JP2023043131A - Auxiliary device for automatic input device of washing treatment agent, and washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To achieve improvement in convenience of a user regarding replenishment of a washing treatment agent.SOLUTION: An auxiliary device includes: a connection member constituted so that one end part can be inserted in a pouring port of a replacement pack, constituted so that the other end part can be connected to a sucking part of an input pump, and for connecting the pouring port and the sucking part; and a placement member constituted so as to be stored in a storage part in a state where the replacement pack is placed, constituted so that the connection member can be mounted in a state where one end part of the connection member is being inserted in the pouring port, and for holding a pouring port peripheral portion of the replacement pack by sandwiching it with the connection member in the case of mounting the connection member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present embodiment relates to an auxiliary device for an automatic laundry processing agent input device and a washing machine.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in order to improve convenience for users, washing machines equipped with an automatic loading device for automatically loading laundry processing agents such as detergents and softeners have been developed. Such a washing machine is usually provided with a processing agent tank capable of storing a plurality of laundry processing agents. Then, for example, when the residual amount of the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent tank is reduced, the user transfers the laundry treatment agent from a commercially available refill pack or the like of the laundry treatment agent to the treatment agent tank.

Here, many commercially available refill packs for laundry treatment agents have large capacities. If the capacity of the refill pack exceeds the capacity of the treatment agent tank, the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack cannot be transferred to the treatment agent tank all at once. Therefore, of the laundry treatment agents in the refill pack, the remaining laundry treatment agent that has not been completely transferred to the treatment agent tank is stored while remaining in the refill pack. In this case, if the refill pack has a structure in which a portion of the pouch is cut off to form a spout, the residual laundry treatment agent may leak out from the spout when the refill pack is stored with the excess laundry treatment agent left inside. A foreign object may enter. Therefore, storing such refill packs in which the laundry treatment agent remains is troublesome and user-friendliness is reduced.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-53125

Therefore, an auxiliary device for an automatic laundry processing agent input device and a washing machine are provided, which are capable of improving the user's convenience in replenishing the laundry processing agent.

The auxiliary device of the automatic laundry treatment agent input device contains an outer box, a water tank provided inside the outer case, and a treatment agent container provided in the outer case and storing the laundry treatment agent for a plurality of times. A washing machine comprising: an automatic input device having a storage portion that can hold a load, and an input pump that sucks out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent container stored in the storage portion and injects the laundry treatment agent into the water tank, This refill pack is used as a treatment agent container, and has a structure in which a pouch filled with a laundry treatment agent is partially cut off to form a spout. One end of the auxiliary device is configured to be insertable into the spout of the refill pack, and the other end is configured to be connectable to the suction portion of the input pump, thereby connecting the spout and the suction portion. A connection member that connects between the refill packs and the refill pack is configured to be accommodated in the accommodation portion while one end of the connection member is inserted into the spout. a placing member configured to be attachable to a member, and holding the portion of the refill pack surrounding the spout of the refill pack sandwiched between the connecting member and the connecting member when the connecting member is attached.

The perspective view which shows an example of the washing machine by 1st Embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of an automatic loading device for the washing machine according to the first embodiment; The perspective view which shows the example which attached the auxiliary device about the washing machine by 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows roughly an example of a refill pack about 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 1st Embodiment The figure which expands and shows the arrow X6 part of FIG. 5 about the auxiliary device of 1st Embodiment FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the auxiliary device of the first embodiment, further enlarging the portion along line X7-X7 in FIG. 6; Sectional drawing which decompose|disassembles and shows a connection member and a mounting member about an example of the auxiliary device of 1st Embodiment. Sectional view showing the auxiliary device of the first embodiment along line X9-X9 in FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the state which closed the cover member and folded the support mechanism about an example of the auxiliary|assistant apparatus of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of an auxiliary device according to the second embodiment, showing a state in which the auxiliary device is assembled; FIG. 2 schematically shows an example of an auxiliary device of the second embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view showing a disassembled state of the auxiliary device; Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 3rd Embodiment Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 4th Embodiment The figure which expands and shows the arrow X15 part of FIG. 14 about the auxiliary device of 4th Embodiment FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the arrow X15 portion of FIG. 14 regarding the auxiliary device of the fourth embodiment, showing a state in which the electrical connection portion and the connection receiving portion are connected; Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 5th Embodiment Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 6th Embodiment FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the auxiliary device of the sixth embodiment, showing a state in which the remaining amount of the refill pack is lower than in the state of FIG. 18; A diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of an automatic loading device for a washing machine according to a seventh embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 7th Embodiment FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the auxiliary device of the seventh embodiment, showing a state in which the remaining amount of the refill pack is lower than in the state of FIG. 21; Sectional drawing which shows roughly an example of the auxiliary device of 8th Embodiment FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the auxiliary device of the eighth embodiment, showing a state in which the remaining amount of the refill pack is lower than the state in FIG. 23; Sectional drawing showing from the front side about the auxiliary device of 9th Embodiment The top view which shows an example of the residual amount detection mechanism with which the auxiliary device of 9th Embodiment is equipped. Sectional drawing which shows an example of the residual amount detection mechanism with which the auxiliary device of 9th Embodiment is provided

Hereinafter, washing machines according to multiple embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected to the substantially same element in each embodiment, and description is abbreviate|omitted. Each embodiment can be applied to both the horizontal axis or oblique axis type drum type washing machine shown in FIG. 1 and the vertical axis type washing machine (not shown).

(First embodiment)
A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG.
The washing machine 10 includes an outer case 11, a water tub 12, a rotating tub 13, a motor 14, a drainage mechanism 15, a water supply mechanism 16, and an automatic loading device 20, as shown in FIGS. In FIG. 1 , the installation surface side of washing machine 10 , that is, the vertically lower side is the lower side of washing machine 10 , and the opposite side of the installation surface, that is, the vertically upper side is the upper side of washing machine 10 . The washing machine 10 is a drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotary tub 13 is a horizontal axis type or an oblique axis type in which the rotation axis is inclined downward toward the rear.

The washing machine 10 may or may not have a heat pump or heater drying function, for example. The water tank 12 is arranged inside the outer case 11 and elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotating tank 13 is rotatably arranged in the water tank 12 . The motor 14 is provided outside the water tub 12 and connected to the rotating tub 13 . The motor 14 is driven based on a control signal from a control device (not shown) to rotate the rotary tub 13 .

The drainage mechanism 15 has a function of discharging the water stored in the water tub 12 to the outside of the washing machine 10 . The drainage mechanism 15 has a drainage path 151 and a drainage valve 152 . The drain path 151 is composed of, for example, a flexible drain hose, one end of which is connected to the drain valve 152 and the other end of which is pulled out of the washing machine 10 . The drain valve 152 is composed of, for example, a liquid valve element that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. The drain valve 152 is provided between the drain port 121 provided at the bottom of the water tank 12 and the drain path 151 . The drain valve 152 opens and closes the drain path 151 based on a control signal from a control device (not shown).

The water supply mechanism 16 is provided, for example, in the upper left or right inner part of the water tank 12 inside the outer casing 11 . The water supply mechanism 16 supplies water to the tank 12 by receiving water from a water supply source such as a tap. The water supply mechanism 16 has a connection port 161, a water supply path 162, a supply portion 163, and a water supply valve 164, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. The connection port 161 is provided on the upper surface of the outer casing 11 so as to be exposed to the left rear portion. The connection port 161 is connected to an external water source such as a water faucet via a hose, for example.

The water supply path 162 is a path that connects the connection port 161 to the water tub 12 and the rotating tub 13 . The supply part 163 is provided in the middle of the water supply path 162 and is a part to which the laundry processing agent is supplied by the automatic loading device 20 . The water supply valve 164 is a liquid valve body that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. The water supply valve 164 is provided between the connection port 161 and the water supply path 162 . The water supply valve 164 opens and closes the water supply path 162 based on a control signal from a control device (not shown).

The automatic injection device 20 has a function of selectively and automatically injecting a plurality of types of laundry treatment agents into the water tub 12 . That is, the automatic loading device 20 has a function of preliminarily storing a plurality of laundry processing agents in a processing agent container and automatically supplying a predetermined amount of the laundry processing agent into the water tank 12 over a plurality of washing operations. have. In addition, in this embodiment, the laundry treatment agent is a concept including detergents, softeners, and the like. The automatic loading device 20 has a container 21 , a lid member 22 , a processing agent tank 23 and a loading pump 30 .

The housing portion 21 is configured in a box shape with an open top and is provided inside the outer casing 11 . The containing portion 21 is configured to be able to contain a processing agent tank 23, which is one aspect of a processing agent container. The storage part 21 is configured to be able to store two processing agent tanks 23 side by side or side by side. The processing agent tank 23 is detachably accommodated in the accommodation portion 21 .

The lid member 22 is attached to the outer case 11 and can open and close the opening on the upper surface of the housing portion 21 . When the lid member 22 is closed, the top surface of the lid member 22 is flush with the top surface of the outer box 11 surrounding the lid member 22 , thereby forming the top surface of the washing machine 10 . The lid member 22 is configured to be rotatable about, for example, a hinge portion 221 shown in FIG. 5 as a fulcrum. The user can remove the processing agent tanks 23 from the washing machine 10 by pulling them out from the washing machine 10 while the cover member 22 is open.

The processing agent tank 23 is one aspect of a processing agent container. The processing agent tank 23 is made of resin, for example, and can be configured as a rectangular hollow container elongated in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. The treatment agent tank 23 can store a liquid laundry treatment agent. Although details are not shown, in the case of this embodiment, the automatic loading device 20 has two processing agent tanks 23 . In this case, one of the two treatment agent tanks 23 is for storing detergent as a laundry treatment agent. The other of the two treatment agent tanks 23 is for storing a softener as a laundry treatment agent.

The injection pump 30 is connected to, for example, the treatment agent tank 23 and has a function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 23 and injecting it into the water tub 12 . The input pump 30 has a suction part 31 on the inflow side. The suction portion 31 is exposed inside the housing portion 21 through, for example, a side wall surface of the housing portion 21 . The processing agent tank 23 accommodated in the accommodation portion 21 is connected to the inside of the injection pump 30 via the suction portion 31 . As a result, the processing agent tank 23 is connected to the supply section 163 via the input pump 30 . The injection pump 30 can be composed of, for example, a syringe pump. The injection pump 30 sucks a certain amount of the laundry treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 23 and discharges it to the supply portion 163 .

In this configuration, when the water supply valve 164 is opened, tap water supplied from the connection port 161 flows into the water supply path 162 and passes through the supply portion 163 . A required amount of laundry treatment agent is supplied to the supply unit 163 in advance by the operation of the automatic input device 20 before the water supply valve 164 is operated. When the laundry treatment agent is stored in the supply unit 163 , the water flowing through the water supply path 162 dissolves the laundry treatment agent and is supplied into the water tank 12 . In this manner, the automatic loading device 20 automatically loads a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12 while the washing machine 10 is running.

Next, the auxiliary device 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 10 as well. The auxiliary device 40 shown in FIG. 3 and the like can be used, for example, in the washing machine 10 equipped with the automatic loading device 20 described above. The auxiliary device 40 is for directly using, for example, a refill pack 90 as shown in FIG. The refill pack 90 is, for example, a commercially available product, and is a bag-shaped pouch formed by laminating a resin film, a metal-evaporated film, or the like, and filled with a laundry processing agent. The auxiliary device 40 of the present embodiment can be applied to a refill pack 90 having a structure in which a spout 91 is formed by cutting a part of the pouch.

A part or all of the auxiliary device 40 can be detachably attached to the housing portion 21 . The auxiliary device 40 includes, for example, a connection member 50, a mounting member 60, and a support mechanism 70, as shown in FIG. 5 and the like. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the connecting member 50 is, for example, a generally cylindrical member or a stepped cylindrical member. The connection member 50 has a treatment agent path 51 and a valve mechanism 52 . The treatment agent path 51 communicates from one end 501 side to the other end portion 502 side of the connecting member 50, and the laundry treatment agent flows from the one end portion 501 side to the other end portion 502 side. function as a pathway for

One end 501 of the connecting member 50 is configured to be insertable into the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 . Also, the other end 502 of the connection member 50 is configured to be connectable to the suction portion 31 of the injection pump 30 . When one end 501 of the connection member 50 is inserted into the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 and the other end 502 is connected to the suction part 31 , the treatment agent passage 51 inside the connection member 50 pushes the spout 91 . and the suction part 31 are connected.

The valve mechanism 52 is provided in the middle or at the end of the processing agent path 51 . When the other end 502 of the connecting member 50 is not connected to the suction portion 31 of the injection pump 30, the valve mechanism 52 is closed to interrupt the processing agent path 51, and the other end 502 of the connecting member 50 is closed. is connected to the suction part 31, it opens to open the processing agent path 51. As shown in FIG. Thus, the valve mechanism 52 has a function of preventing the processing agent in the refill pack 90 from leaking out through the processing agent path 51 when the connection member 50 is not connected to the suction portion 31 . That is, the valve mechanism 52 functions as a so-called anti-leak valve or anti-drip valve.

The valve mechanism 52 can be composed of, for example, an elastic rubber valve body, or can be composed of, for example, a rigid valve body and a spring. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the suction portion 31 can be configured to have an insertion portion 311 . A clearance 312 is provided around the insertion portion 311, and the clearance 312 forms a channel for the processing agent to flow. When the suction portion 31 is connected to the other end 502 of the connection member 50, the insertion portion 311 pushes open the valve mechanism 52, thereby opening the connection between the other end 502 of the connection member 50 and the suction portion 31. do. When the other end 502 of the connection member 50 is removed from the insertion portion 311 , the valve mechanism 52 returns to its initial shape due to its own elastic force. is closed.

The mounting member 60 is a member that is used to directly store the refill pack 90 in the storage section 21 instead of the processing agent tank 23, for example. As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the mounting member 60 is configured to be able to mount the refill pack 90 and to be housed in the housing section 21 with the refill pack 90 mounted thereon. Moreover, the mounting member 60 is configured so that the connection member 50 can be mounted thereon. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the mounting member 60 has a function of sandwiching and fixing the refill pack 90 around the spout 91 between the connecting member 50 and the connecting member 50 when the connecting member 50 is attached. . In this case, the peripheral portion of the spout 91 is, for example, a portion of the refill pack 90 that includes the spout 91 and its surroundings, and is sandwiched and fixed between the connection member 50 and the mounting member 60 . It means a portion where the position of the pour spout 91 with respect to the mounting member 60 does not shift greatly when the pouring spout 91 is inserted.

The mounting member 60 is made of, for example, a resin member and is formed into a shallow dish-like or container-like shape as a whole. Thus, the mounting member 60 can store the laundry treatment agent that has flowed out from the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 mounted on the mounting member 60 . Therefore, even if the laundry treatment agent leaks out from the spout 91 of the refill pack 90, the laundry treatment agent is stored in the placement member 60 and is prevented from spreading in the storage section 21. be.

The mounting member 60 has a body portion 61 and a mounting portion 62 . The main body portion 61 occupies most of the mounting member 60 and is a portion formed in a container shape to receive the refill pack 90 mounted thereon. The mounting portion 62 is a portion to which one end portion 501 of the connecting member 50 is mounted. The mounting portion 62 protrudes outward from, for example, a peripheral wall portion, that is, a side wall portion of the main body portion 61, and is formed in a cylindrical shape. The inside of the mounting portion 62 is formed so as to penetrate the side wall portion of the main body portion 61 , and communicates the inside and the outside of the main body portion 61 .

The mounting portion 62 is configured such that one end portion 501 of the connecting member 50 can be inserted into the mounting portion 62 and has a function of detachably mounting or coupling the connecting member 50 . In this case, one end 501 of the connecting member 50 is inserted from the outside of the placing member 60 through the inside of the mounting portion 62 into the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 placed on the body portion 61 . Then, when the connection member 50 is attached to the attachment portion 62 , the refill pack 90 around the spout 91 is sandwiched and held between the connection member 50 and the attachment portion 62 . As a result, the connection member 50 is attached to the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 in a state where the portion of the connection member 50 other than the processing agent path 51 is sealed.

The connecting member 50 is attached or coupled to the mounting portion 62 by, for example, forming a male thread on the outer surface of one end 501 of the connecting member 50 and forming a female thread on the inner surface of the mounting portion 62 . This can be done by screwing one end 501 into the mounting portion 62 . In addition, the mounting or coupling of the connecting member 50 to the mounting portion 62 can be achieved by configuring the mounting portion 62 and the connecting member 50 with magnets that attract each other, or providing magnets that attract each other to the mounting portion 62 and the connecting member 50. They can also be detachably coupled by magnetic force. Moreover, the attachment, or coupling, of the connection member 50 to the attachment portion 62 may be performed using a rubber band or the like or a so-called snap fit.

The storage section 21 of the present embodiment is configured so that two processing agent tanks 23 for detergent and finishing agent can be arranged side by side. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, for example, the placement member 60 of the present embodiment can place a refill pack 90 filled with detergent and a refill pack 90 filled with finishing agent side by side. In this case, the mounting member 60 can be configured to have a partition wall portion 63 . The partition wall portion 63 has a function of separating an area where the refill pack 90 filled with detergent is placed and an area where the refill pack 90 filled with finishing agent is placed.

The support mechanism 70 surrounds and supports the refill pack 90 placed on the placement member 60, and has a function of keeping the refill pack 90 in an upright position with the spout 91 directed downward. In this case, when the support mechanism 70 supports the refill pack 90, it is not necessary for the support mechanism 70 to always support the refill pack 90 in contact with the refill pack 90. The support may be sufficient to prevent the refill pack 90 from toppling or being crushed when it is received. The support mechanism 70 functions when the lid member 22 of the housing portion 21 is open. In this case, part of the support mechanism 70 extends upward from the upper surface of the washing machine 10 from the housing portion 21 .

The support mechanism 70 can be attached to the lid member 22 that opens and closes the housing portion 21 . In this case, the support mechanism 70 can be configured to be foldable with respect to the lid member 22, as shown in FIG. 10, for example. The support mechanism 70 can be configured with a plurality of link members 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, for example. In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, when the cover member 22 is closed, the support mechanism 70 is folded and housed in the housing portion 21 . Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the support mechanism 70 is deployed when the cover member 22 is open. In this case, a part of the support mechanism 70, for example, the tip of the link member 74 farthest from the lid member 22, contacts the upper surface of the outer case 11 or the upper surface of the housing portion 21, thereby causing the lid member 22 to move in the closing direction. Rotation is restricted.

The support mechanism 70 can further include a holding member 80 . The holding member 80 is provided at the upper end portion of the support mechanism 70, as shown in FIG. 9, for example. The holding member 80 is suspended from a link member 75 at the upper end of the support mechanism 70, for example. The holding member 80 has a structure similar to a stationery clip, for example, and is opened by a user's operation and closed by a spring force when the user's operation is released. The holding member 80 is configured to be able to hold the end portion of the refill pack 90 opposite to the spout 91 , ie, the bottom portion 901 of the refill pack 90 . As a result, the posture of the refill pack 90 is maintained in an upright state.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, the mounting member 60 of this embodiment is configured so that two refill packs 90 can be placed side by side. The support mechanism 70 is configured so that two refill packs 90 can be placed side by side inside the support mechanism 70 in response to the placement member 60 being configured to be able to place two refill packs 90 side by side. It is The support mechanism 70 further has a partition member 76 that separates the two refill packs 90 . In this embodiment, the partition member 76 is connected to the link member 75 and folded together with the link members 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 when the lid member 22 is closed. In this case, the mounting member 60 can also be housed inside the housing portion 21 .

The processing agent tank 23 may have a capacity and a shape that can be accommodated in the accommodating portion 21 with the lid member 22 closed and the support mechanism 70 folded and accommodated in the accommodating portion 21, for example. Moreover, the placement member 60 may be configured independently for each refill pack 90, that is, configured separately. That is, for example, a mounting member for mounting the refill pack 90 filled with detergent and a mounting member for mounting the refill pack 90 filled with finishing agent are configured to be separated from each other. be able to.

According to the embodiment described above, the auxiliary device 40 of the automatic laundry processing agent injection device is a processing agent container in the washing machine 10 in which a portion of the pouch filled with the laundry processing agent is separated and the spout is opened. It is intended for use with a refill pack 90 structured to form a The washing machine 10 includes an outer case 11 , a water tank 12 provided inside the outer case 11 , and an automatic loading device 20 . The automatic loading device 20 has a storage section 21 and a loading pump 30 . The storage part 21 is provided in the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to store a treatment agent tank 23 or a refill pack 90 as a treatment agent container in which a plurality of washing treatment agents are stored. The injection pump 30 has a function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 23 or the refill pack 90 as a treatment agent container accommodated in the accommodation portion 21 and introducing it into the water tub 12 .

The auxiliary device 40 includes a connection member 50 and a placement member 60 . One end 501 of the connection member 50 is configured to be insertable into the spout 91 of the refill pack 90, and the other end 502 is configured to be connectable to the suction portion 31 of the injection pump 30, thereby It has the function of connecting between 91 and the suction part.

The placing member 60 is configured to be able to be accommodated in the accommodating portion 21 with the refill pack 90 placed thereon. Moreover, the mounting member 60 is configured such that the connection member 50 can be attached with one end 501 of the connection member 50 inserted into the spout 91 . In this case, the connection member 50 is attached to the attachment portion 62 of the mounting member 60 . The placing member 60 has a function of sandwiching and holding the spout 91 peripheral portion of the refill pack 90 between itself and the connecting member 50 when the connecting member 50 is attached.

According to this, the user can use the refill pack 90 having a structure in which a part of the pouch is cut off to form the spout 91 and connected to the suction part 31 instead of the processing agent tank 23 . Therefore, when the laundry processing agent in the refill pack 90 is transferred to the processing agent tank 23, the laundry processing agent that has not been completely transferred to the processing agent tank 23 must be stored while remaining in the refill pack 90. can be avoided. Further, according to this, the user can use the large-capacity refill pack 90 instead of the treatment agent tank 23, so that the frequency of refilling the laundry treatment agent can be reduced.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 and the suction part 31 of the injection pump 30 can be connected without using a member such as a hose. It is possible to suppress clogging due to solidification. Furthermore, since the auxiliary device 40 does not use a member such as a hose and can have a simple structure, it can be easily disassembled for cleaning. As a result, according to the auxiliary device 40 of the present embodiment and the washing machine 10 using the auxiliary device 40, it is possible to improve the user's convenience regarding replenishment of the laundry treatment agent.

The connecting member 50 has a valve mechanism 52 . The valve mechanism 52 has a function of closing when not connected to the suction portion 31 and opening when connected to the suction portion 31 . According to this, for example, when the connection member 50 is connected to the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 and is not connected to the suction portion 31, the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 is discharged to the outside through the connection member 50. can be suppressed from leaking out.

The mounting member 60 is configured in a container shape capable of storing the laundry treatment agent flowing out from the spout 91 of the refill pack 90 . According to this, since the mounting member 60 can receive and store the laundry treatment agent that has flowed out from the spout 91 of the refill pack 90, even if the laundry treatment agent leaks out from the spout 91 of the refill pack 90, Also, it is possible to prevent the outside of the mounting member 60, that is, the inside of the housing portion 21, from being soiled by the leaked laundry treatment agent.

The auxiliary device 40 further comprises a support mechanism 70 . The support mechanism 70 has a function of surrounding and supporting the refill pack 90 mounted on the mounting member 60 to maintain the posture of the refill pack 90 . According to this, when the refill pack 90 receives an external force such as vibration of the washing machine 10, for example, the refill pack 90 can be prevented from collapsing or being crushed, and the shape of the refill pack 90 can be maintained. . That is, it is possible to suppress clogging of the path of the laundry treatment agent due to the shape around the spout 91 being crushed.

The support mechanism 70 is foldably attached to the lid member 22 that opens and closes the housing portion 21, and is housed in the housing portion 21 with the lid member 22 closed. According to this, when the auxiliary device 40 is not used, the support mechanism 70 can be folded and stored in the storage section 21. This eliminates the need to store the support mechanism 70 in another place, which is convenient. is.

The support mechanism 70 further has a holding member 80 . The holding member 80 is configured to be able to hold the end of the refill pack 90 opposite to the spout 91 , that is, the bottom. According to this, the posture of the refill pack 90 can be more reliably maintained with the spout 91 facing downward. As a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the refill pack 90 from falling or being crushed. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress clogging of the path of the laundry treatment agent due to the shape around the spout 91 being crushed, and as a result, the laundry treatment agent can be smoothly injected by the automatic injection device 20. - 特許庁

The support mechanism 70 is configured so that two refill packs 90 can be arranged side by side. The support mechanism 70 further has a partition member 76 that separates the two refill packs 90, as shown in FIG. According to this, even when the two refill packs 90 for detergent and finishing agent are arranged side by side, it is possible to prevent the respective refill packs 90 from falling over. As a result, both the detergent and the finishing agent can be smoothly charged by the automatic charging device 20 .

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG.
A part of the support mechanism 70 is attached to the cover member 22 so as to be foldable, and the other part is attached to the mounting member 60 . In the case of this embodiment, the support mechanism 70 has link members 71, 72, 73, and 74 as in the first embodiment. Among these, the link members 71, 72, and 73 are attached to the lid member 22 so as to be foldable. Also, the link member 74 is directly or indirectly attached to the mounting member 60 . When the link member 74 is indirectly attached to the mounting member 60, for example, the mounting member 60 is provided with a handle or the like for facilitating the operation of the mounting member 60, and the link member 74 is attached to the handle or the like. configuration, etc. are assumed. The link member 73 and the link member 74 are configured to be detachable from each other.

In this case, for example, the link member 74 attached to the mounting member 60 has a locking portion 741 . Further, for example, the link member 73 on the lid member 22 side has a locked portion 731 corresponding to the locking portion 741 . As shown in FIG. 11, when the locked portion 731 is locked to the locking portion 741, the link members 71, 72, 73 on the lid member 22 side and the link member 74 on the mounting member 60 side are connected to each other. be done. Thereby, the support mechanism 70 can exhibit the same function as the support mechanism 70 of the first embodiment, that is, the function of supporting the posture of the refill pack 90 .

When the link member 73 is rotated upward as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 11, the engagement between the engaged portion 731 and the engaging portion 741 is released as shown in FIG. As a result, the mounting member 60 can be removed from the housing portion 21 together with the link member 74 . Link members 71 , 72 , and 73 of the support mechanism 70 on the side of the lid member 22 are folded and housed in the housing portion 21 when the lid member 22 is closed.
This embodiment also provides the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

(Third Embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In this embodiment, the support mechanism 70 is attached to the mounting member 60 and not attached to the lid member 22 . In this case, the support mechanism 70 has a plurality of bar-shaped horizontal members 77 extending horizontally and a plurality of bar-shaped vertical members 78 extending vertically. A lower end portion of the vertical member 78 is connected and fixed to the mounting member 60 . Horizontal members 77 connect between vertical members 78 . In this case, the horizontal member 77 and the vertical member 78 are mutually non-rotatable. Therefore, the support mechanism 70 of this embodiment has a configuration that cannot be folded.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as those of the above-described embodiments.
Moreover, the structure of the support mechanism 70 can be simplified by attaching the support mechanism 70 to the mounting member 60 in a non-foldable configuration.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, the support mechanism 70 is not attached to the lid member 22 . For this reason, for example, even for an existing washing machine 10 that is provided with the automatic loading device 20 but is not intended to directly use the refill pack 90, the mounting member 60 and the support mechanism 70 are attached to directly load the refill pack 90. can be used.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 16. FIG.
The auxiliary device 40 of this embodiment further includes a remaining amount detection mechanism 64 and an electrical connection section 41 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided on the mounting member 60 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is configured to detect the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 based on the weight of the refill pack 90 placed on the placement member 60 .

The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 can be configured by an electrical component such as a sensor that operates upon receiving power from the washing machine 10 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 can be composed of, for example, a resistive film type pressure sensor. In this case, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is formed in a thin and flexible sheet or film shape using a plastic film or sheet as a base material, for example. The electrical resistance of the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 changes according to the pressure received, that is, the weight.

The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided on the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 . The bottom portion 611 is configured as a flat surface parallel to the bottom portion 212 of the housing portion 21 as a whole. The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided at a position that receives the weight of the refill pack 90 when the refill pack 90 is placed on the placement member 60 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is configured, for example, to cover a part or the whole of the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 . In this configuration, when the refill pack 90 is placed on the placement member 60 , the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 detects pressure due to the weight of the refill pack 90 . In this case, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 does not have a mechanical or physical drive configuration. Further, the auxiliary device 40 does not have a power supply for operating the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 , that is, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 .

In the following description, the bottom portion 611 of the body portion 61 means the bottom portion of the body portion 61 itself. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the end of the refill pack 90 on the side where the spout 91 is formed, that is, the end opposite to the bottom 901 is called a top 902 . The bottom portion of the mounting member 60 means the portion with which the top portion 902 of the refill pack 90 contacts when the refill pack 90 is mounted on the mounting member 60 , that is, the portion that supports the refill pack 90 . Therefore, no structure is provided on the bottom portion 611 of the body portion 61 , and when the refill pack 90 is placed on the mounting member 60 , the top portion 902 of the refill pack 90 contacts the bottom portion 611 of the body portion 61 . In this case, the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 is the same as the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 . On the other hand, a certain structure is provided on the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 so that the top portion 902 of the refill pack 90 does not contact the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 at all when the refill pack 90 is placed on the mounting member 60 . Alternatively, if only a portion of the mounting member 60 contacts the bottom 611 of the main body 61, the bottom of the mounting member 60 may be different.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , the electrical connection portion 41 has a function of electrically connecting the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 and the washing machine 10 when the placement member 60 is housed in the housing portion 21 . The electrical connection portion 41 can be provided, for example, on a wall portion that forms the periphery of the main body portion 61 . The electrical connection portion 41 can be composed of an electrode made of a conductive material such as metal.

The electrical connection portion 41 is provided so as to be exposed to the outside of the body portion 61 on the wall portion around the body portion 61 . The electrical connection portion 41 is electrically connected to the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 via electrical wiring (not shown). In this case, the auxiliary device 40 may further include a waterproof packing 42 having a waterproof function. The waterproof packing 42 is formed in an annular shape, for example, from a rubber material or the like, and surrounds the electrical connection portion 41 configured as an electrode. The waterproof packing 42 is in close contact with the inner surface of the housing portion 21 when the mounting member 60 is housed at a predetermined position of the housing portion 21, for example. As a result, the waterproof packing 42 prevents water or the like from entering the annular inner side of the waterproof packing 42 , that is, the electrical connection portion 41 side.

Moreover, in the case of this embodiment, the washing machine 10 further includes a connection receiving portion 24 and wiring 25 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 . The connection receiving portion 24 can be composed of an electrode corresponding to the electrical connection portion 41, for example. The connection receiving portion 24 is provided so as to be exposed on the inner surface of the housing portion 21 . The connection receiving portion 24 can be provided, for example, in a recessed portion 211 formed by recessing the inner surface of the accommodating portion 21 . Therefore, the connection receiving portion 24 does not protrude from the inner surface of the accommodating portion 21 other than the recessed portion 211 . Wiring 25 electrically connects a control device (not shown) included in washing machine 10 and connection receiving portion 24 .

The connection receiving portion 24 contacts the electrical connection portion 41 when the mounting member 60 is housed at a predetermined position in the housing portion 21 . As a result, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is electrically connected to the control device included in the washing machine 10 via the connection receiving portion 24 , the electrical connection portion 41 and the wiring 25 . In this case, for example, after the mounting member 60 is pushed into the housing portion 21, the user moves the mounting member 60 in the direction in which the electrical connection portion 41 approaches the connection receiving portion 24, as shown in FIGS. . As a result, the connection receiving portion 24 is brought into contact with the electrical connection portion 41 as shown in FIG. 16 .

When the control device of washing machine 10 is electrically connected to remaining amount detection mechanism 64 via connection receiving portion 24 and electrical connection portion 41 , the control device of washing machine 10 detects the resistance of remaining amount detection mechanism 64 . By detecting the change in value, the weight of the refill pack 90, that is, the remaining amount, can be detected. For example, the control device of the washing machine 10 determines that the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 has decreased to a predetermined amount when the pressure detected by the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 becomes smaller than a predetermined value.

According to this embodiment described above, the auxiliary device 40 further includes the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided on the mounting member 60 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is configured to detect the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 based on the weight of the refill pack 90 placed on the placement member 60 .

According to this, the control device of the washing machine 10 can detect the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 when the refill pack 90 is placed on the placement member 60 and stored in the storage portion 21 . . Therefore, when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 has decreased, the control device of the washing machine 10 can notify the user that the remaining amount has decreased. As a result, user convenience can be improved. be able to.

The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 can be composed of electrical components such as various sensors that operate by receiving power from the washing machine 10 . The auxiliary device 40 further includes an electrical connector 41 . The electrical connection portion 41 has a function of electrically connecting the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 and the washing machine 10 when the mounting member 60 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 21 .

According to this, when the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is an electrical component that requires electrical connection with the washing machine 10 , the user simply stores the placement member 60 in the housing portion 21 , and the electrical connection portion 41 The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is electrically connected to the washing machine 10 by . Therefore, the user can use the auxiliary device 40 without being conscious of the electrical connection between the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 and the washing machine 10. As a result, the user's convenience can be further improved. can.

Further, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 can be configured by a film-type pressure sensor formed in a thin plate shape. In this case, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided on the bottom portion 611 of the placing member 60 , that is, the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 , and when the refill pack 90 is placed on the placing member 60 , the weight of the refill pack 90 is detected. It is configured to be able to detect the pressure caused by That is, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 can detect the remaining amount of laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 based on the weight of the refill pack 90 .

According to this, by configuring the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 with a thin film-type pressure sensor, it is possible to suppress pressure on the space in which the refill pack 90 is placed. It is possible to suppress the increase in size of the auxiliary device 40 due to installation.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In this embodiment, the structure of the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 is different from that of the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 , in this case, the bottom portion of the body portion 61 is configured to have a horizontal portion 612 and an inclined portion 613 . The horizontal portion 612 is configured to be horizontal when the auxiliary device 40 is housed in the housing portion 21 . That is, the horizontal portion 612 is a portion of the bottom portion of the main body portion 61 that is parallel to the bottom portion 212 of the housing portion 21 when the auxiliary device 40 is housed in the housing portion 21 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided on the horizontal portion 612 .

The horizontal portion 612 is provided near the mounting portion 62 and the connection member 50, for example. That is, the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is provided closer to the mounting portion 62 and the connecting member 50 than the inclined portion 613 is. In this case, the vicinity of the mounting portion 62 and the connection member 50 means that the horizontal portion 612 and the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 are provided at positions closer to the mounting portion 62 and the connection member 50 than the inclined portion 613 is. . 17, the horizontal portion 612 and the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 are arranged so that the mounting portion 62 and the mounting portion 62 and the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 are located more than the center P0 of the body portion 61 when the body portion 61 is viewed in the longitudinal direction, that is, the axial direction of the connection member 50 as shown in FIG. It is provided on the connecting member 50 side.

The inclined portion 613 is a portion of the bottom portion of the body portion 61 that is inclined with respect to the horizontal portion 612 . The inclined portion 613 is inclined toward the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 side. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 613 with respect to the horizontal portion 612 is set within the range of 5° to 45°, preferably within the range of 10° to 30°. The surface area of the inclined portion 613 is larger than the surface area of the horizontal portion 612 . That is, the area of the bottom of the main body 61 that contacts the top of the refill pack 90 is larger in the inclined portion 613 than in the horizontal portion 612 .

According to this, when the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 is composed of the pressure sensor described in the fourth embodiment, the top of the refill pack 90 can be tilted toward the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 by the inclined portion 613. , the laundry treatment agent remaining in the refill pack 90 can be collected to the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 side. As a result, even when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 is low, the remaining amount can be accurately detected by the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 .

Also, in this case, the inclined portion 613 is inclined toward the mounting portion 62 and the connecting member 50 side. That is, the inclined portion 613 is inclined toward the spout 91 side of the refill pack 90 . Therefore, when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 is low, the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 can be collected to the spout 91 side by the inclined portion 613 . Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 can be reliably used to the end.

(Sixth embodiment)
Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 18 and 19. FIG.
This embodiment differs from the fourth and fifth embodiments in the structure of the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 . In this embodiment, the mounting member 60 further includes a tilting mechanism 65 . The tilt mechanism 65 has the function of increasing the tilt angle of the bottom of the mounting member 60 as the weight of the refill pack 90 mounted on the mounting member 60 becomes lighter, that is, as the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 decreases. have.

The tilting mechanism 65 can be configured with a tilting member 651 and an elastic member 652, for example. The inclined member 651 is an alternative to the inclined portion 613 of the fifth embodiment, and constitutes part of the bottom of the mounting member 60 . That is, the inclined member 651 is a portion with which the top portion 902 of the refill pack 90 comes into contact when the refill pack 90 is accommodated in the mounting member 60 . In the case of this embodiment, the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 includes the tilting member 651 of the tilting mechanism 65 . The surface area of the inclined member 651 is larger than the surface area of the horizontal portion 612 . That is, the area of the bottom portion of the main body portion 61 that contacts the top portion of the refill pack 90 is larger in the inclined member 651 than in the horizontal portion 612 .

The inclined member 651 can be made of the same material as the body portion 61, for example. The tilt member 651 can be made of a rigid plate material. The tilting member 651 is attached to, for example, a rotating shaft portion 614 provided in the main body portion 61, and is configured to be rotatable about the rotating shaft portion 614 as a fulcrum. The rotating shaft portion 614 is provided, for example, on the side opposite to the mounting portion 62 and the connecting member 50 with respect to the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 . Further, the rotating shaft portion 614 is positioned between the center P0 of the body portion 61 and the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 when the body portion 61 is viewed in the longitudinal direction, that is, the axial direction of the connecting member 50 as shown in FIG. is provided.

The elastic member 652 is made of an elastic material such as a compression spring or a rubber material. The elastic member 652 is provided between the inclined member 651 and the body portion 61 , and exerts an elastic force on the inclined member 651 in a direction to increase the inclination angle of the inclined member 651 . That is, the elastic member 652 has a function of applying a force to the inclined member 651 to rotate the inclined member 651 . Regarding the position and elastic force of the elastic member 652, the inclination angle of the inclined member 651 with respect to the horizontal portion 612 is It is set within the range of 5° to 45°, preferably within the range of 10° to 30°.

In this configuration, when the refill pack 90 is placed on the mounting member 60 , when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 decreases and the refill pack 90 becomes lighter, the elastic force of the elastic member 652 causes the inclination angle of the inclined member 651 to change. The state shown in FIG. 18 changes to the state shown in FIG.

Thus, the tilting mechanism 65 can increase the tilting angle of the tilting member 651 as the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 decreases. That is, when the refill pack 90 is full and heavy, the tilt angle of the tilt member 651 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress pressure on the space for accommodating the refill pack 90 by inclining the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 . As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in size of the auxiliary device 40 by inclining the bottom portion of the mounting member 60 .

(Seventh embodiment)
Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 20 to 22. FIG.
The auxiliary device 40 of this embodiment is applicable to the washing machine 10 having the magnetic sensor 17 . In this case, the processing agent tank 23 having the float 231 and the magnet 232 is used as the processing agent container. The float 231 is configured to float on the laundry treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 23 . A magnet 232 is provided within the float 231 . As a result, the position of the magnet 232 changes according to the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent tank 23 .

The magnetic sensor 17 is provided at a position such as near the bottom of the housing portion 21 where the magnetic force of the magnet 232 can be detected when the float 231 descends to a predetermined position. Further, in the case of the present embodiment, the control device of the washing machine 10 is configured to be able to set whether to use the processing agent tank 23 or to use the refill pack 90 by means of the auxiliary device 40, for example, based on the user's operation. It is

In this configuration, when the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent tank 23 decreases, the float 231 descends as the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent drops. As the float 231 descends and the magnet 232 descends, the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 17 of the washing machine 10 increases. When the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 17 reaches a predetermined value, the controller of the washing machine 10 detects that the remaining amount of laundry processing agent in the processing agent tank 23 has decreased to a predetermined amount.

The auxiliary device 40 of this embodiment includes a remaining amount detection mechanism 66 as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 66 has a function of applying a magnetic force to the magnetic sensor 17 provided in the washing machine 10 to detect a decrease in the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 66 can be configured with a movable member 661 , an elastic member 662 and a magnet 601 .

The movable member 661 is configured to change its position with respect to the bottom portion 611 of the body portion 61 as the weight of the refill pack 90 placed on the placing member 60 changes. The movable member 661 is configured, for example, in the shape of a flat plate covering most of the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61, and is a member on which the refill pack 90 is placed. The elastic member 662 has a function of applying an elastic force to the movable member 661 in a direction away from the bottom portion 611 of the body portion 61 , that is, in a direction of pushing up the movable member 661 . The elastic member 662 is composed of an elastic member such as a compression spring or a rubber material. The elastic member 662 is provided between the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61 and the movable member 661 to support the movable member 661 . Further, when viewed in the surface direction of the movable member 661, the elastic members 662 are provided at positions sandwiching the magnet 601, for example.

Magnet 601 is provided on movable member 661 . The magnet 601 is provided, for example, on the back surface of the movable member 661 , that is, on the surface facing the bottom portion 611 . That is, the magnet 601 is provided at a position that does not contact the refill pack 90 . In this configuration, the control device of the washing machine 10 detects the magnetic force in the processing agent tank 23 based on the detection by the magnetic sensor 17 of the magnetic force in a manner opposite to that when the processing agent tank 23 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 21 . It detects that the remaining amount of the laundry processing agent has decreased to a predetermined amount.

Specifically, when the refill pack 90 is replaced with a new one and is heavy, that is, when the fully loaded refill pack 90 is placed on the placement member 60, the movable member 661 sinks as shown in FIG. The magnet 601 provided on the movable member 661 approaches the magnetic sensor 17 . In this case, the control device of the washing machine 10 detects that the magnetic force stronger than the predetermined value is detected by the magnetic sensor 17, and the mounting member 60 loaded with the fully loaded refill pack 90 is stored in the storage portion 21. can be detected.

When the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 decreases and the weight of the refill pack 90 becomes lighter, the movable member 661 is lifted by the elastic force of the elastic member 662 as shown in FIG. moves away from the magnetic sensor 17. As a result, the control device of the washing machine 10 detects that the remaining amount of laundry processing agent in the processing agent tank 23 has decreased to a predetermined amount based on the fact that the magnetic force detected by the magnetic sensor 17 has become weaker than a predetermined value. can be detected.

According to this, the control device of the washing machine 10 can detect the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 when the refill pack 90 is placed on the placement member 60 and stored in the storage portion 21 . . Therefore, when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 has decreased, the control device of the washing machine 10 can notify the user that the remaining amount has decreased. As a result, user convenience can be improved. be able to.

Moreover, according to this configuration, the magnetic sensor 17 already provided in the washing machine 10 is used as an electrical configuration for detecting the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 . That is, according to this embodiment, the auxiliary device 40 does not require an electrical configuration such as a dedicated sensor for detecting the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 . Therefore, compared with the case where the auxiliary device 40 is provided with an electrical configuration such as a sensor, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of failures and malfunctions. Furthermore, since auxiliary device 40 does not have an electrical configuration, it does not need to be electrically connected to washing machine 10 . Therefore, since there is no need to provide a configuration for electrically connecting to the washing machine 10, the configuration of the washing machine 10 can be simplified. As a result, a configuration capable of detecting the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 can be installed in the auxiliary device 40 at low cost.

(Eighth embodiment)
Next, an eighth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24. FIG.
The auxiliary device 40 of this embodiment can be applied to the washing machine 10 having the magnetic sensor 17, as in the seventh embodiment. The auxiliary device 40 of this embodiment includes an inclination/remaining amount detection mechanism 67 . The tilting/remaining amount detection mechanism 67 is configured to serve both as the tilting mechanism 65 in the sixth embodiment and the remaining amount detection mechanism 66 in the seventh embodiment. That is, the inclination and remaining amount detection mechanism 67 has a function of increasing the inclination angle of the bottom portion of the placing member 60 as the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 placed on the placing member 60 decreases, and the washing machine 10 and a function of detecting a decrease in the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 by applying a magnetic force to the provided magnetic sensor 17 .

The tilt/residual amount detection mechanism 67 can be configured by including a movable member 671, an elastic member 672, and a magnet 601, for example. The movable member 671 is configured such that the inclination angle of the body portion 61 with respect to the bottom portion 611 changes as the weight of the refill pack 90 placed on the placing member 60 changes. The movable member 671 is configured, for example, in a flat plate shape covering most of the bottom portion 611 of the main body portion 61, and is a member for receiving the refill pack 90 placed thereon.

The movable member 671 can be made of the same material as the body portion 61, for example. The movable member 671 can be composed of a rigid plate material. The movable member 671 is attached to, for example, a rotating shaft portion 614 provided in the main body portion 61, and is configured to be rotatable about the rotating shaft portion 614 as a fulcrum. In this case, the movable member 671 of this embodiment has a function similar to that of the tilting member 651 of the tilting mechanism 65 of the sixth embodiment, a function similar to that of the movable member 661 of the remaining amount detection mechanism 64 of the seventh embodiment, have That is, when the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 decreases, the movable member 671 moves the magnet 601 away from the magnetic sensor 17 and increases the inclination angle toward the spout 91 side.

The elastic member 672 is made of an elastic material such as a compression spring or a rubber material. The elastic member 672 is provided between the movable member 671 and the body portion 61 , and exerts an elastic force on the movable member 671 in a direction to increase the inclination angle of the movable member 671 . That is, the elastic member 672 has a function of applying a force to the movable member 671 to rotate the movable member 671 . The position and elastic force of the elastic member 672 are such that when the movable member 671 is not loaded, that is, when the refill pack 90 is not placed on the placing member 60, the inclination angle of the body portion 61 with respect to the bottom portion 611 is 5 degrees. ° to 45°, preferably 10° to 30°.

Magnet 601 is provided on movable member 671 . The magnet 601 is provided, for example, on the back surface of the movable member 671 , that is, on the surface facing the bottom portion 611 . That is, the magnet 601 is provided at a position that does not contact the refill pack 90 . Also, the magnet 601 is provided at the end of the movable member 671 opposite to the rotating shaft portion 614 . In this configuration, the control device of the washing machine 10 detects the magnetic force with the magnetic sensor 17 in the same manner as in the seventh embodiment, that is, in the manner opposite to the manner in which the processing agent tank 23 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 21. Based on this, it is detected that the remaining amount of the laundry processing agent in the processing agent tank 23 has decreased to a predetermined amount.

Specifically, when the refill pack 90 is replaced with a new one, that is, when the fully loaded refill pack 90 is placed on the placement member 60, as shown in FIG. is rotated in a direction in which the inclination angle with respect to the bottom portion 611 of is reduced. Then, the magnet 601 provided on the movable member 671 approaches the magnetic sensor 17 . In this case, the control device of the washing machine 10 detects that the magnetic force stronger than the predetermined value is detected by the magnetic sensor 17, and the mounting member 60 loaded with the fully loaded refill pack 90 is stored in the storage portion 21. can be detected.

Then, when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 decreases and the weight of the refill pack 90 becomes lighter, the movable member 671 rotates around the rotating shaft portion 614 as a fulcrum by the elastic force of the elastic member 672, as shown in FIG. , the end opposite to the rotating shaft 614, that is, the end on the side where the magnet 601 is provided, rotates in a lifting direction. As a result, the magnet 601 provided on the movable member 671 moves away from the magnetic sensor 17, and the tilt angle of the movable member 671 toward the spout 91 of the refill pack 90, that is, the mounting portion 62 increases.

According to this, it is possible to simultaneously obtain the operational effect of the tilting mechanism 65 of the sixth embodiment and the operational effect of the remaining amount detection mechanism 66 of the seventh embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the rotating shaft portion 614 is provided on the mounting portion 62 side, but the configuration of the inclination and remaining amount detection mechanism 67 is not limited to this. The position and the like of the portion 614 can be adjusted. For example, the tilt/remaining amount detection mechanism 67 may have a configuration in which a rotation shaft portion 614 is provided on the side opposite to the mounting portion 62 .

(Ninth embodiment)
Next, a ninth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 25 to 27. FIG.
The auxiliary device 40 of this embodiment includes a remaining amount detection mechanism 68 . The remaining amount detection mechanism 68 of this embodiment is configured to be able to hold the refill pack 90 by sandwiching it, and when the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 decreases, the volume of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 is detected. is configured to be movable toward the bottom 611 side of the mounting member 60, that is, toward the magnetic sensor 17, as the distance becomes smaller.

Specifically, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 includes a roller member 681 , a support member 682 and a magnet 601 . The roller member 681 is composed of, for example, two columnar or cylindrical members. The two roller members 681 are arranged parallel to each other with a predetermined spacing.

The support member 682 rotatably supports the roller member 681 . That is, the roller member 681 is rotatably attached to the support member 682 . The support member 682 is configured to be openable and closable in directions in which the two roller members 681 move away from each other and approach each other, as shown in FIG. 27, for example. The two roller members 681 are separated from each other in both the open state and the closed state. The support member 682 contains, for example, a spring member 683, and exerts a spring force in a direction to close the two roller members 681, that is, in a direction indicated by an arrow F in FIG.

When attaching the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 to the refill pack 90, the user first opens the roller member 681 with a force stronger than the spring force of the spring member 683, as indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. After placing the bottom part 901 of the refill pack 90 between the two roller members 681 , the user closes the roller members 681 . Thereby, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 is attached to the refill pack 90 such that the bottom portion 901 is sandwiched between the two roller members 681 .

The magnet 601 is movably provided together with the roller member 681 and the support member 682 . Magnet 601 is provided on roller member 681 or support member 682 . The magnet 601 can be built in a roller member 681 as shown in FIG. 27, for example.

In this configuration, the controller of the washing machine 10 detects the magnetic force in the processing agent tank 23 in the same manner as when the processing agent tank 23 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 21 by the magnetic sensor 17 . Detects that the remaining amount of processing agent has decreased to a predetermined amount. That is, when the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 decreases and the volume of the refill pack 90 decreases, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 applies a downward force to the refill pack 90 with the refill pack 90 sandwiched therebetween, in this case, its own weight. is acting. That is, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 applies a force to the refill pack 90 in a direction to push out the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 .

Therefore, when the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 decreases, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 descends along the outline of the refill pack 90 . When the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 descends to a predetermined position and approaches the magnetic sensor 17 , the magnetic sensor 17 detects the magnetic force of the magnet 601 of the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 . As a result, the control device of the washing machine 10 detects that the remaining amount of laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent tank 23 has decreased to a predetermined amount based on the magnetic force stronger than the predetermined value detected by the magnetic sensor 17. can.

According to the above-described embodiment, the control device of the washing machine 10 can also detect the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 when the refill pack 90 is placed on the mounting member 60 and stored in the storage portion 21 . can be done. Therefore, when the remaining amount in the refill pack 90 has decreased, the control device of the washing machine 10 can notify the user that the remaining amount has decreased. As a result, user convenience can be improved. be able to.

Further, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 of this embodiment is arranged so that the refill pack 90 is sandwiched between two rotatable roller members 681 . Then, the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 of the present embodiment exerts a force on the refill pack 90 in the direction of pushing out the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 . Therefore, even when the remaining amount of the refill pack 90 is low, the laundry processing agent in the refill pack 90 can be collected around the spout 91 by the action of pushing out the laundry processing agent by the remaining amount detection mechanism 68 . Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack 90 can be reliably used to the end.

While several embodiments of the invention have been described above, these embodiments are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Washing machine, 11... Outer case, 12... Water tank, 17... Magnetic sensor, 20... Automatic loading device, 21... Storage part, 22... Lid member, 232... Magnet, 30... Input pump, 31... Suction part, 40 Auxiliary device 41 Electric connecting portion 50 Connecting member 501 One end 502 The other end 52 Valve mechanism 60 Mounting member 601 Magnet 613 Inclining portion 64 Remaining amount detecting mechanism 65 Inclined mechanism 66 Remaining amount detecting mechanism 661 Movable member 67 Tilt and remaining amount detecting mechanism 671 Movable member 68 Remaining amount detecting mechanism 70 Supporting mechanism 76 ... Partition member, 80 ... Holding member, 90 ... Refill pack, 91 ... Spout

Claims (17)

an outer box;
a water tank provided inside the outer box;
a storage portion provided in the outer box for storing a treatment agent container in which the laundry treatment agent for a plurality of times is stored; an automatic input device having an input pump for inputting into a water tank;
In a washing machine comprising
A connection having one end configured to be insertable into the spout of the refill pack and the other end configured to be connectable to the suction portion of the dosing pump to connect the spout and the suction portion. a member;
The refill pack is configured to be accommodated in the accommodating portion in a state where the refill pack is placed, and the connection member is configured to be attachable with one end of the connection member inserted into the spout. a placement member that sandwiches and holds the spout peripheral portion of the refill pack between itself and the connection member when the connection member is attached;
Auxiliary device for automatic injection device for laundry treatment agent. The connection member incorporates a valve mechanism that closes when not connected to the suction part and opens when connected to the suction part.
2. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 1. The placement member is configured in a container shape capable of storing the laundry treatment agent that has flowed out from the spout of the refill pack,
3. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 1 or 2. further comprising a support mechanism that surrounds and supports the refill pack placed on the mounting member, thereby maintaining the posture of the refill pack;
4. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The support mechanism is foldably attached to a lid member that opens and closes the housing portion, and is housed in the housing portion with the lid member closed.
5. An auxiliary device for the automatic loading device for the laundry processing agent according to claim 4. The support mechanism is attached to the mounting member,
6. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 4 or 5. The support mechanism further comprises a holding member capable of holding an end of the refill pack opposite to the spout,
7. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to any one of claims 4 to 6. The support mechanism is
The two refill packs are configured to be arranged side by side,
further comprising a partition member for partitioning between the two refill packs;
8. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to any one of claims 4 to 7. Further comprising a residual amount detection mechanism provided on the mounting member and capable of detecting the residual amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack based on the weight of the refill pack mounted on the mounting member,
9. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The remaining amount detection mechanism is composed of an electric component that operates by receiving power from the washing machine,
The washing machine is further provided with an electrical connection section that electrically connects the remaining amount detection mechanism and the washing machine when the mounting member is accommodated in the accommodation section.
10. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 9. The remaining amount detection mechanism is a film that is formed in the shape of a thin plate and is provided at the bottom of the mounting member so that the pressure due to the weight of the refill pack can be detected when the refill pack is mounted on the mounting member. consists of a pressure sensor of the type,
11. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 10. The bottom portion of the mounting member has an inclined portion that inclines toward the remaining amount detection mechanism,
12. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 11. The mounting member further has a tilting mechanism that increases the tilt angle of the bottom portion of the mounting member as the weight of the refill pack becomes lighter.
12. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 11. The treatment agent container has a magnet whose position changes according to the amount of the laundry treatment agent remaining in the treatment agent container, and a magnetic sensor capable of detecting the magnetic force of the magnet. The washing machine is capable of detecting the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent container based on
The remaining amount detection mechanism is
a movable member whose position changes according to a change in the weight of the refill pack placed on the placement member;
a magnet provided on the movable member and capable of detecting magnetism by the magnetic sensor when the movable member moves to a predetermined position;
10. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 9. The remaining amount detection mechanism also serves as a tilting mechanism that increases the tilting angle of the bottom of the mounting member as the weight of the refill pack becomes lighter.
15. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 14. The treatment agent container has a magnet whose position changes according to the amount of the laundry treatment agent remaining in the treatment agent container, and a magnetic sensor capable of detecting the magnetic force of the magnet. The washing machine is capable of detecting the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent container based on
The remaining amount detecting mechanism is arranged at a position sandwiching the refill pack, and moves toward the bottom of the mounting member as the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent in the refill pack decreases and the volume of the refill pack decreases. Having a magnet capable of being movable and capable of detecting magnetism by the magnetic sensor when the remaining amount detection mechanism moves to a predetermined position,
10. An auxiliary device for the automatic laundry processing agent injection device according to claim 9. the outer box;
the water tank;
the automatic injection device;
the accommodation unit;
an auxiliary device for the automatic loading device for the laundry treatment agent according to any one of claims 1 to 16;
washing machine.

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