JP7526663B2 - washing machine - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a washing machine.

In recent years, to improve user convenience, washing machines have been developed that are equipped with an automatic dispenser that stores multiple loads of laundry treatment agent in a tank for automatic dispensing and automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank during each wash run. In such cases, it is more convenient for the user to have a larger tank volume, since this reduces the number of times the user needs to refill the treatment agent. When the tank volume is increased, the overall volume of the washing machine tends to increase. In addition, such washing machines may be equipped with a dispenser that manually dispenses the required amount of treatment agent during each wash run, allowing the user to select the treatment agent according to their preferences and the type of clothing. If the dispenser is too small, it becomes difficult for the user to dispense the treatment agent.

On the other hand, due to recent housing conditions, there is a demand for smaller washing machines that can be installed in limited spaces. In order to make washing machines smaller, it is necessary to make at least one or both of the tank for automatic loading and the loading section for manual loading smaller.

JP 2018-011618 A

Therefore, we provide a washing machine that increases the volume of the treatment agent tank for automatic dispensing without affecting the overall size of the washing machine, while taking into consideration the convenience of the user when manually dispensing.

A washing machine according to an embodiment includes a water tub, a treatment agent case that receives and stores therein a treatment agent used in one washing operation that is input by a user to be supplied to the water tub, an automatic input device that automatically inputs a predetermined amount of treatment agent into the water tub, a treatment agent tank that constitutes a part of the automatic input device and is capable of storing the treatment agent for multiple washing operations, and a storage unit that can alternatively store both the treatment agent case or the treatment agent tank. When either the treatment agent case or the treatment agent tank is stored in the storage unit, the other is not stored in the storage unit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an appearance of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an internal configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a washing machine according to a first embodiment, showing a case in which a treatment agent tank is accommodated in an accommodation section, as viewed obliquely from above; FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a washing machine according to a first embodiment, showing a case in which a treatment agent case is accommodated in an accommodation section, as viewed obliquely from above; FIG. 1 is a top view showing a schematic diagram of an injection mechanism when a treatment agent case is housed in a housing part of a washing machine according to a first embodiment, with a housing part cover removed; FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of an injection mechanism when a treatment agent tank is housed in a housing part with a housing part cover removed in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the washing machine according to the first embodiment, showing a dispenser mechanism when the treatment agent tank is accommodated in the accommodation section, taken along line x8-x8 in FIG. 7, with the accommodation section cover removed. FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line x9-x9 in FIG. 6 showing an example of a storage section when a treatment agent case is stored in the washing machine according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; 1 is a chart showing the opening and closing control of the first water supply valve and the second water supply valve by the control unit during a period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from an external water source in the washing machine according to the first embodiment. 11 is a chart showing the opening and closing control of the first and second water supply valves by the control unit during a period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from an external water source in the washing machine according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a washing machine according to a third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view (corresponding to FIG. 9 ) showing an example of a storage section when a treatment agent case is stored in a washing machine according to a third embodiment. A flowchart showing an example of control content regarding the injection of a treatment agent executed by a control device in a washing machine according to a third embodiment. A flowchart showing an example of control content regarding the injection of a treatment agent executed by a control device in a washing machine according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view (corresponding to FIG. 9 ) showing an example of a storage section when a treatment agent case is stored in the washing machine according to the fifth embodiment.

Washing machines according to several embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each embodiment and its modified examples can be applied to both the horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum washing machine shown in FIG. 1 and the vertical-axis washing machine not shown. Elements that are substantially the same in each embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described.

First Embodiment
The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12. As shown in Figs. 1 to 2, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tank 12, a rotating tank 13, a control device 14, a rotating tank motor 15, a drainage mechanism 16, an operation panel 17, a water supply mechanism 20, and an input mechanism 30. The input mechanism 30 includes a storage section 31, an automatic input device 32, and a treatment agent case 50, which will be described in detail later. The automatic input device 32, which automatically inputs the treatment agent, includes a treatment agent tank 40 that can store a treatment agent for multiple washing operations. The treatment agent case 50 receives and stores the treatment agent when the user manually inputs the treatment agent. The storage section 31 can alternatively store either the treatment agent tank 40 or the treatment agent case 50.

In FIG. 1, the side of the installation surface of the washing machine 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 is a drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub 13 is horizontal or inclined axis, which is inclined downward toward the rear.

The washing machine 10 may or may not have a drying function, for example, a heat pump type or a heater type. The water tub 12 is disposed within the outer case 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotating tub 13 is disposed rotatably within the water tub 12. In this case, the water tub 12 and the rotating tub 13 function as a washing tub that holds laundry.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 14 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having, for example, a CPU 141 and a memory area 142 such as a ROM, a RAM, and a rewritable flash memory, and controls the entire washing machine 10. In this embodiment, the control device 14 controls the driving of the rotating tub motor 15, the drain mechanism 16, the operation panel 17, the water supply mechanism 20, and the automatic input device 32. The rotating tub motor 15 is provided outside the water tub 12 and connected to the rotating tub 13. The rotating tub motor 15 is also electrically connected to the control device 14, and is driven based on a control signal from the control device 14 to rotate the rotating tub 13.

The drain mechanism 16 shown in FIG. 2 has a function of draining water stored in the water tub 12 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain mechanism 16 has a drain path 161 and a drain valve 162. The drain path 161 is, for example, a flexible drain hose, one end of which is connected to the drain valve 162 and the other end of which is pulled out to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain valve 162 is, for example, an opening and closing valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. The drain valve 162 is provided between the drain outlet 121 provided at the bottom of the water tub 12 and the drain path 161. The drain valve 162 is electrically connected to the control device 14 and opens and closes the drain path 161 based on a control signal from the control device 14.

The operation panel 17 is provided on the front part of the top surface of the outer box 11 and is electrically connected to the control device 14. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 17 is provided with a power switch, a start key, and various operation keys for the user to set the washing operation course, etc. When performing a washing operation, the user can use the operation panel 17 to select whether to use a treatment agent automatically dispensed by the automatic dispenser 32 or to use a single dose of treatment agent manually dispensed using the treatment agent case 50. In this embodiment, the treatment agent includes detergent, fabric softener, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water supply mechanism 20 is provided, for example, in the upper left rear part of the water tank 12 inside the outer casing 11. The water supply mechanism 20 receives water from an external water supply source, such as a water tap, and supplies water to the water tank 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the water supply mechanism 20 has a water supply port 21, a first water supply path 22, a second water supply path 23, a supply section 24, a first water supply valve 25, a second water supply valve 26, and a junction section 27. The water supply port 21 is provided so as to be exposed at the left rear part on the top surface of the outer casing 11. The water supply port 21 is connected to an external water source, such as a water faucet, via a hose, for example.

The water supply paths 22, 23 shown in Figures 2, 6 to 8 are paths that connect the water supply port 21 to the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13. The first water supply path 22 connects the water supply port 21, the storage section 31, the treatment agent case 50, the water tank 12, and the rotating tank 13. In other words, when the treatment agent case 50 is stored in the storage section 31, the first water supply path 22 has the function of supplying the treatment agent manually added by the user to the treatment agent case 50 to the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13.

The second water supply path 23 connects the water supply port 21, the water supply valve 25, the supply unit 24, the water tank 12, and the rotating tank 13. The second water supply path 23 has the function of supplying the treatment agent discharged by the automatic dosing device 32 to the supply unit 24 to the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13. In other words, the second water supply path 23 connects an external water source to the water tank 12, and when the treatment agent tank 40 is contained in the storage unit 31, it supplies the treatment agent discharged from the automatic dosing device 32 outside the storage unit 31 to the water tank 12.

The supply unit 24 is provided downstream of the water supply port 21 and the second water supply valve 26 in the second water supply path 23 and upstream of the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13, and is a part where the treatment agent is supplied to the second water supply path 23 by the automatic dosing device 32. The supply unit 24 is provided outside the storage unit 31.

The water supply valves 25, 26 are on-off valves for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. The first water supply valve 25 is provided between the water supply port 21 and the first water supply path 22. The second water supply valve 26 is provided between the water supply port 21 and the second water supply path 23. The first water supply valve 25 and the second water supply valve 26 are electrically connected to the control device 14, and open and close the first water supply path 22 or the second water supply path 23, respectively, based on a control signal from the control device 14.

The junction 27 is a portion where the first water supply path 22 and the second water supply path 23 join together. The junction 27 is provided in the second water supply path 23 downstream of the water supply valve 26 and the supply unit 24 and upstream of the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13. The junction 27 is also provided in the first water supply path 22 downstream of the water supply valve 25 and the treatment agent case 50 and upstream of the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13. In this embodiment, the junction 27 is provided inside the storage unit 31 and downstream of the treatment agent case 50. The junction 27 has a junction connection port 28. The junction connection port 28 forms an inlet to the junction 27 of the second water supply path 23.

In another embodiment, the first water supply path 22 and the second water supply path 23 may be configured to merge outside the storage section 31. In this case, in order to prevent the outer periphery of the treatment agent tank 40 from being soiled, it is preferable that the merging section 27 is provided downstream of the storage section 31. In yet another embodiment, the first water supply path 22 and the second water supply path 23 may be configured to be independent and not merge until they reach the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13.

As shown in Figures 1-2 and 4-5, the loading mechanism 30 has a storage section 31, an automatic loading device 32, and a storage section cover 33. The storage section 31 is configured in a box shape with an open top and is provided inside the outer box 11. In this case, the storage section 31 is provided at the upper part of the outer box 11, at either the left or right end (in this case the left end). The storage section 31 is also formed by recessing part of the top surface of the outer box 11 towards the inside of the washing machine 10.

The storage section 31 has a front wall 311, left and right side wall sections 312, a rear wall section 313, and a bottom section 314. The front wall section 311 constitutes the front inner surface of the storage section 31. The left and right side wall sections 312 constitute the left and right inner surfaces of the storage section 31. The rear wall section 313 constitutes the rear inner surface of the storage section 31. The front wall section 311, the left and right side wall sections 312, and the rear wall section 313 constitute walls that surround the internal space of the storage section 31.

The bottom 314 constitutes the lower inner surface of the storage section 31. In this case, the bottom 314 has an upper step 315 and a lower step 316. The upper step 315 is provided at the back of the bottom 314. The lower step 316 is provided at the front of the bottom 314. The lower step 316 forms a surface that is lower than the upper step 315. Between the upper step 315 and the lower step 316, a step wall 317 is provided that extends in the vertical direction and connects the upper step 315 and the lower step 316. In this case, the step wall 317 constitutes the wall of the storage section 31 together with the walls 311, 312, and 313.

The junction 27 is a portion of the storage section 31 that is lower than the upper step 315. In other words, the space inside the junction 27 is surrounded by the step wall 317, the lower step 316, the left and right side wall sections 312, and the front wall section 311 of the storage section 31. The step wall section 317, the lower step 316, the left and right side wall sections 312, and the front wall section 311 form the wall section of the junction 27. In this case, the junction connection port 28 is formed by penetrating a portion of the wall section of the junction 27 from the inside to the outside of the junction 27. In this embodiment, the junction connection port 28 is formed by penetrating a portion of the step wall section 317, as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in Figs. 6 to 9, the storage section 31 further has a plurality of water inlets 34 (two in this case), a storage section drain port 35, and a storage section connection port 36. The water inlets 34 are provided by penetrating a part of the upper end of the wall portions 311, 312, and 313 of the storage section 31 from the inside to the outside of the storage section 31. The water inlets 34 are provided, for example, in the front wall portion 311 or the left and right side wall portions 312. In this embodiment, the water inlets 34 are provided at the upper end of the front wall portion 311. The water inlets 34 form a part of the first water supply path 22 and function as a water inlet to the storage section 31. More specifically, the water inlets 34 function as a water inlet for supplying water from an external water source to the inside of the treatment agent case 50, dissolving the treatment agent stored in the treatment agent case 50, and flowing it to the water tank 12 for supply.

The storage section drain outlet 35 is provided by penetrating a part of the bottom 314 from the inside to the outside of the storage section 31. In this case, the storage section drain outlet 35 is provided, for example, in the front part of the bottom 314, i.e., the lower part 316. The storage section drain outlet 35 constitutes a part of the first water supply path 22, and functions as an outlet for water and treatment agent from the storage section 31 and the junction part 27. In this case, the treatment agent case 50 is located downstream of the water inlet 34 in the first water supply path 22 and upstream of the storage section drain outlet 35. The bottom 314 may be inclined so as to descend toward the storage section drain outlet 35.

The first water supply path 22 includes a first water supply valve 25, a water inlet 34, a storage section 31, a treatment agent case 50, a junction section 27, and a storage section drain outlet 35. The section from the first water supply valve 25 to the water inlet 34 is referred to as the upstream section 221. The section from the storage section drain outlet 35 to the water tank 12 is referred to as the downstream section 222. The water or treatment agent that leaves the storage section drain outlet 35 is supplied to the water tank 12 through the downstream section 222.

The second water supply path 23 includes a second water supply valve 26, a supply section 24, a junction connection port 28, a junction 27, and a storage section drain port 35. In the second water supply path 23, the junction connection port 28 functions as an inlet to the storage section 31. That is, the water or treatment agent leaving the supply section 24 enters the junction section 27 provided in a part of the storage section 31 from the junction connection port 28. The water or treatment agent leaving the junction section 27 and the storage section 31 from the storage section drain port 35 is supplied to the water tank 12 through the downstream section 222.

The storage section connection port 36 is formed by penetrating part of the walls 311, 312, and 313 of the storage section 31 (in this case, part of the rear wall 313) from the inside to the outside of the storage section 31. The storage section connection port 36 connects the inside of the storage section 31 to the outside, in this case, the outside of the storage section 31 and the inside of the washing machine outer case 11. As will be described in detail later, the storage section connection port 36 functions as an outlet from the storage section 31 for the treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 40 when the treatment agent is dispensed into the water tub 12 by the automatic dispenser 32.

The storage section cover 33 is rotatably attached to the outer box 11, and can open and close the opening on the top of the storage section 31. The user can open the storage section cover 33 to refill the treatment agent tank 40 or treatment agent case 50 contained in the storage section 31 with treatment agent. Note that when the opening on the top of the storage section 31 is closed, the storage section cover 33 is flush with the top surface of the outer box 11 of the washing machine 10.

In this case, the first water supply path 22 includes a first water supply path 22a for detergent and a first water supply path 22b for fabric softener, as shown in FIG. 6. The first water supply valve 25 includes a first water supply valve 25a for detergent and a first water supply valve 25b for fabric softener. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between them, the first water supply path 22a and the first water supply path 22b are collectively referred to as the first water supply path 22. Similarly, the first water supply valve 25a and the first water supply valve 25b are collectively referred to as the first water supply valve 25. In this embodiment, the second water supply path 23 is common to both the detergent and the fabric softener. That is, the washing machine 10 has one second water supply path 23 and one second water supply valve 26. In another embodiment, the washing machine 10 may be configured to include a plurality of second water supply paths 23 and a plurality of second water supply valves 26, for example, for detergent and fabric softener.

The configuration of the upstream portion 221 of the first water supply path 22 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, the upstream portion 221 starts from the water supply port 21 and the first water supply valve 25 at the left rear of the washing machine 10, extends slightly forward, and then extends to the right to bypass the storage section 31. When it reaches the vicinity of the right side wall portion 312 of the storage section 31, the upstream portion 221 extends forward beside the right side wall portion 312 of the storage section 31. Furthermore, when it reaches the vicinity of the front wall portion 311 of the storage section 31, the upstream portion 221 extends outside the front wall portion 311 of the storage section 31 toward the center of the storage section 31 in the left-right direction, that is, to the left in this case. The upstream portion 221 that reaches the center of the storage section 31 is connected to the water inlet 34. The black arrow A in FIG. 6 indicates the flow of water that flows through the first water supply path 22 and is injected into the treatment agent case 50. Water from an external water source is poured into the storage section 31 through the water inlet 34 and is received by the treatment agent case 50.

The configuration of the second water supply path 23 will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. As shown in Figure 7, the second water supply path 23 extends forward from the water supply port 21 and the first water supply valve 25 at the left rear of the washing machine 10 toward the supply unit 24. The supply unit 24 is provided behind the storage unit 31 and below the input pump 38. The second water supply path 23 extends further forward from the supply unit 24 to the rear of the stepped wall portion 317. Then, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, the second water supply path 23 extends outside the bottom 314 of the storage unit 31, in this case behind the stepped wall portion 317, toward the center of the storage unit 31 in the left-right direction, that is, to the right in this case. Then, the second water supply path 23 is connected to the junction 27 and the storage unit 31 from the junction connection port 28. The white arrow B in Figures 6 to 8 indicates the flow of water that flows through the second water supply path 23 and is poured into the junction 27 and the storage section 31. Water from an external water source is poured into the junction 27 from the junction connection port 28 and is discharged from the storage section drain port 35.

The treatment agent case 50 is removably provided inside the storage section 31. In this case, the treatment agent case 50 is provided near the upper part of the storage section 31, i.e., near the storage section cover 33, as shown in Figures 2, 5, 7, and 9.

As shown in FIG. 9, the treatment agent case 50 is mainly composed of a case body 51. The case body 51 is configured in the shape of a container with at least a portion of the top surface open, and is provided at the top of the storage section 31. The case body 51 has the function of receiving and storing the treatment agent manually added by the user.

The case body 51 has a frame 52, a plurality of recesses (in this case, two recesses 53a, 53b), and a case opening 54. The frame 52 is formed in a generally rectangular ring shape and surrounds the outer periphery of the upper part of the case body 51. The upper surface of the frame 52 constitutes the upper surface of the treatment agent case 50. In this case, when the treatment agent case 50 is housed in the storage section 31, the position of the upper surface of the frame 52 is set lower than the water inlet 34. Therefore, water that is injected from the water inlet 34 through the first water supply path 22 into the storage section 31 can easily enter the treatment agent case 50.

The recesses 53a and 53b are provided inside the frame 52 and are formed by depressing the case body 51 downward. The recesses 53a and 53b are arranged side by side, for example, in the left-right or front-back direction. In this embodiment, the recesses 53a and 53b are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. Of the multiple recesses 53a and 53b, the left recess 53a can receive and store a powdered treatment agent, such as a detergent, inside. The right recess 53b can receive and store a liquid treatment agent, such as a fabric softener, inside. When it is not necessary to distinguish between the recesses 53a and 53b, they may be collectively referred to as recess 53.

The recessed portion 53 has a front portion 531, left and right side portions 532, a back portion 533, and a bottom portion 534. The front portion 531 constitutes the front wall surface of the recessed portion 53. The left and right side portions 532 constitute the left and right wall surfaces of the recessed portion 53. The back portion 533 constitutes the rear wall surface of the recessed portion 53. The bottom portion 534 constitutes the bottom of the recessed shape of the recessed portion 53. The position of the bottom portion 534 is set below the water inlet 34 and above the upper stage portion 315.

The case opening 54 opens the recessed portion 53 upward, and communicates the space inside the treatment agent case 50 with the space outside the treatment agent case 50 and inside the storage portion 31 when the treatment agent case 50 is stored in the storage portion 31. The case opening 54 functions as an inlet for the treatment agent and water into the treatment agent case 50. In this case, the position of the case opening 54 is set to a position that is visible to the user when the storage portion cover 33 is opened with the treatment agent case 50 in the storage portion 31. Therefore, when manually adding the treatment agent, the user can check the position of the case opening 54 while adding it.

The recessed portion 53a has a hole 55 as shown in FIG. 9. The hole 55 is an opening formed by penetrating the bottom surface portion 534 in the thickness direction of the bottom surface portion 534. When the treatment agent case 50 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 31, the hole 55 communicates the space inside the treatment agent case 50 with the space outside the treatment agent case 50 and inside the accommodation portion 31. The hole 55 functions as an outlet for the treatment agent and water from the treatment agent case 50. Note that in another embodiment, instead of the hole 55, an opening may be provided in a part of, for example, the front surface portion 531, the left and right side surfaces 532, or the back surface portion 533, and the water and treatment agent may be discharged from the opening.

The recess 53b has a siphon 56 as shown in FIG. 9. The siphon 56 is formed in a hollow cylinder with a portion of the bottom surface 534 protruding upward and opening in the vertical direction. When the treatment agent case 50 is housed in the housing 31, the siphon 56 connects the space inside the case body 51 to the space on the bottom 314 side of the housing 31.

As shown in FIG. 9, the treatment agent case 50 further has a cap 57. The cap 57 is formed as a hollow cylinder with a bottom that is closed at the top and open at the bottom. The siphon portion 56 can be inserted into the cap 57. When water is supplied from an external water source to the recessed portion 53b and the water level reaches or exceeds a predetermined height, the water and treatment agent inside the recessed portion 53b pass through the siphon portion 56 due to the siphon effect and are discharged to the outside of the treatment agent case 50.

The frame 52 has a latched portion 521 as shown in FIG. 9. The latched portion 521 is formed by protruding the outer end of the frame 52 downward. The storage section 31 also has a latching portion 37. In this case, the latching portion 37 is formed by protruding a part of the wall portions 311, 312, and 313 of the storage section 31 (in this case, the left and right side wall portions 312) toward the center of the storage section 31. The tip of the latching portion 37 on the center side of the storage section 31 is bent upward. The lower tip of the latched portion 521 is latched to the latching portion 37, and downward movement and left-right movement are restricted. As a result, the treatment agent case 50 is placed at a predetermined position in the storage section 31. Note that the positions and shapes of the latching portion 37 and the latched portion 521 shown in FIG. 9 and the like are merely examples and are not limited thereto.

The automatic dispenser 32 has the function of storing multiple doses of treatment agent in advance and automatically supplying a predetermined amount of treatment agent to the water tub 12 for each wash run. The automatic dispenser 32 has a dispenser pump 38 and a treatment agent tank 40, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

The treatment agent tank 40 is a rectangular hollow container as shown in Figures 10 and 11, and can store liquid treatment agent inside. In this case, the treatment agent tank 40 has a sufficient capacity to store the treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. In this case, the capacity of the treatment agent tank 40 is not particularly limited, but considering the convenience of the user, it is preferable to set it to at least several hundred mL to about 2 L. In addition, in the case of this embodiment, the automatic dosing device 32 has two treatment agent tanks 40. In this case, one of the two treatment agent tanks 40 is for storing, for example, a detergent as a treatment agent. In addition, the other of the two treatment agent tanks 40 is for storing, for example, a fabric softener as a treatment agent.

The capacities of these two treatment agent tanks 40 may be the same or different. However, in a typical washing operation, more detergent is consumed than fabric softener. Therefore, it is preferable that the treatment agent tank 40 for storing detergent out of these two treatment agent tanks 40 has a larger capacity than the treatment agent tank 40 for storing fabric softener.

The storage section 31 is configured to be able to store two treatment agent tanks 40 side by side, either left and right or front and back. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the storage section 31 is able to store the treatment agent tanks 40 side by side. In this case, the left treatment agent tank 40 is for storing, for example, a detergent as a treatment agent. The right treatment agent tank 40 is for storing, for example, a fabric softener as a treatment agent. Each treatment agent tank 40 is removably stored in the storage section 31. The user can refill each treatment agent tank 40 with treatment agent with the storage section cover 33 open, or can refill each treatment agent tank 40 with treatment agent removed from the storage section 31.

The automatic dosing device 32 has a number of dosing pumps 38 corresponding to each of the processing agent tanks 40. In this embodiment, the automatic dosing device 32 has two processing agent tanks 40, and therefore has two dosing pumps 38 for each tank. FIG. 2 shows one of the two sets of processing agent tanks 40 and dosing pumps 38. The dosing pump 38 has a tubular pump connection part 381 on the inlet side, and is connected to the processing agent tank 40 via the pump connection part 381. As a result, the processing agent tank 40 is connected to the supply part 24 via the corresponding dosing pump 38. The dosing pump 38 is, for example, a syringe pump, and draws in a certain amount of processing agent stored in the processing agent tank 40 and discharges it to the supply part 24.

In this case, the main body of the input pump 38 is provided outside the storage section 31. In this embodiment, the input pump 38 is provided on the rear side of the storage section 31, i.e., outside the rear wall section 313. The pump connection section 381 communicates between the inside and outside of the storage section 31 through the storage section connection port 36 provided on the walls 311, 312, and 313 of the storage section 31 (in this case the rear wall section 313). In other embodiments, the main body of the input pump 38 may be provided inside the storage section 31. In still another embodiment, the main body of the input pump 38 may be provided inside the treatment agent tank 40.

In this configuration, when the second water supply valve 26 is opened, tap water supplied from the water supply port 21 flows into the second water supply path 23 and passes through the supply unit 24. A predetermined amount of treatment agent is pre-discharged into the supply unit 24 by the operation of the automatic dispenser 32 before the operation of the second water supply valve 26. If treatment agent is stored in the supply unit 24, the water passing through the second water supply path 23 flows further downstream while dissolving the treatment agent. The water that has passed through the supply unit 24 is supplied from the junction connection port 28 to the junction 27. The water and treatment agent discharged from the junction 27 through the storage unit drain port 35 are supplied into the water tub 12 through the downstream section 222. In this way, the automatic dispenser 32 automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of treatment agent into the water tub 12 while the washing machine 10 is operating.

Next, the detailed configuration of the treatment agent tank 40 will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. As shown in Figure 11 etc., the treatment agent tank 40 has a tank body 41, a cover member 42, a filter member 43, a tank outlet 44, a tube section 45, and a leakage prevention valve 46. The tank body 41 forms the outer shell of the treatment agent tank 40, and is made of synthetic resin such as plastic.

In this embodiment, the tank body 41 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and has a front portion 411, a side portion 412, a rear portion 413, a bottom portion 414, a top portion 415, and a tank opening 416. The front portion 411 constitutes the front surface of the tank body 41. The side portion 412 constitutes the left and right side surfaces of the tank body 41. The rear portion 413 constitutes the rear surface of the tank body 41. The bottom portion 414 constitutes the bottom surface of the tank body 41. And the top portion 415 constitutes the top surface of the tank body 41. The tank opening 416 is formed by penetrating a part of the top portion 415, for example in a rectangular shape, and communicates between the inside and outside of the tank body 41.

The lid member 42 is plate-shaped and is made of synthetic resin such as plastic, like the tank body 41. The lid member 42 is attached to the top surface 415 of the tank body 41 by a hinge (not shown), and is configured to be able to open and close the tank opening 416. The user can open the lid member 42 and refill the tank body 41 with the treatment agent through the tank opening 416. In this case, the position of the tank opening 416 is set to a position that is visible to the user when the treatment agent tank 40 is in the storage section 31 and the storage section cover 33 and the lid member 42 are opened. Therefore, when refilling the treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40, the user can check the position of the tank opening 416.

The filter member 43 is, for example, in a mesh shape and is provided inside the tank body 41. The filter member 43 separates the space on the tank opening 416 side from the space in which the tube portion 45 is provided within the internal space of the tank body 41. As a result, the filter member 43 has the function of collecting dust and the like contained in the detergent when the detergent refilled into the tank body 41 from the tank opening 416 is sucked into the supply pump 38 through the tube portion 45.

The tank outlet 44 is provided at the lower rear of the tank body 41, in this case, at the back surface 413. The pump connection part 381 of the input pump 38 is inserted into the tank outlet 44. The pump connection part 381 extends from the outside to the inside of the storage part 31 through the storage part connection port 36 of the storage part 31. This connects the inside of the tank body 41 to the input pump 38. The tube part 45 is connected to the tank outlet 44 and extends vertically downward to the vicinity of the bottom surface part 414 of the tank body 41. The lower end part of the tube part 45 is slightly separated from the bottom surface part 414 of the tank body 41.

The leak prevention valve 46 is provided between the tank outlet 44 and the pipe section 45. The leak prevention valve 46 has a function of preventing the treatment agent stored in the tank body 41 from leaking from the tank outlet 44 to the outside of the tank body 41 when the treatment agent tank 40 is removed from the storage section 31 and the pump connection section 381 is not connected to the tank outlet 44. When the pump connection section 381 is connected to the tank outlet 44, the leak prevention valve 46 opens between the tank outlet 44 and the pipe section 45. This allows the input pump 38 to suck out the treatment agent stored in the tank body 41. On the other hand, when the pump connection section 381 is not connected to the tank outlet 44, the leak prevention valve 46 closes between the tank outlet 44 and the pipe section 45, thereby preventing the treatment agent in the tank body 41 from leaking out to the outside from the tank outlet 44.

Note that the filter member 43, the tube portion 45, the leakage prevention valve 46, etc. may be omitted in FIG. 11 or in other drawings. The treatment agent tank 40 may further have a handle portion 47 as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11. The user can grasp the handle portion 47 to move the treatment agent tank 40 when removing the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage portion 31 or storing the treatment agent tank 40 in the storage portion 31.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the treatment agent tank 40 is set so that the tank opening 416 is located above the water inlet 34. In this embodiment, the treatment agent tank 40 is set so that the tank opening 416 and the upper surface 415 are located above the water inlet 34. Therefore, the position of the upper surface 415 when the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 31 is set above the position of the upper surface of the frame section 52 when the treatment agent case 50 is housed in the storage section 31.

The control device 14 controls the opening of the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water during the washing operation. The control device 14 controls the opening and closing of the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 according to the setting of an automatic supply mode in which the treatment agent is supplied to the water tub 12 by the automatic supply device 32, and a manual supply mode in which the treatment agent manually supplied to the treatment agent case 50 by the user is supplied to the water tub 12. In this specification, the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water refers to the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water and supplied to the water tub 12 in the early stage of the washing process if the treatment agent is a detergent. In addition, if the treatment agent is a fabric softener, the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water refers to the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water and supplied to the water tub 12 in the rinsing process. Water may already be supplied to the water tub 12 before the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved, or water may not be supplied.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, when the automatic supply mode is set by the user's setting operation on the operation panel 17, the control device 14 performs control to close the first water supply valve 25 and open the second water supply valve 26 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water and supplied to the water tank 12. As a result, the treatment agent supplied from inside the treatment agent tank 40 to the supply unit 24 is dissolved in water from an external water source passing through the second water supply path 23, reaches the junction 27 and the storage unit 31 through the junction connection port 28, exits the junction 27 and the storage unit 31 through the storage unit drain port 35, and reaches the water tank 12 through the downstream section 222.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, when the manual input mode is set by the user's setting operation on the operation panel 17, the control device 14 performs control to open the first water supply valve 25 and close the second water supply valve 26 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water and supplied to the water tank 12. As a result, the treatment agent manually input by the user into the treatment agent case 50 is dissolved in water from an external water source poured from the water inlet 34, and reaches the water tank 12 from the storage unit drain outlet 35 through the downstream section 222.

In this specification, opening the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 is a concept that includes both opening the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 that was closed and maintaining the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 that was open in an open state. Also, closing the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 is a concept that includes both closing the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 that was open and maintaining the first water supply valve 25 or the second water supply valve 26 that was closed in a closed state.

In order to provide both the treatment agent tank and the treatment agent case without increasing the overall size of the washing machine, it is necessary to miniaturize the treatment agent case. However, as a result of the miniaturization of the treatment agent case, there is a risk that the usability for the user will decrease, for example, when the user manually pours the treatment agent into the treatment agent case, the treatment agent will be more likely to spill due to a narrow opening. On the other hand, users rarely use the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank at the same time. Therefore, if both are provided at the same time in the washing machine, the space containing either component that is not being used will become dead space.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes a water tub 12, a treatment agent case 50, an automatic dosing device 32, a treatment agent tank 40, and a storage section 31. The treatment agent case 50 is capable of receiving and storing therein the treatment agent used in one washing operation that is dispensed by the user for supply to the water tub 12. The automatic dosing device 32 is configured to automatically dispense a predetermined amount of treatment agent into the water tub 12. The treatment agent tank 40 constitutes a part of the automatic dosing device 32, and is capable of storing a treatment agent for multiple washing operations. The storage section 31 is configured to selectively accommodate either the treatment agent case 50 or the treatment agent tank 40.

This allows the treatment agent tank 40 and the treatment agent case 50 to share the same space, so the volumes of the treatment agent tank 40 and the treatment agent case 50 can be increased. By increasing the volume of the treatment agent tank 40, the amount of treatment agent that can be stored in the treatment agent tank 40 at one time increases, reducing the number of times the user needs to refill the treatment agent. In addition, since there is no need to make the treatment agent case 50 smaller, it becomes easier for the user to manually add the treatment agent, and spillage of the treatment agent is reduced. This improves user convenience.

Here, since only either the treatment agent tank 40 or the treatment agent case 50 is contained in the storage section 31, there is no need to pour water into the treatment agent case 50 when operating in the automatic loading mode, and there is no need to run water through the supply section 24 when operating in the manual loading mode. If water is supplied to both the first water supply path 22 and the second water supply path 23 when operating in either loading mode, the following problem may arise. For example, if water is poured from the water inlet 34 when operating in the automatic loading mode, there is a risk of problems such as water splashing over the treatment agent tank 40 and leaking outside the washing machine 10.

In contrast, the washing machine 10 further includes a first water supply path 22, a first water supply valve 25, a second water supply path 23, a second water supply valve 26, and a control device 14. The first water supply path 22 connects an external water source, the storage section 31, and the water tank 12, and when the treatment agent case 50 is stored in the storage section 31, the treatment agent stored in the treatment agent case 50 is supplied to the water tank 12. The first water supply valve 25 is provided between the first water supply path 22 and the external water source and opens and closes the first water supply path 22. The second water supply path 23 connects an external water source and the water tank 12, and when the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 31, the treatment agent discharged from the automatic dispenser 32 is supplied to the water tank 12. The second water supply valve 26 is provided between the second water supply path 23 and the external water source and opens and closes the second water supply path 23. The control device 14 controls the opening and closing of the first water supply valve 25 and the opening and closing of the second water supply valve 26.

According to this, water supply valves 25, 26 are provided to open and close the first water supply path 22 and the second water supply path 23, respectively, and the control device 14 can independently and appropriately control the water supply to the first water supply path 22 or the second water supply path 23. This makes it possible to avoid supplying water to unnecessary water supply paths. In addition, it is possible to prevent a situation in which water gets into the treatment agent tank 40 and causes a water leak, for example, when operating in the automatic charging mode.

Here, in the case of a washing machine 10 equipped with an automatic dispenser 32, it is assumed that the user will basically use the automatic dispenser 32 to automatically dispense the most frequently used treatment agent, and then manually dispense a treatment agent suitable for specific clothes or special stains. In other words, it is assumed that the manual dispense mode will be used less frequently than the automatic dispense mode. Here, we consider a case where the second water supply path 23 does not pass through the junction 27. In this case, if some of the treatment agent manually dispensed remains in the storage section 31, especially near the storage section drain 35, which is the downstream part, if water flows into the storage section 31 only occasionally, the remaining treatment agent may solidify and become difficult to remove.

In contrast, the storage section 31 has a storage section drain outlet 35. The storage section drain outlet 35 is formed through a portion of the walls 311, 312, 313 or the bottom 314 of the storage section 31, and serves as a downstream outlet of the storage section 31 in the first water supply path 22. The second water supply path 23 merges with the first water supply path 22 at a portion upstream of the storage section drain outlet 35 of the first water supply path 22, that is, in this case, at the junction 27.

As a result, even when operating in automatic dispensing mode, water flows near the storage unit drain outlet 35. Therefore, even if some of the manually dispensed treatment agent remains inside the storage unit 31, it will be washed away by the water supplied from the second water supply valve 26. Therefore, even if manual dispensing is not performed frequently, it becomes easier to remove the treatment agent remaining in the storage unit 31. This improves user convenience.

Furthermore, the storage section 31 has a water inlet 34 at the upper end. The water inlet 34 is the upstream inlet of the first water supply path 22 to the storage section 31. The treatment agent case 50 has a case opening 54. The case opening 54 communicates the inside and outside of the treatment agent case 50, and is configured so that the user can put the treatment agent into the treatment agent case 50. The treatment agent tank 40 has a tank opening 416. The tank opening 416 is provided on the upper surface portion 415, communicates the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 40, and is configured so that the user can refill the treatment agent tank 40 with the treatment agent. The position of the case opening 54 is set to a position that is lower than the water inlet 34 and visible to the user when the treatment agent case 50 is stored in the storage section 31. The position of the tank opening 416 is set to a position that is the same height as the water inlet 34 or higher than the water inlet 34 and visible to the user when the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 31.

As a result, the user can visually check the treatment agent tank 40 and the treatment agent case 50 while they are contained in the storage section 31, making it easy to refill or add the treatment agent. The treatment agent case 50 is also configured so that the treatment agent stored inside can be easily flushed away together with the water by pouring water into it through the water inlet 34 located at the top. Meanwhile, the treatment agent tank 40 can be made to have a large volume by making the most of the internal depth of the storage section 31. This improves user convenience.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, when the manual input mode is set by the user's setting operation on the operation panel 17 as shown in FIG. 13, the control device 14 controls to open the second water supply valve 26 in addition to the first water supply valve 25 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water and supplied to the water tank 12. As a result, the treatment agent manually input by the user into the treatment agent case 50 is dissolved in water from an external water source poured from the water inlet 34, and reaches the water tank 12 through the storage section drain outlet 35 and the downstream section 222. In addition, water that does not contain the treatment agent that has passed through the second water supply path 23 from the junction connection port 28 is supplied into the storage section 31. Therefore, the amount of water in the storage section 31 increases, and the treatment agent input into the treatment agent case 50 becomes more easily dissolved in water and is more easily discharged from the storage section drain outlet 35.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as the first embodiment.

According to this embodiment, the washing machine 10 further includes an operation panel 17 as an operation unit. The operation panel 17 accepts an operation from the user to switch between a manual input mode in which the treatment agent put into the treatment agent case 50 is input into the water tank 12, and an automatic input mode in which the treatment agent in the treatment agent tank 40 is input into the water tank 12. The control device 14 executes operation in either the automatic input mode or the manual input mode based on the user's selection operation on the operation panel 17. When operating in the manual input mode, the control device 14 executes a process of opening the first water supply valve 25 and the second water supply valve 26 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from an external water source.

In this way, when in manual input mode, by opening not only the first water supply valve 25 but also the second water supply valve 26, the amount of water near the storage section drain outlet 35 increases, making it easier to dissolve the treatment agent. Furthermore, the treatment agent that tends to remain near the storage section drain outlet 35 is more easily washed away by the water flow that does not contain the treatment agent, that is, the water flow that is poured in from the junction connection port 28, which comes from a different direction from the flow of water that contains the treatment agent discharged from the hole 55 of the treatment agent case 50.

Third Embodiment
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes a detection unit 60 as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The detection unit 60 has a function of detecting that the treatment agent case 50 is contained in the storage unit 31. In this case, the detection unit 60 may be a contact sensor that physically detects the treatment agent case 50, or may be a non-contact sensor.

In this embodiment, the detection unit 60 is a non-contact magnetic sensor, such as a Hall IC. As shown in FIG. 15, the treatment agent case 50 has a detectable portion 61. The detectable portion 61 is configured to include, for example, a permanent magnet. The control device 14 stores in the memory area 142 the strength of the magnetic field detected by the detection unit 60 due to the magnetic field generated by the detectable portion 61 when the treatment agent case 50 is contained in the storage portion 31. The control device 14 then compares the magnetic field strength stored in the memory area 142 with the magnetic field strength detected by the detection unit 60 to determine whether the treatment agent case 50 is contained in the storage portion 31.

The detection unit 60 is provided on the outside of the walls 311, 312, and 313 of the storage unit 31, i.e., on the opposite side to the treatment agent case 50. In this embodiment, the detection unit 60 is provided on the outside of the left side wall 312. The detected part 61 is provided on the case body 51 of the treatment agent case 50. In this embodiment, the detected part 61 is provided, for example, between the frame part 52 and the side part 532. The position of the detected part 61 is set to a position facing the detection unit 60 when the treatment agent case 50 is stored in the storage unit 31.

In addition, in this embodiment, the memory area 142 of the control device 14 stores a program for executing the detection and judgment process. The control device 14 executes this program in the CPU 141, thereby virtually realizing the detection and judgment processing unit 143 by software. Note that the detection and judgment processing unit 143 may also be realized in hardware, for example, as an integrated circuit integrated with the control device 14.

The detection and determination processing unit 143 is capable of executing a detection and determination process. The detection and determination process is a process for determining whether or not the treatment agent case 50 is contained based on the output of the detection unit 60.

Next, the control content relating to the addition of a treatment agent to the water tub 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 16. In the following description, the control operation in the detection and determination processing unit 143 will be described as the control operation of the control device 14. It is also assumed that, at the start of the flowchart in FIG. 16, the power of the washing machine 10 is ON, and the washing operation has been set by the user through operation of the operation panel 17. The control content when detergent is added as a treatment agent will also be described below.

When the control device 14 starts processing (START), it first executes a detection and judgment process in step S11. If the detection unit 60 detects the treatment agent case 50 (Yes in step S11), the process proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the control device 14 sets the manual input mode for the input of the treatment agent. Next, in step S13, the control device 14 determines whether a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of control, for example, whether a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of the washing operation by the user's operation on the operation panel 17. If the predetermined period has not elapsed (No in step S13), the control device 14 repeats step S13. If the predetermined period has elapsed (Yes in step S13), it is assumed that the treatment agent has been input into the treatment agent case 50 by the user, and the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the control device 14 performs a process of opening the first water supply valve 25 and closing the second water supply valve 26. As a result, during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water, water is poured into the treatment agent case 50 from the water inlet 34, and the water containing the treatment agent is supplied to the water tank 12 through the downstream section 222. After that, the control device 14 ends control over the supply of the treatment agent (END).

If the detection unit 60 does not detect the treatment agent case 50 (No in step S11), the control unit 14 advances the process to step S15. In step S15, the control unit 14 sets the automatic supply mode for supplying the treatment agent. Next, in step S16, the control unit 14 operates the supply pump 38 to suck up a certain amount of the treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 40 and discharge it to the supply unit 24. Next, in step S17, the control unit 14 performs a process of closing the first water supply valve 25 and opening the second water supply valve 26. As a result, during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water, water is supplied from the second water supply valve 26 to the supply unit 24, and the water containing the treatment agent is supplied to the water tank 12 through the junction connection port 28, the storage unit drain port 35, and the downstream portion 222. Thereafter, the control unit 14 ends the control regarding the supply of the treatment agent (END).

When a fabric softener is added as a treatment agent to the water tub 12, the process differs from the above process of adding detergent in the following respects. First, if the detection unit 60 detects the treatment agent case 50 (Yes in step S11), the control unit 14 executes the washing process and rinsing process between steps S13 and S14. Then, at the final rinsing process stage, the control unit 14 executes step S14 and the treatment agent is added to the water tub 12. Also, if the detection unit 60 does not detect the treatment agent case 50 (No in step S11), the control unit 14 executes the washing process and rinsing process between steps S15 and S16. Then, at the final rinsing process stage, the control unit 14 executes step S17 and the treatment agent is added to the water tub 12.

This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiments.

Furthermore, the washing machine 10 further includes a detection unit 60 capable of detecting that the treatment agent case 50 or the treatment agent tank 40 is housed inside the storage unit 31.

According to this, the control device 14 can determine whether the treatment agent case 50 or the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 31. Therefore, when the manual loading mode is set but the treatment agent case 50 is not stored, or when the automatic loading mode is set but the treatment agent tank 40 is not stored, for example, the control device 14 can notify the user or change the loading mode according to the stored configuration, thereby preventing the washing operation from being performed without the treatment agent. In addition, the control device 14 can perform water injection control and treatment agent injection control according to the detected treatment agent case 50 or treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the automatic injection device 32 from controlling the injection of the treatment agent even when the treatment agent tank 40 is not stored in the storage section 31, and conversely, it is possible to prevent the first water supply path 22 from being injected with water even when the treatment agent case 50 is not stored in the storage section 31. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the washing operation from being performed without the treatment agent. Furthermore, the control device 14 can automatically set the injection mode based on the presence or absence of the treatment agent case 50 or the treatment agent tank 40. This eliminates the need for the user to make selections on the operation panel 17 for each wash run, improving user convenience.

Here, if water is poured into the first water supply path 22 when the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 31, the water poured into the storage section 31 from the water inlet 34 may splash onto the treatment agent tank 40 and enter the treatment agent tank 40, or the water hitting the treatment agent tank 40 may splash and leak outside the washing machine 10.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, if the detection unit 60 does not detect that the treatment agent case 50 is contained inside the storage unit 31, the control device 14 executes a process to close the first water supply valve 25 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from an external water source.

Accordingly, when the detection unit 60 does not detect the treatment agent case 50, that is, when it is assumed that the treatment agent tank 40 is contained, the control device 14 does not supply water to the first water supply path 22. Therefore, when the treatment agent tank 40 is contained in the storage unit 31, water is not poured into the storage unit 31 from the water inlet 34. This prevents water from splashing on the treatment agent tank 40 and entering the treatment agent tank 40, or water splashing off the treatment agent tank 40 and leaking outside the washing machine 10.

In another embodiment, the washing machine 10 may be provided with a detection unit that detects the treatment agent tank 40 instead of the detection unit 60 that detects the treatment agent case 50. In this case, the treatment agent tank 40 may be configured to have a detectable unit similar to the detectable unit 61. When the control device 14 detects the treatment agent tank 40, the control device 14 may set the automatic supply mode for the supply of the treatment agent. Furthermore, when the control device 14 does not detect the treatment agent tank 40, the control device 14 may set the manual supply mode for the supply of the treatment agent.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 17. In this embodiment, when the detection unit 60 detects the treatment agent case 50, the control device 14 opens the second water supply valve 26 in addition to the first water supply valve 25 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water, similar to the operation in the manual input mode of the second embodiment.

Figure 17 shows a flowchart of the control content regarding the addition of the treatment agent to the water tank 12 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the control device 14 performs control generally similar to that in the flowchart of the third embodiment shown in Figure 16, except for step S14. In this embodiment, the control device 14 performs step S21 instead of step S14. In step S21, the control device 14 performs a process of opening the second water supply valve 26 in addition to the first water supply valve 25. As a result, water is poured into the storage section 31 from the water inlet 34 and the junction connection port 28 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in the water.

In this case, the same effects as in the second and third embodiments are obtained.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes a detection unit 60 capable of detecting that the treatment agent case 50 or the treatment agent tank 40 is housed inside the storage unit 31. The control device 14 can execute operation in either a manual input mode in which the treatment agent put into the treatment agent case 50 is put into the water tank 12, or an automatic input mode in which the treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 40 is put into the water tank 12, based on the contents of detection by the detection unit 60. When operating in the manual input mode, the control device 14 executes a process of opening the first water supply valve 25 and the second water supply valve 26 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from an external water source. In other words, when the control device 14 detects that the treatment agent case 50 is housed inside the storage unit 31, or does not detect that the treatment agent tank 40 is housed inside the storage unit 31, it executes a process of opening the first water supply valve 25 and the second water supply valve 26 during the period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from an external water source.

With this, the input mode is automatically set based on whether the treatment agent case 50 or the treatment agent tank 40 is contained, even if the user does not select the input mode, so the user does not have to go through the trouble of selecting the input mode for each wash run. Also, when the wash run is performed in manual input mode, water is poured from the junction connection port 28 in addition to the water poured from the water inlet 34, increasing the amount of water at the bottom of the storage section 31, and the water containing the treatment agent is drained vigorously from the storage section drain port 35. Furthermore, since water is poured from a direction different from the water inlet 34, water flows in multiple directions, making it easier to wash away the treatment agent at the bottom of the storage section 31 and less likely to remain inside the storage section 31.

Fifth Embodiment
Next, the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 18. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 is provided with treatment agent cases 70a and 70b instead of the treatment agent case 50. The treatment agent case 70a receives and stores a powder treatment agent, such as a detergent, manually added by the user. The treatment agent case 70b receives and stores a liquid treatment agent, such as a fabric softener, manually added by the user. The treatment agent cases 70a and 70b are mainly composed of a case body 71 formed in a generally rectangular container shape that opens upward. The case body 71 has a frame portion 72, a recessed portion 73, and a case opening 74. The frame portion 72 is formed in a generally rectangular ring shape and is provided on the outer periphery of the case body 71. The upper surface of the frame portion 72 forms the upper surface of the case body 71. The recessed portion 73 is provided inside the frame portion 72 and is formed by recessing the case body 71 downward. In this case, the recess 73 provided in the treatment agent case 70a is referred to as the recess 73a. Similarly, the recess 73 provided in the treatment agent case 70b is referred to as the recess 73b. When there is no particular need to distinguish between them, the recesses 73a and 73b are collectively referred to as the recess 73.

The recessed portion 73 has a front portion (not shown), left and right side portions 732, a back portion 733, and a bottom portion 734. The front portion forms the front wall surface of the recessed portion 73. The left and right side portions 732 form the left and right wall surfaces of the recessed portion 73. The back portion 733 forms the rear wall surface of the recessed portion 73. The bottom portion 734 forms the bottom of the recessed shape of the recessed portion 73.

The case opening 74 opens the recessed portion 73 upward, and when the treatment agent cases 70a, 70b are housed in the housing portion 31, the case opening 74 communicates with the space inside the treatment agent cases 70a, 70b and the space outside the treatment agent cases 70a, 70b and inside the housing portion 31. The case opening 74 functions as an entrance for the treatment agent and water into the treatment agent cases 70a, 70b.

The recess 73a further has a hole 75. The hole 75 is an opening formed by penetrating the bottom surface 734 in the thickness direction of the bottom surface 734. When the treatment agent case 70a is housed in the housing 31, the hole 75 connects the space inside the treatment agent case 70a to the space outside the treatment agent case 70a and inside the housing 31. The hole 75 functions as an outlet for the treatment agent and water from the treatment agent case 70a. In another embodiment, instead of the hole 75, an opening may be provided in a part of, for example, the front surface, the left and right side surfaces 732, or the back surface 733, and the water and treatment agent may be discharged from the opening.

The recess 73b further has a siphon 76. The siphon 76 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with a portion of the bottom surface 734 protruding upward and opening in the vertical direction. When the treatment agent case 70b is housed in the storage section 31, the siphon 76 connects the space inside the treatment agent case 70b to the space on the bottom 314 side of the storage section 31.

The treatment agent case 70b further has a cap 77. The cap 77 is formed as a hollow cylinder with a bottom that is closed at the top and open at the bottom. The siphon portion 76 can be inserted into the cap 77. When water is supplied from an external water source to the recessed portion 73b and the water level reaches or exceeds a predetermined height, the water and treatment agent inside the recessed portion 73b pass through the siphon portion 76 due to the siphon effect and are discharged to the outside of the treatment agent case 70b.

In this case, the treatment agent case 70a and the treatment agent case 70b can be stored independently in the storage section 31 or removed from the storage section 31. Therefore, the treatment agent case 70a can be stored in the storage section 31, the treatment agent case 70b can be removed, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be stored in the storage section 31 instead. Conversely, the treatment agent case 70a can be removed, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be stored in the storage section 31 instead, and the treatment agent case 70b can be stored in the storage section 31.

The washing machine 10 also has one detection unit 60 corresponding to each of the treatment agent cases 70a and 70b. Each treatment agent case 70a and 70b also has one detected part 61. Each detection unit 60 can detect whether the treatment agent case 70a and the treatment agent case 70b are stored or not depending on the magnitude of the magnetic field it detects. Based on the detection results of each detection unit 60, the control device 14 sets the automatic loading mode using the automatic loading device 32 for each of the detergent and fabric softener, or the manual loading mode by the user. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the detection and determination process is a process that determines whether each of the treatment agent cases 70a and 70b is stored or not based on the output of the detection unit 60.

In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 can select the detergent dispensing mode and the fabric softener dispensing mode independently. That is, it is possible to automatically dispense the detergent and manually dispense the fabric softener, or conversely, to manually dispense the detergent and automatically dispense the fabric softener. Of course, it is also possible to use the same dispense mode for the detergent and fabric softener.

This embodiment provides the same effects as the above embodiments.

Here, the user may wish to manually or automatically dispense either detergent or fabric softener depending on the type of clothing or the degree of dirtiness of the clothing. For example, a user may normally use liquid detergent, and may wish to use powder detergent when clothing is badly soiled, but may wish to use the same type of fabric softener as usual. In addition, a user may normally use scented fabric softener, and may wish to use unscented fabric softener for certain clothing, but may wish to use the same detergent as usual. In such cases, it would be inconvenient if detergent and fabric softener must always be dispensed together, either manually or automatically.

In contrast, according to this embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes a plurality (in this case two) of treatment agent cases 70a, 70b and a plurality (in this case two) of treatment agent tanks 40. The storage section 31 can simultaneously store at least one of the plurality of treatment agent cases 70a, 70b and at least one of the plurality of treatment agent tanks 40.

Accordingly, the treatment agent cases 70a, 70b and the treatment agent tank 40 can be selected independently and stored in the storage unit 31. Therefore, the user can select either of the treatment agent cases 70a, 70b and either of the treatment agent tanks 40 according to their preferences and store them in the storage unit 31 for use.

The treatment agent supply mode may be determined by a selection operation performed by the user on the operation panel 17, rather than based on the detection result of the detection unit 60.

The above embodiments can also be combined.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the recessed portion 53a and the recessed portion 53b of the treatment agent case 50 are for a powdered treatment agent and a liquid treatment agent, respectively, but in another embodiment, both may be for a powdered treatment agent, or both may be for a liquid treatment agent. In the former case, both the recessed portion 53a and the recessed portion 53b may be provided with a hole portion 55 for discharging water containing the treatment agent from the treatment agent case 50. In the latter case, both the recessed portion 53a and the recessed portion 53b may be provided with a siphon portion 56 for discharging water containing the treatment agent from the treatment agent case 50.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

10... washing machine, 12... water tub, 14... control device, 17... operation panel (operation section), 22... first water supply path, 221... upstream section, 222... downstream section, 23... second water supply path, 25... first water supply valve, 26... second water supply valve, 27... junction section, 28... junction section connection port, 30... input mechanism, 31... storage section, 311... front wall section (wall section), 312... side wall section (wall section), 313... rear wall section (wall section), 314...bottom, 315...upper stage (bottom), 316...lower stage (bottom), 317...stage wall (wall), 32...automatic injection device, 34...water inlet, 35...storage section drain outlet, 40...treatment agent tank, 416...tank opening, 50...treatment agent case, 54...case opening, 60...detection section, 61...detected section, 70...treatment agent case, 70a, 70b...treatment agent case, 74...case opening

Claims (8)

Aquarium and
a treatment agent case that receives and stores therein the treatment agent used in one washing operation input by a user to be supplied to the water tub;
an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of the treatment agent into the water tank;
a treatment agent tank constituting a part of the automatic dispenser and capable of storing the treatment agent for multiple washing operations;
a storage section capable of selectively storing either the treatment agent case or the treatment agent tank ,
When either the treatment agent case or the treatment agent tank is accommodated in the accommodation portion, the other is not accommodated in the accommodation portion.
washing machine. a first water supply path that connects an external water source to the storage unit and the water tank, and supplies the treatment agent stored in the treatment agent case to the water tank when the treatment agent case is stored in the storage unit;
a first water supply valve provided between the first water supply path and the external water source for opening and closing the first water supply path;
a second water supply path that connects the external water source and the water tank and supplies the treatment agent discharged from the automatic dispenser to the water tank when the treatment agent tank is accommodated in the accommodation section;
a second water supply valve provided between the second water supply path and the external water source for opening and closing the second water supply path;
a control device that controls opening and closing of the first water supply valve and opening and closing of the second water supply valve;
Further comprising:
The washing machine according to claim 1. a detection unit capable of detecting that the treatment agent case or the treatment agent tank is contained within the container,
The washing machine according to claim 2. When the detection unit does not detect that the treatment agent case is contained within the container unit, the control device executes a process of closing the first water supply valve during a period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from the external water source.
The washing machine according to claim 3. The storage section has a storage section drain outlet that is a downstream outlet of the storage section in the first water supply path formed through a part of a wall portion or a bottom portion of the storage section,
The second water supply path merges with the first water supply path at a portion of the first water supply path upstream of the storage unit drain outlet.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4. and an operation unit that receives an operation from a user to switch between a manual input mode in which the treatment agent that has been input into the treatment agent case is input into the water tank and an automatic input mode in which the treatment agent in the treatment agent tank is input into the water tank,
The control device includes:
Executes an operation in either the automatic start mode or the manual start mode based on a selection operation of a user on the operation unit,
When operating in the manual supply mode, a process of opening the first water supply valve and the second water supply valve is executed during a period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from the external water source.
The washing machine according to claim 5. a detection unit capable of detecting that the treatment agent case or the treatment agent tank is contained within the container,
The control device includes:
Based on the contents of detection by the detection unit, an operation is performed in either a manual input mode in which the treatment agent input into the treatment agent case is input into the water tank, or an automatic input mode in which the treatment agent in the treatment agent tank is input into the water tank,
When operating in the manual supply mode, a process of opening the first water supply valve and the second water supply valve is executed during a period in which the treatment agent is dissolved in water from the external water source.
The washing machine according to claim 5. The storage section has a water inlet at an upper end portion, the water inlet being an upstream inlet of the first water supply path into the storage section,
the treatment agent case has a case opening that communicates between the inside and the outside of the treatment agent case and allows a user to pour the treatment agent into the treatment agent case;
the processing agent tank has a tank opening provided on an upper surface thereof, communicating the inside and the outside of the processing agent tank and allowing a user to refill the processing agent into the processing agent tank;
a position of the case opening is set to a position below the water inlet and visible to a user when the treatment agent case is accommodated in the accommodation section,
a tank opening is located at the same height as the water inlet or above the water inlet and is visible to a user when the treatment agent tank is accommodated in the accommodation section;
The washing machine according to any one of claims 2 to 7.

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