JP3402911B2 - 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 for washing clothes or the like using water or a solvent, and more particularly to improvement of the structure of a washing machine having a clothes inlet on the front surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a washing machine for business use has a structure in which a laundry is put in and taken out from a clothes inlet on a front surface of the washing machine on a drum supported by a horizontal rotary shaft. Since this type of commercial washing machine is heavy, and strong vibrations are generated during washing and dehydration, the frame that is the frame of the main body is usually made solid, and the panel panel for exterior is attached to this frame with bolts etc. It has a structure to be fixed.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the appearance and partial perspective of a conventional commercial washing machine, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the front portion of the washing machine of FIG. An operation panel 2 provided with an operation display unit 2a and a detergent inlet cover 2b on a steel body frame 1
And the front panel 3 is attached. Front panel 3
A large opening is provided substantially in the center, and the outer tub 4 axially supporting a drum (not shown) is exposed. A door 5 for loading and unloading laundry is attached to the outer tub 4, and a door glass 6 through which the inside of the drum can be seen is provided at the center of the door 5. The outer tub 4 is suspended from above by a plurality of springs inside the main body frame 1, and is also suspended below via a plurality of dampers. Therefore, when the drum rotates, the vibration of the outer tub 4 is absorbed by the spring and the damper, and the vibration of the main body frame 1 itself is suppressed.

The main body frame 1 is fixed in a state of being placed on a pedestal frame 7, and the pedestal frame 7 is in contact with the floor surface at two legs 7a extending in the depth direction on both sides thereof. Hem 7b that constitutes the pedestal frame 7
Is formed so as to have a gap of about several cm from the floor surface. This is to insert the arm of the forklift into this gap when carrying the washing machine.

[0005]

The conventional washing machine has the above-mentioned structure, and when the outer tub 4 vibrates back and forth, the outer tub 4 does not move.
So that the outside of is not in contact with the inside of the front panel 3
A gap of about m to 10 cm is formed. For this reason,
For example, when wet clothes are caught in the door 5 and water is spilled, or water attached to the inside of the door 5 at the time of cleaning is used.
When the water is dripped when opened, this water flows along the outside of the outer tub 4 and the inside of the front panel 3 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5, and in the gap between the front panel 3 and the main body frame 1. It will accumulate. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG.
Shows the state that water has accumulated. This part has poor air permeability, and it is easy for water to remain. If such a state continues for a long time, the steel main body frame 1 and the front panel 3 will be corroded. Also, if the water contains detergent,
In the case of a washing machine that uses a solvent such as a petroleum-based solvent instead of water, the corrosion will progress faster.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine having improved durability by preventing corrosion of the main body frame and front panel as described above. To do.

[0007]

The present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, provides a frame forming a main body frame,
An outer tub suspended by an elastic body in the frame, a drum rotatably supported in the outer tub, and a door attached to the front of the outer tub for putting laundry in and out of the drum. A washing machine having an opening corresponding to the door and a front panel attached to the frame with a front surface of the outer tub kept at a predetermined gap, the front panel being below the opening inside the front panel. A plate member that is inclined downward from the side toward the outer tub side and has an end portion on the outer tub side protruding inside the frame.

It is preferable that the plate member is formed by bending or curving both inclined end portions upward.

Further, it is more preferable that the frame is in contact with the installation surface of the washing machine on both sides of the lower surface and has a gap between the installation surface and the portion other than the contact portion.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the washing machine according to the present invention, when water or a solvent is spilled into the gap between the front panel and the outer tub when the laundry is put in or taken out from the drum through the door. Alternatively, if water or solvent that adheres to the inside of the door during cleaning drops into the gap when the door is opened, the water or solvent that has fallen down inside the front panel or outside the outer tank will not be on the plate member. And further drops along the plate member to the installation surface of the main washing machine inside the frame.

Therefore, water or solvent does not collect in the gap formed in the close contact portion between the front panel and the frame, which is dropped when there is no plate member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent these members from being corroded and improve the durability.

Further, if both ends of the plate member are bent or curved upward, it is possible to prevent water or solvent from dripping from the side while traveling along the plate member, so that a more remarkable effect is obtained. Play.

Further, if the frame has a space between it and the installation surface as described above, the air permeability of the installation surface is good, so that water or solvent dropped along the plate member onto the installation surface. Easily evaporates. Further, the water or solvent can be easily removed from the outside.

[0014]

Embodiments of a washing machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a front portion of the washing machine, and FIG. 3 is a front view (a) and a side view (b) showing the shape of a protective cover.
Is.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a protective cover 10 is attached below the door 5 inside the front panel 3. The water dropped in the gap between the outer tank 4 and the front panel 3 is
As shown by the arrow in the drawing, the droplets are dropped along the protective cover 10 near the hem 7b of the pedestal frame 7 inside the main body frame 1. This part is the installation surface of the washing machine, which is generally a floor such as concrete. Since the hem 7b is formed with an appropriate gap from the floor surface as described above, it is easy for air to pass through, and since it is a location near the outer surface of the washing machine, the water dropped on the floor surface easily evaporates. To do. In addition, even if a large amount of water is dripped, the operator can easily notice it, and it is possible to quickly take measures such as wiping.

The protective cover 10 must be shaped so that it will not drip from the side when water is transmitted. For this reason,
As shown in FIG. 3, the protective cover 10 has a width sufficient to cover the lower side of the door 5, and has a shape in which both end portions 10a are bent upward. The protective cover 10 is screwed to the front panel 3 with a screw in the screw hole 10b.

Instead of bending both ends 10a of the protective cover 10 upward, it is also possible to have a shape in which the vicinity of the center is curved downward so that both ends 10a face upward.

The shape and mounting method of the protective cover 10 in the washing machine of the present invention can be appropriately changed within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front external view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the front portion of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a shape diagram of a protective cover in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front external view of a conventional washing machine.

5 is a sectional view of a front portion of the washing machine of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Body frame 3 ... Front panel 4 ... Outer tank 5 ... Door 7 ... Pedestal frame 10 ... Protective cover

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A frame forming a main body frame, an outer tub suspended by an elastic body in the frame, a drum rotatably supported in the outer tub, and loading and unloading laundry to and from the drum. In order to provide a washing machine including a door attached to the front surface of the outer tub and a front panel attached to the frame with a predetermined gap from the front surface of the outer tub having an opening corresponding to the door, A plate member that is inclined downward from the front panel side toward the outer tub side and has an end portion on the outer tub side protruding inside the frame is provided below the opening inside the front panel. And a washing machine. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the plate member is formed by bending or bending both ends of the plate member upward. 3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the frame is in contact with the installation surface of the washing machine on both sides of the lower surface of the side, and a gap is provided between the frame and the installation surface except the contact portion. A washing machine characterized by being formed to have.