JP2021132737A - Treatment agent tank for washing machine and washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a treatment agent tank for washing machine capable of reducing the trouble related to a filter and capable of capturing a foreign substance more effectively, and to provide a washing machine.SOLUTION: A treatment agent tank for washing machine is used in a device for automatically inputting a predetermined amount of washing treatment agent into a water tub of a washing machine, at the time of a washing operation, and it can store a plurality of portions of washing treatment agent. The treatment agent tank for washing machine includes: a lead-out pipe capable of leading out the washing treatment agent inside the treatment agent tank to the outside; and a filter member for capturing a foreign substance in the washing treatment agent. The filter member is provided with respect to the lead-out pipe, and captures a foreign substance from the washing treatment agent passing the lead-out pipe.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a treatment agent tank for a washing machine and a washing machine.

In recent years, in order to improve user convenience, an automatic charging device is provided in which the washing treatment agent is stored in a tank for automatic charging a plurality of times in advance and the required amount is automatically charged from the tank to the water tank during the washing operation. A washing machine has been developed. In this type of washing machine, a filter that filters the washing treatment agent is installed inside the tank so that foreign substances such as sticky substances of the washing treatment agent do not get clogged in the middle of the charging path between the tank and the water tank. The arranged ones are provided.

For example, in the automatic charging device of Patent Document 1, the tank is connected to an external charging path at the back wall thereof. The filter inside the tank is tilted so that its upper side is in contact with the back wall of the tank, and can be attached and detached by the user. As a result, the filter can be attached so as to partition the inside of the tank into the front side and the back side, and can catch foreign matter so as not to flow into the charging path on the back side of the tank.
However, in the case of such a filter, when attaching / detaching to / from the tank, it is necessary to insert a finger into the back of the tank, and the mounting position of the filter is difficult to understand, which is troublesome.

JP-A-2019-37721

Therefore, the present invention provides a treatment agent tank and a washing machine for a washing machine, which can reduce the time and effort required for the filter and can more effectively capture foreign substances.

The treatment agent tank for the washing machine of the embodiment is used in a device that automatically puts a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent into the water tank of the washing machine during the washing operation, and can store a plurality of times of the washing treatment agent. A lead-out tube capable of leading out the washing treatment agent inside the treatment agent tank to the outside, and a filter member for capturing foreign matter in the washing treatment agent. It is provided and captures foreign matter from the washing agent that passes through its outlet tube.

External perspective view of the washing machine showing the first embodiment Schematic diagram for explaining the internal structure of the washing machine Perspective view of the treatment agent tank from the back side Cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the treatment agent tank A cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the filter member of the treatment agent tank together with the lead-out pipe. A cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the filter member of the second embodiment together with the lead-out pipe. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a filter member in the lead-out pipe of the third embodiment. An enlarged perspective view showing the filter member of the fourth embodiment. A side view showing the filter member of the fifth embodiment enlarged together with the lead-out pipe. A perspective view showing the filter member of the sixth embodiment enlarged together with the lead-out pipe. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a filter member in the vicinity of the lead-out pipe of the seventh embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a filter member in the vicinity of the lead-out pipe of the eighth embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a filter member in the vicinity of the lead-out pipe of the ninth embodiment. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a filter member in the vicinity of the lead-out pipe of the tenth embodiment. An enlarged cross-sectional view showing a filter member in the vicinity of the lead-out pipe of the eleventh embodiment. Sectional drawing of the treatment agent tank which shows the 1st filter member and the 2nd filter member of 12th Embodiment

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially the same constituent parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.
<First Embodiment>
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The washing machine 1 of the present embodiment is, for example, a washing machine capable of performing a predetermined treatment, in this case, at least a washing treatment, a rinsing treatment, and a dehydration treatment for clothes that are laundry. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the washing machine 1 is a so-called horizontal axis type drum-type washing machine in which the rotation center axis of the rotary tub 4 extends in the horizontal direction or in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. ..

In the washing machine 1, the outer box 2 constituting the outer shell has a rectangular box shape. The front surface portion 2a of the outer box 2 is formed in an inclined shape that slightly lowers forward, and the front surface portion 2a is provided with a door 3 that opens and closes a laundry entrance / exit (not shown).
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, inside the outer box 2, the rotary tank 4 and a water tank 5 accommodating the rotary tank 4 are provided. Although not shown, the rotary tub 4 is a drum having a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of accommodating laundry inside, and a well-known baffle for scooping up the laundry is provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof. It is provided. The water tank 5 is a bottomed cylindrical tank capable of storing water, and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown).

A washing machine motor 6 including, for example, a DC brushless motor is provided on the back side of the water tank 5. The rotary shaft of the washing machine motor 6 penetrates the back surface of the water tub 5 and is connected to the back surface of the rotary tub 4, and the rotary tub 4 is directly rotationally driven by the washing machine motor 6.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the washing machine 1 includes a water supply device 7 including a water supply path 7a for supplying water into the water tank 5, and a drainage path 8a for draining the water in the water tank 5 to the outside of the machine. The drainage device 8 including the above is provided. The water supply device 7 is configured to include, for example, a water supply valve 7b, which will be described later, in the middle of a water supply path 7a extending from a water source (not shown) such as a water tank to the water tank 5. Further, the drainage device 8 is configured to include a drain valve 8b or the like in the middle of the drainage path 8a extending from the bottom of the water tank 5 to the outside of the machine.

An operation panel 9 is provided on the front side portion of the upper surface portion of the outer box 2 shown in FIG. Although detailed illustration of the operation panel 9 is omitted, various operation keys such as a power switch, a start key, and a setting key for setting a washing operation course are provided. Further, on the operation panel 9, when the washing operation is executed, the washing treatment agent is automatically added by the automatic charging device 10 described later, or one washing treatment agent is manually added using a manual charging case (not shown). It is possible for the user to select whether or not to do so.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water supply device 7 is provided, for example, located in the outer box 2 at the upper left portion above the water tank 5. The water supply device 7 includes a supply unit 7d in the middle of a water supply path 7a extending from a hose connection port 7c connected to an external water source (not shown) to a connection port 5a (see FIG. 2) at the top of the water tank 5.
The supply unit 7d is a portion to which the washing treatment agent is supplied by the automatic charging device 10, and the water supply valve 7b is provided between the hose connection port 7c and the supply unit 7d. The water supply valve 7b is driven and controlled by a control device (not shown) that controls the entire washing machine 1, and opens and closes the water supply path 7a.

The automatic charging device 10 is a device that stores a plurality of times of the washing treatment agent in advance and automatically supplies a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent into the water tank 5 over the plurality of washing operations. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic charging device 10 includes a processing agent tank 11 for storing a washing treatment agent such as a detergent or a soft finishing agent, a tank accommodating portion 12 and a cover 14 for accommodating the washing treatment agent, and a charging pump 13. Etc. are provided.
The treatment agent tank 11 is, for example, a container made of synthetic resin, and has a rectangular container shape that is long in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. The treatment agent tank 11 has a capacity of, for example, at least several hundred mL to 2 L for storing the laundry treatment agent used in a plurality of operations. Further, the automatic charging device 10 of the present embodiment has, for example, two treatment agent tanks 11 and 11 as shown in FIG. Of these, one treatment agent tank 11 stores detergent as a laundry treatment agent, and the other treatment agent tank 11 stores a soft finishing agent as a laundry treatment agent.

In a general washing operation, the amount of detergent consumed is larger than the amount of soft finishing agent consumed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, of the two treatment agent tanks 11 and 11, the treatment agent for storing the detergent is used. The capacity of the tank 11 is larger than that of the treatment agent tank 11 for storing the soft finishing agent. However, the capacities of the two treatment agent tanks 11 and 11 may be the same.

The automatic charging device 10 has a number of charging pumps 13 and 13 corresponding to the respective processing agent tanks 11 and 11, and in FIG. 2, one set of two sets of processing agent tanks 11 and the charging pump 13 Is shown. Further, in the present embodiment, since the treatment agent tank 11 and the input pump 13 adopt substantially the same configuration as a pair on the left and right, the treatment agent tanks 11 and 11 for detergent or soft finishing agent are used. The "treatment agent tank 11" and the input pumps 13 and 13 for detergents or soft finishes are also referred to as "input pump 13" to simplify the explanation.

The input pump 13 is a pump 13 having a configuration in which a liquid is sucked and sent out by driving a piston by an actuator such as a motor or a solenoid, for example. The input pump 13 has a pump connection portion 13a on the inflow side, and is connected to the treatment agent tank 11 via the pump connection portion 13a. As a result, the input pump 13 sucks a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent from the inside of the treatment agent tank 11, in this case, an amount of the washing treatment agent used for one operation, and the sucked washing treatment agent is used as a supply unit of the water supply path 7a. Discharge to 7d. The input pump 13 is driven and controlled as a driving means by a control device that controls the washing operation.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tank accommodating portion 12 faces the opening 2b of the upper surface portion of the outer box 2, and the upper surface of the accommodating portion 12 has an open rectangular box shape. The tank accommodating portion 12 is formed in a size capable of accommodating, for example, two treatment agent tanks 11 side by side in the outer box 2. The cover 14 of the tank accommodating portion 12 is a rectangular lid that fits into the opening 2b. The cover 14 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 14a provided at the trailing edge of the opening 2b to open and close the opening 2b.

Each treatment agent tank 11 can be attached to and detached from the opening 2b with respect to the tank accommodating portion 12 with the cover 14 open. The treatment agent tank 11 is provided with a clue portion 18 (see FIG. 3) on which a user's finger can be hung when the tank 11 is attached to or detached from the tank accommodating portion 12, and is provided with respect to the pump connection portion 13a. Although the lead-out pipe 19 to be attached and detached is provided, the configuration of the tank 11 including the handle portion 18 and the lead-out pipe 19 will be described in detail later.

As the treatment agent tank 11 described above is attached so as to be accommodated in the tank accommodating portion 12, the outlet pipe 19 thereof is connected to the pump connecting portion 13a and fitted (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In this state, when the water supply valve 7b is opened, tap water supplied from the hose connection port 7c flows into the water supply path 7a and passes through the supply unit 7d. A required amount of laundry treatment agent is automatically supplied to the supply unit 7d by driving the input pump 13. Therefore, the washing treatment agent supplied to the supply unit 7d is supplied into the water tank 5 by the water supplied by the water supply valve 7b or via the water supply path 7a together with the water. In this way, the automatic charging device 10 automatically charges a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent into the water tank 5 during the washing operation.

By the way, the treatment agent tank 11 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which a filter member 20 for capturing foreign matter in the washing treatment agent is provided in a portion of the lead-out pipe 19. The configurations of the treatment agent tank 11 and the filter member 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the treatment agent tank 11 includes a tank main body 21, a cover 22 that covers the upper surface side of the tank main body 21, and a supply window 23 provided on the cover 22. The tank body 21 has a bottom wall 21a, a front wall 21b as a peripheral wall, a rear wall 21c, and left and right side walls 21d, and has a rectangular container shape or a rectangular parallelepiped shape narrow in the left-right direction as described above. There is.

The cover 22 of the treatment agent tank 11 constitutes the upper wall of the tank main body 21, and a supply port 22a is formed in the first half of the cover 22 so as to cut out the cover 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the trailing edge of the supply port 22a is provided with a support shaft 23a that supports the supply window 23 that fits the supply port 22a so as to be openable and closable. As a result, the detergent can be replenished into the treatment agent tank 11 from the replenishment port 22a by opening the replenishment window 23.

At the upper end of the front wall 21b of the tank body 21, a clue 18 that projects forward is provided. The handle portion 18 has a frame shape formed by the front wall 21b thereof and the handle portion 18 when viewed from above the treatment agent tank 11. As a result, the finger can be put into the clasp portion 18, the finger can be hooked on the clue portion 18 from the inside, and the treatment agent tank 11 can be removed from the tank accommodating portion 12 by pulling it upward.
As shown in FIG. 3, in the tank main body 21, the overhanging portion 24 that extends rearward on the lower side of the wall 21c is provided with a lead-out pipe 19 that is inserted into and connected to the pump connection portion 13a of the input pump 13. Has been done.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lead-out pipe 19 has a horizontal portion 19h extending inward with the rear wall 24c of the overhanging portion 24 as the base end side, and a vertical portion extending downward from the tip end side of the horizontal portion 19 toward the bottom wall 21a. The portions 19v and 19v each have a cylindrical shape, and are formed in an inverted "L" shape as a whole. In this case, the outlet pipe 19 opens with the rear wall 24c side of the overhanging portion 24 as the base end opening 19b and the bottom wall 21a side of the tank body 21 as the tip opening 19a, and the pump connection portion 13a and the treatment agent. Communicates with the inside of the tank 11. Further, the lead-out pipe 19 has a structure in which the horizontal portion 19h and the vertical portion 19v and the rear wall 24c are integrally molded by the synthetic resin material. In the lead-out pipe 19, the horizontal portion 19h, the vertical portion 19v, and the rear wall 24c are integrally assembled with the tank body 21 by resin welding or vibration welding. Of course, it may be integrally molded.

A check valve 25 is provided at a bent portion formed by the horizontal portion 19h and the vertical portion 19v in the lead-out pipe 19. The check valve 25 has a valve body 25a that opens the valve opening 25b at the bent portion when the pump connection portion 13a is inserted from the base end opening 19b, and a valve body 25a that closes the valve opening 25b. It has a urging member 25c to be urged.

As a result, when the treatment agent tank 11 is removed from the tank accommodating portion 12 and the pump connecting portion 13a is not inserted through the base end opening 19b, the valve body 25a closes the valve opening 25b. It prevents the washing agent inside the tank body 21 from leaking to the outside from the base end opening 19b. On the other hand, when the pump connecting portion 13a is inserted through the base end opening 19b, the valve body 25a is in a state where the valve opening 25b is opened, and the charging pump 13 draws out the washing treatment agent inside the tank body 21. It can be taken out through the tube 19 and sucked out.

The vertical portion 19v of the lead-out pipe 19 extends to the vicinity of the bottom wall 21a inside the tank body 21, and the tip opening 19a of the vertical portion 19v and the bottom wall 21a face each other. Here, the position of the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19 corresponds to the position of the liquid level at which the washing agent inside the tank body 21 can be sucked when the amount of the washing agent is low. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the dimension L1 of the gap between the tip opening 19a of the outlet pipe 19 and the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 is set to a predetermined dimension narrowed so as to be a relatively small gap. Has been done.

The filter member 20 is arranged on the lead-out pipe 19 so as to be located on the tip opening 19a side. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 5, the filter member 20 includes, for example, a cylindrical frame body 20b fitted to the outer peripheral portion of the tip opening 19a and a net-like net-like body stretched at the lower end portion of the frame body 20b. 20a and 20a are integrally provided, forming a cap shape as a whole. The net-like body 20a is, for example, a stainless steel net-like or lattice-like body, and the filter member 20 is formed by insert molding the frame body 20b using relatively hard polypropylene or the like. As a result, in the filter member 20, the net-like body 20a and the frame body 20b are formed as one piece.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the axial dimension L2 of the filter member 20 is made larger than the dimension L1 of the gap between the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19 and the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21. It is set (L2> L1). In this case, the filter member 20 is assembled in advance so as to be fitted on the outer periphery of the tip opening 19a in the lead-out pipe 19, and is inserted to a position where the lower end of the tip opening 19a and the net-like body 20a come into contact with each other as shown in the figure. It shall be fixed.

As will be described in detail later, as the fixing means of the filter member 20, a means for locking the filter member 20 is provided in the lead-out pipe 19, or the lead-out pipe 19 and the filter member 20 are fixed by a screwing means having a screw structure. However, even if the filter member 20 is simply fitted to the lead-out pipe 19 and held, the filter members 20 are compared due to the above-mentioned relationship of dimensions L2> L1. Combined with the fact that it is made of a hard material, it does not easily shift in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 19 and does not easily come off from the lead-out pipe 19.
In this way, the filter member 20 is arranged so as to partition the inside and the outside at the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19, and is led out from the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19 to the base end opening 19b by the input pump 13. Foreign matter can be captured on the tip opening 19a side of the washing agent to be processed.

Here, in the lead-out pipe 19, the tip opening 19a faces downward, and foreign matter is unlikely to accumulate on the filter member 20. Therefore, the user does not have to clean the filter member 20 as much as possible, and the filter member by the user. It is also possible to eliminate the need to attach / detach the 20. Even if it is assumed that the filter member 20 has fallen off from the lead-out pipe 19 due to vibration during dehydration or the like, or even if the filter member 20 has fallen off when the user removes the treatment agent tank 11 and wash it with water. The filter member 20 is only displaced downward by the size L1 of the gap. That is, even in this case, the inner peripheral surface of the frame body 20b of the filter member 20 is held on the outer peripheral surface of the lead-out pipe 19, and the axial direction (see the alternate long and short dash line) is merely displaced. Therefore, the function of capturing foreign matter by the filter member 20 is maintained, and the filter member 20 can be prevented from being lost.

As described above, in the treatment agent tank 11 of the present embodiment, the lead-out pipe 19 capable of leading out the washing treatment agent inside the tank 11 and the filter member 20 for capturing foreign matter in the washing treatment agent are provided. The filter member 20 is provided with respect to the outlet pipe 19 and captures foreign matter from the washing agent passing through the outlet pipe 19.

According to this, since the filter member 20 is provided for the lead-out pipe 19 in the treatment agent tank 11, foreign matter is deposited on the filter member 20 by, for example, turning the lead-out pipe 19 downward as in the present embodiment. This can be suppressed, and the labor involved in cleaning the filter member 20 can be reduced. Further, according to this, when the washing treatment agent passes through the outlet pipe 19, foreign matter is captured by the filter member 20 of the outlet pipe 19, so that it can be said that the foreign matter is trapped more effectively.

The lead-out pipe 19 communicates with the inside and the outside of the treatment agent tank 11 and extends so that the bottom wall 21a inside the treatment agent tank 11 and the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19 face each other. The member 20 is formed in a cap shape that fits into the tip opening 19a, and the axial dimension L2 of the filter member 20 is larger than the clearance dimension L1 between the tip opening 19a and the bottom wall 21a. It is formed like this.

According to this, even if an external force that deviates from the lead-out pipe 19 acts on the filter member 20 and the filter member 20 is displaced in the axial direction, the gap between the filter member 20 and the bottom wall 21a The filter member 20 can be made difficult to come off. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the risk that the filter member 20 is inadvertently detached from the lead-out pipe 19 or the filter member 20 is lost, and the risk that foreign matter is led out from the lead-out pipe 19 to the outside can be reduced as much as possible. can do.

In addition, unlike the present embodiment, in the conventional configuration in which the filter is arranged so as to partition the front side and the back side inside the tank, the remaining amount in the back of the tank is blocked by the filter and cannot be seen, or the tank is not visible. It looks narrow. On the other hand, by forming the filter member 20 in a cap shape and fitting it into the tip opening 19a, it is possible to arrange the filter member 20 so as not to take up the area of the net-like body 20a, which is the filter area. It does not look narrow and does not interfere with the visual recognition of the remaining amount of the washing agent.

Further, as will be described in the other embodiments below, the lead-out pipe 19 can be appropriately changed including its position and shape. Although not shown, for example, in the lead-out pipe 19, the vertical portion 19v is a horizontal portion, the entire lead-out pipe 19 is arranged closer to the bottom wall 21a side, and the peripheral wall which is the inner wall inside the treatment agent tank 11 and the horizontal portion thereof. It is extended so as to face the tip opening of the portion. Further, the filter member 20 is formed into a cap shape that fits into the tip opening of the horizontal portion, and its axial dimension L2 is larger than the gap between the tip opening of the horizontal portion and the inner wall of the treatment agent tank 11. Form to be large. Also in this configuration, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained, such as suppressing the accumulation of foreign matter on the filter member 20.

<Other embodiments>
6 to 16 show the second to twelfth embodiments of the present invention. In the following, points that are substantially different from the above-described embodiments will be described.

The filter member 20'of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6 differs from the filter member 20 of the first embodiment in the following points. That is, the axial dimension L2'of the cylindrical frame 20b' in the filter member 20'is set to be smaller than the dimension L1 of the gap below the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19 (L2'< L1). Therefore, the filter member 20'can be passed through the gap between the tip opening 19a and the bottom wall 21a.

In the filter member 20', at least the frame body 20b' is molded using a relatively soft material such as rubber. Further, the filter member 20'can be attached and held on the outer periphery of the tip opening 19a of the lead-out pipe 19 so as to be fitted through the gap on the bottom wall 21a side. When attaching or detaching the filter member 20', it is difficult to break due to the elasticity or flexibility of the rubber, and the frame body 20b'can be deformed by slightly bending it, so that it can be attached and removed relatively easily. It can be removed. Further, due to the flexibility of the filter member 20', the filter member 20'is fitted and held in the tip opening 19a, so that a simple configuration that does not require a separate fixing means can be obtained.

As described above, the filter member 20'of the second embodiment is formed in a cap shape that fits into the tip opening 19a, and the axial dimension L2 of the filter member 20' is the tip opening 19a and the bottom. It is formed so as to be smaller than the dimension L1 of the gap between the wall 21a and the wall 21a. According to this, the filter member 20'can be passed through the gap on the bottom wall 21a side, which is the inner wall of the treatment agent tank 11, and the filter member 20' can be attached to and detached from the tip opening 19a of the outlet pipe 19. Can be done relatively easily.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the filter member 30 of the third embodiment.
The filter member 30 has the same network-like or lattice-like structure as the network-like body 20a. The filter member 30 is integrated with the outlet pipe 19 at the lower end of the tip opening 19a of the outlet pipe 19, for example, by insert molding. Here, "integration" means that the filter member 30 and the outlet pipe 19 are formed by molding the two 19 and 30 by resin molding or fixing them to each other so that the filter member 30 does not come off from the outlet pipe 19. Means that can be treated as one. Therefore, as the net-like body 20a as the filter member 30, a resin-made one may be used instead of the stainless steel one. In this case, the pre-molded net-like body 20a is vibrated at the lower end of the tip opening 19a. It may be joined by welding or the like, or the net-like body 20a and the lead-out pipe 19 may be molded as one component by resin molding.

As described above, the filter member 30 of the third embodiment is configured to be integrated with the outlet pipe 19 so that the filter member 30 does not come off from the outlet pipe 19. According to this, it is possible to further reduce the risk that the filter member comes off or the filter member is insufficiently attached, that is, the foreign matter is led out from the outlet pipe 19 or the filter member is lost. It becomes.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the filter member 31 of the fourth embodiment.
The filter member 31 includes a net-like body 20a, a support shaft 32 erected so as to be located on the outer peripheral portion thereof, and frame bodies 33a and 33b supported by the support shaft 32. As shown in FIG. 8, the support shaft 32 rotatably supports the two-divided frame bodies 33a and 33b in which one frame body 33a and the other frame body 33b are combined in a cylindrical shape like a hinge. It has become. The frame bodies 33a and 33b have the same dimensions and shape as the cylindrical frame body 20b shown in FIG. 5, in a state of being combined with each other, and their axial dimensions are set to L2.

The frame bodies 33a and 33b have a fixed position in which the filter member 31 as a whole has a cap shape in a combined state as shown in FIG. Rotates between.
As a result, when the filter member 31 is attached to the tip opening 19a of the lead-out tube 19, the frame bodies 33a and 33b are set to open positions, and the direction is orthogonal to the axial direction of the lead-out tube 19, that is, the axial direction of the vertical portion 19v. After moving the filter member 31 to the bottom and arranging the net-like body 20a at the lower end of the tip opening 19a, the frame bodies 33a and 33b are simply returned to the fixed positions and attached so as to cover the tip opening 19a from the side. Can be done.
Further, at the time of removal, when the filter member 31 is pulled out laterally from the tip opening 19a, the frame bodies 33a and 33b naturally open to the open position accordingly, so that the lead-out pipe of the filter member 31 It can be said that the attachment / detachment to / from 19 can be easily performed.

As described above, the filter member 31 can be attached in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 19. According to this, even if the dimension L1 of the gap between the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 and the outlet pipe 19 is reduced, the filter member 31 can be easily attached from the direction intersecting the outlet pipe 19. ..
The "direction intersecting the axial direction" of the lead-out pipe 19 includes a direction orthogonal to the axial direction.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view showing the filter member 35 of the fifth embodiment.
The filter member 35 has a frame body 36 having a narrowed axial dimension L3 and a net-like body 20a integrally, and is formed into a disk shape as a whole. The frame body 36 of the filter member 35 is watertightly fitted to the mounting portion 37 provided on the lead-out pipe 19.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, the frame body 36 of the filter member 35 has an outer shape corresponding to the outer circumference of the lead-out pipe 19, and the right half portion of the same figure is slightly recessed so as to fit in the mounting portion 37. It has a stepped shape having a portion 36a.
On the other hand, the vertical portion 19v of the lead-out pipe 19 is provided with a mounting portion 37 so as to cut out a part thereof in the horizontal direction. The mounting portion 37 has a recessed portion 37a corresponding to the outer shape of the frame body 36 on the inner peripheral surface in the right half portion of FIG. 9, and the outer periphery of the frame body 36 is connected to the outer periphery of the lead-out pipe 19 in the left half portion. It has a notch 37b to be exposed to.

As a result, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 9, the filter member 35 can be mounted laterally from the side of the notch 37b of the mounting portion 37 so as to intersect the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 19. In this case, the filter member 35 is watertightly mounted and held on the lead-out pipe 19 when the filter member 35 is inserted to a position where the step portion 36a abuts so as to be guided by the recessed portion 37a of the mounting portion 37. NS.

As described above, the filter member 35 of the fifth embodiment is also configured to be able to be attached from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 19. According to this, the filter member 35 can be easily attached to the outlet pipe 19 from the lateral direction regardless of the dimension L1 of the gap between the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 and the outlet pipe 19. It has the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment.
Further, when the mounting portion 37 is configured to insert the filter member 35 in the intersecting direction as in the fifth embodiment, the filter member 35 is held so as not to be displaced in the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 19. be able to.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the lead-out pipe 39 of the sixth embodiment together with the filter member 41. The lead-out pipe 39 of the sixth embodiment is different from the lead-out pipe 19 of the above embodiment in the following points.
That is, as shown in FIG. 10, the lead-out pipe 39 has a substantially square tubular shape, and a pair of left and right locking portions 40a and 40b are provided so as to be located on the tip opening 39a side thereof. The locking portions 40a and 40b are locking portions for locking the filter member 41, and are formed in ridges extending in the horizontal direction on the outer peripheral surface of the lead-out pipe 39, respectively. In this case, it can be said that the side of the tip opening 39a in the lead-out pipe 39 is a vertical portion extending in the vertical direction, and the locking portions 40a and 40b extend in a direction intersecting the vertical portion of the lead-out pipe 39.

The filter member 41 has a mesh body 41a having external dimensions matched to the tip opening 39a and a frame body 42 thereof. The frame body 42 includes a peripheral portion 42c of the net-like body 41a, a pair of locked portions 42a and 42b extending in the horizontal direction corresponding to the locking portions 40a and 40b, and these locked portions 42a and 42 and the peripheral portion. It integrally has a connecting portion 42d that connects the 42c to each other.
As a result, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 10, the filter member 41 can be attached from the lateral direction so that the locked portions 42a and 42 are aligned with the locking portions 40a and 40b of the lead-out pipe 39. In this case, when the locked portions 42a and 42 are guided by the locking portions 40a and 40b and the connecting portion 42d is inserted to a position where it comes into contact with the outlet pipe 39, the filter member 41 is inserted into the outlet pipe. The net-like body 41a is watertightly attached to 39, and the entire filter member 41 is held.

As described above, the filter member 41 of the sixth embodiment is also configured to be able to be attached from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 39. According to this, even if the dimension L1 of the gap between the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 and the outlet pipe 39 is reduced, the filter member 41 can be easily attached from the direction intersecting the outlet pipe 39.
Further, when the locking portions 40a and 40b are configured to lock the filter member 41 attached from the intersecting direction as in the sixth embodiment, the filter member 41 is displaced in the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 39. Can be held so that

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion near the lead-out pipe 45 in the seventh embodiment together with the filter member 46.
The lead-out pipe 45 of the seventh embodiment is formed at a position closer to the lower end portion of the overhanging portion 24 at the rear portion of the tank body 21. As shown in FIG. 11, the lead-out pipe 45 is a horizontal portion extending outward and rearward with the rear wall 24c of the overhanging portion 24 as the base end side, and has a cylindrical shape. In this case, the lead-out pipe 45 is opened with the rear wall 24c side as the base end opening 45b and the tip end side as the tip opening 45a. Although not shown, the pump connection portion 13a is arranged at a position corresponding to the outlet pipe 45 at the lower end of the tank body 21, and the outlet pipe 45 communicates the pump connection portion 13a with the inside of the treatment agent tank 11. It shall be.

The filter member 46 has a cap shape formed by the net-like body 46a and the frame body 46b, which is the same as the filter member 20 of the first embodiment, but is formed in a size that fits in the lead-out pipe 45. In this case, the filter member 46 is inserted through the lead-out pipe 45 so that the net-like body 46a faces the base end opening 45b, and the outer peripheral surface of the frame body 46b fits into the inner peripheral surface of the lead-out pipe 45. There is.
Since the filter member 46 is provided on the lead-out pipe 45 as in the above embodiment, if the lead-out pipe 45 is turned sideways as in the seventh embodiment, foreign matter can be prevented from accumulating on the filter member 46. This makes it possible to reduce the time and effort required for cleaning the filter member 46. Further, when the washing treatment agent passes through the outlet pipe 45, the filter member 46 of the outlet pipe 45 captures the foreign matter, so that the foreign matter can be effectively captured, and the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment. Play.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing the filter member 48 of the eighth embodiment, and for convenience of explanation, the filter member 48 viewed from the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 45'is the same as the cross-sectional view in the vicinity of the lead-out pipe 45'. It is shown on the upper side of the figure.
The filter member 48 has a net-like body 46a and a rectangular frame-shaped frame body 48b formed flush with each other integrally, and is formed in a rectangular plate shape as a whole. The lead-out pipe 45'of the eighth embodiment extends so that the base end opening 45b'side slightly protrudes into the tank body 21, and is positioned on the inner wall side of the rear wall 24c of the tank body 21 so that the mounting portion 49 It is different from the lead-out pipe 45 of the sixth embodiment in that it has.

The mounting portion 49 accommodates a notch 49a into which the filter member 48 can be inserted along the inner wall of the rear wall 24c and a lower side portion of the frame body 48b on the base end opening 45b'side of the lead-out pipe 45'. It has a recessed portion 49b that is recessed.
As a result, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 12, the filter member 48 intersects the inner wall of the rear wall 24c from the side of the notch 49a of the mounting portion 49, that is, with respect to the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 45'. Can be installed in the direction of In this case, the filter member 48 is watertightly attached to the outlet pipe 45'when the lower side portion of the frame body 48b is inserted into the recessed portion 49b so as to be guided by the inner wall of the rear wall 24c. , Will be retained.
As described above, the filter member 48 of the eighth embodiment can also be attached in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 45', and has the same effect as that of the above embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion near the lead-out pipe 50 in the ninth embodiment together with the filter member 51.
The lead-out pipe 50 of the ninth embodiment is formed at a position near the rear end portion of the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21. As shown in FIG. 13, the lead-out pipe 50 is a vertical portion extending outward and downward with the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 as the base end side, and has a cylindrical shape. In this case, the lead-out pipe 50 is opened with the bottom wall 21a side as the base end opening 50b and the lower end side as the tip opening 50a. Although not shown, the pump connection portion 13a is arranged upward corresponding to the position of the outlet pipe 50 of the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21, and the outlet pipe 50 is the pump connection portion 13a and the treatment agent tank 11. It shall communicate with the inside.

The filter member 51 is composed of a cap-shaped net-like body 51a and a frame body 51b, similarly to the filter member 46 of the seventh embodiment. The filter member 51 is inserted through the lead-out pipe 50 in a direction in which the net-like body 51a faces the base end opening 50b, and the outer peripheral surface of the frame body 51b fits into the inner peripheral surface of the lead-out pipe 50.
Since the filter member 51 is provided for the outlet pipe 50 of the bottom wall 21a located at the lowermost part of the tank body 21, foreign matter contained in the washing agent is efficiently passed through the outlet pipe 50 by the filter member 51. It can be captured well, and the labor involved in cleaning the inside of the tank body 21 can be reduced. Since the lead-out pipe 50 is formed at the lowermost part of the tank main body 21 and upward, it is needless to say that the washing treatment agent can be led out so as not to remain in the tank main body 21.
Further, the filter member 51 of the ninth embodiment can be attached to and detached from the outside or the inside of the tank body 21 with respect to the lead-out pipe 50 as in the case of the filter member 46 of the seventh embodiment, and is easy to remove. Can be assembled to.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the lead-out pipe 50'of the tenth embodiment.
The lead-out pipe 50'of the tenth embodiment extends so that the base end opening 50b'side slightly protrudes into the tank body 21, and is positioned on the inner wall side of the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 to be mounted. It is different from the lead-out pipe 50 of the ninth embodiment in that it has.
The mounting portion 52 has a notch 52a into which the filter member 48 can be inserted along the inner wall of the bottom wall 21a and a rear side portion of the frame body 48b on the base end opening 50b'side of the lead-out pipe 50'. It has a recessed portion 52b that is recessed so as to fit.

As a result, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 14, the filter member 48 intersects the inner wall of the bottom wall 21a from the side of the notch 52a of the mounting portion 52, that is, with respect to the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 50'. Can be installed in the direction of In this case, the filter member 48 is watertightly attached to the outlet pipe 50'when the rear side portion of the frame body 48b is inserted into the recessed portion 52b so as to be guided by the inner wall of the bottom wall 21a. And be retained.
As described above, also in the tenth embodiment, the filter member 48 can be attached in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the lead-out pipe 50', and has the same effect as that of the above embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the filter member 55 of the eleventh embodiment.
The filter member 55 has the same structure as the network body 20a of the filter member 30 of FIG. 7, and is integrated with the lead-out pipe 50 at the base end opening 50b of the lead-out pipe 50. As described above, the integration of the filter member 55 and the outlet pipe 50 refers to, for example, integrally molding both 55 and 50 in the tank body 21 by resin molding, and the tank body 21 bottom wall 21a or It can be configured so that the filter member 55 does not come off from the lead-out pipe 50.
Therefore, according to the filter member 55 of the eleventh embodiment, it is possible to reduce the risk of eliminating the filter member 55, and the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment is obtained.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a processing agent tank 11 showing the filter member 56 of the twelfth embodiment together with the filter member 20. Here, as is clear from the comparison between FIGS. 16 and 4, the filter member 56 corresponds to the second filter member when the filter member 20 is the first filter member.
That is, inside the tank main body 21, the filter member 20 is provided in the lead-out pipe 19, and the filter member 56 that partitions the space in the lower part on the back side where the lead-out pipe 19 is present and the remaining space is provided in an inclined arrangement. ing. The filter member 56 integrally includes a frame body 57 made of synthetic resin having a rectangular frame shape and a net-like body 56a made of synthetic resin or stainless steel stretched on the frame body 57.

As shown in FIG. 16, the rear wall 21c and the bottom wall 21a of the tank body 21 are provided with a convex locking portion 58a and a concave locking portion 58b. As a result, the filter member 56 serves as a locked portion in which the upper side portion of the frame body 57 is locked to the locking portion 58a and a locked portion in which the lower side portion of the frame body 57 is locked to the locking portion 58b. , It is detachably locked in an inclined arrangement.
On the other hand, the filter member 20 of the lead-out pipe 19 is not scheduled to be attached or detached by the user. Therefore, even when the filter member 56 is removed from the tank body 21, the function of capturing foreign matter can be ensured. Further, as shown in FIG. 16, if both the filter members 20 and 56 are arranged with respect to the tank main body 21, it is possible to more reliably suppress the outflow of foreign matter to the pump connection portion 13a side.

Of course, each of the above embodiments can be applied to a vertical axis type washing machine (not shown). In addition, each embodiment can be combined and implemented.
For example, instead of the lead-out pipe 19 and the filter member 20 of FIG. 16, various lead-out pipes and filter members illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 15 are provided, and the combination of the first filter member and the second filter member is changed. You may. Further, the lead-out pipe is not limited to the above-mentioned cylindrical or square tubular shape, and may be formed in a square tubular shape other than the square tubular shape, or may be appropriately changed including the presence or absence of the check valve 25. good.

In the filter member 48 showing the filter surface in FIG. 12, each of the corners of the frame body 48b may be integrally provided with a convex or concave engaged portion. In this case, the filter member 48 can be more reliably attached by providing the engaging portion that engages with the engaged portion in the mounting portion 49 at a portion corresponding to the frame body 48b.

Although some 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, as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the invention.
Various omissions, replacements and changes can be made. 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, 5 is a water tank, 10 is an automatic charging device, 11 is a treatment agent tank, 13 is a charging pump (driving means), 19, 39, 45, 45', 50, 50'are outlet pipes. 19a and 39a are tip openings, 21a is a bottom wall, and 20,20', 30,31,35,41,46,48,51,55 are filter members.

Claims (6)

A treatment agent tank for a washing machine that is used in a device that automatically puts a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent into the water tank of the washing machine during the washing operation and can store a plurality of times of the washing treatment agent.
A lead-out pipe that can lead out the washing treatment agent inside the treatment agent tank to the outside,
A filter member for capturing foreign matter in the washing agent is provided.
The filter member is provided for the lead-out pipe, and is a treatment agent tank for a washing machine that captures foreign matter from the washing treatment agent passing through the lead-out pipe. The lead-out pipe communicates with the inside and the outside of the treatment agent tank, and extends so that the bottom wall or inner wall inside the treatment agent tank and the tip opening of the lead-out pipe face each other.
The filter member is formed in a cap shape that fits into the tip opening, and the axial dimension of the filter member is larger than the dimension of the gap between the tip opening and the bottom wall or inner wall. The treatment agent tank for a washing machine according to claim 1, which is formed as described above. The lead-out pipe communicates with the inside and the outside of the treatment agent tank, and extends so that the bottom wall or inner wall inside the treatment agent tank and the tip opening of the lead-out pipe face each other.
The filter member is formed in a cap shape that fits into the tip opening, and the axial dimension of the filter member is smaller than the dimension of the gap between the tip opening and the bottom wall or inner wall. The treatment agent tank for a washing machine according to claim 1, which is formed as described above. The treatment agent tank for a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the filter member can be attached in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the outlet pipe. The treatment agent tank for a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the filter member and the outlet pipe are integrated so that the filter member does not come off from the outlet pipe. With a water tank
A device that automatically puts a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent into the water tank during the washing operation, and the treatment agent tank capable of storing a plurality of times of the washing treatment agent, and the washing treatment agent in the treatment agent tank are charged into the water tank. A washing machine equipped with an automatic loading device having a driving means driven for loading into the washing machine.
A lead-out pipe provided in the treatment agent tank and capable of leading out the washing treatment agent inside the treatment agent tank to the outside.
A filter member for capturing foreign matter in the washing agent is provided.
The filter member is a washing machine provided for the outlet pipe and catches foreign matter from the washing agent passing through the outlet pipe.

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