JPH0323193Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a water level display device for displaying the set water level of a washing tank in a washing machine that automatically supplies water.

The washing machine is equipped with a pressure (water level) switch that switches the electric circuit that drives the water supply valve to the specified water level when the water level 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 reaches the limit, and then automatically refill the water after the water has been drained.

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.
The pressure switch is provided with a switching cam so that the electric circuit is switched at each of these water levels, and the operating element of the switching cam is projected from, for example, the top panel of the washing machine.

Some of these operators have an extended camshaft that can be turned directly as a knob, but in order to make it easier to operate, a lever is provided integrally with the camshaft, and a lever is also provided on the knob. Therefore, it is conceivable to connect these two levers via a guide member so that the rotational motion of the camshaft is converted into a linear motion of the knob, and the knob is made to slide, thereby rotating the camshaft.

When using a pressure switch with this type of mechanism,
Conventionally, a long hole was formed in the top panel, and the water level display indicating the switching contact point of the switching cam could be set to ``high'', ``medium'', ``low'',
Write something like ``Re-watering'' in letters along this long hole, and while looking at the water level display, slide the knob to the desired position and stop there to switch the switching cam.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, in this display method, the characters indicating the water level are simply written digitally along the long hole, so when moving the knob, one must pay close attention to the characters, and as a result, the knob cannot be moved. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to grasp the stopping position.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the conventional example,
To provide a water level display device for a washing machine that is easy to use and makes it easy to understand the stop position of a knob.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hole cover on the lower surface of a long hole formed in a panel, inserts a knob into an insertion hole formed approximately at the center of the length of the hole cover, and controls the movement of the knob. When sliding the hole cover below the elongated hole in conjunction with each other, approximately half of the hole cover is colored in a different color, bordering on the insertion hole where the knob is inserted, and as the knob moves, the colored portion changes. The gist of this is to change the rate of emergence from the long holes.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, as the knob slides, the hole cover also slides at the same time, and at this time, the surface area of the colored part formed on the upper surface of the hole cover changes depending on the amount of water from the insertion hole position where the knob is inserted. Since the water level changes, the amount of water can be determined at a glance by increasing or decreasing the area of this colored part, making it easy to set the water level.

〔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 display device for a washing machine according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the same, and Fig. 3 is a partial cutaway of a washing machine equipped with the water level display device according to the present invention. First, the overall structure of the washing machine will be explained. The figure shows a two-tank washing machine, and the two-tank washing machine has a washing tank 2 and a dehydration tank 3 arranged inside an outer box 1. In front of the dehydration lid 4 that covers the top surface of the dehydration tank 3, there is an operation panel 5 equipped with various operation switches such as power on/off, washing, dehydration and rinsing select switches.
A top panel 6 is attached to the rear of the dehydration lid 4.

Next, to explain the water level switching mechanism that changes the water level in order to change the amount of water in the washing tank 2 in this washing machine, 7 in the figure shows a pressure switch which is the main body of the water level switching mechanism. A lever 8 is integrally provided on the cam shaft of a switching cam (not shown) and protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the cam shaft, and a projection 8a is made to protrude upward from the tip of the lever 8.

9 in the figure indicates a flat plate-shaped knob for changing the water level,
At the bottom, a thin plate-like arm rod 10 is integrally projected diagonally downward, and a long hole 10a is provided in the arm rod 10.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 indicates a guide member for the knob 9, and the guide member 11 has a notch hole 11a in the center, and support portions 11b for the knob 9 are formed on both sides of the notch hole 11a.

The water level display device of the present invention is attached to such a water level switching device. First, a long hole 12 from which the knob 9 projects is vertically bored in the top panel 6, as in the conventional case, and the long hole 12 is inserted into the long hole 12. "Low" from the front along the
Characters 13 displaying the water level of “medium”, “high” and “re-injection”
I wrote down.

The elongated hole 12 can be seen as a washing tank, and the display positions of "low", "medium" and "high" are based on the actual water level in the washing tank. It is determined by how much of the elongated hole 12 it occupies.

In the figure, reference numeral 14 indicates a hole cover which is made of a flexible thin plate punched out of a ready-made plastic sheet, for example, and which covers the elongated hole 12, and an insertion hole 14a for the knob 9 that matches the cross-sectional shape of the knob 9 is provided in the center. A half of the upper surface with this insertion hole 14a as a border is colored as a colored portion 14b, and a color different from the remaining half of the non-colored portion 14c is applied. The color used here is, for example, ``blue'' to make it easier to imagine the amount of water in the washing tank 2, and this ``blue'' is applied so that it becomes gradually lighter from the edges to the center. Good. Note that the hole cover 14 may be hard, but
If you use a soft material, you can store it by bending the end downwards and it will take up less storage space.

In this way, the arm rod 10 that is integrated with the knob 9 is inserted into the notch hole 11a of the guide member 11, the knob 9 is placed on the support part 11b, and the knob 9 is further inserted into the insertion hole 14a of the hole cover 14. The cover 14 covers the upper surface of the knob 9 and the guide member 11, and in this state, the hole cover 14 is applied to the lower surface of the elongated hole 12 to cause the knob 9 to protrude upward from the elongated hole 12. At this time, the colored portion 14b of the hole cover 14 should be located at the front. Then, the protrusion 8a of the lever 8 of the pressure switch 7 disposed on the lower surface of the upper panel 6 is inserted into the arm rod 10.

The input side of the pressure switch 7 is connected to a water level detector installed at the bottom of the washing tank 2, such as an air trap 15.
connected to.

Next, the usage and operation will be explained with reference to Figs. 4 to 7. In Fig. 4, the knob 9 is located at the front of the elongated hole 12, and the character 13 for "low" is displayed. Indicates the condition. In this state, the insertion hole 14a located approximately in the center of the hole cover 14 is closed by the knob 9.
Since it is located at the frontmost position with the hole cover 14
The rear half, that is, the non-colored portion 14c, is exposed from the elongated hole 12, and the blue colored portion 14b, which resembles water, is not exposed.

The front half of the hole cover 14 is the top panel 6.
It is located in front of the lower surface of the upper panel 6 in a curved state so as to match the shape of the lower surface of the upper panel 6.

Next, when you want to change the specified water level in the washing tank 2 to "high", pinch the knob 9 with your fingertips and push it backwards along the elongated hole 12. At the same time, the hole cover 14 also slides rearward between the lower surface of the top panel 6 and the guide member 11 as the insertion hole 14a moves rearward together with the knob 9.

At this time, the uncolored part 14c of the hole cover 14 gradually hides from the elongated hole 12, and the colored part 1 becomes blue by that amount.
The image is that 4d gradually appears and the amount of water gradually increases. And this hole cover 1
If you stop sliding the knob 9 at the position where the water level display with the word "high" 13 is located while watching the color change at 4, the lever 8 will rotate by the action of the arm lever 10 that slides integrally with the knob 9. The cam switches.

In this state, as shown in FIG.
b and the non-colored portion 14c are approximately half each in area.

To switch to refilling, the knob 9 can be pushed further backward in the same manner as described above, and in this state, the colored portion 14b of the front half of the hole cover 14 is exposed from the elongated hole 12, as shown in FIG. , non-colored part 14c
slides to the rear lower surface of the upper panel 6 and is accommodated here in a bent state to match the shape of the lower surface of the upper panel 6. At this time, the interior of the elongated hole 12 appears solid blue due to the colored portion 14b, as shown in FIG.

[Effect of idea]

As mentioned above, the water level display device for washing machines of the present invention not only displays the water level in an analog manner using text, but also changes the water level digitally by coloring the hole cover and changing the display area ratio. Since it can be displayed, water level switching operations can be performed while watching such changes, making it easy to operate and to easily determine the setting position. Moreover, since the display area ratio of the colored portion can be increased or decreased based on the location of the knob, a sense of unity with the manual operation of moving the knob can be obtained, and the operation is even easier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the water level display device for a washing machine according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the same, and Fig. 3 is a partial cutaway of a washing machine equipped with the water level display device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the same, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the main parts of the same, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the operating state, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of the main parts of the same. 1...Outer box, 2...Washing tank, 3...Dehydration tank,
4...Dehydration lid, 5...Operation panel, 6...Top panel, 7...Pressure switch, 8...Lever, 8a
...protrusion, 9...knob, 10...arm rod, 10a...
...Long hole, 11...Guide member, 11a...Notch hole, 11b...Support part, 12...Long hole, 13...
Character, 14...hole cover, 14a...insertion hole, 1
4b... Colored part, 14c... Non-colored part, 15...
Air trap.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A hole cover is provided on the lower surface of the elongated hole formed in the panel, a knob is inserted into the insertion hole formed approximately in the center of the length direction of the hole cover, and the hole cover is moved below the elongated hole in conjunction with the movement of the knob. When sliding
Approximately half of the hole cover is colored in a different color with the insertion hole into which the knob is inserted horizontally, and the proportion of the colored portion exposed from the elongated hole is changed as the knob moves. Water level display device for washing machines.