WO2018163616A1

WO2018163616A1 - Washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2018163616A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/001597
Authority: WO
Inventors: 宏格笹木; 彩未武次; 弘暁川口; ひとみ佐伯
Original assignee: 東芝ライフスタイル株式会社
Priority date: 2017-03-07
Filing date: 2018-01-19
Publication date: 2018-09-13
Also published as: JP7268954B2; CN110366618A; JP2018143570A

Abstract

The washing machine (1) according an embodiment of the present invention includes: a water tank (4); a washing tub (10) which is provided inside the water tank (4) and accommodates clothes; an agitator (12) which is provided at the bottom of the washing tub (10); a water supply mechanism (25) which supplies water to the washing tub (10); a fine bubble generator (31) which generates fine bubble water in which fine bubbles are mixed; a drainage mechanism (7) which drains water from the washing tub (10); a drive mechanism (15) which rotates and drives the agitator (12) and the washing tub (10); and a control device (21) which controls each mechanism (25, 31, 7, 15) and performs washing, rinsing, and spin-drying. Before moving onto spin-drying after rinsing, the control device (21) performs a remaining-water dehydrating operation of rotating the washing tub (10) up to a predetermined rotation speed in a state in which water including the fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator (31) is left in the washing tub (10) at a predetermined water level.

Description

Washing machine

Cross-reference of related applications

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-042735 filed on March 7, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

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

For example, in a so-called vertical axis type washing machine in which a washing tub also serving as a dehydration tub is provided in the water tub so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, dirt is present in places that are difficult for the user to see such as the outer peripheral surface of the washing tub and the inner surface of the water tub And there is a problem that the detergent residue adheres. If such dirt is left unattended, black mold or the like is generated, causing problems such as generation of odors and reattachment to the laundry. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a so-called horizontal shaft type drum-type washing machine, it has been considered to perform a rotary drum cleaning process during a dehydration process (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this rotating drum cleaning process, the outer peripheral wall of the rotating drum is moved by rotating the rotating drum at a predetermined rotation speed (400 rpm) equal to or lower than the dewatering rotation speed with the drain valve closed and water stored in the water receiving tank. I try to wash it.

JP 2005-143533 A

In the case where the tank cleaning process is incorporated during the washing operation process as described above, the tank cleaning is performed using water supplied into the tank, generally tap water. Therefore, it cannot be said that the cleaning effect is so high, and it is desired for the user to perform the tank cleaning effectively in a short time.

Therefore, there is provided a washing machine that can perform tank cleaning effectively during the washing operation process and can perform tank cleaning effectively.

The washing machine according to the present embodiment includes a water tub, a washing tub provided in the water tub and containing clothes, an agitator provided at the bottom of the washing tub, and a water supply mechanism for supplying water into the washing tub. A fine bubble generating device that generates fine bubble water mixed with fine bubbles, a drainage mechanism that drains water from the washing tub, a drive mechanism that rotationally drives the agitator and the washing tub, and the mechanisms And a control device that executes a process of washing, rinsing, and dewatering, and the control device is generated by the microbubble generator in the washing tub before shifting to the dewatering process after the rinsing process. In the state where the water containing the fine bubble water is stored at a predetermined water level, a residual water dewatering operation is performed to rotate the washing tub to a predetermined number of revolutions.

The “fine bubbles” or “fine bubbles” in the embodiments is a concept including, for example, microbubbles having a diameter of about 1 μm to several hundred μm and ultrafine bubbles having a diameter of about 50 nm to 1 μm. Fine bubble water refers to water containing a large amount of such fine bubbles.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view schematically showing the configuration of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an assembly portion of the UFB unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an electrical configuration of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a control state in a dehydration process from a rinsing process performed by the control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a control state from the rinsing process to the dehydration process performed by the control device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a control state from the rinsing process to the dehydration process performed by the control device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a control state from the rinsing process to the dehydration process performed by the control device according to the fourth embodiment.

Hereinafter, some embodiments applied to a so-called vertical washing machine will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, between several embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same part and new illustration and repeated description are abbreviate | omitted.

(1) First Embodiment A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 schematically shows the internal configuration of the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment. First, the overall configuration of the washing machine 1 will be described. Here, the washing machine 1 includes a top cover 3 made of a synthetic resin, for example, on an upper portion of an outer box 2 that is configured as a rectangular box as a whole from a steel plate.

In the outer box 2, a water tank 4 capable of storing washing water is provided by being elastically suspended and supported by an elastic suspension mechanism 5 having a well-known configuration. A drain port 6 is formed at the bottom of the water tank 4. A drainage channel 8 having an electronically controlled drainage valve 7 is connected to the drainage port 6. A drainage mechanism is constituted by the drainage valve 7 and the like. Although not shown in detail, an air trap is provided at the bottom of the water tub 4, and a water level sensor 9 (for detecting the water level in the water tub 4 (washing tub 10) through an air tube connected to the air trap). 3) is provided.

In the water tank 4, a vertical washing tank 10 also serving as a dewatering tank is rotatably provided. The washing tub 10 has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and a large number of dewatering holes 10a are formed in the peripheral wall portion. For example, a liquid-filled rotary balancer 11 is attached to the upper end of the washing tub 10. Further, a pulsator 12 as a stirring body is disposed at the inner bottom of the washing tub 10. Clothes (not shown) are accommodated in the washing tub 10, and a washing operation is performed in the washing tub 10, including washing, rinsing, and dehydration.

At this time, a water tank cover 13 is attached to the upper part of the water tank 4. The water tank cover 13 is provided with an opening 13a for loading and unloading the laundry substantially at the center, and an inner lid 14 for opening and closing the opening 13a is attached. Further, a water supply port 20 for supplying water into the water tank 4 by a water supply mechanism which will be described later is provided in a portion near the rear part of the water tank cover 13. An overflow port 4 a is provided at a position higher than the highest water level of the washing tub 10 at the upper part of the back wall portion of the water tub 4. On the outside of the water tank 4, an overflow hose 22 is provided continuously to the overflow port 4a for discharging the overflowed water from the overflow port 4a. Although not shown in detail, the tip of the overflow hose 22 is connected to the drainage channel 8.

A well-known drive mechanism 15 is disposed on the outer bottom of the water tank 4. Although detailed illustration and description are omitted, the drive mechanism 15 includes a washing machine motor 16 (see FIG. 3) formed of, for example, an outer rotor type DC three-phase brushless motor. The drive mechanism 15 includes a hollow tank shaft 18, a stirring shaft 19 that passes through the tank shaft 18, and a clutch mechanism 17 that selectively transmits the rotational driving force of the washing machine motor 16 to the shafts 18 and 19 (see FIG. 3). The washing tub 10 is connected to the upper end of the tank shaft 18, and the pulsator 12 is connected to the upper end of the stirring shaft 19. As shown only in FIG. 3, the drive mechanism 15 is also provided with a rotation sensor 33 that detects the rotation position of the washing machine motor 16 and thus the rotation speed, and a current sensor 34 that detects the current flowing through the washing machine motor 16. It has been.

The clutch mechanism 17 has a well-known configuration using, for example, a solenoid as a drive source, and is switched and controlled by a control device 21 configured mainly with a computer. As is well known, the clutch mechanism 17 switches between the first state and the second state. The first state is a state in which the washing tub 10 is rotatable with respect to the water tub 4 and the rotational force of the washing machine motor 16 is transmitted to both the tub shaft 18 and the stirring shaft 19. The second state is a state in which the washing tub 10 is locked in a fixed state with respect to the water tub 4 and the rotational force of the washing machine motor 16 is transmitted only to the stirring shaft 19.

Thus, the driving mechanism 15 causes the clutch mechanism 17 to apply the driving force of the washing machine motor 16 to the pulsator 12 through the agitation shaft 19 while the washing tub 10 is fixed or stopped in the washing process and the rinsing process. introduce. As a result, only the pulsator 12 is directly driven forward and reverse. Further, the drive mechanism 15 applies the driving force of the washing machine motor 16 to the tank shaft 18 by the clutch mechanism 17 in a coupled state between the tank shaft 18 and the agitation shaft 19 during the dehydration process and the residual water dehydration operation described later. Is transmitted to the washing tub 10. Thereby, the washing tub 10 and the pulsator 12 are directly driven to rotate in one direction at a high speed.

The top cover 3 has a thin hollow box shape having an open bottom surface and an upper surface inclined downward. A substantially circular laundry entrance / exit 3a is formed at the center of the top cover 3 so as to be located above the washing tub 10, that is, above the opening 13a of the water tub cover 13. On the upper surface of the top cover 3, a rectangular panel is formed as a whole, and a lid 23 for opening and closing the entrance 3a is provided.

Further, a horizontally long operation panel 24 is provided on the front side of the top surface of the top cover 3. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 24 includes an operation unit for the user to turn on and off the washing machine 1 and various settings / instructions, a display unit for performing necessary display, and the like. Yes. A control device 21 composed of an electronic unit is provided on the back side of the operation panel 24.

In the rear portion of the top cover 3, a water supply mechanism 25 is provided for supplying water supplied from a water supply source, in this case, water supply, into the water tank 4 or the washing tub 10 through the water supply path. In the present embodiment, the water supply mechanism 25 opens and closes the connection port 26, the first and second two

water supply paths

27 and 28 that extend in a bifurcated manner from the connection port 26, and the

water supply paths

27 and 28, respectively. First and second

water supply valves

29 and 30 and a water injection case 32 are provided. The first water supply path 27 is provided with a UFB unit 31 as a fine bubble generating device.

Among them, the connection port 26 is connected to a tip end of a connection hose connected to a tap faucet (not shown), and a predetermined tap water pressure for home use (for example, 1.0 to 3.0 kgf / cm @ 2 (0.1 to 0.29 MPa). ) Grade), water is supplied. The first water supply path 27 and the second water supply path 28 are each connected to the water injection case 32 at the tip. At this time, the water injection case 32 is provided with a first inlet pipe 35 (shown only in FIG. 2) and a second inlet pipe (not shown) as water inlet portions. An end pipe of the first water supply path 27, that is, an outlet pipe 37 as an outlet of the first water supply valve 29 shown in FIG. 2 is connected to the first inlet pipe 35. Although not shown, the outlet of the second water supply valve 30 of the second water supply path 28 is connected to the second inlet pipe.

The first water supply valve 29 and the second water supply valve 30 are open / close valves that open and close electromagnetically, and open and close the first water supply path 27 and the second water supply path 28, respectively. The first water supply valve 29 and the second water supply valve 30 are controlled by the control device 21. As is well known, the water injection case 32 has a box shape, and a detergent storage case (not shown) is provided in the interior thereof so that it can be drawn out. As shown in FIG. 1, a proximal end side of a flexible water supply hose 36 is connected to the outlet portion 32 a at the lower portion of the water injection case 32. The tip of the water supply hose 36 is connected to the water supply port 20 of the water tank cover 13.

Thus, when the first water supply valve 29 is opened, the tap water is supplied from the first inlet pipe 35 to the water injection case 32 through the first water supply path 27. When the detergent is stored in the detergent storage case 33, the detergent flows while being dissolved, and is supplied from the outlet portion 32 a into the water tank 4 through the water supply hose 36. At this time, as will be described later, the water flowing through the first water supply path 27 passes through the UFB unit 31, becomes fine bubble water mixed with a large amount of fine bubbles, and is supplied into the water injection case 32.

On the other hand, when the second water supply valve 30 is opened, tap water is supplied to the water injection case 32 through the second water supply path 28. When the detergent is stored in the detergent storage case, the detergent flows while being dissolved, and is supplied into the water tank 4 through the water supply hose 36 from the outlet 32a. In this case, tap water not containing fine bubbles is supplied directly into the water tank 4 through the second water supply path 28. At this time, the flow rate of the water in the second water supply path 28 is configured to be larger than the flow rate of the water in the first water supply path 27.

And in this embodiment, the UFB unit 31 which is a fine bubble generator is provided between the 1st water supply valve 29 of the 1st water supply path | route 27, and the inlet_port | entrance part of the water injection case 32. As shown in FIG. The UFB unit 31 utilizes the Venturi principle. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the UFB unit 31 is positioned between the outlet pipe 37 of the first water supply valve 29 and the first inlet pipe 35 of the water injection case 32 so as to be sandwiched between them. It is attached. That is, the UFB unit 31 is provided at the outlet of the first water supply valve 29, and the outlet of the UFB unit 31 is connected to the water inlet of the water injection case 32. Hereinafter, the UFB unit 31 will be described with reference to FIG.

That is, the outlet pipe 37 of the first water supply valve 29 has a tubular shape and extends toward the first inlet pipe 35 side (left side in the drawing) of the water injection case 32. The front end portion of the outlet pipe 37 is formed with a step so that the outer peripheral surface thereof is reduced in diameter in two steps. These steps are arranged in order from the right side (larger diameter side) to the first small diameter portion 37a and the first small diameter portion 37a. This is referred to as a two-diameter small portion 37b. On the other hand, the first inlet pipe 35 of the water injection case 32 extends rightward in the drawing toward the first water supply valve 29 side, and the inner peripheral portion of the first inlet pipe 35 is located on the distal end side and has an inner diameter. The thin-walled portion 35a is formed so as to have a slightly larger diameter, that is, a smaller thickness. Of the inner peripheral portion of the first inlet pipe 35, the inside of the thin portion 35a is a small-diameter portion 35c via a step portion 35b.

At this time, the inner diameter of the thin portion 35a corresponds to the outer diameter of the first small diameter portion 37a of the outlet pipe 37. The inner diameter dimension of the small-diameter portion 35 c corresponds to the outer dimension on the outlet side of the UFB unit 31. The UFB unit 31 is inserted into the first inlet pipe 35 of the water injection case 32 from the right side in the figure. In this state, the outlet pipe 37 of the first water supply valve 29 is connected such that the outer periphery of the first small diameter portion 37a is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the thin portion 35a. An O-ring 38 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the second small diameter portion 37b of the outlet pipe 37 and the inner peripheral surface of the thin portion 35a.

The UFB unit 31 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin. The UFB unit 31 as a whole has a cylindrical shape whose axial direction is the left-right direction in the drawing, and a flow path 39 penetrating in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 is formed in the center portion, that is, the axial center portion. In this flow path 39, water flows in the direction of arrow A, that is, from right to left in FIG. The outer diameter dimension of the UFB unit 31 corresponds to the inner diameter dimension of the first inlet pipe 35. At the same time, ring-shaped

convex portions

41, 41 are integrally formed at two positions on the middle of the outer peripheral wall of the UFB unit 31 at a slight interval in the axial direction.

The UFB unit 31 is inserted and attached into the first inlet pipe 35 from the opening side (right side in the figure). At this time, one convex part 41 (left side in the figure) The stopper is engaged with the step 35b in the one inlet pipe 35. Further, at this time, an O-ring 42 is provided between the two

convex portions

41 and 41 between the outer peripheral surface of the UFB unit 31 and the inner peripheral surface of the thin portion 35a of the first inlet pipe 35. .

The flow path 39 is opened at both left and right end faces in the figure of the UFB unit 31, and the right opening in the figure is an inlet 39a, and the left opening in the figure is an outlet 39b. A narrowed portion 39c having the smallest channel cross-sectional area is formed in the middle portion of the channel 39 with a certain length. The flow path 39 is configured in a tapered shape from the inlet 39a to the throttle portion 39c so that the cross-sectional area of the flow path gradually decreases. Between the throttle part 39c and the outlet 39b, the flow path cross-sectional area is configured in a cylindrical shape having the same inner diameter as the throttle part 39c.

Furthermore, the UFB unit 31 is provided with four projecting portions 40 (only two are shown) so as to further narrow the flow path of the throttle portion 39c. These protrusions 40 have sharp tips and are provided so as to protrude inward from the outer peripheral side of the throttle portion 39c at intervals of 90 degrees. The pointed portions of the tips of the protrusions 40 face each other at a predetermined interval, so that the gap is a cross-shaped (x-shaped) slit shape. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 40 is made of synthetic resin and is provided integrally with the UFB unit 31. It is also possible to configure the protrusion 40 from a separate member.

In such a UFB unit 31, when water flows into the flow path 39 from the inflow port 39a by opening the first water supply valve 29, the flow path cross-sectional area is reduced to the throttle portion 39c, so-called venturi of hydrodynamics. The effect increases the flow rate. Further, the water pressure passes through the cross-shaped gap at the tip of the protrusion 40, so that the pressure is rapidly reduced. Thereby, a large amount of air dissolved in water is deposited as fine bubbles. In this case, the flow direction of the water discharged from the outlet pipe 37 of the first water supply valve 29 and the flow direction of the water in the flow path 39 of the UFB unit 31 are configured in the same direction, that is, the direction of the arrow A. Yes.

The UFB unit 31 of the present embodiment can generate a large amount of fine bubbles (fine bubbles) including ultrafine bubbles having a diameter of about 50 nm to 1 μm and microbubbles having a diameter of about 1 μm to several hundred μm. . By passing through the UFB unit 31 in this way, water mixed with a large amount of fine bubbles (hereinafter referred to as “fine bubble water”) flows out from the outflow port 39b. The fine bubble water flows into the detergent storage case of the water injection case 32 and is injected into the water tank 4 from the water supply port 20. The UFB unit 31 is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-129097 related to the earlier application of the present applicant, for example.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an electrical configuration of the washing machine 1 with the above-described control device 21 as the center. The control device 21 is mainly configured by a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and controls the entire washing machine 1 to execute each step of the washing operation. The control device 21 receives an operation signal from the operation panel 24 and controls display on each display unit of the operation panel 24. Further, the control device 21 receives a water level detection signal in the washing tub 10 detected by the water level sensor 9 and detection signals from the rotation sensor 33 and the current sensor 34.

The control device 21 drives and controls the washing machine motor 16 and the clutch mechanism 17, and controls the first water supply valve 29, the second water supply valve 30, and the drain valve 7. With the above configuration, the control device 21 controls each mechanism of the washing machine 1 based on input signals from each sensor and a pre-stored control program in accordance with a user's setting operation of the washing course on the operation panel 24. Control. In the course of automatic operation, the control device 21 automatically executes a washing operation including washing, rinsing, and dehydration processes. At this time, in this embodiment, in the course of automatic operation, it is possible to select a residual water dehydration operation described later, that is, a course including tank cleaning and a course not including tank cleaning.

In the rinsing process in the course of automatic driving, for example, a dehydration rinsing (intermediate dehydration) operation and a rinsing operation for one time are sequentially performed. Therefore, after the rinsing operation, the draining operation is performed and the final dehydration process is started. In the course of automatic driving, the cloth amount detection operation of the clothes in the washing tub 10 is executed at the start of driving. Based on the result of the cloth amount detection operation, the water level at the time of washing and rinsing is set in a plurality of stages, and the execution time of each process is automatically set. Water supply control into the washing tub 10 is performed based on the water level detection of the water level sensor 9. As is well known, the cloth amount detection operation is performed based on the fact that the pulsator 12 is rotationally driven for a short time by the drive mechanism 15 and the current flowing through the washing machine motor 16 is detected by the current sensor 34 at that time.

In this embodiment, as will be described in detail in the next description of the operation (description of FIG. 4), the control device 21 has an automatic operation course including a residual water dehydration operation, that is, a tank cleaning, mainly by its software configuration. If selected, before the rinsing process, in this case, the dehydration process after the rinsing operation is performed, the tank cleaning, that is, the residual water dehydrating operation for cleaning the outer peripheral surface of the washing tub 10 and the inner surface of the water tub 4 is executed. . This residual water dewatering operation is performed by rotating the washing tub 10 to a predetermined number of revolutions in a state where water containing fine bubble water generated by the UFB unit 31 is stored in a predetermined water level in the washing tub 10. Done.

More specifically, in this embodiment, when executing the rinsing operation for the rinsing process, the control device 21 has a rinsing water level and a large amount of cloth in the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4 because of the amount of cloth. Sometimes, for example, water is supplied up to 58 liters in volume. Water supply at this time includes the supply of fine bubble water through the first water supply path 27 by opening the first water supply valve 29, and the supply of tap water through the second water supply path 28 by opening the second water supply valve 30. Are performed in order. Therefore, water supply in a state where tap water and fine bubble water are mixed is performed. In this case, the mixing ratio of fine bubble water is, for example, 25% or more. After the water supply, the pulsator 12 is intermittently rotated forward and backward to perform rinsing for the set time.

Then, after the end of rinsing, the control device 21 opens the drain valve 7 and drains until the inside of the washing tub 10 reaches a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume. When the inside of the washing tub 10 reaches a predetermined water level, the drain valve 7 is closed. At the same time, the clutch mechanism 12 is switched from the pulsator 12 side to the washing tub 10 side, and the washing machine motor 16 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed, for example, 150 rpm, whereby a residual water dewatering operation is performed for a predetermined time, for example, 1 minute. Further, the predetermined water level in the washing tub 10 and the predetermined rotation speed of the washing tub 10 in the residual water dewatering operation described above are the centrifugal force in the residual water dewatering operation, and the water in the washing tub 10 is in the vicinity of the overflow port 4a. It is set in advance so as to rise to the height of.

After the residual water dewatering operation is performed, the control device 21 opens the drain valve 7 to drain the water from the washing tub 10, and further increases the number of rotations of the washing tub 10 to, for example, several hundred rpm. The dehydration process is performed for a predetermined time. Even in the water supply at the start of the washing process, fine bubble water is supplied into the washing tub 10 through the first water supply path 27, and the washing process is executed using the fine bubble water. Also in this case, tap water and fine bubble water may be mixed and used.

Next, the operation of the washing machine 1 configured as described above will be described mainly with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows a state of control from the rinsing process to the final dehydration process, which is executed by the control device 21. That is, it shows how the first water supply valve 29 and the second water supply valve 30 are opened / closed, the drain valve 7 is opened / closed, the water level in the washing tub 10 and the rotation speed of the washing tub 10 change with time. . Here, at the start of rinsing, the water level in the washing tub 10 is set to the reset water level, that is, 0 liter in capacity, and the drain valve 7 is closed. The clutch mechanism 17 is on the pulsator 12 side, and the washing tub 10 is stopped, that is, in a fixed state.

Therefore, when rinsing is started (time T0), first, the first water supply valve 29 is opened, and fine bubble water is supplied into the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4, through the first water supply path 27 of the water supply mechanism 25. It becomes like this. At this time, the second water supply valve 30 is closed. When a certain time elapses or the inside of the washing tub 10 reaches a predetermined water level (time T1), the first water supply valve 29 is closed and this time the second water supply valve 30 is opened. Thereby, water, in this case, tap water, is supplied to the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4 by the second water supply path 28.

By these water supply operations, the water level in the washing tub 10 gradually rises, and when the set rinse water level, that is, the high water level is detected by the water level sensor 9, the second water supply valve 30 is closed and the water supply ends. (Time T2). At this time, in the washing tub 10, water in which tap water and fine bubble water are mixed is stored. Note that the order of opening the first water supply valve 29 and opening the second water supply valve 30 may be reversed. The rinsing is performed for a predetermined time by intermittently rotating the pulsator 12 forward and backward. Thus, a water flow is generated by the pulsator 12 in the state where the clothes are immersed in the water of the rinsing water level in the washing tub 10, and the rinsing is performed.

When the rinsing operation is completed (time T3), the remaining water dewatering operation is started. In this residual water dewatering operation, the drain valve 7 is opened and the clutch mechanism 17 is switched to the washing tub 10 side. By opening the drain valve 7, the water level in the washing tub 10 gradually decreases. When the water level sensor 9 detects a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume (time T4), the drain valve 7 is closed, and the washing tub motor 16 is driven to rotate the washing tub 10 at a predetermined rotation speed, for example, 150 rpm. Will come to be.

Thereby, the washing tub 10 rotates, a water flow is generated between the inner wall surface of the water tub 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the washing tub 10, and the outer peripheral surface of the washing tub 10 and the inner surface of the water tub 4 are washed with the water flow. The tank is cleaned. Further, due to the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the washing tub 10, the pressure of water toward the outer peripheral side of the washing tub 10 and hence the inner surface of the water tub 4 is increased, and effective cleaning is performed. At this time, even if the water level at the start of the residual water dewatering operation is relatively low, during the residual water dewatering operation, a phenomenon occurs in which the water surface in the washing tub 10 is lifted up like a bowl by the centrifugal force. In this case, the higher the rotation speed of the washing tub 10, the greater the centrifugal force, and the higher the water surface lifting height on the outer peripheral side.

In this embodiment, the predetermined water level and the predetermined rotation speed during the residual water dewatering operation are set so that the water in the washing tub 10 rises to a height near the overflow port 4a. The overflow port 4a is provided at a position higher than the highest water level when the washing operation is performed, and it is mainly below the overflow port 4a that the dirt adheres to the inner surface of the water tub 4 and the outer surface of the washing tub 10. Therefore, at the time of residual water dewatering operation, the water surface on the outer peripheral side is lifted to the extent that it reaches the overflow port 4a, and the entire height direction of the water tub 4 and the washing tub 10 is suppressed while preventing the water from overflowing and wasting. It is possible to perform an effective cleaning for.

Here, at the start of the residual water dewatering operation, water containing fine bubble water generated by the UFB unit 31 is stored in the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4. As a result, fine bubble water mixed with a large amount of fine bubbles is used in the residual water dewatering operation. Fine bubbles have a property of staying in the liquid for a long time because they cause Brownian motion that causes irregular motion in the liquid, for example, in water, and the speed is higher than the flying speed. The surface of the fine bubble is negatively charged, and the fine bubbles repel each other and do not bond.

By using such fine bubble water for the residual water dewatering operation, for example, the effect of washing the tank can be enhanced as compared with the case where only tap water is used. The reason is presumed to be as follows. 1stly, the effect | action which removes dirt compared with the case of only water is acquired by the physical impact by a fine bubble hitting the surface of the water tub 4 or the washing tub 10. FIG. Secondly, it can be expected that the dirt is removed from the surface of the water tub 4 or the washing tub 10 also by the cavitation effect caused by the fine bubbles repelling. Third, since the surface of the fine bubble is negatively charged, it functions to absorb dirt.

When a residual water dewatering operation is performed for a certain time, for example, 1 minute (time T5), the residual water dewatering operation is finished, and the process proceeds to the final dewatering process. The dewatering process is performed by opening the drain valve 7 and draining the water, and increasing the rotational speed of the washing tub 10 to a high speed, for example, several hundred rpm. This dehydration process is executed for a predetermined time, and the washing operation ends. If an automatic operation course that does not include tank washing is set at the start of the washing operation, the above-described residual water dewatering operation is omitted, and after rinsing, drainage is performed, and the dewatering process is continued. In this case, rinsing may be performed using only tap water.

Thus, according to the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the following actions and effects can be obtained. That is, in the above configuration, the control device 21 performs the residual water dewatering operation between the rinsing process and the subsequent dewatering process in the rinsing process. As a result, parts such as the outer peripheral surface of the washing tub 10 and the inner surface of the water tub 4 that are easily contaminated are washed with a water flow, so that the tub cleaning is automatically performed. The residual water dewatering operation is not performed in a separate tank cleaning course but in a normal washing operation course, so that troublesome operations for the user are unnecessary. The residual water dewatering operation is performed by using the water stored in the washing tub 10 at the time of rinsing, that is, the residual water, so that the tub cleaning is performed while saving water as compared with the case where all the water is replaced with new water. be able to.

At this time, since the water containing fine bubble water mixed with fine bubbles generated by the UFB unit 31 is used for the residual water dewatering operation, for example, the effect of washing the tank as compared with the case of using only tap water. Can be increased. As a result, according to the present embodiment, the tank cleaning can be executed during the washing operation, and the tank cleaning can be effectively performed. In addition, in this embodiment, the effect of the stain | pollution | contamination removal of clothing can be heightened more by using a fine bubble water also in the washing | cleaning process and the rinse process.

In particular, in the present embodiment, the water in the washing tub 10 overflows with the predetermined water level in the washing tub 10 during the remaining water dewatering operation and the predetermined rotation speed of the washing tub 10 by the centrifugal force in the remaining water dewatering operation. The position and numerical value rising to the height near the mouth 4a were set. Thereby, it becomes possible to perform the effective washing | cleaning with respect to the whole height direction of the water tub 4 and the washing tub 10, suppressing the overflow of water from the overflow opening 4a.

Further, in the present embodiment, when performing the rinsing process, fine bubble water generated by the UFB unit 31 through the first water supply path 27 and water through the second water supply path 28 in the washing tub 10. In this case, water mixed with tap water was used. Then, after the rinsing process, a portion of the water in the washing tub 10 is drained and the remaining water dewatering operation is executed. As a result, when performing the residual water dewatering operation, fine bubble water or water is not added, and water can be wasted.

In the rinsing process, if only fine bubble water is used at 100%, there is a situation that it takes a relatively long time to supply water to a high water level. Therefore, by using the mixed water with tap water, the water supply time as a whole can be shortened by the amount of supplying normal tap water. By the way, according to the study of the present inventor, by containing at least 25% fine bubble water, in other words, by making tap water 75% or less, a high rinsing effect and a sufficient tank washing effect can be obtained. did it.

(2) Second Embodiment FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the control from the rinsing process to the final dehydration process, which is executed by the control device 21. That is, in the present embodiment, the control device 21 performs a rinsing process by supplying tap water through the second water supply path 28, and after the rinsing process, the drain valve 7 is opened to open the washing tub 10, that is, the water tank 4. Drain all water. Thereafter, the control device 21 opens the first water supply valve 29, supplies fine bubble water into the washing tub 10 to a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume, through the first water supply path 27, and executes a residual water dewatering operation. .

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, when rinsing is started (time T0), the second water supply valve 30 is opened with the drain valve 7 closed, and the second water supply of the water supply mechanism 25 is performed. The tap water is supplied into the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4 by the path 28. At this time, the first water supply valve 29 is closed. When the rinsing water level in the washing tub 10 is set, in this case, the water level becomes high, the second water supply valve 30 is closed and water supply ends (time T11). Thereafter, rinsing is performed for a certain time.

When the rinsing operation is completed (time T12), the remaining water dewatering operation is started. In this residual water dewatering operation, first, the drain valve 7 is opened, and the clutch mechanism 17 is switched to the washing tub 10 side. By opening the drain valve 7, the water level in the washing tub 10 gradually decreases, and in this case, drainage is performed until the water level becomes zero. When drainage ends (time T13), the drain valve 7 is closed, the first water supply valve 29 is opened, and fine bubble water is supplied into the washing tub 10 through the first water supply path 27.

As a result, fine bubble water can be stored in the washing tub 10, and when the water level sensor 9 detects a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume, the first water supply valve 29 is closed and the water supply ends. (Time T14). Then, the washing tub 10 is driven at a predetermined number of rotations, for example, 150 rpm by the driving of the washing machine motor 16, and effective tub cleaning using fine bubble water is performed. When the remaining water dewatering operation is performed for a certain time, for example, 1 minute (time T15), the remaining water dewatering operation is finished, and the process proceeds to the final dewatering process.

According to the second embodiment, water used for rinsing, in this case, tap water is drained, and then newly generated fine bubble water is supplied to perform a residual water dehydrating operation. Can do. Therefore, the tank cleaning can be effectively performed using fine bubble water, and in addition, the tank cleaning can be performed with clean water. In addition, as for the rinsing process, it is a matter of course that the water supply time at the time of rinsing can be shortened by using the water through the second water supply path 28, in this case tap water.

(3) Third Embodiment FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a control state from the rinsing process to the final dehydration process, which is also executed by the control device 21. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in the following point, that is, the control device 21 opens the drain valve 7 after the rinsing process to open the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4. After all the water has been drained, water in a state where fine bubble water and tap water are mixed is supplied into the washing tub 10 to a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume, and a residual water dewatering operation is performed.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the rinsing process is executed in the same manner as in the second embodiment, and when the rinsing operation ends (time T12), the residual water dewatering operation is started. In this residual water dewatering operation, first, the drain valve 7 is opened, and the clutch mechanism 17 is switched to the washing tub 10 side. By opening the drain valve 7, the water level in the washing tub 10 gradually decreases, and in this case, drainage is performed until the water level becomes zero. When drainage is completed (time T21), the drain valve 7 is closed, and first, the first water supply valve 29 is opened, and fine bubble water is supplied into the washing tub 10 through the first water supply path 27.

When a certain time elapses or the inside of the washing tub 10 reaches a predetermined water level (time T22), the first water supply valve 29 is closed, and this time the second water supply valve 30 is opened. Thereby, water (tap water) is supplied into the washing tub 10, that is, the water tub 4 by the second water supply path 28. With these water supply operations, the water level in the washing tub 10 gradually rises from zero, and when the water level sensor 9 detects a predetermined water level, the second water supply valve 30 is closed and the water supply ends (time T23). At this time, in the washing tub 10, water in which tap water and fine bubble water are mixed, for example, mixed water containing 25% or more of fine bubble water, can be stored at a predetermined water level.

Then, the washing tub motor 16 is driven to rotate the washing tub 10 at a predetermined rotation number, for example, 150 rpm, so that effective tub cleaning using the mixed water of fine bubble water is performed. When the residual water dewatering operation is performed for a certain time, for example, 1 minute (time T24), the residual water dewatering operation is finished, and the process proceeds to the final dewatering process.

According to the third embodiment, the water used for rinsing, in this case, after the tap water is drained, the newly generated fine bubble water and the newly supplied tap water are mixed. Residual water dehydration can be performed with water. Therefore, tank cleaning can be performed effectively using the mixed water of fine bubble water. In addition, tank cleaning can be performed using cleaner mixed water. The time required for water supply for the residual water dewatering operation can also be made relatively shorter than when, for example, fine bubble water is used at 100%. Therefore, it goes without saying that the water supply time in the rinsing process can be shortened.

(4) Fourth Embodiment FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a control state from the rinsing process to the final dehydration process, which is also executed by the control device 21. The fourth embodiment is different from the first to third embodiments in the following points. That is, in the present embodiment, the control device 21 performs a rinsing process by supplying tap water through the second water supply path 28, and after the rinsing process, the drain valve 7 is opened to open the washing tub 10, that is, the water tank 4. Drain some water. Then, the control device 21 opens the first water supply valve 29 for the water remaining in the washing tub 10 and supplies fine bubble water through the first water supply path 27 to a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume. The residual water dewatering operation is executed using the mixed water.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the rinsing process is executed in the same manner as in the second and third embodiments, and when the rinsing operation is completed (time T12), the residual water dewatering operation is started. Is done. In this residual water dewatering operation, first, the drain valve 7 is opened, and the clutch mechanism 17 is switched to the washing tub 10 side. By opening the drain valve 7, the water level in the washing tub 10 gradually decreases. In this case, the water level is lower than a predetermined level, for example, about 15 liters in volume (indicated as “very low” level in FIG. 7). Is done. When drainage is completed (time T31), the drain valve 7 is closed, the first water supply valve 29 is opened, and fine bubble water is supplied into the washing tub 10 through the first water supply path 27.

This will allow fine bubble water to be stored while being mixed with the water remaining in the washing tub 10. When the water level sensor 9 detects a predetermined water level, for example, 25 liters in volume, the first water supply valve 29 is closed and the water supply ends (time T32). In this state, in the washing tub 10, mixed water in which tap water and fine bubble water are mixed is stored at a predetermined water level. Then, the washing tub motor 16 is driven to rotate the washing tub 10 at a predetermined rotation speed, for example, 150 rpm, so that effective tub cleaning using mixed water containing 25% or more of fine bubble water is performed. When the residual water dewatering operation is performed for a certain time, for example, 1 minute (time T33), the residual water dewatering operation is finished, and the process proceeds to the final dewatering process.

According to the fourth embodiment, the drainage after the rinsing is finished with the water used for the rinsing, in this case the tap water partially remaining in the washing tub 10. And the fine bubble water newly produced | generated from the state is supplied, and residual water dehydration operation | movement can be performed with those mixed water. Therefore, tank cleaning can be performed effectively using the mixed water of fine bubble water. In performing the residual water dewatering operation, a part of the water used for rinsing is left, so that waste of water can be reduced accordingly. At the same time, the time required for water supply for the residual water dewatering operation can be made relatively short. Of course, by using tap water for the rinsing process, the water supply time at the time of rinsing can be shortened.

(5) Fifth Embodiment and Other Embodiments Hereinafter, although not shown, the fifth embodiment and other embodiments will be described. First, the fifth embodiment can be configured as follows.

That is, in the first to fourth embodiments, the predetermined water level for executing the residual water dewatering operation is set so that the water in the washing tub 10 rises to a height near the overflow port 4a by the centrifugal force in the residual water dewatering operation. Pre-set. In the fifth embodiment, instead of this, the predetermined water level in the residual water dewatering operation is set to a water level that does not exceed the upper end of the pulsator 12 in the washing tub 10. According to this, at the end of the residual water dewatering operation, since the water level in the washing tub 10 is lower than the clothing housed above the pulsator 12, the clothing is immersed in the water in the washing tub 10. Nothing will happen. Therefore, the reattachment of dirt to the clothes can be prevented.

In each of the above embodiments, the predetermined number of rotations of the washing tub 10 in the residual water dewatering operation is fixedly provided. However, based on the detection of the amount of cloth, when the amount of cloth is small, that is, the weight is light, the target rotation It is possible to change the number to be higher than usual, for example, 180 rpm. Further, when the possibility of unbalanced rotation of the washing tub 10 is detected during the residual water dewatering operation, it is also possible to perform control to reduce the rotational speed to a predetermined rotational speed, for example, 120 rpm.

As water supplied by the water supply mechanism 25, that is, the second water supply path 28, not only simple tap water but also water is pumped from an external water supply source such as a water storage tank or a bathtub using a pump. Also good. Further, warm water or antibacterial water containing, for example, silver ions may be used. In each said embodiment, when supplying both tap water and fine bubble water in the washing tub 10, the 1st water supply valve 29 and the 2nd water supply valve 30 are open | released alternately, ie, either one is opened. It was. On the other hand, if water pressure sufficient to produce fine bubble water is obtained in the first water path 27, it is possible to open both water supply valves at the same time.

In addition, the specific numerical values such as the operation time, the rotation speed of the washing tub 10, the water level, and the water amount described in each of the above embodiments are merely examples, and can be changed as appropriate. Various changes can be made to the contents of the washing driving course, such as multiple rinsings. Furthermore, various changes can be made to the hardware configuration of each mechanism of the washing machine, the specific structure of the fine bubble generating device, and the like. The above embodiments are presented as examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

Claims

Aquarium (4),
A washing tub (10) provided inside the water tub (4) and containing clothes;
A stirring body (12) provided at the bottom of the washing tub (10);
A water supply mechanism (25) for supplying water into the washing tub (10);
A fine bubble generator (31) for producing fine bubble water mixed with fine bubbles;
A drainage mechanism (7) for draining from the washing tub (10);
A drive mechanism (15) for rotationally driving the agitator (12) and the washing tub (10);
A control device (21) for controlling the respective mechanisms (25, 31, 7, 15) to perform washing, rinsing and dehydration processes;
Before the control device (21) shifts to the dehydration process after the rinsing process, the water containing fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator (31) is predetermined in the washing tub (10). A washing machine that performs a residual water dewatering operation of rotating the washing tub (10) to a predetermined number of revolutions while being stored in a water level.
The upper part of the water tank (4) is provided with an overflow port (4a),
The predetermined water level and the predetermined rotation speed during the residual water dewatering operation are set so that the water in the washing tub (10) rises to a height near the overflow port (4a) by the centrifugal force in the residual water dewatering operation. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein
The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined water level in the residual water dewatering operation is a water level not exceeding an upper end of the stirring body (12).
The control device (21) supplies water containing fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generating device (31) into the washing tub (10) when the rinsing process is performed, and the rinsing is performed. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein after the stroke, the drainage mechanism (7) drains a part of the water in the washing tub (10) and then performs a residual water dewatering operation. .
The control device (21) performs the rinsing process by supplying water by the water supply mechanism (25), and after the rinsing process, drains the water in the washing tub (10) by the drainage mechanism (7). The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fine water is generated by the fine bubble generator (31) and then the residual water dewatering operation is performed.
The said control apparatus (21) performs water supply by the said water supply mechanism (25), performs a rinse process, and after draining by the said drainage mechanism (7) after a rinse process, in the said washing tub (10) The residual water dewatering operation is performed after supplying water by the water supply mechanism (25) and fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator (31) to be mixed. The washing machine according to any one of the above.
The said control apparatus (21) performs water supply by the said water supply mechanism (25), performs a rinse process, and drains some water in the said washing tub (10) by the said drainage mechanism (7) after a rinse process. The water remaining in the washing tub (10) is then mixed with fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator (31), and the residual water dewatering operation is performed. The washing machine according to any one of the above.