WO2024008034A1 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided in the present invention is a washing machine, in which a user can apply a detergent to a dirt attachment part of laundry well before an operation such as washing is performed. The drum washing machine (1) comprises: an outer drum (20), which is arranged in a box body (10); a drum (23), which is arranged inside the outer drum (20) and is used for accommodating laundry; a liquid storage box (220), which is used for storing a detergent solution; a detergent foam generating portion (310), wherein detergent foam is generated by means of foaming the detergent liquid flowing out from the liquid detergent box (220); and a detergent foam discharging portion, i.e. a nozzle (320), which discharges the detergent foam generated by the detergent foam generating portion (310), so as to apply the detergent foam, at the outside of the drum (23), to a part of the laundry. The nozzle (320) is arranged at an upper portion of a gasket (24) and discharges the detergent foam towards a lower portion of the gasket (24).

Description

washing machine Technical field

The invention relates to a washing machine.

Background technique

In the past, when stubborn dirt such as sebum stains adhered to parts of clothing such as collars and sleeves, it was often done at home to directly apply detergent liquid to the parts where the dirt adhered and then put the clothes into the washing machine. The user holds the container containing the detergent liquid to the dirt-adhering part of the clothes, pours the detergent liquid from the container, and applies it to the dirt-adhering part.

It should be noted that before being put into the washing machine, a local cleaning device using ultrasonic waves, such as the portable washing equipment described in Patent Document 1, may be used to pre-clean the portion coated with detergent.

However, in the case of applying the detergent liquid to the dirt-adhering part as described above, a place for placing the clothes is required during the operation, and in addition, the dripping of the applied detergent liquid may cause the detergent to spread to the surroundings. The risk of attachment.

existing technical documents

patent documents

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2019/225093

Contents of the invention

Problems to be solved by inventions

The present invention was made in view of the related technical problems, and an object thereof is to provide a washing machine in which a user can favorably apply detergent to stain-adhered portions of clothing before a washing operation or the like.

solutions to problems

A washing machine according to the main aspect of the present invention includes: an outer tub disposed in a box; an inner tub disposed in the outer tub to accommodate clothes; a liquid tank to store detergent liquid; and a detergent foam generating unit to generate The detergent liquid flowing out of the liquid box bubbles to generate detergent foam; and a detergent foam releasing part releases the detergent foam generated by the detergent foam generating part so that it can be stored in the inner cylinder In addition, apply the detergent foam to the clothes.

According to the washing machine of this aspect, the user can apply detergent foam to the dirt-adhered portion of the laundry that is accommodated in the inner drum before the washing operation. Therefore, during subsequent washing operations, the stain removal effect on clothes becomes better. In addition, unlike the case where the detergent liquid is directly applied to the clothes, the user does not have to worry about dripping liquid. Furthermore, the user only needs to bring a part of the clothes near the detergent foam discharge part to apply the detergent foam, and there is no need for a place to place the clothes to perform the coating operation.

The following structure can be adopted in the washing machine of this solution: the inner cylinder includes a horizontal axis type drum, the outer cylinder has an opening on the front surface, and the box has an input port on the front surface, and the input port consists of The door cover is provided with an elastic annular gasket between the input port and the opening. In this case, the detergent foam discharging unit may be a nozzle provided at an upper part of the pad and discharging the detergent foam toward a lower part of the pad.

According to the above structure, even if the detergent foam flows out from the nozzle when there is no clothes under the nozzle, the detergent foam can be received by the lower part of the pad, thereby preventing the detergent foam from being released outside the washing machine.

The following structure can be adopted in the washing machine of this aspect: the inner drum includes a horizontal axis type drum, the box has an input port on the front surface, and the input port is covered by a door. In this case, the detergent foam discharging unit may be a nozzle disposed above the door on the front surface of the box and discharging the detergent foam downward, and may be provided below the nozzle. There is a rack for placing some parts of clothing.

According to the above structure, the nozzle is provided on the front surface of the box. Therefore, the user can apply the detergent foam discharged from the nozzle to the clothes in a large area outside the box, and the application operation can be easily performed. . Furthermore, since the nozzle is installed at a higher position than the door, it is easier for the user to bring parts of clothing under the nozzle, making it easier to perform the coating operation.

Furthermore, by simply placing a portion of the laundry on the rack, the user can easily position the portion at an appropriate distance from the nozzle where detergent foam is easily applied. And even if there is no clothing under the nozzle In this state, the detergent foam flows out from the nozzle, and the detergent foam can also be received through the loading rack, which can prevent the detergent foam from hanging on the door or falling to the ground.

The washing machine according to this aspect may be configured to further include: a water supply unit that supplies water for diluting the detergent liquid flowing out from the liquid tank; and a water storage tank that stores water supplied from the liquid tank. The detergent liquid diluted with water from the water supply unit is used as the detergent liquid. In this case, a structure may be adopted in which the detergent foam generating unit includes a pump, takes in the detergent liquid from the water storage tank, and mixes air with the taken in detergent liquid. sending it toward the detergent foam discharge part; and a mesh filter through which the detergent liquid mixed with air sent from the pump passes.

According to the above structure, by diluting the detergent liquid with water to prepare the detergent liquid, the fluidity is improved and foaming becomes easier. This makes it easy to take the detergent liquid into the pump, and when the detergent liquid mixed with air in the pump is allowed to pass through the filter, detergent foam is easily generated.

When the above-described structure is adopted, a structure may be adopted in which the water storage tank has an overflow port for allowing the detergent liquid to overflow when the detergent liquid exceeds a predetermined capacity. In this case, the structure may be further provided with a discharge path for discharging the detergent liquid overflowing from the overflow port into the outer tube.

When such a structure is adopted, even if more than a predetermined volume of detergent liquid is supplied into the water storage tank due to uneven flow of water supplied from the water supply unit, a predetermined volume of detergent liquid can be stored in the water storage tank. .

When the above-mentioned structure is adopted, a structure may be adopted that further includes: a water passage for supplying water from the water supply unit to the water storage tank; and a liquid supply unit for transferring the liquid in the liquid agent box. The detergent liquid is sent to the water channel.

When such a structure is adopted, the detergent liquid is sent into the water channel, is impacted by the water supplied into the water channel, goes to the water reservoir, and is mixed with the water while flowing through the water channel. This makes it easy to make the concentration of the detergent liquid stored in the water reservoir uniform.

Invention effect

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a washing machine in which a user can successfully apply detergent to a stain-adhered portion of clothing before a washing operation or the like.

The effects and significance of the present invention will become clearer from the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the following embodiments are merely examples for implementing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments.

Description of the drawings

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the drum washing machine according to the embodiment.

2 is a top view of the water supply device and the detergent foam dispenser of the embodiment.

3 is a front view of the water supply device and the detergent foam dispenser of the embodiment.

4 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part of the water supply device taken at the position of the water storage tank according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the structure of the drum washing machine according to the embodiment.

6 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the control unit executed during the detergent foam application operation according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the drum washing machine according to Modification 1. FIG.

In FIG. 8 , (a) is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle according to Modification Example 1, and (b) is a front cross-sectional view showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle according to Modification Example 1.

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of a drum washing machine according to Modification 2. FIG.

In FIG. 10 , (a) and (b) are side cross-sectional views showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle according to Modification 2.

In FIG. 11 , (a) and (b) are side cross-sectional views showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle according to another modified example.

In FIG. 12 , (a) and (b) are side cross-sectional views showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle according to another modified example.

Explanation of reference signs

1: drum washing machine (washing machine); 10: box; 11: input port; 12: door; 20: outer cylinder; 20a: opening; 23: drum (inner cylinder); 24: liner; 50: water supply device; 51: Water supply valve unit (water supply part); 220: liquid box; 235: first water supply path (water path); 240: water reservoir; 242: overflow port; 250: detergent pump (liquid delivery part); 310: detergent foam generation part; 320: Nozzle (detergent foam releasing part); 350: Foam generating pump (pump); 361: Filter; 380: Nozzle (detergent foam releasing part); 610: Mounting rack; DR: discharge path.

Detailed ways

Hereinafter, a drum washing machine as one embodiment of the washing machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the drum washing machine 1 .

The drum washing machine 1 includes a square box 10 . A circular insertion opening 11 into which laundry is inserted is formed on the front surface of the box 10 . The input port 11 is covered with a substantially disk-shaped door 12 that can be opened and closed.

The outer cylinder 20 is arranged inside the box 10 . The outer cylinder 20 is elastically supported by a plurality of dampers 21 and springs 22 . A horizontal axis type drum 23 is disposed in the outer cylinder 20 so as to be freely rotatable. The drum 23 rotates around a horizontal axis. The drum 23 has a circular opening 23a on the front surface. The drum 23 corresponds to the inner drum of this invention.

The outer cylinder 20 has a circular opening 20a on its front surface in front of the opening 23a of the drum 23. An elastic annular gasket 24 is provided between the insertion port 11 of the box 10 and the opening 20 a of the outer tube 20 . The front peripheral edge portion of the gasket 24 is connected to the peripheral edge portion of the insertion port 11 , and the rear peripheral edge portion of the gasket 24 is connected to the peripheral edge portion of the opening 20 a . The peripheral surface of the closed door 12 is in contact with the gasket 24, and the space between the input port 11 and the door 12 is water-sealed.

A plurality of dewatering holes 23b are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 23. In addition, three lifting ribs 25 having a substantially triangular prism shape are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 23 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

The drive motor 30 which generates the torque for rotating the drum 23 is arrange|positioned behind the outer cylinder 20. The drive motor 30 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. The drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a rotation speed at which the centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 23 is less than gravity and the laundry tumbles during the washing process and the rinsing process. On the other hand, during the dehydration process, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at such a speed that the centrifugal force exerted on the laundry in the drum 23 is much greater than gravity and the laundry adheres to the inner circumferential surface of the drum 23 .

A drain opening 20b is formed at the bottom of the outer tube 20 . The drainage port 20b is connected to a water outlet from the outer cylinder 20 The drainage part 40 performs drainage. The drain part 40 is composed of a drain valve 41, a drain hose 42, and a drain filter 43. The drain port 20b is connected to the drain filter 43. The drain valve 41 is provided downstream of the drain filter 43 and includes, for example, a valve and a torque motor that opens and closes the valve. The drain valve 41 is connected to the drain hose 42 . When the drain valve 41 is opened, the water accumulated in the outer cylinder 20 is discharged to the outside of the machine through the drain port 20b, the drain filter 43, and the drain hose 42. Foreign matter such as lint dust is captured by the drain filter 43 .

A water supply device 50 and a detergent foam dispenser 60 are arranged in the upper portion of the box 10 . The water supply device 50 mainly has a function of supplying water to the outer tub 20 and a function of automatically pouring the detergent liquid and liquid softener stored in the liquid tank 220 into the outer tub 20 . The detergent foam dispenser 60 uses the detergent liquid in the liquid tank 220 to generate detergent foam formed by foaming the detergent liquid. Then, the detergent foam dispenser 60 discharges the generated detergent foam from the nozzle 320 to apply the detergent foam to the portion accommodating the laundry before entering the drum 23 outside the drum 23 , that is, at the position of the pad 24 .

2 and 3 are respectively a top view and a front view of the water supply device 50 and the detergent foam dispenser 60. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the main part of the water supply device 50 taken at the position of the water storage tank 240. In FIG. 2 , the water supply device 50 is shown in a state in which the upper member 230 a of the water channel forming member 230 is removed. In FIG. 3 , the water filling unit 52 is shown in a cross-sectional view taken at the position of the water reservoir 240 . Furthermore, in FIG. 3 , the upper portion of the gasket 24 is shown in a cross-sectional view taken at the position of the nozzle 320 .

The detailed structure of the water supply device 50 and the detergent foam dispenser 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 .

The water supply device 50 includes a water supply valve unit 51 and a water filling unit 52 . The water supply valve unit 51 includes a water supply valve 110 , a first water supply hose 120 , and a second water supply hose 130 . The water supply valve 110 has a first valve 111 and a second valve 112 . The water supply port 113 of the water supply valve 110 is connected to the faucet via a connecting hose (not shown). The rated flow rate of the first valve 111 is, for example, 5 to 10 L/min. The rated flow rate of the second valve 112 is set to be much smaller than the rated flow rate of the first valve 111, for example, 0.5 to 1.0 L/min.

The inlet of the first water supply hose 120 is connected to the first valve 111 , and the inlet of the second water supply hose 130 is connected to the second valve 112 . When the first valve 111 is opened, water will flow to the first water supply hose 120, and when the second valve 112 is opened, the water will flow to the second water supply hose 130.

In addition, the water supply valve unit 51 corresponds to the water supply part of this invention.

The water filling unit 52 includes: a water filling port member 210 with an open front surface; a liquid agent box 220 that can be pulled out It is accommodated in the water injection port member 210; and the water path forming member 230 is arrange|positioned on the upper surface of the water injection port member 210.

A water injection port 211 is provided at the bottom of the water injection port member 210 . The water filling hose 53 extending downward from the water filling port 211 is connected to the outer cylinder 20 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , the interior of the liquid agent box 220 is divided into a detergent chamber 221 for accommodating detergent liquid and a softener chamber 222 for accommodating liquid softener. The detergent liquid accumulated in the detergent chamber 221 is used in the cleaning process in the washing operation and the detergent foam application operation. The liquid softener accumulated in the softener chamber 222 is used during the rinsing process in the washing operation.

A rear-open detergent discharge port 223 is formed in a lower portion of the rear surface of the detergent chamber 221 . In addition, a softener discharge port 224 with a rear opening is formed in a lower portion of the rear surface of the softener chamber 222 . A gap is formed inside the water inlet member 210 below the liquid tank 220 , and this gap serves as a flow path 212 for water discharged from the water path forming member 230 .

The liquid cartridge 220 is accommodated in the water filling port member 210 via the accommodation opening 13 provided on the front surface of the box 10 . A cover 220 a is provided on the front surface of the liquid agent box 220 to block the accommodating opening 13 . The user pulls the liquid box 220 forward to replenish detergent liquid and liquid softener into the detergent chamber 221 and the softener chamber 222 respectively.

The water channel forming member 230 is formed by combining the upper member 230a and the lower member 230b, and protrudes rearward than the water inlet member 210. The outlet of the first water supply hose 120 and the outlet of the second water supply hose 130 are connected to the inlet pipe 231 provided at the rear end of the water channel forming member 230 .

A water supply channel 232 is formed inside the water channel forming member 230 . The starting end of the water supply channel 232 is located at the rear left end of the water channel forming member 230 and is curved like a spiral labyrinth. The end of the water supply channel 232 is connected to the water filling chamber 233 provided on the right side of the center of the water channel forming member 230 . The inlet 232a formed at the starting end of the water supply path 232 is connected to the introduction pipe 231. A plurality of circular and square water injection holes 234 connected to the inside of the water injection port member 210 are formed on the bottom surface of the water injection chamber 233 . The detergent chamber 221 of the liquid tank 220 has a shape that avoids directly below the water filling chamber 233 , and water falling from the water filling hole 234 flows to the flow path 212 at the bottom of the water filling port member 210 .

Inside the water channel forming member 230, a water storage tank 240 is provided in the middle of the water supply channel 232. The water storage tank 240 has a rectangular parallelepiped box shape that is flat in the left-right direction, and is located behind the water filling chamber 233 at the right end of the water channel forming member 230 . An inflow port 241 is formed on the rear side of the upper end of the water tank 240, and an inlet 241 is formed on the front side. There is an overflow outlet 242. The water storage tank 240 has a recessed portion 243 that is depressed downward in the center portion of the bottom surface thereof. The recess 243 is formed with an outflow port 244 protruding rearward.

The water supply path 232 is divided into: a first water supply path 235 extending from the starting end to the inlet 241 of the water storage tank 240; and a second water supply path 236 extending from the overflow port 242 of the water storage tank 240 to the water filling chamber 233. In the first water supply path 235, a detergent inlet 237 is formed on the right side, and a softener inlet 238 is formed on the left side. The first water supply path 235 corresponds to the water path of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2 , a detergent pump 250 and a softener pump 260 are arranged behind the water inlet member 210 . The detergent pump 250 is, for example, a piston pump. Its suction port is connected to the detergent discharge port 223 of the detergent chamber 221 , and its discharge port is connected to the detergent inlet 237 of the first water supply path 235 . The softener pump 260 is, for example, a piston pump. Its suction port is connected to the softener discharge port 224 of the softener chamber 222 , and its discharge port is connected to the softener inlet 238 of the first water supply path 235 . The detergent pump 250 corresponds to the liquid supply part of the present invention.

Due to the operation of the detergent pump 250, the detergent liquid in the detergent chamber 221 is sent to the first water supply path 235. Through the operation of the softener pump 260 , the liquid softener in the softener chamber 222 is sent to the first water supply path 235 . The detergent pump 250 and the softener pump 260 are provided with check valves at their discharge ports so that water flowing through the first water supply path 235 does not enter the liquid tank through the detergent pump 250 and the softener pump 260. Within 220.

The detergent foam dispenser 60 includes a detergent foam generating part 310, a nozzle 320, a first hose 330, and a second hose 340. The detergent foam generating unit 310 generates detergent foam by foaming a detergent liquid that is a detergent liquid diluted with water flowing out from the liquid tank 220 . The nozzle 320 is a detergent foam discharge unit that discharges the detergent foam generated by the detergent foam generation unit 310 so that the detergent foam is applied to the portion of the clothes outside the drum 23 , that is, at the position of the pad 24 . The first hose 330 connects the water storage tank 240 and the detergent foam generating part 310 . The second hose 340 connects the detergent foam generating part 310 and the nozzle 320 .

The detergent foam generating unit 310 includes a foam generating pump 350, a filter unit 360, and a connecting pipe 370. The foam generating pump 350 is, for example, a gas-liquid mixing type diaphragm pump. The filter unit 360 includes a mesh filter 361 and a housing 362 that accommodates the filter 361. The discharge port 351 of the foam generating pump 350 and the inlet 363 of the housing 362 are connected by a connecting pipe 370. The foam generating pump 350 corresponds to the pump of the present invention.

The nozzle 320 is provided on the upper part of the gasket 24 , with its front end facing the inside of the gasket 24 . Nozzle 320 The discharge port 321 at the front end faces substantially directly downward and discharges detergent foam toward the lower part of the pad 24 . The base end side of the nozzle 320 protrudes upward outside the pad 24 .

The inlet of the first hose 330 is connected to the outflow port 244 of the water reservoir 240 , and the outlet of the first hose 330 is connected to the suction port 352 of the foam generating pump 350 . The inlet of the second hose 340 is connected to the outlet 364 of the housing 362 , and the outlet of the second hose 340 is connected to the base end of the nozzle 320 .

The detergent foam generating section 310 is configured such that the foam generating pump 350 and the filter unit 360 are arranged next to the water filling unit 52 . Therefore, the position of the foam generating pump 350 is slightly lower than the position of the water supply path 232 of the water path forming member 230 . However, since the middle portion of the first hose 330 is lifted to a position higher than the water supply path 232 and there is resistance generated by the valve body of the foam generating pump 350 and the filter 361, flow through the water supply path 232 is prevented. The water flows to the foam generating pump 350.

As shown in FIG. 3 , a distance sensor 400 is disposed on an upper portion of the pad 24 adjacent to the nozzle 320 . The distance sensor 400 detects that clothing approaches the nozzle 320 at a predetermined distance from below. The distance sensor 400 is, for example, a reflective photoelectric sensor for distance measurement. The distance sensor 400 may also be another sensor capable of detecting the distance to an object, such as an ultrasonic sensor.

When the laundry approaches a predetermined distance, detergent foam is discharged from the nozzle 320 . The predetermined distance is set to a distance where it is easy for the user to apply the detergent foam from the nozzle 320 to the target portion of the clothes.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the structure of the drum washing machine 1 .

In addition to the above-described structure, the drum washing machine 1 further includes a control unit 501, a storage unit 502, an operation unit 503, a display unit 504, a water level detection unit 505, a motor drive unit 506, a water supply drive unit 507, a drainage drive unit 508, and a pump drive unit. 509.

The operation unit 503 includes a power button for turning on and off the power of the device, a start button for starting the operation, and a mode selection button for selecting any mode from a plurality of modes of the washing operation. Furthermore, the operation part 503 includes a foam application button for starting and ending the detergent foam application operation. The operation unit 503 inputs an input signal corresponding to the button operated by the user to the control unit 501 .

The display unit 504 includes a light-emitting element such as an LED and a display such as a liquid crystal panel, and displays the selected mode, the progress status of the washing operation, notification of abnormality, etc. based on the control signal from the control unit 501 .

The water level detection part 505 detects the water level in the outer cylinder 20 and outputs a water level signal corresponding to the water level to Control unit 501.

The distance sensor 400 outputs a detection signal to the control unit 501 when the laundry approaches the nozzle 320 of the detergent foam dispenser 60 from below to a predetermined distance.

The motor drive unit 506 drives the drive motor 30 based on the control signal from the control unit 501 . The motor driving unit 506 includes a rotation sensor that detects the rotation speed of the drive motor 30 , an inverter circuit, and the like, and adjusts the driving power so that the drive motor 30 rotates at the rotation speed set by the control unit 501 .

The water supply drive unit 507 drives the first valve 111 and the second valve 112 of the water supply valve 110 based on the control signal from the control unit 501. The drain drive unit 508 drives the drain valve 41 based on the control signal from the control unit 501 . The pump driving unit 509 drives the detergent pump 250, the softener pump 260, and the foam generating pump 350 based on the control signal from the control unit 501.

The storage unit 502 includes EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The storage unit 502 stores programs for executing various modes of washing operation and detergent foam application operation. In addition, various parameters and various control flags for executing these programs are stored in the storage unit 502 .

The control unit 501 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the like, and controls the display unit 504, the motor driving unit 506, Water supply driving part 507, drainage driving part 508, pump driving part 509, etc.

In addition, in the drum washing machine 1 , the washing operation in various operation modes is performed based on the user's operation of the operation unit 503 . In the washing operation, the cleaning process, the intermediate dehydration process, the rinsing process and the final dehydration process are performed in sequence. Depending on the operation mode, more than two rinsing processes and intermediate dehydration processes may be performed.

During the washing process, water containing detergent is stored in the outer drum 20 until the washing water level corresponds to the load of laundry accommodated in the drum 23, and the forward rotation and reverse rotation of the drum 23 are repeated. Laundry immersed in the water is tumbled. Water containing detergent penetrates into the inside of the laundry, and through the power of the detergent and the mechanical force of tumbling, stains attached to the surface and inside of the laundry are removed.

During the rinsing process, the drum 23 performs forward and reverse rotation while water is stored in the outer drum 20 to a predetermined rinsing water level, and the laundry is tumbled. Thereby, the detergent contained in the laundry is discharged together with the water, and the laundry is rinsed.

During the intermediate dehydration process and the final dehydration process, the drive motor 30 rotates in one direction at a high speed, and the drum 23 rotates in one direction at a speed where the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 23 is much greater than gravity. Due to the centrifugal force, the laundry is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the drum 23 and dehydrated. In the final dehydration process, the drum 23 rotates at a higher rotation speed than that in the intermediate dehydration process.

When supplying water during the cleaning process, the water supply device 50 automatically adds detergent while supplying water. That is, first, the detergent pump 250 is operated to introduce a predetermined amount of detergent liquid in the detergent chamber 221 of the liquid tank 220 into the first water supply path 235 which is the water supply path 232 of the water path forming member 230 . Next, the first valve 111 of the water supply valve 110 is opened, and water is supplied into the water supply channel 232 through the first water supply hose 120 . The detergent liquid in the water supply path 232 is mixed with the water flowing into the water supply path 232 , and reaches the outer cylinder 20 together with the water through the water filling chamber 233 , the flow path 212 of the water filling port member 210 , the water filling port 211 and the water filling hose 53 .

Similarly, during the rinsing process, the water supply device 50 automatically adds softener while supplying water. That is, the softener pump 260 operates to introduce a predetermined amount of liquid softener in the softener chamber 222 of the liquid tank 220 to the water supply path 232 . Next, when the first valve 111 is opened, the liquid softener in the water supply path 232 is mixed with the water flowing into the water supply path 232 , and is sent into the outer cylinder 20 together with the water. It should be noted that when two rinsing processes are performed, adding the softener becomes the final rinsing process.

In the drum washing machine 1, the user can perform the detergent foam application operation before performing the washing operation when stubborn dirt such as sebum dirt adheres to the collar, sleeves, etc. of the clothes. Thereby, the user can put the laundry into the drum 23 of the drum washing machine 1 after applying the detergent foam generated by the detergent foam dispenser 60 to the part where dirt adheres. The detergent concentration of detergent foam is significantly higher than the water containing the detergent used in the cleaning process. Therefore, high-concentration detergent foam is applied to the stain-adhered portion of the clothes, and the stain-adhered portion is effectively removed after the washing operation.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the control unit 501 executed during the detergent foam application operation.

When the user presses the foam application button of the operation part 503 as a start operation, the detergent foam application operation starts.

Referring to FIG. 6 , when the detergent foam coating operation is started, the control unit 501 operates the detergent pump 250 to introduce a predetermined amount of detergent liquid into the first water supply path 235 , and then turns the second valve 112 of the water supply valve 110 It is opened for a predetermined time and water is supplied to the first water supply path 235 . Thereby, the control unit 501 stores a predetermined volume of detergent liquid in which the detergent liquid is diluted with water in the water reservoir 240 ( S1 ). At this time, the detergent liquid is The water supplied into the first water supply channel 235 impacts and goes to the water storage tank 240 , and is mixed with water while flowing through the first water supply channel 235 .

The prescribed capacity is, for example, about several dozen mL, which is not a very large capacity. Here, by opening the second valve 112 with a small rated flow rate, a large amount of water does not flow to the first water supply path 235 at once, so that a predetermined capacity of water can be easily stored in the water storage tank 240 .

It should be noted that due to uneven tap water pressure, uneven flow may occur when the second valve 112 is opened. Therefore, the predetermined time for opening the second valve 112 can be set so that a predetermined volume of detergent liquid can be stored in the water reservoir 240 even when the flow rate is small.

Therefore, depending on the flow rate, the detergent liquid in the water storage tank 240 may exceed the predetermined capacity. In this case, the water level in the water tank 240 reaches the overflow port 242, and the detergent liquid overflows from the overflow port 242. The overflowing detergent liquid flows through the second water supply path 236 and is discharged into the outer cylinder 20 via the water filling chamber 233, the flow path 212 of the water filling port member 210, the water filling port 211, and the water filling hose 53. The second water supply path 236 , the water filling chamber 233 , the flow path 212 , the water filling port 211 and the water filling hose 53 form a discharge path DR for discharging the detergent liquid overflowing from the overflow port 242 into the outer tub 20 .

In this way, by storing a predetermined volume of detergent liquid in the water reservoir 240, preparations for generating detergent foam are completed.

It should be noted that when preparations for generating detergent foam are completed, the control unit 501 causes the display unit 504 to display a display notifying that the preparations are completed.

Next, the control unit 501 monitors whether the clothes approach the nozzle 320 to a predetermined distance using the distance sensor 400 (S2).

The user opens the door 12 and inserts the hand-held clothes into the position of the pad 24 from the input port 11, as shown in FIG.

When the control unit 501 determines that the clothes are close to the predetermined distance from the nozzle 320 (S2: Yes), the foam generation pump 350 is operated for a predetermined foam release time, for example, several seconds, and a certain amount of detergent foam is released from the nozzle 320 (S3) .

That is, when the foam generation pump 350 operates, the detergent liquid in the water storage tank 240 is taken into the foam generation pump 350 via the first hose 330 . At this time, air is taken in from the outside in the foam generating pump 350, and the taken-in air is mixed with the detergent liquid. The detergent liquid mixed with air is directed from the foam generating pump 350 to Nozzle 320 sends out. The detergent liquid mixed with air sent from the foam generating pump 350 passes through the mesh filter 361 of the filter unit 360 .

By being mixed with air and passing through the filter 361, the detergent liquid contained in the detergent liquid bubbles, thereby generating fine detergent foam. The detergent foam reaches the nozzle 320 through the second hose 340 and is discharged from the discharge port 321 of the nozzle 320 substantially directly downward.

In this way, as shown in FIG. 3 , the high-concentration detergent foam is applied to the portion of the clothing where the dirt is attached.

It should be noted that the detergent foam is discharged from the nozzle 320 through automatic detection of the clothes by the distance sensor 400, so the user can reliably hold the clothes with both hands.

The control unit 501 determines whether the detergent foam application operation has been completed (S4).

To continue applying detergent foam to other parts of the clothes, the user moves the clothes away from the nozzle 320 briefly and then approaches the nozzle 320 again.

When the end operation is not performed and the laundry approaches the predetermined distance from the nozzle 320 again (S4: No → S2: Yes), the control unit 501 operates the foam generating pump 350 to discharge detergent foam from the nozzle 320 (S3).

In this way, whenever a part of the laundry is close to the nozzle 320, a certain amount of detergent foam will be applied to the part.

When the application of the detergent foam to the clothes is completed, the user presses the foam application button of the operation part 503 as an end operation. Accordingly, when the control unit 501 determines that the end operation has been performed (S4: Yes), the detergent foam application operation is ended.

Here, it is possible that the discharged detergent foam still falls while the portion of the laundry is removed from under the nozzle 320 before the detergent foam is discharged. In addition, during the detergent foam application operation, it is also conceivable that the detergent foam remaining in the discharge port 321 of the nozzle 320 after the operation may drip. In such a case, the detergent foam will fall on the lower part of the pad 24. Therefore, the detergent foam is prevented from flowing out of the drum washing machine 1 . It should be noted that the detergent foam remaining on the pad 24 is flushed away by the washing operation.

When the detergent liquid remaining in the water tank 240 after the detergent foam coating operation is subsequently subjected to a washing operation, it is discharged from the water tank 240 during the water supply during the cleaning process and is sent to the outer cylinder 20 for use. in the cleaning process.

In addition, in order to discharge the detergent foam and detergent liquid remaining in the detergent foam dispenser 60, The inside of the detergent foam dispenser 60 is washed, and the control unit 501 operates the foam generating pump 350 in the final stage of water supply in the washing process. The water in the water reservoir 240 flows through the first hose 330, the detergent foam generating part 310, and the second hose 340 and is discharged from the nozzle 320 together with the detergent foam and the detergent liquid. The discharged water and the like flow into the outer cylinder 20 .

Such cleaning of the inside of the detergent foam dispenser 60 prevents the detergent liquid remaining in the detergent foam dispenser 60 from contacting the air and solidifying, thereby causing clogging in the detergent foam dispenser 60 .

It should be noted that the operation of the foam generation pump 350 continues for a short time even if the water in the water storage tank 240 is exhausted after the water supply is completed. When the water in the water reservoir 240 is exhausted, the air in the water reservoir 240 is sent to the detergent foam dispenser 60 and discharged from the nozzle 320 . Therefore, liquid such as water does not remain in the detergent foam dispenser 60 .

Furthermore, when a plurality of rinsing processes are performed, the control unit 501 operates the foam generating pump 350 after water is supplied to the outer cylinder 20 in the final rinsing process. This allows water to be discharged from the water tank 240 through the nozzle 320 and prevents water that may contain softener from remaining in the water tank 240 .

It should be noted that in this embodiment, the softener inlet 238 is provided in the first water supply path 235 upstream of the water storage tank 240 . However, the softener inlet 238 may be provided in the second water supply path 236 downstream of the water storage tank 240 . In this structure, the water containing the softener does not pass through the water storage tank 240 during the water supply in the rinsing process, and the water containing the softener does not remain in the water tank 240 . Also in this case, it is preferable that the water in the water storage tank 240 is discharged through the nozzle after the water is supplied.

On the other hand, the laundry coated with detergent foam may be washed by hand washing or the like without being put into the drum washing machine 1 . In this case, a high concentration of detergent liquid may remain in the water reservoir 240 . Therefore, a self-cleaning function may be provided to discard the detergent liquid from the water tank 240 and clean the water tank 240 under the above circumstances. For example, when a predetermined start operation is performed or a predetermined time elapses without performing a washing operation after the detergent foam application operation, the self-cleaning function starts and the first valve 111 and/or the second valve 112 are opened to supply water to the water supply line. 232 provides water supply for an appropriate period of time. Thereby, the remaining detergent liquid is discharged from the water reservoir 240 and sent to the outer tube 20 . At this time, the drain valve 41 is opened, and the detergent liquid sent into the outer tub 20 is discharged to the outside of the machine. In the final stage of water supply of the self-cleaning function, the foam generating pump 350 is also operated, and the inside of the detergent foam dispenser 60 is washed in the same manner as described above.

It should be noted that the drum washing machine 1 of this embodiment may be equipped with a drying device for drying laundry. In this case, the drying device is provided with a circulation path connected to the outer cylinder 20, for example. A blower fan, cooler and heater are arranged in the circulation path. The air heated by the heater circulates between the outer drum 20 and the circulation path by the operation of the blower fan, and the laundry in the drum 23 is dried. The air returned to the circulation path from the outer cylinder 20 is cooled by the cooler and dehumidified before being heated by the heater.

＜Effects of Embodiment＞

According to the present embodiment, the drum washing machine 1 includes: a detergent foam generating unit 310 that generates detergent foam by foaming the detergent liquid flowing out from the liquid tank 220; and a nozzle 320 that generates detergent foam generated by the detergent foam generating unit 310. The detergent foam is released so that it is applied to the portion of the laundry outside the drum 23 .

According to this structure, the user can apply detergent foam to the portion containing the dirt attached to the previous laundry in the drum 23 before the washing operation. Therefore, during subsequent washing operations, the stain removal effect on clothes becomes better. In addition, unlike the case where the detergent liquid is directly applied to the clothes, the user does not have to worry about dripping liquid. Moreover, the user only needs to bring a part of the clothes near the nozzle 320 to apply the detergent foam, and does not need a place to place the clothes to perform the application operation.

Moreover, according to this embodiment, the nozzle 320 is provided in the upper part of the pad 24 and emits detergent foam toward the lower part of the pad 24.

According to this structure, even if the detergent foam flows out from the nozzle 320 when there is no clothes under the nozzle 320 , the detergent foam can be received by the lower part of the pad 24 , thereby preventing the detergent foam from flowing out of the drum washing machine 1 .

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the drum washing machine 1 is configured to further include a water storage tank 240 that stores detergent liquid diluted with water supplied from the water supply valve unit 51 as a detergent liquid and detergent foam. The generation unit 310 includes: a foam generation pump 350 that takes in detergent liquid from the water storage tank 240, mixes air with the taken in detergent liquid, and sends it toward the nozzle 320; and a mesh filter 361 that takes in detergent liquid from the foam generation pump 350. The sent detergent liquid mixed with air passes through the filter 361 .

According to this structure, by diluting the detergent liquid with water to prepare the detergent liquid, the fluidity is improved and foaming becomes easier. This makes it easy to take the detergent liquid into the foam generating pump 350, and when the detergent liquid mixed with air in the foam generating pump 350 is passed through the filter 361, detergent foam is easily generated.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the drum washing machine 1 adopts a structure in which the water storage tank 240 has an overflow port 242 for overflowing the detergent liquid when more than a predetermined capacity of detergent liquid is stored therein. The drum washing machine 1 is provided with: The discharge path DR discharges the detergent liquid overflowing from the overflow port 242 into the outer tub 20 .

According to this structure, even if more than a predetermined volume of detergent liquid is supplied into the water storage tank 240 due to uneven flow rates of water supplied from the water supply valve unit 51 , a predetermined volume of detergent liquid can be stored in the water storage tank 240 .

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the drum washing machine 1 has a structure including: a first water supply path 235 for supplying water from the water supply valve unit 51 to the water reservoir 240; and a detergent pump 250 for pumping the liquid into the tank. The detergent liquid in 220 is sent to the first water supply path 235 .

According to this structure, after the detergent liquid is sent to the first water supply path 235 by the detergent pump 250, it is impacted by the water supplied to the first water supply path 235 and goes to the water storage tank 240. While flowing through the first water supply path 235, Mix with water. Thereby, the concentration of the detergent liquid stored in the water reservoir 240 can be easily made uniform.

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

＜Change example 1＞

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the drum washing machine 1 according to Modification 1. FIG. In FIG. 8 , (a) is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle 380 in Modification Example 1, and (b) is a front cross-sectional view showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle 380 in Modification Example 1. In addition, in (b) of FIG. 8, the mounting rack 610 and the hood 640 are shown in cross-sectional view.

In the above-described embodiment, the detergent foam dispenser 60 includes the nozzle 320 arranged on the upper portion of the pad 24 . On the other hand, in this modified example, the detergent foam dispenser 60 is provided with the nozzle 380 arranged on the front surface of the box 10 .

The nozzle 380 is provided above the door 12 on the front surface of the box 10 . The front end side of the nozzle 380 extends forward from the front surface of the box 10 and then is bent substantially vertically to extend downward. The nozzle 380 discharges detergent foam downward from the discharge port 381 at the front end. The base end side of the nozzle 380 protrudes rearward in the box 10 . The base end of the nozzle 380 is connected to the outlet of the second hose 340 .

A rack 610 is provided below the nozzle 380 for placing a portion of clothing. The mounting rack 610 has a substantially rectangular tray shape that is long in the left-right direction. The mounting rack 610 is held by a holding member 620 fixed to the front surface of the box 10 so as to be rotatable between a non-use position in which it stands vertically along the front surface of the box 10 and a use position in which it lies horizontally. In FIG. 8(a) , a solid line indicates the mounting rack 610 in the use position, and a dotted line indicates the mounting rack 610 in the non-use position.

The holding member 620 is composed of a stopper portion 621 extending in the left-right direction and a bearing portion 622 standing from both left and right ends of the stopper portion 621 . A shaft hole 623 is formed in each bearing portion 622 .

A shaft hole 611 penetrating in the left and right direction is formed at the rear end of the mounting frame 610 , and a rotation shaft 630 is inserted between the shaft hole 611 and the shaft holes 623 of the left and right bearing portions 622 . Thereby, the mounting frame 610 rotates about the rotation axis 630. When the mounting rack 610 rotates from the non-use position to the use position, the lower surface of the rear end portion of the mounting rack 610 contacts the stopper 621 to prevent further rotation.

The distance between the center of the discharge port 381 of the nozzle 380 and the front surface of the box 10 is, for example, about 30 to 50 mm. Thereby, the sleeves and collars of clothing can be fully positioned directly under the nozzle 380 . The left-right width of the mounting rack 610 is preferably a width that can stably support sleeves and collars of clothing.

Nozzle 380 is covered by cover 640 . The cover 640 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is fixed to the front surface of the box 10 . Within the cover 640, the distance sensor 410 is arranged adjacent to the nozzle 380. The distance sensor 410 detects that a portion of the laundry is placed on the mounting rack 610 by detecting the portion of the laundry located at a predetermined distance from the nozzle 380 . The distance sensor 410 may be, for example, a reflective photoelectric sensor or an ultrasonic sensor for distance measurement, similarly to the distance sensor 400 .

When the detergent foam coating operation is not performed, the mounting rack 610 is returned to the non-use position, that is, along the front surface of the box 10 . Thereby, the loading rack 610 is less likely to interfere when clothes are put into the drum 23 from the input port 11 .

When performing the detergent foam coating operation, the user rotates the mounting rack 610 from the non-use position to the use position. Then, the user presses the foam application button of the operation unit 503 to start the detergent foam application operation. The control unit 501 performs the same control operation as the control operation of the detergent foam application operation in FIG. 6 . Among them, in step S2, it is determined whether the clothes have been placed on the loading rack 610.

When preparations for generating detergent foam are completed, the user places the portion of the laundry with dirt attached on the mounting rack 610 so that it is positioned substantially directly below the nozzle 380 as shown in FIG. 8( b ). from nozzle 380 releases detergent foam and applies high-concentration detergent foam to the part of the clothes where dirt is attached.

According to this modified example, the nozzle 320 is arranged on the front surface of the box 10, so the user can easily apply the detergent foam discharged from the nozzle 380 to the clothes in a large area outside the box 10. Carry out this coating operation.

Furthermore, since the detergent foam application operation can be performed with the door 12 closed, the application operation can be performed even when the drum washing machine 1 is performing a washing operation.

Furthermore, since the nozzle 380 is disposed at a higher position than the door 12 , the user can easily bring parts of the clothes below the nozzle 380 and apply detergent foam more easily.

Furthermore, since the mounting rack 610 is provided below the nozzle 380, the user can easily position a portion of the laundry at an appropriate distance from the nozzle 380 where detergent foam can be easily applied by simply placing the portion of the laundry on the mounting rack 610. .

Moreover, even if the detergent foam flows out from the nozzle 380 when there is no clothes under the nozzle 380, the detergent foam can be received by the loading rack 610, thereby preventing the detergent foam from hanging on the door 12 or falling to the ground. In particular, since the rack 610 has a tray shape, it is easy to hold the received detergent foam.

＜Change example 2＞

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing the structure of the drum washing machine 1 according to Modification 2. In FIG. 10 , (a) and (b) are side cross-sectional views showing the structure of the peripheral portion of the nozzle 380 in Modification 2. In FIG. 8 , (a) shows a state in which the mounting rack 610 is located in a non-use position, and (b) shows a state in which the mounting rack 610 is located in a use position.

In this modified example, the drum washing machine 1 is provided with an inlet member 70 having an inlet 11 on the front surface of the box 10 . The input port member 70 is provided with a circular door accommodating recess 71 for accommodating the door 12 in front of the input port 11 . In the insertion port member 70, the annular peripheral edge portion 72 around the door accommodation recessed portion 71 is hollow.

In this modified example, like the above-described modified example 1, the nozzle 380 of the detergent foam dispenser 60 is arranged on the front surface of the box 10 . However, unlike Modification 1 described above, the front end side of the nozzle 380 is accommodated in the upper portion of the peripheral portion 72 of the inlet member 70 . An opening 73 is provided at the position of the nozzle 380 in the upper portion of the peripheral surface of the door accommodating recess 71 . The distance sensor 410 is arranged adjacent to the nozzle 380 in the opening 73 .

As shown in FIG. 10( a ), the mounting rack 610 is accommodated in the rack accommodating portion 74 provided in the upper portion of the bottom surface of the door accommodating recessed portion 71 of the inlet member 70 below the nozzle 380 . Both ends of the rotation shaft 630 penetrating the rear end of the mounting rack 610 are fixed to the lower portions of the left and right side surfaces of the rack accommodating portion 74 . Thereby, the mounting rack 610 can rotate about the rotation axis 630, and as shown in FIG. 10(b), the mounting rack 610 can be moved from the non-use position accommodated in the rack accommodating part 74 when the door 12 is open. Turn and move to the horizontal lying position.

When the detergent foam coating operation is not performed, the mounting rack 610 is placed in the rack accommodating portion 74 of the inlet member 70 in the non-use position. Thereby, the loading rack 610 is less likely to interfere when clothes are put into the drum 23 from the input port 11 . In addition, when the door 12 is closed, the mounting rack 610 is blocked by the door 12 and cannot be seen, and the appearance is good.

When performing the detergent foam coating operation, the user opens the door 12 and rotates the mounting rack 610 from the non-use position to the use position. Then, similarly to Modification 1 described above, the detergent foam application operation is started, and high-concentration detergent foam discharged from the nozzle 380 is applied to the portion of the clothes placed on the rack 610 .

This modified example also has the same effect as the above-described modified example 1. Furthermore, in this modified example, the nozzle 380 is accommodated inside the peripheral portion 72 of the inlet member 70 instead of the cover 640. Therefore, the front surface of the box 10 is simple and has a good appearance.

However, in this modified example, the detergent foam application operation cannot be performed with the door 12 closed. Therefore, unlike the above modified example 1, the application operation cannot be performed during the washing operation in the drum washing machine 1 .

＜Other examples of changes＞

In the above embodiment, the nozzle 320 of the detergent foam dispenser 60 is provided on the upper part of the pad 24 . In addition, in the above-mentioned modification examples 1 and 2, the nozzle 380 of the detergent foam dispenser 60 is provided above the door 12 on the front surface of the box 10 . However, as long as the detergent foam can be released so that the detergent foam can be applied to the clothes outside the drum 23, the detergent foam releasing part, that is, the nozzle, may be provided at a position other than the above. For example, the nozzle may be provided at a position lower than the door 12 on the front surface of the box 10 , on the left and right side surfaces, or on the top surface of the box 10 .

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a structure may be adopted in which the detergent foam generating unit 310 includes the foam generating pump 350 and the mesh-shaped filter 361. However, as long as the liquid agent cartridge 220 can be The outflowing detergent liquid bubbles to generate detergent foam, and the detergent foam generating unit 310 may adopt any structure.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the liquid tank 220 is provided at a lower position than the first water supply channel 235 , and the detergent liquid in the liquid tank 220 is sent to the first water supply channel 235 by the detergent pump 250 . However, the liquid tank 220 may be provided at a higher position than the first water supply channel 235 so that the detergent liquid in the liquid tank 220 is sent to the first water supply channel 235 by opening and closing the valve. In this case, the valve corresponds to the liquid supply part of the present invention.

Furthermore, a structure may be adopted in which the detergent liquid in the liquid tank 220 is directly sent to the water storage tank 240 without being sent to the first water supply path 235, and the detergent liquid is mixed with water in the water storage tank 240.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the water storage tank 240 is provided in the middle of the water supply path 232 . However, the water storage tank 240 does not need to be provided in the middle of the water supply path 232 . In this case, for example, the second water supply hose 130 is connected to the water storage tank 240 directly or via a predetermined water channel. In addition, in this case, the overflow port 242 does not need to be provided in the water storage tank 240 . If the overflow port 242 is not provided, a water level detector for detecting the water level may be provided in the water storage tank 240 .

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a flow sensor that detects the flow rate of water from the water supply valve unit 51 may be provided in the first water supply path 235 or the like, and the timing of water supply to the water storage tank 240 may be changed according to the flow rate, so that even if water is supplied from the water supply valve unit 51 The uneven flow rate of water in the water supply valve unit 51 also tends to accumulate a predetermined volume of detergent liquid in the water storage tank 240 .

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the detergent liquid in which the detergent liquid is diluted with water is stored in the water storage tank 240, and the detergent liquid is taken in by the foam generation pump 350 of the detergent foam generation unit 310 to generate detergent foam. . However, for example, when moderate fluidity and foaming properties can be obtained even without diluting the detergent liquid with water, the water reservoir 240 may not be provided and the detergent foam generating unit 310 may use the undiluted detergent liquid. Generates detergent foam.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment and the above-described Modifications 1 and 2, it is possible to start discharging the detergent foam from the nozzles 320 and 380 not based on the detection of the clothes, but by accepting the pressing of the operation button for instructing the start. The sound input starts to emit the detergent foam from the nozzles 320 and 380.

Furthermore, in Modification 1 described above, the mounting rack 610 is rotatable between a non-use position in which it stands vertically along the front surface of the box 10 and a use position in which it lies horizontally. However, the mounting bracket 610 may also be a structure that cannot rotate and is fixed at the use position.

Furthermore, in the structure of the above-mentioned modification 1, that is, in the structure in which the nozzle 380 of the detergent foam dispenser 60 is provided on the front surface of the box 10, like the above-mentioned embodiment, it is possible to supply water in the final stage of the washing process and the water supply for the cleaning function. The final stage is to clean the detergent foam dispenser 60 . In this case, a structure capable of discarding the water and detergent liquid discharged from the nozzle 380 is required. Therefore, the drum washing machine 1 is provided with the mounting rack 610A and the holding member 620A shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. 11 instead of the mounting rack 610 and the holding member 620 of the above-described modification 1.

The mounting rack 610A is formed in a tray shape, and the bottom surface of the recessed portion 612 becomes lower toward the rear. In the recess 612, a drainage hole 613 is formed in the lower part of the rear surface. The drainage hole 613 extends rearward and downward.

The stopper portion 621A of the holding member 620A penetrates the front surface of the box 10 . A drain passage 624 is formed in the center portion of the stopper portion 621A in the left-right direction. An outlet portion 624a of the drain passage 624 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the stopper portion 621A and is connected to the drain pipe 650 . The drain pipe 650 is connected to the drain port 24a provided in the upper part of the pad 24.

As shown in FIG. 11(a) , when the mounting rack 610A is in the horizontally lying use position, the drainage hole 613 of the mounting rack 610A is connected to the drainage path 624 of the stopper 621A. When the detergent foam dispenser 60 is washed, the water discharged from the nozzle 380 is received by the recessed portion 612 of the mounting rack 610A, and passes through the drain hole 613, the drain path 624 and the drain pipe 650 from the drain port 24a to the pad. 24 and flows into the outer cylinder 20.

As shown in (b) of FIG. 11 , when the mounting rack 610A moves to the non-use position standing vertically along the front surface of the box 10 , the entrance of the drain path 624 of the stopper 621A is blocked by the mounting rack 610A. The rear end is clogged. Therefore, when the drum washing machine 1 has a drying function, the warm air introduced into the outer tub 20 during the drying process can be prevented from leaking to the outside of the drum washing machine 1 via the drain pipe 650 and the drainage path 624 . It should be noted that the distance sensor 410 can also be used to detect whether the mounting rack 610A is in the use position when the drying process is started. Since the mounting rack 610A is in the use position, the drainage path 624 is not placed on the rack 610A. In the case of clogging, the drying process is not started, and a notification is given on the display unit 504 or the like to remind the rack 610A to be moved to a non-use position.

In the structure of the above-mentioned Modification 2, it is possible to implement a modification such that water can be drained from the mounting rack 610 in the same manner as described above.

Furthermore, as a liquid that can be discharged from the nozzle 380 when washing the inside of the detergent foam dispenser 60 The structure shown in (a) and (b) of Figure 12 can be adopted for the structure of discarding water and detergent liquid.

In the structures of FIGS. 12(a) and (b) , the opening 14 for allowing the cover 640 to enter and exit is formed on the front surface of the box 10 . At the lower end of the opening 14, rails 660 extending in the front-rear direction are provided below the left and right ends of the cover 640. The cover 640 is movable along the rail 660 in the front-rear direction between a use position exposed forward from the front surface of the box 10 and a non-use position accommodated in the box 10 . The nozzle 380 is connected to the cover 640 via the connecting member 641 and can move in the front-rear direction along with the cover 640 . Note that a handle (not shown) is provided on the front surface of the cover 640 for the user to hold when moving the cover 640 .

In the box 10 , a drainage groove 670 is provided below the discharge port 381 of the nozzle 380 accommodated in the box 10 . The drain port 671 of the drain groove 670 is connected to the drain port 24a provided in the upper part of the gasket 24 via the drain pipe 650.

The nozzle 380 is fixed with a cover 680 that covers the opening of the drainage channel 670 from above. When the nozzle 380 is in the use position, the drainage channel 670 is covered with the cover 680 .

As shown in FIG. 12(a) , during the detergent application operation, the nozzle 380 and the cover 640 are pulled out to the use position. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12(b) , when the detergent application operation is completed and the washing operation is performed, the nozzle 380 and the cover 640 are moved to the non-use position. In this state, cleaning in the detergent foam dispenser 60 is performed in the final stage of water supply in the cleaning process. The water discharged from the nozzle 380 is received by the drainage groove 670 , is discharged from the drainage port 24 a to the inside of the pad 24 through the drainage pipe 650 , and flows into the outer cylinder 20 .

When the drum washing machine 1 performs washing and drying operation, the nozzle 380 and the cover 640 are pulled out to the use position before the drying process. Thereby, the opening of the drainage channel 670 is covered with the cover 680 . Therefore, the warm air introduced into the outer cylinder 20 during the drying process is prevented from leaking between the outer cylinder 20 and the box 10 through the drainage pipe 650 and the drainage groove 670 .

It should be noted that a structure may also be adopted in which the cover 640 is fixed to the front surface of the box 10 and the nozzle 380 and the cover 680 are movable in the front-rear direction.

By adopting the structures of (a) and (b) of FIG. 11 and (a) and (b) of FIG. 12 , the water discharged from the water tank 240 through the nozzle 380 after the water supply in the rinsing process can also flow into the outer cylinder 20 .

Furthermore, the drum washing machine 1 was shown in the above embodiment. However, the present invention can also be applied to washing machines other than the drum washing machine 1, for example, a washing and dehydration machine having a vertical axis type as an inner tub in the outer tub. Fully automatic washing machine with barrel. A fully automatic washing machine can be a fully automatic washing and drying machine with a 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 technical claims.

Claims (6)

1. A washing machine is characterized by having:

   The outer cylinder is arranged inside the box;

   The inner cylinder is arranged in the outer cylinder to accommodate clothing;

   Liquid box to store detergent liquid;

   a detergent foam generating unit that generates detergent foam by foaming the detergent liquid flowing out from the liquid tank; and

   A detergent foam releasing unit releases the detergent foam generated by the detergent foam generating unit so that the detergent foam is applied to the clothes outside the inner cylinder.
2. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that:

   The inner cylinder includes a horizontal axis type roller,

   The outer cylinder has an opening on its front surface,

   The box has an input port on the front surface,

   The input opening is covered by a door,

   An elastic annular gasket is provided between the input port and the opening,

   The detergent foam discharging part adopts a nozzle provided on the upper part of the pad and discharging the detergent foam toward the lower part of the pad.
3. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that:

   The inner cylinder includes a horizontal axis type roller,

   The box has an input port on the front surface,

   The input opening is covered by a door,

   The detergent foam discharging unit adopts a nozzle arranged above the door on the front surface of the box and discharging the detergent foam downward,

   Below the nozzle, a rack for placing parts of clothing is provided.
4. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

   a water supply unit that supplies water for diluting the detergent liquid flowing out from the liquid tank; and

   a water storage tank that stores the detergent liquid diluted with the water supplied from the water supply part as the detergent liquid,

   The detergent foam generating part includes:

   a pump that takes in the detergent liquid from the water reservoir, mixes air with the taken in detergent liquid, and sends it toward the detergent foam releasing part; and

   A mesh filter through which the detergent liquid mixed with air sent from the pump passes.
5. The washing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that:

   The water storage tank has an overflow port for overflowing the detergent liquid when the detergent liquid exceeds a predetermined capacity,

   The washing machine further includes a discharge path for discharging the detergent liquid overflowing from the overflow port into the outer tub.
6. The washing machine according to claim 4, further comprising:

   a water path for water from the water supply part to flow to the water storage tank; and

   A liquid sending part is used to send the detergent liquid in the liquid box to the water channel.