KR20180081156A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The washing machine 100 according to the present invention includes a rotary tub 116 rotatably installed in a water tub 108 and a hydrophilic performance unit 300 installed in the rotary bath 116. According to this configuration, the washing machine 100 is provided with the hydrophilic performance portion 300 in the rotary tub 116, which does not reach the user's hand and can not easily perform maintenance such as cleaning. Thus, An effect of suppressing adhesion of contaminants, and an effect of suppressing adhesion of detergents.

Description

Washing machine {WASHING MACHINE}

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a washing machine.

Conventionally, it has been considered to form various functional films on a water tank of a washing machine. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of providing a coating of a heat insulating paint on the inner surface of a water tank in order to reduce power consumption during drying. In addition, in Patent Document 1, the coating of the water-repellent insulating coating contains a hollow bead having hydrophilicity, whereby the water film adhering to the surface of the coating film is stretched and evaporated, thereby further reducing power consumption in drying .

Recently, a paint exhibiting an antifouling function by hydrophilicity has been developed. If such a paint is applied to the inner surface of a water tank of a washing machine, the inner surface of the water tank can be kept clean by the antifouling function. However, on the inner surface of the water tank, not only the water which is to be held in the water tank contacts during the washing operation or the rinsing operation, but also the water scattering from the inner rotary tank during the dehydration operation is also contacted. Therefore, the inner surface of the water tank can be maintained relatively clean without applying such a paint having an anti-fouling function, and therefore, even if the anti-fouling function is maintained on the inner surface of the water tank, its function can not be utilized effectively.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-172436

The present embodiment provides a washing machine to which an anti-fouling function based on hydrophilicity is applied to a region where the function can be utilized most effectively.

The washing machine of the present embodiment has a rotary drum rotatably installed in a water tank and a hydrophilic performance section provided in the rotary drum.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, a hydrophilic coating is provided in a rotating tub provided in the water tub so as to be rotatable, which suppresses the propagation of mold.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, a hydrophilic coating is applied to the rotary tub provided in the water tub so as to be rotatable, which suppresses adhesion of contaminants.

Further, in the washing machine of the present embodiment, a hydrophilic coating is provided in a rotating tub provided in the water tub so as to be rotatable, which suppresses the attachment of the detergent.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a drum type washing machine according to a first embodiment.
2 is a longitudinal side view schematically showing the configuration of a vertical axis type washing machine according to the first embodiment.
3 is a diagram schematically showing a developed view of a rotating bath.
4 is a diagram showing the conditions of the practical test and the test results.
5 is a diagram showing a test result of a practical test.
6 is a diagram showing the test results of the simulated contamination washing test.
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a test result of the simulated contamination washing test. Fig.
Fig. 8 is an equivalent view of Fig. 3 showing an example of a test target site in a test for confirming inhibition of fungal adhesion and development.
Fig. 9 is a view showing the test results of the test for confirming mold adhesion and development inhibition.
Fig. 10 is an equivalent view of Fig. 1 according to the second embodiment.
Fig. 11 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 of the second embodiment.
Fig. 12 is an equivalent view of Fig. 1 according to the third embodiment.
Fig. 13 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 of the third embodiment.
Fig. 14 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 according to a modified embodiment (No. 1). Fig.
Fig. 15 is a view equivalent to Fig. 1 of the modified embodiment (No. 2). Fig.
Fig. 16 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 related to the modified embodiment.
Fig. 17 (a) is an enlarged view of a perimeter of a hole, showing an example of a configuration in which a hydrophilic performance portion is not provided on a cross section of a hole according to a modification. Fig.
Fig. 17B is an enlarged view of the periphery of the hole, showing an example of the structure having a hydrophilic performance portion in the cross section of the hole, according to the modification. Fig.

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of the washing machine will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

(First Embodiment)

1, a washing machine 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a so-called transverse drum type washing machine in which a rotating center axis of a rotating bath is horizontal or slightly inclined, and the outer case 101 constituting the outer periphery of the washing machine 100 is composed of a base 102 made of synthetic resin, And a box body 103 coupled to the box body 102. In Fig. 1, a laundry inlet / outlet 104 is provided at a substantially central portion in the front portion of the box body 103 which is the left side. A door 105 for opening and closing the laundry inlet 104 is provided in the front portion of the box body 103. An operation panel 106 is provided at an upper portion of a front portion of the box body 103. A control device 107 for controlling the overall operation of the washing machine 100 is provided on the back side of the operation panel 106. In the outer box 101, there is provided a cylindrical water tank 108 with a bottom closed on the side of the bottom part of the bottom. The water tank 108 is elastically supported by the suspension 109 such that its central axis is located on a slightly inclined axis line which descends toward the rear side which is the right side in Fig.

A motor 110 is provided outside the back surface of the water tank 108. The motor 110 is composed of, for example, a DC brushless motor, and is of an outer rotor type, and includes a stator 111 and a rotor 112. The stator 111 is fixed to the outside of the back surface portion of the water tank 108. A rotating shaft 113 is provided at the center of the rotor 112. The rotary shaft 113 is supported on the bearing bracket 114 through a bearing 115 and inserted into the water tub 108. [ Inside the water tank 108, there is provided a cylindrical drum 116 with a bottom closed on the side of the bottom part of the bottom part.

The drum 116 is made of, for example, stainless steel or the like. The drum 116 has a central portion of the rear surface portion thereof fixed to the distal end portion of the rotary shaft 113 of the motor 110 and is rotatably mounted about an axis of the water tray 108, In this case, the motor 110 functions as a driving device for rotating the drum 116. A reinforcing member 117 for reinforcing the backside of the drum 116 is provided on the bottom of the drum 116, that is, on the outer surface of the backside. The reinforcement member 117 is made of metal, for example, made of die-cast aluminum. In the peripheral wall portion constituting the body portion of the drum 116, a plurality of holes 118 are formed over the whole area. These holes 118 are penetrating, and water passing and venting are possible. A plurality of baffles 119 made of synthetic resin for scraping laundry are provided in the inner peripheral portion of the drum 116. In this case, the drum 116 is provided so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis. In this case, the drum 116 is provided so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis.

The drum 116 and the water tank 108 both have openings at the front side, and the openings 120 and the openings 121 are formed. A synthetic resin balance ring 122 in which a liquid such as a salt water is sealed is provided around the opening 120 of the drum 116. The balance ring 122 is fixed from the outer surface side of the drum 116 by a metal screw (not shown) made of, for example, stainless steel. The opening 121 of the water tank 108 is connected to the laundry inlet 104 through an annular bellows 123 made of an elastic material such as rubber. The laundry inlet 104 is connected to the inside of the drum 116 through the bellows 123, the opening 121 of the water tub 108, and the opening 120 of the drum 116.

A drain port 124 is provided at the bottom of the back of the water tank 108. One end of the in-cabin drain hose 125 is connected to the drain 124. The other end of the in-cabin drain hose 125 is connected to a filter case 126 provided in the front portion of the base 102 of the outer box 101. A cap 127 is detachably mounted on the front end of the filter case 126. A lint filter (not shown) provided integrally with the cap 127 is accommodated in the filter case 126. A drain valve 128 is connected to the lower portion of the filter case 126. A drain pipe 129 is connected to the outlet of the drain valve 128. The front end of the drain pipe 129 is led out of the base 102 of the outer box 101 to the outside and connected to the over-discharge hose (not shown).

An air trap 130 is provided at an upper portion of the filter case 126. The air trap 130 and the water level sensor 131 provided in the upper part of the external box 101 are connected by an air tube 132. The water level sensor 131 detects the water level in the water tank 108 through the in-cabin drain hose 125, the filter case 126, the air trap 130 and the air tube 132 and outputs the detected water level to the control device 107 .

A water supply valve 133 and a water supply case 134 are provided in the upper part of the outer box 101. An outflow water hose extending from a not-shown faucet is connected to the inlet of the water supply valve 133. One end of the connection pipe 135 is connected to the outlet of the water supply valve 133. The other end of the connection pipe 135 is connected to the water supply case 134. In the water supply case 134, a detergent storage unit (not shown) is provided. One end of the in-flight water supply hose 136 is connected to the water supply case 134. The other end of the in-flight water supply hose 136 is connected to the upper portion of the water tank 108. The water supplied from the water through the water supply valve 133 is supplied into the water tank 108 through the connection pipe 135, the water supply case 134 and the in-flight water supply hose 136.

The washing machine 200 shown in FIG. 2 is a so-called vertical washing type washing machine in which the rotating center axis of the rotating tub extends in the vertical direction. Inside the outer box 201 constituting the outer periphery thereof, (202) is elastically supported by an elastic suspending mechanism (203). In the water tank 202, a cylindrical rotary tub 204 having a bottom open with its top surface is rotatably installed.

The rotating tub 204 is formed by a metal first member 204a made of, for example, stainless steel or the like, and a second member 204b made of synthetic resin. A reinforcing member 204c for reinforcing the second member 204b, that is, the bottom of the rotary tub 204 is provided outside the second member 204b constituting the bottom portion of the rotary tub 204. [ The reinforcing member 204c is made of, for example, a stainless steel plate or the like. The rotary tub 204 is configured to rotate around a vertical axis, and is also used as a washing tank in a washing cycle for washing laundry, a washing cycle for rinsing laundry, and a dewatering tank for dewatering laundry. The rotary tub 204 has a plurality of holes 205 in the peripheral wall thereof. These holes 205 pass through, and can pass and vent. Further, only a part of these holes 205 is shown in the drawing. A balance ring 206 made of synthetic resin filled with a liquid such as brine is attached to the upper part of the rotary tub 204. These balance rings 206 are fixed from the outer surface side of the rotary tub 204 by screws 206a made of, for example, stainless steel. A synthetic resin stirrer 207 is rotatably installed at the bottom of the rotary tub 204.

A drain path 208 is provided below the water tray 202. The drainage path 208 is provided with a drain valve 209. The drainage valve 209 is opened so that water in the water tank 202 is discharged to the outside of the room. An air trap 210 for detecting the level of water is provided at the bottom of the water tray 202. A water level sensor (not shown) is connected to the air trap 210 through an air tube 211. In this case, the water level sensor detects the water level in the water tank 202 based on the pressure in the air trap 210 composed of the pressure sensor.

At the center of the lower part of the water tank 202, a drive mechanism part 213 is provided. The drive mechanism unit 213 includes a motor, a clutch mechanism, a decelerating device, a brake device, and the like capable of variable speed drive. During the washing or rinsing cycle, the driving mechanism portion 213 decelerates the rotating force of the motor by the speed reducing device and transmits the rotating force to the stirring body 207 by the clutch mechanism. At the time of the dewatering stroke, the driving mechanism unit 213 transfers the rotating force of the motor to the rotating tub 204 and the stirring member 207 at a high speed by the clutch mechanism without deceleration by the decelerating device.

A top cover 214 is provided on the top of the outer box 201. In this top cover 214, for example, a two-stage folding lid 215 for opening and closing the laundry entrance is provided so as to be openable and closable. A water tank cover (not shown) is provided at the upper portion of the water tank 202 so as to be openable and closable. An operation panel 217 is provided on the front portion of the top cover 214. A control device (not shown) for controlling the overall operation of the washing machine 200 is provided on the back side of the operation panel 217. A water supply mechanism (not shown) for supplying water from the water in the water tank 202 is provided in the rear portion of the top cover 214.

As shown in FIG. 1, the washing machine 100 described above includes a hydrophilic performance film 300, which is an example of a hydrophilic performance portion, at least on the outer surface of the side of the drum 116. In this case, the hydrophilic performance film 300 which is the hydrophilic performance subunit always exhibits the hydrophilic performance. The hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed on the entire outer surface of the drum 116 side. 2, the above-described washing machine 200 is provided with a hydrophilic performance film 300, which is an example of a hydrophilic performance portion, on at least the outer surface of the first member 204a constituting the side portion of the rotary tub 204 Respectively. In this case, the hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed on the entire outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204. Next, the hydrophilic performance film 300 will be described in more detail. The hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed by spraying a hydrophilic material (hereinafter referred to as " hydrophilic material ") on the outer surface of the drum 116 side or the side surface of the rotary tank 204, Coated.

In this case, since the drum 116 and the rotary tub 204 are both made of metal, a hydrophilic material can be sprayed onto the outer surface of the drum 116 or the outer surface of the rotary tub 204 and baked to coat the coating. You can make it stronger. The baking temperature of the hydrophilic material is preferably set to a temperature higher than 250 deg. C, which is generally considered to be the temperature at which the organic material is decomposed. For example, the baking temperature may be set at 300 deg. C and 500 deg. By baking the hydrophilic material at such a high temperature, it is possible to form the hydrophilic film 300 which can almost or completely dissolve the organic matter contained in the hydrophilic material and is almost or completely inorganicized.

When coating a material of this kind, it is general to perform degreasing treatment to degrease the surface of the substrate before spraying the material onto the substrate. In the present embodiment, since the base drum 116 and the rotating tub 204 are all made of stainless steel, degreasing can be performed using a strongly alkaline degreasing agent such as PH14 have. The hydrophilic material can be ejected from the surface of the drum 116 as a base or the surface of the rotary tub 204 with the retaining component removed almost or certainly so that the surface of the drum 116 or the surface of the rotary tub 204 The hydrophilic material tends to permeate the surface.

In the present embodiment, a hydrophilic material for forming the hydrophilic film 300 having at least the following properties is applied. That is, the hydrophilic performance film 300 of the present embodiment has a hydrophilic performance such that the contact angle of water becomes less than the lower limit value of the contact angle of water with respect to the glass. Generally, the lower limit of the contact angle of water to glass is thought to be 20 degrees. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a hydrophilic material forming a hydrophilic performance film 300 having a water contact angle of less than 20 degrees, for example, 13 degrees is applied.

In this embodiment, a material containing silicon oxide is used as a hydrophilic material for forming the hydrophilic performance film 300. The hydrophilic performance film 300 formed by the hydrophilic material has a pencil hardness of at least 5H . That is, in the hydrophilic performance film 300 of this embodiment, a so-called siloxane skeleton and a strong structure made of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal are formed, whereby the hydrophilic performance film 300 has a rigid Structure.

In addition, the hydrophilic performance film 300 of the present embodiment has a silanol group and has a very high hydrophilic performance. Specifically, the hydrophilic performance film 300 has a hydrophilic property to the extent that it is possible to remove a general oily ink adhered to the hydrophilic performance film 300 only by bringing it into contact with water. Therefore, even if an ordinary oil pen ink is adhered to the hydrophilic performance film 300, water is brought into contact with the portion, so that the ink is floated by water and is removed and removed.

In addition, the hydrophilic performance film 300 of this embodiment is 10 mu m or less in thickness, and the film thickness is very thin. That is, in general, when it is desired to increase the hydrophilic performance, it is necessary to repeat the coating of the hydrophilic material, and thus the film thickness of the obtained hydrophilic portion tends to be thickened. In this embodiment, a hydrophilic material in which a hydrophilic performance film 300 having a very high hydrophilic performance is formed by coating and baking a hydrophilic material once is applied. Therefore, the hydrophilic performance film 300 having a very high hydrophilic performance can be formed without repeating the coating of the hydrophilic material, whereby the film thickness of the hydrophilic performance film 300 can be suppressed to a thin thickness of 10 占 퐉 or less . In the drawings, the film thickness of the hydrophilic performance film 300 is shown to be larger than actual thickness for convenience.

In addition, the hydrophilic performance film 300 of the present embodiment has a so-called surface roughness of 2 탆 or less. In this embodiment, a hydrophilic material in which the hydrophilic performance film 300 having a very smooth surface is formed is applied. In addition, in the present embodiment, the hydrophilic material to be applied is milky white in the preliminary state, but becomes transparent to such an extent that milky white can hardly be recognized after the injection, and becomes almost or completely transparent after baking.

Next, the experimental results for evaluating the anti-fouling performance of the washing machine according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, for example, "practical test", "simulated contamination washing test", and "mold adhesion and development inhibition confirmation test" shown below were carried out.

In each test, for example, a hydrophilic performance film 300 is coated on a testing rotary table T, which is a schematic representation of the developed view in Fig. 3, that is, the acupuncture portion Ra on the outer surface of the side portion, ) Rb was a washing machine for testing having a rotating bath T in which the hydrophilic performance film 300 was not coated. Hereinafter, the portion Ra coated with the hydrophilic performance film 300 is referred to as a " coating portion Ra ", and the portion Rb not coated with the hydrophilic performance film 300 is referred to as " do.

"Practical test"

In this "practical test", a washing machine for testing was actually used in the A house and the B house under the following conditions. The surface of the coating portion Ra and the surface of the uncoated portion Rb of the spinning bath are wiped with different cloths after use and the increase in weight of each cloth after wiping is compared with the amount of contaminants And the amount of the contaminants deposited on the uncoated portion (Rb). In addition, the unit of the adhered amount of the pollutant is expressed as " mg / 25cm2 ", that is, the weight per 25 square centimeters. Further, the contaminants attached to the rotary tub after use may include the detergents used during the test operation, more specifically, " detergents that have remained a little after the end of operation ".

· A House

For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the liquid detergent a and the flexible finishing agent a, which are generally commercially available, are used in the house A, and ordinary washing operation, that is, "general washing operation comprising washing, rinsing, 75 cycles, and 30 cycles of a normal drying operation. In addition, in A house, we used bath water to drive.

In this case, the adhesion amount of the contaminant on the coating portion Ra was " 0.01 mg / 25 cm2 " or less, which is the detection limit value. On the other hand, the amount of contaminants deposited on the uncoated portion Rb was 0.5 mg / 25 cm < 2 >. That is, it was confirmed that the coating portion Ra exhibits much higher antifouling performance than the uncoated portion Rb under the use conditions in the A house.

· House B

For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the powdered detergent b, the liquid detergent b, and the softened finishing agent b, which are generally commercially available, are used in the housing B, and are subjected to ordinary washing operations such as "washing, rinsing, , And a typical washing operation was performed for 76 cycles and a normal drying operation for several cycles. In addition, the house B was operated using tap water.

In this case, the adhesion amount of the contaminant on the coating portion Ra was " 0.01 mg / 25 cm2 " or less, which is the detection limit value. On the other hand, the amount of contaminants deposited on the uncoated portion Rb was 0.2 mg / 25 cm < 2 >. That is, it was confirmed that the coated portion Ra exhibited much higher antifouling performance than the uncoated portion Rb even under the conditions of use in the B house. In Fig. 5, as a test result obtained by this " Practical Test ", in this case, " amount of pollutant deposition " is visually shown.

"Mock contamination washing test"

In this " simulated contamination washing test ", garments to which a chemical contaminant was adhered were put into a rotating tank of a washing machine for test, and normal washing operation was performed a predetermined number of times. After the washing operation is performed a predetermined number of times, a normal water tank washing operation, that is, " operation of collecting water in the water tank and rotating the tank in order to clean the inside of the water tank " Also, in this case, approximately 4.0 grams of a contaminant, approximately 2.8 grams of mud contaminants and approximately 1.2 grams of rad, was attached to the garment. In addition, commercially available powder detergent was used in the washing cycle, and water having a hardness of 50 ppm was used as washing or rinsing water.

Fig. 6 shows the amount of contaminants deposited on the coated portion Ra and the amount of contaminants deposited on the uncoated portion Rb before and after the water tank cleaning operation in this " simulated contamination washing test ". Also in this case, the pollutants adhered to the rotating vessel may include the detergents used in the test operation, more precisely, the "detergents slightly remaining after the end of the operation".

For example, when the normal washing operation is performed for 30 cycles, the amount of contaminants deposited on the coating portion Ra is equal to or smaller than the detection limit value "0.01 mg / 25 cm 2" before the water washing operation, 0.01 mg / 25 cm 2 " or less. On the other hand, the amount of contaminants deposited on the uncoated portion Rb was 0.3 mg / 25 cm 2 before the water tank cleaning operation, and 0.1 mg / 25 cm 2 after the water tank cleaning. That is, in the uncoated portion Rb, contaminants of 0.1 mg / 25 cm2 remained even when the water tank cleaning operation was performed. On the other hand, in the coating portion (Ra) It can be suppressed to a limit value or less. As described above, it was confirmed that the coating portion Ra exhibited much higher antifouling performance than the uncoated portion Rb. Fig. 7 (a) is a test result in the case where the normal washing operation is performed for 30 cycles. In this case, the amount of the pollutant adhered is visually shown.

Further, for example, when the normal washing operation is performed for 90 cycles, the amount of contaminants deposited on the coating portion Ra is not more than "0.01 mg / 25 cm2" which is the detection limit value before the washing operation of the water tank, Was 0.01 mg / 25 cm 2 or less, and was not more than the detection limit value of 0.01 mg / 25 cm 2 even after washing the water tank. On the other hand, the adhered amount of contaminants on the uncoated portion Rb was 0.7 mg / 25 cm 2 before the water washing operation, and 0.3 mg / 25 cm 2 after the water washing. That is, in the uncoated portion Rb, contaminants of 0.3 mg / 25 cm < 2 > remain even if the water tank cleaning operation is performed. On the other hand, in the coated portion (Ra) It can be suppressed to a limit value or less. As described above, it was confirmed that the coating portion Ra exhibited much higher antifouling performance than the uncoated portion Rb. Fig. 7 (b) is a test result in the case where the normal washing operation is performed for 90 cycles. In this case, the amount of the pollutant adhered is visually shown.

&Quot; Fungus adhesion and development inhibition confirmation test "

The " test for confirming fungus adhesion and development inhibition "

· Test site

As shown in Fig. 8, 12 places of the coating portion Ra indicated by the broken line, i.e., 12 places of "three columns in the row x four rows of the width" and 12 places of the uncoated portion Rb, &Quot; 3 columns in length x 4 columns in width ". The size of each test target site has an area of 80 mm x 32 mm, that is, an area equivalent to 25 cm < 2 >.

· Operating condition

We carried out washing operation with the following administration.

Washing operation: washing cycle → first intermediate dewatering cycle → first rinsing cycle → second intermediate dewatering cycle → second rinsing cycle → final dewatering cycle

· Fungus used in the test

The following fungi were used in the test.

Exophiala dermatitidis NBRC 6421 (exopiala)

· Test method (outline)

Using the above-described test washing machine, a mold spore liquid, that is, " a liquid containing spores of the above-mentioned mold " was applied to the coated portion Ra and the uncoated portion Rb of the rotating bath T. Then, after leaving for 24 hours, the portion to which the mold spore solution was applied was wiped off. Thereafter, the above-described washing operation was carried out, and after completion of the washing operation, the above-mentioned portion was wiped off in the same manner. Further, after being left for 3 days, the above portion was wiped off in the same manner. Also. After leaving for 7 days, the above portion was wiped off in the same manner. The fungus wiped at each of the above timings was cultured by a well-known culture method and counted. Based on the result of the counting, the mold removal effect and the growth inhibition effect by the presence or absence of the hydrophilic coating were evaluated. The details of this test are shown below.

(1) Attachment of pollutants to rotary kiln

The garment to which the doctor pollutant was adhered was put into a rotary tank, and the above washing operation was carried out for 25 cycles. Thereby, contaminants were adhered to the rotating vessel.

(2) Application of mold spores

10 μl of the spore suspension of about 10 ⁷ CFU / ml (CFU: colony forming unit) was added to each of 20 randomly selected portions of the coated portion (Ra) Lt; / RTI > On the other hand, to the test site of the uncoated part (Rb), about 10 ⁸ CFU / ml of mold spore solution was dropped in an amount of 20 占, and spread by a conradi rod.

In addition, the coated portion Ra has a very high hydrophilic property by coating, whereas the uncoated portion Rb does not have a hydrophilic property. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the mold spore liquid to both of them with the same application method because the properties of the surface of the both are different. Therefore, in this test, the mold spore liquid was applied to the test target site of the coating portion (Ra) and the test target site of the uncoated portion (Rb) by different application methods. In addition, although the application method is different, the amount of the mold spore liquid applied to both is the same.

(3) Test operation

As described above, the mold spore solution was applied to the test site and dried, and then the door of the washing machine was closed and allowed to stand for 24 hours. During this leaving period, the inside of the washing machine had a temperature of about 21.5 to 25.8 DEG C and a relative humidity (RH) of about 65 to 87%. After standing for 24 hours and before performing the above-described washing operation, any three points (indicated by n1, n2 and n3 in Fig. 9) and uncoated portions (Rb) Any three of the target sites (indicated by n1, n2, and n3 in Fig. 9) were wiped with a sterile fusing agent, i.e., a "gauze wiping agent." Thereafter, the above-described washing operation was carried out, the same cleaning was performed, and the door was closed and left again. During this neglected period, the temperature inside the washer was about 22.8 to 26.6 ° C and the relative humidity (RH) was about 90% or more. It was also polished the same three days after leaving. It was also polished the same after 7 days. Each of the sterilized fuses polished at the respective timings was placed in the sterilization bag together with the medium. Then, the fungus was wiped off by a conventional stomacher processing, that is, " a process of pulverizing a sample and extracting fungus in a homogenized state ".

(4) Measurement of mold water

The solution wiped from the sterile fingers was used as a sample solution, and the sample solution was adjusted with a physiological saline solution to a dilution of 10 concentrations. Then, the sample solution and the diluting solution were applied to the PDA medium in an amount of 0.1 ml each. In addition, 1 ml of the sample solution was filtered with a membrane filter, and the membrane filter was adhered to the surface of another PDA medium. These medium were cultured at about 28 ° C (28 ° C ± 1 ° C) for 7 days. Thereafter, the number of fungi per 25 cm < 2 > was determined by measuring the number of colonies developed, that is, colonies.

(5) Calculating the removal rate of mold water

The removal rate (%) of the fungal water was calculated by the following formula.

A: Mold number before washing

B: Number of fungi after washing operation

·Test result

The test results are shown in Fig. That is, the removal rate of the fungus water on the 0th day after the end of the washing operation was about 99.92% in the coated portion (Ra), and about 94.3% in the uncoated portion (Rb). In addition, no mold was proliferated in any of the coated portion (Ra) and the uncoated portion (Rb) from the third day to the seventh day after the end of the washing operation. This is presumably because the nutrients applied with the mold were washed away by washing operation.

According to the above test results, it is observed that the mold is removed with a very high probability in the coated portion (Ra), in this case a probability close to 100%, and thus the coated portion (Ra) I can confirm that it exerts.

According to the washing machines 100 and 200 of the present embodiment, the hydrophilic performance film 300 having a very high hydrophilic performance is attached to the outer surfaces of the side portions of the rotating tanks 116 and 204 rotatably provided in the water tanks 108 and 202 Respectively. According to this configuration, the outer surfaces of the side portions of the rotating tanks 116 and 204, which can not be easily handled and can not be easily maintained such as cleaning, can be kept clean by an anti- The anti-fouling function by hydrophilicity can be utilized most effectively in the washing machines 100 and 200.

According to the washing machines 100 and 200, since the hydrophilic performance film 300 is provided on the outer surface of the side of the rotating tanks 116 and 204, when the tanks 116 and 204 are rotated, The contaminants separated from the surface are easily subjected to the action of centrifugal force and are easily removed, and the surfaces of the rotating tanks 116 and 204 can be kept clean.

According to the washing machines 100 and 200, the hydrophilic performance film 300 is provided on the entire outer surface of the sides of the rotating baths 116 and 204. Therefore, the entire outer surface of the sides of the rotating tanks 116 and 204 can be kept clean by an anti-fouling function by the hydrophilic performance film 300. According to the washing machines 100 and 200, since the rotating baths 116 and 204 are made of metal rather than synthetic resin, a hydrophilic material can be coated on the outer surfaces of the metal parts of the rotating baths 116 and 204 by baking. This makes it possible to form a hydrophilic performance film 300 that is highly inorganic and strong and has durability.

According to the washing machines 100 and 200, the hydrophilic performance film 300 has a contact angle of water less than the lower limit value of the contact angle of water with respect to the glass, and also has a silanol group. Therefore, the hydrophilic performance film 300 exhibits a very high hydrophilic performance. This makes it easier for water to enter between the surface of the hydrophilic performance film 300 and the contaminants adhering to the hydrophilic performance film 300 and to flood the contaminants attached to the hydrophilic performance film 300 can do.

Further, according to the washing machines 100 and 200, the hydrophilic performance film 300 has a silicon oxide and a hardness characteristic that the pencil hardness becomes 5H or more. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hydrophilic performance film 300 from being scratched or the hydrophilic performance film 300 from being peeled off. According to the washing machines 100 and 200, the hydrophilic performance film 300 has a thickness of 10 mu m or less and a very thin hydrophilic performance film 300 is realized. Further, according to the washing machines 100 and 200, the hydrophilic performance film 300 has a very smooth hydrophilic performance film 300 having a surface roughness of 2 m or less.

The washing machine 100 may also be configured to include a metal screw attached to the drum 116 or a hydrophilic performance film 300 on the inner surface of the drum 116. [ The washing machine 200 may also have a metal screw 206a attached to the rotary tub 204 or a hydrophilic performance film 300 on the inner surface of the rotary tub 204. [ That is, the portion for forming the hydrophilic performance film 300 in the present embodiment is not limited to the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204. In addition, when the hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed on a metal screw, it is not necessary to form the hydrophilic performance film 300 on the entire screw, and the hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed on the surface of the screw head Formation is sufficient.

When the hydrophilic performance layer 300 is formed on the inner surface of the drum 116 or the rotary tub 204, the hydrophilic performance layer 300 may be formed on the entire inner surface, .

Further, the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be colored. That is, as the hydrophilic material forming the hydrophilic performance film 300, a material in which the color remains after the injection into the substrate and after baking may be applied. As a result, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the formed hydrophilic performance film 300 has no irregularity by visual confirmation or the like. For example, when a rotary bath in which the hydrophilic performance film 300 is not uniformly formed is identified as a defective product can do.

In the washing machines 100 and 200, water is collected in the water tanks 108 and 202 after completion of a washing course including a washing cycle, a rinse cycle and a dewatering cycle, or during the execution of the washing cycle, It may be set to execute a cleaning stroke for rotating the bath 204. In this cleaning process, water is brought into contact with the hydrophilic performance film 300, so that contaminants adhering to the hydrophilic performance film 300 can be removed. In this washing step, the amount of water to be accumulated in the water tanks 108, 202 is increased more than the washing course, or the rotational speed of the drum 116 and the rotary bath 204 is set to be lower than the rotational speed in the washing or rinsing cycle You can set it at high speed.

Further, according to the washing machines 100 and 200, a rust prevention effect by the hydrophilic performance film 300 can be expected.

(Second Embodiment)

The present embodiment is not limited to providing the hydrophilic performance film 300 on the entire outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or on the entire outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 but may be a part of the outer surface of the side of the drum 116, 204 is provided on a part of the outer surface of the side surface of the base material.

That is, as shown in Fig. 10 or Fig. 11, the predetermined water level L indicated by the one-dot chain line on the side of the drum 116 of the washing machine 100 or the side of the washing tub 204 of the washing machine 200 The water in the water tank 108 or the water in the water tank 202 is contacted at the low part during the washing operation or the rinsing operation. Therefore, a portion of the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 lower than the set water level L can be kept relatively clean without providing the hydrophilic performance film 300. A portion of the outer surface of the drum 116 side or the outer surface of the rotary tub 204 at a position higher than the set water level L is discharged into the water tub 108 or the water tub 202 during the washing operation or the rinsing operation, It is difficult for the water to be held in contact to be easily contacted, and therefore, contaminants are likely to remain.

10 or 11, the hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed on the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or on the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 higher than the set water level L, Is installed. This makes it possible to concentrate on the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204, particularly where the contaminants tend to remain, thereby imparting hydrophilic performance and effectively utilizing the anti- have. Further, the amount of the hydrophilic material used can be reduced. In addition, since the set level L can be changed, it is sufficient to appropriately adjust the region in which the hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed according to the assumed water level. At this time, the region for forming the hydrophilic performance film 300 may include a minimum water level settable by the washing machines 100 and 200, or may be set to a wide range including a range where the water level may vary.

(Third Embodiment)

The hydrophilic performance film 300 is not provided on the entire outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or on the entire outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 but may be a part of the outer surface of the side of the drum 116, 204 is provided on a part of the outer surface of the side surface of the base material.

That is, as described above, a portion of the outer surface of the drum 116 side or the outer surface of the rotary tub 204 side lower than the predetermined water level L is a portion that is easily contacted with water and is maintained relatively clean, It is not that it does not remain. Particularly, the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 is located at a position lower than the set water level L, which is a portion in which water contacts during washing operation or rinsing operation. Therefore, if a contaminant is left in this portion, the contaminant may be altered by a change over time, and the deteriorated contaminant may be transferred to the laundry during the washing operation or during the rinsing operation.

12 or 13, the hydrophilic performance film 300 is formed on the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or on the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 lower than the set water level L, Is installed. As a result, hydrophilic performance can be imparted to the outer surface of the side of the drum 116 or the outer surface of the side of the rotary tub 204 while being relatively clean, but concentrating on a portion where the contaminants may remain, It is possible to prevent the deterioration of the contaminants in the laundry during the operation. Further, the amount of the hydrophilic material used can be reduced. Since the set level L can be changed, the area for forming the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be suitably adjusted in accordance with the assumed water level. At this time, the area for forming the hydrophilic performance film 300 may include a minimum water level settable by the washing machines 100 and 200, or may be set to a wide range including a range where the water level may vary.

(Other Embodiments)

The present embodiment can be expanded or modified as follows, for example.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the washing machine 100 may also be configured to include a hydrophilic performance film 300 on the outer surface of the bottom portion constituting the back surface portion of the drum 116. In this case, the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on the entire outer surface of the back surface portion of the drum 116, or the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on a part of the outer surface of the drum surface. Although not shown, in the case where the second member 204b constituting the bottom portion is constituted by a metal made of stainless steel or the like, for example, the washing machine 200 has an outer surface of the bottom portion formed by the metal second member And a hydrophilic performance film 300 may also be provided. In this case, the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on the entire outer surface of the metal bottom portion, or the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on a part of the outer surface of the metal bottom portion.

15, the washing machine 100 may also be configured to include the hydrophilic performance film 300 in the reinforcing member 117 for reinforcing the bottom portion constituting the rear portion of the drum 116 good. In this case, the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on the entire surface of the reinforcing member 117, or the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on a part of the surface of the reinforcing member 117. 16, the washing machine 200 may be configured to include the hydrophilic performance film 300 also in the reinforcing member 204c for reinforcing the bottom portion of the rotary tub 204. [ In this case, the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on the entire surface of the reinforcing member 204c, or the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on a part of the surface of the reinforcing member 204c. The hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on both the upper surface and the lower surface of the reinforcing member 204c or the hydrophilic performance film 300 may be provided on the upper surface or the lower surface of the reinforcing member 204c.

17A, the washing machines 100 and 200 are provided with the hydrophilic performance films 300 on the end faces 118a and 205a constituting the inner peripheral faces of the holes 118 and 205, respectively The washing machines 100 and 200 may be provided with the hydrophilic performance film 300 on the end faces 118a and 205a of the holes 118 and 205 as shown in FIG. .

It is presumed that the test results shown in the first embodiment are obtained in the same way even when the same test is carried out in the washing machine according to the other embodiments.

The above-described embodiments and modified embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The washing machine according to each of the above-described embodiments has a hydrophilic performance portion in a rotating tank rotatably provided in a water tank. According to this configuration, it is possible to keep the rotary tub clean with the parts that can not be easily handled by the washing machine and to perform maintenance such as cleaning, and to use the anti-fouling function by hydrophilicity most effectively.

Further, according to the washing machine of each embodiment, as is clear from the results of the tests described above, the spinning tank is coated with a hydrophilic coating, so that the effect of suppressing the propagation of the mold, the effect of suppressing the adhesion of contaminants, It is possible to exhibit an excellent effect such as an effect of suppressing adhesion.

Further, in a rotary tank made of stainless steel in which a hydrophilic material is not coated, for example, even if a chlorine-based water tank cleaning agent is used and the water tank cleaning operation is performed once a month, contaminants are deposited little by little. According to the washing machine according to the present embodiment, it is confirmed that the hydrophilic material is coated on the rotary tub so that even if the washing operation is repeated, the contaminants are hardly deposited. Therefore, the frequency of the water tank cleaning operation can be suppressed, or the water tank cleaning operation can be made unnecessary, and the operation course according to the water tank cleaning operation, that is, the usage amount of water tank cleaner, .

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and alterations can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. The present embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents.

100: Washing machine 101: Outer box
102: anticipation 103: box body
104: laundry door 105: door
106: Operation panel 107: Control device
108: Water tank 109: Suspension
110: motor 111: stator
112: rotor 113:
114: bearing bracket 115: bearing
116: drum 117: reinforcing member
118: hole 119: baffle
120, 121: opening 122: balance ring
123: Bellows 124: Drain
125: In-flight drainage hose 126: Filter case
127: cap 128: drain valve
129: drain pipe 130: air trap
131: water level sensor 132: air tube
133: Water supply valve 134: Water supply case
135: connecting pipe 136: inboard water supply hose
300: Hydrophilic performance membrane

Claims (4)

A washing machine capable of performing washing, rinsing, dewatering and cleaning steps with a hydrophilic performance part provided by coating an inorganic hydrophilic material only on the outer surface of a rotating vessel made of stainless steel rotatably installed in a water tank,
The hydrophilic performance portion is formed of a hydrophilic material which is a silica-based paint including silicon oxide, which can be visually confirmed in a state before being sprayed onto the outer surface of the rotary bath and becomes transparent after spraying, and has a structure including a siloxane skeleton , A silanol group,
The hydrophilic material is sprayed in a state in which the holding component is removed from the outer surface of the rotary bath, and the hydrophilic material is baked,
The surface of the hydrophilic performance portion is smooth and hydrophilic appears on the surface of the hydrophilic performance portion before the water is contacted,
And at least one of a lower portion and a higher portion of the outer surface of the rotary tub lower than the set water level,
In the cleaning step, water is introduced between the surface of the hydrophilic performance portion and the contaminant adhered to the hydrophilic performance portion by rotating the rotary bath in a state where water is collected in the water tank, so that the contaminant is floated and dropped.
Whereby the frequency of the cleaning process is suppressed. A washing machine capable of performing washing, rinsing, dewatering and washing steps in which an inorganic hydrophilic coating is formed on the outer surface of a rotary tub made of stainless steel rotatably installed in the water tank to inhibit mold propagation,
The coating is formed of a hydrophilic material which is a silica-based coating material containing silicon oxide, which can be visually confirmed in a state before spraying onto the outer surface of the rotating bath and becomes transparent after spraying, and has a structure containing a siloxane skeleton Having a silanol group,
The hydrophilic material is sprayed in a state in which the holding component is removed from the outer surface of the rotary bath, and the hydrophilic material is baked,
The surface of the coating is smooth and hydrophilic on the surface of the coating before water is contacted,
And at least one of a lower portion and a higher portion of the outer surface of the rotary tub lower than the set water level,
Wherein the cleaning step is to drop water so as to flood the contaminants by allowing water to enter between the surface of the coating and the contaminants adhering to the coating by rotating the rotary tub in a state where water is collected in the water tank,
Wherein the frequency of the cleaning cycle is reduced. A washing machine in which an inorganic hydrophilic coating is provided on the outer surface of a rotary tub made of stainless steel rotatably installed in the water tank to suppress adhesion of contaminants and a washing, rinsing, dewatering and cleaning steps can be performed,
The coating is formed of a hydrophilic material which is a silica-based coating material containing silicon oxide, which can be visually confirmed in a state before spraying onto the outer surface of the rotating bath and becomes transparent after spraying, and has a structure containing a siloxane skeleton Having a silanol group,
The hydrophilic material is sprayed in a state in which the holding component is removed from the outer surface of the rotary bath, and the hydrophilic material is baked,
The surface of the coating is smooth and hydrophilic on the surface of the coating before water is contacted,
And at least one of a lower portion and a higher portion of the outer surface of the rotary tub lower than the set water level,
Wherein the cleaning step is to drop water so as to flood the contaminants by allowing water to enter between the surface of the coating and the contaminants adhering to the coating by rotating the rotary tub in a state where water is collected in the water tank,
Wherein the frequency of the cleaning cycle is reduced. A washing machine in which an inorganic hydrophilic coating is provided on the outer surface of a rotary tub made of stainless steel rotatably installed in the water tank so as to inhibit the detergent from adhering thereto and in which a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, a dewatering cycle and a cleaning cycle can be performed,
The coating is formed of a hydrophilic material which is a silica-based coating material containing silicon oxide, which can be visually confirmed in a state before spraying onto the outer surface of the rotating bath and becomes transparent after spraying, and has a structure containing a siloxane skeleton Having a silanol group,
The hydrophilic material is sprayed in a state in which the holding component is removed from the outer surface of the rotary bath, and the hydrophilic material is baked,
The surface of the coating is smooth and hydrophilic on the surface of the coating before water is contacted,
And at least one of a lower portion and a higher portion of the outer surface of the rotary tub lower than the set water level,
Wherein the cleaning step is to drop water so as to flood the contaminants by allowing water to enter between the surface of the coating and the contaminants adhering to the coating by rotating the rotary tub in a state where water is collected in the water tank,
Wherein the frequency of the cleaning cycle is reduced.

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