JP7538095B2 - Clothes Processing Equipment - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a clothing processing device.

There is a known clothing treatment device that includes a filter unit for capturing lint and other debris that is generated during washing. The filter unit is configured to be detachable (removable) from the main body of the clothing treatment device for maintenance such as removing lint that has adhered to the filter housed inside the case. Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine that includes such a filter unit.

JP 2012-170697 A

In recent years, even in the field of clothing processing devices, there is a demand not only to ensure the functionality of each component, but also to improve their design. This specification provides technology that can ensure the functionality of the filter unit while taking into account its design.

The clothing treatment device disclosed in this specification includes a main body, a washing tub provided within the main body, a filter unit connected to the washing tub, an opening provided at the bottom of the front surface of the main body and through which the filter unit can be inserted and removed, and a lid for opening and closing the opening. When the lid is closed, the surface of the lid is disposed substantially flush with the front surface of the main body.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the washing machine according to the embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the washing machine according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view showing the configuration around the lid of the washing machine according to the embodiment.

(Example)
A drum-type washing machine 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as washing machine 1) according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Washing machine 1 is a washing and drying machine having a function of washing clothes and a function of drying clothes. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, washing machine 1 mainly includes a main body 2, a door 4, a washing tub 7, a drum 9, a motor 10, a display operation unit 5, and a control device 6. In the following description, the left side of Fig. 2 is referred to as the "front" and the right side is referred to as the "rear".

The main body 2 has a generally rectangular box shape. As shown in FIG. 2, an opening 3 through which laundry can be put in and taken out is provided in the center of the front of the main body 2. The door 4 of the washing machine 1 is attached to the main body 2 and opens and closes the opening 3 of the main body 2. The door 4 is configured to be lockable by a locking mechanism (not shown). There are no particular limitations on the configuration of the locking mechanism as long as it can lock the door 4. Inside the main body 2, a washing tub 7, a drum 9, and a motor 10 are arranged.

The washing tub 7 is disposed inside the main body 2 inclined in the X-axis direction so that the rear is lower than the front (inclined downward from the front to the rear). The washing tub 7 has a horizontal cylindrical shape and contains washing water. The washing tub 7 is supported inside the main body via multiple (e.g., a pair of left and right) suspensions 8 (only some of which are shown).

The drum 9 is disposed inside the washing tub 7. The drum 9 is cylindrical with a bottom and contains the laundry. The drum 9 is supported so that it can rotate around a rotation axis A that is inclined downward from the front to the rear.

The motor 10 is disposed in the center behind the washing tub 7. The motor 10 is, for example, an outer rotor type motor made of a brushless DC motor, and rotates the drum 9 around a rotation axis A. The motor 10 is provided with a rotation sensor (not shown) that detects its rotational position.

A baffle (not shown) is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 9. A number of baffles (e.g., three) are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 9 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. When the drum 9 is rotated, the baffle lifts the laundry contained in the drum 9 in the rotational direction and agitates the laundry. The baffle extends in the front-rear direction within the drum 9 (i.e., along the rotation axis A of the drum 9).

The inner surface of the drum 9 is formed with multiple holes 12 for water (air) passage. The front of the drum 9 is provided with an opening 9c through which laundry is inserted and removed. The front of the washing tub 7 is formed with an input port 7a that is connected to the opening 9c, and the input port 7a is connected to the opening 3 of the main body 2 via a bellows 14.

A drain port 15 is formed at the bottom of the rear side of the washing tub 7. The base end of an internal drain hose 16 is connected to the drain port 15. The filter unit 17 is located on the front side of the main body 2 and is provided on the bottom plate 2a that constitutes the bottom of the main body 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the filter unit 17 is composed of a cylindrical case 64, a lint filter (not shown) housed inside the case 64, and a cap 62. The cap 62 is attached so that the front opening of the filter unit 17 can be opened and closed. The lint filter has the function of capturing lint (lint) in the washing water. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the main body 2 is provided with an opening 2b in front of the cap 62 for inserting and removing the filter unit 17 from the main body 2. As shown in FIG. 1, 2, and 4, a lid 50 is attached to the opening 2b, and the opening 2b can be opened and closed by the lid 50.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cap 62 is provided with a straight knob 60 that the user can grip with his or her fingers and rotate. The user can rotate the knob 60 to disengage the case 64 from the main body 2, and can remove the filter unit 17 from the device through the opening 2b by pulling the knob 60 in the axial direction of the cap 62.

2, a hose connection port 17a is provided on the top of the filter unit 17. The tip of the internal drain hose 16 is connected to the hose connection port 17a. That is, the internal drain hose 16 connects the washing tub 7 and the filter unit 17. A drain valve 19 is connected to the bottom of the filter unit 17, and a drain pipe 20 is connected to the outlet side of the drain valve 19. The tip of the drain pipe 20 extends to the outside of the main body 2 through the bottom plate 2a and is connected to an external drain hose (not shown). As a result, when the drain valve 19 is opened, the washing water in the washing tub 7 passes through the filter unit 17 and is then discharged from the drain pipe 20.

A circulation pump 21 is provided at the rear end of the filter unit 17. The circulation pump 21 has an intake port facing the filter unit 17, and sucks water from inside the washing tub 7 and drum 9 through the drain port 15, the internal drain hose 16, and the filter unit 17. An outlet port 21a is provided at the top of the circulation pump 21. The base end of a water supply hose 22 is connected to the outlet port 21a. The middle part of the water supply hose 22 extends upward from the side of the periphery of the bellows 14, and its tip is connected to a fountain nozzle 23 formed at the top of the input port 7a of the washing tub 7.

The fountain nozzle 23 is configured to spray wash water in the direction of arrow J toward the lower part of the drum 9 (more specifically, toward the lower part slightly to the right when viewed from the front). As a result, when the circulation pump 21 is driven, the wash water in the washing tub 7 passes through the drain outlet 15, the internal drain hose 16, the filter unit 17, and the water supply hose 22, and is sprayed in a shower-like manner from the fountain nozzle 23 into the drum 9. As the wash water passes through the filter unit 17, relatively large lint is captured by the lint filter.

An air trap 24 is provided at the front upper part of the filter unit 17. A water level sensor 25 is provided at the top of the rear side inside the main body 2. The air trap 24 and the water level sensor 25 are connected by an air tube 26. The water level in the washing tub 7 is detected by the water level sensor 25 via the internal drain hose 16, the filter unit 17, the air trap 24, and the air tube 26.

A water supply unit 27 is provided at the top of the inside of the main body 2. The water supply unit 27 supplies water to the washing tub 7. A water supply port 28 connected to a water tap is provided on the upper surface of the rear side of the main body 2. The water supply port 28 is connected to a water supply valve 29, which is connected to the inlet of a water supply case 31 via a connection pipe 30. The outlet of the water supply case 31 is connected to the washing tub 7 via a water supply hose 32. A detergent storage section (not shown) is provided inside the water supply case 31. As a result, when the water supply valve 29 is opened, tap water is supplied from the water supply port 28 to the washing tub 7 via the water supply valve 29, the connection pipe 30, the water supply case 31, and the water supply hose 32. In addition, when water is supplied, the detergent in the water supply case 31 is automatically poured into the washing tub 7.

Inside the main body 2, a drying unit (not shown) is provided for circulating and supplying warm air into the drum 9 to dry the laundry. The drying unit has a well-known configuration including, for example, a circulation duct that connects an air inlet and an air outlet provided in the washing tub 7 to the outside of the washing tub 7, and a blower fan and a heater provided in the circulation duct. Note that a dehumidifying means (for example, a heat pump) may be provided in the circulation duct.

The display operation unit 5 is provided on the upper front surface of the main body 2. The display operation unit 5 is, for example, a liquid crystal touch panel. Various information related to the washing machine 1 is displayed on the display operation unit 5. The display operation unit 5 also accepts various operations related to the washing machine 1.

The control device 6 is provided on the back side of the display operation unit 5. The control device 6 is composed of a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and controls the operation of the entire washing machine 1 to execute each step of the washing operation. The control device 6 receives signals indicating operations accepted by the display operation unit 5, and controls the display of various information on the display operation unit 5.

The control device 6 also receives detection signals from the water level sensor 25 and the rotation sensor. The control device 6 drives and controls the motor 10, as well as the water supply valve 29, the drain valve 19, the circulation pump 21, the drying unit 34, and the locking mechanism. Based on signals indicating input operations by the user to the display operation unit 5 and detection signals from the water level sensor 25, etc., the control device 6 controls each mechanism such as the motor 10, the water supply valve 29, the drain valve 19, and the circulation pump 21 according to an operation control program, and executes a washing operation consisting of each process such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying.

Next, the configuration of the lid 50 that opens and closes the opening 2b through which the filter unit 17 is inserted and removed will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the lid 50 is provided at the lower left of the front surface 2c of the main body 2. That is, the filter unit 17 is disposed at the lower left of the front surface inside the main body 2. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lid 50 has an upper portion 50a and a lower portion 50b. The upper portion 50a of the lid 50 extends approximately vertically in the up-down direction. The lower portion 50b of the lid 50 extends downward from the lower end of the upper portion 50a. When the lid 50 is closed, the lower portion 50b bends and extends from the lower end of the upper portion 50a toward the inside of the main body 2 (i.e., rearward). In addition, the lower portion of the front surface 2c of the main body 2 is also bent toward the inside of the main body 2. That is, the front surface of the lid 50 is disposed substantially flush with the front surface 2c of the main body 2 when the opening 2b is closed. In this specification, "placed substantially flush" does not only mean that there is no difference between the two surfaces, but also includes cases where there is a certain difference in level (for example, within 2 to 3 mm) between the two surfaces.

2 and 3, the lid 50 has a lower surface 50c. A handle 52 is provided on the lower surface 50c. The handle 52 has a concave shape extending in the left-right direction on the lower surface 50c. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the handle 52 is inclined parallel to the lower portion 50b of the lid 50 (i.e., forward). The left-right center position of the handle 52 is located to the right of the left-right center position of the lid 50. The handle 52 (i.e., the lower surface 50c of the lid 50) is located above the lower end of the main body 2 (e.g., the bottom surface of the bottom plate 2a of the main body 2).

Figure 4 shows a cross section of the filter unit 17 and its periphery when the lid 50 is open. As shown in Figure 4, the lid 50 has four sides 58a, 58b, 58c, and 58d that define its outer periphery. In other words, the lid 50 has a substantially rectangular shape. An engagement portion 54 and a hinge portion 56 are provided on the rear surface (back surface) of the lid 50.

The hinge portion 56 is located along the left side 58d of the lid 50 when the washing machine 1 is viewed from the front. The hinge portion 56 connects the lid 50 to the main body so that it can rotate. In other words, the lid 50 is pivotally supported at its left end (the left side 58d side) to the main body 2 so that it can rotate left and right, and is a left-opening type. The engagement portion 54 is located along the right side 58b of the lid 50 when the washing machine 1 is viewed from the front. The engagement portion 54 is configured to engage with an engagement portion (not shown) provided on the main body 2 when the lid 50 is closed. This keeps the lid 50 closed.

As described above, the handle 52 is positioned along the lower edge 58c of the lid, the engagement portion 54 is positioned along edge 58b, and the hinge portion 56 is positioned along edge 58b. That is, the handle 52, engagement portion 54, and hinge portion 56 are each positioned along different edges of the lid 50.

As is clear from the above description, when opening the lid 50, the user places his/her hand on the handle 52 and pulls the lid 50 towards himself/herself (forward). At this time, because the left-right center position of the handle 52 is located to the right of the left-right center position of the lid 50, the force of the user on the lid 50 is more likely to be applied to the right side 58b than to the left side 58d. As a result, the engagement between the engagement portion 54 located along the right side 58b of the lid 50 and the engagement portion of the main body 2 is released, and the lid 50 is rotated left-right around the left side 58d as an axis. This allows the lid 50 to be opened.

As described above, in the washing machine 1 of this embodiment, the opening 2b for inserting and removing the filter unit 17 is provided at the bottom of the front side of the main body 2, and a lid 50 is provided to open and close the opening 2b. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the filter unit 17 is exposed, for example, the aesthetic appearance is less impaired. In addition, the user can access the filter unit 17 simply by opening and closing the lid 50, which provides high functionality. Furthermore, when the lid 50 is closed, the front surface of the lid 50 is substantially flush with the front surface of the main body 2, providing a high level of design.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the handle 52 of the lid 50 is provided on the underside 50c of the lid 50 and is located above the lower end of the main body 2. That is, the handle 52 is provided in a position that is not visible to the user. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the handle is provided on the front surface of the lid, for example, no unevenness is formed on the front surface of the lid 50, and the design is high. In addition, the handle 52 has a concave shape that slopes forward from the underside 50c of the lid 50, so that the user can easily place his or her hand on the handle 52, and the operability is also high. In addition, since the handle 52 is provided on the underside 50c of the lid 50, even if the size of the handle 52 is enlarged to ensure operability, the aesthetics are not impaired.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the handle portion 52, the engagement portion 54, and the hinge portion 56 are each located at a position along a different side of the lid 50. This makes it difficult for the portions 52, 54, and 56 to interfere with each other, facilitating molding and allowing for a high degree of freedom in design.

In addition, in the embodiment described above, the lower portion 50b of the lid 50 is bent and extends toward the inside of the main body 2. Therefore, when accessing the handle portion 52, the user can reach along the lower portion 50b (i.e., diagonally), which provides high operability.

Although specific examples of the present invention have been described above in detail, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples given above. Modifications of the above examples are listed below.

In the above-described embodiment, the handle 52 for opening and closing the lid 50 is provided, but the lid 50 may be opened and closed by other mechanisms. For example, the lid 50 may be opened and closed by a button. For example, a button for releasing the engagement of the engagement part 54 may be provided on the underside 50c of the lid 50. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the closed state of the lid 50 is mechanically held by the engagement part 54, but, for example, a magnet may be provided instead of the engagement part 54. In this case, a magnet or a magnetic material that can be magnetically attracted to the magnet of the lid 50 may also be provided on the main body 2 side. In such a configuration, when the lid 50 is closed, the magnets (or the magnet and the magnetic material) magnetically attract each other, so that the lid 50 can be held in the closed state.

The lid 50 does not have to be configured to be rotatable left and right. For example, it may be a downward-opening type. In this case, the hinge portion 56 may be provided at a position along the bottom edge 58c of the lid 50, and the engagement portion 54 may be provided at a position along the top edge 58a of the lid 50.

The handle 52 does not have to be provided on the underside 50c of the lid 50. The lid 50 does not have to have a rectangular shape.

The lid 50 does not have to be curved. For example, the front surface of the lid 50 may be configured as a substantially flat surface extending in the vertical direction. In this case, the front surface of the main body 2 may also be configured as a substantially flat surface so that the front surface of the lid 50 and the front surface of the main body 2 are disposed substantially flush with each other.

In addition, while the above-mentioned embodiment describes a drum-type washing machine, the technology disclosed in this specification can also be applied to, for example, so-called vertical washing machines in which the laundry inlet is provided on the top surface of the main body.

The technical elements described in this specification or drawings may exhibit technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. The technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings may achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving any one of those objectives is itself technically useful.

1: washing machine, 2: main body, 2a: bottom plate, 2b: opening, 2c: front, 17: filter unit, 50: lid, 50a: upper part, 50b: lower part, 50c: underside, 52: handle, 54: engagement part, 56: hinge part

Claims (5)

The main body,
A washing tub provided in the main body;
A filter unit connected to the washing tub;
an opening provided at a lower portion of a front side of the main body, through which the filter unit can be inserted and removed;
A cover for opening and closing the opening;
Equipped with
When the lid is closed, a front surface of the lid is disposed substantially flush with the front surface of the main body ;
The lid is
A plurality of sides defining a perimeter of the lid;
A handle for opening and closing the lid;
a hinge portion that rotatably connects the lid to the main body;
an engagement portion that engages with the main body when the lid is closed,
The handle is disposed along the bottom edge of the lid,
The hinge portion is disposed at a position along the left side or the right side of the lid,
The engagement portion is disposed at a position along a side of the lid opposite to the hinge portion.
Clothes treatment device. the opening is provided such that the left edge or the right edge of the lid is disposed near a side surface of the main body when the lid is closed,
The clothing processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge portion is disposed on one of the left side and the right side, whichever is closer to the side surface of the main body. The clothing processing device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the handle portion is located above a lower end of the main body. The clothing processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle portion has a concave shape. A clothing processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a lower portion of the front surface of the lid is bent toward the inside of the main body.

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