CN116648536A

CN116648536A - washing machine

Info

Publication number: CN116648536A
Application number: CN202180086713.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 田岛登; 川端睦美; 泽崎佳菜
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-12-25
Filing date: 2021-07-26
Publication date: 2023-08-25
Also published as: WO2022134565A1; JP2022102166A

Abstract

A washing machine, comprising: a washing drum (3); a detergent box (4); a main water supply path (5) connected to the washing tub (3) so as to pass through the inside of the detergent box (4); a secondary water supply path (24) connected to the washing tub (3) so as not to pass through the inside of the detergent box (4); a main water supply valve (12) for opening and closing the main water supply path (5); a sub water supply valve (25) for opening and closing the sub water supply path (24); a water drainage channel (6) connected with the washing cylinder (3); a drain valve (13) for opening and closing the drain passage (6); a control unit (30). The control unit (30) performs a first process of filling the upstream region (6A) of the drain passage (6) with water and a second process of storing water in the washing tub (3) after the first process during the water supply process of the washing operation.

Description

Washing machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a washing machine.

Background

The washing and drying integrated machine described in patent document 1 below includes: an outer cylinder for storing water; a drum disposed in the outer tub for accommodating laundry; a water supply path for connecting the faucet with the outer cylinder; the water supply valve is arranged on the water supply channel; a water drainage path connected with the lower end of the outer cylinder and used for draining water in the outer cylinder to the outside of the machine; and a drain valve provided in the middle of the drain path. The outer cylinder and the roller form a washing cylinder. When the water supply valve is opened in a state where the drain valve is closed, water from the faucet flows through the water supply passage and is stored in the outer tub.

Although not disclosed in patent document 1, a detergent box for accommodating a detergent is provided in a general washing machine, and a water supply channel is connected to an outer tub so as to pass through the inside of the detergent box. In the water supply process for the washing operation of the washing machine, the water supply valve is opened with the drain valve closed, and thereby the detergent in the water supply tank flowing through the water supply path from the faucet is supplied to the bottom of the outer tub through the washing tub. A drain portion is formed at the bottom of the outer tube, and a drain passage connected to the drain port is connected to the drain portion. In this case, the detergent in the detergent box is supplied to the outer tub through the washing tub together with water supplied from the faucet at the start of water supply. Thus, the water to be supplied initially flows from the drain portion to the drain passage, and reaches the drain valve. Therefore, most of the detergent supplied to the outer tub may unexpectedly flow down to the drain. After the water supply treatment, the detergent in the outer tub is dissolved in water by the rotation of the drum. However, since the mechanical force generated by the rotating drum does not affect the detergent flowing down to the drain, the detergent is not easily dissolved in water, and there is a risk of generating a dissolved residue of the detergent. When dissolved residues of the detergent are generated in this way, the concentration of the detergent in the water in the outer tub is low, and therefore, the cleaning effect of the detergent on the laundry is reduced during the cleaning operation. When a circulation path, a pump, and the like for returning the detergent flowing down to the drain path to the outer tube are added, dissolved residues of the detergent flowing down to the drain path can be eliminated, but an increase in cost is unavoidable.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2020-168331

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of suppressing a flow of a detergent supplied to a washing tub down to a drain at low cost.

Solution for solving the problem

The present invention is a washing machine comprising: a washing drum for accommodating the washings and storing water; a detergent box for containing detergent; a main water supply path connected to the washing drum in such a manner as to pass through the inside of the detergent box; the auxiliary water supply channel is connected with the washing cylinder in a mode of not passing through the inside of the detergent box; a main water supply valve for opening and closing the main water supply path; a sub water supply valve for opening and closing the sub water supply path; a water draining path connected with the washing cylinder; a drain valve for opening and closing the drain passage; and a control unit that controls opening and closing of each of the main water supply valve, the sub water supply valve, and the drain valve to perform a water supply process of a washing operation, wherein the control unit performs: a first process of filling a region between the drain valve and the wash tub in the drain line with water by opening the sub water supply valve in a state where the main water supply valve and the drain valve are closed; and a second process of storing water to the washing tub by opening the main water supply valve in a state of closing the drain valve after the first process.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the washing machine further comprises: a circulation path having a take-out port and a return port connected to the washing drum; an air supply unit configured to circulate air in the washing tub by taking the air out of the washing tub from the take-out port into the circulation path and returning the air from the return port into the washing tub; a heating unit provided in the circulation path and configured to heat air in the circulation path; and a drying filter disposed in an upstream region of the circulation path on the outlet side of the heating unit, the drying filter capturing foreign matter from air passing through the circulation path from the outlet to the return port, the control unit controlling the blower and the heating unit to perform a drying operation, and a part of the sub-water supply path serving as the upstream region.

In the present invention, the control unit opens both the main water supply valve and the sub water supply valve in the second process.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, in the water supply process of the washing operation of the washing machine, first, in the first process, the area between the drain valve and the wash tub in the drain passage is filled with water from the sub water supply passage by opening the sub water supply valve in a state where the main water supply valve and the drain valve are closed. Then, in the next second process, the water flowing through the main water supply path and the detergent inside the detergent box is stored in the washing tub by opening the main water supply valve in a state where the drain valve is closed. Since the area between the drain valve in the drain passage and the washing tub is filled with water, the detergent supplied to the washing tub by the second treatment does not flow down to the drain passage and stays in the washing tub.

In this way, the low-cost structure in which the area between the drain valve in the drain passage and the washing tub is filled with water by the first treatment and then the washing tub is supplied with the detergent and water by the second treatment can prevent the detergent supplied to the washing tub from flowing down to the drain passage and not being completely dissolved. Accordingly, the concentration of the detergent in the water in the washing tub can be suppressed from decreasing, and therefore, the laundry can be effectively washed by the detergent water having a high detergent concentration during the washing operation. As a result, the flow of the detergent supplied to the washing tub to the drain can be suppressed at low cost.

In addition, according to the present invention, in the drying operation of the washing machine, the air in the washing tub is circulated so as to be taken out from the take-out port into the circulation path and returned from the return port into the washing tub, and the air is heated by the heating portion in the circulation path to become hot air, thereby drying the laundry in the washing tub. The drying filter provided in the circulation path in an upstream region on the outlet side of the heating section captures foreign matter contained in the air flowing back and forth from the outlet side in the circulation path. Therefore, foreign matter in the air can be suppressed from adhering to the heating portion.

A part of the sub water supply channel doubles as an upstream region of the circulation path. Therefore, the water flowing through the sub water supply passage is splashed toward the drying filter, thereby removing foreign matter from the drying filter, and the foreign matter is introduced into the washing tub through the outlet, and then flows out to the drain passage. The water for peeling the foreign matter from the drying filter as such can be used in the first process in order to fill the area between the drain valve and the washing tub in the drain path. Therefore, the flow of the detergent supplied to the washing tub to the drain can be suppressed at a lower cost.

Further, according to the present invention, in the second process, both the main water supply valve and the sub water supply valve are opened, so that the water level in the washing tub can be quickly raised.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional right side view of a washing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical structure of the washing machine.

Fig. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional front view of a washing tub and a peripheral structure in the washing machine.

Fig. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional front view of the washing drum and the peripheral structure.

Fig. 5 is a schematic longitudinal sectional front view of the washing drum and the peripheral structure.

Fig. 6 is a time chart showing water supply processing during a washing operation of the washing machine.

Description of the reference numerals

1: a washing machine; 3: a washing drum; 4: a detergent box; 5: a main water supply path; 6: a water drainage path; 6A: an upstream region; 12: a main water supply valve; 13: a drain valve; 20: a circulation path; 20D: a take-out port; 20E: a return port; 20F: an upstream region; 21: an air supply unit; 22: a heating section; 23: drying the filter; 24: an auxiliary water supply path; 25: an auxiliary water supply valve; 30: a control unit; l: and (5) washing.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional right side view of a washing machine 1 of an embodiment of the present invention. The direction perpendicular to the paper surface of fig. 1 is referred to as a left-right direction X of the washing machine 1, the left-right direction in fig. 1 is referred to as a front-rear direction Y of the washing machine 1, and the up-down direction in fig. 1 is referred to as an up-down direction Z of the washing machine 1. Of the left-right directions X, the back side of the paper surface of fig. 1 is referred to as left side X1, and the front side of the paper surface of fig. 1 is referred to as right side X2. Of the front-rear directions Y, the left side in fig. 1 is referred to as front side Y1, and the right side in fig. 1 is referred to as rear side Y2. Of the vertical directions Z, the upper side is referred to as an upper side Z1, and the lower side is referred to as a lower side Z2. The left-right direction X and the front-rear direction Y are included in the lateral direction. The lateral direction may be the horizontal direction H or a substantially horizontal direction slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal direction H.

In the present embodiment, the drum-type washing and drying integrated machine is the main object of the washing machine 1, but the washing machine 1 may be a vertical washing machine, a twin tub washing machine, or a washing machine that performs only a washing operation without a drying function. The washing machine 1 includes: a case 2; a washing cylinder 3 and a detergent box 4 arranged in the box body 2; and a main water supply path 5 and a drain path 6 connected to the washing tub 3. The washing machine 1 further includes: a drum 7 accommodated in the washing tub 3 and accommodating laundry L; a motor 8 for rotating the drum 7; and a drying unit 9 for drying the laundry L in the drum 7.

The case 2 is formed in a box shape. The front surface 2A of the case 2 is, for example, a vertical surface. An opening 2B for communicating the inside and outside of the case 2 is formed in the front surface 2A. A door 10 for opening and closing the opening 2B is provided on the front surface 2A.

The washing tub 3 is connected to an upper end of a damper 11 extending upward Z1 from a bottom wall 2C of the housing 2. Thereby, the washing tub 3 and the drum 7 inside thereof are elastically supported by the bottom wall 2C via the damper 11 as a whole. The washing tub 3 has: a cylindrical circumferential wall 3A centered on an axis J extending in the front-rear direction Y along the horizontal direction H; a disk-shaped back surface wall 3B that closes the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A from the rear side Y2; and an annular front wall 3C connected to the front end edge of the circumferential wall 3A.

The back surface wall 3B is disposed vertically and has an outer peripheral portion 3D and a central portion 3E protruding one step rearward Y2 from the outer peripheral portion 3D. A through hole 3F penetrating the central portion 3E in the front-rear direction Y along the axis J is formed in the center of the central portion 3E. The front wall 3C has: an annular first portion 3G protruding from the front end edge of the circumferential wall 3A toward the axis J; a cylindrical second portion 3H protruding from an inner peripheral edge of the first portion 3G toward the front side Y1; and an annular third portion 3I protruding from the front end edge of the second portion 3H toward the axis J side. An inlet 3J communicating with the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A from the front side Y1 is formed inside the third portion 3I. The inlet 3J is placed opposite to and in communication with the opening 2B of the housing 2 from the rear side Y2.

The detergent box 4 is a hollow body for accommodating a detergent, and is disposed in the box 2 at a region above the wash tub 3 at the upper side Z1. At least a portion of the detergent box 4 is exposed from the front surface 2A or the upper surface 2D of the cabinet 2. The exposed portion of the detergent box 4 exposed from the front surface 2A or the upper surface 2D may be an openable cover or drawer. The user can open or pull out the exposed portion to replenish the detergent inside the detergent box 4.

The main water supply path 5 includes: one end (not shown) connected to a faucet (not shown), the other end 5A connected to, for example, the upper portion of the second portion 3H of the front wall 3C of the washing tub 3, and a middle portion 5B between the one end and the other end 5A. The intermediate portion 5B constitutes a part of the internal space of the detergent box 4. That is, the main water supply channel 5 is connected to the wash tub 3 so as to pass through the inside of the detergent box 4. When water is supplied, tap water from a tap is supplied into the washing tub 3 through the main water supply passage 5 and the detergent box 4. If no detergent is present in the detergent box 4, tap water is stored in the washing tub 3. If the detergent is present in the detergent box 4, the detergent water in which the detergent is dissolved is stored in the tap water in the washing tub 3. Hereinafter, tap water and detergent water may be simply referred to as "water".

The washing machine 1 includes: the main water supply valve 12, which can be opened and closed, is provided in the main water supply channel 5 on the faucet side of the intermediate portion 5B, for example. The main water supply valve 12 in an open state is in an Operating (ON) state in which the main water supply path 5 is opened, allowing water supply. The closed main water supply valve 12 is in an inactive (OFF) state in which the main water supply path 5 is closed, and water supply is stopped.

The drain passage 6 is connected to a lower end portion of the washing tub 3, for example, a lower end portion of the circumferential wall 3A. The water in the washing tub 3 is discharged from the water discharge passage 6 to the outside of the casing 2, i.e., to the outside.

The washing machine 1 includes: an openable/closable drain valve 13 is provided in the middle of the drain passage 6. The drain valve 13 in the open state is in an operating state in which the drain passage 6 is opened, allowing the washing tub 3 to drain. The drain valve 13 in the closed state is in the non-operating state in which the drain passage 6 is closed, and the drainage is stopped. The region between the drain valve 13 of the drain passage 6 and the wash bowl 3 is referred to as an upstream region 6A, and the region farther from the wash bowl 3 than the drain valve 13 is referred to as a downstream region 6B.

The drum 7 is a cylindrical body having a central axis coincident with the axis J, and is smaller than the washing drum 3 by one turn. In the present embodiment, the drum 7 is horizontally disposed with the central axis extending in the horizontal direction H, but may be disposed so that the central axis is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction H. The drum 7 has: a cylindrical circumferential wall 7A disposed coaxially with the circumferential wall 3A of the washing tub 3; a disk-shaped back surface wall 7B that closes the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 7A from the rear side Y2; and an annular wall 7C protruding from the front end edge of the circumferential wall 7A toward the axis J side. A plurality of through holes 7D are formed in the drum 7 at least in the circumferential wall 7A, and water in the washing tub 3 passes between the washing tub 3 and the drum 7 through the through holes 7D. Therefore, the water level in the washing tub 3 coincides with the water level in the drum 7. A support shaft 14 extending rearward Y2 along the axis J is provided at the center of the rear surface wall 7B of the drum 7. The rear end portion of the support shaft 14 is disposed on the rear side Y2 of the rear wall 3B by passing through the through hole 3F of the rear wall 3B of the washing tub 3.

An inlet 7E communicating with the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 7A from the front side Y1 is formed inside the annular wall 7C. The inlet/outlet 7E is placed opposite and in communication with the inlet/outlet 3J of the washing tub 3 and the opening 2B of the casing 2 from the rear side Y2. The doorway 3J and the doorway 7E are opened and closed together with the opening 2B by the door 10. A user of the washing machine 1 puts laundry L into and out of the drum 7 through the opened opening 2B, the inlet and outlet 3J, and the inlet and outlet 7E. The door 10 is provided with: the gasket 15 is in close contact with the third portion 3I of the front wall 3C of the washing tub 3 when the door 10 closes the opening 2B, the inlet/outlet 3J, and the inlet/outlet 7E.

The motor 8 is disposed in the housing 2 at the rear side Y2 of the rear wall 3B of the washing tub 3. As an example of the motor 8, a Direct Drive (DD) motor can be used. The motor 8 is coupled to a support shaft 14 provided in the drum 7. The torque generated by the motor 8 is transmitted to the support shaft 14, and the drum 7 rotates around the axis J with the support shaft 14. A clutch mechanism (not shown) for transmitting or cutting off the torque of the motor 8 to or from the support shaft 14 may be provided between the motor 8 and the support shaft 14.

The drying unit 9 includes: a circulation path 20 and an air blowing unit 21 for circulating air in the washing tub 3; a heating unit 22 for heating the circulated air; a drying filter 23 for capturing foreign matters contained in the circulated air; a sub water supply path 24 for supplying water for automatic cleaning to the drying filter 23; and a sub water supply valve 25 for opening and closing the sub water supply passage 24.

The circulation path 20 is a flow path disposed in the upper side Z1 of the washing tub 3 in the casing 2. The circulation path 20 has: a middle portion 20A extending in the front-rear direction Y; a rear portion 20B extending from a rear end of the intermediate portion 20A toward the lower side Z2; and a front portion 20C extending from a front end of the intermediate portion 20A toward the lower side Z2. A take-out port 20D is formed at the front end of the lower end portion of the rear portion 20B. The outlet 20D is connected to a portion higher than the upper limit water level in the outer peripheral portion 3D of the rear surface wall 3B of the washing tub 3, and communicates with the inside of the washing tub 3 from the rear side Y2. A return port 20E is formed at the lower end of the front portion 20C. The return port 20E is connected to the upper end portion of the second portion 3H of the front wall 3C of the washing tub 3, and communicates with the inside of the washing tub 3 from the upper side Z1.

The blower 21 is a so-called blower, and includes a rotary blade 21A disposed in the circulation path 20 and a motor (not shown) for rotating the rotary blade 21A. When the rotary vane 21A rotates, as indicated by the thick dotted arrow, the air in the wash tub 3, that is, the air in the wash tub 3 and the drum 7 is taken out into the circulation path 20 from the take-out port 20D, and then returned into the wash tub 3 from the return port 20E. Thereby, the air in the washing tub 3 circulates so as to flow through the washing tub 3 and the circulation path 20 in this order.

The heating unit 22 is a heat exchanger in a heat pump, a normal heater, or the like, and is provided at least partially in the circulation path 20. The portion of the heating portion 22 provided in the circulation path 20 has a heat radiating portion 22A. Since the heat radiating portion 22A becomes high temperature when the heating portion 22 is operated, air flowing through the circulation path 20 is heated to become hot air when passing around the heat radiating portion 22A. The region of the circulation path 20 on the outlet 20D side of the heat sink 22A is referred to as an upstream region 20F. The rear end portion of the intermediate portion 20A and the rear portion 20B constitute an upstream region 20F.

The drying filter 23 is a mesh sheet or a grid, for example, and is disposed so as to longitudinally intersect the upstream region 20F of the circulation path 20. When the air flowing back and forth from the outlet 20D to the return 20E in the circulation path 20 passes through the drying filter 23, foreign matters such as dust and dust contained in the air are captured by the drying filter 23 and remain on the upstream surface 23A of the drying filter 23 on the outlet 20D side.

The sub water supply path 24 includes: an upstream portion 24A connected to a portion of the main water supply path 5 closer to the faucet than the main water supply valve 12; and a downstream portion 24B formed by an upstream region 20F of the circulation path 20. That is, a part of the sub water supply path 24 doubles as the upstream area 20F. The end of the upstream portion 24A connected to the downstream portion 24B enters the drying filter 23 at the upstream region 20F from the upper side Z1. The upstream region 20F is connected to the wash bowl 3 at the take-out port 20D as described above. Such a sub water supply path 24 is connected to the washing tub 3 so as not to pass through the inside of the detergent box 4.

The sub water supply valve 25 is provided in an upstream portion 24A of the sub water supply path 24. The sub water supply valve 25 in an opened state is in an operating state in which the sub water supply path 24 is opened, allowing water to be supplied to the wash tub 3 via the sub water supply path 24. The closed sub water supply valve 25 is in a non-operating state in which the sub water supply path 24 is closed, and the supply of water to the wash tub 3 via the sub water supply path 24 is stopped.

The washing machine 1 further includes a control part 30. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical structure of the washing machine 1. The control unit 30 is configured as a microcomputer including a memory such as a CPU (central processing unit), a ROM (read only memory), a RAM (random access memory), and a timer for time counting, and is incorporated in the casing 2. The motor 8, the main water supply valve 12, the drain valve 13, the blower 21, the heater 22, and the sub water supply valve 25 are each electrically connected to the control unit 30, and the control unit 30 controls the operations of these components to perform the washing and drying operation. The washing and drying operation includes: a washing course in an initial stage, a rinsing course performed one or more times after the washing course, a dehydrating course performed at least after a final rinsing course, and a drying course in a final stage. Each of these processes may also be an independent operation, in which case, for example, the cleaning process is a cleaning operation and the drying process is a drying operation. The washing machine 1 further includes a water level sensor 31 that detects the water level in the wash tub 3. As the water level sensor 31, a known sensor can be used. The detection value of the water level sensor 31 is input to the control unit 30 in real time.

During the cleaning process, the control unit 30 first controls the opening and closing of each of the main water supply valve 12, the sub water supply valve 25, and the drain valve 13 to perform the water supply process. The water supply process during the cleaning operation will be described below with reference to fig. 3 to 5, which are schematic longitudinal front views of the washing tub 3 and the peripheral structure, and fig. 6, which is a time chart showing the water supply process during the cleaning operation. In the time chart of fig. 6, the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time, and the vertical axis represents the water level in the wash tub 3, the active/inactive state of the main water supply valve 12, the active/inactive state of the sub water supply valve 25, and the state of the motor 8, which are the detection values of the water level sensor 31, in order from top to bottom. The state of the motor 8 includes a state in which the motor 8 is stopped, a state in which the motor 8 is rotated forward, and a state in which the motor 8 is rotated backward. The drain valve 13 is always closed during the water supply process.

In the water supply process, the control unit 30 sequentially opens the sub water supply valve 25 and the main water supply valve 12 in a state where the drain valve 13 is closed. If the main water supply valve 12 is opened first, as indicated by arrow A1 in fig. 3, the detergent in the detergent box 4 is introduced into the wash tub 3 by the water flowing through the main water supply path 5, and flows down to the upstream area 6A of the drain path 6 without remaining in the wash tub 3. Therefore, the concentration of the detergent in the water in the washing tub 3 becomes low.

Therefore, in the water supply process of the present embodiment, as the first process, the control unit 30 opens the sub water supply valve 25 in a state where the drain valve 13 and the main water supply valve 12 are closed (time T0 in fig. 6). As shown by arrow A2 in fig. 4, tap water from the secondary water supply path 24 flows into the upstream region 6A of the drain path 6 through the washing tub 3. When the sub water supply valve 25 is opened for a prescribed time, as shown by hatching in fig. 4, the upstream area 6A is filled with tap water.

After that, when the water level in the washing tub 3 rises to the water level W1 on the lower side Z2 than the lower end of the circumferential wall 7A of the drum 7 as tap water overflows from the upstream area 6A, the control unit 30 ends the first process and executes the second process (time T1 in fig. 6). The first process may be ended at a time when the water level sensor 31 detects that the water level in the washing tub 3 has risen to the water level W1, or at a time when a time predetermined by an experiment or the like has elapsed from the time T0. As the second process, the control unit 30 closes the sub water supply valve 25 and opens the main water supply valve 12 while continuing to close the drain valve 13. Thus, the detergent water flowing through the main water supply channel 5 and carrying the detergent in the detergent box 4 flows into and is stored in the washing tub 3 as indicated by arrow A3 in fig. 5. Thereby, the water level in the washing tub 3 rises from the water level W1.

Since the upstream area 6A between the drain valve 13 in the drain passage 6 and the wash tub 3 is filled with tap water by the first treatment, the detergent supplied to the wash tub 3 by the second treatment after that does not flow down to the drain passage 6 but stays in the wash tub 3. In this way, by the configuration in which the upstream area 6A of the drain passage 6 is filled with tap water in the first treatment and then the detergent and water are supplied into the washing tub 3 in the second treatment, the detergent supplied to the washing tub 3 is prevented from flowing down to the drain passage 6 and is not completely dissolved. In this case, a low-cost structure can be realized without using a pump or the like for returning the water in the drain passage 6 to the washing tub 3. Therefore, the flow of the detergent supplied to the washing tub 3 to the drain passage 6 can be suppressed at low cost.

When the water level in the washing tub 3 rises to the water level W2 in the middle of water supply, the control unit 30 closes the main water supply valve 12 and opens the sub water supply valve 25, and the motor 8 is operated to repeat the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the motor 8 (time T2 in fig. 6). The drum 7 rotates forward as the motor 8 rotates forward, and the drum 7 rotates backward as the motor 8 rotates backward. The penetration of the detergent water into the laundry L in the drum 7 is promoted according to the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 7, and thus the water level in the wash tub 3 is lowered. Further, since the detergent is actively dissolved in the tap water in the washing tub 3 by the forward and reverse rotation of the drum 7, high-concentration detergent water is stored in the washing tub 3.

When the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 8 continues for a predetermined time, the control unit 30 stops the motor 8 and opens the main water supply valve 12 while continuing to open the sub water supply valve 25 (time T3 in fig. 6). In this way, the control unit 30 opens both the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25 in the second process. Thereby, the water level in the washing tub 3 rises again. Since both the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25 are opened, the water level in the washing tub 3 can be quickly raised. When the detergent in the detergent box 4 is completely discharged, only tap water is supplied from the main water supply channel 5 to the washing tub 3.

When the water level in the washing tub 3 rises to the target water level W3 beyond the water level W2, the control unit 30 closes the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25, and causes the motor 8 to operate to repeat the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the motor 8 (time T4 in fig. 6). As described above, the water level in the wash bowl 3 decreases as the motor 8 rotates forward and backward. However, since the detergent water is in a state of having substantially permeated the laundry L in the washing tub 3 by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 8 at the time T2 to T3 immediately before, the water level in the washing tub 3 is slowly lowered after the time T4. When the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 8 continues for a predetermined time, the control unit 30 temporarily stops the motor 8 while continuing to close the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25 (time T5 in fig. 6).

Thereafter, the control unit 30 opens the main water supply valve 12 while continuing to close the sub water supply valve 25 (time T6 in fig. 6). When the water level in the washing tub 3 rises to the water level W3 in response to this, the control unit 30 closes the main water supply valve 12 to repeat the forward rotation and the reverse rotation of the motor 8 (time T7 in fig. 6). Thereafter, the control unit 30 temporarily stops the motor 8 while continuing to close the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25 (time T8 in fig. 6). After that, when additional water supply including the opening of the main water supply valve 12, the normal and reverse rotation of the motor 8, and the temporary stop of the motor 8 is repeated a predetermined number of times (after time T9 in fig. 6), the control unit 30 closes the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25 to terminate the second process. Thereby, the entire water supply process ends. In the second process, the water level in the wash tub 3 is stabilized by intermittently opening the main water supply valve 12 instead of constantly opening the main water supply valve, so that the water level sensor 31 can accurately detect the water level in the wash tub 3.

As a washing process after the water supply process, the control unit 30 rotates the drum 7 by the motor 8. Thereby, the laundry L in the drum 7 is beat-washed. In hammer washing, tumbling (tumbling) in which the laundry L naturally falls to the water surface after being lifted to a certain degree is repeated. The dirt is removed from the laundry L by the impact caused by the tumbling and the high concentration of detergent components contained in the detergent water stored in the drum 7. Since the decrease in the concentration of the detergent in the water in the washing tub 3 can be suppressed as described above, the laundry L can be quickly and effectively washed by the detergent water having a high concentration of the detergent in the washing process. When the control unit 30 opens the drain valve 13 to drain water after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the rolling, the cleaning process ends.

The control part 30 opens at least the main water supply valve 12 for a prescribed time to supply water to the wash tub 3 in a state where the drain valve 13 is closed during rinsing, and then rotates the drum 7 by the motor 8. In this way, the above-described tumbling is repeated, and thus the laundry L is rinsed with tap water in the drum 7. When the control unit 30 drains water after a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the rolling, the rinsing process ends.

The control part 30 dehydrates and rotates the drum 7 in a state where the drain valve 13 is opened during the dehydration. The laundry L in the drum 7 is dehydrated by centrifugal force generated by the dehydration rotation of the drum 7. The water oozed out of the laundry L by the dehydration is discharged from the drain passage 6 to the outside. The dewatering process may be performed not only after the rinsing process but also after the washing process.

The control unit 30 controls the blower 21 and the heater 22 to generate hot air during drying, and circulates the hot air between the drum 7 and the circulation path 20 to supply the laundry L into the drum 7. Thereby, the laundry L is dried. The foreign matter is generated during the washing operation, and the foreign matter is carried along with the flow of the hot air during the drying process, and the foreign matter is caught by the drying filter 23 in the circulation path 20. This can prevent foreign matter from adhering to and accumulating in the heat radiating portion 22A of the heating portion 22, and thus can prevent performance degradation due to degradation of the heating efficiency of the heating portion 22 and degradation of the air flow in the circulation path 20.

After the drying process, i.e., after the washing and drying operation is completed, the control unit 30 opens the sub water supply valve 25 as a maintenance operation of the drying filter 23. In this case, the control unit 30 may open both the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25, and the main water supply valve 12 may be provided on the upstream side of the faucet from the connection position with the sub water supply path 24 in the main water supply path 5. Tap water from the tap flows from the main water supply channel 5 into the sub water supply channel 24. The sub water supply line 24 may be directly connected to the faucet without being connected to the main water supply line 5.

The water flowing from the upstream portion 24A into the downstream portion 24B in the sub water supply passage 24 is sprayed from the upper side Z1 toward the drying filter 23 disposed in the downstream portion 24B, that is, the upstream region 20F of the circulation passage 20. Thus, the foreign matter on the upstream surface 23A of the drying filter 23 is peeled off from the upstream surface 23A and falls down, and the water is taken to the outlet 20D of the circulation path 20. The downstream portion 24B may be provided with a nozzle, a pump, or the like for forcefully spraying the tap water from the upstream portion 24A to the drying filter 23, or may be provided with a wiper (wind) or the like that scrapes off the foreign matter on the upstream surface 23A while rotating under the control of the control portion 30.

Foreign matter and water reaching the take-out port 20D fall from the take-out port 20D into the washing tub 3. At this time, when the drain valve 13 is opened, the foreign matter and water flow through the drain passage 6 and are discharged to the outside. In the drain passage 6, a drain filter (not shown) may be provided upstream of the drain valve 13 from the washing tub 3, and in this case, foreign matter flowing through the drain passage 6 may be trapped by the drain filter and recovered by a user when the drain filter is maintained. As the drain filter, a known structure that can be attached to and detached from the casing 2 by a user during maintenance can be used.

As described above, the water flowing through the sub water supply path 24 is splashed onto the drying filter 23, thereby peeling off the foreign matter from the drying filter 23, and the foreign matter flows into the washing tub 3 through the outlet 20D, and then flows out to the drain path 6. The water for automatic cleaning for removing foreign matter from the drying filter 23 in this way can be used in the first process to fill the upstream area 6A between the drain valve 13 in the drain passage 6 and the wash tub 3. Therefore, the flow of the detergent supplied to the washing tub 3 to the drain passage 6 can be suppressed at a lower cost.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope described in the claims.

For example, the main water supply valve 12 and the sub water supply valve 25 may be constituted by general-purpose multi-way valves. In addition, a plurality of sub water supply paths 24 may be provided depending on a plurality of applications such as automatic cleaning of the drying filter 23. The water flowing through the sub water supply passage 24 is not limited to tap water, and may be bath water. The same is true for the water flowing through the main water supply path 5.

It is possible to accommodate not only the detergent but also the softener in the detergent box 4. In this case, the detergent box 4 is configured as a water selective on-board detergent and softener of the main water supply path 5. The softener is supplied into the washing tub 3 during the water supply process in the rinsing process.

Claims

A washing machine, comprising:

a washing drum for accommodating the washings and storing water;

a detergent box for containing detergent;

a main water supply path connected to the washing drum in such a manner as to pass through the inside of the detergent box;

the auxiliary water supply channel is connected with the washing cylinder in a mode of not passing through the inside of the detergent box;

a main water supply valve for opening and closing the main water supply path;

a sub water supply valve for opening and closing the sub water supply path;

a water draining path connected with the washing cylinder;

a drain valve for opening and closing the drain passage; and

a control unit for controlling the opening and closing of the main water supply valve, the auxiliary water supply valve and the drain valve to execute water supply treatment of cleaning operation,

the control section performs, in the water supply process: a first process of filling a region between the drain valve and the wash tub in the drain line with water by opening the sub water supply valve in a state where the main water supply valve and the drain valve are closed; and a second process of storing water to the washing tub by opening the main water supply valve in a state of closing the drain valve after the first process.
The washing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a circulation path having a take-out port and a return port connected to the washing drum;

an air supply unit configured to circulate air in the washing tub by taking the air out of the washing tub from the take-out port into the circulation path and returning the air from the return port into the washing tub;

a heating unit provided in the circulation path and configured to heat air in the circulation path; and

a drying filter disposed in the circulation path in an upstream region of the heating section on the outlet side, for capturing foreign matters from air passing through the circulation path from the outlet to the return port,

the control part controls the air supply part and the heating part to execute a drying operation,

a part of the sub water supply passage doubles as the upstream region.
A washing machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that,

the control unit opens both the main water supply valve and the sub water supply valve in the second process.