JP2007195865A - Washing machine and washing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a washing machine capable of saving water without using a detergent. <P>SOLUTION: The washing machine comprises an outer tub 2 for storing washing water inside an outer frame 1, and a washing/spinning tub 3 for storing the laundry inside in the outer tub. Water softened by a water softening device 5 is fed to the outer tub 2 and the softened water is heated to hot water by a heater 23. Then, a circulation pump 15 is operated to circulate water inside the outer tub 3, and the washing/spinning tub 3 is rotated back and forth for washing while feeding fine bubbles generated in a fine bubble generating device 16 into the outer tub 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing machine and a washing method thereof.

  A general washing machine includes an outer tub for storing washing water in an outer frame, a washing / dehydration tub that is stored in the outer tub and is rotatably supported, and a washing / dehydration tub. And a water supply means for supplying water to the outer tub. Then, detergent and water are supplied into the outer tub for washing, and then water is supplied for rinsing. Since a detergent is used, in order to ensure rinsing performance, it is necessary to rinse with a sufficient amount of water, and there is a limit in terms of saving water. Further, since the detergent solution used for washing is drained as it is, there are problems such as environmental impact and wastewater treatment costs.

  As washing machines that reduce the amount of detergent used, washing machines that use fine bubbles and washing machines that use ozone water have been proposed. By the action of fine bubbles, the machine action of the washing machine and the amount of detergent used are reduced. Moreover, the amount of detergent used and the amount of excess water are reduced by using ozone water.

  However, in any case, a detergent is necessary, and it is preferable not to use a detergent in consideration of the environmental impact. In addition, since fine bubbles are adsorbed by a detergent (surfactant) at the gas-liquid interface, there is a problem that the detergent concentration of washing water is lowered and the cleaning power is lowered. Further, ozone water also affects the detergent, and the detergent is deteriorated and decomposed, so that the cleaning power is reduced.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-306886 (Patent Document 1) includes a microbubble generation / circulation device, introduces microbubbles into a washing tub, and makes the washing tub basically stationary to perform washing while suppressing cloth damage. . Also, use soft water to reduce the amount of detergent used.

  In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-267391 (Patent Document 2), a large amount of fine bubbles are jet-mixed in the washing water, the stirring mechanism of the washing machine is unnecessary, and the amount of detergent used is reduced.

  In JP-A-4-244198 (Patent Document 3), washing is performed using a cleaning liquid containing ozone water and a detergent to reduce the amount of detergent and rinsing water.

JP 2002-306886 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-267391 JP-A-4-244198

  As described above, in conventional washing machines using fine bubbles and ozone water, the amount of detergent used is reduced, but when used in combination with detergent, the fine bubbles and ozone water have an action that inhibits the function of the detergent. There was a problem that sufficient detergency could not be obtained.

  An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, to ensure cleaning power without using a detergent, and to reduce load on water and the environment.

  The present invention provides a water supply for supplying water to the outer tub in a washing machine having an outer tub placed in an outer frame and storing washing water, and a washing and dewatering tub placed in the outer tub and storing laundry. Means, water softening means for softening the supplied water, heating means for heating the softened water, and fine bubble generating and circulating means for mixing fine bubbles into the soft water. Features.

  A water supply means for supplying water to the outer tub in a washing machine provided in the outer frame and storing washing water; and a washing machine provided in the outer tub and having a washing and dewatering tub for storing laundry. And ozone generating means and fine bubble generating and circulating means for mixing fine bubbles into the supplied water, supplying ozone generated by the ozone generating means to the fine bubble generating and circulating means, and supplying the water with ozone finely It is characterized by mixing bubbles.

  The outer tub is provided with an overflow portion for washing water.

  The washing machine configured as described above uses soft water so that hardness components are not adsorbed to negatively charged fibers and dirt in water. In addition, oil stains such as sebum stains and hardness components do not bind and become insoluble in water.

  For this reason, the factor which inhibits dirt removal can be excluded. Moreover, by making the water warm with the heating means, oil stains such as sebum stains are fluidized and easily removed. Due to the surface tension at the gas-liquid interface, the internal pressure of the fine bubbles increases as the bubble diameter decreases, and a pressure wave is generated when the bubbles collapse, thereby having a cleaning effect.

  Therefore, by using soft water, warm water and fine bubbles in combination, dirt can be efficiently removed from clothing.

  In addition, since the fine bubbles have a large surface area per volume, the floating speed in water is slow and the staying time is long, (1) the gas dissolution efficiency is high, (2) the impurities in water are adsorbed on the gas-liquid interface, There is an action such as floating and purifying water, and fine bubbles are adsorbed on the dirt that has fallen from the clothes, and the dirt can be prevented from reattaching to the clothes.

  Furthermore, the dirt can be efficiently removed by causing the dirt floating on the water surface together with the fine bubbles to overflow from the overflow portion provided in the outer tank.

  Furthermore, since fine bubbles have high gas dissolution efficiency, ozone water can be efficiently dissolved into water by using ozone fine bubbles. Ozone has a very strong oxidizing power, decomposes harmful substances, and has a sterilizing and deodorizing action, so that the laundry can be sterilized and deodorized.

  In addition to having a cleaning action and a bleaching action due to the decomposition action of organic matter, in addition to the cleaning effect by pressure waves at the time of collapse of fine bubbles, ozone decomposes the dirt and lowers the molecular weight, so that the dirt comes from the laundry It becomes easy to detach and can improve detergency. Can stain stains such as juice and wine.

  Furthermore, since no detergent is used, it is not necessary to perform rinsing, so that the amount of water used for washing can be reduced, and adverse effects of drainage on the environment can be eliminated.

  Examples of the present invention will be described below.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the washing machine of this embodiment. In the figure, 1 is an outer frame of a washing machine, 2 is a cylindrical outer tub for storing washing water (washing water, rinsing water), and 3 is a cylindrical washing / dehydration tub for storing laundry on the surface. Through-hole 3a, and is supported in the outer tub 2 so as to be rotatable in forward and reverse directions. Reference numeral 23 denotes a heater (heating means) which is accommodated in a concave recess 2a formed at the bottom of the outer tub 2.

4 is a water supply pipe from a water supply or the like, 5 is a water softening device for removing hardness components in water, 6 is a soft water supply pipe to the outer tub 2, and 7 is a water supply valve provided in the middle of the soft water supply pipe 6. When the water supply valve 7 is opened, the water passes through the water supply pipe 4, is softened by the water softening device 5 (water softening means), and is supplied from the soft water supply pipe 6 into the outer tub 2. By energizing the heater 23, the washing water supplied to the outer tub 2 can be heated to warm water. The water supply pipe 4, the water supply valve 7, and the soft water supply pipe 6 are included in the water supply means.

  10 is a drainage pipe connected to the bottom of the outer tub 2, 11 is a drainage valve, and 12 is a drainage pipe that guides the washing water in the outer tub 2 to the outside of the washing machine.

  Reference numeral 13 is a lint filter, 14 is a suction pipe branched from the drain pipe 10, 15 is a pump, 16 is a fine bubble generator provided at the discharge part of the pump 15, and 17 is fine bubble mixed water produced by the fine bubble generator 16. This discharge pipe is connected to the bottom of the outer tub 2.

  The fine bubble generating and circulating means includes a fine bubble generating device 16, a pump 15, a discharge pipe 17, a drain pipe 10, a lint filter, and a suction pipe 14.

  18 is an air suction pipe, 19 is an ozone gas generator (ozone generating means), 20 is an ozone gas supply pipe, and 22 is a switching valve provided in the middle of the ozone gas supply pipe. The ozone gas supply pipe 20 is connected to the suction pipe 14. Since the ozone gas generator 19 is installed at a position higher than the maximum water supply level to the outer tub 2, water does not enter the ozone gas generator 19 in any case.

  When the pump 15 is operated with the drain valve 11 closed, the washing water in the outer tub 2 enters the suction pipe 14 from the drain pipe 10, and the waste thread is removed by the waste thread filter 13 and sucked into the pump 15. Then, it is circulated so as to be discharged from the pump 15, pass through the fine bubble generating device 16, and return to the discharge pipe 17 or the outer tank 2. At this time, since the suction pipe 14 has a negative pressure, when the switching valve 22 is opened, air is sucked from the air suction pipe 18, passes through the ozone gas generator 19 and the ozone gas supply pipe 20, and enters the pump 15 together with water. Fine bubbles are formed in the entering fine bubble generator 16, and fine bubble mixed water is supplied into the outer tank 2. The fine bubbles become ozone fine bubbles when the ozone gas generator 19 is operated, and become air fine bubbles when the ozone gas generator 19 is not operated.

  Next, the operation of the washing machine according to this embodiment will be described.

  The laundry is put into the washing and dewatering tank 3. The water supply valve 7 is opened and the water softened by the water softening device 5 is supplied into the outer tub 2 through the soft water supply pipe 6 in a specified amount. The heater 23 is energized to heat the supplied water, warm it to a specified water temperature, and make it warm water.

  The washing and dewatering tub 3 is rotated forward and backward to stir the laundry and enter the washing step. Note that the washing and dewatering tank 3 may be operated intermittently until the specified water temperature is reached. When the specified water temperature is reached, the pump 15 is operated to circulate the softened warm water (wash water) in the outer tub 2.

  At the same time, the switching valve 22 is opened and fine bubbles are generated by the fine bubble generator 16, and the fine bubbles are mixed into the circulating water. The water containing fine bubbles enters the outer tub 2 and flows into the washing / dehydrating tub 3 through the through hole of the washing / dehydrating tub 3.

  The rotation speed of the washing / dehydrating tub 3 is set so that the laundry is lifted above the washing / dehydrating tub 3 and dropped to the lower part. Therefore, the laundry falls into soft water that has been softened with fine bubbles. The washing process is performed for a predetermined time or a time set by the user.

  Hardness components contained in water (polyvalent cations such as calcium ions and magnesium ions) are a metal soap that is insoluble in water by combining with hardness components for detergents using anionic surfactants. Is known to inhibit the cleaning power of detergents.

  Even in the case where no detergent is used as in the present embodiment, the hardness component inhibits the cleaning power. Dirt that adheres to clothing worn by people is mainly sebum stains and protein stains generated from the human body, and stains from food and living environments.

  In general, fibers and dirt in water are negatively charged. For this reason, the hardness component is easily adsorbed, which not only prevents the removal of dirt, but also promotes the reattachment of dirt. In addition, the sebum stain and the hardness component are combined, so that the sebum stain is insolubilized and the removal of the stain is inhibited. Since deteriorating such water eliminates such harmful effects, the detergency can be increased.

  It is generally well known that detergency improves when the water temperature is high. This is because when a detergent is used, the activity of the detergent is increased and the dissolution of the detergent is promoted. On the other hand, when the water temperature is raised, the fact that dirt, particularly oil dirt such as sebum dirt, will flow and easily fall off is also a major factor in improving the detergency.

  Therefore, even when no detergent is used, the cleaning power can be increased by increasing the water temperature.

  Thus, by using warm water and soft water in combination, it is possible to increase the cleaning power without using a detergent. Considering what happens to the dirt that falls from the laundry and comes out in the water, when a detergent is used, the detergent prevents the surfactant from wrapping the dirt and reattaching it to the laundry.

  However, when a detergent is not used, there is a high possibility that dirt that has fallen from the laundry will reattach to the laundry. By using water containing fine bubbles, the possibility of this reattachment can be greatly reduced.

  The fine bubbles having a diameter of 50 μm or less have the following characteristics and functions. Since the surface area per volume is large, the ascending speed in water is slow and the staying time is long, the gas dissolution efficiency is high, and the impurities in the water are adsorbed and floated on the gas-liquid interface to purify the water.

  For this reason, the stain | pollution | contamination which left | separated from the laundry and came out in water adsorb | sucks to a fine bubble, and can prevent reattachment to a laundry. In addition, due to the surface tension at the gas-liquid interface, the internal pressure of the fine bubbles increases as the bubble diameter decreases, and a pressure wave is generated when the bubbles collapse, thereby having a cleaning effect.

  Accordingly, when the laundry falls into the water mixed with fine bubbles, the fine bubbles collapse, pressure waves act on the laundry, and a cleaning power is generated. By using warm water in combination, sebum dirt is fluidized, so that dirt can be removed with higher efficiency. Furthermore, by using soft water, since the detergency is not reduced due to dirt and adhesion of hardness components to the fibers, higher detergency can be obtained.

  In addition, since the microbubbles are very small in size, they easily penetrate into the cloth and act not only on the surface but also on internal dirt that is relatively difficult to remove. Since the fine bubbles disappear due to the collapse, it is necessary to always operate the pump and continuously supply the fine bubbles during the washing process.

  FIG. 2 is an example of the cleaning effect of warm water, soft water, and fine bubbles. In the figure, MB indicates water containing fine bubbles. The water temperature is 20 ° C. and 40 ° C., and the hardness is 0 ppm (soft water) and 120 ppm (hard water). Hardness is a calcium carbonate equivalent value. The detergency is shown as a relative value based on the detergency (shown on the left in the figure) when a detergent is used with hard water at 20 ° C.

  The second to fifth from the left are the results of hard water, and the sixth to ninth are the results of soft water. As can be seen from the figure, soft water is higher than hard water at 40 ° C. under 20 ° C., and water with fine air has higher detergency than water without fine bubbles. This is due to the action described above.

  What should be noted here is the high detergency of soft water, 40 ° C., and fine bubble water. It shows the value that exceeds the detergency without using the detergent when the standard detergent is used. When the water temperature of 20 ° C. is changed to soft water, the detergency relative value increases by about 0.06 points (soft water effect).

  Further, when the temperature is increased from 20 ° C. to 40 ° C. with soft water, the detergency is increased by about 0.24 points (temperature effect), and when fine bubbles are used, the increase is 0.23 points (MB effect). When this effect is added, the relative value of the cleaning power is 0.95 as shown by the broken line in the figure.

  However, in actuality, the cleaning power is 0.19 points higher than the value obtained by adding this effect. This shows that the combination of soft water, warm water and fine bubbles has a higher effect than that obtained by adding a single detergency improving effect, that is, a synergistic effect.

  If any one element is missing, the detergency relative value decreases by 0.38 to 0.43 points.

  When the washing process is completed, the pump 15 is stopped, the drain valve 11 is opened, and the washing water in the outer tub 2 is drained from the water distribution pipe 12 to the outside of the machine. Then, the washing and dewatering tub 3 is rotated at high speed to perform dehydration.

  Next, a rinsing step is performed. The drain valve 11 is closed, the water supply valve 7 is opened, soft water is supplied to the outer tub 2, and the washing and dewatering tub 3 is rotated forward and backward. At this time, it is better to operate the pump 15 and mix fine bubbles in the rinse water. Thereby, the dirt which came out in rinse water can be made to adsorb | suck to a fine bubble, and the rinse effect can be improved. When the rinsing is completed, the drain valve 11 is opened, the washing and dewatering tub 3 is rotated at a high speed to perform dehydration, and the washing is finished.

  When a detergent is used, the rinsing process is usually carried out twice or more, but since no detergent is used, one rinse is sufficient. As a result, the amount of water used in washing can be reduced. Moreover, since the detergent component is not included in the waste water, the cost of waste water treatment can be greatly reduced.

  Next, the effect when the ozone generator 19 is used to wash the ozone fine bubble mixed water too easily will be described. As described above, the fine bubbles have high gas dissolution efficiency, and can efficiently dissolve ozone into water to generate ozone water.

  It is known that ozone has a very strong oxidizing power, decomposes harmful substances, and has a sterilizing and deodorizing action. Therefore, the laundry can be sterilized and deodorized by washing too easily in ozone water. It also has a cleaning action and a bleaching action due to the decomposition action of organic matter.

  That is, when fine bubbles collapse, in addition to the above-described pressure wave cleaning effect, ozone decomposes dirt and lowers its molecular weight, so that dirt easily separates from the laundry and has the effect of increasing the cleaning power.

  Furthermore, it has a bleaching action more than that of a chlorine bleaching agent against plant stains such as juice and wine. In addition, regarding a disinfection and deodorizing effect | action, a sufficient effect is exhibited with ozone concentration as low as about 0.4 ppm. On the other hand, for cleaning and bleaching action, a concentration of 1 ppm or more is preferable in order to obtain an effect in a short time.

  Ozone water has not only a bactericidal action but also a peeling effect of adhering microorganisms. This effect is exhibited even at ozone concentrations as low as 0.1 and 0.2 ppm.

  For this reason, the microorganisms adhering to the clothes and the washing tub move to another place (mostly move into the water) when they come into contact with ozone water, and are discharged out of the washing machine during drainage. For this reason, microorganisms can be removed from clothes and washing tubs without sterilization.

  In addition, since the concentration is low, there is little damage to the constituent materials of clothes and washing machines. It is not necessary to use highly corrosion-resistant materials for the washing tub and outer tub, and the cost of the washing machine can be suppressed.

  Another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the washing machine of the present embodiment.

  In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2b is a overflow water receiving portion (overflow portion) formed in a concave shape near the center of the outer peripheral surface of the outer tub 2. The position of the weir 2c of the water receiving portion 2b is set to be the same as the water surface at the time of the maximum water supply amount to the outer tub 2.

  An overflow pipe 24 is connected to the drain pipe 12 from the bottom surface of the water receiving portion 2b. The water that flows into the water receiving portion 2b from the outer layer 2 passes through the overflow pipe 24 and the drain pipe 12 and is drained outside the apparatus. 2d is a water supply opening provided at a position opposite to the water receiving portion 2b.

  The water supply port 2d has a slit shape parallel to the central axis of the cylindrical outer tub 2, and the water supply flows into the outer tub 2 in the form of a thin film. The vertical height of the water supply port 2d is set to be the same as or slightly lower than the weir 2c.

  3b is a through-hole B provided on the cylindrical surface of the washing / dehydrating tub 3. The opening area per unit area is larger than that of the through-hole 3a (the diameter of the hole is large or the number of holes is large). It is arranged parallel to the central axis of the water tank 3.

  The through holes 3b are provided in two rows in the circumferential direction, and face the weir 2c and the water supply port 2d of the water receiving portion 2b when the washing and dewatering tub 3 is stopped at a predetermined position.

  As described in the first embodiment, the fine bubbles have the action of adsorbing dirt in water to the gas-liquid interface and floating on the water surface. In this embodiment, the dirt that has floated together with the fine bubbles is efficiently discharged out of the outer tub 2.

  Next, the operation of the washing machine according to this embodiment will be described.

  The process is the same as in Example 1 up to the middle of the washing process. After the washing is performed for a specified time, the rotation speed of the washing / dehydrating tub 3 is decreased or the rotation time of the forward / reverse rotation is shortened so that the laundry is not lifted above the washing / dehydrating tub 3.

  By doing so, the laundry is shaken small in water, the flow of washing water by stirring is reduced, and the disturbance of the water surface is reduced. For this reason, the dirt adsorbed by the fine bubbles and washed and dispersed in the water floats and accumulates on the water surface.

  Then, when the water supply valve 7 is opened and additional water is supplied into the outer tub 2, the water surface in the outer tub 2 rises, and eventually the dirt collected on the water surface passes through the weir 2c and flows out into the water inlet 2b and is discharged out of the machine. .

  In order to increase the discharge efficiency of dirt, the rotation of the washing and dewatering tub 3 is stopped at a predetermined position, the washing and dewatering tub 3 is fixed, and the weir 2c and the water supply port 2d of the through hole B, the water receiving portion 2b are provided. Make sure they are almost in a straight line.

  The water level in the outer tub 2 rises due to the water supply from the water supply port 2d and approaches the water supply port 2d. Since water is supplied in the form of a film from the water supply port 2d, a flow occurs from the water supply port 2d through the through-hole B3b, across the washing / dehydrating tub 3, and through the opposite through-hole B3d to the weir 2c.

  Since the dirt floating on the water surface flows to the water receiving portion 2b together with this flow, the dirt can be efficiently removed.

  When the washing process is completed, drainage and dehydration are performed, and the process proceeds to the rinsing process. By removing dirt at the end of the rinsing step in the same manner as described above, the rinsing efficiency can be further increased.

  In the above description, the removal of dirt is performed at the end of the washing process and the rinsing process. However, dirt may be removed during each process as follows.

  That is, washing or rinsing that moves the washing / dehydrating tub 3 greatly and stopping the washing / dehydrating tub 3 at a predetermined position and discharging dirt are repeated. By doing so, since the concentration of dirt in the washing water and rinsing water does not become so high, the possibility of redeposition of dirt on the laundry can be further reduced.

  Moreover, since the detergent is not used, it is not necessary to separately perform the rinsing process by appropriately setting the number of times of removing the dirt during the washing process.

  The number of dirt removals is a predetermined number of times (for example, less for laundry courses with less dirt, and more if there is much dirt) or near the maximum water level (draft surface) of the outer tub 3. A dirt detection sensor (for example, a conductivity sensor or an optical transmission sensor) may be provided, and the number of times may be changed according to the amount of dirt floating on the water surface.

  Although not shown, it is natural that a position sensor for detecting the rotational direction position of the washing / dehydrating tub 3 is necessary in order to stop the washing / dehydrating tub 3 at a specified position.

It is the schematic which shows the whole structure of the washing machine in Example 1 of this invention. It is a graph explaining the washing | cleaning effect in the washing machine of Example 1. FIG. It is the schematic which shows the whole structure of the washing machine in Example 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Outer tank, 2b ... Water receiving part, 2d ... Water supply port, 3 ... Washing and dewatering tank, 5 ... Water softening device, 15 ... Circulation pump, 16 ... Fine bubble generator, 19 ... Ozone generator, 23 ... Heater .

Claims (5)

In a washing machine equipped with an outer tub that is placed in an outer frame and stores washing water, and a washing and dewatering tub that is placed in the outer tub and stores laundry,
Water supply means for supplying water to the outer tub, water softening means for softening the supplied water, heating means for heating the softened water, and fine bubbles for mixing fine bubbles in the soft water A washing machine comprising a generating and circulating means. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein
A washing machine comprising ozone generating means, supplying ozone generated by the ozone generating means to the fine bubble generating and circulating means, and mixing ozone fine bubbles into the soft water. In a washing machine equipped with an outer tub that is placed in an outer frame and stores washing water, and a washing and dewatering tub that is placed in the outer tub and stores laundry,
Water supply means for supplying water to the outer tub, ozone generation means, and fine bubble generation and circulation means for mixing fine bubbles into the supplied water, and ozone generated by the ozone generation means is converted into the fine bubble generation and circulation means The washing machine is characterized in that ozone fine bubbles are mixed in the supplied water. In the washing machine according to claim 1 or 3,
A washing machine characterized in that a washing water overflow portion is provided in the outer tub, and a water supply port from a water supply means is provided at a position facing the overflow portion in the horizontal direction. In the washing method using warm water and soft water as washing water,
The washing method is characterized in that washing is performed with a detergent-free washing liquid in which fine bubbles are mixed in the washing water.

Images