JP2009268798A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a washing machine for efficiently and reliably cooling heat generation from a power source board arranged in the washing machine, with a simple structure by considering that the washing machine is a home electronic appliance using a large amount of water. <P>SOLUTION: The washing machine includes: a water tub 2 which is freely rockably suspended inside an outer box 1; a water supply hose 18 which is water supply means to be connected to a water source 14 such as a water faucet and opened to the water tub 2; a drain hose 13 which is drain means and arranged in the water tub 2; and the board, for example, the power source board 12 which is arranged inside the outer box 1. A water cooler 20 being water cooling means and connected to the water supply means and the drain means is attached to the power source board 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cooling means for a washing machine, in particular, a power supply board.

  In the washing machine, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1 of FIG. 5, a water tank 2 is swingably disposed in an outer box 1, and a washing and dewatering tank 3 is disposed in the water tank 2. A top cover 5 provided with a lid 4 is attached to the upper opening, a rear electrical component panel 6 is attached to the rear of the top cover 5, and a front electrical component panel 7 is attached to the front.

  The rear electrical component panel 6 is provided with, for example, a water supply valve, a water level sensor, a safety switch, and the like, and a low voltage substrate among the substrates is attached to the front electrical panel 7.

  The outer box 1 covers the opening 9 formed around the metal outer frame main body 8 with the same metal panel, and at least one of the front panel 10 and the side panel 11, the illustrated example. Then, the front panel 10 is detachably attached to the outer frame body 8.

  Then, a 100V board mounting box is provided on the outer frame body 8 to which the front panel 10 is detachably attached, and a power board 12 which is a 100V board is attached thereto.

In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a drainage hose that is a drainage means that opens to the bottom of the water tank 2.
JP-A-8-57190

  An electronic component that generates heat when an electric current flows is attached to the power supply board, and the electronic component is deformed or burnt when the heat generation temperature exceeds a certain temperature. Therefore, for electronic parts having a high heat generation temperature, a heat radiating plate is provided or a fan is attached to improve heat dissipation so as to prevent the electronic parts from becoming hot.

  However, in recent years, the load on electronic components has increased due to an increase in washing capacity and the addition of a drying function, and the use time has also increased, resulting in heat generation of electronic components by means such as providing a conventional heat sink. On the other hand, it is no longer possible to dissipate heat sufficiently.

  In a personal computer or the like, as a heat radiating means, means for cooling a hard disk drive device (HDD) for recording information with a water-cooling type cooling device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-287212. Has not been established as a means of radiating heat from the power supply board in a water-cooled manner.

  In order to eliminate the inconvenience of the conventional example, the present invention pays attention to the fact that the washing machine is a household appliance that uses a large amount of water, and efficiently and easily generates heat from the power supply board disposed in the washing machine. The present invention provides a washing machine that can cool reliably with a structure.

  The present invention relates to a washing machine in which a water tank is swingably supported in an outer box, water supply means connected to a water source is opened in the water tank, drainage means is provided in the water tank, and a substrate is disposed in the outer box. The gist of the invention is that the substrate is provided with water cooling means connected to the water supply means and the drainage means.

  As described above, the washing machine of the present invention pays attention to the fact that the washing machine is a household appliance that uses a large amount of water, and uses the water supply and drainage means provided in the washing machine. The heat generated from the power supply substrate disposed in the can be efficiently and reliably cooled with a simple structure. Therefore, the electronic component can be prevented from being damaged by heat, and the heat generation of the electronic component can be suppressed. Therefore, the electronic component can be further loaded, and the washing capacity, usage time, and function can be increased.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the washing machine according to the present invention, and the overall configuration of the washing machine is the same as that of the conventional example already described with reference to FIG.

  The washing machine of the present invention also includes a water supply means and a drainage means, as in the prior art, and the water supply means has a water supply pipe 15 connected to a water source 14 such as a water tap connected to a water supply hose 18 via a water supply valve 16. The water supply hose 18 is connected and opened in the washing and dewatering tub 3.

  In addition, a drainage hose 13 provided with a drainage valve 17 in the middle of the drainage means opens at the bottom of the water tank 2.

  Then, similarly to the conventional example of FIG. 5, a 100V board mounting box is provided on the outer frame body 8 to which the face panel 10 is detachably attached, and a power board 12 which is a 100V board is attached thereto. As shown in FIG. 2, electronic components that generate heat when a current flows and a heat radiating plate 19 are attached to the substrate 12.

  In the washing machine having such a configuration, the present invention has a water cooling device 20 attached as a cooling device to the electronic parts generating heat and the heat radiating plate 19 of the power supply substrate 12.

  The water cooling device 20 is connected to the water supply means and the drainage means conventionally provided in a washing machine, and the water inflow side of the water cooling device 20 has a water supply hose 18, a three-way water supply valve 16, and a water supply pipe 15. To the water source 14.

  The water discharge side of the water cooling device 20 is connected to the drain valve 17 and the drain hose 13 via the drain hose 13a.

  In addition, a temperature sensor 21 that detects the temperature of the electronic parts that generate heat and the heat sink 19 is disposed in the vicinity of the electronic parts and the heat sink 19.

  As a specific configuration of the water cooling device 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a box type is used, a water supply hose 18 is opened at the upper part of the box 20a, a drainage hose 13a is opened at the lower part, The fins 20b are alternately projected horizontally to increase the contact area with water and form a flow of water that meanders from above to below.

  In this case, the upper surface of the fin 20b is inclined downward so that water can easily flow.

  As another example, as shown in FIG. 4, the pipe type is used, and the pipe 22 is configured to meander between the water supply hose 18 and the drainage hose 13 a in a wave shape. If the heat generating electronic component or the heat radiating plate 19 is large, the heat radiation effect is higher when the pipe type is used.

  Next, the operation will be described. During operation, the water supply valve 16 that supplies water to the cooling means independently of the water supply to the water tank is opened, and water is supplied from the water supply hose 18 to the cooling device 20, and the electronic parts and heat sinks that generate heat with this water. Cool 19 and cool the heat. The water supply timing can be controlled by providing the water supply valve 16. Therefore, damage to electronic components and the like due to heat can be prevented.

  The water flowing through the cooling device 20 is discharged from the drain hose 13a by opening the drain valve 17. By providing the drain valve 17, water can be stored in the water cooling device 20, and the amount of water used can be reduced.

  The timing of injecting water into the water cooling device 20 may be kept flowing during operation, but a program is set in the control device in advance, for example, in conjunction with the water supply stroke of the washing operation, the water supply valve 16 in the water supply stroke. It is also possible to supply water when opening the water, inject water into the water cooling device 20 to store the water in the box 20a or the pipe 22, and drain the water when opening the drain valve 17 in the drainage stroke of the washing operation. In addition to the box 10a and the like, water can be stored separately by providing a storage device 23 between the water supply valve 16 and the power supply board 12 in the water supply hose 18. By using such water supply control and storing water, the amount of water used can be reduced.

  Further, the temperature of the electronic component that generates heat or the heat radiating plate 19 is detected by the temperature sensor 21, and when the detected temperature becomes equal to or higher than a preset predetermined temperature, water supply is started, cooling is performed, and a predetermined preset temperature is Water supply can also be stopped if the following occurs. Such water supply control can reduce the amount of water used.

  Furthermore, a fan can be attached to the water cooling device 20 and the fan can be operated at the time of cooling. In this case, higher heat dissipation can be obtained by the combined use with the fan.

  In the above-described embodiment, the object on which the cooling device 20 is provided is the power supply board. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be implemented on the control board.

It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of the washing machine of this invention. It is a front view of the power supply board of the principal part which shows embodiment of the washing machine of this invention. It is a vertical front view which shows the 1st example of the cooling device of the principal part which shows embodiment of the washing machine of this invention. It is a vertical front view which shows the 2nd example of the cooling device of the principal part which shows embodiment of the washing machine of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the conventional washing machine.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer box 2 Water tank 3 Washing / dehydration tank 4 Cover 5 Top cover 6 Rear electrical component panel 7 Front electrical component panel 8 Outer frame body 9 Opening 10 Front panel 11 Side panel 12 Power supply board 13 Drain hose 13a Drain hose 14 Water source 15 Water supply pipe 16 Water supply valve 17 Drain valve 18 Water supply hose 19 Heat generating electronic parts and heat sink 20 Cooling device 20a Box 20b Fin 21 Temperature sensor 22 Pipe 23 Storage device

Claims (5)

  In the washing machine in which the water tank is swingably supported in the outer box, the water supply means connected to the water source is opened in the water tank, the drainage means is provided in the water tank, and the substrate is arranged in the outer box, the water supply means A washing machine characterized in that a water-cooling means connected to the substrate is attached to the substrate.   2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a water storage space and a valve are provided in a water passage so that water can be stored in the water cooling means.   The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a water supply valve is provided in the water source.   The washing machine according to claim 1 or 3, wherein temperature detection means is provided on the substrate, and start and stop of water supply from a water source are controlled by an output from the temperature detection means.   The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein water supply from a water source is started and stopped by a control program.

Images