WO2022001210A1

WO2022001210A1 - Washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2022001210A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/081974
Authority: WO
Inventors: 米泽孝昭; 松田喜彦
Original assignee: 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司; Aqua株式会社; 海尔智家股份有限公司
Priority date: 2020-06-29
Filing date: 2021-03-22
Publication date: 2022-01-06
Also published as: CN115884836A; JP7506374B2; JP2022010806A; CN115884836B

Abstract

Provided by the present invention is a washing machine capable of stabilizing the amount of water supplied to a storage portion by detecting, with high accuracy, the water level in the storage portion. A fully automatic washing machine, equipped with: an ultrasonic generator, for generating ultrasound; a water storage barrel, located under the ultrasonic generator and storing water for soaking an item to be washed; a storage tank (60), storing detergent-containing water to be supplied to the water storage barrel; an automatic delivery mechanism, supplying the detergent-containing water into the storage tank (60); and a water level detection unit (700), detecting the water level in the storage tank (60). The water level detection unit (700) comprises a pair of electrode terminals (710) and (720) extending downward from a top surface of the storage tank (60). In the pair of electrode terminals (710) and (720), a first electrode terminal (710) is longer than a second electrode terminal (720).

Description

washing machine

technical field

The present invention relates to washing machines.

Background technique

Patent Document 1 describes a washing machine in which an ultrasonic cleaning device is arranged around the laundry inlet on the upper panel, for example, in front of the inlet. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus includes a water storage tank capable of storing water, and an ultrasonic generating unit having an ultrasonic generating body located directly above the water storage tank. The dirt adhering part of the object to be cleaned is placed in the water storage tank in which the water is stored, and the cleaning operation is started. The ultrasonic energy generated by the ultrasonic generator acts on the water-saturated dirt adhering portion to peel off the dirt.

The washing machine includes a water supply unit that supplies water to the water storage tub. The water supply unit includes a water supply valve connected with a water tap, and when the water supply valve is opened, water is supplied to the water storage bucket.

In the above-mentioned washing machine, in order to further improve the cleaning effect of the object to be cleaned by the ultrasonic cleaning device, it is considered that water containing detergent is stored in the water storage tub as cleaning water. In such a case, a configuration may be adopted in which detergent and water are supplied into a reservoir provided separately from the water storage tank to generate washing water, and the generated washing water is supplied to the water storage tank.

In the case of adopting such a structure, it is required to stabilize the water supply amount of the water supply to the storage part so as to reduce the unevenness of the detergent concentration in the washing water.

prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-68435

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem to be solved by the invention

Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide the washing machine which can stabilize the water supply amount of the water supply to a storage part by detecting the water level in a storage part with high precision.

solution to the problem

The washing machine of the main scheme of the present invention is provided with: an ultrasonic generator, which generates ultrasonic waves; a water storage bucket, which is located below the ultrasonic generator and stores the water for soaking the objects to be cleaned; The supplied detergent-containing water; a supply unit that supplies at least water into the storage unit; and a water level detection unit that detects the water level in the storage unit. The water level detection unit includes a pair of electrode terminals extending downward from the top surface of the storage unit, and one electrode terminal of the pair of electrode terminals is longer than the other electrode terminal.

According to the washing machine of the present aspect, the position of the leading end of one electrode terminal can be made lower than the position of the leading end of the other electrode terminal, so that the water level of the one electrode terminal from the storage portion can be made lower than the water level detected by the water level detecting portion. The state of the water level starts to contact the water in the storage part. Thereby, even if the water surface fluctuates, the contact between one of the electrode terminals and the water is stabilized. Therefore, the detection timing of the water level is less likely to fluctuate, and the water level in the reservoir can be detected with high accuracy.

In the washing machine of this aspect, when viewed from above, the size of the storage portion in the first direction may be larger than the size in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this case, the pair of electrode terminals may be arranged in the first direction.

According to the above configuration, since the distance between the pair of electrode terminals can be increased, even if foaming due to the detergent occurs in part of the water surface when water is supplied to the reservoir, both electrode terminals are less likely to come into contact with the foam. Thereby, it becomes difficult to generate|occur|produce the situation where a pair of electrode terminal becomes a conduction state by contact with a bubble, and a water level is erroneously detected, and the detection precision of a water level can be improved.

In the washing machine of this aspect, the storage part may have a structure including an inflow port into which the water from the supply part flows. In this case, the inflow port may be located on the opposite side to the other electrode terminal with respect to the one electrode terminal in the direction in which the pair of electrode terminals are arranged.

According to the above configuration, when water flows in from the inflow port, one electrode terminal becomes the upstream side of the water flow, and the other electrode terminal becomes the downstream side of the water flow. The downstream side is easier to calm down than the upstream side, so the contact between the other electrode terminal and the water is more likely to be stabilized. Therefore, the detection timing of the water level is less likely to fluctuate, and the water level in the reservoir can be detected with higher accuracy.

In the washing machine of this aspect, the storage part may have a structure including a first tank into which the water from the supply part flows, and a second tank connected to the first tank at the lower part of each other. In this case, the pair of electrode terminals may be arranged in the second box.

According to the above-mentioned configuration, in the second tank, the fluctuation of the water surface is less than that in the first tank into which the water from the supply unit flows directly. According to the above-mentioned configuration, since the pair of electrode terminals are arranged in the second tank, fluctuations are less likely to occur at the detection timing of the water level, and the water level in the reservoir can be detected with higher accuracy.

In the case of adopting the above-mentioned configuration, further, the storage portion may be configured to be divided into the first tank and the second tank with a supply valve interposed therebetween. In this case, the supply valve may comprise two inlets. Further, the outflow port of the water from the first tank and the outflow port of the water from the second tank may be connected to the two inlets.

According to such a structure, since the water containing detergent can flow out from the 1st tank and the 2nd tank respectively through a supply valve, the water containing detergent can be smoothly supplied to a water tank from a storage part. Moreover, the water which flowed into the 1st tank from an inflow port can flow into a 2nd tank through a supply valve, and can be stored in a 2nd tank.

Invention effect

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a washing machine capable of stabilizing the amount of water supplied to the reservoir by detecting the water level in the reservoir with high accuracy.

The effects and significance of the present invention will be further clarified from the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the following embodiment is merely an example for implementing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited at all by the contents described in the following embodiment.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the fully automatic washing machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the water supply unit according to the embodiment.

Fig. 3(a) is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus and the upper panel when the ultrasonic cleaning unit and the water storage unit according to the embodiment are located at the operating position. 3(b) and 3(c) are perspective views of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus and main parts of the upper panel when the ultrasonic cleaning unit and the water storage unit according to the embodiment are located at the standby position.

4 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus in a state in which the water storage unit according to the embodiment is removed.

5 is a side sectional view of an ultrasonic cleaning part and a main body part according to the embodiment.

6 is a perspective view of a reversed water storage unit according to the embodiment.

7 is a side sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning device, the storage tank, the supply valve, the supply nozzle, and the drain receiving portion when the ultrasonic cleaning unit and the water storage unit of the embodiment are located at the standby position.

8 is a side cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning device, the storage tank, the supply valve, the supply nozzle, and the drain receiving portion when the ultrasonic cleaning unit and the water storage unit of the embodiment are located at the operating position.

FIGS. 9( a ) and 9 ( b ) are a perspective view and a front cross-sectional view of a storage tank, a supply valve, and a supply nozzle according to the embodiment.

FIGS. 10( a ) to ( c ) are diagrams for explaining the decontamination of the object to be cleaned by the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus of the embodiment.

Description of reference numerals

1: automatic washing machine (washing machine); 50: ultrasonic cleaning device; 60: storage tank (reservoir part); 61: first tank; 62: second tank; 64: outlet; 65: outlet; 66: Inlet; 90: Automatic feeding mechanism (supply part); 100: Ultrasonic cleaning part; 110: Ultrasonic generator; 200: Water storage part; 210: Water storage bucket; 400: Supply valve; 411, 412: Inlet; Detection part; 710: 1st electrode terminal (one electrode terminal); 720: 2nd electrode terminal (the other electrode terminal).

detailed description

Hereinafter, one Embodiment of the washing machine of this invention is described with reference to drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the fully automatic washing machine 1 .

The fully automatic washing machine 1 includes a case 10 that constitutes an outer contour. The box 10 includes: a square cylindrical body portion 11 with open upper and lower surfaces; an upper panel 12 covering the upper surface of the body portion 11 ; and a footrest 13 supporting the body portion 11 . The upper panel 12 is formed with a laundering inlet 14 . The injection port 14 is covered with an openable and closable upper cover 15 . A control unit 16 is arranged inside the front portion of the upper panel 12 . The control unit 16 is composed of a microcomputer or the like, and controls the washing operation of the fully automatic washing machine 1 and the washing operation of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 to be described later.

Inside the case 10, the tub 20 having an upper surface opening is elastically suspended and supported by four suspension bars 21 having a vibration-proof device. Inside the outer tub 20 is a washing and dewatering tub 22 whose upper surface is open. The washing and dewatering tub 22 rotates around a rotating shaft extending in the vertical direction. A large number of dewatering holes 22a are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the washing and dewatering tub 22 over the entire circumference. A balance ring 23 is provided on the upper part of the washing and dewatering tub 22 . A pulsator 24 is provided at the bottom of the washing and dewatering tub 22 . On the surface of the pulsator 24, a plurality of blades 24a are radially provided.

The outer bottom of the outer tub 20 is provided with a driving unit 30 that generates torque for driving the washing and dewatering tub 22 and the pulsator 24 . The drive unit 30 includes a drive motor 31 and a transmission mechanism portion 32 . The transmission mechanism part 32 has a clutch mechanism 32a, and by the switching operation by the clutch mechanism 32a, the torque of the drive motor 31 is only transmitted to the pulsator 24 during the washing process and the rinsing process, and only the pulsator 24 is rotated. During the process, the torque of the driving motor 31 is transmitted to the pulsator 24 and the washing and dehydrating tub 22, so that the pulsating wheel 24 and the washing and dehydrating tub 22 rotate integrally.

In the outer bottom part of the outer tub 20, the drain port part 20a is formed. The drain valve 40 is provided in the drain port part 20a. The drain valve 40 is connected to a drain hose 41 . When the drain valve 40 is opened, the water stored in the washing and dewatering tub 22 and the outer tub 20 is discharged out of the machine through the drain hose 41 .

An overflow port 20b is formed in the upper part of the outer tub 20 . When the water above a predetermined overflow level is stored in the outer tub 20, the water is discharged from the overflow port 20b. An overflow receiving portion 25 is provided on the outer surface of the outer tub 20 so as to cover the overflow port 20b. One end of the overflow pipe 26 is connected to the bottom of the overflow receiving portion 25 . The other end of the overflow pipe 26 is connected to the drain hose 41 . The water discharged from the overflow port 20 b is received by the overflow water receiving portion 25 and then flows to the drain hose 41 through the overflow pipe 26 .

The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 is arrange|positioned at the substantially center of the rear part of the upper panel 12. As shown in FIG. The ultrasonic cleaning device 50 mainly performs a cleaning operation for removing locally adhering dirt such as sebum dirt adhering to the cuffs or neckline of shirts, oil dirt adhering to work clothes, etc.

In the rear part of the upper panel 12, the storage tank 60 is arrange|positioned at the back of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50, and the drainage receiving part 70 is arrange|positioned below the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50. As shown in FIG. Detergent-containing water to be supplied to the water storage tub 210 of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 is stored in the storage tank 60 . Hereinafter, the water containing the detergent will be referred to as "washing water".

The drain receiving portion 70 receives the water drained from the water storage tub 210 . A drain hole 71 through which the received water is discharged is formed in the drain receiving portion 70 . One end of the drain pipe 72 is connected to the discharge hole 71 . The other end of the drain pipe 72 is connected to the upper part of the overflow pipe 26 .

A water supply unit 80 for supplying tap water into the washing and dehydrating tub 22 is provided at the rear of the upper panel 12 .

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the water supply unit 80 .

The water supply unit 80 has a water supply valve 81 . The water supply valve 81 is a so-called double valve, and includes a main valve 82 and a sub-valve 83 as solenoid valves. The water inlet 81a of the water supply valve 81 is connected to a faucet via a water supply hose not shown. The main water supply passage 84 is connected to the outlet of the main valve 82 of the water supply valve 81 . The main water supply path 84 has a water injection port 84 a located in the upper portion of the washing and dewatering tub 22 .

The water supply unit 80 includes an automatic injection mechanism 90 for automatically injecting a liquid detergent, which is a type of liquid detergent for washing, into the washing and dewatering tub 22 . The automatic feeding mechanism 90 also has a function of supplying the washing water to the storage tank 60 . The automatic dispensing mechanism 90 corresponds to the supply unit of the present invention.

The automatic feeding mechanism 90 includes a detergent box 91 , a supply pipe 92 , a first three-way valve 93 , an auxiliary water supply passage 94 , a supply pump 95 , a detergent supply passage 96 , a second three-way valve 97 , and a washing water supply passage 98 . The sub-valve 83 of the water supply valve 81 is also included in the automatic dispensing mechanism 90 .

The liquid detergent is stored in the detergent box 91 in the state of a stock solution. The supply pipe 92 guides the liquid detergent of the detergent box 91 to one inlet of the first three-way valve 93 .

The sub-water supply passage 94 is connected to the outlet of the sub-valve 83 and the other inlet of the first three-way valve 93 .

A supply pump 95 is connected to the outlet of the first three-way valve 93 , and a detergent supply passage 96 is connected to the supply pump 95 . The detergent supply path 96 has a supply port 96 a located in the upper portion of the washing and dewatering tub 22 . The supply pump 95 can be, for example, a piston pump.

The first three-way valve 93 can be switched between a state in which the supply pipe 92 and the supply pump 95 are communicated and a state in which the auxiliary water supply passage 94 and the supply pump 95 are communicated.

A second three-way valve 97 is provided in the detergent supply passage 96 . The upstream supply path 96b of the detergent supply path 96 is connected to the inlet of the second three-way valve 97 , and the downstream supply path 96c of the detergent supply path 96 is connected to one outlet of the second three-way valve 97 . In addition, one end of the washing water supply passage 98 is connected to the other outlet of the second three-way valve 97 . The other end of the washing water supply path 98 is connected to the storage tank 60 .

The second three-way valve 97 is switchable between a state in which the upstream supply passage 96b and the downstream supply passage 96c are communicated, and a state in which the upstream supply passage 96b and the washing water supply passage 98 are communicated.

Next, the configuration of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 and the configuration of the periphery of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 including the storage tank 60 and the drain receiving portion 70 will be described in detail.

FIG. 3( a ) is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 and the upper panel 12 when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are located at the operating position. FIGS. 3( b ) and 3 ( c ) are perspective views of main parts of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 and the upper panel 12 when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are located at the standby positions. In FIG.3(c), the illustration of the cover 19 is abbreviate|omitted so that the inside of the accommodating part 17 can be seen.

The ultrasonic cleaning device 50 includes an ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 , a water storage unit 200 , and a main body unit 300 . The ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 has an ultrasonic generator 110 that generates ultrasonic waves. The main body part 300 holds the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 . The water storage part 200 is attached to the main body part 300 and is located below the ultrasonic generator 110 . The water storage portion 200 is provided with a water storage tub 210 that stores the washing water. The water storage portion 200 can be pulled forward from the main body portion 300 by a detachment operation performed by the user to be detached.

The upper panel 12 is provided with an accommodating portion 17 for accommodating the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 in the center portion of the rear. In the upper panel 12 , the front of the accommodating portion 17 is opened as the entrance and exit 18 . The entrance 18 is provided with a translucent and substantially square cover 19 .

As shown in FIG. 3( a ), when the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is used for cleaning operation, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is in a state in which the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 , that is, the ultrasonic generator 110 and the water storage tub 210 are removed from the accommodating unit. 17 is pulled forward and protrudes to the inside of the injection port 14 of the upper panel 12 . Substantially the entire cover 19 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 17 . The positions of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 at this time are the operating positions.

On the other hand, as shown in (b) and (c) of FIG. 3 , when the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is not used and the cleaning operation is not performed, the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 becomes the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 and the water storage part 200 and is accommodated in the container state of section 17. The inlet/outlet 18 of the accommodating part 17 is closed by the cover 19 , and the front of the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 is covered by the cover 19 . At this time, the lower end of the cover 19 is in contact with the proximal end portion of the handle 201 provided in the water storage unit 200 . The handle 201 protrudes forward from the cover 19 . The positions of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 at this time are the standby positions.

It should be noted that an interlocking mechanism part (not shown) is provided inside the upper panel 12 so as to interlock the movement of the cover 19 with the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 and the water storage part 200 . When the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 and the water storage part 200 are accommodated in the accommodating part 17, the cover 19 moves from the accommodating position accommodated in the accommodating part 17 to the closing position which closes the entrance 18. When the accommodating portion 17 is pulled out, the cover 19 moves from the closed position to the accommodating position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 in a state in which the water storage unit 200 is removed. FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the main body unit 300 . FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the inverted water storage unit 200 .

4 and 5 , the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 includes an ultrasonic generator 110 , a housing 120 , and a cover 130 .

The ultrasonic generator 110 includes: an ultrasonic vibrator 111; a vibration horn 112, which is combined with the ultrasonic vibrator 111; . The vibration horn 112 is formed of a conductive metal material, and has a shape that tapers toward the front end side. The shape of the front end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112 is an elongated rectangle. A flange portion 112b is formed on the upper end portion of the vibration horn 112 . A buffer member 114 formed of rubber or the like is attached to the vibration horn 112 so as to cover the flange portion 112b. The ultrasonic transducer 111 , the vibration horn 112 , and the head 113 are connected by bolts 115 .

The ultrasonic generator 110 generates ultrasonic waves from the tip of the vibration horn 112 by high-frequency vibration of the ultrasonic vibrator 111 .

The case 120 is formed of a resin material, and has an arm shape that is long in the front-rear direction and that the front end portion 120a thereof is bent downward. The opening part 121 is formed in the lower surface of the front-end|tip part 120a.

The case 120 is formed by combining the lower member 140 whose upper surface is opened and the upper member 150 whose lower surface is opened. A metal reinforcing plate 160 is attached to the lower member 140 . The lower member 140 is provided with a lower mounting hole 141 and a lower mounting boss 142 , and the upper member 150 is provided with an upper mounting boss 151 corresponding to the lower mounting hole 141 and an upper mounting hole 152 corresponding to the lower mounting boss 142 . The screws 171 passing through the lower mounting holes 141 are fixed to the upper mounting boss 151 , and the screws 171 passing through the upper mounting holes 152 are fixed to the lower mounting boss 142 . Thereby, the lower member 140 is combined with the upper member 150 . The front end portion 120 a of the housing 120 is formed by the lower member 140 .

The lower member 140 is provided with mounting bosses 143 on the front and rear of the opening portion 121 . Moreover, the periphery of the opening part 121 in the lower member 140 becomes an insertion opening part 144 into which the cover 130 is inserted.

The sonotrode 110 is attached to the lower member 140 , and the flange portion 112 b thereof is pressed from the upper side by the frame-shaped fixing member 180 . The fixing member 180 includes a cylindrical body portion 181 having a shape corresponding to the upper portion of the sonotrode 110 , and

attachment portions

182 and 183 provided on the front and rear sides of the body portion 181 . Mounting

holes

182 a and 183 a are formed in the respective mounting

portions

182 and 183 .

The fixing member 180 passes through the upper portion of the ultrasonic generator 110 from above, is provided on the front and rear mounting bosses 143 , and is fixed to the mounting bosses 143 by screws 172 . Thereby, the ultrasonic generator 110 is fixed in the casing 120 . A portion on the front end side of the vibration horn 112 protrudes downward from the opening portion 121 of the housing 120 . The buffer member 114 is interposed between the flange portion 112 b of the ultrasonic generator 110 , the lower member 140 , and the fixing member 180 , and the propagation of vibration to the casing 120 is suppressed.

In addition, in the fixing member 180, the attachment part 182 is formed with the claw part 182a, and this claw part 182a is engaged with the engaging piece 153 of the upper member 150 from above. As a result, the lower member 140 and the upper member 150 are not easily separated from each other on the front side of the housing 100 .

The cover 130 is detachably attached to the front end portion 120 a of the casing 120 , and covers a portion of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic generator 110 exposed from the casing 120 .

The cover 130 has a structure in which the cover main body 131 and the guide portion 132 are integrally formed with a resin material. The cover main body 131 has a cylindrical shape whose front, rear, left, and right widths become narrower toward the downward direction, and covers the portion on the front end side of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic generator 110 so that the front end portion thereof is exposed.

The guide portion 132 is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the front side surface of the cover main body 131 so as to protrude forward, and has a flat shape in the left-right direction. A lower portion of the guide portion 132 is provided with a guide surface 133 that is inclined rearward and obliquely downward and that is bent horizontally at the lower end portion. Further, the lower end of the guide portion 132 is positioned below the lower end of the cover main body 131 .

The cover 130 is attached to the insertion opening 144 of the housing 120 from below. At this time, protrusions, not shown, provided on the right and left of the fitting opening 144 are fitted into recesses, not shown, provided on the left and right sides of the lid body 131 . Thereby, the cover 130 does not come off from the fitting opening 144 .

As shown in FIG. 5 , in a state where the cover 130 is attached to the housing 120 , the front end portion of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic generator 110 is slightly exposed from the cover main body 131 . In addition, the lower end of the guide portion 132 of the cover 130 is almost coplanar with the front end surface 112 a of the vibration horn 112 . Furthermore, the guide surface 133 of the guide portion 132 is inclined so as to approach the vibration horn 112 as it approaches the water storage tub 210 . In addition, in the left-right direction, that is, the direction orthogonal to the front direction of the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100, the position of the guide portion 132 corresponds to the position of the distal end portion of the vibration horn 112.

4 and 5 , the main body portion 300 has a substantially square shape when viewed from the front. A guide rail portion 301 extending forward is provided at the left and right lower end portions of the main body portion 300 . In addition, in the main body portion 300, an opening portion 302 through which the rear portion of the water storage portion 200 and the supply nozzle 500 pass is formed on the left side, and a claw portion 241 for the locking mechanism 240 is formed adjacent to the right side of the opening portion 302. Insertion port 303 for insertion. The rear part 120b of the housing 120 of the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 is fixed to the upper part of the main body part 300.

4 and 6 , the water storage portion 200 is formed of a resin material, and has a shape that is slightly elongated in the front-rear direction and flat in the vertical direction, and the left portion protrudes rearward than the right portion. On the front surface of the water storage part 200 , a handle 201 having an arc shape on the front surface is formed integrally with the water storage part 200 . The user holds the handle 201 when moving the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 into and out of the accommodating part 17 and when attaching and detaching the water storage part 200 to the main body part 300 .

A water storage tub 210 having a shape following the shape of the water storage portion 200 is formed on the upper surface of the water storage portion 200 . The inner peripheral surface of the water storage tub 210 is inclined so as to expand upward. In the water storage tub 210, a circular drain port 211 is formed in the lower part of the rear surface.

The water storage portion 200 is provided with a valve body 220 for closing the drain port 211 and a valve switching mechanism 230 for switching between a closed state in which the valve body 220 is closed and an open state in which the valve body 220 is opened.

The valve body 220 is formed of a resin material and has a substantially cylindrical shape. The valve body 220 has an O-ring 221 on the peripheral surface, and the O-ring 221 is attached to the peripheral edge of the drain port 211 to block the drain port 211 from the front.

The valve switching mechanism 230 includes a valve movable member 231 , an operation portion 232 , and a spring 233 . The valve movable member 231 and the operation portion 232 are integrally formed of a resin material.

The valve movable member 231 is disposed on the back side of the water storage portion 200 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, that is, the opening and closing direction of the valve body 220 . The rear end portion 231 a of the valve movable member 231 protrudes rearward of the water storage portion 200 . On the rear side of the water storage portion 200 , the valve body 220 is connected to the rear end portion 231 a of the valve movable member 231 .

The operation portion 232 is provided at the front end portion 231b of the valve movable member 231 . The operation part 232 faces the outside from the operation window 202 provided on the left side of the water storage part 200 . The spring 233 urges the valve movable member 231 backward, that is, in the closing direction of the valve body 220 .

A locking mechanism 240 for fixing the water storage portion 200 attached to the main body portion 300 so as not to be detached forward is provided at the rear of the water storage portion 200. The locking mechanism 240 has a pawl portion 241 and a button 242 . The claw portion 241 is biased upward by a spring (not shown), descends when the button 242 is pressed, and returns to the original position when the button 242 is released.

The water storage portion 200 is attached to the main body portion 300 from the front. In the back side of the water storage part 200, insertion parts 203 are respectively provided at the right end part and the left end part. The left rear part of the water storage part 200 passes through the opening part 302 of the main body part 300 . Further, the claw portion 241 of the locking mechanism 240 abuts against the upper edge of the insertion port 303 of the main body portion 300 , is pressed down, and passes through the insertion port 303 . When the attachment of the water storage part 200 to the main body part 300 is completed, the claw part 241 is engaged with the upper edge of the insertion port 303 on the back side of the main body part 300 . As a result, the water storage portion 200 cannot be detached forward from the main body portion 300 . When the water storage part 200 is detached from the main body part 300, the button 242 of the locking mechanism 240 is pressed, and the claw part 241 is lowered. As a result, the engagement between the claw portion 241 and the upper edge of the insertion port 303 is released. By pulling the water storage part 200 forward, the water storage part 200 is detached from the main body part 300 .

In the state where the water storage part 200 is attached to the main body part 300, the position of the front end surface 112a of the vibration horn 112 of the ultrasonic generator 110 is slightly lower than the position of the upper surface of the water storage tub 210, and the front end of the vibration horn 112 The part is in a state of slightly entering the water storage tub 210 .

7 is a side cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 , the storage tank 60 , the supply valve 400 , the supply nozzle 500 , and the drain receiving part 70 when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are in the standby position. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 , the storage tank 60 , the supply valve 400 , the supply nozzle 500 , and the drain receiver 70 when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are in the operating position. (a) and (b) of FIG. 9 are a perspective view and a front cross-sectional view of the storage tank 60 , the supply valve 400 , and the supply nozzle 500 , respectively.

In the accommodating part 17, the storage tank 60, the supply valve 400, and the supply nozzle 500 are arrange|positioned at the back of the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50. The storage tank 60 is equivalent to the storage part of this invention.

The supply valve 400 is a solenoid valve. The supply valve 400 includes a valve housing 410 having

inlets

411 and 412 on the left and right side surfaces and an outlet 413 on the lower surface; a valve body 420 for opening and closing the outlet 413 of the valve housing 410; and a driving unit 430 such as a solenoid for driving Valve body 420. The outlet 413 of the valve housing 410 is connected to the inlet of the supply nozzle 500 .

The storage tank 60 is formed of a resin material, and is divided into a first tank 61 and a second tank 62 via the supply valve 400 . The first case 61 and the second case 62 are set to have larger left and right dimensions than up and down and front and rear dimensions. In the first case 61 , the left end portion protrudes forward from the other portions, and in the second case 62 , the right end portion protrudes forward from the other portions. The size of the entire storage tank 60 in the left-right direction is much larger than the size in the front-rear direction, and has a shape that is thin in the front-rear direction and long in the left-right direction when viewed from above.

The upper parts of both the first tank 61 and the second tank 62 are connected by a communication portion 63 extending from the first tank 61 . The nozzle portion 63 a at the front end of the communication portion 63 faces the inside of the second tank 62 . In the first tank 61 , the outflow port 64 formed in the lower portion of the right side surface thereof is connected to the inlet port 411 on the left side of the valve housing 410 . In the second tank 62 , the outflow port 65 formed in the lower part of the left side surface thereof is connected to the inlet port 412 on the right side of the valve housing 410 .

Outflow ports

64 and 65 of the first tank 61 and the second tank 62 are connected to each other via the valve case 410 .

In the storage tank 60, the inflow port 66 of the washing water which flows into the storage tank 60 is formed in the left end part of the 1st tank 61. As shown in FIG. The inflow port 66 is connected to the washing water supply path 98 of the automatic injection mechanism 90 . The washing water supplied from the automatic injection mechanism 90 flows into the first tank 61 from the inflow port 66 and then flows into the second tank 62 through the valve housing 410 and the communication portion 63 . Thereby, the washing water is stored in the storage tank 60 . The water storage capacity of the storage tank 60 is larger than the water storage capacity of the water storage tank 210 .

When the supply valve 400 , that is, the valve body 420 is opened, the cleaning water flows out from the first tank 61 and the second tank 62 of the storage tank 60 through the outlet 413 of the valve housing 410 , respectively.

The storage tank 60 includes a water level detection unit 700 for detecting the water level in the storage tank 60 . The water level detection unit 700 includes a pair of

electrode terminals

710 and 720 , that is, a first electrode terminal 710 and a second electrode terminal 720 . The first electrode terminal 710 corresponds to one electrode terminal of the present invention, and the second electrode terminal 720 corresponds to the other electrode terminal of the present invention.

The first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are formed of a conductive material such as steel, and include round bar-shaped

terminal portions

711 and 721 and heads 712 and 722 provided at the upper ends of the

terminal portions

711 and 721 .

Male screw portions

713 and 723 are formed on the upper portions of the respective

terminal portions

711 and 721 . Further, a cross-shaped groove is formed in each of the

heads

712 and 722 so that the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 can be rotated by a driver. The length of the first electrode terminal 710 , that is, the length of the terminal portion 711 thereof is set to be longer than the length of the second electrode terminal 720 , that is, the length of the terminal portion 721 thereof.

A first mounting boss 67 and a second mounting boss 68 protruding toward the inside of the second box 62 are formed on the top surface of the second box 62 so as to be aligned in the left-right direction. The first mounting boss 67 is located near the left end of the second box 62 , and the second mounting boss 68 is located at the right end of the second box 62 .

The first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are inserted into the inside of the second case 62 from above through the first mounting boss 67 and the second mounting boss 68 . At this time, the upper portions of the respective

terminal portions

711 and 721 having the

male screw portions

713 and 723 are passed through the first mounting boss 67 and the second mounting boss 68 while being rotated. Thereby, the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are respectively fixed to the first mounting boss 67 and the second mounting boss 68 . In this way, the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are fixed to the top surface portion of the second case 62 so as to be aligned along the longitudinal direction of the top surface portion of the second case 62 , that is, the left-right direction.

The terminal portion 711 of the first electrode terminal 710 extends downward from the top surface portion of the second case 62 , and its front end approaches or contacts the bottom surface portion of the second case 62 . The terminal portion 721 of the second electrode terminal 720 extends downward from the top surface portion of the second case 62 , and the front end thereof is located at the upper portion of the second case 62 . That is, within the second box 62 , the position of the front end of the first electrode terminal 710 is lower than the position of the front end of the second electrode terminal 720 .

In the storage tank 60 , the inflow port 66 of the first tank 61 is located opposite to the second electrode terminal 720 with respect to the first electrode terminal 710 in the left-right direction in which the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are arranged. side. Therefore, when the washing water flows into the first tank 61 from the inflow port 66 and flows into the second tank 62 via the supply valve 400, the first electrode terminal 710 becomes the upstream side of the water flow, and the second electrode terminal 720 becomes the downstream side of the water flow.

The first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are connected to the detection circuit 800 . The detection circuit 800 is connected to the control unit 16 . During water level detection, a voltage is applied between the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 . The detection circuit 800 includes a rectangular wave generating circuit, and outputs a pulse-shaped detection signal to the control unit 16 when the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are brought into a conductive state by contacting the cleaning water, and according to the flow through the first electrode The magnitude of the current between the terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 changes the pulse width of the detection signal.

A cylindrical overflow portion 69 is provided inside the second tank 62 so as to protrude upward from the bottom surface. The opening 69a at the front end of the overflow port portion 69 is located at a position of the overflow water level higher than the predetermined water level L2 stored in the storage tank 60 based on the detection of the water level detection portion 700. When the water level of the washing water exceeds the overflow water level, the washing water flows to the overflow port. Section 69. The outlet at the lower end of the overflow port portion 69 is connected to the supply nozzle 500 , and the washing water discharged from the overflow port portion 69 is guided to the supply nozzle 500 .

The supply nozzle 500 is formed of a resin material, extends forward from the supply valve 400 , and has a front end portion 500a bent downward. The discharge port 501 is formed in the lower surface of the front-end|tip part 500a.

As shown in FIG. 7 , when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are accommodated in the accommodating unit 17 , the supply nozzle 500 penetrates the opening 302 of the main body 300 , and its front end 500 a is located at the front of the water storage tub 210 . On the other hand, when the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100 and the water storage unit 200 are pulled out to the inside of the injection port 14 as shown in FIG.

In the accommodating part 17, the drain receiving part 70 is arrange|positioned below the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50. The drainage receiving portion 70 has a substantially square dish shape with an open upper surface and a front surface. The bottom surface of the drainage receiving portion 70 is inclined so that the rear portion becomes lower. A drain hole 71 is formed on the right side of the drain receiving portion 70 at the lower end of the rear portion and at the position where the bottom surface is the lowest. A drain pipe 72 is connected to a connection pipe 73 extending rightward from the discharge hole 71 .

The fully automatic washing machine 1 performs washing operation in various operation modes. In the washing operation, a washing process, an intermediate dehydration process, a rinsing process, and a final dehydration process are performed in sequence.

During the cleaning process and the rinsing process, the pulsator 24 rotates rightward and leftward in a state where water is stored in the washing and dewatering tub 22 . Through the rotation of the pulsator 24, a water flow is generated in the washing and dewatering tub 22. During the washing process, the laundry is washed by the generated water flow and the detergent contained in the water. During the rinsing process, the laundry is rinsed by the generated water flow.

During the intermediate dehydration process and the final dehydration process, the washing and dehydrating tub 22 and the pulsator 24 rotate together at a high speed. The laundry is dehydrated by the centrifugal force generated in the washing and dehydrating tub 22 .

During the water supply in the cleaning process, the liquid detergent is automatically injected into the washing and dewatering tub 22 by the automatic injection mechanism 90 . At this time, first, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the supply pipe 92 and the supply pump 95 communicate with each other. In addition, the second three-way valve 97 is switched to a state in which the upstream supply passage 96b and the downstream supply passage 96c communicate with each other. When the supply pump 95 operates, the liquid detergent in the detergent box 91 is discharged by suction. The discharged liquid detergent is sent to the detergent supply path 96 through the supply pipe 92 , the first three-way valve 93 and the supply pump 95 as indicated by the dotted arrow in FIG. 2 , and is stored in the upstream side supply path 96 b of the detergent supply path 96 . The supply pump 95 operates for a predetermined time, whereby a predetermined amount of the liquid detergent is stored in the upstream supply passage 96b.

Next, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the auxiliary water supply passage 94 and the supply pump 95 communicate with each other, and the main valve 82 and the auxiliary valve 83 are opened. The water from the faucet flows through the main water supply passage 84 and is discharged into the washing and dewatering tub 22 from the water injection port 84a. Meanwhile, as indicated by the solid arrows in FIG. 2 , water from the faucet flows to the detergent supply passage 96 through the auxiliary water supply passage 94 , the first three-way valve 93 and the supply pump 95 to flush away the liquid detergent. The liquid detergent washed away by the water is injected into the washing and dewatering tub 22 from the supply port 96a of the detergent supply passage 96 together with the water as indicated by the dashed-dotted arrow in FIG. 2 . When the water level in the washing and dewatering tub 22 reaches a predetermined washing water level, the main valve 82 and the sub-valve 83 are closed, and the water supply ends.

Then, in the fully automatic washing machine 1, the cleaning operation by the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 is performed. When washing an object to be cleaned such as a shirt, if the object to be cleaned partially contains stubborn dirt, the user uses the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 to locally clean the object to be cleaned before washing.

When performing the cleaning operation, the user pulls out the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 from the accommodating portion 17 as shown in FIG. 3( a ), and moves the ultrasonic cleaning portion 100 and the water storage portion 200 to the operating position. As shown in FIG. 8 , the valve switching mechanism 230 urges the valve body 220 backward, that is, in the closing direction, through the valve movable member 231 by the urging force of the spring 233 . Thereby, the valve body 220 closes the drain port 211, and the drain port 211 is in a closed state.

The user performs a predetermined start operation to start the cleaning operation.

When the cleaning operation is started, the supply of the cleaning water into the storage tank 60 is first performed by the automatic feeding mechanism 90 . That is, first, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the supply pipe 92 and the supply pump 95 communicate with each other. In addition, the second three-way valve 97 is switched to a state in which the upstream supply passage 96b and the washing water supply passage 98 communicate with each other. Also, the supply valve 400 is closed. When the supply pump 95 operates, the liquid detergent in the detergent box 91 is discharged by suction. As shown by the dotted arrow in FIG. 2 , the liquid detergent discharged from the detergent box 91 reaches the detergent supply path 96 and is stored in the upstream side supply path 96 b of the detergent supply path 96 . The supply pump 95 operates for a predetermined time, whereby a predetermined amount of the liquid detergent is stored in the upstream supply passage 96b.

Next, the first three-way valve 93 is switched to a state in which the auxiliary water supply passage 94 and the supply pump 95 communicate with each other, and the auxiliary valve 83 is opened. As indicated by the solid arrows in FIG. 2 , the water from the faucet flows to the detergent supply passage 96 through the auxiliary water supply passage 94 , the first three-way valve 93 , and the supply pump 95 , and washes away the liquid detergent. Water and liquid detergent are mixed into wash water. As indicated by the thick-line arrows in FIG. 2 , the washing water flows into the storage tank 60 through the washing water supply path 98 .

As shown in FIG. 9( b ), in the storage tank 60 , the washing water flowing into the first tank 61 of the storage tank 60 from the inflow port 66 passes through the outflow port 64 , the valve case 410 , and the flow as indicated by the solid arrow. The outlet 65 flows into the second tank 62 . Thereby, the washing water is stored in the first tank 61 and the second tank 62, and the water level in these tanks is raised. When the washing water starts to be stored in the second tank 62, the first electrode terminal 710 is immediately brought into contact with the washing water.

In the present embodiment, normally, the flow rate from the automatic injection mechanism 90 to the first tank 61 is larger than the flow rate from the first tank 61 to the second tank 62 . Therefore, the water level in the first tank 61 rises before the water level in the second tank 62 , and the water level in the second tank 62 reaches the position of the communication portion 63 before reaching the water supply stop level L1 at which the washing water contacts the second electrode terminal 720 . In such a case, the washing water is discharged into the second tank 62 from the nozzle portion 63a of the communication portion 63 as indicated by the broken line arrow in FIG.

When the water level in the second tank 62 rises and reaches the water supply stop water level L1, the second electrode terminal 720 comes into contact with the washing water, and the pair of

electrode terminals

710 and 720 are brought into a conductive state. Thereby, the detection signal is output from the detection circuit 800 to the control unit 16 . The sub-valve 83 is closed by the control unit 16, and the supply of the washing water from the automatic injection mechanism 90 is stopped. After that, until the water level in the first tank 61 is the same as the water level in the second tank 62, the washing water flows from the first tank 61 to the second tank 62, and finally the water level in the storage tank 60 becomes slightly higher than the water supply stop water level L1. High specified water level L2.

Here, when the washing water is supplied, the water surface in the storage tank 60 is likely to fluctuate due to the inflow pressure of the water and the like. Therefore, when the length of the first electrode terminal 710 is the same as the length of the second electrode terminal 720 and the position of the tip of the first electrode terminal 710 is the same as the position of the tip of the second electrode terminal 720 that matches the water supply stop water level L1 In this case, when fluctuation occurs, the contact between the washing water and both

electrode terminals

710 and 720 becomes unstable, so that the detection timing of the water level tends to fluctuate.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, the water level detection unit 700 employs a method in which the position of the tip of the first electrode terminal 710 is lower than the tip of the second electrode terminal 720 by making the first electrode terminal 710 longer than the second electrode terminal 720 . the structure of the location. Thereby, the first electrode terminal 710 can be brought into contact with the washing water from the state where the water level in the second tank 62 is much lower than the water supply stop water level L1. Accordingly, since the contact between the washing water and the first electrode terminal 710 is stable, even if the water surface fluctuates, the detection timing of the water level is less likely to fluctuate.

It should be noted that the current flowing between the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 changes due to the detergent concentration of the washing water, and the pulse width of the detection signal from the detection circuit 800 changes. When it is determined that the detergent is insufficient or the detergent is not contained based on the pulse width of the detection signal, the control unit 16 notifies the notification unit, not shown, of the detergent.

In this way, by supplying the washing water from the automatic feeding mechanism 90 , the washing water of a predetermined amount of water and a predetermined detergent concentration is stored in the storage tank 60 . In the present embodiment, the amount of the washing water stored in the storage tank 60 is set to an amount that can replace the washing water in the water storage tub 210 and perform two washing operations. In addition, the quantity of the washing|cleaning water stored in the storage tank 60 may be set as the quantity which performs a washing|cleaning operation three times or more.

Next, the supply valve 400 is opened. The washing water in the storage tank 60 is discharged into the water storage tub 210 from the discharge port 501 through the supply nozzle 500 . The cleaning water is stored in the water storage tub 210, and the water level in the water storage tub 210 rises. When the water level in the water tank 210 rises to the height of the discharge port 501 and the discharge port 501 is blocked by the washing water as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. As a result, the water supply from the storage tank 60 is stopped while the open state of the supply valve 400 is maintained.

When the water storage bucket 210 is filled with cleaning water, the user places the dirt adhering part of the object to be cleaned, such as the collar of a shirt, on the water storage bucket 210 from the front of the ultrasonic cleaning part 100 , that is, the connection between the water storage bucket 210 and the ultrasonic generator 110 between the vibration horns 112 .

The dirt adhering portion of the object to be cleaned is submerged by the washing water stored in the water storage tub 210 , and the washing water that has penetrated into the inside of the object to be cleaned seeps out to the surface. A thin water layer is formed on the surface of the object to be cleaned, and the vibration horn 112 is in contact with the water layer. It should be noted that when the object to be cleaned absorbs water and the water level in the water storage tank 210 drops, and the discharge port 501 of the supply nozzle 500 is not blocked by the cleaning water, the cleaning water is supplied from the storage tank 60 to the water storage tank 210 until the discharge port 501 is blocked by the cleaning water again. Thereby, the water level in the water storage tank 210, that is, the amount of water is maintained in an appropriate state.

After the supply valve 400 is opened, the ultrasonic transducer 111 is not energized until a predetermined standby time elapses, and the ultrasonic generator 110 is in a standby state. During this period, the washing water is stored in the water storage tub 210, and the object to be washed is placed in the water storage tub 210 in which the washing water is stored. When the standby time has elapsed, the ultrasonic transducer 111 is energized to operate the ultrasonic generator 110 .

(a)-(c) of FIG. 10 is a figure for demonstrating the decontamination of the to-be-cleaned object by the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50. FIG.

When the ultrasonic generator 110 operates, ultrasonic waves are generated from the front end of the vibration horn 112 , and the ultrasonic vibration is transmitted to the cleaning water inside the object to be cleaned through the cleaning water around the vibration horn 112 . As shown in FIG. 10( a ), inside the object to be cleaned, decompression and pressurization are alternately generated by the action of ultrasonic vibration, and a vacuum cavity is generated in the part where the pressure becomes low. That is, there is a state in which many cavities exist in the contaminated portion of the object to be cleaned. Next, as shown in FIG. 10( b ), when the pressure of the cavity portion rises and the cavity is crushed and destroyed by the pressure, a shock wave is generated on the contaminated portion of the object to be cleaned. By this shock wave, the dirt is separated from the object to be cleaned. As shown in FIG. 10( c ), the ultrasonic vibration from the vibration horn 112 generates a water flow from the inside of the object to be cleaned to the water storage tub 210 , and the dirt separated from the object to be cleaned is discharged to the in the water storage bucket 210. In the water storage tub 210, since convection is generated by the above-mentioned water flow, it becomes easy to peel off the dirt from the object to be washed. Furthermore, the action of the detergent contained in the washing water also makes it easy to peel off the dirt from the object to be cleaned, and furthermore, it becomes difficult for the dirt to adhere to the object to be cleaned again. In this way, dirt is removed from the wash.

When the cleaning of the object to be cleaned is completed, the user performs a predetermined end operation to end the cleaning operation. The operation of the ultrasonic generator 110 is stopped, and the cleaning operation ends.

When a new cleaning operation is not performed next, as shown in FIGS. 3( b ) and ( c ), the user accommodates the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 in the accommodating portion 17 , and causes the ultrasonic cleaning portion 100 and the water storage portion 200 to stand by. position moves. When the water storage portion 200 is moved to the standby position as shown in FIG. 7, in the valve switching mechanism 230, the rear end portion 231a of the valve movable member 231 abuts on the rear surface of the drain receiving portion 70, and is pressed by these ribs 74, It moves in the forward direction with respect to the water storage portion 200 against the urging force of the spring 233 . The valve body 220 connected to the valve movable member 231 moves forward with respect to the drain port 211 of the water storage tub 210, that is, in the opening direction, and the drain port 211 is opened. Thereby, the washing water stored in the water storage tank 210 and the washing water remaining in the storage tank 60 are discharged through the drain port 211 . The washing water discharged from the water discharge port 211 is received by the water discharge receiving portion 70 and discharged from the discharge hole 71 . The washing water discharged from the discharge hole 71 flows through the drain pipe 72 , the overflow pipe 26 and the drain hose 41 and is discharged out of the machine.

The user sometimes wants to replace the washing water of the water storage tub 210 to continue the washing operation. In this case, the user performs a movement operation to move the operation unit 232 forward. As a result, in the valve switching mechanism 230, the valve movable member 231 moves in the forward direction relative to the water storage portion 200, the valve body 220 moves in the opening direction, and the drain port 211 is moved in the same manner as when the water storage portion 200 is moved to the standby position. Open. The washing water stored in the water tank 210 is drained through the drain port 211 , and is drained out of the machine via the drain receiving portion 70 , the overflow pipe 26 , and the drain hose 41 . At the same time, new washing water is supplied from the storage tank 60 to the water storage tub 210 .

In this way, the user can discharge the cleaning water from the water storage tub 210 without moving the ultrasonic cleaning device 50 while the water storage unit 200 is maintained at the operating position, and can supply new cleaning water into the water storage tub 210 . Thereafter, the cleaning operation is continued.

In the ultrasonic cleaning unit 100, while the cleaning operation is repeated, the water tank 210 becomes dirty. In this embodiment, since the water storage part 200 is detachable from the main body part 300 , the user can remove the water storage part 200 from the main body part 300 to clean the water storage tub 210 .

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the water level detection unit 700 is configured to include the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 extending downward from the top surface of the storage tank 60 and the first electrode terminal 710 is longer than the second electrode terminal 720 . According to this configuration, the position of the front end of the first electrode terminal 710 can be made lower than the position of the front end of the second electrode terminal 720, so that the water level of the first electrode terminal 710 in the second tank 62 can be made lower than the water supply stop water level L1. The state begins to contact the cleaning water. Accordingly, even if the water surface fluctuates, the contact between the first electrode terminal 710 and the washing water is stabilized. Therefore, the detection timing of the water level is less likely to fluctuate, and the water level in the storage tank 60 can be detected with high accuracy.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the size of the storage tank 60 in the left-right direction is larger than the size in the front-rear direction, and the pair of

electrode terminals

710 and 720 are arranged in the left-right direction. According to this configuration, since the distance between the pair of

electrode terminals

710 and 720 can be increased, when the cleaning water is supplied to the storage tank 60, even if a part of the water surface is foamed by the detergent, the

electrode terminals

710 and 720 on both sides of the electrode It is also not easy to come into contact with the bubble. Thereby, the pair of

electrode terminals

710 and 720 are less likely to be in the conductive state due to the contact with the bubble, thereby erroneously detecting the water level, and the detection accuracy of the water level can be improved.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, in the storage tank 60 , the inflow port 66 of the first tank 61 is located on the left and right sides with respect to the first electrode terminal 710 relative to the first electrode terminal 710 in the left-right direction in which the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are arranged. The opposite side of the two electrode terminals 720 . According to the above configuration, when the washing water flows into the storage tank 60 from the inflow port 66, the first electrode terminal 710 becomes the upstream side of the water flow, and the second electrode terminal 720 becomes the downstream side of the water flow. The downstream side is easier to calm down than the upstream side, so the contact between the second electrode terminal 720 and the water becomes stable. Therefore, the detection timing of the water level is less likely to fluctuate, and the water level in the storage tank 60 can be detected with higher accuracy.

Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the storage tank 60 includes the first tank 61 into which the water from the automatic injection mechanism 90 flows, the second tank 62 connected to the first tank 61 at the lower part of each other, the pair of

electrode terminals

710, 720 is arranged in the second box 62 . The second tank 62 has less undulations in the water surface than when the water from the automatic injection mechanism 90 flows directly into the first tank 61 . According to the above configuration, since the pair of

electrode terminals

710 and 720 are arranged in the second tank 62, the detection timing of the water level is less likely to fluctuate, and the water level in the storage tank 60 can be detected with higher accuracy.

Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment, the storage tank 60 is divided into the first tank 61 and the second tank 62 via the supply valve 400 , the outflow port 64 of the first tank 61 and the outflow port 65 of the second tank 62 , and the supply valve 400 The left and

right inlets

411 and 412 are connected. According to this configuration, since the washing water from the first tank 61 and the second tank 62 can flow out through the supply valve 400 , the washing water can be smoothly supplied from the storage tank 60 to the water storage tub 210 . In addition, the water flowing into the first tank 61 from the inflow port 66 can flow into the second tank 62 through the supply valve 400 and be stored in the second tank 62 .

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments, and the embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various ways other than those described above.

For example, in the said embodiment, the storage tank 60 is arrange|positioned so that it may consist of two tanks of the 1st tank 61 and the 2nd tank 62. However, the storage tank 60 may be configured to consist of one tank.

In addition, the shape of the storage tank 60 is not limited to the shape shown in the said embodiment, Any shape may be sufficient. Similarly, the position of the supply valve 400 with respect to the storage tank 60 is not limited to the position shown in the above-described embodiment, and may be any position. Similarly, the shapes of the first electrode terminal 710 and the second electrode terminal 720 are not limited to the shapes shown in the above-mentioned embodiments, and any shapes may be used as long as they are elongated shapes.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the front end of the first electrode terminal 710 is close to or in contact with the bottom surface portion of the second case 62 . However, the front end of the first electrode terminal 710 only needs to be positioned lower than the front end of the second electrode terminal 720 , and does not need to approach or contact the bottom surface of the second case 62 .

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in the second box 62 , the first electrode terminal 710 is arranged on the left side, that is, the side close to the first box 61 , and the second electrode terminal 720 is arranged on the right side, that is, the side away from the first box 61 . side. However, in the second box 62, the second electrode terminal 720 may be arranged on the left side and the first electrode terminal 710 may be arranged on the right side.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, the washing water which is the water mixed with detergent is supplied to the storage tank 60 from the automatic injection|throwing-in mechanism 90. However, as long as the cleaning water is finally stored in the storage tank 60 , at least water may be supplied to the storage tank 60 . For example, water may be supplied to the storage tank 60 from the water supply unit 80 that does not include the automatic injection mechanism 90 , and the water may be mixed with the detergent separately injected into the storage tank 60 . In this case, it is desirable to put the detergent into the storage tank 60 automatically, but it may be put in manually.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the automatic dispensing mechanism 90 may be configured to automatically dispense detergent and softener. In this case, there is a softener cartridge containing the liquid softener. The softener cartridge is connected to the auxiliary water supply line 94 via a supply pipe and a three-way valve. During the rinsing process, the softener in the softener tank is supplied into the washing and dewatering tub 22 by the same operation as the supply of the detergent from the detergent box 91 .

Moreover, in the said embodiment, the fully automatic washing machine 1 provided with the ultrasonic cleaning apparatus 50 was shown. However, the present invention can also be applied to washing machines other than the fully automatic washing machine 1, such as a drum washing machine. Moreover, the present invention can also be applied to fully automatic washing and drying machines and drum washing and drying machines with drying function.

In addition, the embodiment of the present invention can be appropriately modified in various ways within the scope of the technical idea shown in the claims.

Claims

A washing machine, characterized in that it has:

Ultrasonic generator, which produces ultrasonic waves;

a water storage bucket, which is located below the ultrasonic generating body, and stores water for soaking the objects to be cleaned;

a storage part for storing water containing detergent to be supplied to the water storage bucket;

a supply part that supplies at least water into the storage part; and

a water level detection unit for detecting the water level in the storage unit,

The water level detection portion includes a pair of electrode terminals extending downward from the top surface portion of the storage portion,

Among the pair of electrode terminals, one electrode terminal is longer than the other electrode terminal.
The washing machine of claim 1, wherein

When viewed from above, the size of the storage portion in the first direction is larger than the size in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

The pair of electrode terminals are arranged in the first direction.
The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that,

The storage portion includes an inflow port into which the water from the supply portion flows,

The inflow port is located on the opposite side to the other electrode terminal with respect to the one electrode terminal in the direction in which the pair of electrode terminals are arranged.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that

The storage part includes a first tank into which the water from the supply part flows, and a second tank connected to the first tank at the lower part of each other,

The pair of electrode terminals are arranged in the second box.
The washing machine of claim 4, wherein

The storage unit is divided into the first tank and the second tank via a supply valve,

The supply valve includes two inlets,

An outflow port for water from the first tank and an outflow port for water from the second tank are connected to the two inlets.