein. The input portions 34 and 35 are portions that receive input of the washing treatment agent from the user, and have openings formed in the upper portions thereof. The user introduces the washing treatment agent into the treatment agent case 30 through the openings in the upper portions of the introduction portions 34 and 35.

The input portions 34 and 35 are arranged in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the input portions 34 and 35 are provided in a front-rear direction. For example, the input unit 34 receives detergent therein, and the input unit 35 receives softening agent therein. In the present embodiment, the input portion 34 is provided on the rear side of the input portion 35. The input unit 34 receives an amount of detergent used for one operation from a user, and supplies the detergent into the tub 12. The detergent may be in the form of liquid or powder. The input unit 35 receives the amount of the softening agent used in one operation from the user, and supplies the softening agent into the tub 12. The softening agent is usually in a liquid state, but is not limited thereto.

As shown in fig. 2, the process cartridge 30 is formed with a communication hole 36 at the bottom 32. The treatment agent box 30 receives water supplied into the housing portion 21 through the water supply valve 173. At this time, when the washing treatment agent is thrown into the treatment agent box 30, the washing treatment agent flows down from the communication hole 36 of the bottom 32 together with the water supplied to the treatment agent box 30 and is supplied into the tub 12.

The upper end portion of the wall portion 31 forming the outer peripheral portion of the treatment agent cartridge 30 is located on a plane extending in the horizontal direction. That is, as shown in fig. 5, the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 forms a plane S1 extending in the horizontal direction. In other words, the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 is located on the plane S1 extending in the horizontal direction. Further, a plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall 31 is parallel to a plane formed by the top surface 111. In the present embodiment, the upper end of the wall 31 forms the upper end of the treatment agent tank 50.

The treating agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store the amount of treating agent used for a plurality of runs. The treatment agent tank 40 is made of, for example, resin, is formed of a rectangular hollow container that is long in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, and can store a liquid detergent treatment agent. The treating agent tank 40 has a sufficient capacity for storing the amount of the washing treating agent used for a plurality of runs. In this case, the capacity of the treatment agent tank 40 is not particularly limited, but is preferably set to at least about several hundred mL to 2L in consideration of user convenience.

As shown in fig. 2 to 8, the treatment agent tank 40 includes a tank main body 41, an upper member 42, a tank outlet 43, a leak prevention valve 44, and the like. The tank main body 41 constitutes an outer shell of the treatment agent tank 40, and is made of, for example, synthetic resin such as plastic. The upper member 42 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, covers the tank main body 41 from above, and opens and closes an opening in the upper portion of the tank main body 41. That is, the upper member 42 constitutes the upper portion of the treating agent tank 40. The tank outlet 43 is an opening through which the washing treatment agent drawn out of the treatment agent tank 40 by the pump 22 passes. The leak prevention valve 44 has the following functions: when the treatment agent tank 40 is removed from the housing portion 21 and the tank outlet 43 is not connected to the connection portion 24 of the pump 22, the treatment agent stored in the tank main body 41 is prevented from leaking from the tank outlet 43 to the outside of the tank main body 41.

In the present embodiment, the tank main body 41 is formed into a container shape having an upper opening and a substantially cubic shape as a whole, and includes a front surface portion 411, a side surface portion 412, a back surface portion 413, and a bottom surface portion 414. The front face 411 constitutes the front face of the tank main body 41. The side surface portions 412 constitute left and right side surfaces of the tank main body 41. The back surface portion 413 constitutes the back surface of the tank main body 41. The bottom surface portion 414 constitutes the bottom surface of the can body 41.

The upper member 42 includes a frame member 421, an inlet 422, and a cover member 423. The frame member 421 is made of, for example, synthetic resin such as plastic, as in the case of the lid member 423 and the tank main body 41. The frame member 421 constitutes a housing of the upper member 42. The frame member 421 is formed in a rectangular frame shape having an opened interior. The inlet 422 forms an opening of the frame member 421, and communicates the inside and the outside of the treatment agent tank 40 with the upper member 42 attached to the tank main body 41.

The cover member 423 is plate-shaped and opens and closes the inlet 422. The lid member 423 is attached to the upper member 42 by a hinge, not shown, and is configured to be able to open and close the inlet 422. In a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in the housing portion 21, the user can introduce the cleaning treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the inlet 422 in a state where the cover member 23 and the cover member 423 are opened and the inlet 422 is exposed. In addition, the user can insert the cleaning treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the inlet 422 in a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is taken out from the housing portion 21 and the inlet 422 is exposed by opening the lid member 423.

The frame member 421 and the lid member 423 are formed as a so-called one surface having the upper surface in the same plane. As shown in fig. 5, 7, and 8, the upper surface of the upper member 42 forms a plane S2 extending in the horizontal direction as a whole. In other words, the upper side surface of the upper member 42 is located on the plane S2 extending in the horizontal direction. As shown in fig. 5, in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, a plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 and a plane S1 formed by the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent cartridge 30 are parallel to each other.

The tank outlet 43 is formed in an opening shape penetrating the lower rear portion of the tank main body 41 in the thickness direction, in this case, a part of the back surface portion 413. The pump 22 is provided outside the housing portion 21, in this case, behind the housing portion 21. As shown in fig. 9, the receiving portion 21 has a connecting portion 24. The connection portion 24 is formed in a tubular shape penetrating the housing portion 21, and connects the interior of the housing portion 21 to the pump 22. The connecting portion 24 is provided on a surface of the treatment agent tank 40 facing the treatment agent cartridge 30. In other words, the tank outlet 43 is provided on the surface opposite to the hand 50. In the present embodiment, the connection portion 24 is provided on a surface of the wall surface of the accommodating portion 21 that faces the rear surface portion 413 in a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 21.

The leak prevention valve 44 is provided between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank main body 41. The leak prevention valve 44 opens between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank main body 41 in a state where the tank outlet 43 is connected to the connection portion 24. Thereby, the pump 22 can suck out the washing treatment agent stored in the tank main body 41. On the other hand, the leak prevention valve 44 prevents the washing treatment agent in the tank main body 41 from flowing out from the tank outlet 43 to the outside by closing the space between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank main body 41 when the tank outlet 43 is not connected to the connection portion 24.

When the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, the connection portion 24 is inserted into the tank outlet 43. The connection portion 24 is connected to the leak prevention valve 44, whereby the pump 22 is connected to the inside of the tank main body 41. That is, the connection port 24 connects the inside of the tank main body 41 to the pump 22 in a state where the connection portion 24 is inserted into the tank outlet 43.

As shown in fig. 3 and the like, the washing machine 10 is provided with one or more, in this case, 2 treating agent tanks 40. In the case of the present embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes a detergent tank 401 and a finishing agent tank 402 as the treatment agent tank 40. The detergent tank 401 is used to store an amount of detergent, in this case liquid detergent, used for a plurality of operations. Finish tank 402 is used to store the amount of soft finish, in this case liquid, used for multiple runs.

The treatment agent tank 40 has a hand 50. When the user takes out the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage portion 21, the user can grip the handle 50 and pull out the treatment agent tank 40 obliquely upward. The hand 50 is provided above the tank body 41, in this case, above the front surface 411.

The hand-clasping portion 50 protrudes forward from the front portion 411, and is formed in a shape of a letter v 12467when viewed from above as a whole. As shown in fig. 6 to 8, the hand-piece 50 includes a front portion 51, left and right side portions 52, and a recessed portion 53. The front portion 51 forms a front surface of the hand-piece portion 50 extending in the vertical direction and the lateral direction, which is a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction. In this case, the term "perpendicular to the front-rear direction" does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the front-rear direction, but means that a component perpendicular to the front-rear direction is included.

In the present embodiment, the front portion 51 includes a first surface 511 extending in the vertical direction and a second surface 512 located below the first surface 511 and inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1/3 to 2/3 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411. In the present embodiment, the vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1/2 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411.

The second surface 512 is inclined so as to descend from the lower end of the first surface 511 toward the rear. The upper end of the second surface 512 is connected to the lower end of the first surface 511, and the lower end of the second surface 512 is connected to the front surface 411 of the tank main body 41.

The left and right side portions 52 form left and right side surfaces of the hand overlapping portion 50. In the present embodiment, the left and right side portions 52 form a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction. In this case, the term "perpendicular to the left-right direction" does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the left-right direction, but means that a component perpendicular to the left-right direction is included. The side portions 52 extend from the left and right ends of the front portion 51 to the front face 411 of the tank main body 41. That is, the front end of the side portion 52 is connected to the left and right ends of the front portion 51, and the rear end of the side portion 52 is connected to the front surface 411 of the tank main body 41.

The recess 53 is formed in a concave shape in which a part of the front portion 51 is recessed rearward. The concave portion 53 accommodates fingers when the user grips the hand piece 50, and facilitates gripping. In this case, the recess 53 is located at a lower portion of the front portion 51. That is, the recess 53 is provided so as to leave the upper portion of the front portion 51, and is provided from the lower end of the second surface 512 to the vicinity of the vertical center portion of the first surface 511. When the user grips the grip portion 50, for example, the thumb can be inserted into the recessed portion 53 from the front of the near side, and the other fingers can be inserted between the grip portion 50 and the can body 41 from the rear of the front portion 51.

The vertical length of the recess 53 can be set to a length that allows a thumb of an adult user to be hooked or inserted, for example. Specifically, the length of the recess 53 in the vertical direction may be set to 1cm to 4cm, for example. The length of the recess 53 in the vertical direction may be set to 2cm to 3cm, for example.

The concave portion 53 is provided in the center of the hand 50 in the lateral direction. Since the hand portion 50 coincides with the center line of the tank main body 41 in the left-right direction, the concave portion 53 may be provided at the center of the tank main body 41 in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the user places a finger in the concave portion 53 and grips the grip portion 50, the user grips the left and right center portions of the treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, even when the entire weight of the treating agent tank 40 is heavy due to a large amount of the washing treating agent stored in the treating agent tank 40, the user can stably hold the treating agent tank 40.

The recess 53 forms a curved surface or a flat surface extending rearward from the front portion 51. That is, as shown in fig. 6, 7, and the like, the concave portion 53 is formed in a tunnel shape extending in the front-rear direction and having a three-dimensional curved surface or a plurality of flat surfaces. I.e. the recess 53 is a three-dimensional structure. The concave portion 53 is in contact with the user's fingers at least at a plurality of places in a case where the user inserts the fingers into the concave portion 53. Therefore, even when the weight of the treatment agent tank 40 is heavy, the user can support the hand rest 50 with his or her fingers on the surface. Therefore, the user's finger can receive the reaction force from the grip portion 50 in a dispersed manner over a larger area than in the case where the user's finger is in point contact or line contact with the grip portion 50. Therefore, the treatment agent tank 40 can be stably supported, and the hand 50 is less likely to catch the user's finger, resulting in an improved feeling of operation.

The recess 53 extends from the front portion 51 to the front face 411 of the tank main body 41. The length of the concave portion 53 in the front-rear direction may be a length that can support the user's fingers, and for example, in another embodiment, the concave portion 53 may not be connected to the front surface 411 of the tank main body 41. The recess 53 may not be a continuous surface, and may be provided with a notch, a slit, or the like.

As shown in fig. 5, 6, and the like, the upper portion of the concave portion 53 is formed into a curved surface, and the upper portion is formed into a semicircular dome shape when viewed from the front. In this case, when the user inserts a finger, the concave portion 53 is easily engaged with the curved finger, and can be held more stably. In addition, the shape of the concave portion 53 is not limited to the dome shape. For example, in other embodiments, the upper portion may also form a plane. In this case, since the surface perpendicular to the direction in which the user's finger presses the hand 50 when the user takes out the treatment agent tank 40 upward, i.e., the upward force in this case, is widened, the force acting on the user's finger from the hand 50 is dispersed over a larger area, and the user's operational feeling is improved.

As shown in the vertical sectional view of fig. 8, the upper end 531 of the concave portion 53 extends horizontally from the front to the rear. That is, when the heights from the bottom surface 414 of the treatment agent tank 40 are compared, the height position of the front end of the upper end 531 of the concave portion 53 is set to be the same as the height position of the rear end of the upper end 531, in this case, the connecting portion with the front surface 411 of the treatment agent tank 40.

In other embodiments, the upper end of the recess 53 may be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. For example, the upper end 531 may be inclined to descend from the front to the rear. In this case, since the user inserts the finger into the concave portion 53 from above, the insertion direction of the user coincides with the inclination direction of the concave portion 53, and the user can easily insert the finger.

On the other hand, the upper end 531 may be inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear. In this case, it is assumed that the fingers of the user are inserted into the recessed portion 53 from below after the treatment agent tank 40 is taken out from the accommodating portion 21, for example, when the treatment agent tank 40 placed on the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11 is gripped. At this time, when the upper end portion 531 is inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear, the insertion direction of the user coincides with the inclination direction of the concave portion 53, and the user can easily grip the hand-grasping portion 50.

As shown in fig. 10 to 13, the washing machine 10 includes a restriction mechanism 60. The regulating mechanism 60 regulates the movement of the treatment agent tank 40 in a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 21. Further, the treatment agent tank 40 can be reliably stored at a predetermined position of the storage portion 21, and the tank outlet 43 of the treatment agent tank 40 can be reliably connected to the connection portion 24 of the pump 22.

The regulating mechanism 60 includes a pair of regulating portions 61 and a regulated portion 62. The pair of regulating portions 61 and the regulated portions 62 are fitted to each other in a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in the housing portion 21, and regulate the movement of the treatment agent tank 40 in the upward direction, the left-right direction, and the front-rear direction.

In the present embodiment, the pair of restricting portions 61 are provided to protrude upward from the bottom portion 212 of the accommodating portion 21. The restricted portion 62 protrudes downward from the bottom surface 414 of the tank main body 41. In this case, the restricting portion 61 is integrally formed with the accommodating portion 21, for example, by resin or a metal member. The restricted portion 62 is integrally molded with the tank main body 41, for example, by resin or the like.

The position of the distal end 621 of the restricted portion 62 is set to be approximately the same as the position of the lower end of the bottom surface 414 of the tank main body 41 or to be above the position of the lower end of the bottom surface 414 of the tank main body 41. That is, the restricted portion 62 is provided in the recessed portion 45 provided in the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank main body 41. The recessed portion 45 is formed by partially recessing the front end portion of the bottom surface portion 414 upward. The restricted portion 62 protrudes downward from the upper surface of the recessed portion 45. Therefore, even when the treatment agent tank 40 is taken out of the housing portion 21 and placed on, for example, the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11, the restricted portion 62 does not protrude from the lowermost portion of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank main body 41, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be raised independently.

As shown in fig. 12, 13, and the like, the pair of regulating portions 61 are formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape that is long in the vertical direction, and are disposed so as to face each other. A recessed portion 611 for accommodating the distal end 621 of the restricted portion 62 is provided on a surface of the restricting portion 61 facing the restricted portion 62. The recessed portion 611 is formed by recessing a surface of the limiting portion 61 facing the limited portion 62 in the thickness direction of the limiting portion 61.

The restricted portion 62 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape extending in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and the distal end 621 bulges toward the horizontal direction, that is, the recessed portion 611 of the restricting portion 61. The width L1 of the distal end 621 in the lateral direction is set larger than the distance L2 between the opposing restricting portions 61. The width L1 of the distal end 621 in the left-right direction is set to be about the same as the maximum value of the width between the recessed portions 611 of the restriction portion 61.

Since the upper end of the regulating portion 61 is a free end, the regulating portion 61 is deflected in the left-right direction by an external force. When the user accommodates the treatment agent tank 40 in the accommodating portion 21, the restricted portion 62 is inserted between the pair of restricting portions 61. When the restricted portion 62 is inserted between the pair of restricted portions 61 from above, each of the restricted portions 61 is flexed outward, i.e., away from the restricted portion 62, and accommodates the restricted portion 62. Fig. 12 shows a state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and the regulated portion 62 are fitted. When the treatment agent tank 40 is completely housed in the housing portion 21, that is, the bottom surface portion 414 of the treatment agent tank 40 reaches the bottom portion 212 of the housing portion 21, the distal end 621 of the restricted portion 62 reaches the recessed portion 611. The tip end 621 is accommodated between the pair of recesses 611, and the restriction portion 61 is released from the deflected state.

On the other hand, when the user takes out the treatment agent tank 40 from the housing portion 21, the distal end 621 of the restricted portion 62 is disengaged from the recessed portion 611, and the pair of restricting portions 61 are respectively flexed outward, i.e., away from the restricted portion 62. When the distal end 621 of the restricted portion 62 passes over the restricting portion 61, the restricting portion 61 is released from the flexed state. Fig. 13 shows a state where the fitting between the pair of regulating portions 61 and the regulated portion 62 is released.

As shown in fig. 6, 7, and the like, the restricted portion 62 is provided in the bottom portion 414 in the vicinity of the front portion 411. When a user positioned on the near side of the washing machine 10 removes the treatment agent tank 40, the user first lifts the tab portion 50 to rotate upward with the portion of the bottom surface portion 414 near the back surface portion 413 as a fulcrum. In this case, as compared with the case where the regulating mechanism 60 is provided near the back surface 413 of the tank main body 41, the engagement between the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 can be released by slightly pulling up the tab portion 50.

In this case, the upward movement distance required to release the engagement between the restriction portion 61 and the restricted portion 62, that is, the movement distance H required for the distal end 621 of the restricted portion 62 to move over the restriction portion 61 as shown in fig. 12 may be set to, for example, 1cm to 3cm. In the present embodiment, the upward movement distance H required to release the engagement between the restriction portion 61 and the restricted portion 62 may be set to, for example, 2cm.

As shown in fig. 9, 10, 13, and the like, the treatment agent cartridge 30 has a notch 37. The notch 37 is formed by cutting so that a part of the upper end of the wall 31 of the process cartridge 30 is recessed downward. The notch 37 is provided in a portion of the wall 31 facing the treatment agent tank 40, in this case, the back wall 313. More specifically, the notch 37 is provided at a position facing the hand portion 50 of each of the treatment agent tanks 401 and 402. Therefore, in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, a part of the front portion 51 of the hand-piece portion 50 is exposed to the user side, in this case, the front side, through the notch portion 37. That is, the user can access the tab portion 50 through the notch portion 37.

In the present embodiment, the height position of the upper end portion of the back wall portion 313 is set to be approximately the same as the height position of the upper end portion of the front portion 51 of the hand-piece portion 50 in the state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the housing portion 21. Therefore, when the cutout portion 37 is not provided, the front portion 51 of the grip portion 50 is covered with the back wall portion 313, and thus is difficult to visually recognize from the user side, and is difficult to grip by the user.

In the present embodiment, in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, a portion of the front portion 51 exposed through the notch portion 37 is a portion of the first surface 511. Although the upper end of the recess 53 can be slightly visually recognized from the user side in the present embodiment, the recess 53 may not be visually recognized from the user side in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21 in another embodiment.

When the treatment agent tank 40 is pulled upward by the distance H, that is, when the restricted portion 62 goes over the restricting portion 61, the concave portion 53 is exposed from the notch portion 37 toward the user side, in this case, the front side, as shown in fig. 11. Thus, in a state where the restricted portion 62 passes over the restricting portion 61, the recess 53 can be visually confirmed from the user side, and the user can insert a finger.

When the user takes out the treatment agent tank 40 stored in the storage portion 21, the user first grips the front portion 51 of the grip portion 50 exposed from the notch portion 37 and pulls it upward as shown by an arrow in fig. 10. When the user pulls up the treatment agent tank 40 by the distance H and the restricted portion 62 passes over the restricting portion 61 as shown in fig. 11, the recessed portion 53 is exposed from the notch 37. The user can reliably grip the hand-piece 50 by, for example, inserting the thumb into the concave portion 53 and touching the first surface 511 with the other fingers from behind. Thereafter, the user can further pull up the treatment agent tank 40 upward or obliquely upward to take out the treatment agent tank 40 from the housing portion 21.

Fig. 3 and 4 show a state in which the cover member 23 is detached or opened in a state in which the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21. In this case, the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 forming the outer periphery of the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the upper member 42 forming the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 are exposed upward from the opening 211 of the housing portion 21. That is, in the state where the cover member 23 is open, the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 are not covered from above. Therefore, a user who looks into the housing portion 21 from above can visually confirm the entire upper portions of the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 at a time.

In addition, in the state where the cover member 23 is open, the upper members 42 of the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are not covered from above, and therefore the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be independently pulled upward and removed. Further, the treatment agent cartridge 30 can be attached to the receiving portion 21 in a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in the receiving portion 21, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the receiving portion 21 in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 is housed in the receiving portion 21. In this case, the treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the housing portion 21 by being inserted downward. In this case, the terms upward and downward do not necessarily mean that only movement in the vertical direction from the floor surface is strictly necessary, but means that movement mainly contains a component in the vertical direction. The upward and downward directions may be a movement in a direction in which a user performing an operation can feel a direction of taking out the product upward or inserting the product downward.

In the present embodiment, the treatment agent tank 40 has a shape that slightly protrudes rearward from the lower portion where the tank outlet 43 is provided, but the depth of the treatment agent tank 40 is set to be approximately the same at the upper portion and the lower portion of the treatment agent tank 40. That is, the depth from the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 of the treatment agent tank 40 to the back portion 413 of the tank main body 41 is set to be approximately the same as the depth from the front portion 411 to the back portion 413 of the lower portion of the treatment agent tank 40. In this case, the handle 50, which is the foremost part of the treatment agent tank 40, is in close contact with the treatment agent cartridge 30, and the rear end or rear surface 413 of the upper member 42, which is the rearmost part of the treatment agent tank 40, is in close contact with the rear wall of the housing portion 21. Therefore, when the treatment agent tank 40 is moved strictly in the vertical direction, there is a concern that the treatment agent tank 40 collides with the treatment agent cartridge 30 or the receiving portion 21 in the middle of the movement, and the movement of the treatment agent tank 40 is restricted.

Therefore, when removing the treatment agent tank 40 from the housing portion 21, first, the user pulls up the treatment agent tank 40 to position the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 above the opening 211. Thereafter, the user may pull up the treatment agent tank 40 to a position above the opening 211 while slightly drawing the treatment agent tank 40 forward. Alternatively, the user may pull up the lower portion of the treatment agent tank 40 above the opening 211 while slightly rotating the hand-piece portion 50 obliquely upward and rearward about the vicinity of the center of the treatment agent tank 40.

When the user mounts the treatment agent tank 40 to the housing portion 21, first, the lower portion of the treatment agent tank 40 is inserted below the opening 211 while moving the treatment agent tank 40 downward while holding it. Thereafter, the user may insert the treatment agent tank 40 further downward while pushing the treatment agent tank 40 slightly rearward, and may insert the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 below the opening 211. Alternatively, the user may insert the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 below the opening 211 by moving the hand-engaging portion 50 downward while slightly rotating it obliquely downward and forward about the vicinity of the center of the treatment agent tank 40.

As described above, in the state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 and the plane S1 formed by the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent cartridge 30 are parallel to each other. The planes S1 and S2 are parallel to the top surface 111. Therefore, when the user stores the treatment agent tank 40 in the storage section 21, the plane S1 and the plane S2 may be compared, or the top surface section 111 and the plane S2 may be compared. In this case, if it can be visually confirmed that the plane S1 and the plane S2 are parallel to each other or the top surface portion 111 and the plane S2 are parallel to each other, it can be concluded that the treatment agent tank 40 is reliably attached to the housing portion 21.

On the other hand, as shown in fig. 15, for example, in a state where the treatment agent tank 40 is not completely attached to the housing portion 21, i.e., a so-called half-inserted state, the plane S1 and the plane S2 are not parallel to each other. Thus, if the plane S1 is not parallel to the plane S2, the user can visually confirm that the treatment agent tank 40 is in the half-inserted state.

Here, for the convenience of the user, it is preferable that the treatment agent box 30 and the treatment agent tank 40, both of which are destinations into which the washing treatment agent is introduced, are disposed in the same portion. Further, for the miniaturization of the whole product, it is preferable that the treatment agent box 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in close contact as possible. On the other hand, by housing the treatment agent cartridge 30 in close contact with the treatment agent tank 40, it is considered difficult to separately remove the treatment agent tank 40, which is particularly larger than the treatment agent cartridge 30. In this case, if the configuration is adopted in which the treatment agent box 30 needs to be removed at a time in order to remove the treatment agent tank 40, even when the user wants to remove only the treatment agent tank 40, the user needs to remove the treatment agent box 30, which increases the number of steps and is complicated. In addition, since the surroundings of the treatment agent box 30 may be wetted with water, washing treatment agent, or the like, there is a possibility that the place where the treatment agent box 30 is placed, which is wetted by the user, may be troubled.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes the outer cabinet 11, the tub 12, the accommodating portion 21, the treatment agent cartridge 30, and the treatment agent tank 40. The outer box 11 is formed in a box shape. The tub 12 is provided in the outer case 11. The housing portion 21 is provided in the outer box 11, and has an opening 211 formed by opening the top surface portion 111 side of the outer box 11. The treating agent cartridge 30 is configured to receive input of a washing treating agent used in one run and supply the input washing treating agent to the tub 12. The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store a washing treatment agent used for a plurality of operations. The housing portion 21 is configured to be able to house the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 in a horizontal direction. The treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the housing portion 21 or detached from the housing portion 21 in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 is housed in the housing portion 21.

Accordingly, the user can attach and detach the treatment agent tank 40 from and from the accommodating portion 21 independently of the attachment and detachment of the treatment agent cartridge 30. Therefore, the treatment agent tank 40 is easily taken out, and the washing machine with improved user convenience can be provided.

The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be inserted downward and attached to the receiving portion 21 in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 is received in the receiving portion 21, or to be pulled upward and removed from the receiving portion 21.

Accordingly, the top surface portion 111 of the housing portion 21 is open, and the user looks into the housing portion 21 from above. Since the user can take out the treatment agent tank 40 upward or attach it downward in this state, the movement of the arm when the user attaches and detaches the treatment agent tank 40 is to pull the treatment agent tank toward the body or to pull the treatment agent tank out of the body. Therefore, the user can easily apply force to the treatment agent tank 40 as compared with the movement in the other direction, and the handling operation of the treatment agent tank 40 becomes easy. Thus, a washing machine that achieves an improvement in user convenience can be provided.

The washing machine 10 includes a cover member 23 for opening and closing the opening 211 of the housing portion 21. In a state where the cover member 23 is opened and the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, the wall portion 31, which is the outer periphery of the treatment agent cartridge 30, and the outer periphery of the upper member 42, which is the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40, are exposed upward from the opening 211.

The treatment agent tank 40 is larger in size than the treatment agent cartridge 30, but the entire upper member 42 is exposed from the opening 211, and therefore, can be easily taken out from the housing portion 21. Further, the user can visually observe the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 at a time. Therefore, when the treatment agent tank 40 is not completely mounted in the housing portion 21, the half-inserted state of the treatment agent tank 40 is easily noticed by comparing the positions of both. Thus, a washing machine that achieves an improvement in user convenience can be provided.

In a state where the treatment agent box 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, the upper end portion of the treatment agent box 30 extends parallel to a plane S2 formed by the upper member 42, which is an upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40. That is, the plane S1 formed by the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 extend in parallel with each other.

Accordingly, in the case where the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 is not parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent cartridge 30, it is suspected that the treatment agent tank 40 is in a half-inserted state, that is, that the connection of the tank outlet 43 and the connection portion 24 is incomplete. Therefore, the user can visually confirm that the treatment agent tank 40 is completely mounted in the housing portion 21 by comparing the plane S1 formed by the upper end portion of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent cartridge 30 with the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40. Thus, a washing machine that achieves an improvement in user convenience can be provided.

In addition, a plurality of, in this case, 2 treatment agent tanks 401 and 402 are stored in the storage portion 21. The upper member 42 of the treating agent tank 401 and the upper member 42 of the treating agent tank 402 form a plane S2 extending parallel to each other. Therefore, the user can visually confirm whether or not both of the members are completely attached to each other by comparing the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 401 with the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 402.

The washing machine 10 includes a pump 22, a tank outlet 43, and a connection portion 24. The pump 22 has a function of sucking out a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 and supplying the sucked-out washing treatment agent to the tub 12. The tank outlet 43 is an opening formed in the treating agent tank 40 and is an outlet when supplying the washing treating agent from the treating agent tank 40 to the tub 12. The connection portion 24 has a function of connecting the pump 22 with the tank outlet 43. The treatment agent cartridge 30 is provided to face the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the front surface 411 which is the surface opposite to the rear surface 413.

In order to prevent the liquid from leaking from the treatment agent tank 40 and to prevent the automatic supply from being completed, it is necessary to reliably connect the pump 22 to the treatment agent tank 40. According to the present embodiment, in a case where the user accommodates the treatment agent tank 40 in the accommodating portion 21 and then lifts the treatment agent box 30, the treatment agent box 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be arranged at predetermined positions by pressing the treatment agent box 30 toward the treatment agent tank 40, that is, toward the back side in this case. Further, the pump 22 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be reliably connected by pushing the treatment agent cartridge 30 toward the treatment agent tank 40, that is, toward the back side in this case. The user can perform positioning when mounting the treatment agent tank 40 by using the positional relationship between the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the front portion 411 and the hand portion 50, which are portions of the treatment agent tank 40 facing the treatment agent cartridge 30. Therefore, the mounting operation of the treating agent tank 40 becomes easy, and a washing machine in which the convenience of the user is improved can be provided.

The treatment agent tank 40 has a hand-engaging portion 50 on a side facing the treatment agent cartridge 30, to which a user can hook his or her fingers. The wall portion 31 constituting the outer peripheral portion of the treatment agent cartridge 30 has a cutout portion 37 at an upper portion on a side facing the treatment agent tank 40.

Accordingly, at least a part of the handle 50 is exposed to the user side in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21. Therefore, even in a state where the treatment agent cartridge 30 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, the user can easily pull up the treatment agent tank 40 by gripping the tab portion 50 from the notch portion 37. Therefore, the operation of removing the treatment agent tank 40 becomes easy, and a washing machine in which the convenience of the user is improved can be provided.

(second embodiment)

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 16 and 17. The washing machine 10 of the second embodiment has one or more recesses 70 in the treating agent tank 40. The recess 70 is formed by recessing at least a part of the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 toward the inside of the treatment agent tank 40. The recess 70 is formed so as to be able to receive a finger of a user, and the user can grasp the treatment agent tank 40 by hooking or inserting the finger into the recess 70 when taking out or attaching the treatment agent tank 40 from the receiving portion 21. Fig. 16 shows the treatment agent tank 40 with the lid member 423 omitted.

The recess 70 may be formed on any one of the front, back, and side surfaces of the treatment agent tank 40. In the present embodiment, the recess 70 is provided on the side surface of the treatment agent tank 40 as shown in fig. 16. The recesses 70 may be formed in the outer peripheral surface of the treatment agent tank 40 on the side surfaces of the adjoining treatment agent tanks 401, 402 facing each other. Fig. 16 shows a detergent tank 401, in which case the recess 70 is provided on the right side, which is the side facing the finish tank 402. As shown in fig. 17, the finish tank 402 may have a recess 70 on the side facing the detergent tank 401, that is, on the left side.

In this case, the position of the recess 70 provided in the detergent tank 401 and the position of the recess 70 provided in the finishing agent tank 402 are set to face each other. Therefore, in a state where the treatment agent tanks 401 and 402 are accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, a space having a width of 2 times or more the depth of the recess of each pocket 70 is formed between the treatment agent tank 401 and the treatment agent tank 402. The user can insert a finger into the space formed by both the pockets 70 to reliably take out or attach the treatment agent tank 40 from or to the receiving portion 21.

As shown in fig. 16, the recess 70 is formed to extend in the vertical direction substantially entirely between the upper member 42 and the one side surface portion 412 of the tank main body 41. In other embodiments, the recess 70 may be formed only in the upper member 42, or may be provided in a part of the upper portion of the upper member 42 and the side surface portion 412.

The position of the recess 70 may be set at a position closer to the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40. For example, the position of the recess 70 may be set at the center of the treatment agent tank 40 in the left-right direction, the center of the treatment agent tank in the front-rear direction, or the vicinity thereof. In the present embodiment, the position of the recess 70 is set slightly before the center point of the longitudinal dimension of the treatment agent tank 40 in the front-rear direction. In this case, the position of the recess 70 is set at the center point of the longitudinal dimension of the upper member 42 in the front-rear direction.

The depth of the recess of the pocket 70 may be set to a size that enables a thumb of an adult to be hooked or inserted into the recess, for example. The depth of the recess 70 may be set to 0.5cm to 2cm. The depth of the recess 70 may be set to 1cm to 1.5cm.

Here, the handle 50 is provided to protrude forward from the tank main body 41, and is therefore located slightly away from the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40. For example, when a large amount of washing treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent tank 40, the treatment agent tank 40 and the washing treatment agent together have a considerable weight, and it is difficult for a user with low strength to hold the hand portion 50 away from the center of gravity and support the treatment agent tank 40.

In contrast, according to the second embodiment described above, the treatment agent tank 40 of the washing machine 10 has the recess 70 formed by recessing at least a part of the upper portion toward the inside of the treatment agent tank 40.

Accordingly, when the treatment agent tank 40 is attached and detached, the user can grip the treatment agent tank 40 from above. Since the recess 70 is provided at least at the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40, that is, at the upper portion of the tank main body 41, the distance from the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40 becomes shorter than the position of the hand overlapping portion 50. Therefore, even in the case of storing a large amount of washing treatment agent, the user can more stably hold the treatment agent tank 40 by gripping the recess 70. Thus, the operability of the user is improved.

In addition, although one recess 70 is provided in each treatment agent tank 40 in the present embodiment, a plurality of recesses 70 may be provided in each treatment agent tank 40 in another embodiment. For example, in the example shown in fig. 18, two recesses 70 are provided in each treatment agent tank 40. In this case, the recesses 70 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the treatment agent tank 40. In another embodiment, the recesses 70 may be provided on the front and rear surfaces of the treatment agent tank 40. In fig. 18, the lid member 423 is omitted, and the treatment agent tank 40 is shown.

In addition, when the treatment agent tank 40 is provided with the recess 70, the user can easily take out the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage portion 21 by gripping the recess 70 without gripping the gripping portion 50. Therefore, in this case, the notch 37 may not be provided in the treatment agent cartridge 30. Further, the treatment agent tank 40 may be configured without the handle 50.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are provided as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in other various ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof 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.

Claims (14)

1. A washing machine is provided with:

an outer box formed in a box shape;

the water containing barrel is arranged in the outer box;

a housing portion provided in the outer box and having an opening formed by opening a top surface side of the outer box;

a treatment agent box which receives input of a washing treatment agent used in one operation and supplies the input washing treatment agent to the water barrel; and

a treating agent tank capable of storing a washing treating agent used in a plurality of operations,

the housing section can house the treatment agent cartridge and the treatment agent tank in a horizontal direction,

the treatment agent tank can be attached to or detached from the housing portion in a state where the treatment agent cartridge is housed in the housing portion.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

the treatment agent tank can be attached to the housing portion by being inserted downward with the treatment agent cartridge housed in the housing portion, or can be removed from the housing portion by being pulled upward.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2,

the washing machine is provided with a cover component for opening and closing the opening part,

in a state where the cover member is open and the treatment agent cartridge and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation portion, an outer peripheral portion of the treatment agent cartridge and an outer peripheral portion of an upper portion of the treatment agent tank are exposed upward from the opening portion.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein,

when the treatment agent box and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodating portion, the upper end portion of the treatment agent box extends parallel to a surface formed on the upper portion of the treatment agent tank.

5. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising:

a pump that sucks out a prescribed amount of the washing treatment agent from the treatment agent tank and supplies the sucked-out washing treatment agent to the tub;

a tank outlet formed at an opening of the treating agent tank and serving as an outlet when the washing treating agent is supplied from the treating agent tank to the tub; and

a connection connecting the pump with the tank outlet,

the treatment agent box is provided facing a surface of the treatment agent tank on a side opposite to a surface on which the tank outlet is provided.

6. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the treating agent tank has a hand-catching part for a user to catch a finger on a side facing the treating agent cartridge,

the outer peripheral portion of the treatment agent cartridge has a notch portion at an upper portion on a side facing the treatment agent tank.

7. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

the treatment agent tank has a recess formed by recessing at least a part of an upper portion toward the inside of the treatment agent tank.

8. A washing machine is provided with:

an outer box;

the water containing barrel is arranged in the outer box;

a treatment agent box which receives input of a washing treatment agent used in one operation and supplies the input washing treatment agent to the water barrel;

a treating agent tank capable of storing a washing treating agent used in a plurality of runs; and

a housing section provided in the outer box, having an opening formed by opening a top surface side of the outer box, and capable of housing the treatment agent cartridge and the treatment agent tank in a horizontal direction,

the treatment agent box is positioned closer to the user than the treatment agent tank is when the treatment agent box and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodating part,

at least a part of the treating agent tank is exposed to the user side in a state where the treating agent box and the treating agent tank are accommodated in the accommodating portion,

the treatment agent tank can be removed from and/or attached to the housing portion in a state where the treatment agent cartridge is housed in the housing portion.

9. A washing machine is provided with:

an outer box;

the water containing barrel is arranged in the outer box;

a treatment agent box which receives input of a washing treatment agent used in one operation and supplies the input washing treatment agent to the water barrel;

a treating agent tank capable of storing a washing treating agent used in a plurality of runs; and

a housing section provided in the outer box, having an opening formed by opening a top surface side of the outer box, and capable of housing the treatment agent cartridge and the treatment agent tank in a horizontal direction,

the treatment agent box is positioned closer to the user than the treatment agent tank is when the treatment agent box and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodating part,

at least a part of the treating agent tank is exposed to the user side in a state where the treating agent box and the treating agent tank are accommodated in the accommodating portion,

the treatment agent tank has a hand-catching part on the side opposite to the treatment agent box for allowing a user to hook a finger,

when the treatment agent box and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodating portion, at least a part of a surface of the hand-strap portion facing the treatment agent box is exposed to a user side.

10. The washing machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein,

the housing portion has a restriction portion that restricts movement of the treatment agent tank in a state where the treatment agent tank is housed in the housing portion,

the treatment agent tank has a restricted portion detachably fitted with the restricting portion in a state where the treatment agent tank is accommodated in the accommodating portion,

in a state where the treatment agent tank is pulled up to a position where the engagement between the regulating portion and the restricted portion is released, an exposure amount of the tab portion increases as compared with a state where the regulating portion and the restricted portion are engaged.

11. The washing machine according to claim 9 or 10,

the hand-lapping part is provided with a concave part which is formed by sinking towards the upper part.

12. The washing machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein,

the recess has an upper end portion extending toward the tank main body of the treatment agent tank and receiving a finger of a user from above.

13. The washing machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein,

the upper end portion of the recess is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction.

14. The washing machine according to any one of claims 8 to 13,

the treatment agent box has a notch portion at an upper portion of a side facing the treatment agent tank.

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