JP2007117761A - Water supply device of washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a water supply device of a washing machine which is simple in structure, can prevent water hitting clothing in a washing and spin-drying tub from splashing, can reduce noise during water supply, can uniformly supply and infiltrate water into clothing even when the washing and spin-drying tub is rotating at a high speed. <P>SOLUTION: In a water supply process preceding a washing-in-water process or a rinsing process of a full automatic washing machine in which washing-in-water, rinsing and spin-drying processes automatically progress, a foamy water generation means 11 made up of a hollow body having a water inlet and a release opening and having filters 22, 23a and 23b in the interior is provided in the discharge opening of water to the washing and spin-drying tub to supply foamy water containing air into the washing and spin-drying tub. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a water supply device for a washing machine.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a one-tank fully automatic washing machine has a washing and unloading in an outer tub 2 that is swingably disposed in the outer box 1 via a vibration isolator (not shown). A water tub 3 is provided, and a rotary blade 4 is provided at the bottom of the washing and dewatering tub 3, and a mechanism portion 5 such as a motor 6 and a clutch is provided below the outer tub 2.

In the figure, reference numeral 7 denotes a rear panel covering the upper rear portion of the outer box 1, and a water supply case 9 is communicated with a water supply port 8 provided in the rear panel 7.

In such a washing machine, washing, rinsing, and dehydration washing steps are automatically performed by the control device, and water is discharged from the water supply case 9 to the washing and dehydration tub 3 before the washing and rinsing steps. Is done.

This water supply is usually direct water discharge. Therefore, most of the water hitting the clothes put in the washing and dewatering tub 3 is scattered (bounced back), so that the water sufficiently penetrates into the clothes. Is wasting water.

Further, since the detergent is difficult to dissolve, a detergent case is separately provided in the water supply case 9, and the detergent is brought into contact with water in the detergent case and then supplied to the washing and dewatering tank 3.

As a spout for preventing water splash, there is a conventional one that a water spray plate is provided in the middle of the flow channel to form a water spray channel, and the water is passed through the water spray plate to make the water foamy water (see, for example, Patent Document 1). There is an electromagnetic water supply valve provided with a foam generating device at the outlet (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
The electromagnetic water supply valve described in 1 is also implemented in a fully automatic washing machine.

Furthermore, there is also a mist supply device that makes the water supplied into the washing and dewatering tub 3 in a mist form connected to a water supply case (see, for example, Patent Document 3), so that the water is uniformly applied to the laundry. .
JP-A-8-109666 JP 2001-347191 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-18187

The inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a complicated structure, and those of Patent Document 2 can reduce the sound of running water, but do not mention prevention of water scattering.

Moreover, when the mist water supply of patent document 3 supplies mist water before the rinse process after dehydration,
When a so-called “film state” is formed in which one piece of clothing covers the entire inside of the tank, there is a problem that water hardly penetrates into the clothing on the lower side. Further, when the mist is supplied while rotating the washing / dehydrating tub so that water easily penetrates into the clothes, the rotation of the washing / dehydrating tub is 100 r. p. If it reaches m, the scattering of water cannot be suppressed, and there is a limit to the permeability to clothing.

The present invention eliminates the inconvenience of the conventional example, and has a simple structure, can prevent splashing of water hitting clothes in the washing and dewatering tub, can reduce noise during water supply, and the washing and dewatering tub rotates at high speed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a water supply device for a washing machine that can supply water evenly even when water is supplied in a state where the water is supplied and can permeate the clothing.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is characterized in that in the water supply process before the washing process and the rinsing process of the fully automatic washing machine in which the process of washing, rinsing and dehydration proceeds automatically,
It is a device for supplying foamed water containing air into the washing and dewatering tank.

According to the present invention, since foamy water containing air is supplied into the washing and dehydrating tank in the water supply process, the water hitting the clothing at the start of washing or after the dehydration is not scattered, and the penetration of water into the clothing is accelerated. Moreover, since the dissolution of the detergent is accelerated and the amount of dissolution is increased, the cleaning effect is promoted.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded front view of foam water generating means, which is a main part of an embodiment of a water supply device for a washing machine of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the same, FIG. 3 is a vertical bottom view of the same, and FIG. In the figure, the overall configuration of the washing machine in which the water supply device of the present invention is disposed is as already described with reference to FIG. 7, and therefore detailed description thereof is omitted here.

The foamed water generating means 11 of the present invention is connected to a hose 10 communicating with the water supply case 9,
A rear case 12a and a front case 12b, which are integrally molded with a synthetic resin such as plastic, are combined to form a flat case 12 having a hollow body, and a filter to be described later is mounted therein.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rear case 12a has a lower portion formed in an opening 13a, a side portion and an upper portion surrounded by a peripheral wall 14a, and a groove 15 for fitting with the front case 12b formed on the upper portion of the peripheral wall 14a. A cylindrical portion 16 for connecting a hose is provided so as to protrude rearward from this side and toward the rear.

In the figure, reference numeral 17 denotes a groove for mounting a filter, which will be described later, and 18a and 18b denote locking claws of the filter. Thus, the locking claw 18a and the locking claw 18b are arranged so as to face each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front case 12b has a lower portion formed in an opening 13a, a side portion and an upper portion are surrounded by a peripheral wall 14b, and a protrusion 19 for fitting with the rear case 12a is formed on the upper portion of the peripheral wall 14b. Project the side.

In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a filter mounting groove, 21 denotes a filter locking claw, and a pair of the claw 21 is arranged at a target position on a diagonal line of the groove 20.

As shown in FIG. 6, two types of filters are provided in the case 12, and one mesh-shaped filter 22 having a large number of small holes and two slit-shaped filters 2 are provided.
3a and 23b. The mesh-like filter 22 is also made of a synthetic resin such as plastic, and a large number of small holes are formed in a mesh shape.

The slit-shaped filters 23a and 23b have the same shape, and a plurality of vertical beams 25 are formed in a comb-like shape at intervals inside the frame portion, and slits 24 are formed between the vertical beams 25. Thus, the slit portion is formed thinner than the surrounding frame portion.

Then, two slit-shaped filters 23a and 23b are stacked on top of each other so that the non-opening portions overlap vertically, and are mounted between the locking claws 18a and 18b of the rear case 12a. In this state, the two filters 23a and 23b are displaced in the left-right direction by the amount protruding to the inside of the locking claw 18a. As a result, the water passing through the slits 24 of the filters 23a and 23b is always vertical. It overlaps with each vertical rail 25 so as to hit 25. As a result, rectification is performed. In this case, since the thickness of the slit portion is smaller than the thickness of the frame portion, a gap remains between the filters 23a and 23b.

  The mesh filter 22 is attached to the front case 12b.

As described above, the filter 22 and the filters 23a and 23b are respectively attached to the rear case 12.
When the rear case 12a and the front case 12b are fitted to each other with the front case 12b attached to the front case 12b, the front end of the filter 22 fits into the groove 17 formed in the rear case 12a, and the front ends of the filters 23a and 23b. Is fitted in the groove 20 formed in the front case 12b, and all the filters 22, filters 23a and 23b are fixed in the case 12, and an opening 1 is formed in the lower part.
A rectangular opening 13 in which 3a and the opening 13b are combined is formed.

In the figure, reference numeral 26 denotes an air intake slit provided in the rear case 12a and the front case 12b.

Next, the operation will be described. Water is supplied prior to the washing process, but such foam water generating means 1
If water is supplied into the case 12 from the hose 10 with the washing machine 1 attached, the water passes through the filter 22 and the filters 23a and 23b when flowing in the case 12. At this time, the water taken in from the slit 26 becomes foamy water, and the washing and dewatering tub 3 is opened from the opening 13.
It is discharged inside.

The discharged water hits the surface of the clothes in the washing and dewatering tank 3, but since the discharged water is foamy, it does not scatter even if it hits the clothes and penetrates into the clothes at a high speed. Therefore, the apparent volume of water is increased compared to the conventional case, and the amount of water used can be saved. In addition, noise during water supply is reduced.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the effect of suppressing the splashing of foamed water, and it can be seen that the increase in the amount of splashing can be suppressed to a small level even when the rotational speed of the washing and dewatering tub 3 is increased in the case of foamed water supply.

FIG. 10 shows a comparison between foam water supply and normal water supply in terms of the water absorption effect on clothes, and it can be seen that the water supply capability is improved by about 30% in the case of foam water absorption.

Furthermore, since foamy water is also supplied to the detergent, the detergent is quickly dissolved and the amount of dissolution is increased. As a result, the cleaning effect is improved, and even when the detergent is directly put into the washing and dewatering tank 3 and water is supplied, the detergent can be sufficiently dissolved, so that it is not necessary to supply water to the detergent case. In addition, mold and dirt on the detergent case can be prevented and the amount of detergent used can be reduced.

And since the foamed water discharged from the opening 13 of the case 12 is shaped like a band and has a rectangular cross section, the washing and dewatering tub 3 is rotated at a high speed as shown in the water supply process diagram of FIG. Even if water is supplied (foam rotation water supply), it can be evenly supplied and penetrated into clothing.

Table 1 below compares the solubility of the detergent after water supply between the conventional case and the case of foam water supply, and it can be seen that the solubility is increased.

After the foam rotation water supply as described above, as shown in FIG. 8, the process moves to a washing process of clothes by high concentration stirring and main stirring performed at a low water level, and after the washing is completed, high-speed dehydration before draining and rinsing is performed.

In addition, the water supply in the rinsing process is intermittent water supply, for example, water supply of foam water is performed for 1 minute, 30
Stop for seconds and supply with foamy water for 30 seconds. By providing the stop time in this way, the water that is evenly supplied to the clothes by the foam water supply before that time and the water sufficiently sucked into the clothes is dehydrated, and the water passing cycle (water supply → dehydration → water supply ...) increases. In addition, the effect of rinsing on the amount of water supply is further improved, and a water saving effect is brought about. In addition, this intermittent water supply will bring about the same effect, even if it implements in the water supply of not only foamy water supply but direct water discharge.

It is a disassembled front view which shows embodiment of the water supply apparatus of the washing machine of this invention. It is a front view which shows embodiment of the water supply apparatus of the washing machine of this invention. It is a bottom view which shows embodiment of the water supply apparatus of the washing machine of this invention. It is a vertical bottom view which shows embodiment of the water supply apparatus of the washing machine of this invention. It is a vertical side view which shows embodiment of the water supply apparatus of the washing machine of this invention. It is a front view of the filter of the principal part which shows embodiment of the water supply apparatus of the washing machine of this invention. It is a vertical side view of the washing machine provided with the water supply apparatus of this invention. It is a process figure which shows embodiment of the water supply method of the washing machine of this invention. It is a graph of the apparatus which shows the splash suppression effect of foam water by the water supply method of the washing machine of this invention. It is a graph which shows the water absorption effect by the water supply method of the washing machine of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer box 2 Outer tub 3 Washing / dehydration tub 4 Rotary blade 5 Mechanism part 6 Motor 7 Rear panel 8 Water supply port 9 Water supply case 10 Hose 11 Foam water generating means 12 Case 12a Rear case 12b Front case 13, 13a, 13b Opening 14a 14b Peripheral wall 15 Groove 16 Tube portion 17 Groove 18a, 18b Locking claw 19 Projection 20 Groove 21 Claw 22, 23a, 23b Filter 24 Slit 25 Vertical beam 26 Slit

Claims (4)

In a water supply apparatus for a washing machine that includes a water inlet and a discharge port and generates foamed water by attaching a plurality of filters to a hollow portion in the main body, the water supply apparatus main body includes a horizontally long cube, and is provided between the filters. A water supply device for a washing machine, comprising a hollow portion having an air intake port and a discharge port for discharging water. 2. The plurality of filters, wherein those having slits are connected in parallel, and at least two adjacent filters are arranged so that the slits do not overlap each other.
The water supply apparatus of the washing machine as described. The water supply device for a washing machine according to claim 2, wherein, of the two filters, the filter disposed on the discharge port side has a slit width equal to or less than that of the other filter. The water supply device for a washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a mesh-like filter on the water inlet side of the water supply device main body.

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