JP3246507B2 - Ion removing means and ion removing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To promptly supply water while removing cations contained in the water for washing by deciding the execution period of a reproduction processing in an ion removal means between a final rinsing process and the water supply start of the washing process of the next time. SOLUTION: After dehydration is ended, a microcomputer lights a light emitting diode and performs salt feeding display. Viewing it, a user opens the lid 30 of the ion removal means and feeds the prescribed amount of salt into the ion removal means in order to reproduce ion exchange resin 31. After prescribed time elapses, when the user presses a push button 34c, the salt water is made to flow down among the ion exchange resin 31 and discharged from a salt water discharge port 29c. Then, the ion exchange resin 31 is reproduced and calcium and magnesium are extracted in the salt water inversely. In such a manner, since the ion removal means is used by performing the reproduction processing, the water is promptly supplied while removing the cations contained in the water for washing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a means and a method for removing a hardness component from supplied water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In tap water, anions such as hypochlorite ion for sterilization of various bacteria, calcium and magnesium as hardness components contained in tap water, or tap water supplied or supplied. It contains cations such as copper, iron, and chromium that are dissolved from the piping system, and these metal ions have various adverse effects on the detergency of the laundry and the detergent used. What has a great influence on the detergency of the detergent is divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium ions as hardness components. These react with the surfactant in the detergent to form insoluble metal soap, reduce the amount of the surfactant contributing to cleaning, and reduce the detergency. In addition, the above-mentioned metal soap is insoluble and remains on the laundry, and appears as white spots particularly on black clothing. As a method for removing the adverse effects of these metal ions, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
No. 5 or a washing machine described in JP-A-5-115.
No. 681 discloses a washing method and a washing apparatus. In these methods, after removing metal ions from the supplied washing water, washing is performed by supplying water to a washing tub in which a detergent is charged. The washing machine described in JP-A-4-20395 is provided with a washing tub for washing clothes, and a water supply means for supplying water to the washing tub. Means are provided.
It is also disclosed that an ion exchange resin or activated carbon is used as the ion removing means. Furthermore, this publication focuses on the limit of the adsorption capacity of activated carbon for removing anions, and prepares a water supply path in parallel with ion removal means,
It is disclosed to be used selectively to extend the life. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-115681, water on the anode side from which metal ions have been removed by applying a voltage between a pair of electrodes facing each other via a diaphragm to remove the metal ions is used as washing water, , A washing method of contacting with an object to be washed is disclosed.

[0003]

However, in the prior arts described in the above publications, no consideration is given to the flow rate required for water supply, the amount of ion exchange resin, or the ion removal efficiency. That is, in the washing machine described in JP-A-4-20395, a large amount of ion exchange resin is required to secure a sufficient flow rate, and it is difficult to make the ion removing means compact. On the other hand, if the ion exchange means is made compact by reducing the amount of the ion exchange resin, it is difficult to obtain a flow rate which is normally required. Providing a long water supply channel before and after the ion removing means increases the pressure loss in this water supply channel, making it more difficult to secure a flow rate. Also, since the ion exchange resin loses its removal effect after adsorbing a certain amount of ions, it needs to be regenerated after treating a certain amount of water, but it can secure the required flow rate and can be configured inside the washing machine. No consideration is given to recycling a limited amount of ion exchange resin. Also,
The washing method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 5-115681 is a method in which washing water is applied between a pair of electrodes to remove metal ions contained in the washing water, and then a detergent is added thereto for washing. Since the processing speed is slow, it takes about 5 to 30 minutes as the energizing time in the state of still water. Therefore, it is difficult to make the ion removing means compact. Furthermore, due to the energization processing, an increase in the circuit price, consideration for electric shock, consideration for hydrogen gas generated by electrolysis of water, and the like are required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact ion removing means and an ion removing method capable of quickly supplying water while removing cations.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an ion removing means according to the present invention is an ion removing means having an ion exchange function material, wherein the first chamber accommodating the ion exchange function material, A chamber formed on an upper side and a lower side of a first chamber, a second chamber provided above the upper chamber and containing a regenerating agent for regenerating an ion exchange function of an ion exchange function material, A water supply path for supplying water to the second chamber, a water supply path opening / closing valve for opening / closing the water supply path, a flow path communicating the upper chamber with the second chamber, and a second flow path provided in the flow path. A check valve for allowing flow from the upper chamber to the upper chamber and stopping flow from the upper chamber to the second chamber, wherein water passes through the first chamber from the lower chamber. And a flow path is configured to flow into the upper chamber. At this time, it is preferable to provide a discharge port for discharging the regenerating agent after the regeneration processing in the lower chamber. Further, in the ion removing method of the present invention, in the ion removing method using the ion-exchange functional material, the first ion-exchange functional material is passed through a chamber formed below the first chamber containing the ion-exchange functional material. And a second chamber provided above the upper chamber and containing a regenerating agent for regenerating the ion exchange function of the ion exchange function material, which is provided further above the upper chamber. And dissolving the regenerant dissolved in water from the second chamber, allowing the flow from the second chamber to the upper chamber, and allowing the regenerant to flow from the upper chamber to the second chamber. The process of regenerating the ion-exchange functional material, which is performed by flowing down into the first chamber through a check valve for stopping the flow, is executed. At this time, the regenerating agent after the regenerating process may be discharged from the lower chamber. According to the above configuration, after the water to be supplied is introduced into the chamber formed below the first chamber, the layer of the ion exchange functional material can be uniformly raised, and the regenerating agent can be further removed from the second chamber. Can flow down.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a fully automatic washing machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. The fully automatic washing machine has a configuration in which a synthetic resin outer tub 4 is suspended by a suspension rod 2 and a vibration isolator 3 made of a coil spring or elastic rubber in an outer frame 1 made of steel plate.
The outer tank 4 is composed of four sets of hanging rods and a vibration isolator,
It is suspended from the corner. A stainless steel washing and dewatering tub 5 is rotatably provided in the outer tub 4 for storing water to be washed. The washing and dewatering tub 5 is provided with a large number of dewatering holes 5a, and a rotary blade 6 is rotatably provided at the center bottom. During the washing and rinsing steps, the washing and dewatering tub 5 is stopped, and the rotary wing 6 is rotated clockwise (forward) and counterclockwise (reverse). During the spin-drying step, the washing and spin-drying tub 5 is rotated in one direction. The rotation of the rotating blades 6 and the washing and dewatering tub 5 is performed by a driving device.

The driving device includes a motor 7 and a transmission means 8 including a pulley 8a and a belt 8b for transmitting the rotation of the motor 7 to the rotating blade 6 or the washing and dewatering tub 5, and the rotating blade 6 during the washing and rinsing steps. Rotate only or wash and spin during dehydration process (hereinafter referred to as washing tub) 5
And a clutch solenoid 9a for switching the clutch device 9.

These driving devices are fixed to the bottom surface of the outer tub 4 using a support plate 10 made of steel plate. The outer tub 4 is provided with a water level sensor tube 12 for transmitting water pressure in the outer tub to a water level sensor 11 and a drainage device 13 for draining washing water in the outer tub 4. In the drainage device 13, a drainage electromagnetic valve 13 a is provided immediately after the drainage hole 14 on the bottom surface of the outer tub 4, and an outlet opens into the drainage device 13. An abnormal overflow pipe 15 having an open upper end is provided on the side surface of the outer tub 4, and the lower end opens into the drainage device 13. The abnormal overflow pipe 15 is provided in case that the water supply is abnormal and the washing water overflows from the outer tub 4 or the washing water jumps out of the outer tub due to the movement of the laundry during washing. The overflowing washing water flows into the drainage device 13 from the abnormal overflow pipe 15 and the drainage hose 1
At 6 the water is discharged out of the washing machine.

In the upper part of the outer frame 1, a loading port 17a for loading laundry, an ion removing means, a water tap, a rear storage box 17b for storing a water supply solenoid valve and the like, and a front operation for storing electrical components such as a microcomputer. A top cover 17 having a box 17c is provided. A lid 18 made of synthetic resin is provided at the inlet 17a.

An operation panel 19a shown in FIG. 3 is mounted on the upper surface of the front operation box 17c, and a control circuit 19b containing a microcomputer as a control unit is provided below the operation panel 19a. In the front operation box 17c, there is provided a water level sensor 11 for detecting whether or not water has accumulated to a specified water level by detecting the water pressure in the outer tub 4. On the operation panel 19a, a power switch 20, various displays 21, various operation buttons 22, a buzzer 23, and the like are arranged. A user operates the washing machine with the operation buttons 22, and the operation state is displayed on the display 21. , Can be confirmed by the buzzer 23. Further, there are a water softening display 24 made of a light emitting diode for displaying ion removal processing (water softening), and a salt input display 25 made of a light emitting diode for displaying a notice of regeneration of the ion removing means.

FIG. 4 is a plan view (a cross-section indicated by the line BB in FIG. 1) of the rear side of the rear storage box 17b, which is a main component of the present embodiment, for removing washing water when the upper lid is removed. (The front side is omitted). A water tap 26 connected to a hose from a water tap or the like is connected to the rear storage box 17b, followed by a water supply solenoid valve 27, an ion removing means 28 composed of a cylindrical container, and discharging the regenerated salt water in the cylindrical container. A manual salt water discharge valve 34, a bath water suction pump 45 for absorbing bath water, an inclined flow passage 46 for flowing washing water into the washing tub 5, and the like are housed. On the upstream side of the inclined flow path 46, the flow path 46
A room A47 and a room B48 are provided.

FIG. 5 shows details of the ion removing means 28 and the manual salt water discharge valve 34 which are main components of the present embodiment. (A) is an overall perspective view of the ion removing means 28, (b).
Is a longitudinal sectional view and the configuration of the manual salt water discharge valve 34. The ion removing means 28 includes a cylindrical container 29 and a lid 30. The cylindrical container 29 is provided with a water inlet 29a at a lower portion, a discharge port 29b at an upper portion, and a salt water outlet 29c at a bottom surface. A room 29e whose upper and lower surfaces are separated by a mesh filter 29d made of polyethylene or the like is provided between the inner water inlet and the outlet, and a sodium-type strongly acidic cation exchange resin (hereinafter, ion exchange resin) which is a member having ion exchange capability. 31) is filled inside. The cylindrical container 29 is fixed to the bottom surface of the rear storage box 17b so that the salt water discharge port 29c passes through the bottom surface of the box. Water passes between the ion exchange resins 31 by the mesh filter 29d. This also prevents the ion exchange resin 31 from leaking out of the room 29e. The cover 30 has a female screw 30a around the circumference,
A gasket 30b on a thin ring is provided along the thin ring. A male screw 29f is provided on the upper circumference of the cylindrical container 29, and the lid 30 is fixed to the cylindrical container 29 by screws. At this time, the gasket 30b contacts the upper circumferential end surface of the cylindrical container 29 to prevent water from leaking. As the member having ion exchange capability, the ion exchange resin 31 is used.
In addition, a material in which an ion exchange resin is dispersed and held in a fiber such as polyester or a material in which a polymer material having an ion exchange ability is made into a fibrous form may be used.

In this state, the interior of the cylindrical container 29 is in a room 29e.
Are divided into an upper space 32 and a lower space 33. The upper and lower spaces are provided to prevent water from being formed only in a part of the ion-exchange resin 31, to allow tap water to flow down the entire resin layer uniformly, and to increase exchange efficiency. is there. The tap water once fills the lower space 33, then rises uniformly to the resin layer surface by the water pressure, and the upper space 3
2, and then flows out of the discharge port 29b.

The hose from the tap is connected to the tap 26. Tap water is supplied to the cylindrical container 2 by opening and closing the water supply solenoid valve 27.
9 and fills the lower space 33 and passes through the room 29e filled with the ion exchange resin 31 while ascending. The tap water is softened here, that is, the calcium and magnesium ions are removed and fills the upper space 32 and flows out from the discharge port 29b. Then, the water flows down from the room A47 to the inclined flow path 46 and is supplied to the washing tub 5.

The installation of the ion removing means 28 composed of a cylindrical container 29 in the rear storage box 17b in which the water tap 26 is installed can shorten the length of the water supply pipe, reduce the flow path loss, and reduce the flow rate, This is because the water supply time can be reduced. In the water supply, tap water passes through the room 29e filled with the ion exchange resin 31, so that the pressure loss of the resin filling is large.
In order to cover even a small amount of this loss, the pipe length from the water tap to the cylindrical container 29 is desirably 100 mm or less. The washing water supply flow rate of the conventional washing machine is 10 to 15 liters / min, depending on the tap water pressure, and the above-described consideration is necessary to obtain a flow rate close to this in this embodiment.

The manual salt water discharge valve 34 discharges the salt water when the ion exchange resin 31 in the cylindrical container 29 is regenerated. The rotary valve plug 34a is fixed to the rear surface of the rear storage box 17b, and the rotary valve 34b therein is rotated by a user's pushing operation to open and close the plug to drain the salt water. When the user presses the push button 34c, the connecting rod 34d rotates the rotary valve 34b to open the rotary valve plug 34a. The push button 34c has a lock mechanism (not shown), and stops when pressed down. Pressing down again releases the lock mechanism and returns with the spring 34e. Returning the push button 34c closes the rotary valve plug 34a.

The salt water discharge port 29c of the cylindrical container 29 and the inlet of the rotary valve plug 34a are connected by a tube 35, and the outlet thereof is connected to a salt water discharge tube 36. The other end of the salt water discharge tube 36 is inserted into the abnormal overflow pipe 15 (see FIG. 2). The salt water remaining in the cylindrical container 29 for regenerating the ion exchange resin 31 is opened by the user pressing the push button 34c, whereby the rotary valve plug 34a is opened.
From the salt water outlet 29c, the tube 35, the rotary valve stopper 3
4a, flow with salt water discharge tube 36, abnormal overflow pipe 1
5 is discharged to the outside of the washing machine from the drain hose 16 via the discharge device 13.

A magnet 37 is fixed to the rotary valve 34b, and a magnetoresistive element 38 whose resistance changes by a magnetic field is fixed to the rotary valve plug 34a. The magnet 37 rotates according to the rotation of the rotary valve 34b by pressing the push button 34c. This rotation is detected by a magnetoresistive element to detect the open / closed state of the valve plug 34a. As will be described later, when the user presses down the push button 34c (the valve plug 34a is opened) and water supply for the next washing is started, a part of the tap water passing through the ion removing means 28 is started. This is to prevent water from leaking out of the washing machine from the salt water discharge port 29c and being wasted. If it is in the open state at this time, the user is notified that the push button 34c is pushed up.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a washing machine control section mainly composed of the microcomputer 50. The microcomputer 50 is also connected to the operation button input circuit 51 and the water level sensor 11, and receives information of the user's button operation and the water level for washing in the washing tub. The output from the microcomputer 50 is connected to a drive circuit 52 composed of a bidirectional three-terminal thyristor or the like, and supplies commercial power to the electric motor 7, the water supply solenoid valve 27, the drain solenoid valve 13a of the drain unit 13, and the like. To control the opening and closing or rotation of these. Further, in order to inform the user of the operation of the washing machine, it is also connected to notification means such as a buzzer 23 and a display 21. The power supply circuit 53 rectifies and smoothes a commercial power supply to create a DC power supply required for the microcomputer 50. Reference numeral 54 denotes a light emitting diode which lights up to indicate the soft water treatment. Light emitting diode 5
Reference numeral 4 is mounted on the front operation box 17c, and is lit when water is passed through the ion exchange resin, to notify the user with the water softening display 24 that the water softening is being performed. Reference numeral 55 denotes a light-emitting diode which lights up to indicate the introduction of salt. Light emitting diode 55
Is mounted on the front operation box 17c and is turned on when it is necessary to input salt to the ion removing means, and notifies the user of the input of salt by a salt input display 25.

Next, the ion removing means 28 according to the present embodiment.
Will be described. When the user puts the laundry in the washing tub 5, presses the power switch 19 and operates the start button, the microcomputer 50 opens the water supply electromagnetic valve 27. Tap water passes from the tap 26 through the water supply solenoid valve 27 and flows into the lower space 33 of the cylindrical container 29 from the water inlet 29a. The inflowing tap water, while filling the lower space 33, rises in the room 29e by the pressure, passes through the space between the sodium-type strongly acidic cation exchange resins 31 filled with the room 29e sandwiched between the mesh filters 29d, The water flows out from the discharge port 29b while filling the upper space 32, and flows out to the ramp 46 through the room A47. While passing through the ion exchange resin 31, tap water removes calcium and magnesium ions contained therein by an ion exchange action. Then, the flow is straightened in the inclined passage 46 and flows into the washing tub 5.
During the washing water supply, the light emitting diode 54 is turned on, and the display or notification of ion removal is performed using the water softening display 24 or the buzzer 23.

The microcomputer 50 that has learned that the required washing water has been supplied into the washing tub 5 by the water level sensor 11.
Closes the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 and stops water supply. Then, the rotor 6 is rotated forward and backward to start washing. Since the washing water supplied into the washing tub 5 does not contain cations such as calcium and magnesium, the washing water reacts with a surfactant in the supplied detergent to form insoluble metal soap,
The amount of surfactant contributing to cleaning is not reduced and the detergency is not reduced.

Sodium type strongly acidic cation exchange resin 31
Is a synthetic resin in which an ion exchange group such as a sulfonic acid group is bonded to a cross-linked three-dimensional polymer substrate by a chemical bond, as is well known. When tap water containing divalent cations such as calcium and magnesium flows between the cation exchange resins, fixed ions such as sulfonic acid groups, which are ion exchange groups of the cation exchange resin, and cations in the tap water become ions. Exchange, and as a result, cations in tap water are removed.

Formula 1 shows the ion exchange reaction formula of the sodium type strongly acidic ion exchange resin.

[0025]

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[0026]

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The sodium type is an exchange resin in which an anion of -SO3 is a fixed ion and a cation of Na is a counter ion.
Calcium contained in water using the selectivity of ions,
It removes polyvalent cations such as magnesium.
In the case of a strongly acidic cation exchange resin at a low concentration and at room temperature, the ion selectivity is higher for ions having higher valence, and is higher for ions having higher valence at the same valence. In the ions contained in natural water,

[0028]

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The order is as follows. The calcium and magnesium ions in the water passing through the ion exchange resin are represented by the chemical reaction formula 1,
In the reaction from left to right in 2, it is ion-exchanged with the sodium ion of the resin and removed. Conversely, when high-concentration salt water is applied to the resin on which calcium and magnesium ions have been adsorbed, the calcium and magnesium ions of the resin are ion-exchanged with sodium ions in the reaction from the right to left in Chemical Reaction Formulas 1 and 2, and the resin is desorbed. It returns to its original state and is played back.

Conventionally, a water softening apparatus used in a commercially available laboratory or the like uses 2 L or more of the above-mentioned resin, and performs a water softening treatment on raw water such as natural water at a minute flow rate of about 10 L / hour. As described above, in a home washing machine, water is supplied directly from a faucet to a washing tub at a flow rate of 10 L or more per minute in order to shorten the water supply time. For this reason, at a flow rate similar to that of a water softener, it is inevitable to use a batch processed using a time other than washing after temporarily storing it in a water storage tank. Further, since the resin amount of 2 L occupies a large volume, it cannot be mounted on a home washing machine. That is, in a home washing machine, it is necessary to solve the problems of the flow rate of the ion exchange resin and the capacity of the resin used.

According to water supply statistics carried out in the past, of the number of cases investigated, the number of cases having a total hardness of 40 ppm or less was half of the total, and the number of cases exceeding 100 ppm was as high as 15%. The arithmetic mean is 54.5 ppm.

FIG. 7 shows the relationship between the cleaning rate and the hardness when a commercially available synthetic detergent containing zeolite is used to carry out cleaning while changing the total hardness using the concentration as a parameter. For example, at a detergent concentration of 0.067 w% (standard use amount), the cleaning rate can be increased by about 50% by halving the arithmetic average hardness of 54.5 ppm. At a hardness of 100 ppm, the amount of detergent is reduced by half (concentration of 0.133 w%).
The washing rate when doubling is obtained. That is, the cleaning rate when the detergent amount (concentration) is twice the standard can be obtained with the standard detergent amount by decreasing the hardness. By removing calcium and magnesium ions, which are hardness components, the washing power of the washing machine can be greatly improved. In addition, the amount of detergent used can be reduced. In this way, there is no need to use more detergent than necessary, and the impact on the environment is reduced.

When a synthetic detergent containing zeolite is used, as shown in FIG. 7, when the hardness is 40 ppm or less, the washing rate tends to be almost saturated. This indicates that the zeolite contained blocks the hardness component, and it is desirable to be able to remove calcium and magnesium ions, which are hardness components, up to about 40 ppm when a zeolite-containing synthetic detergent is used for washing. On the other hand, natural powder soap does not saturate the cleaning rate as shown in FIG. 7, so it is desirable to remove the hardness component as much as possible.

The ion exchange capacity of the ion exchange resin is about 2.
0meq / mL-R (2.0 equivalents per 1 mL of resin), for example, a hardness component included in 72 L of tap water having a total hardness of 100 ppm (amount of water required for washing 7 kg at a time) 7.
In order to exchange 2 g (in terms of CaCO 3), a small amount of 72 mL is sufficient. However, this volume is ideal (theoretical) where all ion exchange groups are active and all sodium ions are exchanged for calcium and magnesium ions.
Value. Actually, for the reason described below, a resin whose theoretical value is higher than the theoretical value, for example, 3 to 4 times the theoretical value is required.

FIG. 8 shows the relationship between the flow rate and the concentration of leaked calcium ions that could not be removed by the ion exchange resin (using raw water hardness of 100 ppm as input), using the amount of resin as a parameter. The leaked ion concentration increases in proportion to the flow rate. Also, the smaller the amount of resin, the higher the leakage ion concentration. This is explained by the time at which the calcium ions flowing between the resins contact the ion exchange groups. This is because if the flow rate is large and the amount of the resin is small, the amount of calcium ions that simply pass between the resins without performing the ion exchange reaction increases. Flow rate of conventional water softener (10 L / hr = 0.17 L / min)
Can exchange most calcium ions, but at a flow rate like a washing machine (10-15 L / min) 40 ppm
Calcium ions near (１ ／ of the input) leak without being exchanged (when the resin amount is 260 mL). However, as described above, if the hardness component is 40 ppm or less, the cleaning performance can be improved, so that even this leakage amount, that is, the flow rate, can be effective. The amount of resin confirmed in the experiment at this time was 260 mL, which was 3 to 4 times the theoretical value. The washing water required for one washing with a washing capacity of 5 to 9 kg is about 50 to 90 L, and from the above, the resin amount is 150 to 36 L.
It will be 0 mL. In flowing water, the ion exchange capacity of the ion exchange resin changes with the particle size of the resin. This is because if the particle size is small, the surface area increases, and the probability that calcium ions come into contact with the ion exchange group increases. As a result, the leakage concentration with respect to the flow rate in FIG. 8 also decreases. In the experiment, if the average particle size was reduced by about 20%, the leakage concentration could be reduced by about 20%.
Taking this into account, the resin amount on the left is about 100 to 300 m
L. This amount of resin is an amount that can be mounted on a home washing machine. However, if tap water is continuously passed through this resin, all ion exchange groups will be exchanged for calcium and magnesium ions, and it will not be possible to further remove calcium and magnesium ions. That is, chemical reaction formula 1,
Regeneration treatment with salt water, which is a reaction from the right to the left of Step 2, is required.

In FIG. 9, tap water (input raw water calcium concentration 100 p
pm) shows the relationship between the leaked calcium concentration and the integrated flow rate. The line shown at the first time in the figure is a case where water is poured from the initial state. This amount of ion exchange resin has an integrated flow rate of 2
Up to 00L, the leakage concentration is maintained at 40 ppm or less. Further, as the integrated flow rate increases, that is, as the amount of resin ion-exchanged with calcium ions increases, the leakage calcium concentration also increases. At an integrated flow rate of 500 L, the resin loses ion exchange capacity, and a regeneration process is required for the next washing. This reproduction processing will be described later.

When the washing process is completed, the microcomputer 50 opens the drain solenoid valve 13a of the drain device 13 to drain the washing water in the washing tub 5. After the drainage, the process proceeds to the rinsing step. First, the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 is opened, and rinse water is supplied into the washing tub 5 in the same manner as in the above-described wash water supply.
The amount of water supplied at this time is about the same as or less than the amount of water supplied for washing. This depends on the rinsing method. Once the water is stored, the rotor 6 is rotated to wash out the detergent remaining on the clothes and dilute the washing, so-called rinsing requires approximately the same amount of water as the previous washing water supply. The number of times of rinsing is at least once or twice. 72L in the previous washing water supply,
224L in total of 72L x 2 times of water supply in this rinse
It is. As shown in FIG. 9, the initial resin can maintain a hardness of 40 ppm or less up to this amount of water. However, in the regeneration with salt water described later, it is not possible to regenerate all of the ion exchange resin once ion-exchanged to the full ion exchange capacity. Therefore, in the second and third water supply, only the water amount having a hardness of 40 ppm or less is about 1/3 of the initial amount. I can't keep it.

After draining the rinse water, the process proceeds to a dehydration step. In the dehydrating step, the microcomputer 50 controls the solenoid 9a of the clutch device 9 to rotate the washing tub 5 at high speed by the electric motor 7. During this time, the drainage solenoid valve 1 of the drainage device
3a is open.

After the dehydration is completed, the microcomputer 50 turns on the light emitting diode 55 and displays the salt insertion display 25 in order to inform the user that the ion exchange resin needs to be regenerated. In view of this, the user opens the lid 30 of the ion removing means 28 to regenerate the ion exchange resin 31, and puts a predetermined amount of salt, for example, 2 spoons of about 30 g into the ion removing means 28.

The ion exchange resin 3 in the ion removing means 28
Reference numeral 1 denotes water for washing and rinsing as described above, which is ion-exchanged with many calcium and magnesium ions. At the end of water supply (when the water supply electromagnetic valve is closed), the ion exchange resin 31 is immersed in the cylindrical container 29, and tap water remains up to the lower water level of the discharge port 29b (FIG. 5B). Is indicated by a broken line A). The introduced salt enters the residual water on the resin, where it dissolves into salt water. The salt water gradually penetrates into the resin by diffusion.
The amount of residual salt in the cylindrical container is determined in consideration of the efficiency of salt water regeneration described later, so that all of the residual salt is dissolved.
In this embodiment, the amount of salt is about 30 g for two spoons, the amount of residual water is about 100 mL, and the amount of resin is 260 mL. These are: (1) always use the salt in the home and can be measured with a spoon; (2) 10% for salt water regeneration of ion exchange resin.
(3) The amount of salt (sodium chloride) required to make the hardness of the washing water (for washing) of at least one tank (90 L) each time at least 40 ppm or less in the amount of resin before and after (3) the most efficient. It is set in consideration of such factors.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes (a sufficient time required for the salt to dissolve), the user presses down the push button 34c, and the salt water is removed from the ion exchange resin 3.
It flows down one space and is discharged from the salt water discharge port 29c. As a result, the salt water flows in the ion exchange resin 31, and a reaction from the right to the left in the chemical reaction formulas 1 and 2 occurs, whereby calcium, magnesium ions and sodium ions adsorbed on the resin by ion exchange are replaced. As a result, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated and its ion exchange ability is restored again, and conversely, calcium and magnesium ions are extracted into the salt water.

The microcomputer 50 detects the end of the regeneration process of the ion exchange resin by the regeneration process detecting means, turns off the light emitting diode 55, and erases the salt introduction display 25. At this time, in the present embodiment, the reproduction processing detecting means detects the user's operation of the push button by changing the output of the magnetoresistive element 38 from the rotation of the magnet 37 due to the depression of the push button 34c and the magnetic field fluctuation caused by the rotation. It can be implemented in. Of course, if the user does not input the salt and presses the push button even after the lapse of the predetermined time after the dehydration, the user can be notified of the salt input and the push button operation using a display, a buzzer, or the like. Since the salt water used for regeneration contains a large amount of calcium and magnesium ions, the salt water is not supplied from the washing tub 5 but from the salt water outlet 29c to the abnormal overflow pipe 15 through the tube 35, the rotary valve plug 34a, and the salt water discharge tube 36. It is guided and discharged from the drainage device 13 to the outside of the washing machine by the drainage hose 16.

The point indicated by the arrow in FIG. 9 indicates that the regeneration process was performed at this time by charging 29 g of salt and manually discharging it 10 minutes later. Subsequent curves show the integrated flow rate and the leaked calcium concentration from the beginning. 40p hardness compared to the initial
The amount of water that is not more than pm is 100 L or less. And 30
The exchange capacity is lost when the water volume is about 0L. This indicates that not all of the ion-exchange groups could be regenerated in the regenerating process described above. When the amount of ion exchange in the initial state is calculated from FIG. 9 (from the area above the first curve in the figure), the amount of calcium ion is about 26 g (in terms of CaCO 3), and all of the calcium ions are exchanged with sodium ions in the salt water for regeneration. To use the chemical reaction formulas 1 and 2, approximately 30 g of a salt (sodium chloride) of substantially the same amount is required. But 29g
Calculate the ion exchange amount (the area above the second curve) in the second time after salt addition and regeneration treatment as described above, and about 8.5 g.
(In terms of CaCO3). From now on, even if 29 g of a salt sufficient to regenerate almost all of the ion-exchange groups is introduced, actually 1/3 of the ion-exchange groups (≒ 8.5 / 29)
It can be seen that only the data is reproduced. This indicates that only about 10 g, one third of the salt charged, could contribute to the regeneration of the ion exchange groups. Although the amount of the introduced salt was 29 g, all of the salt did not contribute to the regeneration, and it was found that the regeneration efficiency was about 30%, that is, only 1/3 of the ion exchange groups were regenerated. This is because the flowing speed of the salt water in the ion exchange resin is greatly affected.

However, it is washing water supply that must remove calcium and magnesium ions. The washing water supply amount is, for example, 72 kg with a capacity of 8 kg and a bath ratio of 9 L / kg.
m or less. If the amount of water required in the subsequent rinsing step exceeds 40 ppm in hardness, there is no effect on the cleaning performance.

The above description is for a hardness of 100 ppm. Maintaining a hardness of 40 ppm at this time means removing 2/3 of the ions contained in the raw water. Naturally, if the performance is this, if the raw water hardness is 60 ppm, after the treatment, one of this
It is shown that it can be maintained at 20 ppm or less, which is / 3.

When the water supply for the next washing is started with the push button 34c kept pressed, a part of the tap water passing through the ion removing means 28 leaks from the salt water outlet 29c and the abnormal overflow pipe 15, Discharge device 13, drain hose 1
From 6 the waste will be wasted outside the washing machine. To prevent this, as described above, the microcomputer 5
0 is the output of the magnetoresistive element 38 during water supply and the rotary valve plug 3
The open / close state of 4a is monitored. If the push button 34c is kept pressed, the light emitting diode 54 is made to blink,
The user can be informed of this by blinking the water softening display 24, informing the user that the push button 34c is pressed again to release the lock mechanism, and that the push button 34c is pulled up by the spring 34e. (Normally, when water is supplied via the ion removing means, the water softening display 24 is illuminated.) To maintain or replace the ion removing means 28, disconnect the pipe connected to the cylindrical container 29, This is carried out by removing it from the rear storage box 17b.

As described above, the present embodiment is characterized in that (1) the removal of a predetermined amount of calcium and magnesium ions is limited to washing and water supply only, and (2) the ion removal performance allowed for washing is adjusted to the detergency of the detergent. The amount of ion-exchange resin required is minimized in that it is set lower than in the conventional water softener and (3) regeneration is carried out by adding a predetermined amount of salt every washing. For this reason, the ion removing device can be made small and inexpensive, and can be mounted on a washing machine. Further, since the amount is small, pressure loss due to resin insertion into the flow path can be reduced, and required performance is maintained even at a large flow rate of 10 to 15 L / min or more, thereby preventing an increase in water supply time.

As for the regeneration process, a simple operation of removing the lid 30 of the cylindrical container 29, putting inexpensive salt from any household into two spoons (about 30 g) of the container, and pressing the push button. Therefore, the user can easily perform this. Also, salt is very inexpensive, so there is little cost for regeneration. Further, by using the ion removing means, if the amount of the detergent used excessively due to the hardness component is reduced, the cost for washing can be reduced and the influence on the environment can be reduced.

Further, the salt water used for regeneration is not discharged into the washing tub, but is discharged from the abnormal overflowing pipe to the outside of the washing machine, so that the salt water does not flow into the washing tub and rust does not occur. In addition, the desorbed high-concentration calcium and magnesium ions do not flow into the washing tub, so that the surfactant is not metal-soaped in the next washing and the detergency is not reduced.

In this embodiment, the operation of removing calcium and magnesium ions from tap water by the ion removing means has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, calcium and magnesium ions may be removed by the ion removing means 28 from the bath water self-primed by the bath water suction pump 45. For example, another water inlet is provided in the cylindrical container 29, and a pipe from the discharge port 45c of the bath water suction pump 45 is connected to this water inlet. Then, the bath water pump 45 may be driven when water is supplied to the washing tub by removing calcium and magnesium ions from the bath water. If two water inlets are provided in the cylindrical container as described above, calcium and magnesium ions can be removed therefrom while simultaneously supplying both tap water and bath water.

The details of the ion removing means 28 of the present invention have been described mainly with respect to the washing water supply operation.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the ion removing means 28 and the automatic salt water discharging valve 39.

In FIG. 10, the same reference numerals as those in FIG.
The piping to the water inlet and the outlet of the ion removing means 28 is omitted. In this embodiment, the manual salt water discharge valve 34 shown in FIG. 5 is replaced with an automatic salt water discharge valve 39 using a solenoid, and the ion exchange resin is made into a cartridge to facilitate maintenance and replacement. The microcomputer 50 automatically performs the pushing and pushing operations of the connecting rod 34 d by the push button 34 c in the previous embodiment by turning on and off the salt water discharge solenoid 40.
Is stored in the cartridge container 42, and this is
It can be attached and detached from. FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of the washing machine control unit in this case.

In the cylindrical container 29, a convex portion 29g is provided above the water inlet 29a, and as in the embodiment of FIG.
A cartridge container 42 in which the space between the discharge port 29b and the ion exchange resin 31 is filled is housed with the bottom surface of the cartridge container 42 placed on the projection 29g. The cartridge container 42 is a cylindrical container, and most of the upper and lower surfaces thereof are constituted by a mesh filter 42a.
1 is filled and water is passed vertically. In the center, there is provided a protrusion 42b which is a handle for taking out the cartridge container 42 and which prevents the container 42 from being lifted up by the water pressure at the time of passing water. For this reason, the projection 42 b has a length such that the tip thereof substantially contacts the lid 30.

After the dehydration is completed as in the previous embodiment to regenerate the ion exchange resin 31, the microcomputer 50 turns on the light emitting diode 55 to inform the user that the ion exchange resin 31 needs to be regenerated. , Salt input display 25 is performed. In view of this, the user opens the lid 30 of the ion removing means 28 to regenerate the ion exchange resin 31, and puts a predetermined amount of salt, for example, 2 spoons of about 30 g into the ion removing means 28. Then, the salt introduced into the residual water dissolves into salt water.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes (the time may be sufficient for dissolving the salt), the microcomputer 50 controls the salt water drain solenoid 40 to push down the connecting rod 34d and open the rotary valve 34a. . Then, the salt water flows down between the ion exchange resins 31 and is discharged from the salt water discharge port 29c. As a result, the salt water flows in the ion-exchange resin 31, and a reaction from the right to the left in the chemical reaction formulas 1 and 2 occurs, and calcium and magnesium ions adsorbed on the resin are replaced with sodium ions. As a result, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated and its ion exchange ability is restored again, and conversely, calcium and magnesium ions are extracted into the salt water. When the time for discharging the salt water has elapsed, the microcomputer 50 controls the salt water discharging solenoid 40 to close the rotary valve 34a. As described above, in this embodiment, the manual opening and closing of the salt water discharge valve by the user of the previous embodiment is automated.

Tap water contains fine inorganic or organic substances. Therefore, when water is passed through the ion removal means for a long time,
These accumulate in the internal mesh filter or ion exchange resin and cause various problems. For example, water flow resistance increases due to clogging, so that a flow rate cannot be secured and water supply time increases. Alternatively, the ion exchange resin is contaminated with organic substances, and its ion exchange ability is deteriorated. In such a case, the user opens the lid 30 as in the case of salt injection, grasps the projection 42b by hand, and takes out the cartridge container 42. Then, after removing the clogging by washing with water, it is stored again. Or replace with a new cartridge container.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the hardness component in tap water used for washing can be removed as in the previous embodiment, the washing performance of the washing machine can be improved. Further, since the discharge of the salt water used for the regeneration of the ion exchange resin is automated, the user can omit the button pressing operation only by adding the salt, and the regeneration operation can be performed more easily. In addition, the user does not forget to press the button and wastefully discharge a part of the water supply. Further, since the ion exchange resin is formed into a cartridge, maintenance and inspection and replacement are facilitated by attaching and detaching the cartridge.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an embodiment of another ion removing means. (A) is an overall perspective view of the ion removing means 28, (b) is a longitudinal sectional view thereof and a salt water discharging mechanism. 12, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 5 and 10 denote the same components, and the pipes to the water inlet and the outlet of the ion removing means 28 are omitted.

In the previous embodiment, as described above, after the user has finished washing each time, the lid 30 of the ion removing means 28 must be removed, and two spoons of about 30 g of salt are added to regenerate the ion exchange resin 31. was there. In this embodiment, this is improved to reduce the amount of salt input to about once a week, thereby improving user convenience.

The ion removing means 28 comprises a cylindrical container 60 and a lid 6
It is composed of 1. The cylindrical container 60 is divided into four spaces. From above, a salt input space 60a, an upper space 60b in which the discharge port 29b opens, a room 29e in which the upper and lower surfaces between the water inlet 29a and the discharge port 29b are separated by a mesh filter 29d such as polyethylene, and a lower space in which the water inlet 29a opens. 60c. A room 29e between the water inlet 29a and the outlet 29b (between the upper space 60b and the lower space 60c) is filled with a sodium-type strongly acidic cation exchange resin (hereinafter referred to as ion exchange resin) 31 therein. Salt input space 6
0a and the upper space 60b are separated by a partition wall 60d.
0d is provided with a hole 60e. A check valve 60f is disposed below the hole 60e on the upper space 60b side, and closes the hole 60e while the upper space 60b is filled with water.
In addition, a salt grain outflow prevention filter 60g is disposed above the hole 60e and on the salt input space 60a side to prevent salt grains from flowing out to the upper space 60b. Further, on the upper surface of the salt injection space 60a, a salt water pipe 60i from the salt water inlet 60h is opened toward the lower surface. A salt water outlet 29c is provided in the lower space 60c on the bottom surface. The cylindrical container 60 is the rear storage box 1
A salt water discharge port 29c is fixed to the bottom of the box 7b so as to penetrate the box bottom. Water passes between the ion exchange resins 31 by the mesh filter 29d. This also prevents the ion exchange resin 31 from leaking out of the room 29e. Lid 6
1 has a concave groove 61a in the inner circumference thereof, and an air hole 61b.
Is open. A convex portion 60j is provided on the upper outer circumference of the cylindrical container 60, and the lid 61 is fixed to the convex portion 60j of the cylindrical container 60 with a concave groove 61a fitted therein. Salt input space 6
Within 0a, about 200g of salt for one week by the user in advance
(7 times 29 g of salt required for one regeneration in the previous example) 62
Has been turned on. The salt input space 60a is disposed above the upper surface of the rear storage box 17b so that the user can easily open and close the lid 61, and all or a part of the peripheral wall surface is made transparent. The salt consumed in the regeneration of the ion exchange resin can be observed from the front of the washing machine.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing only the rear side portion of the rear storage box 17b for supplying the washing water when the ion removing means of this embodiment is used, when the upper lid is removed. A water tap 26 connected to a hose from a water tap or the like, and a water supply solenoid valve 27 connected thereto are connected to the rear storage box 17b.
And a salt water injection solenoid valve 63, an ion removing means 28 composed of a cylindrical container 60, an automatic salt water discharge valve 39 for discharging regenerated salt water in the cylindrical container 60, a bath water suction pump 45 for absorbing bath water, and a washing tub 5 inside. A slanted flow path 46 for allowing the washing water to flow down is accommodated. The outlet of the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 is connected to the water inlet 29a of the ion removing means 28, and the outlet of the salt injection electromagnetic valve 63 is connected to the salt injection port 60h. The discharge port 29b of the ion removing means is connected to the room A47. FIG. 14 shows a block diagram of the washing machine control unit in this case.

First, the water supply operation for washing and rinsing will be described. The hose from the tap is connected to the tap 26. When the user turns on the power switch and presses the start operation button, water supply for washing starts. The microcomputer 50 controls and opens the water supply electromagnetic valve 27.
At this time, the salt injection electromagnetic valve 63 is closed and the automatic salt water drain valve 3 is closed.
9 is also controlled to a closed state. Tap water is guided to the water inlet 29a of the cylindrical container 60 through the water supply electromagnetic valve 27, fills the lower space 60c, and then passes through the room 29e filled with the ion exchange resin 31 while rising. The tap water is softened here, that is, calcium and magnesium ions are removed, and flows out of the discharge port 29b while filling the upper space 60b. Then, the water flows down from the room A47 to the inclined flow path 46 and is supplied to the washing tub 5. When the required amount of tap water is accumulated in the washing tub by the water level sensor 11, the microcomputer 5
0 controls the water supply solenoid valve 27 to stop water supply. Then, the washing process is performed by rotating the rotor 6 forward and backward. 1 following washing
The same applies to the second rinsing step. During the water supply, the upper space 60b of the ion removing means 28 is filled with tap water, and this pressure causes the check valve 60f to close the hole 60e. Therefore, the tap water does not flood into the salt input space 60a during the supply of water. When water is not being supplied, the upper space 60b is open to the atmosphere, and the check valve 60f is open.

Subsequently, when the final (second) rinsing water supply is started and the upper space 60b is filled with tap water (this becomes clear after a predetermined time has elapsed), the microcomputer 50 starts the salt injection. The electromagnetic valve 63 is controlled to inject water into the salt input space 60a. This water injection volume is 100mL
It is adjusted to the small amount before and after the opening control time of the salt injection electromagnetic valve 63. Tap water fills the upper space 60b from the water supply solenoid valve 27 and closes the check valve 60f. From the salt injection port 60h and the salt injection pipe 60i through the salt injection electromagnetic valve 63, the salt injection space 60
Pour water into a. The opening of the salt injection pipe 60i has a narrow nozzle shape, and tap water is injected into the upper part of the salt 62 in a shower shape. When a predetermined amount of time, for example, 100 mL of water injection has elapsed, the microcomputer 50 sets the salt injection electromagnetic valve 63.
To stop this water injection. At this time, the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 is still open, and water supply is continuing. The injected 100 mL of tap water gradually dissolves the salt 62, and becomes a certain concentration of salt water during the water supply time (3 to 5 minutes). This concentration is determined by the water injection time, that is, the amount of water, the time during which salt is immersed in water, and the amount of salt. The solubility of the salt is 35.7 g per 100 mL of water, and if sufficient stirring can be performed over time, the saturated salt solution concentration becomes 26 w%. In other words, the salt does not reach a higher concentration and the excess salt remains. There is enough salt in 100 mL of tap water to leave a concentration of about 23 w% when left for about 1 minute.
At this time, the amount of salt in 100 mL of salt water is about 30 g. This is almost the same as the input salt amount in the embodiment of FIG.

When a predetermined amount of water has been supplied by the water level sensor,
The microcomputer 50 closes the water supply electromagnetic valve 27.
Then, the tap water in the cylindrical container 60 flows out of the discharge port, and remains at the water level at the lower end of the discharge port 29b (indicated by a broken line A in the figure). As a result, the check valve 60f is opened, and the salt input space 6 is opened.
The salt water in Oa flows down into tap water remaining in the upper space 60b. At the same time, the microcomputer 50 controls the salt water discharge solenoid 40 to open the rotary valve 34a. While being poured onto the residual water, the salt water gradually flows down in the ion exchange resin 31 together with the residual water, and is discharged from the salt water discharge port 29c. As a result, the salt water flows in the ion exchange resin 31, and a reaction from the right to the left in the chemical reaction formulas 1 and 2 occurs,
Calcium and magnesium ions that have been ion-exchanged in the conventional water supply are replaced with sodium ions in the salt water. As a result, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated, and its ion exchange capacity is restored again, so that it can be used again in the next washing water supply. Conversely, calcium and magnesium ions are desorbed and extracted into salt water.

Since the salt water used for this regeneration contains a large amount of calcium and magnesium ions, the salt water is discharged not through the washing tub 5 but through the tube 35, the rotary valve plug 34a, and the salt water discharge tube 36 from the salt water discharge port 29c. It is guided to the overflow pipe 15 and discharged from the drainage device 13 to the outside of the washing machine by the drainage hose 16. After a lapse of a predetermined time required for discharging the salt water, the microcomputer 50 controls the salt water discharging solenoid 40 to close the rotary valve 34a.
Thus, the regeneration process of the ion exchange resin is completed.

The flow rate of the salt water in the ion exchange resin is determined by the diameter of the hole 60e and the salt water discharge port 29c, but a flow rate of about 100 mL in three minutes is desirable. Therefore, in the embodiment, the diameter is about 2 mm.

Each time the water is regenerated, the salt 62 in the salt input space 60a is consumed as regenerated salt water by about 30 g, and gradually decreases. The user looks at the amount of salt remaining in the salt input space 60a through the transparent window, and opens the lid 61 as soon as the salt is exhausted to replenish the salt.

The maintenance or replacement of the ion removing means 28 is performed by removing the pipe connected to the cylindrical container 60 and removing it from the rear storage box 17b as in the embodiment of FIG.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the hardness component in tap water used for washing one washing tub can be removed as in the previous embodiment, the washing performance of the washing machine can be improved.
Further, the salt water used for the regeneration of the ion exchange resin is automatically prepared every time by using a large amount of salt (for example, seven times) previously charged into the salt input space, and automatically flows down the ion exchange resin 31 to regenerate the salt water. Therefore, it is not necessary to add salt after each washing as in the previous embodiment, and the convenience for the user is further improved. Further, since the salt water used for regeneration is not discharged into the washing tub, but is discharged from the abnormal overflow pipe to the outside of the washing machine, the salt water does not flow into the washing tub and does not rust. In addition, the desorbed high-concentration calcium and magnesium ions do not flow into the washing tub, so that the surfactant is not metal-soaped in the next washing and the detergency is not reduced.

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of another ion removing means 28. 15, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 12 denote the same components, and the pipes to the water inlet and the outlet of the ion removing means 28 are omitted.

This embodiment eliminates the salt water discharge mechanism such as the automatic salt water discharge valve 39, the salt water discharge port 29c, the tube 35, and the salt water discharge tube 36 of the embodiment of FIG. A washing machine is provided.
Further, the ion exchange resin is made into a cartridge to facilitate the maintenance exchange.

For this reason, the cylindrical container 60 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is separated into two parts, and the ion exchange resin 31 is stored in a cartridge container.
It is housed in a cylindrical container fixed to b and can be detached from it. The ion removing means 28 is separated into a salt-injection cylindrical container 71 and a cylindrical container 60, and one cylindrical container 60 is fixed in the rear storage box 17b.

In the cylindrical container 60, a projection 60j is provided above the discharge port 29b, and the ion exchange resin 31 is placed in a space between the water inlet 29a and the discharge port 29b (between the upper space 60b and the lower space 60c). The filled cartridge container 70 is stored with the bottom surface of the cartridge container 70 mounted on the convex portion 60j. The cartridge container 70 is a cylindrical container, and most of the upper and lower surfaces thereof are constituted by a mesh filter 70a, and the internal space is filled with the ion exchange resin 31 and has a structure in which water flows vertically. Further, a projection 70b as a handle for taking out the cartridge container 70 is provided at the center.

A female screw 60 is provided around the upper end of the cylindrical container 60.
k is cut, and the salt input container 71 is connected thereto by a male screw 71a cut on the bottom circumference thereof.

A male screw 71a is cut on the circumference of the bottom surface 71d of the salt charging container 71, and a gasket 71
b is provided to prevent water leakage when the screw is connected to the cylindrical container 60 with a screw. A hole 71e is formed in the bottom surface 71d (corresponding to the partition wall 60d in the embodiment of FIG. 12) in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG. 12, a check valve 71f is provided below the hole 71e, and salt particles are provided above. An outflow prevention filter 71g is provided. Further, a salt inlet 71h is provided in the salt inlet space 71a on the bottom surface 71d.
Is opened toward the lower surface. The salt 62 is charged in the salt charging container 71 in advance, and the upper end of the container is closed with the lid 61. The lid 61 is configured such that the concave portion 61a is fitted to the convex portion 71j of the container 71,
Fixed to

The water supply in the washing step and the first rinsing step is the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG. But tap water is inlet 2
9a, the cartridge container 70 filled with the ion-exchange resin 31 flows from top to bottom, and the room A4
7. Water is supplied to the washing tub 5 through the inclined flow path 46. Therefore, there is no lifting of the cartridge container 70 due to tap water pressure as in the embodiment of FIG. 10, and it is not necessary to prevent this. Next, the operation of regenerating the ion exchange resin 31 in the cartridge container 70 under the flow of salt water will be described in detail.

In the final rinsing step, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, water is injected from the salt injection port 71h and the salt injection pipe 71i into the salt injection space 71a to produce about 100 mL of salt water. When the water supply of the predetermined amount is completed by the water level sensor, the microcomputer 50 closes the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 and stops the water supply. Then, all the tap water in the cylindrical container 60 flows out from the discharge port 29b. Therefore, the check valve 71f is opened, and the salt water in the salt input space 71a flows down to the upper surface of the cartridge container 70 in the upper space 60b. This salt water gradually flows down uniformly in the ion exchange resin 31 filled in the cartridge container 70, and flows from the discharge port 29b to the room A47, and from the inclined flow passage 46 to the washing tub 5 filled with final rinse water. . Part of the liquid is collected at a position lower than the discharge port 29b in the lower space 60c. Under this flow, the salt water flows in the ion exchange resin 31,
Reactions from the right to the left in the chemical reaction formulas 1 and 2 occur, and calcium, magnesium ions and sodium ions adsorbed on the resin are replaced by the conventional water supply. As a result, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated, and its ion exchange capacity is restored again, so that it can be used again in the next washing water supply. Conversely, calcium and magnesium ions are desorbed and extracted into salt water. After the water supply is stopped, the microcomputer 50 controls the rotor 6 for the laundry for rinsing, and agitates the laundry in the supplied rinse water. When a predetermined time has elapsed (when the rinsing water still remains in the washing tub 5), the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 is opened again, a few liters of tap water is supplied to the ion removing means 28, and the tap water is retained in the lower space 60c. The regenerated salt water containing a large amount of calcium and magnesium is discharged from the discharge port 29b into the room A4.
7. Rinse into the washing tub 5 through the inclined channel 46. This salt water is stirred and mixed with a large amount of rinse water previously supplied (usually, in the case of a reservoir rinse, a capacity of 7 kg and about 72 L as described above) to be diluted. Then, at the end of the rinsing, the microcomputer 50 opens the drainage electromagnetic valve 13a and discharges it from the drainage hose 16 to the outside of the washing machine.

As described above, the hardness component affects the cleaning performance but does not affect the rinsing performance. Further, since a small amount of salt water used for regeneration is diluted with a large amount of water, there is no possibility that rust is generated on stainless steel or the like constituting the washing tub 5. Incidentally, 130 mL of salt water (about 30 g of salt) having a concentration of 23 w% was added to 72
When diluted with L of water, the concentration is 0.04 w%, which is lower than 0.9 w% of physiological saline.

Tap water contains fine inorganic or organic substances. Therefore, when water is passed through the ion removal means for a long time,
These accumulate in the internal mesh filter or ion exchange resin and cause various problems. For example, water flow resistance increases due to clogging, so that a flow rate cannot be secured and water supply time increases. Alternatively, the ion exchange resin is contaminated with organic substances, and its ion exchange ability is deteriorated.

In such a case, the user can use the rear storage box 17b.
Is removed, the pipe to the salt water inlet 71h is removed, and the screw of the salt charging container 71 is turned to remove it from the cylindrical container 60. Then, the protrusion 70b of the cartridge container 70 in the cylindrical container 60 is grasped by hand and taken out. Then, after removing the clogging by washing with water, it is stored again. Or replace with a new cartridge container.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the regenerated salt water can be diluted with rinsing water and can be discharged using a normal drainage path. Therefore, the automatic salt water discharge valve 39, the salt water discharge port 29c, and the tube of FIG. 35, the salt water discharging mechanism such as the salt water discharging tube 36 can be omitted, the cost can be reduced, and the user can be provided with an inexpensive washing machine. Further, since the ion exchange resin is formed into a cartridge, maintenance and inspection and replacement are facilitated by attaching and detaching the cartridge.

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of another ion removing means 28. In FIG. 16, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 12 denote the same components, and pipes to the water inlet and the outlet of the ion removing means 28 are omitted. Reference numeral 64 denotes a drain pipe connected to the salt water outlet 29c.

The cylindrical container 60 is provided with a water inlet 29a opening to the lower space 60c, and a discharge port 29b opening to the upper space 60b. For this reason, the tap water guided to the ion removing means 28 flows upward from the bottom through the ion exchange resin 31, flows through the room A47 and the inclined flow path 46 from the discharge port 29b, and is supplied to the washing tub. The drain pipe 64 connected to the salt water discharge port 29c may be lifted to a height convenient for the pipe as shown in the figure, but is always lowered to the lower end position of the cylindrical container 60 and opened to the inclined flow passage 46. Connected.

Most of the tap water from the water inlet 29a passes through the ion-exchange resin 31 to remove calcium and magnesium ions.
7, water is supplied to the washing tub 5 through the inclined flow path 46, but a part of the water flows through the drain pipe 64 from the salt water discharge port 29c,
6 to the washing tub 5. If the diameters of the salt water discharge port 29c and the drain pipe 64 are set to about 2 mm, the leakage from the drain pipe is 0.5 L / min or less with respect to the flow rate of 13 L / min passing through the ion-exchange resin 31, and the influence is small. Immediately after the water supply ends (immediately after the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 is closed), tap water remains as far as the lower end of the discharge port 29b as in the embodiment of FIG. 5, but this residual water is drained to the salt water discharge port 29c. Tube 6
4 is slowly discharged into the washing tub 5.

FIG. 12 shows the preparation of salt water in the final rinsing step.
The description is omitted because it is similar to the embodiment. When the water level sensor 11 has finished supplying a predetermined amount of water in the final rinsing step, the microcomputer 50 closes the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 and stops water supply. The check valve 60f opens, and the salt water in the salt input space 60a flows down into the residual water in the upper space 60b. While the salt water is diluted with the residual water, the salt water gradually flows down uniformly in the ion exchange resin 31 to form a drain pipe 64 connected to the salt water outlet 29c.
From the washing tub 5 slowly. Under this flow, the salt water flows in the ion exchange resin 31, and the reaction from the right to the left in the chemical reaction formulas 1 and 2 occurs, and the calcium and magnesium ions, which have been ion-exchanged in the conventional water supply, are replaced with the sodium ions in the salt water. Is done. As a result, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated, and its ion exchange capacity is restored again, so that it can be used again in the next washing water supply. Conversely, calcium and magnesium ions are desorbed from the resin and extracted into the salt water. After the water supply is stopped, the microcomputer 50 controls the rotor 6 for the laundry for rinsing, and agitates the laundry in the supplied rinse water. After a predetermined period of stirring, the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 is opened again, a few L of tap water is supplied to the ion removing means 28, and salt water containing a large amount of calcium and magnesium attached to the drain pipe 64 and the lower space 60c is removed. From the drain pipe 64 and the discharge port 29b, the washing tub 5
Wash off inside. This salt water is a large amount of rinsing water previously supplied (usually, as described above, in the case of a rinsing with a capacity of 7 kg, 7 kg).
(About 2L) with stirring and diluted. At the end of the rinsing, the microcomputer 50 sets the drain solenoid valve 13
Open a and discharge it from the drain hose 16 to the outside of the washing machine.

According to this embodiment, as in the embodiment of FIG.
The salt water discharge mechanism such as the automatic salt water discharge valve 39, the salt water discharge port 29c, the tube 35, and the salt water discharge tube 36 can be omitted, and the cost can be reduced, and the user can be provided with an inexpensive washing machine. Furthermore, even when the water inlet has to be provided at the lower end of the cylindrical container 60 due to the arrangement of the water supply electromagnetic valve and the piping, the ion exchange resin 31 can be regenerated by automatic salt water flow.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a washing machine control unit according to another embodiment. 14 denote the same items. Reference numeral 65 denotes an electrically writable nonvolatile memory EEPR
OM.

The present embodiment is to further extend the period of salt introduction into the salt introduction space of the embodiment of FIG. 15 to improve user convenience. For this reason, the tap water hardness and the amount of tap water necessary for washing are stored using the EEPROM 65, and the amount of salt water required to regenerate the ion exchange resin in the final rinsing step is calculated. Is performed.

Now, as in the embodiment shown in FIG.
A description will be given on the assumption that ion removal performance of 2/3 at 60 mL and a flow rate of 13 L / min, that is, 2/3 of hardness component ions of input raw water can be removed.

The washing machine maker stores the performance of the ion removing means 28 in the EEPROM 65, that is, the amount of the ion exchange resin and the removing performance at the standard flow rate (performance as to what percentage of the hardness component of the input raw water can be removed) before shipment. I do.

When starting to use the washing machine, the user checks the approximate hardness value of tap water to be used using a commercially available hardness indicator or the like, and stores the hardness value in the EEPROM 65. This operation is performed by the number of times the microcomputer 50 is set to the hardness value input mode by simultaneously pressing the reservation operation button and the course selection operation button using the operation button 21 and pressing the detergent amount / water amount setting operation button. For example, the frequency may be set to 20 ppm or less for one time and 20 to 40 ppm for two times. Such an operation is desirably performed when a sales clerk or the like delivers and installs a washing machine to a customer. The following description is based on the assumption that the input hardness value is 55 ppm and that this value is stored in the EEPROM 65. Further, an appropriate amount of, for example, about 200 g of salt is previously charged into the salt charging space 60a as in the embodiment of FIG.

When the user puts the laundry in the washing tub 5, presses the power switch 19, selects the washing course, and presses the start button to start washing. Hereinafter, a case will be described in which a course in which the rinsing process is performed twice is selected.

First, the microcomputer 50 rotates and stops the motor 7 as is well known, and detects the amount of cloth applied by the back electromotive voltage of the motor 7 induced at the time of stopping.
The amount of water supplied to the washing tub 5 in the washing and rinsing steps is determined from the detected cloth amount and the selected course. For example, if the amount of the detected cloth is 4 kg, the washing is about 40 L, and the washing is 120 L in total of about 80 L after rinsing twice.

The microcomputer 50 opens the water supply electromagnetic valve 27. Tap water passes through a water supply solenoid valve 27 from a water tap 26 and flows into the ion removing means 28. Tap water that has flowed into the cylindrical container 60 is mesh filter 28a.
Pass between the sodium-type strongly acidic cation exchange resin 31 filled and sandwiched by
Magnesium ions are removed and soft water flows out,
It flows out to the inclined flow path 46 through the room A47. Then, the flow is rectified in the inclined flow path 46 and flows down into the washing tub 5. During the washing water supply, the light emitting diode 54 is turned on, and the softening display 24 indicates that the water is being softened. The microcomputer 50 that has learned that the required washing water has been supplied (approximately 40 L) into the washing tub 5 by the water level sensor 11 closes the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 and stops water supply. Then, the rotor 6 is rotated forward and reverse to start washing. At the time when the washing water supply is completed, the microcomputer 50 calculates the actual amount of tap water that has passed through the ion exchange means 28 from the information of the water level sensor 11, and the ion exchange resin 31 is adsorbed based on the previous tap water hardness value and the removal capacity. The calculated amounts of calcium and magnesium ions are calculated and stored in the EEPROM 65. For example, 55
(Ppm) x 2/3 x 40 (L) = 1.46 g (CaC
O3 conversion) is stored.

After performing the washing for a predetermined time, the microcomputer 50 subsequently opens the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 and starts water supply to the washing tub 5 for the first rinsing. Tap water passes through the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 from the water tap 26 and flows out to the inclined flow path 46 via the room A47 as it is. Then, the flow is rectified in the inclined flow path 46 and flows down into the washing tub 5. When the water supply amount reaches a predetermined value, the microcomputer 50 closes the water supply electromagnetic valve 27 to stop water supply. At this time, the microcomputer 50 calculates the amount of tap water passing through the ion exchange means 28 from the information of the water level sensor 11 as in the case of washing, and the ion exchange resin 31 is adsorbed based on the previous tap water hardness value and the removal capacity. The amounts of calcium and magnesium ions are calculated, added to the amount of adsorption (at the time of washing water supply), and stored in the EEPROM 65. For example, at this time, 1.46 × 2 = 2.92 g is integrated and stored. Then, the rotor 6 is rotated forward and reverse to start rinsing. Thereafter, the drainage electromagnetic valve of the drainage device 13 is opened to drain the rinse water.

In the next final rinse, the regeneration treatment of the ion exchange resin described in the embodiment of FIG. 15 is performed. Since the water supply amount in the final rinsing is the same as that in the first rinsing, the hardness component integrated adsorption amount at the time when the final rinsing water supply is completed can be estimated. For example, it is estimated to be 1.46 × 3 = 4.38 g (accurately, if the flow rate exceeds 100 L, the performance is deteriorated, but this must also be taken into consideration, but the first approximation is sufficient for the first approximation). Then, at the same time as the final rinse water supply, tap water is injected into the salt introduction space in an amount proportional to the integrated amount of the hardness component adsorbed. As described in detail in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the regeneration efficiency of the used ion removing means is 0.3 in this embodiment.
It is about. That is, about three times the amount of salt that is adsorbed is required for regeneration. That is, the amount of water 44 that dissolves about 13 g of salt
Pour ml. The amount of water injection is adjusted by the opening time of the salt injection electromagnetic valve 63. The regeneration process of the ion-exchange resin 31 at the end of the final rinse water supply has been described in the embodiment of FIG.

Thereafter, a dehydration process is started, and the clutch device 10
, The washing tub 5 is rotated at high speed to perform dehydration.

In the above description, the integrated amount of adsorption is determined from the amount of water detected by the water level sensor 11 for each water supply, but this is for the sake of accuracy (errors such as a course change in the middle of the user, water supply interruption, etc.). As described above, the required amount of used water is determined by the course selection and the amount of cloth as described above. Therefore, at the time of detecting the amount of cloth, the accumulated amount of adsorption is estimated from the required amount of used water, and this is used for final rinsing. You may decide the amount of water injection.

As described above, since the amount of water injection required for the regeneration of the ion exchange resin is determined in proportion to the actually adsorbed hardness component,
You will always consume the minimum amount of salt required. Therefore, as compared with the case of always injecting a fixed amount (100 mL) as in the previous embodiment, the water consumption becomes about half, that is, about half the salt consumption as described, and the salt consumption in each regeneration process can be reduced. it can. This means that the salt injection period can be extended.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the amount of salt required for regenerating the ion exchange resin can be reduced to a necessary minimum, so that the period during which the user replenishes the salt input space with salt can be lengthened. The convenience can be further improved.

Next, an embodiment in which bath water is supplied using a bath water supply pump will be described with reference to FIG. Water from a bath or the like is drawn out by a hose connected to a bath water supply port 45a. First, a tap water supply port 26 is used to open a water supply electromagnetic valve 27 to open ion supply means 28 and a room A4.
Through 7, a part of the water is primed from the priming port 45 b to the bath water suction pump 45, and the rest is supplied to the washing tub 5 from the inclined flow path 46. After a lapse of a predetermined time, the water supply solenoid valve 27 is closed, and the water supply pump is rotated to supply the bath water to the bath water supply port 45.
a, the water is supplied to the washing tub 5 from the discharge port 45c through the room B48 to the inclined flow path 46. That is, the washing tub 5 is first supplied with soft water from which calcium ions and magnesium ions have been removed by the ion removing means 28, and then with bath water. The detergent put in the washing tub 5 is dissolved in the soft water, soaks into the laundry, and penetrates the dirt attached to the laundry. At this time, if water is supplied while rotating the washing tub 5, the dissolved detergent permeates into the laundry more uniformly. Since soft water hardly contains a hardness component, the detergent does not form metal soap, and the detergent works effectively. Thereafter, bath water is supplied. Although the bath water contains a hardness component, the detergent component has already penetrated into the dirt, and the action of the detergent on the dirt is not hindered. The temperature of the remaining hot water of the bath water (about 30 ° C.) activates the detergent components and enhances the detergency, but the hardness is equal to that of tap water, and the generation of metal soap cannot be prevented. However, as in the present embodiment, by first supplying soft water and then supplying bath water, the detergent dissolution by soft water, the effect of penetrating dirt, and the synergistic effect of the temperature effect of the bath water increase the cleaning power. Can be enhanced. FIG. 18 is an example in which the washing power of a conventional washing machine having no ion removing means and the washing machine of this embodiment having the ion removing means are compared (the washing conditions are a water temperature of 20 ° C., a remaining hot water temperature of 30 ° C., Hardness 100 ppm, soft water hardness 20 ppm). It can be seen that the detergency is improved by supplying soft water first.

Conventionally, the priming water supply time to the bath water supply pump has been constant irrespective of the amount of laundry (water amount). However, in this embodiment, the priming water supply is performed by dissolving the detergent with soft water,
Since there is an important effect that the detergent component penetrates into the laundry, it is necessary to control the water supply amount according to the amount of the laundry. Therefore, a method of controlling the amount of priming (soft water) supplied to the amount of laundry (amount of water) will be described.

As a method of controlling the water supply amount, a method of measuring a water level, a flow meter, a weight, and the like, a method of controlling with time, and the like can be considered. Here, an embodiment based on water level detection and time control will be described.

In the embodiment using the water level detection, the water level sensor 11 is used.
It is a method using. In this method, a mixing ratio of soft water and bath water is determined in advance, soft water is supplied automatically or manually to a set water level until the mixing ratio is reached, and then bath water is supplied. The soft water supplied to the washing tub 5 penetrates into the laundry from the upper part to the lower part of the laundry, and collects at the bottom of the outer tub 4 after almost getting the laundry wet.
Then, when the water level reaches the specified level, the supply of soft water is stopped, and the supply is switched to bath water supply. Thereby, the above-described operation can be achieved. Since the water level sensor 11 cannot detect the water level unless water is accumulated in the outer tub, it is necessary to supply extra soft water even after the laundry is almost wet, the amount of bath water is reduced, and the bath water is effectively used. There is a problem in that point. Next, an embodiment based on time control will be described.
When controlling the amount of water supply by time, it is necessary to know the amount of laundry and the tap water pressure (water supply flow rate Q). The amount of laundry can be detected by a cloth amount sensor. The relationship between the amount of laundry and the amount of soft water supply V required to substantially wet the entire laundry is stored in the microcomputer 50 in advance. A method for detecting the feedwater flow rate Q will be described with reference to FIG. The water supply time T from the zero point water level A of the water level sensor to the water level B lower than the settable minimum water level is measured. The water supply time T has an inversely proportional relationship (FIG. 19), which becomes shorter as the water supply flow rate Q becomes larger.
The water supply flow rate Q can be known from In detail, there is a slight difference depending on the amount of the laundry even at the same water supply flow rate, but in practice, the average value may be used. The relationship between the water supply time T and the water supply flow rate Q in FIG. 19 is stored in the microcomputer 50 in advance, and the water supply flow rate Q obtained from the water supply time T is represented by E
It is stored in the EPROM 65. Then, the soft water supply time is determined from the soft water supply amount V obtained from the amount of laundry (set water amount) detected by the cloth amount sensor at the next washing and the above-mentioned water supply flow rate Q. According to this embodiment, it is possible to minimize the amount of soft water supply necessary to substantially wet the laundry with the soft water in which the detergent is dissolved,
Bath water can be used effectively.

Another embodiment based on time control will be described. In the embodiment, the relationship between the amount of laundry and the water supply amount V and the relationship between the water supply time T and the water supply flow rate Q are tabulated and stored in the microcomputer 50 by the above-described time control. In order to cope with the multistage water level, the amount of data to be stored in the table increases, and extra protection is required. In the present embodiment, threshold values are set for the water supply time T and the set water amount, and the amount of table data is reduced. Here, the case where the threshold value at which the data amount becomes the smallest is one will be described. As for the water supply time T, the water supply time T1 is set as a threshold value. As for the set water amount, for example, in a washing machine in which the water amount can be set to 12 levels, the center water amount W1 is set as the threshold value. Then, the soft water supply time t is set based on the value less than or equal to the threshold value. That is, when the water supply flow rate is less than Q1 (water supply time exceeds T1) and the set water amount W is less than W1, soft water supply time t = t1, and when it is less than Q1 and W1 or more, t = t2, Q1
Above (T1 or more), t = t3 when less than W1, and t = t4 when Q1 or more and W1 or more. Therefore, by using these two thresholds, the four water supply times t1 to t4
Need only be stored in the microcomputer as a table, the storage capacity of the microcomputer can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. FIG. 20 shows a specific example of the relationship between the water supply flow rate Q and the soft water supply amount V in this case. Even when the amount of water is constant (the amount of laundry is constant), the amount of soft water supplied varies depending on the amount of supplied water, but in practice, such a coarse control is acceptable.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in washing using bath water, first, soft water that has passed through the ion exchange means is supplied to the washing tub, and then bath water is supplied. The detergency can be improved by the effect of allowing the detergent component to permeate the object without waste and the temperature effect of the bath water.

[0108]

According to the present invention, after the water to be supplied is introduced into the chamber formed below the first chamber, the layer of the ion-exchange functional material can be raised uniformly, and the regenerating agent is Second
Since it flows down from the chamber, the ion removing means capable of quickly supplying water while removing cations can be made compact.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fully automatic washing machine according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operation panel diagram of the fully automatic washing machine according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inside of the rear storage box in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view and a longitudinal sectional view of an ion removing unit in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an electrical connection block diagram of the fully automatic washing machine in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between hardness and a cleaning rate.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between a flow rate and a leakage calcium concentration.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a relationship between an integrated flow rate and a leakage calcium concentration.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of another ion removing means in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing another example of electrical connection in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view and a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the ion removing means.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing another embodiment inside the rear storage box.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing another example of electrical connection in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the ion removing means.

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the ion removing means.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing another example of electrical connection in the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a comparison of detergency according to the presence or absence of ion removing means during bath water washing.

FIG. 19 is an example of a relationship between a water supply flow rate (tap water pressure) and a water supply time.

FIG. 20 is an example of a relationship between a water supply flow rate (tap water pressure) and a soft water supply amount.

[Explanation of symbols]

5: washing and dewatering tank, 15: abnormal overflow pipe, 17b: rear storage box, 24: softening display, 25: salt input display, 26
... tap water tap, 27 ... water supply solenoid valve, 28 ... ion removing means, 29 ... cylindrical container, 29a ... water inlet, 29b ... discharge port, 29c ... salt water discharge port, 29d ... mesh filter,
29e: room, 29f: male screw, 30: lid, 30a ...
Female screw, 30b gasket, 31 ion exchange resin, 32 upper space, 33 lower space, 34 manual salt water discharge valve, 34a rotary valve plug, 34b rotary valve, 34c push button, 34d connecting rod, 35 ...
Tube, 36 ... salt water discharge tube, 37 ... magnet, 38
... Magnetic resistance element, 39 ... Automatic salt water discharge valve, 40 ... Salt water discharge solenoid, 45 ... Bath water suction pump, 50 ... Microcomputer, 54 ... Light emitting diode, 55 ... Light emitting diode, 60 ... Cylindrical container, 60a ... Salt input space ,
60b upper space, 60c lower space, 60d partition,
60e: hole, 60f: check valve, 60g: filter for preventing salt outflow, 60h: salt water inlet, 60i: salt water pipe, 60j
... convex part, 61 ... lid, 61a ... concave groove, 61b ... air hole, 6
2 ... Salt, 63 ... Salt injection solenoid valve, 64 ... Salt drainage pipe, 65
... EEPROM.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tamotsu Kamori 1-1-1 Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Within the Appliance Works, Hitachi, Ltd. 1-1-1, Hitachi, Ltd.Electrical Equipment Division (72) Inventor Takami Koyama 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Pref.Hitachi, Ltd.Electrical Equipment Division (72) Inventor Akira Miyao Ibaraki 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Hitachi, Ltd.Electrical Equipment Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Isao Hiyama 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Hitachi, Ltd.Electrical Equipment Division (58 ) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) D06F 39/08 301 D06F 39/02 D06F 35/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ion removing means having an ion exchange function material, wherein: a first chamber for accommodating the ion exchange function material; chambers respectively formed on an upper side and a lower side of the first chamber; A second chamber provided above the chamber and containing a regenerant for regenerating the ion exchange function of the ion exchange function material, a water supply path for supplying water to the second chamber, and a water supply path opening and closing for opening and closing the water supply path A valve, a flow path communicating the upper chamber with the second chamber, a flow path provided in the flow path, allowing flow from the second chamber to the upper chamber, and allowing the second chamber to flow from the upper chamber to the second chamber. A non-return valve for stopping flow to the chamber, wherein a flow path is configured so that water flows from the lower chamber through the first chamber to the upper chamber. Removal means. 2. An ion removing means having an ion exchange function material, wherein: a first chamber for accommodating the ion exchange function material; chambers respectively formed above and below the first chamber; A second chamber provided above the chamber and containing a regenerant for regenerating the ion exchange function of the ion exchange function material, a water supply path for supplying water to the second chamber, and a water supply path opening and closing for opening and closing the water supply path A valve, a flow path communicating the upper chamber with the second chamber, a flow path provided in the flow path, allowing flow from the second chamber to the upper chamber, and allowing the second chamber to flow from the upper chamber to the second chamber. A check valve for stopping the flow to the chamber, wherein a flow path is configured such that water flows from the lower chamber through the first chamber to the upper chamber, and the lower chamber A discharge port for discharging the regenerant after the regeneration treatment. 3. A method for removing ions using an ion-exchange functional material, wherein the ion-exchange functional material is passed from a chamber formed below a first chamber containing the ion-exchange functional material to an upper side of the first chamber. A water supply for flowing water into the formed chamber; and a second reserving agent for regenerating an ion exchange function of the ion exchange function material, which is provided further above the upper chamber.
Dissolving the regenerant performed by supplying water to the chamber, and allowing the regenerant dissolved in water to flow from the second chamber to the upper chamber from the second chamber, and allowing the regenerant to flow from the upper chamber to the second chamber. Through the check valve that stops the flow to the second chamber,
A process of regenerating the ion exchange functional material by flowing down into the chamber. 4. An ion removing method using an ion exchange functional material, wherein the ion exchange functional material is passed from a chamber formed below the first chamber containing the ion exchange functional material to an upper side of the first chamber through the ion exchange functional material. A water supply for flowing water into the formed chamber; and a second reserving agent for regenerating an ion exchange function of the ion exchange function material, which is provided further above the upper chamber.
Dissolving the regenerant performed by supplying water to the chamber, and allowing the regenerant dissolved in water to flow from the second chamber to the upper chamber from the second chamber, and allowing the regenerant to flow from the upper chamber to the second chamber. Through the check valve that stops the flow to the second chamber,
A process of regenerating the ion exchange functional material by flowing down into the chamber, and discharging the regenerated agent from the lower chamber after the regenerating process.