JP2023034104A - washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A washing machine capable of suppressing clogging of a liquid agent between a tank storing the liquid agent and an outer tub is provided. A washing machine according to the present disclosure includes an outer tub elastically supported in a housing, a first tank 62A containing a liquid agent supplied to the outer tub, and a second tank 62A containing a liquid agent supplied to the outer tub. 2 tank 62B, a first automatic liquid material injection device 63A connected to the first tank 62A and discharging the liquid material from the first discharge port, and a second automatic liquid material injection device 63A connected to the second tank 62B and discharging the liquid material from the second discharge port. It is equipped with an automatic liquid material feeder 63B and a liquid material discharge channel 64 connected to the first discharge port and the second discharge port to flow the liquid material toward the outer tank. extending along the downward slope. [Selection drawing] Fig. 6

Description

The present disclosure relates to washing machines.

For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a washing machine equipped with an automatic dispensing device for liquid agents.

The washing machine described in WO 2005/030001 comprises an automatic dosing device that includes a tank case in which two tanks, a detergent tank and a fabric softener tank, are mounted. The automatic input device automatically supplies a required amount of detergent and fabric softener from the tank to the discharge part, and loads it into the outer tub.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-007638

However, in the washing machine described in Patent Document 1, there is still room for improvement in terms of preventing clogging of the liquid agent between the tank storing the liquid agent and the outer tub.

Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to solve the above problems, and to provide a washing machine capable of suppressing clogging of the liquid agent between the tank storing the liquid agent and the outer tub.

A washing machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an outer tub elastically supported in a housing, a first tank containing a liquid agent supplied to the outer tub, and a second tank containing a liquid agent supplied to the outer tub. , a first automatic liquid material feeder connected to the first tank and discharging the liquid material from the first discharge port; a second automatic liquid material feeder connected to the second tank and discharging the liquid material from the second discharge port; a liquid agent ejection channel connected to the first ejection port and the second ejection port and configured to flow the liquid agent toward the outer tank;

Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a washing machine capable of suppressing clogging of a liquid agent between a tank storing the liquid agent and an outer tub.

Schematic cross-sectional view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure Schematic front view of washing machine Perspective view of automatic loading unit Perspective view of automatic loading unit Top view of automatic loading unit Perspective view of part of the automatic loading unit Perspective view of the case Exploded view of the fluid discharge channel Perspective view of the lid Perspective view of liquid agent discharge channel Cross-sectional view of the liquid material discharge channel Perspective sectional view of automatic loading unit Perspective view of a tank, a liquid injection device, and a liquid discharge channel Schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid injection device Enlarged view of a liquid agent injection device and a liquid agent discharge channel Perspective view of support Enlarged view of the ejection port in a state where the liquid agent injection device is inserted into the liquid agent ejection channel Illustration of the case showing the flow of water and fluid

(embodiment)
A washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[overall structure]
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a washing machine 1 of an embodiment according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the washing machine 1. FIG. The washing machine 1 of this embodiment is a washing/drying machine having a liquid agent automatic injection function. In this specification, the liquid agent is a liquid agent used for washing the laundry 15 such as clothes, and includes detergents, softeners, neutral detergents, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the washing machine 1 includes a housing 2, an outer tub 3, an inner tub 4, a drive unit 5, an automatic loading unit 6, a connecting channel 8, a water supply valve 10, and a drain valve. 11 and a controller (not shown).

<Case>
The housing 2 is a member that forms the appearance of the washing machine 1 . An opening 20 and an openable/closable door 21 covering the opening 20 are provided on the front surface of the housing 2 .

<Outer tank>
The outer tub 3 is a substantially cylindrical member provided inside the housing 2 and having a function of storing washing water. The outer tank 3 may be called a water tank. The outer tub 3 has a tubular portion 34 and a bottom portion 36 closing one end of the tubular portion 34 . A central axis V0 of the outer tub 3 passes through the center of the bottom portion 36 . The central axis V0 is tilted with respect to the horizontal. The outer tub 3 has an opening 31 at a position facing the opening 20 of the housing 2 and is hermetically connected to the opening 20 of the housing 2 by a bellows 32 . The outer tub 3 is further provided with openings 33 and 35 for water flow. The opening 33 is an opening connected to the connection channel 8, and the opening 35 is a drain port for draining the water in the outer tank 3 to the outside.

Further, in the following description, the horizontal direction along the central axis V0 is defined as the front-rear direction M (FIG. 1), and the horizontal direction orthogonal to the plane including the central axis V0 is defined as the width direction K (FIG. 2). The front-rear direction M has a front side M1 toward the opening 31 and a rear side M2 toward the bottom 36, and the width direction K has an outer side K1 away from the center axis V0 and a center side K2 toward the center axis V0.

<Inner tank>
The inner tub 4 is a substantially cylindrical member that is rotatable around the central axis V0 inside the outer tub 3 and accommodates laundry 15 such as clothes. The inner tank 4 may also be called a drum. A large number of through holes 40 are formed in the inner tank 4 . The through hole 40 allows the inner tub 4 and the outer tub 3 to communicate with each other to allow the wash water to move from the inner tub 4 to the outer tub 3 . The inner tub 4 further has an opening 41 at a position facing the opening 20 of the housing 2 and the opening 31 of the outer tub 3 .

<Drive unit>
The drive unit 5 is a member that rotates the inner tank 4 around the central axis V0. The drive unit 5 has, for example, a motor that rotates the inner tub 4 .

<Automatic input unit>
The automatic injection unit 6 is a unit for automatically injecting a predetermined amount of liquid agent determined by the control unit from a liquid agent storage tank into the outer tank 3 . When the liquid agent is not manually input, the automatic input unit 6 supplies an appropriate type of liquid agent in an appropriate amount according to the amount and type of the laundry 15 during the washing process, the rinsing process, and the like. Put into tank 3. The automatic dosing unit 6 is connected to the outer bath 3 via a connecting channel 8 in order to supply the liquid agent to the outer bath 3 .

The automatic injection unit 6 includes a case 61, tanks 62A, 62B and 62C (tanks 62B and 62C not shown), liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B and 63C (liquid agent injection devices 63B and 63C not shown), and liquid agent ejection. A channel 64 , a manual input part 65 and a water supply electromagnetic valve 66 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the automatic loading unit 6 is provided diagonally above the outer tub 3 inside the housing 2 . The automatic loading unit 6 faces an openable/closable cover 60 provided on the upper surface of the housing 2 . The automatic loading unit 6 has a shape along the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 34 of the outer tub 3 .

<Connection channel>
The connection channel 8 is a channel for supplying the liquid agent from the automatic injection unit 6 to the outer tank 3 . The connecting channel 8 extends downward from the automatic loading unit 6 to the opening 33 of the outer tub 3 .

<Water supply valve>
The water supply valve 10 is a valve for supplying water to the outer tub 3 via the automatic feeding unit 6 . A water supply valve 10 is provided in the upper portion of the housing 2 .

<Drain valve>
The drain valve 11 is configured to be openable and closable, and is a valve for draining water stored in the outer tub 3 through an opening 35 of the outer tub 3 when opened. A drain valve 11 is provided at the bottom of the housing 2 .

<Control unit>
The controller is a member that controls the operation of the washing machine 1 . The control unit controls components of the washing machine 1 such as the driving unit 5, the liquid material injection devices 63A, 63B, and 63C of the automatic injection unit 6, the water supply valve 10, and the drain valve 11. The control unit includes, for example, a memory (not shown) storing a program and a processing circuit (not shown) corresponding to a processor such as a CPU, and the processor functions as these elements by executing the program. may

Next, constituent elements of the automatic injection unit 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. FIG. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the automatic loading unit 6. FIG. FIG. 5 is a top view of the automatic loading unit 6. FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of part of the automatic injection unit 6. FIG.

<Case>
As shown in FIG. 3, the case 61 is a member that accommodates the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C that constitute the automatic loading unit 6 and the manual loading section 65. As shown in FIG. The bottom surface 55 of the case 61 has an inclined shape along the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 34 schematically indicated by the dotted line.

Here, the surface on the front side M1 of the case 61 is defined as a front surface 56 (FIG. 3), and the surface on the rear side M2 of the case 61 is defined as a rear surface 57 (FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4, on the rear surface 57 of the case 61, there are provided liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B (FIG. 6), 63C (FIG. 6), a liquid agent discharge channel 64, a water supply electromagnetic valve 66, and a connecting channel 8. is connected.

As shown in FIG. 5 , a supply channel 67 is formed in the upper portion of the case 61 . The supply channel 67 forms a plurality of independent paths along the outer circumference of the case 61 . Each route supplies water from the water supply electromagnetic valve 66 to the inside of the case 61 .

<Water supply solenoid valve>
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it is composed of three electromagnetic valves, and by opening and closing the respective valves, the route of the supply channel 67 (FIG. 5) to which water is to be supplied is changed.

<Tank>
As shown in FIG. 5, the case 61 accommodates three tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C aligned in the width direction K. As shown in FIG. Tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C are containers for storing liquid agents used in the washing process and the rinsing process. For example, neutral detergent is stored in tank 62A, softener is stored in tank 62B, and detergent is stored in tank 62C. The tanks 62A, 62B, 62C are removable from the case 61. An empty space is formed on the front side M1 of the tank 62 when the manual loading unit 65 is removed from the case 61 . In this state, the tanks 62A, 62B, 62C can be pulled to the front side M1 to be removed from the liquid agent charging devices 63A, 63B, 63C (FIG. 6) and taken out upward.

<Manual input unit>
The manual input unit 65 is a mechanism for the user to manually input a liquid agent as a laundry treatment agent for one time. The liquid agent that is manually added flows into the outer tank 3 (FIG. 1) from the case 61 through the connecting channel 8 (FIG. 1) in the amount that was added. Manually dosed liquid agents may be in liquid or powder form. The manual loading unit 65 is detachably housed in the case 61 .

<Liquid injection device>
As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C are devices that suck out a predetermined amount of liquid agent from tanks 62A, 62B, 62C and eject it into the liquid agent ejection channel 64. As shown in FIG. The liquid injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C are connected to the respective tanks 62A, 62B, 62C in the front-rear direction M via the rear surface 57 of the case 61 . A liquid material introduction device 63A is connected to the tank 62A, a liquid material introduction device 63B is connected to the tank 62B, and a liquid material introduction device 63C is connected to the tank 62C. The liquid injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C are arranged side by side in the width direction K. As shown in FIG.

<Liquid agent discharge channel>
As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is a channel member that supplies the liquid agent and water to the outer tank 3 (FIG. 1) through the case 61. As shown in FIG. The liquid agent discharge channel 64 is provided on the back surface 57 of the case 61 and connected to the three liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, and 63C. The liquid agent discharge channel 64 extends along the outer circumference of the outer tank 3 while being inclined downward toward the outer side K1. In other words, the liquid agent discharge flow path 64 extends from upstream to downstream while being inclined downward with respect to the horizontal plane. A fluid (for example, water W0) flowing through the liquid agent ejection channel 64 flows in one direction according to the inclination of the liquid agent ejection channel 64 .

Next, the structures of the case 61 and the liquid agent discharge channel 64 of the automatic injection unit 6 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8A to 8D. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the case 61. FIG. FIG. 8A is an exploded view of the liquid agent discharge channel 64. FIG. 8B is a perspective view of lid 93. FIG. 8C is a perspective view of the liquid agent discharge channel 64. FIG. 8D is a cross-sectional view of the liquid agent discharge channel 64. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the case 61 has inner bottom surfaces B1, B2, and B3. The inner bottom surfaces B1, B2, B3 are arranged in order along the outer side K1. The inner bottom surface B1 is a surface positioned directly below the tank 62A (FIG. 6), the inner bottom surface B2 is a surface positioned directly below the tank 62B (FIG. 6), and the inner bottom surface B3 is a surface positioned directly below the tank 62C (FIG. 6). ).

Tank connection ports 77A, 77B, and 77C, a first case connection port 78, a second case connection port 79, and a liquid agent outlet 81 are formed on the rear surface 57 of the case 61 .

The tank connection ports 77A, 77B, 77C are openings provided for connecting the tanks 62A, 62B, 62C accommodated in the case 61 and the liquid material injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C arranged outside the case 61. is.

Also, the first case connection port 78 is an opening that allows water flowing from the supply channel 67 to flow into the liquid agent discharge channel 64 . The second case connection port 79 is an opening through which water from the liquid agent discharge channel 64 and the liquid agent that is automatically injected flow into the case 61 . The liquid agent outlet 81 is an opening through which the fluid that has flowed into the case 61 from the second case connection port 79 and the fluid that flows from the manual input portion 65 are discharged through the connection channel 8 toward the outer tank 3 .

The first case connection port 78 is provided at a position higher than the second case connection port 79 , and the second case connection port 79 is provided at a position higher than the liquid agent outlet 81 .

As shown in FIG. 8A, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is formed by a main body 92 and a lid 93 . The main body 92 forms a space through which the automatically injected liquid agent and water flow, and has an opening 100 on the side. Lid 93 covers opening 100 to seal main body 92 . In other words, the main body 92 constitutes the inner bottom surface of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 , and the lid 93 constitutes one side surface of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 . The main body 92 forms a laterally extending main flow path 95 and branch flow paths 96A, 96B, 96C branching upward from the main flow path 95 and extending therefrom. Lower portions of liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B and 63C (liquid agent injection devices 63B and 63C not shown) are inserted into the branch flow paths 96A, 96B and 96C, respectively. An ejection port 70 for ejecting a predetermined amount of liquid agent is formed in the lower portion of the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, and 63C. The liquid agent ejected from the ejection port 70 flows into the main channel 95 from the branch channels 96A, 96B, and 96C.

A plurality of lead wire hooks 97 are formed on the lower portion of the lid 93 . The lead wire hook 97 has a structure for holding a lead wire 97A extending from the electronic component of the automatic loading unit 6. As shown in FIG. The lead wire 97A is, for example, a member that connects a later-described power section 71 of the liquid agent injection device 63 to an external power supply.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the surface P1 of the lid 93 facing the main flow path 95 is smooth.

As shown in FIG. 8C , an inlet 98 is formed upstream of the main flow path 95 and an outlet 99 is formed downstream of the main flow path 95 . The liquid agents discharged by the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, and 63C flow along the main flow path 95 toward the outlet port 99 . Water flowing from the inlet 98 is introduced into the main flow path 95 and discharged from the outlet 99 .

Outlet 99 is slanted downward. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the liquid agent from remaining in the vicinity of the outflow port 99 .

As shown in FIG. 8D, connection ports 69A, 69B, and 69C are formed at branch points of the main flow path 95 . The connection ports 69A, 69B, 69C are openings on one end sides of the branch flow paths 96A, 96B, 96C, and face the ejection ports 70 of the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C, respectively.

When the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is connected to the case 61 (FIG. 7), the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is inclined downward. Due to the inclination of the liquid agent discharge channel 64, the water and the liquid agent flowing through the main channel 95 flow according to gravity. In addition, due to the inclination of the liquid agent discharge channel 64, the connection ports 69A, 69B, and 69C are lowered toward the outer side K1 and arranged in a stepped manner. The inflow port 98 is connected to the water supply valve 10 via the case 61 , and the outflow port 99 is connected to the outer tub 3 via the case 61 and the connection channel 8 .

As described above, the main body 92 is provided with a structure for attaching the liquid agent discharge channel 64 to the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C and the case 61 . Therefore, even when the body 92 and the lid 93 are welded together, it is possible to prevent the position of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 from being shifted with respect to other components.

The main channel 95 is linearly inclined downward. When the main flow path 95 is linearly inclined, the fluid can easily flow, and the fluid can be prevented from staying. On the other hand, the inclination angle of the liquid agent ejection channel 64 may change in the middle of the liquid agent ejection channel 64 . A channel portion having a component in the horizontal direction (width direction K) may be provided in the middle of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 .

Returning to FIG. 8A, the dimension D1 in the longitudinal direction M of the main flow passage 95 is greater than the dimension D2 in the vertical direction Z of the main flow passage 95 on the downstream side of the connection port 69A (FIG. 8D). Furthermore, the main flow path 95 has an enlarged diameter portion 95A upstream of the outflow port 99 . The cross-sectional area of the enlarged diameter portion 95A increases downstream. In this embodiment, the enlarged diameter portion 95A is realized by increasing the distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the main flow path 95 . Further, the enlarged diameter portion 95A may be realized by increasing the distance between the front surface and the rear surface of the main flow path 95 .

The main body 92 and the lid 93 are bonded together in the front-rear direction M. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the main body 92 and the lid 93 are bonded together by vibration welding. Therefore, the main body 92 has a plurality of ribs 92A, 92B. The rib 92A is a plate-shaped member that rises from the upper surface of the main body 92 and extends in the front-rear direction M. As shown in FIG. Similarly, the rib 92B is a plate-shaped member that rises from the lower surface of the main body 92 and extends in the front-rear direction M. As shown in FIG. By providing the ribs 92A and 92B, it is possible to suppress bending and deformation of the main body 92 along the connection direction during vibration welding, and to improve the strength of the liquid agent discharge flow path 64 .

A state in which the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C are attached to the case 61 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective sectional view of the automatic injection unit 6. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 9, tanks 62A, 62B, 62C have depths L1, L2, L3, respectively. Depths L1, L2, and L3 are the distances from the upper surface to the deepest part of each tank 62A, 62B, and 62C. The depths L1, L2, L3 of tanks 62A, 62B, 62C increase in sequence. Depth L2 of tank 62B is greater than depth L1 of tank 62A, and depth L3 of tank 62C is greater than depth L2 of tank 62B. Also, since the upper surfaces of the tanks 62A, 62B, 62C have a common shape, the volumes of the tanks 62A, 62B, 62C increase in order according to the depths L1, L2, L3.

As described above, tanks 62A, 62B and 62C store neutral detergent, softener and detergent, respectively. Taking into consideration the types of liquid agents and the volumes of the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C, the liquid agents may be stored in the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C in order of decreasing frequency of use. Also, the same liquid agent may be stored in the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C.

As shown in FIG. 9, the bottom surfaces of the tanks 62A, 62B, 62C including the deepest portions extend in the width direction K and become lower in order. Therefore, the bottom surfaces of the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C are arranged in a stepped pattern.

Directly under the tank 62C is close to the outside of the housing 2, and compared to the tanks 62A and 62B, it is easier to secure a space in the vertical direction, so a large gap can be formed. Therefore, it is possible to easily form the input channel 82 for flowing the liquid agent and water to the outer tank 3 along the inner bottom surface B3. With such a configuration, the space above the outer tub 3 can be effectively utilized. A manually injected liquid agent directly flows into the injection channel 82 from the manual injection unit 65 , and an automatically injected liquid agent flows into the injection channel 82 via the liquid agent discharge channel 64 . The input channel 82 allows water and the liquid agent to flow toward the liquid agent outlet 81 (FIG. 7) along the inner bottom surface B3.

Tanks 62A, 62B, 62C form connections 76A, 76B, 76C at their deepest points. The connecting portions 76A, 76B, 76C have a structure including openings through which the liquid agent is sucked out by the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C shown in FIG.

Next, the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, 63C connected to the tanks 62A, 62B, 62C will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

Here, the tank 62 is a general term for the tanks 62A, 62B, and 62C. Similarly, the liquid agent injection device 63 is a general term for the liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, and 63C, the connection port 69 is a general term for the connection ports 69A, 69B, and 69C, and the branch flow path 96 is a general term for the branch flow paths 96A, 96B, 96C is a generic term, and the connecting portion 76 is a generic term for the connecting portions 76A, 76B, and 76C. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tank 62, the liquid material injection device 63, and the liquid material discharge channel 64. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the liquid material injection device 63 is connected to the tank 62 and the liquid material discharge channel 64 . The liquid agent injection devices 63A, 63B, and 63C are arranged stepwise so as to become lower in order according to the change in the depth of the connecting portion 76 of the tank 62 . Furthermore, the stepwise arrangement of the liquid agent injection device 63 corresponds to the inclination of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 .

The structure of one liquid injection device 63 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. FIG. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the liquid injection device 63 viewed from the lateral direction. FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lower end of the liquid injection device 63. As shown in FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the support portion 87. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 11 , the liquid injection device 63 includes a power section 71 , a reduction mechanism 72 and a pump mechanism 73 .

The power unit 71 transmits rotational motion to the reduction mechanism 72 . The deceleration mechanism 72 decelerates the rotational motion of the power section 71 by a plurality of gears (not shown) and has a decelerated output shaft V2. The pump mechanism 73 is a positive displacement pump driven by the output shaft V2 of the reduction mechanism 72 .

The pump mechanism 73 has a piston 83 , a cylinder 84 and an outlet channel 86 . The piston 83 is a member that is connected to the output shaft V2 of the deceleration mechanism 72 and reciprocates in the vertical direction Z as the output shaft V2 rotates. The cylinder 84 is a member that accommodates the piston 83 and forms a space in which the liquid agent is sucked up. The outlet channel 86 is a channel that connects the lower end of the cylinder 84 and the liquid agent discharge channel 64 and extends in the vertical direction Z in order to discharge the liquid agent in the cylinder 84 to the liquid agent discharge channel 64 (FIG. 10). .

As shown in FIG. 12 , the outlet channel 86 is provided with a support portion 87 , a seal 89 and a valve 91 . The support portion 87 is a member that supports the valve 91 and forms the discharge port 70 of the liquid agent injection device 63 . The support portion 87 protrudes downward Z<b>1 with respect to the lower end of the outlet channel 86 . The seal 89 is provided in the valve 91 and is a member that prevents backflow of water to the cylinder 84 when the valve 91 is closed. Seal 89 may be an O-ring. Valve 91 is a check valve that controls the flow of the liquid agent in outlet channel 86 . When the valve 91 moves downward and is opened, the liquid agent is discharged from the discharge port 70 .

As shown in FIG. 13, the support portion 87 has an outer cylindrical portion 87A, a central cylindrical portion 87B, and ribs 87C. A discharge port 70 is formed between the outer cylindrical portion 87A and the central cylindrical portion 87B. The ribs 87C radially extend from the outer peripheral surface of the central tubular portion 87B toward the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral tubular portion 87A. When viewed in the up-down direction Z, the ejection port 70 is defined in three sectors by the ribs 87C.

The central tubular portion 87B forms a passage 94 for accommodating a valve 91 (FIG. 12) and protrudes downward Z1 with respect to the outer peripheral tubular portion 87A. In the manufacture of the support portion 87, burrs may occur at the tip of the central tubular portion 87B. If a burr occurs at the tip of the central cylindrical portion 87B, the burr may hinder the movement of the valve 91 and thus the discharge of the liquid agent. On the other hand, by protruding the central tubular portion 87B, it is possible to suppress excessive hindrance to movement of the valve 91 even when burrs are generated at the tip of the central tubular portion 87B.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the discharge port 70 and its vicinity when the liquid agent injection device 63 is inserted into the liquid agent discharge channel 64 . In FIG. 14, the opening of the connection port 69 is indicated by line BB. As shown in FIG. 14 , the support portion 87 is inserted into the branch channel 96 and the discharge port 70 faces the connection port 69 . In this state, when viewed from the vertical direction Z, the entire ejection port 70 is formed inside the connection port 69 (FIG. 13). The entire discharge port 70 is exposed to the water W<b>0 flowing through the main flow path 95 . Therefore, when the amount of water W0 flowing through the main flow path 95 is large and the water W0 flows near the upper surface of the main flow path 95, part of the water W1 flows into the branch flow path 96 and hits the discharge port 70 and the central cylindrical portion 87B. . The water W<b>1 that hits falls together with the liquid agent adhering to the discharge port 70 and the valve 91 and joins the main flow path 95 .

Considering the positional relationship in the vertical direction, the outer cylindrical portion 87A is positioned above the connection port 69, and the central cylindrical portion 87B is positioned below the connection port 69. As shown in FIG. When viewed from the lateral direction, the ejection port 70 is formed above the BB line. On the other hand, the lower end of the central tubular portion 87B overlaps the line BB and protrudes into the main flow path 95. As shown in FIG. Such arrangement allows the water W1 to hit the central tubular portion 87B while preventing the outer peripheral tubular portion 87A from obstructing the flow of the water W0.

[motion]
Next, an example of the operation of the automatic loading unit 6 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 11, 14 and 15. FIG. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the case 61 showing the flow of water W0 and liquid agents S1 and S2.

The automatic loading unit 6 operates during the washing process and the rinsing process of the washing machine 1. - 特許庁The operation of the automatic injection unit 6 is controlled by the controller. The controller controls, for example, the opening and closing of the water supply solenoid valve 66, the type of liquid agent to be injected, the amount of injection, the timing of injection, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 15, water W0 is supplied from the water supply valve 10 to the automatic input unit 6 in the washing process and the rinsing process. The water W0 flows into the case 61 from an opening 68 formed on the center side K2 through the water supply solenoid valve 66 and the supply flow path 67. As shown in FIG. The water W0 that has flowed into the case 61 flows from the first case connection port 78 along the inclined liquid agent discharge channel 64 (not shown) along with gravity, and flows from the second case connection port 79 into the case 61 input channel. Flow into 82. The water W0 that has flowed into the case 61 is guided to the liquid agent outlet 81 by the input channel 82 and flows into the outer tank 3 (not shown) via the connection channel 8 (not shown).

By the operation of the control section in the washing process, the liquid material injection device 63C (Fig. 10) connected to the tank 62C (Fig. 10) containing the detergent is driven. The detergent S1 in the tank 62C is discharged from the discharge port 70 to the liquid discharge channel 64 by the liquid discharge device 63C.

As shown in FIG. 15, the detergent S1 flows along the inclined liquid agent discharge channel 64 along with gravity, and flows into the input channel 82 of the case 61 from the second case connection port 79 . The detergent S1 that has flowed into the case 61 is guided to the liquid agent outlet 81 by the inclination of the input channel 82 and flows into the outer tub 3 via the connection channel 8 . The detergent S<b>1 may join the water W<b>0 in the liquid agent discharge channel 64 .

On the other hand, when the laundry 15 accommodated in the outer tub 3 is intended for washing fashionable clothes, a neutral detergent is accommodated instead of the liquid injection device 63C of the tank 62C that accommodates the detergent S1. The liquid injection device 63A of the tank 62A is driven.

By the operation of the controller in the rinsing process, the liquid material introduction device 63B of the tank 62B containing the softener S2 is driven.

Returning to FIG. 14, in the washing step and the rinsing step, when the liquid agent is ejected from the ejection port 70, the liquid agent flows downstream through the liquid agent ejection channel 64 together with the water W0. Since the liquid agent ejection channel 64 is inclined, it is possible to prevent the liquid agent from staying and sticking in the liquid agent ejection channel 64 and clogging the liquid agent ejection channel 64 .

Also, part of the liquid agent does not fall into the liquid agent discharge channel 64 and remains attached around the discharge port 70 . Therefore, when a large amount of water W0 flows through the liquid agent discharge channel 64, part of the water W1 passes through the connection port 69 and hits the discharge port 70 and the periphery of the central cylindrical portion 87B. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid agent from staying for a long time, sticking and accumulating, and clogging the ejection port 70 . Further, it is possible to prevent the liquid agent from adhering to the circumference of the central tubular portion 87B and inhibiting the movement of the valve 91 accommodated in the passage 94 .

The above description is summarized to describe the features of the present disclosure.

In the washing machine 1 according to this embodiment, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is inclined downward from upstream to downstream. The inclination of the liquid agent ejection channel 64 promotes the flow of the liquid agent that is automatically injected, and prevents the liquid agent from staying in the liquid agent ejection channel 64 for a long time and sticking. Therefore, it is possible to maintain the state in which the liquid agent discharge flow path 64 is in communication. Furthermore, the inclination of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 promotes the flow of water. The flow of water can carry the highly viscous liquid formulation downstream and further facilitate the flow of the liquid formulation.

Further, in the conventional configuration, the exposure of the ejection port to the flow of water in the liquid agent ejection channel was suppressed by the gap between the inner bottom surface of the liquid agent ejection channel and the ejection port of the liquid agent injection device. In contrast to such a structure, in the configuration of the washing machine 1 , the discharge port 70 is formed inside the connection port 69 and the entire discharge port 70 is exposed to the water flowing through the main flow path 95 . Therefore, when the flow rate of the water W0 flowing through the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is large, the water can easily hit the discharge port 70 and its surroundings. By applying water, the liquid agent adhering to the ejection port 70 and its surroundings can be washed off, and the liquid agent can be prevented from sticking.

As described above, it is possible to provide the washing machine 1 capable of suppressing clogging of the liquid agent between the tank 62 storing the liquid agent and the outer tub 3 .

[Effect 1]
According to the washing machine 1 according to Embodiment 1, the following effects can be obtained.

As described above, the washing machine 1 of this embodiment includes the outer tub 3, the tank 62A (first tank), the tank 62B (second tank), and the liquid material input device 63A (first automatic liquid material input device). , a liquid agent injection device 63 B (second automatic liquid agent injection device), and a liquid agent discharge channel 64 . The outer tub 3 is elastically supported within the housing 2 . The tank 62A accommodates the liquid agent to be supplied to the outer tank 3. As shown in FIG. The tank 62B accommodates the liquid agent to be supplied to the outer tank 3 . The liquid agent injection device 63A is connected to the tank 62A and ejects the liquid agent from the ejection port 70 (first ejection port). The liquid agent injection device 63B is connected to the tank 62B and ejects the liquid agent from the ejection port 70 (second ejection port). The liquid agent discharge channel 64 is connected to the discharge ports 70 of the liquid agent injection devices 63A and 63B, and causes the liquid agent to flow toward the outer tank 3 . The liquid agent discharge channel 64 extends along the outer circumference of the outer tank 3 while being inclined downward.

With such a configuration, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 inclined along the outer tank 3 can promote the flow of the liquid agent while realizing space saving. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the liquid agent from remaining and sticking in the liquid agent ejection channel 64 and suppress the clogging of the liquid agent ejection channel 64 .

In addition, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the tank 62B is arranged on the outside K1 (along the first direction away from the central axis V0 passing through the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3) with respect to the tank 62A. The liquid agent discharge channel 64 extends downward along the outer side K1.

With such a configuration, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 inclined along the arrangement of the outer tank 3 and the tank 62 can further enhance space saving.

Moreover, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the depth L2 of the tank 62B is greater than the depth L1 of the tank 62A.

With such a configuration, the depth of the tank 62 is increased in accordance with the inclination of the liquid agent discharge channel 64, and the volume of the tank 62 is secured, while the flow of water and the liquid agent is further promoted in the liquid agent discharge channel 64. can do. Further, it is possible to arrange the liquid agent between the tank 62 and the liquid agent discharge channel 64 so as to suppress variations in the distance through which the liquid agent flows. Therefore, it is possible to suppress variation in the resistance to the liquid agent due to variation in the distance through which the liquid agent flows, and to achieve uniformity in the amount of the liquid agent to be input.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the ejection port 70 of the liquid agent injection device 63B is formed at a position lower than the ejection port 70 of the liquid agent injection device 63A.

With such a configuration, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is inclined along the arrangement of the liquid agent injection device 63, and the liquid agent flows between the liquid agent injection device 63 and the liquid agent discharge channel 64, and the variation in the distance through which the liquid agent flows is suppressed. be possible. Therefore, it is possible to suppress variations in the resistance to the liquid agent and to achieve uniformity in the input amount of the liquid agent.

In addition, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid injection device 63A and the liquid injection device 63B are arranged above the liquid discharge channel 64, and the discharge port 70 is connected to the liquid discharge channel 64 from above.

By arranging the liquid agent injection device 63 above the liquid agent ejection channel 64 with such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the water and the liquid agent flowing through the liquid agent ejection channel 64 from flowing back into the liquid agent injection device 63 .

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the inlet 98 of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is formed at a position higher than the outlet 99 of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 .

With such a configuration, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 extends downward from the inlet 98 to the outlet 99 and flows from the inlet 98 toward the outlet 99 due to gravity. It is possible to suppress the retention of the liquid agent.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid material injection device 63A is connected to the rear surface of the tank 62A, and the liquid material injection device 63B is connected to the rear surface of the tank 62B.

With such a configuration, the dimension of the automatic injection unit 6 in the vertical direction Z can be reduced compared to the case where the liquid agent injection device 63 is connected to the bottom surface of the tank 62 . Therefore, the volume of the tank 62 can be increased even in a limited space.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 increases along the outer side K1 (toward the downstream side).

With such a configuration, even when the flow rate of the liquid agent is increased on the downstream side of the liquid agent ejection channel 64, it is possible to suppress the remaining and sticking of the liquid agent, and to suppress the clogging of the liquid agent ejection channel 64.

[Effect 2]
The washing machine 1 of the present embodiment includes an outer tub 3, a water supply valve 10, a tank 62 (first tank), a liquid material input device 63 (first automatic liquid material input device), and a liquid material discharge channel 64. Prepare. The outer tub 3 is elastically supported within the housing 2 . The water supply valve 10 supplies water to the outer tub 3 . The tank 62 contains the liquid agent to be supplied to the outer tank 3 . The liquid agent injection device 63 is connected to the tank 62 and forms an ejection port 70 (first ejection port) for ejecting the liquid agent downward. The liquid agent discharge channel 64 has a connection port 69 (first connection port) that communicates with the discharge port 70 and is connected to the water supply valve 10 and the outer tank 3 . The ejection port 70 is formed inside the connection port 69 when viewed in the vertical direction Z (the ejection direction of the liquid agent).

With such a configuration, water can flow around the ejection port 70 in the liquid agent ejection channel 64 to wash off the liquid agent adhering to the periphery of the ejection port 70 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the liquid agent from remaining and sticking around the discharge port 70 , thereby preventing clogging of the downstream side of the liquid agent injection device 63 .

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 extends downward to the outside K1 (along the first direction away from the central axis V0 passing through the bottom portion 36 of the outer tub 3).

With such a configuration, the ejection port 70 can be cleaned using the liquid agent ejection channel 64 in which the flow of the liquid agent is promoted by gravity.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid material injection device 63 further has a support portion 87 (first member) forming the discharge port 70 . The support portion 87 has an outer cylindrical portion 87A and a central cylindrical portion 87B disposed inside the outer cylindrical portion 87A and accommodating the valve 91 movable in the vertical direction Z. The discharge port 70 is defined between the outer cylindrical portion 87A and the central cylindrical portion 87B.

With such a configuration, the center cylinder portion 87B can also be cleaned, so that inhibition of the opening/closing movement of the valve 91 due to adhesion of the liquid agent can be suppressed.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the central tubular portion 87B protrudes from the outer peripheral tubular portion 87A.

Such a configuration makes it easier to wash the central cylindrical portion 87B, and further suppresses obstruction of the opening and closing movement of the valve due to adhesion of the liquid agent.

In addition, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, when viewed from the front-rear direction M (the direction orthogonal to the discharge direction), the central tubular portion 87B crosses the connection port 69, and the discharge port 70 is formed above the connection port 69. be done.

Such a configuration makes it easier to clean the central tubular portion 87B. On the other hand, since the outer cylindrical portion 87A does not cross the connection port 69, it is possible to suppress obstruction of the fluid flow in the liquid agent discharge channel 64. In addition, it is possible to prevent the fluid from flowing backward from the liquid agent ejection channel 64 to the liquid agent injection device 63 through the ejection port 70 .

Moreover, the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment further has a tank 62B (second tank) and a liquid agent injection device 63B (second automatic liquid agent injection device). The tank 62B accommodates the liquid agent to be supplied to the outer tank 3, and is arranged on the outer side K1 with respect to the tank 62A. The liquid material injection device 63B is connected to the tank 62B and the liquid material discharge channel 64, and discharges the liquid material downward from the discharge port .

With such a configuration, even when a plurality of liquid agent injection devices 63 are provided, clogging on the downstream side of the liquid agent injection device 63 can be suppressed.

The washing machine 1 of this embodiment includes an outer tub 3 elastically supported in the housing 2, a water supply valve 10 for supplying water to the outer tub 3, and a tank 62A ( a first tank), a liquid agent injection device 63A (first automatic liquid agent injection device) which is connected to the tank 62A and forms an ejection port 70 (first ejection port) for ejecting the liquid agent downward, and communicates with the ejection port 70. A connection port 69A (first connection port) is formed in the upper portion, and a liquid agent discharge channel 64 connected to the water supply valve 10 and the outer tank 3 is provided. ) is larger than the dimension D2 in the vertical direction Z.

With such a configuration, the ejection port 70 can be easily washed with water.

In addition, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 forms a main channel 95 (space) through which the automatically injected liquid agent and water flow. a lid 93 attached to the body 92 so as to cover it.

With such a configuration, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 can be manufactured by injection molding. Therefore, the liquid agent ejection channel 64 can be manufactured using a material having high chemical resistance and moisture absorption resistance while suppressing the cost of the liquid agent ejection channel 64 .

In addition, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the main body 92 includes an inlet 98 (connection port) connected to the water supply valve 10, a connection port 69A, and an outlet 99 (connection port) connected to the outer tub 3. is provided.

With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress misalignment of components due to adhesion misalignment.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the inner bottom surface of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is configured by the main body 92 .

With such a configuration, residual liquid agent and water can be suppressed.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of this embodiment, the main body 92 is vibration welded to the lid 93 .

With such a configuration, the main body 92 can be made smaller than when an additional structure for fixing the lid 93 to the main body 92 is provided.

Further, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the surface P1 (back surface) of the lid 93 is formed smooth.

Such a configuration improves the stability of vibration welding. Furthermore, residual liquid agent can be suppressed.

Moreover, in the washing machine 1 of this embodiment, the lid 93 has a lead wire hook 97 that holds the lead wire 97A.

With such a configuration, the lead wire hook 97 can fix the lead wire 97A while the lead wire 97A extends downward. By arranging the connector above the lead wire hook 97 , water flowing along the lead wire 97</b>A can be prevented from reaching the connector of the power section 71 .

Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various other modes.

In the embodiment, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is arranged below the liquid agent injection device 63 and connected in the vertical direction Z, but this is not the only option. The liquid agent discharge channel 64 may be arranged above the liquid agent injection device 63 . Alternatively, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 may be arranged on the side of the liquid agent injection device 63 and connected in the front-rear direction M. As shown in FIG.

In addition, in the embodiment, an example in which the tank 62 is arranged along the width direction K has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the outer tank 3 is elastically supported with respect to the installation surface of the housing 2 so as to be inclined downward toward the rear side M2, the tank 62 may be arranged along the front-rear direction M. In other words, the tank 62B may be arranged along the central axis V0 passing through the bottom 36 of the outer tub 3 with respect to the tank 62A. In this case, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is inclined downward toward the rear side M2. Also with such a configuration, the liquid agent discharge channel 64 inclined along the arrangement of the outer tank 3 and the tank 62 can further enhance space saving.

Although an example in which the discharge port 70 is formed above the connection port 69 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. The discharge port 70 may be arranged at a height lower than that of the connection port 69 . In other words, the outer cylindrical portion 87A forming the discharge port 70 may protrude into the main flow path 95. As shown in FIG. Such a configuration makes it easier to apply water to the ejection port 70 in the liquid agent ejection channel 64 .

In the embodiment, an example in which the main body 92 and the lid 93 are adhered by vibration welding has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The main body 92 and the lid 93 may be connected by other methods as long as the flow line of the liquid agent discharge channel 64 is not straddled at the position where the main body 92 and the lid 93 are connected to each other. For example, the main body 92 and the lid 93 may be adhered to each other, or may be hermetically sealed with packing or the like.

In the embodiment, the connection direction between the tank 62 and the liquid injection device 63 is the front-rear direction M, but the connection direction is not limited to this. For example, the connection direction between the tank 62 and the liquid injection device 63 may be along the vertical direction Z.

Note that the power unit 71 and the reduction mechanism 72 may be attached to the pump mechanism 73 from the center side K2 or from the outside K1. Also, the power section 71 and the reduction mechanism 72 attached from the outside K1 and the power section 71 and the reduction mechanism 72 attached from the center side K2 may be mixed.

Although the present disclosure has been fully described in connection with preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, various variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications are to be included therein insofar as they do not depart from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Since the washing machine of the present disclosure can improve the function of the configuration related to liquid feeding, it can be ) is useful as

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 washing machine 2 housing 3 outer tub 4 inner tub 5 drive unit 6 automatic input unit 8 connection channel 10 water supply valve 11 drain valve 61 case 62 tank 63 liquid material input device 64 liquid discharge flow path 65 manual input part 66 water supply electromagnetic valve K Width direction M Front-back direction

Claims (9)

an outer tank elastically supported in the housing;
a first tank containing a liquid agent to be supplied to the outer tank;
a second tank containing the liquid agent to be supplied to the outer tank;
a first automatic liquid injection device that is connected to the first tank and that discharges liquid from a first discharge port;
a second automatic liquid injection device that is connected to the second tank and that discharges the liquid from a second discharge port;
a liquid agent ejection channel connected to the first ejection port and the second ejection port and flowing the liquid agent toward the outer tank;
with
The washing machine, wherein the liquid agent discharge channel extends downward along the outer circumference of the outer tub. The second tank is arranged along a first direction away from a central axis passing through the bottom of the outer tank with respect to the first tank,
The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid agent discharge channel extends downward along the first direction. The outer tank is inclined backward with respect to the installation surface of the housing,
The second tank is arranged along a central axis passing through the bottom of the outer tank with respect to the first tank,
The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid agent discharge channel extends downward along the central axis. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the depth of said second tank is greater than the depth of said first tank. The laundry according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second outlet of the second automatic liquid agent dispenser is formed at a position lower than the first outlet of the first automatic liquid dispenser. machine. The first automatic liquid agent injection device and the second automatic liquid agent injection device are arranged above the liquid agent discharge flow path,
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said first ejection port and said second ejection port are connected to said liquid agent ejection channel from above. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the inlet of the liquid agent discharge channel is formed at a position higher than the outlet of the liquid agent discharge channel. The first automatic liquid injection device is connected to the back of the first tank,
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said second automatic fluid dispensing device is connected to the back of said second tank. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cross-sectional area of the liquid agent discharge channel increases toward the downstream side.

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