JP2001009192A - Opening and closing door for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the strength of an opening and closing door provided on a top face of a washing machine. SOLUTION: This washing machine is provided with an opening and closing door opening and closing a charging port on a top face of a housing. The opening and closing door can be folded down and connects a pair of body members 6, 7 mutually through a folding-down connection mechanism so as to turn relatively. The folding-down connection mechanism is constituted in such a way that holes 23, 24 are formed in barrel parts 21, 22 formed integrally in each door member 6, 7 and a metallic shaft 20 made of a single member is fitted in these holes 23, 24 by passing through them. Since the shaft 20 and the door members 6, 7 are separate members, it is possible to obtain high strength and suppress rise of cost for the high strength. Moreover, a window allowing a user to see the inside is provided in the door members 6, 7. The barrel parts 21, 22 form a continuous circumferential face arranged along the shaft 20 to provide beautiful appearance. Consequently, it is possible to facilitate assembly, provide satisfactory maintenance property due to an opening 34 on a side face, and prevent unexpected coming off of the shaft by a coming-off prevention protruding part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a washing machine.
In particular, the present invention relates to an opening / closing door that covers an input port on an upper surface of a housing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A washing machine has a washing tub for washing.
It is provided in the housing. On the upper surface of the housing, an input port for taking in and out the laundry into and out of the washing tub is formed, and an opening / closing door that covers the input port so as to be able to open and close is provided. The rear edge of the opening / closing door is connected to the upper surface of the housing by an opening / closing mechanism including a hinge or the like.

[0003] The opening and closing doors include a single-plate-shaped door and a door in which a pair of plate-shaped door members are foldably connected. In the latter opening and closing door, adjacent edges of the pair of door members are connected to each other via a folding connection mechanism. Conventionally, the folding connection mechanism has a shaft portion and a support portion having a hole in which the shaft portion fits. The shaft portion is formed integrally with one of the pair of door members, and the support portion is formed integrally with the other of the pair of door members. These shaft portions and support portions are formed of a resin material, similarly to the door member.

[0004]

However, since the resin material is generally weaker than the metal material, when a large amount of laundry is frequently placed on the door, the folding connection mechanism is easily damaged. In particular, recent washing machines tend to have a large capacity for washing, so that a large amount of laundry is handled, and accordingly, it is expected that the load applied to the door will also increase. You.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problem and to provide an opening / closing door of a washing machine capable of increasing the strength of a folding connection mechanism of the opening / closing door.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, an opening / closing door is provided on an upper surface of a housing of a washing machine and opens and closes a slot for taking in and out laundry. The opening and closing door has a pair of plate-shaped door members and a foldable connection mechanism that connects the opposing edges of the pair of door members so as to be relatively rotatable. A pair of door members can be in a spread state in which the surfaces are lined up in the same direction, and a folded state in which the pair of door members overlap, and the folding connection mechanism includes holes formed in the pair of door members and these holes, respectively. An opening / closing door for a washing machine having a shaft that fits through.

According to this aspect, since the shaft is a member separate from the pair of door members, a high-strength material different from the door member can be used for the shaft, so that the strength of the shaft can be increased. According to the aspect of the invention described in claim 2, in the opening / closing door of the washing machine according to claim 1, the door member is provided with a window for viewing the inside of the washing machine, and the opening has a plurality of holes. Are arranged along the axial direction and are adjacent to each other so as to be continuously connected over the entire length of the shaft.

According to this aspect, the inside can be seen through the window, and for example, the progress of washing can be easily confirmed. In addition, since the portion of the door member forming the hole is linearly and continuously arranged along the axial direction, the aesthetic appearance when viewed through the window is excellent. Since the holes are provided at a plurality of positions over the entire length of the shaft, the load can be dispersed, so that the holes are harder to break.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the opening / closing door for a washing machine according to the first or second aspect, the hole is formed near the end of the shaft when viewed from the axial direction. sometimes,
A retaining projection is provided so as to overlap a part of the shaft, and the hole at the end of the shaft is wider than the other holes in the direction in which the retaining projection protrudes. Provide an opening and closing door for a washing machine.

According to this aspect, at the time of assembling, the shaft can be easily inserted into the hole through the hole at the widened end portion through the stopper and the protrusion. The inserted shaft is prevented from coming out of the hole by the retaining projection. As a result, for example, the work for fixing the shaft in the hole can be omitted, and the assembly is easy. The retaining of the shaft can be realized by a simple configuration of the retaining projection.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the opening / closing door of the washing machine according to the second or third aspect, the hole is formed with a side opening through which a peripheral surface of a shaft can be exposed. An opening / closing door for a washing machine is provided. According to this aspect, for example, at the time of assembling, the shaft can be passed through a plurality of continuous holes while viewing the shaft inside the hole through the side opening, so that the operation of passing the shaft is easier than when the shaft is not visible. Easy.

When the shaft is to be removed from the hole,
By pushing the peripheral surface of the shaft from the side opening, the shaft can be moved and taken out of the hole. Further, since the shaft is exposed only at the side opening, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally touching the shaft, and as a result, it is possible to prevent the shaft from coming off. According to an aspect of the invention described in claim 5, in the opening / closing door of the washing machine according to claim 4, the side opening is located at a position to avoid exposure to the outside in the folded state. Provide an opening / closing door for a washing machine.

According to this aspect, it is possible to reliably prevent the user from accidentally touching the shaft in the folded state. Here, the position where the exposure to the outside is avoided may be any position that is hard to be seen from around the folded door. Claim 6
According to an aspect of the present invention, in the opening / closing door of the washing machine according to claim 4 or 5, the side opening is formed in a size to prevent entry of a finger. To provide an open / close door.

According to this aspect, it is possible to more reliably prevent the user from accidentally touching the shaft. According to the aspect of the invention described in claim 7, in the opening / closing door of the washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the shaft is made of metal. provide.

According to this aspect, a high-strength and inexpensive shaft can be easily obtained.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a front side view of a washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Washing machine 1
Has a box-shaped housing 2, in which a washing tub 3 for washing and dewatering and a valve (not shown) for supplying water to the washing tub 3 and draining water from the washing tub 3 are provided. And pipes are provided. Further, on the upper surface 2a of the housing 2 above the washing tub 3, there is formed an inlet 4 for taking in and out the laundry.
Is provided.

The opening / closing door 5 has a pair of plate-like door members 6 and 7 made of a resin material, and a folding connection mechanism 8 that connects the pair of door members 6 and 7 so as to be relatively rotatable. ing. The pair of door members 6 and 7 are formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and the edges 9 and 10 (see FIG. 3) along the longitudinal direction thereof are connected to each other by the folding connection mechanism 8 so as to face each other. The foldable connection mechanism 8 can be set in an expanded state (a state shown by a solid line in FIG. 1) and a folded state (a state shown by a dashed line in FIG. 1).

In the opened state, the pair of door members 6, 7
The surfaces 6a and 7a are arranged side by side with the same orientation,
It becomes a single plate. In the folded state, the pair of door members 6 and 7 are overlapped so that their surfaces 6a and 7a are outside, and the opening / closing door 5 is folded in two. In this state, the back surfaces of the door members 6 and 7 (the front surfaces 6a and 7
This is the back side of a. ) Is sandwiched inside the fold.

In the opening / closing door 5, one of the door members 6 is connected to the washing machine 1.
, The other door member 7 is arranged rearward.
The other door member 7 has an edge 1 having a folding connection mechanism 8.
An opening / closing connection mechanism 12 that connects the opening / closing door 5 to the upper surface 2a of the housing 2 so as to be openable / closable is provided on an edge 11 facing the opening / closing door 5. The opening / closing connection mechanism 12 is configured by a hinge including a rotation center shaft 13 extending along the edge 11 of the door member 7. As the opening / closing connection mechanism 12, a known mechanism other than a hinge can be used. The opening and closing connection mechanism 12 causes the opening and closing door 5 in the opened state to be disposed substantially horizontally to cover the opening 4 (the state shown by a solid line in FIG. 1), and the opening and closing door 5 to be connected to the opening 4
Can be placed in an open state in which the input port 4 is opened by leaning against the upper surface 2a. In the opened state, the opening and closing door 5 may be in a folded state (this state is shown by a dashed line in FIG. 1) or may be in an expanded state.

As described above, when the opening and closing door 5 is folded, the space for opening and closing the opening and closing door 5 can be reduced, so that there is no need to open the upper part of the washing machine 1 widely. For example, when the dryer is arranged above the washing machine 1, the installation height of the dryer can be reduced to facilitate the use. The present embodiment is characterized by the above-mentioned folding connection mechanism 8. That is, the shaft 20 that penetrates the holes 23 and 24 (see FIG. 3) formed in each of the pair of door members 6 and 7 is provided separately from each of the pair of door members 6 and 7. Thereby, it is possible to increase the strength of the shaft 20 and suppress an increase in cost for the strength.

Further, the opening / closing door 5 of the present embodiment is provided with a window 14 for viewing the inside of the slot 4. Thereby, the progress of the washing can be easily confirmed. The details will be described below. The door members 6 and 7 have main plate portions 15 and 16 sized to cover substantially half of the input port 4 and main plate portions 15 and 16.
And a semi-circular window 14 provided in a part of. Further, the main plate portion 15 is formed with a concave portion 17 serving as a handle during opening and closing operations.

The windows 14 are arranged close to and adjacent to the edges 9 and 10 on the side where the folding connection mechanism 8 is located. As a result, the two windows 14 have a substantially circular shape at a substantially central portion of the opening / closing door 5, and also function as a single large window. The two windows 14 are formed of a translucent resin material, and the main plate portion 15 excluding the windows 14,
The 16 surfaces 6a, 7a are opaque. When the user wants to check the washing status, without opening the door 5,
The inside of the washing tub 3 can be seen through the window 14. Note that the window 14 may be formed of a transparent member.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the folding connection mechanism 8 includes a first frame 21 as a hole forming member formed integrally with one door member 6 and a door frame 7 formed integrally with the other door member 7. A second frame 22 as a formed hole forming member, a hole 23 formed in the first frame 21, a hole 24 formed in the second frame 22, and a hole penetrating these holes 23, 24. And the shaft 20 described above, which is a single piece fitted therein.

The shaft 20 extends along adjacent edges 9, 10 of the pair of door members 6, 7. The shaft 20 is the center of rotation of the pair of door members 6, 7 relative to each other. Axis 20
Is made of a corrosion-resistant metal material such as stainless steel,
It is formed in a cylindrical shape. As the material of the shaft 20, since the door 5 is assumed to be wet with water, a material having corrosion resistance that does not easily generate rust is preferable. In particular, when the shaft 20 is formed of a metal material, the rigidity of the shaft 20 can be increased, so that the shaft 20 does not rattle during opening and closing, which is more preferable. Examples of the corrosion-resistant metal material include aluminum in addition to stainless steel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first frame portion 21 is formed on the edge 9 of the main plate portion 15 of one of the door members 6, and is directed toward the back surface and toward the outside of the main plate portion 15. It is overhanging. The above-described hole 23 is formed at the center of the protruding portion of the first frame portion 21, and the outer shape of the first frame portion 21 is formed by a circumferential surface 25. The second frame portion 22 is formed on the edge 10 of the main plate portion 16 of the other door member 7 and projects toward the rear surface side and toward the inside of the main plate portion 16. The above-described hole 24 is formed at the center of the protruding portion of the second frame 22, and the outer shape of the second frame 22 is formed by a circumferential surface 26.

The circumferential surfaces 25 and 26 have substantially the same size when viewed from the axial direction of the shaft 20 (hereinafter referred to as "axial direction"). Therefore, when the first frame portion 21 and the second frame portion 22 are combined, a smooth outer shape with less unevenness can be obtained. As shown in FIG. 4, the first frame portions 21 are provided at a plurality of positions, for example, five positions along the edge 9 of the door member 6, and each first frame portion 2 is provided.
A predetermined interval is provided between each pair. Also, the second
The top part 22 has a plurality of positions along the edge 10 of the door member 7,
For example, it is provided at six places, and a predetermined interval is provided between the second frame parts 22. First frame 21 and second
The frame parts 22 alternately enter between the opponents and are arranged in a line along the axial direction. There is little gap between the adjacent first frame portion 21 and second frame portion 22. First frame 21 and second frame 2
The two cooperate with each other to accommodate the entire shaft 20 in the holes 23 and 24 and to support the shaft 20 in a two-sided state. A plurality of holes 23,
Numerals 24 are arranged along the axial direction and communicate with each other continuously over the entire length of the shaft 20. These plurality of holes 23, 2
4 are fitted into the shaft 20 so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft 20 without play.

Of the plurality of holes 23 and 24, a hole 28 at one end in the axial direction (for example, the hole 24 of the second frame 22 on the left side in FIG. 5) is an end. The part is closed. Also, a hole 27 at the other end in the axial direction is provided.
(For example, in FIG. 5, the hole 2 of the second
4. ) Is open at the end. When assembling,
The shaft 20 is inserted into the holes 23 and 24 from the hole 27 at the open end.

The hole 27 on the insertion side of the shaft 20 is provided with a retaining projection 29 which is arranged so as to overlap a part of the shaft 20 when viewed from the axial direction. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the retaining projection 29 is formed so as to protrude into the hole 27 and is near the end 41 of the shaft 20.
The retaining projection 29 prevents the shaft 20 from moving in the axial direction by being caught on the end surface 20 a of the shaft 20.
The hole 27 is formed in an oval shape that is wider than the other holes 23 and 24, and the longitudinal direction of the oval extends along the direction in which the retaining projection 29 projects. The oblong hole 27 is formed so that the shaft 20 passes over the retaining protrusion 29 and the shaft 2
0 which is large enough to pass through
The opening (center C2) is shifted from the center C1.

Further, the second frame 22 in the middle of the axial direction
Hole 24 is formed by a circumferential surface extending in the axial direction.
As shown in FIG. 3, each first frame portion 21 has a section 32 having a substantially U-shaped cross section and a cylindrical section 33 having a circular cross section, which are arranged in the axial direction. The hole 23 is formed by a circumferential surface extending in the axial direction in the cylindrical portion 33. Hole 23
Is smoothly connected between the portion 33 and the portion 32. The hole 23 is formed at a portion 32 having a substantially U-shaped cross section by a bottom surface formed of a circumferential surface extending in the axial direction and a pair of side surfaces rising from the bottom surface. The side surface opening 34 that can expose the peripheral surface 42 of is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the door 5 is closed (opened), the side opening 34 faces the rear side where the inlet 4 is located and opens downward. Is formed. If the side opening 34 opens downward, when the load is applied to the door members 6 and 7, the bottom surface of the hole 23 and the peripheral surface 42 of the shaft 20 can surely come into contact with each other. 20 can catch it. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the side opening 34 is opened in the folded state so as to face the inside sandwiched between the back surfaces of the door members 6 and 7, and is arranged at a position where exposure to the outside is avoided.
Further, the size of the side opening 34 is within a range that the finger 20 can be prevented from entering the shaft 20 so that the shaft 20 is not directly touched by the finger, and a size that can accommodate a general-purpose tool inside. ing.

The shaft 20 fitted in the plurality of holes 23, 24 in this way does not rattle even when receiving a load in the radial direction from the door members 6, 7.
It is held in the bore without rattling in the axial direction. When assembling the door 5, the edges 9, 10 of the pair of door members 6, 7 are arranged to face each other, and the first frame 21 and the second frame
The tops 22 are engaged with each other and arranged in a line, so that the holes 23 and 24 communicate with each other. In this state, the shaft 20 is slightly inclined, and the shaft 20 is inserted into the hole 27 through the retaining protrusion 29 from the hole 27 at the end. Then, the shaft 20 may be pushed inward along the inner surfaces of the holes 23 and 24.

At this time, since the shaft 20 can be seen through the side opening 34, the shaft 20 can be easily passed through the continuous holes 23 and 24 as compared with the case where the shaft 20 cannot be seen. This is because if there is a step between the adjacent holes 23 and 24, the shaft 20 may be caught by this step, but if the shaft 20 is visible, the step can be easily eliminated. This is because if the number 20 cannot be seen, the stuck step is difficult to understand and difficult to eliminate.

The shaft 20 extends into the holes 23 and 24, and the shaft 2
When the 0 end face 20a enters the hole beyond the retaining projection 29, the mounting of the shaft 20 is completed. In this state, it is possible to prevent the inserted shaft 20 from coming out of the holes 23 and 24 by the retaining projection 29. Also, during maintenance,
0 needs to be removed, the side opening 3
4, the peripheral surface 42 of the shaft 20 may be pushed through a tool or the like. Accordingly, the end portion 41 of the shaft 20 can be moved in the axially anti-insertion direction while biasing the end portion 41 of the shaft 20 in the radial direction in which the engagement with the retaining projection 29 is released. The part 41 can be pulled out beyond the retaining projection 29. After that, the shaft 20 that has come out may be pulled out.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, since the shaft 20 is separate from the pair of door members 6 and 7, the shaft 20 has a high strength different from the door members 6 and 7. As a result, the strength of the shaft 20 can be increased. Further, since the shaft 20 and the door members 6 and 7 are separate bodies, there is no need to provide a portion for fixing the shaft 20 to the door members 6 and 7, and it is easy to support the shaft 20 with both ends. . As a result, an excessive force is hardly applied to the door members 6, 7, and the door members 6, 7 are hardly damaged. On the other hand, in the conventional door member formed integrally with the shaft, there is a concern that stress concentration may occur in a portion where the shaft is fixed, and the shaft integrated with the door member is usually supported in a cantilevered state. Therefore, a large force is easily applied to the root of the shaft.

The door members 6 and 7, which are separate from the shaft 20,
There is no need to provide a portion for fixing the shaft 20, an excessive force is unlikely to be applied, and the door members 6, 7 are hardly damaged. On the other hand, in the conventional door member formed integrally with the shaft, there is a concern that stress concentration may occur in a portion where the shaft is fixed. Holes 23, 24
Are provided at a plurality of locations over the entire length of the shaft 20,
As a result, the first frame 21 and the second frame 22 are less likely to be broken.

As compared with the case where the shaft 20 composed of a plurality of members is provided, the single member shaft 20 can receive even a biased load in a wide range in the axial direction. The portion 22 is harder to break. Also, axis 2
0 and the door members 6 and 7 are formed separately, so that the shaft 2
Only 0 can be formed of a high-strength material, and the door members 6 and 7 can be formed of an inexpensive material even with a low strength. As a result, an increase in cost for increasing the strength of the shaft 20 can be suppressed within a necessary range. In addition, in order to increase the strength of the shaft 20 integral with the conventional door member, not only the shaft 20 but also the entire door member is formed of a high-strength and expensive material. Is done.

In particular, since a high-strength and inexpensive metal shaft 20 can be easily obtained, an increase in component costs can be reliably suppressed. In addition, since the shaft 20 is single, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed to a minimum, and as a result, assembling can be facilitated and an increase in assembly cost can be suppressed. In addition, the simple configuration of the retaining projection 29 allows the holes 23, 24 to be assembled during assembly.
The work of fixing the shaft 20 inside the housing can be eliminated, and the assembly can be further facilitated. Further, since the hole 23 has the side opening 34, the shaft 20 can be easily passed through the plurality of holes 23 and 24 during assembly.

Further, by using the side opening 34, it is possible to maintain the ease of maintenance in which the shaft 20 can be removed as needed. Can be prevented from accidentally touching the shaft 20, and the shaft 20 can be prevented from coming off. In particular, since the side opening 34 is arranged so as not to be exposed to the outside in the folded state, it is possible to reliably prevent the user from accidentally touching the shaft 20. Furthermore, if the side opening 34 has a size that does not allow a finger to enter, it can be prevented more reliably.

The first frame 21 and the second frame 2
2 are arranged linearly and continuously along the axial direction, so that they have excellent aesthetics when viewed through the window 14 (see FIG. 8). In particular, when viewed through the window 14, the surfaces of the first frame portion 21 and the second frame portion 22 form a continuous surface, for example, a circumferential surface. Further, when the shaft 20 is single, it is more preferable.

Further, in the closed state, the side opening 34 is open to the opposite side to the window 14 and is in a position where it cannot be seen through the window 14, so that it is more preferable from the aesthetic point of view. Further, as described above, since the door members 6 and 7 are hardly damaged and the high-strength shaft 20 can be used, the shaft 20 and the like for withstanding a required load can be downsized.
Is difficult to obstruct the view from the window 14, and the inside can be easily seen.

Further, since the above-mentioned frame portions 21 and 22 are excellent in aesthetics and hardly obstruct the view, the size of the window 14 can be increased, so that the inside can be more easily seen. In addition, the arrangement and the number of the frame units 21 and 22 are not limited to those described above.
For example, one first frame portion 21 is arranged at the center of one edge 9,
It is also conceivable to arrange two second frame parts 22 on both sides thereof.

Although the opening / closing door 5 has the window 14, the present invention can be applied to a door without the window 14. Further, the shaft 20 is not limited to a metal shaft. For example, the material of the shaft 20 may be a high-strength resin or the like, and a known hard member can be used. In addition, various design changes can be made without changing the gist of the present invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an upper half of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion C of FIG. 1, illustrating the spread state.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the folding connection mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the opening / closing door of FIG. 1 as viewed from below.

5 is a sectional view of the folding connection mechanism of FIG. 1 and FIG.
2 shows an AA cross section of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a main part of the opening / closing door viewed from a direction B in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a part C of FIG. 1, illustrating a folded state.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the folding connection mechanism of FIG. 1, showing a state seen through a window.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing machine 2 Housing 2a Upper surface 4 Slot 5 Opening door 6,7 Door member 6a, 7a Surface 8 Folding connection mechanism 9,10 Edge 14 Window 20 Axis 23,24 Hole 27 Hole (hole at end) 29 Exit Stop projection 34 Side opening 41 Shaft end 42 Shaft peripheral surface

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An opening / closing door provided on an upper surface of a housing of a washing machine for opening and closing a slot for taking in and out laundry, the opening / closing door includes a pair of plate-shaped door members and a pair of doors. A folding connection mechanism for connecting the opposing edges of the members to each other so as to be relatively rotatable, and by the folding connection mechanism, a pair of door members are arranged in a state where the surfaces are lined up in the same direction, and a pair of door members. Wherein the folding connection mechanism has holes formed in the pair of door members, respectively, and a shaft fitted through the holes to fit. 2. The opening / closing door of a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the door member is provided with a window for viewing the inside of the washing machine, and a plurality of holes are arranged along an axial direction. A door for a washing machine, which is adjacent to each other so as to be continuously connected over the entire length of the shaft. 3. The opening / closing door for a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the hole is disposed near an end of the shaft so as to overlap a part of the shaft when viewed from the axial direction. The opening and closing door for a washing machine, wherein a hole at an end of the shaft is wider than other holes in a direction in which the retaining protrusion projects. 4. The opening and closing door for a washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the hole is formed with a side opening through which a peripheral surface of a shaft can be exposed. Opening door. 5. The opening / closing door for a washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the side opening is located at a position to avoid exposure to the outside in a folded state. 6. The opening / closing door for a washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the side opening is formed to have a size to prevent entry of a finger. 7. The opening / closing door of a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein said shaft is made of metal.