JP7498069B2 - Fluid dosing units and washing machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a liquid dispenser unit used to automatically dispense liquid detergent and fabric softener into a washing tub, and a washing machine equipped with the same.

Washing machines are known that are equipped with a liquid dispenser unit for automatically dispensing liquids such as liquid detergent and fabric softener into the washing tub. In such liquid dispenser units, the liquids that are automatically dispensed into the washing tub are stored in a liquid tank (detergent tank or fabric softener tank).

Patent Document 1 discloses a liquid dispenser unit equipped with a liquid exchange chamber connected to a liquid tank. In the liquid dispenser unit of Patent Document 1, a water supply path connected to a detergent tank and a water supply path connected to a fabric softener tank are provided in the liquid exchange chamber, and after the liquid (liquid detergent or fabric softener) is drawn into either water supply path, the drawn liquid can be dispensed into the washing tub. For example, when drawing liquid detergent from the detergent tank, negative pressure is generated in the water supply path connected to the detergent tank, and the liquid is drawn in by this negative pressure. At this time, the negative pressure for drawing in the liquid tank is generated by running tap water through a negative pressure pipe provided in the liquid dispenser unit.

International Publication No. 2020/113954

The water pressure of the water supply connected to a washing machine can vary greatly depending on the region or household. In addition, in a liquid dispensing unit that uses negative pressure to draw in liquid, problems may occur if the generated negative pressure exceeds a specified range. For example, when the water pressure is high, the liquid is drawn in too quickly, which may reduce the accuracy of detecting the amount of liquid drawn in. In addition, the negative pressure may cause abnormal noise. For this reason, if the liquid dispensing unit is provided with a water pressure detection function and the water pressure of the water flowing through the negative pressure tube is adjusted according to the detected water pressure, it is believed that the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure tube can be controlled within a specified range. In addition, if the liquid dispensing unit can detect water pressure, the detection results can be used to control various aspects of the washing machine.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and has as its first object to provide a liquid agent dispensing unit that has a function for detecting water pressure. The second object is to provide a washing machine that performs various controls based on the water pressure and flow rate detected by the liquid agent dispensing unit.

In order to solve the above problems, the first aspect of the present invention is a liquid agent dispensing unit that is provided in a washing machine and that allows liquid agent to be automatically dispensed into the washing tub by receiving a supply of tap water. The liquid agent dispensing unit has a liquid agent tank that stores the liquid agent to be automatically dispensed into the washing tub, a main water supply path that generates negative pressure when the liquid agent is automatically dispensed and draws the liquid agent from the liquid agent tank by the generated negative pressure, and a flow meter provided in the main water supply path, and is characterized in that the tap water pressure of the supplied tap water can be detected from the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter.

According to the above configuration, the tap water pressure can be detected by the liquid dosing unit equipped with a flow meter. Typically, the liquid dosing unit is equipped with a flow meter for adjusting the amount of liquid drawn from the liquid tank, and this flow meter can be used to detect the tap water pressure.

To solve the above problem, the second aspect of the present invention is a washing machine that is characterized by having the above-described liquid dosing unit.

In addition, in the washing machine, the liquid agent dispensing unit may have a sub-water supply path other than the main water supply path, and may be configured to control the flow of a portion of the tap water being supplied to the sub-water supply path when the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter is greater than a predetermined value.

According to the above configuration, if the water pressure supplied to the main water supply path is too high, some of the water can be released to the sub-water supply path to reduce the flow rate in the main water supply path (reducing the water pressure in the main water supply path), thereby controlling the negative pressure generated in the main water supply path to an appropriate range.

The washing machine may also be configured to have a shower rinsing function, and when the shower rinsing is set as the rinsing operation and the liquid agent dosing unit detects that the water pressure is lower than a predetermined pressure, the washing machine may be configured to perform control to change the set shower rinsing to a storage rinsing.

The above configuration prevents shower rinsing from being performed when water pressure is low, eliminating insufficient rinsing.

The washing machine can also be configured so that when the washing machine has a water injection rinsing function and the water injection rinsing is set as the rinsing operation, the water injection time in the water injection rinsing is lengthened when the water pressure detected by the liquid agent dosing unit is low, and the water injection time is shortened when the water pressure is high.

The above configuration allows the amount of water poured during rinsing to be appropriately controlled, resulting in optimal rinsing results.

The washing machine can also be configured to detect the flow rate using the flow meter of the liquid agent dosing unit at the stage of initial water supply to the washing tub, and if the flow rate cannot be detected, detect a tap water supply error and notify the user of the supply error.

With the above configuration, a supply error can be detected immediately after the water supply operation to the washing tub is started, and the supply error can be notified to the user before the user leaves the washing machine, so the user can be notified reliably.

In addition, in the washing machine, the automatic liquid supply operation by the liquid supply unit includes a first measurement operation in which water is supplied to the main water supply path without drawing liquid from the liquid tank and the flow rate per unit time is measured by the flow meter, and a second measurement operation in which water is supplied to the main water supply path while drawing liquid from the liquid tank and the flow rate per unit time is measured by the flow meter. If the difference in flow rate between the flow rate per unit time measured in the first measurement operation and the flow rate per unit time measured in the second measurement operation is equal to or greater than a threshold value, a cleaning notification is issued to prompt the user to clean the liquid tank and the main water supply path.

With the above configuration, when the tank or water supply path begins to become clogged, this can be detected and a cleaning notification can be sent to the user. This prevents the tank or water supply path from becoming completely clogged and stabilizes the amount of liquid dispensed. In addition, by detecting when the tank or water supply path begins to become clogged using a flow meter for adjusting the amount of liquid drawn in by the liquid dispenser unit, an increase in the cost of the washing machine can be prevented.

The liquid dosing unit of the present invention has the advantage of being able to detect water pressure using a flow meter to adjust the amount of liquid drawn in. The washing machine of the present invention also has the advantage of being able to perform various controls in the washing machine based on the water pressure and flow rate detected by the liquid dosing unit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a liquid drug dispensing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a washing machine using a liquid agent dosing unit. FIG. 1 is a rear view of the liquid agent dispensing unit with the back cover removed from the case body. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a liquid drug supply unit for explaining a liquid drug supply operation. 10 is a timing chart for explaining a liquid agent supplying operation.

[First embodiment]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, a basic configuration of a liquid agent dosing unit 10 to which the present invention is applied and an operation when dosing a liquid agent will be briefly described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the liquid agent dosing unit 10. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a washing machine 1 using the liquid agent dosing unit 10. The liquid agent here refers to a liquid agent that is dispensed from the liquid agent dosing unit 10 into the washing tub of the washing machine 1, and refers to a clothing treatment agent such as a liquid detergent or fabric softener. In addition, the washing machine 1 shown in FIG. 2 is an example of a drum type washing machine, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the washing machine to which the present invention is applied may be a vertical washing machine.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid agent dispensing unit 10 can have a detergent tank 110, a fabric softener tank 120, and a manual dispensing case 130 attached to a case body 100. The detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 120 are liquid agent tanks for containing liquid agents to be automatically dispensed into the washing tub of the washing machine 1, with the detergent tank 110 containing liquid detergent and the fabric softener tank 120 containing fabric softener and the like. The manual dispensing case 130 is a case for the user to manually dispense liquid agents, and has a detergent dispenser 131 and a fabric softener dispenser 132.

A valve mechanism 140 is attached to the rear of the liquid drug dispensing unit 10. The valve mechanism 140 has a water supply port 141 for introducing tap water to be supplied to the liquid drug dispensing unit 10. In addition, the valve mechanism 140 is provided with a plurality of solenoid valves, and by appropriately controlling the opening and closing of these plurality of solenoid valves, tap water can be supplied to the liquid drug dispensing unit 10 through different routes.

The liquid agent dispenser unit 10 is disposed inside the washing machine 1 shown in FIG. 2 near the upper left side when viewed from the front side (the side where the door 2 is disposed). Lids 3 and 4 are disposed on the top surface of the washing machine 1. When the lid 3 is opened, the detergent dispenser 131 and fabric softener dispenser 132 of the liquid agent dispenser unit 10 are exposed, allowing the user to manually dispense the liquid agent. When the lid 4 is opened, the detergent tank 110 and fabric softener tank 120 are exposed, allowing the user to insert or remove the detergent tank 110 or fabric softener tank 120 from the washing machine 1. This allows the user to remove the detergent tank 110 or fabric softener tank 120 to refill the liquid agent.

When the liquid dosing unit 10 is attached to the washing machine 1, the water supply port 141 is exposed near the rear of the top surface of the washing machine 1. This allows the water supply port 141 to be connected to a water faucet via a hose, allowing it to receive a supply of tap water.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the liquid agent supply unit 10. A liquid agent exchange chamber 101 is provided on the rear side of the liquid agent supply unit 10, and as shown in Figure 3, a back cover 101a is attached to the liquid agent exchange chamber 101.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the liquid agent supply unit 10 with the back cover 101a removed from the case body 100. As shown in Figure 4, on the rear surface of the case body 100, inside the liquid agent exchange chamber 101, a first groove portion 102 that becomes part of the first water supply path P1 described later and a second groove portion 103 that becomes part of the second water supply path P2 described later are formed. Note that although groove portions are formed on the rear surface of the case body 100, these groove portions function as the cylindrical first water supply path P1 and second water supply path P2 by attaching the back cover 101a to the case body 100. In other words, the liquid agent supply chamber 101 of the liquid agent supply unit 10 includes parts of the first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2.

In the first groove portion 102, an inlet 102a through which tap water flows in from the valve mechanism 140 is provided at the upstream end of the water supply path, and an outlet 102b through which tap water (or a mixture of tap water and liquid detergent) flows out is provided at the downstream end. Similarly, in the second groove portion 103, an inlet 103a through which tap water flows in from the valve mechanism 140 is provided at the upstream end of the water supply path, and an outlet 103b through which tap water (or a mixture of tap water and fabric softener) flows out is provided at the downstream end. In addition, a check valve 104 connected to the detergent tank 110 is provided in the middle of the first groove portion 102, which prevents backflow from the first water supply path P1 to the detergent tank 110, or leakage from the first water supply path P1 to the detergent tank 110 mounting portion of the case body 100 when the detergent tank 110 is not mounted or is not fully mounted. A check valve 105 connected to the softener tank 120 is provided in the middle of the second groove portion 103, which prevents backflow from the second water supply path P2 to the softener tank 120, or leakage from the second water supply path P2 to the attachment portion of the softener tank 120 in the case body 100 when the softener tank 120 is not attached or is not completely attached. The mixture of water and liquid detergent flowing out from the outlet 102b and the outlet 103b both flow into the detergent input portion 131 of the manual input case 130, and is supplied from the detergent input portion 131 to the washing tub of the washing machine 1 through the liquid discharge portion 106 provided on the bottom surface of the case body 100.

Next, the automatic liquid drug dispensing operation in the liquid drug dispensing unit 10 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the liquid drug dispensing unit 10 for explaining the automatic liquid drug dispensing operation. Figure 6 is a timing chart for explaining the automatic liquid drug dispensing operation.

5, the valve mechanism 140 separates the water supply path from the water supply port 141 into the third water supply path P3 and the fourth water supply path P4, the third water supply path P3 is connected to the first water supply path P1 on the case body 100 side, and the fourth water supply path P4 is connected to the second water supply path P2. The third water supply path P3 is provided with an electromagnetic valve 142 and a negative pressure pipe 144 in order from the upstream side. The fourth water supply path P4 is provided with an electromagnetic valve 143 and a negative pressure pipe 145 in order from the upstream side. The negative pressure pipes 144 and 145 can generate negative pressure in the fifth water supply path P5 by the Venturi effect. The negative pressure pipes 144 and 145 are also connected by the fifth water supply path P5, and a flow meter 146 is provided in the fifth water supply path P5. However, the valve mechanism 140 in FIG. 5 does not show all the water supply paths and electromagnetic valves. In this embodiment, the first to fifth water supply paths P1 to P5 correspond to the main water supply path described in the claims.

The first water supply path P1 is provided with a float valve 107 downstream of the check valve 104 (specifically, downstream of the outlet 102b in the first groove portion 102). The second water supply path P2 is provided with a float valve 108 downstream of the check valve 105 (specifically, downstream of the outlet 103b in the second groove portion 103). The first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2 merge at the outlets of the float valves 107 and 108, and after merging, they flow into the detergent input section 131 of the manual input case 130 as described above.

First, we will explain the liquid agent dispensing operation (automatic liquid detergent dispensing operation) when automatically dispensing a specified amount of liquid detergent from the detergent tank 110. The automatic liquid agent dispensing operation in the liquid agent dispensing unit 10 dispenses a specified amount of liquid agent using the method disclosed in Patent Document 1.

In the first stage (period t1 in FIG. 6) of the automatic liquid supply operation, water is supplied from the water supply port 141 while both solenoid valves 142 and 143 are open. At this time, the tap water flowing through the first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2 pushes up the float valves 107 and 108, respectively, to open them. This first stage operation fills all of the first to fourth water supply paths P1 to P4 with tap water, which flows out to the detergent input section 131. At this time, no negative pressure is generated in either the first or second water supply path P1, P2, and both check valves 104 and 105 are in a closed state, so no liquid flows from the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 120 into the first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2. In addition, there is almost no flow in the fifth water supply path P5.

When all of the first to fourth water supply paths P1 to P4 are filled with tap water by the operation of the first stage, only the solenoid valve 142 is temporarily closed in the subsequent second stage (period t2 in FIG. 6). At this time, negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure pipe 145 due to the flow from the fourth water supply path P4 toward the second water supply path P2, but the flow from the third water supply path P3 toward the first water supply path P1 is blocked by the solenoid valve 142, so no negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure pipe 144. Therefore, due to the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure pipe 145, a water flow is generated in the fifth water supply path P5 in the direction from the negative pressure pipe 144 toward the negative pressure pipe 145.

In the second stage of operation, the float valve 108 is open, and the water flow in the float valve 108 flows in the forward direction (from upstream to downstream). Meanwhile, the float valve 107 is maintained in a lifted state by the water flow discharged from the float valve 108, and will not close unless the water flow from the float valve 108 is interrupted. Therefore, in the float valve 107, the water flow switches to the reverse direction (from downstream to upstream), and a water flow is generated that flows into the first water supply path P1. The water flow that flows back in the first water supply path P1 is supplied from the negative pressure pipe 144 to the fifth water supply path P5, and becomes a water flow in the direction from the negative pressure pipe 144 to the negative pressure pipe 145 described above. Even in the second stage, no negative pressure is generated in either the first or second water supply path P1, P2, the check valves 104 and 105 are both closed, and no liquid flows from the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 120 into the first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2.

In the second stage of operation, the flow rate in the fifth water supply path P5 can be measured by the flow meter 146. At this time, the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter 146 is due to the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure pipe 145, that is, it changes according to the water pressure from the water supply port 141. Therefore, in the second stage of operation, the water pressure of the water supply that supplies water to the washing machine 1 can be detected based on the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter 146. In addition, in the second stage, the above detection can be performed in an extremely short time (for example, about 1 second), and the operation period t2 of the second stage may also be short enough to allow the above detection.

In the third stage (period t3 in FIG. 6), both solenoid valves 142 and 143 are closed. This temporarily stops the water flow in the first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2, and both float valves 107 and 108 lower to the closed state.

In the fourth stage (period t4 in FIG. 6), only the solenoid valve 143 is opened to supply water from the water supply port 141. At this time, negative pressure is generated in the negative pressure pipe 145 due to the flow from the fourth water supply path P4 toward the second water supply path P2, and water flows from the negative pressure pipe 144 toward the negative pressure pipe 145 in the fifth water supply path P5. Also, in the fourth stage, the float valve 108 opens due to the forward water flow in the second water supply path P2, but the float valve 107 remains closed.

In this fourth stage, the solenoid valve 142 and the float valve 107 are both closed, so that the negative pressure generated in the vacuum pipe 145 creates a negative pressure in the first water supply path P1, which opens the check valve 104 and draws liquid detergent from the detergent tank 110 into the first water supply path P1.

Although detailed illustration of the check valve 104 is omitted, the valve member inside the check valve 104 is held in a closed state by being biased toward the detergent tank 110 by a spring, and opens when the valve member is pulled out by negative pressure from the first water supply path P1. The check valve 105 provided in the second water supply path P2 has a similar configuration to the check valve 104.

In the fourth stage of operation, the same amount of liquid detergent as the tap water flowing through the fifth water supply path P5 is drawn from the detergent tank 110 into the first water supply path P1. Therefore, in the fourth stage, the flow rate of the tap water flowing through the fifth water supply path P5 is measured by the flow meter 146, and when the measurement value of the flow meter 146 reaches a specified value, the solenoid valve 142, which was closed, is opened to end the fourth stage of operation. Note that at the end of the fourth stage, the liquid detergent drawn from the detergent tank 110 remains only in the first water supply path P1 and does not flow into the fifth water supply path P5.

In the fifth stage of operation (period t5 in FIG. 6), water is supplied from the water supply port 141 while both solenoid valves 142 and 143 are open. As a result, a mixture of tap water and liquid detergent is sent from the first water supply path P1 to the detergent input section 131, and tap water is sent from the second water supply path P2 to the detergent input section 131. That is, the liquid detergent drawn into the liquid exchange chamber 101 in the above-mentioned fourth stage is input into the washing tub in the fifth stage. When a sufficient amount of water is supplied to replace all of the first to fourth water supply paths P1 to P4 with tap water, the solenoid valves 142 and 143 are closed, and the automatic liquid detergent input operation is terminated. Note that even after the automatic liquid detergent input operation is terminated, the solenoid valves 142 and 143 may not be closed and the operation of supplying water to the washing tub may proceed. Furthermore, the flowmeter 146 does not need to be constantly ON (measuring state) during this automatic turn-on operation, but only needs to be ON during the second and fourth stages of operation (periods t2 and t4) when measuring the flow rate of the fifth water supply path P5, as shown in FIG. 6.

In the above-mentioned automatic liquid detergent dispensing operation, in the fourth stage, a specified amount of liquid detergent is drawn from the detergent tank 110 into the first water supply path P1, but a maximum specified amount that can be drawn is set so that the drawn liquid detergent does not flow into the fifth water supply path P5. Therefore, if you want to add more than the maximum specified amount of detergent to the washing tub, you can carry out the above-mentioned automatic detergent dispensing operation multiple times.

The liquid dispensing operation (automatic fabric softener dispensing operation) when automatically dispensing a specified amount of fabric softener from the fabric softener tank 120 can be performed in the same manner as the automatic liquid detergent dispensing operation. However, in the automatic fabric softener dispensing operation, only the solenoid valve 142 is opened in the second and fourth stages. As a result, in the automatic fabric softener dispensing operation, negative pressure is generated in the second water supply path P2, and in the fourth stage, the check valve 105 opens and fabric softener is drawn from the fabric softener tank 120 to the second water supply path P2.

In the above description of the automatic liquid detergent or fabric softener dispensing operation, the first to fourth water supply paths P1 to P4 are all filled with tap water at the end of the automatic dispensing operation (the end of the fifth stage). Therefore, the first stage is not necessary for the next automatic dispensing operation, and the operation may start from the second stage. In other words, the first stage only needs to be performed at least in the first automatic dispensing operation after the washing machine 1 is installed and the water supply port 141 is connected to the water faucet. In addition, if there is a possibility that all of the first to fourth water supply paths P1 to P4 are not filled with tap water, for example, because the automatic dispensing operation has not been performed for a while, it is preferable to perform the operation from the first stage.

As described above, the liquid agent supply unit 10 according to this embodiment has a flowmeter 146 in a predetermined path (here, the fifth water supply path P5) within the unit, and is capable of adjusting the amount of liquid agent drawn from the liquid agent tank to the liquid agent exchange chamber based on the flow rate through this predetermined path. Furthermore, the liquid agent supply unit 10 can detect the water pressure of the water supply that supplies water to the washing machine 1 using the same flowmeter 146. However, "detecting water pressure" here is not limited to directly detecting the water pressure itself, but is a concept that includes detecting a parameter that changes depending on the water pressure (here, the flow rate per unit time).

In the above-mentioned liquid drug dispensing unit 10, if the water supply pressure is too high, the liquid drug may be drawn in too quickly, which may reduce the accuracy of detecting the amount of liquid drug drawn in. In addition, the negative pressure may cause abnormal noise during operation. This abnormal noise is thought to be caused by the pressure difference in the negative pressure pipes 144 and 145. The liquid drug dispensing unit 10 according to the first embodiment measures the flow rate per unit time in the second stage of the above-mentioned automatic dispensing operation, and if the water supply pressure is determined to be high based on this flow rate, it adjusts the water supply pressure in the fourth and fifth stages. The water supply pressure adjustment control in this case will be described below.

In the valve mechanism 140 of the liquid drug supply unit 10, FIG. 5 illustrates the third water supply path P3 and the fourth water supply path P4 as water supply paths, and illustrates solenoid valves 142 and 143 as solenoid valves. However, the valve mechanism 140 in FIG. 5 does not illustrate all water supply paths and solenoid valves, and other water supply paths (sub-water supply paths) and solenoid valves for controlling water supply to the other water supply paths are also provided.

For example, the valve mechanism 140 is provided with a sub-water supply path, which is a water supply path (shower water supply path) for supplying water to the washing tub in the shower, and a shower water supply valve as an electromagnetic valve that controls the water supply to the shower water supply path. Alternatively, the valve mechanism 140 is provided with a further sub-water supply path, which is a water supply path (lint water supply path) for supplying water to the lint filter, and a lint water supply valve as an electromagnetic valve that controls the water supply to the lint water supply path.

When the liquid agent dispensing unit 10 performs an automatic liquid agent dispensing operation, the shower water supply valve, the lint water supply valve, etc. are usually closed, and only the solenoid valves 142 and 143 are controlled to open and close. As a result, the tap water supplied from the water supply port 141 is not supplied to the sub-water supply paths other than the first to fifth water supply paths P1 to P5, which are the main water supply paths. However, if the water pressure supplied to the liquid agent dispensing unit 10 is too high, the shower water supply valve, the lint water supply valve, etc. can be opened to release part of the water supply to the sub-water supply paths other than the main water supply path. In other words, if the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter 146 is greater than a predetermined value, the water pressure is deemed to be too high, and part of the water supply can be released to the sub-water supply path. In this way, by releasing part of the water supply to the sub-water supply path, the amount of negative pressure generated in the negative pressure pipes 144 and 145 can be reduced, and problems such as the generation of abnormal noise can be prevented.

Second Embodiment
In the above-described first embodiment, the water pressure is detected based on the flow rate per unit time measured by the flowmeter 146, and the flow rate of the liquid agent dispensing unit 10 is adjusted according to the detected water pressure. On the other hand, the washing machine 1 may have other controls that require changes according to the water pressure. For example, when the washing machine 1 has a shower rinsing function as a rinsing operation, it is preferable to determine whether or not shower rinsing can be performed according to the detected water pressure.

Here, shower rinsing is a method of rinsing laundry by supplying water to the laundry in a shower-like manner (shower water supply) while rotating the washing tub, without storing water in the washing tub, and rinsing the laundry by water pressure. Shower rinsing can use less water than stored rinsing, and can save water. On the other hand, shower rinsing uses the water pressure (tap pressure) of the water supply connected to the washing machine to supply water to the laundry, so the rinsing effect is weak when the water pressure is low. Specifically, when the shower water supply is weak, the water pressure of the shower is weak, and the rinsing effect is weak. Furthermore, water may not be sprayed evenly on the laundry, resulting in uneven rinsing effects, and the rinsing effect may not be achieved for laundry that is not showered.

For this reason, in the washing machine 1 according to the second embodiment, even if the shower rinse is set by the user, if the water pressure is detected to be lower than a predetermined pressure by the measurement of the flowmeter 146 of the liquid agent dispensing unit 10, the set shower rinse is changed to the normal rinse. This makes it possible to prevent insufficient rinsing caused by shower rinsing being performed when the water pressure is low.

In addition, in the washing machine 1 according to the second embodiment, in the water injection rinsing operation in which rinsing is performed while pouring water into the washing tub, the operation time (water injection time) of the water injection rinsing operation can be changed according to the water pressure. Normally, when the washing machine 1 performs water injection rinsing, time control is performed to keep the water injection time constant, so that when the water pressure is low, the amount of water injected is insufficient, and conversely, when the water pressure is high, the amount of water injected is too much. In contrast, if the water injection time is changed according to the water pressure, the amount of water injected can be appropriately controlled, and the optimal rinsing effect can be obtained in the water injection rinsing operation. Specifically, when the water pressure is low, the water injection time can be made longer, and when the water pressure is high, the water injection time can be made shorter.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the detection of water pressure using the flowmeter 146 is performed during the automatic liquid dispensing operation. However, the above-mentioned shower rinsing and water injection rinsing can be performed independently of the automatic liquid dispensing operation, and shower rinsing and water injection rinsing may be set when the automatic liquid dispensing is not set. In such a case, the washing machine 1 may perform only the water pressure detection operation using the flowmeter 146 of the liquid dispensing unit 10 without performing the automatic liquid dispensing operation. Specifically, the water pressure can be detected by performing only the first and second stage operations described in FIG. 6. Such a water pressure detection operation may be performed when water is first supplied to the washing tub.

Third Embodiment
As described above, the washing machine 1 is configured to receive tap water from the water faucet by connecting the water supply port 141 to the water faucet with a hose. Therefore, if the water faucet is not open, tap water is not supplied and water cannot be supplied to the washing tub.

Some conventional washing machines 1 use a water level sensor to detect whether tap water is being supplied (tap water supply error detection). In other words, if the water level in the washing tub does not reach a specified water level within a specified time, a tap water supply error is detected and a notification to that effect is issued. However, since supply error detection using a water level sensor takes minutes to detect, by the time the supply error is notified, the user has often left the washing machine and does not notice it.

In contrast, in the washing machine 1 according to the third embodiment, the flow rate is detected using the flow meter 146 of the liquid agent dispensing unit 10 at the stage of initial water supply to the washing tub, and if the flow rate cannot be detected, a tap water supply error is detected and the user is notified of the supply error. With the above detection method using the flow meter 146, a supply error can be detected immediately (within about 1 second) after the water supply operation to the washing tub is started. Therefore, the user can be notified of the supply error before the user leaves the washing machine, and the user can be notified reliably.

Fourth Embodiment
In the liquid agent dispensing unit 10, if the detergent in the detergent tank 110 is left for a long period of time, the detergent may solidify due to evaporation of water or volatilization of the solvent component, and may clog the detergent suction port in the detergent tank 110 or the water supply path (detergent supply path) in the washing machine 1. For this reason, the washing machine 1 according to the fifth embodiment detects the initial clogging state of the detergent suction port in the detergent tank 110 or the water supply path in the washing machine 1, and when the initial clogging is detected, a cleaning notification is issued to the user to prompt cleaning of the tank and the water supply path. Of course, such a cleaning notification can be issued not only to the detergent tank 110 but also to the fabric softener tank 120. Below, a method for controlling the cleaning notification is illustrated using the detergent tank 110 as an example.

First, cleaning notification control for the detergent tank 110 is performed using the flow meter 146 during the automatic detergent dispensing operation described in embodiment 1. In the automatic detergent dispensing operation described in embodiment 1, the flow meter 146 measures the flow rate during the second stage operation and the fourth stage operation. At this time, detergent is not drawn from the detergent tank 110 during the second stage operation. On the other hand, detergent is drawn from the detergent tank 110 during the fourth stage operation. In this embodiment, the flow rate measurement during the second stage operation corresponds to the first measurement operation described in the claims, and the flow rate measurement during the fourth stage operation corresponds to the second measurement operation described in the claims.

Here, when the detergent has hardly solidified and there is no clogging in the tank or water supply path, there is almost no difference between the flow rate per unit time measured in the second stage and the flow rate per unit time measured in the fourth stage. However, when the detergent has solidified to a certain extent (the viscosity of the detergent has increased) and the tank or water supply path has begun to clog, sufficient detergent is no longer supplied to the first water supply path P1 to compensate for the negative pressure in the first water supply path P1, and the negative pressure remaining in the first water supply path P1 inhibits the water flow in the fifth water supply path P5. For this reason, the flow rate per unit time measured in the fourth stage is smaller than the flow rate per unit time measured in the second stage.

For this reason, in the washing machine 1 according to the fifth embodiment, during the automatic detergent dispensing operation, the flow rate Q1 per unit time measured in the second stage is compared with the flow rate Q2 per unit time measured in the fourth stage, and if the flow rate difference (Q1-Q2) is equal to or greater than a threshold value, it is determined that the tank or water supply path is beginning to clog, and a cleaning notification is issued to the user. During the automatic detergent dispensing operation, it is possible to detect the beginning of clogging in the detergent tank 110 or the first water supply path P1 into which liquid detergent is drawn. On the other hand, it is possible to detect the beginning of clogging in the fabric softener tank 120 or the second water supply path P2 into which fabric softener is drawn, during the automatic fabric softener dispensing operation.

The method of the cleaning notification when it is determined that the tank or water supply path is beginning to become clogged is not particularly limited, and the notification may be made by speech from the washing machine 1 or by display. Alternatively, if the washing machine 1 is an IoT (Internet of Things) device, the washing machine 1 may send a cleaning notification (e.g., a notification notification) to a user's smartphone (a specified communication terminal) via the Internet.

In addition, the washing machine 1 may be configured to automatically perform a cleaning process when it is determined that the tank or water supply path is beginning to clog. For example, in the automatic detergent dispensing operation described in embodiment 1, the fifth stage operation in which the liquid agent drawn from the liquid agent tank is dispensed into the washing tub also has a cleaning effect on the first water supply path P1 and the second water supply path P2. For this reason, when it is determined that the tank or water supply path is beginning to clog, the operation time of the fifth stage may be made longer than normal.

In the washing machine 1 according to the fifth embodiment, when the tank or water supply path starts to become clogged, this can be detected and a cleaning notification can be sent to the user, which can prevent the tank or water supply path from becoming completely clogged and stabilize the amount of liquid added. In addition, by encouraging the user to clean the tank or water supply path before it becomes completely clogged, breakdowns of the washing machine 1 can be suppressed. In addition, by detecting when the tank or water supply path starts to become clogged using a flowmeter 146 for adjusting the amount of liquid drawn in by the liquid addition unit 10, an increase in the cost of the washing machine 1 can be prevented. Furthermore, since the flow rate Q1 per unit time measured in the second stage and the flow rate Q2 per unit time measured in the fourth stage are measured by the same flowmeter 146, there is no variation in the measurements and highly accurate detection can be performed.

The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be a basis for a restrictive interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not to be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the claims. Furthermore, all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims are included.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Washing machine 2 Door 3, 4 Lid 10 Liquid agent supply unit 100 Case body 101 Liquid agent exchange chamber 101a Back cover 102 First groove portion 102a Inlet 102b Outlet 103 Second groove portion 103a Inlet 103b Outlet 104, 105 Check valve 106 Liquid agent discharge portion 107, 108 Float valve 110 Detergent tank (liquid agent tank)
120 Fabric softener tank (liquid agent tank)
130: Case for manual input 131: Detergent input section 132: Fabric softener input section 140: Valve mechanism 141: Water supply port 142, 143: Solenoid valve 144, 145: Negative pressure pipe 146: Flow meter P1 to P5: First to fifth water supply paths (main water supply paths)

Claims (7)

A liquid agent dispensing unit that is provided in a washing machine and receives a supply of tap water to automatically dispense a liquid agent into a washing tub,
A liquid agent tank for storing a liquid agent to be automatically dispensed into the washing tub;
A first main water supply path to which the liquid agent tank is connected;
a second main water supply path including a negative pressure generating device;
a flow meter provided in a path connecting the first main water supply path and the negative pressure generating device,
In a first operation, water is passed through the second main water supply path while both ends of the first main water supply path are closed, thereby generating a negative pressure in the first main water supply path, and the generated negative pressure draws the liquid from the liquid tank only into the first main water supply path, and a predetermined amount of the liquid is drawn into the first main water supply path based on a flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter, and then both ends of the first main water supply path are opened to allow the liquid drawn into the first main water supply path to flow downstream of the first main water supply path and be poured into the washing tub,
In a second operation, water is passed through the second main water supply path while the downstream end of the first main water supply path is connected to the second main water supply path, so that water in the first main water supply path is drawn into the negative pressure generating device without generating negative pressure in the first main water supply path,
A liquid drug dispensing unit, characterized in that a flow rate of tap water being supplied can be detected from the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter in the second operation. 2. The liquid drug dispensing unit according to claim 1,
A liquid agent supply unit characterized by determining that the liquid agent tank or the first main water supply path needs cleaning when the flow rate difference between the flow rate per unit time measured in the second operation and the flow rate per unit time measured in the first operation is greater than or equal to a threshold value. A washing machine comprising the liquid agent dosing unit according to claim 1 or 2. The washing machine according to claim 3,
the liquid drug supply unit has a sub-water supply path other than the first main water supply path and the second main water supply path ,
The washing machine is characterized in that, when the flow rate per unit time measured by the flow meter is greater than a predetermined value, a control is performed to allow a portion of the supplied tap water to escape to the sub-water supply path. The washing machine according to claim 3 or 4,
The washing machine has a shower rinsing function,
This washing machine is characterized in that, when the shower rinsing is set as the rinsing operation and the liquid agent dosing unit detects that the flow rate is lower than a predetermined flow rate, the set shower rinsing is changed to a storage rinsing. A washing machine according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
The washing machine has a water rinsing function,
This washing machine is characterized in that, when the water injection rinsing is set as the rinsing operation, the water injection time in the water injection rinsing is lengthened when the flow velocity detected by the liquid agent injection unit is small, and the water injection time is shortened when the flow velocity is large. A washing machine according to any one of claims 3 to 6,
A washing machine characterized in that a flow rate is detected using the flow meter of the liquid agent dosing unit at the stage of initial water supply to the washing tub, and if the flow rate cannot be detected, a tap water supply error is detected and a supply error is notified.

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