JP2022025265A - washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a washing machine which can suppress appearance quality being damaged, by making color migration in a contact part of an upper part frame body inconspicuous, even when a buffer member dissolves and attaches, due to a long time contact between the buffer member of an elastic body equipped at a lid body and the upper part frame body.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: an upper part frame body 2 of a body part 1 having an opening part 2a where laundry is put in/taken out; and a lid body 5 for opening/closing the opening part 2a. The lid body 5 includes a buffer member 7 pivotally supported at the upper part frame body 2, and for buffering an impact of colliding with the upper part frame body 2 when it is closed. A contact part 8 with the buffer member 7 provided at the upper part frame body 2 is formed into a protrusion shape so that contact areas with each other become small.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

The present disclosure relates to a washing machine having a lid at an opening into which laundry is taken in and out.

Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine that prevents a loud collision noise when the lid is closed. This washing machine has a laundry entrance / exit on the upper surface, and a lid that opens and closes the laundry entrance / exit by rotation of one end portion pivotally supported in the peripheral portion of the laundry entrance / exit. In the provided one, a cushioning member that comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the laundry entrance / exit when the lid is closed is provided on the entire circumference of the lower surface of the lid.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-167290

In the present disclosure, even if the cushioning member melts and adheres due to long-term contact between the cushioning member of the elastic body provided on the lid and the upper frame, color transfer at the contact portion of the upper frame is conspicuous. Provided is a washing machine capable of suppressing deterioration of appearance quality by eliminating the problem.

The washing machine in the present disclosure includes a main body having an opening for putting in and taking out clothes, and a lid for opening and closing the opening. The lid is pivotally supported by the main body and includes a cushioning member that cushions an impact that abuts on the main body when closed, and the contact portion of the main body with which the cushioning member abuts has a small contact area with each other. It is formed in the shape of a protrusion.

In the washing machine of the present disclosure, the contact area can be reduced by providing a protrusion-shaped contact surface on the plane of the upper frame so that the cushioning member of the lid does not directly contact the plane of the upper frame. Therefore, by reducing the area to which the cushioning member adheres and making the color transfer to the upper frame inconspicuous, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the appearance quality.

External perspective view of the washing machine according to the first embodiment External perspective view of the washing machine in the state where the lid of the washing machine is opened according to the first embodiment. Perspective view of the cushioning member provided on the lid of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. (A) Vertical cross-sectional view of the contact portion provided on the upper frame body of the washing machine in the first embodiment, (b) Vertical cross-sectional view of the contact portion provided on the upper frame body of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. A perspective view of a contact portion provided on the upper frame of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. A cross-sectional view of a main part in a state where the lid of the washing machine in the first embodiment is closed.

(Knowledge, etc. that became the basis of this disclosure)
At the time when the inventors came up with the present disclosure, the cushioning members melted or rubbed against each other due to heat or the like due to the long-term contact between the cushioning member of the elastic body provided on the lid and the upper frame. In some cases, it adhered to the contact portion of the upper frame. Further, in particular, when the colors of the upper frame and the cushioning member are different, the color transfer is conspicuous and the appearance quality is impaired. Therefore, a method of configuring these with similar colors is conceivable, but since the cushioning member is made of a rubber material and the upper frame is made of a resin material, the materials are different. There was no difference in the appearance that foreign matter seemed to adhere and the appearance quality was impaired. Further, it is conceivable to use these materials as materials that are more resistant to friction or materials that are less deteriorated, but both of them result in a corresponding increase in cost. For this reason, the inventors have discovered a problem that the color transfer is inconspicuous even if the cushioning member adheres to the upper frame body, and in order to solve the problem, the subject of the present disclosure has been constructed.

Therefore, the present disclosure provides a washing machine capable of suppressing the deterioration of appearance quality by reducing the area in which the cushioning member comes into contact with the contact portion of the upper frame body and making the color transfer inconspicuous.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or duplicate explanations for substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to prevent the following explanation from becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art.

It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

[1-1. Constitution]
[1-1-1. Washing machine configuration]
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the washing machine is provided with a washing tub 3 in which laundry such as clothes is housed inside the main body 1, and an upper frame 2 is provided on the upper part as a part of the main body 1. The upper frame 2 is formed with an opening 2a in which laundry is taken in and out according to the opening of the washing tub 3, and a lid 5 is provided to cover the opening 2a. The operation display unit 4 is arranged behind the lid 5. A control device (not shown) for controlling the operation of the washing machine is housed inside the operation display unit 4.

In FIG. 2, the lid 5 is pivotally supported by the upper frame 2 so as to be openable and closable with the rotation shaft 6 as a fulcrum. The lid 5 is provided with cushioning members 7 for cushioning the impact that comes into contact with the upper frame 2 when it is closed, at two locations on the back surface on the front end side. The upper frame body 2 is provided with two contact portions 8 with which the cushioning member 7 abuts when the lid body 5 is closed.

[1-1-2. Configuration of cushioning member and contact part]
Next, the configuration of the cushioning member 7 and the contact portion 8 formed in the shape of a protrusion will be described.

The cushioning member 7 has a shape as shown in FIG. 3, and includes a contact surface 7a having a circular shape and a slightly bulging shape on the lower surface. The cushioning member 7 is provided with a locking portion 7b at the upper portion, and is inserted into a hole provided on the back surface of the lid 5 to be locked so as not to come off. The material used is not particularly limited as long as it is a rubber-based material, but for example, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene rubber) is used. Further, as the color, white, black, beige and the like are generally used.

The contact portion 8 is formed in a circular protrusion shape so that the contact area with the cushioning member 7 is small. The material used is not particularly limited, but PP (polypropylene) is generally used.

The contact portion 8 has a hemispherical cross section as shown in FIG. 4 (a) as a first example, or a hemispherical upper portion and a wide hem as shown in FIG. 4 (b) as a second example. It may be formed in a protrusion shape having a chevron cross section. In particular, as shown in FIG. 4B as a second example, not only the upper portion is rounded, but also the hem portion is rounded so as to be connected to the flat surface 2b of the upper frame body 2 by a series of smooth surfaces. May be formed in. As described above, if the connection portions between the surfaces are smooth so that they cannot be identified, dirt does not accumulate on the connection portions and the appearance quality is not impaired.

It should be noted that the protrusion shape of the contact portion 8 may be one by one corresponding to the cushioning member 7, but in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a plurality of protrusion shapes are not one. Is formed in. Further, the arrangement is formed by arranging 6 points around one point as the center so as to correspond to the circular shape of the contact surface 7a of the cushioning member 7. This shape is a geometric arrangement of circles of the same diameter, and can be incorporated as a design in a well-balanced manner without any discomfort.

Further, if the tip of the protrusion of the contact portion 8 is too thin, the shock absorbing performance is deteriorated and the deformation of the contact surface 7a of the cushioning member 7 is large. Further, in some cases, it is presumed that the user may be injured by touching it, so it is preferable to form it so as to have an appropriate roundness such as a hemisphere.

[1-2. motion]
[1-2-1. Operation of the washing machine]
The operation and operation of the washing machine configured as described above will be described below.

The washing operation is no different from a general washing machine. That is, the user opens the lid 5, puts the laundry into the washing tub 3 through the opening 2a, and closes the lid 5. Then, the power is turned on, the washing course is set by the operation display unit 4, and the operation is started. In the washing course, the washing step, the rinsing step and the dehydration step are basically performed in order.

When the operation is started, as a washing step, washing water containing a detergent is supplied into the washing tub 3, and the pulsator (not shown) is rotated to stir and wash the laundry. When the washing process is completed, as a rinsing process, dirty washing water is discharged, tap water is supplied again, and the laundry is rinsed. When the rinsing step is completed, the rinse water is discharged as a dehydration step, the washing tub 3 rotates at high speed, and the water contained in the laundry is separated by centrifugal force and dehydrated. When the dehydration process is completed, the washing operation is finished and the washing machine is automatically turned off.

[1-2-2. Buffering action when the lid is closed]
While the washing machine is being used, when the user puts the laundry into the washing tub 3 and performs the washing operation, or when the user finishes using the washing machine, as shown in FIG. 1, the lid. Body 5 is closed. At this time, the cushioning member 7 provided on the back of the lid 5 collides with the contact portion 8 provided on the upper frame 2 in front of the opening 2a to alleviate the impact of closing the lid 5. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, while the washing machine is being operated, or until the user next uses the washing machine, the lid 5 is in the closed state, and most of the weight of the lid 5 is increased. The state of being applied to the cushioning member 7 is continued.

In this way, when the lid 5 is closed, the cushioning member 7 and the contact portion 8 of the upper frame 2 are in contact with each other for a long time. Further, the cushioning member 7 is temporarily deformed by the impact when the lid 5 is closed. However, when the contact state is returned to the normal contact state, the contact area is in contact with only the upper portion of the contact portion 8, and the contact area becomes very small.

Then, such collision and long-term contact are continuously performed, so that the color is transferred from the cushioning member 7 to the contact portion 8. However, even if the color is transferred, it is only the upper part of the contact portion 8, and the area thereof is limited to a minute area. As a result, the color transfer can be made inconspicuous, and the appearance quality can be suppressed from being impaired.

Further, in the present embodiment, the contact portion 8 is formed with a plurality of protrusions in a predetermined arrangement. As a result, shadows due to the shapes of the plurality of protrusions are generated. This shading can visually reduce color transfer.

Further, the cushioning member 7 can be supported at a plurality of points, and deformation due to concentration of the load on one point of the contact surface 7a of the cushioning member 7 can be suppressed.

Also, it is not always necessary to support at multiple points at the same time. However, even if a slight positional deviation occurs when the lid 5 is closed due to rattling in the attachment of the lid 5, dimensional error, or the like, one of the protrusion shapes can abut and support the cushioning member 7. ..

[1-3. Effect, etc.]
As described above, in the present embodiment, the washing machine includes an upper frame body 2 of the main body 1 having an opening 2a into which laundry is taken in and out, and a lid 5 for opening and closing the opening 2a. The lid 5 is pivotally supported by the upper frame 2 and includes a cushioning member 7 that cushions an impact that collides with the upper frame 2 when closed. The contact portion 8 of the upper frame body 2 with which the cushioning member 7 abuts is formed in a protruding shape so that the contact area with each other becomes smaller.

As a result, the washing machine can reduce the contact area between the cushioning member 7 of the lid 5 and the contact portion 8 of the upper frame 2. Therefore, by reducing the area to which the cushioning member 7 adheres and making the color transfer to the upper frame 2 inconspicuous, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the appearance quality.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, the contact portion 8 is formed in a hemispherical protrusion shape. As a result, the contact surface 7a of the cushioning member 7 is not deformed so much that the shock absorbing performance is deteriorated, and the user does not get injured by touching it.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, the contact portion 8 is formed in a plurality of protrusions. As a result, color transfer can be visually reduced due to the shadows generated by the shapes of the plurality of protrusions. Further, the cushioning member 7 can be supported at a plurality of points to suppress deformation due to the concentration of the load on one point of the contact surface 7a of the cushioning member 7. Further, even if a slight positional deviation occurs when the lid 5 is closed, any of the protrusions can abut and support the cushioning member 7.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, the contact portion 8 is formed in a protrusion shape corresponding to the shape of the cushioning member 7. As a result, the design is arranged in a well-balanced manner, and even if a slight positional deviation occurs when the lid 5 is closed, one of the protrusion shapes can abut and support the cushioning member 7.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, the contact portion 8 is formed in a plurality of protrusions having one point as the center and six points arranged on the circumference thereof. This shape is a geometrical arrangement of circles of the same diameter, and can be incorporated as a design in a well-balanced manner without any discomfort.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, the contact portion 8 is formed in a continuous protrusion shape on a smooth surface. As a result, the connection portions between the surfaces are smooth so that they cannot be identified, dirt does not accumulate on the connection portions, and the appearance quality is not impaired.

(Other embodiments)
As described above, the first embodiment has been described as an example of the technique disclosed in the present application.
However, the technique in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can be applied to embodiments in which changes, replacements, additions, omissions, etc. have been made. Further, it is also possible to combine the components described in the first embodiment to form a new embodiment.

Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

In the first embodiment, as the contact portion 8 provided on the upper frame body 2, a protrusion shape having a circular upper portion and a hemispherical shape and a plurality of arrangement thereof have been described. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the shape of the upper part may be a polygon such as a rounded quadrangle. Further, the upper shape may be a band-shaped protrusion having a rounded shape, or a plurality of these may be arranged. Further, a donut-shaped protrusion may be formed around one hemispherical point. In any case, the contact area between the cushioning member 7 and the contact portion 8 may be smaller than when the surfaces simply contact each other as in the conventional case, and the color transfer may be inconspicuous.

Further, in the first embodiment, a vertical washing machine has been described as an example of the washing machine. The washing machine may be any one that can wash cloth such as clothes with water. Therefore, the washing machine is not limited to the vertical washing machine. However, if a vertical washing machine is used as the washing machine, the lid 5 comes into contact with the upper frame 2 by its own weight when the lid 5 is closed, so that color transfer from the cushioning member 7 to the contact portion 8 is likely to occur, which is an effect of reduction. Easy to get. Moreover, you may use a drum type washing machine as a washing machine. If a drum-type washing machine is used as the washing machine, an opening 2a for putting in and taking out laundry can be provided on the side surface, so that the degree of freedom in designing the washing machine can be expanded.

Since the above-described embodiment is for exemplifying the technique in the present disclosure, various changes, replacements, additions, omissions, etc. can be made within the scope of claims or the equivalent thereof.

The present disclosure is applicable to a washing machine provided with a lid having a cushioning member. Specifically, the present disclosure is applicable to vertical washing machines, drum-type washing machines, and the like.

1 Main body 2 Upper frame 2a Opening 2b Flat surface 3 Washing tub 4 Operation display 5 Lid 6 Rotating shaft 7 Cushioning member 7a Contact surface 7b Locking part 8 Contact part

Claims (6)

A body with an opening for clothes to be taken in and out,
A lid that opens and closes the opening is provided.
The lid is pivotally supported by the body and comprises a cushioning member that cushions the impact that abuts on the body when closed.
The contact portion of the main body with which the cushioning member abuts is formed in a protrusion shape so as to reduce the contact area with each other.
washing machine. The contact portion is formed in a hemispherical protrusion shape.
The washing machine according to claim 1. The contact portion is formed in the shape of a plurality of protrusions.
The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2. The contact portion is formed in a protrusion shape corresponding to the shape of the cushioning member.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The contact portion is formed in a plurality of protrusions having one point as the center and six points arranged around the contact portion.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The contact portion is formed in a continuous protrusion shape with smooth surfaces.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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