JP2001276484A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem with fiber products rendered antibacterial and mildew-proof, such as socks, underwear, sportswear, towels, toiletry, pajamas, bedding, care articles, dish towels and the like, that even if they initially have antibacterial effects, their antibacterial property is lost after several times of washing, so that they cannot stop the growth of bacteria and therefore become sweaty. SOLUTION: The washing machine has a washing process carried out several times for washing clothes using wash water supplied at each of the several times of the washing process. The washing machine has a silver ion adding unit for adding silver ions to the wash water, the silver ions being supplied as the wash water at the final washing process (rinsing process).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine for sterilizing clothes and a washing machine tub using silver ion water containing silver ions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Textile products such as socks, underwear, sportswear, towels, toiletries, pajamas, bedding, nursing care products, and towels, which are clean and antibacterial and antifungal processed, have been commercialized one after another. The antibacterial effects are various, including those using natural antibacterial substances such as chitosan and hinokitiol, and those to which copper, zinc, etc. are added, all of which have a reduced effect after washing. According to the voluntary standards set by the Textile Sanitary Processing Council, whether washing is effective for ten times is an evaluation standard for durability.

[0003]

The antibacterial effect is lost after several washings even if it has an antibacterial effect at an early stage, so that the growth of bacteria cannot be suppressed, and therefore, the smell of sweat cannot be suppressed. . An object of the present invention is to provide means for solving the above problems.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems and Action / Effect The invention according to claim 1 which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems has a washing machine having a plurality of washing steps for washing clothes, A washing machine for washing the clothes using the washing water supplied each time of the washing step, comprising a silver ion adding unit for adding silver ions to the washing water, It is characterized in that silver ions are supplied as washing water at the times (rinsing step).

[0005] When the present inventors added silver ions to tap water used in the final round of the washing step (rinsing step), silver ions remained on the inner wall of the washing machine tub and were sterilized. Further, the antibacterial properties of conventional antibacterial products in which an antibacterial agent is kneaded are reduced with use, but according to the present invention, clothing is coated with silver ions and subjected to antibacterial treatment. That is, antibacterial treatment is performed each time the clothes are washed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine as set forth in the first aspect, wherein the silver ion adding unit controls the power of the electrolytic cell comprising a silver electrode and the silver electrode. It is characterized by comprising a control unit.

According to the present invention, when silver ions are to be added, the silver ions can be added only by applying electrolytic power between the silver electrodes at the timing when silver is to be added, without having to switch the flow path. . Also, by controlling the electrolytic power between the silver electrodes, the concentration of silver ions added is kept constant, so that highly reliable antibacterial activity can be obtained.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine as set forth in the second aspect, wherein the electrolytic bath is disposed in the middle of a flow path through which tap water flows. It is characterized in that power is applied to the electrolytic cell in synchronism with the timing to generate silver ion water.

According to the present invention, since the electrolytic cell is disposed in the flow path of the tap water, the clothes are washed, the dirty washing water does not come into contact with the water, the electrode surface is not stained, and a stable silver ion concentration is obtained. Produces water.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine as set forth in the third aspect, wherein the electrolysis power is completed when a preset electrolysis time is reached,
Water is stopped when a predetermined amount of water detected by a flow switch or the like is reached.

[0011] The amount of water (flow rate) per unit time flowing into the washing machine varies daily, and the time required to reach a predetermined amount of water required for washing varies daily. By the way, the present inventor studied that when the voltage and current electrolysis control were kept constant, the flow rate of tap water flowing through the electrolytic cell hardly affected the silver ion addition amount per unit time. That is, the amount of silver ions added when electrolyzing for a preset time becomes constant,
In addition, since a fixed amount of silver ion is added to the amount of water set by a flow switch or the like, the silver ion concentration of the generated washing water always has a constant value.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the silver concentration of the silver ion water used for the washing is 3 ppb or more and 50 ppb or more. It is characterized by the following.

As a result of the study by the present inventors, clothes and the inner wall of the washing machine tub were antibacterial when the silver ion concentration was 3 ppb or more. When the silver ion concentration was 50 ppb or more, there was a tendency that a black discolored substance derived from a silver compound adhered to clothes and the inner wall of a washing machine tub. Therefore, when the silver ion concentration is 3 ppb or more,
It was thought that pb or less was desired.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the washing machine is washed with silver ion water and then rinsed with tap water containing no silver ions. It is characterized by washing.

When the inventor rinsed with silver ion water and then rinsed with tap water containing no silver ion water, the tendency for black discolored substances derived from silver compounds to adhere was reduced and the antibacterial property was maintained.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, which selects whether or not to employ a washing process with silver ion water. A switch is provided.

Occasionally, allergies to silver may occur. In that case, it is necessary to prevent silver ions from attaching to clothing and the like. According to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the adhesion of silver ions to clothing by a switch for selecting to cancel the washing step with silver ion water.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the washing water inside the washing machine is silver ion water. A display unit for indicating whether or not the washing water is silver ion water is displayed when the washing water is silver ion water.

Occasionally, it may be allergic to silver ions. Whether or not the washing water is silver ion water cannot be visually determined. If there is means for indicating that the water is silver ion water, it can be visually recognized that the water is silver ion water.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine as set forth in any one of the first to eighth aspects, further comprising a display unit for displaying that washing with silver ion water is performed, When the washing with silver ion water is completed, it is displayed that washing with silver ion water is displayed.

It is not possible to visually discriminate whether it has been washed with silver ion water and subjected to antibacterial treatment. If it is displayed that washing has been performed with silver ion water, it is possible to visually confirm that washing has been performed with silver ion water.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the present invention applied to a spiral-wound washing machine. In the figure, A is a washing machine, 102 is a washing machine A
, 103 is a washing container provided in the housing 102 with an open top for washing, 104 is a stirring rotator provided in a hole 103a at the bottom of the washing container 103, and 105 is a stirring rotator. It is a motor for rotating 104. 106
Denotes a water inlet provided in the housing 102, and 107 denotes a washing container 1.
03 is a water supply port for pouring water from the water supply port 106. The water path 108 between the water inlet 106 and the water inlet 107 includes:
A silver ion water generator B is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the silver ion water generator B comprises a cathode 121 and an anode 122, and a water pipe 290a.
A flow sensor 210 connected by the
A water supply pipe 290 b extending from the flow sensor 210 is connected to the relief valve 110. The silver ion water generator B further includes a control unit 240 having a variable power DC power supply circuit including a switching power supply circuit and a microcomputer programmed to control the switching power supply circuit.

The operation of the washing machine A will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Tap water, which has been squeezed to a predetermined flow rate by the
6. The water flows into the silver ion water generator B through the water path 108, and flows through the flow sensor 210 and the water pipe 290a. The flow rate is detected by the flow rate sensor 210, and a flow rate signal is output from the flow rate sensor 210 to the control unit 240.

Electrolysis is performed by applying a predetermined voltage and current of electrolytic power controlled by the control unit 240 in accordance with the flow rate of tap water flowing through the water pipe 290a detected by the flow rate sensor 210.

[0026]

Example 1 Based on the examples shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, clothes were evaluated for washing using silver ionized water obtained by electrolysis. Preparation of silver ion water Structural specification of electrolytic cell: Electrode material Silver Electrode size 2cm x 2cm Electrode spacing 10mm Electrolytic condition: Electrolytic voltage 13V Electrolytic current 0mA to 3mA Flow rate: 10L per minute Flow rate used for one wash 50L is obtained Silver ion concentration of silver ion: 0 to 200 ppb

Washing conditions Clothes were put into the washing machine based on the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, and the following washing process was repeated 100 times. Washing process 50 L of tap water Washing time 10 minutes Dehydration process Dehydration time 3 minutes Rinse process 1 Tap water 50 L Washing time 5 minutes Dehydration process Dehydration time 3 minutes Rinse process 2 Silver ion water 50 L Washing time 5 minutes Dehydration process Dehydration time 5 minutes Hot air Drying 60 minutes

Evaluation method The qualitative test (halo test) of the antibacterial test method for textile products (JIS L 1902) was performed. The result was judged by the presence or absence of halo.

FIG. 3 shows the obtained antibacterial evaluation. The following was found from FIG. -When the Ag ion concentration is 3 ppb or more, the antibacterial property is recognized in the clothes, and the growth of bacteria in the washing machine tub is suppressed. As a result of a 100-time washing repetition test, when the amount was 50 ppb or more, adhesion of black deposits of silver was slightly generated.

In this example, the rinsing step 2 was performed with silver ion water, and the effect shown in FIG. 3 was obtained. No effect was observed even when silver ion water was used in the washing step. In the present embodiment, the rinsing step 2 is completed, and FIG.
The adhesion of the black precipitate shown in FIG. When a rinsing step with tap water was added after the rinsing step 2, although the antibacterial performance was somewhat reduced, it was possible to reduce the formation of black precipitates while maintaining the antibacterial property.

FIG. 4 shows the effect of the flow rate on the concentration of silver ions generated by the electrolysis according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, even if the flow rate varies between 10 L and 20 L, the silver concentration shows a stable value between 20 and 22 ppb.

FIG. 5 shows an operation panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. An operation panel 510 on the entire surface of the washing machine A has a power switch, a switch for selecting cleaning conditions such as a “conservation course” and a “careful course” 520, and a “select antibacterial water” switch 550 for selecting whether or not antibacterial treatment is performed. It consists of a lamp indicating that the vehicle is running, an "antibacterial completion" display indicating that the antibacterial treatment has been completed, and a "silver ion water" display indicating that silver ion water remains in the washing machine.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, a silver ion water generator may be arranged below the washing container 103.

[0034]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a silver ion water generation device provided in the washing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows evaluation results of silver ion concentration and antibacterial performance according to an example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows the influence on the flow rate of the electrolytic cell according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a control unit and a display unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A: Cleaning device B: Silver ion water generator 100: Water tap 110: Relief valve 103: Washing container 240: Control unit 106: Injection port 210: Flow sensor 290a: Water pipe 290a

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A washing machine having a plurality of washing steps for washing clothes, the washing machine washing the clothes using washing water supplied each time of the plurality of washing steps, A silver ion addition unit for adding silver ions to water is provided,
A washing machine wherein silver ions are supplied as washing water in the last of a plurality of washing steps. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the silver ion adding unit includes an electrolytic cell including a silver electrode and a control unit for controlling power of the silver electrode. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrolytic cell is disposed in the middle of a flow path through which tap water flows, and power is applied to the electrolytic cell in synchronism with the flow of the tap water to generate silver ion water. Item 3. The washing machine according to Item 2. 4. The washing according to claim 3, wherein the electrolysis power is completed when a preset electrolysis time is reached, and the water is stopped when a preset predetermined water amount detected by a flow switch or the like is reached. Machine. 5. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the silver concentration of the silver ionized water used for the washing is 3 ppb or more and 50 ppb or less. 6. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein after washing with silver ion water, rinsing is performed with tap water containing no silver ions. 7. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for selecting whether or not to employ a washing process with silver ion water. 8. A display unit for displaying whether or not the washing water inside the washing machine is silver ion water, and displaying that the washing water is silver ion water when the washing water is silver ion water. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: 9. A display unit for displaying that washing with silver ion water has been performed, wherein when washing with silver ion water is completed, it is displayed that washing with silver ion water is performed. The washing machine according to any one of the above.