KR100701548B1 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The washing machine of this invention is equipped with a water tank and a washing tank inside, and supplies water to a washing tank through a water supply port. The water inlet has a detergent room and a finishing room inside. The main water supply valve of the water supply valve is connected to the detergent chamber, and the sub water supply valve is connected to the finishing agent chamber. An ion elution unit is arranged between the main feed valve and the feed port. The ion eluting unit elutes the ions of the electrode constituent metal by applying a voltage between the electrodes. In the rinsing process, after the main water supply valve is opened and metal ions, which are the first finishing materials, are added to the rinsing water, the sub water feed valve is opened after a predetermined time passes, and the finishing material, which is the second finishing material, is added to the rinsing water.

Washing machines, ion elution units, finishes, metal ions, antiseptic, antibacterial

Description

Washing machine {WASHING MACHINE}

The present invention relates to a washing machine capable of finishing laundry with a finishing material.

When washing in a washing machine, it is often done to add a finishing material to water, especially rinsing water. Common finishing materials are softeners and adhesives. In addition to this, in recent years, there is an increasing demand for finishing treatments that give laundry antibacterial properties.

Laundry is preferably dried in the sun from the hygiene point of view. Recently, however, the number of families with no one at home is increasing due to the improvement of the employment rate of women and the progress of nuclear family. In these homes, you have to resort to indoor drying. Even at home when someone is at home during the daytime, the rainy season is allowed to dry indoors.

In the case of indoor drying, bacteria and mold are more likely to grow in laundry than in the sun. This tendency is remarkable when it takes time to dry laundry, such as during high humidity or low temperature, such as during the rainy season. Depending on the breeding situation, the laundry may be off-flavored. For this reason, in the household which inevitably performs room drying routinely, the request to perform antibacterial treatment to cloth is strong in order to suppress the propagation of a bacterium and mold.

In recent years, many garments have undergone antibacterial and antibacterial treatment on fibers. However, it is difficult to equip all the textile products in the home with the antibacterial deodorization process. In addition, the effect of antibacterial and deodorizing process will fall off over and over again.

So, every time I wash my clothes, I thought about antibacterial laundry. For example, JP-A-5-74487 discloses an electric washing machine equipped with an ion generating device that generates metal ions having sterilizing power such as silver ions and copper ions. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-93691 describes a washing machine intended to sterilize a cleaning liquid by generation of an electric field. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-276484 discloses a washing machine equipped with a silver ion addition unit for adding silver ions to washing water.

In the method of performing an antibacterial treatment in a washing process, using metal ion is also effective and practical. After dehydration, the metal, for example, silver is present as an ion until the laundry dries, and exhibits a sterilizing effect. After the laundry is dry, silver exists as silver salt, not as ions, but when wet again, it is ionized again to restore sterilization. However, when metal ions are used as the finishing material for antibacterial treatment, the following problems arise.

It is used in combination with other finishing materials, in particular softeners. When the metal ion is a silver ion, it reacts with chloride ions of the softener to form silver chloride. Silver chloride is poorly soluble and difficult to exist as ions in water. In the state of silver chloride which does not become silver ion, sufficient sterilization effect cannot be exhibited.

An object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can be used in combination with another finishing material, for example, a softening agent, without impairing its efficacy when using a metal ion having a bactericidal action as a finishing material for laundry.

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a washing machine was configured as follows. In this washing machine, in the rinsing step, after the introduction of the metal ions which are the first finishing materials to the rinsing water is performed, the washing finisher which is the second finishing material to the rinsing water is waited for a predetermined time. According to this structure, since two kinds of finishing materials which at least one effect is attenuated when they are put into rinsing water at the same time are input separately with time difference, the efficacy which each finishing material has can be reliably utilized.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, it is assumed that stirring of the rinsing water is performed with each input of the metal ion which is the first finishing material and the laundry finishing agent which is the second finishing material. According to this structure, by stirring the rinsing water, the metal ion which is a 1st finishing material and the laundry finishing agent which is a 2nd finishing material can be spread over the whole laundry, and can be reliably attached.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, the input of the metal ion as the first finishing material is optional, and when the input of the metal ion as the first finishing material is not selected, the initial stage of the final rinsing process is selected. In the second finishing material is to be put into the wash finisher. According to this structure, when the metal ion which is a 1st finishing material is not added, the laundry finishing agent which is a 2nd finishing material is input from the beginning of a final rinsing process, and the time required for the final rinsing process is put into the 2nd finishing material. Can be suppressed only by the time required for attachment to laundry. No unnecessary rinsing time is consumed, and laundry is not damaged.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, the input of the metal ion as the first finishing material is optional, and when the input of the metal ion as the first finishing material is not selected, the initial stage of the final rinsing process is selected. In the second finishing material, the washing finish is added while the stirring is performed. According to this structure, when the metal ion which is a 1st finishing material is not added, the laundry finishing agent which is a 2nd finishing material is input from the beginning of a final rinsing process, and the time required for the final rinsing process is put into the 2nd finishing material. Can be suppressed only by the time required for attachment to laundry. No unnecessary rinsing time is consumed, and laundry is not damaged. In addition, the washing finish, which is the second finishing material, can be spread throughout the laundry by agitation of the rinsing water, thereby making it possible to securely attach the washing finish.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, the second finishing material regardless of whether or not the second finishing material washing finish in the preparation space for inputting the second finishing material washing finish, It is assumed that the charging operation itself is performed when the finishing agent for washing is put in. According to this structure, the selection operation of the washing | cleaning finishing agent which is a 2nd finishing material is not necessarily performed, and when washing | cleaning agent which is a 2nd finishing material is not put into a preparation space only when a 2nd finishing material is not desired to be put into it, it is only necessary to operate it. You do not need to add a finish. Therefore, the user does not need to understand many operation methods and can simply advance the operation of the washing machine.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, both the input of the metal ion which is the first finishing material and the addition of the laundry finishing agent which is the second finishing material can be made non-executive. According to this structure, when the input of the metal ion which is a 1st finishing material and the washing | cleaning finishing agent which is a 2nd finishing material is not necessary, it is made non-execution and the unnecessary movement of a washing machine can be stopped. It saves washing time and energy.

In addition, in the washing machine configured as described above, the water level in the washing tank is expected to increase with the introduction of the metal ion as the first finishing material and / or the laundry finishing agent as the second finishing material. The level of water in the washing tank was adjusted. According to this configuration, the water level in the washing tank rises above the set level by the introduction of the metal ion, which is the first finishing material, and / or the finishing agent, which is the second finishing material, so that the water overflows, and the water containing the finishing material You can avoid draining it unnecessarily. No noise is caused by the overflow of the water.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, the input of the laundry finish as the second finishing material is optional, and only when the input of the laundry finish as the second finishing material is selected, the first finishing The metal ion which is a substance was made to be possible. According to this configuration, the addition of metal ions, which is the first finish material, is also possible only when the laundry finish, which is the second finish material, is added. Simultaneous performance of the treatment with the first finishing material, metal ions, and the treatment with the second finishing material, laundry finish is facilitated.

In addition, in the washing machine configured as described above, in the washing machine configured as described above, the input of the laundry finishing material as the second finishing material is optional and at the same time when the laundry finishing material as the second finishing material is not selected, It is supposed that the input of metal ions, which is one finishing material, is performed. According to this structure, the metal ion which is a 1st finishing material is thrown in regardless of whether or not the laundry finishing agent which is a 2nd finishing material is thrown in. Therefore, only the treatment with the metal ions which are the first finishing materials can be performed.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, the metal ions are generated by an ion eluting unit that generates metal ions by applying a voltage between electrodes. According to this structure, the metal ion necessary for the antibacterial treatment of laundry can be produced on the spot as needed.

delete

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, in the case of using the finishing agent, the concentration of metal ions in the rinsing water is set to be higher than in the case of not using the finishing agent. According to this constitution, it is possible to compensate that the efficacy of the metal ions is reduced by the finishing agent by increasing the concentration of the metal ions.

In the present invention, in the washing machine having the above configuration, the metal ions are silver ions or copper ions generated by an ion eluting unit that generates metal ions by applying a voltage between electrodes. According to this structure, the high antimicrobial force which silver ion or copper ion has can be utilized.

In the present invention, in the washing machine configured as described above, a path for injecting the metal ions into the rinsing water and a path for injecting the finishing agent into the rinsing water were used as separate systems. According to this configuration, the metal ions pass through the path for introducing the finishing agent into the rinsing water, so that the metal ions are brought into contact with the finishing agent remaining in this path, and the compound does not lose antimicrobial activity.

1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the washing machine of the present invention.

2 is a model vertical sectional view of the water inlet.

3 is a flowchart of the entire washing process.

4 is a flowchart of a washing process.

5 is a flowchart of the rinsing process.

6 is a flowchart of the dehydration process.

7 is a model horizontal cross-sectional view of an ion elution unit.

8 is a model vertical cross-sectional view of an ion elution unit.

9 is a drive circuit diagram of an ion elution unit.

FIG. 10 is a first flowchart illustrating a sequence of dosing metal ions and finishes. FIG.

11 is a second flowchart illustrating a sequence of dosing metal ions and finishes.

12 is a third flowchart illustrating a sequence of dosing metal ions and finishes.

Fig. 13 is a fourth flowchart for explaining a sequence of dosing metal ions and finishes.

Fig. 14 is a table summarizing the results of the dosing experiments of metal ions and finishes.

Fig. 15 is a first flowchart showing an input sequence in the experiment.

Fig. 16 is a second flowchart showing the input sequence during the experiment.

Fig. 17 is a third flowchart showing an input sequence in the experiment.

18 is a flowchart of a dosing sequence of metal ions and finishes.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, one Embodiment of this invention is described based on FIG.                 

1 is a vertical sectional view showing the overall configuration of the washing machine 1. The washing machine 1 is fully automatic and has an outer case 10. The outer case 10 is shaped into a rectangular parallelepiped shape by a metal or a synthetic resin, and its upper and lower surfaces are openings. A top plate 11 made of synthetic resin is superimposed on the top opening of the outer case 10 and screwed to the outer case 10. In FIG. 1, the left side is the front side of the washing machine 1, the right side is the back side, and the back panel 12 made of synthetic resin is similarly superimposed on the top surface of the top plate 11 located on the back side, and fixed to the top plate 11 with screws. do. A base 13 made of synthetic resin is superimposed on the bottom opening of the outer case 10 and screwed to the outer case 10. All the screws described so far are not shown.

Four corners of the base 13 are provided with corner portions 14a and 14b for supporting the outer case 10 on the floor. The corner part 14b on the back side is a fixed angle integrally molded with the base 13. The angle | corner part 14a of a front side is a screw angle of variable height, and rotates it and the level adjustment of the washing machine 1 is performed.

The upper plate 11 is provided with a laundry inlet 15 for injecting laundry into a washing tank to be described later. The lid 16 covers the laundry inlet 15 from above. The lid 16 is coupled to the hinge plate 17 by the top plate 11 to rotate in the vertical plane.

Inside the outer case 10, the washing tank 30, which serves as the water tank 20 and the dehydration tank, is disposed. Both the water tank 20 and the washing tank 30 also have the shape of a cylindrical cup with an upper surface opened, and the axes are vertical, respectively, and the water tank 20 is concentrically in the form of the outside and the washing tank 30 inside. Is placed. The suspension member 21 hangs the water tank 20. The suspension member 21 is arranged in four places in the form connecting the lower part of the outer surface of the water tank 20 and the inner corner of the outer case 10, and supports the water tank 20 so that it may oscillate in a horizontal plane.

The washing tub 30 has a circumferential wall widening with a gentle taper toward the upper side. There is no opening in the circumferential wall except for the plurality of dehydration holes 31 arranged in an annular shape at the top thereof. That is, the washing tank 30 is what is called a "holeless" type. At the edge of the upper opening of the washing tub 30, an annular balancer 32, which functions to suppress vibration when the washing tub 30 is rotated at high speed for dewatering the laundry, is mounted. A pulsator 33 is arranged on the inner bottom of the washing tank 30 to cause the washing water or the rinsing water to flow in the tank.

The driving unit 40 is mounted on the lower surface of the water tank 20. The drive unit 40 includes a motor 41, a clutch mechanism 42, and a brake mechanism 43, and protrudes the dewatering shaft 44 and the pulsator shaft 45 from the center thereof. The dehydration shaft 44 and the pulsator shaft 45 have a double shaft structure having the dehydration shaft 44 on the outside and the pulsator shaft 45 on the inside, and after entering the water tank 20, the dehydration shaft 44 ) Is connected to the washing tub 30 to support it. The pulsator shaft 45 further enters the washing tub 30 and is connected to and supports the pulsator 33. Sealing members for preventing leakage are disposed between the dehydration shaft 44 and the water tank 20 and between the pulsator shaft 45 and the washing tank 30, respectively.

In the space under the back panel 12, a water supply valve 50 that is opened and closed electronically is disposed. The water supply valve 50 has a connecting pipe 51 that penetrates the back panel 12 and projects upward. A water supply hose (not shown) for supplying constants such as tap water is connected to the connecting pipe 51. The water supply pipe 52 extends from the water supply valve 50. The tip of the water supply pipe 52 is connected to the water supply port 53 on the container. The water supply port 53 is located at the position facing the inside of the washing tub 30, and has a structure shown in FIG.

2 is a model vertical cross-sectional view of the water supply port 53, which is in the form seen from the front side. The water supply port 53 has an upper surface open, and the inside is partitioned left and right. The compartment on the left is a preparation space for putting detergent into the detergent chamber 54. The compartment on the right side becomes a preparation space in which a finishing agent for washing is put into the finishing room 55. On the front side of the bottom of the detergent chamber 54, a horizontal water injection hole 56 for pouring into the washing tank 30 is provided. The siphon part 57 is installed in the finishing chamber 55.

The siphon portion 57 is composed of an inner tube 57a that rises vertically from the bottom of the finishing chamber 55 and a cap-shaped outer surface 57b that is covered by the inner tube 57a. A gap through which water passes is formed between the inner tube 57a and the outer tube 57b. The bottom of the inner tube 57a opens toward the inside of the washing tub 30. The lower end of the exterior 57b maintains a predetermined gap with the bottom of the finishing room 55, and the excitation becomes an inlet of water. When water is injected into the finishing chamber 55 to a level exceeding the upper end of the inner tube 57a, a siphon action occurs, and water is extracted from the finishing chamber 55 through the siphon part 57 and falls into the washing tank 30. do.

The water supply valve 50 consists of the main water supply valve 50a and the sub water supply valve 50b. The connection pipe 51 is common to both the main water supply valve 50a and the sub water feed valve 50b. The water supply pipe 52 also consists of the main water supply pipe 52a connected to the main water supply valve 50a, and the sub water supply pipe 52b connected to the sub water supply valve 50b.                 

The main water supply pipe 52a is connected to the detergent chamber 54 and the sub water supply pipe 52b is connected to the finishing agent chamber 55. That is, the path which flows into the washing tank 30 from the main water supply pipe 52a through the detergent chamber 54, and the path which flows into the washing tank 30 from the sub water supply pipe 52b through the finishing detergent chamber 55 are separate systems. .

A lid (not shown) is provided at the top opening of the detergent chamber 54 and the top opening of the finishing agent chamber 55, respectively. The user opens the lid as needed, and puts the detergent into the detergent chamber 54 and the finishing agent into the finishing chamber 55, respectively.

Returning to Fig. 1, the explanation will continue. The bottom of the water tank 20 is equipped with a drain hose 60 for draining the water in the water tank 20 and the washing tank 30 out of the outer case 10. Water flows into the drain hose 60 from the drain pipe 61 and the drain pipe 62. The drain pipe 61 is connected to the outer peripheral side part of the bottom face of the tank 20. The drain pipe 62 is connected to the center side part of the bottom face of the water tank 20.

The annular partition 63 is fixed to the inner bottom face of the water tank 20 so that the connection part of the drain pipe 62 may be enclosed inside. An annular sealing member 64 is mounted on the partition 63. The sealing member 64 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the disk 65 fixed to the bottom outer surface of the washing tank 30, so that an independent drainage space 66 is formed between the water tank 20 and the washing tank 30. The drainage space 66 communicates with the inside of the washing tub 30 through a drain port 67 formed at the bottom of the washing tub 30.

The drain pipe 62 is provided with a drain valve 68 that opens and closes electronically. An air trap 69 is provided at a portion corresponding to an upstream side of the drain valve 68 of the drain pipe 62. In the air trap 69, the pressure guiding tube 70 extends. The water level switch 71 is connected to the upper end of the pressure pipe 70.

The controller 80 is disposed on the front side of the outer case 10. The control unit 80 is placed under the upper plate 11 and receives operation instructions from the user via the operation / display unit 81 provided on the upper surface of the upper plate 11. And an operation command to the drain valve 68. The control unit 80 also displays display instructions on the operation / display unit 81. The control part 80 contains the drive circuit of an ion elution unit mentioned later.

The operation of the washing machine 1 will be described. The lid 16 is opened and the laundry is introduced into the washing tank 30 from the laundry inlet 15. Detergent is put into the detergent room 54 of the water supply port 53. As shown in FIG. If necessary, the finishing agent is put in the finishing chamber 55 of the water inlet 53. The finish may be added during the washing process.

After preparing to add detergent, the lid 16 is closed to operate the group of operation buttons of the operation / display section 81 to select washing conditions. Finally, when the start button is pressed, the washing process is performed according to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 to 6.

3 is a flowchart showing the entire process of washing. In step S201, it is confirmed whether or not a reservation operation for starting washing is selected at the set time. If the reserved operation is selected, the flow advances to step S206. If it is not selected, the process proceeds to step S202.

When it progresses to step S206, it is confirmed whether the operation start time reached. When the operation start time comes, the process proceeds to step S202.                 

In step S202, it is checked whether the washing process is selected. If it is selected, the flow proceeds to step S300. The contents of the washing process of step S300 will be described separately in the flowchart of FIG. 4. After the washing process ends, the process proceeds to step S203. If no washing process is selected, the process proceeds directly to step S203 in step S202.

In step S203, whether the rinsing process is selected or not is checked. If so, proceed to step S400. The contents of the rinsing process of step S400 are separately described in the flowchart of FIG. 5. After completion of the rinsing process, the flow proceeds to step S204. If no rinsing process is selected, the flow proceeds directly from step S203 to step S204.

In step S204, it is checked whether the dehydration process is selected. If so, proceed to step S500. The contents of the dehydration process of step S500 will be described separately in the flowchart of FIG. After the dehydration process ends, the flow proceeds to step S205. If no dehydration process is selected, the flow proceeds directly from step S204 to step S205.

In step S205, the termination process of the control part 80, especially the computing device (microcomputer) contained in it, progresses automatically in order. It also notifies that the washing process is completed with a sound of completion. After completion of all, the washing machine 1 returns to the standby state in preparation for the next washing process.

Subsequently, each individual process of washing, rinsing, and dehydration will be described based on FIGS. 4 to 6.

4 is a flowchart of a washing process. In step S301, the water level data in the washing tank 30 detected by the water level switch 71 is read. In step S302, it is checked whether capacity sensing is selected. If it is selected, the flow advances to step S308. If it is not selected, the flow proceeds directly to step S303 in step S302.

In step S308, the amount of laundry is measured by the rotational load of the pulsator 33. After capacitive sensing, the flow proceeds to step S303.

In step S303, the main water supply valve 50a is opened, and water is filled in the washing tank 30 through the main water supply pipe 52a and the water supply port 53. Detergent put in the detergent chamber 54 of the water supply port 53 is also mixed with water and put into the washing tank (30). The drain valve 68 is closed. When the water level switch 71 detects the set water level, the main water feed valve 50a is closed. The flow then advances to step S304.

In step S304, the compliant operation is performed. The pulsator 33 reversely rotates to swing the laundry in the water to conform the laundry to the water. This sufficiently absorbs water into the laundry. Also, take out the air from the laundry. As a result of the compliance operation, when the water level detected by the water level switch 71 is lower than the initial time, the main water supply valve 50a is opened in step S305 to replenish water to restore the set water level.

If we choose washing course to perform "clothing sensing", cloth sensing is carried out with conformity driving. After performing the acclimatization operation, a change in the water level from the set water level is detected, and if the water level is lowered above the prescribed value, it is judged to be a highly absorbent cloth.

After the stable set water level is obtained in step S305, the flow advances to step S306. According to the user's setting, the motor 41 rotates the pulsator 33 in a predetermined pattern to form a main water stream for washing in the washing tank 30. Washing of laundry is performed by this mainstream. The dehydration shaft 44 is braked by the brake device 43 so that the washing tub 30 does not rotate even when the wash water and the laundry move.

After the main water flow period has passed, the flow proceeds to step S307. In step S307, the pulsator 33 is inverted little by little to release the laundry, so that the laundry is distributed in the washing tank 30 in a balanced manner. This is to prepare for the dewatering rotation of the washing tub (30).

Subsequently, the rinsing step will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 5. First, the dehydration process of step S500 is entered, but this will be described in the flowchart of FIG. 6. After dehydration, the flow proceeds to step S401. In step S401, the main water feed valve 50a is opened and water is supplied to the set water level.

After water supply, the flow proceeds to step S402. In step S402, the first compliance operation is performed. The acclimatization operation is the same as that performed in step S304 of the washing process.

After the first compliance operation, the process proceeds to step S403. As a result of the compliant operation, when the water level detected by the water level switch 71 is lower than the initial time, the main water supply valve 50a is opened to supply water to restore the set water level.

After the set water level is restored in step S403, a second compliance operation is performed in step S404. The flow then advances to step S405. According to the user's setting, the motor 41 rotates the pulsator 33 in a predetermined pattern to form a main water stream for rinsing in the washing tank 30. Washing of laundry is performed by this main stream. The dehydration shaft 44 is braked by the brake device 43 so that the washing tank 30 does not rotate even when the rinsing water and the laundry move.

After the main water flow period has passed, the flow advances to step S406. In step S406, the pulsator 33 reverses little by little to release the laundry. As a result, the laundry is distributed in the washing tank 30 in a balanced manner, thereby preparing for the dehydration rotation.

In the above description, the "rinse after rinsing water" to receive the rinsing water in the washing tank 30 and perform rinsing is performed. However, the "shower rinsing" of water supply from the water supply port 53 while rotating the washing tank 30 at low speed is also performed. have. Which one or both are to be adopted is determined by the user's choice.

Subsequently, the dehydration step will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 6. First, the drain valve 68 is opened in step S501. Washing water in the washing tub 30 is drained through the drainage space (66). The drain valve 68 remains open during the dehydration process.

When a predetermined time has elapsed and most of the washing water is removed from the laundry, the clutch device 42 is switched, and the motor 41 rotates the dewatering shaft 44 at this time. Thereby, the washing tank 30 performs dehydration rotation. The pulsator 33 also rotates with the washing tank 30.

When the washing tub 30 rotates at a high speed, the laundry is pushed to the inner circumferential wall of the washing tub 30 by centrifugal force. The washing water contained in the laundry is also collected on the inner surface of the circumferential wall of the washing tank 30, but as described above, since the washing tank 30 is widened upward in a tapered shape, the washing water subjected to centrifugal force is applied to the inner surface of the washing tank 30. To rise. Washing water is discharged from the dehydration hole 31 when the upper end of the washing tank (30). Washing water dropped from the dewatering hole 31 hits the inner surface of the water tank 20 and flows along the inner surface of the water tank 20 to the bottom of the water tank 20. And it is discharged out of the outer case 10 through the drain pipe 61 and the drain hose 60 subsequent thereto.

In the flow of Fig. 6, the dewatering operation is performed at a relatively low speed in steps S502 and S503, and then the high speed dewatering operation is performed in steps S504 and S505. Next to step S505, the flow advances to step S506. In step S506, the electric current to the motor 41 is interrupted and the washing tub 30 is inertia rotated without inactivation of the brake mechanism 43, resulting in a natural stop.

The washing machine 1 includes an ion eluting unit 100. The ion eluting unit 100 is disposed in the middle of the main water supply pipe 52a, that is, between the main water supply valve 50a and the detergent chamber 54. 7 to 18, the structure and function of the ion elution unit 100 and the role of being mounted and completed in the washing machine 1 will be described.

7 and 8 are schematic cross-sectional views of the ion eluting unit 100, FIG. 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, and FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view. The ion eluting unit 100 has a case 110 made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin. The case 110 has an inlet 111 of water at one end and an outlet 112 of water at the opposite end. In the case 110, two plate-shaped electrodes 113 and 114 are arranged in parallel with each other and at predetermined intervals. The electrodes 113 and 114 are made of a metal which is a raw material of metal ions having antibacterial properties, that is, silver, copper, zinc, or the like.

Terminals 115 and 116 are provided at one end of the electrodes 113 and 114, respectively. The electrode 113 and the terminal 115, the electrode 114 and the terminal 116 may be integrated separately, but if not integrated, the junction between the electrode and the terminal and the terminal portion in the case 110 are synthesized. It is coated with resin to prevent contact with water so that it does not generate electricity. The terminals 115 and 116 protrude out of the case 110 and are connected to the driving circuit in the control unit 80.

Water flows in the case 110 in parallel with the longitudinal directions of the electrodes 113 and 114. When a predetermined voltage is applied to the electrodes 113 and 114 while water flows through the case 110, metal ions of the electrode constituent metal are eluted from the anode side of the electrodes 113 and 114. The electrodes 113 and 114 are arranged at a distance of 5 mm, for example, using a silver plate having a thickness of 2 cm x 5 cm and a thickness of about 1 mm.

9, the drive circuit 120 of the ion elution unit 100 is shown. A transformer 122 is connected to the commercial power supply 121 to step down 100V to a predetermined voltage. The output voltage of the transformer 122 is rectified by the full-wave rectifier circuit 123 and then becomes a constant voltage in the constant voltage circuit 124. The constant current circuit 125 is connected to the constant voltage circuit 124. The constant current circuit 125 operates to supply a constant current to the electrode driving circuit 150 described later regardless of the change in the resistance value in the electrode driving circuit 150.

The rectifier diode 126 is connected to the commercial power supply 121 in parallel with the transformer 122. The output voltage of the rectifier diode 126 is smoothed by the condenser 127 and then supplied to the microcomputer 130 by a constant voltage by the constant voltage circuit 128. The microcomputer 130 controls the triac 129 connected between one end of the primary coil of the transformer 122 and the commercial power supply 121.                 

The electrode drive circuit 150 is configured by connecting NPN transistors Q1 to Q4, diodes D1 and D2, and resistors R1 to R7 as shown in the figure. Transistor Q1 and diode D1 form photocoupler 151, and transistor Q2 and diode D2 form photocoupler 152. That is, the diodes D1 and D2 are photodiodes, and the transistors Q1 and Q2 are phototransistors.

Here, when a high level voltage is supplied from the microcomputer 130 to the line L1 and a low level is applied to the line L2, the diode D2 is turned on, thereby accompanying the transistor Q2. When the transistor Q2 is turned on, current flows through the resistors R3, R4, and R7 to bias the base of the transistor Q3, and the transistor Q3 is turned on.

On the other hand, since diode D1 is OFF, transistor Q1 is OFF and transistor Q4 is also OFF. In this state, a current flows from the electrode 113 on the anode side toward the electrode 114 on the cathode side. As a result, cation metal ions and anions are generated in the ion eluting unit 100.

When current flows in one direction for a long time in the ion eluting unit 100, the electrode 113 on the anode side is consumed in FIG. 9 and impurities in water adhere to the electrode 114 on the cathode side as a scale. Since this causes the performance deterioration of the ion elution unit 100, the electrode drive circuit 150 can be operated in the forced electrode cleaning mode.

In the forced electrode cleaning mode, the microcomputer 130 switches control so that the voltage of the lines L1 and L2 is reversed so that current flows in the reverse direction of the electrodes 113 and 114. In this case, the transistors Q1 and Q4 are turned on and the transistors Q2 and Q3 are turned off. The microcomputer 130 has a counter function and performs the above-described switching every time the predetermined count is reached.

In the event that a change in the resistance in the electrode driving circuit 150, in particular, the current value flowing between the electrodes decreases due to the change in the resistance of the electrodes 113 and 114, the constant current circuit 125 outputs the output voltage. Raise it to prevent the reduction of current. However, if the cumulative use time becomes longer, the ion elution unit 100 may reach the end of its life, and current reduction may not be prevented even if the switch to the forced electrode cleaning mode or the output voltage of the constant current circuit 125 is performed.

Thus, in this circuit, the current flowing between the electrodes 113 and 114 of the ion elution unit 100 is monitored by the voltage generated in the resistor R7. When the current reaches a predetermined minimum current value, the current detection circuit ( 160 is to detect. Information that the minimum current value has been detected is transmitted from the photodiode D3 constituting the photocoupler 163 to the microcomputer 130 through the photo transistor Q5. The microcomputer 130 drives the warning display means 131 via the line L3 to perform a predetermined warning display. The warning display means 131 is arranged in the operation / display section 81.

In addition, in the event of an accident such as a short in the electrode drive circuit 150, a current detection circuit 161 is provided for detecting that the current has become equal to or greater than a predetermined maximum current value. Based on the output, the microcomputer 130 drives the warning display means 131. In addition, when the output voltage of the constant current circuit 125 is less than or equal to a predetermined minimum value, the voltage detection circuit 162 detects this and the microcomputer 130 similarly drives the warning display means 131.

The present invention is characterized by what timing metal ions are introduced, which will be described below based on the flowcharts of FIGS. 10 to 13.

The sequence shown in FIG. 10 is made in the step of the final rinse of step S400 (rinse process) in the flow of FIG. That is, when the final rinse is started, it is checked whether or not the introduction of metal ions is selected in step S411. If "injection of metal ions" is selected in the selection operation via the operation / display section 81, the flow proceeds to step S412. If it is not selected, the flow proceeds to step S414.

In step S412, the main water feed valve 50a is opened to flow water of a predetermined flow rate into the ion elution unit 100. At the same time, the drive circuit 120 applies a voltage between the electrodes 113 and 114 to elute ions of the electrode constituent metal in water. The metal ion-containing water is introduced into the washing tank 30 from the water supply port 53.

When a predetermined amount of metal ion-containing water is added and the metal ion concentration of the rinse water reaches a predetermined value, the main water feed valve 50a is closed and the voltage application to the electrodes 113 and 114 is also stopped.

Subsequently, the rinsing water is stirred in step S413 to promote contact between the laundry and the metal ions. Stirring is performed for a predetermined time.

The stirring after the metal ion-containing water is added may be switched to stop or weak stirring after the rinsing water and the laundry are subjected to initial stirring for a predetermined time (preferably to be stirred at a certain intensity as in normal rinsing) with the pulsator 33. In this way, by rinsing the rinsed water and the laundry into which the metal ion-containing water is added, the metal ions can be spread to every corner of the laundry, and then the metal ions are well adhered to the laundry by stopping for a while or performing stirring. Can be. In addition, after the metal ion-containing water is added thereto, the mixture is stirred vigorously to spread the metal ions throughout the laundry, and then, by stopping or slightly stirring, the burden on the motor 41 that performs the stirring operation can be reduced and power consumption can be suppressed.

Depending on the type of laundry, the antimicrobial property is imparted by adhesion of metal ions to the laundry by immersing the laundry in a rinse water in which metal ion-containing water has been added for a long time instead of initial stirring, for example, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. It can also be used to achieve bactericidal and mildew effects on laundry and water. Such "long-term soaking" may be an option in the rinsing step (or washing step). Laundry that has been contaminated with bacteria by `` long-term soaking '' (clothes and linens used in hospitals, clothing or linens used outside hospitals, etc. have mutated or contaminated with E. coli), or laundry (unit bath) Can be sterilized and mildew).

In addition, when `` soaking for a long time '', water that is not sterilized with hypochlorous acid, such as tap water, for example, rain water, elongated water, bath water that is left unattended overnight, and is used for washing. Edo can be used for washing with confidence by disinfecting and mildewing water itself.

Subsequently, in step S414, it is checked whether or not the input of the finishing agent is selected. This verification step may be a little earlier. In step S411, you may confirm at the same time as confirmation of the input setting of metal ion. If "injection of the finishing agent" is selected in the selection operation via the operation / display section 81, the processing proceeds to step S415. If it is not selected, the process proceeds to step S406. In step S406, the pulsator 33 is reversed little by little to release the laundry so that the laundry is distributed in the washing tank 30 in a balanced manner to prepare for the dehydration rotation.

In step S415, the sub water feed valve 50b is opened and water flows into the finishing agent chamber 55 of the water supply port 53. If the finishing agent is contained in the finishing chamber 55, the finishing agent is introduced into the washing tank 30 together with water from the siphon portion 57. Since the siphon effect occurs only when the water level in the finishing chamber 55 reaches a predetermined height, the liquid finishing agent may be stored in the finishing chamber 55 until the water is injected into the finishing chamber 55. have.

The sub water feed valve 50b is closed when a predetermined amount (or more than sufficient amount to cause siphon action in the siphon portion 57) is injected into the finishing chamber 55. Moreover, this water injection process, ie, the finishing agent input operation, is automatically executed when the finishing agent input process is selected, regardless of whether the finishing agent is contained in the finishing chamber 55.

In step S416, the rinse water is agitated to facilitate contact between the laundry and the finishing agent. After stirring for a predetermined time, the flow proceeds to step S406.

According to the above sequence, after the execution of the introduction of the metal ions to the rinsing water, the addition of the finishing agent to the rinsing water is performed after a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, when the metal ions and the finishing agent (softener) are added to the rinsing water at the same time, the metal ions react with the softening agent to reduce the antimicrobial activity.The metal ions and the finishing agent are added after the metal ions have sufficiently adhered to the laundry. Can be prevented, leaving the antibacterial effect of the metal ions on the laundry.

The metal constituting the electrodes 113 and 114 is preferably silver, copper or an alloy of silver and copper. Silver ions eluted from the silver electrode have excellent sterilization effect, and copper ions eluted from the coin electrode have excellent antifungal effect. Silver and copper ions can be eluted simultaneously from silver and copper alloys.

Silver ions are cations. The laundry is negatively charged in water, so silver ions are electrically adsorbed to the laundry. In the state of being adsorbed on laundry, silver ions are electrically neutralized. Therefore, it becomes difficult to react with chloride ion (anion) which is a component of a finishing agent (softening agent). However, silver ions are adsorbed to the laundry over time, so a certain amount of time must be allowed to enter the finishing agent. Therefore, the stirring time after silver ion addition secures 10 minutes. The stirring time after the addition of the finish is about 3 minutes.

Metal ions are introduced into the washing tank 30 from the main water supply pipe 52a through the detergent chamber 54. The finishing agent is introduced into the washing tub 30 from the finishing chamber 55. In this way, the path for introducing metal ions into the rinsing water and the path for adding the finishing agent to the rinsing water are separate systems, so that the metal ions pass through the path for adding the finishing agent to the rinsing water and remain in the path. Ions do not come into contact with the compound and lose antibacterial activity.

According to the above sequence, the stirring of the rinsing water is performed with each addition of the metal ions and the finishing agent. Thereby, metal ion and a finishing agent can be reliably attached to the whole laundry.

According to the above sequence, the addition of metal ions is optional, and when the addition of metal ions is not selected, the addition of the finishing agent is performed at the initial stage of the final rinsing process. Therefore, the time required for the final rinsing process can be reduced to only the time required for attaching the finish to the laundry. In addition, the finish can be reliably attached to the entire laundry by stirring the rinsing water.

In addition, according to the above sequence, the closing operation itself is carried out when the finishing agent is injected regardless of whether or not there is a finishing agent in the finishing chamber 55. For this reason, the selection operation of finishing agent addition is not necessarily required, and when it is not desired to add the finishing agent, only the finishing agent should be put into the finishing room 55.

In addition, according to the above sequence, both the addition of metal ions and the addition of the finishing agent can be made non-executive. Therefore, when it is not necessary to add the metal ions and the finishing agent, it is possible to prevent the unnecessary movement of the washing machine 1 by adding the non-execution.

The sequence of FIG. 11 deletes step S411 (confirmation of selection of metal ion input) from the sequence of FIG. According to this sequence, the addition of the finishing agent can be arbitrarily selected, but the metal ions are necessarily added.

The sequence of FIG. 12 adds the following changes to the sequence of FIG. That is, step S421 (level adjustment) was placed before step S412 (injecting metal ion-containing water). Step S422 (water level adjustment) was also placed before step S415 (finishing agent feeding operation). This is due to the following reason.

Metal ions are introduced in the form contained in water. Finishes are also added with water. This inevitably leads to an increase in the water level in the washing tank 30. If the water level in the washing tank 30 is high, the washing tank 30 may overflow by the addition of metal ions or the addition of a finishing agent. It is a waste of time to spill metal ions and finishes by the number of days. It is also possible to be damaged by the noise of overflowing water.

In step S421, the drain valve 68 is opened prior to the introduction of metal ions, and the water is discarded a little. The amount discarded is an amount equal to or less than the input amount of the metal ion-containing water, and the amount is such that it does not cause overflow of the water in the washing tub 30. In step S422, the drain valve 68 is opened prior to the addition of the finish, and the water is discarded a little. The amount thrown away is an amount equal to or less than the input amount of the water including the finishing agent, so that the amount of water does not overflow the washing tank 30.

The sequence of FIG. 13 adds the following changes to the sequence of FIG. That is, it is assumed that step S414 (confirmation of selection of finishing agent input) is firstly selected, and when the addition of the finishing agent is selected, the process proceeds to step S411 (confirmation of selection of metal ion input), and if not selected, the process proceeds to step S406 (balance).

When selection of "metal ion input" is confirmed in step S411, step S412 (metal ion-containing water injection) → step S413 (stirring) → step S422 (water level adjustment) → step S415 (finish agent injection operation) from step S421 (water level adjustment) → Go to step S416 (stirring). When the selection of "metal ion implantation" is not confirmed in step S411, the flow advances from step S422 (water level adjustment) to step S415 (finisher injection operation) to step S416 (stirring).

According to the sequence of Fig. 13, the addition of metal ions is possible only when the finishing agent is added.

14 shows the experimental results. Although four experiments were carried out, the common conditions are as follows. First, the amount of cloth was 1 kg. The yield was 25L. The sequence of washing was "washing → first rinsing (rinsing after rinsing 3 minutes) → final rinsing (rinsing after rinsing) → dehydration". At the stage of the final rinse, the conditions were varied in order to add metal ion-containing water and a finish. Individual conditions of the feeding method are shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 15 to 17. In each experiment, metal ions are silver ions, and the finishing agent is a softening agent.

In Experiment No. 1, silver ion-containing water and a softening agent were simultaneously added at the start of the final rinsing, as shown in FIG. That is, water was supplied from the main water supply valve and the sub water supply valve at the start of the final rinse, and at the same time, a voltage was applied to the electrode of the ion eluting unit so that the silver ion concentration of the rinse water was 90 ppb. After the addition, the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes, drained, and dewatered.

In Experiment No. 2, only silver ion-containing water was initially added at the start of the final rinsing as shown in FIG. Water was supplied from the main water supply valve, and a voltage was applied to the electrode of the ion elution unit so that the silver ion concentration of the rinse water was 90 ppb. After stirring for 10 minutes, the drain valve was opened and 5L of water in a washing tank was drained in preparation for addition of a softening agent. Thereafter, water was supplied from the sub water feed valve until the predetermined water level 25L was restored, and a softening agent was added at the same time. After the addition, the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes, drained, and dewatered.                 

The sequence of experiment No. 3 is the same as that of experiment ②. However, the silver ion concentration of the rinsing water was 180 ppb.

In Experiment No. 4, only silver ion-containing water was added at the start of the final rinsing, as shown in FIG. No softening agent was added. Water was supplied from the main water supply valve, and a voltage was applied to the electrode of the ion eluting unit so that the silver ion concentration of the rinsed water was 90 ppb. After the addition, the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes, drained, and dehydrated.

The antimicrobial activity of the cloth washed under the conditions of Experiment Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 and dried at room temperature is shown in the right column of the table of FIG. Antibacterial activity value was calculated | required by the quantitative test method of JISL1902.

In experiment No. 1 in which a softening agent was added simultaneously with silver ions, the antimicrobial activity was remarkably lower than in experiment No. 4 in which no softening agent was added. In Experiment No. 2 to which a softening agent was added later, although it is not less than Experiment No. 4, antimicrobial activity is higher than Experiment No. 4. In experiment No. 3 having a high silver ion concentration, the antimicrobial activity was higher than that in Experiment No. 2, and the same level as Experiment No. 4 in which no softening agent was added.

Thus, when using a softening agent, the fall of antibacterial property can be compensated by making silver ion concentration in a rinse water high compared with the case where it does not use.

Under the conditions of Experiment No. 2, however, the experiment was conducted without putting the softener into the finishing preparation space, and the same results as in Experiment No. 4 were obtained. Sufficient antimicrobial properties can be obtained even when the operation including the finishing agent input operation is performed without setting the softening agent in the sequence shown in FIG.                 

In the washing machine of the present invention, in the above-described sequence of Figs. 10 to 13, any one of experiment No. 1, 2, 3, and 4 can be used to rinse with metal ion-containing water. By employing the condition of Experiment No. 1, the rinsing time can be shortened. By employing the conditions of Experiment No. 2, a high antibacterial activity value can be obtained while using a softening agent. By adopting the conditions of Experiment No. 3, higher antibacterial activity can be obtained while using a softening agent. If the conditions of Experiment No. 4 are adopted, the softener cannot be used, but a high antibacterial activity value can be obtained.

That is, under the conditions of Experiment No. 1, the effect of the softening agent can be obtained while giving the laundry antibacterial property in a short time. Under the conditions of Experiment Nos. 2 and 3, higher antibacterial properties can be imparted to the laundry while obtaining the effect of the softening agent. In addition, the conditions of experiment No. 4 become the conditions suitable for the laundry which wants to provide high antibacterial property, without requiring a softening agent.

It is preferable that the washing machine automatically determines and controls what conditions of the experiment Nos. 1 to 4 are adopted when executing the sequences of Figs. 10 to 13. For this purpose, the capacity sensing or the fabric sensing can be used. That is, the quantity of the laundry measured by the capacity sensing or the absorbency of the laundry determined by the cloth sensing is used as the judgment material.

For example, if the cloth is thin and the absorbency is low, the antimicrobial and softening agent can be obtained. However, the shorter rinse results in less damage to the cloth. Thus, the condition of Experiment No. 1 is suitable. On the contrary, in the case of laundry having high absorbency (thick clothing such as jeans and wide-fiber product such as sheets), it is generally considered that the necessity of using a softening agent is low, so the conditions of Experiment No. 4 become very suitable. . If the amount of laundry is large, the conditions of Experiment No. 3 are effective to increase the metal ion concentration. If it is a standard absorbent laundry, the conditions of Experiment No. 2 take effect from the balance between the metal ion concentration and the softener effect. In this way, by automatically controlling the introduction of the metal ion-containing water in accordance with the type (or amount) of the laundry, the maximum antibacterial property can be imparted to the laundry.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, A various change can be added and implemented in the range which does not deviate from the main point of invention. In addition, this invention is not limited to the application object to the fully automatic washing machine of the type mentioned in the said embodiment. The present invention can be applied to all types of washing machines, such as horizontal drums (tumblers), inclined drums, dryers or two tanks.

As described above, in the washing machine, at least two kinds of finishing materials, which are attenuated by rinsing water at the same time, are separately added with time difference, so that the effect of each finishing material can be reliably and sufficiently used. It would be. In addition, since the metal ions produced by the ion eluting unit are used as the first finishing material and the laundry finishing agent is the second finishing material, the laundry is sterilized by the sterilizing power of the metal ions, and the laundry is generally given antimicrobial properties. It is possible to finish the laundry with the finishing agent, so even if the finishing agent is a softening agent, the antibacterial property is not seriously impaired. As a result, the laundry can be properly finished and the hygiene level of the laundry can be improved.

Claims (14)

In a washing machine for stirring water and laundry in a washing tank, In the rinsing process, the second finish for the rinsing water is waited for a predetermined time after the execution of the introduction of the metal ion, which is the first finishing material for the rinsing water, among the two kinds of finishing materials that are simultaneously reduced in at least one effect when added to the rinsing water at the same time. Washing machine in which the input of the laundry finish which is a substance is performed. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein agitation of the rinsing water is performed with each input of the metal ion which is the first finishing material and the laundry finishing agent which is the second finishing material. The method of claim 1, wherein the input of the metal ion as the first finishing material is optional, and when the input of the metal ion as the first finishing material is not selected, the second finishing material is washed at an initial stage of the final rinsing process. Washing machine in which the injection of the finishing agent is carried out. The method of claim 2, wherein the input of the metal ions, the first finishing material is optional, and when the input of the metal ions, the first finishing material, is not selected, the second finishing material is washed at an initial stage of the final rinsing process. Washing machine in which stirring of the rinsing water is performed while the addition of the finishing agent is performed. The method of claim 1, wherein whether or not the laundry finish, which is the second finish material, is present in the preparation space for the laundry finish, the second finish material, The washing operation itself is performed. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein both the input of the metal ion, which is the first finishing material, and the input of the laundry finishing agent, which is the second finishing material, can be made non-executive. The method of claim 1, wherein the level of water in the washing tank is adjusted prior to the addition of the finishing material in anticipation of an increase in the level of the washing tank accompanying the addition of one or both of the metal ions, the first finishing material, and the washing finishing agent, the second finishing material. Washing machine. The method of claim 1, wherein the input of the laundry finish of the second finishing material is optional, and only when the input of the laundry finishing agent of the second finishing material is selected, it is possible to add the metal ion of the first finishing material. Let washing machine. The method of claim 1, wherein the input of the laundry finish, the second finishing material, is optional, and the input of the metal ion, the first finishing material, even when the input of the laundry finishing agent, the second finishing material, is not selected. This washer running. delete The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the metal ions are generated by an ion eluting unit that generates a metal ion by applying a voltage between electrodes. The washing machine of Claim 1 which made the concentration of the metal ion in rinse water higher than the case of not using the said finishing agent. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the metal ions are silver ions or copper ions generated by an ion eluting unit that generates a metal ion by applying a voltage between electrodes. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a path for injecting the metal ions into the rinsing water and a path for injecting the finishing agent into the rinsing water are separate systems.

Images