JP2866229B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine provided with a light transmittance sensor in a drain section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, washing machines have been provided in which the transmittance of washing water is detected by a light transmittance sensor to control the operation. In this case, the light transmittance sensor is provided in a drainage portion for discharging water in the washing tub from the viewpoint of detection accuracy or manufacturability mainly in watertight treatment, and more specifically, in a sensor case, Is fitted in a drain case and tightened with screws or the like.

[0003]

However, in the case of the above configuration, the sensor case of the light transmittance sensor is provided separately from the drain case of the drain portion, and the mounting of the sensor case is troublesome. Had become. Also, on the inner surface of the sensor case of the attached light transmittance sensor, dew condensation occurs due to the cooling effect of water passing through the drainage case, and light is refracted by the water droplet, so that accurate light transmittance cannot be detected. There was also a problem that.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can reduce the cost and does not cause a problem of a decrease in detection accuracy due to dew condensation.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the washing machine of the present invention, the sensor case of the light transmittance sensor is formed integrally with the drain case of the drain section, and the filler is filled in the sensor case. Is injected to encapsulate the internal components of the sensor.

[0006]

According to the above means, the sensor case of the light transmittance sensor is integrated with the drain case of the drain section.
They are not required separately, and the trouble of mounting them can be omitted. In addition, since the sensor case is filled with the filler, the gap is completely or almost eliminated, so that dew condensation which adversely affects the detection accuracy does not occur.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 2 shows an outer box 1 of the entire washing machine, in which a washing tub 4 composed of a double tub of an outer tub 2 and an inner tub 3 in this case is disposed. In this washing tub 4, the outer tub 2 has an overflow port 5 at the top and a drain port 6 at the bottom.
, And is non-porous and supported by an elastic suspension mechanism (not shown). The inner tank 3 has a large number of dehydration holes 7 on the peripheral side, and a stirring body 8 is provided on the inner bottom.

A motor 9 is provided mainly on the outer lower part of the outer tub 2.
Is provided, and the drive mechanism 10 controls the inner tub 3 during washing to rotate the agitator 8 and the inner tub 3 together with the agitator 8 during dehydration. ing.

In addition, a drainage section 11 is provided below the outer tub 2 outside. The drain section 11 includes a drain case 12, a drain valve 13, and a drain hose 14. The drain case 12 is connected to the drain port 6. The drain case 12 has a structure shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 1, and the sensor case 16 of the light transmittance sensor 15 is integrally formed of plastic.

The light transmittance sensor 15 includes a light emitting element 17, a light receiving element 18, and a holder 1 in addition to a sensor case 16.
9, a light emitting element 17 and a light receiving element 18 are inserted into a holder 19 to face each other, and the holder 19 in this state is mounted on the substrate 20 and further stored in the sensor case 16. It is fixed by screws 21. After the fixing, the sensor case 16 is filled with, for example, moisture-absorbing silicon 22 as a filler by filling the light-emitting element 17, the light-receiving element 18, the holder 19, and the sensor internal parts. Substrate 20
Is enclosed in the sensor case 16.

In this case, a small but minute rib 23 is formed on the outer edge of the holder 19 and pressed against the inner surface of the sensor case 16, so that the moisture-absorbing silicon 22 causes the light emitting portion of the light emitting element 17 to emit light. The light-receiving element 18a and the light-receiving portion 18a of the light-receiving element 18 are prevented from sneaking around, and are prevented from being shielded by the moisture-absorbing silicon 22. The portions 16a and 16b of the sensor case 16 where the light emitting portion 17a of the light emitting element 17 and the light receiving portion 18a of the light receiving element 18 face each other are made as thin as possible so as to have necessary light transmitting properties. .

As shown in FIG. 3, a fountain hose 24 for spouting water for cleaning the light transmitting portions 16a and 16b of the sensor case 16 is connected to the drain case 12. 12, a valve box 25 for accommodating the valve element and the like of the drain valve 13 is also integrally formed.
4, a drain hose 14 is connected, and the drain hose 14 has a forward end protruding outside the outer box 1.

In the structure constructed as described above, the sensor case 16 of the light transmittance sensor 15 is integral with the drainage case 12 of the drainage section 11, so that they need not be separately provided and can be attached. Can be saved,
Cost reduction can be achieved. Further, the sensor case 16 is filled with moisture-absorbing silicon 22 as a filler, whereby no or almost no gap is left in the sensor case 16, so that moisture in the sensor case 16 is also completely or almost completely eliminated. Also, even if it receives a cooling action by water passing through the drainage case 12, dew condensation which adversely affects the detection accuracy of the light transmittance sensor 15 does not occur, and thus the light transmittance can always be accurately detected.

In addition to the above, in particular, the moisture-absorbing silicon 22 used as the filler in the above-described embodiment absorbs the surrounding moisture in the process of solidifying from the liquid state, so that no more moisture remains in the sensor case 16. So that
A higher dew condensation preventing effect can be obtained.

However, the present invention is not limited only to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings. Therefore, the filler may be other than the moisture-absorbing silicon.
The washing tub may be a double tub washing machine in which a washing tub and a dehydrating tub are juxtaposed, instead of a double tub and a combined dehydrating washing machine. obtain.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, the washing machine of the present invention is provided with a light transmittance sensor at a drain portion for discharging water in a washing tub, and the light transmittance sensor is provided with the light transmittance sensor. The sensor case is formed integrally with the drainage case of the drainage part, and the filler is injected into the sensor case to seal the internal parts of the sensor, thereby reducing the number of parts used and the number of assembly steps. It is possible to achieve a superior effect that the cost can be reduced, the detection accuracy does not decrease due to dew condensation, and the light transmittance can always be accurately detected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional bottom view of a main part showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall vertical side view.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view from a drain case to a light transmittance sensor and a drain valve portion.

[Description of References] 4 is a washing tub, 11 is a drainage unit, 12 is a drainage case, 15 is a light transmittance sensor, 16 is a sensor case, 17 is a light emitting element (sensor internal part), 18 is a light receiving element (sensor internal part) ) And 19 indicate a holder (sensor internal component), 20 indicates a substrate (sensor internal component), and 22 indicates a moisture-absorbing silicon (filler).

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A drainage unit for discharging water in a washing tub, wherein a light transmittance sensor is provided, and a sensor case of the light transmittance sensor is integrally formed with a drainage case of the drainage unit. A washing machine characterized in that a filling material is injected into the inside and a sensor internal part is sealed.