JP2021087612A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To favorably perform holding of an inner lid in an open state, in a washing machine including the inner lid.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a water tub which is provided in a washing machine body and in which an upper surface is open; a washing tub which is provided in the water tub, in which laundry is stored, and a washing operation is executed; a laundry putting in/taking out port provided at an upper part of the washing machine body; a washing lid for opening/closing the laundry putting in/taking out port; a water tub cover provided at an upper part of the water tub, positioned above the washing tub, and having an opening part where the laundry is put in/taken out; and an inner lid provided at the water tub cover, and for opening/closing the opening part. The washing lid is displaceable between a closing position for covering the laundry putting in/taking out port, and an open position which is a standing form at a rear part of the laundry putting in/taking out port. A magnet is provided at one of the washing lid and the inner lid, and a magnet adsorption part is provided on the other, and by the magnetic adsorption force between them, the inner lid is held in an open state at the open position of the washing lid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to washing machines.

Some so-called vertical axis type washing machines are provided with a laundry entrance / exit on the top cover of the upper part of the main body and a double-fold type washing lid for opening / closing the laundry entrance / exit (for example, Patent Document). 1). In the washing lid, the front lid portion and the rear lid portion, both of which have a horizontally long rectangular shape, are rotatably connected, and the rear side portion of the rear lid portion is rotatably connected to the top cover via a hinge portion. .. As a result, the washing lid has a closed position that covers the entire top cover and an open position in which the front lid portion and the rear lid portion are folded and rise up to the rear portion of the top cover to open the laundry entrance / exit. Displaced between. It should be noted that Patent Document 1 discloses that a regulating member is provided to prevent the washing lid located in the open position from being displaced such as falling forward without permission.

JP-A-2017-189427

By the way, in this type of vertical axis type washing machine, an opening is provided in the water tank cover provided at the upper end of the water tank, and an inner lid for closing the opening is provided so as to be openable and closable. By providing this inner lid, it is possible to prevent water from splashing from the washing tub, prevent the laundry from popping out, and ensure user safety. In this case, it is necessary to keep the inner lid in the open state when taking in and out the laundry or when the inside of the water tank is naturally dried, and the inner lid is held by the frictional force at the hinge portion. Was configured. However, there is a problem that the inner lid is unintentionally blocked by the user due to the vibration of the washing machine body or the inclination of the installation location.

Therefore, there is provided a washing machine provided with an inner lid, which can satisfactorily hold the inner lid in an open state.

The washing machine of the embodiment is provided in a water tub provided in the washing machine main body and having an open upper surface, a washing tub provided in the water tub in which laundry is stored and a washing operation is executed, and an upper part of the washing machine main body. A laundry entrance / exit provided, a washing lid for opening / closing the laundry entrance / exit, and a water tub cover provided above the water tub and having an opening for taking in / out laundry, which is located above the washing tub. The water tub cover is provided with an inner lid that opens and closes the opening, and the washing lid has a closed position that covers the laundry entrance and an opening position that stands up at the rear of the laundry entrance. It is configured to be displaceable between the washing lid and the inner lid, and a magnet is provided on one of the washing lid and the inner lid, and a magnet attracting portion is provided on the other. It has a structure for holding the inner lid in an open state.

The right side view of the vertical section which shows the 1st Embodiment and shows the whole structure of the washing machine schematicly. A perspective view showing a state in which the inner lid is opened. Side view schematically showing the relationship with the washing lid in the open state of the inner lid The second embodiment is shown, and the side view which shows typically the relationship with the washing lid in the open state of the inner lid. The third embodiment is shown, and the side view which shows typically the relationship with the washing lid in the open state of the inner lid.

Hereinafter, some embodiments applied to the so-called vertical axis type fully automatic washing machine will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals among the plurality of embodiments, and new illustrations and repetitive explanations will be omitted.

(1) First Embodiment The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. First, FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically show the overall configuration of the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment. The washing machine 1 includes, for example, an outer box 2 formed of a steel plate as a whole into a rectangular box shape. The outer box 2 constitutes the washing machine main body. As shown in FIG. 1, a base plate 4 having four legs 3 is provided on the bottom of the outer box 2. Inside the outer box 2, a water tank 6 having an open upper surface and storing washing water is provided so as to be elastically supported by a well-known elastic suspension mechanism 7 (only a part thereof is shown). A drainage port 8 is formed at the bottom of the water tank 6. A drainage channel 10 provided with an electronically controlled drainage valve 9 is connected to the drainage port 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, a washing tub 11 having a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and also serving as a dehydration tub is rotatably provided in the water tub 6. For example, a liquid-filled rotary balancer 12 is attached to the upper end of the washing tub 11. Further, a large number of dehydration holes 11a are formed in the peripheral wall portion of the washing tub 11. A stirring body 13 called a pulsator is disposed on the inner bottom of the washing tub 11. Laundry (not shown) is accommodated in the washing tub 11, and a washing operation including washing, rinsing, and dehydrating of the laundry is performed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a water tank cover 14 is attached to the upper part of the water tank 6. The water tank cover 14 is provided with an opening 14a for taking in and out laundry at a substantially central portion, and as shown in FIG. 2, an inner lid 15 for opening and closing the opening 14a is attached. A water supply port 14b (see FIG. 1) for water supply is provided at the rear portion on the upper surface of the water tank cover 14. In this case, the inner door 15 is provided with a hinge portion 15a on the rear side portion, and is rotatably supported by the water tank cover 14 about an axis extending horizontally in the left-right direction. At this time, the front portion of the inner lid 15 is provided with a handle portion 16 on which the user puts his / her hand when opening / closing. The holding structure of the inner door 15 when it is opened will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drive mechanism 17 having a well-known structure is arranged in the lower portion (outer bottom portion) of the water tank 6. Although detailed illustration and description are omitted, the drive mechanism 17 includes a washing machine motor composed of an outer rotor type DC three-phase brushless motor, a hollow tank shaft 18, a stirring shaft 19 penetrating the tank shaft 18, and the washing machine motor. It is equipped with a clutch mechanism or the like that selectively transmits the rotational driving force of the above shafts 18 and 19. The washing tub 11 is connected to the upper end of the tub shaft 18, and the stirring body 13 is connected to the upper end of the stirring shaft 19.

The clutch mechanism uses, for example, a solenoid as a drive source and is controlled by the control device 31. With this, the clutch mechanism transmits the driving force of the washing machine motor to the stirring body 13 via the stirring shaft 19 in the fixed or stopped state of the washing tub 11 during washing and rinsing, and causes the stirring body 13 at a low speed. Direct forward and reverse rotation drive. Further, at the time of dehydration or the like, the clutch mechanism transmits the driving force of the washing machine motor to the washing tub 11 via the tub shaft 18 in the connected state of the tub shaft 18 and the stirring shaft 19, and stirs the washing tub 11 and the stirring. The body 13 is driven to rotate directly in one direction.

On the other hand, a top cover 20 made of synthetic resin in the shape of a thin hollow box is attached to the upper part of the outer box 2. A substantially circular laundry inlet / outlet 20a is formed in the center of the upper surface of the top cover 20 above the washing tub 11, and a washing lid 21 for opening / closing the laundry inlet / outlet 20a is provided. .. As will be described in detail later, in the present embodiment, the washing lid 21 is a two-fold type. Further, a horizontally long operation panel 22 is provided on the front side portion of the upper surface of the top cover 20. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 22 is configured to include an operation unit for the user to turn on / off the power to the washing machine 1 and perform various settings / instructions, a display unit for performing necessary displays, and the like. There is.

As shown in FIG. 1, a connection port 23 exposed on the upper surface is provided at the rear portion of the top cover 20, and a water supply mechanism 24 for supplying water into the water tank 6 is provided inside. It is provided. A connection hose connected to a tap (not shown) is connected to the connection port 23. As is well known, the water supply mechanism 24 includes, for example, a triple-barrel water supply valve 25, a water injection case 26, and a flexible water supply hose 27, and the tip of the water supply hose 27 is the water supply of the water tank cover 14. It is connected to the port 14b. Further, although not shown, the water injection case 26 is provided with a detergent accommodating portion and a soft finishing agent accommodating portion for supplying the detergent and the soft finishing agent into the water tank 6 together with the water supply.

The configuration of the washing lid 21 and the inner lid 15 will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the washing lid 21 is of a two-fold type, and has a configuration in which the front lid portion 28 and the rear lid portion 29 are foldably connected. Both the front lid portion 28 and the rear lid portion 29 have a thin rectangular box shape with an open lower surface, and as shown in FIG. 1, the rear side portion of the front lid portion 28 and the front side portion of the rear lid portion 29 Are rotatably connected via the intermediate hinge portion 30. Further, the rear side portion of the rear lid portion 29 is rotatably connected to the rear portion of the top cover 20 via the rear hinge portion 31.

As a result, the washing lid 21 can be displaced between the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and the open position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, that is, the washing lid 21 can be opened and closed by the user. At the closed position of the washing lid 21, as shown in FIG. 1, the front lid portion 28 and the rear lid portion 29 are placed on the upper surface of the top cover 20 in a flat state, and the laundry entrance / exit 20a is covered. On the other hand, at the open position of the washing lid 21, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front lid portion 28 and the rear lid portion 29 are folded by the intermediate hinge portion 30, and the rear portion of the top cover 20, that is, the laundry entrance / exit 20a. The laundry entrance 20a is opened so that it stands up behind the lid.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner lid 15 can be opened and closed at the open position of the washing lid 21, and when the inner lid 15 is open, the front lid at the open position of the washing lid 21 can be opened and closed. It is located on the front side of the portion 28 and rises substantially vertically upward. In the open state of the inner lid 15, the handle portion 16 on the upper surface of the tip portion of the inner lid 15 approaches or contacts the upper surface of the front lid portion 28 of the washing lid 21, that is, the surface facing the front side at the open position. Then, in the present embodiment, a holding structure for holding the inner lid 15 in the open state is provided at the open position of the washing lid 21. This holding structure is configured by providing a magnet such as a permanent magnet on one of the washing lid 21 and the inner lid 15 and providing a magnet attracting portion made of a magnetic material on the other.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a permanent magnet 32 as a magnet is provided inside the handle portion 16 of the inner lid 15. Although not shown in detail, the handle portion 16 is provided so as to be convex toward the upper surface side of the inner lid 15, that is, concave from the lower surface side, and the permanent magnet 32 is provided in a predetermined mounting space in the concave portion. It is inserted and fixed from the bottom surface side. On the other hand, an iron plate 33 as a magnet attraction portion is provided at a position close to the handle portion 16 on the upper surface of the front lid portion 28, that is, the surface facing the front side at the open position of the washing lid 21. Although not shown in detail, the iron plate 33 is fixed to, for example, the back surface side of the upper wall portion of the front lid portion 28.

As a result, at the open position of the washing lid 21, an appropriate magnetic attraction force is obtained between the permanent magnet 32 of the inner lid 15 and the iron plate 33 of the front lid portion 28, and the front lid portion 28 of the inner lid 15 is obtained. The state of approaching or contacting with is maintained. Although not shown, the top cover 20 portion is provided with a lid sensor that detects that the washing lid 21 is in the closed position, and the control device uses the lid sensor to determine the closed position of the washing lid 21. It is configured to drive the washing machine motor on condition that it has been detected.

Next, the action and effect of the above configuration will be described. In the washing machine 1 having the above configuration, the water tank cover 14 provided at the upper end of the water tank 6 is provided with an opening 14a, and an inner lid 15 for closing the opening 14a is provided so as to be openable and closable. As a result, in the easy-to-wash and rinse process during the washing operation, the opening 14a is closed by the inner lid 15 to prevent water from splashing from the washing tub 11 and prevent the laundry from popping out. it can. Further, even during the dehydration operation, the opening 14a is closed by the inner lid 15, so that the safety of the user can be ensured.

Now, for example, when the user wants to put in and take out the laundry from the laundry entrance 20a to the washing tub 11, the washing lid 21 is opened from the closed position to the open position, and then the inner lid 15 is opened. As a result, the laundry can be taken in and out of the washing tub 11. Further, when the inside of the washing tub 11 or the water tub 6 is to be naturally dried, the washing lid 21 is moved to the open position and then the inner lid 15 is opened. Here, it is conceivable that the inner lid 15 may be unintentionally blocked by the user due to circumstances such as vibration of the washing machine body and inclination of the installation location.

However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, when the inner lid 15 is opened at the open position of the washing lid 21, the washing lid 21 is in a form of rising to the rear portion of the laundry entrance / exit 20a. The front surface of the front lid portion 28 of the washing lid 21 in the open position and the surface of the inner lid 15 facing the rear side of the handle portion 16 come close to each other. Then, in this state, the permanent magnets 32 provided on the handle portion 16 of the inner lid 15 are attracted to the iron plate 33 provided on the front lid portion 28 in close proximity to each other, and magnetic attraction between them is performed. The force keeps the inner lid 15 in a state close to the washing lid 21, that is, in an open state. As a result, it is possible to prevent a problem that the inner lid 15 is closed without the intention of the user, that is, without performing an operation for blocking.

In this case, unlike the holding by friction at the hinge portion 15a of the inner lid 15, the holding force does not decrease due to wear due to sliding, and a stable holding force can be obtained for a long period of time. Further, since the holding is performed by the magnetic attraction force, it is easy to set the holding force and thus the peeling force. For example, while the inner lid 15 is sufficiently and surely held in the open state, the user can hold the inner lid 15 in the open state. When closing, it is possible to easily set a holding force that does not require a large force. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain an excellent effect that the inner lid 15 can be satisfactorily held in the open state in the case where the inner lid 15 is provided.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the permanent magnet 32 is provided on the handle portion 16 provided so as to be convex upward in order to lift the closed inner lid 15 upward. According to this, when the inner lid 15 is opened, the permanent magnet 32 can be provided at a position closer to the front surface of the front lid portion 28 of the washing lid 21 in the form of standing up in the open position. A permanent magnet 32 having a relatively small magnetic force is sufficient, and a permanent magnet having an unnecessarily large magnetic force is not required. Compared with other parts of the inner lid 15, it is also easy to provide a configuration for arranging the permanent magnet 32.

Further, the washing lid 21 is of a bi-fold type in which the front lid portion 28 and the rear lid portion 29 are foldably connected, and the front lid portion 28 and the rear lid portion 29 are folded at the open position. It is configured to stand up at the rear of the laundry entrance 20a and to be provided with an iron plate 33 on the front lid 28. As a result, the iron plate 33 as the magnet attraction portion can be provided at a position closer to the permanent magnet 32 of the inner lid 15, and a sufficient magnetic attraction force can be obtained.

(2) Second, Third Embodiment, Other Embodiments FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. The difference between this second embodiment and the first embodiment is the configuration of the washing lid 41. That is, the first-come-first-served lid 41 is not a two-fold type as in the first embodiment, but is a so-called one-piece lid having a size that covers the entire laundry entrance / exit 20a. Although not shown in detail, the rear side portion of the washing lid 41 is rotatably supported by the hinge portion at the rear portion of the top cover 20, and the washing lid 41 is in a state of standing upright and slightly rearward in the open position.

Then, in the present embodiment, a convex portion 42 is provided on the lower surface side of the washing lid 41, that is, the side facing the front surface at the open position, corresponding to the permanent magnet 32 of the inner lid 15, and is located in the convex portion 42. An iron plate 43 is provided as a magnet attracting portion. In this configuration, again, at the open position of the washing lid 41, the permanent magnets 32 of the inner lid 15 in the open state are close to the iron plate 43 provided on the washing lid 41, and due to the magnetic attraction force between them, The inner lid 15 is held close to the washing lid 41.

Therefore, according to this second embodiment, the inner lid 15 can be satisfactorily held in the open state, and a problem that the inner lid 15 is unintentionally closed by the user can be prevented. can do. Then, by providing the iron plate 43 as a magnet attracting portion on the convex portion 42 of the washing lid 41, the iron plate 43 is placed at the open position of the washing lid 41 and closer to the permanent magnet 32 of the inner lid 15 in the open state. It can be provided, and even a relatively small permanent magnet 32 can obtain a large magnetic attraction force, which is effective.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment. The third embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that a variable magnet 51 capable of changing the magnetic force is used as the magnet provided on the handle portion 16 of the inner lid 15. On the other hand, the washing lid 41 is made of a single lid similar to the second embodiment, and the convex portion 42 is provided with an iron plate 43 as a magnet attracting portion. Further, an electromagnet 52 for changing the strength of the magnetic force of the variable magnet 51 is incorporated in the convex portion 42.

The variable magnet 51 is made of a samarium-cobalt (SmCo) magnet, and is known as a magnet capable of switching the strength of the magnetic force by applying a magnetic force from the outside with an electromagnet 52. For example, a motor for a washing machine or the like. It has been put to practical use in. In the above configuration, by controlling the energization of the coil of the electromagnet 52, for example, when the inner lid 15 is held in the open state, the magnetic force of the variable magnet 51 can be strengthened to increase the holding force. At other times, the magnetic force of the variable magnet 51 can be weakened to reduce the operating force of the user when closing the inner lid 15.

According to such a third embodiment, again, at the open position of the washing lid 41, the variable magnet 51 of the inner lid 15 in the open state is close to the iron plate 43 provided on the washing lid 41, and the variable magnets 51 of the inner lid 15 are close to each other. The inner lid 15 is held close to the washing lid 41 by the magnetic attraction force between them. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily hold the inner lid 15 in the open state, and it is possible to prevent a problem that the inner lid 15 is unintentionally closed by the user. Further, in the present embodiment, by adopting the variable magnet 51 as the magnet, by changing the magnetic force of the variable magnet 51, it becomes easier to open and close the inner lid 15 while obtaining a high magnetic attraction force, which is more effective. Become a target. It should be noted that by providing the electromagnet 52 on the washing lid 41 side, it is needless to say that the arrangement and wiring become easier as compared with the case where the electromagnet 52 is provided on the inner lid 15 side.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the magnet 32 is provided on the inner lid 15 side, and the iron plate 33 as the magnetic attraction portion is provided on the washing lids 21 and 41 side. It may be provided in reverse. A magnet or a magnetic attraction portion may be provided at a position other than the handle portion 16 of the inner lid 15. Permanent magnets may be used for the magnetic attraction to obtain the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnets. Further, when the variable magnet and the electromagnet are provided as in the third embodiment, both the variable magnet and the electromagnet may be provided on the washing lid side, and a magnetic attraction portion may be provided on the inner lid side. ..

Further, the specific configuration of the entire washing machine can be changed in various ways, for example, it may have a drying function. Although a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

In the drawing, 1 is a washing machine, 2 is an outer box, 6 is a water tub, 11 is a washing tub, 14 is a water tub cover, 14a is an opening, 15 is an inner lid, 15a is a hinge part, 16 is a handle part, and 20 is a top. Cover, 20a is laundry entrance, 21 is laundry lid, 28 is front lid, 29 is rear lid, 30 is intermediate hinge, 31 is rear hinge, 32 is permanent magnet, 33 and 43 are iron plates. (Magnet suction part), 41 is a washing lid, 42 is a convex part, 51 is a variable magnet, and 52 is an electromagnet.

Claims (5)

A water tank that is installed inside the washing machine and has an open top surface,
A washing tub provided in the water tub, which accommodates laundry and executes washing operation,
The laundry entrance and exit provided at the top of the washing machine body,
A laundry lid that opens and closes the laundry doorway,
A water tub cover provided on the upper part of the water tub and having an opening located above the washing tub to allow laundry to be taken in and out.
The water tank cover is provided with an inner lid that opens and closes the opening.
The laundry lid is configured to be displaceable between a closed position that covers the laundry entrance and an open position that is formed to stand up at the rear of the laundry entrance.
A magnet is provided on one of the washing lid and the inner lid, and a magnet attracting portion is provided on the other, and the inner lid is held in an open state at the open position of the washing lid by the magnetic attraction force between them. A washing machine with a structure. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the inner lid has a handle portion for opening and closing, and the magnet or the magnet suction portion is provided on the handle portion. The washing lid is of a bi-fold type in which the front lid portion and the rear lid portion are foldably connected, and the front lid portion and the rear lid portion are folded at the open position to the rear portion of the laundry entrance / exit. It is said to be a form that has risen to
The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the magnet or the magnet suction portion is provided on the front lid portion. At the open position of the washing lid, a convex portion that is convex forward is provided on the surface of the washing lid that faces the front side of the washing machine main body, and the magnet or the magnet attracting portion is provided on the convex portion. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the magnet is a variable magnet whose magnetic force can be changed.

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