JPH0327239B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention is a dehydrating and dehydrating washing machine that automatically performs processes such as washing, rinsing, draining, and dehydration, and is capable of reliably adding a liquid agent such as a fabric softener when rinsing after a predetermined dehydration process. This relates to an automatic loading device.

Conventionally, in this type of automatic loading device, a balance ring was installed in the washing and dehydrating tub to suppress vibration.
A charging container is detachably provided on the balance ring, and the softening agent and the like are sequentially moved through a holding chamber during stoppage and a holding chamber during rotation in the charging container by the centrifugal force of the dewatering process, and are charged during rinsing. ing. However, the charging container must be provided with a holding chamber during stoppage and a holding chamber during rotation, depending on the number of dehydration steps in the process, and as a result, the charging container has a large volume, making it difficult to use. It was hot. or,
A method has been considered in which the balance ring is integrally formed with the holding chamber during stoppage, the holding chamber during rotation, the softener receiving tray, etc., but this would complicate the structure of the balance ring and make it difficult to prevent clogging. The drawbacks were that maintenance was troublesome and it was difficult to use.

Therefore, a system was devised that takes advantage of the advantages of each of the above two systems, such as providing a part of the balancer with an automatic feeding device for softening agent, etc., and also providing a feeding container. The present invention relates to an improvement in the structure of the charging container in this case.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a single-tank centrifugal dehydrating washing machine, where 1 is an outer box, 2 is a washing/dehydrating tank, and 3 is a water receiving tank.

Laundry and detergent are put into the washing and dewatering tank 2, the time switch 4 is operated to open the water supply valve 5, and water is injected through the water supply hose 6. When a certain amount of water enters, the motor 7 rotates the pulsator 10 via the pulley 8 and belt 9 to perform cleaning. After that, the drain valve 11 is opened to drain the water, and then the rotational drive of the motor 7 is transmitted to the washing/dehydration tank 2 by the washing/dehydration switching mechanism 16, which is rotated to perform dewatering by centrifugal force. In order to dampen the vibrations during dewatering, the vibration system is suspended from the outer box 1 by several hanging rods 13 via a vibration damper 12. After dehydration, pour water again, rinse, drain, and dehydrate. Repeat this rinse cycle several times, then dehydrate at the end. These operations are automatically performed using the time switch 4.

On the other hand, if a soft finish is desired, it is necessary to add a softener during the final rinse. , integrally forms a part of an automatic loading mechanism for softening agent, etc., and a liquid agent loading container 15, which is a part of the automatic loading mechanism, is removably attached to the balance ring 14. The ease of adding the softener can be improved without interrupting the process up to dehydration.

FIGS. 2 to 6 show the structure of a container 15 for feeding a liquid such as a fabric softener and a balance ring 14. Reference numeral 17 denotes a saucer portion formed on the upper surface of the container 15, with an injection hole in the center. 18 is provided, and the softening agent or the like is poured into the holding chamber 20 at the time of stoppage. The liquid agent input container 15 is provided with a hook 19, through which it is detachably attached to the balance ring 14.

The liquid agent input container 15 has the injection hole 18 and the saucer part 17 at the upper part of the upper opening edge of a substantially box-shaped box member 15a made of a synthetic resin material which is open at the top and has an outlet part 15b formed in the side wall. A lid body 15c made of a synthetic resin material is liquid-tightly welded using a hot plate or the like. The side wall 15d of the box-shaped member 15a has a stepped portion 15 at a lower position close to the upper opening edge thereof.
The stop holding chamber 20 of the liquid agent input container 15 communicates with the outside through the injection hole 18 and the outlet portion 15b. A substantially rectangular or substantially cylindrical pipe 21 is provided on the outside of the side wall of the outlet portion 15b to communicate the inside of the holding chamber 20 during stoppage with the outside. When the liquid agent input container 15 is attached to the balance ring 14, this pipe 21 is inserted into a square or round communication hole 22 formed on the inner wall of the balance ring 14, and is connected to the stop holding chamber 20, which will be explained next. The holding chamber 23 communicates with the rotating holding chamber 23 of the feeding mechanism for softening agent, etc., which is partially formed in the balance ring 14.

A passageway 26 filled with salt water or the like is formed inside the balance ring 14, and a part of the passageway 26 is filled with salt water or the like.
A holding chamber 23 during rotation, a holding chamber 24 during stoppage, and a holding chamber 25 during rotation, which constitute a part of the softening agent injection mechanism.
is formed, and is separated from the water passage 26 by a partition wall 28 and a partition wall 29 that connect from the upper surface to the lower surface of the balance ring 14, and partition walls 30 and 3
1 forms three chambers: the rotation holding chamber 23, the stop holding chamber 24, and the rotation holding chamber 25. The communication port 22 is arranged on the wall of the rotation holding chamber 23 facing the liquid supply container 15, and a partition wall 30 is provided between the rotation holding chamber 23 and the stop holding chamber 24.
An outflow port 27 is formed by cutting out a part of the opening 27, and a communication port 32 is provided in a partition wall 31 that partitions the holding chamber 24 during stoppage and the holding chamber 25 during rotation. Further, the partition wall 29 is formed with an outlet 33 that communicates the outside of the balance ring 14 with the holding chamber 25 during rotation, and the partition wall 34 incompletely partitions the outflow port 33 and the holding chamber 25 during rotation.

In the above configuration, the liquid agent injection container 15 is attached to the balance ring 14 to form an automatic injection device.

Next, the operating principle of the automatic loading device will be explained. First, place the liquid agent input container 15 into the balance ring 1.
4, and when a softening agent or the like is poured into the saucer portion 17 of the liquid agent injection container 15, it falls through the injection hole 18 into the holding chamber 20 during stoppage and accumulates there. This liquid agent input container 15 is attached to the balance ring 14, and the pipe 21 is connected to the communication port 2 of the balance ring 14.
2 is inserted. During washing, the fabric softener and the like remain held in the holding chamber 20 when the liquid agent input container 15 is stopped. This state is shown in FIG. 5A.
When the water is drained and the washing and dehydration tank 2 starts rotating for centrifugal dehydration, at the same time, the balance ring 14
And the liquid agent input container 15 also rotates. When it rotates, centrifugal force acts on the liquid such as fabric softener, and the liquid moves so as to be pressed against the side wall of the holding chamber 20 that is far from the center of rotation when the holding chamber 20 is stopped. Further, since the side wall is tapered so that the horizontal cross-sectional area of the holding chamber during stoppage increases upward, the liquid tends to move upward along this side wall. FIG. 6 shows this state. Therefore, the liquid level is inclined as shown in FIG. 6A, and the liquid flows from the outlet portion 15b to the pipe 21.
It moves through the rotation holding chamber 23 formed in the balance ring 14, and is pressed against the partition wall 28 by centrifugal force here as well. This is shown in FIG. 5B.

When the rotation stops, the liquid agent falls to the bottom of the rotating holding chamber 23. On the other hand, the bottom of the rotation holding chamber 23 is different from the bottom of the stop holding chamber 24 by providing a step with the outlet 27 as a boundary, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the softening agent, etc. is passed by gravity from the holding chamber 23 during rotation to the holding chamber 2 during stoppage through the outlet 27.
4 and is retained. Here, washing and dehydration tank 2
water is supplied to the pulsator 10, the pulsator 10 rotates, and a rinsing process is performed. During this time, the softening agent and the like remain held in the holding chamber 24 during stoppage. This state is shown in FIG. 5C.

Next, when the water is drained and the water is dehydrated, the fabric softener and the like are pressed against the partition wall 29 by centrifugal force through the communication port 32 that communicates with the holding chamber 24 during stoppage and the holding chamber 25 during rotation, as described above. Keep it inside. This state is shown in FIG. 5D.

When dehydration is completed and the rotation stops, the liquid falls to the bottom due to gravity, and since the bottom of the rotating holding chamber 25 is inclined with respect to the outlet 33, the liquid drops to the bottom due to gravity.
Since the outflow port 33 communicates with the outside of the balance ring 14, the liquid flows into the balance ring 14.
leak outside. This allows the fabric softener to be added to the rinse water during the next rinse.

In this embodiment, the liquid agent input container is provided with one holding chamber during stoppage, and the balance ring is provided with two holding chambers during rotation and one holding chamber during stoppage, for a total of two sets of holding chambers during stoppage. It consists of holding chambers during rotation, but the number of holding chambers during stoppage and holding chambers during rotation in the input container and balance ring should be configured to correspond to the number of times of dehydration before rinsing to add softening agent, etc. For example, it can be adapted to any number of dehydration cycles.

Furthermore, conventionally, the communication port 22 and the communication port 32 include
A control valve that is opened and closed by centrifugal force is provided, and during intermittent spin operation, which is used to eliminate bubbles during spin-drying after washing, the spin-drying rotation speed becomes low during spin-drying, and centrifugal force increases. Some devices have a mechanism that prevents the fabric softener, etc. pressed against the partition wall from moving due to gravity to the holding chamber at the next stop when the fabric softener, etc. pressed against the partition wall stops. The rotation speed moving to the time holding chamber is 100 to 200 rpm
Therefore, by performing an intermittent dehydration operation such that the rotational speed does not drop below that speed, that is, by shortening the time during which the motor is de-energized, the control valve becomes unnecessary.

By the way, regarding the amount of fabric softener etc. to be used,
As mentioned above, in order to measure and inject the required amount into the stop holding chamber 20 of the liquid agent injection container 15 at the beginning of washing, the softener etc. should be initially measured at the time of rinsing. The amount that was previously used must be put in. For this purpose, the liquid in the holding chamber 20 during stoppage of the liquid agent input container 15 must be completely moved into the holding chamber 23 during rotation by the initial dehydration.

The liquid agent input container 15 having the above-described structure is constructed by welding the box-shaped member 15a and the lid 15c using a hot plate or the like. In this welded portion, as shown in FIG. 6, the melted resin protrudes into and out of the side wall where the welded surface is located, forming a protrusion 35 along the welded surface. As described above, the liquid agent such as the softener injected into the holding chamber 20 at the time of stop starts to move upward along the side wall surface far from the rotation axis due to the dehydration rotation, and the liquid agent is placed there From the outlet part 15b to the holding chamber 2 during rotation
Move to 3. Here, if the protrusion 35 exists on the side wall surface, the movement of the liquid is blocked by the protrusion 35, and as shown in FIG. 7, after most of the liquid has moved to the holding chamber 23 during rotation. No matter how much the dehydration rotational speed increases, the liquid agent in the area surrounded by the protrusion 35, the side wall, and the bottom cannot be moved, and remains in the holding chamber 20 at the time of stop after dehydration is completed.
For this purpose, an outlet portion 15 is provided on the lower side wall of the welding surface.
If b is formed, the liquid agent can completely move from the outlet portion 15b without being hindered by the protrusion portion 35. However, if the welding surface is brought too far upward, the welding surface will approach the periphery of the hook 19, and the protrusion 35 will close to the hook 19.
9, so when operating the hook 19, your finger will hit the protrusion 35, which may have an edge shape like a burr depending on the shape.
It is a danger. Therefore, it is necessary to give the lid body 15c a complicated shape that prevents fingers from touching the protruding portion 35, which is difficult to mold.

In addition, it is difficult to create a welded surface with a step such that only the welded surface around the hook 19 is downward and the welded surface of the holding chamber 20 is upward when stopped due to the hot plate structure.
Furthermore, the quality of welding is not stable.

By the way, the height position of the outlet portion 15b must be provided above the side wall in order to store a large amount of liquid such as fabric softener in the small holding chamber 20 during stoppage. Therefore, the outlet portion 15b is provided on the lid 15c so that the welding surface exists below the outlet portion 15b, and further, the outlet portion 15b is provided on the side wall on the outlet portion 15b side along the welding surface of the box-shaped member 15a as shown in FIG. As shown in the step part 15
e is provided so that the protruding portion 35 is located close to and above the stepped portion 15e. For this purpose,
During dehydration rotation, among the liquids pressed against the side wall by centrifugal force, there is no liquid that cannot move in the part surrounded by the protrusion 35, the side wall 15d, and the bottom surface, and the liquid moves upward along the side wall 15d. Then, it reliably moves into the holding chamber 23 during rotation from the outlet portion 15b.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably add a predetermined amount of the softening agent, etc., initially poured into the liquid injection container into the rinsing liquid in the washing and dehydrating tank at the optimum injection time. By making some improvements to the structure of the liquid agent injection container, it is possible to realize an automatic injection device that can reliably apply softening agents and the like according to the purpose.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a washing machine with a dehydrating function according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main part of the balance ring with the liquid agent input container removed, and Fig. 3 is the main part of the washing machine. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the outline of the liquid flow path, Fig. 5 A is a diagram showing the location of the liquid during water supply, washing, and drainage, and Fig. 5 B is a diagram showing the location of the liquid during the first dehydration. Figure C shows the location of liquids for water supply, rinsing, etc. Figure D shows the location of liquids for water supply, rinsing, etc.
A diagram showing the location of the liquid during the second dehydration, Figure 6A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the installed state of the liquid agent input container, Figure 6B
7 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of another liquid agent input container. 2... Washing and dehydration tank, 14... Balance ring, 15... Liquid agent input container, 15a... Box-shaped member, 15b... Outlet part, 15c... Lid, 15d
...Side wall, 15e...Step part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Equipped with a bottomed cylindrical washing and dehydration tank that rotates during spin-drying operation, an annular balance ring is arranged on the opening edge of this washing and dehydration tank, and a part of this balance ring is equipped with a removable liquid supply container. an outlet portion is provided on a side wall of the liquid agent input container; the balance ring is provided with at least one chamber communicating with the outlet portion; and the liquid agent input container is a synthetic resin box with an upward opening. The upper opening edge of the box-shaped member is welded to a synthetic resin lid having the outlet portion on the side wall, and the box-shaped member has an inward opening edge at a position close to the upper opening edge. An automatic liquid dispenser for a washing machine that also functions as a dehydrator and has a protruding step.