JP7205759B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a washer for washing an object to be washed by injecting liquid.

Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, nozzle arms (18 to 21) are rotatably provided in a washing chamber (2), and water is jetted from the nozzle arms (18 to 21) to the object to be washed. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a washing device for washing an object to be washed. A water tank (8) is provided at the bottom of the washing chamber (2), and a filter (9) is provided on the upper surface of the water tank (8). A heater (32) is provided at the bottom of the washing chamber (2) to heat the collected water.

Similarly, in Patent Document 2 below, a spray nozzle (7) is rotatably provided in a washing tank (1), and water is sprayed from the spray nozzle (7) onto the object to be washed, thereby washing the object to be washed. A purifier is disclosed. In this washing machine, a water storage section (2) is provided in the lower part of a washing tank (1), and a filter (3) is placed in the upper opening of the water storage section (2) so as to cover the upper opening of the water storage section (2). installed. A heater (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the washing tank (1) to heat the collected water.

JP-A-10-180215 (paragraphs [0014]-[0019], FIG. 1) JP 2014-124241 A (claim 1, paragraphs [0022], [0026], [0037], [0038], FIG. 2)

In the invention described in Patent Document 1, a liquid reservoir (water reservoir 8) is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank (washing chamber 2), and a strainer (filter 9) is provided at the upper opening of the liquid reservoir. As is clear from the installation position of the heater (32), water is circulated above the upper opening edge of the liquid reservoir, that is, in a state in which the water is reserved over the entire bottom of the cleaning tank.

In the invention described in Patent Document 2, similarly, a liquid reservoir (water reservoir 2) is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank (1), and a strainer (filter 3) is provided at the upper opening of the liquid reservoir. Then, water is circulated above the strainer (above the upper edge of the opening of the liquid reservoir), that is, in a state where water is stored in the entire bottom of the cleaning tank.

As described above, in each of the conventional techniques, a strainer is provided at the upper opening of the liquid reservoir, and the liquid level is arranged above the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir, and water is circulated. Considering the installation position of the heater, it is necessary to store water in the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank during operation.

However, in such a configuration, more liquid is required than when the liquid level is placed in the liquid reservoir and circulated. Specifically, first, as a premise, there is usually a circulation port (suction port) to the circulation pump at the bottom of the liquid reservoir. Air trapping in the circulation pump can be prevented. Since the liquid reservoir has a smaller cross-sectional area than the cleaning tank, the height of the liquid reservoir should be adjusted rather than filling the entire bottom of the cleaning tank (beyond the top opening edge of the liquid reservoir). By accumulating water in the liquid reservoir, the liquid level can be secured with a small amount of water, and air entrainment can be prevented. In the prior art, since water is stored above the upper edge of the opening of the liquid reservoir, that is, up to the entire bottom of the cleaning tank, a relatively large amount of water is required to maintain the liquid level.

Further, in the conventional technology, since water is stored in the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank, the entire amount of the sprayed liquid from the cleaning nozzle falls directly onto the liquid surface, and air bubbles are likely to occur in the stored liquid. Then, the circulation pump sucks the air bubbles, which tends to cause air leakage. In order to reduce the number of air bubbles sucked into the circulation pump by raising the liquid level, it is necessary to secure a large amount of retained water in the washer (amount of water supplied for circulation). If it is possible to reduce the amount of water stored in the washer while preventing air entrainment, it is possible not only to reduce the amount of water supply, but also to reduce the amount of chemical solution when adding chemical solution to the water supply, and to heat the water supply. Heating amount (used energy) can also be reduced in the case of hot water.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles in the liquid reservoir, prevent the air from being trapped in the pump, and reduce the amount of water, chemical liquid, etc. used, with a simple structure. To provide a washing machine.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and the invention according to claim 1 is a cleaning tank containing an object to be cleaned and having a liquid storage part provided at the bottom via an inclined surface, A strainer provided in the liquid reservoir, and a pump for sucking the liquid in the liquid reservoir from below the strainer, the strainer being held in the vertical middle part of the liquid reservoir to operate the pump. In the middle, the liquid level in the liquid reservoir is below the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir and at a position where the strainer is submerged , and the pump moves the liquid in the liquid reservoir to the washing tank. a flow rate of the liquid supplied to the cleaning nozzle inside the liquid storage section and supplied from the liquid storage section to the cleaning nozzle can be changed; The higher the rotation speed of the pump, the larger the amount of liquid stored in the liquid storage part, and the lower the rotation speed of the pump, the smaller the amount of liquid stored in the liquid storage part, and the smaller the storage amount. The liquid level during operation of the pump is higher than the strainer, and even when the storage volume is the largest, the liquid level during operation of the pump is higher than the upper end opening edge of the liquid storage portion. The cleaning tank and the liquid storage part are separated by a partition member composed of a mesh material or a perforated plate, and the mesh of the strainer is finer than that of the partition member. It is a washing machine characterized by

According to the first aspect of the invention, the liquid level during operation of the pump is set at a position where the strainer is submerged . If the liquid level were to be placed below the strainer, water would fall from the strainer to the liquid surface, causing air bubbles to form in the pooled liquid. By submerging the strainer, it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles and prevent the air from being trapped in the pump. In addition, the strainer is held in the middle of the liquid reservoir in the vertical direction, and the liquid level during operation of the pump is set below the upper edge of the liquid reservoir. In other words, compared to the case where the liquid level is arranged in the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank, the liquid level can be secured with a small amount of liquid, and air entrapment in the pump can be prevented. In other words, since the liquid reservoir has a smaller cross-sectional area than the cleaning tank, it is better to store the liquid in the liquid reservoir (by adjusting the height of the liquid reservoir) rather than to fill the entire bottom of the cleaning tank. However, it is possible to secure the liquid level with a small amount of liquid and prevent air entrapment at the pump. In this way, with a simple configuration, it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles in the liquid reservoir, prevent air from being trapped in the pump, and reduce the amount of liquid (water, chemical, etc.) used.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the liquid level during operation of the pump is set to a position within the liquid reservoir and at a position where the strainer is submerged, thereby suppressing the generation of air bubbles in the liquid reservoir with a small amount of liquid. be able to. As a result, air entrapment in the pump can be prevented, and the amount of liquid used can be reduced.

According to the first aspect of the invention, by changing the flow rate of the liquid supplied from the liquid reservoir to the cleaning nozzle, the injection flow rate from the cleaning nozzle can be changed. Therefore, for example, it is possible to change the injection flow rate from the washing nozzle according to the object to be washed (especially the degree of contamination thereof). The amount of liquid stored in the liquid reservoir is changed according to the change in the flow rate from the liquid reservoir to the washing nozzle. is also referred to as Kamigata. Therefore, unlike the case where the liquid level is arranged at a distance below the strainer, there is no water falling from the strainer to the liquid surface, and the generation of air bubbles can be suppressed to prevent air entrapment in the pump. . On the other hand, even when the amount of storage is the largest, the liquid level during operation of the pump is below the upper edge of the opening of the liquid storage portion. Therefore, the amount of liquid used can be reduced compared to the case where the liquid is stored in the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank beyond the upper end opening edge of the liquid storage portion. In addition, if the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank is filled with the liquid, not only the liquid reservoir but also the entire amount of the sprayed liquid from the cleaning nozzle falls directly on the liquid surface, resulting in the generation of air bubbles on the liquid surface. However, by arranging the liquid level below the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir, it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles and prevent air entrainment in the pump.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, foreign matter can be reliably removed by the partition member and the strainer. Also, even if water falls on the liquid surface in the liquid reservoir from the partition member, the strainer placed in the liquid can suppress the generation of air bubbles and prevent the pump from being trapped by the air.

According to the cleaning device of the present invention, with a simple structure, it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles in the liquid reservoir, prevent air from being trapped in the pump, and reduce the amount of water, chemicals, and the like used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic view, partially in cross-section, of a cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the washing machine of FIG. 1 as seen from the front; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a comparative example with respect to FIG. 2;

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a washer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, partly in section. Moreover, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the lower part of the cleaner 1 of FIG. 1, omitting a part of the structure.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 is the left-right direction of the washer 1, the vertical direction in FIG. side forward).

The cleaning device 1 of this embodiment includes a cleaning tank 2 containing an object to be cleaned, a liquid reservoir 3 provided in the lower part of the cleaning tank 2, a strainer 4 provided in the liquid reservoir 3, and a washing nozzle 5 for injecting liquid to the object to be washed, water supply means 6 to the liquid reservoir 3, drainage means 7 from the liquid reservoir 3, chemical liquid supply means 8 to the liquid reservoir 3, liquid reservoir Circulation means 9 for supplying the liquid in the part 3 to the washing nozzle 5, heating means 10 for heating the liquid in the liquid storage part 3, and control means (not shown) for controlling these means 6 to 10 are provided. .

The object to be washed is not particularly limited, but is, for example, a medical instrument such as forceps. Cleaning nozzles 5 are provided in a plurality of vertical stages in the cleaning tank 2 , and an object to be cleaned is arranged between the upper and lower cleaning nozzles 5 . At that time, the objects to be cleaned are placed on a grid-like or net-like shelf (not shown). Also, the items to be washed may be housed in a basket or the like, if desired.

The cleaning tank 2 is a hollow container in which objects to be cleaned are accommodated. The cleaning tank 2 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular hollow box in this embodiment. The cleaning tank 2 can be opened and closed by a door (not shown). By opening the door, the object to be cleaned can be taken in and out of the cleaning tank 2. - 特許庁The door is provided on the front surface of the cleaning tank 2, but may be provided on both the front and rear surfaces of the cleaning tank 2. FIG.

In the lower portion of the cleaning tank 2, a liquid reservoir 3 is provided in the central portion in plan view, and an inclined surface 2a is provided around the liquid reservoir 3. As shown in FIG. At this time, the inclined surface 2 a is formed so as to be inclined downward as it approaches the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 . More specifically, in the lower portion of the cleaning tank 2, inclined surfaces 2a are provided at both the left and right ends thereof, and slope surfaces 2a which incline downward toward the inside in the left and right direction. There is provided an inclined surface 2a that inclines to . A liquid reservoir 3 is provided at the central portion in the horizontal direction and the central portion in the front-rear direction of the cleaning tank 2 so as to be recessed downward in a substantially rectangular shape.

It is preferable that the cleaning tank 2 and the liquid reservoir 3 are separated by a partition member 11 composed of a mesh material or a perforated plate. For example, the cleaning tank 2 and the liquid reservoir 3 are partitioned by a partition member 11 made of wire mesh or punching metal. In the illustrated example, the partition member 11 is provided at the height of the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 , but if it is below the cleaning nozzle 5 at the lowest stage, it is positioned above the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 . may be provided.

The strainer 4 is provided inside the liquid reservoir 3 so as to partition the liquid reservoir 3 vertically. As will be described later, it is preferable that the liquid level during the operation of the circulation pump 12 (at a steady state) is below the upper opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 and at a position where the strainer 4 is submerged. If the strainer 4 is provided at the upper end of the washing tank 3, it is necessary to store the liquid beyond the upper opening edge of the liquid storing section 3 (that is, the entire bottom of the cleaning tank 2) in order to submerge the strainer 4 in water. On the other hand, if the strainer 4 is provided at the lower end of the liquid reservoir 3, pressure loss during suction by the circulation pump 12 will increase. Therefore, in this embodiment, the strainer 4 is provided in the middle of the liquid reservoir 3 in the vertical direction. The liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is such that at least a portion of the strainer 4 is submerged (preferably, the entire strainer is submerged).

The strainer 4 is configured using a mesh-like or perforated plate-like member. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a wire mesh or punching metal having a substantially rectangular plate shape is folded in a triangular wave shape in a zigzag shape when viewed from the front. The wire mesh or the like bent in zigzags is fitted into a substantially rectangular frame (not shown) without gaps, and the frame is held horizontally within the liquid reservoir 3 . At that time, the strainer 4 is held in the vertical middle portion of the liquid reservoir 3 so as to partition the liquid reservoir 3 vertically.

The mesh of the strainer 4 is preferably finer than that of the partition member 11. - 特許庁Further, when the circulation means 9 is operated after the liquid is stored in the liquid storage part 3 to the set liquid level, the liquid level in the liquid storage part 3 drops. At least a part (lower end) of 4 is immersed in the reservoir liquid. Preferably, the entire strainer 4 is submerged in the reservoir liquid. That is, the liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is set to a position where at least a portion of the strainer 4 is submerged, and preferably, as shown in the drawing, the entire strainer 4 is submerged. Moreover, the liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is below the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 . In order to achieve such a liquid level, the amount of liquid stored in the liquid storage section 3, the installation position of the strainer 4 with respect to the liquid storage section 3, the rotational speed of the circulation pump 12, and the like are set.

The cleaning nozzle 5 injects liquid onto the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank 2 . The cleaning nozzles 5 are provided in a plurality of vertical stages in the cleaning tank 2 . In this embodiment, the base ends of arm-shaped support members 13 are held on one side of the central portion of the cleaning tank 2 in the front-rear direction in a plurality of vertical stages. Extends from the center toward the center in the left-right direction. A central portion in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning nozzle 5 is held at the extending tip portion so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis.

The washing nozzle 5 is formed with a plurality of injection ports (not shown) for injecting the liquid supplied through the support member 13 . When the liquid is supplied into the cleaning nozzle 5 via the support member 13 , the liquid is jetted from the jetting port of the cleaning nozzle 5 . This jet rotates the cleaning nozzle 5 in the horizontal direction. The cleaning nozzle 5 provided at the upper end of the cleaning tank 2 jets the liquid only downward, and the cleaning nozzle 5 provided at the lower end of the cleaning tank 2 jets the liquid only upward. The cleaning nozzles 5 other than the part eject the liquid both upward and downward.

By the way, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. In the illustrated example, the washing nozzles 5 provided at the upper and lower ends are provided in the washing tank 2 itself, and the other washing nozzles 5 are provided in the washing rack 14 . A water distribution member 15 is provided on one side of the washing rack 14. Support members 13 are provided on the water distribution member 15 in a plurality of vertical stages, and the washing nozzle 5 is rotatably held by each support member 13. . Further, the washing rack 14 is provided with racks (not shown) for placing objects to be washed above the washing nozzles 5 and below the washing rack 14 . When the washing rack 14 is stored in the washing tank 2 , the piping from the circulation pump 12 is connected to the water distribution member 15 .

The water supply means 6 supplies water to the liquid reservoir 3 through the water supply path 16 . A water supply valve 17 is provided in the water supply path 16 . Water can be supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 by opening the water supply valve 17 . In the illustrated example, by connecting the water supply channel 16 to the cleaning tank 2, water is supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 through the cleaning tank 2. By connecting the water supply channel 16 to the liquid reservoir 3, water supply may be supplied directly to the liquid reservoir 3 . The water supply unit 6 may be configured to be able to supply water selected from a plurality of types of water (for example, tap water, warm water, membrane filtered water, soft water, etc.).

The drain means 7 drains water from the liquid reservoir 3 through the drain channel 18 . A drain valve 19 is provided in the drain channel 18 . By opening the drain valve 19, the cleaning tank 2 and the liquid reservoir 3 can be drained.

The chemical liquid supply means 8 supplies the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid tank 20 to the liquid reservoir 3 through the liquid supply channel 21 . A chemical pump 22 is provided in the liquid supply path 21 . By operating the chemical liquid pump 22 , a set amount of chemical liquid can be supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 . In the illustrated example, the liquid chemical is directly supplied to the liquid storage section 3 by connecting the liquid supply path 21 to the liquid storage section 3, but by connecting the liquid supply path 21 to the cleaning tank 2, the chemical liquid is washed. It may be supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 via the tank 2 . The chemical solution supply means 8 may be configured to be able to supply a chemical solution selected from a plurality of types of chemical solutions (eg, alkaline detergent, enzyme-blended detergent, lubricating rust inhibitor, drying accelerator, etc.).

The circulation means 9 circulates and supplies the liquid in the liquid reservoir 3 to the cleaning nozzle 5 . Specifically, the circulation means 9 includes a circulation pipe 23 and a circulation pump 12 . The circulation pipe 23 is a pipe from the liquid reservoir 3 to the support member 13 of each washing nozzle 5, and the circulation pump 12 is provided in the middle of the pipe. In the illustrated example, the pipe from the liquid reservoir 3 to the circulation pump 12 in the circulation pipe 23 is shared with the drainage channel 18 on the upstream side. A check valve 24 is provided on the outlet side of the circulation pump 12 in the circulation pipe 23 . When the circulation pump 12 is actuated, the liquid in the liquid reservoir 3 is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 5 via the circulation pipe 23 and the support member 13 to be sprayed and returned to the liquid reservoir 3 below the cleaning tank 2 . can.

The heating means 10 is composed of a heater 25 provided in the liquid reservoir 3 in this embodiment. The heater 25 is an electric heater in the illustrated example, but may be a steam heater in some cases. Electric heaters are typically on/off controlled, but the output may be adjusted in some cases. On the other hand, in the case of a steam heater, steam can be supplied into the steam pipe, and the condensed water of the steam is discharged to the outside through the steam trap. Then, the opening/closing or opening degree of the steam supply valve provided in the steam supply path is controlled. In any case, the heat generating portion of the heater 25 is preferably provided in the liquid reservoir 3 below the strainer 4 .

The liquid reservoir 3 is provided with a liquid level detector 26 for detecting the liquid level of the reservoir liquid. The liquid level detector 26 is not particularly limited in its configuration, but is composed of, for example, a pressure sensor installed at the bottom of the liquid reservoir 3 . In this case, the liquid level is grasped using the fact that the water pressure changes according to the liquid level in the liquid reservoir 3 and the cleaning tank 2 .

The liquid reservoir 3 is provided with a temperature sensor 27 for detecting the temperature of the reservoir liquid. By controlling the heater 25 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 27, the temperature of the liquid stored in the liquid storage section 3 can be adjusted.

In addition, the cleaner 1 is provided with an ultrasonic transducer 28 as desired. In the illustrated example, ultrasonic vibrators 28 are provided on the left and right inclined surfaces 2a at the bottom of the cleaning tank 2, respectively. The ultrasonic transducer 28 is connected to an ultrasonic oscillator (not shown) to control oscillation. By operating the ultrasonic vibrator 28 while the object to be cleaned is immersed, the object to be cleaned can be ultrasonically cleaned.

The control means is a controller (not shown) connected to the liquid level detector 26, the temperature sensor 27, etc., in addition to the means 6 to 10 described above. Specifically, the water supply valve 17, the drain valve 19, the chemical pump 22, the circulation pump 12, the heater 25, the ultrasonic oscillator (not shown), the liquid level detector 26, the temperature sensor 27, etc. are connected to the controller. there is Then, the controller attempts to wash the objects to be washed in the washing tank 2 according to a predetermined procedure (program). At this time, at least the shower cleaning operation described below can be executed.

In the shower cleaning operation, the liquid is stored in the liquid storage part 3, the liquid is circulated and supplied to the cleaning nozzle 5 by the circulation means 9, and is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 5 onto the object to be cleaned. Specifically, first, water is supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 by the water supply means 6 until the liquid level detector 26 detects the set water level. Since the water level drops when the circulation pump 12 is operated later, the set water level at the time of initial water supply may be above the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 . Even in that case, the water level during the operation of the circulation pump 12 will remain within the liquid reservoir 3 .

After water is supplied to the liquid reservoir 3, a desired liquid chemical is introduced into the liquid reservoir 3 by the liquid chemical supply means 8 as required. The chemical solution supplied by the chemical solution supply means 8 is added in a set amount to the water supply by the water supply means 6 so as to achieve a set concentration. Further, if necessary, the heating means 10 heats the water stored in the liquid storage section 3 to the set temperature. The injection of the chemical liquid and the heating of the stored water may be performed not only before the operation of the circulation means 9 but also during the operation of the circulation means 9 .

In any case, in a state in which a desired amount of liquid is stored in the liquid storage section 3, the circulation pump 12 is operated to supply the stored liquid to the washing nozzle 5 via the circulation pipe 23 and the support member 13 and to inject it. , wash the object to be washed. The liquid jetted from the cleaning nozzle 5 is returned to the liquid reservoir 3 below the cleaning tank 2 . At that time, most of the liquid jetted from the cleaning nozzle 5 falls onto the inclined surface 2a and flows into the liquid reservoir 3 via the inclined surface 2a. When a predetermined termination condition (for example, a set time has elapsed) is satisfied, the circulation pump 12 is stopped and the liquid in the liquid reservoir 3 is drained by the drain means 7 .

Typically, such shower cleaning operations are repeated to clean and rinse the items to be cleaned. For example, pre-cleaning with normal temperature water without chemicals, main cleaning with warm water with chemicals added if desired (typically multiple times), rinsing with warm water with chemicals added if desired (typically multiple times), etc. are performed sequentially.

Next, the effects of the strainer 4 of the washer 1 of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a comparative example with respect to FIG. 2, and shows a case where the strainer 4 is arranged above the liquid surface in the shower cleaning operation. In this figure, a strainer 4 is provided at the upper end of the liquid reservoir 3, and the liquid level is below the strainer 4 while the circulation pump 12 is in operation. In this case, the liquid flowing from the cleaning tank 2 into the liquid storage section 3 falls to the liquid surface in the liquid storage section 3 via the strainer 4 . As a result, water falling from the strainer 4 to the liquid surface tends to generate air bubbles in the stored liquid, which causes air entrapment in the circulation pump 12 . In order to secure the distance between the liquid surface of the liquid reservoir 3 and the circulation port 3a (the connection port to the circulation pump 12) and prevent air entrainment in the circulation pump 12, the amount of water stored in the liquid reservoir 3, As a result, it is necessary to secure a relatively large amount of water in the washer 1, but it is not possible to reduce the amount of water supply and chemical solution, and the amount of heating (energy used) by the heater 25 cannot be reduced. Moreover, it is not possible to shorten the operation time by shortening the heating time of the heater 25 .

On the other hand, according to the washer 1 of the present embodiment, at least part (preferably all) of the strainer 4 is placed in the liquid stored in the liquid storage section 3 during the shower cleaning operation, as shown in FIG. be. That is, the liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is at a position where at least a portion of the strainer 4 is submerged (preferably, the entirety is submerged). In this case, the liquid that has flowed into the liquid reservoir 3 from the cleaning tank 2 is sucked into the circulation pump 12 after bubbles are removed when passing through the strainer 4 placed in the liquid. Therefore, air entrainment in the circulation pump 12 can be prevented, and the amount of water retained in the washer 1 can be reduced. That is, the amount of water supply and the amount of chemical solution can be reduced, and the amount of heating (energy used) by the heater 25 can also be reduced. Also, the heating time by the heater 25 can be shortened to shorten the operation time.

Moreover, the strainer 4 is held in the middle of the liquid reservoir 3 in the vertical direction, and the liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is below the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 . To prevent air entrainment in the circulation pump 12 by securing the liquid level with a small amount of liquid compared to the case where the liquid level is arranged above the opening edge (that is, the entire bottom part in the cleaning tank 2). can be done. That is, since the liquid reservoir 3 has a smaller cross-sectional area than the cleaning tank 2, rather than filling the entire bottom of the cleaning tank 2 with the liquid, the liquid reservoir 3 (by adjusting the height of the liquid reservoir 3) By storing the liquid in the circulating pump 12, it is possible to secure the liquid level with a small amount of liquid (securing the distance between the liquid surface and the circulation port 3a) and prevent the circulation pump 12 from being trapped by the air. In this way, with a simple configuration, it is possible to suppress the generation of air bubbles in the liquid reservoir 3, prevent air from being trapped in the circulation pump 12, and reduce the amount of liquid (water, chemical liquid, etc.) used. can.

By the way, in the shower cleaning operation, the flow rate of the liquid supplied from the liquid reservoir 3 to the cleaning nozzle 5 may be changed. For example, by changing the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12 using an inverter, the circulation flow rate is changed. As a result, the injection flow rate from the washing nozzle 5 can be changed according to the object to be washed (especially the degree of contamination thereof). The change in the circulation flow rate is set in two steps, three steps, more steps, or steplessly using a setting device connected to the controller before the start of operation. For example, it is possible to switch between two stages, a powerful operation in which the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12 is a predetermined rotation speed (maximum circulation amount) and an energy-saving operation in which the rotation speed is lowered.

The controller preferably changes the amount of water stored in the liquid reservoir 3 by the water supply means 6 in accordance with the change in the circulation flow rate. The higher the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12, the larger the amount of water stored in the liquid reservoir 3 (the amount of water retained in the washer 1), and the lower the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12, the smaller the amount of water stored in the liquid reservoir 3. can be done.

However, even when the amount of storage is the smallest, the liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is above the lower end of the strainer 4 (preferably at a position where the strainer 4 is submerged). Therefore, unlike the case where the liquid level is arranged at a distance below the lower end of the strainer 4, there is no water falling from the strainer 4 to the liquid surface, and the generation of air bubbles is suppressed, and the air in the circulation pump 12 is released. It is possible to prevent

On the other hand, even when the amount of storage is the largest, the liquid level during operation of the circulation pump 12 is below the upper edge of the opening of the liquid storage section 3 . Therefore, the amount of liquid used can be reduced compared to the case where the liquid is stored in the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank 2 beyond the upper end opening edge of the liquid storage section 3 . Further, if the liquid is stored not only in the liquid reservoir 3 but also in the entire bottom portion of the cleaning tank 2, the entire amount of the liquid sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 5 will drop directly to the liquid surface. Air bubbles are likely to be generated, but by arranging the liquid level below the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3, the generation of air bubbles can be suppressed and air entrapment in the circulation pump 12 can be prevented.

The cleaning device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate. In particular, (a) a cleaning tank 2 containing an object to be cleaned and having a liquid reservoir 3 provided at its lower portion via an inclined surface 2a, a strainer 4 provided in the liquid reservoir 3, and (b) the strainer 4 is held in the middle of the liquid reservoir 3 in the vertical direction; As long as the liquid level inside is below the upper edge of the opening of the liquid reservoir 3 and at a position where at least a portion of the strainer 4 is immersed, other configurations can be changed as appropriate.

For example, the planar shape of the cleaning tank 2 with the liquid reservoir 3 is not limited to a substantially rectangular shape, and may be a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a polygonal shape other than a rectangular shape. Also in this case, the inclined surface 2a at the lower part of the cleaning tank 2 is preferably formed so as to be inclined downward as it approaches the upper end opening edge of the liquid reservoir 3 .

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an air blower may be further provided so as to be able to dry the object to be washed after washing. In this case, the wet object to be washed after washing is dried by hot air supplied into the washing tank 2 .

1 washing machine 2 washing tank (2a: inclined plane)
3 liquid reservoir (3a: circulation port)
4 strainer 5 washing nozzle 6 water supply means 7 drainage means 8 chemical supply means 9 circulation means 10 heating means 11 partition member 12 circulation pump 13 support member 14 washing rack 15 water distribution member 16 water supply channel 17 water supply valve 18 drainage channel 19 drainage valve 20 chemical solution Tank 21 Liquid supply path 22 Chemical liquid pump 23 Circulation pipe 24 Check valve 25 Heater 26 Liquid level detector 27 Temperature sensor 28 Ultrasonic transducer

Claims (1)

A washing tank containing an object to be washed and provided with a liquid reservoir via an inclined surface at the bottom, a strainer provided in the liquid reservoir, and a pump sucking the liquid in the liquid reservoir from below the strainer. and
The strainer is held at a vertical middle portion of the liquid reservoir,
During operation of the pump, the liquid level in the liquid reservoir is below the upper opening edge of the liquid reservoir and at a position where the strainer is submerged ;
The pump supplies the liquid in the liquid reservoir to the cleaning nozzle in the cleaning tank,
a flow rate of the liquid supplied from the liquid reservoir to the cleaning nozzle can be changed,
The amount of liquid stored in the liquid storage section is changed according to the change in the flow rate,
The higher the rotation speed of the pump, the greater the amount of liquid stored in the liquid storage portion, and the lower the rotation speed of the pump, the smaller the amount of liquid stored in the liquid storage portion,
the liquid level during operation of the pump is above the strainer even when the storage volume is at its lowest;
Even when the storage amount is the largest, the liquid level during operation of the pump is below the upper opening edge of the liquid storage portion,
The cleaning tank and the liquid reservoir are partitioned by a partition made of a mesh material or a perforated plate,
The mesh size of the strainer is finer than that of the partition material.
A washer characterized by:

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