JP2007181608A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing machine with a tank effectively incorporated in a housing of the washing machine without enlarging the dimensions of the contour, capable of cleaning water stored in the tank and reusing the water. <P>SOLUTION: The tank 4 is disposed inside the base housing 2a which constitutes a lower shell of the washing machine 1. A pump 33 for pumping out water inside the tank 4 and a selector valve 34 for switching the direction of water to be ejected from the pump 3 in four directions are integrated and disposed to the left in the front of the tank 4. Accordingly, the tank 4, the pump 33 for pumping out water in the tank 4 to be reused, etc. and the selector valve 34 can be effectively disposed inside the base housing 2a, and the washing machine 1 completed as a practical product can be provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing machine (electric washing machine), and more particularly to a washing machine having a mechanism for purifying and reusing water used for washing.

In the washing machine, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 propose to purify the used washing water when draining it or reuse the washed water after purification.
The washing machine described in Patent Document 1 includes an electrolysis device for electrolyzing the wash water to be drained. The electrolysis apparatus has an aluminum electrode or an iron electrode, and the used wash water is directly electrolyzed and purified using such an electrode.

The washing machine described in Patent Document 2 includes an electrolysis device for electrolyzing water, a coagulation device that mixes electrolyzed water obtained by the electrolysis device with used laundry water, and coagulation from the wash water that has passed through the coagulation device. And a filtration device for separating things.
Japanese Patent No. 3014658 JP 2001-286698 A

  The washing machine described in Patent Document 1 is configured to directly electrolyze the drained washing water, and a large electrolysis apparatus is required. Further, due to lint mixed during washing, the electrode must be frequently maintained, and an effective aggregating action cannot be obtained unless the electrolysis time is lengthened. Furthermore, there is a problem that the purified water cannot be reused (recycled).

On the other hand, the washing machine described in Patent Document 2 generates electrolytic products by electrolyzing water prepared separately from washing water, and purifies the washing water by mixing it with used washing water. However, it does not solve the structural technical problem for incorporating such a purification device into an actual washing machine to make a product.
The present invention was made based on such a background, and a mechanism for purifying used water discharged from a washing tub is reasonably incorporated, and a washing machine that is commercially available as a finished product is provided. The main purpose is to provide.

  In the present invention, the tank is satisfactorily incorporated in the housing of the washing machine without increasing the external dimensions, and the water stored in the tank can be purified and reused (recycled). Another object is to provide a drum-type washing machine completed as a practical product.

  The invention according to claim 1 is provided in the housing, the housing constituting the outer shell of the washing machine, the washing tub provided in the housing for storing water and storing the clothes, and the housing. A washing machine comprising: a tank for storing water discharged from the washing tub after being used in the washing tub; and a purification means for purifying water stored in the tank, wherein the water in the tank A pump for pumping water, a switching valve for switching water discharged from the pump in at least first and second directions, and water switched in the first direction by the switching valve to the washing tub The washing machine includes a recycling water channel for guiding and a circulation water channel for returning the water switched in the second direction by the switching valve to the tank.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the switching valve adds water discharged from the pump to the first and second directions, and is further switched to the third and fourth directions. The washing machine according to claim 1.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drainage channel for guiding the water switched in the third direction by the switching valve to the outside of the housing, and dehumidifying the water switched in the fourth direction by the switching valve during the drying operation. The washing machine according to claim 2, further comprising a dehumidifying water channel for guiding the use.

The invention according to claim 4 is the laundry according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pump and the switching valve have an integrated structure in which the pump is located below and the switching valve is located above. Machine.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the washing tub is disposed relatively above the housing, the tank is disposed relatively below the housing, and an upper end is connected to a lower end of the washing tub. An outflow water channel, a filter device connected to the lower end of the outflow water channel, for filtering the water in the washing tub flowing out through the outflow water channel, and a tank water channel for guiding the water after passing through the filter device to the tank And a merging water channel that merges with the drainage channel in order to discharge the water after passing through the filter device to the outside of the housing, and the tank channel is provided with a valve that opens and closes the tank channel in the middle of the tank channel The tank water channel communicates upward from the filter device toward the valve, and the tank water channel communicates downward from the valve to the tank. A washing machine according to any one of 1 to 4.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the purification means includes an ozone generator that generates ozone by electric discharge, and a supply means for supplying the generated ozone to the tank, and supplies ozone from the supply means. Along with this, there is an overflow channel for discharging water pushed out of the tank according to the amount of ozone supply to the outside of the housing, one end of the overflow channel is located in the tank, and the other end is one end in the washing tub. The other end of the overflow basin for the washing tub in which is disposed is provided, a check valve is provided in the water channel after the merge, and the tip thereof is connected to the drainage channel. The washing machine according to any one of the above.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the tank is formed with a lower step surface in which the upper surface of the tank is one step lower than the rear portion of the housing. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the drainage channel is disposed on the lower step surface.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the tank has a shape having a stepped portion in the middle in the height direction in which the outer edge of the lower portion in plan view is wide and the outer edge of the upper portion in plan view is narrow. The washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the portion is inclined obliquely upward from the outside to the inside.

  The invention according to claim 9 is a lower housing constituting a lower outer edge of a washing machine, a tank provided in the lower housing for storing water discharged from the washing tub after being used in the washing tub, and the tank And a filter device for filtering the water stored in the tank, which is disposed on one side of the front side of the tank, and the water which is disposed on the other side of the front side of the tank and pumps up the water stored in the tank A washing machine.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, a switching valve for switching the water pumped out and discharged in a plurality of directions is arranged above the pump, and the pump and the switching valve are integrated. The washing machine according to claim 9, wherein the washing machine is provided.
According to an eleventh aspect of the invention, the tank has a lower step surface in which a portion located on the front side of the lower housing has a lower upper surface than a portion on the rear side, and is switched by the switching valve. The laundry according to claim 10, further comprising a drainage channel for draining water out of the lower housing, wherein the drainage channel is disposed on a lower step surface on the front side of the tank. Machine.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, a part of a portion of the tank located on the rear side of the lower housing is recessed to form an empty area, and the tank is stored in the empty area formed on the rear side. The washing machine according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein an ozone generator necessary for purifying the generated water is disposed.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the water in the tank pumped out by the pump is switched to the recycling water channel or the circulation water channel communicating with the washing tub by the switching valve. Therefore, it is possible to realize a configuration for taking out purified water from the tank for recycling and a configuration for circulating water for purification of the water in the tank with a compact, inexpensive and simple configuration. it can.

  According to invention of Claim 2 and 3, in addition to a recycle water channel and a circulating water channel, the outflow direction of water can be switched to another two directions with a switching valve. Therefore, in addition to reusing the purified water stored in the tank in the washing tub, it can be used for other purposes (for example, for dehumidification during drying operation) or drained. Can be done with a pump and switching valve.

In the invention according to claim 4, the pump and the switching valve for pumping water out of the tank and letting it flow in a desired direction can be configured more compactly by an integrated structure. Moreover, since the pump is below, the water in the tank can be pumped out efficiently.
In the fifth aspect of the present invention, since water discharged from the washing tub is filtered by the filter device before entering the tank, it is possible to prevent foreign matters such as lint from entering the water stored in the tank. And since the tank water channel which guides water to a tank via a filter apparatus has the valve | bulb as the top and the water channel is arrange | positioned downward, the water discharged | emitted from the washing tub does not remain in a tank water channel. As a result, it is possible to prevent dirt in the tank water channel, generation of odor from the tank water channel, and the like.

  In the invention described in claim 6, the water stored in the tank is purified by ozone. However, when ozone is supplied into the tank, the pressure in the tank rises and a part of the stored water overflows. It is discharged out of the housing through the path. At this time, since the overflow channel for the washing tub is joined to the overflow channel of the tank, the water in the tank can be prevented from being discharged more than necessary due to the so-called siphon phenomenon. Further, the check valve can prevent the water from flowing backward when the water in the tank is forcibly discharged. In particular, backflow of water discharged from the drainage channel of the washing tub into the tank can be prevented.

In the invention according to claim 7, since the low step surface is formed on the front side of the tank, it is possible to satisfactorily realize the arrangement of the drainage channel using the low step surface, and the arrangement of the water channel including the drainage channel. The structure can be made compact and simple.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, waterways and wirings necessary for the washing machine can be arranged around the upper part of the tank. Further, when ozone or fine bubbles are supplied to the water stored in the tank, the ozone and fine bubbles smoothly flow from the lower side of the tank to the upper side along the inclined step portion. That is, although the step portion is formed in the tank, water, bubbles, and the like in the tank can move smoothly in the tank without being swallowed by the step portion.

  In the invention described in claim 9, a tank for storing water after being used in the washing tub is disposed in the lower housing, and it is necessary to reuse the washing water on one side and the other side on the front side of the tank. In other words, the filter device and the pump can be well arranged by utilizing the limited space in the lower housing. Further, by providing the filter device and the maintenance opening of the pump on the front surface of the washing machine, the maintenance can be easily performed.

In the invention described in claim 10, the pump and the switching valve are integrated, and the constituent members necessary for pumping water from the tank can be realized more compactly.
In the invention of claim 11, the drainage channel for draining the water of the tank can be arranged without difficulty using the low level surface of the tank, and the arrangement structure of the water channel including the drainage channel is rational. Can be performed in a compact and compact manner.

  In the invention according to claim 12, the ozone generator can be arranged well. In particular, the ozone generator is a device to which a high voltage is applied, but since the device is disposed on the rear side of the lower housing, there is no possibility that a user or the like touches the ozone generator, and the safety is high. It can be a washing machine.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from diagonally upward on the front right.
In the washing machine 1, an outer shell is constituted by a slightly vertically long housing 2. A water supply port 9 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 2, and a water supply facility such as a water supply is connected to the water supply port 9. An operation panel 100 is disposed above the front surface of the housing 1. By operating the operation panel 100, the user can cause the washing machine 1 to perform a desired operation.

On the left side of the operation panel 100, an accommodating portion 7 for accommodating a detergent and a softening agent is disposed so as to be drawable.
When viewed from the bottom to the top, the front surface of the housing 2 is a surface in which a lower portion rises vertically and is inclined gently and obliquely backward from the middle. A door 6 is provided near the center of the front surface. The door 6 has a square shape with rounded corners when viewed from the front side, and is provided with a circular seal packing (not shown) for closing the outer tub 5 described later.

A front panel 2a that can be independently detached is provided below the front surface of the housing 2, and by removing the front panel 2a, the lower front portion of the washing machine 1 is exposed and provided at the lower front portion. Maintenance of a pump, a switching valve, a filter device, and the like (which will be described later) can be easily performed.
Further, a window 130 is formed on the right side of the front panel 2 a, and the window 130 is covered with a lid 131. When the lid 131 is removed, the filter device (described later) is exposed, and the lint and the like captured by the filter device can be easily removed.

The rear of the upper surface of the housing 2 is a low step surface 2b that is lowered by one step. In the washing machine 1, since the height of the housing 2 is relatively high, the upper portion of the housing 2 may interfere with the water tap when it is installed. Therefore, even when the water tap is low, a low-level step surface 2b is formed at the rear of the upper surface so that the washing machine 1 can be arranged without hindrance.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a cross section of the washing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the side when the washing machine is cut along a vertical plane along the front-rear direction. In the following, regarding the description of the washing machine 1 and its components (components) according to this embodiment, for the sake of convenience, the left side in FIG. 2 is the front (front) side, the right side is the back (rear) side, and the upper side is the upper surface (upper). The side and the lower side are described as the bottom (lower) side, the front is the right side, and the back is the left side.

A drum 3 is disposed in the center of the housing 2.
The drum 3 has a cylindrical shape, and is coaxially accommodated in the cylindrical outer tub 5. In this embodiment, the drum 3 and the outer tub 5 constitute a washing tub, and has a so-called oblique drum arrangement structure in which the front of the drum 3 faces obliquely upward. The front end surfaces of the drum 3 and the outer tub 5 are open, and a door 6 is provided on the front surface of the housing 2 to close it. A motor (not shown) is provided behind the rear end surface of the outer tub 5, and the drum 3 is rotated around the central axis of the drum 3 by a motor (not shown).

  A water supply pipe 8 disposed in the housing 2 is connected to the water supply port 9 on the upper surface of the housing 2 via a first switching valve 44 that is a four-way valve. The other end of the water supply pipe 8 opposite to one end connected to the water supply port 9 is connected to the uppermost part of the peripheral wall of the outer tub 5, and the water supply port 9 and the inside of the outer tub 5 are connected via the water supply pipe 8. Communicate. An accommodating portion 7 for accommodating a detergent and a softening agent is disposed in the middle of the water supply pipe 8.

  The accommodating portion 7 has a box (not shown) that can be pulled out forward of the housing 2, and the inside of the box is partitioned into a detergent accommodating chamber and a softener accommodating chamber. The box is pulled out, the detergent and softener are stored in the respective storage chambers, and the box is pushed in to complete the setting of the detergent and softener. When water is supplied to the storage unit 7 from the water supply pipe 8, the detergent and / or softener stored in the detergent storage room and the softener storage room respectively are supplied to the water supplied via the water supply pipe 8. Dissolved and supplied into the outer tub 5. It is also possible to selectively supply water in which the detergent and / or softener is not dissolved into the outer tub 5.

In addition, one end of a priming pipe 48 is connected to the accommodating portion 7 in the middle of the rear side surface in the up-down direction. The other end of the priming pipe 48 is connected to a pump 33 provided in the housing 2, and supplies priming water from the housing portion 7 to the pump 33 when the pump 33 is driven to pump out water. is there.
The water supply pipe 8 branches into a detergent water supply pipe 42 and a softener water supply pipe 43 at the first switching valve 44, and the detergent water supply pipe 42 and the softener water supply pipe 43 merge in the housing portion 7.

The first switching valve 44 includes an inlet through which water from the water supply port 9 flows, a detergent water outlet 45 connected to the detergent water supply pipe 42, and a softener water outlet 46 connected to the softener water supply pipe 43. .
Therefore, by switching the first switching valve 44, the water flowing in from the inlet of the first switching valve 44 is allowed to flow from the detergent water outlet 45 to the above-described detergent storage chamber of the storage unit 7 via the detergent water supply pipe 42. Alternatively, it is possible to selectively flow from the softener water outlet 46 through the softener water supply pipe 43 to the above-described softener storage chamber of the storage unit 7.

  Next, washing and dehydration by the washing machine 1 will be specifically described. The clothes to be washed are stored in the drum 3 from the front surface of the housing 2 with the door 6 opened. After the door 6 is closed, water from the water supply pipe 8 is stored in the outer tub 5 during washing. The outer tub 5 is configured to be airtight and liquidtight, but the drum 3 has a large number of small holes formed on its peripheral surface. Therefore, when water is stored in the outer tub 5, the stored water also enters the drum 3, and cleaning water also collects in the drum 3. On the inner peripheral surface of the drum 3, baffles (not shown) project from appropriate positions. When the drum 3 is rotated by a motor (not shown), the clothes including water in the drum 3 are lifted by a baffle (not shown), and so-called tapping is performed in which the clothes are naturally dropped.

  A drainage port 10 opened rearward is formed at the lowermost end of the outer tub 5, that is, below the rear end surface, and a drainage valve 12 is attached to the rear side thereof. A drainage pipe 11 extending downward is connected to the drainage valve 12, and a filter device 14 and a second switching valve 13 are interposed in this order. A branch pipe 15 as a tank water channel is connected to the filter device 14 separately from the drain pipe 11. By switching the second switching valve 13, water passing through the filter apparatus 14 is continuously supplied to the drain pipe 11. It is possible to select whether to discharge to the outside of the housing 2 or to flow out to the branch pipe 15.

  By opening the drain port 10 toward the rear of the outer tub 5 and disposing the drain valve 12 behind it, the positions of the drain port 10 and the drain valve 12 are substantially equal to the height of the lowermost end of the outer tub 5. Can be in position. Thereby, the drainage port 10 and the drainage valve 12 do not enter the arrangement space of the various components arranged below the outer tub 5, and a wide arrangement space of the various components can be secured. In particular, when the washing machine 1 is operated, the outer tub 5 vibrates. Therefore, when the drain port 10 and the drain valve 12 fixed to the outer tub 5 protrude downward from the outer tub 5, Since the drainage valve 12 vibrates together with the vibration 5, it is necessary to open a lower space in consideration of the vibration. In this embodiment, since the drainage port 10 and the drainage valve 12 are arranged using the rear of the outer tub 5, the lower space of the outer tub 5 can be used well for arranging other components.

When the drain valve 12 and the second switching valve 13 are “open”, the water in the outer tub 5 is discharged out of the housing 2. On the other hand, when the drain valve 12 is “opened” and the second switching valve 13 is “closed”, the water in the outer tub 5 flows out to the branch pipe 15 via the filter device 14.
Then, after the water in the outer tub 5 is discharged, the drum 3 is dehydrated and rotated (high-speed rotation) by a motor (not shown), and the moisture contained in the clothes is dehydrated.

  The washing machine 1 according to this embodiment can perform drying in addition to washing and dehydration. For this purpose, an outlet 17 of the drying air passage 16 is connected below the rear end face of the outer tub 5. The drying air passage 16 extends obliquely upward along the rear end surface of the outer tub 5, wraps forward along the upper portion of the outer tub 5, extends forward along the upper peripheral surface of the outer tub 5, and the tip thereof is An inlet 18 is connected to the front peripheral surface of the outer tub 5. Thereby, the inside of the outer tub 5 and the dry air passage 16 communicate with each other. In the drying air passage 16, a region extending obliquely upward along the rear end surface of the outer tub 5 functions as a dehumidifying pipe 19. When the clothes are dried, the moisture contained in the clothes is vaporized into steam, and the hot and humid air in the drum 3 containing the steam exits from the outlet 17 and moves upward in the dehumidifying pipe 19. At that time, water supplied from the heat exchange water supply pipe 49 is dropped in the dehumidifying pipe 19. Specifically, the heat exchange water supply pipe 49 has one end connected to the first switching valve 44 and the other end connected to the upper portion of the dehumidifying pipe 19. Therefore, by switching the first switching valve 44, the water from the water supply port 9 is dropped into the dehumidifying pipe 19 from the heat exchange water supply pipe 49. In addition to the heat exchange water supply pipe 49, water can also be supplied into the dehumidification pipe 19 from a heat exchange tank water supply pipe 24 as a dehumidification water channel. The heat exchange tank water supply pipe 24 will be described in detail later.

  When water falls in the dehumidifying pipe 19, the water and hot and humid air exchange heat, and the hot and humid air is cooled and dehumidified. The water that has been liquefied when dehumidified falls through the dehumidifying pipe 19, and then reaches the drain port 10 through the outer tank 5 from the outlet 17. A filter 20 is inserted into the drying air passage 16 on the downstream side of the dehumidifying pipe 19 when viewed in the air flow direction, and a blower 21 is further provided on the downstream side thereof. By rotating the blower 21, the air in the drum 3 exits from the outlet 17, moves in the drying air passage 16, and is supplied again into the drum 3 from the inlet 18. A heater 22 is inserted downstream of the blower 21 in the drying air passage 16. The air passing through the drying air passage 16 is dehumidified in the dehumidifying pipe 19, and then heated by the heater 22 and supplied from the inlet 18 to the drum 3.

  A tank 4 is provided below the drum 3. This tank 4 is for storing water after being used in the outer tub 5, and is a tank having a sealed structure. In order to guide the water in the outer tub 5 to the tank 4, the other end of the branch pipe 15 opposite to one end connected to the filter device 14 is opened in the tank 4. Specifically, a water storage valve 25 is inserted in the middle of the branch pipe 15, and the branch pipe 15 extends obliquely upward from the filter 14 toward the water storage valve 25 in the range from the filter 14 to the water storage valve 25. The water storage valve 25 extends downward and penetrates the upper surface of the tank 4, and the other end of the branch pipe 15 is arranged in the vertical direction in the tank 4.

Therefore, the water in the outer tub 5 is guided into the tank 4 by closing the second switching valve 13 and opening the drain valve 12 and the water storage valve 25.
Further, one end of an air bleeding hose 51 is connected to the tank 4. The air bleeding hose 51 extends upward from the tank 4 through the rear of the outer tub 5, and the other end is connected to the upper portion of the dehumidifying pipe 19. Thereby, the inside of the tank 4 and the dry air path 16 are connected.

The tank 4 is provided with a pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 as an overflow channel (tank overflow channel) having an inlet 26 opened in the tank 4. A check valve 28 is interposed in the middle of the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27. The outlet side of the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 joins the downstream side of the second switching valve 13 of the drain pipe 11.
The pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 is also connected with an overflow pipe 23 as a washing tank overflow channel. Therefore, when a predetermined amount or more of water is supplied into the outer tub 5, the predetermined amount or more of the water overflows to the outside of the outer tub 5 through the overflow pipe 23 and is discharged outside the machine through the drain pipe 11. The

In order to circulate the water stored in the tank 4, the tank 4 is provided with a circulation pipe 32 communicating between the outlet 31 and the inlet 30 formed on the side thereof. In the circulation pipe 32, a pump 33, a third switching valve 34 and an ejector 35 are inserted in order from the outlet 31 toward the inlet 30 so as to follow the water circulation direction.
The third switching valve 34 is a five-way valve, and switches so that water discharged from the pump 33 and flowing in from one direction flows out in any of the four directions. That is, it has a first outlet 36, a second outlet 37, a third outlet 38 and a fourth outlet 39 for returning water from the inlet 30 to the tank 4 via the ejector 35.

A tank drain pipe 40 is connected to the second outlet 37, and the tank drain pipe 40 is joined downstream of the check valve 28 of the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27.
One end of the heat exchange tank water supply pipe 24 described above is connected to the third outlet 38. The other end of the heat exchange tank water supply pipe 24 is connected to the upper portion of the dehumidifying pipe 19.
One end of a tank water supply pipe 41 as a recycle water channel is connected to the fourth outlet 39, and the other end of the tank water supply pipe 41 is connected to the water supply pipe 8 through the accommodating portion 7.

Therefore, by switching the third switching valve 34, the water in the tank 4 can be pumped out by the pump 33 and circulated through the circulation pipe 32.
Further, by switching the third switching valve 34, the water in the tank 4 can be pumped out by the pump 33 and drained outside the apparatus through the tank drain pipe 40, the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 and the drain pipe 11.

Further, by switching the third switching valve 34, the water in the tank 4 can be pumped out by the pump 33 and supplied to the dehumidifying pipe 19 via the heat exchange tank water feed pipe 24. The water and the hot and humid air in the dehumidifying pipe 19 can be subjected to heat exchange to cool and dehumidify the hot and humid air.
Furthermore, by switching the third switching valve 34, the water in the tank 4 can be pumped out by the pump 33, sent from the tank water supply pipe 41 to the water supply pipe 8, and stored in the outer tub 5 for reuse in washing. .

An ozone generator 47 is provided in the vicinity of the tank 4. The ozone generator 47 is an apparatus that generates ozone by performing silent discharge on air taken in through a filter (not shown). The air that has passed through the ozone generator 47 contains ozone.
In this embodiment, air containing ozone output from the ozone generator 47 is supplied to the ejector 35 using the first supply path 53. The ozone supplied through the first supply path 53 is mixed with the water in the circulating tank 4 in the ejector 35. More specifically, in the ejector 35, the air containing ozone supplied from the first supply path 53 is mixed as fine bubbles in the water due to the negative pressure generated when water passes through the ejector 35. And when the pigment | dye, the odor component, and various germs are contained in water, these are oxidized by ozone and the water in the tank 4 is decolored, deodorized, and disinfected.

  When ozone continues to be supplied to the water in the tank 4 via the ejector 35, the pressure in the tank 4 increases with the supply of ozone, and the water is pushed out of the tank 4 by the supplied ozone. Since the ozone generator 47 outputs not only ozone but also air containing ozone, the air containing ozone is mixed into water in the ejector 35 as fine bubbles. Of the fine bubbles mixed in the water, ozone disappears due to the oxidation reaction in water, but the air gradually accumulates in the tank 4 and pressurizes the water in the tank 4. A part of the air in the tank 4 is released to the drying air passage 16 by the air vent hose 51, but when the atmospheric pressure in the tank 4 rises, the water in the tank 4 flows from the inlet 26 to the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 and The water is discharged out of the housing 2 through the drain pipe 11. The amount of water discharged varies according to the amount of ozone supplied to the tank 4.

The discharged water is water purified by the supplied ozone, and the ozone has disappeared due to the oxidation reaction. Therefore, the discharged water is purified and harmless water.
Further, as described above, the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 and the inside of the outer tub 5 communicate with each other via the overflow pipe 23. For this reason, the water stored in the tank 4 stops being drained according to the difference between the air pressure in the tank 4 and the air pressure in the outer tub 5, and the water in the tank 4 is excessively discharged outside the housing 2. Can be prevented.

  The air containing ozone generated by the ozone generator 47 is further supplied to the drying air passage 16 by the second supply passage 54. The given position is the downstream side of the filter 20 in the drying air passage 16 and the upstream side of the blower 21 (the suction side of the blower 21). When the blower 21 rotates, the suction side becomes negative pressure, and air containing ozone is sucked into the blower 21 through the second supply path 54. Then, ozone is mixed into the air circulated through the drying air passage 16, and the ozone is supplied from the inlet 18 to the drum 3. The air is circulated through the drying air passage 16 when the clothes in the drum 3 are dried. For this reason, ozone is supplied with respect to the clothing to be dried, and the odor component and various germ components adhering to the clothing are oxidized, deodorized, or sterilized by the supplied ozone.

  Thus, in the washing machine 1 according to this embodiment, the ozone generated by the ozone generator 47 is utilized in two ways. One is that the water after use in the drum 3 and the outer tub 5 is stored in the tank 4 and used for purification such as decolorization, deodorization, sterilization, and decomposition of dirt. In addition to the purification of water, ozone is supplied to the drum 3 during the drying operation, which is used for deodorization and sterilization of the clothes to be dried.

  In addition, the outer tub 5 containing the drum 3 has a liquid-tight and air-tight structure, and the ozone generated by the ozone generator 47 is generated by the tank 4 and the outer tub 5 in the overflow pipe 23 and the air vent hose 51. Due to the connected structure, it flows between the tank 4 and the outer tub 5 but does not leak from the housing 2 to the outside. Therefore, it can be set as the apparatus which is safe and has no inconvenience in use, in which the ozone smell does not drift outside.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the internal structure (arrangement structure of each component) of the lower part of the washing machine 1.
With reference to FIG. 3, the washing machine 1 includes a base housing 2 a that constitutes a lower outer shell of the washing machine 1. The base housing 2a is integrally formed of, for example, resin, and screw legs 81 and 82 for adjusting the washing machine 1 in the horizontal direction are provided at lower ends on both the front left and right sides.

  In the base housing 2a, the tank 4 is arranged in the center, the filter device 14 is arranged in the front right of the base housing 2a, and the pump 33 and the third switching valve 34 as a switching valve are arranged in the front left. In addition, an ozone generator 47 as a purification means is arranged in the rear right. These components and hoses and pipes as water channels are efficiently incorporated in the base housing 2a as described below.

4 is a perspective view of the tank 4 alone viewed from the upper right diagonally, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the tank 4, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tank 4 taken along line BB in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the tank 4 taken along line CC in FIG.
With reference to FIGS. 4-7, the structure of the tank 4 is demonstrated first.
In the tank 4, a lower container 4 a having an upper surface opened and an upper container 4 b having an opened lower surface are integrated and joined so that the openings are fitted by fitting edges 83. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner bottom surface 84 of the tank 4 formed in the lower container 4 a has a dome shape in which the central portion is gently raised. A large number of ribs 85 are provided below the inner bottom surface 84. Thereby, the strength of the inner bottom surface 84 of the tank 4 is ensured to a predetermined strength, and the deformation force applied to the inner bottom surface is absorbed by the dome shape.

A step 86 is formed in the middle of the upper container 4b in the vertical direction (see FIG. 7). Accordingly, the tank 4 has a wide outer edge in plan view of the lower part, and a slightly narrower outer edge in plan view of the upper part than the lower part. The stepped portion 86 is inclined obliquely upward from the outside to the inside.
The tank 4 is also formed with a low step surface 87 in which the upper surface of the portion located on the front side thereof is lowered by one step. The low step surface 87 is formed in order to efficiently arrange hoses and pipes constituting the water channel close to the tank 4. Alternatively, a pump for pumping out the water in the tank 4 using the low stage surface 87 and a switching valve for switching the outflow direction of the water discharged from the pump may be arranged.

A locking projection 88 for locking a hose or a pipe is provided on the low step surface 87 as needed.
The shelf 89 constituting the low step surface 87 is inclined so as to extend obliquely upward from the front toward the rear. By inclining the shelf 89 and the above-described stepped portion 86 obliquely upward from the outside to the inside, water flowing into the tank 4 and bubbles floating near the water surface move upward in the tank 4. It becomes easy to do. That is, there is an advantage that bubbles do not stagnate on the back side of the step part 86 and the shelf part 89.

  In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the inlet 30 from the circulation path 32 (see FIG. 2) is opened on the front left side of the low step surface 87. The water circulating from the inlet 30 into the tank 4 may contain fine bubbles containing ozone. The fine bubbles are concentrated on the bottom surface of the shelf 89, but the shelf 89 is inclined. Therefore, the fine bubbles move inward in the tank 4 along the inclination and smoothly flow to the upper part in the tank 4.

  A water storage valve 25 inserted in a branch pipe 15 (see FIG. 2) as a tank water channel for flowing water from the filter device 14 into the tank 4 is provided at a position on the right side of the uppermost surface of the tank 4. The water storage valve 25 is connected to a downstream branch pipe 15b that constitutes the latter half of the branch pipe 15. The downstream branch pipe 15b extends vertically downward in the tank 4, and its tip opening 15c It opens to the lower side than the center in the vertical direction inside. When water flows into the tank 4, if the opening 15 c of the downstream branch pipe 15 b is opened not to the upper part of the tank 4 but to the lower side than the center, when the water falls from the opening 15, the tank 4 There is an advantage that the sound of water hitting the inner bottom surface 80 (water collision sound) can be reduced.

A flexible hose 90 communicating with the outlet 31 (see FIG. 2) is provided at the lower front end of the tank 4. The hose 90 constitutes the first half of the circulation path 32 and is connected to the suction port of the pump 33 as will be described later.
In the tank 4, a drain port (not shown) is formed adjacent to the outlet 31, and a drain hose 91 is attached to the drain port. The drain hose 91 is normally closed at the front end by a stopper and locked to the front side of the base housing 2a as described later so that water in the tank 4 does not leak.

The right side of the rear surface of the tank 4 is further recessed, and an empty area 92 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is formed on the rear right side of the tank 4. Using this empty area 92, as will be described later, an ozone generator 47 is disposed adjacent to the tank 4.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7, an inlet 26 of an overflow channel (pressure adjusting drain pipe) 27 is opened in the center of the tank 4 in the height direction. The overflow channel 27 communicates with the upper surface side of the tank 4.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the internal structure with the base housing 2a removed, as viewed from the right front.
A hose 90 communicated with the outlet 31 of the tank 4 is connected to a suction port 93 of the pump 33. The discharge port 94 of the pump 33 is communicated with the inlet 96 of the third switching valve 34 by a hose 95.

  In this embodiment, the pump 33 and the third switching valve 34 are mounted on the upper and lower sides of a common frame 97 to form an integral structure. That is, the pump 33 is attached below the frame 97 and the third switching valve 34 is attached above the frame 97 to be integrated. By adopting such an integrated structure, the volume of the pump 33 and the third switching valve 34 is reduced, and the volume is satisfactorily arranged in a limited space in the base housing 2a of the washing machine 1.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 98 denotes a priming water inlet to which a priming pipe 48 (see FIG. 2) is connected.
FIG. 9 is a view of the pump 33 and the third switching valve 34 as viewed from the front. The pump 33 and the third switching valve 34 are connected to each other by a common frame 97. The frame 97 functions as an attachment frame for the motor 101 that is a drive source of the pump 3, and also functions as a partition wall that partitions one surface of the pump chamber 102. As is well known, the pump 33 sucks water from the suction port 93 and discharges water from the discharge port 94 when an impeller (not shown) in the pump chamber 102 is rotated by the motor 101.

The frame 97 has a U-shape when viewed from the front, and the third switching valve 34 is attached to the upper surface thereof. The third switching valve 34 includes a drive box 105 and a switching unit 106 that protrudes laterally (right side in FIG. 9) from the drive box. FIG. 10 is a view of the third switching valve 34 as viewed from the switching unit 106 side.
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the switching unit 106 includes an inlet pipe 107 bent at a right angle, a circulation pipe 108 having an ejector 35, a drain pipe 109 bent at a right angle, and bent at a right angle. A dehumidifying water pipe 110 and a recycling water pipe 111 bent at a right angle are provided.

In FIG. 10, a thin tube 112 extending upward from the ejector 35 is a tube to which the first supply path 53 connected to the ozone generator 47 is connected. That is, the ozone intake port to the ejector 35 is the thin tube 112.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the inside of the third switching valve 34 in a state where the inlet pipe 107 to the recycling water pipe 111 are removed from the configuration of FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, a ball valve 113 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 116 on the switching unit 106 on the protruding tip side protruding from the drive box 105. The ball valve 113 has a spherical shape, and an inlet 117 is formed on the side opposite to the support shaft 116, and an outlet 118 is formed on a circumferential surface orthogonal to the support shaft 116. The inlet 117 and the outlet 118 communicate with each other in the ball valve 113.

The ball valve 113 is inserted in the switching unit 106, and the inlet 117 of the ball valve 113 always faces the inlet 96 of the switching unit 106.
Then, when the ball valve 113 is rotated and stopped at a predetermined position, the outlet 118 of the ball valve 113 becomes the first outlet 36, the second outlet 37, the third outlet 38, and the fourth outlet 39 of the switching unit 106. Opposite to either.

Therefore, by switching the facing position, the third switching valve 34 can switch the water outflow direction from the first direction to the fourth direction.
Referring to FIG. 3 again, the filter device 14 is disposed on the front right side of the base housing 2a. The filter device 14 can be maintained from the front surface of the base housing 2a. That is, the operation part 75 of the filter device 14 is exposed along the front surface of the base housing 2a. The filter device 14 has a longitudinal filter housing 55 from the front to the rear, and is communicated with the drainage port 10 (see FIG. 2) of the outer tub 5 and the drainage valve 12 at the center of the upper surface of the filter housing 55. The outer tank drain pipe 120 (which is a part of the drain pipe 11) is connected. Then, the water flowing into the filter housing 55 through the outer tank drain pipe 120 is subjected to the first filtration in the filter casing 55 and is discharged out of the base housing 2 a through the drain pipe 11. The In addition, the second filtration is performed in the filter housing 55 and flows out to the drain valve 12 through the tank pipe 121 that forms the front half of the branch pipe 15 connected to the upper surface on the back side of the filter housing 55. Is done.

Whether the water flowing out from the filter device 14 flows to the drain pipe 11 or the branch pipe 15 is switched by the second switching valve 13 and the water storage valve 25 as described above.
In this embodiment, the filter device 14 includes a filter housing 55 extending from the front to the rear. However, a low step surface 87 is formed on the front side of the tank 4, and the low step surface 87 is formed. By using the space generated by the filter housing 55, the filter housing 55 is arranged without difficulty. Further, since the filter housing 55 is disposed on the low-stage surface 87, the tank pipe 121 that communicates the rear upper surface of the filter housing 55 and the water storage valve 25 is directed from the filter housing 55 toward the water storage valve 25. Connected upwards. Further, the latter half of the branch pipe extending from the water storage valve 25 into the tank 4 extends vertically downward as described with reference to FIG. Therefore, when the water storage valve 25 is closed, water does not accumulate in the branch pipe 15, that is, the tank pipe 121 and the downstream downstream branch pipe 15b, and the inside of the branch pipe 15 can be kept clean for a long period of time.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the drainage channel for draining the water in the tank 4 is a tank drainage hose (tank drainage pipe) 40 that protrudes rearward from the third switching valve 34 and extends to the right. As described with reference to FIG. 2, the overflow channel (pressure adjusting drain tube) 27 and the washing tub overflow channel (overflow tube) 23 are joined together, and a check valve 28 is provided. It is connected to the downstream side of the position. And after that, it joins with the drain pipe 11. For this reason, the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27, the drain pipe 11 and the like must be arranged on the front side of the tank 4, and an installation space for each drain pipe must be secured. In this embodiment, as described above, by providing the low step surface 87 on the front side of the tank 4, the pressure adjusting drain pipe 27 and the drain pipe 11 are arranged in the empty space generated by the low step surface 87. is doing. Thereby, it is possible to arrange a drainage channel in which a large number of pipes merge or branch so that water flows well in the drainage channel without stagnation.

  With further reference to FIG. 3, an empty area 92 is formed on the rear right side of the tank 4 as described above. And the ozone generator 47 is arrange | positioned using this empty area | region. Ozone generated by the ozone generator is supplied to the narrow tube 112 of the ejector 35 through the first supply tube 53 together with air. In FIG. 3, the second supply path 54 (a supply path for supplying ozone to the circulation air path 16, which is connected to the ozone generator 47, see FIG. 2) is omitted.

Next, the plug of the drain hose 91 described in FIG. 4 will be briefly described.
As shown in FIG. 8, the drain cap 121 is normally fitted to the drain hose 91 so that water in the tank 4 does not leak from the opening of the drain hose 91. As shown in FIG. 3, the drain cap 122 is engaged with the front surface of the base housing 2a.
When a serviceman or the like drains the remaining water in the tank 4, the drain cap 122 is removed from the base housing 2a, and the drain hose 91 plugged with the drain cap 122 is pulled out to the front of the base housing 2a. Then, the water remaining in the tank 4 is discharged by removing the drain cap 122 from the drain hose 91.

12 is a perspective view of the drain cap 122 as viewed from the back side, FIG. 13 is a front view of the drain cap 122, FIG. 14 is a side view of the drain cap 122, and FIG. 15 is an arrow A in FIG. It is sectional drawing of the drain cap 122 along -A.
12 to 15, the drain cap 122 includes a flange 123 having a circular front shape and a spherical plug 124 projecting rearward from the flange 123. The flange 123 and the plug 124 are the plug 124. They are connected by a connecting portion 125 having a smaller diameter. The flange 123, the stopper 124, and the connecting portion 125 are formed by integral shaping with, for example, resin.

A cylindrical operation hole 126 is formed so as to extend from the front side of the flange 123 toward the stopper 124.
Further, claw marks 127 are written on the front surface of the flange 123 in three directions at equal angles. A locking claw 128 is projected from the outer peripheral surface of the flange 123 so as to correspond to each claw mark 127.

  A drain cap 122 is fitted to the tip of the drain hose 91 (it is fitted so that the plug 124 is inserted into the hose), and the flange 123 is fitted from the front into a hole formed in the front surface of the base housing 2a. When fitted, the claw 128 engages with the hole formed in the base housing 2a, and the drain cap 122 fitted to the drain hose 91 is locked to the front side of the base housing 2a (see FIG. 3). ).

A service person or the like inserts the tip of the driver into the operation hole 126 of the drain cap 122, for example, and squeezes the drain cap 122 to the side where the claw mark 127 is marked by the driver, thereby removing the drain cap 122 of the base housing 2a. It can be removed from the front to the front.
And if the drain cap 122 is removed from the drain hose 91, all the remaining water in the tank 4 can be drained.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.
For example, the present invention is not limited to the oblique drum type washing machine as in this embodiment, and can be applied to a vertical washing machine or the like.

It is a perspective view of a washing machine concerning one embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic sectional side view which looked at the cross section when the washing machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention was cut | disconnected by the vertical surface along the front-back direction from the side. It is a perspective view for demonstrating the internal structure (arrangement structure of each component) of the lower part of the washing machine which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the tank 4 single-piece | unit from the diagonally upper right front. 3 is a plan view of a tank 4. FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tank 4 along line BB in FIG. 5. It is sectional drawing of the tank 4 which follows the line CC of FIG. In the washing machine 1, it is the perspective view which looked at the internal structure of the state which removed the base housing 2a from the lower right front. It is the figure which looked at the pump 33 and the 3rd switching valve 34 from the front. It is the figure which looked at the 3rd switching valve 34 from the switching unit 106 side. It is a figure which shows the 3rd switching valve 34 of the state which removed the inlet pipe 107-the water pipe 111 for recycling from the structure of FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the drain cap 122 from the back side. 3 is a front view of a drain cap 122. FIG. 3 is a side view of a drain cap 122. FIG. It is sectional drawing of the drain cap 122 which follows the arrow AA of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Washing machine 2 Housing 2a Base housing 3 Drum (washing tub)
4 Tank 5 Outer tub (washing tub)
33 Pump 34 Third switching valve (switching valve)
36 1st outlet 37 2nd outlet 38 3rd outlet 39 4th outlet 40 Tank drain pipe (drainage channel)
41 Tank water supply pipe (recycled water pipe)
47 Ozone generator (purification means)
86 Step part 87 Concave part 89 Shelf part 92 Empty area 93 Suction port 94 Discharge port 97 Frame 105 Drive box 106 Switching unit

Claims (12)

A housing constituting the outer shell of the washing machine;
A washing tub provided in the housing for storing water and storing clothes for washing;
A tank provided in the housing for storing water discharged from the washing tub after being used in the washing tub;
Purification means for purifying water stored in the tank;
A washing machine including
A pump for pumping out water in the tank;
A switching valve for switching water discharged from the pump in at least first and second directions;
A recycle channel for guiding water switched to the first direction by the switching valve to the washing tub;
A washing machine comprising: a circulating water channel for returning the water switched in the second direction by the switching valve to the tank.   The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the switching valve is configured to add water discharged from the pump in the first and second directions, and further to switch in the third and fourth directions. A drainage channel for guiding the water switched in the third direction by the switching valve to the outside of the housing;
The washing machine according to claim 2, further comprising a dehumidifying water channel for guiding water switched in the fourth direction by the switching valve to dehumidify during a drying operation.   The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pump and the switching valve have an integrated structure in which the pump is located below and the switching valve is located above. The washing tub is disposed relatively upward in the housing;
The tank is disposed relatively downward in the housing;
An outflow waterway whose upper end is connected to the lower end of the washing tub;
A filter device connected to the lower end of the outflow channel and for filtering the water in the washing tub flowing out through the outflow channel;
A tank channel for guiding water after passing through the filter device to the tank;
In order to discharge the water after passing through the filter device out of the housing, a merging water channel that merges with the drainage channel, and
The tank water channel is provided with a valve for opening and closing the tank water channel in the middle of the tank water channel,
The tank water channel communicates upward from the filter device toward the valve, and the tank water channel communicates downward from the valve to the tank. The washing machine described. The purification means includes an ozone generator that generates ozone by discharge;
Supply means for supplying the generated ozone to the tank,
Along with the supply of ozone from the supply means, it has an overflow channel for discharging water pushed out of the tank according to the ozone supply amount out of the housing,
One end of the overflow channel is located in the tank, and the other end is joined with the other end of the overflow channel for the washing tub arranged at one end in the washing tub, and a check valve is provided in the combined water channel. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tip of the washing machine is connected to the drainage channel. The tank is formed with a lower step surface where the upper surface of the tank is lowered by one step compared to the rear portion of the portion located on the front side of the housing,
6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the drainage channel is disposed on a low step surface on the front side of the tank. The tank is a shape having a stepped portion in the middle of the height direction, the outer edge of the lower part in the plan view is wide, the outer edge of the upper part in the plan view is narrow,
The washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the step portion is inclined obliquely upward from the outside to the inside. A lower housing constituting the lower outer edge of the washing machine;
A tank provided in the lower housing for collecting water discharged from the washing tub after being used in the washing tub;
A filter device disposed on one side of the front side of the tank for filtering water accumulated in the tank;
A pump disposed on the other side of the front side of the tank for pumping out the water stored in the tank;
A washing machine comprising: Above the pump, a switching valve for switching the water pumped out and discharged in a plurality of directions is arranged,
The washing machine according to claim 9, wherein the pump and the switching valve have an integrated structure. The tank has a low step surface in which a portion located on the front side of the lower housing has a lower upper surface than a portion on the rear side,
A drainage channel for discharging water switched by the switching valve to the outside of the lower housing;
The washing machine according to claim 10, wherein the drainage channel is disposed on a low step surface on the front side of the tank. In the tank, a part of a portion located on the rear side of the lower housing is recessed to form an empty area,
The laundry generator according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein an ozone generator necessary for purifying water stored in a tank is arranged in an empty area formed on the rear side. Machine.

Images