JP2000317192A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily spray soft water which is passed through an ion exchange resin and has little water pressure like a shower in multi-direction by providing plural small holes in the wall surface and the bottom near the end face of one side of a vessel for storing water, and utilizing water pressure of water accumulated in the vessel by water filling to jet water into a washing tub. SOLUTION: Prior to washing, a detergent 20 is set in a detergent container, and then water is poured in a shower container 10 having a shower jet orifice 4 stored in an upper cover 5. Whereupon, the shower container 10 is inclined downward against a spring 6 by the gravity as water is accumulated, so that a shower jet orifice 4 is exposed to the lower side of the upper cover 5, and the upper end part of the wall surface of the shower container 10 becomes substantially horizontal. As a result, water pressure is largely applied to the jet orifices 4, 15, whereby water in the shower container 10 is jetted from the shower jet orifices 4, 15 in multi-direction in a washing tub. Simultaneously, water jetted from a jet orifice 41 porvided on the side surface of the shower container 10 is supplied into the detergent container to dissolve the detergent.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shower container for supplying water to a washing tub by spraying water into a washing tub by the pressure of the water accumulated in the water container when supplying water for washing, rinsing or the like. The present invention relates to a washing machine having a shower container that efficiently dissolves a detergent in a detergent container and supplies it to a washing tub when water is supplied for washing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional technique of this type, (1) water is supplied at the time of washing by spraying high-pressure tap water directly into the container from the ceiling of the detergent container to dissolve the detergent in the container. Water is drained from the depth side of the container into the washing tub via the lower side and into the washing tub, and water is supplied in exactly the same manner as water supply during washing, except that there is no detergent even when rinsing. (2) The detergent is directly charged into the washing tub, and only water flows in a waterfall shape. (3) Tap water is spouted directly from the shower spout fixed to the upper cover. (4) There is a method in which the waterfall-like flow is once introduced into a dish-shaped inner lid that covers the entire upper surface of the washing tub, and flows into the washing tub through a plurality of holes provided in the inner lid.

[0003] In the first and second methods, water cannot be sprayed over a wide area on dry laundry, and only a part of the water hit by the water is reduced in volume and becomes unbalanced. On the other hand, as a method of saving water in the rinsing process, a so-called shower rinsing system in which washing is repeatedly performed by repeatedly impregnating the laundry with water, dehydrating, impregnating with water, and dehydrating is widely used. In the method, it is not possible to efficiently impregnate the laundry on the wall side of the washing tub with water for dehydration. In addition, since the water flows down as a unit, there are also problems such as splashing of the water and the noise of the water. In the third method, the shower outlet is fixed at a high position and the water force is strong. Therefore, when rinsing, the laundry on the front wall surface is impregnated with water. For this reason, water splashes when supplying water during washing,
Water will be supplied unevenly. The fourth method requires an inner lid that covers the entire upper surface of the washing tub, which increases the cost and in addition makes it impossible to take a sufficient water head in the inner lid, so the hole diameter must be increased, Since it falls vertically, it is in a so-called run-down state, and the impregnation of the laundry with water during rinsing is still unsuccessful. In addition, the first and third methods cannot use soft water having almost no water pressure passed through the ion exchange resin.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to use soft water which has almost no water pressure passing through the ion exchange resin. Provided is a washing machine equipped with a shower device that can effectively dissolve water and spray water over a wide range of laundry, and furthermore, when rinsing, efficiently impregnates the laundry with water to improve rinsing performance. The main purpose is.

[0005]

As means for solving the above problems, a plurality of small holes are provided in a wall surface or a bottom surface near one end face of a water-filling container or a plurality of small holes in the wall surface and the bottom surface, and water is poured into the same container. Water is spouted into the washing tub using the water pressure of the water. This container may be fixed, but it is more effective if it can be moved. For example, first, a container for containing water is rotatably supported on its wall surface. Then, the position of the rotating shaft is shifted rearward from the center so that when the water is poured, the rotating shaft is inclined to one side due to the unbalanced weight and the end thereof is lowered. Then, when there is no water in the container, the bottom of the container is held horizontally by using a stopper while pulling the end of the container opposite to the lowering side downward with a spring. At the time of water supply, when water is injected into the container, the container is inclined while the spring is extended due to the unbalanced weight of the accumulated water, and the end of the container is lowered. When there is no water in the container, the bottom surface of the container returns to a horizontal state by the restoring force of the spring and the stopper. A plurality of small holes (spouts) for jetting water like a shower are provided on the bottom surface or the wall surface or the bottom surface and the wall surface on the descending side of the shower container. When supplying water for washing and rinsing, pour water into the container as described above. The container is tilted to one side due to the weight due to the unbalance of the accumulated water due to the rotation axis shifted from the center of the container, and the end of the container at the shower outlet side descends. Then, water is sprayed in multiple directions from the jet port in a shower shape by the water pressure in the container. When there is no water and the container bottom is horizontal, the spout is stored in the upper cover of the washing machine, and only when water is supplied, the shower spout descends and is exposed below the cover. For this reason, it does not hinder the loading and unloading of the laundry, and the dipping of the shower section at the time of supplying water allows the laundry to be efficiently impregnated with the laundry particularly when the shower is rinsed.

In addition, a detergent container is disposed on the side surface of the shower container, and a through hole is provided on the wall surface on the side of the shower container, through which a jet flows. Further, a jet outlet hole corresponding to the through hole is provided on the wall surface of the shower container. Is provided. If detergent is set in the detergent container before the start of washing, the jet from the shower container enters the detergent container through the passage hole at the time of water supply, dissolves the detergent, passes from the rear of the container to the lower side, and enters the washing tub. Flows to
When the water supply ends and the injection of water into the shower container is stopped, residual water flows out of the shower outlet, and the container becomes lighter and returns to the horizontal position by the restoring force of the spring. At this time, the spout of the shower is hidden and stored in the upper cover of the washing machine. By this means, it is possible to spray water widely from the optimal direction at the time of water supply without obstructing the loading and unloading of laundry,
The performance of washing and rinsing can be improved. It is also possible to use soft water that has passed through an ion exchange resin that hardly takes water pressure, and water suitable for washing can be efficiently sprayed on the laundry by a shower. It is needless to say that the same effect can be obtained by a fixed system in which the container does not move as described above.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings with regard to the type of movable container. FIG. 1 is an overall view of a washing machine to which the present invention is applied, 1 is an exterior of the washing machine, 2 is an operation unit for moving the washing machine, 3 is a drawer-type detergent container in which detergent is set in advance, and 4 is a small hole. Are provided on the lower side of the upper cover 5 at the time of supplying water, and water is sprayed on the laundry in the washing tub 6 at the time of supplying water. The washing tub 6 is provided with a dehydration hole 7 for rotating the washing tub at a high speed after washing to discharge moisture in the laundry to the outside. Reference numeral 8 denotes a balance ring that smoothly holds the rotation of the washing tub 6 during dehydration, and 9 denotes a leg that supports the entire washing machine.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing details of a main part of the present invention. A shower container 10 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 11 and a support portion 12. The rotating shaft 11 is installed at a position shifted from the center of the shower container to the depth. The support section 12 has a bottom plate 13, and a part of the bottom plate 13 and the shower container 1.
A spring 16 is provided to connect the ends of the zero. At the other end of the shower vessel, shower outlets 4, 15 are provided on the wall surface and the bottom surface. The ejection port on the wall corresponds to 4 in FIG. A stopper 14 holds the bottom surface of the shower container in a horizontal position by the restoring force of the spring 16 when the shower container is light without water. Reference numeral 17 denotes an upper end portion of a wall surface of the shower container 10, which is set obliquely so as to be horizontal when the container is inclined. Reference numeral 19 denotes an overflow channel, which overflows into the detergent container 3 from the same channel when the supply of water into the shower container 10 becomes excessive. Reference numeral 18 denotes a lower stopper, which positions the lower limit when the shower container 10 is inclined and lowered.

FIG. 3 is a view of the shower container and the like as viewed from above. 20 is a detergent set in the detergent container 3, 21
Denotes a handle of the drawer-type detergent container 3, 22 denotes a jet passage hole provided on the wall surface of the detergent container 3 on the side of the shower container, and 23 denotes a detergent outlet hole provided below the depth-side wall surface of the detergent container 3.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the detergent container 3, showing a jet flow passage 22 and a detergent outlet 23.

Reference numeral 41 in FIG. 5 denotes an outlet for a detergent-dissolving jet provided at a lower portion of the wall surface of the shower container 10 on the detergent container side.

In the above configuration, first, after the detergent 20 is set in the detergent container, the bottom surface is held substantially horizontal as shown in FIGS. Water is poured into the shower container 10 housed in the cover 5. As the water accumulates, the container tilts to the left against the restoring force of the spring 16 due to unbalanced gravity of the water.
The shower outlet 4 descends and is exposed below the upper cover 5 as shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, and the inclination of the shower container 10 is stopped by the lower surface stopper 18. At this time, since the upper end of the wall surface of the shower container 10 is substantially horizontal,
5, the water level can be set higher, and the water pressure can be increased. With this water pressure, water spouts from the shower spouts 4 and 15 in multiple directions in the washing tub 6. If the washing tub 6 is gently rotated, the shower can be efficiently sprayed on the laundry around the entire circumference. At the same time, water spouts from the spouting holes 41 on the wall surface of the shower container 10 on the detergent container 3 side, and dissolves the detergent 20 through the passage holes 22.

When the water is excessively injected into the shower container 10, the water overflows from the overflow channel 19 to flow into the detergent container 3, and dissolves the detergent together with the water in the jet holes 41. The melted detergent flows into the washing tub 6 from the outflow hole 23 provided at the lower part of the depth-side wall of the detergent container 3 and through the lower side of the container. When ending water supply, use shower container 1
Stop water injection into 0. The residual water accumulated in the container flows out of the shower jets 4 and 15 into the washing tub 6, and the container becomes empty and light. Therefore, the shower container 10 returns to the original horizontal state by the restoring force of the spring 16 and the stopper 14. At this time, the shower outlet 4 is hidden and stored in the upper cover 5.

FIG. 6 shows a combination with a water softener using an ion exchange resin. 24 is a water softener body and ion exchange resin 25
And a salt 28 for regenerating the same resin on the upper portion thereof
Is provided on the net bottom 27. 30 is a check valve, 31 is a water supply port, and supplies tap water to the ion exchange resin 25 through a water supply valve (not shown). Reference numeral 29 denotes a water supply port for supplying tap water at the time of regeneration of the ion exchange resin 25 to dissolve the salt 28 and to pass through the resin 25 to regenerate the water; 32, a flow path for allowing the treated soft water to flow into the shower vessel 10;
Reference numeral 3 denotes a lid of the water softener 24, and reference numeral 38 denotes a drain pipe for discharging spent salt water.

When water is supplied with the above configuration, tap water is supplied into the ion-exchange resin 25 and soft water obtained by passing the same is injected into the shower vessel 10 from the flow path 32. At this time, the check valve 30 is “closed” to prevent tap water from flowing into the storage room 26. The soft water collected in the inclined shower container 10 dissolves the detergent 20 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment, and the washing tub 6 is discharged from a bottom or wall surface of the container (not shown) or a spout provided on the bottom surface and the wall surface. Spouts like a shower inside. At the end of the water supply, the supply of tap water to the ion exchange resin 25 is stopped. After that, tap water is injected from the water supply port 29 to form the salt 28.
Is melted, the check valve 30 is opened and the salt water is ion-exchanged with the resin 2.
5 and regenerate. The salt water after the regeneration is discharged from the drain pipe 38.

FIG. 7 shows still another embodiment. 34 is a projection provided on the wall surface of the shower container 10, 35
Is a container stopper formed of an elastic material, and has a hook portion 40 for supporting the slope portion 37 and the projection 34. Numeral 39 denotes a rod for pulling the container stopper 35, which is connected to a slider (not shown) of the electromagnet 36, the slider is attracted by energization of the electromagnet, and the container stopper 35 formed of an elastic material.
The action of detaching the hook portion 40 from the projection 34 against the restoring force of.

With the above arrangement, first, the water is supplied to the shower container 10 during washing without supplying electricity to the electromagnet 36 with the container stopper 35 supporting the projection 34.
For this reason, the shower container 10 does not tilt and water
As shown in FIG. 8 (a), the gas is spouted substantially downward from the spout 15 provided at the bottom of the showerhead. On the other hand, at the time of shower rinsing, the electromagnet 36 is energized for a short time according to an instruction from a microcomputer for controlling the washing machine (not shown), and the rod 39
, And the hook portion 40 is detached from the projection 34 to pour water. The shower container 10 is inclined, and the shower outlet 15 on the bottom faces the wall surface of the washing tub 6 as shown in FIG. Then, the washing water is efficiently sprayed on the laundry stuck to the wall surface by dehydration in a shower shape. If the washing tub 6 is gently rotated, the washing water can be effectively impregnated into the laundry all around the wall surface. After the impregnation, the rinsing step of dewatering is repeated several times. When the water injection is stopped after the rinsing, the remaining water in the shower vessel 10 is discharged from the spout 15, and the vessel becomes light and returns to the original position by the restoring force of the spring 16. At this time, the projection 34 of the shower container 10 slides on the slope 37 of the container stopper 35, rises while pushing, and is supported by the hook 40.

[0018]

According to the present invention, soft water having almost no water pressure which has passed through the ion exchange resin can be sprayed in a multi-directional shower. Further, if the shower container is made movable as in the embodiment, it is possible to spray the water in more directions by exposing the shower outlet to the lower side of the upper cover only when supplying water. In particular, during so-called shower rinsing for saving water, it is possible to spray and impregnate water efficiently from an optimal direction on the laundry leaning on the wall of the washing tub by dehydration, so that the rinsing performance is greatly improved. On the other hand, the shower spout is automatically hidden and stored in the upper cover except when water is supplied, so that it does not obstruct the taking in and out of the laundry. Also, place a detergent container next to the shower container,
At the time of water supply, the jet from the shower container dissolves the detergent in the detergent container through the passage hole in the wall surface of the detergent container, so that the washing performance can be enhanced in combination with the widespread spray of water.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a drawing supplementing a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a part of the main part of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating another part of the main part of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a combination with a water softener using the ion exchange resin of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a drawing supplementing FIG. 7 of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... detergent container, 4 ... wall shower spout, 5 ... upper cover, 6 ... washing tub, 7 ... dehydration hole, 8 ... balance ring, 1
0: shower container, 11: rotating shaft, 12: support, 13
... bottom plate, 14 ... stopper, 15 ... bottom shower spout,
Reference Signs List 16 spring, 17 upper end surface of shower container, 18 lower stopper, 19 overflow channel, 20 detergent container handle, 22 jet passage hole, 23 outlet hole, 24 water softener, 25 ion exchange Resin, 26 ... Salt storage chamber, 34 ... Protrusion, 35 ... Container stopper, 36 ... Electromagnet, 37 ... Slope section, 40 ... Hook section, 41 ... Outlet.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yosuke Nagano 502 Kunitachi-cho, Tsuchiura-city, Ibaraki Pref. Machinery Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Isao Hiyama 1-1-1-1 Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Co., Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd.Electrical Equipment Division Taga Division F-term (reference) 3B155 AA17 AA21 BB08 BB09 CB06 DA02 FA02 FA03 FA04 FA07 FA16 FA22 FA36 GA01 GA28 GB04 GB10

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A spout having a plurality of small holes on a wall surface or a bottom surface or a wall surface and a bottom surface of a container for containing water, and washing water from the spout port in a shower-like manner by the pressure of water accumulated by pouring water into the container. A washing machine having a shower container that is ejected into a tub. 2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said container for holding water is rotatably held on a wall thereof, and said rotation support portion is inclined to one side by its weight when water is filled. Displace it from the center and pull the end opposite to the side that descends with a spring with a spring.When water is poured, one side descends against the restoring force of the spring due to the weight of the water due to imbalance. ,
When there is no water, the spring returns to a horizontal state by the restoring force and the stopper. A washing machine comprising: a shower container configured to jet water in a shower shape by water pressure in an hour container. 3. The shower port according to claim 2, wherein when the shower container is horizontal, the shower outlet is housed in the upper cover of the washing machine, and when the water is poured and the container is inclined and descends, the shower outlet is provided. Is exposed below the upper cover. 4. The detergent container according to claim 1, wherein a detergent container is drawn out next to the shower container and jetted onto a wall surface of the detergent container on the shower container side. A washing machine characterized in that a washing hole is provided on the wall surface of the shower container, and a jetting hole for jetting water is formed on the wall surface of the shower container so as to dissolve the detergent in the detergent container. 5. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein when the shower container is inclined, the upper end surface of the wall surface of the shower container is set to be horizontal. 6. A washing machine according to claim 4, wherein when the shower container is inclined, an overflow channel is provided on an upper end surface of the container wall on the detergent container side. 7. The detergent container according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the bottom surface of the detergent container is inclined so as to descend to the depth side, and the dissolved detergent flows down from the depth side to the lower side of the container. A washing machine characterized in that a part of a lower part of a depth side wall surface is opened so as to perform the operation. 8. A washing machine according to claim 4, wherein soft water passed through an ion exchange resin is used.