JPH078315B2 - Detergent supply device for washing machines - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a detergent supply device for a washing machine or the like, which is installed in equipment such as a washing machine and supplies detergent, particularly powder detergent, to a detergent receiving portion thereof.

[Technical background of the invention] Conventionally, as a detergent supply device such as a washing machine used for supplying this kind of powder detergent, for example, there is one shown in JP-B-42-18769. This product is installed in a washing machine as a whole, and the powder detergent stored and stored in the hopper therein is discharged by a screw driven by a water wheel provided in a water supply channel and supplied into a washing tub or the like. It has become.

[Problems of the Background Art] In the case of the above-mentioned conventional one, the powder detergent stored in the hopper easily sticks to the inner surface of the hopper and the surface of the screw due to the humidity, and is particularly present in a machine that handles water such as a washing machine. However, there is a situation in which the powder detergent is more likely to stick to the surface due to the high amount of moisture peculiar thereto. However, for removal and cleaning, there is no choice but to put a hand inside the hopper while the whole is installed in the washing machine and scrape off the powdered detergent that has stuck from the inner surface and the surface of the screw. This is a troublesome and difficult task, and there is a problem in that sufficient removal and cleaning cannot be performed.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and therefore an object of the present invention is to easily and sufficiently remove and clean the powder detergent stuck to the inner surface of the hopper and the surface of the detergent discharge member. (EN) Provided is an excellent detergent supply device for a washing machine or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a hopper is removably attached to a device by engaging means, a detergent dispensing member is unitized with the hopper to provide an engaging member, and a driving device is provided to the device, and the driving device is provided. When the hopper is attached to the device, the engaged member provided in the device is engaged with the engaging member to transmit the driving force of the drive device to the detergent discharging member, and when the hopper is removed from the device. As the engagement with the engagement member is released,
It is characterized in that the hopper and the detergent discharge member are separated from the drive unit, removed from the device, and treated independently, and in that state, they can be cleaned as desired by washing with water or the like.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment applied to a detergent supply device for a washing machine of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. First second
The washing machine main body 1 whose whole view is shown in the figure has an outer shell formed by covering an outer box 2 with an upper cover 3.
In addition to pivotally opening and closing the lid 4, the operation panel 5 is provided at the front edge portion in front of the lid 4, and the trapezoidal portion 6 is provided at the rear edge portion.
Is provided. An operation knob 7 for setting the water level is provided at the end portion on the right side in the figure of the trapezoidal portion 6, and an operation knob 8 for setting the amount of detergent is provided on the left adjacent portion thereof. In the trapezoidal portion 6, a hopper set opening 9 is formed from the left adjacent portion of the operation knob 8 to the left end portion, and the hopper set opening 9 is formed continuously with the hopper set opening 9 as shown in FIG. A hopper receiving portion 10 is formed which has a shape and whose both ends are open as shown in FIG. The hopper receiving portion 10 accommodates a hopper 11 whose lower portion is formed in a V shape in cross section in conformity with the hopper receiving portion 10 and whose both side surfaces are also inclined through the hopper set opening 9.
At the same time, the claw portion 12 as the engaging means formed on the left side portion of the hopper 11 in FIG. 4 is engaged with the left side edge portion of the hopper set opening 9, and the engaging means also has the operation protrusion 13 formed on the right side portion. The elastic claw portion 14 is elastically engaged with the right side edge portion of the hopper set opening 9 to prevent the hopper 11 from falling off by a destructible structure which will become apparent later. On the other hand, a lid 15 is provided at the upper opening of the hopper 11 and a rear end shaft 16 (see FIG. 3).
The hopper 11 has a plurality of projections 17 projecting in the front-rear direction and a plurality of projections 18 projecting outward in the surroundings, and a plurality of holes 19 as well. A stirring member 20 is rotatably supported by a shaft 21 placed in front of and behind the hopper 11, and at the lower end of the hopper 11, a tube protruding exclusively from the inside of the hopper 11 to the right outside in FIG. The detergent delivery part 22 is formed by extending it to the outlet, and the outlet 23 at the tip thereof is formed.
Faces the detergent receiving portion 25 substantially in the center of the upper surface of the receiving plate 24 disposed inside the platform 6. The receiving plate 24, whose upper surface also serves as a water supply passage, is provided so as to gradually descend and incline toward the supply port 26 at the end facing the washing tub (not shown) in the outer box 2 as shown in FIG. A water supply valve 27 is provided on the uppermost rear end. A coil 28, which is a detergent dispensing member, is rotatably accommodated in the detergent delivery portion 22 over its entire length as shown in FIG. 4, and the stirring member 20 is one of the protrusions 18 of the stirring member 20. Are engaged with the coil 28. On the other hand, the outlet 23 of the detergent delivery unit 22
A transmission shaft 29 to which a base end portion of a coil 28 is attached is inserted at an end portion opposite to the coil 28, and a connector 30 as an engaging member is provided at an end portion of the transmission shaft 29 opposite to the coil 28. Attach and coil
28 is prevented from being pulled out, and the coil 28 is integrated with the hopper 11 to form them as a unit. A motor 31, which is a driving device, is attached to the inner surface of the left side in FIG. 4 of the trapezoidal portion 6 corresponding to the connector 30. Transmission pin 33 as a mating member
Is detachably engaged with the connector 30, and therefore the hopper 11 and the coil 28 as a whole unit can be separated from the motor 31.

Now, in the case of the one configured as described above, in use, first, the lid 15 of the hopper 11 is opened as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 3, and the powder detergent 34 is put in the hopper 11 in this state, and then, With the lid 15 closed, the powder detergent 34 is placed in the hopper 11.
It is stored inside. Then, when a necessary switch on the operation panel 5 is operated to perform washing, the motor 31 is energized prior to the start of washing, and the energized motor 31 is activated, so that its rotational force is transmitted from the rotary shaft 32. It is transmitted to the transmission shaft 29 via the engagement structure of the pin 33 and the connector 30, and is further transmitted from the transmission shaft 29 to the coil 28. Thus, the coil 28 is rotationally driven particularly in the so-called screwing direction, and the coil 28 thus rotationally driven moves while contacting with the powder detergent 34 in the hopper 11.
While making 34 fine, it advances in the detergent delivery part 22 toward the outlet 23, and then comes out from the outlet 23. The powdered detergent 34a thus discharged is received by the detergent receiving portion 25 on the receiving plate 24 as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. It is made to flow by the water supplied as indicated by the arrow in the figure, and is supplied into the washing tub (not shown) from the supply port 26 together with the water. In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, the above-mentioned water is allowed to start flowing before the powder detergent 34a falls on the detergent receiving section 25 and continues to flow even after the flow of the powder detergent 34a is finished, whereby the laundry is washed. Powder detergent
Not only does it prevent the 34a from directly adhering to it to prevent its yellowing and stains, but also in particular its powder detergent 34a.
Is not drained from the detergent receiver 25 so as not to stick. Further, with respect to the rotation of the motor 31, and thus the delivery of the powder detergent 34 by the coil 28, the time length and thus the delivery amount can be adjusted according to the type of the powder detergent 34 by operating the operation knob 8. In addition, in this case, the adjustment of the delivery amount by the operation knob 8 indicates a supplement to the predetermined basic delivery amount, and the basic delivery amount is determined according to the water level set by the operation of the operation knob 7. . Further, when the coil 28 is rotationally driven as described above, the stirring member 20 in which one of the protrusions 18 is engaged with the coil 28 is rotated so that the protrusion 18 is sequentially engaged with the coil 28, As a result, the powder detergent 34 in the hopper 11 is agitated, loosened, and smoothly introduced into the detergent delivery section 22.

When the need for cleaning arises, in the case of the above structure, the operation piece 13 of the elastic claw portion 14 is operated to remove the elastic claw portion 14 from the edge of the hopper set opening 9. As shown in FIG. 1, the elastic claw portion 14 is pulled out from the hopper set opening 9, and the claw portion 12 is removed from the edge of the hopper set opening 9 and pulled out to form a trapezoidal unit of the hopper 11 and the coil 28. Can be removed from part 6 and then the washing machine,
It is also possible to separate the unit from the motor 31 by disengaging the connector 30 from the folding transmission pin 33, so that it is possible to handle the hopper 11 and the coil 28 separately and to remove the powdered detergent 34 stuck to them. It can be easily and desiredly washed with water or the like, and can be sufficiently cleaned. In addition, the unit of the hopper 11 and the coil 28 is effective in that it can be easily provided even when the services are exchanged. Further, in the present embodiment in which the driving device is the motor 31, the hopper 11 and the coil 28 are left because they are left inside the platform 6.
Since the water is not splashed on the motor 31 when it is washed with water, its electric insulation can be maintained well.

Here, FIGS. 6 and 7 show different embodiments of the present invention. Instead of the above-mentioned claw portion 12 and elastic claw portion 14, springs 35, 35 are provided on both side edges of the hopper set opening 9, respectively. Claws 36, 36 as biasingly provided engaging means are engaged with recesses 37, 37 provided on both side surfaces of the hopper 11 to hold the hopper 11, and the motor 31 delivers detergent. Element
The structure in which the transmission of the rotational force to 28 is also performed by the engagement of the drive gear 38 as the engaged member attached to the rotating shaft 32 and the driven gear 39 as the engaging member attached to the transmission shaft 29. Even in this case, if the claws 36, 36 are operated as shown in FIG. 7 to release the engagement with the recesses 37, 37, the hopper 11
The unit of the coil 28 and the coil 28 can be detached in the same manner as described above, and at the same time, the driven gear 39 can be disengaged from the drive gear 38 to separate the unit from the motor 31 in the same manner as described above. Hopper 11 and coil
It is possible to easily and sufficiently perform cleaning by washing with water, etc.

Incidentally, regarding the supply of the powder detergent 34a combined with the above-mentioned water supply, the time width control of the water supply at the time of the supply, the adjustment of the delivery amount according to the type of the powder detergent 34, the presence or absence of the stirring member 20, etc., are appropriately set. You may make it select and implement. Further, the detergent receiving portion is not limited to the detergent receiving portion 25 on the receiving plate 24 and may be in the washing tub, that is, the powder detergent 34 may be directly supplied into the washing tub. Further, the detergent dispensing member is not limited to the coil 28 described above, and may be a conventional screw or valve, and the driving device for driving these detergent dispensing members is not limited to the motor 31.
For example, it may be a water turbine or the like that operates in the water supply channel. And, as a whole, the present invention is not limited to the washing machine, and can be similarly applied to all the devices that function using a powder detergent such as a dishwasher.

Besides, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments shown in the drawings, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the hopper and the detergent discharge member are separated from the drive unit and detached from the apparatus and treated independently, and in that state, they are cleaned by washing with water or the like. Therefore, it is possible to remove and clean the powdered detergent stuck to the inner surface of the hopper and the surface of the detergent delivery member easily and sufficiently, and it is also possible to easily replace those services. It plays.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view showing a state in which a main part is being removed.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the entire appearance of the washing machine, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional side view of the main part in the installed state, Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional front view of the same part in the same state, and Fig. 5 is the same. FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional side view of a portion at a sectional position different from FIG. 3, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic views corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 1, respectively, showing different embodiments of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a hopper, 12 is a claw portion (engaging means), 13 is an operating piece, 14 is an elastic claw portion (engaging means), 25 is a detergent receiving portion, 28 is a coil (detergent discharging member), and 30 is Connector (engaging member), 31
Is a motor (driving device), 33 is a transmission pin (engaged member),
34 is a powder detergent, 36 is a claw (engaging means), 38 is a drive gear (engaged member), and 39 is a driven gear (engaging member).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A hopper which is installed in a device such as a washing machine and supplies the powder detergent to a detergent receiving portion thereof, wherein the hopper is detachably attached to the device by engaging means and stores the powder detergent. A detergent discharging member which is unitized with a hopper and discharges the powder detergent from the hopper toward the detergent receiving portion; an engaging member provided on the detergent discharging member; a drive device provided on the device; When the hopper provided in the drive device is attached to the equipment, the engagement member is engaged with the engagement member to transmit the driving force of the drive device to the detergent discharging member to remove the hopper from the equipment. And a member to be engaged which is disengaged from the detergent supply device for a washing machine or the like.