JP5379771B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing machine used for washing clothes and the like.

  Conventionally, a washing machine (including a washing and drying machine) used for washing clothes and the like has been widely used. A washing machine is generally composed of an outer casing (consisting of an outer box or the like) having an opening that is opened and closed by a lid, and a water tank or the like installed inside the outer casing. A dewatering tank is rotatably accommodated in the water tank.

  The washing machine having such a configuration can perform a washing operation by stirring the water supplied to the dehydration tank or the water tank. Further, the washing machine can perform a dehydrating operation by rotating the dewatering tank at a high speed.

  By the way, when washing or dehydrating operation is performed, a relatively large shaking is generated in the water tank. Therefore, the water tank is not completely fixed to the outer flange portion, but is supported so that a certain degree of swinging is allowed. However, if there is a gap between the outer flange and the water tank, there is a risk of water leaking from there to the outside of the water tank.

  Therefore, a connecting component (connecting packing) that connects the outer flange portion and the water tank in a substantially sealed state is used. The connecting parts are formed in a bellows shape so as to be able to expand and contract following the shaking of the water tank, and an outer collar part and a water tank are respectively attached to both ends thereof.

JP 2007-330415 A

  If the connection parts mentioned above are utilized, it will become possible to connect an outer collar part and a water tank in a substantially sealed state, and to prevent the water leak etc. from a clearance gap. However, when the connecting part expands and contracts by shaking the water tank, the overlapping portions of the bellows contact each time, and a contact sound (striking sound) is generated. Since a large contact sound causes discomfort to the user or the like, it is desirable that the contact sound be minimized.

  Usually, the contact sound tends to increase as the contact area between the parts increases. Therefore, in order to reduce the contact sound, it is effective to reduce the contact area. In addition, although the thing which attached the buffering material to the bellows-like part is indicated by patent documents 1, since the process which attaches a buffering material becomes a factor of the manufacturing cost of a washing machine, etc., It is not preferable. Further, when the buffer material is attached by adhesion or the like, if the fixing strength of the buffer material is insufficient, peeling of the buffer material becomes a problem.

  In view of the above-described problems, the present invention is a washing machine provided with a bellows-like connecting component, and is a washing machine capable of reducing the contact noise in the connecting component without requiring a step of attaching a cushioning material. For the purpose of provision.

  In order to achieve the above object, a washing machine according to the present invention includes an outer casing having an opening that is opened and closed by a lid, and a dehydrating tub that is rotatably housed inside the outer casing. By having a water tank installed inside and a substantially cylindrical shape of a side bellows shape in which the overlapping part overlaps in the axial direction, the outer collar part is attached to one end side, and the water tank is attached to the other end side A washing machine for carrying out washing and dehydration operations in which laundry is put into the dehydration tank through the opening. In addition, the overlapping portion is integrally formed with a protruding portion that is interposed between the adjacent overlapping portions to suppress contact between the overlapping portions.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the contact area between the bellows-like folded portions and reduce the contact sound in the connecting parts. Further, since the protrusion is formed integrally with the overlapping portion, it is possible to omit the step of attaching the cushioning material and the like. Here, “integrally formed” means that both are formed without division, for example, by molding, and a form in which the protrusion is attached to the overlapping portion is formed. It is an expression to exclude.

  Further, in the above configuration, a plurality of the protrusions may be provided in one overlapping portion, and each of the plurality of protrusions may be formed at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

  According to this configuration, the number of protrusions can be reduced as much as possible while keeping the distance between the protrusions from being too large so that the overlapping portions do not contact each other as much as possible. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the area where the contact occurs.

  Further, in the washing machine having the above configuration in which the first protrusion is provided on one of the adjacent overlapping portions and the second protrusion is provided on the other, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are: It is good also as a structure formed so that it may face in an axial direction.

  According to this configuration, since the overlapping portion provided with the first or second protruding portion can be suppressed from contacting with the protruding portion provided in the other overlapping portion, it is possible to suppress wear due to contact as much as possible. Become.

  More specifically, as the above configuration, each of the protrusions may be configured to extend in the radial direction.

  As described above, according to the washing machine according to the present invention, the contact area between the bellows-like folded portions can be reduced, and the contact sound in the connecting parts can be reduced. Further, since the protrusion is formed integrally with the overlapping portion, it is possible to omit the step of attaching the cushioning material and the like.

It is a perspective view which shows the washing-drying machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the washing-drying machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which opened the cover part of the washing-drying machine which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view about the connection component which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing about the connection component which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is another sectional view about a connection component concerning an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a washer / dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention from a diagonally upper front point of view, and FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view showing the washer / dryer of FIG. In the washing and drying machine shown in FIG. 2, the left side is the front surface and the right side is the back surface.

[About the overall configuration of the washing dryer]
The washing / drying machine 1 is a fully automatic type and includes a rectangular parallelepiped outer box 10. The outer box 10 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and its upper and lower sides are opened. The upper open portion of the outer box 10 is covered with an upper surface plate 11. On the front part of the top plate 11, there are an operation part (operation buttons and the like) for accepting the operation of the washing and drying machine, and a display part (display device using a liquid crystal and the like) for displaying the operation screen and operation state of the washing and drying machine 1. Provided. A back panel 14 is mounted on the back side of the top plate 11.

  In the central portion of the upper surface plate 11, an entrance / exit 11 a for feeding laundry into the washing / drying machine 1 is opened. The entrance / exit 11a is opened and closed by a lid 15 pivotally supported by a hinge 15a provided at the front end of the back panel 14. A packing (not shown) is provided on the periphery of the lid portion 15, and the space between the entrance / exit 11 a and the lid portion 15 is sealed. By rotating the lid portion 15 up and down to open and close the entrance / exit 11a, the laundry can be put into and taken out of the dehydration tank 30 described later.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lid portion 15 is opened. In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a dewatering tank 30 that also serves as a washing tub and a water tank 20 that houses the dewatering tub 30 are housed inside the outer box 10. The dewatering tank 30 stores water in which detergent is dissolved or water for rinsing (hereinafter collectively referred to as “washing water”). Both the water tank 20 and the dewatering tank 30 have a shape of a bottomed cylindrical cup that is open upward (having an opening surface), and each of the water tank 20 is on the outside and the dewatering tank 30 is on the inside with the axis line vertical. Are arranged concentrically.

  The water tank 20 is suspended by the suspension member 21. The suspension member 21 is provided at a total of four locations in such a manner that the lower outer surface of the water tank 20 and the inner corner of the outer box 10 are connected, and supports the water tank 20 so that it can swing within a horizontal plane.

  The dewatering tank 30 has a peripheral wall extending upwardly in a tapered shape, and there is no opening for allowing liquid to pass through the peripheral wall except for a plurality of dewatering holes 31 arranged in an annular shape at the top. That is, the dewatering tank 30 is formed in a so-called “no hole” type. An annular balancer 32 is attached to the edge of the upper opening of the dewatering tub 30 to suppress vibration when the dewatering tub 30 is rotated at a high speed for dewatering the laundry. A pulsator 33 for causing the washing water to flow in the tank is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the dewatering tank 30.

  A drive unit 40 is attached to the lower surface of the water tank 20. The drive unit 40 includes a motor 41 and a clutch / brake mechanism 43. The clutch / brake mechanism 43 is connected to the motor 41 by a belt 42, and the dewatering shaft 44 and the pulsator shaft 45 protrude upward. The clutch / brake mechanism 43 operates by electromagnetic force, and alternatively connects one of the dewatering shaft 44 and the pulsator shaft 45 to the motor 41. The clutch / brake mechanism 43 brakes the rotation of the dehydrating shaft 44 by electromagnetic force and releases the brake.

  The dewatering shaft 44 and the pulsator shaft 45 have a double shaft structure. The dewatering shaft 44 is disposed outside and the pulsator shaft 45 is disposed inside. The dehydrating shaft 44 penetrates the water tank 20 and is connected to the dehydrating tank 30 and pivotally supports the dehydrating tank 30. The pulsator shaft 45 passes through the water tank 20 and the dewatering tank 30 and is connected to the pulsator 33 to pivotally support the pulsator 33. Seal members for preventing water leakage are disposed between the dehydrating shaft 44 and the water tank 20 and between the dewatering shaft 44 and the pulsator shaft 45, respectively.

  The outer box 10 is provided with an extending portion 16 that extends downward from the periphery of the doorway 11a. The extending portion 16 includes a substantially vertical vertical portion 16a formed in an annular shape and a horizontal portion 16b extending substantially horizontally from the lower end of the vertical portion 16a. A cylindrical connecting part 17 having a bellows side surface is attached to the lower surface of the horizontal portion 16b. The extension part 16 and the upper surface of the water tank 20 are connected by the connecting component 17, and the vibration of the water tank 20 due to the rotation of the dewatering tank 30 is absorbed. The configuration of the connecting part 17 will be described in detail again.

  Further, the extending portion 16 and the connecting component 17 constitute a shielding portion that shields between the periphery of the entrance / exit 11 a and the upper surface of the water tank 20. A sealed space is formed between the water tank 20 and the entrance / exit 11a by the shielding portion. Thereby, the inner cover which opens and closes the upper surface of the water tank 20 is not required, and the lid 15 can be closed to perform washing and drying.

  A drying unit is installed on the extended portion 16 at the rear of the outer box 10. The drying unit includes a blower, a heater, and the like, and has a function of blowing warm air along the inner peripheral wall of the dewatering tank 30 when the drying process is executed.

  Further, a water supply port is provided on the horizontal surface 16 b of the extending portion 16. The water supply port is connected to city water through a water supply valve. Thus, the water supply port and the water supply valve constitute a water supply unit that supplies water to the dehydration tank 30. The water supply port is designed so that foreign matters such as dust do not enter inside.

  A drain hose 60 for draining water in the water tank 20 and the dewatering tank 30 to the outside of the outer box 10 is attached to the bottom of the water tank 20. The dewatering tank 30 is provided with four drain holes 62 on the same circumference, and each drain hole 62 and the drain hose 60 are connected by a drain duct 61. A drain valve 63 is provided in the drain duct 61. When the drain valve 63 is opened, the water in the dewatering tank 30 is drained through the drain duct 61 and the drain hose 60. Further, the water that flows out from the upper part of the dewatering tank 30 during dehydration passes between the peripheral wall of the water tank 20 and the peripheral wall of the dewatering tank 30 and is drained from the drain hose 60.

  The washing / drying machine 1 includes a lid opening / closing sensor that detects the open / closed state of the lid 15, a water level sensor that detects the water level of the dehydration tank 30, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature inside the dehydration tank 30, and Various sensors such as a humidity sensor for detecting internal humidity are provided. Furthermore, the washing / drying machine 1 is provided with a control device that controls each unit so that the washing / drying machine 1 operates appropriately according to user operations, detection information of various sensors, and the like. The control device is arranged on the upper back of the outer box 10.

  In the washing / drying machine 1 having the above-described configuration, the laundry is put into the dehydrating tank 30 from the entrance / exit 11a, and the lid portion 15 is closed. When the washing condition is selected by the user and the start of washing is instructed, the lid opening / closing sensor detects that the lid portion 15 is closed, and the washing process and the drying process are executed.

  In the washing process, the drain valve 63 is closed, the water supply valve is opened, and water is supplied to the dehydration tank 30 from the water supply port. When a predetermined amount of water accumulates in the dewatering tank 30, the water supply valve is closed by detection of the water level sensor. Next, the clutch / brake mechanism 43 connects the pulsator shaft 45 to the motor 41 to drive the motor 41. Thereby, the pulsator 33 rotates and the washing operation is performed by stirring the water in the dewatering tank 30.

  When a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the washing operation, the drain valve 63 is opened to drain the water in the dewatering tank 30, and the dewatering shaft 44 is connected to the motor 41 by the clutch / brake mechanism 43. Thereby, the dehydrating tank 30 is rotated at a high speed by the drive of the motor 41 and the dehydrating operation is performed. The water splashed from the laundry by the high-speed rotation of the dewatering tank 30 flows out from the drainage duct 61 and the dewatering hole 31.

  When a predetermined time has elapsed after starting the dehydrating operation, the motor 41 is stopped, the drain valve 63 is closed, and the water supply valve is opened. When a predetermined amount of water accumulates in the dewatering tank 30, the water supply valve is closed by detection of the water level sensor. Next, the clutch / brake mechanism 43 connects the pulsator shaft 45 to the motor 41 to drive the motor 41. As a result, the pulsator 33 rotates, and the rinsing operation is performed by stirring the water in the dewatering tank 30.

  When a predetermined time has elapsed after starting the rinsing operation, the above dehydration operation is performed again. When the dehydrating operation is performed for a predetermined time, the washing process ends. Moreover, a drying process is performed after completion | finish of a washing process. In the drying process, the laundry is dried by, for example, driving a blower and a heater provided in the drying unit and circulating the warmed air in the water tank 20.

[About connected parts]
Next, the structure of the connection component 17 is demonstrated. As described above, the connecting part 17 has a cylindrical shape having a side bellows shape as a whole. 4 is a perspective view showing the connecting component 17 from an obliquely upper viewpoint, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in which the plane including the axis of the connecting component 17 is a cross-section (substantially left-right symmetry, so the left display is omitted) ). In addition, the axis | shaft about the connection component 17 points out the central axis at the time of seeing the connection component 17 as a cylindrical shape unless there is particular notice. 5 are attached to the upper surface of the extension part 16 and the water tank 20, respectively, and connect the extension part 16 and the water tank 20 in a substantially hermetically sealed state.

  Further, the part surrounded by a broken line on the left side of FIG. 5 schematically represents the shape of the part (the bellows-like part) surrounded by the broken line on the right side of FIG. Thus, it can be said that the bellows-like portion is formed by overlapping the elements (91a to 91f) having a substantially straight section in the axial direction. In the present application, each of such elements will be referred to as a “superimposing portion”. Each of the overlapping portions (91a to 91f) is actually substantially in the shape of the side surface of the truncated cone.

  A protrusion 92a is formed on the outer surface side of the overlapping portion 91a, a protrusion 92b is formed on the outer surface side of the overlapping portion 91c, a protrusion 92c is formed on the outer surface side of the overlapping portion 91d, and a protrusion is formed on the outer surface side of the overlapping portion 91e. 92d are provided. These protrusions (92a to 92d) are provided so as to protrude from the outer surface of each overlapping portion.

  FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view (a view seen in a downward direction in FIG. 5) when cut along a plane indicated by a line segment AA ′ (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of projections 92d are provided in one overlapping portion 91e (16 in this embodiment), and each has a radial direction (diameter when the connecting component 17 is viewed as a cylindrical shape). Direction). Furthermore, each of the projections 92d is provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (circumferential direction when the connecting component 17 is viewed as a cylindrical shape).

  In addition, although the arrangement | positioning form of the projection part 92d was demonstrated here, it is the same also about the arrangement | positioning form of another protrusion part (92a-92c). In addition, at least the protrusion 92c and the protrusion 92d (protrusion provided on each of the adjacent overlapping portions) are disposed so as to face each other when viewed in the axial direction of the connecting component 17.

  Further, the entire connecting component 17 is integrally formed by molding a rubber material (elastic material) using a mold, for example. Therefore, the protrusions (92a to 92d) are firmly fixed to the overlapping portion as compared with a case where the protrusions (92a to 92d) are attached by, for example, adhesion. Moreover, when manufacturing the connection component 17, the process of attaching a projection part (92a-92d) to a superimposition part is unnecessary.

  Next, the advantage by providing the projection part (92a-92d) in the connection component 17 is demonstrated. When a washing or dehydrating operation or the like is performed in the washing / drying machine 1, the mainly bellows-shaped portion of the connecting part 17 expands and contracts with the shaking of the water tank 20.

  Here, if the protrusion is not provided, adjacent overlapping portions come into contact with each other when the expansion and contraction occurs. When the overlapping portions are in contact with each other, the contact area is large, so a loud contact sound is generated, and the user feels uncomfortable.

  However, in the present embodiment, since the protrusion is provided, the area of the connecting part 17 where the contact occurs is small. More specifically, in the connecting component 17, instead of the overlapping portion 91b and the overlapping portion 91c being in contact, the overlapping portion 91b and the protruding portion 92b are in contact, and the overlapping portion 91d and the overlapping portion 91e are in contact with each other. 92c and projection 92d are in contact with each other. That is, the protrusions (92b to 92d) play a role of suppressing the contact between the overlapping portions by being interposed between the adjacent overlapping portions and reducing the area of the portion where the contact occurs.

  Therefore, according to the connection component 17, the contact sound accompanying the expansion and contraction of the bellows-like portion is reduced as compared with the case where no protrusion is provided. Further, the protrusion 92a serves to prevent the overlapping portion 91a from coming into contact with a holder or the like.

  As described above, a plurality of protrusions are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in each overlapping portion. For this reason, the number of protrusions can be reduced as much as possible while preventing the gap between the protrusions from being too large (so that the overlap between the overlapping parts is easy to contact) is not too large so that the overlapping parts do not contact each other as much as possible. It has become. Thereby, the area of the part which the contact in the connection component 17 produces is made still smaller.

  When attention is paid to the overlapping portion 92c and the overlapping portion 92d, the protruding portion 92c (first protruding portion) and the protruding portion 92d (second protruding portion) come into contact with each other. For this reason, contact between the overlapping portions (92c, 92d) and the protrusions provided on the other overlapping portions can be suppressed, so that wear due to contact is suppressed as much as possible.

[Others]
As described above, the washing / drying machine 1 according to the present embodiment integrates the outer casing portion (the outer box 10, the extension portion 16, and the like) having the doorway 11 a (opening portion) that is opened and closed by the lid portion 15. And a water tank 20 installed inside the outer casing in a state where the dewatering tank 30 is rotatably accommodated therein. In addition, the washing and drying machine 1 has a side bellows-like cylindrical shape in which the overlapping portion is overlapped in the axial direction, the outer rim portion is attached to one end side, and the water tank 20 is attached to the other end side. A connecting component 17 is also provided for connecting the collar portion and the water tank 20 in a substantially sealed state.

  Furthermore, the laundry dryer 1 is configured so that laundry is put into the dehydration tank 30 through the doorway 11a, and washing and dehydration operations are performed. And the protrusion part which suppresses the contact of the said overlapping parts by interposing between adjacent overlapping parts is integrally formed in the overlapping part.

  Therefore, according to the washing / drying machine 1, it is possible to reduce the contact area between the accordion-like folded portions and reduce the contact sound in the connecting part 17. Further, since the protrusion is formed integrally with the overlapping portion, it is possible to omit a step of attaching a cushioning material or the like in the manufacturing process of the washing / drying machine 1 (connecting component 17).

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this content. For example, the washing machine according to the present invention may not have a drying function. The embodiments of the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  The present invention can be used for various types of washing machines.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing / drying machine 10 Outer box 11 Top plate 11a Entrance / exit 14 Back panel 15 Cover part 16 Extension part 16a Vertical part 16b Horizontal part 17 Connection part 20 Water tank 30 Dehydration tank 32 Balancer 33 Pulsator 40 Drive unit 41 Motor 42 Belt 43 Clutch Brake mechanism 44 Dehydrating shaft 45 Pulsator shaft 60 Drain hose 61 Drain duct 62 Drain hole 63 Drain valve 91a-91f Overlapping portion 92a-92d Protruding portion

Claims (2)

An outer casing having an opening that is opened and closed by a lid;
In a state where the dehydration tank is rotatably accommodated therein, a water tank installed inside the outer casing,
The overlapping portion has a substantially cylindrical shape with a side bellows shape formed by overlapping in the axial direction, the outer flange portion is attached to one end side, and the water tank is attached to the other end side, whereby the outer flange portion and the A connecting part for connecting the water tank in a substantially hermetically sealed state,
A washing machine in which laundry is put into the dehydrating tank through the opening, and performs washing and dehydrating operations,
In the superimposing part,
A protrusion that suppresses contact between the overlapping portions by being interposed between the adjacent overlapping portions is integrally formed,
A plurality of the protruding portions are provided in one overlapping portion,
Each of the plurality of protrusions is formed at substantially equal intervals in the circumferential direction,
A first protrusion is provided on one of the adjacent overlapping portions, and a second protrusion is provided on the other,
The first protrusion and the second protrusion are formed so as to face each other in the axial direction , and are formed so as to extend radially from the outer peripheral end portion to the center portion of the overlapping portion in the radial direction. And a washing machine. Each of the first protrusion and the second protrusion is formed so that the amount of protrusion gradually decreases as it extends from the outer peripheral end of the overlapping portion to the center. Item 2. A washing machine according to Item 1.

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