JP3342244B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a washing machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-144595, a washing machine comprises a sheet metal frame constituting a side wall, an upper plate mounted on an upper portion of the frame, and a footrest. Make up the exterior.

[0005] As shown in FIGS. 15 to 18, a sheet metal corner plate 51 straddles two adjacent side walls of a sheet metal frame 50 and is caulked to an upper portion near the corner of the two frame side walls. are doing. This corner plate 51
Supports the upper end of a hanging rod that suspends and supports the washing tub inside the washing machine exterior. A fixed portion 52 is integrally formed on one side of the corner plate 51 by bending. That is, the fixing portion 52 is
It is bent outward from 1 and further upward. The upper plate 53 is fixed to the fixing portion 52 by screwing a screw 54 from the outside via the upper plate 53.

When the corner plate 51 is swaged, the corner plate 51 is disposed on the frame 50 as shown in FIG. 18, but in this case, the swaged portion of the frame 50 obstructs the fixing portion 52. It is cut out so that it does not become. That is, the swaging margin 55 on the corner plate 51 side and the swaging margin 56 on the frame body 50 side are located on both sides of the fixing portion 52. Then, as shown in FIG.
The corner plate 51 is crimped to the frame 50 by bending the crimping margins of the 1 and the frame 50 so as to mesh with each other.

[0005]

[0006]

In order to enable the corner plate 51 to be disposed on the frame 50, the frame 50 has a cutout at the fixing portion 52, and the strength of the frame 50 is reduced. .

A corner portion 57 of the frame 50 (FIG. 16)
Is different depending on various models, but when it is intended to use a common corner plate 51, it is necessary to change the cutout portion of the frame 50 with respect to the fixing portion 52 for each model having a different radius of curvature. Yes, the work is troublesome.
Therefore, if the notch width of the notch portion is made longer, the fixing portion 52 can be allowed for various models having different radii of curvature. However, in this case, the cutout portion is located up to the portion of the corner plate 51 on both sides of the fixing portion 52 with respect to the swaging margin 55, and the swaging strength is deteriorated. Of course, the cutout portion of the frame body 50 becomes longer, and the strength of the frame body 50 is further reduced.

Further, when the top plate 53 is fixed to the fixing portion 52 with the screws 54, the tips of the screws 54 are exposed inside, and there is a possibility that internal components may be damaged.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in a washing machine in which a corner plate is caulked around a corner of a frame and a fixing portion for fixing an upper plate to the corner plate is integrally formed, the strength and the caulking strength of the frame are reduced. It is to try to suppress.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent the internal components from being damaged by the tips of the screws for fixing the upper plate to the fixing portion.

[0012]

[0013]

According to the present invention, a washing machine exterior is constituted by a sheet metal frame constituting a side wall and an upper plate mounted on an upper portion of the frame. A positioned sheet metal corner plate is straddled over two adjacent frame side walls of the frame, and caulked to the upper portions near the corners of the two frame side walls, and is fixed to the fixed portion integrally processed with the corner plate. In the washing machine in which the upper plate is fixed, the fixing portion is formed by extending upward from the inside of the caulking connection portion, and the tip of the fixing portion is bent outward and further bent downward to fix the fixing portion. The part is configured to avoid the crimping margin of the upper end of the side wall of the frame, and the screw is screwed into the lower bent part of the fixed part formed by the downward bending from the outside via the upper surface plate, thereby forming the lower bent part. Top part It was fixed, above in this fixed state
The tip of the screw is the part that extends above the root of the fixing part.
Cover, and then wash with the corner plate.
Support the upper end of the hanging rod that suspends and supports the washing tub inside the machine exterior.
It is characterized by having.

[0014]

[0015]

[Action] When the corner plates caulked, corner plate is arranged on the frame. In this case, the fixing portion for fixing the top plate extends upward from the inside of the caulking connection portion, and the fixing portion is in a state of avoiding the caulking portion at the upper end of the frame. Accordingly, the swaged portion of the frame does not have to be cut out, and a decrease in strength and swage strength of the frame is suppressed.

The distal end of the fixing portion is bent outward and further bent downward, and a screw for fixing the upper plate is screwed into the downward bent portion, and the distal end of the screw is at the root of the fixing portion. Portion (the portion extending upward), so that the internal components are not damaged by the tip of the screw.

Further, since the strength of the frame and the reduction of the caulking strength are suppressed, the upper end of the hanging rod for suspending and supporting the washing tub is supported by the corner plate, and even if a considerable load is applied to the corner plate. ,no problem.

[0018]

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a washing machine exterior 1 has a built-in washing tub, a drain hose, wiring and the like (all not shown), a resin upper plate 2, a frame 3 constituting a side wall, and a resin footrest. 4 are connected to each other.

An input port (not shown) for inputting clothes into the washing tub is provided in the upper surface plate 2, and the input port is opened and closed by an input port lid 5.

The frame 3 is formed by bending a single pre-painted sheet metal member 6 (pre-coated metal: PCM) into a substantially U-shape, and connecting both ends of the member by a metal connecting plate 7 on the upper side. It is formed by this. In this case, the side wall joined by the connection plate 7 of the frame 3 becomes the front side wall 8 of the exterior 1, and the front side wall 8 has a rectangular front opening (side opening) 9 for performing operations such as maintenance and inspection. Are formed. More specifically, the drainage hose is replaced with the left or right through the opening 9.

In a normal state where such work is not performed, the front opening 9 is closed by a rectangular lid (fixed portion) 10 which is slightly larger than the opening 9 and is made of a pre-painted sheet metal member. Can come off.

Next, the mounting structure of the lid 10 will be described. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, a lower end engaging portion (engaging piece) 11 is bent near the center of the lower end of the lid 10, and the lower end engaging portion 11 A lower inserted portion 12 formed on a leg 4 that is a lower side and constitutes the exterior 1.
Is inserted into. On the lower front side of the lower inserted portion 12,
The claw 13 is integrally formed. The nail 13 will be described later,
When the lid 10 is slid vertically upward with the lower end engaging portion 11 inserted into the lower inserted portion 12, the lower end engaging portion 11 The lower end of the part 11 is supported.

Referring to FIG. 5, an upper end engaging portion 14 is bent at the upper end of the lid 10, and the upper end engaging portion 14 is located above the front opening 9 and constitutes the exterior 1. The lid 10 is inserted into the upper insertion portion 15 formed on the upper surface plate 2 when the lid 10 slides upward.

Referring to FIG. 6, the rear sides of both sides of the lid 10 are each provided with three inverted Ls in the vertical direction.
The inverted L-shaped piece 16 is inserted into a vertically long hole 17 formed in the front side wall 8. In this case, the inverted L-shaped piece 16 enters the elongated hole 17 as indicated by a dashed line when the lid 10 is made substantially vertical, and then gets caught on the upper end of the elongated hole 17 when the lid 10 is slid upward.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, a pair of recesses 18 are formed below both sides of the lid 10.
A long hole (small hole) 19 is formed in the center of the concave portion 18 in the lateral direction. A screw 20 for fixing the lid 10 to the front side wall 8 is inserted into the elongated hole 19. The screw 20 inserted into the elongated hole 19 is screwed into a screw hole 21 formed in the front side wall 8 by burring. The length of the long hole 19 in the longitudinal direction is larger than the diameter of the screw 20, and the length in the short direction is smaller than the diameter of the screw 20. After the screw 20 is screwed, the concave portion 18 is covered by mounting the resin cap 22, and the screw 20 is hidden.

A ring-shaped engaging portion 23 is integrally formed on the back surface of the cap 22, as shown in FIG.
The engagement portion 23 has an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the head of the screw 20, and has a ring-shaped claw 24 at the tip. The ring-shaped claw 24 faces inward, and the inner diameter of the claw 24 is a screw 2
0 smaller than the outer diameter of the head. A projection 25 is also integrally formed on the back surface of the cap 22, and the projection 25 fits into another hole 26 of the recess 18.

The procedure for mounting and fixing the lid 10 to the exterior 1 will now be described. First, the lower end engaging portion 11 is inserted into the lower inserted portion 12 with the lid 10 inclined forward as shown in FIG. Next, the lid 10 is raised vertically as shown in FIG. Then, the vicinity of the lower end engaging portion 11 is pushed by the claw 13 and slightly elastically deforms rearward. Thereafter, the lid 10 is slid upward as shown in FIG. Then, the lower end engaging portion 11 moves above the claw 13 and
The vicinity of the lower end engaging portion is released from the pressing by the claw 13 and elastically returns to the front side, and the lower end of the lower end engaging portion 11 is supported by the claw 13. Thereby, downward movement of the lid 10 is suppressed. When the lid 10 is slid upward, the upper end engaging portion 14 of the lid 10 is inserted into the upper inserted portion 15, and the lid 10 is prevented from falling forward. Furthermore, when the lid 10 is raised vertically and slid upward, the inverted L-shaped piece 16 is caught in the vertically long hole 17, and at this point, the lid 10 is prevented from falling forward. After that, the lid 10 is fixed to the front side wall 8 of the exterior 1 with the screw 20 to complete the mounting and fixing of the lid 10. At the time of fixing with the screw 20, the lid 10 is
Supports the lower end engaging portion 11, so that it does not drop undesirably even if not supported by hand, and is easy to work. The screw 20 has a stepped portion 20 a, so that when the screw 20 is completely screwed, the screw head is in a state of floating in the recess 18.

Finally, the cap 2 is covered so as to cover the recess 18.
2 is attached. That is, the cap 22 is positioned with respect to the screw head by fitting the projection 25 into the hole 26 and making the ring-shaped engaging portion 23 along the curved surface of the head of the screw 20. Then, by pressing the cap 22 backward as it is, the ring-shaped claw 24 of the ring-shaped engaging portion 23 is engaged with the entire circumference of the screw head (the ring-shaped claw 24 avoids the screw head during pressing). It will be deformed as much as possible). Therefore, the cap 22 can be easily attached. The ring-shaped engaging portion 23 is engaged with the entire circumference of the screw head, has a long engaging dimension, and can reliably engage the cap 22. Further, the ring-shaped engaging portion 23
In FIG. 9, the angle of the portion of the ring-shaped claw 24 engaging with the screw head is an obtuse angle as shown in FIG. Therefore, by prying the end of the cap 22 forward, the engagement can be easily released, and the cap 22 can be easily removed.

The procedure for removing the lid 10 is as follows. That is, first, the cap 22 is removed, and the screw 20 is removed. In this case, since the lower end engaging portion 11 of the lid 10 is supported by the claws 13, the lid 10 does not drop simultaneously with the removal of the screw 20. Accordingly, it is not necessary to press the lid 10 by hand, and thus the work is easy. Then, the vicinity of the lower end engaging portion 11 of the lid 10 is slightly pushed rearward, and the lower end engaging portion 1 is pushed.
1 is moved to a rear position not supported by the claws 13, and the lid 10 is slid downward in this state. Then, the upper end engaging portion 14 is separated from the upper inserting portion 15. Thereafter, the lid 10 is tilted forward, and the lower end engaging portion 11 is pulled out from the lower inserted portion 12, thereby completing the removal of the lid 10.

When the lid 10 is attached or detached, there is no need to work below the lower inserted portion 12. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, even when the lower inserted portion 12 of the washing machine approaches the waterproof pan 27 on which the washing machine is installed, the waterproof pan 27 does not interfere, and the lid 10 is attached and detached. Work is easy.

Further, when the cover 10 is fixed to the front side wall 8 of the exterior 1 with the screw 20, the screw 20 is screwed into the long hole 19 of the cover 10. In this case, since the length in the short direction of the long hole 19 is smaller than the diameter of the screw, the screw 20 is in electrical contact with the lid 10 only on a small end surface of the long hole 19 but only slightly.
The screw 20 is further securely screwed into the screw hole 21 of the front side wall 8 and electrically connected thereto. Therefore, the lid 10 is sufficiently grounded via the screw 20 and the exterior 1 (because a portion (not shown) of the exterior 1 is grounded by a ground wire).

The length of the elongated hole 19 in the longitudinal direction is larger than the screw diameter, and the screw 20 is partially screwed in, not the entire end face of the elongated hole 19. Therefore, when the screw 20 is screwed into the front side wall 8, the screw 20 bites into the elongated hole 19 and the lid 10.
Is undesirably pulled toward the front (front side) and the lid 10 and the front side wall 8 are
There is no possibility that a gap is generated in the vicinity of the screw 20 between them. Further, the screw 20 can be screwed in with a small torque. Further, since the long hole 19 is long, the rear screw hole 21 can be easily found.

In FIGS. 11 to 14, there are corner plates 28 made of sheet metal near the four upper corners in the frame 3. As shown in FIG. The corner plate 28 supports the upper end of a hanging bar that suspends and supports both the washing and dewatering tub inside the washing machine exterior 1 and an outer tub (both not shown) located outside the tub.

The corner plate 28 straddles two adjacent frame side walls of the frame 3 and is crimped at the caulking point K at an upper portion near the corner of the two frame side walls. In this caulking connection, the corner plate 2
8 is arranged on the frame 3 as shown in FIG. In this case, the swaging margin 29 on the corner plate 28 side is positioned above the swaging margin 30 on the frame 3 side. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 13, each of the crimping margins 29 and 30 is bent so as to mesh with each other, so that the corner plate 28 is crimped and connected to the frame 3.

The corner plate 28 is integrally formed with a fixing portion 31 for fixing the top plate 2. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the fixing portion 31 extends upward from the inside of the caulking portion K as it is. The distal end of the fixing portion 31 is bent outward and bent further downward, and a screw 33 is screwed into the lower bent portion 32 from the outside via the upper surface plate 2 to form a lower bent portion. The upper surface plate 2 is fixed to 32.

The fixing portion 31 is provided at the caulking connection point K.
Extending upward from the inside of the frame, and the caulking allowance 30 at the upper end of the frame body
(A state of FIG. 14). Therefore, the crimping allowance 30 of the frame 3 does not need to be cut out corresponding to the fixing portion 31 as in the related art, so that it is not cut off, and the strength and the crimping strength of the frame 3 do not decrease. Swaging allowance 30 for this frame 3
Is not directly opposed to the swaging margin 29 of the corner plate 28 on both sides of the fixed portion 31,
It also bends in the same manner as the portion directly caulked at the time of the above caulking. Further, since the strength does not decrease in this way, there is no problem even if a considerable load is applied to the corner plate 28 via the suspension rod.

The tip of the screw 33 screwed to the fixing part 31 is covered by the root part (upwardly extending part) of the fixing part 31 so that the internal parts may not be damaged by the tip of the screw 33. Is unlikely to occur.

The above embodiment is a fully automatic washing machine.
It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to washing machines such as two-tub washing machines and drum washing machines.

[0040]

According to the present invention, in a washing machine in which a corner plate is caulked near a corner of an exterior frame and a fixing portion for fixing an upper surface plate to the corner plate is integrally formed, the strength of the frame is improved. It is possible to suppress a reduction in swaging strength. Further, it is possible to prevent the internal components from being damaged by the tips of the screws for fixing the upper plate to the fixing portion.

[0041]

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of a lower end engaging portion, showing a first step in attaching a lid.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the vicinity of a lower end engaging portion, showing a second step.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the vicinity of a lower end engaging portion, showing a third step.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing an engagement state of an upper end engagement portion.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an engagement state of the inverted L-shaped piece.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a recess of the lid having a slot into which a screw is screwed.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a screw is screwed.

FIG. 9 is a plan sectional view showing a state in which a screw is screwed in and a cap is provided.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the cap.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a frame.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged plan view of a portion A in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 13 and showing a state before caulking.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 13 in a conventional fully automatic washing machine.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view near a corner plate.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a swaged state.

FIG. 18 is an essential part perspective view showing a state before caulking.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing machine exterior 2 Top plate 3 Frame 9 Front opening (side opening) 10 Cover 20 Screw which fixes a lid 22 Cap 23 Ring-shaped engaging part 24 Ring-shaped claw 28 Corner plate 29 Corner plate caulking allowance 30 Frame Caulking allowance 31 Fixed part 32 Lower bent part 33 Screw for fixing the top plate

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) D06F 39/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A corner plate made of a sheet metal, which constitutes a washing machine exterior and is located in the frame, is constituted by a sheet metal frame constituting a side wall and an upper plate attached to an upper portion of the frame. In a washing machine in which the upper surface plate is fixed to a fixed portion integrally formed on the corner plate by straddling the two frame side walls adjacent to the frame body and crimping the upper portion near the corner of the two frame side walls. The fixing portion is formed by extending upward from the inside of the caulked joint, and the tip of the fixing portion is bent outward and further downward, so that the fixing portion is positioned at the upper end of the side wall of the frame body. With a configuration that avoids the crimping allowance, by screwing a screw from the outside through the upper plate to the lower bent portion of the fixing portion formed by the lower bending, the upper plate is fixed to the lower bent portion , In this fixed state And fix the tip of the screw
And a portion extending upward from the root of the part.
At the corner plate, suspend the washing tub inside the washing machine exterior
A washing machine characterized by supporting an upper end of a hanging rod to be supported by being lowered .