JPH08173685A - Drum-type washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent damage by collecting leakage from the outer tub main body at a place below the door for the opening in the outer tub main body, operating a sensor on the basis of the quantity collected, and detecting and timely announcing leakage. CONSTITUTION: The main part of a drum-type washing machine 1 is constituted of an outer tub main body 3 provided with an opening 2 in front, a rotatable drum 4 horizontally supported by a shaft, and a door 5 for opening or closing the opening 2. A sensor mechanism 17 for sensing the leakage of liquid from the door 5 is added, whose main part consists of a pan 18 to collect the leakage, hose 15 extending from the pan bottom in a U form, and pressure sensor 16 incorporated into the closed end 14 of the hose 15. Leakage from the outer main body 3 is collected by the pan 18, the pressure sensor 16 senses the leakage, and a waning buzzer 19 is activated via a control circuit 28.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine for washing clothes by using water or a solvent, that is, a washing liquid, and more specifically, an outer tub body having an opening on the front surface, and an outer tub body. The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine including a rotatably horizontally supported drum and a door that opens and closes an opening of an outer tub body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since this type of drum type washing machine uses a washing liquid, the door is provided with a sufficient sealing means so that they do not leak. Door packing is often used as the sealing means. However, since this door packing is mostly made of rubber, performance deterioration such as hardening and tearing may occur depending on the frequency of use and the years of use, which may cause leakage of washing liquid from the door.

Further, such washing liquid leakage can occur not only when the sealing performance is deteriorated as described above, but also when the clothes are operated while sandwiched between the door packing portions of the door. The leakage of washing liquid from these doors sprinkles the washing liquid on the floor. Further, as a secondary disaster, there is a risk of fire when the solvent is petroleum-based (for example, industrial gasoline No. 5). Especially, since the drum type washing machines in the coin laundry, which have been increasing in number in recent years, can be operated by anyone by inserting coins, there are many unmanned stores in the coin laundry, and there is a risk that the leakage of the washing liquid may be serious.

Further, if the clothes are operated while they are sandwiched in the door packing portion, the clothes may be broken in addition to the above-mentioned leakage of the washing liquid.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an outer tank main body having an opening on the front surface, a drum rotatably horizontally supported in the outer tank main body, and an opening of the outer tank main body are opened and closed. Is installed below the door of the outer tub main body and receives the washing liquid leaking from the door, and the amount of the washing liquid stored in the storage unit reaches a predetermined amount. A drum-type washing machine comprising a liquid leak sensor for detecting and a notifying means for notifying a leak of washing liquid by the output of the sensor.

That is, according to the present invention, a liquid rinsing liquid accommodating portion for receiving leaked washing liquid, for example, a pan is installed below the door,
By combining a sensor for detecting the amount of liquid contained therein and a notifying unit for notifying the leakage of the washing liquid, damage of the leakage of the washing liquid can be prevented in advance. The amount of the washing liquid from which the sensor outputs the liquid leakage signal is preferably set to 20 to 50 cc when the washing liquid is a petroleum solvent.

Here, the saucer is installed under the door of the outer tub body, and is installed integrally with or separately from the front plate of the outer tub body, particularly below the front opening of the outer tub body and the door packing. Is preferred. A hose whose end is closed is connected to the tray, for example, by bending downward (lower) from the bottom and then upward (upper) and extending (preferably substantially U-shaped). As this hose, a bendable synthetic resin hose or pipe (for example, a soft polyethylene resin hose) having an inner diameter of 3 to 8 mm and a length from the pan to the tip of 200 to 500 mm is preferably used.

At the tip of the hose, a sensor for detecting an increase in pressure inside the hose, for example, a pressure detector is provided. As the pressure detector, a normal switch equipped with a fixed contact and a movable contact (combination of pressure receiving plate and contact) that moves in response to pressure change, a movable piece (pressure receiving plate, etc.) that moves in response to pressure change It is possible to use a reed switch provided with a reed, a piezoelectric element that can directly convert a pressure change into an electric change, or the like.

The leak signal of the washing liquid output from the pressure detector is notified by a notifying means, for example, a buzzer, a bell, an alarm sound generating device (reproduces a previously recorded coping method), and a warning display device (alarm or coping method). (Displayed on the LCD panel) is activated to inform the user of the leakage of washing liquid. Further, it is desired to provide an operation stopping means for automatically stopping the operation of the washing machine by the output of the sensor, for example, a relay or a switch for turning off the power supply circuit of the washing machine.

By the way, the hose is provided with a discharge port for discharging the washing liquid and a sample for closing the discharge port so that the discharging port can be opened so that the leaking washing liquid can be easily discharged. It is desirable to do.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this. 1 and 2, the drum type washing machine 1 is
It mainly comprises an outer tub body 3 having an opening 2 on the front surface, a drum 4 which is rotatably and horizontally supported in the outer tub body, and a door 5 which openably closes the opening 2 of the outer tub body.
In addition, 6 is packing, 7 is a front decorative plate, 8 is a bearing for supporting the drum shaft 9, 10 is a pulley, 11 is a pulley belt, 12 is a door handle, and 13 is a door hinge.

Reference numeral 17 is a detection mechanism for detecting water or solvent leakage from the door 5, that is, a washing liquid leakage, and its specific configuration is below the door 5 and the front substrate 20 of the outer tub body 3. A receiving tray 18 installed above and serving as a washing liquid storage unit for receiving the washing liquid when it leaks from the door 5, and extends downward from the bottom of the receiving tray and then upward, that is, in a substantially U-shaped bend. A hose 15 having a closed tip 14 and a pressure sensor 16 integrated in the tip 14 of the hose
It mainly consists of and.

Thus, if the packing 6 of the door 5 becomes defective, or the clothes are caught between the packing 6 and the front substrate 20 and the washing liquid leaks from the outer tub body 3, the washing liquid is received in the tray. You can get it at 13. The washing liquid collected in the saucer 13 is especially U-shaped in FIG.
5 is collected from the bottom portion (I), and among the air in the hose 15, the air on the tip 14 side from the bent portion is shut off from the outside air by the collected washing liquid (II), and then pressurized (III).

4 to 5, the pressure sensor 16 includes a case 21 and a pressure receiving plate 2 installed in the case 21.
2, a lead 23 fixed to this pressure receiving plate, a lead terminal 24 attached to this lead, and a lead 21 fixed to the case 21, and moves via the pressure receiving plate 22 and the lead 23 as the internal pressure of the hose rises. It is composed of a lead terminal 24 and a fixed terminal 25 which separates from and contacts the lead terminal 24. In addition, 26 and 27 are springs.

Thus, when the internal pressure of the hose 15 rises due to the leakage of the washing liquid as shown by III in FIG. 5, the lead terminal 24 moves via the pressure receiving plate 22 and the lead 23 and comes into contact with the fixed terminal 25 to leak the washing liquid. Output a signal. This output signal activates the buzzer 19 as a notification means via the control circuit 28 of the drum type washing machine to notify the user of the leakage of the washing liquid. Further, the output signal turns off the power supply circuit 32 of the drum type washing machine through the control circuit 28, the relay as the operation stopping means, and the switch (not shown) to automatically stop the operation.

By the way, the washing liquid collected in the tray 18 and the hose 15 is pulled out of the plug 30 from the outlet 31 of the T-shaped tube 29 provided at the lowermost portion of the bent portion (substantially U-shaped portion) of the hose 15. Can be discharged by.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the washing liquid storage unit for receiving the leaked washing liquid is installed below the door, and the storage unit is combined with the sensor operated by the amount of the washing liquid. It is intended to prevent the damage of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a drum type washing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged explanatory view of a hose used in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a pressure sensor (pressure detector).

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view of a wash liquid leakage detection mechanism used in this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Drum type washing machine 2 Opening 3 Outer tub body 4 Drum 5 Door 14 Hose tip 15 Hose 16 Pressure sensor (pressure detector) 18 Saucepan (washing liquid storage part) 19 Buzzer (informing means) 30 Plug 31 Discharge port

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An outer tub main body having an outer tub main body having an opening on the front surface, a drum rotatably horizontally supported in the outer tub main body, and a door for opening and closing the opening of the outer tub main body. A washing liquid storage unit installed below the door for receiving the washing liquid leaking from the door, a liquid leakage sensor for detecting that the amount of the washing liquid stored in the storage unit has reached a predetermined amount, and a sensor for this sensor. A drum-type washing machine characterized by further comprising notifying means for notifying a leak of washing liquid by output. 2. A pressure detector for detecting the pressure of the internal air of the hose, the hose having a closed end is connected to the lower part of the washing liquid storage part. The described drum-type washing machine. 3. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising operation stopping means for automatically stopping the operation of the washing machine according to the output of the sensor.