JP7168670B2 - drum washing machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drum-type washing machine, and more particularly to a drum-type washing machine having a full-face type door that covers the entire front surface of the washing machine body.

A washing machine is provided with a door for covering the washing tub during washing. In the drum-type washing machine, since the laundry inlet of the washing tub is provided on the front side of the washing machine body, the door is also provided on the front side of the washing machine body. Conventional drum-type washing machines generally have a round door that matches the shape of the laundry inlet of the washing tub. A washing machine is disclosed that has a rectangular shaped door (a full-face type door) that covers the washing machine. A drum-type washing machine having such a full-face type door can combine design, cost reduction, and handleability.

The washing machine also has a door retention mechanism to prevent the door from opening undesirably during washing. In such a door holding mechanism, for example, an engaging portion is provided on the rear side of the door, and an engaged portion is provided on the front side of the washing machine body, and when the door is closed, the engaging portion and the engaged portion are engaged. engages to hold the door closed. Further, in such a door holding mechanism, the door is provided with a movable handle (handle), and when the handle is operated by the user, the engagement state in the door holding mechanism is released (holding of the door is released). ), and a configuration in which the door can be opened is common.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, the movable handle is omitted from the door in order to improve the design. Instead, in Patent Document 1, a door opening button is provided on the front surface of the door, and when the user operates the door opening button, the door is released from being held by the door holding mechanism, and the door can be opened.

JP 2018-15132 A

However, the configuration of Patent Document 1 requires a mechanism for linking the door opening button and the door holding mechanism, which causes problems in terms of cost and reliability. Specifically, detection means for detecting that the user has operated the door open button, driving means for driving the door holding mechanism when the operation of the door open button is detected, and the like are required. increase the cost of the machine. In addition, there is a possibility that the door cannot be opened when a failure occurs in the detection means or the drive means.

In order to solve the above problem in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to omit the door open button. That is, the washing machine is provided with a door holding mechanism consisting of an engaging portion on the door side and an engaged portion on the washing machine main body side. It is conceivable to configure such that it is released by being pulled by force.

Although not disclosed in detail in Patent Document 1, in a full-face type door, it is conceivable that the entire front side of the door is made of a glass plate, and the periphery of the glass plate is covered with a side cover. . In this case, the glass plate is placed in front of the door back member, which is the door body, and the side cover is fitted to the end of the glass plate so as to cover the side surfaces of the glass plate and the door back member.

Furthermore, in a full-face type door, if a door holding mechanism is provided in which the door is released when the user pulls the door with a predetermined force or more, a handle is provided for the user to hold the door when opening the door. is also necessary. Such a handle is formed by providing a recessed portion 261 that serves as a handle from the rear surface of the door to part of the side surface, as shown in FIGS. 7(a) to 7(d).

In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, a recessed portion 261 serving as a handle is formed in the door back surface member 21. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the side cover 23 is fitted to the end of the front panel 22 so as to cover the side surfaces of the front panel (for example, a glass plate) 22 and the door back member 21, so that the side cover 23 and the door back member 21 are The gap between is exposed to the concave portion 261 that serves as a handle. Therefore, when the user puts his/her hand on the handle to open the door, the user's hand may also touch the gap. In some cases, the recessed portion 261 is not sufficiently handled, and only the rear end surface 231 of the side cover 23 may be handled. In this state, if the user pulls the door strongly in the opening direction, an excessive force is applied to the side cover 23, which may deform the side cover 23 and widen the gap. This deformation may cause water to enter the door through the widening gap between the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 . Furthermore, the expanded gap may catch the user's hand and cause the user to feel uncomfortable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a drum-type washing machine that prevents excessive force from being applied to the side cover of the door when the user opens the door, and prevents deformation of the side cover. intended to provide

In order to solve the above problems, the drum-type washing machine of the present invention is a drum-type washing machine having a door covering the entire front surface of a washing machine body, wherein the door comprises a door back member, a front plate and A side cover is provided so as to straddle between the front plate and the door back surface member, and the side surface along one side of the door is provided with the back surface of the door back surface member. a handle having a concave portion recessed from the bottom to a part of the side surface, and the handle covers a gap between the door back member and the side cover when the door is viewed from the back side. It is characterized in that it has a structure in which a protection part is provided.

According to the above configuration, since the gap between the door back member and the side cover is covered by the handle protection portion, when the user puts his or her hand on the handle to open the door, the door back member and the side cover are separated from each other. The user does not touch the gap between the . Therefore, even if the user strongly pulls the door in the opening direction, excessive force is not applied to the gap between the door back member and the side cover, and deformation of the side cover can be prevented.

Further, in the drum-type washing machine, the handle protection part is provided on the door back surface member corresponding to the position where the handle is formed, and is configured to be a projecting part extending laterally from the bottom surface of the recess. be able to.

Further, in the drum-type washing machine, the handle protection part is provided on the side cover corresponding to the position where the handle is formed, extends rearward from the rear side end surface of the side cover, and further extends inside the door. It can be configured to be formed so as to be bent.

Further, in the drum-type washing machine, the handle protection portion is a member having a substantially L-shaped cross section composed of a first flat plate portion and a second flat plate portion, and is separate from the door back surface member and the side cover. The first flat plate portion covers the side cover from the outside, and the second flat plate portion is arranged to cover the concave portion of the door back surface member from the rear surface side. can.

In the drum-type washing machine of the present invention, the gap between the door back surface member and the side cover is covered by the handle protection portion, and when the user puts his or her hand on the handle to open the door, the door back surface member and the side cover are separated from each other. It is configured so that the user does not need to touch the gap between them. Therefore, even if the user strongly pulls the door in the opening direction, excessive force is not applied to the gap between the door back member and the side cover, and deformation of the side cover can be prevented.

1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 1 when viewed obliquely from the front and obliquely above, and showing a state in which the door of the drum-type washing machine is closed. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the drum-type washing machine according to Embodiment 1 when viewed obliquely from the front and obliquely above, and showing a state in which the door of the drum-type washing machine is opened. FIG. 1 shows the shape of a handle according to Embodiment 1, where (a) is a perspective view of the handle viewed obliquely from behind and obliquely above the door, and (b) is a view of the handle viewed from the side of the door. , (c) is a rear view when the handle is viewed from behind the door, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of (c). 2 shows the shape of a handle according to Embodiment 2, where (a) is a perspective view of the handle viewed obliquely from behind and obliquely above the door, and (b) is a view of the handle viewed from the side of the door. , (c) is a rear view when the handle is viewed from behind the door, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of (c). 3 shows the shape of a handle according to Embodiment 3, where (a) is a perspective view of the handle viewed obliquely from behind and obliquely above the door, and (b) is a view of the handle viewed from the side of the door. , (c) is a rear view when the handle is viewed from behind the door, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of (c). FIG. 11 is a rear view of a door having a handle formed thereon according to Embodiment 4; 1 shows the shape of a conventional handle, (a) is a perspective view of the handle when viewed obliquely from behind and obliquely above the door, (b) is a side view of the handle when viewed from the side of the door, (c) is a rear view of the handle as seen from behind the door, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of (c).

[Embodiment 1]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the external appearance of drum-type washing machine 1 according to Embodiment 1 when viewed obliquely from the front and obliquely above, FIG. indicates that the door 20 is open. In the present application, drum-type washing and drying machines capable of washing and drying and drum-type washing machines that only wash without drying are collectively referred to as a drum-type washing machine 1 .

The drum-type washing machine 1 is generally composed of a washing machine body 10 and a door 20, and the washing machine body 10 has a laundry inlet 11 on its front surface. The door 20 is provided on the front surface of the washing machine main body 10 so as to cover the laundry inlet 11. - 特許庁That is, the door 20 is provided so as to open and close the front surface of the washing machine main body 10 .

In many drum-type washing machines, the shape of the door is a round shape that matches the inlet of the washing tub. It is a rectangular full-face type door that covers almost the entire front. In the drum-type washing machine 1 using such a full-face type door, the entire front surface of the washing machine main body 10 is covered with the one-piece door 20, so the need for the door 20 to depend on the shape of the laundry inlet 11 is eliminated. The door 20 also hides the parting line that occurs when assembling a plurality of panel parts. As a result, it is possible to provide the drum-type washing machine 1 that combines design, cost reduction, and handleability.

The door 20 is generally composed of a door back member 21 , a front panel 22 and side covers 23 . That is, in the door 20, the front plate 22 is arranged on the front side of the door rear member 21, and the peripheral portion thereof is fixed by the side cover 23. As shown in FIG. As an example, the front plate 22 is a glass plate, a resin plate, or the like, and the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 are resin moldings. Specifically, the side cover 23 is a frame member having an L-shaped cross section with a side plate that covers the side surface of the door rear member 21 on each side of the door 20 and a front plate that covers the peripheral edge of the front plate 22 from the front side. The side cover 23 is fitted to the peripheral portion of the front plate 22 so as to straddle the side surfaces of the front plate 22 and the door rear member 21 . As a result, the front plate 22 is fixed so that the peripheral edge of the front plate 22 is sandwiched between the side cover 23 and the door back member 21 . Although the door back member 21 is treated as one member here, the door back member 21 may be configured by combining a plurality of panel components.

The door 20 is rotatably supported on the washing machine body 10 by two hinges 30 at one end on the left or right, and a door engaging portion 24 is provided at the other end. A door engaged portion 12 is provided on the front surface of the washing machine main body 10 at a location facing the door engaging portion 24 . That is, in the drum-type washing machine 1, the door engaging portion 24 and the door engaged portion 12 constitute a door holding mechanism, and when the door 20 is closed, the door engaging portion 24 and the door engaged portion 12 are held together. keeps the door 20 closed. It should be noted that the door holding mechanism in the drum-type washing machine 1 is not interlocked with other elements (movable handle, door open button, etc.), and when the user opens the door 20, the door 20 is held at a predetermined position or more. The hold of the door is released by pulling it with force.

The laundry inlet 11 is closed by a door 20 , more specifically by a projecting closing portion 25 provided on the door 20 . That is, a projecting closing portion 25 is provided on the rear side of the door 20 . The protruding closing part 25 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the door 20 and is configured to liquid-tightly close the laundry inlet 11 . Moreover, the projecting closing portion 25 is made of a translucent member. Therefore, when the door 20 is closed, the inside of the laundry inlet 11 (the inside of the washing tub) can be seen through the front plate 22 and the projecting closing portion 25 .

Further, on the other end side of the door 20, a handle 26 is provided for the user to put his or her hand on to apply force when opening the closed door 20. As shown in FIG. The door 20 according to Embodiment 1 is characterized by the shape of the handle 26, and the handle 26 will be described in detail below. 3A and 3B show the shape of the handle 26 according to the first embodiment, FIG. FIG. 4C is a side view of the door 20 as seen from the side, FIG. 4C is a rear view of the handle 26 as seen from the rear of the door 20, and FIG. The handle 26 is not limited to the left and right ends of the door 20, and may be provided on the upper and lower ends. It is preferable to place the handle 26 closer to the side).

The handle 26 is basically formed as a concave portion 261 that is recessed from the back surface of the door 20 to part of the side surface of the door back surface member 21 . However, only providing such a concave portion 261 results in a configuration as shown in FIG. 7, and the gap between the side cover 23 and the door back surface member 21 is exposed at the location where the handle is formed. Therefore, as described above, when the user attempts to open the door 20, an excessive force is applied to the gap, which may cause the side cover 23 to deform.

On the other hand, in the structure of the handle 26 shown in FIG. 3, the door back surface member 21 is formed with a protruding portion (handle protection portion) 262 extending laterally from the bottom surface of the recess 261 . Therefore, in the handle 26, when the door 20 is viewed from the back side, the gap between the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 is covered with the projecting portion 262, and the back side end surface 231 of the side cover 23 is not exposed. structure. In this case, when the user puts his or her hand on the handle 26 to open the door 20, the user's hand may be caught on the gap between the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 or on the back end surface 231 of the side cover 23. no. Therefore, even if the user pulls the door 20 strongly in the opening direction, the part where the user's force directly acts (indicated by diagonal hatching in the drawing) exists only in the door back member 21, and the side cover 23 is subjected to excessive force. deformation of the side cover 23 can be prevented.

In addition, in the handle 26 shown in FIG. 3 , the tip of the protruding portion 262 is configured to protrude slightly further outward than the side cover 23 . In this case, when the drum-type washing machine 1 is viewed from the front with the door 20 closed, the tip of the projecting portion 262 can be visually recognized by the user, and there is an advantage that the user can easily recognize the position of the handle 26 .

[Embodiment 2]
In Embodiment 2, a modified example of the handle 26 will be described. 4A and 4B show the shape of the handle 26 according to the second embodiment, FIG. FIG. 4C is a side view of the door 20 as seen from the side, FIG. 4C is a rear view of the handle 26 as seen from the rear of the door 20, and FIG.

In the handle 26 shown in FIG. 4, the door rear surface member 21 is formed with a concave portion 261 that is recessed from the rear surface to part of the side surface of the door 20, but the projecting portion 262 shown in FIG. 3 is not provided. Instead, a protective plate (handle protective portion) 263 is provided on the side cover 23 .

The protection plate 263 is provided corresponding to the formation location of the handle 26 , extends rearward from the rear side end surface 231 of the side cover 23 , and is formed so as to bend toward the inside of the door 20 . In the handle 26, the protection plate 263 is arranged so as to come into contact with the bottom surface of the recess 261 from the rear side.

In the handle 26 shown in FIG. 4, when the door 20 is viewed from the back side, the gap between the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 is covered with the protection plate 263, and the door back member 21 at the side portion of the door 20 is covered with the protection plate 263. and the side cover 23 are not exposed. In this case, the protective plate 263 of the side cover 23 is the portion (indicated by diagonal hatching in the drawing) on which the user's force directly acts when the user puts his or her hand on the handle 26 to open the door 20 . However, since the protective plate 263 is in contact with the bottom surface of the recess 261 from the rear side, most of the force applied to the protective plate 263 is transmitted from the protective plate 263 to the door rear surface member 21 . Therefore, even if a user strongly pulls the door 20 in the opening direction, a force for enlarging the gap between the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 is not applied, and the side cover 23 can be prevented from being deformed.

[Embodiment 3]
In the third embodiment, another modified example of the handle 26 will be described. 5A and 5B show the shape of the handle 26 according to the third embodiment, FIG. FIG. 4C is a side view of the door 20 as seen from the side, FIG. 4C is a rear view of the handle 26 as seen from the rear of the door 20, and FIG.

In the handle 26 shown in FIG. 5, the door rear surface member 21 is formed with a concave portion 261 that is recessed from the rear surface of the door 20 to a portion of the side surface, but the protrusion 262 shown in FIG. 3 is not provided. Instead, a handle cover member (handle protection portion) 27 that covers both the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 is added as a separate member.

The handle cover member 27 is a member having a substantially L-shaped cross section, which is composed of a first flat plate portion 271 and a second flat plate portion 272 . The handle cover member 27 is arranged so that the first flat plate portion 271 covers the side cover 23 from the outside, and the second flat plate portion 272 covers the concave portion 261 of the door back surface member 21 from the back side. That is, in the handle 26, the second flat plate portion 272 of the handle cover member 27 is arranged to contact the bottom surface of the recess 261 from the back side. The handle cover member 27 can be attached to the door rear surface member 21 and the side cover 23 by fitting, adhesion, screws (not shown), or the like.

In the handle 26 shown in FIG. 5, when the door 20 is viewed from the rear side, the gap between the door rear member 21 and the side cover 23 is covered by the handle cover member 27, and the rear side end surface 231 of the side cover 23 is covered with the handle cover member 27. The structure is not exposed. In this case, when the user puts his or her hand on the handle 26 to open the door 20 , the handle cover member 27 is the part where the user's force directly acts (indicated by diagonal hatching in the drawing). However, since the second flat plate portion 272 of the handle cover member 27 is in contact with the bottom surface of the recess 261 from the back side, most of the force applied to the handle cover member 27 is transferred from the second flat plate portion 272 to the door back surface member. 21. Therefore, even if the user pulls the door 20 strongly in the opening direction, excessive force is not applied to the gap between the door back member 21 and the side cover 23 or to the back side end surface 231 of the side cover 23. deformation can be prevented. Furthermore, in Embodiment 3, since the handle cover member 27 is a separate member from the side cover 23 , it is possible to prevent the force applied to the handle cover member 27 from being transmitted to the side cover 23 . Therefore, even if the user strongly pulls the door 20 in the opening direction, excessive force applied to the side cover 23 can be further suppressed, and deformation of the side cover 23 can be prevented.

In addition, in the handle 26 shown in FIG. 5, the first flat plate portion 271 is arranged further outside the side cover 23, so that when the drum-type washing machine 1 is viewed from the front with the door 20 closed, the first There is also the advantage that the one flat plate portion 271 can be visually recognized by the user, and the user can easily recognize the position of the handle 26 .

[Embodiment 4]
In Embodiment 4, still another modified example of the handle 26 will be described. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the door 20 having the handle 26 according to the fourth embodiment. The handle 26 according to the fourth embodiment has a structure similar to that of the handle 26 according to the first embodiment. However, in the handle 26 according to the first embodiment, the concave portion 261 and the projecting portion 262 are formed in the door back surface member 21, whereas in the fourth embodiment, the handle panel 28 is provided in the door 20 and the concave portion 261 is formed. and the projecting portion 262 are formed on the handle panel 28 .

As shown in FIG. 6, in the door 20 according to the fourth embodiment, a handle panel 28 (a member surrounded by a thick line in the figure) is formed by dividing a portion of the rear surface of the door 20 from the door rear surface member 21 as a separate member. ). The handle panel 28 can be attached to the door back surface member 21 by fitting, adhesion, screws (not shown), or the like.

The handle 26 (recessed portion 261 and projecting portion 262) according to the fourth embodiment is formed in the handle panel 28. However, the configuration in which the rear side end surface 231 of the side cover 23 is covered with the projecting portion 262 is implemented. It is the same as the handle 26 according to the first form. Therefore, when the user pulls the handle 26 in the opening direction to open the door 20, the user's force is transmitted from the handle panel 28 to the door back surface member 21, and excessive force is not applied to the side cover 23. Deformation of the cover 23 can be prevented. Further, in the fourth embodiment, since the handle 26 to which the user's force is applied is formed on the handle panel 28, a material different from that of the door back surface member 21 can be used. Therefore, the cost can be suppressed while only the handle panel 28 is made of high-strength material and shape. Further, since it is not necessary to form a complicated shape such as the concave portion 261 and the projecting portion 262 on the door rear surface member 21, formation of the door rear surface member 21 and securing of strength are facilitated.

The embodiments disclosed this time are exemplifications in all respects and are not grounds for restrictive interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not to be interpreted only by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the claims. In addition, all changes within the meaning and range of equivalents to the scope of claims are included.

[Description of Incorporation]
This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-145901 filed with the Japan Patent Office on August 2, 2018, and all of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-145901 The contents are incorporated into this international application by reference.

1 drum-type washing machine 10 washing machine main body 11 laundry inlet 12 door engaged portion 20 door 21 door back member 22 front plate 23 side cover 231 back side end surface 24 door engaging portion 25 projecting closing portion 26 handle 261 recess 262 Protruding part (handle protection part)
263 protection plate (handle protection part)
27 handle cover member (handle protection part)
271 First flat plate portion 272 Second flat plate portion 28 Handle panel

Claims (4)

A drum-type washing machine having a door that covers the entire front surface of the washing machine body,
The door comprises a door back member, a front plate and a side cover, and the side cover is arranged to span between the front plate and the door back member,
A side surface along one side of the door is formed with a handle having a concave portion that is recessed from the back surface of the door back surface member to a part of the side surface,
The drum-type washing machine is characterized in that the handle is provided with a handle protection portion that covers a gap between the door back surface member and the side cover when the door is viewed from the back side. machine. The drum-type washing machine according to claim 1,
The drum-type washing machine, wherein the handle protection part is a protruding part provided on the door back surface member corresponding to the position where the handle is formed and extending laterally from the bottom surface of the recess. The drum-type washing machine according to claim 1,
The handle protection part is provided on the side cover corresponding to the position where the handle is formed, extends rearward from the rear side end surface of the side cover, and is formed so as to be bent toward the inside of the door. A drum-type washing machine characterized by The drum-type washing machine according to claim 1,
The handle protection portion is a member having a substantially L-shaped cross section composed of a first flat plate portion and a second flat plate portion, and is provided as a separate member from the door rear surface member and the side cover. A drum-type washing machine, wherein the first flat plate portion covers the side cover from the outside, and the second flat plate portion is arranged to cover the concave portion of the door back surface member from the back side.

Images