JPH0321747Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a water level switching device for adjusting the amount of water in a washing machine that automatically supplies water.

[Conventional technology]

The washing machine is equipped with a pressure (water level) switch that switches the electric circuit that drives the water supply valve when the amount of water in the washing tank reaches the specified water level during automatic water supply, or when the water level drops after draining. Some systems automatically stop the water supply when the water level is reached, and automatically refill the water after draining is complete.

By the way, the specified water level is usually divided into three levels, ``high,''``medium,'' and ``low,'' depending on the amount of items to be washed.In order to stop the water supply at the desired water level, a switching cam is installed on the pressure switch. controls the switching timing of the switch.

The switching operation of the switching cam is performed by protruding an operator connected to the switching cam from the top panel of the washer, etc., and operating it by protruding it from the top panel of the washing machine. It is conceivable to connect a knob that slides linearly along the switching cam to the switching cam, but the elongated hole may be formed larger to make it easier to operate.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, if the long holes are made large, washing water that scatters on the top of the panel, or rainwater if the washing machine is placed outdoors, will enter the bottom of the panel through the long holes, and the pressure switch located below will be affected. There was a risk that the electrical safety would be compromised if the product got wet.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water level switching device for a washing machine which eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages, prevents water from entering the pressure switch, and has high electrical safety.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has a water level switching knob that slides linearly along a long hole provided in a panel in conjunction with the switching cam shaft of a pressure switch. A hole cover is provided that closes the opening surface of the knob and slides integrally with the knob.
In addition, the sliding plate integrally provided on the knob and the hole cover attached to the knob are slidably housed in a channel-shaped guide member that is fitted in close contact with the inside of a rib protruding from the back of the panel. This is a summary.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, when the water level switching knob slides horizontally and linearly on the guide member, the arm rod formed integrally therewith also slides to switch the contact point of the pressure switch. While blocking the opening surface of the elongated hole, the knob slides integrally with the knob, and at the same time, the channel-shaped guide member is tightly attached to the channel-shaped guide member, and at the same time, the channel-shaped guide member is also tightly contacted with the rib protruding from the back of the panel. By fitting and fixing them in contact, water is prevented from entering the pressure switch below through the elongated hole.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the water level switching device for a washing machine of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view with a part of the washing machine cut away. First, the overall structure of the washing machine will be explained. The case of a washing machine is shown, and the two-tank washing machine has a washing tank 2 and a dehydration tank 3 arranged inside an outer box 1, and includes a dehydration tank cover 3a that covers the top surface of the dehydration tank 3, and a dehydration tank cover 3a that covers the top surface of the dehydration tank cover 3a. In front of the lid 4, there is an operation panel 5 equipped with various operation switches such as a power on/off switch and a select switch for washing, dehydration and rinsing, and a top panel 6 is installed behind the dehydration lid 4. There is. In addition, 3b in the figure is the dehydration tank cover 3.
The drain hole provided in a is shown.

The water level switching device of the present invention is attached to, for example, this top panel 6, and this top panel 6 is provided with a long hole 6a from which a water level switching knob, which will be described later, projects. A water level display 6b such as "medium", "low", and "refill" is provided. Also,
In the figure, 6c indicates a rib that determines the attachment position of the guide member 11 to the upper panel 6, which will be described later.

A lever 8 is rotatably protruded in a direction perpendicular to the cam shaft of a switching cam (not shown) provided on the pressure switch 7, which is the main body of the water level switching device. protruded upward.

In the figure, reference numeral 9 indicates a knob for changing the water level, and the knob 9 is formed in the shape of a flat plate, with a thin plate-shaped arm rod 10 protruding obliquely downward from the bottom integrally with the knob 9, with a long end at the tip. A hole 10a was formed. The elongated hole 10a is positioned so that its long diameter portion faces perpendicular to the sliding direction of the knob 9, and sliding plates 9a are provided on both sides of the knob 9 in the sliding direction.

Reference numeral 11 indicates a channel-shaped guide member, and the guide member 11 is a gutter-shaped member with guide plates 11a formed on both sides and a notch hole 11b in the center. Support part 11
c is formed.

In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes a hole cover made of a flexible thin plate and covering the elongated hole 6a of the upper panel 6 from the bottom surface thereof.The hole cover 12 is provided with a hole 12a through which the knob 9 is inserted. Note that the hole 12a and the knob 9 are formed to have the same cross-sectional shape.

In order to incorporate the water level switching device configured in this manner into a washing machine, first, insert the arm rod 10 integrally formed with the knob 9 into the notch hole 11b provided in the guide member 11, and then 9a to support part 1
1c, and combine the knob 9 and guide member 11.

Next, the knob 9 is inserted into the hole 12a of the hole cover 12, and the upper part of the arm rod 10 and the guide member 11 is covered with the hole cover 12. In this state, the hole 12a is inserted into the elongated hole 6a formed in the upper panel 6. The hole cover 12 is placed against the lower surface of the top panel 6 so that the knob 9 is projected upward through the elongated hole 6a, and the guide plate 11a of the guide member 11 is brought into close contact with the inside of the rib 6c. Attach the guide member 11 to the upper panel 6. In this way, the knob 9 moves on the sliding plate 9a.
It is slidably housed in the channel-shaped guide member 11 via the channel-shaped guide member 11.

Further, the pressure switch 7 is installed below the upper panel 6 by inserting the protrusion 8a of the lever 8 provided on the pressure switch 7 side into the elongated hole 10a provided in the arm rod 10 from below. The input side of the pressure switch 7 is connected to a water level detector, such as an air trap 13, provided at the bottom of the washing tank 2.

In order to change the specified water level in the washing tank 2 in this way, all you have to do is pinch the knob 9 with your fingertips and move it back and forth. The water level indicator 6a is located at the forefront of the water level indicator 6a and indicates a state in which the water level is "low".

For example, to set the water level to a higher level from this state,
When the knob 9 is pinched and pushed backward along the elongated hole 6a, the sliding plate 9a integrated with the knob 9 slides backward on the support portion 11c while being guided by the guide plate 11a. At the same time, the arm rod 10 also moves linearly rearward.

At this time, the protrusion 8a of the lever 8 that is engaged with the elongated hole 10a of the arm rod 10 also moves backward at the same time as the arm rod 10 moves, but since the lever 8 is attached to the camshaft, the protrusion 8a It will draw an arcuate trajectory centered on the camshaft, and will move to the right within the elongated hole 10a.

In this way, the lever 8 rotates, the camshaft integrated with it rotates, and the knob 9 is set to the "high" water level display 6b.
If you stop at the position, the cam will switch.

At this time, as the knob 9 moves, the hole cover 12 slides backward together with the knob 9, and closes the remaining opening surface of the elongated hole 6a other than the protruding portion of the knob 9. A sliding plate 9a and a guide plate 11a are provided on the lower surface of the upper panel 6 along the longitudinal direction of the upper panel 6a.
The hole cover 12, the sliding plate 9a, the guide plate 11a, and the rib 6c form a triple wall in close contact with each other.
This prevents water from entering the pressure switch 7. At this time, the hole cover 12 deforms into a curved or linear shape to match the shape of the lower surface of the upper panel 6, so that it does not interfere with the sliding movement of the knob 9.

Then, the water on the hole cover 12, such as splashed water from washing and rainwater, flows through the support part 11c and falls onto the dehydration tank cover 3a, and the water drain hole 3 formed here falls onto the dehydration tank cover 3a.
b further falls into the dehydration tank 3 and is discharged outside the machine.

When the knob 9 is positioned at the rearmost position, the switching cam is switched to the "refill" position.

In this way, by sliding the knob 9 back and forth and aligning the knob 9 with the desired water level display 6b, the camshaft is rotated and the cam is switched.

In this embodiment, the lever 8 and the arm lever 10 are positioned so that the knob 9 can be slid back and forth.
Without being limited to this, lever 8, arm rod 10
By appropriately selecting the mounting position of the knob 9
can be moved in any direction, such as left, right, diagonal, etc.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment has been explained using a two-tank type washing machine as an example, this embodiment is not limited to this, but can be applied to a single-tank type fully automatic washing machine using a pressure switch. Not only can it be applied to a two-tank type system that does not use a pressure switch, but the water level can be set on a panel.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, the water level switching device for a washing machine of the present invention prevents water intrusion by not only covering the hole but also housing the knob tightly in the guide member, and
By fitting the guide member to the back of the panel, this can be prevented and the electrical safety of the pressure switch can be ensured.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the water level switching device for a washing machine according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the washing machine, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the same, and Fig. 4 is FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the same as the above, and FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the same. 1...Outer box, 2...Washing tank, 3...Dehydration tank,
3a...Dehydration tank cover, 3b...Drain hole, 4...
Dehydration lid, 5...operation panel, 6...top panel,
6a... Long hole, 6b... Water level display, 6c... Rib, 7... Pressure switch, 8... Lever, 8a...
...Protrusion, 9...Knob for water level switching, 9a...Sliding plate, 10...Arm rod, 10a...Long hole, 11...
Guide member, 11a... Guide plate, 11b... Notch hole, 11c... Support portion, 12... Hole cover, 12
a...hole, 13...air trap.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] When a water level switching knob that slides linearly along a long hole provided in a panel is linked to the switching camshaft of a pressure switch, the opening surface of the long hole is closed on the lower surface of the long hole and the knob is integrally connected to the switching camshaft of the pressure switch. A hole cover made of a flexible thin plate that slides is provided, and the sliding plate integrated with the knob and the hole cover attached to the knob are tightly placed inside the ribs protruding from the back of the panel. A water level switching device for a washing machine, characterized in that it is slidably housed in a channel-shaped guide member that abuts and fits.