JP2001129294A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the constitution, and to reduce the cost by reducing the number of part items while performing washing, rinsing without damaging the easily damageable laundry, spinning in the same basket, and controlling respective processes by a single control device in a washing machine capable of washing, draining and spinning by rotating the basket. SOLUTION: An outer tub 21 is integrally formed with an inner basket 19 so as to wrap the inner basket 19 forming an almost bottomed cylindrical shape and having a large number of small holes 20 on a peripheral wall, both the inner basket and the outer tub are rotated by a motor 26 with the vertical direction as the axis, and this motor 26 is controlled by a control device 38. Both the inner basket and the outer tub are rotated by the motor 26, and are constituted so as to deliver and circulate was water between the inner basket 19 and the outer tub 21 into the inner basket 19 from the upper part, and respective processes of washing, rinsing and spinning are controlled by a single control device 38.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine capable of washing, draining and dewatering by rotating a tub.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the washing environment of a washing machine has been changed from the old "wash when dirty" to "wash after wearing". Furthermore, the diversification of clothing and the diversification of clothing materials themselves have created a market demand for "easy washing without damaging the clothing", and the demand has been increasing year by year. A centrifugal washing machine that performs washing by centrifugal force generated by rotation of a tub has emerged as a washing machine that fulfills the demand, but what is called fully automatic washing, which automatically performs a series of steps from washing to spinning It was expensive, and it was not a popular type.

Conventionally, this type of washing machine has been configured as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the configuration will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the washing and dewatering tub 1 has a large number of small holes on an inner wall surface, and a stirring blade 2 is rotatably disposed on the bottom surface. A tank 3 is provided. A motor 4 for driving the washing and dewatering tub 1 and the stirring blade 2 is attached to the bottom surface of the water receiving tub 3, and the washing and dewatering tub 1 or the stirring blade 2 is driven via a clutch device 5 for switching the drive unit. It is configured to do.

The water receiving tank 3 is supported on the outer frame 6 via a suspension 7 in a vibration-proof manner. A water passage cover 8 is fixed to the inner wall of the washing and dewatering tub 1 to form a circulation water passage 9. The circulation water passage 9 is connected to a pump chamber 11 formed on the outer periphery of a lower blade 10 integrally provided on the back surface of the stirring blade 2. The lint filter 12 on the upper part of the dewatering tank 1 is connected.

A fluid balancer 13 containing a liquid is fixed above the washing / dewatering tub 1. The upper surface of the water receiving tank 3 is covered with a water receiving tank cover 14. Here, packing (not shown) is interposed between the water receiving tank 3 and the water receiving tank cover 14 to ensure water tightness.

The drain valve 15 drains washing water from the water receiving tub 3, and the water supply valve 16 supplies water into the water receiving tub 3. The control device 17 controls operations of the motor 4, the drain valve 15, the water supply valve 16, and the like, and sequentially controls a series of steps of washing, rinsing, and dewatering.

When washing the perishable laundry, the washing and dewatering tub 1 is rotated at, for example, 300 rpm in each of the washing and rinsing steps.
The washing liquid between the washing and dewatering tub 1 and the water receiving tub 3 is moved from the space between the washing and dewatering tub 1 and the water receiving tub cover 14 to approximately the center of rotation of the washing and dewatering tub 1 by centrifugal force generated by rotating the It is configured to discharge toward.

The water receiving tank cover 14 covers the upper surface of the water receiving tank 3 and maintains water tightness between the water receiving tank 3 and the water receiving tank 3. A rectifying member 18 is provided on the lower surface of the water receiving tub cover 14 so as to be substantially at the center of rotation of the washing and dewatering tub 1. The rectifying member 18 is provided on the lower surface of the water receiving tank cover 14 at substantially equal intervals,
At least one or more are provided.

The operation of the above construction will be described. The laundry is put into the washing and dewatering tub 1, the water supply valve 16 is turned on to supply water, and then the washing and dewatering tub 1 is rotated. When the washing liquid rises up the inner surface of the receiving tub 3, the washing liquid that has risen between the washing and dewatering tub 1 and the water receiving tub 3 hits the upper water receiving tub cover 14, and changes direction to wash and remove. The water is discharged from between the water tank 1 (the upper surface of the fluid balancer 13) and the water receiving tank cover 14 toward the substantially rotation center of the washing and dewatering tank 1.

After the discharged washing liquid passes through the laundry,
The water circulates again between the washing and dewatering tub 1 and the water receiving tub 3 through a number of small holes provided on the inner wall surface of the washing and dewatering tub 1. Due to the circulation of the washing liquid, when the washing liquid passes through the laundry, dirt on the laundry can be removed.

[0012]

In such a conventional configuration, a series of steps from washing to dehydration are automatically performed.
Since it is a so-called fully automatic washing machine, it has a drain valve 15 and a water supply valve 16, a control device 17 for automatically controlling them, and a clutch device 5 for switching the driving of the washing and dewatering tub 1 and the stirring blade 2. And a water receiving tank 3 and the like supported by vibration isolation via a suspension 7, the structure is complicated, and the cost is high.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and enables washing and rinsing of perishable laundry without damaging it, and also enables dehydration in the same tub, and furthermore, controls each process. A first object is to simplify the configuration, reduce the number of parts, and reduce the cost by using a single control device.

It is a second object of the present invention to achieve the first object and to automatically shift from washing to dehydration so as to eliminate the troublesomeness of having to check the operation state during washing.

[0015]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the first object, the outer tank is integrated with the inner tank so as to enclose the inner tank having a substantially cylindrical shape having a bottom and a peripheral wall having a large number of small holes. And
The inner and outer tanks are rotated by driving means about the vertical direction as a central axis, and the driving means is controlled by a control device.The inner and outer tanks are rotated by the driving means, and the inner tank and the outer tank are connected to each other. The cleaning water is discharged into the inner tank from above and circulated, and the respective processes of washing, rinsing, and dewatering are controlled by one controller.

[0016] Thereby, washing and rinsing can be performed without damaging the perishable laundry.
The dewatering can be performed in the same tank, and the control of each process can be performed by one controller, whereby the configuration can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

Further, in order to achieve the second object,
The outer tank is integrated with the inner tank so as to enclose the inner tank that has a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and has a number of small holes on the peripheral wall, and a valve that can control opening and closing by a difference in the rotation speed of the outer tank is provided in a part of the outer tank , The inner and outer tanks are rotated by driving means about the vertical axis as a central axis, and the driving means is controlled by a control device.The inner and outer tanks are rotated by the driving means, and the inner and outer tanks are rotated. During this time, the washing water is discharged into the inner tank from above and circulates, and when the rotation speed of both the inner and outer tanks exceeds a predetermined rotation speed, the water is drained from the valve to the outside of the outer tank. , Washing, rinsing, and dehydration are controlled by a single control device, and the process can be automatically shifted from washing to dehydration.

This makes it possible to wash and rinse the perishable laundry without damaging it.
The dehydration can be performed in the same tank, and the control of each process can be performed by a single control device, so that the configuration can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. The transition can be made, and the trouble of having to watch the operation state at the time of washing can be eliminated.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention has an inner tank that is substantially cylindrical with a bottom and has a number of small holes in a peripheral wall, and is integrated with the inner tank so as to surround the inner tank. An outer tank, a drive unit for rotating the inner and outer tanks around a vertical axis as a central axis, and a control device for controlling the drive unit, the drive unit rotating the inner and outer tanks, The washing water between the inner tank and the outer tank is discharged into the inner tank from above and circulated, and the control of each step of washing, rinsing, and dewatering is performed by one controller. The inner and outer tubs can be discharged from above into the inner tub by centrifugal force when the outer tub is rotated about the vertical direction as the rotation center axis, without damaging the perishable laundry, You can wash and rinse,
Dehydration can be performed in the same tank. In addition, since the rotation control of the drive means is performed by one control device, the user can easily operate the drive means, and since the configuration can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the control device includes an on-off time period for rotating the inner and outer tanks at a low speed and a high-speed control for the inner and outer tanks. It consists of a timer having an ON time period to rotate, and clearly distinguishes a washing process and a rinsing process in which the inner and outer tubs are rotated at a low speed, and a dehydration process in which the inner and outer tubs are rotated at a high speed. As a result, misuse by the user can be prevented, the configuration of the control device can be simplified, and the reliability of the control device can be improved.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inner tank which is substantially cylindrical with a bottom and has a plurality of small holes in a peripheral wall, an outer tank integrated with the inner tank so as to surround the inner tank, and the outer tank. A valve that can be controlled to open and close by a difference in the number of rotations of the outer tank, a driving unit that rotates the inner and outer tanks about a vertical axis as a central axis, and a control device that controls the driving unit. The inner and outer tanks are rotated by means, and the washing water between the inner and outer tanks is discharged from above and circulated into the inner tank, and the number of rotations of the inner and outer tanks is predetermined. When the number of rotations becomes equal to or more than 1, the water is drained from the valve to the outside of the outer tub, and the control of each step of washing, rinsing, and dehydration is performed by one control device, and it is possible to automatically shift from washing to dehydration. Wash and rinse without damage to perishable laundry In addition to being able to perform dehydration in the same tank and performing control of each step with one control device, the configuration can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. It is possible to automatically shift from washing to dehydration, and it is possible to eliminate troublesomeness of having to check the operation state during washing.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same components as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

(Embodiment) As shown in FIG.
Is provided with an outer tank 21 integrated with the inner tank 19 so as to surround the outer side of the inner tank 19 so as to wrap around the outer wall of the inner tank 19. In the upper part of the inner tank 19 and the outer tank 21,
A water receiving cover 22 is attached so as to seal both the inner and outer tanks. A coupling 23 is attached to the bottom surface of the outer tank 21, and a motor (driving means) 26 supported by a suspension 25 via a brake wheel 24 is attached via a brake wheel 24. 1
9 and the outer tub 21.

The inner wall of the water receiving cover 22 is provided with a plurality of discharge ports 27 communicating with the space between the inner tank 19 and the outer tank 21 and circulating by rotating both the inner and outer tanks. The washing water is discharged into the inner tub 19.

The drain valve 28 is provided on the bottom of the outer tub 21 to drain the washing water in the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21.
The drained washing water is captured by the shell 29,
Through the drain hose 31 and drained out of the machine. The outer shell 29 surrounds the outer tank 21 having the inner tank 19 therein through a space. At the center of the bottom of the outer shell 29, there is provided a buffer member 32 that supports the coupling 23 in a vibration-proof manner while rotating and supporting the coupling 23, and seals the inside of the outer shell 29 with water.

The outer casing 33 holds the outer body 29 at the upper part, and the bottom surface is placed on a frame 34 to which the suspension 25 is fixed. Also, on the upper part of the shell 29,
A dehydration receiving cover 37 having a through hole 35 facing the inner tub 19 and having an openable / closable inner lid 36 covering the through hole 35 is attached. Further, the panel 3 having the control device 38 therein is provided.
9 and an upper lid 40 covering the uppermost part.

The control device 38 includes an on-off time period for turning on / off the power supply to the motor 26 at a certain interval, and a motor 26
It is configured to switch between two types of operation of a time limit of ON only in which the power supply to the power supply is kept ON. The operation of the motor 26 is controlled by the control device 38 to wash, rinse,
Control each process of dehydration.

At the time of washing, by switching the control device 38 to a side having an on-off time limit, it is possible to prevent the rotation speed from exceeding a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 300 rpm). The outer tub 19 and the outer tub 21 are rotated at, for example, 300 rpm, and the washing liquid between the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21 is pushed up by the action of the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the inner tub 19, and the water receiving cover 22 Is discharged from the discharge port 27 into the inner tank 19.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. Inner tank 1
When the laundry is put in the washing tub 9 and supplied with water, the supplied washing liquid flows through the many small holes 20 in the peripheral wall of the inner tub 19 to form the outer tub 21.
Water is also supplied inside. The controller 38 is selected to have an on-off time limit, and the motor 26 is rotated so that the inner tank 19 and the outer tank 21 integrated with each other have a vertical rotation center axis and a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 300 rpm) or more. When the washing liquid is rotated so as to prevent the washing liquid, the washing liquid between the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21 is pushed up by the centrifugal force by this rotation, and the pushed washing liquid is filled in the water receiving cover 22 and pushed up by the further centrifugal force. Is discharged from the discharge port 27 into the inner tank 19.

After the discharged washing liquid has passed through the laundry in the inner tub 19, a number of small holes 2 formed in the peripheral wall of the inner tub 19 again.
0, circulates in a path moving between the inner tank 19 and the outer tank 21. Due to the circulation of the washing liquid, when the washing liquid passes through the laundry, dirt on the laundry can be removed.

Next, at the time of drainage, the control device 38 is set to the OFF position to stop the rotation of the motor 26, stop the rotation of the integrated inner tank 19 and outer tank 21, and manually operate the drain valve 28. By opening, the washing liquid in the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21 communicated by the many small holes 20 is drained into the outer shell 29, and further drained from the drain port 30 to the outside via the drain hose 31. Can be.

Further, at the time of dehydration, the drain valve 28 is opened,
By selecting only the ON time period of the control device 38, the motor 26 is brought into a continuous energized state.
When the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21 are rotated around the vertical direction as the rotation center axis at rpm, the washing liquid in the laundry passes through a number of small holes 20 provided on the peripheral wall of the inner tub 19 due to centrifugal force. 21, drain valve 28, shell 29, drain port 3
0, it can flow to the drain hose 31 and be discharged outside the machine.

Therefore, by arranging the inner tub 19, the outer tub 21, and the motor 26 with the vertical direction as the rotation center axis, a washing machine with a simple structure and high cost can be provided. Also, with just one controller,
It is possible to control the dehydration process, thereby enabling further cost reduction. At the same time, since only one control device is provided, it is possible to simplify wiring routing and components related thereto, and to improve reliability of the entire product.

(Embodiment 2) As shown in FIG. 2, the operation knob 41 operates a control device (not shown). The operation knob 41 is normally in the off position, and the power to the motor 26 is cut off. In the state of being. The control device is constituted by a timer, and the control can be switched by rotating the control knob 41 clockwise and counterclockwise around the center of the operation knob 41, respectively. Is a section having an on-off period for rotating the motor 26 at a low speed (washing / rinsing), and a section on the left side of the off position is a section having an on-time period for rotating the motor 26 at a high speed (dehydration). Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. First, when the user performs washing or rinsing, the operation knob 41 is used.
Is turned to the right from the off position, the energization of the motor 26 repeats on-off for a predetermined time period until it reaches the off position. By this operation, the energization time to the motor 26 is controlled, the inner and outer tubs can be controlled to a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 300 rpm), and washing or rinsing can be performed.

Next, by draining the water and turning the operation knob 41 to the left from the off position, the power supply to the motor 26 is kept on. 1700 rpm) to perform dehydration.

(Embodiment 3) As shown in FIG.
Numeral 2 is provided in the outer tank 21a so that opening and closing can be controlled by a difference in the number of rotations of the outer tank 21a. That is,
The rotation speed of the inner and outer tanks is a predetermined rotation speed (for example, 1000 r
pm) or more, the drain valve 42 is opened, and water is drained from the drain valve 42 to the outside of the outer tank 21a.

Next, as shown in FIG.
1a, for operating a control device (not shown), the operation knob 41a is normally in the off position, and the power to the motor 26 is off. The control device is constituted by a timer, and when the motor is rotated in one direction from the off position, the motor 2
6 has an on-off time to rotate at low speed (wash /
After the end of the (rinse) section, a (dehydration) section having an ON time period for rotating the motor 26 at high speed is configured to be continuous. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. First,
When the user performs washing or rinsing, the operation knob 4
1a is rotated right from the off position to a section having an on-off time period. In sections with on-off time periods,
The rotation of the inner and outer tanks is a predetermined rotation (for example, 300 rpm)
Perform a wash or rinse.

Next, the section having the on-off period ends, and at the same time, the section shifts to the section of the on-period. When the period shifts to the ON period section, the rotation speeds of the inner and outer tanks reach the maximum rotation speed (for example, 1700 rpm), and the process shifts to the dehydration process. The outer tank 2
The drain valve 42 provided in the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21a is opened, and the washing liquid in the inner tub 19 and the outer tub 21a passes through the drain valve 42 to the outer shell 29.
1 can be drained out of the machine.

When the user only wants to perform dehydration, the operation knob 41a can be rotated to a position where there is only an ON time period so that dehydration can be performed without performing washing.

[0042]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an inner tank having a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and having a number of small holes in a peripheral wall, and an inner tank surrounding the inner tank. An outer tank integrated with the above, a drive unit for rotating the inner and outer tanks about a vertical axis as a center axis, and a control device for controlling the drive unit, the inner tank and the outer tank are driven by the drive unit. Rotating, and configured to circulate by discharging the washing water between the inner tank and the outer tank from above into the inner tank, and washing,
Since the control of each process of rinsing and dewatering is performed by one control device, washing and rinsing can be performed without damaging the perishable laundry, and dehydration can be performed in the same tank. . In addition, since the rotation control of the drive means is performed by one control device, the user can easily operate the drive means, and since the configuration can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. At the same time, the reliability of the entire product can be improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the control device includes an on-off time period for rotating the inner and outer tanks at a low speed and the inner and outer tanks. A timer with an on-period that rotates the tub at high speed makes it possible to clearly identify the washing and rinsing processes that rotate the inner and outer tubs at low speed, and the dehydration process that rotates both the inner and outer tubs at high speed. It is possible to prevent user misuse, simplify the configuration of the control device, and improve the reliability of the control device. In addition, since the washing and rinsing steps can not be continuously changed from the washing step to the dehydrating step unless the user operates the washing and washing steps,
Even if you forget to drain after rinsing, you will not be able to start dewatering from the state where water has accumulated, preventing dangerous situations in use and improving product safety. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inner tank having a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom and a large number of small holes in a peripheral wall, and an outer tank integrated with the inner tank so as to surround the inner tank. A valve provided in the outer tank and capable of controlling opening and closing by a difference in the number of rotations of the outer tank;
Driving means for rotating the inner and outer tanks about a vertical axis as a central axis, and a control device for controlling the driving means,
The inner and outer tanks are rotated by the driving means, and the washing water between the inner and outer tanks is discharged into the inner tank from above and circulated, and the number of rotations of the inner and outer tanks is also increased. When the number of rotations becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined number of times, water is drained from the valve to the outside of the outer tub, and the control of each step of washing, rinsing, and dehydration is performed by a single control device, and it is possible to automatically shift from washing to dehydration. With this configuration, washing and rinsing can be performed without damaging the perishable laundry, dehydration can be performed in the same tub, and control of each process can be performed by one controller. The structure can be simplified, the number of parts can be reduced, the cost can be reduced, and the operation can be automatically switched from washing to dehydration, so that the troublesomeness of having to check the operation state during washing can be eliminated. In addition, since it is possible to prevent the user from forgetting to drain, there is no possibility of performing a dehydration operation in a state where water does not drain out, so that the configuration is more secure, and the safety of the product can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an operation unit of a control device for a washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a washing machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an operation unit of the control device of the washing machine.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional washing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 19 inner tank 20 small hole 21 outer tank 26 motor (drive means) 38 controller

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasutaka Hirayama 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Term (reference) 3B155 AA10 AA19 BA08 BB05 CB06 FC02 FD02 FD08 LA02 LB18 LC02 MA01 MA02

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An inner tank having a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and having a number of small holes in a peripheral wall, an outer tank integrated with the inner tank so as to surround the inner tank, and the inner and outer tanks being vertically aligned. A drive unit for rotating as a central axis, and a control device for controlling the drive unit, wherein the drive unit rotates the inner and outer tubs, and the washing water between the inner tub and the outer tub is supplied to the inner tub. It is constructed so that it is discharged from above and circulates,
A washing machine configured to control each process of rinsing and dewatering with one control device. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device comprises a timer having an on-off period for rotating the inner and outer tubs at low speed and an on-period for rotating the inner and outer tubs at high speed. . 3. An inner tank having a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and having a number of small holes in a peripheral wall, an outer tank integrated with the inner tank so as to wrap the inner tank, and a rotation speed of the outer tank provided in the outer tank. A valve capable of controlling the opening and closing of the inner and outer tanks with a vertical axis as a central axis, and a control device for controlling the driving means, wherein the inner and outer tanks are controlled by the driving means. The tank is rotated, and the washing water between the inner tank and the outer tank is discharged into the inner tank from above and circulates, and the rotation speeds of the inner and outer tanks are equal to or higher than a predetermined number of rotations. A washing machine configured such that water is sometimes drained from the valve to the outside of the outer tub, and each step of washing, rinsing, and dehydrating is controlled by a single control device, and an automatic transition from washing to dehydrating is performed.