JP2003093788A - Drum type washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To excellently drain water from liquid storage tanks in a drum type washing machine having a plurality of liquid storage tanks and a vibration preventing device, especially, in a top-loading drum type washing machine. SOLUTION: On a rotary shaft 51R side arranged on one end face 41R in the drum 4 and opposed to liquid charging/discharging holes 81 in the liquid storage tanks 8, a liquid interrupting plate 66 constructed of a tapered annular plate is fixed while its large-diameter circumferential edge 68 is set on the drum 4 side. Since the liquid interrupting plate 66 is tilted gradually toward the rotary shaft 51R, the dropping direction of water discharged from the liquid storage tank 8 positioned above as a result of rotation of the drum 4 is changed by means of the liquid interrupting plate 66, so that the water is prevented from reaching the liquid charging/discharging hole 81 in another liquid storage tank 8 positioned below. Therefore, the dropping water can be discharged rapidly without entering the liquid storage tank 8 positioned below.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum-type washing machine which rotates about a horizontal axis, and more specifically, a so-called top loading type washing machine having an opening for loading and unloading laundry in a cylindrical portion of the drum. Drum type washing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventionally known drum type washing machine, an opening has a front end face of a drum (a front face of a cylindrical portion extending in a lateral direction).
It is provided in and puts the laundry in and out through the opening,
This is a so-called front-loading drum type washing machine. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-255187 discloses a top-loading type drum type washing machine in which a drum rotates about a substantially horizontal rotation axis.

Here, the top loading type means that the laundry is not put in and out from the front end surface of the drum arranged sideways, but both end surfaces of the drum are closed, and when the drum is in a stationary state. The opening formed in the cylindrical portion of the drum stops upward, and the laundry is put in and taken out through the opening. By the way, in a drum-type washing machine, it is known that vibration is generated due to an unbalanced load caused by uneven distribution of laundry when the laundry is not evenly arranged in the drum during spin-drying when the drum is rotated at high speed. ing. A proposal for reducing this vibration is Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-
323651. The previously proposed technology selectively fills the water in the water storage tanks so that the water is stored in a plurality of water storage tanks arranged on the circumference of the rotation axis and offsets the uneven load caused by uneven distribution of laundry. It is configured to drop into. Such a vibration preventing device can be effectively applied to a top loading type drum type washing machine.

[0004]

In the top-loading type drum type washing machine, since the drum rotating shaft is substantially horizontal, when the above vibration preventing device is provided on this drum, the water in the whole water storage tank is drained. Therefore, when the drum is rotated at a low speed, the water falling from the water tank that has been lifted upwards enters the water tank below, and it takes time to drain the water or the water is completely drained from the water tank. There is a risk that it will not be possible. Of course, a front-loading drum type washing machine has the same problem.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a drum-type washing machine equipped with an anti-vibration device having a plurality of water tanks, particularly a drum-type washing machine for rotating a drum around a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, from a water tank. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drum type washing machine so that drainage can be performed well. Also,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a drum type washing machine in which vibration during dehydration is reduced.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a drum (4) arranged so as to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis.
And a plurality of liquid storage tanks (8) provided on at least one end surface of the drum (4) and arranged on a circumference centered on the rotation shafts (51L, 51R). The drum (4) has a liquid inlet / outlet (81) facing the rotating shaft.
The liquid can be stored by the centrifugal force while rotating at a predetermined speed or higher, and when the rotation speed of the drum (4) becomes lower than the predetermined speed, when the liquid inlet / outlet (81) faces downward. A plurality of liquid storage tanks (8) configured such that the stored liquid spills from the liquid inlet / outlet (81) due to gravity (a liquid storage tank (8) for canceling the unbalanced load.
Will be referred to as a “G fall liquid storage tank”. ) And the liquid inlet / outlet (8) of the plurality of liquid storage tanks (8) are provided on the rotary shaft (51L, 51R) side.
1) A drum-type washing machine characterized by having a liquid shielding surface (66, 66F) that changes the falling direction of the liquid spilled from the above.

The alphanumeric characters in parentheses represent corresponding constituent elements in the embodiments described later. The same applies in this section below. The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the liquid shielding surface has an annular outer peripheral surface which is tapered in the rotation axis direction, and a large-diameter circular peripheral edge (68) is in contact with the drum end surface. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1. Claim 1
According to the configuration of (1), the liquid shielding surface (6
6, 66F), liquid falling from the upper liquid storage tank (8) hits the liquid shield surface (66, 66F) when the drum is rotated at a low speed for drainage.
The falling direction can be changed. Therefore, the liquid falling from the upper storage tank (8) is promptly drained without entering the lower storage tank (8).

According to the present invention, in the top-loading type drum-type washing machine having the G-fall liquid storage tank,
It is possible to quickly drain the G-fall liquid storage tank. Further, since the drum type washing machine includes the G-fall liquid storage tank, even when the laundry is unevenly distributed in the drum, vibration during dehydration can be reduced. Here, the "dehydration" also includes "deliquoring" in dry cleaning using a petroleum solvent or the like.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 are vertical cross-sectional views showing an overall configuration of a top-loading type drum type washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a vertical plane along the front-rear direction. A cross section is shown, and FIG. 2 shows a cross section taken along a vertical plane along the left-right direction.

The casing 1 constituting the appearance of this drum type washing machine is, for example, a washing machine pan for a spiral type vertical washing machine equipped with a pulsator for generating a water flow in a tub for containing laundry. It is formed in a size that can be installed in. In addition, the height when installed on the floor (the height from the floor surface to the upper surface of the housing 1) is designed to be about the waist of the user. Inside the housing 1, a hollow cylindrical outer tank 2 is provided.
Are provided with both ends left and right. The outer tub 2 is supported by a pair of dampers 3F and 3B and a pair of coil springs 3L and 3R. Specifically, the pair of dampers 3
F and 3B connect between the inner bottom surface of the casing 1 and the outer tub 2, and respectively support the lower frontward position and the lower rearward position of the outer tub 2. In addition, a pair of coil springs 3
L and 3R connect the left side plate 17 and the right side plate 16 of the housing 1 to the outer tub 2, respectively, and support the position of the outer tub 2 at the upper rear side.

Inside the outer tub 2, drums 4 for accommodating the laundry are provided with both ends left and right, and both ends are closed by circular side plates 41L and 41R. Rotating shafts 51L and 51R are connected to the centers of these circular side plates 41L and 41R, respectively. Rotating shafts 51L, 5
1R are circular side plates 41 along the same rotation axis set in a direction substantially orthogonal to the left and right side plates of the housing 1.
The bearings 52L and 52R attached to the outer tub 2 are rotatably received. A motor 6 is coupled to the right end of the rotary shaft 51R by a DD (direct drive) method, and the drum 4 is
The driving force of the motor 6 causes the outer tub 2 to rotate about the rotation axis.

The cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4 is formed with an opening 43 for taking in and out laundry. Further, the front surface 11 and the upper surface 12 of the housing 1 are connected by a convex curved surface 13 having a substantially arcuate cross section when cut along a vertical plane along the front-rear direction. An opening 15 that can be opened and closed by the lid 14 is formed. And
An opening 22 is formed in the peripheral wall 21 of the outer tub 2 at a position facing the opening 15 of the housing 1, and the drum 4
The stop position is controlled so that the opening 43 overlaps the opening 22 of the outer tub 2. As a result, with the drum 4 stopped, the opening / closing lid 14 is opened and the drum 4
On the other hand, the laundry can be taken in and out from diagonally above through the openings 15, 22, 43.

Although not shown, the opening 22 of the outer tub 2 and the opening 43 of the drum 4 are provided with slide-type or lift-type opening / closing lids, respectively. It is designed to load and unload laundry in a closed state. The opening / closing lid of the opening 43 of the drum 4 may be configured to be automatically opened / closed in conjunction with opening / closing of the opening / closing lid of the opening 22 of the outer tub 2. Further, in order to correct the imbalance of the weight balance due to the opening / closing lid provided at the opening 43 of the drum 4, a position substantially opposite to the opening 43 with respect to the rotation axis is provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4. An opening balancer 61 is attached to the.

The right side plate 16 of the housing 1 has a hose connection port 7 for connecting a water supply hose to an external water supply facility or the like.
1 is provided, and from this hose connection port 71 to the housing 1
A water supply pipe 72 extends toward the inside. Water pipe 72
Is branched on the way, and the tips of the branch pipes 72L and 72R enter the outer tub 2 to form water injection ports 73L and 73R below the rotary shafts 51L and 51R, respectively. Also,
A water injection port 7 is provided in the middle of each of the branch pipes 72L and 72R.
Water supply valves 74L and 74R for allowing and blocking the flow of water to 3L and 73R are provided. When the water supply valves 74L and 74R are opened, the water supplied through the water supply hose passes through the water supply pipe 72 and each water injection port 73.
It reaches L and 73R, and water is discharged downward from each water injection port 73L and 73R.

At the bottom of the peripheral wall 21 of the outer tank 2,
One end of the drain pipe 75 is connected, and the other end of the drain pipe 75 is connected to the drain port 76 provided on the right side plate 16 of the housing 1.
It is connected to the. A drain valve 77 is provided in the middle of the drain pipe 75. With the drain valve 77 closed, the water supply valves 74L and 74R are opened and the water injection port 73 is opened.
By supplying water from L and 73R, the water discharged from these water injection ports 73L and 73R can be stored in the outer tub 2. In addition, the water accumulated in the outer tub 2 is opened by opening the drain valve 77, so that the drain pipe 75 and the drain port 7
It can be drained to the outside of the machine through 6.

A large number of water passage holes (not shown) are bored in the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4, and the water accumulated in the outer tub 2 passes through the water passage holes into the drum 4. It is supposed to flow in. Further, a baffle (not shown) for lifting the laundry is provided at an appropriate position on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4. Outer tank 2 for washing and rinsing
When the drum 4 is rotated while water is stored therein, the laundry in the drum 4 is lifted by the baffle, and the operation of naturally falling from a certain height toward the water surface is repeated. At the time of dehydration, the drum 4 is rotated at high speed, water contained in the laundry in the drum 4 is squeezed out by centrifugal force, and the dehydration from this laundry is scattered to the outer tub 2 side through the water passage holes. To do.

This drum type washing machine also has a function of drying the laundry after dehydration. As shown in FIG. 2, a unit U for the drying function is attached to a position on the lower left side of the outer tub 2. Since the unit U for the drying function has a relatively large weight, by mounting the unit U on the side opposite to the motor 6 with respect to the center of the outer tub 2, the weight added to the outer tub 2 is balanced. Further, in order to reduce the vibration of the drum 4, a plurality of liquid storage tanks 8 are attached to the outer surface of the circular side plate 41R of the drum 4, and a liquid shield plate is provided between the liquid storage tank 8 and the rotary shaft 51R. 66
Is provided.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing the right side surface of the drum 4 as seen from the direction of the rotary shaft 51R. The drum 4 is provided with an annular container 82. The annular container 82 has a rotating shaft 51.
A plurality of liquid storage tanks 8 are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference centered on R. The annular container 82 is provided with partition plates 86 that partition the container into a plurality of liquid storage tanks 8 at equal intervals in the radial direction. In this embodiment, the annular container 82 is, for example, 16 by 16 partition plates 86.
It is divided into individual liquid storage tanks 8.

The liquid storage tank 8 is formed in a box shape, and has a hollow inside so that water can be stored therein. 1
Each of the liquid storage tanks 8 has a liquid inlet / outlet 81 facing the rotating shaft 51R, and the liquid inlet / outlet 81 is provided with a half lid 87. The half lid 87 is 1/2 to 2/3 of the liquid inlet / outlet 81.
Are covered from the advancing side in the rotation direction of the liquid storage tank 8. Half lid 87
With the provision of, it is possible to prevent water from spilling from the unwanted liquid storage tank 8. Further, the half lid 87 faces the liquid inlet / outlet 81 so that water can be smoothly introduced into the liquid storage tank 8 from the liquid inlet / outlet 81.
It is inclined in the direction. As a result, the water injected from the water injection port 73R can be smoothly stored in each liquid storage tank 8 by the rotation of the drum 4.

For example, by rotating the drum 4 in order to cancel the unbalanced load generated in the drum 4, water is stored in all the liquid storage tanks 8. When the drum 4 is rotating at a predetermined speed or more, for example, 100 rpm or more, water can be stored by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation. Therefore, water is stored in all the liquid storage tanks 8 while rotating the drum 4 at 100 rpm. Next, the water accumulated in the liquid storage tank 8 is selectively spilled so as to cancel the unbalanced load generated by the uneven distribution of the laundry stored in the drum 4. Since the rotating shaft 51R is substantially horizontal, the liquid storage tank 8 positioned above the drum 4 by the rotation of the drum 4 among the liquid storage tanks 8 arranged on the circumference of the drum 4 has a liquid inlet / outlet port 81. Face down. If the rotation speed of the drum 4 is less than the predetermined speed, the water in the liquid storage tank 8 with the liquid inlet / outlet 81 facing downward spills. For example, the rotation speed of the drum 4 is instantaneously reduced to 45 rpm at a predetermined timing, and then the drum 4 is restarted.
The process of returning the number of revolutions to 100 rpm is performed. The deceleration timing is a timing at which water spills from the liquid storage tank 8 at an angular position where an unbalanced load exists. Thereby, the water stored in the desired liquid storage tank 8 can be spilled.

Since the semi-lid 87 is provided at the inlet of each liquid storage tank 8 as described above, the undesired liquid storage tank 8 is provided.
There is no problem that water spills when decelerating from. By performing the above-described processing once to several times, a state in which the eccentric load is adjusted, that is, a state in which the eccentric load of the laundry is canceled by the water load of the liquid storage tank 8 is realized. After adjusting the eccentric load, the drum 4 as a whole has almost no eccentric load. Therefore, even if the drum 4 rotates at high speed during dehydration, the shaking of the outer tub caused by the drum 4 is small.

By the way, since the annular container 82 is attached to the substantially vertical drum side plate 41R, the liquid inlet / outlet port 8
Water spilling from the liquid storage tank 8 in the upper position in which 1 faces downward may enter the liquid storage tank 8 in the lower position in which the liquid inlet / outlet 81 faces upward. In particular, at the end of washing, when the drum 4 is rotated at a low speed in order to drain the water from all the liquid storage tanks 8, a part of the water spilled from the upper liquid storage tank 8 enters the lower liquid storage tank 8 and it is quite easy. The water in all the liquid storage tanks 8 cannot be drained or it takes time to drain.

The liquid shield plate 66 prevents water spilling from the upper liquid storage tank 8 from entering the lower liquid storage tank 8. The liquid shield plate 66 is an annular plate that is provided on the rotary shaft 51R side with respect to the liquid inlet / outlet 81 of each liquid storage tank 8 and has a taper in the axial direction. It is fixed to the one end surface 41R. Since the liquid shield plate 66 is inclined toward the rotary shaft 51R, the water drained from the liquid storage tank 8 located above falls vertically and then hits the liquid shield plate 66, causing the liquid drop direction to fall. It is changed in the inclination direction of the shielding plate 66 and drained. Therefore, the water drained from the liquid storage tank 8 located above does not reach the liquid inlet / outlet port 81 of the other liquid storage tank 8 located below, so that the falling water falls into the other liquid storage tank below. It is drained promptly without entering the liquid tank 8.

Circular side plate 41L of the drum 4 located on the left side
Similarly to the right side, a plurality of liquid storage tanks 8 each having an annular container 82 are arranged on the outer surface of the. A cylindrical cylindrical fluid balancer 9 is provided inside the liquid storage tank 8 on the outer surface of the circular side plate 41L of the drum 4. The inside of the fluid balancer 9 is provided with partition plates at predetermined intervals like the liquid storage tank 8, whereby water can be stored in each compartment. Further, the water inside can freely move through the gap between the inner surface of the fluid balancer 9 and the partition plate. Water is previously injected into the fluid balancer 9. The water sealed in the fluid balancer 9 is unevenly distributed inside the fluid balancer 9 due to the rotation of the drum 4, and has a function of reducing the vibration generated in the drum 4.

In this embodiment, since the outer peripheral surface 66F of the fluid balancer 9 is inclined in the direction away from the side plate 41L of the drum 4, the outer peripheral surface 66F is the liquid shield plate 6.
Substitute for 6. That is, the water drained from the liquid storage tank 8 located above by the rotation of the drum 4 does not enter the liquid storage tank 8 located below because the falling direction is changed by the outer peripheral surface 66F of the fluid balancer 9. Drains smoothly. The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
The present invention can be implemented in other embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the both side plates 41L of the drum 4 are
41R is provided with the liquid storage tank 8, and in order to drain the water of the liquid storage tank 8, one side plate 41R of the drum 4 is provided with the liquid shield plate 66, and the other side plate 41L is provided with the fluid balancer 9. The present invention can also be applied to the case where the liquid storage tank 8 is provided on only one of the end faces of No. 4, and in that case, either the liquid shield plate 66 or the fluid balancer 9 may be used.

In the above embodiment, the washing machine using water has been described, but the washing machine using a liquid other than water can also be used. For example, it can be applied even when an organic solvent used for dry cleaning is used. Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which water is enclosed in the fluid balancer 9 has been described, but a liquid having a viscosity and / or a specific gravity suitable for effectively canceling the unevenly distributed weight (for example, salt Water) etc. can also be applied.

In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drum type washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention when cut along a vertical plane along the front-rear direction.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the drum type washing machine taken along a vertical plane along the left-right direction.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing a right side surface of a drum as viewed from a rotation axis direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 case 2 outer tank 4 drums 9 Fluid balancer 14 Open / close lid 15 openings 21 Outer tank peripheral wall 22 Outer tank opening 41L, 41R Drum end surface 42 drum cylinder 43 Drum opening 51L, 51R rotating shaft 66 Liquid shield 66F outer peripheral surface 68 Circumference 81 Liquid inlet / outlet 82 annular container 86 partition plate 87 Half lid

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Taisuke Sonoda             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Kinouchi             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3B155 AA25 BA04 BB02 CA02 CB06                       DA05 DC07 DC08 MA01 MA02

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A drum arranged to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis, and a plurality of liquid storage tanks provided on at least one end surface of the drum and arranged on a circumference centered on the rotation axis. And
Each of the liquid storage tanks has a liquid inlet / outlet facing the rotating shaft, and while the drum is rotating at a predetermined speed or higher, the liquid can be stored by centrifugal force, and the rotation speed of the drum is a predetermined speed. A plurality of liquid storage tanks configured to spill liquid from the liquid storage inlet / outlet due to gravity when the liquid storage inlet / outlet faces downward, and to the liquid storage inlet / outlet of the plurality of liquid storage tanks. A drum-type washing machine, comprising: a liquid shield surface provided on the rotary shaft side and changing a falling direction of liquid spilled from a liquid inlet / outlet. 2. The drum according to claim 1, wherein the liquid shielding surface has an annular outer peripheral surface that tapers in the direction of the rotation axis, and a large-diameter circular peripheral edge is in contact with the drum end surface. Washing machine.