JP6933880B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to washing machines.

In general, a washing machine is provided with an operation display device for making settings and displays related to operation. For example, the operation display device has a decorative panel provided with a display unit and a light source that irradiates the display unit with light. Then, when the light source is turned on, the display unit is displayed. The decorative panel is configured by, for example, attaching a film in which the display portion is hollow-printed to the front surface or the back surface of a translucent resin plate material.

However, in such a configuration, if a liquid such as a liquid detergent or water in which the detergent is dissolved continues to come into contact with a resin part such as a decorative panel for a long period of time, so-called solvent cracks, that is, cracks may occur. As a result, it leads to a decrease in design.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-222212

Therefore, a washing machine capable of preventing deterioration of design due to contact of a liquid detergent or a liquid such as water in which a detergent is dissolved with a decorative panel of an operation display device is provided.

The washing machine of the embodiment includes an outer box and an operation display device provided on the outer box for performing various settings. The operation display device is composed of a single glass plate having no notch over the entire width direction of the outer box, and is formed on a decorative panel constituting the outer surface of the operation display device and on the back surface of the decorative panel. It has a touch panel display provided, and the entire surface of the decorative panel is formed flat without causing a step due to the touch panel display on the surface of the decorative panel.

Perspective view showing an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment A perspective view showing the operation display device according to the first embodiment in an exploded manner. A vertical sectional side view showing a configuration around an operation display device according to the first embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the structure of the decorative panel by 1st Embodiment A perspective view showing the switch device according to the first embodiment in an exploded manner. Top view of the switch device according to the first embodiment The vertical sectional side view showing the switch device according to the first embodiment along the line X7-X7 of FIG. Longitudinal side view showing the switch device according to the first embodiment along the X8-X8 line of FIG. A longitudinal document showing the configuration around the switch device according to the first embodiment. A diagram showing an example of display contents of an operation display device in a state where the power of the washing machine is turned off according to the first embodiment. A diagram showing an example of display contents of an operation display device in a state where the washing machine is turned on according to the first embodiment. Longitudinal side view showing the configuration around the rear end edge of the mounting member according to the first embodiment. A vertical sectional side view showing a method of assembling a mounting member and a decorative panel according to the first embodiment. A diagram schematically showing the relationship between the dimensions between the side walls of the housing portion of the outer box and the dimensions between both ends of the decorative panel according to the first embodiment. A diagram schematically showing a state in which an operation display device is provided in a housing portion of an outer box according to the first embodiment. Perspective view showing an example of a washing machine according to another embodiment

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

(First Embodiment)
The washing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a drum-type washing machine, which includes an outer box 11, a door 12, a water injection case 13, a water supply port 14, and a top plate 15. In the washing machine 10, the door 12 side is the front side of the washing machine 10, and the side opposite to the door 12 is the rear side of the washing machine 10. Further, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10 is defined as the left-right direction of the washing machine 10.

The outer box 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10, and is formed in the shape of a rectangular box whose front surface is slightly inclined. The outer box 11 is configured based on, for example, white. An opening 111 is provided in the central portion of the front surface of the outer box 11. The opening 111 communicates with a rotary tub (not shown) provided inside the outer box 11, and laundry is taken in and out of the rotary tub through the opening 111. The door 12 is a hinge opening / closing type door, and is provided so that the opening 111 can be opened / closed.

The water injection case 13 is provided, for example, on the upper left side portion of the outer box 11. The water injection case 13 is formed in the shape of a pull-out container. Detergent and a soft finishing agent are put into the water injection case 13. The water supply port 14 is provided on the upper surface of the rear portion of the outer box 11. The water supply port 14 is connected to a water faucet serving as a water source by a water supply hose (not shown). The water from the tap is supplied into the water injection case 13 through the water supply hose and the water supply port 14. Then, the water supplied into the water injection case 13 dissolves the detergent and the soft finishing agent charged into the water injection case 13 and is poured into a water tank (not shown) provided in the outer box 11. Further, the top plate 15 is made of resin, for example, and covers the rear side portion of the upper surface portion of the outer box 11. The top plate 15 is configured based on, for example, white.

The washing machine 10 includes an operation display device 20. The operation display device 20 makes various settings related to the operation of the washing machine 10, and is provided on the upper front side of the outer box 11 as shown in FIG. The operation display device 20 constitutes an upper surface front side portion of the washing machine 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation display device 20 includes a decorative panel 21, a mounting member 22, a transparent electrode film 23, a pressure welding member 24, a light source holder 25, a circuit board 26, a board case 27, and a switch device 30. It is composed of.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer box 11 has a housing portion 112. The accommodating portion 112 is formed by recessing the outer box 11 into a rectangular shape in a plan view, for example, on the upper front side of the outer box 11. In the present embodiment, the case where the decorative panel 21 is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the surface, that is, the case where the decorative panel 21 is viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 3, 7, and 8, is referred to as a plan view.

Among the components of the operation display device 20, elements other than the decorative panel 21, that is, the mounting member 22, the transparent electrode film 23, the pressure contact member 24, the light source holder 25, the circuit board 26, the board case 27, and the switch device 30 are accommodated portions. It is housed in 112. The decorative panel 21 covers the mounting member 22, the transparent electrode film 23, the pressure contact member 24, the light source holder 25, the circuit board 26, the board case 27, and the switch device 30. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the decorative panel 21 covers the upper part of the water injection case 13.

The decorative panel 21 constitutes the outer surface of the operation display device 20, that is, the outer surface of the washing machine 10. That is, the mounting member 22, the transparent electrode film 23, the pressure contact member 24, the light source holder 25, the circuit board 26, the board case 27, and the switch device 30 are all provided on the back surface side of the decorative panel 21. In the present embodiment, the back surface of the decorative panel 21 refers to the surface on the side of the accommodating portion 112, and the surface of the decorative panel 21 refers to the surface on the side exposed to the outside.

The decorative panel 21 is made of, for example, a plate made of tempered glass having translucency and excellent chemical resistance and impact resistance as a base material. The decorative panel 21 has a size covering the entire width direction, that is, the left-right direction of the outer box 11, and is composed of, for example, a single glass plate having a thickness of about 5 mm. In the case of the present embodiment, the decorative panel 21 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction of the washing machine 10 and has no notch or the like around it. The decorative panel 21 may be, for example, a synthetic resin or the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the decorative panel 21 is inclined downward toward the front side of the washing machine 10. Therefore, the decorative panel 21 has good visibility and operability from the user, and the decorative panel 21 can be easily wiped off.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the decorative panel 21 has an on-switch opening 211 and an off-switch opening 212. The on-switch opening 211 and the off-switch opening 212 are formed by penetrating the decorative panel 21 in the thickness direction, for example, in a circular shape. The on-switch opening 211 and the off-switch opening 212 are not limited to a circle, and may be, for example, a rectangle. The on-switch opening 211 and the off-switch opening 212 are provided side by side in the left-right direction on the right front side of the decorative panel 21.

As shown in FIG. 4, the decorative panel 21 has a plurality of display units 28. In reality, the black solid line indicating each display unit 28 is the ground color of the base material of the decorative panel 21, that is, the transparent color or the translucent color. Further, the white color around each display unit 28, that is, the ground color of the paper surface in the decorative panel 21 of FIG. 4 is a color having no translucency and low translucency.

The display unit 28 is composed of, for example, a display unit 281 having 7 segments and display units 282 and 283 having characters, symbols or figures. In addition, when each display unit 281 to 283 is generically referred to, it is simply referred to as a display unit 28. In this case, although details are not shown, characters and symbols indicating setting contents and operation contents are provided inside the circles and rectangles in each display unit 28.

As described above, the display unit 28 is, for example, transparent or translucent, and has translucency. Then, the display unit 28 is displayed so as to emerge on the decorative panel 21 by being irradiated with light from the back side of the decorative panel 21. When the light is not emitted from the back side of the decorative panel 21, the characters and figures are not displayed on the decorative panel 21.

The display unit 28 is provided by blank-printing characters, symbols, or figures on the back surface of the decorative panel 21, that is, the surface on the accommodating unit 112 side in FIG. In this case, hollow printing means a printing method in which paint is applied to parts other than characters, symbols or figures on the base material, and the background color of the base material is left for the characters, symbols or figure parts. ..

In the case of the present embodiment, the display portion 28 is printed on the back side surface of the decorative panel 21 by applying, for example, a white paint having a light-shielding property to the entire back surface of the decorative panel 21 excluding each display portion 28 portion. .. In this case, the display unit 28 is printed on the back surface of the decorative panel 21 in a hollow state by, for example, screen printing. Further, in the following description, the color around the display unit 28 is referred to as the paint color of the decorative panel 21. That is, in the case of the present embodiment, the paint color of the decorative panel 21 is white.

Of the display units 281 to 283, the display unit 283, which is formed to be relatively larger than the other display units, also functions as an operation unit that receives input of a touch operation by the user. In this case, the display unit 283 that also serves as the operation unit is referred to as an operation display unit 283.

As shown in FIG. 2, the substrate case 27 is made of resin, for example, and is formed in a rectangular container shape. The board case 27 houses the circuit board 26 inside. The circuit board 26 is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction. Although details are not shown, the circuit board 26 is mounted with electronic components such as a microcomputer, a 7-segment display, and a plurality of display light sources 261 such as LEDs shown in FIG.

The 7-segment display and the display light source 261 are provided at positions corresponding to each display unit 28, that is, below each display unit 28. In this case, an electronic component such as a microcomputer (not shown) constitutes a detection circuit for detecting a user's touch operation on the decorative panel 21 and a display circuit for controlling the lighting of each display light source 261 to control the display of the display unit 28. Has been done.

The light source holder 25 is made of a member such as a resin having a light-shielding property, and has a certain thickness. As shown in FIG. 3, the light source holder 25 has a plurality of light-shielding portions 251 corresponding to the individual display light sources 261. The light-shielding portion 251 has a hole 252 at the bottom of the bowl shape. The display light source 261 provided on the circuit board 26 is inserted into the light-shielding portion 251 through the hole 252. Then, the light emitted from the display light source 261 in a certain light-shielding portion 251 is prevented from leaking to another light-shielding portion 251. As a result, when one of the plurality of display light sources 261 is lit, the display unit 28 corresponding to the lit display light source 261 is displayed so as to emerge on the surface of the decorative panel 21.

The transparent electrode film 23 is a detection member that detects a user's touch operation on the decorative panel 21. The transparent electrode film 23 is made of a sheet-like member having translucency. The transparent electrode film 23 has a plurality of detection units 231 as detection electrodes for detecting a change in capacitance. The transparent electrode film 23 is connected to the detection / display circuit of the circuit board 26. The circuit board 26 detects a change in capacitance between the detection unit 231 of the transparent electrode film 23 and the user, for example, a finger, thereby detecting a user's touch operation on the decorative panel 21.

The pressure welding member 24 is made of, for example, an elastic transparent resin material. As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure contact member 24 is provided between the transparent electrode film 23 and the light source holder 25, and presses the transparent electrode film 23 against the back surface of the decorative panel 21.

The switch device 30 is a mechanical switch device for turning on / off the power of the washing machine 10. In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the switch device 30 is provided with two switch units, that is, a power-on switch unit 40 and a power-off switch unit 50, for one case member 60. It is configured.

The power-on switch unit 40 is for turning on the power of the washing machine 10 by the user's operation. As shown in FIG. 5, the power-on switch unit 40 includes an input switch main body 41, an input pressing member 42, an input lever member 43, an input cap member 44, and an input transmission unit 611. Has been done. The power-off switch unit 50 is for turning off the power of the washing machine 10 by the operation of the user. The power-off switch unit 50 includes a switch main body 51 for turning off, a pressing member for turning off 52, a lever member for turning off 53, a cap member for turning off 54, a light source for switching 55, and a transmitting unit for turning off 612. There is.

The switch bodies 41 and 51 are mechanical switches, which are provided on the circuit board 26 to form a power supply circuit (not shown). The input switch main body 41 is housed in the switch accommodating portion 271. When the input unit 411 is pressed, the input switch main body 41 closes a power supply circuit (not shown) and turns on the power of the washing machine 10. When the input unit 511 is pressed, the switch main body 51 for turning off opens a power supply circuit (not shown), thereby turning off the power of the washing machine 10. Incidentally, in the case of the present embodiment, the substrate case 27 has a container-shaped switch accommodating portion 271 provided at an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the substrate case 27.

The insertion transmission unit 611 and the cutting transmission unit 612 are integrally formed with the case member 60. The case member 60 is formed in a container shape having a peripheral wall portion 63 that surrounds the bottom portion 62. The transmission portions 611 and 612 are formed in a columnar shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the bottom portion 62, for example, and are configured to penetrate the bottom portion 62. The transmission units 611 and 612 are configured to be elastically movable along the axial direction of the transmission units 611 and 612.

In this case, the case member 60 has cylindrical portions 641 and 642 and spring portions 651 and 652 corresponding to the transmission portions 611 and 612, respectively. The cylindrical portions 641 and 642 are formed in a cylindrical shape protruding upward from the bottom portion 62, that is, toward the pressing members 42 and 52. The spring portions 651 and 652 are formed by cutting out the surface of the end portions of the cylindrical portions 641 and 642 in a so-called spiral shape.

One end of the spiral springs 651 and 652 is connected to the cylindrical portions 641 and 642, and the other end is connected to the axially intermediate portion of the transmission portions 611 and 612. Then, the spring portions 651 and 652 are elastically deformed when the transmission portions 611 and 612 move in the axial direction. As a result, the transmission units 611 and 612 elastically move along the axial direction of the transmission units 611 and 612.

In this case, the communication portions 661 and 662 are formed along the spiral shape of the spring portions 651 and 652. The communication portions 661 and 662 communicate with each other in the thickness direction of the bottom portion 62. The communication portions 661 and 662 are indispensable elements for providing the transmission portions 611 and 612 so as to be movable with respect to the case member 60. In this case, the transmission portions 611 and 612 are provided through the central portions of the spring portions 651 and 652 and the communication portions 661 and 662, respectively.

The case member 60 has a translucent portion 67. The light transmitting portion 67 is formed by penetrating the bottom portion 62 in a cylindrical shape. In this case, the cylinder constituting the translucent portion 67 projects upward from the bottom portion 62, that is, toward the side opposite to the circuit board 26. The switch light source 55 is arranged inside the translucent portion 67 and is provided on the circuit board 26. The switch light source 55 is, for example, an LED or the like.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the circuit board 26 is provided with a diffusion member 262. The diffusion member 262 surrounds the switch light source 55. The inside of the diffusion member 262 is formed in a conical shape that narrows toward the circuit board 26 side. In other words, it spreads in a conical shape from the circuit board 26 side upward. As a result, the light emitted from the switch light source 55 is diffused along the inner surface of the diffusion member 262.

The cap members 44 and 54 are made of an elastic material such as rubber. In the case of the present embodiment, the cap members 44 and 54 are made of rubber and are therefore inferior in translucency. As shown in FIG. 5, the cap members 44 and 54 are formed in a so-called stepped conical shape in which a plurality of cylinders having different outer diameters are connected in order so that the outer diameter becomes smaller. The base end side of the cap members 44, 54, that is, the side having a large outer diameter is open, and the tip side, that is, the side having a small outer diameter is closed. As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the cap members 44 and 54 are provided with their base end sides fitted to the outside of the cylindrical portions 641 and 642. As a result, the cap members 44 and 54 cover the transmission portions 611 and 612 and the communication portions 661 and 662.

The transmission units 611 and 612 may be integrally formed with the cap members 44 and 55. In this case, the cylindrical portions 641 and 642 can have a simple cylindrical shape without the spring portions 651 and 652. In this case, instead of the spring portions 651 and 652, the elastic force of the cap members 44 and 54 themselves can be used.

The pressing members 42 and 52 are push buttons that receive a pressing operation from the user, and are made of, for example, disk-shaped glass or a translucent resin as a base material. The outer diameter of the entry pressing member 42 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the entry switch opening 211 of the decorative panel 21. Similarly, the outer diameter of the cutting pressing member 52 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cutting switch opening 212 of the decorative panel 21. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the pressing members 42 and 52 are provided inside the openings 211 and 212 of the decorative panel 21, respectively. In this case, the pressing members 42 and 52 can move in the thickness direction of the pressing members 42 and 52, that is, in the circular axial direction of the openings 211 and 212. Further, in the state where the pressing members 42 and 52 are in the initial positions, that is, when the pressing operation is not performed, the outer surfaces of the pressing members 42 and 52 are located on substantially the same surface as the outer surface of the decorative panel 21. ing.

As shown in FIG. 6, the entry pressing member 42 has, for example, an entry display unit 421 for displaying the character "on". In the case of the present embodiment, the entry display unit 421 is printed on the back surface of the entry pressing member 42, for example, and is always displayed. The required display unit 421 is printed in a color different from the paint color of the decorative panel 21, for example, black. Further, the periphery of the required display unit 421 is painted in the same color as or in the same color as the paint color of the decorative panel 21. In this case, the entry display unit 421 may be printed on the surface of the entry pressing member 42. Further, the film on which the entry display unit 421 is printed may be attached to the back surface or the front surface of the entry pressing member 42.

On the other hand, the cutting pressing member 52 has, for example, a cutting display unit 521 for displaying the characters "cut". In the case of the present embodiment, the cutting display unit 521 is printed on the back surface of the cutting pressing member 52, for example, and is switched between display and non-display by turning on and off the switch light source 55. The periphery of the cutting display unit 521 is painted in the same color as or in the same color as the paint color of the decorative panel 21. In this case, the cutting display unit 521 may be hollow-printed on the surface of the cutting pressing member 52. Further, the film in which the cutting display unit 521 is hollow-printed may be attached to the back surface or the front surface of the cutting pressing member 52.

In this configuration, when the washing machine 10 is turned off, as shown in FIG. 10, only the required display unit 421 of the required display unit 421 and the cut display unit 521 is displayed on the decorative panel 21. Has been done. On the other hand, when the input pressing member 42 is pressed and the washing machine 10 is turned on, as shown in FIG. 11, the display unit 521 for turning off and other displays necessary for the initial setting of the washing machine 10 and the like are displayed. The part 28 is displayed on the decorative panel 21.

The lever members 43 and 53 shown in FIGS. 5 and 5 are for transmitting the pressing force from the user input to the pressing members 42 and 52 to the transmission units 611 and 612 via the cap members 44 and 54. The lever members 43 and 53 are made of, for example, a transparent resin having translucency. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the lever members 43 and 53 have the pressing members 42 and 52 and the cap members 44 and 54 with respect to the pressing direction of the pressing members 42 and 52, that is, the moving direction of the pressing members 42 and 52. It is provided between and.

In the case of the present embodiment, the specific configuration of the insertion lever member 43 and the cutting lever member 53 is different. The reason is as follows. That is, the cutting display unit 521 provided on the cutting pressing member 52 is printed by hollow printing. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the power-off switch unit 50 has a switch light source 55 for switching between display and non-display. Then, the light from the switch light source 55 passes through the cutting lever member 53 having transparency and is irradiated to the cutting pressing member 52. As a result, when the switch light source 55 is turned on, the off display unit 521 is displayed on the off pressing member 52. Therefore, in the power-off switch unit 50, providing a component between the switch light source 55 and the off-pressing member 52 means that the light emitted from the switch light source 55 reaches the off-pressing member 52. It is not preferable because it hinders it. In this case, since the cutting lever member 53 is made of a translucent material, it does not correspond to a component that blocks the irradiation light from the switch light source 55, that is, a component that has a light-shielding property.

On the other hand, since the entry display unit 421 provided on the entry lever member 43 is always displayed, a light source for switching between display and non-display is unnecessary. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the above-mentioned circumstances in the power-on switch unit 40, and it is preferable to have a simpler configuration. Due to such circumstances, the structure of the insertion lever member 43 and the cutting lever member 53 is slightly different.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the insertion lever member 43 is configured to integrally include a receiving portion 431, a flat plate portion 432, a shaft portion 433, and an inserting portion 434. The receiving portion 431 is formed in a cylindrical shape in which the upper side, that is, the entrance pressing member 42 side is closed. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 431 of the receiving portion 431 is larger than the outer diameter of the fitting cap member 44 and the cylindrical portion 641. The flat plate portion 432 is formed in a flat plate shape extending from the cylindrical outer peripheral portion of the receiving portion 431.

The shaft portion 433 is provided at an end portion of the flat plate portion 432 opposite to the cylindrical portion 641. The shaft portion 433 has a cylindrical shape and projects laterally from the side surface of the flat plate portion 432. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shaft portion 433 of the insertion lever member 43 is inserted into the bearing portion 681 provided in the case member 60. In this case, the receiving portion 431 covers the cylindrical portion 641, the communicating portion 661, and the cap member 44. The input pressing member 42 is attached to the surface of the receiving portion 431 opposite to the cap member 44, that is, the upper surface. In this way, the insertion lever member 43 is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the case member 60 in the pressing direction of the insertion pressing member 42 with the shaft portion 433 as a fulcrum.

The insertion portion 434 is formed in a cylindrical shape protruding downward from the back surface side of the receiving portion 431. The inner diameter of the cylindrical shape of the insertion portion 434 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tip portion of the insertion cap member 44. The tip of the insertion cap member 44 is inserted inside the insertion portion 434.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the input unit 411, the input transmission unit 611, and the input pressing member 42 of the input switch main body 41 are arranged on a straight line with respect to their respective moving directions. That is, the input unit 411, the input transmission unit 611, and the input pressing member 42 of the input switch main body 41 are provided at overlapping positions in a plan view.

In this configuration, when the user inputs a pressing operation to the input pressing member 42, the input lever member 43 receives the pressing force and rotates downward, that is, toward the input switch main body 41 with the shaft portion 433 as a fulcrum. Move. Then, the insertion portion 434 of the entry lever member 43 presses the input portion 411 of the entry switch main body 41 via the entry cap member 44 and the entry transmission unit 611 as the insertion lever member 43 rotates. do. As a result, the operating force input to the input pressing member 42 is transmitted to the input unit 411 of the input switch main body 41 via the input lever member 43, the input cap member 44, and the input transmission unit 611. The input switch main body 41 operates.

In this configuration, in the insertion lever member 43, the force point that receives the pressing force from the insertion pressing member 42 is the receiving portion 431, and the action point that exerts the pressing force on the insertion transmission unit 611 is the insertion portion 434. In this case, the receiving portion 431, which is the point of effort, and the inserting portion 434, which is the point of action, are arranged on a straight line with respect to the moving direction of the pressing member 42. In other words, the receiving portion 431, which is the point of effort, and the insertion portion 434, which is the point of action, are arranged so as to overlap each other in a plan view.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the cutting lever member 53 is configured to integrally include a receiving portion 531, a flat plate portion 532, a shaft portion 533, and an inserting portion 534. The receiving portion 531, the flat plate portion 532, and the shaft portion 533 have the same configurations as the receiving portion 431, the flat plate portion 432, and the shaft portion 433 of the insertion lever member 43, respectively. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the shaft portion 533 of the cutting lever member 53 is inserted into the bearing portion 682 provided in the case member 60.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the receiving portion 531 covers the translucent portion 67. The cutting pressing member 52 is attached to the upper surface of the receiving portion 531. The insertion portion 534 is provided between the receiving portion 431 and the shaft portion 433, that is, in the flat plate portion 532. The inner diameter of the cylindrical shape of the insertion portion 534 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tip portion of the cutting cap member 54. The tip of the cutting cap member 54 is inserted inside the insertion portion 534.

In this case, the input unit 511 and the cutting transmission unit 612 of the cutting switch main body 51 are arranged on a straight line in the moving direction of the cutting transmission unit 612. That is, the input unit 511 of the switch main body 51 and the cut transmission unit 612 are provided at overlapping positions in a plan view. On the other hand, the input portion 511, the cutting transmission portion 612, and the cutting cap member 54 of the cutting switch main body 51 are provided at positions that do not overlap with the receiving portion 531 and the cutting pressing member 52 in a plan view.

In this configuration, when the user inputs a pressing operation to the cutting pressing member 52, the cutting lever member 53 receives the pressing force and rotates downward, that is, toward the cutting switch main body 51 with the shaft portion 533 as a fulcrum. Move. Then, the insertion portion 534 of the cutting lever member 53 presses the input portion 511 of the cutting switch main body 51 via the cutting cap member 54 and the cutting transmission portion 612 as the cutting lever 53 rotates. .. As a result, the operating force input to the cutting pressing member 52 is transmitted to the input unit 511 of the cutting switch main body 51 via the cutting lever member 53, the cutting cap member 54, and the cutting transmission unit 612. The off switch main body 51 operates.

In this configuration, in the cutting lever member 53, the force point for receiving the pressing force from the cutting pressing member 52 is the receiving portion 531 and the acting point for applying the pressing force to the cutting transmission unit 612 is the inserting portion 534. That is, the receiving portion 531 which is a force point and the insertion portion 534 which is an action point are arranged at positions deviated from each other with respect to the moving direction of the input pressing member 42. In other words, the receiving portion 531 which is the point of effort and the insertion portion 534 which is the point of action are arranged so as not to overlap in a plan view.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the case member 60 has a drainage portion 69. The drainage portion 69 is provided in the vicinity of the peripheral wall portion 63, and is formed in a rectangular tubular shape protruding downward from the bottom portion 62, that is, toward the switch bodies 41 and 51. By penetrating the bottom portion 62, the drainage portion 69 communicates the inside and the outside surrounded by the peripheral wall portion 63 in the thickness direction of the bottom portion 62, that is, in the vertical direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the drainage portion 69 extends downward from the lower ends of the switch bodies 41 and 51, the lower surface of the circuit board 26, and the lower surface of the substrate case 27. Liquid such as water dropped on the bottom 62 of the case member 60 is discharged below the lower ends of the switch bodies 41 and 51, the lower surface of the circuit board 26, and the lower surface of the substrate case 27 through the drainage portion 69. ..

The mounting member 22 shown in FIG. 2 is for mounting the operation display device 20 on the outer box 11. The mounting member 22 is made of resin, for example, and is formed in a rectangular plate shape that is slightly larger than the decorative panel 21 as a whole. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 12, the mounting member 22 has a mounting surface 221 and a positioning portion 222. The mounting surface 221 occupies most of the mounting member 22, and is formed on a flat surface. The decorative panel 21 is attached to the attachment surface 221.

The positioning portion 222 is located at the rear end edge portion of the mounting surface 221 and is provided on the decorative panel 21 side, that is, protruding upward. The positioning portion 222 is for defining the mounting position of the decorative panel 21 with respect to the mounting member 22 by locking the rear end edge portion of the decorative panel 21. In the case of the present embodiment, the positioning portion 222 is located at the rear end edge of the mounting surface 221 and is formed in a continuous wall shape along the longitudinal direction of the mounting surface 221. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the mounting surface 221 may be formed in, for example, a plurality of protrusions.

Next, the assembly of the operation display device 20 and the attachment to the outer box 11 will be described.
First, the assembly of the operation display device 20 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 9, the decorative panel 21 is adhered and fixed to the upper surface of the mounting member 22 by, for example, an adhesive member 29 such as double-sided tape. At that time, the operator first attaches the adhesive member 29 to either the back surface of the decorative panel 21 or the attachment surface 221 of the attachment member 22. Then, as shown in FIG. 13, the operator arranges the decorative panel 21 on the mounting surface 221 while applying the rear end edge portion 213 of the decorative panel 21 to the positioning portion 222. As a result, the decorative panel 21 is attached to the mounting member 22.

Next, the operator attaches the transparent electrode film 23 to the back surface of the decorative panel 21. Then, the circuit board 26 is housed in the board case 27, and the switch device 30 is attached to the circuit board 26. Then, the operator arranges the light source holder 25 on the circuit board 26, and further arranges the pressure contact member 24 on the light source holder 25. Then, the operator attaches the board case 27 to the back surface side of the attachment member 22. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the substrate case 27 and the mounting member 22 are fixed to each other by, for example, a fastening member 71 such as a screw, a snap-fit structure 72, or the like. In this way, the operation display device 20 is assembled.

Next, attachment of the operation display device 20 to the outer box 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 14, the dimension W1 between the left and right side walls 113 of the outer box 11, that is, the dimension W1 between the left and right side walls 113 of the accommodating portion 112 is set to be slightly smaller than the dimension W2 in the left-right direction of the decorative panel 21. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the operator fits the operation display device 20 into the accommodating portion 112 so that the space between the left and right side walls 113 can be expanded by the decorative panel 21. Therefore, when the operation display device 20 is fitted in the accommodating portion 112, the restoring force of the left and right side walls 113 acts on the operation display device 20. Therefore, the operation display device 20 is firmly fixed to the outer box 11. In addition, in FIGS. 14 and 15, the relationship between the dimension W1 between the left and right side walls 113 of the accommodating portion 112 and the dimension W2 in the left-right direction of the decorative panel 21 is exaggerated.

Further, in the present embodiment, the decorative panel 21 is composed of a single glass plate extending over the entire area of the outer box 11 in the left-right direction, that is, in the width direction. The glass plate has higher chemical resistance than a synthetic resin such as acrylic. Therefore, even if a liquid such as a liquid detergent or water in which the detergent is dissolved keeps in contact with the decorative panel 21 for a long period of time, the possibility of so-called solvent cracks, that is, cracks, is extremely low. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to more effectively prevent the decorative panel 21 from being deteriorated in design due to contact with a liquid detergent or a liquid such as water in which the detergent is dissolved.

Further, the decorative panel 21 is a rectangular glass plate having no notch around it, and is provided over the entire width direction of the outer box 11. Therefore, the gap between the decorative panel 21 and the outer box 11 is not formed in the central portion of the decorative panel 21. In this case, an electric component such as a circuit board 26 is provided on the back surface of the central portion of the decorative panel 21. Therefore, for example, if a gap is formed in the central portion of the decorative panel 21, the liquid dropped on the decorative panel 21 invades the back surface side of the decorative panel 21 through the gap and comes into contact with the circuit board 26, causing a problem. There is a risk of doing so.

On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, no gap is formed in the central portion of the decorative panel 21. Further, even if the liquid penetrates from the decorative panel 21 and the outer box 11 to the back surface side of the decorative panel 21, the liquid flows downward along the side wall 113 of the outer box 11. As a result, it is possible to more effectively prevent the liquid dropped on the decorative panel 21 from coming into contact with the circuit board 26.

Here, the transparent electrode film 23 provided on the back surface of the decorative panel 21 detects a change in capacitance between the transparent electrode film 23 and the user's finger when the user's finger or the like comes into contact with the decorative panel 21. It is something to do. Therefore, if the thickness dimension of the decorative panel 21 is not uniform over the entire surface, the sensitivity of the transparent electrode film 23 changes depending on the touch position, and as a result, the operability is deteriorated. On the other hand, the decorative panel 21 made of glass is less likely to cause a dimensional error during manufacturing as compared with a resin material such as acrylic. Therefore, the thickness dimension of the decorative panel 21 can be made uniform over the entire surface with high accuracy. As a result, the sensitivity of the transparent electrode film 23 can be made uniform over the entire surface of the decorative panel 21, and as a result, the operability is improved.

The display portion 28 is formed by directly hollow printing on one side of a glass plate serving as a base material of the decorative panel 21, in this case, on the back side. According to this, it is not necessary to attach a film or the like on which the display unit 28 is hollow-printed to the decorative panel 21. Therefore, for example, when the film is attached to the decorative panel 21, it is possible to avoid deterioration of the design due to air bubbles entering between the decorative panel 21 and the film. Further, by directly printing the display unit 28 on one side of the glass plate which is the base material of the decorative panel 21, the work process can be reduced as compared with the conventional configuration in which the film is attached to one side or both sides of the glass plate. can.

The decorative panel 21 is attached and fixed to the mounting surface 221 of the mounting member 22 by an adhesive member 29 such as double-sided tape. The mounting member 22 has a positioning portion 222 that defines a mounting position of the decorative panel 21. According to this, the operator can easily perform the positioning when the decorative panel 21 is attached to the attachment member 22. As a result, workability related to the assembly of the operation display device 20 can be improved.

Most of the operation display device 20 is housed in a housing unit 112 provided inside the outer box 11. In this case, the dimension W1 between the left and right side walls 113 of the accommodating portion 112 is set to be smaller than the dimension W2 in the left-right direction of the decorative panel 21. The operation display device 20 is provided in the accommodating portion 112 with the left and right side walls 113 expanded by the decorative panel 21. According to this, the restoring force of the left and right side walls 113 acts on the operation display device 20. Therefore, the operation display device 20 is firmly fixed to the outer box 11.

Further, in this case, the left and right side walls 113 of the accommodating portion 112 are pressed against the left and right side sides of the decorative panel 21. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the gap between the left and right side sides of the decorative panel 21 and the left and right side walls 113 of the accommodating portion 112. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in design due to the formation of a gap between the decorative panel 21 and the side wall 113 and the invasion of a liquid such as water through the gap.

According to the configuration of the present embodiment, the decorative panel 21 is configured by directly punching out the display unit 28 on a translucent plate material such as glass. According to this, it is not necessary to attach, for example, a film or the like in which the display unit 28 is hollow-printed to the decorative panel 21 as in the conventional configuration. That is, according to this configuration, a film for forming the display unit 28 becomes unnecessary. Therefore, even if a liquid such as a liquid detergent or water in which the detergent is dissolved adheres to the surface of the decorative panel 21, problems such as deterioration of design due to peeling of the film attached to the decorative panel 21 do not occur. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the design due to contact of a liquid detergent or a liquid such as water in which the detergent is dissolved with the decorative panel 21 of the operation display device 20.

Further, the operation display device 20 has a transparent electrode film 23 provided on the back surface of the decorative panel 21 as a detection member capable of detecting a touch operation from the user on the decorative panel 21. As a result, the user can make various settings related to the operation of the washing machine 10 by touching the decorative panel 21. On the other hand, the operation display device 20 has a mechanical switch device 30 for turning on / off the power of the washing machine 10. The pressing members 42 and 52 of the switch device 30 are exposed to the outside of the operation display device 20 through the openings 211 and 212 formed in the decorative panel 21.

According to this, the user can turn on / off the power of the washing machine 10 by pressing the mechanical switch device 30 instead of touching the decorative panel 21. In this case, the mechanical switch device 30 can give a more reliable operation feeling to the user as compared with the touch sensor type switch using the transparent electrode film 23. On the other hand, since the touch operation on the decorative panel 21 does not require a pressing force, it can be easily operated with a lighter force than the mechanical switch device 30.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user can easily perform various settings with a light force by touching the decorative panel 21, while the washing machine 10 is mechanically turned on and off. The operation can be performed more reliably by the switch device 30 of the above. Thereby, the operability of the operation display device 20 can be improved.

Further, in the power off switch unit 50, the off pressing member 52 and the switch light source 55, and the off transmission unit 612 and the off switch main body 51 are provided at positions where they do not overlap in a plan view. That is, no component is provided between the switch light source 55 and the cutting pressing member 52 to prevent the light emitted from the switch light source 55 from reaching the cutting pressing member 52. According to this, while adopting the mechanical cutting switch main body 51, the cutting display unit 521 can be displayed on the cutting pressing member 52 by lighting the switch light source 55. That is, by switching the on / off of the switch light source 55, the off display unit 521 can be switched between display and non-display. Therefore, the off display unit 521 can be hidden when the washing machine 10 is not turned on, and the off display unit 521 can be displayed only when the washing machine 10 is turned on. As a result, the design of the decorative panel 21 and, by extension, the design of the washing machine 10 can be improved.

The switch device 30 has cap members 44, 54 that cover the communication portions 661, 662. According to this, for example, even if a liquid such as water turns from the front surface to the back surface of the decorative panel 21 and enters the case member 60 of the switch device 30, the liquid such as water passes through the communication portions 661 and 662. It is possible to prevent the switch body 41 and 51 from wrapping around. Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems caused by contact of liquids such as water with the switch bodies 41 and 51 as much as possible.

The transmission portions 611 and 612 are integrally formed with the case member 60 or the cap members 44 and 54. According to this, since the number of parts can be reduced, the man-hours for assembling the switch device 30 can be reduced, and the cost of the switch device 30 can be reduced.

The case member 60 has a drainage portion 69. The drainage unit 69 drains a liquid such as water dropped on the bottom portion 62 of the case member 60 to the lower side of the case member 60 through the sides of the switch bodies 41 and 51. According to this, the liquid such as water that has turned from the front surface to the back surface of the decorative panel 21 and has entered the case member 60 of the switch device 30 can be drained more reliably.

The drainage portion 69 extends downward from the lower end portions of the switch bodies 41 and 51. According to this, the drainage portion 69 can discharge the liquid such as water dropped on the bottom portion 62 of the case member 60 below the lower end portions of the switch bodies 41 and 51. As a result, when a liquid enters the inside of the case member 60, the liquid can be more reliably discharged to the outside of the case member 60 without contacting the switch bodies 41 and 51.

(Other embodiments)
The washing machine 10 is not limited to the above embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 16, for example, the washing machine 10 may include a touch panel display 80 fitted in the decorative panel 21. The touch panel display 80 is a stack of a touch panel capable of touch operation and a liquid crystal display. Even in this case, the same effect as that of the above embodiment can be obtained.

Further, the touch panel display 80 may be attached to the back surface of the decorative panel 21. In this case, in the decorative panel 21, the portion corresponding to the touch panel display 80 is not printed and is kept transparent, and the periphery of the touch panel display 80 is printed. Then, the decorative panel 21 is provided with an adhesive member 29 such as double-sided tape in the area around the touch panel display 80, that is, the area where the above printing is performed, and is attached to the mounting member 22. According to this, there is no step on the surface of the decorative panel 21 due to the touch panel display 80. Therefore, even when the touch panel display 80 is adopted, the entire surface of the decorative panel 21 can be flattened. As a result, the surface of the decorative panel 21 can be easily cleaned, and the operation display device 2 can be made thinner.

In the above embodiment, the power-on switch unit 40 and the power-off switch unit 50 both employ mechanical switches, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, at least the power-on switch unit 40 may be a mechanical switch, and the power-off switch unit 50 may be a touch-type switch. Further, the power on switch unit 40 and the power off switch unit 50 can be shared.

Further, in the above embodiment, the entry display unit 421 and the cutting display unit 521 are provided on the entry pressing member 42 and the cutting pressing member 52, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the display portions 421 and 521 can be provided on the portions of the lever members 43 and 43 where the pressing members 42 and 52 are provided, that is, the receiving portions 431 and 513, respectively.

Although a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

In the drawing, 10 is a washing machine, 11 is an outer box, 112 is a housing part, 113 is a side wall, 20 is an operation display device, 21 is a decorative panel, 22 is a mounting member, 23 is a transparent electrode film (detection member), and 261 is. Indicates a display light source.

Claims (3)

With the outer box
The outer box is provided with an operation display device for making various settings.
The operation display device is
A decorative panel composed of a single glass plate having no notch over the entire width direction of the outer box and forming the outer surface of the operation display device, and a decorative panel.
It has a touch panel display provided on the back surface of the decorative panel, and has.
The entire surface of the decorative panel is formed flat without causing a step due to the touch panel display on the surface of the decorative panel.
Washing machine. The operation display device further includes a mounting member for mounting the operation display device on the outer box.
The decorative panel is attached and fixed to the mounting member, and is fixed.
The mounting member is provided at the rear end edge portion of the mounting member so as to project toward the decorative panel side, and by locking the rear end edge portion of the decorative panel, the mounting position of the decorative panel with respect to the mounting member. Has a positioning part that defines
The washing machine according to claim 1. An accommodating portion provided inside the outer box and accommodating the operation display device is further provided.
The dimension between the left and right side walls of the accommodating portion is set to be smaller than the dimension in the left-right direction of the decorative panel.
The operation display device is provided in the accommodating portion in a state where the left and right side walls are expanded by the decorative panel.
The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

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