TWI832938B - washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The washing machine of the present disclosure is provided with: a casing; a top wall having an input port; a lid disposed on the upper surface of the top wall and opening and closing the input port; and a support member disposed behind the top wall and fixed to the The aforementioned housing; and the connecting member are fixed to the aforementioned support member. The support member has side walls uprightly provided at both ends of the support member. The connecting member connects the side walls uprightly provided at both ends, and the connecting member pivotally supports the cover.

Description

washing machine

This disclosure relates to a washing machine for washing clothes.

A vertical washing machine has an opening on the upper surface of the washing machine body. By opening the lid, laundry can be taken out and put into the opening.

As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-110645, in recent years, there has been a tendency to favor washing machines with a planar design that use glass materials as members constituting the surface of the cover.

However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, since a glass material is used as the lid body, the weight of the lid body is increased more than that of a conventional lid body made of resin parts.

Therefore, there is a concern that the conventional upper case structure may not have sufficient strength to support the cover.

The present disclosure is an invention that solves the above-mentioned conventional problems and provides a washing machine that can stably support a cover body whose weight has increased.

The washing machine of the present disclosure includes: a casing; a top wall having an insertion port; a lid disposed on the upper surface of the top wall and opening and closing the insertion port; and a support member disposed behind the top wall and fixed to the The aforementioned housing; and the connecting member are fixed to the aforementioned support member. The support member has side walls uprightly provided at both ends of the support member. The connecting member connects the side walls uprightly provided at both ends, and the connecting member pivotally supports the cover.

The washing machine disclosed in the present disclosure can increase the strength by connecting the structural components, and can stably support the cover body after the weight is increased.

(Embodiment 1)

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a washing machine 100 according to Embodiment 1 in a state in which the lid is opened. Washing machine 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

The washing machine 100 includes a casing 101 and a cover 500 . The housing 101 includes a top wall 102 and an operating part 400 (see FIG. 4 ).

A washing tank (not shown) is installed in the housing 101 . The washing tub opens upward in the housing 101 . The washing tub performs a washing operation for washing clothes. The washing action may also be an action performed by the washing tank of the known washing machine 100 . The principle of this embodiment is not limited to a specific cleaning operation.

An insertion opening 103 is formed on the top wall 102 . The user can put clothes into the washing tub through the input port 103 .

The cover 500 rotates on the top wall 102 in the up and down direction. The lid 500 shown in FIG. 1 is in an open position in which the input port 103 is exposed.

In the top wall 102, a vertical flat surface 200 is formed behind the input port 103. The flat surface 200 includes the front surface of the builder injection part 104 that inputs the builder, and the front surfaces of the automatic builder injection devices 105a and 105b that automatically input the builder.

The flat surface 200, the front surface of the builder injection part 104, and the front surfaces of the automatic builder injection devices 105a and 105b are configured to form the same plane.

Next, the internal structure of the upper part of the washing machine 100 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the washing machine 100 after removing the top wall 102 , the operating part 400 , and the cover 500 . FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting member 109 disassembled from FIG. 2 .

A support member 108 made of synthetic resin is arranged on the upper part of the housing 101 . The support member 108 includes side walls 210 formed in a U-shape and standing upright on the bottom (not shown) and both ends; and a front wall 220 having a flat surface 200 . The support member 108 is provided with a water supply device 107 and various electrical components. The water supply device 107 is composed of a builder input part 104 for inputting the builder and automatic builder input devices 105a and 105b for automatically inputting the builder. . The water supply device 107 is detachable as a unit.

Protruding portions 112 and 114 are arranged on the upper portions of the side walls 210 provided upright at both ends of the support member 108 . Connecting members 109 formed of metal material are installed on the upper portions of the side walls 210 standing upright on both ends of the supporting member 108 . The connection member 109 is provided with holes 115 and 117 . The protruding parts 112 and 114 are inserted into the hole parts 115 and 117 and positioned. In addition, the protrusion 113 arranged on the upper part of the front wall 220 of the support member 108 is inserted into the hole 116 provided in the connecting member 109 to be positioned.

The connecting member 109 is provided with bearing portions 620 at two left and right positions for pivotally supporting the cover 500 . Since the metal connecting member 109 is provided with the bearing portion 620 that pivotally supports the cover 500 , the cover 500 can be strongly supported even if the weight of the cover 500 increases.

The connecting member 109 is provided with corner holes 120 and 121 . The claws 118 and 119 arranged in the water supply device 107 are fitted into the corner holes 120 and 121, and the water supply device 107 is positioned and screwed to the connecting member 109. Furthermore, the connecting member 109 is screwed through the holes to the upper portions of the side walls 210 standing upright on both ends of the supporting member 108 .

The water supply device 107 is mounted on the bottom of the support member 108 and is fixed by installing the connecting member 109 from a non-positioned state. Since the water supply device 107 is positioned by the connecting member 109, even if there is a drop caused by the molding of the supporting member 108, the assembly position will not be affected. Thereby, the vertical flat surface 200 formed behind the input port 103 of the top wall 102, the front surface of the builder input part 104, and the front surfaces of the automatic builder 105a, 105b can be aligned. on the same plane. This can prevent the design from being degraded.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the upper casing and cover of the washing machine. The cover 500 includes a design surface material 510 constituting the surface of the cover 500 and a cover resin member 530 supporting the design surface material 510 . The design surface material 510 and the cover resin member 530 are joined through the adhesive member 520 .

A hinge structure 540 is formed on the back surface of the cover 500 . The hinge structure 540 is composed of a main support plate 541 , a right support plate 542 , and a left support plate 543 . In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the right side of the washing machine 100 when the washing machine 100 is viewed from the front is defined as the right side, and the left side of the washing machine 100 when the washing machine 100 is viewed from the front is defined as the left side.

5 is an exploded front view showing the back structure of the lid in the washing machine in an open position. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the hinge structure of the cover in the washing machine.

The main support plate 541 is joined to the cover resin member 530 by screws. The main support plate 541 is provided with step shapes 544 on the left and right sides. An opening 531 is formed in the cover resin member 530 at a position corresponding to the step shape 544 . The step shape 544 is directly attached to the design surface material 510 through the opening 531 and through the attachment member 520 . Sheet metal is used for the main support plate 541 . By bonding the design surface material 510 to the sheet metal with higher adhesion than resin, stronger adhesion can be exerted compared to the case of bonding the cover resin member 530 to the design surface material 510 . Even when concentrated stress is generated on the hinge portion, since the design surface material 510 and the main support plate 541 are firmly connected, there is an effect of preventing the design surface material from peeling off.

The main support plate 541 is provided with a left spring 545 and a right spring 546 . In this embodiment, torsion springs are used for the left spring 545 and the right spring 546, but other springs may be used. The left spring 545 and the right spring 546 are each provided with a spring support member 547 and a shaft 548 . When opening the heavy cover 500, in order to reduce the burden on the user, a high opening torque is generated by the left spring 545 and the right spring 546. The spring support material 547 and the shaft member 548 prevent the left spring 545 and the right spring 546 from deforming relative to the center of the rotation axis, thereby limiting the torsion of the spring and reducing the loss of opening torque.

The main support plate 541 is provided with a right support plate 542 and a left support plate 543 . The right support plate 542 and the left support plate 543 are made of metal materials. The right support plate 542 and the left support plate 543 extend in a direction away from the main support plate 541 and are bent in the extending direction to form a U-shaped cross-section.

The right support plate 542 and the left support plate 543 are joined to the cover resin member 530 and the main support plate 541 by screws. These components can also be joined by welding. In addition, the right support plate 542, the left support plate 543, and the main support plate 541 may also be composed of integral parts.

In this embodiment, since the left support plate 543 and the right support plate 542 are composed of separate parts from the main support plate 541, they can be formed in materials or thicknesses different from the main support plate 541. The material constituting each support plate can be appropriately selected according to the stress applied to each support plate.

The opening torque generated from the left spring 545 and the right spring 546 generates bending stress on the end surface of the hinge portion of the cover 500 . In addition, peeling stress may occur in the design surface material 510 and the cover resin member 530 through the adhesive member 520 . This may cause the design surface material 510 to peel off, deform, or be damaged.

Generally speaking, as a preventive measure for this problem, other parts are fitted to the end surface of the hinge portion of the cover to increase the strength and prevent the design surface material 510 from peeling off.

However, in this configuration, the entire upper surface of the cover cannot be made flat, which hinders the sense of quality. In addition, since the design surface material 510 has unevenness, dust or garbage may clog the exterior surface, which may also cause problems from the viewpoint of cleanability and maintainability.

By providing the right support plate 542 and the left support plate 543, the area that can bear the opening moment caused by the hinge portion can be increased. Thereby, the bending stress generated on the end surface of the hinge portion of the cover 500 due to the action of the opening moment can be alleviated. In this embodiment, the maximum deformation point of the cover resin member 530 caused by the action of the opening torque can be dispersed from the hinge portion end surface to the cover body 500 and the central portion. Thereby, peeling, deformation, and damage of the design surface material 510 are prevented. Therefore, the design surface material 510 can be disposed on the entire surface of the cover 500 to express a three-dimensional and high-end feel.

In addition, since the design surface material 510 has a solid appearance and does not fit with other parts, accumulation of dust or garbage can be suppressed, and maintenance can be improved to facilitate cleaning and maintenance.

The cover resin member 530, the main support plate 541, the right support plate 542, and the left support plate 543 are covered with a cover back resin material 570 to form the cover body 500.

By covering the hinge structure 540 with the cover back resin material 570, the complicated structure can be hidden, and the back surface of the cover 500 can be formed into a smooth structure. This makes cleaning and maintenance of the back of the cover 500 easy.

A recess is provided at the front end of the cover back resin material 570 to form an armrest for the user when opening and closing the cover 500 .

7 is a schematic perspective view of a state in which the lid is separated from the casing in the washing machine.

The cover 500 is configured as described above, and is inserted into the top wall 102 . The connecting member 109 is arranged on the support member 108 arranged inside the top wall 102 . The connecting member 109 is mainly composed of sheet metal parts. The connecting member 109 is provided with a spring receiving portion 122 (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ).

The left spring 545 and the right spring 546 are installed on the spring receiving part 122 and the main support plate 541, and impart potential energy to the cover 500 in the opening direction. Since the spring receiving portion 122 and the main support plate 541 are composed of sheet metal parts, deformation of the parts caused by the left spring 545 and the right spring 546 can be prevented, and the strength can be ensured.

Bearing portions 620 are arranged on the left and right sides of the connecting member 109 . One end of the shaft 548 of the cover 500 is supported by the main support plate bearing part 549 provided on the main support plate 541 , and the other end is supported by the bearing part 620 . Thereby, the main support plate bearing part 549, the shaft member 548 and the bearing part 620 become the opening and closing center support part of the cover 500. The lid 500 is provided with a damper 550 that provides resistance when the lid 500 is opened and closed, and is attached to the damper support 110 provided on the top wall 102 .

A cover back left hinge resin material 580 and a cover back right hinge resin material 590 are installed at positions corresponding to the hinge structure 540 in the lower part of the cover body 500 . By using the cover back left hinge resin material 580 and the cover back right hinge resin material 590 , it is possible to hide exposed holes and the like corresponding to the hinge portion structure 540 .

With this structure, when a failure occurs in the damper 550 and the shaft 548 due to stress at the rotation center, the cover 500 can be removed and easily replaced without disassembling the housing 101 or peripheral parts.

In the above embodiments, expressions such as vertical and homogeneous are used in the description. These expressive terms also include situations that are not strictly vertical and identical. For example, the so-called vertical does not only mean completely vertical, but also means substantially vertical, which includes a difference of, for example, a few percent.

As described above, the washing machine according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a casing 101; a top wall 102 having an insertion port 103; a lid 500 provided on the upper surface of the top wall 102 and opening and closing the insertion port 103; and a support. The member 108 is provided at the rear interior of the top wall 102 and is fixed to the housing 101; and the connecting member 109 is fixed to the support member 108. The support member 108 has side walls 210 standing upright at both ends of the support member 108 . The connecting member 109 connects the side walls 210 at both ends, and the connecting member 109 pivotally supports the cover 500 . Thereby, the strength of the pivot support portion of the cover body 500 is improved, so that the cover body 500 with increased weight can be pivotally supported, and the design can be improved.

The connecting member 109 of the washing machine of the second aspect is made of metal. Thereby, the strength of the pivot support portion of the cover 500 can be further improved.

In the washing machine of the third aspect, the shaft 548 arranged on the cover 500 is supported by the bearing part 620 arranged on the connecting member 109 . Thereby, the cover 500 can be stably supported.

The support member 108 of the washing machine of the fourth aspect includes a front wall 220 having a flat surface 200 forming the rear side of the insertion opening 103 . The side walls 210 and the front wall 220 at both ends are positioned and fixed with the connecting member 109 at the upper part. A water supply device 107 is arranged on the support member 108 . The water supply device 107 is positioned and fixed on the connecting member 109 . Thereby, the flat surface 200 formed behind the input port 103 can be aligned with the front surface of the water supply device 107, and the same plane can be formed. This can prevent the design from being degraded.

The water supply device 107 of the washing machine of the fifth aspect has a builder input portion 104 for inputting a builder. Thereby, the flat surface 200 formed behind the input opening 103 can be aligned with the front surface of the builder input part 104, and the same plane can be formed. This can prevent the design from being degraded.

The water supply device 107 of the washing machine of the sixth aspect has an automatic builder 105a and/or an automatic builder 105b that automatically adds a builder. Thereby, the flat surface 200 formed behind the input port 103 can be aligned with the front surface of the automatic builder 105a and/or the automatic builder 105b to form the same plane. This can prevent the design from being degraded.

The washing machine disclosed in the present disclosure is able to pivotally support the cover body after the weight is increased by improving the strength of the pivot support portion of the cover body, and can improve the design. Therefore, the present disclosure can be applied to various washing machines, such as a vertical washing machine with a drying function or a vertical washing machine without a drying function.

100:Washing machine 101: Shell 102: Top wall 103:Input port 104: Detergent builder investment department 105a, 105b: Automatic adding device for detergent builder 107:Water supply device 108:Supporting members 109: Connecting components 110: Damper support part 112,113,114:Protruding part 115,116,117: Hole 118,119: Claw 120,121: Corner hole 122:Spring storage part 200:Flat surface 210:Side wall 220:Front wall 400:Operation Department 500: Cover 510:Design surface material 520: Next component 530: Cover resin member 531:Opening part 540: Hinge structure 541: Main support plate 542:Right support plate 543:Left support plate 544: step difference shape 545:Left spring 546:Right spring 547:Spring support material 548:Shaft parts 549: Main support plate bearing part 550: Damper 570: Cover and back resin material 580:Lid back left hinge resin material 590: Cover back right hinge resin material 620:Bearing Department

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of the washing machine in this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the washing machine with the upper frame removed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main parts of the washing machine in the state of FIG. 2 with the structural components removed; Fig. 4 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the main parts of the washing machine. Figure 5 is an exploded front view showing the back structure of the washing machine with the cover in the open position. Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge structure of the lid of the washing machine. FIG. 7 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the main parts of the washing machine.

104: Detergent builder investment department

105a, 105b: Automatic adding device for detergent builder

107:Water supply device

108:Supporting members

109: Connecting components

122:Spring storage part

200:Flat surface

210:Side wall

620:Bearing Department

Claims (7)

A washing machine is provided with: a casing; a top wall having an input port; a lid disposed on the upper surface of the top wall and opening and closing the input port; and a support member disposed behind the top wall and fixed to the shell. The body; and a connecting member fixed to the aforementioned support member, the aforementioned support member having side walls uprightly provided at both ends of the aforementioned support member, the aforementioned coupling member being connected to the aforementioned side walls uprightly provided at the aforementioned both ends, and the aforementioned coupling member pivots Support the aforementioned cover. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the connecting member is made of metal. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shaft member disposed on the cover is supported by a bearing portion disposed on the connecting member. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support member has a front wall, the front wall has a flat surface forming the back of the input opening, and the side walls and the front wall standing upright at the both ends are at the upper part and the front wall. The connecting member is positioned and fixed, a water supply device is arranged on the supporting member, and the water supply device is positioned and fixed on the connecting member. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the water supply device has a builder input portion for adding builder. The washing machine of claim 4, wherein the water supply device has an automatic detergent adding device for automatically adding detergent. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein the water supply device has an automatic detergent adding device for automatically adding detergent.

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