JPH07171294A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a washing machine lightweight and easy to handle by a method wherein an auxiliary tank which communicates with the inside of an outer drum is arranged at a position on the bottom of the outer drum symmetrically with respect to a motor making a machine case as the center. CONSTITUTION:An auxiliary tank 10 is mounted on the bottom of an outer drum 7, connected to the outer drum 7 via a drain cock 11 and provided with a drain hose 12. The auxiliary tank 10 is arranged at a position symmetrical with respect to a motor 4 making a machine case 6 as the center. That is, the auxiliary tank 10 is mounted at the position where a weight has been attached hitherto and waste water is drained through the auxiliary tank 10 at the time of dewatering operation so that the weight of waste water retained in the auxiliary tank 10 serves as a balance weight. Therefore, the capacity of the auxiliary tank 10 is designed so that the auxiliary tank 10 can store wash waste water having the same weight as the motor 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a one-tub type washing machine used in general households.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The structure of a conventional washing machine of this type is shown in FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes a body of a washing machine, which includes a dehydration tub 3 for washing and dehydration, an outer tub 7 including the dehydration tub 3, and the like. At the bottom of the dehydration tub 3, stirring means 2 for stirring laundry is provided.
Is provided. The stirring means 2 is driven by the rotation of a motor 4 provided at the bottom of the outer tank 7 via a belt 5 and a mechanical case 6. The mechanical case 6 is provided with a mechanism for switching and transmitting the rotation of the motor 4 to the stirring means 2 or the dehydration tank 3. A weight 8 is provided at the bottom of the outer tub 7 so that the center of gravity is the center of the outer tub 7, and is provided at a point symmetrical position on the side opposite to the motor 4 with respect to the mechanical case 6. The four suspensions 9 are provided to suppress the vibration of the outer tub 7 during washing and dehydration.
Is elastically supported at the four corners of the body 1.

With the above construction, the laundry put into the dehydration tub 3 is washed and dehydrated.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional washing machine requires the weight 8 in order to center the center of gravity of the outer tub 7, so that the weight of the entire product becomes heavy, and it is transported / installed. Has a problem that is difficult.

The present invention is intended to solve such a conventional problem, and a first object thereof is to provide a washing machine which is light in weight and easy to handle. A second object is to provide an effective washing machine in actual use. A third object is to provide a washing machine that achieves the intended purpose by simpler means.

[0006]

The first means of the present invention for achieving the first object is to provide an auxiliary tank at the bottom of the outer tank which communicates with the inside of the outer tank. The washing machine is installed at a position symmetrical with respect to the motor.

A second means of the present invention for achieving the second object is a washing machine provided with a drain cock for draining water from the auxiliary tank in addition to the first means.

A third means of the present invention for achieving the third object is, in addition to the first means, a washing machine provided with a drain hole having a size large enough to store water in an auxiliary tank during dehydration. It is what

[0009]

In the first means of the present invention, the auxiliary tank is provided in the outer tub in place of the conventional weight, so that the weight of the whole product is lightened when the auxiliary tank is not filled with water and the auxiliary tank is used for dehydration. It acts as a balancer.

The second means of the present invention is that the water in the auxiliary tank can be drained when necessary by operating the drain cock provided in the auxiliary tank, and the washing machine can be easily moved. is there.

The third means of the present invention is to consider the size of the drain hole provided in the auxiliary tank so that the auxiliary tank inside the auxiliary tank can be used every time the washing machine is used without providing a separate component. It acts to automatically drain water.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the first means of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. The same parts as those in FIG. 4 which is a conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. An auxiliary tank 10 is provided at the bottom of the outer tank 7, and is connected to the outer tank 7 via a drain cock 11. A drain hose 12 is connected to the upper side of the auxiliary tank 10. The auxiliary tank 10 is installed in a position symmetrical with the motor 4 about the mechanical case 6. In other words, it is attached to the part where the conventional weight was present.

With the above construction, the auxiliary tank 10 acts as a balancer during dehydration. That is, when the user opens the drain cock 11 at the stage after washing and rinsing, the washing water in the dehydration tub 3 and the outer tub 7 flows into the auxiliary tank 10, and the overflowed one is discharged from the drain hose 12 to the outside. It is drained to. At this time, in the present embodiment, the capacity of the auxiliary tank 10 and the drain hose 1 provided in the auxiliary tank 10
Since the position 2 is appropriately set, the wash water having the same weight as the motor 4 is stored in the auxiliary tank 10. That is, according to this embodiment, the weight of the auxiliary tank 10 is the same as the weight of the motor 4 when the washing / rinsing is finished and the dehydration process is started. Moreover, since the auxiliary tank 10 is installed so as to be symmetrical with respect to the mechanical case 6 on the side opposite to the motor 4, the auxiliary tank 10 acts as a balancer during dehydration.

In addition, since water is supplied to the auxiliary tank 10 by the user operating the drain cock at the time of use, the total weight of the washing machine is reduced by the weight of the motor 4 when the product is shipped from the factory. That's all. That is, according to the present embodiment, it is lightweight and easy to carry and install.

Since the water in the auxiliary tank is replaced every time it is washed, the water will not spoil as long as it is washed at normal frequency. Further, in the present embodiment, the pulsator is shown as the stirring means 2 for the laundry, but the agitator for rocking the laundry to the left and right has the same effect.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the auxiliary tank 10 is described as one, but a plurality of auxiliary tanks are used and the total center of gravity of these auxiliary tank groups is the motor 4.
It is easily conceivable to provide them so as to be point-symmetrical.

Although the drain cock 11 is manually operated, it can be easily considered that it can be automatically operated during the washing process.

Next, an embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the second drain cock 14 connected to the drain hose 12 is provided at the bottom of the auxiliary tank 10.

With the above construction, this embodiment operates as a more convenient washing machine in actual use. That is, in the configuration of the above-described embodiment, a certain amount of washing water is always left in the auxiliary tank 10. In this respect, the user of the present embodiment has the second drain cock 1
By opening 4, the washing water in the auxiliary tank 10 can be completely drained. That is, the present embodiment has a convenient structure that is lightweight and prevents water from spilling even when tilted, for example, when it is necessary to move after using the washing machine.

The second drain cock 14 may be opened manually as described above, or may be opened automatically when the dehydration is completed. In particular, if the automatic opening is performed at the end of the dehydration, the water will not be spoiled even when the washing machine is not used for a long time.

Next, an embodiment of the third means of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, instead of the second drain cock 14 used in the embodiment of the second means of the present invention, a small drain hole 15 connected to the drain hose 12 is provided at the bottom of the auxiliary tank 10. Is. The drain hole 15 is used for natural drainage, and the size thereof is set so as to store water in the auxiliary tank 10 and act as a balancer during dehydration.

With the above construction, the washing water in the auxiliary tank 10 is gradually drained to the drain hose 12 through the drain hole 15 from the time when the dehydration is completed. Until the dehydration is completed, the auxiliary tank 10 stores a sufficient amount of water to act as a balancer. When the dehydration is completed, the washing water in the auxiliary tank 10 is naturally discharged through the drain hole 15, although gradually.

[0023]

According to the first means of the present invention, an auxiliary tank communicating with the inside of the outer tank is provided at the bottom of the outer tank, and the auxiliary tank is installed at a position symmetrical with respect to the motor about the mechanical case. The washing machine is light in weight and easy to handle.

The second means of the present invention is provided with a drain cock for draining the water in the auxiliary tank so that the weight can be lightened when it becomes necessary to carry it again after it has been used once. Even if the washing machine is tilted, the water in the auxiliary tank does not leak, and the washing machine can be effectively used for actual use.

A third means of the present invention is a washing machine which achieves the intended purpose with a simpler construction by providing a drainage hole of a size large enough to store water in an auxiliary tank during dehydration. Is what you can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a structure of a washing machine which is an embodiment of a first means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an auxiliary tank which is an embodiment of the second means of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an auxiliary tank which is an embodiment of the third means of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a conventional washing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Dehydration tank 6 Mechanical case 10 Auxiliary tank 14 Second drain cock 15 Drain hole

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A dehydration tub for washing and dehydrating, an agitating means provided at an inner bottom of the dehydration tub, and an outer tub enclosing the dehydration tub.
A motor that drives the stirring means and the dehydration tank, a mechanical case that switches and transmits the rotation of the motor to the stirring means or the dehydration tank, and a suspension that supports the outer tank are provided. A washing machine equipped with an auxiliary tank that communicates with the motor, and the auxiliary tank is installed in a position symmetrical to the motor centering on the mechanical case. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a drain cock for draining water from the auxiliary tank. 3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a drain hole having a size large enough to store water in the auxiliary tank at the time of dehydration is provided.